cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Witchweed (Striga asiatica): an overview of management strategies in the USA

Abstract Witchweed, Striga asiatica (L.) O. Kuntz, was first found in the USA in 1956 in the states of North and South Carolina. It was recognized as, and declared by Federal and State Government Agencies, a threat to agriculture, particularly to corn (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and sugar-cane (Saccharum officinarum). The infested area was placed under both Federal and State quarantine to prevent its spread. Intensive surveys were conducted to identify the location and boundaries of each infested site. To date ∼ 175 000 hectares have been recorded as infested. In 1957, a USDA research facility was established at Whiteville, NC and in 1959 a research farm at Dillon, SC. Their original and exclusive purpose was to focus on research and development of eradication methods for this parasitic plant pest. Additional research has been conducted at NC State University and five other universities. From these facilities and resulting research has come knowledge of the biology, eradication methods and management procedures. A public awareness campaign has resulted in broadbased support for witchweed eradication. The operational activities are conducted by a staff of professional plant pest-control officers, technicians and control aids. The programme infrastructure ensures that a biologically sound programme of detection, regulatory and control activities are implemented on all infested sites. The programme consists of locating infestations, containment, public awareness, stopping witchweed reproduction and ridding the soil of witchweed seed. This programme has succeeded in eradicating witchweed from 145 000 ha ∼ 85% of the known infested area. It is anticipated that witchweed in the remaining 30 000 ha will be eradicated by the end of 1995, thus eliminating the threat of this devastating biological pollutant from the USA.
Efficient detection and identification of single biomolecules by surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Advances in ultra sensitive instrumentation have allowed the detection of single fluorescence molecules in solution, on dielectric surfaces, and in low-temperature solids. However, these studies are limited by the requirement of a high fluorescence quantum yield and do not often provide sufficient spectroscopic information for identification. These problems are addressed by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) which provides highly resolved vibrational information, does not suffer form rapid photo bleaching, and eliminates the need for fluorescent tagging of nonfluorescent species. Recent studies of single silver nanoparticles reveal intrinsic enhancement factors as large as 1015. These giant enhancement factors allow single- molecule SERS spectra to be obtained using visible or near- IR excitation. The detection efficiency of experiments using visible excitation has thus far ben relatively low. Approaches to detecting single labeled and unlabeled biomolecules and to increasing the overall detection efficiency of single-molecule SERS with visible excitation are presented.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF THREE GENERATIONS OF BLUE GENE

IBMs Blue Gene supercomputer architecture has evolved through three successive generations each providing increased levels of power-efficiency and system densities. From the original Blue Gene/L to P to Q, a higher level of integration has enabled higher single-core performance, larger concurrency per compute node, and a higher level of system integration. Although these changes have brought with them a higher overall system peak-performance, no study has examined in detail the evolution of performance across system generations. In this work we make two significant contributions that of providing a comparative performance analysis across Blue Gene generations using a consistent set of tests, and also in providing a validated performance model of the NEK-Bone proxy application from the DOE CESAR Exascale Co-Design Center. The combination of empirical analysis and the predictive capabilities of the NEK-Bone performance model enable us to not only directly compare measured performance but also allow for a comparison of system configurations that cannot currently be measured. We provide insights into how the changing architectural performance characteristics of Blue Gene have impacted on the application performance, as well as providing insight into what future systems may be able to achieve.
Isochromosome 7q: the primary cytogenetic abnormality in hepatosplenic γδ T cell lymphoma

Malignant lymphomas often have complex, nonrandom chromosomal abnormalities. Hepatosplenic γδ T cell lymphoma (γTCL) is an unusual post-thymic T cell lymphoma that primarily involves liver and spleen, often in young adult males. Few cases have had cytogenetic analysis. We report a consistent isochromosome 7q [i(7q)] abnormality in three cases of hepatosplenic γδ TCL, one with i(7q) as the sole abnormality at presentation. Three patients, 15-, 37- and 65-year-old males, presented with hepatosplenomegaly and fevers. Histopathologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic studies supported the diagnosis. Spleen, liver, and bone marrow contained sinusoidal infiltrates of atypical lymphoid cells of T cell immunophenotype. PCR performed on two cases demonstrated clonal T cell receptor γ gene rearrangements. Cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow showed i(7q) as the sole abnormality at presentation in one case. The second case showed i(7q) in addition to two normal chromosomes 7, and other structural and numerical abnormalities. The third case showed i(7q) and a deletion in the long arm of chromosome 11. These findings support the proposal that i(7q) represents the primary nonrandom cytogenetic abnormality in hepatosplenicγδ TCL, and plays a role in its pathogenesis.
Political Participation in Communist China

Political participation in Communist China , Political participation in Communist China , دانشگاه تهران
Behavioral characterization of mice lacking GIRK/Kir3 channel subunits

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK/Kir3) channels mediate the postsynaptic inhibitory effects of many neurotransmitters and drugs of abuse. The lack of drugs selective for GIRK channels has hindered our ability to study their contributions to behavior. Here, we assessed the impact of GIRK subunit ablation on several behavioral endpoints. Mice were evaluated with respect to open-field motor activity and habituation, anxiety-related behavior, motor co-ordination and ataxia and operant performance. GIRK3 knockout (−/−) mice behaved indistinguishably from wild-type mice in this panel of tests. GIRK1−/− mice and GIRK2−/− mice, however, showed elevated motor activity and delayed habituation to an open field. GIRK2−/− mice, and to a lesser extent GIRK1−/− mice, also displayed reduced anxiety-related behavior in the elevated plus maze. Both GIRK1−/− mice and GIRK2−/− mice displayed marked resistance to the ataxic effects of the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen in the rotarod test. All GIRK−/− mice were able to learn an operant task using food as the reinforcing agent. Within-session progressive ratio scheduling, however, showed elevated lever press behavior in GIRK2−/− mice and, to a lesser extent, in GIRK1−/− mice. Phenotypic differences between mice lacking GIRK1, GIRK2 and GIRK3 correlate well with the known impact of GIRK subunit ablation on neurotransmitter-gated GIRK currents, arguing that most neuronal GIRK channels contain GIRK1 and/or GIRK2. Altogether, our data suggest that GIRK channels make important contribution to a range of behaviors and may represent points of therapeutic intervention in disorders of anxiety, spasticity and reward.
Occupation and suicide among males in the US armed forces

Abstract During the period 1980 to 1992, 95% of the 3178 military suicide victims were men and 92% enlisted; of the men, 71% were aged 20 to 34, 82% were white, and 61% used a firearm. Information extracted from the Report of Casualty of the Worldwide Casualty System maintained by the Department of Defense was used to describe the occupational risk among military men. Occupations related to the use of or access to firearms were associated with a significant risk of suicide when compared to other military occupations. Collectively, military security and law enforcement specialists had a significant occupational rate ratio (1.25; 95% confidence interval 1.02, 1.53; P
The Rational Deterrence Theory Debate: Is the Dependent Variable Elusive?

An earlier version of the article was presented at the 1993 annual meeting of th e Midwest Political Science Associat ion, Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, 15–17 April 1993. For helpful discussions and comments I wish to thank Duncan Snidal, Steven Walt, Bruce Russett, Charles Glaser, Jim Fearon, Rashid Khalidi, Richard Ned Lebow, Jordan Seng, David Yanowski, and participants in the PIPES seminar at the University ofChicago for their helpful comments on earlier drafts. Support for this paper was provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Proximal rat prolactin promoter sequences direct optimal, pituitary cell-specific transcription.

Previous studies have shown that transferred hybrid constructs containing the PRL promoter are expressed specifically in rat pituitary (GH) cell lines. However, it is not yet clear which DNA region(s) is primarily responsible for expression directed by this promoter in pituitary cells. In the present studies we have examined the DNA sequences required for cell type-specific transcription of the rat PRL (rPRL) promoter either during transient expression in intact cells or in nuclear chromatin extracts. RNase protection and nuclear run-on transcription assays showed directly that a PRL-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) construct containing about two kilobasepairs of the rPRL promoter region (pPRL-CAT) is transcribed specifically in pituitary (GH3) cells. Analysis by transient expression in GH3 cells of pPRL-CAT and its 5′ deletions showed that 1) deletion of sequences between positions −1957 and −958 did not significantly affect CAT activity; 2) the first 187 basepairs (bp) of the rPRL promoter direct...
Kinetics and regulation of de novo centriole assembly. Implications for the mechanism of centriole duplication.

Abstract Background: Centriole duplication is a key step in the cell cycle whose mechanism is completely unknown. Why new centrioles always form next to preexisting ones is a fundamental question. The simplest model is that preexisting centrioles nucleate the assembly of new centrioles, and that although centrioles can in some cases form de novo without this nucleation, the de novo assembly mechanism should be too slow to compete with normal duplication in order to maintain fidelity of centriole duplication. Results: We have measured the rate of de novo centriole assembly in vegetatively dividing cells that normally always contain centrioles. By using mutants of Chlamydomonas that are defective in centriole segregation, we obtained viable centrioleless cells that continue to divide, and find that within a single generation, 50% of these cells reacquire new centrioles by de novo assembly. This suggests that the rate of de novo assembly is approximately half the rate of templated duplication. A mutation in the VFL3 gene causes a complete loss of the templated assembly pathway without eliminating de novo assembly. A mutation in the centrin gene also reduced the rate of templated assembly. Conclusions: These results suggest that there are two pathways for centriole assembly, namely a templated pathway that requires preexisting centrioles to nucleate new centriole assembly, and a de novo assembly pathway that is normally turned off when centrioles are present.
How to compute scattering amplitudes in hot gauge theories

Abstract A general and consistent procedure for computing scattering amplitudes in hot gauge theories is outlined.
Differential Activities and Regulation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Formin Proteins Bni1 and Bnr1 by Bud6

Formins are conserved proteins that nucleate actin assembly and tightly associate with the fast growing barbed ends of actin filaments to allow insertional growth. Most organisms express multiple formins, but it has been unclear whether they have similar or distinct activities and how they may be regulated differentially. We isolated and compared the activities of carboxyl-terminal fragments of the only two formins expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bni1 and Bnr1. Bnr1 was an order of magnitude more potent than Bni1 in actin nucleation and processive capping, and unlike Bni1, Bnr1 bundled actin filaments. Profilin bound directly to Bni1 and Bnr1 and regulated their activities similarly. However, the cell polarity factor Bud6/Aip3 specifically bound to and stimulated Bni1, but not Bnr1. This was unexpected, since previous two-hybrid studies suggested Bud6 interacts with both formins. We mapped Bud6 binding activity to specific residues in the carboxyl terminus of Bni1 that are adjacent to its diaphanous autoregulatory domain (DAD). Fusion of the carboxyl terminus of Bni1 to Bnr1 conferred Bud6 stimulation to a Bnr1-Bni1 chimera. Thus, Bud6 differentially stimulates Bni1 and not Bnr1. We found that Bud6 is up-regulated during bud growth, when it is delivered to the bud tip on Bni1-nucleated actin cables. We propose that Bud6 stimulation of Bni1 promotes robust cable formation, which in turn delivers more Bud6 to the bud tip, reinforcing polarized cell growth through a positive feedback loop.
Flame Spread Modeling

Abstract A survey of the characteristics and predictions of the different theoretical models of the spread of flames over the surface of a solid combustible in opposed or concurrent oxidizing flows shows that, at present, there is a good understanding of what are the controlling mechanisms of the flame spread process andl of what is the necessary formulation to develop a rigorous analysis of the phenomenon. It also shows, however, that the problem is very complicated and difficult to solve mathematically particularly if an analytical solution is sought, and that this complexity is what has prevented so far the development of an analysis capable of describing accurately the flame spread process under realistic conditions where material properties, finite rate kinetics, turbulence and radiation effects can determine the characteristics of the process. Although some of the analyses presently available are capable of predicting quantitatively or at least qualitatively rates of flame spread under certain limit...
An assessment of the accuracy of statistically adjusted engineering (SAE) models of end-use load curves

Abstract SAE models combine engineering estimates of end-use loads with conditional demand analysis of customer-level loads. The statistical procedure adjusts the engineering loads for observed customer-level loads. Using data from PG & E, SAE end-use loads are estimated for a sample of households. These estimated loads are then compared with metered end-use loads for the same households. It is found that the SAE models improve the engineering estimates considerably for wall and central air conditioning but add error to the engineering estimates for stoves, refrigerators, and dryers.
Acquired esotropia. A manifestation of Chiari I malformation.

A female child suffered of progressive visual loss and neurological deterioration beginning at the age of one year. The diagnosis of Leber's congenital amaurosis was made on the basis of bilateral pigmentary fundus changes and severely decreased amplitudes of the electroretinogram. When the patient died at the age of eight years, the diagnosis of ceroid lipofuscinosis (Haltia-Santavuori type) was established by autopsy. Severe atrophy of the retina and brain, especially the visual pathways, was associated with the electron microscopic finding of characteristic granular deposits in the cytoplasm of cells of the retina, retinal pigment epithelium, and brain. A review of histopathology reported in previous cases indicates that Leber's congenital amaurosis is not a single disease. A precise diagnosis of the underlying process is essential for prognosis and genetic counseling.
Micro Stories and Mega Stories

Given the status of technology today, it is easy to capture experiential data, such as photos, for events and even organize them. That means that one can now easily store experiential data and use it to tell stories. The authors explore the new Internet technology that has led to two novel forms of storytelling that they call micro stories and mega stories.
Site Preparation and Fertilization Effects on Growth of Slash Pine for Two Rotations

Two replicated site preparation studies were used to examine the effect of management on pine height and volume growth in the next rotation on Paleudults. Treatments included no tillage, flat disking, bedding, and fertilization. The first rotation of planted slash pine (Pinus elliotti Engelm. var. elliottii) was measured for 15 yr on one site and 20 yr at the other, harvested, and replanted without additional tillage. The second rotations were measured for 10 yr. At one site, 100 kg ha -1 P was applied to each rotation as a treatment variable. At one site, disking before the first rotation increased pine heights. Bedding before the first rotation increased pine heights at both sites. In the second rotation, the response was reversed, with pines planted on beds being the shortest. The P fertilization increased heights in both rotations but did not affect response to tillage. The P as well as N, applied only at age 7 in the second rotation, had a negative effect on the second rotation's volume, probably because of increased competition from shrubs and other understory plants. Across both sites and for all treatments, 10-yr-old slash pines averaged 7% less in height and 24% less in volume in the second rotation. These differences are statisticaly significant. Analysis at age 10 from both rotations indicates stable foliar concentrations of P and Ca, declining K, and increasing Mn and Al.
Presidential address: venous surgery—from stepchild to equal partner

I am humbled by the kind words of introduction of President-Elect Frank Padberg, and I feel privileged to stand here as the fifteenth president of the American Venous Forum (AVF). It is an honor to follow the footsteps of my predecessors, 14 great surgeons, who provided leadership in the past to this respected society. As we learned from our historians, the idea of the AVF started in 1987, at the fourth European-American Symposium on Venous Disease, organized in Bethesda, Md, by Drs Leonel Villavicencio, Norman Rich, John Bergan, and Charles Rob. Encouraged by the success of this symposium and supported by the Joint Council of the Vascular Societies, a group of 20 distinguished surgeons, our founding fathers (Table I) from North America, decided to form a scientific society for venous disease. The Forum was founded in an era when academic meetings allotted little time to venous research, when venous disease was considered much less important than arterial disease, and when in the family of vascular surgeons those who practiced venous surgery had the disadvantaged position of a stepchild. During the past 15 years our society has become one of the most respected societies in the world for venous disease. We have developed into an international forum for venous research, and as our society strengthened, so did recognition of venous surgery and, more recently, of endovenous interventions. Venous surgery is no longer considered to be a stepchild of vascular surgery; it is, without doubt, an equal partner to arterial surgery. I have been privileged to follow the changes in the past two decades and enjoyed, with many of my colleagues, contributing in whatever modest way to the progress of this challenging field. PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
The Normal Velopharyngeal Mechanism

Analysis and integration of research on patterns of motion, muscle biomechanics, and physiologic evidence related to normal velopharyngeal function is presented. The status of current research from...
Barth syndrome is associated with a cognitive phenotype.

Objective: Barth syndrome is a rare, X-linked recessive disorder that affects only boys. The cardinal characteristics include growth retardation, cardioskeletal myopathy, chronic or cyclic neutropenia, and 3-meth- ylglutaconic aciduria. A preliminary study of five young boys with Barth syndrome suggested a distinct cognitive phenotype. Methods: The present study was designed to explore whether additional evidence for a cognitive phenotype emerged from a larger sample. A psychoeducational assessment battery was administered to 15 boys with Barth syndrome. Data from these boys were compared to data from 15 typically developing boys individually matched on age and grade in school to each of the 15 boys with Barth syndrome. Results: Although boys with Barth syndrome had age-appropriate performance on all measures of reading-related skills, their performance on mathematics and visual spatial tasks was significantly lower than that of boys in the compar- ison group. Moreover, specific aspects of visual short-term memory also differed from available norms. Con- clusion: Our findings support the validity of the preliminary findings and reflect a higher incidence of cognitive difficulties in boys with Barth syndrome relative to boys in the comparison group. Coupled with the fatigue regularly experienced by boys with Barth syndrome, our findings indicate that educational support should be implemented during the early school-age years for children with Barth syndrome. (J Dev Behav Pediatr 28:22-30, 2007) Index terms: Barth syndrome, cardiomyopathy, cognitive phenotype
System identification based on bounded error constraints

Examines the performance of adaptive algorithms such as gradient, dead-zone, and bounding ellipsoid in the presence of bounded disturbances. The authors begin with a simple bursting example and continue by describing the algorithms and their properties, including analytical results on their asymptotic performance. Finally, a new algorithm is proposed, providing both MSE and maximum steady-state error performance guarantees.
Stabilizability of second-order bilinear systems

This note states necessary, and sufficient conditions for the existence of a linear state feedback controller such that a second-order bilinear system has a globally asymptotically stable closed loop. A suitable controller is constructed for each system which satisfies the conditions.
A spectral viscosity method for correcting the long-term behavior of POD models

Low-dimensional flow dynamical systems may converge to erroneous states after long-time integration, even if they are initialized with the correct state. In this paper, we investigate the accuracy of such two-dimensional models constructed from Karhunen-Loeve expansions for flows past a circular cylinder. We first demonstrate that although the short-term dynamics may be predicted accurately with only a handful of modes retained, drifting of the solution may arise after a few hundred vortex shedding cycles. We then propose a dissipative model based on a spectral viscosity (SV) diffusion convolution operator. The parameters of the SV model are selected rigorously based on bifurcation analysis. Our results show that this is an effective way of improving the accuracy of long-term predictions of low-dimensional Galerkin systems.
High-Dose Oral Magnesium Treatment of Chronic, Intractable Erythromelalgia

BACKGROUND:Previous studies with magnesium have shown beneficial effects in pain syndromes and in vascular disorders (hypertension, migraines, Raynaud's phenomenon). However, results have been variable, possibly because of the limited oral doses achievable due to frequent diarrhea.OBJECTIVE:To describe the case of a 53-year-old white man (the author) with disabling erythromelalgia (EM) who achieved modest improvement limited by adverse effects with calcium antagonists and then obtained remission with the use of magnesium. Intolerant of several standard magnesium products, he attained high doses of magnesium by taking intravenous-grade magnesium sulfate diluted in water orally (up to 24 mL/d of MgSO4 50% = 1166 mg/d of magnesium).METHODS:After 12 months of continued improvement, patient 1, a board member of The Erythromelalgia Association, notified other members of the success of this therapy via an Internet communication channel. He encouraged those interested in high-dose magnesium therapy to consult the...
Chronic xanthine oxidase inhibition prevents myofibrillar protein oxidation and preserves cardiac function in a transgenic mouse model of cardiomyopathy.

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome associated with elevated levels of oxygen-derived free radicals. Xanthine oxidase activity is believed to be one source of reactive oxygen species in the failin...
Specific Interaction of DNA Polymerase β and DNA Ligase I in a Multiprotein Base Excision Repair Complex from Bovine Testis

Base excision repair (BER) is a cellular defense mechanism repairing modified bases in DNA. Recently, a G:U repair reaction has been reconstituted with several purified enzymes from Escherichia coli (Dianov, G., and Lindahl, T.(1994) Curr. Biol. 4, 1069-1076). Using bovine testis crude nuclear extract, we have shown that G:U is repaired efficiently in vitro, and DNA polymerase beta (beta-pol) is responsible for the single nucleotide gap-filling synthesis (Singhal, R. K., Prasad, R., and Wilson, S. H.(1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 949-957). To investigate potential interaction of beta-pol with other BER protein(s), we developed affinity chromatography matrices by cross-linking purified rat beta-pol or antibody against beta-pol to solid supports. Crude nuclear extract from bovine testis was applied to these affinity columns, which were then extensively washed. Proteins that bound specifically to the affinity columns were co-eluted in a complex with beta-pol. This complex had a molecular mass of approximately 180 kDa and was able to conduct the complete uracil-initiated BER reaction. The BER complex contained both beta-pol and DNA ligase I. An antibody to beta-pol was able to shift the complex in sucrose gradients to a much larger molecular mass (>300 kDa) that again contained both beta-pol and DNA ligase I. Furthermore, DNA ligase I and beta-pol were co-immunoprecipitated from the testis nuclear extract with anti beta-pol IgG. Thus, we conclude that beta-pol and DNA ligase I are components of a multiprotein complex that performs BER.
Using the Sherman-Morrison-Woodbury Formula for Coupling External Circuits With FEM for Simulation of Eddy Current Problems

Simulation of three-dimensional transient eddy current problems is important to numerous applications. The Finite Element Method (FEM) has proven be to be powerful numerical technique for solving the Partial Differential Equations (PDE) describing eddy currents. In order to solve the PDE, boundary conditions must be provided, and in many applications the boundary conditions are not known explicitly but can be provided by a Resistor-Inductor-Capacitor (RLC) circuit model. The emphasis of this paper is on an efficient and exact coupling of the RLC network equations with the FEM equations. The coupling is based on an exact linear algebra identity known as the Sherman-Morrison-Woodbury (SMW) formula. One advantage of this approach is that the FEM matrices are not modified. This is important if a fast ldquoblack-boxrdquo solver is available for the FEM matrices, these solvers typically require that the matrices have certain mathematical properties and these properties are not modified by the SMW approach. A second advantage is that the SMW approach is valid for an arbitrary number of independent external circuits.
Great Gray Owls (Strix nebulosa) in Yosemite National Park: On the Importance of Food, Forest Structure, and Human Disturbance

We studied great gray owls (Strix nebulosa Forster) in Yosemite National Park, California, measuring variables that could potentially influence patterns of occurrence and conservation of this stateendangered species. We found that owl presence was closely tied to habitat (red fir (Abies magnified A. Murray) and the abundance of meadows), prey, and snags across the landscape. We also found that indicators of human recreational activities negatively influenced owl distribution and habitat use. Great gray owls appear to prefer mid-elevation red fir forest with meadows that are drier and more productive in terms of small mammal populations. That these areas also have the highest human activity presents a paradox, both for individual owls and for the future conservation and management of this California endangered species. The extent to which human recreation in natural areas affects animal behavior, species distribution, and productivity is a growing issue in natural area management. We present information that will allow land managers to better understand how existing natural resources, coupled with human recreation, influence the distribution and habitat use of the great gray owl.
Evaluation of a treadmill test for predicting the aerobic capacity of firefighters.

Aims To test the validity of the Gerkin treadmill protocol in healthy men and women. Methods Fifty-four healthy men and women (age range 19–58 years) performed the Gerkin test and a treadmill run test to maximal exhaustion. Their heart rates were monitored continuously with an electrocardiogram during each test. During the VO2max test, the subjects’ VO2 was measured continuously using indirect calorimetry. Results Although the predicted and observed VO2max values correlated (r = 0.70, P 25% in 18 (33%) participants. Gender, age and VO2max did not affect the Gerkin protocol’s predictability of VO2max. Conclusions The Gerkin treadmill protocol overpredicts VO2max in healthy men and women and, therefore, should not be used for predicting VO2max in individual firefighters, particularly if VO2max is a criterion for inclusion or exclusion from duty. At this time, a valid treadmill running test is needed for predicting the VO2max value of individual firefighters.
Effects of a nonionic surfactant on biodegradation of phenanthrene and hexadecane in soil

The influence of a nonionic (alcohol ethoxylate) surfactant (Witconol SN70) on biodegradation of phenanthrene and hexadecane (nonaqueous-phase liquid) in soil was studied in batch and transport systems. Simultaneous enhancement of phenanthrene and hexadecane degradation was noted at surfactant doses resulting in aqueous-phase surfactant concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (CMC). Conversely, degradation rates of both compounds declined to essentially zero at supra-CMC doses, suggesting that distinct mechanisms of inhibition and enhancement were operating depending on the effective surfactant concentration (i.e., accounting for surfactant sorption, log KD = 2.2 L/kg). Surfactant doses resulting in enhanced degradation correlated with enhanced gross microbial activity as determined using total CO2 evolution rates. Supra-CMC doses that resulted in inhibited degradation did not suppress gross microbial activity. Furthermore, measurements of phenanthrene solubilization and surface tension indicated that phenanthrene was solubilized at supra-CMC levels of surfactant. Mechanisms of inhibition of phenanthrene and hexadecane degradation at supra-CMC surfactant concentrations may include changes in interfacial chemistry and subsequent mass transfer processes due to sorbed surfactant, reduced bioavailability of micelle-bound phenanthrene and hexadecane, or inhibition of specific members of the microbial community responsible for hydrophobic organic compound degradation.
Generation of positive-real rational functions

A simple method is presented for constructing positive-real rational functions which have specified poles.
TRANSFORMATION OF MONTMORILLONITE TO NICKEL-CHLORITE

Nickel-chlorite has been obtained by the co-precipitation of nickelous hydrous oxide and montmorillonite at an OH/Ni ratio of 2-0. Chemical analysis shows that 16 me of Ni is fixed per gram of clay. System without any free nickelous hydrous oxide is quite stable up to an investigated period of 6 months, shows impedence to collapse on heating to 550~ and no expansion of 001 spacing on glycerol treatment. Different properties studied (X-ray diffraction analysis, thermal (D.T.A. and T.G.A.) data, i.r. absorption analysis, polarographic reduction behavior and cation exchange capacity measurements) confirm the complete transformation of montmorillonite to nickel-chlorite. "Seeding" of the hydroxide out of the '+fixed" interlayer positions takes place on ageing the sample with free nickelous hydrous oxide. No montmorillonite could be detected by X-ray diffraction analysis in spite of this backward reaction.
Controversies about electronic journals and scholarly communication: An introduction

Les journaux electronique ne cessant de se developper dans les milieux scientifiques, ils sont donc l'objet de nombreuses controverses. Certains pensent que ces journaux electroniques permettent une meilleure communication, alors que d'autres ne s'interessent encore qu'aux journaux papier. Cet article est une introduction a un dossier sur les journaux electroniques et la communication scientifique
The place of antibiotic therapy in the management of chronic acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis

In the USA, more than 16 million adults are affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic bronchitis has been estimated to affect up to 13 million individuals or approximately 4-6% of adults. Chronic bronchitis is an increasing cause of significant morbidity and mortality. During acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, subjects experience a worsening of bronchitic symptoms, with an increase from baseline in one or more or the following; dyspnoea, cough and/or sputum volume, purulence or viscosity. The severity of an exacerbation can be graded by how many of these symptoms are present. Antibiotic therapy should be initiated based on patient history and severity of the exacerbation.
A putative leucine zipper within the herpes simplex virus type 1 UL6 protein is required for portal ring formation.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 UL6 protein forms a 12-subunit ring structure at a unique capsid vertex which functions as a conduit for encapsidation of the viral genome. To characterize UL6 protein domains that are involved in intersubunit interactions and interactions with other capsid proteins, we engineered a set of deletion mutants spanning the entire gene. Three deletion constructs, D-5 (Δ198-295), D-6 (Δ322-416), and D-LZ (Δ409-473, in which a putative leucine zipper was removed), were introduced into the viral genome. All three mutant viruses produced only B capsids, indicating a defect in encapsidation. Western blot analysis showed that the UL6 protein was present in the capsids isolated from two mutants, D-6 and D-LZ. The protein encoded by D-5, on the other hand, was not associated with capsids and was instead localized in the cytoplasm of the infected cells, indicating that this deletion affected the nuclear transport of the portal protein. The UL6 protein from the KOS strain (wild type) and the D-6 mutant were purified from insect cells infected with recombinant baculoviruses and shown to form ring structures as assessed by sucrose gradient centrifugation and electron microscopy. In contrast, the D-LZ mutant protein formed aggregates that sedimented throughout the sucrose gradient as a heterogeneous mixture and did not yield stable ring structures. A mutant (L429E L436E) in which two of the heptad leucines of the putative zipper were replaced with glutamate residues also failed to form stable rings. Our results suggest that the integrity of the leucine zipper region is important for oligomer interactions and stable ring formation, which in turn are required for genome encapsidation.
Blast wave effects on decoupling with axisymmetric cavities

Summary. An expiosion is considered in an initially air-filled, underground spherical cavity to which is connected a long, cylindrical tunnel. The cavity and tunnel size are, taken together, equivalent in volume to a fully decoupled spherical cavity (in accordance with the Latter criterion). Calculations indicate that, when the air is at standard conditions, the shock speed in the tunnel, D, is of the same order as the sound speed in the surrounding rock medium, cL. Moreover, the blast wave is approximately quasi-steady, and can be represented by a simple analytical function. This in turn permits a closed form solution for the far-field seismic amplitude spectrum. It is found that the low-pass filtering effectiveness of the tunnel is largely diminished unless D/cL s 1. With air-filled cavities, and depending on the source-receiver orientation, the spectral amplitude can actually exceed significantly the equivalent volume-sphere result. For practical purposes, this means that unless the cavity and tunnel are initially evacuated, say with a steam ejector system, the high-frequency decoupling capability will be no better, and possibly worse, than a conventional spherical cavity of the same total volume.
First Report of Leaf Blight of Onion Caused by Xanthomonas campestris in the Continental United States.

In March 1998, a leaf blight of onion (Allium cepa L. '1015') was found on many plants in a plot on the Texas AM Microbial Identification, Newark, DE), done at the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, College Station, identified nine isolates as Xanthomonas campestris (similarity indices of 0.31 to 0.54). Tests at the University of Florida supported this identification: FAME profiles using MIS version 3.9 gave similarity indices of 0.89 to 0.95, and profiles using Biolog GN Microplates, MicroLog database release 3.50 (Biolog, Hayward, CA), gave similarity indices of 0.03 to 0.76. Leaves (15 to 20 cm long) of potted onions (cv. 1015 at the five- to six-leaf stage) were infiltrated with a suspension of bacteria (107 CFU per ml), using a needle and syringe. Plants were maintained in mist chamber in a greenhouse at 24°C. Water-soaking and development of pale green color of the inoculated leaf occurred after 2 days, followed by death after 4 days. There were no symptoms on leaves inoculated with sterile water. Pathogenicity tests on four isolates were repeated once. Bacteria were reisolated on nutrient agar from symptomatic tissue but not from controls. In the field plot, disease severity did not increase as season progressed nor were there any symptoms on bulbs. Symptoms were not observed on onion during the 1999 season. X. campestris was first reported on onion from Hawaii (1). This is the first report of this pathogen on onion in the continental United States. Reference: (1) A. M. Alvarez et al. Phytopathology 68:1132, 1978.
Impact of Alfalfa Maturity and Preservation Method on Milk Production by Cows in Early Lactation

Ninety-six cows in early lactation were used in two experiments to measure the impact of alfalfa maturity (early or midbud vs. early or midbloom) and method of forage preservation (silage vs. hay) on DMI and milk production. Silage diets were fed as TMR, and hay was fed separately from grain. All diets contained 60% alfalfa (dry basis) and were balanced for 19% CP. Maturity had little effect on milk production in either experiment. Adjusted milk production for early cut silage, late cut silage, early cut hay, and late cut hay were 33.6, 33.4, 30.7, and 32.1 kg/d for Experiment 1 and 38.1, 37.0, 35.0 and 35.0 kg/d for Experiment 2. Increased alfalfa maturity tended to reduce DMI. Cows fed the silage diets consumed 1.2 kg more DM and produced an average of 2.1 kg more milk daily in Experiment 1 than those fed the hay diets. All treatment groups consumed similar amounts of DM in Experiment 2; however, cows fed silage produced 2.6 kg/d more milk than those fed hay. Preserving alfalfa as silage and feeding in a TMR to cows in early lactation resulted in greater milk production via increased DMI or improved feed efficiency compared with preserving alfalfa as hay and feeding grain separately.
Big-Data Management Use-Case: A Cloud Service for Creating and Analyzing Galactic Merger Trees

We present the motivation, design, implementation, and preliminary evaluation for a service that enables astronomers to study the growth history of galaxies by following their `merger trees' in large-scale astrophysical simulations. The service uses the Myria parallel data management system as back-end and the D3 data visualization library within its graphical front-end. We demonstrate the service at the workshop on a ~5TB dataset.
Evolution of amphimixis and recombination under fluctuating selection in one and many traits

Both stabilizing and directional selection acting on one or many quantitative traits usually reduce the genetic variance in a polymorphic population. Amphimixis and recombination restore the variance, pushing it closer to its value under linkage equilibrium. They thus increase the response of the population to fluctuating selection and decrease the genetic load when the mean phenotype is far from optimum. Amphimixis can have a short-term advantage over apomixis if selection fluctuates frequently and widely, so that every genotype often has a low fitness. Such selection causes high genetic variance due to frequent allele substitutions, and a high load even with amphimixis. Recombination in an amphimictic population is maintained only if selection is usually strong and effectively directional. A modifier allele causing free recombination can have a significant advantage only if fluctuations of selection are such that the load is substantial. With smaller fluctuations, an intermediate recombination rate can be established, either due to fixation of alleles that cause such a rate or due to the stable coexistence of alleles causing high and low recombination. If many traits simultaneously are under fluctuating selection, amphimixis and recombination can be maintained when selection associated with individual traits is weaker and the changes in their mean values are smaller than with a single trait. Still, the range of changes of the fitness optima in each trait must be at least of the order of the trait's standard deviation, and the total load must be high.
Decentralized Output-Feedback Guaranteed Cost Control of Uncertain Interconnected Time-Delay System

A robust decentralized output-feedback guaranteed cost control scheme for a class of uncertain interconnected time-delay systems with a given quadratic cost function is proposed in this paper. The uncertainties are assumed to be norm-bounded. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, the observer-based guaranteed cost controllers are proposed such that the closed loop system is globally asymptotically stable. The conditions for the existence of the decentralized controller are derived when time-delay is added in the observer. It is shown that the controllers can be constructed in terms of the feasible solution of the linear matrix inequalities (LMI).
Relationships between Low-Frequency Variability in the Southern Hemisphere and Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies

Abstract Long-term trends and interannual variations of circulation anomalies in the Southern Hemisphere are examined using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis from 1949 to 1998. The changes in planetary circulation regimes are linked to global sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs). Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was performed on 500-hPa height anomalies. The leading mode EOF1 shows a strong zonal symmetry with a phase reversal between height anomalies in high and midlatitudes. Apart from zonal symmetry, a zonal wavenumber 3 is evident with three centers located in three southern oceans. In the low-frequency band with fluctuations longer than 60 months, EOF1 is associated with the second rotated EOF mode of SSTAs with positive loadings over three southern oceans and negative loadings in the North Pacific and the North Atlantic. The next two modes are the Pacific–South American (PSA) patterns. They depict wave-3 patterns in...
Molten silicate reactions with plasma sprayed ytterbium silicate coatings

Abstract The reactions between molten calcium aluminum magnesium silicates (CMAS) at 1300 °C and atmospheric plasma spray (APS) deposited environmental barrier coatings on SiC substrates have been investigated. The tri-layer coatings comprised a silicon bond coat protected by a layer of mullite and either Yb 2 SiO 5 (ytterbium monosilicate, YbMS) or Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 (ytterbium disilicate, YbDS) as the topcoat. The APS deposition process resulted in two-phase top coats; the YbMS coating contained Yb 2 O 3 regions in a matrix of Yb 2 SiO 5 while the YbDS coating contained Yb 2 SiO 5 in a matrix of Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 . Exposure of both coatings to a model CMAS resulted in dissolution of the topcoat accompanied by a rapid rise in the concentration of Yb in the melt, and formation of the same Ca 2 Yb 8 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2 apatite reaction product phase. The thickness of the apatite layer initially varied with (time) 1/4 , but transitioned to approximately parabolic kinetics after 5–10 h of CMAS exposure. The reaction mechanism on the YbMS layer was consistent with recent observations on Y 2 SiO 5 , wherein molten CMAS transport to the undissolved silicate was controlled by diffusion through thin amorphous films at the apatite grain boundaries. The reaction mechanism for the YbDS layer was more complex, and involved preferential reaction with the YbSiO 5 rich regions, resulting in a reaction zone that contained CMAS, the apatite reaction compound and undissolved Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 . The coating composition and microstructure significantly influenced the mechanism and rate at which the YbDS top coat was consumed by the reaction.
Abstract 212: Hydrogen Peroxide Acutely Stimulates Cardiogenic Gene Expression in Cardiac Progenitor Cells

Following acute myocardial infarction, billions of myocytes are lost to cell death. The damage is regional and lost cells are replaced with a collagen scar. One potential therapy to delay or prevent progression into heart failure is regeneration of the damaged myocardium through cell therapy with cardiac progenitor cells (CPC). Reactive oxygen species, specifically hydrogen peroxide, elicit varying responses from different stem/progenitor cells. In the present studies, we sought to determine the effect of acute H2O2 treatment on CPC survival and differentiation. CPCs were isolated and cultured with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) to retain their stem-like qualities. CPCs were allowed to differentiate in the absence of LIF for up to 5 days + H2O2. H2O2 (100μM) significantly increased expression of the smooth muscle marker, alpha smooth muscle actin (αSM) by Day 2 as compared to time-matched controls (Ctl: 1.8+1.3 vs 100 μM: 8.5+1.1; p<0.001; N=3). We also observed a trend for an increase in smooth muscle 22 alpha (SM 22α) gene expression by Day 2. Interestingly, by Day 5 the stimulatory effect of 100 μM H2O2 treatment on α SM and SM 22α was reversed and significantly decreased compared to Day 2 (D5: α SM: 0.43+0.05, SM 22α: 0.41+0.2 vs. D2: SM 22α: 10.58+2.3; p<0.01; N=3-4). Evaluation of the endothelial marker VEGFR-2 (Flk-1) showed a trend for an increase in gene expression by Day 2 following 100 μM H2O2 treatment compared to the time-matched control. We also observed an anti-apoptotic effect on CPCs following serum removal, in which 2 days of 100μM H2O2 pretreatment lead to approximately a 55% decrease in cell death compared to untreated CPCs (Ctl: 19.1+2.4 vs 100 μM: 10.5+1.7; p<0.05; N=3-4). The protective effect of the H2O2 pretreatment could be attributed to an increase in anti-oxidative enzymatic capacity in CPCs. There was a trend for an increase in catalase gene expression. In conclusion, our results showed that acute H2O2 preconditioning exerted a stimulatory effect on smooth muscle gene expression and an anti-apoptotic effect compared to time-matched Control CPCs. Furthermore, acute H2O2 preconditioning may aid in directing CPC differentiation towards a vascular phenotype and angiogenesis in the infarcted myocardium, which may prevent or delay heart failure.