cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE GROWTH OF SEA-SALT PARTICLES BY CONDENSATION OF ATMOSPHERIC WATER VAPOR

Abstract Measurements of the rate of growth of sea-salt particles have been made when the particle is shifted from an environment of dry air to one of relative humidity between 80 and 100 per cent. For particles ranging in mass from 10−9 to 2 × 10−8 gram, agreement is found with growth times predicted by an equation which principally differs from previous derivations in that empirical vapor-pressure data are utilized. The growth time is observed to be independent of ventilation at air speeds less than 30 to 40 centimeters per second. The growth equation was reintegrated under variable humidity and temperature conditions corresponding to rates of lift observed in the atmosphere. The curves thus obtained approximately trace the growth of sea-salt particles rising from the sea surface to cloud base.
NEUTRON SPIN-NEUTRON ORBIT INTERACTION WITH SLOW NEUTRONS

Measurements were made of the polarization ratio of the scattered intensities for the two neutron spin states for two reflections (110) and (220) for positive angles and for the reflection (110) at negative angles. Very high neutron polarization was available and the intensity was studied as the magnetic field on the crystal was reduced to zero so as to avoid any electronic polarization scattering. Crystals of vanadium, silicon, and sodium chloride were used. (C.E.S.)
Fracture and fatigue analysis of curved or kinked cracks near fastener holes

Abstract The finite element alternating method is an attractive and efficient method for calculating the stress intensity factor of cracks emanating from fastener holes such as the problem of multiple site damage (MSD) at the fuselage skin of aging aircraft. While the alternating method has been used to solve various engineering problems in assessing the structural integrity of aging aircraft, this method does have some limitations on the modeling of MSD cracks. This alternating method can only model cracks with mode-I fracture behavior and requires the cracks to be straight and propagate in a self-similar fashion. As a result, there is some concern if the alternating method can be applied for the case when some of the cracks enamating from the fastener holes are slightly kinked. In the present research, cracks from fastener holes with the initial kink angles of +30° and −30° are studied. It is found that the fracture and fatigue life for slightly kinked cracks near the fastener holes can be very well approximated using the stress intensity factor for pure mode-I behavior obtained by replacing the slightly kinked cracks with simple straight cracks. Henceforth, the alternating method can be used to model slightly kinked cracks with straight cracks, thereby simplifying various fracture and fatigue analyses.
Psychophysical evidence for boundary and surface systems in human vision

Abstract Psychophysical evidence is given for the existence of two distinct systems in human vision: a fast, sign-invariant system concerned with extracting contours and a slower, sign-sensitive system concerned with assigning surface color. A class of stimuli we developed seems to selectively activate the fast, contour system. This stimulus is formed by adjacent fields of black and white spots, which flicker in counterphase at 15 Hz, on a uniform gray field. Although subjects can not discriminate the temporal phase relationship between the fields of spots, they can, nevertheless see a “Phantom Contour” separating the two indiscriminable fields. The surface characteristics (temporal phase relationship of the spots) can only be seen when the stimulus is significantly slower (flicker
Dosimetric properties of p(90)+(Be+Ta) and p(101)+(Be+Al) neutrons

Dosimetric data were obtained for p(90) + (Be + Ta) and p(101) + (Be + A1) radiation with field size 9 x 11 cm at a 125-cm SSD impinging on a tissue-equivalent liquid phantom with density 1.10. The radiation was unfiltered or filtered by 10 cm of polyethylene. Dose rates measured with a 0.5-cm3 ion chamber at a depth of 5 cm ranged from 0.046 Gy min-1 microA-1 for filtered p(90) + (Be + Ta) to 0.11 Gy min-1 microA-1 for unfiltered p(101) + (Be + A1). Neutron time of flight energy spectra in air averaged above 10 MeV indicate mean neutron energies ranging from 42.0-51.4 MeV for the four beams under study. The central axis depths at which 50% dose attentuation occurred ranged from 15 to 20 cm for these beams. At 3 cm depth the gamma dose component of the total p(101) + (Be + A1) dose was 14.5%, or 17% with filtration.
Investigations on myelination in vitro: Thyroid hormone receptors in cultures of cells dissociated from embryonic mouse brain

Brain cells dissociated from 15-day-old embryonic mice and grown in culture contain both cytosolic and nuclear receptors for L-3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (L-T3). KD values for L-T3 of 3.05 X 10(-9) M and 4.2 X 10(-9) M were determined with the cytosolic and nuclear receptors respectively. These cultured cells, which are suitable for studying the regulation of myelination by T3 in vitro, display a high specificity for L-T3 in that the receptors for L-T3 do not bind D-T3, D-thyroxine, L-diiodothyronine, or DL-thyronine, and bind only small amounts of L-thyroxine.
Photo-stabilization and photo-degradation in organic coatings containing a hindered amine light stabilizer: Part IV—Photo-initiation rates and photo-oxidation rates in unstabilized coatings

Abstract The chemistries and rates of photo-oxidation have been studied in a series of acrylic melamine coatings as a function of exposure condition. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy has been used to determine the photo-initiation rate (PIR) of free radicals using a nitroxide doping technique. Infrared spectroscopy has been used to follow changes in the relative concentrations of different functional groups. In particular, the rate of carbonyl group formation has been measured. This rate has been found to be proportional to the square root of the photo-initiation rate, confirming that the formation of carbonyl species in these coatings is a free radical induced photo-oxidation process. Infrared spectroscopic measurements of carbonyl formation can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of free-radical scavengers such as hindered amine light stabilizers in retarding photo-oxidation in polymer coatings.
NSF reviewed—An analysis

The awarding of scientific research grants jointly to investigators and their academic institutions by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (see news item above) is based on a concept of high ideals; review of proposed research ploys is done by peers selected from the academic community. The peer review process and the way awards of funds are made to an investigator's institution are often mildly criticized, but among members of the community there has long been an underlying respect of the concepts, a recognition that the process tends to lead to high standards in research. As peers are chosen, a certain degree of unevenness in the review process is to be expected. Just how much unevenness has been revealed in a recent study sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Science and Public Policy (COSPUP). The results indicate that the peer review process is random and unbiased. The results show some tendency toward unevenness between groups of peers, but the NSF process evidently is a finely tuned one, especially when compared with other more or less subjective methods of evaluation.
Dynamic Motives in ESL Computer-Mediated Peer Response

This paper reports a case study investigating how the use of instant messaging (IM) mediated ESL students’ motives in their participation in computer-mediated peer response (CMPR) tasks in an ESL academic writing class. Qualitative data including interview transcripts, chat transcripts, on-and off-screen behaviors captured on video cameras and with a screen-capturing tool, researcher observations, and student drafts collected from two low-advanced-level ESL students were analyzed. Data analysis indicated that with the opportunities afforded and challenges presented by IM technology, the ESL students were driven by heterogeneous and multiple motives even when they were participating in the same task, and their engagement in multiple motives was dynamic rather than static. The use of IM mediated the formation and shift of students’ motives within and across the CMPR tasks.
Molecular mobility of polypeptides containing proline as determined by 13C magnetic resonance.

The molecular conformations and dynamics of poly(L-prolyl), poly(hydroxyl-L-prolyl), poly(L-prolyl-glycyl), poly(hydroxyl-L-prolyl), and poly(glycyl-glycyl-L-prolyl-glycyl), in aqueous solution, have been studied using 13C pulse Fourier transform nmr spectroscopy. From a measurement of the intensities of major and minor resonances in the spectra of the copolypeptides, it was determined that 15–20% of the glycyl-prolyl and glycyl-hydroxyprolyl peptide bonds are cis. Effective rotational correlation times (τeff), obtained from measurements of spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) of individual backbone and side-chain carbons, demonstrated that backbone reorientation is approximately isotropic for the five polypeptides and is characterized by correlation times of ca. 0.3–0.6 nanoseconds as a result of rapid segmental motion. In a given polypeptide glycyl and pyrrolidine residues were found to have the same backbone correlation times, but backbone carbon τeff values did decrease as the glycyl content of the peptides increased. A semi-quantitative analysis of Cβ, Cγ, and Cδ correlation times suggests that rapid ring motion in both prolyl and hydroxyprolyl involves primarily Cγ and Cβ, with the prolyl ring being more mobile than the hydroxyprolyl ring.
Integrin-ligand binding properties govern cell migration speed through cell-substratum adhesiveness

Migration of cells in higher organisms is mediated by adhesion receptors, such as integrins, that link the cell to extracellular-matrix ligands, transmitting forces and signals necessary for locomotion. Whether cells will migrate or not on a given substratum, and also their speed, depends on several variables related to integrin-ligand interactions, including ligand levels, integrin levels, and integrin-ligand binding affinities. These and other factors affect the way molecular systems integrate to effect and regulate cell migration. Here we show that changes in cell migration speed resulting from three separate variables-substratum ligand level, cell integrin expression level, and integrin-ligand binding affinity-are all quantitatively predictable through the changes they cause in a single unifying parameter: short-term cell-substratum adhesion strength. This finding is consistent with predictions of a mathematical model for cell migration. The ligand concentration promoting maximum migration speed decreases reciprocally as integrin expression increases. Increases in integrin-ligand affinity similarly result in maximal migration at reciprocally lower ligand concentrations. The maximum speed attainable, however, remains unchanged as ligand concentration, integrin expression, or integrin-ligand affinity vary, suggesting that integrin coupling with intracellular motors remains unaltered.
Bacterial pathogen-associated molecular patterns stimulate biological activity of orthopaedic wear particles by activating cognate toll-like receptors

Aseptic loosening of orthopaedic implants is induced by wear particles generated from the polymeric and metallic components of the implants. Substantial evidence suggests that activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) may contribute to the biological activity of the wear particles. Although pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) produced by Gram-positive bacteria are likely to be more common in patients with aseptic loosening, prior studies have focused on LPS, a TLR4-specific PAMP produced by Gram-negative bacteria. Here we show that both TLR2 and TLR4 contribute to the biological activity of titanium particles with adherent bacterial debris. In addition, lipoteichoic acid, a PAMP produced by Gram-positive bacteria that activates TLR2, can, like LPS, adhere to the particles and increase their biological activity, and the increased biological activity requires the presence of the cognate TLR. Moreover, three lines of evidence support the conclusion that TLR activation requires bacterially derived PAMPs and that endogenously produced alarmins are not sufficient. First, neither TLR2 nor TLR4 contribute to the activity of “endotoxin-free” particles as would be expected if alarmins are sufficient to activate the TLRs. Second, noncognate TLRs do not contribute to the activity of particles with adherent LPS or lipoteichoic acid as would be expected if alarmins are sufficient to activate the TLRs. Third, polymyxin B, which inactivates LPS, blocks the activity of particles with adherent LPS. These results support the hypothesis that PAMPs produced by low levels of bacterial colonization may contribute to aseptic loosening of orthopaedic implants.
Dissociation of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor subtype involvement in sensitivity to locomotor effects of methamphetamine and cocaine.

Rationale Enhanced sensitivity to the euphoric and locomotor-activating effects of psychostimulants may influence an individual's predisposition to drug abuse and addiction. While drug-induced behaviors are mediated by the actions of several neurotransmitter systems, past research revealed that the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system is important in driving the acute locomotor response to psychostimulants.
Quantification of myosin heavy chain isoform in porcine muscle using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

The objective of this study was to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify the relative abundance of the myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms in porcine muscle. Longissimus muscle samples were taken from halothane positive (HAL+) and negative (HAL-) pigs and subjected to ELISA using newly generated and commercially available myosin monclonal antibodies (mAbs). Muscle of HAL+ pigs possessed less type I (P <0.01) and IIA (P<0.1), and more type IIB MyHC (P <0.01) than muscle of HAL- pigs. Abundance of IIX MyHC content was negatively correlated (P < 0.0001) to the amount of IIB MyHC in porcine muscle. These data show indirect ELISA can be used to detect genotype differences in muscle MyHC content, and it provides a rapid, sensitive method for determining muscle fiber type in porcine skeletal muscle. Furthermore, these data suggest that the proportion of glycolytic muscle fibers increases at the expense of oxidative fibers.
Latent Herpes Simplex Virus Infections in Sensory Ganglia of Hairless Mice Prevented by Acycloguanosine

Acycloguanosine (ACG) was able to prevent the fatal outcome of herpes simplex virus-induced skin infections of the lumbosacral or orofacila area in hairless mice. Topical ACG treatment was more effective than systemic treatment in preventing the evolution of skin lesions. Acute ganglionic infections in the trigeminal ganglia were prevented by ACG, and latent ganglionic infections did not become established when the ACG treatment was initiated 3 h after infection. Serum antibody titers were, on the average, eight times higher in mice which developed latent ganglionic infections after ACG treatment than in mice without evidence of herpes simplex virus latency in ganglia. Reinoculation of ACG-treated mice at a site different from that of the primary inoculation did not lead to the establishment of a second latent infection with the homologous virus type when a latent infection was already present. In mice without evidence of latent infection after the primary inoculation, a latent infection at the site of reinoculation became established in 25% of the animals.
A burn center paradigm to fulfill deferred consent public disclosure and community consultation requirements for emergency care research

Abstract Introduction To fulfill Food and Drug Administration and Department of Health and Human Services emergency care research informed consent requirements, our burn center planned and executed a deferred consent strategy gaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval to proceed with the clinical study. These federal regulations dictate public disclosure and community consultation unique to acute care research. Objective Our regional burn center developed and implemented a deferred consent public notification and community consultation paradigm appropriate for a burn study. Methods Published accounts of deferred consent strategies focus on acute care resuscitation practices. We adapted those strategies to design and conduct a comprehensive public notification/community consultation plan to satisfy deferred consent requirements for burn center research. Results To implement a robust media campaign we engaged the hospital's public relations department, distributed media materials, recruited hospital staff for speaking engagements, enlisted community volunteers, and developed initiatives to inform “hard-to-reach” populations. The hospital's IRB determined we fulfilled our obligation to notify the defined community. Conclusion Our communication strategy should provide a paradigm other burn centers may appropriate and adapt when planning and executing a deferred consent initiative.
A critical function for TGF-|[beta]| signaling in the development of natural CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells

The molecular mechanisms directing the development of 'natural' CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg cells) in the thymus are not thoroughly understood. We show here that conditional deletion of transforming growth factor-β receptor I (TβRI) in T cells blocked the appearance of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ thymocytes at postnatal days 3–5. Paradoxically, however, beginning 1 week after birth, the same TβRI-mutant mice showed accelerated expansion of thymic CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ populations. This rapid recovery of Foxp3+ thymocytes was attributable mainly to overproduction of and heightened responsiveness to interleukin 2, as genetic ablation of interleukin 2 in TβRI-mutant mice resulted in a complete absence of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells from the thymus and periphery. Thus, transforming growth factor-β signaling is critical to the thymic development of natural CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells.
Electron microscopic observations of an unusual cytoplasmic inclusion in the calcium-starved white mutant (LU887×LU897) of Physarum polycephalum

Abstract Electron micrographs of Physarum polycephalum microplasmodia (LU887 × LU897) reveal cytoplasmic inclusions that appear “striated” at low magnifications; at higher magnifications these exhibit a structure that we have interpreted as microtubule bundles. The light and dark regions in the inclusions are due to the affinity of some microtubules for osmic acid; these appear to have dense regions while other microtubules remain electron lucent. The diameters of the microtubules are about 32–33nm; the subunits forming the tubule walls measure about 8–9nm in diameter. The diameter measurements are slightly larger than the dimensions assigned to vertebrate microtubules (28nm); however, the diameter of the subunits in the microtubule wall measures about 8–9nm which is essentially the same measurement reported for vertebrate tubulin dimers.
Is it really naked? On cosmic censorship in string theory

We investigate the possibility of cosmic censorship violation in string theory using a characteristic double-null code, which penetrates horizons and is capable of resolving the spacetime all the way to the singularity. We perform high-resolution numerical simulations of the evolution of negative mass initial scalar field profiles, which were argued to provide a counterexample to cosmic censorship conjecture for AdS-asymptotic spacetimes in five-dimensional supergravity. In no instances formation of naked singularity is seen. Instead, numerical evidence indicates that black holes form in the collapse. Our results are consistent with earlier numerical studies, and explicitly show where the 'no black hole' argument breaks.
De Novo Assembly of the Complete Genome of an Enhanced Electricity-Producing Variant of Geobacter sulfurreducens Using Only Short Reads

State-of-the-art DNA sequencing technologies are transforming the life sciences due to their ability to generate nucleotide sequence information with a speed and quantity that is unapproachable with traditional Sanger sequencing. Genome sequencing is a principal application of this technology, where the ultimate goal is the full and complete sequence of the organism of interest. Due to the nature of the raw data produced by these technologies, a full genomic sequence attained without the aid of Sanger sequencing has yet to be demonstrated. We have successfully developed a four-phase strategy for using only next-generation sequencing technologies (Illumina and 454) to assemble a complete microbial genome de novo. We applied this approach to completely assemble the 3.7 Mb genome of a rare Geobacter variant (KN400) that is capable of unprecedented current production at an electrode. Two key components of our strategy enabled us to achieve this result. First, we integrated the two data types early in the process to maximally leverage their complementary characteristics. And second, we used the output of different short read assembly programs in such a way so as to leverage the complementary nature of their different underlying algorithms or of their different implementations of the same underlying algorithm. The significance of our result is that it demonstrates a general approach for maximizing the efficiency and success of genome assembly projects as new sequencing technologies and new assembly algorithms are introduced. The general approach is a meta strategy, wherein sequencing data are integrated as early as possible and in particular ways and wherein multiple assembly algorithms are judiciously applied such that the deficiencies in one are complemented by another.
An efficient implementation of a numerical method for a chemotaxis system

A system of partial differential equations modelling the attraction of a population of cells to a biochemical concentration in its environment is considered. The system incorporates convective and diffusive effects, either of which may dominate. A numerical method is presented that allows for both possible features, which conserves positivity of solutions and their mass in the absence of sources or sinks. An efficient implementation of the method in a two-dimensional setting is described that uses fast Poisson solvers for either 5-or 9-pt stencils approximating the Laplacian. It is also shown that the computational work for either stencil is essentially the same.
Validation of a novel resistance monitoring technique for corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and event DAS-59122-7 maize

Rootworm control tactics have recently expanded to include transgenic maize, which express insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to reduce larval injury and protect yield potential. Exceptional root protection, increased grower efficiency and improved safety have led to rapid adoption of this technology in the USA. As a result, there is a recognized need for resistance management programmes aimed at delaying rootworm resistance. An essential component of resistance management programmes is the development and implementation of effective resistance monitoring techniques. Five test populations of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (LeConte) were used to evaluate the sensitivity of two techniques used to describe population susceptibility to the Bt proteins expressed in event DAS-59122-7 maize: a diet bioassay employing purified proteins applied to artificial diet and a novel technique using sub-lethal measures of larval development on seedling maize. Test populations included Rochelle-US, an unselected susceptible colony, three populations composed of 5%, 25% or 50% Rochelle-S mixed with Rochelle-US, and the Rochelle-S selected colony. Rochelle-S was derived from the same founding population as Rochelle-US, but selected for survival on DAS-59122-7 maize. Selections identified a minor trait conferring increased tolerance, and greenhouse plant efficacy evaluations confirmed that after 10 generations of selection with no random mating, Rochelle-S caused significantly more root injury to DAS-59122-7 than Rochelle-US. Rochelle-S present at 5% of the test population resulted in measurable but not significant increase in injury to DAS-59122-7 maize. The diet bioassay was relatively insensitive to the susceptibility differences between the Rochelle-US and Rochelle-S populations. Neither LC 50 nor EC 50 estimates produced statistically significant differentiation between test populations with 0%, 5%, 25% or 50% Rochelle-S. The sub-lethal assay clearly identified differences between Rochelle-S and Rochelle-US and an increased rate of larval development was measurable when the test population contained only 5% of Rochelle-S.
The etiopathologies of holoprosencephaly

The most common malformation of the human forebrain is the developmental disorder, holoprosencephaly (HPE). Patients with HPE exhibit astounding variation in craniofacial form, from near-normal to the profound and devastating condition of cyclopia. Equally intriguing is that both genetic and environmental factors can produce HPE. How environmental agents adversely affect gene function and elicit HPE is an area of intense and sustained interest because it might offer the possibility of disease prevention, genetic counseling and potentially early intervention.
Ultrastructure of epiretinal membrane causing retinal starfold.

Abstract A prominent posterior retinal "starfold" was seen in an eye with an extensive rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The retina was reattached with a scleral buckling operation. The epiretinal membrane causing the starfold was later removed by vitreous surgery and was studied by electron microscopy, permitting the first such clinicopathologic correlation in a human eye. The membrane was composed of vitreous collagen, newly formed collagen, and cells. The cell types included retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, fibrous astrocytes, and macrophages. The fibrous astrocytes and some of the RPE cells contained intracytoplasmic microfilaments of the type thought to be myofibrils. These may account for contraction of the membrane, causing the starfold configuration of the underlying and adjacent retina.
Interzonal Natural Convective Heat and Mass Flow Through Doorway-Like Apertures in Buildings: Experimental Results

This paper presents the results of full-scale experiments in a realistic building to evaluate natural convective heat and mass transfer through doorway-like apertures under small temperature differentials. The zone-to-zone temperature differences were nominally between 1°C and 2.5°C. Heat transfer correlations, coefficient of discharge, and thermal stratification are reported for air (Pr = 0.71), an enclosure aspect ratio of 0.26, aperture height relative to the enclosure height in the range of 0.75 to 1, and aperture width relative to the enclosure width in the range 0.29 to 0.79. In general, the results extends the validity of previous theoretical and experimental work in the literature to large doorway-like apertures and small temperature differentials across the aperture typical of residential building conditions.
Semiconductor capacity planning: stochastic modeling and computational studies

Abstract This paper presents a multistage stochastic programming model for strategic capacity planning at a major US semiconductor manufacturer. Main sources of uncertainty in this multi-year planning problem include demand of different technologies and capacity estimations for each fabrication (fab) facility. We test the model using real-world scenarios requiring the determination of capacity planning for 29 technology categories among five fab facilities. The objective of the model is to minimize the gaps between product demands and the capacity allocated to the technology specified by each product. We consider two different scenario-analysis constructs: first, an independent scenario structure where we assume no prior information and the model systematically enumerates possible states in each period. The states from one period to another are independent from each other. Second, we consider an arbitrary scenario construct, which allows the planner to sample/evaluate arbitrary multi-period scenarios that...
Negative T cell costimulation and islet tolerance

Activation of self-reactive T cells that specifically destroy the pancreatic beta-cells is one of the hallmarks in the development of type 1 diabetes. Thus, for prevention and treatment of this autoimmune disease, approaches to induce and maintain T cell tolerance toward the beta-cells, especially in islet transplantation, have been actively pursued. Noticeably, many of the recent protocols for inducing transplant tolerance involve blockade of positive T cell costimulation extrinsically. Though highly effective in prolonging graft survival, these strategies alone might not be universally sufficient to achieve true tolerance. As the mystery of the suppressive and regulatory T cells unfolds, it is becoming appreciated that exploiting the intrinsic molecular and cellular mechanisms that turn off an immune response would perhaps facilitate the current protocols in establishing T cell tolerance. In this perspective, here we summarize the recent findings on the negative costimulation pathways, in particular, the newly identified PD-1 : PD-L interactions. On the basis of these observations, we propose a new principle of curtailing pathogenic T cell response in which blockade of positive T cell costimulation is reinforced by concurrent engagement of the negative costimulation machinery. Such a strategy may hold greater hope for therapeutic intervention of transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases.
Dust, out of Africa

Editor: Paul R. Baumann Department of Geography State University of New York at Oneonta Milne Library 317 Oneonta, NY 13820, USA Dust and other fine particles have been spread across the face of th...
An LQR-control problem for a multicomponent flexible structure

This paper is concerned with modeling and control of a multicomponent distributed-parameter structure. General results from the theory of infinitedimensional systems are used to pose an LQR-control problem for the structure. Different variations of the structure are considered and, in particular, approximation schemes for two forms of the structure are presented in detail. Responses of the system to an elastic initial condition are presented. It is shown that convergent state feedback control laws can be obtained which result in significant suppression of vibrations and unwanted displacements throughout the structure.
“Art Is a Reconciliation with Life”: Gogolian Paradox and Aesthetic Credo

L his discussion of Tolstoy and the poetics of didactic fiction, Gary Saul Morson notes that from certain theoretical perspectives, "an absolute gulf separates art from reality" and "text from reader.'1 For Morson, Russian literature as a whole, "poised between metafiction and didactic fiction," is "the literature of frame-breaking. It is, in fact, not so much literature as counter-literature, governed by an anti-aesthetic."2 Consistent with this assessment, Nikolai Gogol is one of many writers who refuse to acknowledge strict divisions between art and life, aesthetics and ethics, and he is particularly persistent in stressing the permeability of any perceived boundaries between these spheres. In the wake of the disappointing reception of Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends, Gogol wrote to Vasilii Zhukovskii on January 10, 1848 to reaffirm the primacy of art in his life. In grappling with the question as to what constitutes the essence of art, he suggested that "a genuine creation of art contains within itself something soothing and conciliatory." A work lacking this quality may represent an artist's "noble, impassioned impulse" and may even be "a remarkable phenomenon," but it "cannot be called a work of art." Gogol concludes that "art is a reconciliation with life."3 The intent of this article is to examine the intriguing relationship that Gogol posits between art and life. Gogol's formula regarding the reconciling influence of art with life has received relatively little comment in the critical literature, and the reasons are manifold.4 In Vladimir Nabokov's fairly representative critique of this functional approach to art, for
Running From Her Past A Case of Rapidly Progressive Dyspnea on Exertion

Information about a real patient is presented in stages (boldface type) to an expert clinician (Dr John R. Teerlink), who responds to the information, sharing his or her reasoning with the reader (regular type). A discussion by the authors follows. A 51-year-old woman presented to the emergency room with progressive dyspnea on exertion. She was an avid runner, and had completed a half-marathon 2 months before presentation. Since then, she had experienced a rapid decline in exercise capacity such that, on presentation, she was unable to climb a flight of stairs without stopping to catch her breath. She had recently completed a course of azithromycin prescribed by her primary care physician without benefit. She denied chest pain, lower extremity swelling, fevers, chills, or cough. She had had stage II left breast adenocarcinoma successfully treated 2 years before with Adriamycin-containing chemotherapy, radiation to the left chest, and bilateral mastectomy. Her only medication was fexofenadine for seasonal allergies. She had no previous heart disease or cardiovascular risk factors, with the exception of a distant 10–pack-year smoking history. She had no family history of premature cardiovascular disease. There was no history of illicit substance abuse. Dr John R. Teerlink: The differential diagnosis for rapidly progressive dyspnea on exertion includes cardiac, pulmonary, rheumatologic, and hematologic disorders. The notable aspects of the patient's history include her dyspnea on exertion in the absence of any other symptoms and her previous vigorous exercise capacity, which suggests a rapidly progressive process. Her previous breast cancer and associated treatment raises the possibility of Adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy, radiation-induced coronary artery disease or constrictive pericarditis, or pulmonary embolus. On examination, the patient was comfortable but tachypneic. Her temperature was 36.6°C and her blood pressure was 112/73 mm Hg. Her heart rate was 100 bpm with a respiratory rate of 22 breaths per …
Magnetic excitations in layered media: Spin waves and the light-scattering spectrum

We present an analysis of the spin-wave spectrum of a semi-infinite stack of ferromagnetic films, each of which is separated by a gap filled by a nonmagnetic medium. This is done within a formalism which includes the Zeeman and dipolar contributions to the spin-wave energy, with exchange omitted. We then calculate the spin-wave contribution to the Brillouin spectrum of such a system, in the backscattering geometry. The aim is to compare the spectrum for scattering from a sample with this geometry, with that from an isolated film. Two features unique to the stack appear in the spectrum. Each film, in isolation, possesses surface spin waves on its boundaries (Damon-Eshbach waves). In the layered geometry these interact to form a band of excitations of the array, which has nonvanishing component of wave vector normal to the stack. We find a feature in the spectrum associated with scattering from this band of modes; the position of the peak is controlled by dispersion introduced by interfilm interactions. Under certain conditions, the semi-infinite stack possesses a surface spin wave, whose eigenfunction is a linear superposition of individual film states, with amplitude that decays to zero as one moves down into the stack interior. This mode also produces a distinct feature in the light-scattering spectrum. These points are illustrated with a series of calculations of the spectrum, for parameters characteristic of layered ultrathin coherent structures.
Hospital “At Home” Delivery: A Celebration

Relatively unique hospital arrangements for providing a home‐like atmosphere for childbirth are described. Innovations include a "Lamaze Room'" for labor and delivery in one place, a system of obstetric nursing care based on the French monitrice concept, and decor and policies modified to provide a more relaxed environment.
Weak magnetism and the beta spectra of 12B and 12N

Abstract We perform a careful analysis of the shapes of the beta spectra for Gamow-Teller decays and apply this to the previously measured 12B,12N cases. The results are found not to support the CVC hypothesis as strongly as previous studies appeared to indicate.
Films Grown on Vicinal GaAs(111) Substrates By Molecular Beam Epitaxy

The faceted surface morphology of films grown on on-axis GaAs( $$\bar 1\bar 1\bar 1$$ ) substrates in the $$\sqrt {19} \times \sqrt {19} $$ } reconstruction regime is studied with an atomic force microscope. It reveals that facets are vicinal surfaces. Surface morphologies of films grown on substrates tilted toward different directions have been compared. An explanation is given for all observed surface morphologies. Smooth films can only be obtained on substrates tilted toward [ $$2\bar 1\bar 1$$ ] in the $$\sqrt {19} \times \sqrt {19} $$ surface reconstruction regime.
Femoral central venous catheters are not associated with higher rates of infection in the pediatric critical care population.

Background Adult data show a difference in central venous catheter (CVC) infection rates between 3 major sites: subclavian (SC), internal jugular (IJ), and femoral veins. We hypothesized that in patients in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), there is no difference in rates of CVC infection among these three sites, but specifically the femoral compared to all other sites. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, data from January 1999 to January 2008 were collected prospectively for internal review and quality assurance. All PICU patients with a CVC were enrolled. The rate of CVC infection was determined using Cox regression survival analysis to account for various durations of CVC placement at the various sites, then adjusted for severity of illness, number of lumens, and patient age. Mortality was compared in patients with a CVC infection versus those without. Results A total of 4,512 patients with a CVC were enrolled. No site was associated with an increased risk of infection compared with the other sites, with hazard ratios of 0.951 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.612-1.478) for the SC site, 0.956 (95% CI, 0.593-1.541) for the IJ site, and 1.120 (95% CI, 0.753-1.665) for the femoral site. No significant association between mortality and presence of CVC infection was found when adjusted for age, severity of illness, and duration of CVC placement. An association was found between the presence of a CVC infection and prolonged PICU length of stay (3.98 days longer; P Conclusion Femoral CVCs are not associated with higher rates of infection in the PICU. In addition, the presence of CVC infection does not affect mortality, but is associated with longer PICU admission.
Mechanisms and frequency of resistance to temafloxacin.

Abstract The bactericidal activity of temafloxacin and other fluoroquinolones is attributed to inhibition of bacterial DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II), an enzyme that regulates supercoiling and uncoiling of DNA. Because of this unique bactericidal mechanism of action, resistance to fluoroquinolones is limited to spontaneous mutations. In vitro studies were conducted to determine the frequency at which spontaneous resistance to temafloxacin occurs and to determine whether cross-resistance to other antimicrobial agents develops. In 13 strains of bacteria, the frequency of spontaneous resistance mutation to concentrations of temafloxacin at four and eight times the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranged from −10 to 1.4 × 10 −7 . Temafloxacin demonstrated a lower frequency of resistance to both methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus compared with ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin. Cross resistance with other fluoroquinolones was observed.
Social Change and the Relationships Between Education and Employment

The relationships between education and employment have long been of interest to social scientists. During the transition from a completely agricultural economy to one that is developing nonfarm opportunities, however, the relationships between education and employment may dramatically change. We examine how two components of education—schooling enrollment and attainment—affect the transition to employment for men and women in the Chitwan Valley of Nepal. Using discrete-time event history models, we find that school enrollment tends to delay employment, while school attainment accelerates employment. We also test how these effects may have changed across successive cohorts. Over time, the effects of enrollment have become stronger, while the effects of attainment appear to have weakened. These shifts in the nature of education may be related to increasing conflict between student and employee roles, as well as changes in the types and availability of employment.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE RESPIRATION RATE AND THE RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT OF SOME VEGETABLES.

Numerous experiments have been conducted to determine the respiration rates of various vegetables after harvest. Nevertheless, it is well-nigh impossible to gain a clear knowledge of the comparative rates of respiration exhibited by different kinds of vegetables from the scattered data in the literature, because of the wide variations in temperature and other conditions under which such experiments were carried out. Only the studies of Benoy (4) and of Appleman and Smith (1) represent consistent efforts to secure comparable data on respiration under uniform conditions. Aside from transpiration, respiration is undoubtedly the most important factor contributing to the deterioration of vegetables after harvest. Additional information on respiration rates at different temperature levels is needed for the solution of practical problems concerned with storage and transportation of fresh vegetables. The experiments here reported were carried out with this point in view. Carbon dioxide production and oxygen consumption were determined simultaneously in the hope that the calculated respiratory quotients would shed some light on the metabolism involved. In particular, it was expected that an explanation might be found for the phenomenon of low temperature injury which has frequently been observed in -certain fruits and vegetables and which has been attributed to abnormalities in the course of respiration.
From character to intellect: changing conceptions of merit in the social sciences and humanities, 1951–1971

Abstract This paper investigates the questions of whether and how the evaluation of merit in academic disciplines changed between the early 1950s and the late 1960s. We analyze letters of recommendation written for prospective graduate students who applied to the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Program during the periods 1951–1955 and 1967–1971, in the disciplines of economics, political science, philosophy, English and history. We find that in all disciplines, the relative use of intellectual and technical criteria increased during this time, the relative use of moral and social background criteria declined, while the use of personal criteria did not change. We find little evidence of disciplinary differences. In suggesting potential explanations for these findings, we focus on the impact of the dramatic growth and expanding diversity of academia during the postwar years.
Mapping soil attributes for site-specific management of a Montana field

Conventional soil maps represent the distribution of soil attributes across landscapes but with less precision than is needed to obtain the full economic and environmental benefits of site- specific crop management. This study quantifies the spatial variability of three agronomically significant soil attributes: (1) thickness of mollic epipedon, (2) organic matter content (OM), and (3) pH as related to soil survey map units, spectral data, and terrain attributes for a 20 ha field in Montana. Analysis of Order 1 (1:7920-scale) Soil Survey map units indicates substantial variation in all three soil attributes. There was some evidence that similar attribute values were clustered in the field (0.40 - 0.46 Moran's Coefficients). Two spectral band ratios explained 64% of the variation in OM across the field. GPS/GIS-derived wetness index, sediment transport index, elevation, and slope gradient explained 48% of OM variation. Wetness index, slope gradient, and plan curvature combined to explain 48% of the variation in mollic epipedon thickness. Elevation and wetness index explained just 13% of pH variation. Two spectral band ratios, specific catchment area, and wetness index combined to explain 70% of the variation in OM at 66 sampling sites. Four contour map representations of OM illustrate the sensitivity of the final maps to variations in input data and interpolation method.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Quantitative genetics: a promising approach for the assessment of genetic variation in endangered species

The measurement of genetic variation is often an important component of endangered species management programs. Each of several tools available to measure genetic diversity has positive and negative attributes. Quantitative genetic techniques have not received much attention in the conservation field, yet they are likely to reveal variation that is most closely associated with components of fitness. In addition, quantitative genetics may not be as logistically difficult for threatened populations as was once thought. Finally, quantitative genetic models provide a better outlook for conservation programs than single-locus models.
Pumps and warmers during amnioinfusion: is either necessary?

Objective To determine if there is evidence from published reports that the use of infusion pumps or solution warmers during amnioinfusion is beneficial. Data Sources We identified all English-language amnioinfusion reports published since 1983 through Medline and references. Methods of Study Selection Fourteen prospective papers with at least 40 subjects were identified. Data Extraction and Synthesis For the amnioinfusion and control groups in each study, odds ratios (OR) were calculated for cesarean delivery, fetal distress, meconium below the cords, low 5-minute Apgar score, and endometritis. Cumulative ORs were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel inverse variance method. This process was repeated after separation into pump-gravity and warmed-unwarmed groups. Multiple regression analyses were performed. Amnioinfusion improved the ability of the fetus to tolerate labor (fetal distress OR 0.40), decreased the incidence of meconium below the cords (OR 0.16), and decreased the rate of cesarean delivery (OR 0.56). There were no demonstrable benefits associated with the use of warmers or pumps. In multiple regression analysis, infusion pumps were associated with a significantly increased risk of fetal distress ( P =.01). Conclusion The use of amnioinfusion is associated with a decreased risk of fetal distress, meconium below the cords, and cesarean delivery. To date, there is no demonstrable benefit using infusion pumps or solution warmers during amnioinfusion.