cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catalytic microcombustors with integrated thermoelectric elements for portable power production

In this study, catalytic microcombustors are integrated with thermoelectrics to produce electricity. The devices are found to be robust, easy to start up, and able to support complete combustion over a range of fuels (e.g., C3H8/air and H2/air systems) at different flowrates. Various materials of construction for the microcombustors are investigated in order to yield good temperature uniformity, which is shown to increase electrical power output and efficiency. Electrical power generation from catalytic microcombustion with a thermal efficiency up to ∼0.8% is measured. Parameters affecting energy efficiency are also discussed.
Cyanylated Cysteine Is a Site-Specific Vibrational Probe of Disorder-to-Order Transitions In Helical Protein Domains

The time scale of molecular vibrations allows infrared spectroscopy to be a picosecond probe of fluctuations in the local solvent and the structural environment of distinct vibrations. Solvent-exposed, free cysteine side chains are easily modified to thiocyanate through established reaction chemistry. Following site-directed mutagenesis to introduce cysteine, this modification allows the site-specific placement of thiocyanate in disordered domains implicated in binding or other structure-inducing events. Using a natural system (the Ntail protein from measles virus) and model helical peptides, we demonstrate that the frequency and line shape of the CN stretching band of cyanylated cysteine are sensitive to formation of both secondary structure and tertiary/quaternary or lipid contacts. The CN line shape indicates significant attenuation of the dynamics of water surrounding well-formed secondary structures.
Optimal investment of conventional and renewable generation assets

Driven by the national policy to expand renewable generation, as well as the advances in renewable technologies that reduce the cost of small-scale renewable generation units, distributed generation at end users will comprise a significant fraction of electricity generation in the future. We study the problem faced by a social planner who seeks to minimize the long-term discounted costs (associated with both the procurement and the usage of conventional and distributed generation assets), subject to meeting an inelastic demand for electricity. Under mild conditions on the problem parameters, we fully characterize the optimal investment policy for the social planner. We also analyze the impact of problem parameters (e.g., asset lifespans) on the optimal investment policy through numerical examples.
Interreflection removal for photometric stereo by using spectrum-dependent albedo

We present a novel method that can separate m-bounced light and remove the interreflections in a photometric stereo setup. Under the assumption of a uniformly colored lambertian surface, the intensity of a point in the scene is the sum of 1-bounced light through m-bounced light rays. Ruled by the law of diffuse reflection, whenever a light ray is bounced by the surface, its intensity will be attenuated by the factor of albedo ρ. This implies that the measured intensity value can be written as a polynomial function of ρ, and the intensity contribution of the m-bounced light rays are expressed by the term of ρm. Therefore, when we change the surface albedo, the intensity of the m-bounced light is changed to the order of m. This non-linearity gives us the possibility to separate the m-bounced light. In practice, we illuminate the scene with different light colors to effectively simulate different surface albedos since albedo is spectrum dependent. Once the m-bounced light rays are separated, we can perform the photometric stereo algorithm on the 1-bounced light (direct lighting) images to produce the 3D shape without the impact of interreflections. Experiments have shown that we get significantly improved scene reconstruction with a minimum of two color images.
Turbulent dispersion from elevated line sources in channel and couette flow

Turbulent dispersion of a scalar emitted from a source in homogeneous turbulence has been placed in a solid theoretical context by Taylor, Saffman, and Batchelor. However, the case of source diffusion in the near-wall region, where the turbulence is not Gaussian, and the effects of the molecular Prandtl number (Pr) on the effective dispersion have not been explored to similar depth. The present work studies the behavior of elevated sources in turbulent channel flow and in turbulent-plane Couette flow. The trajectories of heat markers are monitored in space and time as they move in a hydrodynamic field created by a direct numerical simulation. The fluids span several orders of magnitude of Pr (or Schmidt number), Pr = 0.1, 0.7, 3, 6, 10, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2400, 7500, 15,000, and 50,000 (liquid metals, gases, liquids, lubricants, and electrochemical fluids). It is found that the molecular Pr has negligible effects in the evolution of the marker cloud for Pr ≥ 3, when the point of marker release is away from the viscous wall sublayer. However, when the markers are released close to the wall, the molecular effects on dispersion are strong. It is also found that total effective dispersion is higher in the case of plane Couette flow, where the total stress across the channel is constant. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2005
The infrared, Raman and ultraviolet spectra of P(NCO)3 and PO(NCO)3

Abstract The infrared spectrum from 120 to 5000 cm −1 and the Raman spectrum with polarizations were obtained for phosphorus (III) isocyanate and phosphoryl (V) isocyanate. They demonstrate that both molecules have at least a C 3 -axis of symmetry. For P(NCO) 3 , D 3 h symmetry (planar trigonal structure) may be definitely eliminated. C 3 h symmetry (planar pinwheel structure) is also eliminated, but with less certainty. C 3 h symmetry seems most probable for both molecules. This does not establish whether the P-NCO groups are linear or bent. Fundamental frequencies are assigned for both substances. In the ultraviolet spectrum P(NCO) 3 has no band above 2300 A, but PO(NCO) 3 has a weak band at 2660 A in CH 2 Cl 2 solution ( a max ≅ 21 1. mole −1 cm −1 ).
Magnetization, upper critical field, and isotropy in single crystals YNi2B2C

Abstract Magnetization studies for single crystal YNi 2 B 2 C have been carried out in order to look for anisotropy in the upper critical field, H c2 . Magnetization vs. temperature curves are reversible to a few percent over a wide portion of the field-temperature (H-T) plane and are nearly linear as predicted by Ginzburg-Landau theory. Values of H c2 derived from a linear extrapolation of M vs. T plots for H parallel to the c-axis and for H parallel to the ab-plane are the same within errors and hence the samples are very isotropic. Two irregularities for these samples are that the slope of the M vs. T curves decreases with increasing field and that the H c2 vs. T curve may have a small positive curvature. Both of these features are contrary to the expectations of Ginzburg-Laudau theory.
Macular degeneration: risk factors for progression.

JAMA Association of CFH Y402H and LOC387715 A69S With Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Context: Studies have reported that single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the genes CFH and LOC387715 are associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Objective: To assess whether these genetic variants have prognostic importance for progression to advanced AMD and related visual loss. Design, Setting, and Participants: Prospective analysis of 1466 white participants in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a US multicenter clinical trial conducted from 1990 to 2001 with a mean follow-up time of 6.3 years. Age-related macular degeneration status was determined by grading of fundus photographs. Progression (n = 281) was defined as newly diagnosed advanced AMD (geographic atrophy, exudative disease, or AMD causing visual loss) in one or both eyes during the course of the study. Genotypic analysis was conducted in 2006. Main Outcome Measure: Incidence rates of dry and neovascular advanced AMD. Results: The CFH Y402H and LOC387115 A69S polymorphisms were each independently related to progression from early or intermediate stages to advanced stages of AMD, controlling for demographic factors, smoking, body mass index, and AREDS vitamin-mineral treatment assignment, with odds ratios (ORs) of 2.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-3.9) for CFH and 4.1 (95% CI, 2.7-6.3) for LOC387715 for the homozygous risk genotypes ( P LOC387715 was stronger for progression to neovascular disease (OR, 6.1; 95% CI, 3.3-11.2) compared with geographic atrophy (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4-6.5) relative to no progression for the homozygous risk state. The presence of all adverse factors (both risk genotypes, smoking, and body mass index ≥ 25) increased risk 19-fold. Smoking and high body mass index increased odds of progression within each risk genotype. Genetic plus nongenetic risk scores provided an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of up to 0.78. Conclusions: Common polymorphisms in the genes CFH and LOC387715 are independently related to AMD progression after adjustment for other known AMD risk factors. Presence of these polymorphisms plus AREDS vitamin-mineral treatment, smoking, and body mass index of 25 or higher identify patients who are highly susceptible to developing advanced stages of this visually disabling disease.
Analysis of Flow and Heat Transfer Inside Nonisothermal Squeezed Thin Films

ABSTRACT Flow and heat transfer are analyzed inside a nonisothermal squeezed thin film. The governing Equations are dimensionalized and transformed to similarity or nonsimilarity Equations for a certain time variation of the thin film thickness. Both analytical and numerical approaches are utilized in solving the different forms of the transformed energy equation. It is found that while thin films can support larger loads under larger squeezing velocities, they may transfer heat at lower rates as the squeezing velocity increases. Moreover, the effects of thermal squeezing parameter on local Nusselt numbers and temperature profiles are discussed for various thermal boundary conditions. A correlation for a critical value of the squeezing velocity is obtained, below which heat transfer across squeezed thin films can be transferred efficiently.
Development and Reproduction of the Predator Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) Reared on Diets of Selected Plant Material and Arthropod Prey

Development, survival, adult longevity, daily ovipositional rate, and fecundity of Orius insidiosus (Say), a predaceous anthocorid bug, were studied by comparing effects on those biological functions of 13 selected diets. Diets included, singly or in combination, two types of plant material (pollen or green beans) and three types of arthropod prey ( Heliothis virescens (F.), Sericothrips variabilis (Beach), or Tetranychus urticae Koch). Free water was provided with all diets. The predator successfully completed nymphal development on pollen alone ( Acer spp.) with 91.2% of the cohort surviving to the adult stage, but none developed beyond the second instar on green beans alone. Development was significantly faster on diets containing arthropod prey than on diets lacking prey. Adult longevity was greater on a diet of pollen alone or any diet containing H. virescens eggs than on any diet containing S. variabilis. Fecundity was higher on the three diets containing H. virescens eggs. The plant-feeding habits of Orius spp., Nabis spp., and Geocoris spp. are compared.
Design of digital PI + dynamic controllers using projective controls†

Extension of the projective-controls approach to the design of discrete multivariable PI + dynamic controllers for systems with external disturbances and controls feeding directly to the outputs is presented. The procedure is applied to a ship boiler control problem to provide comparisons with the usual observer-based approach.
Frozen RPMI 8402 cells: a reliable source of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase positive control material.

Abstract A reliable source of positive control material is needed for immunoperoxidase or immunofluorescent terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) assays. The cell line RPMI 8402 was obtained from a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and is positive for nuclear TdT. The kinetics of TdT expression in a series of cultured RPMI 8402 cells and the effect of cryopreservation on TdT expression were evaluated. The highest percentage of TdT + cells was detected on days 5–8 of RPMI 8402 cell cultures. TdT positivity was preserved for more than 3 years in cells stored in suspension at −70°C, and at least 76 days on slide preparations when fixed with methanol prior to freezing. We conclude that when RPMI 8402 cells with maximum TdT positivity are stored at −70°C, aliquots can be used as a constant source of positive control material thereby eliminating the necessity and expense of a continuing culture system.
Improvement of temporal resolution in fMRI using slice phase encode reordered 3D EPI

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse sequence was developed for acquiring high temporal resolution 3D functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI). The technique uses a 3D-acquisition scheme that increases the SNR per unit time. Compared to the previously developed methods, the proposed one does not sacrifice the spatial resolution or require a reduction in the number of acquired slices. The method was tested on six control subjects using a well-known visual activation task. Statistical analysis of the acquired data showed significant activation in the primary visual cortex of each subject. The proposed acquisition method makes use of the periodicity of the applied stimulus. A given kz plane is scanned sequentially using a modified 3D EPI pulse sequence while the stimulus cycle (SC) is applied. The same SC is repeated for each acquisition of a new kz plane sequence. After data acquisition, temporal reordering is done on the data to obtain the proper 3D image sequence. Since the familiarization of the subject with the activation task is an important aspect that might affect the performance of the method, habituation of the primary visual cortex was tested by applying a similar visual stimulus and acquiring data using standard 2D Echo Planar Imaging (EPI). No habituation was observed within a duration of 7 min 12 sec.
Overexpression of uvomorulin in a compaction-negative F9 mutant cell line

The mutant F9 cell line F9att-5.51 synthesizes reduced amounts of uvomorulin (UM) protein and we hypothesized earlier (Adamson, Baribault, and Kemler, Dev. Biol. (1990), 138, 338) that this may account for its inability to compact into tightly aggregated balls of cells. Subsequently, when 5.51 cells are treated with retinoic acid to stimulate their differentiation, they are unable to form embryoid bodies as do wild-type cells which form an outer epithelial layer of visceral endoderm cells. We have now examined the possibility that the UM protein made in the mutant line is defective, but find that it is normal in structure and stability. The gene coding for UM appears to be normal as does the mRNA which is synthesized at a normal rate but is severely reduced in steady-state measurements of mutant cells. A rescue experiment was performed by increasing levels of UM in mutant cells by means of transfection with a UM expression vector. The resulting cells expressed abundant UM mRNA and protein but were still unable to form compacted aggregates and did not differentiate into embryoid bodies. Interestingly, the stability of endogenous UM mRNA was improved in the presence of exogenous UM; therefore, a positive feedback mechanism contributes to low mRNA levels in mutant cells. The accumulated data suggest that UM in 5.51 cells is unable to mount a compaction activity because a distal connecting link in the multicomponent process initiated by UM is missing or or aberrant. The missing component is likely to connect UM to actin and the cytoskeleton of the cell.
Do Life Course Transitions and Social Bonds Influence Male and Female Offending Differently? Gender Contrasts and Criminality

A longstanding issue facing criminologists is the challenge of developing theoretical models that provide comprehensive explanations of the onset and persistence of criminality among males and females. One promising perspective that has developed in recent years has been life course theory. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this research explores the question of whether the elements of social development shape the trajectory of persistent offending in a gender-neutral fashion, or are the dynamics shaping life course criminality unique for males and females. The results provide a number of useful insights into the relationship between gender, life course transition factors, and longitudinal patterns of criminality.
The pharmacokinetics of commonly used antiepileptic drugs in immature CD1 mice

Rodents eliminate antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) faster than humans, creating challenges for designing clinically relevant protocols. Half-lives of AEDs in immature mice are unknown. The pharmacokinetics of commonly used AEDs were examined in CD1 mice using a single-dose protocol at postnatal day 19. After intraperitoneal therapeutic dosing, blood serum concentrations spanning 1-48 h post-administration and corresponding brain tissue concentrations at 4 h were analyzed. Half-lives of valproate, phenobarbital, diazepam (and metabolites), phenytoin, and levetiracetam were 2.6, 15.8, 22.3, 16.3, and 3.2 h, respectively, compared to 0.8, 7.5, 7.7, 16.0, and 1.5 h reported for adult mice. Brain-to-blood ratios were comparable with adult ratios. AEDs tested had longer half-lives and maintained therapeutic plasma concentrations longer than reported in mature mice, making clinically relevant protocols feasible.
Wide‐angle x‐ray scattering study of heat‐treated peek and peek composite

Samples of poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK) neat resin and APC-2 carbon fiber composite were subjected to various heat treatments, and the effect of quenching and annealing treatments was studied by wide-angle X-ray scattering. It is found that high-temperature treatments may introduce disorder into neat resin and composite PEEK when followed by rapid cooling. The disorder is metastable and can revert to ordered state when the material is heated above its glass transition temperature and then cooled slowly. The disorder may result from residual thermal stresses.
Effect of propranolol on the isoproterenol, responses of cortisol, isoproterenol, and aminophylline.

Abstract We have studied the effect of propranolol on the eosinopenic responses of cortisol, isoproterenol, and aminophylline. Blood was drawn for a base-line total eosinophil count (TEC) from fasting male volunteers at 8 a.m. followed by propranolol, 40 mg., or a placebo orally. Later, one drug or a placebo was given according to the following schedule: cortisol, 25 mg. intravenously at 9 a.m., isoproterenol, 0.05 mg. subcutaneously at 11 a.m., and aminophylline, 500 mg. intravenously at noon. A second base-line TEC was obtained at 11 a.m., and a final TEC was obtained in, all patients at 1 p.m. When only placebos were given, a significant mean fall in the TEC of 14 per cent was seen in the first 3 hours (p
Patterns, predictors, and associated benefits of driving a modified vehicle after spinal cord injury: Findings from the National Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems

Abstract Norweg A, Jette AM, Houlihan B, Ni P, Boninger ML. Patterns, predictors, and associated benefits of driving a modified vehicle after spinal cord injury: findings from the National Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems. Objectives To investigate the patterns, predictors, and benefits associated with driving a modified vehicle for people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Design Cross-sectional retrospective survey design. Settings Sixteen Model SCI Systems (MSCISs) throughout the United States. Participants People (N=3726) post-SCI from the National MSCIS Database. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Driving, employment, and community reintegration post-SCI. Results The study found that 36.5% of the sample drove a modified vehicle after SCI. Significant predictors of driving a modified vehicle post-SCI included married at injury, younger age at injury, associate's degree or higher before injury, paraplegia, a longer time since the injury, non-Hispanic race, white race, male sex, and using a wheelchair for more than 40 hours a week after the injury (accounting for 37% of the variance). Higher activity of daily living independence (in total motor function) at hospital discharge also increased the odds of driving. Driving increased the odds of being employed at follow-up by almost 2 times compared with not driving postinjury (odds ratio, 1.85). Drivers tended to have higher community reintegration scores, especially for community mobility and total community reintegration. Driving was also associated with small health-related quality-of-life gains, including less depression and pain interference and better life satisfaction, general health status, and transportation availability scores. Conclusions The associated benefits of driving and the relatively low percentage of drivers post-SCI in the sample provide evidence for the need to increase rehabilitation and assistive technology services and resources in the United States devoted to facilitating driving after SCI.
Boron Gettering by Fluorine in Ion Implanted Silicon

Si was implanted with fluorine and boron ions. Boron gettering by fluorine was studied. By varying the implantation energy of F+ ions, three types of samples were made in which Rp(F) Rp(B). There are three special regions in which the redistribution of Boron atoms during annealing differ. The first one is the near surface region in which the Boron concentration exceeds the value of Boron solid solubility at the annealing temperature. In this region, B atoms are intensively redistributed and have two peaks of concentration. The positions of these peaks coincide with the position of the peaks on the fluorine concentration profile. In the second specific region, the boron concentration is less than the value of solid solubility in Si and higher than the value of the intrinsic carrier concentration in Si at the annealing temperature. In this region, the B concentration was identical in all samples, and it exponentially decreased to the value of 5×1018 cm−3. The slope of the boron concentration in the third region dictates the depth of p-n junction. A possible mechanism of boron gettering by fluorine is discussed.
Treatment with bevacizumab plus carboplatin for recurrent malignant glioma.

The prognosis for recurrent malignant gliomas has historically been dismal, with a median survival of 3 to 9 months.1 There is currently no standard of care for the treatment of these tumors. However, several phase 2 trials analyzing the efficacy of bevacizumab in combination with various chemotherapeutic agents including irinotecan2-5 and etoposide2,6 have shown increased 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) and 6-month overall survival (OS) with acceptable toxicity compared with patients who received chemotherapy alone.7 In a phase 2 noncomparative study, Friedman et al8 recently found that patients who received bevacizumab plus irinotecan and those who received bevacizumab alone both had improved 6-month PFS (42% and 50.3%, respectively) and OS (median 8.7 and 9.2 months, respectively) compared with historical data when used to treat recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. Other bevacizumab-containing combination regimens used to treat recurrent malignant glioma including lomustine, rapamycin, and carboplatin with variable radiographic results have also been reported.2,8 The need for other more effective chemotherapeutic agents is paramount. Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that binds to vascular endothelial growth factor and prevents the proliferation of endothelial cells and formation of new blood vessels.9 Vascular endothelial growth factor has a role in endothelial cell permeability, activation, survival proliferation, invasion, and migration, which all affect tumor progression and angiogenesis.2 Malignant gliomas have been found to express vascular endothelial growth factor receptors.10 Carboplatin has long been used to treat a variety of malignancies including ovarian cancer, breast cancer, Hodgkin's disease, and non-small cell lung cancer. Before bevacizumab was widely used, carboplatin as monotherapy was relatively effective in treating recurrent gliomas.11,12 More recently, Narayana et al13 demonstrated improved OS and PFS in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma with bevacizumab and carboplatin. Preclinical activity of bevacizumab plus carboplatin in malignant glioma has also been promising. Jahnke et al14 demonstrated significantly increased survival from the combination of bevacizumab and carboplatin compared with either bevacizumab or carboplatin alone in a malignant glioma rat model. There is currently a paucity of literature addressing survival, time to progression, imaging responses, and toxicities of bevacizumab plus carboplatin in human subjects. At our institution, bevacizumab plus irinotecan was initially used to treat patients with recurrent malignant gliomas, but bevacizumab plus carboplatin is now the preferred chemotherapeutic combination. This is a retrospective case series analyzing OS, PFS, imaging responses, and the toxicity profile of bevacizumab plus intravenous carboplatin treatment of recurrent malignant glioma.
Cancer stem cells and therapeutic targets: an emerging field for cancer treatment.

Recent paradigm in the field of cancer defines its origin from a small population of fast-growing cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), and they are mainly responsible for disease aggressiveness, drug resistance, and tumor relapse. The existence of CSCs has been proven in different types of cancer and possesses characteristic expression of a wide array of cell surface markers specific to the type of cancer. CSCs have been isolated and enriched using several surface markers in different cancer types. Self-renewal, drug resistance, and the ability to transition from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype are the major features attributed to this fraction of mutated stem cells. The CSC hypothesis proposes that these CSCs mimic stem cells by sharing similar pathways, such as Wnt, SHH, Notch, and others. Further, the niche, which in this case is the tumor microenvironment, plays a very important role in the maintenance of CSCs. Altogether, this emerging field of research on CSCs is expected to unveil answers to the most difficult issues of one of the most dreadful diseases called cancer.
Is the intrinsic thermoelectric power of carbon nanotubes positive

The thermoelectric power (TEP) of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is extremely sensitive to gas exposure history. Samples exposed to air or oxygen have an always positive TEP, suggestive of holelike carriers. However, at fixed temperature the TEP crosses zero and becomes progressively more negative as the SWNTs are stripped of oxygen. The time constant for oxygen adsorption/desorption is strongly temperature dependent and ranges from seconds to many days, leading to apparently "variable" TEP for a given sample at a given temperature. The saturated TEP can be accounted for within a model of strong oxygen doping of the semiconducting nanotubes.
Circumstellar material around the massive close binary DH Cephei

The expanding atmosphere of the massive close binary DH Cephei is analyzed on the basis of data from ground-based polarimetry and spaceborne UV observations obtained with the IUE satellite. The mass loss from the system is estimated to be about 2 x 10 to the -6th solar mass/yr. This material can be divided into three classes: (1) wind material, which is hot gas driven from the stars via radiation pressure and reaching terminal velocity at a distance of 5a or greater; (2) scattering material, which may be the result of colliding winds or instabilities in the wind flow; and (3) small (0.1 micron) dust grains. The latter may originate in the cold high-density boundary formed as the wind from the binary plows into the ambient interstellar medium or, alternatively, may be the residue of the formation of stellar components.
The Relationship between Overlying Synoptic-Scale Flows and Winds within a Valley

Abstract The relationship between winds above and within the Tennessee Valley is investigated climatologically and with an atmospheric numerical model. For the climatological analyses, winds above the valley were determined by interpolation from four surrounding rawinsonde stations, while winds within the valley were measured on four 100-m towers. Tennessee Valley winds are generally weak and bidirectional, oriented along the valley's axis. The valley wind direction depends strongly on the component of the synoptic-scale pressure gradient that is superimposed along the valley's axis at ridge-top level, with winds blowing along the valley's axis from high toward low pressure. This relationship between winds above and within the valley can result in countercurrents similar to those observed in the Rhine Valley. While winds in the Tennessee Valley are driven primarily by this pressure-driven channeling mechanism, downward momentum transport can cause afternoon winds within the valley to approach the wind dir...
Relativistic bound-state problem in the light-front Yukawa model

We study the renormalization problem on the light front for the two-fermion bound state in the (3+1)-dimensional Yukawa model, working within the lowest-order Tamm-Dancoff approximation. In addition to traditional mass and wave-function renormalization, new types of counterterms are required. These are nonlocal and involve arbitrary functions of the longitudinal momenta. Their appearance is consistent with general power-counting arguments on the light front. We estimate the ``arbitrary function'' in two ways: (1) by using perturbation theory as a guide and (2) by considering the asymptotic large transverse momentum behavior of the kernel in the bound-state equations. The latter method, as it is currently implemented, is applicable only to the helicity-zero sector of the theory. Because of triviality, in the Yukawa model one must retain a finite cutoff \ensuremath{\Lambda} in order to have a nonvanishing renormalized coupling. For the range of renormalized couplings (and cutoffs) allowed by triviality, one finds that the perturbative counterterm does a good job in eliminating cutoff dependence in the low-energy spectrum (masses \ensuremath{\ll}\ensuremath{\Lambda}).
First detection of European mountain ash ringspot-associated virus in rowan trees in Scotland

Sorbus aucuparia (European mountain ash, rowan) is native to most parts of Europe. In the uplands of Scotland, rowan trees are associated with the native Caledonian pinewoods and are most abundant on the mountain and coastal fringes of the…
Identification of the Bovine γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor α Subunit Residues Photolabeled by the Imidazobenzodiazepine [3H]Ro15-4513

Ligands binding to the benzodiazepine-binding site in γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors may allosterically modulate function. Depending upon the ligand, the coupling can either be positive (flunitrazepam), negative (Ro15-4513), or neutral (flumazenil). Specific amino acid determinants of benzodiazepine binding affinity and/or allosteric coupling have been identified within GABAA receptor α and γ subunits that localize the binding site at the subunit interface. Previous photolabeling studies with [3H]flunitrazepam identified a primary site of incorporation at α1His-102, whereas studies with [3H]Ro15-4513 suggested incorporation into the α1 subunit at unidentified amino acids C-terminal to α1His-102. To determine the site(s) of photoincorporation by Ro15-4513, we affinity-purified (∼200-fold) GABAAreceptor from detergent extracts of bovine cortex, photolabeled it with [3H]Ro15-4513, and identified 3H-labeled amino acids by N-terminal sequence analysis of subunit fragments generated by sequential digestions with a panel of proteases. The patterns of 3H release seen after each digestion of the labeled fragments determined the number of amino acids between the cleavage site and labeled residue, and the use of sequential proteolytic fragmentation identified patterns of cleavage sites unique to the different α subunits. Based upon this radiochemical sequence analysis, [3H]Ro15-4513 was found to selectively label the homologous tyrosines α1Tyr-210, α2Tyr-209, and α3Tyr-234, in GABAA receptors containing those subunits. These results are discussed in terms of a homology model of the benzodiazepine-binding site based on the molluscan acetylcholine-binding protein structure.
Control of the potassium ion-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase of pig gastric microsomes: effects of lipid environment and the endogenous activator.

Abstract The K + -stimulated ATPase activity associated with the purified gastric microsomes from the pig gastric mucosa can be completely inactivated by treatment with 15% ethanol for 60 s at 37 °C but not at 25 °C. Sequential exposure of the microsomes to 15% ethanol at 25 and 37 °C caused the release of 2.9 and 4.3% of the total membrane phospholipids, respectively, consisting entirely of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. The ethanol-treated (37 °C) membrane had high basal (with Mg 2+ as the only cation in the assay mixture) activity, which was further enhanced during reconstitution with phosphatidyl choline or phosphatidyl ethanolamine. The high basal activities could be reduced to the normal control level by assaying the enzyme in presence of the “activator protein,” partially purified from the soluble supernatant of the pig gastric cells. Phosphatidyl choline was somewhat more effective than phosphatidyl ethanolamine in the restoration of the activity of the ethanol-treated enzyme while phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl inositol, and sphingomyelin were without any effect. Synthetic phosphatidyl choline with various fatty acid substitutions were tested for their effectiveness in the restoration of the ethanol-inactivated enzyme. The distearoyl (18:0), dioleoyl (18:1), and dilinoleoyl (18:2) derivatives of phosphatidyl choline were almost equally effective while dipalmitoyl (16:0) phosphatidyl choline was somewhat less effective in the reconstitution process. Cholesterol appeared to interfere with phosphatidyl choline in the restoration of the activity of ethanol-treated enzyme. The fatty acid composition of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine extracted by 15% ethanol at 37 °C was clearly different than those of the total microsome. Our data suggest that the phospholipids extracted by 15% ethanol at 37 °C are derived primarily from the immediate lipid environment of the enzyme and ATP together with Mg 2+ and K + help the partially delipidated enzyme to retain the appropriate conformation for the subsequent reconstitution. Furthermore, ethanol appears to either release or inactivate the membrane-associated activator protein, demonstrated to be essential for the K + -stimulated activity of the pig gastric ATPase.
Woody Plant Growth Related to Planting Time and Clipping of A C_4 Grass

The density of woody plants has increased in grasslands throughout the world, but the cause has been elusive, although changes in herbivory seem central. In this study, the importance of relative time of planting and clipping of Bouteloua curtipendula, a C 4 grass, on Prosopis glandulosa, a woody seedling, was evaluated in a 2-yr field study in central Texas, USA. Secondarily, effects of planting date, presence of the woody seedling, and clipping of the grass on the growth of the grass were evaluated. Relative growth rates (RGRs) of Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) seedlings grown alone were seasonal, generally high in spring and decreasing as summer progressed. When P. glandulosa was planted earlier than Bouteloua curtipendula (side-oats grama), the grass had little or no effect on the woody seedling RGRs. However, the dry mass of P. glandulosa increased 2.3 times when the grass was clipped but was reduced 54% when the grass was unclipped. When the two species were started at the same time and the grass was not clipped, P. glandulosa RGRs decreased and remained zero over the 2 yr, dry mass was reduced 99.8%, and mortality was 80%. If both species were started at the same time and the grass was clipped, 1st- and 2nd-yr growth of P. glandulosa was comparable to that of seedlings grown alone; however dry mass was reduced 79%. When planted later than the clipped grass, dry mass of P. glandulosa was reduced 98% compared to dry mass when planted alone, while in unclipped plots there was 100% mortality. When B. curtipendula was planted early in the growing season, clipping increased aboveground grass dry mass 1.63 times; there was no increase when the grass was planted late. Evidence suggests that woody seedling growth in undisturbed C 4 grasslands would be very limited, and establishment requires gap formation.
Children’s Experiences after the Unintended Birth of a Sibling

This study examines whether children with a younger sibling whose birth was unintended experience larger declines in the quality of their home environment and larger increases in behavioral problems than children whose younger sibling’s birth was intended. We use data from the NLSY79 to estimate cross-lag regression models that assess changes in the home environment and children’s behavioral problems after the birth of a sibling (intended or unintended). Results are consistent with our hypotheses, finding that, indeed, unintended births have negative spillover effects. Compared with children whose sibling’s birth was intended, both boys and girls whose sibling’s birth was unintended experienced larger declines in the quality of their home environment, and boys had larger increases in behavioral problems. We also find some unexpected evidence that mistimed births may have larger negative effects than unwanted births. This deserves further research, and we offer some possible explanations that could guide those investigations.
Endoplasmic oleoyl-PC desaturase references the second double bond

The regiospecificity for the gene product of fad2,(1) the microsomal oleoyl-PC desaturase from higher plants, differs from some previous suggestions. Rather than only referencing the carboxyl group (a Delta(12) desaturase) or the methyl terminus (an omega-6 desaturase), this desaturase locates the second double bond in its substrates by first referencing the existing double bond. This specificity was demonstrated for the oleoyl-PC desaturase cDNA from the developing seeds of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L) expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae). The expressed enzyme was capable of desaturating monounsaturated fatty acyl groups in membrane lipids. Endogenous palmitoleate was desaturated to cis, cis 9,12 hexadecadienoate (9(Z)12(Z)C16:2), endogenous oleate to linoleate (9(Z)12(Z) octadecadienoate), and cis 10-nonadecenoate (provided as a supplement in the growth medium) to 10(Z)13(Z)C19:2. The rule, Delta(x+3) where x=9 is the double bond location in the substrate, best describes the consistent placement of the second double bond in the above monounsaturated substrates for the oleoyl-PC desaturase of higher plants.
A meta-analytic review of the relation between antisocial behavior and neuropsychological measures of executive function.

Previous narrative reviews of the relation between antisocial behavior (ASB) and neuropsychological tests of executive functioning (EF) have raised numerous methodological concerns and produced equivocal conclusions. By using meta-analytic procedures, this study attempts to remedy many of these concerns and quantifies the relation between ASB and performance on six reasonably well validated measures of EF. Thirty-nine studies yielding a total of 4,589 participants were included in the analysis. Overall, antisocial groups performed .62 standard deviations worse on EF tests than comparison groups; this effect size is in the medium to large range. Significant variation within this effect size estimate was found, some of which was accounted for by differences in the operationalizations of ASB (e.g., psychopathy vs. criminality) and measures of EF. Evidence for the specificity of EF deficits relative to deficits on other neuropsychological tasks was inconsistent. Unresolved conceptual problems regarding the association between ASB and EF tests, including the problem of localizing EF tests to specific brain regions, are discussed.
Conserved 5′ flank homologies in dipteran 5S RNA genes that would function on ‘A’ form DNA

We have sequenced the 480 base pair (bp) repeating unit of the 5S RNA genes of the Dipteran fly Calliphora erythrocephala and compared this sequence to the three known 5S RNA gene sequences from the Dipteran Genus Drosophila (1,2). A striking series of five perfectly conserved homologies identically positioned within the 5' flanks of all four Dipteran 5S RNA coding regions has thus been identified. The spacing (12-13 bp) between all of these homologies is typical of A form rather than B form DNA. Given that the eukaryotic 5S RNA gene specific initiation factor TFIIIA (3) is a DNA unwinding protein (4), a role for these Dipteran 5' flank homologies in initiation site selection on 5S RNA genes transiently unwound for transcription is suggested. One of the Dipteran homology blocks is highly conserved in sequence and position in all but one of the eukaryotic 5S RNA gene sequences known to date (17/18 genes). Its sequence (consensus: TATAAG) and position (average center: -26 bp) are highly reminiscent of the polymerase II gene 'TATA' box (5).
Three-dimensional CT image segmentation by volume growing

The research reported in this paper is aimed at locating, identifying, and quantifying internal (anatomical or physiological) structures, by 3-D image segmentation. Computerized tomography (CT) images of an object are first processed on a slice-by-slice basis, generating a stack of image slices that have been smoothed and pre-segmented. The image smoothing operation is executed by a spatially adaptive filter, and the 2-D pre-segmentation is achieved by a thresholding process whereby each individual pixel in the input image space is consistently assigned a label, according to its CT number, i.e., the gray-level value. Given a sequence of pre-segmented images as 3-D input scene (a stack of image slices), the spatial connectivity that exists among neighboring image pixels is utilized in a volume growing process which generates a number of well-defined volumetric regions or image solides, each representing an individual anatomical or physiological structure in the input scene. The 3-D segmentation is implemented using a volume growing process so that the aspect of pixel spatial connectivity is incorporated into the image segmentation procedure. To initialize the volume growing process for each volumetric region in the input 3-D scene, a seed location for a region is defined and loaded into a queue data structure called seed queue. The volume growing process consists of a set of procedures that perform different operations on the volumetric data of a CT image sequence. Examples of experiment of the described system with CT image data of several hardwood logs are given to demonstrate usefulness and flexibility of this approach. This allows solutions to industrial web inspection, as well as to several problems in medical image analysis where low-level image segmentation plays an important role toward successful image interpretation tasks.
Mechanisms Underlying Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting and Neurotransmitter Receptor Antagonist-Based Pharmacotherapy

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is one of the most common and distressing complications following surgery, and understanding the mechanism(s) underlying PONV is essential to providing optimal prophylaxis and/or treatment of PONV. The knowledge base of PONV physiology has significantly expanded over the past decade. This article reviews the risk factors for the development of PONV and the mechanisms of action of pharmacological agents (including antagonists of serotonin 5-HT3, dopaminergic D2, histamine H1, muscarinic cholinergic, opioid and neurokinin NK1 receptors) for the management (i.e. prophylaxis and treatment) of PONV. NK1 receptor antagonists, with their unique mechanism of action, are a particularly promising area of research as they appear to be efficacious in preventing PONV during both the early and the late postoperative periods. A successful PONV management strategy includes: (i) identifying patients at risk; (ii) keeping the baseline risk low; and (iii) using a combination of antiemetics acting on different receptors in moderate- to high-risk patients.
Reclamation Policy and the Water Subsidy: An Analysis of the Distributional Consequences of Emerging Policy Choices

The goals of the 1902 Reclamation Act have always been the development of irrigated agriculture and enhancement of the "family farm." Although administrative procedures and institutional arrangements have changed over the years, these goals have remained in explicit or implicit form. However, there has been little discussion of the cost of irrigation and rural development policies or of how efficient and equitable they are in their present state. Recent proposals of the Department of the Interior would enforce more strictly the seventy-five-year-old 160-acre restriction for recipients of federally subsidized water in order to keep farming in Reclamation projects still economically viable while at the same time promoting smaller units of production than now exist. Large farm operators and owners of "excess land" oppose these new regulations as inequitable and destructive of efficient agriculture. Their view is that changing enforcement of the law at this time would be unfair. Land reform groups insist that administrative procedures be reformed to force a strict conformity with acreage and residency provisions and that the subsidy be used to support the development of modest-sized, family farms. The debate over future Reclamation policy revolves around the issues of farm-size efficiency and equitable distribution of the water subsidy. Interestingly most of the published research has concentrated on the questions of efficiency and viability (Hall and LeVeen, USDA, Goldman et al.). This paper examines the water subsidy in Reclamation irrigation projects, its magnitude and distribution under current administration of the law, and under proposed changes. The Magnitude of the Water Subsidy
Cell immobilization using PVA crosslinked with boric acid

A new cell immobilization technique is described in which polyvinyl alcohol is crosslinked with boric acid, with the addition of a small amount of calcium alginate. The presence of the calcium alginate improves the surface properties of the beads, preventing agglomeration. A pure culture of phenol-degrading Pseudomonas was immobilized in the PVA-alginate beads. Phenol was successfully degraded in a fluidized bed of the beads, indicating that cell viability was maintained following the immobilization procedure. The PVA-alginate beads proved to be very strong and durable, with no noticeable degradation of the beads after 2 weeks of continuous operation of the fluidized bed.