cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aggregation and dissolution of silver nanoparticles in natural surface water.

This study investigated aggregation and silver release of silver nanoparticles suspended in natural water in the absence and presence of artificial sun light. The influence of the capping layer was investigated using uncoated particles and particles coated with citrate or Tween 80. The experiments were conducted over 15 days in batch mode using a river water matrix. Silver release was monitored over this time while the aggregation state and morphological changes of the silver nanoparticles were tracked using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Results indicate sterically dispersed particles coated with Tween released silver quicker than did bare- and citrate-coated particles, which rapidly aggregated. A dissolved silver concentration of 40 μg/L was reached after just 6 h in the Tween-coated particle systems, accounting for ca. 3% of the total silver. Similar levels of dissolved silver were reached in the uncoated and citrate-coated systems at the end of the 15 days. Silver relea...
Cholecystostomy for noninflammatory disease

Cholecystostomy in patients with noninflammatory disease of the biliary tract has rarely been evaluated. Our experience with 124 patients suggests that, in addition to being helpful in inflammatory conditions, cholecystostomy is helpful in performing cholangiography, in removing stones and in decompressing an otherwise obstructed biliary tree. The mortality associated with this procedure is minimal, and the morbidity is 4.5 percent.
Intrastrand parity rules of DNA base composition and usage biases of synonymous codons.

When there are no biases in mutation and selection between the two strands of DNA, the 12 possible substitution rates of the four nucleotides reduces to six (type 1 parity rule or PR1), and the intrastrand average base composition is expected to be A = T and G = C at equilibrium without regard to the G + C content of DNA (type 2 parity rule or PR2). Significant deviations from the parity rules in the third codon letters of the four-codon amino acids result mostly from selective biases rather than mutational biases between the two strands of DNA during evolution. The parity rules lay the foundation for evaluating the biases in synonymous codon usage in terms of (1) directional mutation pressure for variation of the DNA G + C content due to mutational biases between α-bases (A or T) and γ-bases (G or C), (2) strand-bias mutation, for example, by DNA repair during transcription, and (3) functional selection in evolution, for example, due to tRNA abundance. The present analysis shows that, although the PR2 violation is common in the third codon letters of four-codon amino acids, the contribution of PR2 violation to the DNA G + C content of the third codon position is small and, in majority of cases, mildly counteracts the effect of the directional mutation pressure on the G + C content.
Frameworks and data initiatives for smart grid and other cyber-physical systems (invited keynote)

I describe the NIST smart grid framework and its applicability as a model for organizational efforts to advance cyber-physical systems, and provide an overview of smart grid data initiatives.
Research issues in data provenance

As the volume of scientific data increases, the need for automated data provenance has expanded. Currently, several provenance systems exist to aid users in recording and querying provenance data. They range from very specific programs designed to accomplish a small number of clearly defined tasks to broad-range applications intended to appeal to a wider audience. This paper discusses several provenance systems and describes some areas for future study.
Nematic polymers : hairpins, ringlets and excimer fluorescence

Short liquid crystalline polymers in a nematic environment are very unlikely to cyclise. Hairpins, abrupt chain folds, favour cyclisation. As a result the cyclisation rate constant exhibits a maximum as a function of chain length. The maximum corresponds to a new object, a “ringlet”. The rate constant also depends exponentially on temperature. This suggests excimer fluorescence as a probe of configurations and dynamics of main-chain liquid crystalline polymers.
Bibliographical Materials for Afrikaans Etymological Lexicography

Abstract: Afrikaans etymological lexicography has yet to see an analytic dictionary along the lines of Sigmund Feist's Gotisches etymologisches Worterbuch or Anatoly Liberman's An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology. Before an analytic dictionary of Afrikaans etymology can be written, a comprehensive bibliography of works and articles on the subject must first be brought together. This collection is a first step towards creating a resource for Afrikaans similar to Liberman's A Bibliography of English Etymology. Keywords: ETYMOLOGY, LEXICOGRAPHY, HISTORICAL LEXICOLOGY, DICTIONARIES,WORD STUDIES, BIBLIOGRAPHY, ANALYTIC, AFRIKAANS, HISTORICAL LINGUISTICS Opsomming: Bibliografiese materiaal vir die Afrikaanse etimologiese leksikografie.Die Afrikaanse etimologiese leksikografie moet nog 'n analitiese woordeboek krymin of meer soos Sigmund Feist se Gotisches etymologisches Worterbuch of Anatoly Liberman se AnAnalytic Dictionary of English Etymology. Voordat 'n analitiese woordeboek van die Afrikaanse etimologiegeskryf kan word, moet 'n omvattende bibliografie van werke en artikels oor die onderwerpeers bymekaargebring word. Hierdie versameling is 'n eerste stap tot die totstandbrengingvan 'n hulpmiddel vir Afrikaans soortgelyk aan Liberman se A Bibliography of English Etymology. Sleutelwoorde: ETIMOLOGIE, LEKSIKOGRAFIE, HISTORIESE LEKSIKOLOGIE, WOORDEBOEKE,WOORDSTUDIE, BIBLIOGRAFIE, ANALITIES, AFRIKAANS, HISTORIESE TAALKUNDE
Bone marrow–derived MCP1 required for experimental aortic aneurysm formation and smooth muscle phenotypic modulation

Objectives This study tested the hypothesis that monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP1) is required for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and smooth muscle phenotypic modulation in a mouse elastase perfusion model. Methods Infrarenal aortas of C57BL/6 (wild type [WT]) and MCP1 knockout (KO) mice were analyzed at 14 days after perfusion. Key cellular sources of MCP1 were identified using bone marrow transplantation. Cultured aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were treated with MCP1 to assess its potential to directly regulate SMC contractile protein expression and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Results Elastase perfused WT aortas had a mean dilation of 102% (n = 9) versus 53.7% for MCP1KO aortas (n = 9, P Conclusions These results have shown that MCP1 derived from bone marrow cells is required for experimental AAA formation and that retention of nonbone marrow MCP1 limits AAA compared with global depletion. This protein contributes to macrophage infiltration into the AAA and can act directly on SMCs to reduce contractile proteins and induce MMPs.
MR appearance of uterine dehiscence in the post-cesarean section patient.

Purpose: CT has been shown to be unreliable for detecting uterine dehiscence in the postoperative period after cesarean section (c-section). The purpose of this investigation is to describe the MR appearance of uterine dehiscence in this setting and identify features that distinguish complete from partial dehiscence. Method: Over an 82 month period, all charts and MR reports of patients that underwent MRI of the pelvis after c-section were reviewed for uterine dehiscence. Altogether. 55 patients were imaged. Positive cases for dehiscence were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists. Imaging criteria for complete dehiscence consisted of transmural disruption. Criteria for partial dehiscence consisted of disruption of the endometrial and/or serosal layer. without transmural extension. Results: On MRI, five patients demonstrated abnormalities suggestive of incisional dehiscence. Based on these imaging criteria. two of these showed complete dehiscence that was proven at surgery and three showed findings of partial dehiscence. The optimal imaging plane was perpendicular to the incision. Conclusion: MR features may be utilized to identify total uterine dehiscence and may be more effective than CT.
Seven steps to a better desk side manner

The Valparaiso University School of Law created a staff position within their Information Technology unit to accommodate the increasing number of faculty and their information technology needs for classroom support and academic pursuits. The biggest challenge this position faced was the inability to hold workshops for faculty due to their schedules. This leads to the curious case of working with each faculty on a one-to-one basis. Strategies needed to be created and executed to ensure that this position could reach out to any of the faculty on a moment's notice with effective instruction.The author created a set of strategies used as a foundation to meet the academic needs of faculty called "Seven Steps."The Seven Steps are: Understand the difference between tangible and intangibleSwitch things upManagement By Walking Around (MBWA) - be active, show upStop dwelling on the past regardless of whether it was good or badFind balance between standardization and personalization (tailoring)ObserveDo something extra.This paper will explore how these steps are applied and how they support effective technology outreach and instruction for faculty.
Peripheral resistance: a link between global airflow obstruction and regional ventilation distribution.

Airflow obstruction and heterogeneities in airway constriction and ventilation distribution are well-described prominent features of asthma. However, the mechanistic link between these global and r...
Processing information carried in a high frequency wave: Properties of cerebellar units in a high frequency electric fish

The mode of processing information in the electrosensory system of the South American weakly electric fishApteronotus albifrons (Gymnotoidae) was investigated at the level of the cerebellum. Single unit recordings were made with the fish immobilized with FlaxedilŖ and the response of the neurons to a moving object was monitored with and without “jamming”. As a jamming stimulus a sinusoidally modulated voltage with a frequency close to the fish's ownelectricorgandischarge (EOD) frequency was introduced into the experimental tank by means of two silverplate electrodes straddling the fish's body. The stimulus was frequency-clamped to the EOD to maintain a constant frequency difference (δF:=Ffish-Fstim) between the two signals. The response to the object deteriorates for δF frequencies >0 to about 10Hz to reappear at δF frequencies above 10 Hz (Fig. 3). The correlation of theaveragedresponsehistograms (ARH) of the “jammed” case with the undisturbed ARH reveals that the correlation coefficients are lowest when the clamped (=fish cannot escape jamming stimulus frequency) “jammingavoidanceresponse” (JAR) is highest (Fig. 4). In a second series of experiments (Figs. 5, 6) the response of the cerebellar units to the jamming stimulus alone shows that at the cerebellar level the system behaves like a band pass filter with a sharp cutoff between 0 Hz and 1 Hz and a less steep roll off towards 10 Hz, the 3 dB point being around 7 Hz. A model is proposed, showing that the information conveyed in amplitude or phase modulations of the high frequency carrier — the EOD — is converted by the receptors, which are tuned to the carrier frequency, into a frequency modulated spike train traveling along the primary afferent fibers and recovered by subsequent low frequency band pass filters at different stations in the CNS (the posterior lateral line lobe, an unknown intermediate and the cerebellum) (Fig. 8). The model suggests that the significance of the JAR is to shift the “low frequency noise”, i.e., the amplitude and phase fluctuations introduced by the jamming signal out of the pass band of the cerebellar units into a range where these units are insensitive to it. A comparison with the processing of auditory signals suggests that the mode of processing electrosensory information might be a general scheme for both modalities having the advantage of dealing with only one frequency and therefore being a useful tool to investigate all central aspects of extraction of features carried in a high frequency signal.
Pea root nodules containing more than one Rhizobium species

PARTICULAR species of legume are nodulated only by appropriate species of Rhizobium. Thus R. leguminosarum, R. phaseoli and R. trifolii nodulate peas, French beans and clover, respectively. The basis of this specificity between the two partners of the symbiosis is not understood. Complete specificity is not always found, however. Although R. trifolii does not normally nodulate peas, induced mutants of this species able to nodulate this host have been described1 and some strains of Rhizobium isolated from clover nodules nodulated both clover and peas2. Selected clover lines have been nodulated by R. leguminosarum3. It has been reported that a non-rhizobial contaminant can occur in soybean nodules4 and that the presence of R. trifolii may allow R. meliloti to occupy clover root nodules (B. O. Gillberg, personal communication). We show here that the presence of R. leguminosarum can allow R. trifolii and R. phaseoli to enter pea nodules but that R. trifolii cannot fix nitrogen in the nodules of this ‘foreign’ host.
Exploring experimental sources of multiple protein conformations in structure-based drug design.

Receptor flexibility must be incorporated into structure-based drug design in order to portray a more accurate representation of a protein in solution. Our approach is to generate pharmacophore models based on multiple conformations of a protein and is very similar to solvent mapping of hot spots. Previously, we had success using computer-generated conformations of apo human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease (HIV-1p). Here, we examine the use of an NMR ensemble versus a collection of crystal structures, and we compare back to our previous study based on computer-generated conformations. To our knowledge, this is the first direct comparison of an NMR ensemble and a collection of crystal structures to incorporate protein flexibility in structure-based drug design. To provide an accurate comparison between the experimental sources, we used bound structures for our multiple protein structure (MPS) pharmacophore models. The models from an NMR ensemble and a collection of crystal structures were both able to di...
Micromechanisms of fatigue crack growth in a forged Inconel 718 nickel-based superalloy

Abstract The micromechanisms of fatigue crack propagation in a forged, polycrystalline IN 718 nickel-based superalloy are evaluated. Fracture modes under cyclic loading were established by scanning electron microscopy analysis. The results of the fractographic analysis are presented on a fracture mechanism map that shows the dependence of fracture modes on the maximum stress intensity factor, K max , and the stress intensity factor range, Δ K . Plastic deformation associated with fatigue crack growth was studied using transmission electron microscopy. The effects of Δ K and K max on the mechanisms of fatigue crack growth in this alloy are discussed within the context of a two-parameter crack growth law. Possible extensions to the Paris law are also proposed for crack growth in the near-threshold and high Δ K regimes.
Observations of reported and measured heights of mothers of short statured children.

A study was performed in which mothers of normal variant short statured children ( n = 37), were asked to state their own height. Then their body height was measured with a Harpenden Stadiometer. As control group, mothers of normal statured children ( n = 54) who were presented for various reasons (e.g. obesity, goiter) underwent the same procedure. The results show that the estimations are not reliable in short mothers with short statured children, whereas the control group showed no significant differences between reported and measured heights. There was a direct significant negative correlation ( r = -0.624; p
Morphology and physical properties of triblock copolymers with crystalline end blocks

The morphology of crystalline end-block copolymers of poly(thiacyclobutane-b-isoprene-b-thiacyclobutane) (TCB–I–TCB) was studied by optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). A spherulitic texture was observed for both the TCB homopolymer and the TCB–I–TCB block copolymers. Well-defined phases arranged in an ordered structure exist when the films are cast above the melting temperature of the crystalline end blocks. The dimensions and the arrangements of the domains have been derived from both SAXS and electron microscope measurements. The deformation mechanism of the 41% end-block copolymer sample was also examined by a combination of SAXS and stress–strain studies. It was found that the interdomain spacing increased along the stretching direction as the extension ratio was increased. The morphology changes from hexagonally packed cylinders to rowtype cylinders upon the application of stress.
Pursuit, evasion and defense in the plane

Multi-player games are important for analyzing complex real-world applications that involve both cooperative and adversarial agents, but computational complexity complicates solving such games. We study a modified pursuit-evasion game with multiple pursuers and a single evader, played in a convex domain with an exit through which the evader may escape. We present a strategy whereby one pursuer acts as a defender, utilizing a multi-mode switching strategy to prevent the evader from escaping while the other pursuers subsequently capture the evader. The strategy requires each pursuer to have knowledge only of its Voronoi neighbors and the evader, and runs in real time. The existence and uniqueness of the players' trajectories are proved using non-smooth analysis, and it is also shown that the evader can never reach the exit regardless of its control inputs, resulting in eventual capture. Simulation results are presented demonstrating the algorithm.
Microdetermination of the primary amino group: a critical evaluation of blank values in the modified Van Slyke method.

When determining blank values in the modified Van Slyke method for the microdetermination of the primary amino group, it is recommended that several readings at 5 minute intervals be taken before the addition of the sodium nitrite solution and then the readings be continued for the length of time of the determination of the sample. Constant increments in nitrometer readings indicate complete removal of the nitric oxide and the efficacy of the absorbers. Depletion of the absorbers can easily be checked by this method.
Computations of Insect and Fish Locomotion with Applications to Unconventional Unmanned Vehicles

Living creatures such as insects, birds, and fish generate lift and thrust most often by executing large-amplitude wing flapping, possibly with substantial shape deformation from root to tip. The flow for these motions is unsteady, and conventional steady-state aerodynamics is unable to correctly compute the time history of their flapping-force generation. Three-dimensional unsteady computations of flapping about the deforming wing or fin surface are necessary to correctly predict the lift and thrust throughout the flapping cycle. It is only by executing such computations for creatures or vehicles with moving and deforming surfaces that we can gain insights into the time-varying pressure distribution on all surfaces and how that results in flapping-force generation. This can be coupled with visualization of the origination and evolution of body, wing, and wake vorticity. Three-dimensional unsteady flow computations of the flapping flights of the fruit fly, a pectoral-fin swimmer (the bird wrasse), and a variety of unmanned air vehicles were carried out in pursuit of this information. The performance of these flapping wings under gust conditions was also investigated. The effect of fin deformation on the force production was studied. Novel biomimetic vehicles, incorporating information gained from these computations, were designed and built and their performance is described.
Psychological patterns in predicting disjunction and conjunction of clinical symptoms.

Abstract Experienced physicians were asked to asses their degree of confidence concerning the prediction of some clinical findings (hypertensive encephalopathy and retinopathy) given other findings (hypertensive blood pressure and cardiac enlargement). The results showed that: (1) the degree of confidence regarding the conclusions drawn depended on whether subjects reasoned from single findings or from the conjunction and disjunction of findings; (2) the kind of data given affected the degree of confidence of the predictions; (3) there was an interaction between the type of data given and the conclusion being evaluated; (4) conjunctions more often fit the normative probability rule than did disjunctions; (5) some disjunction and conjunction fallacy effects were found; (6) the most typical reactions were non-conjunction and non-disjunction effects; subjects' confidence level concerning the predicted con junction of clinical findings was equivalent to that for the less predictable component, while when predicting dis junction their confidence was equivalent to that for the more predictable symptom. The psychological patterns of disjunction and conjunction of medical findings are discussed as elementary cognitive patterns often used in diagnostic reasoning.
The Role of Charged Amino Acids in the α1-β4 Loop of the Iron-Sulfur Protein of the Cytochrome bc 1Complex of Yeast Mitochondria

Previous experiments using deletion mutants of the iron-sulfur protein had indicated that amino acid residues 138–153 might be involved in the assembly of this protein into the cytochromebc 1 complex. To determine which specific residues might be involved in the assembly process, charged amino acids located in the α1-β4 loop of the iron-sulfur protein were mutated to uncharged residues and tryptophan 152 to phenylalanine. The mutant genes were used to transform yeast cells (JPJ1) lacking the iron-sulfur protein gene. Mutants R146I and W152F had almost undetectable growth in medium containing glycerol/ethanol, whereas mutants D143A, K148I, and D149A grew more slowly than the wild type. Activity of the cytochromebc 1 complex was decreased 50, 90, 67, 89, and 90% in mutants D143A, R146I, K148I, D149A, and W152F, respectively, but unchanged in mutants D139A, Q141I, D145L, and V147S. In all of these mutants except W152F, the cytochrome c 1content, determined by immunoblotting, was comparable with that of wild-type cells. However, immunoblotting revealed that the content of the iron-sulfur protein was decreased proportionately in the five mutants with lowered enzymatic activity and growth suggesting that these amino acids are critical for maintaining the stability of the iron-sulfur protein. The efficiency of assembly in vitrocompared with the wild type determined by selective immunoprecipitation was unchanged in the mutants with the exception of R146I, D149A, and W152F where decreases of 80, 60, and 60%, respectively, were observed suggesting that these amino acids are critical for the proper assembly of the iron-sulfur protein into the bc 1complex.
Numerical solution of fuzzy linear equations in engineering analysis

A computational methodology is presented for the solution of simultaneous linear equations that arise in the analysis of engineering systems involving fuzzy input parameters. In addition to a discussion on the existence of solution to the problem, the numerical solution to the fuzzy linear systems is defined and formalized. The framework of the proposed methodology consists of three major aspects involving (1) computerized selection of fuzziness, (2) implementation of fuzzy operations and (3) development and execution of a search-based algorithm. Two numerical examples are presented to illustrate the computational aspects of the proposed methodology. The present results are compared with those given by the combinatorial approach. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of pain: a community-based diary survey in the USA.

Summary Background Pain is costly and a major reason for seeking medical care. Our aim was to assess the proportion of people experiencing pain, and the severity of pain, at randomly selected times in a representative sample of individuals in the USA. Methods A community-based telephone survey was designed that attempted to contact about 10 700 individuals by random-digit dialling. After collecting diary information for one 24-h period, ratings of pain on a 0–6 anchored scale for three randomly selected 15-min intervals of the day were obtained. Outcome measures were the proportion of intervals with non-zero pain, the proportion of intervals with pain above 3 (the scale midpoint), and the average pain rating. Activities of those individuals who reported substantial pain were also examined. To make the results representative of the US population, sample data were adjusted with sample weights developed by the Gallup Organisation. Findings 3982 individuals were interviewed (response rate 37%). After adjustment for weighting, 28·8% of men and 26·6% of women reported feeling some pain at sampled times. Those with lower income or less education spent a higher proportion of time in pain and reported higher average pain than did those with higher income or more education. The average pain rating increased with age, although it reached a plateau between the ages of about 45 years and 75 years, with little difference between men and women. Satisfaction with life or health and the pain indicators tended to move in opposite directions. Interpretation The diary-survey methods described here could be used to study pain at the population level, and will enable the combination of pain assessments with information about activities of daily living. Funding US National Institute of Aging, Hewlett Foundation.
The effects of the transcendental mediation technique and progressive muscle relaxation on EEG coherence, stress reactivity, and mental health in black adults.

Eighty-three black college students, staff and adults were pretested on EEG coherence, skin potential (SP) habituation to a series of loud tones, psychometric measures of mental health (Tennessee Self-Concept Empirical Scales and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and IQ. They were then randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups: the Transcendental Meditation technique (TM); Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PR); or cognitive-behavioral strategies (C). Approximately one year later, they were posttested. TM and PR increased significantly on an overall mental health factor (p <. 036) and anxiety (p <. 0006). TM showed a greater reduction in neuroticism than PR and C (p <. 032). TM also showed global increases in alpha and theta coherence among frontal and central leads during the TM period compared to eyes closed (p <. 016), whereas PR and C did not show EEG state changes. The coherence increases during TM were most marked in the right hemisphere (F4C4). TM showed faster SP habituation at p...
Recent regional gravity surveys

This paper calls attention to the vast improvements in design of gravity instruments, states that we are now in position to consider the feasibility of developing a nation-wide gravity network, and discusses the value of such a network. It mentions that gravity data may be secured from oil company surveys for studies from a geodetic standpoint and discusses the progress made and future work planned by government agencies and university groups on gravity determinations.
TIGHTENING: MORPHOLOGICAL SIMPLIFICATION

Given a two- or three-dimensional set S of arbitrary topology and a radius r, we show how to construct an r-tightening of S, which is a set whose boundary has mean curvature with magnitude less than or equal to 1/r and which only differs from S in a morphologically-defined tolerance zone we call the mortar. The mortar consists of the thin or highly curved parts of S and its complement, such as corners, gaps, and small connected components, while the boundary of a tightening consists of components of locally minimal length (in 2D) or area (in 3D) that lie in the mortar. Tightenings are defined independently of shape representation, and it may be possible to find them using a variety of algorithms. We describe how to approximately compute tightenings for two-dimensional sets represented as binary images and for three-dimensional sets represented as triangle meshes using constrained, level-set curvature flow.
Lightweight Vehicle Control-Oriented Modeling and Payload Parameter Sensitivity Analysis

This paper presents a 6-degree-of-freedom (DOF) control-oriented dynamic model for lightweight vehicles (LWVs) with explicit considerations of payload parametric variations. LWVs possess significant advantages in terms of fuel consumption, emissions, and transportation. However, due to the substantially reduced vehicle mass, the effects of payload parametric variations become more pronounced and have to be systematically incorporated in LWV control system designs and analyses. A control-oriented model that can capture such effects is thus foundational. Validation of this LWV control-oriented model is realized by comparing the model predictions against experimental results obtained from vehicle road tests of a lightweight electric ground vehicle. The comparisons show that the developed model captures the LWV essential dynamic characteristics and payload effects well. Sensitivity analyses with regard to the effects of different payload parametric variations on the selected LWV states were carried out to reveal the relative importance of payload parameters.
The effects of atmospheric stability on coastal wind climates

A theoretical model of flow over a change in surface roughness shows that given an average geostrophic wind of between 8 and 13 m s−1 and near-neutral conditions the difference in equilibrium wind speed at 50 m height over roughness of 0.1 m and over the sea surface is about 20% or 2 m s−1. However, in non-neutral conditions the difference between on- and off-shore wind speeds is affected by changes in stability conditions. Using data from an off-shore monitoring project it is shown that flow over sea is typically associated with smaller stability corrections to the logarithmic wind speed profile owing to an increase in the number of near-neutral and unstable observations compared to flow over land. The presence of land is still detectable after flow of 1–2 km off-shore but its effect on stability and therefore the wind speed profile is reduced. The differences between stability climates on- and off-shore are not simple to elucidate since a number of factors such as the orientation of the coastline with regard to the prevailing wind direction, water depth and latitude are probably also important.
Nanostructured alumina doped TiO2 ceramics for gas sensors

Nanostructured TiO2 based ceramics were synthesized using citrate-nitrate auto combustion method with different concentrations of aluminum oxide as dopant. The powder x-ray diffraction data showed that synthesized TiO2 powders, pure as well as alumina doped TiO2 had anatase phase. Dopant concentration was varied between 0 and 15 wt%. Particle size analysis showed that the particle size was in the range of 50 to 80nm for nanosized TiO2 calcined between 600 and 800°C. Average particle size of doped powders was generally less than pure TiO2. BET specific average surface area was between 10 and 25 m2/g. Doping upto 10wt% alumina is not effective in retarding anatase crystallite growth. The resistance of Al doped TiO2 sample is found to be lower than that of pure TiO2. Al2O3 doped TiO2 sensor was found to be selective to CO sensing at an operating temperature of 600 °C.
Biosolids application to no-till dryland agroecosystems

Dryland agroecosystems are generally ideal environments for recycling biosolids. However, what is the efficacy of biosolids addition to a no-till dryland management agroecosystem? From 2000 to 2010, we studied application of biosolids from the Littleton/Englewood, CO Wastewater Treatment Plant versus commercial nitrogen fertilizer in dryland no-till wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.)-fallow (WF) and wheat-corn (Zea mays, L.)-fallow (WCF) rotations at a site approximately 50 miles east of Denver, CO. We tested if biosolids would produce the same yields and grain phosphorus, zinc, and barium concentrations as an equivalent rate of nitrogen fertilizer, that biosolids-borne phosphorus, zinc, and barium would not migrate below the 4 inch soil depth, and that biosolids application would result in the same quantity of residual nitrate-nitrogen as the equivalent nitrogen fertilizer rate. Biosolids and nitrogen fertilizer produced similar wheat and corn yields; but, biosolids application resulted in smaller wheat grain barium due to the soil formation of barium sulfate. Biosolids application produced greater soil nitrate-nitrogen concentrations than nitrogen fertilizer in the 1 to 2 foot and 2 to 3 foot depths for the WF rotation and all but the 2 to 4 inch and the 4 to 5 foot depths for the WCF rotation. We concluded that biosolids application in a no-till managed dryland agroecosystem is an efficacious method of recycling this nutrient source.
Cardioprotective effects of postmenopausal hormone treatment.

A nalyses of observational studies indicate that postmenopausal hormone treatment may be associated with a 50% reduction in the risk of incipient heart disease in postmenopausal women.1*2 Mechanisms that have been proposed to account for the cardioprotective benefit of hormone therapy include beneficial changes in lipid metabolism, particularly increased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and decreased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, as well as beneficial changes in blood pressure, carbohydrate metabolism, coagulation, and endothelial function. Observational data also suggest that combined estrogen/progestin regimens have a cardioprotective effect similar to that of unopposed estrogen3 with less risk of estrogeninduced endometrial cancer.
Automated approach for ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis of microbial diversity and its application to freshwater bacterial communities.

An automated method of ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) was developed for the rapid estimation of microbial diversity and community composition in freshwater environments. Following isolation of total community DNA, PCR amplification of the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region in the rRNA operon was performed with a fluorescence-labeled forward primer. ARISA-PCR fragments ranging in size from 400 to 1,200 bp were next discriminated and measured by using an automated electrophoresis system. Database information on the 16S-23S intergenic spacer was also examined, to understand the potential biases in diversity estimates provided by ARISA. In the analysis of three natural freshwater bacterial communities, ARISA was rapid and sensitive and provided highly reproducible community-specific profiles at all levels of replication tested. The ARISA profiles of the freshwater communities were quantitatively compared in terms of both their relative diversity and similarity level. The three communities had distinctly different profiles but were similar in their total number of fragments (range, 34 to 41). In addition, the pattern of major amplification products in representative profiles was not significantly altered when the PCR cycle number was reduced from 30 to 15, but the number of minor products (near the limit of detection) was sensitive to changes in cycling parameters. Overall, the results suggest that ARISA is a rapid and effective community analysis technique that can be used in conjunction with more accurate but labor-intensive methods (e.g., 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing) when fine-scale spatial and temporal resolution is needed.
Influence of Caffeine and Other Methylxanthines on Mechanical Properties of Isolated Mammalian Heart Muscle EVIDENCE FOR A DUAL MECHANISM OF ACTION

Caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine have similar effects on the contractions of kitten atrial and papillary muscle preparations in vitro. In concentrations between 2 and 20 mM they both intensify and prolong the active state, as indicated by isometric and delayed-release isotonic contractions; contracture is not normally produced. Instantaneous force-velocity curves are shifted approximately symmetrically by caffeine; force-velocity curves derived from simple afterloaded contractions are misleading because of the great prolongation of activity. After the addition of caffeine the onset of the increased degree of activation is more rapid than that of the prolongation of activity; procaine antagonizes the prolongation of activity but not the intensification. In the presence of the methylxanthines, the duration of contraction is no longer abbreviated by isoproterenol, though it is still readily influenced by changes in frequency. The prolongation of activity by Sr2^plus; differs in significant respects fr...
EPR linewidth anisotropies of CsMnBr3 and RbMnBr3

Abstract The EPR linewidth anisotropy of the magnetic linear chain materials CsMnBr 3 and RbMnBr 3 provide striking evidence for the importance of both secular and nonsecular dipolar contributions to the spin dynamics of these systems. CsMnBr 3 has a 55° linewidth minimum at Q-band but none at X-band. The existence of a nondipolar linewidth contributions is demonstrated. The temperature dependence of the linewidths are reported.
A Metabolic Relic

By using the wealth of genetic diversity in human populations, studies across ethnic groups offer an approach to accelerate the biological and evolutionary understanding of disease. This goal can be accomplished by identifying genetic risk factors frequent in one—but not all—genetic ancestries. Factors matching this pattern are particularly interesting, owing to excess burden of disease in many non-European groups. Motivated by this framework, the Slim Initiative in Genomic Medicine for the Americas (SIGMA) Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) consortium recently reported their efforts to characterize genetic risk in samples of Mexican and Latin American ancestry. This study—involving more than 8200 subjects—first examined whether established T2D risk factors previously identified from studies of European and Asian populations were also implicated in the Americas. At 82% of sites, the reported risk allele was the same across ancestries, with several sites also convincingly associated in the Americas. Next, they reported two new associations, one of which was tagged by a risk haplotype carrying four missense variants in the SLC16A11 gene (which encodes a solute carrier) and was replicated in ~22,000 additional samples. Notably, this risk haplotype is common among Mexican and Latin ancestries, but absent in Africa and Europe and infrequent in Asia, explaining why this observation escaped previous scrutiny. Functional experiments demonstrated SLC16A11 mRNA expression in liver, salivary gland, and thyroid, and localization studies placed this gene at the endoplasmic reticulum. Further expression studies of SLC16A11 in HeLa cells (which do not normally express the gene) followed by metabolomics experiments revealed increases in triacylglycerol, a biomarker with previous reported association with T2D in prospective cohorts. In a final note of interest, the group also found that the risk haplotype matched a sequence from an unpublished genome of a Neanderthal from Denisova Cave, with identity extending a massive 73 kilobase in haplotype carriers. Population genetics analysis supported one possible explanation: The haplotype was introduced relatively recently into modern humans through archaic admixture (that is, interbreeding of modern humans with Neanderthals and Denisovans). A formal demonstration of causality for SLC16A11 and triacylglycerol biology still requires additional evidence. But, the work illustrates that a great deal of evolutionary and biological mysteries of the genome remain to be found. Genetic relics from our very distant ancestors seem still to have a role to play in the phenotypic diversity observed in modern humans. The SIGMA Type 2 Diabetes Consortium, Sequence variants in SLC16A11 are a common risk factor for type 2 diabetes in Mexico. Nature published online 25 December 2013 (10.1038/nature12828). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nature12828.html
Race and Diet Interactions in the Acquisition, Maintenance, and Loss of Bone

Racial differences in bone become apparent during puberty. Studies of areal bone mineral density (aBMD) generally show the greatest aBMD in African Americans followed by American white, Hispanic, and Native Americans, with the least aBMD in Asian Americans. Racial differences in fracture risk, however, do not exactly follow racial variation in aBMD. These group differences in bone mass are largely explained by differences in bone size, although calcium intake and physical activity are also significant predictors of aBMD and bone mineral content. Racial differences in calcium metabolism, as influenced by calcium and sodium intake, explain much of the black vs. white differences in skeletal calcium accretion during puberty. The relative importance of calcium and sodium in calcium metabolism has not yet been elucidated among Asians. Predictors of aBMD have been reported for African American and American white adults and predictors of aBMD in Chinese American women have recently been studied. Much remains to be studied regarding interactions between race and diet.
Three decades of slope streak activity on Mars

Slope streaks are surficial mass movements that are abundant in the dust-covered regions of Mars. Targeting of slope streaks seen in Viking images with the Mars Orbiter Camera provides observations of slope streak dust activity over two to three decades. In all study areas, new and persisting dark slope streaks are observed. Slope streaks disappeared in one area, with persisting streaks nearby. New slope streaks are found to be systematically darker than persisting streaks, which indicates gradual fading. Far more slope streaks formed at the study sites than have faded from visibility. The rate of formation at the study sites was 0.03 new slope streaks per existing streak per Mars year. Bright slope streaks do not presently form in sudden events as dark slope streaks do. Instead, bright streaks might form from old dark slope streaks, perhaps transitioning through a partially faded stage.
The effect of cigarette smoking on adrenal cortical hormones.

We assessed the association between cigarette smoking and basal levels of adrenal cortical hormones in 11 postmenopausal smokers and 11 postmenopausal nonsmokers and measured the acute adrenal effects of cigarettes in the smokers. After an overnight food, alcohol and tobacco fast, participants smoked or sham-smoked every hr for 8 hr and provided serum samples for hormone assay before and after every other cigarette/sham, as well as before and after a corticotropin stimulation test. The postmenopausal smokers had substantially higher basal levels of androstenedione (4.60 +/- 0.42 vs. 2.70 +/- 0.36 nmol/l, P < .05) and dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate (2.88 +/- 0.36 vs. 1.91 +/- 0.16 mumol/l, P < .05) and higher average levels of cortisol and androstenedione from 0800 to 1300 hr (351.0 +/- 17.5 vs. 295.5 +/- 17.1, nmol/l and 3.58 +/- 0.42 vs. 2.51 +/- 0.19 nmol/l, P = .03, and P < .05, respectively). There were small acute effects of individual cigarettes on the hormones, but the response to corticotropin was similar in smokers and nonsmokers. Our results indicate that cigarette smoking causes a generalized disturbance in adrenal cortical hormone levels. There is no evidence for acute tolerance to the adrenocortical affects of the hourly smoking of medium-nicotine cigarettes, but these acute effects do not explain the higher hormone levels in smokers. There is no evidence for a partial block in the cortisol synthesis pathway to explain the increased adrenal androgen levels in smokers.
Detection and treatment of dysfunctional hemodialysis access grafts: effect of a surveillance program on graft patency and the incidence of thrombosis

PURPOSE: To determine the value of a hemodialysis graft surveillance program in reducing the incidence of graft thrombosis and prolonging graft patency by means of early detection and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of graft-related stenoses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For 4-1/2 years, routine graft examination and measurement of several dialysis parameters were used to identify 106 cases of suspected graft dysfunction in 57 patients (56 men, one woman; aged 27-76 years). Graft-related stenoses detected with angiography were treated with PTA. RESULTS: Abnormal physical examination findings were the most common sole indication of graft dysfunction. Of the 106 cases referred for angiographic evaluation, 97 (92%) had at least one lesion. PTA was successful in 88 of 90 treated cases. The primary patency rates at 1 year were 16% for arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) and 23% for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts. Early detection of stenoses by means of surveillance and repeated PTA enabled 1-year primar...
TranAir and Euler computations of a generic fighter including comparisons with experimental data

The TranAir full-potential code and the FLO57 Euler code were used to calculate transonic flow solutions over two configurations of a generic fighter model. The results were computed at Mach numbers of 0.60 and 0.80 for angles of attack between 0 and 12 deg for TranAir and between 4 and 20 deg for FLO57. Due to the fact that TranAir solves the full-potential equations for transonic flow, TranAir is only accurate to about alpha = 8 deg, at which point the experimental results show the formation of a vortex at the leading edge. Euler results show good agreement with experimental results until vortex breakdown occurs in the solutions.
PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF THE BIOREMEDIATION POTENTIAL OF PORPHYRA: PHOTOSYNTHETIC PRODUCTION BY BLADES AND CONCHOCELIS

Given their rapid growth and nutrient assimilation rates, Porphyra spp. are good candidates for bioremediation. The production potential of two northeast U.S. Porphyra species currently in culture (P. purpurea and P. umbilicalis) was evaluated by measuring rates of photosynthesis (as O2 evolution) of samples grown at 20° C. Gametophytes of P. umbilicalis photosynthesized at rates that were 80% higher than those of P. purpurea over 5–20° C at both sub-saturating and saturating irradiances (37 and 289 μmol photons m−2 s−1). Porphyra umbilicalis was both more efficient at low irradiances (higher alpha) and had a higher Pmax than did P. purpurea (23.0 vs. 15.6 μmol O2 g−1 DW min−1), suggesting that P. umbilicalis is a better choice for mass culture where self-shading may be severe. The photosynthesis-irradiance relationship for the Conchocelis stage of P. purpurea was also examined. Tufts of filaments, grown at 10, 15, and 20° C, were assayed at growth temperatures at irradiances ranging from 0–315 μmol photons m−2 s−1. Tufts were slightly more productive at 15° than at 10° C, but only ca. 4–6% as productive as gametophytes. Maximum rates of net photosynthesis were reduced by 66–74% in tufts grown at 20° C (only about 2% of gametophytes). The Conchocelis stage, however, need not limit mariculture operations; once Conchocelis cultures are established, they can be maintained over the long-term as ready sources of spores for net seeding.