cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anatomy of the male reproductive system and sperm morphology in the caterpillar-hunting wasp Ancistrocerus antilope (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Abstract. The male reproductive system of the caterpillar-hunting wasp Ancistrocerus antilope was composed of the testes, seminal vesicles, accessory glands, the penis, and the connecting ducts. The testes, which were paired structures lined with a thin layer of squamous epithelium, were composed of several lobes that contain developing spermatozoa. These spermatozoa began as spermatocytes in the distal portion of the testicular lobe and, as they matured, they moved proximally toward the seminal vesicles. Upon maturation, the spermatozoa were long, thin structures with a nucleus of ∼10–15 μm in length and 1–2 μm in width. Their tails, which were not morphologically distinct from their heads at the gross level, averaged 388±25 μm in length. Once the spermatozoa had fully developed, they traveled from the testes to the seminal vesicles, where they were stored. The walls of the seminal vesicles were composed of a ciliated, pseudostratified, columnar epithelium. A layer of fibrous connective tissue termed the testicular capsule encapsulated both the testes and the seminal vesicles. Upon ejaculation, the spermatozoa moved through the deferent ducts, where they combined with granular fluid from the accessory glands. From here, they traveled via the ejaculatory duct to the penis, where they were expelled. In this study, these anatomical descriptions are discussed in reference to other species of the Hymenoptera.
α-Ketoglutaramate: Increased Concentrations in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients in Hepatic Coma

alpha-Ketoglutaramate, a deaminated metabolite of glutamine not previously identified in biological tissues, was measured in the cerebrospinal fluid of human subjects and found to be increased three- to tenfold in patients with hepatic coma. When perfused into the cerebral lateral ventricles of rats, alpha-ketoglutaramate (10 mM) depressed the animals' nocturnal locomotor activity, and at higher doses induced circling behavior and myoclonus. The concentration of alpha-ketoglutaramate in cerebrospinal fluid appears to be a reliable diagnostic indicator of hepatic coma, and its accumulation may contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease.
Men and Grieving

Counseling skills with men in grief after the deaths of their children. The author's experience in grief counseling spans a 10-year period.
Interracial Intimacy: Hegemonic Construction of Asian American and Black Relationships on TV Medical Dramas

This article examines the representations of Black and Asian interracial relationships on prime-time television dramas, ER and Grey's Anatomy. Interracial relationships are still a very small percentage of relationships depicted on television, and Black and Asian couplings represent an even smaller fraction, which makes examining the discourses surrounding these relationships valuable and illuminating. Using a close textual analysis of the discursive strategies that frame the representation of the Black and Asian characters in general, and the representations of their relationships with each other in the dramas specifically, I argue that the narrative arcs and racialized tropes maintain hegemonic racial hierarchies. The representations have the potential to be progressive and/or transgressive, but the death and destruction meted out to the couples ensures no couple reaches the dominant culture's idea for romantic relationships: marriage and a baby.
Deformation texture of hydrostatically extruded polycrystalline NiAl

NiAl is currently a candidate for high temperature structural applications because of its high melting temperature, low density, and excellent oxidation resistance. Polycrystalline NiAl possesses low ductility at ambient temperatures, but it has a brittle-to-ductile transition temperature (BDTT) of approximately 573 K (1,2). Its high melting temperature, however, puts limits on its formability, usually requiring it to be processed at high temperatures. High temperature processing can lead to diffusive effects which may nullify the benefits of deformation processing. Processing of NiAl at lower temperatures, yet above its BDTT, might yield the conditions necessary for large amounts of strain to be attained from processing but might also limit the amount of diffusion related phenomena that would occur either during or following high temperature deformation. Deformation textures give insight into the modes of deformation that result from processing. When extruded below approximately 1,173 K, NiAl typically develops a (110) fiber texture. When extruded at higher temperatures or subsequently annealed, a (111) recrystallization temperature develops. The first successful low temperature hydrostatic extrusion of NiAl has been reported recently. It is the purpose of this paper to give the details of the resulting deformation texture and relate it to the potential benefits of processingmore » of NiAl with the use of hydrostatic pressure.« less
Chaotic inflation and cold baryosynthesis in a supersymmetric gut

Abstract We consider chaotic inflation followed by Affleck-Dine cold baryosynthesis in a recently proposed flipped SU(5)×(1) GUT derived from the superstring. We show that the presence of a “quasi-flat” direction λΨ QF 4 in the scalar potential with λ =| λ e | 2 ∼10 −11 leads naturally to density perturbations ϖϱ ϱ ∼10 −4 −10 −5 . We also show that the decay of an Affleck-Dine-like direction Ψ AD leads naturally to n B s ≈10 −6 −10 −10 taking account of the large increase in entropy Δ ∼10 8 produced by the subsequent decay of the “flaton” field Ψ responsible for GUT symmetry breaking.
Concepts for luminescence sensing of thermal barrier coatings

Abstract The basis for a number of concepts for in-situ monitoring thermal barrier coatings using non-contact luminescence is described. Restrictions imposed by phase compatibility with the thermally grown oxide formed between the bond-coat and the coating, as well as with the thermal barrier coating material are described. This naturally leads to the selection of rare-earth ions incorporated into the crystal structure of the coating, whether YSZ or one of the rare-earth pyrochlores, as appropriate chromophores. A rare-earth sensor embedded in a YSZ coating prepared by electron-beam deposition is demonstrated as well as a “rainbow” sensor.
Are Maternal Antibodies Really That Important? Patterns in the Immunologic Development of Altricial Passerine House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)

Background Maternal antibodies are believed to play an integral role in protecting immunologically immature wild-passerines from environmental antigens. This study comprehensively examines the early development of the adaptive immune system in an altricial-developing wild passerine species, the house sparrow (Passer domestics), by characterizing the half-life of maternal antibodies in nestling plasma, the onset of de novo synthesis of endogenous antibodies by nestlings, and the timing of immunological independence, where nestlings rely entirely on their own antibodies for immunologic protection. Methodology/Principal Findings In an aviary study we vaccinated females against a novel antigen that these birds would not otherwise encounter in their natural environment, and measured both antigen-specific and total antibody concentration in the plasma of females, yolks, and nestlings. We traced the transfer of maternal antibodies from females to nestlings through the yolk and measured catabolisation of maternal antigen-specific antibodies in nestlings during early development. By utilizing measurements of non-specific and specific antibody levels in nestling plasma we were able to calculate the half-life of maternal antibodies in nestling plasma and the time point at which nestling were capable of synthesizing antibodies themselves. Based on the short half-life of maternal antibodies, the rapid production of endogenous antibodies by nestlings and the relatively low transfer of maternal antibodies to nestlings, our findings suggest that altricial-developing sparrows achieve immunologic independence much earlier than precocial birds. Conclusions/Significance To our knowledge, this is the first in depth analyses performed on the adaptive immune system of a wild-passerine species. Our results suggest that maternal antibodies may not confer the immunologic protection or immune priming previously proposed in other passerine studies. Further research needs to be conducted on other altricial passerines to determine if the results of our study are a species-specific phenomenon or if they apply to all altricial-developing birds.
NMR relaxation studies of electronic structure in NbSe3.

NMR spin-lattice relaxation measurements of the $^{93}\mathrm{Nb}$ resonance for each Nb site were performed on an aligned, multicrystalline ${\mathrm{NbSe}}_{3}$ sample at different temperatures. Results are associated with local electron densities of states for each of the three crystallographic sites, demonstrating Fermi-surface changes associated with the two charge-density-wave phase transitions. The most significant Fermi-surface changes occur for the yellow and orange crystallographic sites, at the high- and low-temperature phase transitions, respectively. The third site, however, is found to be noninsulating. A comparison is made to band theory and other experimental results.
Seasonality of the Thermal Kinetics of Color Changes in Whole Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea) Leaves Under Pasteurization Conditions

Color changes in whole spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaves at pasteurization temperatures (65 to 90°C) indicate that the parameter of “greenness” (-at/bt) increased during a short initial period of heating, followed by a loss that was more pronounced at higher temperatures. Seasonality was evident in kinetic models for color changes possibly due to seasonal difference in chemical composition influencing color degradation kinetics. The mechanism for loss of greenness at lower temperatures was attributed to enzymatic activity while cell collapse, cell compaction, and oxidative changes were probably more important at higher temperatures. Lower temperatures resulted in a higher retention of green color of spinach leaves during the thermal pasteurization process and the kinetic models presented in this work could be used for optimizing pasteurization processes.
Can Education Expenditures Reduce Income Inequality

Abstract Using a cross section of countries, this paper empirically examines whether devoting more resources to education can positively affect the distribution of income (as measured by the Gini coefficient) within a country. From the findings, public education expenditures appear to be associated with a subsequent decrease in the level of income inequality. This finding is robust to the inclusion of various control variables and appears to be larger in high income nations. The findings suggest that devoting more resources to education may be one way to reduce the level of income inequality within a country.
Accurate Two-Dimensional Classification of Stellar Spectra with Artificial Neural Networks

We present a solution to the long-standing problem of automatically classifying stellar spectra of all temperature and luminosity classes with the accuracy shown by expert human classifiers. We use the 15 A resolution near-infrared spectral classification system described by Torres-Dodgen & Weaver in 1993. Using the spectrum with no manual intervention except wavelength registration, artificial neural networks (ANNs) can classify these spectra with Morgan-Keenan types with an accuracy comparable to that obtained by human experts using 2 A resolution blue spectra, which is about 0.5 types (subclasses) in temperature and about 0.25 classes in luminosity. Accurate temperature classification requires a hierarchy of ANNs, while luminosity classification is most successful with a single ANN. We propose an architecture for a fully automatic classification system.
Progress in understanding angiosperm history, success, and relationships: Darwin's abominably “perplexing phenomenon”

To Charles Darwin the suddenness of the angiosperm appearance and their rapid rise to dominance in the fossil record was both a “perplexing phenomenon” to “those who believe in extremely gradual evolution” and an “abominable mystery” (1). It has been 125 years since Darwin's letter to Heer and for most of this time the investigation of the mystery has been in the domain of comparative morphology, traditional taxonomy, and the fossil record, principally of pollen and leaves. These approaches have failed to illuminate the mystery that has now grown to include major aspects of angiosperm phylogeny, evolutionary success, and origin (2). But lately, exciting new methods and data are available that have enormous potential to resolve this set of problems. New kinds of fossils have been discovered from critical times (2–4); new algorithms are available for the rapid comparative analysis of all kinds of data (5), and molecular genetics is providing data on nucleic acid sequences and homeotic genes like the MADS family (6–12). These allow invaluable insights into homology of floral organs.
A Right to Silence for Civil Defendants

The Fifth Amendment guarantees criminal defendants the right to silence, blocking the court from drawing adverse inferences from the defendant's silence. This article investigates the conditions under which extending such protection to civil defendants might increase (or decrease) social welfare. If discovery is imperfect, then defendants who acquire information about the dangerousness of their actions may hide this evidence at trial if it is bad. This tends to make the private benefit from acquiring such information exceed the social benefit. Furthermore, the private benefit from acquiring this information is greater when the court will infer the information is bad if the defendant does not present it. Thus, there are situations in which a right to silence may be necessary to prevent a defendant from acquiring information for which the social costs exceed the social benefit. On the other hand, if it is hard to hide damaging information and the release of damaging information tends to induce lawsuits, then a right to silence may dampen already insufficient incentives to acquire information. (JEL K40, K41) The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Yale University. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org, Oxford University Press.
EFFECTS OF ACOUSTICALLY LINED CYLINDRICAL DUCTS ON INSTABILITY WAVES IN CONFINED SUPERSONIC JETS

The pressure disturbances generated by an instability wave in the shear layer of a supersonic jet are studied for an axisymmetric jet inside a lined cylindrical duct. For the supersonic jet, locally linear stability analysis with duct wall boundary conditions is used to calculate the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions. These values are used to determine the growth rates and phase velocities of the instability waves and the radial pressure disturbance patterns. The study is confined to the dominant Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mode and to the region just downstream of the nozzle exit where the shear layer is growing but is still small in size compared to the radius of the duct. Numerical results are used to study the effects of changes in the outer flow, growth in the shear layer thickness, wall distance, wall impedance, and frequency. Results indicate that the effects of the duct wall on shear layer growth rates diminish as the outer flow increases. Also, wall reflections cause variations in growth rates depending on wall height and Strouhal number. These variations are due to the phase relationship between the outgoing and the reflected incoming pressure disturbances at the shear layer. The growth rate variations can be reduced and the maximum growth rate minimized by keeping the imaginary part of the impedance negative.
Isoforms of estrogen receptors by high-performance ion-exchange chromatography.

Abstract SynChropak AX-300, AX-500 and AX-1000 columns were used to separate ionic forms of estrogen receptors by high-performance ion-exchange chromatography. Cytosols from hormone-responsive tissues were incubated for 4–10 h with 3–4 nM [16α-125I]iodoestradiol-17β, cleared of unbound ligand and applied to an anion-exchange column. Components were eluted at pH 7.4 using a gradient of phosphate buffer at 4–6°C. Non-specific binding components were identified by chromatographing, the identical cytosol, incubated with [125I]iodoestradiol and a 500-fold excess of diethylstilbestrol, which blocks specific binding sites. [125I]Iodoestradiol was applied to the column in the absence of cytosol and eluted normally to determine the behavior of free ligand. Each column exhibited a different elution pattern for the estrogen receptor. The various isoforms of estrogen receptor were eluted differently from each column usually in the 15–120 mM and 180–250 mM region of the gradient. Often one non-specific binding component was not retained whereas other non-specific species were retained and eluted from the column in a salt-dependent manner; their position in the gradient varied from column to column. Similarly, free [125I]iodoestradiol was eluted at different positions in the gradients, dependent upon which column was employed. In general, the high flow-rates, reproducibility, good recovery and the apparent differential selectivity of each of the columns appear valuable in the investigation of the nature and subunit composition of the estrogen receptor molecule.
Is Interleaving in the Agulhas Current Driven by Near-Inertial Velocity Perturbations?

Abstract Recent observations taken at a number of latitudes in the Agulhas Current reveal that the water mass structure on either side of its dynamical core is distinctly different. Moreover, interleaving of these distinct water masses is observed at over 80% of the stations occupied in the current, particularly within the subsurface density layer between tropical surface water and subtropical surface water masses, and within the intermediate layer between the Antarctic Intermediate Water and Red Sea water masses. Direct velocity measurements allow for a comparison between the characteristic vertical length scales of the Agulhas intrusions and those of velocity perturbations found throughout the current. It is found that the interleaving scales match those of the velocity perturbations, which are manifest as high-wavenumber vertical shear layers and are identified as near-inertial oscillations. Furthermore, the properties of the intrusions indicate that double diffusion is not an important process in thei...
Communication Structures and Processes in Globalization

L'A. examine l'impact des structures de communication sur le processus de globalisation. Il analyse le lien entre globalisation et communication. Il montre que la globalisation provoque une compression de l'espace-temps. Il se demande si la globalisation favorise l'emergence de la reflexivite et d'une conscience globale. Il considere que la globalisation determine un « desenracinement » local et une restructuration des relations humaines. Il souligne que la globalisation induit des effets positifs comme des effets negatifs.
Elastic-plastic analysis of combined mode I, II and III crack-tip fields under small-scale yielding conditions

Abstract Within the context of the small-strain approach, combined mode I, II and III near-tip fields of stationary cracks in power-law hardening materials are investigated. We use a finite element technique to obtain asymptotic angular stress solutions for combined mode I and II perturbed from mode III. These perturbation solutions with the same stress singularities as those of pure mode III are presented for different hardening materials. The perturbation results further suggest that the order of crack-tip stress singularities varies smoothly with changing mode mixity. We also employ full-field finite element compulations to study the small-scale yielding near-tip fields for several combinations of prescribed remote mode I. II and III elastic K fields. These solutions verify an interesting pattern which agrees with the previous solutions for combined mode I and III loading as well as those for combined mode II and III loading: well within the plastic zone, under near mode I mixed-mode loadings, the in-plane stresses are slightly more singular than r−t/(n + 1) while the out-of-plane shear stresses are slightly less singular than r−t/(n + 1), where r is the radial distance to the lip and n is the strain hardening exponent of the material. To explain the complex behavior of the near-tip stresses, we introduce an effective in-plane shear stress and an effective out-of-plane shear stress to quantify the in-plane and out-of-plane plastic shear at different orientations in a consistent manner. The full-field solutions also corroborate the observation that the singularities of the in-plane slresses and the out-of-plane shear stresses vary smoothly with mode mixity.
An ATP-dependent supercoiling topoisomerase of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii affects accumulation of specific chloroplast transcripts.

Abstract We have found that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells contain an ATP-dependent topoisomerase activity that supercoils circular DNA in vitro. Subsequent addition of a type I topoisomerase eliminates the supercoils. Like bacterial gyrase, this activity is inhibited by low concentrations of novobiocin (less than 0.1 microM) and by nalidixic acid (less than 0.1 microM). We have examined the effects of these topoisomerase inhibitors on accumulation of various chloroplast transcripts in vivo. Novobiocin differentially affected such transcripts; some transcripts became more abundant while many others were reduced in the presence of this drug. Nalidixic acid on the other hand caused many transcripts to become more abundant albeit to varying degrees. Inhibitors of this algal topoisomerase specifically stimulate a family of related transcripts which we have previously shown to be under light-dark control. We discuss how the inhibitors of this topoisomerase might exert their in vivo effects.
Contact force-displacement laws and the mechanical behavior of random packs of identical spheres

Abstract The contact force-displacement law of two identical elastic spheres can independently display: nonlinear response, path dependence and dissipation due to slip. Omitting relative roll and torsion between the two spheres, a general contact force-displacement law is derived analytically by integrating the differential form of the Hertz-Mindlin solution along the contact displacement path. The Hertz-Mindlin contact law and a different contact law formulated by K. Walton are special cases of this general contact law. Implementation of the contact law in numerical codes may be cumbersome because it requires a full description of the contact load history. Some simplified contact force-displacement laws proposed in the literature that overcome this difficulty are shown to be thermodynamically inconsistent (i.e., unphysical) since they permit energy generation at no cost. The mean-field approximation and statistical averaging for calculating macroscopic stress-strain relations are discussed with respect to various contact force-displacement laws.
Computation of rotor wake turbulence noise

Abstract A major source of fan broadband noise is the interaction of rotor wake turbulence with the fan outlet guide vanes. A broadband noise model that utilizes computed rotor flow turbulence from a Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes code is used to predict fan broadband noise spectra. The noise model is employed to examine the broadband noise characteristics of the 22-in source diagnostic test fan rig for which broadband noise data were obtained in wind tunnel tests at the NASA Glenn Research Center. A 9-case matrix of three outlet guide vane configurations at three representative fan tip speeds are considered. For all cases inlet and exhaust spectra of acoustic power are computed and compared with the measured spectra where possible. The acoustic power levels and shape of the predicted spectra are in good agreement with the measured data for the fan exhaust duct radiation at approach condition where direct comparisons are possible. The predicted spectra show the experimentally observed trends with fan tip speed, vane count and vane sweep. The results also demonstrate the validity of using computational fluid dynamics based turbulence information for fan broadband noise calculations.
A review of ten years' experience with surgical equipment in international health programs.

Abstract The Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics (JHPIEGO) began in June of 1973 with financial assistance from the Agency for International Development (AID). The purpose of the organization was to provide training and medical equipment to physicians in developing countries to update their education in reproductive health. JHPIEGO began by offering courses in the United States and shortly thereafter began training at centers in the developing countries themselves. Because of its important contributions to gynecological diagnosis in addition to its use in fertility management, laparoscopic equipment has been a major item in JHPIEGO reproductive health training. This paper details the development and role of laparoscopic training in JHPIEGO's program. Laparoscopic training begins with selection of trainees from appropriate institutions. Training itself begins with a didactic session at Baltimore or an in-country center. Trainees then receive clinical training and perform a minimum number of procedures, after which the practitioner, if he or she has successfully completed the clinical practice, can be named eligible to receive medical equipment to be donated to his or her institution. When equipment is installed, a field visit is made by a JHPIEGO consultant to insure the proper use and upkeep of equipment, and the understanding and implementation of standards and procedures. JHPIEGO has trained almost 3000 physicians in laparoscopy techniques between 1973 and 1984.
High precision retrieval using relevance-flow graph

Traditional bag-of-words information retrieval models use aggregated term statistics to measure the relevance of documents, making it difficult to detect non-relevant documents that contain many query terms by chance or in the wrong context. In-depth document analysis is needed to filter out these deceptive documents. In this paper, we hypothesize that truly relevant documents have relevant sentences in predictable patterns. Our experimental results show that we can successfully identify and exploit these patterns to significantly improve retrieval precision at top ranks.
Rape: A Review Essay

This paper reviews two recent books, Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape and The Politics of Rape: The Victim's Perspective in the context of current research on rape. Though both books are nontechnical, their potential contribution to the focus and direction of rape research is discussed.
Palliative Care and Decision Making in Advanced Heart Failure

The diagnosis of advanced heart failure (HF) is established in patients for whom symptoms are refractory to guideline-directed therapies. Palliative care (PC) is based on symptom management and support of the patient and family, making its integration into the care of those with advanced HF essential. Comorbidities including frailty, cognitive dysfunction, and depression are often under-recognized in patients with advanced HF and may correlate with outcomes. Decisions should be based on the patient’s values, goals agreed upon by the clinician with the patient, and what is medically reasonable. Palliative Care should be integrated to help with both palliation of symptoms and support for families and patients.
Female secondary coloration in the Mexican boulder spiny lizard is associated with nematode load

Male secondary sexual traits purportedly facilitate female choice of a potential mate's quality. One example of male quality is the ability to resist detrimental infections by parasites; sexual traits that reflect parasite infection can allow females to select for parasite resistance in future offspring. High parasite numbers can constrain the exaggeration of male traits, but few studies have examined the effects of parasites on female secondary traits. Female Mexican boulder spiny lizards Sceloporus pyrocephalus, undergo a change in secondary sexual coloration over their breeding season and express red gular regions and gray gular stripes in association with late stages of follicle maturation during the reproductive cycle, as well as blue ventral stripes. We examined if color change associated with the female reproductive cycle varied in hue, saturation and brightness in relation to high nematode loads. Our results suggest that high nematode loads of particular areas of the body are correlated with dull, as opposed to bright, secondary sexual coloration in females of S. pyrocephalus. One reason females could be most vulnerable to nematodes during late reproductive stages is because of corresponding high concentrations of circulating testosterone known to occur in this species at this time. Testosterone has demonstrated immunosuppressive effects in many species; however, results have varied and conclusive evidence for its role in immune function remains controversial. Using a subset of individuals from this study, we found that high concentrations of plasma testosterone were significantly related to high nematode loads. These findings prompt further studies examining the physiological attributes of parasite infestation, the honest signaling capabilities of nematode loads and their potential role in sexual selection for coloration in females.
Sensing passive thermal objects in outdoor scenes for autonomous robots

A physics-based adaptive Bayesian pattern classification model that uses a thermal infrared imaging system to automatically sense passive thermal objects in unstructured outdoor environments for mobile robots is described. The usefulness of thermal infrared imaging as a mobile robot sensing modality is explored, and a set of thermal-physical features used to characterize passive thermal objects in outdoor environments is presented. Objects that extend laterally beyond the thermal camera's field of view, such as brick walls, hedges, picket fences, and wood walls as well as compact objects that are laterally within the thermal camera's field of view, such as metal poles and tree trunks, are considered. Classification of passive thermal objects is a subtle process since they are not a source for their own emission of thermal energy. A detailed analysis is included of the acquisition and preprocessing of thermal images, as well as the generation and selection of thermal-physical features from these objects within thermal images. Classification performance using these features is discussed, as a precursor to the design of the physics-based model to automatically classify these objects.
Genetically modified artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPC) for expansion of melanoma tumor infiltrating lymphocytes with optimal properties for adoptive cell therapy

Meeting abstracts Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) with expanded autologous tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) has emerged to be a powerful salvage therapy for metastatic melanoma with response rates up to 50%. However, the generation of the TIL ACT product is technically challenging with current
Reduction in the photosynthetic rate of Acer, quercus and Fraxinus species caused by sulphur dioxide and ozone

Abstract The relative sensitivity of leaf photosynthesis to fumigation with sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ) was determined over a range of light intensity and relative humidity for sugar maple Acer saccharum Marsh, black oak Quercus velutina Lamb and white ash Fraxinus americana L. Treatments included fumigation at low (0.2-0.4), intermediate (0.5-0.6) and high (1.3-1.5 cal cm −2 min −1 ) light intensity and low (22–43%) and high (55–92%) relative humidity. After one week of fumigation at low humidity and low light intensity the rate of photosynthesis was 52, 46 and 80% for treatment with 50 pphm (1.4 mg m −3 ) SO 2 , 52, 73 and 100% for treatment with 50 pphm (1.1 mg m −3 ) O 3 and 56,59 and 62% for treatment with 50 pphm SO 2 plus 50 pphm O 3 , respectively for black oak, sugar maple and white ash. After three weeks of fumigation SO 2 reduced photosynthesis to 26, 57 and 93% while O 3 reduced photosynthesis to 57, 45 and 94%, respectively in black oak, sugar maple and white ash. Visible symptoms did not appear during fumigation for any of these experiments except that the onset of autumnal coloration for some fumigated leaves occurred up to two weeks earlier than for non-fumigated leaves. Fumigation for one week with 50 pphm SO 2 plus 50 pphm O 3 at high humidity and high light intensity reduced photosynthesis to 15% in sugar maple and to 30% in white ash. Visible symptoms of red or purple discoloration for white ash and reddish flecking in sugar maple occurred for all leaves fumigated at these conditions. The photosynthetic rate of leaves exposed to SO 2 plus O 3 at high relative humidity and either intermediate or low light intensity was reduced to 44 to 65% with visible symptoms occurring on some, but not all, replicates.
Childhood Psychological and Physical Abuse: Psychopathology, Dissociation, and Axis I Diagnosis

ABSTRACT The present study compared (1) college students who reported childhood physical and psychological abuse (combined; N = 35) with (2) students who reported psychological abuse alone (psychological; N = 30), and with (3) students who reported no history of childhood abuse (no abuse; N = 35). Combined abuse and psychological abuse participants were more likely to receive an Axis I diagnosis on a structured interview and to report more dissociative experiences than were no abuse participants. In addition, a structured interview for dissociative disorders was the single measure that differentiated psychologically abused participants from participants reporting combined abuse and no abuse. However, the most psychological impairment was evident in the combined abuse group. Relative to participants who reported no abuse history, combined abuse participants reported more dissociative symptoms on a structured interview and more symptoms of general psycho-pathology, depression, and state and trait anger on s...
Inhibition by ammonium ion of the growth of influenza virus in chorioallantoic tissue.

Abstract Inhibition by ammonium phosphate of replication of complete influenza virus in chorioallantoic tissue was compared with the action of this inhibitor on production of incomplete virus in ascites tumor cells. In chorioallantoic tissue a concentration of NH 4 + five to ten times higher than in ascites tumor cells was required for inhibition. Infectivity and hemagglutinin titers in the supernatant fluids and cells were reduced in parallel by NH 4 + . At lower virus:cell multiplicities the inhibitory concentration (about 250 μg/ml) was independent of the size of the inoculum. In deembryonated eggs very high multiplicities almost completely abolished the effect of NH 4 + . With multiplicities below 1, addition of NH 4 + 1–4 hours after the virus resulted in production of amounts of hemagglutinin proportional to the size of the inoculum, a result indicating conversion from multiple growth cycles to one-step growth. Virus made latent in tissue cultures by NH 4 + over a period of 24 hours replicated normally when NH 4 + was removed by changing the medium. Bicarbonate at the concentration generally used in tissue cultures augmented the inhibitory effect of NH 4 + .
Optical fiber polarizer based on highly birefringent single-mode fiber

An in-line fiber polarizer is proposed and demonstrated. The attenuation of a single-mode fiber experiencing an axial periodic perturbation shows peaks at certain wavelengths, resulting from the power coupling between the guided mode and the cladding modes. When the fiber has significant linear birefringence, each of these peaks is split into two peaks. The fiber thus exhibits polarization-selective attenuation characteristics. An example of such a polarizer is demonstrated based on a highly birefringent fiber with a beat length of 1.3 mm. A 25-dB polarization extinction ratio is obtained, with an attenuation of 1.3 dB at an operating wavelength of 1177 nm.
The use of coping strategies in chronic low back pain patients: Relationship to patient characteristics and current adjustment

Cognitive and behavioral pain coping strategies were assessed by means of questionnaire in a sample of 61 chronic low back pain patients. Data analysis indicated that the questionnaire was internally reliable. While patients reported using a variety of coping strategies, certain strategies were used frequently whereas others were rarely used. Three factors: (a) Cognitive Coping and Suppression, (b) Helplessness, and (c) Diverting Attention or Praying, accounted for a large proportion of variance in questionnaire responses. These 3 factors were found to be predictive of measures of behavioral and emotional adjustment to chronic pain above and beyond what may be predicted on the basis of patient history variables (length of continuous pain, disability status, and number of pain surgeries) and the tendency of patients to somaticize. Each of the 3 coping factors was related to specific measures of adjustment to chronic pain.
Fluctuation diamagnetism and mass anisotropy of YBa2Cu3O6+x

Abstract We have measured the fluctuation magnetization of large samples of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+ x with a variety of oxygen concentrations. Magnetization is measured for several isotherms near T c as a function of applied magnetic field parallel to the c -axis, in fields up to 7 T. The fluctuation magnetization data are consistent with the predictions of 3D-XY scaling over the full doping range studied, x = 0.7–0.9. Within the anisotropic-effective-mass model, scaling of the temperature and field dependence of the magnetization can be used to determine the mass anisotropy and also the separate variations of the in-plane and out-of-plane coherence lengths with doping level. We show that the increase of anisotropy with decreasing oxygen content is dominate by changes in ξ ab (0), with little change in ξ c (0).
Development of an aerobic capacity prediction model from one-mile run/walk performance in adolescents aged 13–16 years

AbstractA popular algorithm to predict VO2Peak from the one-mile run/walk test (1MRW) includes body mass index (BMI), which manifests practical issues in school settings. The purpose of this study was to develop an aerobic capacity model from 1MRW in adolescents independent of BMI. Cardiorespiratory endurance data were collected on 90 adolescents aged 13–16 years. The 1MRW was administered on an outside track and a laboratory VO2Peak test was conducted using a maximal treadmill protocol. Multiple linear regression was employed to develop the prediction model. Results yielded the following algorithm: VO2Peak = 7.34 × (1MRW speed in m s−1) + 0.23 × (age × sex) + 17.75. The New Model displayed a multiple correlation and prediction error of R = 0.81, standard error of the estimate = 4.78 ml kg−1·min−1, with measured VO2Peak and good criterion-referenced (CR) agreement into FITNESSGRAM’s Healthy Fitness Zone (Kappa = 0.62; percentage agreement = 84.4%; Φ = 0.62). The New Model was validated using k-fold cross-...
Are the same attentional mechanisms used to detect visual search targets defined by color, orientation, and motion?

Motion information tends to be segregated from color and form information in the visual system, both perceptually and neuroanatomically, and it is therefore possible that different mechanisms of attention are used to select targets defined by these different feature types during visual search. To test this hypothesis, we recorded the N2pc component of the event-related potential waveform during visual search tasks with color, orientation, and motion targets. The N2pc component has previously been shown to reflect a specific attentional mechanism that is present for color and form targets, and we sought to determine whether this component would also be present for motion targets. The N2pc component was indeed observed for motion targets as well as color and orientation targets, consistent with the use of a common attentional mechanism across feature types. In addition, we found that motion singletons (i.e., individual items that moved in the opposite direction from the other items in the army) elicited an N2pc component even when they were task-irrelevant, indicating that motion discontinuities may produce an automatic orienting of attention.
Studies on the metabolism of glucagon-I 131 in rats.

THE lack of pure preparations of glucagon has impeded studies of its metabolism in the past. As the result of recent investigations, glucagon has been isolated in crystalline form (1), and its structure has been clarified (2). The ability to radioiodinate glucagon without loss of biological activity has facilitated the study of the metabolism of the compound. This paper describes experiments designed to elucidate the distribution and degradation of glucagon-I131 and its excretion in urine and feces following administration of the material into the caudal vein of rats. The distribution and degradation of glucagon-I131 following its injection into the portal vein have also been compared with its fate after injection into the inferior vena cava.
Pain, Physician-assisted Suicide, and Euthanasia

Pain is only one of the compelling factors that lead patients to request physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Uncontrolled symptoms, psychological distress, and existential suffering appear to be equally profound elements in patient suffering. There is a strong consensus that physicians remain inadequately trained to care for the dying and deterred economically from providing humane, compassionate care to this group of patients. The institutionalization of death has further exacerbated and exalted the role of physicians in regulating death. Improved physician-patient communication, respect for patient-centered care, better physician judgment to withdraw or withhold care, and familiarity with the principles and practices of palliative care would definitely reduce the need to legalize physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia.
An analysis of efficient formulas for elliptic curve point addition over binary extension fields

We show the relationships among efficient formulas based on the Weierstrass equation for elliptic curve point addition over binary extension fields. We give a simple proof that there can be no Weierstrass point addition function in terms of x coordinates only (for distinct points), though there are formulas that include the x coordinate of a fourth point, or an indication of the y coordinates. We show that a curve is cryptographically weak unless the trace of the x coordinate of the generator is equal to the trace of the coefficient of the second-order x term in the simplified Weierstrass equation. We examine binary Edwards elliptic curve formulas and mapping of points with Weierstrass curves. We show that several elliptic curve points are not defined in binary Edwards groups unless the trace of the second-order coefficient is one. We determine that operating with the sum of coordinates, rather than the individual coordinates, incurs no significant lose of information if the number of points is odd. We find that in order to gain competitiveness in terms of implementation efficiency, requiring that the binary Edwards first- and second-order coefficients are equal excludes many recommended Weierstrass elliptic curves.
Innovation: A data-driven approach

A newly introduced product or service becomes an innovation after it has been proven in the market. No one likes the fact that market failures of products and services are much more common than commercial successes. A data-driven approach to innovation is proposed. It is a natural extension of the system of customer requirements in terms of their number and type and the ways of collecting and processing them. The ideas introduced in this paper are applicable to the evaluation of the innovativeness of planned introductions of design changes and design of new products and services. In fact, blends of products and services could be the most promising way of bringing innovations to the market. The most important toll gates of innovation are the generation of new ideas and their evaluation. People have limited ability to generate and evaluate a large number of potential innovation alternatives. The proposed approach is intended to evaluate many alternatives from a market perspective.
A comparison of Jacobi and Gauss-Seidel parallel iterations

We consider an iterative algorithm in which several components are updated in parallel at each stage. We assume that the underlying iteration mapping is monotone and we show that the speed of convergence is maximized when all components are updated at each iteration.
Micro-computed tomography and alizarin red evaluations of boric acid-induced fetal skeletal changes in Sprague-Dawley rats.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of developmental toxicity has historically included assessment of fetal skeletal morphology after alizarin red staining. X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) produces high-resolution images of skeletal structures and was investigated as an alternative method. METHODS: Groups of 5 mated Crl:CD (SD) female rats each were administered vehicle or boric acid (40 to 500 mg/kg/day) from GD 6 through 11. On GD 21, all live fetuses were weighed, euthanized, and viscera removed. Each litter was placed into a custom-made polystyrene holder and scanned in the micro-CT imaging system. Raw projection data were acquired in approximately 15 sec (∼20 litters per hour) and reconstructed images at 100-micron cubic voxel dimension could be viewed as early as 20 min later. Fetuses were subsequently stained with alizarin red, and findings recorded separately for each method without knowledge of treatment group. RESULTS: Micro-CT evaluation of fetal rat skeletons detected essentially the same skeletal malformations, variations, and incomplete ossifications as seen by the staining method. The specific skeletal abnormalities that did not match exactly involved the smallest skeletal elements with minimal degrees of ossification (i.e., cervical ribs, hypoplastic 13th ribs, supernumerary ribs, the 5th sternebra, and numbers of caudal vertebrae), but the differences did not impact the overall conclusions. Additional measures such as femur length were easily measured by micro-CT. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that micro-CT imaging can effectively assess rat fetal skeletal structures, and for those laboratories with this resource, it may be used to significantly reduce time prior to skeletal evaluation and hazardous wastes associated with staining. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 33:214–219, 2009 © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.