cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization and physical mapping of the genome of bacteriophage ØAa from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

The size, configuration and restriction map of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans bacteriophage phi Aa DNA was determined by means of restriction endonuclease analysis. Digestion of the phi Aa DNA with restriction enzymes Hind III, Eco RI and Sal I produced 6, 5, and 4 fragments, respectively. Based upon the sum of the sizes of the restriction fragments of these enzymes, the DNA was estimated to be 47.2 kilobase pairs in length. A restriction map was constructed using Hind III and Sal I. Incubation with exonuclease Bal 31 for increasing lengths of time resulted in progressive hydrolysis of the DNA, as expected for a linear molecule. No sub-molar fragments or diffuse bands were observed in the agarose gels of the restriction endonuclease digests of the phi Aa DNA. Attempts at ligating the ends of the DNA were consistently unsuccessful. Therefore, we found no evidence for cohesive ends, a circular permutation of the genome or for headful packaging mechanism from a concatameric DNA precursor.
Ultrasonic Detection of Lubricating Film Collapse in Mechanical Seals

Mechanical seals generally fail as the result of the collapse of the lubricating film between the faces. In the present research, a system that detects the collapse of the lubricating film in a gas seal has been developed. The system uses an active ultrasonic transmission technique to monitor the fluid film. Sensors are placed behind each stator of a double mechanical seal. A series of ultrasonic sinusoidal wave packets is generated by one transducer while the second transducer monitors the signal transmitted through the seal interface. A weak transmitted signal indicates a continuous fluid film, while a strong transmitted signal indicates contact between the seal faces. The transmitted signal is relatively independent of the seal characteristics and operating conditions, and can be easily distinguished from machinery noise since its frequency and amplitude can be controlled. Presented at the 54th Annual Meeting Las Vegas, Nevada May 23–27, 1999
Efficient gas-phase generation of coherent vacuum ultraviolet radiation.

We report the demonstration of a pulsed atomic lead (Pb) vapor-based vacuum ultraviolet frequency converter from 233 to 186??nm with unity photon-conversion efficiency. This conversion is attained without phase matching.
Electrochemical Investigation of the Radical SAM Enzyme, BtrN from Bacillus Circulans

Radical SAM enzymes catalyze a variety of reactions involved in biological pathways including the biosynthesis of antibiotics, cofactors, and biosynthesis and repair of DNA. Measurement of the electrochemical characteristics of radical SAM enzymes has been limited due to the typically buried location of the radical SAM cluster within the enzyme. The midpoint potential of a radical SAM cluster has only been determined for lysine aminomutase using spectroelectrochemical titrations with the use of mediators. This study presents the first direct electrochemical measurement of a radical SAM enzyme using the technique of protein film voltammetry (PFV). BtrN from Bacillus circulans is an emerging class of radical SAM dehydrogenases, which catalyze the third step in the biosynthetic pathway of the antibiotic butirosin. BtrN has been shown to contain a second [4Fe-4S] in addition to the canonical radical SAM [4Fe-4S] cluster. Nonturnover PFV has characterized the electrochemical properties of these clusters and provided insight into the mechanism of electron transfer. Additionally, PFV has been used to characterize the effect of substrate binding on the clusters. These results provide insight into the catalytic mechanism of BtrN and the electrochemical characteristics of radical SAM enzymes in general.
Neuroma as a cause of oculomotor palsy in infancy and early childhood.

Abstract Introduction: Third nerve palsy in infancy and early childhood is rare. We present 5 children with isolated monocular oculomotor palsy originally believed to be idiopathic but subsequently documented to be secondary to a presumed neuroma of the third nerve, distal to the mesencephalon. Methods: Retrospective case review of patient charts from 1995 through 1999 was performed. Results: Mean age at initial presentation was 14.4 months (range, 2-36 months). Two patients were male. Initial manifestation was an incomplete paresis in all 5 cases; 2 patients presented initially with exotropia, 2 with ptosis, and 3 with anisocoria. The pupil was ultimately involved in all cases. Progression to total paresis occurred in 4 of 5 patients over a mean of 13 months (range, 4-22 months). Findings of initial neuroimaging were believed to be normal in all cases but further thin-section gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging studies, including coronal views, revealed enlargement and/or enhancement of the subarachnoid or intracavernous portion of the oculomotor nerve. Aberrant regeneration did not develop in any case throughout follow-up (mean, 49.4 months). Visual acuity was decreased on the ipsilateral side in all cases, consistent with amblyopia. No patient had neurofibromatosis. Conclusions: Suspicion for neuroma should be high in infants and young children with acquired, isolated, apparently idiopathic third nerve palsy. Serial gadolinium-enhanced, 1- to 2-mm thin-section magnetic resonance imaging with coronal views is essential for proper diagnosis. (J AAPOS 2001;5:9-12)
Isolation of equine infectious anemia virus glycoproteins. Lectin affinity chromatography procedures for high avidity glycoproteins

Abstract Lectin affinity chromatography procedures were evaluated for the isolation of enveloped virus glycoproteins. The major glycoprotein of equine infectious anemia virus (E1AV) bound to concanavalin A (Con A)-Sepharose through interactions which could not be reversed by α-methylglucoside, but elution could be accomplished with buffers containing guanidine hydrochloride or sodium dodecyl sulfate. These denaturants, however, also released about one-half of the Con A protein from the Sepharose matrix. This degradation does not appear to have been recognized previously, as denaturants are frequently employed for the isolation of virus glycoproteins from Con A-Sepharose. In contrast, the virus glycoprotein bound equally well to Sepharose-bound Lens culinaris (lentil) lectin affinity columns and was effectively eluted with buffer containing 0.2 M α-methylglucoside. The lentil lectin-Sepharose procedure described is rapid, inexpensive and results in the efficient separation and recovery of EIAV glycoproteins. Thus, lentil lectin-Sepharose can provide a useful alternative to Con A-Sepharose for isolating other high avidity glycoproteins from viral envelopes or cell membranes.
An Improvement in Media Discovery Service Using Name Spotting

Digital Object Repository in the Digital Object Architecture stores a large number of audio/video media files. Lack of metadata in audio/video media files limits the media discovery service in Digital Object Architecture from searching those media files. In this paper we designed a system that uses name spotting module to extract the names, stores the extracted names with audio/video media files, simulates the media discovery service and reports the findings related to the improvement in searching the media file.
Precise At-sea Ship System for Indoor Outdoor Navigation (PASSION) Augmentation Using Bluetooth Low Energy

The employment of smartphone sensors for navigation applications and situational awareness on naval ships and in battlefield applications has been demonstrated. The PASSION application uses Wi-Fi, accelerometers, gyroscopes, QR codes, and manual entry on Android and iPhone tracking applications for ships. This paper primarily discusses supplementing the existing implementation with a new augmentation using Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE version 4.0). The characteristics of BTLE segregated ranging using Received Signal Strength measurements are explored. The sensitivity of BTLE RSS measurements to environmental factors such as placement, cases, orientation of the device, orientation of the Smartphone and intervening materials is quantified. Algorithms that employ BTLE measurements within the framework of the overall navigation positioning and tracking problem are discussed. Their possible utilization for situational awareness and collaborative navigation is discussed.
An efficient Write-All algorithm for fail-stop PRAM without initialized memory

Abstract The problem of Write-All —using P processors to write 1's into all locations of an array of size N , where P ⩽ N —has been used as the basic building block for constructing efficient and fault-tolerant parallel algorithms. All previous Write-All solutions use Ω( P ) auxiliary shared memory and assume that this memory is cleared or initialized to some known value. When Write-All building blocks are used in polylogarithmic parallel time algorithms, auxiliary memory initialization cannot be amortized over the computation. Thus, assuming clear memory is a very strong precondition, and for Write-All itself raises a legitimate “chicken-or-egg” objection. Using a determistic bootstraping and balancing argument, we show how to Write-All when auxiliary memory is contaminated with arbitrary values. For any dynamic pattern of fail-stop, no-restart errors on a CRCW PRAM with at least one surviving processor, our new algorithm writes all 1's using O( N + Plog 3 N (loglog N) 2 ) work, without any initialization assumption . This technique can be combined with any Write-All algorithm to yield efficient simulations of any PRAM and even optimal simulations given processor slack. It can also be used with restartable fail-stop processor simulations.
Cognitive Abilities, Personality and Gender Differences in Math Achievement of Gifted Adolescents

The purposes of this study were to determine whether mathematically gifted boys and girls were significantly different in cognitive abilities and personality factors and to determine whether these cognnve abilities and personality factors were accurate predictors of mathematical achievement. Mathematically gifted boys (n = 77) and girls (n = 62) completed a mathematics reasoning test (SAT-M), a verbal reasoning test (SAT-V), a measure of spatial ability (Group Embedded Figures Test), and personality test (California Psychological Inventory). They received mathematics achievement ratings depending on the number of summer courses completed. The findings indicated that boys not only have higher mathematical reasoning ability than girls, but alslo that this ability is the single best predictor of their mathematical achievement. Verbal ability is the best predictor of mathematical achievement for the girls. For both the girls and the boys, neither spatial reasoning ability nor personality factors significantly...
Role of Amine Structure and Site Isolation on the Performance of Aminosilica-Immobilized Zirconium CGC-Inspired Ethylene Polymerization Catalysts

The homogeneous zirconium complex (CpSiMe2Cl)ZrCl3 is immobilized onto three different aminosilica supports, resulting in supported constrained-geometry-inspired zirconium complexes that, when combined with methylalumoxane (MAO), are active for the homopolymerization of ethylene to produce linear polyethylenes. The structure of the immobilized metal species is shown to depend on both the nature of the amine groups on the surface (primary vs secondary) and the amine surface density (densely loaded vs site-isolated). Diffuse-reflectance ultraviolet−visible (UV−vis) spectra of the metallated solids indicates that a true, immobilized constrained-geometry catalyst (CGC) is likely only produced on the silica that contains isolated primary amine sites. The polymerization data support the hypothesis that a traditional constrained-geometry Zr catalyst exhibits higher catalytic activity compared to a more open metal center that is likely the primary species produced on a densely loaded aminosilica surface. MAO caus...
Dynamical simulations of magnetically channelled line-driven stellar winds - III. Angular momentum loss and rotational spin-down

We examine the angular momentum loss and associated rotational spin-down for magnetic hot stars with a line-driven stellar wind and a rotation-aligned dipole magnetic field. Our analysis here is based on our previous two-dimensional numerical magnetohydrodynamics simulation study that examines the interplay among wind, field and rotation as a function of two dimensionless parameters: one characterizing the wind magnetic confinement () and the other the ratio (W≡Vrot/Vorb) of stellar rotation to critical (orbital) speed. We compare and contrast the two-dimensional, time-variable angular momentum loss of this dipole model of a hot-star wind with the classical one-dimensional steady-state analysis by Weber and Davis (WD), who used an idealized monopole field to model the angular momentum loss in the solar wind. Despite the differences, we find that the total angular momentum loss averaged over both solid angle and time closely follows the general WD scaling , where is the mass-loss rate, Ω is the stellar angular velocity and RA is a characteristic Alfven radius. However, a key distinction here is that for a dipole field, this Alfven radius has a strong-field scaling RA/R*≈η1/4*, instead of the scaling for a monopole field. This leads to a slower stellar spin-down time that in the dipole case scales as , where is the characteristic mass loss time and k is the dimensionless factor for stellar moment of inertia. The full numerical scaling relation that we cite gives typical spin-down times of the order of 1 Myr for several known magnetic massive stars.
Müllerian adenosarcoma of the uterus with rapid progression: an ultrastructural study.

Abstract A case of mullerian adenosarcoma arising in an 82-year-old white female with rapid successive recurrence and death was studied with electron microscopy. The primary tumor in the uterus was typical mullerian adenosarcoma described by Clement and Scully. After a simple hysterectomy, however, a recurrent tumor appeared in the vagina in 5 months. The lesions were excised, and radiation therapy was given. The patient died 13 months after the initial diagnosis, reportedly with another recurrence of the tumor. Light microscopic and electron microscopic histology of the first recurrent nodules was consistent with fibrosarcoma.
Comparison of quantal and classical calculations of infrared multiphoton dissociation

Abstract A model for the dissociation of a triatomic molecule in a laser field is solved both quantally and classically. Calculations were made of the energy absorbed with a single laser frequency and with two laser frequencies. Good agreement between the classical and quantum calculation was found.
Matching-to-sample in pigeons: in the absence of sample memory, sample frequency is a better predictor of comparison choice than the probability of reinforcement for comparison choice.

In matching-to-sample, comparison choice should be controlled by the identity of the sample and, when the sample is not available, by the overall probability of reinforcement associated with each of the comparisons. In the present research, pigeons were trained to match a frequent sample (appearing on 80% of the trials) to one comparison (Cfr) and an infrequent sample (appearing on 20% of the trials) to the other (Cinf), with the number of reinforcements associated with each sample equated. In Experiment 1, the task was identity matching; in Experiments 2 and 3, it was symbolic matching. We asked whether, when control of comparison choice by the sample was reduced (by inserting a delay between the sample and the comparisons), pigeons would choose comparisons on the basis of (1) the number of reinforcements per comparison (and thus show no comparison bias), (2) the comparison associated with the more frequent sample during training (and show a preference forCfr), or (3) the probability of reinforcement given a correct response (and show a preference forCinf), or (4) inhibition produced by nonreinforced choice of the more frequently correct comparison (and show a preference forCinf). Pigeons showed a significant tendency to chooseCfr. In Experiment 3, we showed that this bias did not result from the effects of intertrial facilitation or interference. Thus, it appears that when control of comparison choice by the sample is reduced, pigeons’ choice is controlled not merely by the probability of reinforcement but also by overall sample frequency.
Dictyostelium Discoideum Contains a Single-copy Gene Encoding a Unique Subtype of Histone H1

Abstract A Dictyostelium discoideum genomic library was screened using a degenerate oligodeoxyribonucleotide derived from the peptide, GPKAPT, obtained from the N terminus of purified histone H1. Two identical H1 clones were isolated. Comparative sequence data reveal a typical H1 three-domain structure with considerable homology to the globular domain of higher eukaryctic H1 histones, especially to plant H1 histones. Southern blot analysis shows that this gene is probably a single-copy gene, and suggests that any other H1 gene(s), if present, must be very different in sequence. Amino acid (aa) sequence comparison of the globular core of D. discoideum H1 to the consensus globular core reveals the absence of a 6-aa motif, GXGXXG, from D. discoideum. This motif matches the consensus for a putative nucleotide-binding loop, which is also absent in plant H1 histones like Arabidopsis thaliana, pea and wheat.
Secure Spread Spectrum Communication Using Ultrawideband Random Noise Signals

Ultrawideband (UWB) random noise signals provide secure communications because they cannot, in general, be detected using conventional receivers and are jam-resistant. We describe the theoretical underpinnings of a novel spread spectrum technique that can be used for covert communications using transmissions over orthogonal polarization channels. The technique is based on the use of heterodyne correlation techniques to inject coherence in a random noise signal. The transmitted signal is featureless and appears unpolarized and noise-like; thus linearly polarized receivers are unable to identify, detect, or otherwise extract useful information from the signal. The system is immune from interference caused by high power linearly polarized signals. Dispersive effects caused by the atmosphere and other factors are significantly reduced since both polarization channels operate over the same frequency band. Our results indicate that the proposed scheme can recover voice and data signals with superior fidelity. Simulations show that we can achieve BER values of 10?4 at an SNR of around ?6 dB without channel coding and BER values sufficient for data and video at much lower SNRs when channel coding is employed, which indicates excellent performance under covert conditions such as operating under the enemy receiver's thermal noise floor. We also show preliminary field test results with the baseband processing implemented within a software defined radio architecture that clearly validate the system concept.
Direct Somatic Embryogenesis and fertile Plants from Rice Root Cultures

Summary Globular pro-embryos were produced from rice (Oryzae sativa L.) roots cultured on modified Murashige and Skoog salts and vitamins, supplemented with 100 mg L-1 myo-inositol. 100 mg L-1 thiamine, 200 mg L-1 casein hydrolysate, 30 gL-1 sucrose, and 1 to 10 µM 2,4-D and/ or 1 to 10 µM NAA. The optimum auxin concentration for the formation of rice pro-embryos was 10 µM NAA combined with 10 µM 2,4-D. Somatic embryos showing distinct coleoptile and coleorrhiza were formed from proembryos following their transfer to an embryo development medium containing 2.5 µM 2.4-D and 1 µM kinetin. Somatic embryos were germinated in a medium devoid of growth regulators, and the rice plantlets were acclimated and grown into fertile plants in the greenhouse. Histological examination of 1 to 3-micrometer transverse sections of rice-root explants that were cultured 5d on medium containing 10 µM 2,4-D and 10 µM NAA revealed that the somatic embryos originated from the pericycle/endodermis region of the rice roots .
Cerebral hemisphere regulation of motivated behavior

The goals of this article are to suggest a basic wiring diagram for the motor neural network that controls motivated behavior, and to provide a model for the organization of cerebral hemisphere inputs to this network. Cerebral projections mediate voluntary regulation of a behavior control column in the ventromedial upper brainstem that includes (from rostral to caudal) the medial preoptic, anterior hypothalamic, descending paraventricular, ventromedial, and premammillary nuclei, the mammillary body, and finally the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. The rostral segment of this column is involved in controlling ingestive (eating and drinking) and social (defensive and reproductive) behaviors, whereas the caudal segment is involved in controlling general exploratory or foraging behaviors (with locomotor and orienting components) that are required for obtaining any particular goal object. Virtually all parts of the cerebral hemispheres contribute to a triple descending projection - with cortical excitatory, striatal inhibitory, and pallidal disinhibitory components - to specific parts of the behavior control column. The functional dynamics of this circuitry remain to be established.
Application of Process Simulation Software METSIM in Metallurgy

Now the using of process simulation software is more and more widely in many fields especially in chemistry and metallurgy plant designing. The process simulation software provides great convenience for experts and engineers, they can analysis the new process and calculate the heating/material balance by process simulation software, and calculate complex process that the traditional tool EXCEL can not do. The paper introduced the current major process simulation software, includes mainly introducing the application of METSIM and SYSCAD software in metallurgical process, and summary the computational process of them by a few examples, at the same time the application status of the process simulation software was pointed out.
Boosting forward-time population genetic simulators through genotype compression

Forward-time population genetic simulations play a central role in deriving and testing evolutionary hypotheses. Such simulations may be data-intensive, depending on the settings to the various parameters controlling them. In particular, for certain settings, the data footprint may quickly exceed the memory of a single compute node. We develop a novel and general method for addressing the memory issue inherent in forward-time simulations by compressing and decompressing, in real-time, active and ancestral genotypes, while carefully accounting for the time overhead. We propose a general graph data structure for compressing the genotype space explored during a simulation run, along with efficient algorithms for constructing and updating compressed genotypes which support both mutation and recombination. We tested the performance of our method in very large-scale simulations. Results show that our method not only scales well, but that it also overcomes memory issues that would cripple existing tools. As evolutionary analyses are being increasingly performed on genomes, pathways, and networks, particularly in the era of systems biology, scaling population genetic simulators to handle large-scale simulations is crucial. We believe our method offers a significant step in that direction. Further, the techniques we provide are generic and can be integrated with existing population genetic simulators to boost their performance in terms of memory usage.
"Ageism" in Brazil: what is it? who does it? what to do with it?

The main goal of this article is to call attention to ageism and age as a part of the Brazilian system of prejudice and discrimination. Although ageism and age discrimination are often used interchangeably, ageism refers essentially to the system of attitudes so often attributed by individuals and society to others by age, while age discrimination describes a situation in which age is the deciding factor. An example of age discrimination is when an employer decides to recruit, to promote, to retrain or to retire/dismiss an employee based only upon age. While noticing someone's age is not inherently offensive, acting on age-based stereotypes clearly is a prejudice against the individual that often goes unchallenged by mainstream society. This article relies on empirical findings and the cumulative knowledge on discrimination of the elderly, and discusses theoretical positions that link age discrimination with ageism. We argue that ageism and the practice of age discrimination in Brazil should be viewed as part of the multiple forms of discrimination experienced by individuals. A central assumption guiding this paper is that the way we frame ageism and intergenerational relations has a significant effect on both perceived age discrimination and support for age-based social programs and it will be illustrated for the Brazilian case.
Field-Dependence and Extraversion: Univariate or Multivariate Research Orientation

Abstract : Field-dependence and extraversion have been considered by Eysenck to be similar, if not identical, dimensions, whereas Fine has found them to be independent, but frequently to interact in a nonlinear fashion. Regardless of who is correct, both viewpoints lead to the expectation that researchers in either area should be concerned with results of research in the other. The expectation was found to be false. On the assumption that Eysenck and Witkin would be cited as 'key' references for extraversion and field-dependence, respectively, 2722 journal articles published during calendar years 1986-1990, in which either Eysenck or Witkin was cited at least once, were examined. In only 27 instances (1%) were both key sources cited in the same article. The question is raised as to why so many researchers within each of these important research areas persist with a univariate approach.
Charge distributions of barium isotopes from muonic X-rays

Abstract The results of a muonic X-ray study of the charge radii of stable barium isotopes are presented and compared with optical isotope shifts. The isotope shifts Δ〈r2〉 of a wide range of barium isotopes are found to be in good agreement with the droplet model and with IBA calculations.
Dual-band, Wide-incident-angle absorber for far-IR and THz frequencies

We present an electrically thin, dual-band, perfect absorber design that can be scaled to operate in the far infrared (FIR) or THz band. A dual-polarization frequency selective surface (FSS) consisting of crossed dipoles is modified using additional parasitic tip metallizations to achieve dual-band performance. The conducting FSS layer is placed on a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate backed by a metallic ground. The structure is optimized for absorption efficiency over a wide incidence angle range for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations.
Depression and Social Support Among Women Living with the Substance Abuse, Violence, and HIV/AIDS Syndemic: A Qualitative Exploration

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV), HIV/AIDS, and substance use are described as the SAVA "syndemic" among low-income urban women because of their intersecting and synergistic presence in these women's lives. Depressive symptoms are significantly associated with these SAVA factors and although social support is potentially protective for depression, little is understood about its impact on depression associated with the SAVA syndemic. METHODS: This paper investigates how women living with SAVA experience and describe depressive symptoms, and examines how the types of social support they access impact their experiences of SAVA and depressive symptoms. Qualitative, in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 HIV-positive, low-income, urban women who experienced IPV and used cocaine or heroin in their lifetime. Interviews were analyzed based on study aims, principles of thematic content analysis, and grounded theory. RESULTS: Women identified multiple SAVA factors as catalysts for depression and noted their synergistic effect on depressive symptoms, which were both a trigger for and a result of drug use. Women accessed varying sources of social support to address their SAVA factors and associated symptoms of depression, relying on informal sources for instrumental support related to IPV and formal sources for support related to HIV, drug use, and depression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have important implications for health providers who serve SAVA-affected women, and suggest that comprehensively addressing all SAVA factors (and IPV in particular) and improving their access to quality social support at critical times is essential to improve their mental health. Language: en
Effect of direct-current plasma fluctuations on in-flight particle parameters: Part II

This paper is the continuation of previous work,[1] in which plasma fluctuations were shown to produce significant time-dependent variations in the in-flight particle temperature and velocity, as well as in the number of detected particles. In this paper, the impact of the plasma fluctuations on the coating microstructure and deposition efficiency is demonstrated. Alumina coatings and deposition efficiencies, obtained with two sets of spray conditions showing similar in-flight particle conditions (velocity and temperature) with the DPV-2000 but displaying very different voltage fluctuations, are compared. The coating produced in the less stable plasma condition (C-I) is found to be more porous and contains a larger number of unmelted particles than the other coating produced in more steady plasma conditions (C-II). Moreover, condition C-I yields a significantly lower deposition efficiency. Such large discrepancies must be traced back to the physical characteristics of the particle jet. Laser illumination of the particle jet is used to probe particles too cold to be detected by pyrometric means. Cold particles are found in a much larger proportion in C-I than in C-II. They are ascribed to particles that are injected when the plasma is in a low enthalpy state. Periodic time-dependent variations in the in-flight characteristics of cold and hot particles, synchronous with the voltage fluctuations, are revealed.
Does Complex or Simple Rhetoric Win Elections? An Integrative Complexity Analysis of U.S. Presidential Campaigns

Research suggests that the integrative complexity of political rhetoric tends to drop during election season, but little research to date directly addresses if this drop in complexity serves to increase or decrease electoral success. The two present studies help fill this gap. Study 1 demonstrates that, during the Democratic Party primary debates in 2003–2004, the eventual winners of the party nomination showed a steeper drop in integrative complexity as the election season progressed than nonwinning candidates. Study 2 presents laboratory evidence from the most recent presidential campaign demonstrating that, while the complexity of Obama's rhetoric had little impact on college students' subsequent intentions to vote for him, the complexity of McCain's rhetoric was significantly positively correlated with their likelihood of voting for him. Taken together, this research is inconsistent with an unqualified simple is effective view of the complexity-success relationship. Rather, it is more consistent with a compensatory view: Effective use of complexity (or simplicity) may compensate for perceived weaknesses. Thus, appropriately timed shifts in complexity levels, and/or violations of negative expectations relevant to complexity, may be an effective means of winning elections. Surprisingly, mere simplicity as such seems largely ineffective.
A UWB Multiple Antenna System for NBI Mitigation under Rayleigh and Ricean Fading

In this paper, a narrowband interference (NBI) mitigation scheme for ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) signals using multiple receive antennas is examined. The low spatial fading of UWB signals relative to NBI signals is exploited to provide "interference selection diversity". Whereas classical selection diversity is designed to maximize the desired received signal power, the aim of interference selection diversity is to minimize the effective NBI power. Expressions for the probability of error of the selection diversity scheme are derived for both Rayleigh and Ricean NBI fading scenarios. The improvement in received signal-to-interference ratio is also mathematically investigated. It is shown that doubling the number of antennas results in a 3-dB performance improvement for the Rayleigh fading case. Less substantial gains are observed under Ricean fading.
Solution of inverse problems in elasticity imaging using the adjoint method

We consider the problem of determining the shear modulus of a linear-elastic, incompressible medium given boundary data and one component of the displacement field in the entire domain. The problem is derived from applications in quantitative elasticity imaging. We pose the problem as one of minimizing a functional and consider the use of gradient-based algorithms to solve it. In order to calculate the gradient efficiently we develop an algorithm based on the adjoint elasticity operator. The main cost associated with this algorithm is equivalent to solving two forward problems, independent of the number of optimization variables. We present numerical examples that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Visible/Near Infrared Reflectance (Vnir) Spectroscopy for Detecting Twospotted Spider Mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) Damage in Strawberries

ABSTRACT The twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is among the most economically important pests in strawberries (Fragaria spp.). As T. urticae feeds, it ingests mesophyll cells that contain pigments essential for physiologic function and alters radiant energy use of the leaf tissue, severely compromising plant health and productivity. In our study, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the visible and near infrared (VNIR) portions of the spectrum was used to identify specific spectral regions altered by T. urticae feeding and to quantitatively assess T. urticae density. During the 2006–2007 growing season, 80 strawberry leaflets with varying levels of T. urticae infestation were collected. Spectral classification of both mite density (continuous) and mite density class (categorical) were developed. Spider mite density classes were low infestation (0–20 mites/leaflet), moderate infestation (20–50 mites/leaflet), and high infestation (≥50 mites/leaflet). Continuous spectral prediction for leaf i...
Refinement-based design of a group-centric secure information sharing model

This paper presents a formal, state machine-based specification (stateful specification) of a group-centric secure information sharing (g-SIS) model. The stateful specification given here is a refinement of a prior specification that is given in first-order linear temporal logic (FOTL). Such FOTL specification defines authorization based solely on group operations, but gives little guidance regarding implementation. The current specification is the result of a second step in a multi-step design process that separates concerns and provides multiple opportunities to detect unintended policy characteristics. We show that our stateful specification is consistent with the prior FOTL specification by using a combination of model-checking and manual techniques.
Execution characteristics of desktop applications on Windows NT

This paper examines the performance of desktop applications running on the Microsoft Windows NT operating system on Intel x86 processors, and contrasts these applications to the programs in the integer SPEC95 benchmark suite. We present measurements of basic instruction set and program characteristics, and detailed simulation results of the way these programs use the memory system and processor branch architecture. We show that the desktop applications have similar characteristics to the integer SPEC95 benchmarks for many of these metrics. However, compared to the integer SPEC95 applications, desktop applications have larger instruction working sets, execute instructions in a greater number of unique functions, cross DLL boundaries frequently, and execute a greater number of indirect calls.
Upingakuneng (When they are ready): Dynamic Assessment in a third semester Yugtun class

Set against instructional practices that promote competition and individual performance, Dynamic Assessment, in our view, offers a more appropriate form of pedagogy for learners from cultural backgrounds that favour cooperation during joint activity. Indeed, these learners appear to be disadvantaged when negotiating the contrasting values and practices of their school and their community, a factor that likely contributes to the high attrition rates of Yup’ik Eskimo learners in secondary and tertiary education. This article considers the use of DA in a university Yugtun language course. Three DA sessions between a Yup’ik instructor/mediator and a Yup’ik heritage learner are discussed. Data include three 15‐minute videotaped mediation sessions, dialogue journals and student tests. Through detailed analysis of the mediational episodes we discuss not only how the learner moves towards self‐regulation in the use of grammar charts, but also how the interactions between the learner and the mediator become more r...
The Use of Reflexive Photography in the Study of the Freshman Year Experience

This article describes a study of first-year freshmen students' impressions of their experiences at a public, four-year comprehensive university using the qualitative research method reflexive photography. A random sample of undergraduates were asked to take a series of photographs, representative of their impressions of the university, and discuss the various underlying themes of their photographs in subsequent focus-group interviews. Anumber of primary themes emerged, including perceptions about the university's physical environment, interactions with faculty, interactions with other students, student support services, and career counseling and preparation for the future. These perceptions, both positive and negative, impact institutional commitment.
Effects of excitotoxin exposure on metabolic rate of primary hippocampal cultures : application of silicon microphysiometry to neurobiology

Increasing evidence implicates glutamate receptor over-stimulation in the neurotoxicity associated with a host of metabolic insults, including seizures and hypoxia-ischemia. To begin to understand more completely the role of energy metabolism in the mechanism of neuron death following excitatory amino acid exposure, we investigated the effects of kainic acid exposure on metabolic rate in cultured hippocampal cells using a recently developed silicon microphysiometer. The device gives a continual real-time measure of metabolism in relatively small numbers of cells, as assessed by efflux of protons generated at least in part by ATP hydrolysis and lactic acid production. In the first half of this report, we characterize the feasibility of using this device for measuring cellular metabolism in hippocampal cultures. Metabolic rate in both astrocytes and neurons was readily detectable, with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The rate was proportional to the number of cells and was sensitive to metabolic enhancement or depression. We then utilized this device to study metabolic responses to the excitotoxin kainic acid. We observed a receptor-mediated, dose-dependent increase in metabolic rate upon stimulation by kainic acid, with an EC50 of approximately 100 microM. Exposure to toxic levels of kainic acid for 10 min produced an initial elevation (for 2 hr) in metabolic rate and then a gradual decline in metabolism over the next 8 hr that preceded a measurable loss of cell viability. This study further delineates a time window for the onset of kainic acid-induced damage. The results clearly show the feasibility of using silicon microphysiometry for assessing metabolism of brain cultures and for exploring the relationship between metabolism and synaptic activation.
Convex position estimation in wireless sensor networks

A method for estimating unknown node positions in a sensor network based exclusively on connectivity-induced constraints is described. Known peer-to-peer communication in the network is modeled as a set of geometric constraints on the node positions. The global solution of a feasibility problem for these constraints yields estimates for the unknown positions of the nodes in the network. Providing that the constraints are tight enough, simulation illustrates that this estimate becomes close to the actual node positions. Additionally, a method for placing rectangular bounds around the possible positions for all unknown nodes in the network is given. The area of the bounding rectangles decreases as additional or tighter constraints are included in the problem. Specific models are suggested and simulated for isotropic and directional communication, representative of broadcast-based and optical transmission respectively, though the methods presented are not limited to these simple cases.
Implantation and deposition of adherent metal-oxide ceramic coatings

Summary form only given, as follows. Firing a cathodic-arc at a pulse biased target in a low pressure background of oxygen allows very adherent coatings of metal-oxide ceramics to be deposited. Due to the high density of the metal-ion plasma and the high voltage of the pulse bias (50 kV), a relatively conformal implant can be achieved. This implanted metal layer stitches the metal-oxide coating to the surface and provides a graded interface which resists delamination. We present characterizations of the metal-ion and carbon plasmas created by a cathodic-arc, discuss the effect of varying the relative phase of the cathodic-arc and target bias pulses, examine the conformality of ceramic and diamond-like-carbon films deposited on complicated shapes, and provide evidence of increased adherence due to the implantation step.
Practical Applications to Pedagogy

“Be quiet,” I say to myself as the person next to me wolfs down another handful of popcorn and then gulps what sounds like a gallon of soda. I’m trying to concentrate on the movie. On the screen, Vito Mortgenson is standing in front of a gang describing and explaining who he is. Eastern Promises is one of the movies that impacted me in a dramatic way in the past few years. It is an example of just how much our conception of language and discourse has changed. In the scene I am referring to, Mortgenson takes off his shirt and reads the tattoos on his body to his audience, a group of gangsters. Each tattoo is a cautionary tale and each tells more about him than any written description ever could to this audience. Each member of his audience is familiar with the discourse, knows how to read it, and accepts its authenticity. The meaning of the narrative, however, is discussed and negotiated.
Boundary Elements and Viscous Flows

A procedure that utilizes the boundary element method as a part of the solution process to derive decisive advantages in computing viscous flows is described. This procedure is shown to have the ability of excluding the potential region from the solution domain and to computing individually the various viscous zones that co-exist in the overall flow. The use of this procedure in the computation of various types of viscous flows is reviewed.
Ultrasonic Characterization of Tensile Overload Effects and Stress Intensity Shielding

The growth of a fatigue crack is modified by the development of contacts between the crack faces1, 2, creating shielding and thus canceling a portion of the applied load. These contacts develop through a number of mechanisms, including plastic deformation, sliding of the faces with respect to each other and the creation and collection of debris such as oxide particles3. Compressive stresses are created on either side of the partially contacting crack faces resulting in opening loads that must be overcome in order to apply a driving force to the crack tip for growth. In this way, the crack tip is shielded from a portion of the applied load, thus creating the need for modification1 of the applied stress intensity range from ΔK = KImax − KImin to ΔK = KImax − KIsh. Determination of the contact size and density in the region of closure from ultrasonic transmission and diffraction experiments4 has allowed estimation of the magnitude of KIsh on a crack grown under constant ΔK conditions. The calculation has since5 been extended to fatigue cracks grown with a tensile overload block. The calculation was also successful in predicting the growth rate of the crack after reinitiation had occurred. This paper reports the results of attempts to define the amount of retardation remaining before reinitiation of crack growth in terms of the parameters used by the distributed spring model. In addition, this paper reports on the acoustic response of a crack grown using a decreasing ΔK and the subsequent implications for determination of the threshold stress intensity factor.
An extract of Urtica dioica L. mitigates obesity induced insulin resistance in mice skeletal muscle via protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)

The leaf extract of Urtica dioica L. (UT) has been reported to improve glucose homeostasis in vivo, but definitive studies on efficacy and mechanism of action are lacking. We investigated the effects of UT on obesity- induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups: low-fat diet (LFD), high-fat diet (HFD) and HFD supplemented with UT. Body weight, body composition, plasma glucose and plasma insulin were monitored. Skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius) was analyzed for insulin sensitivity, ceramide accumulation and the post translational modification and activity of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). PP2A is activated by ceramides and dephosphorylates Akt. C2C12 myotubes exposed to excess free fatty acids with or without UT were also evaluated for insulin signaling and modulation of PP2A. The HFD induced insulin resistance, increased fasting plasma glucose, enhanced ceramide accumulation and PP2A activity in skeletal muscle. Supplementation with UT improved plasma glucose homeostasis and enhanced skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity without affecting body weight and body composition. In myotubes, UT attenuated the ability of FFAs to induce insulin resistance and PP2A hyperactivity without affecting ceramide accumulation and PP2A expression. UT decreased PP2A activity through posttranslational modification that was accompanied by a reduction in Akt dephosphorylation.
Options and Opportunities: Shifting E-Discovery Costs in California

Since Toshiba v. Superior Court, not much has been written on California Code of Civil Procedure § 2031.280(e). This paper explores the history of California's mandatory cost-shifting provision, discusses the landmark case of Toshiba v. Superior Court, and then attempts to draw out useful similarities between § 2031.280(e) and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The paper concludes by discussing the substantive issues that remain after Toshiba along with policy considerations.
A web service to connect data analysis and visualization: faculty poster

This poster presents the preliminary results of software that MSI (Minority Serving Institution) summer faculty-student team developed[1]. The software is a designated web service to facilitate cyber security research: It connects multiple data sources with analysis software and visualization tools for the Department of Homeland Security and the homeland security community. This project has demonstrated the effectiveness of a faculty-student team throughout the development of this software. The outcome has been successful thus far (the project is ongoing) as well as inspiring to the participating students; It has been a precious learning experience in computer science education as well as a practice in enterprise-level software development.