cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical methods for forecasting daily snow depths and assessing trends in inter-annual snow depth dynamics

This paper introduces a time-varying parameter regression model for modeling, forecasting, and assessing inter-annual trends in daily snow depths. The time-varying parameter regression is written in a simple state-space representation and forecasted using a Kalman filter. The recursive Kalman filter algorithm updates the time-varying parameter sequentially when a new data point becomes available and is a flexible forecasting technique. The proposed method is applied to a time series of daily snow depth observations recorded over a 103 year period at a station in Napoleon, North Dakota. The forecasts of the final ten years of data perform well when compared to the actual daily snow depths. Inter-annual snow depth trends indicate an increase in mid-winter snow depths followed by an earlier spring ablation.
Analysis of landscape hierarchy during coarsening and aging in Ising spin glasses

We use record dynamics (RD), a coarse-grained description of the ubiquitous relaxation phenomenology known as ``aging,'' as a diagnostic tool to find universal features that distinguish between the energy landscapes of Ising spin models and the ferromagnet. According to RD, a nonequilibrium system after a quench relies on fluctuations that randomly generate a sequence of irreversible record-sized events (quakes or avalanches) that allow the system to escape ever-higher barriers of metastable states within a complex, hierarchical energy landscape. Once these record events allow the system to overcome such barriers, the system relaxes by tumbling into the following metastable state that is marginally more stable. Within this framework, a clear distinction can be drawn between the coarsening dynamics of an Ising ferromagnet and the aging of the spin glass, which are often put in the same category. To that end, we interpolate between the spin glass and ferromagnet by varying the admixture $p$ of ferromagnetic over antiferromagnetic bonds from the glassy state (at 50% each) to wherever clear ferromagnetic behavior emerges. The accumulation of record events grows logarithmically with time in the glassy regime, with a sharp transition at a specific admixture into the ferromagnetic regime where such activations saturate quickly. We show this effect for both the Edwards-Anderson model on a cubic lattice as well as the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick (mean-field) spin glass. While this transition coincides with a previously observed zero-temperature equilibrium transition in the former, that transition has not yet been described for the latter.
Formation and loss of hierarchical structure in two-dimensional MHD simulations of wave-driven turbulence in interstellar clouds

Two dimensional compressible magneto-hydrodynamical (MHD) simulations run for 20 crossing times on a 800x640 grid with two stable thermal states show persistent hierarchical density structures and Kolmogorov turbulent motions in the interaction zone between incoming non-linear Alfven waves. These structures and motions are similar to what are commonly observed in weakly self-gravitating interstellar clouds, suggesting that these clouds get their fractal structures from non-linear magnetic waves generated in the intercloud medium; no internal source of turbulent energy is necessary. The clumps in the simulated clouds are slightly warmer than the interclump medium as a result of magnetic dissipational and compressive heating. Thus the interclump medium has a lower pressure than the clumps, demonstrating that the clumps owe their existence to transient compressive motions, not pressure confinement. Clump lifetimes increase with size, and are about one sound crossing time. Two specific problems are addressed. We find that low ionization fractions in molecular clouds do not necessarily lead to increased cloud smoothing, but that enhanced density in a self-gravitating cloud does, because of external wave self-shielding. Bulk cloud self-gravity may therefore promote star formation in the relatively quiescent gas pools that contain a thermal Jeans mass or more.
Modular Network between Postrhinal Visual Cortex, Amygdala, and Entorhinal Cortex.

The postrhinal area, POR, is a known center for integrating spatial with non-spatial visual information and a possible hub for influencing landmark navigation by affective input from the amygdala. This may involve specific circuits within muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 2 (M2)-positive or M2-negative modules of POR which associate inputs from the thalamus, cortex, and amygdala and send outputs to the entorhinal cortex. Using anterograde and retrograde labeling with conventional and viral tracers in male and female mice we found that all higher visual areas of the ventral cortical stream project to the amygdala, while such inputs are absent from primary visual cortex (V1) and dorsal stream areas. Unexpectedly for the presumed salt-and-pepper organization of mouse extrastriate cortex, tracing results show that inputs from the dLGN (dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus) and LP (lateral posterior nucleus) were spatially clustered in layer (L) 1 and overlapped with M2+ patches of POR. In contrast, input from the amygdala to L1 of POR terminated in M2- interpatches. Importantly, the amygdalocortical input to M2- interpatches in L1 overlapped preferentially with spatially clustered apical dendrites of POR neurons projecting to amygdala and ENTm (medial entorhinal cortex). The results suggest that subnetworks in POR, used to build spatial maps for navigation, do not receive direct thalamocortical M2+ patch-targeting inputs. Instead they involve local networks of M2- interpatches which are influenced by affective information from the amygdala and project to ENTm, whose cells respond to visual landmark cues for navigation. SIGNIFICANCE A central purpose of visual object recognition is identifying the salience of objects and approaching or avoiding them. However, it is not currently known how the visual cortex integrates the multiple streams of information, including affective and navigational cues, which are required to accomplish this task. We find that in a higher visual area, the postrhinal cortex, the cortical sheet is divided into interdigitating modules receiving distinct inputs from visual and emotion-related sources. One of these modules is preferentially connected with the amygdala and provides outputs to entorhinal cortex, constituting a processing stream that may assign emotional salience to objects and landmarks for the guidance of goal-directed navigation.
Conceptualizing the Great Power Competition and U.S. Geoeconomic Strategy for the Central and South Asia (CASA) Region

Once a central point of competition in the 19th-century “Great Game” between the Russian and British Empires, with Afghanistan as the “pull-and-tug” buffer zone, the Greater Central and South Asia regions have once again become the theater for a Great Power Competition (GPC). Vying for influence, resources, and interests are the modern Great Powers, namely the United States, China, Russia, and the Regional Powers, namely Iran, India, Pakistan, Turkey, and the Central Asian and Gulf countries. The rival powers of Russia and China, in particular, continue to compete with the United States for hegemony through economics and other non-military soft-power means. Despite the high-stakes complexity and global implications, no consensus has yet been reached on a conceptual underpinning for the GPC that might effectively guide the U.S. strategic engagement in the region. This chapter attempts to fill this gap by defining and conceptualizing GPC with a focus on geoeconomics in the Central and South Asia region. The chapter furthermore recommends the U.S. transition to the New Silk Road Initiative’s soft-power strategy in the CASA region to preserve the hard-fought gains of the last two decades in Afghanistan and advance U.S. relevance and influence in this critical Great Power battleground. Geoeconomic and New Economic Geography theories support the recommendation.
A pilot worksite nutrition intervention improves firefighter diets and reduces body weight: results from the Firefighter Food Intervention, Research and Evaluation study (379.8)

Over 80% of firefighters are classified as overweight or obese and the primary cause of on-duty death is heart attacks. Previous programs designed to improve the health of firefighters have primari...
A Single-Cylinder Engine Study of Methanol Fuel-Emphasis on Organic Emissions

Exhaust emission and performance characteristics of a single-cylinder engine fueled with methanol are compared to those obtained either with gasoline or a methanol-water blend. Our measurements of engine efficiency and power, and CO and NO/sub x/ emissions agree with trends established in the literature. Consequently, the emphasis is placed on organic emissions (unburned fuel including hydrocarbons, and aldehydes), an area in which there is no consensus in the literature. In all cases with methanol fueling, the unburned fuel (UBF) emissions were virtually all methanol as opposed to hydrocarbon compounds. Without special measures to overcome methanol's large heat of vaporization, UBF emissions were four times greater with methanol than those with gasoline. Similarly, aldehyde emissions were an order of magnitude greater with methanol. These high levels of organic emissions with methanol were related to inadequate fuel-air mixture preparation, which was caused by methanol's large heat of vaporization. Modifying the single-cylinder engine intake system to improve vaporization reduced UBF emissions 80 to 90% with methanol and 30 to 50% with gasoline. Aldehyde emissions were also significantly reduced by improving mixture preparation, but remained three to four times greater for methanol than for gasoline. Blending 10% water with methanol resulted in: (1) reducedmore » engine efficiency and power, (2) increased UBF emissions, (3) no measurable effect on aldehyde and CO emissions, and (4) reduced NO/sub x/ emissions. Our tests indicate that the advantages of blending water with methanol are outweighed by the disadvantages.« less
How independent are the messages carried by adjacent inferior temporal cortical neurons

There are at least three possibilities for encoding information in a small area of cortex. First, neurons could have identical characteristics, thus conveying redundant information; second, neurons could give different responses to the same stimuli, thus conveying independent information; or third, neurons could cooperate with each other to encode more information jointly than they do separately, that is, synergistically. We recorded from 28 pairs of neurons in inferior temporal cortex of behaving rhesus monkeys. Each pair was recorded from a single microelectrode. Both the magnitude and the temporal modulation of the responses were quantified. We separated the responses into signal (average response to each stimulus) and noise (deviation of each response from the average). Linear regression showed that an average of only 18.7% of the magnitude of the signal carried by one neuron could be predicted from the magnitude of the other, and only 22.0% could be predicted by including the temporal modulation. For the noise, the figures were 5.5% and 6.3%, respectively, even less than for the signal. Information theoretic analysis shows that the pairs of neurons we studied carried an average of 20% redundant information. However, even this relatively small amount of redundancy places a severe upper limit on the information that can be transmitted by a neuronal pool. A pool of neurons for which each pair is mutually redundant to extent y can only carry a maximum of 1/y, here five times, as much information as one neuron alone. Information theoretic analysis gave no evidence for the presence of information as a function of both neurons considered together, that is, synergistic codes. Cross-correlation showed that at least 61% of the neuronal pairs shared connections in some manner. Given these shared connections, if adjacent neurons had had identical characteristics, then the noise on the outputs of these neurons would have been highly correlated, and it would not be possible to separate the signal and noise. The severe impact of correlated noise and information redundancy leads us to propose that the processing carried out by these neurons evolved both to provide a rich description of many stimulus properties and simultaneously to minimize the redundancy in a local group of neurons. These two principles appear to be a major constraint on the organization of inferior temporal, and possibly all, cortex.
Moderate Zinc-Iron Deprivation Influences Behavior but Not Growth in Adolescent Rhesus Monkeys

Primate species demonstrate a prolonged period of development before reproductive maturity that includes distinctive periods of rapid growth in the late fetal, late infancy and early adolescent stages. Rhesus monkeys resemble humans in this discontinuous pattern of growth and also in its relationship to brain development. Studies of zinc deprivation in rhesus monkeys have suggested an important relationship among growth rate, nutrient status and behavioral performance in infancy as well as adolescence. Recently, moderate combined zinc and iron deprivation (intake 0.2 mg Zn and 0.8 mg Fe/d, compared with control intake of 2.9 mg Zn and 1.7 mg Fe/d) during the adolescent growth spurt (29-32 mo of age) of female rhesus monkeys (n = 8/group) was shown to influence behavior without affecting growth. Behavioral assessments included the Continuous Performance Test, the Delayed Nonmatch to Sample Test and activity (measured with an actimeter). The behavioral syndrome was characterized by reduced activity, reduced participation in behavioral testing and slower response. These changes could be reversed or prevented to some extent by altering the diet to include tablets of powdered beef (adding ∼1.7 mg Zn and 0.7 mg Fe to daily intake). The study suggests that behavior may be sensitive to the quality of the diet available during the period of rapid adolescent growth and development.
Performance estimation and architecture exploration of a video IP design in a smart phone SoC context

H.264 and HEVC are popular video standards for current and next generation systems. Texas Instruments has developed an IP architecture for real-time encode and decode of 4k×2k video streams at 30 frames per second (fps) or 1080p streams at 120 fps, on these standards. We present the architecture modeling methodology driving the design and performance validation of the IP. The IP model contains three key components. First, a pipeline modeling framework to capture the dynamic control flow across the algorithm blocks which are implemented as hardware modules. The framework enables quick representation of all pipeline configurations being considered. Second, micro-architecture models for the DMA engines. Third, trace players to generate the L2 and L3 traffic for various use-cases expressed as traces. The IP model is integrated into an SoC model to study the impact of system traffic on the L3 responses. We run simulations to evaluate the design w.r.t. the performance targets and for architecture exploration. Our H.264 results show that the IP meets targets for typical use-cases, but there is a risk for worst-case streams. Our HEVC architecture exploration study enables us to select recommended design configurations. We see this as a powerful methodology for performance validation and architecture definition.
Feedback approach to quality monitoring of a manufacturing process

Abstract This research represents a unique approach to quality monitoring of a process when data are autocorrelated. The effect of autocorrelated data is evaluated by modelling the manufacturing process as either as an autoregressive model of order one or two. Statistical process control is utilized and evaluated as a technique to detect known process disturbance. Due to the observed weaknesses of the statistical process control techniques, the Kalman filter is proposed as a technique to eliminate the autocorrelation from the process data.
Employee, manage thyself: The potentially negative implications of expecting employees to behave proactively

Previous research investigating proactive behaviour at v^ork has generally focused on the ways in which proactive behaviour enables individuals and organizations to be more effective. Although it has been noted that some proactive behaviours may be undesirable or have potentially negative consequences, researchers have not examined the 'dark side' of proactive behaviour in any systematic way. In this conceptual paper, we explore the potentially negative individual and organizational implications of expecting employees to behave proactively. Specifically, at the individual level, we argue that expecting proactive behaviour in organizations may contribute to stress among employees and friction between proactive and less proactive employees. At the organizational level, we suggest that relying on proactive behaviour may cause harm to an organization by undermining its ability to socialize employees and foster its organizational culture, weakening its learning capability, and reducing its ability to develop future leaders. We conclude by discussing additional avenues for studies examining the potential costs of proactive behaviour for both individuals and organizations alike.
Federal nutrition program changes and healthy food availability.

Background Literature on food environments is expanding rapidly, yet a gap exists regarding the role of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) on healthy food availability. In October 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture revised the WIC food package, requiring certified stores to stock fresh produce, whole grains, and lower-fat milk. Purpose The goal of this study is to compare availability of foods in stores that are versus those that are not WIC-certified before and after the policy change. Methods Store inventories were collected in 45 corner stores in Hartford CT with four inventories each (180 total inventories) from January 2009 to January 2010. Data on availability and variety of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lower-fat milk were recorded. Analyses were completed in 2012 using Fisher's exact test, chi-square, and t -tests for descriptive analyses and multilevel models to measure food availability longitudinally (significance at p Results Controlling for covariates, WIC-certified vendors carried more varieties of fresh fruit ( p p p p Conclusions The 2009 WIC revisions increased availability of healthy foods among WIC-certified vendors compared to those without WIC authorization in Hartford CT. For many residents without a car, these changes can create a convenient shopping location for healthy foods when a larger supermarket is not nearby.
Electron-transport cytochrome P-450 system is involved in the microsomal metabolism of the carcinogen chromate.

Abstract The kinetics of chromate reduction by liver microsomes isolated from rats pretreated with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene with NADPH or NADH cofactor have been followed. Induction of cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activity in microsomes by phenobarbital pretreatment caused a decrease in the apparent chromate-enzyme dissociation constant, Km, and an increase in the apparent second-order rate constant, kcat/Km, but did not affect the kcat of NADPH-mediated microsomal metabolism of chromate. Induction of cytochrome P-448 in microsomes by 3-methycholanthrene pretreatment did not affect the kinetics of NADPH-mediated reduction of chromate by microsomes. The kinetics of NADH-mediated microsomal chromate reduction were unaffected by the drug treatments. The effects of specific enzyme inhibitors on the kinetics of microsomal chromate reduction have been determined. 2′-AMP and 3-pyridinealdehyde-NAD, inhibitors of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase, inhibited the rate of microsomal reduction of chromate with NADPH and NADH. Metyrapone and carbon monoxide, specific inhibitors of cytochrome P-450, inhibited the rate of NADPH-mediated microsomal reduction of chromate, whereas high concentrations of dimethyl-sulfoxide (0.5 M) enhanced the rate. These results suggest that the electron-transport cytochrome P-450 system is involved in the reduction of chromate by microsomal systems. The NADPH and NADH cofactors supply reducing equivalents ultimately to cytochrome P-450 which functions as a reductase in chromate metabolism. The lower oxidation state(s) produced upon chromate reduction may represent the ultimate carcinogenic form(s) of chromium. These studies provide evidence for the role of cytochrome P-450 in the activation of inorganic carcinogens.
IKKβ regulates endothelial thrombomodulin in a Klf2-dependent manner

Summary Background Endothelial thrombomodulin (TM) is critically involved in anticoagulation, anti-inflammation, cytoprotection and normal fetal development. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) suppresses TM expression. Objective TNFα has been shown to down-regulate TM partly via activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). However, because the TM promoter lacks an NF-κB binding site, the direct involvement of NF-κB has been controversial. We investigated the role of the upstream regulatory serine kinase, inhibitory kappa-B kinase-β (IKKβ), in TM expression and function with or without TNFα treatment. Methods Inhibition of IKKβ was achieved by specific chemical inhibitors, siRNA or shRNA. TM expression was assessed by qRT-PCR, Western blot, flow cytometry, luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immune-precipitation (ChIP) assay. TM function was estimated by generation of activated protein C (APC). NF-κB activation was determined by immunocytochemistry. Results and conclusions IKKβ inhibition increased TM expression and function, and attenuated TNFα-mediated TM down-regulation. In contrast, inhibition of downstream canonical NF-κB protein family members p50 and p65 (RelA) failed to up-regulate TM expression and did not affect IKKβ inhibition-mediated TM over-expression. However, knockdown of cRel and RelB, family members of the canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathway, respectively, resulted in TM over-expression. IKKβ inhibition caused over-expression, increased promoter activity and enhanced binding of Kruppel-like factor 2 (Klf2) to the TM promoter, which positively regulates TM expression. Finally, knockdown of Klf2 completely attenuated IKKβ inhibition-mediated TM up-regulation. We conclude that IKKβ regulates TM in a Klf2-dependent manner.
Nitrogneous waste products and excretory enzymes in the marine polychaete Cirriformia spirabrancha (Moore, 1904)

1. 1. Cirriformia spirabrancha primarily excretes ammonia, along with trace amounts of urea and taurine. No amino acids were found to be excerted. 2. 2. Studies of uricase, allantoinase, allantiocase and urease suggest that the ammonia primarily results from a uricolytic pathway. 3. 3. The presence of ornithine transcarbamylase, argininosuccinate lyase, arginase and citrulline in the tissues strongly suggests a functional ornithine-urea cycle. 4. 4. Glutamine-like labile amides present in the greatest amounts in the tissues associated with excretion support the idea that amino acid deamination may also play a role in the formation of ammonia. 5. 5. The rate of ammonia excretion in this sedentary polychaete is relatively constant. 6. 6. The ammonia level of the aqueous gut contents is very low, which suggests that there is enteronephric excretion. 7. 7. The most probable sites of excretion are the tentacles and, to a lesser extent, the anterior body wall, which contains a single pair of large nephridia. This hypothesis is supported by biochemical assays done on the tissues, by behavioral studies and by descriptive anatomy of the nephridia. 8. 8. Following inanition, the levels of ammonia and urea drop markedly in the tissues associated with excretion and maintain their levels in the tissues associated. with the bulk of the catabolic machinery.
Efficient automatic denoising of gravity gradiometry data

Gravity gradiometry data are prized for the high frequency information they provide. However, as any other geophysical data, gravity gradient measurements are contaminated by high-frequency noise. Separation of the high-frequency signal from noise is a crucial component of data processing. The separation can be performed in the frequency domain, which usually requires tuning filter parameters at each survey line to obtain optimal results. Because a modern gradiometry survey generates more data than a traditional gravity survey, such timeconsuming manual operations are not very practical. In addition, they may also introduce subjectivity into the process. To address this difficulty, we propose an automatic, data-adaptive 1D wavelet filtering technique specially designed to process gravity gradiometry data. The method is based on the thresholding of the wavelet coefficients to filter out high-frequency noise while preserving localized sharp signal features. We use an energy analysis across scales (specific for gravity gradiometry data) to select denoising thresholds and to identify sharp features of interest. We compare the proposed method with traditional Fourier-domain filters by applying them to synthetic data sets contaminated with either correlated or uncorrelated noise. The results demonstrate that the proposed filter is efficient and, when applied in the fully automated mode, produces results that are comparable to the best results achievable through frequencydomain filters. We further illustrate the method by applying it to a set of gravity gradiometry data acquired in the Gulf of Mexico and by characterizing the removed noise. Both synthetic and field examples show that the proposed method is an efficient and better alternative to other traditional frequency domain methods.
Impact of cosolvents on formation and properties of biopolymer nanoparticles formed by heat treatment of β-lactoglobulin-pectin complexes.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of neutral cosolvents on the formation and properties of biopolymer nanoparticles formed by thermal treatment of protein–polysaccharide electrostatic complexes. Biopolymer particles were formed by heating (85 °C, 20 min) an aqueous solution containing a globular protein (β-lactoglobulin) and an anionic polysaccharide (beet pectin) above the thermal denaturation temperature ( T m ) of the protein under pH conditions where the biopolymers formed electrostatic complexes (pH 5). The impact of two neutral cosolvents (glycerol and sorbitol) on the self-association of β-lactoglobulin and on the formation of β-lactoglobulin–pectin complexes was examined as a function of solution pH (3–7) and temperature (30–95 °C). Glycerol had little impact on the pH-induced self-association or aggregation of the biopolymers, but it did increase the thermal aggregation temperature ( T a ) of the protein–polysaccharide complexes, which was attributed to its ability to increase aqueous phase viscosity. Sorbitol decreased the pH where insoluble protein–polysaccharide complexes were formed, and greatly increased their T a , which was attributed to its ability to increase T m , alter biopolymer–biopolymer interactions, and increase aqueous phase viscosity. This study shows that neutral cosolvents can be used to modulate the properties of biopolymer nanoparticles prepared by thermal treatment of protein–polysaccharide electrostatic complexes.
Investigative Urology: Regional Concentration of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Normal and Benign Hyperplastic Human Prostates

Basic fibroblast grown factor (bFGF) is a potent mitogen for mesenchymal cells, including fibroblasts cultured from prostate, and has been postulated to play a role in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). If this is the case, it might be expected that bFGF levels would be elevated in the adenomas of BPH and in the periurethral region of the prostate where BPH is believed to arise. This study was undertaken to test this hypothesis. The concentration of bFGF was evaluated in 31 prostates, 13 normal glands and 18 with BPH. A method for quantitating bFGF by radioimmunoassay was developed that enabled growth factor levels to be correlated to the geographic region of the prostate and the histopathology of the specimen. A 2- to 3-fold higher concentration of bFGF (ng./g. of tissue) was noted in the benign hyperplastic prostates when compared with the adult normal glands. Pubertal specimens demonstrated low growth factor levels comparable to those observed in the normal adult group. Two prepubertal prostates analyzed had high levels similar to those measured in the hyperplastic glands. While the levels of bFGF in the normal adult prostates were highest in the periurethral region, statistical analysis failed to demonstrate a significant difference. Similarly, quantitative morphometric evaluation failed to demonstrate any significant differences in bFGF concentration related to the proportion of stromal, epithelial, or lumenal elements in the tissue sections.
Effect of a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor on in vitro and in vivo secretion of estradiol and on the estrous cycle in ewes.

Three experiments were performed to study effects of decreased concentrations of estradiol-17 beta (E2) on lifespan and function of ensuing ovine corpora lutea (CL). In experiment 1, 52 follicles were collected from 10 ewes and placed into individual culture with 0 or .01 microCi 3H-androstenedione (10 ng; 3H-A) and 0, 10(-11), 10(-9), 10(-7), or 10(-5) M of a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor, CGS16949A (CGS). Concentrations of E2 secreted into the medium, and synthesis of estrogens as estimated by formation of 3H-water from 3H-A were decreased by 10(-5) and 10(-7) (P < .01), but not 10(-9) or 10(-11) M CGS. In experiment 2, luteolysis was induced in 24 ewes by injection of PGF2 alpha on days 5 to 10 of the estrous cycle (0 hr). Ewes received 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 4.0 mg CGS per kg BW i.v. at -12, 0, 12 and 24 hr, and an ovulatory dose of hCG at 36 hr. Jugular (P < .001) and vena caval (P < .001) concentrations of E2 were decreased by CGS at all doses tested for 8 to 10 hr, but had returned to levels similar to control ewes by the time of the next injection. Concentrations of E2 around the time of the LH surge were similar in control and treated ewes. During the subsequent luteal phase, concentrations of progesterone (P4) were similar in control and treated ewes. Thus, transient decreases in E2 during the follicular phase were not deleterious to the subsequent luteal phase. In experiment 3, luteolysis was induced in 18 ewes by injection of PGF2 alpha on days 6 or 7 (0 hr) of the estrous cycle. Ewes received 0 or 1 mg CGS per kg BW i.v. every 8 hr from 0 to 40 hr. Ovulation was induced with hCG at 36 hr. CGS reduced jugular (P < .001) and vena caval (P < .001) concentrations of E2, prevented an endogenous surge of LH (P < .05) and increased (P < .001) concentrations of FSH. All ewes had ovulated a marked follicle by 72 hr, but onset of the luteal phase, as assessed by concentrations of P4, was delayed (P < .01) in ewes receiving CGS. Delayed luteal phases were not solely attributable to the presence of new CL or to luteinization of follicular cysts. When data were aligned according to the day ewes were observed in estrus, profiles of P4 did not differ with treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
PSYCHOLOGY OF COMPUTER USE: XI. STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD USE OF COMPUTER- SIMULATION GAMES IN TEACHING BUSINESS FINANCE '

Summary.-105 students' attitudes toward use of computerized simulation games in teaching an introductory course in money, banking, and financial institutions were assessed. Responses indicate that most students favored use of computer-simulation games method of instruction in this course. They also thought that students majoring in finance should take at least one finance course which used computerized simulation games. The first known simulation game that provided an integrated view of business organization was created by the American Management Association (Housrath, 1971). Today, however, this method of teaching and learning is being commonly used in colleges. This may, in part, be related to easy access to computer technology, but computerized simulation games also provide a vehicle for creating desired environments, and thereby involve students in decision-making processes. Computer-simulation games are frequently used as a learning tool in finance (Breen & Boyd, 1976). The underlying purpose in using computer-simulation games is to motivate and stimulate students and at the same time help them integrate textbook material covered in a course. Also, games provide students with an opportunity to apply the basic theoretical concepts of finance acquired in the classroom to real-world situations. However, some students encounter enormous dfficulties and even feel lost when they are exposed to computerized-simulation. Initially they do not seem to appreciate this method. In spite of this drawback, one such game (CSG) has been used for a few years in an introductory course in money, banking and financial institutions. The present study describes a preliminary assessment of local students' reaction to this innovative method of teaching. METHOD A simple one-page anonymous questionnaire containing demographic and attitudinal items was used to study students' reaction toward experience of a computer-simulation game. The attitudinal statements used the Likert format (Edwards, 1957). Their content tried to tap students' interest in classwork, motivation, and importance of using computer-simulation games in the course. The possible response categories for each of the attitudinal statements were strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree.
Towards high volume 1 μm lithography

Abstract Hans Rottmans's article reviews some dimensional aspects of lithography and examines future trends and possiblities1. Also described are a number of concerns which assume increasing importance as the minimum feature size approaches 1 μm in high volume production of integrated circuit (ic) devices.
Genetic Analysis of Purine Metabolism in Leishmania donovani

To dissect the contributions of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT), adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT), and adenosine kinase (AK) to purine salvage in Leishmania donovani, null mutants genetically deficient in HGPRT and/or APRT were generated by targeted gene replacement in wild type cells and preexisting mutant strains lacking either APRT or AK activity. These knockouts were obtained either by double targeted gene replacement or by single gene replacement followed by negative selection for loss-of-heterozygosity. Genotypes were confirmed by Southern blotting and the resultant phenotypes evaluated by enzymatic assay, resistance to cytotoxic drugs, ability to incorporate radiolabeled purine bases, and growth on various purine sources. All mutant strains could propagate in defined growth medium containing any single purine source and could metabolize exogenous [3H]hypoxanthine to the nucleotide level. The surprising ability of mutant L. donovani lacking HGPRT, APRT, and/or AK to incorporate and grow in hypoxanthine could be attributed to the ability of the parasite xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase enzyme to salvage hypoxanthine. These genetic studies indicate that HGPRT, APRT, and AK, individually or in any combination, are not essential for the survival and growth of the promastigote stage of L. donovani and intimate an important, if not crucial, role for xanthine phosphoribosyltransferase in purine salvage.
Lithium and Potassium Absorption, Differential Thermal, and Infrared Properties of Some Montmorillonites

Investigations are underway concerning inter-relations of X-ray analyses of chemically treated samples, infrared absorption and DTA for a group of 28 montmorillonite samples. Results to date generally support Greene-Kelly’s LiCl test for evaluation of the proportion of tetrahedral and octahedral layer charge in montmorillonite. Decrease in expandable characteristics of the montmorillonites owing to K+-saturation is much more closely related to the total layer charge than to charge distribution in tetrahedral or octahedral layers. As the tetrahedral charge increases and the octahedral charge decreases, the infrared absorption band at 11.95µ is replaced by one at 11.35–11.5µ, and the absorption band at 9.2µ decreases or disappears. Most DTA dehydroxylation peak temperatures are related to charge distribution as follows:
Characterization of elicitor-induction of sesquiterpene cyclase activity in potato tuber tissue

Abstract The olefin reaction products of the potato and tobacco sesquiterpene cyclases were partially separated from each other by argenation chromatography. Arachidonic acid-elicited potato tuber discs or cellulase-elicited tobacco cell suspension cultures metabolized the olefin reaction products of potato and tobacco sesquiterpene cyclases into different sets of compounds. These results provide evidence that the two olefin cyclase products are chemically different. The Km of the potato sesquiterpene cyclase for farnesyl diphosphate was 7μM and 1.0 mM for magnesium chloride. Inorganic diphosphate inhibited enzyme activity with an ID50 of approximately 4 mM.
The origin of the trabeculated ventricular septum in the chick embryo as determined by radioautographic mapping

The origin of the presumptive ventricular septum (PVS) in the chick embryo was traced by radioautographic analysis of the movements of tritiated thymidine-labeled grafts excised from medium streak (MS) to three somite (3S) stage embryos and transplanted to the primitive streak and endoderm-mesoderm layer of similarly staged recipient embryos. The migration of the PVS was traced from the streak into the heart of the early limb bud (ELB) stage embryos by combining the pathways of at least three labeled grafts, since none of the 15 embryos reported here developed all the way from the MS to the ELB stage. At the MS stage the PVS cells are in the primitive streak approximately halfway between the anterior and posterior ends of the streak. Beginning at the late medium streak (LMS) stage, they migrate into the mesoderm of the lateral plate, anterior and lateral to the streak; during the early somite stages they are folded to the midline as part of the splanchnic mesoderm, where they form part of the atrial and ventricular myocardium at the 13S stage; they move into their definitive position at the apex of the ventricle by the ELB stage.
Localization of a transcription start point within the human Hinf element

Abstract The Hinf family is a repetitive nucleotide sequence of the human genome. Certain structural features of Hinf DNA resemble the eukaryotic RNA polymerase II promoters. Therefore, we studied the ability of the Hinf element to function as a transcriptional promoter in mammalian cells. We placed the Hinf element upstream from the thymidine kinase-encoding (tk) sequence in a plasmid construct, pAC401 and introduced it into Ltk− mouse cells. The Hinf-tk plasmid was able to transform Ltk− cells to Tk+ phenotype. In another plasmid construct, pAC Hinf-neo, the Hinf element was inserted upstream from the sequence encoding neomycin (Nm) resistance (neo), and this plasmid was able to confer Nm resistance to HeLa cells. The nature of transcription initiation of the tk gene in four of the Tk+ clones transformed by pAC401 was examined by S1 nuclease analysis, and the transcription start point (tsp) for the tk gene in these clones was mapped within the Hinf element. The same tsp in the Hinf element was found in HeLa cells. Our studies show that the Hinf element functions as a weak promoter.
Tradable Discharge Permits: A Student-Friendly Game

An in-class game can be used to improve students' understanding of how a TDP program might work. There are, however, tradeoffs one must face in designing such a game. An exercise might, in theory, demonstrate all the nuances of a TDP program and yet be so complex that students learn little from the experience. We develop a game that is easy enough to play that even students with limited economics and math backgrounds can participate fully. Instructors can use this game to provide a diverse body of students with insights on the relative cost-effectiveness of a permit system over a uniform standard, the nature of permit market equilibrium, and the information requirements associated with varied regulatory regimes.
Fluorescence of the Purine and Pyrimidine Bases of the Nucleic Acids in Neutral Aqueous Solution at 300 degrees K

Fluorescence of adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil at room temperature in neutral aqueous solution has been detected by means of a digital signal accumulation technique. Corrected emission and excitation spectra are presented and compared with low-temperature data. The quantum yields are, respectively, 2.6 x 10(-4), 3.0 x 10(-4), 0.8 x 10(-4), and 0.5 x 10(-4) when the bases are excited at their low-energy absorption maxima.
PDBLET, A STABLE AUTONOMOUSLY REPLICATING SHUTTLE VECTOR FOR SCHIZOSACCHAROMYCES POMBE

We have constructed a new multipurpose stable shuttle vector for the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sp). Plasmid pDblet was designed to provide convenient features for molecular work and to overcome the inconveniences of previously designed Sp vectors. It contains the Sp ura4 gene as selectable marker and a new highly efficient ARS (autonomously replicating sequence) element, allowing the vector to remain stable as a monomer in Sp. In addition, pDblet transforms Sp with high efficiency and has high mitotic stability and low copy number.
Getting to Know You: The Contact Hypothesis Applied to the Sectional Beliefs and Attitudes of White Southerners

It seems reasonable to suppose that interaction between members of different groups will reduce stereotyping only in those cases where there are preexisting stereotypes. There is some evidence to indicate that American southerners without experience outside the region are unlikely to have firm regional stereotypes. Analysis of survey data from a sample of white North Carolinians reveals that, indeed, the initial effect of exposure to nonsoutherners is to produce conventional regional stereotypes (which suggests that those stereotypes reflect genuine cultural differences). Additional exposure, however, supports the "contact hypothesis"-i.e., it reduces stereotyping. The relation between exposure and hostility toward nonsoutherners, however, is monotonic and negative. Exposure evidently reduces hostility by some mechanism other than the elimination of derogatory stereotypes. About a decade ago, a sample of white southern college students was given the inventory of traits used in the 1930s study of ethnic stereotypes by Katz and Braley. These students were asked to indicate the typical traits of the same groups evaluated in the earlier study and, in addition, those of white southerners and white northerners (Reed, b). The perceptions of regional differences expressed by these students were not unexpected: southerners were seen as conservative, tradition-loving, courteous, loyal to family ties, conventional, generous, lazy, faithful, very religious, ignorant, stubborn, extremely nationalistic, jovial, and honest (the adjectives are those of Katz and Braley); northerners as industrious, sophisticated, aggressive, progressive, conceited, ostentatious, argumentative, rude, materialistic, loud, ambitious, arrogant, deceitful, mercenary, and so forth.
On Combining Probability and Nondeterminism

Abstract The problem of combining nondeterminism and probability within a denotational model has been the subject of much research. Early work used schedulers to model probabilistic choice, interleaving their execution with that of nondeterministic choice, a theme that continues in some operational models today. More recent work has focused on providing a principled account of the interactions of these operators, with the aim of devising models that support both operators so that neither is related with the other. In this paper we recount the results along this line, and point out some places where further research is warranted.
Less Talk Is More Play: An Experimental Study on Multiplayer Mobile Games for Casual Gamers

In this paper, we experimentally study a new type of multiplayer mobile game for casual gamers by introducing the concept of online, team-based strategy forming via visual-only in-game communication. The game is deployed to 12 users, formed as three teams (four players per team), in order to study team-based cooperation and competition that they can develop over time and explore new game design concepts. By analyzing both subjective and objective data collected through online logs, questionnaires, and post-game interviews, we find a number of implications and insights that could be used to guide design of similar types of mobile casual games in the future. In addition, how various gaming elements (e.g., ideal number for team-based game play, user interfaces) can be utilized to design better mobile casual games is also discussed.
Learning and protection of proprietary assets in strategic alliances: building relational capital

One of the main reasons that firms participate in alliances is to learn know-how and capabilities from their alliance partners. At the same time firms want to protect themselves from the opportunistic behavior of their partner to retain their own core proprietary assets. Most research has generally viewed the achievement of these objectives as mutually exclusive. In contrast, we provide empirical evidence using large-sample survey data to show that when firms build relational capital in conjunction with an integrative approach to managing conflict, they are able to achieve both objectives simultaneously. Relational capital based on mutual trust and interaction at the individual level between alliance partners creates a basis for learning and know-how transfer across the exchange interface. At the same time, it curbs opportunistic behavior of alliance partners, thus preventing the leakage of critical know-how between them. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Interhospital helicopter transport for stroke.

Abstract Introduction The safety, cost efficacy, and time-to-treatment benefit of air transport of stroke patients have been acknowledged. We describe stroke patients transported to our facility by helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) from a large rural area and compare 2 consecutive 3-year periods. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients transferred by HEMS to our facility over 6 years. Data collected included patient demographics, pretransport imaging interpretation, final diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Trends between period 1 (January 1, 2003'December 31, 2005) and period 2 (January 1, 2006'December 31, 2008) were examined. Results A total of 347 acute stroke patients were transported by HEMS to our facility. The final diagnosis was intracerebral hemorrhage in 44%, subarachnoid hemorrhage in 24%, subdural hematoma in 14%, ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack in 9%, and a nonstroke diagnosis in 7% of patients. Conventional cerebral angiography was performed in 28% of patients, and neurosurgical intervention, hematoma evacuation, or aneurysm clipping was performed in 32%. A final diagnosis of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack increased 3 times (4% vs. 12%, P P Conclusions The majority of our patients transported by HEMS for the management of acute stroke undergo urgent specialized diagnostics or interventions. This supports the role of interhospital HEMS transport in extending access to care in rural communities.