cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From DNA Damage to Nucleic Acid Sensing: A Strategy to Enhance Radiation Therapy

Local irradiation (IR) is widely used in the treatment of primary and metastatic tumors. However, the impact of IR on the immune response is currently being defined. Local and distant relapse after radiotherapy often occurs. The current rationale for the use of IR is based on direct cytotoxicity to cancer cells; however, recent studies have shown that reduction of tumor burden following ablative (large-dose) IR largely depends on type I IFN signaling and CD8(+) T-cell response. Here, we review recent findings indicating that antitumor effects of radiation are contributed by both innate and adaptive immune responses. We focus on immune mechanisms, including cytosolic DNA sensing pathways that bridge the traditional view of IR-mediated DNA damage to DNA-sensing immune pathways. Also, we discuss how the efficacy of radiotherapy might be enhanced by targeting nucleic acid-sensing pathways. These findings highlight the mechanisms governing tumor escape from the immune response and the therapeutic potential of synergistic strategies to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy via immunotherapeutic intervention.
Viewpoint: Empirical research on firms' boundaries

. Empirical research on the determinants of firms' boundaries has flourished over the past 25 years. This article discusses the progress that has been made to date, emphasizing the intellectual advances made by researchers in this literature during this period. I stress empirical researchers' important role in operationalizing theoretical concepts and relate how success on this dimension brings these concepts to bear on real-life, make-or-buy decisions. I also discuss shortcomings in the current literature – in particular the paucity of research on how variation in firms' boundaries can affect economic outcomes – and point to how and where such shortcomings might be overcome. La recherche empirique sur les determinants des frontieres de l'entreprise a fleuri au cours des derniers 25 ans. Cet article discute des progres accomplis en mettant l'accent sur les avancees intellectuelles faites par les chercheurs dans la litterature specialisee durant cette periode. On souligne le role important des chercheurs empiriques dans l'operationnalisation des concepts theoriques, et on explique comment les succes dans ce registre ont contribuea faire que ces concepts ont eu un impact sur les decisions de faire-ou-faire-faire dans la vie reelle. On discute aussi des deficiences de cette litterature – en particulier la pauvrete des travaux de recherche sur l'impact de la variation dans les frontieres des entreprises sur les rendements economiques – et on suggere comment de telles deficiences pourraient etre corrigees.
Gene Promoter Hypermethylation in Tumors and Serum of Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Promoter hypermethylation is an important pathway for repression of gene transcription in cancer cells. We analyzed aberrant DNA methylation at four genes in primary tumors from 95 head and neck cancer patients and then used the presence of this methylation as a marker for cancer cell detection in serum DNA. These four genes were tested by methylation-specific PCR and included: p16 (CDKN2A), O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase, glutathione S-transferase P1, and death-associated protein kinase (DAP-kinase). Fifty-five % (52 of 95) of the primary tumors displayed promoter hypermethylation in at least one of the genes studied: 27% (26/95) at p16, 33% (31 of 95) at O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase; and 18% (17 of 92) at DAP-kinase. No promoter hypermethylation was observed at the glutathione S-transferase P1 gene promoter. We detected a statistically significant correlation between the presence of DAP-kinase gene promoter hypermethylation and lymph node involvement (P = 0.014) and advanced disease stage (P = 0.016). In 50 patients with paired serum available for epigenetic analysis, the same methylation pattern was detected in the corresponding serum DNA of 21 (42%) cases. Among the patients with methylated serum DNA, 5 developed distant metastasis compared with the occurrence of metastasis in only 1 patient negative for serum promoter hypermethylation (P = 0.056). Promoter hypermethylation of key genes in critical pathways is common in head and neck cancer and represents a promising serum marker for monitoring affected patients.
Geometric methods for wavelet-based image compression

Natural images can be viewed as combinations of smooth regions, textures, and geometry. Wavelet-based image coders, such as the space-frequency quantization (SFQ) algorithm, provide reasonably efficient representations for smooth regions (using zerotrees, for example) and textures (using scalar quantization) but do not properly exploit the geometric regularity imposed on wavelet coefficients by features such as edges. In this paper, we develop a representation for wavelet coefficients in geometric regions based on the wedgelet dictionary, a collection of geometric atoms that construct piecewise-linear approximations to contours. Our wedgeprint representation implicitly models the coherency among geometric wavelet coefficients. We demonstrate that a simple compression algorithm combining wedgeprints with zerotrees and scalar quantization can achieve near-optimal rate-distortion performance D(R) ~ (log R ) 2 / R 2 for the class of piecewise-smooth images containing smooth C 2 regions separated by smooth C 2 discontinuities. Finally, we extend this simple algorithm and propose a complete compression framework for natural images using a rate-distortion criterion to balance the three representations. Our Wedgelet-SFQ (WSFQ) coder outperforms SFQ in terms of visual quality and mean-square error.
Graph bipartitioning problem.

Replica-symmetric solutions of the graph-bipartitioning problem with finite connectivity are presented. With the constraint ${sum}_{\mathrm{i}=1}^{\mathrm{N}}$${\mathrm{S}}_{\mathrm{i}}$=0 strictly enforced, another solution can be obtained, which gives a lower cost function than that given by the spin-glass solution. It is believed that this new solution is currently the best candidate for the true solution of the graph-bipartitioning problem.
Custom Type-Curve Generation for Pressure Transient Analysis of Elongated Linear Flow Systems

When the drainage area of a flowing well is long and narrow, the pressure transient behavior of the well often cannot be analyzed by conventional means. Well tests which appear to exhibit linear flow behavior for extended periods, beyond the length of time which could be attributed to flow to a fracture, have been observed for both geothermal wells and for oil and gas wells. In geothermal formations and in some of the deep low-permeability gas fields the elongated reservoir shape results from long parallel faults which appear to bound the formations. Typically such wells are also penetrating natural fractures. In other reservoirs the elongated drainage shape is due to the river delta or alluvial environment in which the reservoir sands were originally deposited. Using a recently developed scheme for custom type curve generation for a wide variety of flow geometries, the particular behavior of the well producing from an elongated linear flow system is presented in detail. Cases examined include fractured wells of variable fracture length in varions positions within the flow channel and also of variable length. The effects of partial penetration are also demonstrated. This paper illustrates the use of custom type curves in computer-aided type-curve matching. With the help of relatively inexpensive computer graphics, custom type curves are displayed which exactly represent whatever is known about a particular drainage geometry, including such variables as formation thickness and areal extent, fracture length, partial penetration, and well location. Familles of curves can be generated and displayed along with the data to help determine unknown features of the reservoir geometry. An important contribution included in this work was the development of a set of orthogonal dimensionless parameters which facilitate the generation of familles of type curves which vary one reservoir shape parameter with implied effects on other parameters. The dimensionless solutions for any reservoir geometry are then readily developed for use in computer-aided type curve matching.
The Relationship of Metadata to Item Circulation

This study analyzes the relationship between online public access catalog (OPAC) searches entered in a small academic library's catalog and the circulation of items during the same time period. Rather than identifying all searches resulting in a reasonable number of retrievals as successful, searches in this study were determined most useful if items on the results list were subsequently borrowed from the library. This comparison of search results with subsequent material checkouts indicates which metadata elements seem most useful to searchers, and suggests ways libraries might use this knowledge to enhance their users’ search experiences.
Inflammation and oncogenesis: a vicious connection

Epidemiological and experimental data suggest a close connection between inflammation and tumorigenesis. Solid tumors are typically infiltrated with immune cells and inflammation impacts most, if not all, stages of tumorigenesis. Molecular and cellular pathways, which connect inflammation and cancer, have emerged as attractive targets for prevention and therapy. In this review we discuss general mechanisms and concepts of cancer promoting inflammation.
Application of analog and hybrid computation methods to fast power system security studies

Abstract In analog emulation, a non-linear system model is implemented as a set of reconfigurable analog circuits referred to as the emulator. This hardware is actuated, initialized, and allowed to settle to a steady-state during which time the user utilizes voltage and current measurement devices to observe the system’s transient response and constrained static solution. Because this method abandons the use of iterative numerical techniques, the length of time required to emulate a solution (this excludes the effects of actuation and data acquisition) is fully controllable and independent of the dimension of the system model. Analog computation has potential to perform many types of non-linear analyses significantly faster than is possible digitally; however, its popularity has traditionally been limited by a need for manual actuation and data acquisition. In this work, the authors examine the use of digital technology to automate actuation and data acquisition for emulation. They also discuss how intelligent design and control of the emulator may be utilized to minimize data collection and accelerate emulation-based power-flow analysis and system security studies.
Multisensory Integration Produces an Initial Response Enhancement

The brain has evolved the ability to integrate information across the senses in order to improve the detection and disambiguation of biologically significant events. This multisensory synthesis of information leads to faster (and more accurate) behavioral responses, yet the underlying neural mechanisms by which these responses are speeded are as yet unclear. The aim of these experiments was to evaluate the temporal properties of multisensory enhancement in the physiological responses of neuron in the superior colliculus (SC). Of specific interest was the temporal evolution of their responses to individual modality-specific stimuli as well as to cross-modal combinations of these stimuli. The results demonstrate that cross-modal stimuli typically elicit faster, more robust, and more reliable physiological responses than do their modality-specific component stimuli. Response measures sensitive to the time domain showed that these multisensory responses were enhanced from their very onset, and that the acceleration of the enhancement was greatest within the first 40 ms (or 50% of the response). The latter half of the multisensory response was typically only as robust and informative as predicted by a linear combination of the unisensory component responses. These results may reveal some of the key physiological changes underlying many of the SC-mediated behavioral benefits of multisensory integration.
Memory for abuse: what can we learn from a prosecution sample?

(2003). Memory for Abuse: What Can We Learn from a Prosecution Sample? Journal of Child Sexual Abuse: Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 97-103.
Psychiatric liaison to gynecological oncology

A psychiatric liaison to the Gynecologic Oncology Service at a major cancer center was begun in July 1991 to improve the psychosocial care. A total of 82 women were evaluated by a psychiatric consultant over a 12-month period. Most had advanced gynecological disease with poor prognosis. Consultation requests came from the nursing staff (42%), the gynecological fellow (34%) and the attending gynecologist (24%). Reasons for consultations were: difficulty coping (45%), depression (38%), social issues (7%) and ‘other’ (10%). The initial psychosocial issues were: patient-related problems (62%), staff issues (28%) and family/social issues (10%). The patient-related problems were: difficulty coping (43%), depression (33%), anxiety (16%) and delirium (8%). Upon initial assessment, the women met DSM-III-R diagnoses of adjustment disorder (53%) with depressed mood (32%), with mixed features (12%), with anxious mood (9%), major depression (13%), delirium (12%), panic attack with agoraphobia (4%), dementia (4%), schizophrenia (4%), ‘other’ (5%). After the initial consultation 28% developed delirium. ‘Other’ consisted of two women with a history of substance dependence and borderline personality disorder, one woman with an organic mood disorder and one woman with an interpersonal problem. Psychophar-macological, behavioral and psychotherapeutic interventions are outlined through description of several clinical case reports.
Evoking analogue subtypes of panic attacks in a nonclinical population using carbon dioxide-enriched air.

The increasing recognition that panic attacks are heterogeneous phenomena necessitates better and more objective criteria to define and examine what constitutes a panic attack. The central aim of the present study was to classify subtypes of panic attacks (i.e. prototypic, cognitive, and non-fearful) in a nonclinical sample (N = 96) based on the concordance/discordance between subjective and physiological responding to multiple inhalations of 20 and 13% CO2-enriched air. Results show that a substantial proportion of this nonclinical sample (55.2%) responded to the CO2 challenge in a manner consistent with clinical and research definitions of different subtypes of panic attacks. The implications of this dimensional approach for discriminating subtypes of panic in the laboratory are discussed as a means to better understand the phenomenology and nature of panic attacks.
The Social Context of Adolescent Depression: Vulnerabilities and Consequences:

The author's program of research on depression in adolescents and their mothers is reviewed, emphasizing the interpersonal aspects of depression. Studies from a large community sample of depressed ...
Methanogenesis and sulfate reduction in chemostats—II. Model development and verification

Abstract A comprehensive dynamic model is presented that simulates methanogenesis and sulfate reduction in a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR). This model incorporates the complex chemistry of anaerobic systems. A salient feature of the model is its ability to predict the effluent concentrations of the various chemical species in the reactor directly from the feed conditions. Precipitation equilibria of the essential metals were also incorporated in the model. Model predictions were compared with results from steady-state and batch spike experiments. A detailed sensitivity analysis of the effect of key model parameters on model performance was conducted. The model was able to predict both the steady-state and the transient batch spike experimental data fairly well.
Folding and assembly of a human MHC class II molecule in a cell-free system.

ABSTRACT The assembly of a human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule was investigated in a cell-free system capable of the synthesis, sequestration, and processing of the prote...
Direct observation of phototransients in natural waters

Abstract Nanosecond laser spectroscopic measurements were made on a variety of natural waters containing humic substances. Both short-lived (nanosecond) and long-lived (microsecond) transient absorptions were observed. The long-lived transients exhibited maxima at 475 and 720 nm. The former is tentatively assigned to a triplet state transition while the latter is due to solvated electrons formed on laser excitation. Water samples from widely diverse sources showed similar transient absorption properties as well as fluorescence properties. All transients were shown to depend linearly on laser intensity, indicating that the photoproducts observed are likely to be formed in water sources illuminated by solar radiation having much lower intensities than used here.
Growth prediction for Arizona's mesquite (Prosopis velutina) woodlands.

Abstract A whole-stand growth model for mesquite ( Prosopis velutina Woot.) is built on data sampled from 47 locations throughout southern Arizona, USA. Growth predictions of volume and basal area can be made from stand measurements: basal area, stems per stand, trees per stand, and average stand height. Model applications and limitations are discussed. The methodology used could be applied to other dry woodlands throughout the world.
On convex parameterization of robust control design for minimizing (conditional) performance at risk

This paper introduces performance at risk and conditional performance at risk as design metrics for the formulation of robust control design. These two metrics are used to characterize the high percentile or tail distribution of a performance specification when system uncertain parameters are random variables described by statistical distributions. The probabilistic robust control design is then formulated as a minimization problem with respect to the (conditional) performance at risk or as a constrained problem in terms of them. Performance specifications in terms of the high percentile or tail distribution are more stringent than that are defined in terms of the average (mean) value, which are often used in current literature for probabilistic robust control. Furthermore, the convexity of the conditional performance at risk does not have particular requirements on the underlying distribution of uncertain parameters; thus, convex optimization can be applied to the probabilistic robust control with respect to uncertain parameters with general distributions. The proposed probabilistic robust approach is applied to search solutions to linear matrix inequality containing random parametric uncertainties as well as to design a stabilizing controller for polynomial vector fields subject to random parametric uncertainties. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Capillary rise between two TiO2 thin-films: evaluating photo-activated wetting

Abstract The measurement of capillary rise was used for evaluating the photo-enhanced wetting ability of TiO2. Two glass plates, which were coated with TiO2 thin-films, were vertically oriented having a small gap and immersed in the several solutions. In the channel between two TiO2 thin-films, the capillary rise of liquids is determined by the surface tension of liquids and the physical–chemical nature of the contacting surfaces. The capillary rise of water was measured to be 28 mm for a TiO2 samples equilibrated in the dark for 2 h (immediately after the calcination), 29 mm for the surface pre-illuminated with UV light and 11 mm for aged samples (i.e. kept in a dark box for several weeks). A companion FT-IR study supported the fact that the capillary rise has a strong relation with the amount of adsorbed water on the surface of the TiO2 thin-films. While contact angles have been routinely measured for photoactive TiO2 systems, capillary rise is an alternative criterion for the wetting ability without expensive equipment. We also show that capillary rise can be expanded to photo-responsive motion of liquids in the TiO2 channel. The capillary rise of water tested between the two TiO2 thin-film surfaces increased by a factor of three under UV light exposure.
Metamaterial-Based Antennas: Research and Developments

A brief review of metamaterials and their applications to antenna systems is given. Artificial magnetic conductors and electrically small radiating and scattering systems are emphasized. Single negative, double negative, and zero-index metamaterial systems are discussed as a means to manipulate their size, efficiency, bandwidth, and directivity characteristics.
Les études de fiabilité à Framatome. Exemples d'application

L'auteur evoque les etudes engagees a Framatome dans le cadre de l'analyse de fiabilite des systemes et de l'analyse probabiliste des accidents (prenant comme exemple la perte de refrigerant primaire et la perte des alimentations electriques externes). Il decrit ensuite l'analyse probabiliste des situations de conception du circuit primaire, s'interessant plus particulierement au probleme des surpressions.
Effect of Attrition on Subjacent Dentin and Pulp

Deciduous and permanent teeth from swine, monkeys, and humans, with dentin exposed by attrition, were studied histologically. Bacteria were present in exposed dentinal tubules, in cracks in dentin, and in necrotic pulp tissue. Remaining primary dentin and secondarily formed irritation dentin did not seem to protect the pulp entirely from exogenous irritants, and microscopic changes were observed in the pulp.
Lagrange and the Solution of Numerical Equations

In 1798 J.-L. Lagrange published an extensive book on the solution of numerical equations. Lagrange had developed four versions of a general systematic algorithm for detecting, isolating, and approximating, with arbitrary precision, all real and complex roots of a polynomial equation with real coefficients. In contrast to Newton's method, Lagrange's algorithm is guaranteed to converge. Some of his powerful ideas and techniques foreshadowed methods developed much later in geometry and abstract algebra. For instance, in order to make a more efficient algorithm for isolating roots, Lagrange essentially worked in a quotient ring of a polynomial ring. And to accelerate both the convergence and calculation of his continued fraction expansions of the roots, he employed nonsimple continued fractions and Mobius transformations. Copyright 2001 Academic Press. En 1798 J.-L. Lagrange publie un important traite sur la resolution d'equations numeriques. Dans ce traite, Lagrange developpe quatre versions d'un algorithme general qui systematiquement detecte, isole, et approxime, avec toute la precision voulue, toutes les racines reelles et complexes d'une equation polynomiale a coefficients reels. Contrairement a la methode de Newton, l'algorithme de Lagrange converge toujours. Certaines de ses idees et techniques les plus brillantes ont ouvert la voie a des methodes en geometrie et en algebre developpees beaucoup plus tard. Par exemple, pour augmenter l'efficacite de son algorithme afin d'isoler les racines, Lagrange travaille essentiellement dans un anneau quotient d'un anneau de polynomes. De plus, dans le but d'accelerer a la fois la convergence et les calculs de l'expansion des racines via des fractions continues, il emploie des fractions continues non-simples ainsi que des transformations de Mobius. Copyright 2001 Academic Press. 1798 veroffentlichte J.-L. Lagrange ein ausfuhrliches Buch uber die Losung von numerischen Gleichungen. Lagrange entwickelte vier Versionen eines allgemeinen systematischen Algorithmus fur die Identifizierung, Isolation, und beliebig genaue Approximation, aller reellen und imaginaren Wurzeln einer Polynomgleichung mit reellen Koeffizienten. Im Gegensatz zu Newtons Methode konvergiert Lagranges Algorithmus immer. Einige seiner machtvollen Ideen und Techniken waren Vorlaufer von Methoden in der Geometrie und Algebra die erst viel spater entwickelt wurden. Zum Beispiel arbeitete Lagrange im Grunde in einem Quotientenring eines Polynomringes um seinen Algorithmus fur die Isolation von Wurzeln effizienter zu machen. Und um sowohl die Konvergenz wie auch die Berechnung seiner Kettenbruchexpansion der Wurzeln zu beschleunigen benutzte er nichteinfache Kettenbruche und Mobiustransformationen. Copyright 2001 Academic Press. MSC subject classifications: 01A50; 65-03; 65H05; 65B66; 00A30.
Osteomark: A surgical navigation system for oral and maxillofacial surgery

The purpose of this project was to test a surgical navigation tool designed to help execute a surgical treatment plan. It consists of an electromagnetically tracked pencil that is used to mark bone intraoperatively. The device was tested on a precision block, an ex vivo pig mandible and during performance of six endoscopic vertical ramus osteotomies on pig cadavers. The difference between actual pencil position and that displayed by the computer was measured three times each at ten 2mm holes on the block (n=30 observations) and on the ex vivo mandible (n=11 measurements). Errors between planned and actual osteotomy locations for the cadaver procedures were measured. The mean distance between known and displayed locations was 1.55 ± 0.72 mm on the precision block and 2.10 ± 0.88 mm on the pig mandible. The error measured marking the same point on the block multiple (n=5) times was 0.58 ± 0.37 mm. The mean error on the simulated osteotomies was 2.35 ± 1.35 mm. Osteomark was simple to use and permitted localisation of holes and osteotomies with acceptable accuracy. In the future, the device and algorithms will be revised to further decrease error and the system will be tested on live animals.
Genetic imprinting suggested by maternal heterodisomy in non-deletion Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is the most common form of dysmorphic genetic obesity associated with mental retardation. About 60% of cases have a cytological deletion of chromosome 15q11q13 (refs 2, 3). These deletions occur de novo exclusively on the paternal chromosome. By contrast, Angelman syndrome (AS) is a very different clinical disorder and is also associated with deletions of region 15q11q13 (refs 6-8), indistinguishable from those in PWS except that they occur de novo on the maternal chromosome. The parental origin of the affected chromosomes 15 in these disorders could, therefore, be a contributory factor in determining their clinical phenotypes. We have now used cloned DNA markers specific for the 15q11q13 subregion to determine the parental origin of chromosome 15 in PWS individuals not having cytogenetic deletions; these individuals account for almost all of the remaining 40% of PWS cases. Probands in two families displayed maternal uniparental disomy for chromosome 15q11q13. This is the first demonstration that maternal heterodisomy--the presence of two different chromosome 15s derived from the mother--can be associated with a human genetic disease. The absence of a paternal contribution of genes in region 15q11q13, as found in PWS deletion cases, rather than a mutation in a specific gene(s) in this region may result in expression of the clinical phenotype. Thus, we conclude that a gene or genes in region 15q11q13 must be inherited from each parent for normal human development.
White-Light Interference Fringes with a Thick Glass Plate in One Path: Part II.

In Part I of this paper [1] the writer developed a theory of the white-light fringes observed in the Michelson interferometer when a thick plate of glass, or other refractive substance, is placed in one of the paths. Part I treated of the axial beam, whose composition determines the color of the central spot in the fringe pattern. An explanation was given of the very great number of colored fringes, running up to several thousand, which is observed under these conditions. In this part we discuss certain phenomena which depend for their explanation upon the analysis of a beam oblique to the optical axis. To observe these phenomena we obtain, as described in Part I, circular fringes in sodium light, insert the thick plate in one of the paths, shorten that path until in the neighborhood of the most brilliant sodium maximum, in which position colored fringes will be seen with white light. If we observe these fringes through a spectroscope with the slit placed across the center of the system, the slit being long enough to cut across the whole field, the spectrum is seen to be crossed by a system of concentric dark rings, looking very much like a shadow of the fringe system itself. If now one of the paths is slowly shortened or lengthened, these dark rings expand or contract, as the case may be, just as in the fringe system. In addition, the center of the system on the spectrum travels very slowly from one end of the spectrum to the other. These phenomena may be observed easily and distinctly if a rather wide slit, cut in a card, is placed in the path of the light before it enters the interferometer, and the fringes are then viewed through a direct-vision spectroscope, without slit.
Upper extremity myonecrosis caused by Edwardsiella tarda resulting in transhumeral amputation: case report.

Necrotizing soft tissue infections are rapidly progressive infections with a high rate of mortality. One type of necrotizing soft tissue infection is caused by marine gram-negative bacteria and commonly occurs in immunocompromised hosts. These types of infections are more common in patients with chronic liver disease, possibly because of impaired iron metabolism. We present the case of a rapidly progressive necrotizing soft tissue infection caused by Edwardsiella tarda , a marine gram-negative pathogen common in catfish. Few extraintestinal infections of E tarda have been described previously. Our patient had hepatitis C and was exposed to the bacteria by a puncture injury from a wild catfish. His infection required multiple debridements and ultimately required a transhumeral amputation for local control of the infection.
A Perspective on Accounting and Stock Prices

C OMMON sense tells us that accounting information is relevant for valuing stocks. Financial analysts pay large sums for such information, analyze it carefully, and make forecasts about future accounting information (earnings) in justifying their buy and sell recommendations; we also read in the newspaper that major earnings surprises are accompanied by significant changes in stock prices. The scientific study of the relation between stock prices and accounting information commences with the classic paper by Ball and Brown (1968). This study, conceived in the heyday of the efficient markets hypothesis, found that accounting information, more precisely accounting earnings, was part of the information used in forming prices, although the data plots strongly suggested that the market anticipated the bulk of the information in the annual accounting numbers. At the risk of oversimplification, the research that has flowed from this early article can be summarized under two headings: (1) The research on the effects of information, primarily new accounting information, on market prices, trading volume, analysts' forecasts, and other capital market phenomena. The articles in the current Forum by Swaminathan and Stice fall under this heading. (2) The research relating share prices to currently available accounting information. The paper by Barth, Beaver, and Stinson falls into this category. These two types of study, which for convenience I refer to as market reaction and valuation studies, respectively, are not entirely distinct. Insofar as it is concerned with price effects, the former type generally focuses on the relation between new accounting information and short-term changes in stock prices. Valuation studies, on the other hand, are ostensibly concerned with the relation between the level of stock prices and accounting variables, generally earnings, but in order to mitigate problems arising from omitted variables, valuation studies frequently use first differences and also consider the relation between changes in stock prices and changes in earnings. However, the distinction between the two types of study may be maintained by observing that market reaction studies generally analyze security returns over much shorter time intervals.
The application of the image orthicon television system to rocket trajectory determination

Rocket trajectory determination by tracking onboard light source against star background with image orthicon TV system
Differential survival of cartilage and muscle cells in chick limb‐bud cell cultures maintained in chemically defined and serum‐containing media

Abstract Chick limb buds at stages 22–23 largely consist of replicating presumptive chondroblasts and presumptive myoblasts. To study the influence that different medium compositions may have on the survival, replication, and terminal differentiation of these dissociated cells in vitro, micromass cultures were reared in either standard Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing fetal calf serum (SC-DMEM) or in serum-free DMEM. By day 4, approximately 80% and 50% of the original cell inoculum had been lost in DMEM and SC-DMEM cultures, respectively, as estimated from the recovery of incorporated 3H-thymidine. Between days 1 and 4, the total-DNA content remained virtually constant in DMEM cultures, while it increased five- to sixfold in SC-DMEM cultures. In both media, definitive myoblasts and chondroblasts first emerged on day 1 and day 2, respectively, as determined by immunofluorescence staining using antibodies against muscle light meromyosin (LMM) or the major cartilage proteoglycan. In both media, the chondroblasts increased in number and, by day 4, had formed sizable chondroblast nodules. The number of chondroblasts in SC-DMEM cultures exceeded that observed in DMEM cultures. In DMEM, the LMM-positive myoblasts had an atypical morphology and failed to fuse into elongated myotubes; these cells began to degenerate on about day 4, being undetectable by day 8. In SC-DMEM, the numerous LMM-positive myoblasts located in the center of the micromasses also had an atypical morphology, failed to form multinucleated myotubes, and were absent by day 8. In striking contrast, the numerous LMM-positive muscle cells that happened to be located toward the periphery of the micromasses grown in SC-DMEM formed typical multinucleated myotubes that survived for longer periods. These results demonstrate that only a fraction of the initial limb-bud cell inoculum survives to yield a recognizable cell progeny, and that muscle cells are selected against in both DMEM and SC-DMEM.
Dithioketal formation during synthesis of Bpa containing peptides

Acidolytic cleavage of peptides from polymeric supports often employs dithiols as scavengers. A significant impurity was found during the synthesis of peptides containing p-benzoylphenylalanine (Bpa) when 1,2-ethanedithiol was the scavenger. Herein we describe a new side reaction involving Bpa containing peptides and dithiols that results in dithioketal formation and report a strategy to eliminate this side reaction.
Spin and interaction effects in quantum dots: A Hartree-Fock-Koopmans approach

We use a Hartree-Fock-Koopmans approach to study spin and interaction effects in a diffusive or chaotic quantum dot. In particular, we derive the statistics of the spacings between successive Coulomb-blockade peaks. We include fluctuations of the matrix elements of the two-body screened interaction, surface-charge potential, and confining potential to leading order in the inverse Thouless conductance. The calculated peak-spacing distribution is compared with experimental results.
Acoustic emission for in situ monitoring in metal-matrix composite processing

Abstract The attractive elevated-temperature properties of metal-matrix composities (MMCs) have not been exploited in commercial applications partly because of the high processing cost and lack of reliability in fabrication. In this exploratory study, the feasibility of using acoustic emission (AE) as an in-process, non-destructive quality control technique is examined. A variation of the squeeze casting technique is selected for investigation. Acoustic emission is employed with the intent of non-intrusively establishing whether complete infiltration has occurred during composite fabrication. The problems due to the background noise during AE monitoring are overcome by using transducers with different frequency responses. The acoustic signatures of machine noise, preform crushing and metal solidification are obtained by employing suitable transducers in a series of tests that systematically evaluate the individual processes that comprise infiltration casting. The results form a strong basis for the development of an in situ AE sensor for the infiltration process.
Spectroscopic and Biochemical Characterization of Heme Binding to Yeast Dap1p and Mouse PGRMC1p

Yeast damage-associated response protein (Dap1p) and mouse progesterone receptor membrane component-1 protein (mPGRMC1p) belong to a highly conserved class of putative membrane-associated progesterone binding proteins (MAPR), with Dap1p and inner zone antigen (IZA), the rat homologue of mPGRMC1p, recently being reported to bind heme. While primary structure analysis reveals similarities to the cytochrome b5 motif, neither of the two axial histidines responsible for ligation to the heme is present in any of the MAPR proteins. In this paper, EPR, MCD, CD, UV−vis, and general biochemical methods have been used to characterize the nature of heme binding in both Dap1p and a His-tagged, membrane anchor-truncated mPGRMC1p. As isolated, Dap1p is a tetramer which can be converted to a dimer upon addition of 150 mM salt. The heme is noncovalently attached, with a maximal, in vitro, heme loading of approximately 30%, for both proteins. CD and fluorescence spectroscopies indicate a well-ordered structure, suggesting ...
A provenance study of archaeological obsidian from the Andahuaylas region of southern Peru

Abstract To date, most obsidian sourcing studies in the Andes have concentrated on the highlands and Titicaca Basin of far southern Peru and northern Bolivia. Toward achieving a more complete understanding of the region, this paper offers new data on the long-term prehistoric obsidian procurement and consumption patterns in the Andahuaylas region of the south-central Peruvian highlands. Obsidian sourcing data from Andahuaylas are particularly interesting since the area is centrally located among several important regional obsidian sources. A total of 94 obsidian samples from a range of sites of different temporal periods were chemically analyzed using portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF), as well as laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The results demonstrate a number of interesting trends, the first of which is the long-term importance of the Potreropampa obsidian source to populations of the Andahuaylas region from at least the early Formative period (∼2500 BCE). Secondly, the results indicate that procurement strategies by local populations in Andahuaylas were primarily reliant on nearby (
A Comparison of Direct and Indirect Methods for Estimating Environmental Benefits

Two classes of methods are currently available to estimate consumers' valuations of improvements in environmental resources-direct and indirect. This paper reports the results of a detailed comparison of the estimated recreational benefits associated with water quality improvements using one member of each class. The findings indicate that while the estimates are quite comparable, analyst judgment played a very important role in the development of both methods.
Key features for model building decision support systems

Abstract We present a two-phased approach to automating the model building process in decision support systems (DSSs). The role of problem structuring in the model building process is stressed and is related to basic model building blocks (model types), which are in turn related to problem solving techniques developed in the artificial intelligence field. We propose the combined usage of classification and constructive problem solving methods. The classification method provides a high-level structure to the model building process since it facilitates the identification of the relevant model types. The constructive method then adapts and integrates the identified model types. Thus, the proposed approach a ultimately constructs a model corresponding to a given problem but in a deferred fashion. The advantages of this two-phased model building process are pointed out and related to the findings of cognitive studies. The proposed approach is illustrated using the programming (LP) modeling domain with examples from the production planning application domain.
Fallout 131I in Western Nevada cattle thyroid glands : 1962-early 1969

There has been continuing interest in historical fallout data. The authors have previously published data concerning the concentrations of fallout radioactive {sup 131}I in the thyroid glands of cattle from the Nevada Test Site and from commercial slaughter cattle. These data showed that bovine thyroid {sup 131}I was an effective monitor of both local and worldwide fresh nuclear fallout. This paper extends the data on commercial slaughter cattle from western Nevada through early 1969.
Sex Differences in Associations Between Parental Behaviors and Characteristics and Adolescent Social Integration

One hundred and eight eighth grade students completed self-report questionnaires about their perceptions of parental warmth, structure, and psychological autonomy granting (used to compute a measure of perceived parental authoritativeness) and three measures of social integration: their own connectedness to their communities and involvement in school- versus community-based extracurricular activities. Parents of these students participated in telephone interviews during which they reported on their own relationships with their children’s friends and friends’ parents, and their own involvement in community activities. Parental community involvement was associated with stronger feelings of community connectedness and higher levels of community involvement among boys and more involvement in school- and community-based extracurricular activities among girls. Perceived parental authoritativeness was associated with stronger feelings of community connectedness and higher levels of involvement in community activities among girls. Parents’ relationships with children’s peers and peers’ parents were associated with greater involvement in school-based extracurricular activities among girls.
Self-Reference and Evaluative Biases in the Perception of Trait Information

Research on self-referent information processing indicates that material linked to the self-concept is especially salient and accessible. In this research, we examined the effects of self-reference on recognition thresholds for personality descriptors. Two studies confirmed that self-descriptive traits are recognized at briefer exposure levels than are nondescriptive traits. In the second study, it was also found that the facilitative effects of self-reference are limited entirely to traits with strong, personal evaluative connotations; these results join with other findings suggesting an interdependence of self-reference and affect in the retrieval of information from semantic memory.
Resolution versus Speckle Relative to Geologic Interpretability of Spaceborne Radar Images: A Survey of User Preference

A survey was conducted to evaluate user preference for resolution versus speckle relative to the geologic interpretability of spaceborne radar images. Thirteen different resolution/looks combinations were simulated from Seasat synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) data of each of three test sites. The SAR images were distributed with questionnarires for analysis by eighty-five earth scientists. The relative discriminability of geologic targets at each test site for each simulation of resolution and speckle on the images is determined here from a survey of the evaluations. A large majority of the analysts indicate that for most targets a two-look image at the highest simulated resolution is best. For a constant data rate a higher resolution is more important for target discrimination than a greater number of looks. Sand dunes require more looks than other geologic targets. Multiple-look images are preferred over the corresponding single-look image at all resolutions. The number of multiple looks that is optimal for discriminating geologic logic targets is in general inversely related to the simulated resolution.
Protracted pneumonitis in young infants associated with perinatally acquired cytomegaloviral infection

Two infants developed a protracted pneumonitis with lower respiratory obstruction beginning at one month of age. Lung biopsy in one suggested a viral etiology whith prompted an extensive investigation of each infant for specific etiology. Virologic, serologic, immunologic, and electronmicroscopic studies indicated that cytomegalovirus was a major causative factor. The infections were apparently acquired at birth from infected maternal genital tracts and have persisted for prolonged periods of time. Evidence for gross immunologic defect as a precipitating cause was lacking. These infants serve to emphasize the possible pathologic potential of CMV when acquired in early life even in the absence of iatrogenic immunosuppression.
Construction of event-tree/fault-tree models from a Markov approach to dynamic system reliability

While the event-tree (ET)/fault-tree (FT) methodology is the most popular approach to probability risk assessment (PRA), concerns have been raised in the literature regarding its potential limitations in the reliability modeling of dynamic systems. Markov reliability models have the ability to capture the statistical dependencies between failure events that can arise in complex dynamic systems. A methodology is presented that combines Markov modeling with the cell-to-cell mapping technique (CCMT) to construct dynamic ETs/FTs and addresses the concerns with the traditional ET/FT methodology. The approach is demonstrated using a simple water level control system. It is also shown how the generated ETs/FTs can be incorporated into an existing PRA so that only the (sub)systems requiring dynamic methods need to be analyzed using this approach while still leveraging the static model of the rest of the system.
Tailoring freeform illumination optics in a double-pole coordinate system

We have developed a new method to design freeform illumination optics by introducing a double-pole coordinate system in ray mapping. This method establishes a much more accurate ray mapping by moving the two poles of the spherical coordinate system to the southernmost point of the sphere and overlapping them together. It can reduce surface error and improve illumination uniformity significantly. The residual surface error (RSE) of the freeform lens designed in the double-pole coordinate system is one magnitude smaller than that of the lens designed in the (θ,φ) coordinate system and is only 1/3 of that of the freeform surface designed in the (u,v) coordinate system.
Multiplier Ideals of General Line Arrangements in ℂ3

We consider the multiplier ideals of the ideal of a reduced union of lines through the origin in ℂ3. For general arrangements of lines, we calculate the multiplier ideals.