cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The word and generator problems for lattices

Abstract We present polynomial-time algorithms for the uniform word problem and for the generator problem for lattices. The algorithms are derived from novel, prooftheoretic approaches. We prove that both problems are log-space complete for P , but can be solved in deterministic logarithmic space in the case of free lattices. We also show that the more general problem of testing whether a given open sentence is true in all lattices is co-NP complete.
Social stress, mortality and aggression in colonies and burrowing habitats.

High mortality was found within six mixed-sex groups of Long-Evans rats living in burrowing habitats with 58% of subordinate males dying within 4 mo. of group formation. By contrast, no subordinate deaths occured during this time in six identical adult groups(3 males and 3 females) housed in similar (1 m square) colony cages without burrows. Although aggression against intruders was also much greater in habitats than colonies --through 400 days postformation--subordinate deaths did not appear to result from direct physical injury. It seems that mimicing key features of the rat's environment enhances intermale conflict and social stress, even while providing partial protection from biting attack. Behav. Proc.:
General Bohm and Langmuir Conditions for a Strong Double Layer in Space Plasmas

We investigate the general Bohm and Langmuir conditions for a strong double layer and show that in some cases these do not necessarily imply a net current through the double layer as is now the popular belief. We demonstrate this by deriving the appropriate Bohm and Langmuir conditions when there are three beam-type particles passing through the double layer in addition to the usual two species of trapped particles.
Transmission properties of lightguide fibres coated at a line speed of 10 m/s

We report the transmission characteristics of high-speed-coated lightguide fibres; the evaluation is based on a total length of 90 km of single-mode fibre. For this experiment the line speed was varied from 2 to 10 m/s, and each sample length obtained from a preform was ~ 10 km. We found that the average losses of the fibres coated at three different speeds (2, 5 and 10 m/s) are all ~ 0.4 dB/km at 1.32 ?m.
Implications of Authoritarianism for Young Adulthood: Longitudinal Analysis of College Experiences and Future Goals

Longitudinal data were used to explore links between right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and young adult development. Analyses demonstrated that 4 years of college were related to reductions in RWA and that high-RWA participants who majored in the liberal arts had lower grade point averages. No grade effects were found for students in the professional schools. Explanations centered on the difficulty that high-RWA students might have with the ambiguous nature of liberal arts knowledge (e.g., hermeneutics, conflicting theories and data). In terms of goals after graduation, men and women high on authoritarianism had different expectations. Men scoring high on RWA focused on career goals, whereas high-RWA women experienced career confusion and expected marriage to entail increased responsibilities without personal rewards. Both genders high on RWA were also uninterested in exploring aspects of identity. Although focused on young adulthood, this study suggests that links exist between developmental theory in gen...
Improved Catalytic Efficiency and Active Site Modification of 1,4-β-d-Glucan Glucohydrolase A from Thermotoga neapolitana by Directed Evolution

Abstract Thermotoga neapolitana 1,4-β-d-glucan glucohydrolase A preferentially hydrolyzes cello-oligomers, such as cellotetraose, releasing single glucose moieties from the reducing end of the cello-oligosaccharide chain. Using directed evolution techniques of error-prone PCR and mutant library screening, a variant glucan glucohydrolase has been isolated that hydrolyzes the disaccharide, cellobiose, at a 31% greater rate than its wild type (WT) predecessor. The mutant library, expressed in Escherichia coli, was screened at 85 °C for increased hydrolysis of cellobiose, a native substrate rather than a chromogenic analog, using a continuous, thermostable coupled enzyme assay. The Vmax for the mutant was 108 ± 3 units mg-1, whereas that of the WT was 75 ± 2 units mg-1. The Km for both proteins was nearly the same. The kcat for the new enzyme increased by 31% and its catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) for cellobiose also rose by 31% as compared with the parent. The nucleotide sequence of two positive clones and two null clones identified 11 single base shifts. The nucleotide transition in the most active clone caused an isoleucine to threonine amino acid substitution at position 170. Structural models for I170T and WT proteins were derived by sequence homology with Protein Data Bank code 1BGA from Paenibacillus polymyxa. Analysis of the WT and I170T model structures indicated that the substitution in the mutant enzyme repositioned the conserved catalytic residue Asn-163 and reconfigured entry to the active site.
Seeding the Universe

Cosmic Strings and Other Topoiogical Defects. By A. Vilenkin and E. P. S. Shellard Cambridge University Press: 1995. Pp. 459. £60, $100.
The II2 bubble chamber used as a low-energy neutron spectrometer and the application of this technique to the determination of the panofsky ratio

A hydrogen bubble chamber has been used as a neutron spectrometer for the 8.9 MeV « radiative » neutrons emitted in the capture of π- mesons by protons. These neutrons were detected by observing their recoil protons, and their energy was derived from the angles and ranges of the recoils. The neutron energy spectrum thus obtained exhibited a sharp peak (full-width at half-maximum of ∼ 0.7 MeV) at the correct energy. Two independent techniques were used to subtract background from this peak; they yielded the same result. The absolute detection efficiency was calculated from the known n-p cross-section and the dimensions of the chamber by a Monte-Carlo technique. When the net count in the energy peak is corrected by the detection efficiency and compared to total number of pions stopping in the chamber we obtain a value for the Panofsky ratio of 1.53±0.10. The neutron energy spectrum was further analyzed to determine the mass of the π- meson, yielding:mπ-= (273.0±0.8)me. It is shown that the technique used here may he extended to neutron energies as low as ∼ 3 MeV.
That's the way the comet crumbles: Splitting Jupiter-family comets

Abstract Our current understanding of split, Jupiter-family comets is reviewed. The focus is on what recent studies of comets have told us about the nature of the splitting phenomenon. The goal is to not repeat the information given in recent reviews of split comets, but to build upon it. In particular, we discuss comets that have suffered splitting or fragmentation events in the past few years. These include comets (a) 57P/du Toit-Neujmin-Delporte, observed with a long train of fragments in 2002; (b) 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, which split in 1995 and was extensively studied during its relatively close passage to Earth in 2006, during which dozens of fragments were discovered and studied; and (c) 174P/Echeclus, a Centaur and potentially future JFC, which split in late 2005 and was the first such Centaur observed to do so. We also discuss recent observations by SOHO of split comets that are likely of short-period. The Spitzer Space Telescope has observed many JFCs and provided us with unprecedented detailed views of cometary debris trails, which may be thought of as a middle ground between “normal” ejection of micron-sized dust grains and the cleaving off of meter-to-kilometer sized fragments. We will also discuss potential breakthroughs in studying splitting JFCs that may come from future surveys.
Non-linearity of human renal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase; elimination by purification and correlation with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity.

Abstract Human renal (Na + + K + )-ATPase exhibits a non-linear reaction rate which can be eliminated by purification of the enzyme. The activity in the microsomes and the first several stages of purification is nearly zero after 8 minutes of assay. The reaction of the purified enzyme, however, is linear with assay time. This change to a linear reaction rate correlates with the loss of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity from the (Na + + K + )-ATPase preparation.
Managerial identification of competitors: accuracy and performance consequences

Previous research has examined what drives managerial identification of competitors and how well managers' perceived overall market structures match customer market structures. This research tests the proposition that the degree to which a manager accurately identifies competitors to his or her firm should improve firm performance. It examines this relationship in a longitudinal study of an emerging high-technology industry. Accuracy was associated with superior performance, but only when managers exhibited a detailed knowledge of the competition facing the firm. Accuracy in turn was negatively associated with the manager's industry experience. A firm's overall business experience demonstrated an inverted-U relationship with accuracy. Whether the firm's product had been certified by a third-party endorser in the industry was broadly related to accuracy, but overall had little relationship with performance.
Simple Resazurin-Based Microplate Assay for Measuring Chlamydia Infections

ABSTRACT The conventional method for quantification of Chlamydia infection using fluorescence microscopy typically involves time- and labor-intensive manual enumeration, which is not applicable for a large-scale analysis required for an inhibitory compound screen. In this study, an alamarBlue (resazurin) assay was adopted to measure Chlamydia infection by measuring the redox capability of infected host cells in a 96-well format. The assay provided measurements comparable to those of the conventional microscopy method while drastically reducing the time required for analysis.
Interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy implementation on a floating point multi-core digital signal processer

The transition of optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology from the lab environment towards the more challenging clinical and point-of-care settings is continuing at a rapid pace. On one hand this translation opens new opportunities and avenues for growth, while on the other hand it also presents a new set of challenges and constraints under which OCT systems have to operate. OCT systems in the clinical environment are not only required to be user friendly and easy to operate, but should also be portable, have a smaller form factor coupled with low cost and reduced power consumption. Digital signal processors (DSP) are in a unique position to satisfy the computational requirements for OCT at a much lower cost and power consumption compared to the existing platforms such as CPU and graphics processing units (GPUs). In this work, we describe the implementation of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy (ISAM) processing on a floating point multi-core DSP (C6678, Texas Instruments). ISAM is a computationally intensive data processing technique that is based on the re-sampling of the Fourier space of the data to yield spatially invariant transverse resolution in OCT. Preliminary results indicate that 2DISAM processing at 70,000 A-lines/sec and OCT at 180,000 A-lines/sec can be achieved with the current implementation using available DSP hardware.
Zero-temperature freezing in the three-dimensional kinetic Ising model

We investigate the relaxation of the Ising-Glauber model on a periodic cubic lattice after a quench to zero temperature. In contrast to the conventional picture from phase-ordering kinetics, we find the following: (i) Domains at long time are highly interpenetrating and topologically complex, with average genus growing algebraically with system size. (ii) The long-time state is almost never static, but rather contains ``blinker'' spins that can flip ad infinitum with no energy cost. (iii) The energy relaxation is extremely slow, with a characteristic time that grows exponentially with system size.
Cognitive and physiological components of test anxiety in real-life exams

In two experiments, students completed indices of worry, emotionality, and task-generated interference immediately after a midterm exam. Pulse rate was also assessed in the second experiment. Worry, emotionality, and task-generated interference correlated positively with each other and negatively with performance. Heart rate correlated positively with worry and emotionality but was unrelated to task-generated interference and performance. In both experiments, two-way (High-low subject general test level ×Sex) MANOVAs revealed a consistent effect for Anxiety level, but not for Sex or the Sex ×Anxiety interaction. High-anxious subjects performed poorer, had higher pulse rates, and reported more worry, emotionality, and task-generated interference than low-anxious subjects. The high-anxious subjects also reported more worry than either emotionality or task-generated interference, which did not differ. Regressions of state anxiety measures on performance demonstrated that only worry regressed upon performance. Thus, comparisons among means and regression analyses suggested that worry was the most important source of anxiety interference.
Nonpneumatic Antishock Garment Combined with Bakri Balloon as a Nonoperative “Uterine Sandwich” for Temporization of Massive Postpartum Hemorrhage from Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is an uncommon but potentially catastrophic complication of postpartum hemorrhage. We describe two cases of massive postpartum hemorrhage complicated by DIC that were successfully temporized with combined use of the Bakri balloon and nonpneumatic antishock garment (NASG) during massive transfusion. In the first case, a healthy, term gravida underwent emergent cesarean for fetal bradycardia during labor induction. 10 minutes after completion of surgery, brisk vaginal hemorrhage of nonclotting blood from fulminant DIC resulted in maternal shock. A Bakri balloon and NASG were placed during massive transfusion, resulting in rapid maternal stabilization. In the second case, a healthy, term gravida suffered an amniotic fluid embolism during labor requiring emergent cesarean delivery and complicated by cardiac arrest with successful resuscitation. Postoperative rapid uterine bleeding from DIC was treated with a Bakri balloon and NASG, stabilizing the patient during massive transfusion. Neither patient required further surgical procedures. NASG combined with Bakri balloon may serve as a valuable nonoperative treatment or temporization option in cases of massive postpartum hemorrhage complicated by coagulopathy such as these. Further study of the utility of NASG in high-resource settings is warranted.
TU‐C‐204B‐01: Reduce Patient Dose and Improve Image Quality in CBCT for Image Guided Radiotherapy

Introduction: We have demonstrated that cone beam CT(CBCT)image quality was substantially improved in terms of eliminating scatter related artifacts and enhancing contrast‐to‐noise ratio, using a 1D grid placed between the x‐ray source and the imaging object. The grid serves to physically reduce scatter while also enabling measurements of scatter simultaneously for post‐scan scatter correction. A full set of CBCTimages can be generated from the partially‐blocked imaging data using either one‐ or dual‐rotation modes. Using one‐rotation has particularly the advantage of reducing imagingdose by a factor of two in comparison to conventional CBCT. The tradeoff is that longitudinal resolution is degraded. This study evaluates the feasibility of using CBCTimages from the single‐rotation mode for image‐guidedradiotherapy(IGRT).Methods and material: A lead grid of approximately 1‐mm septa width and interspace was placed at a source‐to‐grid distance of approximately 30‐cm in a Varian Trilogy CBCT system for the single‐rotation mode. An anthropomorphic pelvis phantom was used for the test. Various steps in imaging processing were performed for each projection, including measuring the scatter distribution, performing scatter correction, deriving imaginginformation in the grid penumbral regions by dividing the projection with a blank scan, and interpolating the remaining blocked information. Rigid body image fusion was performed for the reconstructedCBCTimages with the simulation CT, and compared with CBCTimages from the two‐rotation and conventional CBCT.Results: The single‐rotation CBCTimages showed substantially reduced scatter‐related artifacts. Despite the degradation in longitudinal resolution, the visibility of anatomic structures (an important requirement of IGRT) was not significantly affected. The auto‐registration error was 0.8±0.3 mm in longitudinal direction, and was negligible in AP and lateral directions and three rotational directions. Conclusion:CBCTimages from the single‐rotation mode can achieve reasonable longitudinal resolution for anatomic structure visualization and accurate auto‐registration in IGRT.
Bioremediation of petroleum-impacted soils from investigation-derived wastes

Optimal conditions for bioremediation of investigation-derived wastes from petroleum-impacted soils (PIS) were determined through biotreatability experiments. The PIS was collected as extruded cores obtained during sample drilling. These samples were processed into workable media prior to treatment in bioreactors. Soil moisture content in the bioreactors was adjusted to 30 percent, 40 percent, 50 percent (control), and 60 percent, dry-weight basis, and nutrient levels were adjusted by applying fertilizer, yielding carbon (C) to nitrogen (N) ratios of 20:1, 10:1, and 5:1, versus a control C:N ratio of 140:1. Temperature, pH, viable bacterial plate counts, contaminant degradation rate, and microbial respiration were monitored. Concentrations of three selected branched alkanes in the aviation fuel contaminant, measured by gas chromatography, decreased for most treatments. The greatest degradation occurred with a moisture content of 40 percent and C:N ratio of 5:1. Increased contaminant degradation was consistent with increased microbial activity measured by respiration. There was poorer correlation between contaminant degradation and viable plate counts, which suggests that respirometry is a better measure of activity of the microbial population responsible for contaminant degradation. General plate counts, which enumerate only a fraction of the total population, may not be a reliable quantitative indicator of the actual microorganism population that is responsible for degradation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Infrared Mirror-Scatter Measurements

A technique is described for measuring near-axis scatter of infrared (10.6 μm) energy from high-reflectivity metal mirrors. Typical scatter data are presented for several samples. The data are applicable to optical instruments such as the Lyot Coronagraph. The measurement apparatus is described in detail. Surface roughness and contamination are considered. The preparation of the surfaces is discussed in detail.
Applying Popular Usability Heuristics to Gesture Interaction in the Vehicle

Recent technological advances have led to the ability to reliably track the human body at low cost, allowing for the proliferation of Air Gesture (AG) interfaces. It has been proposed that AGs may be a safe and effective way to interact with in-vehicle technologies. However, designers do not presently have a well developed/adapted set of heuristics, which they can consult to ensure their designs are suitable for the driving environment. This paper aims to address this by discussing how a popular set of human-computer interaction heuristics can be applied to AGs in the vehicle.
Rapid synthesis of isotopically labelled methanes

The reaction between carbon monoxide and hydrogen to form water and methane proceeds quantitatively in a single pass through a supported Ni catalyst bed at 250 – 350°C in an atmospheric-pressure flow system. The system described is capable of rapid, continuous production of isotopically labelled methanes.
Noninvasive Measurements of Integrin Microclustering under Altered Membrane Cholesterol Levels

Reported herein is a method that can be used to study the role of cholesterol in the microclustering of a ubiquitous class of membrane receptors, termed integrins. Integrin microclustering was measured using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay that does not require direct attachment of fluorescent donors or acceptors onto the integrins, and thus minimizes unwanted perturbations to integrin clustering. Membrane cholesterol levels were reduced using methyl-β-cyclodextrin (mβCD), as confirmed by Amplex Red assays of total cellular lipid or plasma membrane lipid extract. Subsequent changes in integrin microclustering were measured in cells expressing wild-type (WT) or mutant integrins. Although less integrin microclustering was measured after 27% membrane cholesterol depletion in a cell line expressing WT integrins, there was no statistically significant change for cells expressing α-cytoplasmic integrin mutants after a 45% reduction in plasma membrane cholesterol, and a significant increase in clustering for cells expressing ligand-binding domain integrin mutants after a 57% decrease in membrane cholesterol. These results are explained by differences in WT and mutant integrin partitioning into lipid nanodomains. Restoration of original cholesterol levels was used to confirm that the measured changes in membrane properties were cholesterol-dependent. No correlations between lipid diffusion and integrin microclustering were measured by means of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching using a fluorescent lipid mimetic. Similar lipid diffusion coefficients were measured after cholesterol depletion, irrespective of the integrins being expressed.
FERAL SWINE AS A POTENTIAL AMPLIFYING HOST FOR VESICULAR STOMATITIS VIRUS NEW JERSEY SEROTYPE ON OSSABAW ISLAND, GEORGIA

Sentinel feral swine (Sus scrofa) on Ossabaw Island, Georgia (USA), were serologically monitored for antibodies to vesicular stomatitis New Jersey serotype (VSNJ) virus from 17 April to 27 August 1990. Seroconversions to VSNJ virus were detected in 24% of swine island-wide. Differences in the incidence of seroconversion were detected between swine sampled in the Pleistocene and Holocene formations of the island suggesting that the presence of virus is forest type dependent. Based on the consistency in onset and spatial distribution of seroconversions with data from 1981 to 1985, this is a very stable host-parasite system. Sequential virus isolation attempts from nasal swabs, tonsil swabs, and blood were made on a subsample of 54 sentinel swine from 9 May to 4 July 1990. The VSNJ virus was isolated from five swine from 16 May to 20 June. Vesicular lesions were detected on only two of these animals. Although infections in these feral swine were short-lived (<7 days) and were followed by a strong neutralizin...
Tax Policy and Shareholder Wealth: Some Evidence from the Tax Reform Act of 1986

This paper presents additional evidence regarding the stock market reaction to the Tax Reform Act (TRA) of 1986. A prediction model of the change in the profitability index for thirty-three industry groups as a result of the TRA is developed. This prediction model is then tested by examining abnormal industry returns surrounding the announcement of the TRA. The authors find that the distribution of the abnormal returns is related to the distribution of the predicted changes in industry equity investment returns, which suggests that the stock market was efficient in the pricing of news related to the TRA of 1986.
Preserved learning and memory following 5-fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide treatment in rats

Some patients experience enduring cognitive impairment after cancer treatment, a condition termed “chemofog”. Animal models allow assessment of chemotherapy effects on learning and memory per se, independent of changes due to cancer itself or associated health consequences such as depression. The present study examined the long-term learning and memory effects of a chemotherapy cocktail used widely in the treatment of breast cancer, consisting of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and cyclophosphamide (CYP). Eighty 5-month old male F344 rats received contextual and cued fear conditioning before treatment with saline, or a low or high dose drug cocktail (50 mg/kg CYP and 75 mg/kg 5FU, or 75 mg/kg CYP and 120 mg/kg 5FU, i.p., respectively) every 30 days for 2 months. After a 2-month, no-drug recovery, both long-term retention and new task acquisition in the water maze and 14-unit T-maze were assessed. Neither dose of the CYP/5FU cocktail impaired retrograde fear memory despite marked toxicity documented by enduring weight loss and 50% mortality at the higher dose. Acquisition in the water maze and Stone maze was also normal relative to controls in rats treated with CYP/5FU. The results contribute to a growing literature suggesting that learning and memory mediated by the hippocampus can be relatively resistant to chemotherapy. Future investigation may need to focus on assessments of processing speed, executive function and attention, and the possible interactive contribution of cancer itself and aging to the post-treatment development of cognitive impairment.
The Relationship to Crimes of Physical Resources

A land use coding system was developed to code the physical resources within 75 police beats in metropolitan Honolulu. Code categories included eating places, transient residences, permanent residences, personal services, alcohol consumption, and so on. Data on reported offenses during a four-year period were then correlated with physical resource data, yielding information on the relationship between the frequency of specific offenses and the physical resources contained in the geographical areas where the offenses occurred. The correlations indicated five patterns of reasonable magnitude and consistency: vandalism was strongly correlated with the number of permanent residences; burglary was moderately correlated with permanent and transient residences, alcohol consumption, and entertainment; forgery had moderate to strong correlations with retail stores, commercial offices, eating places, and a variety of services; property crimes and violent crimes had moderate to strong f correlations with eating plac...
Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Mutant Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein Can Detect and Treat Peritoneal Cancer

NV1066 is a herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) oncolytic mutant that contains the gene for enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). We sought to determine (1) whether NV1066 is effective against human peritoneal cancer, (2) whether EGFP is detectable in an animal model of gastric cancer, and (3) whether EGFP expression can be used to assess oncolytic therapy in a minimally invasive, laparoscopic system. The current study demonstrates that NV1066 is cytotoxic to OCUM human gastric cancer cells in vitro and in an in vivo model of disseminated peritoneal gastric cancer. In vitro this human gastric cancer cell line is sensitive to NV1066. Lysis occurs in a dose-dependent fashion, achieving near-complete lysis even at multiplicities of infection (MOIs) as low as 0.01 by 7 days. NV1066 also replicates within OCUM cells and induces expression of GFP in a dose-dependent manner. At MOIs of 0.01 to 1, EGFP expression is seen by flow cytometry in 100% of OCUM cells within 5 days after infection. NV1066 effectively treats OCUM carcinomatosis in an in vivo model. After intraperitoneal administration of NV1066, macroscopic tumor foci express EGFP by direct laparoscopy with the appropriate fluorescent filtering. Noncancerous organs are not infected and do not express EGFP. We conclude that NV1066 has significant oncolytic activity in vitro and in vivo and reliably induces EGFP expression in infected tumor cells. Furthermore, EGFP expression in intraperitoneal tumors can be visualized laparoscopically, allowing detection and localization of viral gene therapy.
Illinois Debris-Mitigation EUV Applications Laboratory (IDEAL)

Gaseous discharge light sources are leading candidates for generating 13.5 nm wavelengths needed for next-generation optical lithography. Electrode debris reaching the first collector optic is a serious concern for device lifetime and cost of ownership. This paper describes the experimental setup and initial data obtained for testing secondary-plasma-based debris mitigation for EUV gas discharge light sources. Operation of a dense plasma focus, secondary RF debris mitigation system, and several in-situ diagnostics were successfully tested, achieving first measurements for debris attenuation. It was also found that fast ion and fast neutral particle erosion processes at the optical mirror location dominate over deposition of sputtered metal if a collimator or “foil trap” is positioned between the hot pinch plasma and the first collector optic.
Is there a chronometer hidden deep in the Sun

No support is found for the conventional view of the sunspot cycle, that there exists a large random walk in the phase of the cycle. Instead, both sunspots and the [D/H] solar/terrestrial weather indicator seem to be paced by an accurate clock inside the Sun.
Decreased membrane mechanical stability and in vivo loss of surface area reflect spectrin deficiencies in hereditary spherocytosis.

Abstract Whereas marked variations in the clinical manifestations of hereditary spherocytosis have long been recognized, we have only recently begun to define the molecular basis for this heterogeneity. An important unanswered question is whether decreased spectrin results in reduced membrane mechanical stability, and if this reduction in membrane mechanical stability can be related to in vivo surface area loss. Using the ektacytometer, we quantitated membrane surface area and stability in erythrocytes from 18 individuals with hereditary spherocytosis and deficiencies of spectrin (30-80% of normal spectrin level). Membrane mechanical stability was reduced and the magnitude of the reductions correlated with the spectrin content. Moreover, the reductions in mechanical stability correlated with in vivo loss of membrane surface area. These data indicate that decreased spectrin content results in reduced membrane mechanical stability and surface area loss in vivo. We conclude that partial deficiencies of spectrin, reductions in membrane mechanical stability, and loss of membrane surface area are directly related and are major features determining the heterogeneous clinical manifestations of hereditary spherocytosis.
Capitalism without contracts versus capitalists without capitalism: Comparing the influence of Chinese guanxi and Russian blat on marketization

Abstract This paper explores the role of favor exchange practices—Chinese guanxi and Russian blat —on investment and entrepreneurship. In both societies policies which supported marketization were undermined by actual institutions, including an insufficient legal structure for enforcing contracts. But cultural resources armed Chinese and Russians differently to react to these circumstances. Guanxi practice allowed people to create networks, to build trust, and to reach out. It was a tool which could be used to build enough trust to allow business transactions to succeed—capitalism without contracts. In contrast, Russian blat devolved into corruption, and faded in importance for ordinary citizens. Without a way to build trust or extend networks, Russians retreated into defensive involution, and engaged in predatory behavior against those outside their small circles of friends. Instead of capitalism without contracts, Russia suffered the depredations of capitalists without capitalism.
Analysis of internal and external energy flows associated with projected process improvements in biomass ethanol production

Possible improvements in biomass ethanol production are decribed involving heat-pumped distillation, steam-cycle heat integration, elimination of seed fermenters, pretreatment heat integration, advanced pretreatment, thermophilic DMC, and incrased carbohydrate yield to 90% of theoretical. Although speculative, a futuristic process incorporating these improvements may be useful for anticipating some features of a technologically mature biomass ethanol process, as well as for comparing ethanol production to more technologically mature energy-conversion processes. Relative to the current state-of-the-art National Renewable Energy Laboratory process design, the futuristic process has 101% higher electricity revenue, 31% hgiher ethanol revenue, and 35–39% higher overall revenue depending on the assumed ethanol value. The overall first-law thermodynamic efficiency is 43% for the current NREL design and 59% for the futuristic process. A general consideration of the costs associated with the process improvements examined indicates that: 1. Elimination of seed reactors, advanced pretreatment, and thermophilic DMC all have large potential cost reductions independent of their benefits with respect to increased surplus electricity; 2. Steam cycle improvements and pretreatment heat integration are expected to have modest cost benefits that are dependent on increased electricity revenues; and 3. The relative cost of heat-pumped distillation depends on scale, capital recovery, and electricity value, but is generally similar to the already low cost of conventional distillation provided that the fermentation broth has a reasonably high ethanol concentration.
The correlation between parallel patterns and multi-core benchmarks

Parallel Patterns can be thought of as standard solutions used to evaluate parallelism used in software. Multi-core benchmarks can be thought of as standard codes used for evaluating parallelism in hardware. In this document, we discuss the relationship and synergy between the ongoing development of parallel patterns and multi-core benchmarks, specifically discussing how they both can be beneficial to one another.
Distal Regulatory Elements Control MRF4 Gene Expression in Early and Late Myogenic Cell Populations

MRF4 is a muscle-specific tran- scription factor that belongs to a family of basic helix-loop-helix proteins known as the myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs). In vitro studies have shown that expression of the MRF4 gene is con- trolled by a proximal promoter element (2336 to 171) that binds the muscle-specific transcription factors MEF2 and myogenin to activate transcrip- tion. To examine further the regulatory elements necessary for endogenous MRF4 gene expression during development, transgenic mice were gener- ated that contained either a proximal MRF4 pro- moter-LacZ reporter gene (2336 MRF4-nLacZ )o r aMRF4-LacZ reporter gene containing 8.5 kb of 58 flanking sequence (28500 MRF4-nLacZ). Char- acterization of individual transgenic mouse lines throughout development revealed that expres- sion of both transgenes is restricted to skeletal muscle tissue. However, unlike previous in vitro data, the proximal promoter transgene exhibits only limited transcriptional activity at all devel- opmental time points, whereas the 28500 MRF4- nLacZ lines fully recapitulate the later develop- mental expression patterns and exhibit transcription in myotomal cells during somitic differentiation. Tissue culture analysis of myo- genic cells isolated from E12.5, E16.5, and adults confirmed that the 28500 MRF4-nLacZ transgene is expressed in greater than 90% of the myotubes for all myogenic populations. These results indi- cate that 8.5 kb of MRF4 58 flanking sequence contains all the regulatory elements necessary for lateMRF4expression and that at least some of these elements lie upstream of the 2336 proximal promoter. It is also likely that distant upstream regulatory sequences control early somiticMRF4 expression. These findings, coupled with previ- ous in vitro studies, suggest that the early and late developmental expression patterns of the MRF4 gene are controlled by distinct sets of regulatory elements. Dev. Dyn. 208:299-312, 1997.
Silent Nucleotide Substitutions during Evolution

Silent nucleotide substitutions in evolution are found by comparing homologous sequences of DNA from different organisms. Silent changes are common in the third bases of codons, so that no change takes place in the specified amino acid. Silent changes average about half of the total nucleotide substitutions during evolution of protein-coding regions of genes. Nucleotide substitutions also take place during evolution in non-coding regions of DNA, such as in intervening sequences and in sequences that precede and follow codon regions in genes. Deletions and additions from events of recombination, in addition to nucleotide substitutions, are common in these non-coding regions.
Reexamination of the Ag/Si(111)-√3 × √3 surface by scanning tunneling microscopy

Scanning tunneling microscope images of the Ag/Si(111)-\ensuremath{\surd}3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} \ensuremath{\surd}3 surface have a strong dependence on bias-voltage polarity. Empty-state images show a characteristic honeycomb pattern with two maxima per unit cell. Filled-state images show protrusions in the positions of Ag atoms in the honeycomb-chain-trimer (HCT) model. These images strongly support recent electronic-structure calculations that are based on the HCT model for this surface. The registration of the \ensuremath{\surd}3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} \ensuremath{\surd}3 features relative to the underlying Si(111) substrate is also measured. As part of this determination, the step height between adjacent \ensuremath{\surd}3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} \ensuremath{\surd}3 and 7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}7 areas is discussed in terms of the electronic structure of the two phases as measured by scanning tunneling spectroscopy.
Women's Liberation and Rates of Personal Violence (Suicide and Homicide)

Attitudes toward women's liberation as measured by the subscription rate to Ms Magazine were associated with the homicide rates of the states and, less clearly, with the suicide rates of women.
QUE94201 shergottite: Crystallization of a Martian basaltic magma

Abstract Basaltic shergottites are commonly described as having crystallized from magmas that contained entrained or cumulus pyroxenes. Complexly zoned clinopyroxenes in QUE94201, a newly recovered Antarctic shergottite, are similar to those formed during continuous growth in some lunar basaltic melts. Pyroxene cores have nuclei of magnesian pigeonite mantled by augite, in turn rimmed by strongly zoned ferroan pigeonite, with outer rims of pyroxferroite. Fe Ti oxide compositions indicate that this meteorite crystallized under relatively reducing conditions, more like lunar basalts than other shergottites. REE and other trace element abundances in zoned pyroxenes, maskelynite, and phosphates are consistent with continuous pyroxene crystallization from an evolving magma, punctuated by the appearance of new phases on the liquidus. The higher proportion of maskelynite in QUE94201 suggests that its composition may be closer to multiple saturation with pyroxenes + plagioclase than other shergottites, and all pyroxene zones show negative Eu anomalies. Thus, this meteorite may represent the first example of a Martian magma unaffected by crystal accumulation. The Fe/(Fe+Mg) ratio and proportions of incompatible elements (reflected in 4 modal% whitlockite) are high, implying that this is a fractionated melt. The calculated bulk REE pattern shows extreme LREE depletion, suggesting either less contamination with enriched crustal materials or a more LREE-depleted source than other basaltic shergottites.
When your Client Lives in a Rural Area Part II: Rural Professional Practice—Considerations for Nurses Providing Mental Health Care

Part I of this two-part article examined the rural health care delivery system within the framework of availability, accessibility, and acceptability of services. Traditional rural values were explored in relation to ruralities' health care-seeking behaviors, specifically mental health care. Part II highlights the opportunities and challenges of rural professional practice, particularly as they apply to nurses caring for those with emotional problems who need mental health services. Strategies are suggested to enhance the continuum of care for clients who live in environments with sparse resources.
Some Remarks about Dynamical Asymmetry

Model equations are studied for the purpose of gaining some understanding about the possible origins of strong $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ breaking. The equations are response equations in the octet space of $\mathrm{SU}(3)$. They have full $\mathrm{SU}(3)$ symmetry apart from electromagnetic and weak driving terms. A class of equations is described for which, amongst others, solutions exist such that (1) they are tilted with respect to the plane defined by the driving forces, thereby generating the formal equivalent of a Cabibbo angle, and (2) large asymmetries occur in a direction which is the one of hypercharge up to electromagnetic corrections.
Mass collaboration and data mining

Mass Collaboration is a new "P2P"-style approach to large-scale knowledge sharing, with applications in customer support, focused community development, and capturing knowledge distributed within large organizations. Effectively supporting this paradigm raises many technical challenges, and offers intriguing opportunities for mining massive amounts of data captured continually from user interactions. Data mining offers the promise of increased business intelligence, and also improved user experiences, leading to increased participation and greater quality in the knowledge that is captured, both of which are central objectives in Mass Collaboration. In this talk, I will introduce Mass Collaboration and discuss some important data mining related issues.
Aging in a rural place: the elusive source of well-being

Abstract The overall purpose of this study was to provide more insight into the explanation of the rural-urban paradox of perceived life condition through objective and subjective measures of rural within-group disparities. The objectives of the study were: (1) compare the general life condition and subjective well-being of four subgroups of the elderly: white males, white females, black males and black females; (2) determine the similarity of correlates of subjective well-being among the groups; and (3) determine qualitatively, some of the more elusive sources of well-being among the rural elderly as a group. Quantitative data on the life situation and morale of 365 rural by-passed elderly 65 years and older, and qualitative information on 30 corresponding adults were analyzed. The results from the quantitative analyses showed within-group socioeconomic differences among the rural elderly yet no differences in their morale. This finding paralleled that usually observed for rural-urban groups. This phenomena appeared to be explained qualitatively in part through associationistic theory or the extent to which older adults made positive associations with their rural environment. Several factors, elusive in nature, appeared to diminish differences in subjective well-being and they included: a strong sense of friend and neighbor network; a sense of personal space; and the ability to maintain a strong value system as seen through continued activities (gardening, visiting, helping), friend network exchange and religious participation. Implications for researchers and practitioners are provided.
Gravitational-wave physics

A new generation of interferometric gravitational-wave (GW) detectors has begun operations. They are rapidly approaching a level of sensitivity such that direct detection of GWs is possible (though not quite probable). A vigorous program of R&D and planned upgrades promises to improve sensitivity to the level that detection is very probable, converting these detectors into astrophysical observatories. In this talk, I give an overview of GW science, describing the basic physics of GWs and motivating their promise for astrophysics.
Small RNA expression from the oncogenic region of a highly oncogenic strain of herpesvirus saimiri

Herpesvirus saimiri induces acute lymphomas and leukemias in primates and rabbits. Sequence divergence of the right end unique region of the genome classifies virus strains into three groups (A, B, and C), and previous studies have demonstrated correlation between DNA grouping and oncogenicity. In order to relate different oncogenicity to the underlying molecular mechanisms, we reported earlier the expression of a bicistronic mRNA from the oncogenic region in a highly oncogenic group C strain, and the present study is the first report on small RNA transcripts from the same region. The transcripts and 6.2 kbp on the oncogenic region were sequenced and characterized. We show that four U-type small RNAs are expressed in tumor cells transformed by this strain, in contrast to the seven small RNAs reported from a weakly oncogenic group A strain. Sequence comparisons between the two strains showed that the right end region of strain 484–77 of group C is about 1 kbp shorter. The conserved 5′ AUUUA repeats of some small RNAs, and their proposed implication in lymphokine mRNA stabilization, are also discussed.
Fabrication and characterization of heteropolyacid (H3PW12O40)/directly polymerized sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymer composite membranes for higher temperature fuel cell applications

Abstract The feasibility of heteropolyacid (HPA)/sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) composite membranes for use in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells was investigated. Partially disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (BPSH) copolymers were prepared by direct aromatic nucleophilic copolymerization and solution-blended with a commercial HPA, phosphotungstic acid. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy band shifts showed that sulfonic acid groups on the polymer backbone interact with both bridging tungstic oxide and terminal tungstic oxide in the phosphotungstic acid molecule, indicative of an intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction between the copolymer and the HPA additive. The composite membranes generally exhibited a low HPA extraction after water vapor treatment, except for the 60 mol% disulfonated BPSH where significant HPA extraction from the composite membrane occurred because of excessive matrix swelling. The composite membrane not only had good thermal stability (decomposition temperature in nitrogen >300 °C), but also showed improved mechanical strength and lower water uptake than the unfilled membranes possibly due to the specific interaction. The composite membranes displayed good proton conductivity especially at elevated temperatures (e.g. 130 °C). For example, fully hydrated membranes consisting of 30 wt.% HPA and 70 wt.% BPSH with 40 mol% disulfonation had a conductivity of 0.08 S/cm at room temperature which linearly increased up to 0.15 S/cm at 130 °C. In contrast, the pure copolymer had a proton conductivity of 0.07 S/cm at room temperature only reached a maximum conductivity of 0.09 S/cm, most probably due to dehydration at elevated temperatures. The dehydration process was monitored by dynamic infrared spectra by observing the intensity reduction of the sulfonate group and distinctive changes of shape in the hydroxyl vibrations as the sample was heated. Combining infrared results with dynamic thermogravimetric data showed that the composite membrane had much higher water retention from 100 to 280 °C than the pure sulfonated copolymer. Those results suggested that the incorporation of HPA into these proton conducting copolymers should be good candidates for elevated temperature operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Application to operating fuel cells at high temperatures is now being investigated.