cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Placing the east-west North American aridity gradient in a multi-century context

Instrumental records indicate a century-long trend towards drying over western North America and wetting over eastern North America. A continuation of these trends into the future would have significant hydroclimatic and socioeconomic consequences in both the semi-arid Southwest and humid East. Using tree-ring reconstructions and hydrologic simulations of summer soil moisture, we evaluate and contextualize the modern summer aridity gradient within its natural range of variability established over the past 600 years and evaluate the effects of observed and anthropogenic precipitation, temperature, and humidity trends. The 2001–2020 positive (wet east-dry west) aridity gradient was larger than any 20-year period since 1400 CE, preceded by the most negative (wet west-dry east) aridity gradient during 1976-1995, leading to a strong multi-decade reversal in aridity gradient anomalies that was rivaled only by a similar event in the late-16th century. The 2001-2020 aridity gradient was dominated by long-term summer precipitation increases in the Midwest and Northeast, with smaller contributions from more warming in the West than the East and spring precipitation decreases in the Southwest. Multi-model mean climate simulations from CMIP6 experiments suggest anthropogenic climate trends should not have strongly affected the aridity gradient thus far. However, there is high uncertainty due to inter-model disagreement on anthropogenic precipitation trends. The recent strengthening of the observed aridity gradient, its increasing dependence on precipitation variability, and disagreement in modeled anthropogenic precipitation trends reveal significant uncertainties in how water resource availability will change across North America in the coming decades.
The local-balanced model for improved machine learning outcomes on mass spectrometry data sets and other instrumental data.

One unifying challenge when classifying biological samples with mass spectrometry data is overcoming the obstacle of sample-to-sample variability so that differences between groups, such as between a healthy set and a disease set, can be identified. Similarly, when the same sample is re-analyzed under identical conditions, instrument signals can fluctuate by more than 10%. This signal inconsistency imposes difficulties in identifying subtle differences across a set of samples, and it weakens the mass spectrometrist’s ability to effectively leverage data in domains as diverse as proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics, and imaging. We selected challenging data sets in the fields of glycomics, mass spectrometry imaging, and bacterial typing to study the problem of within-group signal variability and adapted a 30-year-old statistical approach to address the problem. The solution, “local-balanced model,” relies on using balanced subsets of training data to classify test samples. This analysis strategy was assessed on ESI-MS data of IgG-based glycopeptides and MALDI-MS imaging data of endogenous lipids, and MALDI-MS data of bacterial proteins. Two preliminary examples on non-mass spectrometry data sets are also included to show the potential generality of the method outside the field of MS analysis. We demonstrate that this approach is superior to simple normalization methods, generalizable to multiple mass spectrometry domains, and potentially appropriate in fields as diverse as physics and satellite imaging. In some cases, improvements in classification can be dramatic, with accuracy escalating from 60% with normalization alone to over 90% with the additional development described herein.
Potentiometric microtitration of anions with quaternary ammonium halides

Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide has been evaluated for the potentiometric precipitation titration of some water-soluble organic anions. Emf's were monitored with a fluoroborate ion-selective electrode and a double-junction reference electrode. The perchlorate, nitrate, and calcium electrodes also respond to the various anions. Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and cetylpyridinium chloride are also suitable as titrants for the various anions. They can be used also at higher titrant strength. The classes of compounds which can be determined are nitroform and nitroform-yielding compounds, phenylborates, 2,4,6-trinitro compounds, benzenesulfonates, and some sulfonephthaleins.
Clinical, Epidemiologic, and Laboratory Aspects of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major pathogen responsible for both hospital- and community-onset disease. Resistance to methicillin in S. aureus is mediated by PBP2a, a penicillin-binding protein with low affinity to beta-lactams, encoded by the mecA gene. Accurate susceptibility testing of S. aureus isolates and screening of patients for colonization with MRSA are important tools to limit the spread of this organism. This review focuses on the clinical significance of MRSA infections and new approaches for the laboratory diagnosis and epidemiological typing of MRSA strains.
P/G pad placement optimization: problem formulation for best IR drop

IR drop minimization has become very difficult for non-flip chip packaged designs due to technology shrink and increasing design frequencies. Different constituents of IR drop on a wire-bond chip (where pads are placed at the die-periphery) are "package-ball to bond-pad drop", "bond-pad to internal global power ring drop" and "internal local power ring drop". Optimization equations are developed to minimize IR drop from the lead-finger-frame to the standard cell power rails on the die by placing the P/G pads optimally for a given power network. Further, optimization equations are developed to minimize trace wire length on package for P/G pads drawing highest current. The cost functions in the optimization equations target minimum IR drop for those regions of the chip that are switching at maximum speed. By use of our cost function for optimizing P/G pad placement, results on the representative chip with about 15 million gates and several hard macros show an improvement of 10% to 15% in worst IR drop value for different floorplans (one floorplan with uniform power density, and the other floorplan with maximum power density much higher than the average power density of the design).
Abstract T MP39: Mirror Therapy in Unilateral Neglect after Stroke: Systematic Review and Meta Analysis

Specific Aims: To carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the treatment of unilateral neglect after stroke using mirror therapy (MT). Approach: Inclusion criteria: We used the following criteria: RCTs of MT in the treatment of hemi-neglect and stroke, use of standardized tools to document neglect, clearly defined intervention including duration of treatment and blinded outcome assessment. We conducted a literature search on stroke and hemi neglect limited to the following databases: Cochrane Library, PubMed/Medline, PeDRO, Cinahl and EIRA. There were 15034 hits between 1990 to 2013 with the key words cerebrovascular accident (MeSH) and rehabilitation; there were 1578 hits with hemispatial neglect and rehabilitation. There were 16 RCTs trials where MT was used to study motor recovery. Out of 16 trials, only in 3 RCTs MT was evaluated in hemineglect patients. Innovation: The 3 trials had used different screening tools and outcome measures. Star cancellation score was the common outcome measure used in 2 RCT’s and in the 3rd study they used self-defined neglect score. There were total 75 patients. Using change in the star cancellation score from the baseline, we found that MT had significant effect on improving visuospatial neglect at the end of intervention: Standard mean deviation (SMD) 2.61: 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.85 to 3.36; P Conclusion: MT had significant effect on visuospatial neglect at the end of intervention and at 6 months follow up. However there is no large scale RCT available in the use of MT in the treatment of unilateral neglect.
Cross-layer analysis of IEEE 802.11 DCF in burst-error fading channels with diversity

Unlike wired networks, mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) encounter channel fading which causes burst-errors and induces packet errors in addition to those caused by collision using random access medium access control (MAC) protocols. Therefore, the MAC performance could be significantly lower than that in ideal channels. By incorporating channel fading statistics such as level crossintegrate (LCR) and average fade duration (AFD), we generate a new closed-form expression for packet error rates (PKR) in Ricean fading channels with and without diversity and forward error correction (FEC). Based on this result, we give an analytical model to evaluate the performance of IEEE 802.11 distributed coordinator functions (DCF) in fading channels. Both analytical and simulation results show that by employing diversity in fading channels, DCF can achieve nearly the same throughput and average delay as under ideal channel conditions, where forward error correction is generally ineffective when AFD is larger.
Synthesis of 2′-Deoxyribonucleosides: β-3′,5′-Di-O-Benzoylthymidine

Synthesis of 2′-deoxyribonucleosides: β-3′,5′-di-O-benzoylthymidine intermediate: 1,3,5-O-tribenzoyl-2-O-[(3-trifluoromethyl)benzoyl]-α-D-ribofuranose intermediate: 2,4-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)-5-methylpyrimidine intermediate: 3′,5′-di-O-benzoyl-2′-O-[(3-trifluoromethyl)benzoyl]-5-methyluridine reactant: 9-ethyl-3,6-dimethylcarbazole (200 mg, 0.9 mmol product: 3′,5′-di-O-benzoylthymidine byproduct: 5′-O-benzoyl-3′-deoxythymidine Keywords: acylation; alkylation, N-alkylation; deoxygenation; deprotection, oxygen; esterification, of substituted monobasic acids; photochemical reactions; protection, oxygen; reduction, miscellaneous; silylation
Visual perception by speechreaders of selected syntactic structures.

St~nmary.-That the perceptual unit fcr the comprehension of visually presented speech is syntactic structure was concluded from giving insrruments to assess the visual perception of basic sentence patterns and selected transformations to 118 undergraduates. Past research has sought ways to describe the psychological processes which underlie ability to perceive and interpret language as it is spoken (Miller, Heise, & Lichten, 1951; Miller, 1962, 1965; Mehler, 1963; Coleman, 1964; Savin & Perchonock, 1965; Gough, 1965; Slobin, 1966). To determine the importance of the sentence as a unit of perception when comprehending speech presented visually, Chomsky's ( 1957) theory of transformational-generative grammar was used as a research model. Ss were 118 undergraduate college students. There were six instruments, especially constructed. Each had examples of the syntactic structures being investigated. These were the five basic sentence patterns (Chomsky, 1957) and trnnsformacions including negative, passive, interrogative, negative-interrogative, negative-passive, interrogative-passive, negative-interrogative-passive, questions introduced by wh words (who, when, where, why, what) and expletive transformations. When constructing the six instruments, care was taken to control visibility by applying the phoneme value system of the American Society for the Hard of Hearing (Sanders, 1971). Environmental controls for video taping included background neutrality, three-quarter facial exposure (Dahle & Haspiel, 1966 ) , and a plainly set face (Stone, 1957). Each S was shown one of the six instruments by means of a video taped presentation and each wrote his responses in an answer booklet provided by the researchers. Wich 2 df (x', p = .05) frequency data showed rhat speechreaders perceive visually presenced syntactic structures with similar ease or difficulty as subjects receiving auditory input (Mehler, 1963; Savin & Perchonock, 1965; Slobin, 1966). This result indicated that cercain syntactic structures were less difficult to perceive than ochers when presenced visually. From least to greatest difficulty, these structures include the basic sentence pactern: noun phrase + verb transitive phrase + noun phrase; basic sentence pattern: noun phrase + verb intransitive phrase; transformation : passive; transformation: wh ( who, what, where, when) ; basic sentence pattern: noun phrase + be + adjective; basic sentence pattern: noun phrase + be + adverb; transformation: expletive; transformation: negacivepassive; basic sentence pattern: noun phrase + be + noun phrase; transformation:
Active Transport of Calcium by Rat Duodenum in vivo

In studies of the living rat, it was observed that ionic calcium is transferred against a concentration gradient and an electropotential gradient by the duodenal membrane; this would constitute evidence for the active transport of calcium in intestinal absorption and corroborates earlier observations made in vitro. The significance of this process in regard to total calcium absorption is unknown at present.
Leptospirosis in Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger) of Larimer County, Colorado, USA

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Leptospira interrogans. The organism is typically maintained within a geographic region by colonizing renal tubules of carrier animals and shed into the environment in urine. We assessed whether L. interrogans was present in fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) in Larimer County, Colorado, USA, and whether it is associated with disease. Twenty-two squirrels were trapped from 29 November 2011 to 15 December 2011 for use in an unrelated study. The squirrels were individually housed for 33–65 days and euthanized; no clinical disease was observed. On gross examination, significant renal lesions were observed in 6 of 22 animals (27%). Histologically, affected animals had severe neutrophilic tubulitis with interstitial nephritis. Immunohistochemistry was conducted on the kidneys of all animals and 10 of 22 (45%) were positive for L. interrogans, with varying severity of infection. The same 10 squirrels were serologically positive for antibodies specific to L....
Risk-informed life-cycle optimum inspection and maintenance of ship structures considering corrosion and fatigue

During its life-cycle, a ship structure may suffer from structural deterioration associated with corrosion and/or fatigue. A prolonged exposure to these hazards results in a reduction of structural resistance which can lead to failure. Optimum inspection and maintenance planning of ship structures is a challenging process needed to ensure ship safety during the life-cycle. This paper presents a probabilistic approach to provide optimum inspection and repair plans for ship structures considering corrosion and fatigue. Uncertainties in the damage assessment associated with corrosion and fatigue are taken into account. Risk is assessed by considering the direct losses associated with flexural failure. A multi-objective optimization problem, which accounts for structural deterioration scenarios and various uncertainties, is formulated to find the optimum inspection and repair planning of ship structures. The life-cycle risk associated with flexural failure and expected total inspection and maintenance costs are considered as conflicting criteria. The proposed probabilistic optimization approach is illustrated on the VLCC ship structure. Genetic algorithms are used to solve the optimization problem.
New data on the morphology of Sphenothallus Hall: implications for its affinities

Van Iten, H., Cox, R. S. & Mapes, R. H. 1992 04 15: New data on the morphology of Sphenothallus Hall: implications for its affinities. Lethaia, Vol. 25, pp. 135–144. Oslo. ISSN 0024–1164. Recent speculation on the phylogenetic relationships of Sphenothallus Hall, 1847 has focused on two alternatives: (1) affinity with hydrozoan or scyphozoan cnidarians, or (2) affinity with annelids or other ‘worms’. We have found that some species of Sphenothallus formed branching clonal colonies, and that others produced a thin transverse wall, similar to the conulariid schott. Sphenothallus tests are composed of carbonate apatite and are built of numerous, extremely thin lamellae (< 1 μm) that parallel the surface of the test. The holdfast, long interpreted as consisting of a pair of nested cups, actually consists of a single closed, broadly conical expansion floored by a thin basal membrane. Many thecate hydrozoan and scyphozoan polyps form branching clonal colonies and produce a thin transverse wall, similar to that produced by Sphenothallus. Further, thecae of coronatid scyphozoans are built of submicron-thick lamellae that parallel the outer surface of the theca, and coronatid thecae possess a closed, broadly conical apical expansion that serves as a holdfast. No such combination of characteristics exists among annelids or other non-cnidarian taxa. The recent discovery of paired tentacles in Sphenofhallus from the Early Devonian Hunsruck Slate by Fauchald et al., thought to indicate that Sphenorhallus was wormlike, does not militate against a hypothesis of affinity with cnidarians. We therefore favour the hypothesis of a cnidarian affinity for Sphenothallus. * Sphenothallus, vermiform problematica, phylogenetic inference, coloniality, Cnidoria, Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Annelida, conulariids, byroniids, Bear Gulch Limestone.
Migration of Spleen Cells into the Blood Stream following Antigen Stimulation of the Rat

A MARKED cellular hyperplasia occurs in the rat spleen in response to a single intravenous injection of a particulate antigen1–3. This hyperplasia is predominantly manifested in the red pulp, which exhibits a striking increase in the number of actively mitotic, large pyroninophilic cells within 2 days after antigen administration. The proliferation of these cells, which have been shown to be intimately associated with antibody formation in the rat4,5 as well as in other species6, reaches a maximum on about the fourth day after antigen. Later, their number rapidly diminishes so that by the ninth day the spleen has largely regained its pre-stimulation pattern and few if any of these cells appear to differentiate locally into plasma cells.
Effects of antidiuretic hormone on kinetic and energetic determinants of active sodium transport in frog skin.

Abstract The effects of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) on the rate of transepithelial active Na transport J Na a and the rate of suprabasal O2 consumption J r sb were studied in paired hemiskins of frog. Within some 30 min following administration of ADH both J Na a and J r sb increased to near-maximal levels and then remained stable for at least an hour. On symmetric perturbation of the transepithelial electrical potential Δψ at 6-min intervals, the dependence of J Na a and J r sb on Δψ was near-linear, both in control and experimental hemi-skins. The stability and near-linearity of the system permitted systematic analysis of the parameters of linear non-equilibrium thermodynamic (NET) and electrical equivalent circuit (EC) formulations. ADH (100 mU/ml)-stimulated two of the three NET phenomenological L coefficients, as well as A , the affinity (negative Gibbs free energy) of a metabolic reaction driving transport. Observations at partially depressed levels of transport indicated that the effects on kinetic and energetic factors are to some extent discrete. EC analysis showed stimulation of the amiloride-sensitive conductance K a , but not of the apparent electromitive force of Na transport ‘ E Na ’. Similar effects were produced by 10 mU/ml of ADH or by 10 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP, although less marked effects on the L coefficients were noted with the lower concentration of hormone. It is suggested that, in contrast to EC analysis, the NET formulation distinguishes between kinetic and energetic determinants of transport, supporting a dual mechanism of action of ADH.
Derivatives for the characterization of alkyl- and aminoalkylphosphonates by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract Trimethylsilyl derivatives of the alkylphosphonates and of certain aminoalkylphosphonates were found to be satisfactory for the characterization of these phosphorus compounds by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The trimethylsilyl derivatives of the 1-aminoalkylphosphonates were, however, not sufficiently stable for this purpose. In order to analyze these compounds satisfactorily, the amino group was converted into the N-acetyl derivative, acetone Schiff base, or isothiocyanate; trimethylsilyl ester formation was retained for the phosphonate system. These derivatives, particularly the isothiocyanates, were stable and had good gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric properties.
Reverse mathematics and ordinal exponentiation

Hirst, 1.L., Reverse mathematics and ordinal exponentiation, Annals of Pure and Applied Logic 66 (1994) 1-18. Simpson has claimed that "ATRo is the weakest set of axioms which permits the development of a decent theory of countable ordinals" [8]. This paper provides empirical support for Simpson's claim. In particular, Cantor's Normal Form Theorem and Sherman's Inequality for countable well-orderings are both equivalent to ATR". The proofs of these results require a substantial development of ordinal exponentiation and a strengthening of the comparability result in [3]. 1. Countable well-orderings This paper analyzes the provability of statements about countable well­ orderings within weak subsystems of second-order arithmetic. The subsystems used include RCAo, ACAo, and ATRo. Very briefly, the subsystems all consist of basic arithmetic axioms with induction for 2:~ formulas, and are distinguished by the strength of their set comprehension axioms. RCAo includes a recursive comprehension axiom, ACAo includes an arithmetical comprehension axiom, and ATRo asserts the existence of sets constructed by transfinite iterations of arithmetical comprehension. More detailed descriptions of these subsystems can be found in [2], [3], and [8]. The language of second-order arithmetic is very expressive. Via simple coding procedures, countable well-orderings and functions between them can be described. (See [3] for more information on encoding the following notions in RCAo.) WO(X) denotes the statement "X encodes a countable well-ordering". If WO(X), then X contains no infinite descending sequences. Generally, we will use lower case Greek letters to denote (codes for countable) well-orderings. In particular, we will use w to represept the countable well-ordering with field N, ordered as usual. Note that w represents a particular countable well-ordering, not an equivalence class of orderings under order isomorphism.
Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in an insect, Spodoptera eridania (cramer)

Abstract 1. Spodoptera eridania larvae can metabolize the environmental carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene BP) via a microsomal mixed-function oxidase system. Metabolic activation is required for oncogenicity; therefore, BP may be potentially carcinogenic for insects. 2. The enzyme requires NADPH and oxygen and is inhibited by carbon monoxide, indicating cytochrome involvement. Optimal conditions for in vitro BP hydroxylation are defined. 3. Endogenous aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase inhibitors are located in the gut contents and head capsule. 4. Enzymatic specific activity increases throughout larval development, but declines during the prepupal stage. 5. Spodoptera BP hydroxylase specific activity, while easily demonstrated, is lower than that of several mouse strains.
Lunar Radiation Risk Assessment and Shielding Design for Ionizing Space Radiation

NASA is now focused on the agency's vision for space exploration encompassing a broad range of human and robotic missions including missions to Moon, Mars and beyond. As a result, there is a focus on long duration space missions. NASA is committed to the safety of the missions and the crew, and there is an overwhelming emphasis on the reliability issues for space missions and the habitat. The cost effective design of the spacecraft demands a very stringent requirement on the optimization process. Exposure from the hazards of severe space radiation in deep space and/or long duration missions is a critical design constraint and a potential 'show stopper.' Thus, protection from the hazards of severe space radiation is of paramount importance to the agency's vision. It is envisioned to have long duration human presence on the Moon for deep space exploration. The exposures from ionizing radiation - galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events - and optimized shield design for a short-term and a long-term mission to Moon have been investigated. It is found that the technology of today is adequate for short-term safe human missions to Moon, and revolutionary technologies need to be developed for long duration Moon missions and/or deep space missions. The study will provide a guideline for radiation exposure and protection for long duration missions and career astronauts and their safety.
Par-1 kinase establishes cell polarity and functions in Notch signaling in the Drosophila embryo

The Drosophila protein kinase Par-1 is expressed throughout Drosophila development, but its function has not been extensively characterized because of oocyte lethality of null mutants. In this report, we have characterized the function of Par-1 in embryonic and post-embryonic epithelia. Par-1 protein is dynamically localized during embryonic cell polarization, transiently restricted to the lateral membrane domain, followed by apicolateral localization. We depleted maternal and zygotic par-1 by RNAi and revealed a requirement for Par-1 in establishing cell polarity. Par-1 restricts the coalescing adherens junction to an apicolateral position and prevents its widespread formation along the lateral domain. Par-1 also promotes the localization of lateral membrane proteins such as Delta. These activities are important for the further development of cell polarity during gastrulation. By contrast, Par-1 is not essential to maintain epithelial polarity once it has been established. However, it still has a maintenance role since overexpression causes severe polarity disruption. Additionally, we find a novel role for Par-1 in Notch signal transduction during embryonic neurogenesis and retina determination. Epistasis analysis indicates that Par-1 functions upstream of Notch and is critical for proper localization of the Notch ligand Delta.
Elucidating the Association Between Trait Mindfulness and Alcohol Use Behaviors Among College Students

Trait mindfulness has been considered a protective factor against alcohol use behaviors; however, the specific trait mindfulness facets, the specific alcohol use behaviors, and the mechanism underlying this relationship remain unclear. The present study examined the relationship between specific trait mindfulness facets and specific alcohol use behaviors, and how cued alcohol cravings might mediate this relationship. High-risk, young adult, undergraduate social drinkers (n = 240, 75% Caucasian, 70% female, mean age 19.4 years) completed a series of questionnaires and reported their level of alcohol cravings following alcohol pictorial cue exposure. Trait mindfulness was associated with less problematic alcohol use (r = -0.19, p < 0.01), but was not associated with alcohol use quantity (r = -0.07, p = 0.30) and duration (r = -0.08, p = 0.21). Only acting with awareness was associated with all types of alcohol use behaviors-including less problematic alcohol use (β = -0.18, p = 0.02), lower alcohol use quantity (β = -0.16, p = 0.04), and shorter alcohol use duration (β = -0.19, p = 0.02). Cued alcohol cravings mediated the negative associations of overall trait mindfulness (b = -0.50, p < 0.05) and acting with awareness (b = -0.32, p < 0.05) with problematic alcohol use, and the negative associations of acting with awareness with alcohol use quantity (b = -1.24, p < 0.05) and alcohol use duration (b = -0.34, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the protective effect of trait mindfulness likely operates through reducing cued alcohol cravings and might be most specific to acting with awareness among college students, thus suggesting a differential role of separate trait mindfulness facets in this high risk group.
Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sorption behavior unaffected by the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in a natural soil system

The batch equilibrium approach was used to examine the influence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on the sorption behaviors of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study of PAH sorption to MWNTs in real natural soil systems. The sorption behavior of three PAHs (naphthalene, fluorene, and phenanthrene) in the presence of commercially available MWNTs in two natural soils (a sandy loam and a silt loam) and Ottawa sand was evaluated. Adsorption of PAHs by MWNTs in this study was three orders of magnitude higher than that of natural soils. Sorption coefficients of PAHs (Kd and Koc) were unchanged in the presence of 2 mg g−1 MWNTs in soil (p > 0.05). A micro-mechanics approach, termed ‘the rule of mixtures’ was used for predicting PAH sorption behaviors in mixtures based on sorption coefficients derived from single sorbents. The equation, KT = KMα + KN(1 − α) (K, sorption coefficients, Kd or Koc), predicted sorption coefficients in a mixture based on mixture component sorption coefficients and mass fractions. Data presented in this study could be used to fill data gaps related to the environmental fate of carbon nanotubes in soil.
Day of the week variations of photochemical pollutants in the St. Louis area

Abstract As part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Air Pollution Study (RAPS) a network of 25 stations continuously recorded aeromatic data in the Greater St. Louis area. Various photochemical pollutants (O 3 , NO, NO 2 and total hydrocarbons) and some selected meteorological variables (wind speed, temperature, and solar radiation) were analyzed with respect to the day of the week using 11 months of data collected during the warm months of the year — periods during which high ozone concentrations were common in St. Louis. The results reveal that the sign (±) of the workday to Sunday differences in the concentration of ozone depends to a large extent on the distance of the measurement from the major emission area of the metropolitan area of St. Louis. The data suggest that this is due to the impact of nitric oxide on the ambient ozone concentrations. This appears to offer at least a partial explanation for some of the contrasting results reported by various investigators regarding the differences in ozone concentrations between weekends and weekdays.
A clear picture of renal cell carcinoma

Two recent studies describe the largest molecular profiling analyses to date of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and report remarkably similar findings. The recurrent pathway alterations identified in these studies open new avenues for therapeutic advances in this chemotherapy- and radiation-resistant disease.
Proton transfer in the lowest excited singlet state of 4-methoxyacridine: extraction of kinetic parameters from an incomplete fluorimetric titration curve

The fluorimetric pH titration curve of 4-methoxyacridine cannot be completed because of quenching of the neutral molecule above pH 14. Normalization of the points in the curve with respect to some point, corresponding to φφo < 1, can be employed to determine the correction factor for conversion to normalization, with respect to the unattainable fluorescence intensity of the neutral molecule, in the absence of excited-state protonexchange or quenching. The excited-state dissociation constant (pKa*) for protonated 4-methoxyacridine, calculated from the rate constants for excited-state proton exchange determined by this approach, is in excellent agreement with the value of pKa* calculated from a Forster cycle.
Ionospheric Source for Low-Frequency Broadband Electromagnetic Signatures

A linear eigenmode analysis shows that small-scale static electric field structures commonly found in the auroral ionosphere are natural generators of low-frequency ( $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\le}{\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{i}$, where ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{i}$ is the ion cyclotron frequency) electromagnetic waves with broadbanded frequency spectra. These waves can account for the observed upward Poynting flux and distinctive polarization signatures in the ionosphere. The ratio of wave electric to magnetic field strength can be much larger than the Alfv\'en velocity. The local Doppler shift is important for facilitating resonant energization of ions and electrons.
Partnership status influences quality of life in low-income, uninsured men with prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND Being partnered confers significant benefits in survival for patients with prostate cancer, yet little is known of the impact of relationship status on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The authors evaluated the influence of partnership on measures of HRQOL. METHODS The authors studied 291 patients who were enrolled in a program that provided free treatment to impoverished, uninsured men with prostate cancer. The associations between relationship status and measures of general and disease-specific HRQOL were evaluated. Results from multivariate models determined the independent effect of partnership on HRQOL. RESULTS Partnered patients were more likely than unpartnered patients to be Hispanic (58% vs. 34%) and were more likely to have elected surgical therapy (49% vs. 34%). Multivariate analyses, controlling for age, ethnicity, disease stage, and treatment type, revealed that partnered patients had better mental health (P = 0.009), less urinary bother (P = 0.011), higher spirituality (P = 0.037), and lower symptom distress (P = 0.005) than unpartnered participants. CONCLUSIONS Relationship status had a positive effect on the quality of life of low-income, uninsured men with prostate cancer. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
DFT-Based Study on Oxygen Adsorption on Defective Graphene-Supported Pt Nanoparticles

The structural and electronic properties of Pt13 nanoparticles adsorbed on monovacancy defective graphene have been determined to understand oxygen adsorption on Pt nanoparticles based upon density functional theory predictions using the generalized gradient approximation. We demonstrate that a monovacancy site of graphene serves a key role as an anchoring point for Pt13 nanoparticles, ensuring their stability on defective graphene surfaces and suggesting their enhanced catalytic activity toward the interaction with O2. Strong hybridization of the Pt13 nanoparticle with the sp2 dangling bonds of neighboring carbon atoms near the monovacancy site leads to the strong binding of the Pt13 nanoparticle on defective graphene (−7.45 eV in adsorption energy). Upon both adsorption of the Pt13 nanoparticle on defective graphene and O2 on Pt13–defective graphene, strong charge depletion of the Pt atom at the interfaces of Pt–C and Pt–O2 is observed. Pt13 nanoparticles are able to donate charge to both defective grap...
The neuronal architecture of the anteroventral cochlear nucleus of the cat in the region of the cochlear nerve root: Electron microscopy

Abstract We have studied the posterior division of the anteroventral cochlear nucleus, where the cochlear nerve root enters the brain, in the cat. In Nissl preparations, this region contains two types of neuronal cell bodies: globular and multipolar. The two types can be identified in the electron-microscope by comparing Nissl substance and rough endoplasmic reticulum. Globular cell bodies receive many synaptic terminals, which cover 85% of the surface. In contrast, multipolar cell bodies are almost entirely wrapped by thin glial sheets—synaptic terminals contact less than 15% of the surface and tend to cluster at the bases of dendrites. Synaptic terminals are of three kinds, types 1, 2, and 3, which contain large round, small round-to-oval, and small flattened synaptic vesicles, respectively. Terminals of all three kinds synapse on both types of cell bodies. However, only globular cell bodies receive the largest type 1 terminals, which correspond to end-bulbs, seen in Golgi impregnations to arise from cochlear nerve axons. Cochlear ablation leads to degeneration of type 1, but not type 2 or 3 terminals. We conclude that neurons with globular cell bodies receive heavy somatic input from the cochlear nerve, as well as from other sources. Neurons with multipolar cell bodies receive very little input to their perikarya—giving their dendrites a more important role in determining their response properties. We suggest a morphological basis for correlating individual kinds of neurons with certain electrophysiological response types.
Io meteorology - How atmospheric pressure is controlled locally by volcanos and surface frosts

The hydrodynamic model of A. P. Ingersoll, M. E. Summers, S. G. Schilpf, 1985, Icarus 64, 375–390 is modified to include the effects of nonuniform surface properties as revealed in recent observational studies. The observations indicate that SO_2 frost is concentrated in a band within 30° latitude of the equator covering 270° of longitude, and that the darker surface at midlatitude is warmer than the frost at times of maximum insolation. The approach to the hydrodynamics has been to make the model simpler and more versatile. Solutions are now obtained in closed analytic form. We calculate atmospheric pressures, horizontal winds, sublimation rates, and condensation rates for a wide variety of surface conditions-patchy and continuous frost cover, volcanic venting (treated as a source of mass distributed over the plume area), discontinuities of surface temperature, subsurface cold trapping, and insolation propagation into the frost. The principal new concept is the horizontal averaging length L, which is equal to √2πH/α where H is the atmospheric scale height and α is the sticking coefficient. If frost is present, either on the surface or just below it, then each area of dimension L (of order 100 km) determines its own atmospheric pressure. Away from the volcanic plumes, the pressure follows the local vapor pressure. Inside the plumes the pressure is higher, e.g., a volcanic source of 10^6 kg/sec spread over an area 300 km in radius raises the local pressure by an amount equal to the vapor pressure of a frost at 124 K. The key unknowns for Io are the strength of the volcanic sources and the temperature of frost near the subsolar point. If the frost is cold (below 110 K) then the only substantial atmospheres are beneath the plumes. If the frost is warm (e.g. 125 K) then there is also a substantial atmosphere near the subsolar point. The equatorial frost deposits are then losing net mass at a substantial rate (e.g., 0.1 cm/year for a subsolar frost temperature of 125 K).
Physics. Transforming light.

Materials with optical properties not found in the natural world can now be designed, offering unprecedented control over light and enhanced device functionality.
The influence of metal ions in the activation of bovine factor IX by the coagulant protein of Russell's viper venom.

Abstract The capacity of various metal ions to support activation of bovine factor IX, by the coagulant protein of Russell's Viper venom, has been examined. The following metal ions, at concentrations which saturate their effect, promoted activation of factor IX, at approximately equal efficiency: Ca2+, Mn2+, Sr2+, and Co2+, Other metal ions, i.e., Ba2+, and Mg2+, at saturating concentrations, led to a maximum rate of activation of factor IX of 25%, compared to Ca2+, The lanthanides, Gd2+, and Tb3+, also promoted activation in this system, at maximal rates of approximately 15%, compared to Ca2+, In this study, it was also discovered that the esterase activity of bovine factor IXa was dependent upon the presence of metal ions. Utilizing α-N-benzoyl- l -arginine ethyl ester as the substrate, steady state kinetic analysis in the absence of metal ion indicated that the Km and Vmax for this substrate was 20 mm and 2.9 μmol substrate cleaved min−1 mg−1 of factor IXa, respectively, at pH 8.0 and 30 °C. In the presence of optimal concentrations of Ca2+, Mn2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+, the Vmax values for this same substrate increased to 6.7, 5.9, 5.0, 5.0, and 3.7 μmol cleaved min−1 mg−1 of factor IXa, respectively. None of these metal ions had an affect on the Km value of this substrate.
Changes in membrane potential during the cell cycle.

Abstract The membrane potential of isolated synchronized Chinese hamster lung cells (V79) has been determined as a function of their position in the cell cycle. During G 1 the cells exhibit a low but increasing membrane potential which rises sharply at the onset of the S phase. The elevated membrane potential is maintained throughout S and G 2 and declines again when the cells enter mitosis. Membrane potentials in an unsynchronized culture, which was recorded from both mitotic and interphase cells physically associated in groups and clusters, were similar to the plateau level obtained during S and G 2 in isolated synchronized cells, and exhibited little variation. It is concluded that although the membrane potential of isolated cells fluctuates during the cell cycle, it plays no causal role as a regulator of mitotic activity.
Dioxygen activation by copper sites: relative stability and reactivity of (μ-η2:η2-peroxo)- and bis(μ-oxo)dicopper cores

Abstract Investigations of complexes comprising the title cores are summarized with a view toward understanding their interconversion and possible implications in metallobiochemistry. Detailed studies on the solvent and concentration dependence of the equilibrium between (μ-η 2 :η 2 -peroxo)dicopper(II) ( A ) and bis(μ-oxo)dicopper(III) ( B ) cores using mono- and binucleating ligands have elucidated the effects of ligand geometry, solubility, solvent donor ability and temperature on O–O bond cleavage and formation. These effects suggest that similar environmental influences may be significant in metalloenzymes and in particular, raise the possibility of either core being responsible for arene hydroxylation by tyrosinase. Recent studies on a synthetic system composed of a [Cu 2 (μ-O) 2 ] 2+ unit ligated to a mixed imine/amine ligand with an appended arene substituent substantiate the notion that core A or B may be competent in performing arene hydroxylation chemistry.
Development, validation and implementation of immobilized metal affinity for phosphochemicals (IMAP)-based high-throughput screening assays for low-molecular-weight compound libraries

This protocol describes assay development, validation and implementation of automated immobilized metal affinity for phosphochemicals (IMAP)-based fluorescence polarization (FP) and time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) high-throughput screening (HTS) assays for identification of low-molecular-weight kinase inhibitors. Both procedures are performed in miniaturized kinase reaction volumes and involve the stepwise addition of test or control compounds, enzyme and substrate/ATP. Kinase reactions are stopped by subsequent addition of IMAP-binding buffer. Assay attributes of the IMAP FP and TR-FRET methodologies are described. HTS assays developed using these procedures should result in Z-factors and low assay variability necessary for robust HTS assays. Providing that the required reagents and equipment are available, one scientist should be able to develop a 384-well, miniaturized HTS assay in approximately 6-8 weeks. Specific automated HTS assay conditions will determine the number of assay plates processed in a screening session, but two scientists should expect to process between 100 and 150 assay plates in one 8-h screening day.
BOAT—optimistic decision tree construction

Classification is an important data mining problem. Given a training database of records, each tagged with a class label, the goal of classification is to build a concise model that can be used to predict the class label of future, unlabeled records. A very popular class of classifiers are decision trees. All current algorithms to construct decision trees, including all main-memory algorithms, make one scan over the training database per level of the tree.We introduce a new algorithm (BOAT) for decision tree construction that improves upon earlier algorithms in both performance and functionality. BOAT constructs several levels of the tree in only two scans over the training database, resulting in an average performance gain of 300% over previous work. The key to this performance improvement is a novel optimistic approach to tree construction in which we construct an initial tree using a small subset of the data and refine it to arrive at the final tree. We guarantee that any difference with respect to the “real” tree (i.e., the tree that would be constructed by examining all the data in a traditional way) is detected and corrected. The correction step occasionally requires us to make additional scans over subsets of the data; typically, this situation rarely arises, and can be addressed with little added cost.Beyond offering faster tree construction, BOAT is the first scalable algorithm with the ability to incrementally update the tree with respect to both insertions and deletions over the dataset. This property is valuable in dynamic environments such as data warehouses, in which the training dataset changes over time. The BOAT update operation is much cheaper than completely rebuilding the tree, and the resulting tree is guaranteed to be identical to the tree that would be produced by a complete re-build.
Modeling targets in a forest at VHF and UHF frequencies

The utility of low frequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for detecting foliage-concealed targets is examined. A forest simulation has been created using a large set of randomly placed and oriented tree models over a lossy dielectric half-space. Given the size of the targets and the wideband frequencies of interest, it is shown that the problem size quickly grows beyond the capabilities of even supercomputers. As a result, an approximate linear superposition technique is developed to model the response from a large number of targets (T-72 tank plus forest model). Results in the SAR image domain show that the clutter response produced by the collection of trees is higher than the response from the T-72 in all cases except when the tank orientation is broadside to the radar aperture. Examination of the backscattered signature of the T-72 shows that there is a direct correlation between the target response and the physical layout of the vehicle. This connection between shape and response holds promise for future exploitation in ATR algorithm development.
Construction of identity in twelfth‐century Andalusia: the case of travel writing

Both the form and content of travel writing make it an ideal vehicle for expressing ideas of Self and Other. The traveller edits his information according to his interests, and passes it on in a way that distinguishes him from the various Others he encounters along the trip. In order to explore some of the understandings of Self and Other in the multicultural world of medieval Islam, this article compares the travel narratives of two men who journeyed from al‐Andalus across the Mediterranean at the end of the twelfth century. Ibn Jubayr, the famous Muslim traveller who lived in Granada, made a number of trips but only left a record of one that lasted from 578/1183 to 581/1185 and culminated in a hajj. Benjamin of Tudela was a Jew who lived in territory that shifted from Muslim to Christian control in 1115. He travelled from 1168 to 1171, though the motivation and nature of his trip are unclear. The two travellers were members of different communities. Ibn Jubayr was an insider — his family had been in Spa...