cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photoluminescence and EPR of donors and acceptors in ZnO

Photoluminescence (PL) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) are high-resolution techniques used to study donors and acceptors in optoelectronic materials. Zinc oxide (ZnO), with a room-temperature band gap of 3.37 eV, has significant potential for applications ranging from light emission to sensors and detectors. The low-temperature near-edge PL of ZnO is rich in detail, with sharp-line emissions from bound excitons related to various donors and acceptors. Strong phonon couplings in this material produce a series of LO and TO phonon sidebands at slightly lower energies. Donor-acceptor pair and electron-acceptor recombinations related to nitrogen (EA = 209 meV) and lithium (EA ~ 0.6 eV) are detected. Copper and iron impurities show characteristic luminescence spectra in the visible. Thermal anneals in air induce significant changes in the PL spectra. Complementary information can be obtained from EPR and photoinduced EPR experiments performed at low temperature. In ZnO, EPR spectra have been observed from neutral nitrogen acceptors, neutral copper acceptors, neutral lithium acceptors, hydrogenic shallow donors, as well as deeper donors such as nickel and iron. In previous work, EPR spectra have been assigned to singly ionized oxygen vacancies and singly ionized zinc vacancies in electron-irradiated crystals.
Clinical and manometric effects of nitroglycerin in diffuse esophageal spasm.

THE major function of the esophagus is to transport material from the pharynx to the stomach. In diffuse esophageal spasm, a neuromuscular abnormality exists that can lead to painful swallowing, im...
Finding and recovering SHGC objects in an edge image

Abstract A set of modules to extract partial descriptions of SHGC objects in an edge image is presented. It consists of modules to find end edges, to find meridian edges, to find cross-section edges, and to recover 3D shapes. The first goal of the system is to extract geometrical edges derived from an SHGC object. From an input edge image, pairs of end edges are detected first by verifying strong geometrical constraints for the ends of an SHGC. Then, meridian edges are detected by using the constraint for tangent intersections and the ones related to the end edges. The second goal is to recover 3D information of the object. The axis of SHGC and the axes of skewed symmetry in cross-section edges are detected. Then, original cross section and the sweeping rule are recovered by utilizing these three orthogonal axes. Extracted geometrical edges and 3D information from real images are shown.
Ion Channels Go to Stockholm—This Time as Proteins

The 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to two structural biologists, Roderick Mackinnon of Rockefeller University and Peter Agre of Johns Hopkins University, for their groundbreaking work on the structure and function of ion channels. In recognition of the outstanding impact that MacKinnon's work has had for neuroscience, Chris Miller traces MacKinnon's scientific path to the Nobel Prize.
Electroabsorption modulators for ultrafast optical demultiplexing

The capacity needed in telecommunications networks is rising sharply due to the rapid growth in internet traffic. This trend has led work in many laboratories to address the technologies that will be needed in future ultrafast optically time division multiplexed (OTDM) systems [1] and asynchronous digital optical networks [2], One technology essential for both is a compact means of demultiplexing an ultrafast optical signal down to the electronic base-rate.
Surface control and vibration suppression of a large millimeter-wave telescope

The Large Millimeter-wave Telescope/Gran Telescopio Mili- metrico (LMT/GTM), is a 50-m diameter radio telescope designed to operate at 1-mm wavelengths. To achieve its surface accuracy require- ments, the telescope relies on an actively controlled primary surface. The active primary enables active correction of errors in the reflecting surface caused by thermal and gravitational deformations of the support- ing backstructure. In addition to these slowly varying loads, there are higher frequency disturbances caused by some observation techniques. In a conventional telescope, the observer must wait for the vibration to decay naturally before continuing an observation. However, for an active surface telescope (such as the LMT/GTM), the mass of the surface and the large number of actuators can be used to add damping to the support structure. The use of active surfaces in vibrational damping of their sup- port structures is investigated. A method is presented that enables de- coupling of the vibrational modes in such a way that the surface figure can be controlled simultaneously. © 1997 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumenta- tion Engineers. (S0091-3286(97)00107-4) Subject terms: smart structures; active surface; modal control; vibration suppres- sion.
Morphology and behavior of quail neural crest cells in artificial three-dimensional extracellular matrices

Neural crest cells migrate extensively through a complex extracellular matrix (ECM) to sites of terminal differentiation. To determine what role the various components of the ECM may play in crest morphogenesis, quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) neural crest cells have been cultured in three-dimensional hydrated collagen lattices containing various combinations of macromolecules known to be present in the crest migratory pathways. Neural crest cells migrate readily in native collagen gels whereas the cells are unable to use denatured collagen as a migratory substratum. The speed of movement decreases linearly as the concentration of collagen in the gel increases. Speed of movement of crest cells is stimulated in gels containing 10% fetal calf serum and chick embryo extract, 33 μg/ml fibronectin cell-binding fragments, 3 mg/ml chondroitin sulfate, or 3 mg/ml chondroitin sulfate proteogylcan when compared to rates of movement through collagen lattices alone. Low concentrations of hyaluronate (250–500 μg/ml) in a 750 μg/ml collagen gel do not alter rates of movement over collagen alone, but higher concentrations (4 mg/ml) greatly inhibit migration. Conversely, hyaluronate (250 μg/ml) significantly increases speed of movement if the crest cells are cultured in high concentration collagen gels (2.5 mg/ml), suggesting that hyaluronate is expanding spaces and consequently enhancing migration. The morphology and mode of movement of neural crest cells vary with the matrix in which they are grown and can be correlated with their speed of movement. Light and scanning electron microscopy reveal rounded, blebbing cells in matrices associated with slower translocation, whereas rounded cells with branching filopodia or lamellipodia are associated with rapid translocation. Bipolar cells with long processes are observed in cultures of rapidly moving cells that appear to be adhering strongly, as well as in cultures of cells that are stationary for long periods. These data, considered with the known distribution of macromolecules in the early embryo, suggest the following: (1) Both collagen and fibronectin can act as preferred substrata for migration. (2) Chondroitin sulfate and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan increase speed of movement, but probably do so by decreasing adhesiveness and thereby producing more frequent detachment. In the embryo, crest cells would most likely avoid regions containing high concentrations of chondroitin sulfate. (3) Hyaluronate cannot act as a substratum for migration, but in low concentrations it can open spaces in the matrix and consequently may stimulate movement. The complex interactions of combined matrix components and their effect on crest behavior are also examined in this study, and the effect of these binding interactions on crest morphogenesis is considered.
A study of Botryosphaeria ribis on Willow.

A disease of willow caused by Botryosphaeria Ribis is characterized by the presence of cankers on the twigs, larger branches, and trunk. Successive blighting of the branches eventually results in t...
An Overview Of Some Measures Of Image Quality

Presently available descriptors of image quality can be sorted into three categories: physical descriptors of the imaging system, measures derived from these, and empirical descriptors of human observer decision performance. A basic problem today is our inability to relate the first type of description to the third. Signal detection theory is proposed as a useful tool for attacking this problem.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Inteferons pen the JAK-STAT pathway.

Characterization of how interferons (IFNs) mediate their biological response led to identification of the JAK–STAT signaling cascade, where JAKs are receptor-associated kinases and STATs the transcription factors they activate. Today, 4 JAKs and 7 STATs are known to transduce pivotal signals for the over 50 members of the four-helix bundle family of cytokines. This review will provide an overview and historical perspective of the JAK–STAT paradigm.
Finite element analysis of antennas and phased arrays in the time domain

Antennas and phased arrays play a critical role in wireless communication, remote sensing, space exploration, defense, electronic warfare, and many other electronic systems. A quantitative analysis is important to the design and optimization of antennas and phased arrays, especially for those not easily designed by intuitive approaches, such as ultra-wideband antennas and phased arrays designed with novel materials. Over the past decade, we have focused on the development and application of the finite element method for accurate and efficient analysis of antennas and phased arrays. In this talk, we will provide an overview on this effort in the time domain. More specifically, we will discuss major challenges for the time-domain finite element analysis of antenna and phased-array problems, which include (1) truncation of open free space, (2) modeling of antenna feeds and network, (3) modeling of novel dispersive materials, (4) modeling of large antennas and finite phased arrays, and (5) modeling of infinite periodic phased arrays. For each challenge, we will describe the state-of-the-art solutions and demonstrate their practical applications. The techniques presented are also applicable to a variety of other electromagnetic modeling problems such as modeling of electronic packaging and electromagnetic compatibility problems.
Insect Control Agents from Tropical Plants

Since tropical plants are exposed throughout the entire year to attack by various parasites such as bacteria, fungi and insects, they are confronted with harsh conditions for survival. This leads to efficient built-in defense mechanisms, and thus tropical plants offer a rich and intriguing source of secondary metabolites possessing attractive pesticidal properties. These phytochemicals are mainly biodegradable and, more importantly, they are renewable. The efficient use of such renewable natural resources is becoming increasingly important worldwide.
Intersection Management via Vehicle Connectivity: The Intersection Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control System Concept

Since the introduction of the vehicle infrastructure integration (VII) and connected vehicle (CV) initiatives in the United States, numerous in-vehicle technologies based on wireless communications are currently being deployed. One of these technologies is cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) systems, which provide better connectivity, safety, and mobility by allowing vehicles to travel in denser platoons through vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. Accordingly, the research presented in this article develops a simulation/optimization tool that optimizes the movement of CACC-equipped vehicles as a replacement for traditional intersection control. This system, which is named iCACC, assumes that the intersection controller receives vehicle requests to travel through an intersection and advises each vehicle on the optimum course of action ensuring no crashes occur while at the same time minimizing the intersection delay. Four intersection control scenarios are compared, namely: a traffic signal, an ...
FACTORS AFFECTING THE INSULIN AUTOANTIBODY ELISA

IgG antibodies to insulin are present in insulin-treated patients and are detected in the prodrome of untreated type I diabetes. Sporadic reports of autoantibodies to insulin suggest that they are also present in other disorders. To establish the incidence of insulin autoantibodies in other endocrine and autoimmune diseases an ELISA was used to examine sera from 529 subjects with no prior insulin therapy. These untreated patients included: normal controls (adults and children), newly-diagnosed type I diabetes, first-degree relatives of diabetics, type II diabetes, Graves' hyperthyroidism, and systemic lupus erythematosus. As a positive control group, 280 insulin-treated patients were studied. Measurement of IgG antibodies by direct binding to insulin coated plates was complicated by differences between adult and pediatric populations and by overlap of binding between treated and untreated subjects. Competitive inhibition with excess soluble human insulin overcame these problems and permitted identification of insulin specific binding. Using this approach insulin antibodies were most frequent in insulin-treated diabetics (98%) and in type I diabetics (37%) prior to treatment. The absolute numbers of subjects with insulin autoantibody in the other groups differed depending upon whether a cut-off for binding (mean + 2SD of controls) or for insulin inhibition of binding (45%) was used. Regardless of the criteria used there were subjects (2-24%) in all groups tested with circulating insulin-specific IgG autoantibody detected by ELISA. These low level antibodies detected in solid phase assays may be part of the normal immune repertoire.
Banking from the bottom up: the case of migrant savers at the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society during the late nineteenth century

Using the depositor records of Philadelphia's largest and oldest savings bank, this article reconstructs how transient workers during the late nineteenth century often used savings accounts to attain the economic goals of their migration. Displaying savings patterns that were active and short in duration, migrants seem to have used their accounts for targeted accumulation, eventually transferring their savings to family in their home country or withdrawing it before moving on. The existence of many such accounts conflicted with the ways in which savings bank officers and policy-makers had intended the institutions to be used, and eventually led to important changes in managerial practices. It is argued that the case of migrant savers illustrates the need to understand the institutional development of ‘popular banking’ within the context of broad historical changes in household social and economic strategies.
Is Histamine Production by the Blastocyst Required for Implantation in the Rabbit

The histamine producing capacity of rabbit blastocysts and uterine endometrial tissues was determined by measuring their histidine decarboxylase activities (HDC). The production rate of 14C02 using carboxy labeled L-histidine as substrate was used as the index of HDC. No enzyme was detectable in the 20,000 X g supernatant of endometrial extracts, but significant activity was found in the extracts from Day 5, 6 or 7 blastocysts; the greatest activity was found in Day 6 embryos. Extracts of late Day 6 or Day 7 (Day 6 blastocysts cultured for 24 h) embryos appeared to contain an “inhibitor” of HDC when measured against the enzyme activity of fetal tissues. The intraluminal injection of DL-�-methylhistidine dihydrochloride (DL-o-MH), a specific inhibitor of HDC, on Day 5 of pregnancy, interrupted implantation; normal implantation rates were found in contralateral horns instilled with the same amount of L-histidine. The inhibiting action of DL-a-MH could be partially overcome by the co-injection of L-histidine. The results are consistent with the view that rabbit blastocysts have an active histamine forming system and that inhibition of the enzyme can alter implantation.
Biodiesel from activated sludge through in situ transesterification

BACKGROUND: The microbial biomass present in activated sludge contains lipidic compounds that can be used as biodiesel feedstock. In this study, the production of biodiesel from activated sludge from Tuscaloosa, AL was optimized based on the yield of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). Insitu transesterification was used with sulfuric acid as catalyst. A general factorial design of 4 × 6 × 5 for temperature, methanol to sludge ratio and catalyst concentration, respectively, was considered for optimization. RESULTS:BiodieselyieldcanbeadequatelydescribedbythequadraticresponsesurfacemodelwithR 2 of0.843andstatistically insignificantlackoffit(p = 0.152).Numericaloptimizationshowedthatanoptimumbiodieselyieldof4.88%canbeobtainedat 55 ◦ C,25methanoltosludgeratioand4%volumesulfuricacid.Theoptimumexperimentalbiodieselyieldwasindeedobtained at that condition but with a value of 4.79 ± 0.02%. The highest error was 2.30% which indicates good agreement between the model and the experimental data. CONCLUSIONS:Acid-catalyzedpolymerizationofunsaturatedfattyacidsortheirestersattemperatureabove60 ◦ Csignificantly decreased biodiesel yield. The fatty acid profile of the biodiesel produced indicates that activated sludge may be used as biodiesel feedstock. c � 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) Signal Analysis Using Automated Generated Projection Images

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) tests provide promising molecular imaging biomarkers to more accurately and reliably detect and diagnose cancers and genetic disorders. Since current manual FISH signal analysis is low-efficient and inconsistent, which limits its clinical utility, developing automated FISH image scanning systems and computer-aided detection (CAD) schemes has been attracting research interests. To acquire high-resolution FISH images in a multi-spectral scanning mode, a huge amount of image data with the stack of the multiple three-dimensional (3-D) image slices is generated from a single specimen. Automated preprocessing these scanned images to eliminate the non-useful and redundant data is important to make the automated FISH tests acceptable in clinical applications. In this study, a dual-detector fluorescence image scanning system was applied to scan four specimen slides with FISH-probed chromosome X. A CAD scheme was developed to detect analyzable interphase cells and map the multiple imaging slices recorded FISH-probed signals into the 2-D projection images. CAD scheme was then applied to each projection image to detect analyzable interphase cells using an adaptive multiple-threshold algorithm, identify FISH-probed signals using a top-hat transform, and compute the ratios between the normal and abnormal cells. To assess CAD performance, the FISH-probed signals were also independently visually detected by an observer. The Kappa coefficients for agreement between CAD and observer ranged from 0.69 to 1.0 in detecting/counting FISH signal spots in four testing samples. The study demonstrated the feasibility of automated FISH signal analysis that applying a CAD scheme to the automated generated 2-D projection images.
Engineered Microdevices for Single Cell Immunological Assay

Microdevices have been used as effective experimental tools for the rapid and multiplexed analysis of individual cells in single-cell assays. Technological advances for miniaturizing such systems and the optimization of delicate controls in micron-sized space homing cells have motivated many researchers from diverse fields (e.g., cancer research, stem cell research, therapeutic agent development, etc.) to employ microtools in their scientific research. Microtools allow high-throughput, multiplexed analysis of single cells, and they are not limited by the lack of large samples. These characteristics may significantly benefit the study of immune cells, where the number of cells available for testing is usually limited. In this review, I present an overview of several microtools that are currently available for single-cell analyses in two popular formats: microarrays and microfluidic microdevices. Then, I discuss the potential to study human immunology on the single-cell level, and I highlight several recent examples of immunoassays performed with single-cell microdevice assays. Finally, I discuss the outlook for the development of of microdevices for studies on single immune cells presents novel opportunities for the qualitative and quantitative characterization of immune cells and may lead to a comprehensive understanding of fundamental aspects of human immunology.
Accelerator diagnosis and control by neutral nets

It is suggested that neural nets (NN) provide a good metaphor for large complex systems (LCSs). It can be argued that NNs are logically equivalent to multiloop feedback-forward control of faulty systems and therefore provide an ideal adaptive control system. Thus, while AI (artificial intelligence) may be appropriate for maintaining a golden orbit, NNs should be appropriate for obtaining it via a quantitative approach to look and adjust methods (such as operator tweaking) which use pattern recognition to address hardware and software limitations, inaccuracies, errors, and imprecise knowledge or understanding of effects such as annealing and hysteresis. Insights from NNs allow one to define feasibility conditions for LCSs in terms of design constraints and tolerances. Hardware and software implications are discussed and several LCSs of current interest are compared and contrasted. >
Technology, Energy, and Civilization: Some Historical Observations

The degree of development (or, if you prefer, material civilization) of any society is set by the size of its surplus (the total amount it produces minus the amount needed for the bare subsistence of the population) and the uses to which the surplus is put. In Emerson's wise words, “The question of history is what each generation has done with its surplus produce. One bought crusades, one churches, one villas, one horses and one railroads.” The size of the surplus is, in turn, determined by four factors: the amount of energy available to the society, the society's technology, the mix of its economy, and the size of its population. Until comparatively recently, energy was, with the important exception of sailing ships, provided exclusively by human or animal power.1 Two important steps forward were the invention of the watermill and that of the windmill; their development will be discussed later. Nevertheless, it has been estimated that until the Industrial Revolution, some 80–85 percent of total energy was provided by plants, animals, and people.2 This means that the basic factors determining the amount of energy available to a society were the amount of land (arable, pasture, and woodland) it had at its disposal and the land's productivity. Land “was not simply the principal source of food for the population [the other being the seas and rivers] but also virtually the sole source of the raw materials used in industrial production”—fibers, hides, hair, wood, and so forth; almost all industrial workers were engaged in processing agricultural materials.
EFFECT OF ATOMIC ELECTRON SCREENING ON THE SHAPE OF FORBIDDEN BETA SPECTRA

In Fermi's theory of beta decay the influence of the atomic electrons on the shape of the spectra is often disregarded since the influence is small except at low energies. However, there is some interest in knowing exactly how small it is. This paper gives an approximate calculation of the screening effect, both for allowed and for forbidden spectra. The Thomas-Fermi model for the atomic electrons and WKB approximations for the wave functions of the emitted particles are used. The results for the allowed spectra agree with those of Rose and of Longmire and Brown. The calculations for the forbidden spectra lead to a simple rule for finding the screening effect in any specific case.
InGaAs-Schottky contacts made by in situ plated and evaporated Pt-an analysis based on DC and noise characteristics

The choice of plated versus evaporated Pt Schottky anode formation technology is shown to have a significant impact on junction quality and the noise temperature of InGaAs mixer diodes. The investigated diode layers were grown in-house via Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) on an S.I. InP wafer. For anode diameters at and below 2 /spl mu/m, plated anodes clearly show superior fabrication (/spl sim/80%) yields relative to evaporated (below /spl sim/5%). DC and low-/high-frequency noise characteristics were compared, as functions of DC current drive, for plated versus evaporated InGaAs Schottky contacts at 10 Hz-100 kHz and 1.4 GHz for 4- and 6- /spl mu/m anode diameters. Plated anodes show distinctly lower ideality factors of /spl sim/1.2 versus /spl sim/1.4-1.66 for evaporated anodes. Plated Schottky contacts showed 5.5 dB lower noise levels in the range of 10 Hz-100 kHz and a lower noise temperature (220 K versus 360 K) at 1.4 GHz. Overall, relative to conventional evaporated Pt, plated Pt anode technology offers superior fabrication yield and should lead to higher receiver sensitivity especially when low IF frequencies are used.
Plexins Are GTPase-Activating Proteins for Rap and Are Activated by Induced Dimerization

Plexins are cell surface receptors that bind to semaphorins and transduce signals that regulate neuronal development, immune responses, and other processes. Signaling through plexins has been proposed to rely on specific guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase)–activating protein (GAP) activity for R-Ras and M-Ras. Activation of this GAP activity of plexins appears to require simultaneous binding of semaphorin to the plexin extracellular domain and of the Rho GTPases Rac1 or Rnd1 to the cytoplasmic region. However, GAP activity of plexins has eluded detection in several recent studies. We show that the purified cytoplasmic region of plexin uses a noncanonical catalytic mechanism to act as a GAP for Rap, but not for R-Ras or M-Ras. The RapGAP activity of plexins was autoinhibited and was activated by induced dimerization. Biochemical and crystallographic analyses demonstrated that binding of Rho GTPases did not directly contribute to activation of plexin RapGAP activity. Semaphorin stimulated the RapGAP activity of full-length plexin in cells, which was required for plexin-mediated neuronal growth cone collapse. Together, these findings define a pathway for plexin signaling and provide insights into the mechanism for semaphorin-induced activation of plexins.
Characterization of a novel heparan sulfate proteoglycan found in the extracellular matrix of liver sinusoids and basement membranes.

A novel heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) present in the extracellular matrix of rat liver has been partially characterized. Proteoglycans were purified from a high salt extract of total microsomes from rat liver and found to consist predominantly (approximately 90%) of HSPG. A polyclonal antiserum raised against this fraction specifically recognized HSPG by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting. The intact, fully glycosylated HSPG migrated as a broad smear (150-300 kD) by SDS-PAGE, but after deglycosylation with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid only a single approximately 40-kD band was seen. By immunocytochemistry this HSPG was localized in the perisinusoidal space of Disse associated with irregular clumps of basement membrane-like extracellular matrix material, some of which was closely associated with the hepatocyte sinusoidal cell surface. It was also localized in biosynthetic compartments (rough ER and Golgi cisternae) of hepatocytes, suggesting that this HSPG is synthesized and deposited in the space of Disse by the hepatocyte. The anti-liver HSPG IgG also stained basement membranes of hepatic blood vessels and bile ducts as well as those of kidney and several other organs (heart, pancreas, and intestine). An antibody that recognizes the basement membrane HSPG found in the rat glomerular basement membrane did not precipitate the 150-300-kD rat liver HSPG. We conclude that the liver sinusoidal space of Disse contains a novel population of HSPG that differs in its overall size, its distribution and in the size of its core protein from other HSPG (i.e., membrane-intercalated HSPG) previously described in rat liver. It also differs in its core protein size from HSPG purified from other extracellular matrix sources. This population of HSPG appears to be a member of the basement membrane HSPG family.
C'mon part, do the local motion!

We describe a new control method for vibrations-based planar manipulation. We've developed a device-the Universal Planar Manipulator (UPM)-based on a single, horizontally-vibrating plate. Though minimalist in construction (one moving part), the UPM can manipulate several parts on its surface in parallel, simply using friction. The authors previously showed (1998) that a sequence of rigid plate rotations can be computed which produces pre-specified part displacements. Here we present a new method based on a special motion primitive-the "jet"-which displaces a chosen part in a desired direction while keeping all others still. Parallel manipulation then reduces to a round-robin application of jets. This technique is both faster and more robust than the old rotations-based method. Experiments on parallel trajectory following and part sorting are presented. With jets, the UPM becomes a practical technology for applications such as part singulation, feeding, sorting, food handling, product displays, and interactive devices such as active desks and toys.
Estimates of Liquid Species Diffusivities in N-Propanol/Glycerol Mixture Droplets Burning in Reduced Gravity

Results from International Space Station experiments on combustion of n-propanol/glycerol droplets are reported. The initial n-propanol mass fraction was 0.95 and droplets had initial diameters in the 2 – 5 mm range. Some droplets were fiber supported while others were free floating, and the environment was either an oxygen/nitrogen mixture at 1 atm or an oxygen/helium mixture at pressures of 1 and 3 atm. The droplets burned in a multi-stage manner where n-propanol was preferentially evaporated during the early stages of combustion. The resulting buildup of glycerol in the liquid at the droplet surface led to sudden droplet heating and flame contraction. The experimental data are evaluated to provide burning rates, radiometer outputs, and droplet diameters as functions of time. These data are used to calculate effective liquid species diffusivities, D, using asymptotic theory. The D values can be substantially larger than molecular diffusivities in some cases, indicative of the presence of strong convective mixing. It was found that support fibers can decrease D values and that high burning rates can substantially increase D. These variations are attributed to changes in droplet internal flow patterns.
The Relationship Between Resources and Human Migration Patterns in Central Kamchatka During the Post-Soviet Period

This paper examines the relationship between resources and migration in post-Soviet Kamchatka (Russian Far East). During the post-Soviet period of socio-economic hardship, migration trends have changed drastically both in central Kamchatka and throughout the Russian Far East. I predicted that there would be a clear relationship between resource scarcity and people’s decisions to leave in search of more propitious opportunities. Against the backdrop of economic decline, out-migration prevailed in central Kamchatka throughout the post-Soviet period; however, migration patterns among villages in this rural and resource-dependent region diverge considerably. Villages in central Kamchatka facing a local natural resource crisis show greater net negative migration than those with a relatively intact resource base. Such variation is notable, given the relatively contained area of the study; it suggests migration patterns are closely tied to ecological conditions. Besides socioeconomic and ecological factors, historical circumstances also influence migration patterns. The decision to migrate is complex, arising from the interaction of socioeconomic, political, ecological, and historical conditions.
Heteroduplex molecules cause sexing errors in a standard molecular protocol for avian sexing

Molecular methods are a necessary tool for sexing monomorphic birds. These molecular approaches are usually reliable, but sexing protocols should be evaluated carefully because biochemical interactions may lead to errors. We optimized laboratory protocols for genetic sexing of a monomorphic shorebird, the upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), using two independent sets of primers, P2/P8 and 2550F/2718R, to amplify regions of the sexlinked CHD-Z and CHD-W genes. We discovered polymorphisms in the region of the CHD-Z intron amplified by the primers P2/P8 which caused four males to be misidentified as females (n = 90 mated pairs). We cloned and sequenced one CHD-W allele (370 bp) and three CHD-Z alleles in our population: Z (335 bp), Z′ (331 bp) and Z′′ (330 bp). Normal (ZZ) males showed one band in agarose gel analysis and were easily differentiated from females (ZW), which showed two bands. However, males heterozygous for CHD-Z alleles
Deterministic and Fuzzy Simulation of Household Financial Planning

Long-term household financial planning requires flexible, realistic financial planning instruments. This study focuses on the simulation of expenditures for discretionary and nondiscretionary goods and services and the incorporation of uncertainty into a long-term financial planning model. Particular emphasis is given to German financial planning literature and consumer expenditure data sets. Simulation of typical household situations illustrates the effects of family and career planning as well as fuzzy financial data on the amount and crispness of the periodical net surplus. These deterministic and fuzzy simulations are found to be more flexible and exact in predicting household expenditures for different household compositions.
Carotid-dural arteriovenous fistula during use of an oral contraceptive.

Most spontaneous carotid-cavernous fistulas occur in patients over age 45 with a 2:1 predilection to occur in women. Under age 45 the syndrome typically afflicts pregnant postpartum or postabortal women. In the case reported in this article the symptoms were coincidental with the use of an oral contraceptive (OC). Headache frequently unilateral is an almost constant complaint. A 20-year old college student reported right frontotemporal head pain for 3 months. The most severe headaches were bilateral and sometimes accompanied by nausea but were never associated with diplopia scotomas blurred vision conjunctival injections tearing or rhinorrhea. The young woman had experienced infrequent muscle contraction headaches since age 16 but the present headaches differed in both frequency and quality. 6 months before seeing a neurologist she began use of an OC containing 0.5 mg of norgestrel and 0.05 mg of ethinyl estradiol. Headaches could not be correlated with any phase of the OC cyle. Neurological examination was normal. There was no evidence of endocrinologic dysfunction other than depression of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone levels and a mildly elevated prolactin level (30 ng/ml) as would be expected of a person using an OC. A right carotid angiogram demonstrated a wedge-shaped blush posterior to the dorsum sellae at the basal venous plexus fed by the meningohypophyseal branch of the intracavernous segment of the right internal carotid artery which filled when the cavernous segment of the right internal carotid artery was first opacified. Venous drainage proceeded via the basilar plexus to the cavernous sinus anteriorly via the superior ophthalmic vein into the facial vein and caudally into the pterygoid plexus. Left carotid and vertebral circulations were normal. Left carotid and vertebral were normal. The OC was stopped and within 3 weeks the headache disappeared. 3 months later the prolactin level was normal. 6 months later a right carotid angiogram was normal. The headache has not recurred in 4 years; she has not become pregnant. The mechanism by which pregnancy and parturition predispose a woman to develop carotid-cavernous shunts is unknown. The close temporal relationship of stopping OC use and cessation of head pain is felt to be more than a chance occurrence.
Frozen-section evaluation of cervical adenocarcinoma at time of radical trachelectomy : Pathologic pitfalls and the application of an objective scoring system

Objective To analyze the incidence of diagnostic discrepancy between frozen-section and final diagnosis of the endocervical margin at time of radical trachelectomy and to apply an objective scoring system to non-invasive endocervical glandular atypia to determine its utility in distinguishing benign from malignant lesions.
The influence of light on the growth of watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.)

In stream ecosystems, the growth of aquatic primary producers is affected by spatial and temporal variations in the riparian canopy, which can influence the availability of light resources. Aquatic plants can acclimate to low light environments by employing a suite of morphological or physiological mechanisms to increase light capture or photosynthetic efficiency. Some species may also use alternate types of propagules to colonize environments with heterogeneous light environments. In a greenhouse experiment we examined the morphological and physiological response of watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) to a gradient of increasing light levels, which ranged from 7% ambient light to full sunlight. We also determined if watercress seedlings and vegetative fragments differed in their growth response to increasing light levels. Total biomass and root biomass of seedlings and vegetative fragments decreased with decreasing light levels. The difference in plant biomass across treatments was due to morphological changes in total canopy area and leaf area, both of which increased with decreasing light levels. Seedlings and vegetative fragments did not differ in their response to light availability, but vegetative fragments had higher final biomass as a result of higher initial biomass. Physiological acclimation to low light levels appears to be of secondary importance for watercress as the concentrations of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and chlorophyll a:b did not differ among light levels or between seedlings and vegetative fragments. Seedlings and vegetative fragments grown under high light levels had a greater percentage of carbon and a lower percentage of nitrogen than plants grown under low light conditions. The results of this study indicate that watercress displays considerable morphological plasticity and acclimates to low light conditions primarily by increasing leaf area and canopy surface area. There is no evidence that the type of watercress propagule (seedling vs. vegetative fragment) imparts any growth advantage in low light environments and watercress grown from either type of propagule showed no differences in their morphological or physiological responses to varying light regimes.
Nitrogen sources and sinks within the middle Rio Grande, New Mexico

Relationships between discharge, land use, and nitrogen sources and sinks were developed using 5 years of synoptic sampling along a 300 km reach of the Rio Grande in central New Mexico. Average river discharge was higher during 2001 and 2005 "wet years" (15 m 3 /s) than during the drought years of 2002-04 "dry years" (8.9 m 3 /s), but there were no differences in nitrogen loading from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) which were the largest and most consistent source of nitrogen to the river (1,330 kg/day). Average total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) concentrations remained elevated for 180 km downstream of the Albuquerque WWTP averaging 1.2 mg/l in wet years and 0.52 mg/l in dry years. Possible explanations for the constant elevated TDN concentrations downstream of the major point source include reduced nitrogen retention capacity, minimal contact with riparian or channel vegetation, large suspended sediment loads, and low algal biomass. Somewhat surprisingly, agricultural return flows had lower average nitrogen concentrations than river water originally diverted to agriculture in both wet (0.81 mg/l) and dry years (0.19 mg/l), indicating that the agricultural system is a sink for nitrogen. Lower average nitrogen concentrations in the river during the dry years can be explained by the input of agricultural returns which comprise the majority of river flow in dry years.
Prehospital experience with defibrillation of coarse ventricular fibrillation : a ten-year review

Early defibrillation of patients with coarse ventricular fibrillation has been implicated as a predictor of survival in prehospital cardiac arrest. A retrospective study of our experience with prehospital defibrillation was conducted to define the relationship between rapid delivery of first countershock and survival, determine whether a relationship exists between the number of countershocks delivered and the save rate, and assist clinicians with general guidelines for termination of advanced life support efforts in the presence of ventricular fibrillation refractory to multiple defibrillation attempts. During the ten-year study period, adult, nontraumatic, nonpoisoned, witnessed arrests with an initial rhythm of coarse ventricular fibrillation were reviewed. Of 1,497 patients, 25% survived, 13% were paramedic-witnessed (PW) arrests, and 87% were nonparamedic-witnessed (NPW) arrests. The mean PW shock time, defined as time from arrest to first shock, was 1.6 ± 3.7 minutes with a save rate of 37%. The mean NPW shock time was 10.2 ± 5.1 minutes with a save rate of 23% ( P ⩽ .001). Thirty-two percent of PW arrests were converted to a spontaneous rhythm with pulses after the first countershock compared with 9% of NPW arrests ( P ⩽ .001). There was a dramatic decrease in PW arrests obtaining a perfusing rhythm after the first countershock attempt with each minute delay in electrical countershock up to three minutes; a plateau effect was evident after three minutes. Of PW arrests, 73% had a shock time of less than three minutes and 27% had a shock time of more than three minutes with save rates of 41% and 24%, respectively ( P ⩽ .04). A linear drop in the save rate was present with each defibrillation attempt up to five; then a plateau was reached. Delivery of more than nine shocks during resuscitation was associated with a survival rate of only 0.5%. Our data support the concept that each minute delay in delivery of first countershock in prehospital coarse ventricular fibrillation can dramatically affect survival. Early and timely institution of defibrillation of patients whose initial rhythm is coarse ventricular fibrillation should be the goal of prehospital personnel.
A capacitorless double-gate DRAM cell

A capacitorless double-gate DRAM (DG-DRAM) cell is proposed in this study. Its dual gates and thin body reduce off state leakage and. disturb problems. Dopant fluctuations, which can be particularly important in high-density arrays, are avoided by using a thin, lightly doped body. The cell's large body coefficient ((dV/sub T/)/(dV/sub BD/) transforms small gains of body potential into increased drain current. MEDICI simulations for 85/spl deg/C show that a DG-DRAM cell may sustain a measurable change in drain current several hundred milliseconds after programming. These characteristics suggest that a thin body, double-gate cell is an interesting candidate for high density DRAM technologies.
Dermatologic Manifestations of Zoonotic Diseases in Exotic Animals

Abstract Zoonotic diseases are an important consideration when caring for an exotic pet population. Often zoonoses present as dermatologic problems, and recognition of dermatologic manifestations will facilitate an early diagnosis and prevent the spread of disease within an animal population and to humans. Although many zoonotic diseases have systemic manifestations, this article will focus on bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic diseases with dermatologic components in exotic pets and zoo animals.
Effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on Communication and Speech for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a popular communication-training program for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This meta-analysis reviews the current ...
EFFECT OF GENERIC ADVERTISING ON THE DEMAND FOR FLUID MILK: THE CASE OF THE TEXAS MARKET ORDER

(Haidacher, Blaylock, and Myers), Whole milk and This analysis indicates that generic advertising lowfat milk make up the bulk of fluid components. expenditures, ceteris paribus, generated rightward Giventhe importanceoffluidmilk products tothe shifts in demand for fluid milk in the Texas Market dairy industy, it is important to conduct regional Order over the period January 1980 to September analyses to determine whether advertising efforts 1988. Generally, the results from this study are in an stimulate rightward shifts in demand. In this agreement with previous research efforts which sug- light, the research reported in this paper attempted gest that generic advertising can increase the de- to identify and assess the effect of generic advertismand for fluid milk. Importantly, in this analysis, the g on thedemandforfluid milkintheTexas Market impacts of television and radio advertising have OrderovertheperiodofJanuary 1980toSeptember been effectively disentangled. Television advertis- 1988 In this study, fluid milk refers to the aggregate ing generates a response that wears off more quickly of whole milk, percent lowfat milk, 2 percent than radio advertising. Also, the long-run effect of lowfat milk, and skim milk. Promotion efforts durradio advertising is about 1.75 times greater than the ing this period were conducted primarily by way of long-run effect of television advertising. television anradio. Attemptsweremadetoseparate advertising expenditures by media type and measure the corresponding change in demand. distributed lag models Four federal marketing orders currently operate in aYb^~~~~~ ~~~Texas
Getting it started: A year to remember

![Figure][1] We have all been given this amazing gift and privilege of serving patients every day, and we should never doubt that ASHP is always behind us. Good afternoon, and welcome to Denver. I am truly honored to report to you what has been happening over the last year. You might
A Model-Based Approach for Species Abundance Quantification Based on Shotgun Metagenomic Data

The human microbiome, which includes the collective microbes residing in or on the human body, has a profound influence on the human health. DNA sequencing technology has made the large-scale human microbiome studies possible by using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. One important aspect of data analysis of such metagenomic data is to quantify the bacterial abundances based on the metagenomic sequencing data. Existing methods almost always quantify such abundances one sample at a time, which ignore certain systematic differences in read coverage along the genomes due to GC contents, copy number variation and the bacterial origin of replication. In order to account for such differences in read counts, we propose a multi-sample Poisson model to quantify microbial abundances based on read counts that are assigned to species-specific taxonomic markers. Our model takes into account the marker-specific effects when normalizing the sequencing count data in order to obtain more accurate quantification of the species abundances. Compared to currently available methods on simulated data and real data sets, our method has demonstrated an improved accuracy in bacterial abundance quantification, which leads to more biologically interesting results from downstream data analysis.