cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sex begets sexes.

While most species have two sexes, multi-sex systems also occur in nature. The frequency of sexual reproduction is a key parameter to explain how many sexes a species has.
IL-2 receptors in adult T-cell leukemia: a target for immunotherapy.

The induction of a T-cell immune response to a foreign antigen requires the activation of T-lymphocytes that is initiated by the interaction of the T-cell antigen receptor with antigen presented in the context of products of the major histocompatibility locus and the macrophage-derived interleukin-1. Following this interaction, T cells express the gene encoding the lymphokine interleukin-2 (IL-2) [1,2]. To exert its biological effect, IL-2 must interact with specific high-affinity membrane receptors. Resting T cells do not express IL-2 receptors, but receptors are rapidly expressed on T cells after activation with an antigen or mitogen [3–5]. Thus, the growth factor IL-2 and its receptor are absent in resting T cells, but after activation the genes for both proteins become expressed.
PROBABILISTIC LOGIC OF FORMAL NEURON NETWORKS

Neurons do not behave simply like logic elements, giving a pulse when the input exceeds a fixed threshold and no pulse otherwise. Each neuron in the nervous system of some 10 12 cells develops from the same embryonic cell that contained within it, at some time at least, the potential for all the differentiated functions of the whole nervous system. This chapter presents a model neuron and discusses multiplex systems. It also presents Von Neumann's model that illustrates some important principles in network operations. Some of these are the possibility of controlling error by multiplexing or parallel operation and the possibility that random factors may have a functional role.
The Business of Healthcare

The American healthcare system has become a massive subsidy of Big Business. The USA spends at least twice what the UK and France pay for healthcare per capita, yet in terms of longevity, access, and affordability, the USA ranks last, leading only in cost. A Commonwealth study in 2014 ranked the UK healthcare system the best among the twelve nations it studied, but it also found that as the Coalition government has privatized some of the corners of the National Health Service (NHS), it has diminished its effectiveness. Using for-profit health insurers instead of relying on nonprofits and refusing single-payer systems in which the state insures the entire population is costing America about a half trillion dollars or more annually. Meanwhile, drug companies have routinely used the patent system to limit competition and to create monopolies.
Blackness and Racial Mixture in Portland, Oregon and Esmeraldas, Ecuador

In this paper my objective is to answer the question, what does Anti-Blackness in two apparently disparate locations, the city and province of Esmeraldas, Ecuador and Portland, Oregon in the United States, have to do with each other? Recently, much scholarly attention has been focused on the similarities and differences between Anti-Blackness in Latin America and the United States. Specifically, this focus has been on how the two regions appear to be converging in regards to how racial identity is experienced and understood. Through my analysis I will illustrate how a combined discussion of Esmeraldas, Ecuador and Portland, Oregon provides interpretive insights that enrich our understanding of Blackness in general. This project is based on previous case studies of Portland, Oregon and Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
Sustainable Synthesis of a Fluorinated Arylene Conjugated Polymer via Cu-Catalyzed Direct Arylation Polymerization (DArP)

Direct arylation polymerization (DArP) has enabled the more sustainable synthesis of conjugated polymers through the reduction of waste, elimination of toxic and hazardous byproducts, and through the reduction of overall synthetic steps. However, DArP methodologies have almost exclusively relied on the use of noble metal catalysts, such as those with Pd, counter to the efforts toward sustainability. Herein, we report the optimized synthesis of a flourinated arylene conjugated copolymer via DArP using a low-cost, sustainable copper catalyst. Through optimization of the polymerization conditions, we are able to lower the loading of the catalyst from 50 to 5 mol %. As an example, we are able to obtain molecular weights of 16.4 kDa, accompanied by a yield of 54%, with a loading of only 5 mol % for the Cu catalyst. The synthesized polymers were characterized using 1H and 19F NMR spectroscopy, showing agreement with those previously prepared with a minimization or exclusion of defects. This work also demonstrat...
Evacuation trees with contraflow and divergence considerations

In this chapter, we investigate the well-studied evacuation planning problem, in which vehicles use the available road transportation network to reach safe areas (shelters) in the face of an upcoming disaster. To successfully evacuate these vehicles located in danger zones, our evacuation process needs to be fast, safe, and seamless. We enable the first two criteria by developing a macroscopic, time-dynamic evacuation model that aims to maximize a reward function, based on the number of people in relatively safer areas of the network at each time point. The third criterion is achieved by constructing an evacuation tree, where vehicles are evacuated using a single path to safety at each intersection. We extend on the definition of the evacuation tree by allowing for divergence and contraflow policies. Divergence enables specific nodes to diverge their flows into two or more streets, while contraflow allows certain streets to reverse their direction, effectively increasing their capacity. We investigate the performance of these policies in the evacuation networks obtained, and present results on two benchmark networks of Sioux Falls and Chicago.
Effects of Sintering Aides on the Hydrothermal Oxidation of Silicon Nitride Spherical Rolling Elements

ABSTRACTCommercially available silicon nitride (Si3N4) spherical bearing rolling elements containing TiO2, Y2O3, MgO and Al2O3 additives were evaluated for corrosion-resistance in high-temperature, high-pressure hydrothermal tests designed to simulate aero propulsion conditions. Spheres were exposed in an autoclave at 523–623 K and 5.2–16.5 MPa for 12–48 h and characterised using mass change and pH measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The oxidation resistance of the TiO2/Y2O3/Al2O3-sinter-aided Si3N4 ceramic closely matches the Y2O3/Al2O3-doped Si3N4 and outperforms the MgO-sinter-aided Si3N4. Additional studies on the TiO2/Y2O3/Al2O3 Si3N4 composition show pitting initiates around titanium-rich inclusions, due to a break in the protective hydroxide layer, accessible diffusion paths around inclusions and the catalytic nature of titanium. This study demonstrates that the addition of TiO2/Y2O3/Al2O3 to hot pr...
Behavioral correlates of psychological involvement: A 2-year study

Limited research has examined psychological involvement change using a longitudinal design. This study explored stability and change in the three facets of psychological involvement—pleasure, centrality, and sign—that occurred over a 2-year period and examined key behavioral correlates of the observed change. Data were collected three times through online surveys from participants (N = 482) of an annual 10-mile running event in the United States. Latent growth modeling analyses revealed that, on average, the levels of pleasure, centrality, and sign in running slightly decreased over time. Growth mixture modeling analyses offer evidence that different patterns of change exist within each facet of psychological involvement. The findings further indicate that changes in the number of events participated in each year are the most important behavioral correlates of psychological involvement change. The results provide sport managers with implications for promoting long-term engagement with the activity through...
Measuring Intracellular Metal Concentration via ICP-MS Following Copper Exposure

This chapter describes protocols for measuring fluctuation in intracellular metal concentration of A. baumannii isolates in response to copper exposure using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Forests of Kentucky, 2013

This resource update provides an overview of forest resource attributes for Kentucky based on an annual inventory conducted by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program at the Southern Research Station of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the Kentucky Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry. These estimates, along with Web-posted supplemental tables, will be updated annually. For more information regarding past inventory reports for Kentucky, inventory program information, field sampling methodology, and estimation procedures, please refer to the citations at the end of this report. The estimates presented in this update are for the measurement year 2013 with comparisons made to data reported in 2012. The sample plot population in Kentucky consists of 4,356 plots of which 2,465 contained a forested condition, collected across a period of 5 years. Approximately 98.7 percent (2,433 plots) of forested plots were measured previously with an average of a 5-year remeasurement period. The data used in this publication were accessed from the FIA database (FIADB) at http://fia.fs.fed.us/tools-data/ in September of 201
Debt of the Elderly and Near Elderly, 1992-2004

When predicting the future income security of retirees, researchers typically focus on measures concerned with retirees' accumulated financial assets, particularly within tax-qualified retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs)), and coverage by supplemental health insurance to Medicare provided through a former employer. However, any debt that a near-elderly or elderly family has accrued going into retirement or during retirement is likely to offset its asset accumulations, resulting in a lower level of retirement income security. This paper focuses on the trends in the levels of debt among those ages 55 or older, those who are approaching retirement or are in retirement, as financial liabilities are a vital but often ignored component of retirement income security. The Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) is used to determine the level of debt in this paper. Debt is examined in two ways: 1) debt payments relative to income, and 2) debt relative to assets. Each measure provides some insight into the ability of these families to cover this debt before or during retirement. For example, higher debt-to-income ratios may be acceptable for younger families with long working careers ahead of them, since their incomes are likely to rise and their debt (related to housing or children) is likely to fall in the future. A higher debt-to-income ratio may be more serious for older families, as they could be forced to reduce their accumulated assets to service the debt when their earning years are ending. However, if these high debt-to-income older families have low debt-to-asset ratios, the effect of paying off the debts may not be as financially difficult as it would be for those with high debt-to-income and debt-to-asset ratios.
Taming the Beast: Interplay between Gut Small Molecules and Enteric Pathogens

The overuse of antibiotics has led to the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria that are becoming increasingly dangerous to human health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause at least 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths in the United States annually. Traditionally, antibiotics are bactericidal or bacteriostatic agents that place selective pressure on bacteria, leading to the expansion of antibiotic-resistant strains. In addition, antibiotics that are effective against some pathogens can also exacerbate their pathogenesis and may lead to severe progression of the disease. Therefore, alternative strategies are needed to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. One novel approach is to target bacterial virulence to prevent or limit pathogen colonization, while also minimizing tissue damage and disease comorbidities in the host. This review focuses on the interactions between enteric pathogens and naturally occurring small molecules in the human gut as potential therapeutic targets for antivirulence strategies. Individual small molecules in the intestines modulate enteric pathogen virulence and subsequent intestinal fitness and colonization. Targeted interruption of pathogen sensing of these small molecules could therefore attenuate their virulence. This review highlights the paths of discovery for new classes of antimicrobials that could potentially mitigate the urgent problem of antibiotic resistance.
Fecal Malodor Detection Using Low-Cost Electrochemical Sensors

Technology innovation in sanitation is needed for the 4.2 billion people worldwide, lacking safely managed sanitation services. A major requirement for the adoption of these technologies is the management of malodor around toilet and treatment systems. There is an unmet need for a low-cost instrumented technology for detecting the onset of sanitation malodor and triggering corrective actions. This study combines sensory data with low-cost gas sensor data on malodor emanating from feces. The response of 10 commercial electrochemical gas sensors was collected alongside olfactometric measurements. Odor from fecal specimens at different relevant dilution as well as specimens with pleasant odors as a control were evaluated for a total of 64 responses. Several of the sensors responded positively to the fecal odor, with the formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia sensors featuring the highest signal to noise ratio. A positive trend was observed between the sensors' responses and the concentration of the odorant and with odor intensity, but no clear correspondence with dilution to threshold (D/T) values was found. Selected sensors were responsive both above and below the intensity values used as the cutoff for offensive odor, suggesting the possibility of using those sensors to differentiate odor offensiveness based just on the magnitude of their response. The specificity of the sensors suggested that discrimination between the selected non-fecal and fecal odors was possible. This study demonstrates that some of the evaluated sensors could be used to assemble a low-cost malodor warning system.
Do Big Five Personality Traits Moderate the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Health Trajectories? Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study.

Objectives Theory suggests that individuals with higher neuroticism have more severe negative reactions to stress, though empirical work examining the interaction between neuroticism and stressors has yielded mixed results. The present study investigated whether neuroticism and other Big Five traits moderated the effects of recent stressful life events on older adults' health outcomes. Method Data were drawn from the subset of Health and Retirement Study participants who completed a Big Five personality measure (N = 14,418). We used latent growth curve models to estimate trajectories of change in depressive symptoms, self-rated physical health, and C-reactive protein levels over the course of 10 years (up to six waves). We included Big Five traits and stressful life events as covariates to test their effects on each of these three health outcomes. We examined stressful life events within domains of family, work/finances, home, and health, as well as a total count across all event types. Results Big Five traits and stressful life events were independently related to depressive symptoms and self-rated health. There were no significant interactions between Big Five traits and stressful life events. C-reactive protein levels were unrelated to Big Five traits and stressful life events. Discussion Findings suggest that personality and stressful life events are important predictors of health outcomes. However, we found little evidence that personality moderates the effect of major stressful events across a 2-year time frame. Any heightened reactivity related to high neuroticism may be time-limited to the months immediately after a major stressful event.
Differential Association of HIV Funding With HIV Mortality by Race/Ethnicity, United States, 1999-2017.

ObjectiveFederal funds have been spent to reduce the disproportionate effects of HIV/AIDS on racial/ethnic minority groups in the United States. We investigated the association between federal dome...
Landmark trials in the medical oncology management of early stage breast cancer

With the advent of breast cancer screening programs, the majorities of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer are diagnosed with early stage disease and are likely to experience cure with proper treatment. Significant advances have been made in the management of early-stage breast cancer to personalize treatment according to disease biology. This progress has led to improvement in survival outcomes and quality of life for our patients. In this review, we discuss landmark clinical trials in medical oncology that have shaped the current standard of care for early stage ER-positive, HER2-positive, and triple negative breast cancer.
LITHOLOGICAL AND PALEOCOMMUNITY VARIATION ON A MISSISSIPPIAN (TOURNAISIAN) CARBONATE RAMP, MONTANA, USA

The ecological structure of ancient marine communities is impacted by the environmental gradients controlling assemblage compositions and the heterogeneous distribution of sediment types. Closely spaced, replicate sampling of fauna has been suggested to mitigate the effects of such heterogeneity and improve gradient analyses, but this technique has rarely been combined with similar sampling of lithologic data. This study analyses lithological and faunal data to determine the environmental gradients controlling the composition of Mississippian fossil assemblages of the lower Madison Group in Montana. Eighty-one lithological and faunal samples were collected from four stratigraphic columns in Montana, which represent the deep-subtidal, foreshoal, and ooid-shoal depositional environments within one third-order depositional sequence. Cluster analysis identifies three distinct lithological associations across all depositional environments—crinoid-dominated carbonates, peloidal-crinoidal carbonates, and micritic-crinoidal carbonates. Cluster analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) identifies a highly diverse brachiopod biofacies and a solitary coral-dominated biofacies along an onshore-offshore gradient. Carbonate point count data and orientation of solitary corals indicate that substrate and wave energy are two potential variables that covary with the onshore-offshore gradient. Overlaying lithological information on the NMS indicates a secondary gradient reflecting oxygen that is expressed by increasing bioturbation and gradation from brown to dark gray carbonates to medium-light gray carbonates. Taken together, these findings demonstrates how combining closely spaced, replicate sampling of lithologic and faunal data enhances multivariate analyses by uncovering underlying environmental gradients that control the variation in fossil assemblages.
An Alternative Method to Forecast Season-Average Price for U.S. Corn

Price forecasts are critical to market participants when making production and marketing decisions and to policymakers who administer commodity programs and assess the market impact of domestic or international events. With the exceptionally volatile conditions experienced in the corn market since 2006, the need for price forecasting has become even more critical. The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative econometric procedure to forecast the season-average price of corn for U.S. producers, a relatively under-researched price forecast. The new method performs well against two widely-watched season-average price forecasts, i.e., the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and the futures-based forecasts, in particular at the beginning of the post-harvest season. Additionally, the proposed forecast performs no worse or better than the futures-based forecasts at the beginning of the forecast cycle, as well as from November to August during the marketing year. We attribute the satisfactory performance of the proposed forecast to the model’s ability to assign heterogeneous weights to futures and cash prices depending on the underlying market conditions. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed forecast tends to improve when the market becomes more volatile.
Embodiment, place, and stance: a collaborative exploration of graduate research and mentoring

In this article, we reflect on and examine the experiences of three doctoral students, and their thesis advisor, in discussing how we adjusted our research methods and assumptions to the new condit...
Effect of Deflection on Lateral Buckling Strength

Effect of deflection on critical moment is found to be larger when member has ends simply supported in lateral direction than when lateral restraint is provided; in preparation of design rules for beams, effect of deflection need not be considered and, in case of beam columns, only effect of deflection that need be taken into account is increase in bending moment caused by deflection.
Acellular Vascular Matrix as a Small Diameter Vascular Graft

Extraction of soft tissues with detergents yield histoarchitecturally intact extracellular matrix frameworks of the original tissue. When applied to dog carotid arteries, this procedure results in acellular vascular matrix (AVM) tubes that retain the physical properties of the original artery. This material is less thrombogenic than a number of other graft materials. The internal diameter of greyhound AVM averages 3.0 mm under physiological pressure. Carotid interposition grafts of 10 cm of noncross-linked AVM exhibit an overall patency of 75% at 150 days. Cross-carotid grafts of 15 cm of noncross-linked AVM implanted for 18 months were fully endothelialized as shown by histology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and factor VIII staining.
Horizontal Estimation for the Solution of Multitarget Multisensor Tracking Problems

In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in both the variety and number of sensors which need to be tied together. A distributed estimation architecture for Distributed Sensors Networks (DSN) is introduced. It is called Horizontal Estimation Architecture (HEA). The term horizontal is used to imply that the geographically dispersed nodes do not differ in rank and are peer-to-peer coupled. Each node is connected by a data link to its neighbors (where possible), thus providing a mesh network topology. The introduced HEA has four major components: the local estimator, the information fusion process (both together are called horizontal estimator), the network access protocol, and the control policy. The HEA techniques are applied to the solution of multitarget-multisensor tracking problems in an air-surveillance system emphasizing information fusion. An expert system approach for information fusion has been presented. Through the HEA application its main features and practical usefulness are addressed.
Capillary Dynamics of Elastic‐Wave‐Enhanced Two‐Phase Flow in Porous Media

Elastic waves may enhance two‐phase flow in porous media. We investigate the role and dynamics of capillary forces during the enhancement process. We present a theory that allows us to estimate the response of trapped nonwetting phase blobs to variable frequency excitation. According to this theory capillary trapped oil blobs may exhibit resonance, depending on the properties of the fluids and the pore space. Using this theory we estimate the resonant frequencies of crude oil and gasoline blobs in sphere packings. We will also present experimental evidence showing that capillary trapped liquid blobs exhibit resonance.
Chapter 2 Facilitative glucose transport

Summary The precise regulation of absorption and distribution of glucose and other sugars in mammals is carried out by two families of proteins, the Na + -dependent glucose transporter and the family of facilitative glucose transporters. The six functional members of the facilitative transporters, GLUT1 through GLUT5 and GLUT7 have distinct but overlapping tissue distributions and are targeted to distinct subcellular locales in the cell types in which they are expressed. The distinct kinetic properties and substrate selectivity of each of the transporters have evolved such that efficient fuel delivery to appropriate tissues is ensured under a wide variety of metabolic conditions. The primary, secondary, and presumably tertiary, and higher, structure of the family of facilitative glucose transporters are similar. It is beginning to be under-stood which domains of these transporters are important for substrate and inhibitor binding and for subcellular localization. Future work will undoubtably uncover the molecular mechanism by which the facilitative transporters catalyze the translocation of sugars across the membrane. Also becoming clear is the mechanism by which the levels and activity of the glucose transporters change in response to altered homeostasis, such as insulin-dependent and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and other insulin resistant states. It will be appreciated which changes in transporter levels are a proximal event in altering normal physiology, such as changes in GLUT2 in the β-cell of the islets of Langerhans or in the small intestine with alternative diets, and which are due to the altered metabolic states such as diabetes or uremia but could exacerbate the pathophysiology seen.
Input signal analysis for an adaptive computed torque control scheme applied to a three DOF cylindrical robot

A robotic application in which the control architecture is characterized by a computed torque scheme operating in conjunction with an input/output type of direct model reference adaptive controller has been developed. This control scheme, called the adaptive computed torque control scheme (ACTCS), aims to integrate the two philosophically different control strategies. The stability and robustness issues of the controller in response to a variety of input signals are examined. Experimental results on the Colorado State University (CSU) 3 degree-of-freedom cylindrical robot are presented. >
Analysis of hydraulic tomography using temporal moments of drawdown recovery data

Received 2 June 2005; revised 30 September 2005; accepted 21 October 2005; published 1 February 2006. [1] Transient hydraulic tomography (THT) is a potentially cost-effective and highresolution technique for mapping spatial distributions of the hydraulic conductivity and specific storage in aquifers. Interpretation of abundant well hydrographs of a THT survey, however, is a computational challenge. We take on this challenge by developing an estimation approach that utilizes the zeroth and first temporal moments of well hydrographs, instead of drawdown itself. The governing equations for the temporal moments are Poisson’s equations. These equations demand less computational resources as opposed to the parabolic equation that governs drawdown evolution. Likewise, the adjoint equations for evaluating sensitivities of the moments for parameter estimation also take the same forms. Therefore a temporal moment approach is expected to expedite the interpretation of THT surveys. On the basis of this premise we extend our sequential successive linear estimator to use the zeroth moment and characteristic time of the drawdown-recovery data generated by THT surveys. We subsequently investigate computational efficiency and accuracy of the moment approach. Results of the investigation show that the temporal moment approach yields results similar to those from the approach that uses transient heads but at significantly less computational costs. Limitations using temporal moments are discussed subsequently.
Engaging novice researchers in the process and culture of science using a "Pass-the-Problem" case strategy.

Undergraduates having their first research experience frequently have little idea of what to expect. Institutions offering summer research experiences attempt to address this issue through programs that introduce students to the process and culture of science. However, didactic approaches frequently bore students who prefer more interactive sessions. We describe a “Pass-the-Problem” case study approach that engages groups of students in useful discussions about the research environment they are entering. The cases presented here include keeping a thorough laboratory notebook, balancing laboratory and personal time demands, anxiety about formal presentations, unexpected federal regulatory inspection, working in a lab with limited funds, being used as a technician rather than a researcher, frustration with failed experiments, effects of promotion and tenure on laboratory atmosphere, the importance of reading the research literature, and questioning a career in science. These cases alert students to different situations they might encounter and stimulate discussion about how to deal with them. © 2015 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 43(5):341–344, 2015.
Intracellular Correlates of Fast (>200 Hz) Electrical Oscillations in Rat Somatosensory Cortex

Oscillatory activity in excess of several hundred hertz has been observed in somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) recorded in both humans and animals and is attracting increasing interest regardin...
Bowel Frequency in Critically III Children

BACKGROUND Bowel frequency in healthy children has been determined, but it is not well documented in critically ill children. The objectives of this prospective observational study were to determine if critical illness alters stool frequency in children and to identify risk factors that may increase or decrease stool frequency. METHODS Stool frequency was assessed in children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) over a five month period. The median daily number of bowel movements during admission to the PICU was compared to the patient's estimated number of bowel movements prior to illness. Stepwise linear regression was performed to determine which factors best predicted stool frequency in critically ill children. RESULTS Daily stool frequency was significantly reduced (P < 0.001) during PICU stay (median = 0.5; interquartile: 0, 0.8) compared to preadmission stool frequency estimates (median = 2; interquartile: 1, 2.5). Covariates associated with an increase in stool frequency included m...
Band-Gap of a Soft Magnetorheological Phononic Crystal

This paper presents the wave propagation in a tunable phononic crystal consisting of a porous hyperelastic magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) subjected to an external magnetic field. Finite deformations and magnetic induction influence phononic characteristics of the periodic structure through altering the geometry and material properties of the unit cell. The governing equations for incremental time-harmonic plane wave motions superimposed on a static predeformed media are derived. Analytical and finite element (FE) methods are used to investigate dispersion relation and band structure of the phononic crystal for different levels of deformation and applied magnetic induction. It is demonstrated that large deformations and magnetic induction could transform the location and width of band-gaps.
Femtosecond laser activation of surface reactions

Laser induced formation of CO2 and desorption of O2 are initiated with femtosecond and picosecond laser excitation of a Pt(111) surface prepared with coadsorbed CO and O2 at 90 K. The nonlinear fluence dependent reaction yields were measured for 267, 400, and 800 nm wavelengths, and for pulse durations from 80 fs to 3.6 ps. Two-pulse correlation experiments measuring total O2 desorption yield versus time delay between 80 fs pulses show a 0.9 ps HWHM central peak and a slower 0.1 ns time-scale. At 267 nm the relative yields of O2 and CO2 are found to depend on fluence. Comparison of results at different wavelengths and pulsewidths shows that nonthermalized surface electrons play a role in the laser-induced surface chemistry.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Improving measurements of the relative times of synthesis of specific DNA fractions.

Abstract Several recent studies have investigated the time of replication of satellite and main band DNA fractions during the DNA synthetic (S) period. This paper describes a mathematical relation that enhances analysis of the data from these studies. The relation accounts for the changes in the relative amounts of main band and satellite DNAs which occur in cells during the S phase of the cell cycle; this increases the precision of analysis of the data. In addition, with the use of the relation, the data can be expressed in terms of actual amounts of DNA synthesized during a given time interval rather than solely in terms of relative specific activities; this makes analysis of the time of synthesis of different DNA fractions more direct. By way of example, the relation was applied to literature data for the time of synthesis of mouse main band and satellite DNAs [1].
Ideal theory in Prüfer domains - An unconventional approach

Abstract In Prufer domains of finite character, ideals are represented as finite intersections of special ideals which are proper generalizations of the classical primary ideals. We show that representations of ideals as shortest intersections of primal or quasi-primary ideals exist and are unique. Moreover, every non-zero ideal is the product of uniquely determined pairwise comaximal quasi-primary ideals. Semigroups of primal and quasi-primary ideals with fixed associated primes are also investigated in arbitrary Prufer domains. Their structures can be described in terms of the value groups of localizations.
Use of Bayesian networks to probabilistically model and improve the likelihood of validation of microarray findings by RT-PCR

Though genome-wide technologies, such as microarrays, are widely used, data from these methods are considered noisy; there is still varied success in downstream biological validation. We report a method that increases the likelihood of successfully validating microarray findings using real time RT-PCR, including genes at low expression levels and with small differences. We use a Bayesian network to identify the most relevant sources of noise based on the successes and failures in validation for an initial set of selected genes, and then improve our subsequent selection of genes for validation based on eliminating these sources of noise. The network displays the significant sources of noise in an experiment, and scores the likelihood of validation for every gene. We show how the method can significantly increase validation success rates. In conclusion, in this study, we have successfully added a new automated step to determine the contributory sources of noise that determine successful or unsuccessful downstream biological validation.
A History of Wine in America: From the Beginnings to Prohibition

The Vikings called North America "Vinland," the land of wine. Giovanni de Verrazzano, the Italian explorer who first described the grapes of the New World, was sure that "they would yield excellent wines." And when the English settlers found grapes growing so thickly that they covered the ground down to the very seashore, they concluded that "in all the world the like abundance is not to be found." Thus, from the very beginning the promise of America was, in part, the alluring promise of wine.How that promise was repeatedly baffled, how its realization was gradually begun, and how at last it has been triumphantly fulfilled is the story told in this book. It is a story that touches on nearly every section of the United States and includes the whole range of American society from the founders to the latest immigrants. Germans in Pennsylvania, Swiss in Georgia, Minorcans in Florida, Italians in Arkansas, French in Kansas, Chinese in California - all contributed to the domestication of Bacchus in the New World. So too did innumerable individuals, institutions, and organizations.Prominent politicians, obscure farmers, eager amateurs, sober scientists: these and all the other kinds and conditions of American men and women figure in the story. The history of wine in America is, in many ways, the history of American origins and of American enterprise in microcosm. While much of that history has been lost to sight, especially after Prohibition, the recovery of the record has been the goal of many investigators over the years, and the results are here brought together for the first time.
Uncertainty reduction in power generation forecast using coupled wavelet-ARIMA

Forecasts errors in variable generation and load are usually assumed to be normally distributed. This supposition is used as the basis for estimating these errors' uncertainty and consequences for a power system. Another assumption is that the forecast errors are stationary processes with time-independent probability distributions. These hypotheses, however, are not always valid. In this paper, we introduce a new approach without implying normal distributions and stationarity of forecast errors. In addition, it is desired to more accurately quantify the forecast uncertainty by reducing prediction intervals of forecasts. We use automatically coupled wavelet transform and autoregressive integrated moving-average (ARIMA) forecasting to reflect multi-scale variability of forecast errors. The proposed analysis reveals slow-changing “quasi-deterministic” components of forecast errors. This helps improve forecasts produced by other means, e.g., using weather-based models, and reduce forecast errors prediction intervals. Thus, we demonstrate the possibility of uncertainty reduction for wind, solar, and load forecast errors by 10–12%.
Long-term and seasonal trends in stratification in the California Current, 1950--1993

[1] State-space model decomposition of subsurface temperatures from the World Ocean Database is used to detect and characterize changes in thermal stratification in the upper 200 m of the California Current System (CCS) over the period 1950–1993. Model results are analyzed at eight locations representing the meridional and offshore extent of the CCS between 31°N and 40°N. Thermocline strength, depth, and temperature are derived from the mean-level trend term and the seasonal component of the state-space models. Over the 44 years, the mean level of the coastal thermocline strengthened and deepened, while it weakened and shoaled offshore. These tendencies are likely the result of geostrophic adjustment to changes in basin-scale circulation, as well as to a long-term increase in upper ocean heat content of 2–9% throughout the study area. Reduction in nutrient inputs to the surface layer resulting from these climate signals are a likely explanation for the pronounced decline in biological production in CCS ecosystems observed over the same period. Substantial decadal variability superimposed on these linear tendencies may play a role in determining the response of the upper ocean to interannual events such as El Nino. The seasonal component of thermocline depth and strength exhibited a high degree of nonstationarity, with alternating periods of weakened and enhanced annual cycles lasting 3–5 years, along with changes in the phase. This changing seasonality may have implications for marine species whose life cycles are closely tuned to the seasonal cycle.
Preparação e caracterização de membranas assimétricas de poli (fluoreto de vinilideno) suportadas em poliéster - I: efeito do tratamento térmico nas propriedades das membranas

O poli(fluoreto de vinilideno) (PVDF) e um polimero semicristalino contendo uma fase amorfa e uma cristalina. Essa caracteristica e importante para o preparo de membranas assimetricas, pois a fase cristalina tem grande influencia na formacao da estrutura da membrana e a fase amorfa na porosidade. Membranas de PVDF foram preparadas pelo processo de inversao de fases e avaliadas quanto a permeabilidade e morfologia, bem como o efeito do tratamento termico. Foram comparadas as seguintes membranas: membrana sem tratamento termico, membrana com tratamento termico e membrana comercial. Ensaios de resistencia quimica, fluxo permeado de agua a varias pressoes, difusao de ions, Microscopia Eletronica de Varredura (MEV), Calorimetria Exploratoria Diferencial (DSC) e Analise Termogravimetrica (TGA) foram realizados para verificar o comportamento das membranas.
Measurement of distances between anatomical structures using a translating stage with mounted endoscope

During endoscopic procedures it is often desirable to determine the distance between anatomical features. One such clinical application is percutaneous cochlear implantation (PCI), which is a minimally invasive approach to the cochlea via a single, straight drill path and can be achieved accurately using bone-implanted markers and customized microstereotactic frame. During clinical studies to validate PCI, traditional open-field cochlear implant surgery was performed and prior to completion of the surgery, a customized microstereotactic frame designed to achieve the desired PCI trajectory was attached to the bone-implanted markers. To determine whether this trajectory would have safely achieved the target, a sham drill bit is passed through the frame to ensure that the drill bit would reach the cochlea without damaging vital structures. Because of limited access within the facial recess, the distances from the bit to anatomical features could not be measured with calipers. We hypothesized that an endoscope mounted on a sliding stage that translates only along the trajectory, would provide sufficient triangulation to accurately measure these distances. In this paper, the design, fabrication, and testing of such a system is described. The endoscope is mounted so that its optical axis is approximately aligned with the trajectory. Several images are acquired as the stage is moved, and threedimensional reconstruction of selected points allows determination of distances. This concept also has applicability in a large variety of rigid endoscopic interventions including bronchoscopy, laparoscopy, and sinus endoscopy.
Vibrissae motor cortex unit activity during whisking.

Rats generate stereotyped exploratory (5–12 Hz) vibrissa movements when navigating through their environment. Like other rhythmic behaviors, the production of whisking relies on a subcortical patte...
Analysis of cell line variation in biochemical production of protoporphyrin IX

Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) is produced via the heme synthesis pathway by the cell following administration of aminolevulinic acid (ALA). ALA synthase, the enzyme that produces ALA in the cell from glycine and succinyl-coenzyme A, is inhibited in a feedback mechanism by heme and thus is the rate limiting enzyme in the heme synthesis pathway. Since ALA is administered systemically, the rate limiting step that naturally exists in the cells is bypassed, however it is currently unclear why cells have different rate limiting steps in the ALA-PpIX synthesis pathway, and more specifically which types of cancer cells are most productive. It has been determined that when the same amount of ALA is administered to a wide panel of cancer cells in vitro that vastly differing amounts of PpIX are produced. The steps for the ALA-PpIX pathway occur in and around the mitochondria of the cell, but interestingly no correlation is seen between PpIX production and mitochondrial content of the cell, following ALA administration. However, total cell area shows positive correlation with PpIX production. Administration of the iron chelator, 1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridone (L1) in combination with ALA allows the final step in the heme synthesis pathway, conversion of PpIX to heme, to be delayed and thus increases the detectable amount of PpIX in each cell line. The cell lines that have the lowest PpIX production following administration of ALA alone show the largest increase in production following the combined administration of ALA and L1. PpIX fluorescence is thought to be a measure of cellular activity and the goal of the current study was to determine which cell lines would be the most promising targets for fluorescence detection or monitoring response to therapy. The results indicate that the cells with larger size and larger numbers of mitochondria may be good potential targets for this therapy. While this conclusion may appear obvious, it is not universally true, and cellular specific variations exist which are still not fully understood.
Activation of antifungal extracts of actinomycetes by ultrafiltration through gradocol membranes.

SummaryThe antifungal activity of some partially purified extracts of two actinomycetes was sharply increased by filtration through gradocol membranes.
Hemoglobin A1c as a measure of disease severity and outcome in limb threatening ischemia.

Background Diabetes mellitus is a known risk factor in the development of peripheral vascular disease. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) has been used by clinicians as a means to measure short to intermediate term glucose control in diabetics. Trials evaluating tight glucose control using HbA1c measurements have recently been conducted for several medical conditions. The goal of this study is to determine if the level of hemoglobin A1c has any effect on disease severity in diabetic patients with limb threatening ischemia. Methods A retrospective review of all patients presenting with limb threatening ischemia between January 1 and December 31, 2007 was conducted. All patients underwent conventional arteriography prior to intervention. Of 148 patients, 73 were diabetics with a hemoglobin A1c level performed within 3 mo of presentation. Patients were placed into high (>7) and low (<7) hemoglobin A1c groups and data was collected on type of presentation, comorbidities, anatomic level of disease, tibial artery patency, need for amputation, contralateral disease, need for an open versus an endovascular procedure, and freedom from intervention. Fisher’s exact t-test was used to compare the two groups. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Thirty-six patients had HbA1c levels above 7.0 and 37 had levels below 7.0 (mean 7.64 ± 2.04, range 5.1–14.7). There were no statistically significant differences in the two groups in comorbities, average age, initial gangrene at presentation, aspirin or statin use, or smoking status. Patients in the high group were more likely to have had a previous attempt at revascularization (23 versus 11, P = 0.0049). There was no difference in the presence of contralateral disease (7 versus 4, P = 0.3447) or in the number of patent tibial vessels. Patients with low HbA1c levels were more likely to have the peroneal artery affected (17 versus 8, P = 0.048). In addition, TASC II classifications of iliac and femoral popliteal disease was similar between the two groups. Freedom from intervention is depicted graphically by life table analysis. Conclusion Glucose control measured by hemoglobin A1c does not appear to affect severity of disease or need for reintervention in diabetics with limb threatening ischemia. This suggests other factors related to diabetes may play a role in peripheral vascular disease. Larger, prospective studies are needed to assess the affect of glucose control in limb threatening ischemia.