cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary infections in children with HIV/AIDS

This article discusses the epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic features of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, pulmonary lymphoid hyperplasia/lymphoid interstitial pneumonia, and recurrent bacterial pneumonias, as well as provides briefer comments regarding serious pulmonary infection caused less commonly by mycobacteria. An approach to evaluating and managing HIV-infected children who present with significant acute respiratory complaints is suggested.
A Kernel Estimator for Stochastic Subsurface Characterization

A nonparametric statistical methodology based on kernel function estimation is developed for assessing the probability that a particular location in the aquifer has high or low conductivity using borehole information. The approach presented is an alternative to Indicator Kriging. Soils are classified through a binary indicator function defined as 0 for low and as 1 for a high conductivity soil. Estimates of the probability of occurrence of a high or low conductivity soil are made on a three-dimensional grid. Each such estimate is formed as a local weighted average of the indicator function values that lie within an averaging interval or bandwidth of the point of estimate. A different vertical bandwidth is chosen at each borehole log. Horizontal bandwidths are selected independently at each horizontal level. These bandwidths are chosen by cross validation. Observations closer to the point of estimate are weighted higher using a kernel or weight function. Unlike Kriging, the underlying stochastic process is not assumed to be stationary. An application using data from Lake Bonneville deposits in Davis County, Utah is presented.
Integrating Visibility, Parking Restriction, and Driver's Field View for Enhancing Pedestrian Crossing Safety

Pedestrians at a marked but unsignalized pedestrian crossing (Ped-Xing) must be made visible to drivers in the approaching traffic at a sufficient distance away from the crossing, and this distance is needed for stopping a vehicle before the leading Ped-Xing edge to avoid a potential traffic collision. In this paper, an exact analytic framework is established to integrate driver's field view, driver's perception-reaction, lighting condition, and parking restriction at a Ped-Xing for enhancing traffic operational safety. The size of the no parking zone by the Ped-Xing is determined exactly using equations derived from this framework. Additionally, this study sheds the light on mid-block Ped-Xing installation, which should be discouraged if parking is permitted alongside a street. Furthermore, additional visibility improvement measures at the unsignalized Ped-Xings may be needed for enhancing safe traffic operations at the crossings.
Multiresolution transform and its application to video coding

Traditional wavelet edge detection and encoding schemes preserve shape features of objects effectively at a variety of spatial scales and also allow an efficient means of image and video compression. However these schemes also remove texture from imagery and thus image reproduction quality suffers. Fractal encoding techniques on the other hand generate high compression ratios but tend to introduce blocky artifacts in imagery. Thus we describe a video encoding method that combines the shape preserving capability of wavelets with the compression qualities of fractal compression for a hybrid multiresolution technique that achieves high compression, selective and accurate feature preservation, and is computationally efficient.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
KUZ, a Conserved Metalloprotease-Disintegrin Protein with Two Roles in Drosophila Neurogenesis

During neurogenesis in Drosophila both neurons and nonneuronal cells are produced from a population of initially equivalent cells. The kuzbanian (kuz) gene described here is essential for the partitioning of neural and nonneuronal cells during development of both the central and peripheral nervous systems in Drosophila. Mosaic analyses indicated that kuz is required for cells to receive signals inhibiting the neural fate. These analyses further revealed that the development of a neuron requires a kuz-mediated positive signal from neighboring cells. The kuz gene encodes a metalloprotease-disintegrin protein with a highly conserved bovine homolog, raising the possibility that kuz homologs may act in similar processes during mammalian neurogenesis.
Expulsion of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis by mice deficient in mast cells.

Expulsion of the intestinal helminth, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, occurs spontaneously about 2 weeks after a primary infection of rats1 and mice2. Cellular changes ia the small intestine coincident with the period of expulsion have suggested several mechanisms by which this ‘self-cure’ may be effected. Local anaphylaxis was proposed as a possible means of parasite clearance; this hypothesis has been supported by the demonstration of specific reaginic antibody production3 and jejunal mast cell accumulation4 in infected animals. In addition, increased mucus secretion5 and more recently, goblet cell proliferation in the jejunal mucosa of rats6 have been noted and considered as potentially important in mediating the self-cure reaction. The data presented below indicate that in the absence of demonstrable mast cells, the course of a primary infection with this parasite is unchanged; however, they are supportive of a role for goblet cells in the self-cure reaction.
Bone marrow transplantation demonstrates that carbonic anhydrase II deficiency limited to bone marrow-derived cells affects ammonium chloride tolerance in mice.

Abstract Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in mice was utilized to determine the relative importance of carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) deficiency in blood compared to kidney in the pathogenesis of the ammonium chloride intolerance observed in CA II-deficient mice. "Normal" BMT experiments utilized normal donors and CA II-deficient recipients (NL→DEF), "reverse" BMT experiments utilized CA II-deficient donors and normal recipients, and control BMT experiments utilized normal mice with a hemoglobin polymorphism (Hbb d/s). Unstressed urinary pH was not significantly altered by normal or reverse BMT, nor was any change induced by control BMT. However, DEF→NL mice showed markedly altered weight changes when placed on oral ammonium chloride, an effect apparently secondary to dehydration due to decreased water intake. In addition, some CA II deficient mice have a urinary concentrating defect. Red blood cell and kidney CA II deficiency contribute additively to these effects.
Stationary Waves of the Ice Age Climate

Abstract A linearized, steady state, primitive equation model is used to simulate the climatological zonal asymmetries (stationary eddies) in the wind and temperature fields of the 18 000 YBP climate during winter. We compare these results with the eddies simulated in the ice age experiments of Broccoli and Manabe, who used CLIMAP boundary conditions and reduced atmospheric CO2 in an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) coupled with a static mixed layer ocean model. The agreement between the models is good, indicating that the linear model can be used to evaluate the relative influences of orography, diabatic heating, and transient eddy heat and momentum transports in generating stationary waves. We find that orographic forcing dominates in the ice age climate. The mechanical influence of the continental ice sheets on the atmosphere is responsible for most of the changes between the present day and ice age stationary eddies. This concept of the ice age climate is complicated by the sensitivity of t...
A graph-based fuzzy linguistic metadata schema for describing spatial relationships

The spatial relationship description among objects is highly desirable for many research areas such as artificial intelligence and image analysis. In this paper we present a novel fuzzy logic method to automatically generate the description of spatial relationships among objects. A new graph-based fuzzy linguistic metadata schema named Snowflake is proposed to describe the topology and metric relationships for a set of objects. Like an artist painting a picture, Snowflake selects one reference object to present the spatial relationships of all the other objects with respect to this reference object. This paper introduces the operations and isomorphism of Snowflake. The paper also demonstrates that Snowflake preserves the rotation invariance and the scale invariance of spatial relationships. Experiments show that Snowflake is an efficient and effective spatial modeling method.
Bacteroides forsythus in adult gingivitis and periodontitis.

AbstractBacteroides forsythus, a newly named species from the human mouth, possesses a distinct cell wall ultrastructure and a unique set of cell surface antigens. To determine the distribution of B. forsythus in the periodontal region, supragingival plaque was collected from 16 healthy adults and from 11 adults with mild gingivitis, 12 with severe gingivitis and 17 with periodontitis. Subgingival samples from 27 diseased sites were examined as well. B. forsythus was located in plaque smears by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. Rabbit antibody to B. forsythus strain FDC 335 constituted the primary antibody and fluoresceinlabelled goat-antirabbit antibody the secondary antibody. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the proportions of B. forsythus in supragingival samples of healthy subjects (0.2%) vs. individuals with mild gingivitis (1.3%), severe gingivitis (1.0%) and adult periodontitis (0.9%). A significant difference (p< 0.001) in B. forsythus proportions was also detected between supragingival (0.9%) and subgingival (15.3%) samples from adult periodontitis patients. In a separate study, patients previously treated for moderate to severe adult periodontitis were monitored over a 12-month period for evidence of disease recurrence. A significant increase in the proportions of B. forsythus was found at sites with breakdown as compared to stable sites. Breakdown was defined as loss of attachment of 2 mm or more from base line, as measured from a reference stent, or a probing depth increase of 3 mm or more. These results support the assertion that B. forsythus is associated with advanced periodontitis as well as recurrent periodontitis. Monitoring the subgingival proportions of B. forsythus may be of diagnostic value in patients on maintenance therapy. Whether B. forsythus causes periodontal disease or is a secondary colonizer of periodontal lesions remains to be determined.
Control of the Pine Needle Scale in Central New York

Supracide® ( O,O -dimethyl phosphorodithioate S -ester with 4-(mercaptomethyl)-2-methoxy-∆2-1,3,4-thiadiazolin-5-one), oxydemetonmethyl, disulfoton, monocrotophos, ethion-oil, and carbofuran were evaluated for control of Phenacaspis pinifoliae (Fitch). Treatments applied for control of mature 2nd-stage females or precopulatory adults were more effective than crawler sprays. The impact of the different timing of sprays on the ecology of this pest is considered. And, an attempt is made to define an approach to the integrated control of P. Pinifoliae.
Characterization of a continuous sample delivery glow discharge

Utilisation de ce dispositif en analyse. Donnees analytiques pour Pb, Cd, B, Cu, Ca, Sr, Ba. Courbes d'etalonnage pour Pb, Cd et B. Influence des solvants organiques. Mesure de la temperature d'excitation
Primary sclerosing cholangitis is associated with nonsmoking: A case- control study

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Cigarette smoking is thought to protect against the development of ulcerative colitis. The relationship between a related disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and smoking is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine if the relationship between smoking and sclerosing cholangitis is similar to that found between smoking and ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A stratified sample of 184 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and age- and sex-matched institutional control subjects were identified. Smoking information was obtained from a medical questionnaire completed at the time of visit. RESULTS: Eighty- one percent of the patients had associated inflammatory bowel disease. Only 4.9% of them were current smokers compared with 26.1% of the controls; 69.6% of the patients had never smoked vs. 46.7% of the controls. The estimated odds of having primary sclerosing cholangitis in current smokers compared with never-smokers was 0.13. The odds of having disease among former and current users of any tobacco relative to never-users was 0.41 regardless of the presence or absence of inflammatory bowel disease. CONCLUSIONS: The odds of having primary sclerosing cholangitis was significantly decreased among current smokers. Concomitant ulcerative colitis does not fully explain the association between nonsmoking and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Smoking may exert its protective effect in a systemic, rather than colonic, manner. (Gastroenterology 1996 May;110(5):1496-502)
CLONING OF A DNA-BINDING PROTEIN THAT INTERACTS WITH THE ETHYLENE-RESPONSIVE ENHANCER ELEMENT OF THE CARNATION GST1 GENE

Ethylene transcriptionally activates a glutathione S-transferase gene (GST1) at the onset of the senescence program in carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) flower petals. A 126 bp region of the GST1 promoter sequence has been identified as an ethylene-responsive enhancer element (ERE). In this paper, we demonstrate the ability of nuclear proteins from senescing petals to recognize a 22 bp sequence within the ERE (ERE oligonucleotide). Mutation of the ERE oligonucleotide sequence significantly alters the strength of this nuclear protein-DNA association. The wild-type ERE oligonucleotide sequence was used to isolate a cDNA clone encoding a sequence-specific DNA binding protein. Nucleotide sequencing and deduced amino acid sequence analysis of this cDNA predicted a 32 kDa protein which we have designated carnation ethylene-responsive element-binding protein-1 (CEBP-1). The mRNA expression pattern of CEBP-1 suggests that it is not transcriptionally regulated by ethylene. The amino acid sequence homology of CEBP-1 with other plant nucleic acid binding proteins indicates a conserved nucleic acid binding domain. Within this domain are two highly conserved RNA-binding motifs, RNP-1 and RNP-2. An acidic region and a putative nuclear localization signal are also identified.
A comparative performance analysis of electrically optimized nonlinear energy harvesters

Depending on the shape of their potential energy function, nonlinear vibratory energy harvesters (VEHs) can be classified either as mono- or bi-stable. The complex dynamic responses of such harvest...
Halogen acids in fumarolic gases of Kilauea volcano

The water-rich condensates of fumarolic gases, obtained from degassing lavas of the 1959–60 eruption of Kilauea volcano, contain unexpectedly high concentrations of hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acids, and thereby suggest that halogens are significant constituents of basaltic magmas. Vents on the pumice hill of Kilauea Iki yielded one sample that contained, in parts per million, 21,000 HF (1.1 N) with 2,920 HCl, and another sample, 20 HF with 70,500 HCl (2.0 N). Samples from vents elsewhere on the volcano had from one-fortieth to one-thousandth as much of the two acids. A rough correlation exists between the temperature of the fumaroles (range 110 to 820°C) and the total concentration of the halogen acids. This correlation is mainly due to progressive dilution of the magmatic halogen acids by water of probable meteoric origin in fumaroles of lower temperatures. Variations in the HF/HCl ratio (range 0.0003 to 7.2) may be explained by means of two different processes whose relative importance cannot be assessed with the data at hand (1). In their migration to the surface, the acid gases may have reacted with the lava to a variable extent owing to the widely different configurations of the several vents (steaming areas in glassy pumice, glowing cracks, and drillhole in lava lake). In the reaction, relatively more HF could have reacted at temperatures around 300°C with the glassy pumice (2). There is some indication that the HF/HCl ratio increases with time,suggesting that the crystallizing lava may have released HCl early, with HF concentrated in the later exhalations. The Br/Cl ratio ranges from 0.0036 down to 0.0014, as compared to 0.0034 of seawater.
Military: Electronic warfare: From RF to EO: Electrooptics gains on RF and acoustic technologies in electronic deception, jamming, and neutralization

Five basic actions are involved in the sequence of events taken to protect a `platform' (airplane, ship, or tank): pre-engagement collection of intelligence, also known as electronic warfare support measures; self-concealment; threat detection; processing of threat information; and response. The area of electrooptic warfare is used to illustrate these actions.
Untangling Desmosomal Knots with Electron Tomography

Cell adhesion by adherens junctions and desmosomes relies on interactions between cadherin molecules. However, the molecular interfaces that define molecular specificity and that mediate adhesion remain controversial. We used electron tomography of plastic sections from neonatal mouse skin to visualize the organization of desmosomes in situ. The resulting three-dimensional maps reveal individual cadherin molecules forming discrete groups and interacting through their tips. Fitting of an x-ray crystal structure for C-cadherin to these maps is consistent with a flexible intermolecular interface mediated by an exchange of amino-terminal tryptophans. This flexibility suggests a novel mechanism for generating both cis and trans interactions and for propagating these adhesive interactions along the junction.
On the Permeability of Thermally Damaged PBX 9501

Theoretical analysis, modeling, and simulation are used to provide insight into the development of permeability during thermal damage of the high explosive PBX 9501. In a recently published article, Terrones et al. [1] conclude that samples of PBX 9501 thermally damaged at 186 °C are not permeable to gas flow in a manner consistent with Darcy's Law. We disagree with their conclusion. We show that they have misreported data from the literature, and that their argument depends on a fluid flow model that is physically incorrect and is applied with inappropriate physical parameters.
Nicardipine and MK-801 attenuate platelet-activating factor increases following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in gerbils

Abstract The effects of pretreatment with nicardipine (dihydropyridine Ca 2+ channel antagonist), Bay K8644 (dihydropyridine Ca 2+ channel agonist), and MK-801 ( N -methyl- d -aspartate-receptor antagonist) on changes of platelet-activating factor (PAF) concentrations in transient ischemic brain are reported. The tissue concentration of PAF increases significantly in hippocampus, cortex and thalamus by 210%, 169% and 168% of controls without ischemia-reperfusion, respectively after 1 h of reperfusion. Nicardipine (5 mg/kg) reduces the accumulation of PAF, the remaining increases in hippocampus, cortex and thalamus being 151%, 138% and 145% of the controls, respectively. In contrast, Bay K8644 (2.5 mg/kg) enhances the accumulation of PAF, its concentrations in hippocampus, cortex and thalamus being 376%, 233% and 204% of the controls, respectively. The Bay K8644 enhancement in hippocampus is completely inhibited by pretreatment of nicardipine (5 mg/kg). MK-801 (10 mg/kg) reduces the accumulation of PAF, the remaining increases in hippocampus, cortex and thalamus being 152%, 147% and 144% of the controls, respectively. Moreover, brain tissue from animals subjected to the combined pretreatment with nicardipine (5 mg/kg) and MK-801 (10 mg/kg) indicates there is greater inhibition of ischemia-induced PAF increases than with either drug alone. These results indicate that PAF production in the ischemic brain may be regulated by Ca 2+ influx through voltage-sensitive Ca 2+ channels which are antagonized and agonized by nicardipine and Bay K8644, respectively and receptor-operated Ca 2+ channels which are antagonized by MK-801. Because it is known that increases of intracellular Ca 2+ in the brain accompany ischemia and early periods of reperfusion and that PAF exhibits neurotoxicity, the present findings support the role of PAF as a mediator in ischemia-induced brain damage at early stages of reperfusion.
SU‐E‐J‐90: Quantitative PET Imaging to Evaluate Clinical Complications Associated with Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in Non‐Small Cell Lung Tumors

Purpose: To investigate correlation of standard‐uptake values (SUV) from post‐treatment PETimaging representing clinical complications such as muscular inflammation with dose delivered in non‐small cell lungcancer patients treated with large hypo‐fractions using stereotactic body radiation therapy(SBRT). Method and Materials: Clinical complications represented as chronic inflammation and rib fractures in ten non‐small cell lungcancer patients treated with large hypo‐fractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy were investigated. SBRT was delivered in three fractions with each fraction 20 Gy or five fractions with each 12 Gy. These patients were scanned with PETimaging at three and seven months after treatment for follow up to evaluate tumor control and clinical complications post‐ radiotherapy. The dose distributions calculated by treatment planning and delivered were extracted and compared with SUV distributions obtained from PETimaging. The correlation between dose deposited in the chest wall and clinical complications represented by higher SUV from PETimaging were quantified. Results: The dose distribution calculated by treatment planning from the different beams overlaid on a CT axial image for a lung patient correlates strongly with SUV obtained from PETimaging. The enhanced SUV represents chronic inflammation of the chest wall tissue that has received high doses by the individual entering beams. The profiles from the regions in the chest wall that have received high dose deposition correspond to enhanced SUV in anatomically matching regions from PETimages. Significant proportion of pixels from dose distribution correlates linearly with corresponding pixels that have high SUV‐dose in the chest wall. Conclusions: Large doses deposited in normal tissue from SBRT in treatment of non‐small cell lungtumor correlate well with the SUV values measured by PETimages. This correlation may be useful in predicting clinical complications by measurement of the delivered dose and SUV values associated with SBRT.
Unusual association of bone marrow necrosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and a rare 8;16 chromosomal translocation in an adult patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

Abstract In a patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia of the classic type (FAB subtype M2), three infrequently observed phenomena occurred together: bone marrow necrosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and an 8;16 chromosomal translocation. All three resolved with antileukemic therapy, only to reemerge when the leukemia relapsed, suggesting a causal relationship among these phenomena. Such observations and the consistent application of cytogenetic studies to patients with leukemia may help elucidate the significance of specific chromosomal abnormalities in patients with leukemia.
Medical status and care of psychiatric patients in a day treatment program.

Objective Given the limited literature reporting on the medical comorbidity of patients attending psychiatric day treatment, we studied the medical status and care of a cohort of 100 patients for 1 year following enrollment in a day treatment program at a public sector hospital. Methods Data were abstracted from electronic medical records retrospectively for the year following day treatment enrollment. Study variables included lifetime medical and psychiatric diagnoses documented in the medical record, patient measures performed during the study year (including laboratory, diagnostic, and physical measures), current medication, and encounters within the hospital system. Results Despite an average age of only 41 years for the cohort, 80% had 1 or more major medical diagnoses. For the 57 subjects with laboratory studies performed during the 1-year study interval, more than half had abnormal results. Forty-three subjects had no laboratory studies during the study interval. Forty-four were seen in the emergency room and an equal number in the medicine clinic. Conclusions The occurrence of medical co-morbidity in this population was alarmingly high. The vigor of medical care provided was greater than one would expect for a psychiatric population averaging 41 years of age, although there were inadequacies reflecting a lack of standardized medical assessment at entry to day treatment. We propose a reconceptualization for day treatment, incorporating full medical screening as a standard component of entrance into day treatment.
Classical cancellation of the cosmological constant reconsidered

We revisit a scenario in which the cosmological constant is cancelled by the potential energy of a slowly evolving scalar field, or cosmon. The cosmon's evolution is tied to the cosmological constant by a feedback mechanism. This feedback is achieved by an unconventional coupling of the cosmon field to the Ricci curvature scalar. The solutions show that the effective cosmological constant evolves approximately as t{sup -2} and remains always of the same order as the density of ordinary matter and radiation. Newton's constant varies on cosmological time scales, with G{sub N}/G{sub N}<<1/t. G{sub N} could have been somewhat different, and possibly smaller, at the time of Big Bang nucleosynthesis.
The Role of Processing Limitations in Early Identification of Specific Language Impairment

This article considers how information regarding processing limitations in children with specific language impairment (SLI) might be extended to assist in early identification of toddlers at risk for language disorder. A brief review of the evidence for processing capacity limitations in SLI is provided, along with results from longitudinal studies of toddlers with late onset of language development. Preliminary findings are presented from an ongoing investigation of early lexical processing for 15 late talking toddlers and 15 controls whose performance was assessed on a novel word learning task. Assessment implications of a processing based account of language impairment are discussed. Key words: assessment, cultural diversity, language disorder, language outcomes, late talkers, limited processing capacity, processing measures, specific language impairment
Saving the Ends for Last: The Role of Pol μ in DNA End Joining

At least three DNA polymerases participate in nonhomologous end joining in mammalian cells: pol μ, pol κ, and TdT. A study in this issue of Molecular Cell (Nick McElhinny et al., 2005) clarifies the role of pol μ in end joining at the kappa light chain locus and also provides a biochemical explanation for the unique polymerization functions of pol μ on DNA ends.
Diagnostic Validity of 12-Hour Integrated Concentration of Growth Hormone

• We tested the hypothesis that integrated concentration of human growth hormone (ICGH) during the 12-hour nighttime (8PM to 8 AM) period is closely correlated with the 24-hour integrated concentration and would be as useful for diagnostic purposes. We determined hourly ICGH during 24 hours in 67 children and calculated the 12- and 24-hour values. Nineteen children had normal stature, 13 had classic growth hormone deficiency, four had growth hormone neurosecretory dysfunction, 23 had short stature but no hormonal abnormality could be diagnosed, and eight had miscellaneous disorders. There was a close correlation between the 12- and the 24-hour ICGH. For diagnostic purposes, 12-hour nighttime ICGH is as useful as 24-hour ICGH. Use of the shorter test for determination of physiologic growth hormone secretion will save the patients time, expense, and blood volume. ( AJDC 1987;141:553-555)
Asian American television activity: Is it related to outgroup vitality?

Abstract Applying a uses and gratifications and social identity gratifications approach, the present study explores Asian American television viewing. Specifically, Asian Americans report on the quantity of television they watch, what shows they watch, why they watch, and whether their uses are related to their perceptions of Caucasian vitality. The data reveal that using television for entertainment and to escape/relieve boredom were the most important television uses for this group of Asian Americans. At the same time, these two uses were significant predictors of how vital Asian Americans perceived Caucasians. Although selecting and avoiding television for ethnic identity gratifications were not important relative to other gratifications, television selection for identity gratifications was important to Asian Americans who highly identify with their ethnic group.
Product deuterium isotope effect for orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase: evidence for the existence of a short-lived carbanion intermediate.

A product isotope effect (PIE) of 1.0 was obtained from the ratio of the yields of [6-1H]-uridine 5‘-monophosphate (50%) and [6-2H]-uridine 5‘-monophosphate (50%) from the decarboxylation of orotidine 5‘-monophosphate (OMP) in 50/50 (v/v) H2O/D2O catalyzed by orotidine 5‘-monophosphate decarboxylase. This unitary product isotope effect eliminates a proposed mechanism for enzyme-catalyzed decarboxylation in which proton transfer from Lys-93 to C-6 of OMP provides electrophilic push to the loss of CO2 in a concerted reaction. The complete lack of selectivity for the reaction of solvent H and D that is implied by the value of PIE = 1.0 may be enforced by restricted motion of the NL3+ group of the side-chain of Lys-93 that has been proposed to protonate a vinyl carbanion intermediate.
A Task-based Framework to Evaluate Evaluative Arguments

We present an evaluation framework in which the effectiveness of evaluative arguments can be measured with real users. The framework is based on the task-efficacy evaluation method. An evaluative argument is presented in the context of a decision task and measures related to its effectiveness are assessed. Within this framework, we are currently running a formal experiment to verify whether argument effectiveness can be increased by tailoring the argument to the user and by varying the degree of argument conciseness.
New double-band-electrode channel flow differential electrochemical mass spectrometry cell: application for detecting product formation during methanol electrooxidation.

We present a new double-band-electrode channel flow DEMS (differential electrochemical mass spectrometry) cell and demonstrate its application in mechanistic studies with particular relevance to fuel cells. The cell is composed of two band electrodes, which serve as working and detecting electrodes, respectively, separated by a porous Teflon membrane. The Teflon membrane serves as the interface between the aqueous solution and vacuum, through which gases and volatile species can be transported. The hydrodynamic electrochemical characteristics and mass spectrometric behavior have been characterized. With this DEMS cell, gaseous and volatile electrochemical products formed at the working electrode are monitored by mass spectrometry, while nonvolatile products can be selectively detected at the detecting (downstream) electrode. Thus, this system can be considered as the DEMS analogue of a rotating ring/disk electrode. As test cases, the electrooxidation of formaldehyde and methanol on carbon supported Pt nan...
Nuclear Interactions of High-Energy μ Mesons in Carbon

A multiplate cloud chamber containing two large plastic scintillators capable of selecting nuclear interactions is described. Forty-three interactions, attributed to energetic $\ensuremath{\mu}$ mesons, have been observed in the chamber and the following cross sections for interactions in carbon obtained: (5.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.1)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}30}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/nucleon for all interactions involving energy transfers g50 Mev and (1.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}30}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/nucleon for shower production. It is shown that several aspects of the interactions can be reasonably accounted for with the aid of the semiclassical Williams-Weizs\"acker method and the results are used to infer photon interaction cross sections in carbon for photon energies up to about 10 Bev. The $\ensuremath{\mu}$-meson cross sections reported here are in agreement with those found by George and Evans using emulsion techniques, but some of the details of the interactions differ and it is suggested that an appreciable fraction of the stars observed in an emulsion exposed underground may be due to $\ensuremath{\pi}$ mesons or protons.
Acrolein oxidation over 12-molybdophosphates

Abstract Previously published work [1–3] done at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) PLC Mond Division is summarized. Various compositions in the catalyst system K x H 3− x PMo 12 O 40 · n H 2 O were prepared and characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, MASNMR, ESR, electron microscopy, ESCA, BET surface-area measurements, and FTIR. No significant solid-solution range between H 3 PMo 12 O 40 · n H 2 O and K 3 PMo 12 O 40 was detected, but evidence is presented for an epitaxial H 3 PMo 12 O 40 layer on particles of K 3 PMo 12 O 40 that does not decompose on calcination at 400°C. The other H 3 PMo 12 O 40 · n H 2 O phases do decompose at 400°C, first reversibly and then irreversibly to MoO 3 and other products. In the compositional range 2.5≤ x ≤3, the exposed surface is essentially the Keggin unit, which made possible a detailed study of the reaction mechanism and its correlation with reactor studies of activity and selectivity. The epitaxial layer provides a Bronsted acidity at the surface that enhances the selectivity.
Winds from the Atlanta (34°N, 84°W) radio meteor wind facility

Abstract A brief description of the Georgia Tech radio meteor wind facility is followed by a tabular presentation and discussion of winds measured over Atlanta (34°N, 84°W) for the first three intervals of the URSI/IAGA Cooperative Tidal Observations Program (CTOP). The pervailing zonal wind measured during August 1974, being easterly, is significantly different from that measured during October 1975 and January 1976, and is not typical of winds measured in August 1975 and August 1976, when westerlies predominated. The complicated tidal picture is detailed, but is not easily summarized.
Power output variability of PV system fleets in three utility service territories in New Jersey and California

The recent growth of the number and cumulative size of PV installations in regions with solar-friendly programs has raised the profile of those systems' potential impact on the electric grid. As grid-tied PV systems are a variable resource, it is important to characterize the variability of their output when aggregated over fleets within a service territory. SunEdison operates more than 300 systems ranging from 30 to 9,000 kWp across North America and monitors the power output of each one with a 1-minute resolution. We present an analysis of the observed power output variability of 67 PV systems across 3 utility service territories in California and New Jersey, during days of variable solar resource. One of the metrics is the standard deviation of the power output's change over 1-minute intervals across 4 hours near the solar peak. By aggregating power output over fleets of constant rated capacity but different make up, we show that variability is affected by both mean system size and fleet composition.
Variation in fructose transport among beef erythrocytes

Erythrocytes from different cattle were shown to fall into two distinct groups with respect to fructose transport. The rates of entrance of fructose into the two classes of cells differed by a factor of 5 to 10. It was also found that one pathway, the slower, was susceptible to inhibition by glucose while the other was not. The characteristics of the two fructose transport systems remained constant for as long as a week (longest time studied) upon storage at 2°C. The differences observed could not be attributed to handling of the blood, to the relative glucose permeability, or to the age or sex of the animal. This work indicates that two different fructose transport systems are operating in beef erythrocytes of different individuals.
Effects of emetine and dehydroemetine at the frog neuromuscular junction.

Abstract Emetine and dehydroemetine caused concentration-dependent reduction of the quantal content of the endplate potential (EPP) at the frog neuromuscular junction. At lower concentrations, the drugs had presynaptic action only, as they decreased the amplitude of the EPP without significantly affecting that of the spontaneous miniature EPP (MEPP). At higher concentrations, the drugs had postsynaptic effects as well. Studies of low frequency facilitation indicated that although at low concentrations the effect of emetine on quantal content was independent of frequency of stimulation, at higher concentrations the effect became markedly frequency-dependent and many of the stimuli (at 4 and 8 Hz) failed to evoke EPPs. In the voltage-clamped transected cutaneous pectoris muscle emetine (10−4 M) depressed the peak amplitude of the endplate current (EPC). Emetine markedly shortened the time constant of decay of the EPC (τ) at more negative holding potentials but did not change the single exponential character of the decay. The results indicate that the acute effects of emetine involve blocking neuromuscular transmission by acting prejunctionally at low concentrations and pre- as well as postjunctionally at higher concentrations. The prejunctional effect is due to interference with evoked release and probably, mobilization of acetylcholine. The postjunctional effect is due to blockade of the acetylcholine-activated ionic channel.
Action and awareness of agency: Comments on Chris Frith

Chris Frith’s target chapters contain a wealth of interesting experiments and striking theoretical claims. In these comments I begin by drawing out some of the key themes in his discussion of action and the sense of agency. Frith’s central claim about conscious action is that what we are primarily conscious of in acting is our own agency. I will review some of the experimental evidence that he interprets in support of this claim and then explore the following three questions about the awareness of agency:(1) Should we locate the phenomena that Frith describes as awareness of agency at the personal level or at the subpersonal level?(2) If we are indeed operating at the personal level, then should we think about awareness of agency as something we experience, or as something that we believe?(3) If awareness of agency is to be understood experientially, is there what some authors have called “a sense of agency”, where this is understood to be a distinctive type of experience that accompanies agentive behaviors but is absent in behaviors that are not under the control of the agent?In what follows I argue that awareness of agency should be located at the personal level, and that we should think of it as something we experience . But I will reject the claim that there is a distinctive sense of agency.
Modeling political change with a regime-switching model

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether legislators vote in two distinct regimes as suggested by the U.S. political system and whether these voting patterns can be explained by economic variables. The paper exploits U.S. Roll-Call votes from a rich unbalanced panel data set of 540 legislative positions over 104 Congressional sessions and Presidents since the Korean War. The paper employs a variant of the Hamilton Regime-Switching Model (1989) to uncover three major patterns in the data. There appear to be two distinct regimes closely related though not identical to the two-party system. Shifts in these regimes are most frequent in Presidential elections and are less frequent in the Senate and the House. Finally, since World War II, economic variables do not seem to influence the shifts implying that these political shocks are exogenous. However, over longer horizons, recessions do tend to force political change in the legislature.
Temperature Study of CdZnTe Coplanar-Grid Detectors

The coplanar-grid (CPG) and other electron-only detection techniques have made possible the use of CdZnTe-based detectors for gamma-ray spectroscopy when high efficiency, good energy resolution, and near room temperature operation are required. Despite the demonstrated potential of the technologies, widespread use remains hampered in part by the limited availability of the highly uniform CdZnTe material required for high-resolution spectroscopy. However, it has been recently shown that mild cooling of CdZnTe CPG detectors can result in a significant improvement in the energy resolution of the detectors thereby allowing a wider range of material to be used for high-resolution applications. In this paper, we show that improved spectroscopic performance can consistently be achieved through a combination of detector cooling and increased detector bias. Energy resolutions of about 1% FWHM at 662 keV for detector volumes up to 2.3 cm3 have been obtained at -20degC. With the electronic noise subtracted, this amounts to an intrinsic resolution of 0.8%. We also show that further cooling of the detectors to -30degC leads to field polarization and a loss of spectroscopic performance
Cardiac Output, Wedge Pressure, and Oxygen Delivery

The optimization of oxygen delivery is the primary goal of critical care medicine. While the physiology underlying the delivery of oxygen is complex, the means by which the practitioner can modify it are limited and can be divided into a relatively few classes. This article will review the physiology of oxygen delivery, the means by which its determinants may be measured, and the treatment options available to manipulate oxygen delivery in the clinical setting. Newer technologies for the measurement of parameters relating to oxygen delivery and consumption will be addressed as well.
Absence of Transient Elevated UV Resistance during Germination of Bacillus subtilis Spores Lacking Small, Acid-Soluble Spore Proteins α and β

Germinating spores of Bacillus subtilis mutants that lack small, acid-soluble spore proteins alpha and beta did not exhibit the transient elevated UV resistance seen during germination of wild-type spores. Dormant spores of various Bacillus species are much more resistant to UV irradiation than are the corresponding vegetative cells. This elevated spore UV resistance appears to have two causes. First, UV irradiation of spores does not produce the pyrimidine dimers formed in vegetative-cell DNA, but rather produces several other photoproducts, the most predominant of which is termed the spore photoproduct, a 5-thyminyl-5,6-dihydrothymine adduct (1, 10). Second, spores have at least two mechanisms that efficiently repair this spore photoproduct during spore germination, including one that monomerizes the adduct back to two thymines.
Quantification and Minimization of Uncertainties of Internal Target Volume for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of Lung Cancer

Purpose To quantify uncertainties in delineating an internal target volume (ITV) and to understand how these uncertainties may be individually minimized for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials Twenty patients with NSCLC who were undergoing SBRT were imaged with free-breathing 3-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) and 10-phase 4-dimensional CT (4DCT) for delineating gross tumor volume (GTV) 3D and ITV 10Phase (ITV3). The maximum intensity projection (MIP) CT was also calculated from 10-phase 4DCT for contouring ITV MIP (ITV1). Then, ITV COMB (ITV2), ITV 10Phase+GTV3D (ITV4), and ITV 10Phase+ITVCOMB (ITV5) were generated by combining ITV MIP and GTV 3D , ITV 10phase and GTV 3D , and ITV 10phase and ITV COMB , respectively. All 6 volumes (GTV 3D and ITV1 to ITV5) were delineated in the same lung window by the same radiation oncologist. The percentage of volume difference (PVD) between any 2 different volumes was determined and was correlated to effective tumor diameter (ETD), tumor motion ranges, R 3D , and the amplitude variability of the recorded breathing signal (v) to assess their volume variations. Results The mean (range) tumor motion (R SI , R AP , R ML , and R 3D ) and breathing variability (v) were 7.6 mm (2-18 mm), 4.0 mm (2-8 mm), 3.3 mm (0-7.5 mm), 9.9 mm (4.1-18.7 mm), and 0.17 (0.07-0.37), respectively. The trend of volume variation was GTV 3D P ≤.001), except for ITV2 and ITV3 ( P =.594). The PVDs for all volume pairs correlated negatively with ETD ( r ≤−0.658, P ≤.006) and positively with R 3D ( r ≥0.503, P ≤.047). The PVDs for pairs of ITV2 vs ITV5 and ITV5 vs ITV4 negatively correlated with ETD ( r =0.502, −0.626; P =.047, .010). No other correlation was found. Conclusion Uncertainties in individualized ITVs for SBRT of early stage NSCLC could effectively be minimized by combining information from 3DCT, 4DCT, and MIP. If these images cannot be efficiently contoured, a combination of ITV MIP and GTV 3D could be an effective alternative.
Efficient sub-pixel interpolation and low power VLSI architecture for fractional motion estimation in H.264/AVC

In this paper we propose an efficient, low power algorithm and its co-designed VLSI architecture for fractional-pel motion estimation (FME) in H.264/AVC. Our fractional-pel motion estimator uses a simplified FIR filter for half-pel interpolation. Usage of this filter reduces the required number of computations and the memory size and bandwidth for half-pel interpolation. Our simulations compare our algorithm with the state-of-the-art, in terms of rate-distortion performance and computational complexity. Our VLSI architecture is prototyped on a Field Programmable System on Chip (FPSoC), comprising a Virtex-II Pro FPGA and an embedded PowerPC processor. Our results show that our algorithm on average has better rate-distortion performance, compared to previous state-of-the-art FME algorithms, while its losses compared to FME in H.264/AVC, are insignificant. Our prototyped architecture is more hardware-efficient than previous FPGA-based architectures, in terms of power consumption, throughput, area and memory utilization. We also show that its performance in terms of transistor count, throughput and power consumption, are comparable to that of state-of-the-art ASIC implementations.
Learning to optimize plan execution in information agents

We can build software agents to perform a wide variety of useful information gathering and monitoring tasks on the Web [1]. For example, in the travel domain, we can construct agents to notify you of flight delays in real time, monitor for schedule and price changes, and even send a fax to a hotel if your flight is delayed to ensure that your hotel room will not be given away [2,3].
Lattice match in density functional calculations : ice Ih vs. β-AgI

Density functional optimizations of the crystal parameters of ice Ih and β-AgI imply lattice mismatches of 4.2 to 7.9%, in a survey of eight common, approximate (non-hybrid) functionals, too large to allow a meaningful contribution from Density Functional Theory to the discussion of the significance of lattice match in ice nucleation.