cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Branch Banking Restrictions and Finance Constraints in Early-Twentieth-Century America

This article studies the effects of branch banking restrictions on American firm investment and growth. Authors have suggested that the lack of widespread branching bank networks hindered the development of large-scale industrial firms. This article presents a model that implies that restrictions on branch banking cause the severity of external finance constraints to increase with firm size. This hypothesis is tested using a panel data set of over 250 firms for 1911-1922. Investment and growth sensitivities are significantly higher for large firms than for smaller firms, suggesting that branch banking restrictions hindered the expansion of large-scale firms. F or most of the early twentieth century the American banking system was more severely restricted by regulations than the system of almost every other developed nation. A particularly important set of these banking regulations prevented the formation of widespread branching networks. Banking laws prohibited nationally chartered banks from opening branches, and most state-chartered banks faced similar limitations. The result of these restrictions was a nationwide banking system composed mostly of individual unit banks. A substantial literature asserts that the restriction of branch banking hindered America's economic development.' Much of this literature contends the U.S. system of unit banking provided inadequate financing to large firms. Consequently, the investment and growth of these large firms may have been constrained relative to what they would have been in the absence of branching restrictions. Although existing research mostly supports the hypothesis that large firms may have been finance
Does jury deliberation really improve jurors' memories?

The courts assume that jury deliberation corrects errors in jurors' memories, so that the verdict is based on accurate memory for the trial. We evaluated the validity of this assumption by examining jurors' memories and verdicts both before and after deliberation. Unlike previous studies, we tracked how event memories changed as a function of how they were discussed in deliberation. Overall, deliberation resulted in only a slight memory improvement. Deliberation corrected errors and did not introduce distortions. Reasons for such slight memory improvement are that jurors did not think they had memory gaps and thus did not use the deliberation process to improve their memory, and jurors who controlled deliberation were not always the most accurate in their memories. Finally, those most likely to change their verdict as a result of deliberation were not those who had the least accurate memories, but rather those who had the least confidence in their memories. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Quantitative trait locus mapping and identification of Zhx2 as a novel regulator of plasma lipid metabolism.

Background —We previously mapped a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 15 in mice contributing to HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels and now report the identification of the underlying gene. Methods and Results —We first fine-mapped the locus by studying a series of congenic strains derived from the parental strains BALB/cJ and MRL/MpJ. Analysis of gene expression and sequencing followed by transgenic complementation led to the identification of zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2 (Zhx2), a transcription factor previously implicated in the developmental regulation of α-fetoprotein. Reduced expression of the protein in BALB/cJ mice resulted in altered hepatic transcript levels for several genes involved in lipoprotein metabolism. Most notably, the Zhx2 mutation resulted in a failure to suppress expression of lipoprotein lipase (Lpl), a gene normally silenced in the adult liver, and this was normalized in BALB/cJ mice carrying the Zhx2 transgene. Conclusions —We identified the gene underlying the chromosome 15 QTL and our results show that Zhx2 functions as a novel developmental regulator of key genes influencing lipoprotein metabolism.
An Experimental Test of Mobilization Effects in a Latino Community

This article describes a field experiment designed to test the efficacy of get-out-the-vote (GOTV) techniques in a new context and for an understudied population. It evaluates the effectiveness of nonpartisan GOTV messages delivered via personal contact and mail in a heavily Latino community during the 2004 presidential campaign. It proposes and tests an alternative model of voter turnout based on Zaller’s receive–accept–sample model of public opinion. The findings are consistent with the authors’ predictions; mobilization efforts increase turnout, but mobilization effects vary across citizens based on their propensity to vote. There is a large increase among episodic voters but little increase among habitual or registered nonvoters.
Automated FEM discretizations for the Stokes equation

Current FEM software projects have made significant advances in various automated modeling techniques. We present some of the mathematical abstractions employed by these projects that allow a user to switch between finite elements, linear solvers, mesh refinement and geometry, and weak forms with very few modifications to the code. To evaluate the modularity provided by one of these abstractions, namely switching finite elements, we provide a numerical study based upon the many different discretizations of the Stokes equations.
Unusual Solvent-dependent Photophysical and Self-assembly Properties of NO2 Substituted T-shaped Phenazines.

This paper investigates the importance of substituent placement when designing low-molecular mass π-organogelators. The electron-deficient NO2 substituent was systematically added to novel T-shaped phenazines to examine electronic as well as assembly properties. This T-shaped molecular platform promotes selective electronic tuning, which can be theoretically analyzed by examining the system's frontier molecular orbitals. Electronic properties were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, and comparisons were made based on number and placement of the NO2 group. Computational chemistry (B3LYP/6-31G*) was employed for geometry optimizations, and to generate molecular orbital diagrams for all systems. The most noticeable influence of NO2 position was found for two molecules with four NO2 groups placed at different locations about the molecule (T-34dNT and T-35dNT). A 0.13 eV difference in ELUMO was observed while EHOMO was not significantly impacted by this change only in NO2 placement. Interestingly and unexpectedly, the photophysical properties and solvent-dependent gelation properties were considerably different for T-34dNT and T-35dNT. T-34dNT exhibited a unique fluorescence (FL) solvatochromism, with FL intensity and maxima dependent on solvent polarity. This result is indicative of intramolecular charge transfer. In addition, long tailing at the solid-state absorption of T-34dNT suggests the presence of intermolecular charge transfer. The gelation of T-34dNT produced chromism ranging from red to orange to yellow when the solvents changed from acetonitrile to ethyl acetate to cyclohexane, respectively. T-35dNT gels in these solvents did not exhibit any of the same properties. Xerogel morphology characterizations were carried out using three different solvents for both T-34dNT and T-35dNT. In the case of T-34dNT, striking differences in the morphology were detected by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). We conclude that numbers of substituents are not the only consideration in effective molecular design for organogelators, but that substituent position plays a critical role in certain fundamental properties of these systems.
The politics of tax accounting in the United States: evidence from the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997

Abstract The purpose of this study is to utilize prior research in US Congressional politics, the accounting/state relationship, and corporate political activity to analyze corporations' political activities during the development and passage of the United States' Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Our study provides evidence consistent with the notion that large corporations exercise considerable political power during the state's formulation of new tax accounting laws. These findings lead us to question the applicability of a strict pluralist model in accounting policy research and have implications for future research in corporate political activity, corporate tax accounting, and the political economy of accounting.
Parameterized blind deconvolution of laser radar imagery using an anisoplanatic optical transfer function

Gated laser radar imaging systems hold unique promise for long-distance remote sensing applications. Short-exposure speckle imagery from wide field-of-view (FOV) systems may be used to jointly estimate maximum likelihood estimates of the remote scene together with the atmospheric seeing condition parameterized by Fried's parameter. Previous research has indicated that employment of the short-exposure optical transfer function (OTF) within the deconvolution algorithm yields slightly pessimistic estimates of Fried's parameter. It was postulated that the short-exposure OTF included excessive high spatial frequency components when applied to wide FOV systems, yielding seeing condition estimates of the imaging scenario that were slightly lower than if the atmospheric conditions admitted an anisoplanatic system imaging model. To better estimate Fried's parameter, an anisoplanatic OTF (AOTF) was developed using a tilt-only phase correlation approximation. This AOTF was used together with the short-exposure OTF within the MAP algorithm, and estimated seeing conditions were compared for both simulated and experimental wide FOV scenarios. It was found that the additional anisoplanatic blur components modeled by the AOTF increased the accuracy of the estimation of Fried's parameter from 5% to within 2% using simulated imagery, and from 8.6% to within 2.9% using experimentally collected image data.
Unsaturated Fatty Acid Regulation of AraC/XylS Transcription Factors

Members of the AraC/XylS family of transcription factors play key roles in regulating virulence in a variety of pathogenic bacteria, but to date the structures of only 4 AraC/XylS family members have been solved. In addition to a lack of structural data, for many of the family members, ligands have yet to be determined. Based on previous structural data obtained in our lab indicating that an unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) was the ligand for the AraC/Xyls family member ToxT, we set out to determine if the activities of other members of this family could be regulated by UFAs. We have used a combination of computational and biochemical methods to study the effect of UFAs on the activity of VirF of Yersinia enterocolitica and Rns of enterotoxigenic E. coli. Here we describe preliminary findings, supporting our hypothesis that these AraC/Xyls family members are repressed by fatty acids. Additionally we show progress towards producing a fifth high resolution structure of an Arac/XylS family protein.
Age differences in MMPI scale scores from 1,189 psychiatric patients

Investigated age-related differences in MMPI scale scores from 1,189 individuals (ages 20 to 64 years) who were applying for psychiatric treatment. All major scales except L, K, D, and SI showed statistically significant age group differences. In general, older patients had higher scores on HS and HY, while younger patients had higher scores on F, PD, PA, PT, SC, MA. These results underscore the importance of the age of the patient in the clinical interpretation of an individual protocol.
Enhanced surface dose via fine brass mesh for a complex skin cancer of the head and neck: Report of a technique

Abstract Purpose The use of fine brass mesh in conjunction with rotational intensity modulated radiation to enhance surface dose for a complex skin cancer of the head and neck has not previously been described. Methods and materials We present a case of locally advanced basal cell carcinoma with temporal bone erosion treated with rotational intensity modulated radiation via helical tomotherapy with brass mesh. In vivo surface dose was assessed at multiple locations to verify delivered surface dose. Phantom measurements identified the enhancement ratio with the addition of brass mesh, and evaluated impact on the underlying dose distribution. Results The brass mesh use was feasible and conformed well to the underlying surface. In vivo dosimetry identified excellent skin surface dose with a mean of 103% of the prescription dose at the surface (range, 97%-120%). Phantom measurements identified a surface dose enhancement ratio of 1.36, and 1.38, respectively, with placement of brass mesh. Clinically, the patient is without evidence of disease or major treatment sequelae at 12 months follow-up. Conclusions For complex cutaneous malignancies with irregular surfaces unsuitable for tissue equivalent bolus, brass mesh provides an alternate method of increasing surface dose if inadequate surface dosimetry is identified with phantom or in vivo measurements.
Thermodynamic and Structural Origins for the Extreme Stability of Taq DNA Polymerase

The thermal stability of Taq DNA polymerase is well known, and is the basis for its use in PCR. We have previously shown that at 25°C, Klentaq polymerase (the large fragment domain of Taq) has a folding free energy (ΔGfold) of −27 kcal/mole, making it one of the most stable monomeric proteins yet characterized. In contrast, Klenow polymerase has a ΔGfold of only −4.7 kcal/mole at 25°C, which is quite low for a protein of its size (68kDa). Here we report full stability curves ΔG versus temperature) for Klentaq and Klenow, which reveal that Klentaq's extreme free energy of folding originates from a significantly decreased entropic penalty of folding (ΔSconf). Structural analyses of the denatured-state ensembles for the two proteins indicate that the source of these energetics is a significantly smaller and less solvent accessible denatured state for Klentaq relative to Klenow. It is also notable that although the average denatured state diameter for Klenow is approximately 1.4X larger than for Klentaq, they both fall within the range for random-coil behavior.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Plane Analysis of Finite Multilayered Media With Multiple Aligned Cracks—Part II: Numerical Results

In Part I of this paper, elasticity solutions were developed for finite multilayered domains, weakened by aligned cracks, that are in a state of generalized plane deformation under two types of end constraints. In Part II we address computational aspects of the developed solution methodology that must be implemented numerically, and present new fundamental results that are relevant to modern technologically important applications involving defect criticality of multilayers. The computational aspects include discussion of the various parameters that influence the accuracy with which numerical results are generated and subsequent verification by a comparison with previously reported results in the limit, as the in-plane dimensions become very large and layer anisotropy vanishes. The present solution quantifies the thus far undocumented effects of finite dimensions, crack location, and material anisotropy due to a unidirectional fiber-reinforced layer's orientation on Mode I, II, and III stress intensity factors in composite multilayers with single and multiple interacting cracks under different loading and boundary conditions. These effects may have significant impact on defect criticality of advanced multilayered structures when cracks are in close proximity to vertical and horizontal boundaries.
Consequence of Cerulenin-Released Beta-Lactamase in Clinical Coliforms

Periplasmic β-lactamase of certain clinical coliforms was released, without affecting cell viability, by perturbation of the outer membrane utilizing the fatty acid-mimicking antibiotic cerulenin. Release of such compartmentalized β-lactamase, at high population density, seems to provide an extra margin of resistance to the organisms against cephaloridine.
Management of Oligohydramnios in Pregnancy

The finding of oligohydramnios in pregnancy is problematic. The various mechanisms that control amniotic fluid, the inability to precisely measure and quantify the amount, and the relevance of a "decreased" amount of fluid make the management of this finding unclear. Given the limited amount of data, the single deepest vertical pocket may be a better method than the amniotic fluid index to define oligohydramnios. A large prospective study is needed to develop the most optimal management recommendations, especially for idiopathic oligohydramnios at or near term.
THE PRODUCTIVITY OF A FESTUCA/AGROSTIS ALLUVIAL GRASSLAND AT 1700 FT IN THE NORTHERN PENNINES

A seasonal herbage dry-matter yield of 2400 lb/acre was obtained on a soil which by chemical analysis was infertile. Fertilizer treatment doubled yield. Monthly cuttings more than halved the yield but increased the mineral content. The highest levels of ash (8·04%) and nitrogen (3·75%) were obtained on the unfertilized sward in August, under the combined effect of sheep grazing and monthly clipping. Phosphorus levels were very low: 0·002% in the soil and 0·11% (August) in the grazed sward. The effect of varying cutting regimes and of a fertilizer treatment in the first year on yields over 4 years was measured. Little difference was detectable in the final year. Variability in the mineral content was found during the season. The August levels, under enclosure, on a dry-weight basis, were: ash 5·58%, calcium 0·45%, nitrogen 2·05%, phosphorus 0·13%, potash 1·75%, sodium 0·04% and magnesium 0·09%.
Ion exchange reactions of quaternary ammonium halides with wheat straw. Preparation of oil-absorbents

Abstract Products useful for removing emulsified oil from water were prepared by first heating wheat straw with sodium hydroxide solution and then subjecting the resulting product to an ion exchange reaction with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Comparison of sodium hydroxide solutions of varying concentrations showed that sufficient NaOH is needed to disrupt straw particles and produce a high surface area product; however, NaOH concentration must not be so high as to remove large amounts of hemicellulose, since the uronic acid substituents of hemicellulose are responsible for much of the ion exchange capacity of straw. Infrared spectroscopy of a typical straw-CTAB adduct indicated a C16 quaternary ammonium cation content of 3·9% by weight (13·7 meq per 100 g of adduct).
Power System Extreme Event Screening using Graph Partitioning

We propose a partitioning problem in a power system context that weighs the two objectives of minimizing cuts between partitions and maximizing the power imbalance between partitions. We then pose the problem in a purely graph theoretic sense. We offer an approximate solution through relaxation of the integer problem and suggest refinement using stochastic methods. Results are presented for the IEEE 30-bus and 118-bus electric power systems.
On the determination of the Debye-Waller factor and structure factors of NiAl by X-ray powder diffraction

A conventional powder X-ray diffraction experiment was performed on close-to stoichiometric β-NiAl (B2 structure) using a Cu target. From the integrated intensity data the lattice parameters and room temperature Debye-Waller factors of β-NiAl were determined. During the analysis of the integrated intensities, great care was taken to ensure proper treatment of extinction which was found to depend on the mosaic crystal size rather than the powder particle size. Other factors such as dispersion, thermal diffuse scattering and preferred orientation were found to have less of an effect on the integrated intensity analysis. As a result of this improved analytical procedure, Debye-Waller factors for β-NiAl were determined which are in close agreement with the accurate values obtained by single crystal X-ray and electron diffraction. This is in contrast with previous powder X-ray diffraction work on β-NiAl, where poor values of the Debye-Waller factor were usually obtained due to the failure to correct for extinction. The effects of bonding in the solid state were also examined and it was found that the use of accurate crystal structure factors for β-NiAl in the analysis as opposed to those calculated from free atom scattering factors had no significant effect on the experimental Debye-Waller factor values.
Newborn screening as a system from birth through lifelong care.

The American Academy of Pediatrics Newborn Screening Task Force1 called for a national agenda for state newborn screening programs. The Task Force members recognized that newborn screening was far more than the collection of blood from newborns on filter paper blotters, shipping the blotters to the state newborn screening lab, testing in the laboratory, and reporting the results of the screening test. They emphasized the importance of diagnosis, timely initiation of treatment and long-term follow-up within the context of a medical home and a subspecialty center. They recommended that there be a rational basis for the addition of new tests and a move to uniformity across states in the tests included. They encouraged parents and community members to be involved in newborn screening policy development.
Normal free space coupling of reflection-based fiber Bragg grating sensors embedded in composite materials

This paper investigates non-contact, surface normal interrogation of reflection-based fiber Bragg grating sensors embedded in composite materials. The approach is based on a novel polishing technique integrating high quality mirrors onto the optical fiber.
Cystic Dysplasia of the Rete Testis: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Cystic dysplasia of the rete testis (CDT) is a rare congenital defect, characterized by multiple irregular cystic spaces in the mediastinum of the testis that may involve the whole gonad. A review of the literature has shown 32 reported cases, the majority of which were associated with ipsilateral renal malformations (agenesis/cystic dysplasia). Pathogenesis may be attributed to an early insult involving mesonephric duct development. Although treatment is surgical, when feasible, a conservative or nonoperative approach is suggested. Here we report two cases, one in a 3-year-old boy and one in a 10-day-old newborn. Concomitant cystic dysplasia of ipsilateral kidney was present in the former patient, while CDT was the solitary finding in the latter patient. Orchiectomy was performed in both patients, for extensive gonad involvement in the older boy and for suspected gonad torsion in the newborn patient.
Linking conceptual mechanisms and transcriptomic evidence of plasticity-driven diversification

The East African cichlid fishes provide text book examples of adaptive radiation. Diversification and speciation of cichlids associate with variation in diet and trophic morphologies among other ecological, behavioural and morphological phenotypes (Kocher 2004). Numerous case studies in cichlids reveal a role of developmental plasticity in generating jaw ecomorphs in response to variation in feeding ecology that can facilitate niche exploitation and subsequent diversification (e.g. Meyer 1987). Specifically, genetic divergence among such environmentally induced morphs can occur via reproductive isolation due to divergence in habitat and resource use in combination with genetic assimilation of environmentally induced phenotypes (West-Eberhard 2003; Pfennig et al. 2010). Expansion of this conceptual model has been hampered in part by the limited knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of plasticity in nonstandard model systems and the associated lack of evidence linking the molecular mechanisms of plasticity to those that generate phenotypic divergence among populations and taxa. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Gunter et al. (2013) identify the transcriptional mechanisms of diet-induced lower pharyngeal jaw (LPJ) plasticity in the cichlid fish Astatoreochromis alluaudi. Natural populations of A. alluaudi exhibit variation in jaw morphology in relation to diet hardness. Among the plastic responses to diet are adjustments to the LPJ ranging from a robust molariform morph in response to a hard diet to a more gracile papilliform morph in response to a soft diet (Fig. 1). Gunter and colleagues induced developmental plasticity of the A. alluaudi jaw using diet manipulations and compared LPJ transcriptomic profiles of the resulting morphs. In this foundational work, the authors identify 187 differentially expressed genes that underlie the development and maintenance of diet-induced LPJ morphologies. This list includes a wide range of genes spanning from broad-acting transcription factors to signalling molecules and structural genes. Here, I examine the ontogeny of the molecular response to mechanical strain imposed by diet hardness and discuss the role of the stages of this response in the evolution of plasticity and plasticity-driven diversification.
Structural Contingency Theory: A Multivariate Test:

This paper reconsiders structural contingency theory. It presents a discussion of the methodological underpinnings which surround the research activities of this theory. Two research strategies are reviewed. They entail a multivariate examination of the structure-environment-effectiveness relationship. One of these strategies examines deviations from ideal structural profiles, while the second one involves a canonical correlation analysis between structural and environmental attributes for low and high effectiveness units. The results from field research in a commercial bank are used to illustrate the two analysis strategies. They indicate that effective organizational units show strong structure-environment interrelationships and lead one to conclude that there are indeed effectiveness-induced constraints on the choice of an organization's design or its environment. The methodological and conceptual implications of the findings are then discussed.
Interaction with CA4-derived fibers accounts for distribution of septohippocampal fibers in rat fascia dentata after entorhinal lesion

Abstract When the perforant path innervation of the rat fascia dentata is removed, cholinergic septohippocampal fibers proliferate and partially replace it. However, the septohippocampal fibers reinnervate only a portion of the perforant path terminal zone; CA4-derived fibers grow into the remaining portion. We tested the possibility that septohippocampal fibers would fill the entire perforant path terminal zone; if CA4-derived fibers were not present. For this purpose, perforant path and CA4-derived fibers were selectively destroyed, either simultaneously or sequentially. If the two lesions were made simultaneously or if the CA4 projection was first destroyed with kainic acid, septohippocampal fibers indeed proliferated in the entire perforant path terminal zone. When perforant path fibers were destroyed first, however, subsequent destruction of the CA4 projection had no further effect on the growth of septohippocampal fibers. They continued to occupy only a portion of the denervated perforant path terminal zone. These data, together with previous results, suggest that, after a perforant path lesion, growing CA4-derived fibers literally push septohippocampal fibers before them, thus limiting the region within which the latter can proliferate. Similarly, repulsion by the residual CA4-derived fibers may account for the limited ability of septohippocampal fibers to grow into a zone denervated by partial destruction of the CA4 projection.
Note on a Paper by G. J. Rieger

Let c e IN. For d e ℤ with gcd (d, c) = 1 let δ(d, c) be defined by d · δ(d, c) 1 mod c, 1 ⩽ δ(d, c) ⩽ c. Let s, t e IN with 1 ⩽ s ⩽ c, 1 ⩽ t ⩽ c. The main result is that for arbitrary fixed e > 0, but uniformly over c, s and t Equivalently, the points (d, δ(c,d)) are approximately uniformly distributed in [0, c] × [0, c]: The two-dimensional discrepancy of {(d,δ (c, d)): 1 ⩽ d ⩽ c and (c, d)= 1} in [0,c] × [0,c] is Oe(ce-1/2).
Role of polar regions in global change

Definition and summary of the state of knowledge of the role the polar regions play in global change was the aim of the International Conference on the Role of the Polar Regions in Global Change held at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, June 11–15, 1990. Cosponsors included AGU, American Meteorological Society, Arctic Institute of North America, Arctic Research Commission of the U.S., Arctic Research Consortium of the United States, International Glaciological Society, Oceanography Society, and Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research of the International Council of Scientific Unions.
Stereotyped temporal patterns in electrical communication

Mormyrid electric fish communicate using a fixed electric organ discharge (EOD) produced with a variable sequence of pulse intervals (SPI). Through a combination of spike train analysis techniques and multivariate statistics, we develop quantitative methods for analysing temporal patterns in the SPI in Brienomyrus brachyistius. Previous research has indicated the existence of distinct temporal patterns that play an important role in social behaviour, but these studies have relied upon subjective assessments of the SPI: no study has yet used quantitative methods for analysing temporal patterns, so it remains unclear whether there are categorically distinct displays or continuous variation. We demonstrate the existence of three modal classes of frequency modulations (bursts) that differ categorically in their temporal patterning and can therefore be appropriately termed displays. ‘Scallops’ are stereotyped, transient bursts to EOD intervals of 10–20 ms. ‘Accelerations’ are maintained decreases in EOD interval to values of 25–40 ms. Evidence indicates that ‘rasps’ combine a scallop followed by an acceleration. Analysis of signal characteristics and their production in relation to several variables, combined with previous research, suggests that accelerations function as aggressive signals, rasps as male courtship signals, and scallops as advertisement signals. This descriptive study is an important first step in the analysis of temporal patterns in the SPI, and provides a foundation for addressing general issues in animal communication. The relative simplicity of their electric communication displays suggest that mormyrids are an excellent model system for studying the evolution, function and mechanisms of stereotyped temporal pattern generation.
Non-Data-Aided Feedforward Carrier Frequency Offset Estimators for QAM Constellations: A Nonlinear Least-Squares Approach

This paper performs a comprehensive performance analysis of a family of non-data-aided feedforward carrier frequency offset estimators for QAM signals transmitted through AWGN channels in the presence of unknown timing error. The proposed carrier frequency offset estimators are asymptotically (large sample) nonlinear least-squares estimators obtained by exploiting the fourth-order conjugate cyclostationary statistics of the received signal and exhibit fast convergence rates (asymptotic variances on the order of , where stands for the number of samples). The exact asymptotic performance of these estimators is established and analyzed as a function of the received signal sampling frequency, signal-to-noise ratio, timing delay, and number of symbols. It is shown that in the presence of intersymbol interference effects, the performance of the frequency offset estimators can be improved significantly by oversampling (or fractionally sampling) the received signal. Finally, simulation results are presented to corroborate the theoretical performance analysis, and comparisons with the modified Cramer-Rao bound illustrate the superior performance of the proposed nonlinear least-squares carrier frequency offset estimators.
An ultrasonic imaging speckle-suppression and contrast-enhancement technique by means of frequency compounding and coded excitation

A method for improving the contrast resolution of B-mode images is proposed by combining the speckle-reduction technique of frequency compounding (FC) and the coded-excitation and pulse-compression technique called resolution enhancement compression (REC). FC suppresses speckle but at the expense of a reduction in axial resolution. Using REC, the axial resolution and bandwidth of the imaging system was doubled. Therefore, by combining REC with FC (REC-FC), the tradeoff between axial resolution and contrast enhancement was extended significantly. Simulations and experimental measurements were conducted with a single-element transducer (f/2.66) having a center frequency of 2.25 MHz and a -3-dB bandwidth of 50%. Simulations and measurements of hyperechoic (+6 dB) tissue-mimicking targets were imaged. Four FC cases were evaluated: full-, half-, third-, and fourth-width of the true impulse response bandwidth. The image quality metrics used to compare REC-FC to conventional pulsing (CP) and CP-FC were contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), speckle signal-to- noise ratio, histogram pixel intensity, and lesion signal-to-noise ratio. Increases in CNR of 121%, 231%, 302%, and 391% were obtained in experiments when comparing REC-FC for the full-, half-, third-, and fourth-width cases to CP. Furthermore, smaller increases in CNR of 112%, 233%, and 309% were obtained in experiments when comparing CP-FC for the half-, third-, and fourth-width cases to CP. Improved lesion detectability was observed by using REC-FC.
Boundary control problem for a dynamic Kirchhoff plate model with partial observations

Boundary control problems of partially observed hyperbolic systems are considered. An algorithm based on FEM leading to a construction of a finite dimensional control is provided. In order to secure the stability of the algorithm, presence of boundary controls, yielding unbounded control operators in the semigroup model, necessitates introducing, prior to the FEM discretization, a specially designed regularization procedure where an additional boundary viscosity term is added. This stability and convergence of the overall regularized and discretized control problem is demonstrated. The theory is applied to a dynamic Kirchhoff plate with controls acting as the moments and boundary observations.
Review Essay: Tyranny/Transformation: Power and Paradox in Participatory Development

Zwei kurzlich erschienene Arbeiten uber partizipative Entwicklung bieten eine Perspektive auf die Werte und den Prozess in der Entwicklungsarbeit. Das erste Buch, Participation: The New Tyranny, baut auf der Kritik partizipativer Praxis auf und tragt die Kritikpunkte zusammen. Das zweite, Participation: From Tyranny to Transformation, erweitert die Diskussion mit dem Interesse, versuchsweise theoretische Uberlegungen fur eine koharentere und potenziell transformative partizipative Entwicklung zu erarbeiten. Die Beitrage in den beiden Banden wandeln Partizipation von einem scheinbar unangreifbaren theoretischen Allheilmittel zu einem Punkt, an dem sie kritisch in vielfaltigen Kontexten untersucht werden kann. Dass es mit Hilfe von Partizipation haufig nicht gelingt, das zu erreichen, was sich ihre Befurworter erhofft haben, wird in vielfaltiger Weise offen gelegt – und die partizipatorische Theorie wird so umgebaut, dass sie diese Fehler fassen und potenziell uberwinden kann. Der vorliegende Artikel bespricht diese Beitrage und schlagt eine starker pragmatische Orientierung vor, welche die Belange einer transformativen Partizipation weiter vorantreiben konnte. Eine pragmatische Praxis erlaubt eine starker experimentelle Einstellung und beendet unnotige philosophische Dualismen, die in der partizipatorischen Theorie existieren. Zum Schluss skizziert der vorliegende Beitrag interdisziplinare, konzeptuelle Beziehungen von Partizipation in der Entwicklungsarbeit zu verschiedenen anderen Arbeitsfeldern wie Empowerment, burgerliches Engagement, Stadtplanung und dem psychologischen "sense of community". Die Themen, die in diesen Arbeiten angesprochen werden, sind fur andere Zweige der angewandten sozialen Forschung relevant. Eine kontinuierliche, in ahnlicher Weise reflexive Einstellung ist in allen anderen Bereichen notwendig. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0602223
Identifying Differentially Expressed Genes for Time-course Microarray Data through Functional Data Analysis

Identification of differentially expressed (DE) genes across two conditions is a common task with microarray. Most existing approaches accomplish this goal by examining each gene separately based on a model and then control the false discovery rate over all genes. We took a different approach that employs a uniform platform to simultaneously depict the dynamics of the gene trajectories for all genes and select differently expressed genes. A new Functional Principal Component (FPC) approach is developed for time-course microarray data to borrow strength across genes. The approach is flexible as the temporal trajectory of the gene expressions is modeled nonparametrically through a set of orthogonal basis functions, and often fewer basis functions are needed to capture the shape of the gene expression trajectory than existing nonparametric methods. These basis functions are estimated from the data reflecting major modes of variation in the data. The correlation structure of the gene expressions over time is also incorporated without any parametric assumptions and estimated from all genes such that the information across other genes can be shared to infer one individual gene. Estimation of the parameters is carried out by an efficient hybrid EM algorithm. The performance of the proposed method across different scenarios was compared favorably in simulation to two-way mixed-effects ANOVA and the EDGE method using B-spline basis function. Application to the real data on C. elegans developmental stages also suggested that FPC analysis combined with hybrid EM algorithm provides a computationally fast and efficient method for identifying DE genes based on time-course microarray data.
A Comparison of Bipartite N-Qubit States to Classify Entangled States under Symmetric Consideration

We show the relation between partition and the permutation symmetry for bipartite N-qubits via Young tableaux. The word and weight formalism of Young tableaux provide a simple way of quantum comparison and we use this comparison together with partition to classify bipartite N-qubit states as different entanglement classes each of which has an entanglement index.
Industry-academic partnerships for successful capstone projects

Current engineering curriculums have evolved over the past several years to address multiple concerns raised by industry. Their concerns include interdisciplinary engineering teams, teambuilding, project management, and others directly related to successful engineering careers. In order to better prepare future engineers, universities have implemented a variety of capstone courses to address industry concerns, as well as ABET EC2000 criteria. Capstone courses range in content from teams of students in the same discipline, working on the same or different projects, to industry-sponsored design projects primarily focused on producing paper designs. In very few instances schools require student teams to physically produce their designs. This paper discusses implementation and coordination of the projects, benefits of using industry-academic partnerships for capstone design courses, how the course effectively meets and exceeds industry and ABET concerns, additional benefits for the engineering school and the community. In addition, examples of several projects are presented.
Uses of polyimide for micromachining applications

In this paper, applications of polyimide materials to micromachining technology is reviewed. First, the use of both photosensitive and nonphotosensitive polyimides as electroplating molds for the fabrication of thick and high aspect ratio metallic microstructures is presented, Electroplated microstructures of different metals realized using these technologies are shown. In addition, various applications of this technology that have been realized are discussed. Second, the use of polyimide materials as integral parts of micromachined devices is presented. Emphasis is given to the development of a piezoresistive composite of polyimide/graphite for sensor applications. >
A novel meiotic drive locus almost completely distorts segregation in mimulus (monkeyflower) hybrids

We report the discovery, mapping, and characterization of a meiotic drive locus (D) exhibiting nearly 100% nonrandom transmission in hybrids between two species of yellow monkeyflowers, outcrossing Mimulus guttatus and selfing M. nasutus. Only 1% of F2 hybrids were M. nasutus homozygotes at the marker most tightly linked to D. We used a set of reciprocal backcrosses to distinguish among male-specific, female-specific, and zygote-specific sources of transmission ratio distortion. Transmission was severely distorted only when the heterozygous F1 acted as the female parent in crosses to either parental species, ruling out pollen competition and zygote mortality as potential sources of drive. After four generations of backcrossing to M. nasutus, nearly isogenic lines were still >90% heterozygous at markers linked to D, suggesting that heterozygosity at the drive locus alone is sufficient for nonrandom transmission. A lack of dramatic female fitness costs in these lines rules out alternatives involving ovule or seed mortality and points to a truly meiotic mechanism of drive. The strength and direction of drive in this system is consistent with population genetic theory of selfish element evolution under different mating systems. These results are the first empirical demonstration of the strong female-specific drive predicted by new models of selfish centromere turnover.
Distributed Robust Control of Compliant Framed Wheeled Modular Mobile Robots

A distributed robust controller for Compliant Framed wheeled Modular Mobile Robots (CFMMR) is studied in this paper. This type of wheeled mobile robot uses rigid axles coupled by compliant frame modules to provide both full suspension and enhanced steering capability without additional hardware. In this research, a distributed nonlinear damping controller using backstepping techniques for wheel-torque control is first developed for single-axle unicycle type robots. The controller is then extended to multiple-axle CFMMR configurations and is robust to disturbances created by modeling errors; especially highly nonlinear frame forces caused by axle interaction. In particular, the controller considers time-varying reference velocities and allows the robot to perform posture regulation, path following, or general trajectory tracking. A two-axle scout CFMMR configuration is used to evaluate the controller. Simulation and experimental results verify robust dynamic motion control of path following.
The Middle Ages: Change in Women's Personalities and Social Roles

It has been argued that the predominant focus of midlife personality development is generativity; other research has found that social roles influence both its onset and its expression. In this art...
Caregivers of Alzheimer's Disease and Stroke Patients: Immunological and Psychological Considerations

Demands of caregiving for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients have been reported to affect the psychological and immunological health of the caregivers. The question of whether the observed psychological and immunological changes were unique to AD caregivers was addressed in this study. The subjects were 25 caregivers of AD patients, 25 caregivers of stroke patients, and 25 noncaregiving individuals. Comparisons of all subjects made on several psychologic and immunologic indices indicated that the AD caregiving group was more psychologically distressed than the stroke group, and both of these groups were more psychologically distressed than a control group. With respect to immunologic function, there were no differences among the three groups. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Evaluation of an Online Parallel Anomaly Detection System

The rapid and accurate detection of anomalies in network traffic has always been a challenging task, and is absolutely critical to the efficient operation of the network. The availability of numerous different detection algorithms makes it difficult to choose a suitable configuration. An algorithm may have a high detection rate for high rate attacks, but might behave unfavorably when faced with attacks with gradually increasing rates. This paper proposes an online parallel anomaly detection system that implements multiple anomaly detection algorithms in parallel to detect anomalies in real-time. The main idea is to aggregate the detection data from multiple algorithms to come up with a single anomaly metric. We evaluate this system with realistic attacks on the DETER testbed. Our results show improved true positive and false negative rates for both high intensity and slow-rise ramped floods. Furthermore, the system is able to detect attacks separated by as little as 15 seconds with a high true positive rate.
The relation of spectral changes and tritium exchange reactions to the mechanism of tryptophanase-catalyzed reactions.

Abstract Holotryptophanase in the presence of K+ undergoes a pH-dependent change (pK 7.2) from a protonated, enzymatically inactive form (EH), λmax 420 mµ, to a deprotonated, active form (E), λmax 337 mµ. Only the inactive form appears when K+, which is required for activity, is replaced by Na+ or imidazole. Both forms of the enzyme are completely inactivated by borohydride reduction, indicating that each contains an azomethine link between coenzyme and apoenzyme. e-Pyridoxyllysine was isolated from the hydrolyzed reduced enzyme in amounts corresponding to the 4 moles of pyridoxal-P that were found by spectrophotometric titration to combine with the native apoenzyme (mol wt 220,000). Interaction with its substrates (or quasisubstrates) to form an ES complex partially protects tryptophanase against inactivation by borohydride reduction, indicating that such interaction replaces the azomethine link from coenzyme to protein with a similar linkage from coenzyme to substrate. On addition of substrates or of competitive inhibitors such as l-alanine, tryptophanase exhibits an absorption maximum near 500 mµ, which disappears as the substrates are decomposed, but remains unchanged in the presence of the inhibitors. Exchange experiments in the presence of D2O or T2O show that the α hydrogen of l-alanine is labilized under these conditions. On these and other grounds, the 500 mµ band is ascribed to a quinonoid intermediate, EX, that lacks the α proton of the bound amino acid. A pK value of 6.65 was determined indirectly for labilization of the α proton of l-alanine, thus indicating the probable participation of an imidazole group of the enzyme in the labilization reaction. The tritium exchange reaction with tryptophan is shown to occur at rates faster than the over-all rate of pyruvate formation. α,β elimination reactions catalyzed by tryptophanase thus occur in two distinct steps: elimination of an α hydrogen from ES to form EX, followed by elimination of the β substituent from EX to form an enzyme-aminoacrylate complex, EA. In conjunction with previous kinetic data, the results show that the β elimination reaction per se is the rate-limiting step. These data thus support fully the mechanism shown in Equation 1 for these reactions. Partial structures for the intermediates are discussed. The pronounced spectral EH (±H+)/⇌ E (±S)/⇌ ES (±H+)/⇌ EX (±R-)/⇌ EA (-E/→/H2O pyruvate + NH3 (1) changes that occur when Na+ replaces K+ in the ionic environment of holotryptophanase indicate important changes in conformation of the active site of the holoenzyme. Such changes are also indicated by differences in the rate of combination of apoenzyme with pyridoxal-P under the two sets of conditions.