cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First report of Iris yellow spot virus on onion and leek in western Oregon.

Onion (Allium cepa) and leek (Allium porrum) are grown on approximately 600 ha in western Oregon annually for bulb and seed production. During July and August of 2006, surveys of onion bulb crops a...
Scattering from Polymers

Knowledge and understanding from scattering provides a scientific basis of control of polymer properties. This understanding has fueled technological advances in synthetic polymers that have revolutionized our daily lives. This issue of Polymer Reviews focuses on recent advances in scattering instrumentation, data analysis and modeling, and its application to the structure-property characterization of polymers. We highlight research directions where the structure-property characterization by scattering measurements can enable polymer products and technologies that significantly reduce reliance on fossil feedstock and environmental pollution.
Synthesis of 1‐O‐[hexadecyl‐1′,2′‐3H]hexadecyl 2‐acetyl‐sn‐glyceryl 3‐phosphorylcholine and 1‐O‐alkyl [32P]lysophosphatidycholine

1-O-[hexadecyl-1',2'-3H]Hexadecyl 2-acetyl-sn-glyceryl 3-phosphoryl-choline (GPC) was prepared by acetylation of 1-O-alkenyl lysophosphatidylcholine, reduction of the alkenyl lipid with tritium gas over palladium oxide, and separation of molecular species of 1-O-[ 3 H]alkyl 2-acetyl GPC by reverse phase thin-layer chromatography. 1-O-Alkyl [32P]lysophosphatidylcholine was prepared by mild alkaline hydrolysis of 1-O-alkyl 2-acyl [32P]phosphatidylcholine, which was enzymatically produced by treating cytidine 5'-[ 32 P]diphosphocholine with 1-O-hexadecyl 2-acetyl-sn-glycerol in the presence of rat liver microsomes. The resulting radiolabeled ether phospholipids possessed high specific radioactivity suitable for metabolic and binding studies.
The Robertson-Walker metric and the symmetries belong to the family of contracted Ricci collineations

It is shown that the general form of the Robertson-Walker cosmological metric admits symmetry properties that are members of the symmetry family of contracted Ricci collineations. A particular form for the conservation law generator given by ▽ j [(−g)1/2(T −1/2δ )η i ] = 0 following in consequence of these symmetries is obtained and interpreted.
Big data, big business: bridging the gap

Business analytics, occupying the intersection of the worlds of management science, computer science and statistical science, is a potent force for innovation in both the private and public sectors. The successes of business analytics in strategy, process optimization and competitive advantage has led to data being increasingly recognized as a valuable asset in many organizations. In recent years, thanks to a dramatic increase in the volume, variety and velocity of data, the loosely defined concept of "Big Data" has emerged as a topic of discussion in its own right -- with different viewpoints in both the business and technical worlds. From our perspective, it is important for discussions of "Big Data" to start from a well-defined business goal, and remain moored to fundamental principles of both cost/benefit analysis as well as core statistical science. This note discusses some business case considerations for analytics projects involving "Big Data", and proposes key questions that businesses should ask. With practical lessons from Big Data deployments in business, we also pose a number of research challenges that may be addressed to enable the business analytics community bring best data analytic practices when confronted with massive data sets.
Ischemic Preconditioning Decreases Apoptosis in Rat Hearts In Vivo

Background Previous studies have demonstrated that ischemic preconditioning prevents lethal cell injury and, as a consequence, limits infarct size in rat heart. Although both apoptosis and necrosis have been shown to contribute to myocardial cell death after myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, the ability of ischemic preconditioning to prevent programmed cell death remains unknown. Methods and Results To test the hypothesis that ischemic preconditioning reduces irreversible ischemic injury in part by decreasing apoptosis, rats that underwent ischemic preconditioning and controls were subjected to 30 minutes of left coronary artery occlusion followed by 180 minutes of reperfusion. Ischemic preconditioning was achieved by five 5-minute cycles of ischemia, each followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion. Infarct size, determined by dual staining with triphenyltetrazolium chloride and phthalocyanine blue dye, was significantly reduced in preconditioned compared with nonpreconditioned rats (11.4±1.4% versus 58.7±1....
Further Correlational Analyses of Five Versions of Two-Factor Theory of Job Satisfaction:

5 versions of the two-factor theory of job satisfaction were tested for a sample of male radio/TV employees. No support was found for any of the versions of the theory. Two trends in the data, greater saliency of the intrinsic job-facets and greater predictability of over-all satisfaction, seemed to account largely for the results. These trends, previously noted by Hulin and Waters (1971) and Waters and Waters (1972), are more consistent with traditional approaches to job attitudes.
Correction of off resonance-related distortion in echo-planar imaging using EPI-based field maps

We present, here, a simple method for measurement and correction of off-resonance related geometric distortion in echo-planar imaging (EPI). This method uses high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) EPI-based field maps, rapidly acquired using a series of gradient recalled images collected across a range of TE values. This field map is distorted in the same manner as the EPI images to be unwarped, providing a direct look-up table for the correct location of each pixel of data. This method adds very little scan time and is robust and easy to implement.
Computer automation of biofeedback training

A computer-automated system has been developed for implementing response-contingent training strategies in EMG biofeedback-assisted relaxation training. An on-line minicomputer is programmed to (1) monitor progress within a training session as reflected in EMG signals; (2) compare the progress data with criteria set by the operator at the beginning of the session; and (3) on the basis of these comparisons, periodically adjust feedback gain (sensitivity) and make changes in the within-session training sequence. The system is designed to allow various adaptive training strategies to be software programmable. One of these strategies, a “shaping” procedure commonly employed in EMG biofeedback training, gradually increases the degree of relaxation necessary to produce the desired feedback signal by increasing feedback gain as the subject gets better at relaxing. Implementation of the shaping procedure is described as an illustration of system function. Current system development is guided by principles from adaptive testing and teaching systems to make more of the feedback training process adaptive in function.
Improving information exchange supporting national security in the maritime and airspace domains

A series of three full fidelity, Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) Simulation Experiments (SIMEXes) conducted at the United States Navys Command Control, Communications and Computers/Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Experimentation Laboratory (NCEL) at The MITRE Corporation has highlighted the need for close coordination between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) during the conduct of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) operations in the vicinity of the National Airspace System (NAS). This coordination is needed to maintain the safety and security of the NAS, support homeland security and national defense operations, and address the effects of DoD security related operations on air traffic and aviation commerce. The need for FAA and DoD to coordinate on the use of airspace in the vicinity of the NAS led to the exploration of technical and procedural means to facilitate sharing of information between the FAA and DoD for operational decision making. Using automated decision support tools, including the innovative creation of a Common Operating Picture (COP) using legacy automation systems, NAS operations were harmonized with the Navys Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) plans for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) missions. The use of improved communication and surveillance tools and processes allowed the FAA to maximize the availability of airspace for civilian use, and help facilitate the successful accomplishment of the Navys ISR missions.
Differentiation between the contributions of shortening reaction and stretch-induced inhibition to rigidity in Parkinson’s disease

Parkinsonian rigidity is characterized by an increased resistance of a joint to externally imposed motion that remains uniform with changing joint angle. Two candidate mechanisms are proposed for the uniformity of rigidity, involving neural-mediated excitation of shortening muscles, i.e., shortening reaction (SR), or inhibition of stretched muscles, i.e., stretch-induced inhibition (SII). To date, no study has addressed the roles of these two phenomena in rigidity. The purpose of this study was to differentiate these two phenomena, and to quantify the potential contribution of each to wrist joint moment in 17 patients with parkinsonian rigidity, in both Off- and On-medication states. Joint position, torque, and EMGs of selected muscles were collected during externally imposed flexion and extension motions. Moments of shortened and stretched muscles were estimated using a biomechanical model. Slopes of the estimated torque–angle curve were calculated for shortened and stretched muscles, separately. A mixed model ANOVA was performed to compare the contribution between the two mechanisms. During flexion, slopes were significantly (P = 0.003) smaller for SR than for SII, whereas during extension, slopes for SII were significantly (P = 0.003) smaller. Results showed that both SR and SII contributed to rigidity. Which mechanism predominates appeared to be associated with the direction of movement. The findings provide new insights into the biomechanical underpinnings of this common symptom in Parkinson’s disease.
Comparison of the Weber-Schalm method with the Ducci-Watson modification of the Malloy-Evelyn method for serum bilirubin determination.

Unconjugated bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, and mixtures of various proportions of each were dissolved in depigmented human serum. These, together with normal and pathologic native human sera, were analyzed for conjugated, unconjugated, and total bilirubin by the Weber-Schalm method. Results were compared with the determination of "prompt direct reacting bilirubin" and of total bilirubin by the Ducci-Watson modification of the Malloy-Evelyn method. Comparisons show that the Weber-Schalm method more accurately measures conjugated bilirubin concentrations in serum in which the bilirubin is mostly conjugated, but that it gives falsely high values for unconjugated bilirubin in serum in which more of the bilirubin is in the unconjugated form. The two methods gave statistically identical total bilirubin values for the native serum tested. A method is described for correcting the unduly low values for prompt, direct reacting bilirubin in terms of percentage of conjugated bilirubin.
Digital video bandwidth requirements for large flat-panel televisions

Consumer expectations for high quality high-definition programming will place greater demand on access networks as flat-panel display sizes increase. Herein, we investigate the bandwidth requirement to deliver high quality HD viewing experience for larger displays.
Digitally tuned bandpass sigma delta modulator for wireless communications

An 80 MHz, 3-level output, bandpass sigma delta modulator analog to digital converter (ADC) with complete digital tuning is presented. The proposed architecture is based on error feedback mechanism with a 64-level flash ADC, and a 3-level DAC in the loop. It yields almost constant SNR for programmable signal band that can be placed anywhere in the 2 to 38MHz band.
Early Syncytium Formation by Bovine Leukemia Virus

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) from either persistently infected bat cells or fetal lamb kidney cells induced rapid syncytium formation in F81 indicator cells. Distinct syncytia were seen within 2 h after inoculation of cells with highly concentrated (500-fold) cell-free BLV preparations and within 4 to 8 h when unconcentrated cell-free BLV preparations were used. Indicator cell densities of 1 x 10(5) to 2 x 10(5) were optimal for rapid and maximal syncytium formation. Pretreatment of BLV with reference BLV leukemic serum and antiserum prepared against purified BLV significantly inhibited (95%) syncytium formation. Reference bovine viral diarrhea virus serum, foamy-like bovine syncytial virus serum, and control serum had little effect (17% inhibition). Antiserum to BLV gp51 inhibited syncytium formation by greater than 96%, whereas antiserum to BLV p24 reduced syncytium activity to a much lesser extent (38% inhibition). Treatment of BLV with beta-propiolactone (0.005 to 0.05%) had little or no effect upon syncytium-forming activity, whereas UV irradiation (15 ergs/mm(2) per s for 30 min) reduced, but did not completely destroy, the fusion activity. However, both beta-propiolactone and UV irradiation drastically reduced the replication potential of BLV, as demonstrated by the lack of p24 expression in the inoculated cells. Concentrations of cycloheximide, cytosine arabinoside, tunicamycin, and 2-deoxy-D-glucose which effectively blocked cellular macromolecular synthesis did not significantly inhibit syncytium formation. These latter results suggested that de novo protein and DNA synthesis as well as protein glycosylation were not required for early syncytium formation. Thus, these experiments demonstrated that replication of BLV by the indicator cells was not essential for cell fusion.
In Vivo Studies of Active Processes in the Escherichia Coli Nucleoid

The cell is the site of actively motor-driven processes which drive the intracellular environment far from thermodynamic equilibrium. The dynamics of biological macromolecules such as DNA in such an environment are complex and subject to a multitude of constraints and forces. Inspired by our in vitro studies of DNA looping with optical tweezers that showed that additional non-thermal fluctuations in the DNA can substantially enhance the formation of regulatory DNA-protein complexes, we study the conformational fluctuations of chromosomal DNA in vivo in Escherichia coli by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS).Conformational fluctuations of the DNA move the bound fluorophores stochastically into the diffraction-limited excitation volume of a focused laser beam in a confocal microscope. From the time correlation functions of the measured fluorescence intensity, we quantify the fluctuations of the DNA as measured by its time-dependent mean square displacement, and the viscoelastic moduli of the nucleoid. These quantities in live cells significantly differ from the ATP-depleted dead cells on longer time scales, indicating that the fluctuations on longer time scale may be driven by active processes involving molecular motors that generate forces by ATP hydrolysis. On shorter time scales, we see little difference between live and dead cells, suggesting that the processes on corresponding short length scales rely primarily on thermally-driven diffusive mechanisms. We also note that the rheological properties of E. coli nucleoid significantly change when the ATP hydrolysis in cells is inhibited.
On the interpretation of vibrational relaxation measurements

Abstract The relative relaxation rates of vibrational level populations following establishment of a Boltzmann vibrational distribution by rapid vibration—vibration energy transfer are shown to depend on the nature and extent of the departure from equilibrium. The only kinetic information obtainable under such conditions is τ, the relaxation time of the vibrational energy. The implications for interpretation of laser-induced vibrational fluorescence measurements are emphasized.
30: HIV and violence prevention among Latino teen parents in South Texas

may be better at promoting disease detection behaviors, whereas gain-framed messages may be more successful at promoting prevention behaviors. This study evaluated the effect of message frame on intention to obtain Chlamydia screening among adolescent females. Methods: Study Design: Participants were randomly assigned to receive a gain-framed or loss-framed brochure. The gainframed brochure emphasized the advantages of screening whereas the loss-framed brochure emphasized the disadvantages of not getting screened. Participants: 100 young women, ages 15 to 19, were recruited from an adolescent clinic and three community based organizations in a small, New England city. Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to read either a gain-framed or loss-framed brochure. Each brochure included a section devoted to the framing manipulation as well as non-framed information about Chlamydia, its complications, and how to get screened. Surveys: Participants completed preand post-intervention surveys measuring knowledge about Chlamydia, attitudes about screening, subjective risk assessment, and intention to obtain Chlamydia screening. The post-intervention survey also assessed participants’ attitude to the message, risk factors for Chlamydia, and included a manipulation check. Outcome Measures: Included change in level of intention to obtain Chlamydia screening and change in knowledge and attitude towards screening. Analyses: Analyses included frequency distributions and mean responses. Chi-square and paired and unpaired t-tests were used to compare groups. Results: Mean age was 17.0 (SD 1.3). Participants were 23% Hispanic, 63% white, and 14% African American. Knowledge scores significantly improved from preto post-intervention (p 0.01). Improvement was not associated with message frame (r 0.00, p 0.99). Among the 60 sexually active participants, there was no significant difference in feelings or attitudes about being tested between the two framing manipulations. After reading the brochure, 15 of the 35 (43%) sexually active participants who were not already receiving routine Chlamydia screening had a greater intention to obtain screening. Intent to obtain screening was not associated with framing condition (X 0.24, p 0.63). Conclusions: This preliminary data suggests that message framing does not influence adolescent females’ intention to obtain Chlamydia screening. However, after reading either brochure, participants were significantly more likely to demonstrate improved knowledge about Chlamydia and a substantial proportion had more intention to obtain screening, suggesting that similar brochures may be an effective method of communicating information about Chlamydia and motivating teens to obtain screening. Support: Commonwealth Medicine Mini Grant and NIH 1 K23 AI01750. 30.
Projected climate impacts for the amphibians of the western hemisphere

Given their physiological requirements, limited dispersal abilities, and hydrologically sensitive habitats, amphibians are likely to be highly sensitive to future climatic changes. We used three approaches to map areas in the western hemisphere where amphibians are particularly likely to be affected by climate change. First, we used bioclimatic models to project potential climate-driven shifts in the distribution of 413 amphibian species based on 20 climate simulations for 2071-2100. We summarized these projections to produce estimates of species turnover. Second, we mapped the distribution of 1099 species with restricted geographic ranges. Finally, using the 20 future climate-change simulations, we mapped areas that were consistently projected to receive less seasonal precipitation in the coming century and thus were likely to have altered microclimates and local hydrologies. Species turnover was projected to be highest in the Andes Mountains and parts of Central America and Mexico, where, on average, turnover rates exceeded 60% under the lower of two emissions scenarios. Many of the restricted-range species not included in our range-shift analyses were concentrated in parts of the Andes and Central America and in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. Much of Central America, southwestern North America, and parts of South America were consistently projected to experience decreased precipitation by the end of the century. Combining the results of the three analyses highlighted several areas in which amphibians are likely to be significantly affected by climate change for multiple reasons. Portions of southern Central America were simultaneously projected to experience high species turnover, have many additional restricted-range species, and were consistently projected to receive less precipitation. Together, our three analyses form one potential assessment of the geographic vulnerability of amphibians to climate change and as such provide broad-scale guidance for directing conservation efforts.
The political economy of school choice: Support for charter schools across states and school districts

Public charter schools are one of the fastest growing education reforms in the US, currently serving more than a million students. Though the movement for greater school choice is widespread, its implementation has been uneven. State laws differ greatly in the degree of latitude granted charter schools, and—holding constant state support—states and localities vary widely in the availability of and enrollment in these schools. In this paper, we use a panel of demographic, financial, and school performance data to examine the support for charters at the state and local levels. Results suggest that growing population heterogeneity and income inequality—in addition to persistently low student outcomes—are associated with greater support for charter schools. Teachers unions have been particularly effective in slowing or preventing liberal state charter legislation; however, conditional on law passage and strength, local participation in charter schools rises with the share of unionized teachers.
Multilevel caching in distributed file systems

This thesis explores ways in which intermediate cache servers affect the performance and scalability of distributed file systems. Caching plays an important role in improving the performance of distributed file systems. Using distributed file system traces and cache simulations, we explore extensions and modifications to the traditional client caching model employed in file systems such as AFS and Sprite. We find that an intermediate cache server--a machine logically interposed between clients and servers that provides cache service to the clients--may typically reduce read requests to primary file servers by 40% to 60%. This decreases file server load, thus increasing system scalability. We are considering a mass storage based file system, where the primary file system resides on a bank of tapes. An intermediate cache server is an essential component in this tape-based mass storage file system, necessary for overcoming the access latency of the mass storage system. Employing a delayed-write caching policy at the intermediate cache server in this system allows the intermediate server to satisfy typically 70% to 80% of file system requests that are not satisfied by client caches. This fact, combined with high client cache hit rates (typically 80%) lend to the practicality of our system. We also investigate modifications to the AFS cache model that improve file system performance over increasingly prevalent low-speed networks. We find that an intermediate cache server on the client side of the low-speed link can increase client performance by mediating low-speed link traffic. We find that an intermediate cache server employing a delayed-write caching policy can typically delay 50% to 74% of write requests until a daily sync period. Performing these writes during inactive periods improves performance for interactive traffic over the low-speed link as well as for other low-speed link traffic. These three topics are related to one another by virtue of the aspects of the architecture that they share. We use four file system traces to perform detailed trace-driven simulations to evaluate intermediate cache servers in these three roles. The same file system traces and simulations can be used to provide results applicable to each.
The Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction in amorphous La80Au20 alloys with dilute Gd impurities☆

Abstract From magnetization measurements on some amorphous dilute La80−xGdxAu20 alloys with x ⩽ 1 we have shown that the magnetic behavior follows the scaling laws of a spin-glass system, characteristic of the 1/r3 dependence of the pairwise interaction. We have also determined the strength of the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction V(r) = (V0 cos 2kFr)/r3, to be V0 = 0.20 × 10−37 ergcm3. The corresponding value of the s-f exchange integral is |Jsf| = 0.14 eV, which is compared with values determined from other experiments.
Artificially Restricted Labor Markets and Worker Dignity in Professional Football

This article focuses on the effect of labor market restrictions on worker dignity during the recruitment and hiring processes by examining a labor-market case study in which worker power is severely constrained through industry practices. Specifically, the authors study workers who attempted to gain employment in the National Football League to explore how artificially restricted labor markets limit workers' market power. Findings from extensive field notes, observations of player assessments, and semistructured interviews suggest that although workers possess elite skills necessary for employment, industry restrictions on employees' market power enable employers to demand painful and dehumanizing concessions that seriously challenge workers' dignity. The findings presented here extend previous studies of threats to worker dignity from shop floors and workplaces to labor markets and to elite, highly skilled workers.
Decoding Ca(2+) signals through plant protein kinases.

▪ Abstract Plants harbor four families of kinases that have been implicated in Ca2+ signaling (CDPKs, CRKs, CCaMKs, and SnRK3s). Although each family appears to respond to Ca2+ via different mechanisms, they all utilize Ca2+ sensors that bind Ca2+ through multiple EF-hands. The CDPK (Ca2+-dependent protein kinase) family is represented by the most genes, with 12 subfamilies comprised of 34 isoforms in Arabidopsis and 27 in rice. Some of the calcium-regulated kinases also show potential for regulation by lipid signals and kinase cascades. Thus, Ca2+-regulated kinases provide potential nodes of cross-talk for multiple signaling pathways that integrate Ca2+ signals into all aspects of plant growth and development.
Dinucleotide relative abundance extremes: a genomic signature

Early biochemical experiments established that the set of dinucleotide odds ratios or 'general design' is a remarkably stable property of the DNA of an organism, which is essentially the same in protein-coding DNA, bulk genomic DNA, and in different renaturation rate and density gradient fractions of genomic DNA in many organisms. Analysis of currently available genomic sequence data has extended these earlier results, showing that the general designs of disjoint samples of a genome are substantially more similar to each other than to those of sequences from other organisms and that closely related organisms have similar general designs. From this perspective, the set of dinucleotide odds ratio (relative abundance) values constitute a signature of each DNA genome, which can discriminate between sequences from different organisms. Dinucleotide-odds ratio values appear to reflect not only the chemistry of dinucleotide stacking energies and base-step conformational preferences, but also the species-specific properties of DNA modification, replication and repair mechanisms.
Interpreting the seismic glut moments of total degree two or less

The stress glut Γ(x, t) (Backus & Mulcahy 1976a) is a symmetric second-order tensor field which completely describes the mechanical properties of an indigenous seismic source. The equivalent force γ(x,t)=-ΔΓ(x,t) is all that can be determined by observing the motion. The glut moment tensor Λ(m,n)(ζ, r) is the polynomial moment of Λ=ΔtΓ relative to position ζ and time r with spatial degree m and temporal degree n. It affects the seismic motion only through the force moment tensor γ(m+1,n)(ζ,τ), which is obtained by symmetrizing Λ(m,n)f(ζ,τ) on its last m+1 indices. Here we show how to obtain the force moment tensors of low total degree m+ n+ 1 from the long-period motion produced by the source. We show that in faulting with rupture propagation, all the Λ(m,n)(ζ, τ) with m + n = p will usually produce motion of comparable intensity, and that they are all parts of a single tensor Λ(ρ, r) of order p+ 2 over R4, four-dimensional space time. We extend the definitions of centroid and variance tensor to tensor fields and show that the centroid of Λ in R4 gives the position and time of the source centroid. The variance tensor estimates the time duration of anelastic behaviour at the source, the rupture velocity, and the size, shape and orientation of the source region. The hypocentral coordinates, the time duration, and the rupture velocity are always calculable from the glut moments with m+n < 2, m < 1, and these can be measured from the long-period motion. The geometry of the source region requires knowledge of Γ(2,0), only part of which can be calculated from γ(3,0) for a general indigenous seismic source. We illustrate the general theory with four different types of seismic sources, and we find that when all six tensors γ(m+1,n)(ζ, τ) with m + n<2 have been measured, there are three ways to resolve the fault-plane ambiguity, one using long-period information, and the other two using measurements of the final static deformation produced by the source.
Short-term decline of a Bahamian patch reef coral community: Rainbow Gardens Reef 1991–2004

Temporal changes in the stony coral assemblages of Rainbow Gardens Reef (Iguana Cay, Exumas, Bahamas), were revealed by comparing quantitative community descriptors recorded in 1991 and 2004. Mean percent live cover significantly dropped from 13% to 3% between 1991 and 2004 (−77%, P < 0.01). During that period, coral abundance (number of colonies) decreased from 295 to 240 (−18.6%, P < 0.01). The community was less rich, equally diverse, more even, and the spatial structure of the reef had become more homogeneous. Most large Montastrea annularis, Agaricia agaricites, Porites porites, and Porites astreoides colonies were absent in 2004. Colonies were also more prone to stress related to algal smoothering, excess sediment, and endolithic boring. No disease was recorded on stony corals in 2004. Examination of M. annularis skeletons revealed intense bioerosion and a bright yellow skeletal band that corresponded to 1998–1999. Reefs worldwide suffered an unprecedented period of coral bleaching during the 1998 El Nino event, which is likely to have played a role in the decline of Rainbow Gardens. Evidence suggests that the synergistic actions of bleaching, bioerosion, and storm action reduced Rainbow’s formerly discrete coral patches to rubble. These results attest to the state of crisis of Caribbean coral reefs: even shallow, and presumably eurythermic communities in remote localities can be sensitive to change. Other patch reefs in the vicinity of Rainbow Gardens do not seem as degraded suggesting that local, small-scale differences may be important components of reef resilience.
Nonreflecting Boundary Conditions for Maxwell's Equations

Exact nonreflecting boundary conditions are derived for the time dependent Maxwell equations in three space dimensions. These conditions hold on a spherical surfaceB, outside of which the medium is assumed to be homogeneous, isotropic, and source-free. They are local in time and nonlocal onB, and they do not involve high-order derivatives. Thus, they are easy to incorporate into finite difference or finite element methods. These boundary conditions are similar to the exact nonreflecting boundary conditions for the scalar wave equation which yield high numerical accuracy.
Nicotinamide Clearance by Pnc1 Directly Regulates Sir2-Mediated Silencing and Longevity

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sir2 protein is an NAD(+)-dependent histone deacetylase (HDAC) that functions in transcriptional silencing and longevity. The NAD(+) salvage pathway protein, Npt1, regulates Sir2-mediated processes by maintaining a sufficiently high intracellular NAD(+) concentration. However, another NAD(+) salvage pathway component, Pnc1, modulates silencing independently of the NAD(+) concentration. Nicotinamide (NAM) is a by-product of the Sir2 deacetylase reaction and is a natural Sir2 inhibitor. Pnc1 is a nicotinamidase that converts NAM to nicotinic acid. Here we show that recombinant Pnc1 stimulates Sir2 HDAC activity in vitro by preventing the accumulation of NAM produced by Sir2. In vivo, telomeric, rDNA, and HM silencing are differentially sensitive to inhibition by NAM. Furthermore, PNC1 overexpression suppresses the inhibitory effect of exogenously added NAM on silencing, life span, and Hst1-mediated transcriptional repression. Finally, we show that stress suppresses the inhibitory effect of NAM through the induction of PNC1 expression. Pnc1, therefore, positively regulates Sir2-mediated silencing and longevity by preventing the accumulation of intracellular NAM during times of stress.
Children with Autism: Sleep Problems and Symptom Severity.

Relationships between the specific sleep problems and specific behavioral problems of children with autism were evaluated. Mothers’ reports of sleep habits and autism symptoms were collected for 109 children with autism. Unlike previous research in this area, only children diagnosed with autism without any commonly comorbid diagnoses (e.g., intellectual disability, epilepsy) were included in the analysis. Consistent with prior work, a positive correlation between the severity of sleep problems and the severity of autism symptoms was obtained. Sleep onset delay and sleep duration were positively correlated with autism symptoms and autism severity. Sleep onset delay was the strongest predictor of communication deficit, stereotyped behavior, and autism severity. These results provide support for specific sleep problem and symptom relationships that are unique to autism and suggest the importance of including the treatment of sleep problems as part of a comprehensive behavioral intervention for children with ...
Rendering complex scenes with memory-coherent ray tracing

Simulating realistic lighting and rendering complex scenes are usually considered separate problems with incompatible solutions. Accurate lighting calculations are typically performed using ray tracing algorithms, which require that the entire scene database reside in memory to perform well. Conversely, most systems capable of rendering complex scenes use scan-conversion algorithms that access memory coherently, but are unable to incorporate sophisticated illumination. We have developed algorithms that use caching and lazy creation of texture and geometry to manage scene complexity. To improve cache performance, we increase locality of reference by dynamically reordering the rendering computation based on the contents of the cache. We have used these algorithms to compute images of scenes containing millions of primitives, while storing ten percent of the scene description in memory. Thus, a machine of a given memory capacity can render realistic scenes that are an order of magnitude more complex than was previously possible. CR Categories: I.3.3 [Computer Graphics]: Picture/Image Generation; I.3.7 [Computer Graphics]: Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism—Raytracing
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies on recombinant human carnitine acetyltransferase

In this paper, the purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of human carnitine acetyltransferase are reported. Recombinant human carnitine acetyltransferase crystals were grown by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method and belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 137.65, b = 84.76, c = 57.65 A and one molecule per asymmetric unit. The intensity data were collected from a cryocooled crystal to 1.6 A resolution using a conventional X-ray source.
The Environmental Movement and the Modes of Political Action

There have been widely differing claims about how environmental groups attempt to reform environmental policy—from those who see the movement as challenging the prevailing social paradigm through confrontation and violence, to those who lament the movement's reliance on conventional styles of political persuasion. This article uses data from the 1998 Global Environmental Organizations Survey (GEOS) to map the political activities used by environmental groups across the globe and to determine what best accounts for these patterns of action. The authors examine the responses of 248 environmental groups in the GEOS; these data allow the authors to compare environmental group behaviors across 59 nations and 5 continents. They find that most environmental groups engage in a mixture of political methods and activities. Although there is little evidence that institutional structures influence participation, the mix of organizational resources and ideology are potent influences on participation patterns. The resu...
Duloxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder: a closer look at efficacy and safety data across the approved dose range.

Abstract Objective This analysis focuses on efficacy and safety data obtained from studies of duloxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) within the approved dose range of 40–60 mg/day. Method Efficacy and safety data were obtained from the acute phase portions of four randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials in patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for MDD. In Studies 1 and 2, patients were randomized to duloxetine 60 mg once daily (QD) ( n = 123 [Study 1]; n = 128 [Study 2]) or placebo ( n = 122 [Study 1]; n = 139 [Study 2]) for 9 weeks. In Studies 3 and 4, patients were randomized to duloxetine 20 mg twice daily (BID) ( n = 91 [Study 3]; n = 86 [Study 4]) or placebo ( n = 90 [Study 3]; n = 89 [Study 4]) for 8 weeks. Efficacy measures included the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD 17 ) total score (primary outcome), HAMD 17 subscales, the Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGI-S) and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scales, and Visual Analog Scales (VAS) for pain. Safety assessments included rates of discontinuation due to adverse events, spontaneously reported treatment-emergent adverse events, and changes in vital signs. Results In both studies of duloxetine 60 mg QD, mean change in HAMD 17 total score was significantly greater in duloxetine-treated patients compared with placebo (Study 1, p p = .024). At a dose of 20 mg BID, duloxetine demonstrated significant superiority over placebo on the HAMD 17 total score in one of the two studies (Study 4, p = .034). Probabilities of remission among patients receiving duloxetine 60 mg QD were 44.2% in Study 1 ( p Conclusion Duloxetine provides safe and effective acute phase treatment of MDD at doses of 40–60 mg/day. Compared with placebo, the 60 mg QD dose was more consistently effective than the 20 mg BID dose. However, the incidence of certain treatment-emergent adverse events is likely to be lower at the 40 mg dose.
Estimating species phylogenies using coalescence times among sequences

The estimation of species trees (phylogenies) is one of the most important problems in evolutionary biology, and recently, there has been greater appreciation of the need to estimate species trees directly rather than using gene trees as a surrogate. A Bayesian method constructed under the multispecies coalescent model can consistently estimate species trees but involves intensive computation, which can hinder its application to the phylogenetic analysis of large-scale genomic data. Many summary statistics-based approaches, such as shallowest coalescences (SC) and Global LAteSt Split (GLASS), have been developed to infer species phylogenies for multilocus data sets. In this paper, we propose 2 methods, species tree estimation using average ranks of coalescences (STAR) and species tree estimation using average coalescence times (STEAC), based on the summary statistics of coalescence times. It can be shown that the 2 methods are statistically consistent under the multispecies coalescent model. STAR uses the ranks of coalescences and is thus resistant to variable substitution rates along the branches in gene trees. A simulation study suggests that STAR consistently outperforms STEAC, SC, and GLASS when the substitution rates among lineages are highly variable. Two real genomic data sets were analyzed by the 2 methods and produced species trees that are consistent with previous results.
Osteopontin and oral carcinogenesis

Dear Editor: The article by Chakraborty et al. about the relationship between down-regulation of osteopontin and breast tumour progression in vivois highly interesting [1]. Recent studies indicate a close association between not only breast cancer and osteopontin but other systemic malignancies as well. Studies over the past few years have especially shown a strong relationship between osteopontin expression and oral carcinogenesis. For instance, Devoll et al. in a recent study have reported that nearly 67% of oral squamous cell carcinomas and nearly 54% of all oral carcinomas in situ lesions are immunoreactive for osteopontin [2]. Similarly, a recent study by Matsuzaki et al. suggests that osteo-pontin may be an important marker of early invasion in lingular squamous cell carcinomas [3]. In fact, tumours of the tongue that overexpress osteopontin are usually more aggressive and carry a worse prognosis [4]. It has also been shown that osteopontin expression is increased in salivary gland tumours especially in polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinomas and pleomorphic adenomas [5]. More recently, antisense oligonucleotides have been used to inhibit tumerogenesis in oral cancer cell lines further confirming the pathological role of osteopontin in oral carcinogenesis [6]. Besides oral malignancies, osteopontin has also been implicated in the etio-pathogenesis of numerous other systemic malignancies such as non-small cell lung cancers and breast cancers [7]. Clearly, osteopontin has a major role to play in the development and growth of oral malignancies. Research studies should focus on osteopontin as a possible target molecule for the development of strategies and therapies to control oral cancers.
Implicit Large Eddy Simulation of a Stalled Low-Pressure Turbine Airfoil

Time-accurate numerical simulations were conducted on the aft-loaded L1A low-pressure turbine airfoil at a Reynolds number of 22,000 (based on inlet velocity magnitude and axial chord length). This flow condition produces a nonreattaching laminar separation zone on the airfoil suction surface. The numerical code TURBO is used to simulate this flow field as an implicit large eddy simulation (ILES). Generally, good agreement was found when compared to experimental time-averaged and instantaneous flow measurements. The numerical separation zone is slightly larger than that in the experiments, though integrated wake loss values improved from Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS)-based simulations. Instantaneous snapshots of the numerical flow field showed the Kelvin Helmholtz instability forming in the separated shear layer and a large-scale vortex shedding pattern at the airfoil trailing edge. These features were observed in the experiments with similar sizes and vorticity levels. Power spectral density analyses revealed a global passage oscillation in the numerics that was not observed experimentally. This oscillation was most likely a primary resonant frequency of the numerical domain.
Reading order and A-B vs B-A performance

Thirty-two college Ss were presented with a PA task using common words. The LR group received the traditional left-right pairing of A-B terms after prior presentation of A. The RL group received A-B terms presented right-to-left, or B-A. However, order of pronunciation was A-B for all Ss, and B was always the term to be recalled from memory during learning trials. Immediate bidirectional tests of recall showed A-B recall to be unaffected by reading order, but B-A recall was significantly depressed by the traditional left-to-right order. A matching test administered at a later date gave support for the reading order effect. Results were discussed both according to an incidental learning model and a feature tagging model.
i3: Incomplete Information Inventory Models

Inventory control is among the most important topics in operations research because of large investments in inventory and their effect on the profitability of the firms. A systematic analysis of inventory problems began with the development of the classical EOQ formula of Ford W. Harris in 1913, and a substantial amount of research was reported in 1958 by Kenneth J. Arrow, Samuel Karlin, and Herbert Scarf. A critical assumption in this vast literature has been that the level of inventory at any given time is fully observed. Some of the most celebrated results such as the optimality of basestock or (s,S) policies have been obtained under the assumption of full observation. Yet the inventory level is often not fully observed in practice, as elaborated below. In such an environment of incomplete information, inventories are known to be partially observed and most of the well-known inventory policies are not even admissible, let alone optimal.Reasons for partial observation of inventory levels may include replenishment errors, employee theft, customer shoplifting, improper handling of damaged merchandise, misplaced inventories, uncertain yield, imperfect inventory audits, and incorrect recording of sales. Details on some of these causes and their consequences are provided below and further discussion is available.
Biomaterials: A Nano Approach, by Sreeram Ramakrishna, Murugan Ramalingam, T. S. Sampath Kumar, and Winston O. Soboyejo

Biomaterials have reached the stage of intense and demanding development ably aided by the concurrent use stemming from experience. The microscale properties of biomaterials do play an important ro...
Tell-Tale Words: Linguistic Cues Used to Infer the Expertise of Online Medical Advice

This article analyzes the linguistic cues used by naive perceivers to assess the expertise of online medical advice. We develop a theoretical framework of linguistic correlates to perceived experti...
The Philanthropic Consequence of Government Grants to Nonprofit Organizations: A Meta-Analysis

Do government grants displace or leverage private donations to nonprofit organizations? Although research on this topic is flourishing, the findings remain extremely contradictory, creating difficulty in developing a cumulative knowledge available to scholars and practitioners. This study employs a meta-analysis to systematically synthesize the competing findings from the existing literature. Using a sample of sixty original studies with 637 effect sizes, this study finds government grants have almost no correlation with private donations. In addition, this study demonstrates, through meta-regression, that nonprofit subsector variation, organizational age as a control, longitudinal data structure, and endogeneity correction help explain the effect size heterogeneity within and across original studies. Nonprofits should be more concerned about the capacity of competing for different funding sources rather than the tradeoff among them.