cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The scanning transmission microscope at the NSLS

Abstract The scanning transmission soft X-ray microscope (STXM) that has been under development at the National Synchrotron Light Source [H. Rarback et al., Rev. Sci. Instr. 59 (1988) 52] has been substantially ungraded for operation with the X1 undulator [C. Buckley et al., Rev. Sci. Instr. 60 (1989) 2444]. The principal new features are: optical prefocusing, using a visible light interferometer; a dedicated VAXstation 3200 with a more user friendly and flexible software system for image acquisition and analysis; a flow cell that makes it possible not only to keep the specimen wet during exposure, but to change the fluid around the specimen as well; and a more compact proportional counter that is capable of counting rates of several MHz. In conjunction with new zone plates of better resolution and higher efficiency [E.H. Anderson, SPIE 1160 (1989) 2], the microscope is ready for a period of extended use in biological imaging.
On cluster sets of meromorphic functions.

and we let W denote the extended w-plane. Classical theorems of W. Gross and F. Iversen state that the boundary of C is contained in Cr, and any point of the open set CCr that is not in R is in A; moreover, R covers CCr with the possible exception of at most two points, and if there are two exceptional points, then R is W minus these two points (see [1]). Suppose that Cr is not connected. Since Cr has exactly two components, there is exactly one multiply connected component of WCr, and it is doubly connected. Let U denote the multiply connected component of WCr. Clearly UC C, because C is connected, CrCC and the boundary of C is contained in Cr. Hence U-RCA. Our purpose is to establish the following four theorems. Note that the second theorem follows from the first, and the third follows from the first and the second.
Notes on the Measurement of Values

Historians frequently use values to explain behavior. Since their studies focus on the behavior, they have neglected to measure values and change in values. The current practices of historians of values will not yield conclusions usable in the history of behavior.
Issues in the diagnosis and treatment of adolescents in a general hospital inpatient unit

The treatment of adolescents in a general hospital setting is fraught with difficulty. There are significant limitations to time, space, finances, and the physical plant. There are limitations to the numbers, types, mix of patients with other patients, and the types of treatment available. To deal with these issues, a comprehensive outline of a systems approach to adolescents in a general hospital is described, a matrix format for diagnosis is offered, and a matching treatment plan is delineated.
High-performance image storage and communications with fiber channel technology for PACS

SUMMARY Our fibre channel storage network eliminates processing overheads from conventional network communication protocols such as TCP, FTP, NFS, and DICOM, which thereby improves the performance of image communication between the individual PACS componentssignificantly. A 40-Mbyte mammography image can be archived (remote acquisition computer-to-RAID) or retrieved (RAID-to-remote display workstation) in less than 3 seconds.REFERENCES 1. Wong A, Huang ilK, "Integrated DICOM-based image archive system for PACS", Radiology, 205(P):615,1997.2. Wong A, Huang BK, Arenson RL, "Adaptation of DICOM to an operational PACS", SPIE Proc., 3035:153-158, 1997.3. Wong A, Huang ilK, Arenson RL, Lee 1K, "Digital archive system for radiologic images", RadioGraphics,14:1119-1126, 1994.4. Wong A, Taira RK, Huang ilK, "Digital archive center: implementation for a radiology department", AJR,159:1101 - 1105, 1992.5. Huang ilK, Wong A, Zhu X, "Performance of asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) local area and wide areanetworks for medical imaging transmission in clinical environment", Comp. Med. Imaging and Graphics,21(3): 165-173, 1997.6. Wong A, Huang BK, Arenson RL, Yin L, "Automated prefetch mechanism: design and implementation for aradiology
The Marchi Method for Demonstrating Degenerated Fiber Connections Within the Central Nervous System

The routine methods of the above laboratory are given for this technic as well as the most important modifications. Time periods are given and an attempt has been made to review the best explanations of the principles underlying the steps of the method. A discussion of frequently found artifacts finds many of these avoidable and offers suggestions to aid in the interpretation of others.Migration of the Marchi particle is explained on the basis of phagocytosis.
Single sperm cryopreservation on cryoloops: an alternative to hamster zona for freezing individual spermatozoa

Methodology enabling cryopreservation of individual spermatozoa in extreme cases of oligozoospermia would tremendously benefit patients. This study explores the use of a nylon loop for cryopreservation of small quantities of spermatozoa, and also describes a novel technique for freezing individual spermatozoa with this cryoloop. Experiments were conducted to compare sperm recovery and viability after cryopreservation in conventional vials versus on the cryoloops. Discarded human sperm specimens with varying parameters were utilized. The study also examines two different glycerolbased cryoprotectants, with and without test yolk buffer. For single sperm cryopreservation, 5-10 spermatozoa were selected and loaded onto cryoloops with the aid of a microscope and micromanipulation equipment. Sperm function testing was performed on both human and bovine spermatozoa frozen on cryoloops. Microquantities of spermatozoa frozen on cryoloops exhibited overall motility and viability parameters similar to control samples frozen in cryovials. Individually selected spermatozoa cryopreserved on loops were easily recovered and post-thaw motility was generally good. Sperm function testing demonstrated that both human and bovine spermatozoa cryopreserved on loops were able to undergo sperm head decondensation when injected into oocytes. Cryoloops may be an excellent alternative to hamster zonae for cryopreserving small numbers of human spermatozoa.
Flow Dynamics and Bending of Wide-Angle Tailed Radio Sources

The dynamics of tailed radio sources (WATs) is studied on the basis of VLA observations of 11 wide-angle WATs at 6 and 20 cm. These new images, in conjunction with optical and X-ray data, are used to describe the unifying characteristics of this class. WATs are found in centers of clusters without cooling cores, associated with galaxies of low space velocity. They are large sources, extending at least 50 kpc from the cluster center, and they have radio power close to the Fanaroff-Riley I/II break. The surface brightness and spectral distributions are used to model the flow fields and bending dynamics of the sources. Two limiting models are employed: the adiabatic model, in which no in situ energization takes place, and the kinetic model, in which all of the radio luminosity comes from in situ energization. It is found that the sources cannot be bent by the slow galaxy motion in the kinetic model. The sources can be bent by the ram pressure of a slowly moving central galaxy in the adiabatic model.
Fast relaxation in disordered systems: from a double well to a cage

An overview of light scattering data measured in broad frequency (0.5 GHz<ν<10 THz) and temperature (10 K<T<1.2 T g) ranges are presented for a number of glass-forming systems. The data are compared with two basic approaches: the model of asymmetric double-well potentials (ADWPs) and the mode-coupling theory. It is shown that the ADWP model provides a reasonable description of the data at low temperatures, much below the glass transition temperature T g. It fails, however, at higher temperatures. Two possible explanations are discussed: firstly, the appearance of a new relaxation process with a near-constant-loss spectral shape and, secondly, an increase in coupling between different relaxation modes with temperature increase.
Molybdate treatment and sulfate starvation decrease ATP and DNA levels in Ferroplasma acidarmanus

Sulfate is a primary source of sulfur for most microbes and in some prokaryotes it is used an electron acceptor. The acidophile Ferroplasma acidarmanus (strain fer1) requires a minimum of 150 mM of a sulfate-containing salt for growth. Sulfate is assimilated by F. acidarmanus into proteins and reduced to form the volatile organic sulfur compounds methanethiol and dimethyldisulfide. In the absence of sulfate, cell death occurs by an unknown mechanism. In this study, cell viability and genomic DNA and ATP contents of F. acidarmanus were monitored in response to the absence of sulfate or the presence of sulfate and the sulfate analog molybdate ( MoO 4 2 - ). Cellular DNA and ATP contents were monitored as markers of cell viability. The absence of sulfate led to a decrease in viable cell numbers of greater than 7 log10 within 5 days, a > 99% reduction in genomic DNA within 3 days, and a > 60% decrease in ATP within 6 h. Likewise, cells incubated with lost viability (decreased by > 2 log10 in 5 days), extractable genomic DNA (reduction of > 60% in 2 days), and ATP (reduction of > 70 % in 2 hours). These results demonstrate that sulfate deprivation or the presence of molybdate have similar impacts on cell viability and essential biomolecules. Sulfate was coupled to cellular ATP content and maintenance of DNA integrity in F. acidarmanus, a finding that may be applicable to other acidophiles that are typically found in sulfate-rich biotopes.
Movement disorders in Friedreich's ataxia

Since the discovery of the gene mutation causing Friedreich's ataxia (FA), the rich spectrum of clinical manifestations of this autosomal recessive disorder is being increasingly recognized. Movement disorders besides ataxia, however, have not been fully characterized in patients with FA. We describe here two young male patients who, in addition to progressive ataxia, kinetic tremor and other typical features of FA, also manifest axial and limb dystonia. The primary purpose of this report is to draw attention to the broad spectrum of hyperkinetic movement disorders that can present as or be associated with FA.
Novel Stem Cell–Based Drug Discovery Platforms for Cardiovascular Disease

The complexity and diversity of many human diseases pose significant hurdles to the development of novel therapeutics. New scientific and technological advances, such as pharmacogenetics, provide v...
Single-particle visualization of assembly: I. Dimerization in a planar zone

Summary Single-particle fluorescence microscopy of association/dissociation is required for analysis of biological assembly reactions. Toward achieving this goal, Wang et al. (J. Microsc., 2004, 213, 101-109) used molten agarose to concentrate thermally diffusing particles in a thin zone of solution next to the surface of a coverglass (plane of concentration). The present study details the first real-time, single-particle analysis of the association/dissociation of thermally diffusing particles in the plane of concentration. The test particles were procapsids of bacteriophage lambda (radius = 31 nm). Quantification of thermal motion was developed and used to determine whether co-diffusing particles were bound to each other. The data are explained by (1) the presence of a molten agarose-generated barrier that is 93-155 nm from the coverglass surface, and (2) non-random orientation of procapsid dimers in the plane of concentration.
Effect of uremia and its treatment on pulmonary function.

Alterations in respiratory drive, mechanics, muscle function, and gas exchange are frequent if not invariable consequences of uremia. Pulmonary dysfunction may be the direct result of circulating uremic toxins or may result indirectly from volume overload, anemia, immune suppression, extraosseous calcification, malnutrition, electrolyte disorders, and/or acid-base imbalances. The pulmonary system is unique because it is affected by the disease and its treatment. Acetate hemodialysis reduces alveolar ventilation and PaO2 due to extrapulmonic CO2 unloading. Peritoneal dialysis increases alveolar ventilation and intraperitoneal pressure. The latter leads to an elevated and lengthened diaphragm, a reduced functional residual capacity, basilar atelectasis, possible hypoxemia, and altered respiratory muscle function. In patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis, adaptations may occur that limit the reductions in lung volumes, PaO2, and respiratory muscle strength that are often observed during acute peritoneal dialysis. This review details how uremia and dialysis interact to alter pulmonary function.
An appraisal of methods for serum amylase determination

Abstract Of all the methods used to assay amylase activity, the saccharogenic techniques appear to possess the greatest intrinsic validity. Amyloclastic procedures entailing use of the starch-iodine reaction are reflective of the hydrolysis of only a specific portion of the substrate. Turbidimetric and viscosimetric methods are dependent on a change in the physical property of the substrate that is not necessarily a specific function of hydrolysis by amylase and can be induced by other factors in serum. Saccharogenic methods, on the other hand, monitor the generation of reducing groups. Inasmuch as each hydrolytic cleavage induced by α-amylase creates a new reducing group, this increase is directly proportional to the enzymatic activity.
A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing the Frequency of Drug Interactions After Adding Simeprevir- or Sofosbuvir-Containing Therapy to Medication Profiles of Hepatitis C Monoinfected Patients

Introduction This study compares the expected occurrence of contraindicated drug–drug interactions (XDDIs) when simeprevir (SIM)- or sofosbuvir (SOF)-containing therapy is added to medication profiles of patients with hepatitis C (HCV) monoinfection to quantify, in relative terms, the population-based risk of XDDIs. Second, this study identified the predictors of XDDIs when HCV therapies are added to medication profiles.
Single atoms in optical traps and high-Q cavities

A variety of experiments are underway in the Quantum Optics Group at Caltech which investigate the quantum nature of atom-field interactions at the level of individual atoms and quanta. A recent technical advance in support of this research is the observation of cooling and trapping of single neutral cesium atoms in magneto-optical trap. Discrete steps are recorded in the fluorescence signal from the trap and are associated with the arrival and departure of individual trapped atoms. Such a spatially localized sample of a single atom with small kinetic energy is an enabling advance for diverse studies in quantum optics, including the possibility of spectroscopy with squeezed and other forms of nonclassical light and cavity quantum electrodynamics with strong coupling of an atom to the field of an optical cavity.
Optical and electronic design for a high-performance surface plasmon resonance imager

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging is a versatile technique for detection, quantification, and visualization of bio-molecular binding events which have spatial structure. In this paper, we describe the design principles which we are applying toward construction of a new high-performance SPR imager. We briefly review the basic principles of SPR biosensing and SPR imaging, and discuss the goals for the new design. We focus on two main goals, refractive index (RI) resolution and mechanical simplicity. We address RI resolution as a signal-to-noise issue, using simulations to determine how to maximize the signal (i.e. changes in intensity due to binding events) and minimize the noise. Specific attention is paid to the dominant effects of shot noise. Design concepts for collimating and imaging optics which reduce or eliminate the need for mechanical adjustment are presented. Ray-tracing analysis of the collimating optics is used for detailed analysis of collimator performance.
Preparation of cyrstalline α-kojibiose octaacetate from dextran B-1299-S: Its conversion into p-nitrophenyl and p-isothiocyanatophenyl β-kojibioside

Abstract Acetolysis of dextran B-1299-S provides a preparative approach to crystalline α-kojibiose octaacetate. The latter was transformed via crystalline hepta-O-acetyl-α-kojibiosyl bromide into p-nitrophenyl and p-isothiocyanatophenyl β-kojibiosides.
How Does Stall Force Affect Contractions of a Biological Spring, Vorticella convallaria?

The stalk of Vorticella convallaria, a sessile peritrich, is considered as a model biological spring for bio-inspired actuators because of its remarkable speed and force. When stimulated, the stalk of Vorticella contracts over a few hundreds micrometers in a few milliseconds, and its energy source is not ATP but Ca2+. Because major components of the spasmoneme, the contractile organelle inside the stalk, are EF-hand Ca2+-binding proteins including spasmin and centrin, the spasmonemal contraction is thought to be related to other centrin-based motility mechanisms. This study describes how stall force affects contractions of live Vorticella. To impede contractions, we applied hydrodynamic drag force to Vorticella in a microfluidic channel with Poiseuille flow of viscous PVP solution. This method enables controlling the stall force by changing flow rate and the viscosity of the solution. Cell dimension measurements show that the zooid is elongated by the flow in relaxed and contracted states keeping roughly constant volume. As the stall force increases, the end-to-end length of the contracted stalk increases while that of the relaxed stalk is almost constant, and maximum contraction speed decreases while contractions take longer time. Furthermore, the time lag in contraction commencement between the zooid and the stalk also increases. We measured time differences in movement start among polystyrene beads attached to the stalk, and they increase with increasing stall force. These increasing time lags imply that the stalk cannot contract until it develops force great enough to overcome the stall force. The stall force affects the relaxation of Vorticella because relaxations take longer time as the stall force increase and the extending stalk resumes its contraction after the stall force is removed. It seems that although the spasmoneme retains contractile force, the stall force extends the stalk.
Trace elements in ocean ridge basalt glasses - Implications for fractionations during mantle evolution and petrogenesis

Seven documented and fresh glassy selvages from ocean floor basalt pillows were analyzed for trace elements including Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Ni, Pd, and Zn using radiochemical activation analysis. Glasses from DSDP leg 24, site 238 in the Indian Ocean have a trace element pattern which reflects secondary processes at a shallow depth. Chemical fractionations in petrogenesis of tholeiitic basalts indicate that (Ir, Os), Au, Pd, Ni, and Re are strongly fractionated in igneous processes; the unfractionated chondritic mantle pattern thus imposes constraints on mantle evolution models. Finally, the limited Rb/Cs fractionation in oceanic tholeiites reflects the low abundance of volatiles and hydrous silicates in normal ocean ridge basalts.
Moving from Victims to Victors: African American Attitudes on the “Culture of Poverty” and Black Blame

Bill Cosby’s controversial remarks at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) 50th Anniversary Commemoration for Brown v. Board of Education questioned the “culture of poverty” among blacks. This paper explores blacks’ support of major themes raised in Cosby’s speech—improving blacks’ parenting of youth, relying less on government to transcend poverty, being contentious of black behavior, and ending out-of-wedlock births among blacks. By analyzing data in an original, national web-based survey of black, Latino, and white public opinion, results indicate most blacks strongly subscribe to several of these themes and often subscribe to them more than non-blacks. Despite class implications for supporting these themes, class indicators do not predict such attitudes. Several themes cohere on one factor, suggesting tenets of black blame.
Sexual Identity Distress, Social Support, and the Health of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth

Sex researchers and mental health clinicians have long recognized that the stigma surrounding homosexuality plays an important role in shaping the social psychological adjustment of gay, lesbian, and bisexual (g/l/b) people. In recent years, researchers have suggested that sexual identity- related distress may influence the physical health status of g/l/b people, primarily because of the ways these self-related feelings and beliefs impact patterns of health-related behavior. This study examines the influence of sexual identity distress and social support on g/l/b youth's drug and alcohol use, psychological distress, and risky sexual behavior. The data come from a services research demonstration program conducted at the Indiana Youth Group, Inc., a g/l/b youth development agency based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Results indicate that sexual identity distress is strongly associated with psychological distress, less frequent use of alcohol, and using fewer types of illegal drugs. Being out to more people in one's support network, however, attenuates the severity of youth's sexual identity-related distress. Youth who report more support ties to g/l/b people indicate engaging in more frequent risky sexual behavior. The implications of these findings for theories of g/l/b youth's sexual identity development are discussed.
Quality of life of adults with mental retardation/developmental disabilities who live with family

In this paper, we review the literature related to the quality of life of adults with mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD) who live at home with their families. We examine the nature of the relationships between adults with MR/DD and their parents and siblings, the social worlds of adults with MR/DD, age-related functional and health issues that affect their quality of life, the range of services and supports provided to them, and familial efforts to plan for their continued well-being when parental care is no longer viable. Individual characteristics associated with these dimensions and/or more compromised quality of life profiles are identified. The paper concludes with recommendations for expanded research on the quality of life of adults with MR/DD who live in the parental home, a topic which has received markedly less attention than the quality of life of adults who live in publicly supported residential settings. MRDD Research Reviews 7:105-114, 2001.
Degeneration of nerve terminals in cats following systemic epinephrine: Depletion of tissue norepinephrine correlated with ultrastructural changes

The drug 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) has been shown to cause degeneration of nerve terminals by direct observation with the electron microscope. This ability has been described as unique for 6-OHDA. Supralethal doses of epinephrine were given to four cats, three of which were pretreated with phenoxybenzamine (an alpha blocker used to protect the animal from epinephrine's lethal effects) and iris and spleen capsule samples were examined with the electron miscroscope and assayed for norepinephrine content. A depletion of norepinephrine was found to coexist with ultrastructural evidence of nerve terminal degeneration when compared to control animals.
Significance of DNA ploidy in cutaneous lesions.

† Background.— With increasing numbers of studies examining tumor DNA content in many organ systems, accumulating evidence indicates that DNA ploidy analysis may be useful in diagnosis and determination of prognosis. Observations.— A review of DNA ploidy studies of cutaneous lesions within the last decade reveals that DNA ploidy may aid in the diagnosis of some lesions. Several studies show an association of DNA ploidy with prognosis. In general, tumors with a diploid DNA content have a less aggressive course than aneuploid tumors. Conclusions.— DNA ploidy cannot yet reliably predict the outcome of an individual patient. This is partially due to differences in methods of specimen preparation, instrumentation, and interpretation of data. ( Arch Dermatol. 1992;128:663-672)
Reaching for Heaven on Earth: The Theological Meaning of Economics

The message of modern economic theology. Part 1 The origins of modern economic theology the Roman outlook the early protestant tradition. Part 2 Secularization and the rise of modern economic theology: the Roman church of Newton the Protestant church of Darwin. Part 3 The Roman theology of the American welfare state: the progressive gospel of efficiency the message of economic progressivism. Part 4 Entering a world of post-modern economics developing a theology of economic pluralism the right of free secession.
Postnatal laboratory timers of antenatal hypoxemic-ischemic brain damage.

Markers were sought to identify the antenatal starting times and rates at which brain damage advanced in children with hypoxemic–ischemic cerebral palsy. Fetal bradycardia's onset marked the damage's start. Using this baseline, the following were tested as additional timers of the damage's onset: Each timer had a broad antenatal time frame within which it could identify specific damage starting times. The broad time frames are as follows: Hyperventilating and hyperoxygenating neonates greatly accelerated the damage's advance. Commonly obtained laboratory values and brain images can identify when such brain damage began and the rate at which it advanced.
The FDA perspective on the development of stereoisomers.

The current regulatory position of the Food and Drug Administration is discussed with regard to the approval of racemates and pure stereoisomers. Circumstances in which stereochemically sensitive analytical methods are necessay to ensure the safety and efficacy of a drug are described. Regulatory guidelines are interpreted for applications for the approval of a pure enantiomer in which the racemate is marketed, for the approval of eitehr a racemate or a pure enantiomer in which neither is marketed, and for clinical investigations to compare the safety and efficacy of a racemate and its enantiomers. Examples of te basis for such regulation are drawn from historical situations (thalidomide, benoxaprofen) as well as currently marketed drugs (arylproionic acids, disopyramide, indacrinone).
Efficient enforcement of far-field boundary conditions in the Transformed Field Expansions method

The Method of Transformed Field Expansions (TFE) has been demonstrated to be a robust and highly accurate numerical scheme for simulating solutions of boundary value and free boundary problems from the sciences and engineering. As a Boundary Perturbation Method it builds highly accurate solutions based upon exact solutions in a simple, canonical, geometry and corrects these via Taylor series to fit the actual geometry at hand. The TFE method has significantly enhanced stability properties when compared with other Boundary Perturbation approaches, however, this comes at the cost of requiring a full volumetric discretization as opposed the surface formulation that other methods can realize. In this paper we outline two techniques for ameliorating this shortcoming, first by employing a Legendre Spectral Element Method to implement efficient, graded meshes, and second by utilizing an Artificial Boundary with a Transparent Boundary Condition placed quite close to the boundary of the domain. In this contribution we focus on the specific problem of simulating the Dirichlet-Neumann operator associated to Laplace's equation on a periodic cell (which arises in the water wave problem). While the details of our results are specific to this problem, the general conclusions are valid for the wider class of problems to which the TFE method can be applied. For each technique we discuss implementation details and display numerical results which support the conclusion that each of these techniques can greatly reduce the computational cost of using the TFE method.
Sodium channel carboxyl-terminal residue regulates fast inactivation.

The Nav1.2 and Nav1.3 voltage-gated sodium channel isoforms demonstrate distinct differences in their kinetics and voltage dependence of fast inactivation when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Co-expression of the auxiliary β1 subunit accelerated inactivation of both the Nav1.2 and Nav1.3 isoforms, but it did not eliminate the differences, demonstrating that this property is inherent in the α subunit. By constructing chimeric channels between Nav1.2 and Nav1.3, we demonstrate that the carboxyl terminus is responsible for the differences. The Nav1.2 carboxyl terminus caused faster inactivation in the Nav1.3 backbone, and the Nav1.3 carboxyl terminus caused slower inactivation in the Nav1.2 channel. Through analysis of truncated channels, we identified a homologous 60-amino acid region within the carboxyl terminus of the Nav1.2 and the Nav1.3 channels that is responsible for this modulation of fast inactivation. Site-directed replacement of Nav1.3 lysine 1826 in this region to its Nav1.2 analogue glutamic acid 1880 (K1826E) shifted the voltage dependence of inactivation toward that of Nav1.2. The K1826E mutation also accelerated the inactivation kinetics to a level comparable with that of Nav1.2. The reverse Nav1.2 E1880K mutation exhibited much slower inactivation kinetics and depolarized inactivation voltage dependence. A complementary mutation located within the inactivation linker of Nav1.3 (K1453E) caused inactivation changes mirroring those caused by the K1826E mutation in Nav1.3. Therefore, we have identified a homologous carboxyl-terminal residue that regulates the kinetics and voltage dependence of fast inactivation in sodium channels, possibly via a charge-dependent interaction with the inactivation linker.
The relationship between age of grouping and weight of selected organs of Prairie deermice

Populations of several species of small mammals when maintained in the laboratory under conditions in which the physical environment is controlled or held constant and when provided with excess food and water, do not increase indefinitely, but growth is controlled as a result of factors thought to develop intrinsically to each population (BROWN 1953; CALHOUN 1950, 1952, 1962; CHITTY 1960; CHRISTIAN 1964 ; NICHOLSON 1957 ; SOUTHWICK 1955 ; TERMAN 1965, 1969). Increases in the density of such populations have been correlated with a number of changes within the populations. Among these are behavioral changes involving patterns of activity, increases in aggressive behavior, disturbance of maternal care, modifications of spatial distribution and alteration in the population social structure (CALHOUN 1950, 1962; STRECKER and EMLEN 1953; SOUTHWICK 1955; LLOYD and CHRISTIAN 1969). In addition, physiological changes have been shown to occur which increase mortality, decrease growth, and reduce reproductive function (see THIESSEN and RODGERS 1961, and CHRISTIAN et al., 1965, for reviews). While it is recognized that some of these changes may be species specific, others may be related to general mechanism of population control. Recent laboratory studies of Prairie deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) have shown that populations of these mice also controlled their numbers in the presence of surplus food and water (TERMAN 1965). Males born into these populations exhibited significantly lighter testes and vesicular gland weights than bisexually paired controls of similar age. The development of the reproductive organs of females (ovaries and uteri) were also inhibited and were significantly lighter than those of controls. A further indication of the strength of the inhibitory forces in the populations is the fact that 95% of the females born into the populations failed to reproduce (TERMAN 1969). The experimental data obtained from these Peromyscus populations left unanswered the question of whether the significantly lighter weights of the reproductive organs of population males and females when compared to controls was due to inhibition of growth or to regression in weight or both. Further, it is not known whether the
The NSA back door to NIST

We give a brief mathematical description of the NIST standard for cryptographically secure pseudorandom number generation by elliptic curves, the back door algorithm discovered by Ferguson and Shumow, and finally the design of the back door based on the Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm. NIST (the National Institute for Standards and Technology) of the U.S. Department of Commerce derives its mandate from the U.S. Constitution through the congressional power to “fix the standard of weights and measures.” In brief, NIST establishes the basic standards of science and commerce. Whatever NIST says about cryptography becomes implemented in cryptographic applications throughout U.S. government agencies. Its influence leads to the widespread use of its standards in industry and the broad adoption of its standards internationally. Through the Snowden disclosures, the NIST standard for pseudo-random number generation has fallen into disrepute. Here I describe the back door to the NIST standard for pseudorandom number generation in elementary and mathematically precise terms. The NIST standard offers three methods for pseudo-random number generation [1]. My remarks are limited to the third of the three methods, which is based on elliptic curves. Random number generators can either be truly random (obtaining their values from randomness in the physical world, such as a quantum mechanical process) or pseudo-random (obtaining their values from a deterministic algorithm, yet displaying a semblance of randomness). The significance of random number generation within the theory of algorithms can be gauged by Knuth’s multivolume book The Art of Computer Programming. It devotes a massive 193 pages (half of volume two) to the subject! A subclass of pseudo-random number generators are cryptographically secure, intended
A Game-Theoretic Model of Metaphorical Bargaining

We present a game-theoretic model of bargaining over a metaphor in the context of political communication, find its equilibrium, and use it to rationalize observed linguistic behavior. We argue that game theory is well suited for modeling discourse as a dynamic resulting from a number of conflicting pressures, and suggest applications of interest to computational linguists.
Narrowband, high power light from diode lasers

We have used a 100-mW cw laser diode array to amplify the light from a low power, single stripe diode laser (both lasers commercially available). The input light was spectrally narrowed and frequency stabilized to <300 kHz using optical feedback from a Fabry-Perot cavity, and the amplified beam had the same spectral characteristics. Also, the ~90-mW amplified beam had a single diffraction-limited spatial mode corresponding to the full 100-μm width of the array, indicating that all its stripes were coherent. When viewing the output of the free-running laser array, we observe that the input light causes its output spectrum and spatial distribution to be dramatically narrowed. We have tested a simple quantitative model of this process.
[Comment on “The impact of VLBI and GPS on geodesy”] Global positioning technology

In an otherwise excellent article (“The Impact of VLBI and GPS on Geodesy,” Eos, September 27, 1983, p. 569), Dr. John D. Bossler inaccurately reports that the Macrometer, a single channel receiver which came to market only last year and is restricted to relative position use was the first global positioning system (GPS) receiver to become commercially available. As many in the geophysics community know, Stanford Telecommunications, Inc. (STI), has provided GPS receivers and transmitters commercially for almost 5 years.
The Influence of Nutrient Availability on Soil Organic Matter Turnover Estimated by Incubations and Radiocarbon Modeling

We investigated the decomposability of soil organic matter (SOM) along a chronosequence of rainforest sites in Hawaii that form a natural fertility gradient and at two long-term fertilization experiments. To estimate turnover times and pool sizes of organic matter, we used two independent methods: (1) long-term incubations and (2) a three-box soil model constrained by radiocarbon measurements. Turnover times of slow-pool SOM (the intermediate pool between active and passive pools) calculated from incubations ranged from 6 to 20 y in the O horizon and were roughly half as fast in the A horizon. The radiocarbon-based model yielded a similar pattern but slower turnover times. The calculation of the 14C turnover times is sensitive to the lag time between photosynthesis and incorporation of organic C into SOM in a given horizon. By either method, turnover times at the different sites varied two- or threefold in soils with the same climate and vegetation community. Turnover times were fastest at the sites of highest soil fertility and were correlated with litter decay rates and primary productivity. However, experimental fertilization at the two least-fertile sites had only a small and inconsistent effect on turnover, with N slowing turnover and P slightly speeding it at one site. These results support studies of litter decomposition in suggesting that while plant productivity can respond rapidly to nutrient additions, decomposition may respond much more slowly to added nutrients.
An examination of organizational commitment and professional commitment and the relationship to work environment, demographic and organizational factors

• Summary: This study examines organizational commitment and professional commitment among a sample of social workers. It empirically explores the relationship between social workers’ commitment and nine work environment variables (collegiality, promotional opportunity, job security, organization and profession-specific skills, autonomy, legitimacy of promotions, distributive justice and supervisor recognition), six demographic or background variables (gender, relationship status, age, employment status, years in social work (profession tenure) and years employed in the current organization (job tenure). It also includes 16 organizational variables (organizational auspices, organizational type, job position, yearly earnings and various types of job benefits, that is, medical, dental, vacation time, sick leave, flex-time, child care, maternity/paternity leave, disability insurance, life insurance, university education/degree programs, employer-paid professional development opportunities and other benefits....
The “Think Aloud” seminar for teaching clinical reasoning: A case study of a child with pharyngitis

The "Think Aloud" seminar is a group teaching method to assist pediatric nurse practitioner students to develop critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. Seminar proceedings simulate the iterative clinical reasoning process that occurs in an actual clinic or office visit. Students' requests for subjective and objective data must be followed by the rationale as to why the information was requested. This method is effective for teaching and evaluating students' skills in differential diagnosis and management of common illness in children. The process will be demonstrated with the presenting symptom of a sore throat followed by a description of the procedures that are used. J Pediatr Health Care.
Building end-to-end management analytics for enterprise data centers

The complexity of modern data centers has evolved significantly in recent years. One typically is comprised of a large number and types of middleware and applications that are hosted in a heterogeneous pool of both physical and virtual servers, connected by a complex web of virtual and physical networks. Therefore, to manage everything in a data center, system administrators usually need a plethora of management tools since one tool often manages only one type of devices. The boundaries between the different management tools can limit productivity of system administrators on their daily tasks as each tool only offers a partial view of the entire managed environment. As a result, advanced analytics such as impact analysis and problem determination are generally not achievable using the traditional management tools as they require a holistic view of the entire data center. In this paper, we describe an integrated management system for applications, servers, network and storage devices called DataGraph. Our system integrates data across heterogeneous point products and agents for management and monitoring to enable the above mentioned management analytics capabilities. A common data model is introduced to federate data collected by the different tools in multiple database repositories so no modifications are needed to existing management tools. A common integrated web user interface is implemented to facilitate management tasks that would otherwise require invoking multiple tools. We deployed this tool in a lab environment and demonstrated these analytics capabilities through several case studies.
Biomechanical scaling of the hominoid mandibular symphysis.

Experimental investigation of mandibular bone strain in cercopithecine primates has established that the mandible is bent in the transverse plane during the power stroke of mastication. Additional comparative work also supports the assumption that the morphology of the mandibular symphysis is functionally linked to the biomechanics of lateral transverse bending, or “wishboning” of the mandibular corpus. There are currently no experimental data to verify that lateral transverse bending constitutes an important loading regime among hominoid primates. There are, however, allometric models from cercopithecoid primates that allow prediction of scaling patterns in hominoid mandibular dimensions that would be consistent with a mechanical environment that includes wishboning as a significant component. This study uses computed tomography (CT) scans to visualize cortical bone distribution in the anterior corpus of a sample of four genera of extant hominoids. From the cortical bone contours, area properties of the mandibular symphysis are calculated, and these variables are subjected to an allometric analysis to detect whether scaling of jaw dimensions are consistent with a wishboning loading regime. Scaling of the hominoid symphysis recalls patterns observed in cercopithecoid monkeys, which lends indirect support for the hypothesis that wishboning is an integral part of the masticatory loading environment in living apes. Inclination of the symphysis, rather than changes in cross-sectional shape or development of the superior transverse torus, represents a morphological solution for minimizing the potentially harmful effects of wishboning in the jaws of these primates. J. Morphol. 250:12–23, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Are there capacity limitations in symmetry perception

Previous researchers have proposed that there are two types of symmetry detection: one based on crude preattentive symmetry judgments and another based on detailed scrutiny of individual parts (Barlow & Reeves, 1979; S. E. Palmer & Hemenway, 1978; Royer, 1981). Four experiments were conducted to examine capacity limits in different symmetry judgments. Observers were required to discriminate between random patterns and approximate symmetry (Experiments 1 and 3) or between perfect and approximate symmetry (Experiments 2 and 4). The patterns were divided into two sets of dots, presented either simultaneously or successively. A comparison of accuracy under these two presentation conditions suggested that symmetry detection involves an analysis that is spatially parallel but coarse, regardless of either task difficulty or task type (detecting symmetry vs. detecting asymmetry).
Viral and cellular MARCH ubiquitin ligases and cancer

Covalent conjugation of proteins with ubiquitin is one the most important post-translational modifications because it controls intracellular protein trafficking typically resulting in protein degradation. Frequently ubiquitinated proteins are targeted to the proteasome for degradation in the cytosol. However, ubiquitinated membrane bound proteins can also be targeted for endocytosis and degradation in the lysosome. Ubiquitin-dependent degradation pathways have clear cancer relevance due to their integral involvement in protein quality control, regulation of immune responses, signal transduction, and cell cycle regulation. In spite of its fundamental importance, little is known regarding how proteins are specifically identified for ubiquitin-dependent degradation. In this article we review a newly discovered family of viral and cellular ubiquitin ligases called MARCH proteins. Recent studies of MARCH proteins define new paradigms showing how ubiquitin E3 ligases determine the intracellular location and fate of proteins.
The Mechanisms of hsp27 Antibody-Mediated Apoptosis in Retinal Neuronal Cells

Although elevated titers of serum antibodies to hsp27 accompany human diseases such as cancer and glaucoma, evidence of their pathogenic effects is lacking. Here we present novel evidence that exogenously applied hsp27 antibody enters neuronal cells in human retina by an endocytic mechanism. Subsequent to internalization, hsp27 antibody facilitates apoptotic cell death as characterized by morphological assessment, DNA fragmentation, and the activation of cysteine aspartic acid proteases. In addition, we demonstrate that after internalization, hsp27 antibody is detected in discrete cytoplasmic and nuclear structures and colocalizes to actin cytoskeleton. Hsp27 antibody binding to actin results in depolymerization and proteolytic cleavage of actin in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that exogenous hsp27 antibody may induce neuronal apoptosis by inactivating or attenuating the ability of native hsp27 to stabilize actin cytoskeleton, thereby providing a novel mechanism by which autoantibodies to hsp27 may impair cell survival in selective human diseases.
Legislator Uncertainty, Legislative Control, and the Delegation of Legislative Power

On May 2, 1878, the House Commerce Committee favorably reported a bill "to regulate interstate commerce and to prohibit unjust discrimination by common carriers." Known as the Reagan bill, after the chairman, John Reagan, of Texas, H.R. 3547 outlawed rebates and other forms of discrimination and included a restrictive longand short-haul clause. The bill did not establish a federal commission to enforce the law, however, providing only that aggrieved shippers could bring suit in the federal courts and, if successful, could recover triple damages. To supply additional enforcement incentives railroads were to be fined a minimum of $1,000 for each offense, this amount to be divided between the government and the "informer." After lengthy debate and the addition of a provision outlawing pools (agreements to split traffic or revenue) the Reagan bill passed the Democratic House, only to disappear without a trace in the Republican Senate.l Senate inaction stalled the regulatory drive until 1885. In that year the Republican Senate adopted a bill reported by a select committee chaired by