cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface slope probabilities from the spectra of weak radar echoes: Application to Mars

A method is described for stabilizing the inversion of the power spectra of comparatively weak radar echoes from Mars. It is noted that such stabilization is necessary for echoes with S/N power-spectral densities of order unity as well as for those with broad spectral distributions. The method is applied to the Martian surface, using two data sets obtained with radars of approximately 12.5-cm wavelength. The resulting slope probabilities are interpreted in terms of diffuse and quasi-specular scatter, and values of rms slope are calculated. The results for a sample of Martian locations clearly indicate extreme variations in the local nature of the surface and yield evidence for an apparent planetwide distribution of roughness that may be due to extreme slopes, surface or subsurface rock populations, or a combination of these.
Purposiveness, physical activity, and perceived health in cardiac patients.

Purpose. This study examined the relationship of purposiveness, defined as maintaining purpose in life and a sense of personal growth, with physical activity and perceived health in a sample of cardiac outpatients.Method. Participants were 130 outpatients recruited through medical settings serving cardiac patients in a southwestern US community. Participants had an average age of 60 years (SD 12.37). Participants responded to a structured questionnaire at the medical setting. The hypothesized mediational model was tested using Latent Variable Structural Equations Analysis (LISREL) 8.Results. As hypothesized, the results of a LISREL analysis showed that a sense of purposiveness predicted more positive perceived health. Further, as predicted, this relation was mediated by physical activity. Purposiveness was linked to more physical activity, and a high level of physical activity, in turn, predicted better perceived health. A two-group LISREL analysis indicated that the model was equally valid for both sexes...
Survey of Labor Economics Textbooks

Teachers in all fields should be interested in the technique used in reviewing these 13 textbooks in labor economics. Research in compiling and classifying textbook characteristics in other areas could greatly simplify and possibly expand the options of teachers in the selection of appropriate books for their courses.
Mammalian 5′-Capped MicroRNA Precursors that Generate a Single MicroRNA

Summary MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short RNA gene regulators typically produced from primary transcripts that are cleaved by the nuclear microprocessor complex, with the resulting precursor miRNA hairpins exported by exportin 5 and processed by cytoplasmic Dicer to yield two (5p and 3p) miRNAs. Here, we document microprocessor-independent 7-methylguanosine (m 7 G)-capped pre-miRNAs, whose 5′ ends coincide with transcription start sites and 3′ ends are most likely generated by transcription termination. By establishing a small RNA Cap-seq method that employs the cap-binding protein eIF4E, we identified a group of murine m 7 G-capped pre-miRNAs genome wide. The m 7 G-capped pre-miRNAs are exported via the PHAX-exportin 1 pathway. After Dicer cleavage, only the 3p-miRNA is efficiently loaded onto Argonaute to form a functional microRNP. This unusual miRNA biogenesis pathway, which differs in pre-miRNA synthesis, nuclear-cytoplasmic transport, and guide strand selection, enables the development of shRNA expression constructs that produce a single 3p-siRNA.
Fibrinogen is necessary for platelet function in vivo after all

Ligand binding to the integrin αIIbβ3 (glycoprotein IIb/IIIa [GPIIb/IIIa]) is required for the formation of hemostatic platelet plugs and platelet-based arterial thrombi. A number of macromolecular ligands bind to the activated conformation of αIIbβ3. The ligand necessary for platelet
Involvement of the P Cluster in Intramolecular Electron Transfer within the Nitrogenase MoFe Protein

Nitrogenase is the catalytic component of biological nitrogen fixation, and it is comprised of two component proteins called the Fe protein and MoFe protein. The Fe protein contains a single Fe4S4 cluster, and the MoFe protein contains two metallocluster types called the P cluster (Fe8S8) and FeMo-cofactor (Fe7S9Mo-homocitrate). During turnover, electrons are delivered one at a time from the Fe protein to the MoFe protein in a reaction coupled to component-protein association-dissociation and MgATP hydrolysis. Under conditions of optimum activity, the rate of component-protein dissociation is rate-limiting. The Fe protein's Fe4S4 cluster is the redox entity responsible for intermolecular electron delivery to the MoFe protein, and FeMo-cofactor provides the substrate reduction site. In contrast, the role of the P cluster in catalysis is not well understood although it is believed to be involved in accumulating electrons delivered from the Fe protein and brokering their intramolecular delivery to the substrate reduction site. A nitrogenase component-protein docking model, which is based on the crystallographic structures of the component proteins and which pairs the 2-fold symmetric surface of the Fe protein with the exposed surface of the MoFe protein's pseudosymmetric alpha beta interface, is now available. During component-protein interaction, this model places the P cluster between the Fe protein's Fe4S4 cluster and FeMo-cofactor, which implies that the P cluster is involved in mediating intramolecular electron transfer between the clusters. In the present study, evidence supporting this idea was obtained by demonstrating that it is possible to alter the rate of substrate reduction by perturbing the polypeptide environment between the P cluster and FeMo-cofactor without necessarily disrupting the metallocluster polypeptide environments or altering component-protein interaction.
Integrating solution-focused and art therapies for substance abuse treatment: guidelines for practice

The mental and physical health consequences of substance abuse are numerous, ultimately affecting all biological systems in the body and significantly impairing psychological functioning. Substance abusing individuals are at significant risk of incarceration for substance-related criminal offenses (Maruschak, 1997); and those who are able to avoid the criminal justice system may find themselves with mounting legal and financial problems. Adults who abuse substances are likely to have a co-occurring mental or emotional disorder (SAMHSA, 2001) and a violent trauma history, which have been shown to increase the severity of drug use (Clark, Masson, Delucchi, Hall, & Sees, 2001). In addition to these numerous individual consequences, substance abuse can undermine family and community stability, as the problem creates marked impairment in social and occupational domains. Innovative treatment strategies are critical to help individuals stop the destructive behavior patterns and learn to live without substances. Solution-focused techniques in combination with art therapy methods offer a strengths-based treatment framework for helping individuals move into more functional behaviors, without getting stuck in the shame of past dysfunction. Developed by deShazer, Berg, and colleagues (Berg, 1994; Berg & Miller, 1992; Cade & O’Hanlon, 1993; De Shazer et al., 1986; DeJong & Berg, 2001; O’Hanlon & Weiner-Davis, 1989), solution-focused therapy (SFT) is one of the most recent psychotherapy models to emerge. With its roots in constructivism and the field of strategic family therapy, solution-focused therapy is client-centered, with a focus on building existing resources and past successes
Targeting Underage Drinking and Driving in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts: The Reinforcing Alcohol Prevention (RAP) Program

Alcohol use is a concern among our nation's least experienced drivers, and underage drinking contributes to the overall burden of traffic injury and mortality. The goal of the Reinforcing Alcohol Prevention (RAP) Program was to develop a court-based program targeting underage drinking and driving among teens. An advisory board created the program which included changes to the drivers' licensing ceremonies and traffic dockets conducted in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts. Additions included 5-minute videos of individuals in alcohol-related crashes and a crash-photo display. Exit evaluations garnering impressions/opinions of the program indicated 84% of teenagers felt every teen should view the presentation and 96% would be less likely to drive after drinking. The RAP Program has been well-received by judges and participants and could be easily implemented by other jurisdictions.
The prevalence of aliphatic delta-lactones or their precursors in animal fats.

Data are presented to show the occurrence of saturated aliphatic delta lactones, namely the δ-C10, δ-C12, δ-C14, and δ-C16, in numerous ruminant and monogastric animal fats. These trace components were isolated by silicic acid adsorption chromatography followed by identification employing gas chromatography. The general prevalence of the delta-lactones or their precursors in animal depot fat, mammary tissue, blood serum lipids and milk fat is suggestive that they occur commonly in animal fats and are related to lipid metabolism.
Carbohydrate Tolerance Improves with Fasting in Obese Subjects with Noninsulin-Dependent (Type II) Diabetes

To determine the effects of short-term fasting on carbohydrate tolerance, 10 obese women with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) were studied with meal tolerance tests before and after 3 days of fasting. After 3 days' fast, basal serum glucose declined from 15.2 +/- 0.9 to 7.5 +/- 0.7 mmol/L (273 +/- 17 to 135 +/- 13 mg/dL) (mean +/- SEM, p less than 0.001) and the glycemic response to the test meal (area under the glucose curve) improved by 31%. There were no changes in basal or postprandial insulin levels but a slight increase in serum c-peptide. Resting metabolic rate and the thermic effect of food were unchanged. There was a slight but insignificant change in basal and postprandial free fatty acid levels and a significant elevation of basal beta-hydroxybutyrate levels. Blood lactate rose significantly (from 0.9 to 2.0 mM) during the initial meal tolerance test, but no rise in lactate was seen in the meal tolerance test after fasting. Two subgroups of patients were identified based on the degree of glycemic improvement after short-term fasting. Those with lesser improvement in serum glucose showed overnight rises in serum glucose during the period of fasting (the dawn phenomenon), while those patients who normalized serum glucose showed a steady fall in serum glucose. This finding may help to predict the glycemic response to long-term calorie restriction. Carbohydrate tolerance improves in obese diabetic (NIDDM) women after 3 days of fasting, in contrast to the impairment of glucose tolerance seen in lean or obese nondiabetic subjects after fasting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Geometric theory of horizon scanners

The note presents a general geometrical theory of spacecraft horizon scanners for the purpose of actual attitude determination, as opposed to just attitude stabilization. Analysis is carried out in terms of the scanning angles and three sets of auxiliary axes: the scanner axes, the nonscanning axes, and the orbital axes. Euler angles (yaw, pitch, and roll) transform the orbital axes to the nonscanning axes, and spacecraft attitude is determined directly from the attitude of the nonscanning axes relative to the orbital axes. In most applications the scanning speed is fast, so that it can be assumed that the attitude of the spacecraft does not change during a scan; however, a perturbation analysis is provided for errors committed by neglecting attitude changes. The analysis is valid for all types of scanners; in addition, the case where two scanners with different half-cone angles are used is considered.
G-protein-directed ligand discovery with peptide combinatorial libraries

Modulators of G-protein signaling have a central role in controlling cell physiology and represent over half of all marketed prescription drugs. G-protein pathways have traditionally been targeted by developing ligands to the extracellular surface of a small subset of the estimated ∼1000 G-protein-coupled receptors in humans. The intracellular machinery, consisting of the cytosolic receptor surfaces and heterotrimeric G proteins, provides an equivalent diversity of targets that has remained relatively unexplored until now. This review summarizes recent efforts using combinatorial peptide libraries to develop new G-protein signaling modulators targeting intracellular components.
Predatory behaviour ofRhinocoris marginatus Fabricius (Harpactorinae—Reduviidae—Heteroptera—Insecta)

The pin and jab type of predatory behaviour ofRhinocoris marginatus Fabricius is distinctly different from the feeding behaviour of other subfamilies known so far. The thin long legs, tibial pads, long slender rostrum capable of more than 90° forward extension, slow gait of this predator are idenlly suited for efficient capture of soft-bodied prey types, particularly caterpillars. As in other predatory reduviids, visual stimuli provided by the moving prey, elicit feeding responses inRhinocoris marginatus and this is augumented by other sensory system, including olfactory. The predatory feeding behaviour ofRhinocoris marginatus consists of disinct stimuli—response mediated sequences of events and based on these the feeding behaviour models for this insect is depicted.
Sex-steroid formation in gonadal tissue homogenates during the testicular cycle of the redwinged blackbird (agelaius phoeniceus)

Abstract Fluctuations in the in vitro metabolism of pregnenolone- 3 H and progesterone- 14 C were studied in the testes of captive, photoinduced, adult Redwinged Blackbirds ( Agelaius phoeniceus ) during the gonadal cycle. Starting material utilization was high (87–99%) during the photosensitive stage (breeding period), decreased during the regressive stage, and leveled off at about 40% in the refractory stage. The extent of testosterone synthesis varied in a bimodal pattern during the testicular cycle. Peaks in testosterone synthesis occurred during the photosensitive and regressive stages. However, testosterone formation was not detected in the refractory stage. In addition to testosterone, 20β-dihydropregnenolone (3β,20β-dihydroxypregn-5-ene), 20α-dihydropregnenolone (3β,20α-dihydroxypregn-i-ene), 20β-dihydroproges-terone (20β-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one), and 20α-dihydroprogesterone (20α-hydroxy-pregn-4-en-3-one) were isolated. The. 20α-pregnenols were detected only during the regressive and refractory stages. Moreover, an inverse relationship was seen between the formation of 20α-pregnenols and testosterone in the photosensitive and refractory stages. The physiological significance of a bimodal pattern of testosterone synthesis and of a restricted occurrence of 20α-pregnenol formation in blackbirds is discussed in reference to the proposal by Lacy that two major populations of steroidogenic cells are present in the testis.
David N. Reznick’s The “ Origin ” Then and Now: An Interpretive Guide to the “ Origin of Species ”: A Précis

David Reznick is one of the world’s leading evolutionary biologists. His book on Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species is given here in a precis, in order to show the underlying approach that he takes towards a work that is a classic in his field. It is shown that Reznick’s interests are less in Darwin for his own sake and more in the importance of Darwin’s ideas for science today.
Body Condition and Foraging Patterns of Nekton from Salt Marsh Habitats Arrayed Along a Gradient of Urbanization

Coastal salt marsh landscapes have undergone rapid urbanization that may impact the suitability of salt marsh ecosystems for the maintenance and regulation of estuarine faunal communities. This paper examines the body condition (a surrogate for growth) of blue crab, brown shrimp, spot, and Gulf killifish in response to increasing levels of urbanization in salt marsh landscapes in coastal Mississippi. Blue crab and brown shrimp condition did not differ among landscapes. Conversely, both Gulf killifish and spot body condition was markedly reduced in highly urbanized salt marsh landscapes, and these differences were likely linked to landscape-specific foraging patterns. In completely urbanized landscapes, empty stomachs were more frequent and larger bodied brown shrimp were characteristic of Gulf killifish diets. In contrast, smaller grass shrimp and fish were key diet components in both intact natural and partially urbanized salt marsh landscapes. Similarly, spot had a greater frequency of empty stomachs and appeared to delay a dietary ontogenetic shift toward feeding on large prey upon recruitment to salt marsh habitats in completely urbanized landscapes. Overall, these results indicate that highly urbanized salt marshes, while providing sufficient resources to support healthy brown shrimp and blue crab populations, were not functional habitats for all nekton.
Pathologic lung function in children and adolescents with congenital heart defects.

Lung function tests (i.e., spirometry, flow volume, and body plethysmography) were performed in 213 patients (age 6–21 years, mean 11.3 years) with hemodynamically significant congenital heart defects: atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect (VSD), tetralogy of Fallot, aortic stenosis and coarctation of the aorta. We measured lung vital capacity, total lung capacity (TLC), residual volume (RV), the percentage ratio of the latter two measurements (%RV/TLC), maximal expiratory flow rates at 25% and 50% of vital capacity, and specific airway conductance. Pulmonary restriction dominated in patients with tetralogy of Fallot; pulmonary hyperinflation was more frequent in patients with VSD and coarctation of the aorta; and obstruction of the airways was observed most frequently in patients with tetralogy of Fallot. In conclusion, we found a range of pathologic lung function parameters in patients with hemodynamically significant congenital heart defects.
THAILAND—A LOOSELY STRUCTURED SOCIAL SYSTEM

the Shan States of Burma to the west.1 This region is made up of Thai speaking peoples who came down from the old kingdom of Nanchao in what is now Yunnan. Before that they appear to have been inhabitants of Szechwan. Dodd, for instance, presents some linguistic evidence for this.2 But Credner holds a different view and thinks that they came into the Tall region of Yunnan from the east.3 The present distribution of Thai speaking peoples in Szechwan, Yunnan, and Kwangsi makes both theories plausible. Whichever may prove to be correct, the present Thai people of Indochina appear to have come into the southern area from Yunnan, spreading out into Thailand, northern Burma (Shan), and the upper valleys of Tonkin (Lao, Thai, and Tho). Both Dodd and Credner emphasize the fact that the Thai have always been wet rice cultivators and settlers in valleys and plains suitable for this type of economy. The basis of Credner's theory that they came to Yunnan from the east is his view that the Thai are not only valley dwellers but tropical paddy cultivating valley dwellers. Thus the Thai are quite distinct historically and culturally from the mountain peoples of North Indochina such as the Yao, Meo, Lolo, and Wa. All students of Thai history are agreed on the northern origin of the present Thai people. They are also agreed on the historic influences of Hindu culture in the area as reflected in the themes from the Ramayana in drama and literature, the form of dress (panung), and the Indian court terminology.4 Another important Indian influence which seems to have come to the Thai via Burma when they were still in the North was Mahayana Buddhism and some Brahmanistic practices; later, about the sixth century, A.D., the Hinayana form of Buddhism became predominant.A Thai culture is markedly different from that of Vietnam (Annam), a region with long historic contact with China and under actual Chinese rule
Evaluation of PMU Dynamic Performance in Both Lab Environments and under Field Operating Conditions

Capturing system dynamics is one important feature of phasor measurements. To ensure PMU accurately reflect system dynamic behavior, one must evaluate the dynamic performance of a PMU. PMU dynamic performance evaluation includes three aspects: PMU modeling studies, laboratory testing and field evaluation. This paper briefly reviews the general PMU model structure, and then continues on PMU dynamic performance evaluation from actual field measurements. Reasons for field evaluation include: (1) inappropriate field settings of a PMU would generate unexpected phasor measurements; and (2) many conditions can not be easily produced in a lab environment. PMU field evaluation includes aspects like time synchronization, timing inconsistency due to filtering, frequency calculation issues, parasitic oscillations/processing artifacts, etc. Actual WECC measurement examples will be presented. Dynamic PMU testing in a lab environment is explored with a special focus on PMU filtering characteristics. How the phasor quality would impact derived system dynamic characteristics is addressed in the later part of this paper.
A Smart Sensor System for Detecting Hydrocarbon Volatile Organic Compounds in Sea Water

Hydrocarbons are among the most dangerous pollutants for the marine environment. The creation of smart systems to detect hydrocarbon spills in the marine environment is often complex and involves many issues. This paper presents an innovative approach based on a sensor system capable of detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by hydrocarbons. The system was composed of an array of photo ionization detectors, lodged in a flow chamber and arranged in radial symmetry, in order to receive the same amount of air flow. The air inlet was placed on the upper face of the chamber, while the air outlet was on the lower face. The sensor characterization at the laboratory bench was performed using different kinds of hydrocarbons, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, and crude oil, and their response was acquired using a smart electronic system based on an Arduino™ electronic board. With this approach, it was possible to detect mild-to-high concentrations of VOCs with a portable, lightweight, smart system, placed in an autonomous underwater vehicle and in a moored buoy.
A new VSLI architecture for rank order and stack filters

A class two VLSI architecture for one-dimensional rank order filtering that has the size and latency advantages of the class two architectures and the pipelining advantages of the class one architectures is introduced. The new architecture is extended to handle recursive rank order filtering, two-stage rank order filtering, stack filtering, and two-dimensional rank order filtering. >
Synaptic density in human frontal cortex — Developmental changes and effects of aging

Density of synaptic profiles in layer 3 of middle frontal gyrus was quantitated in 21 normal human brains ranging from newborn to age 90 years. Synaptic profiles could be reliably demonstrated by the phosphotungstic acid method (Bloom and Aghajanian) in tissue fixed up to 36 h postmortem. Synaptic density was constant throughout adult life (ages 16--72 years) with a mean of 11.05 X 10(8) synapses/cu.mm +/- 0.41 S.E.M. There was a slight decline in synaptic density in brains of the aged (ages 74--90 years) with a mean of 9.56 X 10(8) synapses/cu.mm +/- 0.28 S.E.M. in 4 samples (P less than 0.05). Synaptic density in neonatal brains was already high--in the range seen in adults. However, synaptic morphology differed; immature profiles had an irregular presynaptic dense band instead of the separate presynaptic projections seen in mature synapses. Synaptic density increased during infancy, reaching a maximum at age 1--2 years which was about 50% above the adult mean. The decline in synaptic density observed between ages 2--16 years was accompanied by a slight decrease in neuronal density. Human cerebral cortex is one of a number of neuronal systems in which loss of neurons and synapses appears to occur as a late developmental event.
Cost effective software quality

Software quality is decomposed into two complementary aspects. The first aspect is software metrics to show how well the code is currently performing, and at what rate it is improving through test or deployment. The second aspect deals with the roots of software quality in the underlying development process. Specific quality initiatives that have been found to have significant payback are discussed. The beneficial coupling with metrics is demonstrated. >
Grazing Treatment Effects on Ultrasound Measures of 12th to 13th Rib Fat Thickness and Longissimus Area1

The management of cattle backgrounded on pasture for the feedlot could have residual effects on eventual carcass characteristics, but it is not known if variation of ultrasound measures is sufficiently low to determine grazing treatment effects. Yearling steers were ultrasonically scanned at the start and finish of two grazing experiments to determine whether 12th to 13th rib fat thickness (FT) and longissimus area (LA) could be estimated with ultrasound to determine treatment effects on these measures and to evaluate trends in the measurements over a range of ADG. One grazing trial was conducted with bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] using yearling steers to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of corn supplementation (CS; 0, 0.5, 1.4, and 2.3 kg/d per steer) on ADG. The second trial was conducted with a 'Maton'rye (Secale Cereale L.) and 'TAM90' ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) mixture to determine effects of stocking rate (SR; 3.7, 5.2, and 6.7 steers/ha) on ADG. For the CS study, there were linear increases in FT (P<0.10) and LA (P<0.001) as corn consumption increased. For the SR experiment, FT decreased nonlinearly (P<0.05), and LA declined linearly (P<0.001), as SR increased. Longissimus area in both experiments increased linearly (P<0.05) as ADG increased. Fat thickness increased linearly (P<0.001) over the range of ADG measured in the CS experiment, but increased nonlinearly (P<0.01) over the range of ADG obtained in the SR experiment. Results indicated that ultrasound technology can be used to determine grazing treatment effects on FT and LA measurements.
The Hohokam of Southwest North America

The Hohokam reached an apex of sociopolitical development between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries in the Sonoran Desert of North America. Hallmarks of the Hohokam tradition included red-on-buff pottery, large-scale canal irrigation agriculture, and monumental buildings, including ball courts, platform mounds, towers, and Great Houses. The development and elaboration of Hohokam society from their ceramic-producing predecessors during more than two millennia (ca. 1000 B.C. to A.D. 1450, or later) is a remarkable example of an arid land adaptation in the New World. The enigmatic “collapse” of Hohokam society took place shortly before European colonialists entered the North American Southwest in the mid–sixteenth century. Various agents (e.g., floods, disease, warfare) of this event are poorly understood and require additional study. So, too, does the degree of historical continuity between contemporary indigenous peoples and precontact archaeological cultures (e.g., Hohokam) in what is now Arizona and northern Mexico.
Getting it Right: Sex and Race Inequality in Work Organizations

One of sociology's major accomplishments in the last quarter of the twentieth century was establishing that race and gender matter at work. We have been far less successful in explaining why workers' sex and race affect their employment outcomes, however, especially why jobs are segregated by sex and race, and why whites outearn people of color and men outearn women. When sex segregation first attracted attention, its high level of incidence led scholars to hypothesize universal explanatory processes: gender-role socialization, the domestic division of labor, patriarchal impulses by employers, male workers' responses to competitive threat. Because most readily available data were for workers, researchers concentrated on individual-level explanations. Despite a growing body of research on why the sexes aspired to, pursued, and abandoned more or less sex-typical occupations, and why race and sex were related to earnings, neither line of research has illuminated why race and sex inequality exists to varying degrees across work organizations. A few researchers recognized that understanding on-the-job inequality required studying work organizations. From them we learned why some California establishments were more or less segregated in the 1960s and 1970s (although there wasn't a lot of variability to explain; Bielby & Baron 1984), and the factors that led California state agencies to become more or less integrated during the 1980s (Baron et al 1991). These and a handful of other studies have shown that levels of inequality in work organizations are affected by organizational demography, organizational leadership, the degree to which personnel practices are formalized, recruitment methods, external pressure, and the availability of slack resources. But we failed to grasp their most important message: Inequality at work does not just happen; it occurs through the acts and the failures to act by the people who run and work for organizations. The first challenge for the twenty-first century in this area of sociology is to formulate empirically realistic accounts of how a range of jobs are filled in a cross-section of organizations. These accounts must be based on interviews with informants at multiple levels in the organization. Researchers must learn what if any organizational constraints determine how the opening came about, who specifies the necessary qualifications, and who can authorize exceptions? Who
Pregnancy after liver transplantation

The first known posttransplantation pregnancy was in 1958 in a renal transplant recipient who had received a kidney from her identical twin sister. The first known posttransplantation pregnancy in a liver transplant recipient was in 1978. Information available from female kidney transplant recipients helped in the decision making involved in the management of this case, as well as those that followed. Over the last 20 years, issues specific to liver transplantation and pregnancy have been identified. Similar to the kidney transplant recipient population, when prepregnancy recipient graft function is stable and adequate, pregnancy appears to be well tolerated. Also similar to kidney transplant recipients, there has been no evidence of a specific malformation pattern among the children, and although prematurity and low birth weight occur, overall newborn outcomes have been favorable. Pregnancy in the setting of recurrent liver disease, such as recurrent hepatitis C, poses a potential problem among liver transplant recipients, as well as the possible adverse effects of immunosuppression on maternal kidney function. Also of significance, peripartum graft deterioration has more severe consequences in this transplant recipient population. Therefore, pregnancy must be considered carefully in this transplant recipient group. Since 1991, the National Transplantation Pregnancy Registry (NTPR) has studied the safety of pregnancy outcomes in solid-organ transplant recipients. The purpose of this review is to catalog studies in the literature, as well as to present current data from the registry with management guidelines.
Variation in reproductive traits is associated with short anogenital distance in female rats.

Anogenital distance was used as a biomarker for natural variation in prenatal androgenization of female rats and was associated with individual differences in a suite of reproductive characteristics. Females with short anogenital distances were likely to have first vaginal estrus earlier than females with longer anogenital distances and to have first vaginal estrus on the same day as vaginal opening. In young adulthood, females with short anogenital distances had shorter ovarian cycles and less intense lordosis reflexes in response to manual palpation than those with longer anogenital distances, but only when living individually, not in groups. Taken together, these findings indicate that prenatal androgenization affects reproductive traits throughout the life span.
Coupled effects of flow field geometry and diffusion media material structure on evaporative water removal from polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Abstract In this work, the coupled effects of flow field geometry and diffusion media (DM) material structure on evaporative water removal during gas purge are investigated with the ex-situ test methods developed in previous works [31] , [32] . Three different flow field structures with various land to channel width ratios (L/C) were utilized with paper and cloth-type DM to understand the impact of L/C and DM properties on evaporative water removal rate, water distribution in DM, purge efficiency, and irreducible saturation. In the capillary flow dominant regime, it was determined that evaporative water removal is not significantly affected by L/C or DM properties, and can be semi-empirically correlated with critical purge time. The cloth-type DM was found to be superior to paper-type to mitigate the in-plane impedance of the land on water removal. In addition to the ex-situ evaporative tests, neutron radiography was utilized to visualize the in-situ water removal behavior. Results validate a novel purge protocol suggested by the authors in a previous study to achieve a more efficient and durable gas purge that preserves membrane durability.
Rainbow: A wireless medium access control using network coding for multi-hop content distribution

We consider the problem of multi-hop content distribution over a wireless ad-hoc network. Such mechanisms are relevant to a broad spectrum of applications, but are particularly important to data broadcast in wireless distributed computing where speedy I/O is critical to overall performance. In this paper, we present Rainbow, a content distribution protocol for multi-hop wireless ad-hoc networks. The protocol uses a content-directed medium access control (MAC), through which transmission priority is given to those nodes most capable of delivering useful content to their neighbors. We describe an efficient implementation of Rainbow based on network coding. Specifically, Rainbow uses a MAC priority scheme, where the priority of packet transmission from a node depends on the rank of the coefficient matrix associated with the coded content the node holds. We demonstrate that Rainbow achieves a 1.3-to 1.9-fold improvement in content distribution time over other flooding protocols, as measured on a testbed of 29 wireless nodes. We attribute this performance gain in part to Rainbowpsilas ability to address a MAC-level bottleneck in multi-hop wireless networks, which we refer to as the ldquobridge lock-out problemrdquo.
Aerial gas exchange in the coconut crab, Birgus latro with some notes on Gecarcoidea lalandii.

Abstract Gas exchange was studied at 27 to 30°C for Birgus latro , the most terrestrial of the Crustacea. Resting ventilation through the well-developed lungs averaged 57 ml·min −1 ·kg −1 , with oxygen extraction averaging 5.2%. Ventilation could reach over 1 Lmin −1 by increasing the frequency of scaphognathite beat. Blood was well oxygenated, and had a mean pHa of 7.50, Pa CO 2 of 6.2 torr. Systolic blood pressure was 40–50 mm Hg, the highest reported for any crustacean. These characteristics, plus the responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia, indicate that Birgus in many respects occupies an intermediate position in an evolutionary sequence from water to land. Some measurements of ventilation and blood gas tensions were performed on Gecarcoidea for comparison.
The effect of time separation on coordination costs in global software teams: a dyad model

Research to date has not addressed the difficulties of coordinating across time zones in global software development. We present a preliminary collaboration model to help us understand the consequences of time separation on coordination costs. The model is for a team composed of dyads and each dyad consists of a task requestor and a task producer who have a sequential workflow dependency. The model is constructed with formulas for: production, coordination, and vulnerability costs for a number of: (1) collaboration modes; (2) time overlap conditions; (3) asynchronous and synchronous communications mechanisms, each of different quality and cost; and (4) production and delay cost rates. We describe the model and evaluate it with regression analysis using randomly generated observations. Our evaluation shows that the model adequately represents time-separated work and that time-separation effects are: (1) different and more complex than distance-separation effects; (2) asymmetric, depending on whether work time overlap between the two actors occurs at the beginning or end of an actor's day; and (3) dependent on the amount of this overlap.
New Optical Sensor for Monitoring the Micropipette Motion

A novel noncontact sensor is developed to monitor the displacements of a drawn glass pipette tip. These pipettes are commonly used in various cellular-injection applications, from in vitro fertilization to cloning. The physics of the underlying cellular-piercing process, however, is quite complex and presently not fully understood primarily due to the absence of appropriate motion sensors. A high-sensitivity noncontact sensor is needed to study this delicate microdynamics. We report here on an optical microdevice, which is developed for this objective. In the core of the sensing, properly positioned four photodiodes receive the light, which emanates from the target micropipette. Appropriate electronics and sensitivity-enhancement techniques are also utilized. The experimental results are presented from a preliminary test study on a prototype setup. These results are very encouraging in that we can already report submicrometer-level motion-detection capability
Dissociation equilibria of the tryptophan synthase α2β2 complex in saline buffer and guanidine isothiocyanate, as studied by sedimentation equilibrium

Abstract The dissociation equilibria of Salmonella typhimurium tryptophan synthase α2β2 complex were studied via centrifugation of the complex to sedimentation equilibrium in neutral saline buffers containing 0 to 137 mM guanidine isothiocyanate (GuSCN). The resulting concentration gradients were analyzed in the context of an equilibrium model for sequential dissociation of two α subunits from a stable β2 subunit. Under the conditions of these experiments, the first dissociation constant alone could be evaluated at GuSCN concentrations ≤ 100 mM, and the second dissociation constant alone could be evaluated at GuSCN = 137 mM. At intermediate GuSCN, both dissociation constants were sufficiently well defined to rule out the presence of a large equilibrium cooperative effect in the stepwise dissociation of the α subunits.
Organizational ethics: A within organization view

Abstract Organizations are commonly conceived of as entities, or corporate actors. As citizens and as scholars, we often attribute organizational decisions and acts to the corporation rather than to specific individual members. Given this, we must develop a standard by which to judge the ethics or morality of such corporate actions. A pluralistic conception of organizational ethics is offered in this essay: Judgements of whether an organization's acts are ethical must be made according to the ethical system of the organization, provided that the organization's ethical system upholds relative and absolute values of the national culture. This view is justified within an organizations‐as‐cultures viewpoint, a definition of ethics as practical knowledge, and grounding in the rules perspective. Organizational ethics are conceptualized as rooted in the organizational value system. According to this view, an act is judged to be ethical to the extent that it upholds that value system. Recent events in two compani...
An approach for incomplete state feedback control systems design

A practical method for designing a linear regulator with incomplete state feedback controller is presented. This approach treats the optimal system of complete state feedback as an ideal model for the design of the incomplete state feedback controller, which is a linear combination of only the available state variables. The design is based on the approximation of the closed-loop system transfer function to the ideal model transfer function.
Transition radiation in multilayer nanostructures as a medical source of hard-X-ray radiation

We show that periodic nanostructure made of alternating layers of Ag and Mo can serve as an efficient source of hard X-ray transition radiation for medical applications, which uses low energy electrons.
Distributed effects in large-area Esaki diodes

General expressions have been derived for the impedance of rectangular and circular Esaki diodes which take account of the distributed nature of diodes with large-junction area. These expressions have been used to calculate the diode dimensions for which self-supporting internal oscillations can occur. Simple expressions have been derived for the series-parasitic impedance of diodes with smaller transverse dimensions.
The role of sensitization in musculoskeletal shoulder pain

Introduction: Peripheral and central sensitization are neurophysiological processes that can prolong painful conditions. Painful shoulder conditions are often persistent, perhaps due to the presence of sensitization. Method: This manuscript summarizes six studies that have evaluated those with musculoskeletal shoulder pain for the presence of sensitization. Results: All six manuscripts report evidence of peripheral sensitization, while central sensitization was described in five of the studies. The chronicity of symptoms in subjects who were included in the studies is probably influencing this finding. The primary somatosensory test used to assess sensitization in these studies was Pressure Pain Threshold, a test for lowered nociceptive thresholds. Discussion: It appears that peripheral sensitization manifests consistently in those with musculoskeletal shoulder pathology, probably due to the inflammatory processes related to tissue injury. Central sensitization, while not universally present, was reported in a majority of the manuscripts. Because central sensitization is thought to be a key step on the pathway to chronic pain, evidence for its presence in those with shoulder pain is significant. Clinicians should expect the presence of sensitization with shoulder pathology and make appropriate choices about interventions so as not to exacerbate pain.
Thermoacoustic and photoacoustic sensing of temperature

We present a novel temperature-sensing technique using thermoacoustic and photoacoustic measurements. This noninvasive method has been demonstrated using a tissue phantom to have high temporal resolution and temperature sensitivity. Because both photoa- coustic and thermoacoustic signal amplitudes depend on the tempera- ture of the source object, the signal amplitudes can be used to monitor the temperature. A temperature sensitivity of 0.15°C was obtained at a temporal resolution as short as 2s , taking the average of 20 signals. The deep-tissue imaging capability of this technique can potentially lead us to in vivo temperature monitoring in thermal or cryogenic
Improving processor efficiency by exploiting common-case behaviors of memory instructions

The main contribution of this dissertation is exploring the impact of, and improving memory instruction processing to improve the efficiency of the processor. In particular, we propose and evaluate five techniques that tackle certain inefficiencies that exist in memory instruction processing units of conventional processors. Our proposals leverage certain commonly-occurring behavioral patterns in memory instructions which allow for relatively simple and scalable designs to improve processor efficiency. One of the main aspects of this thesis is the study of memory dependence prediction. We explore the fundamental concepts in memory dependence prediction and propose, to the best of our knowledge, one of the most high-performing and power-efficient memory dependence predictors. Using the fundamental principles and benefits of memory dependence prediction, we then propose an application of it in simultaneous multi-threaded processors that reduces the resource contention in, and improves the performance of these processors. In our third proposal, we focus on a useful corollary of the predictability in memory dependences, which is the predictability in memory data forwarding, to simplify, reduce and even eliminate some of the power-hungry and area-inefficient resources required by memory instructions in conventional processors. The designs proposed have low implementation complexity and high scalability. We then focus our attention on another memory instruction behavioral pattern, that is predictability in instruction criticality and leverage this behavior to improve the performance of the processor as well as reduce its power consumption and area requirements. Finally we explore out-of-order allocation and deallocation of certain microarchitectural resources used by memory instructions in the processor which allows us to reduce the energy consumption and the area overhead of the processor. Memory instructions constitute a significant portion of the instructions in traditional programs and as such their processing is very important to the performance, power, area, design complexity and scalability of modern processors. This research presented in this dissertation improves the processing of these instructions so that the above-stated parameters can be optimized and improved, which can lead to the design of highly efficient processors.
Inhibition of TRAIL-induced apoptosis by Bcl-2 overexpression.

Primary or acquired resistance to current treatment protocols remains a major concern in clinical oncology and may be caused by defects in apoptosis programs. Since recent data suggest that TRAIL can bypass apoptosis resistance caused by Bcl-2, we further investigated the role of Bcl-2 in TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Here we report that overexpression of Bcl-2 conferred protection against TRAIL in neuroblastoma, glioblastoma or breast carcinoma cell lines. Bcl-2 overexpression reduced TRAIL-induced cleavage of caspase-8 and Bid indicating that caspase-8 was activated upstream and also downstream of mitochondria in a feedback amplification loop. Importantly, Bcl-2 blocked cleavage of caspases-9, -7 and -3 into active subunits and cleavage of the caspase substrates DFF45 or PARP. Also, Bcl-2 blocked cleavage of XIAP and overexpression of XIAP conferred resistance against TRAIL indicating that apoptosis was also amplified through a feedforward loop between caspases and XIAP. In contrast, in SKW lymphoblastoid cells, TRAIL-induced activation of caspase-8 directly translated into full activation of caspases, cleavage of XIAP, DFF45 or PARP and apoptosis independent of Bcl-2 overexpression, although Bcl-2 similarly inhibited loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c, AIF and Smac from mitochondria in all cell types. By demonstrating a cell type dependent regulation of the TRAIL signaling pathway at different level, e.g. by Bcl-2 and by XIAP, these findings may have important clinical implication. Thus, strategies targeting the molecular basis of resistance towards TRAIL may be necessary in some tumors for cancer therapy with TRAIL.