cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potassium isotope fractionation during high-temperature evaporation determined from the Trinity nuclear test

Abstract Trinitite materials are the post-detonation glassy residues formed from melting and evaporation of arkosic sands during the first nuclear detonation at the Trinity test site, New Mexico on 16th July, 1945. These trinitites provide useful materials for studying elemental and isotopic behaviors associated with high temperature melting and evaporation that is otherwise difficult to achieve under laboratory conditions. Using a high-precision method, we measured the potassium (K) isotopic compositions of six bulk trinitite samples taken at different distances from the epicenter of detonation of the Gadget (ground zero). 15 leachates and etchates of trinitite samples were also analyzed to examine the distribution of K within the samples. All trinitites but IF_m (taken within 10 m from the epicenter) show no resolvable K loss and span a narrow range in K isotopic compositions (δ41K: −0.42 ± 0.05‰ to −0.48 ± 0.05‰), revealing no discernible K isotopic fractionation from the Bulk Silicate Earth (BSE) value (−0.48 ± 0.03‰). Residues and etchates of the trinitite material are identical in composition to the bulk samples implying that K isotopes were homogeneous within the arkosic sand at the Trinity test site prior to the nuclear detonation. The most strongly melted green trinitite IF_m, is the only trinitite that shows loss of K (~7%) coupled with a resolvable heavier K isotope composition (0.2‰ higher in δ41K than the BSE value). This coupled K loss and isotopic fractionation corresponds to a fractionation factor (αvapor-melt) between 0.995 and 0.998 during the Trinity nuclear detonation. These results confirm that K isotopic fractionation occurs through evaporation processes at high temperatures. We also show that, compared with Zn isotopes measured in the same samples, the isotopes of K were significantly less fractionated during evaporation, indicating that K is less volatile during processes such as magma ocean degassing, volcanic outgassing, and impact volatile loss. Our findings support the concept that the heavy K isotopic composition observed in lunar mare basalts reflects the primary signature imprinted by the Moon-forming giant impact event.
Metallopolymerization as a Strategy to Translate Ligand-Modulated Chemoselectivity to Porous Catalysts

Porous catalysts have garnered substantial interest as potential platforms for group-transfer catalysis due to the ability to noncovalently colocalize substrates in proximity to site-isolated react...
A Systematic Review of Phonological Awareness Interventions for Latino Children in Early and Primary Grades

This article summarizes the findings of a systematic review of 15 group and two single-subject experimental design studies that evaluated the effectiveness of phonological awareness interventions f...
Research progress on the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex V in sepsis

Sepsis is a complex pathophysiological disorder arising from a systemic inflammatory response to infection.It is considered as a major cause of death among critically ill patients in intensive care units.Mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired oxidative phosphorylation have been implicated in the pathogenesis of sepsis.The mitochondrial respiratory chain complex V is the key enzyme of oxidative phosphorylation.It is response for ATP synthesis and there is a reduction of complex V activity in the early sepsis.However, in the late sepsis, under ischemic conditions, it accounts for significant ATP hydrolysis and the activity is up-regulation.Here, this review focuses on the changes of complex V activity, mechanism of regulation and therapy in sepsis. Key words: Sepsis; Complex V; Mitochondrial ATP synthase
Parallel Unary Computing Based on Function Derivatives

The binary number representation has dominated digital logic for decades due to its compact storage requirements. An alternative representation is the unary number system: We use N bits, from which the first M are 1 and the rest are 0 to represent the value M/N. One-hot representation is a variation of the unary number system where it has one 1 in the N bits, where the 1’s position represents its value. We present a novel method that first converts binary numbers to unary using thermometer (one-hot) encoders and then uses a “scaling network” followed by voting gates that we call “alternator logic,” followed by a decoder to convert the numbers back to the binary format. For monotonically increasing functions, the scaling network is all we need, which essentially uses only the routing resources and flip-flops on a typical FPGA architecture. Our method is clearly superior to the conventional binary implementation: Our area×delay cost is on average only 0.4%, 4%, and 39% of the binary method for 8-, 10-, and 12-bit resolutions, respectively, in thermometer encoding scheme, and 0.5%, 15%, and 147% in the one-hot encoding scheme. In terms of power efficiency, our one-hot method is between about 69× and 114× better compared to conventional binary.
Discrete ripples reflect a spectrum of synchronous spiking activity in human association cortex

Abstract Direct brain recordings have provided important insights into how persistent oscillatory activity support human memory retrieval, but the extent to which transient fluctuations in intracranial EEG (iEEG) captures the dynamic coordination of underlying neurons involved in memory processing remains unclear. Here, we simultaneously record iEEG, local field potential (LFP), and single unit activity in the human temporal cortex. We demonstrate that cortical ripples contribute to broadband high frequency activity and exhibit a spectrum of amplitudes and durations related to the amount of underlying neuronal spiking. Ripples in the macro-scale iEEG are related to the number and synchrony of ripples in the micro-scale LFP, which in turn are related to the synchrony of neuronal spiking. Our data suggest that neural activity in the human cortex is organized into dynamic, discrete packets of information.
The imperative for polar education

The polar regions are experiencing dramatic and tangible impacts due to climate change (IPCC, 2014; USGCRP, 2018). The Arctic is the first region on the planet to experience a major abrupt climate ...
Intrusive-Destructive Behaviors: Novel Behavioral Presentations of Patients With Co-Occurring Tourette Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

The Psychiatric Consultation Service at Massachusetts General Hospital sees medical and surgical inpatients with comorbid psychiatric symptoms and conditions. During their twice-weekly rounds, Dr Stern and other members of the Consultation Service discuss diagnosis and management of hospitalized patients with complex medical or surgical problems who also demonstrate psychiatric symptoms or conditions. These discussions have given rise to rounds reports that will prove useful for clinicians practicing at the interface of medicine and psychiatry.
Concomitant acute pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke due to paradoxical embolism from a patent foramen ovale: a case report.

A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a cause of paradoxical embolism. Although most patients with a PFO are asymptomatic, various clinical manifestations may be associated with PFO. The most important is a cryptogenic stroke. Concomitant acute pulmonary embolism (APE), acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to paradoxical embolism from a PFO are extremely rare. We describe a 77-year-old woman with a past medical history of hypertension who was transferred due to a sudden onset of dyspnea followed by cardiopulmonary arrest. Based on the patient’s medical history, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, coronary angiography, and a whole-body contrasted computed tomography, we diagnosed concomitant APE, AMI and AIS caused by a paradoxical embolism from a PFO. Appropriate knowledge of the pathophysiology of this rare critical illness is important for prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Infusing active learning into introductory programming courses

Since ancient times, it has been known that the best learning takes place when the students are actively involved in the learning process and are critically thinking. As an old Chinese proverb states:"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand".This paper discusses several specific active learning activities that were applied to introductory programming courses. An active and highly interactive classroom was created using these activities. Several of the problems with active learning cited in the literature were also overcome. The effectiveness of these activities was supported by increased student retention, grades, self-confidence, and student surveys.
Cerebrospinal fluid volume-depletion headaches in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury.

Object Patients with brachial plexus injury (BPI) present with a combination of motor weakness/paralysis, sensory deficits, and pain. Brachial plexus injury is generally not believed to be associated with headaches. However, CSF leaks may be associated with CSF volume–depletion (low-pressure) headaches and can occur in BPI secondary to nerve root avulsion. Only a few cases of headaches associated with BPI have been reported. It is unknown if headaches in patients with BPI occur so rarely, or if they are just unrecognized by physicians and/or patients in which the focus of attention is the affected limb. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of CSF volume–depletion headaches in patients with BPI. Methods All adult patients presenting at the Mayo brachial plexus clinic with traumatic BPI were asked to complete a questionnaire addressing the presence and quality of headaches following their injury. The patients' clinical, injury, and imaging characteristics were subsequently reviewed. Results...
Efficacy of soluble sodium tripolyphosphate amendments for the in-situ immobilisation of uranium

Environmental context. Contamination of groundwater and sediments by heavy metals and radioactive metals is a significant problem within the United States Department of Energy complex as a result of past nuclear operations. One way to remediate these metals is through reaction with phosphate compounds, which can immobilise the metals by forming highly stable metal phosphate compounds. Long-chain, water-soluble phosphate compounds provide a means to inject phosphate into subsurface contaminant plumes, to precipitate metal ions from solution. Results presented here illustrate that application of a soluble sodium tripolyphosphate to sediment contaminated with uranium will rapidly reduce the concentration of uranium in the pore water to concentrations near or below drinking water limits under water-saturated and unsaturated conditions. Abstract. A series of conventional water-saturated and pressurised unsaturated flow column experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of using soluble polyphosphate amendments for in-situ, subsurface remediation of uranium. Experiments were conducted under mildly alkaline, calcareous conditions, representative of conditions commonly encountered at sites across the arid western United States. Results presented here illustrate that application of a soluble polyphosphate amendment to sediment contaminated with uranium will rapidly reduce the concentration of uranium released to the porewater to near or below drinking water limits under water-saturated and -unsaturated conditions. Column experiments conducted in the absence of polyphosphate illustrate sustained release of aqueous uranium at concentrations well above drinking water standards in excess of over 25 pore volumes under water-saturated conditions and over 50 pore volumes under unsaturated conditions. In the presence of tripolyphosphate, the concentration of aqueous uranium released from the sediment was below drinking water limits within 10 to 35 pore volumes under water-saturated and unsaturated conditions, respectively. Moreover, results indicate the necessity of conducting site-specific dynamic tests to tailor phosphate-based remediation technology to site specific geochemical and hydrological conditions.
Long-term monitoring and experimental manipulation of a Chihuahuan desert ecosystem near Portal, Arizona (1977-2013).

Desert ecosystems have long served as model systems in the study of ecological concepts (e.g., competition, resource pulses, top-down/bottom-up dynamics). However, the inherent variability of resource availability in deserts, and hence consumer dynamics, can also make them challenging ecosystems to understand. Study of a Chihuahuan desert ecosystem near Portal, Arizona began in 1977. At this site, 24 experimental plots were established and divided among controls and experimental manipulations. Experimental manipulations over the years include removal of all or some rodent species, all or some ants, seed additions, and various alterations of the annual plant community. This dataset includes data previously available through an older data publication and adds 11 years of data. It also includes additional ant and weather data not previously available. These data have been used in a variety of publications documenting the effects of the experimental manipulations as well as the response of populations and communities to long-term changes in climate and habitat. Sampling is ongoing and additional data will be published in the future.
Racial differences in drug response: isoproterenol effects on heart rate following intravenous metoprolol.

Healthy young black men and white men received single intravenous doses of metoprolol (0.07 mg/kg) or participated in an isoproterenol sensitivity study before and after metoprolol (0.07 mg/kg followed by 50 µg/min) in a randomized, crossed-over fashion. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. The dose of isoproterenol versus change in heart rate response curves were constructed, and comparisons of dose ratio, ED50, Emax, and Ka, with the apparent association constant for metoprolol binding to β1receptors, were made. There were no pharmacokinetic differences observed between the groups. The predicted Emax for the black group was 52.7 ± 8.7 beats/mm at a metoprolol concentration of 29.8 ± 6.1 ng/ml, which was higher (p < 0.05) than that in the white group, i.e., 43.7 ± 7.3 beats/min at a concentration of 27.6 ± 9.1 ng/ml. There were no differences in dose ratio, ED50, or Ka. The racial differences in β1-receptor responses to exogenous isoproterenol following metoprolol can simply be explained by an increase in β1-receptor activity in the black subjects, assuming homogeneity in cardiac β2-receptor responses. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1989) 45, 380–386; doi:10.1038/clpt.1989.44
Making tungsten targets using tungsten oxide powder

Abstract A straightforward method of making tungsten targets from tungsten oxide powder on Cu backing is presented. A ceramic crucible containing WO3 powder placed on a copper foil is heated in hydrogen atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 650 up to 850 °C. The resulting thickness of tungsten deposited in our trials was in the range of 0.5–3.4 mg/cm2.
Integrating Sex Therapy Interventions with Couple Therapy

This conceptual/clinical paper presents a couple, integrative, psychobiosocial model of assessment, treatment, and relapse prevention for common sexual dysfunctions. The goal is to encourage couple therapists to integrate sexual permission-giving, scientifically and clinically relevant sexual information and guidelines, and specific sexual suggestions/interventions into their couple work. The artificial barriers between couple and sex therapy is to the detriment of couples who need to address intimacy and sexuality problems.
Interactive computation of holograms using a look-up table

Several methods of increasing the speed and simplicity of the computation of off-axis transmission holograms are presented, with applications to the real-time display ofholographic images. The bipolar intensity approach allows for the real-valued linear summation of interference fringes, a factor of 2 speed increase, and the elimination of image noise caused by object self-interference. An order of magnitude speed increase is obtained through the use of a precomputed look-up table containing a large array of elemental interference patterns corresponding to point source contributions from each of the possible locations in image space. Results achieved using a data-parallelsupercomputer to compute horizontal-parallaxonly holographic patterns containing six megasamples indicate that an image comprised of 10,000 points with arbitrary brightness (gray scale) can be computed in under 1 s. Implemented on a common workstation, the look-up table approach increases computation speed by a factor of 43.
Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and histone deacetylase activity induces apoptosis in non–small cell lung cancer in vitro and in vivo

Objective Resistance to histone deacetylase inhibitors in non–small cell lung cancer is mediated in part through activation of nuclear factor-κB through a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt–dependent pathway. We hypothesize that inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt will sensitize non–small cell lung cancer cells to histone deacetylase inhibitor-induced apoptosis. Methods Tumorigenic non–small cell lung cancer cell lines H157, H358, H460, and A549 were treated with nothing, the histone deacetylase inhibitor butyrate, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt inhibitor LY294002, or both compounds. Nuclear factor-κB activity was assessed by reporter gene assays and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of the nuclear factor-κB dependent genes cIAP-2 , Bfl/A1 , and MnSOD . Whole cell extracts were immunoblotted for phospho-Akt, Akt, and phospho-ser/thr-Akt substrate. Cell death and apoptosis were measured by crystal violet staining, caspase-3 activity, and DNA fragmentation. A549 non–small cell lung cancer xenografts were created in athymic nude mice, and tumor growth was assessed after treatments as noted above. Explanted tumors underwent terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling and Western blot analyses for apoptosis assessment and drug target validation, respectively. Results Butyrate activated nuclear factor-κB–dependent transcription, and LY294002 abrogated this effect. Combined treatment induced more apoptosis and cell death in vitro compared with either drug alone as measured by caspase-3, DNA fragmentation, and clonogenic survival. Combined butyrate and LY294002 was tumoristatic in vivo, but all other xenografts grew. This decreased tumor growth correlated with more apoptosis in the xenografts treated with combined therapy. Tumor levels of phospho-Akt and acetylated histone H3 were decreased and increased, respectively, in xenografts treated with combined therapy. Conclusions Combined histone deacetylase inhibitor and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway inhibition sensitized non–small cell lung cancer xenografts to apoptosis. Further investigations of this combined therapy are warranted as new pharmacologic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway inhibitors are developed.
Increased epicardial adipose tissue is associated with coronary artery disease and major adverse cardiovascular events

Abstract Background : Increased-epicardial-adipose tissue (EAT) is associated with the presence and severity of subclinical-atherosclerosis. This study investigates the long-term clinical-outcome of subjects with and without increased-EAT. Methods : Two hundred and forty-five subjects, aged 61 ± 9 years and 34% women underwent clinically-indicated computed-tomography-angiography (CTA), and body-surface-area adjusted EAT was measured and were followed prospectively. CTA-diagnosed coronary-artery-disease (CAD) was defined as obstructive (luminal-stenosis ≥50%), non-obstructive (luminal-stenosis: 1–49%) and zero-obstruction. Major-adverse-cardiac-event (MACE) was defined as myocardial-infarction or cardiovascular-death. Results : EAT increased significantly from subjects with zero-obstruction-coronaries (93 ± 37 cm 3 /m 2 ) to non-obstructive-CAD (132 ± 25 cm 3 /m 2 ) to obstructive-CAD (145 ± 35 cm 3 /m 2 ) ( P = 0.01). During the 48-month follow-up, the event-rate was 8.6% (21). The event free survival-rate decreased significantly from 99% in the lowest-quartile to 86.6% in the highest-quartile of EAT. After adjustment for risk-factors, the hazard ratio of MACE was 1.4, 3.1 and 5.7 in lower mid-, upper mid- and highest-quartiles of EAT as compared to lowest-quartile of EAT ( P Conclusion : Increased EAT is directly associated with CAD and predicts MACE independent of the age, gender and conventional-risk-factors.
Blue Electroluminescent Devices Fabricated from Silicon and Germanium Nanocrystals

Blue electroluminescent (EL) devices were fabricated with Si nanocrystals produced by ultrasonic fracturing of porous silicon (PSi) as well as silicon and germanium nanocrystals synthesized through a control chemical reaction. The active EL material consists of Si and Ge nanocrystals embedded in various host matrices such as polyvinylcarbazole (PVK), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), silica sol-gels and other organic polymers and small organic molecules. Several device configurations were used to induce EL processes that rely on radiative electron-hole recombination within the nanocrystals. We report on the optical and electrical properties of these devices. Applications for these EL devices include highly efficient light emitting devices. The cost and ease of processing of these material systems make them potentially ideal for flat panel display applications.
Corporate governance and incentives in German companies: Evidence from top executive turnover and firm performance

This paper examines executive turnover—both for management and supervisory boards—and its relation to firm performance in the largest companies in Germany in the 1980s. Turnover of the management board increases significantly with poor stock performance and particularly poor (i.e. negative) earnings, but is unrelated to sales growth and earnings growth. These turnover-performance relations do not vary with measures of stock ownership and bank voting power. Supervisory board appointments and turnover also increase with poor stock performance, but are unrelated to other measures of performance.
Effects of Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling on a K20 GPU

Improving energy efficiency is an ongoing challenge in HPC because of the ever-increasing need for performance coupled with power and economic constraints. Though GPU-accelerated heterogeneous computing systems are capable of delivering impressive performance, it is necessary to explore all available power-aware technologies to meet the inevitable energy efficiency challenge. In this paper, we experimentally study the impacts of DVFS on application performance and energy efficiency for GPU computing and compare them with those of DVFS for CPU computing. Based on a power-aware heterogeneous system that includes dual Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs and the latest Nvidia K20c Kepler GPU, the study provides numerous new insights, general trends and exceptions of DVFS for GPU computing. In general, the effects of DVFS on a GPU differ from those of DVFS on a CPU. For example, on a GPU running compute-bound high-performance and high-throughput workloads, the system performance and the power consumption are approximately proportional to the GPU frequency. Hence, with a permissible power limit, increasing the GPU frequency leads to better performance without incurring a noticeable increase in energy. This paper further provides detailed analytical explanations of the causes of the observed trends and exceptions. The findings presented in this paper have the potential to impact future CPU and GPU architectures to achieve better energy efficiency and point out directions for designing effective DVFS schedulers for heterogeneous systems.
Plasmodium berghei: Immunogenic enhancement of antigen by adjuvant addition

Abstract Vaccines consisting of soluble Plasmodium berghei antigen in conjunction with a variety of adjuvants were injected into weanling white rats. Protective immunity, as evidenced by a lower mortality rate, reduced parasitemia and shortened course of infection, was induced by antigen in combination with the following adjuvants: saponin, hexylamine, Bordetella pertussis vaccine, levamisole, and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C). Soluble antigen alone or combined with Freund's complete adjuvant, bacterial cndotoxin, vitamin A, polyadenylic-polyuredelic acid (poly A:U) failed to induce any significant degree of protective immunity.
Production of autoantibodies to cellular antigens by human B cells transformed by Epstein-Barr virus

Abstract Lymphocytes obtained from the blood of three patients who lacked clinical and serologic evidence of autoimmunity were inoculated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and plated in microwell cultures at low cell densities. Large numbers of the resulting transformed cell lines produced IgM autoantibodies which reacted by ELISA with antigens in cultured human fibroblasts. Precursor frequencies of autoantibody-secreting transformed cells ranged from 27 to 630 per 10 6 cells. Autoantibodies from 20 ELISA-positive cell lines were studied by indirect immunofluorescence and found to react with a variety of highly conserved cellular antigens. Eleven cell lines were tested for the production of multiple isotypes; six of these cell lines produced both IgM and IgG autoantibodies. Findings point to the existence in normal human beings of a sizable population of B cells committed to synthesize a broad spectrum of autoantibodies and demonstrate that EBV transformation provides a potent tool for exploring the normal human B-cell repertoire.
Nutrient limitation of Microcystis aeruginosa in northern California Klamath River reservoirs

Nutrient limitations were investigated in Copco and Iron Gate Reservoirs, on the Klamath River in California, where blooms of the toxin-producing cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa were first reported in 2005. Nutrient enrichment experiments conducted in situ in June and August, 2007 and 2008, determined responses in phytoplankton biomass, Microcystis abundance and microcystin concentration to additions of phosphorus and different forms of nitrogen (NH4+, NO3, and urea). Microcystis abundance was determined using quantitative PCR targeting the phycocyanin intergenic spacer cpcBA. Total phytoplankton biomass increased with additions of N both before and during Microcystis blooms, with no primary effects from P, suggesting overall N limitation for phytoplankton growth during the summer season. NH4+ generally produced the greatest response in phytoplankton growth, while Microcystis abundance increased in response to all forms of N. Microcystis doubling time in the in situ experiments was 1.24–1.39 days when N was not limiting growth. The results from this study suggest availability of N during the summer is a key growth-limiting factor for the initiation and maintenance of toxic Microcystis blooms in Copco and Iron Gate Reservoirs in the Klamath River.
Edge-respecting brushes

Digital paint is one of the more successful interactive applications of computing. Brushes that apply various effects to an image have been central to this success. Current painting techniques ignore the underlying image. By considering that image we can help the user paint more effectively. There are algorithms that assist in selecting regions to paint including flood fill, intelligent scissors and graph cut. Selected regions and the algorithms to create them introduce conceptual layers between the user and the painting task. We propose a series of "edge-respecting brushes" that spread paint or other effects according to the edges and texture of the image being modified. This restores the simple painting metaphor while providing assistance in working with the shapes already in the image. Our most successful fill brush algorithm uses competing least-cost-paths to identify what should be selected and what should not.
The Detection of Gamma-Rays with Thallium-Activated Sodium Iodide Crystals

Thallium-activated sodium iodide crystals may be used as efficient detectors of gamma-rays and other ionizing radiations. The crystals are used in combination with a photo-multiplier after the manner of Kallmann. Curves are given which show the duration of the light emission process, the distribution of light pulse sizes, the energy discrimination possibilities, and the dependence of number of counting events on photo-multiplier voltage and amplifier gain. Comparison curves are shown for NaI(Tl) and anthracene. A description is given of the method of preparation of polycrystalline samples and single crystal specimens of the sodium iodidethallium phosphor. A few remarks are made concerning the combination of alkali halide phosphor crystals with photographic plates.
Conifer colonization of a 350-year old rock fall at Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California

Montane conifers of western North America commonly colonize mineral surfaces resulting from landslides, lahars, mudflows, and rock avalanches. This colonization can include shade-tolerant conifers that may eventually dominate the forest in a pattern termed “direct” succession. Documenting examples of this long-term successional process are useful for identifying alternative successional trajectories and indicating potential controlling mechanisms for subsequent experimental analysis. This study (1) analyzes the 1992 status of the conifer colonization on the coarse-textured surface of a 1650 AD rock avalanche in northern California and (2) measures individual growth and survivorship in permanent plots between 1992 and 2003. Increment cores of large trees indicated initial conifer colonization before 1700 AD with continuous subsequent colonization. Mean conifer density in 1992 was 725 (SD = 747) ha−1 with densities increasing with decreasing rock sizes. Densities were not correlated with distances to possible seed sources. Median heights were <1 m, and the mean proportional height growth rate for healthy individuals was 0.0166 year−1. The mortality rate for individuals ≥0.1-m tall was <0.007 year−1. The conifers were more numerous than shrubs, and there was little apparent evidence of facilitation or inhibition of conifers. The species assemblage is mostly (89%) Abies concolor, Pinus monticola, and Pinus ponderosa individuals dispersed across an elevation range of 1870–2040 m a. s. l. This is an atypical species mix for these elevations in this location, and this mix is not readily predicted from species properties such as seed mass, seed flight distance, or drought tolerance.
The power and peril of board interlocks

Abstract In order to compete, firms must constantly gather and assess information that will help them identify and evaluate emerging opportunities. Their social context is instrumental in determining what information they have to work with and how they might make sense of and act upon that information. Unfortunately, many firms allow themselves to become under-connected, which isolates them from new sources of information, or over-reliant on just a few connections, creating a bottleneck for the flow of information. Herein, we describe how these problems manifest themselves among the network of interlocked directors, which is created when directors of firms sit on multiple boards. This network is so vast and complex that fully understanding the position and structure of a given firm's board interlocks remains elusive. Toward solving this problem, we offer five keys to developing a board with effective interlocks, as well as three cautions regarding how board interlocks could potentially hurt firms.
Cryptanalysis of a Public Key Encryption Scheme Using Ergodic Matrices

Shi-Hui et al. proposed a new public key cryptosystem using ergodic binary matrices. The security of the system is derived from some assumed hard problem based on ergodic matrices over GF(2). In this note, we show that breaking this system, with a security parameter n (public key of length 4n2 bits, secret key of length 2n bits and block length of length n2 bits), is equivalent to solving a set of n4 linear equations over GF(2) which renders this system insecure for practical choices of n.
Large crustal input to high δ 18 O anorthosite massifs of the southern Grenville Province: new evidence from the Morin Complex, Quebec

Mid-Proterozoic anorthosite-suite magmatism is a major volumetric component of the southern Grenville Province, and provides an important probe of the compositions and types of lower crustal rocks. The ∼1.15 Ga Morin Complex (Quebec) consists of two anorthosite plutons with distinct compositions. Plagioclase from the western lobe of the anorthosite has δ18O values that average 9.6 ± 0.7‰, which is ∼3‰ higher than the values found in “normal” anorthosites and in mantle-derived mafic igneous rocks worldwide. Plagioclase from the eastern lobe of the massif (deformed by the Morin Shear Zone) has δ18O values that average 8.7 ± 0.6‰, also high compared to mantle-derived rocks. Numerous lines of evidence, including homogeneity of δ18O values within individual plutons, O–Sr–Nd mixing relations, and preservation of igneous δ18O in adjacent mangerite units argue against anorthosite interaction with high δ18O fluids as the cause of the high δ18O values seen in both anorthosite lobes. High δ18O values are best explained as primary magmatic compositions resulting from melting and assimilation of crustal materials by the anorthosite's parent magma. The Morin and Marcy massifs are located in the Allochthonous Monocyclic Belt of the Grenville Province, and have the highest known δ18O values for anorthosites in the Grenville. Although the Monocyclic Belt is juvenile in terms of radiogenic isotope systematics, the new oxygen isotope data indicate the presence high δ18O supracrustal materials at the base of the crust, probably buried during the ∼1.2 Ga Elzevirian orogeny in the Monocyclic Belt prior to anorthosite magmatism. This process is not recognized in other parts of the Grenville Province and points to differences in the pre-1.2-Ga continental margins.
Topographic changes in contact lens-induced corneal warpage

Twenty-one eyes of 12 patients with contact lens-induced corneal warpage were followed prospectively using computer-assisted topographic analysis. Sixteen eyes had worn rigid contact lenses (13 eyes, polymethylmethacrylate; three eyes, gas-permeable), and five eyes had worn soft contact lenses. Initial corneal topographic patterns were characterized by the presence of central irregular astigmatism, loss of radial symmetry, and frequent reversal of the normal topographic pattern of progressive flattening of corneal contour from the center to the periphery. A correlation was noted between the initial corneal topography and the resting position of the contact lens on the cornea for nine of the 16 eyes with rigid contact lenses. Initial topography for each of these corneas showed relative flattening of the corneal contour underlying the resting position of a decentered contact lens. Superior-riding lenses produced a topography that simulated early keratoconus. After cessation of contact lens wear, 16 of 21 eyes had a change in corneal shape to a topography that was consistent with a normal pattern. Five corneas stabilized with an abnormal topographic pattern. A much longer time without contact lenses than had been previously reported, up to 5 months, was required for a return of a stable corneal topography in eyes with contact lens-induced corneal warpage caused by rigid lenses.
Risk of adverse events in treatment-resistant depression: propensity-score-matched comparison of antidepressant augment and switch strategies.

Abstract Objective The objective was to assess differences in adverse events between major depressive patients augmented with a second medication and patients switched to an alternative monotherapy after failing first-step treatment with citalopram. Method Adverse event profiles for second-step switch and augment medication strategies were compared using public data files from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial. In the STAR*D trial, participants failing citalopram selected acceptable next-step strategies and were randomized within acceptable strategies. This design resulted in clinically important differences when comparing across strategies, so a propensity-score-matched sample was created to compare switch (n=269) and augment (n=269) strategies. Results Incidence proportions of any adverse event and specific adverse events were similar between the augment and switch groups. The overall incidence proportion of any distressing event was 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72–0.84] in the augment group and 0.80 (95% CI 0.74–0.85) in the switch group. This contrasts unmatched analyses where distressing adverse events were less common in the augment group than the switch group (risk ratio 0.85, 95% CI 0.81–0.90). Conclusion After adjusting for selection bias inherent in the STAR*D comparison of augment with switch, clinically meaningful differences in the adverse event profiles between these treatment strategies were not observed.
Firing Dankov dolomites in a rotary furnace

Calcination of Dankov dolomites in a rotary furnace by the dry method is possible without the use of fluxing additions. Samples of dolomite from the top and bottom benches of the pit are calcined practically identically. The calcined dolomite in chemical composition and properties is suitable as metallurgical powder.
The treatment of market dominance

This paper first reviews the conceptual basis for Sherman Act treatments of market dominance. Chicago-UCLA objections to treatment are found to be weak and unproven. Then the results of leading past cases and of possible future candidates are discussed. A revival of Section 2 is needed, with extensive study of candidates, even if few firms are actually taken to legal action.
Finding Happiness in Japan’s Invisible Civil Society

Although happy New Left radical may seem like an oxymoron, many veterans of the protest cycle of the late 1960s-early 1970s in Japan seem to find happiness through political participation in an alternative invisible civil society. Guided by actor-network theory and utilizing long-term participant observation data, the study finds that participants bring distinctive cultural capital to their political activism and use their specialized skills to organize events and produce material objects that explain and promote their ideas. They derive personal enjoyment and a sense of purpose from the creative activities of “making and doing” that characterize their autonomous participation in the invisible civil society, and simultaneously build networks rich in social capital. Their activities meet the criteria for experiencing well-being or happiness both through strong network relations (social capital theory), and engaging in activities with autonomous motivation (self-determination theory).
Growth Factor Priming Differentially Modulates Components of the Extracellular Matrix Proteome in Chondrocytes and Synovium-Derived Stem Cells

To make progress in cartilage repair it is essential to optimize protocols for two-dimensional cell expansion. Chondrocytes and SDSCs are promising cell sources for cartilage repair. We previously observed that priming with a specific growth factor cocktail (1 ng/mL transforming growth factor-β1, 5 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor, and 10 ng/mL platelet-derived growth factor-BB) in two-dimensional culture, led to significant improvement in mechanical and biochemical properties of synovium-derived stem cell (SDSC)-seeded constructs. The current study assessed the effect of growth factor priming on the proteome of canine chondrocytes and SDSCs. In particular, growth factor priming modulated the proteins associated with the extracellular matrix in two-dimensional cultures of chondrocytes and SDSCs, inducing a partial dedifferentiation of chondrocytes (most proteins associated with cartilage were down-regulated in primed chondrocytes) and a partial differentiation of SDSCs (some collagen-related proteins were up-regulated in primed SDSCs). However, when chondrocytes and SDSCs were grown in pellet culture, growth factor-primed cells maintained their chondrogenic potential with respect to glycosaminoglycan and collagen production. In conclusion, the strength of the label-free proteomics technique is that it allows for the determination of changes in components of the extracellular matrix proteome in chondrocytes and SDSCs in response to growth factor priming, which could help in future tissue engineering strategies.
Advanced morpholino oligomers: A novel approach to antiviral therapy

Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) are synthetic antisense oligonucleotide analogs that are designed to interfere with translational processes by forming base-pair duplexes with specific RNA sequences. Positively charged PMOs (PMOplus™) are effective for the postexposure protection of two fulminant viral diseases, Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever in nonhuman primates, and this class of antisense agent may also have possibilities for treatment of other viral diseases. PMOs are highly stable, are effective by a variety of routes of administration, can be readily formulated in common isotonic delivery vehicles, and can be rapidly designed and synthesized. These are properties which may make PMOs good candidates for use during responses to emerging or reemerging viruses that may be insensitive to available therapies or for use during outbreaks, especially in regions that lack a modern medical infrastructure. While the efficacy of sequence-specific therapies can be limited by target-site sequence variations that occur between variants or by the emergence of resistant mutants during infections, various PMO design strategies can minimize these impacts. These strategies include the use of promiscuous bases such as inosine to compensate for predicted base-pair mismatches, the use of sequences that target conserved sites between viral strains, and the use of sequences that target host products that viruses utilize for infection.
The importance of various mechanical and circulatory postoperative pulmonary complications.

1)Postoperative pulmonary complications may be infectious, mechanical or circulatory. A review of the most important of these entities has been undertaken, viz. atelectasis, spontaneous pneumothorax and pulmonary embolism. 2)Certain preventive measures will materially lessen the frequency of occurrence of most of the above complications. 3)The treatment of each complication is given briefly. Stress is laid on early recognition of each condition and prompt institution of therapy. 4)Several case reports are related to illustrate a few of the corollaries stressed in this treatise.
Extinction of differentiated glial functions in somatic cell hybrids is incomplete

Abstract Rat glioma cells of clone C6 were hybridized in vitro with mouse L cells of clone A9 or with freshly isolated mouse macrophages, and the hybrids were assayed for glial cell functions. C6 cells expressed high levels of 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphohydrolase (CNP; EC 3.1.4.37), β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH; EC 1.1.1.30), glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH; EC 1.1.1.8), and inducibility of GPDH by hydrocortisone (HC). A9 cells and macrophages had very low activities of these functions. Hybrids between C6 and A9 or between C6 and macrophages had greatly reduced activities of these functions, but the hybrids expressed significantly higher activities than the non-glial parent. This incomplete extinction was not due to fusion of two glioma cells with one L cell or macrophage. The difference in GPDH activity in the hybrids as compared with the non-glial parent was due to incomplete shut-off of GPDH of the glial parent, and not to an increase in GPDH production by the non-glial genome.
Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationships of Selected Tricyclic Oxime O-Ethers as Potential Anticholinergic Agents

Selected isomeric and nonisomeric oxime O-ether derivatives of thioxanthone oxime were synthesized and evaluated for anticholinergic activity. The oxime O-ethers were prepared via O-alkylation of the oximate anion with appropriate aminoaklyl halides. Separation and isolation of the structural isomers were accomplished through dry-column chromatography. The racemic α-methyl isomer was resolved via formation of tartrate diastereomers, which were subsequently isolated. All synthesized compounds exhibited significant antimuscarinic activity. A comparison of the antimuscarinic activities of these compounds revealed that the racemic α-methyl isomer was the most potent and that the racemic β-methyl isomer was the least potent. Structure-activity relationships among the oxime O-ether derivatives synthesized are discussed.
Modern control theory and optimal drug regimens, I: the plateau effect

Abstract It is assumed that the pharmacokinetics of certain drugs (digitalis drugs, sulfa drugs, etc.) are described by a model of E. Kruger-Thiemer. An initial dose and regular maintenance doses are to be given so as to achieve body levels of the drug that show neither accumulation nor depletion (the plateau effect). The suggested dose regimens are displayed in the form of nomograms.
The effect of cycling through the hydride phase on isotherms for fcc Pd-rich alloys

Abstract The Pd–Ni, Pd–Co, Pd–Cr, Pd–Au, Pd–Rh, Pd–Mo and Pd–Pt fcc Pd-rich alloys have been found to exhibit large effects of cycling through the hydride phase. The effect of cycling Pd–Mo alloys is noticeable even at a composition of X Mo =0.02 whereas for Pd–Rh alloys it is not significant until X Rh >0.10. The dependence of the effect of the cycling on alloy composition will be reported here for the alloy systems Pd–Cr and Pd–Mo. The effect of cycling for a Pd–Ag alloy has also been determined. The temperature dependencies of the plateaux pressures of the cycled and the annealed alloy forms are reported for the Pd 0.95 Cr 0.05 alloy.