cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oviposition Response of Cotesia plutellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to Sterile and Normal Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) Larvae

Augmentative release of the endoparasitoid Cotesia plutellae (Kurdjumov) to control diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), in cabbage. Brassica oleracea variety capitata (L.), would be expensive for growers if done continually during a growing season. A method for establishing released parasitoids would be very beneficial in the control of this pest. One method under consideration is to use sterile diamondback moth larvae deposited on 'nursery' collard plants as hosts for C. plutellae to allow the parasitoid to build up in numbers and spread into adjacent cabbage fields. Therefore, the ability of C plutellac to accept and develop successfully in normal and sterile diamomlback larvae was evaluated, C. plutellae does not discriminate between normal larvae and larvae from parents sterilized by gamma radiation, and both sets of larvae served as suitable hosts for the parasitoid. Parasitism, foliage consumption, and survivorship were similar for the 2 types of larvae. Adult female F 1 parasitoids developed from sterile diamondback larvae were as fit as those from normal larvae. In laboratory bioassays, sterile and normal diamondback larvae traversed similar distances before pupation. Field cage assays showed less distance traversed by both types of larvae compared with the laboratory studies. Survivorship for both types of larvae was very low under field conditions. Results indicate that sterile diamondback moth larvae are acceptable hosts for C. plutellae and suggest that the nursery approach toward establishment and build up of numbers would be a viable approach to in-field production of the parasitoid with little chance for harm to nearby cabbage because of spread of sterile larvae from the nursery plants. This approach could be a cost effective way to augment naturally occurring parasitoids and predators in diamondback moth management programs.
A simple device for studying macromolecular crystals under moderate gas pressures (0.1–10 MPa)

A simple device for studying crystalline samples under moderate gas pressure (0.1-10 MPa) has been developed. The device employs a modified Cajon ultra-torr fitting to ensure a gas-tight seal around an X-ray capillary. The cell accommodates standard X-ray capillaries that require no modification. The device is straightforward to utilize and samples can be mounted with routine techniques and pressurized in a matter of seconds. In a subsequent development, a complete purging and pressurization system has been designed and constructed for use on beamline 7-1 at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. This paper describes the construction of both the pressure cell and the delivery system and presents results of the use of this cell for the preparation of xenon derivatives to be used in phase determination by the multiple isomorphous replacement method.
Computer aided diagnosis of lesions extracted from large skin surfaces

The aim of this study is to develop a method of lesion extraction from a large image of a skin surface and evaluate a new set of color features and their ability to classify the extracted skin lesions‥ It is beneficial for a dermatologist to be able to take a snapshot of a large skin surface and have an automated system locate and diagnose atypical lesions. The proposed system accomplishes this task and is designed to be used by dermatologists as a completely integrated analytical tool to improve the rate of correct diagnosis well above 90%. Simulations are implemented to show extraction of skin lesions and how their features are measured as well as classification results. The outcomes showed that the computer aided diagnosis model discussed in this paper has an improved classification performance and is an objective diagnostic tool that can be used in medical practice.
Individual differences in word association in relation to paired-associate learning

The major purpose of this experiment was to demonstrate the influence of individual differences in word association on paired-associate (PA) learning. In the first stage of the experiment, Ss were administered the 100 stimulus words in the Kent-Rosanoff (K-R) list. Individual 20-pair lists were then prepared for a PA-learning experiment. Sixteen of the stimulus words were from the stimulus words in the K-R list. Their response words in the PA list were from the corresponding response hierarchies in the association task. Eight of these response words were responses that the S gave in the association task; the other eight were responses given by other Ss. Eight of the response words occurred as highly popular responses and eight as low-popularity responses in the Russell-Jenkins norms. In addition there were four control pairs which consisted of eight response words given to K-R stimuli. The members of control pairs appeared in different hierarchies and were judged to be associatively unrelated. More popular associates were learned more quickly as pairs than were less popular associates, and individuals more quickly learned their own associations than those obtained from other people. The results indicate that individual differences in verbal behavior are predictive of individual differences in verbal learning.
Conjugated-polymer photonic crystals

Three-dimensional photonic crystals made from an organic semiconductor—poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV)—are studied here. Their synthesis (via colloidal assembly), physical appearance, and optical properties are investigated. The Figure shows optical micrographs of a polished PPV photonic crystal under ultraviolet (top) and white (bottom) light illumination, indicating fluorescence and optical diffraction, respectively (see also cover).
Acceleration and transport of heavy ions at coronal mass ejection‐driven shocks

[1] It is now widely accepted that large solar energetic particle (SEP) events are associated with coronal mass ejection (CME)-driven shocks. Here, particles are often accelerated to approximately MeV energies (and perhaps up to GeV energies) at shock waves driven by CMEs. In this paper, on the basis of our earlier work, we present a detailed model which calculates the acceleration of heavy ions at CME-driven shocks and their subsequent propagation in the interplanetary medium. The CME-driven shock is followed numerically using the two-dimensional ZEUS code. At the shock front and upstream of the shock, the coupled system of streaming protons and stimulated upstream turbulence (assuming the form of Alfven waves) is considered and the diffusion coefficient of the energetic ions and the stimulated wave intensity is evaluated self-consistently. The particle diffusion coefficient is then used to determine the maximum momentum of energetic ions. The ion spectra at the shock front are obtained by adopting the steady-state solution of the transport equation. Across the shock front, the upstream turbulence is amplified and the particle diffusion coefficient is further decreased. Energetic particles in the downstream region convect with the solar wind, cool adiabatically, and diffuse. These effects are followed using a shell model. Particles diffuse ahead of the shock front, can escape and propagate in the interplanetary medium subject to pitch angle scattering. The transport of these particles is followed using a Monte-Carlo code. Two shocks, one strong and one weak, are considered. Time intensity profiles and particle spectra at various times are obtained for two groups of ions, corresponding to Fe and CNO particles. These results will be helpful on understanding in situ observations at 1 AU made by spacecraft such as ACE and Wind.
Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein protects cells against death by elevating members of the IAP family of survival proteins.

Abstract Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a component of cartilage, synovium, ligament, and tendon, yet its normal function is largely unknown. To identify its function we have expressed it in 293 and HeLa cell lines and in primary human chondrocytes. We find that COMP protects these cells against death, either in the presence or absence of tumor necrosis factor α and is able to block activation of caspase 3, a critical effector caspase. This effect appears to be mediated by the IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis protein) family of anti-apoptotic proteins because the levels of XIAP, survivin, cIAP1 and cIAP2 are significantly elevated in the COMP-expressing cells and down-regulation of survivin and XIAP protein levels by small interfering RNAs blocks the ability of COMP to enhance survival. The mRNAs for most of the IAP family members were not increased by COMP, indicating that a translational/post-translational mechanism was involved in their induction. However, in both HeLa cells and chondrocytes, COMP induced survivin mRNA by 5-fold. Thus survivin is the first gene identified to be up-regulated transcriptionally by COMP. The carboxyl-terminal half of the protein comprising the type 3 repeats and the RGD sequence (CaCTD domain) was sufficient to promote survival and to elevate the IAPs. Further, an RGD peptide was able to block the prosurvival effect of COMP and the induction of XIAP and survivin, indicating that survival is likely mediated through integrin signaling. These data point to a new role for COMP in protecting cells against death.
Blackening of tin oxide thin films heavily doped with antimony

Abstract The electrical and optical properties of tin oxide (SnO2) thin films heavily doped with antimony (Sb) have been investigated. The films were prepared by spray pyrolysis at a temperature of 500°C. An undoped SnO2 film is transparent and its resistivity is 4 × 10−3 Ω cm. With increase in antimony content the resistivity initially decreases and then begins to increase. The decrease in the resistivity can be attributed to the substitutional doping by pentavalent antimony Sb5+, whereas the increase in the resistivity can be attributed to the substitutional doping by trivalent antimony Sb3+. The films become opaque with increasing antimony content and finally tum black. The interaction between antimony in the two different oxidation states in the SnO2 lattice is responsible for the blackening of the films.
Polarographic diffusion coefficients of cadmium ion in aqueous nitrate melts

Abstract Polarographic diffusion coefficients are reported for cadmium ion in the solvents NH 4 NO 3 -2 H 2 O, NH 4 NO 3 -4 H 2 O and Ca(N0 3 ) 2 · 4 H 2 O At 50† and in mixtures of Ca(NO 3 ) 2 · 4 H 2 O with KNO 3 at 100†. The diffusion coefficients in NH 4 NO 3 -2 H 2 O and NH 4 NO 3 -4 H 2 O were 6.15 × 10 −6 and 1.51 × 10 −5 Cm 2 Sec −1 . In the much more viscous solvent, Ca(NO 3 ) 2 · 4 H 2 O, The diffusion coefficients were 0.312 × 10 −6 and 1.33 × 10 −6 cm 2 sec −1 at 50° And 100°. The diffusion coefficient appeared to be independent of solvent composition in the melts KNO 3 -Ca(NO 3 ) 2 · 4 H 2 O with mole fractions of Ca(N0 3 ) 2 · 4 H 2 O between 0.45 and 1.00 at 100°. The temperature dependence of D cd in Ca(NO 3 ) 2 · 4 H 2 O corresponded to an activation energy of 7.05 keal mole −1 and was consistent with parameters reported for the temperature-dependence of conductance and viscosity in this solvent.
A tale of two populations: thermal comfort in air-conditioned and naturally ventilated offices in Thailand

Abstract A field study of thermal comfort was conducted in Bangkok, Thailand, in which over 1100 office workers responded to a questionnaire while simultaneous physical measurements were taken. In this study we explore whether there is justification for adopting a comfort standard that differs from those developed for office workers accustomed to more temperate climates. Both air-conditioned and naturally ventilated offices were surveyed. Participants cast votes on standard subjective thermal rating scales and these were correlated with temperature indices that variously account for the thermal impacts of humidity, radiant temperature, air velocity, and clothing levels. Following the criteria used in developing a widely adopted thermal comfort standard, it was found that the upper temperature bound for a Thai comfort standard, instead of being the currently accepted level of 26.1 °C for those accustomed to air-conditioning accustomed to naturally ventilated spaces, and as high as 28 °C for those accustomed to air-conditioning. Comparing the responses from the naturally ventilated buildings with both those from the air-conditioned buildings and from studies conducted in the temperate regions provides convincing evidence of acclimatization. These and other findings of this study suggest that interior spaces in Thailand can be cooled to a far lesser degree without sacrificing comfort.
A review of 'The Persian Gulf in History' by Lawrence G. Potter

LAWRENCE G. POTTER (ed.), The Persian Gulf in History (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009), 340 pages; £42.50 hardback, £19.00 paperback. To say that scholarship on the history of the Gulf has been s...
Regulation of lipid synthesis during early premolt in decapod crustaceans

Abstract 1. 1. The in vitro incorporation of 1-14C-sodium acetate into chloroform—methanol extractable lipid of the hepatopancreas was shown to be linear up to 75 min in Pachygrapsus crassipes (intertidal marine crab) and Procambarus astacus (fresh-water crayfish). 2. 2. The turnover rate of hepatopancreatic lipid labeled with 1-14C-sodium acetate is similar in intermolt animals and those destalked for 48 hr. 3. 3. The turnover rate of hepatopancreatic lipid labeled with 1-14C-palmitic acid is lower in 48-hr destalked crayfish than in normal intermolt animals. 4. 4. Removal of the Y-organ does not alter the increase in hepatopancreatic lipid synthesis observed in destalked P. crassipes. 5. 5. Injections of ecdysterone into intermolt P. astacus does not result in an increase in the rate of lipid synthesis in the hepatopancreas.
Super Korteweg-de Vries equations associated to super extensions of the Virasoro algebra

Abstract All Lie superalgebras whose even part is the Virasoro algebra are found. There are three types of such superalgebras: the standard Neveu-Schwarz-Ramond superalgebra, the Ramond-Schwarz superalgebra, and a new series with continuous parameters. To each such superalgebra is attached an infinite hierarchy of integrable bi-hamiltonian superextensions of the Korteweg-de Vries hierarchy.
Web-based Curriculum: A Practical and Effective Strategy for Teaching Women's Health

OBJECTIVE: To address the need for women’s health education by designing, implementing, and evaluating a self-study, web-based women’s health curriculum.
Thyroid Hormones: Control of Terminal Oxidation

Triiodothyronine administered to thyroidectomized rats preferentially increased the total capacity of the electron transport phosphorylation system when isolated mitochondria from the liver were tested with different substrates, but it caused little increase in the activity of the slowest dehydrogenases and no uncoupling. The increased activity appeared to be partly due to direct activation of some component of the electron transport system, although triiodothyronine injection also stimulated the incorporation of amino acids by isolated mitochondria.
The 2012 Ming K Jeang award for excellence in cell & bioscience

Three research groups led by Dr. Lixin Feng of Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China, Dr. Walter Wahli of University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland, and Dr. Gutian Xiao of University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, USA, won the 2012 Ming K Jeang Award for Excellence in Cell & Bioscience.
Position-based Routing using Virtual Small World in MANETs.

Routing is the foremost issue in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). In a wireless environment characterized by small bandwidth and limited computation resources, position- based routing is attractive because it requires little communica- tion and storage overhead. To guarantee delivery and improve performance, most position-based routing protocols, e.g. GFG, forward a message in greedy mode until the message is forwarded to a node that has no neighbor closer to the destination. They then switch to a less efficient mode. Face routing, where the message is forwarded along the perimeter of the void, is one example. This paper tackles the void problem from a different angle. We construct a virtual small world network by adding virtual long links to reduce the chance of a protocol encountering local minima in greedy mode, and thus decrease the chance to invoke inefficient methods. Experiments show that this method effectively improves the performance of the greedy-face combi- nations in terms of average hop count.
Pathways between profiles of family functioning, child security in the interparental subsystem, and child psychological problems

This study was designed to delineate pathways between systems profiles of family functioning, children's emotional insecurity in the interparental relationship, and their psychological adjustment in a sample of 221 children and their parents. Consistent with family systems theory, cluster analyses conducted with assessments of marital, coparental, and parent-child functioning indicated that families fit into one of four profiles: (a) cohesive families, characterized by warmth, affection, and flexible well-defined boundaries in family relationships; (b) disengaged families, reflected in high levels of adversity and low levels of support across family subsystems; (c) enmeshed families, evidenced by high levels of discord and weak maintenance of relationship boundaries in the family unit; and (d) adequate families, defined by elevated parental psychological control within a larger family context of low discord and high warmth. In comparison to children in cohesive families, children in enmeshed and disengaged families exhibited greater signs of insecurity in the interparental relationship concurrently and internalizing and externalizing symptoms both concurrently and 1 year later. Structural equation models revealed that a latent, multimethod measure of insecurity in the interparental relationship partially mediated associations between family enmeshment and disengagement and children's psychological symptoms 1 year later. Results are discussed in relation to how they inform and refine a family-wide model of the emotional security hypothesis.
Diffusion through CaSO4 formed during the reaction of CaO with SO2 and O2

To identify the dominant diffusing species in a solid-state reaction, marker experiments are often performed. The marker method involves attachment of small inert marker particles to the solid at the original gas/solid interface. As the transport and reaction proceed, the product layer forms and thickens on either side of the solid. Following some reaction, there are two limiting cases for the location of the markers. If the transport through the product layer is dominated by inward solid-state diffusion of the reactant species derived from the gas phase, the marker will remain at the solid product/gas reactant interface. On the other hand, if the transport is predominantly by the outward diffusion of reactant species derived from the solid reactant, the marker will be located at the solid reactant/solid product interface. In this work, platinum markers were used in the CaO-O[sub 2]-SO[sub 2] system to characterize the dominant transport process and the growth mode for the CaSO[sub 4] product layer.
The States of Nature

Whatever else might be said about the Lockean and Hobbesian states of nature, it is widely believe that they are mutually incompatible. One or the other (or neither) is a correct way of thinking about the state of nature, but not both. This paper argues that this intuitively plausible claim is incorrect - if not as a matter of textual interpretation, then as a matter of analysis of the concepts that we have inherited from those texts. Not only does it make sense to talk about a Hobbesian and Lockean state of nature existing simultaneously, but doing so allows us to draw important and novel insights about important contemporary questions in political philosophy.
Combinatorial Synthesis of and high-throughput protein release from polymer film and nanoparticle libraries.

Polyanhydrides are a class of biomaterials with excellent biocompatibility and drug delivery capabilities. While they have been studied extensively with conventional one-sample-at-a-time synthesis techniques, a more recent high-throughput approach has been developed enabling the synthesis and testing of large libraries of polyanhydrides1. This will facilitate more efficient optimization and design process of these biomaterials for drug and vaccine delivery applications. The method in this work describes the combinatorial synthesis of biodegradable polyanhydride film and nanoparticle libraries and the high-throughput detection of protein release from these libraries. In this robotically operated method (Figure 1), linear actuators and syringe pumps are controlled by LabVIEW, which enables a hands-free automated protocol, eliminating user error. Furthermore, this method enables the rapid fabrication of micro-scale polymer libraries, reducing the batch size while resulting in the creation of multivariant polymer systems. This combinatorial approach to polymer synthesis facilitates the synthesis of up to 15 different polymers in an equivalent amount of time it would take to synthesize one polymer conventionally. In addition, the combinatorial polymer library can be fabricated into blank or protein-loaded geometries including films or nanoparticles upon dissolution of the polymer library in a solvent and precipitation into a non-solvent (for nanoparticles) or by vacuum drying (for films). Upon loading a fluorochrome-conjugated protein into the polymer libraries, protein release kinetics can be assessed at high-throughput using a fluorescence-based detection method (Figures 2 and 3) as described previously1. This combinatorial platform has been validated with conventional methods2 and the polyanhydride film and nanoparticle libraries have been characterized with 1H NMR and FTIR. The libraries have been screened for protein release kinetics, stability and antigenicity; in vitro cellular toxicity, cytokine production, surface marker expression, adhesion, proliferation and differentiation; and in vivo biodistribution and mucoadhesion1-11. The combinatorial method developed herein enables high-throughput polymer synthesis and fabrication of protein-loaded nanoparticle and film libraries, which can, in turn, be screened in vitro and in vivo for optimization of biomaterial performance.
Transcriptional control by the TGF‐β/Smad signaling system

The deployment of a cell's genetic program in a multicellular organism must be tightly controlled for the sake of the organism as a whole. Over the past 20 years the transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) family of secretory polypeptides has emerged as a major source of signals exerting this type of control. This family includes various forms of TGF‐β, the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), the Nodals, the Activins, the anti‐Mullerian hormone, and many other structurally related factors in vertebrates, insects and nematodes (Massague, 1998). Produced by diverse cell types, these factors regulate cell migration, adhesion, multiplication, differentiation and death throughout the life span of the organism. Many of these responses result from changes in the expression of key target genes. Hence, transcriptional control by the TGF‐β family has become a subject of intense investigation in recent years. The present knowledge of these mechanisms is reviewed here. One basic concept concerning the role of the TGF‐β family as hormonally active agents warrants mention at the outset. Unlike classical hormones, whose actions are few and concrete, the members of the TGF‐β family have many different effects depending on the type and state of the cell. For example, in the same healing wound TGF‐β may stimulate or inhibit cell proliferation depending on whether the target is a fibroblast or a keratinocyte (Ashcroft et al ., 1999); in mammary epithelial cells TGF‐β will cause growth arrest or metastatic behavior depending on the level of oncogenic Ras activity present in the cell (Oft et al ., 1996); and human BMP4 and its Drosophila ortholog, DPP, can signal dorsalization in the fly (Padgett et al ., 1993) yet bone formation in a vertebrate (Sampath et al ., 1993). TGF‐β family members are multifunctional hormones, the nature of their effects depending on what has been called ‘the cellular context’. It was plausible …
Measuring Presence in Virtual Environments: A Presence Questionnaire

The effectiveness of virtual environments (VEs) has often been linked to the sense of presence reported by users of those VEs. (Presence is defined as the subjective experience of being in one place or environment, even when one is physically situated in another.) We believe that presence is a normal awareness phenomenon that requires directed attention and is based in the interaction between sensory stimulation, environmental factors that encourage involvement and enable immersion, and internal tendencies to become involved. Factors believed to underlie presence were described in the premier issue of Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments. We used these factors and others as the basis for a presence questionnaire (PQ) to measure presence in VEs. In addition we developed an immersive tendencies questionnaire (ITQ) to measure differences in the tendencies of individuals to experience presence. These questionnaires are being used to evaluate relationships among reported presence and other research variables. Combined results from four experiments lead to the following conclusions: the PQ and ITQ are internally consistent measures with high reliability; there is a weak but consistent positive relation between presence and task performance in VEs; individual tendencies as measured by the ITQ predict presence as measured by the PQ; and individuals who report more simulator sickness symptoms in VE report less presence than those who report fewer symptoms.
Risk factors for acute gastrointestinal bleeding following myocardial infarction in veteran patients who are prescribed clopidogrel.

Objective Our aim was to identify risk factors for acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) who were prescribed clopidogrel following hospital discharge. Methods Data were collected retrospectively from patients treated in Veteran Affairs hospitals in Ohio, USA, from 2001 to 2008 with a primary diagnosis of MI (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision) and a prescription for clopidogrel filled within 48 h of discharge. Primary outcome was acute GI bleeding after discharge. Results Acute GI bleeding occurred in 107 of 3218 patients. Bleeding occurred in those who were elder (66.2 vs 62.4 years, P = 0.0002), had lower glomerular filtration rate (74 vs 81 mL/min, P = 0.024), had filled prescription for warfarin (15.9% vs 6.9%, P = 0.0004), diagnosed as atrial fibrillation (20.6% vs 11.1%, P = 0.003), chronic liver (5.6% vs 2.2%, P = 0.018) or kidney disease (29.0% vs 19.4%, P = 0.016). A risk model and GI bleed risk score were developed and showed that patients with age >65 years, use of warfarin, the presence of chronic liver or kidney disease were at increased risk for GI bleeding. Conclusions Veterans patients of advanced age, using warfarin and with chronic liver and kidney disease may be at increased risk of GI bleeding when prescribed clopidogrel following MI. A scoring system may help to identify patients at high risk for GI bleeding.
Cyclic GMP-dependent protein phosphorylation in mammalian cerebellum.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the distribution and regulation of cyclic nucleotides in the central nervous system. The level of cyclic guanine monophosphate (cGMP) in cerebellum (5–8 pmole/mg protein) is 10–20 times that found in other regions of the brain (0.2–0.5 pmole/mg protein). Despite the high concentration of cGMP present in cerebellum, basal soluble guanylate cyclase levels are not markedly higher in this brain region (approximately 0.02 pmole cGMP formedmidmg protein in cerebellum as compared to 0.035–0.086 in other areas of the brain). The activity of cGMP phosphodiesterase in cerebellum (5 nmoles/min/mg) is, however, quite low compared to the rest of brain (25–40 mole/min/mg), suggesting that the non-stimulated level of this nucleotide is determined by the rate of degradation. Cerebellar cGMP levels are altered by numerous agents, which affect neuronal function, particularly those which increase or decrease motor activity. In cerebellar slices, cellular depolarization, induced by veratridine, ouabain or high K+ levels, produces large elevations (25–30-fold) in cGMP, which are absolutely dependent upon extracellular Ca 2+ .
Neuromorphs: Replaceable human organs of the future?

Imagine a world where those with ear problems could buy electronic cochleas and those with eye problems, electronic retinas on Amazon and eBay. Imagine a world where all problematic human organs can be electronically replaceable to push humans toward the grail of immortality. All this might not be just imagination years from now if neuromorphic circuits continue to advance. Neuromorphs, or artificial neural microcircuits, capture the biological neural computational properties into mixed-signal VLSI (very large scale integration). These circuits are inspired by the function, structure, and plasticity of biological nervous systems by emulating their efficient inherent computational capabilities. They mimic the algorithmic behavior of the biological systems utilizing similar organizing principles through efficient adaptive and intelligent control processes in parallel. Adaptation, learning, and memory are implemented locally within each processing stage of these systems.
Induced biochemical conversions of heavy crude oils

Abstract Products formed during multiple interactions of microorganisms with oils fall into two major categories: those formed due to the action of indigenous microorganisms under reservoir conditions over geological periods of time and those products which are generated by the action of introduced organisms. The extreme end product of the first category is the production of heavy `biodegraded' crudes. The extreme end product of the second category is the production of reduced sulfates due to the introduction of sulfate-reducing bacteria which may lead to the souring of a field. There is, however, a select group of microorganisms whose action on the crudes is beneficial. The interactions between such microorganisms and different crude oils occur through complex biochemical and chemical reactions. These reactions depend on multiple variables within and at the interface of a multicomponent system consisting of organic, aqueous, and inorganic components. Studies, carried out in this laboratory (BNL) of biochemical and chemical reactions in crude oils which involve extremophilic organisms (organisms which thrive in extreme environments), have shown that the reactions are not random and follow distinct trends. These trends can be categorized. The use of a group of characteristic chemical markers, such as mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns of light and heavy hydrocarbons, heterocyclic and organometallic compounds, as well as total trace metal and heteroatom contents of crude oils before and after the biochemical treatment allows to follow the type and the extent of chemical changes which occur during the biochemical conversion of heavy crude oils by microorganisms. The bioconversion involves multiple, simultaneous, and/or concurrent chemical reactions in which the microorganisms serve as biocatalysts. In this sense, the biocatalysts are active in a reaction medium which depends on the chemical composition of the crude and the selectivity of the biocatalyst. Thus, the bioconversion of the crude depends on the relative distribution of saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes and the distribution of polar compounds containing the heteroatoms (N, S, O) and trace metals. The role of these constituents in the bioconversion of crudes will be briefly reviewed in this paper.
Short-time kurtosis of speech signals with application to co-channel speech separation

Recent work into the separation of mixtures of speech signals has shown some success. One particular method is based on the assumption that scalar mixtures of speech signals have a kurtosis less than that for either source. Under this assumption, a simple gradient search algorithm is employed to maximize kurtosis thereby separating the source speech signals from the mixture. While this assumption has been observed to be generally true for long speech segments, it is quite reasonable to expect the assumption not to hold over short segments (windows) of speech. In this case, kurtosis maximization is not the appropriate strategy and the algorithm will fail to separate the signals. We examine the kurtosis of speech signals over short segments of speech, i.e., short-time kurtosis. The analysis indicates in general, how successful a kurtosis maximization strategy can be in separating speech signals from a mixture.
The Science of Science Communication II.

A puzzling world confronts scientists today. On the one hand, the fruits of science and technology are everywhere, providing health and prosperity that were unimaginable a century ago. In the United States, federal funding for science is far beyond any reasonable extrapolation of the US$120 million per year proposed by Bush (1) (for the nascent National Research Foundation). International collaboration on a grand scale can be seen in European Center for Nuclear Research, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and European Union projects that help to bind the continent. On the other hand, worrying minorities of the general public reject conclusions that are widely accepted in the scientific community, such as the advisability of childhood immunization, the foundational role of evolution in biology, and the reality of anthropogenic climate change. Whole sciences find themselves in political cross-hairs (e.g., stem cell research in some jurisdictions, social sciences periodically at the National Science Foundation, genetically modified crops in large parts of Europe). Better science communication is key to reconciling these puzzling trends. Better communication to the public and policy makers can help scientists send clearer signals regarding the accomplishments, promises, and uncertainties of their work. Better communication from the public and policy makers can provide scientists with clearer signals regarding the public’s concerns and science’s role in addressing them. The result would be a more productive dialogue about the science and the political, social, and moral implications of its application. Because communication is central to everyday life, people have intuitive theories about how to make themselves understood and how to interpret what others say. However, communications about science can take such generally useful strategies beyond their range of validity. Communications about science often involve unfamiliar audiences, intricate social dynamics, and complex topics, and lack the direct interactions (and feedback) needed to identify … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: baruch{at}cmu.edu or scheufele{at}wisc.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Quotient overrings of integral domains

If D is an integral domain with quotient field K, then by an overring of D we shall mean a ring D′ such that D ⊂ D′ ⊂ K. Gilmer and Ohm in [GO], Davis in [D] and Pendleton in [P] have studied the class of integral domains D having the property that each overring D′ of D is of the form Ds for some multiplicative system S of D. In [D] and [P] a domain with this property is called a Q-domain and in [GO] such a domain is said to have the QR-property. Slightly altering the terminology of [D] and [P], we shall say “QR-domain” instead of “Q-domain”. Noetherian QR-domains are precisely the Dedekind domains having torsion class group [GO; p. 97] or [D; p. 200]. Pendleton in [P; p. 500] classifies QR-domains as Prufer domains satisfying the additional condition that the radical of each finitely generated ideal is the radical of a principal ideal. It is pointed out in [P; p. 500] that this characterization of QR-domains still leaves unresolved the question of whether the class group of a QR-domain is necessarily a torsion group. We show in §1 that a QR-domain need not have torsion class group. Our construction is direct; however, the problem can be viewed in terms of the realization of certain ordered abelian groups as divisibility groups of Prufer domains, and we conclude §1 with a brief discussion of this approach to the problem.
Development of an 85KJ stainless steel K-shell X-ray source on the Z generator

We will discuss experiments on the Z generator using large diameter stainless steel wire arrays to produce K-shell emission (hv∼6.7keV). Large array diameters and fast implosion times are needed to obtain high velocities and high temperatures in order to excite Fe K-shell emission.
In a partially known navigation and localization environment

An algorithm for autonomous navigation of a vehicle using sonar sensors is presented. The main feature is that it is designed to operate in mapped environments in the presence of unmapped obstacles. Key requirements are: 1) robust localization in the presence of unknown features and vehicle motion, 2) estimation of deterministic disturbances such as currents, and 3) localization of unknown objects. The approach is based on a suitable potential function describing the environment and on extended Kalman filtering techniques to provide recursive estimation of the vehicle location.
Treating Patients Involved in MVA

To the Editor: I was very much interested to see a book review, published in January 1997, of Motor Vehicle Collision Injuries: Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Management (Nordhoff LS, ed). Since completing my master's degree in biomechanical trauma, I have become aware of the fact that, although physical therapists treat many patients who have been involved in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), many physical therapists are not familiar with impact biomechanics and its implications for patient care. Through better understanding of mechanisms of injury and analysis of force patterns at impact, physical therapists can be more effective in taking a focused history with consideration of impact mechanics, improve their evaluation skills when dealing with patients involved in MVAs, be a much better informed expert witness in a court of law, and assure patients that physical therapists are knowledgeable in the area of MVAs.…
Missing Markets and Policy Credibility

This paper examines the ability of financial markets to resolve the institutional insufficiency that underlies the credibility problem. We derive necessary conditions for policy credibility in a Barro-Gordon (1983) model where 'market-makers' attempt to earn financial profits from speculation about the outcome. This is achieved by exploiting the symbiosis between the Nau-McCardle (1990, 1991, 1992) no arbitrage characterization for games of strategy and an alternative definition of rational expectations that separates beliefs from strategies. When private sector expectations are derived from a distribution on policy outcomes that precludes arbitrage opportunities, commitment can be achieved. Hence, lack of credibility can be a consequence of missing financial markets related to policy or the existence of arbitrage opportunities therewithin.
Perchlorate as a secondary substrate in a denitrifying, hollow-fiber membrane biofilm reactor

In recent years, several oxyanions have emerged as drinking water micropollutants, including arsenate, selenate, bromate, and, most recently, perchlorate (ClO 4 - ).Conventional water treatment processes typically are ineffective in removing these compounds, and advanced treatment processes are expensive. Biological reduction may provide a suitable treatment alternative, since these compounds can serve as electron acceptors. Other acceptors, such as nitrate (NO 3 - ), must act as a primary electron acceptor. We tested our denitrifying, autotrophic, hydrogen-oxidizing hollow-fiber membrane for ClO 4 - reduction. The reactor is highly suited to drinking water treatment, as hydrogen (H 2 ) is inexpensive, nontoxic, and does not leave residuals that can cause regrowth. When 1 to 2 mg/L ClO 4 - was supplied to reactor, which was at steady-state with 5 mgN/L NO 3 - but unacclimated to ClO 4 - , ClO 4 - removals increased from 40 to 99% over three weeks. Removals to 4 μg/L were also achieved in a natural groundwater having 6 to 100 pg/L ClO 4 - , Tests with variable NO 3 - and H2 showed that ClO 4 - reduction requires less than 30 μgN/L NO 3 - and at least 300-μg/L effluent H 2 . Therefore, partial denitrification is probably not consistent with excellent ClO 4 - removal. Mineral medium produced a gradual loss of ClO 4 - -reducing bacteria, but they were re-enriched when tap water replaced minimal medium.
Isotropic source terms of San Jacinto fault zone earthquakes based on waveform inversions with a generalized CAP method

S U M M A R Y We analyse source tensor properties of seven Mw > 4.2 earthquakes in the complex trifurcation area of the San Jacinto Fault Zone, CA, with a focus on isotropic radiation that may be produced by rock damage in the source volumes. The earthquake mechanisms are derived with generalized ‘Cut and Paste’ (gCAP) inversions of three-component waveforms typically recorded by >70 stations at regional distances. The gCAP method includes parameters ζ and χ representing, respectively, the relative strength of the isotropic and CLVD source terms. The possible errors in the isotropic and CLVD components due to station variability is quantified with bootstrap resampling for each event. The results indicate statistically significant explosive isotropic components for at least six of the events, corresponding to ∼0.4–8 per cent of the total potency/moment of the sources. In contrast, the CLVD components for most events are not found to be statistically significant. Trade-off and correlation between the isotropic and CLVD components are studied using synthetic tests with realistic station configurations. The associated uncertainties are found to be generally smaller than the observed isotropic components. Two different tests with velocity model perturbation are conducted to quantify the uncertainty due to inaccuracies in the Green’s functions. Applications of the Mann–Whitney U test indicate statistically significant explosive isotropic terms for most events consistent with brittle damage production at the source.
Antecedents to Municipal Performance Measurement Implementation: A Case Study of Two New Jersey Municipalities

Municipal performance measurement systems have been studied at length over the past three decades and have been established and used by many cities and towns. This descriptive study brings research and application together by examining in real-time two townships in New Jersey that have agreed to test uniform performance measures. The goal of the study was to identify the antecedents to successful implementation of performance measures and to define the implementation expectations of the participating municipalities engaged in testing the reliability and usability of performance measures as means to achieve their goals. The results of the study establish a baseline of expectations, goals, and processes in which the outcomes of the beta group application can be evaluated. Based on interviews with the participating town managers, it is clear that leadership support, managers with past experience using performance measures, clear expectations, a desire to learn from other townships, and the allocation of reso...
Chemical vapor deposition synthesis of tunable unsubstituted polythiophene.

Despite having exceptional electroactive properties, applications of unsubstituted polythiophene (PTh) have been limited due to its insolubility. To overcome this challenge, we have employed oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) as a unique liquid-free technique to enable the oxidative polymerization of PTh using thiophene as the starting monomer and vanadium oxytrichloride as an effective vaporizable oxidant initiator. Vibrational and phototelectron spectroscopy indicated the formation of unsubstituted polythiophene. Cyclic voltammetry revealed its electrochromic behavior in solution. Significantly, polymer conjugation length and electrical conductivity can be tuned by controlling oCVD process variables. Polymerization is found to be adsorption-limited, so by providing sufficient monomer and limiting the amount of initiator at the growth surface, PTh is believed to be formed through α–α thiophene linkages.
Development of Electrically Conductive Oligo(polyethylene Glycol) Fumarate-Polypyrrole Hydrogels for Nerve Regeneration

Electrically conductive hydrogel composites consisting of oligo(polyethylene glycol) fumarate (OPF) and polypyrrole (PPy) were developed for applications in nerve regeneration. OPF-PPy scaffolds were synthesized using three different anions: naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid sodium salt (NSA), dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid sodium salt (DBSA), and dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt (DOSS). Scaffolds were characterized by ATR-FTIR, XPS, AFM, dynamic mechanical analysis, electrical resistivity measurements, and swelling experiments. OPF-PPy scaffolds were shown to consist of up to 25 mol % polypyrrole with a compressive modulus ranging from 265 to 323 kPa and a sheet resistance ranging from 6 to 30 × 10(3) Ohms/square. In vitro studies using PC12 cells showed OPF-PPy materials had no cytotoxicity and PC12 cells showed distinctly better cell attachment and an increase in the percent of neurite bearing cells on OPF-PPy materials compared to OPF. The neurite lengths of PC12 cells were significantly higher on OPF-PPyNSA and OPF-PPyDBSA. These results show that electrically conductive OPF-PPy hydrogels are promising candidates for future applications in nerve regeneration.
A Pictorial Review of Changes in the BI-RADS Fifth Edition

Initially developed in 1993, the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon serves to standardize breast imaging reports, improve communication with referring physicians, and provide a quality assurance tool. The long-awaited BI-RADS fifth edition consolidates, improves, and expands the lexicon for mammography, breast ultrasonography (US), and breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The new edition has increased the number of imaging examples to nearly 600. The breast MR imaging lexicon is significantly expanded since it first appeared in the fourth edition. New terms have been added to the US lexicon to reflect technologic advances. Minor but important changes have been made to the mammography section. Calcification descriptors in the lexicon are now consolidated into two categories: benign and suspicious. The controversial "intermediate concern" grouping has been eliminated, and a table in the lexicon summarizes the literature supporting the recommendation to biopsy such calcifications. New descriptors such as "developing asymmetry" are illustrated, and abstracts are provided to reference their significance. A generous guidance section is included after the lexicon description for each modality. Useful frequently asked questions are succinctly answered, and the literature to support each answer is included in the reference section for each modality. This review article illustrates and highlights changes to the BI-RADS lexicon and provides readers with a general overview to familiarize them with the fifth edition. (©)RSNA, 2016.