cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the accuracy of commercially available gas sensors for the measurement of ambient ozone and nitrogen dioxide.

The objective of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) accuracy criterion is to ensure that measurements from monitoring devices are within ±25% of the true concentratio...
Polygonatum undulatifolium (Asparagaceae), a new species from the eastern Himalaya

Polygonatum Miller (1754: without pagination) (Asparagaceae, Nolinoideae) is a relatively large genus with great diversity of plant form, habit, and ecology. Most of the diversity is found in the Hengduan of southwestern China and the eastern Himalaya (Jeffrey 1980, Chen & Tamura 2000). Field observations at several localities in Arunachal Pradesh, India and specimen examinations of an anomalous opposite leaved species from the eastern Himalaya (incl. southeastern Tibet) could not be placed in any currently described species (Baker 1875, Hooker 1894, Tang 1978, Jeffrey 1980, Wu 1983, Noltie 1994, Chen & Tamura 2000, Floden 2015). Comparisons to the type specimens of all opposite-leaved species, examination of species in the field, examination of over 6,000 specimens of Polygonatum from multiple herbaria through loans or visits (CAS, F, H, MI, MO, NY, and PE, acronyms follow Thiers 2018) and digital images (BM, E, HITBC, IBSC, K, KUN, L, LBG, P, and SZ) confirms the novelty of this species. In addition, molecular phylogenetic analysis (A. Floden, in preparation) of 250+ samples of Polygonatum including two nuclear genes and chloroplast data have confirmed the molecular distinctiveness of this new species and its placement in the opposite-leaved group of species found in the Himalaya.
The Sample Complexity of Semi-Supervised Learning with Nonparametric Mixture Models

We study the sample complexity of semi-supervised learning (SSL) and introduce new assumptions based on the mismatch between a mixture model learned from unlabeled data and the true mixture model induced by the (unknown) class conditional distributions. Under these assumptions, we establish an $\Omega(K\log K)$ labeled sample complexity bound without imposing parametric assumptions, where $K$ is the number of classes. Our results suggest that even in nonparametric settings it is possible to learn a near-optimal classifier using only a few labeled samples. Unlike previous theoretical work which focuses on binary classification, we consider general multiclass classification ($K>2$), which requires solving a difficult permutation learning problem. This permutation defines a classifier whose classification error is controlled by the Wasserstein distance between mixing measures, and we provide finite-sample results characterizing the behaviour of the excess risk of this classifier. Finally, we describe three algorithms for computing these estimators based on a connection to bipartite graph matching, and perform experiments to illustrate the superiority of the MLE over the majority vote estimator.
Time-Restricted Eating to Prevent and Manage Chronic Metabolic Diseases

Molecular clocks are present in almost every cell to anticipate daily recurring and predictable changes, such as rhythmic nutrient availability, and to adapt cellular functions accordingly. At the ...
Bridging CNNs, RNNs, and Weighted Finite-State Machines

Recurrent and convolutional neural networks comprise two distinct families of models that have proven to be useful for encoding natural language utterances. In this paper we present SoPa, a new model that aims to bridge these two approaches. SoPa combines neural representation learning with weighted finite-state automata (WFSAs) to learn a soft version of traditional surface patterns. We show that SoPa is an extension of a one-layer CNN, and that such CNNs are equivalent to a restricted version of SoPa, and accordingly, to a restricted form of WFSA. Empirically, on three text classification tasks, SoPa is comparable or better than both a BiLSTM (RNN) baseline and a CNN baseline, and is particularly useful in small data settings.
Optimizing galaxy samples for clustering measurements in photometric surveys

When analyzing galaxy clustering in multi-band imaging surveys, there is a trade-off between selecting the largest galaxy samples (to minimize the shot noise) and selecting samples with the best photometric redshift (photo-z) precision, which generally include only a small subset of galaxies. In this paper, we systematically explore this trade-off. Our analysis is targeted towards the third year data of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), but our methods hold generally for other data sets. Using a simple Gaussian model for the redshift uncertainties, we carry out a Fisher matrix forecast for cosmological constraints from angular clustering in the redshift range $z = 0.2-0.95$. We quantify the cosmological constraints using a Figure of Merit (FoM) that measures the combined constraints on $\Omega_m$ and $\sigma_8$ in the context of $\Lambda$CDM cosmology. We find that the trade-off between sample size and photo-z precision is sensitive to 1) whether cross-correlations between redshift bins are included or not, and 2) the ratio of the redshift bin width $\delta z$ and the photo-z precision $\sigma_z$. When cross-correlations are included and the redshift bin width is allowed to vary, the highest FoM is achieved when $\delta z \sim \sigma_z$. We find that for the typical case of $5-10$ redshift bins, optimal results are reached when we use larger, less precise photo-z samples, provided that we include cross-correlations. For samples with higher $\sigma_{z}$, the overlap between redshift bins is larger, leading to higher cross-correlation amplitudes. This leads to the self-calibration of the photo-z parameters and therefore tighter cosmological constraints. These results can be used to help guide galaxy sample selection for clustering analysis in ongoing and future photometric surveys.
Calpain inhibition decreases myocardial fibrosis in chronically ischemic hypercholesterolemic swine.

Abstract Objectives Calpain activation during ischemia is known to play critical roles in myocardial remodeling. We hypothesize that calpain inhibition (CI) may serve to reverse and/or prevent fibrosis in chronically ischemic myocardium. Methods Yorkshire swine were fed a high-cholesterol diet for 4 weeks followed by placement of an ameroid constrictor on the left circumflex artery to induce myocardial ischemia. 3 weeks later, animals received either: no drug; high-cholesterol control group (CON; n = 8); low-dose CI (0.12 mg/kg; LCI, n = 9); or high-dose CI (0.25 mg/kg; HCI, n = 8). The high-cholesterol diet and CI were continued for 5 weeks, after which myocardial tissue was harvested. Tissue samples were analyzed by western blot for changes in protein content. Results In the setting of hypercholesterolemia and chronic myocardial ischemia, CI decreased the expression of collagen in ischemic and nonischemic myocardial tissue. This reduced collagen content was associated with a corresponding decrease in Jak/STAT/MCP-1 signaling pathway, suggesting a role for Jak 2 signaling in calpain activity. CI also decreases the expression of focal adhesion proteins (vinculin) and stabilizes the expression of cytoskeletal and structural proteins (N-cadherin, α-fodrin, desmin, vimentin, filamin, troponin-I). CI had no significant effect on metabolic and hemodynamic parameters. Conclusions Calpain inhibition may be a beneficial medical therapy to decrease collagen formation in patients with coronary artery disease and associated comorbidities.
Optimal Use of LMA SupremeTM for Laparoscopy.

This small randomized clinical trial of manometry guided cuff inflation [1] provides some useful data supporting safer use of the supraglottic airway device (SAD), the LMA SupremeTM, during laparos...
Infections associated with the new 'nibs and mabs' and cellular therapies.

Purpose of review In recent years, we have witnessed a remarkable surge in the clinical development of effective biological and cellular therapies for the treatment of neoplastic and autoimmune disorders. The present review summarizes our understanding of the pathogen-specific infection risk associated with the use of such therapies. Recent findings A variety of biologics, in the form of either monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) or small molecule kinase inhibitors (Nibs), are continuously introduced in the clinic for the management of autoimmune and malignant diseases. In addition, cellular therapies such as the infusion of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells are becoming increasingly available for patients with treatment-refractory lymphoid malignancies. Some of these biological and cellular interventions exert direct or indirect adverse effects on the induction of protective immune responses against various pathogens, resulting in heightened infection susceptibility. Summary The introduction of biological and cellular therapies for the treatment of malignant and autoimmune diseases has been associated with increased infection susceptiblity, which varies greatly depending on the specific immunomodulatory therapy, the infecting pathogen and the recipient patient population. A high index of clinical suspicion and efforts aiming at early diagnosis, targeted vaccination or prophylaxis, and prompt initiation of antimicrobial treatment should help improve infection outcomes.
Systems of Fractional Kinetic Equations

In this chapter, we consider some general classes of reaction–diffusion systems that contain some fractional kinetics occurring in applications, and then investigate their local and global existence of solutions in detail. In a preliminary step, we derive results that allow for the existence of sufficiently smooth solutions which are needed in order to rigorously justify other precise and explicit calculations (namely, maximum principles, energy estimates and comparison arguments) which will be performed on more specific models in the sequel. It turns out that the techniques employed for the scalar equation in the previous chapter will prove quite useful in the analysis.
Reconciling User and Project Manager Perceptions of it Project Risk: A Delphi Study

In an increasingly dynamic business environment characterized by fast cycle times, shifting markets and unstable technology, a business organization's survival hinges on its ability to align IT capabilities with business goals. To facilitate the successful introduction of new IT applications, issues of project risk must be addressed, and the expectations of multiple stakeholders must be managed appropriately. To the extent that users and developers may harbour different perceptions regarding project risk, areas of conflict may arise. By understanding the differences in how users and project managers perceive the risks, insights can be gained that may help to ensure the successful delivery of systems. Prior research has focused on the project manager's perspective of IT project risk. This paper explores the issue of IT project risk from the user perspective and compares it with risk perceptions of project managers. A Delphi study reveals that these two stakeholder groups have different perceptions of risk factors. Through comparison with a previous study on project manager risk perceptions, zones of concordance and discordance that must be reconciled are identified.
Endometrial findings among transgender and gender nonbinary people using testosterone at the time of gender-affirming hysterectomy

Objective To describe clinical characteristics and associated endometrial findings of transgender and gender nonbinary people using gender-affirming testosterone. Design Retrospective case series. Setting Academic medical center and public safety net hospital. Patient(s) Eighty-one patients using gender-affirming testosterone therapy undergoing hysterectomy for the indication of gender affirmation from 2000 to 2018. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Preoperative clinical characteristics and endometrium surgical pathology diagnoses. Result(s) Median age was 31 years (interquartile range [IQR] 27–40), and median body mass index 27 kg/m2 (IQR 24–30). Six patients (7%) were parous and 60 (74%) had amenorrhea. Thirty-three patients (40%) had proliferative and 40 (50%) atrophic endometrium. Endometrial polyps were found in nine patients (11%) of the sample. Endometrial findings were similar in the subgroup of 60 patients with preoperative amenorrhea. There were no cases of endometrial hyperplasia or malignancy. In bivariate analysis, those with proliferative endometrium were found to be, on average, 5.6 years younger than those with atrophic endometrium. There were no clinical factors associated with having proliferative versus atrophic endometrium in multivariable models. Conclusion(s) People using gender-affirming testosterone may have either proliferative or atrophic endometrium, including people who present with amenorrhea. Further study is needed to develop evidence-based guidelines for appropriate screening for endometrial hyperplasia or cancer in this population.
SAXS analysis of the intrinsic tenase complex bound to lipid nanodisc highlights intermolecular contacts between factors VIIIa/IXa

Abstract The intrinsic tenase (Xase) complex, formed by factors (f)VIIIa and fIXa, forms on activated platelet surfaces and catalyzes the activation of factor X to Xa, stimulating thrombin production in the blood coagulation cascade. The structural organization of the membrane-bound Xase complex remains largely unknown, hindering our understanding of the structural underpinnings that guide Xase complex assembly. Here, we aimed to characterize the Xase complex bound to a lipid nanodisc with biolayer interferometry (BLI) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Using immobilized lipid nanodiscs, we measured binding rates and nanomolar affinities for fVIIIa, fIXa, and the Xase complex. An ab initio molecular envelope of the nanodisc-bound Xase complex allowed us to computationally model fVIIIa and fIXa docked onto a flexible lipid membrane and identify protein-protein interactions. Our results highlight multiple points of contact between fVIIIa and fIXa, including a novel interaction with fIXa at the fVIIIa A1-A3 domain interface. Lastly, we identified hemophilia A/B-related mutations with varying severities at the fVIIIa/fIXa interface that may regulate Xase complex assembly. Together, our results support the use of SAXS as an emergent tool to investigate the membrane-bound Xase complex and illustrate how mutations at the fVIIIa/fIXa dimer interface may disrupt or stabilize the activated enzyme complex.
Special Maps on Spaces of Continuous Functions

This paper studies some special maps on the set C (X) of continuous real-valued functions defined on a Tychonoff space X. C( X) carries the epi-topology (occasionally, the compact-open topology) and the maps range from multiplicative linear functionals to induced functions and algebra homomorphisms.
The Underinvestment Problem, Risk Management, and Corporate Earnings Retention

This study presents a very realistic objective of the firm, which is consistent with organizational behavior. It is being proposed that: The firm sets as its objective the control of the optimum amount of financial capital at the minimum cost to the firm. As evidenced by the large portfolios of marketable equity securities held by non-financial firms, the firm hoards financial capital in order to ensure future availability. There is a holding or storage cost; that is, in pursuing this objective, the firm incurs (pays) a premium to ensure control over an attained level of financial capital. This study maintains that this cost is tantamount to a premium as in the case of an insurance policy. Thus, corporate earnings retention is a case of optimization under uncertainty and dividend policy is viewed as an instrument of risk management. This objective, which addresses the underinvestment problem, fills the gap on what the firm should maximize and provides an alternative to the debatable maximization of shareholders' wealth.
Urea Carboxylase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae EVIDENCE FOR A MINIMAL TWO-STEP REACTION SEQUENCE

Urea carboxylase, an avidin-sensitive enzyme catalyzing the ATP-dependent carboxylation of urea, has been shown to catalyze this reaction in a sequence of at least two steps. In the presence of all of the required carboxylation cofactors except urea, an enzyme-CO2 complex is formed. This complex was isolated by Sephadex chromatography and was capable, in the absence of added cofactors, of transferring the bound CO2 to urea. In addition to the carboxylation of urea this protein was capable of carboxylating free d-biotin, as well as the urea analogues formamide, formylurea, and acetamide. These data are consistent with the suggestion that urea carboxylase follows a reaction mechanism similar to those of the more thoroughly studied propionyl-CoA, acetyl-CoA, and pyruvate carboxylases.
Performance of TFR filters under elevated power conditions

Research into the application of thin-film piezoelectric resonator (TFR) technology in novel monolithic bandpass filtering devices is reported. Research into the performance of TFR-based filters under elevated power levels was initiated to assess the suitability of this technology in systems requiring ultraminiature transmit and transceiver functions. Characteristics of particular interest include the 1-dB compression point and the two-tone third-order intercept point. The results of research conducted on silicon-based TFR bandpass filter devices under elevated power conditions are presented. >
Breeding-season biology of the Puerto Rican Bullfinch ( Loxigilla portoricensis)

I studied the Puerto Rican Bullfinch (Loxigilla portoricensis), a frugivorous island endemic, in two sites in southwestern Puerto Rico in 2009 and 2010. I modeled nest survival of 37 nests to better understand the effects of several biological factors on daily nest survival. Predation was the most important cause of nest failure. Six models, all including some measure of fruit abundance, received approximately equal support. Constant, linear, and quadratic time trends in nest survival during seasons were all supported in these top six models. Results suggested that Coccoloba microstachya fruit abundance had a significant negative relationship, Bursera simaruba fruit abundance had a weak positive relationship, and Bourreria succulenta fruit abundance had a nearly significant positive relationship with nest survival. I radio-tracked bullfinches and estimated the breeding season home ranges and core areas of 17 adults. Median home range and core area for both sites were 31.4 ± 30.0 ha and 13.2 ± 15.7 ha, respectively. Home ranges and core areas did not differ in size between males and females or between pre-nesting and nesting periods. These findings increase our understanding of the breeding-season biology of the bullfinch, and will ultimately help inform future studies and conservation efforts of bullfinches and other passerines in southwestern Puerto Rico.
Cu−Ni diffusion: Electron microprobe study of effects of voids and discontinuities

Cu-Ni diffusion couples voids and edges effect on concentration gradients measurement by electron probe microanalysis
Vision in dim light

On testing my own vision in very dim light I observed two phenomena associated with the lack of retinal rods (the receptors specialized for vision in dim light) in the fovea, the region corresponding to our centre of gaze. First, a bright (or dark) straight line passing through the fovea was seen as discontinuous, with a clear 1° gap. Second, after adapting to dim light conditions, when I blocked light to one eye as far as possible and viewed a brightly lit surface with the other eye, I perceived a swarm of colourless scintillations throughout the visual field of the occluded eye, except for an area about 1° in diameter at the centre of gaze. Each scintillation may represent the simultaneous capture of single quanta by several closely spaced rods.
Studies on Oxygen Transfer in Submerged Fermentations Part IV:Determination of Oxygen Transfer Rate and Respiration Rate in Shaken Cultures Using Oxygen Analyzers

The application of oxygen analyzer to the determination of oxygen transfer rate in shaken flasks was intended in order to obtain the similar advantages already realized in fermentation tanks. The difficulty of this intension was that in shaken flasks the determination of the partial pressure of gas-phase oxygen in flasks did not give the oxygen transfer rate but supplied only the data on the equilibrium condition. By separating the oxygen transfer sequences, however, oxygen transfer coefficient of cotton plugs, overall oxygen transfer coefficient of gas-liquid interface and respiration rate of cells were evlauated with the oxygen analyzer. This unsteady-state gas analysis method had some distinctive characters, especially no necessity of determining dissolved oxygen, and oxygen transfer problems in shaken flasks could be discussed based on this method.
Standardization of Mooney Viscometer and Oscillating-Disk Cure Meter

The Mooney viscometer has been the principal instrument used to control the processability of synthetic rubber production for the past 30 years. The oscillating-disk cure meter is now becoming the principal instrument fordetermining the vulcanization characteristics of standard compounds of raw rubbers and compounding materials and of factory compounds used for rubber products. Therefore, a large amount of effort has been expended in their standardization. Nevertheless, both instruments which have certain similarities are affected by the following factors that still cause variability among instruments: 1. temperature of the rubber in the die cavity, 2. friction between the oscillating or rotating stem and the stationary lower die, 3. slippage at the rubber-metal interfaces, 4. the pressure on the rubber during test, and 5. scale calibration. This paper summarizes past and recent studies on these factors and indicates from recent findings the direction for further standardization. Measurements of the disk temperature in the oscillating-disk cure meter were made. These measurements indicated that the clearance between the oscillating or rotating stem and the lower die is critical for temperature uniformity. Also, the present design of the upper die in ASTM Measurement of Curing Characteristics with the Oscillating Disk Cure Meter (D 2084-71T) substantially reduces the rate of heat transfer to the specimen. However, the design is reasonably effective for applying pressure on the specimen which reduces slippage at the rubber-metal interfaces. Other means of applying pressure may be used. Slippage also depends on the torque at the rubber-metal interfaces. In the Mooney viscometer, torque can be reduced by decreasing the speed of the rotor or by increasing the temperature. In the cure meter, torque is most effectively reduced by keeping the amplitude of oscillation as small as practical.
Quantitative VMA by Thin Layer Chromatography

Armstrong9s two-dimensional paper chromatographic method for VMA estimation has been adapted to thin-layer chromatography.
Educating CPE supervisors: a grounded theory study

This qualitative study was designed to cull the wisdom of CPE supervisors doing especially competent supervisory education and to develop a theory of CPE supervisory education. Grounded theory methodology included interviewing 11 supervisors and coding the data to identify themes. Four primary dimensions emerged along with a reciprocal core dimension, Supervisory Wisdom, which refers to work the supervisors do in terms of their continuing growth and development.
Is the early and aggressive administration of protein to very low birth weight infants safe and efficacious

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Most conventionally managed very low birth weight infants experience postnatal growth restriction. There is some evidence that this postnatal growth restriction may have long-lasting effects, and contribute to short stature and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. There is also evidence suggesting that early protein intake may improve growth in these very low birth weight infants. Therefore, to optimize protein intake early in the infant's neonatal course seems a logical goal. RECENT FINDINGS Randomized controlled trials provide evidence of short-term safety and efficacy for starting amino acid infusion as soon as possible after birth at 2.5-3.0 g/kg/day in very low birth weight infants; however, there are no long-term data to support the safety or efficacy of this practice. There is some evidence from recent studies of improved growth by providing 4.0 g/kg/day of amino acid early in the neonatal period while keeping the nitrogen to energy ratio above 1:100 and continuing with this protein intake during the infants stay in the hospital. At the present time long-term safety of this strategy is also not known. SUMMARY Appropriately designed large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of early and aggressive administration of protein to very low birth weight infants.
Complications of severe bleeding in a patient with undiagnosed Factor XI deficiency.

Abstract A case of a 44-year-old man with an undiagnosed Factor XI deficiency has been presented. Periodontal surgery resulted in serious bleeding complications which were intensified by pseudoaneurysm formation of an anomalous deep buccogingival branch of the facial artery. This was diagnosed by angiography to be in the area of the periodontal surgery and was related to the subsequent bleeding episode.
The Electromagnetic Equations as Basis of Einstein's Quadratic Form

§ 1. The groundwork of the present paper is a general transformation of Maxwell's equations. As relativist speculation had its origin in a simple transformation, it was to be expected that something more would result when the general transformation was explored: the determining influence has proved stronger than I had anticipated.
Effects of soil management on crop nitrogen and insect damage in organic vs. conventional tomato fields

To detect if different soil management practices had an impact on the crop in terms of tissue nitrogen, and thereby influenced herbivore damage, tomato plants from 20 subplots were sampled on each of 17 commercial farms representing a wide variety of management practices. Nitrogen level was measured as total Kjeldahl N in the shoot and in the leaflets. Characteristic damage by thrips, leafminers, flea beetles, and strip-feeding insects (primarily Lepidoptera) were recorded as percent of leaflets damaged. Tissue N varied widely among plants both within fields and among sampled farms which included conventional and organic management schemes. However, damage to tomato foliage did not increase with increased N content of the crop. Instead, a weak negative correlation between tissue N and herbivory was detected. Compared with tissue N, transplant date was a much better predictor of herbivory on the tomato crop.
Fiber optic impact detection and location system embedded in a composite material

We present an impact detection and location system which uses fiber optic extrinsic Fizeau interferontric sensors embedded in a graphite/epoxy composite laminate. The acoustic signals generated by the impact events are detected by four fiber optic sensors. The fiber sensor and the embedding process are described. Also developed are a mathematical method and computer program that allow calculations of unambiguous impact location from the sensor data. The impact location can be determined with a 0.5 millimeter resolution and an accuracy typically less than five millimeters.
Compatible bacterial plasmids are targeted to independent cellular locations in Escherichia coli

Targeting of DNA molecules to specific subcellular positions is essential for efficient segregation, but the mechanisms underlying these processes are poorly understood. In Escherichia coli, several plasmids belonging to different incompatibility groups (F, P1 and RK2) localize preferentially near the midcell and quartercell positions. Here we compare the relative positions of these three plasmids using fluorescence in situ hybridization. When plasmids F and P1 were localized simultaneously using differentially labeled probes, the majority of foci (approximately 75%) were well separated from each other. Similar results were found when we compared the subcellular localization of F with RK2, and RK2 with P1: regardless of the number of foci per cell or growth conditions, most of the foci (70-80%) were not in close proximity to one another. We also localized RK2 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio cholerae, and found that plasmid RK2 localization is conserved across bacterial species. Our results suggest that each plasmid has its own unique subcellular address, implying a mechanism for the stable co-existence of plasmids in which subcellular targeting plays a major role.
The interaction of thin Au and Al overlayers with the GaAs(110) surface

Abstract Different photoemission techniques using synchrotron radiation as the excitation source have been used to study the electronic structure of metal-semiconductor interfaces (in particular, Au/GaAs(110) and Al/GaAs(110)) and the formation of Schottky barriers. The Fermilevel pinning is complete at less than 0.2 monolayers, and it is proposed that defect states at, or close to, the interface are responsible for the barrier height. In the case of Au, there is a strong intermixing between the metal and the semiconductor, indicating a nonabrupt interface. Photoemission core level data provide evidence that, in the case of A1, a replacement interaction takes place between Al and Ga in the topmost GaAs surface layer.
USE OF 'LOCAL MEAN AURORAL TIME' FOR VERY-LOW-FREQUENCY EMISSIONS

The difference between local mean solar time and auroral time is a function of location, time of day, and season. Local mean auroral time is defined so that the difference between local (mean solar) time and local mean auroral time is constant. For any location on a meridian of auroral longitude, local mean auroral time is defined as equal to local mean solar time at the intersection of this meridian and the geographic equator. The seasonal variation of auroral time is thus eliminated by using the mean Sun position (for which the sub-solar point is always on the equator) and the diurnal variation by defining the duration of a mean auroral hour to be constant. Since the auroral pole is located at a high geographic latitude, a good approximation to the difference between mean auroral time and mean solar time is given by the angle between the direction of the auroral pole (along a great circle path) and the corresponding geographic pole (north or south), each 15 degrees representing 1 h. Although at the geographic pole local time is undefined, mean auroral noon occurs when this pole is directly between the auroral pole and the Sun, this being local (meanmore » solar) midnight at the auroral pole. Use of local mean auroral time gives a consistent diurnal occurrence pattern for very-low-frequency emissions. Along the west coast of Greenland, emissions were recorded at a series of locations, all approximately on the same auroral meridian. None of the lower latitude types of emissions was heard and the time of peak occurrence of the low band appeared constant, regardless of latitude. At a series of locations in Antarctica, no such consistency was observed when the peak occurrence was measured in local time. However, the difference between the measured local time and that given by the Greenland data corresponded approximately at each location to the angle between the direction of the auroral pole and geographic south. Hence, if the occurrence is measured, not in local mean solar time, but in local mean auroral time, much better consistency is found among the Antarctic stations (including observations at the south geographic pole), and agreement with the Arctic results. Since the emission peak is a couple of hours wide, no great increase in error is introduced by using approximate mean auroral time rather than exact auroral time. The time of peak occurrence for emissions below 60 c- auroral latitude increases approximately linearly with latitude while the higher latitude low band peak is approximately independent of auroral latitude. The overall effect is similar to a spiral caused by positive particle precipitation. Further measurements and refined analysis may determine whether there is a continuous variation in peak occurrence or whether the lower or higher latitude phenomena are essentially independent. (C.H.)« less
A Diagnostic Scoring System for Myxedema Coma

Objective: To develop diagnostic criteria for myxedema coma (MC), a decompensated state of extreme hypothyroidism with a high mortality rate if untreated, in order to facilitate its early recognition and treatment.Methods: The frequencies of characteristics associated with MC were assessed retrospectively in patients from our institutions in order to derive a semiquantitative diagnostic point scale that was further applied on selected patients whose data were retrieved from the literature. Logistic regression analysis was used to test the predictive power of the score. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to test the discriminative power of the score.Results: Of the 21 patients examined, 7 were reclassified as not having MC (non-MC), and they were used as controls. The scoring system included a composite of alterations of thermoregulatory, central nervous, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and metabolic systems, and presence or absence of a precipitating event. All 14 of ou...
Cytotoxicity and influence on radiation dose response curve of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II (cis-DDP).

Abstract Exponentially growing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were exposed to varying doses of Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II ( cis DDP) for I hour. Cytotoxicity was found to be dose dependent and the dose response curve has shoulder and exponential portions. D o on the exponential portion of the curve was found to be 2.8 μ/ml. The values of D q and the extrapolation number (n) corrected for single cells were found to be 3.1 μ/ml and 12.0 respectively. The influence of exposure to cis DDP on the radiation dose response curve was also studied. The radiation dose response curve of the CHO cells not exposed to cis DDP is characterized by a D o of 139 rad. The values of D q and n corrected for single cells are 105 rad and 4.5 respectively. Exposure to 8 /ml of cis DDP for 1 hour decreased D o to 102 rad when exposure was immediately prior to irradiation and to 106 rad when the exposure was immediately after irradiation. D q and n were found to be 140 rad and 18 for pre-radiation exposure and 137 rad and 15 for post-radiation exposure. This influence on the radiation dose response curve was not found to be cis DDP dose dependent since at higher concentration of cis DDP (10 μ/ml, 12 μ/ml, 16 μ/ml) D o , D p and n were found to be the same as at 8 μ/ml.
Non-linear inplane vibrations of wrinkling films

This paper presents analytical investigations of non-linear effects caused by wrinkling of films in the course of contraction and shearing. As shown, such non-linearities are important even for very small amplitudes of vibrations. Approximate analytical solutions for inplane vibrations are derived.
Analysis and design of wideband transmitarray antennas with different unit-cell phase ranges

Despite the numerous advantages of planar transmitarray antennas over conventional lens antennas, transmitarrays have a narrow bandwidth. The goal of this paper is to present a design methodology for improving the bandwidth of transmitarray antennas through control of the transmission phase range of the transmitarray elements. Two Ku-band transmitarrays using quad-layer double-square loop elements, which differ in the transmission phase ranges, have been designed and compared. It is shown that the transmitarray antenna designed using the proposed methodology achieves a 10.1% bandwidth as compared to the 7.0% bandwidth of the conventional design.
Parallelization schemes for 2-D hydrodynamics codes using the independent time step method

Abstract In order to realize the full potential of parallel processing, investigation into new types of physics codes has begun. Two guiding physical principles behind the new approaches are the avoidance of any non-essential synchronization and the use of local information whenever possible. Consideration of these principles has given rise to a new method for the time advance of computation, called the Independent Time Step Method (ITSM). The basic approach of ITSM is to advance local spatial regions using locally determined time steps. Regions which share no information may be advanced simultaneously. This relaxation of time coordinate constraints finds a natural counterpart in the Free Lagrange approach to the spatial coordinates for a hydrodynamics code. In the Free Lagrange approach, information is evaluated at spatial points (nodes) which move in concert with the fluid motion. Accordingly, this hydrodynamics code is characterized by nodes which change relationships in the course of the computation. The Voronoi construction technique is used to determined a triangularization for the nodes. This paper describes parallelization strategies for ITSM on a 2-D hydrodynamics code. Pertinent issues are both the scheduling of nodes to processes and the lower-level synchronization mechanisms. Fairness and efficiency are discussed, and results of experiments run on a 16-processor Sequent Balance 21000 are presented.
Update on models of basal ganglia function and dysfunction

Circuit models of basal ganglia function and dysfunction have undergone significant changes over time. The previous view that the basal ganglia are centers in which massive convergence of cortical information occurred has now been replaced by a view in which these structures process information in a highly specific manner, participating in anatomical and functional modules that also involve cortex and thalamus. In addition, much has been learned about the intrinsic connections of the basal ganglia. While the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry was originally seen almost exclusively in its relationship to the control of movement, these structures are now viewed as essential for higher level behavioral control, for instance in the regulation of habit learning or action selection. Probably the greatest benefit of these models has been that they have motivated a wealth of studies of the pathophysiology of movement disorders of basal ganglia origin, such as Parkinson's disease. Such studies, in turn, have helped to reshape the existing circuit models. In this paper we review these fascinating changes of our appreciation of the basal ganglia circuitry, and comment on the current state of our knowledge in this field.
The gifted underachiever in the middle school.

Underachievement among gifted early adolescents may be the result of the nature of the youngsters at this stage of their development.
SU‐E‐J‐200: Impact of FDG‐PET/CT Reconstruction Parameters On PET Variability and Treatment Response Assessment

Purpose: To examine the effect of PET image reconstruction parameters on baseline and early‐treatment FDG‐PET/CT quantitative imaging. Early‐treatment changes in tumor metabolism in primary tumor and nodes can potentially determine if the patient is responding to therapy, but this assessment can change based on the reconstruction parameters. We investigate the effect of the following reconstruction parameters: number of Ordered‐Subset‐Expectation‐Maximization (OSEM) iterations, post‐reconstruction smoothing, and quantitative metrics (SUV‐max, SUV‐mean, SUV‐peak). Methods: 11 patients on an IRB‐approved study underwent 2 baseline PET scans (mean‐separation=11 days) prior to chemoradiotherapy (70Gy,2Gy/fraction). An intra‐treatment PET scan was performed early in the course of therapy (10‐20Gy,mean=14Gy). The images were reconstructed with varying OSEM iterations (1–12) and Gaussian filtering (1–7mm). For each combination of iterations and smoothing, Bland‐Altman analysis was applied to quantitative metrics (SUV‐max, SUV‐mean, SUV‐peak) from the baseline scans to evaluate metabolic variability (repeatability=1.96σ). The number and extent of early treatment changes that were significant, i.e. exceeding repeatability, was assessed. Results: Repeatability improved with increasing smoothing and decreasing iterations from SUV=3.9 (iterations=12,smoothing=1mm) to SUV=2.1 (iterations=1,smoothing=7mm). The average number of cases exceeding repeatability averaged over all metrics (SUV‐max, SUV‐mean, SUV‐peak) and all structures (primary, nodes) improved with increasing smoothing and decreasing iterations from 3.3 cases (ΔSUVgt;repeatability=17%) for iterations=12 and smoothing=1mm to 3.9 cases (ΔSUVgt;repeatability=19%) for iterations=1 and smoothing=5.5mm. Smoothing beyond 5.5mm deteriorated results. Practically, several combinations provided comparable performance (low repeatability,high number/extent of intra‐treatment cases exceeding repeatability): 1 iteration with 1–5.5 mm smoothing, 2 iterations with 2–5.5 mm smoothing, 4 iterations with 4–5.5 mm smoothing. In general, increasing iterations increased the lower limit of filter size required. Conclusion: Images reconstructed for quantitative analysis may benefit from a low number of OSEM iterations (1–2). Some post‐reconstruction smoothing was beneficial, however, oversmoothing for the sake of more qualitatively appealing images may prove detrimental to quantitative response assessment analysis.
Der Kampf um Calicheamicin γ1I

Vor ziemlich genau einem Jahr war die erste Totalsynthese von Calicheamicin γI1 vollbracht. Dieser Beitrag schildert -aus sehr personlicher Sicht - in chronologischer Abfolge die Ereignisse, die zu diesem Triumph der Naturstoffsynthese fuhrten.
A Glamorous Gentrification: Public Art and Urban Redevelopment in Hollywood, California

This paper will discuss the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority's Art programme. In particular, it will examine Gilbert ‘Magu’ Lujan's design for the subway station at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street and how it has been mobilized to serve the city's renewal. Often referred to by the title ‘Hooray for Hollywood’ (1999), Lujan's design is an example of a public art project used to brand urban space by reinforcing the city's historical connection to the film industry. It constructs a material dimension to the association between the streets of Hollywood and the concept of glamour. However, as will be argued, a glamorized Hollywood threatens to displace those communities and individuals that exist along the neighbourhood's social periphery. In other words, glamour promises to efface those very extremes that have long characterized the urban space in Hollywood.
AB initio studies of the electronic structure of micro-clusters

Abstract The evolution of the structural and electronic properties of small atomic clusters, as atoms come together, has been studied as a function of the size of clusters using ab initio self-consistent field methods based on a linear combination of atomic orbitals. The physics of these atomic clusters has been investigated in terms of their equilibrium geometries, relative stabilities, magnetism, and impurity contamination. While the properties of the clusters are, in general, very different from those in the bulk state, certain trends are noticed which can illustrate the evolution of the solid state. Explanations for the properties in terms of electronic structure are provided for both homonuclear and compound clusters. Some possible scientific and technological implications are discussed.
Do all musical emotions have the music itself as their intentional object

Juslin & Vastfjall (J&V) think that all emotions aroused by music have the music itself as their “intentional object.” Some of the mechanisms they discuss almost certainly involve both cognitive appraisals and intentional objects. But some of the mechanisms are non-cognitive: they involve neither cognitive appraisals nor intentional objects. Partly for this reason they may produce moods rather than emotions proper.
Resonance Raman investigation of nickel microperoxidase-11.

Resonance Raman and UV−visible absorption spectra show that nickel(II) microperoxidase-11 (NiMP-11) is four-coordinate in aqueous solution in the pH range from 1.0 to 13.0. In aqueous solutions of NiMP-11 in the absence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), NiMP-11 is aggregated. In CTAB micellar solutions, where aggregation of NiMP-11 does not occur, the Raman spectra of NiMP-11 are similar to that of nickel(II) cytochrome c (NiCyt-c). The presence of the peptide segment shifts the equilibrium heavily in favor of the nonplanar form, just as does the entire protein component in the case of NiCyt-c. This further elucidates the structural mechanism by which the protein segment ruffles the heme, most likely modulating the redox potential as indicated for the cytochromes c3 [Ma, J.-G., et al. (1998) Biochemistry 37, 12431−12442]. Furthermore, the hydrophobic environment that is provided by the CTAB micelle is found to be crucial to the native folding of the pentapeptide and formation of two hydrogen bonds...
Evaluation of the Effects of Menhaden Oil and Soybean Oil Levels in Purified Diets on Growth and Gonad Production in Adult Sea Urchin Lytechinus variegatus

Abstract Development of a standardized reference diet will facilitate the determination of nutritional requirements for sea urchins. A purified diet, containing only chemically defined ingredients, provides consistency in diet formulations for reproducibility across different laboratories. In the present study, the growth performance of small Lytechinus variegatus (11.9 ± 1.3 g [mean ± SD] wet weight, 28.4 ± 1.1 mm test diameter; 16 per treatment) fed ad libitum daily (16 weeks) one of seven purified diets differing in the level (0, 2.4, or 4.8% as fed) and source of neutral lipid (refined menhaden oil and soy oil) was compared with the growth performance of individuals fed a semipurified diet previously shown to support high growth rates and gonad production. Survival was ≥88% for all dietary treatments, and the growth rates of individuals fed the 1.2% menhaden oil and 1.2% soybean oil purified diet (215% wet weight gain) were approximately 65% of those for individuals fed the semipurified diet (326% wet...
Structure and Properties of [CrIIIF(NCMe)5](BF4)2·MeCN: A Nonaqueous Source of CrIIIF2+ and a Building Block for New Prussian-Blue-Like Magnetic Materials

[CrIIIF(NCMe)5](BF4)2·MeCN (1) was synthesized from a prolonged dissolution of [CrIII(NCMe)6](BF4)3 in MeCN via fluoride abstraction from BF4−. Complex 1 exhibits a crystal field splitting, Δo, of 17 470 cm−1 and is a nonaqueous source of CrIIIF2+. The reaction of 1 with (NEt4)3[CrIII(CN)6] formed a new Prussian-blue-like magnetic material of (NEt4)0.04[CrIIIF]1.54[CrIII(CN)6](BF4)0.12·0.10(MeCN) (2) composition. Complex 2 magnetically orders at a critical temperature, Tc, of 85 K and at 2 K exhibits magnetic hysteresis with a coercive field, Hcr, of 60 Oe and a remanent magnetization, Mrem, of 1880 emuOe/mol.
Assessing literacy in clinical and community settings: the patient perspective.

A common concern among patient advocates and practitioners is the potential to offend patients with literacy testing in clinical settings. Patients' perceptions of, and comfort level with, literacy testing have not been well established. The aim of this study was to assess patient attitudes about literacy assessments in a primary care clinic and a community-based wellness program and to explore whether patients preferred one assessment tool over another. Participant recruitment occurred at a general internal medicine clinic and two community settings (YMCAs) in the southeast. Two literacy measures (Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine and Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults) and a questionnaire to assess opinions on the instruments were administered. Most participants were comfortable having their literacy assessed and indicated that it would be useful for practitioners to know the literacy levels of patients. A sizable minority (10%) were concerned that such testing in health care settin...