cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing Admission Criteria for Early and Mid-Career Students: Evidence from a U.S. MPA Program

As applications for graduate and professional degree programs have reached unprecedented levels over the past decade, the applicant pool has become more diverse with more mid-career students deciding to return to school. Given the growth and diversification of the graduate applicant pool, many graduate programs are struggling to develop stronger admission package criteria that assure students admitted to their program have the pre-requisite skills needed to succeed. We examine which commonly used graduate admission criteria, particularly the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), correlate with the academic performance of both early and mid-career professional students. Using data from student files from a southeastern U.S. graduate public administration program, we find that the GRE score, undergraduate grade point average, and type of undergraduate institution are good predictors of graduate performance, but that the value of these admission criteria differs for early and mid- career students.
Functional inactivation of the KLF6 tumor suppressor gene by loss of heterozygosity and increased alternative splicing in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor and possesses a high incidence of 10p loss. The KLF6 (Kruppel-like transcription factor) tumor suppressor gene on 10p15 is inactivated by loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and/or somatic mutation in a number of human cancers and forced expression of KLF6 in GBM lines inhibits their growth and transformation. In addition, increased expression of its alternatively spliced, cytoplasmic isoform KLF6-SV1 has now been shown to play a role in cancer pathogenesis. On the basis of these findings we examined the role of KLF6 and KLF6-SV1 in the development and progression of GBM. LOH analysis of 17 primary GBM patient samples using KLF6-specific microsatellite markers revealed that 88.2% (15/17) had LOH of the KLF6 locus. Interestingly, no KLF6 somatic mutations were identified. RNA analysis revealed concomitant decreases in all primary GBM tumors (n = 11) by approximately 80% in KLF6 expression (p < 0.001) coupled with increased KLF6-SV1 expression (p < 0.001) when compared to normal astrocytes. To determine the biological relevance of these findings, we examined the effect of KLF6 expression and KLF6-SV1 knockdown in A235 and CRL2020 cell lines. Reconstitution of KLF6 decreased cell proliferation by almost 50%, whereas targeted KLF6 reduction increased cell proliferation 2.5-4.5 fold. Conversely, targeted KLF6-SV1 reduction decreased cell proliferation by 50%. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that KLF6 allelic imbalance and decreased KLF6 and increased KLF6-SV1 expression are common findings in primary GBM tumors, and these changes have antagonistic effects on the regulation of cellular proliferation in GBM cell lines.
Emission spectroscopy and excited-state dynamics of chromyl-chloride vapor

Abstract A tunable dye laser has been used to excite single vibronic features in the low-pressure vapor of CrO 2 Cl 2 . The fluorescence spectrum, fluorescence excitation spectrum and time-resolved fluorescence decay are discussed. It is shown that the active ν′ 4 and ν″ 4 modes are the same frequency in the gas phase, thus collapsing the sequence congestion normally observed in gas-phase spectra. This degeneracy makes impossible the excitation of single vibronic levels. It is shown that the fluorescence lifetime of the excited state in all except the vibrationally cold level is severely shortened by unimolecular radiationless decay. This radiationless rate is strongly dependent upon the partitioning of energy into various excited-state modes. The radiative lifetime of the vibrationally cold excited state is (1.34 ± 0.08) μs and the apparent bimolecular quenching rate is (5.9 ± 0.2) × 10 −10 cm 3 /molecules. No evidence of emission from the lowest-energy excited electronic state recently reported by Spoliti [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 52 (1973) 146] is observed.
Molecular analysis of arterial remodeling: a novel application of infrared imaging

Arterial remodeling, i.e. changes in size and/or structure of arteries, plays an important role in vascular disease. Conflicting findings have been reported as to whether an abundance of collagen causes inward or outward remodeling, phenomena that result in either a smaller or larger lumen, respectively. We hypothesize that the amount, type and quality of collagen influence the remodeling response. Here, we create mechanical injury to the rat carotid artery using a balloon catheter, and this leads to inward remodeling. Treatment of the artery with Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) causes outward remodeling. We investigated the arterial composition in injured CTGF-treated and non-CTGF-treated and sham CTGF-treated and non-CTGF treated arteries 14 days post-injury (n = 7-8 per group) using infrared imaging. A Perkin Elmer Spotlight Spectrum 300 FT-IR microscope was used for data collection. Cross-sections of paraffinembedded arteries were scanned at 2 cm-1 spectral resolution with spatial resolution of 6.25 μm/pixel, and data analyzed using Malvern Instruments ISys 5.0. Post-injury, we found a nearly 50% reduction in the average 1338/AM2 area ratio (correlated to collagen helical integrity). The most dramatic change was a 600% increase in the 1660/1690 peak height ratio, which has previously been related to collagen crosslink maturity. In all cases, CTGF treatment resulted in the observed changes in peak parameters normalized back to control values. Overall, these preliminary studies demonstrate that infrared imaging can provide insight into the underlying molecular changes that contribute to arterial disease.© (2009) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Control of p53 nuclear accumulation in stressed cells

Wild-type p53 accumulates in the nucleus following stress. Current models suggest this nuclear accumulation involves phosphorylation at p53 N-terminal sites, and inhibition of murine double minute (MDM)2-dependent nuclear export. We monitored the effects of stress on MDM2-dependent nuclear export of wild-type p53 and a mutant lacking N-terminal phosphorylation sites. Etoposide and ionizing radiation inhibited nuclear export of wild-type p53 and the phosphor-mutant to comparable extents, indicating nuclear export inhibition does not require N-terminal phosphorylation. Cytoplasmic p53 accumulated in the nucleus of transfected cells treated with the nuclear export-inhibitor leptomycin B (LMB). Interestingly, LMB caused less p53 nuclear accumulation than stress treatment, suggesting stress-induced nuclear accumulation of p53 does not result solely from inhibited nuclear export.
The blood level as a guide to therapy with radioiodine.

REPORTS from many medical centers have shown the unusual efficacy of radioiodine in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. Two problems still incompletely evaluated are the possible complications from such intense radiation and the dosage of radioiodine necessary to produce the desired effect. Only the problem of dosimetry will be discussed here. The increasing use of radioiodine in the treatment of younger patients makes it even more desirable to produce a remission with the minimal amount of radiation. Since patients vary markedly with regard to the size of the thyroid and the rate at which the thyroid pool of iodine is turned over, it is necessary to individualize the dose for each patient. A preliminary tracer study should reveal the turnover time in the thyroid, so that the integrated amount of a subsequent therapeutic dose which will remain in the thyroid can be calculated. Unfortunately this requires observations in vivo for many days (usually at least twenty), thus making the data difficult to obtain u...
Energy and temperature dependent dissociation of the Na+(benzene)1,2 clusters: Importance of anharmonicity

Chemical dynamics simulations were performed to study the unimolecular dissociation of randomly excited Na+(Bz) and Na+(Bz)2 clusters; Bz = benzene. The simulations were performed at constant energy, and temperatures in the range of 1200–2200 K relevant to combustion, using an analytic potential energy surface (PES) derived in part from MP2/6-311+G* calculations. The clusters decompose with exponential probabilities, consistent with RRKM unimolecular rate theory. Analyses show that intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution is sufficiently rapid within the clusters that their unimolecular dynamics is intrinsically RRKM. Arrhenius parameters, determined from the simulations of the clusters, are unusual in that Ea is ∼10 kcal/mol lower the Na+(Bz) → Na+ + Bz dissociation energy and the A-factor is approximately two orders-of-magnitude too small. Analyses indicate that temperature dependent anharmonicity is important for the Na+(Bz) cluster’s unimolecular rate constants k(T). This is consistent with th...
Establishing a Professional Profile of Community Health Workers: Results from a National Study of Roles, Activities and Training

Community Health Workers (CHWs) have gained national recognition for their role in addressing health disparities and are increasingly integrated into the health care delivery system. There is a lack of consensus, however, regarding empirical evidence on the impact of CHW interventions on health outcomes. In this paper, we present results from the 2010 National Community Health Worker Advocacy Survey (NCHWAS) in an effort to strengthen a generalized understanding of the CHW profession that can be integrated into ongoing efforts to improve the health care delivery system. Results indicate that regardless of geographical location, work setting, and demographic characteristics, CHWs generally share similar professional characteristics, training preparation, and job activities. CHWs are likely to be female, representative of the community they serve, and to work in community health centers, clinics, community-based organizations, and health departments. The most common type of training is on-the-job and conference training. Most CHWs work with clients, groups, other CHWs and less frequently community leaders to address health issues, the most common of which are chronic disease, prevention and health care access. Descriptions of CHW activities documented in the survey demonstrate that CHWs apply core competencies in a synergistic manner in an effort to assure that their clients get the services they need. NCHWAS findings suggest that over the past 50 years, the CHW field has become standardized in response to the unmet needs of their communities. In research and practice, the field would benefit from being considered a health profession rather than an intervention.
Do planktic foraminifera accurately record shifts in the carbon isotopic composition of seawater ΣCO2

Abstract Both the carbon isotopic composition of seawater and physiological “vital effects” such as respiration and symbiont photosynthesis influence the δ 13 C value of foraminiferal calcite. The symbiont-bearing planktic foraminifera, Orbulina universa , was grown in a series of laboratory experiments to determine whether vital effects differentially obscure the δ 13 C signal such that changes in the δ 13 C of seawater ΣCO 2 cannot be quantitatively evaluated. Foraminifera were cultured under three different irradiance levels to elicit a full range of symbiont photosynthetic effects and in seawater with δ 13 C values ranging between + 1.77‰ (ambient) and + 5.76‰. Power regression analysis of isotope data from individual shells plotted against culture irradiance yields three curves which are nearly parallel but are offset by the difference between the carbon isotopic composition of the culture waters. When irradiance groups are combined and O. universa δ 13 C values are plotted against seawater δ 13 C, three parallel linear regressions are obtained with slopes ranging between 0.93 and 0.96. Because the slopes are near unity, it is concluded that the δ 13 C of O. universa accurately tracks changes in the carbon isotopic composition of seawater regardless of the magnitude of its physiological vital effect. O. universa oxygen isotope data show that individuals maintained in the low and medium irradiance groups secrete their shells in isotopic equilibrium according to established paleotemperature equations. In contrast, individuals grown under high irradiance levels (maximum symbiont photosynthetic rates) are on average 0.35‰ depleted in 18 O relative to equilibrium. Symbiont-enhanced calcification rates in the high light group may be responsible for the observed δ 18 O difference.
Ozone and aerosol measurements with an airborne lidar system

) is a importann t component of atmospheric pollution. It indirectly controls the chemistry of the tropo­sphere (atmospheric region typically below about 10 k altitudem in an) d directly contributes to the greenhouse effect by being a radiatively active gas. In the lower stratosphere (atmospheric region typically between 10-30 km in altitude), O
The Convergence Rate for the Strong Law of Large Numbers: General Lattice Distributions.

LetX1,X2, ... be a sequence of independent random variables with common lattice distribution functionF having zero mean, and let (Sn) be the random walk of partial sums. The strong law of large numbers (SLLN) implies that for any α∈ℝ and e>0 $$Pm: = P\{ S_n > \alpha + \varepsilon n {\text{for some }}n \geqq m\} $$ decreases to 0 asm increases to ∞. Under conditions on the moment generating function ofF, we obtain the convergence rate by determiningpm up to asymptotic equivalence. When α=0 and e is a point in the lattice forF, the result is due to Siegmund [Z. Wahrscheinlichkeitstheor. Verw. Geb.31, 107–113 (1975); but this restriction on e precludes all small values of e, and these values are the most interesting vis-a-vis the SLLN. Even when α=0 our result handles important distributionsF for which Siegmund's result is vacuous, for example, the two-point distributionF giving rise to simple symmetric random walk on the integers. We also identify for both lattice and non-lattice distributions the behavior of certain quantities in the asymptotic expression forpm as e decreases to 0.
Extraskeletal of a Porous Hydroxyapatite Ceramic

Coralline replamineform hydroxyapatite implants were placed in canine subcutaneous tissues in an attempt to clarify whether the hydroxyapatite matrix acted as a passive matrix for osseous ingrowth when placed in same inherent bone induction capacity.The implants were well-tolerated and elicited no deleterious host response. Connective tissue rapidly infiltrated the pores, but no evidence of hone formatian was noted in any of the specimens. It was concluded that this implant material does not act to induce bone formation.
The organization of synaptic interconnections in the laminae of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat.

Four axon types occur in the lateral geniculate nucleus. Two contain vesicles with mainly round profiles and these are distinguished from each other by their size, the appearance of their contents and by the types of contact they make. The larger “RLP” axons are interpreted as retinogeniculate and the smaller “RSD” axons as corticogeniculate fibers. The other two axon types contain many irregular or flattened vesicles and these “F” axons are regarded as two types of intrageniculate fiber. In laminae A and A 1 encapsulated synaptic zones form around grape-like dendritic appendages. These zones contain all axon types, but RSD axons are rare. Interstitial zones lie between the encapsulated zones and contain synapses formed by many RSD axons, some F and few RLP axons. The interstitial zones continue into the central interlaminar nucleus which forms a narrow band containing no encapsulated zones and few RLP axons. Lamina B contains relatively small RLP axons, very many RSD axons and only a few small encapsulated zones. Axosomatic junctions are rare throughout the nucleus. Axo-axonal junctions occur in all laminae but mostly in the encapsulated zones; the postsynaptic element is always an F axon, RLP or RSD axons generally form the presynaptic element.
Effects of size and growth rate on vegetative reproduction in Typha

The objective of this study was to separate the effects of plant biomass and growth rate on vegetative reproduction in two species of cat-tail, Typha latifolia and T. angustifolia. Replicate clones of both species were grown under conditions of 100%, 42%, 24%, and 9% full sunlight with harvests at 41, 70, and 91 days after shading. T. angustifolia produced most of its vegetative offspring before the first harvest and increased biomass over the remainder of the experiment by increasing the size of its ramets. In contrast, T. latifolia produced vegetative offspring gradually throughout the experiment adding new ramets only after existing clones were of mature size. As a result of these differences in the cloning process, T. angustifolia showed little correlation between vegetative reproduction and clone size while T. latifolia showed a strong correlation between gegetative reproduction and clone size at the three highest light intensities. Growth rates, average clone size and vegetative reproduction were all reduced by reductions in light intensity for both species. However, no effect of growth rate on the relationship between clone size and vegetative reproduction in T. latifolia could be detected. T. latifolia showed greater survivorship and more biomass production under 9% light than T. angustifolia indicating a greater shade tolerance.
Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance of Li in Ferroelectric Compounds

Measurements have been made of the temperature dependence of the nuclear quadrupole coupling constant, $\frac{\mathrm{eQq}}{h}$, of Li in a number of ferroelectric compounds. The compounds discussed are LiN${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$${\mathrm{C}}_{4}$${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ \ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, LiTl${\mathrm{C}}_{4}$${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$${\mathrm{O}}_{6}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, LiTa${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, LiNb${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, and Li${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{5}$S${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$. Powdered samples were used in all cases except the first where single crystals were also measured and favorably compared with the powder results.
Virus or Avian Myeloblastic Leukosis

Abstract INTRODUCTION AVIAN leukosis is a complex of diseases which are not only of much economic importance, but which, in addition, comprise one category of virus-induced tumors. As a consequence, knowledge of the diseases is of fundamental interest in its bearing on the problem of cancer as a whole. Since the initial reports of the viral etiology of representative forms of leukosis in 1908 (Ellermann and Bang, 1908; Ellermann, 1921), much attention has been given to the investigation of various conditions regarded as elements of or related to the complex. Most of the studies, which have been reviewed by Olson (1940) and Jungherr (1952), have been concerned with pathological manifestations and, more recently, with epidemiology, genetics and other aspects of the conditions. One field, however, has been greatly neglected, and this has to do with the nature and properties of the virus or viruses responsible for the different forms of the …
The Cerebral-cortex of the Reeler Mouse Embryo - An Electron-microscopic Analysis

The cerebral cortex of reeler (rl/rl) and control (rl/+) embryos has been examined at embryonic day 14 (E0=day of the plug). At this early stage, the cells of the cortical plate in reeler are characteristically maloriented when compared to the controls but, despite this malorientation, they assume a normal differentiation; in particular the regions of contact between the cells of the cortical plate are not different from the controls. The marginal zone and the subcortical plate of reeler are less well delimited than in normal fetuses, yet each of these layers contains the same contingent of cells and fibers as the normal embryos. In particular an early afferent fiber system is visualized in reeler and shows the same characteristics as in normal embryos: weak osmiophily, presence of dense core vesicles and of multilocular dense vacuoles, formation of asymmetric synapses in the marginal zone. The nature of these fibers is unknown but it is suggested that they could correspond to the aminergic system described in rats at the same developmental stage. The observations reported, though compatible with the hypothesis that the reeler gene acts upon a cell recognition-adhesion phenomenon between CP cells, do not provide a positive evidence for it and do not exclude other explanations.
Singular limits in bounded domains for quasilinear symmetric hyperbolic systems having a vorticity equation

Abstract A short-time existence theorem is proven for the initial-boundary-value problem for a class of quasilinear symmetric hyperbolic systems containing a constant-coefficient spatial operator multiplied by a large parameter λ. Solutions u are shown to remain bounded independently of λ for a time independent of λ provided that u (0) and u l (0) are bounded independently of λ and certain structural conditions are satisfied. This result is applied to the quasigeostrophic approximation of the shallow water equations and the constant-pressure approximation in combustion, and solutions for these cases are shown to converge to solutions of limiting equations as λ → ∞.
Capacity Analysis and Pilot-Data Power Allocation for MIMO-OFDM With Transmitter and Receiver IQ Imbalances and Residual Carrier Frequency Offset

We analyze the ergodic capacity and capacity bound of a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) system suffering from frequency-selective in-phase and quadrature-phase (IQ) imbalances along with residual carrier frequency offset (CFO). In the literature, capacity analysis of systems with IQ imbalance has been done only for the single antenna case and has considered either frequency-flat IQ imbalances at both transmitter and receiver sides without CFO or only receiver-side IQ imbalances with CFO. Additionally, these works dealt with IQ imbalance by treating the mirror tone interference as an additional source of noise, which is not optimal. In this paper, we consider a generalized system model that includes a multi-antenna system with frequency-selective IQ imbalances at both the transmitter and the receiver sides, in addition to the presence of CFO, and perform capacity analysis considering joint detection of the signal and its self-interference. In addition, for the imperfect channel estimation case, existing works in the literature optimize for pilot spacings and pilot designs. Pilot-data power allocation is an additional degree of freedom that is available to further optimize the system and has not been addressed before. Therefore, we analyze the pilot-data power allocation that maximizes the capacity bound and obtain a closed-form solution for the optimal power allocation at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. We then study how the IQ imbalance and residual CFO severity affect capacity, symbol error rate (SER), and capacity bound maximizing power allocation. Finally, we derive the optimal power allocation when the channel is slow varying and remains constant over a block of several OFDM symbols. The derived results are validated through Monte Carlo simulations.
Polycrystalline CdS thin film field effect transistors: Fabrication, stability, and temperature dependence

In contrast to field effect transistors based on single crystal silicon, thin film field effect transistors utilizing polycrystalline semiconductors have been more difficult to reproduce, show greater instability of their operating characteristics, and exhibit a very strong temperature dependence. In this report the results of a fabrication and stability study on thin, polycrystalline CdS field effect transistors are given, in addition to our present understanding of the temperature dependence. Included are “in process” measurements during device fabrication, the use of SiO2 and Si3N4 as the gate insulator, long-term behavior under d.c. gate bias, the temperature dependence of the channel mobility and flat-band voltage, and the problem of differential thermal expansion between film and substrate. Reproducibility within the same deposition, device stability up to 90 °C, and a considerable reduction in the temperature dependence over previously reported devices was achieved.
Structure and function of the sensilla on the antennal club of the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis (Zimmerman) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)☆☆☆

Abstract Four types of sensilla occur on the antennal club of Dendroctonus frontalis: fluted sensilla, sensilla trichodea II and III and sensilla basiconica. All but the sensilla trichodea III have cuticular pores. Electrophysiological studies show the sensilla trichodea II and basiconia to be olfactory sensitive hairs for beetle and host tree-produced volatiles. The sensilla trichodea III are mechanosensitive hairs. Electrophysiological data were not obtained for the fluted sensilla. The morphologies of the 4 sensillar types are described.
The Drosophila Juvenile Hormone Receptor Candidates Methoprene-tolerant (MET) and Germ Cell-expressed (GCE) Utilize a Conserved LIXXL Motif to Bind the FTZ-F1 Nuclear Receptor

Juvenile hormone (JH) has been implicated in many developmental processes in holometabolous insects, but its mechanism of signaling remains controversial. We previously found that in Drosophila Schneider 2 cells, the nuclear receptor FTZ-F1 is required for activation of the E75A gene by JH. Here, we utilized insect two-hybrid assays to show that FTZ-F1 interacts with two JH receptor candidates, the bHLH-PAS paralogs MET and GCE, in a JH-dependent manner. These interactions are severely reduced when helix 12 of the FTZ-F1 activation function 2 (AF2) is removed, implicating AF2 as an interacting site. Through homology modeling, we found that MET and GCE possess a C-terminal α-helix featuring a conserved motif LIXXL that represents a novel nuclear receptor (NR) box. Docking simulations supported by two-hybrid experiments revealed that FTZ-F1·MET and FTZ-F1·GCE heterodimer formation involves a typical NR box-AF2 interaction but does not require the canonical charge clamp residues of FTZ-F1 and relies primarily on hydrophobic contacts, including a unique interaction with helix 4. Moreover, we identified paralog-specific features, including a secondary interaction site found only in MET. Our findings suggest that a novel NR box enables MET and GCE to interact JH-dependently with the AF2 of FTZ-F1.
The urban built environment and associations with women's psychosocial health.

The determinants that underlie a healthy or unhealthy pregnancy are complex and not well understood. We assess the relationship between the built environment and maternal psychosocial status using directly observed residential neighborhood characteristics (housing damage, property disorder, tenure status, vacancy, security measures, violent crime, and nuisances) and a wide range of psychosocial attributes (interpersonal support evaluation list, self-efficacy, John Henryism active coping, negative partner support, Perceived Stress Scale, perceived racism, Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression) on a pregnant cohort of women living in the urban core of Durham, NC, USA. We found some associations between built environment characteristic and psychosocial health varied by exposure categorization approach, while others (residence in environments with more rental property is associated with higher reported active coping and negative partner support) were consistent across exposure categorizations. This study outlines specific neighborhood characteristics that are modifiable risk markers and therefore important targets for increased research and public health intervention.
Temperature stability of Bragg grating resonant frequency

The effects of fabrication tolerances on the resonant frequency of Bragg gratings etched in glass waveguides are reported. The glass materials are chosen for low thermal drift of refractive index and consequent low thermal drift of Bragg resonant frequency. Fabrication and measurement of Bragg gratings with grating period held constant to 100 ppm are demonstrated. A monolithic array of notch filters with resonant frequencies shifted over a 5 nm range by choice of waveguide width, thickness, etc., is demonstrated.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Embodiment

Can you recall the last time you wiggled your toes in soft grass or on a sandy beach? Or the last time you noticed your heart race at seeing a loved one? Perhaps you can recall a time with a client...
Non-conformal and parallel discontinuous Galerkin time domain method for Maxwell's equations: EM analysis of IC packages

In this article, we present an Interior Penalty discontinuous Galerkin Time Domain (IPDGTD) method on non-conformal meshes. The motivation for a non-conformal IPDGTD comes from the fact there are applications with very complicated geometries (for example, IC packages) where a conformal mesh may be very difficult to obtain. Therefore, the ability to handle non-conformal meshes really comes in handy. In the proposed approach, we first decompose the computational domain into non-overlapping subdomains. Afterward, each sub-domain is meshed independently resulting in non-conformal domain interfaces, but simultaneously providing great flexibility in the meshing process. The non-conformal triangulations at sub-domain interfaces can be naturally supported within the IPDGTD framework. Moreover, a MPI parallelization together with a local time-stepping strategy is applied to significantly increase the efficiency of the method. Furthermore, a general balancing strategy is described. Through a practical example with multi-scale features, it is shown that the proposed balancing strategy leads to better use of the available computational resources and reduces substantially the total simulation time. Finally, numerical results are included to validate the accuracy and demonstrate the flexibilities of the proposed non-conformal IPDGTD.
The incidence of hematologic tumours: A cellular model for the age dependence

Abstract Most hematologic tumors (acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphatic leukemia, polycythemia vera, and multiple myeloma) exhibit an exponential increase in incidence with advancing age of the host. This age-incidence pattern resembles that for carcinomas and can be explained by the accumulation of harmful mutations in the stem cells of the tissues of tumor origin during the course of normal aging. The age-incidence pattern for acute lymphatic leukemia is unique and complex with a linear increase in incidence from birth to age 3, an exponential decline in incidence form age 3 to 34, a low and constant rate of incidence from age 34 to 60, and a slight increase in incidence at ages greater than 60. We conclude that variation in tumor incidence with host age is determined by the pattern of cell proliferation in the tissue of tumor origin. We suggest that cell proliferation in the tissue of origin of acute lymphatic leukemia occurs in stages: (1) rapid stem cell proliferation from before birth to age 3, (2) random stem cell differentiation from age 3 to 34, and (3) a constant rate of stem cell proliferation and differentiation after age 34.
Spatial Organization at a Winter Campsite of the Last Glacial Maximum: The Case of Grubgraben AL1

Abstract In this article we analyze the spatial structure of Grubgraben, an Epigravettian open-air site in Austria. The site contains five distinct occupation levels stratified in a series of loess deposits, with stone structures and pavements defining the occupation levels. After examining the spatial patterning of a variety of the artifact classes for level AL1 and their coincidence with the stone and hearth features, we conclude that the site area can be divided into distinct activity areas. The stone pavement in level AL1, for example, was clearly used to support a variety of domestic activities, including food and hide processing. In conclusion we provide a hypothetical spatial structure for use in further analysis of these and other levels at the site.
Evidence for a relationship between daily caffeine consumption and accuracy of time estimation.

The present study examined the relationship between regular caffeine consumption and time estimation. Sixty participants (aged 18-57 years, mean 24 years) completed a 47 s time estimation exercise and questionnaires related to daily caffeine consumption and perceptions of time. We hypothesized that the effects of caffeine on time estimation would follow a U-shaped pattern such that individuals who reported moderate amounts of daily caffeine would be more accurate in their perceptions of time than would those who reported high amounts of caffeine intake or no daily caffeine consumption. Timing accuracy was computed by dividing participant-reported time by actual time (47 s). Timing accuracy followed a U-shaped curve such that those respondents who reported 'low' daily caffeine consumption ( 135 mg/day, n = 28) were less accurate in their time estimates [F(2, 56)= 3.34, p< 0.05]. Findings suggest that 'low' daily caffeine consumption may enhance time estimation accuracy above that of 'high' or no daily caffeine consumption.
Characterization, production and reconstruction of substrate guided wave holointerferograms

Substrate guided wave (SGW) holograms are recorded and reconstructed using light waves guided through an optical substrate. The recording geometries for producing transmission and reflection SGW holograms are discussed. Practical guidelines are presented for recording and reconstructing interferograms suitable for nondestructive testing.
Validity of model approximations for receptor-ligand kinetics in nuclear medicine.

An appropriate mathematical model is required for quantitative analysis of high affinity radioligands as direct or surrogate probes to measure receptor distribution, affinity, concentration, binding potential, and endogenous or exogenous ligand occupancy levels. For studies with positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), the receptor-ligand compartment model has been well established and widely used. This pharmacokinetic model is represented mathematically by a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Variations of models for PET and SPECT account for radioactive decay differently. These are not equivalent and entail assumptions or approximations that may be not appreciated. In this study, a general form of the model is presented and compared with others with various approximations, which are valid only under specific conditions. The various approximate formulations were analytically compared to the exact model to identify the terms that were neglected in the approximate formulations. The extent to which the approximations impact the model solutions was assessed by computer simulations based on numerical solutions to each set of equations. Specifically, each model formulation was tested using three simulated injection protocols representing a typical PET experiment, a typical SPECT experiment, and an extreme experiment where both the injected activity and themore » specific activity were very high. No significant differences were found among the output of the three model formulations when the PET and SPECT injection protocols were tested. The only conditions that produced significant differences occurred when the specific activity and the administered activity were simultaneously very high. These conditions, however, have little practical relevance to experimentally achievable conditions due to radiation dose and specific activity of radiopharmaceuticals.« less
COMMENTS ON TRAFFIC DYNAMICS.

Abstract The following is a critique of the paper “Traffic Dynamics” written by Ross (1988).
Whatever you say, say something: remembering for the future in Northern Ireland

The question of how to ‘deal’ with the past in post‐conflict Northern Ireland preoccupies public conversation precisely because it separates a violent history from a fragile peace and an uncertain future. After a brief examination of contemporary Northern Ireland's culture of remembrance, this article provides some analysis of the potentials and dangers of efforts to confront the legacies of the Troubles. I argue here that the challenge for post‐conflict heritage work in Northern Ireland lies in forging practices that permit and facilitate different ways of encountering complex and contradictory histories. These new efforts to remember encourage citizens to incorporate disparate, often conflicting memories into a patchwork of collected memory. Through a presentation of two case studies, this article offers an analysis of this memory work in an effort to show that it is as difficult as it is necessary. By forging a new tradition in memory work that transcends the long history of dual narratives and begins ...
Impact of interior permanent magnet rotor design on signal injection based sensorless control and power conversion

This paper examines the relationship between rotor design and sensorless control and power conversion properties for four industrially relevant interior permanent magnet (IPM) machine configurations: 36 slot 6 pole stator with v bar rotor, 36 slot 6 pole stator with flat bar rotor, 9 slot 6 pole stator with v bar rotor, and 9 slot 6 pole stator with flat bar rotor. The influence of rotor geometric design variables over the range of current densities at the maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) angle were found using a design of experiments methodology and standardized regression coefficients. Tradeoffs between sensorless control and power conversion properties are found using a Monte Carlo methodology. Power conversion and sensorless control properties were found using hybrid static and time stepping finite element simulations.
A Semantic Approach to Causation in French

As noted at the outset, our purpose has been to offer an alternative approach to the syntactic analyses of a given construction in French. We have argued that A and PAR in causative constructions exhibit essentially the same semantic characteristics as they do in other structures in the language. It has been shown that a semantic approach centering on the principle of deictic orientation can account for certain data which are problematic for a purely syntactic analysis (while noting the shortcomings of this approach whenever appropriate): restrictions on verbs of perception, reflexive verbs, and non-passivizable verbs are naturally explained in such an approach, which further offers partial explanation for more opaque restrictions on cliticization which appear to be related to the semantic "completeness" of the Theme of the causation and to the fact that a clitic before FAIRE must be interpretable as the Goal of the causation. It is clear that many of the concepts discussed herein need further definition and clarification, but we hope to have shown that deictic orientation is a potentially productive working hypothesis for the investigation of other areas of French,39 as well as the study of other languages.
Fast optimization-based elasticity parameter estimation using reduced models

Elasticity parameters are central to physically-based animation and medical image analysis. We present an accelerated method to automatically estimate these parameters for a deformation simulator using an iterative optimization framework, given the desired (target) output surface/shape. During the optimization, the input model is deformed by the simulator, and the distance between the deformed surface and the target surface is minimized numerically. To accelerate the optimization process, we introduce a dimension reduction technique to allow a trade-off between the computational efficiency and desired accuracy. The reduced model is constructed using statistical training with a set of example deformations. To demonstrate this approach, we apply the computational framework to 2D animations of elastic bodies simulated with a linear finite element method. We also present a 3D elastography example, which is simulated with a reduced-dimension finite element model to improve the performance of the optimizer.
Crb apical polarity proteins maintain zebrafish retinal cone mosaics via intercellular binding of their extracellular domains

Cone photoreceptors are assembled by unknown mechanisms into geometrically regular mosaics in many vertebrate species. The formation and maintenance of photoreceptor mosaics are speculated to require differential cell-cell adhesion. However, the molecular basis for this theory has yet to be identified. The retina and many other tissues express Crumbs (Crb) polarity proteins. The functions of the extracellular domains of Crb proteins remain to be understood. Here we report cell-type-specific expression of the crb2a and crb2b genes at the cell membranes of photoreceptor inner segments and Muller cell apical processes in the zebrafish retina. We demonstrate that the extracellular domains of Crb2a and Crb2b mediate a cell-cell adhesion function, which plays an essential role in maintaining the integrity of photoreceptor layer and cone mosaics. Because Crb proteins are expressed in many types of epithelia, the Crb-based cell-cell adhesion may underlie cellular patterning in other epithelium-derived tissues as well.
Investigation of Changes in Surface Chemistries on Virgin and Brominated Activated Carbon Sorbents during Mercury Capture: Before and After Regeneration

Pre-halogenated activated carbon (AC) sorbents are known to be effective in Hg capture when injected into the flue gas stream generated from the combustion of low-chlorine-containing sub-bituminous and lignite coals. In this study, virgin (unfunctionalized) and brominated AC powders were tested for Hg sorption in a low-HCl (4 ppm)-containing simulated Powder River Basin (PRB)-fired flue gas matrix before and after regeneration. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to investigate changes in sorbent surface chemistries, which were then correlated to Hg breakthrough data obtained from bench-scale experiments. It was observed that Hg capture tests on brominated AC powders removed the surface-bound bromine, a known Hg-binding site, to levels below XPS detection limits. Further, XPS studies also revealed an increase in the chlorine content after adsorption on the tested samples and the samples regenerated at a lower temperature (204 °C). The decrease of bromine peaks coupled with the presence/increas...
Environmental causes of violence

Violent and anti-social behavior is usually attributed to social factors, including poverty, poor education, and family instability. There is also evidence that many forms of violent behavior are more frequent in individuals of lower IQ. The role of exposure to environmental contaminants has received little attention as a factor predisposing to violent behavior. However a number of environmental exposures are documented to result in a common pattern of neurobehavioral effects, including lowered IQ, shortened attention span, and increased frequency of antisocial behavior. This pattern is best described for children exposed to lead early in life, but a similar pattern is seen upon exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and methyl mercury. Although not as extensively studied, similar decrements in IQ are seen upon exposure to arsenic and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Prenatal and postnatal SHS exposure is also associated with increased rates of conduct disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity. Recent evidence suggests that temporal trends in rates of violent crime in many nations are consistent with earlier preschool blood lead trends, with a lag of about 20 years. These ecologic correlations are consistent with many controlled studies suggesting that lead-exposed children suffer irreversible brain alterations that make them more likely to commit violent crimes as young adults. If this pattern is true for lead and other contaminants, the most effective way to fight crime may be to prevent exposure to these contaminants.
Aroma properties and thresholds of some branched-chain and other minor volatile fatty acids occurring in milkfat and meat lipids

. Aroma properties of twenty-three branched-chain, odd-numbered, or unsaturated fatty acids which had each been dispersed in acidic aqueous media (pH 2.0) were evaluated. Aroma threshold values were determined using approximately 95 judges for assessing the presence of aromas over dilutions of each fatty acid. Qualitative aroma threshold values for individual fatty acids ranged from 0.006 to 82.4 ppm in the acidic solutions, and 4-ethyloctanoic acid exhibited the lowest threshold of the group tested. Qualitative aroma assessments of dilutions of each fatty acid showed a wide range of unique aroma properties. Fatty acids exhibiting branching at the 4-position had goaty/muttony/sheepy aroma notes as did other fatty acids containing 8-carbon chain structures. Cheese-like aromas were associated with the shorter branched-chain fatty acids.
Poly(ethylene glycol)-modified Nanocarriers for Tumor-targeted and Intracellular Delivery

The success of anti-cancer therapies largely depends on the ability of the therapeutics to reach their designated cellular and intracellular target sites, while minimizing accumulation and action at non-specific sites. Surface modification of nanoparticulate carriers with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) has emerged as a strategy to enhance solubility of hydrophobic drugs, prolong circulation time, minimize non-specific uptake, and allow for specific tumor-targeting through the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Furthermore, PEG/PEO modification has emerged as a platform for incorporation of active targeting ligands, thereby providing the drug and gene carriers with specific tumor-targeting properties through a flexible tether. This review focuses on the recent developments surrounding such PEG/PEO-surface modification of polymeric nanocarriers to promote tumor-targeting capabilities, thereby enhancing efficacy of anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.
Long-term survival of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in living Pinus sylvestris in an established plantation

Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris) in a 20-year-old plantation in northern Vermont, USA, were inoculated with the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) in 1987. To determine how long B. xylophilus would survive after inoculation, the trees were periodically observed and sampled for the nematode up to the end of 1993. The nematode was still found to persist in living, healthy-appearing pines 6 years after inoculation.
Advances in DNA sequencing

Paired-read shotgun sequencing of a genome consists of randomly sampling segments of a fixed length, say 10,000 base pairs (10Kbp), and directly determining a "read" of 500 to 700bp at the two ends of each segment with an automated DNA sequencing instrument. Reconstructing or "assembling" a very large genome from such a data set was considered impossible at the time Jim Weber and I proposed it for the Human Genome (2.9Gbp) in 1996. Critics claimed that the computation would involve an impossible amount of computer time, that the size and repetitiveness of the genome would confound all attempts at assembly should sufficient computer efficiency be achieved, and that even if an assembly were produced it would be of an extremely poor quality and partial nature.In mid-1998 Celera was formed and by the close of 1999 the informatics research team at Celera had assembled the 130Mbp Drosophila genome after producing a whole genome shotgun data set with enough reads to cover genome 13 times over, a 13X data set. An assembly of the Human genome followed in 2000 from a 5.1X data set and synthetic reads generated from public data. In April 2001, we produced an assembly of the Mouse genome from a 5.3X data set of three different mouse strains in equal proportions.