cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroscience meets cryptography: designing crypto primitives secure against rubber hose attacks

Cryptographic systems often rely on the secrecy of cryptographic keys given to users. Many schemes, however, cannot resist coercion attacks where the user is forcibly asked by an attacker to reveal the key. These attacks, known as rubber hose cryptanalysis, are often the easiest way to defeat cryptography. We present a defense against coercion attacks using the concept of implicit learning from cognitive psychology. Implicit learning refers to learning of patterns without any conscious knowledge of the learned pattern. We use a carefully crafted computer game to plant a secret password in the participant's brain without the participant having any conscious knowledge of the trained password. While the planted secret can be used for authentication, the participant cannot be coerced into revealing it since he or she has no conscious knowledge of it. We performed a number of user studies using Amazon's Mechanical Turk to verify that participants can successfully re-authenticate over time and that they are unable to reconstruct or even recognize short fragments of the planted secret.
Adult Children and Eldercare: The Moral Considerations of Filial Obligations

This essay investigates the demands on adult children to provide care for their elderly/ill parents from a socio-moral perspective. In order to narrow the examination, the question pursued here is agent-relative: What social and moral complexities are involved for the adult child when their parent(s) need care? First, this article examines our society’s expectation that adult children are morally obligated to provide care for their parents. Second, the essay articulates how transgressing against this normative expectation can inure significant moral criticism. The final sections present these tensions within the context of disability.
Pauli-Villars regularization and discrete light-cone quantization in Yukawa theory

The techniques of Pauli-Villars regularization and discrete light-cone quantization are combined to analyze Yukawa theory in a single-fermion truncation. A special form of the Lanczos algorithm is constructed for diagonalization of the indefinite-metric light-cone Hamiltonian.
Water Relations and Nutrient Uptake

Abstract Grapevines consist mostly of water that serves as a solvent for organic and inorganic solutes. Plant cells grow by osmotically attracting water and loosening their rigid cell walls. During osmosis, water moves into a solute-containing compartment, such as a cell, across a semipermeable membrane, increasing the turgor pressure of the cell. The solute and pressure forces together make up the water potential. Growth is extremely sensitive to decreases in water potential due to water deficit. Water evaporates from plant surfaces during transpiration, mostly through stomatal pores, cooling the plant tissues and causing a tension that drives root water uptake and movement up the vine in the xylem to the leaves. The stomata function as valves that regulate water loss to avoid excessive dehydration and cavitation of the xylem, whose low hydraulic resistance provides for effective water transport. Along with water, the roots also take up mineral nutrients from the soil solution in a controlled fashion for accumulation and distribution via the transpiration stream throughout the vine. Nutrient uptake, mostly by ion exchange, and movement to the xylem can occur actively, through ATP-powered transport proteins, or passively, down an electrochemical potential gradient. Shallow roots preferentially take up immobile nutrients, and deep roots preferentially take up mobile nutrients.
Interferon and adrenocorticotropic hormone induction of steroidogenesis, melanogenesis and antiviral activity.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and mouse but not human interferon caused a steroidogenic response and induced antiviral activity in mouse adrenal tumor (Y-1) cells. ACTH and human but not mouse interferon caused induction of melanin synthesis and antiviral activity in human melanoma cells. ACTH did not induce antiviral activity in mouse L or human amnion (WISH) cells. The hormonal activities of interferon were neutralized by specific rabbit anti-interferon sera. Thus, interferon has species-specific hormonal activity and ACTH has cell-specific antiviral activity. These results are discussed in terms of the possible natural functions of interferon and polypeptide hormones.
Rare earth element distributions in a proto-stratiform ultramafic intrusion

Rare earth element (REE) abundances are reported for ten whole rock and eight mineral samples from the Preacher Creek ultramafic intrusion of southeastern Wyoming. Chondrite-normalized distribution patterns for the whole rocks exhibit a broad maximum between Sm and Gd and reflect the REE pattern of clinopyroxene, the major REE-bearing phase. Alteration of the primary mineral assemblages to actinolite and chlorite, which is generally minor, does not appear to have significantly affected the REE distributions. Absolute abundances of the REE in the rocks and constituent minerals increase as a function of differentiation, and relative abundances suggest an accompanying light REE enrichment. Trapped-liquid phases, which may be relatively enriched in REE, possibly account for some or all of the observed REE trends. The REE data, interpreted in terms of crystal-melt fractionation, suggest derivation of the intrusion by crystallization from a gabbroic magma having a REE distribution pattern similar to the parent magma of the Skaergaard stratiform complex. The results of this study are in accord with and complement a previous proposal that the Preacher Creek body formed in a manner analogous to major stratiform intrusions.
Origins of scalar timing

I have attempted to trace here a personal and theoretical odyssey through, one might say, both chronological time over some years and subjective time over the auges in which we usually observe in an animal behavior
Desorption of Adsorbed Poly(ethylene Oxide) from Colloidal Polystyrene Particles

This paper reports on the use of a polyoxyethylene alkylphenol surfactant to desorb adsorbed poly(ethylene oxide) from the surfaces of colloidal polystyrene particles in aqueous media. Adsorption and desorption were quantified by measurement of polymer solution concentrations before and after surfactant treatment. To do this, two calibration surfaces were developed and verified so that the solution concentrations of polymer and surfactant could be quantified simultaneously. Adsorption isotherms and data from attempts to adsorb polymer onto particles with preadsorbed surfactant suggest that the surfactant should be able to desorb the polymer. However, desorption experiments in which the surfactant attacks preadsorbed polymer layers show that significant desorption occurs only under certain conditions. The effects of starting polymer solution concentration, polymer molecular weight, surfactant concentration, and time on desorption behavior are illustrated. Information on polymer configurations can be inferred from hydrodynamic layer thicknesses obtained through dynamic light scattering. A simple physical picture involving the competition of polymer and surfactant for adsorption sites can rationalize all of the observations.
Potencia estadística en el diseño de estudios clínicos

Las notas estadisticas anteriores hicieron referencia, entre otras cosas, a las pruebas de hipotesis para decidir, por ejemplo, si la diferencia entre el promedio del grupo tratado y del grupo control, era estadisticamente significativa, es decir, si se podia atribuir esa diferencia al efecto del tratamiento y no al azar.........
Understanding the longevity of the β-lactam antibiotics and of antibiotic/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations

Abstract Microbial resistance necessitates the search for new targets and new antibiotics. However, it is likely that resistance problems will eventually threaten these new products and it may, therefore, be instructive to review the successful employment of β-lactam antibiotic/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations to combat penicillin resistance. These combination drugs have proven successful for more than two decades, with inhibitor resistance still being relatively rare. The β-lactamase inhibitors are mechanism-based irreversible inactivators. The ability of the inhibitors to avoid resistance may be due to the structural similarities between the substrate and inhibitor.
Two-dimensional simulation of polysilicon etching with chlorine in a high density plasma reactor

A two-dimensional fluid simulation of polysilicon etching with chlorine in an inductively-coupled high density plasma source is presented. A modular approach was used to couple in a self-consistent manner the disparate time scales of plasma and neutral species transport. This way, complex plasma chemical reactions (involving electrons, ions and neutrals) as well as surface chemistry can be included in the simulation, The power deposited into the plasma was calculated by an electromagnetics module which solves Maxwell's equations. The power deposition was used in the electron energy module to find the electron temperature and the rate coefficients of electron-impact reactions. These were in turn used as source terms in separate neutral and charged species transport modules. By iterating among the modules, a self-consistent solution was obtained. Quantities of interest, such as power deposition, species density and flux, and etch rate and uniformity were thus calculated, As power deposition was increased, the electron density increased linearly, the plasma became less electronegative, the degree of gas dissociation increased, and the plasma potential remained constant. The radial uniformity of the Cl atom flux was better than that of the ion flux. The reactivity of the wafer as compared to that of the surrounding electrode surface significantly affected the etch uniformity, despite the low pressure of 10 mtorr. >
The Power of Nonconflict

The high cost of violence has sparked an interest in the power of nonviolence and in nonviolent techniques of conducting conflict. Of the three types of violence and nonviolence — the cult, the extermination, and the breakdown of threat systems — the third is most important. Nonviolence involves threat in more subtle and less costly ways than does violence. Conflict is relatively unimportant in biological evolution, except in the very indirect sense of unconscious competition; it is more important in social dynamics and operates as a facilitator or a limiter. Most human activity and most developmental processes are nonconflictual, and where conflict exists it is frequently dealt with by ritualization. The control of violence may be achieved more easily by expanding the nonconflictual aspect of human behavior than by trying to substitute nonviolent for violent conflict. The main problem is dialectical thinking in terms of only two alternatives or two parties, which almost always is a gross oversimplification. A “trialectic” of violence, nonviolence, and nonconflict is a much more realistic approach to the problems of the dynamics of society.
The relationship between foreign ownership and technology transfer

Abstract This paper focuses on technology-transfer implications of foreign-ownership restrictions. Using a theory of the multinational corporation, testable implications concerning the transfer of product and process technology via wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures are developed. Comparing selected countries that deter wholly owned foreign direct investment to less restrictive countries, two predicted results are found. First, technology transferred to countries that deter wholly owned foreign direct investment is disproportionately process rather than product technology. Secondly, the product technology transferred to countries that deter wholly owned foreign direct investment is relatively older.
Other Causes of Red Urine

I am writing in reference to "Hematuria in Childhood" by Kaplan ( PIR 5:99, 1983). In Table 1 are listed several causes for "red" urine. Under discolored urine, external pigments, drugs, I would like to suggest that rifampin be included. This is particularly important because many physicians are using this drug as prophylaxis in the treatment of Haemophilus influenzae type B carriers. This drug produces red urine in almost all who take the substance. I suspect that currently, at a national level, this single agent is presently more responsible for red urine than all of the other agents added together. Fortunately, this is a totally reversible process, despite possible other harmful side effects.
VUV high resolution and high flux beamline for chemical dynamics studies at the advanced light source

Abstract An undulator beamline, consisting of VUV high resolution and high flux branch lines, devoted to chemical dynamics experiments has been designed at the Advanced Light Source. The radiation source is an undulator having a 10-cm period, and the fundamental in the energy range from 6 to 30 eV is utilized by the experiments. The higher harmonics of the undulator due to the operation at high K values is suppressed by a novel gas filter. In the first branch, high-flux 2% bandwidth radiation is directed toward an end station for photodissociation. A photon flux calculation predicts 1016 photon/s at this end station. In the second branch, highly monochromatized radiation is sent to an end station for photoelectron spectroscopy and photoionization studies. For this purpose a vertical dispersion 6.65-m off-plane Eagle mounting was chosen for the monochromator in anticipation of achieving a resolving power of ∼ 5 × 104 with a 1200 grooves/mm grating and 1 × 105 to 2 × 105 with a 4800 grooves/mm grating.
Computation of forced convection in slow flow through ducts and packed beds—IV. Convective boundary layers in cubic arrays of spheres

Abstract Detailed boundary-layer solutions are given for heat and mass transfer in forced convection through packed beds. The simple cubic and the dense cubic array of spheres are chosen as examples. Numerical results are given for uniform and catalytic surface conditions, and the uniform-accessibility assumption is quantitatively tested. Close agreement is found with the data of Karabelas et al .[1] for diffusion-controlled electrolysis in a dense cubic array.
Examining Differential Gains From Internet Use: Comparing the Moderating Role of Talk and Online Interactions

The idea that interpersonal discussion moderates the effect of public affairs mass media on participatory behavior has been empirically supported by recent research. However, these studies focus on face-to-face conversations as the only means by which citizens discuss political issues with others. This study takes the idea one step further and not only examines the effects of face-to-face interactions, but examines the effects of computer-mediated interactions and internet hard-news use on participatory behavior. We found that not only did internet hard-news use have a positive main effect on participatory behavior, but that this effect was moderated by both face-to-face interpersonal discussion and computer-mediated interactions such as chat. This study explores explanations for this phenomenon and implications for future research.
Quelques réflexions autour du lien Compétences - Développement Durable et de son impact sur le management de l'entreprise

Une trajectoire historique comparable (de l’emergence dans les annees 70 a la consecration dans les annees 80 - 90), la durabilite comme denominateur commun et une contribution (plus ou moins importante) a la competitivite de l’entreprise : tels sont les trois constats qui fondent le lien existant entre le Developpement Durable et l’approche Competence. Pourquoi operer un tel rapprochement ? La finalite de cette comparaison historique et conceptuelle est la suivante : est-il necessaire de mettre en competences le Developpement Durable ? Si oui, est-ce possible ? La necessite d’un tel chantier ne fait pas de doute : la definition de competences durables (ou responsables) permettrait en effet de donner corps a la Responsabilite Societale dans l’entreprise, de la traduire en ressources tangibles, transmissibles et appreciables sinon mesurables. Sa faisabilite apparait moins evidente et suppose que plusieurs conditions soient reunies, parmi lesquelles : definir et cartographier les savoirs, savoirs - faire et savoirs - etre relevant de la RSE et du Developpement Durable ; organiser ces ressources en familles de competences responsables, souples, evolutives et adaptables a de multiples contextes d’entreprises et/ou de situations salariales ; definir les criteres qui donneront de la coherence a cette cartographie ; mettre en œuvre une pedagogie de la responsabilite pour favoriser leur appropriation.
First trimester uric acid and adverse pregnancy outcomes

BACKGROUND The association of elevated serum uric acid with the development of hypertension is established outside of pregnancy. We investigated whether first trimester uric acid was associated with the development of the following: gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, these outcomes stratified by presence of hyperuricemia at delivery since this denotes more severe disease, preterm birth or small for gestational age (SGA).
Antimetabolite poisoning of cofactor biosynthesis.

In this issue of Chemistry & Biology , van der Westhuyzen et al. describe the synthesis and characterization of the natural product CJ-15,801, which acts as an antimetabolite of the coenzyme A biosynthetic pathway.
Embolotherapy of a mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the internal mammary artery in chronic granulomatous disease.

We report a case demonstrating an unusual and previously unpublished complication of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), that is massive hemorrhage from a mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the left internal mammary due to invasiveAspergillus fumigatus of the anterior chest wall. This brief report further illustrates the angiographic diagnosis and embolotherapeutic control of a mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the internal mammary artery.
LDA measurement in air–water downward flow

Abstract Local characteristics of the liquid phase in air–water downward flow were investigated in a 50.8 mm inner-diameter round pipe. A laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) system was used to measure axial liquid velocity and its fluctuations. To reduce the measurement uncertainty, the experiments were performed in flow conditions with low void fraction. Titanium dioxide particles with a mean diameter of 2 μm were used as seeding particles to enhance the data rate. Benchmark experiment in the single-phase liquid flow was first carried out to ensure good performance of the LDA system in the current setup. A total of 13 flow conditions were examined in air–water two-phase experiment. By applying a special setup of the LDA system, it was found that no further signal discrimination process was required to obtain the liquid velocity in the present low void fraction conditions. The comparisons between the liquid flow rates measured by the magnetic flow meter and those obtained from the local measurements showed good agreements, with differences less than 6.0%. The measurement results demonstrated that the presence of the bubbles tended to flatten the liquid velocity radial profile, and the maximum liquid velocity might occur off the pipe centerline, in particular at relatively low flow rates. Furthermore, the axial liquid velocity fluctuations were quite uniform in the radial direction. No significant turbulent reduction in the two-phase downward flow was observed in the current experimental flow conditions.
The thermodynamic properties of polytetrafluoroethylene

Polytetrafluoroethylenes of different crystallinity were analyzed between 220 and 700 K by differential scanning calorimetry. A new computer coupling of the standard DSC is described. The measured heat capacity data were combined with all literature data into a recommended set of thermodynamic properties for the crystalline polymer and a preliminary set for the amorphous polymer (heat capacity, enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs energy; range 0–700 K). The crystal heat capacities have been linked to the vibrational spectrum with a θ3 of 54 K, and θ1 of 250 K, and a full set of group vibrations. Cv to Cp conversion was possible with a Nernst–Lindemann constant of A = 1.6 × 10−3 mol K/J. The glass transition was identified as a broad transition between 160 and 240 K with a ΔCp of 9.4 J/K mol. The room-temperature transitions at 292 and 303 K have a combined heat of transition of 850 J/mol and an entropy of transition of 2.90 J/K mol. The equilibrium melting temperature is 605 K with transition enthalpy and entropy of 4.10 kj/mol and 6.78 J/K mol, respectively. The high-temperature crystal from is shown to be a condis crystal (conformationally disordered), and for the samples discussed, the crystallinity model holds.
An empirical study of depositor sensitivity to bank risk

Using a cross-sectional data set on U.S. commercial banks, the argument that during the mid 1980s to early 1990s depositors were insensitive to bank risk is empirically examined. Bank risk is measured by the predicted probability of bank failure as a function of contributing factors. The natural log of bank deposits is then regressed on bank risk and other control variables. The coefficient on bank risk in this equation measures the sensitivity of deposits to bank risk. A close examination of the estimated coefficient on bank risk offers little support for the argument that depositors were insensitive to bank risk.
Comparison between omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid intakes as assessed by a food frequency questionnaire and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition in young children

Comparison between omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid intakes as assessed by a food frequency questionnaire and erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition in young children
Activation of LXRs prevents bile acid toxicity and cholestasis in female mice.

Liver X receptors (LXRs) have been identified as sterol sensors that regulate cholesterol and lipid homeostasis and macrophage functions. In this study, we found that LXRs also affect sensitivity to bile acid toxicity and cholestasis. Activation of LXRα in transgenic mice confers a female-specific resistance to lithocholic acid (LCA)–induced hepatotoxicity and bile duct ligation (BDL)–induced cholestasis. This resistance was also seen in wild-type female mice treated with the synthetic LXR ligand TO1317. In contrast, LXR double knockout (DKO) mice deficient in both the α and β isoforms exhibited heightened cholestatic sensitivity. LCA and BDL resistance in transgenic mice was associated with increased expression of bile acid–detoxifying sulfotransferase 2A (Sult2a) and selected bile acid transporters, whereas basal expression of these gene products was reduced in the LXR DKO mice. Promoter analysis showed that the mouse Sult2a9 gene is a transcriptional target of LXRs. Activation of LXRs also suppresses expression of oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase (Cyp7b1), which may lead to increased levels of LXR-activating oxysterols. Conclusion: We propose that LXRs have evolved to have the dual functions of maintaining cholesterol and bile acid homeostasis by increasing cholesterol catabolism and, at the same time, preventing toxicity from bile acid accumulation. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;45:422–432.)
Bayesian autoregressive spectral analysis

The article describes an operational Bayesian approach to making inferences for the spectral density function for univariate autoregressive processes and for the AR operator of multivariate autoregressive processes. The derivation of the approach is described. Numerical examples, including the Wolfer Sunspot numbers, are used to demonstrate the practical usefulness of the approach.
A personal identity annotation overlay system using a wearable computer for augmented reality

There is surely no doubt that computers play an important role in our life. The use of computers ranges from convenient tools like calculators to various lives saving equipment. They help to save a great amount of human effort in many areas. To accomplish special tasks in different workplaces, it would be of great advantage to develop proper devices and to use wearable computers to meet the goals successfully. That is why we use the support of different kinds of computers such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), personal digital assistant (PDA), digital bar code reader, etc. Using a portable or wearable computer, we can work outside our offices or even in bed. Thus, our work environment has changed considerably. In many new environments, computers can help us to increase our perception and interaction abilities. Augmented reality (AR) is a good example of a tool used to enhance a human's perception and interaction abilities. AR provides a natural method for presenting computer-generated information by overlaying graphics into a view of the real world. This paper describes a personal identity annotation system using a wearable computer for an AR environment, which allows its user to recognize unknown persons. For implementing, the proposed system uses skin-color pixels coupled with shape and face features to detect and track faces in images taken by a wearable camera. Faces in a view are detected by searching for connected regions of skin color pixels. For each region big enough, an elliptic area is determined with the highest image gradient magnitude around the perimeter and the highest number of enclosed skin color pixels. The face regions enclosed by the determined ellipses are then used by the system to recognize multiple faces based on the face similarity. Experimental results show that the proposed system has both quality and performance to be used as a guiding system for visitors in various equipments.
Performance of ILU preconditioning techniques in simulating anisotropic diffusion in the human brain

We conduct simulations for the unsteady state anisotropic diffusion process in the human brain by discretizing the governing diffusion equation on a face-centered cubic grid and adopting a high performance differential-algebraic equation solver, IDA, to deal with the resulting large-scale system of DAEs. Incomplete LU preconditioning techniques are used with the GMRES method to accelerate the convergence rate of the iterative solution. We then investigate and compare the efficiency and effectiveness of a number of ILU preconditioners, and find out that the ILUT with a dual dropping strategy gives the best overall performance when it is provided with the optimum choices of the fill-in parameter and the threshold dropping tolerance.
On two extremal matrix problems

Abstract Let W be a linear subspace of symmetric n×n matrices whose rank is at most t. It is shown that if the underlying field has more than n elements, then: Let L be an affine space of n×n matrices all having rank at least k. It is shown that if the underlying field is algebraically closed, then dim L ⩽ n 2 − k+1 2 The last result is applied to a problem of Valiant concerning permanents and determinants.
An Aspect of the Biochemistry of Sugars

THE issue of NATURE of July 9, p. 44, contains a communication by Prof. R. Robinson, in which, on purely speculative grounds, far-reaching conclusions are drawn (1) regarding the origin in Nature of galactose, and (2) regarding the configuration of the pentose of the plant nucleic acid. The second conclusion met with the approval of Haworth.
The Markov Process as a Means of Determining Generating-Unit State Probabilities for Use in Spinning Reserve Applications

A method is presented showing the use of the Markov process to determine the state probabilities of generating units as functions of time, i.e., the probabilities that at some given time, normally less than 24 hours, a unit will be in either the operating state, a derated state, or the forced-outage state. These probabilities can be used in a loss-of-load probability (LOLP) program for determining spinning reserve requirements.
Density-dependent seasonal dynamics of blacklegged tick (Acari:Ixodidae) nymphs.

The midsummer seasonal decline in abundance of unfed Ixodes scapularis Say nymphs on experimental plots in New Jersey was density-dependent. Nymph density was manipulated on 9 plots (10 by 10 m each) in Morristown National Historical Park, NJ, in early June 1994. Subsequent rates of decline were directly proportional to initial density (linear regression, R 2 = 0.83). A 6-fold manipulation of density caused more than a 10-fold increase in per-capita disappearance rate. Absence of density-dependent mortality in simultaneous field cage experiments implicated dispersal at rates higher than reported previously, positive-density-dependent host finding success, or predation, possibly in the form of host grooming. Each of these possibilities has important implications for the role of unfed nymphs in the regulation of I. scapularis populations.
NetDEO: automating network design, evolution, and optimization

With the ever-increasing number and complexity of applications deployed in data centers, the underlying network infrastructure can no longer sustain such a trend and exhibits several problems, such as resource fragmentation and low bisection bandwidth. In pursuit of a real-world applicable data center network (DCN) optimization approach that continuously maintains balanced network performance with high cost effectiveness, we design a topology independent resource allocation and optimization approach, NetDEO. Based on a swarm intelligence optimization model, NetDEO improves the scalability of the DCN by relocating virtual machines (VMs) and matching resource demand and availability. NetDEO is capable of (1) incrementally optimizing an existing VM placement in a data center; (2) deriving optimal deployment plans for newly added VMs; and (3) providing hardware upgrade suggestions and allowing the DCN to evolve as the workload changes over time. We evaluate the performance of NetDEO using realistic workload traces and simulated large-scale DCN under various topologies.
Plasma Conductivity at Low Frequencies and Wavenumbers

The low‐frequency electromagnetic conductivity of high‐temperature, low‐density plasmas is examined starting from a linearized kinetic equation of the Balescu type. The equation is solved in the limits ω ≫ Γee and Γii ≫ ω, where Γee and Γii are the inverses of the equipartition times of electrons and ions, respectively. The conductivity is related in a well‐known way to the properties of collective waves, and expressions are obtained for the phase velocity and damping of these waves. The results agree with experiment to just within experimental accuracy.
SENSITIVITY OF LINEAR AND NONLINEAR SURFACE RUNOFF MODELS TO INPUT ERRORS

Abstract We examined the relationship between errors in runoff peak predictions by linear and nonlinear surface runoff models and errors in input intensity. We have shown that if input intensity errors are sufficiently large, a linear model optimally identified according to a least-squares criterion may perform better than a nonlinear model even though the system is truly nonlinear.
Combined Spectral Index to Improve Ground-Based Estimates of Nitrogen Status in Dryland Wheat

Spectral indices are useful for estimating crop yield potential and basing in-season N fertilizer applications. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is positively related to crop N status and leaf area index (LAI) under N limited conditions. However, under water limited conditions, variations in LAI may be driven by soil moisture rather than plant-available N, which will confound spectral estimates of crop N status. This study evaluated the performance of spectral indices for ground sensing of crop chlorophyll a+b content (C ab ) and N status in dryland wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Sensitivity of spectral indices to C ab and LAI was assessed using reflectance spectra simulated by the PROSPECT+SAIL model. Simulations showed the modified chlorophyll absorption ratio index and second modified triangular vegetation index in ratio (MCARI/MTVI2) to be sensitive to C ab and resistant to LAI. This conclusion was tested in dryland fields with measured canopy reflectance at Zadoks growth stages 57 to 60. NDVI and other simple indices were highly correlated with LAI (r 2 ≤ 0.84) and less well correlated with chlorophyll meter readings (r 2 ≤0.46) and flag leaf N (r 2 ≤ 0.29). MCARI/MTVI2 was poorly correlated with LAI (r 2 = 0.01) and more highly correlated with chlorophyll (r 2 = 0.70) and flag leaf N (r 2 = 0.54), agreeing with PROSPECT+SAIL. Use of MCARI/ MTVI2 may improve ground estimates of crop N status where LAI variability is associated with water availability. This information is potentially useful for decisions whether to apply foliar N to enhance grain protein concentration of wheat.
Dissipation in Quantum Mechanics. The Harmonic Oscillator

The need for a quantum-mechanical formalism for systems with dissipation which is applicable to the radiation field of a cavity is discussed. Two methods that have been used in this connection are described. The first, which starts with the classical Newtonian equation of motion for a damped oscillator and applies the conventional formal quantization techniques, leads to an exact solution; but subsequent discussion shows that this method is invalid, the results being unacceptable from a quantum-mechanical viewpoint. The second method, which considers the interaction of two systems, the lossless oscillator and the loss mechanism, is adopted in the present article. No special model is used for the loss mechanism, but this mechanism is assumed to have a large number of densely-spaced energy states.The approximations with respect to the loss mechanism that underlie the concept of dissipation are discussed. These approximations are then applied to the analysis, and a differential equation for a coordinate operator of the harmonic oscillator is obtained which has the formal appearance of the Newtonian equation of motion for a driven damped harmonic oscillator, the driving term being an operator referring to the loss mechanism. The presence of the driving term is responsible for the difference between the present theory and that of the first method mentioned above. A solution of the differential equation for the coordinate operator is given explicitly. An examination of the physical significance of the solution shows that the driving term is responsible not only for the thermal fluctuations which are due to the loss mechanism, but also for the proper commutation relationship of the conjugate coordinates of the oscillator and for its zero-point fluctuations.A generalization of the solution to provide for a classical driving force and coupled atomic systems is given. The results are then restated in a form that refers to the loss mechanism only through the two parameters by which it is usually described---the dissipation constant and the temperature.
Maize Unstable factor for orange1 is required for maintaining silencing associated with paramutation at the pericarp color1 and booster1 loci.

To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying paramutation, we examined the role of Unstable factor for orange1 (Ufo1) in maintaining paramutation at the maize pericarp color1 (p1) and booster1 (b1) loci. Genetic tests revealed that the Ufo1-1 mutation disrupted silencing associated with paramutation at both p1 and b1. The level of up regulation achieved at b1 was lower than that at p1, suggesting differences in the role Ufo1-1 plays at these loci. We characterized the interaction of Ufo1-1 with two silenced p1 epialleles, P1-rr′ and P1-prTP, that were derived from a common P1-rr ancestor. Both alleles are phenotypically indistinguishable, but differ in their paramutagenic activity; P1-rr′ is paramutagenic to P1-rr, while P1-prTP is non-paramutagenic. Analysis of cytosine methylation revealed striking differences within an enhancer fragment that is required for paramutation; P1-rr′ exhibited increased methylation at symmetric (CG and CHG) and asymmetric (CHH) sites, while P1-prTP was methylated only at symmetric sites. Both silenced alleles had higher levels of dimethylation of lysine 9 on histone 3 (H3K9me2), an epigenetic mark of silent chromatin, in the enhancer region. Both epialleles were reactivated in the Ufo1-1 background; however, reactivation of P1-rr′ was associated with dramatic loss of symmetric and asymmetric cytosine methylation in the enhancer, while methylation of up-regulated P1-prTP was not affected. Interestingly, Ufo1-1–mediated reactivation of both alleles was accompanied with loss of H3K9me2 mark from the enhancer region. Therefore, while earlier studies have shown correlation between H3K9me2 and DNA methylation, our study shows that these two epigenetic marks are uncoupled in the Ufo1-1–reactivated p1 alleles. Furthermore, while CHH methylation at the enhancer region appears to be the major distinguishing mark between paramutagenic and non-paramutagenic p1 alleles, H3K9me2 mark appears to be important for maintaining epigenetic silencing.
3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane functionalized inorganic membranes for high temperature CO2/N2 separation

Abstract High temperature inorganic membranes may play an important role in the development of economical processes for pre-combustion and/or post-combustion CO2 capture. The CO2/N2 selectivity of mesoporous silica membranes is enhanced by surface modification using APTS (3-aminopropyl-triethoxy silane). Unmodified silica membranes exhibit Knudsen diffusion behavior for most gases but also have some contribution from surface diffusion of heavier or interacting gases like CO2, CH4, etc. Gas separation experiments were performed on the modified membranes for both pure gas and mixed gases for a range of temperatures and feed gas compositions. Mixed gas separation factors as high as 10 for CO2 over N2 were observed at 393 K and CO2 partial pressures of 15 kPa; whereas for pure gases (CO2 partial pressure of 303 kPa), no separation was seen. The hypothesized transport mechanism is the reaction of CO2 with surface amine groups to form a carbamate species and subsequent surface “hopping” of carbon dioxide. The CO2 binding at ambient conditions is sufficiently strong to greatly inhibit the surface diffusion of CO2, however, as the temperature increases, the CO2 permeance increases and selective transport of CO2 is observed. The permeance of CO2 is highly non-linear, and increases with decreasing CO2 partial pressure in the feed gas. NMR studies performed on the bare support and modified membrane shows the support has been modified by APTS. Pore size analysis on the unmodified and modified silica substrates show that the pore diameter of modified substrates are lower than that of the unmodified substrate indicating that the amine silanes are anchored on the pore walls of the substrate. The NMR measurement for an APTS/silica membrane with adsorbed CO2 shows the presence of a carbamate species and thus supports the hypothesized reaction mechanism or facilitated solid-state CO2 transport. The binding energy for CO2 adsorption is 15.5 kcal/mol and activation energy for CO2 diffusion/hopping from one amine group to another of APTS is 7.2 kcal/mol as computed using ab initio Density Functional Theory (DFT).
HTLV-1 Tax binds to and stabilizes the SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase RNF4 during DNA damage response

Human T-cell Leukemia Virus type 1 Tax protein has been ascribed numerous activities and is clearly functionally pleiotropic with respect to virus biology. In fact, we previously reported that RNF4 regulates the subcellular localization of Tax, establishing this STUbL as a key factor in the compartmentalization of Tax-mediated functions. One of the activities of Tax is to promote genomic instability, a function that we have proposed derives from the competitive sequestration of cellular damage response proteins. Recent studies revealed that RNF4 was required for DNA break repair by regulating ubiquitylation and recycling of DNA damage response (DDR) proteins. Because we had already established that Tax bound to RNF4, we examined whether RNF4 mediates Tax-induced genomic instability. Tax binding to RNF4 is mediated via Tax amino acids 202-253. Exogenous cellular expression of Tax markedly increased steady-state levels of RNF4 protein without affecting its mRNA level, while the deletion mutant TaxD202-253 showed no detectable effect. In the presence of cycloheximide, RNF4 displayed a basal half-life of approximately 12-16 hours. In response to DNA damage, RNF4 was stabilized with a two-fold increase in half-life. This result indicates a role for protein stability in the cellular damage response. Interestingly, co-expression of Tax inhibited the DNA damage-induced stabilization of RNF4, suggesting that Tax impairs RNF4 function. We are currently examining the potential effects of Tax on RNF4 protein post-translation modification (PTM), such as phosphorylation, ubiquitylation and sumoylation during DNA damage response with both proteomic and biochemical techniques.
A new electrocardiographic limb electrode.

Abstract A new electrocardiographic electrode is described which replaces the rubber strip fastening by a spring blade.
Pose Estimation using Point and Line Correspondences

The problem of a real-time pose estimation between a 3D scene and a single camera is a fundamental task in most 3D computer vision and robotics applications such as object tracking, visual servoing, and virtual reality. In this paper we present two fast methods for estimating the 3D pose using 2D to 3D point and line correspondences. The first method is based on the iterative use of a weak perspective camera model and forms a generalization of DeMenthon's method (1995) which consists of determining the pose from point correspondences. In this method the pose is iteratively improved with a weak perspective camera model and at convergence the computed pose corresponds to the perspective camera model. The second method is based on the iterative use of a paraperspective camera model which is a first order approximation of perspective. We describe in detail these two methods for both non-planar and planar objects. Experiments involving synthetic data as well as real range data indicate the feasibility and robustness of these two methods. We analyse the convergence of these methods and we conclude that the iterative paraperspective method has better convergence properties than the iterative weak perspective method. We also introduce a non-linear optimization method for solving the pose problem.
Imaging and Treating Tumors by Targeting their Acidity with Phlip, a Ph-Sensitve Insertion Peptide

The discovery that the C helix of Bacteriorhodopsin exhibits spontaneous, pH-dependent insertion to form a helix across lipid bilayers has led to the use of related peptides, pHLIPs (pH (Low) Insertion Peptides), to study peptide insertion across bilayers, to selectively target cargoes to tumors and other acidic tissues in vivo, and to deliver molecules across the plasma membranes of living cells.Because pHLIP is unfolded on the surface of a bilayer and folding is pH-triggered, we are able to begin to observe and understand the molecular events that accompany the insertion and folding of a peptide entering a bilayer. When the pH is dropped, it is found that a helix forms rapidly on the bilayer surface, followed by a slow insertion across it in several kinetically distinct steps. The exit pathway when the pH is suddenly raised is more rapid, and includes partial unfolding of the helix while still in the bilayer. Lipid composition and sequence features affect the insertion pK and pathway intermediates.pHLIPs target acidic tissues in vivo, where the transmembrane insertion stabilizes them in cells, enabling targeting of imaging and therapeutic agents. We have shown targeting of dyes, radioisotopes, nanogold and Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs) to tumors in mice, and will report on the state of our efforts to use PNAs to suppress onco-micro RNAs, a possible route to tumor therapy.
Intellectual abilities and adaptive behavior of children and adolescents with Kabuki syndrome: A preliminary study

Very little is known about the intellectual abilities and adaptive behavior of individuals who have Kabuki syndrome, beyond the fact that most individuals with this syndrome have mental retardation. To fill this gap, we have completed psychological assessments of 11 children and adolescents with Kabuki syndrome. Results indicated that most of the participants functioned in the range of mild mental retardation, with both intellectual and adaptive behavior in the mildly deficient range and problem behaviors, if any, limited to mild difficulties with inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity and mild problems with obsession/anxiety. At the lower extreme, one child evidenced severe mental retardation and profound adaptive behavior impairment accompanied by serious externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors. At the upper extreme, one adolescent had average intelligence and adaptive behavior, with problem behaviors well within the normal range for his chronological age. Most participants evidenced relative intellectual strengths in verbal and reasoning abilities and a relative weakness in visuospatial construction abilities. This pattern affected adaptive behavior as well, yielding a relative strength in Social Interaction and Communicative Skills and considerable weakness in Motor Skills and Personal Living Skills.
Simplified embedding of biological material for thin sectioning.

SINCE the introduction of thin sectioning by conventional methods for electron microscopy in 1948 1, several embedding techniques have been described1,2. In one of these, namely, double embedding in nitrocellulose and paraffin, the tissue is first infiltrated with an ether–alcohol solution of nitrocellulose ; the volume occupied by the solvent is then filled with molten paraffin. The chief disadvantage of this method is the slowness of infiltration of the viscous nitrocellulose. In addition, the hardness of the block cannot easily be controlled to suit the hardness of the material to be cut. The second method in common use consists in embedding the material in a plastic such as butyl methacrylate, which is then polymerized in the temperature range 50°–60° C. for 12–24 hr. to form a hard mass. We find, however, that the polymerization is difficult to control. The hardness is governed by the degree of polymerization, and the cutting qualities are quite sensitive to hardness. Furthermore, the hardness appears to increase with time, making storage of the blocks impractical.
Police perceptions of spouse abuse: A comparison of male and female officers

The purpose of this article is to compare policewomen with policemen regarding their attitudes toward handling family fights, specifically, toward handling spouse abuse. Sixty-two policewomen responded to a questionnaire measuring their involvement, or professional concern about family fights. As hypothesized, policewomen scored significantly higher on this variable (rpb = + .43). Although sample differences in education and other demographic variables accounted in part for this finding, police-officer gender correlated with involvement even when all other variables were controlled for. There was some evidence that identification with a feminist point-of-view and concern for the battered women were significant intervening variables that explained why policewomen scored higher on involvement. It was also found that policewomen and policemen differed in their perceptions of how policewomen handle family fights. Policemen tended to view policewomen as lacking assertiveness, while policewomen viewed themselves as more patient and understanding, and as less likely to escalate a conflict. The results of this study support the findings of an earlier study in which women in shelter homes described policewomen as more likely than male officers to be informative, to take time to listen, and to provide helpful information. It is suggested that the results of the current study could provide a basis for discussion among mixed groups of police officers concerning various approaches to handling family fights.