cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of an Integrated Energy Vocabulary and the Possibilities for On-line Subject Switching.

This paper describes the development of an integrated vocabulary of energy terminology and it explores the potential for a fully developed energy vocabulary conversion guide. Eleven vocabularies were analyzed and integrated: AIP, CA, API, GA, INIS, TEST, GEOR, El, PA, DDC, and NASA. The following major concepts were considered within the scope: energy sources (fuels); derived products; exploration, production and processing; energy conversion; energy transportation, transmission and distribution; energy consumption, utilization, and conservation; power generation; energy storage; energy policy and legislation; environmental impacts; transportation modes (land, air, sea); propulsion systems; consuming sectors and economics; and international supply and consumption. The methodology consisted of 1) establishing term selection criteria, 2) analyzing individual system vocabularies for energy-related terms, 3) processing energy subsets and 4) reviewing the integrated product and generating a final vocabulary. Three broad problem areas were identified during the study: 1) energy definition, 2) analyst viewpoint variances, 3) thesaurus format/convention variances. The conceptualization, identification, and selection of energy terms was especially difficult in several subject disciplines, including such areas as engineering materials, mathematics, electronics, explosives, psychology and other social sciences. Five types of synonym construction were encountered. It was concluded that vocabulary conversion, which permits subject switching, offers some degree of inter-system compatibility. Conversion is the ability to retrieve all documents on a given subject from all available (and appropriate) data bases with a single query. When coupled with development of a standard system protocol, full information-resource utilization will be possible. A prototype conversion guide (synonym table) was constructed for further study. One of the significant findings was that, without any additional intellectual efforts, conversion can be increased from 28 percent (exact match only) to 46 percent using exact match plus singular-plural equivalencies, plus synonym expansion.
Adult Prescription Drug Use and Pediatric Medication Exposures and Poisonings

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nontherapeutic medication ingestions continue to be a major pediatric health problem, with recent increases in ingestions despite a number of public health interventions. It is unknown how changes in adult prescription drug use relate to pediatric medication poisonings. The objective of the study was to measure the association between changing adult prescription drug patterns and pediatric medication exposures and poisonings and identify high-risk classes of medications and pediatric age groups. METHODS: We measured monthly pediatric exposures and poisonings using the National Poison Data System and prescriptions written for adults using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys for 2000 through 2009. Associations between adult prescriptions for oral hypoglycemics, antihyperlipidemics, β-blockers, and opioids and exposures and poisonings among children 0 to 5, 6 to 12, and 13 to 19 years were analyzed by using multiple time-series analysis. Emergency department visits, serious injuries, and hospitalizations stemming from these associations were described. RESULTS: Adult medication prescriptions were statistically significantly associated with exposures and poisonings in children of all ages, with the strongest association observed for opioids. Across medications, the greatest risk was among children 0 to 5 years old, followed by 13- to 19-year-olds. Rates of emergency department visits were highest for events related to hypoglycemics (60.1%) and β-blockers (59.7%), whereas serious injuries and hospitalizations occurred most frequently with opioids (26.8% and 35.2%, respectively) and hypoglycemics (19.5% and 49.4%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing adult drug prescriptions are strongly associated with rising pediatric exposures and poisonings, particularly for opioids and among children 0 to 5 years old. These associations have sizable impacts, including high rates of serious injury and health care use.
Dember effect in C60 thin films

Abstract Photoinduced diffusion of charge carriers is observed in the form of a potential difference across thin films of photoexcited C 60 . The threshold photon energy for macroscopic separation of mobile charge carriers in C 60 is 2.3 ± 0.1 eV. This is also a conclusive demonstration of the fact that the optical absorption at 2.3 eV is responsible for electronic excitations across the C 60 “bandgap”. Experimental evidence suggests a bimolecular process for charge transport and carrier dynamics in C 60 solids. The polarity of the observed photovoltage confirms earlier published results that the negative charge carriers (electrons) are significantly more mobile than the positive charge carriers (holes) in C 60 solids. The estimated mobility of the electrons in C 60 is ≈ 1 cm 2 V −1 . The diffusion length for electrons in C 60 is estimated to be ≈ 10 microm.
Combinatorial antiangiogenic gene therapy by nonviral gene transfer using the sleeping beauty transposon causes tumor regression and improves survival in mice bearing intracranial human glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma is a fatal brain tumor that becomes highly vascularized by secreting proangiogenic factors and depends on continued angiogenesis to increase in size. Consequently, a successful antiangiogenic therapy should provide long-term inhibition of tumor-induced angiogenesis, suggesting long-term gene transfer as a therapeutic strategy. In this study a soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (sFlt-1) and an angiostatin–endostatin fusion gene (statin-AE) were codelivered to human glioblastoma xenografts by nonviral gene transfer using the Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon. In subcutaneously implanted xenografts, co-injection of both transgenes showed marked anti-tumor activity as demonstrated by reduction of tumor vessel density, inhibition or abolition of glioma growth, and increase in animal survival (P = 0.003). Using luciferase-stable engrafted intracranial gliomas, the anti-tumor effect of convection-enhanced delivery of plasmid DNA into the tumor was assessed by luciferase in vivo imaging. Sustained tumor regression of intracranial gliomas was achieved only when statin-AE and sFlt-1 transposons were coadministered with SB-transposase-encoding DNA to facilitate long-term expression. We show that SB can be used to increase animal survival significantly (P = 0.008) by combinatorial antiangiogenic gene transfer in an intracranial glioma model.
Conditions for optimal MTV synthesis in vitro and the effect of steroid hormones on virus production.

Abstract The DNA polymerase assay has been used with synthetic template/primers to measure mouse mammary tumor virus (MTV) obtained from the tissue culture fluid of primary mouse mammary tumor cells in vitro. The specificity of the assay was determined by showing an association of the DNA polymerase activity with the physical, morphological, and immunological properties of MTV. The method has been used to determine the optimal conditions for MTV synthesis in vitro. The ability of a variety of steroids to stimulate MTV synthesis has been determined and the stimulation of MTV synthesis after exposure of mammary tumor cells to hydrocortisone has been examined. Enhanced viral synthesis was demonstrable 8–10 hr after exposure of tumor cells to hydrocortisone, while no effects on the overall rate of DNA, RNA or protein synthesis were detected. The significance of these findings are discussed.
Gender and the phonology of north American first names

This study elicited given and preferred first names from 222 females and 267 male respondents to investigate potential sex-associated features in the structural characteristics of names. Female given names were found to manifest significantly more sounds and syllables, more frequently vary the position of stressed syllable, and more often conclude in a vowel or sonorant sound than male names. In comparison with given names, both female and male preferred names moved in the direction of a potentially “ideal” structure consisting of a monosyllable that ends in a consonant. The rate of the shift was much less pronounced for female than for male preferred names.
Expressing My Inner Gnome: Appearance and Behavior in Virtual Worlds

Role-playing gamers take on the behavior they think appropriate for the "body" they inhabit in a virtual environment.
JunD Represses Transcription and Translation of the Tight Junction Protein Zona Occludens-1 Modulating Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Function

The AP-1 transcription factor JunD is highly expressed in intestinal epithelial cells, but its exact role in maintaining the integrity of intestinal epithelial barrier remains unknown. The tight junction (TJ) protein zonula occludens (ZO)-1 links the intracellular domain of TJ-transmembrane proteins occludin, claudins, and junctional adhesion molecules to many cytoplasmic proteins and the actin cytoskeleton and is crucial for assembly of the TJ complex. Here, we show that JunD negatively regulates expression of ZO-1 and is implicated in the regulation of intestinal epithelial barrier function. Increased JunD levels by ectopic overexpression of the junD gene or by depleting cellular polyamines repressed ZO-1 expression and increased epithelial paracellular permeability. JunD regulated ZO-1 expression at the levels of transcription and translation. Transcriptional repression of ZO-1 by JunD was mediated through cAMP response element-binding protein-binding site within its proximal region of the ZO-1-promoter, whereas induced JunD inhibited ZO-1 mRNA translation by enhancing the interaction of the ZO-1 3′-untranslated region with RNA-binding protein T cell-restricted intracellular antigen 1-related protein. These results indicate that JunD is a biological suppressor of ZO-1 expression in intestinal epithelial cells and plays a critical role in maintaining epithelial barrier function.
Electron detachment in collisions of negative ions: H − +He

Contrary to the expectation from a compound-state model, observation shows that the detachment cross section increases with energy in the ''adiabatic'' region below 2 keV. The compound-state model is not appropriate because a strong s-wave component in the wave function allows the extra electron to run away as soon as its state becomes unbound. The detachment cross section increases with collision velocity because detachment is induced by a breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, which shifts to larger separations of the nuclei as the collision velocity increases.
On the composition and differentiation of Ceres

The dwarf planet Ceres has a density of 2040–2250 kg m � 3 , and a dark non-icy surface with signs of hydrated minerals. As opposed to a differentiated internal structure with a nonporous rocky core and a water mantle, there are arguments for undifferentiated porous interior structure. Ceres’ mass and dimensions are uncertain and do not exclude undifferentiated interior even if hydrostatic equilibrium is attained. The rocky surface may be inconsistent with a large-scale water–rock differentiation. A differentiated structure with a thick water mantle below a rocky crust is gravitationally unstable and an overturn would have led to abundant surface salt deposits, which are not observed. A formation of hydrated surface minerals caused by internal heating implies a major density increase through devolatilization of the interior. A later accumulation of hydrated materials is inconsistent with anhydrous surfaces of many asteroids and with a low rate of the cosmic dust deposition in the inner Solar System. Ceres’ internal pressures (<140–200 MPa) are insufficient to significantly reduce porosity of chondritic materials and there is no need for abundant water phases to be present to account for the bulk density. Having the porosity of ordinary chondrites (�10%), Ceres can consist of rocks with the grain density of pervasively hydrated CI carbonaceous chondrites. However, additional low-density phases (e.g., water ice) require to be present in the body with the grain density of CM chondrites. The likely low-density mineralogy of the interior implies Ceres’ accretion from pervasively aqueously altered carbonaceous planetesimals depleted in short-lived radionuclide 26
Activity-Limiting Role of Molecular Size: Size-Dependency of Maximum Activity for P450 Inhibition as Revealed by qHTS Data

Analysis of a large number of data on cytochrome P450 (P450) inhibition obtained from quantitative high-throughput screening assays from the PubChem BioAssay Database clearly indicates that molecular size has an important activity-limiting role for datasets focused on drug-like compounds (PubChem BioAssay Identifier [AID] 1851) as well as for datasets also incorporating a wider range of environmental chemicals (AIDs 410, 899, 883, 891, and 884). Maximum inhibitory activity increases with size for small enough structures then plateaus and begins to show a decreasing trend for larger structures. Log-scaled maximum median inhibitory concentration (pIC50) as a function of molecular size could be fitted well with a bilinear model (LinBiExp), and the shape of the curve is quite similar across five P450 isozymes (CYP1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4) with a turning-point of maximum inhibition around 300-500 Da. While the present size-based approach cannot account for the variability of activity in general, using data for a very large number of compounds, it still provides an intuitive interpretation of the maximum P450-inhibitory activity obtainable for a given molecular size and highlights the presence of an "optimum" size range.
The atrioventricular node and bundle in the ferret heart: a light and quantitative electron microscopic study

The cells of the atrioventricular (AV) junction in the ferret heart were examined using light microscopy, a wax-model reconstruction and quantitative electron microscopy to determine their organization and characteristics. A series of subdivisions of the specialized tissues of the AV junction was apparent at both the light and electron microscopic levels. A transitional zone was observed interposed between the atrial muscle cells and the AV node. The AV node consisted of a coronary sinus portion, a superficial portion and a deep portion. The AV bundle had a segment above the anulus fibrosus, a segment which penetrated the right fibrous trigone, a non-branching segment below the anulus fibrosus and a branched segment. At the ultrastructural level the AV junctional conduction tissues had fewer irregularly oriented myofibrils than did working atrial myocardial cells. T-tubules, present in atrial muscle cells, were not observed in the modified muscle cells of the AV node and bundle. Conventional intercalated discs also were not observed between the cells of the AV node or the AV bundle. Atrial myocardial cells had the highest percentage of the plasma membrane occupied by desmosomes, fasciae adherentes and gap junctions. The AV bundle cells had the highest percentage of appositional surface membrane and a relatively large fraction of plasma membrane occupied by gap junctions. Cells of the superficial portion of the AV node had the smallest percentage of the plasma membrane composed of gap junctions, desmosomes or fasciae adherentes, as well as the smallest fraction of the cell membrane apposed to adjacent cells. The stereological data indicate that the most useful distinguishing characteristic between atrial muscle cells and conduction cells was that a smaller percentage of the conduction cell sarcoplasm was occupied by mitochondria and myofibrils. The most useful characteristics that could be used to differentiate between the regions of the AV junctional conduction tissues were the amounts and types of surface membrane specializations in the respective cell types.
Robots in the wild: observing human-robot social interaction outside the lab

This paper discusses the use of observational studies of human-robot social interaction in open human-inhabited environments as a method for improving on the design and evaluating the interactive capabilities of social robots. First, we discuss issues that have surfaced in attempts to evaluate social interactions between humans and robots. Next, we review two observational studies involving robots interacting socially with humans and discuss how the results can be applied to improving robot design. The first is an analysis of a mobile conference-attending robot that performed a search task by augmenting its perception through social interaction with human attendees. The second is an analysis of a stationary robotic receptionist that provides information to visitors and enhances interaction through story-telling. Through these examples, we show how observational studies can be applied to human-robot social interactions in varying contexts and with differing tasks to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate (and discover unanticipated aspects of) the social interaction. Finally, we discuss design recommendations suggested by insights gained through these analyses
Using MEL to present Chinese characters at brief display times

Most studies that present Chinese characters at brief display intervals (10–100 msec) use tachistoscopic presentation. The present paper describes a way of using software packages NJSTAR (for generating Chinese characters) and MEL (for programming an experiment) to achieve computer CRT presentation. Techniques for (1) enlarging and smoothing characters, and (2) presenting characters at brief display times are featured. The techniques can be applied to brief CRT presentation of any graphics. A replication study is presented to demonstrate that the techniques produce reliable data.
Cloning and Characterization of Rat Dentin Matrix Protein 1 (DMP1) Gene and Its 5′-Upstream Region

Abstract Rat dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is a highly acidic 58-kDa phosphoprotein, and DMP1 was the first gene to be cloned from the mineralized dentin matrix. It exists as a highly phosphorylated protein with a pI of 3 in the dentin matrix and, in that state, might have an important role in the mineralization process. The spatio-temporal distribution during development indicates that the expression of this gene is tightly regulated in the odontoblasts. It is now known that DMP1 is not unique to dentin but is present in other mineralized tissues like long bone, calvaria, and ameloblasts. To study the transcriptional regulation and the function of DMP1 in these tissues, a genomic clone with a functional promoter, introns, and exons was isolated. Sequence analysis showed that the ratDMP1 gene is comprised of six exons and five introns and spans ∼13 kilobases (kb). Exon 1 contains the 5′-untranslated sequences. Exon 2 encodes a total of 18 amino acids including the 16 amino acids of the signal sequence. Exons 3–5 encode 16, 11, and 15 amino acids, respectively. Exon 6 contains 1.3 kb of the coding sequence with the RGD domain, stop codon, and the 3′-untranslated region (1.1 kb). We have mapped two transcription start sites within the DMP1 promoter that are 280 and 321 base pairs, respectively, from the ATG start codon. The location of functional elements within the 5′-upstream DMP1 DNA fragment was determined by cloning it into a luciferase reporter gene. Transient transfection and luciferase assays revealed that the 3 kb fragment has the ability to drive the luciferase gene. However, this promoter activity was restricted to MC3T3-E1 cells (an osteoblast cell lineage). The promoter was silent in Chinese hamster ovary cells (an epithelial cell lineage), indicating the necessity of tissue-specific factors to drive the transcription.
Comparison of Hungarian Winter Durum Wheat to Ohio Soft Red Winter Wheat

The opening of a new durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) mill in Ohio and the premium prices paid for durum led to an examination of the feasibility of successfully producing Hungarian winter durum wheat in Ohio and the rest of the soft red winter reheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (SRWW) region. The grain yields and agronomic characteristics of three promising Hungarian winter durum wheat cultivars, 'Basa', 'Minaret', and 'Pannondur', were compared to those of Ohio SRWW cultivars, 'Cardinal' and 'Dynasty', in seven field trials from 1989 to 1991, at Wooster, OH. Mean Hungarian winter durum grain yields were 20%, 48%, and 53% of Ohio SRWW in 1989, 1990, and 1991, respectively. Mean plant densities for the Hungarian durums improved from 49% in 1989, to 71% and 93% in 1990 and 1991, respectively [...]
Some DML instruction sequences for application program analysis and conversion

A set of basic instruction sequences (DBTG's DML and COBOL statements) useful for the implementation of a generalized application program conversion system to account for various types of database changes is presented. It is used to form language templates which are DML's realization of a set of data-model and schema independent access patterns useful for describing the semantics of application programs.These basic instruction sequences are also useful for enforcing a standardized programming practice for developing application programs which would yield to automatic program conversion to account for database changes. In this paper, the methodology for program conversion is reviewed and the use of the basic instruction sequences for program analysis and synthesis is explained and illustrated.
PCNA functions as a molecular platform to trigger Cdt1 destruction and prevent re-replication

Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis of the replication licensing factor Cdt1 (Cdc10-dependent transcript 1) in S phase is a key mechanism that limits DNA replication to a single round per cell cycle in metazoans. In Xenopus egg extracts, Cdt1 is destroyed on chromatin during DNA replication. Here, we report that replication-dependent proteolysis of Cdt1 requires its interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a homotrimeric processivity factor for DNA polymerases. Cdt1 binds to PCNA through a consensus PCNA-interaction motif that is conserved in Cdt1 of all metazoans, and removal of PCNA from egg extracts inhibits replication-dependent Cdt1 destruction. Mutation of the PCNA-interaction motif yields a stabilized Cdt1 protein that induces re-replication. DDB1, a component of the Cul4 E3 ubiquitin ligase that mediates human Cdt1 proteolysis in response to DNA damage, is also required for replication-dependent Cdt1 destruction. Cdt1 and DDB1 interact in extracts, and DDB1 chromatin loading is dependent on the binding of Cdt1 to PCNA, which indicates that PCNA docking activates the pre-formed Cdt1-Cul4(DDB1) ligase complex. Thus, PCNA functions as a platform for Cdt1 destruction, ensuring efficient and temporally restricted inactivation of a key cell-cycle regulator.
New antiepileptic drug development

Summary: The development of new antiepileptic drugs is poised on the cusp between empiricism and the rational scientific development of medicaments designed to perform specific neurophysiologic functions in keeping with modern ideas of epilepsy generation and spread. It takes into account the difference between seizures and their underlying disorder known as epilepsies and the fact that, although seizures can be effectively treated with pharmacologic agents, the development of epilepsy requires both a predisposition (which may be innate or preventable) and precipitating factors that determine the timing of the individual seizures. The local membrane phenomena or cellular substrates of epilepsy can be described, as can the process of epileptogenesis. New antiepileptic development can be viewed in the light of these concepts.
Archival application of digital forensics methods for authenticity, description and access provision

When acquiring born-digital materials, archivists must often extract digital materials from media in ways that reflect the rich metadata associated with records and ensure records' integrity. They must also allow users to make sense of materials and understand their context, while preventing inadvertent disclosure of sensitive data. There are a variety of methods and strategies from the field of digital-forensics that can aid this work. This paper discusses the development and application of digital forensics tools to improve the acquisition, management and access functions of archives. It reports on the BitCurator project, which is identifying current and desirable workflows of several archival institutions, as well as developing and testing tools to support the workflows. There are a variety of potential changes within the archival profession that are associated with adopting digital forensics tools and practices.
Mammoth landscapes: good country for hunter-gatherers

Abstract Proboscideans, because of their great size and unique behaviors, affect habitats in conspicuous ways, thus leaving information-rich signs about animal health, individual and group movements, and demography. Dung deposits, trail networks, rubbing sites, and excavations in elephant country afford abundant environmental clues to animal health and density. Prehistoric human groups able to subsist by opportunistic exploitation of mammoths or mastodons could have taken advantage of such information to be efficient foragers and rapid dispersers into new ranges. In addition, landscapes containing proboscideans have potential future fossil deposits containing skeletons of many animal taxa, isolated bone elements, fractured and flaked bones and tusks, and plant parts preserved due to proboscidean behavior.
Algorithms for part and machine selection in flexible manufacturing systems

Deciding whether FMS technology is viable for a given application, and if so, what machines should comprise the FMS and what parts should be produced on it, can be a difficult task. Manual methods suffice only for situations where a small number of FMS-type machines are to be considered and less than a few dozen candidate parts are to be chosen from. When both machines and parts are to be selected from a larger number of candidates, manual methods become cumbersome and time consuming, and computer-based decision aids become a necessity. This paper gives an overview of the required decision process, and then focuses on those stages for which computer-based decision aids can be used effectively. Particular decision aids are described, and case studies are cited to illustrate their motivation and use.
The separation of ions with permselective membranes

This study forms part of a project aimed at obtaining a better understanding of the behavior of nonideal permselective membranes. The object here was to determine the applicability of the Nernst-Planck equations for studying the behavior of ions in aqueous solutions surrounding such a membrane during electrodialysis. Attention was confined to stagnant and laminar flow systems. The processes studied were transfer of hydrogen ions, silver ions, and mixtures of the two through the cation exchanging membrane Nepton CR-61. The bulk solution concentrations on either side of the membrane varied from 0.01 to 0.20 N, and in all cases the only anions present were nitrate ions. Limiting currents for solutions of silver nitrate were predictable within 15%, with much of the uncertainty resulting from the difficulty in defining the limiting current. For mixtures of silver nitrate and nitric acid the limiting currents were predictable within the range of experimental accuracy but were found to be quite sensitive to small changes in the operating conditions. This sensitivity results from the very high relative mobility of the hydrogen ions. The relative transport of the two cations was primarily a function of relative concentration, relative diffusivities, current density, and ion exchange equilibria and was predictable with an accuracy limited only by the uncertainty of the ionic diffusivities and the ion exchange equilibria. The diffusivities of the cations in the membrane relative to the diffusivity of nitrate ion were estimated to be about ten times lower than in solution. This was explained by assuming that the cations tended to concentrate about the anionic fixed charges of the membrane thereby portially screening their effectiveness and reducing the mobility of the cations. In mixtures, the membrane diffusivity of the silver ions relative to the hydrogen ions was lower (by a factor of 1.4 to 3.6) than the relative diffusivity in solution. This indicated that silver ions were more easily concentrated about the fixed charges and thereby screened them from both the anions and hydrogen ions.
Genetic Algorithms and Public Economics

To address common limitations of traditional economic models while maintaining a convenient mathematical framework, some economists have begun to employ genetic algorithms (GAs). GA optimization occurs in a way that may resemble the dynamics of actual decision making. It also alleviates any need for a closed form to the policy problem and can ‘decide’ between alternative optima. This paper provides a tutorial on the use of GAs in economics and constructs an example application in the area of tax policy formation. It also critically surveys the landscape of current uses, focusing on both the advantages and disadvantages of GAs in public economics contexts.
SERIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CHARACTERISTIC GRANULE OF THE LANGERHANS CELL

Three-dimensional models of individual granules in the same Langerhans cell were made after analyzing serial sections of human epidermis in the electron microscope. These models revealed that the granule is made up of a flattened or curved orthogonal net of particles which is bounded externally by a limiting membrane and which may be disc-shaped, cup-shaped, or combinations of both shapes. This variety of shapes accounts for the many configurations of the granule seen in individual electron micrographs. Usually, the granule has a vesicular portion at, or near one margin. This demonstration of the three-dimensional structure of the granule establishes the inaccuracy of previously used descriptive terms, the granule should be called simply the "Langerhans cell granule."
Neutron scattering studies of rare earth magnetic multilayers

Abstract Single crystal artificial superlattices prepared by molecular beam epitaxy and consisting of Dy, Er, and Gd layers alternated with Y all exhibit long-range magnetic order that is propagated through intervening non-magnetic Y layers as shown by neutron diffraction studies. In the case of Dy systems, the phase and chirality of the helical order are preserved from one Dy layer to another. The phase shift across the Y layer is proportional to the Y layer thickness, and so is in general a non-integral multiple of π, suggesting that the coupling is propagated by a spin-density-wave mechanism. The magnetic coherence range, obtained from a series of samples of constant Dy thickness and varying number of Y layers, shows a linear variation with the inverse of the Y layer thickness.
Preparation, Characterization, and Activation of a Highly Purified Factor XI: Evidence that a Hitherto Unrecognized Plasma Activity Participates in the Interaction of Factors XI and XII

Summary. Highly purified native factor XI has been prepared from normal plasma using a five step purification scheme. Purified factor XI is essentially free of factors II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII, and Fletcher factor. No plasminogen-plasmin could be detected. Purified factor XI decays rapidly but can be stabilized with human serum albumin. Factor XI migrates between the β and γ globulins on starch block electrophoresis. It has an apparent molecular weight on gel filtration of 210 000. Purified factor XI is activated by weak trypsin. No detectable BAEe esterase activity accompanies this activation. Neither factor XII adsorbed to kaolin nor activated factor XII in solution could activate purified factor XI; both reagents activate factor XI in dilute factor XII deficient plasma. Hence, plasma appears to supply a third activity which facilitates the interaction of factors XI and XII. This activity is shown to be distinct from Fletcher factor.
The perceived relative worth of reaching and maintaining goal weight.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the perceived relative worth of reaching and maintaining a self-selected goal weight, for obese and non-obese individuals. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Twenty-five obese treatment-seekers (age 41.0 y, BMI 42.5) and a community sample of 31 obese (age 40.8 y, BMI 32.2) and 64 non-obese participants (age 32.4 y, BMI 23.4). MEASUREMENT: An 18-item forced-choice questionnaire evaluating what participants would hypothetically sacrifice to reach and maintain their goal weight. RESULTS: Most obese treatment-seekers would hypothetically endure much to achieve their desired weight. For example, 88% or more would forego a job promotion, retiring with full-pay, eliminating the national debt, or winning their dream house or car or an all-expense-paid vacation, and smaller majorities would suffer loss of half their income or a job demotion. Many non-treatment-seeking obese would forfeit future rewards to reach goal weight, but fewer would incur negative events. About a third of non-obese participants would forgo certain positive events, but few would suffer an adverse event to achieve goal weight. Within the combined obese sample, females viewed attaining goal weight as more important than did males, but there were no significant racial differences. An index of overall worth of weight goal was related positively to current weight and BMI and negatively to goal weight as percentage of current weight (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Excessive value may be placed on attaining less than realistic weight goals, particularly but not exclusively by treatment-seeking and heavier obese people and those who desire greater weight loss. Clinicians should take this phenomenon into consideration, and public health initiatives should attempt to place body weight in a more balanced perspective.
A TIME LOCKED, LOW LEVEL CALIBRATOR.

Abstract A triggered calibrator providing pulses in the range of 5 to 100 μV is described. The calibration pulse may be added to the biological signal at the pre-amplifier input with no detrimental effects to either signal.
Effect of U.S. Immigration Reform on Labor-Intensive Agricultural Commodities

A major concern in development of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act was the potential for reductions in seasonal farm labor supply. Although the act appears to have increased farm labor supply, future immigration policy will likely be affected by similar concerns. Muth's model of industry supply and factor demand is adapted to analyze effects of labor supply reductions on selected U.S. crops. Labor factor share and output demand elasticity are the most important factors influencing the impact of labor supply on production, and effects of moderate supply decreases will be small if recent output demand conditions continue.
Reactions of boron cluster anions: implication of site-specific chemical neutralization pathways

Abstract Boron cluster anions were studied in a fast-flow tube reaction apparatus. The clusters were reacted with methyl iodide, and based on comparisons with aluminum clusters, it is suggested that we have observed the formation of neutral BnCH3 clusters. While isotopic peak broadening and mass coincidences prohibit quantitative conclusions, analogies with previous experiments involving aluminum clusters allow us to speculate as to the nature of the neutralization process in these reactions. It is believed that the type of site-specific reactions implied here may correspond directly to the reactions observed with aluminum clusters.
Molecular-bond hardening and dynamics of molecular stabilization and trapping in intense laser pulses

We extend our previous study [Chem. Phys. Lett. 197, 413 (1992)] of the molecular stabilization in intense laser fields by considering the dynamical behavior of the H&+ molecules in intense femtosecond short laser pulses at 775 nm. Significant stabilization and population trapping of high-lying vibrational states and chemical bond hardening are predicted for both continuous-wave (cw) lasers and short laser pulses. While the intensity dependences of the laser-induced stabilization are essentially the same for both cases, the detailed wave-packet localization dynamics is quite different. The correlation of the time-dependent dynamics with the time-independent Floquet complex quasienergy results, the probability for localization, the pulse-width dependence of molecular stabilization, the proton kinetic-energy spectrum, as well as the contrary dynamical response of low- and high-lying states, are studied at length for intense short laser pulses. In addition, the dynamic origin of "bond-softening" (for low-lying vibrational states) and "bond-hardening" (for high-lying vibrational states) effects in intense laser fields are explored.
Sex preference and body orientation preference in huddling behavior of rat pups

The social huddling of six litters of rat pups (Rattus norvegicus) was observed on Days 6–9 postpartum without the dam present. Each litter was reduced to three male and three female pups. Thirty-six pups were used as subjects (18 male, 18 female). Tests for the effects of sex of subject, age of subject, sex of littermate huddled against, and body orientation during huddling were carried out. Results indicated that subjects huddled against opposite-sex Uttermates more frequently than against same-sex littermates. Huddling was a curvilinear function of age, with average frequency of huddling reaching a peak on the second day of observation (Day 7 postpartum) and decreasing thereafter. Results also showed that subjects, regardless of sex, huddled using an orientation that allowed their heads to touch more frequently than an orientation in which the head was touching the body of a sibling. These data on early sex preference and body orientation pReferences during huddling suggest that rat pups are competent in aspects of behavior having attachment potential. The findings also help define the age of social competence in this species.
Dynamic agent classification and tracking using an ad hoc mobile acoustic sensor network

Autonomous networks of sensor platforms can be designed to interact in dynamic and noisy environments to determine the occurrence of specified transient events that define the dynamic process of interest. For example, a sensor network may be used for battlefield surveillance with the purpose of detecting, identifying, and tracking enemy activity. When the number of nodes is large, human oversight and control of low-level operations is not feasible. Coordination and self-organization of multiple autonomous nodes is necessary to maintain connectivity and sensor coverage and to combine information for better understanding the dynamics of the environment. Resource conservation requires adaptive clustering in the vicinity of the event. This paper presents methods for dynamic distributed signal processing using an ad hoc mobile network of microsensors to detect, identify, and track targets in noisy environments. They seamlessly integrate data from fixed and mobile platforms and dynamically organize platforms into clusters to process local data along the trajectory of the targets. Local analysis of sensor data is used to determine a set of target attribute values and classify the target. Sensor data from a field test in the Marine base at Twentynine Palms, Calif, was analyzed using the techniques described in this paper. The results were compared to "ground truth" data obtained from GPS receivers on the vehicles.
A P2P Video Delivery Network (P2P-VDN)

Current video streaming and storage systems such as YouTube, are based on the client-server model, thus do not scale well in terms of bandwidth and computation. This paper describes a Peer-to-Peer Video Delivery Network (P2PVDN) that provides both performance improvement and scalability based on three architectural elements. First, the proposed P2P-VDN employs a Random Network Coding (RNC) scheme that breaks a video stream into multiple smaller pieces, codes, and disperses them throughout peers in the network, in such a way to maximize the probability of recovering the original video under peer departures and failures. Second, the proposed P2P-VDN employs a scalable mechanism for automating the data replenishment process using RNC that is necessary to maintain a sufficient level of redundancy for video stored in the network. Third, the proposed P2P-VDN employs a path-diversity protocol for a client to simultaneously stream a video from multiple peers in the P2PVDN. Simulations demonstrate that under certain scenarios, our proposed P2P-VDN can result in bandwidth saving up to 60% over the traditional architecture.
Feasibility, acceptability, and characteristics associated with adherence and completion of a culturally relevant internet-enhanced physical activity pilot intervention for overweight and obese young adult African American women enrolled in college

African American women are one of the least active demographic groups in the US, with only 36% meeting the national physical activity recommendations in comparison to 46% of White women. Physical activity begins to decline in African American women in adolescence and continues to decline into young adulthood. Yet, few interventions have been developed to promote physical activity in African American women during this critical period of life. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a culturally-relevant Internet-enhanced physical activity pilot intervention for overweight/obese African American college females and to examine psychosocial and behavioral characteristics associated with intervention adherence and completion. A 6-month single group pre-posttest design was used. Participants (n = 27) accessed a culturally-relevant Social Cognitive Theory-based physical activity promotion website while engaging in a minimum of four moderate-intensity physical activity sessions each week. Acceptability and feasibility of the intervention was assessed by participant retention and a consumer satisfaction survey completed by participants. Fifty-six percent of participants (n = 15) completed the intervention. Study completers were more physically active at baseline (P = 0.05) and had greater social support for exercise from family members (P = 0.04). Sixty percent of study completers (n = 9) reported the website as “enjoyable” or “very enjoyable” to use and 60% (n = 9) reported increased motivation from participation in the physical activity program. Moreover, 87% (n = 13) reported they would recommend the website to a friend. Results provide some preliminary support for the acceptability and feasibility of an Internet-enhanced physical activity program for overweight/obese African American women, while highlighting important limitations of the approach. Successful promotion of physical activity in college aged African American women as they emerge into adulthood may result in the development of life-long healthy physical activity patterns which may ultimately reduce physical activity-related health disparities in this high risk underserved population. Future studies with larger samples are needed to further explore the use of Internet-based programs to promote physical activity in this population.
Children of Mothers Diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness: Patterns and Predictors of Service Use

Children who have a parent diagnosed with a mental illness are at risk of psychiatric and behavioral problems; yet, these children do not necessarily receive needed services. Research has investigated correlates of child mental health service use, but not for these high-risk children. This study is part of an NIMH-funded, longitudinal investigation and describes child problems, service use, and predictors of service use for 506 children of 252 mothers diagnosed with serious mental illness. Mothers are primarily poor, minority women from urban areas. A multilevel-model approach is used to examine service use for multiple siblings in a family. More than one third of children had received services (from school or mental health agencies) in their lifetimes. Service use was predicted by child demographic characteristics (being male, non–African American, and older), social context variables (more negative life events, less financial satisfaction, and more parenting dissatisfaction), and maternal psychiatric variables (positively by high levels of case management receipt and affective diagnoses, negatively by maternal substance abuse history). In a subsample of “target children,” mothers' rating of child behavior problems additionally predicted service use. Implications of results for research and intervention are discussed.
Elevated Levels of Uterine Anti-Apoptotic Signaling May Activate NFKB and Potentially Confer Resistance to Caspase 3-Mediated Apoptotic Cell Death During Pregnancy in Mice

Preserving the uterus in a state of relative quiescence is vital to the maintenance of a successful pregnancy. Elevated cytoplasmic levels of uterine caspase 3 during pregnancy have been proposed as a potential regulator of uterine quiescence through direct targeting and disabling of the uterine contractile architecture. However, despite highly elevated levels of uterine caspase 3 during pregnancy, there is minimal evidence of apoptosis. This current study defines the mechanism whereby the pregnant uterine myocyte may harness the tocolytic activity of active caspases while avoiding apoptotic cell death. Using the pregnant mouse model, we have analyzed the uterus for changes in pro- and antiapoptotic signaling patterns associated with the advancing stages of pregnancy. Briefly, we have found that members of the IAP family, such as SURVIVIN and XIAP, and the Bcl2 family members, such as MCL1, are elevated in the uterine myocyte during late gestation. The IAP family members are the only endogenous inhibitors of active caspase 3, and MCL1 limits activation of caspase 3 by suppressing proapoptotic signaling. Elevated XIAP levels partner with SURVIVIN, resulting in increased levels of the antiapoptotic MCL1 via NFKB activation; these together have the potential to limit both the activity and level of active caspase 3 in the pregnant uterus as term approaches. We propose that modification of these antiapoptotic signaling partners allows the pregnant uterus to escape the apoptotic action of elevated active caspase 3 levels but also functions to limit the levels of active uterine caspase 3 near term.
GaAs Schottky&#8212;Read diodes for x-band operation

High-efficiency performance of GaAs Schottky-Read IMPATT diodes has been observed at X-band frequencies. The highest efficiency measured was 26.1 percent with 2.5-W continuous-wave (CW) output power at 8.8 GHz for a single-mesa diode while multiple-mesa diodes have delivered more than 7 W at X band. The diodes were fabricated from multiple-layer epitaxial material with gold-plated heat sinks. Details of materials preparation and diode fabrication are presented. Theoretical calculations of diode breakdown voltage and efficiencies have been made as a function of the structural properties of the diodes. Good agreement has been obtained between the experimental microwave oscillator performance and the theoretical calculations.
Adherence to Thresholds: Overdiagnosis of Left Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy

Thresholds derived from quantification in imaging are increasingly used to define disease. This derivation is not an exact science. When one uses a threshold to define a disease, one does not clearly demarcate disease from normality because the threshold includes overlapping spectra of mild disease and normality. Thus, use of the threshold will mislabel normal individuals with disease. In this perspective, we will describe how the threshold has been derived for left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy, the statistical biases in the design of studies used to derive the threshold, and the dangers of overdiagnosis when the threshold is used to rule out left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy.