cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical sputtering and surface damage of graphite by low-energy atomic and molecular hydrogen and deuterium projectiles

Abstract We present experimental methane production yields for H + , H 2 + , H 3 + , and D 2 + ions incident on ATJ graphite in the energy range 10–250 eV/H. Below about 60 eV/H, the molecular H species give higher methane yields/H when compared with isovelocity H + , similar to our earlier measurements for incident deuterium atomic and molecular ions. For both D and H atomic and molecular projectiles, the yields/atom coalesce onto a single curve below projectile energies of ∼60 eV/atom, when plotted as a function of maximum energy transfer, under the assumption that, below this energy, the incident molecular species are largely undissociated when undergoing C–C bond breaking collisions during their collision cascade and thus produce more damage. Raman spectroscopy of a graphite sample exposed to high fluences of D + and D 3 + beams at high and low energies qualitatively confirmed the assumption that more surface damage is produced by the low-energy incident molecular species than by isovelocity atomic ions. While the two high-energy beam-exposed spots showed similar damage, the low-energy molecular-beam-exposed spot showed slightly more damage than the corresponding D + -beam-exposed spot.
Determining the second-harmonic signal in electrochemical systems

Processes of adsorption and desorption of the butanol-1, butanol-2, hexanol, pentanol, and isoamyl alcohol molecules on a mercury electrode are studied with use made of the method of a second-harmonic signal in the region of radiowave frequencies. Two potentials are simultaneously applied to the metal/solution interface, specifically, a constant potential and a weak variable potential. The magnitude of the constant potential is close to the corresponding potential of adsorption and the variable potential has an amplitude in the limits of 2 to 20 mV and a frequency varying from a few tens of hertzs to a few tens of kilohertzs. Despite the absence of charge transport during the adsorption between the alcohol molecules and the electrode, the quadratic dependence between a signal of electromagnetic radiation of the radiowave frequencies U and the amplitude of the variable potential E v1 applied to the metal/solution interface is discovered for all peaks in the curves of the second-harmonic signal for various concentrations of alcohols, various frequencies, and various values of the amplitude of the variable potential. Investigations for systems containing chlorides of sodium, potassium, and cesium in addition to ethylene glycol are conducted. According to an analysis of obtained experimental data, the number of peaks increases with decreasing concentration of chlorides, whereas the size of the sodium, potassium, and cesium cations makes no impact on the magnitude of the emitted signal. At the same time, diminishing the concentration of the chlorides leads to a certain amplification of the signal.
Inhibition of modification and restriction for phages lambda and T-1 by co-infecting T3.

The host controlled modifications of phage λ-DNA byEscherichia coli B, K, and C (P1) can be suppressed by preinfecting the bacteria with UV-irradiated phage T3. Since UV-irradiated T3 induces an enzyme which cleaves S-adenosylmethionine into homoserine and thiomethyl adenosine, and since S-adenosylmethionine is the only methyl group donor for DNA methylation, we conclude that methylation is a required step in the host controlled modification of λ-DNA. T3 itself successfully infectsE. coli K and B with its nonmethylated DNA. Also, restricted phage λ or T1 will be accepted by the restrictive hostsE. coli B, K, and C(P1) if these are preinfected with UV-T3. It thus appears that T3 is capable of blocking the restriction mechanisms in these hosts. The inability of T3 to grow on C(P1) is not understood. Since T3-DNA is restricted but not degraded into nucleotides byE. coli C(P1) we presume that degradation is not the initial step in restriction.
Refreshable tactile displays based on bistable electroactive polymer

Refreshable tactile displays can significantly improve the education of blind children and the quality of life of people with severe vision impairment. A number of actuator technologies have been investigated. Bistable Electroactive Polymer (BSEP) appears to be well suited for this application. The BSEP exhibits a bistable electrically actuated strain as large as 335%. We present improved refreshable tactile display devices fabricated on thin plastic sheets. Stacked BSEP films were employed to meet the requirements in raised dot height and supporting force. The bistable nature of the actuation reduces the power consumption and simplifies the device operation.
A modified Weiszfeld algorithm for the Fermat-Weber location problem

This paper gives a new, simple, monotonically convergent, algorithm for the Fermat-Weber location problem, with extensions covering more general cost functions.
Environmental regulation in an open economy

Abstract Environmental regulation by a large trading country affects the world price of traded commodities. A series of second-best environmental taxes are derived which explicitly incorporate trade effects for cases which depend on the type of externality, the regulating country's commodity trade balance, and the presence or absence of trade taxes in the regulated market. A coordinated policy solution using both tax and tariff instruments also is derived. The practical implications for domestic environmental policy-making which emerge from the theoretical results are evaluated.
Corneal Epithelial Lesions in Keratosis Follicularis (Darier's Disease)

The prevalence of eyelid keratotic plaques and unique corneal changes associated with Darier'sdisease, peripheral epithelial nebular opacities associated with irregular surface of the central corneal epithelium, are described. These corneal lesions occurred in 16 of 21 patients. The corneal lesions were asymptomatic, stable, and did not respond to oral retinoid therapy. Histopathology of the peripheral corneal opacities showed epithelial cell edema especially in the basal layer, and decreased desmosomes.
Platelet generation under shear force modulated by site-specific phosphorylation of myosin-IIA heavy chain

Megakaryocytes (MKs) are rare cells that every day give rise to 1010 platelets, which are necessary for vascular homeostasis via clot formation and contraction. Understanding MK differentiation is of broad clinical importance and includes a need to augment platelet numbers in patients (e.g. post-surgery). Our group has demonstrated that reversible but sustained inhibition of NMM-II (non-muscle myosin-II) increases MK polyploidization, proplatelet formation and membrane flexibility, thereby increasing platelet generation [1]. NMM-II mutants have been implicated in platelet diseases. Furthermore, while physiological inhibition of NMM-II by phosphorylation regulates the early stage MK polyploidization, it is unknown whether phosphorylation is also important in the late stage fragmentation of platelets from MKs. We have demonstrated that applying controlled shear force in vitro increases fragmentation of platelet-like particles (PLPs) from an established human MK cell line system (MEG-01), and that pharmacological inhibition of NMM-II facilitates fragmentation even further under shear. Our current efforts our focused on introducing NMM-IIA mutants into MEG-01 cells at sites implicated in phosphorylation and May-Hegglin disorder.
Understanding and managing marine protected areas through integrating ecosystem based management within maritime cultural landscapes: Moving from theory to practice

Abstract The ecosystem-based approaches to management being implemented in many marine protected areas require broad knowledge of these special places to achieve any measure of success in effective execution. Ecosystem-based management holds great promise for managing human activities that can significantly influence natural resources, more effectively using this broader context of sustaining ecosystem structure and function to guide management decisionmaking. However, socio-ecological systems are a product of their history. It has been suggested that the emerging idea of defining and understanding “maritime cultural landscapes” may be a way to acquire a better understanding of this history of human/environment interaction. The US National Marine Sanctuary System has recognized the potential value of integrating ecosystem-based management and maritime cultural landscape approaches to marine protected areas management, and is embarking on developing management models that can more clearly demonstrate this potential value. The deeper knowledge of both natural and cultural resources of marine protected areas, and how these have changed over time, offered by this integrated approach is likely to be a critical factor in providing effective stewardship of these special places.
A novel method for single cell detection of in situ telomerase or histone H3 in combination with clonal analysis by FISH.

A novel method for simultaneously detecting clonality by FISH, and presence of telomerase activity (telo+ cells) or histone H3 mRNA (H3+) in single cells from a mixed leukemic population is reported. The methods were validated using K562 cells mixed with peripheral blood granulocytes and bone marrow aspirate cells from newly diagnosed AML patients. Fifty patients with AML were analyzed for telo+ cells, while eight AML patients were analyzed for FISH-Telomerase and FISH-H3+ during remission induction therapy. Our results demonstrate that: (1) changes in the leukemic populations during therapy could be followed; (2) a favorable response to chemotherapy occurred when there was a reduction in both the cytogenetically abnormal cells along with reduction in telo+ cells within this abnormal population; (3) reduction of either telo+ cells or FISH+ cells alone did not correlate with good response. H3+ could be detected in only 4% of the leukemic population, most of which were cytogenetically abnormal. These newly established methods allow sub-populations of cells to be followed during disease progression and treatment and to elucidate factors that give a specific clone proliferative advantage.
Averaging for Fundamental Solutions of Parabolic Equations

Abstract Herein, an averaging theory for the solutions to Cauchy initial value problems of arbitrary order, e -dependent parabolic partial differential equations is developed. Indeed, by directly developing bounds between the derivatives of the fundamental solution to such an equation and derivatives of the fundamental solution of an “averaged” parabolic equation, we bring forth a novel approach to comparing x -derivatives of ∂ t u e (x, t)= ∑ |k|⩽2p A k (x, t/e) ∂ k x u e (x, t)+f e (x, t), u e (x, 0)=ϕ e (x) on R d ×[0, T ] to like derivatives of ∂ t u(x, t)= ∑ |k|⩽2p A 0 k (x) ∂ k x u e (x, t)+f(x, t), u(x)=ϕ(x) (as e →0) under general regularity conditions and our basic hypothesis that ∫ t 0 A k (x, s/e)−A 0 k (x) ds → e→0 0 for each x , t (i.e., pointwise). The flexibility afforded by studing fundamental vis-a-vis specific solutions of these equations not only permits e -dependent Cauchy data and provides a unified method of treating all x -derivatives of u e up to order 2 p −1 but also proves an invaluable tool when considering related problems of stochastic averaging. Our development was motivated by and retains a strong resemblance to the classical theory of parabolic partial differential equations. However, it will turn out that the classical conditions under which fundamental solutions are known to exist are somewhat unsuitable for our purposes and a modified set of conditions must be used.
Effects of protease inhibitors on LPS-mediated activation of a mouse macrophage cell line (J774)

Pretreatment (1 h) of a mouse macrophage-like cell line, J774, with the protease inhibitor, phenylalanine-chloromethyl ketone (PCK) or its structural analogue, tosylphenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) was found to cause substantial inhibition of LPS-triggered activation of NF-κB. Pretreatment of cells with other types of protease inhibitors or their various structural analogues had no effect. PCK or TPCK appeared to exert its inhibitory effect by: (i) partially preventing LPS-triggered degradation of IκBα protein; (ii) preventing LPS-triggered nuclear translocation of NF-κB proteins (p50, RelA and Rel); and (iii) inhibiting the DNA-binding activities of NF-κB proteins. Pretreatment of cells with PCK or TPCK also resulted in the total or partial inhibition of LPS activatable (AP-1 or CREB) or constitutively-existing (Oct-1) transcription factors, but not of another constitutively-expressed transcription factor (SP-1). Pretreatment of J774 cells with PCK was found to substantially suppress LPS-induced ...
Nanomedicine and ethics: is there anything new or unique?

As medicine moves toward being able to predict what you will die from and when, nanomedicine is expected to enhance human capabilities and properties and promises the ability of health care professionals to diagnose, treat, and share medical information nearly instantaneously. It promises to deliver drugs directly to the source of the disease, i.e. tumor. This article examines the literature surrounding ethics associated with nanomedicine, and asks whether these ethical issues are new and unique. While opinions differ, this review concludes that none of the ethical questions surrounding nanomedicine are new or unique, and would hold true for any new medical device or medicine that was being evaluated. The real issue becomes public acceptance of nanomedicine and how much risk society is willing to accept with a new technology before it is proven effective and ‘safe’. While ethical foresight can prove effective in forecasting potential problems, in reality, ethics may not be capable of evaluating such a technology that has yet proven effective in all it has promised. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2011 3 111–118 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.90 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
Pb and Sr systematics of ultrapotassic and basaltic rocks from the central Sierra Nevada, California

This study presents Sr and Pb isotopic ratios and Rb, Sr, U, Th, and Pb concentrations of an ultrapotassic basaltic suite and related rocks from the central Sierra Nevada, California. The ultrapotassic suite yields a narrow range of Sr and Pb isotopic compositions (87Sr/86Sr=0.70597–0.70653; 206Pb/ 204Pb=18.862–19.018; 207Pb/204Pb=15.640–15.686; 208Pb/ 204Pb=38.833–38.950). Associated basalts containing ultramafic nodules have less radiogenic Sr (87Sr/86=0.70430–0.70521) and generally higher Rb/Sr ratios than the ultrapotassic suite. Leucitites from Deep Springs Valley, California, contain high 87Sr/86Sr (71141–0.71240) and low 206Pb/204Pb (17.169–17.234) ratios, reflecting contamination by crustal granulite.
Metal-dependent charge transfer and chemical interaction at interfaces between 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic bisimidazole and gold, silver and magnesium

Abstract Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) is used to investigate interfaces between the organic semiconductor 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic bisimidazole (PTCBI) and Mg, Ag and Au. The metals span a range of work function and reactivity that leads to the formation of three different types of interfaces. The PTCBI-on-Au interface is abrupt and unreacted, and the relative position of energy levels across the interface precludes charge exchange and occupation of gap states. The lower work function of Ag leads to a metal-to-organic charge transfer and formation of polaron-like states at the PTCBI-on-Ag interface. Finally, the PTCBI-on-Mg interface shows clear evidence of a strong chemical interaction, which alters the electronic structure of the organic molecules at the interface and results in the formation of a different type of gap states. Dipole barriers consistent with the energetic and chemical characteristics of each interface are seen in all three cases. Finally, the three interfaces exhibit nearly identical Fermi level positions with respect to the organic highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals.
Rhinophyma treated by argon laser

Results are reported of rhinophyma treated by argon laser. The therapy is assumed to be based on two features: first, selective coagulation of the blood capillaries which cause redness of the nose and which feed the hypertrophic regions; second, direct coagulation shrinkage of the hypertrophic connective tissue. The therapy is simple, causes no noticeable discomfort, requires no (local) anaesthesia or admission, and can be performed more than once. Thirteen patients were treated, eleven men and two women. Systemic treatment could be stopped in all but one case (seven patients). Two out of ten patients still use resorcinol but at a reduced frequency. The general result is a smooth and more natural appearance of the nose without redness. Pustulosis has become an exception.
Randomized trial of antibiotic prophylaxis for combined urodynamics and cystourethroscopy.

Abstract Objective: To determine the efficacy of prophylactic nitrofurantoin in preventing bacteriuria after urodynamics and cystourethroscopy. Methods: We assumed that nitrofurantoin prophylaxis would decrease the rate of infection after urodynamics and cystourethroscopy from 19% to 5%. All women presenting for urodynamics and cystourethroscopy during a 27-month period were offered enrollment, and 142 were randomly assigned to receive two doses of long-acting nitrofurantoin 100 mg (n = 74), or two doses of placebo (n = 68). Nitrofurantoin and placebo capsules were identical, and subjects and physicians were masked to group assignment. Differences were assessed using Student t test for continuous data and χ2 analysis for dichotomous data. Results: There were no statistical differences in demographic characteristics or final diagnoses between groups. Seven women (5%) who had bacteriuria on initial urine culture were not included in the final analysis. The frequency of bacteriuria in the postinstrumentation urine cultures was 6% overall, 7% in the treatment group, and 5% in the controls, a nonsignificant difference ([relative risk] 1.49, [confidence interval] 0.37, 5.95). The power of the study was 33% to detect a significant difference. Conclusion: Bacteriuria after combined urodynamics and cystourethroscopy was not improved by a 1-day course of nitrofurantoin.
Wavelets from coherent states: I

Some of the proto-history of the theory of wavelets was written as Quantum Mechanics was first developed; but a long consolidation period had to occur before the magic clouds dissipated to let the more general structures energy, ready for applications which the Founders were not anticipating. This lecture will recount some of the salient episodes belonging in the earlier part of this saga--and bow out at the threshold of the history of wavelets proper, thus focusing on the hatching grounds provided by coherent states.
A NOTE ON THE ANALYSIS OF NONLINEAR DYNAMICS OF ELASTIC MEMBRANES BY THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Abstract The construction of finite-element/difference approximations of the equations governing largeamplitude motions and waves in thin, isotropic elastic membranes is described. Numerical solutions to representative problems in nonlinear dynamics of hyperelastic sheets are given.
BASS, an acoustic current meter array for benthic flow-field measurements

Abstract The Benthic Acoustic Stress Sensor (BASS) has been developed to meet the needs of near-bed benthic boundary layer experiments. The sensor is a pulse-travel-time acoustic current meter with four axes arranged about a 15 cm diameter measurement volume. It measures velocity vectors with an accuracy of 0.3 cm s −1 , a precision of 0.03 cm s −1 , and can sample the flow at 5 Hz to prevent aliasing in flows as great as 75 cm s −1 . An assembly of sensors in a vertical array permits profiles of mean velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, and Reynolds stress to be obtained. Such arrays have been deployed to depths of 4800 m on instrumented tripods to estimate bottom stress over several hours and to monitor the inner boundary layer over a three-month period. The omnidirectional response, absence of velocity threshold, non-obstructive design and high resolution of BASS make it ideal for the HEBBLE site where current speed ranges from 0.5 to 70 cm s −1 and direction varies through all horizontal angles.
Circuits of Dominance in Education and Poverty: Control Logic and Counter Narrative

In this article I represented educational narratives from two students who completed college coursework while they were incarcerated in a closed correctional facility in North Carolina. Alongside their narratives, I shared literature that addressed inadequacies in the United States social welfare programs, an absence of a living wage, and whitestream dominance in US public schools and analyzed the narratives of these students’ childhoods. These narratives were situated at the intersections of poverty and illegal work. Often these intersections remain invisible in policy discourse and educational contexts in the high accountability/high stakes testing movement that positions the curriculum, and not the child, as the most important thing in the classroom. Subsequently, I challenged educators and researchers committed to the pursuit of equity to question how the children in our classrooms and youth in our prisons were raced, gendered, and classed, and to engage in careful and layered understandings of our students’ lives.
Rapid Analysis of Perchlorate in Drinking Water at Parts per Billion Levels Using Microchip Electrophoresis

A microchip capillary electrophoresis (MCE) system has been developed for the determination of perchlorate in drinking water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recently proposed a health advisory limit for perchlorate in drinking water of 15 parts per billion (ppb), a level requiring large, sophisticated instrumentation, such as ion chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (IC-MS), for detection. An inexpensive, portable system is desired for routine online monitoring applications of perchlorate in drinking water. Here, we present an MCE method using contact conductivity detection for perchlorate determination. The method has several advantages, including reduced analysis times relative to IC, inherent portability, high selectivity, and minimal sample pretreatment. Resolution of perchlorate from more abundant ions was achieved using zwitterionic, sulfobetaine surfactants, N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propane sulfonate (HDAPS) and N-tetradecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-p...
Managing the Dynamics of the Diversity Classroom

This issue of JME openly explores the challenges and dilemmas that faculty members grapple with in attempting to teach diversity topics in effective and meaningful ways. The articles in this collection reveal, among other issues, that well-intentioned instruction designed to facilitate learning about gender and diversity in the workplace can evoke unintended and unanticipated responses that can leave even well-seasoned instructors wondering how to proceed. The issue opens with a focus on the dilemmas that diversity education can create when instructors with good intentions expose students to information about status hierarchies that results in reinforcing those hierarchies in the classroom. After diagnosing the problem, Lisa Amoroso, Denise Loyd, and Jenny Hoobler propose alternative ways to create more equitable learning environments while simultaneously addressing issues related to diversity. The issue continues with two first-person reflection articles (“Crossing the Line” and “Gender in the Management Education Classroom”) that describe attempts to manage complex student and faculty reactions to unexpected incidents in gender and diversity courses. In the first, Delaney Kirk and Rita Durant reflect on an incident when a student’s honest but disrespectful expression clashed with the instructor’s values and expectations about what constitutes an ideal or even acceptable classroom response. In the second, Diana Bilimoria, Deborah O’Neil, Margaret Hopkins, and Verena Murphy reflect on an incident when a student group’s overly casual final presentation on gender issues in the workplace evoked a vehement outburst from another student. Editor’s Corner
Long-term integration for small target detection

Long term integration, defined as integration along paths through multiple resolvable volumes, can significantly increase moving target detection sensitivity in clutter. Physically, this improvement comes primarily from the ability to smooth over and thus reduce clutter spatial variations that are responsible for its "spiky" statistical behavior. A secondary improvement comes from increased ability to smooth over aspect-dependent target fluctuations. However, since target motion is not known, increased complexity results from the need to implement multiple hypothesized integration paths. Implementation complexity depends on integration duration, spatial resolution, bounds on target speed and maneuverability, and the subsequent path mismatch losses. The current analysis focuses on point defense using a predetermined set of constant radial velocity paths that do not cross fixed beam patterns; i.e., simple "range walks". The integration across resolvable volumes is perlormed noncoherently, although coherent integration can take place within resolvable volumes. Thus, coherent integration across resolvable volumes is not considered. The K-density spatial variation clutter model is used, where the pulse to pulse temporal fluctuation is a correlated complex Gaussian random process whose "local" mean varies independently from scan to scan according to a gamma density. Although any form of coherent processing can be included, an MTI filter is used explicitly. Although propagation effects are not considered, long term integration should provide an additional detection sensitivity improvement by increased ability to smooth over these fluctuations. Starting with conventional integration in a single resolvable volume, detection performance is determined using a novel approximation that involves finding the equivalent number of statistically independent returns before square law detection. This allows the results of Marcum and Swerling to be modified and used as conditional probabilities in a numerical integration. The approximation also makes the long term noncoherent integration problem numerically tractable using density cumulants in a generalized Laguerre series. In a tradeoff where the number of pulses coherently integrated per dwell, the scan revisit rate, and the number of dwells noncoherently integrated all vary according to a fixed radar resource constraint, results show that transmitting the shortest dwells possible, including MTI fill pulses, yields optimum results. Although this depends on the scenario, for close-in point defense in spiky sea clutter this implies that clutter and target smoothing advantages offered by long term noncoherent integration outweigh greater SIR buildup offered by increased coherent integration within a resolvable volume. A final comparison with this scenario shows that long term integration increases SIR sensitivity by about 10 dB over conventional cumulative detection, allowing a shipboard horizon scanning system to detect -30 dBsm subsonic sea-skimmers with d=°•9 Pf=l 0-6 at 10 km range in sea state 4.
Magnetic field dependence of the domain wall mass

The dependence of the 180 °‐Block domain wall mass in a ferromagnetic thin film on a magnetic field parallel to the plane of the film was studied theoretically. The Slonczewski theory of the domain wall dynamics was generalized to take into account the distortion of the domain wall structure by the in‐plane magnetic field. An essential aspect of the analysis is that both polar angles determining local directions of magnetic moments within the wall depend upon the distance from the symmetry plane of the wall. The case of an in‐place field parallel to the domain wall was studied in detail. For small in‐plane field H the domain wall mass is approximately m/mo = 1−(π/2)(Q+1)h+0 (h2 1n h), where Q = K/2πM2 and h = MH/2K (M is the saturation magnetization, K is the uniaxial anisotropy constant and mo is the Doring mass). Calculations of the domain wall mass for a field making a small angle with the domain wall were also done as well as an estimate of the influence of the cubic anisotropy on the domain wall mass.
Use of an “Unreacted Shrinking Core” Model in the Reaction of H2S with Perovskite-Type Sorbents

An “unreacted shrinking core” model was used to describe the behavior of a fixed-bed reactor during the reaction between gas-phase H2S and perovskite-type sorbents (i.e., La2CuO4, LaMnO3, and LaCoO3). Optimization of a single adjustable parameter (i.e., the effective diffusivity of H2S through the sulfided perovskite layer) results in an excellent agreement between experimental H2S breakthrough curves and model predictions for different sorbents, temperatures, and H2S inlet concentrations. The values of effective diffusivity thus obtained are on the order of 2−10 cm2/h. For La2CuO4, for which data were available at different temperatures, the effective diffusivity was also found to follow an Arrhenius-type expression with an activation energy of approximately 3 kcal/mol.
Prediction and subtraction of coherent noise using a data driven time shift: A case study using field 2D and 3D GPR data

Abstract We demonstrate the effectiveness of a methodology for reducing coherent noise in GPR data and show 2D and 3D GPR field data examples of subtracting direct and offline diffracted air waves. The procedure is guided by picking the noise time trajectory and shifting each trace to flatten on the picked trajectory. Subtraction of the coherent noise is implemented and optimized by data-adaptive wavelet estimation in a local time window that is centered on the flattened trajectory and moves across the traces. After the subtraction, the flattening is undone to shift each trace back to its original time. This procedure removes the coherent noise while retaining most of the primary reflected signals.
Computing Mixed Discriminants, Mixed Volumes, and Permanents

We construct a probabilistic polynomial time algorithm that computes the mixed discriminant of given n positive definite $n \times n$ matrices within a 2 O(n) factor. As a corollary, we show that the permanent of an $n \times n$ nonnegative matrix and the mixed volume of n ellipsoids in R n can be computed within a 2 O(n) factor by probabilistic polynomial time algorithms. Since every convex body can be approximated by an ellipsoid, the last algorithm can be used for approximating in polynomial time the mixed volume of n convex bodies in R n within a factor n O(n) .
Drug and neurotransmitter receptors in the brain

Biochemical investigation of receptors for neurotransmitters and drugs in the brain has been one of the most active areas of molecular neuroscience during the past decade. This work has permitted fundamental insights into how binding of neurotransmitters to their receptors excites or inhibits neuronal firing or changes cellular metabolism. The recognition of receptor subtypes has suggested subtle ways for neurotransmitters to modulate neuronal functioning. Finally, the ability to measure receptor sites in simple test tube systems and to distinguish readily between agonists and antagonists has provided useful probes for drug discovery programs.
Channels and Pumps in Aldosterone-Producing Adenomas

Primary aldosteronism is the most common cause of secondary hypertension, with a prevalence of about 5% of the general hypertensive population and 10% of patients referred to hypertension specialty clinics. Aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) account for approximately 30–50% of cases of primary aldosteronism, and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism accounts for most of the rest of the cases. Aldosterone synthesis is regulated primarily by the renin-angiotensin system, potassium, ACTH, and to a lesser degree other peptides (1). Isolated adrenal zona glomerulosa and fasciculata cells from different species maintain a negative membrane resting potential determined by regulating membrane permeability to potassium (2, 3). Zona glomerulosa cells with hyperpolarized resting membrane voltages are steroidogenically inactive (4). Stimulation with angiotensin II, ACTH, or potassium results in membrane depolarization, opening of plasma membrane calcium channels, and mobilization of intracellular calcium, which increases activation of the calcium-calmodulin pathway, ultimately resulting in an increase in steroid biosynthesis and secretion (1). Several potassium channels have been described in rodent, bovine, and human adrenal cells, including inward rectifying and leak potassium currents that provide background potassium currents (reviewed in Ref. 3).
Eukaryotic Transcription: An Interlaced Network of Transcription Factors and Chromatin-Modifying Machines

I am grateful to Jessica Tyler and Lee Kraus for critical reading of the manuscript. I also thank the many helpful individuals who have kindly and generously provided preprints of their papers prior to publication. I apologize for any errors or omissions in this review. Studies of chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation in the laboratory of J. T. K. are supported by the National Institutes of Health (GM46995). Studies of chromatin assembly with ACF are supported by the National Science Foundation (MCB 9631121).
Natural Disaster Preparedness in the Private Sector: A Model to Refrain from Isolation

Executive leadership operating in isolation may be a subliminal issue that has an impact upon how resources are allocated for preparing organizations to react to a sudden natural disaster. Two forms of isolation that are of particular interest are upper executive aloofness from management and an indifference to groups external to daily operations. Executive leadership may need to expand its attention to establishing a more inclusive strategy by engaging employees at all levels directly as well as those in leadership positions in organizations in both the public and nonprofit sectors.
Importance of land use versus atmospheric information verified from cloud simulations from a frontier region in Costa Rica

[1] Land-use/land-cover (LULC) change has been recognized as a key component in global climate change, and numerous climate modeling studies at regional to global scales document this. The research strategies have invariably been to first conduct baseline simulations of current conditions to evaluate model performance. Then simulation of regional climate with land cover changes (LCC) implemented within the model allows differences with the baseline simulation to be used as evidence of global to regional-scale climate impacts of LCC. However, even state-of-the-art regional climate models require two data sets to conduct reasonable baseline simulations. These are representative current land cover and atmospheric information over the study region. In frontier and developing areas (where most of the rapid land-use conversion is taking place), these data sets are frequently unavailable and the errors in simulations are due to either inaccurate land cover, insufficient atmospheric information, nonrepresentative model physics, or a combination of one or more of the above. This study shows that in one frontier region, that surrounding the Cordillera de Tilaran of Costa Rica, the accuracy of simulating clouds decreases by 1% to 3% if default model land cover information is used. If the atmospheric data sets used are the ones usually available to researchers (with land cover information held constant), then the model accuracy is reduced by 21% to 25%. Model runs without updated land cover or atmospheric information reduce model accuracy slightly further. Precipitation comparisons also provide similar results. This study thus shows that the critically important data set for conducting accurate simulations is not land cover information but atmospheric information. Researchers may similarly get significant increase in the accuracy of their baseline simulations elsewhere by using radiosondes/rawinsondes over their study region. Finally, since atmospheric information is not available for different landscape scenarios, assessments of the relative role of LULC change will have to continue to rely on using the standard atmospheric data set and the acceptance that the use of more detailed atmospheric data to initialize and provide lateral boundary conditions would have reduced the uncertainties in such landscape sensitivity studies.
Early maturing Kipsigis women have higher reproductive success than late maturing women and cost more to marry

Demographic analyses from 3 cohorts of Kenyan Kipsigis women married between 1940 and 1973 demonstrate that early maturing women have higher reproductive success than do late maturing women, due to longer reproductive lifespans and higher fertility. This result is independent of confounding effects of husband's wealth, but not of the wealth of a woman's parents which affects both menarcheal age and subsequent reproductive success. Data on bridewealth payments at 194 marriages occurring after 1959 show that men make higher marriage payments for early maturing women than for late maturing women. Together these results suggest that Kipsigis men vary their marriage payments in accordance with the reproductive value of their brides. The question of why men use age at menarche rather than bride's parents' wealth as a cue to their bride's subsequent reproductive performance is discussed in the light of changing social and economic conditions experienced by Kipsigis since the late 1920s.
On the NP-completeness of regular 2-D FPGA routing architectures and a novel solution

Several industrial FPGA routing architectures have been shown to have no efficient routing algorithms (unless P=NP). Here, we further investigate if the intractability of the routing problem on a regular 2-D FPGA routing architecture can be alleviated by adding routing switches. We show that on this routing architecture, even with a substantial increase in switching flexibility, a polynomial time, predictable routing algorithm is still not likely to exist, and there is no constant ratio bound of the detailed over global routing channel densities. We also show that a perfect routing is unachievable on this architecture even with near complete (maximum) switching flexibility.We also discuss a new, greedy routing architecture, that possesses predictable and other desired routing properties, yet requires fewer routing resources than regular architectures. This theoretical result may suggest an alternative approach in routing architecture designs.
Automating lexical cross-mapping of ICNP to SNOMED CT.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of automating lexical cross-mapping of a logic-based nursing terminology (ICNP) to SNOMED CT using the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.Methods: A two-stage approach included patterns identification, and application and evaluation of an automated term matching procedure. The performance of the automated procedure was evaluated using a test set against a gold standard (i.e. concept equivalency table) created independently by terminology experts.Results: There were lexical similarities between ICNP diagnostic concepts and SNOMED CT. The automated term matching procedure was reliable as presented in recall of 65%, precision of 79%, accuracy of 82%, F-measure of 0.71 and the area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve of 0.78 (95% CI 0.73–0.83). When the automated procedure was not able to retrieve lexically matched concepts, it was also unlikely for terminology expe...
Extensions to the Phenomenological Theory of Induced Polarization

In the induced polarization method of geophysical exploration, the frequency dependence or dispersion of the complex resistivity of the medium is exploited. We present here a general formulation of the method for the idealized situation where two well-defined regions are both polarizable. The objective is to express the measured or apparent complex resistivity in terms of the complex resistivities of each region. We show that the resultant frequency dependence is not simply a weighted sum of the two constitutive parts except in the case where both media are weakly polarizable. In general, the higher order interaction causes distortion of the resultant frequency response in addition to the first-order dilution effect that is well known. Some comments about the related time domain or transient responses are also included. Finally, we show the connection with the magnetic induced polarization (MIP) method where an analogous development of the dilution and distortion factors follows rather easily.
Innervation of guinea-pig stellate ganglia by nitric oxide synthase, cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript protein- and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide-immunoreactive fibers.

Abstract The present study analyzed using immunohistochemical labeling the distribution and co-localization of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript peptide (CARTp) and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) with choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive fibers in the guinea-pig stellate ganglia. ChAT-immunoreactive fibers make pericellular baskets around virtually all stellate ganglia neurons. Pericellular baskets of NOS, CARTp and PACAP fibers were also present around numerous stellate ganglia neurons. Although all the NOS and PACAP fibers also exhibited ChAT immunoreactivity, only some of the CARTp fibers were ChAT-immunoreactive. No evidence of co-localization of NOS, PACAP and CARTp was obtained. These results indicate that NOS, PACAP and CARTp are present in distinct preganglionic axons innervating the guinea-pig stellate ganglia.
Linear superposition in nonlinear equations.

Even though the KdV and modified KdV equations are nonlinear, we show that suitable linear combinations of known periodic solutions involving Jacobi elliptic functions yield a large class of additional solutions. This procedure works by virtue of some remarkable new identities satisfied by the elliptic functions.
‘Job Seekers’ and ‘Enterprise Incubators’: Educational Reform in Tunisia

In Stalled Democracy, Eva Bellin argues that in the case of countries like Tunisia—states that enter the process of industrial development relatively late in the capitalist game—state‐sponsored industrialization has unintended consequences. On the one hand, when the authoritarian state encourages private sector capital and labour, it sows the seeds of democratic reform by developing social forces that ultimately achieve enough power to challenge repressive state policies. On the other hand, those who have specifically benefited from state intervention in economic processes are reluctant to challenge that state's authoritarian practices. As a result, ‘Democracy is stunted halfway between autocracy and fully accountable government’. This essay uses Bellin's thesis to examine the problem of undertaking educational reform in a stalled democracy like Tunisia. It explores the uneasy fit between English Studies and a university education geared, according to the Tunisian government, towards ‘job seekers’ and ‘en...
High Affinity Interactions of GTPγS with the Heterotrimeric G Protein, Transducin EVIDENCE AT HIGH AND LOW PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS

A well known difference in nucleotide binding characteristics between heterotrimeric G proteins and small GTP binding proteins of the Ras superfamily is that the former bind GTP or guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPgammaS) with a much lower affinity (Kd approximately 10(-8)-10(-7) M) than the latter (Kd approximately 10(-11)-10(-10)M). We report here that the alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein transducin (Gt) binds GTPgammaS with an affinity comparable to that of Ras. High affinity binding was suggested by GTPgammaS titrations of rod outer segment samples with Gt concentrations in the range of 7 nM to 300 nM; the results were more consistent with a dissociation constant for GTPgammaS in the subnanomolar range, than with one in the 10(-8)-10(-7) M range typically reported for heterotrimeric G proteins. Equilibrium binding experiments with G protein concentrations in the subnanomolar to nanomolar range confirmed this conclusion and revealed a dissociation constant of 50 pM. Thus, transducin's affinity for GTPgammaS, and by inference, for GTP, appears to be approximately three orders of magnitude higher than previously reported. These results raise the possibility that some results obtained with high concentrations of nucleotide analogues may be due to minute traces of contaminants such as GTP, GTPgammaS, or GTPalphaS, that have high affinities for Gtalpha.
Interfacial turbulence during the absorption of carbon dioxide into monoethanolamine

Severe discrepancies exist between theoretical considerations and the carbon dioxide–monoethanolamine absorption data available in the literature. By desorbing the inert tracer propylene simultaneously with the absorption of carbon dioxide into monoethanolamine in a short wetted-wall column, it is shown that the physical mass transfer coefficient is increased substantially by the carbon dioxide–monoethanolamine chemical absorption process. This is presumably due to interfacial turbulence driven by surface tension gradients. The use of the actual physical mass transfer coefficient prevailing during carbon dioxide absorption into monoethanolamine results in a considerable improvement in the agreement between the penetration theory solution and the experimental data on the rate of absorption of carbon dioxide into monoethanolamine.
Online Training: A New Form of Computer-Based Training.

Abstract The continuing development of telecommunication technology has made possible a new form of computer-based training (CBT)—online training (OLT), using computer networks as the primary channel to conduct training activities. OLT provides the flexibility and efficiency of computer-based training as well as the individual attention and support of instructor-guided training. The implementation of OLT can take many forms. Its difficulty depends on factors such as communication methods, information formats, and providers of training.
The physician as a locus of authority, responsibility, and operational control of medical systems

Physicians are commonly being excluded from meaningful participation in the planning, implementation, and operation of automated medical systems in hospitals. The authors advocate a rapid shift toward greater physician involvement in such systems, arguing that such a shift is desirable, feasible, and also inevitable. After reviewing the organization of information systems in hospitals, the authors describe the manner in which physician control of medical systems adds to the worth of such systems by enhancing the quality and efficiency of health care delivery. The proposed information system management role of physicians is characterized in terms of authority, responsibility, and operational control. Finally, advice is offered from an organizational perspective for establishing a physician as the hospital Medical Information Director.