cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Professional Identity Development: A Grounded Theory of Transformational Tasks of New Counselors

Professional identity development is an important professional issue. Examining the lived experiences of counselors-in-training (CITs), the authors used grounded theory methodology to describe the transformational tasks that are required for professional identity development. Tasks include finding a personal definition of counseling, internalizing responsibility for professional growth, and developing a systemic identity—all simultaneously manifesting as students progress from focus on experts to self-validation. Counselor educators can facilitate movement through these transformational tasks by helping CITs to increase self-evaluating, self-motivating, and self-locating within a professional community.
Establishing the optimal sizes of different kinds of biorefineries

This paper explores the factors that influence the optimal size of biorefineries and the resulting unit cost of biofuels produced by them. Technologies examined include dry grind corn to ethanol, lignocellulosic ethanol via enzymatic hydrolysis, gasification and upgrading to hydrogen, methanol, and Fischer Tropsch liquids, gasification of lignocellulosic biomass to mixed alcohols, and fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass to bio-oil. On the basis of gallons of gasoline equivalent (gge) capacity, optimally sized gasification-to-biofuels plants were found to be 50–100% larger than biochemical cellulosic ethanol plants. Biorefineries converting lignocellulosic biomass into transportation fuels were found to be optimally sized in the range of 240–486 million gge per year compared to 79 million gge per year for a grain ethanol plant. Among the biofuel options, ethanol, whether produced biochemically or thermochemically, is the most expensive to produce. Lignocellulosic biorefineries will require 4.7–7.8 million tons of biomass annually compared to 1.2 million tons of corn grain for a grain ethanol plant. Factors that could reduce the optimal size of lignocellulosic biorefineries are discussed. © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Cutaneous antibodies from channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), immune to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich) may induce apoptosis of Ich theronts

This study explored the existence of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Fouquet (Ich) theronts and determined the effect of cutaneous antibodies in skin culture fluid from fish immune to Ich on theront apoptosis. Apoptosis was detected in theronts and was clearly distinguished by fluorescent microscopy after staining with acridine orange and propidium iodide. The apoptotic theronts showed characteristic chromatin condensation and nuclear fragments containing chromatin pieces. The externalization of phosphatidylserine on the plasma membrane of apoptotic theronts was detected with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated annexin using flow cytometry. Theront apoptosis was induced using the skin culture fluid from fish immune to Ich, which contained cutaneous antibodies against Ich. The highest apoptosis appeared in theronts exposed to immune skin culture fluid at a 1:10 dilution, compared with those at 1:20 and 1:40 dilutions. A direct correlation was noted between the percentage of apoptotic theronts and exposure duration to immune skin culture fluid. The study indicated that antibody reaction with theronts (immobilization) played an important role in theront apoptosis, but it could not be excluded that other components released from the excised skin had effects on theronts.
Toxic effects of endrin and toxaphene on the southern leopard frog Rana sphenocephala

Abstract Eggs, larvae and sub-adults of the southern leopard frog Rana sphenocephala were exposed to endrin and toxaphene. Exposure was in water by a continuous-flow technique, following standards that have been used successfully in the study of fish and invertebrates. R. sphenocephala is more sensitive to both pesticides than are higher vertebrates but is slightly less sensitive than fish. Eggs seem to be resistant to the effects of both pesticides and are probably poor indicators of environmental hazard. The toxic level of endrin is about equal in larvae and transformed frogs (LC50, 0·005-0·015 ppm). Toxaphene is less toxic to sub-adults (LC50, 0·37-0·790 ppm) than to larvae (LC50, 0·032-0·054 ppm). Delayed mortality, behavioural aberrations and effects on growth have been seen in toxaphene-dosed larvae observed over 30-day periods. Behavioural effects are more severe than those reported in other groups of animals. Effects on growth resulting from a 96-h exposure begin in the 0·013-0·018 ppm range. The maximum accumulation of residues observed for each chemical represented bioconcentration factors of about 100. Endrin residues are apparently lost more readily than toxaphene residues; relative depuration rates correlate well with the time course of toxic action in each chemical. Although less sensitive to these pesticides than fish, amphibians may not be protected in their natural habitats. Future studies of the effects of toxicants on amphibians should employ larvae if only one stage can be tested, should expose subjects for at least 96 h and should continue observations for a total of at least 30 days.
Laparoscopic resection of a large hepatic tumor

Increasing experience among surgeons and a proliferation of endoscopic instrumentation have allowed a greater number of intraabdominal organs to be approached laparoscopically. Procedures once delegated to standard open technique are now attempted laparoscopically with increasing success. The following case report describes the laparoscopic removal of a large segment IV liver tumor. A review of the literature shows this to be one of the most complex hepatic lesions to be removed laparoscopically to date.
Poly(arylene ether sulfone) multi-block copolymers bearing perfluoroalkylsulfonic acid groups

Abstract Poly(arylene ether sulfone) (PAES) multi-block copolymers bearing perfluoroalkylsulfonic acid moieties were prepared from hydrophilic and hydrophobic prepolymers. The latter were synthesized by reaction of N , N -diisopropylethylammonium 2,2-bis( p -hydroxyphenyl)pentafluoropropanesulfonate (HPPS) with bis-(4-fluorophenyl) sulfone (FPS), and biphenol (BP) with FPS, respectively. Prepolymers and multi-block copolymers were prepared at 180 °C in N , N -dimethylacetamide in the presence of K 2 CO 3 . The prepolymers were reacted overnight; the multi-block copolymers were reacted only 80 min to minimize transetherification. Prepolymers and multi-block copolymers were characterized using 1 H and 13 C NMR. 19 F NMR provided molecular weight of hydrophilic prepolymers bearing aryl fluoride end groups. GPC was used to characterize the multi-block copolymers. Copolymer block lengths were determined by quantifying 13 C NMR peak areas of quaternary carbon atoms adjacent to sulfur in FPS moieties. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic block lengths were in the range 9.4–23.4 and 4.4–11.8 repeating units, respectively. AFM showed phase separation for all block lengths. Conductivity at 80 °C and 100% relative humidity ranged from 6.2 to 34.3 mS/cm, with the best value obtained for hydrophilic/hydrophobic block lengths of 13.3/6.0.
Integration of neuropsychological and cognitive theory in rehabilitation

Clinical neuropsychology has focused on the diagnosis and localization of brain damage. Much of the early progress in the field relied upon an atheoretical-actuarial approach. Recently a link between neuropsychology and cognitive psychology has emerged. From the early focus upon brain-behavior relationships, neurocognitive theories have emerged to explain observed brain functions. Although many researchers have enjoyed the collaboration between neuropsychology and cognitive psychology, others continue to investigate functions without considering the merging of finds. This article reviews integrative elements of cognitive and neuropsychological research and the emergence of cognitive neuropsychology.
Use of variance techniques to measure dry air-surface exchange rates

The variances of fluctuations of scalar quantities can be measured and interpreted to yield indirect estimates of their vertical fluxes in the atmospheric surface layer. Strong correlations among scalar fluctuations indicate a similarity of transfer mechanisms, which is utilized in some of the variance techniques. The ratios of the standard deviations of two scalar quantities, for example, can be used to estimate the flux of one if the flux of the other is measured, without knowledge of atmospheric stability. This is akin to a modified Bowen ratio approach. Other methods such as the normalized standard-deviation technique and the correlation-coefficient technique can be utilized effectively if atmospheric stability is evaluated and certain semi-empirical functions are known. In these cases, iterative calculations involving measured variances of fluctuations of temperature and vertical wind velocity can be used in place of direct flux measurements. For a chemical sensor whose output is contaminated by non-atmospheric noise, covariances with fluctuations of scalar quantities measured with a very good signal-to-noise ratio can be used to extract the needed standard deviation. Field measurements have shown that many of these approaches are successful for gases such as ozone and sulfur dioxide, as well as for temperature and water vapor, and could be extended to other trace substances. In humid areas, it appears that water vapor fluctuations often have a higher degree of correlation to fluctuations of other trace gases than do temperature fluctuations; this makes water vapor a more reliable companion or “reference” scalar. These techniques provide some reliable research approaches but, for routine or operational measurement, they are limited by the need for fast-response sensors. Also, all variance approaches require some independent means to estimate the direction of the flux.
Servers and data centers energy performance metrics

Abstract A thermodynamic approach for evaluating energy performance (productivity) of information technology (IT) servers and data centers is presented. This approach is based on the first law efficiency to deliver energy performance metrics defined as the ratio of the useful work output (server utilization) to the total energy expanded to support the corresponding computational work. These energy performance metrics will facilitate proper energy evaluation and can be used as indicators to rank and classify IT systems and data centers regardless of their size, capacity or physical location. The current approach utilizes relevant and readily available information such as the total facility power, the servers’ idle power, the average servers’ utilization, the cooling power and the total IT equipment power. Experimental simulations and analysis are presented for a single and a dual-core IT server, and similar analysis is extended to a hypothetical data center. The current results show that the server energy efficiency increases with increasing CPU utilization and is higher for a multi-processor server than for a single-processor server. This is also true at the data center level however with a lower relative performance indicator value than for the server level.
Can you squeeze a tomato? The role of motor representations in semantic sensibility judgments

Abstract Five experiments assessed whether priming a hand shape facilitated judgments about the sensibility of actions performed with objects. Primes specified the hand shape's size (full hand or part) and whether operative fingers were flexed or extended. These dimensions define four prototypical shapes: pinch (part, flexed), poke (part, extended), clench (full, flexed), and palm (full, extended). Primes were verbal in Experiments 1–3 and “iconic” in Experiments 4–5. In Experiments 1–4, subjects were initially trained to enact the shape, given a prime. They then judged the sensibility of verbal action/object pairs, such as “eat a carrot,” which were preceded by a neutral or informative prime. Response times were consistently reduced, relative to the neutral condition, when both dimensions of the hand shape were primed. In Experiment 5, subjects were trained to vocalize a hand-shape label, given a prime, and no priming effect subsequently occurred. These results suggest a cognitive/motoric representation of the hand with which actions on objects can be modeled, and the results can be interrogated.
ON THE STRUCTURE AND EXTENDIBILITY OF SQUARE-FREE WORDS

ABSTRACT A word is said to be square-free if it contains no identical blocks which are located adjacent to each other. Let S be the set of square-free Ω-words on three letters all having a common two-letter initial segment. It is shown that any square-free word on three letters which is an initial segment of some w * in S must be an initial segment of uncountably many members of S , i.e. S is a perfect set. Moreover, any square-free word on three letters, w which is an initial segment of a sufficiently long word on three letters, W , is in fact an initial segment of some Ω-word, w * in S .
Progress in the development of new treatments for combined Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

Misfolding of synaptic molecules such as amyloid β peptide and α-synuclein has been proposed to play a key role in the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, respectively. Notably, the majority of patients with Alzheimer's disease also have α-synuclein-immunoreactive Lewy bodies, and a substantial proportion of them develop a form of parkinsonism also known as Lewy body disease, that defies conventional therapies. Thus, factors involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease might promote the development of particularly recalcitrant forms of Lewy body disease. We have shown that the amyloid β peptide 1-42, of Alzheimer's disease, promotes the toxic conversion of α-synuclein and accelerates α-synuclein-dependent deficits in transgenic mice. Understanding the mechanisms promoting the toxic conversion of α-synuclein is of critical importance for the design of rationale treatments for Lewy body disease and transgenic models hold the promise for the development of such novel therapies. In this context therapies aimed at: (1) reducing amyloid β peptide 1-42 production, (2) blocking toxic α-synuclein oligomerization (e.g., β-synuclein, antioxidants), (3) promoting α-synuclein protofibril degradation, and (4) protecting neurons (e.g., anti-oxidants, neurotrophic agents) against toxic α-synuclein aggregates might prove to be significantly useful in the treatment of Lewy body disease. We characterized β-synuclein, the non-amyloidogenic homologue of α-synuclein, as an inhibitor of aggregation of α-synuclein. Our results raise the intriguing possibility that β-synuclein might be a natural negative regulator of α-synuclein aggregation, and that a similar class of endogenous factors might modulate the toxic conversion of other molecules involved in neurodegeneration. Such an anti-amyloidogenic property of β-synuclein in combination with other treatments might also provide a novel strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Drug Dev. Res. 56:282–292, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Surface tensions of solutions containing dicarboxylic acid mixtures

Abstract Organic solutes tend to lower the surface tension of cloud condensation nuclei, allowing them to more readily activate. The surface tension of various dicarboxylic acid aerosol mixtures was measured at 20 °C using the Wilhelmy plate method. At lower concentrations, the surface tension of a solution with equi-molar mixtures of dicarboxylic acids closely followed that of a solution with the most surface-active organic component alone. Measurements of surface tension for these mixtures were lower than predictions using Henning's model and the modified Szyszkowski equation, by ∼1–2%. The calculated maximum surface excess (Γ max ) and inverse Langmuir adsorption coefficient ( β ) from the modified Szyszkowski equation were both larger than measured values for 6 of the 7 mixtures tested. Accounting for the reduction in surface tension in the Kohler equation reduced the critical saturation ratio for these multi-component mixtures – changes were negligible for dry diameters of 0.1 and 0.5 μm, but a reduction from 1.0068 to 1.0063 was seen for the 4-dicarboxylic acid mixture with a dry diameter of 0.05 μm.
Chloromethyl) lithium in an efficient conversion of carbonyl compounds to chlorohydrins or oxiranes

Abstract (Chloromethyl)lithium has been generated and captured in nearly quantitative yields by addition of n -butyllithium or methyllithium to mixtures of chloroiodomethane with aldehydes or ketones in THF at −78 °C. Immediate acidification yields chlorohydrins, delayed workup yields epoxides.
AGING, BRAIN SIZE, AND IQ

Abstract Brain size and certain aspects of intellectual functioning, in particular nonverbal, perceptual-motor abilities as measured by the Performance Intellectual Quotient (PIQ) of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), decline with age. This investigation examined whether cross-sectional rates of decline for brain volume and PIQ were equivalent over the years 16–65. Whole brain volume changes determined by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques, were based on normative data presented by Blatter et al. (1995). PIQ sums of scaled scores were from the WAIS-R standardization sample as analyzed by Kaufman et al. (1991). Results of univariate regression analyses indicate remarkably similar rates of decline. The potential relationships between magnetic resonance (MR) identified anatomic atrophic changes in whole brain volume and perceptual-motor decline associated with age is discussed.
Comment on "Measurement of the Lamb shifts in singlet levels of atomic helium"

Lichten, Shiner, and Zhou [Phys. Rev. A 43, 1663 (1991)] have stated that their precision measurements of Rydberg states of helium confirm the existence of intra-atomic Casimir forces. This interpretation misidentifies the Casimir-force shift, which in fact is too small to be detected with their present level of accuracy.
Global analysis of general SU(2) × SU(2) × U(1) models with precision data

We present the results of a global analysis of a class of models with an extended electroweak gauge group of the form $SU(2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}SU(2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1)$, often denoted as $G(221)$ models, which include as examples the left-right, the leptophobic, the hadrophobic, the fermiophobic, the un-unified, and the nonuniversal models. Using an effective Lagrangian approach, we compute the shifts to the coefficients in the electroweak Lagrangian due to the new heavy gauge bosons, and obtain the lower bounds on the masses of the ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ and ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ bosons. The analysis of the electroweak parameter bounds reveals a consistent pattern of several key observables that are especially sensitive to the effects of new physics and thus dominate the overall shape of the respective parameter contours.
Rapid preparation of hexanucleotide triester blocks fior use in polydeoxyribonucleotide synthesis

Abstract Hexanucleotide phosphotriester blocks suitable for use in the construction of polydeoxyribonucleotides can be synthesized in high yield by a rapid procedure involving simple extractive purification of intermediates.
The Plasma Separator Ion Engine

A conceptual breakthrough in ion engines for space flight will allow the optimization of the ion source and the accelerator system independently. Generation losses (less than 100 w/a ions) haw been measured which are much lower than alternative approaches. Calculated engine performance curves show higher thrust and efficiency than other ion engines and less propellant consumption than the arc-jet. Ion trajectories, calculated by a digital computer program, show no direct impingement. Efficient low current density operation is feasible, with greatly increased engine life.
Smart structures and intelligent systems for health monitoring and diagnostics

“Smart and intelligent” structures are defined as structures capable of monitoring their own “health” condition and structural behavior, such structures are capable of sensing external environmental conditions, making decisions, and sending the information to other locations. Available conventional devices and systems are not technologically mature for such applications. New classes of miniature devices and networking systems are urgently needed for such applications. In this paper, two examples of the successful work achieved so far, in biomedical application of smart structures, are presented. The first one is based on the development of a smart bone fixation device for rehabilitation and treatment. This device includes a smart composite bar that can sense physical stress applied to the fractured bones, and send the information to the patient's physician remotely. The second is on the development of smart fabrics for many applications including health monitoring and diagnostics. Successful development of such smart fabrics with embedded fiber optic sensors and networks is mainly dependent on the development of the proper miniature sensor technology, and on the integration of these sensors into textile structures. The developed smart structures will be discussed and samples of the results will be presented.
Pleiotropic Effects of Chemokines in Vascular Lesion Development

In the current issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology , Roque et al1 studied the response to arterial injury in animals deficient in the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) receptor, CCR2. One month after the insult, CCR2 knockout mice showed a profound reduction in intimal area compared with their wild-type littermates. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference in leukocyte accumulation in the arterial wall between the two groups. The authors acknowledge that vascular wounding in mice does not necessarily recapitulate the biology of human atherogenesis or even percutaneous interventions. Nonetheless, the results of their studies are extremely provocative. These unanticipated findings contrast with our preconceived notions of direct links between chemokines, leukocyte accumulation, and vascular lesions. See page 554 The prevailing dogma suggests that aberrant chemokine production is induced by noxious stimuli such as oxidized LDL,2 or as in this case, by mechanical forces.3 Lesion development is then propagated by chemokine-triggered leukocyte accumulation via two mechanisms, enhanced firm adhesion and chemotaxis. In the bloodstream, chemokines play a critical role in the initial step of leukocyte infiltration, within seconds converting leukocyte tethering or rolling on the vascular endothelium to firm arrest via the activation of leukocyte surface integrins.4,5⇓ …
Population ecology and monitoring of the endangered Devils Hole pupfish

We assessed four potential sources of error in estimating size of the population of Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis); net, time of day, diver, and order of diver. Experimental dives (3/day) were conducted during 4 days in July 2009. Effects of the four sources of error on estimates from dive surveys were analyzed using a split-split plot ANOVA. Diver and order of diver had no significant influence on estimates, whereas the effect of presence or absence of a net was significant. Effects of time of day and presence or absence of a net showed a significant interaction with depth of water. Results indicated that pupfish may move upward during the dive, and as a result, the standard methods of dive surveys may underestimate abundance. RESUMEN—En este estudio, nosotros organizamos una serie de sesiones de buceo experimentales para evaluar cuatro fuentes de error que posiblemente influyen los calculos aproximados de la poblacion—la red, la hora del dia, el buzo, y el orden de los buzos. Estas sesiones de buceo experimentales incluian cuatro dias de buceo en julio de 2009, con tres 1 Graduate student and Associate Professor, respectively, Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University. 2 Assistant Unit Leader, U.S. Geological Survey Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Idaho. 3 Professor, Department of Statistics, Iowa State University. 4 Fish biologist, U.S. Forest Service – Bighorn National Forest. 5 Aquatic biologist and fish biologist, respectively, U.S. Park Service – Death Valley National Park.
Evaluating the potential for trophodynamic control of fish by the longfin inshore squid (Loligo pealeii) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Many marine apex predator populations have been depleted via targeted fishing, potentially enhancing the productivity of lower trophic-level species such as squid. Squid may be predators of juvenile stages of fish stocks, so fishing could induce depensatory juvenile mortality. Here we evaluate the energetic potential of the longfin inshore squid (Loligo pealeii) to exert trophodynamic control on recruitment of several commercially important fish populations. We estimated the population prey consumption of L. pealeii by developing bioenergetics and population models based on previously published data. Our predictions of population consumption showed that squid consume high quantities of prey on daily and seasonal time scales. Further, comparisons between our estimates of population consumption and fish recruitment biomass indicate that L. pealeii may potentially exert a trophodynamic control on the recruitment success of commercially exploited fish species even if these species are only a minor prey item o...
Impact of Research and Technical Change in Wildland Recreation: Evaluation Issues and Approaches

The development and diffusion of new technologies have had tremendous impacts on wildland recreation in recent decades. This article examines the potential economic impacts of research and technical change in wildland recreation. Two evaluation models are presented, a cost-price approach and a research intensity model, which are intended to shed some light on the question of whether society has over- or underinvested in recreation research. These two evaluation models are applied to the case of recreation on the U.S. National Forest system. The cost-price analysis indicates that the economic benefits of past U.S. Forest Service recreation research would only need to be extremely small-about 3? per recreation visitor day in present value terms-to justify past research expenditures in economic terms. The research intensity analysis revealed that the intensity of Forest Service recreation research is about 20 times less than all Forest Service research, suggesting a possible underinvestment in recreation research.
Identification of a Defensin from the Hemolymph of the American Dog Tick, Dermacentor variabilis

Hemolymph from partially fed virgin Dermacentor variabilis females was collected following Borrelia burgdorferi challenge and assayed for antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and B. burgdorferi. A small inducible cationic peptide was identified by SDS-PAGE in the hemolymph of these ticks as early as 1h post challenge. Following purification by a three-step procedure involving sequential SepPak elution, reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and gel electrophoresis, the yield of the active peptide was approximately 0.1% of the total protein in the hemolymph plasma. The molecular weight, 4.2kDa, was determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. N-terminal sequencing by the Edman degradation method gave a sequence for the first 30 amino acids as: G-F-G-C-P-L-N-Q-G-A-C-H-N-H-C-R-S-I-(R)-(R)-(R)-G-G-Y-C-S-Q-I-I-K. A computer search of databases showed that the peptide had 83% similarity to a defensin found in a scorpion. This is the first report of a defensin from a tick. The peptide was stable at least up to 70 degrees C. Although the tick defensin alone was not immediately effective against B. burgdorferi, tick defensin plus lysozyme killed more than 65% of cultured B. burgdorferi within 1h.
Identification of a Novel Repressive Element That Contributes to Neuron-Specific Gene Expression

Multiple signaling pathways are thought to control the selective expression of genes over the course of neuronal differentiation. One approach to elucidating these pathways is to identify specific cis-acting elements that serve as the final targets for these signaling pathways in neural-specific genes. We now identify a novel repressive element from the growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) gene that can contribute to neuron-specific gene expression by inhibiting transcription in a wide range of non-neuronal cell types. This repressive element is located downstream of the GAP-43 TATA box and is highly position-dependent. When transferred to viral promoters this element preferentially inhibits transcription in non-neuronal cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that the repressive element comprises at least two protein recognition sites. One of these is a novel sequence motif that we designate the SNOG element, because it occurs downstream of the TATA boxes of the synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa and neuronal nitric oxide synthase genes, as well as the GAP-43 gene. The GAP-43 repressive element is distinct in sequence and position dependence from the repressor element 1/neuron-restrictive silencer element previously described in other neural genes and therefore is a likely target for a distinct set of signaling pathways involved in the control of neuronal differentiation.
SNR Estimation for a Non-Coherent Binary Frequency Shift Keying Receiver

This paper deals with the problem of estimating the average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a communication system employing non-coherent binary frequency shift keying (NCBFSK) over fading channels with white Gaussian noise (AWGN). The maximum likelihood (ML) estimator and one using data statistics have been derived and simulated for various scenarios including data-aided (DA), non-data aided (NDA) and joint estimation using both the data and pilot sequences. We also derive the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) for the estimators. The results show that for a particular region of interest (e.g. high SNR or low SNR) and depending upon the availability of pilot sequence, a particular SNR estimation scheme is suitable.
Stress tolerance in plants via habitat-adapted symbiosis

We demonstrate that native grass species from coastal and geothermal habitats require symbiotic fungal endophytes for salt and heat tolerance, respectively. Symbiotically conferred stress tolerance is a habitat-specific phenomenon with geothermal endophytes conferring heat but not salt tolerance, and coastal endophytes conferring salt but not heat tolerance. The same fungal species isolated from plants in habitats devoid of salt or heat stress did not confer these stress tolerances. Moreover, fungal endophytes from agricultural crops conferred disease resistance and not salt or heat tolerance. We define habitat-specific, symbiotically-conferred stress tolerance as habitat-adapted symbiosis and hypothesize that it is responsible for the establishment of plants in high-stress habitats. The agricultural, coastal and geothermal plant endophytes also colonized tomato (a model eudicot) and conferred disease, salt and heat tolerance, respectively. In addition, the coastal plant endophyte colonized rice (a model monocot) and conferred salt tolerance. These endophytes have a broad host range encompassing both monocots and eudicots. Interestingly, the endophytes also conferred drought tolerance to plants regardless of the habitat of origin. Abiotic stress tolerance correlated either with a decrease in water consumption or reactive oxygen sensitivity/generation but not to increased osmolyte production. The ability of fungal endophytes to confer stress tolerance to plants may provide a novel strategy for mitigating the impacts of global climate change on agricultural and native plant communities.
Numbers and Newness: The Descriptive and Substantive Representation of Women

Abstract. The concept of “critical mass,” drawn from physics and organizational behaviour literatures, has been employed by women and politics scholars as a potential theoretical underpinning for explaining and predicting women's substantive representation in national legislatures. This article examines two number-based theories of women's substantive representation—critical mass theory and sex-ratio proportional theory—and assesses their theoretical utility. It then proposes the alternative of focusing on the impact of newness, or a substantial increase in the number and proportion of women elected for the first time, on women's substantive representation. The article identifies research design issues and discusses the intersection of “newness” and “numbers” for evaluating women's substantive representation in parliaments. Offering a range of hypotheses for testing, it concludes by identifying an irony for critical mass research and by underscoring the necessarily gendered nature of the newness-numbers intersection.Resume. Le concept de “ masse critique ” issu de la physique et de la recherche en comportement organisationnel a ete utilise par les specialistes du rapport femmes et politique comme modele theorique possible pour expliquer et predire la representation substantive des femmes dans les legislatures nationales. Cet article se propose d'examiner deux theories quantitatives de la representation substantive des femmes et d'evaluer leur utilite theorique : 1. la theorie de la masse critique et 2. la theorie proportionnelle du sex ratio, et propose un autre modele base sur l'incidence de la nouveaute, ou une augmentation sensible dans le nombre et les proportions de femmes elues pour la premiere fois, sur la representation substantive des femmes. L'article se penche sur les questions de methodologie de la recherche et analyse l'interet du point d'intersection “ nouveaute ” et “ chiffres ” pour l'evaluation de la representation substantive des femmes dans les parlements. A partir d'un choix d'hypotheses permettant d'evaluer ces modeles, l'article conclut en identifiant une ironie en ce qui concerne la recherche de masse critique et en soulignant le fait que la nature du point d'intersection nouveaute/chiffres est forcement marquee par le genre.
Social Competence and Social Skills Training and Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study examined the effectiveness of a 30 week social competence and social skills group intervention program with children, ages 7-11, diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Eighteen children with ASD were assessed with pretreatment and posttreatment measures on the Walker-McConnell Scale (WMS) and the MGH YouthCare Social Competence Development Scale. Each received the 30-week intervention program. For comparison, a matched sample of ten non-ASD children was also assessed, but received no treatment. The findings indicated that each ASD intervention group demonstrated significant gains on the WMS and significant improvement in the areas of anxiety management, joint attention, and flexibility/transitions. Results suggest that this approach can be effective in improving core social deficits in individuals with ASD.
Computational Design for Long-Term Numerical Integration of the Equations of Fluid Motion

The integral constraints on quadratic quantities of physical importance, such as conservation of mean kinetic energy and mean square vorticity, will not be maintained in finite difference analogues of the equation of motion for two-dimensional incompressible flow, unless the finite difference Jacobian expression for the advection term is restricted to a form which properly represents the interaction between grid points, as derived in this paper. It is shown that the derived form of the finite difference Jacobian prevents nonlinear computational instability and thereby permits long-term numerical integrations.
Epistemic Instrumentalism and Reasons for Belief: A Reply to Tom Kelly’s “Epistemic Rationality as Instrumental Rationality: A Critique”

Tom Kelly argues that instrumentalist accounts of epistemic rationality fail because what a person has reason to believe does not depend upon the content of his or her goals. However, his argument fails to distinguish questions about what the evidence supports from questions about what a person ought to believe. Once these are distinguished, the instrumentalist can avoid Kelly’s objections. The paper concludes by sketching what I take to be the most defensible version of the instrumentalist view.
Identification of a p53 response element in the promoter region of the hMSH2 gene required for expression in A2780 ovarian cancer cells.

Defects in the human MSH2 mismatch repair system have been implicated in cellular mutagenesis, tumorigenesis, and chemotherapeutic resistance. The current studies characterized the 5′ upstream proximal promoter region of thehMSH2 gene using transient transfection of A2780 ovarian cancer cells. Serial deletions of a 1.88-kb fragment of the proximal promoter region of the hMSH2 gene revealed that promoter activity was restricted to the first −281 bp. Targeted deletions within this −281 bp region coupled with specific sequence mutagenesis identified a response element for the p53 tumor suppressor protein located between −242 and −222 bp. The −242 hMSH2 p53 element is configured as a direct tandem repeat palindrome with 80% homology to the p53 consensus binding sequence. Co-transfection of anhMSH2 reporter and p53 expression vector into the p53-null cell line SK-OV-3 produced 10-fold enhanced transcription, which was lost when the −242 to −222 p53 binding site was mutated. These results clearly demonstrate the presence of a previously unidentified p53 response element in the hMSH2 proximal promoter. Its location at −242 bp upstream of the start site of transcription is distinct from two previously reported p53 sites at −447 and −416, which transactivate in Saos-2 cells (Scherer, S. J., Maier, S. M., Seifert, M., Hanselmann, R. G., Zang, K. D., Muller-Hermelink, H. K., Angel, P., Welter, C., and Schartl, M. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 37469–37473). Finally, in sharp contrast to their activity in Saos-2 cells, deletion of the −447 and −416 sites in A2780 cells had no effect onhMSH2 promoter activity. Thus, it appears that p53 regulates hMSH2 expression through multiple cell type-specific DNA response elements.
Polyomavirus Infection in a Free-Ranging California Sea Lion (Zalophus Californianus) with Intestinal T-Cell Lymphoma

An adult female California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) that stranded in central California was found to have a small glossal polypoid mass on gross necropsy. Histologically, the mass was consistent with a fibropapilloma, and intranuclear inclusions were found within endothelial cells lining small arterioles within the mass. Electron microscopy revealed 40-nm virions within endothelial intranuclear inclusions. Rolling circle amplification was used to obtain a partial viral genomic sequence. Sequence analysis identified the virus as a novel polyomavirus, tentatively named California sea lion polyomavirus 1. In addition, the sea lion had a severely thickened small intestine and swollen pale kidneys on gross examination. Severe renal amyloidosis with chronic interstitial nephritis was diagnosed histologically as well as T-cell intestinal lymphoma, which was confirmed via immunophenotyping and molecular clonality. The relationship, if any, between polyomavirus infection and the other disease processes in this sea lion is not known, but it is considered unlikely that the polyomavirus induced the lymphoma.
Content based image retrieval from chest radiography databases

Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) has the potential to provide medical doctors with a powerful resource to help make accurate diagnosis. The main goal of CBIR is to efficiently retrieve images that are visually similar to a query image. In this paper we focus on CBIR from chest x-ray image databases. We describe a novel approach for extraction of region of interest (ROI), which is a bounding box of lung fields. The region is achieved by 3×3 key points based on density distribution of the chest x-ray image. Then we propose an elastic reformation registration algorithm based on the control points. A multi-dimensional feature space is used to represent the image content, including texture, edge, and descriptors based on filtering. Experiments results demonstrate that our approach can retrieve visually similar images effectively and increase the diagnostic accuracy.
Development of deposition models for paint application on surfaces embedded in /spl Ropf//sup 3/ for use in automated path planning

As part of an ongoing collaborative effort with the Ford Motor Company, our research aims to develop practical and efficient trajectory planning tools for automotive painting. This paper documents our efforts to develop analytic deposition models for electrostatic rotating bell (ESRB) atomizers, which have recently become widely used in the automotive painting industry. Conventional deposition models, used in earlier automatic trajectory planning tools, fail to capture the complexity of deposition patterns generated by ESRB atomizers. The models presented here take into account both the surface curvature and the deposition pattern of ESRB atomizers, enabling planning tools to optimize trajectories to meet several measures of quality, such as coating uniformity. In addition to the development of our models, we present experimental results used to evaluate our models, and verify the interaction between the deposition pattern, trajectory, and surface curvature.
Effect of Large Induction Motors on the Transient Stability of Power Systems

This paper reports preliminary results of an attempt to identify conditions under which large induction motors can positively impact the stability of a power system. This work also investigates the effect of using a dynamic model to represent the behavior of large induction motors in power system transient stability studies. The effect of induction motor on the transient stability of power system is studied using both a dynamic load model and a constant impedance load model and the results are compared. The work identifies some of those conditions under which the presence of a large induction motor can have certain positive effect on the transient stability of the system. It investigates the effect of some factors such as the proximity of the motor to the fault, and the type of induction motor load. The work also highlights the importance of using a dynamic model to represent induction motor behavior in transient stability studies.
Coordination Strategies for Assisted Viewpoint Interaction

Viewpoint manipulation in 3D interfaces is a complex, yet critical task. Viewers must balance the cognitive demands of understanding the layout of the environment while mastering the physical interaction required to position the viewpoint in meaningful locations. Various methods have been designed to automatically lead the viewer through a scene; however, these techniques often prove intrusive, leading viewers to struggle for control of the viewpoint. This paper formalizes four coordination strategies for assisting the user with viewpoint selection: Manual Override Contextual Override, Fixed Time and Parallel Viewing. The results of a user evaluation suggest that Manual Override and Parallel Viewing offer the greatest benefits to the user in selecting meaningful viewing parameters.
Survival of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in biofilms on livestock watering trough materials.

Abstract Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis ( Map ) is the causative agent of Johne's disease, a chronic enteric infection that affects ruminants. Despite the ubiquitous occurrence of Mycobacterium sp. in nature and the fact that Johne's disease has been reported worldwide, little research has been done to assess its survival in agricultural environments. The goal of this 365-day study was to evaluate the ability of Map to persist in mixed-community biofilms on materials commonly used to construct livestock watering troughs. Map was inoculated into 32 l of trough water containing either concrete, plastic, galvanized or stainless steel trough materials. The concentration of Map was determined by using quantitative, real-time PCR to target the IS 900 sequence in DNA extracts. High concentrations of Map were detected on all trough materials after 3 days (around 1 × 10 5 cells cm −2 ). Based on the best-fit slopes, the time required for a 99% reduction ( t 99 ) in biofilm-associated Map cells was 144 and 115 days for plastic and stainless steel trough materials, respectively. Map concentrations did not decrease on concrete and galvanized steel trough materials. These results suggest that Map survives well in biofilms present on livestock watering trough materials. To inhibit spread of this organism and exposure of susceptible animals to Map on infected farms, best management practices aimed at maintaining biofilm-free trough surfaces should be included in any Johne's control plan.
Improved docking, screening and selectivity prediction for small molecule nuclear receptor modulators using conformational ensembles

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand dependent transcriptional factors and play a key role in reproduction, development, and homeostasis of organism. NRs are potential targets for treatment of cancer and other diseases such as inflammatory diseases, and diabetes. In this study, we present a comprehensive library of pocket conformational ensembles of thirteen human nuclear receptors (NRs), and test the ability of these ensembles to recognize their ligands in virtual screening, as well as predict their binding geometry, functional type, and relative binding affinity. 157 known NR modulators and 66 structures were used as a benchmark. Our pocket ensemble library correctly predicted the ligand binding poses in 94% of the cases. The models were also highly selective for the active ligands in virtual screening, with the areas under the ROC curves ranging from 82 to a remarkable 99%. Using the computationally determined receptor-specific binding energy offsets, we showed that the ensembles can be used for predicting selectivity profiles of NR ligands. Our results evaluate and demonstrate the advantages of using receptor ensembles for compound docking, screening, and profiling.
Unified development of lateral-directional departure criteria

Several frequently used departure prediction indicators for both open- and closed-loop control of flight are developed using a unified, rigorous analytical approach applied to a linear version of the aircraft model. These criteria are for departure caused by aerodynamic disturbances only. It is shown that these indicators are limited in their accuracy because of restrictive assumptions and terms omitted. A second approach is presented that leads to the same results as the first, but is more applicable to the nonlinear problem. Some ideas concerning the application of the linear methods to the nonlinear problem are presented.