cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alfvén Waves and Their Roles in the Dynamics of the Earth’s Magnetotail: A Review

The Earth’s magnetotail is an extremely complex system which—energized by the solar wind—displays many phenomena, and Alfven waves are essential to its dynamics. While Alfven waves were first predicted in the early 1940’s and ample observations were later made with rockets and low-altitude satellites, observational evidence of Alfven waves in different regions of the extended magnetotail has been sparse until the beginning of the new millennium. Here I provide a phenomenological overview of Alfven waves in the magnetotail organized by region—plasmasphere, central plasma sheet, plasma sheet boundary layer, tail lobes, and reconnection region—with an emphasis on spacecraft observations reported in the new millennium that have advanced our understanding concerning the roles of Alfven waves in the dynamics of the magnetotail. A brief discussion of the coupling of magnetotail Alfven waves and the low-altitude auroral zone is also included.
Development of the Eagle—Barrett (prune belly) syndrome and a thickened, poorly functional bladder wall after early second‐trimester decompression of feta1 megacystis

The management of bladder outlet obstruction in the fetus remains a debated issue. Recent data suggest the use of cystocentesis for the possible relief of the bladder neck obstruction or for the opening of posterior urethral valves. This case report adds further support for the use of cystocentesis and observation prior to the placement of an indwelling bladder shunt. The case further demonstrates that relief of the megacystis may not prevent prune belly syndrome, bladder dysfunction or renal damage. Finally, the case demonstrates that severe oligohydramnios in the second trimester need not invariably result in pulmonary hypoplasia.
Nonperturbative measurement of the local magnetic field using pulsed polarimetry for fusion reactor conditions (invited).

A novel diagnostic technique for the remote and nonperturbative sensing of the local magnetic field in reactor relevant plasmas is presented. Pulsed polarimetry [Patent No. 12/150,169 (pending)] combines optical scattering with the Faraday effect. The polarimetric light detection and ranging (LIDAR)-like diagnostic has the potential to be a local Bpol diagnostic on ITER and can achieve spatial resolutions of millimeters on high energy density (HED) plasmas using existing lasers. The pulsed polarimetry method is based on nonlocal measurements and subtle effects are introduced that are not present in either cw polarimetry or Thomson scattering LIDAR. Important features include the capability of simultaneously measuring local Te, ne, and B∥ along the line of sight, a resiliency to refractive effects, a short measurement duration providing near instantaneous data in time, and location for real-time feedback and control of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities and the realization of a widely applicable inter...
Can Rights-Based Approaches Enhance Levels of Legitimacy and Cooperation in Conservation? A Relational Account

Rights-based approaches (RBAs) are increasingly gaining favour among practitioners in the field of natural resource conservation and management. RBAs are a non-binding operational framework through which conservation actors can integrate human rights standards and principles into the design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of projects and programmes. In addition to promoting the human rights of local populations, it is also argued that RBAs may hold benefits for conservation initiatives. This article draws on existing research on the social psychology of procedural fairness to develop a relational account of how and whether RBAs may enhance levels of legitimacy and cooperation in conservation. This relational account stresses the importance of fair experiences for generating positive feelings of legitimacy and associated cooperative behaviour among individuals interacting with organisations or authorities. On the whole, this article suggests that if RBAs can ensure respect for the human rights of local populations, they have the potential to engender fair experiences and related positive institutional effects, thereby significantly strengthening the overall effectiveness of conservation initiatives.
Health Care Utilization by Rural Patients: What Influences Hospital Choice?

ABSTRACT The bypassing of rural hospitals increased in Colorado's rural communities during the 1990s. To understand this phenomenon, this study explores why rural Medicare patients in Colorado bypassed their local rural hospitals when they could have received health care services at their nearest local hospital. To identify both individual factors and institutional variables associated with hospital choice behavior, the conditional logistic regression model analyzes 4,099 rural Medicare patients who received heart failure and shock procedures. This study determines that both institutional variables (ownership type, number of beds, number of services, accreditation, and distance between the hospital and a patient's residence) and patient variables (age, length of stay, race, and total charge) are significant in patients' hospital choice. This study suggests that rural hospitals could build cooperative relationships with other large rural and urban hospitals.
Gravitational collapse, neutrinos and supernovae☆

Abstract The collapse and explosion of a highly evolved stellar core is treated in the framework of general relativistic hydrodynamics. The hydrodynamic equations for spherically symmetric systems, including radiative transfer by neutrinos, are formulated, and numerical methods for their solution are developed. These methods are then applied to the calculation of the dynamics of an unstable model stellar core which has been constructed by Chiu. It is shown that the heating of the imploding material by neutrinos from a hot neutron core is sufficient to reverse the implosion. The subsequent explosion of the envelope is identified with a supernova.
Universal deformations in incompressible isotropic elastic materials

One is concerned with the problem of determining the static deformations which can be produced in every isotropic, homogeneous, incompressible elastic body by the action of surface tractions alone. It is shown that any new solution cannot have more than one of the proper vectors of the deformation tensorc determining a vector field of constant non-zero abnormality.
Instrumentation Development of a SPECT-CT System to Image Awake Mice

We report on the instrumentation development of a SPECT-CT system being configured at Johns Hopkins University to image the bio distribution of radiopharmaceuticals in unrestrained, unanesthetized mice. The gantry is a custom built X-ray computed tomography system based on the Siemens MicroCAT II imaging system. The X-ray system is composed of an 80 kVp (max), 40W X-ray source and a 2048 times 3096-pixel detector (5-frames per second readout). The mouse will be anesthetized during the X-ray CT scan. SPECT imaging will be achieved using two low profile gamma cameras, 10 cm times 20 cm in size based on a 2times4 array of Hamamatsu H8500 (8times8 anode pads) flat panel position sensitive photomultiplier tubes (PSPMT). A Nal(Tl) scintillator array with 1.2 mm pitch is mounted to the PSPMT array. The front end readout electronics combine the anode outputs of the PSPMTs of the detector head. The data acquisition system is based on two CAEN 32 channel VME peak sensing analog-digital converter (ADC) modules per detector head to digitize the outputs. An infrared based animal position tracking system will be used to monitor the mouse's head position during a SPECT scan via infrared illuminated markers attached to the mouse's head. The mouse is confined in an infrared transparent burrow at the center of rotation of the gantry. The tracking system is able to track with sub-millimeter accuracy the mouse's head position at 10-15 frames per second.
Magnesium-albumin binding measurements using ion-selective membrane electrodes.

1. The dissociation constant of the magnesium-bovine albumin complex is measured at physiological ionic strength and albumin concentration using a divalent cation liquid membrane electrode. Total magnesium binding sites on albumin are determined and the effects of pH and temperature are given. 2. The presence of anionic impurities, especially citrate, in the albumin preparation is shown to have a large effect on the amount of magnesium bound, a factor overlooked in some previous studies. 3. Magnesium binding of cation-free and deionized albumin is compared. The identity of possible contaminants and the nature of albumin binding sites are discussed. 4. Use of ion-selective electrodes in metal ion binding studies allows rapid quantitation of free and bound metal employing a rather simple experimental technique.
Determination of benzethonium chloride in anthrax vaccine adsorbed by HPLC

A novel and sensitive HPLC method for the determination of benzethonium chloride (BZC) in anthrax vaccine was developed. Adjuvant Alhydrogel was removed by syringe filter after a simple sample pretreatment - acidification prior to injection. Chromatography was performed by isocratic reverse phase separation with methanol/262 mM ammonium acetate (80/20, v/v) on an endcapped C18 column with diode array detector (DAD). The method showed excellent recovery (100+/-1.5%). The results indicated that this method could accurately determine BZC at the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 ppm and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 1.5 ppm with dynamic range up to 100 ppm. The comparison of analysis between new HPLC and old titrimetric methods is also reported. The HPLC method is proven to be more accurate and precise with much less vaccine sample and human labor required.
Alteration of dacarbazine pharmacokinetics after interleukin-2 administration in melanoma patients.

In an effort to improve the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma, we evaluated the sequential administration of the chemotherapeutic agent dacarbazine (DTIC) and the biological response modifier interleukin-2 (rIL-2) in a phase I–II study. Since the combination of biological response modifiers and chemotherapeutic agents could alter drug disposition, we evaluated the pharmacokinetics of DTIC and its major metabolite, 5-aminoimidazole 4-carboxamide (AIC), before and after rIL-2 administration. DTIC (1 g/m2, 24-h i.v. infusion) was given on day 1 and rIL-2 (2–4 million Cetus units/m2, 30-min i.v. injection), on days 15–19 and 22–26 of each course of therapy. The second DTIC dose was given on day 29, i.e., 3 days after the last rIL-2 administration. DTIC and AIC were assayed by reversed-phase HPLC. DTIC plasma levels showed a significant decrease after rIL-2 administration as compared with DTIC values obtained in the same patients before rIL-2 administration. DTIC area under the curve (AUC) values obtained after rIL-2 were lower than those obtained on day 1 before rIL-2 administration (P=0.02). After rIL-2, the total body clearance (ClT) was increased (P=0.04), as was the volume of distribution at steady state (Vss;P=0.02). The decrease in AUC after rIL-2 administration became more pronounced as the rIL-2 dose was increased (P=0.03). No significant difference was detected in the elimination phase of DTIC when halflives obtained before and after rIL-2 administration were compared; the mean half-lives were 0.7 and 2.8 h for the α- and β-phases, respectively. The model-independent mean residence time was 3.4 h. The plasma AUC for the metabolite AIC did not charge after rIL-2 administration. AIC biphasic plasma elimination was also similar after rIL-2 administration, with α- and β-half-lives of 0.7 and 11.4 h, respectively. Urinary excretion of DTIC and AIC did not differ after rIL-2 administration; the overall DTIC excretion was 39% of the dose over 48 h, and AIC urinary excretion was 25% of the DTIC dose. The observed decrease in the DTIC plasma AUC after rIL-2 administration appears to be due to an increase in the volume of distribution, since other factors such as half-lives, urinary excretion, and metabolism were not significantly altered. The clinical consequences of the rIL-2-DTIC interaction remain difficult to assess based on presently available data, but this drug interaction should be taken into consideration in the development of future chemo-immunotherapy regimens that include high-dose rIL-2.
Interim results of a pilot study demonstrating the early effects of the PPAR-γ ligand rosiglitazone on insulin sensitivity, aminotransferases, hepatic steatosis and body weight in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Abstract Background/Aims : Hyperinsulinemia may cause hepatic steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The aims of this pilot study were to examine the safety of using the insulin-sensitizing peroxisomal proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) γ ligand rosiglitazone in patients with NASH and determine whether improved insulin sensitivity correlates with improved fatty liver. Methods : Thirty subjects with NASH and elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels received rosiglitazone, 4mg twice daily for 48 weeks; the preliminary results presented here were obtained at 24 weeks. Insulin sensitivity was measured using fasting insulin and glucose levels and liver fat content was estimated by CT imaging. Results : By 24 weeks, rosiglitazone improved insulin sensitivity and reduced liver fat content. The mean ALT decreased from 86 to 37U/l ( P Conclusions : Treatment of NASH with rosiglitazone for 24 weeks improved insulin sensitivity, reduced liver fat content and improved biochemical evidence of hepatocellular injury. These preliminary data provide evidence that hyperinsulinemia may be a cause of NASH. Strategies to improve insulin sensitivity as a treatment of NASH deserve further investigation.
A pollen study of a late Quaternary peat bog, south-central Adirondack Mountains, New York

A series of cores from a 7-ha glacial kettle, 600 m above sea level, provides information on the development of a Sphagnum peat bog and the late Quaternary vegetation and climate history of the south-central Adirondack Mountains, New York. Within the kettle, stratified drift that dates to about 11,000 yr B.P. is overlain by varved glacial-lake sediment, gyttja, and peat. The fossil pollen samples at Brandreth Bog were compared with 1,618 modern pollen samples using squared chord distance. The degree of similarity between fossil and modern pollen samples was calibrated using comparisons among modern samples from different vegetation regions. Modern pollen analogs were identified for all of the fossil samples at Brandreth Bog, and the vegetation and climate associated with these modern analogs were used to interpret the vegetation and climate history near the site. The numerically derived pollen assemblage zones at Brandreth Bog are broadly similar to those for other sites in the region. A forest similar to the current boreal forest succeeded treeless vegetation and spruce woodland around Brandreth Bog before about 10,200 yr B.P. A pine-dominated forest was present by 9,600 yr B.P. Continued warming of the climate allowed a hemlock-rich mixed conifer-hardwood forest to grow around Brandreth Bog after 7,000 yr B.P., and spruce and fir became less plentiful. After a sharp decline in the amount of hemlock around Brandreth Bog at 4,700 yr B.P., birch, maple, beech, and pine became the primary forest constituents. Spruce and fir trees increased in number near Brandreth Bog after 4,000 yr B.P., a development indicative of a reversal of the general warming trend that typified the early Holocene. By 2,000 yr B.P., a bog mat had closed over the lake basin. A rise in the abundance of ragweed pollen about 125 yr B.P. reflected European settlement, probably to the south. Correlation among five cores at the study site provided evidence of sediment focusing in the former lake basin.
Co-transformation of Lec1 CHO cells with N-acetylgucosaminyltransferase 1 activity and a selectable marker

In animal cells, the enzyme alpha(1,3)-mannoside-beta(1,2)-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GlcNAc-TI, EC.2.4.1.101) catalyzes the addition of N-acetylglucosamine to the ASN-linked Man GlcNAc oligosaccharide. The Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) mutant cell line Lec1 is deficient in this enzyme activity and, therefore, accumulates mannose-terminating cell surface ASN-linked oligosaccharides. Consequently, Lec1 cells are sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of the mannose-binding lectin Concanavalin A (Con A). Lec1 cells were co-transformed with human DNA from A431 cells and eukaryotic expression plasmids containing the bacterial neo gene by calcium phosphate/DNA-mediated transformation. Co-transformants were selected for resistance to Con A and G-418. DNA from a primary co-transformant was purified and used to transform Lec1 cells, resulting in secondary co-transformants. Both primary and secondary co-transformants exhibited in vitro GlcNAc-TI-specific enzyme activity. DNA gel blot analysis indicated that secondary co-transformants contained both human and neo sequences.
Assessing the use of metered dose inhalers by adults with asthma.

The development and analysis of an instrument to evaluate the use of metered dose inhalers by patients in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Asthma Program is presented. A total of 238 a...
TREATMENT OF SUPERIOR VENA CAVA SYNDROME WITH RECOMBINANT TISSUE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR IN A SICKLE CELL PATIENT UNDERGOING BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is a well-recognized clinical entity seen with mediastinal malignancies and intraluminal venous thrombosis. The role of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in the resolution of SVC syndrome caused by thrombosis in the bone marrow transplant settings has not been described. The authors report a case of SVC syndrome with good clinical response in a 16-year-old female with sickle cell disease undergoing an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) from her HLA identical sibling. Shortly after her transplant, she was found to have significant facial edema and swelling above the neck. Concomitantly, her renal function deteriorated with progressive elevation of serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, requiring the use of continuous veno-venous hemofiltration. An upper extremity venogram showed complete SVC obstruction (type III) with apparent inferior reflux into the azygos system. rt-PA was started at a dose of (0.5 mg/kg/day) for 2 days. There was a dramatic resolution of her symptoms, including significant improvement in renal function with increase in urine output. A repeat venogram showed free flow from the distal tip of the central line consistent with a patent superior vena cava. There was no evidence of any bleeding manifestations with rt-PA. This report highlights the usefulness of rt-PA as a treatment modality for SVC syndrome in the BMT settings.
Monkeys Reared in Isolation with Pictures as Visual Input: Evidence for an Innate Releasing Mechanism

Monkeys reared in isolation from birth to 9 months received varied visual input solely from colored slides of monkeys in various activities and from nonmonkey pictures. Exploration, play, vocalization, and disturbance occurred most frequently with pictures of monkeys threatening and pictures of infants. From 2.5 to 4 months threat pictures yielded a high frequency of disturbance.Lever-touching to turn threat pictures on was very low during this period. Pictures of infants and of threat thus appear to have prepotent general activating properties, while pictures of threat appear to release a developmentally determined, inborn fear response.
Measurements and simulations of differential phase-tracking signals in optical disk data storage

The tracking-error signal generated in differential phase detection (DPD) is theoretically analyzed and numerically simulated. Experimental measurements of the DPD signal versus the tracking offset obtained on compact read-only and phase-change disks are also reported. The signal is sensitive to the geometry of the marks, intersymbol interference along the track, and cross-track cross talk. A characteristic parameter is introduced to relate the DPD signal to the reflectivities of the mark and the spacer. For read-only disks such as CD-ROM and DVD-ROM, the magnitude of the DPD signal does not seem to depend on the reflectivity of the disks, nor does it depend on the pit depth. As for the influence of the various aberrations on the DPD signal, coma in the cross-track direction is shown to give rise to significant tracking offset, whereas defocus and spherical aberrations reduce the magnitude of the DPD signal appreciably.
Rationalizing elemental ratios in unicellular algae

Keywords: Gaia hypothesis, iron, nitrogen fixation, oceanic productivity, Redfield ratio
Cislunar electron content as determined by radar group delay measurements.

Radar measurement of differential group delay to moon, showing large differences in total cislunar electron content above 1000 km in solar and antisolar directions
Human rights abuse and other criminal violations in Port-au-Prince, Haiti: a random survey of households

Summary Background Reliable evidence of the frequency and severity of human rights abuses in Haiti after the departure of the elected president in 2004 was scarce. We assessed data from a random survey of households in the greater Port-au-Prince area. Methods Using random Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinate sampling, 1260 households (5720 individuals) were sampled. They were interviewed with a structured questionnaire by trained interviewers about their experiences after the departure of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The response rate was 90·7%. Information on demographic characteristics, crime, and human rights violations was obtained. Findings Our findings suggested that 8000 individuals were murdered in the greater Port-au-Prince area during the 22-month period assessed. Almost half of the identified perpetrators were government forces or outside political actors. Sexual assault of women and girls was common, with findings suggesting that 35 000 women were victimised in the area; more than half of all female victims were younger than 18 years. Criminals were the most identified perpetrators, but officers from the Haitian National Police accounted for 13·8% and armed anti-Lavalas groups accounted for 10·6% of identified perpetrators of sexual assault. Kidnappings and extrajudicial detentions, physical assaults, death threats, physical threats, and threats of sexual violence were also common. Interpretation Our results indicate that crime and systematic abuse of human rights were common in Port-au-Prince. Although criminals were the most identified perpetrators of violations, political actors and UN soldiers were also frequently identified. These findings suggest the need for a systematic response from the newly elected Haitian government, the UN, and social service organisations to address the legal, medical, psychological, and economic consequences of widespread human rights abuses and crime
Optimally Tuned Iterative Reconstruction Algorithms for Compressed Sensing

We conducted an extensive computational experiment, lasting multiple CPU-years, to optimally select parameters for two important classes of algorithms for finding sparse solutions of underdetermined systems of linear equations. We make the optimally tuned implementations available at sparselab.stanford.edu; they run ?out of the box? with no user tuning: it is not necessary to select thresholds or know the likely degree of sparsity. Our class of algorithms includes iterative hard and soft thresholding with or without relaxation, as well as CoSaMP, subspace pursuit and some natural extensions. As a result, our optimally tuned algorithms dominate such proposals. Our notion of optimality is defined in terms of phase transitions, i.e., we maximize the number of nonzeros at which the algorithm can successfully operate. We show that the phase transition is a well-defined quantity with our suite of random underdetermined linear systems. Our tuning gives the highest transition possible within each class of algorithms. We verify by extensive computation the robustness of our recommendations to the amplitude distribution of the nonzero coefficients as well as the matrix ensemble defining the underdetermined system. Our findings include the following. 1) For all algorithms, the worst amplitude distribution for nonzeros is generally the constant-amplitude random-sign distribution, where all nonzeros are the same amplitude. 2) Various random matrix ensembles give the same phase transitions; random partial isometries may give different transitions and require different tuning. 3) Optimally tuned subspace pursuit dominates optimally tuned CoSaMP, particularly so when the system is almost square.
Onset of positional vertigo during exposure to combined G loading and chest-to-spine vibration.

Background Aerospace environments commonly expose pilots to vibration and sustained acceleration, alone and in combination. Case reports Of 16 experimental research participants, 3 reported symptoms of vertigo and signs of torsional nystagmus during or shortly following exposure to sustained chest-to-spine (+3.8 Gx) acceleration (G loading) and chest-to-spine (0.5 g(x)) vibration in the 8-16 Hz band. Two of the participants reported intermittent vertigo for up to 2 wk, were diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), and were treated successfully with the Epley Maneuver. On a follow-up survey, a third participant reported transient BPPV-like vertigo, which resolved spontaneously. The follow-up survey also prompted participants to self-report other effects following research protocol exposure to vibration and G loading, revealing details about other minor and transient, but more common, effects that resolved within 3 h. Discussion Our studies indicated a significantly elevated incidence of BPPV following exposure to vibration plus G loading compared to vibration alone that was positively correlated with participant age. One mechanism for the rolling sensation in BPPV involves broken or dislodged otoconia floating within one of the posterior semicircular canals, making the canal gravity-sensitive. Our observations highlight a heretofore unforeseen risk of otolith damage sustained during launch, undetectable in space, potentially contributing to vertigo and perceived tumbling upon re-entry from microgravity.
NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS OF SEVEN PLANT SPECIES WITH POTENTIAL USE IN SHORELINE EROSION CONTROL

Many factors contribute to shoreline erosion including a lack of vegetation that can survive under periods of flooding, drying, and wave action. Biotechnical methods of shoreline erosion control seem to be a low cost alternative to conventional methods. This study was an attempt, first, to evaluate the feasibility of several breakwater materials for controlling wave action; and secondly, to study the growth response of seven wetland and terrestrial plant species for potential use in biotechnical methods of shoreline erosion control. The site for the field experiment was Water F. George Reservoir located on the Chattahoochee River between Alabama and Georgia. In a greenhouse experiment, plants were evaluated at different fertility levels. Results of the field experiments indicated that wire-wrapped square straw bales, coconut fiber logs, and pine logs were effective in controlling wave action and trapping sand. Round hay bales were less effective breakwater materials. Greenhouse data indicated that cattail...
Low-Temperature (450 °C) Poly-Si Thin Film Deposition on SiO2 and Glass using a Microcrystalline-Si Seed Layer

A low-temperature (450 °C), remote plasma-assisted CVD process for deposition of poly-Si thin films on SiO2 and Corning 7059 glass in which interface formation is separated from bulk film growth has been developed. This approach is based on first depositing an ultra-thin (<100 A) microcrystalline-Si seed layer onto the oxide in order to provide nucleation sites at which low-temperature poly-Si film growth can be initiated. Conditions for poly-Si film deposition were optimized by using a low-temperature, remote plasma process that had previously yielded epitaxial growth of Si thin films on crystalline Si substrates. Microstructural characterization was performed on poly-Si films grown with different seed layer thicknesses, and additionally with exposure of this seed layer to a predeposition hydrogen plasma treatment. Results demonstrated that the seed layer thickness and surface morphology played a significant role in promoting crystallinity in the poly-Si overlayer. For example using deposition conditions that yielded epitaxial film growth on Si substrates, films deposited on un-seeded oxide substrates were amorphous, whereas those deposited using a seed layer were polycrystalline. This indicated that interfacial nucleation was the rate limiting step in promoting the low-temperature deposition of poly-Si thin films.
Microsecond Rotational Dynamics of Spin-Labeled Myosin Regulatory Light Chain Induced by Relaxation and Contraction of Scallop Muscle †

We have used saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance (ST-EPR) to study the rotational dynamics of spin-labeled regulatory light chain (RLC) in scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) muscle fibers. The single cysteine (Cys 51) in isolated clam (Mercenaria) RLC was labeled with an indanedione spin label (InVSL). RLC was completely and specifically extracted from scallop striated muscle fibers, eliminating the Ca sensitivity of ATPase activity and isometric force, which were both completely restored by stoichiometric incorporation of labeled RLC. The EPR spectrum of the isolated RLC revealed nanosecond rotational motions within the RLC, which were completely eliminated when the labeled RLC was bound to myosin heads in myofibrils or fibers in rigor. This is the most strongly immobilized RLC-bound probe reported to date and thus offers the most reliable detection of the overall rotational motion of the LC domain. Conventional EPR spectra of oriented fibers indicated essentially complete probe disorder, independent of ATP and Ca, eliminating orientational dependence and thus making this probe ideal for unambiguous measurement of microsecond rotational motions of the LC domain by ST-EPR. ST-EPR spectra of fibers in rigor indicated an effective rotational correlation time (taureff) of 140 +/- 5 microseconds, similar to that observed for the same spin label bound to the catalytic domain. Relaxation by ATP induced microsecond rotational motion (taureff = 70 +/- 4 microseconds), and this motion was slightly slower upon Ca activation of isometric contraction (taureff = 100 +/- 5 microseconds). These motions in relaxation and contraction are similar to, but slower than, the motions previously reported for the same spin label bound to the catalytic domain. These results support a model for force generation involving rotational motion of the LC domain relative to the catalytic domain and dynamic disorder-to-order transitions in both domains.
Antagonism of discriminative stimulus effects of Δ9-THC and (R)-methanandamide in rats

Rationale In previous drug discrimination studies we observed surmountable antagonism by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the presence of constant doses of SR-141716 [N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chloro-phenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide] (0.3 and 1 mg/kg), but there was only marginal evidence for surmountable antagonism with combinations of SR-141716 and (R)-methanandamide, a chiral analog of the endocannabioid anandamide.
The role of maghemite in the enhancement of magnetic signal in the Chinese loess-paleosol sequence: An extensive rock magnetic study combined with citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite treatment

We have conducted a rock magnetic study of selected Chinese loess samples before and after citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite (CBD) treatment. Our study is more extensive than previous ones and reveals new details of the magnetic carriers which are related to paleoclimate change. Three pairs of paleosol S1 (the top paleosol layer in the Lishi Formation) and loess L2 (underlying S1) from three localities (Xining, Xifeng, and Jixian) were investigated by using a variety of magnetic methods. After the paleosols were treated with CBD, which removes all maghemite grains and the finest grains of magnetite, magnetic susceptibility decreased from 77 × 10−8 to 20 × 10−8 m3/kg in Xining, from 165 × 10−8 to 30 × 10−8 m3/kg in Xifeng, and from 180 × 10−8 to 25 × 10−8 m3/kg in Jixian, anhysteretic remanent magnetizations (ARM) were reduced to less than one tenth of the original values in the three sites, and saturation magnetization (Js) decreased by about 60% in Xining and 70% in Xifeng and Jixian. These reduced values in the paleosols after CBD treatment are similar to those of the corresponding underlying loess samples, which, however, did not show significant decrease after CBD treatment. Room-temperature frequency dependence of susceptibility, high-temperature dependence of susceptibility, and low-temperature SIRM demagnetization of the paleosol and loess samples before and after CBD treatment confirm that in addition to superparamagnetic (SP) particles (magnetite and/or maghemite), the CBD removable magnetic carriers also include maghemite of grain sizes larger than SP.
On the Total Variation of High-Order Semi-Discrete Central Schemes for Conservation Laws

We discuss a new fifth-order, semi-discrete, central-upwind scheme for solving one-dimensional systems of conservation laws. This scheme combines a fifth-order WENO reconstruction, a semi-discrete central-upwind numerical flux, and a strong stability preserving Runge---Kutta method. We test our method with various examples, and give particular attention to the evolution of the total variation of the approximations.
EnduRan: A Web Application for Managing Racing Events

Organizing a racing event is not an easy task. Organizing a racing event that spans across multiple days and whose participants have to run (on foot) for 100 miles is even harder. In such events many checkpoints are needed to provide runners with access to food, water and, if necessary, medical assistance. At these checkpoints updates on participants' health status and race timings need to be sent to a central location so that followers across the globe can monitor the overall progress of the race as well as the current situation of individual racers. This paper examines development challenges and presents a flexible open source solution for a web-based software application, EnduRan, z that we created for managing long-distance racing events. The paper takes a closer look at the need for this software application and gives details on the application's specification, design, and implementation. Design guidelines resulted from this software project, together with several lessons learned from it, are described as well in the paper. Results of using EnduRan in the 2009 and 2010 Lake Tahoe 100 Miles Endurance Races and pointers to future work are also included.
EM education in relation to VLSI electronic packaging and interconnects

Electromagnetic (EM) education in the context of modern VLSI packaging and interconnection analysis is considered, and some thoughts on how an introductory electromagnetics course may be structured on the basis of the specific problems associated with VLSI interconnections analysis are presented. It is shown how such a course could be upgraded to a senior-level or introductory graduate-level course for students who have already had a one-semester course in basic electromagnetic wave theory. >
Evidence on Discrimination in Mortgage Lending

Much of the controversy about whether mortgage lenders discriminate against minorities can be explained in terms of the confusion about how to define discrimination. Based on the legal definition, careful studies of loan denial rates, such as that done by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, represent an appropriate method for testing for discrimination by lenders. Based on that study, it is quite clear that lenders discriminate. The fact that minorities have higher default rates on average than whites is irrelevant to the interpretation of the race coefficient in such models. Nonetheless, more research on and discussion about the relationship between the race of the applicant and delinquencies, defaults, and losses would be desirable.
An electrogoniometric study of knee motion in normal gait.

We have presented the results of an electrogoniometric method of measuring the three planes of knee motion while walking. The results were comparable to those obtained by photometric methods using skeletal pins or skin markers. The electrogoniometric method has the great advantage that it can be used in clinical studies. Knee motion in men and women differed only in the amount of flexion during stance phase. Less flexion occurred in women. Motion in the right and left knees was the same in men as a group but may differ in individuals. The timing of events in the gait cycle differed between individuals but a similar sequence or pattern of motion occurred in all normal knees.
Objective Winter Temperature Forecasts: An Update and Extension to the Western United States

Abstract This study expands on previous studies (Harnack and Landsberg, 1978; Harnack, 1979) in that objective, statistical winter temperature forecast models are tested and verified for three additional winters (1979–81); models have been formulated and tested for the first time for the western one-third of the United States; new models have been formulated and tested using predictors defined for October; and Northern Hemisphere sea level pressure (SLP) has been tested as a predictor. An independent sample was used to test regression models. The main results include: 1) Among the “November” type predictor models, the sea surface temperature (SST) only model continues to be superior to the others when tested on independent data, including those models using circulation predictors, and it performs significantly better than chance expectation. 2) The SST-only model performed much better in the eastern two-thirds of the United States than in the western third. 3) November SLP did not contribute to skillful w...
Performance in the stands

This essay focuses on the football stadium and all the communicative acts that happen therein. Building on the definition of performance, this essay lists the ways in which fans communicate in the stadium in order to perform fandom. Every fan brings their voice and body to the stadium as communicative means. Others bring small banners, while many groups bring huge visual symbols and pointed messages on banners that can stretch for 50 meters. The performance of the fans at the stadium builds on the bonds formed outside the stadium. The passion that goes into everyday fandom sustains the energy that ignites in the stadium.
Direct observation of the decay h/sup 0/(2040). -->. p-barp

We have observed the decay h/sup 0/(2040)..-->..p-barp in the reaction ..pi../sup +/n..-->..p-barpp at 10 GeV/c detected in the large-aperture solenoid spectrometer at SLAC. We have measured the product of the cross section and branching ratio, sigma(..pi../sup +/n..-->..h/sup 0/(2040)p)B(h/sup 0/(2040)..-->..p-barp), to be 0.84 +- 0.17 ..mu..b. The moments of the angular distribution are consistent with the quantum numbers of the h/sup 0/ meson being J/sup P/C = 4/sup + +/ and I/sup G/ = 0/sup +/.
The search for neonatal evidence of familial hypercholesterolaemia

World opinion is divided as to the efficacy of cord serum cholesterol measurement for the detection of neonates at risk for familial hypercholesterolaemia. Investigations based on elevated cord serum total cholesterol have met with varying amounts of success. Making use of LDL-cholesterol measurements, others have been able to detect familial hypercholesterolaemia, when one parent is known to have the disorder. By combining the convenience and rapidity of enzymatic cholesterol and triglyceride methods with the small sample volume requirement of the CentrifiChem centrifugal analyser, we have been able to begin a large scale analysis of cord sera. The coefficients of variation for the cholesterol and triglyceride assays are 2.57% and 4.41% respectively. The aim is to investigate the efficiencies of total and LDL-cholesterol in the detection of neonatal hypercholesterolaemia in a large unselected population of newborns. The final analysis must await a several year follow-up study. At this stage, we have found the results for sera stored at −15 C (n = 500) for up to 7 yr prior to assay, agree very well with results from sera (n = 1,000) assayed with a minimum delay after collection. However, results for LDL-cholesterol in both our groups (95 percentile = 71 mg/100 ml) are much higher than values found in several literature reports (95 percentile = 42 mg/100 ml). This discrepancy may be explained in part by statistical aberrations caused by differences in sample numbers and by the possible overestimation of HDL-cholesterol when EDTA-plasma is used instead of serum for lipoprotein precipitations.
Wolff-Parkinson-White-Syndrom (WPW) mit FBI-Tachykardien bei 47-jähriger Patientin

Eine 47-jahrige Patientin wurde mit einer breitkomplexigen unregelmasigen Tachykardie notfallmasig in die Zentrale Notaufnahme gebracht. Die Patientin klagte seit der Kindheit uber rezidivierende Attacken mit Palpitationen und Herzstolpern sowie Prasynkopen ohne dass eine Diagnose gestellt werden konnte. Ursachlich zeigte sich ein tachykardes Vorhofflimmern. Dieses lies sich nach elektrischer Kardioversion in einen Sinusrhythmus uberfuhren. In einem anschliesend abgeleiteten 12-Kanal-EKG zeigten sich typische Delta-Wellen, sodass die Diagnose eines WPW gestellt werden konnte. Im Verlauf wurde die akzessorische Bahn erfolgreich per Radiofrequenzablation behandelt.
Incidence of Norovirus-Associated Medical Encounters among Active Duty United States Military Personnel and Their Dependents

Background Norovirus is a leading cause of gastroenteritis episodes and outbreaks in US military deployments, but estimates of endemic disease burden among military personnel in garrison are lacking. Methods Diagnostic codes from gastroenteritis-associated medical encounters of active duty military personnel and their beneficiaries from July 1998–June 2011 were obtained from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center. Using time-series regression models, cause-unspecified encounters were modeled as a function of encounters for specific enteropathogens. Model residuals (representing unexplained encounters) were used to estimate norovirus-attributable medical encounters. Incidence rates were calculated using population data for both active duty and beneficiary populations. Results The estimated annual mean rate of norovirus-associated medically-attended visits among active duty personnel and their beneficiaries was 292 (95% CI: 258 to 326) and 93 (95% CI: 80 to 105) encounters per 10,000 persons, respectively. Rates were highest among beneficiaries <5 years of age with a median annual rate of 435 (range: 318 to 646) encounters per 10,000 children. Norovirus was estimated to cause 31% and 27% of all-cause gastroenteritis encounters in the active duty and beneficiary populations, respectively, with over 60% occurring between November and April. There was no evidence of any lag effect where norovirus disease occurred in one population before the other, or in one beneficiary age group before the others. Conclusions Norovirus is a major cause of medically-attended gastroenteritis among non-deployed US military active duty members as well as in their beneficiaries.
The Scientific Development of Postgraduates under the Scientific Outlook on Development

This paper analyses the scientific development of postgraduates,proposing that the scientific development of postgraduates is the unity of all-round development of knowledge,ability and quality,the coordinating development of oneself's,others' and the society's,and the unity of sustainable development of living style,learning way and life.
Formation of Exotic Hydrogen Atoms

Formation of exotic hydrogen atoms has been studied theoretically for 40 years.1 However, most of the work prior to 1980 utilized perturbative or two-state approximations that are now known to be inadequate because the slow ionizing collisions, which lead to muon capture, entail strong coupling of many intermediate states. Ironically the very first study, by Wightman2 in 1950, has the most in common with modern treatments. His method, known as adiabatic ionization (AI), followed from the observation of Fermi and Teller3 that there exists a critical strength of the dipole, formed by the projectile negative muon and target proton in μ-, for binding the electron. In collisions where the μ- adiabatically approaches closer than this distance, the electron escapes and, if the muon is left with negative energy, the p- atom is formed. The most serious failures of this simple model stem from trajectory deflection and nonadiabatic lag in the motion of the electron. The deviation from a straight-line trajectory is easily taken into account. Nonadiabatic effects have been included by a sequence of methods of increasing sophistication: diabatic states (DS),4 classical-trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC), 5 time-dependent Hartree Fock (TDHF), 6 and classical-quanta! coupling (CQC).7 The DS and CTMC methods have also been used to calculate the slowing-down cross sections. Consistent calculation of the slowing-down and capture cross sections is crucial for correct determination of the capture distributions in a medium.8
Fluted point distribution in the Loess Hills of southwestern Iowa

Clovis and Folsom points from Mills and Fremont counties in the Loess Hills of southwestern Iowa are mainly found on hilltops, the only part of the Paleoindian landscape that is likely to be exposed on the modern surface, Approximately half of the fluted points broke in manufacture. Most of the points are made oflocally available chert. Nonlocal lithic material is also present, primarily in the form of finished points.
Teacher-student relationships: The positives and negatives of assessing both perspectives

Abstract Although teacher-student relationships (TSRs) lie at the heart of teaching and learning, measuring these relationships presents unique challenges. These challenges implicate how school leaders understand the connections between TSRs and student outcomes. This article addresses these challenges by describing a new approach to measuring TSRs centered around a new scale that measures the positive and negative aspects of the overall TSR from teachers' and students' perspectives. We describe the scale development process, document the measure's psychometric properties, and then use the scale to predict student outcomes. Drawing from a sample of middle and high school students (N = 595) and their teachers (N = 88) in four different schools, we found that a two-factor model best fits our items. Compared to a more traditional approach, our approach explains more variability in student outcomes and gives educators a sharper understanding of the patterning of associations between TSRs and student outcomes.
A ride-through method using input-filter capacitors for three-level indirect matrix converter based open-end winding drive

A low voltage ride-through solution for an indirect three-level matrix converter based open-end winding drive is demonstrated. The proposed method uses the input filter capacitors to exchange the inertial energy from the motor and thereby maintain the flux in the motor during grid fault conditions. The input filter capacitors act as the voltage source for inverters during the fault. Ride-through is achieved without any additional energy storage elements or modifications to the converter topology. The presented approach demonstrates that the drive is capable of handling voltage-sag conditions and reaccelerate without any significant transients after the fault clears. This paper briefly discusses the topology followed by the proposed strategy for ride-through, its implementation and reconnection to the grid. The method is validated through simulations and the results are presented. The experimental setup with the results are also shown with analysis.