cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cross-sectional area of the mandible.

Abstract Purpose: The anatomy of the mandible was examined by measuring the cross-sectional area (CSA) of multiple regions of 10 fully dentulous hemimandibles to provide a better understanding of regional structural differences that may have implications regarding biomechanical strength, surgical reconstruction, and fracture site frequency. Materials and Methods: Fifteen cuts from the condyle to the symphysis were made of each hemimandible (n = 150 cuts). A Zeiss Videoplan digitizer was used to determine the CSA. Results: The total CSA through the condyle was greater than the CSA through the condylar neck. The CSA through the ramus exceeded that of the condylar neck. The total CSA of the midramus was significantly greater than that of the upper ramus. The total CSA at the body, parasymphysis, and symphysis was significantly greater than at the mid-angle. The total CSA of the cortex increased anteriorly; these differences become significant between the condylar neck and the body, parasymphysis, and symphysis. The total CSA, and the CSA of the cortex and spongiosa, remained relatively constant from the inferior angle anteriorly. Conclusions: Significant differences exist in the CSA at different points, with an increase in the total, cortical, and spongiosal CSA anteriorly from the condylar neck to the angle. The total CSA and the CSA of the cortex and spongiosa remain relatively constant anterior to the inferior angle. These data suggest that bony CSA alone is not the sole factor in determining fracture site frequency.
Biphasic Pulmonary Blastoma with Germ Cell Differentiation in a 36-Year-Old Man

We describe the clinical and pathologic findings of a young man with a heterogeneous mediastinal tumor metastatic to both lungs, and containing a predominant pattern of classic biphasic pulmonary blastoma with elements of immature teratoma, seminoma, and embryonal carcinoma. Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein were elevated at presentation and responded to four cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin although the tumor did not regress. The patient ultimately progressed through paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin and tandem autologous bone marrow transplants. Classic biphasic pulmonary blastoma is a rare tumor of young adults. Surgery is the primary treatment, but prognosis is poor and chemotherapy and radiation have been used for unresectable disease. A discussion of pulmonary blastoma and extragonadal germ cell tumors is presented.
Uniform and ordered self-assembled Ge dots on patterned Si substrates with selectively epitaxial growth technique

Abstract In this work, we report the controlled growth of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional uniform, well-arranged self-assembled Ge dots grown on patterned Si (0 0 1) substrates. Selectively epitaxial growth (SEG) of Si mesas was first performed in an MBE system equipped with a gas source of Si 2 H 6 and a Knudsen cell of Ge. Self-assembled Ge dots on one-dimensional Si SEG stripe mesas demonstrate the periodic arrangement with uniform size, which is different from the bi-modal distribution as normally seen. This cooperative arrangement is attributed to the nature of self-regulation of the self-assembled system with the assistance of the spatial confinement. A systematic study of the one-dimensional arrangement will be discussed. The atomic force microscopic results of two-dimensional arrays show that there are several kinds of the arrangement configurations, indicating the possibility of the controlling the placement of self-assembled Ge dots. Finally, we will discuss the mechanisms of the cooperative arrangements and the possibility to control freely spontaneous growth of Ge dots on pre-grown Si mesas.
Improved rat model for cerebral vasospasm studies.

Abstract While the rat has been used extensively in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-cerebral vasospasm studies, concerns exist whether this animal represents a usable model because its time course and pattern of cerebral vasospasm following SAH is not comparable to that observed in man. At present, our knowledge of the rat model is based almost exclusively on studies using a 'single hemorrhage' method. Since there is a positive correlation between severity of cerebral vasospasm, and volume of subarachnoid blood, an obvious question is whether the rat will show modifications in vascular responses when insulted by a second SAH. Here, an SAH was produced in rats using a 'double hemorrhage' method. Following SAH, cerebral arteries showed pathological alterations, significant decreases in luminal perimeter, and increases in arterial wall thickness, over a 7-day post-SAH period. The above vascular features are considered to be indicative of cerebral vasospasm and their presence over a 7-day post-SAH period repres...
The Determination of Fluoride in Geologic Samples by Ion Chromatography

Abstract A method is described for the determination of fluoride in geologic materials utilizing a sodium carbonate fusion and an ion chromatographic method of analysis. Excellent agreement is observed with published values for geologic standards ranging from 0.01% to 6% fluoride in the sample. Estimates of precision were based upon the repetitive analysis of United States Geological Survey standard GSP-1. Results indicate a relative standard deviation for the method of 5%. Detection limits were estimated to be 8 ppm fluoride in the sample at the 90% confidence level.
Die oberflächenaktiven Stoffe des Blutes

1. Wir finden im Blut oberflachenaktive Stoffe, die nicht mit den Proteinen und Lipoiden des Blutes gleichgestellt werden konnen.
Changes in Lipid Composition of Sweet Potatoes as Affected by Controlled Storage

SUMMARY— The fatty acid composition of the lipids extracted from Georgia Red and Centennial varieties of sweet potatoes was studied to determine changes during storage at 15.5, 10, and 4.5°C. The two varieties did not differ initially in the relative proportions of fatty acids. However, changes in fatty acid composition were noted during storage and appeared to be mere pronounced at low storage temperatures. The most consistent changes noted were an increase in tetra-cosaenoic acid and a decrease in short chain saturated acids. The Centennial variety contained higher levels of total lipids, which were generally reflected in higher levels of the three fractions, (1) non-phospholipids, (2) cephalin and (3) lecithin. The increase in total lipids and the individual lipid fractions with storage is indicative of two processes that may have occurred in the stored roots. The lipids may have become more extractable as the respiring potato underwent compositional changes, or lipids were being synthesized from non-lipid components. Although changes observed in the relative proportions of fatty acids during storage at different temperatures were not always consistent, the possibility is suggested that changes in fatty acid composition may be related to changes in quality of the potato during storage.
The salience of sex role instructions to mental health professionals

This experiment was concerned with the question of how gender might affect clinical judgment. Mental health professionals (MHP) were asked to rate a protocol (varied for gender) describing a depressed pseudopatient who displayed stereotypically masculine behaviors. The major hypothesis was that, when subjects were aware that the experimental purpose was to measure how patient gender affected clinical ratings, they would suppress bias. If awareness were not present, then bias would be apparent in the ratings. The results failed to support this hypothesis. However, serendipitous results had meaningful relevance for the methodology of gender research. Data from subjects, given a credibility check to determine whether they had guessed the intent of the research, showed that aware subjects were more likely to make incorrect guesses about the study when they rated a male pseudopatient, whereas unaware subjects were more likely to make correct guesses when they rated a female pseudopatient. The interpretation of the data indicated that MHPs differed in their vigilance concerning women's issues. As a result, there may exist a “woman's role” within the context of psychological experimentation.
Effect of aldosterone on ion transport by rabbit colon in vitro.

Segments of descending colon obtained from rabbits, that had been maintained on drinking water containing 25mm NaCl and an artificial diet which contains 1% Na and is nominally K-free, respond to aldosterone in vitro (after a 30 to 60-min lag period) with a marked increase in the short-circuit current (I sc ), an equivalent increase in the rate of active Na absorption (J ) and a decline in tissue resistance (R t ). Aldosterone also brings about a marked increase in the unidirectional influx of Na into the cells across the mucosal membrane (“zero-time” rate of uptake) which does not differ significantly from the increase inI sc . Treatment of control tissues with amphotericin B brings about sustained increases inI sc andJ net Na to levels observed in aldosterone-treated tissues. However, addition of amphotericin B to the mucosal solution of aldosteronetreated tissues does not result in a sustained increase inI sc orJ net Na and these values do not differ markedly from those observed in control tissues treated with amphotericin B. These findings, together with other evidence that Na entry in the presence of amphotericin B is sufficiently rapid to saturate the active Na extrusion mechanism at the baso-lateral membrane, are consistent with the notion that the aldosterone-induced protein increases the permeability of the mucosal membrane to Na but does not increase the “saturation level” of the active Na “pump” within the time-frame of these studies (3 hr). Finally, aldosterone has no effect on the bidirectional or net transepithelial movements of K under short-circuit conditions, suggesting that the enhanced secretion of K observed in vivo is the result of increased diffusion of K from plasma to lumen via paracellular pathways in response to an increased transepithelial electrical potential difference (lumen negative).
Freeze-form Extrusion Fabrication of Ceramic Parts

A novel, environmentally friendly solid freeform fabrication method called freeze-form extrusion fabrication (FEF) has been developed for the fabrication of ceramic-based components. The method is based on deposition of ceramic pastes using water as the media. The ceramic solids loading can be 50 vol.% or higher and initial studies have focused on the use of aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The FEF system components and their interaction are examined, and the main process parameters affecting part geometry defined. Three-dimensional shaped components have been fabricated by extrusion deposition of the ceramic paste in a layer-by-layer fashion. The feasibility of this process has been demonstrated by building components having a simple geometry, such as cylinders and solid or hollow cones. Hollow cones have also been fabricated to demonstrate the ability to build structures with sloped walls.
Microwave Synthesis of Benchmark Organo-Iron Complexes

Microwave-assisted reaction techniques have been applied to the formation of a variety of organo-iron species. The species synthesized include ferrocene and acetylferrocene, piano stool complexes such as CpFe(CO)2I, CpFe(PPh3)(CO)I, and CpFe(PPh3)(CO)(COMe), and bisphosphine iron complexes. The use of microwave-assisted reactions has decreased reaction times while maintaining or improving yields as compared to traditional methods.
A Sign Taken for History: Daniel Shays’Memorial in Petersham, Massachusetts

This paper deconstructs a memorial to the ending of Shays’Rebellion in Petersham, Massachusetts. The investigation of how a poor people's revolt was signified in the landscape is situated at the intersection of social theories dealing with discourse, regulation, iconology, lanscape, and semiotics. Using “discursive, regulation” and “regional discursive formation” as diagnostic devices, the paper analyzes two traditions present in the Shays memorial: regionalist, ethnocentric, and patriotic ideologies of the New England Societies who erected the memorial; and the modern discourses of Unitarian conscience, theistic evolutionism, and Progressivism prevalent among the professional elite of Petersham who welcomed the memorial. The two discourses are theorized as parts of a single discursive formation, a conservative system representing the regional power hegemony of the New England elite in the pre-Fordist United States. Deconstructing the Petersham memorial adds to critical cultural geography the notion that landscapes are the spatial surfaces of regulatory regimes, intended to frame social imaginaries, often in difinite, system-supportive ways.
Skate life: re-imagining white masculinity

Emily Yochim Chivers, Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan Press, 2010, xi +225 pp., $70 cloth, $26.95 paper Sports studies scholars have long maintained that the Birmingham School's definition of...
Limited PCB antagonism of TCDD-induced malformations in mice.

Abstract C57BL/6N mice, used to model induction of cleft palate and kidney malformations in offspring following maternal treatment with TCDD, were dosed on gestation day (gd) 9 with 2,2', 4,4', 5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCB) (62.5, 125, 250, 500, 1000 mg kg ) and/or gd 10 with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) (15 or 18 μg kg ) to investigate the potential protective effects of HCB against TCDD-induced teratogenicity. Maternal body weight gain was increased by combinations of 15 μg TCDD kg and 125–500 mg HCB kg and decreased at doses of 15 μg TCDD kg + 1000 HCB mg kg . At the doses used in this study, there was no effect of either compound on number of live or dead offspring. Fetal body weight was slightly decreased in all groups dosed with ≥ 250 mg HCB kg . HCB did not induce cleft palate at a dose of 1000 mg kg , but did induce increases in hydronephrosis and hydroureter at 500 and 1000 mg kg . Combinations of HCB and TCDD decreased the incidence of cleft palate induced by TCDD alone, but only at doses of 15 μg TCDD kg combined with 125–500 mg HCB kg . The antagonism of hydronephrosis (incidence and severity) appeared over a narrower dose range (15 μg TCDD kg + 500 mg HCB kg ). HCB induced increases (3-fold) in ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity at doses of 500 and 1000 mg kg , suggesting that the limited antagonism of TCDD teratogenicity by HCB could be under the control of the Ah-receptor.
Better embeddings for planar Earth-Mover Distance over sparse sets

We consider the problem of constructing low-distortion embeddings of the Planar Earth-Mover Distance (EMD) into ep spaces. EMD is a popular measure of dis-similarity between sets of points, e.g., bags of geometric features. We present a collection of embeddings with the property that their distortion and/or host-space dimension are parametrized by the size (or the sparsity) of the embedded sets s. Our specific results include: • An O(log s)-distortion embedding of EMD over s-subsets into e1−ϵ. This is the first embedding of EMD into a "tractable" ep space whose distortion is a function of the sparsity, not the size of the ambient space; • An O(log n)-distortion embedding of EMD into e1 with dimension O(s2 log2 n), where the embedded sets are subsets of an n × n grid. For low values of s this significantly improves over the best previous dimension bound of O(n2) obtained for general sets.
Producing liquid-solid mixtures (slushes) of oxygen or hydrogen using an auger

Abstract An auger rotating inside a brass tube refrigerated with liquid helium was used to produce liquid-solid (slush) mixtures of hydrogen and of oxygen. The auger produced small particles from the cryogens so that the resulting slush mixture could be transferred and stored. The auger could produce slush continuously in an appropriate system; it could produce slush at pressures higher than the triple point pressure of the cryogen, and the energy required to produce the slush was less than the energy required to produce slush using the freeze-thaw process.
A Low-Power Magnitude Detector for Analysis of Transient-Rich Signals

Magnitude detection, such as envelope detection or RMS estimation, is needed for many low-power signal-analysis applications. In such applications, the temporal accuracy of the magnitude detector is as important as its amplitude accuracy. We present a low-power audio-frequency magnitude detector that simultaneously achieves both high temporal accuracy and high amplitude accuracy. This performance is achieved by rectifying the signal with a high-ripple peak detector and then averaging this rectified signal with an adaptive-time-constant filter. The time constant of this filter decreases with increasing amplitude, enabling the filter to quickly respond on a short time scale to transients, while steady-state ripple is averaged on a longer time scale. The circuit has been fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS process and consumes only 1.1 nW-1.08 μW when tuned for operation from 20 Hz-20 kHz. It exhibits a dynamic range of 70 dB across typical speech frequencies.
Heavy Metal Concentrations in Museum Fish Specimens: Effects of Preservatives and Time

Specimens of myctophid fish preserved for 1 month in formalin, ethyl alcohol, and isopropyl alcohol had higher concentrations of cadmium, copper, zinc, and sometimes lead, and lower concentrations of mercury and sometimes lead, than did unpreserved frozen specimens. Properties of the preservatives and species differences in fish tissues both influence these metal concentrations. Maximum concentrations of some metals in preserved specimens appear to be attained within a month, while concentrations of others may continue to increase for years. Metal tags or other materials in the preservative may cause higher maximum concentrations than the preservatives alone. Comparisons of concentrations of metals between museum specimens and unpreserved (frozen) specimens must be considered unreliable until the changes resulting from preservation are understood.
Stability of Copigmented Anthocyanins and Ascorbic Acid in a Grape Juice Model System

The stability of red grape anthocyanins (Vitis vinifera) was evaluated in a model juice system during normal (25 °C) and accelerated storage (35 °C) in the presence of ascorbic acid. Rosemary polyphenolic cofactors (0, 0.2, and 0.4% v/v) were evaluated as anthocyanin stabilizing agents. Cofactor addition resulted in concentration-dependent hyperchromic (up to 178%) and bathochromic (up to 23 nm) shifts, indicating a more intense red coloration of the models. Anthocyanin and ascorbic acid degradation followed first-order kinetics during storage. Results showed that copigmented treatments underwent a lower conversion of l-ascorbic acid into dehydroascorbic acid during storage when compared to the control, favorably impacting the vitamin retention of these models. Copigmentation did not affect anthocyanin degradation in the absence of ascorbic acid but in its presence aided to retain a higher anthocyanin content than the control. This study indicated that the addition of anthocyanin cofactors could be used t...
Effect of the Monomer and Filler Systems on the Remineralizing Potential of Bioactive Dental Composites Based on Amorphous Calcium Phosphate

Amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), because of its high solubility and its rapid transformation to hydroxyapatite (HAP) in aqueous environments, has been utilized as the filler phase in the preparation of bioactive polymer-based composites that have remineralization potential. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of chemical structure and compositional variations of seven photopolymerizable matrix monomer systems on the long-term release of calcium and phosphate ions, i.e., their remineralizing potential, when used with three types of ACP filler systems: unhybridized ACP (u-ACP), silica-hybridized ACP (Si-ACP), and zirconia-hybridized ACP (Zr-ACP) composites. The monomer systems evaluated were: 2,2-bis[p-(2′-hydroxy-3′-methacryloxypropoxy)phenyl]-propane (Bis-GMA)/triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) [BT resin], Bis-GMA/TEGDMA/­2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) [BTH resin],­Bis-GMA/TEGDMA/HEMA/zirconyl methacrylate (ZrMA) [BTHZ resin], TEGDMA/pyromellitic glycerol dimethacrylate (PMGDMA) [TP resin], a urethane dimethacrylate, [U], and two HEMA-modified U resins with the mass fraction of 6.6% and 13.2% HEMA, ([U66H] and [U132H], respectively). All the visible light polymerizable composites consisted of 60% resin and 40% ACP filler on a mass fraction basis. It was shown that ion release from the immersed composites was affected by both the chemical structure and composition of the monomer system as well as the type of filler system. Whereas BT, U and U66H resins formulated with u-ACP gave low to moderate levels of ion release, the resins with elevated amounts of HEMA (BTH, BTHZ and U132H) gave high and sustainable release of mineral ions. The remineralizing capacity of BT, U, U66H and U132H composites generally increased when hybridized fillers were employed instead of u-ACP. Utilization of hybrid ACPs had, however, no effect on ion release from BTHZ composites. The TP composites initially gave high ion release, but it was not sustainable because of significant Ca-binding by the matrix due to the high content of carboxylic acid groups derived from the PMGDMA comonomer. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
OA05.04. Inpatient acupuncture care: establishing hospital-wide policy and service at Beth Israel Medical Center (NYC).

Methods An outpatient IM clinic was established in 2000 in association with BIMC offering primary care and modalities including acupuncture therapies, which in turn established a outpatient record of safety. In 2008, we developed a post-graduate Fellowship training program in inpatient care for licensed acupuncturists, setting policy and procedures that included scope of practice, recommendations for verbal informed consent and options for individual or blanket physician permission to treat per Department. Fellows worked two four hours shifts per week for one year. The Fellowship director gave lectures on acupuncture research relevant to specialties at Department Grand Rounds. Patients verbal consent was required, an INR of 4 or less, and a platelet count of at least 25,000.
Teaching Motor Skills to Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

(2012). Teaching Motor Skills to Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 83, No. 8, pp. 32-48.
An altered subunit configuration associated with the actively transcribed DNA of integrated adenovirus genes

Abstract The sensitivity to deoxyribonuclease I (DNAase I) of integrated adenovirus genes that encode mRNA has been compared to the sensitivity of adjacent viral DNA sequences that are not expressed as mRNA in two lines of adenovirus type 5-transformed hamster cells. We determined the concentrations of integrated DNA sequences homologous to different regions of the viral genome before and after mild DNAase I digestion of intact nuclei by measuring the rate of reassociation of restriction endonuclease fragments of labeled adenovirus DNA in the presence of DNA isolated from untreated and digested transformed cell nuclei. The HT14A cell line contains 2.4 copies of the left-hand 35% of the adenovirus type 5 genome per diploid quantity of cell DNA. Integrated sequences that are preferentially sensitive to DNAase I include all those encoding mRNA and some additional sequences, equivalent to 3−4 nucleosomes, to the 5′ side of the stable mRNA transcript. These results indicate that there is a striking correspondence, to within 3–4 nucleosomes, between the structure of an active transcription unit and the stable mRNA sequences encoded by it. The second cell line examined, HT14B, contains 5.5 copies of the left-hand 40% of the adenovirus type 5 genome per diploid quantity of cell DNA. Of the sequences complementary to viral mRNA, only half are preferentially sensitive to DNAase I. By contrast, the majority of the integrated viral DNA sequences that are not expressed as mRNA are resistant to DNAase I digestion in both this and the HT14A cell line. The results observed with HT14B cells suggest that only half of the integrated adenovirus sequences are in a chromatin conformation that permits transcription to occur.
Nonlinear Approach for Strain Energy Release Rate in Micro Cantilevers

An analytical Mixed Mode I & II crack propagation model is used to analyze the experimental results of stiction failed micro cantilevers on a rigid substrate and to determine the critical strain energy release rate (adhesion energy). Using nonlinear beam deflection theory, the shape of the beam being peeled off of a rigid substrate can be accurately modeled. Results show that the model can fit the experimental data with an average root mean square error of less than 5 ran even at relatively large deflections which happens in some MEMS applications. The effects of surface roughness and/or debris are also explored and contrasted with perfectly (atomically) flat surfaces. Herein it is shown that unlike the macro-scale crack propagation tests, the surface roughness and debris trapped between the micro cantilever and the substrate can drastically effect the energy associated with creating unit new surface areas and also leads to some interesting phenomena. The polysilicon micro cantilever samples used, were fabricated by SUMMIT V™ technology in Sandia National Laboratories and were 1000 μm long, 30 μm wide and 2.6 μm thick.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Persistence in urban form: The long-run durability of employment centers in metropolitan areas

Abstract This paper documents a marked persistence in the spatial distribution of employment in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Over a medium-term of twenty years — a period of pronounced growth and change in the region's employment and population — lagged employment density dominates access variables in explaining levels and ranks of current employment density. Similarly, the probability that a tract is located within a current employment center is largely a function of past membership rather than proximity to highways or the central business district. Moreover, longer-term persistence is also readily apparent: concentrations of employment a century ago explain the current distribution of employment as well as access to the modern highway system. This stability in the location of employment and employment concentrations over medium- and longer-terms suggests important roles for agglomeration, adjustment costs, and the durability of fixed investment in modeling the evolution of metropolitan areas.
The 85 minute activity of Ba139

The decay scheme of Ba/sup 139/ was studied using scintillation detectors. The half-life was found to be 85 plus or minus 3 min. Beta-gamma and gamma-gamma coincidence measuremeats showed this decay to consist of three beta groups of two excited states of La/sup 139/, the energies of the excited states being 0.167 plus or minus 0.003 and l.43 plus or minus 0.05 Mev. Transitions from these two states were to the ground state. Branching ratios of 0.72, 0.26, and 0.02 were found for the 2.38, 2.23, and 0.95 Mev beta groups, respectively. Betagamma delayed coincidence measurements made on the 0.167 Mev state showed the half-life of thin state to be 1.7 plus or minus 0.2 ns. (auth)
Dendritic cells are preferentially targeted among hematolymphocytes by Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara and play a key role in the induction of virus-specific T cell responses in vivo.

Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) is a highly attenuated strain of vaccinia virus (VV) that has lost approximately 15% of the VV genome, along with the ability to replicate in most mammalian cells. It has demonstrated impressive safety and immunogenicity profile in both preclinical and clinical studies, and is being actively explored as a promising vaccine vector for a number of infectious diseases and malignancies. However, little is known about how MVA interacts with the host immune system constituents, especially dendritic cells (DCs), to induce strong immune responses despite its inability to replicate in vivo. Using in vitro and in vivo murine models, we systematically investigated the susceptibility of murine DCs to MVA infection, and the immunological consequences of the infection. Our data demonstrate that MVA preferentially infects professional antigen presenting cells, especially DCs, among all the subsets of hematolymphoid cells. In contrast to the reported blockage of DC maturation and function upon VV infection, DCs infected by MVA undergo phenotypic maturation and produce innate cytokine IFN-α within 18 h of infection. Substantial apoptosis of MVA-infected DCs occurs after 12 h following infection and the apoptotic DCs are readily phagocytosed by uninfected DCs. Using MHC class I – deficient mice, we showed that both direct and cross-presentation of viral Ags are likely to be involved in generating viral-specific CD8+ T cell responses. Finally, DC depletion abrogated the T cell activation in vivo. We present the first in vivo evidence that among hematolymphoid cells, DCs are the most susceptible targets for MVA infection, and DC-mediated Ag presentation is required for the induction of MVA-specific immune responses. These results provide important information concerning the mechanisms by which strong immune responses are elicited to MVA-encoded antigens and may inform efforts to further improve the immunogenicity of this already promising vaccine vector.
Photosensitizer efficiency in genetically modified protein cage architectures.

A Ru(bpy)32+ photosensitizer was covalently linked at specific sites on the interior or exterior surface of genetic constructs of a small heat shock protein cage nanoplatform and the light activated production of singlet oxygen was characterized.
Relationship-building by Chinese ENGOs’ websites: Education, not activation

This study extends previous public relations research that has evaluated how the websites of Northern NGOs facilitate relationship-building (Taylor, Kent, & White, 2001), affect the media agenda (Reber & Kim, 2006), and gather and disseminate information about civil society activities (Brophy & Halpin, 1999). The study explores the relationship-building functions of Chinese ENGOs. The content analysis suggests that Chinese ENGOs’ websites reflect the realities of activism in China. They provide information to members, the public, and the media but these organizations do little to organize their publics to participate in environmental social movements. The findings provide a picture of the early years of the Chinese environmental movement and the use of the Internet in their public relations and advocacy.
Optimal selling rules in a regime switching model

In this note, we derive optimal selling rules under a regime switching model. The optimal stopping rule is of a threshold type for each state, derived via the "modified smooth fit." The proof is via the martingale theory. Numerical examples are reported to demonstrate the dependence of threshold levels with various parameters and to compare our result with some suboptimal selling rules.
Judith M. Hadley. The Cult of the Asherah in Ancient Israel and Judah: Evidence for a Hebrew Goddess. University of Cambridge Oriental Publications 57. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. xv, 262 pp.

Did the God of Israel have a wife? Posed in the context of monotheistic Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity this is, of course, a nonsensical question. However, even in the heavily edited Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible there remain traces of an earlier stage of belief in which Yahweh was accompanied by other beings. Among these para-human figures is Asherah, the form of whose name clearly indicates her feminine gender. In recent years numerous scholars have addressed the ticklish question of the original relationship between this lady and the Lord of Hosts, a problem that involves probing into the prehistory of the Hebrew scriptures.
Non-invasive testing of real-time avionic μ-processor systems

Abstract This paper discusses a method of testing safety critical aviation softwae. The tested subject is an autonomous element of distributed μ-processor on-board system, communicating with other elements through MIL-STD-1553B bus. The proposed method requires an in-circuit emulator which provides subjectively non-invasive control of the tested system, embedded in simulated but realistic environment. The paper describes also a laboratory dedicated to testing such systems with application of the proposed method.
Detection and simulation of scenarios with hidden Markov models and event dependency graphs

The wide availability of signal processing and language tools to extract structured data from raw content has created a new opportunity for the processing of structured signals. In this work, we explore models for the simulation and recognition of scenarios—i.e., time sequences of structured data. For simulation, we construct two models—hidden Markov models (HMMs) and event dependency graphs. Combined, these two simulation methods allow the specification of dependencies in event ordering, simultaneous execution of multiple scenarios, and evolving networks of data. For scenario recognition, we consider the application of multi-grained HMMs. We explore, in detail, mismatch between training scenarios and simulated test scenarios. The methods are applied to terrorist scenario detection with a simulation coded by a subject matter expert.
Short-Term Memory Digit-Span Performances under Auditory and Visual Contexts as a Function of Rate of Digit Presentation:

This exploratory investigation concerned the effects of both auditory and visual context variations on the immediate recall of a series of digits presented on a computer screen (CRT). 5 intensities of background noise and 5 background hues were presented randomly to 110 undergraduate volunteers as they studied 25 numerals ranging from 1 to 5 at rates of change of either 1 or 3 sec. per numeral timed from the onset of the previous numeral. A 2 x 2 x 5 mixed split-plot factorial analysis of variance gave a significant difference in mean immediate-recall scores between rates of digit presentation with better recall associated with the 3-sec. rate. There was no significant main effect in recall scores for auditory vs color contexts, yet a post hoc analysis of variance for successive stages followed by Scheffe comparisons showed that across auditory intensities, Stages 3 and 4 and 5 (combined) had significantly higher immediate recall scores than Stages 1 and 2 (combined). This improvement across stages was not found under the visual (color) series. There was a three-way interaction for modality-contexts x rates x levels explained by the partitioning of stages which differed for auditory and for visual contexts. Results are discussed in terms of effects of modality.
Mountain pine beetle selectivity in old-growth ponderosa pine forests, Montana, USA

A historically unprecedented mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreak affected western Montana during the past decade. We examined radial growth rates (AD 1860–2007/8) of co-occurring mature healthy and MPB-infected ponderosa pine trees collected at two sites (Cabin Gulch and Kitchen Gulch) in western Montana and: (1) compared basal area increment (BAI) values within populations and between sites; (2) used carbon isotope analysis to calculate intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) at Cabin Gulch; and (3) compared climate-growth responses using a suite of monthly climatic variables. BAI values within populations and between sites were similar until the last 20–30 years, at which point the visually healthy populations had consistently higher BAI values (22–34%) than the MPB-infected trees. These results suggest that growth rates two–three decades prior to the current outbreak diverged between our selected populations, with the slower-growing trees being more vulnerable to beetle infestation. Both samples from Cabin Gulch experienced upward trends in iWUE, with significant regime shifts toward higher iWUE beginning in 1955–59 for the visually healthy trees and 1960–64 for the MPB-infected trees. Drought tolerance also varied between the two populations with the visually healthy trees having higher growth rates than MPB-infected trees prior to infection during a multi-decadal period of drying summertime conditions. Intrinsic water-use efficiency significantly increased for both populations during the past 150 years, but there were no significant differences between the visually healthy and MPB-infected chronologies.
Babesia major in Britain: Blood-induced infections in splenectomized and intact calves

Abstract A strain of Babesia major, originally isolated from field collections of Haemaphysalis punctata in Kent, England was maintained in splenectomized calves by the intravenous inoculation of infected blood. Rapid passage from carrier calves, that had recovered from a tick-induced infection, resulted in a marked increase in virulence; 4 out of 6 calves of the second passage underwent fatal infections and the others suffered severe reactions. Five splenectomized and 5 intact calves of the same breed and age were infected with the same number of infected erythrocytes (RBC). The intact calves reacted mildly with maximum parasite counts ranging from 1 1000 RBC to 5 1000 RBC; haemoglobin levels and packed cell volume values, however, fell sharply but recovered swiftly. The group of splenectomized calves exhibited one fatal case, 2 severe reactions and 2 mild infections; maximum parasitaemias varied from 7 1000 RBC to 322 1000 RBC. Packed cell volumes and haemoglobin concentrations declined to low levels and took several weeks to return to normal. It is concluded that B. major should be regarded as a potential pathogen of British cattle.
The impact of task difficulty upon perceptions of arousal and goal attractiveness in an avoidance paradigm

Measures of goal attractiveness, self-perceived energization, and self-perceived tension were taken immediately before 55 young male subjects were to perform an easy, difficult, or impossible motor activity in order to avoid an unpleasant noise. Results showed a greater magnitude of goal valence, and higher energization and tension in the difficult task condition than in the easy task condition. Subjects in the impossible task condition reported reduced energy relative to subjects in the difficult task conditions; however, tension and goal attractiveness scores did not differ significantly between these conditions. Theoretical implications are discussed.
A concentric aerosol spectrometer.

A concentric aerosol spectrometer utilizing centrifugal sedimentation to separate the particles is described. The spectrometer utilizes a new type of inlet system that permits introduction of the sample into the deposition channel through a short inlet from an excess of dusty air. Calibration curves for several rotational speeds and deposition channel flow rates are given. The inlet losses and the resolution of the instrument are discussed.
Interface Characteristic and Properties of Stainless Steel/HSLA Steel Clad Plate by Vacuum Rolling Cladding

304 austenite stainless steel plate and HSLA steel plate were subjected to vacuum rolling cladding (VRC). The microstructure characteristic and properties of the clad interface were investigated in detail. During the VRC process, the clad interface was held at a high vacuum all the time, resulting in significantly decreased oxidation at the interface. A small amount of very fine oxide particles (diameter<0.5 μm) can be found at the clad interface, and no obvious defects were observed. The remarkable diffusion of Ni and Cr elements led to the formation of a transition zone with high hardness. The shear strength of the clad interface was as high as 487 MPa, and the fracture occurred at the HSLA steel near the transition zone. No cracks were found at the clad interface after the 180° bending tests with both outside and inside manners.
Permafrost carbon-climate feedback is sensitive to deep soil carbon decomposability but not deep soil nitrogen dynamics.

Permafrost soils contain enormous amounts of organic carbon whose stability is contingent on remaining frozen. With future warming, these soils may release carbon to the atmosphere and act as a positive feedback to climate change. Significant uncertainty remains on the postthaw carbon dynamics of permafrost-affected ecosystems, in particular since most of the carbon resides at depth where decomposition dynamics may differ from surface soils, and since nitrogen mineralized by decomposition may enhance plant growth. Here we show, using a carbon−nitrogen model that includes permafrost processes forced in an unmitigated warming scenario, that the future carbon balance of the permafrost region is highly sensitive to the decomposability of deeper carbon, with the net balance ranging from 21 Pg C to 164 Pg C losses by 2300. Increased soil nitrogen mineralization reduces nutrient limitations, but the impact of deep nitrogen on the carbon budget is small due to enhanced nitrogen availability from warming surface soils and seasonal asynchrony between deeper nitrogen availability and plant nitrogen demands. Although nitrogen dynamics are highly uncertain, the future carbon balance of this region is projected to hinge more on the rate and extent of permafrost thaw and soil decomposition than on enhanced nitrogen availability for vegetation growth resulting from permafrost thaw.
Serotonergic dorsal raphe neurons: Changes in spontaneous neuronal activity and responsiveness to 5-MeODMT following long-term amphetamine administration

Abstract Single-unit activity, characteristic of serotonergic neurons, was recorded in the dorsal raphe nucleus of urethane-anesthetized rats pretreated twice daily with saline or with 10.0 mg/kg d -amphetamine for 6 days. Compared to controls, amphetamine-pretreated animals showed a trend toward increased spontaneous firing rate and decreased responsiveness to 5-methoxy- N , N -dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT), a serotonergic autoreceptor agonist. The most pronounced effect of amphetamine pretreatment, however, was a highly significant correlation between spontaneous neuronal activity, measured as either firing rate or interspike interval, and the 5-MeODMT response. Faster firing cells required predictably higher doses of 5-MeODMT to produce an inhibition. No such relationship was observed in control animals. Taken together, these results suggest that repeated administration of relatively high doses of amphetamine produces complex changes in the dorsal raphe nucleus, including a shift in the sensitivity of serotonergic autoreceptors.
A statistical analysis of log-periodic precursors to financial crashes*

A large number of papers have been written by physicists documenting an alleged signature of imminent financial crashes involving so-called log-periodic oscillations–oscillations which are periodic with respect to the logarithm of the time to the crash. In addition to the obvious practical implications of such a signature, log-periodicity has been taken as evidence that financial markets can be modelled as complex statistical-mechanics systems. However, while many log-periodic precursors have been identified, the statistical significance of these precursors and their predictive power remain controversial in part because log-periodicity is ill-suited for study with classical methods. This paper is the first effort to apply Bayesian methods in the testing of log-periodicity. Specifically, we focus on the Johansen–Ledoit–Sornette (JLS) model of log periodicity. Using data from the S&P 500 prior to the October 1987 stock market crash, we find that, if we do not consider crash probabilities, a null hypothesis ...
Evidence for Splice Site Pairing via Intron Definition in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Schizosaccharomyces pombe pre-mRNAs are generally multi-intronic and share certain features with pre-mRNAs from Drosophila melanogaster, in which initial splice site pairing can occur via either exon or intron definition. Here, we present three lines of evidence suggesting that, despite these similarities, fission yeast splicing is most likely restricted to intron definition. First, mutating either or both splice sites flanking an internal exon in the S. pombe cdc2 gene produced almost exclusively intron retention, in contrast to the exon skipping observed in vertebrates. Second, we were unable to induce skipping of the internal microexon in fission yeast cgs2, whereas the default splicing pathway excludes extremely small exons in mammals. Because nearly quantitative removal of the downstream intron in cgs2 could be achieved by expanding the microexon, we propose that its retention is due to steric occlusion. Third, several cryptic 5' junctions in the second intron of fission yeast cdc2 are located within the intron, in contrast to their generally exonic locations in metazoa. The effects of expanding and contracting this intron are as predicted by intron definition; in fact, even highly deviant 5' junctions can compete effectively with the standard 5' splice site if they are closer to the 3' splicing signals. Taken together, our data suggest that pairing of splice sites in S. pombe most likely occurs exclusively across introns in a manner that favors excision of the smallest segment possible.
Ligand-Protein Coprecipitative Isolation by Matrix Stacking and Entanglement

Ligands are being developed for the upstream isolation-purification of sought-for proteins from dilute crudes by ligand–protein coprecipitation. The ligands are alkane-substituted azoaromatic anions (dyes) with sulfonate heads. Overall coprecipitation is comprised of two main reactions. Ligands first bind electrostatically and stoichiometrically to protein molecule cationic side chains in solution, approximately to a point where the protein net charge ZH+ is ion-pair titrated with organic anion ligand heads. Organic tail groups cover a sizable portion of the protein molecular surface, triggering the second category of reactions; matrix formation and coprecipitation. Organic tails stack and hydrophobically associate, pulling the complexes together in a host lattice or matrix, enclosing protein molecule guests. Protein molecule structural determinants for coprecipitation of a sought-for protein are protein cationic charge density and location (governed by pH, amino acid composition, and Scatchard–Black reac...
Damage Mechanisms of Ion Implanted Bulk (0001) ZnO Single Crystals.

Crystalline damage created by ion-implantation of dopant impurities in ZnO (0001) substrates was characterized as a function of atomic mass of implanted species using triple-axis (2θ-ω/ω) x-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering (RBS). The former revealed the presence of implantation-induced strain through the broadening of the isometric and asymmetric 2θ-ω reflections. However, RBS indicated that the damage introduced during implantation of these ions was insufficient to transform the crystalline lattice into a completely amorphous state. Additional XRD characterization as a function of annealing temperature of the implanted materials showed a reduction in the broadening of the isometric reflections, indicating that structural recovery of implanted ZnO crystals can be achieved.