cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic Knockouts Indicate That the ABCC2 Protein in the Bollworm Helicoverpa zea Is Not a Major Receptor for the Cry1Ac Insecticidal Protein

Members of the insect ATP binding cassette transporter subfamily C2 (ABCC2) in several moth species are known as receptors for the Cry1Ac insecticidal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Mutations that abolish the functional domains of ABCC2 are known to cause resistance to Cry1Ac, although the reported levels of resistance vary widely depending on insect species. In this study, the function of the ABCC2 gene as a putative Cry1Ac receptor in Helicoverpa zea, a major pest of over 300 crops, was evaluated using CRISPR/Cas9 to progressively eliminate different functional ABCC2 domains. Results from bioassays with edited insect lines support that mutations in ABCC2 were associated with Cry1Ac resistance ratios (RR) ranging from 7.3- to 39.8-fold. No significant differences in susceptibility to Cry1Ac were detected between H. zea with partial or complete ABCC2 knockout, although the highest levels of tolerance were observed when knocking out half of ABCC2. Based on >500–1000-fold RRs reported in similar studies for closely related moth species, the low RRs observed in H. zea knockouts support that ABCC2 is not a major Cry1Ac receptor in this insect.
Enhancing Work Zone Capacity by a Cooperative Late Merge System Using Decentralized and Centralized Control Strategies

AbstractThis paper explores the efficiency of a novel merging system based on a cooperative late merge strategy (CLMS) to mitigate the capacity reduction in work zones due to lane closure. Cooperat...
SU-E-T-361: Energy Dependent Radiation/light-Field Misalignment On Truebeam Linear Accelerator

Purpose: Verifying the co-incidence of the radiation and light field is recommended by TG-142 for monthly and annual checks. On a digital accelerator, it is simple to verify that beam steering settings are consistent with accepted and commissioned values. This fact should allow for physicists to verify radiation-light-field co-incidence for a single energy and accept that Result for all energies. We present a case where the radiation isocenter deviated for a single energy without any apparent modification to the beam steering parameters. Methods: The radiation isocenter was determined using multiple Methods: Gafchromic film, a BB test, and radiation profiles measured with a diode. Light-field borders were marked on Gafchromic film and then irradiated for all photon energies. Images of acceptance films were compared with films taken four months later. A phantom with a radio-opaque BB was aligned to isocenter using the light-field and imaged using the EPID for all photon energies. An unshielded diode was aligned using the crosshairs and then beam profiles of multiple field sizes were obtained. Field centers were determined using Omni-Pro v7.4 software, and compared to similar scans taken during commissioning. Beam steering parameter files were checked against backups to determine that the steering parameters were unchanged. Results: There were no differences between the configuration files from acceptance. All three tests demonstrated that a single energy had deviated from accepted values by 0.8 mm in the inline direction. The other two energies remained consistent with previous measurements. The deviated energy was re-steered to be within our clinical tolerance. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that radiation-light-field coincidence is an energy dependent effect for modern linacs. We recommend that radiation-light-field coincidence be verified for all energies on a monthly basis, particularly for modes used to treat small fields, as these may drift without influencing results from other tests.
Making products usable: closing the gap between what products can do and what users know how to do with them

Obstacles to functional accessibility and ways to overcome these obstacles are described. The provision of accessibility by designing a front-end interface is considered, and the development of a theory of functionally accessible design is discussed. It is pointed out that designing products today challenges one to provide a great deal of function in such a way that it can be easily used. Both high function and ease of use are important to product sales and customer satisfaction, and they are not always easy to combine. It is concluded that one must tell people how to apply complex functions, yet one knows that few people read directions except as a last resort. >
VLSI interconnect modeling at multi-GHz frequencies incorporating inductance

Due to decreasing device sizes and increasing clock speed, the interconnect delay is the dominant factor in clock skew. This delay has been extracted as the RC component in available EDA tools. In this paper, we model the interconnect as RLC components for systems running at multi-GHz clock speeds. A static extraction analysis method, optimized for VLSI, is detailed which considers all the lines within the vicinity of the target line as return paths. Novel formulas are presented for parallel and series RLC circuit reduction. Results characterization and future research areas are also discussed.
Donor impact ionization and electron heating in a superlattice

Abstract Impact ionization of donors in a GaAs/Al x Ga 1−x As superlattice is observed when an electric field above a threshold value is applied parallel to the growth direction. Impact ionization arises from the electric field-induced heating of electrons in the superlattice to energies above the donor binding energy. The threshold electric field for impact ionization is a strong function of magnetic field which is applied parallel to the current. The effect of the magnetic field is to increase the donor binding energy which then requires higher energy electrons and, correspondingly, higher electric fields for impact ionization. The electric field dependence of the mean electron energy is gleaned from the impact ionization data. We find that the electrons are heated well above the predicted miniband width of the superlattice which indicates that the transport proceeds by resonant tunneling between lifetime-broadened quantum levels.
Frequency noise reduction in erbium doped fibre Bragg grating lasers using active electronic feedback

We present an erbium doped fibre laser (EDFL) in a MOPA (master oscillator power amplifier) configuration with intensity and frequency noise reduction using electronic feedback techniques. The intensity noise is suppressed using feedback to the pump diode current and the frequency noise is suppressed by locking the laser emission to a fibre interferometer and applying a feedback signal through laser cavity strain using a piezo-electric element.
Zinc inhibition of monomeric and dimeric proton channels suggests cooperative gating

Voltage-gated proton channels are strongly inhibited by Zn2+, which binds to His residues. However, in a molecular model, the two externally accessible His are too far apart to coordinate Zn2+. We hypothesize that high-affinity Zn2+ binding occurs at the dimer interface between pairs of His residues from both monomers. Consistent with this idea, Zn2+ effects were weaker in monomeric channels. Mutation of His193 and His140 in various combinations and in tandem dimers revealed that channel opening was slowed by Zn2+ only when at least one His was present in each monomer, suggesting that in wild-type (WT) HV1, Zn2+ binding between His of both monomers inhibits channel opening. In addition, monomeric channels opened exponentially, and dimeric channels opened sigmoidally. Monomeric channel gating had weaker temperature dependence than dimeric channels. Finally, monomeric channels opened 6.6 times faster than dimeric channels. Together, these observations suggest that in the proton channel dimer, the two monomers are closely apposed and interact during a cooperative gating process. Zn2+ appears to slow opening by preventing movement of the monomers relative to each other that is prerequisite to opening. These data also suggest that the association of the monomers is tenuous and allows substantial freedom of movement. The data support the idea that native proton channels are dimeric. Finally, the idea that monomer–dimer interconversion occurs during activation of phagocytes appears to be ruled out.
Dielectric Relaxation of Dipole-Inverted Polar Polymers As Studied by Computer Simulations

We use molecular dynamics simulations to examine the dielectric relaxation of polar macromolecules with dipoles parallel to the chain backbone. Analysis of the simulation trajectories closely follows the treatment of Watanabe and co-workers for experimental results of dipole-inverted cis- polyisoprene solutions (Macromolecules 1995, 28, 6443). The important observable quantity in experiments and simulations is the dielectric loss spectrum ''(ˆ), whose shape reflects the distribution of relaxation processes for the global chain motion. The observed broadening of the spectra with increasing polymer concentration, classically attributed to overlapping of the chains, is analyzed quantitatively using a local correlation function C(n,t;m) ) 1/a2 〈u(n,t)‚u(m,0)〉, where u(n,t) is the bond vector of the nth segment of the chain at time t, and a 2 ) 〈u 2 〉. At long times, C(n,t;m) can be expanded as a sum of its eigenmodes: C(n,t;m) ) 2/N∑ p)1 n fp(n)fp(m) exp(-t/Up), where N is the size of the chain and Up and fp are the relaxation time and the eigenfunction of the pth mode. From simulations we calculate the time correlation functions and dielectric loss spectra of multi-inverted and asymmetrically inverted polar polymers. We compute the relaxation times Up and the eigenfunctions of C(t,n;m). The relaxation times follow a power-law dependence Up ∝ p-A, with A = 2.08, and the ratios Up/U1 remain independent of the concentration, a behavior predicted by the Rouse model. On the other hand, the dependence of fp on n deviates progressively with increasing density from the Rouse model sinusoidal prediction. The results reveal that the broadening of the spectra is a result of changes in the distribution of eigenmodes (fp), and not in the relaxation time span A. Our findings are consistent with the experimental observations, clearly demonstrating the adequacy of simulations for investigating the dynamic behavior of macromolecular systems.
The Effect of Diurnal Sea Surface Temperature Warming on Climatological Air–Sea Fluxes

AbstractDiurnal sea surface warming affects the fluxes of latent heat, sensible heat, and upwelling longwave radiation. Diurnal warming most typically reaches maximum values of 3°C, although very localized events may reach 7°–8°C. An analysis of multiple years of diurnal warming over the global ice-free oceans indicates that heat fluxes determined by using the predawn sea surface temperature can differ by more than 100% in localized regions over those in which the sea surface temperature is allowed to fluctuate on a diurnal basis. A comparison of flux climatologies produced by these two analyses demonstrates that significant portions of the tropical oceans experience differences on a yearly average of up to 10 W m−2. Regions with the highest climatological differences include the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, as well as the equatorial western and eastern Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the western coasts of Central America and North Africa. Globally the difference is on average 4.45 W m−2. The...
New australopithecine endocast, SK 1585, from Swartkrans, South Africa

The new SK 1585 endocast, found by Dr. Brain at Swartkrans, 1966, is that of a robust australopithecine, matching the endocast of the Olduvai Hominid 5 in volume, and being almost identical to it in morphology. Aside from Olduvai Hominid 5 it is the only robust australopithecine endocast complete enough to permit easy reconstruction, as only a small portion of the frontal lobe is missing. While the gyral and sulcal patterns are not clear, there are a number of features indicating that the brain is not that of a pongid, but that is has been reorganized to a hominid pattern, particularly the occipital, parietal, and temporal lobes.
Prevalence of Bloom syndrome heterozygotes among Ashkenazi Jews.

This work was funded in part by a grant from the National Foundation for Jewish Genetic Diseases. We thank Dr. Robert Pergolizzi (North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY), for the automated sequencing, and the NIGMS Human Genetic Mutant Cell Repository (Camden, NJ), for generously supplying the control cell lines used in this study.
Siyamfenguza: The Creation of Fingo-ness in South Africa's Eastern Cape, 1800–1835

This article explores the origins of Fingo (Mfengu) identity in South Africa's Eastern Cape. While observers have generally understood the Fingo as an ethnic group, this article argues that Fingo-ness developed out of a lifestyle and worldview that emphasised agriculture and trade, and rejected established systems of Xhosa authority. The participation of men in farming activities, as well as attempts to engage in trade outside the control of chiefs, constituted a significant break with social practice by those who identified as Fingo, who, in challenging widely accepted standards of Xhosa-ness, were perceived by many Xhosa (and especially Xhosa chiefs) as anti-social and supernaturally dangerous. The idiom of witchcraft therefore became essential in marking out the distinctions between Fingo and Xhosa identities. While the 1835 frontier war saw the movement of the Fingo into the Cape Colony, the contours of Fingo-ness had already been established in the context of Xhosaland.
Cholinesterase and Glutamic Decarboxylase Levels in the Brain of the Hibernating Hamster

LITTLE information is available concerning the biochemistry of the brain of the hibernating animal although a considerable amount of data has been reported concerning the electrophysiology. Hibernating animals respond to stimuli with cries, positional changes and arousal1; but conspicuous activity was reported to be absent in the electrocorticogram of the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) during arousal until body temperatures reached 19°–21° (ref. 2). Recordings from sub-cortical areas showed electrical activity at lower temperatures to be largely confined to the limbic system3, while in the awakening European hamster (Cricetus cricetus) there was a sequence of increasing electrical activity with rising body temperature from mesencephalon to neocortex4. Cortical and sub-cortical neuronal activity has been recorded in the ground squirrel during deep hibernation, but only at 10 per cent of the amplitude found in the awakened brain1. It therefore seemed of interest to determine whether changes in enzyme systems of particular significance to the nervous system, such as cholinesterase and glutamic decarboxylase, occurred in the hibernating brain concomitantly with these electrophysiological phenomena.
Phase shift element for Blu-ray Disc/DVD compatibility

The concept of the optical design and the experimental results of the Phase Shift Element for Blu-ray Disc and DVD compatibility are described.
Dynamic Rheological Properties of Wheat Starch-Gluten Doughs

ABSTRACT Flour-water doughs made from strong and weak flours were tested using a dynamic rheometer with cone-and-plate geometry. Flour was fractionated to determine what component or components were responsible for the dynamic rheological properties (elastic modulus [G′], viscous modulus [G″], and tan δ [G′/G″]) values. Doughs made from strong flour had lower tan δ values than medium or weak flours. The isolated starch or gluten fraction was combined with vital wheat gluten or commercial wheat starch. Only Larned starch gave doughs that were significantly different in dynamic rheological properties from dough made with other starches. The gluten isolated from strong flours gave doughs that were significantly different from doughs made with gluten isolated from weak flours. Reconstituted flours containing starch, gluten, and various amounts of lyophilized water-solubles were tested. Addition of water solubles decreased the elastic modulus and dramatically shortened optimum mixing time of the reconstituted ...
Detection of Cypress Canopies in the Florida Panhandle Using Subpixel Analysis and GIS

In this study, multitemporal subpixel analysis was used to identify cypress canopies from Landsat 7 ETM+ imagery. One spring and one fall image were selected for each of two sites, an eastern one centered on Tallahassee, FL and a western one centered on Panama City, FL. Signatures derived from the two eastern images were applied on the two western images that served as the control images for accuracy assessment. Results indicated that multitemporal subpixel analysis greatly improved the classification accuracy and signatures developed from one scene could be used to the subpixel classification of another scene with caution.
Structural, spectroscopic and electrochemical studies on a new Mo(VI) catecholate complex

Abstract The reaction of cis-[MoO2(C5H10NO)2] (C5H10NOH = 1-piperidinol) with benzene 1,2-diol(catechol) in CHCl3 leads to the formation of [MoO(C5H10NO)2(C6H4O2)], which has been characterized by X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.
Foundations of population genetics

Foundations of Mathematical Genetics. By A. W. F. Edwards. Pp. viii + 119. (Cambridge University: Cambridge, London and New York, 1977.) £5.80.
O18/O16 ratios of the Johnny Lyon granodiorite and Texas Canyon quartz monzonite plutons, Arizona, and their contact aureoles

O18/O16 ratios have been measured for 29 quartz samples, 6 whole-rocks, 3 muscovites, and 1 K-feldspar from two adjacent granitic plutons of vastly different age (about 1660 m.y, and 70 m.y.) intruded into the same type of country rock, the Precambrian Pinal schist. Sample traverses were made across 3 different contact zones of these intrusive bodies. Except for 2 quartz veins with δO18=+11.0 and + 12.3, all quartz samples collected more than 15 cm from the margin of the Early Tertiary Texas Canyon pluton are isotopically exceedingly uniform with δO18=9.47±0.11. Four quartz samples collected more than 10 m from the margin of the Precambrian Johnny Lyon pluton have δO18=10.43±0.08. Compared with previous studies of this type, only relatively minor O18-enrichments have occurred in the border zones of the plutons. This is in part because the original δO18 differences between the metasedimentary rocks and the intrusives are relatively small (only 3 to 6‰), but is mainly due to the lack of H2O in the contact zones during intrusion as a result of the general impermeability and prior dehydration of the schist. There is no isotopic evidence for significant influx of “external” H2O into either of the plutons during their crystallization and cooling. However, in roof-zones where metasedimentary rocks overlie the plutons there is a strong δO18 lowering in the contact metamorphic aureoles, indicating upward expulsion of low-O18 “magmatic” H2O into these rocks.
Changes in Funding and Governance of Catholic Elementary Education in the United States.

Catholic elementary education in the US is undergoing a radical transformation in terms of its mechanisms of financial support and governance structures. This article explores the dynamics, dating back to the 1950s, that have precipitated these changes, provides a description of the new funding and governance models, and provides a limited assessment of these models gleaned from anecdotal accounts and the limited research that exists on them. Each novel model represents an adaptive response to the challenge of operating a Catholic elementary school within a system that precludes significant governmental assistance to Catholic schools.
Altered prostanoid metabolism contributes to impaired angiogenesis in persistent pulmonary hypertension in a fetal lamb model.

Altered prostanoid metabolism contributes to impaired angiogenesis in persistent pulmonary hypertension in a fetal lamb model
Gustatory memory: incubation and interference.

The present study explored the mechanism by which gustatory memory is encoded by employing a simple biological test. The test was based on the fact that rats presented with a novel taste demonstrate a marked neophobia for that taste, and, upon subsequent exposures, increase their consumption of that taste. The results indicated that flavor intake in a test increased as time since prior exposure increased up to 6 hr, with the greatest increase occurring within 90 min. Gustatory memory was also found to be susceptible to interference from another novel flavor introduced at a delay of 0 min or 45 min, but not of 90 min. Some implications of the present data for conditioned taste aversions were discussed.
Application of Polya functions to electrical networks

Polya functions are a special class of time functions which are uniquely determined by their frequency domain transforms. In this paper, one‐sided, two‐sided and truncated Polya functions are defined and their application to electrical networks is described. It is shown that the impulse response properties of RC distributed networks can be obtained from properly defined Polya functions. Specifically, the application of the Polya functions to RC transmission lines and RC matched filters are discussed in more detail.
Percutaneous extracorporeal arteriovenous carbon dioxide removal improves survival in respiratory distress syndrome: A prospective randomized outcomes study in adult sheep

Abstract Objective: Arteriovenous carbon dioxide removal (AVCO 2 R) uses a simple arteriovenous shunt for CO 2 removal to minimize barotrauma/volutrauma from mechanical ventilation. We performed a prospective randomized outcomes study of AVCO 2 R in our new, clinically relevant model of respiratory distress syndrome. Methods: Adult sheep (n = 18) received an LD 50 severe smoke inhalation and 40% third-degree burn. When respiratory distress syndrome developed (PaO 2 /FIO 2 2 R (n = 9) or sham group (n = 9) for 7 days. Ventilator management protocols mandated reductions in minute ventilation, first tidal volume to peak inspiratory pressure less than 30 cm H 2 O, then respiratory rate when PaCO 2 was less than 40 mm Hg. PaO 2 was kept above 60 mm Hg by adjusting FIO 2 . When FIO 2 was 0.21, animals were weaned. Results: The study required 2946 animal-hours of critical care with 696 AVCO 2 R hours. One died in each group during model development. AVCO 2 R flow from 820 mL/min to 970 mL/min (11% to 14% cardiac output) removed CO 2 at a rate of 92 to 116 mL/min (mean 103 mL/min; 93%-97% of CO 2 production). Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, and pulmonary arterial wedge pressure remained relatively constant. Within 48 hours, AVCO 2 R allowed significant ventilator reductions versus baseline in the following measurements: tidal volume (420 to 270 mL), peak inspiratory pressure (25 to 14 cm H 2 O), minute ventilation (13 to 5 L/min), respiratory rate (26 to 16 breaths/min), and FIO 2 (0.88 to 0.35). Ventilator-free days with AVCO 2 R were 3.9 versus 0.2 ( P 2 R were 2.4 versus 6.2 ( P 2 R animals and 3 of 8 sham animals survived 7 days after randomization. Conclusions: Percutaneous AVCO 2 R achieved significant reduction in airway pressures, increased ventilator-free days, decreased ventilator-dependent days, and improved survival in a sheep model of respiratory distress syndrome. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;121:542-51)
Open-shell generalized perturbation theory

Abstract Open shell generalized perturbation theory (GPT) is a systematic scheme for the improvement of a multi-configurational zeroth order wavefunction that can be chosen so the lowest order corresponds to a sum-of-the-pairs- type theory of electron correlation (with or without pair-pair couplings) in the spirit of the theories of Kelly, Sinanoglu, and Nesbet for the single configurational case. Applications axe presented to the generalized perturbative solution for individual states and for the simultaneous solution for many nondegenerate states. The (2n+ 1)-rule of GPT and the interchange theorems of double Girl' are illustrated. A brief discussion is included concerning the use of GPT in ab initio evaluations of the true parameters that are customarily, only modeled and then fit to experiment in semi-empirical theories of molecular electronic structure. The conceptual value of expressing the results of ab initio calculations in terms of effective hamiltonians is stressed and the relationship between open shell GPT and other theories of electron correlation is also considered.
The effect totigestational exposure to methyl n-butyl ketone has on postnatal development and behavior

Abstract Chronic exposure of pregnant female Fischer 344 rats to methyl n-butyl ketone (MnBK) for 6 hr a day throughout the gestation was associated with a dose-response decrease in maternal weight gain, in pup weight at birth, in the number of pups born per litter, and in postnatal growth rate of the offspring. Treated offspring were able to cling to an inclined screen longer than control offspring at all ages except geriatric. Behavioral tests in most cases suggested that young offspring of treated dams were more active than control and that their geriatric counterparts were less active. Shock avoidance learning studies showed a decreased rate of avoidance learning in puberty-aged females and an increased random movement in both puberty-aged and adult treated offspring. Statistically significant treatment-related differences were also seen in some clinical chemistry tests and in pentobarbital sleeping times. However, no consistent age-related patterns were seen and the biologic significance of these latter observations is not clear. One might conclude from the data obtained that MnBK exposure is associated with hyperactivity in the young which leads to a possible premature aging in the geriatric.
A measure of agreement for use with the Holland classification system.

Abstract A measure of agreement for partially ordered data is suggested that makes use of the k categories with the highest ranks, the ranks of the remaining categories being disregarded. The proposed measure is applied to the Self-Directed Search in order to evaluate its agreement with occupational preference. Other forms of agreement in the Holland classification system can also be assessed by the proposed measure. Examples are congruence and husband-wife and counselor-client agreement.
A myoglobin mutant designed to mimic the oxygen-avid Ascaris suum hemoglobin: elucidation of the distal hydrogen bonding network by solution NMR

The solution 1H NMR structure of the active site and ligand dissociation rate for the cyanomet complex have been determined for a sperm whale myoglobin triple mutant Leu29(B10)-->Tyr, His64(E7)-->Gln, Thr67(E10)-->Arg that mimics the distal residue configuration of the oxygen-avid hemoglobin from Ascaris suum. A double mutant that retains Leu29(B10) was similarly investigated. Two-dimensional NMR analysis of the iron-induced dipolar shifts, together with the conserved proximal side structure for the two mutants, allowed the determination of the orientations of the paramagnetic susceptibility tensor for each complex. The resulting magnetic axes, together with paramagnetic relaxation and steady-state NOEs, led to a quantitative description of the distal residue orientations. The distal Tyr29(B10) in the triple mutant provides a strong hydrogen bond to the bound cyanide comparable to that provided by His64(E7) in wild-type myoglobin. The distal Gln64(E7) in the triple mutant is sufficiently close to the bound cyanide to severe as a hydrogen bond donor, but the angle is not consistent with a strong hydrogen bond. Dipolar contacts between the Arg67(E10) guanidinium group and the Gln64(E7) side chain in both mutants support a hydrogen-bond to the Gln64(E7) carbonyl group. The much lower oxygen affinity of this triple mutant relative to that of Ascaris hemoglobin is concluded to arise from side-chain orientations that do not allow hydrogen bonds between the Gln64(E7) side-chain NHs and both the ligand and Tyr29(B10) hydroxyl oxygen. Cyanide dissociation rates for the reduced cyanide complexes are virtually unaffected by the mutations and are consistent with a model of the rate-determining step as the intrinsically slow Fe-C bond breaking that is largely independent of any hydrogen bonds to the cyanide nitrogen.
Microspectrophotometric nuclear cycle analyses of Armillaria mellea

Absorption microspectrophotometry and fluorescence microspectrophotometry have been compared for their relative abilities to measure Feulgen-stained DNA in post fusion basidial nuclei of the basidiomycete Armillaria mellea. The variance of the fluorescence method is significantly lower than that of the absorption method (P < 0.001), and it is concluded that fluorescence is superior for analysis of small nuclei where data interpretation relies heavily on measuring levels of variability about the mean. F-DNA (Feulgen-stained nuclear DNA) was measured by fluorescence microspectrophotometry in four stages of the nuclear cycle of A. mellea. The nuclei of spores were haploid and unreplicated [mean F-DNA = 53.8, SE = 1.9 arbitrary units (a.u.)], nuclei of unmated, monosporous hyphae were haploid and replicated X = 84.1, SE = 1.6 a.u.), nuclei of prefusion basidial nuclei were haploid and replicated (X = 80.0, SE = 2.0 a.u.), and the nuclei of postfusion basidia were diploid and replicated (X = 166.4, SE = 1.7 a.u.). The basidial data indicated that DNA synthesis occurred during the nuclear cycle prior to fusion of basidial nuclei. There was no evidence of polyploidy in any of the nuclear cycle stages.
A New Carbonyl Compound from Piper methysticum Forst.

THE rhizomes of Piper methysticum Forst. are the raw material from which the Polynesians and other Pacific island peoples prepare their ceremonial (and soporific) beverage ‘awa (also known as kawa of kava-kava). The chemical constituents of ‘awa root were first studied over a hundred years ago, but the most extensive investigation was carried out by Borsche and co-workers1 some thirty years ago. While Borsche established the structure of several constituents, none of these compounds, curiously enough, was found to possess physiological activity. This negative result led to the surmise that activity is perhaps introduced during the preparation of the drink which involved chewing of the root2. Van Veen3 in 1938 showed that a substance, marindinin, was responsible for the drug action of ‘awa. Marindinin, however, was later shown to be identical with Borsche's dihydrokawain4 (I), a substance previously found to have no physiological activity5.
Generating fractals from Voronoi diagrams

Abstract This paper describes how to generate fractal patterns by recursively creating Voronoi diagrams on a set of points. These patterns resemble such things as leaf veins and roadmaps. By varying the degree of subdivision and the distribution of points, different output patterns can be obtained.
SU‐FF‐J‐24: An Optical Flow Based Motion Tracking Method Using Fluoroscopic Video

Purpose: To present an optical flow‐based method for tracking tumor motion and propose a noninvasive respiratory detection method using fluoroscopic video. Method and Materials: Fluoroscopic video of a patient is acquired. Only one frame is selected as the reference frame and objects in this frame are manually segmented. The motion of a segmented object is found by computing the average optical flow of pixels within the object. Optical flow provides a two‐dimensional motion vector for the displacement of pixels between two frames. The object is moved between frames by moving all pixels by the average velocity vector. Then the position of the object in the new frame is adjusted by applying a template matching algorithm. The algorithm moves the object over a search range of +/− 2 pixels. The object is placed at the position having the maximum correlation coefficient (CC) between the pixels in the original and new frames. This procedure is repeated to advance the object from frame to frame. Results:The outlines of tracked objects are viewed superimposed on the fluoroscopic videos. The outlines follow the general motion of the objects without drifting away for the approximately 30 seconds (300 images) and 8 respiratory cycles of a typical video. Objects that do not significantly deform are well tracked. The boundaries of objects that deform are not well described by the tracked outlines, however, the centroid motion of the objects is. The analysis yields the mean displacement of objects. As the distance an object moves away from the reference position increases, the CC decreases. A plot of the CC vs frame shows a sinusoidal curve with the breathing period as does the displacement plot, but with reversed phase. Conclusion: The mean motions of objects in fluoroscopic video are well tracked. The displacement and respiratory signal are also obtained.
Pretend You Are a Turtle: Children's Responses to Metaphorical versus Literal Relaxation Instructions

ABSTRACT Despite the widespread use of metaphors to teach relaxation, there is no research to explore whether children prefer and/or respond better to metaphorical compared to literal instructions. Thus, our primary goal was to investigate preference for and compliance with literal versus metaphorical instructions commonly used to teach relaxation to children. We exposed 33 non-clinical preschool children to both literal (e.g., squeeze your shoulders up to your ears) and metaphorical (e.g., pretend you are a turtle going into its shell) instructions. We assessed preferences by asking children to identify their “favorite” exercise(s), and coded compliance with instructions. Our results show that all children preferred metaphors to literal instructions. Although there was no overall difference in compliance to either set of instructions, compliance was high with both sets of instructions, and boys were more compliant with whichever instruction set was administered first. Our findings also suggest that inter...
Attention Deficit Democracy: The Paradox of Civic Engagement . By Ben Berger. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011. 216p. $35.00.

“Civic engagement” is the cornerstone of democracy, right? Everyone knows we need more civic engagement—everyone, that is, except Ben Berger, whose willingness to argue against convention, particularly when that convention is a key tenet of good governmentism, makes me reflexively sympathetic to his argument. Berger and I both attack foundational assumptions of conventional democratic thought, but we differ in our approaches. I base my arguments on economic theory and quantitative analysis, whereas he bases his arguments primarily on interpretations of canonical theorists, most importantly Hannah Arendt and Alexis de Tocqueville. Ultimately, I am convinced by Berger's argument that civic engagement is a messy concept that cannot be considered an “intrinsic good” for democracy, but like most formal theorists, I needed little convincing because the debate that he characterizes is remarkably similar to one that game theorists held some years ago, and resolved in the same direction. Ironically, then, he may face a more hostile audience from within his own subfield than outside of it.
Frequency-modulation detection of particle diffusion from heterodyne quasi-elastic light scattering

The Brownian/diffusive motion of micrometer-sized, suspended particles has been observed by using heterodyne light scattering with frequency-modulation (FM) detection and signal processing. The FM output is linear in the coherent velocity of the particles, with the random diffusive velocity component giving rise to background noise in the FM output. Experimental measurements of polystyrene latex spheres in water corroborate the predicted result for the signal-to-noise ratio. The noise component of the FM output was found to be independent of the particle number and, within the instrumental bandwidth, to be flat. Good quantitative agreement between the predicted and measured noise backgrounds was obtained for particle diameters from 0.5 to 50 μm.
Regression of an enchondroma: a case report and proposed etiology

Enchondromas are common benign bone lesions that are found in the medullary cavity of tubular bones, usually at the metaphysis. Regression is highly unusual, and loss of matrix mineralization in an existing enchondroma should prompt investigation for malignant transformation. We present the case of a 50-year-old woman with an enchondroma of the proximal humeral metadiaphysis, which underwent loss of matrix mineralization that corresponded to replacement with marrow fat on MRI. This transformation of the cartilage tumor matrix into normal bone marrow may occur in a process similar to that seen with endochondral ossification.
Structure, properties, and thermal stability of in situ phosphorus‐doped hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon prepared by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition

The correlations between structural, chemical, electrical, optical properties of in situ phosphorus‐doped hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon prepared by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition have been studied by high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, secondary‐ion mass spectrometry, electrical conductivity, and optical measurements. Microcrystallinity has been observed at a substrate temperature as low as 100 °C with a 1% dilution of (1% PH3/SiH4) in H2. In situ phosphorous‐doped hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon is best grown at 200–300 °C in terms of microstructure, H and P content, and dopant activation. The effects of thermal processing and the use of silicon nitride cap deposited prior to anneal on the structure and properties of phosphorous‐doped hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon are also reported. The use of a silicon nitride capping layer is shown to inhibit recrystallization of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon during rapid thermal anneal.
Correlated Demand Shocks and Price Wars During Booms

The supergame-theoretic model of price competition (Rotemberg and Saloner (1986)) is re-examined in the case of serially correlated demand shocks. The equilibrium price is shown to exhibit the same counter-cyclical movement as in the i.i.d. case, if the discount factor and the number of firms satisfy certain relationship.
Attenuation of normeperidine's suppressing effect on schedule-controlled behavior

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to compare several central nervous system (CNS) depressant drugs in their ability to attenuate the suppressant effects of normeperidine on the responding of pigeons under a multiple fixed-ratio, fixed-interval schedule of grain presentation. The effects of pentobarbital (3 and 10 mg/kg i.m.), diazepam (1–10 mg/kg p.o.), clonazepam (0.03–3 mg/kg) p.o.), aminooxyacetic acid (1–10 mg/kg i.m.), baclofen (5 and 10 mg/kg i.m.) and ethanol (0.5–2 g/kg p.o.) were determined alone and in the presence of 17.5 mg/kg (p.o.) of normeperidine, a dose which almost completely eliminates responding. Pentobarbital, diazepam and clonazepam attenuated the normeperidine-induced suppression of behavior, whereas aminooxyacetic acid, baclofen and ethanol failed to attenuate the effects of normeperidine. The results indicate that in the pigeon the non-opioid effects of normeperidine and related analogs are related to proconvulsive actions.
Hot carrier and soft breakdown effects on LNA performance for ultra wideband communications

This paper systematically investigates the hot carrier (HC) and soft breakdown (SBD) effects on CMOS low noise amplifier (LNA) for the ultra wide-band (UWB) of 3.1 to 7 GHz. After the MOSFET device RF parameter degradations due to HC and SBD effects are experimentally extracted, the HC and SBD induced performance degradations of the LNA for UWB are evaluated for 0.16 μm CMOS technology, including s-parameters, noise figure, and stability factor. This work can help RF designers to design more reliable LNA circuits for upcoming UWB applications.
A novel gene-fusing vector: construction of a 5'-GGmCC-specific chimeric methyltransferase, M.BspRI/M.BsuRI.

Abstract A vector was designed to allow predetermined and precise fusion between two cloned genes by constructing a cassette with two unique class-IIS restriction sites, 5′ — ACCTGC-3′ (BspMI) and 5′-CCGGATG-3′ (FokI overlapping with MspI), arranged back-to-back in a divergent manner and inserted at the HincII site of a multiple cloning site (MCS) in plasmid pUC18 or analogous vehicle. Two DNA fragments or genes to be precisely fused are cloned into the MCS parts located on each side of the cassette containing the two unique class-IIS restriction sites. The BspMI and MspI/FokI sites are used to generate unidirectional deletions of the genes as previously described [Hasan et al., Gene 50 (1986) 55–62; Posfai and Szybalski, Nucleic Acids Res. 16 (1988) 6245]. The precisely trimmed genes are ligated after the cassette containing the unique class-IIS restriction sites are excised with BspMI + FokI and the termini were blunted with mung-bean nuclease. This method was used to construct a hybrid methyltransferase (MTase) from the M · BspRI and M · BsuRI MTases, which share a high degree of overall homology (about 65%) and have the identical sequence specificity (5′-GGmCC-3′)- A hybrid MTase composed of the N-terminal part of M · BspRI and the C-terminal part of M · BsuRI was constructed and found to be fully functional.
The context of depression in clinic-referred youth : Neglected areas in treatment

Abstract Objective To review the empirical, methodological, and conceptual limitations of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for childhood and adolescent depression and to present descriptive data on key characteristics of a depressed sample to illustrate gaps in treatment. Method Interview-based assessment of psychiatric features and psychosocial functioning, family psychopathology and marital adjustment, and child and parent stressful life events was performed in a sample of 43 depressed youngsters seeking outpatient treatment. Results The empirical and conceptual review indicated that treatments based on downward extensions of adult procedures are limited in number and success. Also, the treatments generally neglect the following characteristics revealed in the descriptive data: depressed youngsters have high rates of recurrent depression and comorbid conditions, impaired academic and social functioning, exposure to high rates of parental psychopathology. parental assortative mating, severe marital dysfunction, and high rates of severe stressors. Conclusions Treatments need to be informed by and address the actual characteristics of depressed youngsters and their environments, which are highly dysfunctional. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1999, 38(1):64–71.
Global Very Long Baseline Interferometry Observations of the 6.0 GHz Hydroxyl Masers in Onsala 1

We present global very long baseline interferometry observations of the first excited-state hydroxyl (OH) masers in the massive star-forming region Onsala 1 (ON 1). The 29 masers detected are nearly all from the 6035 MHz transition and nearly all are identifiable as Zeeman pair components. The 6030 and 6035 MHz masers are coincident with previously published positions of ground-state masers to within a few milliarcseconds, and the magnetic fields deduced from Zeeman splitting are comparable. The 6.0 GHz masers in ON 1 are always found in close spatial association with 1665 MHz OH masers, in contrast to the situation in the massive star-forming region W3(OH), suggesting that extreme high density OH maser sites (excited-state masers with no accompanying ground-state maser, as seen in W3(OH)) are absent from ON 1. The large magnetic field strength among the northern, blueshifted masers is confirmed. The northern masers may trace an outflow or be associated with an exciting source separate from the other masers, or the relative velocities of the northern and southern masers may be indicative of expansion and rotation. High angular resolution observations of nonmasing material will be required in order to understand the complex maser distribution in ON 1.
Topping Off a Multiscale Balancing Act

The genotype-phenotype relationship is fundamental to biology. Finding general, underlying rules that govern the complex relationship between gene expression and cell growth, however, has proven a challenge. On page 1099 of this issue, Scott et al. ( 1 ) offer empirical “growth laws” that correlate the growth rates of bacteria with how they allocate resources to protein synthesis and metabolic functions.
Mesenchymoma of the liver in childhood: Five-year survival after combined-modality treatment

Hepatic mesenchymoma is a rare childhood tumor associated with a high mortality. Excision, the only established therapy, has had limited success. A case is presented with 5-yr disease-free survival after excision, irradiation, and doxorubicin, administration.
Loci of movement of selected points on the femoral head during normal gait. Three-dimensional computer simulation.

Abstract Wear of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene and the subsequent lytic response to the particulate wear debris are the dominant problems in total joint arthroplasty surgery. Wear testing apparatus can play a vital role in the in vitro evaluation of the many factors involved in wear, such as head size, surface roughness, materials for the head, and new materials for the socket. Wear of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene may be influenced by the wear path. For the related polymer, high-density polyethylene, the wear path is critical to wear magnitude. What is the actual path taken by a single point (or by multiple representative points) on the femoral head of a total hip arthroplasty as it passes through the gait cycle? The goal of this computer simulation study was to trace the paths of specific points on the femoral head as they moved against the polyethylene cup during a single cycle of normal gait to illustrate the motions occurring at the intraarticular surface of the hip joint. This study also yielded unusual data on the “distance traversed” by these points during a single gait cycle. It was found that there was not one path, but rather there were many, and the paths varied widely in both shape and length depending on the location on the femoral head. Moreover, the differences in excursion and direction at different sites during the loaded phase were great. In addition, distances traveled by different points on the femoral head of any given size varied by a factor greater than 2. Most of the points traced quasielliptical paths. This automatically means that the paths of neighboring points cross each other, creating multidirectional shear forces on the acetabular cup surface which may be important in the localization and extent of wear. The plots of traces of the points derived from this study can serve as benchmarks for the ability of hip simulators to reproduce the actual distances and paths of travel of individual points on the femoral head.
Response properties of single units in an association area of the kitten neocortex.

Abstract Responses of neurons in the posterior association cortex of chloralose anesthetized kittens were studied with regard to stimulus properties and kitten age. With increasing age, response latency decreased and the percentage of cells responsive to polymodal stimulation increased. The maturational sequence of neuronal responsiveness was initial responsivity to visual stimulation, with responses to auditory, and then somesthetic stimuli developing later. The data are discussed in relation to adult characteristics and behavioral development.