cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects on stink bugs of field edges adjacent to woodland

Abstract Stink bug responses to crop edges were examined in 30 fields each of corn, peanut, cotton and soybean adjacent to woodland. A total of 20 sampling points of the crop row in 2009 and 15 sampling points in 2010, each 1.5 m long, was sampled along two 101-m transects running perpendicular to the woodland edge in each crop field. A random distribution of stink bugs (focusing on Euschistus servus, Nezara viridula, and Chinavia hilaris) was found most often with respect to the woodland edge of all crops examined. The exception occurred mainly in corn fields, where more stink bugs were found at the crop edge when flowering alternative hosts were present in the woodland edges. In 113 fields of four major crops grown in this area (7 of the 120 fields were excluded from analysis due to lack of stink bugs or limited woodland edges), the woodland edge was not a major source from which stink bugs colonized these crops. These results suggest that edge-specific control measures should not be concentrated at those field edges adjacent to woodlands.
Orthogonal decompositions and bases for three-dimensional vector fields

This paper describes the variational construction of potentials for 3-dimensional vector fields on nice domains in space. Variational principles for the scalar and vector potentials in the Hodge-Weyl decomposition of fields in are first described. Then a description of orthonormal bases of the associated subspaces is developed. These bases are defined using various eigen-problems involving the scalar and vector Laplacian on the domain. The null eigenspaces of two of these problems define the deRham cohomology groups of the domain. The usual Helmholtz decomposition is also developed, including a description of its spectral expansion, for comparison purposes.
Biotype 2 Russian wheat aphid resistance among wheat germplasm accessions

The Russian wheat aphid [Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), RWA] is an important pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the western Great Plains region of the United States. The recent identification of a RWA biotype (provisionally denoted as Biotype 2) that is virulent on currently deployed RWA-resistant cultivars necessitates the rapid identification of resistance to the new biotype. The objective of this study was to identify Biotype 2 RWA resistance among a collection of germplasm accessions previously determined to be resistant to the original North American biotype of RWA (provisionally denoted as Biotype 1). A collection of 761 germplasm accessions was evaluated in standard seedling screening tests with Biotype 2 RWA. ‘TAM 107’ (carries no RWA resistance genes) and ‘Halt’ (Dn4 resistance gene) were used as susceptible checks while the germplasm line 94M370 (Dn7 resistance gene) was used as a resistant check. Evaluation of accessions showing at least a moderate level of resistance in unreplicated tests was repeated with three replications in a randomized complete block design. Forty-four germplasm accessions were identified as having high to moderate levels of resistance to Biotype 2 RWA. Most of these accessions originated from areas of the world where RWA is endemic or were derived from germplasm accessions that originated from these areas. Ten accessions showed a level of resistance comparable with the 94M370 check. These accessions should prove useful in future genetic studies and for breeding for resistance to Biotype 2 RWA.
Impact of the invasive shrub glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula L.) on juvenile recruitment by canopy trees

Abstract The invasion of forests in the northeastern USA by glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula L.) has resulted in a dense, non-native shrub layer that frequently dominates the understory. We investigated the effects of buckthorn on the survival and growth of juvenile canopy trees spanning a wide range of shade tolerance (sugar maple, Acer saccharum Marsh.; red maple, Acer rubrum L.; white ash, Fraxinus americana L.; and white pine, Pinus strobus L.), in a stand dominated by white pine. First, we measured the effect of buckthorn on sapling growth in a field study. Second, we inferred effects on sapling survivorship from age data and from published relationships between radial growth and mortality rate. Third, we evaluated the effects of buckthorn on seedling growth and survival in canopy openings, by felling trees to create experimental gaps. Buckthorn reduced the growth and survival of saplings of all species, and altered the relative abundance of seedlings in favor of shade-tolerant species. Estimates of sapling survival implied that
A case study from the advanced bariatric life support initiative: pulmonary embolism after laparoscopic gastric bypass.

Pulmonary embolism is the leading cause of death after bariatric surgery and represents one of the many potential life-threatening conditions after bariatric surgery. The Advanced Bariatric Life Support (ABLS) initiative was developed to teach practising bariatric surgeons, emergency physicians, and allied health professionals the need for accurate and timely diagnosis and management of life-threatening bariatric surgery complications. This case study was derived from the ABLS file and discusses the difficulty in differentiating between two major complications after gastric bypass — pulmonary embolism vs leak. Accurate diagnosis and expeditious treatment are of utmost importance to prevent death associated with these serious bariatric surgical complications.
Extending the concept of component interfaces: experience with the Integrated Plasma Simulator

In the component approach, components are said to interact through well-defined interfaces. Conventionally, these interfaces are based on method signatures which define the syntax, if not the semantics of the interface. However in many cases, this does not encompass all of the interactions a component has with its peers. In the Integrated Plasma Simulator (IPS), a framework for coupled simulation of fusion plasmas developed by the Center for Simulation of RF Wave Interactions with Magnetohydrodynamics (SWIM), we find that components interact through files and through an event service in addition to the usual method calls. In this report, we discuss the motivations for the design of the IPS and our experience with it. We further consider whether the concept of a component interface needs to be extended, and how it might be done.
Broadening the Interpretive Lens: Considering Individual Development along with Sociocultural Views of Learning to Understand Young Children's Interactions during Socially Mediated Literacy Events:

Sociocultural theories provide a useful lens for interpreting behaviors as individuals enter contexts requiring social interactions. These theories help us understand that learning is stimulated and nourished by interactions with others, supporting a view that learning is essentially a socially inspired process. This emphasis on the social and cultural origins of knowledge, however, often minimizes dynamics related to individual development that influence how we respond to others and how others respond to us. Most relevant to this argument is information related to the influence of (a) the child's history of relationships, (b) the child's understanding of others and others' behavior, and (c) the child's cognitive perspective on the world. To account for these influences, the authors propose a model of collaborative literacy events (CLEs). The model merges understandings related to a sociocultural theory and individual development to broaden interpretations of children's behavior during socially mediated l...
Statistical Investigation of the Distribution of Pulsars in Space

FIFTY pulsars are now known and the distribution of angular coordinates in the sky, in relation to the galactic plane, can be used to infer information about the distribution in distance. The fundamental assumption that is made is that pulsars are distributed randomly in planes parallel to the plane of the Galaxy but that the mean density diminishes in the perpendicular direction in the same manner that the density of stellar and interstellar material is known to diminish with respect to the density in the plane. The distribution of ρ(z)/ρ(0), where ρ(z) is the mean density of stars and interstellar matter at a distance z above the galactic plane, was taken from Allen1. If pulsars are assumed to be of equal intrinsic intensity, then the observed distribution in galactic latitude would be an indication of their distribution in distance.
Scattering by Gaps in Coated Structures

The electromagnetic scattering from an isolated conductor-backed dielectric gap is studied using a boundary integral approach. To facilitate numerical implementation, the specular solution and the surface wave contribution are removed from the boundary integral equation. Consequently the discretization domain of the infinite structure can be reduced to a localized region near the gap. Numerical diffraction coefficients and surface wave launch coefficients are extracted from the scattered field. The results of this approach are validated against a spectral integral solution to the gap and excellent agreement is observed. Solution to a coated strip with a gap is constructed one mechanism at a time via the high frequency ray framework. This numerical "building block" approach provides a clear physical picture of the complex scattering mechanisms in coated structures.
Trafficking trauma: intellectual property rights and the political economy of traumatic storytelling

Abstract This article begins with a brief look at Khulumani Support Group, a support group for victims of apartheid-era human rights abuses. After apartheid, after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), these victims were still busy producing the stuff of dramatic public and personal memories. Though there were a range of actors involved in soliciting, promoting, circulating and consuming these stories of trauma, it is the global brokers of traumatic memory – the students and professors, the journalists, the documentary filmmakers, the visiting priests, politicians and psychologists – in whom I am most interested. As I worked with Khulumani, a name for this process of painful, repeated narrativisation about the past presented itself – traumatic storytelling – and an image of the routes of these narratives, the transactions involved, the sites and meanings of consumption took shape in the form of the metaphor of political economy. This political economy of traumatic storytelling was a frequent topi...
A Twelve-Band Airborne Digital Video Imaging System (ADVIS)

Abstract This article describes an airborne digital video imaging system (ADVIS) and presents multispectral imagery to illustrate its potential use as a remote sensing research tool. The system was primarily designed to acquire multiband images for ascertaining spectral bands and/or band combinations to better characterize and assess natural resources. The ADVIS is comprised of 12 charge coupled device (CCD) analog video cameras and a computer equipped with a single multichannel digitizing board. The system cameras are equipped with various narrowband (6.5–12.6 nm bandwidths) interference filters to acquire images within the visible/near-infrared (NIR) (400–1000 nm) spectral waveband. The ADVIS multichannel capturing board is capable of obtaining 12 analog video inputs that are readily converted into digital images having 640 by 480 pixels resolution. The digitizing board has four RGB banks which have the capability of generating four synchronized real-time false color composite images from any selectable three-band combination among the 12 cameras, as keyed by the RGB inputs of the digitizing board. The computer system has a two GB storage capacity hard drive that can store 2000 RGB 24-bit color images. The system is unique because the quad real-time color composite imagery it provides is of adequate quality for assessing scenes of interest and there is no need for post-processing band registration immediately after the flight mission in order to evaluate the imagery. Also, the display of the quad images readily depicts which composite image(s) provides better differences among land-use cover types in the scene. This imagery, however, needs to be registered for image processing and analysis. The display of the black-and-white (B&W) image components (spectral bands) of the composite images provide basic information to assist in the interpretation of the color composites and to qualitatively understand the interaction of ecological parameters with the electromagnetic spectrum. The ADVIS multispectral image acquisition may determine the best band(s) for characterizing and/or detecting problems of the various natural resources.
Use of ultraviolet light and fluorescent dyes in bacterial counting.

Summary1. The use of ultraviolet light and fluorescent dyes as an adjunct to the Petroff-Hausser bacterial counting chamber technique is reported.2. This method has made bacterial counts more accurate because of clarity, ease, and rapidity.3. Berberine Sulfate was the dye of preference although Auramine-O and Rhodamine-B were gauged equally as good.4. Twelve strains of bacteria, one protozoa, and one fungi were used in testing this procedure.5. All 14 organisms gave excellent fluorescent reaction to 3 dyes and 11 strains gave excellent results to a fourth dye.
Deformation Characteristics of Solder Joints

A novel experimental configuration is devised to measure the evolution of the deformation field and the corresponding toughness in solder joints for microelectronic packaging. The material system utilized comprised ductile layer of Tin based solder, encapsulated within relatively hard copper shoulders. The experimental configuration provides pure shear state within the constrained solder layer. Different Pb/Sn compositions are tested with grain size approaching the film thickness. The in-plan strain distribution within the joint thickness is measured by a microscopic digital image correlation system. The toughness evolution within such highly gradient deformation field is monitored qualitatively through a 2D surface scan with a nano-indentor. The measurements showed a highly inhomogeneous deformation field within the film with discreet shear bands of concentrated strain. The localized shear bands showed long-range correlations of the order of 2–3 grain diameter. A size-dependent macroscopic response on the layer thickness is observed. However, the corresponding film thickness is approximately 100–1000 times larger than those predicted by non-local continuum theories and discreet dislocation.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Transcription RINGs in repair.

A recent study has shown that the Ssl1 subunit of the general transcription/DNA repair factor TFIIH contains ubiquitin ligase activity that is dependent on a RING domain. The RING domain is required for transcription of a subset of yeast genes that are involved in DNA damage repair, thus uncovering a novel ubiquitination-associated function for TFIIH in the repair process.
Electron capture from H-2 to highly charged Th and Xe ions trapped at center-of-mass energies near 6 eV

Ions with charge states as high as 80+, produced in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory electron beam ion trap were extracted and transferred to a Penning ion trap (RETRAP). RETRAP was operated at cryogenic temperature in the field of a superconducting magnet. The stored low-energy ions collided occasionally with H{sub 2} molecules in the ultrahigh-vacuum environment of the trap, capturing one or two electrons and reducing the charge state of the ions. The number of ions was monitored nondestructively by ramping the axial oscillation frequencies of the ions through resonance with a tuned circuit composed in part of trap capacitance and an external inductor. This produced resonance signals whose square is proportional to the number of ions in each charge state. These signals were recorded vs storage time to determine the electron-capture rates. From these rates the relative electron-capture cross sections were obtained using estimates of the mean ion energies based on modeling the ion storage, and with the aid of a density calibration measurement using Ar{sup 11+}. The measured total electron-capture cross sections are consistent with a linear increase with charge state q. The cross-section data for the highest charge states lie above the predictions of the absorbing spheremore » model, but agree within uncertainties in both experiment and theory. The true double-capture cross-section fraction for q{gt}35 is near 25{percent}. The results are discussed with relation to measurements on lower charge states, and with theory. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}« less
The adrenocortical-hypophyseal response to saline stress in the goldfish, Carassius auratus L.

Abstract 1. 1. In normal goldfish (5·3–9·6 g) the circulating level of Cortisol is 3·9 ± 0·2 μg/100 ml per g and that of ACTH is 72 ± 23 pg/ml at 1100–1200 hours (photoperiod 0800–2000 hours, 25°C). 2. 2. Saline immersion evokes rapid increases (15 sec) in cortisol and ACTH levels. The Cortisol titer increases to 6·5 ± 1·0 μg/100 ml per g with 0·09% saline and to 16·4 ± 4·0 μg/100 ml per g with 0·9% saline. The ACTH titer increases to 200 ± 46 pg/ml with 0·09% saline and to 580 ± 52 pg/ml with 0·9% saline. 3. 3. The patterns of cortisol and ACTH response to saline immersion vary with the intensity of the stress in both acute ( 1 day) exposure. Immersion in 0·09% saline produces three increases and subsequent decreases in cortisol titers, whereas immersion in 0·9% saline evokes only a single increase in titer. Immersion in either 0·09 or 0·9% saline produces a single increase in ACTH titer. 4. 4. Maximum ACTH titers are produced 20 min earlier by 0·9% saline than 0·09% saline. 5. 5. Control goldfish maintained in experimental aquaria (unchanged, unfiltered water) without saline demonstrated increased cortisol titer by the fifth day and an elevated ACTH level by the second day. Similar changes occur in the experimental groups. 6. 6. A method for the radioimmunoassay of ACTH in goldfish serum is described.
Role of acid phosphatase measurement in management of prostate cancer

Abstract Serum acid phosphatase was measured in 155 people of whom 45 had prostate cancer and 110 were either normal or had other conditions. The assay did not discover early cases of prostate cancer but did reveal accurately patients with metastatic prostate cancer. The assay appears to be valuable for the purposes of staging the disease but not as a method of discovering patients with early forms of prostate cancer.
The relative dominance hypothesis explains interaction dynamics in mixed species Alnus rubra/Pseudotsuga menziesii stands

Summary 1 We used repeated measurements of tree growth and population-level and neighbourhood conditions from three mixed Alnus rubra/Pseudotsuga menziesii forests in the Pacific Northwest, USA to investigate why previous results regarding the importance of neighbourhood competition as a determinant of plant growth were inconsistent. 2 We propose that relative dominance of a particular species determines the importance of neighbourhood interactions, and tested whether growth performance of both species at various stand ages agrees with this relative dominance hypothesis. 3 Neighbourhood and relative dominance interaction indices were modified to accommodate two-species mixtures and were incorporated into a growth model predicting relative diameter growth rates. The corrected Akaike Information Criterion ( AIC c ) was used to identify the optimum interaction measures and model forms for each species and measurement period. 4 Interaction indices reflecting the size of a tree relative to the population were the best predictors of growth of the dominant (i.e. taller) species and neighbourhood interaction indices of the subordinate species. 5 Performance of interaction measures as predictors of relative growth rates in our study varied in agreement with the relative dominance hypothesis for both species and on all sites. Results from other studies suggest that the hypothesis may explain growth performances on a species and individual plant level and for a variety of life forms. 6 These findings suggest that the spatial scale of plant interactions is influenced by the size structure of plant populations. The relative dominance hypothesis offers a framework to provide insight into the mechanism of competition, based on the relative performance of competition indices.
Analysis and Synthesis of Feedback Control Systems in the Parameter Plane I-Linear Continuous Systems

A general and unique approach to the analysis and synthesis of control systems in the parameter plane is presented which may be advantageously applied to the design of linear continuous systems, sampled-data systems, nonlinear systems, and systems with distributed parameters. This paper is concerned with the application of the method to linear continuous systems. As a simple and rapid procedure for factoring characteristic polynomials in the parameter plane, the proposed method permits the designer to maintain control over salient characteristics of both transient and frequency responses. The introduction of the Chebyshev functions greatly facilitates the procedure and makes it suitable for simulation on either analog or digital computers. In the design procedure, all graphical and analytical operations are performed in the real domain.
Periostin family of proteins: therapeutic targets for heart disease.

This review is prompted by several recent discoveries expanding our knowledge of periostin, periostin-like factor, and ig-h3. These proteins are assigned to one family based on their homology to fasciclin I identified in insects. Proteins that share homology with fasciclin I include igh3, stablin I and II, MBP-70, Algal-CAM, periostin (osf2), and, most recently, periostin-like-factor (PLF) (Zinn et al., 1988; Terasaka et al., 1989; Skonier et al., 1992; Takeshita et al., 1993; Huber and Sumper, 1994; Horiuchi et al., 1999; Litvin et al., 2004). Of these, periostin, PLF, and ig-h3 are rapidly becoming popular as putative therapeutic targets because of their role in embryonic heart development and in adult heart disease, in osteogenesis, and in tumor suppression (Stanton et al., 2000; Kruzynska-Frejtag et al., 2001; Sasaki et al., 2001; Gillan et al., 2002; Yoshioka et al., 2002; Katsuragi et al., 2004; Kern et al., 2005). The characteristic that is used to assign these proteins to the same family is that they all share homology in multiple 150 amino acid (aa) domains referred to as repeat or fasciclin domains. The number of fasciclin domains varies among these proteins but the significance of this difference is not known. Within each fasciclin domain is a smaller conserved region referred to as the fas domain (Figs. 2 and 3, Table 1). In addition, several of the members contain YH motifs (non-RGD-binding domains), which in the case of ig-h3 has been shown to interact with integrin receptors (Kim et al., 2000; Bae et al., 2002; Kim et al., 2002; Nam et al., 2003; Jeong and Kim, 2004; Park et al., 2004). This review will summarize the essentials on select members in the family and will speculate on the usefulness of periostin and PLF as therapeutic targets based on known facts about their function(s) and expression in the heart.
Analysis of risk factors for tuberculous infection following exposure at a homeless shelter.

Setting A homeless shelter for men aged ⩾ 50 years in Seattle, Washington, USA. Objectives We examined risk factors for tuberculous infection following exposure to an active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) case residing in a homeless shelter setting. Methods A contact investigation identified shelter clients exposed to the index case; these contacts were then assessed for tuberculous infection. Risk factors, including proximity and duration of exposure to the index case, were evaluated for association with infection. A retrospective cohort study was conducted and a multivariate logistic regression model determined the magnitude of the association between tuberculous infection and significant risk factors. Results Of the 64 contacts evaluated, 25 (39%) had latent tuberculous infection and one had active TB. The multivariate logistic regression model found that duration of exposure and birthplace were significantly associated with odds of infection. Conclusions Birthplace and duration of exposure were significant risk factors for tuberculous infection, underscoring the importance of this information when prioritizing contact investigations after TB exposure in congregate settings. We recommend that public health agencies work with homeless shelters to ensure that clients' attendance records contain the necessary information to facilitate contact tracing during public health TB investigations.
Fully polarimetric passive W-band millimeter wave imager for wide area search

We describe the design and phenomenology imaging results of a fully polarimetric W-band millimeter wave (MMW) radiometer developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for wide-area search. Operating from 92–94 GHz, the W-band radiometer employs a Dicke switching heterodyne design isolating the horizontal and vertical mm-wave components with 40 dB of polarization isolation. Design results are presented for both infinite conjugate off-axis parabolic and finite conjugate off-axis elliptical fore-optics using optical ray tracing and diffraction calculations. The received linear polarizations are down-converted to a microwave frequency band and recombined in a phase-shifting network to produce all six orthogonal polarization states of light simultaneously, which are used to calculate the Stokes parameters for display and analysis. The resulting system performance produces a heterodyne receiver noise equivalent delta temperature (NEDT) of less than 150m Kelvin. The radiometer provides novel imaging capability by producing all four of the Stokes parameters of light, which are used to create imagery based on the polarization states associated with unique scattering geometries and their interaction with the down welling MMW energy. The polarization states can be exploited in such a way that man-made objects can be located and highlighted in a cluttered scene using methods such as image comparison, color encoding of Stokes parameters, multivariate image analysis, and image fusion with visible and infrared imagery. We also present initial results using a differential imaging approach used to highlight polarization features and reduce common-mode noise. Persistent monitoring of a scene using the polarimetric passive mm-wave technique shows great promise for anomaly detection caused by human activity.
Turner syndrome morphology and morphometrics: Cardiac hypoplasia as a cause of midgestation death.

Background: A female fetus with massive truncal-limb hydrops and large, loculated, nuchal hygromas in midgestation is highly likely to have Turner syndrome. This phenotype is recognized to be usually lethal, with only more mildly affected fetuses surviving to term birth. Methods: The morphology and morphometrics of 117 midgestation fetuses with phenotypic Turner syndrome were analyzed. Results: More than 90% of fetuses with phenotypic Turner syndrome were found to have heart weights below the 2.5 centile, as well as lung hypoplasia and restricted limb growth for brain weight standards, although brain weight was only mildly reduced for gestational age. In contrast, subnormal heart weight was much less common among fetuses with other etiologies of hydrops, hygromas, or pleural effusions. Conclusions: We hypothesize that myocardial hypoplasia is a primary defect in Turner syndrome, and it leads to or is a major contributor to the phenotypic features that end in midgestational death.
The role of protein kinase C in the induction of VCAM-1 expression on human umbilical vein endothelial cells

The role of protein kinase C (PKC) in interleukin-1β- (II- 1β)-, tumor necrosis factor-α- (TNF-α)-, and lipopolysaccharide-(LPS)-induced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was studied. PKC inhibition or downregulation diminished VCAM-1 mRNA accumulation and protein expression. Interleukin-1β, TNF-α, and LPS induce nuclear factor (NF)-kB-like binding activity, which precedes VCAM-1 transcription. PKC inhibition did not prevent NF-xB-like binding activity, indicating that this is PKC-independent, and NF-kB-like binding activity is insufficient for transcription of VCAM-1.
Behavioral Approach System and Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivities and bipolar spectrum disorders: prospective prediction of bipolar mood episodes

Objectives: Research has found that bipolar spectrum disorders are associated with Behavioral Approach System (BAS) hypersensitivity and both unipolar and bipolar depression are associated with high Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) sensitivity, but prospective studies of these relationships are lacking. We tested whether BAS and BIS sensitivities prospectively predicted the time to new onsets of major depressive and hypomanic and manic episodes in bipolar spectrum individuals. Methods: We followed 136 bipolar II or cyclothymic and 157 demographically matched normal control individuals prospectively for an average of 33 months. Participants completed the BIS/BAS scales and symptom measures at Time 1 and semi-structured diagnostic interviews every four months of follow-up. Results: The bipolar spectrum group exhibited higher Time 1 BAS, but not BIS, scores than the normal controls, controlling for Time 1 symptoms. Among bipolar spectrum participants, high BAS sensitivity prospectively predicted a shorter time to onset of hypomanic and manic episodes, whereas high BIS sensitivity predicted less survival time to major depressive episodes, controlling for initial symptoms. Conclusions: Consistent with the BAS hypersensitivity model of bipolar disorder, a highly responsive BAS provides vulnerability to onsets of (hypo)manic episodes. In addition, a highly sensitive BIS increases risk for major depressive episodes.
Vascular access cannulation practices and outcomes

Vascular access cannulation practices such as the dialysis prescription for blood pump flow and dialysis duration vary significantly among countries. Choice of needle gauge and cannulation practice with the needle in terms of direction relative to the flow stream and rotation after insertion are dictated in part by practicalities but appear to be mostly the result of ‘cultural' practices within dialysis centers. Prospective studies of cannulation are needed to improve access outcomes.
Finite difference analysis of infinite arrays of two-dimensional microstrip structures

Infinite arrays of two-dimensional printed elements are analysed using the finite difference method. Grid models accounting for dielectric discontinuities and current continuity at rectangular junctions are developed. The procedure is used to study the behaviour of three configurations of planar strips over dielectric substrates in an infinite array environment. These configurations include the ‘dipole’ element, the ‘microstrip’ element and the ‘microstrip’ element over an inhomogeneous substrate. For each configuration, calculated results are presented with special attention given to the correctness of antenna characteristics such as input impedance and scan performance. The results accurately predict antenna performance and comparison with published data confirms the method.
Electron correlation, basis sets, and the methylene singlet–triplet gap

The effect of basis set and electron correlation on the singlet–triplet splitting (ΔEST) of CH2 is examined using the generalized valence bond (GVB) approach. For a standard double zeta plus polarization basis, the GVB based calculation (with only 20–25 spin eigenfunctions) approaches the full CI result (∼220 000 spin eigenfunctions) of Bauschlicher and Taylor to within 0.5 kcal/mol for this basis, but both differ substantially from experiment (errors of 2.4 and 2.9 kcal/mol for GVB and full CI, respectively). We have studied the convergence of ΔEST with basis set and find that an extremely extended basis (triple zeta sp, diffuse sp, triple zeta d, double zeta f ) for GVB yields ΔEST=9.03 kcal/mol, in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 9.09±0.20 kcal/mol.
Measurement of CO2 in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients

AbstractThis sludy has two goals: one, to compare the resting end-tidal pCCb (PctCCh) and heart rate (HR) of chronic fatigue syndrome patients (CFS) with controls; two, to examine the effects of a mouthpiece and noseclips upon measurements of PelC02 and HR. Patients from the CFS Center came to the University Hospital pulmonary function laboratory for one testing session. Arterial (PaCCh), PetCOi, end-nasal (PenCOi) and HR were measured twice; both with and again without the subject breathing through the mouthpiece. We found that PcnCCb was greater and HR lower for both CFS and non-CFS groups when subjects were not confined by the mouthpiece. We conclude that there is no abnormality in the regulation of respiration in CFS patients. Changes in HR accompany changes in PetCOi in this study. Most likely, both result from anxiety associated with mouthpiece breathing.
Comparative evaluation of vibrational circular dichroism and optical rotation for determination of enantiomeric purity

Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) is used to determine enantiomeric purity (EP) of three sample groups, and the results are compared with those obtained from optical rotation. In most typical cases EP determination from optical rotation is more accurate than that from VCD. However, in cases where either optical rotation is very small or different chiral samples are present as a mixture, EP determination from VCD provides definite advantages with reasonable accuracy.
Numerical analysis of anchors in soils

Resume d'une recherche, presentee ailleurs, sur la modelisation par elements finis en trois dimensions du comportement d'un tirant d'ancrage pour ouvrage de soutenement, pour reponse lineaire ou non lineaire (durcissement elastoplastique) et un mouvement relatif a l'interface sol-partie scellee du tirant; comparaison avec un essai en vraie grandeur d'arrachement d'un tirant dans du sable
Blends of isotactic polypropylene and ethylene-propylene rubbers: rheology, morphology and mechanics

Abstract Blends of isotactic polypropylene and ethylene-propylene rubbers have been studied. The purpose of this work is to establish relationships between morphology and physical properties as well as to point out the principles which govern the morphology development. In particular, we are attempting to clarify the influence on blend morphology of such compositional variables as molecular weight, chemical affinity and percentage of components in the blend. We are also exploring how the states of dispersion are affected by conditions of blend preparation and extrusion.
Claw-free graphs. II. Non-orientable prismatic graphs

A graph is prismatic if for every triangle T, every vertex not in T has exactly one neighbour in T. In a previous paper we gave a complete description of all 3-colourable prismatic graphs, and of a slightly more general class, the ''orientable'' prismatic graphs. In this paper we describe the non-orientable ones, thereby completing a description of all prismatic graphs. Since complements of prismatic graphs are claw-free, this is a step towards the main goal of this series of papers, providing a structural description of all claw-free graphs (a graph is claw-free if no vertex has three pairwise nonadjacent neighbours).
Examining the effects of a highly rated science curriculum unit on diverse students: Results from a planning grant

This article reports on the results of a planning grant studying the effects of a highly rated curriculum unit on a diverse student population. The treatment was introduced to 1500 eighth grade students in five middle schools selected for their ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity. Students were given pre-, post-, and delayed posttests on a Conservation of Matter Assessment and measures of motivation and engagement. This quasi-experiment found statistically significant posttest results for achievement, basic learning engagement, and goal orientation. Analyses of disaggregated data showed that subgroups of students in the treatment condition outscored their comparison group peers (n = 1500) in achievement in all cases, except for students currently enrolled in ESOL. Analysis of video data of a diverse group of four students as the unit was enacted suggests that students entered a learning environment that permitted them to function in different, but consistent ways over time; that is, the frequency of students' manipulation of objects showed a different pattern of engagement for each of the four students compared with patterns of verbal responses such as the use of scientific terms. The results of this planning grant paved the way for a large study of the scale-up of highly rated curriculum units. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 912–946, 2005
Texture Analysis In Xeromammograms

A relatively new x-ray imaging technique, xerography, gives very detailed, high contrast images. It is particularly useful in detecting texture changes associated with early breast cancer. We describe a process of digitally scanning photographs of these xeromammograms. Normalization of the data representing the breast images is necessary to later classification; four methods were used for our study. The visual appearance of certain abnormal texture is described and used to motivate our statistical measures of texture. One group of measurements is derived from density value histograms; a second group depends on a density value co-occurrence matrix; a third group computes statistics from a gradient of the image; the last group analyzes the number of connected paths in the image. Nineteen features are collected from these measurements and are evaluated by using them to classify abnormal from normal tissue in a set of four test cases.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Isolation of a Mouse cDNA Encoding MTJ1, a New Murine Member of the DnaJ Family of Proteins

We report the isolation and sequencing of MTJ1, a 1792-bp cDNA from an M27 murine lung carcinoma cell line. The largest ORF within MTJ1 encodes a 63 869-Da protein, containing a 73-amino-acid (aa) sequence (the J domain) that is conserved in proteins of the DnaJ family of chaperonins. The J domain of MTJ1 is bracketed by potential transmembrane domains in a similar configuration to the J domain of the yeast DnaJ-like protein, SEC63. Polyclonal antibodies raised against deduced aa sequences within MTJ1 recognized antigens of 62, 42 and 41 kDa that were enriched in the nuclear and heavy microsome subcellular fractions of murine tumor cells. Northern analysis detected a major 3.2-kb transcript that was present in all murine organs examined, but was relatively underexpressed in brain and heart.
Molecular dynamics simulations of transducin: interdomain and front to back communication in activation and nucleotide exchange.

Abstract The dynamic events that underlie the nucleotide exchange process for the Gα subunit of transducin (Gα t ) were studied with nanosecond time-scale molecular dynamics simulations. The modeled systems include the active and inactive forms of the wild-type Gα t and three of its mutants (GDP-bound form only): F332A, A322S, and Q326A that are known to exhibit various degrees of enhancement of their basal and receptor-catalyzed rates of nucleotide exchange (150-fold, 70-fold and WT-like, respectively). The results of these computational experiments reveal a number of nucleotide-dependent structural and dynamic changes (involving the α B –α C loop, the inter-domain orientation of the helical and GTPase domains and the α 5 helix) that were not observed in the various crystal structures of Gα t . Notably, the results show the existence of a front to back communication device (involving the β 2 –β 3 hairpin, the α 1 helix and the α 5 helix), strategically located near all elements susceptible to be involved in receptor-mediated activation/nucleotide exchange. The wild-type simulations suggest that the dynamic interplay between the elements of this device would be critical for the activation of the Gα t subunit. This inference is confirmed by the results of the computational experiments on the mutants that show that even in their GDP-bound forms, the A322S and F332A mutants acquire an “active-like” structure and dynamics phenotype. The same is not true for the Q326A mutant whose structural and dynamic properties remain similar to those of the GDP-bound WT. Taken together the results suggest a nucleotide exchange mechanism, analogous to that found in the Arf family GTPases, in which a partially activated state, achievable from a receptor-mediated action of the front to back communication device either by displacement of the C-terminal α 5 helix, of the N-terminal α N helix, or of the Gβγ subunit, could precede the dissociation of GDP from the native Gα subunit.
The reconstruction of Nyulnyulan complex predication

Dans ce travail, j'analyse et compare les systemes de verbes legers et de classification evenementielle dans les langues de la famille Nyulnyulan (Non-Pama-Nyungan) d'un point de vue historique. Je decris les difficultes de reconstruction des verbes legers en Proto Nyulnyulan, malgre la presence de ces structures dans les huit langues filles. Les problemes de reconstruction sont de trois ordres. D'abord, bien que toutes les langues de la famille comprennent des structures avec des verbes legers classificateurs, le systeme de classification varie selon les langues, y compris entres des langues par ailleurs tres voisines. Ensuite, la syntaxe des constructions a verbes legers varie de facon importante, et les informations disponibles ne nous permettent pas d'etablir avec certitude quelles sont les langues novatrices. Enfin, bien que les elements preverbaux soient cognats entre les langues, le nombre de preverbes apparentes est assez restreint (les preverbes etant recrutes de facon productive parmi d'autres classes de mots dans certaines langues). De ce fait, malgre des similarites encourageantes entre les langues, la reconstruction des details reste elusive.
Measurement of Deviant Behavior in a Gombe Chimpanzee: Relation to Later Behavior

In 1973, personality ratings using a test called the Emotions Profile Index (EPI) were made on a number of Gombe chimpanzees, including a deviant female namedPassion. Passion's ratings were compared to the profiles of the other adult females from the same community.Passion's ratings were also analyzed in terms of her subsequent infanticidal and cannibalistic behavior, observed from 1975 to 1977. The EPI scales were found to be useful in detecting social deviance. The test appears to be a good descriptive and predictive measuring instrument. Suggestions are made for utilizing the EPI rating scales in the assessment of the psychological well-being of captive and/or research animals.
The CUSB-II detector

Abstract The properties and design philosophy of the first bismuth germanate electromagnetic calorimeter used in high energy physics are discussed. Presented also the first results on the energy resolution obtainable under different background conditions.
Attitudes of Inner-City Female Adolescents Toward Medical and Surgical Abortion

Background Medical abortion regimens recently have been shown to be both effective and safe for pregnancy termination. Nationally, almost half of adolescent pregnancies end in abortion, but inner-city, minority adolescents are less likely to choose abortion. We explored the attitudes of these adolescents towards medical and surgical abortion. Methods In 1994, 157 adolescents (ages 13–21 yrs.) awaiting medical care at an inner-city adolescent clinic completed an 86-item questionnaire examining reproductive history. 57% of subjects were 18–21 yrs., 39% were 15–17 yrs. and most were Hispanic (56%) and Black (31%). Only 9 subjects (6%) were virgins, 43% had been pregnant, 29% had a surgical abortion (none had a medical abortion), and 13% had a child. Results 68% believed that abortion is safe and 55% believed that abortion is better than having an unwanted child. Belief in the safety of abortion was significantly associated with age of the subject (29% early, 62% middle, 75% late adolescents, p = .02) and with never having had an abortion (64% never, 36% ever, p = .01). Half the subjects (51%) agreed that “if it was available, having an abortion by swallowing a medicine would be safer than having an abortion by surgery” with no differences by abortion history. However, 72% believed that having an abortion can make it hard to get pregnant in the future; either from surgical damage (73%) or as “punishment” (38%). Only 34% believed that it would be easier to get pregnant after a medical abortion than a surgical one. Most subjects (72%) believed that “the more abortions you have, the harder it will be to get pregnant in the future”. There was no difference in these beliefs about post-abortal infertility by subjects’ abortion history. Conclusions This study indicates that while most inner-city, minority adolescents believed that abortion is safe, they also believed that they risked their future fertility by having an abortion. There was no clear indication that availability of medical abortion regimens would greatly influence these beliefs.
Spin dynamics near magnetic bicritical points

Abstract An analysis is made of the dynamics of the spin fluctuations in the vicinity of magnetic bicritical points which are at the intersection of spin flop-paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic-paramagnetic critical lines.
SIMPLE SYNTHETIC RECEPTORS THAT BIND PEPTIDES IN WATER

Abstract A simple two-armed receptor has been prepared that binds certain peptides sequence-selectively in water at pH 4.
Design of an Approximate Control Law Using Input-State Linearization for the Ball on a Plate System

This paper demonstrates an approximate full state feedback linearizing control law for the nonlinear ball on a plate system. It is shown that true full state feedback is not possible due both to the centrifugal acceleration terms and the nonlinear coupling between both coordinate axis. In an effort to make the system feedback linearizable, the dynamics corresponding to the centrifugal acceleration and the nonlinear coupling are simply treated as nonlinear disturbances to the original dynamics. The derived approximate full state feedback linearizing control law is evaluated via simulation of the original dynamics illustrating that the nonlinear disturbances are indeed small, and that the system controlled by the approximate control law is capable of more effective position and trajectory tracking than the standard Jacobian linearization.© 2012 ASME
Peripheral versus central venous delivery of medications during CPR

Traditionally drug delivery during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been considered to be equally effective when given through the peripheral venous and central venous routes. Recently, however, these routes of drug administration have undergone reevaluation. During normal flow drug delivery appears to be equally efficient by the peripheral venous and central venous routes. During CPR, however, drug administration by way of the supradiaphragmatic central circulation appears to result in significantly more rapid drug delivery to the central arterial circulation. Data regarding the effect of route of administration on quantitative peak levels are mixed. Changes in cardiac output and the mechanics of blood flow during CPR are thought to be responsible for these route-dependent rates of drug delivery.