cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Auto-ubiquitination of Mdm2 enhances its substrate ubiquitin ligase activity.

The RING domain E3 ubiquitin ligase Mdm2 is the master regulator of the tumor suppressor p53. It targets p53 for proteasomal degradation, restraining the potent activity of p53 and enabling cell survival and proliferation. Like most E3 ligases, Mdm2 can also ubiquitinate itself. How Mdm2 auto-ubiquitination may influence its substrate ubiquitin ligase activity is undefined. Here we show that auto-ubiquitination of Mdm2 is an activating event. Mdm2 that has been conjugated to polyubiquitin chains, but not to single ubiquitins, exhibits substantially enhanced activity to polyubiquitinate p53. Mechanistically, auto-ubiquitination of Mdm2 facilitates the recruitment of the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme. This occurs through noncovalent interactions between the ubiquitin chains on Mdm2 and the ubiquitin binding domain on E2s. Mutations that diminish the noncovalent interactions render auto-ubiquitination unable to stimulate Mdm2 substrate E3 activity. These results suggest a model in which polyubiquitin chains on an E3 increase the local concentration of E2 enzymes and permit the processivity of substrate ubiquitination. They also support the notion that autocatalysis may be a prevalent mode for turning on the activity of latent enzymes. Background: Mdm2, the principal ubiquitin ligase for the tumor suppressor p53, also ubiquitinates itself, but the consequences are unclear. Results: Auto-ubiquitination enhances Mdm2 binding to ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) and its ability to ubiquitinate p53. Conclusion: Increased E2 recruitment by auto-ubiquitinated Mdm2 may enable processivity of substrate ubiquitination. Significance: Auto-ubiquitination may be a general mechanism for the activation of ubiquitin ligases.
Controlled Electrodeposition of Nanoparticulate Tungsten Oxide

Nanoparticulate tungsten oxide films were synthesized by pulsed electrodeposition. Particle sizes between 45 and ∼330 nm were achieved by varying pulse duration from 5 to 500 ms. Shorter pulses increased the rate of new particle nucleation above the rate of existing particle growth, allowing for the observed variations in size. Cathodic deposition voltage (−1 ∼ −3 V) had little effect on particle size. Compared to films prepared by continuous electrodeposition, nanoparticulate tungsten oxide films showed a higher photoactivity and greater current density for the hydrogen intercalation reaction. Functional improvements are explained by the smaller particle size and larger surface area of nanocrystalline tungsten oxide.
Fresnel zone plate stacking in the intermediate field for high efficiency focusing in the hard X-ray regime

Focusing efficiency of Fresnel zone plates (FZPs) for X-rays depends on zone height, while the achievable spatial resolution depends on the width of the finest zones. FZPs with optimal efficiency and sub-100-nm spatial resolution require high aspect ratio structures which are difficult to fabricate with current technology especially for the hard X-ray regime. A possible solution is to stack several zone plates. To increase the number of FZPs within one stack, we first demonstrate intermediate-field stacking and apply this method by stacks of up to five FZPs with adjusted diameters. Approaching the respective optimum zone height, we maximized efficiencies for high resolution focusing at three different energies, 10, 11.8, and 25 keV.
Phytophagous Insect Faunas of Spiny Clotbur, Xanthium spinosum, and Cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium, in Southern California

Phytophagous insects representing six orders, 14 families, and 18 identified and 3 unidentified species are reported as comprising the insect fauna of spiny c1otbur, Xanthium spinosum L. (Compositae), in southern California. Similarly, insects representing six orders, 29 families, and 60 species are reported as associates of cocklebur, X. strumarium L. Most insects attacking these introduced weeds were polyphagous, sap or foliage-feeding species. Many also were ragweed, Ambrosia spp., insects. One-third of the insect species collected from spiny clotbur and 15% of the cocklebur insects were endophagous as immatures. Eighty-three percent and 75% of the 18 and 52 associates identified to species are newly reported from spiny clotbur and cocklebur, respectively. Sixty-one percent and 44% of the identified associates of these two weeds, respectively, were major or minor pests of cultivars. Also. five (24%) and eight (13%) of these identified associates, respectively, were stenophagous species, their hosts apparently confined to the tribe Heliantheae
Regional self-reliance of the Northeast food system

Farms producing similar products have become increasingly concentrated geographically over the past century in the United States (US). Due to the concentration of food production, a disruption in key production areas may reduce the availability of certain foods nationwide. For example, climate change poses such a threat, with projections of altered precipitation patterns, increased temperature and pest outbreaks, which may result in reduced crop yields and geographic shifts in crop adaptation. Analyses of the degree to which US regions can satisfy the food needs of their resident populations—a concept we refer to as regional self-reliance (RSR)—are therefore warranted. We focus on the Northeast region because of its high population density and declining agricultural landbase. Our objectives are to: (1) determine how agricultural land is used in the Northeast region; (2) determine the variety and amount of foods produced; and (3) analyze the relationship between food consumption and agricultural output. Annual (2001–2010) data on land area, yield and output of all crops and major livestock categories, as well as seafood landings, were catalogued. National annual (2001–2009) data on food availability were used as a proxy for estimates of food consumption, and these data were downscaled to a regional level and compared with regional production data in order to estimate RSR. In the Northeast region, approximately 65% of land in farms contributed directly to the food supply from 2001 to 2010, although this varied significantly across states. Just over one-half of all land in farms in the region was devoted to the production of livestock feed. The region produced >100 food crops annually from 2001 to 2009, and vegetables represented the majority of food crop production by weight. Chicken accounted for the largest weight of meat products produced. Compared to the Northeast region's share (~6%) of total land in farms in the nation, it accounted for disproportionately higher amounts of the national production of dairy (16%), eggs (13%), chicken (9%), lamb (7%) and vegetables (7%). However, the region accounted for ~22% of the national population and therefore produced a disproportionately low share of food on a per capita basis. RSR for plant-based foods was lowest for pulses (7%) and highest for vegetables (26%). There are four specific factors in the RSR in our analysis, each of which could result in substantial shifts (upward or downward) of the RSR in the future: land used for agriculture, crop (or animal) productivity, population and dietary preferences.
Molecular Recognition – Allosterism Generated by Weak Host–Guest Interactions in Molecular Rectangles

Two metal-based molecular rectangles that bear two identical binding sites form 1:2 host–guest adducts with a pair of analogous planar Pt2+ complexes. The larger of the two guests shows no binding allosterism with either of the two rectangles, but substantial positive allosterism is observed when the smaller guest binds to the rectangles. It is proposed that the smaller guest is better accommodated in the binding sites of the receptor and that this leads to allosterism. Various experiments, including 1H NOESY spectroscopy, support the supposition that the smaller guest is better incarcerated in the receptors. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Recovery of Pituitary Secretion of Thyrotropin and Its Free α- and β-Subunits after Triiodothyronine Withdrawal

The recovery of pituitary thyrotroph function after abrupt withdrawal of T3 in athyreotic patients was examined. Serial measurements of serum TSHβ and α-subunit were performed by specific RIA. The α-subunit was generally the first to be detected; subsequently, elevations of TSH and TSHβ levels were noted. Peak α levels were much higher than those previously reported in chronic hypothyroidism. In men and premenopausal women, peak levels ranged from 4.4–16.6 ng/ml (mean, 11.7 ng/ml), and only 3 were below 10.0 ng/ml. The highest level (24 ng/ml) was found in a postmenopausal woman.
Compressed) sensing and sensibility

For decades, researchers have built computer models of molecular interactions to predict properties of new molecules (1). These models take the form of potential functions, equations that can be used predict the molecular energy of interaction. Potential functions have very broad applications. Other than ab initio quantum mechanics-based approaches (2), all simulations studies rely on some sort of model for potential functions. Thus, the ability to improve the accuracy of potential functions would have very wide sweeping impact. In PNAS, AlQuraishi and McAdams (3) propose a new approach to this challenging and important problem and demonstrate considerable gains in accuracy with their new method.
The Civil Rights Oral History Survey Project

This case study describes the origins and development of the Civil Rights Movement Oral History Survey Project, which created an online informa- tion resource on collections of civil rights-related oral history interviews held in repositories around the U.S. In particular, it focuses on the digital tools and means of communication that made such an extensive collaborative undertak- ing possible.
The effect of restructing compilers on program performance for high-speed computers☆

Abstract This paper describes a compiler for transforming serial programs into parallel form, and studies the importance of several transformations. An array machine is selected as the target architecture. A set of programs is compiled and their execution time is measured by simulation. The transformations are evaluated by their effect on the execution time.
A comparison of hard-body models for axially-symmetric molecules

Values of the second to the fifth virial coefficient are reported for the gaussian overlap model for hard molecules of spheroidal symmetry. Where possible, these results are compared with those for the corresponding hard ellipsoids. It is found that the two models give nearly identical results. It is suggested that the relative simplicity of the hard gaussian overlap model recommends it for future study.
Modeling and rendering waves: wave-tracing using beta-splines and reflective and refractive texture mapping.

The graphical simulation of a certain subset of hydrodynamics phenomena is examined. New algorithms for both modeling and rendering these complex phenomena are presented.The modeling algorithms deal with wave refraction in an ocean. Waves refract in much the same way as light. In both cases, the equation that controls the change in direction is Snell's law. Ocean waves are continuous but can be discretely decomposed into wave rays or wave orthogonals. These wave orthogonals are wave-traced in a manner similar to the rendering algorithm of ray-tracing. The refracted wave orthogonals are later traversed and their height contributions to the final surface are calculated using a sinusoidal shape approximation and the principle of wave superposition. The surface is then represented by Beta-splines, using the tension (or b2) shape parameter to easily add more complexity to the surface.The rendering algorithms are based on the use of texture maps and Fresnel's law of reflection. In each algorithm, two texture maps are used to simulate reflection and refraction. Based on surface normal orientation and Fresnel's law, a weighting is calculated that determines what fractions of reflected color and refracted color are assigned to a point. These algorithms are more efficient, though less accurate, alternatives to standard ray-tracing techniques.
II: Competitive debating: The speech program, the individual, and society

(1960). II: Competitive debating: The speech program, the individual, and society. The Speech Teacher: Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 99-108.
The Astronomical Mapping Program (AMP)

One of the major problems in dealing with the plotting of astronomical data is the accurate projection onto a two-dimensional surface of data based on a spherical coordinate system. AMP has solved this problem by using three map different projections - Mercator, Lambert conformal and polar stereographic.
Preferences for religious help-seeking: racial and gender differences, interfaith intolerance, and defensive theology

We examined the relation between preference for religious help-seeking and defensive theology, interfaith intolerance, spiritual conceptualisations of mental health problems, race/ethnicity, and gender in a predominantly Christian sample of 389 college students. MANOVA revealed significant main effects for race/ethnicity, with African American participants showing higher scores than Caucasians and Latinos/as across all main study variables. Follow-up ANOVA yielded main effects for race across all four variables and main effects for gender on spiritual conceptualisation of mental health problems and defensive theology. All race/ethnicity by gender interactions were nonsignificant. Preference for religious help-seeking was regressed in a hierarchical manner on race/ethnicity and gender, followed by interfaith intolerance, defensive theology, and spiritual conceptualisation of mental health problems. A statistically significant model explaining 46% of the variance emerged incorporating all variables except r...
Action of Theelin on the Domestic

Conclusions1. The crystalline product, theelin, is quite effective in restoring to female type those secondary sex characters which have been altered by ovariectomy-namely, feathers and oviduct. 2. With 3 weeks' injection, theelin does not interfere with the stimulus to comb-growth afforded by the compensatory right gonad in this species. 3. Olive oil solution is far more effective in producing these results in the fowl than is saline solution, possibly because of the too rapid absorption and elimination of the saline solution.
The Modified Mercalli intensity and the geometry of the sedimentary basin as scaling parameters of the frequency dependent duration of strong ground motion

Abstract Several new empirical equations of the frequency dependent duration of strong earthquake ground motion are presented. The duration is considered as being composed of two parts: (1) the duration of stong motion as it is observed at recording stations located on basement rocks, and (2) the prolongation of this duration for stations located on sediments. The first part, called the ‘basic duration’, is modelled in terms of the Modified Mercalli intensity and (in some cases) the hypocentral distance. The depth of the sediments under the station, the distance from the station to the rocks surrounding it, and the angular measure of the size of those rocks (as seen from the station) are chosen as the parameters for modelling the prolongation of the duration. The new empirical equations are compared (a) with each other, (b) with our previous models which used similar ‘prolongation’ terms, but the ‘basic duration’ was expressed in terms of the magnitude of the earthquake and the source-to-station distance, and (c) with models with ‘intensity-type’ ‘basic duration’, but with a simplified ‘prolongation’ term (the geological conditions at the stations are modeled by lumping all the sites into three groups: basement rock, sediments and intermediate geology). This collection of models is found to have good internal consistency. The choice of the proper model depends on the availability of the earthquake and site parameters. The residuals of the empirical regression equations are found to have similar distribution functions for all the models. An explicit functional form for such distributions is proposed, and the frequency dependent coefficients are found for all the models of duration. This allows one to predict (for each set of earthquake and site parameters) the probability of exceedance of any given level of duration of strong ground motion at a given frequency.
Analysis of the monocyte chemotactic response to lysophosphatidylcholine: role of lysophospholipase C.

Abstract Previously, we reported that lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PtdCho), a component of oxidized low-density lipoprotein, was a monocyte chemoattractant (M.T. Quinn et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 2805–2809). Monocyte chemotaxis was also stimulated by lyso-platelet activating factor but not by platelet activating factor itself. In the present studies, we used other analogs of lyso-PtdCho to determine structural and metabolic features required for chemotactic activity. Although both d - and l -lyso-PtdCho stimulated chemotaxis, suggesting a lack of stereospecificity, studies using propanediol and ethanediol analogs of lyso-PtdCho suggested that a free hydroxyl moiety or an ester-linked fatty acid vicinal to the phosphocholine group of the lysophospholipid was required for the expression of activity. Incubation of [ 3 H]choline-labeled lyso-PtdCho with monocytes resulted in the formation of labeled PtdCho, glycerophosphocholine (GPC), phosphocholine, and free choline, while resident peritoneal macrophages, cells which we show do not respond chemotactically to lyso-PtdCho, metabolized the labeled substrate to generate only labeled PtdCho and GPC; no labeled phosphocholine was found, suggesting a possible role for lysophospholipase C activity in the monocyte chemotactic response. Although monoacylglycerol, the product of lysophospholipase C hydrolysis of lyso-PtdCho, was not chemotactic for monocytes, diacylglycerol demonstrated chemotactic activity, suggesting that the subsequent acylation to diacylglycerol may be involved in the monocyte chemotactic response to lyso-PtdCho. Indeed, monocytes incorporated [ 3 H]glycerol from [ 3 H]glycerol-labeled lyso-PtdCho into di- and triacylglycerol. Based on these results, a model is proposed whereby the monocyte chemotactic response to lyso-PtdCho involves a sequence of metabolic steps which includes hydrolysis of lyso-PtdCho to monoacylglycerol and phosphocholine by lysophospholipase C followed by acylation of monoacylglycerol to diacylglycerol. Diacylglycerol would then act as an intracellular second messenger that could activate or facilitate the chemotactic response.
Vaginal delivery and serum markers of ischemia/reperfusion injury

Objective: Vaginal deliveries have been associated with pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence. The objective was to show whether markers of ischemia/reperfusion injury are dependent upon the mode of delivery and length of labor. Method: Complete venipuncture sets were obtained on 62 subjects. All samples collected were analyzed for serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Lipid peroxidation was analyzed, using thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), on a subset of 37 patients. Results: There was a significant increase in CPK from admission to 1 h postpartum and postpartum day 1 in vaginal delivery versus cesarean delivery. Longer second stages were associated with significant increases in CPK. There were no significant changes in either LDH or TBARS from admission to any other time point regardless of mode of delivery. Conclusion: Vaginal delivery and longer second stages were associated with a much greater increase in one of these injury markers.
Research plot lengths for spindle harvested cotton

Abstract Agricultural scientists who conduct field experimentation are confronted with variability in soil type, soil compaction, and nonuniform insect and disease distribution. One way to reduce variability is to use the appropriate size plots. Plots of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., having four rows spaced 1.02 m and harvested plot lengths of 3.04 to 32.22 m with four replications were established at Marianna, Calloway silt loam (fine‐silty mixed thermic Alfisols) and Clarkdale, Dubbs silt loam (fine‐silty mixed thermic Alfisols), Arkansas in 1978 and 1979 to determine the effects of row length and end borders on experimental variability. Results suggest that cotton research plots harvested with a spindle picker should not be less than 12.16 m in length. End border effects were additive but different for different plot lengths, locations, and growing season.
Angiotensin II regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor and receptors Flt-1 and KDR/Flk-1 in cyclosporine nephrotoxicity

Angiotensin II regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor and receptors Flt-1 and KDR/Flk-1 in cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. Background Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in angiogenesis, wound healing and inflammation. VEGF exerts its effect via the tyrosine kinase receptors Flt-1 and KDR/Flk-1. We have previously shown that VEGF is up-regulated in a chronic cyclosporine (CsA) nephrotoxicity model. Our current study examined the role of angiotensin II (Ang II) blockade with enalapril (E) or losartan (L) on VEGF in this model. Methods Pair-fed salt-depleted rats were administered vehicle, CsA, CsA + nilvadipine, CsA + hydralazine/hydrochlorthiazide (HCTZ), CsA + E or CsA + L, and were sacrificed at 7 or 28 days. Physiologic and histologic changes were studied in addition to the mRNA expression of VEGF and its receptors Flt-1 and KDR/Flk-1 by Northern blot, and the protein expression of VEGF by Western blot. Results While all groups achieved similar blood pressures and creatinine clearances, the amelioration in nephrotoxicity was observed only with Ang II blockade. VEGF mRNA and protein expressions increased with CsA and became significantly reduced with Ang II blockade. Flt-1 expression was similar in all groups; it decreased early and remained low. On the other hand, KDR/Flk-1 mRNA expression was higher at seven days in all groups, except in the +E and +L groups where it was significantly lower, and then became further down-regulated at 28 days. Conclusions The increased VEGF expression in chronic CsA nephrotoxicity seems to be related to up-regulation of Ang II. In addition, VEGF probably exerted its effect via the KDR/Flk-1 receptor. The actions of VEGF in this model remain speculative, but may be related to its effect on macrophage infiltration or matrix deposition.
Stress and strain analysis in elastic laminated composite beams

A detailed theoretical analysis of stress and strain in fiber-reinforced, laminated composite beams is presented within the framework of three-dimensional theory of thermo-elastodynamics. Each of reinforcing and matrix layers is made of different anisotropic material and is of different constant thickness. By the use of a variational theorem, the fully non-linear governing equations are consistently obtained for the case when the displacement components of each layer are taken to vary linearly over the cross-section of the layer. Then the linear version of the resulting equations, including the uniqueness of its solution is given, and the general results are briefly discussed.
Image-Based 3D Treatment Planning for Vaginal Cylinder Brachytherapy: Dosimetric Effects of Bladder Filling on Organs at Risk

Purpose To investigate the dosimetric effects of bladder filling on organs at risk (OARs) using three-dimensional image-based treatment planning for vaginal cylinder brachytherapy. Methods and Materials Twelve patients with endometrial or cervical cancer underwent postoperative high–dose rate vaginal cylinder brachytherapy. For three-dimensional planning, patients were simulated by computed tomography with an indwelling catheter in place (empty bladder) and with 180 mL of sterile water instilled into the bladder (full bladder). The bladder, rectum, sigmoid, and small bowel (OARs) were contoured, and a prescription dose was generated for 10 to 35 Gy in 2 to 5 fractions at the surface or at 5 mm depth. For each OAR, the volume dose was defined by use of two different criteria: the minimum dose value in a 2.0-cc volume receiving the highest dose (D 2cc ) and the dose received by 50% of the OAR volume (D 50% ). International Commission on Radiation Units & Measurements (ICRU) bladder and rectum point doses were calculated for comparison. The cylinder-to-bowel distance was measured using the shortest distance from the cylinder apex to the contoured sigmoid or small bowel. Statistical analyses were performed with paired t tests. Results Mean bladder and rectum D 2cc values were lower than their respective ICRU doses. However, differences between D 2cc and ICRU doses were small. Empty vs. full bladder did not significantly affect the mean cylinder-to-bowel distance (0.72 vs. 0.92 cm, p = 0.08). In contrast, bladder distention had appreciable effects on bladder and small bowel volume dosimetry. With a full bladder, the mean small bowel D 2cc significantly decreased from 677 to 408 cGy ( p = 0.004); the mean bladder D 2cc did not increase significantly (1,179 cGy vs. 1,246 cGy, p = 0.11). Bladder distention decreased the mean D 50% for both the bladder (441 vs. 279 cGy, p = 0.001) and the small bowel (168 vs. 132 cGy, p = 0.001). Rectum and sigmoid volume doses were not affected by bladder filling. Conclusions In high–dose rate vaginal cylinder brachytherapy, treatment with a distended bladder preferentially reduces high dose to the small bowel around the vaginal cuff without a significant change in dose to the bladder, rectum, or sigmoid.
NEW PROBES FOR SURFACTANT SOLUTIONS: PHOSPHORESCENT LABELLED DETERGENTS

— A series of alkyltrimethylammonium bromides containing terminal phosphorescent chromo-phores have been prepared and characterized. 10-(4-bromo, l-naphthoyl)decyltrimethylammonium bromide(BND–10) has a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 14 mM and a micellar mean aggregation number () of 105. Analogous detergents,BND–11, -8, and -5 have also been prepared; in each case, the naphthoyl group is located at the terminal carbon of an alkyl chain of the indicated length. The normal behavior of increasing and decreasing CMC with increasing aliphatic chain length is observed. When compared with unsubstituted alkyltrimethylammonium bromides, the 4-bromo, 1-naphthoyl chromo-phore is roughly equivalent to 6 methylenes with respect to hydrophobic contribution. A broad phosphorescence maximizing at about 590 nm is readily detected upon photoexcitation of the BND molecules in various solvents. The weak fluorescence of the probes is consistent with efficient intersystem crossing of the BND molecules. BND–10 has a phosphorescence yield of 0.023 and a lifetime of 1 ms in water at 250C. The probes are useful for the study of micelle-detergent exchange dynamics.
Influence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency on the intraluminal pH of the proximal small intestine.

The effect of significant exocrine pancreatic disease on the intraluminal pH in the upper small intestine was studied in seven patients with pancreatic insufficiency (PI) and seven control subjects. A cecar microelectrode (Beckman) attached to a polyvinyl tube was positioned at the ligament of Treitz under fluoroscopic control and the output of the pH meter was recorded for 30 minutes under fasting conditions after an equilibration period. Analysis of the pH tracing revealed a significantly lower mean intraluminal pH in PI patients as compared to the control subjects (PI vs controls: mean±sem, 6.1±0.2 vs 7.0 ±0.2, P<0.01). The acid fluctuations per ten-minute period of time were more frequent and the percent time below pH 4.0 was significantly higher in this group of patients (P< 0.05). The basal and the stimulated gastric acid outputs were lower in PI patients. However, the difference did not reach statistical significance. In two PI patients and two control subjects, the intraluminal pH at the duodenojejunal junction was further recorded for 180 minutes after the ingestion of a standardized test meal. Intraluminal pH dropped below 4.0 in both PI patients and continued in that range until the end of the study. However, in the two control subjects, the intraluminal pH stayed well above pH 4.0 during the entire postprandial period. Furthermore, a definite rise with a trend towards the fasting intraluminal pH was also observed. These data indicate that patients with significant exocrine pancreatic disease have an acidic milieu in the upper small intestine both under fasting as well as under postprandial conditions. The clinical relevance of this observation is discussed.
An imaging-based instrument for fundamental plasma studies

A description is given of an imaging-based instrument capable of mapping several fundamental properties of analytical plasmas, especially the inductively coupled plasma. The plasma fundamental parameters include electron temperature and number density, heavy-particle gas-kinetic temperature, analyte and argon atom and ion concentrations, and analyte emission intensities. These parameters can be measured on the same plasma running under identical operation conditions. The techniques to probe the basic plasma properties include Thomson scattering (for electron concentration and temperature), Rayleigh scattering (for heavy-particle temperature), computer-aided optical tomography (for three-dimensional emission maps), and laser-induced saturated fluorescence (for analyte and argon atom and ion number densities). A brief description of these techniques is presented. Also, a new approach to determining absolute number densities from fluorescence measurements is introduced. This novel method is based on normalizing a measured fluorescence intensity by the room-temperature Rayleigh-scattering signal.
Recidivism among juvenile parolees.

Summary.-The examination of 16 descriptive characteristics as a means of separating the recidivists from nonrecidivists suggested: (1) age at commicrnent and age at parole appear significant in potential prediction of recidivism and (2) poor adjustment to general instirutional rules appears to have value in predicting recidivism. The incidence of recidivism among juvenile parolees released from correctional treatment facilities has consistently frustrated treatment ceams faced with planning and implementing rehabilitation of the juveniles. The examination of recidivism among both adult and juvenile offenders has been of recent origin. The majority of the studies published to dace provide only descriptive data and limited direction for the resolution of problems with recidivism. Descriptive characteristics of juveniles found in correctional institutions which appear to differentiate che recidivist from the nonrecidivisc are age, placement after parole, type of offense, behavior in the institution, length of stay in the institution, and the nurcber of previous offenses1 (Weeks & Ritchie, 1956; Felstrom, 1960; Gould & Beverly, 1963; Sappingcon 8: Zeglen, 1964; Townsend, 1964; Glaser & O'Leary, 1946). The use of discriminating descriptive characteristics to predict recidivism has been rare' (Berlin, 1958; Laulicht, 1962; Schwiczgebel, 1966). One recent study, however, attempted to use the descriptive characteristics as a means of separating the recidivist from the nonrecidivist. Litwack (1961) examined the descriptive characteristics which appeared to differentiate significantly between recidivists and nonrecidiviscs: height, mother's age at the time of juvenile's commitment, age arrived at training inscitucion, number of times in the discipline cottage, age at time of parole, and parolled to school or work. Litwack and Hebert (1967) reported that four of the characteristics reported by Litwack have predictive value in identifying recidivists: number of times in the discipline cottage, parolled to school or work, mother's age at time of commitment, and own age at time of firsc commitment. The four potential predictors of recidivism were never tested to verify their accuracy. Reluctance co accept the predictive power of the four characteristics idencified by Litwack and Hebert (1967) provided the main impetus for the present study. The intent of the present srudy was to repeat their procedures. An attempt to test the relative predictability of the four characterisics against other
A Neuro-Muscular Elasto-Dynamic Model of the Human Arm Part 1: Model Development

In this paper we develop an elasto-dynamic model of the human arm for use in neuro-muscular control and dynamic interaction studies. The motivation for this work is to present a case for developing and using non-quasistatic models of human musculo-skeletal biomechanics. The model is based on hybrid parameter multiple body system (HPMBS) variational projection principles. In this paper, we present an overview of the HPMBS variational principle applied to the full elasto-dynamic model of the arm. The generality of the model allows one to incorporate muscle effects as either loads transmitted through the tendon at points of origin and insertion or as an effective torque at a joint. Though the technique is suitable for detailed bone and joint modeling, we present in this initial effort only simple geometry with the bones discretized as Rayleigh beams with elongation, while allowing for large deflections. Simulations demonstrate the viability of the method for use in the companion paper and in future studies.
Genetic Structure in Migratory Populations of the Bat Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana

The genetic structure of eight summer and four winter colonies of the migratory bat ( Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana ) was examined to test the hypotheses that migratory populations are genetically distinct and that maternity colonies are composed of bats from genetically differentiated breeding colonies. Samples from seven of the summer colonies included only lactating females that were resident with their young in maternity roosts. Samples from winter colonies included adult males and adult females. Males and females were analyzed separately. Data from six polymorphic allozymic loci showed no statistically significant differences in allelic frequencies among colonies. Standardized genetic variances were low among all summer colonies (Fst = 0.008) and higher among the winter colonies of males (Fst = 0.016) and females (Fst = 0.021). Cluster analysis based on genetic similarity provides no evidence that summer or winter populations are structured genetically into distinct geographic units. Analysis of genotypic distributions within colonies also provides no evidence that maternity colonies consist of bats from genetically differentiated breeding colonies. Data from 38 loci for a single summer colony showed that this colony contains a high level of genetic variability, as expected in an organism with a large, genetically effective population size.
Postural cardiovascular reflexes: comparison of responses of forearm and calf resistance vessels.

Simultaneous measurements were made of changes in vascular resistance in the forearm and calf in response to moving from supine to sitting or to head-down tilt. The subjects were healthy male volun...
Consistent detection of global predicates

A fundamental problem in debugging and monitoring is detecting whether the state of system satisfies some predicate. If the system is distributed, then the resulting uncertainty in the state of the system makes such dectection, in general, ill-defined. This paper presents three algorithms for detecting global predicates in a well-defined way. These algorithms do so by interpreting predicates with respect to the communication that has occured in the system.
Adaptation of compressed HMM parameters for resource-constrained speech recognition

Recently, we successfully developed and reported a new unsupervised online adaptation technique, which jointly compensates for additive and convolutive distortions with vector Taylor series (JAC/VTS), to adjust (uncompressed) HMMs under acoustically distorted environments. In this paper, we extend that technique to adapt compressed HMMs using JAC/VTS where limited computation and/or memory resources are available for speech recognition (e.g., on mobile devices). Subspace coding (SSC) is developed and used to quantize each dimension of the multivariate Gaussians in the compressed HMMs. Three algorithmic design options are proposed and evaluated that combine SSC with JAC/VTS, where three different types of tradeoffs are made between recognition accuracy and the required computation/memory/storage resources. The strengths and weaknesses of these three options are discussed and shown on the Aurora2 task of noise-robust speech recognition. The first option greatly reduces the storage space and gives 93.2% accuracy, which is the same as the baseline accuracy but with little reduction in the run-time computation/memory cost. The second option reduces about 79.9% of the computation cost and about 33.5% of the memory requirement at a very small price of 0.5% decrease of accuracy (to 92.7%). The third option cuts about 89.2% of the computation cost and about 65.5% of the memory requirement while reducing recognition accuracy by 2.7% (to 90.5%).
Point-spread function associated with underwater imaging through a wavy air-water interface: theory and laboratory tank experiment.

The point-spread function needed for imaging underwater objects is theoretically derived and compared with experimental results. The theoretical development is based on the emergent-ray model, in which the Gram–Charlier series for the non-Gaussian probability-density function for emergent angles through a wavy water surface was assumed. To arrive at the point-spread model, we used a finite-element methodology with emergent-ray angular probability distributions as fundamental building functions. The model is in good agreement with the experiment for downwind conditions. A slight deviation between theory and experiment was observed for the crosswind case; this deviation may be caused by the possible interaction of standing waves with the original air-ruffled capillary waves that were not taken into account in the model.
An evaluation of sampling effects on multiple DNA barcoding methods leads to an integrative approach for delimiting species: a case study of the North American tarantula genus Aphonopelma (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae).

The North American tarantula genus Aphonopelma provides one of the greatest challenges to species delimitation and downstream identification in spiders because traditional morphological characters appear ineffective for evaluating limits of intra- and interspecific variation in the group. We evaluated the efficacy of numerous molecular-based approaches to species delimitation within Aphonopelma based upon the most extensive sampling of theraphosids to date, while also investigating the sensitivity of randomized taxon sampling on the reproducibility of species boundaries. Mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) sequences were sampled from 682 specimens spanning the genetic, taxonomic, and geographic breadth of the genus within the United States. The effects of random taxon sampling compared traditional Neighbor-Joining with three modern quantitative species delimitation approaches (ABGD, P ID(Liberal), and GMYC). Our findings reveal remarkable consistency and congruence across various approaches and sampling regimes, while highlighting highly divergent outcomes in GMYC. Our investigation allowed us to integrate methodologies into an efficient, consistent, and more effective general methodological workflow for estimating species boundaries within the mygalomorph spider genus Aphonopelma. Taken alone, these approaches are not particularly useful – especially in the absence of prior knowledge of the focal taxa. Only through the incorporation of multiple lines of evidence, employed in a hypothesis-testing framework, can the identification and delimitation of confident species boundaries be determined. A key point in studying closely related species, and perhaps one of the most important aspects of DNA barcoding, is to combine a sampling strategy that broadly identifies the extent of genetic diversity across the distributions of the species of interest and incorporates previous knowledge into the ‘‘species equation’’ (morphology, molecules, and natural history).
Project Daytona: Data Analytics as a Cloud Service

Spreadsheets are established data collection and analysis tools in business, technical computing and academic research. Excel, for example, offers an attractive user interface, provides an easy to use data entry model, and offers substantial interactivity for what-if analysis. However, spreadsheets and other common client applications do not offer scalable computation for large scale data analytics and exploration. Increasingly researchers in domains ranging from the social sciences to environmental sciences are faced with a deluge of data, often sitting in spreadsheets such as Excel or other client applications, and they lack a convenient way to explore the data, to find related data sets, or to invoke scalable analytical models over the data. To address these limitations, we have developed a cloud data analytics service based on Daytona, which is an iterative MapReduce runtime optimized for data analytics. In our model, Excel and other existing client applications provide the data entry and user interaction surfaces, Daytona provides a scalable runtime on the cloud for data analytics, and our service seamlessly bridges the gap between the client and cloud. Any analyst can use our data analytics service to discover and import data from the cloud, invoke cloud scale data analytics algorithms to extract information from large datasets, invoke data visualization, and then store the data back to the cloud all through a spreadsheet or other client application they are already familiar with.
Tools for automating experiment design: a machine learning approach

Work that uses an inductive learning tool, HEP-RL (high-energy-physics rule learner), in the design of a very complex artifact, a high-energy-physics experiment, is reported. The important contribution is the observation that the results of learning provide a more complete and robust design. This is because there were end users of the learning able to suggest constraints beyond the usual simple coverage metrics. This allowed for more confidence in the design. >
Perceived Career Barriers for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Individuals:

This study examined career-related barriers that gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) individuals had encountered in the past and anticipated in the future and the degree of hindrance associated with future barriers. Two hundred forty-one GLB participants (126 women and 115 men) completed the Career Barriers Inventory–Revised and 11 additional items developed to address sexual orientation–related career barriers. Sexual orientation barriers were the third most highly anticipated future barriers and the second most hindering. Lesbian and bisexual women had encountered significantly more barriers related to sex discrimination, career–child conflict, and choosing nontraditional careers. They also anticipated more gender-role–related future barriers and expected more hindrance from gender and multiple role career barriers. There were no gender differences on sexual orientation barriers. GLB individuals encountered and anticipated career barriers similar to those encountered by heterosexual individuals while also ...
Complete genome sequence of “Enterobacter lignolyticus” SCF1

In an effort to discover anaerobic bacteria capable of lignin degradation, we isolated “Enterobacter lignolyticus” SCF1 on minimal media with alkali lignin as the sole source of carbon. This organism was isolated anaerobically from tropical forest soils collected from the Short Cloud Forest site in the El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, USA, part of the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Station. At this site, the soils experience strong fluctuations in redox potential and are net methane producers. Because of its ability to grow on lignin anaerobically, we sequenced the genome. The genome of “E. lignolyticus” SCF1 is 4.81 Mbp with no detected plasmids, and includes a relatively small arsenal of lignocellulolytic carbohydrate active enzymes. Lignin degradation was observed in culture, and the genome revealed two putative laccases, a putative peroxidase, and a complete 4-hydroxyphenylacetate degradation pathway encoded in a single gene cluster.
Dominant pole(s)/zero(s) analysis for analog circuit design

A prototype frequency-domain simulator that models the n th-order circuit by a lower order q -model has been developed. It combines results equivalent to hand analysis with variable order numerical pole-zero approximation. The dominant poles and zeros, including those that are complex or repeated, are found efficiently on recursive DC analysis of the circuit. In addition, the effect of the variation of element values on the pole locations can be obtained at an incremental cost in CPU time
Tomographic Spectral Imaging with Multivariate Statistical Analysis: Comprehensive 3D Microanalysis.

A comprehensive three-dimensional ~3D! microanalysis procedure using a combined scanning electron microscope ~SEM!/focused ion beam ~FIB! system equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrom- eter ~EDS! has been developed. The FIB system was used first to prepare a site-specific region for X-ray microanalysis followed by the acquisition of an electron-beam generated X-ray spectral image. A small section of material was then removed by the FIB, followed by the acquisition of another X-ray spectral image. This serial sectioning procedure was repeated 10-12 times to sample a volume of material. The series of two-spatial- dimension spectral images were then concatenated into a single data set consisting of a series of volume elements or voxels each with an entire X-ray spectrum. This four-dimensional ~three real space and one spectral dimension! spectral image was then comprehensively analyzed with Sandia's automated X-ray spectral image analysis software. This technique was applied to a simple Cu-Ag eutectic and a more complicated localized corrosion study where the powerful site-specific comprehensive analysis capability of tomographic spectral imaging ~TSI! combined with multivariate statistical analysis is demonstrated.
Advances in noncontact endocardial mapping

We globally investigated (1) the properties of noncontact cardiac electrograms measured by multielectrode cavitary probes, (2) the features of endocardial electrograms computed from the noncontact probe electrograms, and (3) the impact of the probe size on both the noncontact and the computed electrograms. We deployed a custom catheter in the dog RA, which consisted of a cylindrical probe with 64 electrodes on its surface, for measuring noncontact cavitary electrograms, and a concentric endocardial basket carrying an additional array of 64 electrodes, for measuring contact endocardial electrograms. Both a 5-mm and a 10-mm diameter probe were sequentially tested during normal as well as during paced rhythms. A boundary element method and numeric regularization were applied to compute endocardial electrograms at the basket electrode locations. We found that noncontact electrograms were attenuated and smoothed, and this effect was exaggerated with the small probe. Computed endocardial electrograms more accurately reconstructed important amplitude distribution and morphological features. In conclusion, global RA activation may be delineated directly from noncontact cavitary electrograms alone, but may be affected by volume attenuation, smoothing, and probe size. Accurate endocardial electrograms, however, can be successfully computed from noncontact electrograms acquired with small probes.