cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contextual influences on infants' attention to child-directed speech

Initial publications of infants' preference for infant (child)-directed speech (CDS) over adult-directed speech (ADS) produced a swift generalization to all early development. In fact, a recent meta-analysis found that the CDS preference to be robust (Dunst et al., 2012) and the ManyBabies I replication effort extends this view across labs, methods, and samples (Frank et al., 2018). Nonetheless, there are important demonstrations of how this preference gets attenuated and augmented by various factors. For example, Cooper et al. (1997) found that 1-mo-olds did not prefer CDS over ADS when both recordings were of the infants' own mothers, but did prefer CDS when the speakers were unfamiliar women. Other studies on CDS perception find influences of the language being spoken, the modality of presentation, the age of the infant, the clinical status of the mother and/or of the infant. The influence of context on infants' attention to speech is an underappreciated and understudied aspect of early language learning. This presentation will summarize contextual moderators of the CDS preference that emanate from the infant and from the infant's developmental milieu, and offer suggestions for other contexts that most likely impact infants' attention to CDS but have yet to be investigated (e.g., poverty). Initial publications of infants' preference for infant (child)-directed speech (CDS) over adult-directed speech (ADS) produced a swift generalization to all early development. In fact, a recent meta-analysis found that the CDS preference to be robust (Dunst et al., 2012) and the ManyBabies I replication effort extends this view across labs, methods, and samples (Frank et al., 2018). Nonetheless, there are important demonstrations of how this preference gets attenuated and augmented by various factors. For example, Cooper et al. (1997) found that 1-mo-olds did not prefer CDS over ADS when both recordings were of the infants' own mothers, but did prefer CDS when the speakers were unfamiliar women. Other studies on CDS perception find influences of the language being spoken, the modality of presentation, the age of the infant, the clinical status of the mother and/or of the infant. The influence of context on infants' attention to speech is an underappreciated and understudied aspect of early language learni...
Retrospective analysis of survival rates of post-and-cores in a dental school setting.

Abstract Statement of problem The clinical survival of different types of post-and-core systems requires assessment. Purpose The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to evaluate the clinical survival rate (CSR) of custom-fabricated cast metal and prefabricated (both metal- and fiber-reinforced composite resin post) post-and-cores as a function of patient- and restoration-related variables. Material and methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on electronic charts indicating that these patients had received some type of post-and-core between January 2003 and January 2018. A total of 754 records were included in the analysis based on the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed by using the Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated the mean survival time for each group to be 12.0 years for fiber-reinforced composite resin posts, 11.8 years for cast metal post-and-cores, and 10.2 years for prefabricated metal posts. Although the mean survival time differed by 1.8 years among groups, with prefabricated metal posts having a slightly higher risk of failure, this effect was not statistically significant (P=.067). The effect of post type also failed to reach significance when controlling for patient demographics and post position in a Cox proportional hazards analysis (P=.106). However, the Cox model did show that survival was associated with tooth position (P=.003), cement (P=.021), and type of restoration (P Conclusions Analysis showed no evidence that post-and-core survival was significantly associated with 3 types of post-and-cores (custom-fabricated metal, prefabricated metal, and prefabricated fiber-reinforced composite resin). The percentage of root in the bone, tooth position, cement, and type of restoration, however, were significantly associated with survival.
Spatiotemporal changes of informal settlements: Ger districts in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Abstract Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, has experienced unprecedented urbanization following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Lack in housing supply has led to an expansion of informal settlements, mostly in the form of Gers — portable tents used by nomads in Mongolian Plateau. These settlements now host approximately 45% of Ulaanbaatar’s total population, resulting in some serious urban challenges (i.e., limited public services, waterborne diseases, and air pollution). However, there is a limited understanding on how these informal settlements have evolved because they have been constantly growing and changing over the past few decades. We conducted semi-structured interviews and applied remote sensing imagery to generate a comprehensive picture of informal settlements in Ulaanbaatar over the past three decades. Throughout the semi-structured interviews, we identified informal settlements as evolving objects with infancy, consolidation, and maturity stages. Through QuickBird and Landsat satellite imagery, we developed spatial distributions of informal settlements from 1990 to 2013 and found the total area of informal settlements increased from 32.15 km2 to 221.15 km2. We identified distinct spatial patterns of informal settlements (i.e., spillover, linear aggregation, leap-frogging, and infill development). Particularly, we verified that the emergence of informal settlements in the infancy stage occurred in the periphery of the city and along major roads, with informal settlements rapidly evolving over time (i.e., about 40% of infancy-stage in 1990 had segued into the consolidation and maturity stages in 2013). These results are credited to the accessibility of economic opportunities and public services, as well as the availability of vacant land and associated unique Mongolian land tenure law.
Privacy Invasion through Smarthome IoT Sensing

The digital smart-home ecosystem comprised of the smart sensing devices and those that the user interacts with, have the ability to monitor users’ activities without user awareness or consent. While the intelligence provided by these devices and systems, particularly through recommendations and reminders for user activities, are helpful, they also border on the level of intrusion to the user. The framework of the smart home devices poses a potential privacy threat once the insights gained from the data are beyond simple reminders or recommendations, and rather active inference of the person’s sensitive or private information. We hypothesize that it is possible a smart-home user’s privacy can be compromised with the location information and temporal sampling of the user’s context by the sensors. In this work, we explore testing this hypothesis towards understanding privacy intrusion by reverse engineering a privacy intrusion model using derived insights from the sensors’ data. While there can be numerous facets to privacy, we categorize our privacy model development along six attributes: personal identity, localization within the smart-space, finance activity, social interaction, genealogy history and emotional attributes. As a first step in this exploration, we set up experiments in a real-world office room environment to study privacy intrusion of a single user using off-the-shelf smart sensing devices already existing in homes today.
Identifying Patients With Patella Alta and/or Severe Trochlear Dysplasia Through the Presence of Patellar Apprehension in Higher Degrees of Flexion:

Background:Recurrent patellar instability is frequently treated surgically with reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL). Patients with significant patella alta, trochlear dyspla...
Sex, Race, and Age Differences in Prevalence of Dementia in Medicare Claims and Survey Data

Objectives This study provides the first comparison of trends in dementia prevalence in the U.S. population using 3 different dementia ascertainments/data sources: neuropsychological assessment, cognitive tests, and diagnosis codes from Medicare claims. Methods We used data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study and Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study, and a 20% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries. We compared dementia prevalence across the 3 sources by race, gender, and age. We estimated trends in dementia prevalence from 2006 to 2013 based on cognitive tests and diagnosis codes utilizing logistic regression. Results Dementia prevalence among older adults aged 70 and older in 2004 was 16.6% (neuropsychological assessment), 15.8% (cognitive tests), and 12.2% (diagnosis codes). The difference between dementia prevalence based on cognitive tests and diagnosis codes diminished in 2012 (12.4% and 12.9%, respectively), driven by decreasing rates of cognitive test-based and increasing diagnosis codes-based dementia prevalence. This difference in dementia prevalence between the 2 sources by sex and for age groups 75-79 and 90 and older vanished over time. However, there remained substantial differences across measures in dementia prevalence among blacks and Hispanics (10.9 and 9.8 percentage points, respectively) in 2012. Discussion Our results imply that ascertainment of dementia through diagnosis may be improving over time, but gaps across measures among racial/ethnic minorities highlight the need for improved measurement of dementia prevalence in these populations.
The Role of Circulating Tumor Cells in Breast Cancer and Implications for Radiation Treatment Decisions.

Tumor biomarkers are used routinely in oncology to assign risk categorization, screen and assist in diagnosis of malignancy, allow for prognostication and prediction of outcomes and treatment response, and allow for monitoring of patients after treatment completion. Although tissue-based biomarkers have a long history of use, the emergence of liquid-based biomarkers, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs), may soon revolutionize the management of patients with cancer. Here, we review the discovery of CTCs and their role as prognostic and predictive biomarkers, with an emphasis on breast cancer. We discuss the platforms for CTC enumeration and focus on studies using the only US Food and Drug Administration–approved platform for CTC enumeration (CellSearch). In addition, we examine the role of CTCs in women with metastatic, inflammatory, and nonmetastatic breast cancer, as well as the clinical evidence for their use as a surrogate for radiation treatment response as well as surveillance after treatment. Finally, we conclude by investigating ongoing clinical studies assessing CTCs as radiation response predictors and discuss unanswered questions.
Arcyria versicolor of western mountains, U.S.A. (Myxomycetes: Trichiales: Trichiaceae): a morphological and taxonomic study with observations of nivicolous species

Arcyria versicolor (Trichiales: Trichiaceae) is a distinct myxomycete species described by William Phillips in 1877. The genus Arcyria dates back to Linnaeus in 1753 through the species A. denudata. Arcyria sporangia are brightly colored red, yellow, grey or white, mostly stalked, often in large groups easily seen with the naked eye. Approximately 54 species are known, many are common, and distributed worldwide. Collectors often encounter these colorful species on decaying logs as clusters of many sporangia often covering extensive areas. Arcyria versicolor, collected in the Valles Caldera National Preserve located in the Jemez Mountains of north central New Mexico, is a new record for the state. The nomenclatural history of this species is reviewed and the justification for selection of the species name versicolor is discussed. Arcyria versicolor is accepted as the valid species name and A. vitellina a synonym after examination of type specimens. Environmental parameters for coloration are discussed in general for fruiting bodies of Arcyria and more specifically for nivicolous snowbank species. Transitional stages of plasmodial color to mature fruiting body formation are described for Arcyria versicolor. More than 140 specimens of Arcyria versicolor fruiting bodies were examined with light microscopy and in part illustrated with multifocal computer stacked imaging. Higher magnifications were highlighted using scanning electron microscopy. A more complete and accurate species description is provided for Arcyria versicolor. Differences of fruiting body morphology including habit, color, dehiscence, peridial inner and outer surface features, capillitial ornamentation and size, spore color, size, and ornamentation, and stalk spore-like bodies are described and illustrated. Observation of type specimens from the type locality is illustrated, discussed, and nomenclatural evaluation given for the name selected. Mountain myxomycetes are reviewed based on the observations of T.H. Macbride and his early 1914 paper published in Mycologia. Collection data is presented that compares the dark-spored and light spored nivicolous myxomycetes in the French Alps. The history of renown collectors of nivicolous myxomycetes in western mountains of U.S.A. documents the discovery and study of this special ecological group of myxomycetes. This current paper is the first in a series from an ongoing research project entitled Myxomycetes of New Mexico.
Acknowledgments from the HAAA Manager

The Houston Asian American Archive (HAAA) began at Rice nine years ago in the summer of 2010. Starting with a small team of student interns who conducted a total of four interviews, it has grown into a robust team of eighteen interns with an accumulated sum of over two hundred interviews this year. My thanks go to the current and former interns who have contributed to this special edition of the journal. In alphabetical order, they are Chris Chan (‘13), Kelly Dong (’21), Taylor Ginter (’18), Steven Loyd (’17), Amber Lu (‘20), Scott Pett (Ph.D. candidate in English), and Juno Rettenmier (’19). They all persevered despite demanding travel schedules, heavy school workloads, and Houston’s inferno-like summer heat. During the last few years, the archive has gained structure, accountability and direction with the help of several remarkable and resourceful interns, and thanks are due to lead intern Priscilla Li (’20), as well as to Tian Tian He (‘20), Xingyi Li (‘20), Sara Davis (’18), Gennady Gorin (’18) and Patricia Wong (’16). Throughout the past nine years, Archivist Amanda Focke has generously given us her time and expertise in uploading interviews and cataloging the growing amount of donated materials, as well as hosting numerous community events for the different constituents of HAAA. Programmer Ying Jin has been working behind the scene to supervise the storage of data in Rice’s Dspace digital archive. Their involvement has been crucial to the project and is deeply appreciated. We are most grateful to the hundreds of interviewees who have opened their hearts to us and shared their remarkable and heroic stories. Without the support of the Chao Center of Asian Studies, the Woodson Research Center, and the Humanities Research Center, HAAA could not have grown as smoothly nor as quickly.
Pseudometrically constrained centroidal voronoi tessellations: Generating uniform antipodally symmetric points on the unit sphere with a novel acceleration strategy and its applications to diffusion and three-dimensional radial MRI.

Purpose The purpose of this work is to investigate the hypothesis that uniform sampling measurements that are endowed with antipodal symmetry play an important role in image quality when the raw data and image data are related through the Fourier relationship. Currently, it is extremely challenging to generate large and uniform antipodally symmetric point sets suitable for three-dimensional radial MRI. A novel approach is proposed to solve this long-standing problem in a unique and optimal way. Methods The proposed method is based on constrained centroidal Voronoi tessellations of the upper hemisphere with a novel pseudometric. Results The time complexity of the proposed tessellations was shown to be effectively linear, i.e., on the order of the number of sampling measurements. For small sample size, the proposed method was comparable with the state-of-the-art method (a direct iterative minimization of the electrostatic potential energy of a collection of electrons antipodal-symmetrically distributed on the unit sphere) in terms of the sampling uniformity. For large sample size, in which the state-of-the-art method is infeasible, the reconstructed images from the proposed method has less streak and ringing artifacts, when compared with those of the commonly used methods. Conclusion This work proposed a unique and optimal approach to solving a long-standing problem in generating uniform sampling points for three-dimensional radial MRI. Magn Reson Med 71:723–734, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PT -symmetry breaking in a Kitaev chain with one pair of gain-loss potentials

Parity-time $(\mathcal{PT})$ symmetric systems are classical, gain-loss systems whose dynamics are governed by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with exceptional-point (EP) degeneracies. The eigenvalues of a $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric Hamiltonian change from real to complex conjugates at a critical value of gain-loss strength that is called the $\mathcal{PT}$ breaking threshold. Here, we obtain the $\mathcal{PT}$ threshold for a one-dimensional, finite Kitaev chain---a prototype for a $p$-wave superconductor---in the presence of a single pair of gain and loss potentials as a function of the superconducting order parameter, on-site potential, and the distance between the gain and loss sites. In addition to a robust, nonlocal threshold, we find a rich phase diagram for the threshold that can be qualitatively understood in terms of the band structure of the Hermitian Kitaev model. In particular, for an even chain with zero on-site potential, we find a re-entrant $\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric phase bounded by second-order EP contours. Our numerical results are supplemented by analytical calculations for small system sizes.
Autonomous Vehicles and Pedestrians: A Case Study of Human Computer Interaction

Understanding public attitudes, sentiments, and perceptions is a significant first step to the widespread acceptance of autonomous vehicles (AVs). In recent years, many studies been conducted in recent years examining the general perception of AVs. The implementation of AVs has potential challenges involving pedestrians and bicyclists that need special attention. The current study analyzes survey data obtained from BikePGH, a non-profit organization in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . This study applied multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to explore response patterns among the participants. The findings of the survey reveal that certain groups of people are much more receptive to AV technology than others who are vehemently opposed to the introduction of AVs to the roadways. The findings indicate that participants who have real world experience with human-AV interactions have more positive expectations and a higher level of interest than participants with no previous experience. The authors expect that these findings will contribute greatly to the development of safety policies related AV and pedestrian interactions.
The Impact of Overt and Relational Victimization on Adolescents' Well Being: Moderating Effects of Ethnicity at the Individual and School Level

THE IMPACT OF OVERT AND RELATIONAL VICTIMIZATION ON ADOLESCENTS’ WELL BEING: MODERATING EFFECTS OF ETHNICITY AT THE INDIVIDUAL AND SCHOOL LEVEL By Krista Ruth Mehari, B.A. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science/Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Major Director: Albert D. Farrell Professor of Psychology Department of Psychology The sociocultural influence of ethnicity on peer victimization among youth has received little attention in the research literature. Individual ethnicity within school ethnic composition may influence the frequency of victimization and the effect of victimization on adolescents’ well being. The current study investigated these issues using a data set of 5,581 sixth grade students attending 37 schools located in four sites. Multilevel models examined the extent to which individual ethnicity within school ethnic composition influenced the frequency and impact of overt and relational victimization on changes in life satisfaction. Ethnic differences were found in the frequency of victimization, but these differences did not vary across schools that differed in ethnic composition. Individual ethnicity, but not school ethnic composition, influenced the impact of relational victimization on life satisfaction. These findings shed light on the influence of ethnicity on victimization experiences and have implications for the role of ethnicity in adolescents’ development.
Cellular adaptations to oxidative phosphorylation defects in cancer

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) somatic mutations or mutations in nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins important for the assembly, activity, or maintenance of the individual oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes have been observed in tumors. Although the functional consequence of such mutations is unclear at the moment, retrograde signaling in response to OXPHOS defects can activate various nuclear genes and signaling pathways that alter mitochondrial function, tumor invasion, metastasis, redox-sensitive pathways, programmed cell death pathways, calcium signaling pathways, and cellular pathways leading to global changes in cellular morphology and architecture. In addition, we have found that some cancer cell lines harboring deleterious mtDNA mutations upregulate the expression of members of the peroxisome-proliferator activated γ coactivator 1 family of coactivators, probably to sustain the necessary ATP production for cell proliferation. In this chapter, we describe such cellular adaptations and changes in response to OXPHOS defects that are associated with a variety of cancer cell types.
Full-field surface-strain and displacement analysis of three-dimensional objects by speckle interferometry

A method of full-field measurement of displacements as well as strain on arbitrarily curved surfaces is introduced. The speckle effect of coherent light is utilized to produce fringes due to displacements. Unlike the fringes produced by holographic interferometry, these fringes have a unique interpretation in relating to displacements and they localize on the surface.
Temporal endogenous gene expression profiles in response to lipid-mediated transfection

Background Design of efficient nonviral gene delivery systems is limited as a result of the rudimentary understanding of the specific molecules and processes that facilitate DNA transfer. Methods Lipoplexes formed with Lipofectamine 2000 (LF2000) and plasmid-encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) were delivered to the HEK 293T cell line. After treating cells with lipoplexes, HG-U133 Affymetrix microarrays were used to identify endogenous genes differentially expressed between treated and untreated cells (2 h exposure) or between flow-separated transfected cells (GFP+) and treated, untransfected cells (GFP–) at 8, 16 and 24 h after lipoplex treatment. Cell priming studies were conducted using pharmacologic agents to alter endogenous levels of the identified differentially expressed genes to determine effect on transfection levels. Results Relative to untreated cells 2 h after lipoplex treatment, only downregulated genes were identified ≥ 30-fold: ALMS1, ITGB1, FCGR3A, DOCK10 and ZDDHC13. Subsequently, relative to GFP– cells, the GFP+ cell population showed at least a five-fold upregulation of RAP1A and PACSIN3 (8 h) or HSPA6 and RAP1A (16 and 24 h). Pharmacologic studies altering endogenous levels for ALMS1, FCGR3A, and DOCK10 (involved in filopodia protrusions), ITGB1 (integrin signaling), ZDDHC13 (membrane trafficking) and PACSIN3 (proteolytic shedding of membrane receptors) were able to increase or decrease transgene production. Conclusions RAP1A, PACSIN3 and HSPA6 may help lipoplex-treated cells overcome a transcriptional shutdown due to treatment with lipoplexes and provide new targets for investigating molecular mechanisms of transfection or for enhancing transfection through cell priming or engineering of the nonviral gene delivery system. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photocatalyst-coated acrylic waveguides for oxidation of organic compounds

Acrylic (polymethyl methacrylate) sheets were coated with a thin film of porous, titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) semiconducting photocatalyst. The sheets were first passivated with a thin film of silica to prevent them from being oxidized by the TiO 2 semiconductor photocatalyst. The coated acrylic structures act as waveguides that propagate ultraviolet (UV) light in an Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) mode. A recirculating reactor was used to evaluate the acrylic waveguides for their ability to photocatalytically oxidize formic acid in water. The TiO 2 -coated waveguides utilize activating ultraviolet light four times more efficiently for the photocatalytic oxidation of formic acid then TiO 2 films illuminated directly with diffuse UV light.
An environment for large software team projects

This paper describes an advanced integrated development environment that may be used by juniors and seniors for large software team projects. The environment is mainly designed for Java Web-based applications with database support; however, it may be used for other types of software applications in other programming languages with minor adjustments. The key components of this environment include a database management system, a Web server, a concurrent versioning system, and an industrial-strength integrated development environment. All the components are open-source and can be downloaded and installed free of charge.
The Growth of the Medieval Icelandic Sagas (1180-1280)

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Theodore M. Andersson Year: 2006 Pages: 248 Publisher: Cornell University Press ISBN: 0-8014-4408-X (hard cover). Prices: $45.00 USD(hard cover).
The Relationship Between Adjustment And Bereavement-Related Distress: A Longitudinal Study

The current study assessed 125 conjugally bereaved persons using multiple self-report measures as indicators of personal adjustment and bereavement distress across three times of testing (initial, 6-month, and 3-year follow-up). Cross-lagged panel analyses were conducted to examine the causal relationships between adjustment and bereavement distress indicators and overall factors. Exploratory factor analyses indicate measures of adjustment load on a single Adjustment factor and measures of bereavement distress load on a single Grief factor. Considering results using composite scores for each variable, adjustment was significantly more predictive of bereavement distress than bereavement distress was predictive of adjustment for both Time 1 to Time 3 and Time 2 to Time 3. Adjustment issues measured by indicators such as the UCLA, POMS, HSC, BDI, and RSES significantly influenced the extent of grief symptoms as measure by the BEQ and the severity of scope of grief symptoms as assessed by the IOLQ.
On the Probabilistic Interpretation of Neural Network Behavior

Recent probabilistic interpretations of neural network models have suggested the formulaton of network operations in information-theoretic terms. In these interpretations, the neural network developes an assumed probability density function which represents its assumptions on the environment. Using a set of hypotheses, this probability density functon is shown to maintain an exponential relationship wth an energy-like functon that the network tends to minimize. The purpose of this note is to obtain this probability density function through Shannon's dervation of the entropy measure and Jaynes' maximum entropy principle. The main conclusion is that the neural network assumes the worst case (i.e. most uncertain or maximum-entropy) probability density function for the unknown environment.
Of Minds and Language

This article reviews, and rethinks, a few leading themes of the biolinguistic program since its inception in the early 1950s, at each stage influenced by developments in the biological sciences. The following also discusses how the questions now entering the research agenda develop in a natural way from some of the earliest concerns of these inquiries.
The perturbation theory approach to the ground state energy in an infinite fermion system

The progress of the Rayleigh-Schroedinger perturbation theory approach to the computations of the ground-state energy in an infinite Fermion system is reviewed.
Progress Report On The High Resolution Spectrograph For The Space Telescope

The instrument design is complete and many components and subsystems have been manufactured and tested. Solar-blind, multichannel, pulse counting detectors for two ultraviolet spectral bands have been developed and satisfactory flight units have been chosen. A large, lightweight graphite-epoxy optical bench, utilizing fingerplate joints with no metallic parts in order to minimize thermal expansion, has been built. Tests of the engineering model torque-motor-driven grating carrousel indicate that this critical system exceeds tight specifications for accurate and repeatable angular positioning. A complement of large, high-frequency gratings and an echelle is being completed in several laboratories. Software resident in a computer on the spacecraft will control the spectrograph with the capability to alter procedures in response to real-time evaluation of the data.
Reduced Crossover Interference and Increased ZMM-Independent Recombination in the Absence of Tel1/ATM

Meiotic recombination involves the repair of double-strand break (DSB) precursors as crossovers (COs) or noncrossovers (NCOs). The proper number and distribution of COs is critical for successful chromosome segregation and formation of viable gametes. In budding yeast the majority of COs occurs through a pathway dependent on the ZMM proteins (Zip2-Zip3-Zip4-Spo16, Msh4-Msh5, Mer3), which form foci at CO-committed sites. Here we show that the DNA-damage-response kinase Tel1/ATM limits ZMM-independent recombination. By whole-genome mapping of recombination products, we find that lack of Tel1 results in higher recombination and reduced CO interference. Yet the number of Zip3 foci in tel1Δ cells is similar to wild type, and these foci show normal interference. Analysis of recombination in a tel1Δ zip3Δ double mutant indicates that COs are less dependent on Zip3 in the absence of Tel1. Together these results reveal that in the absence of Tel1, a significant proportion of COs occurs through a non-ZMM-dependent pathway, contributing to a CO landscape with poor interference. We also see a significant change in the distribution of all detectable recombination products in the absence of Tel1, Sgs1, Zip3, or Msh4, providing evidence for altered DSB distribution. These results support the previous finding that DSB interference depends on Tel1, and further suggest an additional level of DSB interference created through local repression of DSBs around CO-designated sites.
Equity Issuance Over the Schumpeterian Life Cycle

I hypothesize that highly innovative firms — those with high risk, yet higher potential return — will be more likely to raise funds through stock markets than through bond issuance. Using the Schumpeterian innovation life-cycle as a theoretical framework, I argue that that in the beginning, firms with radically new innovations are more likely to raise funds through equity issuance until it becomes an acceptable loan for lenders receiving a limited return (interest rate). This is all placed within the context of the dominant theories of firms’ capital structure: the Trade-Off, and Pecking Order Models. Broad implications of this work are that since valuations of public companies incorporate leverage, analysts not taking into account where the firm is in the life cycle have the possibility of resulting in overvalued securities.
In Vivo Antitumor Activity of ONYX-015 Is Influenced by p53 Status and Is Augmented by Radiotherapy

The E1B-deleted, replication-competent ONYX-015 (dl1520) adenovirus was originally described as being able to selectively kill p53-deficient cells due to a requirement of p53 inactivation for efficient viral replication. This hypothesis has become controversial because subsequent in vitro studies have demonstrated that the host range specificity of ONYX-015 is independent of p53 gene status. Using a pair of isogenic cell lines that differ only in their p53 status, we demonstrate here that although ONYX-015 can replicate in both p53 wild-type and mutant cells in vitro, the virus demonstrates significantly greater antitumor activity against mutant p53 tumors in vivo. Moreover, ONYX-015 viral therapy can be combined with radiation to improve tumor control beyond that of either monotherapy. The results demonstrate that ONYX-015 can discern in vivo between tumors having a different p53 status and that it may be an effective neoadjuvant to radiation therapy.
Nitrogen-isotope record of fluid-rock interactions in the Skiddaw aureole and granite, English Lake District

The Skiddaw Granite and its contact metamorphic aureole in the English Lake District provide an excellent opportunity to test the capability of the N-isotope system to trace devolatilization and large-scale transfer of crustal fluids. In the aureole, Skiddaw Group metasedimentary rocks with relatively uniform lithology and major-element compositions show a dramatic decrease in N content toward the granite contact (from > or =800 ppm at distances >2.5 km from the contact, to 1.5 km), these rocks have extremely uniform delta 15 N air near +3.7 per mil, whereas closer to the contact (< or =1 km) delta 15 N is shifted to higher values (up to +8.7 per mil). The coupled decreases in N content and increases in delta 15 N are compatible with the removal of N having low delta 15 N in fluids during continuous, prograde devolatilization reactions involving the break-down of white mica and the stabilization of biotite-, cordierite-, and andalusite-bearing assemblages. In the same metasedimentary rocks, the lack of obvious trends in major-element concentrations (including SiO 2 /TiO 2 , SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 , and the ratios of other major oxides to TiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 ) with distance from the granitic contact is consistent with minimal change in major element composition during the contact metamorphism. Ratios of whole-rock N, B, Rb, and Ba concentrations to whole-rock K 2 O content are believed to reflect the differing fluid-mica partitioning (and involving varying relative proportions of white mica and biotite) of these trace elements during devolatilization reactions. Greisenized Skiddaw Granite from a borehole is enriched in N (range of 17-225 ppm for whole rocks and white mica separates) relative to the unaltered granite (whole-rock <30 ppm), and has delta 15 N of +1.0 to +4.8 per mil. The N concentrations and delta 15 N of the wall-rocks and greisenized granites, combined with C isotopic data (carbonate and carbonaceous matter) for the same rocks, are consistent with the mobilization of fluids having low delta 15 N and delta 13 C PDB values from the devolatilized aureole into the cooling intrusive body. Such transport is consistent with the predictions of recent theoretical models of late-stage hydrothermal evolution in cooling intrusive systems.
High efficiency Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 solar cells with a TiN diffusion barrier on the molybdenum bottom contact

We report on the structural properties and device results of Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 (CZTSe) solar cells deposited using a vacuum deposition process on glass substrates coated with a molybdenum bottom electrode. Compared to similarly-prepared pure sulfide Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) devices, CZTSe devices exhibit a much thicker interfacial MoSe 2 reaction layer. This poses a serious problem in achieving high efficiency CZTSe solar cells—an overall reverse correlation between device performance and MoSe 2 thickness is observed. We show that the interfacial MoSe 2 formation can be controlled by the use of thin TiN diffusion barriers. Using this process we demonstrate a CZTSe device with 8.9% efficiency.
Sampling behavior of starlings foraging in simple patchy environments

Starlings were allowed to forage in patchy laboratory environments where patches contained either zero or a fixed number of prey. The condition of a given patch (prey or no prey) could only be determined from information gained while exploiting the patch. A starling's task was to determine to what extent to sample an apparently prey-less patch before giving it up as such, in a way which maximizes long-term energy intake rate. The simple model presented to predict the optimal sampling solutions was qualitatively but not quantitatively supported by the data. The main discrepancy was in the fact that an apparently prey-less patch should have been sampled to a fixed extent before leaving, whereas a distribution of sampling behavior was actually observed. The qualitative agreement was very good, however, as the modes of the observed sampling distributions often corresponded to the predicted optimal sampling solutions. Starlings seem to possess a patch-sampling ability which, at least for those simple situations analyzed, can lead to an efficient foraging strategy.
Does the NCAA Coaching Carousel Hamper the Professional Prospects of College Football Recruits

College football recruits choose their schools partly for the opportunity to play for a specific coach. It is not unusual for the coach who recruited the player to leave before the end of the playe...
Parametric resonance of stiffened rectangular plates

Stiffened rectangular plates parametric instability under in-plane sinusoidal dynamic forces, using mathematical model with stiffeners as discrete elements
Merocyanine interaction with phosphatidylcholine bilayers

Abstract Merocyanine (MC 540) is a fluorescent probe whose optical properties depend on the environmental polarity. In the presence of lipid bilayers, MC 540 binds to the membrane surface while simultaneously changing its fluorescence properties. Previous studies have shown that the fluorescence of merocyanine depends upon the lipid packing in the membrane. We measured the partitioning of MC 540 and its fluorescence properties in the presence of phosphatidylcholine membranes. We found that the fluorescence of MC 540 shows, as expected, a major change around the main phase transition of phosphatidylcholine membranes. However, instead of a step-like increase of fluorescence, the maximum at phase transition was observed. We were able to explain our data by combining two effects: dependence of MC 540 fluorescence on temperature and lipid fluidity. In addition, we established that the increase of the fluorescence intensity in the presence of lipid bilayers in the fluid state is due to the elevated partitioning of the probe into the lipid phase. The partition of MC 540 into the fluid membrane does not depends on the dye concentration in the aqueous phase. When lipid was in the gel phase the partitioning of the dye increased with its bulk concentration, whereas the fluorescence intensity remained unchanged. We conclude, therefore, that MC 540 forms nonfluorescent complexes when in the gel lipid membrane.
Volcanism and volatile recycling on a one-plate planet: Applications to Venus

[1] The surface of Venus displays volcanic features indicating eruption of lavas with a wide range of viscosities. We present numerical experiments showing that lithospheric gravitational instabilities can produce lavas with compositions consistent with the range of volcanic forms seen on Venus. The presence of incompatible elements and their oxides (specifically, water, carbon dioxide, and alkali elements) in trace- to percent-level concentrations in the Venusian mantle allows the formation of a variety of magmatic source regions. The pressure and temperature paths that the dense lithospheric materials travel as they sink into the Venusian mantle indicate that the lithospheric material may devolatilize as it sinks, enriching the surrounding upper mantle, or it may itself melt. These processes can produce magmas with a variety of compositions and viscosities, potentially consistent with the range of Venusian volcanic forms. These processes also suggest that Venus may recycle incompatible elements internally. Indeed, if Venus began with an internal volatile content, then no amount of partial melting can make it entirely volatile-free even in the absence of recycling into the interior. These models therefore suggest geodynamic processes that can produce a range of magmatic activity and retain some interior volatiles on a one-plate planet.
Modeling and simulation of IEEE 802.11 WLAN mobile ad hoc networks using topology broadcast reverse-path forwarding (TBRPF)

In this paper, we describe a test of Topology Broadcast based on Reverse-Path Forwarding (TBRPF) [MANET Working Group Draft (2002)] mobile routing protocol compared to Open Shortest Path First-2 (OSPF2) [IETF Network Working Group Draft RFC 2328 (1998)] protocol. The test used a new OPNET model of IEEE 802.11b wireless LAN (W1LAN) that we designed for Mobile Ad hoc Networking (MANET) [IETF Network Working Group Draft (1999)] protocol modeling. Our new model consists of an 802.11b WLAN with enhancements to the physical layer, medium access control layer, and propagation model to facilitate design and study of proposed MANET protocols. Our results indicate the effects of physical topologies on different routing protocols and contrast the difference between a traditional Internet routing protocol (OSPF2) and TBRPF, which was designed specifically for MANET networks. The results should be interesting to planners of new 3G wireless services and to organizations such as military, law enforcement and emergency workers whose missions require wireless mobile networks.
Guitarfish possess ipsilateral as well as contralateral retinofugal projections.

Autoradiographic analysis of the primary retinal projections in the thornback guitarfish reveals both contralateral and ipsilateral projections to diencephalic, pretectal, and tegmental nuclei and the optic tectum. A total of 12 retino-recipient cell groups receive ipsilateral as well as contralateral inputs. To date, all studies using Fink-Heimer or autoradiographic methods in elasmobranch fishes have revealed only contralateral retinofugal projections, except for an ipsilateral projection to the rostral preoptic area [2-4, 7, 8]. Ebbesson and Meyer [2] recently reported that the retinal projections of a guitarfish, Rhinobatos, appear completely crossed, like those of sharks. However, this study employed only the Fink-Heimer method, which is not as sensitive as the more recently developed autoradiographic method, particularly in elasmobranch fishes. As part of an ongoing analysis of the visual system of the thornback guitarfish, Platyrhinoidis triseriata, we examined the primary retinal projections using the autoradiographic method and here report that in the thornback there are 12 distinct retinal targets, and each of these neural populations receives ipsilateral as well as contralateral retinal inputs. Six adult thornback guitarfish received intraocular injections of 50-100/~Ci of [3H]proline (50/~Ci/#l) under MS222 anesthesia and survived 4, 6, 8 or l0 days at 14-18°C before being reanesthetized and perfused with 0.7% saline followed by AFA. The brains were dehydrated, embedded in paraffin and sectioned in the transverse plane. Sections were coated with NTB-3 emulsion and exposed for 30-40 days at 7°C before development in Dektol and staining with cresyl violet. The majority (perhaps 90%) of the labeled optic nerve fibers decussate in the optic chiasm (Fig. 1A). As the fibers emerge from the chiasm a dense field of terminals occurs in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (Fig. 1B, C) whose cells are easily recognized extending ventrally into the caudal half of the chiasm to form paired tongue-like extensions of the preoptic area.
Prostate development and growth in benign prostatic hyperplasia

The etiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] in elderly men has intrigued anatomists, pathologists and scientists for centuries. Studies of morbid anatomy, clinical observations and contemporary cellular biology have contributed to an evolving interpretation of the causality of the disease. Insights into the detailed microanatomy and ductal architecture of the prostate during stages of fetal and early postnatal development suggest that mechanisms involved in the early growth period become aberrantly expressed in elderly men. Age, hormones and epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are all contributing factors to the pathogenesis of BPH. Control of the microenvironment in normal and abnormal growth is a multifactorial process. Susceptibility to the disease may include clinical comorbid diseases, region-specific changes in cell-cell interactions and a variety of signaling pathways including a novel hypothesis regarding the role of the primary cilium as a regulator of signal transduction mechanisms. Recent work in animal models has shown that there are region-specific differences within the prostate that may be significant because of the dynamic and intricate interplay between the epithelium and mesenchyme. Because of the focal nature of BPH a closer examination of normal morphogenesis patterns, which defines the gland's architecture, may facilitate a detailed understanding of the atypical growth patterns.
The slippery context effect in psychophysics: Intensive, extensive, and qualitative continua

When subjects gave magnitude estimates of 500- and 2500-Hz tones at various SPLs, they judged a 500-Hz tone of 60 dB to be as loud as a 2500-Hz tone of 57 dB in one context (low SPLs at 500 Hz, high SPLs at 2500 Hz), but as loud as a 2500-Hz tone at 40 dB in another context (high SPLs at 500 Hz, low at 2500 Hz) (Marks, 1988). Such shifts in matches derived from judgments of multi-dimensionally varying stimuli are termedslippery context effects. The present set of seven experiments showed that slippery effects were absent from judgments of pitch of tones at different loudnesses, duration of tones at different pitches, and length of lines at different colors, though a small effect emerged in judgments of duration of tones and lights. Slippery context effects were substantial when subjects gave magnitude estimates of loudness of 500- and 2500-Hz tones under conditions in which the pitch at each trial either was cued visually beforehand or could be known through the regular stimulus sequence, and with instructions to make absolute magnitude estimates. The results are consistent with the view that slippery context effects occur automatically and “preattentively.”
Differences in Attitudes Towards Women Among Three Groups of Filipinos: Filipinos in the Philippines, Filipino American Immigrants, and U.S. Born Filipino Americans

ABSTRACT This study examined the relationship between acculturation and attitudes towards women. The study focuses on 390 native Filipino, immigrant Filipino, and U.S. born Filipino American undergraduate students. Early research on acculturation has assumed that as people become acculturated to their host cultures, their own culture of origin weakens. Whether a group's cultural values and attitudes change may be tied to acculturation. For example, research has found that gender role expectations are associated with changes in core cultural values. Thus, this study utilizes the Attitudes Towards Women's scale to measure changes in cultural values. Changes in values due to acculturation may affect family dynamics, including family conflict, within this population. This study revealed that Filipinos do not follow the typical acculturation framework wherein the longer a group is in the host country the more acculturated they become. This study found that although native Filipinos did have the most conservati...