cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Yeast cell wall and live yeast products and their combination in broiler diets formulated with weekly ingredient variations

Summary A 6-week broiler study was conducted to evaluate whether subjecting the intestinal microflora of broilers to the effect of weekly variations in feed ingredients could be ameliorated by the inclusion of yeast-derived feed additives: a yeast cell wall extract (YCW), live yeast culture (LY) or their combination (YCW + LY). Recent changes in ingredient prices have motivated producers to formulate diets not necessarily based primarily on corn and soya bean meal. Intestinal microflora in birds can vary significantly based on the ingredient composition of their diet, and the make-up of the flora can influence overall bird performance. Within the three nutrient phases of this study, birds were fed either a traditional corn–soya ingredient profile or a variable-ingredient regimen, which had weekly changes in the ingredient composition. There were consistent ameliorative effects of the yeast treatments in both the corn–soya and the variable-ingredient groups throughout all 6 weeks, with the YCW + LY combination showing a reduced effect when compared to either product fed alone. The effectiveness of YCW and LY on ameliorating the effects of weekly ingredient variations appeared most effective during the starter and grower phases, but was less significant during the sixth week.
Fabrication of aperiodic subwavelength nanostructures by Grayscale Interference Lithography (GIL)

We propose a novel and simple method to fabricate aperiodic subwavelength nanostructures by Grayscale Interference Lithography (GIL) with the conventional Lloyd's mirror interferometer and a movable aperture plate.
Consequences for road traffic fatalities of the reduction in flying following September 11, 2001

Abstract Gigerenzer [Gigerenzer, G. (2004). Dread risk, September 11, and fatal traffic accidents. Psychological Science, 15 , 286–287] argued that the increased fear of flying in the U.S. after September 11 resulted in a partial shift from flying to driving on rural interstate highways, with a consequent increase of 353 road traffic fatalities for October through December 2001. We reevaluated the consequences of September 11 by utilizing the trends in road traffic fatalities from 2000 to 2001 for January through August. We also examined which road types and traffic participants contributed most to the increased road fatalities. We conclude that (1) the partial modal shift after September 11 resulted in 1018 additional road fatalities for the three months in question, which is substantially more than estimated by Gigerenzer, (2) the major part of the increased toll occurred on local roads, arguing against a simple modal shift from flying to driving to the same destinations, (3) driver fatalities did not increase more than in proportion to passenger fatalities, and (4) pedestrians and bicyclists bore a disproportionate share of the increased fatalities.
Hybrid analog-digital coding for nonuniform memoryless sources

In this paper, we propose a hybrid analog-digital scheme for the transmission of non-uniform memoryless sources over Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channels. The hybrid scheme is constructed by generating most of the output symbols from standard linear combinations of the input bits, as in Rate Compatible Modulation (RCM), and a few of them using a Low Density Generator Matrix (LDGM) code. The basic idea is that the RCM scheme corrects most of errors, leaving residual errors to be corrected by the LDGM code. Source non-uniformity is exploited at the decoder and the encoder is optimized depending on the source non-uniformity to further improve the system performance.
Anti-CD4 Antibody Permits Readministration of Recombinant Adenovirus to Correct Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency (OTCD) in the Sparse Fur( spf/Y ) Mice. • 638

Anti-CD4 Antibody Permits Readministration of Recombinant Adenovirus to Correct Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency (OTCD) in the Sparse Fur( spf/Y ) Mice. • 638
Increased proliferation of blood mononuclear cells after plasmapheresis treatment of patients with demyelinating disease.

Induction of lymphocytic proliferation has been postulated to be a mechanism whereby plasmapheresis may enhance the action of cytotoxic immunosuppressive drugs. This study found increased spontaneous proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells following intensive plasmapheresis treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) or Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). The increased proliferative response was reduced below baseline in four of six MS patients who received subsequent immunoglobulin intravenous (IGIV) and pulsed cyclophosphamide therapy, but not in three MS patients receiving IGIV alone. In five GBS patients with low baseline proliferation, proliferation also increased after plasmapheresis. High baseline proliferation found in three GBS patients may have reflected antecedent infection, since it fell during plasmapheresis in the two patients in whom it was measured. Plasmapheresis could possibly augment the effectiveness of cytotoxic drugs in controlling autoimmunity by inducing lymphocytes to proliferate, thereby making them more susceptible to drug action.
Ecology of an estuarine mysid shrimp in the Columbia River (USA)

The estuarine mysid, Neomysis mercedis, has colonized John Day and other run-of-the-river Reservoirs of the Columbia River, over 400 km from the estuary. In John Day Reservoir N. mercedis numbers peaked (2 m−3) in August in areas near the dam in association with lower water velocity and softer bottom than at the upstream sampling sites. Neomysis broods were primarily released in late spring and early fall. Gut content analysis showed that Neomysis feeds mostly on cladoceran zooplankton and rotifers in John Day Reservoir. Diel vertical migration was documented, with daytime distribution restricted to the bottom and preferentially to the soft-textured sediments in the deepest areas. Common pelagic fishes in the reservoir, especially juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima) and chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), are daytime zooplankton feeders that cannot prey on Neomysis owing to mysid diel vertical migration. Thus, Neomysis has become an important food web component in John Day Reservoir. We also collected N. mercedis further upstream in Lower Granite Reservoir, where another estuarine crustacean, Corophium salmonis, also is reported, underscoring the need to better understand the role of these estuarine invertebrates in the trophic ecology of the Columbia River. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
II: Discrimination among rival reaction models

The discrimination of the fast second-order, pseudo-first-order and fast pseudo-first-order reaction models on the basis of the second-order reaction model justifies the use of the pseudo-first-order model in the prediction of the multiplicity regions. The use of the fast second-order reaction model leads to a certain pitfall regarding uniqueness and multiplicity. Finally, the use of the fast pseudo-first-order reaction model is justifiable not only because of the fair agreement between the multiplicity regions predicted by this model and the second-order model but also because of the analyticity of the uniqueness and multiplicity regions obtained by this model.
Comment: Individual Behavior and Social Interactions

In recent years economists have discovered social exchange, reciprocity motives, poverty traps, cultural evolution, and contextual effects on behavior. Our excitement has been only slightly diminished by an occasional bemused observation that, like pre-Columbian North America, these were not exactly uninhabited territories awaiting our arrival. So the question is bound to come up: What do economists know about social interactions that sociologists do not? Steven Durlauf, who unlike many economists is no newcomer to sociological thinking, has written an arresting paper suggesting a possible answer: Economists have a distinctive model of the way that individual action generates aggregate outcomes at the level of an entire population, or what Durlauf calls the emergent properties of the system. When general equilibrium theory can be rescued from empirically vacuous "everything depends on everything" claims and from the particular assumptions of the dominant Walrasian (or neoclassical) paradigm, it has a lot to say about social interactions, as Durlauf's novel variant of this framework makes clear. Of course, Durlauf makes no such claim: his model is a vehicle for importing sociological ideas into economics; he is not in the export business (which again distinguishes him from most economists with an interdisciplinary bent). But in this journal it is certainly worth asking what sociologists might take home from his efforts. The take-home here it is not the attention to system-level outcomes, for this is the bread and butter of social stratification research, historical sociology, and many other branches of sociology. Rather it is the economists' method of modeling emergent properties as the result of a strong version of intentional action in which the system-wide outcomes are represented as mutual best responses of reasonably well-informed individuals pursuing their autonomous projects. In this short note I want to say why what Durlauf has done
Large Enhancement in Photocurrent Efficiency Caused by UV Illumination of the Dye-Sensitized Heterojunction TiO2/RuLL‘NCS/CuSCN: Initiation and Potential Mechanisms

Wide-band-gap, dye-sensitized, heterojunctions of the composition n-TiO2/Ru-dye/p-CuSCN undergo large increases in efficiency when subjected to low-power UV illumination (<40 mW/cm2) for periods between 10 and 30 min. Ru-dye refers to any of several ruthenium polypyridyl dyes. The UV illumination increases the incident-photon-to-current-efficiency for light absorbed by the dye by a factor of 5−10 and increases the open circuit voltage by 100−300 mV. This beneficial effect is stable for months after the UV illumination is terminated. Investigation of the effects of varying the UV wavelength and the applied bias show that the reaction(s) responsible for the increase in efficiency begin with the oxidation of some interface species by a photoexcited hole in the TiO2 valence band. Treatment of the TiO2/dye/CuSCN cells with oxidized thiocyanate in solution causes a similar increase in the efficiency of dye sensitization. Results from TiO2 and CuSCN photoelectrochemical cells are also presented. The combined res...
Computational complexity in power systems

The problem of estimating the increase in computational effort as the system size n increases is studied for methods requiring the solution of Ax = b, where A is sparse and topology-symmetric. The expected value of the total number of upper triangular nonzero elements after factorization is assumed to grow as n1+γ. The expected computational effort for the factorization itself is shown to grow as n1+2γ, while the one for each repeat solution is shown to grow as n1+γ. Values of γ for typical power systems are experimentally determined by generating a variety of random networks and ordering the resultant matrices according to "scheme 2". For typical power systems a reasonable value for γ is 0.2. Therefore, methods requiring repeated refactorization of A (such as Newton's method) can be expected to increase as n1.4, while methods requiring merely repeat solutions (such as fast decoupled methods) can be expected to increase as n1.2. Several other important comparisons are included.
Congenital coronary artery disease

My 13 year old son Tom was known to have congenital valvular heart disease affecting all of his valves. The severity of the valve disease was classified by the consultant paediatric cardiologist he saw regularly as relatively mild. At his last review, 15 months before he died, we gave a cardiologist a history of central chest pain on extremes of exertion or cold. There were four or five particularly memorable episodes. One was climbing a mountain, when the pain subsided promptly with rest. Another was in a cold swimming pool, and the pain subsided within minutes of warming …
Resistant pathogens in biliary obstruction: Importance of cultures to guide antibiotic therapy

Background. Cholangitis, infection of the bile ducts, is a serious condition that necessitates prompt and efficacious treatment for a good clinical outcome. A single center retrospective study of cholangitis was conducted to better define the spectrum of responsible pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivities. Methods. We studied all patients at our hospital who had cholangitis from January 1998 to June 2004. Patients were identified by ICD-9 codes and the cause of the cholangitis, the treatment and culture data were noted by review of the medical record. Results. Thirty patients presented with cholangitis as noted by the clinical symptoms of jaundice, fever and abdominal pain. The cause of the biliary obstruction was gallstones in 18 patients, benign biliary strictures in 5 and malignant obstruction in 7. All the patients with malignant obstruction with cholangitis had stents; there were no cases of cholangitis in malignant obstruction unless prior instrumentation had been performed. The most common isolates were Enterococcus>E. coli>Enterobacter>Klebsiella. Sixty-four percent of blood cultures and all but one of the bile cultures grew organisms. Seventy-two percent of patients had positive blood cultures with at least one resistant organism present and 36% had organisms resistant to multiple antibiotics. Fifty percent of patients with benign biliary disease and positive blood cultures had multiple organisms growing in their blood. Three-quarters of the isolates were resistant to one or more antibiotics and one-quarter of isolates were resistant to three or more antibiotics. Resistant organisms were found regardless of the cause of the biliary obstruction. Discussion. For all causes of cholangitis, there is a high incidence of positive blood cultures and a high rate of antibiotic resistance. For optimal treatment, blood and/or bile cultures should be routinely performed to optimize antibiotic therapy.
Clinical utility of sleep-deprived versus computer-assisted ambulatory 16-channel EEG in epilepsy patients: a multi-center study

Abstract Purpose: The objective of this prospective study was to compare the usefulness of a sleep-deprived electroencephalogram (EEG) versus a computer-assisted 16-channel ambulatory EEG in patients with historical information consistent with epilepsy but with a normal or non-diagnostic initial routine EEG. Methods: A total of 46 patients had both a 30–60 min sleep-deprived EEG and a computer-assisted ambulatory 24 h EEG. Each EEG was assigned a number and reviewed independently by two board-certified electroencephalographers for the presence of interictal epileptiform discharges and seizures. Results: Both the sleep-deprived EEG and ambulatory EEG improved detection of epileptiform discharges by a similar amount (24% versus 33%); however, the ambulatory EEG detected seizures in 7/46 (15%) patients, and in three patients the seizures were solely detected by the computer. Conclusions: we conclude that the computer-assisted ambulatory EEG offers greater benefit than a sleep-deprived recording because in addition to detecting interictal epileptiform discharges, it may also capture seizures. The discovery of unsuspected seizures can significantly impact clinical management.
Analog autofocus circuit design for scanning microscopy

The description of an analog autofocus circuit design, developed for a scanning microscope, is presented. The analog circuit measures the degree of focus directly from the video signal of the microscope CCD camera. The circuit then returns an index to the host computer for the purpose of adjusting the position of the objective lens to bring the object in focus. Best focus is found by comparing indices at several different vertical positions. The criterion adopted for determining the degree of focus is derived from the energy distribution of the video signal spectrum. The high frequency energy of the video spectrum is a maximum at best focus and as the optics defocus, the distribution shifts to lower frequencies. A previous digital autofocus implementation required dedicated real time image processing hardware. Real time autofocus is an order of magnitude less expensive with the analog circuitry described here than it was with the dedicated digital pipeline image processing. The characteristics of the analog design and its performance are compared to that of the previous digital implementation.
An incidental finding? Pneumatosis intestinalis after minor trauma.

Abstract Background Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) refers to the identification of air within the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. This finding often marks serious underlying pathology, which can be potentially surgical in nature. However, this process may also occur within a benign context, for example, in patients who are chronically immunosuppressed. The prevalence of benign PI may be greater than previously anticipated, because its discovery is facilitated by the increasingly widespread use of computed tomography (CT) scanning. Objectives We will illustrate how widespread use of CT scanning after trauma leads to incidental findings, some of which are difficult to distinguish from acute pathologic findings. We will also discuss the differential diagnosis for PI and the associated clinical significance. Case Report A female patient with two autoimmune disorders requiring immunosuppression presented after minor trauma. Her clinical stability and benign examination led us to refrain from ordering a full radiographic evaluation, including an abdominal CT scan. She was safely discharged; however, per CT several days later, the incidental finding was made of PI with free intraperitoneal air. These findings after trauma commonly prompt an exploratory laparotomy. However, given her persistent stability, we attributed this to immunosuppression rather than to recent trauma. Conclusion The indications for ordering CT scans after minor trauma must be carefully considered, and incidental findings must be interpreted in the context of the overall clinical scenario.
Digital anesthesia with epinephrine: An old myth revisited

Background The prohibition against the use epinephrine with local anesthetics for digital blocks or infiltrative anesthesia is an established dogma in dermatologic surgery. Major textbooks reinforce this teaching suggesting that there is substantial risk of digital gangrene caused by local anesthesia containing epinephrine. Objective To provide a comprehensive literature review of the cases of digital necrosis associated with the use of local anesthesia containing epinephrine. Methods A PubMed search of the National Library of Medicine database using the terms "lidocaine" and "epinephrine" and "finger" with no specified limits was performed. Results A total of 16 papers were referenced and only 6 papers dealt with digital anesthesia. A total of 50 cases of digital gangrene were reported, mostly in the early part of the 20th century. In 21 cases digital gangrene was associated with anesthetic mixed with epinephrine. Actual concentration of epinephrine was known in only 4 cases. Careful analysis of all cases of necrosis did not support epinephrine itself as a cause. Other contributing factors including older compounds (cocaine, eukaine, and procaine), non-standardized inaccurate methods of mixing epinephrine with lidocaine, inappropriate use of a tourniquet, postoperative hot soaks, infection, or large anesthetic volume were also present. None of the reported cases were associated with the use of a commercial lidocaine-epinephrine mixture. Conclusion A literature review failed to provide evidence to support the dogma that block or infiltrative anesthesia with lidocaine and epinephrine produces digital necrosis. Proper injection technique and adequate selection of patients (absence of thrombotic, vasospastic conditions, or uncontrolled hypertension) are mandatory to minimize complications. The addition of epinephrine, in fact, reduces the need for the use of tourniquets and large volumes of anesthetic and provides better and longer pain control during digital procedures.
Platinum–nucleobase PtN4 complexes as chemotypes for selective peptide reactions with biomolecules

Abstract The reactions of a substitution-inert complex [Pt(dien)(9-EtGua)](NO 3 ) 2, I, on DNA and model tetrapeptides were examined. The tetrapeptides Ac-GAXG (gly-ala-meth-gly) and Ac-GWXG (gly-trp-meth-gly) (X = Met or Cys) were chosen to compare firstly the relative reactivity of the thioether versus thiol and secondly to compare the effect of possible stacking of the platinated nucleobase with tryptophan on substitution reactions. Characterization of predicted products was made using [PtCl(dien)]Cl. Melting point and ethidium bromide inhibition assays confirmed the lack of reactivity on DNA. 1 H NMR, 195 H NMR and ESI-MS spectroscopy techniques showed that the cysteine-containing peptides reacted significantly faster than those of methionine. The reactivity differences were confirmed using simply N -AcMet and N -AcCys. The presence of tryptophan enhanced the rate of reaction slightly for the methionine-containing peptides. Theoretical calculations on the [Pt(dien)(9-EtGua)]–GWMG/GAMG interactions show that the GWMG species is roughly 5 kcal/mol more stable than formation of the GAMG species (−9.3 and −3.9 kcal/mol) due to the additional π stacking interaction. The results show the utility of considering the PtN 4 chemotype for selective reactions with peptides and templates for design of specific protein inhibitors.
The state-nonstate issue in hypnosis: a closer look.

Abstract This article is a commentary on the state-nonstate issue in hypnosis. The basis of the discussion is Coe's “Experimental Designs and the State-Nonstate Issue in Hypnosis.”
Browneite, MnS, a new sphalerite-group mineral from the Zakłodzie meteorite

Browneite (IMA 2012-008), MnS, is a new member of the sphalerite group, discovered in Zaklodzie, an ungrouped enstatite-rich achondrite. The type material occurs as one single crystal (~16 μm in size) in contact with and surrounded by plagioclase; enstatite and troilite are nearby. Low-Ni iron, martensitic iron, tridymite, quartz, cristobalite, sinoite, schreibersite, buseckite, keilite, and graphite, are also present in the type sample. Browneite is yellowish brown and translucent. The mean chemical composition, as determined by electron microprobe analysis of the type material, is (wt%) S 36.46, Mn 62.31, Fe 0.62, Ca 0.10, sum 99.49, leading to an empirical formula calculated on the basis of 2 atoms of (Mn_(0.993)Fe_(0.010)Ca_(0.002))S_(0.995). Electron back-scatter diffraction patterns of browneite are a good match to that of synthetic β-MnS with the F43m structure, showing ɑ = 5.601 A, V = 175.71 A^3, and Z = 4. Browneite is a low-temperature (<200 °C) phase, metastable relative to alabandite, that postdates the impact melting and subsequent crystallization of an enstatite-rich rock.
Peptide Nanocapsules As Novel Immunogens:Design And Biophysical Analysis Of A Prototype SARS Vaccine

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is an infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus that cost nearly 800 lives. While there have been no recent outbreaks of the disease, the threat remains as SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) like strains are still existing in animal reservoirs. Therefore, the development of a vaccine is in grave need. We have designed and produced a prototype SARS vaccine: a self-assembling polypeptide nanocapsule that repetitively displays a SARS B-cell epitope from the C-terminal heptad repeat of the virus' spike protein. The peptide forming the nanocapsule consists of the pentameric coiled-coil domain of COMP at the N-terminus joined by a short linker segment to a de novo designed trimeric coiled-coil domain at the C-terminus. The SARS epitope is ideally suited to extend this trimeric coiled-coil as it is itself a trimeric coiled-coil. Circular dichroism of the refolded nanocapsules revealed a highly α-helical structure. Proper self-assembly of the peptide into nanocapsules was verified by TEM and DLS, both showing nanocapsules in the 25nm to 30nm size range. The number of peptide chains per nanocapsule was then determined by analytical ultracentrifugation and the average was 110 peptide chains per nanocapsule. Immunization experiments with these SARS-nanocapsules were performed with Balb/c mice. An investigation of the binding properties of the elicited antibodies showed that they were highly conformation specific for the coiled-coil epitope since they specifically recognized the native trimeric conformation of C-terminal heptad repeat region. The antisera also exhibited neutralization activity in an in vitro infection inhibition assay. We conclude that these peptide nanocapsules represent a promising platform for vaccine design, in particular for diseases that are characterized by neutralizing epitopes with coiled-coil conformation such as SARS-CoV or other enveloped viruses.
A scheme for accelerated floating point operation in small computers

Abstract A technique has been developed which reduces running time of floating point operations in a PDP-8 by approximately a factor of three. It is equally applicable to other small computers.
SU-FF-T-04: Permanent Brachytherapy Seed Localization Via Iterative Forward Projection Matching (IFPM) Algorithm Using Intraoperative Cone-Beam CT Sinogram Projections

Purpose: To experimentally validate a new algorithm for reconstructing the 3D positions of implanted brachytherapy seeds from intraoperatively acquired 2D cone‐beam CTsinogram projections. Methods and materials: The iterative forward projection matching (IFPM) algorithm consists of finding the 3D‐seed geometry that minimizes the sum‐of‐squared‐intensity differences between computed projections of the candidate seed array positions and experimentally acquired auto‐segmented projections of the implanted seeds. Starting with clinically reasonable initial‐estimate of the seed configuration, e.g., the ultrasound pre‐plan, IFPM iteratively refines the 3D‐seed coordinates and the imaging view‐points until the computed and measured projections match. Four Pd 103 post‐implant patients were scanned using an Acuity digital‐simulator with a full 660 projections conebeam‐CT(CBCT) for post‐implant dosimetry. 3–10 x‐ray images were selected from the CBCTsinogram and were preprocessed to create the binary seed‐only images. 2D Gaussian functions centered at each binary image centroid were used to create gray scale images. The Gaussian width was reduced when IFPM converged. To quantify IFPM accuracy, the reconstructed seed positions were forward projected and overlaid with the measured seed images and found the nearest‐neighbor‐distance between computed and measured seed positions for each image‐pair.Results: For all example cases, the mean registration error was found to be about 1.2mm; the IFPM converged in 16–21 iterations and in 4–7 iterations following reduction of Gaussian blurring function width with computation time of about 1.9–2.3 minutes/iteration on a 2 GHz processor. Discussion: The IFPM algorithm avoids the need for matching corresponding seeds images on each projection as required by standard back‐projection methods. Also it has a potential to accommodate incomplete data by iteratively recreating the overlap seeds on the matching computed projections. Our preliminary results of the patient's studies demonstrated that ∼1mm accuracy in reconstructing the 3D‐positions of brachytherapy seeds from the measured 2D projections. Supported by Varian‐Medical‐Systems
Pedogenic processes and domain boundaries in a Vertisol climosequence: evidence from titanium and zirconium distribution and morphology

Abstract The occurrences of titanium (Ti) and zirconium (Zr) within eight Vertisols formed in a climosequence on the Upper Beaumont Formation of the Texas Gulf Coastal Plain were investigated in order to determine processes responsible for Ti and Zr redistribution during pedogenesis. Discontinuities defined by significant shifts in particle size distribution and the content (in volume percent) of Zr are present at 160 to 260 cm depth in each pedon. The discontinuities are interpreted to be functional boundaries, i.e., physico-chemical expressions of pedogenic domains, between an upper soil domain dominated by open-system pedogenesis and a lower, more closed-system domain dominated by chemical weathering. The depth at which the functional boundary occurs is dependent on physical and hydrogeochemical influences, which are largely a function of available water. Soil materials above the discontinuities are slightly coarser textured and enriched in Zr, whereas below the sediments are finer textured and have lower and more constant Zr contents. The Zr is associated almost exclusively with zircon and Zr contents correlate positively to the weight percent sand+coarse silt, with negligible Zr present in the Profile volume loss/gain (i.e., soil strain, e), a mass-balance calculation that assumes Zr or Ti immobility during pedogenesis, indicate eZr values nearly four times greater than eTi. Large values of eZr within the upper soil domains are due primarily to sand and coarse silt additions to the Vertisols and preclude use of Zr as a basis of mass-balance calculations in these soils, despite its relative chemical stability. By comparison, Ti is generally conserved within the clay-rich soil profiles and is therefore better suited for mass-balance calculations of volume change and mobile element translocation during pedogenesis.
UAV circumnavigating an unknown target using range measurement and estimated range rate

The objective of the paper is to design a control algorithm such that a UAV can circumnavigate an unknown target using range-only measurement. By assuming the availability of both range and range rate measurements, a control algorithm is proposed to accomplish the circumnavigation mission, where the associated control input is always bounded. To eliminate the requirement of range rate measurements, an estimated range rate, obtained via a sliding-mode estimator using range measurement, is used to replace the range rate measurement. By carefully choosing parameters in the estimator, range rate can be accurately estimated in finite time thanks to the boundedness of control input under the proposed control algorithm. As a consequence, the circumnavigation mission can still be accomplished using the proposed control algorithm when range rate measurement is replaced by its estimated value obtained from the estimator. This estimator-based control strategy using range-only measurement is desired for small UAVs under GPS-denied environment when limited sensing capability is allowed considering their payload restrictions.
Radiocarbon dating of the rate of movement of two solifluction lobes in the Ruby Range, Yukon Territory

Abstract The rates of solifluction of two lobes in the Ruby Range have been determined by 14C dates of samples taken from buried organic layers in the lobes. Twenty-one dates are available from one lobe, and seven from another. When plotted against distance back from control points at the lobe fronts the dates show considerable scatter. In part the scatter is thought to be due to a potential age range of 340 ± 100 yr in the organic layers. Linear and polynomial regressions were calculated for the time/distance relationships shown by the dates. The rates of lobe advance established by these means for the lobe with seven dates are not thought to be reliable. Reasonably good estimates of movement rate were determined for the second lobe by both the linear and polynomial methods. However, the rates established by the two methods are quite similar. Because of this and other uncertainties it is difficult to draw inferences of climatic change from the changes in movement rate shown by the polynomial solution.
Trypanocidal properties of 5'-O-Sulfamoyladenosine, a close structural analog of nucleocidin.

Abstract A rodent-adapted strain of Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) rhodesiense , challenged in vivo by a series of purine and pyrimidine sulfamoyl nucleosides, was only sensitive to those containing the adenosine nucleus. The most active compound tested, 5′- O -sulfamoyladenosine, which differs structurally from the trypanocidal antibiotic nucleocidin only by the lack of a fluorine atom, was 100% curative with minimal toxicity to mice with early infections at a single orally administered dose of 2 mg/kg or at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg injected intraperitoneally daily for 3 consecutive days. The rate of cures fell if treatment was delayed for 24 hours or longer. 5′- O -Sulfamoyladenosine is less toxic to mice than nucleocidin, and its therapeutic index could be raised by manipulating the dose regimen. In vitro , 5′- O -sulfamoyladenosine inhibited by 50% the uptake of adenine-8- 14 C by bloodstream form T.(T.) rhodesiense at a concentration of 1 × 10 −8 M , and the incorporation of 14 C-phenylalanine into protein at 5 × 10 −8 M . In this concentration range, glucose utilization by the trypanosomes was inhibited only slightly, but progressively greater inhibition of glucose utilization was observed at higher concentrations.
Masturbation practices of males and females

Abstract In this study, the authors have examined the masturbation practices of both male and female college students, attempting to test some of the premises long held that men and women differ significantly in such practices. The findings indicate that while there are differences in many of the variables examined, there are others which show striking similarities. Thus, they open to question a number of assumptions held regarding differences in sexual needs and responses of males and females.
Computational Studies on Response and Binding Selectivity of Fluorescence Sensors

Using a computational strategy based on density functional theory calculations, we successfully designed a fluorescent sensor for detecting Zn(2+) [J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 22991-22994]. In this work, we report our further studies on the computational design protocol for developing Photoinduced Electron Transfer (PET) fluorescence sensors. This protocol was applied to design a PET fluorescence sensor for Zn(2+) ions, which consists of anthracene as the fluorophore connected to pyridine as the receptor through dimethylethanamine as the linker. B3LYP and time-dependent B3LYP calculations were performed with the basis set 6-31G(d,p), 6-31+G(d,p), 6-311G(d,p), and 6-311+G(d,p). The calculated HOMO and LUMO energies of the fluorophore and receptor using all four basis sets show that the relative energy levels remain unchanged. This indicates that any of these basis sets can be used in calculating the relative molecular orbital (MO) energy levels. Furthermore, the relative MO energies of the independent fluorophore and receptor are not altered when they are linked together, which suggests that one can calculate the MO energies of these components separately and use them as the MO energies of the free sensor. These are promising outcomes for the computational design of sensors, though more case studies are needed to further confirm these conclusions. The binding selectivity studies indicate that the predicted sensor can be used for Zn(2+) even in the presence of the divalent cation, Ca(2+).
Multimodal geographic information systems: adding haptic and auditory display

The goal of this study was to discover the feasibility of adding haptic and auditory displays to traditional visual geographic information systems (GIS). The experiment was conducted with 51 participants to explore the difference in user performance (task completion time and accuracy) and user satisfaction with a multimodal GIS system, which was implemented with a haptic display, auditory display, and combined display. The experiment consisted of a series of 36 tasks in which the participants were asked to identify the highest or the middle valued state among nine U.S. states on maps. The results showed that haptic displays produce faster and more accurate performance than auditory displays and combined displays for more complex tasks. In terms of user satisfaction, the participants preferred the combined display even though they performed best with the haptic display.
Teaching Groups To Become Teams.

Abstract This article describes the format, objectives, and content of a course focused on teaching students how to function effectively as members of a work team through a semester-long, hands-on, application-based approach. It also offers guidelines for any instructor who allocates a significant portion of class time to teaching group skills. The article describes a semester project that I believe interests students more and teaches them a wider variety of group skills than the usual oral and written reports that student teams are required to do.
The Development of Electronic Publishing and Digital Library Collections on the NREN

This article reviews the present and expected future environments for network‐based electronic publishing and network access to bibliographic and journal databases. Emerging visions of “electronic libraries” are considered. The difficulties inherent in the development of full text and images as networked information are outlined. The growth and diversification of library collections in electronic form and the requisite network access systems are discussed, as are the prospect of increased resource sharing among libraries and the subsequent explosion of document delivery requests (and costs!). The issues of storage and format of electronic publishing are developed, and perspectives on electronic publishing are presented for all those involved: the author, the library, the reader, and the publisher. A change in the scope, and thereby in the definition, of the library is anticipated.
Culturally Appropriate Programs for Asian-American Leukemia Patients

Abstract This article describes the experience of the Culturally Appropriate Patient Support System (CAPSS), a project designed to help Asian leukemia patients with limited English proficiency in obtaining a bone marrow transplant. The California Endowment funded this two-year program to provide simultaneous translation and interpretation and case management services to Korean- and Vietnamese-speaking leukemia patients in Los Angeles and Orange counties in California. The CAPSS project was based on the assumption that understanding the significance of cultural influences and language difficulties on health beliefs and health behavior is fundamental to the development of successful programs for Asians and Pacific Islander (API) cancer patients. This article focuses on the Korean-speaking element of the program, and evaluates the extent to which program goals were met. It concludes with recommendations for future programs targeting Asian cancer patients with limited English proficiency.
RHYTHMIC ORGANIZATION OF SPONTANEOUS MOVEMENTS IN PREMATURE INFANTS ≤ 34 WEEKS GESTATIONAL AGE (GA)

RHYTHMIC ORGANIZATION OF SPONTANEOUS MOVEMENTS IN PREMATURE INFANTS ≤ 34 WEEKS GESTATIONAL AGE (GA)
Insulin-like growth factor I regulates growth hormone secretion and messenger ribonucleic acid levels in human pituitary tumor cells.

GH secretion and mRNA levels were measured in cultured human GH adenoma cells incubated in serum-free medium for up to 48 h. A human recombinant insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) analog, Thr-59-IGF-I (6.5 nM), inhibited basal GH secretion by up to 60÷ in tumor cell cultures. The 30–50÷ stimulation of GH secretion by GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) was prevented by simultaneous exposure of the cells to IGF-I (6.5 nM). Gel electrophoresis of total RNA derived from GH cell adenoma tissue, followed by transfer and hybridization with 32P-labeled human GH cDNA, revealed a distinct mRNA species of about 1.0 kilobases. Using cytoplasmic dot blot hybridization, IGF-I inhibited the levels of human GH mRNA sequences in these cells and also prevented the GHRH-induced stimulation of GH mRNA. A monoclonal antibody to the type I IGF-I receptor (αIR3) prevented the inhibitory effects of IGF-I on basal and GHRH-stimulated GH secretion. This antibody also prevented the IGF-I-induced suppression of GH mRNA sequences. PRL sec...
A METHOD FOR MEASURING AND THE EFFECT OF ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE ON LIPIDSOLUBLE REDUCING SUBSTANCES OF RABBIT PLASMA

SATISFACTORY results have been attained in measuring cortin-like substances in urine by chemical methods. It has been possible to develop one of these based on the reduction of phosphomolybdic acid (Heard and Sobel, 1946), so that we can measure the concentration of lipid-soluble reducing substances in blood samples of reasonable size. With this method it is possible to recover 11-desoxy-corticosterone, corticosterone, 17- hydroxy-11-dehydrocorticosterone (Compound E), and the reducing compounds in cortical extracts from bovine adrenal glands, when added to rabbit blood plasma. Measured with a chemical method the excretion of cortin-like substances in the urine of human subjects is markedly increased by the administration of anterior pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) (Mason et al., 1948; Forsham et al., 1948; Romanoff et al., 1949; Sprague et al., 1950). With our method we have found similar increases in blood plasma values using the rabbit as the experimental animal.
Enzyme studies on the mechanism of wood decay.

Previous studies of the metabolic activities of a group of wood-destroying moulds (Merulius niveus, M. tremellosus, M. confluens and Fomes annosus) established the formation of ethyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, acetic and succinic acids by their action on cellulose, glucose and/or xylose1. Inasmuch as acetic acid has been shown to be the last breakdown product which can be isolated of the carbohydrate metabolism of these fungi, it was thought of interest to investigate the dissimilation of acetic acid, in the form of sodium acetate, to elaborate the complete phase sequence of wood-cellulose degradation by these moulds.
Quantification of Spatial Parameters in 3D Cellular Constructs Using Graph Theory

Multispectral three-dimensional (3D) imaging provides spatial information for biological structures that cannot be measured by traditional methods. This work presents a method of tracking 3D biological structures to quantify changes over time using graph theory. Cell-graphs were generated based on the pairwise distances, in 3D-Euclidean space, between nuclei during collagen I gel compaction. From these graphs quantitative features are extracted that measure both the global topography and the frequently occurring local structures of the “tissue constructs.” The feature trends can be controlled by manipulating compaction through cell density and are significant when compared to random graphs. This work presents a novel methodology to track a simple 3D biological event and quantitatively analyze the underlying structural change. Further application of this method will allow for the study of complex biological problems that require the quantification of temporal-spatial information in 3D and establish a new paradigm in understanding structure-function relationships.
Building an example application with the unstructured information management architecture

IBM's Unstrutured Information Management Architecture (UIMA) is a software architecture for developing and deploying unstructured information management (UIM) applications. In this paper we provide a high-level overview of the architecture, introduce its basic components, and describe the set of tools that constitute a UIMA development framework. Then we take the reader through the setps involved in building a simple UIM application, thus highlighting the major UIMA concepts and techniques.
Pacific‐Farallon relative motion 42‐59 Ma determined from magnetic and tectonic data from the Southern Austral Islands

We have used recently collected magnetic profiles and high resolution multibeam bathymetry data near the southern Austral Islands in French Polynesia to constrain the relative motion of the Pacific and Farallon plates between chron 25 and chron 18 (42–59 Ma). A change in plate motion at about chron 21 (50 Ma), which reoriented spreading direction in the area by 10-12° clockwise was apparently accommodated by a southward propagating rift which transferred 160 km of Pacific crust to the Farallon plate, the outer pseudofault of which is preserved as the Adventure Trough. These new constraints significantly revise previous estimates of Pacific-Farallon relative motion at the crucial time period encompassing the bend in the Hawaiian-Emperor chain, believed to represent an abrupt change in the absolute motion of the Pacific plate. Disrupted lithosphere at the Adventure Trough has apparently been a preferred site for later midplate volcanic activity.
FtsZ Collaborates with Penicillin Binding Proteins To Generate Bacterial Cell Shape in Escherichia coli

The mechanisms by which bacteria adopt and maintain individual shapes remain enigmatic. Outstanding questions include why cells are a certain size, length, and width; why they are uniform or irregular; and why some branch while others do not. Previously, we showed that Escherichia coli mutants lacking multiple penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) display extensive morphological diversity. Because defective sites in these cells exhibit the structural and functional characteristics of improperly localized poles, we investigated the connection between cell division and shape. Here we show that under semipermissive conditions the temperature-sensitive FtsZ84 protein produces branched and aberrant cells at a high frequency in mutants lacking PBP 5, and this phenotype is exacerbated by the loss of additional peptidoglycan endopeptidases. Surprisingly, certain ftsZ84 strains lyse at the nonpermissive temperature instead of filamenting, and inhibition of wild-type FtsZ forces some mutants into tightly wound spirillum-like morphologies. The results demonstrate that significant aspects of bacterial shape are dictated by a previously unrecognized relationship between the septation machinery and ostensibly minor peptidoglycan-modifying enzymes and that under certain circumstances improper FtsZ function can destroy the structural integrity of the cell.
Disaster-related environmental health hazards: former lead smelting plants in the United States.

Objective: Natural disasters exacerbate risks of hazardous environmental exposures and adverse health consequences. The present study determined the proportion of previously identified lead industrial sites in urban locations that are at high risk for dispersal of toxic chemicals by natural disasters. Methods: Geographic analysis from publicly available data identified former lead smelting plants that coincide with populated urban areas and with high-risk locations for natural disasters. Results: From a total of 229 urban smelting sites, 66 (29%) were in relatively high-risk areas for natural disasters: flood (39), earthquake (29), tornado (3), and hurricane (2). States with urban sites at relatively high risk for natural disaster included California (15); Pennsylvania (14); New York (7); Missouri (6); Illinois (5); New Jersey (4); Kentucky (3); Florida, Oregon, and Ohio (2 each); and Indiana, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Washington (1 each). Incomplete historical records showed at least 10 smelting site locations were affected by natural disaster. Conclusions: Forgotten environmental hazards may remain hazardous in any community. Uncertainty about risks in disasters causes disruptive public anxiety that increases difficulties in community responses and recovery. Our professional and public responsibility is to seek a better understanding of the risks of latent environmental hazards. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;8:44-50)