cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sampling and storage of materials for trace elemental analysis

Abstract Accurate analysis depends upon a valid, representative and uncontaminated analytical sample. For many trace metals, contamination overwhelms the sample, leading to inaccurate analytical data. Methods of controlling contamination and their implications for better methods of sampling and storage are discussed here.
In vitro capacitation and fertilizing ability of ejaculated rabbit sperm treated with lysophosphatidylcholine.

Four experiments were replicated 1) to establish dose-response relationships between lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), sperm motility, and the acrosome reaction (AR), 2) to evaluate the influence of rabbit serum (RS) on these endpoints, 3) to compare buck differences in induction of the AR, and 4) to examine fertilizing ability in vitro of sperm tested under the first three objectives. Semen was collected from Dutch-belted rabbits, washed once by centrifugation, resuspended, and preincubated for 2 or 4 hr in a chemically defined medium (DM), DM plus 20% RS, or BSA-free DM plus 20% RS at 37 degrees C. At the end of preincubation LPC was added to the preincubated sperm at concentrations of from 0 to 100 micrograms/ml. Sperm were examined .5-4 hr later for AR and sperm motility. For in vitro fertilization, sperm and ova were coincubated in DM up to 24 hr after insemination and in a more complex medium for another 24 hr. Addition of LPC to 4-hr-preincubated sperm was more effective for inducing the AR than addition to 2-hr-preincubated sperm. A significant increase (P less than .05) in the AR occurred in 15 and 30 min following exposure to 100 and 80 micrograms of LPC per ml, respectively, but the higher concentration of LPC decreased sperm motility. Addition of 20% RS to DM with or without BSA surprisingly inhibited the AR but maintained sperm motility, as expected. Bucks differed (P less than .05) in the initial percentage and the induced percentage of AR sperm. For the AR the optimal concentration of LPC per ml was 80 micrograms, but for in vitro fertilization 60 micrograms tended to be superior.
Identification of bacteria in acute endodontic infections and their antimicrobial susceptibility

Abstract Objective. The purpose of the study was to identify the bacterial composition of the microbiota from acute endodontic abscesses/cellulitis and their antimicrobial susceptibilities. Study Design. Purulence from 17 patients with acute endodontic abscesses/cellulitis was obtained by needle aspiration and processed under anaerobic conditions. Bacteria were isolated and identified by biochemical or molecular methods. The antimicrobial susceptibility of isolated bacteria was determined by using the Etest. Results. All 17 aspirates contained a mix of microorganisms. A total of 127 strains of bacteria were isolated. Of 127 strains, 80 strains were anaerobes and 47 strains were aerobes. The mean number of strains per sample was 7.5 (range, 3 to 13). The average number of viable bacteria was 6.37 × 10 7 (range, 10 4 to 10 8 ) colony-forming units/mL. Strict anaerobes and microaerophiles were the dominant bacteria in 82% (14 of 17) of the cases. The genera of bacteria most frequently encountered were Prevotella and Streptococcus . Prevotella and Peptostreptococcus were frequently found to dominate the mixture. The combination of Prevotella and Streptococcus was found in 53% (9 of 17). The previously reported uncultured Prevotella clone PUS9.180 was frequently identified. The percentage of bacteria susceptible/intermediate for each antibiotic in this study was penicillin V, 81% (95 of 118); metronidazole, 88% (51 of 58); amoxicillin, 85% (100 of 118); amoxicillin + clavulanic acid, 100% (118 of 118); and clindamycin, 89% (105 of 118). Conclusions. The present results confirm the existence of mixed infection with the predominance of anaerobic bacteria in acute endodontic abscesses/cellulitis. The frequency of uncultured Prevotella clone PUS9.180 suggests the possible key role of this Prevotella species in acute endodontic infections. Penicillin V still possesses antimicrobial activity against the majority of bacteria isolated from acute endodontic infections. However, if penicillin V therapy has failed to be effective, the combination of penicillin V with metronidazole or amoxicillin with clavulanic acid is recommended. Switching to clindamycin is another good alternative. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2002;94:746-55)
Improving thin film solar cells with atomic layer deposited ZnO: Highly tunable buffer, intrinsic, and top contact layers in a single fabrication process

A variety of highly tunable ZnO films have been deposited by atomic layer deposition. The optical and electrical properties of the ZnO films are well controlled by either doping with Mg or utilizing in-situ oxygen or hydrogen plasma treatments during deposition. The wide range of physical properties of these ZnO films enables their use as buffer, intrinsic, and top contact layers in thin film solar cells. The single fabrication process maintains high quality interfaces between each layer in the solar cell, and the precise control of the ZnO films' properties allows for true device optimization.
995 – Reconceptualization of the relationship between experience with trauma and posttraumatic stress symptoms

Introduction The conventional two-class psychiatric conceptualization of PTSD has been criticized for ignoring the existence of “trauma without symptoms” and “symptoms without trauma”. Objective To present and test a new four-class conceptualization of the relationship between trauma and symptoms that responds to the above criticism. The proposed four classes are: PTSD (high trauma and high symptoms); Resilient (high trauma but low symptoms); Stress Prone (low trauma but high symptoms); and Ideal Norm (low trauma and low symptoms). Aim To demonstrate fit between new conceptualization and empirical data. Method Sample: 673 adults age 18-19. Measures: a trauma index incorporating five types of frequently experienced potentially traumatic events; a standardized 16 item measure of posttraumatic stress symptoms; multi-item scales of two protective factors (social support and self efficacy). Statistical procedures: cluster analysis and ANOVA. Results Statistical cluster analysis produced four classes of individuals: 19% of sample had high trauma and high symptoms (PTSD); 23% had high trauma and low symptoms (Resilient); 21% had low trauma and high symptoms (Stress Prone); and 36% had low trauma and low symptoms (Ideal Norm). “Resilient” and “Norm” groups also had high “protection”. Four-class model was a better fit to data than two-class model. Conclusions The proposed re-conceptualization, using four classes and incorporating protective factors, better describes the empirical trauma-symptom relationship than the conventional two-class psychiatric conceptualization of PTSD; and begins to clarify the psycho-social dynamics of the trauma-psychopathology relationship.
The effect of solutes on defect distributions and hardening in ion-irradiated model ferritic alloys

Abstract A series of nine model ferritic alloys were ion irradiated at 〉 300°C using 2.5 MeV He ions to a dose of 1.4 × 10 21 ion/m 2 , which corresponds to ∼ 0.1 dpa at a depth of 2 μm and ∼ 3.5 dpa at the peak damage region which occurs at about 4 μm deep. The resultant changes in hardness as a function of depth were measured using a Nanoindenter®. TEM was used to investigate the defect distributions. The effect of various solutes, Cu and N in particular, but Mn and Ti as well, on the change of hardness and the defect distribution due to the ion irradiation are discussed.
Ultrastructural localization of cholinesterase in the pellice of Tetrahymena pyriformis (W)

Abstract Ultrastructural cytochemistry and electron microscope autoradiography were employed in an attempt to localize cholinesterase in the pellicle of Tetrahymena pyriformis (W). Our findings suggest that cholinesterase, possibly acetylcholinesterase, is present in the ciliary shafts and subpellicular loci. These results are discussed in terms of a possible mechanism by which control might be exerted over ciliary metachrony, involving non-specific cholinesterase(s) in complex with ciliary ATPase.
Stylized motion generalization through adaptation of velocity profiles

Stylized motion is prevalent in the field of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI). Robot designers typically hand craft or work with professional animators to design behaviors for a robot that will be communicative or life-like when interacting with a human partner. A challenge is to apply this stylized trajectory in varied contexts (e.g. performing a stylized gesture with different end-effector constraints). The goal of this research is to create useful, task-based motion with variance that spans the reachable space of the robot and satisfies constraints, while preserving the “style” of the original motion. We claim the appropriate representation for adapting and generalizing a trajectory is not in Cartesian or joint angle space, but rather in joint velocity space, which allows for unspecified initial conditions to be supplied by interaction with the dynamic environment. The benefit of this representation is that a single trajectory can be extended to accomplish similar tasks in the world given constraints in the environment. We present quantitative data using a continuity metric to prove that, given a stylized initial trajectory, we can create smoother generalized motion than with traditional techniques such as cyclic-coordinate descent.
Evolutionary origin and divergence of the growth hormone receptor family: Insight from studies on sea lamprey

Sea lamprey, one of the oldest extant lineages of vertebrates, Agnatha, was used to clarify the evolutionary origin and divergence of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) family. A single full-length cDNA encoding a protein that shares amino acid identity with GHRs and prolactin receptors (PRLRs) previously characterized from teleost fish was identified. Expression of the GHR/PRLR-like transcript was widespread among tissues, including brain, pituitary, heart, liver, and skeletal muscle, which is consistent with the broad physiological roles of GH-family peptides. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the lamprey possess an ancestral gene encoding a common GHR/PRLR that diverged to give rise to distinct GHRs and PRLRs later in the course of vertebrate evolution. After the divergence of the Actinopterygian and Sarcopterygian lineages, the GHR gene was duplicated in the Actinopterygian lineage during the fish-specific genome duplication event giving rise to two GHRs in teleosts, type 1 GHR and type 2 GHR. A single GHR gene orthologous to the teleost type 1 GHR persisted in the Sarcopterygian lineage, including the common ancestor of tetrapods. Within the teleosts, several subsequent independent duplication events occurred that led to several GHR subtypes. A revised nomenclature for vertebrate GHRs is proposed that represents the evolutionary history of the receptor family. Structural features of the receptor influence ligand binding, receptor dimerization, linkage to signal effector pathways, and, ultimately, hormone function.
Activity-based anorexia is associated with reduced hippocampal cell proliferation in adolescent female rats

Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is an animal model of anorexia nervosa that mimics core features of the clinical psychiatric disorder, including severe food restriction, weight loss, and hyperactivity. The ABA model is currently being used to study starvation-induced changes in the brain. Here, we examined hippocampal cell proliferation in animals with ABA (or the appropriate control conditions). Adolescent female Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 4 groups: control (24h/day food access), food-restricted (1h/day food access), exercise (24h/day food and wheel access), and ABA (1h/day food access, 24h/day wheel access). After 3 days of ABA, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU; 200mg/kg, i.p.) was injected and the rats were perfused 2h later. Brains were removed and subsequently processed for BrdU and Ki67 immunohistochemistry. The acute induction of ABA reduced cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus. This effect was significant in the hilus region of the dentate gyrus, but not in the subgranular zone, where adult neurogenesis occurs. Marked decreases in cell proliferation were also observed in the surrounding dorsal hippocampus and in the corpus callosum. These results indicate a primary effect on gliogenesis rather than neurogenesis following 3 days of ABA. For each brain region studied (except SGZ), there was a strong positive correlation between the level of cell proliferation and body weight/food intake. Future studies should examine whether these changes are maintained following long-term weight restoration and whether alterations in neurogenesis occur following longer exposures to ABA.
Neotectonic history and geometric segmentation of the Campo Grande fault: A major structure bounding the Hueco basin, trans-Pecos Texas

The northwest-striking Campo Grande fault of trans-Pecos Texas has a surface trace of about 45km. It divides the downthrown, central part of the Hueco basin, which contains as much as 2850m of Cenozoic fill, from the shallower northeastern flank that has 150-300m of fill. This normal fault is composed of three main en echelon segments, which are composed of numerous en echelon fault strands that are 1.5-10 km long at the surface. These strands strike N25°-75°W and dip 60°-90° southwestward. Erosion-resistant calcrete (stage IV-V) at the surface aids in preserving scarp heights of between 1.5 and 11.5m and scarp slopes of between 4° and 17°. Surface analysis of faulted upper Tertiary and Quaternary units along the southeastern Campo Grande fault segment indicates that successively younger units have less displacement. The last surface rupture was late Pleistocene. On the hanging wall of one fault strand, faulted calcic soil horizons (stage III) as much as 1m thick with vertical separations of 1-2 m indicate at least five episodes of fault movement, sediment deposition, and surface stabilization since middle Pleistocene time. The maximum vertical offset during the latest surface rupture was about 1-1.5m.
Robust control of interval plants: a time domain method

A time-domain algorithm is proposed to control interval plants described by impulse response functions. The closed-loop control actions are determined based on the interval ranges of the model parameters. Robust steady-state performance in tracking a given set-point can be guaranteed if the sign of the static gain is certain despite possible open-loop overshooting, delay, and nonminimum phase of the interval plants. Simulation examples are given to illustrate the performance. An application example in welding process control is also included.
THEORY OF ANTIFERROMAGNETIC-FERROMAGNETIC TRANSITIONS IN DILUTE MAGNETIC ALLOYS AND IN THE RARE EARTHS

In a previous paper a theory of direct exchange and superexchange coupling between $d$ or $f$ electrons and conduction electrons was given. This led to the possibility of an antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition. The present paper is devoted to a more complete treatment of this magnetic transition by way of examining a particular case. Both the molecular-field theory and a cluster theory due to Oguchi are applied. Each leads to a magnetic transition and both predict that for all such transitions the ferromagnetic state must have a lower free energy at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K than the antiferromagnetic state. The transition is found to be of second order. Expressions are given for the parallel and perpendicular susceptibility in the neighborhood of the N\'eel point. A discussion is given showing how the direct exchange interaction with the conduction electrons makes a magnetic transition possible. A comparison is made between the theory given here and recent experimental results in Cu-Mn alloys.
Management of anaphylactic shock after a single oral dose of penicillin: report of case

A report of an anaphylactic reaction to oral penicillin is presented, and a successful method of treatment is described.
Electron irradiation of methane on a carbon-covered Pt(111) surface

Abstract Monolayer coverages of CH4, adsorbed at 55 K on a carbon-covered Pt(111) surface, are activated by 50 eV electrons and undergo a number of processes which are characterized using temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). For short irradiation times, adsorbed C2H6 forms and some C-containing species desorb. At longer irradiation times, adsorbed C3H8 begins to appear and, at even longer times, there is evidence for C4 hydrocarbon formation. There is no evidence for retention of H or partially dehydrogenated hydrocarbon fragments, bound to the C layer. The effective cross section for the loss of methane by all removal processes, reaction and desorption, is 2.0 × 10−16 cm2 for CH4 and 1.4 × 10−16 cm2 for CD4. These values are 30% smaller than those measured in the absence of carbon and indicate that adding carbon to inhibit the CH(D) bond breaking ability of Pt has, at most, a modest effect on the overall cross section. The results are compared to earlier work on carbon-free Pt(111) and are discussed in terms of a substrate-independent electron excitation cross section followed by substrate-dependent reaction, quenching and relaxation processes. Initiation of electron-driven surface chemistry is ascribed to impact excitation of electrons in the bonding σ(CH) molecular orbitals leading to ionization and/or dissociation into neutral fragments. Subsequent reaction paths to form the observed hydrocarbons are discussed in terms of ion-molecule and radical reactions proceeding in the presence of the C Pt (111) substrate.
Management of wildfires with a geographical information system

Abstract Wildfires pose a constant threat to natural resources, endangered species, human property and even human lives. Effective management of wildfires requires a thorough understanding of the environmental and human related factors that are important to wildfires, as well as the complex spatial relationships among them. A geographical information system was used to analyse the data of the Idyllwild 7-5-minute quadrangle in southern California, U.S.A. A probability model which incorporated topography, vegetation, temperature, precipitation, proximity to buildings and proximity to transportation was constructed to generate the distribution of the probability of fire occurrence. Critical zones of danger from fire which need suppression were delineated. Two hypothetical spatial strategies of prescribed burning were evaluated in terms of their effectiveness in reducing the danger to the district from fire and producing a more desirable spatial pattern.
The Respiratory Chain of Plant Mitochondria: XII. Some Aspects of the Energy-linked Reverse Electron Transport from the Cytochromes c to the Cytochromes b in Mung Bean Mitochondria.

The cytochromes c of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) mitochondria become reduced when sulfide, a cytochrome oxidase inhibitor free from uncoupling side effects, is added to the aerobic mitochondrial suspension in the absence of added substrate. The cytochromes b remain largely oxidized. Subsequent addition of ATP results in partial oxidation of the cytochromes c and partial reduction of the cytochromes b due to ATP-driven reverse electron transport through the second site of energy conservation, or coupling site, of the respiratory chain. Cytochrome a is also oxidized under these conditions, but there is no concomitant reduction of the flavoprotein components, of ubiquinone, or of endogenous pyridine nucleotide. The reaction is abolished by oligomycin. The reducing equivalents transported from the cytochromes c and a in ATP-driven reverse electron transport are about 2-fold greater than those which appear in the cytochromes b. It is suggested that the equivalents not accounted for are present in a coupling site enzyme at the second site of energy conservation which interacts with the respiratory chain carriers by means of the dithiol-disulfide couple; this couple would not show absorbance changes with redox state over the wavelength range examined. With succinate present, reverse electron transport can be demonstrated at both coupling sites in both the aerobic steady state and in anaerobiosis. ATP-driven reverse electron transport in anaerobiosis maintains cytochrome a 30% oxidized while endogenous pyridine nucleotide is 50% reduced.When mung bean mitochondria, oxidizing succinate in the presence of sulfide through the alternate, cyanide- and sulfide-insensitive terminal oxidase, become anaerobic, cytochrome b(557), which has remained largely oxidized, becomes slowly reduced. The slow reduction is observed in coupled, energized mitochondria and in uncoupled mitochondria; the time course parallels the reduction of cytochrome a(3) under the same conditions. It appears that sulfide-liganded, oxidized cytochrome a(3) may be in close enough proximity to cytochrome b(557) in the membrane to inhibit the reduction of the latter.
Multiparameter Screening on SlipChip Used for Nanoliter Protein Crystallization Combining Free Interface Diffusion and Microbatch Methods

This paper describes two SlipChip-based approaches to protein crystallization: a SlipChip-based free interface diffusion (FID) method and a SlipChip-based composite method that simultaneously performs microbatch and FID crystallization methods in a single device. The FID SlipChip was designed to screen multiple reagents, each at multiple diffusion equilibration times, and was validated by screening conditions for crystallization of two proteins, enoyl-CoA hydratase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and dihydrofolate reductase/thymidylate synthase from Babesia bovis, against 48 different reagents at five different equilibration times each, consuming 12 μL of each protein for a total of 480 experiments using three SlipChips. The composite SlipChip was designed to screen multiple reagents, each at multiple mixing ratios and multiple equilibration times, and was validated by screening conditions for crystallization of two proteins, enoyl-CoA hydratase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and dihydrofolate reductase/...
Damage detection in bridges through fiber optic structural health monitoring

A fiber optic structural health monitoring (SHM) system was developed and deployed by the Iowa State University (ISU) Bridge Engineering Center (BEC) to detect gradual or sudden damage in fracture-critical bridges (FCBs). The SHM system is trained with measured performance data, which are collected by fiber optic strain sensors to identify typical bridge behavior when subjected to ambient traffic loads. Structural responses deviating from the trained behavior are considered to be signs of structural damage or degradation and are identified through analytical procedures similar to control chart analyses used in statistical process control (SPC). The demonstration FCB SHM system was installed on the US Highway 30 bridge near Ames, IA, and utilizes 40 fiber bragg grating (FBG) sensors to continuously monitor the bridge response when subjected to ambient traffic loads. After the data is collected and processed, weekly evaluation reports are developed that summarize the continuous monitoring results. Through use of the evaluation reports, the bridge owner is able to identify and estimate the location and severity of the damage. The information presented herein includes an overview of the SHM components, results from laboratory and field validation testing on the system components, and samples of the reduced and analyzed data.
The Best-Laid Plans: Limited Entry Permits and Limited Entry Systems in Eastern Aleut Culture

Alaska has continually restructured its fisheries to prevent or delay overfishing and increase market share by limiting numbers of fishermen and boats. As restricted access programs become more prevalent, the lasting effects of programs already in place can serve as a useful means for predicting future effects of new fisheries restructuring plans. The Limited Entry Permit Plan of 1973 for Alaska's salmon fisheries was a defining moment for modern social relations among the predominantly fishing society of the Eastern Aleut, although its future impact was not well understood. The plan resulted in more than one limited entry system and exaggerated existing status differences, by conferring not only the right to fish but also a suite of social and political advantages. In the Aleut village of King Cove, Alaska, permit ownership has cemented differences between men in their ability to fulfill subsistence obligations, in leadership roles, in family structure, and in prosperity. The transfer of physical and int...
Rural out-migration and smallholder agriculture in the southern Ecuadorian Andes

This study investigates the consequences of out-migration and migrant remittances for smallholder agriculture in a rural and environmentally marginal study area in the southern Ecuadorian Andes. Migration and remittances have the potential for transformative impacts on agriculture in origin areas of migration due to consequent declines in labor availability and increases in income, but previous studies have primarily found mixed and weak effects. This study provides additional insight by considering the gender and destination of migrants, key factors given gender norms influencing participation in agriculture, and the large gap in remittances sent by internal and international migrants. Building on recent methodological innovations, the study uses original household survey data and multivariate statistical models to examine the consequences of migration and remittances for multiple agricultural outcomes, including maize production, agrodiversity, female participation in agriculture, and the use of land, labor, and chemical inputs. Consistent with previous studies, the results indicate that migration and remittances have mixed and countervailing effects on smallholder agriculture. Specifically, out-migration has lost-labor effects that differ between men and women, and international remittances have investment-promotion effects that result in increased maize production. Together, the results highlight the resilience of smallholder agriculture in the face of dramatic demographic change.
Evaluation of latex agglutination and microtube coagulase tests for detection of Staphylococcus aureus

In a blind study, a latex agglutination test (Serostat Staphylococcus, Scott Laboratories) and a microtube coagulase test (Staphase, API) were evaluated for their ability to detect Staphylococcus aureus. Of 289 isolates of catalase-positive, gram-positive cocci, 122 were identified as S. aureus based on positive reactions in at least three of the following tests: tube coagulase, slide coagulase, DNase production, or anaerobic fermentation of mannitol. The latex agglutination test gave positive reactions for all S. aureus isolates and 10 (6%) non-S. aureus isolates. The slide coagulase test was positive for 121 S. aureus isolates and three (2%) non-S. aureus isolates. The microtube coagulase test detected 53, 90, and 98% of the S. aureus isolates after 2, 4, and 24 hr, respectively. In contrast, the conventional tube coagulase test detected 97% of the S. aureus isolates after 2 hr, and 98% after 4 and 24 hr. Two isolates of S. aureus gave negative tube coagulase reactions at 37 degrees C, but positive reactions at room temperature after 24 hr. The combination of tube and slide coagulase tests provided the most reliable results. The slide and tube coagulase tests gave more reliable results than the latex agglutination and microtube coagulase tests, respectively.
Renal effects of native parathyroid hormone and synthetic biologically active fragments in pseudohypoparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism.

To gain further insight into the biological significance of parathyroid hormone (PTH) metabolism, native parathyroid hormone and synthetic peptides, similar to PTH metabolites generated in vivo, have been given intravenously to human subjects. The resultant changes in renal excretion of adenosine 3′:5′ monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and inorganic phosphate have been measured in five pseudohypoparathyroid, four hypoparathyroid, and one pseudopseudohypoparathyroid patient. As anticipated, native PTH promptly increased urinary cyclic AMP and phosphate excretion in the hypoparathyroid and pseudo-pseudohypoparathyroid patients, and had little or no effect on their excretion in the pseudohypoparathyroid patients. Synthetic bovine parathyroid hormone 1–34 and synthetic human parathyroid hormone 1–34 had effects essentially identical to each other and to native PTH. We conclude that the PTH resistance of pseudohypoparathyroidism is probably not caused by a defect in PTH metabolism. We further conclude that synthetic ...
Song repertoires and density assessment in red-winged blackbirds: further tests of the Beau Geste hypothesis

The Beau Geste hypothesis proposes that song repertoires are advantageous in territory defense because nonterritorial males, who are prospecting for territories, use the number of song types they hear to assess the density of territorial males, and then avoid densely-settled areas. A territorial male can then inflate the apparent density of singers on his territory by singing several distinct song type. This hypothesis assumes (1) a positive correlation between the density of song types and the density of territorial males, and (2) a negative correlation between the rate of trespassing and the densities of both song types and territorial males. We studied the behavior of male red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and found support for the first, but not the second, assumption. Results showing a positive correlation between density of song types and density of territorial males show that the proposed method of density assessment is feasible in this species. However, we could find no support for the assumption that nonterritorial male red-winged blackbirds avoid densely settled areas. In contrast to the assumed negative correlation, rate of trespass per territory was not consistently correlated with male density, and trespass rate per unit area was positively correlated with male density. Further, these relationships were retained when we controlled statistically for the effects of territory quality. We conclude that prospecting male red-winged blackbirds to not attempt to avoid densely settled areas, and that, although they do avoid territories defended by many song types, they do not use song type density to assess the density of territorial males. It is thus unlikely that the Beau Geste hypothesis adequately accounts for the evolution of song repertoires in the red-winged blackbird.
Nal(TI) Total Absorption Detector for Electrons and γ-Rays at GeV Energies

A total absorption Nal(TI) detector can be used to define the energy of an incident electron, or γ-ray, to a precision of I to 2 per cent in the range of 4 to 14 GeV.
Induced phase modulation of a generated second-harmonic signal

The weak induced-phase-modulation effects on the shape and the phase of a generated second-harmonic signal, due to the primary signal, are investigated in the regime of weak conversion and with velocity dispersion and absorption present. In the time domain a two-peaks structure appears in the shape of the signal, and in the frequency domain the spectral distribution is broadened compared with that of the second-harmonic signal generated in the absence of induced phase modulation.
Tolerance Intervals for the Double Exponential Distribution

Abstract A procedure is developed for obtaining upper and lower γ probability tolerance intervals for a proportion, β, of a population represented by a two-parameter Laplace or double exponential distribution. Both parameters are assumed to be unknown. The intervals are exact and are obtained by conditioning on the observed values of ancillary statistics for the parameters.
Electron Irradiation Defects in n -type GaAs

The production and annealing of defects produced by 1-MeV electron irradiation of n-type GaAs were studied. Two of these defects lie at 0.15 and 0.31 eV from the conduction band, respectively; in addition, there is at least one acceptor much closer to the valence band. The carrier-removal rate depends upon sample purity but is independent of the irradiation flux. The removal rate is also highly dependent upon the position of the Fermi level, an effect which is considered in some detail. At about 200 /sup 0/C, the defects recover in two stages, with the respective recovery rates given by lambda/sub 1/ approx. = 3 x 10/sup 8/ exp(-1.2/kT) and lambda/sub 2/ approx. = 1 x 10/sup 12/ exp(-1.6/kT) where the energies are in eV; lambda/sub 2/ is somewhat dependent upon sample purity. In the highest-purity samples a reverse recovery phenomenon sometimes occurs, on about the same time scale as lambda/sub 1/. We present models for the production and recovery which are consistent with most of these results, as well as with other data found in the literature. It is suggested that the activation energies found in lambda/sub 1/ and lambda/sub 2/ may well be dissociation energies, rather than motional energies.more » Although the observed defects cannot be specifically identified, it appears that the level at 0.31 eV is a donor, and that at 0.15 eV is an accceptor; however, these conclusions are not firm.« less
Focusing of neutrinos by the sun's core

Abstract The sun's gravitational field should cause a parallel beam of neutrinos passing close to the center of the sun to come to a focus at a distance of approximately 5000 solar radii. Because of the combined effect of hyperbolic aberration and solar gravity mode oscillations, the resolution of this gravitational lens is about 0.001 seconds of arc, and the neutrino flux within several kilometers of the focal point is amplified by a factor on the order of a million. This factor is too small to permit the detection of any known extrasolar source with current technology.
The relationship of serotonin to depression in Parkinson's disease.

We have previously reported a correlation between depression in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and decreased concentrations of the cerebrospinal fluid content of the serotonin metabolite, 5-HIAA. To further examine this relationship, we repeated the study in a new cohort of patients while they remained on dopaminergic medications, conducted follow-up interviews and examinations in our original cohort, and conducted an open trial of the serotonin precursor, 5-hydroxytryptophan in a group of new patients with depression. We were again able to demonstrate a significant reduction in cerebrospinal 5-HIAA in depressed patients in comparison to controls and patients without depression. Demented patients with Parkinson's disease, particularly those with concurrent depression, had the lowest values of 5-HIAA. No new cases of depression occurred in our orignial cohort after 21/2 years of follow-up, and depression remitted following conventional or experimental treatment in four patients. Depression improved in six of the seven new patients following oral 5-hydroxytryptophan. Three of these patients allowed a repeat lumbar puncture, and the concentration of 5-HIAA increased following 5-hydroxytryptophan. These three studies support our hypothesis that depression in idiopathic Parkinson's disease is associated with a reduction in brain serotonin. However, it also suggests that other factors, biological or environmental, may be causal factors.
Inelastic exciton-exciton scattering in CdS at He temperatures

The cross-section for inelastic exciton–exciton scattering leading to an excited exciton and a polariton is calculated in the Born approximation. It turns out that the transitions to the excited p-states are most important. Furthermore, it is found that the transitions are mainly due to exchange effects. The results are compared with recent experiments. Der Wirkungsquerschnitt fur nichtelastische Exziton–Exziton-Streuprozesse, die zu einem angeregten Exziton und einem Polariton fuhren, wird in Bornscher Naherung be-rechnet. Es stellt sich heraus, das die Ubergange im wesentlichen durch Austauscheffekte verursacht werden. Die Ergebnisse werden mit neueren Experimenten verglichen.
Ultrasensitive detection of malondialdehyde with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a biomarker of lipid peroxidation that has been widely associated with food rancidity as well as many human diseases. Most current MDA detection methods involve MDA reaction with thiobarbituric acid (TBA), followed by UV–visible and/or fluorescence detection of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-separated TBA–MDA. Herein, we report the first proof-of-concept study of surface-enhanced Raman detection of a TBA–MDA adduct using silver nanoparticles as the SERS substrate and the 632.8 nm HeNe laser as a Raman excitation source. Current SERS detection limit of TBA–MDA is 0.45 nM, ~100 times higher than the 36 nM fluorescence sensitivity recently reported with the HPLC-purified TBA–MDA. Molecular specificity of the SERS technique was studied by comparing the SERS spectrum of TBA–MDA with those acquired with TBA adducts of other TBA-reactive compounds (TBARCs) that includes formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, butyraldehyde, trans-2-hexenal, and pyrimidine. Compared to TBA and TBA adducts with those TBARCs, the SERS activity of TBA–MDA adduct is significantly higher. The possibility of direct SERS detection of TBA–MDA in a reaction mixture (without HPLC separation) has also been investigated.
On the k-cut problem

Given a graph with nonnegative edge-weights, let f(k) be the value of an optimal solution of the k-cut problem. We study f as a function of k. Let g be the convex envelope of f. We give a polynomial algorithm to compute g. In particular, if f is convex, then it can be computed in polynomial time for all k. We show some experiments in computing g.
Potentiation by homocysteine of adenosine-stimulated elevation of cellular adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate

Abstract The novel ability of l -homocysteine (Hcy) to potentiate the cellular elevation of adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) caused by adenosine (Ado) is described. This effect of Hcy is highly selective in that it is not mimicked by l -cysteine, and Hcy does not potentiate the elevation of cellular cAMP caused by either 2-chloroadenosine or prostaglandin E1. Hcy also augments the Ado-stimulated increase in 2-fluoroadenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate in cells preloaded with nucleotides of 2-fluoroadenosine. Addition of Hcy to cells during their incubation with radioactive Ado results in a decrease in the cellular content of radioactive Ado and a concomitant buildup of S-adenosylhomocysteine. The enhancive effect of Hcy on the Ado-stimulated elevation of cAMP may be due to this associated reduction in the intracellular pool of Ado (due to condensation of Ado with Hcy via S-adenosylhomocysteinase) and to a resultant reduction in inhibition of adenylate cyclase by intracellular Ado, thereby allowing greater net stimulation of the cyclase by extracellular Ado.
Topic versus cohesion in the prediction of causal ordering in English conversation

We tested Schiffrin's (1985) hypothesis that the choice between “CAUSE so RESULT” sequences and “RESULT because CAUSE” sequences is primarily determined by topic continuity (topic being operationally defined as grammatical subject) against British conversational data from the London‐Lund Corpus of Spoken English printed in Svartvik and Quirk (1980). Our test produced results similar to those produced by Schiffrin's test of the hypothesis against her U.S. data. We hypothesized that noun phrase cohesion would be a better predictor of causal ordering than subject topicality and achieved a significantly better prediction rate (57.5% vs. 21.5% of 200 causal sequences). This study supports Schlobinski and Schutze‐Coburn's (1992) critique of the use of topic as a uniting and distorting metaphor for a number of different formal, semantic, and pragmatic patterns, such as grammatical relation, role, and cohesion. However, we also conclude, stopping short of metaphorizing cohesion as topic, that our study and Schiff...
Solvent extraction of oil from soybean flour I— extraction rate, a countercurrent extraction system, and oil quality

Measurements of rates of oil extraction from either fine flour or soybean flakes in a column showed that oil extraction from flour was dependent on the volume of solvent, but oil extraction from flakes depended on time of contact rather than volume of solvent. We interpreted the data to mean that oil was being washed out of the fine flour with little diffusion involved, whereas in flakes, the limit on rate was diffusion of the solvent into and out of the tissue.
Hypomethylation of an exon I estrogen receptor CpG island in spontaneous and carcinogen-induced mammary tumorigenesis in the rat

Abstract Loss of methylation at a CpG island in exon I of the rat ER gene was observed in 48% of the spontaneous mammary tumors in old female Wistar rats and 22% of the contralateral normal mammary tissues. The majority of the methylation losses were total. Similarly, 50% of 7,12-dimethylbenz[ a ]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors in young Sprague–Dawley rats exhibited a partial or total loss of methylation at this site, while all normal mammary tissues in young rats were fully methylated. Loss of ER methylation also increased with age in normal mammary tissues of tumor-free rats approaching 12.5% in middle-aged and 43% in old rats. In addition, 66% of mammary glands obtained from young rats that are subsequently at an increased risk to develop breast cancer due to manipulation of in utero dietary fat intake, exhibited methylation loss while no methylation changes were observed in rats at no increased risk for breast cancer. Therefore, the loss of ER methylation is more extensive in mammary glands of rats at high than low breast cancer risk, in old than young, and in mammary tumors than in normal tissues. The data suggest that hypomethylation of a growth-associated ER gene may be a common event in mammary tumorigenesis in the rat and may be of predictive value as a marker of increased breast cancer risk in aged individuals.
Comparative study of the power transferred from satellite-magnetosphere interactions to auroral emissions

Io's interaction with the Jovian magnetosphere generates a power of about 1012 W which propagates as Alfvn waves along the magnetic field lines and is partly transferred to electrons, resulting in intense auroral emissions. A recent study of the power transmission along the Io flux tube and of the electron acceleration at high latitudes showed that the power of the observed emissions is well explained by assuming filamentation of the Alfvn waves in the torus and the acceleration of the electrons at high latitude. At Jupiter, UV footprints related to Europa and Ganymede have also been observed. At Saturn recent observations revealed a weak UV footprint of Enceladus. We apply the Io interaction model to the Europa and Enceladus interactions. We show that the Alfvn wave filamentation leads to a precipitating electron power consistent with the power of the observed UV footprints.
Training social drinking as an alternative to abstinence for alcoholics

Thirteen hospitalized male alcoholics volunteered as subjects for a study to explore whether bar drinking habits typical of alcoholics (drinking straight liquor in large gulps and large amounts) could be changed to bar drinking habits typical of social drinkers (drinking mixed drinks in small sips and small amounts). During experimental drinking sessions in an especially equipped bar the subjects could avoid shock by drinking like a typical social drinker but received painful electric fingershock, 30% above or at individual pain threshold, whenever they behaved like alcoholics. The conditioning contingencies were explained to the subjects before the beginning of the experiment. Four of the subjects emitted the required behavioral repertoire in an exaggerated fashion from the first day of drinking: they never ordered more than three mixed drinks, and consumed these in exceedingly small sips (30 or more). The remaining nine subjects learned these behaviors over a period of 12–14 sessions. No attempt was made to establish the generalization of this newly acquired behavior after discharge from the hospital. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Theoretical investigation of the germanium arsenides

Abstract The ground state structures of the linear L–Ge–As and bent Ge–As–L systems (where L = H, Li, Na, BeH, MgH, BH 2 , AlH 2 , CH 3 , SiH 3 , NH 2 , PH 2 , OH, SH, F, Cl, and Br) have been investigated employing coupled cluster and density functional theory with the correlation consistent basis sets of double- through quadruple- ζ quality. The barriers to migration of the L group from the germanium terminus to the arsenic terminus have been determined by examining the transition state structure connecting the L–Ge–As and Ge–As–L minimum energy structures. Based on the computed transition states and classical barrier heights, new assignments in the relative stability of L–Ge–As compared with Ge–As–L, with respect to the L group, are proposed. The thermodynamic stability of these compounds is considered based on computed enthalpies of formation and enthalpies of isomerization. Relativistic effects are examined using two different approaches: the spin-free Cowan–Griffin and spin-free Douglas–Kroll–Hess Hamiltonians. Their impact on the atomization energies, enthalpies of formation, and enthalpies of isomerization upon germanium arsenide species is examined.
Development of a novel nanomaterial-based optical platform for a protease biosensor

We have been investigating a new nanomaterial-based optical platform for the immobilization of protease substrates for the development of a biosensor to detect medically relevant enzymes. Metallic nanoparticles have been deposited onto thin films and are being used for their optical properties. Two different peptide sequences have been designed as trypsin substrates that are designed to be immobilized onto the surface of the thin films. The peptides were synthesized with a fluorophore attached at the terminal end of the peptide to allow for fluorescence sensing. Fluorescent molecules in close proximity to metallic elements will have their fluorescence signal quenched due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects. When the peptide is cleaved by trypsin, the fluorophore is separated, resulting in a detectable change in fluorescence intensity. These novel nanomaterial-based optical platforms have been fabricated using physical vapor deposition. Innovative techniques have been invented using these machines to acquire nanoparticles in the range of a few nanometers on these thin films. It is known that nanoparticles with dimensions less than their bandwidth display optical properties much different from their bulk counterparts. We have immobilized the peptide substrates to the surface of the metallized thin films so they are in close proximity with each other. Polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS) was molded to create small wells and placed on the thin films. Fluorescent microscopy was used to image the wells as various concentrations of the enzyme were introduced resulting in a recovery of green fluorescence from the fluorophore on the cleaved portion of the peptide. Different size nanoparticles and different immobilization processes are being used to optimize the design of the protease biosensor.
Immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangement studies by Southern blot using DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue.

Background: In most clinical molecular diagnostics laboratories, Southern blots for gene rearrangement studies are not routinely performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. In this study, immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangements by Southern blot using DNA extracted from FFPE tissue samples were studied.