cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inelastic light scattering from liquid and amorphous selenium

Abstract Raman scattering measurements are reported for supercooled liquid Se at 180 C and compared with amorphous Se spectra at 25 C. The liquid spectra indicate an appreciable broadening of the high frequency optic-like band upon melting with little change in peak frequency. The phonon gap of a-Se is narrowed in l-Se with evolution toward a pseudogap with increasing temperature. Observation of a weak polarized low frequency mode near that of a-Se suggests the direct observation of rings in the liquid. The weak intensity of this mode suggests the dominant scattering by chain configurations in the Raman spectra of a-Se and l-Se.
Calorimetric studies of the structural transitions of the human erythrocyte membrane. Studies of the B and C transitions

Abstract Differential scanning calorimetry has been used to study several structural transitions of the human erythrocyte membrane. Earlier studies have shown that one of these transitions (the A transition) is due to the thermal unfolding of spectrin on the membrane. In this paper, it is shown that two of the other transitions (B and C) exhibit a high sensitivity to a local anesthetic, benzyl alcohol. Increasing the ionic strength of the suspending medium results in a splitting of the B transition into two independent transitions (B1 and B2). It is found that one of these (B2) is associated with titrating groups, since the midpoint for the transitions shifts by about 20°C, with an apparent p K near 7.5. Extensive bilateral proteolysis by papain causes a drastic decrease in the size of all transitions except the C transition, which remains unaltered. On the other hand, treatment with phospholipase A2 largely affects the C transition, causing its disappearance. Because of the lack of sensitivity to proteolysis and the high sensitivity to phospholipase, it appears that the C transition has a large extent of ‘lipid involvement’. It might result from the melting of a small fraction of phospholipid which exists in a crystalline state under physiological conditions. Alternatively, the C transition could arise from changes in protein-lipid interactions or from lipid-dependent changes in protein-protein interactions, providing one assumes that only protease-resistant portions of membrane proteins are participating.
Lymphokine receptor-directed therapy: a model for immune intervention in leukemia, autoimmunity, and immunodeficiency.

Activation of resting T cells induces the synthesis of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and expression of its high-affinity receptor that involves both a 55-kDa IL-2 binding peptide identified by the anti-Tac monoclonal antibody and a 75-kDa IL-2 binding peptide associated in a receptor complex. The IL-2 receptor is proving to be an extraordinarily important therapeutic target since it is expressed by the abnormal T cells in patients with certain lymphoid malignancies or autoimmune disorders and in individuals rejecting allografts whereas it is not expressed by normal resting cells. IL-2 receptor directed monoclonal antibodies, genetically engineered humanized antibodies, and antibodies armed with toxins or radionuclides represent novel therapeutic agents for these clinical conditions
The Shiva Laser: Nearing Completion

AbstractConstruction of the Shiva laser system is nearing completion. This laser will be operating in fall 1977and will produce over 20 terawatts of focusable power in a subnanosecond pulse. Fusion experiments will beginearly in 1978. It is anticipated that thermonuclear energy release equal to one percent that of the incidentlight energy will be achieved with sub -millimeter deuterium- tritium targets. From other experiments densitiesin excess of a thousand times that of liquid are also expected.IntroductionThe twenty -arm Nd:glass Shiva laser currently under development at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory(1,2,3,4)is designed to explore advanced concepts in inertial confinement fusion. This laser is part of the $25M Con-gressionally funded High Energy Laser Facility at Livermore. This facility also includes a building which hasbeen specifically designed to provide stringent environmental control of the laser and target chamber bays aswell as space for energy storage, laser assembly and repair and support laboratories.
Characterization of Mycoplasma Aerosols as to Viability, Particle Size, and Lethality of Ultraviolet Irradiation

Kundsin, Ruth B. (Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.). Characterization of Mycoplasma aerosols as to viability, particle size, and lethality of ultraviolet irradiation. J. Bacteriol. 91:942-944. 1966.-Viable aerosols of four strains of Mycoplasma: M. hominis II, M. pharyngis, M. pneumoniae, and an undetermined strain recovered from a lung at autopsy were dispersed, and the particle size was determined. The median diameter of the droplet nuclei ranged from 1.5 to 3.1 mu. M. pharyngis had a dieaway constant k of 0.008, indicating a survival potential of 6 hr from 10,000 colony-forming units at 23% relative humidity. Ultraviolet irradiation destroyed over 99% of the aerosols of all four strains concurrently with spraying. The particle size and viability of the droplet nuclei carrying Mycoplasma were consistent with the theory of airborne transmission of lower respiratory-tract infection.
Receiver Design for Single-Carrier Block Transmission Over Doubly Selective Channels

Single-carrier block transmission is an alternative scheme to orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) for wireless broadband communications. In this paper, a receiver is designed for single-carrier block transmission with cyclic prefix for mobile broadband communications. As the wireless transmission is over doubly selective channels, a basis expansion model is used to capture both the time- and frequency-selectivity of the channel and is parameterized for the receiver design. The receiver estimates the channel model coefficients in the time domain and uses these coefficients for equalization in the frequency domain. The channel estimation is assisted by time-domain pilot insertion. The structure of the frequency-domain channel matrix is exploited and a linear minimum mean-square error equalizer is used for the equalization. When the basis expansion model well matches the physical channel, simulation results show superior receiving performance of the proposed system compared with the OFDM system with a similar complexity.
Gas permeability of poly(4-methylpentene-1) in a confined nanolayered film system

In this study, multilayer films of sPS–PPS (syndiotactic Polystyrene and Polyphenylene sulfide blend) against P4MP1 [Poly(4-Methylpentene-1)] with various compositions and layer thicknesses were prepared by a layer multiplying coextrusion process. Incorporating the PPS into sPS layers before coextrusion produced pores in the sPS layers upon a post-extrusion, uniaxial orientation. Confined crystallization of P4MP1 by sPS–PPS was examined before and after the uniaxial orientation. A melt and recrystallization method was employed to achieve the preferred in-plane orientation of P4MP1 crystals. This was characterized by the atomic force microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy. We found that with P4MP1 layer thickness smaller than 400 nm, a confinement effect will induce in-plane P4MP1 crystal orientation where the crystal c-axis is perpendicular to the film. This arrangement of crystals reduced oxygen's tortuosity through the multilayer films. This conclusion was verified by increased oxygen permeability of the stretched–recrystallized multilayer films.
The Changing Face of Natural Resources Students, Education, and the Profession

There are many challenges facing natural resources programs in North American higher education today. Pressures exerted by a new generation of students, changing workplace requirements (including undergraduate core-knowledge requirements), and an increasingly specialized professoriate are great but not insurmountable. We discuss each of these issues and pose potential solutions to address each including adopting new pedagogical techniques for content delivery (e.g., adapting courses to be inclusive of new technologies), revising curriculum to meet the needs of a new suite of learners (e.g., developing curricula that allow structured flexibility of choices, designing a core curriculum that is a mix of single-discipline courses and courses that integrate across disciplines), and new strategies for faculty engagement in discipline-specific survey courses. By remaining deliberate and effective in our pursuit of quality higher education we have the opportunity to ensure we are delivering the best possible education to the future professionals of our disciplines.
Skin wounds in the MRL/MPJ mouse heal with scar

Adult MRL/MpJ mice regenerate cartilage during repair of through-and-through ear punch wounds. However, the ability of this mouse strain to heal isolated cutaneous wounds by regeneration or with scar is unknown. The purpose of this study was to characterize the rate of reepithelialization and collagen architecture in dermal wounds from MRL/MpJ mice compared with C57bl/6 and Balb/c strains. Full-thickness incisional (5 mm) and excisional (2 mm diameter) skin wounds were made on the dorsum of 7-week-old MRL/MpJ, C57bl/6, and Balb/c mice. Ear punch wounds were made simultaneously on each animal. Reepithelialization was complete by 48 hours for incisional skin wounds in each strain. All excisional wounds showed incomplete reepithelialization at 24, 48, and 72 hours. At 14 days, all skin wounds had grossly healed. In contrast to the ear wounds made in C57bl/6 and Balb/c mice, MRL/MpJ ear wounds were completely healed by day 28. Dorsal skin wound sections at 14 and 28 days revealed dense collagen deposition and similar degrees of fibrosis between the three strains of mice. In conclusion, in contrast to wound healing in the ear, MRL/MpJ mouse dorsal cutaneous wounds heal similarly to C57bl/6 and Balb/c mice with dermal collagen deposition and scar formation.
A novel role for protein kinase Cδ-mediated phosphorylation of acid sphingomyelinase in UV light-induced mitochondrial injury

Multiple studies have addressed the mechanisms by which ultraviolet (UV) light induces cell death, and a few have focused on stress mediators such as acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) or protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ). Based on a recent study that identified a novel mechanism of activation of ASMase through phosphorylation (1)⤻ , the current study was undertaken to determine the upstream mechanisms regulating ASMase in response to UV and to investigate the role of ASMase and its phosphorylation at S508 as an integral event during UV light-induced cell death. Exposure of MCF-7 breast cancer cells to UV light type C (UVC) transiently activated ASMase with maximal activity detected at 10 min postirradiation. A significant increase in C16-ceramide was detected concomitant with a decrease in C16-sphingomyelin. In marked contrast, cells overexpressing the ASMaseS508A mutant, which could not be phosphorylated, had no change in either ASMase activity or ceramide levels post-UV radiation. Loss of PKCδ by RNA interference o...
Frequency and Duty Cycle Dependence on the Pulsed Bias‐Enhanced Nucleation of Highly Oriented Diamond on (100) Silicon

Pulsed bias-enhanced nucleation of highly oriented diamond on (100) silicon is reported. A square waveform substrate bias was implemented in this investigation employing a pulse ON bias voltage of -250 V and a pulse OFF bias voltage of 0 V. An evaluation of the pulse ON fractions of 0.17 and 0.50 revealed a duty cycle dependence on the bias time required for forming a diamond film as well as the highly oriented diamond percentage. Oriented crystallite percentages of nearly 50% and 20% were observed for the 0.17 and 0.50 pulse ON fractions, respectively. Pulse biasing from 10 to 100 Hz (again implementing a square waveform bias and a pulse ON fraction of 0.17) did not influence the process of forming the epitaxial diamond. Throughout this frequency range the onset of diamond film formation was approximately 60 min and a nominal highly oriented diamond percentage of 50% was observed.
Separation of brain-damaged from schizophrenic patients by Reitan-Halstead pattern analysis: an unsuccessful replication.

Sumniary.-An attempt was made to cross-validate diagnostic patterns DeWolfe, et al. have suggested may be useful in the separation of brain-damaged from schizophrenic Ss by use of the Halstead tests. The attempt failed. The ramifications of the inconsistent and generally negative results of this project and the DeWolfe, et aI. study are discussed. In a validation attempt Watson, Thomas, Andersen and Felling (1968) compared the Halstead Organic Test Battery raw scores of brain-damaged and schizophrenic patients in a neuropsychiatric hospital. They found only a chance number of Diagnosis and Diagnosis X Chronicity effects they used to evaluate their data to be statistically significant. Moreover, they recruited eight highly experienced Reitan-trained judges to separate protocols into organic and schizophrenic groups; the mean percentage of protocols correctly identified by the judges barely exceeded chance. Because of these unpromising results and the base-rate problem imposed by the high ratio of schizophrenics to organics in such institutions, they concluded that the use of Halstead scores as brain-damage indicators in psychiatric hospitals is a questionable procedure. DeWolfe, Barrell, Becker, and Spaner (1971) have studied the etiology of schizophrenia by comparing the intellectual deficits of organics and schizophrenics on the Halstead tests. They claimed that more encouraging results may be obtained from a pattern analysis approach to the tests. They converted their Ss' raw scores to scale scores using the "control group" normative data furnished by Reitar~.~ These scale scores were evaluated with a Type 111 (Lindquist, 1953) analysis of variance utilizing two between-subject dimensions (diagnosis and age) and one within-subject variable (subtest score). Their results showed a nonsignificant Subtests X Diagnosis effect, but a suggestive (p < .lo) Subtests X Diagnosis X Age effect. Although using only the .10 significance level, rhey concluded that "there are differing patterns of deficit for the schizophrenic and brain-damaged groups that change with age." Then each S's mean scale score over the entire battery was subtracted from his individual subtest scale scores to yield separate "Deficit Pattern Scores" (DPS) for 'The author is indebted to Douglas Anderson and Raymond 0. Collier for statistical analyses, and to Helen Buerkle, Teresa Kucala, Bea Vogt, Kate Tidd, and Gerald Lederer for technical and clerical support. aReprint requests should be sent to Charles G. Warson, Veterans Administration Hospital, St. Cloud. Minnesota 56301. 'Reitan, R. M. The effects of brain lesions on adaptive abilities in human beings. (Mimeograph, 1959)
Twisted octonions and their symmetry groups

Abstract An algebra closely related to the octonions but with a distinguished triad is described and shown to be the only algebra (other than the octonions) composed of seven overlapping quaternionic subalgebras. The symmetry group preserving the multiplication is shown to be an SU (2) × SU (2) subgroup of the G2 symmetry group of the ordinary octonions, with vector-like transformation of the imaginary units of the distinguished triad and spinor-like transformations of the remaining four imaginaries.
THE MANAGEMENT OF SHOCK IN CARDIAC SURGERY.

Abstract The problem of shock in the patient undergoing cardiac surgery is indeed complex and requires careful analysis in each case to determine the true cause. Some of the factors leading to shock have been described, and their treatment and prevention outlined. Basically the difficulty may lie either with the heart itself which is failing to work as an effective pump, or it may lie in an inadequacy of the blood volume to fill the circulatory system. Factors acting secondarily include (1) anesthetic and other drugs which may cause peripheral dilatation or deterioration of the strength of myocardial contraction; (2) the effect of the intracardiac surgery itself; and (3) the effects of anoxia or acidosis. A poor understanding of the factors underlying cardiac shock may result in the misuse of antiarrhythmic drugs or vasopressor substances leading to future deterioration of the patient's condition. Proper insight into the complex physiology of myocardial failure, circulatory bypass and hypothermia results in effective treatment, and happily in many cases, prevention .
Interacting effects of insects and flooding on wood decomposition.

Saproxylic arthropods are thought to play an important role in wood decomposition but very few efforts have been made to quantify their contributions to the process and the factors controlling their activities are not well understood. In the current study, mesh exclusion bags were used to quantify how arthropods affect loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) decomposition rates in both seasonally flooded and unflooded forests over a 31-month period in the southeastern United States. Wood specific gravity (based on initial wood volume) was significantly lower in bolts placed in unflooded forests and for those unprotected from insects. Approximately 20.5% and 13.7% of specific gravity loss after 31 months was attributable to insect activity in flooded and unflooded forests, respectively. Importantly, minimal between-treatment differences in water content and the results from a novel test carried out separately suggest the mesh bags had no significant impact on wood mass loss beyond the exclusion of insects. Subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae: Reticulitermes spp.) were 5–6 times more active below-ground in unflooded forests compared to flooded forests based on wooden monitoring stakes. They were also slightly more active above-ground in unflooded forests but these differences were not statistically significant. Similarly, seasonal flooding had no detectable effect on above-ground beetle (Coleoptera) richness or abundance. Although seasonal flooding strongly reduced Reticulitermes activity below-ground, it can be concluded from an insignificant interaction between forest type and exclusion treatment that reduced above-ground decomposition rates in seasonally flooded forests were due largely to suppressed microbial activity at those locations. The findings from this study indicate that southeastern U.S. arthropod communities accelerate above-ground wood decomposition significantly and to a similar extent in both flooded and unflooded forests. Seasonal flooding has the potential to substantially reduce the contributions of these organisms to wood decomposition below-ground, however.
Uruguayan communism: The dilemmas of tactics and strategy

(1985). Uruguayan communism: The dilemmas of tactics and strategy. Journal of Communist Studies: Vol. 1, Military Marxist Regimes in Africa, pp. 174-178.
Predicting delta avulsions: Implications for coastal wetland restoration

River deltas create new wetlands through a continuous cycle of delta lobe extension, avulsion, and abandonment, but the mechanics and timing of this cycle are poorly understood. Here we use physical experiments to quantitatively define one type of cycle for river-dominated deltas. The cycle begins as a distributary channel and its river mouth bar prograde basinward. Eventually the mouth bar reaches a critical size and stops prograding. The stagnated mouth bar triggers a wave of bed aggradation that moves upstream and increases overbank flows and bed shear stresses on the levees. An avulsion occurs as a time-dependent failure of the levee, where the largest average bed shear stress has been applied for the longest time (R 2 = 0.93). These results provide a guide for predicting the growth of intradelta lobes, which can be used to engineer the creation of new wetlands within the delta channel network and improve stratigraphic models of deltas.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation and plant regeneration from a complex tetraploid hybrid citrus rootstock

Abstract Agrobacterium -mediated genetic transformation of a tetraploid “tetrazyg” citrus rootstock selection ‘Orange #16’ [Nova mandarin ( Citrus reticulata Blanco) + Hirado Buntan pummelo ( Citrus grandis L. Osbeck)] × [Cleopatra mandarin ( C. reticulata Blanco) + Argentine trifoliate orange ( Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.)] was performed. Juvenile epicotyl segments were transformed with a construct containing a bifunctional egfp – npt II fusion gene under the control of an enhanced double CaMV 35S promoter. Our protocol resulted in a reasonable transformation efficiency of 18%. Stable integration of the transgene was confirmed by visual observation of EGFP expression, PCR and Southern blot hybridization. The purpose of this work was to investigate the amenability of novel citrus rootstock germplasm being developed for improved tree size control, soil adaptation, and disease resistance, to existing transformation technologies. Seed trees of such transgenic tetraploids also have potential as trap plants containing potent insecticidal transgenes, due to their inedible fruit and inherent crossing barriers with conventional commercial diploid scion cultivars, and could be planted around producing citrus groves.
Effects of sublethal oil concentrations on the copepod, Nitocra affinis

The water soluble fraction from 200 μl Louisiana crude oil per liter of filtered sea water and of the one-half and three-quarter dilutions of the oiled water with filtered sea water caused a reduction in brood size of the harpacticoid copepod, Nitocra affinis. The mean (±standard error) brood size of the control was 14.41±1.09 while those of the animals exposed to the undiluted, one-half, and three-quarter dilutions were 8.37±1.78, 8.44±1.25, and 8.35±1.63, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences among the mean lengths of life spans or among the mean frequencies of broods produced.
Sudden onset of headache and recent breathlessness

A 70 year old man presented with a 30 minute history of throbbing left sided headache that woke him from sleep. He had no history of headache or recent head injury. He also described a four day history of breathlessness when climbing one flight of stairs. He was taking tablets for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and congestive cardiac failure. He did not smoke and drank seven units of alcohol a week. The patient was alert and oriented, with a heart rate of 100 beats/minute and a blood pressure of 150/90 mm Hg. Respiratory rate was 16 breaths per minute, oxygen saturation was 98% on air, and his lungs were clear to auscultation. An early diastolic murmur was heard at the base of the heart. He had no temporal artery tenderness or neck stiffness. Haemoglobin was 13.2 g/l; white blood cell count was 7×109 cells/l; urea and electrolytes, liver function, and renal function were normal; and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 30 mm/hour (normal <20 mm/hour in men over 50). Electrocardiography showed sinus tachycardia. The results of chest radiography and computed tomography of the brain were normal. He reported increasing headache with radiation down the cervical spine. At this time, blood pressure was 173/88 mm Hg in the right arm and 140/62 mm Hg in the left arm. ### Short answers
Spatial motion constraints: theory and demonstrations for robot guidance using virtual fixtures

In this article, we describe and demonstrate control algorithms for general motion constraints. These constraints are designed to enhance the accuracy and speed of a user manipulating in an environment with the assistance of a cooperative or telerobotic system. Our method uses a basis of preferred directions, created off-line or in real-time using sensor data, to generate virtual fixtures that may constrain the user to a curve, surface, orientation, etc. in space. Open loop virtual fixtures seek only to maintain user motion along preferred directions, whereas closed loop fixtures additionally guide the user toward a point, line, or surface. This article demonstrates and compares the effects of open and closed loop fixtures in both autonomous and human-machine cases.
Extraction and restoration of hippocampal spatial memories with non-linear dynamical modeling

To build a cognitive prosthesis that can replace the memory function of the hippocampus, it is essential to model the input-output function of the damaged hippocampal region, so the prosthetic device can stimulate the downstream hippocampal region, e.g., CA1, with the output signal, e.g., CA1 spike trains, predicted from the ongoing input signal, e.g., CA3 spike trains, and the identified input-output function, e.g., CA3-CA1 model. In order for the downstream region to form appropriate long-term memories based on the restored output signal, furthermore, the output signal should contain sufficient information about the memories that the animal has formed. In this study, we verify this premise by applying regression and classification modelings of the spatio-temporal patterns of spike trains to the hippocampal CA3 and CA1 data recorded from rats performing a memory-dependent delayed non-match-to-sample (DNMS) task. The regression model is essentially the multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) non-linear dynamical model of spike train transformation. It predicts the output spike trains based on the input spike trains and thus restores the output signal. In addition, the classification model interprets the signal by relating the spatio-temporal patterns to the memory events. We have found that: (1) both hippocampal CA3 and CA1 spike trains contain sufficient information for predicting the locations of the sample responses (i.e., left and right memories) during the DNMS task; and more importantly (2) the CA1 spike trains predicted from the CA3 spike trains by the MIMO model also are sufficient for predicting the locations on a single-trial basis. These results show quantitatively that, with a moderate number of unitary recordings from the hippocampus, the MIMO non-linear dynamical model is able to extract and restore spatial memory information for the formation of long-term memories and thus can serve as the computational basis of the hippocampal memory prosthesis.
Assessing the Comprehension of UML Class Diagrams via Eye Tracking

Eye-tracking equipment is used to assess how well a subject comprehends UML class diagrams. The results of a study are presented in which eye movements are captured in a non-obtrusive manner as users performed various comprehension tasks on UML class diagrams. The goal of the study is to identify specific characteristics of UML class diagrams, such as layout, color, and stereotype usage that are most effective for supporting a given task. Results indicate subjects have a variation in the eye movements (i.e., how the subjects navigate the diagram) depending on their UML expertise and software-design ability to solve the given task. Layouts with additional semantic information about the design were found to be most effective and the use of class stereotypes seems to play a substantial role in comprehension of these diagrams.
Vitamin E and the Y4 agonist BA-129 decrease prostate cancer growth and production of vascular endothelial growth factor

Background. A biologically active form of vitamin E, α-tocopherol succinate (ATS), has been shown to induce apoptosis of hormone-refractory prostate cancer in vitro and inhibit cell growth in vivo. The gastrointestinal hormone peptide YY (PYY) has growth inhibitory activity against multiple cancer cell lines and is synergistic with ATS against breast and pancreatic cancer growth. BA-129, a specific Y4 receptor agonist, has growth inhibitory effects on pancreatic cancer in vitro. We investigated the effects of BA-129 and ATS on prostate cancer growth and evaluated their effects on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production. Methods. A hormone-refractory human prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, was treated with ATS alone at 10 pg/ml, PYY or BA-129 alone at doses of 75 and 500 pmol/ml, or a combination of the two agents. Cell growth was measured by MTT assay and hemocytometry using trypan blue. Quantitative measurement of VEGF was performed by ELISA. Statistical analysis was achieved by ANOVA. Results. ATS exhibited significant (P < 0.05) growth inhibitory effects in prostate cancer cells. PYY also inhibited growth (P < 0.05). ATS treatment reduced VEGF production (P < 0.05). PYY treatment increased VEGF. When ATS was given in combination with BA-129, VEGF production was further reduced (P < 0.05). Conclusions. Both PYY and ATS inhibit growth in hormone-refractory prostate cancer, with augmentation when used in combination. VEGF production is inhibited by vitamin E, but increased by PYY. ATS abolishes the augmented VEGF response to PYY. Our data suggest that PYY is involved in the regulation of VEGF production and prostate cancer growth.
Experimental Estimates of Taxpayer Ethics

Abstract This paper extends the existing literature on taxpayer ethics in three ways. First, we construct a two-stage model of decision making, which allows us to disentangle risk preferences from ethical motivations for income tax compliance. Second, we develop a new experimental data set, which permits us to estimate the magnitudes of the relevant personality traits, risk aversion and morality, at the individual level. Third, we combine the experimental data with participant surveys so that ethical preferences are not only measured but also linked to demographic characteristics. We find that ethical preferences are correlated with risk aversion, age, gender, and marital status, among other characteristics.
Use of colloid filtration theory in modeling movement of bacteria through a contaminated sandy aquifer

� A filtration model commonly used to describe removal of colloids during packed-bed filtration in water treatment applications was modified for describing downgradient transport of bacteria in sandy, aquifer sediments. The modified model was applied to the results of a small -scale (7 m), natural-gradient tracer test and to observations of an indigenous bacterial population moving downgradient within a plume of organically contaminated groundwater in Cape Cod, MA. The model reasonably accounted for concentration histories of labeled bacteria appearing at samplers downgradient from the injection well in the tracer experiment and for the observed 0.25-μm increase in average cell length for an unlabeled, indigenous bacterial population, 0.6 km downgradient from the source of the plume. Several uncertainties were apparent in applying filtration theory to problems involving transport of bacteria in groundwater. However, adsorption (attachment) appeared to be a major control of the extent of bacterial movement downgradient, which could be described, in part, by filtration theory. Estimates of the collision efficiency factor, which represents the physicochemical factors that determine adsorption of the bacteria onto the grain surfaces, ranged from 5.4 X 10 -3 to 9.7 X 10 -3 .
National Case-Control Study of Homicide Offending and Methamphetamine Use

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between methamphetamine use and homicide. To carry out this study, data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse and Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities were combined to create a case-control design. The main exposure measure is methamphetamine use and the main outcome measure is homicide. Results suggest that the odds of committing a homicide are nearly 9 times greater for an individual who uses methamphetamine. More importantly, the association between methamphetamine use and homicide persists even after adjusting for alternative drug use (i.e., alcohol, heroin, crack, cocaine, PCP, LSD), sex, race, income, age, marital status, previous arrests, military experience, and education level. Methamphetamine was the only drug use variable that was strongly correlated with homicide. These results support recent clinical studies that suggest methamphetamine use is different than other drug use in its effects on violence.
Communication among Oral Bacteria

Human oral bacteria interact with their environment by attaching to surfaces and establishing mixed-species communities. As each bacterial cell attaches, it forms a new surface to which other cells can adhere. Adherence and community development are spatiotemporal; such order requires communication. The discovery of soluble signals, such as autoinducer-2, that may be exchanged within multispecies communities to convey information between organisms has emerged as a new research direction. Direct-contact signals, such as adhesins and receptors, that elicit changes in gene expression after cell-cell contact and biofilm growth are also an active research area. Considering that the majority of oral bacteria are organized in dense three-dimensional biofilms on teeth, confocal microscopy and fluorescently labeled probes provide valuable approaches for investigating the architecture of these organized communities in situ. Oral biofilms are readily accessible to microbiologists and are excellent model systems for studies of microbial communication. One attractive model system is a saliva-coated flowcell with oral bacterial biofilms growing on saliva as the sole nutrient source; an intergeneric mutualism is discussed. Several oral bacterial species are amenable to genetic manipulation for molecular characterization of communication both among bacteria and between bacteria and the host. A successful search for genes critical for mixed-species community organization will be accomplished only when it is conducted with mixed-species communities.
Polarization-graded ferroelectrics

Abstract The properties of polarization-graded ferroelectric devices are reviewed and the structures are compared to charge-density modulated semiconductors. “Transpacitor” devices are described as the dielectric analogues of semiconductor diode junctions and transistors.
Dopaminergic drugs in the medial preoptic area and nucleus accumbens: Effects on motor activity, sexual motivation, and sexual performance

In two experiments, dopamine agonists and/or antagonists were injected into the medial preoptic area (MPOA) or the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) of male rats. The animals were then tested in an X-mase with four goal boxes, which contained a receptive female, a male, or were empty. In Experiment 1, the D1 antagonist SCH-23390 and the D2 antagonist raclopride in the MPOA decreased the percentage of trials on which the female's chamber was chosen, a measure of sexual motivation. Raclopride also decreased the number of animals that copulated after choosing the female's chamber. The 10-micrograms dose of the D3/D2 agonist quinelorane increased the latency to reach the female's chamber, slowed the onset of copulation, and decreased the number of intromissions preceding an ejaculation. In Experiment 2, 1- and 5-micrograms doses of quinelorane and of the mixed D1/D2 agonist apomorphine were injected bilaterally into the NAcc. Both doses of quinelorane increased the number of times that the subject did not select a chamber within 60 s. No drug in the NAcc affected specifically sexual motivation or performance. The results are consistent with differential influence of the MPOA and the NAcc on motor activity, sexual motivation, and sexual performance.
Irrigation challenges in the sub-humid US Mid-South

Irrigated area in the Mid-South USA continues to increase and now totals four million ha. Because of low available water holding capacities and shallow root-limiting layers in many soils, irrigation management is difficult. Water quality and water use efficiency impacts under irrigation are poorly understood, but comprehension is necessary if conversion from groundwater to surface water supplies is to be justified. As irrigation has increased, the number of university research and extension personnel as well as the number of US Department of Agriculture personnel in the Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service has not kept pace with the increase and the resulting challenges. A combined state and federal response to these challenges is needed to provide appropriate and effective problem solutions that ensure efficient water use and high crop water productivity while protecting water supplies and the environment.
Mitral valve repair in uremic congestive cardiomyopathy.

Abstract Background There is limited reported experience on mitral valve repair in patients with chronic renal failure. This study was designed to evaluate the outcomes of mitral valve repair in patients suffering from congestive heart failure as a result of uremic cardiomyopathy and severe mitral regurgitation requiring chronic hemodialysis. Methods From 1995 to 2002, 5 women, ages 41 to 64 years (53 ± 8 years), with uremic congestive cardiomyopathy and end-stage renal disease on chronic hemodialysis who underwent mitral valve repair for severe mitral regurgitation were identified retrospectively and followed for clinical and echocardiographic outcomes. The preoperative New York Heart Association functional class was 3.8 ± 0.45. Results All patients had good results immediately after surgical mitral valve repair with no more than mild mitral regurgitation. During the follow-up at an average of 22.4 ± 14.9 months (range, 3 to 41 months) postoperatively, all patients returned to New York Heart Association functional class I. Neither mitral calcification nor increasing peak transmitral gradient (or decreasing mitral valve orifice area) was notable by two-dimensional echocardiography. No reoperation was required. Conclusions Although accelerated calcification of the repaired mitral valve and high incidence of failure of the reconstruction had been reported in patients with end-stage renal disease, based on our experience we advocate mitral valve repair when this can be safely performed, especially in patients with uremic congestive cardiomyopathy, in view of the added advantage of retaining the native valve in such patients.
Euler buckling and nonlinear kinking of double-stranded DNA

The bending stiffness of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) at high curvatures is fundamental to its biological activity, yet this regime has been difficult to probe experimentally, and literature results have not been consistent. We created a 'molecular vise' in which base-pairing interactions generated a compressive force on sub-persistence length segments of dsDNA. Short dsDNA strands (<41 base pairs) resisted this force and remained straight; longer strands became bent, a phenomenon called 'Euler buckling'. We monitored the buckling transition via Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) between appended fluorophores. For low-to-moderate concentrations of monovalent salt (up to ∼150 mM), our results are in quantitative agreement with the worm-like chain (WLC) model of DNA elasticity, without the need to invoke any 'kinked' states. Greater concentrations of monovalent salts or 1 mM Mg(2+) induced an apparent softening of the dsDNA, which was best accounted for by a kink in the region of highest curvature. We tested the effects of all single-nucleotide mismatches on the DNA bending. Remarkably, the propensity to kink correlated with the thermodynamic destabilization of the mismatched DNA relative the perfectly complementary strand, suggesting that the kinked state is locally melted. The molecular vise is exquisitely sensitive to the sequence-dependent linear and nonlinear elastic properties of dsDNA.
Microstructure of Polycrystalline MgO Penetrated by a Silicate Liquid

Dense, polycrystalline MgO was infiltrated with monticellite (CaMgSiO4) liquid to study the penetration of liquid along the grain boundaries of MgO. Grain growth was found to be restricted with increasing amounts of liquid. The inter-granular regions were generally found to be comprised of a two-phase mixture: crystalline monticellite and a glassy phase rich in the impurities present in the starting MgO material. MgO grains act as seeding agents for the crystallization of monticellite. The location and composition of the glassy phase with respect to the MgO grains emphasizes the role of intergranular liquid during the devitrification process in “snowplowing” impurities present in the matrix.
The implications of offering more disclosure choices for social location sharing

We compared two privacy configuration styles for specifying rules for social sharing one's past locations. Our findings suggest that location-sharing applications (LSAs) which support varying levels of location granularities are associated with sharing rules that are less convoluted, are less likely to be negatively phrased, and can lead to more open sharing; users are also more comfortable with these rules. These findings can help inform LSA privacy designs.
Influences of temperature on Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) survival under various feeding conditions.

ABSTRACT Survival of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), was studied under various constant temperatures and feeding conditions. When provided a host plant (Citrus limon L. Burm. f.) to feed on during a 21-d trial, 100% mortality occurred at 0.1, 3.2, and 40.1°C, whereas an average of 74–76% of adults survived in the 13.2–24.5°C range. When individually confined with moist cotton, adult longevity was greatest (16.3 d) at 13.3°C, but it was <3 d at -2.4 and 36.2°C. In a companion study comparing the presence versus absence of a host plant, the presence of a host plant was not a significant factor influencing survival at temperatures ≤7.8°C but was at temperatures ≥18.9°C. The relationship between temperature and survival was described by a nonlinear function that estimated the optimum temperature in each feeding regimen: no host plant or moist cotton (5.5°C), moist cotton (9.9°C), and accessible host plant (25.1°C). The model quantitatively predicted ...
Chemical Composition, in vitro digestibility and in vitro VTA concentrations of New Mexico native forages

Comparative chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, and in vitro volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration and molar proportions of current year's growth of twelve important native New Mexico forage species were evaluated. Volatile fatty acid data were collected on forage samples subjected to 12-h in vitro digestion using two different inoculum sources. Forbs and shrubs had higher (P 0·05) among grasses forbs and shrubs. in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) was higher (PKOOS) for forbs and shrubs than grasses for all incubation periods (24, 48, 72 hours). Lucerne hay and prairie grass hay inocula gave similar IVOMD results. Based on 24-h IVOMD divided by 72-h IVOMD, forbs were digested more rapidly than grasses (P<0·05). Total VFA concentration and molar proportion differences among grasses, forbs and shrubs were small
Robust Reinforcement Learning in Motion Planning

While exploring to find better solutions, an agent performing online reinforcement learning (RL) can perform worse than is acceptable. In some cases, exploration might have unsafe, or even catastrophic, results, often modeled in terms of reaching 'failure' states of the agent's environment. This paper presents a method that uses domain knowledge to reduce the number of failures during exploration. This method formulates the set of actions from which the RL agent composes a control policy to ensure that exploration is conducted in a policy space that excludes most of the unacceptable policies. The resulting action set has a more abstract relationship to the task being solved than is common in many applications of RL. Although the cost of this added safety is that learning may result in a suboptimal solution, we argue that this is an appropriate tradeoff in many problems. We illustrate this method in the domain of motion planning.
Validation of pulse rate variability as a surrogate for heart rate variability in chronically instrumented rabbits

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a function of cardiac autonomic tone that is widely used in both clinical and animal studies. In preclinical studies, HRV measures are frequently derived using the arterial pulse waveform from an implanted pressure telemetry device, termed pulse rate variability (PRV), instead of the electrocardiogram signal in accordance with clinical guidelines. The acceptability of PRV as a surrogate for HRV in instrumented animals is unknown. Using rabbits implanted with intracardiac leads and chronically implanted pressure transducers, we investigated the correlation and agreement of time-domain, frequency-domain, and nonlinear indexes of HRV and PRV at baseline. We also investigated the effects of ventricular pacing and autonomic blockade on both measures. At baseline, HRV and PRV time- and frequency-domain parameters showed robust correlations and moderate to high agreement, whereas nonlinear parameters showed slightly weaker correlations and varied agreement. Ventricular pacing almost completely eliminated HRV, and spectral analysis of the PRV signal revealed a HRV-independent rhythm. After cardiac autonomic blockade with atropine or metoprolol, the changes in time- and non-normalized frequency-domain measures of PRV continued to show strong correlations and moderate to high agreement with corresponding changes in HRV measures. Blockade-induced changes in nonlinear PRV indexes correlated poorly with HRV changes and showed weak agreement. These results suggest that time- and frequency-domain measures of PRV are acceptable surrogates for HRV even in the context of changing cardiac autonomic tone, but caution should be used when nonlinear measures are a primary end point or when HRV is very low as HRV-independent rhythms may predominate.
A Model Collaborative Project Toward Making Domestic Violence Centers Elder Ready

An interagency collaboration was formed in a Florida community with a high proportion of older residents to fill the gaps in services that existed for older domestic violence victims. Results of the collaboration included the creation of safe spaces both inside and out-side the domestic violence shelter. Targeted outreach to older victims resulted in the local domestic violence shelter’s providing more than 100 hours of crisis hotline counseling, case management for six individuals, and emergency sheltering of one older woman during a 6-month period. A plan for replication of the project was developed and disseminated.
Children's recollections of traumatic and nontraumatic events

Whereas the social and emotional consequences of childhood trauma are well documented, less is known about how young children understand, represent, and remember traumatic experiences. A review of the literature indicates striking similarities in the development of young children’s ability to recall traumatic and nontraumatic events. More specifically, events experienced before the age of about 18 months do not seem to be verbally accessible; events experienced between about 18 months and 2.5‐3 years are reported in fragmentary fashion and seem to be prone to increasing error over time. From about age 3 years on, children can give reasonably coherent accounts of their past experiences and can retain these memories over long durations. The ways in which children are able to participate in conversations about events as they are occurring and in retrospect seems to play a critical role in their developing event memories. Implications of the empirical data for understanding trauma memory in childhood are discussed. Statistics from both clinical and community memory. Although this research focuses on children’s developing memories of everyday