cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth and the expression of alternative life cycles in the salamander Ambystoma talpoideum (Caudata: Ambystomatidae)

Complex life cycles (CLCs) contain larval and adult phases that are morphologically and ecologically distinct. Simple life cycles (SLCs) have evolved from CLCs repeatedly in a wide variety of lineages but the processes that may underlie the transition have rarely been identified or investigated experimentally. We examined the influence of larval growth rate on the facultative expression of alternative life cycles (metamorphosis or maturation as gill-bearing adults [= paedomorphosis]) in the salamander Ambystoma talpoideum. We manipulated growth rates by altering the amount of food individuals received throughout larval development. The expression of alternative life cycles in A. talpoideum is influenced by growth via food levels, but the same growth rates at different points in the larval period elicit different responses. Individuals were more likely to metamorphose (i.e. express a CLC) when food levels and growth rates were high later in development and more likely to mature without metamorphosing (SLC) when growth rates were comparatively low during the same point in development. Growth rates at particular points in development, rather than overall larval growth rate, may be an important proximate factor in salamander life-cycle evolution.
The Childless Woman as Failure; or, the "Spinster Aunt" as Provocation for the Future

One of the great strengths of Women in German as an organization is that it creates a space within academic and political work for personal experience, for one’s experiences as scholar, colleague, student, teacher, friend, and son or daughter. It was my daughterly perspective that I brought to my scholarship on Julia Franck and motherhood, including the motherhood/demography debate from 2008. My mother died at the beginning of my graduate studies, and my research was inspired, at least in part, by the desire to give voice to her subjectivity (a desire repeatedly frustrated, as I found that I only have my words to tell her story).
Physician job satisfaction : Developing a model using qualitative data.

The purpose of this study was to develop a current and comprehensive model of physician job satisfaction. Information was gathered by (1) analysis of open-ended responses from a large group practice physician survey in 1988, and (2) analysis of focus group data of diverse physician subgroups from 1995. Participants were 302 physicians from large-group practices and 26 participants in six focus groups of HMO, women, minority, and inner-city physicians. Data were used to develop a comprehensive model of physician job satisfaction. The large group practice survey data supported the key importance of day–to–day practice environment and relationships with patients and physician peers. Future concerns focused on the effect of managed care on the physician–patient relationship and the ability of physicians to provide quality care. Focus groups provided contemporary data on physician job satisfaction, reinforcing the centrality of relationships as well as special issues for diverse physician subgroups of practicing physicians. New variables that relate to physician job satisfaction have emerged from economic and organizational changes in medicine and from increasing heterogeneity of physicians with respect to gender, ethnicity, and type of practice. A more comprehensive model of physician job satisfaction may enable individual physicians and health care organizations to better understand and improve physician work life.
Graduation Rates at US Colleges and Universities: A Large Data Set Analysis

This paper compiles data from a half a dozen different sources to examine the relative impact various factors have on graduation rates. Research finds that faculty salaries positively impact rates, public schools have lower graduation rates and liberal arts colleges, research and masters’ universities have higher rates than comprehensive. Overall, the existence of learning communities and teaching centers at institutions of higher learning does not improve graduation rates. However, if the type of school is taken into consideration; the existence of learning communities does improve graduation rates at comprehensive universities but does not have any impact on research and masters universities or liberal arts colleges. This research suggests that when implementing programs aimed at improving graduation rates different types of colleges and universities need to be selective in what they choose.
Formal Semantics of UML with Real-Time Constructs

This paper describes a formal framework for expressing the semantics of UML augmented with real-time constraints. Supported parts of UML include concurrent interacting statecharts and sequence diagrams, both with real-time constraints. The approach is compositional in the sense that semantics of real-time behavior is captured independently from traditional statechart semantics, thus allowing for simple adaptation to other semantic variations. This compositionality is supported through the use of a two-dimensional temporal logic to independently capture flow of control as well as flow of time. The paper defines this logic, and shows how the UML diagrams can be translated into this formalism. The goal is to provide a simple and intuitive compositional semantics that can be validated and used for further formal analysis.
The Processing of Synthetic Speech by Older and Younger Adults

This experiment investigated the demands synthetic speech places on short term memory by comparing performance of old and young adults on an ordinary short term memory task. Items presented were generated by a human speaker or by a text-to-speech computer synthesizer. Results were consistent with the idea that the comprehension of synthetic speech imposes increased resource demands on the short term memory system. Older subjects performed significantly more poorly than younger subjects, and both groups performed more poorly with synthetic than with human speech. Findings suggest that short term memory demands imposed by the processing of synthetic speech should be investigated further, particularly regarding the implementation of voice response systems in devices for the elderly.
The complexities of charitable giving.

Charitable giving allows people to give to perceived health priorities at home and overseas and is to be encouraged. The emphasis placed on it is one of the more attractive features of major religions. It also helps to foster the idea of a wider community, perhaps one reason why poorer folk are comparatively generous. Does McCartney believe …
Room temperature DNA storage with slide-mounted aphid specimens

Microscope slide-mounted insect specimens present special problems for DNA extraction due to chemical clearing techniques and subsequent specimen preservation. 2. Filter paper is routinely used for DNA storage in other biological disciplines (e.g. medicine), but is not widely used in entomology. 3. A system for room temperature storage of DNA with microscope slide- mounted voucher material uses filter paper in conjunction with the cleared voucher specimen. 4. The viability of filter paper for DNA storage is demonstrated through various time intervals. Either a solution of the cell lysis buffer or purified DNA can be stored on filter paper. Both COI and COII were sequenced from filter paper; EF-1a was attempted, but results were partially successful. 5. The filter paper system allows for DNA storage directly with the curated speci- men, thus facilitating its accessibility. 6. The storage of DNA on filter paper with specimens in museum collections could reduce the need or cost for cryopreservation equipment. 7. DNA on filter paper facilitates international and local transport of DNA research material for subsequent study.
Experience with augmentation mammaplasty.

I have had the unique opportunity of participating in the evolution of breast implants. I assisted in the placement of some of the early silicone gel mammary prostheses during my residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Institute for Reconstructive Plastic Surgery at New York University Medical Center, (New York, NY). The implants were large and heavy; the Silastic® envelope was thick, and it had a Dacron® backing (Figure 1). These early implants generally were placed through an inframammary incision into a subglandular pocket. My recollection is that the incidence of capsular contracture was high. In an attempt to prevent contracture, patients' breasts were tightly wrapped to immobilize them, and the patients were not allowed to lift their arms above their heads for 10 days after surgery. The Dacron® patch firmly adhered to the pectoralis fascia, which made its subsequent removal difficult. Later, the basic design underwent several modifications in an attempt to reduce the incidence of capsular contracture, including removal of the Dacron® backing. Gaspar W. Anastasi, MD ASAPS President, 1988-1989 Figure 1 Examples of early silicone gel breast implants. Note the I Dacron® I In the early 1970s, one of my fellow interns, Henry Jenny, MD, went on to assist in designing the early inflatable saline mammary prosthesis. I was enthusiastic about the Jenny implant because it was easy …
Color Micropatterning with Reconfigurable Stamps

A two-phase, reaction−diffusion (RD) system is described in which printing stamps of the same geometries produce different micropatterns when applied to different surfaces. Initial outflow of water from an agarose stamp into a dry gelatin “paper” causes redistribution of a chemical “ink” contained in the stamp. Depending on the gelatin's water absorptivity, the ink is printed at different locations and develops into different types of color patterns. The mechanism of formation of these patterns is studied using stamps with polygonal tiling surface reliefs. Scaling arguments are derived that explain formation of different pattern types for different geometrical parameters of the system.
American Indian Women in Academia: The Joys and Challenges

This study explores the joys and challenges of being a professor based upon the personal experiences of 10 American Indian women in public Research I universities. Since the literature is sparse on the experiences of Native women in the academy, this study provides insight, especially to American Indian women aspiring to such careers, and for administrators and policy makers encouraging diversity on their campuses. The American Indian female professors in this study have both satisfying and challenging experiences at their universities. Not one of the women regrets her decision to pursue a career as a professor, but their journey is not easy. They enjoy academic freedom and autonomy; their research agendas, teaching, and working with students; the flexibility of the job; collegiality; support of mentors and colleagues; and service opportunities, especially with tribal communities. However, several of these Native women express feelings of isolation as the only person of color in their department, being tr...
Encoding of temporal features of auditory stimuli in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and superior paraolivary nucleus of the rat

Abstract Neurons in the superior paraolivary nucleus (SPON) of the rat respond to the offset of pure tones with a brief burst of spikes. Medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) neurons, which inhibit the SPON, produce a sustained pure tone response followed by an offset response characterized by a period of suppressed spontaneous activity. This MNTB offset response is duration dependent and critical to the formation of SPON offset spikes [Kadner A, Kulesza RJ Jr, Berrebi AS (2006) Neurons in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and superior paraolivary nucleus of the rat may play a role in sound duration coding. J Neurophysiol. 95:1499–1508; Kulesza RJ Jr, Kadner A, Berrebi AS (2007) Distinct roles for glycine and GABA in shaping the response properties of neurons in the superior paraolivary nucleus of the rat. J Neurophysiol 97:1610–1620]. Here we examine the temporal resolution of the rat's MNTB/SPON circuit by assessing its capability to i ) detect gaps in tones, and ii ) synchronize to sinusoidally amplitude modulated (SAM) tones. Gap detection was tested by presenting two identical pure tone markers interrupted by gaps ranging from 0 to 25 ms duration. SPON neurons responded to the offset of the leading marker even when the two markers were separated only by their ramps (i.e. a 0 ms gap); longer gap durations elicited progressively larger responses. MNTB neurons produced an offset response at gap durations of 2 ms or longer, with a subset of neurons responding to 0 ms gaps. SAM tone stimuli used the unit's characteristic frequency as a carrier, and modulation rates ranged from 40 to 1160 Hz. MNTB neurons synchronized to modulation rates up to ∼1 kHz, whereas spiking of SPON neurons decreased sharply at modulation rates ≥400 Hz. Modulation transfer functions based on spike count were all-pass for MNTB neurons and low-pass for SPON neurons; the modulation transfer functions based on vector strength were low-pass for both nuclei, with a steeper cutoff for SPON neurons. Thus, the MNTB/SPON circuit encodes episodes of low stimulus energy, such as gaps in pure tones and troughs in amplitude modulated tones. The output of this circuit consists of brief SPON spiking episodes; their potential effects on the auditory midbrain and forebrain are discussed.
Observability of indigenous organic matter on the Moon

Abstract The theories of Gilvary and Sagan implying the presence of indigenous organic matter on the Moon are reviewed briefly, for comparison. The former postulates the presence in the lunar maria of organic remains derived from a pristine biota in a hydrosphere formed by exudation from the Moon's interior and lasting several billion years. The latter assumes the presence of organic matter on the lunar highlands, now covered by meteoritic infall, formed by the action of solar ultraviolet light and other agencies on a reducing protoatmosphere lasting significantly less than a billion years. However, the fact that meteoritic infall on a moon without an atmosphere causes a net loss of mass from that body is determinative for observability in the Surveyor and Apollo missions of the organic vestiges postulated in the two theories. On Gilvarry's model, a loss of mass from the lunar surface of at least 7 meters in depth is found for the effects of meteoritic impact and sputtering action (by the particles of the solar wind and flares) over the period of several billion years since the atmosphere and hydrosphere vanished. As the organic remains producing the dark color of the maria are assumed distributed throughout the bulk of the sediments in the maria floors, the coloration cannot be destroyed by superficial loss of mass by meteoritic impact. It follows that future lunar explorers should find organic fossils below the depth of roughly 3 to 5 meters fixed by the charring action of the most penetrating radiation, the cosmic rays. Self-consistently on Sagan's theory, no over-all gain of mass by meteoritic action on the Moon could occur, which is at variance with his conclusion of a depth of burial of organic vestiges amounting to some tens of meters. The actual loss of mass on the model after the lunar atmosphere vanished would be at least 10 meters in depth, and hence the organic remains postulated as superficially distributed at a remote time would be completely unobservable at present.
Quantifying the water content in the cathode of enzyme fuel cells via neutron imaging

Neutron imaging was used to study cathode water content over time in a three-dimensional-cathode enzyme fuel cell (EFC). A porous carbon felt cathode allowed air to flow through the electrode. A solution with laccase and a mediator formed an aqueous layer on the electrode surface. Water loss was observed in situ via neutron imaging for varying experimental conditions, including flow rates of hydrogen and air, cathode inlet humidity, volume of enzyme solution, and its composition. Cathode water loss occurred for all experimental conditions, but the loss rate was noticeably reduced when a high-salt-concentration enzyme solution was used in the cathode in conjunction with increased humidity in the air feed stream. Results from neutron imaging and power density analysis were used in analyzing the causes that could contribute to EFC water loss. An increase in temperature due to the exothermic cathode reaction is considered a plausible cause of cathode water loss via evaporation. This is the first reported application of neutron imaging as a technique to study EFC water management. The results suggest that neutron imaging can be employed to provide a better understanding of EFC phenomena and thereby contribute to design and operational improvements of EFCs.
The Principle and Application of AC Voltage Withstand Test for GIS without Power Cut

In order to check whether there are defects in GIS (gas-insulation-switchgear), it is necessary to do AC voltage withstand test before putting into operation. According to the standards, when doing AC voltage withstand test after GIS expansion or maintenance, the original neighboring parts should be power cut and grounded. For the double bus substation,it means that the whole substation should be power cut, which will decrease the power supply reliability of the grid and have a tremendous impact on the power grid To solve the problem, this paper presents a new AC voltage withstand test method for GIS without power cut, and explains principles and field applications of this method.
New frontiers in demography and social psychology

The topics of demography are those of human fate: birth, illness, marriage, occupation, and death. The methods of demography therefore relate global rates to major events, submerging the individual decision. The social psychologist observes the regularities of people’s behavior in different social conditions and builds models from individual decisions. Since he looks at patterns independent of the event, the kind of event does not matter, and he tends to concentrate on trivial events which are amenable to research.
Writing to Learn across the Curriculum: Tools for Comprehension in Content Area Classes.

Mastery of content area reading in science and social studies is demonstrated through writing as well as reading. Integrating writing with reading enhances comprehension because the two are reciprocal processes. Therefore, teachers who implement a variety of writing strategies help students better understand content area texts. This article offers a repertoire of writing strategies that content area teachers in grades 4 to 8 can put into practice before, during, and after reading to strengthen students' comprehension and extend their critical thinking. Strategies described include learning logs, quick writes, listen-stop-write, microthemes, framed paragraphs, text boxes, biopoems, word maps, and ABC books. In using them, students “write to learn,” thinking about and interacting with text in a variety of ways. Writing to learn engages students, extends thinking, deepens understanding, and continues the meaning-making process. Teacher feedback and evaluation are important in writing to learn. Several examples of rubrics and checklists as techniques for giving feedback are provided. This article is also the source for a Class Acts podcast. Download “Writing to learn across the curriculum” from www.reading.orgresourcespodcastsindex.html
Of microtubules and membranes: The development of the salivary gland imaginal disc

The fine structure of first, second, and third larval instar salivary glands is described. The salivary glands of first instar larvae consist of larval cells and duct cells; however, there is an abundance of microtubules in the cells surrounding the duct junction which distinguishes them from the more proximal duct cells. Second larval instar salivary glands consist of larval salivary gland cells, duct cells, and, in addition, the cells surrounding the duct junction are filled with microtubules, and there are dividing cells surrounding the duct. Third larval instar salivary glands contain larval cells, duct cells, and imaginal disc cells which are characterized by the abundance of microtubules and ribosomes, and the presence of centrioles. It is proposed that the cells surrounding the duct junction in the first larval instar are the precursors of the imaginal disc cells.
Eco on Dewey

This study seeks to examine Umberto Eco's views of the key ideas in John Dewey's Art as Experience. Eco's proferred suggestion of transactional psychology as a corrective to Dewey's views is criticized as a misreading of Dewey's position.
Why Asian Americans are Becoming Mainstream

In contrast to earlier waves of immigration, the post–1965 Asian immigration to the United States has not spawned an exclusionist backlash among native whites. Rather, the new Asian immigrants and their children are rapidly gaining access to the American mainstream. Whether in integrated residential communities, in colleges and universities, or in mainstream workplaces, Asian Americans' presence is ever more the rule, not the exception. The success of so many Asian American immigrants suggests that race may not be as decisive a factor in shaping socioeconomic attainment as it was in the American past; civil rights reform has been incorporated in a more inclusive American mainstream. As a group in which those of legal status predominate, Asian Americans have enjoyed more open access to mainstream institutions, paving the way to their rapid assimilation.
AAA--abdominal aortic altruism.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), has been referred to as an orphan disease with no ‘‘parent provider’’ committed to its initial detection and later follow-up. For most of its existence, an aneurysm induces no symptoms and exhibits no signs until if left alone it declares itself abruptly and, often, catastrophically. Risk factors include obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking history, male gender, and age over 60. Often all these factors are found in an individual who does not seek regular medical care or has chosen to be noncompliant with medication even after high blood pressure has been diagnosed. Hence, AA is like a time bomb, set to go off at any time inside the susceptible and unwary. The natural history of the condition is well established, and corrective surgical and interventional radiology treatment have both been shown to be effective. Yet despite the fact that AAA is one of the ten leading causes of death in the middle-aged and elderly, the attention of the American medical community has been directed to other concerns. Highly publicized imaging programs for breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and coronary artery disease have registered strongly in the public consciousness. For most of them, controversies have arisen about radiation exposure, length and lead time bias, and histologic identity. In contrast, none of these issues apply with respect to ultrasound identification and surveillance of AAA. So why has AAA screening not caught on? Screening for an aortic aneurysm is relatively simple
Nonlinear gravitational effects and magnetic monopoles

The Einstein-Maxwell equations for systems of particles possessing electric and magnetic charge are considered. The consequences of the linear and nonlinear theories are contrasted, by considering a known class of exact solutions. In particular, for these systems of dually charged particles, angular momentum quantization leads to charge quantization only in the linear theory. Furthermore, if "strut" singularities are excluded, then isolated magnetic monopoles are forbidden in these solutions by nonlinear gravitational effects.
Monotonicity of solutions converging to a saddle point equilibrium

If a difference equation has a saddle point equilibrium, then there are solutions which converge to this equilibrium. For second order equations, conditions are given which imply that these solutions are monotone. These results are used to analyze a rational difference equation which possesses a saddle point equilibrium.
Role of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1, GPER, in inhibition of oocyte maturation by endogenous estrogens in zebrafish

Estrogen inhibition of oocyte maturation (OM) and the role of GPER (formerly known as GPR30) were investigated in zebrafish. Estradiol-17β (E2) and G-1, a GPER-selective agonist, bound to zebrafish oocyte membranes suggesting the presence of GPER which was confirmed by immunocytochemistry using a specific GPER antibody. Incubation of follicle-enclosed oocytes with an aromatase inhibitor, ATD, and enzymatic and manual removal of the ovarian follicle cell layers significantly increased spontaneous OM which was partially reversed by co-treatment with either 100 nM E2 or G-1. Incubation of denuded oocytes with the GPER antibody blocked the inhibitory effects of estrogens on OM, whereas microinjection of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) antisense oligonucleotides into the oocytes was ineffective. The results suggest that endogenous estrogens produced by the follicle cells inhibit or delay spontaneous maturation of zebrafish oocytes and that this estrogen action is mediated through GPER. Treatment with E2 and G-1 also attenuated the stimulatory effect of the teleost maturation-inducing steroid, 17,20β-dihyroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP), on OM. Moreover, E2 and G-1 down-regulated the expression of membrane progestin receptor alpha (mPRα), the intermediary in DHP induction of OM. Conversely DHP treatment caused a > 50% decline in GPER mRNA levels. The results suggest that estrogens and GPER are critical components of the endocrine system controlling the onset of OM in zebrafish. A model is proposed for the dual control of the onset of oocyte maturation in teleosts by estrogens and progestins acting through GPER and mPRα, respectively, at different stages of oocyte development.
Separation of Carbohydrates in Dairy Products by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract A simple procedure is described for determination of carbohydrates commonly in dairy products. HPX—87 carbohydrate column and refractive index detector were used to resolve lactose, glucose, and galactose in only 8min. An Aminex Microguard™ Anion/OH cartridge was used to remove interfering acids and milk salts from dairy foods. The problem of resolving lactose from sucrose on resin based systems is discussed. Applications include determination of carbohydrates in yogurt and cultured buttermilk.
CRL/Brandeis: description of the Diderot system as used for MUC-5

This report describes the major developments over the last six months in completing the Diderot information extraction system for the MUC-5 evaluation.Diderot is an information extraction system built at CRL and Brandeis University over the past two years. It was produced as part of our efforts in the Tipster project. The same overall system architecture has been used for English and Japanese and for the micro-electronics and joint venture domains.The past history of the system is discussed and the operation of its major components described. A summary of scores at the 24 month workshop is given and the performance of the system on the texts selected for the system walkthrough is discussed.
Plasma spray forming of intermetallics and their composites

PLASMA spray processing, a well-established technique for producing protective coatings, is well suited for spray forming applications. It combines the processes of melting, rapid solidification, and consolidation in a single step. Low-pressure or vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) has been widely used for spray forming because it yields dense and relatively oxide-free deposits. During VPS, the deposits undergo continuous annealing due to exposure to high temperatures (>800 ~ This self-annealing is beneficial as it provides stress relief, recrystallization, and enhanced interparticle bonding (Ref 1). The reduction in residual stresses permits the buildup of thick, oxide-free deposits of reactive metals. Thus, VPS can be viewed as a viable technique for consolidation of powders and composites for the production of freestanding deposits of high-performance materials. A key advantage of VPS is the ability to produce rapidly solidified freestanding near-net shapes, thus obviating the need for postspray thermomechanical processing. Chang et al. (Ref 2) have observed that plasma-sprayed nickel-base alloys and intermetallics yield better mechanical properties than melt-spun and hot isostatically pressed materials. In an extensive study undertaken at Stony Brook, Ni3A1, NiAI-Ni3A1, and MoSi2 intermetallics and their composites have been spray formed using VPS processing (Ref 3, 4). The microstructure and room-temperature mechanical properties of the monolithic and composite deposits in the as-sprayed and heat-treated conditions have been examined.
Children's Television-Viewing Frequency Individual Differences and Demographic Correlates

Previous research has indicated that a number of demographic factors, particularly ethnicity and socioeconomic status, are significantly related to children's use of television. Yet these factors are often not integrated into research relating television-viewing behavior to psychological and social variables of interest. In the present study of three samples of upper elementary school students, ethnicity was found to be a strong determinant of the amount of television viewed. Black children viewed nearly twice as much television as White children, independent of parents' level of education, which itself was inversely related to viewing frequency. No clear relationship was found between viewing frequency and sex, birth order, or number of siblings. Among White subjects, however, there were modest indications that children who live with one natural parent and one stepparent may watch more television than children from households with either two natural parents or one natural parent only. The correlations of individuals' viewing frequency over 1- and 2-year time periods, both among the total sampled and among selected demographic subgroups, were highly significant. Thus not only demographic differences in viewing frequency were found to be stable over time. For the individual child, viewing frequency was a stable behavioral trait, regardless of the fluctuations of the networks' offerings from year to year. Methodological implications of these results for research on television and other aspects of human behavior are discussed.
Controls on the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of the waters of Florida Bay, U.S.A.

The oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition have been measured of waters in Florida Bay and fluids squeezed from sediments which make up Holocene islands in the bay. Although, these waters ranged in salinity from 27 to 120 g kg−1, most were found to have very similar hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions (δ18O = + 2 to + 4‰, δD= + 5 to + 25‰). In order to explain these observations we have applied the Craig-Gordon and Gonflantini evaporation models which account for oxygen and hydrogen isotopic fractionation during the desiccation of saline water bodies. These models provide excellent agreement for the evaporation of water into an environment with a relative humidity of 77%, a temperature of 25°C and atmospheric water vapor possessing δ18O- and δD-values of −11 and −75‰, respectively. The salinity of fluids from one core on Cluett Key (26.9 g kg−1) was well below that of the surrounding bay (> 40 g kg−1 and the water from this locality was depleted in both D and 18O. These δ18O- and δD-values, plotted together with other data from this study, fall on a line possessing a slope of 4.90 ( ± 0.41), similar to what would be expected from the evaporation models. This line intersects the meteoric water line at δ18O and δD-values which are within error, similar to average δ18O- and δD-values measured for rainfall in the Miami area.
New bioluminogenic substrates for monoamine oxidase assays.

Novel bioluminogenic substrates were designed for probing monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity based on a simple and effective β-elimination strategy. By modifying the amino group and the central core of luciferin derivatives, we have developed a series of substrates useful for assays of MAO A or B, or both. One of these substrates, exhibiting low Km values and high signal-to-background ratios with both isozymes, was shown to accurately measure the Ki values of known MAO inhibitors. This substrate is a key component in the development of a highly sensitive homogeneous MAO assay for high-throughput screening (HTS) of compounds in drug discovery and for monitoring MAO activity in complex biological systems. This design strategy should be applicable to fluorogenic MAO substrates and could broaden the structural requirements of substrates for other enzyme assays.
X-ray magnetic scattering study of three-dimensional magnetic order in the quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet Nd 2 BaNiO 5

We report a resonant x-ray-scattering determination of order parameter of the Nd sublattice in the quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet, ${\mathrm{Nd}}_{2}$${\mathrm{BaNiO}}_{5}$. We find that long-range order develops below ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{N}}$=48 K, and that the staggered magnetization continues to grow down to T=10 K. This is in contrast with the behavior of the Ni sublattice, which quickly saturates, as determined previously by neutron-scattering. We find this behavior is modeled well by a self-consistent mean-field theory. Large resonant enhancements were obtained at both the Nd ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathrm{II}}$ and ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathrm{III}}$ absorption edges, with the largest count rates being achieved at the ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathrm{II}}$ edge, where structure consistent with magnetic diffraction anomalous fine structure was observed. A double peak observed at the ${\mathit{L}}_{\mathrm{III}}$ resonance is also discussed. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Hydrocarbon-Soluble Mercuracarborands: Syntheses, Halide Complexes, and Supramolecular Chemistry

The syntheses of macrocyclic species composed of carborane derivatives joined via their carbon vertices by electrophilic mercury atoms are described. The reaction of closo-1,2-Li2[C2B10H10-xRx] with HgI2 gives Li2[(1,2-C2B10H10-xRxHg)4I2] [R = Et, x = 2 (5·I2Li2); R = Me, x = 2 (6·I2Li2); R = Me, x = 4 (7·I2Li2)]. 6·I2(K·[18]dibenzocrown-6)2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m [a = 28.99(2) A, b = 18.19(1) A, c = 13.61(1) A, β = 113.74(2)°, V = 6568 A3, Z = 4, R = 0.060, Rw = 0.070]; 7·I2(NBu4)2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c [a = 12.77(1) A, b = 21.12(2) A, c = 20.96(2) A, β = 97.87(2)°, V = 5600 A3, Z = 2, R = 0.072, Rw = 0.082]. The precursor to 7, closo-8,9,10,12-Me4-1,2-C2B10H8 (4), is made in a single step by reaction of closo-1,2-C2B10H12 with MeI in trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. The free hosts 5, 6, and 7 are obtained by reaction of the iodide complexes with stoichiometric quantities of AgOAc. A 199Hg NMR study indicates that sequential removal of iodide from 5·I2Li2...
Oceanic Crust Forms Basement of Eastern Panamá

Basement rocks of parts of eastern Panama include tholeiitic pillow basalt and diabase overlain by sedimentary rocks typical of deep oceanic environments. Both paleontologic and stratigraphic evidence indicate that some of these rocks are of Late Cretaceous age or older. Regional Bouguer anomalies over the basement terrane exceed +120 mgal, indicating that eastern Panama is a raised block of oceanic crust. Age relations in the Caribbean region apparently preclude an “Atlantic” or single intra-Caribbean origin for eastern Panama and the southern Caribbean basin, but multiple intra-Caribbean origins of the basaltic basement rocks are permitted by the age data. An in situ origin of the oceanic basement of Panama at a position which later became a Cenozoic island arc is likewise consistent with the available geologic and geophysical data. Seismic horizon B″ in the Caribbean is correlative with or overlain by deep-sea sedimentary rocks of Coniacian to Campanian age. This horizon forms the top of the apparent basement of eastern Panama and, thus, the eastern isthmus is a horstlike block that has been elevated or obducted a minimum of 6 km since Coniacian-Maastrichtian time, partly caused by northeastward underflow of the Pacific plate but possibly related to southwestward movement of the Caribbean plate beneath the isthmus.
How stable is the demand for international reserves

Previous research that has tested the stability of the reserve demand function uses panel data, without incorporating any adjustment process into the testing procedure when providing evidence of instability in reserve demand. In this article, we use time-series data, as well as a bounds testing approach to error-correction modelling that incorporates the adjustment process, to show that reserve demand function is stable in 20 of the 22 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in our study.
Regional alterations in cyclic nucleotide levels with acute and chronic morphine treatment

Abstract Systemic morphine briefly elevated the caudate cyclic AMP level and subsequently depressed those levels in the substantia nigra and hypothalamus. Thalamic cAMP was unaffected within sixty minutes of the injection. Cyclic GMP was reduced in all four structures by thirty minutes. Tolerant animals evidenced increased cAMP levels in all but the hypothalamus and reduced cGMP in all four structures. A challenge injection of morphine elevated the two nucleotides briefly in the substantia nigra, depressed only cAMP in the hypothalamus and did not alter levels in the other structures.
Functional imaging in bulk tissue specimens using optical emission tomography: fluorescence preservation during optical clearing

Optical emission computed tomography (optical-ECT) is a technique for imaging the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of fluorescent probes in biological tissue specimens with high contrast and spatial resolution. In optical-ECT, functional information can be imaged by (i) systemic application of functional labels (e.g. fluorophore labelled proteins) and/or (ii) endogenous expression of fluorescent reporter proteins (e.g. red fluorescent protein (RFP), green fluorescent protein (GFP)) in vivo. An essential prerequisite for optical-ECT is optical clearing, a procedure where tissue specimens are made transparent to light by sequential perfusion with fixing, dehydrating and clearing agents. In this study, we investigate clearing protocols involving a selection of common fixing (4% buffered paraformaldehyde (PFA), methanol and ethanol), dehydrating (methanol and ethanol) and clearing agents (methyl salicylate and benzyl-alcohol-benzyl-benzoate (BABB)) in order to determine a 'fluorescence friendly' clearing procedure. Cell culture experiments were employed to optimize the sequence of chemical treatments that best preserve fluorescence. Texas red (TxRed), fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), RFP and GFP were tested as fluorophores and fluorescent reporter proteins of interest. Fluorescent and control cells were imaged on a microscope using a DSred2 and FITC filter set. The most promising clearing protocols of cell culture experiments were applied to whole xenograft tumour specimens, to test their effectiveness in large unsectioned samples. Fluorescence of TxRed/FITC fluorophores was not found to be significantly affected by any of the test clearing protocols. RFP and GFP fluorescence, however, was found to be significantly greater when cell fixation was in ethanol. Fixation in either PFA or methanol resulted in diminished fluorescence. After ethanol fixation, the RFP and GFP fluorescence proved remarkably robust to subsequent exposure to either methyl salicylate or BABB. The optimized optical clearing procedure of ethanol fixation followed by methyl salicylate clearing preserved the fluorescence of constitutive RFP in whole xenograft tumour specimens, about 1 cc in dimension, indicating successful extension from cell plating experiments to whole tissue samples. Finally, the feasibility of imaging the 3D distribution of viable tumour cells (as indicated by the RFP emission) is demonstrated by optical-ECT imaging of cleared xenograft tumours using an in-house system.
Recent trends in hemispheric temperature and growing season indices in Wisconsin

Abstract In Wisconsin, the growing season became cooler and shorter from 1958 into the mid-1960s. These trends accompanied a pronounced drop in the mean annual tropospheric temperature of the Northern Hemisphere. Although Northern-Hemispheric—tropospheric temperatures continued to fall (albeit at a lesser rate) from the mid-1960s through 1973, the growing season in Wisconsin showed a general trend toward lengthening and warming. In view of concern over the potential impact of climatic variation upon agriculture, these observations point out the need for a detailed examination of the modes of translation of hemispheric—tropospheric temperature trends to climatic changes at ground level, and at smaller temporal and spatial scales.
Towards Zero Net Energy at a Community-Scale Level: Case Study at UC Merced

The recent establishment of the University of California Merced presents a unique and invaluable opportunity to plan, carry out, and monitor the development and growth of a new university campus utilizing the most advanced sustainable concepts and technologies available today. Although retrofitting and obsolete building construction codes are not an issue, this community-scale project is already facing operational questions related to the integration of renewable resources. The actual operation at a high percentage of renewable power generation and building efficiency provides invaluable information to analyze the operation that mimic or even exceed California’s 20% and future 33% renewable portfolio standards. UC Merced is already working to meet the commitment of zero net energy by 2020 that is part of the triple-zero challenge that also includes elimination of landfill waste and climate neutrality in the same timeframe. In this work, current findings about this integration strategy are provided.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The Challenge and Promise of Pluralism: Dimensions of Spiritual Climate and Diversity at a Lutheran College

This qualitative case study sought to explicate relevant features of the spiritual climate at one liberal arts religious college and also highlight the diverse ways in which students, faculty, and staff identities shaped the experience of climate. The findings revealed that the spiritual climate of Lutheran College was a product of diverse and voluntary spiritual expressions, the struggle to balance the institution's denominational heritage with commitment to diversity, and community fragmentation brought on by conflicting ideologies. Moreover, minority narratives suggested that spiritual climate is not a singular, absolute reality, but is perceived and experienced in ways that depend on one's background, worldview, and minority/majority status.
Effect of surface encapsulation and As 4 overpressure on Si diffusion and impurity-induced layer disordering in GaAs, Al x Ga 1-x As, and Al x Ga 1-x As-GaAs quantum well heterostructures

Data are presented demonstrating that the surface encapsulant and the As4 overpressure strongly affect Si diffusion in GaAs and AlxGa1-xAs, and thus are important parameters in impurity-induced layer disordering. Increasing As4 overpressure results in anincrease in diffusion depth in the case of GaAs, and adecrease in diffusion depth for AlxGa1-xAs. In addition, the band-edge exciton is observed in absorption on an AlxGa1-xAs-GaAs superlattice that is diffused with Si and is converted to bulk crystal AlyGa1-yAs via impurity-induced layer disordering. In contrast, the exciton is not observed in absorption on GaAs diffused with Si in spite of the high degree of compensation. These data indicate that the Si diffusion process, and the properties of the diffused material, are different for GaAs and for AlxGa1-xAs-GaAs superlattices converted into uniform AlyGa1-yAs (0 ≤y ≤x ≤ 1) via impurity-induced layer disordering with the amphoteric dopant Si.
Reaction path ensemble of the B–Z-DNA transition: a comprehensive atomistic study

Since its discovery in 1979, left-handed Z-DNA has evolved from an in vitro curiosity to a challenging DNA structure with crucial roles in gene expression, regulation and recombination. A fundamental question that has puzzled researchers for decades is how the transition from B-DNA, the prevalent right-handed form of DNA, to Z-DNA is accomplished. Due to the complexity of the B–Z-DNA transition, experimental and computational studies have resulted in several different, apparently contradictory models. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations coupled with state-of-the-art enhanced sampling techniques operating through non-conventional reaction coordinates, to investigate the B–Z-DNA transition at the atomic level. Our results show a complex free energy landscape, where several phenomena such as over-stretching, unpeeling, base pair extrusion and base pair flipping are observed resulting in interconversions between different DNA conformations such as B-DNA, Z-DNA and S-DNA. In particular, different minimum free energy paths allow for the coexistence of different mechanisms (such as zipper and stretch–collapse mechanisms) that previously had been proposed as independent, disconnected models. We find that the B–Z-DNA transition—in absence of other molecular partners—can encompass more than one mechanism of comparable free energy, and is therefore better described in terms of a reaction path ensemble.
Multi-objective optimization problems with fuzzy relation equation constraints

This paper studies a new class of optimization problems which have multiple objective functions subject to a set of fuzzy relation equations. Since the feasible domain of such a problem is in general non-convex and the objective functions are not necessarily linear, traditional optimization methods may become ineffective and inefficient. Taking advantage of the special structure of the solution set, a reduction procedure is developed to simplify a given problem. Moreover, a genetic-based algorithm is proposed to find the "Pareto optimal solutions". The major components of the proposed algorithm together with some encouraging test results are reported.
A Comparison of Atomic Oxygen Erosion Yields of Carbon and Selected Polymers Exposed in Ground Based Facilities and in Low Earth Orbit

A comparison of the relative erosion yields (volume of material removed per oxygen atom arriving) for FEP Teflon, polyethylene, and pyrolytic graphite with respect to Kapton HN was performed in an atomic oxygen directed beam system, in a plasma asher, and in space on the EOIM-III (Evaluation of Oxygen Interaction with Materials-III) flight experiment. This comparison was performed to determine the sensitivity of material reaction to atomic oxygen flux, atomic oxygen fluence, and vacuum ultraviolet radiation for enabling accurate estimates of durability in ground based facilities. The relative erosion yield of pyrolytic graphite was found not to be sensitive to these factors, that for FEP was sensitive slightly to fluence and possibly ions, and that for polyethylene was found to be partially VUV and flux sensitive but more sensitive to an unknown factor. Results indicate that the ability to use these facilities for material relative durability prediction is great as long as the sensitivity of particular materials to conditions such as VUV, and atomic oxygen flux and fluence are taken into account. When testing materials of a particular group such as teflon, it may be best to use a witness sample made of a similar material that has some available space data on it. This would enable one to predict an equivalent exposure in the ground based facility.