cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Institutional Investors and Information Asymmetry: An Event Study of Self-Tender Offers

Our research compares the asymmetric information costs of firms with low levels of institutional ownership to those with high levels. We use self-tender offers as an information event. Our results show that higher institutional ownership, particularly a higher number of institutional investors, is associated with a lower degree of informed trading. These results persist even after we control for differences in trading activity among our sample firms.
Structurally Distinct Ubiquitin- and Sumo-Modified PCNA: Implications for Their Distinct Roles in the DNA Damage Response

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a pivotal replication protein, which also controls cellular responses to DNA damage. Posttranslational modification of PCNA by SUMO and ubiquitin modulate these responses. How the modifiers alter PCNA-dependent DNA repair and damage tolerance pathways is largely unknown. We used hybrid methods to identify atomic models of PCNAK107-Ub and PCNAK164-SUMO consistent with small-angle X-ray scattering data of these complexes in solution. We show that SUMO and ubiquitin have distinct modes of association to PCNA. Ubiquitin adopts discrete docked binding positions. By contrast, SUMO associates by simple tethering and adopts extended flexible conformations. These structural differences are the result of the opposite electrostatic potentials of SUMO and Ub. The unexpected contrast in conformational behavior of Ub-PCNA and SUMO-PCNA has implications for interactions with partner proteins, interacting surfaces accessibility, and access points for pathway regulation.
Yttrium Bearing Silicon Carbide Matrices for Robust Ceramic Composites

Application of SiC-based ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in combustion environments demands the use of an environmental barrier coating (EBC) to prevent volatilization of the protective SiO2 scale in flowing water vapor. The EBC only provides protection while present on the surface; cracking and spallation of the coating leaves the underlying SiC vulnerable to the oxidation–volatilization processes. A robust matrix material chemically tailored to regrow a yttrium silicate scale in the event of EBC loss has been developed by incorporating yttrium bearing species including YB2, Y2O3, and Y5Si3 into the SiC. During oxidation a borosilicate glass helps seal cracks while Y2O3 and SiO2 react to form Y2Si2O7 for environmental protection. Candidate compositions were oxidized for 10 min to 100 h at 1400°C and for 24 h at 1500°C to understand the scale growth. The prospects for effectively applying this approach in CMCs are discussed.
Short-Range to Long-Range Ordering Reactions in a Ni-25Mo-8Cr Alloy

The transformation from short-range ↔ long-range order in Haynes® Alloy 242, a nominal Ni-25Mo-8Cr (in wt.%) alloy, during both continuous heating and cooling and isothermal holding at temperatures between 550 and 750°C is reported using dilatometry and microhardness measurements, and optical and transmission electron microscopy The long-range to short-range order transformation temperature was observed to increase with an increase in the degree of prior order. Aging below the transformation temperature led to considerable hardening; this hardening was associated with the formation of a very high volume fraction of Ni2Mo domains/precipitates. On aging at 700°C and below, the hardness initially increases and then levels off, with no evidence of overaging for times to 2000 hours. The role of both short- and long-range order on the transformation temperature, thermal expansion and hardening behavior and the mechanisms of transformation from short-range to long-range order were established and will be discussed.
Adaptive two-stage sampling in clinical trials

A class of two stage adaptive sampling schemes for comparing the success rates of two treatments in a clinical trial is defined. The goal is to minimize the expected number of patients assigned to the inferior treatment. An analytic approach to the computation of the probability of correct selection and of expected sample sizes is described. Through the use of Monte Carlo simulations, comparisons with alternative adaptive sampling schemes and with the standard sequential approach using vector at a time (VT) sampling are discussed. It is concluded that the adaptive plans discussed herein: (1) have some sample size advantages over other adaptive approaches although the differences are small; (2) are always inferior to VT sampling when success probabilities are less than 0.5; and, (3) can have a substantial advantage over VT sampling in that they require as many as 50%fewer patients on the inferior treatment when success probabilities exceed 0.5.
Boric acid poisoning

The skin manifestations associated with boric acid intoxication are particularly striking. We present a case report of a 44-year-old black woman who, following a suicide attempt, demonstrated the classic features of acute boric acid poisoning. She developed generalized erythema creating a "boiled lobster" appearance with massive areas of desquamation. A discussion of the history of the use of boric acid by the medical profession follows the patient presentation.
Soil analysis: Western States Proficiency Testing Program for 1996

Under the auspices of the Western States Proficiency Testing Program soil samples were analyzed for thirty-five constituents and plant samples were analyzed for fifteen constituents. Statistical evaluations using robust statistical estimation techniques were provided to individual laboratory participants. Analysis of samples previously analyzed in other programs indicated that the accuracy of several soil analyses (pH, electrical conductivity, NO3-N, extractable K and organic matter) are very reliable. Results of soil phosphorus independent of method and soil organic matter by loss-on-ignition were generally unreliable. Precision, measured by a replicated sample, indicated that a majority of laboratory participants are capable of reproducing analytical values within 10% through a twelve month period.
Landward and eastward shift of Alaskan polar bear denning associated with recent sea ice changes

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the northern Alaska region den in coastal areas and on oVshore drifting ice. We evaluated changes in the distribution of polar bear maternal dens between 1985 and 2005, using satellite telem- etry. We determined the distribution of maternal dens occu- pied by 89 satellite collared female polar bears between 137°W and 167°W longitude. The proportion of dens on pack ice declined from 62% in 1985-1994 to 37% in 1998- 2004 (P = 0.044) and among pack ice dens fewer occurred in the western Beaufort Sea after 1998. We evaluated whether hunting, attraction to bowhead whale remains, or changes in sea ice could explain changes in den distribution. We con- cluded that denning distribution changed in response to reductions in stable old ice, increases in unconsolidated ice, and lengthening of the melt season. In consort, these changes have likely reduced the availability and quality of pack ice denning habitat. Further declines in sea ice availability are predicted. Therefore, we expect the proportion of polar bears denning in coastal areas will continue to increase, until such time as the autumn ice retreats far enough from shore that it precludes oVshore pregnant females from reaching the Alaska coast in advance of denning.
Indications for echocardiography in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis in children

The role of transthoracic echocardiography as a diagnostic tool in children suspected of having infective endocarditis (IE) has not been defined. We hypothesized that echocardiography is only useful in children in whom there is high clinical suspicion of IE based on physical examination findings or persistently positive blood cultures. Echocardiographic reports and medical records of all inpatients (n = 133) from 1990 to 1992 who underwent echocardiography for suspected IE were reviewed. Fifty-nine of the 133 patients (44%) identified had either persistently positive blood cultures (n = 48), physical examination findings of IE (n = 20), or both (n = 9). The echocardiogram was positive in 7 of these patients (12%) and negative in all 74 patients without positive physical findings or positive blood cultures (p = 0.003). A new or changing precordial murmur, embolic phenomena, congestive heart failure, mechanical ventilation, and positive blood cultures were predictive of positive echocardiograms for IE by univariate analysis. The presence of fever, immune deficiency, and central lines, alone or in combination, was not predictive of a positive echocardiogram. In the absence of physical findings or persistently positive blood cultures, echocardiography is a low-yield study and is unlikely to aid in the diagnosis of IE in children.
Climate change and forests

Factors governing long-term change in global temperature are reviewed. The magnitude and rate of change in global temperature resulting from current increases in the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases are considered in relation to their impact on forests. Movement in forest zone boundaries at a rate of 2.5 km year(-1) are possible, which is nearly ten times the rate forests have been known to move by natural reproduction. Climate models indicate that increased global temperature will affect rainfall distribution, lead to more frequent and more severe storms and increase climatic variability. Consequences for the world's forests include increased frequencies of fire and blow-down, and wide-spread decline. Increased atmospheric CO(2) concentrations may increase forest growth where the effect is not offset by reduced precipitation, but the overall effect of anticipated changes in global climate is likely to be widespread loss of forests.
High-resolution absorption cross sections of C2H6 at elevated temperatures

Abstract Infrared absorption cross sections near 3.3 µ m have been obtained for ethane, C 2 H 6 . These were acquired at elevated temperatures (up to 773 K) using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and tube furnace with a resolution of 0.005 cm − 1 . The integrated absorption was calibrated using composite infrared spectra taken from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). These new measurements are the first high-resolution infrared C 2 H 6 cross sections at elevated temperatures.
Coulomb Perturbation by Photoholes of Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Ingaas-Heterojunctions: the Case of Fermi-Edge Singularities

Several reports in the past two years have focused on the use of photoluminescence spectroscopy to identify optically details of behaviour of a two-dimensional (2D) electron gas in quantizing magnetic fields in the integer and fractional quantum Hall regimes, and beyond [1-4]. A critical question, of course, is the nature of the connection between such optical information and that derived from transport experiments, specifically in terms of the perturbation which the optically injected holes generate within the 2D electron system. Yet there appears to be little quantitative experimental information about the strength of this interaction to date. A second, and related question concerning the optical spectroscopy of such many electron systems is the issue of the spatial overlap between the photohole and the 2D or a lower dimensional electron gas. In the work so far, single quantum wells and heterojunctions as well as acceptor δ-doping have been employed, so that in terms of controlling the holes’ spatial location considerable variable may occur. In case of the single heterojunction or a very wide quantum well, for example, this raises the question whether the exciton-like luminescence response actually originates from the heterointerface directly or indirectly.
Design sensitivity analysis and optimization for polymer sheet extrusion and mold filling processes

A polymer processing design methodology is presented which can be used to improve the production of plastic components manufactured via extrusion and injection molding processes. The design method combines polymer processmodelling, design sensitivity analysis and numerical optimization. It is applicable to systems with creeping flow of purely viscous non-Newtonian fluids through thin cavities where the lubrication approximation may be applied. An analysis and an adjoint design sensitivity analysis are presented for the steady-state coupled system which describes the pressure and residence time distributions in sheeting dies. The resulting methodology is then used to define the optimal die cavity shape and relevant process parameters in a sheeting die design example. A second example considers tooling and process design for the polymer injection molding process. A coupled transient mold filling analysis and design sensitivity analysis based on the direct differentiation method are developed where attention is given to describing the location of the gates in the mold cavity. The latter is illustrated through the process design of a plastic automotive component.
Type IV collagen is an activating ligand for the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor GPR126.

GPR126 is an orphan heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide–binding protein (G protein)–coupled receptor (GPCR) that is essential for the development of diverse organs. We found that type IV collagen, a major constituent of the basement membrane, binds to Gpr126 and activates its signaling function. Type IV collagen stimulated the production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate in rodent Schwann cells, which require Gpr126 activity to differentiate, and in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells expressing exogenous Gpr126. Type IV collagen specifically bound to the extracellular amino-terminal region of Gpr126 containing the CUB (complement, Uegf, Bmp1) and pentraxin domains. Gpr126 derivatives lacking the entire amino-terminal region were constitutively active, suggesting that this region inhibits signaling and that ligand binding relieves this inhibition to stimulate receptor activity. A new zebrafish mutation that truncates Gpr126 after the CUB and pentraxin domains disrupted development of peripheral nerves and the inner ear. Thus, our findings identify type IV collagen as an activating ligand for GPR126, define its mechanism of activation, and highlight a previously unrecognized signaling function of type IV collagen in basement membranes.
The Surface-Tension Method of Visually Inspecting Honeycomb-Core Sandwich Plates

When one face of a metal-honeycomb-core sandwich plate is heated or cooled relative to the other, heat transfer through the core causes the temperature on each face at the lines of contact with the core to be slightly different from that on the rest of the face. If a thin liquid film is applied to the face, the variation of surface tension with temperature causes the liquid to move from warmer to cooler areas and thus to develop a pattern corresponding to the temperature pattern on the face. Irregularities in the pattern identify the locations where the core is not adequately bonded to the face sheet. The pattern is easily observed when a fluorescent liquid is used and illumination is by means of ultraviolet light. Observation in ordinary light is also possible when a very deeply colored liquid is used. A method based on the use of a thermographic phosphor to observe the temperature pattern was found to be less sensitive than the surface-tension method. A sublimation method was found to be not only less sensitive but also far more troublesome.
Performance of Dynamic Shared Layer 1 VPN Services in Next-Generation SONET/SDH Networks

Advances in next-generation SONET/SDH along with GMPLS control have enabled many new service provisioning capabilities. A key paradigm is the new Layer 1 virtual private network (L1 VPN) framework, which allows clients to directly provision their own services without deploying expensive infrastructures. This paper proposes a novel L1 VPN resource management scheme for virtual concatenation-enabled nextgeneration SONET/SDH networks. The scheme is fully compatible with both centralized and distributed control frameworks and allows for dynamic resource sharing. Detailed performance analysis results are also presented.
A linear phase unwrapping method for binaural sound source localization on a robot

A robust linear phase unwrapping method is proposed to solve the 2/spl pi/ discontinuities in the phase of the cross power spectrum from the binaural inputs using two omnidirectional microphones. The relative incident angle of the interested sound is then estimated according to the time difference of arrival (TDOA) which is obtained from the unwrapped phase of the cross power spectrum. The frequency components associated with the high power are clustered into groups by the phase and frequency distance, and the dominant group is then used to obtain the initial slope estimation. The phase is unwrapped by checking the difference between the actual and the predicted phase by the estimated slope. The re-estimation is then performed by the unwrapped phase. The algorithm is tested under different incident angles and signal to noise ratio (SNR) using real speech signal and white Gaussian noise. The simulation results show the high accuracy and the robustness. This method is also Implemented to control a robot to adaptively adjust itself to the position facing the sound source directly. The satisfactory result was achieved in an open house demonstration.
Memes and metaculture: the politics of discourse circulation in Fiji

To address the question of what makes cultural products circulate successfully or unsuccessfully, I use the analytical tools supplied by two emerging disciplines, memetics and the study of metaculture. The case that I examine is the widespread circulation of the phrase ‘failed businessman’ to describe the leader of Fiji's coup d'etat in 2000. In analysing the ways that the phrase circulated globally in international news accounts (and the pages of this journal as well), but did not circulate well within Fiji itself, I argue that the concept of ‘metaculture’ gives us more sophisticated analytical tools and a fuller, richer sense of the dynamics of cultural circulation than memetics does.
Risk of population extinction from fixation of deleterious and reverse mutations.

A model is developed for alternate fixations of mildly deleterious and wild-type alleles arising by forward and reverse mutation in a finite population. For almost all parameter values, this gives an equilibrium load that agrees closely with the general expression derived from diffusion theory. Nearly neutral mutations with selection coefficient a few times larger than 1/(2N e ) do the most damage by increasing the equilibrium load. The model of alternate fixations facilitates dynamical analysis of the expected load and the mean time to extinction in a population that has been suddenly reduced from a very large size to a small size. Reverse mutation can substantially improve population viability, increasing the mean time to extinction by an order of magnitude or more, but because many mutations are irreversible the effects may not be large. Populations with initially high mean fitness and small effective size, N e below a few hundred individuals, may be at serious risk of extinction from fixation of deleterious mutations within 103 to 104 generations.
Moving from theory to practice: A participatory social network mapping approach to address unmet need for family planning in Benin.

In West Africa, social factors influence whether couples with unmet need for family planning act on birth-spacing desires. Tekponon Jikuagou is testing a social network-based intervention to reduce social barriers by diffusing new ideas. Individuals and groups judged socially influential by their communities provide entree to networks. A participatory social network mapping methodology was designed to identify these diffusion actors. Analysis of monitoring data, in-depth interviews, and evaluation reports assessed the methodology's acceptability to communities and staff and whether it produced valid, reliable data to identify influential individuals and groups who diffuse new ideas through their networks. Results indicated the methodology's acceptability. Communities were actively and equitably engaged. Staff appreciated its ability to yield timely, actionable information. The mapping methodology also provided valid and reliable information by enabling communities to identify highly connected and influential network actors. Consistent with social network theory, this methodology resulted in the selection of informal groups and individuals in both informal and formal positions. In-depth interview data suggest these actors were diffusing new ideas, further confirming their influence/connectivity. The participatory methodology generated insider knowledge of who has social influence, challenging commonly held assumptions. Collecting and displaying information fostered staff and community learning, laying groundwork for social change.
Effects of Child Gender Preference on Contraceptive Use in Rural Bangladesh

This study tested the hypothesis that a gender preference for male children has greater effect on contraceptive use by married women than a preference for female children. Data were based on direct responses to questions about a womans desire for at least one additional son from married women in Matlab rural Bangladesh. Matlab has two distinctive areas: the treatment area consisting of 70 villages and the comparison area consisting of 79 villages. Overall the treatment area results demonstrate that a married womans desire for a son has a negative effect on her use of modern contraceptives but the comparison area results do not. Difference in the prevalence of contraception in these two areas is probably responsible for these results. Another interesting result is that the number of a womans surviving children had a strong influence on her current use of contraception in the comparison area. Moreover it is noted that traditional cultural values still continue to exert some influence on the fertility behavior of women in rural Bangladesh.
MCH pheromone for preventing Douglas-fir beetle infestation in windthrown trees

A granular controlled-release formulation (98 percent inert, 2 percent 3-methyl-2-cyclohexen-l-o,e) was applied May 11-13, 1982, at 4.48 kg/ha to 76.9 ha of uninfested windthrown Douglas-fir by helicopter with a modified aerial spreader of 1.13 m 3 capacity. Granules measured on treated plots averaged 2.04-2.69 kg/ha, sufficient to reduce Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae) infestation 96.4 percent by late June. The same MCH treatment reduced spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) attacks by 55 percent in fewer, i•termingled windthrown Engelman• spruce. The Douglas-fir beetle (DFB) is an important bark beetle, infesting Douglas-fir throughout most of that tree's extensive range in western North America. Trees felled by wind or top-broken by snow are prime hosts for buildups of the insect (Furniss et al. 1981b). The extent to which enlarged populations kill standing trees depends upon availability of dense, mature Douglas-fir stands. Stand susceptibility is increased by drought and defoliation by the Douglas-fir tussock moth (Orgyia pseudotsuga) and sometimes the western spruce budworm (Choristonettra occide•talis). In mature trees. infestation by log' populations of DFB is correlated with root diseases; the correlation is less strong during DFB outbreaks. Thinning of susceptible stands and salvage of fresh windthrow will prevent tree-killing by beetles. But where windthrown trees are inaccessible, or where aesthetic or other values preclude thinning or logging, other means may be needed. One such alternative is to use the beetles' natural antiaggregative pheromone, 3-methyl-2-cyclohexen1-one (MCH). In nature, MCH terminates attraction after enough beetles have aggregated to overcome a tree; it thus serves to forestall overcolonization and consequent lethal competition among broods. Since 1972, we have been working to develop synthetic Figure 1. The antiaggregati** pherornone, MCH, was tonereleased from inert rod-shaped granules to prevent beetles from breeding in windthrown trees. MCH as a means of preventing outbreaks by denying beetles windthrown trees. Beetles must then cope with a more hostile environment. including increased predation and the resistance of live trees. A granular controlled-release formulation (fig. 1) containing 2-percent MCH and 98-percent inert dimer acid polyamide beads (U.S. Patent 4,170,631) has been effective in tests on trees felled to simulate windthrow (Furniss et al. 1977). When applied by helicopter with a modified aerial spreader at ground-measured rates of 1.41-9.80 kg/ha, it reduced DFB attack density 92-97 percent (Furniss et al. 1981a). In November 1981, strong winds blew down thousands of trees in Idaho forests, setting the stage for outbreaks of DFB as well as the spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) which breeds prolifically in windfelled Engelmann spruce (Picea engelma•nii) (Schmid and Frye 1977). This event
Involvement of diacylglycerol production in activation of nuclear factor kappaB by a CD14-mediated lipopolysaccharide stimulus.

Exposure of Chinese hamster CHO-K1 transfectant cells expressing mouse CD14 (CHO/CD14 cells) to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced rapid elevation of the cellular diacylglycerol (DAG) and choline/phosphocholine levels and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB). When cells were incubated with short-chain DAG analogues or bacterial phospholipase C, NFkappaB activation occurred even without the LPS stimulus. Treatment of CHO/CD14 cells with tricyclo[5.2.1.0(2.6)]decyl-(9[8])xanthogenate (D609), an inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C and phospholipase D, almost completely inhibited not only the LPS-dependent production of DAG and choline/phosphocholine but also the LPS-dependent NFkappaB activation. In contrast, treatment of cells with 1-(6-?[3-methoxyoestra-1,3, 5(10)-trien-17beta-yl]-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"U73122","term_id":"4098075","term_text":"U73122"}}U73122), an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C in vitro, did not affect the LPS-dependent activation of NFkappaB. Production of DAG and activation of NFkappaB after the LPS stimulus were observed in mouse macrophage-like J774.1 cells, and this response to LPS by J774. 1 cells was also inhibited by D609. These results suggest that the production of DAG from phosphatidylcholine was upstream of NFkappaB activation in response to a CD14-mediated LPS stimulus.
Treatment validation of ultrasound-defined abnormal follicular dynamics as a cause of infertility

From March 1984 to February 1987, 109 patients with otherwise normal infertility evaluations (semen analysis, postcoital test, endometrial biopsy, hysterosalpingogram and/or hysteroscopy, and laparoscopy) underwent serial ultrasound (US) for follicular dynamics. Twenty-five patients were found to have repetitive abnormal follicular growth and/or rupture patterns. These patients were treated by ovulation induction protocols from clomiphene citrate (CC) to human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG). Of the 84 normal US patients, 47 elected no interventional therapy (control A). Twenty elected empiric treatment with hMG/hMG-intrauterine insemination (IUI) (control B). Seventeen were lost to follow-up or elected in vitro procedures within 1 year of diagnosis. Viable fecundibility (f v ) was calculated for each group. Long-term viable conception was compared between groups by chi-square-Yates coefficient. Nineteen of 25 patients treated for abnormal US conceived on treatment (f v = 0.25) (chi-square to control A P P v = 0.11). Two control B patients conceived in nontreatment cycles (f v = 0.016). When nontreated and treated cycles are considered, the f v = 0.042, not significantly different from control A (f v = 0.035). There was no increase in control B pregnancies over the course of the study compared with control A (chi-square = 0). The authors concluded: (1) Abnormal follicular dynamics on US is a correctable cause of infertility. (2) Empiric treatment of unexplained infertility patients with hMG/hMG-IUI does not appear to improve long-term conception rates; rather, it tends to advance pregnancies into the treatment cycles. Similar studies for the empiric use of gamete intrafallopian transfer and in vitro fertilization are indicated based on these findings.
Value creation through design for scalability of reconfigurable manufacturing systems

Rapid and cost-effective scalability of the throughput of manufacturing systems is an invaluable feature for the management of manufacturing enterprises. System design for scalability allows the enterprise to build a manufacturing system to supply the current demand, and upgrade its throughput in the future, in a cost-effective manner, to meet possible higher market demand in a timely manner. To possess this capability, the manufacturing system must be designed at the outset for future expansions in its throughput to enable growths in supply exactly when needed by the market. A mathematical method that maximises the system throughput after reconfiguration is proposed, and an industrial case is presented to validate the method. The paper offers a set of principles for system design for scalability to guide designers of modern manufacturing systems.
Self-Assembly of DNA Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles at the Liquid-Vapor Interface

Surface sensitive synchrotron X-ray scattering and spectroscopy are used to monitor and characterize the spontaneous formation of 2D Gibbs monolayers of thiolated single-stranded DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles (ssDNA-AuNPs) at the vapor–solution interface by manipulating salt concentrations. Grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray reflectivity show that the noncomplementary ssDNA-AuNPs dispersed in aqueous solution spontaneously accumulate at the vapor–liquid interface in the form of a single layer by increasing MgCl2 or CaCl2 concentrations. Furthermore, the monoparticle layer undergoes a transformation from short- to long-range (hexagonal) order above a threshold salt-concentration. Using various salts at similar ionic strength to those of MgCl2 or CaCl2 such as, NaCl or LaCl3, it is found that surface adsorbed NPs lack any order. X-ray fluorescence near total reflection of the same samples provides direct evidence of interfacial gold and more importantly a significant surface enrichment of the cations. Quantitative analysis reveals that divalent cations screen the charge of ssDNA, and that the hydrophobic hexyl-thiol group, commonly used to functionalize the ssDNA (for capping the AuNPs), is likely the driving force for the accumulation of the NPs at the interface.
A microsaur from the Mississippian of Illinois and a standard format for morphological characters

The oldest known microsaur is preserved in a nodule from the Kinkaid Formation (Mississippian; Elvirian) collected near Goreville, Illinois. At least eight individuals are represented: three by partial skulls plus vertebral column segments with associated limb elements, and five by postcrania only. Skulls are crushed, incomplete, and exposed mainly in palatal view. Palatal bones are denticulate and the palatine has in addition a single large tooth. The basipterygoid process is laterally directed and the basipterygoid joint is open. The atlas carries large articulating facets for proatlantes, a pair of which are identifiable in one specimen. These features have not been found previously in a microsaur. All vertebral segments are dominated by a biconcave pleurocentrum; sutures between the pleurocentrum and neural arch are visible in presacral vertebrae. Distinctive microsaurian intercentra occur between all presacral pleurocentra. Their presence reinforces the hypothesis that microsaur intercentra are homologous with those of other early tetrapods. Caudal vertebrae retain separate haemal arches and some have ribs. Observed microsaur synapomorphies include: atlas with large median odontoid; atlas with concave lateral facets for occipital condyle; paired occipital condyles that are broad and concave; and thin, straplike intercentra. No observed features support a sister-group relationship with any other microsaur species, or placement within any higher level microsaur group. Because significant portions of the skeleton are missing or inaccessible, the Goreville microsaur is not formally named. A standardized, hierarchical format for skeletal characters is introduced that facilitates data sharing and comparison and fosters rapid archiving and retrieval.
Gamer Girls: Going Online in the Age of Misogynist Terrorism

This chapter argues that realistic ludic fiction claims a space for females in a culture that has historically allowed an environment of discrimination to flourish. Beyond carving out a safe place for girls to claim agency in this participatory culture, the central example in this chapter, Cory Doctorow’s graphic novel In Real Life, also suggests how that the business of gaming enables exploitation of workers in developing nations. As such, it models how young players can use gaming as an opportunity to develop an ethical awareness of economic conditions around the world, and to protest against global economic inequity.
Distributed estimation in sensor networks with quality feedback: A general framework

This paper presents a general framework for distributed estimation of a dynamical process in a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) in which the Sensor Nodes (SNs) communicate their measurements to the Fusion Center (FC) via a single hop wireless channel. The SNs adapt their sensing/transmission strategy based on a minimal feedback message provided by the FC, which informs them on the estimation quality achieved. Intuitively, when the estimation quality is poor, the SNs react by sending accurate measurements, at higher cost. When the estimation quality is good, the SNs remain idle to preserve energy. The sensing/transmission strategy of each SN, the channel access, and the feedback from the FC are jointly optimized, with the objective of minimizing the mean squared error at the FC, given a cost constraint for each SN. It is shown that a performance gain can be achieved by exploiting the estimation quality feedback, over policies that do not exploit such information, while achieving scalability to large WSNs. Moreover, a low complexity myopic policy is provided, which is shown to achieve near-optimal performance.
GTPase cross talk regulates TRAPPII activation of Rab11 homologues during vesicle biogenesis

Rab guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) control cellular trafficking pathways by regulating vesicle formation, transport, and tethering. Rab11 and its paralogs regulate multiple secretory and endocytic recycling pathways, yet the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that activates Rab11 in most eukaryotic cells is unresolved. The large multisubunit transport protein particle (TRAPP) II complex has been proposed to act as a GEF for Rab11 based on genetic evidence, but conflicting biochemical experiments have created uncertainty regarding Rab11 activation. Using physiological Rab-GEF reconstitution reactions, we now provide definitive evidence that TRAPPII is a bona fide GEF for the yeast Rab11 homologues Ypt31/32. We also uncover a direct role for Arf1, a distinct GTPase, in recruiting TRAPPII to anionic membranes. Given the known role of Ypt31/32 in stimulating activation of Arf1, a bidirectional cross talk mechanism appears to drive biogenesis of secretory and endocytic recycling vesicles. By coordinating simultaneous activation of two essential GTPase pathways, this mechanism ensures recruitment of the complete set of effectors needed for vesicle formation, transport, and tethering.
Overnights Encourage Girls’ Interest in Science-Related Careers

With sell-out crowds and phenomenal research results, Science Siesta and Advanced Science Siesta are programs designed to change the traditional perceptions that girls have about science and science-related careers. Through hands-on science activities (in and out of the lab), and through working with local female scientists, girls who range from fourth to eighth grade are provided valuable opportunities to combat the stereotype that “girls can’t do science.” This article addresses the need to engage girls in science and explains “how-to” meet that need through the Science Siesta programs.
Sensitivity of grassland productivity to aridity controlled by stomatal and xylem regulation

Grass species vary in their regulation of water use. Remote-sensing data reveal that productivity is more sensitive to atmospheric moisture than precipitation deficits, especially in grasslands where plants loosely regulate water use.
Positioning of Heads

This chapter illustrates the positioning of heads anatomically. The correct position for the head in the coronal projection was achieved by placing the head so that a line from the superior border of the external auditory canal to the anterior inferior orbital rim was perpendicular to the film. This controlled flexion–extension of the head. Then the rotation of the head was adjusted until a coronal tomogram of the head through the petrous pyramid showed the oval window on both sides. The positioning for the lateral projection was obtained with a coronal tomogram through the ears with the head supine demonstrating the oval window bilaterally. This ensured that there was no rotation of the head. An axial tomogram through the ear demonstrated the oval window on both sides. This ensured that there was no tilt of the head. The positioning for the head in the axial projection was achieved by positioning the head so that an axial tomogram through the oval window showed the oval window on both sides. To obtain sections and tomograms in the oblique position, it was decided to proceed in such a manner that they would be perpendicular to the long axis of the optic canal.
Law and Literature as Survivor

While human rights lawyers from Nuremberg on tried to respond to the evils of Hitler's Europe with cautious directness, humanistic theorists in the post-modernist modes of the post-war period resisted all generalizations, including the establishment of legal norms through international codes of law. Addressing with some admiration the Holocaust-related later works of Geoffrey H. Hartman and (with less reverence) the anti-code and largely antinomian writings of Paul de Man and Jacques Derrida, this essay places in opposition the code-identifying and code-evaluating work of Law and Literature to that of the always equivocated writings of these deconstructionists for whom every grand narrative and every attempt to base act and choice on precedent was anathema. Although Hartman's aversion to all generalization is ethically sound considering the damage caused by Hitler's blunt and conclusory rhetoric, this essay relies on work about legal discourse during the Holocaust to indicate that this aversion emerges from a mis-placed logic about how institutions managed to adjust their ingrained beliefs and practices to such grotesque pronouncements. More skeptical perhaps of complexity for its own sake, Law and Literature studies tend to locate codes (public or private, written or unwritten) within the great stories of the law and then unabashedly to value those codes in the Nietzschean sense as good or bad, justice-serving or reactionary. Discourse confronts ethical dilemmas - including those still unresolved six decades after the Holocaust - and to speak of them through a direct language of choice that often informs the canonical narratives we study.
Image registration for microwave tomography of the breast using priors from non-simultaneous previous magnetic resonance images

Microwave tomography (MT), a novel imaging modality in which the body is probed non-invasively using non-ionizing high-frequency radio-frequency waves, has shown promise for breast cancer screening and more recently for the monitoring of chemotherapy treatment. As an inherently low-resolution modality, it has been shown that prior structural information from another imaging modality, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can be used to improve the spatial resolution and quantitative accuracy of MT. In this paper, we show the results of a single-patient trial in which we co-register a non-simultaneous prior MRI with MT data acquired in a fluid bath. For the purposes of registration evaluation, two MRI images were acquired, one in air and one in fluid, and the registration errors were evaluated for manually selected internal image features, for a number of image registration algorithms.
The HPV16 E6 oncogene increases its versatility by oligomerization

4716 High risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), such as HPV 16 and HPV 18, are the causative agents of most cases of human cervical carcinomas, as well as some cases of head and neck cancer. E6, one of the oncogenes encoded by HPV 16, mediates a rapid, ubiquitin-dependant degradation of the tumor suppressor p53, and thus loss of p53 contributes to the oncogenic potential of high risk HPVs. E6 also possesses other biological and transforming functions as a result of E6 binding to cellular proteins that are involved in a number of cellular functions, such as regulation of transcription and DNA replication, epithelial organization and differentiation, cell-cell adhesion, polarity, proliferation control, DNA repair, apoptosis and immune evasion. The ability of E6 to affect the normal flow of numerous host pathways can be accounted for in part by the diverse forms in which E6 can exist in cells. First, E6 is expressed in host cells as three splicing variants, a full length isoform of ~16 kDa (E6 large), and two smaller proteins of ~7-8 kDa (E6*). Second, these splicing isoforms are capable of binding to each other and thus modulating their own activities. Furthermore, E6 complexes acquire new properties as compared to E6 monomer forms. For example, E6 large and E6* produce 40-50 kDa complexes which participate in pseudo-DISC formation following TNF-α stimulation. In addition, the smaller E6 isoforms can oligomerize and form SDS-resistant complexes of different sizes. In addition, the smaller E6 isoforms can bind to host proteins, thus modifying their stability. For example, the binding of E6* to procaspase 8 increases its stability. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to show that specific amino acid residues of the E6 sequence are required for these "sticky" properties of E6. The ability of E6 to oligomerize has the potential to greatly amplify the number of biological functions performed by the E6 oncogene.
Coded machine learning: Joint informed replication and learning for linear regression

This paper is concerned with coded machine learning: protecting machine learning algorithms from noise in test data by an informed channel coding approach. Unlike with traditional data storage, we do not seek to ensure that all test data is correctly read from storage and used as a noiseless input to the algorithm. Rather, we seek to protect data in a way that minimizes the effect on the algorithm output (i.e., minimizes a loss compared to the hypothetical noiseless output). We focus on the case where the collected test data, derived from low-power sensors and devices, is inherently noisy. We show that a smart replication strategy is an effective choice to reduce the impact on the algorithm output for linear regression algorithms. We focus on two scenarios. The first case is where the regression model is fixed, and we must allocate a fixed budget of redundancy for our replication scheme (in order to minimize the loss on the output due to noisy test data). Analyzing this case is necessary to build our understanding for the second case which is more novel. The second case involves a scenario where we may learn an optimized model and jointly protect it. We illustrate the advantages of our approach with practical experiments.
A comparative study of thick TiSiCN nanocomposite coatings deposited by dcMS and HiPIMS with and without PEMS assistance

Abstract As one version of high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) technique, deep oscillation magnetron sputtering (DOMS) generates large oscillation high power pulses to achieve a high fraction of metallic ions of the target species for arc-free reactive HiPIMS sputtering. Plasma enhanced magnetron sputtering (PEMS), an advanced version of conventional dc magnetron sputtering (dcMS), generates an extremely high flux of low energy gas ions with hot filament thermionic emission to produce an extra global plasma in the deposition system. As compared to conventional dcMS, both DOMS and PEMS aim at utilizing a highly ionized plasma to improve the structure and properties of the coatings. To gain a better understanding of the advantages and limits of these techniques, we present a comparative study for the thick TiSiCN nanocomposite coatings (15 μm) deposited using dcMS and DOMS with and without the PEMS assistance. The time averaged ion energy distributions of the plasmas generated by these techniques for TiSiCN coating depositions were characterized using an electrostatic quadrupole plasma mass spectrometer (EQP). The microstructure and mechanical properties of the coatings were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, scratch test and nanoindentation. The microstructure, residual stress, and mechanical properties of the coatings were linked to the plasma properties and discussed in details. It is clear that the PEMS assistance significantly improves the microstructure and mechanical properties of the coatings produced by either dcMS or DOMS along with residual stress reduction.
Indications and Perioperative Outcomes for Pancreatectomy with Arterial Resection.

Background Pancreatectomy with arterial resection (AR) is performed infrequently. As indications evolve, we evaluated indications, outcomes, and predictors of mortality, morbidity, and survival after AR. Study Design We performed a single-institution review of elective pancreatectomies with AR (from July1990 to July 2017). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for predictors of outcomes and survival. Results A total of 111 patients underwent pancreatectomy with AR including any hepatic (54%), any celiac (44%), any superior mesenteric (14%), or multiple ARs (14%), with revascularization in 55%. The majority of cases were planned (77%) and performed post-2010 (78%). Overall 90-day major morbidity (≥grade III) and mortality were 54% and 13%, respectively, due to post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), or ischemia in the majority of cases. There was a significant decrease in mortality post-2010 (9% vs 29%, p = 0.02), and this was protective on multivariate analysis (odds ratio [OR] 0.1, p = 0.004); PPH increased mortality (OR 6.1, p Conclusions Regardless of indication or type, pancreatectomy with AR is associated with risks greater than standard resections. Mortality has decreased in the modern era; however, morbidity remains high from hemorrhagic, fistula, or ischemia-related complications. Mitigation measures are needed if advanced resections are considered with increasing frequency given the potential oncologic benefit of AR in selected cases after modern chemotherapy.
Discrete Dynamic Cost Models

In this chapter, discrete models of made-to-order production are presented. For planning purposes the continuous models are appropriate, but our objective is to eventually relate these models to the assembly line or assembly area. This level of disaggregation requires that the models consider discrete production units. In short, this chapter represents the theoretical foundations of our future research. Work is presently underway in this area [see, for example, Camm (1984), Camm and Womer (1984), and Womer and Camm (1984)].
Optimizing measurement when lymph nodes merge on serial CT in clinical trials.

e18590Background: To investigate the size change of merging target lymph nodes (Merged LN), and to compare with Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 on these nodes. Methods: We...