cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reliability of Generation Supply

A new method for estimation of the reliability of generation supply in a single compact system or in an interconnected system is described. Measures of reliability calculated using the new method are 1) capacity deficiency rate, 2) expected duration of capacity deficient period, and 3) "loss-of-load probability."
Kernel methods match Deep Neural Networks on TIMIT

Despite their theoretical appeal and grounding in tractable convex optimization techniques, kernel methods are often not the first choice for large-scale speech applications due to their significant memory requirements and computational expense. In recent years, randomized approximate feature maps have emerged as an elegant mechanism to scale-up kernel methods. Still, in practice, a large number of random features is required to obtain acceptable accuracy in predictive tasks. In this paper, we develop two algorithmic schemes to address this computational bottleneck in the context of kernel ridge regression. The first scheme is a specialized distributed block coordinate descent procedure that avoids the explicit materialization of the feature space data matrix, while the second scheme gains efficiency by combining multiple weak random feature models in an ensemble learning framework. We demonstrate that these schemes enable kernel methods to match the performance of state of the art Deep Neural Networks on TIMIT for speech recognition and classification tasks. In particular, we obtain the best classification error rates reported on TIMIT using kernel methods.
Postharvest quality of cut lily flowers

Abstract This paper reviews the literature on the postharvest quality of cut lily inflorescences and highlights the need for more information. The main symptoms that limit the length of vase life are abscission of floral buds, lack of flower opening, tepal wilting, and leaf yellowing. Floral bud abscission is regulated by ethylene and can be prevented by treatments with inhibitors of the ethylene receptor. Lack of bud opening is also mimicked by ethylene treatment. It is alleviated by treatment with sugars. These might reduce ethylene effects or act as a source of energy. Depending on the cultivar, tepal wilting is not or is only slightly affected by ethylene. The time to tepal wilting is positively correlated with the levels of endogenous sugars. Leaf yellowing is apparently not affected by ethylene, and is aggravated by the inclusion of sugars in the vase solution. A treatment with hormones, in particular GA 4+7 and benzyladenine, can prevent or alleviate the negative effects of sugars on leaf quality. A relatively short period of cold storage often drastically increases the number of floral buds that fail to open. Cold storage also hastens tepal wilting, induces or increases leaf yellowing, and promotes bud abscission. Several lily hybrids, therefore, seem chilling-sensitive. Some of the negative effects of cold storage can be alleviated by sugars, and others by GA 4+7 , with or without benzyladenine. The lack of ethylene sensitivity of tepal senescence, in several, but not all, cultivars, implies that pollination will also not affect senescence. It would be interesting to test this hypothesis in a few cultivars. It is also not clear if ethylene (or pollination) has an effect on tepal abscission in cut lilies. More data are also needed with regard to chilling injury. Pulsing with sugars might, for example, reduce the degree of injury.
A breast and cervical cancer project in a native Hawaiian community: Wai'anae cancer research project.

Background. This article describes a breast and cervical cancer control project in a Native Hawaiian community and presents preliminary findings from its first year, The project is community driven, with Native Hawaiian community investigators and advisors involved in all phases of the research project, Its purpose is to test the effectiveness of a culturally appropriate intervention as a means of increasing breast and cervical cancer screening practices among Native Hawaiian women. Methods. This article discusses the process of community participation in the development of a baseline survey as well as selected findings from that survey. A baseline telephone survey was conducted to obtain an initial assessment of community knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to cancer, Community representatives were an integral part of the research team that planned and implemented the survey. Results. A total of 1,260 women drawn equally from the study and the control communities participated in the survey. A majority of those surveyed in both communities indicated adherence to cancer screening recommendations. Seventy-three percent of the women reported having obtained a Pap test during the past 2 years. Fifty-nine percent of women over 40 years of age reported having had a mammogram during the past 2 years. Twenty-eight percent reported having used Hawaiian remedies within the past year. Thirty-six percent of the women reported encouraging others to obtain cancer screening services. Discussion. Though a majority of the target population are following cancer screening guidelines, a significant minority are not, While the project intervention aims to change the screening behavior of women not currently getting cancer screening, it plans to do so by enlisting the women already in compliance to reach others in their social networks who are currently not getting cancer screening. The involvement of community representatives, working alongside researchers, in baseline survey planning helped assure the survey was acceptable to the participants and the community as a whole, This process is illustrative of a participatory research commitment which underlies success in the early phase of this Native Hawaiian research project.
Photosynthetic regulatory protein found in animal and bacterial cells.

WE recently reported that two proteins, assimilation regulatory protein a (ARPa) and assimilation regulatory protein b (ARPb), are needed for the light-induced activation of certain enzymes of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation1,2. ARPa and ARPb link the strong reducing power of ferredoxin, reduced photochemically, to the control of key enzymes through a mechanism that, until now, was considered to be unique to chloroplasts3,4. In a search to determine the distribution of this type of control mechanism, we have observed that the more thoroughly characterised of these proteins, ARPb, occurs widely in living cells. The results provide evidence that protein modification reactions of the ferredoxin-linked type described for chloroplasts occur in non-photosynthetic as well as photosynthetic organisms.
Nonlinear autoregressive analysis of the 3/s ictal electroencephalogram: implications for underlying dynamics

In a previous study, nonlinear autoregressive (NLAR) models applied to ictal electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings in six patients revealed nonlinear signal interactions that correlated with seizure type and clinical diagnosis. Here we interpret these models from a theoretical viewpoint. Extended models with multiple nonlinear terms are employed to demonstrate the independence of nonlinear dynamical interactions identified in the `NLAR fingerprint' of patients with 3/s seizure discharges. Analysis of the role of periodicity in the EEG signal reveals that the fingerprints reflect the dynamics not only of the periodic discharge itself, but also of the fluctuations of each cycle about an average waveform. A stability analysis is used to make qualitative inferences concerning the network properties of the ictal generators. Finally, the NLAR fingerprint is analyzed in the context of Volterra-Weiner theory.
Characteristics of Male and Female Science Teachers.

The characteristics of 273 male science teachers were compared with 72 female science teachers randomly selected from a fourteen-state region in the USA. A multivariate analysis of variance found differences between the two groups significant at the p ⩽ 0.0005 level. Female teachers were higher on measures of interest in science and receptivity to change. Males scored higher on science knowledge indicators and on their perceptions of the teaching support they received. No differences were noted on measures of professional development or their perceptions of teaching effectiveness, curriculum, workload, or facilities. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of science career selection by women.
Loss of adhesion-regulated proteinase production is correlated with invasive activity in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity. However, the cellular and biochemical factors that underlie locoregional and distant spread of the disease are poorly understood. Invasion of OSCC requires multiple cellular events including dissolution of cell-cell junctions, basement membrane attachment, extracellular matrix proteolysis, and migration. METHODS We evaluated these properties in vitro using premalignant gingival keratinocytes (ppl26) and two OSCC lines (SCC15 and SCC68). Expression of adhesion molecules integrins and cadherins, cytoplasmic intermediate filaments (IF) vimentin and keratin as well as matrix degrading proteins were evaluated. Moreover, regulation of protease production by adhesion molecules was tested. RESULTS All cell lines contained comparable levels of the epithelial cell-cell adhesion molecule, E-cadherin. Differential expression of cytoplasmic IF was evident between premalignant pp126 cells and OSCC cell lines. Expression levels of the α3β1 integrin, utilized for attachment to laminin-5 and other matrix proteins, was high in SCC68 cells, moderate in SCC15 cells, and low in ppl26 cells. α3β1 integrin clustering up-regulates expression of urinary-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in ppl26 cells via a mechanism involving ERK activation. Both ppl26 and SCC15 cells were responsive to α3β1 clustering, resulting in enhanced uPA expression. However, basal uPA levels were high in SCC68 cells and integrin clustering did not further stimulate uPA production. ERK was constitutively activated in SCC68 cells and treatment of cells with an inhibitor of ERK activation (PD98059) reduced uPA expression. Consistent with the enhanced proteolytic potential, SCC68 cells readily penetrated Matrigel and invasion was blocked by an anticatalytic uPA antibody. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that loss of adhesion-regulated proteinase production may lead to elevated pericellular proteinase activity and coincident alterations in cytoskeletal IF protein expression, thereby contributing to the invasive potential of OSCC. Cancer 2002;95:2524–33. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10997
Risk and procedural rationality: a behavioral theory perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of perceived risk on the procedural rationality of the decision process rather than decision choices or outcomes. The moderating roles of attainment discrepancy and organizational slack are also explored.Design/methodology/approach – These relationships, motivated by behavioral theory, are tested using survey data of capital investment decisions in a sample of 128 public firms in the USA.Findings – The findings suggest an inverted‐U shaped relationship between perceived risk and procedural rationality. In addition, absorbed slack and attainment discrepancy played moderating roles on the perceived risk‐procedural rationality relationship.Research limitations/implications – This study has several implications for research. First, the influence of risk is extended beyond decision outcomes to include decision processes. Second, the core arguments of behavioral theory, including uncertainty avoidance and decision context, appear to hold for the decis...
Which Elasticity Tensors are Realizable

It is shown that any given positive definite fourth order tensor satisfying the usual symmetries of elasticity tensors can be realized as the effective elasticity tensor of a two-phase composite comprised of a sufficiently compliant isotropic phase and a sufficiently rigid isotropic phase configured in an suitable microstructure. The building blocks for constructing this composite are what we call extremal materials. These are composites of the two phases which are extremely stiff to a set of arbitrary given stresses and, at the same time, are extremely compliant to any orthogonal stress. An appropriately chosen subset of the extremal materials are layered together to form the composite with elasticity tensor matching the given tensor.
Building successfuli coalitions for promoting advance care planning

Advance care planning (ACP) has had few successful initiatives. This qualitative study explores the challenges and successes of an advance care planning coalition in Wisconsin called Life Planning 2000 using key informant interviews (n = 24) and grounded theory. Major themes included: commitment (the need for leadership, recruitment of key members, and funding); cohesiveness (disparate groups collaborating toward a common purpose), and outcomes (shift in paradigm from signing documents to process of advanced care planning, new-found collaborative relationships, and educational tool development). Coalitions need to define short-, intermediate-, and long-term goals that result in measurable outcomes and an evaluation process. Resources must be commensurate with goals. Strong leadership, paid staff adequate funding, and the collaboration of diverse groups working toward common goals are the basic requirements of a successful coalition.
Investigating the missing link in flexible work arrangement utilization: An individual difference perspective

The present study investigates the relationship between individual differences and flexible work arrangement use. Three need-based motivational factors (need for affiliation at work, need for segmentation of work from other life roles, need for occupational achievement) were examined in relation to extent of flextime and flexplace use. Additionally, the moderating roles of an organizational variable (face-time orientation) and family variable (family responsibility) were tested. Using a sample of university faculty, we found that need for segmentation negatively related to both flextime and flexplace use as predicted. Some evidence for the moderating role of family responsibility was also found. The findings underscore the importance of considering both the individual and the environment as drivers of flexible policy use. Further implications and future directions are discussed.
Induction of DNA-protein cross-linking in Chinese hamster cells by monochromatic 365 and 405 nm ultraviolet light.

— The survival, the induction of DNA-protein cross-linking, and the number of T4-endonuclease sensitive sites were measured in Chinese hamster cells that had been irradiated with 365 and 405 nm monochromatic light. The survival measurements show that cells are somewhat less sensitive to 405 nm light than to 365 nm light. The difference is expressed predominantly in the shoulder widths of the survival curves, whereas the slopes of the two curves are about the same. Induction of pyrimidine dimers, as indicated by the number of endonuclease-sensitive sites, after exposures that produce about 10% survival is very low at 365 nm (˜ 4 endonuclease sites per 2 × 108 daltons), while no dimers are detected at 405 nm. In contrast, DNA-protein cross-links are induced rather effectively at either wavelength even after exposures that result in a relatively high survival (60-20%). Our measurements support the conclusion that lethality in mammalian cells after irradiations with 365 or 405 nm light is caused by a nondimer damage, possibly DNA-protein cross-links.
Lattice modeling and calibration with turn-by-turn orbit data

A new method that explores turn-by-turn beam position monitor (BPM) data to calibrate lattice models of accelerators is proposed. The turn-by-turn phase space coordinates at one location of the ring are first established using data from two BPMs separated by a simple section with a known transfer matrix, such as a drift space. The phase space coordinates are then tracked with the model to predict positions at other BPMs, which can be compared to measurements. The model is adjusted to minimize the difference between the measured and predicted orbit data. BPM gains and rolls are included as fitting variables. This technique can be applied to either the entire or a section of the ring. We have tested the method experimentally on a part of the SPEAR3 ring.
Survival and hepatitis status among Asian Americans with hepatocellular carcinoma treated without liver transplantation

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are established causes of HCC. HCC patients are often diagnosed late and receive palliative therapies, however, the survival of Asian American patients with HCC treated without transplantation has not been well studied. We reviewed our institution's experience to determine predictors and rates of survival in Asian American HCC patients treated without transplantation. We identified Asian American patients with HCC referred to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Patients were tested for HBV and HCV. Survival curves were generated by Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to test the relationship between prognostic factors and survival. Of 82 Asian American HCC patients, most had advanced disease (65%) and received treatment (68%); however, only 11% had surgical resection. 94% had positive anti-HBc and 61% had positive HBsAg. 20% had positive anti-HCV. There were no significant changes in the rates of HBV and HCV over time. Male gender, high alpha-fetoprotein levels, and stage IV disease were associated with shorter survival Overall median survival was 9.2 months (95% CI 6.5–11.9), and the survival of HCV and HBV patients was not statistically different. The survival rate of Asian American patients with advanced HCC, for whom transplantation was not available, was low. Timely hepatitis screening and interventions by primary care physicians may be the most logical solution to reduce the burden of hepatitis-associated HCC among Asian Americans.
Interstellar photoelectric absorption cross-sections, 0.03-10 keV

An effective absorption cross section per hydrogen atom has been calculated as a function of energy in the 0.03-10 keV range using the most recent atomic cross section and cosmic abundance data. Coefficients of a piecewise polynomial fit to the numerical results are given to allow convenient application in automated calculations.
Social Experience and Egg Development in the Parthenogenic Gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris

The present study examined the influence of social experience on egg development in the parthenogenic gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris. 16 individuals were first housed in communal enclosures. After initial egg development half (N = 8) were removed and placed in isolated conditions. Once isolated individuals laid or miscarried/absorbed their eggs, half of them (N = 4) remained in isolation and the rest were returned to communal cages. Data of inter-individual distances and behavior were obtained systematically during the study. Dominant animals developed eggs more frequently than subordinate animals, and animals returned to communal cages after isolation developed eggs faster than those that remained in isolation. Pseudocopulations were not observed. The social environment of L. lugubris may be related to egg development in two ways: (1) Greater productivity by dominant individuals may increase not only their personal fitness but also the inclusive fitness of the subordinate individuals; and (2) The presence of other geckos may indicate an environment with the resources necessary to support reproduction and thus facilitate egg development.
Rest and exercise cardiovascular effects of terazosin in congestive heart failure.

Abstract This study investigated the acute effects of the α 1 antagonist terazosin on myocardial circulatory responses at rest and during exercise. Ten patients with congestive heart failure (class III and IV) underwent hemodynamic evaluation before and after a 5-mg oral dose of terazosin. At rest and during exercise, terazosin significantly decreased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, systemic vascular resistance and mean arterial pressure while cardiac index increased. Stroke volume index increased (p 1 blockade induces systemic vasodilation and improves myocardial circulatory parameters with-out inducing coronary dilation or altering metabolic autoregulation.
Enhanced HIV type 1 neutralization by human anti-glycoprotein 120 monoclonal antibodies in the presence of monoclonal antibodies to lymphocyte function-associated molecule 1.

Cellular adhesion receptor LFA-1 and its ICAM ligands are known to play a role in HIV infection. The presence of these molecules on virions and target cells promotes virus infectivity and has previ...
Discrete damage zone model for fracture initiation and propagation

Abstract We propose a discrete damage zone model (DDZM) aimed at simulating fracture initiation and propagation within the framework of the finite element method. In this approach, rather than employing specific cohesive laws, we employ damage laws to prescribe both interface spring softening and bulk material stiffness degradation to study crack propagation. For a homogeneous isotropic material the same damage law is assumed to hold in both the continuum and the interface elements. The irreversibility of damage naturally accounts for the reduction in material strength and stiffness if the material was previously loaded beyond the elastic limit. The model parameters for interface element are calculated from the principles of linear elastic fracture mechanics. The model is implemented in Abaqus and numerical results for single-mode as well as mixed-mode delamination are presented. The results are in good agreement with those obtained from the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) and available analytical solutions, thus, illustrating the validity of this approach. Finally, the suitability of the method for studying fracture in fiber–matrix composites involving fiber debonding and matrix cracking is demonstrated.
Environmental policy choice under uncertainty

The Markovian model provides an insightful structure for analyzing environmental policy decisions. This framework is applied to a variety of conceptual issues. The analysis of reswitching phenomena shows that when multiple risks are involved, there is unlikely to be an unambiguous ranking of policies according to their future-mindedness. The discussion of irreversibilities demonstrates that irreversibilities differ only in degree from other probabilistic structures; they create no special analytic complications. In the final section, the Markovian decision framework is extended to incorporate the impact of budgetary constraints on optimal decisions.
THE EARLIEST ATMOSPHERE OF THE EARTH

Walker, J.C.G., 1982. The earliest atmosphere of the Earth. Precambrian Res., 17: 147--171. This paper examines, from the point of view of atmospheric physics, the possibility that the initial complement of volatiles in the material that formed the Earth was very much larger than that remaining, The escape of large amounts of hydrogen into an interplanetary vacuum is possible only if the heat source in the upper levels of the atmosphere, provided by solar extreme ultraviolet and particle emissions, was much larger than it is today. Rapid escape of hydrogen would have swept heavy minor gases along with it. If the rate of escape declined due to a decreasing upper atmospheric energy source, minor gases would have been selectively retained by the Earth, beginning with the heaviest. Rotation would not have facilitated escape significantly because a rapidlyescaping atmosphere would have tended to conserve angular momentum. If Earth accreted in the presence of a gaseous nebula it would have acquired a dense, hot atmosphere of nebular composition. This primary atmosphere would probably have been convective and adiabatic at lower levels, with the upper atmosphere, approximately isothermal and devoid of turbulence. Planetary rotation would have imposed a global circulation on the upper atmosphere and overlying nebula with downwelling over the poles and upwelling over the equator. This circulation would have carried away into the nebula any gases released from the solid phase during the course of accretion. The primary atmosphere may not have dissipated completely after the disappearance of the nebula. Heavy gases particularly may have been retained by the Earth to contribute to the present volatile inventory.
Stability of Taylor-Couette Flow with Radial Heating

Beginning with Taylor’s [1] classical study of the motion of a viscous fluid in an annular gap driven by differential rotation of the coaxial cylinders, circular Couette flow has provided a rich testing ground for both linear and nonlinear stability theory. The present study employs linear stability theory to investigate the more complex problem of viscous fluid motion in a vertical annulus driven by the combined agencies of cylinder rotation and radial heating. With one exception, all previous infinite aspect ratio theoretical attacks on this problem have neglected the crucial role of gravity. These include studies by Yih [2], Becker and Kaye [3], Walowit, Tsao and DiPrima [4], Bahl [5], and Soundalgekar, Takhar, and Smith [6]. These analyses showed that isothermal Taylor cells are destabilized (stabilized) by positive (negative) radial heating gradients across the annular gap. Roesner [7] properly included the effect of gravity in the Boussinesq approximation but, like most his predecessors, considered only axisymmetric disturbances. Roesner’s results contrast those neglecting gravity: isothermal Talylor cells are stabilized by both positive and negative radial heating and the stability boundary is symmetric with respect to the sense of radial heating.
Some New Clathrate Hydrates

Abstract Seventeen new clathrate hydrates of hydrogen and/or fluorine containing molecules have been identified, mostly from the characteristic nuclear magnetic resonance line shapes observed when the hydrates are prepared from D2O.
The neuropsychology of 3-D space

The neuropsychological literature on 3-D spatial interactions is integrated using a model of 4 major behavioral realms: (a) peripersonal (visuomotor operations in near-body space), (b) focal extrapersonal (visual search and object recognition), (c) action extrapersonal (orienting in topographically defined space), and (d) ambient extrapersonal (orienting in earth-fixed space). Each is associated with a distinct cortical network: dorsolateral peripersonal, predominantly ventrolateral focal-extrapersonal, predominantly ventromedial action-extrapersonal, and predominantly dorsomedial ambient-extrapersonal systems. Interactions in 3-D space are also regulated neurochemically with dopaminergic and cholinergic excitation associated with extrapersonal activation and noradrenergic and serotonergic excitation associated with peripersonal activation. This model can help explain the 3-D imbalances in prominant neuropsychological disorders.
The Political Calculus of Capital: Banking and the Business Class in Prussia, 1848–1856

The emergence of commercial investment banks after the revolution of 1848 was an institutional breakthrough for modern capitalism and one of the central factors in the accelerated development of the Industrial Revolution in Germany between 1848 and 1871. The accumulation and mobilization of capital in concentrated and accessible forms was indispensable for underking such large-scale projects as railroads, coal mines, and iron works. Long-term promotional loans that enabled entrepreneurs to start up new business became a self-evident necessity in the growth of modern business. As one bank director noted, “capital, more than water, steam, or electricity, put the machines into motion.”
Malacofauna of late Quaternary deposits from Muselievo, northern Bulgaria

Assemblages of subfossil molluscs were found in Pleistocene and Holocene deposits in Muselievo (Northern Bulgaria). The fauna of the loess and loess-like loams included land snails typical of a relatively warm climate and dry, open habitats. Only the uppermost part of the profile contained an assemblage similar to those described from loess of Central Europe. The mollusc fauna of the Holocene deposits forming the terrace of the Osam River was distinctly richer. It reflects changes in sedimentary conditions and habitat types during the Subboreal and Subatlantic phases. The similarity of the assemblages from the two stratigraphical units suggests that climatic differences between particular warm and cold phases were much less pronounced in the Balkan Peninsula, compared to Central Europe.
Mismatch-Sensitive Hybridization Detection by Peptide Nucleic Acids Immobilized on a Quartz Crystal Microbalance

A quartz crystal microbalance DNA hybridization biosensor, based on thiol-derivatized peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes, offers unusual in situ differentiation of single-base mismatches. A large excess of a single-base mismatch oligonucleotide has no effect on the frequency response of the target. Such remarkable distinction between perfect matches and mismatches is illustrated by the detection of a common mutation in the p53 gene. The greater specificity of the new mass-sensitive indicatorless hybridization device over those of analogous PNA-based carbon electrodes is attributed to the formation of a PNA monolayer and the use of a hydrophilic ethylene glycol linker. The improved specificity is coupled to very fast (3−5 min) hybridization in a low-ionic-strength medium.
Comparison of flagging, walking, trapping, and collecting from hosts as sampling methods for northern deer ticks, Ixodes dammini, and lone-star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (Acari:Ixodidae).

Ticks were sampled by flagging, collecting from the investigator's clothing (walking samples), trapping with dry-ice bait, and collecting from mammal hosts on Fire Island, NY, U.S.A. The habitat distribution of adult deer ticks, Ixodes dammini, was the same in simultaneous collections from the investigator's clothing and from muslin flags. Walking and flagging samples can both be biased by differences between investigators, so the same person should do comparative samples whenever possible. Walking samples probably give a more accurate estimate than flagging samples of the human risk of encountering ticks. However, ticks (such as immature I. dammini) that seek hosts in leaf litter and ground-level vegetation are poorly sampled by walking collections. These ticks can be sampled by flagging at ground level. Dry-ice-baited tick-traps caught far more lone-star ticks, Amblyomma americanum, than deer ticks, even in areas where deer ticks predominated in flagging samples. In comparisons of tick mobility in the lab, nymphal A. americanum were more mobile than nymphal I. dammini in 84% of the trials. Therefore, the trapping bias may result from increased trap encounter due to more rapid movement by A. americanum, although greater attraction to carbon dioxide may also play a role. Tick traps are useful for intraspecific between-habitat comparisons. Early in their seasonal activity period, larval I. dammini were better represented in collections from mouse hosts than in flagging samples. Apparently, sampling from favored hosts can detect ticks at low population levels, but often cannot be used to get accurate estimates of pathogen prevalence in questing ticks.
Radiation trapping of the Hg 254 nm resonance line

The decay rate of Hg 6 3P1 atoms, due primarily to the escape of trapped 254 nm resonance radiation, was measured as a function of both Hg and Ar density in cylindrical, sealed fused silica cells. Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence at 254 nm was used to obtain the decay rates for Hg densities from 5 × 1013 to 7 × 1015 cm−3 (22–101°C cold spot temperatures) and Ar densities from 0 to 9.7 × 1017 cm−3 in a cell of inner radius 1.05 cm. These new experimental data are compared to Monte Carlo results from a highly realistic code for simulating radiation trapping. This code includes Voigt profiles from a combination of Doppler, resonance, buffer gas and radiative line broadening, as well as hyperfine and isotopic structure with proper collisional redistribution. Upper limits on the rate constants for the quenching of Hg 6 3 P1 atoms by collisions with ground level Ar and Hg atoms were derived. Additional Monte Carlo simulations covering cell radii from 0.1 to 3.0 cm were performed. A broadly applicable engineering formula is derived from this study, which predicts the Hg 6 3P1 decay rate from 254 nm resonance radiation trapping as a function of Hg and Ar densities and cell radius.
Hormone-Induced Repression of a Peroxidase Isozyme in Plant Tissue

Young stem sections of dwarf peas (Progress No. 9) grown in light contain at least seven peroxidase isozymes separable by electrophoresis on starch gel. An eighth isozyme appears as the tissue elongates and ages, on or off the plant. The appearance of this isozyme in excised sections is repressed by application of the plant growth hormone, indole-3-acetic acid.
Independent prognostic information provided by sphygmomanometrically determined pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Abstract OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of baseline pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure to mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. BACKGROUND Increased conduit vessel stiffness increases pulse pressure and pulsatile load, potentially contributing to adverse outcomes in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. METHODS Pulse and mean arterial pressure were analyzed for their effect on mortality, adjusting for other modifiers of risk, using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis of data collected from 6,781 patients randomized into the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction trials. RESULTS Pulse and mean arterial pressure were related positively to each other, age, ejection fraction and prevalence of diabetes and hypertension and inversely to prior myocardial infarction and beta-adrenergic blocking agent use. Higher pulse pressure was associated with increased prevalence of female gender, greater calcium channel blocking agent, digoxin and diuretic use, lower heart rate and a higher rate of reported smoking history. Higher mean arterial pressure was associated with higher heart rate, lower calcium channel blocker and digoxin use and lower New York Heart Association functional class. Over a 61-month follow-up 1,582 deaths (1,397 cardiovascular) occurred. In a multivariate analysis adjusting for the above covariates and treatment assignment, higher pulse pressure remained an independent predictor of total and cardiovascular mortality (total mortality relative risk, 1.05 per 10 mm Hg increment; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.10; p = 0.02). Mean arterial pressure was inversely related to total and cardiovascular mortality (total mortality relative risk, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.94; p CONCLUSIONS One noninvasive blood pressure measurement provides two independent prognostic factors for survival. Increased conduit vessel stiffness, as assessed by pulse pressure, may contribute to increased mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction, independent of mean arterial pressure.
Toward El Dorado for Cloud Computing: Lightweight VMs, Containers, Meta-Containers and Oracles

Cloud computing offers glimpses of the straight road toward hypothetical El Dorado for distributed and grid computing, but the state of the art is currently unclear and the road is anything but straight. The goal of this paper is to dive deep into technologies and techniques underpinning cloud computing and try to determine the viability of concepts like meta-containers, lightweight VMs, DIME network cognitive architecture, Straight Road, and Mesos DCOS. We also try to answer the question to which degree cloud computing requires meta-layers with power of Turing's Oracles.
Performance of an ecological treatment system at three strengths of dairy wastewater loading

Abstract Ecological treatment systems, which rely on renewable resources, have successfully treated municipal and industrial effluents with reduced costs compared to conventional methods, but their capacity to treat dairy wastewater is unknown. In order for ecological treatment systems to be practical for agriculture they must be able to treat a significant portion of a dairy's daily wastewater production. In this study, the impact of three strengths of dairy wastewater on effluent water quality was assessed. Three ratios of wastewater and city water—(1) one part wastewater:three parts city water, (2) one part wastewater:one part city water, and (3) two parts wastewater:one part city water—were each pumped into an ecological treatment system. Influent and effluent water samples were analyzed for PO 4 -P, TP, TN, NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N, total suspended solids (TSS), and carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD 5 ). Influent dairy wastewater volumetric loading rates were much greater than those of municipal wastewater. Regardless of influent wastewater strength, concentrations of all measured variables were significantly reduced between the influent and effluent of the ecological treatment system. At the lowest wastewater strength, PO 4 -P was reduced 39%, TN 83%, and NH 4 -N 89%, while at the highest wastewater strength, PO 4 -P was reduced 41%, TN 79%, and NH 4 -N 70%. Increased wastewater strength required greater aerobic treatment volume to reduce concentrations of NH 4 -N and CBOD 5 .
Efficient transmission of MPEG‐2 video bit streams over HIPERLAN/2

This paper studies the transmission of MPEG-2 video bit streams over HIPERLAN/2 based wireless local area networks (WLANs). HIPERLAN/2, a WLAN standard introduced by ETSI (the European Telecommunications Standards Institute), is well known for its ability to operate under different physical (PHY) modes (modulation schemes) and adaptively switch its modes within a single transmission session. Each physical mode has certain throughput and error resilience associated with it. The presence of multiple physical modes can be exploited to achieve Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees for application parameters such as throughput, bit error rate (BER), jitter etc. In this paper, we first study the relationship of different PHY modes with BER and throughput. Based on this study, different content based marking algorithms are presented and analyzed that partitions the input video bitstream into multiple segments, where each segment is deemed suitable for transmission over HIPERLAN/2 operating under a specific PHY mode. We show that for a given video bit stream, the use of multiple PHY modes chosen based on the characteristics of underlying video data yields superior throughput and better picture quality in terms of pixel signal to noise ratio (PSNR). From the power consumption point of view, the marking algorithms can achieve desired throughput or PSNR with lower signal to interference ratio (SIR) levels thus saving battery power and extending the overall battery life. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Capillary electrochromatography of Triton X-100

Nonionic surfactants such as Triton X-100 (TX-100) are comprised of a mixture of oligomers with a varying degree of length in the ethoxylate chain. The development of chromatographic methods for resolution of the various oligomers of TX-100 is of environmental importance, and can be useful for quality control and characterization in industrial manufacture. Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) is fast becoming a capable separation technique that combines the benefits of both high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE). This report presents a novel CEC method for separation of the various TX-100 oiigomers. A comparison of monomeric vs. polymeric stationary phases for separation of TX-100 was conducted. Since the oligomers of TX-100 were better resolved on a monomeric phase as compared to polymeric phase, a systematic mobile phase tuning was performed utilizing a monomeric CEC-C 1 8 -3 μm-100 A stationary phase. Various mobile phase parameters such as acetonitrile (ACN) content, Tris concentration, pH, voltage, and temperature were manipulated in order to achieve the optimum separation of oligomers in less than 30 min.
Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase in human erythroid cells: properties of the isozymes.

We have previously given evidence that the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT; EC 2.4.2.8) isozymes in human erythroid cells result from posttranslational modifications of a single gene product [Johnson, G. G., et al. (1982). Biochemistry 21:960]. In the present work we compare the properties of the unmodified and two major modified isozymes, which collectively account for 90% of the HGPRT enzyme activity in cell lysates. The modified isozymes differ from the parent molecule in the pH dependence of activity and in the relative utilization of the two purine base substrates, hypoxanthine and guanine. In contrast to the changes in the catalytic properties of the enzyme, the modifications have no detectable effects on the heat stability or on the equilibrium between enzyme dimers and enzyme tetramers.
Natural leukocyte interferon-α therapy in patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia who have antibody-mediated resistance to treatment with recombinant interferon-α

Two patients with chronic-phase chronic granulocytic leukemia initially responded to recombinant interferon alpha-2a (rIFN-alpha-2a) but relapsed as a result of development of hightiter neutralizing antibodies to rIFN-alpha-2a. Both patients were subsequently treated with natural leukocyte IFN-alpha (IFN-alpha-n3), and one of the two patients achieved a durable second hematologic and cytogenetic remission. IFN-alpha-n3 may be considered for patients in whom antibody-mediated resistance to rIFN-alpha-2a develops.
Spirituality in health-care reform.

Much of the discussion about health-care reform has focused on questions of political and economic policies. By contrast, this article contends that this dispute involves deeper questions of meaning regarding the kinds of values, including spiritual values, that we wish to be present in health care. Communities of religious believers have a civic duty of responsibility and a theological duty of stewardship for health-care institutions. Such communities bring to the health-care debate spiritual meaning embedded in themes of humility, justice, and mercy. These virtues provide a moral test of the soundness of reform proposals.
Function-­preserving filters for sampling in biological networks

Assays created to study systems of disease and aging can offer a whole new set of therapeutic targets. However, with experiments of this immense volume, data becomes unmanageable for many traditional analyses. Enter the biological network, a tool for modeling relationships among high-throughput data that is quickly rising in popularity. Small networks (in the order of hundreds to few thousands of nodes) use relationships between network structure to infer biological function; this relationship has been confirmed and used in many studies to advance the study of model organisms. Networks built for assessing entire genomes, or entire protein repertoires, however, tend to be very large and complex, having tens of thousands of nodes and in some cases upwards of millions of edges. Thus, network sampling techniques take an appropriate step to reduce complexity while modeling data. Here we present a new type of network sampling applied to biological correlations network, the spanning tree, designed to identify critical hub nodes in the model. We compare this filter to others previously used to identify structures in complex networks, chordal-based filters. The results of this work highlight the applicability for multiple filters based upon the graphic structure and biological result desired.
Pioglitazone, Vitamin E, or Placebo for Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Background Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is a common liver disease that can progress to cirrho­ sis. Currently, there is no established treatment for this disease. Methods We randomly assigned 247 adults with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and without dia­ betes to receive pioglitazone at a dose of 30 mg daily (80 subjects), vitamin E at a dose of 800 IU daily (84 subjects), or placebo (83 subjects), for 96 weeks. The pri­ mary outcome was an improvement in histologic features of nonalcoholic steato­ hepatitis, as assessed with the use of a composite of standardized scores for steato­ sis, lobular inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning, and fibrosis. Given the two planned primary comparisons, P values of less than 0.025 were considered to indi­ cate statistical significance. Results Vitamin E therapy, as compared with placebo, was associated with a significantly higher rate of improvement in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (43% vs. 19%, P = 0. 001), but the difference in the rate of improvement with pioglitazone as compared with placebo was not significant (34% and 19%, respectively; P = 0. 04). Serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferase levels were reduced with vitamin E and with pio­ glitazone, as compared with placebo (P<0.001 for both comparisons), and both agents were associated with reductions in hepatic steatosis (P = 0. 005 for vitamin E and P<0.001 for pioglitazone) and lobular inflammation (P = 0. 02 for vitamin E and P = 0. 004 for pioglitazone) but not with improvement in fibrosis scores (P = 0. 24 for vitamin E and P = 0. 12 for pioglitazone). Subjects who received pioglitazone gained more weight than did those who received vitamin E or placebo; the rates of other side effects were similar among the three groups. Conclusions Vitamin E was superior to placebo for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in adults without diabetes. There was no benefit of pioglitazone over placebo for the primary outcome; however, significant benefits of pioglitazone were observed for some of the secondary outcomes. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT000 63622.)
RP‐HPTLC Application in the Investigation of Solubility in Water of Long‐Chain Fatty Acids

Abstract Acids, from octanoic to octadecanoic, have been separated using RP‐HPTLC, on RP‐18 plates without and with a concentrating zone, using methanol‐water and ethanol‐water (90∶10 and 95∶5, v/v) as mobile phases. RF values obtained have been converted to RM values. RM values have been used to calculate the solubilities in water of fatty acids investigated at different temperatures. Relationships between solubility in water of fatty acids at different temperatures and RM values obtained using RP‐HPTLC have been described by polynomials of third degree or expotential functions. All described relationships have been characterized by high values of determination coefficients, which were in the range of 96.65÷99.97%. This suggests the possibility of using them to calculate and predict the values of solubilities in water of acids investigated.
Formation and Properties of Hydroxyapatite–Calcium Poly(vinyl phosphonate) Composites

Ceramic–polymer composites composed of hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, HAp) and calcium poly(vinyl phosphonate) salt were prepared by warm-pressing powder mixtures of tetracalcium phosphate (Ca4(PO4)2O, TetCP) and poly(vinyl phosphonic acid) (PVPA) at a weight ratio of 3.5:1. The effects of temperature (to 300°C), pressure (to 690 kpsi), or compaction time (to 1 h) on the extent of conversion were studied using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy. The conversion of TetCP to HAp and formation of the calcium poly(vinyl phosphonate) salt was enhanced at higher temperature, pressure, and/or longer compaction time. Mechanical property determinations showed both the tensile strengths and elastic moduli continuously increase with increasing temperature, pressure, and compaction time. However, the glass transition temperature values of the composites were only minimally higher than that of the unreacted polymer.