cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
mtDNA and language support a common origin of Micronesians and Polynesians in Island Southeast Asia.

The origins and relationships among Micronesians, Polynesians, and Melanesians were investigated. Five different mtDNA region V length polymorphisms from 873 individuals representing 24 Oceanic and Asian populations were analyzed. The frequency cline of a common deletion and the distributions of a rare expanded length polymorphism support the origin of both Micronesians and Polynesians in Island Southeast Asia. Genetic, linguistic, and geographic distances were compared to assess the relative importance of isolation and gene flow during the prehistory of 19 Austronesian-speaking populations subdivided into five potential spheres of interaction. We observed significant correlations (P < 0.05) between genetic and linguistic distances in four of five comparisons. These data indicate extensive gene flow throughout much of Micronesia, but substantial isolation in other Pacific regions. Although recent advancements in our understanding of intentional voyaging within Remote Oceania have challenged the existence of the “myth of the primitive isolate,” we caution against the adoption of panmictic alternatives. Am J Phys Anthropol 105:109–119, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of Status on Group Decision Making: Ad Hoc versus Real Groups

This study compares effects of status on group decision making in ad hoc student and real supervisor-subordinates groups. Eighteen ad hoc and eighteen real groups of three with one high status and two low status members made decisions on two standard choice-dilemma problems. For each group member, compliance, persuasion, recidivism of opinion, perceived competence-influence, and attractiveness were measured. The results of the T-test and correlational analysis, conducted upon the differences between respective values for a high and average low status individuals, revealed that in both, ad hoc and real groups, high status members had stronger actual and perceived influence on group decisions and attitudes of other group members than low status individuals. In ad hoc and real groups, high status members were the first advocates more frequently than low status members. Analysis of variance showed that the influence of high status members was the strongest, if they were also the first advocates. At the same t...
On the linear encroachment in two-immiscible fluid systems in a porous medium

A careful review to the previous study of Srinivasan and Vafai on the linear encroachment in two-immiscible fluid systems in a porous medium reveals some typos in their analytical solution. In the present study, an accurate analytical solution, which accounts for boundary and inertia effects, is obtained to predict the movement of the interfacial front and corrections to previous results are provided wherever necessary. Despite the similarity in the general behavior of the present accurate solution and the previous one, the existence of an accurate analytical solution is essential for future numerical and experimental studies
Increased preoperative platelet count is associated with decreased survival after resection for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Abstract Background Platelets are thought to participate in tumor metastasis. However, the relationship between platelet count and prognosis in pancreatic cancer remains unresolved. Methods A chart review of patients undergoing resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma was undertaken. Demographic, perioperative, and outcome data were collected. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were used to determine the impact of preoperative platelet count on survival. Results Between June 1995 and March 2003, 109 patients (63% male) with a median age of 68 years (range 42 to 85 years) underwent resection for pancreatic cancer. Univariate analysis demonstrated that platelet count, lymph node or margin status, and histology were associated with survival. In multivariate analysis, the association between increased platelet count and poor survival maintained significance. Conclusions Increased preoperative platelet count is associated with adverse survival outcome in patients undergoing resection for pancreatic cancer. Antiplatelet medications warrant further study in an attempt to improve survival in these patients.
Behavioral problems in alleged sexual abuse victims

This study was conducted to compare the parental assessments of problem behaviors, using the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, among alleged sexual abuse victims (n = 81) and an age, race, and gender matched group of nonabused comparison subjects (n = 90). Alleged sexual abuse victims demonstrated significantly higher mean total behavior problem, internalizing and externalizing scores than the comparison sample. Subscale profiles were all in the direction consistent with withdrawal, impairment in social interaction, and sexual problems. Item comparison indicated that sexual abuse victims were more likely to be assessed as having some problem behaviors that have been reported as being indicative of sexual abuse. A significant difference was not obtained on several behaviors that have been previously reported as indicative of sexual abuse. These findings support concerns that sexual abuse victims do exhibit more problem behaviors, but caution must be exercised when interpreting individual behaviors because of their frequency in a nonabused sample.
One-body electron dynamics in a free electron laser

Abstract The free electron laser is analyzed by solving the one-body classical Lorentz force equation in the presence of periodic magnetic field and a plane electromagnetic wave. Phase space paths for electrons are related to those of a simple pendulum and describe laser gain, saturation, and coherent electron beam modulation.
The Oligochaeta (Annelida, Clitellata) of the St. Lawrence Great Lakes Region: an Update

An updated oligochaete species list for the Great Lakes region is provided. The list was developed through the reexamination of the taxa reported in a previous report in 1980, addition of new taxa or records collected from the region since 1980, and an update of taxonomy commensurate with systematic and nomenclatural changes over the intervening years since the last review. The authors found 74 papers mentioning Great Lakes oligochaete species. The majority of these papers were published in the 1980s. The literature review and additional collections resulted in 15 species being added to the previous list. Nine taxa were removed from the previous list due to misidentification, synonymies, level of identification, or inability to confirm the identity. Based on this review, 101 species of Oligochaeta are now known from the St. Lawrence Great Lakes watershed. Of these, 95 species are known from the St. Lawrence Great Lakes proper, with an additional 6 species recorded from the inland waters of the watershed. The greatest diversity of oligochaete species was found in the inland waters of the region (81) followed by Lake Huron (72), Lake Ontario (65), Lake Erie (64), Lake Superior (63), Lake Michigan (62), St. Marys River (60), Niagara River (49), Saginaw Bay (44), St. Clair River (37), Lake St. Clair (36), St. Lawrence River (27), and the Detroit River (21). Three species are suspected of being introduced, Branchiura sowerbyi, Gianius aquaedulcis and Ripistes parasita, and two are believed to be endemic, Thalassodrilus hallae and Teneridrilus flexus.
QUALITY EVALUATION OF DEEP‐FAT FRIED ONION RINGS

Battered and breaded onion rings were deep-fat fried at 170 or 190C for 30, 45, or 60s and subjected to several physical tests and to an overall desirability sensory evaluation. Hunter a color values (redness), specific shear force, and toughness increased (p < 0.01) with both frying temperature and frying time. Onion rings deep-fat fried at 190C for 60s had the highest mean overall desirability sensory score. Onion moisture content and coating redness were positively (p < 0.05) correlated with overall desirability. Coating moisture content and coating fat content were negatively (p < 0.05) correlated with overall desirability.
Beta-androstenes and resistance to viral and bacterial infections.

This report illustrates that the β-androstenes are indeed able to upregulate the host immune response to a level that enables the host to resist lethal infection by viruses or bacteria. These agents c
Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of the Nanoscale Crater Generation With a Near Field Scanning Optical Tip

Different nano-patterns have been generated with the same near field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) tips with multiple femtosecond laser pulses in different background gases. It is demonstrated that significant energy was transferred from the NSOM probe to a pure silicon surface for the generation of nano-protrusions and nano-craters, which shows the possibility of nano-fabrication with the present experimental configuration. In order to understand the heating effect of the target and the relationship between the generations of nano-craters, a corresponding theoretical analysis considering the wave format light propagation within a single tapering NSOM probe (first order approximation) and the subsequent light absorption in a target is established. This analysis show that electron temperature of around the nano-scale laser spot of target can be very high (>∼10,000 K) during the laser pulse. However, both the photoexcited electron number density and lattice temperature are much less the threshold for a thermal and non-thermal evaporation. Therefore, supplementary mechanisms in additional to pure pulsed light absorption are required for generation of nano-craters on a target if a single tapering angle NSOM probe is applied.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Mechanotransduction in Endothelial Cells: Temporal Signaling Events in Response to Shear Stress

Fluid shear stress is one of the most important mechanical forces acting upon vascular endothelium, because of its location at the interface between the bloodstream and vascular wall. Recent evidence
Ultraviolet Reflectivity of Mars

Ultraviolet spectrograms of Mars (2400 to 3500 angstroms, ~50-A resolution) have been obtained with an objective grating spectrograph on an Aerobee rocket. The data indicate a reflectivity of 0.04 to 0.08 in the ultraviolet, increasing toward shorter wavelength according to a Rayleigh Law. The data can be represented by a model having an atmosphere of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon, and a surface pressure of about 5 to 20 millibars. The photographic appearance of the planet in the blue is interpreted as a loss of surface contrast and reflectivity rather than an absorption in the atmosphere by the "blue haze." The model permits prediction of the general appearance of the planet in the photographic ultraviolet, blue, visible, and red. There are serious biological implications since the model suggests that ultraviolet radiation (2000 to 3000 A) will reach the surface.
Aligning Health Education with the Needs of a Graying America

Abstract Change is evident in virtually every aspect of contemporary U.S. society, but demographic transition—the trend toward an aging society—is clearly one of the most significant phenomena. Unprecedented numbers of Americans are joining the ranks of the elderly. This “senior boom” has significant implications for the health education profession. Changing views and ideas associated with aging, health, and health care are explicated against the backdrop of demographic change. The implications of these changes for health education are discussed as they relate to health education goals, programs, and curricula. A key challenge for health education in an aging society is adaptability—the ability to respond to changing conditions and emerging needs in the 21st century.
Nest success, cause-specific nest failure, and hatchability of aquatic birds at selenium-contaminated Kesterson Reservoir and a reference site

Comparaison du succes reproducteur, des causes specifiques d'echec et des taux d'eclosion pour 8 especes d'oiseaux aquatiques nichant sur le Reservoir Kesterson (Californie) avec un site de reference non contamine par le selenium
Cesium-137 in Alaskan Eskimos

During the summer of 1962, levels of radioactivity in over 700 people at four villages above the Arctic Circle in Alaska were measured with a transportable whole-body counter. The averages for body burden of cesium-137 were much higher than the average for people in the rest of the United States. The people of the interior village of Anaktuvuk Pass had the highest average burden of cesium-137, which was 421 nanocuries; the maximum burden was 790 nanocuries.
Toward a Marxist Analysis of Discretion and Institutional Discrimination in the Legal System

This article provides a dialectical materialist examination of the production and use of the concepts of discretion and institutional discrimination within the criminal courts. It is argued that existing Marxist accounts of discretion and discrimination, and the recommendations stemming from these, rely upon theoretical orientations that are insufficiently materialistic and processual in orientation. The U.S. Supreme Court case of McCleskey v. Georgia is presented here to illustrate the contradictions that spawned, and are spawned by, the production and use of these concepts. Contradictions related to the construction of the subject are identified as essential to the understanding of these dynamics. The essay concludes by offering a materialist recommendation that judicial discretion should be supported and institutional discrimination should be rejected.
Increasing Creativity in Economics: The Service Learning Project

In this study, the authors analyze an effective classroom teaching style that relies on interactive learning and integrates classroom activities and efforts into communities. They introduce the service learning project as an effective teaching tool that can be used along with other effective teaching practices to enhance students' learning outcomes. The authors found that the success of the service learning project is affected by the degree of integration among the institution and the public and private community agencies. Through such integration, both the students and the community receive greater benefits from increased knowledge and joint activities.
Seismic fragility assessment of steel frames for consequence-based engineering: A case study for Memphis, TN

Consequence-Based Engineering (CBE) is a risk management system that is aimed at providing insight into the seismic performance of civil infrastructure including buildings, bridges and transportation and utility systems. The performance assessment of civil engineering structures and systems subjected to earthquakes must account for the substantial uncertainties in the seismic demands and the nonlinear behavioral characteristics and capacities of complex engineered facilities. A key aspect of this performance assessment is fragility modeling of building structures. This paper describes an approach to the building fragility assessment component of CBE, and illustrates this approach for steel frames typical of regions of low-to-moderate seismicity in the Central and Eastern United States. We begin with a description of seismic risk assessment for civil infrastructure to show where the building fragility modeling process fits into the CBE decision framework. We then consider three steel frames of different heights, designed by different building codes: the first two are moment frames with fully restrained and partially restrained connections and the third is a braced frame. Seismic fragilities for these frames are determined from assessment of their responses to ensembles of synthetic ground motions generated for the Central and Eastern US, probabilities of four distinct performance states are determined, and implications for seismic risk assessment are discussed.
Low-energy H/sup -/ injector design for SSC RFQ

We present a design for the low-energy H/sup -/ injector. It is used in conjunction with an rf-driven multicusp source and will deliver 30 mA of H/sup $/at 35 kV, at a pulse length of less than 1 msec to a RFQ downstream (used in the LINAC booster of the SSC, for example). It has several distinguishing features and meets the goal of having an outgoing beam free of electron contamination, with small radius, large convergent angle and small projectional emittance. The specific example presented meets all the requirements of the injector for the SSC RFQ. However, the principle and method used should easily be adapted for the designs of injectors with similar requirements for other purposes. >
Studies in liquid‐liquid direct‐contact heat transfer

Simulation de transfert de chaleur et de l'ecoulement de fluide d'une simple balle spherique et rigide lors de sa montee libre. Comparaison des resultats a ceux obtenus par Moresco (1979)
Double-blinded randomized trial of preoperative antibiotics in midurethral sling procedures and review of the literature

Introduction and hypothesis The objective of this study was to determine if prophylactic antibiotic use before midurethral sling procedures reduces infectious complications.
Six- vs Seven-Membered Ring Formation from the 1-Bicyclo[4.1.0]heptanylmethyl Radical: Synthetic and ab Initio Studies†

The viability of utilizing 1-bicyclo[4.1.0]heptanylmethyl radical (3) to serve as a progenitor of seven-membered carbocycles was examined. Rate constants for the rearrangement of this radical to 3-methylenecycloheptyl radical (4) and 2-methylenecyclohexyl-1-methyl radical (6) were measured using the competition method of 3 with thiophenol over the temperature range of −75 to 59 °C. Arrhenius functions were calculated for the conversions of 3 to 4 and 3 to 6 and found to be log(k/s-1) = (12.38 ± 0.20) − (5.63 ± 0.23)/θ and log(k/s-1) = (11.54 ± 0.32) − (5.26 ± 0.37)/θ, respectively. The rate constants for these conversions at 25 °C are 1.86 × 108 s-1 and 5.11 × 107 s-1, respectively. Hence, the seven-membered ring-expanded carbocycle is formed 3.6 times faster at 25 °C than the nonexpanded species. This suggests that the 1-bicyclo[4.1.0]heptanylmethyl radical system may be synthetically useful in seven-membered ring-forming methodology. Preliminary theoretical examination of this radical system qualitative...
Urinary excretion of hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine and hydroxylysine glycosides by patients with paget's disease of bone and carcinoma with metastases in bone

Patient's with carcinoma metastases in bone and Pagent's disease of bone have different patterns of collagen metabolite excretion. Both forms of bone disease resulted in an increased excretion of total hydroxyproline and the ratio of glucosylgalactosylhydroxylsine to galactosylhydroxylysine was below normal. The excretion of glucosylgalactosylhydroxylysine and galactosylhydroxylysine was increased in all patients with carcinoma metastases in bone while the excretion of glucosylgalactosylhydroxylysine in patients with Paget's disease. The ratio of total hydroxylysine (free hydroxylysine + glycosylated hydroxylysines) to total hydroxyproline was normal in patients with carcinoma metastases in bone and below normal in patients with Paget's disease bosne. The pattern of urinary collagen metabolite excretion is a more specific indicator of the presence of bone disease than is the measurement of the excretion rate of any individual collagen metabolite. Bone diseases of different etiologies may result in different patterns of urinary collagen metabolite excretion.
Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation augments cerebral blood flow in the patient with cerebral vasospasm: a xenon-enhanced computed tomography study.

OBJECTIVE We previously established the ability of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) to improve cerebral blood flow (CBF) significantly in a canine model of cerebral vasospasm. This study was performed to assess the efficacy of IABC in a patient with cardiac dysfunction and severe cerebral vasospasm that was refractory to traditional treatment measures. METHODS We report our experience with the clinical use of IABC to treat cerebral vasospasm in a patient who suffered subarachnoid hemorrhage and concomitant myocardial infarction. Hypertensive, hypervolemic, hemodilution therapy was ineffective, and IABC was instituted. Xenon-enhanced computed tomography (Xe-CT) was utilized to obtain serial measurements of CBF with and without IABC over a 4-day period. RESULTS IABC dramatically improved cardiac function in this patient, and Xe-CT demonstrated significant improvement in CBF with IABC. The average global CBF was 20.5 +/- 4.4 ml/100g/min before versus 34.7 +/- 3.8 ml/100g/min after IABC (p < 0.0001, paired student's t-test). The lower the CBF before IABC, the greater the improvement with IABC (correlation coefficient r = 0.83, p = 0.0007). CBF improvement ranged from 33% to 161% above baseline, average 69.3%. No complications of IABC were observed. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report demonstrating the ability of IABC to improve CBF in a patient with vasospasm. We suggest that IABC is a rational treatment option in select patients with refractory cerebral vasospasm who do not respond to traditional treatment measures.
Virtual brain tumours (gliomas) enhance the reality of medical imaging and highlight inadequacies of current therapy

Gliomas are brain tumours that differ from most other cancers by their diffuse invasion of the surrounding normal tissue and their notorious recurrence following all forms of therapy. We have developed a mathematical model to quantify the spatio-temporal growth and invasion of gliomas in three dimensions throughout a virtual human brain. The model quantifies the extent of tumorous invasion of individual gliomas in three-dimensions to a degree beyond the limits of present medical imaging, including even microscopy, and makes clear why current therapies based on existing imaging techniques are inadequate and cannot be otherwise without other methods for detecting tumour cells in the brain. The model's estimate of the extent of tumourous invasion beyond that defined by standard medical imaging can be useful in more accurately planning therapy regimes as well as predicting sites of potential recurrence without waiting for reemergence on follow-up imaging.
Polymer-Enhanced Delivery Increases Adenoviral Gene Expression in an Orthotopic Model of Bladder Cancer

Gene therapy has garnered significant attention as a therapeutic approach for bladder cancer but efficient delivery and gene expression remain major hurdles. The goal of this study was to determine if cationic polymers can enhance adenoviral gene expression in cells that are difficult to transduce in vitro and to subsequently investigate lead candidates for their capacity to increase adenoviral gene expression in an orthotopic in vivo model of bladder cancer. In vitro screening of linear polyamine-based and aminoglycoside-based polymer libraries identified several candidates that enhanced adenoviral reporter gene expression in vitro. The polyamine-based polymer NPGDE-1,4 Bis significantly enhanced adenoviral gene expression in the orthotopic model of bladder cancer but unfortunately further use of this polymer was limited by toxicity. In contrast, the aminoglycoside-based polymer paromomycin-BGDE, enhanced adenoviral gene expression within the bladder without adverse events. Our study demonstrates for the first time that cationic polymers can enhance adenoviral gene expression in an orthotopic model of bladder cancer, thereby providing the foundation for future studies to determine therapeutic benefits of polymer-adenovirus combination in bladder cancer gene therapy.
Perianal abscess and fistula-in-ano in children

The authors present a retrospective review of 40 pediatric patients with perianal abscess and/or fistula-in-ano. The total patient population could be divided clinically into 2 broad groups. The first group consisted of 22 infants younger than 2 years of age, all of whom were males, and 10 of whom presented with recurrences after previous incision and drainage. Of the 14 infants presenting with an abscess, in 12 (85.7 percent), a fistula-in-ano was discovered at surgery. In contrast, in the group of 18 children older than 2 years of age, there were 7 females and 11 males, and fistulas were identified in only 7 of 13 patients (54.8 percent) who presented with abscesses. Surgical treatment consisted of examination under anesthesia and a diligent search for a fistulous tract. Abscesses were primarily saucerized and fistulotomy and cryptotomy of the confluent crypt was performed if a fistulous tract was identified. The only recurrences with this form of treatment occurred in the two immunocompromised patients.
How Adolescent Girls Understand and Manage Depression Within Their Peer Group: A Grounded Theory Investigation

Depression is prevalent among adolescent girls, but few receive mental health treatment. Adolescent girls often forgo needed mental health treatment because they fear responses of peers about depression. Understanding the processes of how adolescent girls respond to peers with depression is an important first step to improve access to mental health treatment. This qualitative study describes the knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors of adolescent girls about depression and mental health treatment within their peer group. The investigators conducted two focus groups, with adolescent girls (n = 21), in a public high school in the southern U.S. Grounded theory methods were utilized to identify a beginning substantive theory about perceptions and behaviors of adolescent girls related to depression in their peers. Participants cognitively processed mental health concepts similarly to adults. However, their affective responses to peers with mental illness fluctuated between adult and child perspectives. Participants expressed concerns about individuals with depression that have previously been identified in adults, but expressed unique perspectives that reflect their transitional stage of development. Findings provide new information about how adolescent girls respond to peers with depression, define areas for further investigation, provide directions for constructing developmentally appropriate mental health educational interventions for adolescent girls, and elucidate the need to provide guidance to women with whom adolescent girls have sustained contact.
Metal complexes with polymeric ligands: modular synthesis of multifunctional materials for applications in biomedicine and nanotechnology

Polymeric metal complexes exhibiting useful properties were prepared by chelating macroligands to labile and inert metal ions. The specific structures elucidated through this method, as well as potential applications for these complexes are described. By carefully selecting the appropriate metal ion and polymer, these materials can be tuned for a host of applications in fields ranging from biomedicine to nanotechnology.
Differential gene expression in human prostate cancer cells adapted to growth in bone in Beige mice

Objective: A metastasis model was used to identify genes potentially related to the growth of human prostate cancer in the bone. Injection of the human prostate cancer line PC3 into the femurs of Beige mice induced tumors that ruptured the femurs in 4 to 6 weeks. Materials and methods: The subline PC3a was cultured in vitro from one of these PC3 bone tumors. PC3a cells were reinjected into femurs, and the subline PC3b was then cultured from a resulting PC3a tumor. Likewise, PC3c was derived from a PC3b bone tumor. The PC3 tumors were osteolytic, invasive and metastatic. Results: Analysis of gene expression in these PC3 sublines by differential-display RT-PCR identified two groups of transcripts whose steady state levels differed substantially from the original PC3 line. One group of transcripts increased with progressive adaptation to tumor formation in bone. The second group showed the reverse pattern. They progressively diminished in subsequent sublines, and were virtually absent in PC3b and PC3c. Two in this group were fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 and caveolin-1. They were strongly expressed in non-malignant prostate tissue. Conclusion: These two downregulated genes, which have been reported to play a role in the development of androgen independence and malignant progression, may reflect molecular changes in growth regulation of PC3 cells during readaptation to an intra-osseal environment.
Is hairpin formation in single-stranded polynucleotide diffusion- controlled?

An intriguing puzzle in biopolymer science is the observation that single-stranded DNA and RNA oligomers form hairpin structures on time scales of tens of microseconds, considerably slower than the...
Initiation of the activation potential by an increase in intracellular calcium in eggs of the frog, Rana pipiens.

Abstract The membrane potential of the frog egg undergoes a transient positive shift at fertilization which is a block to polyspermy. This paper addresses the question of how a sperm elicits this “fertilization potential.” Iontophoretic injection of Ca 2+ activates Rana pipiens eggs to develop and initiates a transient, positive-going shift in the membrane potential (the activation potential) which is like the sperm-induced fertilization potential in amplitude, duration, and Cl − dependence. Activation potentials are elicited by Ca 2 injection into both animal and vegetal regions of the egg, but the rate of the initial depolarization is much less when Ca 2+ is injected into the vegetal region. Injections of K + , Na + , Cl − , or Mg 2+ do not result in activation potentials, but the Ca 2+ analogs, Sr 2+ and Ba 2+ , can substitute for Ca 2+ . Treatment of eggs with the divalent cation ionophore, A23187, also initiates a transient, positive-going depolarization. Because injection of Ca 2+ is sufficient to elicit a response almost identical to a fertilization potential, the ion transport mechanisms necessary to produce a fertilization potential must preexist in the unfertilized eggs; the sperm contributes only the stimulus to activate these mechanisms. The results reported here suggest that the stimulus may be a rise in free Ca 2+ .
Aerostat acoustic payload for transient and helicopter detection

The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has conducted experiments using acoustic sensor arrays suspended below tethered aerostats to detect and localize transient signals from mortars, artillery, and small arms fire. The airborne acoustic sensor array calculates an azimuth and elevation to the originating transient, and immediately cues a collocated imager to capture the remaining activity at the site of the acoustic transient. This single array's vector solution defines a ground-intersect region or grid coordinate for threat reporting. Unattended ground sensor (UGS) systems can augment aerostat arrays by providing additional solution vectors from several ground-based acoustic arrays to perform a 3D triangulation on a source location. The aerostat array's advantage over ground systems is that it is not as affected by diffraction and reflection from man-made structures, trees, or terrain, and has direct line-of-sight to most events.
Flow-induced structure in a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer as studied by SANS

Small-angle neutron scattering is utilized to determine the flow induced alignment of a model thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) as a function of shear rate and temperature. The results demonstrate that the flow-induced structures in thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers have similarities and differences to those in lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer solutions. The shear rate dependence of the alignment shows that the flow-induced alignment correlates very well to the viscosity behavior of the LCP in the shear thinning regime, while temperature variation results in a change in the extent of alignment within the nematic phase. Relaxation results also demonstrate that the flow-induced alignment remains essentially unchanged for up to an hour after the shear field has been removed. Last, there exists a regime at low shear rate and low temperature where alignment of the LCP molecule perpendicular to the applied shear flow is stable. These results provide important experimental evidence of the molecular level changes that occur in a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer during flow, which can be utilized to develop theoretical models and more efficiently process thermotropic polymers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 3017–3023, 1998
Structural analysis of RXR-VDR interactions on DR3 DNA.

Abstract The Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a ligand-responsive transcription factor that forms homo- or heterodimers on response elements composed of two hexameric half-sites separated by three base pairs of spacer DNA. Binding of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 to the full-length VDR causes destabilization of the VDR homodimer and formation of a heterodimeric complex with the 9- cis retinoic acid receptor (RXR). VDR and RXR DNA-binding domains (DBDs) do not mimic this behavior, however: VDR DBD homodimers are formed exclusively, even in the presence of excess RXR DBD. Exploiting the asymmetry of the heterodimer and our knowledge of the homodimeric DBD interface, we have engineered VDR mutants that disfavor the homodimeric complex and allow for the formation of heterodimeric DBD complexes with RXR on DR3 elements. One of these complexes has been crystallized and its structure determined. However, the polarity of the proteins relative to the DNA is non-physiological due to crystal packing between symmetry-related VDR DBD protomers. This reveals a flattened energy landscape that appears to rely on elements outside of the core DBD for response element discrimination in the heterodimer.
Perceptions of Relocation Services in Relocation Decision Making: An Exploratory Field Study

The importance of relocation services is examined in a sample of 872 employees and spouses. Results indicated that spouses rated all relocation services higher than employees, with the exception of...
The Role of Individual Differences in Determining Interaction Strategies and Performance on Computer Based Tasks

In completing any given task, whether it be driving or a computer task, indviduals have a wide array of strategies available to them. Investigations of computer tasks have shown that individual differences of cognitive styles and abilites are related to the types of strategies individuals use to complete the task (Schmidt-Nielsen and Ackerman, 1993). Typically, those who have higher reasoning abilities use more sophisticated strategies for performing the task than those with a lower level of ability. Further, it has been demonstrated that these strategies tend to hold over a variety of tasks. For example, performance on a computer graphing task was shown to be correlated to cognitive reasoning ability. The current study extended the work of Schmidt-Nielsen and Ackerman and found that there were a wide variety of performance strategies and these strategies were correlated with reasoning ability, field dependency, and performance on the noun pair task.
Synthesis of a radiobrominated analog of SCH 23390, a selfctive dopamine D1/DA1 antagonist

A radiobrominated analog of SCH 23390, a selective dopamine D1/DA1 antagonist was prepared. Radiochemical yields of up to 60% were obtained within 15 minutes reaction at room temperature. The synthesis was validated by performing both physical (NMR and mass spectroscopy) and biological tests on the product. Preliminary studies suggest that 75Br-labelled SCH 23390 analog would be a useful ligand for the studies of CNS dopamine D1 receptors by positron emission tomography.
A Syntax-Directed Translator with Extended Domain of Locality

A syntax-directed translator first parses the source-language input into a parse-tree, and then recursively converts the tree into a string in the target-language. We model this conversion by an extended tree-to-string transducer that have multi-level trees on the source-side, which gives our system more expressive power and flexibility. We also define a direct probability model and use a linear-time dynamic programming algorithm to search for the best derivation. The model is then extended to the general log-linear framework in order to rescore with other features like n-gram language models. We devise a simple-yet-effective algorithm to generate non-duplicate k-best translations for n-gram rescoring. Initial experimental results on English-to-Chinese translation are presented.
Robust directed tree approximations for networks of stochastic processes

We develop low-complexity algorithms to robustly identify the best directed tree approximation for a network of stochastic processes in the finite-sample regime. Directed information is used to quantify influence between stochastic processes and identify the best directed tree approximation in terms of Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence. We provide finite-sample complexity bounds for confidence intervals of directed information estimates. We use these confidence intervals to develop a minimax framework to identify the best directed tree that is robust to point estimation errors. We provide algorithms for this minimax calculation and describe the relationships between exactness and complexity.
Russia in the 21st century : the prodigal superpower

1. After the 'end of history' 2. Prodigal superpower 3. Structural militarization 4. What could have been done? 5. Muscovite metamorphosis 6. Military industrial reform 7. National insecurity 8. Miasma of global engagement 9. Putin's choice 10. Candor.
Time Sensitivity and Purpose in Life: Contrasting Theoretical Perspectives of Myers-Briggs and Victor Frankl

This study investigated the relationship between time sensitivity and purpose in life. Time sensitivity was operationally defined by scores on the Judging–Perceiving dimension of the Myers-Briggs T...
Twin-screw extrusion production and characterization of starch foam products for use in cushioning and insulation applications

Cylindrical starch foam shapes were produced on a small scale (∼11–12 kg/hr) Werner Pfleiderer ZSK-30 twin-screw extrusion (TSE) process using water, which functions as a plasticizer as well as a blowing agent. The properties of the starch foams depend on the type of starch used (hydroxypropylated high amylose corn starch, 70% amylose), the amount of water and additives (poly(hydroxyamino ether)) (PHAE) used, and extrusion conditions such as temperature and the screw configuration. PHAE offers the adhesion and durability of epoxy resins with the flexibility and processibility of thermoplastic resins. PHAE was successful in imparting mechanical strength and toughness, cell integrity, weather and water resistance to the foam structure. The purpose of this work was to study the effects of the extrusion (melt) temperature, amount of water added and the screw configuration on the density of starch foams. The water externally added was varied from 3% to 12%, while the PHAE content was varied from 3% to 15% of the starch used (on a wet basis). The foaming was carried out at melt temperatures in the range from 85 to 145°C. A match of material properties with process engineering conditions was achieved to facilitate the control of expansion to a structure with valuable commercial properties. The effects of processing conditions on the foaming process were studied using a Werner Pfleiderer ZSK-30 twin screw extruder. The optimum temperature, blowing agent content, and PHAE content were determined. The density of the cylindrical foam extrudates obtained was 22–25 kg/m3. The screw configuration, temperature and pressure profiles, and additives affected the morphology, expansion ratio (ER), resilience, and compressibility of the product. These results were then employed on an industrial scale (410–420 kg/hr) twin-screw food extruder, a Wenger-80, to manufacture foam sheets. The density of the foam sheets was 27–30 kg/m3. The cushioning and insulation properties were studied and are reported. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 46:438–451, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers
Comparison of the Reconciliation Behavior of Stumptail and Rhesus Macaques

Observations were made following spontaneous aggressive incidents in a breeding group of captive stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides). Participants were observed both during the first 10 min following the aggressive incident, and during matched-control observations. Data on 670 pairs of former opponents were collected, and compared with a sample of 573 such pairs of rhesus macaques (M. mulatta), which had been observed with identical methods in a previous study. Selective attraction between opponents was confirmed for the stumptail monkeys, i.e. both the absolute and the relative rate of nonagonistic body contact between individuals increased after aggression between them. The species was found to be considerably more conciliatory than rhesus monkeys, and to have a remarkably rich repertoire of reassurance gestures. The most characteristic conciliatory behavior is the hold-bottom ritual, in which one individual (usually the subordinate) presents its hindquarters, and the other (usually the dominant) clasps the other's haunches. The high rate of reconciliation among stumptail monkeys extended to all relationship classes, and a correlation with the closeness of social bonds (measured as time spent in association) could not be demonstrated. Because of the generality of the species' high peacemaking tendencies it is assumed that group cohesiveness is of great survival value in the wild.
Oracle Mobile User Assistance Testing

In order to create a set of Oracle Mobile Applications patterns and guidelines that would reflect the needs of customers both in the US and other global areas, we conducted a set of user feedback sessions on messages with mobile application users in both the UK and the US. Participants were asked to consider scenarios that covered how they expected notifications to work, collaboration scenarios, how messages might display, specific wording alternatives for messages, and expectations for confirmation messages. The information gained from these interviews and sessions was used to validate assumptions, previous research findings, and anecdotal evidence, as well as to explore wants and needs for future releases of mobile applications for enterprise users. This information was then used to create a new set of patterns for mobile messaging, as well as to create guidelines for content of messages for our development teams.
RCC Cannot Compute Certain FSA, Even with Arbitrary Transfer Functions

Existing proofs demonstrating the computational limitations of Recurrent Cascade Correlation and similar networks (Fahlman, 1991; Bachrach, 1988; Mozer, 1988) explicitly limit their results to units having sigmoidal or hard-threshold transfer functions (Giles et al., 1995; and Kremer, 1996). The proof given here shows that for any finite, discrete transfer function used by the units of an RCC network, there are finite-state automata (FSA) that the network cannot model, no matter how many units are used. The proof also applies to continuous transfer functions with a finite number of fixed-points, such as sigmoid and radial-basis functions.
Effects of Abscisic Acid on the Hydraulic Conductance of and the Total Ion Transport through Phaseolus Root Systems

The response of solute and volume fluxes of Phaseolus root systems to applied AbA was observed under conditions of applied pressure which were used to enhance the volume flow. The growth regulator elicited three separate responses: a transient release of solutes to the xylem which was responsible for an initial increase in volume flux; a long term increase in the total ion flux; and a long term decrease in the hydraulic conductance of the root systems. The exact response was highly dependent on the magnitude of the pre-AbA volume flux density, the relative contributions of osmotic and pressure-induced flow, and the applied dosage. Calculations suggested that the volume flux in naturally exuding root systems is relatively insensitive to changes in the conductance.
A beer a minute in Texas football: heavy drinking and the heroizing of the antihero in Friday Night Lights

This article applies a qualitative framing analysis to the first three seasons of the television series Friday Night Lights, focusing particularly on its incorporation of heavy drinking into narrative representations of the player whose character is most consistently central to the game of football as fictionally mediated in small-town Texas over the course of those three seasons. The analysis suggests that over the course of that period Friday Night Lights embeds nuanced social meanings in its framing of alcohol use by that player and other characters so as to associate it with multiple potential outcomes. Yet among those outcomes, the most dominant framing works to, in effect, reverse a progression through which media representations historically evolved from a heroic model toward an antihero model, with heavy drinking central to that narrative process of meaning-making in such messages. KW: American football KW: Pregaming Language: en
Rational design and selection of bivalent peptide ligands of thrombin incorporating P4–P1 tetrapeptide sequences: from good substrates to potent inhibitors

The tetrapeptide Phe-Asn-Pro-Arg is a structurally optimized sequence for binding to the active site of thrombin. By conjugating this tetrapeptide or some variants to a C-terminal fragment of hirudin, we were able to generate a series of new bivalent inhibitors of thrombin containing only genetically encodable natural amino acids. We found that synergistic binding to both the active site and an exosite of thrombin can be enhanced through substitutions of amino acid residues at the P 3 and P 3 ' sites of the active-site directed sequence, Phe(P 4 )-Xaa(P 3 )-Pro(P 2 )-Arg(P 1 )-Pro(P 1 ')-Gln (P 2 ')-Yaa(P 3 '). Complementary to rational design, a phage library was constructed to explore further the residue requirements at the P 4 , P 3 and P 3 ' sites for bivalent and optimized two-site binding. Very significantly, panning of the phage library has led to thrombin-inhibitory peptides possessing strong anti-clotting activities in the low nanomolar range and yet interfering only partially the catalytic active site of thrombin. Modes of action of the newly discovered bivalent inhibitors are rationalized in light of the allosteric properties of thrombin, especially the interplay between the proteolytic action and regulatory binding occurring at thrombin surfaces remote from the catalytic active site.
Gender difference in rat aorta vasodilation after acute exposure to high glucose: Involvement of protein kinase C β and superoxide but not of Rho Kinase

Objectives Several reports suggest that acute hyperglycemia affects male and female vascular beds differently. However, little is known about the interactions between hyperglycemia and gender in the vasculature. The objectives of our study were to investigate if there is a gender-based difference in the relaxation response of rat aorta after acute exposure to high glucose concentration, and the potential role of protein kinase C-beta (PKCβ), superoxide, and Rho kinase in the gender-specific effect of acute high glucose on the relaxation response. Methods Endothelium-dependent dilator responses to acetylcholine (ACh, 10−8 to 10−5 M) were obtained before and after 3 h treatment with Krebs' solution containing high glucose (46 mM) in aortic rings pre-contracted with phenylephrine (2 μM) taken from female and male Sprague–Dawley rats. Similar experiments were generated in the presence of 1 μM LY379196, a selective PKCβ inhibitor, 25 μM MnTMPyP, a superoxide dismutase mimetic, or 1 μM Fasudil, a Rho kinase inhibitor. Furthermore, protein expression of PKCβ isoforms was measured by Western blotting. Results We demonstrated that a 3 h incubation with elevated level of glucose impairs ACh responses only in the female rat aortic rings. Inhibition of PKCβ or superoxide production but not Rho kinase prevents the high glucose-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation of female rat aorta. In addition, PKCβ2 expression is significantly higher in the female rat aorta than that in male rat aorta. Conclusion These results suggest that the gender difference in the impairment of endothelium-dependent vasodilation after acute exposure to high glucose in rat aorta is possibly due to differences in PKCβ2 expression.