cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Propagation of small-scale acoustic-gravity waves in the Venus atmosphere.

Abstract The amplification and attenuation of small-scale acoustic-gravity waves in Venus's atmosphere is studied with a plane-wave model that realistically simulates height variations in structure and zonal circulation. Forcing for these waves could be convective activity at cloud heights or close to the surface, or turbulence arising from small-scale shear instability of the zonal flow; the model treats both surface forcing and cloud-level forcing by diabatic heating variations in the low-stability layer near the base of the clouds. Waves are attenuated in this cloud-level, low-static-stability layer. Slowly moving waves with small vertical length scales are attenuated by eddy diffusivity. Westward moving waves can undergo critical level absorption. A net enhancement in wave amplitude is ago possible because waves can be trapped between the surface and the base of the low stability layer at about 50 km. Observations of small-scale wave activity at the cloud tops and above can be used to explore uncertai...
Power methods for calculating eigenvalues and eigenvectors of spectral operators on Hilbert spaces

Power, inverse power and orthogonal iteration algorithms for determining the eigenstructure of operators on infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces are developed. Convergence properties of the algorithms are established for certain classes of operators associated with the control of systems described by partial differential equations. A simple finite-difference method is applied to a particular operator to illustrate the utility of the algorithms.
Modifications of RNase protection assay for neuroscience applications

This report describes how certain modifications of the Ribonuclease (RNase) protection assay may increase its efficiency by decreasing the time and cost of the procedure without compromising reliability. We show that, under the experimental conditions tested, the RNA samples can be precipitated by a solution of Tri Reagent in ethanol immediately following the RNase digestion step. Drying the samples under vacuum before dissolving them in the gel loading buffer improves the consistency of the assay as compared to air drying. Although these modifications are applicable to the RNase protection assay in general, we present an example that used a multiprobe set we developed and have used effectively in the analysis of cytokine mRNA regulation in the brain.
Submerged friction stir processing (SFSP): An improved method for creating ultra-fine-grained bulk materials

Abstract This research demonstrates the use of submerged friction stir processing (SFSP) as an alternative and improved method for creating ultra-fine-grained bulk materials through severe plastic deformation. SFSP is compared with friction stir processing (FSP) done in air, through the use of thermocouples and transmission electron microscopy. Samples of Al-6061–T6 were created by SFSP that exhibit grain sizes less than 200 nm, while still obtaining a suitably stirred region.
SPME Method Development for the Determination of Aliphatic Amines in Industrial Waste Water

In the presence of dissolved oxygen in the water inside a pipeline, the oxygen attacks the steel to form iron oxides. To prevent this, corrosion inhibitors are added to the crude oil streams. These chemicals are amines-based that form a film to coat the steel and prevent it from contacting the oxygen. Amines residuals should be monitored in the system and this is classically done by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) of amines followed by colorimetric determination using spectrophotometry. In this work, solid phase microextraction (SPME), a novel extraction technique that uses no solvent, was used as a sample preparation technique to isolate the amines from the complex sample matrix and then the gas chromatography (GC) system was used for separation and quantification of amines. A flow-through system was used to simulate the process of flowing streams in pipelines during oil production. A method was developed to determine amines residuals at the lowest detection limit possible at the optimized conditions such as solution pH, ionic strength, and sand contents. It was found that residuals can be determined as low as 1 ng/mL using the GC system equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID). This method was developed in the lab using a model to simulate the flowing streams and containing synthesized waste water. This method is an environmental friendly technique that will minimize the use of hazardous solvents and therfore the need for the proper disposal of them. Also it does not require pretreatment steps of samples or many reagents to be used in the extraction process of amines residuals. Finally, it will provide more precise results in a timely manner for better and quicker actions.
Asynchronous compressive multi-channel radar for interference-robust vehicle collision avoidance systems

This paper presents a low-power asynchronous compressive sensing (ACS) front-end scheme that allows the coexistence of radar and wireless systems. The analog front-end architecture introduces one major system advantage needed in an interference-robust wideband radar: multiple parallel signal processing channels capable of rejecting inband interference and handling large data volume at the analog-to-digital converters output. This advantage is offered by a filter-bank parallel ACS receiver that filters out undesired interference and exploits the sparsity of radar pulsed signals in a scattered environment. Numerical simulations on a vehicle-to-vehicle collision avoidance radar system with in-band wireless interference demonstrate the proposed radar receiver is robust to in-band interference, and achieves 6-fold data volume compression compared with Nyquist sampling.
Heat transfer and flowfields in short microchannels using Direct Simulation Monte Carlo

We explore the applicability of the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method to the fluid and thermal analysis of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Flows in two-dimensional microchannels are investigated because they represent basic geometrical components of MEMS. Supersonic, subsonic, and pressure-driven, low-speed flows are simulated by DSMC in microchannels of varying aspect ratios for a range of continuum to transitional regime rarefied flows. Both hot and ambient wall temperature cases are presented. The results are strongly dependent on Knudsen number and channel aspect ratio. They are in qualitative agreement with other computational and experimental results for longer microchannels.
Movement and fate of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in fauna at Times Beach, Missouri

Abstract The concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in various animals from Times Beach, Missouri and an adjacent noncontaminated location are compared. The suitability of some animals as sentinels for biological uptake and concentration of TCDD is disscussed.
Reduction Numbers of Ideals

Abstract We give general bounds for the reduction numbers of ideals in arbitrary Noetherian rings and multiplicity-dependent bounds for m -primary ideals in a Noetherian local ring (R, m ). In the case of polynomial rings over fields the bound is a non-elementary function with four levels of exponentiation; for primary ideals the bound is linear in the Samuel multiplicity of the ideal. Finally we extend these techniques to generic complete intersections of dimension one.
Early death and late morbidity after blood transfusion of injured children: a pilot study.

Abstract Background/Purpose Early postinjury death after packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion is attributed to uncontrolled hemorrhage and coagulopathy. The adverse immunomodulatory effects of blood transfusion are implicated in subsequent morbidity. We hypothesized that injured children requiring pRBC transfusion demonstrate patterns in outcome similar to those observed in adults. Methods Our prospectively collected trauma registry was queried for demographics, treatment, and outcome (2006-2009). Outcomes of children who received pRBC transfusion were compared with those of age- and Injury Severity Score (ISS)–matched children who did not receive pRBC transfusion by both univariate and multivariable analysis. Results Eight percent (43/512) of injured children received a pRBC transfusion: 20 early and 23 late. The likelihood of pRBC transfusion increased with increasing ISS (ISS 25, 72%). One-half of injured children who received an early pRBC transfusion died; however, most deaths were because of central nervous system injury. Both ventilator and intensive care unit days were increased in children who received pRBC transfusion as compared with those who did not. Conclusion Early pRBC transfusion is associated with a high mortality in children. Late blood transfusion is associated with worse outcomes, although this relationship may not be causal. This pilot study provides evidence of an association between pRBC transfusion, morbidity, and mortality among injured children that warrants refinement in larger, prospective investigations.
Diagnostic studies on lithium-ion cells at Argonne National Laboratory: an overview

High-power and high-energy lithium-ion cells are being studied at Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's FreedomCar and Vehicle Technologies (FCVT) program. Cells ranging in capacity from 1 mAh to 1Ah, and containing a variety of electrodes and electrolytes, are examined to determine suitable material combinations that will meet and exceed the FCVT performance, cost, and safety targets. In this article, accelerated aging of 18650-type cells, and characterization of components harvested from these cells, is described. Several techniques that include electrochemical measurements, analytical electron microscopy, and x-ray spectroscopy were used to study the various cell components. Data from these studies were used to identify the most likely contributors to property degradation and determine mechanisms responsible for cell capacity fade and impedance rise.
Contractile activation, inactivation and repriming in denervated short scale muscles of the garter snake.

Abstract A voltage-clamp technique has been used to examine certain features of excitation-contraction coupling in chronically denervated short scale muscle fibers of the garter snake ( Thamnophis spp. ). The relationship between contractile activation and membrane potential remained unchanged up to 8 wk after denervation. Denervated fibers in good condition were capable of producing maximal contractile tension in the normal range when normalized for fiber cross-sectional area, but denervated preparations tended to be much more easily damaged by dissection and microelectrode penetration than their normal counterparts, resulting in low tension output. The threshold, magnitude and inactivation time course of the delayed outward current following depolarization were unchanged following denervation. Contractile repriming following inactivation was slower in denervated than in normal fibers, but repriming of the delayed rectifier was unchanged. Thus in some fibers recovering from a prolonged depolarization it was possible to obtain delayed rectification in the absence of contractile activation. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to current theory of excitation-contraction coupling.
Human Intelligence: The Model Is the Message

Theories of intelligence, and some of the research testing them, are designed to answer three basic questions about intelligence: (i) What is the relation of intelligence to the internal world of the individual? (ii) What is the relation of intelligence to the external world of the individual? (iii) What is the relation of intelligence to experience? Various models of the mind underlying the theories have been proposed; the strengths and limitations of these models are assessed. A theory that addresses all three questions simultaneously is the triarchic theory.
Abstract 4389: Potential role of superoxide dismutase 3 in prevention of estrogen-induced breast cancer

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Estrogens have been implicated in the development of human breast cancers. Literature and our studies strongly support the role of oxidative stress in estrogen-induced breast carcinogenesis. We have recently demonstrated for the first time that antioxidants vitamin C or butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) attenuate 17β-estradiol (E2)-induced oxidative stress; increase the latency of tumor development; and, severely inhibit E2-induced breast tumor development in female ACI rats. The female ACI rat is an established animal model to study the mechanisms of E2-induced breast cancer. The objective of the present study was to identify genes that may provide an insight into the mechanism of inhibition of E2-induced breast carcinogenesis by vitamin C or BHA. Microarray analyses were performed on total RNA isolated from breast and breast tumor tissues of rats treated with E2 (3 mg, s.c.); vitamin C (1% in drinking water); BHA (0.7% in diet); vitamin C + E2 and BHA + E2 for 8 months. A number of genes were shown to be differentially expressed in breast tissue and tumor tissue of rats treated with E2 vs. other treatments. One gene of interest identified was extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD3) that was 18-fold suppressed in mammary tumors vs. normal mammary tissue and more than 6-fold decreased in mammary tissue of E2 treated animals vs. normal age-matched controls. Protein expression data confirmed the suppression of SOD3 in mammary tissue of E2-treated rats and in mammary tumors. This suppression was overcome by co-treatment of rats with E2 and vitamin C or BHA. SOD3 was induced 2.9- and 2.1-fold respectively by treatments of rats with vitamin C or BHA compared to sham-treated controls. SOD3 expression was not regulated by vitamin C or BHA in the liver tissue suggesting that its expression may be target-organ specific. SOD3 is an extracellular antioxidant enzyme implicated in the prevention of oxidative stress-mediated tissue damage. Thus, SOD3 may play an important role in the prevention of breast cancer and this gene may have a great potential in the development of therapeutic strategies for the prevention of estrogen-induced neoplasia. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4389.
Interaction of H+/H0 with O atoms in thin SiO2 films: a first-principles quantum mechanical study

Abstract Ab initio Hartree–Fock calculations have been performed on model SiO 2 +H + H 0 clusters to study the interaction between a bridging O atom and hydrogenic species in SiO 2 films. The binding energy of H + at a bridging O site is calculated to be greater than 8 eV, much larger than previously calculated energy. A neutral H atom is not found to form a stable bond with a bridging O atom. Bonding of a proton at the bridging O atom induces structural changes (increase in the Si–O–Si bond angle and O–Si bond lengths) at the bridging O atom. Subsequent to the addition of an electron, the stable protonated species releases a neutral H atom and relaxes back to the regular oxide structure.
The Impact of High-Stakes Testing on Student Proficiency in Low-Stakes Subjects: Evidence from Florida's Elementary Science Exam.

Abstract An important criticism of high-stakes testing policies – policies that reward or sanction schools based on their students’ performance on standardized tests – is that they provide schools with an incentive to focus on those subjects that play a role in the accountability system while decreasing attention to those subjects that are not part of the program. This paper utilizes a regression discontinuity design to evaluate the impact of Florida's high-stakes testing policy on student proficiency in the low-stakes subject of science. We confirm prior results that students in schools facing more immediate sanctions under the policy made substantial gains in the high-stakes subjects of math and reading. Contrary to the crowding-out hypothesis, we find that students in these schools made substantial achievement gains in the low-stakes subject of science as well.
1.5-Q-superlinear convergence of an exterior-point method for constrained optimization

We introduce and analyze an exterior-point method (EPM) for constrained optimization problems with both inequality constraints and equations. We show that under the standard second-order optimality conditions the EPM converges to the primal---dual solution with 1.5-Q-superlinear rate.
Series Introduction: The immuno-neuroendocrine interface

The CNS and the various endocrine organs are linked in a dynamic manner through networks of reciprocal interactions that allow for both long-term adaptation and short-term shifts in environmental conditions. These regulatory systems embrace the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and any of several target glands, including the adrenal gland and the thyroid. Because the anterior pituitary gland secretes at least six key hormones — adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), thyrotropin (TSH), and the gonadotropins follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone — such diverse parameters as cell integrity, stress responses, growth, development, reproduction, and energy homeostasis are all directly or indirectly under central control (1). In addition, largely because of the dominant role of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, inflammation and immunity are also subject to neuroendocrine effects. The articles in this Perspective series explore some of the developmental, physiological, and molecular interactions occurring at the immuno-neuroendocrine interface.
Fusarium wilt of peas (a review)

La fusariose du pois, causee par Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht f sp pisi (Van Hall) Snyd et Hans, a ete signalee dans tous les pays ou le pois est cultive commercialement (Haglund, 1984). La maladie est souvent severe la ou on pratique des rotations courtes avec d'autres cultures. Dans ces conditions, quand le pathogene a developpe des quantites suffisantes d'inoculum et qu'on plante un cultivar sensible, il en resulte des pertes severes. Les symptomes sur la plante consistent en folioles chlorotiques, qui s'enroulent vers la base et deviennent flasques. Les plantes finissent par se fletrir et deviennent jaune brun. Souvent le systeme vasculaire aerien et souterrain devient jaune clair a rouge brique et la partie souterraine de la tige devient plus grosse que la normale
Plasma Ultrafiltration as Cancer Therapy

• Studies of cancer-related immunosuppression reveal the presence of low-molecular-weight ( 90%) posttreatment reduction in serum suppressor factors. (Arch Surg1989;124:222-224)
Acute obstruction of the retinal and choroidal circulations.

Abstract The cases of eight patients (10 eyes) with the equivalent of an acute ophthalmic artery obstruction (simultaneous impairment of both the retinal and choroidal circulations) are described. Ophthalmoscopic features included (1) intense opacification of the retina in the posterior pole; (2) variable absence of a cherry red spot, and the subsequent development of (3) optic atrophy and (4) pigment epithelial changes. Fluorescein angiographic signs encompassed (1) delayed retinal and choroid filling, as well as (2) leakage at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Electroretinography (ERG) disclosed absence of both the a- and b-waves. The entity carries a grim visual prognosis, as all ten eyes initially had no perception of light; improvement to light perception occurred in one instance.
Translation of potyvirus,rna in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate: Reaction conditions and identification of capsid protein as one of the products of in vitro translation of tobacco etch and pepper mottle viral RNAs

Abstract RNAs of pepper mottle virus (PeMV) and tobacco etch virus (TEV) were efficient messengers when translated in the rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. Viral RNA (39 S) isolated from sucrose density gradients stimulated [ 35 S]methionine incorporation into products precipitated by trichloroacetic acid 15- to 20-fold over endogenous background levels. Optimal reaction conditions for in vitro translation contained 2 μg RNA/30 μl reaction assay, 0.8–1.0 m M magnesium ions, and 100–125 m M potassium ions. Labeled products from the translation of TEV and PeMV show distinct electrophoretic patterns on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gradient gels (PAGE). The major products of TEV translation had estimated sizes of 87 × 10 4 daltons (87 kd), 85, 54, 49, and 30 kd. PeMV-RNA stimulated the synthesis of 90-, 77-, 68-, 49-, and 33-kd proteins. The 30-kd protein for TEV and the 33-kd protein for PeMV were identified as capsid protein on the basis of estimated size on PAGE, serological reaction, and peptide mapping. The strategy of the in vitro translation of potyvirus RNA is discussed.
A gene selection method for classifying cancer samples using 1D discrete wavelet transform

Selecting a set of discriminant genes for biological samples is an important task for designing highly efficient classifiers using DNA microarray data. The wavelet transform is a very common tool in signal-processing applications, but its potential in the analysis of microarray gene expression data is yet to be explored fully. In this paper, we present a wavelet-based feature selection method that assigns scores to genes for differentiating samples between two classes. The gene expression signal is decomposed using several levels of the wavelet transform. The genes with the highest scores are selected to form a feature set for sample classification. In this study, the feature sets were coupled with k-nearest neighbour (kNN) classifiers. The classification accuracies were assessed using several real data sets. Their performances were compared with several commonly used feature selection methods. The results demonstrate that 1D wavelet analysis is a valuable tool for studying gene expression patterns.
The ultrastructure of nuclear division in a suctorian, Tokophrya infusionum.

Ultrastructural changes in the micro- and macronucleus throughout division were followed in synchronized cultures of the suctorian, Tokophrya infusionum. After an initial swelling, the micronucleus elongates enormously; microtubules within the micronucleus proliferate and lengthen as the micronucleus elongates. Changes in the macronucleus become visible only after micronuclear division is well underway. The chromatin bodies fuse into long chromatin strands, and the large bundles of microtubules present in the resting macronucleus break up into small groups which parallel the chromatin strands. Colchicine, which prevents reproduction in Tokophrya, seems to block division at a very early stage. The macronucleus appears the same as the resting nucleus of untreated organisms, with numerous microtubules and distinct chromatin bodies. The chromatin in the micronucleus aggregates into large clumps, however, and proliferation of microtubules does not occur.
6-Hydroxydopamine induces serotonergic axon sprouting in cerebral cortex of newborn rat.

Abstract Newborn rats were administered the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to determine whether neonatal ablation of the noradrenergic (NE) innervation produces augmented growth (i.e., sprouting) of serotonergic (5-HT) raphe-cortical axons. Following NE denervation at birth, the density of 5-HT axons in motor cortex (AGI) was determined at 4 days postnatal. Using a computer microscope system, the positions of all 5-HT-positive axons were mapped in radial strips of cortex from treated and control rats. Cumulative axon length, expressed as a function of area inspected, was used as a parameter of innervation density. Following 6-hydroxydopamine, the cumulative length of 5-HT axons in motor cortex increases by 32% ( P > 0.05) while cortical serotonin levels measured by HPLC concomitantly increase by 29% ( P > 0.005). The combined increases in 5-HT axon density and in neurotransmitter levels indicate that NE denervation produces increased growth of the cortical 5-HT innervation by the 4th postnatal day. The amount of transmitter stored per unit length of 5-HT axons appears unchanged. In 6-OHDA-treated rats, 5-HT axons exhibit augmented growth in all layers of motor cortex. In the treated rats, the relative density of 5-HT axons in each cortical layer is roughly proportional to the normal innervation density. Accordingly, in motor cortex, the magnitude of 5-HT axon sprouting is greatest in layer VI, which normally receives a dense 5-HT innervation, and is less in layer V, which has a lower innervation density. Qualitative assessment of other cortical areas following 6-OHDA reveals that 5-HT axon density appears increased in cortical zones that normally receive a dense 5-HT innervation, while the density remains low in zones with sparse innervation. The absence of axonal sprouting is particularly striking in those zones which receive a dense NE innervation but are sparsely innervated by 5-HT axons. Thus, while 5-HT axons undergo sprouting, they do not appear to replace ablated NE terminals in areas with a sparse 5-HT innervation. Hence, normal laminar and regional specificity of 5-HT axons is preserved despite ablation of NE afferents. These data indicate that, while NE denervation may trigger serotonergic sprouting, competition between NE and 5-HT fibers for the same postsynaptic sites is not the main factor that regulates postnatal growth of these axonal projections. The present findings demonstrate that the early development of raphe-cortical projections is influenced by NE cortical innervation. NE axons appear to regulate the magnitude of 5-HT axon growth within the cerebral cortex without affecting regional selectivity of 5-HT axons for normal target sites. The demonstration of augmented 5-HT cortical innervation after NE depletion suggests that NE may normally inhibit growth of 5-HT axons in neonatal cortex.
Integrating public safety and use into planning urban greenways

Abstract Greenways provide much-needed natural corridors and environments in urban and suburban areas, along with recreational, transportation and nature education opportunities for urban residents. However, there is a tension between the natural environment and public use in urban areas. Local residents' concerns for safety through clear sightlines and the use of lighting along trails may compromise the ecological integrity and natural character of urban greenways, whereas natural corridors in the city are often considered as being potentially unsafe, and therefore essentially inaccessible to use by many residents, particularly women, children, aging people and those with disabilities. As a result, the planning and development of safe urban trails within natural greenways can be challenging and contentious. Prospect and refuge theory provides a theoretical framework for understanding the human ecological dimensions of environmental design. Within this framework, a growing body of environment-behavior research provides useful principles for planning and designing greenways that are both ‘green’ and safe. These principles include: visibility of others, visibility by others, choice and control, solitude without isolation, and environmental awareness and legibility. This paper outlines the ‘safe communities’ approach developed in the city of Toronto, Canada, and applies it to the planning and design of trails in urban greenway systems through a series of planning guidelines, with particular reference to the Greater Toronto Area experience. The paper concludes that only when public safety is paramount will the necessary community support be built which will allow the successful integration of natural greenways into the fabric of metropolitan areas.
A region of the Herpesvirus saimiri genome required for oncogenicity

Herpesvirus saimiri naturally infects squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) without producing signs of disease; infection of other New World primates, however, results in a rapidly progressing, malignant, T-cell lymphoma. Results described in this report identify a region of the viral genome that is required for oncogenicity in owl monkeys (Aotus trivirgatus); this region is not required for replication of the virus. This is believed to be the first such genomic region identified in a herpesvirus system.
On the Reed-Muller codes

Abstract We give a brief but complete account of all the essential facts concerning the Reed-Muller and punctured Reed-Muller codes. The treatment is new and includes an easy, direct proof of the fact that the punctured Reed-Muller codes are the codes of the projective geometries over the binary field. We also establish the existence of two short exact sequences that lead to new proofs that the minimum-weight vectors of the Reed-Muller and punctured Reed–Muller codes are the incidence vectors of the appropriate geometric objects.
Mechanical mass selection methods for improvement of oat groat percentage

Three methods of mechanical mass selection for seed density, aspiration (ASP), gravity table selection (GT), and gravity table selection with a seed polishing pretreatment (P-GT), were evaluated and compared for effectiveness of increasing caryopsis (groat) percentage and test weight in oat (Avena sativa L.). Selection using these methods in two heterogeneous F5 populations resulted in absolute differences in the groat percentage between high and low density treatments of 0.3 and 0.5% for ASP and P-GT, respectively. The GT selection resulted in a lower groat percentage in the high-density treatment. Selection methods interacted with populations and seed size classes. These interactions were due to different levels of variation in the populations for seed size and shape. Two cycles of selection for high groat percentage beginning in F₃ segregating bulk populations showed little overall improvement. Selection increased the number of fertile florets per spikelet. This increase in fertility was due primarily to a 22% increase in tertiary florets per panicle per cycle of selection. Tertiary floret number exhibited a negative genotypic correlation with groat percentage, which limited improvement for groat percentage. There also were significant changes in plant height, days to flowering, and harvest index in these experiments with direction and magnitude dependent on the individual population. Effectiveness of mechanical mass selection for groat percentage could be increased by avoiding selection for characters such as tertiary kernels which have undesirable correlated effects on milling quality. Contribution from the Dep. of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Cornell Univ. Cornell Paper no. 749. Research supported in part by the Quaker Oats Company, Chicago, IL.
Laparoscopic Tenckhoff catheter placement in children using a securing suture in the pelvis: comparison to the open approach☆

Abstract Background/Purpose Secure placement of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters in the pelvis has been described by various techniques. We describe minimally invasive placement using an Endo Close device, securing the catheter in the pelvis, and compare this method with standard open technique in children. Methods A retrospective institutional review was conducted for children requiring PD access from 2001 to 2007. Patients were grouped into laparoscopic with secure placement (SP) and open placement (OP) groups. Groups were cohort-matched based on age, paying particular attention to the number of catheter migrations. Results Twenty-seven patients underwent 36 procedures in SP, whereas 23 patients in OP had 32 catheter-related procedures. Exit site infections were decreased in SP (0.57 vs 1.33 episodes per patient-year). There was no difference in the number of catheter migrations (3 vs 5); however, time to migration was statistically longer in the SP group (9 vs. 2.4 months, P Conclusions Laparoscopic placement of PD catheters using a securing suture in the pelvis is a more durable technique when compared to open placement. Extending the catheter migration time is important in children when PD is used as a bridge to renal transplantation.
Synthesis of zeolite Beta from dense system containing a minimum of template

Zeolite Beta has been synthesized, in 24 h at 170°C, from an extremely dense system in which the weight ratio of solid (sodium aluminate and SiO2) to liquid (tetraethylammonium hydroxide and H2O) mixtures is 1 ∶ 1.8; the product has comparable catalytic properties to those samples prepared by previous methods.
Magnetic fields and miscarriage.

Is there a link between exposure to magnetic fields and the risk of miscarriage? Past epidemiologic stud? ies have been few and inconsistent,1,2 but with the publication in this issue of results from two large and sophisticated studies in Northern California,3,4 the ques? tion takes on a new level of interest. The results of the case-control study by Lee et al.3 motivated the develop? ment of a prospective cohort study by Li et al* to determine whether the findings of a positive association with indices of peak magnetic fields and variability could be replicated, and they were. There is scant biologic justification for exploring a link between magnetic fields and miscarriage.1,5 Previous epidemiologic research mainly addresses electric blan? kets and heated waterbeds (pertinent to nighttime ex? posure only). Two early reports found an association between use of electric blankets or ceiling cable radiant heat (in seasons with falling temperatures) and risk of miscarriage.6,7 These were limited by use of vital record reports of miscarriage in a previous pregnancy. More rigorous studies have reported small positive8 or null9 associations for electric blanket use during pregnancy and miscarriage, and neither study found an association with use of waterbed heaters. In occupational settings, the study of magnetic fields and miscarriage risk has focused on video display terminals (VDTs). There is a sizable literature that indicates no association between work with VDTs and miscar? riage.10 However, this is of limited relevance to ex? tremely low-frequency magnetic fields since the equip? ment and work location of most VDT users does not produce elevated exposure. One attempt to isolate sub? sets of VDT workers with measurable increases in expo? sure found no association (adjusted OR = 0.9, 95% CI = 0.6-1.4) and no gradient in risk with duration of exposure.11 In contrast, a Finnish occupational study12 subdivided VDTs based on the measured magnetic fields close to the device and found no association with low
Screening Alfalfa Seedlings for Resistance to the Tarnished Plant Bug

Differences among alfalfa varieties in resistance to the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), as measured by seedling survival or damage after infestation were demonstrated in trials involving different temperature regimes. Seedling survival of varieties did not appear to be related to seedling vigor, since varieties about equal in vigor varied widely in survival after infestation. Several progenies from intravariety crosses of surviving plants displayed higher seedling survival than their parent variety after infestation with tarnished plant bugs. However, additional evaluation of selected plants is needed to determine the type and degree of resistance. Mortality of seedlings in the cotyledon stage was higher than that for the unifoliolate or trifoliolate stages. Plant damage was higher in an 80–70 than in a 70–60°F day and night temperature regime and the temperature × variety interaction was nonsignificant. The coefficient of variation was lower when plants were grown in rows radiating from the center than when they were in parallel rows.
Correspondence between zero angular momentum transfer cross sections of (6Li, 6He) reactions and the Gamow-Teller strength

Abstract The ( 6 Li, 6 He) cross sections on targets between 6 Li and 48 Ca have been measured. The cross section due to zero angular momentum transfer appears to be correlated with the known Gamow-Teller strength. The reaction mechanism sometimes is dominated by multistep processes.
ICCAD-2012 CAD contest in design hierarchy aware routability-driven placement and benchmark suite

The impact of considering design hierarchy during physical synthesis remains a fairly under-researched area. This is especially true for large-scale circuit placement. This is in large part due to the non-availability of realistic public designs with the design hierarchy information. Additionally, modern designs are fairly complex with numerous placement blockages, non-uniform wiring stacks, partial and/or complete routing blockages, etc. This significantly complicates both, the placement and routing steps of physical synthesis. The aim of the ICCAD-2012 contest is to evaluate the impact of considering design hierarchy on the wire length and routability of placement. This is addressed by way of the following: (a) release industrial-strength place-and-route benchmarks that contain the design hierarchy information, (b) present an accurate congestion analysis framework to evaluate and compare the routability of various placement algorithms. We hope that a set of challenging benchmarks containing the design hierarchy information, along with a standardized evaluation framework, will further advance research in design hierarchy aware routability-driven placement.
RLIP76: A Versatile Transporter and an Emerging Target for Cancer Therapy

In the last few years, extensive research has been made to elucidate the functional significance of RLIP76. The resulting novel breakthroughs have helped us understand its transport and signaling functions. RLIP76 is a ubiquitously expressed, key stress-defensive, anti-apoptotic, multi-functional protein that transports glutathione-conjugates of electrophilic compounds, thus controlling the intracellular concentration of pro-apoptotic oxidized lipid byproducts and other xenobiotics such as chemotherapeutic agents. These properties place RLIP76 at a very important position in the hierarchy of the stress defense mechanism adopted by the cell. Selective over-expression of RLIP76 in malignant cells of diverse origin is one of the possible mechanisms by which these cells overcome chemotherapy and radiation induced oxidative damage. RLIP76 has also been shown to be an effective transporter of many conventional chemotherapeutic drugs. Such transport, if inhibited, can lead to increased cellular accumulation of drugs which in turn translates to enhanced drug sensitivity. Recent studies have shown that inhibition and/or depletion of RLIP76 by antibodies, siRNA, or antisense can lead to drastic and sustained regression of lung, kidney, melanoma, colon, and prostate cancer xenografts with no observed recurrence of tumors. All these findings converge on the fact that such inhibition/depletion of RLIP76 can be used clinically to terminate cancer growth and progression. In the present review, we will discuss the role of RLIP76 as a multi-drug transporter, its involvement in cancer, and the prospects of using RLIP76 inhibition as an emerging treatment for cancer.
Measurement of the electric quadrupole amplitude within the 1283-nm 6 P 1 / 2 − 6 P 3 / 2 transition in atomic thallium

We have measured the ratio of the electric quadrupole $(E2)$ to magnetic dipole $(M1)$ transition amplitude within the ${6P}_{1/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{6P}_{3/2}$ transition in atomic thallium. Defining $\ensuremath{\chi}$ to be this $E2$ to $M1$ amplitude ratio, we find that $\ensuremath{\chi}=0.2387(10)(38)$, where the first error is statistical and the second represents a combined systematic error. In addition to providing a stringent test of theoretical wave-function calculations in thallium, accurate knowledge of this quantity is essential for existing and future measurements of parity nonconserving optical rotation on this same 1283-nm line in thallium.
Cosmos++: relativistic magnetohydrodynamics on unstructured grids with local adaptive refinement

A code and methodology are introduced for solving the fully general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) equations using time-explicit, finite-volume discretization. The code has options for solving the GRMHD equations using traditional artificial-viscosity (AV) or non-oscillatory central difference (NOCD) methods, or a new extended AV (eAV) scheme using artificial-viscosity together with a dual energy-flux-conserving formulation. The dual energy approach allows for accurate modeling of highly relativistic flows at boost factors well beyond what has been achieved to date by standard artificial viscosity methods. It provides the benefit of Godunov methods in capturing high Lorentz boosted flows but without complicated Riemann solvers, and the advantages of traditional artificial viscosity methods in their speed and flexibility. Additionally, the GRMHD equations are solved on an unstructured grid that supports local adaptive mesh refinement using a fully threaded oct-tree (in three dimensions) network to traverse the grid hierarchy across levels and immediate neighbors. Some recent studies will be summarized.
Inhibition of photophosphorylation and photosynthetic carbon cycle reactions by fatty acids and esters.

Abstract Photosynthesis in Chlorella pyrenoidosa is quickly inhibited by the addition of 3 × 10 −4 to 6 × 10 −4 M lipoic acid, octanoic acid, or methyl octanoate. These inhibitions are wholly or partially reversible. Studies with 32 P-labeled phosphate and 14 C-labeled carbon dioxide of transient changes in the levels of photosynthetic intermediate compounds during the time following addition of inhibitor indicate blocking of (1) the carboxylation reaction of the photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle, (2) photophosphorylation (formation of ATP in the light), and (3) conversion of fructose-1,6-diphosphate to fructose-6-phosphate and of sedoheptulose-1,7-diphosphate to sedoheptulose-7-phosphate. Blocking of photophosphorylation results in decreased rates of conversion of ribulose-5-phosphate to ribulose-1,5-diphosphate, of glucose-6-phosphate to polysaccharides and sucrose, and other reactions. These metabolic effects, together with other published results, lead us to conclude that at least several key steps in the photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle may be mediated by enzymes in some organized system associated with the lamellae and photophosphorylation.
Dielectric Studies of CN— Dipolar Reorientation and Order/Disorder Behavior

The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of pure NaCN, KCN, RbCN, and CsCN crystals has been comprehensively studied as a function of temperature. Besides dielectric measurements with a capacitance bridge in the 10 0 to 10 5 Hz regime, thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) techniques have been used for the first time in these systems to obtain information about the reorientation and ordering behavior of CN - ions at lowest temperatures and relaxation rates. The extended dipolar reorientation data are analyzed, using either Cole-Cole or Havriliak-Negami distributions of relaxation times with temperature-dependent parameters. A phenomenological model is proposed, based on the assumed existence of a distribution of random bias electric fields to explain the observed behavior of the dipolar susceptibility in relation to CN- electric-dipole ordering in these systems.
Enlarged limbic structures in the human brain: the anterior thalamus and medial mamillary body

Major paradigms about human evolution stress the increase of cognitive capabilities, while considering our emotional and limbic systems to be relatively unchanged. Morphometric analyses of two limbic structures, the anterior thalamic nuclei (AP) and the medial mamillary bodies (MB), in 27 primate species show, however, that: human nuclei are as large as MB or larger AP than differences in anthropoid brain sizes predict; and prosimians and anthropoid patterns differ.
Group implosive therapy in the treatment of test anxiety: A brief report

This report is an abbreviated account of the application of group implosive therapy with subjects who experienced test anxiety and related discomforts. Implosive therapy, placebo, and no-treatment groups were employed. The results, while suggesting that group implosion may be an effective behavior therapy technique, were not conclusive. A reiteration of the importance of placebo controls in behavior therapy research is offered.
A condition for the convexity of the norm-numerical range of a matrix☆

Abstract Let v be a norm on C n , and let a be a matrix which has a v -Hermitian decomposition. (1) The v -numerical range of a is convex. (This generalizes the Hausdorff-Toeplitz theorem.) In fact, the v -numerical range is equal to the field of values of a matrix similar to a . (2) If the Hermitian and v -Hermitian decompositions of a coincide, then the v -numerical range of a and the field of values of a are the same. This follows from detailed information about the boundary of the range.
Serum interleukin-2 receptor responses to immunization

Serum interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels have been used to assess immune activation in inflammatory and infectious illnesses, although the cellular origin of these receptors and the dynamics of their production are not well defined. To investigate the relationship between sIL-2R levels and the degree of immune activation in antigen-specific responses, sIL-2R were measured in healthy individuals after both primary and secondary immunization with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Despite induction of strong antibody responses, KLH immunization did not result in consistent elevations of sIL-2R levels, with only one of six subjects developing a substantial (twofold) increase in sIL-2R levels. The absence of sIL-2R elevation after a discrete antigenic stimulus suggests that inflammatory illnesses in which elevated sIL-2R levels have been noted involve more extensive stimulation of immune cells, either in number or in degree, than that present after simple immunization in healthy individuals.
Mutations in a nonessential viral gene permit bacteriophage T4 to form plaques on Escherichia coli valS ts relA

During viral development bacteriophage T4 modifies the valyl-transfer RNA synthetase of its host Escherichia coli, but the function of the modification has remained elusive. A strain of Escherichia coli has now been identified which is nonpermissive for wild-type bacteriophage T4, but permissive for bacteriophage mutants impaired in the modification reaction. A comparison with other bacteria suggests that nonpermissiveness is due to synthesis of a thermolabile valyl-transfer RNA synthetase and relaxed control of RNA accumulation.