cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observations of dew amount using in situ and satellite measurements in an agricultural landscape

Abstract Estimating the amount of water on leaf surfaces is an increasing concern for remote sensing and hydrology. Measuring the magnitude and spatial extent of leaf wetness events will provide useful information for water and energy balance modeling and remote sensing. As part of the Soil Moisture Experiments 2005 (SMEX05), the temporal and spatial characterization of leaf wetness over a heterogeneous agricultural domain was investigated. Leaf wetness sensors and physical measurements were collected from 15 June to 3 July 2005 in and around the Walnut Creek Watershed near Ames, Iowa, USA. Comparison of the results of the in situ leaf wetness sensor measurements and the physical sampling revealed a moderate correlation for both corn ( Zea mays L . ) and soybeans ( Glycine max Merr.). Regression equations were developed to estimate leaf wetness quantity from these leaf wetness sensors and combined with a vegetation leaf area index map to produce a spatial leaf wetness product hourly during the experiment with an error of approximately 0.05 kg/(m 2 LAI). Using this strategy, future efforts in spatial hydrologic modeling and remote sensing would be able to incorporate quantitative estimates of leaf wetness amount in watershed scale studies using only in situ measurements.
AP responses in forward‐masking paradigms and their relationship to responses of auditory‐nerve fibers

The amplitude of N1 peak of whole-nerve AP was measured in cats using a tone-burst probe with tonal maskers in a forward-masking paradigm. Experiments examined the effects of masker level, frequency, and duration (Tm), as well as interstimulus interval (delta t). Results are consistent with the interpretation that amplitude of N1 reflects activity of a limited group of fibers with CF near the probe frequency. For single fibers, decrement in discharge rate (relative to an unmasked condition) is dependent upon rate to the masker [Smith, Neurophys. 40 (1977)]. For the AP, decrement in probe-elicited amplitude should reflect the rate to masker in those fibers excited by the probe. Thus measurements of N1 decrement versus masker frequency and level are similar to single unit rate versus level functions. Since decrement in N1 reflects amount of adaptation, increasing Tm decreases probe response. N1 amplitude as a function of Tm thus resembles PST histograms of nerve fibers. Finally, plots of N1 amplitude as a function of delta t are interpreted as a measure of recovery from adaptation.
Ice in the lunar polar regions revisited

[1] The common wisdom that water ice may exist in lunar polar cold traps has become a significant factor in the selection of space research objectives. The purpose of this paper is to address two topics that are missing from the discourse on lunar water: the effect that the pristine cleanliness of the regolith has on water transport on the moon, and the limits on water exposure implied by the extremely high adsorption potentials of the surfaces of soil grains. Water transport is characterized by chemisorption on soil grains and the mixing of “wet” grains into the regolith by meteoritic gardening. Ballistic lateral flow, which is generally thought to be an efficient conduit for moving water to the poles, is actually a secondary phenomenon that is facilitated by solar wind and micrometeor erosion but not by thermal desorption, as is the case for the dominant lunar exospheric gases, He and 40Ar. Simulation results show that even under the most optimistic conditions, less than 7% of the water accumulated in the regolith resides in the polar cold traps, where water concentrations cannot be greater than 350 ppm. More important, when realistic transport parameters are used in the simulator, the polar water concentration is reduced by almost 2 orders of magnitude. In a word, the concept of water ice at the lunar poles is insupportable.
On the universal model for medium-range order in amorphous metal structures

Abstract A critical assessment is provided of the proposition that a universal model exists for the medium-range structure of metallic glasses. Previous studies are reconsidered from a topological perspective. While support for universal medium-range order has been based on chemically distinct systems, it is shown that these alloys are topologically very similar regarding the relative size of solute and solvent atoms. The short-range structural order in metal–metalloid glasses – capped trigonal prisms – is shown to be unlikely in metallic glasses where the solute radius is greater than about 80% of the solvent. Other possible short-range ordered configurations, including icosahedra, are possible based on geometric arguments. While a universal model for medium-range order may exist in spite of different short-range ordering, it is nevertheless likely that alloys with significantly different atom radius ratios will possess distinct medium range ordering. Additional studies in topologically distinct systems are required to unambiguously assess the universality of medium-range order in metallic glasses.
Effect of occluding the pylorus on intraoral intake : a test of the gastric hypothesis of meal termination

Abstract Meal size does not change in response to food being restricted to the stomach by occlusion of the pylorus. This result has been used as evidence for a gastric model of meal termination where feedback arising solely from the stomach is taken to underlie satiation. Such data provide support for the gastric model, however, only if the rate of gastric emptying during ingestion in the unoccluded condition is slow, such that comparable amounts of food would be found in the stomach at the end of the meal in both the pylorus-occluded and unoccluded conditions. To evaluate this issue directly, rats were implanted with pyloric cuffs and gastric cannulas and given an intraoral intake test of a 10.5% glucose solution with either the pylorus occluded or unoccluded. At the end of each intraoral intake test, the content of the stomach was removed via the gastric cannula and it's volume and concentration measured. Occlusion of the pylorus did not change meal size, but both the volume and grams of glucose solute found in the stomach were substantially greater in the pylorus-occluded condition. These results are not consistent with the hypothesis that the stomach is the sole source of inhibitory signals that terminate a meal. Cumulative intake would appear to be accurately tracked regardless of its distribution within the digestive tract.
Quitting smoking now or later: Gradual, abrupt, immediate, and delayed quitting

This study evaluated gradual versus abrupt smoking cessation techniques, the value of delaying the smoking quit date, and the use of aversive conditioning by means of warm, smoky air and rapid smoking until satiation. Target date quitting was significantly more effective than gradual quitting. Delaying the quit date was more effective than quitting smoking immediately for women, but less effective for men.
Facilitated Diffusion as a Method for Selective Accumulation of Materials from the Primordial Oceans by a Lipid Vesicle Protocell

A model is proposed for the selective accumulation of amino acids, sugars, nucleotides, cations and protons from the primordial oceans into a lipid vesicle type of protocell. The model is built on facilitated diffusion using simple, primordial, lipid-soluble carriers. The advantages a lipid vesicle protocell would have had over the other potential types of protocells are discussed.
CHAIN STRUCTURES OF TRIMETHYLTIN ESTERS OF SALICYLIC ACID AND o-ANISIC ACID. TIN-119m MÖSSBAUER STUDY OF A SERIES OF TRIMETHYLTIN AND TRIPHENYLTIN CARBOXYLATES1

Abstract The synthesis, crystal structure, 119m Sn Mossbauer parameters, and infrared and NMR data are reported for the trimethyltin esters of o-anisic and salicylic acids, Me3SnO2CC6H4OMe-2 (1) and Me3SnO2CC6H4OH-2 (2), respectively. Mossbauer parameters for a series of triorganotin esters are determined on substances whose X-ray structures have been established. Both 1 and 2 possess chain polymer structures showing conformational differences related to the presence of hydrogen bonding in 2 and its absence in 1. The 199mSn Mossbauer quadrupole splitting parameter (QS) falls in the range 2.30-2.55 mm s−1 for triorganotin esters having a discrete geometry formed by intramolecular oxygen atom co-ordination, while for those having a chain formulation formed by intermolecular donor atom coordination a QS range of 3.59-3.74 mm s−1 is observed. Hydrogen-bonded members show a QS range of 2.97-3.47 mm s−1. The correlation of crystallographic and Mossbauer data reveals the importance of hydrogen bonding in account...
Radicalized Margins: Eric Rudolph and Religious Violence 1

In recent years we have witnessed a growing body of scholarship that asserts that religion often motivates violence; anti-abortion violence is presented as a prominent example. Through examining the rhetoric and actions of anti-abortion bomber Eric Rudolph, I question the centrality of religion when invocations of divine authority or apocalyptic narratives are conspicuously absent in his justificatory writings. I argue that other social, political, and strategic considerations are more significant in the emergence of a radicalized anti-abortion movement than religion. This analysis nuances notions of a causal relationship between religion and violence and calls for interrogation of the category.
Crustal shortening in the Andes : Why do GPS rates differ from geological rates?

GPS data indicate 30–40 mm yr−1 present-day crustal shortening across the Andes, whereas geological evidence shows crustal shortening concentrated in the sub-Andean thrust belt at a much lower rate (<15 mm yr−1). We reconcile the discrepancy between the geodetic and the geological crustal shortening using geodynamic modeling that includes timescale-dependent crustal deformation. The GPS velocities reflect the instantaneous deformation in the Andes that includes both permanent deformation and elastic deformation that will be recovered during future earthquakes, whereas the lower geological rates reflect only the permanent deformation. The three-dimensional viscoelastic model predicts nearly uniform short-term velocity gradients across the Andes, similar to the GPS results, and concentrated long-term crustal shortening in the sub-Andean thrust zone, consistent with geological observations.
The epidemiology and prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer. Its incidence is higher in countries where hepatitis B is endemic. HCC is substantially a complication of liver cirrhosis. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the predominant causes of cirrhosis, and as such, HCC. The link between HCC and alcoholic cirrhosis is less strong. Other less common forms of chronic liver disease can also lead to HCC. HBV is the HCC-determining disease worldwide. In endemic regions, it tends to be acquired early in life. The largest strides in prevention of HCC have been made with the HBV vaccine. HCV has a lower global prevalence than HBV, but HCV causes the most HCC in economically developed regions. In these areas, where the incidence of HCC is low, HCV now accounts for more than 50% of HCCs. There is no vaccine for HCV, so prevention of HCV-associated HCC will focus on prevention of initial infection and elimination of infection through antiviral therapies. HBV-HCV coinfection, and the combination of either with alcohol abuse or aflatoxin exposure seems to raise the risk of HCC development further. Liver transplantation and other adjuvant therapies may offer better options for secondary prevention of HCC than resection alone.
A simple method for determining the ionic structure of warm dense matter

Abstract A model for dense homo-nuclear plasmas that couples an average atom model for the calculation of the electronic structure to the quantum Ornstein–Zernike equations describing the ionic structure is summarized and described pedagogically. The model is applied to the calculation of ion–ion pair distribution functions g II ( r ) for tungsten in the warm and hot dense matter regimes. These results are compared to orbital-free molecular dynamics simulations and excellent agreement is found. Calculations of g II ( r ) with a simple version of the model (which we call the ion-sphere model) are in remarkable agreement with those of the full model. This ion-sphere model provides a simple and efficient method of calculating accurate g II ( r ) for warm and hot dense matter for many applications involving low- to high- Z elements with a modest investment of effort.
Continuous p-n junction with extremely low leakage current for micro-structured solid-state neutron detector applications

Considerable progress has been achieved recently to enhance the thermal neutron detection efficiency of solid-state neutron detectors that incorporate neutron sensitive materials such as 10B and 6LiF in Si micro-structured p-n junction diode. Here, we describe the design, fabrication process optimization and characterization of an enriched boron filled honeycomb structured neutron detector with a continuous p+-n junction. Boron deposition and diffusion processes were carried out using a low pressure chemical vapor deposition to study the effect of diffusion temperature on current density-voltage characteristics of p+-n diodes. TSUPREM-4 was used to simulate the thickness and surface doping concentration of p+-Si layers. MEDICI was used to simulate the depletion width and the capacitance of the microstructured devices with continuous p+-n junction. Finally, current density-voltage and pulse height distribution of fabricated devices with 2.5×2.5 mm2 size were studied. A very low leakage current density of ~2×10-8 A/cm2 at -1 V (for both planar and honeycomb structured devices) and a bias-independent thermal neutron detection efficiency of ~26% under zero bias voltage were achieved for an enriched boron filled honeycomb structured neutron detector with a continuous p+-n junction.
Drag Measurement on an Oscillating Sphere in Helium II

Here we report measurement of the drag on a 3 mm oscillating sphere in superfluid 4He in the temperature range 1.6 K to 2.1 K. A Nb-Ti superconducting solenoid is used to suspend a niobium sphere; meanwhile a similar superconducting quadrupole magnet centers and helps to stabilize the ball at one location in the flow channel. The niobium sphere is levitated by the superconducting magnetic suspension system; then the oscillation is obtained by dropping the ball from one equilibrium point to a lower equilibrium point via reducing the levitating magnetic field. The sphere’s oscillation is then recorded with a high-speed CCD camera. The velocity of the sphere is obtained by comparing the images captured and the distance the sphere has moved with time. Drag force is calculated through its relation to the maximum velocity decay rate. The sphere is contained within a closed end channel that allows measurements in liquid or gaseous helium and vacuum.
Wearable computer technology for dismounted applications

Small computing devices which rival the compact size of traditional personal digital assistants (PDA) have recently established a market niche. These computing devices are small enough to be considered unobtrusive for humans to wear. The computing devices are also powerful enough to run full multi-tasking general purpose operating systems. This paper will explore the wearable computer information system for dismounted applications recently fielded for ground-based US Air Force use. The environments that the information systems are used in will be reviewed, as well as a description of the net-centric, ground-based warrior. The paper will conclude with a discussion regarding the importance of intuitive, usable, and unobtrusive operator interfaces for dismounted operators.
Characterizing Stability of Asphalt Emulsions Using Electrokinetic Techniques

This paper presents the findings from a study conducted to develop a simple quantitative test method to characterize the stability of asphalt emulsions. The proposed method uses electrokinetic techniques to determine the rate at which an asphalt emulsion breaks when subjected to an electric field. The test method was used with different types of emulsion as well as emulsions that were modified by further dilution or mechanical agitation. Results demonstrate that the parameters obtained from these tests were repeatable and different for different types of asphalt emulsions. Results also demonstrate that for a given type of emulsion the test method is sensitive to factors such as water content and partial breaking due to mechanical agitation. The proposed electrokinetics-based method and concomitant parameters provide a repeatable, rapid, and quantitative method by which to characterize asphalt emulsions.
Late Eifelian (Middle Devonian) biocrises: Timing and signature of the pre-Kačák Bakoven and Stony Hollow Events in eastern North America

Abstract The late Eifelian (Middle Devonian) was a time of substantial physical and biotic change in the marine realm, herein termed the late Eifelian Biocrisis. This interval can be subdivided into three discrete bioevents, with the last being the widely recognized Kacak Event in the ensensis conodont Zone near the Eifelian–Givetian stage boundary. The earlier bioevents, within the australis to eiflius Zones, are defined by striking faunal changes in the Appalachian Basin and coeval formations in adjacent areas of eastern North America. The first, the Bakoven Event (australis Zone), is marked by a significant reduction in faunal diversity in the uppermost Onondaga Limestone and overlying Bakoven Black Shale that is associated with eustatic/tectonic deepening and widespread hypoxia. The second, the Stony Hollow Event (kockelianus–eiflius Zone), is marked by an incursion of tropical Old World Realm Cordilleran Province taxa, including distinctive atrypid brachiopods, corals, and bivalves, into the subtropical to temperate shelf region of eastern North America. The incursion is recorded in the faunas of in the Stony Hollow, Hurley, and Cherry Valley Members of the Marcellus subgroup in the Appalachian and in equivalent units in the Michigan and Iowa Basins (Rogers City, Lake Church, and Spillville Formations). The Stony Hollow Event is much less evident in the coeval Delaware and North Vernon Formations in the Wabash Platform of Ohio and southern Indiana. The Stony Hollow bioevent appears to be associated with altered current patterns and/or climatic regime during the kockelianus–eiflius Zone interval. Approximately coeval formations in Europe and Morocco show the probable signatures of these events, indicating that the Bakoven and/or Stony Hollow may be global-scale events. In particular, the late Eifelian successions in the Eifel and Rhenish Schiefergebirge areas of Germany, and in the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain show evidence for faunal turnover during the interval of the australis–kockelianus Zones. Both the Bakoven and Stony Hollow and the terminal Kacak Events appear to be associated with changes in climatic gradients and major disturbances in the global carbon cycle.
Context effects in brightness estimation

Under what conditions do briefly presented flashes yield steeper brightness functions than do flashes of longer duration? The brightness of flashes subtending 2° or 4° and varying in luminance from 216 to 216 cd/m2 were judged by magnitude estimation. Only when durations of 10, 100, and 1,000 msec were randomly intermixed did the short-duration (10-msec) function have a steeper slope; presenting 10-msec durations alone or intermixing 30- and 1,000-msec durations produced no steepening of the short-duration (10- or 30-msec) functions. The steeper brightness functions found for brief flashes in this and previous experiments may be contextually based, that is, dependent upon the presence of longer duration stimuli.
After ENHANCE: Is More LDL Cholesterol Lowering Even Better?

After much speculation, to the point of congressional involvement, regarding the reasons for the delay in reporting the results of a relatively small trial of carotid-artery imaging in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a brief top-line synopsis was released this year on January 14(1). The study, called ENHANCE (Effect of Combination Ezetimibe and High-Dose Simvastatin versus Simvastatin Alone on the Atherosclerotic Process in Patients with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia), was designed to determine if an anticipated additional reduction in LDL-cholesterol (LDLc) of 18% when ezetimibe 10 mg was added to 80 mg of simvastatin (Vytorin 10/80 mg) versus 80 mg simvastatin alone would result in either less progression or more regression of carotid atherosclerosis as measured by intima-media thickening (cIMT). The study was conducted over a 2-year period and enrolled 720 FH patients, with roughly equal numbers of men and women, mean age 45 years. Although patients had very high LDLc concentrations of nearly 320 mg/dL (8.32 mmol/L) after all lipid-lowering agents were washed out, more than 80% had been on prior statin treatment, including high-dose treatment, for many years before entry into the trial. The changes in cIMT after 2 years did not significantly differ from baseline for either treatment group or from one treatment group to the other. The popular press contacted selected “experts” who gave flamboyant, misleading, and sometimes self-serving or agenda-driven comments(2) interpreting the results either as a failure of the mechanism by which LDLc was decreased, or as evidence that LDLc reduction itself was not an effective way to ameliorate the course of atherosclerosis. The complete details of ENHANCE have now been published(3), and a more complete evaluation is possible. A number of critical flaws in the trial are apparent. The most important determinant of any clinical trial such as ENHANCE is the …
Interlayer vortices and edge dislocations in high-temperature superconductors.

The interaction of an edge dislocation made of half the superconducting plane with a magnetic interlayer vortex is considered within the framework of the Lawrence-Doniach model with negative as well as positive Josephson interlayer coupling. In the first case the binding energy of the vortex and the dislocation has been calculated by employing a variational procedure. The current distribution around the bound vortex turns out to be asymmetric. In the second case the dislocation carries a spontaneous magnetic half vortex, whose binding energy with the dislocation turns out to be infinite. The half-vortex energy has been calculated by the same variational procedure. Implications of the possible presence of such half vortices for the properties of high-temperature sueprconductors are discussed. We suggest employing artificially made superconductor-ferromagnet superlattices with the half plane removed to observe fractional vortices.
Scaffolding science inquiry in museums with Zydeco

One of the educational goals in science is to not only learn content but also to learn the scientific process. While there is a range of settings for this, such as classrooms and museums, they are not always well connected in educationally viable ways. We are designing Zydeco to bridge the classroom and museum environment and address the following goals: (1) To scaffold science inquiry in a mobile context and (2) to facilitate collaboration among peers. In this paper we will be focusing on the mobile design of Zydeco, which will scaffold structured investigation, data collection and analysis while students are in the museum.
Familial Hodgkin's disease: an environmental and genetic disorder.

Abstract Evaluation of cases of familial Hodgkin's disease among first-degree blood-relations suggests that the time-intervals between diagnoses are shorter than the age differences between family members. This and the observation that the time-intervals between diagnoses for relatives living in the same household were shorter than for those living apart are consistent with an environmental aetiology. However, since many familial pairs had the same Rye subtypes at diagnosis, regardless of their relationship or proximity, host reactivity may possibly be related to genetic factors.
Separation of pH, dilution, lonic strength and chemical matrix effects for biological monitoring of urines with the Microtox® test using nicotine, cotinine and reference urines

The aim was to investigate the factors influencing light emission from Photobacterium phosphoreum in the Microtox® test to interpret bioassay results for urine. Four reference urines were assessed as reference materials for the bioassay. Nicotine and cotinine were investigated as urinary markers for tobacco exposure. The optimum luminescence conditions were: 1.85%–3.25% NaCl, 0.33–0.58 mol/L ionic strength, and pH 5.8–6.7. Low pH values and high concentration of toxic trace metals were important factors in this study. Unexpacted toxicity for a Standard Reference Material was attributed to zinc contamination. Nicotine and cotinine together exhibited antagonistic effects in 2% saline but this could not be observed in the urines because of substantial urine toxicity. Thus practical urinary biological monitoring with the Microtox® test necessitates excretion of metabolites and compounds that are much more toxic than the urine components. Also, separation of the effects of physical factors like pH, ionic strength and dilution is essential before chemical toxicity effects can be assigned. This is the first report of Microtox® EC50 values for nicotine and cotinine. The results have application to environmental samples since analyses are often uncontrolled relative to pH, ionic strength and dilution.
PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT USING SELECTIVE REINFORCEMENT FOR METALLIC SINGLE - AND MULTI -PIN LOADED HOLES

An analysis based investigation of aluminum with metal matrix composite selectively reinforced single- and multi-hole specimens was performed and their results compared with results from geometrically comparable non-reinforced specimens. All reinforced specimens exhibited a significant increase in performance. Performance increase of up to 170 percent was achieved. Specimen failure modes were consistent with results from reinforced polymeric matrix composite specimens. Localized reinforcement application (circular) proved as effective as a broader area (strip) reinforcement. Also, selective reinforcement is an excellent method of increasing the performance of multi-hole specimens.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of the activation of molecularly-linked gold nanoparticle catalysts

This paper reports the results of a study on the activation of core−shell assembled gold nanoparticle catalysts using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The goal is to determine the surface reconstitution of the nanostructured catalysts upon electrochemical activation for the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol. The decanethiolate-capped gold nanoparticles of 2∼5 nm core sizes were assembled as catalyst thin films on electrode surfaces using 1,9-nonanedithiol and 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid as model molecular linkers. The XPS results have provided two important insights into the surface reconstitution of the activated nanostructure. First, the capping/linking thiolates or dithiolates are partially removed to produce the catalytic access, with the degree of removal being dependent on the nature of the molecular linker. Second, oxygenated species are detected on the activated gold nanocrystals, demonstrating the formation of surface gold oxide and its participation in the electrocatalytic oxidation o...
The Sword of Data: Does Human-Centered Design Fulfill Its Rhetorical Responsibility?

This article discusses human-centered design, the guiding philosophy and process for more than twenty years in the field of design from both practice and pedagogy perspectives.
Usefulness of EMA, GLUT-1, and XIAP for the Cytologic Diagnosis of Malignant Mesothelioma in Body Cavity Fluids

We compared the effectiveness of epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) with 2 newly described markers, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and an isoform of glucose transporter (GLUT-1), in the distinction between malignant mesothelioma (MM) and benign effusion (BE) in body cavity fluids. Immunohistochemical studies were performed on cell block sections from 35 cases of histologically confirmed MM and 38 BEs, using antibodies to EMA, XIAP, GLUT-1 (GLUT-1m, monoclonal; GLUT-1p, polyclonal). Results were graded based on the percentage of cells staining: negative (0%), 1+ (<25%), 2+ (25%–49%), 3+ (50%–74%), and 4+ (75%–100%). The performance of each marker was compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. EMA demonstrated the best accuracy, with an area under the curve of 0.91 as compared with XIAP (0.67), GLUT-1m (0.74), and GLUT-1p (0.80). Based on these findings, EMA is a better marker than XIAP or GLUT-1 for the diagnosis of MM.
The development and use of small molecule inhibitors of glycosphingolipid metabolism for lysosomal storage diseases

Glycosphingolipid (GSL) storage diseases have been the focus of efforts to develop small molecule therapeutics from design, experimental proof of concept studies, and clinical trials. Two primary alternative strategies that have been pursued include pharmacological chaperones and GSL synthase inhibitors. There are theoretical advantages and disadvantages to each of these approaches. Pharmacological chaperones are specific for an individual glycoside hydrolase and for the specific mutation present, but no candidate chaperone has been demonstrated to be effective for all mutations leading to a given disorder. Synthase inhibitors target single enzymes such as glucosylceramide synthase and inhibit the formation of multiple GSLs. A glycolipid synthase inhibitor could potentially be used to treat multiple diseases, but at the risk of lowering nontargeted cellular GSLs that are important for normal health. The basis for these strategies and specific examples of compounds that have led to clinical trials is the focus of this review.
A COGNITIVE SCALAR FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT CONNECTION MATRIX

The degree to which people judge the change in transit service level as service connectivity changes is assumed to vary with total transfer waiting time. An experiment was devised to collect measures of cognized connectivity of intercity transit services in relation to transfer time, and cognitive scalar values were consequently derived. An inverse relationship was found between cognized service level and connectivity; cognized transit level decreased at a decreasing rate. An analysis of the bus-service network in the Israeli Galilee region suggests the appropriateness of cognitive scalars for measuring the internodal accessibility of public transport services.
Genome-wide sequence and functional analysis of early replicating DNA in normal human fibroblasts

The replication of mammalian genomic DNA during the S phase is a highly coordinated process that occurs in a programmed manner. Recent studies have begun to elucidate the pattern of replication timing on a genomic scale. Using a combination of experimental and computational techniques, we identified a genome-wide set of the earliest replicating sequences. This was accomplished by first creating a cosmid library containing DNA enriched in sequences that replicate early in the S phase of normal human fibroblasts. Clone ends were then sequenced and aligned to the human genome. By clustering adjacent or overlapping early replicating clones, we identified 1759 "islands" averaging 100 kb in length, allowing us to perform the most detailed analysis to date of DNA characteristics and genes contained within early replicating DNA. Islands are enriched in open chromatin, transcription related elements, and Alu repetitive elements, with an underrepresentation of LINE elements. In addition, we found a paucity of LTR retroposons, DNA transposon sequences, and an enrichment in all classes of tandem repeats, except for dinucleotides. An analysis of genes associated with islands revealed that nearly half of all genes in the WNT family, and a number of genes in the base excision repair pathway, including four of ten DNA glycosylases, were associated with island sequences. Also, we found an overrepresentation of members of apoptosis-associated genes in very early replicating sequences from both fibroblast and lymphoblastoid cells. These data suggest that there is a temporal pattern of replication for some functionally related genes.
Offshore Outsourcing of Services: A Stakeholder Perspective

Offshore outsourcing of business processes is a rapidly increasing global phenomenon that requires a greater reliance on the effective development of strategic alliances and inter-firm relationships. The stakeholders involved in these service purchases influence the success or failure of the buyer-supplier relationship. This article examines the key stakeholders involved in the offshore outsourcing of services, determines what expectations these stakeholders hold, and assesses how a buying firm and the offshore supplying firm work together to meet these expectations. The case research method is used to address this phenomenon by studying six U.S.-based, Fortune 500 firms involved in offshore outsourcing of services. These buying organizations initially experienced more complexity than anticipated in engaging with offshore suppliers in outsourcing relationships. To achieve success with these relationships, the buying organizations needed to embrace cultural differences, including the needs of their supplie...
A NEW SPECIES OF LATE PLEISTOCENE LAPWING FROM RANCHO LA BREA, CALIFORNIA

Abstract A new species of late Pleistocene lapwing (Aves: Charadriidae: Vanellinae) is described from the asphaltic deposits of Rancho La Brea, California. The new species is referred to the South American genus Belonopterus; it corresponds in size to small individuals of B. chilensis. This is the second paleospecies of lapwing reported for North America and the fourth described from the Americas. Nueva Especie de Avefria (Aves: Charadriidae: Vanellinae) del Pleistoceno Tardio de Rancho La Brea, California Resumen. Se describe una nueva especie de avefria (Aves: Charadriidae: Vanellinae) proveniente del pleistoceno tardio de los depositos asfalticos del pleistoceno tardio de Rancho La Brea, California. La nueva especie es asignada al genero sudamericano Belonopterus. Su tamano se corresponde al de individuos pequenos de B. chilensis. La nueva especie es la segunda paleoespecie de avefria descripta para America del Norte y la cuarta descripta para las Americas.
Building Prior Knowledge and Vocabulary in Science in the Intermediate Grades: Creating Hooks for Learning

Vocabulary knowledge is a salient factor influencing success both in and out of school. The specialized vocabulary knowledge in science represents the concept-laden hooks on which learning is hung and enables students to build prior knowledge through the expansion of these conceptual hooks. We have identified four levels of learners—struggling readers (SR), English Language Learners (ELL), breakthrough learners (BL), and conceptual learners (CL)—that are found in almost every intermediate and middle school classroom in the United States, including science. We propose a focus on science learning with strong theoretical and practical supports from reading and the purposeful combination of narrative informational text, textbooks, and hands-on science activities in a manner that is adaptable to the needs of all students in learning science.
Self-consistent polarization density functional theory: Application to argon

We present a comprehensive set of results for argon, a case study in weak interactions, using the self-consistent polarization density functional theory (SCP-DFT). With minimal parametrization, SCP-DFT is found to give excellent results for the dimer interaction energy, the second virial coefficient, the liquid structure, and the lattice constant and cohesion energy of the face-centered cubic crystal compared to both accurate theoretical and experimental benchmarks. Thus, SCP-DFT holds promise as a fast, efficient, and accurate method for performing ab initio dynamics that include additional polarization and dispersion interactions for large, complex systems involving solvation and bond breaking.
Performance assessment of a class of cross-layer optimized protocols for geographic routing in WSNs

Geographic routing is a promising solution for data forwarding in power-constrained ad-hoc networks. Such protocols are especially attractive for wireless sensor networks as they can be operated without a central control and are scalable to an arbitrary number of nodes. In this work, we present a class of geographic routing algorithms that enhance energy-efficiency by means of a cross-layer design that incorporates PHY/MAC functions such as on-demand cooperative relaying and leapfrogging. The performance of these protocols is evaluated by means of OMNET++ simulations. Significant improvements are shown in terms of packet delivery ratio, latency and connectivity for different network topologies.
JDL level 5 fusion model: user refinement issues and applications in group tracking

The 1999 Joint Director of Labs (JDL) revised model incorporates five levels for fusion methodologies including level 0 for preprocessing, level 1 for object refinement, level 2 for situation refinement, level 3 for threat refinement, and level 4 for process refinement. The model was developed to define the fusion process. However, the model is only for automatic processing of a machine and does not account for human processing. Typically, a fusion architecture supports a user and thus, we propose a Level 5 “User refinement” to delineate the human from the machine in the process refinement. Typical “human in the loop” models do not deal with a machine fusion process, but only present the information to the human on a display. We seek to address issues for designing a fusion system which supports a user: trust, workload, attention and situation awareness. In this paper, we overview the need for a Level 5, the issues concerning the human for realizable fusion architectures, and examples where the human is instrumental in the fusion process such as group tracking.
Visible light emission measurements from a dense electrothermal launcher plasma

Measurements of the visible light emission from dense, weakly nonideal plasmas have been performed on the experimental electrothermal launcher device SIRENS. The plasma is created by the ablation of a Lexan insulator in the source, which then flows through a cylindrical barrel which serves as the material sample. Visible light emission spectra have been observed both in-bore and from the muzzle flash of the barrel, and from the flash of the source. Recent measurements along the axis of the device indicate time-averaged plasma temperatures in the barrel of about 1 eV for lower energy shots, which agree with experimental measurements of the average heat flux and plasma conductivity along the barrel. Measurements of visible emission from the source indicate time-averaged temperatures of 1 to 2 eV which agree with the theoretical estimates derived from ablated mass measurements and calculated estimates derived from plasma conductivity measurements. >
A framework for geometric reasoning about tools in assembly

When assembling a product, humans, robots, and other automation employ a variety of tools to manipulate, attach, and test parts and subassemblies. This paper proposes a framework to represent and reason about geometric accessibility constraints for a wide variety of assembly tools. Central to the framework is a volume encoding a minimum space that must be free in an assembly state to apply a given tool, and constraints on the placement of that volume relative to the parts on which the tool acts. Determining whether a tool can be applied in a given assembly state is an instance of the FINDPLACE problem. In addition, we present more efficient methods to integrate the framework into assembly planning. For tools that are applied either before or after their target parts are mated, one method preprocesses a single tool application for all possible states of assembly. For tools applied after their target parts are mated, a complementary method guarantees polynomial-time assembly planning. We describe experiments with an initial implementation of the framework and a library of eight tools.
Data-Driven Analysis of Speech

We show on results taken from recent studies from our laboratory that conventional speech analysis techniques for ASR (such as Mel cepstrum or PLP) in combination with dynamic features (such as estimates of derivatives of cepstral feature trajectories) are sub-optimal and could be improved. The improvements can be derived by employing large labeled databases which allow for studying how is the linguistic information distributed in time and in frequency as well as for a design of discrimitative spectral basis and temporal RASTA filters.
Altered Pathway Routing in a Class of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Mutants Defective in Aminoimidazole Ribonucleotide Synthetase

In Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, purine nucleotides and thiamine are synthesized by a branched pathway. The last known common intermediate, aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (AIR), is formed from formylglycinamidine ribonucleotide (FGAM) and ATP by AIR synthetase, encoded by the purI gene in S. enterica. Reduced flux through the first five steps of de novo purine synthesis results in a requirement for purines but not necessarily thiamine. To examine the relationship between the purine and thiamine biosynthetic pathways, purI mutants were made (J. L. Zilles and D. M. Downs, Genetics 143:37-44, 1996). Unexpectedly, some mutant purI alleles (R35C/E57G and K31N/A50G/L218R) allowed growth on minimal medium but resulted in thiamine auxotrophy when exogenous purines were supplied. To explain the biochemical basis for this phenotype, the R35C/E57G mutant PurI protein was purified and characterized kinetically. The K(m) of the mutant enzyme for FGAM was unchanged relative to the wild-type enzyme, but the V(max) was decreased 2.5-fold. The K(m) for ATP of the mutant enzyme was 13-fold increased. Genetic analysis determined that reduced flux through the purine pathway prevented PurI activity in the mutant strain, and purR null mutations suppressed this defect. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that an increased FGAM concentration has the ability to compensate for the lower affinity of the mutant PurI protein for ATP.
Thickening in the somatosensory cortex of patients with migraine

Objective: To examine morphologic changes in the somatosensory cortex (SSC) of patients with migraine. Methods: Cortical thickness of the SSC of patients with migraine was measured in vivo and compared with age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. The cohort was composed of 24 patients with migraine, subdivided into 12 patients who had migraine with aura, 12 patients who had migraine without aura, and 12 controls. Group and individual analyses were performed in the SSC and shown as average maps of significant changes in cortical thickness. Results: Migraineurs had on average thicker SSCs than the control group. The most significant thickness changes were noticed in the caudal SSC, where the trigeminal area, including head and face, is somatotopically represented. Conclusions: Our findings indicate the presence of interictal structural changes in the somatosensory cortex (SSC) of migraineurs. The SSC plays a crucial role in the noxious and nonnoxious somatosensory processing. Thickening in the SSC is in line with diffusional abnormalities observed in the subcortical trigeminal somatosensory pathway of the same migraine cohort in a previous study. Repetitive migraine attacks may lead to, or be the result of, neuroplastic changes in cortical and subcortical structures of the trigeminal somatosensory system. Neurology ® 2007;69:1990–1995 GLOSSARY CS central sulcus; DTI diffusion tensor imaging; FA fractional anisotropy; GPoC gyrus postcentralis; GprC gyrus precentralis; HC healthy control; IRB institutional review board; MP-RAGE magnetization-prepared rapid acquisitions with gradient echoes; MWA migraine with aura; MWoA migraine without aura; ROI region of interest; SMC sensorimotor cortex; SPoC sulcus postcentralis; SSC somatosensory cortex. Migraine is a chronic painful disease in which frequent headache attacks affect a great part of the patient’s life, from childhood to late adulthood. The consequences of such persistent suffering on the cortex of migraineurs are not known. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), we have recently shown interictal alterations in trigeminal somatosensory pathway in patients who have migraine with aura (MWA) and migraine without aura (MWoA), confirming the involvement of the somatosensory system in the migraine pathophysiology. 1 Based on that evidence, and taking advantage of the large somatotopic representation of the head in the somatosensory cortex (SSC) that receives trigeminal noxious and innocuous sensory inputs, we examined for the presence of cortical thickness changes in the same group of patients. A number of data suggest that neurogenic inflammation underlies migraine pathophysiology. 2 During a migraine attack, initial activation of meningeal nociceptive fibers conveys noxious inputs to the spinal trigeminal nucleus. 3,4 Those inputs are mainly directed via the trigeminothalamic tract to the ventroposteromedial nucleus in the thala
Performances of Self-Disclosure: A Personal History

A gay priest, playwright, and theatre professor tells his very personal story of the steps that led to his coming-out at Notre Dame in 1996, and what happened next.
Regulation of beta-glucuronidase expression in transgenic tobacco plants by an A/T-rich, cis-acting sequence found upstream of a French bean beta-phaseolin gene.

A 0.8-kilobase fragment from the 5'-flanking region of a French bean beta-phaseolin gene yielded strong, temporally regulated, and embryo-specific expression of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) in transgenic tobacco plants, paralleling that found for the seed protein phaseolin [Sengupta-Gopalan, C., Reichert, N.A., Barker, R.F., Hall. T.C., and Kemp, J.D. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 3320-3324]. Gel retardation and footprinting assays using nuclear extracts from immature bean cotyledons revealed strong binding of nuclear proteins to an upstream region (-628 to -682) that contains two inverted A/T-rich motifs. Fusion of a 103-base pair fragment or a 55-base pair synthetic oligonucleotide containing these motifs to a minimal 35S promoter/GUS cassette yielded strong GUS expression in several tissues. A different pattern of GUS expression was obtained in immature embryos and germinating seedlings from the nominally constitutive, full-length, 35S promoter. Whereas GUS expression under the control of the 0.8-kilobase beta-phaseolin regulatory region is limited to immature embryos, expression from constructs containing the A/T-rich motifs is strongest in roots. These data, combined with S1 mapping, provide direct evidence that a plant upstream A/T-rich sequence that binds nuclear proteins can activate transcription in vivo. They also indicate that additional regulatory elements in the beta-phaseolin 5'-flanking region are required for embryo-specific gene expression.