cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subsystem support feasibility for formation flight measuring Bi-directional Reflectance

Distributed Spacecraft Missions can be used to improve science performance in earth remote sensing by increasing the sampling in one or more of five dimensions: spatial, temporal, angular, spectral and radiometric. This paper identifies a gap in the angular sampling abilities of traditional monolithic spacecraft and proposes to address it using small satellite clusters in formation flight. The angular performance metric chosen to be Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF), which describes the directional and spectral variation of reflectance of a surface element at any time instant. Current monolithic spacecraft sensors estimate it by virtue of their large swath (e.g. MODIS, POLDER), multiple forward and aft sensors (e.g. MISR, ATSR) and autonomous maneuverability (e.g. CHRIS, SPECTRA). However, their planes of measurement and angular coverage are limited. This study evaluates the technical feasibility of using clusters of nanosatellites in formation flight, each with a VNIR (visible and near infra-red) imaging spectrometer, to make multi-spectral reflectance measurements of a ground target, at different zenith and azimuthal angles simultaneously. Feasibility is verified for the following mission critical, inter-dependent modules that need to be customized to fit specific angular and spectral requirements: cluster geometry (and global orbits), guidance, navigation and control systems (GNC), payload, onboard processing and communication. Simulations using an integrated systems engineering and science evaluation tool indicate initial feasibility of all listed subsystems.
The neglected hiatus hernia: Late complications of peptic esophagitis: Esophageal stenosis and shortening

Abstract 1. 1. The current operative therapy of sliding esophageal hiatus hernia with reflux is discussed, and thirty-one surgically treated cases are summarized. 2. 2. Fifteen cases of esophageal stenosis associated with reflux esophagitis and acquired shortening of the esophagus are presented. 3. 3. The fact that these patients were an average of fifteen years older than the comparable group of patients with symptomatic hiatus hernia and reflux esophagitis seems significant. 4. 4. The difficulties encountered in the actual operative management of this elderly group of patients with neglected hiatus hernia are discussed. 5. 5. A plea is made for the proper recognition, adequate diagnostic documentation, and modern surgical therapy of all patients with symptomatic esophageal hiatus hernia in whom significant reflux is demonstrated. It is hoped that such a program will eliminate the end stage complications of neglected hiatus hernia, that is, severe peptic esophagitis, stenosis, and acquired shortening of the esophagus.
Ultrasonic characterization of fatigue crack closure

The characterization of fatigue crack closure is an important objective because of its influence on fatigue crack propagation, particularly under conditions of variable amplitude loading. This paper describes a nontraditional technique for characterizing closure, in which ultrasonic scattering measurements are used to obtain estimates of the number density and size of asperities bridging the crack faces, with subsequent estimates of the crack tip shielding being based on those geometrical parameters. The paper first reviews the experimental configuration and the basic elasto-dynamic theory underlying the technique. It then presents recent results obtained in studies of the influence of block overloads and load shedding on the growth of fatigue cracks in aluminum alloys. In both cases, the change in the closure state after the overload can be unambiguously seen even in the raw data. Moreover, data analysis suggests that it may be possible to predict when the crack will reinitiate based on more subtle changes in the ultrasonically inferred closure state. In the case of load shedding, a massive closure region is observed, whose characteristics appear consistent with the notion that threshold phenomena can be explained in terms of crack closure. 20 refs., 10 figs.
Segment Inventory for Speech Synthesis

The inventory of segments required to synthesize an idiolect of American speech from recorded utterances has been partially investigated. A total of 43 phonetic units, including a unit of silence, is found essential. These units represent some of the major allophones of the phonemes of the idiolect. To obtain the segments, utterances are contructed with the desired sequence of the two phonetic units and with the proper intonation and stress environment. The utterances are recorded on magnetic tape, and the desired boundaries of the segments are determined by means of a technique employing a sound spectrograph. An attempt is made to match harmonics, formants, and amplitude envelopes between adjacent segments. To synthesize the idiolect it is estimated that an inventory of about 8500 segments is required. A sentence synthesized from over 40 such segments is demonstrated.
The Mexican American Orquesta: Music, Culture, and the Dialectic of Conflict; Música Tejana: The Cultural Economy of Artistic Transformation

The Mexican American Orquesta: Music, Culture, and the Dialectic of Conflict. Manuel Pena. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1999. xi. 350 pp., notes, selected discography, references, index Musica Tejana: The Cultural Economy of Artistic Transformation. Manuel Pena. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1999. ix. 239 pp., photographs, selected discography, references, index.
Noise minimization in eukaryotic gene expression.

All organisms have elaborate mechanisms to control rates of protein production. However, protein production is also subject to stochastic fluctuations, or noise. Several recent studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli have investigated the relationship between transcription and translation rates and stochastic fluctuations in protein levels, or more generally, how such randomness is a function of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. However, the fundamental question of whether stochasticity in protein expression is generally biologically relevant has not been addressed, and it remains unknown whether random noise in the protein production rate of most genes significantly affects the fitness of any organism. We propose that organisms should be particularly sensitive to variation in the protein levels of two classes of genes: genes whose deletion is lethal to the organism and genes that encode subunits of multiprotein complexes. Using an experimentally verified model of stochastic gene expression in S. cerevisiae, we estimate the noise in protein production for nearly every yeast gene, and confirm our prediction that the production of essential and complex-forming proteins involves lower levels of noise than does the production of most other genes. Our results support the hypothesis that noise in gene expression is a biologically important variable, is generally detrimental to organismal fitness, and is subject to natural selection.
Modified retention of punishment with unilateral, single-pulse stimulation of amygdala but not hippocampus

Following surgical preparation, male hooded rats were trained to descend from a platform and cross a grid floor for food. Upon reaching a performance criterion, a single treatment trial was administered. Upon descent from the platform on the treatment trial, the subjects received foot-shock, which was followed immediately by the delivery of a single.5-msec, 100-μA pulse of intracranial stimulation delivered unilaterally to either the amygdala or dorsal hippocampus. Performance on recall tests administered 24 and 48 h after the treatment trial revealed memory alteration in amygdala-stimulated subjects but not in hippocampus-stimulated or control subjects. These results suggest that the amygdala and hippocampus may have different roles in memory processing. The contribution of amygdala in memory processing may involve affective quality and quantity of specific events. A new interpretation of the nature of memory modification by electrical brain stimulation is discussed.
BEC Transition Temperature of a Dilute Homogeneous Imperfect Bose Gas

The leading-order effect of interactions on a homogeneous Bose gas is theoretically predicted to shift the critical temperature by an amount {Delta}T{sub c}{approx_equal}ca{sub sc}n{sup 1/3} T{sub 0} from the ideal gas result T{sub 0} , where a{sub sc} is the scattering length, n is the density, and c is a pure number. There have been several different theoretical estimates for c . We claim to settle the issue by measuring the numerical coefficient in a lattice simulation of O(2) {phi}{sup 4} field theory in three dimensions -- an effective theory which, as observed previously in the literature, can be systematically matched to the dilute Bose gas problem to reproduce nonuniversal quantities such as the critical temperature. We find c=1.32{+-}0.02 .
Wavelength-dependent complex transmission profiles of band-limited coronagraph occulting masks measured in situ

Practical band-limited occulting masks used in visible-light Lyot coronagraphs, such as those proposed for the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C), will exhibit some non-band-limited transmission errors that may limit their observing contrast ratios to unacceptable levels. The complex (both phase and amplitude) transmission profiles of these masks exhibit large dynamic ranges over small spatial scales, which are difficult to probe using ordinary optical microscopes and interferometers. We describe here a technique for making these complex transmission measurements with the mask in-place in a Lyot coronagraph, using point-source images taken in the focal and pupil planes, with the Lyot stop removed. We also present measurements taken from the High-Contrast Imaging Testbed (HCIT) at JPL.
Stationarity and rate of dampening of modeled indices of fish abundance in relation to their exploitation status in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Abstract Time series modeling of indices of fish abundance provided support for Ricker’s theoretical concept of the effects of fishing on cycling and population behavior. Modeled damped oscillations of indices of fish abundance through time reflected a reduction of effect of density-dependent compensatory mechanisms with increased fishing pressure. ARIMA models tended to explain less variability for exploited than for unexploited species. Therefore, the utility of these models is limited for exploited species.
The Creativity of Dissociation

ABSTRACT This paper examines the complex and creative strategies employed in keeping beliefs, memories, and various other mental and bodily states effectively dissociated from normal waking consciousness. First, it examines cases of hypnotic anesthesia and hypnotically induced hallucination, which illustrate: (1) our capacity for generating novel mental contents, (2) our capacity for choosing a plan of action from a wider set of options, and (3) our capacity for monitoring and responding to environmental influences threatening to undermine a dissociative state. These observations are then extended to cases involving dissociated memories of trauma. The strategies needed to maintain a dissociated belief or memory are strikingly similar to those involved in preventing our lies from being exposed. Moreover, these strategies are complex, and they potentially affect seemingly remote aspects of a person's psychology. That point is illustrated by examining the dispositional nature of both memory and belief, the c...
The Value of Collodion Membranes as Filters

Most investigators have considered that the collodion membrane was only semipermeable, that it retained not only formed particles, but also to a greater or less degree soluble substances; and that according as these did or did not pass through the collodion sac some idea could be gained of the nature and size of their molecules. With this end in view, much work was done in filtering solutions of sugars, peptones, and proteins, and also of ferments, toxins, agglutinins, and lysins; the results obtained have however varied with the different investigators. The following experiments may explain these variations and assist in determining the value of the collodion membrane as a filter.
Classification performance prediction using parametric scattering feature models

We consider a method for estimating classification performance of a model-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition system. Target classification is performed by comparing an unordered feature set extracted from a measured SAR image chip with an unordered feature set predicted from a hypothesized target class and pose. A Bayes likelihood metric that incorporates uncertainty in both the predicted and extracted feature vectors is used to compute the match score. Evaluation of the match likelihoods requires a correspondence between the unordered predicted and extracted feature sets. This is a bipartite graph matching problem with insertions and deletions; we show that the optimal match can be found in polynomial time. We extend the results in 1 to estimate classification performance for a ten-class SAR ATR problem. We consider a synthetic classification problem to validate the classifier and to address resolution and robustness questions in the likelihood scoring method. Specifically, we consider performance versus SAR resolution, performance degradation due to mismatch between the assumed and actual feature statistics, and performance impact of correlated feature attributes.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ionizing radiation-induced phosphorylation of RPA p34 is deficient in ataxia telangiectasia and reduced in aged normal fibroblasts

Replication protein A (RPA, also called human single stranded DNA binding protein, hSSB) is a trimeric, multifunctional protein complex involved in DNA replication, DNA repair and recombination. Phosphorylation of RPA p34 subunit is observed after exposure of cells to radiation and other DNA damaging agents, which implicates the protein not only in repair but also in the regulation of replication on damaged DNA template. Here, we show that the phosphorylation observed in RPA p34 after exposure to ionizing radiation, X- or gamma-rays, is reduced and occurs later in primary fibroblasts from patients suffering from ataxia telangiectasia (AT), as compared to normal fibroblasts. We also show that in primary normal human fibroblasts, radiation-induced phosphorylation of RPA p34 is 'age'-dependent and decreases significantly as cultures senesce. Radiation-induced phosphorylation of RPA p34 is nearly absent in non-cycling cells, while the expression of p21cipl/wafl/sdil remains inducible. The results demonstrate a growth-state and culture-age dependency in radiation-induced RPA p34 phosphorylation, and suggest the operation of a signal transduction pathway that is inactivated in senescing or quiescent fibroblasts and defective in AT cells.
Narrowing down to the automatically activated attitude: A narrowed conceptual scope improves correspondence between implicitly and explicitly measured attitudes

Abstract People display a remarkable ability to focus either broadly or narrowly on their internal mental landscape. This project examined if such shifts in conceptual attention regulated correspondence between implicit and explicit measures of attitudes. Because a broadened conceptual focus should cause the mind to be awash in a rather disparate assortment of attitude-relevant material that all needs to be integrated, this was predicted to dilute the impact of activated attitudes, as estimated by the implicit measure, on explicit reports of attitudes. Because a narrowed conceptual focus should cause only the most accessible attitude-relevant material (i.e., the activated attitude) to enter the mind, this was predicted to maximize the impact of such attitudes on explicit reports of attitudes. These predictions were subjected to empirical scrutiny and confirmed in three experiments that employed two different manipulations of conceptual scope, two different attitude objects, and two different implicit measures of attitudes.
The impact of adenovirus infection on the immunocompromised host

Adenovirus (Ad) infections in immunocompromised hosts have increased in frequency as the number of patients with transplants of bone marrow, liver, kidney, heart and other organs increase in number and survive longer. The numbers of such patients have also increased because of the emergence of the HIV epidemic. Ad infections with the 51 different serotypes recognised to date have few pathognomonic signs and symptoms, and thus require a variety of laboratory-based procedures to confirm infection. These viruses have the ability to target various organs with relative serotype specificity and can cause diverse manifestations including serious life-threatening diseases characteristic of the organs involved. Ads have cytolytic and immunoregulatory properties. The clinical dilemma remains the prompt recognition of Ad-related disease, the differentiation of Ad infection from Ad disease and the differentiation from other causative agents. Since the armamentarium of effective antiviral agents available to treat Ads is unproven by controlled trials and the virus is often not acquired de novo, it is difficult to prevent reactivation in immunodeficient hosts or new acquisition from donor organs. Timely discontinuation of immunosuppressive agents is necessary to prevent morbid outcomes. The clinical diseases, diagnostic tests, antiviral agents and biological aspects of the Ads as pathogens in immunocompromised patients are discussed in the context of this review. Some of the newer diagnostic tests are based on the well-studied molecular biology of Ads, which also have been attenuated by selective viral DNA deletions for use as vectors in numerous gene therapy trials in humans.
Trifluoroacetyl as an N-protective group in the synthesis of purine nucleosides of 2-amino-2-deoxy saccharides

Selective N-(trifluoroacetyl)ation of 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose, followed by O-acetylation, gave the anomeric 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-(trifluoroacetamido)-α(and β)-D-glucopyranoses (3 and 4). Conversion of 3 and 4 into the bromide, followed by condensation with 6-benzamido-9-(chloromercuri)-9H-purine, produced 6-benzamido-9-[3,4,6-tr-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-(trifluoroacetamido)-α-D-glucopyranosyl]-9H-purine and the corresponding β-D anomer. Removal of substituent groups was achieved by means of methanolic ammonia, giving the anomeric, crystalline 9-(2-amino-2-deoxy-α(and β)-d-glucopyranosyl)adenines. Application of this procedure to 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-galactose gave, as the final products, 9-(2-amino-2-deoxy-α-d-galactopyranosyl)adenine and the corresponding β-D anomer, characterized as their crystalline dihydrochlorides.
SQL-based discovery of exact and approximate functional dependencies

Students in a typical database course are introduced to theoretical design from a functional dependency standpoint. Functional dependencies are rules of the form X→Y, where X and Y are attributes of a relation r(R). Those rules express the potential one-to-one, and many-to-one relationships among the atributes of R. Unfortunately finding the non-trivial rules X→Y from an existing arbitrary relation is a hard problem. We present an extension of the SQL-based algorithm of Bell and Brockhausen [1] to explore a relation and find its exact and approximate functional dependencies. We use the g3 measure of Kivinen and Mannila to express the degree of approximation of a dependency. This application could be used either as an example or a project in an advanced database course.
Minimum Edge Distance Classifier

This paper presents a direct template matching approach dependent on an object's edge boundary profile. The method for matching an unknown signature to the prestored templates involves a minimum edge distance criterion. The classifier design details are preceeded by a derivation of the mathematical link between boundary and silhouette moments for binary objects.
In-network data estimation for sensor-driven scientific applications

Sensor networks employed by scientific applications oftenneed to support localized collaboration of sensor nodes to perform in-network data processing. This includes new quantitative synthesis andhypothesis testing in near real time, as data streaming from distributedinstruments, to transform raw data into high level domain-dependent information. This paper investigates in-network data processing mechanismswith dynamic data requirements in resource constrained heterogeneoussensor networks. Particularly, we explore how the temporaland spatial correlation of sensor measurements can be used to trade offbetween the complexity of coordination among sensor clusters and thesavings that result from having fewer sensors involved in in-network processing,while maintaining an acceptable error threshold. Experimentalresults show that the proposed in-network mechanisms can facilitate theefficient usage of resources and satisfy data requirement in the presenceof dynamics and uncertainty.
A 11.5 Å single particle reconstruction of GroEL using EMAN

Single-particle analysis has become an increasingly important method for structural determination of large macromolecular assemblies. GroEL is an 800 kDa molecular chaperone, which, along with its co-chaperonin GroES, promotes protein folding both in vitro and in the bacterial cell. EMAN is a single-particle analysis software package, which was first publicly distributed in 2000. We present a three-dimensional reconstruction of native naked GroEL to approximately 11.5 A performed entirely with EMAN. We demonstrate that the single-particle reconstruction, X-ray scattering data and X-ray crystal structure all agree well at this resolution. These results validate the specific methods of image restoration, reconstruction and evaluation techniques implemented in EMAN. It also demonstrates that the single-particle reconstruction technique and X-ray crystallography will yield consistent structure factors, even at low resolution, when image restoration is performed correctly. A detailed comparison of the single-particle and X-ray structures exhibits some small variations in the equatorial domain of the molecule, likely due to the absence of crystal packing forces in the single-particle reconstruction.
Aerosol agglomeration in high-intensity acoustic fields

Abstract The acoustic agglomeration kernels in various regimes have been evaluated for various parameters, namely, aerosol concentration, median diameter, standard deviation, acoustic intensity, acoustic frequency, ambient temperature, and pressure. It is found that with the existence of the acoustically induced turbulence, turbulent inertial interaction is the dominant process for agglomeration of aerosol. A computer code has been developed to furnish a comparison of relative importance of the principal agglomeration mechanisms at different acoustic intensities and particulate emission mass loadings. Finally, an experimental investigation has been performed to verify the theory of aerosol deposition and agglomeration in high-intensity acoustic fields. Using a laboratory-scale transmissometer for the continuous light-opacity measurements, separate experimental runs have been directed to investigate the effects of acoustic intensity I , frequency f , and massloading M . In the operating range of I = 160–164 db, f = 500–2200 Hz, and M = 10–30 g/m 3 , the experimental data show a fairly good agreement with the theoretical results. It is also revealed that, under the same operating conditions, the standing-wave operation is more effective than the traveling-wave operation.
Making a "major" real-life decision: College students choosing an academic major.

College students were surveyed in their 1st year and again 1 year later about their decision regarding which major to declare. They listed criteria and alternatives under consideration, rated the importance of each, and gave overall impressions of each alternative. They also rated their affective responses to the decision-making process. Students listed approximately 7 criteria and 4 alternatives during their 1st year and approximately 7 criteria and 3 alternatives during their 2nd year. Only about half of the criteria and alternatives originally listed appeared the second time. Students' overall impressions correlated with predictions of linear models of decision making. However, confidence and comfort with the decision-making process were not correlated with measures of rational decision making, suggesting that students may have maladaptive expectations about what effective real-life decision making should be.
Test-retest evaluation of HAT-QoL and SF-36 in an HIV-seropositive sample

Abstract We sought to correct previously reported psychometric and content problems of the HIV/AIDS-Targeted Quality of Life Instrument (HAT-QoL) and to assess test-retest reliability of this revised HAT-QoL as well as the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) when used in an HIV-seropositive outpatient sample. A total of 153 participants randomly sampled from an HIV specialty and general medical clinics completed a test booklet that contained HAT-QoL and the SF-36; a random subsample of 60 participants were asked to return in approximately two weeks to complete the instruments again. Using the baseline sample, internal consistency coefficients of all final HAT-QoL dimensions were ≥0.80. The retest subsample, for which there were no significantly different characteristics than the baseline sample, completed the instruments again an average of 14.7 days after baseline completion. For HAT-QoL, only one (Provider Trust) of the nine dimensions revealed a significant test-retest difference (+5.9, p=0.05...
Progress on the development of a three-dimensional capability for simulating large-scale complex geologic processes

Significant progress has been made in developing a three-dimensional capability for predicting the mechanical response of rock over spatial and time scales of geologic interest to the Oil and Gas industry. An Advanced Computational Technology Initiative (ACTI) initiated three years ago to achieve such a computational technology breakthrough has made significant progress towards its goal by adapting and improving the unique advanced quasistatic finite element technology developed by Sandia National Laboratories to the mechanics applications important to exploration and production (E and P). This capability now gives the industry a powerful tool to help reduce risk on prospects, improve pre-project initial reserve estimates, and lower operating costs. Progress to date on this program is reported herein by presenting and discussing the enhancements and adaptations that have been made to the technology, with specific examples to illustrate their use on large E and P geomechanics problems.
Insulin binding and vesicular ingestion in capillary endothelium

Capillary endothelium can actively regulate vascular permeability of various serum proteins. Hormones such as insulin must interact with this capillary barrier in order to reach their respective target tissues. We have studied the binding and subsequent internalization of 125I-insulin in both native (freshly isolated) and primary cultured capillary endothelium derived from rat epididymal fat pads. Insulin association with the endothelium, internalization and degradation differed between freshly isolated and primary cultured capillaries. Specific binding in freshly isolated and cultured capillaries was temperature dependent, and was competitively inhibited in the presence of unlabelled insulin. Primary cultures of capillaries grown to confluence did not exhibit specific binding of insulin. Despite the lack of specific receptors for insulin, cultured cells vesicularly internalized insulin. Greater than 50% of the total associated insulin was not degraded by cultured endothelium. Morphological examinations using ferritin labelled insulin localized insulin associated to the capillary endothelial cell membrane and sequestered within pinocytotic vesicles. Incubation of freshly isolated capillaries with insulin stimulated the fluid phase endocytosis of 14C-sucrose; however, insulin had no effect on fluid phase endocytosis in cultured capillaries. These results indicate that capillary endothelium, isolated from rat epididymal fat, exhibit specific receptors for insulin. Binding of insulin to the capillary membrane is followed by internalization into cytoplasmic vesicles and partial degradation.
Entrainment: Local and non‐local turbulence models with double diffusion

[1] Taylor's entrainment equation contains the entrainment function E that has traditionally been treated heuristically, as attested by 30 different expressions for E(Ri) available in the literature. Using a model independent procedure, we first derive the new relation: E = 2Psh −3 which expresses E in terms of Ps, the shear production (of turbulent kinetic energy) averaged across the interface of the gravity current whose thickness and mean velocity are denoted by h and . Second, using a turbulence model for the turbulence kinetic energy K and its rate of dissipation ɛ (K-ɛ model, integrated across the flow), we compute Ps to express E in terms of the Richardson number Ri and the density ratio Rρ characterizing double-diffusion. Third, we show that in the local (along the flow) case, the model reproduces the Ellison and Turner (1959) data while the non-local case reproduces the data by Princevac et al. (2005) which are up to ten times larger than the ET data.
Trends in gastroesophageal reflux disease as measured by the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

Background The prevalence of reflux disease is increasing. Health-care utilization including physician visits for this disorder is lacking. Our purpose was to analyze the trend in physician visits for GERD from the period 1995–2006 using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. We also sought to determine health-care utilization for GERD indirectly by assessing prescription trends for proton-pump inhibitors and H2 receptor blockers during the period.
Human glutathione peroxidase activity in cases of high selenium exposures

Four communities with water supplies having selenium concentrations of less than 3.1, 1.7, 189, and 496 micrograms/liter were selected for study. Samples of blood, urine, and tap water were obtained from participants in each community and analyzed for selenium content. Blood samples were also analyzed for glutathione peroxidase activity. Results showed an increase in selenium concentration in the urine as the water selenium increased. Selenium concentrations in blood did not reflect the increased selenium exposure. Glutathione peroxidase activity in whole blood decreased in highly exposed participants compared to those with low exposure. We conclude that glutathione peroxidase activity in cases of possible environmental toxic exposures will not show the increased activity seen in supplementation of selenium to deficient subjects.
Label-free in situ imaging of lignification in plant cell walls.

Meeting growing energy demands safely and efficiently is a pressing global challenge. Therefore, research into biofuels production that seeks to find cost-effective and sustainable solutions has become a topical and critical task. Lignocellulosic biomass is poised to become the primary source of biomass for the conversion to liquid biofuels1-6. However, the recalcitrance of these plant cell wall materials to cost-effective and efficient degradation presents a major impediment for their use in the production of biofuels and chemicals4. In particular, lignin, a complex and irregular poly-phenylpropanoid heteropolymer, becomes problematic to the postharvest deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass. For example in biomass conversion for biofuels, it inhibits saccharification in processes aimed at producing simple sugars for fermentation7. The effective use of plant biomass for industrial purposes is in fact largely dependent on the extent to which the plant cell wall is lignified. The removal of lignin is a costly and limiting factor8 and lignin has therefore become a key plant breeding and genetic engineering target in order to improve cell wall conversion. Analytical tools that permit the accurate rapid characterization of lignification of plant cell walls become increasingly important for evaluating a large number of breeding populations. Extractive procedures for the isolation of native components such as lignin are inevitably destructive, bringing about significant chemical and structural modifications9-11. Analytical chemical in situ methods are thus invaluable tools for the compositional and structural characterization of lignocellulosic materials. Raman microscopy is a technique that relies on inelastic or Raman scattering of monochromatic light, like that from a laser, where the shift in energy of the laser photons is related to molecular vibrations and presents an intrinsic label-free molecular "fingerprint" of the sample. Raman microscopy can afford non-destructive and comparatively inexpensive measurements with minimal sample preparation, giving insights into chemical composition and molecular structure in a close to native state. Chemical imaging by confocal Raman microscopy has been previously used for the visualization of the spatial distribution of cellulose and lignin in wood cell walls12-14. Based on these earlier results, we have recently adopted this method to compare lignification in wild type and lignin-deficient transgenic Populus trichocarpa (black cottonwood) stem wood15. Analyzing the lignin Raman bands16,17 in the spectral region between 1,600 and 1,700 cm-1, lignin signal intensity and localization were mapped in situ. Our approach visualized differences in lignin content, localization, and chemical composition. Most recently, we demonstrated Raman imaging of cell wall polymers in Arabidopsis thaliana with lateral resolution that is sub-μm18. Here, this method is presented affording visualization of lignin in plant cell walls and comparison of lignification in different tissues, samples or species without staining or labeling of the tissues.
A taxonomy of situations from Chinese idioms

Abstract Although considerable work has been done on personality structure, little attention has been paid to the structure of situations. A lexical approach to situational taxonomies is presented, based on abstract psychological descriptions of situations in Chinese idioms. Chinese idioms were chosen because they offer a rich set of single terms for labeling situations. Native speakers of Chinese and English each sorted one of two lists of situations in their native language. The resulting sorting data was cluster analyzed. There was good agreement between the Chinese and American participants in the major distinctions, particularly within the same list. Across the different samples of participants, goal processes, or what happened to people’s goals, best described the distinctions that people made across different situations. Implications of this taxonomy for conceptualizing situations and for thinking about the relationships between personality and situations are discussed.
Flexible strategies for flight control: an active role for the abdomen

Moving animals orchestrate myriad motor systems in response to multimodal sensory inputs. Coordinating movement is particularly challenging in flight control, where animals deal with potential instability and multiple degrees of freedom of movement. Prior studies have focused on wings as the primary flight control structures, for which changes in angle of attack or shape are used to modulate lift and drag forces. However, other actuators that may impact flight performance are reflexively activated during flight. We investigated the visual-abdominal reflex displayed by the hawkmoth Manduca sexta to determine its role in flight control. We measured the open-loop stimulus-response characteristics (measured as a transfer function) between the visual stimulus and abdominal response in tethered moths. The transfer function reveals a 41 ms delay and a high-pass filter behavior with a pass band starting at ~0.5 Hz. We also developed a simplified mathematical model of hovering flight wherein articulation of the thoracic-abdominal joint redirects an average lift force provided by the wings. We show that control of the joint, subject to a high-pass filter, is sufficient to maintain stable hovering, but with a slim stability margin. Our experiments and models suggest a novel mechanism by which articulation of the body or 'airframe' of an animal can be used to redirect lift forces for effective flight control. Furthermore, the small stability margin may increase flight agility by easing the transition from stable flight to a more maneuverable, unstable regime.
Colorimetric Determination of Isoniazid with 9-Chloroacridine

A colorimetric method based on the interaction between isoniazid and 9-chloroacridine was developed. Analytical solutions are shaken for 30 min at 50°, and the absorbance is measured at 500 nm. The procedure is sensitive for isoniazid in the 10−5M range. The method was applied to the analysis of isoniazid in pharmaceutical dosage forms and found to be comparable to the USP XVIII assay. Preliminary investigations suggested that the procedure is useful for the determination of free isoniazid in urine and plasma samples containing isoniazid metabolites.
Investigation of mercury thruster isolators

Mercury ion thruster isolator lifetime tests were performed using different isolator materials and geometries. Tests were performed with and without the flow of mercury through the isolators in an oil diffusion pumped vacuum facility and cryogenically pumped bell jar. The onset of leakage current in isolators tested occurred in time intervals ranging from a few hours to many hundreds of hours. In all cases, surface contamination was responsible for the onset of leakage current and subsequent isolator failure. Rate of increase of leakage current and the leakage current level increased approximately exponentially with isolator temperature. Careful attention to shielding techniques and the elimination of sources of metal oxides appear to have eliminated isolator failures as a thruster life limiting mechanism.
Sclerotization of mosquito cuticle.

The mode of sclerotization ofAedes aegypti pupal and adult cuticle was examined by employing biochemical and radioactive techniques. During larval-pupal metamorphosis, tyrosine is converted to tanning precursors and is incorporated into aryl-amino adducts and β-crosslinks. The major hydrolysis product of β-crosslinks in pupal cases is identified to be arterenone. Examination of tanning modes in five different mosquito species shows that the ratio of quinone to β-sclerotization not only differs within the life stages of the insects, but also differs between species.
Activation of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter NKCC1 detected with a phospho-specific antibody

The Na-K-Cl cotransporter NKCC1 is activated by phosphorylation of a regulatory domain in its N terminus. In the accompanying paper (Darman, R. B., and Forbush, B. (2002)J. Biol. Chem. 277, 37542–37550), we identify three phosphothreonines important in this process. Using a phospho-specific antibody (anti-phospho-NKCC1 antibody R5) raised against a diphosphopeptide containing Thr212 and Thr217of human NKCC, we were readily able to monitor the cotransporter activation state. In 32P phosphorylation experiments with rectal gland tubules, we show that the R5 antibody signal is proportional to the amount of 32P incorporated into NKCC1; and in experiments with NKCC1-transfected HEK-293 cells, we demonstrate that R5-detected phosphorylation directly mirrors functional activation. Immunofluorescence analysis of shark rectal gland shows activation-dependent R5 antibody staining along the basolateral membrane. In perfused rat parotid glands, isoproterenol induced staining of both acinar and ductal cells along the basolateral membrane. Isoproterenol also induced basolateral staining of the epithelial cells in rat trachea, whereas basal cells in the subepithelial tissue displayed heavy, non-polarized staining of the cell membrane. In rat colon, agonist stimulation induced staining along the basolateral membrane of crypt cells. These data provide direct evidence of NKCC1 regulation in these tissues, and they further link phosphorylation of NKCC1 with its activation in transfected cells and native tissue. The high conservation of the regulatory threonine residues among NKCC1, NKCC2, and NCC family members, together with the fact that tissues from divergent vertebrate species exhibit similar R5-binding profiles, lends further support to the role of this regulatory locus in vivo.
Nonparametric Conditional Estimation

Abstract : Many nonparametric regression techniques (such as kernels, nearest neighbors, and smoothing splines) estimate the conditional mean of Y given X = x by a weighted sum of observed Y values, where observations with X values near x tend to have larger weights. In this report the weights are taken to represent a finite signed measure on the space of Y values. This measure is studied as an estimate of the conditional distribution of Y given X= x. From estimates of the conditional distribution, estimates of conditional means, standard deviations, quantiles and other statistical functionals may be computed. Chapter 1 illustrates the computation of conditional quantiles and conditional survival probabilities on the Stanford Heart Transplant data. Chapter 2 contains a survey of nonparametric regression methods and introduces statistical metrics and von Mises' method for later use. Chapter 3 proves some consistency results. The estimated conditional distribution of Y is shown to be consistent in the following sense: the Prohorov distance between the estimated and true conditional distributions converges in probability to zero. The required conditions are: that the distribution of Y given X = x vary continuously with x, that the weights regarded as a measure on the X space converge in probability to a point mass at x, and that a measure of the effective local sample size tend to infinity in probability. A slight strengthening of the conditions allows one to establish almost sure consistency. Consistency of Prohorov-continuous (i.e. robust) functionals follows immediately. In the above, the X and Y spaces are complete separable metric spaces. In case Y is the real line, weak and strong consistency results are established for the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and the Vasserstein metrics under stronger conditions. Chapter 4 provides conditions under which the suitably normalized errors in estimating the conditional distribution of Y have a Brownian limit.
Fetal hemoglobin in newborn baboons, Papio cynocephalus.

Hemoglobins from a newborn baboon, Papio cynocephalus, and from a 15-day-old baboon of the same species were examined for electrophoretic properties of polypeptide chains and were tested for alkali resistance. Hemoglobin of newborn P. cynocephalus appears to be analogous to human fetal hemoglobin. Hemoglobin of newborn P. cynocephalus is composed of α-like and γ-like chains and hemoglobin of adult P. cynocephalus is composed of α-like and β-like chains.
Structural relationships among rhizobium meliloti symbiotic promoters

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium meliloti requires the developmentally specific expression of certain bacterial genes. One set of these genes encodes the subunits of nitrogenase, the enzyme responsible for the reduction of atmospheric dinitrogen to ammonia, and another set consists of closely linked genes also essential for nitrogen fixation. Examination of promoter and probable regulatory regions for these gene sets has revealed extensive DNA sequence conservation for more than 160 bp upstream of the respective transcription start points. Three such promoter regions have been identified in the nitrogen fixation (nif) gene cluster of R. meliloti strain 102F34. Using one of these promoter regions as a hybridization probe, three additional sequences were found in the genome of this strain. The DNA of other R. meliloti strains and Rhizobium species were also examined for homology to the symbiotically regulated promoters of R. meliloti 102F34. DNA sequences homologous to these R. meliloti promoters were found among diverse rhizobia, and in at least some cases were associated with nif genes.
Daylight Availability Data for San Francisco

Abstract This paper analyzes solar radiation and daylight measurements taken during a four-year period in San Francisco, California. Horizontal and vertical surface measurements were taken by nine sensors at 15-minute intervals under all sun and sky conditions. The data base from which results were derived exceeds 400 000 measurements. Equations are derived for clear sky global, direct, and diffuse illuminance and irradiance on a horizontal surface as a function of solar altitude, and for overcast sky horizontal illuminance and irradiance. We present the standard deviations for all parameters in our equations to show the scatter in our data. The average illuminance on horizontal and vertical surfaces by hour and by month are presented as isolux contour plots. These data are also displayed as probability distributions, showing the percent of time in a year that a given irradiance or illuminance value will be exceeded. Monthly average values of sunshine probability are determined and compared to long-term NOAA data.
Post-sympathectomy neuralgia: hypotheses on peripheral and central neuronal mechanisms

Post-sympathectomy neuralgia is proposed here to be a complex neuropathic and central deafferentation/reafferentation syndrome dependent on: (a) the transection, during sympathectomy, of paraspinal somatic and visceral afferent axons within the sympathetic trunk; (b) the subsequent cell death of many of the axotomized afferent neurons, resulting in central deafferentation; and (c) the persistent sensitization of spinal nociceptive neurons by painful conditions present prior to sympathectomy. Viscerosomatic convergence, collateral sprouting of afferents, and mechanisms associated with sympathetically maintained pain are all proposed to be important to the development of the syndrome.
Fluorescence imaging of multi-component wetting

Fluorescence imaging methods are explored as tools to study multi-component wetting of liquids. A novel approach was employed using polymer labeled with contrasting fluorescent dyes, which allow optical recognition and also caused differences in surface tension between blend components. Total internal reflection-fluorescence microscopy probes a thin surface layer to the order of 100 nm to investigate the structure of the spreading drop next to the substrate. Dye segregation out of solution and phase separation of polymer blends were observed. Confocal microscopy can visualize the larger three-dimensional structure of sessile drops. Component segregation was observed and quantified using relative fluorescence intensities.
Photoelectrolysis of water using heterostructural composite of TiO2 nanotubes and nanoparticles

Efficient photoelectrolysis of water to generate hydrogen (H2) can be carried out by designing photocatalysts with good absorption as well as charge transport properties. One dimensional (1D), self-organized titania (TiO2) nanotubes are known to have excellent charge transport properties and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) are good for better photon absorption. This paper describes the synthesis of a composite photocatalyst combining the above two properties of TiO2 nanocomposites with different morphologies. TiO2 NPs (5?9?nm nanocrystals form 500?700?nm clusters) have been synthesized from TiCl4 precursor on TiO2 nanotubular arrays (~80?nm diameter and ~550?nm length) synthesized by the sonoelectrochemical anodization method. This TiO2 nanotube?nanoparticle composite photoanode has enabled obtaining of enhanced photocurrent density (2.2?mA?cm?2) as compared with NTs (0.9?mA?cm?2) and NPs (0.65?mA?cm?2) alone.