cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Value Implications of Investments in Information Technology

The year 2000 (Y2K) countdown provided a uniquely visible instance of spending on information technology (IT) by U.S. companies. With public attention riveted on potential Y2K malfunctions, managers were forced to evaluate their IT and make decisions about whether to modify or replace existing systems. In the aftermath of Y2K, critics charged that the problem was overblown and that companies overspent on IT. In contrast, we posit in this paper that efforts companies made to renew and upgrade their IT may have positioned them to take advantage of new e-business applications. As Y2K approached, managers could invest opportunistically in IT, which would enable them to connect with customers and suppliers in new ways. Contrary to the alleged overspending, we find that firm value increased, on average, with Y2K spending by Fortune 1000 companies. In particular, higher firm value and subsequent earnings were associated with Y2K spending for firms in industries where IT was considered to have a transforming influence---altering traditional ways of doing business by redefining business processes and relationships. We also test whether the positive association between firm value and Y2K spending diminished with Y2K spending by industry peer firms, but we do not find support for this relative investment hypothesis.
Wavelength dependent photoreactivity of mirex in Lake Ontario.

Mirex is a toxic, hydrophobic pollutant in Lake Ontario that undergoes an indirect photoreaction mediated by natural dissolved organic matter. The monohydro product photomirex further photolyzes to form a dihydro product. The efficiency of mirex photolysis was determined as wavelength-dependent reaction quantum yield coefficients. Quantum yield coefficients were determined for 14 lake samples collected from multiple locations and over the course of several weeks from one location. Values declined with increasing wavelength, with reactivity extending above 436 nm. Individual samples showed no seasonal trend. Pooled quantum yield coefficients and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by combining the results for all samples. Using the quantum yield coefficients within this confidence interval, mirex photolysis rates were accurately predicted during a sunlight exposure study for an independently collected water sample. In a relative rate experiment, the rate constants for mirex photolysis and subsequent p...
From the Inside: Consciousness and the First‐Person Perspective

Abstract To adopt a first‐person perspective on consciousness is typically understood as a matter of inwardly engaging one’s awareness in such a way as to make one’s conscious states and their properties into objects of awareness. When awareness is thus inwardly engaged, experience functions as both act and object of awareness. As objects of awareness, an experience‐token and its various properties are items of which a subject is aware. As an act of awareness, an experience‐token is that in virtue of which items – in this case, other experience‐tokens and their properties – can appear, to a subject, as objects of awareness. The precise nature of the relation between experience functioning as act and as object is a matter of dispute. However, two broad possibilities can be distinguished: (1) as acts of awareness, experiences reveal other experiences to subjects by way of a form of direct, unmediated, acquaintance, (2) as acts of awareness experiences reveal other experiences to subjects by way of modes of ...
Implementation of online battery state-of-power and state-of-function estimation in electric vehicle applications

A method for estimating battery state-of-function (SOF) is presented with a mathematical probabilistic statement within the context of Kalman filter estimation. The traditional state-of-power (SOP) metric is replaced with an equivalent statistic that delivers the desired SOF estimate with defined variance characteristics. To reduce error in the recursive estimator, a model based on an offline test relating the open-circuit voltage (OCV) to its rate of change with battery charge is introduced that provides better temperature insensitivity than the SOC vs. OCV model typically used in literature. Experimental test results for a LiFePO 4 battery with a vehicle drive cycle are used to build confidence in the estimator results. Additionally, results from the proposed estimator are compared with results from the hybrid pulse power characterization (HPPC) test and the important model assumptions are discussed.
Microphotochemistry Using 5-mm Light-Emitting Diodes: Energy-Efficient Photooxidations

Commercial, inexpensive 5-mm milliwatt light-emitting diodes are effective sources for batch microphotochemical oxidations. Using limited quantities of singlet oxygen, these oxidations are atom economical and therefore useful for labeling experiments with rare isotopes.
It's about time for thalamocortical circuits.

The timing of thalamocortical excitation and inhibition is critical to local microcircuits. Two new papers shed light on the development and performance of a somatosensory microcircuit that regulates the integration of thalamic inputs.
Cold Nights and Long Days A Comparison of Male and Female Volunteers in a Night Shelter

Grassroots night shelters are becoming a common local reaction to the all too common experience of the homeless suffering and sometimes freezing to death on city streets. With government funds unavailable, many communities have turned to churches for leadership in addressing the problem. Frequently the result is a volun teer administered and staffed human service organization. One example is St. Mat thew's Night Shelter in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Seventeen churches and a variety of unaffiliated individuals direct and staff the shelter for three months each winter. St. Matthew's just completed the second year of operation. Nearly two hundred volun teers spent a night at the shelter each of the first two winters. Despite serving only homeless males, nearly 50 women volunteered each year. When analyzed, the nightly log and the survey data collected after the first year indicated an interesting pattern of differences between male and female volunteer experience. Men appear to focus on the simple purpose of th...
Deriving the number of jobs in proximity services from the number of inhabitants in French rural municipalities

We use a minimum requirement approach to derive the number of jobs in proximity services per inhabitant in French rural municipalities. We first classify the municipalities according to their time distance in minutes by car to the municipality where the inhabitants go the most frequently to get services (called MFM). For each set corresponding to a range of time distance to MFM, we perform a quantile regression estimating the minimum number of service jobs per inhabitant that we interpret as an estimation of the number of proximity jobs per inhabitant. We observe that the minimum number of service jobs per inhabitant is smaller in small municipalities. Moreover, for municipalities of similar sizes, when the distance to the MFM increases, the number of jobs of proximity services per inhabitant increases.
Comparative evaluation of an automated ribotyping system versus pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for epidemiological typing of clinical isolates of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from patients with recurrent gram-negative bacteremia☆

Abstract Ribotyping and macrorestriction analysis of chromosomal DNA using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) are among the more useful molecular epidemiologic typing methods. Because these techniques are labor intensive, automation of one or more steps may allow clinical laboratories to apply molecular typing methods. We compared the recently developed automated ribotyping system, the RiboPrinter™ Microbial Characterization System (DuPont), with PFGE as a means of typing clinical isolates of E. coli and P. aeruginosa . A total of 22 E. coli and 24 P. aeruginosa were typed by both PFGE and the RiboPrinter™. When compared with PFGE typing of E. coli and P. aeruginosa , the RiboPrinter™ was less sensitive in identifying different strains, particularly among the isolates of P. aeruginosa . The RiboPrinter™ was completely automated and allowed up to 32 isolates to be typed within an 8-hour period. The pattern of results obtained in this study suggests that a hierarchical approach to molecular typing using the RiboPrinter™ Microbial Characterization System plus PFGE might be feasible. The RiboPrinter™ Microbial Characterization System promises to be a very useful addition to the expanding molecular typing armamentarium.
A spectrally accurate quadrature for resolving the logarithmic endpoint singularities of the Chandrasekhar H-function

Abstract The Chandrasekhar H-function of scattering theory was computed by Chandrasekhar himself using a Legendre–Gauss quadrature. Through the explicit forms of the first three terms of a perturbation series (Neumann series) in the albedo e , we show that the H-function has an x log ( x ) singularity at one endpoint. Consequently, the Legendre coefficients a n of the H-function fall algebraically rather than exponentially with degree, being asymptotically proportional to n - 7 / 2 . We show that by using a new quadrature, one can obtain very high accuracy from a moderate number of grid points. The method of successive substitution converges only inversely linear with iteration number when e = 1 ; Richardson extrapolation allows moderate accuracy without an immoderate number of iterations.
Toward a Problem-Focused Understanding of Prejudice

In his target article, Henry (this issue) reminds us ofa criticism that is often lodged against social psycho-logical research. The claim that too much research isderived from a college student sample is unassailable,especially in light of the summary data that Henryprovides from the ﬁeld’s top basic and applied jour-nals. It also seems undeniable that our ﬁeld’s biasedsampling practice would be a problem for the psycho-logical study of prejudice. But in this commentary, wewould like to argue that the focus on college samples isnot the primary issue of concern in prejudice researchbut is rather a symptom of a larger problem with ourempirical approach to this topic. The larger problem isthat we rarely study prejudice as if it is a problem tobe solved.As Henry points out, the study of prejudice is oneof the jewels in the crown of social psychology. It’sa topic that drew many of us to the discipline in theﬁrst place. And more so than many topics, prejudiceis clearly a problem in society throughout history andaround the globe, but what percentage of our scientiﬁcinquiry has really been focused on ﬁnding solutions?Several years ago, I (ﬁrst author Toni Schmader) at-tended a Claremont Symposium focused on the topicof Reducing Prejudice. As a graduate student inter-ested in stigma, discrimination, stereotyping, and bias,I was eager to hear what the ﬁeld’s leading scholarshad to say about how prejudice could be reduced.I must admit, however, that by the end of the dayI was a bit disappointed. Most speakers trotted outtheir talks
The optoelectronic properties of a-Si, Ge:H(F) alloys

Abstract The optoelectronic properties of a-Si, Ge:H(F) are formulated as functions of the alloy composition or of the optical gap. The electron affinity and the Urbach energy are well established, while the conduction band tail still is uncertain. The density of dangling bonds agrees with the theory that relates them to the density of valence band tail states. We discuss the temperature at which the deep-level defects freeze-in and anneal; their production by light-soaking; and their reduction in a-Si, Ge:H, F/a-Si:H, F superlattices. The study of the mobility lifetime products for deep trapping and for recombination suggests that the most likely recombination pathway is the capture of an electron by a neutral dangling bond and the capture of a hole by a negatively charged dangling bond.
Reactions of alcohols: VII. Kinetic studies of the dehydration of primary alcohols to ethers over nickel catalysts in the presence of hydrogen☆

Abstract Kinetic studies have been made of the conversion of primary alkanols to ethers over catalysts consisting of 6% nickel-kieselguhr and 6% nickel on Cab-O-Sil. The alcohols studied were ethanol, propanol, n-butanol, isobutyl alcohol, 2- and 3-methylbutanol, neopentyl alcohol, and 3,3-dimethylbutanol. The experiments were made at 140 to 190 ° in the presence of varying partial pressures of hydrogen and at combined pressures of hydrogen and alcohols ranging from 1.00 to 0.25 atm. It was found that although hydrogen does not participate in the reaction of conversion of alcohols to ethers, its presence seems to be required to maintain the oxidation of the nickel catalyst and/or to prevent the dehydrogenation of the alcohols to aldehydes which can then undergo a decarbonylation reaction. Kinetic evidence shows that steric effects control the rate of reaction. The following equation represents a satisfactory kinetic model for the reaction: r 0 = kK A 2 P A 2 (1 + K A P A ) 4 , where r 0 = initial rate ; k = rate constant of surface reaction ; K A = adsorption coefficient of alcohol ; P A = partial pressure of alcohol .
Seasonal variations in testicular monoamine oxidase in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Uinta ground squirrels (Spermophilus armatus).

Des moinaux familiers (Passer domesticus) et des ecureuils (Spermophilus armatus) des montagnes Uinta ont ete captures a differentes epoques de l'annee et l'activite de laMao a ete mesuree dans leurs testicules. Chez les deux especes l'activite de la MAO etait la plus grande lorsque le poids des testicules etait le plus eleve et la plus basse avant et apres la saison du rut. Chez le moineau, l'augmentation de l'activite de MAO a precede le developpement des testicules.
Smoke Signals: Witnessing the Burning Art of Deb Margolin and Hannah Wilke

Deb Margolin and the late Hannah Wilke, along with other feminist artists, defiantly create fluid and intimate relationships between the self and the other in performance, and as such, create a space for us to see ourselves. Margolin and Wilke insist on the body in performance and find particular truths through the very personal experiences they reveal in their work. Both artists create a space for permeating the boundaries of identity; they ask only that we bear witness.
Analysis of Cuticular Scales on Hairs Using the Scanning Electron Microscope

Cuticular scales on hairs have sometimes been described as providing adequate identification of mammalian species or even of individual donors. However, the analysis of photomicrographs of hair from 52 species of mammals taken with the aid of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) indicate that cuticular scales of hair are of limited taxonomic use.
Skin and kin.

The skin, as an organ, is often taken for granted, seen as cosmetic coverage for the more important technology on the inside. Its vital metabolic, immunological, homeostatic and barrier functions are easily overlooked—perhaps because, as an organ, it so rarely fails. The skin's robustness is particularly remarkable since, unlike the protected internal organs, its existence and integrity are constantly threatened by physical damage, wear and abuse. The particular property of skin to stay in place, stuck firmly on the body, is complex, underestimated, and devastating when faulty. Dear reader in 2055, let me tell you a story of genetic disorder and our hopes for a better medical future.
Population in context: A typology of environmental driving forces

This paper presents a typology and qualitative model of causation for use in assessing the relative contributions of population growth to problems of pollution, lost biodiversity, and natural resource depletion. Population growth is placed “in context” as one of eight key driving forces that shape environmental quality today. It is treated primarily as an impact “amplifier,” along with technology. Root causes are traced to paradigmatic beliefs—especially anthropocentrism and contempocentrism—which find expression in unsustainable consumption patterns and designs of political economy.
Phycobiliprotein composition and chloroplast structure in the freshwater red alga Compsopogon coeruleus (Rhodophyta)

Serial sections of uncorticated axial cells of Compsopogon coeruleus revealed a single interconnected parietal chloroplast. Phycobilisomes in such chloroplasts were hemidiscoidal in shape with a broad-face diameter of ca. 25–30 nm. The molar ratio of phycobiliproteins in whole cell extracts was IPE:3PC:1APC, similar to isolated phycobilisomes. Two spectrally distinct C-phycocyanin forms (A618 nm, F648 nm and A630 nm, F652 nm) were resolved in dissociated phycobilisomes along with B-phycoerythrin and allophycocyanin.
On computer generated analytic solutions to the equations of fluid mechanics. The case of creeping flows

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the potential usefulness of symbolic manipulation languages in solving problems of physical interest. As an example, we developed a regular perturbation solution to the equations describing the motion of a liquid droplet, freely suspended in a time dependent shear flow, when both fluids are Newtonian and incompressible. Since the successive equations of the problem become increasingly complicated, the recent language, REDUCE 2, was used to perform automatically most of the routine algebraic computations, thereby extending an existing analysis to higher order in the perturbation parameter.
Pharmacokinetic Issues of Imaging with Nanoparticles: Focusing on Carbon Nanotubes and Quantum Dots

With many desirable properties, nanoparticles hold tremendous potential for in vivo molecular imaging and improving the efficacy of small-molecule drugs. The pharmacokinetics (PK) and tissue distribution of nanoparticles largely define their in vivo performance and potential toxicity, which are fundamental issues that need to be elucidated. In this review article, we summarized how molecular imaging techniques (e.g., positron emission tomography, fluorescence imaging, etc.) can facilitate the investigation of PK profiles of nanoparticles using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and quantum dots (QDs) as representative examples. Different imaging techniques can provide useful insights in monitoring the in vivo behavior and tissue distribution of these nanoparticles, and a number of strategies were utilized to optimize the PK profiles of CNTs and QDs. Based on the available literature reports, it can be concluded that chemical/physical properties of the nanoparticles (e.g., surface functionalization, hydrodynamic size, shape, surface charge, etc.), along with the administration routes/doses, can play critical roles in determining the PK and biodistribution pattern of nanoparticles. Robust chemistry for surface modification of nanoparticles is a prerequisite for successful future biomedical/clinical applications.
While the Cat's Away, Do the Mice Play? Maternal Employment and the After‐School Activities of Adolescents*

Objective. This study determines if a relationship exists between a mother's employment and the activities in which her adolescent children participate after school. Methods. The author uses panel data from the 1996 Survey of Income and Program Participation with logit and fixed-effects logit models to estimate this relationship. Results. Fixed-effects models suggest a positive relationship between maternal employment and participation in lessons after school for the adolescent children of married women and also for those with at least a high school education. Maternal employment is also positively related to sports participation for the adolescent children of unmarried mothers. Conclusions. First, this article shows the importance of accounting for unobserved heterogeneity in inquiries into the links between maternal employment and adolescent outcomes. Second, it suggests that high-socioeconomic-status mothers may use after-school activities, particularly lessons, as a form of after-school care, while unmarried mothers may use sports.
On coding genotypes for genetic markers with multiple alleles in genetic association study of quantitative traits

In genetic association study of quantitative traits using F∞ models, how to code the marker genotypes and interpret the model parameters appropriately is important for constructing hypothesis tests and making statistical inferences. Currently, the coding of marker genotypes in building F∞ models has mainly focused on the biallelic case. A thorough work on the coding of marker genotypes and interpretation of model parameters for F∞ models is needed especially for genetic markers with multiple alleles. In this study, we will formulate F∞ genetic models under various regression model frameworks and introduce three genotype coding schemes for genetic markers with multiple alleles. Starting from an allele-based modeling strategy, we first describe a regression framework to model the expected genotypic values at given markers. Then, as extension from the biallelic case, we introduce three coding schemes for constructing fully parameterized one-locus F∞ models and discuss the relationships between the model parameters and the expected genotypic values. Next, under a simplified modeling framework for the expected genotypic values, we consider several reduced one-locus F∞ models from the three coding schemes on the estimability and interpretation of their model parameters. Finally, we explore some extensions of the one-locus F∞ models to two loci. Several fully parameterized as well as reduced two-locus F∞ models are addressed. The genotype coding schemes provide different ways to construct F∞ models for association testing of multi-allele genetic markers with quantitative traits. Which coding scheme should be applied depends on how convenient it can provide the statistical inferences on the parameters of our research interests. Based on these F∞ models, the standard regression model fitting tools can be used to estimate and test for various genetic effects through statistical contrasts with the adjustment for environmental factors.
Blue ZnSe quantum-well diode laser

Pulsed, room-temperature operation of a ZnSe quantum well, separate-confinement heterostructure diode laser at a wavelength lambda approximately=463 nm in the blue has been demonstrated, with average powers in excess of 1 mW. >
Duality in statistical mechanics and string theory.

A closed (bosonic) string propagating in a flat space-time where one of the dimensions is curled up into a circle has a Kramers-Wannier duality symmetry identical to that possessed by the Villain model. This is also similar to duality in string theory (in the sense of modular invariance). One is also led naturally to extend the space-time coordinate system by introducing dual coordinates. One of the consequences is that the radius of the internal manifold does not have a coordinate-independent meaning and one cannot physically distinguish between a radius R and a radius \ensuremath{\alpha}'/R.
The Program of a Large Computation Center

There has been a considerable amount of discussion among members of the computing fraternity regarding the administration of computing: the selection of the program of a computation center, the right way to run the laboratory, and the area of responsibility for the validity of results. There are some computer laboratory directors, for example, who hold that the responsibilities of a computing extend only to the correct performance of arithmetic operations, and that the adequacy of the mathematical formulation of problems and suitability of the choice of numerical methods rest squarely on the shoulders of the client. Others admit that mathematical assistance to clients is desirable, but insist that the mathematicians' place is not in the machine room, which is to be considered sacred territory accessible only to a few chosen acolytes, mainly engineers.
On dictionary-based fault location in digital logic circuits

In this work, fault location based on a fault dictionary is considered at the chip level. To justify the use of a precomputed dictionary in terms of computation time, the computational effort invested in computing a dictionary is first analyzed. The number of circuit diagnoses that need to be performed dynamically, without the use of precomputed knowledge, before the overall diagnosis effort exceeds the effort of computing a dictionary, is studied. Experimental results on ISCAS-85 circuits show that for relatively small numbers of diagnoses, a precomputed dictionary is more efficient than dynamic diagnosis. Next, a method to derive small dictionaries without losing resolution of modeled faults is proposed, based on extended pass/fail analysis. The same procedure is applicable for selecting internal observation points to increase the resolution of the test set. Methods to compact the resulting dictionary further, using compaction techniques generally applied to fault detection, are then described. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Synthesis and electroluminescent studies of blue‐emitting copolymers containing phenylene vinylene and oxadiazole moieties in the main chain

Two statistical copolymers III and IV combining features of the two reference polymers I and II were synthesized by a Wittig reaction with the objective of raising the electron-transport properties and fluorescence quantum yields relative to the alternating block copolymers I and II. The electroluminescent properties of single-layer LEDs using these copolymers were studied. External quantum efficiencies of 0.035 and 0.11% were obtained from single-layer devices on the basis of III and IV, respectively, which are higher than those of similar devices using I and II. Two single-layer LEDs using a blend of I and II (4:1 and 1:1 wt/wt) corresponding to the compositions of copolymers III and IV, respectively, were also fabricated for comparison. Results indicated that the covalent incorporation of oxadiazole is effective in improving the efficiency of LEDs and that the molar content of oxadiazole plays an important role in the performance of the devices. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 235–241, 2002
Singular spectrum analysis for trend extraction in ultrasonic backscattered echoes

In this investigation, singular spectrum analysis (SSA) is explored to decompose and analyze ultrasonic signals in nondestructive evaluation (NDE) applications. Unlike transform-based algorithms, SSA is a time-series analysis algorithm which is completely driven by the signal itself. As a result, ultrasonic signal is decomposed through a four-step processing, that is embedding, singular value decomposition (SVD), grouping and diagonal averaging. The decomposition result can be used to characterize ultrasonic signals for the NDE of materials. Simulation results show that SSA reveals signal trend related to defects and grain scatters. The performance of the algorithm is also compared with other algorithms of ultrasonic signal decomposition for signal analysis and feature extraction. Numerical and analytical results demonstrate that SSA is effective in ultrasonic signal analysis. Especially the data-driven nature makes SSA unique for signal analysis. The algorithm can be utilized for flaw detection, signal classification, and pattern recognition in NDE applications.
Intrathecal Pumps ICU Considerations

Intrathecal pumps are relatively new devices that deliver potent medications directly into the cerebrospinal fluid and are implanted for chronic conditions, including severe malignant and non-malignant pain as well as spasticity. ICU providers may encounter them in the course of their practice, so it is important to be familiar with their function and how they may affect patient management. This article briefly highlights some of common complications and considerations that would be applicable in an ICU setting.
A Bt TRANSGENE REDUCES HERBIVORY AND ENHANCES FECUNDITY IN WILD SUNFLOWERS

Gene flow from transgenic crops can introduce novel traits into related spe- cies, but the ecological importance of this process is unknown. Here, we report the first empirical evidence that wild plants can benefit from a bacterial transgene under uncaged, natural conditions. Cultivated sunflower ( Helianthus annuus) is known to hybridize fre- quently with wild sunflower ( H. annuus) in the western and midwestern United States. We studied a crop-developed Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt) transgene, cry1Ac, in backcrossed wild sunflower populations. Lepidopteran damage on transgenic plants was strongly reduced relative to control plants at our two study sites, while damage by several weevil and fly species was unaffected. Our results suggest that reduced herbivory caused transgenic plants to produce an average of 55% more seeds per plant relative to nontransgenic controls at the field site in Nebraska. A similar but nonsignificant trend was seen at the site in Colorado (14% more seeds per plant). In a greenhouse experiment the transgene had no effect on fecundity, suggesting that it was not associated with a fitness cost. If Bt sunflowers are released commercially, we expect that Bt genes will spread to wild and weedy populations, limit damage from susceptible herbivores on these plants, and increase seed production when these herbivores are common.
Pta1, a component of yeast CF II, is required for both cleavage and poly(A) addition of mRNA precursor.

CF II, a factor required for cleavage of the 3* ends of mRNA precursor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been shown to contain four polypeptides. The three largest subunits, Cft1/Yhh1, Cft2/Ydh1, and Brr5/Ysh1, are homologs of the three largest subunits of mammalian cleavage-polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF), an activity needed for both cleavage and poly(A) addition. In this report, we show by protein sequencing and immunoreactivity that the fourth subunit of CF II is Pta1, an essential 90-kDa protein originally implicated in tRNA splicing. Yth1, the yeast homolog of the CPSF 30-kDa subunit, is not detected in this complex. Extracts prepared from pta1 mutant strains are impaired in the cleavage and the poly(A) addition of both GAL7 and CYC1 substrates and exhibit little processing activity even after prolonged incubation. However, activity is efficiently rescued by the addition of purified CF II to the defective extracts. Extract from a strain with a mutation in the CF IA subunit Rna14 also restored processing, but extract from a brr5-1 strain did not. The amounts of Pta1 and other CF II subunits are reduced in pta1 strains, suggesting that levels of the subunits may be coordinately regulated. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments indicate that the CF II in extract can be found in a stable complex containing Pap1, CF II, and the Fip1 and Yth1 subunits of polyadenylation factor I. While purified CF II does not appear to retain the association with these other factors, this larger complex may be the form recruited onto pre-mRNA in vivo. The involvement of Pta1 in both steps of mRNA 3*-end formation supports the conclusion that CF II is the functional homolog of CPSF.
Analysis of the cycle-structure of LDPC codes based on Latin squares

In this paper, we introduce a family of structured low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes based on a class of idempotent, symmetric Latin and modified Latin squares. The parity-check matrices of the codes have a block structure with permutation blocks which insures that both their corresponding girth and minimum distance are at least equal to six. The storage requirement for codes from this class is reduced to only one parameter. We also propose a structured method for shortening the codes by removing columns that break a large number of cycles of length six. The storage requirements for the codes obtained using the described procedure consist in memorizing only two integers, while their performance under iterative decoding matches that of random-like codes of comparable length.
Teaching Adolescent Students with Learning Disabilities to Self-Advocate for Accommodations.

In the general education classroom students with learning disabilities (LD) often need academic accommodations to be successful. These accommodations are typically selected and implemented by their general education teachers, not by the students themselves. High school students with LD were taught to recognize when an accommodation was needed, select the appropriate accommodation, request the accommodation, and then implement the accommodation in the general education classroom. To evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction, four students were observed in the general classroom.
SteerBug: an interactive framework for specifying and detecting steering behaviors

The size of crowds that modern computer games and urban simulations are capable of handling has given rise to the challenging problem of debugging and testing massive simulations of autonomous agents. In this paper, we propose SteerBug: an interactive framework for specifying and detecting steering behaviors. Our framework computes a set of time-varying metrics for agents and their environment, which characterize steering behaviors. We identify behaviors of interest by applying conditions (rules) or user defined sketches on the associated metrics. The behaviors we can specify and detect include unnatural steering, plainly incorrect results, or application-specific behaviors of interest. Our framework is extensible and independent of the specifics of any steering approach. To our knowledge, this is the first work that aims to provide a computational framework for specifying and detecting crowd behaviors in animation.
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection Activates Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase and Triggers the Degradation of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Glycohydrolase

Herpes simplex virus 1 infection triggers multiple changes in the metabolism of host cells, including a dramatic decrease in the levels of NAD(+). In addition to its role as a cofactor in reduction-oxidation reactions, NAD(+) is required for certain posttranslational modifications. Members of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family of enzymes are major consumers of NAD(+), which they utilize to form poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) chains on protein substrates in response to DNA damage. PAR chains can subsequently be removed by the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). We report here that the HSV-1 infection-induced drop in NAD(+) levels required viral DNA replication, was associated with an increase in protein poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation), and was blocked by pharmacological inhibition of PARP-1/PARP-2 (PARP-1/2). Neither virus yield nor the cellular metabolic reprogramming observed during HSV-1 infection was altered by the rescue or further depletion of NAD(+) levels. Expression of the viral protein ICP0, which possesses E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, was both necessary and sufficient for the degradation of the 111-kDa PARG isoform. This work demonstrates that HSV-1 infection results in changes to NAD(+) metabolism by PARP-1/2 and PARG, and as PAR chain accumulation can induce caspase-independent apoptosis, we speculate that the decrease in PARG levels enhances the auto-PARylation-mediated inhibition of PARP, thereby avoiding premature death of the infected cell.
Knowledge engineering: the design of intelligent computers

The author provides an overview of the current research and development directions in knowledge engineering, classifying research problems in the area according to three attributes: (a) completeness of knowledge in the environment, (b) accuracy of knowledge available in the environment, and (c) knowledge about the objective and/or specifications of the problem. Approaches to solving problems in this area are discussed, and challenges that lie ahead are examined. >
Mechanisms of Eastern Mediterranean Rainfall Variability

Abstract This paper presents a simple theory for the association between observed eastern Mediterranean (EM) rainfall anomalies and North Atlantic (NA) climate variability. Large-scale NA atmospheric mass rearrangements, primarily a modulation of the Icelandic low and the subtropical high pressure systems, tend to extend beyond the NA. A particularly strong such teleconnection exists between the northern NA and southern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. Pressure anomalies over Greenland–Iceland are thus associated with reversed-polarity anomalies centered over the northern Adriatic, affecting the entire Mediterranean Basin; elevated Greenland pressure is accompanied by an anomalous cyclone over the Mediterranean, and a Mediterranean high pressure system is present when pressure over Greenland is reduced. In the EM, these anomalies result in anomalous southerlies during Greenland highs, and northerlies during Greenland lows. Eastern Mediterranean southerlies warm the EM, while northerlies cool locally. B...
Are Genetic Interactions Influencing Gene Expression Evidence for Biological Epistasis or Statistical Artifacts

Interactions between genetic variants, also called epistasis, are pervasive in model organisms; however, their importance in humans remains unclear because statistical interactions in observational studies can be explained by processes other than biological epistasis. Using statistical modeling, we identified 1,093 interactions between pairs of cis-regulatory variants impacting gene expression in lymphoblastoid cell lines. Factors known to confound these analyses (ceiling/floor effects, population stratification, haplotype effects, or single variants tagged through linkage disequilibrium) explained most of these interactions. However, we found 15 interactions robust to these explanations, and we further show that despite potential confounding, interacting variants were enriched in numerous regulatory regions suggesting potential biological importance. While genetic interactions may not be the true underlying mechanism of all our statistical models, our analyses discover new signals undetected in standard single-marker analyses. Ultimately, we identified new complex genetic architectures regulating 23 genes, suggesting that single-variant analyses may miss important modifiers.
Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: VIII. Clinical Features and Pathogenesis of Post- hemorrhagic Amaurosis

Abstract Visual disturbance after marked and/or recurrent blood loss has been known for at least 25 centuries, since Hippocrates; however, so far its clinical features have been controversial and its pathogenesis enigmatic. The author studied seven patients, four of whom were seen soon after the visual loss and followed prospectively. A detailed review of the extensive literature and analysis of the cases provide relevant information on the subject. The blood loss is usually from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, less often from other sites. There is typically a time lag between the bleeding and the onset of visual loss—usually up to 10 days, less often even 2 to 3 weeks. The ocular findings are typically those of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) and are usually bilateral. Considerable evidence has accumulated that blood loss, with or without arterial hypotension, causes increase in release of renin and endogenous vasoconstrictor agents (e.g., angiotensin, epinephrine, and vasopressin) because of activation of the sympathoadrenergic system and vasomotor center. Our experimental studies on renovascular malignant hypertension indicate that endogenous vasoconstrictor agents produce choroidal ischemia and AION. In view of all the evidence, it is postulated that in the production of AION after blood loss, release of endogenous vasoconstrictor agents is probably a very important factor, with arterial hypotension an additional factor; increased platelet aggregation may also play a role.
Gas Chromatographic Columns

An idealized chromatogram of a pure compound is shown in Figure 3–1. Injection is made at point A, and any material in the sample, such as air, that is not soluble in the stationary phase is swept through the column at the same speed as the carrier gas, emerging at point B. A compound soluble in the stationary phase will travel more slowly, emerging at C. The time from the point of injection to the peak maximum is the retention time t r (AC in Figure 3–1), and the volume of gas passed through the column during this time is the retention volume V r . The quantities are related as follows: $$ {t_t} = \frac{{{V_t}}}{{{f_{av}}}} $$ where f av is the average flow rate of gas through the column. In most applications, flow rate is held constant so that measuring retention time on the recorder chart is equivalent to measuring retention volume. The chromatogram illustrated is an example of a differential chromatogram. This form of display is virtually universal and will be treated here to the exclusion of all others.
Using varying channel impulse response to determine water pollution

Water occupies three forth of earth's surface. Although human habitats reside on land, there is no denying of the vital connection between land and water. The future sustainability of human species on this planet depends on wise utilization of all available resources, including that provided by the vast water world. Therefore, it is imperative to explore, understand, define, and protect this massive, varying, and in many areas unexplored water domain. With the exponential growth in urbanization all over the world, water seems to be the common dumping ground of industrial waste. In addition, water is indirectly polluted in many ways in our everyday lives. Therefore, it is of vital importance to monitor water pollution levels effectively and regularly. It is a well known fact that sound wave propagation through water changes considerably in time, frequency, and in spatial domains. Any changes in the water channel and its parameters directly affect the propagation of the acoustic signal through it. Therefore, changes in acoustic channel impulse response (CIR) and acoustic signal level can be a valued indicator of water pollution. This paper presents preliminary laboratory results of the effects of two water contaminants, namely, motor oil and liquid detergent and shows how they change the water channel and in turn changes resulting acoustic CIR and signal level. The differences in CIR and signal level between clean water and that with pollutants can be utilized to monitor water pollution and its level effectively.
Picosecond Pulse Multiphoton Coherent Propagation in Vapors

We present a method to study multiphoton excitation by intense picosecond pulses in vapors. The technique, based on interferometric cross correlations of the multiphoton stimulated reradiation with the pulse itself, requires an interferometric delay line to generate accurately phased pulse sequences. Experimental data for two-photon coherent propagation in lithium vapor agree with our theoretical model.
Optimal Production of Light Olefins from Natural Gas via the Methanol Intermediate

This paper presents a comprehensive process synthesis superstructure toward the production of C2 to C4 olefins from natural gas via the methanol intermediate. The superstructure of alternatives includes multiple natural gas conversion pathways, multiple methanol conversion technologies, and an extensive olefin purification section. Simultaneous heat, power, and water integration is incorporated for the optimal utility usage within the refinery. A branch-and-bound global optimization framework approach is utilized to guarantee the global optimality. The profit of the proposed refinery is maximized across different scales and price levels. The optimal topology consistently includes the methanol-to-olefins, MTO, technology due to its high selectivity into high value olefins. The proposed refinery can be significantly profitable even under undesired price scenarios (June 2015 prices). The proposed plants yield positive net present values for scales above 500 MT/day, regardless of the price level investigated....
Disseminated zoster with paresis in a multiple sclerosis patient treated with dimethyl fumarate

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation can occur in both immunocompetent and immuncompromised individuals and lead to a range of neurologic manifestations.1 VZV reactivation was recently reported in a man with psoriasis being treated with dimethyl fumarate (DMF).2 Here we describe a woman with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who developed disseminated VZV while receiving delayed-release DMF.
Design of DDS Signal Generator Based on FPGA

This paper simple presented the theory of DDS technique and how it work. It is designed and implemented by using VHDL hardware description language as design input and the Altera' s Cyclone chip as carrier. It provide different kinds of normal wave- form such as sine wave , square wave, pyramidal wave and so on. The frequency and phase of output signal are adjustable. It has been designed and analyzed in QuartusII software.
Bilirubin, UDP-glucuronyl transferase of liver in postmature rats. A functional and morphologic comparison.

Postmaturity was induced in dated pregnancies in Wistar rats by daily injection of 25 units of chorionic gonadotrophin, beginning on day 18 of gestational life. Animals were either delivered operatively on day 23 of postconceptual age or allowed to deliver spontaneously on day 24 by stopping the gonadotrophin. The hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity (E.C.2.4.1.17) was quantitated in these animals and compared with that of control animals of normal gestations operatively and spontaneously delivered of similar postconceptual age. Normal animals at birth have very little hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity, but it rapidly achieves adult activities in the first 4 days of neonatal life. In contrast, the postmature animals of 23 and 24 days of postconceptual age exhibited marked suppression of the hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity, but they exhibited rapid neonatal maturation after delivery. The ultrastructure of the hepatocytes from the postmature rats of 24 days postconceptual age exhibited the same paucity of smooth endoplasmic reticulum of 21-day rats, which is in striking contrast to of postnatal life. The findings are interpreted to suggest that the intrauterine milieu actually suppresses fetal maturation of liver function.
Monolayer assembly of ferrimagnetic Co(x)Fe(3-x)O4 nanocubes for magnetic recording.

We report a facile synthesis of monodisperse ferrimagnetic CoxFe3–xO4 nanocubes (NCs) through thermal decomposition of Fe(acac)3 and Co(acac)2 (acac = acetylacetonate) in the presence of oleic acid and sodium oleate. The sizes of the NCs are tuned from 10 to 60 nm, and their composition is optimized at x = 0.6 to show strong ferrimagnetism with the 20 nm Co0.6Fe2.4O4 NCs showing a room temperature Hc of 1930 Oe. The ferrimagnetic NCs are self-assembled at the water–air interface into a large-area (in square centimeter) monolayer array with a high packing density and (100) texture. The 20 nm NC array can be recorded at linear densities ranging from 254 to 31 kfci (thousand flux changes per inch). The work demonstrates the great potential of solution-phase synthesis and self-assembly of magnetic array for magnetic recording applications.
Malignant Pheochromocytoma: Clinical Course and Treatment

AbstractWe describe 7 patients with 16 malignant pheochromocytomas, with followup for 7 to 21 years. Five patients are free of disease at a mean of 13.5 years and 2 patients died of malignancy at 10 and 13 years. The 3 criteria believed important for a maximum tumor-free interval are: 1) adjunctive lymphadenectomy at the initial operation when 1 or more lymph nodes contain tumor, 2) close followup of all patients with pheochromocytoma by diagnostic biochemical assay for 15 years and 3) an aggressive excision of all single or multiple recurrent pheochromocytomas as soon as a biochemical diagnosis is established.