cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Population regulation by post-settlement mortality in two temperate reef fishes.

Input of individuals dispersing into open populations can be highly variable, yet the consequences of such variation for subsequent population densities are not well understood. I explored the influence of variable input (”supply”) on subsequent densities of juveniles and adults in open local populations of two temperate reef fishes, the bluebanded goby (Lythrypnus dalli) and the blackeye goby (Coryphopterus nicholsii). Variable recruitment was simulated by stocking a natural range of densities of young fishes on replicate patch reefs. Density and mortality of the stocked cohorts were followed over time, until the fishes reached maturity. Over the first day of the experiments, mortality of both species was significantly density-dependent; however, there was still a very strong relationship between density on day 1 and density on day 0 (i.e., simulated recruitment was still an excellent predictor of population density). At this point in the study, the main effects of density-dependent mortality were to reduce mean densities and variation about the mean. Over the period from the start of the experiments until the time when maturity was reached by each species (about 1 and 3 months for Lythrypnus and Coryphopterus, respectively), mortality was strongly density-dependent. Such strong density-dependent mortality virtually eliminated any linear relationship between adult density and ”recruit” density. However, for both species, the relationship between these two variables was well fit by an asymptotic curve, with the asymptotic density of adults equal to c. 3/m2 for Coryphopterus, and c. 10/m2 for Lythrypnus. Natural recruitment (via settlement of larvae) to the reefs over the period of the study (9 months) was above the asymptotic densities of adults for the two species, even though the study did not encompass the periods of peak annual recruitment of either species. This suggests that adult populations of these two gobies may often be limited, and regulated, by post-settlement processes, rather than by input of settlers. Other studies have shown that mortality of the two species is density-independent, or only weakly density-dependent, on reefs from which predators have been excluded. Hence, it appears that predators cause density-dependent mortality in these fishes.
Mice with a targeted intronic deletion in the Col1a1 gene respond to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis with increased expression of the mutant allele

Experiments designed to examine the role of the first intron in regulation of the Col1a1 gene by transfection and in transgenic mice have led to conflicting conclusions. Recently, Hormuzdi et al. [Hormuzdi, S.G., Penttinen, R., Jaenisch, R., Bornstein, P., 1998. A gene-targeting approach identifies a function for the first intron in expression of the α1(I) collagen. Mol. Cell. Biol. 18, 3368–3375.] created a targeted deletion in this intron in mice and demonstrated an age-dependent reduction in expression of the mutated allele in lung and skeletal muscle. In this study, intratracheal instillation of bleomycin in mice was used to induce pulmonary fibrosis in control and intron-deleted animals. This stimulus for collagen synthesis was associated with a marked upregulation of the intron-deleted allele in mutant mice. Our results establish that the inhibition of expression of the mutant Col1a1 gene is not fixed, since the gene can still respond to physiological signals. We propose that cis-acting elements, elsewhere in the gene, can compensate for the lack of intronic sequences in the mutated Col1a1 allele and account for the conditional nature of the inhibition. This model has the potential to resolve the conflicting results of previous transfection and transgenic experiments in which different fragments of the Col1a1 gene were used.
Future Prospects for Spectroscopic and Direct Work: Optical and UV

A description of the main features and proposed instrumentation of the 2.4 m Space Telescope is given. Highlights of work that can be planned on active nuclei of galaxies, QSOs, and BL Lac objects are briefly outlined, involving spectroscopy over wavelengths from 1200 A to 1 mm, direct imaging with 0.1 sec resolution, and the capability for 0.1 sec resolution along the spectrograph slit. The resolution, the much reduced sky background, and the full wavelength coverage also make possible important observations relevant to cosmology.
Germanium Phthalocyanine, GePc, and the Reduced Complexes SiPc(pyridine)2 and GePc(pyridine)2 Containing Antiaromatic π-Electron Circuits

The reaction of GeCl2(dioxane) with K2Pc(DMF)4 yields germanium phthalocyanine, GePc. GePc dissolves in pyridine to form GePc(py)2. The 1H NMR spectrum of GePc(py)2 and nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) calculations on GePc(NMe3)2 both show the presence of a strong paratropic ring current. That ring current, along with the bond-length alternation in the crystal structure of GePc(tBuPy)2, indicates the presence of an antiaromatic π-electron circuit in GePc(py)2. SiPc(py)2 was synthesized, and its electronic structure is similar to that of GePc(py)2.
Tension-compression fatigue behavior of a unidirectional titanium-matrix composite at elevated temperature

Abstract The fatigue behavior of a unidirectional metal-matrix composite, SCS-6/Ti-I5-3, has been investigated under tension-compression cycling at 427 °C. This behavior can be categorized into three regions on a fatigue life diagram. Region I, at higher stress levels, would be controlled by fiber fracture. At intermediate stress levels, Region II involved damage mechanisms which were dominated by matrix failure. Two distinct damage mechanisms were observed in this region, region IIa involving little matrix cracking while region IIb consisted of considerable matrix cracking. Region III was below the fatigue limit of the matrix material resulting in fatigue lives longer than one million cycles. Tension-tension fatigue tests were also conducted at 427 °C to compare damage mechanisms and fatigue lives with those under tension-compression loading conditions. On a maximum stress or strain basis, the fatigue life under fully-reversed, tension-compression cycling is less than that for tension-tension cycling. However, on the basis of stress or strain range, the fatigue life under tension-tension cycling is less than that for tension-compression cycling.
A comparison of the binding of three series of nicotinic ligands.

Abstract A total of 24 aryl-substituted analogues of nicotine ( 1a ) and two related series of nicotinic ligands, aminomethylpyridines 3 and ether analogues 8 , were examined to determine if they bind at α4β2 nACh receptors in a common manner. A modest correlation ( r =0.785) was found between the affinities of the nicotine analogues and derivatives of 3 , but little correlation ( r =0.348) was found with analogues 8 . However, a modest correlation ( r =0.742) exists between the binding of analogues 3 and 8 . It seems that 1 -series and 8 -series compounds bind differently but that the 3 -series compounds share some intermediate binding similarity with both.
Biodiversity: Land use matters.

A meta-analysis at a local scale reveals that land-use change has caused species richness to decline by approximately 8.1% on average globally, mainly as a result of large increases in croplands and pastures. See Article p.45
Mg-cordierite: Si/Al ordering, optical properties, and distortion

Flux-grown crystals of Mg-cordierite, Mg1.93 Al3.95 Si5.07 O18 synthesized by Lee and Pentecost (1976) appear biaxial (2Vx=10°–25°) under the polarizing microscope whereas their distortion index Δ=0°. Between crossed polars, (001) sections display lamellar and cyclic twinning on {110} and, less frequently, {310}. As duration of annealing at 1,300° C, increased, 2Vx increased. Simultaneously, undulatory extinction and intragrain variations in 2Vx increased slightly up to 4 h annealing, then steadily decreased. For this Mg-cordierite, which lacks significant channel H2O or CO2, 2Vx and Δ reach maxima of 88° (λ=589 nm) and 0.25° after 42 h of annealing but other sectors still display lesser values for 2Vx. Presumably, to the extent 2Vx is less than 88°, these sectors represent intergrown submicros copically twinned orthorhombic domains and thus possess shortrange but not long-range order. Annealing at 1,300° C likely increased long-range order by promoting growth of larger domains at the expense of smaller ones. Ultimately, two differently oriented domains, growing toward each other by annexation (and re-orientation) of smaller domains, meet in a twin boundary that, with time, tends to become straight.
The future of Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is of substantial interest among IT and network technologists and academics, as well as CIOs and business leaders, due to its proven potential to reduce cost and risk, increase revenue, and enhance total customer experience.
Practical algorithms for pharmacologic management of the post myocardial infarction patient

The pharmacologic management of the patient post myocardial infarction (MI) aims to achieve several goals. Chief among these is to prevent subsequent events, which include death, reinfarction, and rehospitalization. Secondary goals include preventing arrhythmias, minimizing left ventricular (LV) remodeling, and preventing progression to heart failure. This review describes practical algorithms for use in the pharmacologic management of the patient post MI based on American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines. The intensity of drug treatment is determined guided by the degree of LV dysfunction and the presence or absence of ischemia and arrhythmic risk markers. All patients post MI require an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and antiplatelet therapy, usually with aspirin. In individuals who cannot tolerate an ACE inhibitor, an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) is an adequate substitute. Numerous studies document the efficacy of ACE inhibitors, which decrease mortality and the risk of heart failure and stroke. Aldosterone blockade is recommended long-term for patients post MI with an LV ejection fraction < or = 40% and either symptomatic heart failure or diabetes. Use of a beta blocker is an important addition to most post-MI drug regimens. Beta blockers decrease mortality and are especially effective in patients with impaired LV function. Among the beta blockers, carvedilol, which also has alpha-adrenergic receptor blocking activity, was found to decrease mortality significantly in patients with low ejection fractions and heart failure. Another drug therapy of value in post-MI treatment is use of calcium-channel blockers. These are restricted to patients with conserved LV function in whom congestion is absent and in whom beta blockers are contraindicated. Current guidelines also recommend that patients post MI with elevated cholesterol levels should be prescribed lipid therapy with a statin at hospital discharge.
Knowing your partner is not enough: spousal importance moderates the link between attitude familiarity and ambulatory blood pressure

Close relationships have been linked to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. More research is needed, however, on the social and biological processes responsible for such links. In this study, we examined the role of relationship-based attitudinal processes (i.e., attitude familiarity and partner importance) on ambulatory blood pressure during daily life. Forty-seven married couples completed a questionnaire regarding their own attitudes, perceptions of their partner’s attitudes, and perceptions of partner importance. They also underwent a 1-day ambulatory assessments of daily spousal interactions and blood pressure. Partner importance was related to better interpersonal functioning (e.g., partner responsiveness) and lower ambulatory systolic blood pressure. More interestingly, partner importance moderated the links between attitude familiarity and both ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This statistical interaction revealed that simply knowing a partner’s attitudes was not enough as partner knowledge was primarily related to lower ambulatory blood pressure when they were also viewed as more important. These data are discussed in light of how attitude familiarity and spousal importance may jointly influence health outcomes and the social-cognitive mechanisms potentially responsible for such links.
Association of obesity with inflammation in chronic kidney disease: A cross-sectional study

Objective As adipose tissue releases inflammatory cytokines, obesity is associated with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in the general population. We examined the cross-sectional association of body mass index (BMI) with CRP in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting and participants Ninety-four CKD patients with varying levels of renal function seen at the University of Utah outpatient renal clinic were studied. Methods Data on demographics (age, gender, race), comorbidity (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, myocardial infarction/angina, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and smoking) and anthropometry (height and weight) were obtained by patient interview and chart reviews. High-sensitivity CRP was measured by the N-latex assay on a BN II nephelometer. Main outcome measure Risk factors of high CRP. Results In a multivariable logistic regression model, when compared with patients with a BMI 3.0 mg/L were 2.5-fold (95% CI, 1.02 to 5.99) higher in patients with BMI ≥ 30. In a stepwise multiple linear regression model, BMI (regression coefficient [β] = 0.06; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.1; P P = .01) and age (β = 0.01; 95% CI, −0.001 to 0.03; P = .05) were significantly associated with log transformed CRP. Conclusion These data suggest that as in the general population, in CKD patients, obesity, a traditional risk factor for atherosclerosis, is associated with inflammation, a novel risk factor for atherosclerosis.
Disability Status Differentials Among Asian Immigrants in the United States: The Added Dimensions of Duration and Age

The healthy immigrant and erosion effects are widely cited observations for immigrants’ health patterns in the United States. Yet, these effects are not always found in empirical studies. We examined both effects among Asians using the 2000 Census Public Microdata Sample. We examined six disability outcomes: sensory, physical, mental, mobility, work and self-care. We also investigated the moderating effect of age on years in the United States. We found substantial variation in disability status across our 13 Asian ethnic groups. Support for the healthy immigrant and erosion effects differed across the disability outcomes. For physical, sensory and mental disabilities, the healthy immigrant and erosion effects were displayed at younger ages. For work and mobility disabilities, younger immigrants displayed a higher prevalence for these outcomes than their US-born counterparts, but this pattern reversed at older ages. Self-care disability did not show any duration differences. Age also appears to be an important moderator of the healthy immigrant and erosion effects. Cohorts and question wording may also be important alternative explanations to immigrant health patterns.
Evaluation of Mobile Acoustic Techniques for Bat Population Monitoring

Understanding population trends of any species is essential for conservation and management. However, due to difficulty in sampling some species, population status of many bat species is poorly understood. In an effort to resolve this issue, especially in light of emerging threats (e.g., white-nose syndrome and wind energy), a national mobile acoustic monitoring protocol, modeled after European programs, was developed to survey summer bat populations in the United States. While the program calls for conducting transects along roadways, some have suggested that waterways may allow for the gathering of more information. Therefore, we quantified species richness and abundance along car and boat transects to identify the most efficient mobile method. Furthermore, to compare the capabilities of mobile acoustic transects to a more traditional and better understood survey method, we compared species density along transects to stationary acoustic detectors. Using sample-based rarefaction, there was no difference ...
Structure and complexity of medicine bundle systems of selected Plains Indian tribes.

A general overview of the medicine bundle complex of historic Plains Indians is presented in order to elucidate its systemic components. A working definition of the medicine bundle complex is offer...
Nocturnal radiation measurements, Atlanta, Georgia

Abstract Experiments were carried out during the summer of 1958 to measure nocturnal radiation in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Reasonable correlation of the data for clear nights with an equation of the type proposed by Brunt was obtained. The effect of variable cloud cover was evaluated and an equation is proposed whereby this effect can be calculated.
Synthesis of Human Globin Polypeptides Mediated by Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors

Abstract Adeno-associated virus, serotype 2 (AAV2)-based chimeric plasmids that harbored a near-full-length human α- or β -globin cDNA were constructed. The cDNAs were spliced into an AAV plasmid, pAAV∆K, downstream from the viral P40 promoter, substituting the capsid gene region. The correctness of the insertion with regard to the transcriptional polarity was ascertained by both restriction enzyme analysis and DNA sequencing. One of the constructs, pAAVcHBBLCR, contained the erythroid-specific enhancer elements, the locus control region, HS1 and HS2, to ensure an efficient and tissue-specific gene expression. Use of a defective complementing helper, pAVXB (Dixit, M.; et al. Gene 1991 , 104, 253-257.) and adenovirus 2 made it possible to prepare recombinant AAVs (rAAVs). Infection of human 293 cells (embryonal kidney cell line) with the resultant rAAV (AAVcHBB) and cotransfection of mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells with the β -globin construct (pAAVcHBBLCR) and an α-globin construct (pAAVcHAB) triggered efficient synthesis of human globin polypeptides in the cells, as analyzed by biochemical and immunohistochemical means. The LCR made the construct respond to an inducer, N , N '-hexamethylenebisacetamide, the amount of expressed human β -globin reaching a similar level as the endogenous mouse β -globin in MEL cells. Electrotransfection of mouse bone marrow hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells with the constructs dramatically increased the number of benzidine-positive cells in liquid suspension culture, indicating expression and synthesis of a human hemoglobin in these cells. Thus, the rAAV constructs may be useful for gene therapy of hemoglobinopathies.
Effects of chronic antidepressant treatment on nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine autoreceptors in the rat.

Abstract Dopamine autoreceptors were studied by determining the effects of chronic antidepressant treatment on the ability of several doses of apomorphine to decrease 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation (an index of dopamine synthesis in vivo ) after saline or γ-hydroxybutyric acid lactone (γ-butyrolactone). 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation was measured in nigrostriatal [nucleus caudatus putamen] and mesolimbic [nucleus accumbens and tuberculum olfactorium] nerve terminals. Apomorphine decreased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation in the nucleus caudatus putamen, tuberculum olfactorium and nucleus accumbens in a dose-related manner. Chronic imipramine (10 days) treatment attenuated the low and high dose apomorphine-induced decrease in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation in the nucleus caudatus putamen to a greater extent than the tuberculum olfactorium or nucleus accumbens. In γ-butyrolactone-treated animals chronic treatment with imipramine, amitriptyline or bupropion (10 days) attenuated the low dose apomorphine effect in the nucleus caudatus putamen, but not the tuberculum olfactorium or nucleus accumbens. Only 2 days of imipramine treatment had no effect on the apomorphine-induced decrease in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation in the nucleus caudatus putamen with or without γ-butyrolactone treatment. These data suggest that chronic treatment with three antidepressants produces dopamine autoreceptor subsensitivity in nigrostriatal neurons more than mesolimbic neurons and that this effect is not seen with short-term imipramine treatment.
Selective inhibition by streptovaricin of splenomegaly induced Rauscher leukaemia by virus.

STREPTOVARICINS, inhibitors of the RNA dependent DNA polymerase of oncogenic RNA viruses1, inhibit Moloney sarcoma virus-induced transformation2. If selective inhibition of virus-mediated oncogenesis can be extended to the whole animal it could provide a mode of chemotherapy which does not depend on the non-selective action of most oncolytic drugs.
Nick Sagan Reflects on Voyager 1 and the Golden Record

When scientists confirmed on 12 September that NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft had entered interstellar space (Eos, 94(39), 339, doi:10.1002/2013EO390003), the probe was acknowledged as the first human-made object to travel into that realm. The probe and its twin, Voyager 2, each carry a 12-inch gold-plated copper disk, known as the Golden Record.
Zirconium cocatalysis of the cobalt-catalyzed autoxidation of alkylaromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract Zirconium (and hafnium) compounds are remarkably effective cocatalysts for the cobalt-catalyzed autoxidation of alkyl aromatics in acetic acid. The autoxidation of p-xylene to terephthalic acid in the presence of zirconium and other metal salts has been studied at 100 °C, 1 atm O2. Only Zr and Hf salts are very effective, increasing yields from 40 to 90% and decreasing induction times from 325 to 135 min. Th shows moderate activity. Zr and Hf salts are unique in (a) their ability to attain greater than sixfold coordination in solution and (b) their high stability toward reduction to lower oxidation states. A kinetic investigation of the zirconium acetate-cocatalyzed autoxidation of toluene at 87 °C suggests that Zr favors Co (III) acetate monomer formation by formation of a weak ZrCo complex.
Gene expression in the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis: Analysis of an expressed sequence tag (EST) library and development of an oligonucleotide microarray

Karenia brevis (Davis) is a unicellular dinoflagellate responsible for nearly annual “red tides” in the Gulf of Mexico. Insight into the molecular mechanisms that control growth, toxicity, and adaptive mechanisms in K. brevis is critical to understanding the formation and persistence of these toxic blooms. However, little information is available on the molecular biology K. brevis. Therefore, we constructed a cDNA library from which to gain insight into its expressed genome and to develop tools for studying gene expression. Large-scale sequencing of 9728 clones yielded 7001 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) for further analysis. The highest expressed gene accounts for only 1% of the total ESTs. Approximately 29% of ESTs were found to have homology to known sequences in other organisms after BLASTx similarity comparisons to the Genbank nonredundant database (p 2 ESTs, approximately 40% displayed single nucleotide polymorphisms, suggesting the presence of multiple gene copies in this haploid organism. Gene-specific 60-mer oligonucleotides were then designed for each of the 5054 contigs using a Parcel clustering package, version 2.2.8 (Agilent). The resulting oligonucleotides and controls were printed on glass slides to yield an 8000 feature array using inkjet printing technology (Agilent). The 8000 features included 5054 unique features and 2946 secondary probes. Validation experiments to assess system noise, reproducibility, log ratio accuracy, and differential gene expression are underway using Agilent Feature Extraction tools and Rosetta Luminator Gene Expression Analysis software.
Volume Holographic Optical Data Storage in CdF2:Ga Using Phase-Conjugate Readout of 11M Pixel Pages

Over the past several years a new class of holographic materials, based on the bistability of a type of crystal defect known at the DX center, has been explored from both a fundamental physics and an applications perspective [1-4].
Evaluation of noise and resolution properties of penalized-likelihood CT sinogram smoothing and restoration algorithms

In this work we study the resolution and noise properties of penalized-likelihood sinogram smoothing and restoration algorithms that we have been developing for preprocessing of computed tomography (CT) data. We have formulated CT sinogram preprocessing as a statistical restoration problem in which the goal is to obtain the best estimate of the line integrals needed for reconstruction from the set of noisy, degraded measurements. The degradations that afflict raw CT data include beam hardening, off-focal radiation, detector afterglow, and electronic crosstalk, among others. We estimate the line integrals by maximizing a roughness-penalized Poisson likelihood-based objective function. The maximization algorithm is based on the separable paraboloidal surrogates strategy and image reconstruction can then proceed by use of existing, non-iterative approaches. In the case of sinogram smoothing, the only degradation modeled directly is noise; the other effects can then be corrected for by standard means. In the case of sinogram restoration, a number of different degradations are included directly in the objective function. We demonstrate that the approaches can correct for sinogram degradations, eliminating the image artifacts caused by beam hardening and off-focal radiation. We also evaluate the local modulation transfer function, local noise power spectrum, and local noise equivalent quanta in a numerical test phantom and find that the proposed approaches outperform standard approaches based on deconvolution and shift-invariant filtration.
Prospect Versus Utility

We show how to calibrate a prospect model of decision making under risk for an individual. The prospect model is empirically compared to a utility model on two criteria, verification of the postulates of each model, and predictive accuracy. The empirical comparison is performed via three experiments. In Experiment 1, predictive accuracy of the models is compared in nonparadoxical situations, those which favor neither model. In contrast the predictions in Experiment 2 are for paradoxical choices, those which favor the prospect model. In Experiment 1, the prospect model is compared to a model comprising a utility function which permits separate risk attitudes for gain and losses, and hence is more flexible than a utility model as traditionally assessed. In contrast the utility model in Experiment 3 is assessed as is traditionally done assuming constant risk attitude across gains and losses. Several calibration procedures are contrasted across experiments. Our results show a high degree of consistency with the postulates of both models. On predictive accuracy the prospect model outperforms the utility model for paradoxical choices. However, for nonparadoxical situations there is little difference in the predictive ability of both models.
Analysis of synthetic aperture integral imaging

We present the simulation results on the analysis of Synthetic Aperture Integral Imaging (SAII) technique and its sensitivity to pickup position uncertainty. SAII is a passive three dimensional imaging technique based on multiple image acquisitions with different perspective of the scene under incoherent or natural illumination. In practical SAII applications, there is always an uncertainty associated with the position at which each sensor captures the elemental image. We present simulation results of image degradation in terms of Mean Square Error (MSE) metric. We also show an inverse relationship between the reconstruction distance and degradation metric.
Incorporation of isolated Ti sites into mesoporous silica thin films by sugar surfactant complexation

Abstract One of the challenges in transition metal heterogeneous catalysis is the generation of supports with well-defined porosity containing transition metal sites of uniform coordination, complexity, and spacing. For instance, tetrahedrally coordinated titanium atoms incorporated into a silica network are believed to be the active oxidation sites for heterogeneous epoxidation catalysis. Sol–gel chemistry provides an opportunity to produce well mixed metal oxides, but the high reactivity of titanium precursors compared to silicon precursors impedes the uniform incorporation of isolated tetracoordinated Ti(IV) sites. Here, a homogeneous distribution of titanium at the pore surface is promoted by a ligand-assisted templating method with n-dodecyl β- d -maltoside (C 12 G 2 ) surfactant. Preferential interactions or complexation between the titanium and maltose headgroups of this surfactant are hypothesized to promote homogeneous incorporation of titania only at the micelle/silica interface. To generate well-ordered materials with controlled titania site density, a mixed surfactant system of C 12 G 2 and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (C 16 TAB) is used for pore templating. A series of Si–Ti mixed oxide thin films with different levels of titanium loading (from 1.15 to 11.1 atom% of cations) is synthesized by a solvent evaporation-driven self-assembly method with staged precursor addition to facilitate complexation between C 12 G 2 and the titanium precursor. The degrees of homogeneity (indicated by tetracoordinated Ti) in these films are compared with those of films synthesized with the same loading of titanium but without C 12 G 2 surfactant or without pre-complexation. The titanium in films synthesized using maltoside complexation is highly dispersed, while some fraction of octahedrally coordinated titanium atoms is generated without C 12 G 2 surfactant and without pre-complexation.
The effect of stock abundance on range contraction of yellowtail flounder (Pleuronectes ferruginea) on the Grand Bank of Newfoundland in the Northwest Atlantic from 1975 to 1995

Abstract Research vessel surveys showed that yellowtail flounder ( Pleuronectes ferruginea ) on the Grand Bank, off New-foundland in the Northwest Atlantic, declined in abundance between the 1970s and the mid 1990s. The northern limit of distribution decreased substantially in the late 1980s and early 1990s, coincident with large declines in population abundance and a decrease in bottom water temperatures. This range contraction continued into the mid 1990s, despite a stabilization of the population size and a reversal of the cooling trend. In 1995, this species was rarely found on the northern Grand Bank. The area west of the Southeast Shoal on the southern Grand Bank had relatively high densities of yellowtail flounder throughout the period studied. The area occupied by the stock was positively correlated with stock abundance from surveys, but not with bottom temperatures from these same surveys. We conclude that the contraction in the area of distribution for this stock to the preferred habitat around the Southeast Shoal is primarily a function of low stock size, which resulted from increased fishing activity in the mid to late 1980s.
The effects of member expertise on group decision-making and performance

Abstract This study assesses the effects of member expertise on group decision-making and group performance. Three-person cooperative groups and three independent individuals solved either an easy or moderately difficult version of the deductive logic game Mastermind. Experimental groups were given veridical performance information, i.e., the members' rankings on prior individual administrations of the task. Control groups were not provided with this information. Results supported the predictions of this study: (1) groups gave more weight to the input of their highest performing members with the group decision-making process being best approximated by post hoc “expert weighted” social decision schemes and (2) groups performed at the level of the best of an equivalent number of individuals.
ATR System: A Ford Aerospace Perspective

The purpose of this paper is to explore fundamental considerations surrounding an ATR's algorithm design process. Emphasis is placed on a breakdown of the problem into the constituent elements that are deemed most important in affecting ultimate operational success. They involve both data base concerns and key algorithmic subset interactions.
Online selection of π 0 (η) → γγ decays and the potential for intercalibrating the CMS barrel electromagnetic calorimeter

Precise in situ calibration of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) will be of crucial importance to fully exploit the physics reach of the CMS detector. In particular a precise calibration is needed to fully benefit from the excellent energy resolution of the calorimeter, approaching 0.5% for high energy unconverted photons. The resolution for photons is particularly important for the discovery of the Higgs boson in the two-photon decay channel. An inter-calibration technique based on low-mass resonance decays, π0 (η) → γγ has been developed with simulated events, and was successfully tested with π0→ γγ decays collected at a CERN test beam. To accommodate the high rate of such decays at the LHC, a dedicated High Level Trigger (HLT) has been developed to select and store the events that can be used by this calibration algorithm. In this paper we describe this online procedure, including the regional unpacking of ECAL data and the selection procedure to be performed on the CMS HLT online computing farm, as well as the final calibration to be performed on the CERN Analysis Facility. In a low-luminosity scenario of the LHC, L = 2·1030 cm−2 s−1, we estimate that the majority of the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter can be inter-calibrated to 0.5% (1%) precision with π0 (η) → γγ decays after a few weeks of data-taking.
Gender Differences in Depression and Anxiety Among Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: The Moderating Effect of Shame Proneness

The current study examined the moderating role of shame proneness on the association between physical, psychological, and sexual intimate partner violence victimization and depressive and anxious symptoms among male and female college students (N = 967). Students completed self-report measures of dating violence, depression, anxiety, and shame proneness. Results showed that shame proneness moderated the association between all forms of victimization and mental health symptoms. A three-way interaction revealed that sexual victimization predicted symptoms of anxiety to a greater extent for men than for women at high levels of shame proneness. Furthermore, results showed that gender moderated the association between physical and psychological victimization and health outcomes, such that victimization was related to increased depressive and anxious symptoms for men but not for women. Interpretations of these findings are discussed in relation to violence interventions, including primary prevention, and men’s ...
Developing quality indicators for local health departments: Experience in Los Angeles county

Abstract Objectives To develop public health quality indicators for local health department (LHD) use. Methods An indicator development team utilized public health quality measurement concepts, reviewed existing quality measurement–related initiatives, and conducted interviews with LHD staff in order to identify and develop quality indicators for the Los Angeles County Health Department. Results Sixty-one recommended and 50 acceptable (i.e., scientifically sound but less useful) indicators were developed, with an emphasis on measuring process quality in services delivery. Pre-existing indicators from external sources, when available, were often not well suited to the Health Department's needs. The indicator development process clarified conceptual issues, highlighted strengths and limitations of potential indicators, and revealed implementation barriers. Conclusions A limited number of generally available, quantitative indicators of local public health quality exist. Indicators addressing the delivery of LHD services can be locally developed to fill an important gap in public health quality-improvement efforts. However, implementation of quality measurement is difficult due to limited evidence on public health practices, sparse data resources, unclear accountability, and inconsistent organizational motivation.
X-ray-induced dominant lethal mutations in mouse oocytes detected by an in vitro assay

Female mice were X-irradiated with 0.5-4.5 Gy 2 h before mating to unirradiated males of the same strain. The dominant lethal frequencies (DLF) were determined by growing the embryos in vitro from the two-cell stage and determining the relative rates of successful embryogenesis to the blastocyst stage and to the trophectoderm outgrowth with proliferated inner cell mass stage. The DLF increased with increasing dose, the two linear aspects having a breakpoint at about 1.5 Gy. The nature of embryo failure was also dose dependent. At doses less than 2.0 Gy embryos failed predominantly after blastocyst formation, but at higher doses the embryos failed both before and after blastocyst formation. Over the dose range tested, the frequency with which lesions leading to dominant lethality were induced [i.e., -ln(1 - DLF)] increased linearly with increasing dose.
Prospective epidemiologic evaluation of laboratory animal allergy among university employees

OBJECTIVES Evaluation of incidence and risk factors for development of laboratory animal allergy (LAA) among new hires previously unexposed to lab animals. METHODS Baseline, 6-month and yearly follow-up, questionnaires, pulmonary functions, and methacholine challenges were collected from 98 never-before occupationally exposed and 90 control laboratory researchers. The two groups were followed between 6 and 36 months. RESULTS At baseline, there were no differences in atopy, pulmonary functions, or methacholine reactivity between the two groups. The incidence of work-related asthma was comparable in the two groups, approximately 2.5% at 6 months and 4.5% at 24 months. The rate of decline in FEV1 was statistically significantly greater in the animal-exposed than nonanimal-exposed workers, and animal-exposed smokers' FEV1 declined significantly more rapidly than any other groups'. CONCLUSION Despite the low incidence of laboratory-animal allergy and work-related asthma in this group, this study corroborates previously described interaction between smoking and animal exposure.
Results from a borehole optical fiber interferometer for recording Earth strain

We have installed a set of 250 m long borehole optical fiber strainmeters at Pinon Flat Observatory in southern California, USA. These instruments consist of an optical fiber stretched between two positions in the borehole – the upper position is at depth of 4 m and the lower is at a depth of 254 m. The tensioned optical fiber’s length is monitored interferometrically; vertical Earth strain is determined by recording the fiber length change over this interval. We achieve a strain sensitivity of about 0.01 ne (10 –11 ) at periods near 1 s. The noise in the tidal band is 300 ne/√Hz (near 1cycle per day). After an initial settling period of about a year, the instrument drift is 1-2 μe per year.
Alzheimer's β-amyloid vasoactivity: Identification of a novel β-amyloid conformational intermediate

The beta-amyloid (A beta) peptide has previously been shown to enhance phenylephrine or endothelin-1 induced constriction of aortic rings in vitro. The characteristics of A beta vasoactivity (dose, fragment length, timing) suggest that the mechanism is distinct from A beta cytotoxicity. To identify which properties of A beta determine its biological activity on vessels, we investigated a number of A beta analogues and fragments, individually and in combination, including those that are known to be associated with Alzheimer's disease (A beta(1-42)) and hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis--Dutch type (A beta(22Q)(1-40)). The vasoactivity appears to be related to the conformation adopted by the peptide in solution. The beta-pleated sheet rich A beta(1-42) and A beta(22Q)(1-40) were each less vasoactive than the mainly random coil wild type A beta(1-40). However, the most vasoactive A beta peptides were combinations which contain mixtures of random coil and beta-sheet structure. The finding that peptides containing low or high levels of beta-pleated conformation are less vasoactive than those containing intermediate amounts of this structural motif allows us to propose the existence of a transitional form between random coil and beta-pleated that is the vasoactive species of A beta. This is the first time that A beta conformational intermediates have been identified and a biological activity associated with them.
An institutional analysis of supply chain innovations in global marketing channels

Abstract The adoption of sophisticated supply chain innovations by trading partners in global channels of distribution is often limited by the institutional context of the international transaction. In particular, the regulatory, normative, and cultural–cognitive elements of institutional environments around the world can enhance or inhibit the ability of trading partners to craft the contractual, ownership, and social elements of institutional arrangements required by an innovation. Because supply chain innovations often require costly, new investments and activity sets, firms may be reluctant to participate in an innovation unless a new institutional arrangement can be crafted to provide adequate safeguards and guarantees. A conceptual model is developed to explain the role of institutions in the successful deployment of supply chain innovations in global marketing channels.
Reading Abraham Lincoln : An expert/expert study in the interpretation of historical texts

This study explored how historians with different background knowledge read a series of primary source documents. Two university-based historians thought aloud as they read documents about Abraham Lincoln and the question of slavery, with the broad goal of understanding Lincoln's views on race. The first historian brought detailed content knowledge to the documents; the second historian was familiar with some of the themes in the documents but quickly became confused in the details. After much cognitive flailing, the second historian was able to piece together an interpretative structure that brought him by the task's end to where his more knowledgeable colleague began. Data analysis focused on how, lacking detailed content knowledge, this historian was able to regain his intellectual footing, work through confusion, and resist the urge to simplify. Implications of this work for cognitive analyses in history and education are discussed.
Effect of Ammonium Chloride on Energy Metabolism of Astrocytes and C6-Glioma Cells In Vitro

Increased ammonia has been considered a key factor in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. The high concentration of ammonia interferes with oxidative metabolism in the brain through an inhibitory effect on the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA). Inhibition of the TCA cycle may result in depletion of ATP. Due to the involvement of astrocytes in brain detoxification of ammonia, these cells are good candidates for studying ammonia's effect on energy stores in the brain. C6-glioma cells, which have altered glycolytic rates, may show greater sensitivity to the toxicity of ammonium chloride than astrocytes. To study the effect of ammonium chlrode on energy storage of both astrocytes and C6-glioma, we observed the acute and chronic effects of NH4Cl (7.5 or 15 mM) on the metabolism of isolated astrocytes and C6-glioma cells. Primary astrocytes were isolated from the cerebral hemispheres of 1–2 day old Sprague-Dawley rats, and C6-glioma cells were purchased from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Following treatment of the cells with ammonia, glucose, lactate, glutamate, ATP, and PCr were assayed. Our data showed that at 15 min following treatment with NH4Cl, there were no significant differences in the concentration of metabolites measured in astrocytes. However, following 15 min of treatment with NH4Cl, the concentration of some metabolites, for example. ATP and lactate, changed significantly in C6-glioma cells. We have shown that 24 h of treatment was sufficient time to see significant biochemical changes but not morphological changes in either cell type. Simultaneous biochemical and morphologicla changes were observed 48 h following treatment in C6-glioma cells and at 9–10 days following treatment in primary astrocytes. In primary astrocytes at 24 h following treatment, glucose utilization increased. This high utilization of glucose was in accordance with the increase in lactate and glutamate production and the decrease in ATP and PCr formation. In C6-glioma cells the utilization of glucose increased but this high utilization of glucose was consistent with a significant decrease in the concentration of lactate, glutamate and ATP.
Arg304 of human DNA primase is a key contributor to catalysis and NTP binding: primase and the family X polymerases share significant sequence homology.

Comparison of the amino acid sequences of eucaryotic DNA primase and the family X polymerases indicates that primase shares significant sequence homology with this family. With the use of DNA polym...
Effects of Segmented Shield Wires on Signal Attenuation of Power-Line Carrier Channels on Overhead Transmission Lines—Part II: Signal Attenuation Results Analysis

A previous paper has been written on the generalized modeling method of overhead transmission lines for use in power-line carrier (PLC) systems. Knowledge of the effects of shield wires on PLC signal attenuation for various coupling methods would be useful to relay engineers. In addition to the effect of the coupling method on PLC signal attenuation, other problems, such as resonance conditions resulting in high signal attenuation may also occur depending on the PLC signal frequency and the length of the shield wire segments. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide awareness to relay engineers of problems that may arise when applying PLC systems on transmission lines with segmented shield wires.
Exposure to physical and psychological stressors elevates plasma interleukin 6: relationship to the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine produced by the cells of immune and nonimmune origin. Increased production of IL-6 is associated with disturbances of homeostasis, such as trauma, sepsis, or inflammatory diseases. Endotoxemia, tissue injury, or immune inflammatory reactions as well as physical or psychological stress are known to cause increased production of IL-6. We have confirmed this by showing that rats exposed to electric footshock, physical restraint, or a conditioned aversive stimulus have increased levels of plasma IL-6. Interestingly, the kinetics of the increase in plasma IL-6 resembled that of increase in plasma corticosterone. As no detectable endotoxin was found in the plasma samples from stressed and nonstressed rats and there is no evidence of tissue damage and inflammation in situations of restraint or conditioned aversive stimulus, a nonimmune origin of IL-6 is possible. Thus, the releasing of IL-6 into plasma may be under the regulation of neural and endocrine responses to...