cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isotope fractionation in the photochemical escape of O from Mars

Abstract The production of energetic and escaping neutral O atoms at the current epoch in the martian thermosphere is thought to be dominated by the O 2 + dissociative recombination process: O 2 + + e → O ∗ + O ∗ + Δ E In this equation, O ∗ represents a fast O atom and Δ E is the energy released. There are five energetically allowed channels of this reaction, with exothermicities, and thus O kinetic energies, that depend on the electronic energies of the O atoms produced, on the vibrational and rotational states of the initial O 2 + ions, and on the ion and electron velocities. We have recently reported the escape probabilities and rates for 16 O produced in dissociative recombination of 16 O 16 O + for 60° solar zenith angle low and high solar activity models of the martian thermosphere/ionosphere (Fox, J.L., Hac, A. [2009]. Icarus 204, 527–544). Because the isotope ratios of atmospheric species, including 18 O / 16 O , contain information about the evolution of the atmosphere, we investigate here the probabilities for escape of energetic 18 O produced in dissociative recombination of the isotopomer 18 O 16 O + . We first predict the altitude dependent vibrational distribution of 18 O 16 O + ( v ) , and we compute the nascent energy distributions of the fast 18 O atoms as functions of vibrational excitation, of the electron and ion temperatures, and of the rotational distributions of the ions; we compare these energy distributions to those of 16 O produced in DR of 16 O 16 O + ( v ) . We then use a 1-D spherical Monte Carlo code to determine escape probabilities for 18 O as functions of energy and altitude. In this code, energetic atoms are followed in spherical geometry from their altitude of production from one collision to the next through the background atmosphere until their energies fall below the escape energy, or they reach an altitude of 700 km with energies above the escape energy. We convolve these escape probabilities with the nascent energy distributions to determine the probabilities of escape of 18 O produced in DR of 18 O 16 O + . We find that there is a substantial altitude dependent isotope effect, which operates in addition to the effects of diffusive separation of the neutral species from which the O 2 + ions are created.
Attribution of Responsibility for Alcohol-Related Offenses

Sum7naty.-The present study examined how individuals attribute responsibility for alcohol-related offenses. Subjects were classiFied into 4 groups based on the type of consequences they received €or their alcohol use and were asked to cornplece 2 rneasures of causal attributions following each of 2 scenarios which depicted different severities of outcome of alcohol-related offenses. Using :I 2.u.a~ multiple analysis of vadance che 2 x 4 repeated-measures design indicated no s~gn~f~cant dlEference benveen groups based on consequences. A significant dzerence was found for severity of outcome suggesting individuals attribute Mering responsibility based on the outcome of alcohol-related events. The current widespread acceptance of social drinking has sparked much research concerning alcohol's effect on social behaviors (Critchlow, 1983). Although an abundance of data exists regarding generahzed expectations of alcohol consumption, little research has focused on the attribution of responsibility when one is intoxicated. Attributional theory is a series of hypotheses about how individuals perceive and explain the causes or consequences of a specific event (Harvey &
(+)-Methamphetamine-induced spontaneous behavior in rats depends on route of (+)METH administration

These studies examined the role of (+)-methamphetamine ((+)METH) administration route on spontaneous behavioral activity vs. time relationships, and pharmacokinetic mechanisms for differences in effects. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=6 per administration route) received saline and three doses (0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg) of (+)METH in a mixed-sequence design by intravenous (iv), subcutaneous (sc) or intraperitoneal (ip) administration. Locomotion and stereotypy were quantified by video-tracking analysis. The effects of (+)METH on spontaneous behavior were dose- and route-dependent. In particular, total locomotor activity was greatest following 3.0 mg/kg intraperitoneally (P<0.05) and stereotypy ratings were greatest following 3.0 mg/kg subcutaneously (P<0.05). In addition, the duration of locomotor effects was greatest after 3.0 mg/kg subcutaneously (P<0.05). Serum pharmacokinetic parameters were determined in separate rats given 3.0 mg/kg by subcutaneous and intraperitoneal administration (n=4 per administration route). The (+)METH elimination half-life was not different between the routes, but the (+)METH AUC was greater (P<0.05), and the (+)METH and (+)-amphetamine (AMP) maximum concentrations occurred later following subcutaneous than after intraperitoneal dosing (P<0.05), increasing and prolonging drug exposure. In conclusion, the overall pattern of (+)METH effects on locomotor activity depend on dose and the route of administration, which affects serum concentration and the time course of behavioral effects.
Personal religiousness and ethical judgements: An empirical analysis

It has been acknowledged on numerous occasions that personal religiousness is a potential source of ethical norms, and consequently, an influence in ethical evaluations. An extensive literature review provides little in the way of empirical investigation of this recognized affect. This investigation conceptualizes religiousness as a motivation for ethical action, and discovers significant differences in ethical judgements among respondents categorized by personal religious motivation. Suggestions as to the source of these differences, and the implications which they offer to managers are discussed and supported from the literature.
Analysis of the Influence of High-Speed Railway on Power Quality

This paper analyzes the influence of ChangJiu High-speed Railway on power quality. Compared with the traditional AC-DC electric locomotive, AC-DC-AC electric locomotive has been widely used in High-speed Railway which harmonic content decreased significantly, power factor also improved. Based on the RTDS simulation, voltage sags have not been caused when electric locomotive is starting.
Ultrastructural comparison of freeze-drying and freeze-substitution in preservation of the frozen state.

Correlation of cellular ultrastructure before freezing, while frozen, and after thawing provides a requisite basis for evaluation of functional ‘alterations which are induced during the formation and dissolution of ice (9). Th e respective roles of intracellular and extracellular ice figure prominently in theories of freezing injury (2, 3, 6, ll), often without correlative observations on the frozen state, especially in tissue cells. Freeze-drying and freeze-substitution are the techniques most commonly used by investigators, almost interchangeably, to preserve the areas in which ice forms in and around cells during freezing at various rates. Occasional statements have been made which suggest that these techniques may yield the same results in representation of the frozen state (4, 9). Results with muscular tissue indicate no difference in the size of intracellular ice spaces with both methods ( 12), as well as the unreliability of freeze-drying (5). There is little or no information on direct experimental comparisons of these methods with epithelial cells, however, especially on the ultrastructural level. Such information is required for a better interpretation of studies on the frozen state of import’ant tissues and organs. Freeze-etching, which theoretically may represent an even more valid picture of actual structure, but which pre--.Rcwivcd June 28, 1976. sents similar results in practice ( 12), has not “suplemented or replaced freeze-substitution and freeze-drying” in this cryobiological application ( 1, 9). The purpose of this brief communication is to present the results of a comparative evaluation of freeze-drying and freezesubstitution in the electron microscopic representation of ice in the frozen state in pancreatic cells.
Microfibrous metallic cloth for damping enhancement in printed circuit boards

As a result of the relatively low intrinsic damping in printed circuit boards, vibration and acoustic energy present in the operating environment may excite vibration modes in the PCB that lead to deleterious effects in attached vibration sensitive components, such as MEMS gyroscopes. An investigation of the use of sandwiched layers of microfibrous metallic cloth in contact with the PCB to increase damping was investigated. Tests were performed for both vibration excitation and acoustic excitation. The initial results indicate that mechanical damping can be increased through this approach.
Measuring service quality: a reexamination and extension

The authors investigate the conceptualization and measurement of service quality and the relationships between service quality, consumer satisfaction, and purchase intentions. A literature review s...
Vibrational Spectroscopic Determination of Structure and Ion Pairing in Complexes of Poly(ethylene oxide) with Lithium Salts

A structural model for crystalline complexes of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with various lithium salts is presented, based on vibrational spectroscopic studies; these complexes are known to exhibit ionic conductivities of > 10 -/sup 5/ (/OMEGA/-cm)-/sup 1/ at 100/sup 0/C. Cation-dependent vibrational bands observed in the Raman indicate that significant cation-oxygen atom interactions occur and suggest that the polyether chain may wrap around the lithium cations. Spectroscopic studies indicate extensive contact ion pairing occurs in the PEO*LiNO/sub 3/ complex, and this may contribute to the somewhat lower ionic conductivity of this complex as compared to other lithium salt complexes with similar structures but weaker cation-anion interactions. 27 refs.
Weed Seedbank Dynamics in Three Organic Farming Crop Rotations

Weed management is a primary concern of organic farmers. Crop rotation is an important potential management approach for regulating weed seed populations in the soil of organic farming systems. This research was conducted to determine the effect of three organic crop rotations on the weed seedbank during the first 6 yr of a long-term cropping systems experiment at Beltsville, MD. The rotations consisted of (i) a 2-yr corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation, (ii) a 3-yr corn-soybean-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation, and (iii) a 4-yr corn-soybean-wheat-red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)/orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) hay rotation. Weed seed populations were determined by a greenhouse emergence assay using soil samples taken in the early spring of each year. The seedbanks of smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.) and common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.) preceding corn were usually lower following the hay years of the 4-yr rotation or the wheat year of the 3-yr rotation than following the soybean year of the 2-yr rotation. However, annual grass seedbanks preceding corn tended to be higher following the hay years of the 4-yr rotation than following the wheat year of the 3-yr rotation or the soybean year of the 2-yr rotation. Seedbanks in the 3- and 4-yr rotations were similar to those of the 2-yr corn-soybean rotation (higher smooth pigweed and common lambsquarters and lower annual grass) when these longer rotations began with a corn-soybean sequence than with other sequences. Sequences beginning with hay had lower smooth pigweed and common lambsquarters seedbank populations than all other sequences. The seedbank in spring significantly predicted weed abundance at maturity in corn in at least 2 of 4 yr for all species. Results show that longer rotations with more phenologically diverse crops can reduce seedbank populations and abundance of important annual broadleaf weed species in organic production systems.
The extracranial-intracranial bypass trial: implications for future investigations.

The 1985 International Extracranial‐Intracranial (EC-IC) Bypass Trial failed to show a surgical benefit of EC-IC bypass in patients with varying degrees of angiographic stenosis. This study was limited by the technology available at the time it was conducted. In the 20 years since, there has been considerable progress in imaging techniques that now enable the identification of a subset of stroke patients with hemodynamic ischemia. In the present study, the authors review the relevant literature and propose a reevaluation of the benefits of the EC-IC bypass procedure using these new imaging techniques. The authors reviewed the admission criteria for the EC-IC Bypass Trial in the light of more recently discovered neurovascular physiology and showed that the imaging criteria used in that trial are not physiologically adequate. A MEDLINE (1985‐2007) database search for EC-IC case studies was conducted, and additional studies were identified manually by scrutinizing references from identified manuscripts, major neurosurgical journals and texts, and personal files. (DOI: 10.3171/FOC/2008/24/2/E4)
Diffuse spasm of a free gastroepiploic artery graft during percutaneous balloon angioplasty.

Percutaneous transluminal balloon dilation of an 8-month-old free graft of the gastroepiploic artery was followed by diffuse and profound graft spasm. Because free arterial grafts are more prone to spasm, suitable precautions, such as administration of calcium channel antagonists, should be taken before attempting any interventions on these vessels. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Aerocapture with a Flexible Tether

In previous work, the authors have demonstrated that the aerobraking tether, modeled as a rigid rod, could achieve aerocapture at any atmosphere-bearing planet in the solar system for less mass than the corresponding propellant of a typical retro-rocket system. In this paper, the great promise of the aerobraking tether is further explored by developing the equations of motion for the analysis of flexible tether behavior during the maneuver. A standard Lagrangian approach is taken with the tether modeled as a chain of linked rigid rods. Since an arbitrary number of rods can be used, the flexible behavior can be approximated to an arbitrary degree of accuracy. The results indicate that the aerobraking tether concept remains feasible when flexibility effects are included in the model.
Charge storage on a conducting polymer in solution

Abstract Magnetic and optical studies of poly(3-hexylthienylene) doped in solution with NO+PF6− in both choloroform and in the more polar solvent methylene chloride indicate a relatively small difference in the energy of polarons versus biplarons, and imply that the weak effective electron-electron Coulomb repulsion can be controlled by varying the solvent and/or the polymer concentration. Even though bipolarons are found to have a lower creation energy than a pair of polarons, entropy favors polarons at dilute concentrations. As a result, we have observed unambiguous magnetic and optical signatures characteristic of polarons in P3HT in CH2Cl2 at the lowest doping levels. The relative fraction of polarons and bipolarons has been analyzed in the context of various proposed statistical models. A theoretical model is developed to include the effect (in such solutions) of ionic screening on the effective Coulomb interaction. This model is tested by adding salt to a dilute solution of doped polymer.
Relationships among EEG alpha frequency, reaction time, and age: a biofeedback study.

To examine the relationship between the frequency of the EEG alpha rhythm and reaction time, the biofeedback technique was used to manipulate brain wave frequency in 10 young and 10 old subjects. Subjects first learned to increase the percent time they spent in their modal brain wave frequency, and then they were trained to increase the percent time they spent in brain wave frequencies 2 Hz faster and 2 Hz slower than their modal frequency. Simple auditory reaction time (RT) was measured during biofeedback immediately after subjects reached a set criterion at each biofeedback task. To control for the effect of biofeedback training on RT, groups of 5 old and 5 young subjects heard a pre-recorded feedback signal which was not contingent upon their brain wave activity. Experimental subjects increased the abundance of alpha activity above baseline levels while control subjects did not. Results indicated that experimental alteration of brain wave frequency affected RT. When the subjects produced fast brain waves their RT was significantly faster than when they produced slow brain waves. Correlations between brain wave period and RT were small. Thus, the data did not provide unequivocal support for the notion that the alpha rhythm serves as a master timing mechanism for behavior, but the relationship between controlled EEG activity and RT was clearly demonstrated.
Effect of L-DOPA, dopamine, dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid and homovanillic acid on Na,K-ATPase activity in rat proximal tubule segments.

Effect of L-Dopa, dopamine, dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid and homovanillic acid on Na, K-ATPase activity in rat proximal tubule segments. Acta Physiol Scand130, 571–574. Received 6 November 1986, accepted 16 February 1987. ISSN 0001–6772. Department of Developmental Physiology, St Gorans Children's Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. We have recently demonstrated that dopamine (DA) inhibits Na, K-ATPase in single proximal tubule (PCT) segments dissected from previously collagenase perfused rat kidney. The aim of the present study was to ascertain whether this effect was directly mediated by DA or if DA was the precursor of an inhibitor. When PCT segments were incubated with I.-Dopa, Na,K-ATPase was significantly lower than in vehicle incubated tubules. Inhibition of dopa decarboxylase abolished the effect of L-Dopa on Na,K-ATPase activity. The metabolites of DA, 3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid (DPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) both inhibited Na,K-ATPase activity in doses higher than 10--6 M. Both HVA and DPAC 10--4 M caused approximately 35% inhibition. Dopamine inhibited Na,K-ATPase activity even in a dose as low as 10--7 M. Maximal inhibition (>60%) was found with DA-5 M. Na,K-ATPase activity was significantly lower in tubules exposed to DA 10--4 and 10--5 M than in tubules exposed to DPAC or HVA 10--4 and 10--5 m. Dopamine produced in proximal tubule cells from L-Dopa, is an active inhibitor of the Na,K-pump in these cells. The DA metabolites DPAC and HVA are less potent Na,K-pump-inhibitors.
Ignition in Pilot-Ignited Natural Gas Low Temperature Combustion: Multi-Zone Modeling and Experimental Results

In previous research conducted by the authors, the Advanced Low Pilot-Ignited Natural Gas (ALPING) combustion employing early injection of small (pilot) diesel sprays to ignite premixed natural gas-air mixtures was demonstrated to yield very low oxides of nitrogen (NOx ) emissions and fuel conversion efficiencies comparable to conventional diesel and dual fuel engines. In addition, it was observed that ignition of the diesel-air mixture in ALPING combustion had a profound influence on the ensuing natural gas combustion, engine performance and emissions. This paper discusses experimental and predicted ignition behavior for ALPING combustion in a single-cylinder engine at a medium load (BMEP = 6 bar), engine speed of 1700 rpm, and intake manifold temperature (Tin ) of 75°C. Two ignition models were used to simulate diesel ignition under ALPING conditions: (a) Arrhenius-type ignition models, and (b) the Shell autoignition model. To the authors’ knowledge, the Shell model has previously not been implemented in a multi-zone phenomenological combustion simulation to simulate diesel ignition. The effects of pilot injection timing and Tin on ignition processes were analyzed from measured and predicted ignition delay trends. Experimental ignition delays showed a nonlinear trend (increasing from 11 to 51.5 degrees) in the 20°–60° BTDC injection timing range. Arrhenius-type ignition models were found to be inadequate and only yielded linear trends over the injection timing range. Even the inclusion of an equivalence ratio term in Arrhenius-type models did not render them satisfactory for the purpose of modeling ALPING ignition. The Shell model, on the other hand, predicted ignition better over the entire range of injection timings compared to the Arrhenius-type ignition delay models and also captured ignition delay trends at Tin = 95°C and Tin = 105°C. Parametric studies of the Shell model showed that the parameter Ap3 , which affects chain propagation reactions, was important under medium load ALPING conditions. With all other model parameters remaining at their original values and only Ap3 modified to 8 × 1011 (from its original value of 1 × 1013 ), the Shell model predictions closely matched experimental ignition delay trends at different injection timings and Tin .Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Psychopathology of early frontal lobe damage: Dependence on cycles of development

A new theory of frontal lobe development is presented in which the role of the human frontal lobes during normal development and the psychopathological consequences of early frontal lobe injury are explored. Analyses of the development of human electroencephalograph (EEG) coherence indicate that there are oscillations and cyclic growth processes along the mediolateral and anterior-posterior planes of the brain. The cycles of EEG coherence are interpreted as repetitive sequences of increasing and decreasing synaptic effectiveness that reflects a convergence process that narrows the disparity between structure and function by slowly sculpting and reshaping the brain's microanatomy. This process is modeled as a developmental spiral staircase in which brain structures are periodically revisited resulting in stepwise increases in differentiation and integration. The frontal lobes play a crucial role because they are largely responsible for the selection and pruning of synaptic contacts throughout the postnatal period. A mathematical model of cycles of synaptic effectiveness is presented in which the frontal lobes behave as gentle synaptic “predators” whereas posterior cortical regions behave as synaptic “prey” in a periodic reorganization process. The psychopathological consequences of early frontal lobe damage are discussed in the context of this model.
Harmonic mode locking of a Nd:BEL laser using a 20-GHz dielectric resonator/optical modulator

A 20-GHz dielectric-resonator/optical modulator is developed and used as an FM mode locker at the 84th harmonic of a conventional 238-MHz diode-pumped Nd:BEL laser cavity. Depending on the mode-locker drive frequency, two distinct regimes of mode locking were observed: 2.9-ps pulses at a repetition rate of 238 MHz and 3.9-ps pulses at a repetition rate of 20 GHz. These are to our knowledge the shortest pulses ever reported for active mode locking of a Nd laser.
Combining Life Table Data

Abstract Actuaries are often required to form opinions or make value assessments entailing data from several tables, possibly generated from different sources. Often, no formal methods of combining tables are used. This paper illustrates a method for combining tables of count data using maximum likelihood methods. Combining data tables can be problematic for several reasons. Often, not all cells will contain data when multiple tables are combined. Also, since the same level of aggregation over covariates is often not available in each of the constituent tables, some data will exist only on the margins. The method we present is appropriate when data for some cells are missing and even when data are available only on the margins. To illustrate the method, we combine mortality tables from three different sources with different classification information. The analysis indicates the possible presence of a health risk factor beyond the use of alcohol and tobacco in a population of active members of a church.
Surfactant control of gas transport and reactions at the surface of sulfuric acid.

Aerosol particles in the atmosphere are tiny chemical reactors that catalyze numerous reactions, including the conversion of benign gases into ozone-destroying ones. In the lower stratosphere, these particles are often supercooled mixtures of water and sulfuric acid. The different species present at the surface of these droplets (H2O, H3O+, HSO4−, H2SO4, and SO42−) stand at the “gas−liquid frontier”; as the first to be struck by impinging molecules, these species provide the initial environment for solvation and reaction. Furthermore, aerosol particles may contain a wide range of organic molecules, some of which migrate to the surface and coat the droplet. How do ambient gases dissolve in the droplet if it is coated with an organic layer? At one extreme, monolayer films of insoluble, long-chain alcohols can dramatically reduce gas transport, packing so tightly at the surface of water that they impede water evaporation by factors of 10 000 or more. Shorter chain surfactants are expected to pack less tightl...
Model reduction and analysis of NS-DBD based control of stalled NACA0015 airfoil

Recent years have seen increased emphasis on mathematical model reduction using modal decomposition techniques of high dimensional flow field data from experiments as well as numerical simulations. These tools decode the complex unsteady flow-field into several modes. Different tools highlight different flow dynamics. In the experimental community, Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) has been the most commonly used technique, ranking modes by their relative energy content, without concern for temporal aspects. However, many dynamics are not highlighted by the most energetic structures. In transitional flows for example, structure growth is a more a more important indicator of the turbulent effects. The Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) technique highlighted by Schmid [1] achieves this by ranking modes by the most dynamically varying flow features. In this work, we use DMD and POD to analyze flow past a NACA0015 airfoil at Reynolds number of 100,000 and AoA=15 degree, without and with control. The specific control technique employed is based on the Nano-second Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge (NS-DBD) actuator. Experimentally validated high fidelity 3-D numerical simulations are employed to generate the required snapshots. From the DMD modes, the dominant time-varying flow structures associated with the two cases are identified, and their stability characteristics are compared. DMD and POD modes are compared to each other. The DMD modes highlight the dynamically varying nature of the flow-field. A Floquet stability analysis of the eigenvalues from DMD for both the no-control and control cases is presented. Further, the original flow field is reconstructed from the DMD modes and their individual modal behavior has been analyzed to show the effect of control authority on the flow.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Effects of ligands and spin-polarization on the preferred conformation of distannynes

Recent experimental and theoretical evidence has shown that distannynes, RSnSnR, can adopt either a singly bonded or a multiply bonded structure. Within calculations on small models, such as MeSnSnMe, apparently dramatic differences in conformational preference have been reported. We show that these differences arise due to the treatment of spin-polarization in density functional theory (DFT), and review stability analysis; a diagnostic for the need to include spin-polarization. The low-energy singly bonded structure can only be reached when spin-polarization is allowed. Additional DFT calculations on PhSnSnPh show that the singly bonded structure is the global minimum, leading to a flat torsional potential. The role of electronic effects is further probed by changing the donor–acceptor properties of R. Implications for the structural preference of experimentally synthesized species are discussed.
Designing the instructional interface

Designing the instructional interface is a challenging endeavor requiring knowledge and skills in instructional and visual design, psychology, human-factors, ergonomic research, computer science and editorial design. While numerous design guidelines are available to assist the designer, many do not fit the specific needs of an instructional environment. The designer is also faced with a challenging design environment. Rapid application development (RAD) settings in which instructional interfaces are developed are characterized by intense production schedules and limited resources. In these environments learning goals may often be bypassed in favor of aesthetics or technical needs. This paper describes the instructional interface, the challenges of its development, and an instructional systems approach to its design that integrates principles of message design, information design, and systems design.
The tip of the iceberg: the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal diseases in children.

The understanding of abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and other functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGIDs) in children remains in its infancy, but significant progress has been made recently.1 The concept of functional abdominal pain has evolved from a diagnosis of exclusion in patients with no organic disease to a positive diagnosis defined by symptom-based diagnostic criteria.2 Functional abdominal pain and other FGIDs follow the paradigm offered by the biopsychosocial model, in which biological, psychological, and social factors play significant roles in human functioning in the context of disease or illness.3
The oxidation behavior of high-temperature aluminides

The kinetics and mechanisms of oxidelayer formation on Ti-Al-X alloys, specifically Ti-25Al-18Ta, Ti-30Al-2.7Nb, and Ti-43Al-11Nb have been studied. The activation energies for the oxide formation of each of the alloys used in this work were determined, and the values obtained were compared with those obtained by other researchers for identical alloys.
Atomic dynamics with photon-dressed core states

This paper describes the atomic dynamics when a Rydberg atom is in a laser field which is resonant with a dipole-allowed core transition. The main approximation is to [ital completely] ignore the (short-range, direct) interaction of the outer electron with the resonant laser which is the same approximation used with great success in calculating the spectrum due to isolated core excitations (ICE). The atom autoionizes when the core absorbs a photon, because the electron can then inelastically scatter from the excited core state, gaining enough energy to escape the atom. Despite neglecting the direct interaction between the outermost electron and the laser, the laser profoundly affects the autoionization dynamics. This effect is incorporated through a frame transformation between the dressed and undressed core states which only utilizes the field free atomic scattering parameters. A two-color experiment is proposed which might be able to measure nonperturbative effects arising from the dressed core states. The usual ICE transition rate is obtained through a perturbative expansion. Generic effects are examined through a model problem. A calculation of the Mg spectrum when the driving laser is tuned to the 3[ital s][sub 1/2-]3[ital p][sub 1/2] or the 3[ital s][sub 1/2-]3[ital p][sub 3/2] transition is presented.
Wave-front aberrations in the anterior corneal surface and the whole eye.

In order to investigate the sources of wave-front aberrations in the human eye, we have measured the aberrations of the anterior cornea and the whole eye using a topographic system and a psychophysical wave-front sensor. We have also calculated the aberrations for the internal optics of both eyes of 45 young subjects (aged 9 to 29 years). The mean rms for the anterior cornea was similar to that for the internal optics and the whole eye when astigmatism was included, but less than that for both the internal optics and the whole eye with astigmatism removed. For eyes with low whole-eye rms values, mean rms for the anterior cornea was greater than that for the whole eye, suggesting that the anterior corneal aberration is partially compensated by the internal optics of the eye to produce the low whole-eye rms. For eyes with larger whole-eye rms values, the rms values for both the anterior cornea and the internal optics were less than that for the whole eye. Thus the aberrations for the two elements tend to be primarily additive. This pattern exists whether or not astigmatism was included in the wave-front aberration rms. For individual Zernike terms, astigmatism and spherical aberration in the anterior cornea were partially compensated by internal optics, while some other Zernike terms showed addition between the anterior cornea and internal optics. Individual eyes show different combinations of compensation and addition across different Zernike terms. Our data suggest that the reported loss of internal compensation for anterior corneal aberrations in elderly eyes with large whole-eye aberrations [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A19, 137 (2002)] may also occur in young eyes.
Effect of a navy bean fraction on protein synthesis in rats.

SummaryIntraperitoneal injection of a navy bean fraction (Fraction 4) into young rats reduced the incorporation of leucine-14C into protein of skeletal muscle; increased the incorporation into liver protein; and had no effect on the level of incorporation into tissue protein of the small intestine. Decreased protein synthesis in skeletal muscle appears to be a specific phenomenon related to a toxic factor present in Fraction 4.
Emergence of Antibiotic-Producing Microorganisms in Residential Versus Recreational Microenvironments.

AIMS To identify novel antibiotic-producing microbial strains with unprecedented pertinence. We hypothesize that site-specific soil samples will contain a variety of antibiotic-producing species (APS) with diverse specificity of molecular elements. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Laboratory of Microbiology, Division of Biological and Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Bradford, PA-16701, USA, between August 2010 and May 2011. METHODOLOGY The environmental soil samples were collected from residential and recreational sites in Southern, PA, USA at longitude: -76 42 21.7116, latitude: 39 56 35.7252; approximately 201 meters above sea level. Over 70 natural antibiotic-producing soil bacteria were screened against 19 pathogenic microorganisms. Agar-plug assay was established to identify the antibiotics' potency and pathogenic inhibitory index calculations were employed to measure the inhibitory potential of each isolate; 16S rRNA sequencing was used for microbial classification. RESULTS A total of 71 microorganisms from residential soil demonstrated zones of inhibition (ZOI), followed by 9 organisms from recreational soil sample. A total of 15 bioactive strains demonstrated convincing growth inhibitory properties against 16 clinically relevant pathogens; 40% revealed pDNA presence, of which 67% exhibited stringent potencies against S. aureus. We observed a highly bioactive residential soil microbiota compared to recreational soil. CONCLUSION 16S rRNA sequence analysis corroborated several of the species belonging to Enterobacteriaceae, Xanthomonadaceae, and Bacillaceae. These findings may indicate a co-evolutionary biosynthesis of novel antibiotics driven by the increase of bioactive microbiota in residential environments.
Is there an orbital signal in the polar layered deposits on Mars

Do the polar layered deposits on Mars refl ect orbital control or stochastic variability? It is fi useful to determine whether an orbital signal would be detected, even if present. An estimate of the uncertainty in the time-depth relationship of the polar stratigraphy shows that nonlinearities in this relationship and noise in the signal will hamper or preclude detection of orbital forcing, even if layer composition is directly proportional to insolation. Indeed, stratigraphic sections of the north polar layered deposits reconstructed from spacecraft images yield no clear evidence of orbital control and are largely consistent with an autoregressive, stochastic formation process. There is, however, a broad rise in spectral power centered on a wavelength of roughly 1.6 m that appears in many of the stratigraphic sections. This bedding may record a time scale associated with processes internal to Mars’ climate system, perhaps related to dust storms. Alternatively, if formed in response to variations in Mars’ obliquity or orbital precession, the 1.6 m bedding implies that the ~1-km-thick upper north polar layered deposits formed over 30‐70 Myr.
Olivocerebellar and cerebelloolivary connections of the oculomotor region of the fastigial nucleus in the macaque monkey.

Anatomical connections of the caudal portion of the fastigial nucleus (FN) with the inferior olive (IO) were studied in macaque monkeys with wheat-germ-agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA/HRP) and HRP. When injected HRP was confined to a caudal portion of the FN, retrogradely labeled Purkinje cells (P cells) appeared in the oculomotor vermis. We defined the area that receives the projection from vermal lobule VII as the fastigial oculomotor region. The same HRP injection resulted in retrograde labeling of IO neurons in an area of group b (of Bowman and Sladek: J. Comp. Neurol. 152:299-316, '73) of the contralateral medial accessory olive (MAO). This area was designated as the Z-portion because in the coronal section it appears like the letter “Z.” Retrogradely labeled IO neurons were also found in the Z-portion when HRP was injected into the oculomotor vermis, indicating that neurons in this portion project to both the fastigial and vermal oculomotor regions. Anterogradely labeled axons from the contralateral fastigial oculomotor region also terminated in the Z-portion. When the effective site included a region anterior to the fastigial oculomotor region, labeled P cells appeared in lobule V and labeled IO neurons appeared in group a. Labeled terminals of fastigial fibers were also found in group a. When the effective site included a region ventral to the oculomotor region, labeled P cells appeared in vermal lobules VIII and IX and labeled IO neurons appeared in caudal parts of a and b, in addition to group c. HRP injection into the posterior interposed nucleus (PIN) resulted in labeling of P cells in the paravermal zone and of IO neurons in the rostral two-thirds of the MAO and the dorsal accessory olive (DAO). The location of the labeled terminals coincided with the region where the densest labeling of IO neurons was found. Thus, the olivary projections to both the cerebellar cortex and deep cerebellar nuclei and the nucleoolivary projection exhibited a closely related topographical organization.
The Japanese Mutant Aβ (ΔE22-Aβ1−39) Forms Fibrils Instantaneously, with Low-Thioflavin T Fluorescence: Seeding of Wild-Type Aβ1−40 into Atypical Fibrils by ΔE22-Aβ1−39

The ΔE693 (Japanese) mutation of the β-amyloid precursor protein leads to production of ΔE22-Aβ peptides such as ΔE22-Aβ1−39. Despite reports that these peptides do not form fibrils, here we show that, on the contrary, the peptide forms fibrils essentially instantaneously. The fibrils are typical amyloid fibrils in all respects except that they cause only low levels of thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence, which, however, develops with no lag phase. The fibrils bind ThT, but with a lower affinity and a smaller number of binding sites than wild-type (WT) Aβ1−40. Fluorescence depolarization confirms extremely rapid aggregation of ΔE22-Aβ1−39. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) indicates very low concentrations of soluble monomer and oligomer, but only in the presence of some organic solvent, e.g., 2% (v/v) DMSO. The critical concentration is approximately 1 order of magnitude lower for ΔE22-Aβ1−39 than for WT Aβ1−40. Several lines of evidence point to an altered structure for ΔE22-Aβ1−39 compared to that of WT ...
Comparison of Conventional and Cross-Layer Multimedia Transport Schemes for Wireless Networks

Three competing schemes have been proposed for multimedia transport over broadband wireless channels: (a) traditional UDP (Postel, The User Datagram Protocol, 1980 [1]), (b) semi-cross-layer UDP-Lite (The Lightweight User Datagram Protocol, 2004 [2]), and (c) cross-layer header estimation (Khayam et al., IEEE Transactions on Multimedia 9(2):377---385, 2007 [3]; Khayam and Radha, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications 6(11):3946---3954, 2007 [4]). In all these schemes, corrupted and lost packets are recovered using FEC at the application layer. In this paper, we analytically and experimentally compare the performances of these broadband wireless multimedia schemes. First, we derive lower bounds on the excepted FEC redundancy required by ideal cross-layer header estimation, UDP and UDP-Lite over an arbitrary-order Markov wireless channel. We show that under realistic wireless channel conditions, the cross-layer header estimation scheme always requires lesser redundancy than UDP and UDP-Lite. We then propose a practical minimum distance decoding (MDD) header estimation scheme, which is receiver-based, low complexity and highly accurate. Trace-driven multimedia experiments over wireless LANs demonstrate that MDD header estimation requires significantly lesser FEC redundancy and renders better video quality than existing schemes.
On the chlorophyll a retention properties of glass-fiber GF/F filters

Extensive comparisons of the retention properties of glass-fiber GF/F and 0.2-μm membrane filters show that these two filter types retain equivalent amounts of Chl a. The experiments conducted were in the open ocean waters of the Pacific Ocean, from 46°N to 28°S, including waters from the equatorial divergence, the low latitude subtropical gyres, and higher latitudes. These results contradict a recent report that suggests that in some cases GF/F filters underestimate chlorophyll concentration by 4-fold when compared with 0.2-μm membrane filters. The data set also allowed examination of latitudinal gradients in integrated chlorophyll. Previously observed latitudinal gradients in the North Pacific were present but were much weaker than those found in the South Pacific.
Force and moment analysis of stacked counter rotating eccentric mass tree shaker energy-wheel system

This paper expands the historical “Planar model” equation for inertial tree shakers using stacked counter-rotating eccentric-mass energy-wheels and accounts for coupled moments using a “Planar Force and Moment Model”. The energy-wheel configuration utilised by many tree shakers creates planar forces and coupled moment maxima and minima. When the centrifugal acceleration force vectors of each energy-wheel are aligned, this creates a force maximum, acting radially about the tree. The stacked energy-wheels assembly produces a coupled moment due to the centrifugal acceleration force vectors acting on a lever arm. The lever arm vectors extend from a coordinate system coincident with the shaft centre line, and between the upper and lower energy-wheels centre of gravity. A coupled moment maximum occurs when the energy-wheel force vectors are opposing, the planar force is a minimum. The shaker head will roll, pitch, and yaw about the tree trunk due to the instantaneous coupled moment. The rotational and non-normal planar forces are more likely to cause tree trunk bark injury. Subsystems, such as lubricated pads and slings, are required to mitigate transmission of damaging forces. The Planar Force and Coupled Moment Model identifies the force causing vertical tree displacement. Though the Planar model shows that the timing of the energy-wheels produces the observed bi-directional pattern of force maxima, addition of the Coupled Moment shows that timing cannot eliminate non-normal forces. The new model provides a more complete representation of forces applied to the tree and could be used to optimise design for reduced tree damage.
A novel method to improve individual animal identification based on camera-trapping data

ABSTRACT We present a novel method to improve individual identification of animals based on cameratrapping data. The method combines computer tools and human visual recognition to help multiple users to reach identification agreement. Application of this method to a bobcat (Lynx rufus) picture database from the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve resulted in a progressive increase in identification agreement between 2 users, as measured by the adjusted Rand index (ARI). An initial ARI value of 0.28 increased to a final value of 0.84 (1 = maximum agreement). In contrast, comparisons involving random picture groupings consistently rendered low ARI values (≤0.05). The numbers of individuals named by the 2 users decreased from initial values of 46 and 43 to final values of 25 and 29, respectively. The tool presented here will help researchers and wildlife managers to identify individual mammals and monitor populations.
A second-order positivity preserving central-upwind scheme for chemotaxis and haptotaxis models

The paper is concerned with development of a new finite-volume method for a class of chemotaxis models and for a closely related haptotaxis model. In its simplest form, the chemotaxis model is described by a system of nonlinear PDEs: a convection-diffusion equation for the cell density coupled with a reaction-diffusion equation for the chemoattractant concentration. The first step in the derivation of the new method is made by adding an equation for the chemoattractant concentration gradient to the original system. We then show that the convective part of the resulting system is typically of a mixed hyperbolic-elliptic type and therefore straightforward numerical methods for the studied system may be unstable. The proposed method is based on the application of the second-order central-upwind scheme, originally developed for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws in Kurganov et al. (SIAM J Sci Comput 21:707–740, 2001), to the extended system of PDEs. We show that the proposed second-order scheme is positivity preserving, which is a very important stability property of the method. The scheme is applied to a number of two-dimensional problems including the most commonly used Keller–Segel chemotaxis model and its modern extensions as well as to a haptotaxis system modeling tumor invasion into surrounding healthy tissue. Our numerical results demonstrate high accuracy, stability, and robustness of the proposed scheme.
Distribution and Abundance of Larval Fish in the Nearshore Waters of Western Lake Huron

Abstract Ichthyoplankton was collected at 17 nearshore (bottom depth ≥5 m but ≤10 m) sites in western Lake Huron during 1973–75 with a 0.5-m net of 351-micron mesh towed at 99 m/min. Larvae of rainbow smelt ( Osmerus mordax ) dominated late spring and early summer catches and larvae of alewives ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) the midsummer catches. Larval yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) were caught in early summer but were rarely the dominant species. The time of spawning and hatching, and thus occurrence of larvae, differed between areas but was less variable for alewives than for yellow perch. The appearance of larvae in Saginaw Bay was followed successively by their appearance in southern, central, and northern Lake Huron. Rainbow smelt were most abundant in northern Lake Huron and yellow perch and alewives in inner Saginaw Bay. Densities of either rainbow smelt or alewives occasionally exceeded 1/m 3 , whereas those of yellow perch never exceeded 0.1/m 3 . Abundance of alewives was usually highest 1 to 3 m beneath the surface and that of rainbow smelt 2 to at least 6 m beneath the surface. Important nursery areas of rainbow smelt were in bays and off irregular coastlines and those of yellow perch were in bays. All nearshore waters seemed equally important as nursery areas of alewives.