cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prestress losses in fibreglass pretensioned concrete compression members

Fibreglass has been used recently as a prestressing material in concrete structures, and it has demonstrated some advantages over steel tendons especially in corrosive environments. An experimental estimation of the long term losses of concrete columns and piles pretensioned with fibreglass (S-2 glass) is presented in this paper. Three identical sets of steel and fibreglass specimens with nominal dimensions of 152 mm×102 mm×2.6 m (6 in ×4 in ×102 in) were instrumented and tested to evaluate prestress losses under axial compression loads at different stress levels. Results after 20 months show that prestress losses in fibreglass tendons are less than those in steel tendons. The effective prestress for fibreglass pretensioned specimens can be predicted accurately using the step-by-step method. The measured data were compared with several models. For a practical applied stress of 0.3fc′, the current ACI and Bazant equations for creep and shrinkage predicted the strain history, prestress losses, and effective prestress of fibreglass pretensioned concrete specimens with good accuracy.
If the Truth Be Told Revising California History as a Moral Objective

It has been argued that the United States did not receive California from Mexico by “right of conquest” or by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo because the majority of California was not under the control of the Mexican government. In eastern portions of Southern and Central California, few or no Spanish occupants were present. Northward from Santa Rosa to what would become the Oregon border, no Mexican governmental institutions were to be seen. This area was the aboriginal homelands of the Pomo, Wiyot, Yurok, Hupa, Karuk, Modoc peoples, just to name a few. They had lived there for thousands of years, and their aboriginal rights and supreme entitlement to their land and natural resources were undeniable. Therefore, the settlement of California must be reviewed and reevaluated.
Nonlinear techniques for parameter extraction from quasi-continuous wavelet transform with application to speech

Speaker identification and word spotting will shortly play a key role in a lot of different fields. This paper presents an approach, based on the wavelet transform, to extract features from a speech signal. These features are based on the `modulation model'. An adequate choice of the extracted features dramatically increases the efficiency of the classification performed on the different speakers or on the different words.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hispanic Women: Building a Room for Self-Efficacy:

In America, women did not enter the realm of higher education until the mid-to late1800s. Today, women constitute more than 40% of the student population across campuses as they prepare to assume leadership positions. This article describes Bandura's self-efficacy theory as it applies specifically to the career advancement of Hispanic women in higher education as they contend with the socialization and cultural processes that are inherent in this ethnic group.
Wound healing from a cellular stress response perspective

This meeting review highlights areas of mutual interest to investigators in the cellular stress response field and to those carrying out wound-healing research. Inflammation, perhaps the major unifying theme of this meeting, is an essential component of the adult wound response and understanding the control of inflammation is a common interest shared with researchers of the cellular stress response. The particular interest of the authors of this review is in chronic non-healing wounds that frequently occur in patients with major illnesses such as diabetes and diseases of the blood vessels. This orientation has undoubtedly influenced the selection of topics. It is fair to say that the authors were often surprised and certainly impressed with the overlapping interests and possibilities for collaboration among investigators of these two research areas.
Sum Rule Relating Optical Properties to the Charge Distribution

A sum rule is constructed which relates the third moment of the imaginary part of the dielectric function at zero wave vector to an integral of the product of the Laplacian of the crystal potential and the fluctuation of the electron density. This sum rule, though rigorous, will be of real use only when the real solid can be replaced by a solid of pseudoatoms having only valence electrons. A method is found for obtaining an "experimental" third moment from other known moments. In this approximation some of the recent empiricism about bonding in crystals can be given a more rigorous basis. A quantitative application of the theorem to the prediction of the dielectric constant of GaAs is sketched.
In situ mass spectrometry during diamond chemical vapor deposition using a low pressure flat flame

A combination of experiments and detailed kinetic modeling was used to investigate diamond deposition chemistry in low pressure combustion synthesis. Microprobe sampling was employed to provide in situ, quantitative measurements of the stable gas-phase species impinging the growth surface. The reactant gas ratio was found to be the most critical experimental variable. A detailed kinetic model was developed for the stagnation flow system. Comparison of experimental measurements showed very good agreement with model predictions. The model was then used to predict the concentration of radical species and analyze the sensitivity of predictions to γH, the probability of atomic hydrogen recombination on the surface. It was shown that γH dramatically affects the distribution of radical species near the diamond surface. The analysis also indicates that atomic carbon may be an important gas-phase precursor in this system. Comparison of mole fraction measurements and observations of film morphology were used to draw conclusions on the growth mechanism.
Radiative Heat Transfer in Hyperbolic Metamaterials

We demonstrate that the super-singularity of the photonic density of states in hyperbolic metamaterials leads to a dramatic enhancement of radiative heat such media, and present the theoretical description of this effect.
A note on the inviscid Orr-Sommerfeld equation

The inviscid Orr-Sommerfeld equation for ϕ(y) in y > 0 subject to a null condition as y → ∞ is attacked by considering separately the intervals (0, y1) and (y1, ∞), such that the solution in (0, y1) can be expanded in powers of the wave-number (following Heisenberg) and the solution of (y1, ∞) regarded as real and non-singular. Complementary variational principles for the latter solution are determined to bound an appropriate parameter from above and below. It also is shown how the original differential equation may be transformed to a Riccati equation in such a way as to facilitate both the Heisenberg expansion of the solution in (0, y1) and numerical integration in (y1, ∞). These methods are applied to a velocity profile that is linear in (0, y1) and asymptotically logarithmic as y → ∞, and it is found that the mean of the two variational approximations is in excellent agreement with the results of numerical integration of the Riccati equation.
Analysis of DNA Double-strand Break (DSB) Repair in Mammalian Cells

DNA double-strand breaks are the most dangerous DNA lesions that may lead to massive loss of genetic information and cell death. Cells repair DSBs using two major pathways: nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). Perturbations of NHEJ and HR are often associated with premature aging and tumorigenesis, hence it is important to have a quantitative way of measuring each DSB repair pathway. Our laboratory has developed fluorescent reporter constructs that allow sensitive and quantitative measurement of NHEJ and HR. The constructs are based on an engineered GFP gene containing recognition sites for a rare-cutting I-SceI endonuclease for induction of DSBs. The starting constructs are GFP negative as the GFP gene is inactivated by an additional exon, or by mutations. Successful repair of the I-SceI-induced breaks by NHEJ or HR restores the functional GFP gene. The number of GFP positive cells counted by flow cytometry provides quantitative measure of NHEJ or HR efficiency.
Vitamin E changes the membrane fluidity of human platelets

Abstract The in vitro addition of α-tocopherol to human platelets was evaluated by measuring fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene-labeled platelets and platelet membranes. The fluorescence anisotropy was decreased compared to non-vitamin E-loaded control platelets at temperatures less than 24–27°C but was increased above 27°C. The curve relating temperature to this parameter remained monophasic in α-tocopherol-enriched platelets but exhibited a steeper slope, indicative of increased flow activation energy. The latter was linearly related to platelet α-tocopherol levels. A possible role of membrane proteins in the mechanism of this change was suggested by the increased anisotropy which liposomes prepared from platelet membrane lipids displayed when they were loaded with α-tocopherol. This modulation of ‘apparent membrane microviscosity’ by α-tocopherol may play a role in the normal effect of this vitamin on human cells.
Services in the Cloud

Provides an in-depth review and analysis of cloud computing, applications for its use, cloud technologies, different kinds of cloud services, types of clouds, and major areas of research and development in the cloud computing field. Also provides an overview of the articles persented in this issue.
Multi-objective consensus of interconnected system of multi-agent systems

This paper presents consensus control of a system of multi-agent systems represented as an interconnection of platoons. The agents in each platoon are interconnected through their own communication network while only the platoon leaders are connected to global system level leader network. It is assumed that all agents are identical and are linear time invariant. For consensus control, we assume a two stage protocol: an intra-platoon protocol for platoon consensus, and an inter-platoon protocol for global system-wide consensus. The intra-platoon control is based on output information received from agents within the platoon while the inter-platoon control uses only output information of platoon leaders. We show that the system of multi-agent systems arrives at a collective consensus in the sense that each platoon arrives its own platoon consensus and at the same time all platoons collectively achieve global system-wide consensus. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the methodology.
On randomized matching mechanisms

This note showed by means of Knuth's example that some stable matchings may not be obtained by the random order mechanism.
Biocompatibility of ceramic implants in soft tissue.

The degradation and biocompatibility of seveal commercially available glasses, glass-ceramics, and ceramics have been evaluated in soft tissue. Tissue compatibility was investigated by histological and toxicological determinations. Materials degration was evaluated by weight loss and surface replica electron microscopic techniques. High lead and arsenic-selenium-sulfur glasses are found to be unsuitable materials for implantation due to high corrosion and toxicity. Certain borosilicate glasses are also found unacceptable because of severe corrosion. Fused quartz, aluminosilicates, certain borosilicates, alkali resistant glass, soda-lime glass, titania frit, arsenic trisulfide, lithium and magnesium aluminosilicate, glass-ceramics, and calcium-fluorapatite all appear to be well tolerated and seem acceptable for soft tissue implantation on the basis of the present data. Because of the lack of sensitivity of weight change as a parameter to measure low corrosion rates, we have no data on which to estimate the actual corrosion rate. The detailed changes in surface structurte produced during the corrosion process only provide information about the corrosion mechanism and may not be correlated with the corrosion rate. A more sensitive method to study low corrosion rates in glasses may be to use radioactive tracer techniques to measure the loss in radioactivity of glasses when implanted in the peritoneal cavity rather than subcutaneously.
Safety Essentials: Acute Reactions to Iodinated Contrast Media

The objectives of this article are to review the diagnosis and management of acute nonrenal reactions to iodinated contrast media. We will begin by discussing the types of contrast media and their correlative rates of reaction. The mechanism of contrast reactions, predisposing risk factors, and preventative measures will then be discussed. The remainder of the article will review the assessment of potential reactions, initial management, and treatment algorithms for specific reactions.
A Cellular Mechanism for Prepulse Inhibition

Abstract In prepulse inhibition (PPI), startle responses to sudden, unexpected stimuli are markedly attenuated if immediately preceded by a weak stimulus of almost any modality. This experimental paradigm exposes a potent inhibitory process, present in nervous systems from invertebrates to humans, that is widely considered to play an important role in reducing distraction during the processing of sensory input. The neural mechanisms mediating PPI are of considerable interest given evidence linking PPI deficits with some of the cognitive disorders of schizophrenia. Here, in the marine mollusk Tritonia diomedea , we describe a detailed cellular mechanism for PPI—a combination of presynaptic inhibition of startle afferent neurons together with distributed postsynaptic inhibition of several downstream interneuronal sites in the startle circuit.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone as a paracrine hormone and neurotransmitter in extra-pituitary sites

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), in addition to its classical releasing action at the pituitary level, acts on multiple extrapituitary sites to regulate various reproductive functions. In the rat ovary, specific high affinity GnRH receptors have been identified in granulosa and theca cells. These binding sites mediate the inhibitory effects of GnRH and its agonists on gonadotropin-stimulated estrogen, progestin and androgen biosynthesis. At the granulose cell level, GnRH treatment decreases aromatase activity as well as the biosynthesis of pregnenolone and progesterone via inhibition of cholesterol side-chain cleavage and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes. High concentrations of GnRH also stimulate low but significant levels of various steroids. In addition, treatment with high concentrations of GnRH induces ovulation and oocyte maturation in hypophysectomized rats. This is associated with the ability of GnRH to stimulate plasminogen activator activity in cultured granulosa cells. In the rat testis, GnRH receptors have been identified in Leydig but not Sertoli cells. Treatment with GnRH inhibits gonadotropin-stimulated androgen biosynthesis by the cultured Leydig cells. The inhibitory effect of GnRH on testicular androgen production occurs at sites distal to the formation of cyclic AMP and pregnenolone and may be due to decreases in the activity of the enzyme 17 alpha-hydroxylase and 17-20 desmolase. Since hypothalamic GnRH is unlikely to act at the gonadal level, several laboratories have attempted to isolate gonadal GnRH-like peptide which may serve as the ligand for specific gonadal GnRH receptors. Although the presence of ovarian GnRH-like substance still remains elusive, testicular GnRH-like substance has been identified. This gonadal peptide(s) may be an important local paracrine hormone. In addition to its action at the gonadal level, GnRH or GnRH-like peptides may play an important role as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Exogenous administration of GnRH in selected brain areas has been shown to modulate sexual behavior in experimental animals, while neural pathways containing GnRH-like immunoreactive substances have been identified in several brain areas. We have recently synthesized a bioluminescent GnRH analog capable of serving as a specific GnRH ligand for a bioluminescent ligand receptor assay which is more sensitive than classical 125I-ligand assays. We have identified GnRH receptors in small, discrete brain regions. Thus, GnRH and GnRH-like peptides may play important paracrine and neurotransmitter roles in the regulation of various reproductive functions in extra-pituitary sites.
Linear trimer analogues of calixarene as chiral coordinating ligands: X-ray crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic characterization of chiral and achiral trisphenolates complexed to titanium(IV) and aluminum(III).

Achiral and chiral linear trisphenol analogues of calixarene (HOArCH2Ar‘(OH)C(R)HArOH, Ar = 4,6-di-tert-butylphenyl; Ar‘ = 4-tert-butylphenyl; R = H (achiral), Me (chiral)) were prepared in anticipation of their adoption of a chiral conformation upon coordination to Lewis acidic metal centers. The trisphenols react with 1 equiv of Ti(OR‘)4 (R‘ = i-Pr or t-Bu) to yield complexes with molecular formula Ti2(OArCH2Ar‘(O)C(R)HArO)2(OR‘)2 (R = H, Me; R‘ = i-Pr or t-Bu). An X-ray crystal structure of the titanium complex of the achiral trisphenol (R = H; R‘ = t-Bu) reveals that the trisphenolate ligand adopts an unsymmetrical (and therefore chiral) conformation, with η2-coordination to one metal center and η1-coordination to the second metal center. The chiral trisphenol, which contains a stereogenic center (indicated as C in the shorthand notation used above), coordinates titanium in an analogous fashion to produce only one diastereomer (out of four possible); therefore, the configuration of the stereogenic cen...
The “Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy”: Media and Conservative Networks

The American Right's speedy political recovery after the historic 2008 election was driven in part by Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and Glenn Beck. Yet conservative media are just one key component in the broad political networks built over the past few decades. Conservative talk radio, print publications, television networks, and internet sites have numerous connections, both direct and indirect, with the think tanks, advocacy organizations, academic research centers, and foundations that develop and promote the Right's policy agenda. Progressives have acknowledged this “vast right-wing conspiracy” for years, but often demonstrate little understanding of how it actually works. In this article I remind readers of the expansive scope and shape of conservative networks. Using the rise of Tea Party populism, I demonstrate how media organizations work within these networks to revive and promote ideas and action on the Right.
The regeneration of accessory limb parts following epidermal cap transplantation in urodeles

Les evenements morphogenetiques qui suivent le greffage d'un blasteme apical a la face preaxiale d'un membre anterieur en voie regeneratrice, chezAmbystoma, sont tout a fait normaux, mais le niveau ou se localise le regenerat accessoire est different selon l'espece utilise. Ces resultats sont discutes au point de vue du stimulus d'agregation des cellules appartenant au regenerat accessoire.
An accurate time advancement algorithm for particle tracking

We describe a particle position time advancement algorithm that is designed for use with several subgrid velocity reconstruction schemes used in LES/FDF methods, and potentially in other applications. These reconstruction schemes yield a subgrid velocity field with desirable divergence properties, but also with discontinuities across cell faces. Therefore, a conventional time advancement algorithm, such as second-order Runge-Kutta (RK2), does not perform as well as it does with a smooth velocity field. The algorithm that we describe, called Multi-Step RK2 (MRK2), builds upon RK2 by breaking up the time step into two or more substeps whenever a particle crosses one or more velocity discontinuities. When used in conjunction with the parabolic edge reconstruction method, MRK2 performs considerably better than RK2: both the final position of an advected particle, and the final area of a 2D infinitesimal area element are second-order accurate in time (as opposed to first-order accurate for RK2). Furthermore, MRK2 has the theoretical advantage that it better preserves the continuity of the mapping between initial and final particle positions.
Utility-Privacy Tradeoffs in Databases: An Information-Theoretic Approach

Ensuring the usefulness of electronic data sources while providing necessary privacy guarantees is an important unsolved problem. This problem drives the need for an analytical framework that can quantify the privacy of personally identifiable information while still providing a quantifiable benefit (utility) to multiple legitimate information consumers. This paper presents an information-theoretic framework that promises an analytical model guaranteeing tight bounds of how much utility is possible for a given level of privacy and vice-versa. Specific contributions include: 1) stochastic data models for both categorical and numerical data; 2) utility-privacy tradeoff regions and the encoding (sanization) schemes achieving them for both classes and their practical relevance; and 3) modeling of prior knowledge at the user and/or data source and optimal encoding schemes for both cases.
Punctuations and agendas: A new look at local government budget expenditures

Punctuated equilibrium theory (PET) is an agenda-based theory that offers a theoretical foundation for large budget shifts. PET emphasizes that the static, incremental nature of agendas is occasionally interrupted by punctuations. These punctuations indicate shifts in priority among the agenda items, and with those agenda shifts come trade-offs. This article expands the discussion of punctuated budgets to the level of local government by determining that local government expenditures have the characteristics espoused by the punctuated equilibrium theory. The article also determines the frequency of punctuations and the probability for future punctuations. The findings show that some budget functions and policy types are more prone to punctuations and, therefore, have a less stable agenda. The practical significance of extending PET to local government budgeting is the implication on planning, forecasting, and the agenda-setting process. © 2003 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
A Power Method for Computing Square Roots of Complex Matrices

Abstract In this paper higher order convergent methods for computing square roots of nonsingular complex matrices are derived. These methods are globally convergent and are based on eigenvalue shifting and powering. Specifically, it is shown for each positive integerr ≥ 2, a convergent method of orderrcan be developed. These algorithms can be used to compute square roots of general nonsingular complex matrices such as computing square roots of matrices with negative eigenvalues.
Surgical suture-canine tissue interaction for six common suture types.

Maximum extraction stress and integrated extraction work were measured for sutures implanted for 3, 7, and 14 day periods. Six common non-absorbable sutures, representative of braided and monofilamentary forms, were implanted subdermally and were used for cutaneous incision closure with purebred pointer dogs. The data show: (1) Braided sutures, polyester/Teflon, silk-type B, and silk–silicone interacted with peripheral tissue to a significantly greater degree than the monofilamentary types, nylon, polypropylene, and polyethylene; (2) polyester–Teflon braided suture interacted to a lesser degree than the other braided sutures; (3) the relatively intense interaction of plain silk and silicone-treated silk appears to reflect the combined effects of mechanical aspects of braiding and of biochemical response; and (4) all braided sutures swelled over the implantation periods with as much as a 70% increase in diameter after 14 days for silk.
Using a Request for Proposal (RFP) to Select a Serials Vendor: The University of Tennessee Experience

In the fall of 2009 The University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) Libraries began developing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a single serials vendor to acquire all periodicals/serials subscriptions. While the RFP was intended to save money by reducing service charges and standardizing invoicing processes, it also provided the opportunity for the Libraries to make the transition from print or print-plus-electronic to electronic-only subscriptions. This article describes the RFP process for the UTK Libraries and discusses some of the outcomes and lessons learned.
Laser micromachining of silicon: A new technique for fabricating terahertz imaging arrays

One of the main obstacles encountered in designing low noise, high efficiency, heterodyne receivers and local oscillator sources at submillimeter wavelengths is the quality and cost of waveguide structures. At wavelengths shorter than 400 micrometers, rectangular waveguide structures, feed-horns, and backshorts become extremely difficult to fabricate using standard machining techniques. We have used a new laser milling technique to fabricate high quality, THz waveguide components and feedhorns. Once metallized, the structures have the properties of standard waveguide components. Unlike waveguide components made using silicon wet-etching techniques, laser-etched components can have almost any cross section, from rectangular to circular. Under computer control, the entire waveguide structure (including the corrugated feedhorn a submillimeter-wave mixer or multiplier can be fabricated to micrometer tolerances in a few hours. Laser etching permits the direct scaling of successful waveguide multiplier and mixer designs to THz frequencies. Since the entire process is computer controlled, the cost of fabricating submillimeter waveguide components is significantly reduced. With this new laser etching process, the construction of high performance waveguide array receivers at THz frequencies becomes tractable. In this paper we will describe the laser etching technique and discuss how it can be used to construct THz imaging arrays. We will also describe the construction of a prototype 810 GHz mixer which utilizes these new construction techniques.
Cloning and characterization of a cdc25 phosphatase from mouse lymphocytes.

Members of the cdc25 phosphatase family are proposed to function as important regulators of the eukaryotic cell cycle, particularly in the induction of mitotic events. A new cdc25 tyrosine phosphatase, cdc25M1, has been cloned from a mouse pre-B cell cDNA library and characterized. The cdc25M1 protein consists of 465 amino acids with a predicted relative molecular mass (Mr) of 51 750. Over the highly conserved carboxyl terminal region, the amino acid sequence similarity to the human cdc25 C or Hs1 isoform is 89%, while the overall similarity is 67%. The phosphatase active site is located within residues 367–374. Tissue expression of the cdc25M1 was highest in mouse spleen and thymus by northern blot analysis. The cdc25M1 mRNA was detected in a number of cloned mouse lymphocyte cell lines including both CD8+ and CD4+ cells. cdc25M1 mRNA was shown to be cell cycle-regulated in T cells following interleukin-2 (IL-2)-stimulation. Accumulation of cdc25M1 mRNA occured at 48 h after IL-2 stimulation, when lymphocytes were progressing from S phase to G2/M phase of the cell cycle. This pattern of expression is in contrast to that observed for other protein tyrosine phosphatases expressed in T lymphocytes including CD45, LRP, SHP, and PEP. The elevation in cdc25M1 mRNA level occurred concomittant to the appearance of the hyperphosphorylated form of p34cdc2 protein kinase. A purified, bacterial-expressed recombinant cdc25M1 phosphatase domain catalyzed the dephosphorylation of p-nitrophenol phosphate, as well as [32P-Tyr] and [32P-Ser/Thr]-containing substrates. Preincubation of p34cdc2 kinase with cdc25M1 activated its histone H1 kinase activity in vitro. These results suggest that cdc25M1 may be involved in regulating the proliferation of mouse T lymphocytes following cytokine stimulation, through its action on p34cdc2 kinase.
Impact of introducing multiple evidence-based clinical practice protocols in a medical intensive care unit: a retrospective cohort study.

Background Recently completed clinical trials have shown that certain interventions improve the outcome of the critically ill. To facilitate the implementation of these interventions, professional organizations have developed guidelines. Although the impacts of the individual evidence-based interventions have been well described, the overall impact on outcome of introducing multiple evidence-based protocols has not been well studied. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of introducing multiple evidence-based protocols on patient outcome.
The size of pulse-labeled fibroin messenger RNA

Abstract A method has been developed for the isolation of fibroin gene transcripts from total RNA of the silk-worm Bombyx mori. It is based on affinity chromatography using Sephadex-bound polynucleotides capable of selectively hybridizing with fibroin mRNA sequences. In vivo pulse labeling of the posterior silk gland for periods of 10–35 min produces labeled heterogeneous nuclear RNA of high molecular weight (>40S). Fibroin gene transcripts can be selected from the total hnRNA population by two consecutive passages through the affinity column. Analysis of the column-bound material in denaturing polyacrylamide-agarose gels reveals that the size of pulse-labeled fibroin mRNA is essentially the same (within 5%) as that of mature cytoplasmic mRNA. This holds true for pulses as short as 6 min, where even nascent mRNA can be observed. However, a small shoulder of material is present on the heavy side of the pulse-labeled mRNA, which could be indicative of an extremely short-lived precursor species. The purified pulse-labeled mRNA (10 min incorporation) has been further analyzed by chromatography in oligo(dT)-cellulose. The data show that the mRNA is polyadenylated within a few minutes after synthesis.
The clinical spectrum of early lyme borreliosis in patients with culture-confirmed erythema migrans

Background The diagnosis of erythema migrans (EM), the characteristic rash of early Lyme borreliosis, is based primarily on its clinical appearance since it often occurs prior to the development of a specific antibody response. Other skin disorders, however, may be confused with EM. Methods Between June 1991 and September 1993, a prospective study was conducted at the Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center of the Westchester County Medical Center to isolate Borrelia burgdorferi systematically from patients with EM, and to characterize the clinical manifestations of patients with culture-documented infection. Skin biopsies and/or needle aspirates of the advancing margin of primary lesions, and blood specimens from adult patients were cultured for B burgdorferi in modified Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly medium at 33 °C. Results B burgdorferi was recovered from 79 patients (49 [62%] males) ranging in age from 16 to 76 years old (mean, 43 ± 14 years old). Maximum EM diameter (mean, 16 ± 10 cm; range, 6–73 cm) was a function of EM duration (mean 6.7 ± 6.4 days; range, 1–39 days)(correlation coefficient=0.7; P Conclusions We describe the largest group of culture-positive patients with EM from the United States to date. Although systemic symptoms were present in most patients, objective evidence of advanced disease was uncommon. Our patients with culture-confirmed EM were less sick than those described in the days before culture confirmation was possible. The ability to isolate B burgdorferi from lesional skin of large numbers of patients with EM should make culture-positive patients the standard by which to define manifestations of early Lyme borreliosis associated with this rash. Microbiologic documentation of Lyme borreliosis will help delineate the manifestations of this illness, and should form the framework for research directed at pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Fourth Quarter Reversals in Earnings Changes and Earnings Management

This paper investigates potential cases of earnings management by observing the pattern of quarterly earnings changes. We identify firms for which the sign of (seasonal) earnings changes observed in interim quarters reverses in the fourth quarter. We hypothesize that a firm performing poorly in interim quarters may attempt to increase earnings of the fourth quarter to achieve a desired annual earnings target, while a firm performing well in interim quarters may attempt to decrease earnings of the fourth quarter to build "reserves" for the future. Our results show that reversal of earnings changes in the fourth quarter is a common phenomenon and its occurrence is greater than would be expected by chance. Other indicators of earnings management, such as the size and direction of changes in fourth quarter accruals, reversals in subsequent earnings performance, and the use of special items in the income statement, suggest that firms with earnings reversals are more likely to have managed earnings than a control sample of nonreversal firms. Our results also indicate that the reversal firms may have debt-contracting and political costs-related incentives to manage earnings and a significant percentage of them may manage earnings to avoid reporting a decrease in annual earnings. Capital market participants and financial analysts both appear to attach lower credibility to earnings reported by the reversal samples. Our collective evidence leads us to suspect that fourth quarter reversals reflect earnings management behavior rather than some other phenomena, such as mean reversion of earnings or fourth quarter settling up.
Managing Value Creation within the Firm: An Examination of Multiple Performance Measures

There has been an emphasis in recent years on understanding how value is created within the firm. To understand what drives value, managers must have in place performance measurement systems designed to capture information on all aspects of the business, not just the financial results. Many firms are implementing a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) performance measurement system that tracks measures across four hierarchical perspectives: learning and growth, internal business processes, customer, and financial perspectives. Although BSCs should ideally be tailored to each firm's unique strategy, evidence shows that managers tend to rely on generic measures, particularly as measures of the outcome of each perspective. We use cross‐sectional data on seven archival measures from 125 firms over a five‐year period to proxy for typical outcome measures of the four BSC perspectives. We find that a model that allows each outcome measure to be associated with outcome measures in all higherlevel BSC perspectives captures th...
Interference Analysis of Filtered Multitone Modulation Over Time-Varying Frequency- Selective Fading Channels

We consider in this paper filtered multitone (FMT) modulation over frequency-selective time-varying fading channels. Due to the phase and amplitude distortion introduced by the fading channel, not only is the orthogonality among different subcarriers destroyed, but also the perfect Nyquist sampling condition of the baseband matched filters is no longer valid. Consequently, interchannel, as well as intersymbol, interference will cause distortions to the transmitted signals. In this paper, the interference caused by the channel frequency selectivity and time variance is quantified by analyzing the demodulated signals at the receiver under several different fading-channel conditions. An analysis of the average carrier-to-interference (C/I) ratio of the FMT system is provided in order to demonstrate the underlying tradeoff between spectral efficiency and system performance. For comparison purposes with other multicarrier communication systems (or modulation techniques), the C/I ratio of the conventional orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing system is also provided and compared with that of the FMT system under the same channel conditions and spectral efficiency. Finally, numerical and simulation results are given that confirm the C/I ratio results obtained
Therapeutic Effects of Combination Radiation and Suicide Gene Therapy Using a Chimeric Adenovirus Vector for Bladder Cancer

Purpose/Objective: Radiation therapy is an established therapeutic modality for invasive bladder cancer. Recently, radiation therapy has been shown to improve both transduction efficiency and transgene expression. However, alteration of the coxsackie and adenovirus receptor (CAR) poses a barrier to adenovirus-mediated gene therapy. In addition, loss of CAR expression is associated with higher grade and stage bladder cancers with potential for metastasis and impaired prognosis. We have previously demonstrated the efficacy of a CAR-independent Ad vector (Ad5/F35) expressing HSV-tk with GCV in CARnegative and CAR-positive human bladder cancer models. In the present study, we test the hypothesis that independently of CAR status, combination radiogene therapy is more effective than gene therapy alone in bladder cancer and minimizes treatment-related toxicity.
Domestic variance and international comovement bonds tests of interest rates

Abstract This article demonstrates that long rates exhibit both domestic excess variance and international excess comovement compared to fundamental yields derived from short rates under the rational expectations theory of term structure. The results are consistent for all countries sampled: the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and Japan. Probing deeper, long rates are found to “overreact” to domestic expected future inflation and/or short real rates both of which are the underlying components of the short nominal rate according to the Fisher hypothesis. Since inflation rates as well as short real rates are highly correlated between countries, the excess volatility in long rates translates into excess covariance (“co-overreact”) internationally.
Nodding syndrome in Kitgum District, Uganda: association with conflict and internal displacement

Objectives To test for any temporal association of Nodding syndrome with wartime conflict, casualties and household displacement in Kitgum District, northern Uganda. Methods Data were obtained from publicly available information reported by the Ugandan Ministry of Health (MOH), the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) Project of the University of Sussex in the UK, peer-reviewed publications in professional journals and other sources. Results Reports of Nodding syndrome began to appear in 1997, with the first recorded cases in Kitgum District in 1998. Cases rapidly increased annually beginning in 2001, with peaks in 2003–2005 and 2008, 5–6 years after peaks in the number of wartime conflicts and deaths. Additionally, peaks of Nodding syndrome cases followed peak influxes 5–7 years earlier of households into internal displacement camps. Conclusions Peaks of Nodding syndrome reported by the MOH are associated with, but temporally displaced from, peaks of wartime conflicts, deaths and household internment, where infectious disease was rampant and food insecurity rife.
Radiation Protection Research Recommendations for Missions Beyond LEO

At the request of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements prepared NCRP Report 153, Information Needed to Make Radiation Protection Recommendations for Space Missions Beyond Low-Earth Orbit. This lengthy report, over 400 pages in length, published in November 2006, was drafted by NCRP Scientific Committee 1-7, and is a continuation of NCRP Report 132, Radiation Protection Guidance for Activities in Low-Earth Orbit, which provided guidance on limiting radiation exposures on missions in low-Earth orbit. The new report provides research recommendations in the broad areas of the space radiation environment, radiation physics and transport, radiation dosimetry, radiation biology, and radiation risk assessment. In this work, an overview of the committee membership, and the report contents and research recommendations will be presented and discussed.
Voices of the future: Leadership for the 21st century

This article discusses leadership from the point of view of Generations X and Y (primarily X)—what kind of leaders do they want to be? What leadership qualities/behaviors do they see as important? What challenges do they see facing leaders of the future? The article also discusses what organizations need to do to attract and retain Generation X. The research is based on surveys, interviews, and focus groups with over 300 young professionals in the greater Boston region. The findings come from the recent book Next Generation Leadership: Insights from Emerging Leaders (Penney & Neilson, 2010).
DRILLING PREDATION INTENSITY AND FEEDING PREFERENCES BY NUCELLA (MURICIDAE) ON LIMPETS INFERRED FROM A DEAD-SHELL ASSEMBLAGE

Although limpets are common in rocky intertidal shores, little is known about drilling predation on them. Drilling intensity and preferences by Nucella (Muricidae) on three Lottiidae species (Lottia pelta, L. digitalis, and Tectura scutum) were explored in a modern limpet death assemblage from False Bay (San Juan Island, Washington, USA). Of the 1,531 shells, only 61 (4%) were drilled, with drilling frequencies of 5.9% (L. digitalis), 2.4% (L. pelta) and 0.5% (T. scutum). The higher drilling frequency observed for L. digitalis may reflect spatial differences in prey distribution within the intertidal zone. Hole diameter correlated positively with limpet size, suggesting that larger predators drill larger prey. No differences in drilling frequency were observed due to prey ornamentation or size; however, drill holes were never observed on the largest and thickest L. pelta shells, suggesting a possible size refugium. The majority of holes occurred near the apex, indicating stereotypic attack behavior. Uniform frequency distributions across taphonomic grades and similar central tendencies between drilled and undrilled shells suggest that holes were not affected by taphonomic bias. The preservation of drilled and undrilled shells differed significantly, however; thus, drill holes may have negatively affected the preservation potential of shells, possibly by weakening the shell. Poor shell preservation indicates that biostratinomic effects may play a larger role in preservational biases and underestimation of predation frequencies than previously thought. Studies using drilling frequencies demand careful identification of predatory traces when shells are poorly preserved. In addition, careful evaluation of predation frequency is needed when predatory strategies that may not leave visible traces are possible.
Structural basis for RNA recognition by NusB and NusE in the initiation of transcription antitermination.

Processive transcription antitermination requires the assembly of the complete antitermination complex, which is initiated by the formation of the ternary NusB–NusE–BoxA RNA complex. We have elucidated the crystal structure of this complex, demonstrating that the BoxA RNA is composed of 8 nt that are recognized by the NusB–NusE heterodimer. Functional biologic and biophysical data support the structural observations and establish the relative significance of key protein–protein and protein–RNA interactions. Further crystallographic investigation of a NusB–NusE–dsRNA complex reveals a heretofore unobserved dsRNA binding site contiguous with the BoxA binding site. We propose that the observed dsRNA represents BoxB RNA, as both single-stranded BoxA and double-stranded BoxB components are present in the classical lambda antitermination site. Combining these data with known interactions amongst antitermination factors suggests a specific model for the assembly of the complete antitermination complex.
Towards improved web acceleration: leveraging the personal web

Web acceleration mechanisms play an important role in challenged network environments where connectivity is limited or expensive. However, as web usage gets increasingly personal and fragmented, traditional web acceleration systems that leverage redundancy in user requests to optimize performance find it difficult to perform well. This is unfortunate because personalization is an otherwise important trend that allows users to focus on content that is relevant to them. To start tackling this growing problem, this paper makes three contributions. First, we provide the first personalized, large scale web usage data in a developing country context. This allows researchers to get a nuanced understanding of access behavior that is not offered by aggregate data. Second, we present some analysis on this dataset, which provides tangible evidence for describing the increasingly fragmented and personal nature of web access even in developing countries. Finally, based on lessons learned from the analysis, we provide some recommendations for building effective web acceleration mechanisms in the face of an increasingly personal web. We believe the next generation of web acceleration systems for challenged networks need to have a strong personal component.
Making sense of RNA-Seq data: from low-level processing to functional analysis

Numerous methods of RNA-Seq data analysis have been developed, and there are more under active development. In this paper, our focus is on evaluating the impact of each processing stage; from pre-processing of sequencing reads to alignment/counting to count normalization to differential expression testing to downstream functional analysis, on the inferred functional pattern of biological response. We assess the impact of 6,912 combinations of technical and biological factors on the resulting signature of transcriptomic functional response. Given the absence of the ground truth, we use two complementary evaluation criteria: a) consistency of the functional patterns identified in two similar comparisons, namely effects of a naturally-toxic medium and a medium with artificially reconstituted toxicity, and b) consistency of results in RNA-Seq and microarray versions of the same study. Our results show that despite high variability at the low-level processing stage (read pre-processing, alignment and counting) and the differential expression calling stage, their impact on the inferred pattern of biological response was surprisingly low; they were instead overshadowed by the choice of the functional enrichment method. The latter have an impact comparable in magnitude to the impact of biological factors per se.
Is America Exceptional in its Exceptionalism

If George Orwell was correct that “the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts,” then our treatment of the term “American exceptionalism” means that we have much to answer for. 1 The topic of this panel has important implications for the American polity, American foreign policy, and international relations. American exceptionalism is in itself a meaningful concept that can help in understanding what the United States does abroad and why it does it, but only if we uproot the thoughtless undergrowth that has all too often made it into either a platitude or a term of political abuse.