cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mobility as a mechanism for radiation stabilization of polypropylene

Abstract Termination rates of radiation induced primary alkyl radicals are studied with ESR in polypropylene formulations containing additives that increase main chain mobility. The incorporation of mobilizing additives into polypropylene significantly improves radiation induced mechanical property degradation.
Stand-off Iris Recognition System

The iris is a highly accurate biometric identifier. However widespread adoption is hindered by the difficulty of capturing high-quality iris images with minimal user co-operation. This paper describes a first-generation prototype iris identification system designed for stand-off cooperative access control. This system identifies individuals who stand in front of and face the system after 3.2 seconds on average. Subjects within a capture zone are imaged with a calibrated pair of wide-field-of-view surveillance cameras. A subject is located in three dimensions using face detection and triangulation. A zoomed near infrared iris camera on a pan-tilt platform is then targeted to the subject. The iris camera lens has its focal distance automatically adjusted based on the subject distance. Integrated with the iris camera on the pan-tilt platform is a near infrared illuminator that is composed of an array of directed LEDs. Video frames from the iris camera are processed to detect and segment the iris, generate a template and then identify the subject.
Laser-induced fluorescence in N2 and N+2 by multiple-photon excitation at 266 nm

Abstract The fluorescence transitions corresponding to the second positive system of N 2 (C 3 Π u → B 3 Π g ) for Δ v = 0, 1 and the first negative system of N + 2 (B 2 Σ + u → X 2 Σ + g ) for Δ v = 0, 1, 2 have been observed following laser-induced mul excitation of N 2 .
Growth and differentiation of primary rat kerationocytes on synthetic membranes

The attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of primary cultures of kerationcytes isolated from murine epidermis were monitored after purified cell suspensions were seeded and incubated in vitro on various synthetic membranes. Concomitant studies of the effects of attachment factors added to synthetic membranes before use as substrata for keratinocytes were also done. The study demonstrated that a synthetic membrane composed of nylon was superior to other membranes and to plastic control culture vessels in supporting the growth of murine keratinocytes. Although laminin enhanced initial attachment and proliferation of cells on nylon membranes, the untreated substratum was more effective for extended incubation. Stratification and differentiation of these kerationcytes on the nylon substratum was enhanced by raising confluent cultures (7 d) to the air-medium interface so that they were in contact with medium only from the bottom. Cultures raised for 14 d produced many morphologic markers of the epidermis and closely resembled the architecture of this tissue in situ.
Simulation of ion-track ranges in uranium oxide

Abstract Direct comparisons between statistically sound simulations of ion-tracks and published experimental measurements of range densities of iodine implants in uranium dioxide have been made with implant energies in the range of 100–800 keV. Our simulations are conducted with REED-MD (Rare Event Enhanced Domain-following Molecular Dynamics) in order to account for the materials structure in both single crystalline and polycrystalline samples. We find excellent agreement between REED-MD results and experiments for polycrystalline target materials.
Rural geography: globalizing the countryside:

for organized sessions on ‘Amenity migration, exurbia, and emerging rural landscapes.’ Series of four organized sessions at the 2006 annual AAG meeting, Chicago. Halfacree, K. 1993: Locality and social representation: space, discourse and alternative defi nitions of the rural. Journal of Rural Studies 9, 23–37. — 2006a: From dropping out to leading on? British counter-cultural back-to-the-land in a changing rurality. Progress in Human Geography 30, 309–36. — 2006b: Rural space: constructing a three-fold architecture. In Cloke, P., Marsden, T. and Mooney, P., editors, Handbook of rural studies, London: Sage,
Preparation of Methyl d -Galacturonide

A PRACTICAL method for the preparation of methyl d-galacturonide from the commercially available polygalacturonide derived from citrus pectin1 has been developed in my laboratory by Mr. Sam Morell.
Computations of transonic flow over an oscillating airfoil with shock-induced separation

A numerical study is presented on unsteady transonic flow over an airfoil in pitching oscillation at a moderately high incidence. The study was focused on the effects of unsteady shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions and subsequent flow separations. An implicit finite-difference scheme was used to solve the full time-dependent compressible Navier-Stokes equations in conservation-law form. The algorithm adopted for this study is the Beam-Warming spatially factored scheme. It is, however, constructed in a body-fitted curvilinear coordinate system for efficient unsteady flow computations. The computational results are compared with experimental data measured in the Ames 11- by 11-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel.
Checking framework plugins

Software frameworks contain many internal constraints which plugins cannot break. These constraints are relative to the context of the plugin, and they can involve multiple framework objects. This work creates a lightweight mechanism specifying semantic constraints on the framework and checking plugins against this specification.
The Kid is all the rage: (Bi) sexuality, temporality and triangular desire in Leslie Marmon Silko's Almanac of the Dead

This article studies bisexuality in terms of sexual instrumentality, instead of sexual orientation. In Silko's Almanac of the Dead, David's sexuality is not marked by a hetero timeline hinged on marriage, a homo timeline initiated by the “coming out” moment or a bi timeline validated by sexual experiences with both genders. Instead, David's paternal aspiration and his financial need govern his opposite-sex relationship with Seese and his same-sex relationship with Beaufrey. In this bisexual triangle, David's sexual instrumentality ultimately generates an epistemology of bisexuality with regard to time, paternity and prostitution. Reconfiguring bisexuality from a matter of sexual attraction to both genders to a desire for things that particular sexual objects can offer to the subject, this article, on account of filiation and finance, deconstructs the discourse of sexual orientation.
Spontaneous Regression of Ostial Coronary Artery Lesion

A 47-year-old man with a positive exercise test underwent coronary angiography that showed 90% ostial left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis. The patient opted for medical therapy and included a Chinese herbal remedy that contained Ganoderma lucidum. After 2.5 years, angiography showed spontaneous regression of his coronary artery lesion.
What Parents Think about Giving Nonnutritive Sweeteners to Their Children: A Pilot Study

Objective. To evaluate parental attitudes toward providing foods and beverages with nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS) to their children and to explore parental ability to recognize NNS in packaged foods and beverages. Methods. 120 parents of children ≥ 1 and ≤18 years of age completed brief questionnaires upon entering or exiting a grocery store. Parental attitudes toward NNS were assessed using an interviewer-assisted survey. Parental selection of packaged food and beverages (with and without NNS) was evaluated during a shopping simulation activity. Parental ability to identify products with NNS was tested with a NNS recognition test. Results. Most parents (72%) disagreed with the statement "NNS are safe for my child to consume." This was not reflected during the shopping simulation activity because about one-quarter of items selected by parents contained NNS. Parents correctly identified only 23% of NNS-containing items presented as foods or beverages which were sweetened with NNS. Conclusions. The negative parental attitudes toward providing NNS to their children raise the question whether parents are willing to replace added sugars with NNS in an effort to reduce their child's calorie intake. Our findings also suggest that food labeling should be revised in order for consumers to more easily identify NNS in foods and beverages.
Esophageal bronchogenic cyst and review of the literature

Bronchogenic cysts are rare foregut abnormalities that arise from aberrant budding of the tracheobronchial tree early in embryological development. These cysts predominantly appear in the mediastinum, where they may compress nearby structures. Intra-abdominal bronchogenic cysts are rare. We report an intra-abdominal bronchogenic cyst that was excised laparoscopically. A 40-year old female with a history of gastritis presented for evaluation of recurrent abdominal pain. A previous ultrasound showed cholelithiasis and a presumed portal cyst. Physical examination and laboratory findings were unremarkable. A CT scan with pancreatic protocol was performed and an intra-abdominal mass adherent to the esophagus was visualized. A laparascopic enucleation of the mass was performed. A 3-cm myotomy was made after circumferential dissection of the cyst and the decision was made intraoperatively to reapproximate the muscularis layer. A PubMed literature search on surgical management of esophageal bronchogenic cysts was subsequently performed. The literature search performed on the subject of esophageal bronchogenic cysts found one review article focusing on intramural esophageal bronchogenic cysts in the mediastinum and five case reports of esophageal bronchogenic cysts. Of these, only one was both intraabdominal and managed laparascopically with simple closure of the resulting myotomy. The majority of the bronchogenic cysts mentioned in the literature were located mediastinally and were managed via open thoracotomy. Our findings confirm the rarity of this particular presentation and the unique means by which this cyst was surgically excised. This case highlights the management of a rare entity and advocates for enucleation of noncommunicating, extraluminal esophageal bronchogenic cysts and closure of the esophageal muscular layers over intact mucosa as a viable surgical approach to this unusual pathology. Other cases of laparascopic enucleation of bronchogenic cysts have shown similarly uneventful postoperative courses and rapid recovery with no apparent return of symptoms.
Delinquency Among Adolescents with Disabilities

This study expands upon previous research by utilizing nationally representative data and multivariate analyses to examine the relationship between an adolescent’s disability status and their likelihood of engaging in a spectrum of delinquent behaviors through age 16. Logistic regression models of 7,232 adolescents from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 are used to investigate the association between the presence of a learning disability or emotional condition, chronic health condition, sensory condition, physical disability, or multiple conditions and ten delinquent acts, including violence-related delinquency, property crimes, drug offenses, and arrest. Additional analyses explore differences in delinquency prevalence by more specific types of limiting conditions. Results indicate that adolescents with learning disabilities or emotional conditions are particularly at risk of committing delinquent acts. Findings suggest that disability status is important to consider when examining adolescent delinquency; however, not all youth with disabilities have equal experiences.
Hemodynamic and Renal Excretory Effects of Human Brain Natriuretic Peptide Infusion in Patients With Congestive Heart Failure A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Crossover Trial

Background The pharmacological effects of infusion of human brain natriuretic peptide (hBNP) in patients with severe congestive heart failure have not been characterized previously. Methods and Results Twenty patients with severe congestive heart failure were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial to receive incremental 90-minute infusions of hBNP (0.003, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.1 μg/kg per minute) or placebo on 2 consecutive days. At the highest completed dose of the hBNP, mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 38.3±1.6 to 25.9±1.7 mm Hg; mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure decreased from 25.1±1.1 to 13.2±1.3 mm Hg; mean right atrial pressure decreased from 10.9±1 to 4.8±1.0 mm Hg; mean arterial pressure decreased from 85.2±2.0 to 74.9±1.7 mm Hg; and cardiac index increased from 2.0±0.1 to 2.5±0.1 L/min per square meter (all P<.01 versus placebo). Urine volume and urine sodium excretion increased significantly during hBNP infusion when compared with placebo infusion (90±38...
Laparoscopic drainage of lymphoceles after kidney transplantation: Indications and limitations

Background. Symptomatic lymphoceles are not uncommon after kidney transplantations. Surgical marsupialization with internal drainage is the treatment of choice. However, laparoscopic drainage is reportedly as effective, with only minimal trauma. Methods. We attempted 14 laparoscopic lymphocele drainages during a 3-year period and studied the indications and limitations, using intraoperative ultrasonography in all cases. Results. Laparoscopic drainage was successful in only 9 (64%) of 14 patients. A conversion to open laparotomy was necessary in five patients; their lymphoceles were lateral and either posterior or inferior to the kidney. Two patients with initially successful laparoscopic drainage required conversion to open laparotomy 21 and 83 days later; their lymphoceles were inferior to the kidney. Laparoscopic drainage shortened the median hospital stay by 4 days versus open surgical drainage and by 7 days versus conversion. Hospital costs for laparoscopic drainage averaged $7400 less versus open drainage and $10,300 less versus conversion. Conclusions. In patients with symptomatic lymphoceles medial and either superior or anterior to the kidney, laparoscopic drainage under intraoperative ultrasonographic guidance is easy, safe, and effective. It decreases hospitalization, convalescence, and costs. In patients with symptomatic lymphoceles lateral and either posterior or inferior to the kidney, laparoscopic drainage may fail because of anatomic inaccessibility and technical impracticability.
Minocycline for Prophylaxis of Infection with Neisseria meningitidis: High Rate of Side Effects in Recipients

A high rate of side effects (mostly vestibular) was found among 83 people receiving prophylaxis with minocycline because of contact with a patient who had died of meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis. Three groups of contacts received different lots of minocycline and different dosage regimens. Seventy-eight percent of these people had symptoms temporally related to ingestion of minocycline. These symptoms, which included dizziness, nausea, vomiting, vertigo, anorexia, and headache, generally commenced soon after initiation of chemoprophylaxis; the total dosage of minocycline was low. The high rate of vestibular side effects of minocycline militates against widespread use of minocycline for prophylaxis of meningococcal infection.
Surmounting luminescence age overestimation in Alaska-margin Arctic Ocean sediments by use of ‘micro-hole’ quartz dating

Abstract Because of several difficulties with the application of radiocarbon (14C) dating to Arctic Ocean sediments, numeric dating techniques are needed that can complement, supplant and reach beyond the 14C method. However, large age overestimates (often >7 kyr) for near-sediment-water-interface horizons from Arctic Ocean cores have been almost universal when luminescence dating has been applied to multigrain aliquots of fine silt (4–11 μm) quartz and feldspar grains. Here micro-hole quartz-grain photon-stimulated-luminescence (PSL) dating is applied to the 0.5–2.0 cm horizons of multicores from high-sedimentation-rate sites spanning depths from 87 m to 1140 m at the Alaska margin of the Arctic Ocean. Expected near zero ages (0–200 a) result when grains larger than ∼11 μm are used, demonstrating that fine-silt age overestimations here and perhaps elsewhere in the Arctic Ocean are a function of grain and aliquot size. At the 87 m site, the micro-hole PSL approach revealed no significant gradient in age estimates over the 1–26 cm horizon range, implying that bioturbation reached to at least 26 cm. Micro-hole PSL dating of 25–62 μm quartz grains from trans-ocean sea-ice sediment also produced expected near zero ages, in contrast to earlier reported long-bleach multigrain PSL results from 4–11 μm fractions of the same samples. The micro-hole PSL approach thus surmounts the age overestimation problem associated with the use of multigrain silt fractions, and overcomes limitations of the 14C method in this region. Finally, results unexpectedly suggest the potential of micro-hole quartz PSL for use in provenance studies of Arctic Ocean sea-ice sediment.
MIS Spinoff of a Conventional STINFO Retrieval System.

Through utilization of a subroutine which provides statistical information on relative usage of keywords, a conventional STINFO retrieval system answers questions usually associated with a management information system.
De Novo Designed Proteins from a Library of Artificial Sequences Function in Escherichia Coli and Enable Cell Growth

A central challenge of synthetic biology is to enable the growth of living systems using parts that are not derived from nature, but designed and synthesized in the laboratory. As an initial step toward achieving this goal, we probed the ability of a collection of >106 de novo designed proteins to provide biological functions necessary to sustain cell growth. Our collection of proteins was drawn from a combinatorial library of 102-residue sequences, designed by binary patterning of polar and nonpolar residues to fold into stable 4-helix bundles. We probed the capacity of proteins from this library to function in vivo by testing their abilities to rescue 27 different knockout strains of Escherichia coli, each deleted for a conditionally essential gene. Four different strains – ΔserB, ΔgltA, ΔilvA, and Δfes – were rescued by specific sequences from our library. Further experiments demonstrated that a strain simultaneously deleted for all four genes was rescued by co-expression of four novel sequences. Thus, cells deleted for ∼0.1% of the E. coli genome (and ∼1% of the genes required for growth under nutrient-poor conditions) can be sustained by sequences designed de novo.
Magnetic-field-induced pair-breaking effects in granular Pb films near the superconductor-to-insulator transition.

We have measured the magnetic-field dependence, 0\ensuremath{\le}H\ensuremath{\le}8 T, of the resistive transitions R(T) of ultrathin granular superconducting Pb films with normal-state sheet resistances, ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{Q}}$\ensuremath{\le}${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{N}}$\ensuremath{\le}100 k\ensuremath{\Omega}, where ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{Q}}$=h/4${\mathit{e}}^{2}$\ensuremath{\simeq}6.45 k\ensuremath{\Omega}. The data suggest that the magnetic-field-induced superconductor-to-insulator transition in these films occurs in a field regime where pair-breaking effects have significantly reduced the amplitude of the superconducting order parameter. We compare our results with those obtained on systems with uniform morphologies.
X-Ray Luminescence and X-Ray Fluorescence Computed Tomography: New Molecular Imaging Modalities

X-ray luminescence and X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (CT) are two emerging technologies in X-ray imaging that provide functional and molecular imaging capability. Both emission-type tomographic imaging modalities use external X-rays to stimulate secondary emissions, either light or secondary X-rays, which are then acquired for tomographic reconstruction. These modalities surpass the limits of sensitivity in current X-ray imaging and have the potential of enabling X-ray imaging to extract molecular imaging information. These new modalities also promise to break through the spatial resolution limits of other in vivo molecular imaging modalities. This paper reviews the development of X-ray luminescence and X-ray fluorescence CT and their relative merits. The discussion includes current problems and future research directions and the role of these modalities in future molecular imaging applications.
Systematic problems with the beam-foil technique

Abstract Three problems which can seriously affect the accuracy of and confidence placed in beam-foil data are discussed: (1) mean lives obtained from exponential decays are a surprisingly strong function of the statistics, number of data points, effect of cascades and decay length observed; (2) mass contaminations occur in “isotopically pure” beams — oxygen being the major source of impurity in most cases; (3) the slope of the intensity decay curve from which mean lives are extracted appears to be 3 function of the beam current.
Organizational cultures, strategies, and commitments in health care organizations.

Cultural elements called norms and values affect organizational commitment and job satisfaction of managers and executive secretaries in this study of 13 health care organizations. Results also show that organizations pursuing a consistent strategy possess strong cultures, while organizations with a
Search for Neutral Metastable Penetrating Particles Produced in the SLAC Beam Dump

A search was made for neutral objects which might be produced by 20-GeV electrons incident on the SLAC beam dump, penetrate the downstream natural shielding, and decay upstream of an electromagnetic shower calorimeter. With about 30 C of electrons dumped, no candidate events were found above an energy of \ensuremath{\sim}2 GeV. The 95%-confidence-level limit on the product of mass and lifetime of light axionlike bosons decaying primarily into two photons is determined to be greater than 1.4 keV sec. Limits on photino parameters are also given.
Recurrent cancer and metastases

Cancer of the colon and rectum is numerically the most major of visceral cancers in both sexes. A great proportion of colorectal cancer patients die of local problems. This report deals with the various techniques used to manage local recurrence, lung and liver metastases, and the control of pain.
Porphyromonas gingivalis-Host Interactions in a Drosophila melanogaster Model

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a Gram-negative obligate anaerobe that has been implicated in the etiology of adult periodontitis. We recently introduced a Drosophila melanogaster killing model for examination of P. gingivalis-host interactions. In the current study, the Drosophila killing model was used to characterize the host response to P. gingivalis infection by identifying host components that play a role during infection. Drosophila immune response gene mutants were screened for altered susceptibility to killing by P. gingivalis. The Imd signaling pathway was shown to be important for the survival of Drosophila infected by nonencapsulated P. gingivalis strains but was dispensable for the survival of Drosophila infected by encapsulated P. gingivalis strains. The P. gingivalis capsule was shown to mediate resistance to killing by Drosophila antimicrobial peptides (Imd pathway-regulated cecropinA and drosocin) and human beta-defensin 3. Drosophila thiol-ester protein II (Tep II) and Tep IV and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) homolog Eiger were also involved in the immune response against P. gingivalis infection, while the scavenger receptors Eater and Croquemort played no roles in the response to P. gingivalis infection. This study demonstrates that the Drosophila killing model is a useful high-throughput model for characterizing the host response to P. gingivalis infection and uncovering novel interactions between the bacterium and the host.
Exercise Training and Pacing Status in Patients With Heart Failure: Results From HF-ACTION

Background We sought to determine if outcomes with exercise training in heart failure (HF) vary according to ventricular pacing type.
Liquid Jets in Subsonic Crossflow

An experimental study has been conducted to research the behavior of liquid jets injected transversely into a subsonic crossflow of air. Three injection liquids, water, Jet-A and N- Heptane, and two injection diameters of 0.381 and 0.762 mm, have been used. Pulsed shadowgraphy and Phase Doppler and Particle Analyzer (PDPA) were used to take measurements. The behaviors of the jet column, the post-breakup spray, as well as the penetration and breakup have been studied. Two breakup modes have been observed, column and surface breakup. The streamwise location of breakup is constant while the transverse location increases with momentum ratios. Jet penetrations have been correlated with momentum ratio, injector diameter and the streamwise distance. Volume flux exhibits a maximum in the spray core. Droplet sizes decrease with an increase in the crossflow velocity while penetration increases with an increase in injector diameter or momentum ratio. Droplet size exhibits a maximum in the spray core for low momentum ratios and near the periphery for high momentum ratios.
Properties of nuclear and cytoplasmic estrogen receptor in the rabbit corpus luteum: evidence for translocation.

Nuclear and cytoplasmic estrogen receptors have been identified and characterized in the rabbit corpus luteum, and validated methods are described for the measurement of both unoccupied and total estrogen receptor. Binding was specific for the biologically active estrogens. Equilibrium binding analysis of cytoplasmic estrogen receptor yielded saturable, high affinity binding sites with a Kd of 5.4 × 10-11 M. TWO types of binding sites were found in the nuclear fraction: one with high affinity (Kd = 8.9 × 10-8 M) and low capacity, the other with low affinity (Kd = 2.7 × 10-8 M) and high capacity. In the presence of 0.4 M KC1, the sedimentation coefficients of nuclear and cytoplasmic estrogen receptors are 3.4S, while the value is 6.8S for cytoplasmic receptor in buffer without KC1. Twenty minutes after an iv injection of 2 μg 17β-estradiol, the available and total cytoplasmic estrogen receptors were depleted. This depletion was accompanied by concomitant and stoichiometric accumulation of receptor in the n...
An ultramicro method for analysis of lithium and other biologically important cations

Abstract A new method for Li+ analysis by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy is several orders of magnitude more sensitive than previous methods. Li+ quantities as small as 1·10−12 mol, or Li+ concentrations as low as 1·10−8 M, can be determined with a coefficient of variation of 2–4%. The same technique can determine approx. 1·10−14 mol of Ca2+ and Mg2+, and approx. 1·10−13 mol of Na+ and K+.
Role of feeding and prey distribution of summer and southern flounder in selection of estuarine nursery habitats

Diets of metamorphosing larvae and early juvenile summer and southern flounder were examined during the settlement period when their distributions overlapped and during a subsequent period when the two flounders were found in different habitats. Prey abundance on tidal flats was examined along an upstream transect. Though initially similar, diets of the two species diverged prior to the development of a segregated distribution. These diet differences reflected those found in the diets of the two species following segregation. Southern flounder ate more active epifaunal prey: mysids, amphipods and calanoid copepods and appeared to be an ambush predator. The summer flounder ate primarily infauna: polychaetes, and invertebrate parts and appeared to be an active forager. Distribution of prey within the study area suggested that mysid gradients may influence movement of southern flounder to nursery grounds. The coupling of biotic and abiotic gradients are probably important in creating nursery areas and guiding fishes to species specific habitat types.
Limits on possible new nucleon monopole-dipole interactions from the spin relaxation rate of polarized He 3 gas

Various theories beyond the standard model predict new particles with masses in the sub-eV range with very weak couplings to ordinary matter. A $P$-odd and $T$-odd interaction between polarized and unpolarized nucleons proportional to $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{s}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{r}$ involving a scalar coupling ${g}_{s}$ at one vertex and a pseudoscalar coupling ${g}_{p}$ at the other vertex is one such possibility. We show that measurements of the transverse spin relaxation rate ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{2}$ for polarized gas can be used to set limits on ${g}_{s}{g}_{p}$ for boson masses in the $10\ensuremath{\mu}$eV to $100$ meV range, corresponding to distances from centimeters to micrometers. We present limits from both a reanalysis of previous measurements of ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{2}$ in $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ spin exchange cells and from data in a test experiment searching for a change in ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{2}$ upon the motion of an unpolarized test mass. The outlook for more sensitive measurements using this technique is discussed.
SUMMARY OF THE WORKSHOP ON COSMIC RAY ASTROPHYSICS

Some new contributions to theories of the acceleration, composition, and propagation of Galactic cosmic rays and other high-energy particles are summarized. The conditions for stochastic acceleration of cosmic rays in transverse MHD shocks, a self-regulating injection model of direct cosmic ray production in shocks from thermal plasma, a Monte Carlo simulation of a collisionless shock, the role of accretion disks in particle acceleration, the age distribution of cosmic ray beryllium at various energies, and the effect of convection on the propagation of relativistic galactic electrons are among the topics discussed.
Holding Leaders Accountable in the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Gender Crimes Committed in Darfur

This article discusses how rape and other forms of sexual violence have been prominent features of the ongoing attacks (from 2003 to the present) committed by government of Sudan (GoS) troops and the Janjaweed (Arab militia) in Darfur, Sudan. It first provides a historical overview of wartime rape in law and society, then discusses some of the many reports (including the UN's Commission of Inquiry on Darfur) that have documented the perpetration of rape and other forms of sexual violence in Darfur by GoS troops and Janjaweed. Following a discussion of specific cases of rape and other sexual crimes committed in Darfur, the author discusses how such crimes can be and have been prosecuted as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Among the other issues discussed in the essay are the concepts of individual and superior responsibility, as they relate to prosecuting those responsible for sexual violence, and the critical need to hold leaders accountable for sex crimes.
Nucleotide sequencing, purification, and biochemical properties of an arylesterase from Lactobacillus casei LILA.

Abstract An esterase gene, designated estB , was isolated from a genomic library of Lactobacillus casei LILA. Nucleotide sequencing of the estB gene revealed a 954-bp open reading frame encoding a putative peptide of 35.7 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence of EstB contained the characteristic GXSXG active-site serine motif identified in most lipases and esterases. An EstB fusion protein containing a C-terminal 6-histidine tag was constructed and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by affinity chromatography. The native molecular weight of EstB was 216.5±2.5 kDa, while the subunit molecular weight was 36.7±1.0 kDa. Optimum pH, temperature, and NaCl concentration for EstB were determined to be pH 7.0, 50 to 55°C, and 15% NaCl, respectively. EstB had significant activity under conditions simulating those of ripening cheese (pH 5.1, 10°C, and 4% NaCl). Kinetic constants (K M and V max ) were determined for EstB action on a variety of ethyl esters and ester compounds consisting of substituted phenyl alcohols and short n -chain fatty acids. For comparison purposes, EstA from Lb. helveticus CNRZ32 was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity and its substrate selectivity determined in a similar fashion. Different substrate selectivities were observed for EstB and EstA.
Tricking the guard: exploiting plant defense for disease susceptibility.

Typically, pathogens deploy virulence effectors to disable defense. Plants defeat effectors with resistance proteins that guard effector targets. We found that a pathogen exploits a resistance protein by activating it to confer susceptibility in Arabidopsis . The guard mechanism of plant defense is recapitulated by interactions among victorin (an effector produced by the necrotrophic fungus Cochliobolus victoriae ), TRX-h5 (a defense-associated thioredoxin), and LOV1 (an Arabidopsis susceptibility protein). In LOV1’s absence, victorin inhibits TRX-h5, resulting in compromised defense but not disease by C. victoriae . In LOV1’s presence, victorin binding to TRX-h5 activates LOV1 and elicits a resistance-like response that confers disease susceptibility. We propose that victorin is, or mimics, a conventional pathogen virulence effector that was defeated by LOV1 and confers virulence to C. victoriae solely because it incites defense.
Effect of reaction time on the coprocessing of low-density polyethylene with coal and petroleum resid

The effect of reaction time on the reactivity, conversion, and product distribution of coprocessing reactions in systems containing LDPE (low-density polyethylene), coal, and heavy petroleum resid was evaluated by performing reactions at 30−360 min. Individual reactions of LDPE and binary combinations of LDPE and coal were also performed. LDPE reactions with reaction times that increased from 60 to 360 min resulted in conversions that increased from 39.5% at 60 min to 90.2% at 300 min. After 360 min the conversion decreased to 70.9%. Similar results were obtained with the LDPE and coal reactions; increased reaction time resulted in increased LDPE conversion as well as increased overall conversion. In both reaction systems, lighter reaction products and more gases were produced as reaction time increased. The conversions and hexane solubles produced for ternary systems, containing either Maya or Manji resid, also increased with increased reaction time. The reaction solids produced in these systems at diffe...
Influence of Natural Biomaterials on the Absorbency and Transparency of Starch-Derived Films: An Optimization Study

A D-optimization design was applied to examine the water absorbency and transparency of composite films made from starch and natural biopolymers such as lignin, gelatin, cellulosic fibers, and chitosan. The individual influence of each component and their overall interactive effects were investigated. With regard to water absorbency, it was found that lignin and gelatin can effectively enhance film water resistance, while the incorporation of cellulosic fibers had a limited positive effect on film hydrophobicity. However, increasing the levels of cellulosic fibers significantly diminished the hydrophobicity. The last component, chitosan, always contributed to reducing the hydrophobicity of starch films. The last property studied in this design, transparency, was mainly compromised by the cellulosic fibers and lignin. Cellulosic fibers, because of their bulk dispersed state in the starch films, caused higher light scattering and a concomitant film transparency reduction. Lignin also decreased film transparency because of its chromophoric nature and made the films appear darker; however, it inhibited UV radiation, even at low levels.
A Comparative Reconsideration of the Namibian Bush War, 1966–891

Much of the literature on the decolonization of Namibia is set in a narrative mode and demonizes one or the other of the protagonists. This article, organized in a topical fashion, concerns the diplomatic, military, and economic facets of the Namibian war and draws upon the literature of comparable twentieth century colonial and anti-colonial wars in Algeria, Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, the Philippines, South Africa, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. It explores the changing discourse of legitimacy concerning independence for Namibia, the conduct of insurgency and counterinsurgency in the bush war, and economic aspects of that war.
Task-dependent ethanol effects on escape in rats bred for ethanol sensitivity.

Abstract Lines of rats selectively bred for differences in degree of locomotor depression by ethanol were tested for ethanol-induced impairment of jumping to a descending platform to escape 0.3 mA shock. The MA (“most affected”) line showed greater decreases in height jumped than the LA (“least affected”) line at IP doses of 1.25, 1.75, and 2.25, but not a 00.75 g ethanol/kg. MA rats also showed greater increases in latency to first jump (at 1.75 and 2.25 g/kg) which largely accounted for the line difference in decrease in height jumped. Males showed greater impairment than females on both measures. While extending the greater ethanol sensitivity of MA than LA rats to impairment of an escape response, the results contrast with previous studies of water escape where the LA line showed greater impairment than the MA line.
An environmental narrative of Inland Northwest United States forests, 1800–2000

Fire was arguably the most important forest and rangeland disturbance process in the Inland Northwest United States for millennia. Prior to the Lewis and Clark expedition, fire regimes ranged from high severity with return intervals of one to five centuries, to low severity with fire-free periods lasting three decades or less. Indoamerican burning contributed to the fire ecology of grasslands and lower and mid-montane dry forests, especially where ponderosa pine was the dominant overstory species, but the extent of this contribution is difficult to quantify. Two centuries of settlement, exploitation, management, and climate variation have transformed the fire regimes, vegetation and fuel patterns, and overall functionality of these forests. We present a narrative that portrays conditions beginning at the first contact of Euro-American settlers with Indoamericans of the region and extending to the present. Due in part to its geographic isolation, the Inland Northwest was among the last regions to be discovered by Euro-Americans. In 200 years the region has undergone fur trapping and trading, sheep, cattle, and horse grazing, timber harvesting, mining, road construction, native grassland conversion to agricultural production, urban and rural area development, fire prevention, and fire suppression. We highlight key changes to forest landscape patterns and processes that occurred under these combined influences, discuss implications of the changes, and progress towards restoring sustainability. An adaptive ecosystem management model has been adopted by public land management agencies to remedy current conditions. Ecosystem management is a relatively new concept that emphasizes the integrity and sustainability of land systems rather than outputs from the land. Adaptive management emphasizes the twin notions that incomplete knowledge and high degrees of risk and uncertainty about earth and climate systems will always limit land and resource planning and management decisions, and that management is chiefly a learning and adapting process. We discuss current issues and future options associated with ecosystem management, including the low likelihood of social consensus concerning desired outcomes, the lack of integrated planning, analysis, and decision support tools, and mismatches between existing land management planning processes, Congressional appropriations, and complex management and restoration problems. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
Excitation of ions of the lithium isoelectronic sequence in the relativistic Coulomb-Born approximation

Cross sections for the electron-impact excitation of the 2p/sub 1/2/ and 2p/sub 3/2/ states of the lithiumlike ions C/sup 3 +/, Fe/sup 23 +/, Mo/sup 39 +/, and W/sup 71 +/ are calculated in the relativistic Coulomb-Born approximation. A range of incident electron energies from the 2p/sub 1/2/ threshold to (approximately) ten times the 2p/sub 3/2/ threshold is considered. The most significant relativistic effects result from the spin-orbit splitting of the 2p states. An interpolation formula is presented which permits the estimation of these cross sections for similar ions of intermediate charges.
Simultaneous multimodal imaging with integrated photoacoustic microscopy and optical coherence tomography

We have developed a multimodal imaging technique by integrating photoacoustic microscopy and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography to provide simultaneous volumetric microscopic imaging of both optical absorption and scattering contrasts in biological tissues. In the integrated system, the two imaging modalities share the same optical scanning and delivery mechanisms after their probing and illumination light beams are combined. By further synchronizing the image acquisitions, the images from the two modalities are intrinsically registered. The capabilities of this novel technique were demonstrated by imaging both the microanatomy and microvasculature in mouse ears in vivo.
Physiological response of the cold-seep mussel Bathymodiolus childressi to acutely elevated temperature

It is predicted that deep-sea animals adapted to thermally stable conditions should be highly sensitive to temperature change and should not have inducible heat-shock responses. This premise was tested with the cold-seep mussel Bathymodiolus childressi Gustafson, 1998 from 750 m depth in the Gulf of Mexico at a site known as Brine Pool NR-1 (27°43.4157N, 91°16.756W). Mussels were collected during February 2003. Site temperature, measured in different months between 1995 and 2005, ranged between 6.5 and 7.2°C. Although Brine Pool NR-1 is stenothermal, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, and salinity vary over temporal and spatial scales. In laboratory experiments, B. childressi survived increases up to approximately 20°C above ambient temperature for 6 h before suffering greater than 50% mortality. Although a high thermal tolerance was observed, B. childressi did not express an inducible 70 kDa heat-shock protein. However, high constitutive levels of hsp70 were present in B. childressi suggesting a necessity to remediate protein damage from stressors other than elevated temperature; these constitutive proteins probably confer an indirect thermal tolerance.
The health effects of combustion-generated aerosols

Abstract The link between exposure to fine particles in the atmosphere and adverse health effects has been well-established by epidemiological studies. Most of the fine and ultrafine material of concern derives from combustion sources and is largely a mixture of elemental and organic carbon, metals, and inorganic compounds such as sulfates. When inhaled by people, the particles can be taken-up by cells in the lung. The particles can also penetrate into the circulatory system and lodge in organs such as the liver and heart. The mechanism for their impact on health is not entirely understood although the generation of reactive oxygen species such as the OH radical is a major focus. The inflammation that can be caused by these reactive species can exacerbate pre-existing ailments. Combustion conditions in mobile and stationary sources can affect the reactivity of aerosols and their ability to generate reactive oxygen species. Combustion conditions can also affect the speciation of transition metals, the morphology of particles and their composition, and their size, all parameters that may lead to adverse health effects.
Spot test for ruthenium(3) andp-phenylenediamine

Para- phenylenediamine gives a spot test for ruthenium(3). Conversely, ruthenram(3) may be used for the detection ofp- phenylenediamine. The test forp- phenylenediamine is very sensitive and almost specific.
Use of rRNA Secondary Structure in Phylogenetic Studies to Identify Homologous Positions: An Example of Alignment and Data Presentation from the Frogs

The alignment of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) by computer requires assumptions about the evolutionary costs for gaps in the alignment that are undefinable when uniformly applied across the entire molecule. The conservation of rRNA secondary structures exceeds that of its nucleotides, and therefore it is recommended that secondary structures guide decisions about the assignment of homologous positions for phylogenetic studies. Suggestions for alignment, data presentation, and character description are made in the context of an example from frog large subunit nuclear rRNA. Realignment improved congruence with previously published morphological conclusions and the format used in data presentation facilitated the description of character-based conclusions at each node in the cladogram. The data presented allow a discrimination between the fully resolved shortest tree and conclusions that the data actually support with any reasonable confidence: a monophyletic Pipanura, Neobatrachia, and Ranoidea without further resolution within the Neobatrachia.
Low-Dimensional Modelling of Turbulence Using the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition: A Tutorial

The proper orthogonal decomposition identifies basis functions or modes which optimally capture the average energy content from numerical or experimental data. By projecting the Navier–Stokes equations onto these modes and truncating, one can obtain low-dimensional ordinary differential equation models for fluid flows. In this paper we present a tutorial on the construction of such models. In addition to providing a general overview of the procedure, we describe two different ways to numerically calculate the modes, show how symmetry considerations can be exploited to simplify and understand them, comment on how parameter variations are captured naturally in such models, and describe a generalization of the procedure involving projection onto uncoupled modes that allow streamwise and cross-stream components to evolve independently. We illustrate for the example of plane Couette flow in a minimal flow unit – a domain whose spanwise and streamwise extent is just sufficient to maintain turbulence.
Towards scalable reliability frameworks for error prone CMPs

As technology scales and the energy of computation continually approaches thermal equilibrium [1,2], parameter variations and noise levels will lead to larger error rates at various levels of the computation stack. The error rates would be especially high for post-CMOS and nanoelectronic systems as well as for probabilistic [3] and stochastic architectures [4]. N-modular redundancy (NMR) at the core-level has been proposed as a way to attain system reliability goals for multicore architectures. While core-level DMR and TMR have been shown to be effective when errors are rare, a large amount of core-level redundancy will be required for attaining system reliability goals in face of high error rates. This makes voting latency and bandwidth significant performance bottlenecks for such systems. In this paper, we present a scalable NMR framework for error prone chip multiprocessors(CMPs). The framework supports in-network fault tolerance where voting logic is integrated into routers to allow for truly distributed voting. The in-network fault tolerance router utilizes the expected redundancy in vote messages, to reduce some of the blocking overhead incurred at the leader, and also provide a mechanism to trade-off network bandwidth with latency. Our framework also supports proactive checkpoint deallocation which allows cores participating in voting to continue on with execution instead of waiting on notification from the voting logic. Finally, the framework supports dynamic constitution that allows an arbitrary core on this chip to be a part of an NMR group. This allows bypassing faulty cores as well as scheduling for performance. Our experiments show significant performance/bandwidth benefits from these optimizations.