cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ESTIMATES OF HETEROSIS AND INBREEDING DEPRESSION FOR CROSSES OF IOWA MAIZE POPULATIONS 1

Relative success of maize (Zea mays L.) breeding programs depends on the proper choice of parental germplasm and the recognition and the use of heterotic groups. Our objective was to identify maize populations with exotic germplasm that would be poten- tially useful germplasm sources in temperate area maize breeding programs. A factorial mating design was used to produce 35 crosses between seven Iowa Stiff Stalk Syn- thetic and five non-Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic populations. The 12 parental populations and their 35 population crosses also were selfed to produce F2 generation. The two sets of genetic materials were evaluated at five Iowa locations for two years. Estimates of general combining ability (GCA) for each parental population and specific combining ability (SCA), heterosis (H) and inbreeding de- pression (ID) for each population cross were determined for grain yield. The population cross, BS10(FR)C14 by BS29(R)C3, had the greatest significant estimate of SCA (0.55* t ha -1 ), the greatest grain yield at the F1 (8.30 t ha -1 ) and F2 (6.71 t ha -1 ) generations, the lowest estimate of ID (1.59 t ha -1 ), but the estimate of H (1.90 t ha -1 ) was simi- lar to the average estimate of H (1.74 t ha -1 ) for all cross- es. BS10(FR)C14 is a selected strain within the Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic heterotic group, whereas BS29(R)C3 is an adapted strain of Suwan-1 a tropical cultivar that originat- ed in Thailand. BSSS(R)C14 (0.63* t ha -1 ) and BS13(S)C9 (0.54* t ha -1 ), both selected strains of Iowa Stiff Stalk Syn- thetic, had the greatest estimates of GCA of all parental populations; BS10(FR)C14 had a significantly positive GCA estimate (0.25* t ha -1 ), which was similar in magni- tude to the GCA estimates for BS11(FR)C14, BS29(R)C3, and BSCB1(R)C14 of the non-Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic heterotic group. The data provide information on the rela- tive performance of the populations assigned to the re- spective heterotic groups of the U.S. Corn Belt, and that BS29(R)C3 includes germplasm that could enhance the genetic variation of the non-Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic het- erotic group.
Developing a Systematic Assessment of Humor in the Context of the 2012 U.S. General Election Debates

This essay offers a comprehensive framework for the investigation of presidential debate humor. Given the importance of presidential debates for educating and persuading voters and the ubiquity of humor in debate events, it stands to reason that communication research would benefit by a deepened scholarly understanding of humor in the debate context. In this essay, a typology is offered as a catalyst for systematic assessment of debate humor, undergirding an expanded conception of a debate event and its participants. Examples from the 2012 general election debates, along with pertinent humor scholarship, are highlighted within this project's effort to help advance the underdeveloped research domain of debate humor.
“It’s Better to Overreact”: School Officials’ Fear and Perceived Risk of Rampage Attacks and the Criminalization of American Public Schools

In recent decades, highly-publicized school rampage attacks with multiple victims have caused widespread fear throughout the United States. Pulling from in-depth interviews with school officials (administrators, counselors, security and police officers, and teachers), this article discusses officials’ perceptions of fear and risk regarding rampage shootings and how this relates to their justification for and acquiescence to the expansion of punitive discipline and increased security. Data collected in this study provide additional understanding of the causes of enhanced discipline and security from the perspective of those tasked with administering school safety in the wake of Columbine. Utilizing insight from moral panic theory, the findings suggest that, when the genuinely high potential cost of school massacres fused with an exaggerated perception of their likelihood and randomness, school rampage attacks came to be viewed as a risk that could not be tolerated and must be avoided at nearly any cost.
Ein Optimierungsansatz für ein fortlaufendes Datenqualitätsmanagement und seine praktische Anwendung bei Kundenkampagnen

Die Verbesserung der Datenqualitat (DQ) wird in Wissenschaft und Praxis intensiv diskutiert. Ob die ergriffenen DQ-Masnahmen jedoch okonomisch uberhaupt gerechtfertigt sind und wann und in welchem optimalen Umfang investiert werden soll, wird oftmals nicht analysiert. Zur Untersuchung dieser Fragestellungen entwickeln die Autoren ein Optimierungsmodell, mit dem die Umfange und Zeitpunkte fur Investitionen in ein fortlaufendes DQ-Management ermittelt werden konnen. Hierdurch lassen sich vier Investitionsszenarien mit allgemeinen Handlungsempfehlungen identifizieren. So ist bspw. bei ehemalig intensiven Kundenbeziehungen, die sich inzwischen verschlechtert haben (nur wenige Geschaftstransaktionen), zwar uber mehrere Perioden zu investieren, jedoch bei einem sich nicht verandernden, geringen Transaktionsanteil, in abnehmender Hohe. Daneben lasst sich u. a. zeigen, dass der Umfang der existierenden Kundendatenmenge und nicht, wie oftmals angefuhrt, ein schlechtes existierendes DQ-Niveau masgeblich fur die Entscheidung ist, ob uberhaupt in DQ investiert werden soll. Anhand einer Fallstudie wird abschliesend nicht nur die praktische Anwendbarkeit des Optimierungsmodells verdeutlicht, sondern es soll zudem aufgezeigt werden, wie sich fur einen konkreten Sachverhalt detaillierte Empfehlungen hinsichtlich des DQM-Einsatzes ermitteln lassen.
Microsatellite DNA variation in Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and cross-species amplification in the Acipenseridae

Overharvest and habitat alteration have led toa collapse of most commercial Atlantic sturgeon(Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)fisheries while pushing the species to rarityor extirpation in most of its historical range. A biologically sound conservation program forthis species requires knowledge of its geneticdiversity and of the evolutionary relationshipsamong geographic populations. To address theseresearch needs, six microsatellite loci wereisolated from A. o. oxyrinchus. Pedigreeanalysis suggested that all are inherited in acodominant Mendelian pattern. The six lociwere tested in ten additional sturgeon speciesfrom three genera and three apparent ploidylevels (4n, 8n, 16n). Approximately 70% ofsuccessful locus-species amplifications werepolymorphic. Polysomy was observed most oftenin 8n and 16n species. Genetic diversity andpopulation structure of A. o. oxyrinchuswere assayed using three polymorphic Aoxmarkers and four markers developed from lakesturgeon (A. fulvescens). A. o.oxyrinchus were sampled from the AltamahaRiver, Georgia, USA north to the St. LawrenceRiver, Quebec, Canada. Gulf sturgeon, A.o. desotoi, were sampled from the SuwanneeRiver, Florida, USA, to assess differentiationbetween the subspecies. Seventy-seven alleleswere observed to segregate into uniquemultilocus genotypes for each of the 392individuals assayed. Mean diversity wasgreatest in the Chesapeake Bay (9.7 alleles perlocus) and Delaware River (7.4 alleles perlocus) collections, and lowest in the St.Lawrence River (4.6 alleles per locus). Meanheterozygosity across seven loci ranged from44.3% (St. Lawrence River) to 62.6% (Altamaha River). Significant allelic heterogeneity wasobserved in 82% of pairwise comparisons aswell as a global test (p < 0.0001) for A.o. oxyrinchus collections. Genetic distancesuggests the presence of at least sixsubpopulations in A. o. oxyrinchus: St.Lawrence River, St. John River, Hudson River,Delaware River, Albemarle Sound, and AltamahaRiver. Genetic and geographic distances werepositively correlated (r = 0.57, p < 0.03) amongA. o. oxyrinchus, suggesting isolation bydistance and philopatry. Hierarchical genediversity analysis indicated significantgenetic population structure at every level. Maximum likelihood assignment tests correctlyassigned individual fish to collection with ahigh rate of success (mean = 87.5%); this andother lines of evidence indicated that theChesapeake Bay collection represents a mixedpopulation of sub-adult sturgeon from northernand southern Atlantic coast populations. Population structure was correlated with thatsuggested by earlier mitochondrial (mt) DNAanalyses. Significant diversity was observedbetween two Canadian populations from whichonly a single mtDNA haplotype has beenreported.
Federal Oil Price Controls in Bankruptcy Cases: Government Claims for Repayment of Illegal Overcharges Should Not Be Subordinated as 'Penalties' under 11 U.S.C. §726(a)(4)

This article discusses the following Department of Energy (DOE) penalty issue: Should a DOE claim for disgorgement of illegal overcharge profits by an insolvent estate be deemed a “penalty” and subordinated to other general unsecured claims pursuant to section 726(a)(4) of the Bankruptcy Code? To date, this issue has been decided by several federal bankruptcy and federal district courts but by only one court of appeals. The author uses the court of appeals decision, DOE v. West Texas Marketing Corp., decided by the Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals (TECA), which is typical of the penalty issue cases, as a case study of the §726(a)(4) penalty issue. The purpose of this article is to more thoroughly investigate the underlying issues and relevant case law and demonstrate the validity of the court's conclusion.
Cutting Edge: c-Kit Signaling Differentially Regulates Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell Accumulation and Susceptibility to Central Nervous System Demyelination in Male and Female SJL Mice

Multiple sclerosis preferentially affects women, and this sexual dimorphism is recapitulated in the SJL mouse model of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this study, we demonstrate that signaling through c-Kit exerts distinct effects on EAE susceptibility in male and female SJL mice. Previous studies in females show that Kit mutant (W/Wv) mice are less susceptible to EAE than are wild-type mice. However, male W/Wv mice exhibit exacerbated disease, a phenotype independent of mast cells and corresponding to a shift from a Th2- to a Th17-dominated T cell response. We demonstrate a previously undescribed deficit in c-Kit+ type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in W/Wv mice. ILC2s are also significantly reduced in EAE-susceptible wild-type females, indicating that both c-Kit signals and undefined male-specific factors are required for ILC2 function. We propose that deficiencies in Th2-promoting ILC2s remove an attenuating influence on the encephalitogenic T cell response and therefore increases disease susceptibility.
A Guide to Analysis of Cardiac Phenotypes in the Zebrafish Embryo

The zebrafish is an ideal model organism for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiogenesis, due to the powerful combination of optical access to the embryonic heart and plentiful opportunities for genetic analysis. A continually increasing number of studies are uncovering mutations, morpholinos, and small molecules that cause striking cardiac defects and disrupt blood circulation in the zebrafish embryo. Such defects can result from a wide variety of origins including defects in the specification or differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells; errors in the morphogenesis of the heart tube, the cardiac chambers, or the atrioventricular canal or problems with establishing proper cardiac function. An extensive arsenal of techniques is available to distinguish between these possibilities and thereby decipher the roots of cardiac defects. In this chapter, we provide a guide to the experimental strategies that are particularly effective for the characterization of cardiac phenotypes in the zebrafish embryo.
Formation of volatile organic products in soils under anaerobiosis—I: Metabolism of glucose

Abstract A simple trapping procedure for concentration of volatile organic compounds present in a head space and the subsequent analysis of the retained compounds by combined gas chromatographymass spectrometry is described. The procedure was used to study the organic metabolites evolved from various soils when they were amended with glucose and incubated under argon. A number of organic acids, alcohols, aldehydes and esters were evolved during a 4 week period. Less than 10 per cent of the added carbon was recovered as organic compounds, which was largely due to poor recovery of volatile organic acids from soil. Some implications of the observations to microbial ecology are discussed.
Identification of novel single amino acid changes that result in hyperactivation of the unique GTPase, Rheb, in fission yeast.

Summary Rheb GTPase is a key player in the control of growth, cell cycle and nutrient uptake that is conserved from yeast to humans. To further our understanding of the Rheb pathway, we sought to identify hyperactivating mutations in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Rheb, Rhb1. Hyperactive forms of Rhb1 were found to result from single amino acid changes at valine-17, serine-21, lysine-120 or asparagine-153. Expression of these mutants confers resistance to canavanine and thialysine, phenotypes which are similar to phenotypes exhibited by cells lacking the Tsc1/Tsc2 complex that negatively regulates Rhb1. The thialysine-resistant phenotype of the hyperactive Rhb1 mutants is suppressed by a second mutation in the effector domain. Purified mutant proteins exhibit dramatically decreased binding of GDP, while their GTP binding is not drastically affected. In addition, some of the mutant proteins show significantly decreased GTPase activities. Thus the hyperactivating mutations are expected to result in an increase in the GTP-bound/GDP-bound ratio of Rhb1. By using the hyperactive mutant, Rhb1K120R, we have been able to demonstrate that Rhb1 interacts with Tor2, one of the two S. pombe TOR (Target of Rapamycin) proteins. These fission yeast results provide the first evidence for a GTP-dependent association of Rheb with Tor.
Engineering Nanoscale Stem Cell Niche: Direct Stem Cell Behavior at Cell–Matrix Interface

Biophysical cues on the extracellular matrix (ECM) have proven to be significant regulators of stem cell behavior and evolution. Understanding the interplay of these cells and their extracellular microenvironment is critical to future tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, both of which require a means of controlled differentiation. Research suggests that nanotopography, which mimics the local, nanoscale, topographic cues within the stem cell niche, could be a way to achieve large-scale proliferation and control of stem cells in vitro. This Progress Report reviews the history and contemporary advancements of this technology, and pays special attention to nanotopographic fabrication methods and the effect of different nanoscale patterns on stem cell response. Finally, it outlines potential intracellular mechanisms behind this response.
Abundances of simple oxygen-bearing molecules and ions in interstellar clouds

The abundances of simple oxygen-bearing interstellar molecules in warm (T at least 40 K), diffuse, and moderately thick clouds are calculated on the basis of binary gas-phase reactions. The most important reactions are ion-molecule, charge-exchange, and dissociative-recombination reactions, as suggested mainly by earlier workers. The progenitor of these molecules in diffuse clouds is the cosmic-ray-produced H(+) ion, working through the charge-exchange reaction with O. The ionization of H(+) and He(+) is also discussed. Dissociative charge exchange of He(+) with H2 is an important source of H(+) in regions of large fractional abundance of H2, as well as an important destruction mechanism for He(+) even for small f (at least 0.1). The calculated molecular abundances are consistent with some of the available observational information.
Elevated shock threshold in sexually receptive female rats.

Abstract Previous studies have found cyclic differences in wheel running, extinction of conditioned avoidance responses, and open field behavior as a function of the estrous cycle in rodents. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible sensory changes associated with estrus in rodents. Female rats were monitored for behavioral and physiological changes related to the estrous cycle. Using the method of constant stimuli and foot shock, jump thresholds were determined during the estrous cycle stages of sexual receptivity (proestrus) and nonreceptivity (metestrus). A significantly higher jump threshold was demonstrated by animals during proestrus as compared to metestrus. Possible explanations for the failure of previous investigators to find attenuated sensitivity as a function of the estrous cycle are discussed.
Low dimensional filters for a class of finite state estimation problems with Poisson observations

The recursive estimation of a finite state Markov process acting as the rate of an observed Poisson process is considered. By utilizing earlier resutls on the analysis and algebraic and geometric structure of stochastic differential equations driven by semimartingales, low dimensional filters are constructed for a class of estimation problems of this type.
Library instruction for biology courses: A literature review and survey

Abstract The content of library instruction sessions associated with college biology is examined. A review of the literature is supplemented by a survey of instruction librarians at Ohio institutions offering biology majors. The literature and survey responses indicate that a typical instruction session occurs once during an academic term, highlights automated access to the library catalog and Biological Abstracts, discusses the difference between journals and magazines, and does not test the students or offer an opportunity for evaluation of the instruction session. More of the library instruction sessions described in the literature were associated with introductory biology courses than in the survey responses.
Analysis and experimental results for a Multivariable Adaptive digital Controller

A Multivariable Adaptive digital Controller to optimize DC-DC converter switching frequency and dead-time at the same time, for maximum efficiency under variable conditions, is presented in this paper. The Multivariable Adaptive digital Controller (MVAC) adaptively adjusts the DC-DC converter switching frequency and dead-time while tracking the converter minimum input power (maximum efficiency) point under variable conditions including variable load, variable input voltage and variable temperatures. In this paper, the MVAC method is discussed and analyzed. MVAC digital control algorithm and experimental implementation are presented.
N,N'-dimethylformamide-derived products from catalytic oxidation of 3-hydroxyflavone.

The biomimetic conversion of 3-hydroxyflavone in the presence of a copper(II) catalyst, dioxygen, and N,N‘-dimethylformamide to oxidation products as well as two previously unreported solvent-derived products is seen. The two solvent-derived products were characterized, and their crystal structures were determined.
Managed Care, Inter-agency Linkages, and Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment

Although treatment of co-occurring behavioral and physical health problems could be facilitated by the linkages between health care providers, it is uncertain how such inter-agency linkages are affected by managed care. We used a sample of 167 service linkages to examine the effects of managed care arrangements on inter-agency communication, coordination, and perceived effectiveness. These linkages were identified based on interviews with 62 outpatient substance abuse treatment units in 2000. Results indicate that frequency of communication and inter-agency coordination are positively related to several managed care arrangements and may moderate the relationships between managed care arrangements and perceived effectiveness.
The dynamics of stolon elongation in the hydroid, Campanularia flexuosa†

Stolon elongation in Campanularia has been shown to occur in cycles, each consisting of the following phases: (a) extended and resting, (b) retraction, (c) retracted and resting, (d) re-extension to the length in phase (a), (e) resting, and (f) extension. Three features of this cycle — cycle duration, magnitude of extension and magnitude of retraction — have been evaluated to determine their inherent constancy and their modification by environmental and other factors. In the strain studied, cycle duration was a highly reproducible 6.15 ± 0.05 minutes at 20° C, consistent both from cycle to cycle in a given stolon, and among different stolons. This time is most markedly affected by temperature but is also genetically regulated within moderate limits and is affected to a small degree by the organic content of the sea water. Extension per cycle averages 20 μ (about 5.0 mm daily) in most older stolons, though individual cycles vary randomly from this mean by ± 20%. This average varies considerably among different genetic stocks, is less in newly-initiated than in older, establised, stolons and is markedly reduced at temperatures exceeding 22° C. It is remarkably resistent in established stolons to all but severe starvation. The magnitude of retraction is highly variable (1 to 28 μ) from cycle to cycle, though this variation occurs in a predictable fashion. Evidence is presented that the extent of retraction is determined by the degree of internal hydroplasmic pressure behind the tip. Isolated stolon tips 300–500 μ long (diameter about 200 μ) display all essential features of the normal growth cycle. Such rhythmic activity is therefore intrinsic to the cells at or within 0.3 mm of the tip. Effects exerted by more distant regions may modify but do not basically change this pattern. Synchronized with this elongation cycle is a cycle of thinning and thickening of the epidermal layer at the stolon tip. Thinning is interpreted as a passive response to the forward thrust of the gastrodermis.
Exaptation: A Crucial Tool for an Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary theory lacks a term for a crucial concept—a feature, now useful to an organism, that did not arise as an adaptation for its present role, but was subsequently coopted for its current function. I call such features “exaptations” and show that they are neither rare nor arcane, but dominant features of evolution—though previously unappreciated in the context of the overly adaptationist neo-Darwinian theory. This article argues that exaptation overcomes the fallacy of human sociobiology, helps us to understand the major patterns of flexibility and contingency in life's history, revises the roles of structure and function in evolutionary theory, serves as a centerpiece for grasping the origin and meaning of brain size in human evolution, and thereby cries out for recognition as a key to evolutionary psychology. Historical origin and current utility are distinct concepts and must never be conflated.
Effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on anti-CD3-induced changes in T-cell subsets and cytokine production

The influence of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure on the cytokine-dependent toxicity syndrome induced by the injection of 145-2C11 (anti-CD3), a hamster monoclonal antibody to the CD3 epsilon portion of the murine T-cell receptor, was studied. This syndrome has been attributed to the transient release of several cytokines including TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, and GM-CSF. Exposure of C57Bl/6 mice to TCDD (15 micrograms/kg) 2 days prior to anti-CD3 injection exacerbated anti-CD3-induced toxicity as evidenced by significantly enhanced and prolonged body weight loss and lymphoid tissue atrophy. Unexpectedly, TCDD exposure did not alter plasma levels of TNF or IL-2 at any time after anti-CD3 injection. However, plasma IFN-gamma was significantly reduced at 24 h and plasma IL-6 levels were elevated 48 h after anti-CD3 injection in TCDD-treated mice. In addition, TCDD exposure resulted in elevated levels of plasma GM-CSF at 24 and 48 h. Since the body weight of TCDD-treated mice diverged from vehicle-treated mice at 48 h, it suggests that the increased IL-6 and GM-CSF may have contributed to the prolonged loss of body weight. The ability of spleen cells from vehicle- and TCDD-treated mice to produce cytokines was evaluated in vitro at various times after anti-CD3 injection. TCDD treatment resulted in reduced IL-2 and GM-CSF production at 90 min but increased GM-CSF production at 48 h post-anti-CD3 injection. In contrast, TCDD exposure did not influence cytokine production by spleen cells from mice injected with a control IgG and activated in vitro with anti-CD3. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the percentage of CD4+ cells in the draining lymph nodes from TCDD-treated mice was reduced 48-144 h post-anti-CD3 injection. In contrast, the percentage of CD8+ cells was not affected by TCDD exposure. A high fraction of lymph node cells (LNC) from TCDD-treated animals showed decreased forward angle light scatter and increased 90 degrees light scatter following anti-CD3 injection, which is a pattern characteristic of cells undergoing apoptosis. In contrast, few LNC from vehicle-treated animals showed this light scatter profile. These data suggest that TCDD may be targeting T-helper cells during activation resulting in activation-driven cell death (apoptosis) rather than differentiation.
Effect of ADC quantization errors on some periodic signal measurements

Effect of analog-to-digital converter (ADC) quantization errors on some periodic signal measurements, namely the dc component and the amplitudes and phases of harmonically related sinusoids, are investigated. These parameters are determined via the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm, which is used for manipulating the quantized samples in a data-acquisition system. Mean values and variances of the measured parameters are derived. Then, upper bounds on measurement errors for any confidence limits and worst-case errors are obtained. Finally, the reduction of measurement errors is briefly discussed.
Effects of Protons and HZE Particles on Glutamate Transport in Astrocytes, Neurons and Mixed Cultures

Radiation-induced neurotoxicity is a well-characterized phenomenon. However, the underlying mechanism of this toxicity is poorly understood. In the central nervous system (CNS), excitotoxic mechanisms are implicated in many neurodegenerative disease processes. Pivotal to the excitotoxic pathway is dysfunction of glutamate signaling. We reported previously that exposure to low-LET γ radiation results in altered glutamate transport in neurons and astrocytes. In the present study, we sought to investigate the effects of various particle radiations of differing LET on glutamate transport as a measure of the neurochemical vulnerability of the CNS. NTera2-derived neurons and astrocytes isolated as pure and mixed cultures were exposed to doses of 10 cGy, 50 cGy or 2 Gy of 250 MeV protons, 290 MeV/nucleon carbon ions, or 1000 MeV/nucleon iron ions. Transporter function was assessed at 3 h, 2 days and 7days after exposure. Functional assessment of glutamate transport revealed that neurons and astrocytes respond in a reciprocal manner after exposure to particle radiation. Uptake activity in neurons increased after particle irradiation. This effect was evident as late as our last time (7 days) after exposure (P < 0.05). In astrocytes, transporter activity decreased after exposure. The decrease in uptake observed in astrocytes was evident 7 days after exposure to carbon and iron ions. Uptake in mixed cultures after exposure to all three forms of radiation revealed a muted interactive response suggestive of the individual responses of each cellular phenotype acting in opposition.
Serological evidence of transmission of bovine leukemia virus to chimpanzees

Abstract After the inoculation of eight chimpanzees with cultured bovine leukemia virus all of them developed specific antibodies six to fifteen weeks later, two control chimpanzees — inoculated with Eagles serum free cell culture medium — did not. Virological studies have not yet provided proof that bovine leukemia virus is replicating in, or can be recovered from circulating leukocytes of the inoculated chimpanzees.
Bandwidth allocation in a self-managing multimedia file server

In this paper, we argue that manageability of file servers is just as important, if not more, as performance. We focus on the design of a self-managing file server and address the specific problem of automating bandwidth allocation to application classes in single-disk and multi-disk servers. The bandwidth allocation techniques that we propose consists of two key components: a workload monitoring module that efficiently monitors the load in each application class and a bandwidth manager that uses these workload statistics to dynamically determine the allocation of each class. We evaluate the efficacy of our techniques via a simulation study and demonstrate that our techniques (i) exploit the semantics of each application class while determining their allocations, (ii) provide control over the time-scale of monitoring and allocation, and (iii) provide stable behavior even during transient overloads. Our comparison with a static allocation technique shows that dynamic bandwidth allocation can yield queue lengths that are 59% smaller during overloads and admit a larger number of soft real-time clients into the system.
Structure of a 129Xe-Cryptophane Biosensor Complexed with Human Carbonic Anhydrase II

Cryptophanes represent an exciting class of xenon-encapsulating molecules that can be exploited as probes for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. The 1.70 A resolution crystal structure of a cryptophane-derivatized benezenesulfonamide complexed with human carbonic anhydrase II shows how an encapsulated xenon atom can be directed to a specific biological target. The crystal structure confirms binding measurements indicating that the cryptophane cage does not strongly interact with the surface of the protein, which may enhance the sensitivity of 129Xe NMR spectroscopic measurements in solution.
Exploring the boundaries of memory distrust from repeated checking: Increasing external validity and examining thresholds

Checking behavior is among the most common forms of compulsions in OCD. Recent research suggests that repeated checking decreases memory confidence, and supports theoretical models of how repeated checking is maintained. The current paper presents findings from two studies exploring the boundaries of memory distrust from repeated checking. Results of study 1 show that repeated checking of a real stove decreases memory confidence, vividness, and detail (i.e., metamemory), and leads to a greater reliance on knowing as a source of memory, without meaningfully altering memory accuracy. Results of study 2 suggest that these changes in metamemory are observed after performing a relatively low number of checks on one occasion. The findings are considered within the context of theoretical models of checking and future directions are delineated.
Criteria for the use of Sartwell's incubation period model to study chronic diseases with uncertain etiology.

This study explores the conditions under which Sartwell's incubation period model may be appropriate for identifying a primary time period of etiologic risk for chronic diseases with uncertain etiology. The investigation begins with a description of the evolution of the application of Sartwell's model from infectious to chronic diseases. The model's underlying assumptions and some concerns about its use in the chronic disease context are specified. These concerns are addressed by data simulations and analyses of empirical data from the Connecticut Tumor Registry and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation. The results indicate that the distribution of age at diagnosis (i.e. onset) for chronic diseases is not necessarily lognormal. However, the representativeness of age distribution of the case series can affect the distribution's form; hence, it is important to determine the extent of "missing" cases, particularly those lost through truncation. Moreover, a lognormal age distribution may occur with both prenatal and age-related postnatal exposures. These findings suggest that only under certain conditions will Sartwell's model be useful in the study of chronic diseases of uncertain etiology, and indicate some caveats for interpretation of the results.
Beyond the Laboratory: Evaluating the Survey Evidence for the Disidentification Explanation of Black-White Differences in Achievement

The black-white gap in achievement, as measured by performance on standardized tests, has received considerable attention from researchers in the past five years. Claude Steele's stereotype threat and disidentification mechanism is perhaps the most heralded of the new explanations for residual racial differences that persist after adjustments for social background are performed. Analyzing data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, we found qualified support for portions of the disidentification explanation. Black students' academic self-evaluations are more weakly associated with their measured academic performances, a difference that could stem from stereotype threat or a belief that the evaluations are racially biased. But this discounting of performance evaluations does not seem to provoke a more complete disidentification with the schooling process or with academic achievement in general. The findings suggest that there is no clear path from being stereotyped to disidentifying, and in conclu...
The Construct Validity of a Career Interest Inventory Representing Sixteen Subclusters Within Eight Major Career Clusters of Professional Level Occupational Activities.

Construct validity was demonstrated for sixteen career subclusters through factor analysis of an occupational inventory based on interests in professional level job activities. Based on an experimental inventory of 192 items consisting of 16 scales of 12 items each, subscores were obtained representing three subclusters of four items each within each of the 16 hypothesized subclusters. Responses from a sample of 1,370 college students were submitted to factor analysis. In terms of the factor loadings of each subtest it was evident that 13 well defined factors emerged, the three other factors found in previous studies were not so strongly evident in the analysis of this item pool. On the basis of the current data it would appear at the professional level of employment that the eight broad clusters of items in the COPS P describing work activities can be broken down into 16 subclusters reflecting job activities.
Identity, Revolution, and Democracy: Lesbian Movements in Central America

Through case studies of lesbian movements in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, this paper examines the phenomenon of identity-based movements, finding that it embraces significant differences in the content and forms of collective identities. New social movement theory calls attention to the role of identity in contemporary movements, but overlooks variation in the nature of identities. Resource mobilization and political process theories, on the other hand, offer tools for explaining differences, but have not generally been applied to cross-national comparisons of movements around identity. Drawing on interviews with lesbian activists in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, on participant observation, and on archival research, I argue that three factors account for the differences in the way movements in distinctive national contexts construct collective identities: 1) economic structure/model of development; 2) state-civil society relations; and 3) the broader field of social movements.
Fibre-optic Coriolis mass flowmeter for liquids

The letter describes a fibre-optic mass flowmeter for liquids, which is based on the Coriolis effect. The flowmeter is optically powered, and employs interferometric detection. Experimental results are presented and discussed. >
Cigarette smoking and the development and rupture of cerebral aneurysms in a mixed race population: implications for population screening and smoking cessation.

Background: Despite advances in the treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorhage (aSAH), major additional reductions in morbidity will require the identifications of unruptured aneurysms with a high propensity for bleeding. As screening the entire population is currently not cost-effective, risk factors for the presence of unruptured aneurysms must be identified, and if possible, these risk factors should be modified to reduce disease prevalence. Methods: To examine whether cigarette smoking independent of arterial hypertension is a risk factor for the development of cerebral aneurysms rather than just being associated with aSAH and to determine whether smoking cessation decreases this risk, we conducted a case-control study comparing the prevalence and degree of smoking in a consecutive series of patients undergoing surgery for ruptured or unruptured aneurysm with age-, sex-, race-, and geographically matched control subjects culled from the New York Healthy Heart Study. Results: Hypertension alone carries little additional risk for the development of ruptured or unruptured aneurysms. Smoking is a risk factor for not only aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (Relative Risk [RR]=2.83) but also aneurysm formation (RR=2.33). Coexistent hypertension increases the risk of smoking only minimally. Younger smokers are at threefold higher risk than middle-aged ones. Smoking cessation appears to reduce risk of aneurysmal rupture. The effect of smoking on aneurysm formation and rupture may be dose-dependent. Conclusions: Together these data suggest that smoking, independent of hypertension, plays a critical role in aneurysm development, especially in younger patients, but that physiological mechanisms exist for repair of the damage induced by this toxic insult if cessation is possible.
Codling Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Control on Pears with Modified Programs Using Insect Growth Regulators

Three insect growth regulators (IGR’s)—diflubenzuron, alsystin, and CME13406 (1-[3,5-dichloro-2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-[2,6-difluorobenzoyl)-urea—were tested against the codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), on pears in southern Oregon. Used in a customary three-spray program, the IGR’s gave results equal to or better than that achieved with the standard phosmet. Reduction in the number of applications from three to two indicated that the IGR’s could be used successfully in a reduced application program. Also, the IGR’s did not cause disruptions to the nontarget pests, pear psylla, Psylla pyricola Foerster, or the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, which were apparent following use of phosmet for codling moth suppression.
Simple Method for Continuous Treatment of Plant Material with Metered Traces of Ethylene or Other Gases.

For investigating the effects of ethylene gas on plant material (e.g., fruit ripening or morphological responses) known concentrations in the test atmosphere of less than 1,000 parts per million (0.1 %) are usually wanted. These atmospheres have been variously obtained. Some workers have used ripe fruit or cultures of Penicilliumn d igitatum Sacc. as sources of a low (but unknown) concentration of ethylene. Others have used flowmeter combinations, bubble counting systems, or pressure cylinders made up to specified concentrations. In closed systems, low known concentrations of ethylene may be achieved by pipetting small amounts of gas into the system or (for very low concentrations) by pipetting portions of ethylene-saturated water or dilutions thereof (8). For systems in which a continuous flow of the test atmosphere is desired, accurate regulation of the trace component is difficult. Combinations of capillary flowmeters, such as have been used for modified atmosphere studies (1, 2), are not sufficiently sensitive for regulation of the trace component, although quite satisfactory for major constituents of a mixture. (Capillary flowmeters are to be preferred over rotameters, because they can be made cheaply in any laboratory for any flow rate; they also give more stable readings). If a Mariotte bottle is used to regulate the flow of the trace constituent, the desired accuracy can be achieved in a system that will remain stable and can be calibrated and adjusted easily. This method was used and described by Huelin (6), but when his thesis was published it was not described (7). Griffiths and Potter refer briefly to the technique (5). The Mariotte bottle (4, 11) should be better known to plant physiologists. Its theory has been described by Schwertz (12) in an application to flowmeter calibration, and applications in post-harvest physiology have been shown by Platenius (9) and Pratt (10). The Mariotte bottle will maintain a constant very small flow of liquid under a constant pressure; hence, it can be used to displace a small flow of gas from a reservoir through a flowmeter into a larger air flow. Adjustments of the relative rates of flow of the trace gas and the air make a wide range of concentrations readily available. Huelin's basic method (6) is described in this note with the inclusion of modifications which extend its range of usefulness. In our laboratory, the method has been used to maintain concentrations ranging from 0.003 to 1000 ppm.
Scale issues in land-atmosphere interactions: implications for remote sensing of the surface energy balance

Abstract The interaction between the land surface and the atmosphere is discussed focusing on the recent literature. Of primary importance is the issue of scale and the variation across different levels of pixel resolution for using remotely sensed data in the determination of the different components of the surface energy balance (SEB). This leads into a discussion of various methods of aggregating local scale input parameters in order to calculate larger scale surface fluxes. As an example application, airborne and satellite data are coupled to a soil-vegetation–atmosphere-transfer (SVAT) model and applied to the Southern Great Plains 1997 (SGP97) Hydrology Experiment. A physically based aggregation scheme is suggested for radiometric temperature by decomposing the temperature into vegetation and soil components and then aggregating the radiance field based on the percent cover of vegetation. Fluxes derived from the airborne data agree well with those measured with eddy covariance stations. Satellite data agrees poorly with the surface and airborne estimates. However, after aggregating the airborne data to the resolution of the satellite, the agreement is better. This suggests that the satellite data is useful at estimating the fluxes at the 1 km 2 scale, while the comparison between the 1 km 2 satellite and the surface data may be problematic at such scales.
Uranium series dating of stalagmites from Blanchard Springs Caverns, U.S.A.

Abstract Because stalagmites are enriched in 234U beyond the equilibrium value at the time of deposition, they are potentially datable by measuring their progress toward equilibrium. Procedures for uranium-thorium and uranium disequilibrium dating of speleothems were developed, making use of alpha spectrometry for thorium determinations and mass spectrometry for uranium determinations. The stalagmites tested were generally beyond the age range of the U-Th age dating method and, as a result, 234U/238U ratios provided the most useful dating technique. The estimated age range for a stalagmite from Blanchard Springs is 135,000 to 785,000 years BP with an interval of slow or suspended growth from about 320,000 to 570,000 years BP.
β-Adrenoceptor Inverse Agonists in Asthma

β2-Adrenoceptor (β2-AR) agonists are very effective bronchodilators and play a major role in every stage of asthma management. However, their chronic, regular use is associated with detrimental effects including an increase in asthma-related deaths. Conversely, recent data suggest that certain β-blockers, specifically β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) inverse agonists, may be useful in the chronic treatment of asthma. Here we review the data for this observation and the signaling pathways that may be involved. The data suggest that β2-AR signaling is required to produce maximal airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, and the signaling pathway responsible for these effects is likely the non-canonical β-arrestin-2 pathway. Therefore, β-AR inverse agonists may produce their beneficial chronic effects by inhibiting constitutive or ligand-induced activation of this pathway. Both lung parenchymal and hematopoietic cells appear to be involved in mediating the beneficial effects of β-AR inverse agonists.
Eicosanoids influence insect susceptibility to nucleopolyhedroviruses.

Nine pharmaceutical inhibitors of eicosanoid biosynthesis (e.g., bromophenacyl bromide, clotrimazole, diclofenamic acid, esculetin, flufenamic acid, indomethacin, nimesulide, sulindac, tolfenamic acid) that increased the susceptibility of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), to the nucleopolyhedrovirus LdMNPV were tested against the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), the corn earworm Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) and their respective NPVs to determine whether these compounds also alter the susceptibility of these insects. The susceptibility of the beet armyworm was increased by six inhibitors (bromophenacyl bromide, clotrimazole, diclofenic acid, esculetin, flufenamic acid, nimesulide). The susceptibility of the fall armyworm was increased by seven inhibitors, (bromophenacyl bromide, diclofenamic acid, esculetin, indomethacin, nimesulide, sulindac, tolfenamic acid), whereas the susceptibility of the corn earworm was increased by only one inhibitor (sulindac). The influence of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin was expressed in a concentration-related manner in beet armyworms. We infer from these findings that eicosanoids, including prostaglandins and lipoxygenase products, act in insect anti-viral defenses.
Detecting cumulative watershed effects: the statistical power of pairing

Abstract The statistical power for detecting change in water quality should be a primary consideration when designing monitoring studies. However, some of the standard approaches for estimating sample size result in a power of less than 50%, and doubling the pre- and post-treatment sample size are necessary to increase the power to 80%. The ability to detect change can be improved by including an additional explanatory variable such as paired watershed measurements. However, published guidelines have not explicitly quantified the benefits of including an explanatory variable or the specific conditions that favor a paired watershed design. This paper (1) presents a power analysis for the statistical model (analysis of covariance) commonly used in paired watershed studies; (2) discusses the conditions under which it is beneficial to include an explanatory variable; and (3) quantifies the benefits of the paired watershed design. The results show that it is beneficial to include an explanatory variable when its correlation to the water quality variable of concern is as low as about 0.3. The ability to detect change increases non-linearly as the correlation increases. Power curves quantify sample size requirements as a function of the correlation and intrinsic variability. In general, the temporal and spatial variability of many watershed-scale characteristics, such as annual sediment loads, makes it very difficult to detect changes within time spans that are useful for land managers or conducive to adaptive management.
Tunnel field-effect transistors - update

Progress in the development of tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs) is updated. Selected experimental demonstrations and simulations of sub-60-mV/decade TFETs are compared. A universal SPICE model is discussed which allows the unique attributes of the TFET to be represented across material systems and gate geometries to enable circuit design, with the intent of better informing the device development.
XXXVI.—North Pacific Zoroasteridæ

(1919). XXXVI.—North Pacific Zoroasteridae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History: Vol. 3, No. 16, pp. 387-393.