cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The adoption of environmental and risk management practices: Relationships to environmental performance

The Strategic Goals Program sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency which focuses on the Metal Finishing Industry is used to investigate some pertinent issues related to small manufacturing enterprises' environmental performance. Results from the initial years of this program are used to evaluate a number of hypotheses related to the relationship between environmental performance and adoption of environmental and risk management practices, especially among smaller organizations. The methodology uses unique structuring of data to determine temporal environmental performance using data envelopment analysis. Results show that early and increased investment in these practices and programs may not provide for better performance benefits. The findings have implications for environmental managers in smaller organizations and policy makers overseeing these types of organizations.
Do cognitive skills moderate the influence of neighborhood disadvantage on subsequent educational attainment

This paper examines how neighborhood quality affects young adults’ educational outcomes, and whether neighborhood effects are moderated by cognitive test scores and other proxies for investments during childhood. The empirical results imply that high cognitive test scores help young adults overcome the effects of having lived in a disadvantaged neighborhood during adolescence with respect to attainment of a high school diploma and enrollment in a two- or four-year college. The results are robust to using alternative proxies for investments in children, such as mother's highest grade completed and measures of non-cognitive skills.
Comparison of Methyl Rotation Axis Order Parameters Derived from Model-Free Analyses of 2H and 13C Longitudinal and Transverse Relaxation Rates Measured in the Same Protein Sample

Recombinant HIV-1 protease was obtained from bacteria grown on a 98% D2O medium containing 3-13C pyruvic acid as the sole source of 13C and 1H. The purified protein is highly deuterated at non-methyl carbons, but contains significant populations of 13CHD2 and 13CH2D methyl isotopomers. This pattern of isotope labeling permitted measurements of 1H and 13C relaxation rates of 13CHD2 isotopomers and 2H (D) relaxation rates of 13CH2D isotopomers using a single sample. The order parameters Saxis2, which characterize the motions of the methyl rotation axes, were derived from model-free analyses of R1 and R2 data sets measured for 13C and 2H spins. Our primary goal was to compare the Saxis2 values derived from the two independent types of data sets to test our understanding of the relaxation mechanisms involved. However, Saxis2 values derived from the analyses depend strongly on the geometry of the methyl group, the sizes of the quadrupolar and dipolar couplings, and the effects of bond vibrations and librations...
Alternative splice variants of the human PKR protein kinase possessing different 5'-untranslated regions: expression in untreated and interferon-treated cells and translational activity.

Abstract The double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR is an interferon-inducible enzyme that possesses antiviral and antiproliferative activities. We examined expression of PKR transcripts in human placenta tissue and cultured human amnion U cells. Alternative exon 2 structures were identified and characterized that possess different functional activities. Cloning and sequence analyses of 5′-RACE cDNAs from human placenta established a linkage between exon 1 and three alternative exon 2 structures that constitute, together with part of exon 3, the 5′-untranslated region of the PKR mRNA. The alternative splice variants of exon 2 were designated Ex2α (83 nucleotides), Ex2β (167 nucleotides), and Ex2γ (401 nucleotides). All three exon 2 variants were present in placenta tissue. However, only the Ex2α and Ex2β forms were detectable in the amnion U cell line. Nuclease protection analysis revealed that the Ex2β form was slightly more abundant than the Ex2α form, in both placenta tissue and U cells. Interferon treatment of U cells increased the level of both Ex2α and Ex2β RNA by ∼5-fold. The translational activities, measured in a luciferase reporter assay, of RNA transcripts possessing the Ex2α and Ex2β forms of the PKR 5′-UTR were comparable to each other and more efficient than those with the Ex2γ form.
Transverse spin-orbit force in the spin Hall effect in ballistic semiconductor wires

We introduce the spin- and momentum-dependent force operator, which is defined by the Hamiltonian of a clean semiconductor quantum wire with homogeneous Rashba spin-orbit (SO) coupling attached to two ideal (i.e., free of spin and charge interactions) leads. Its expectation value in the spin-polarized electronic wave packet injected through the leads explains why the center of the packet gets deflected in the transverse direction. Moreover, the corresponding spin density will be dragged along the transverse direction to generate an out-of-plane spin accumulation of opposite signs on the lateral edges of the wire, as expected in the phenomenology of the spin Hall effect, when spin-\ensuremath{\uparrow} and spin-\ensuremath{\downarrow} polarized packets (mimicking the injection of conventional unpolarized charge current) propagate simultaneously through the wire. We also demonstrate that spin coherence of the injected spin-polarized wave packet will gradually diminish (thereby diminishing the ``force'') along the SO coupled wire due to the entanglement of spin and orbital degrees of freedom of a single electron, even in the absence of any impurity scattering.
A Real-Time Study of 802.11b and 802.11g

In recent past, there has been a tremendous increase in the study and implementation of wireless technologies. The idea of wireless networks started with the 802.11 standards that soon became popular with the wireless LAN, called Wi-Fi. The increase usage of Wi- Fi-enabled laptops, PDA?s and other devices is a clear indicator of Wi-Fi?s widespread acceptance. Wi-Fi is a conglomeration of standards, out of which the three main standards are 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g. Two of the standards, 802.11b and 802.11g, have interoperable characteristics; while the other, 802.11a, operates on a completely different frequency and hence lacks such interoperability. The objective of this paper is to study the performance of 802.11b and 802.11g standards in real-time while implementing an actual file transfer. The specific performance factors studied were protocol congestion, bandwidth and latency.
Intraspecific differences in olfactory sensilla in relation to diet breadth in Uroleucon ambrosiae (Homoptera: Aphididae).

The olfactory plate organs found on the proximal segments of aphid antennae, the secondary rhinaria, were studied in apterae of the aphid Uroleucon ambrosiae. The numbers and shapes of these structures are important taxonomic characters in Aphididae, but they also show intraspecific variation within a morph. In this study, numbers were found to vary with aphid size but, independent of size, were greater in aphids collected in the eastern than in the southwestern United States. In addition, the sizes of rhinaria were greater in eastern than in southwestern aphids. These differences correlate with previously recorded differences in diet breadth and the efficiency of finding and settling on food: eastern aphids specialize on the host Ambrosia trifida, on which they settle relatively efficiently, while southwestern aphids are more generalized and less efficient. Greenhouse experiments demonstrated that differences in rhinaria are partly determined genetically. Southwestern aphids showed bilateral asymmetry in length of antennal segments though not in numbers of rhinaria, but only on certain adopted hosts that were apparently inferior for growth. The significance of these intraspecific differences is discussed in relation to the physiology, ecology, and evolution of host range.
Sex Differences in Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase mRNA in Neonatal Rat Brain: Implications for Sexual Differentiation

Sexual differentiation of rodent brain is dependent upon hormonal exposure during a "critical period" beginning in late gestation and ending in early neonatal life. Steroid hormone action at this time results in anatomical and physiological sexual dimorphisms in adult brain, but the mechanism mediating these changes is essentially unknown. The inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA, is involved in regulation of sexually dimorphic patterns of behavior and gonadotropin secretion in the adult. Recent evidence suggests that during development GABA is excitatory and provides critical neurotrophic and neuromodulatory influences. We hypothesized that steroid-induced changes in GABAergic neurotransmission during this critical period are important mediators of sexual differentiation in brain. Therefore, we quantified levels of mRNA for GAD, the rate-limiting enzyme in GABA synthesis. On Postnatal Day 1, males had significantly higher levels of GAD mRNA in the dorsomedial nucleus, arcuate nucleus, and CA1 region of hippocampus. On Postnatal Day 15, after the critical period for sexual differentiation has ended, these differences were no longer present. We examined the role of gonadal steroids in regulating GAD by removing testes of males and administering testosterone to females at birth. Exposure to testosterone was correlated with increased GAD mRNA in the dorsomedial nucleus. A sex difference in GAD mRNA was also observed in the medial preoptic area, but the influence of testosterone was inconclusive. We conclude that sex differences in the GABAergic system during development are partially hormonally mediated, and that these differences may contribute to the development of sexually dimorphic characteristics in adult brain.
The Campbell Collaboration’s Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Online Training Videos

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis are techniques for synthesizing primary empirical studies to produce a summary of effects. To facilitate this goal, the Campbell Collaboration (C2) supports rev...
The continuous spectrum of the hydrogen quasi-molecule

Abstract A quantal calculation of the continuous absorption coefficient of the hydogen quasi-molecule for the transition 1 s σ2 s σ 3 Σ + g ← 1 s σ2 p σ 3 Σ + u is described the calculation includes the explicit dependence of the matrix element of the electronic dipole transition moment on the rotational state of the molecule. The detailed summation of the transition probability over all rotational states for temperatures at which several states are populated differs significantly from the probability given by the contribution of the rotationless ( J ' = 0) state multiplied by the rotational partition function. The difference is larger than the errors resulting from the δ-function approximation to the continuum wave functions used in previously published calculations of this absorption coefficient.
Evaluating Host Resistance to the White-Pine Weevil, Pissodes strobi, (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Using Feeding Preference Tests

Results of experiments in which white-pine weevils, Pissodes strobi (Peck), were caged on cut leaders show that weevils are capable of distinguishing and expressing feeding preferences among three of their host species—eastern white pine, jack pine, and red pine—very similar to patterns observed in the field. There was no difference in amount of feeding on eastern white pine or western white pine, or between two classes based on past weeviling, despite a large difference in susceptibility. In none of the 4 species was amount of feeding correlated with any of the morphological features which were measured at 10 in. from the base of the terminal bud.
Anecdotal association of endosalpingiosis with chlamydia trachomatis IgG titers and Fitz-Hugh-Curtis adhesions.

Abstract Study Objective. To correlate Chlamydia trachomatis IgG titers with endosalpingiosis. Design. Prospective, single-blind, histologic analysis of tissue, and retrospective analysis of historical laboratory and clinical variables. Setting. A tertiary care patient practice. Participants. Sixty consecutive patients with C. trachomatis IgG titers, 28 positive and 32 negative. Interventions. The second review of histology slides and charts of these women. Measurements and Main Results. One patient was found to have endosalpingiosis. She had Fitz-Hugh-Curtis (FHC) adhesions and a positive C. trachomatis IgG titer, but no endometriosis. Conclusions. This review confirmed an anecdotal association of endosalpingiosis with positive C. trachomatis IgG titers and FHC adhesions, but failed to demonstrate a statistically significant relationship due to the size of the sample.
Blocking in successive differential conditioning: Prior acquisition of control by internal cues blocks the acquisition of control by brightness

Abstract In each of four experiments the acquisition of discriminative stimulus control by brightness cues (black vs white runway) in a successive go/no-go instrumental discrimination was blocked in groups given prior discrimination training with internal (reward-produced and intertrial interval-related) cues as relevant discriminanda and brightness cues irrelevant. The blocking effects obtained here in instrumental conditioning were substantial and in most cases complete. Blocking occurred whether brightness in Phase I varied across trials but was uncorrelated with reinforcement (varied-irrelevant, V-I, condition) or whether all Phase 1 trials occurred to a single value on the brightness dimension (constant-irrelevant, C-I, condition) which then served as a redundant S+ cue in Phase 2 while the previously unexperienced brightness cue was added to the S- stimulus compound, or vice versa. Blocking in the V-I condition was shown not to be due simply to nondifferential reinforcement of brightness in Phase 1, but to depend on the prior acquisition of discriminative stimulus control by internal cues. As in Pavlovian conditioning, blocking here was an increasing function of amount of prior conditioning to the blocking stimulus. The results encourage the prospect that the procedures used here can be developed into a viable instrumental conditioning companion to the Pavlovian procedures now used almost exclusively to study blocking.
Effect of impurities and moisture on lithium bisoxalatoborate (LiBOB) electrolyte performance in lithium-ion cells

Abstract Electrolytes containing LiB(C2O4)2 (LiBOB) salts are of increasing interest for lithium-ion cells for several reasons that include their ability to form a stable solid electrolyte interphase on graphite electrodes. However, cells containing these electrolytes often show inconsistent performance because of impurities in the LiBOB salt. In this work we compare cycling and impedance data from cells containing electrolytes with LiBOB that was obtained commercially and LiBOB purified by a rigorous recrystallization procedure. We relate the difference in performance to a lithium oxalate impurity that may be a residual from the salt manufacturing process. We also examine the reaction of LiBOB with water to determine the effect of salt storage in high-humidity environments. Although LiBOB electrolytes containing trace amounts (∼100 ppm) of moisture appear relatively stable, higher moisture contents (∼1 wt%) lead to observable salt decomposition resulting in the generation of B(C2O4)(OH) and LiB(C2O4)(OH)2 compounds that do not dissolve in typical carbonate solutions and impair lithium-ion cell performance.
Histamine-induced venodilation in human beings involves both H1 and H2 receptor subtypes

Histamine is a potent vasodilatory substance released during anaphylaxis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which histamine produces venodilation in humans in vivo with the use of the dorsal hand-vein compliance technique. In healthy volunteers full dose-response curves were constructed by infusing histamine, before and after administration of an H1 or H2 antagonist or both antagonists, into dorsal hand veins preconstricted with the alpha-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine. In the presence of the H1 antagonist brompheniramine (530 ng/min), the maximal venodilatory response to histamine decreased from 128% +/- 57% to 78% +/- 15% (p < 0.05). In the presence of H2 antagonist cimetidine (49 micrograms/min), the maximal venodilatory response to histamine decreased from 120% +/- 33% to 48% +/- 26% (p < 0.01). Concurrent infusion of histamine with the combination of cimetidine and diphenhydramine resulted in almost complete abolishment of histamine-induced venodilation. Methylene blue (6.8 micrograms/min), an inhibitor of the action of endothelium-derived relaxing factor, decreased the vasodilatory response to histamine from 131% +/- 23% to 73% +/- 24% (p = 0.01). The results suggest that the venodilatory response of histamine is mediated through both H1 and H2 receptor subtypes and that this response is mediated in part by endothelium-derived relaxing factor.
Intestinal absorption of 5 chromium compounds in young black ducks (Anas rubripes)

An in vivo intestinal perfusion technique was used to measure the absorption rates of five Cr compounds in black ducks. Cr was absorbed from saline solutions of KCr(SO4)2 and CrO3 at a rate about 1.5 to 2.0 times greater than from solutions of Cr, Cr(NO3)3, and Cr(C5H7O2)3. These results suggest the ionic form of Cr in solution may be an important factor in determining absorption of Cr compounds from the small intestine.
Carnegie Airborne Observatory-2: Increasing science data dimensionality via high-fidelity multi-sensor fusion

Abstract The Carnegie Airborne Observatory (CAO) was developed to address a need for macroscale measurements that reveal the structural, functional and organismic composition of Earth's ecosystems. In 2011, we completed and launched the CAO-2 next generation Airborne Taxonomic Mapping Systems (AToMS), which includes a high-fidelity visible - to - shortwave infrared (VSWIR) imaging spectrometer (380–2510 nm), dual-laser waveform light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanner, and high spatial resolution visible - to - near infrared (VNIR) imaging spectrometer (365–1052 nm). Here, we describe how multiple data streams from these sensors can be fused using hardware and software co-alignment and processing techniques. With these data streams, we quantitatively demonstrate that precision data fusion greatly increases the dimensionality of the ecological information derived from remote sensing. We compare the data dimensionality of two contrasting scenes — a built environment at Stanford University and a lowland tropical forest in Amazonia. Principal components analysis revealed 336 dimensions (degrees of freedom) in the Stanford case, and 218 dimensions in the Amazon. The Amazon case presents what could be the highest level of remotely sensed data dimensionality ever reported for a forested ecosystem. Simulated misalignment of data streams reduced the effective information content by up to 48%, highlighting the critical role of achieving high precision when undertaking multi-sensor fusion. The instrumentation and methods described here are a pathfinder for future airborne applications undertaken by the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and other organizations.
The Difficult History of Ancillary Units: The Obstacles and Potential Opportunities to Increase the Heterogeneity of Neighborhoods and the Flexibility of Households in the United States

ABSTRACT Most aging Americans express the desire to stay in their current home for the rest of their lives. However, as literature and practice indicate, aging in place cannot be successfully achieved in all places, especially in those places where zoning regulations and building codes act as barriers to the flexible adaptation of environments. One possible solution could come from the legalization of what is commonly known as granny flats, or more technically as Ancillary Dwelling Units. This article is divided into three parts. The first part is a brief history of Ancillary Dwelling Units. The second part focuses on the critical role played by local and state urban planning policies in the future of Ancillary Dwelling Units. California is used as a noteworthy example. The third part discusses how positive outcomes for senior residents who have Ancillary Dwelling Units legally present in their neighborhoods are linked to the appropriateness of their design.
Multiple remagnetizations of lower Paleozoic limestones from the Taconics of Vermont

The natural remanent magnetizations in some upper Cambrian and middle Ordovician limestones from the Taconics of Vermont (∼44°N 287°E) are multicomponent and can be attributed to early Paleozoic, late Paleozoic and Cretaceous-early Tertiary remagnetizations. A northwesterly and up magnetization found at 2 sampling localities, characterized by maximum unblocking temperatures of about 350°C, has directions prior to tilt correction corresponding to Ordovician reference poles for North America and is likely to represent a Taconic remagnetization. A shallow, southerly magnetization found at a third locality, with unblocking temperatures that range to about 500°C, has directions corresponding to a Permian (Kiaman and Alleghenian) remagnetization. Common to all 3 sampling localities is a low (up to 300°C) unblocking temperature overprint similar in direction to Cretaceous to Paleocene reference poles.
Family-level relationships of Onagraceae based on chloroplast rbcL and ndhF data

Despite intensive morphological and molecular studies of Onagraceae, relationships within the family are not fully understood. One drawback of previous analyses is limited sampling within the large tribe Onagreae. In addition, the monophyly of two species-rich genera in Onagreae, Camissonia and Oenothera, has never been adequately tested. To understand relationships within Onagraceae, test the monophyly of these two genera, and ascertain the affinities of the newly discovered genus Megacorax, we conducted parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses with rbcL and ndhF sequence data for 24 taxa representing all 17 Onagraceae genera and two outgroup Lythraceae. Results strongly support a monophyletic Onagraceae, with Ludwigia as the basal lineage and a sister-taxon relationship between Megacorax and Lopezia. Gongylocarpus is supported as sister to Epilobieae plus the rest of Onagreae, although relationships within the latter clade have limited resolution. Thus, we advocate placement of Gongylocarpus in a monogeneric tribe, Gongylocarpeae. Most relationships within Onagreae are weakly resolved, suggesting a rapid diversification of this group in western North America. Neither Camissonia nor Oenothera appears to be monophyletic; however, increased taxon sampling is needed to clarify those relationships. Morphological characters generally agree with the molecular data, providing further support for relationships.
Activity of nicotinic acid substituted nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) analogs in a human cell line: difference in specificity between human and sea urchin NAADP receptors

Nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) is the most potent Ca2+ mobilizing second messenger that has been identified. We have previously shown that NAADP analogs substituted at the 5-position of nicotinic acid were recognized by the sea urchin receptor at low concentration, whereas the 4- substituted analogs were not as potent. However, to date the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of these analogs has not been addressed in mammalian systems. Thus, we asked whether these structurally modified analogs behave similarly in an NAADP-responsive mammalian cell line (SKBR3) using microinjection and single cell fluorescent imaging methods. Novel "caged" 4- and 5-substituted NAADP analogs that were activated inside the cell by flash photolysis resulted in Ca2+ mobilizing activity in SKBR3 cells in a concentration dependent manner, but with reduced effectiveness compared to unmodified NAADP. The SAR in mammalian SKBR3 cells was quite different from that of sea urchin and may suggest that there are differences between NAADP receptors in different species or tissues. Importantly, these data indicate that modifications at the 4- and 5-position of the nicotinic acid ring may lead to the development of functional photoaffinity labels that could be used for receptor localization and isolation in mammalian systems.
Optimum locations for exploratory drill holes

A method is developed for selecting the number and location of additional exploratory boreholes using an iterative procedure based on a mathematical optimization concept called fixed point theory. The method is illustrated through its application to an exploratory drilling program for a coal mine where optimized locations gave a lower estimate of regional and block variances than the manual choice.
32-Channel banana-avg montage is better than 16-channel double banana montage to detect epileptiform discharges in routine EEGs.

Abstract Objective We designed a study, comparing the yield of standard 16-channel longitudinal bipolar montage (double banana) versus a combined 32-channel longitudinal bipolar plus average referential montage (banana-plus), to detect epileptic abnormalities. Methods We selected 25 consecutive routine EEG samples with a diagnosis of spike or sharp waves in the temporal regions and 25 consecutive focal slowing and 50 normal EEGs. A total of 100 samples were printed in both montages and randomized for reading. Thirty independent EEG readers blinded from the EEG diagnosis were invited to participate. Results Twenty-two readers successfully completed the test for a total of 4400 answers collected for analysis. The average sensitivity to detect epileptiform discharges for 16 and 32-channel montages was 36.5% and 61%, respectively ( P P =0.27). However more readers detected false positives on 32-channel montage compared to 16-channel montage. Conclusions 32-Channel banana-plus montage has a better yield to detect epileptic abnormalities than the 16-channel double banana montage. Significance Residents and EEG fellows could improve EEG-reading accuracy if taught on a combined 32-channel montage.
Observations on the effect of time dependent gravitational fields on the thermal convective stability of a fluid layer heated from above

Abstract The effect of a time dependent gravity vector on the thermal stability of a fluid layer heated from above is explained physically and by way of a calculation. An analytical result for the stability is obtained and this is compared favorably with a full numerical calculation using Floquet coefficients. Two cases are studied. These are the single and double frequency cases. Contrary to our initial expectations the fluid layer can become more unstable as it is heated from above.
Effect of fish size, meal size and dietary moisture on gastric evacuation of pelleted diets by yellow perch, Perca flavescens

Abstract The relationship of stomach volume to fish size, and the influence of meal size, fish size and dietary moisture on gastric evacuation, were evaluated for yellow perch, Perca flavescens . Relative stomach volume was determined as the amount of a standard pelleted diet consumed in a single feeding for three size groups of perch: 13–23 g, 44–54 g and 75–85 g. Gastric evacuation rates for meals of 0.80% and 0.40% body weight were determined for these size groups, and evacuation rates of a 4.7% and 24.1% moisture meal were determined for the 75–85 g fish. The smallest fish had a significantly greater relative stomach volume than either of the other two groups, which did not differ significantly from each other. Gastric evacuation rates were not affected by the size of the fish or by dietary moisture. Gastric evacuation differed significantly with variations in meal size, although differences in evacuation rates were not proportional to changes in meal size.
The Sport Fishery of the Unchannelized and Channelized Middle Missouri River

Abstract A catch survey of 502 km of the Missouri River was conducted from July 1, 1972 to June 30, 1973. The study area encompassed the Gavins Point Dam tailwaters (6.4 km), 84 km of unchannelized river and 412 km of channelized river. The fishery supported 412,660 angler hours (98,252 angling days) valued at $720,047. Anglers averaged 0.47 and 0.33 fish/h for annual catch and harvest rates, respectively. Catch rate includes fish not kept. The greatest angling effort and harvest occurred in the tailwaters, but the unchannelized river supported the highest annual catch and harvest rates. 0.72 and 0.50 fish/h. The unchannelized river also exceeded the channelized river in angler-hours/km, number of fish caught/km, weight harvested (kg/km), and average size of creeled fish. Sauger, channel catfish, and white bass were the most abundant species creeled in the unchannelized river compared to carp, channel catfish, and freshwater drum in the channelized section. The harvest rates indicated that the standing cr...
Primary and secondary MLR characterization of three allelic variants of HLA-Dw7 segregating in a single family

Abstract Three of four parental haplotypes of a kindred from the Old Order Amish religious isolate carried HLA-DR7 and specificities of the HLA-Dw7 “cluster”. Intrafamily primary and secondary mixed lymphocyte responses clearly distinguished the three Dw7-related allelic specificities. Two of the specificities fall within the Dw11 crossreacting group, designated here as Dw11 “short” (Dw11S) and Dw11 “long” (Dw11L), while the third is more closely related to Dw7. Reaction patterns in this family illustrate the complexity of antigen recognition in primary and secondary mixed lymphoyte responses and the important role played by the responder cell in generating discriminatory primed lymphocyte typing reagents.
SPIN DISTRIBUTION STUDIES IN FERROMAGNETIC METALS BY POLARIZED POSITRON ANNIHILATION EXPERIMENTS

Three photon polarization measurements, P3γ, were performed with positrons annihilating in Gd, Fe and Ni. The values of P3γ are used to renormalize the 2γ angular correlation experiments thus obtaining the momentum distribution of the spin aligned electrons in single crystals of Gd, Fe and Ni. The results show marked anisotropies in these metals, and indicate that in the low momentum region the positrons annihilate with negatively polarized electrons.
The measurement of manufacturing flexibility

Abstract In this paper we report the development of an instrument for measuring and analyzing manufacturing flexibility. Thirty-four items affecting manufacturing flexibility were identified from the literature and a preliminary instrument was created to measure them. Using a survey of 269 firms and employing factor-analytic techniques, the instrument was modified. The final instrument contained 21 items representing nine components of manufacturing flexibility. In order to determine technical validity (i.e., convergent and discriminant validity) additional data from 113 firms were collected. The results of this effort and suggested uses of this instrument are given in this paper.
The influence of micro structural scale on the creep resistance of high volume fraction ceramic-metal composites made from aluminum oxide and niobium

Abstract High temperature deformation behavior of two-phase microstructures, made from nominally pure niobium and alumina, was studied in the temperature range 1300–1500 °C. One of these alloys, containing 65 vol% ceramic, not only has excellent ductility but has a flow stress that is more than ten times the flow stress of nominally pure niobium. The composite has a directional microstructure consisting of elongated, bamboo-like niobium crystals surrounded by oxide particles. The flow stress appears to vary inversely with the transverse dimension of the niobium grains. This leads us to propose that the strengthening is due to the pinning of metal dislocations at the niobium/sapphire interfaces. The applied stress is related to a local criterion for flow in terms of the angle formed by an extended metal dislocation held at a metal-ceramic interface.
A test of long-term, predictive, geochemical transport modeling at the Akrotiri archaeological site

Abstract A study of elemental transport at the Akrotiri archeological site on the island of Santorini, Greece, has been conducted to evaluate the use of natural analog data in support of long-term predictive modeling of the performance of a proposed geologic repository for nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Akrotiri and Yucca Mountain have many analogous features including silicic volcanic rocks, relatively dry climates, and oxidizing, hydrologically unsaturated subsurface conditions. Transport of trace elements from artifacts buried in volcanic ash 3600 years ago at Akrotiri is analogous to transport of radioactive wastes in the proposed repository. Subtle evidence for a plume of Cu, Zn, and Pb has been detected by selective leaching of packed earth and bedrock samples collected immediately beneath the site where bronze and lead artifacts were excavated. The geologic setting of the artifacts and the hydraulic properties of the enclosing media were characterized. A numerical model of the type used in repository performance assessments was developed for elemental transport at the site. Site characterization data were used to build the model but no prior information on the nature of the contaminant plume was provided to the modelers. Some model results are qualitatively consistent with field data, including the small amount of material transported, limited amounts of sorbed material, and relatively elevated sorption on a packed earth layer, However, discrepancies result from incomplete representation of heterogeneity and complexity and poorly constrained model parameters. Identification of such system characteristics and model limitations in relevant systems is a major contribution that analog studies can contribute in support of repository modeling.
H19 in the pouch.

The linked maternally expressed H19 and paternally expressed Igf2 genes use a CTCF-dependent DNA methylation–sensitive insulator to govern their allele-specific imprinting patterns. Contrary to expectations, a new study shows that the noncoding H19 RNA has a marsupial ortholog and that key features of the locus are similar, indicating that the imprinting regulation of this locus is conserved among therian mammals.
Neurothekeoma of the oral cavity: case report and review of the literature.

Abstract Neurothekeoma is an uncommon, benign soft-tissue tumor of nerve sheath origin that most often involves upper portions of the body such as the head, neck, and shoulder.1 It usually arises in the dermis and subcutis and very rarely in mucous membranes. Only a few cases of intraoral neurothekeoma have been reported.2–6 A case of neurothekeoma of the buccal mucosa is described along with its histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics, and previous cases occurring in the oral cavity are reviewed.
Diagnostic Yield of MRI for Pediatric Hearing Loss A Systematic Review

ObjectiveTo perform a systematic review to analyze the diagnostic yield of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for pediatric hearing loss, including comparison to computed tomography (CT) and subgroup evaluation according to impairment severity and specific diagnostic findings (cochlear anomalies, enlarged vestibular aqueduct, cochlear nerve abnormalities, and brain findings).Data SourcesPubmed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library were assessed from their inception through December 2013. Manual searches were also performed, and topic experts were contacted.Review MethodsData from studies describing the use of MRI with or without comparison to CT in the diagnostic evaluation of pediatric patients with hearing loss were evaluated, according to a priori inclusion/exclusion criteria. Two independent evaluators corroborated the extracted data. Heterogeneity was evaluated according to the I2 statistic.ResultsThere were 29 studies that evaluated 2434 patients with MRIs and 1451 patients with CTs that met inclusion/exc...
Gas-phase chemistry in dense interstellar clouds including grain surface molecular depletion and desorption

We present time-dependent models of the chemical evolution of molecular clouds which include depletion of atoms and molecules onto grain surfaces and desorption, as well as gas-phase interactions. We have included three mechanisms to remove species from the grain mantles: thermal evaporation, cosmic-ray-induced heating, and photodesorption. A wide range of parameter space has been explored to examine the abundance of species present both on the grain mantles and in the gas phase as a function of both position in the cloud (visual extinction) and of evolutionary state (time). The dominant mechanism that removes molecules from the grain mantles is cosmic-ray desorption. At times greater than the depletion timescale, the abundances of some simple species agree with abundances observed in the cold dark cloud TMC-1. Even though cosmic-ray desorption preserves the gas-phase chemistry at late times, molecules do show significant depletions from the gas phase. Examination of the dependence of depletion as a function of density shows that when the density increases from 10(exp 3)/cc to 10(exp 5)/cc several species including HCO(+), HCN, and CN show gas-phase abundance reductions of over an order of magnitude. The CO: H2O ratio in the grain mantles for our standard model is on the order of 10:1, in reasonable agreement with observations of nonpolar CO ice features in rho Ophiuchus and Serpens. We have also examined the interdependence of CO depletion with the space density of molecular hydrogen and binding energy to the grain surface. We find that the observed depletion of CO in Taurus in inconsistent with CO bonding in an H2O rich mantle, in agreement with observations. We suggest that if interstellar grains consist of an outer layer of CO ice, then the binding energies for many species to the grain mantle may be lower than commonly used, and a significant portion of molecular material may be maintained in the gas phase.
The problems with hybrids: setting conservation guidelines

Abstract Rates of hybridization and introgression are increasing dramatically worldwide because of translocations of organisms and habitat modifications by humans. Hybridization has contributed to the extinction of many species through direct and indirect means. However, recent studies have found that natural hybridization has played an important role in the evolution of many plant and animal taxa. Determining whether hybridization is natural or anthropogenic is crucial for conservation, but is often difficult to achieve. Controversy has surrounded the setting of appropriate conservation policies to deal with hybridization and introgression. Any policy that deals with hybrids must be flexible and must recognize that nearly every situation involving hybridization is different enough that general rules are not likely to be effective. We provide a categorization of hybridization to help guide management decisions
Petrology of spinel harzburgite xenoliths from the Kishb Plateau, Saudi Arabia

Two spinel harzburgite xenoliths from a Pleistocene alkali basalt unit erupted at the northwestern corner of the Tertiary Kishb Plateau (Saudi Arabia) are characterized by an incipient transition from protogranular to porphyroclastic texture. Vermicular and interstitial spinels are closely associated with neoblasts of olivine, enstatite, and diopside. Sparse exsolution lamellae of high-Ca pyroxene occur in all the enstatite porphyroblasts. Olivine neoblasts are, in many cases, in contact with one another, with the triple grain junctions rarely approaching 120°. Chemical zoning is undetectable by microprobe in spinel and olivine, whereas zoning of Al in enstatite and diopside indicates that chemical equilibrium was not attained. Clear, palegreen glasses occur as veinlets about 10 microns or less in width along grain boundaries and cracks. Consistent counting rates for Na in these glasses were obtained only at 5 kV with a sample current of about 6 namps and counting time of less than 7 s. These glasses are chemically homogeneous and are characterized by relatively high contents of SiO2 (55.8–58.7 wt%), Na2O (6.4–7.6 wt%), and Al2O3 (20.0–21.6 wt%), with inferred volatile contents of less than 1 wt%. The glass is suggested to be of upper mantle origin rather than having developed from the host basalt or by decompressional melting upon ascent.
Stimulated Raman scattering in helium with soft-x-ray laser radiation.

We report calculations for stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) with pump photons from a soft-x-ray laser. The Raman transitions from the 1{sup 1}{ital S}{sub 0} ground state to the 2{sup 1}{ital S}{sub 0} and 3{sup 1}{ital S}{sub 0} metastable states of helium at 20.6 and 22.9 eV, respectively, are considered. We calculate {chi}{sup (3)} for pump photons with an energy close to the autoionizing resonances (2{ital s}2{ital p}){sup 1}{ital P} at 60.15 eV and ({ital sp},23+){sup 1}{ital P} at 63.66 eV. SRS gain coefficients are derived for x-ray laser lines in close resonance with the autoionizing levels, viz., the 3{ital p}(3/2,3/2){sub 2}{r_arrow}3{ital s}(3/2,1/2){sub 1} transition in neonlike selenium ({lambda}=20.64 nm) and the analogous transition in neonlike bromine ({lambda}=19.47 nm). It is shown that the Raman gain coefficient with experimentally realistic parameters is significant and that a high gain length product can be achieved even with pump intensities below 10{sup 11} W/cm{sup 2}. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Use of Emergency Departments by Elder Patients: A Five ‐year Follow‐up Study

. Objective: Tb compare the use of emergency medical care by elders in the United States in 1995 with that previously described for 1990. Methods: A computerized billing database of 88 EDs in 21 states was retrospectively reviewed for 1995, comparing elder and nonelder patients, estimating national use of emergency medical services by elders, and comparing the 1995 data with previously published results for 1990. Results: From 1990 to 1995, the number of ED visits in the United States increased from 92 million to 100 million. The number of visits made by patients aged 65 years or older increased from 13,639,400 (15%) to 15,666,300 (15.7%), but this increase did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.17). The admission rate for elder ED patients increased from 32% to 46% over the five-year interval (p < 0.01). This represents more than 7 million hospital admissions for elder patients in 1995. The rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission for elders decreased from 7% to 6% over the five-year interval (p = 0.56), compared with 1.3% for nonelder patients for both years. Thirty percent of elder ED patients arrived by ambulance in 1990, compared with 33% in 1995 (p = 0.02). Based on 1995 data, elders comprised 39% of patients arriving by ambulance [odds ratio (OR) 4.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.71 to 4.79], 43% of all admissions (OR 6.59, 95% CI = 6.54 to 6.64), and 47% of ICU admissions (OR 5.00, 95% CI = 4.91 to 5.09). The comparable ORs in 1990 were 4.4, 5.6, and 5.5, respectively. Conclusions: From 1990 to 1995, the overall number of ED visits increased. The rate of increase was somewhat greater for elder patients. The use of ambulance services also disproportionately grew among elder patients, as did the rate of hospital admission. The overall rate of ICU admission was stable, but actually fell modestly for elder patients. Of these changes, only the increase in the rate of hospital admission for elders reached statistical significance.
The effect of vitamin B6 on the neurotoxicity and pharmacology of desmethylmisonidazole and misonidazole: clinical and laboratory studies.

The clinical usefulness of misonidazole (MISO) and desmethylmisonidazole (DMM) is severely limited by neurotoxicity. Based on theoretical considerations and on laboratory data suggesting that pyridoxine (PN) decreased MISO toxicity in mice, we attempted to ameliorate the clinical neuropathy of DMM using oral PN. Pharmacokinetic analysis suggested interaction of PN and DMM but no protection against neuropathy was observed. Serial experiments with C3H and BALB/c mice were done using various forms of vitamin B6 (PN, pyridoxal, pyridoxal phosphate) administered orally and i.p. and the nonspecific adsorbing agent activated charcoal. No consistent protection was observed. A slower rate of drug delivery (dose/day) allowed a larger cumulative dose of MISO to be given, a result paradoxical to that seen in the clinic. Dexamethasone did not alter MISO toxicity in mice, contrary to the clinical findings. We conclude that vitamin B6 is not useful in preventing clinical neurotoxicity of MISO or DMM. Furthermore, this mouse model of neurotoxicity assessment has produced results inconsistent with those seen clinically.
A Genetic Programming Approach to Cost-Sensitive Control in Resource Constrained Sensor Systems

Resource constrained sensor systems are an increasingly attractive option in a variety of environmental monitoring domains, due to continued improvements in sensor technology. However, sensors for the same measurement application can differ in terms of cost and accuracy, while fluctuations in environmental conditions can impact both application requirements and available energy. This raises the problem of automatically controlling heterogeneous sensor suites in resource constrained sensor system applications, in a manner that balances cost and accuracy of available sensors. We present a method that employs a hierarchy of model ensembles trained by genetic programming (GP): if model ensembles that poll low-cost sensors exhibit too much prediction uncertainty, they automatically transfer the burden of prediction to other GP-trained model ensembles that poll more expensive and accurate sensors. We show that, for increasingly challenging datasets, this hierarchical approach makes predictions with equivalent accuracy yet lower cost than a similar yet non-hierarchical method in which a single GP-generated model determines which sensors to poll at any given time. Our results thus show that a hierarchy of GP-trained ensembles can serve as a control algorithm for heterogeneous sensor suites in resource constrained sensor system applications that balances cost and accuracy.
A novel mammalian protein, p55CDC, present in dividing cells is associated with protein kinase activity and has homology to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell division cycle proteins Cdc20 and Cdc4.

Abstract A novel protein, p55CDC, has been identified in cycling mammalian cells. This transcript is readily detectable in all exponentially growing cell lines but disappears when cells are chemically induced to fall out of the cell cycle and differentiate. The p55CDC protein appears to be essential for cell division, since transfection of antisense p55CDC cDNA into CHO cells resulted in isolation of only those cells which exhibited a compensatory increase in p55CDC transcripts in the sense orientation. Immunoprecipitation of p55CDC yielded protein complexes with kinase activity which fluctuated during the cell cycle. Since p55CDC does not have the conserved protein kinase domains, this activity must be due to one or more of the associated proteins in the immune complex. The highest levels of protein kinase activity were seen with alpha-casein and myelin basic protein as substrates and demonstrated a pattern of activity distinct from that described for the known cyclin-dependent cell division kinases. The p55CDC protein was also phosphorylated in dividing cells. The amino acid sequence of p55CDC contains seven repeats homologous to the beta subunit of G proteins, and the highest degree of homology in these repeats was found with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cdc20 and Cdc4 proteins, which have been proposed to be involved in the formation of a functional bipolar mitotic spindle in yeast cells. The G beta repeat has been postulated to mediate protein-protein interactions and, in p55CDC, may modulate its association with a unique cell cycle protein kinase. These findings suggest that p55CDC is a component of the mammalian cell cycle mechanism.