cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lysine requirement of the lactating sow determined by using plasma urea nitrogen as a rapid response criterion.

The dietary lysine requirement of adult sows nursing 10 pigs was estimated by using plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) concentration as a rapid response criterion. A preliminary experiment indicated that a 3-d feeding time is required to re-equilibrate PUN concentrations after a change in the dietary concentration of lysine. In the main experiment, 12 sows (BW = 219 +/- 5 kg; parity = 4.5 +/- .3; ultrasound backfat = 21.3 +/- .9 mm) were used in two 6 x 6 Latin squares. Treatments consisted of dietary lysine intakes (30.2, 36.9, 43.6, 50.3, 57.0, and 63.7 g/d) that were assigned to six 4-d periods and to six sows in each square. Diets provided adequate levels of all nutrients other than lysine. The treatment periods started on d 5 of lactation and ended on d 29. Plasma urea N concentrations were determined on the 3rd and 4th d of each of the six 4-d treatment periods. Plasma urea N concentrations decreased quadratically (P < .02) with, increasing dietary lysine intakes. A two-slope, broken-line regression model was used to estimate the dietary lysine intake that minimizes PUN concentrations. The results indicated that adult sows nursing 10-pig litters with an average growth of 2.22 kg/d required 55.3 g/d of dietary total lysine to minimize PUN concentrations and, therefore, presumably to minimize body protein mobilization.
Dark Matter Candidates

One of the simplest, yet most profound, questions we can ask about the Universe is, How much stuff is in it, and further what is that stuff composed of? Needless to say, the answer to this question has very important implications for the evolution of the Universe, determining both the ultimate fate and the course of structure formation. Remarkably, at this late date in the history of the Universe we still do not have a definitive answer to this simplest of questions—although we have some very intriguing clues. It is known with certainty that most of the material in the Universe is dark, and we have the strong suspicion that the dominant component of material in the Cosmos is not baryons, but rather is exotic relic elementary particles left over from the earliest, very hot epoch of the Universe. If true, the Dark Matter question is a most fundamental one facing both particle physics and cosmology. The leading particle dark matter candidates are: the axion, the neutralino, and a light neutrino species. All three candidates are accessible to experimental tests, and experiments are now in progress. In addition, there are several dark horse, long shot, candidates, including the superheavy magnetic monopole and soliton stars.
Allegre receives the William Bowie Medal

The 1995 William Bowie Medal, given by AGU for outstanding contributions to fundamental geophysics and for unselfish cooperation in research, was presented to Claude Allegre at the AGU Spring Meeting Honor Ceremony on May 31 in Baltimore. The award citation is given here.
Comment Triton Binding Energy and Minimal Relativity

For relativistic three-body calculations, essentially two different approaches are in use: field theory and relativistic direct interactions. However, while results based upon relativistic field theory show an increase of the triton binding energy by about 0.3 MeV due to relativistic effects, calculations that claim to apply relativistic direct interactions obtain 0.3 MeV repulsion. In this paper, we discuss the origin of such a discrepancy. We show that the use of an invariant two-body amplitude increases the triton binding energy by about 0.3 MeV, consistent with the results from relativistic field theory. Furthermore, we point out that in calculations relying on the direct-interactions approach, indeed expansions are used, which may be a bad approximation and the reason for the discrepancy.
Functionalized Graphene Superlattice as a Single-Sheet Solar Cell

In-plane heterostructure engineering provides unique opportunities to control device properties. Here, a single-sheet solar cell made of a graphene sheet functionalized into 1D channels is explored. Compared to vertical heterostructure architectures based on 2D materials, the single-sheet solar cell shows potential for improved robustness against defects, enhancement of polaron dissociation, extra freedom for functionalization, and coverage of the entire solar spectrum. The partition width, device length, and functionalizations can be tuned independently to optimize the key optoelectronic properties for photovoltaic performance.
Alternative Computational Models: A Comparison of Biomolecular and Quantum Computation

Molecular Computation (MC) is massively parallel computation where data is stored and processed within objects of molecular size. Biomolecular Computation (BMC) is MC using biotechnology techniques, e.g. recombinant DNA operations. In contrast, Quantum Computation (QC) is a type of computation where unitary and measurement operations are executed on linear superpositions of classical states. Both BMC and QC may be executed at the micromolecular scale by a variety of methodologies and technologies. This paper surveys various methods for doing BMC and QC and discusses the considerable theoretical and practical advances in BMC and QC made in the last few years. We compare bounds on key resource such as time, volume (number of molecules times molecular density), energy and error rates achievable, taking particular note of the scalability of these methods with the size of the problem solved. In addition to NP search problems and database search problems, we enumerate a wide variety of further potential practical applications of BMC and QC. We observe that certain problems if solved with polynomial time bounds appear to require exponentially large volume for BMC (e.g., NP search problems) and QC (e.g., the observation operation). We discuss techniques for decreasing errors in BMC (e.g., annealing errors) and QC (e.g., decoherence errors), and volume where possible, to insure the scalability of BMC and QC to problems of large input size. In addition, we consider how BMC might be used to assist QC (e.g., to do observation operations for Bulk QC) and also how quantum techniques might be used to assist BMC (e.g., to do exquisite detection of very small quantities of a molecule in solution within a large volume).
Marshall’s Maps, the U.S. Reports, and the New Judicial Restraint

As a biographer of George Washington, John Marshall was a believer in the value of pictures as complements to the written word. Both the first and second editions of his Life of Washington feature an “Atlas” of handsome maps of various regions and locales as they appeared at important points in Washington’s career. (Nowadays, the text-filled volumes of the Life are easy to find, but the atlases are rare and expensive to the point of inaccessibility. So, the Green Bag is sharing an atlas on pages 453-462 below – in black-and-white print and color pdf.) As a member of the Supreme Court, however, Marshall apparently had little interest in illustrations. There were very few in the U.S Reports for the 34 years he served on the Court. Modern Justices seem to hold the opposite view. They put illustrations (sometimes lavishly large and colorful ones) in their judicial opinions, but their extrajudicial book projects rarely have more than a few pictures, and those they do include are invariably plain and small and black-and-white. Perhaps times – and judicio-authorial perspectives on pictures – have changed. Or perhaps not. A quick comparison of the circumstances in which Marshall’s writings and those of his modern successors have included illustrations – lavish or plain – suggests that in at least two respects thinking about pictures is as Marshallian today as it was in Marshall’s day: (1) the Justices do indeed like to illustrate their work, but (2) their publishers print lavish pictures only when they have no choice, and opt for black-and-white when they can. NOTE: This version contains low-resolution images. For a version with high-resolution images, please contact the author.
Satellite measures hydrogen sulfide in a volcanic plume

[1] For the first time, satellite measurements have been made of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in a volcanic plume. Volcanoes release H2S in large quantities—yearly global estimates range from 1 to 37 teragrams. Along with sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is estimated to be emitted from volcanoes at about 15–21 teragrams per year, H2S is a major portion of the volcanic sulfur released into the atmosphere. The ratio of H2S to SO2 emissions is useful for studying source conditions, sulfur chemistry, and magma-water interactions. However, unlike SO2, H2S has been challenging to measure in the atmosphere. Clarisse et al. used infrared satellite observations to characterize H2S from the 7–8 August 2008 eruption of the Kasatochi volcano in the Aleutian Islands. The eruption consisted of five explosive events; the observations indicated that the H2S plume was likely associated with the earlier events. The study shows that volcanoes are significant sources of H2S in the atmosphere and demonstrates for the first time that satellites can observe H2S plumes. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2011GL047402, 2011)
Modeling the Biological Solubilization of Coal in a Liquid Fluidized-Bed Reactor

A fully predictive mathematical model has been developed to describe the behavior of liquid fluidized beds in which the biological solubilization of coal particles is occurring. This model is based on the particle mass-transport mechanisms of dispersion and convection, and accounts for the changes in the size of the particles as they are solubilized. Two different cases are compared: one in which the bed is replenished with large coal particles and one in which small particles are fed to the bed. The simulation results indicate that replenishment with small coal particles enhances the overall solubilization rate without significantly increasing the mass elutriated.
Filamentation and second-harmonic emission in laser-plasma interactions.

Interferograms of an underdense, preformed plasma which is irradiated with a line-focused laser beam show pronounced density perturbations. The interferograms are compared to simultaneous, gated images of second-harmonic emission. We observe a correlation between the spatial positions of the density perturbations and the peak of the second-harmonic emission. We interpret these phenomena as being emission from a local, nonlinear focus in the underdense plasma, rather than from the entire length of a filament.
Pay and performance: the impact of salary distribution on firm-level outcomes in baseball.

When we control for worker characteristics, we are able to directly test theories of efficiency wages and fairness. We find that high-quality workers continue to be associated with good outcomes. High-wage strategies are also associated with better won-lost performance and higher attendance figures. Conditioning on worker characteristics allows distinguishing wage dispersion that is “efficient” from wage dispersion around predicted wages. In baseball, it appears that the reason for observing the unconditional results of wage dispersion is that the best technology requires workers of similar quality. There is less support for wage “fairness” as an important consideration for firm outcomes.
Practical considerations when using sparse grids with Bayesian inference for parameter estimation

When estimating parameters it is important to determine both the most probable values and the confidence intervals. To do so accurately requires Bayesian inference that can involve a high computational cost for complex models, particularly if the range of possible parameter values is large. One approach is to sample the model response surface and to interpolate. When done with a tensor grid the cost of developing an accurate representation of the surface and to locate the point of greatest probability can be prohibitively expensive. Sparse grids offer an alternative that may be of less cost. Because sparse grids are inherently approximations it is important to determine the accuracy of the representations since the errors may lead to less efficient calculations in estimating parameters and may distort the marginal probability distributions of the parameters. Except for atrociously ill-conditioned inverse problems sparse grids are particularly well suited for use with the least-squares approach and are eve...
Thermodynamics of a continuum with microstructure

Abstract A theory of thermodynamics for elastic materials with microstructure is presented. In addition to microdeformations, the microelements of the continuum possess microtemperatures. The second law of thermodynamics is modified to include microtemperatures, and the first-moment-of-the-energy equations are added to the usual balance laws of a continuum with microstructure. After the formulation of a constitutive theory of thermoelastic solids with microstructure, the first-moment-of-energy equations yield heat conduction equations for the microtemperatures. If the deformations are neglected a theory of heat conduction for materials with microstructure is obtained.
Computer Analysis of Interview Content

A text-handling computer program provides a method of analyzing verbatim transcript records, allowing measurement of significant regularities and structure in the verbal content of interviews. Factor analysis of data from successive sections of the script is used to describe meaningful concerns of the speaker as shown in his verbal productions, and factor scores indicate shifts in these concerns across time.
Identification of Hypothalamic Transcripts Upregulated by Antidepressants

Identification of quantitative changes in gene expression that occur in the brain after antidepressant treatment can yield novel molecular markers that may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of major depression. Using a modification of the differential display polymerase chain reaction, we describe the isolation of two transcripts that are differentially expressed in the brain after an 8-week course of antidepressant administration, compared to saline-treated control animals.
Prevalence of benign, atypical, and malignant breast lesions in populations at different risk for breast cancer. A forensic autopsy study.

A forensic autopsy series of 519 women more than 14 years old was studied for prevalence of benign, atypical, and occult malignant breast lesions. The women included Anglos (non-Hispanic whites), Hispanics, and American Indians from New Mexico and Eastern Arizona. These three ethnic/racial groups are at markedly different risk for the development of breast cancer (Anglo 89 of 100,000) women per year, Hispanic 45.5, and American Indian 24.9. There were striking ethnic/racial and age-related differences in both the prevalence and magnitude of all forms of nonproliferative and proliferative fibrocystic disease. The various subsets of fibrocystic disease were highly associated with each other. Such lesions as apocrine metaplasia, sclerosing adenosis, and lobular microcalcification showed as much difference according to ethnic/racial background and age as the more common cystic change and duct epithelial hyperplasia. Atypical lobular and ductal hyperplasia, carcinoma fit situ, and occult invasive carcinoma were uncommon and also occurred in ethnic/racial groups in a pattern that parallels the cancer risk in those groups.
Contribution of bacterial outer membrane vesicles to innate bacterial defense

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are constitutively produced by Gram-negative bacteria throughout growth and have proposed roles in virulence, inflammation, and the response to envelope stress. Here we investigate outer membrane vesiculation as a bacterial mechanism for immediate short-term protection against outer membrane acting stressors. Antimicrobial peptides as well as bacteriophage were used to examine the effectiveness of OMV protection. We found that a hyper-vesiculating mutant of Escherichia coli survived treatment by antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) polymyxin B and colistin better than the wild-type. Supplementation of E. coli cultures with purified outer membrane vesicles provided substantial protection against AMPs, and AMPs significantly induced vesiculation. Vesicle-mediated protection and induction of vesiculation were also observed for a human pathogen, enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), challenged with polymyxin B. When ETEC with was incubated with low concentrations of vesicles concomitant with polymyxin B treatment, bacterial survival increased immediately, and the culture gained resistance to polymyxin B. By contrast, high levels of vesicles also provided immediate protection but prevented acquisition of resistance. Co-incubation of T4 bacteriophage and OMVs showed fast, irreversible binding. The efficiency of T4 infection was significantly reduced by the formation of complexes with the OMVs. These data reveal a role for OMVs in contributing to innate bacterial defense by adsorption of antimicrobial peptides and bacteriophage. Given the increase in vesiculation in response to the antimicrobial peptides, and loss in efficiency of infection with the T4-OMV complex, we conclude that OMV production may be an important factor in neutralizing environmental agents that target the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria.
Using discrepancy to control singular values for nonnegative matrices

Abstract We will consider two parameters which can be associated with a nonnegative matrix: the second largest singular value of the “normalized” matrix, and the discrepancy of the entries (which is a measurement between the sum of the actual entries in blocks versus the expected sum). Our main result is to show that these are related in that discrepancy can be bounded by the second largest singular value and vice versa. These matrix results are then used to derive some (edge/alternating walks) discrepancy properties of edge-weighted directed graphs.
Circadian rhythm of circulating aldosterone in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

AbstractCirculating levels of aldosterone were measured by radioimmunoassay at hourly intervals during a 24-hr period to establish the diurnal rhythm of this mineralo-corticoid in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Aldosterone levels exhibited a distinct circadian variation with concentrations reaching a zenith at 2000 hr and a nadir at 1200 hr in male and female SHR. Aldosterone levels in females were consistently greater than males. Nocturnal aldosterone levels were highest in the early morning hours in male and moderately elevated in female SHR. Male SHR have significantly higher blood pressure than female SHR.
Examining the selectivity of borohydride for carbon dioxide and bicarbonate reduction in protic conditions

Abstract Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) reacts with carbon dioxide (CO2) and bicarbonate (HCO3−) in aqueous solution to produce formate (HCO2−). Isotopic labeling experiments verified the product identity and illustrated that the carbon in the product originated from CO2/HCO3−. The addition of CO2 to borohydride resulted in formate production in isopropanol as well. Accurate first-principles quantum chemistry was used to examine reaction energies and the hydricities of various borohydrides in aqueous solution. CO2 reduction is proposed to proceed through hydride transfer from BH4− or from BH4−n(OH)n− (n = 0–3) to CO2 and bicarbonate. The reaction energies were found to be competitive with those for hydrolysis of borohydride. These findings lay the foundation for the further development of systems for the catalytic conversion of CO2 and bicarbonate into fuels via hydride transfers in water.
A simple proof of the Craig–Sakamoto theorem

Abstract We give a simple proof of the Craig–Sakamoto theorem, which asserts that two real symmetric matrices A and B satisfy det (I−aA−bB)= det (I−aA) det (I−bB) for all real numbers a and b if and only if AB=0 .
Stability analysis of compactifications of D = 11 supergravity with SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1) symmetry☆

Abstract We show that the Mpqr Freund-Rubin compactification of eleven-dimensional supergravity is classically stable if and only if 7 27 6 1 2 17 117 (66) 1 2 .
Losses of Chromosomal Arms 1p and 19q in the Diagnosis of Oligodendroglioma. A Study of Paraffin-Embedded Sections

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), polymerase chain reaction–based microsatellite analysis, and p53 sequencing were performed in paraffin-embedded material from 18 oligodendrogliomas and histologically similar astrocytomas. The study was undertaken because of evidence that concurrent loss of both the 1p and 19q chromosome arms is a specific marker for oligodendrogliomas. Of the six lesions with a review diagnosis of oligodendroglioma, all had the predicted loss of 1p and 19q seen by CGH, FISH, and polymerase chain reaction. Other lesions, including some considered oligodendroglioma or mixed glioma by the submitting institution, did not. There were no p53 mutations in any of the six oligodendrogliomas, whereas 5 of the 10 remaining, successfully studied cases did have p53 mutations. The results suggest that CGH and FISH performed on current or archival tissue can aid in classification of infiltrating gliomas such as oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas. The results of the p53 studies are consistent with findings of previous investigations that such mutations are less common in oligodendrogliomas than they are in astrocytomas.
Native Asphalts in Oregon

The native asphalts in Oregon have never been thoroughly described, their character determined, or their significance discussed. This paper presents a complete list of all known occurrences, some of recent discovery, and tenders for the first time analyses and determinations of their character. They are found to be mixtures of uintahite, manjak, and wurtzilite, or pure uintahites and grahamites. These native asphalts have been derived probably from deep-seated Cretaceous rocks, which once possessed reservoirs of petroleum. The petroleum was brought to the surface by dynamic movements at the close of the Eocene or in the early Oligocene period. Their method of emplacement shows no influence of thermal metamorphism. Some of the Oregon occurrences are similar to those found n other localities which have since developed into important oil fields. Other Oregon occurrences are unique, and neither in Oregon nor elsewhere have they heretofore been described. The whole discussion has an important bearing on the possibilities of petroleum in Oregon.
Proteasome inhibition during myocardial infarction

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays a central role in protein degradation and regulates a variety of critical cellular processes. During recent years, the cardiac UPS has become increasingly recognized as a key regulator of cardiac function under both physiological and pathological conditions. Numerous studies have demonstrated that altered UPS function is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiac disease including myocardial ischaemia or infarction. The expression and activity of the E3 ubiquitin ligases, which confer substrate specificity in the UPS pathway, affect the apoptosis and severity of disease in myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion. Although impaired proteasome function is commonly associated with myocardial ischaemic injury, recent evidence also supports a cardioprotective role for proteasome inhibitors in myocardial ischaemia. We will review these studies and data, discuss controversies regarding the UPS alterations and use of proteasome inhibitors in myocardial ischaemia, and attempt to identify strategies that may enhance their clinical application.
Differential Oxygen Response of Photosynthesis in Soybean and Panicum milioides

The carbon dioxide compensation concentration of Panicum milioides was less than that of soybean over the range of 15 to 35 C. In soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv. Wayne), the compensation concentration was directly proportional to O2 concentration. In P. milioides, the compensation concentration was near zero up to 10% O2 and then increased linearly with higher O2, although the slope of the response was less than that in soybean. Leaf extracts of P. milioides contained 3-fold higher phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity than soybean leaf extracts. Oxygen inhibition of photosynthesis and carboxy-lation efficiency was less in P. milioides than that observed in soybean. The affinity of P. millioides ribulose-1,5-di-P carboxylase for CO2 appeared to be slightly greater than that of soybean. The affinity of both enzymes for O2 was similar. The reduced response of the compensation concentration and photosynthesis to O2 in P. milioides may be explained by photosynthetic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase fixation and by an apparent increased affinity of ribulose-1,5-di-P carboxylase for CO2.
Synthesis of ochratoxins TA and TC, analogs of ochratoxins A and C.

Zwei Ochratoxinanaloge, Ochratoxin TA (OTA) und TC (OTC) wurden aus Ochratoxin-α chemisch synthetisiert indem Phenylalanin und sein Athylester im Molekul durch Tyrosin und Tyrosinathylester substituiert wurden. Der Huhnerembryonentest ergab, dass OTC etwas toxischer und OTA etwas weniger toxisch ist als Ochratoxin A (OA).
Comparative study of the control of lateral ciliary activity in marine bivalves

1. Control of lateral ciliary activity was studied in marine bivalves Mytilus edulis and Modiolus demissus. 2. Application of serotonin to gill or visceral ganglion of M. edulis and electrical stimulation of 10 Hz to the branchial nerve or cerebrovisceral connective was eilioexcitatory. 3. Application of dopamine to gill or visceral ganglion of M. edulis and electrical stimulation of 20 Hz to the branchial nerve or cerebrovisceral connective was cilioinhibitory. 4. In M. demissus only application of serotonin to gill was cilioexcitatory. Dopamine. GABA, acetylcholine and electrical stimulations did not alter lateral ciliary activity. 5. It is proposed that control of lateral ciliary activity differs in these two species.
The Effective Potential and Its Use in Simulation

Quantum effects are known to occur in the channel of MOSFETs, where the confinement is in the direction normal to the oxide interface. For quite some time, there has been a desire to categorize this quantization and determine the role it plays in semiconductor devices. The questions that must be addressed in simulation are difficult. Pushing to dimensional sizes, such as sub-50nm gate lengths, will probe the transition from classical to quantum transport, and there is no present approach to this regime that has proved effective. Contrary to the classical case in which electrons are negligibly small, the finite extent of the momentum space available to the electron sets size limitations on the minimum wave packet - this is of the order of a few nanometers - and leads to the effective potential. The use of the effective potential for analyzing the effect of quantization on semiconductor devices is discussed.
Photophysical Properties of Mono- and Multiply-Functionalized Fullerene Derivatives

Time-resolved and steady-state techniques have been performed to investigate the photophysical properties of C60[C(COOEt)2] (Ia), e-C60[COOEt)2]2 (IIa) (e = equatorial), trans-3-C60[C(COOEt)2]2 (IIb), trans-2-C60[C(COOEt)2]2 (IIc), and e,e,e-C60[C(COOEt)2]3 (III) (e = equatorial). Picosecond-resolved energy transfer to the fullerene core results in the rapid formation of the excited singlet state with remarkably blue-shifted singlet−singlet (S*1 → S*n) transitions (868 nm (III)) relative to pristine C60 (920 nm). Intersystem crossing to the energetically lower lying excited triplet state exhibits a deceleration with increasing number of functionalizing addends. The corresponding triplet−triplet (T*1 → T*n) absorption energies also show a significant dependence on the degree and site of functionalization, spreading over a range of 100 nm (750 nm for 3C60 to 650 nm for e,e,e-(3C60)[C(COOEt)2]3 (III)). Energy transfer from radiolytically excited biphenyl (3BP) to the fullerene's ground state corroborates the...
Binding of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline to hemoglobin and albumin in vivo in the rat. Identification of an adduct suitable for dosimetry

Blood protein binding by the food-borne carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) was investigated using male Sprague-Dawley rats. Among the many blood proteins modified in rats dosed intragastrically with [3H(G)]IQ, hemoglobin and albumin were modified in a dose dependent fashion. Albumin bound 3-5 times more IQ than hemoglobin at doses from 2 to 150 mumol. IQ-modified serum albumin was enzymatically digested using Pronase and analyzed by h.p.l.c. Many peptide fragments containing radioactivity were detected but the low level of protein modification (0.01-0.04% of dose) prevented spectroscopic analyses of these adducts. An in vitro system containing hepatic microsomes metabolized IQ to a reactive species which could bind to serum albumin. One major adduct was formed at the cysteine residue using this activation system and was identical to an adduct isolated from in vivo-modified albumin. Chemical and spectroscopic analyses of the Pronase fragment proved the adduct was a tripeptide containing N2-cysteinesulfinyl-IQ. A chemically identical adduct was formed in vitro when N-hydroxy-IQ was incubated with serum albumin. As much as 10% of the IQ bound to serum albumin in vivo was present as this sulfur-linked adduct based on h.p.l.c. analysis of the Pronase digest fragments and on the acid-labile activity which could be recovered as IQ.
When technology doesn't fit: information sharing practices among farmers in rural China

Mobile phones and the Internet are increasingly available in rural China, and used by people of all ages and educational levels. But despite the significant investments made by the Chinese State to "informatize" rural areas in order to help local residents improve their lives and economic opportunities, ICT do not seem to find a place in the one activity that still dominates the countryside: farming. This paper draws from ethnographic findings to show how the gathering and sharing of agricultural information is organized in rural China. By using a Community of Practice framework, it argues that ICT are not (yet) used by farmers because farming is a distributed social activity, where the individual farmer makes individual decisions, but these decisions are shaped by the decisions, expectations, examples and judgment of the community as a whole, a body of increasingly older people who are not always interested in maximizing their income and/or changing their practices to increase efficiency---through ICT or other means. Moreover, the rich and layered local knowledge built within the community is mostly based on oral exchanges and face-to-face encounters, and often relies on family ties and clan networks to evaluate the trustworthiness of communication. These patterns of communication are still not well supported by informatization projects and have proven resistant to such efforts.
The effects of potential self-inflicted harm on obedience to an authority figure

In this study we examined the willingness of 17 college students to obey the request of an authority figure despite posted signs that suggested there would be potential harm to the subjects themselves if they complied with the request. More subjects disobeyed the authority figure (obeyed the signs) than obeyed the authority figure. These findings are in contrast to Milgram’s (1963) research and suggest that willingness to obey an authority figure is affected by potential harm directed at the subjects themselves.
Impact on the photothermal emission from single wall nanotubes by some alkali halide salts

We demonstrate that alkali-halide salts, particularly potassium bromide, can reduce the photothermal emission (PTE) from single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). PTE is a prominent spectral feature in Raman spectroscopy when a near infrared laser is used to analyze a dark colored sample. We subsequently show that trapping salts inside SWNT and coating SWNT with the salt has a more pronounced impact on not only reducing PTE, but also enhancing the intensity of the Raman spectral features. The effect, which we have called nanotube enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NERS), has differences and similarities to the widely studied surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).
Literary Criticism and the History of Marketing Thought: A New Perspective on "Reading" Marketing Theory:

This paper proposes the addition of concepts drawn from literary criticism to philosophical and historical ones in order to provide insights into “reading” marketing theory. The paper sets forth three modes of literary criticism applicable to the analysis of marketing theory—psychobiographical, editorial, and structural. It offers as an illustrative example a reading of the history of Ernest Dichter's motivation research movement using these methods. The addition of literary analysis demonstrates how textual clues can enrich the historian's study of the rise and fall of marketing phenomena over time.
Government markets and the theory of the Nth best

Abstract There is increasing interest in having the US government create markets in property rights to allocate various resources, such as landing rights and environmental quality. The purpose of this paper is to provide some general guidelines for the more efficient organization of such markets. The analysis examines the problem of devising efficient government markets when there are multiple inputs to the production process subject to different taxes and regulations. It develops some simple rules of thumb for the design of markets and examines how they can be applied to problems involving regulated utilities.
Relationship between Tumor Cell Invasiveness and Polyploidization

A number of studies have shown that tumor cells fuse with other tumor and non-tumor cells. In the present study on tumor cell lines derived from glioblastoma, breast cancer, and melanoma, we estimated the frequency of fusion between tumor cells by establishing the fraction of cells with whole tumor-genome duplication in each cell line. Together with this, the capacity of the tumor cell lines to spread through a basement membrane scaffold was assessed, in order to test the hypothesis that pericellular proteolysis by enzymatic release in the spaces of intercellular contact could account for differences in the fusogenicity of tumor cells. The difference in invasiveness between the cell lines accounted for their specific amount of cells with tumor-genome duplication, which, depending on the cell line analyzed, ranged from 2% to 25% of the total cells. These results support the hypothesis that cell-to-cell invasion eliciting membrane fusion causes polyploidization in tumor cells.
On the Equations of Capillarity

Some conceptual ambiguities in the derivation of the equations of capillarity on the basis of the principle of virtual work are addressed, and hypotheses are proposed toward obtaining a physically correct characterization in general circumstances. It is shown that under the hypotheses, the classical equations of capillarity for an interface of an incompressible fluid with a fluid of negligible density can be obtained on the basis of global phenomenological reasoning, without recourse to consideration of intermolecular attractions. More generally, the procedure is applied to derive the specific equations arising from a compressible fluid configuration with idealized pressure-density relationship in a capillary tube, and a general necessary condition for existence of a solution is established. It is shown that for symmetric domains, the condition is also sufficient for existence of a unique symmetric solution.
ESCA studies of surface chemical composition of segmented polyurethanes.

Surface chemical analysis of two commercially available polyurethanes, i.e., Avcothane and Biomer was carried out by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The depth which is subject to analysis is in the range of 50-100 A. The variables studied in this study are the difference in exposure to air or to the mold substrate during the solvent casting process. Model compounds such as a pure polydimethylsiloxane, polyether soft segment and hard segment copolymer were used to identify and assign various ESCA peaks. The air facing surface of Avcothane which is the blood contacting surface is found to be covered mostly with polydimethylsiloxane polymer, with a small amount of polyether soft segment mixed with silicone. Therefore, the hard segment of the polyurethanes is hidden beneath the blood contact surface in Avcothane. In Biomer films, the air facing surface contains a greater concentration of polyether soft segment than the substrate surface. These results are consistent with our previous results obtained by Fourier transform IR internal reflection and Auger electron spectroscopy.
Polynomial-time identification of robust network flows under uncertain arc failures

We propose Linear Programming (LP)-based solution methods for network flow problems subject to multiple uncertain arc failures, which allow finding robust optimal solutions in polynomial time under certain conditions. We justify this fact by proving that for the considered class of problems under uncertainty with linear loss functions, the number of entities in the corresponding LP formulations is polynomial with respect to the number of arcs in the network. The proposed formulation is efficient for sparse networks, as well as for time-critical networked systems, where quick and robust decisions play a crucial role.
A STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL STUDY OF THE COORDINATED REACTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL COMMELINA COMMUNIS L. STOMATA (COMMELINACEAE)

Opening and closure movements of individual stomata were analyzed by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and time-lapse photomicrography. Turgor-pressure-induced changes in pore shape of Commelina communis L. stomata were observed in vivo and in fixed material. The ventral wall of the guard cells undergoes three-dimensional alterations during opening and closing. Stomatal aperture increases with increase in light intensity and with decrease in CO2 concentration as previously described, while reactions to relative humidity and anaerobiosis are somewhat divergent from common experience. Low humidity induces opening rather than closure of stomata in well watered greenhouse plants, and lack of oxygen induces consecutive opening and closure movements. Individual stomata characteristically open by three distinct steps: (1) rapid opening; (2) immobility or slow closure; (3) relatively rapid opening. Since the timing of the second step varies for individual stomata, it is obscured by methods that integrate the responses of several stomata. The movements of individual stomata are well synchronized, but active communication between stomata in different areas can not be confirmed.
Individual‐Based Model of Young‐of‐the‐Year Striped Bass Population Dynamics. II. Factors Affecting Recruitment in the Potomac River, Maryland

Abstract An individual-based model of the population dynamics of young-of-the-year striped bass Morone saxatilis in the Potomac River, Maryland, was used to test the hypothesis that historically high recruitment variability can be explained by changes in environmental and biological factors that result in relatively small changes in growth and mortality rates of striped bass larvae. The four factors examined were (1) size distribution of female parents, (2) zooplankton prey density during the development of striped bass larvae, (3) density of competing larval white perch M. americana, and (4) temperature during larval development. Simulation results suggest that variations in female size and in prey for larvae alone could cause 10-fold variability in recruitment. But no single factor alone caused changes in vital rates of age-0 fish that could account for the 145-fold variability in the Potomac River index of juvenile recruitment. However, combined positive or negative effects of two or more factors resul...
Operation of a Caterpillar 3516 spark-ignited engine on low-Btu fuel

The use of an engine-generator package, fueled by landfill gas, to produce usable electrical power has generated considerable interest among both landfill operators and engine manufacturers. Landfill gas operation presents some unusual technical challenges that require preparation of the gas prior to engine consumption as well as modifications to the spark-ignited engine. The primary obstacles to landfill gas operation are the low-Btu content of the gas, its poor combustion characteristics, and fluctuations in the heating value of the gas. Even so, the engine was not derated from the standard natural gas generator set rating of 762 kW net electrical output. In addition, the engine performance was optimized to meet the EPA site laws for stationary gas engines while still maintaining very low brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC). Finally, 90 days of continuous operation demonstrated engine durability.
Atrial Fibrillation Produced by Atrial Stimulation

Twenty-six episodes of atrial fibrillation and flutter-fibrillation, each lasting less than 23 sec, were recorded in three normal subjects during atrial pacing studies. The cause of these atrial arrhythmias was determined to be the result of stimulation within the atrial vulnerable period.
Ignition of premixed hydrocarbon–air flows by repetitively pulsed, nanosecond pulse duration plasma

Abstract The paper presents results of plasma assisted combustion experiments in premixed hydrocarbon–air flows excited by a low-temperature transverse repetitively pulsed discharge plasma. The experiments have been conducted in methane–air and ethylene–air flows in a wide range of equivalence ratios, flow velocities, and pressures. The plasma was generated by a sequence of high-voltage (∼10 kV), short pulse duration (∼50 ns), high repetition rate (up to 50 kHz) pulses. The high reduced electric field during the pulse allows efficient electronic excitation and molecular dissociation. On the other hand, the extremely low duty cycle of the repetitively pulsed discharge, ∼1/500, greatly improves the discharge stability and helps sustaining diffuse and uniform nonequilibrium plasma. Generating this repetitively pulsed plasma in premixed hydrocarbon–air flows results in ignition and flameholding, occurring at low plasma temperatures, 140–300 °C, inferred from the nitrogen second positive band system spectra. At these conditions, the reacted fuel fraction, measured by the FTIR absorption spectroscopy, is up to 80%. The experiments demonstrate significant methane and ethylene conversion into CO, CO2, and H2O even at the conditions when there is no flame detected in the test section. At these conditions, fuel oxidation occurs due to plasma chemical reactions, without ignition. This provides additional evidence for the nonthermal fuel oxidation triggered by plasma-generated radicals.
Biological characterization of an acid-sensitive growth factor from human platelets: Role in the proliferation of human melanoma and bovine endothelial cells

An acid-sensitive growth factor for human melanoma has been partially purified from human platelets. TSK gel filtration HPLC provides a molecular weight estimation of 60,000 daltons. This factor is not only mitogenic for human melanoma, but also stimulates 3H-thymidine uptake and increases the number of bovine aortic endothelial cells, while fibroblasts are nonresponsive. Radioiodination of active HPLC fraction has been accomplished. The human melanoma cell line, M1RW5 demonstrates specific, time-dependent binding of the labeled protein. These studies suggest that the growth of human melanoma may in part be regulated by a newly described growth factor present in human platelets.
The integrality of speech in multimodal interfaces

A framework of complementary behavior has been proposed which maintains that direct-manipulation and speech interfaces have reciprocal strengths and weaknesses. This suggests that user interface performance and acceptance may increase by adopting a multimodal approach that combines speech and direct manipulation. This effort examined the hypothesis that the speed, accuracy, and acceptance of multimodal speech and direct-manipulation interfaces will increase when the modalities match the perceptual structure of the input attributes. A software prototype that supported a typical biomedical data collection task was developed to test this hypothesis. A group of 20 clinical and veterinary pathologists evaluated the prototype in an experimental setting using repeated measures. The results of this experiment supported the hypothesis that the perceptual structure of an input task is an important consideration when designing a multimodal computer interface. Task completion time, the number of speech errors, and user acceptance improved when interface best matched the perceptual structure of the input attributes.
Seminal Vesicle Abscess: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Seminal vesicle abscess, a rare urologic entity, is usually diagnosed with computerized tomography (CT) scan. We report a case of seminal vesicle abscess that required a transrectal ultrasonography to confirm the diagnosis. An analysis of 20 cases of seminal vesicle abscess reported in the literature is also reviewed.
Item Ordering Effects with Qualitative Explanations using Online Adaptive Tutoring Data

Online computer adaptive learning is increasingly being used in classrooms as a way to provide guided learning for students. Such tutors have the potential to provide tailored feedback based on specific student needs and misunderstandings. Bayesian knowledge tracing (BKT) is used to model student knowledge when knowledge is assumed to be changing throughout a single assessment period; in contrast, traditional Item Response Theory (IRT) models assume student knowledge to be constant within an assessment period. The basic BKT model assumes that the chance a student transitions from "not knowing" to "knowing" after each item is the same, and problems are considered learning opportunities. It could be the case, however, that learning is actually context sensitive, where students' learning might be improved when the items and their associated tutoring content are delivered to the student in a particular order. In this paper, we use BKT models to find such context sensitive transition probabilities from real data delivered by an online tutoring system, ASSISTments. After empirically deriving orderings that lead to better learning, we qualitatively analyze the items and their tutoring content to uncover any mechanisms that might explain why such orderings are modeled to have higher learning potential.
A random base change algorithm for permutation groups

A new random base change algorithm is presented for a permutation group G acting on n points whose worst case asymptotic running time is better for groups with a small to moderate size base than any known deterministic algorithm. To achieve this time bound, the algorithm requires a random generator Rand(G) producing a random element of G with the uniform distribution and so that each call to Rand(G) takes time O(log(|G|)n). The random base change algorithm has probability 1 -- 1/|G|2 of completing in time O(log2(|G|)n) and outputting a data structure for representing the point stabilizer sequence relative to the new ordering which requires O(log(|G|)n) space and which can be used to test group membership in time O,(log(|G|)n). The time to build a data structure for computing a Rand(G) with the above properties from a strong generating set for G is dominated by the time to construct the strong generating set from the original set of generators.
Persistent placoid maculopathy imaged with spectral domain OCT and autofluorescence.

Abstract Persistent placoid maculopathy is a rare entity characterized by bilateral well-delineated whitish plaque-like lesions in the macula. Secondary choroidal neovascularization and extensive retinal pigment epithelial damage, highlighted by spectral domain optical coherence tomography and autofluorescence imaging, can limit visual prognosis. Aggressive immunosuppression can preserve vision and perhaps delay the onset of choroidal neovascularization.