cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current remote sensing in natural resource management

Natural resource management agencies continue to be one of the heavy users of remote sensing data. From the earliest days of aerial photography, managers have depended upon broad area coverage in various levels of resolution for information needed to conserve and preserve the Earth's resource base. The USDA Forest Service is one agency that has been an active user of remote sensing data since the days when foresters began using aerial photographs to analyze timber crops. To this day, the use of data acquired by aerial reconnaissance is an important part of the tools used to gather information. Last year, in April of 2002, the Forest Service, Remote Sensing Applications Cener with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, sponsored The Ninth Biennial Remote Sensing Applications Conference in San Diego, California. Presentations at that conference demonstrate that airborne reconnaissance techniques continue to be of importance to managers of our natural resources. This paper is an overview of papers presented at the conference with emphasis upon applications that either use or have the potential to use airborne reconnaissance in data collection. Primary areas of interest include data collection for natural resource management and for law enforcement purposes on public lands an other remote, inaccessible back country areas.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An ethidium bromide-agarose plate assay for the nonradioactive detection of cDNA synthesis

Abstract Ethidium bromide was used to determine the success of cDNA synthesis reactions. Since ethidium bromide in agarose can be used to quantitate RNA and DNA, conditions under which the greater fluorescence of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is utilized were devised to assay dsDNA synthesis from mRNA. Ethidium bromide at 5μg/ml in agarose allowed quantitative detection of cDNA in the range of 0.03 to 0.0015 μg. Sodium dodecyl sulfate had an adverse effect on the measurement of cDNA. Subsequent cDNA analysis by alkaline gel electrophoresis and staining in 5 μg/ml ethidium bromide allowed accurate and rapid sizing of cDNA and required onlt 0.1−0.05 μg cDNA.
Ribonuclease P substrate specificity: cleavage of a bacteriophage phi80-induced RNA

Abstract RNase P can cleave in vitro a bacteriophage phi80-induced RNA which is 62 nucleotides long [M3 RNA, G. Pieczenik et al. (1972) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 152, 152-165] to yield two specific fragments 25 and 37 nucleotides long. As is the case for another substrate of RNase P; the precursor to Escherichia coli 4.5S RNA, the cleavage site in M3 RNA is at the end of a long double-stranded region immediately adjacent to a single-stranded segment. Similar nucleotide sequences span the cleavage site in both substrates. These and other features of the reaction of RNase P with M3 and 4.5S precursor RNA are different from some aspects of the reaction of this enzyme with tRNA precursor molecules. A qualitative scheme is presented that is directed towards the understanding of the differences in RNase P cleavage site specificity for these substrates.
Development of the Preferences for College Counseling Inventory

This study describes the development of the Preferences for College Counseling Inventory (PCCI). In addition to providing data about college students' preferences for the logistics of counseling and the demographic/professional background of a potential therapist, the PCCI also provides numerical scores on 3 scales (Therapist Expertise, Therapist Warmth, and Therapist Directiveness) that measure preferences for therapist dispositions and 2 scales (Task-Oriented Activities and Experiential/Insight-Oriented Activities) that measure preferences for counseling activities.
THE REVIVED BRETTON WOODS SYSTEM

The economic emergence of a fixed exchange rate periphery in Asia has re-established the United States as the centre country in the Bretton Woods international monetary system. We argue that the normal evolution of the international monetary system involves the emergence of a periphery for which the development strategy is export-led growth supported by undervalued exchange rates, capital controls and official capital outflows in the form of accumulation of reserve asset claims on the centre country. The success of this strategy in fostering economic growth allows the periphery to graduate to the centre. Financial liberalization, in turn, requires floating exchange rates among the centre countries. But there is a line of countries waiting to follow the Europe of the 1950s/60s and Asia today, sufficient to keep the system intact for the foreseeable future. Copyright # 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. JEL CODE: F02; F32; F33
Lessons learned from the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory

The second of NASA's 'Great Observatories', the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) was one of NASA's most successful missions. The scientific results changed our view of the hig-energy Universe in many fundamental ways. Originally designed as a two-year mission, CGRO continued to return hgih quality scientific data until a reference-gyro failure led NASA to de-orbit the spaceraft after nine years of operations while the capability for a controlled reentry remained. Success is a result of careful planning and wise leadership. It is useful to examine how such a mission was designed, developed, and implemented, as a model for future scientific missions. Careful scientific planning, a highly skilled and motivated project staff who worked closely with the scientists, a close working relationship with TRW, the mission contractor, a dedicated operations crew and strong support from the management of the Goddard Space Flight Center were all important to the success of CGRO. It is the purpose of this paper to examine CGRO activities from the initial science planning beginning in the eraly 1970's to the end of mission funding in 2002 to see what can be learned from the successes and the failures of this grand mission.
Electrooptic properties and their temperature dependence in single crystals of lead barium niobate and strontium barium niobate

Abstract The temperature dependence of the electrooptic properties of tetragonal lead barium niobate crystals of compositions (Pb x Ba 1− x Nb 2 O 6 where x =0.50 and 0.57, i.e., PBN50 and PBN57) was measured. For comparison studies, similar measurements were performed on 0.01 mol% cerium-doped Sr 0.61 Ba 0.39 Nb 2 O 6 (SBN61) single crystals (i.e., SBN61:Ce). Temperature dependences of the piezoelectric d coefficients for SBN61 were measured independently by resonance technique. Both PBN57 and PBN50 have electrooptic (EO) r 13 and r 33 coefficients that are large and are nearly temperature independent compared to the relatively temperature dependent coefficients found in the case of SBN61:Ce.
Modeling fluvial response to in-stream woody vegetation: implications for stream corridor restoration

River restoration and bank stabilization programs often use vegetation for improving stream corridor habitat, aesthetic and function. Yet no study has examined the use of managed vegetation plantings to transform a straight, degraded stream corridor into an ecologically functional meandering channel. Experimental data collected using a distorted Froude-scaled flume analysis show that channel expansion and widening, thalweg meandering and riffle and pool development are possible using discrete plantings of rigid, emergent vegetation, and the magnitudes of these adjustments depend on the shape of the vegetation zone and the density of the vegetation. These experimental results were verified and validated using a recently developed numerical model, and model output was then used to discuss mechanistically how rivers respond to the introduction of in-stream woody vegetation. Finally, a hybrid method of meander design is proposed herein where managed vegetation plantings are used to trigger or force the desired morphologic response, transforming a straight, degraded reach into a more functional meandering corridor. It is envisioned that such numerical models could become the primary tool for designing future stream restoration programs involving vegetation and assessing the long-term stability of such activities. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dual-catheter balloon occlusion aortography in pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aorto-pulmonary collaterals

Angiography remains the gold standard in the preoperative evaluation of complex pulmonary blood supply in patients with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries. In neonates, balloon occlusion aortography using a Berman balloon catheter is a very effective technique. However, in older patients this method is frequently limited due to failure to achieve distal balloon occlusion. A novel technique using a balloon valvuloplasty catheter and a standard angiographic catheter in combination is described. The technique allowed enhanced visualization of the complex anatomy in three patients scheduled for surgical intervention.
Bureaucracy and the ‘publicness’ of local public goods: A reply to Gonzalez, Folsom and Mehay

Readers of the literature on bureaucracy will recall that three years ago Gonzalez and Mehay,(1985) published an empirical piece utilizing a slack-maximizing model of bureaucratic behavior which concluded that local public goods are really private goods. My own article (Wyckoff, 1988a) reached the same conclusion using theoretical means. The effect of bureaucracy, I argued, is to bias our results toward the conclusion that local public goods are public in nature, so the empirical results showing the opposite cannot be blamed on bureaucracy. Now, in a surprising comment on my paper, Gonzalez, Folsom and Mehay (1988) (GFM) assert that I made methodological errors in the process of establishing my result. Not content with my agreement with their conclusions, GFM demand that I reach these results using their methodology. GFM insist that I ignore four special cases in my paper. Each one of these special cases is discussed below. In general, I find little merit in their arguments. Each special case is either obviously unrealistic or relates to a question completely different from those discussed in my paper. First of all, GFM argue that I fail to note that the voter's tax share t is likely to vary with city population N. When this correlation is incorporated into my model, they say, the reverse of my results could occur. But there is a fundamental error in allowing t to vary with N. The issue in this paper is not whether large cities spend more than small cities - nobody disputes this - but whether local public goods are public goods or not. What we want to know is whether two people can enjoy a public service just as easily as one. By including tax considerations in the calculations as they have done, GFM confuse crowding effects with changes in spending caused by changes in tax burdens. When t is allowed to vary with N, we no longer have a measure of the crowding parameter, but a composite which cannot answer the question we originally asked. An analogy may help clarify GFM's error. GFM's approach is equivalent to suggesting that, since wealthy people have larger homes and hence larger tax
FUSE: lessons learned for future FUV missions

The far ultraviolet spectral region (roughly 900 - 1200 a) is densely packed with strong atomic, ionic and molecular transitions of astrophysical importance. Many of these transitions provide unique access to the associated species. This spectral region is also technically challenging: optical reflectivities are limited, contamination control requirements are severe and detectors must be windowless. The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) covers the spectral region 905 -1187 a with a resolution ~ 15 km s-1. The mission, launched in June 1999 and now in its fifth year of science operations, has reaped a rich scientific harvest from this spectral region. This paper will examine the lessons learned from the FUSE mission with the perspective of looking ahead to possible future missions. In order to build on the scientific advances of the FUSE mission, such a mission would require both increased sensitivity and higher spectral resolution. We conclude that achieving these requirements will necessitate, among other advances, new approaches to far ultraviolet mirror coating technology. We also examine the possibility of accessing the far ultraviolet using an ultraviolet observatory designed for longer wavelength ultraviolet radiation.
On Simulation and Analysis of Variable-Rate Pumping Tests

Analytical solutions for constant-rate pumping tests are widely used to infer aquifer properties. In this note, we implement a methodology that approximates the time-varying pumping record as a series of segments with linearly varying pumping rates. We validate our approach using an analytical solution for a sinusoidally varying pumping test. We also apply our methodology to analyze synthetic test data and compare the results with those from a commonly used method where rate variations are represented by a series of constant-rate steps.
Psychosocial predictors of smoking recidivism.

A prospective analysis was undertaken in an attempt to discover possible predictors of cigarette smoking recidivism. Former cigarette smokers interviewed in 1964 were reinterviewed in 1966. In the two year interim approximately 13 per cent had returned to smoking cigarettes. Recidivism was examined as a function of selected demographic, environmental, behavioral, and attitudinal variables. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the data were performed. A stepwise multiple discriminant analysis revealed that a set of three variables was highly effective in predicting recidivism.
Low-dose endobronchial gene transfer to ameliorate lung graft ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to determine whether low-dose endobronchial transfer to the donor of the gene for human interleukin 10 would decrease ischemia-reperfusion injury in lung transplantation. Methods: Experiments used male Fischer rats. Donor animals underwent right thoracotomy. A catheter was introduced into the left main bronchus, and vector was instilled. Group I (n = 6) received 2 × 10 7 plaque-forming units of adenovirus encoding human interleukin 10, group II (n = 6) received an adenovirus control encoding β-galactosidase, and group III (n = 6) received saline solution. After instillation the left main bronchus was clamped for 60 minutes. Lungs were removed 24 hours later and stored in low-potassium dextran glucose solution for 18 hours before left lung transplantation. Graft function was assessed at 24 hours immediately before the animals were killed. Ratio of wet to dry weight and tissue myeloperoxidase activity were measured. Transgenic expression of human interleukin 10 was evaluated by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemical assay. Results: Arterial oxygenation was significantly improved in group I relative to groups II and III (257.6 ± 59.7 mm Hg vs 114.6 ± 66.9 mm Hg and 118.6 ± 91.1 mm Hg, P =.008 and P =.007, respectively). Neutrophil sequestration, as measured by myeloperoxidase activity, was also significantly reduced in group I relative to groups II and III (0.141 ± 0.025 vs 0.304 ± 0.130 and 0.367 ± 0.153 Δ optical density units/[min · mg protein], P =.029 and P =.004, respectively). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemical assay demonstrated the expression of human interleukin 10 in transfected lungs only. Conclusions: Low-dose endobronchial transfer to the donor of the gene for human interleukin 10 ameliorated ischemia-reperfusion injury in rodent lung transplantation by improving graft oxygenation and reducing neutrophil sequestration. Only 2 × 10 7 plaque-forming units of adenoviral vector were required for functional transgenic expression. Endobronchial gene transfer to lung grafts may be a useful delivery route even at low doses. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002;123:795-802
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the pathogenesis of enterocolitis complicating Hirschsprung's disease

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a glycoprotein that is necessary for the transendothelial migration of leucocytes. This study was undertaken to elucidate the role of ICAM-1 in the pathophysiology of Hirschsprung's disease (HD)-related enterocolitis. Ganglionic and aganglionic portions of bowel from 18 patients with HD who did not have clinical or histological evidence of enterocolitis and 5 patients with HD who developed enterocolitis before or after a pull-through operation were stained using monoclonal antibody against ICAM-1. The bowel specimens obtained from 2 children with imperforate anus at the time of colostomy closure and 3 children at the time of bladder augmentation were similarly stained to act as controls. The ganglionic portion of bowel from patients with HD without enterocolitis and controls showed either no ICAM-I staining or occasional staining of the endothelial lining of submucosal vessels with no staining of the glandular crypt epithelium. In contrast, both ganglionic and aganglionic bowel from patients with enterocolitis complicating HD demonstrated strong ICAM-1 staining in the endothelium of submucosal vessels. Strong expression of ICAM-1 in the glandular crypt epithelium was seen in only 2 patients who had developed enterocolitis before pull-through operations. This study illustrates the importance of endothelial cell activation in the pathogenesis of HD-related enterocolitis.
New suicide vector for gene replacement in yersiniae and other gram-negative bacteria.

Abstract A suicide vector named pUK4134 was constructed to enlarge the repertoire of vectors available for allelic exchange of mutated sequences in gram-negative bacteria. This plasmid combines the properties of two previously described plasmid vectors, pJM703.1 and pRTP1. pUK4134 is a suicide vector, carrying the origin of replication of the plasmid R6K and thus requiring the product of the pir gene for its stable maintenance. The rpsL gene encoding Escherichia coli ribosomal protein S12 confers streptomycin sensitivity on streptomycin-resistant strains and provides a positive selection for bacteria that have lost the plasmid following allelic exchange. The bla gene provides for selection by Ap r . Other features are a unique Eco RV cloning site, oriT of plasmid RK2, and the bacteriophage λ cos sequence. This vector was successfully used several times to carry out allelic exchange in Yersinia pestis .
Recursive Algorithms for Computing End-to-End Blocking in a Network with Arbitrary Routing Plan

This paper presents three recursive algorithms for computing end-to-end blocking probabilities in a network with alternate routing, based on link blocking probabilities. The only assumption made is the statistical independence of link blocking probabilities. The first algorithm applies to arbitrary routing plans. The second algorithm applies to single-loss-route routing plans which include predictive routing plans used in advanced private networks. The second algorithm is also applicable to solving the terminal-pair reliability problem. The third algorithm applies to tandem-node-matrix-generated routing plans which include hierarchical routing plans similar to those used in North American public toll network, AT&T's CCSA, EPSCS, and ETN networks. These three algorithms are progressively more efficient.
Air Force Perspective on Present and Future Space Power Generation

Photovoltaics continue to be the primary source for electric power for space missions. The need for ever higher power, specific power, areal power density, and radiation resistance continues to push development of novel solar cell technologies. To meet present and future space power requirements, conventional crystalline multijunction solar cells, next generation thin-film solar cells, and novel technologies are being pursued. In the near to mid term, III-V based multijunction solar cell efficiencies are being increased through incorporation of new materials and metamorphic structures. These efforts are expected to result in AM0 solar cell efficiencies of 33-35%. For thin-film solar cells, significant progress has been made in moving to lightweight polymer substrates and incorporation of monolithic integration, pushing cell level specific powers over 1800 W/kg. Efficiencies continue to increase through better process control and post process treatments. Incorporation of new materials and tandem structures promises to further increase thin-film solar cell efficiencies. For the longer term, novel material systems and nanotechnologies are being investigated. Examples are InGaN alloys which show promise for a continuously varied bandgap with composition, and intermediate bandgap or nanostructured solar cells which take advantage of size dependant light absorption to absorb more of the solar spectrum. To take advantage of new technologies, novel module and array structures are also being developed.
Block-based frequency scalable technique for efficient hierarchical coding

In this paper, we propose a block-based frequency scalable technique for efficient hierarchical coding. The proposed technique divides an image into its multiple resolution versions, based on the spectral properties of discrete cosine transform (DCT) kernels. We present that spectral decomposition, downsampling, and DCT operations are performed effectively over input DCT coefficients of one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) signals by using the proposed transform matrices. The proposed image coder is observed to reduce the computational complexity and the memory buffer size with a higher peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), when compared with the traditional hierarchical image coder. In addition, the proposed architecture can preserve compatibility easily with the previous DCT-based image coder
Adult Attachment, Shame, Depression, and Loneliness: The Mediation Role of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction

This study examined basic psychological needs satisfaction (i.e., the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) as a mediator between adult attachment (i.e., anxiety and avoidance) and distress (i.e., shame, depression, and loneliness). A total of 299 undergraduates from a Midwestern university participated. Results from structural equation modeling analysis indicated that basic psychological needs satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and shame, depression, and loneliness and fully mediated the relationship between attachment avoidance and shame, depression, and loneliness. Bootstrap methods were used to assess the magnitude of these indirect effects. Attachment anxiety and avoidance explained 35% of the variance in basic psychological needs satisfaction, and attachment anxiety and basic psychological needs satisfaction explained 51%, 72%, and 74% of the variance in shame, depression, and loneliness, respectively.
Tomographic mapping of sediments in shallow water

Sediment compressional wave speeds were estimated using broad-band data in range-dependent environments. The environment was assumed as mildly range dependent and was modeled using adiabatic theory. The inversion scheme was based on group speed-dispersion behavior. A genetic algorithm (GA) combined with a neighborhood approach was used for the search. The top layer of sediment was mapped in the shelf region using acoustic data from explosive sources collected on a vertical line array.
Methods for Studying the Mechanisms of Action of Antipsychotic Drugs in Caenorhabditis elegans

Caenorhabditis elegans is a simple genetic organism amenable to large-scale forward and reverse genetic screens and chemical genetic screens. The C. elegans genome includes potential antipsychotic drug (APD) targets conserved in humans, including genes encoding proteins required for neurotransmitter synthesis and for synaptic structure and function. APD exposure produces developmental delay and/or lethality in nematodes in a concentration-dependent manner. These phenotypes are caused, in part, by APD-induced inhibition of pharyngeal pumping(1,2). Thus, the developmental phenotype has a neuromuscular basis, making it useful for pharmacogenetic studies of neuroleptics. Here we demonstrate detailed procedures for testing APD effects on nematode development and pharyngeal pumping. For the developmental assay, synchronized embryos are placed on nematode growth medium (NGM) plates containing APDs, and the stages of developing animals are then scored daily. For the pharyngeal pumping rate assay, staged young adult animals are tested on NGM plates containing APDs. The number of pharyngeal pumps per unit time is recorded, and the pumping rate is calculated. These assays can be used for studying many other types of small molecules or even large molecules.
An 8-bit 500kS/s semi-digital cyclic ADC with time-mode residue voltage generation

This work presents a semi-digital cyclic ADC with time-mode residue voltage generation. In the proposed scheme, the conventional switched-capacitor MDAC is replaced with a time-mode circuit which generates the residue voltage by controlling the charge and discharge interval of a capacitor. As a result, a semi-digital cyclic ADC can be realized using simple circuit components including capacitors, comparators, DC current source, and digital logics. Without the amplifier, the analog blocks can operate under a lower supply voltage that leads to reduced power consumption. Furthermore, a compact ADC can be realized by using small sized capacitors. An 8-bit, 500kS/s cyclic ADC is realized using CMOS 0.35μm technology, where the power consumption is 36.7μW.
Disordered systems, power laws and random processes

Abstract A general expression 〈n k 〉 = ( k A )B(x + A − k, k + γ − 1) B(x, γ) can account for the power law falloff in cluster yields with exponent τ between 0 and 2. The same expression is shown to include several models of disordered systems as special cases, such as spin glasses, random maps and randomly broken intervals.
The Influence of Blowing Snow and Precipitation on Snow Depth Change across the Ross Ice Shelf and Ross Sea Regions of Antarctica

Measuring snowfall in the polar regions is an issue met with many complications. Across the Antarctic, ground-based precipitation measurements are only available from a sparse network of manned stations or field studies. Measurements from satellites promise to fill in gaps in time and space but are still in the early stages of development and require surface measurements for proper validation. Currently, measurements of accumulation from automated reporting stations are the only available means of tracking snow depth change over a broad area of the continent. The challenge remains in determining the cause of depth change by partitioning the impacts of blowing snow and precipitation. While a methodology for separating these two factors has yet to be developed, by comparing accumulation measurements with meteorological measurements, an assessment of whether these terms were a factor in snow depth change during an event can be made. This paper describes a field study undertaken between January 2005 and October 2006 designed to identify the influences of precipitation and horizontal snow transport on surface accumulation. Seven acoustic depth gauges were deployed at automatic weather stations (AWS) across the Ross Ice Shelf and Ross Sea regions of Antarctica to measure net accumulation changes. From these measurements, episodic events were identified and were compared with data from the AWS to determine the primary cause of depth change—precipitation or horizontal snow transport. Information regarding the local impacts of these two terms, as well as climatological information regarding snow depth change across this region, is also provided.
Null Objects in Second Language Acquisition: Grammatical vs. Performance Models.

Null direct objects provide a favourable testing ground for grammatical and performance models of argument omission. This article examines both types of models in order to determine which gives a m...
Constraint Formalism of Classical Mechanics

The constraint formalism for classical mechanics is developed with an eye toward facilitating a manifestly covariant relativistic quantization of classical mechanics. The very close relationship of this formalism to the more familiar Hamiltonian formalism has long obscured its independent status. In this paper, after defining the concept of a classical trajectory in a particularly natural and intrinsic way (that is, without reference to a special parameter such as the time), we prove that the trajectories satisfy the Hamilton equations of motion. In the following paper, the power of this formalism is demonstrated, when as an illustrative example it is employed to solve the nontrivial relativistic two-body problem, both classically and quantum mechanically.
Vinyl orthoformates and vinyl acetals. Part I: Synthesis of divinyloxymethyl and diaryloxymethyl halides and carboxylates

Diaryloxymethyl halides and divinyloxymethyl halides, formates, trichloro-acetates, monochloroacetates, and acetates have been synthesized from corresponding vinyl orthoformates.
Field evaluation of a two‐dimensional hydrodynamic model near boulders for habitat calculation

Two-dimensional hydrodynamic models are now widely used in aquatic habitat studies. To test the sensitivity of calculated habitat outcomes to limitations of such a model and of typical field data, bathymetry, depth and velocity data were collected for three discharges in the vicinity of two large boulders in the South Platte River (Colorado) and used in the River2D model. Simulated depth and velocity were compared with observed values at 204 locations and the differences in habitat numbers produced by observed and simulated conditions were calculated. The bulk of the differences between simulated and observed depth and velocity values were found to lie within the likely error of measurement. However, the effect of flow simulation outliers on potential habitat outcomes must be considered when using 2D models for habitat simulation. Furthermore, the shape of the habitat suitability relation can influence the effects of simulation errors. Habitat relations with steep slopes in the velocity ranges found in similar study areas are expected to be sensitive to the magnitude of error found here. Comparison of habitat values derived from simulated and observed depth and velocity revealed a small tendency to under-predict habitat values. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reactivity-Dependent PCR: Direct, Solution-Phase in Vitro Selection for Bond Formation

In vitro selection is a key component of efforts to discover functional nucleic acids and small molecules from libraries of DNA, RNA, and DNA-encoded small molecules. Such selections have been widely used to evolve RNA and DNA catalysts and, more recently, to discover new reactions from DNA-encoded libraries of potential substrates. While effective, current strategies for selections of bond-forming and bond-cleaving reactivity are generally indirect, require the synthesis of biotin-linked substrates, and involve multiple solution-phase and solid-phase manipulations. In this work we report the successful development and validation of reactivity-dependent PCR (RDPCR), a new method that more directly links bond formation or bond cleavage with the amplification of desired sequences and that obviates the need for solid-phase capture, washing, and elution steps. We show that RDPCR can be used to select for bond formation in the context of reaction discovery and for bond cleavage in the context of protease activ...
Comparative ecology of the macrofauna of freshwater and marine muds

There are many striking similarities between the benthic macrofauna inhabiting marine and lacustrine sediments. Most of the same trophic/functional groups are well represented in both habitats. There is no obvious difference between the tylpes of particulate food sources available for microphagous animals. Temperate lakes and neritic environments support a similar standing stock of macrofauna, which is a function of similar detrital input to the benthos. There is no characteristic difference in P : B ratios between marine and freshwater macrobenthos. Predation and competition have similar important efrects on community structure. Likewise, community succession appears to follow the same pattern. There are certain differences between marine and freshwater macrobenthos, however, that appear to relate to fundamental habitat differences. The major #difference is that low salinity and the closed, ephemeral nature or most lakes have resulted in little taxonomic similarity between the two faunas. Tentaculate deposit feeders are found only in marine sediments, and interstitial suspension feeders are common only in fi-cshwatcr muds. The ability to use dissolved organic matter is well developed only in marine animals, which is a consequence of the osmotic problems faced by freshwater animals. The ability of many limnetic species to survive prolonged anoxia relates to the lack of tidal mixing in lak&.
Diagnostic Approaches to Schizotypal Personality Disorder: A Historical Perspective

The goal of this article is to provide a historical perspective on the DSM-III concept of schizotypal personality disorder. It is argued that two major traditions have influenced our conceptualization of this diagnostic entity. The first or familial approach emphasizes the characteristic traits found in the deviant but nonpsychotic relatives of schizophrenics. The second or clinical approach focuses on patients who appear to demonstrate the fundamental symptoms of schizophrenia without psychotic symptoms or severe personality deterioration. A review of these two traditions concludes that while similar in some regards, they also differ in important ways in their views on the characteristics of the true "schizotype." The impact of these two traditions is then traced through the Danish Adoption Studies of Kety et al. to the development of the DSM-III criteria for schizotypal personality by Spitzer, Endicott, and Gibbon. Finally, the article reviews recent studies on the validity of specific criteria for schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) and reassesses the conceptual issue about the nature of the relationship of SPD to schizophrenia on the one hand and to other personality disorders on the other.
New Rosa (Rosaceae) in California and Oregon

ABSTRACT Two new roses are described from California and adjacent Oregon, with keys to distinguish each from the typical representative of their respective species. Rosa pisocarpa A. Gray subsp. ahartii Ertter & W. H. Lewis differs from typical R. pisocarpa by generally having fewer and larger leaflets, fewer flowers, and sepals that are most commonly eglandular, among other features. It is the characteristic member of the R. blanda Aiton complex in the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range, where existing collections have been variously identified as R. pisocarpa, R. woodsii Lindl. subsp. ultramontana (S. Watson) Roy L. Taylor & MacBryde, R. californica Cham. & Schltdl., and R. bridgesii Crepin ex Rydb. The rank of subspecies is used to indicate a significant ecogeographic component of the species' range. In contrast, varietal rank is used for a localized expression of R. gymnocarpa Nutt. occurring on open ultramafic substrates in northwestern California and adjacent Oregon, described here as...
Assisting the Handicapped: The Pioneering Efforts of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth

The article examines the work of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth in relation to disabled veterans. It explores how the founders of the motion study method affected vocational rehabilitation of the handicapped. This article addresses the ideological paradox faced by the Gilbreths in dealing with handicapped workers and identifies the long-lasting effects of their efforts on governmental policies, employer hiring practices, and new product innovations. Through their efforts, the Gilbreths demonstrated how handicapped workers could become productive members of the community.
Attentional Control Moderates Relations Between Negative Affect and Neural Correlates of Action Monitoring in Adolescence

This study examined the moderating role of attentional control on relations between negative affect and action monitoring event related potentials (ERPs) (error-related negativity (ERN) and N2) in a group of healthy adolescents (9 to 17 years old). These ERPs were recorded while participants completed a modified flanker task. Participants also completed the negative affect subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children (PANAS-C) and the attentional control subscale of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire-Revised (EATQ-R). Regression analyses revealed negative affect by attentional control interactions, suggesting that youth high in attentional control and high in negative affect show increased N2 amplitude and a trend toward increased ERN amplitude. These findings are discussed with regard to the interface of attention and emotion processes that are implicated in action monitoring and relevance to the study of self-regulation during adolescence.
Biointeraction analysis of carbamazepine binding to α1‐acid glycoprotein by high‐performance affinity chromatography

Interactions of the drug carbamazepine with the serum protein α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) were examined by high-performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). Frontal analysis studies with an immobilized AGP column and control column indicated carbamazepine had both low affinity interactions with the support and high affinity interactions with AGP. When a correction was made for binding to the support, the association equilibrium constant measured at pH 7.4 and 37°C for carbamazepine with AGP was 1.0 (± 0.1) × 10 5 M −1 , with values that ranged from 5.1 to 0.58 × 10 5 M −1 in going from 5 to 45°C. It was found in competition studies that these interactions were occurring at the same site that binds propranolol on AGP. Temperature studies indicated that the change in enthalpy was the main driving force for the binding of carbamazepine to AGP. These results provide a more complete picture of how carbamazepine binds to AGP in serum. This report also illustrates how HPAC can be used to examine biological interactions and drug-protein binding in situations in which significant interactions for an analyte are present with both the chromatographic support and an immobilized ligand.
Managing space for finite-state verification

Finite-state verification (FSV) techniques attempt to prove properties about a model of a system by examining all possible behaviors of that model. This approach suffers from the state-explosion problem, where the size of the model or the analysis costs may be exponentially large with respect to the size of the system. Using symbolic data structures to represent subsets of the state space has been shown to usually be an effective optimization approach for hardware verification. The value for software verification, however, is still unclear. In this paper, we investigate applying two symbolic data structures, Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs) and Zero-suppressed Binary Decision Diagrams (ZDDs), in two FSV tools, LTSA and FLAVERS. We describe an experiment showing that these two symbolic approaches can improve the performance of both FSV tools and are more efficient than two other algorithms that store the state space explicitly. Moreover, the ZDD-based approach often runs faster and can handle larger systems than the BDD-based approach.
Oral perception and proprioception: A review of the literature and its significance to prosthodontics

Abstract This review of the literature reveals the discrete sensitivity that exists in the separate components of the masticatory system. It also demonstrates the necessity for total integration of each component of the masticatory system and signals the importance of preserving the natural teeth. This entire field of oral proprioception and the proprioceptive effect of prosthodontic replacement needs much additional research and study.
Fluorination of diamond — C4F9I and CF3I photochemistry on diamond (100)

Abstract The radiation-induced decomposition of C4F9I and CF3I overlayers at 119 K on diamond (100) surfaces has been shown to be an efficient route to fluorination of the diamond surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been used for photoactivation as well as for studying the photodecomposition of the fluoroalkyl iodide molecules, the attachment of the photofragments to the diamond surface, and the thermal decomposition of the fluoroalkyl ligands. Measured chemical shifts agree well with ab initio calculations of both C 1s and F 1s binding energies. It is found that chemisorbed CF3 groups on diamond (100) decompose by 300 K whereas C4F9 groups decompose over the range 300 to ∼ 700 K and this reactivity difference is rationalized on steric grounds. Both of these thermal decomposition processes produce surface CF bonds on the diamond. The surface CF species thermally decompose over a wide temperature range extending up to 1500 K. Hydrogen passivation of the diamond surface is ineffective in preventing free radical attack from the photodissociated products of the fluoroalkyl iodides; I atoms produced photolytically abstract H from surface CH bonds to yield hydrogen iodide at 119 K allowing diamond fluorination. The attachment of chemisorbed F species to the diamond (100) surface causes band bending as the surface states are occupied as a result of chemisorption. This results in a shift to higher binding energy of the diamond-related C 1s levels present in the surface and subsurface regions which are sampled by XPS on the diamond. The use of photoactivation of fluoroalkyl iodides for the fluorination of diamond surfaces provides a convenient route compared to other methods involving the action of atomic F, molecular F2, XeF2 and F-containing plasmas.
The ARPE-19 cell line: mortality status and utility in macular degeneration research.

AbstractPurpose: The present report examines several subcultures of a single sample of ARPE-19 cells to determine their status with respect to cell mortality. If a transformation from mortal to immortal has occurred in these cells, it may impact their characteristics and, thereby, their utility for modeling natural retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.Methods: Five separate subcultures of ARPE-19 cells were grown as recommended by the supplier. During the course of culture, they were periodically monitored for signs of mortality including erosion of telomeres, increased senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SABG) staining, altered morphology and reduced viability with an increased population doubling level (PDL). There were also observed for signs of immortality including continuous growth to very high population doubling levels and maintenance of short telomere lengths.Results: Each of the subcultures showed both mortal and immortal characteristics. Telomere erosion, increased SABG staining, change...
Determining Sources of Workplace Contamination with Antineoplastic Drugs and Comparing Conventional IV Drug Preparation with a Closed System

Many procedures involved in the preparation and administration of hazardous drugs put health care workers at risk of exposure to these agents through leakage or accidental spills. The first objective of this study was to determine if the conventional needle/syringe technique has the potential to allow drugs to escape into the environment. The second objective was to eval- uate if a closed system, PhaSeal, prevents inadvertent release of hazardous drugs. Fluorescein, a fluorescent indicator, was prepared as a dry powder and a 0.05% solution in empty drug vials. Each phase of the manipulation was pho- tographed using UV light to visualize fluorescein leaks and spills. The proce- dures included reconstitution of a dry powder, drug transfer from the vial to an IV bag, simulated drug administration, and IV push administrations through an IV port. With the conventional needle/syringe technique, each phase of the manipulations resulted in visible fluorescein leakage into the environment. Flu- orescein leakage ranged in size from less than 1 to 50 mm in diameter. The syringes, work surfaces, gloves, manifold ports, and IV bag ports exhibited flu- orescein contamination. With PhaSeal, no leakage was observed during any phase of the manipulations. Using the conventional needle/syringe technique during preparation of a hazardous drug may lead to release of the agent into the work environment, posing a health risk to the worker. A closed system such as PhaSeal has the ability to confine hazardous drugs, substantially reducing or possibly eliminating drug exposures.
The Japanese Constitution

The Japanese constitution of 1889 is not, as is frequently assumed, chiefly the product of the labors of Hirobumi Ito and his secretaries who, in 1882–1883, studied constitutional systems in Europe preparatory to drafting the text of the fundamental law which the Emperor had promised in the celebrated rescript of 1881. Discussion of constitutional progress had begun as far back as 1867 and, immediately following the restoration, Meiji statesmen began the task of drafting projects of a constitution. Okubo, Goto, Kido, and Itagaki played leading roles in urging the adoption of a national charter, and when Okubo and Kido relaxed their efforts, Itagaki initiated a popular campaign. Finally, in 1876, a formal commission of the Genro-in (Senate) was appointed to draft a constitution, while in 1880, its completed project was laid before the Emperor. This draft proposed a form of government having many features of the British parliamentary system.
The Legislative Momentum of Antimicrobial Stewardship: An International Perspective

In the USA, two million people fall ill with antimicrobial-resistant infections every year; with at least 23,000 dying as a result. Global estimates reveal that more than 700,000 die worldwide yearly of antibiotic-resistant infections and an extra 10 million people across the world could die every year by 2050 due to antibiotic resistance if this is not addressed. Antimicrobial stewardship programs have been shown to be effective in both combating antibiotic resistance and health-care cost containment. This has recently led to US governmental and organizational mandates for antimicrobial stewardship targeting health-care institutions; but in our global community, these regulations will do little without international support. This article will review international antimicrobial stewardship legislation and point out gaps or areas still needing attention.
The importance of temporal stress variation and dynamic disequilibrium for the initiation of plate tectonics

We use 1-D thermal history models and 3-D numerical experiments to study the impact of dynamic thermal disequilibrium and large temporal variations of normal and shear stresses on the initiation of plate tectonics. Previous models that explored plate tectonics initiation from a steady state, single plate mode of convection concluded that normal stresses govern the initiation of plate tectonics, which based on our 1-D model leads to plate yielding being more likely with increasing interior heat and planet mass for a depth-dependent Byerlee yield stress. Using 3-D spherical shell mantle convection models in an episodic regime allows us to explore larger temporal stress variations than can be addressed by considering plate failure from a steady state stagnant lid configuration. The episodic models show that an increase in convective mantle shear stress at the lithospheric base initiates plate failure, which leads with our 1-D model to plate yielding being less likely with increasing interior heat and planet mass. In this out-of-equilibrium and strongly time-dependent stress scenario, the onset of lithospheric overturn events cannot be explained by boundary layer thickening and normal stresses alone. Our results indicate that in order to understand the initiation of plate tectonics, one should consider the temporal variation of stresses and dynamic disequilibrium.