cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of application procedures and irrigation on degradation and movement of aldicarb residues in soil

Aldicarb was applied to potato plants in two locations in Wisconsin to determine the effects of application procedures and irrigation on degradation and movement of aldicarb residues, plant uptake, insect control and crop yield. Two application procedures (3.36 kg. AI/ha applied in the furrows at planting and 2.24 kg AI/ha applied as a top-dress application consisting of a surface-applied band covered with soil at plant emergence) and two irrigation regimens (medium water use based on evapotranspiration and heavy water use based on evapotranspiration plus 60%) were tested. The emergence application was effective in reducing the downward movement of aldicarb residues without significantly affecting performance as measured by insecticidal efficacy, crop residues and yield. Excess irrigation increased downward movement of aldicarb residues in soil, diminished foliar residues and resulted in decreased insect control and crop yield. Differences in soil characteristics, primarily in water-holding capacity, were important in reducing downward movement of aldicarb in soil.
Comparison of Final Heights of Growth Hormone-Treated Vs. Untreated Children with Idiopathic Growth Failure

We measured adult heights (Ht) of 94 healthy GH-sufficient children (peak GH > 10 ng/mL, polyclonal RIA) whose Ht at presentation were more than 2 sd below the mean for chronological age, with normal weight-to-Ht ratios, normal body proportions, and pathologic growth velocity for chronological age. Group 1 (n = 36, 6 females) received standardized doses (0.3 mg/kg·week) of GH (mean duration = 41 months), while group 2 (n = 58, 17 females) received no treatment. Our conclusion was that the mean final Ht sd score in the GH-treated group (−1.5) was significantly greater than in the untreated group (−2.1); P < .001. Genetic predisposition to short stature was evident in both groups: the midparental Ht sd score was −1.1 in the treated and −1.0 in the untreated group. Midparental Ht was met or exceeded by 42% of the GH-treated group but only 15% of the untreated group. Final Ht was not significantly different from predicted Ht, except from GH-treated girls, who exceeded their predicted Ht. Although the mean Ht ...
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Neuropathogenesis: From Cats to Calcium

Invasion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into the central and peripheral nervous system produces a wide range of neurological symptoms, which continue to persist even with adequate therapeutic suppression of the systemic viremia. The development of therapies designed to prevent the neurological complications of HIV require a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of virus penetration into the nervous system, infection, and subsequent neuropathogenesis. These processes, however, are difficult to study in humans. The identification of animal lentiviruses similar to HIV has provided useful models of HIV infection that have greatly facilitated these efforts. This review summarizes contributions made from in vitro and in vivo studies on the infectious and pathological interactions of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) with the nervous system. In vivo studies on FIV have provided insights into the natural progression of CNS disease as well as the contribution of various risk factors. In vitro studies have contributed to our understanding of immune cell trafficking, CNS infection and neuropathogenesis. Together, these studies have made unique contributions to our understanding of (1) lentiviral interactions at the blood–cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier within the choroid plexus, (2) early FIV invasion and pathogenesis in the brain, and (3) lentiviral effects on intracellular calcium deregulation and neuronal dysfunction. The ability to combine in vitro and in vivo studies on FIV offers enormous potential to explore neuropathogenic mechanisms and generate information necessary for the development of effective therapeutic interventions.
Did 9/11 change the New York state of mind? Lessons from NYC's leisure and hospitality labour market

The authors show that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 caused a permanent structural break in NYC's leisure and hospitality labour market. This structural break is visible from both an interrupted time-series perspective and a comparison with NYC's overall economic development. Assuming that the labour market dynamics of the leisure and hospitality industry mirror a city's feel in the hedonism�asceticism spectrum, the authors conclude that the 9/11 terrorist attacks have permanently shifted 'New York's state of mind' from hedonism towards asceticism. These results suggest that greater attention must be given to the formulation of effective industry marketing strategies in response to the legacy of urban terrorism.
Molecular Simulations Studies of RNA Tetraloop Hyperstability: The Effect of Stem Length on Folding Dynamics

RNA hairpins, formed by looping oligonucleotides, are among the most common RNA secondary structures and involve conserved interactions that drive hierarchical folding and stabilize folded states. Recent modifications to all-atom molecular dynamics force fields have provided the means to quantitatively assess RNA hairpin folding and stability for comparison with experiment. This study focuses on using these techniques to analyze two hyperstable RNA hairpins, each containing a hyperstable tetraloop sequence (rGCAA) and a G-C stem of two or four basepairs. The systems were simulated for a total of 300 microseconds using replica exchange molecular dynamics, and the resulting structure ensembles were analyzed for common folded states, intra-loop hydrogen bonds, and stem base-pairing retention. We find that the longer stem produces kinetic traps with non-native loop conformations, while offering credence to supposed alternative tetraloop folds from experiment.Shorter stems produce more variable folding behaviors and demonstrate reversible folding/unfolding actions. These results offer an unbiased, thermodynamic characterization of RNA tetraloops, highlight the presence of kinetic traps, and provide critical information for kinetic folding studies of tetraloops as well as additional folding studies of larger RNA molecules.
Protein Folding Intermediates Probed by Ensemble of their Transient Stiffnesses in Single-Molecule Force-Quenched AFM

By using force-quench AFM (FQ-AFM) spectroscopy molecular structures with transient stiffnesses are detected during folding of a recombinant protein with four I27 molecules linked in tandem. The intermediate stiffnesses are detected from shape and peaks of the autocorrelation of the fluctuations in end-to-end lengths of the folding molecules, as well as by applying the equipartition theorem to FQ-AFM experimental results. In the light of the relevant molecular dynamics simulations these intermediates are likely to probe the ensemble of random-coiled collapsed states present both in the force-quench and thermal-quench folding pathways.
Effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the biosynthesis of testosterone in the rodent testes.

Abstract The effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on testicular steroidogenesis were examined in enzymatically dispersed cells of the rodent testes. Both drugs significantly inhibited gonadotropin-stimulated steroidogenesis, but acetaldehyde was considerably more potent (>1000 times) than ethanol. To determine the step in testosterone's biosynthetic pathway which was inhibited by the two drugs, cells were incubated in the presence of [3H]pregnenolone and [3H]progesterone, and the amount of label incorporated into testosterone and its precursors was determined. Ethanol and acetaldehyde inhibited only the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone; none of the other precursors of testosterone was affected.
Intrapersonal and Sociocultural Correlates of Disordered Eating Among Mexican-American Females

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: The participant will be able to identity specific variables which may influence the development of disordered eating among Mexican-American females after reading the research abstract. Empirical evidence of the etiology of disordered eating specific to Mexican-American females is limited The purpose of this study was to investigate intrapersonal and sociocultural correlates of disordered eating among this group of young women. Measures of disordered eating, sexual abuse, acculturation, substance use/abuse and attitudes toward physical appearance were collected from a purposive stratified sample (n=498) of Mexican-American females. Among this non-clinical sample of young Hispanic women (2/3= As young Hispanic women adopt and internalize the Anglo (tall, thin) ideal body image, in conjunction with the emotional impact of childhood sexual abuse, their risk of eating disorders matches that for Anglo females, with particular concerns for laxative abuse.
Recent developments in wireless hardware design, modeling, and analysis for industrial applications

Many areas of wireless technology applicable to industrial scenarios have advanced in recent years. The expansion of wireless technology into short-range/low-power uses, advances in fabrication technologies, and the drive of consumer device markets toward complete tether-free products, all serve to steer the trends in particular directions. Activity abounds particularly in wireless sensor networks, wireless power transfer, integrated transceiver and transceiver building block design and fabrication, and RFID research. Still more advances press ahead in miscellaneous areas such as biomedical wireless devices, power amplifier design, etc. This state-of-the-art literature survey of these advances is a timely attempt to capture current trends in the field, and to highlight particular successful efforts.
Complete N-1 Regiocontrol in the Formation of N-Arylimidazoles. Synthesis of the Active Site His-Tyr Side Chain Coupled Dipeptide of Cytochrome c Oxidase†

Under catalysis by copper(II) acetate, complete regiocontrol (N-1 versus N-3) was obtained in the arylation of substituted imidazoles with aryllead(IV) reagents. The mildness of the reaction conditions (rt, no added base) allows for the first synthesis of the histidine-tyrosine side chain coupled dipeptide found in the active site of cytochrome c oxidase.
Manpower Utilization and Task Delegation: Present Patterns and Future Potential of Physicians' Practices

The manpower utilization patterns in physician practices are examined with regard to present employment and task delegation patterns, willingness to delegate tasks to physician extenders, and corre...
Evidence for the transfer of Cyclospora curtissiae J. Agardh to Carpoblepharis (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta)

Abstract The red alga Cyclospora curtissiae J. Agardh, known only from the original collection made in florida, is re-investigated and demonstrated to be a member of the Ceramiaceae, not the Delesseriaceae. The evidence for this taxonomic placement is based on the apical organization, which includes the formation of six to eight pericentral cells, and the production of about eight tetrasporangia in whorls. Carpoblepharis curtissiae (J. Agardh) comb. nov. is recognized. Comparison is made with Carpoblepharis flaccida (C. Agardh) Kutzing, the type of Carpoblepharis from southern Africa.
The lack of an effect of delta9-THC on pulmonary smooth muscle function in the guinea pig.

Abstract Δ 9 -THC has bronchodilator and antiasthmatic activity in humans. The current studies were undertaken in the guinea pig to determine if it were either a bronchial smooth muscle relaxant or an antagonist of one or more of the allergic mediators. Tracheae from female Hartley strain guinea pigs were removed, cut spirally, suspended in vitro , and isometric tension was determined with a force-displacement transducer. Δ 9 -THC was added to the bath to determine its inherent smooth muscle relaxant activity. Cumulative log concentration-response curves were obtained for histamine and acetylcholine in the absence and presence of Δ 9 -THC. Pulmonary mechanics were determined in anesthetized spontaneously breathing and artificially respired guinea pigs. Δ 9 -THC was tested as an antagonist of the acetylcholine- and histamine-induced increase in airway resistance. Δ 9 -THC, 10 −6 –10 −2 m , did not affect the tone of the tracheal strip; at 10 −6 –10 −4 m it had no significant effect on the response to acetylcholine or histamine. Intravenous administration of Δ 9 -THC, 0.5, 1.0, and 10 mg/kg, did not alter the bronchoconstriction induced by histamine or acetylcholine. These results demonstrate that Δ 9 -THC was not a pulmonary smooth muscle relaxant nor did it possess antihistaminic or anticholinergic activity.
Exchange and Correlation Effects in Electron-Phonon Scattering in Normal Metals

The theory of Bardeen for the electron shielding of the perturbation potential arising from lattice vibrations is extended to cover exchange and correlation effects. The method is to set up a self-consistent set of one- electron equations, and calculate the effect of the perturbation in the charge densities. The exchange term is corrected to conform to the results of the Bohm- Pines theory, but the plasma wave function is assumed not to be disturbed by the lattice. With this approximate model, a solution to the problem can be obtained. For small-angle scattering, the results do not return to the original Bardeen values. The interaction potential matrix element depends on the initial electron wave vector k as well as on the difference between initial and final state wave vectors. Hence, to use the results an average over k must be made, and an average was made over the Fermi surface. The general effect of the exchange hole is to increase the scattering. (auth)
The endosomal-lysosomal system of neurons: new roles

Abstract The repertoire of the lysosomal system extends beyond its function in degrading biologic macromolecules for energy and recycling purposes. Controlled shifts in lysosomal activity help neurons to regulate their cytoplasmic volume and to remodel local cellular domains. Newly identified regulatory controls over targeting to lysosomes and the limited proteolytic actions of ‘lysosomal' hydrolases, together with other recent findings, are suggesting potential roles for the endosomal-lysosomal system in modifying functions of specific proteins, acquiring nutrients essential for growth and repair, influencing the output of secretory products, and helping neurons to modulate trophic signals. The prominent involvement of the endosomal-lysosomal system in Alzheimer's disease and other major pathologies has redoubled interest in how this system serves neurons.
Dependency of Sulfate Solubility on Melt Composition and Melt Polymerization

Sulfate and sulfate salts are not very soluble in borosilicate waste glass. When sulfate is present in excess it can form water soluble secondary phases and/or a molten salt layer (gall) on the melt pool surface which is purported to cause steam explosions in slurry fed melters. Therefore, sulfate can impact glass durability while formation of a molten salt layer on the melt pool can impact processing. Sulfate solubility has been shown to be compositionally dependent in various studies, (e.g. , B2O3, Li2O, CaO, MgO, Na2O, and Fe2O3 were shown to increase sulfate solubility while Al2O3 and SiO2 decreased sulfate solubility). This compositional dependency is shown to be related to the calculated melt viscosity at various temperatures and hence the melt polymerization.
Equivalence classes of homotopy-associative comultiplications of finite complexes

Let X be a finite, 1-connected CW-complex which admits a homotopy-associative comultiplication. Then X has the rational homology of a wedge of spheres, Sn1 + 1 V … V Snr + 1. Two comultiplications of X are equivalent if there is a self-homotopy equivalence of X which carries one to the other. Let ba(X), respectively bac(X), denote the set of equivalence classes of homotopy classes of homotopy-associative, respectively, homotopy-associative and homotopycommutative, comultiplications of X. We prove the following basic finiteness result: Theorem 6.1 (1) If for each i, (a) ni ≠ nj + nk for every j, k with j < k and (b) ni ≠ 2nj for every j with nj even, then ba(X) is finite. (2) bac(X) is always finite. The methods of proof are algebraic and consist of a detailed examination of comultiplications of the free Lie algebra π#(ΩX) ⊗ Q. These algebraic methods and results appear to be of interest in their own right. For example, they provide dual versions of well-known results about Hopf algebras. In an appendix we show the group of self-homotopy equivalences that induce the identity on all homology groups is finitely generated.
One-photon UV detrapping of the hydrated electron

Direct 1-photon excitation of the hydrated electron from the ground state to the conduction band is achieved with 400 nm excitation. This provides a unique method for investigating the femtosecond dynamics and spectroscopy of the conduction band hydrated electron without interference from other states. The assignment of the 400 nm excited state to the conduction band is supported by the observation of >35 A spatial migration of the hydrated electron, as manifested in complete supression of geminate recombination. Similar dynamics and electron scavenging yields are observed for the 400 nm state and that produced by 2-photon 800 nm excitation.
Fatal Hyperammonemic Brain Injury from Valproic Acid Exposure

Background: Hyperammonemia is known to cause neuronal injury, and can result from valproic acid exposure. Prompt reduction of elevated ammonia levels may prevent permanent neurological injury. We report a case of fatal hyperammonemic brain injury in a woman exposed to valproic acid. Case: A 38-year-old woman with schizoaffective disorder and recent increase in valproic acid dosage presented with somnolence and confusion and rapidly progressed to obtundation. Brain MRI showed diffuse bilateral restricted diffusion in nearly the entire cerebral cortex. She had normal liver function tests but serum ammonia level was severely elevated at 288 μmol/l. Genetic testing showed no mutation in urea cycle enzymes. Despite successful elimination of ammonia with hemodialysis she developed fatal cerebral edema. Conclusion: Cerebral edema secondary to hyperammonemia is potentially reversible if recognized early. Ammonia excretion can be facilitated by initiation of hemodialysis and administration of scavenging agents (sodium phenylacetate and sodium benzoate). Severe hyperammonemia can result from valproic acid exposure even in the absence of hepatotoxicity or inborn errors of metabolism. It is important to check serum ammonia in any patient with encephalopathy who has had recent valproic acid exposure.
Microjet Cooler with Distributed Returns

This paper details the technology elements developed to design and manufacture a liquid microjet array cooling device for the thermal management of very high power dissipating electronic chips. Multilayer ceramic technology (MLC) is used to build the cooling device with micron-size jet arrays, which includes a distributed return network for the spent fluid. Intertwined microchannel flow networks inside the cooler body distribute the flow in and out of the device. A cooler with 1600 jets and 1681 interstitial returns for the drains built using glass ceramic material is discussed. When tested with an 18 mm heated silicon chip and an average convection coefficient of 0.052 MW/m2K, the device demonstrated a cooling capability greater than 2.5 MW/m2 with a water pressure drop of < 70 kPa. Further extension of the cooling capability to greater than 6 MW/m2, as predicted by the simulation, is also discussed.
Maternal hair dye use and risk of neuroblastoma in offspring.

Objective: Studies have suggested an association between maternal hair dye use and elevated risk of childhood cancer, including neuroblastoma. We analyzed data from a large case–control study to investigate the relationship between maternal hair dye use around pregnancy and risk of neuroblastoma in offspring. Methods: Cases were children with neuroblastoma diagnosed between 1992 and 1994 at hospitals in the United States and Canada participating in the Children’s Cancer Group or the Pediatric Oncology Group. Random-digit dialing was used to identify one matched control for each case. Information on hair dye use was gathered from telephone interviews of 538 case and 504 control mothers. Results: Use of any hair dye in the month before and/or during pregnancy was associated with a moderately increased risk of neuroblastoma (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2–2.2). Temporary hair dye use (OR = 2.0, CI = 1.1–3.7) was more strongly associated with neuroblastoma than use of permanent hair dye (OR = 1.4, CI = 1.0–2.0). Conclusion: Although the results of this study provide evidence of an association between maternal hair dye use and neuroblastoma, further research is necessary to evaluate effects by method of hair dye application, color, and chemical composition.
Optimal dynamic hedging portfolios and the currency composition of external debt

Abstract We present a model which shows that the currency composition of a country's external debt can serve as a hedging instrument against changes in exchange rates and commodity prices. Because our model permits the second moments to change through time, we get a sequence of optimal dynamic hedging portfolios which can be estimated with a multivariate Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model. To illustrate the usefulness of the technique we apply it to Indonesia and it is found, as expected, that Indonesia's optimal debt portfolio consists of a much larger proportion of US dollars and a much smaller proportion of Japanese yen than they have in their current debt portoflio.
The bipartition model calculations of sputtering yields for H+, D+, T+ and He+ ion bombardments on surfaces

Abstract In the present paper, we will introduce sputtering calculations based on the bipartition model of ion transport. The sputtering yields for energetic H + , D + , T + and He + ion bombardments on Ni and C have been calculated to give tests of this calculation method. The comparison of our results with corresponding Monte Carlo data and experimental data shows that the bipartition model can give reasonable description of the sputtering induced by energetic ions and has high calculation efficiency.
Coal-oil mixture technology in the US

Abstract Coal-oil mixtures (COMs) have undergone periodic development over the last 100 years. However, commercial usage of COM has never been implemented because of the low cost and ready availability of oil, except during periods of national emergencies. The current interest in COMs was stimulated by the oil crisis of 1973, followed by substantial increase in the price of oil. The potential market of existing oil-fired combustors within the US for conversion to COM is substantial, consisting of oil-fired utility boilers, industrial boilers, blast furnaces and process heaters. The utilization of COM involves preparation, storage, transportation and combustion. COM fuels are prepared by either dry- or wet-grinding processes. In addition, by introducing coal beneficiation into the process, a low-sulphur, low-ash COM can be prepared. The COM preparation processes under development produce a variety of COM types which have differing characteristics. These differences arise primarily from methods used to stabilize the coal suspension in the oil. The preparation, stability, and rheology of COMs, and the status of processes under development within the US are discussed. Recently, short-term combustion tests (
Occlusal anomalous tubercle on premolars of a Greek girl.

Abstract A case of a developmental anomaly in the form of an occlusal tubercle in a 12-year-old Greek girl is reported. A review of the literature indicates that this case may be the first one in a member of the Caucasian race.
Robust software for computing camera motion parameters

We revisit the method of Tsai, Huang, and Zhu for the computation of camera motion parameters in computer vision. We elucidate some spectral properties of the homography matrices that arise, which are rank-one perturbations of rotation matrices. We show how to correct for noise by finding the rank-one perturbation of a rotation closest to a give matrix. We illustrate some of the inaccuracies and computational failures that can arise when using the formulas given by Tsai, and we propose new formulas that avoid these pitfalls. A computational experiment shows that the new methods are indeed quite robust.
Tripartite entanglement in qudit stabilizer states and application in quantum error correction

Consider a stabilizer state on $n$ qudits, each of dimension $D$ with $D$ being a prime or squarefree integer, divided into three mutually disjoint sets or parts. Generalizing a result of Bravyi et al. [J. Math. Phys. 47, 062106 (2006)] for qubits ($D=2$), we show that up to local unitaries, the three parts of the state can be written as tensor product of unentangled signle-qudit states, maximally entangled Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pairs, and tripartite Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states. We employ this result to obtain a complete characterization of the properties of a class of channels associated with stabilizer error-correcting codes, along with their complementary channels.
N2-Laser photodissociation of PuF6 and quantum yield measurements

Abstract PuF 6 was photodissociated in a static cell with the 337 nm radiation from a pulsed N 2 laser. The same laser beam was used simultaneously as a probe source to measure the total concentration of PuF 6 . From the measurements of the absorbed energy and depletion. PuF 6 photodissociation quantum yields were obtained at this wavelength. A quantum yield of near unity was observed for mixtures of PuF 6 in N 2 , Xe, and Ar. The apparent quantum yield was significantly, less than unity when F 2 was mixed with PuF 6 . No strong pressure-dependent photodissociation was observed in all cases. The results indicate complete lack of the reverse recombination reaction, F + PuF 5 , and suggest that the photoproduct PuF 5 may be only transient and is further reduced to more stable PuF 4 .
Regression models for linkage: issues of traits, covariates, heterogeneity, and interaction.

Regression methods offer a common framework to analyze linkage for quantitative trait loci as well as linkage for affection status using affected sib-pairs. Although numerous papers on regression methods for linkage have been published, some common themes and important caveats tend to be scattered across the literature. For example, the typical approach is to regress a function of traits on identical-by-descent (IBD) information, but the reversal (regression of IBD on a function of traits) offers important insights. A second example is the use of regression equations to assess linkage heterogeneity or gene-environment interaction, and why these two different etiologies are difficult to distinguish with affected sib-pair data. A third example has to do with the differences, and similarities, between linear regression and non-linear regression methods for affected sib-pair data. The purposes of this paper are to review some recent developments in the linkage regression framework, to emphasize strengths and weaknesses of various proposed methods, and to highlight some important assumptions and caveats.
The ecology of Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.): A review

Canada yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.) is a shade-tolerant evergreen shrub native to the understories of the boreal and deciduous forests of northeastern North America. Canada yew has a relatively un...
Effects of the polymer matrix density on the shock, bullet impact and high strain‐rate ignition sensitivity of polymer bonded explosives

On a etudie au moyen de tests d'amorcage la sensibilite a l'impact, la resistance a l'impact de balle et la deformation de quatre compositions explosives durcies coulees en HMX et en matiere plastique de %vol constant de polymere acrylate (24%) pour une densite de l'ordre de 0,93 Mg/m 3 a 1,96 Mg/m 3 . On a observe que la sensibilite au choc et a l'impact de balle, mesuree avec des projectiles aplatis impactant la surface nue d'une charge confinee, augmentait avec la densite de la matrice plastique dans les melanges. Cette correlation entre les tests apparait du fait que les detonations observees lors du test de l'impact par balle sont initiees par choc, l'initiation par choc se produisant apparemment plus facilement dans le cas d'une adaptation d'impedance plus faible (c.a.d. pour une difference de densite plus petite) sur la couche limite matiere plastique/HMX. Lors du test de la barre d'Hopkinson, on a observe une correlation plus faible entre la sensibilite a l'amorcage et la densite de polymere, car pour ces energies de choc plus faibles, d'autres mecanismes d'amorcage, comme p.ex. le cisaillement macroscopique et l'echauffement plastique, le fluage visqueux etc., jouent egalement un role important.
The American sorority girl recast: an ethnographic screenplay of leisure in context

Current research on women in sororities in the US offers only a myopic picture of the culture. The purpose of this post-structural feminist ethnography was to explore American sorority culture as one way to expose the complicated relationships between discourse and gendered performances of self. Using the representational strategy of an ethnographic screenplay, we illustrate how sorority women are constituted in relation to performances of femininity and expectations of appropriate “ladylike” behaviours. In doing so, we highlight the processes of gendered subjectivity and illustrate the ways that women are constituted within discourse within their lived leisure experience.
Hydrogen abstraction by triplet ketones: Applicability of the electronic-vibrational energy transfer model

Abstract A critical comparison is made between a theoretical model for photochemical reactions based on their analogy with radiationless transitions and the experimental data on hydrogen abstraction by excited ketones in solution. It is concluded that rapid vibrational energy redistribution tends to rule out mechanisms based on energy transfer to a particular vibrational mode, except in low-pressure gases.
An Expanded Role for AMP-Activated Protein Kinase: Regulator of Myocardial Protein Degradation

Rudolph Schoenheimer's concept of the "dynamic state of body constituents" has existed since the 1940s, but the idea that heart muscle cells renew themselves from within is relatively new. Many studies have elucidated the interaction of metabolic pathways for energy provision and contraction of the heart, and work in the field has uncovered novel metabolic regulators of enzyme action. However, the impact of myocardial energy metabolism on myocardial protein turnover has received little attention. Here, we review recent findings that identify metabolic signals as regulators of myocardial protein turnover and seek to broaden the role of energy substrate metabolism from a provider of ATP to a regulator of self-renewal of the cardiomyocyte.
Hidden symmetry and the number-theoretic structure of the energy levels of a perturbed harmonic oscillator

The energy levels of a three-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator that is perturbed by a quartic potential term possess a remarkable degeneracy structure that originates not from a symmetry group, but from properties of the natural numbers. A comprehensive theory of these energy multiplets, based on properties of the prime numbers, that gives their complete classification into 1-plets, 2-plets, etc., is developed. The number-theoretic origin of this degeneracy is contrasted with that of hidden symmetry. Generalizations to other dimensions are indicated.
Multi-Cantilever-Driven Rotational Micrograting for MOEMS Spectrometer

For the purpose of detecting biological fluorescence, a rotational actuator with integrated diffraction grating is designed as the central part of a MOEMS spectrometer. In order to produce scanning with a lithographically defined micrograting, angular displacement is produced with multiple balanced beams placed in opposition around a semi-floating pivot point. Piezoelectrically driven, the beams rotate a suspended micro grating linearly with voltage, directly tuning the angularly spread spectral outputs. The design advantages, optimizations and fabrication are discussed. The fabricated actuator is used in a fluorescence scanning of paper cellulose fibers and Rhodamine B dye, and shown to be effective in rotating a diffraction grating for fluorescence spectroscopy.
Honor, Self and Social Reproduction

Honor is a difficult field of inquiry that deserves systematic attention from social scientists. Honor is an internalized concern for recognition and approval that links reputation with conduct and helps sustain existing patterns of social selec- tion and evaluation. The paper argues that scholars are remiss that consider the field of honor obsolete or a residual category left over from the transition to modern forms of social organization. A modern conception of honor is identified in the relationship of a reflexive self and a larger moral and institutional order. A further effort is made to elaborate a reflexive approach to honor informed by the intersection of Pierrc Bourdieu's theory of social reproduction and Erving Goffman's theory of self presentation. Honor is theorized as a multi- dimensional field that legitimates prevailing standards of evaluation and social selection contested in staged and consecrated interactions that are central to social reproduction.
Involvement of Reactive Oxygen Species in N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)retinamide-Induced Apoptosis in Cervical Carcinoma Cells

Background: The inhibitory effects of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4HPR) on tumorigenesis and tumor growth may result from its ability to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death). Since antioxidants inhibit 4HPR-induced apoptosis, experiments were planned to determine whether the levels of reactive oxygen species increase in cells undergoing apoptosis after exposure to 4HPR. Methods: Cells of the human cervical carcinoma cell line C33A and normal human cervical epithelial cells were treated with 4HPR and analyzed for survival, induction of apoptosis, generation of reactive oxygen species, and expression of the apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax. Results: Treatment with 4HPR decreased C33A cell number by inducing apoptosis in a time- and dosedependent fashion. DNA fragmentation typical of apoptosis was observed in cells exposed to 4HPR at concentrations of 3µ Mor higher for 6‐24 hours. The generation of reactive oxygen species was enhanced by 1.85-fold to 4.5-fold after a 1.5-hour treatment with 0.4‐10 µ M 4HPR. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, an oxygen radical scavenger, suppressed the rate of generation of reactive oxygen species and inhibited 4HPR-induced apoptosis. 4HPR failed to modulate cellular levels of the Bcl-2 and Bax proteins. N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)retinamide, the major 4HPR metabolite, and several other retinoids that bind to nuclear retinoic acid receptors or retinoid X receptors failed to enhance the generation of reactive oxygen species and to induce apoptosis. 4HPR was much less effective in generating reactive oxygen species and in inducing apoptosis in normal human cervical epithelial cells than in C33A cervical carcinoma cells. Conclusions: Enhancement of the generation of reactive oxygen species may be involved in apoptotic pathway induction by 4HPR. [J Natl Cancer Inst 1997;89:1191‐8]
Fast Talking, Fast Shooting: Text Chat in an Online First-Person Game

How actively do users chat, with whom, about what, and how coherently, when they are shooting enemies and dodging bullets in a fast-paced virtual gaming environment? This paper reports on a study of public text chat in BZFlag, an open source capturethe-flag game in which user avatars are tanks. Chat data were analyzed using methods of content and discourse analysis, including analyzing the coherence of extended conversations. The findings reveal that public chat is used actively in BZFlag, primarily to react to and negotiate game play, and that extended conversations occur intermittently and are surprisingly coherent. Implications are discussed for multitasking, classifying multiplayer online games, and enhancing the chatability, or chat usability, of first-person shooter game designs.
Notch: Cell fate determination from vascular development to human vasculopathy

Advances in understanding vascular development have fostered new drug development to control angiogenesis (see Glossary). Control of vessel formation directly impacts numerous pathologic processes, from cancer to degenerative disorders. However, a comprehensive knowledge of how cell-fate decisions occur during vascular development is needed to allow rational manipulation of vascular growth. Notch signaling governs cell-fate decisions, and disruption of Notch genes result in cardiovascular defects. This review discusses the phenotypes of Notch mutant mice that relate to human cardiovascular defects, fragile-vessel syndromes, and tumor angiogenesis. Target molecules for therapeutic interventions in these vascular pathologies are discussed.
The meanings of physical appearance in patients seeking bariatric surgery

This study highlighted various meanings of physical appearance in obese individuals seeking bariatric surgery. Fourteen US adult patients participated in an in-depth, semi-structured interview that took 45 minutes to 2 hours. Data were transcribed verbatim and transferred into NVivo 10. A coding scheme was developed based on the themes inferred from content analysis. To increase the trustworthiness of data, this study adopted probing and external auditing methods. The interview data discovered values and significances of physical appearance in preoperative bariatric patients, including the signals of obesity stigma in the forms of direct, indirect, and environment, a visible tool to manage the negative social image towards obesity, and an aspirational pathway to a stigma-free life following post-surgical weight loss. The roles of clothing were also examined in the social negotiation processes through appearance management. Taken together, findings of this study contribute to understanding of the patients’...
Weighted rank aggregation of cluster validation measures

Motivation: Biologists often employ clustering techniques in the explorative phase of microarray data analysis to discover relevant biological groupings. Given the availability of numerous clustering algorithms in the machine-learning literature, an user might want to select one that performs the best for his/her data set or application. While various validation measures have been proposed over the years to judge the quality of clusters produced by a given clustering algorithm including their biological relevance, unfortunately, a given clustering algorithm can perform poorly under one validation measure while outperforming many other algorithms under another validation measure. A manual synthesis of results from multiple validation measures is nearly impossible in practice, especially, when a large number of clustering algorithms are to be compared using several measures. An automated and objective way of reconciling the rankings is needed. Results: Using a Monte Carlo cross-entropy algorithm, we successfully combine the ranks of a set of clustering algorithms under consideration via a weighted aggregation that optimizes a distance criterion. The proposed weighted rank aggregation allows for a far more objective and automated assessment of clustering results than a simple visual inspection. We illustrate our procedure using one simulated as well as three real gene expression data sets from various platforms where we rank a total of eleven clustering algorithms using a combined examination of 10 different validation measures. The aggregate rankings were found for a given number of clusters k and also for an entire range of k. Availability: R code for all validation measures and rank aggregation is available from the authors upon request. Contact: somnath.datta@louisville.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary information are available at http://www.somnathdatta.org/Supp/RankCluster/supp.htm.
Adding semantic roles to the chinese treebank

We report work on adding semantic role labels to the Chinese Treebank, a corpus already annotated with phrase structures. The work involves locating all verbs and their nominalizations in the corpus, and semi-automatically adding semantic role labels to their arguments, which are constituents in a parse tree. Although the same procedure is followed, different issues arise in the annotation of verbs and nominalized predicates. For verbs, identifying their arguments is generally straightforward given their syntactic structure in the Chinese Treebank as they tend to occupy well-defined syntactic positions. Our discussion focuses on the syntactic variations in the realization of the arguments as well as our approach to annotating dislocated and discontinuous arguments. In comparison, identifying the arguments for nominalized predicates is more challenging and we discuss criteria and procedures for distinguishing arguments from non-arguments. In particular we focus on the role of support verbs as well as the relevance of event/result distinctions in the annotation of the predicate-argument structure of nominalized predicates. We also present our approach to taking advantage of the syntactic structure in the Chinese Treebank to bootstrap the predicate-argument structure annotation of verbs. Finally, we discuss the creation of a lexical database of frame files and its role in guiding predicate-argument annotation. Procedures for ensuring annotation consistency and inter-annotator agreement evaluation results are also presented.
Fluorescence characteristics of difenzoquat

Abstract Difenzoquat is identified as a potentially useful fluorescence probe. Its fluorescence excitation spectrum shows significant concentration-dependent variations not found in the absorption and fluorescence emission spectra. The effects are ascribed to association phenomena that are unaffected by ionic strength and anionic/non-ionic detergents, but strongly promoted by cationic micelles. INDO calculations account for the features of the monomer excitation spectrum, but do not explain concentration dependent behavior.
Bessie: portable generation of network topologies for simulation

The widespread use of computer networking has resulted in considerable attention being paid to a variety of network-related problems, the generation of efficient multicast trees being one. While many algorithms for generation of multicast trees have been proposed their relative effectiveness is difficult to assess. Some algorithms have never been implemented. Many have been simulated, but often using ad-hoc networking modeling and simulation tools, without consistent parameters, making direct comparisons difficult. In this paper we discuss a network topology generation tool named Bessie, written entirely in Java. Bessie generates descriptions of random point-to-point and hierarchical networks, based on user-specified statistical parameters. We introduce a modification to Waxman's (1988) parameters, commonly used in grid-based network topology generators, which eliminates undesirable increases in node degree as the number of nodes in a network increases. The modification improves on proposed fixed scale factors.
A framework for virtual videography

There are a significant number of events that happen on a regular basis that would be worth preserving on video but for which it is impractical to use traditional video production methods. In this paper, we describe one possible way to inexpensively and unobtrusively capture and produce video in a classroom lecture environment. We discuss the importance of cinematic principles in the lecture video domain and describe guidelines that should be followed when capturing a lecture. We continue by surveying the tools provided by computer vision and computer graphics that allow us to determine syntactic information about images. Finally, we describe a way to combine these tools to create a framework for a Virtual Videography system, one that can automatically generate production quality video. This framework is based on the creation of region objects, a semantically related region of video, despite the fact that we can reliably only gather syntactic information.
Digitally controlled 10 MHz monolithic buck converter

This paper describes design and implementation of a 10 MHz digitally controlled buck converter realized in a standard 0.35um CMOS process. Based on a discrete-time power-stage model, we show that a 3rd-order compensator can be designed for improved transient responses and disturbance rejection compared to standard 2nd-order PID compensators. Efficient hardware realization includes a look-up table type compensator, a 10-bit hybrid DPWM (2-bit counter, 5-bit delay-line, and 3-bit dither) and a power stage optimized for efficiency
The role of infection in premature rupture of the membranes.

Abstract Among the causes of infant mortality, premature birth has been found to rank high. Many of these premature births are brought about by premature rupture of the membranes. On this basis, a study was undertaken to determine the cause of premature rupture. It seemed logical that an infectious process in the cervical canal might extend itself to the membranes overlying the internal os; these membranes, becoming inflamed and friable, might then give way under the duress of a strong Braxton Hicks contraction or other strain. The literature was searched for a similar approach to this problem, but we were unable to find such reports.
Mixing ratios of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere of Karachi, Pakistan

Mixing ratios of carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), non-methane hydrocarbons, halocarbons and alkyl nitrates (a total of 72 species) were determined for 78 whole air samples collected during the winter of 1998–1999 in Karachi, Pakistan. This is the first time that volatile organic compound (VOC) levels in Karachi have been extensively characterized. The overall air quality of the urban environment was determined using air samples collected at six locations throughout Karachi. Methane (6.3 ppmv) and ethane (93 ppbv) levels in Karachi were found to be much higher than in other cities that have been studied. The very high CH4 levels highlight the importance of natural gas leakage in Karachi. The leakage of liquefied petroleum gas contributes to elevated propane and butane levels in Karachi, although the propane and butane burdens were lower than in other cities (e.g., Mexico City, Santiago). High levels of benzene (0.3–19 ppbv) also appear to be of concern in the Karachi urban area. Vehicular emissions were characterized using air samples collected along the busiest thoroughfare of the city (M.A. Jinnah Road). Emissions from vehicular exhaust were found to be the main source of many of the hydrocarbons reported here. Significant levels of isoprene (1.2 ppbv) were detected at the roadside, and vehicular exhaust is estimated to account for about 20% of the isoprene observed in Karachi. 1,2-Dichloroethane, a lead scavenger added to leaded fuel, was also emitted by cars. The photochemical production of ozone (O3) was calculated for CO and the various VOCs using the Maximum Incremental Reactivity (MIR) scale. Based on the MIR scale, the leading contributors to O3 production in Karachi are ethene, CO, propene, m-xylene and toluene. r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.