cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental patterning of rod and cone photoreceptors in embryonic zebrafish

Cone photoreceptors in the zebrafish retina are arranged in a crystalline lattice, with each spectral subtype at a specific position in the array; rod photoreceptors are inserted around the cones. Patterning events and developmental mechanisms that lead to the formation of the cone mosaic are not known. To begin investigating this issue, we examined the initial stages of opsin expression in zebrafish embryos by in situ hybridization with goldfish opsin cRNA probes to determine how and when the cone mosaic pattern arises. We found both differences and similarities in the spatiotemporal patterns of rod and cone development, which suggest the following: 1) Expression of opsin message (including rod opsin, blue and red cone opsins) was found in a ventral patch of retina located nasal to the choroid fissure. 2) The cone mosaic pattern was generated by a crystallization-like process initiated in the precocial ventral patch and secondarily in nasal retina, which then swept like a wave into dorsotemporal retina. 3) The remainder of the retina, suggesting that these precocial rods might differ from typical rods. 4) Developmental maturation of rods in zebrafish, as reflected by expression of opsin, may be accelerated compared to cones, which are thought to become postmitotic before rods. These data are consistent with a model in which lateral inductive interactions among differentiating photoreceptors lead to patterning of the array.
Cognition Without Control When a Little Frontal Lobe Goes a Long Way

The prefrontal cortex is crucial for the ability to regulate thought and control behavior. The development of the human cerebral cortex is characterized by an extended period of maturation during which young children exhibit marked deficits in cognitive control. We contend that prolonged prefrontal immaturity is, on balance, advantageous and that the positive consequences of this developmental trajectory outweigh the negative. Particularly, we argue that cognitive control impedes convention learning and that delayed prefrontal maturation is a necessary adaptation for human learning of social and linguistic conventions. We conclude with a discussion of recent observations that are relevant to this claim of evolutionary trade-offs in a wide range of research areas, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, creativity, and sleep.
Methane emissions from cypress knees in a southeastern floodplain swamp.

Methane emissions were observed from knees of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) in floodplain swamps of the Ogeechee river, a blackwater river in the lower coastal plain of Georgia, USA Emissions were sampled on 10 dates from March 1988 to September 1989, with small chambers placed over single knees. Methane emission rates from individual knees averaged 0.90 mg/d, corresponding to an average of 0.14 mg m−2 d−1 for the whole floodplain. In the habitat with the highest knee density (0.42 knees/m2), the average rate was 0.55 mg m−2 d−1. Spatial patterns in emissions from knees were similar to those of overall methane emissions from the swamp surface, though because of their low density were a minor contribution (0.42%) to total methane emissions from this system.
Hadronic light-by-light contribution to muon g−2

The theory of hadronic light-by-light scattering contributing to the muon anomalous magnetic moment is reviewed. We present a model for the hadronic light-by-light scattering amplitude consistent with the short-distance constraints from the operator product expansion.
Rabies virus infection of IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells and effect of neurochemical and other agents.

Abstract IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells are a continuous nerve cell line expressing neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These cells were found to be susceptible to infection by rabies virus (CVS strain). After infection, viral antigen accumulated in the cell body in puncta and larger masses and spread out into the processes until at 3–4 days the entire cell was filled with antigen and lysed. A variety of chemical agents including cholinergic agonists and antagonists were tested for ability to inhibit infection of IMR-32 cells in a fluorescent focus assay. Agents found to inhibit infection were antibodies against the viral glycoprotein, gangliosides, a synthetic peptide of the neurotoxin-binding site of Torpedo acetylcholine receptor α1 subunit, α-bungarotoxin, and lysosomotropic agents. All other agents tested including other cholinergic ligands and synthetic peptides were not effective. Except for lysosomotropic agents, the agents which inhibited infection also inhibited attachment of virus to the cell surface. These results indicate that IMR-32 cells are a useful model in studying the interaction of a neurotropic virus with human neurons. The ability of α-bungarotoxin to inhibit infection suggests that neuronal α-bungarotoxin-binding receptors might serve as central nervous system receptors for rabies virus.
Bitcoins as an investment or speculative vehicle? A first look

We use Bitcoin and S&P 500 Index daily return data to examine relative volatility using detrended ratios. We then model Bitcoin market returns with selected economic variables to study the drivers of Bitcoin market returns. We report strong evidence to suggest that Bitcoin volatility is internally (buyer and seller) driven leading to the conclusion that the Bitcoin market is highly speculative at present.
Differences between Saudi and U.S. students in reaction to same- and mixed-sex intimacy shown by others.

U.S. and Saudi male and female students were shown 3 photos of 2 women sitting at a close, intermediate, and far distance from each other. Participants were then asked to imagine 2 sisters, 2 brothers, and a brother-sister team sitting at each of these 3 distances and to rate their comfort or discomfort with each scene. As predicted, the U.S. students felt more comfortable the farther away 2 brothers were sitting and the closer a brother and sister were sitting, whereas the Saudi students showed the opposite reaction. It was suggested that distances between the sexes in conservative Muslim countries is maintained even in intrafamily contact and that the aversion to public displays of male-male intimacy found in the United States and Europe does not generalize to other cultures.
Active metal brazing of titanium to high-conductivity carbon-based sandwich structures

Abstract Reactive brazing technology was developed and processing parameters were optimized for the bonding of titanium tubes, graphite foam, and high-conductivity carbon–carbon composite face sheets using the active braze Cusil-ABA paste and foils. The microstructure and composition of the joints, examined using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, showed good bonding and braze penetration in all systems when braze paste was used. The hardness values of the brazed joints were consistent for the different specimen stacking configurations. Mechanical testing of Ti tube/foam/C–C composite structures both in tension and shear showed that failure always occurred in the foam material demonstrating that the brazed joint was sufficient for these types of sandwich structures.
Ultrasonographic diagnosis of acute alcoholic hepatitis ‘pseudoparallel channel sign’ of intrahepatic artery dilatation

Abstract Background: In an ultrasound pilot study of acute alcoholic hepatitis (AAH), parallel tubular structures within the liver subsegments were observed. Pulse-Doppler flowmetry revealed that these structures were formed by a dilated hepatic arterial branch and an adjacent portal venous branch. This finding was termed the "pseudoparallel channel sign" (PPCS). The aims of this study were to assess the significance of this sign and show the characteristic ultrasound findings of AAH. Methods: PPCS was specifically searched for on ultrasonography by two physician operators in consecutive patients (77 AAH, 119 other alcoholic liver disease, 49 nonalcoholic liver disease, and 15 healthy patients). Results: PPCS was observed in 90% of patients with AAH and in 23% of patients with other alcoholic liver disease. This sign was not detected in nonalcoholic liver disease or healthy patients. Biopsy specimens were available in 100 patients, 51 of whom were patients with alcoholism. In those 51 patients, PPCS gave a sensitivity of 82%, a specificity of 87%, and an accuracy of 84% in diagnosing AAH. Patients with criteria of AAH had more segments involved with PPCS than patients without. Conclusions: PPCS may be an important diagnostic finding in AAH.
Regional climate model simulation of summer precipitation diurnal cycle over the United States

[1] MM5-based regional climate model (CMM5) simulations of the diurnal cycle of U.S. summer precipitation are found to be sensitive to the choice of cumulus parameterization schemes, whose skills are highly regime selective. The Grell scheme realistically simulates the nocturnal precipitation maxima and their associated eastward propagation of convective systems over the Great Plains where the diurnal timing of convection is controlled by the large-scale tropospheric forcing; whereas the Kain-Fritsch scheme is more accurate for the late afternoon peaks in the southeast U.S. where moist convection is governed by the near-surface forcing. In radar rainfall data and the simulation with the Grell scheme, another weaker eastward propagating diurnal signal is evident from the Appalachians to the east coast. The result demonstrates the importance of cumulus schemes and provides a realistic simulation of the central U.S. nocturnal precipitation maxima.
Focus on form and vocabulary acquisition in the Spanish L2 classroom

This study examined lexical development from an interactionist perspective. More specifically, we investigated student gains in seven specific vocabulary words as a function of their frequency of occurrence and the type and amount of focus on form episodes related to them. Pretests and posttests were given to an intact class of second-year Spanish students to assess their gains for the seven words. Each day of class was recorded and transcribed to enable corpus- and interaction-based analyses of target word use whether in isolation or within focus on form episodes. We present the results of overall (quantitative) and more finely-grained, word-by-word (qualitative) analyses, both of which indicate the insufficiency of any single variable to predict lexical development, thus providing support for multifaceted and mixed-method approaches to the understanding and research of vocabulary acquisition. Finally, the results are discussed in relation to models of L2 vocabulary learning, within the interactionist framework in particular.
Improving technology acceptance modelling for developing communities using a systems engineering approach

Developing nations are poised to spend billions on ICT innovation in 2020. A study of the historical adoption of ICT in developing nations indicated that their adoption patterns do not follow typical technology innovation adoption models. This study addressed the weaknesses found in existing technology acceptance models and proposed a new technology acceptance modelling approach and conceptual model. The new model integrated the population and technology characteristics factors found in popular technology acceptance models to task and process factors found in other models, consistent with enterprise system engineering principles and the Information Technology Infrastructure Library framework. This study also addressed the weakness in the survey approach by introducing data from publicly-available industry and economic data sources. An experiment was conducted on 42 nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in validation of the model. This new model and approach should be further validated by future research.
Sensitivity analysis of the effective parameter extraction procedure for metamaterial applications

We examine the accuracy of metamaterial effective parameters extraction from the reflection and transmission data and show that this procedure could lead to significant errors in the effective permittivity and permeability values near frequencies where the reflection coefficient has low magnitudes, while the refractive index can still be accurately extracted. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 1013–1017, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24267
Inherited uterine inadequacy: an alternate explanation for a portion of cases of defect.

A substantial amount of mental retardation runs in family lines and cannot be attributed to the action of single gene pairs or to chromosomal aberrations. It was hypothesized that one of the causes of this kind of retardation might be an inherited tendency, on the part of females in the family lines, to produce an inadequate uterine environment and hence produce a high proportion of retarded offspring. If so, one would expect sisters and aunts, as compared with brothers and uncles, of retarded propositus cases to produce a higher proportion of retarded (as well as spontaneously aborted, stillborn, or neonatal casualty) offspring. An analysis of data from Reed and Reed,Mental Retardation: A Family Study, supports the hypothesis. Implications of this finding are discussed.
Reconciling Wildlife Management's Conflicted Purpose With a Land Community Worldview

Abstract To reach its potential wildlife management needs a coherent purpose. Traditional divisions between science, society, and nature, however, create conflicts between responsibility to science, the public, and nature. These divisions emerged as early as Plato's (400 BC) allegory of the cave. In Plato's allegory human society existed inside a cave formed by its own delusions, and a philosopher or scientist could leave the cave and apprehend reality in nature. Wildlife management's simultaneous responsibility to public preferences, objective truth, and biotic integrity provides the foundation for a conservation worldview capable of transcending the divisions embodied in Plato's allegory. In this paper we deconstruct the conflicted worldview standing on that foundation and describe a land community–based worldview for wildlife management that could replace it. The transition from traditional views of science, society, and nature to a land community worldview requires 1) changing scientific stewardship f...
Anti-IgE: Lessons learned from effects on airway inflammation and asthma exacerbation

Omalizumab is an mAb that binds free IgE and ultimately reduces the density of IgE-loaded receptors on IgE effector cells. Because IgE effector cells, such as mast cells and basophils, are a source of proinflammatory chemokines, cytokines, and proteases, it is not surprising that omalizumab has anti-inflammatory effects, most notably large effects in reducing airway eosinophilia. What has been surprising is the nature of the clinical effects of omalizumab. Rates of exacerbation in omalizumab-treated patients are approximately half those in placebo-treated patients. This important clinical effect has occurred despite the fact that omalizumab does not improve nonspecific bronchial hyperesponsiveness and does not have large effects on airflow. The unsuspected dissociations among asthma outcomes uncovered during clinical trials of omalizumab remind us that mysteries remain for how inflammation, remodeling, and airway function are linked in asthma.
Aftershocks of the 2008 Mt. Carmel, Illinois, Earthquake: Evidence for Conjugate Faulting near the Termination of the Wabash Valley Fault System

On 18 April 2008, a moderate-sized earthquake ( Mw 5.2) occurred near the Indiana-Illinois state border within 3 km of the Mt. Carmel–New Harmony fault at a depth of 16 km near the northern termination of the Wabash Valley fault system (WVFS). A total of 257 aftershocks were recorded over the next month by a fourteen-station temporary network deployed by Indiana University and University of Memphis/Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI). The number of recorded aftershocks is greater than aftershocks recorded from previous earthquakes in the WVFS of similar magnitude within the last 50 years. The number and density of local stations allowed the generation of precise hypocentral relocations using the combination of waveform cross-correlation and joint hypocentral techniques. The relocated hypocenters indicate a well-defined near-vertical fault plane striking 295° and dipping 85° to the north. Analysis of the temporal distribution of aftershocks reveals an anomalously productive aftershock sequence relative to other earthquakes in the region, including four aftershocks with M > 4.0, the largest of which reached 0.6 units of the mainshock, an unusually low b value of 0.579, and Omori law decay parameters of a = –0.662 and p = 1.152. The inferred fault orientation is consistent with the focal mechanism of the mainshock and nearly orthogonal with respect to the trace of the neighboring Mt. Carmel–New Harmony fault. The interpreted fault orientation suggests that the aftershock sequence occurred on a transfer structure near the fault termination. The structure may be related to the change in deformation styles suggested by the transition from the northeast-trending WVFS to the northwest-trending La Salle anticlinorium.
Extending irreducible modules

An important part of Clifford’s theory does not work properly for arbitrary fields R. To see why, we must recall the main steps of this theory. We are interested in extensions to RH-modules of a fixed H-invariant irreducible RN-module a, where N is a normal subgroup of a finite group H. We first pass to the factor algebra ‘u = RH/3 modulo the ideal 3 = 3, RH = RH3, generated by the annihilator 3, of 8 in RN. If StH is given its natural grading by the factor group G = H/N ( see (6.2) below), then 3 is a graded ideal, so that ‘u is a strongly G-graded ring (in the sense of [3] or Section 1 below) whose l,-component ‘u, = RN/D, is a finite-dimensional simple Ralgebra with %I as its irreducible module. It follows that the extensions of !8 to RH-modules are just the pull-backs of the extensions of 2I to 2l-modules via the natural epimorphism of RH onto U. When 52 is algebraically closed (or, more generally, when ?I, is split over R), then 2I is the Kronecker product
Oxidative activation of protein kinase Cγ through the C1 domain: Effects on gap junctions

The accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS, for example H2O2) is linked to several chronic pathologies, including cancer and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases (Gate, L., Paul, J., Ba, G. N., Tew, K. D., and Tapiero, H. (1999) Biomed. Pharmacother. 53, 169–180). Protein kinase C (PKC) γ is a unique isoform of PKC that is found in neuronal cells and eye tissues. This isoform is activated by ROS such as H2O2. Mutations (H101Y, G118D, S119P, and G128D) in the PKCγ Cys-rich C1B domain caused a form of dominant non-episodic cerebellar ataxia in humans (Chen, D.-H., Brkanac, Z., Verlinde, C. L. M. J., Tan, X.-J., Bylenok, L., Nochli, D., Matsushita, M., Lipe, H., Wolff, J., Fernandez, M., Cimino, P. J., Bird, T. D., and Raskind, W. H. (2003) Am. J. Hum. Genet. 72, 839–849; van de Warrenburg, B. P. C., Verbeek, D. S., Piersma, S. J., Hennekam, F. A. M., Pearson, P. L., Knoers, N. V. A. M., Kremer, H. P. H., and Sinke, R. J. (2003) Neurology 61, 1760–1765). This could be due to a failure of the mutant PKCγ proteins to be activated by ROS and to subsequently inhibit gap junctions. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the cellular mechanism of activation of PKCγ by H2O2 and the resultant effects on gap junction activity. H2O2 stimulated PKCγ enzyme activity independently of elevations in cellular diacylglycerol, the natural PKC activator. Okadaic acid, a phosphatase inhibitor, did not affect H2O2-stimulated PKCγ activity, indicating that dephosphorylation was not involved. The reductant, dithiothreitol, abolished the effects of H2O2, suggesting a direct oxidation of PKCγ at the Cys-rich C1 domain. H2O2 induced the C1 domain of PKCγ to translocate to plasma membranes, whereas the C2 domain did not. Direct effects of H2O2 on PKCγ were demonstrated using two-dimensional SDS-PAGE. Results demonstrated that PKCγ formed disulfide bonds in response to H2O2. H2O2-activated PKCγ was targeted into caveolin-1- and connexin 43-containing lipid rafts, and the PKCγ phosphorylated the connexin 43 gap junction proteins on Ser-368. This resulted in disassembly of connexin 43 gap junction plaques and decreased gap junction activity. Results suggested that H2O2 caused oxidation of the C1 domain, activation of the PKCγ, and inhibition of gap junctions. This inhibition of gap junctions could provide a protection to cells against oxidative stress.
Fitness of the hover flies Episyrphus balteatus and Eupeodes corollae faced with limited larval prey

Differences in adult oviposition behavior of the aphidophagous hover flies Episyrphus balteatus (De Geer) and Eupeodes corollae (F.) (Diptera: Syrphidae) led us to formulate and test hypotheses concerning their larval behaviour. In laboratory experiments, larval E. balteatus lived longer when starved than larval E. corollae, and this difference increased with age at which starvation commenced. Larval E. balteatus crawled faster than larval E. corollae, and this difference increased under starvation. Limited aphid supply reduced larval and pupal survival more for E. corollae than for E. balteatus. However, the effect of limited aphid supply on adult body size did not differ for the two species. E. balteatus oviposition and larval behavior make it a more promising candidate for introducing to control Diuraphis noxia (Mordwilko) (Homoptera: Aphididae) where this aphid has become an exotic pest.
Do Drone Strikes Degrade Al Qaeda? Evidence From Propaganda Output

The United States has used unmanned, aerial vehicles—drones—to launch attacks on militants associated with Al Qaeda and other violent groups based in Pakistan. The goal is to degrade the target's capacity to undertake political and violent action. We assess the effectiveness of drone strikes in achieving this goal, measuring degradation as the capacity of Al Qaeda to generate and disseminate propaganda. Propaganda is a key output of many terrorist organizations and a long-standing priority for Al Qaeda. Unlike other potential measures of terrorist group activity and capacity, propaganda output can be observed and measured. If drone strikes have degraded Al Qaeda, their occurrence should be correlated with a reduction in the organization's propaganda output. The analysis presented here finds little evidence that this is the case. Drone strikes have not impaired Al Qaeda's ability to generate propaganda.
Hypoxia promotes satellite cell self-renewal and enhances the efficiency of myoblast transplantation

Microenvironmental oxygen (O2) regulates stem cell activity, and a hypoxic niche with low oxygen levels has been reported in multiple stem cell types. Satellite cells are muscle-resident stem cells that maintain the homeostasis and mediate the regeneration of skeletal muscles. We demonstrate here that hypoxic culture conditions favor the quiescence of satellite cell-derived primary myoblasts by upregulating Pax7, a key regulator of satellite cell self-renewal, and downregulating MyoD and myogenin. During myoblast division, hypoxia promotes asymmetric self-renewal divisions and inhibits asymmetric differentiation divisions without affecting the overall rate of proliferation. Mechanistic studies reveal that hypoxia activates the Notch signaling pathway, which subsequently represses the expression of miR-1 and miR-206 through canonical Hes/Hey proteins, leading to increased levels of Pax7. More importantly, hypoxia conditioning enhances the efficiency of myoblast transplantation and the self-renewal of implanted cells. Given the robust effects of hypoxia on maintaining the quiescence and promoting the self-renewal of cultured myoblasts, we predict that oxygen levels in the satellite cell niche play a central role in precisely balancing quiescence versus activation, and self-renewal versus differentiation, in muscle stem cells in vivo.
Effects of electrolytic and 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the lateral hypothalamus on rotation evoked by electrical stimulation of the substantia nigra in rats.

Abstract Contralateral rotation evoked by electrical stimulation of the left substantia nigra was studied in rats before and after electrolytic or 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the lateral hypothalamus. Electrolytic lesions (2 mA DC, 15 sec) which produced mean ipsilateral striatal dopamine depletion of 58% significantly reduced the rotation at 2 h to 14 days postlesion. 6-OHDA (8 μg in 4 μl) which produced mean ipsilateral striatal dopamine depletion of 93% significantly increased the rotation at 3 to 14 days postlesion. Haloperidol 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg i.p. partially reduced rotation in both control and lesioned rats in a dose-related manner. Control and lesioned rats showed no sognificant differences in haloperidol sensitivity. If stimulus induced rotation were mediated by activation of dopaminergic neurons, one would have expected lesion effects in the present experiments to parallel those on rotation caused by pharmacologically evoked release of dopamine. The lesion effects we obtained on stimulus induced rotation, however, parallel those on rotation evoked by the predominantly directly acting dopamine agonist, apomorphine, rather than those on rotation evoked by the indirect (presynaptic) action of amphetamine. We suggest that contralateral rotation evoked by electrical stimulation of the substantia nigra may reflect direct activation of neurons postsynaptic to the dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons.
Semi‐Synthetic Mithramycin SA Derivatives with Improved AntiCancer Activity

Mithramycin (MTM) is a potent anti-cancer agent that has recently garnered renewed attention. This manuscript describes the design and development of mithramycin derivatives through a combinational approach of biosynthetic analogue generation followed by synthetic manipulation for further derivatization. Mithramycin SA is a previously discovered analogue produced by the M7W1 mutant strain alongside the improved mithramycin analogues mithramycin SK and mithramycin SDK. Mithramycin SA shows decreased anti-cancer activity compared to mithramycin and has a shorter, two carbon aglycon side chain that is terminated in a carboxylic acid. The aglycon side chain is responsible for an interaction with the DNA-phosphate backbone as mithramycin interacts with its target DNA. It was therefore decided to further functionalize this side chain through reactions with the terminal carboxylic acid in an effort to enhance the interaction with the DNA phosphate backbone and improve the anti-cancer activity. This side chain was modified with a variety of molecules increasing the anti-cancer activity to a comparable level to mithramycin SK. This work shows the ability to transform the previously useless mithramycin SA into a valuable molecule and opens the door to further functionalization and semi-synthetic modification for the development of molecules with increased specificity and/or drug formulation.
Cytogenetics in the Dog and Cat

Abstract— Cytogenetic studies in the dog and cat may be of clinical value in cases involving congenital abnormalities and cancer. This paper reviews briefly the techniques used in cytogenetics and describes studies in cases of canine congenital cardiac defects, achondroplasia, sexual anomalies, venereal sarcoma and lymphosarcoma; and feline cerebellar hypoplasia, sexual anomalies and lymphoma. Resume— Les travaux portant sur la cytologie et les chromosomes, chez le chien et le chat, peuvent avoir un interet clinique dans des cas de malfomations congenitales, et sur le cancer. Cet article passe en revue les techniques cytoyenetiques, et decrit des cas de malformation cardiaque chez le chien, d'achondroplastie, des anomalites, sexeulles des sarcoma veneriens, des lymphosarcomes, et des atrophies cerebelleuses. Zusammenfassung— Das Studium der Chromosonen von Hunden und Katzen ist eine Hilfe bei Geburtsanomalien und bei bosartigen Erkrankungen. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt kun die gebrauchliche Technik und deren Anwendung bei den angeborenen Henfehlern, der Chondro-dysplasie, den Entwicklungsstonmgen und dem Sarkom des Geschlechtsapparates, dem Lympho-sarkom des Hundes und bei der cerebellaren Hypoplasie, den Geschlechtsapparatanomalien und dem Lymphom der Katze.
Direct comparison of turbulent burning velocity and flame surface properties in turbulent premixed flames

Abstract Direct comparison of the turbulent burning velocity (obtained from flame speeds) to the flame perimeter ratio has been made in turbulent premixed flames propagating freely downward for propane/air mixtures at various equivalence ratios, with u′/S L of ranging from 1.4 to 5.3. The turbulent flame speed ranged from 2.6 to about 7 times the laminar flame speed at high turbulence intensities, while the flame perimeter ratio ranges from 1.4 to 3.3. In the current freely propagating flames, the global flame curvature can lead to an enhancement of the flame speed by a factor of up to 3.5. This global flame curvature is attributable to the wall heat loss in the current burner configuration, and flame brush thickness has been used as a measure of the global flame curvature. For flames involving coupling of the globally curved flame geometry with flow divergence or any flow non-uniformity, correcting for this geometrical effect requires a careful consideration of the flame topology and flow field. The difference between the observed flame speed and the 2-D flame perimeter ratio, after correcting for the global flame curvature effect, is attributed to the fact that the flame wrinkles in three-dimensions are associated with a larger flame surface area than that determined from the flame perimeter ratio data. This also points to a need to better understand the 3-D geometrical effects including the global flame curvature and the local flame wrinkle structure in turbulent premixed flames. The observed turbulent flame speed data for the most part follow the flame speed models of Bray and Damkohler, wherein the flame surface area increase is modeled as a function of turbulence and thermochemical properties. The above results, taken together, indicate that the fundamental assumption that the turbulent flame speed depends primarily on the increased flame surface area is valid. This concept can be used to estimate the turbulent flame speed within reasonable accuracy provided that the 3-D flame effects associated with the global flame curvature and local flame wrinkle structure are considered.Keywords: Turbulent premixed flames, Flame speed, Flame surface, Burning velocity
Calmodulin structure refined at 1.7 Å resolution

Abstract We have determined and refined the crystal structure of a recombinant calmodulin at 1.7 A resolution. The structure was determined by molecular replacement, using the 2.2 A published native bovine brain structure as the starting model. The final crystallographic R-factor, using 14,469 reflections in the 10.0 to 1.7 A range with structure factors exceeding 0.5σ, is 0.216. Bond lengths and bond angle distances have root-mean-square deviations from ideal values of 0.009 A and 0.032 A, respectively. The final model consists of 1279 non-hydrogen atoms, including four calcium ions, 1130 protein atoms, including three Asp118 side-chain atoms in double conformation, 139 water molecules and one ethanol molecule. The electron densities for residues 1 to 4 and 148 of calmodulin are poorly defined, and not included in our model, except for main-chain atoms of residue 4. The calmodulin structure from our crystals is very similar to the earlier 2.2 A structure described by Babu and coworkers with a root-mean-square deviation of 0.36 A. Calmodulin remains a dumb-bell-shaped molecule, with similar lobes and connected by a central α-helix. Each lobe contains three α-helices and two Ca2+ binding EF hand loops, with a short antiparallel β-sheet between adjacent EF hand loops and one non-EF hand loop. There are some differences in the structure of the central helix. The crystal packing is extensively studied, and facile crystal growth along the z-axis of the triclinic crystals is explained. Herein, we describe hydrogen bonding in the various secondary structure elements and hydration of calmodulin.
Vibrationally excited NO tagging by NO(A^2Σ^+) fluorescence and quenching for simultaneous velocimetry and thermometry in gaseous flows

We present measurements demonstrating simultaneous determination of velocity and temperature using a variant of the Vibrationally Excited Nitric Oxide Monitoring (VENOM) technique that does not employ NO2. The variant is based on tagging by electronic excitation of NO in the A2Σ1/2+(v′=0)←X2Π1/2(v′′=0) band and subsequent formation of vibrationally excited NO(X2Π) by spontaneous emission and collisional quenching. Sequential planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging of the nascent NO(X2Π,v′′=1) was used to obtain spatially resolved average streamwise velocity and rotational/translational temperature. The temperature determination using this approach extends the applicability of the VENOM technique to low-density, high-speed flows, where slow thermalization of the tagged molecules represents a limiting factor.
Magnetite reveals ambient field strength at low temperatures

Magnetite (Fe3O4) is the most important and oldest known magnetic mineral on Earth (Figure l). We have come a long way from the magnetite loadstone compasses of ancient China; magnetite and titanomagnetite have been established as the principal carriers of geologically important remanent magnetizations in rocks, the study of which led to the plate tectonic paradigm. We now recognize that magnetite plays an important role in the biosphere. Some organisms contain intra-cellular particles of Fe3O4 that they use for spatial orientation and navigation. When preserved in rocks, these particles—called “magnetofossils”— can provide important insight into the origin and development of life here, and perhaps, on other planets [e.g., Thomas-Keprta et al., 2000]. Magnetite is now used in the medical field and in nanotechnology research. Nanoparticles of magnetite are used as a contrasting agent in magnetic resonance imaging and are being developed to deliver site-specific drugs for the treatment of cancer [Alexiou et al., 2000]. Such applications add to a long list of industrial uses of magnetite that range from magnetic ink to magnetic recording media.
A markov decision process model for the optimal dispatch of military medical evacuation assets

We develop a Markov decision process (MDP) model to examine aerial military medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) dispatch policies in a combat environment. The problem of deciding which aeromedical asset to dispatch to each service request is complicated by the threat conditions at the service locations and the priority class of each casualty event. We assume requests for MEDEVAC support arrive sequentially, with the location and the priority of each casualty known upon initiation of the request. The United States military uses a 9-line MEDEVAC request system to classify casualties as being one of three priority levels: urgent, priority, and routine. Multiple casualties can be present at a single casualty event, with the highest priority casualty determining the priority level for the casualty event. Moreover, an armed escort may be required depending on the threat level indicated by the 9-line MEDEVAC request. The proposed MDP model indicates how to optimally dispatch MEDEVAC helicopters to casualty events in order to maximize steady-state system utility. The utility gained from servicing a specific request depends on the number of casualties, the priority class for each of the casualties, and the locations of both the servicing ambulatory helicopter and casualty event. Instances of the dispatching problem are solved using a relative value iteration dynamic programming algorithm. Computational examples are used to investigate optimal dispatch policies under different threat situations and armed escort delays; the examples are based on combat scenarios in which United States Army MEDEVAC units support ground operations in Afghanistan.
Whole body hyperthermia and heat-sensitizing drugs: A pilot study in canine lymphoproliferative disease

Thirteen dogs were entered into a pilot study to assess the toxicities associated with polyamine biosynthetic enzyme inhibitors as heat sensitizing drugs and whole body hyperthermia either alone or in combination. Disease-free and tumour-bearing animals were entered in an effort to assess the response of canine lymphoproliferative disorders as well. Conclusions reached were as follows. (1) A large tumour burden precludes treatment. (2) Liver involvement and decreased platelet numbers would appear to offer a grave prognosis for survival and should be assessed closely in determining eligibility. (3) Polyamine biosynthetic enzyme inhibitors and whole body hyperthermia appear to be tumouricidal alone or in combination, although less effective and with greater toxicities than accepted chemotherapeutic regimens. (4) Heat sensitization in vivo has not yet been demonstrated.
The effectiveness of a gaze cue depends on the facial expression of emotion: Evidence from simultaneous competing cues

The gaze of a fearful face should be a particularly effective cue to attention; it allows one to rapidly allocate attention to potential threats. Prior data from investigations of this issue have been mixed. We report a novel method in which the gazes of two faces simultaneously cued different directions. Across trials, the emotion expressed by each face varied between happy, neutral, and fearful. Results showed that attention followed a fearful gaze when it competed with a neutral gaze but did not consistently follow a happy gaze when it competed with a neutral gaze. These results suggest that fear moderates the effectiveness of gaze cuing, and we present a parsimonious account that reconciles previously inconsistent data. We also found that presenting a fearful and a happy face simultaneously eliminates this effect, suggesting that emotional expressions interact in ways that may be important for understanding how emotional stimuli influence attention in more complex environments.
Simultaneous Use Of Class-i And Class-ii Force Fields In CHARMM For Solid-liquid Multiphase Simulation Of Protein-surface Interaction

An appropriate understanding of conformational and behavioral changes of proteins upon their adsorption to synthetic surfaces is of crucial importance in the development of biomaterials because the changes play a governing role in determining cellular responses to implanted materials and substrates for tissue engineering. A detailed analysis of molecular behavior is key to such an understanding, and classical molecular dynamic (MD) simulation is one of the direct methods of addressing this issue. However, one of the challenges in using MD simulation is that class-I force fields (CHARMM, AMBER, OPLS, etc.) that have been parameterized for proteins are not suitable for polymers (i.e., polymer crystal structure not maintained during simulation) and extensive class-II force fields (CFF, PCFF, COMPASS, etc.) have not been parameterized for use in proteins. We have extended the CHARMM code so as to use a dedicated class-I force field for the protein, a class-II force field (image bond extended CFF, or newly implemented PCFF) for the polymer surfaces, and tuned electrostatic and van der Waals parameters for the interphase interaction. Results will be presented on the insufficiency of class-I force field for polymers and the suitability of the use of dual (one class-I and one class-II) force fields for solid-liquid interphase interactions relevant for protein adsorption on PLA polymers.
Time reversal for unstable particles

Abstract The time reversal operator (T) for unstable particles is defined such that the fact of decay of the particle is not mistaken for a dynamical violation of T in the decay. This definition is not valid where the medium in which the decay takes place may have its own intrinsic T violation. Based on this limitation, some effort is made to restrict the conclusions drawn from apparent T violation in K meson decay.
Cerebral radionecrosis: incidence and risk in relation to dose, time, fractionation and volume

Abstract The authors irradiated 152 patients with primary brain and pituitary tumors from 1974 to 1976. Seven of 139 patients (5%) who received 4500 rad or greater using 180 to 200 rad fractions, developed pathologically documented cerebral radionecrosis within a median time of 14 months after completion of irradiation. The necrosis was documented by autopsy in four patients, at reoperation in two and after needle biopsy in one. It was located in the brain, distant from the original tumor in three patients, adjacent to tumor in two, and within the tumor bed in two. The latter two were classified as radionecrosis because one patient died with only minimal tumor remaining and the other patient deteriorated neurologically and stabilized after removal of the necrotic mass. On clinical grounds, we suspect that two additional patients had radiation damage to the brain, because they deteriorated neurologically without neuroradiologic evidence of tumor. Study of computerized tomography (CT) scans and superimposed dose distributions showed that necrosis was mot always within the zone of highest dose (3 patients). Risk of radionecrosis was greatest in the upper regions of dose but could not be associated with shorter time, larger fractions, or larger field size. Pathologically documented radionecrosis of brain did not develop below doses that were biologically equivalent to 5400 rad in 30 fractions over 42 days.
Incompressible, metallic and insulating states of two-dimensional systems: Recent experiments

This paper provides a brief summary of some recent experimental results regarding the states of two-dimensional electron systems at high magnetic fields. The states include the incompressible, quantum Hall liquid at integer and fractional Landau-level fillings, the metallic-like state of the flux-particle composite Fermions at half-filling and the insulating phase at low fillings. Some unifying features of these states and their interrelation are also discussed.
Behavior of a reverse osmosis plant adopting a brine conversion two-stage process and its computer simulation

Abstract A new scheme of reverse osmosis seawater desalination, which is called a brine conversion two-stage process, has been proposed by Toray Industries. In this process, a second-stage is added to a conventional RO unit, and the concentrated brine from the unit is further desalinated at the second-stage to increase the water recovery ratio over 40 up to 60%. The recovered energy from the first-stage brine is used to pump the feed to the second-stage up to approximately 10 MPa. For this purpose, a new membrane, UTC-80BCM, has been developed besides a conventional UTC-80. A test plant based on this scheme (210 m3/day) was built at Ehime factory, Toray, Inc. and was run under a wide range of operation conditions. In this paper, the results of these membrane properties and the mass transfer coefficients of each spiral-type element are reported. Using these data, we found that a computer program, which was developed previously, could simulate the behavior of the new scheme, when appropriate temperature and pressure corrections were adopted.
Photorefractive mechanisms in liquid crystal and polymer composites

High performance photorefractive polymer composites have been reported to possess large gain coefficients, high diffraction efficiencies, and short response times. [l, 2]
Geophysical characteristics of ocean crust: IPOD candidate site PAC 5, central eastern Pacific Ocean basin☆

Abstract A 1° -square (12,363 km3) area of the eastern Pacific Ocean centered on 21° 30′N and 126° 30′W (PAC 5) was surveyed in orthogonal grid fashion in order to provide geophysical data from which to select optimum sites for IPOD drilling. Interpretation of the magnetic anomalies in the survey area suggests that either asymmetric seafloor spreading occurred there or that a former spreading center migrated approximately 200 km to the west. Seismic-reflection and -refraction profiles show the survey area to be typically oceanic in structure. In places, thick accumulations of acoustically reverberant material fill depressions in oceanic basement (layer 2B), attesting to some process of modification of oceanic crust by sedimentation and (or) volcanic flows.
Dental Students’ Perceptions of Self-Efficacy and Cultural Competence with School-Based Programs

This study explored perceptions of first-year dental students’ self-efficacy, cultural competence, and intent to provide care in school-based settings before and after the completion of an oral health educational rotation with inner-city public school children. The oral health educational rotation is mandatory for all first-year dental students at Marquette University School of Dentistry (MUSoD). Pre- and post-rotation surveys on perceptions of self-efficacy, cultural competence, and intent to provide care in school-based settings were administered online to first-year dental students at MUSoD. The pre- and post-rotation survey response rates were 75 percent and 70 percent, respectively. The percentages of students reporting a dentist as a family member in the pre and post surveys were 36.7 percent and 39.3 percent, respectively. Students who reported having a dentist as a family member had significantly higher adjusted odds for self-efficacy (1.73, CI: 1.06–2.84) and cultural competence (2.03, 95 percent CI: 1.03–4.00). Dental students’ participation in a mandatory oral health education rotation was associated with an increase in self-efficacy and cultural competence, but not with their intent to provide dental care in school-based settings.
A Critique of Sumner's Account of Welfare

Wayne Sumner, in the first six chapters of his excellent book Welfare, Happiness and Ethics, argues for what he calls an authentic life satisfaction theory of welfare. Somewhat generally, Sumner's theory of welfare is a sophisticated subjective account that treats one's happiness of a certain sort, and in the right conditions, as enhancing one's welfare. In this essay, I critically explore Sumner's account of welfare. I argue that Sumner's arguments for his own account of welfare, when followed to their logical conclusion, support a position which is slightly, but significantly, different from his own position. Additionally, I argue that Sumner's account of welfare has several counter-intuitive implications. I conclude that his account is seriously flawed.