cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strategy for the critical first 90 days of leadership

The actions taken during the first three months of a new job will largely determine whether you succeed or fail in the long term. The goal should be transition acceleration, not just failure prevention. This article offers a blueprint for addressing the linked challenges of personal transition and organizational transformation that confront all leaders in their first few months in a new job. Five propositions are: (1) The root causes of transition failure always lie in a pernicious interaction between the situation (with its opportunities and pitfalls), and the individual (with his/her strengths and vulnerabilities); (2) There are systematic methods that leaders can employ to both lessen the likelihood of failure and reach the breakeven point faster; (3) The overriding goal in a transition is to build momentum by creating virtuous cycles that build credibility and by avoiding getting caught in vicious cycles that damage credibility; (4) Transitions are a crucible for leadership development and should be managed accordingly. They strengthen diagnostic skills, demand growth and adaptation, and test personal stamina. Transitioning is a teachable skill; (5) Adoption of a standard framework for accelerating transitions can yield big returns for organizations. Everyone (bosses, direct reports, and peers) needs to speak the same “transition language”. Match leadership strategy to situation – methodically diagnose the situation and match your strategy to it: Step one – Diagnose the business situation. The four broad types of business situations: start‐up, turnaround, realignment, and sustaining success. Each presents a distinct set of challenges. This article defines actions for each. Step two – create a 90‐day transition acceleration plan. A framework of the ten key transition challenges is included in the article.
Mapping Replication Origins, Pause Sites, and Termini by Neutral/Alkaline Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis

Neutral/alkaline two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is a robust, easily interpretable, sensitive technique that has yielded insights about the in vivo replication of many types of DNA, from multicopy yeast plasmids to single-copy chromosome regions in unsynchronized mammalian cells. It can provide information about directions of replication fork movement and locations of replication origins, termini, and pause sites. Especially when combined with its partner technique, neutral/neutral two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, it is a method of choice for investigation of unknown situations.
Bavarian Crucifixes and French Headscarves: Religious Signs and the Postmodern European State

This article argues that two very different controversies of the 1990s—one over Islamic headscarves in the French schools, the other over Catholic crucifixes in Bavarian classrooms—are both symptoms of crises of national identity and sovereignty in contemporary European nation states. These crises have been provoked both by the globalization of economies and commodity culture as well as the challenge to national political autonomy in the context of the European Union. People who perceive themselves to represent both majority and minority cultures have responded to these crises by constructions and assertions of identities (religious and otherwise) and boundaries (between ‘us’ and ‘them’).
Regulatory Volume Increase of Human Non-pigmented Ciliary Epithelial Cells

Cells (ODM/SV40) derived from human non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cells were studied by electronic cell sizing. After transiently suspending the cells in hypotonic solution, isotonicity was restored by addition of sucrose. The cell volumes (vc) initially fell below those of control isotonic suspensions, and subsequently increased towards the baseline level. This secondary increase in vc is termed the regulatory volume increase (RVI). Results obtained with ionic substitutions and transport inhibitors indicate that four ionic mechanisms can support the RVI in these cells: coupled Na+/H+ and Cl-/HCO3- antiports, a Na+/Cl- symport, a Na+/K+/2Cl- symport, and a Na+ channel in parallel with a Cl-/HCO3- antiport. Arachidonic acid metabolites regulate the RVI very differently from their effects on the regulatory volume response (RVD) of the same cells to cell swelling. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), leukotriene (LTD4) and the PKC-inhibitor staurosporine all inhibit the RVI. Blockade of the cyclooxygenase, lipoxygenase and epoxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism [with 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA)] produces a net acceleration of the RVI. In contrast, PGE2 and staurosporine stimulate, LTD4 has no effect, and ETYA inhibits the RVD. We suggest that knowledge of the ionic mechanisms and intracellular signalling underlying the RVI phenomenon may provide a basis for reducing the rate of net aqueous humor formation by increasing the rate of reabsorption of fluid from the aqueous humor into the non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cells.
The Relation Between Emotional Availability and Parenting Style: Cultural and Economic Factors in a Diverse Sample of Young Mothers

SYNOPSIS Objective. The goals of this study were to examine emotional availability, parenting attitudes, and parenting behaviors in relation to parenting style and cultural context in a diverse group of young mothers. Design. Participants were 313 first-time adolescent mothers of toddler-aged children from European American, Latin American, and African American backgrounds. Emotional availability was assessed using the Emotional Availability Scales, and cluster analysis was used to examine relations with mothers' reports of parenting attitudes and behaviors. Results. Three parenting styles emerged from the data: democratic, strict loving, and directive. The democratic and directive parenting styles were related to maternal ethnicity; European American mothers were more highly represented in the democratic parenting group, and Latin American mothers were more highly represented in the directive parenting group. In multivariate regression analysis, maternal Sensitivity was predicted by socioeconomic indicat...
Freezing and orientational order in weakly anisotropic fluids

A simple theoretical method of studying the effect of weak anisotropy on the freezing of classical fluids is discussed. Free energy of the solid phase is separated into contributions due to the formation of the regular lattice and the remaining orientational part. The former is calculated by the density-functional theory, while a mean-field theory of orientational order is developed for the latter. An application to the freezing of hard dumbbell fluids yields results in good agreement with simulations.
Effect of coolant-mainstream blowing ratio on leading edge film cooling flow and heat transfer : LES investigation

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is used to analyze and quantify the effects of the coolant-to-mainstream blowing ratio in leading edge film cooling. A cylindrical leading edge with a flat after-body represents the blade leading edge, where coolant is injected with a 30° compound angle. Three blowing ratios of 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 are studied. Free-stream Reynolds number is 100,000 and coolant-to-mainstream density ratio is unity. At BR = 0.4, three types of coherent structures are identified which consist of a primary entrainment vortex at the leeward aft-side of the coolant hole, vortex tubes at the windward side of the coolant hole, and hairpin vortices typical of turbulent boundary layers produced by the turbulent interaction of the coolant and mainstream downstream of injection. At BR = 0.8 and 1.2, coherent vortex tubes are no longer discernable, whereas the primary vortex structure gains in strength. In all cases, the bulk of the mixing occurs by entrainment which takes place at the leeward aft-side of the coolant jet. This region is characterized by a low pressure core and the primary entrainment vortex. At BR = 0.4, the fore and aft vortex tubes also contribute to entrainment. Turbulent shear interaction between the jet and the mainstream, which increases substantially with blowing ratio, also contributes to the dilution of the coolant jet as evidenced by the large increase in turbulent kinetic energy in the region of interaction. As a result of the increased mixing between coolant jet and mainstream, adiabatic effectiveness decreases with an increase in blowing ratio. On the other hand, the increased turbulent intensities in the primary entrainment vortex result in an increase in the heat transfer coefficient.
Parathyroid hormone effects on amino acid transport into bone cells.

The effect of parathyroid hormone on the transport of the model amino acid a amino isobutyric acid (AIB) has been studied in bone cells isolated mechanically from the metaphyses of 40-day-old rats. Chronic treatment with parathyroid extract (0.3 IU PTE/g body weight sc over 5 days) produced a 54% inhibition of AIB transport. The sequence of events after a single large dose of PTE (1 IU/g body weight sc) was subsequently investigated. In the first phase (8–12 hr after hormone administration) PTE stimulated AIB uptake (+30%), while in the second phase (48–72 hr) the transport activity was decreased (—45%). A similar response to hormone occurred both in hypophysectomized and thyrbparathyroidectomized animals, suggesting a primary effect of parathyroid extract rather than a compensatory reaction of thyroid or pituitary. These changes mirror changes in the biosynthesis of collagen previously observed in response to this hormone. (Endocrinology 81: 553, 1967)
Phosphorylation of Both Phosphoacceptor Sites in the HIV-1 Vpu Cytoplasmic Domain Is Essential for Vpu-Mediated ER Degradation of CD4

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpu is phosphorylated at two serine residues (Ser52 and Ser56) present within the acidic dodecapeptide region of the 54-aa cytoplasmic domain. Previous experiments have shown that Vpu phosphorylation is critical for the degradation of CD4 in the endoplasmic reticulum. In this study, we carried out experiments to elucidate the role of individual phosphoacceptor sites in CD4 proteolysis. We show here that acidic amino acids could not functionally substitute for phosphoserines in Vpu that is capable of inducing the degradation of CD4. Our studies have further revealed that phosphorylation of either of the two phosphoacceptor sites is not sufficient to generate a functional Vpu protein. When tested for functional complementation, inactive phosphorylation-proficient Vpu mutants failed to generate Vpu proteins that had the ability to induce the degradation of Vpu-sensitive glycoproteins. The failure to complement was not due to assembly defects in the Vpu protein as unphosphorylated Vpu formed oligomeric complexes in the cell. We also showed that Vpu expression inhibits protein transport in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Our studies have thus revealed that both phosphoserines in Vpu are critical participants in a pathway that leads to the proteolysis of CD4 in the ER and that these phosphoserines should be present on the same subunit of the Vpu protein.
Strategies for Implementing a Tobacco-Free Campus Policy

This report examines the rationale for creating a tobacco-free campus to utilize in passing antitobacco policies, and recommendations for overcoming barriers. As with any type of advocacy effort, a variety of impediments exist, including lack of administrative and staff support, absence of student involvement, and sparse resources. A variety of potential remedies and advocacy opportunities are explored and delineated.
Multi-beam X-ray source breast tomosynthesis reconstruction with different algorithms

Digital breast tomosynthesis is a new technique to improve the early detection of breast cancer by providing three-dimensional reconstruction volume of the object with limited-angle projection images. This paper investigated the image reconstruction with a standard biopsy training breast phantom using a novel multi-beam X-ray sources breast tomosynthesis system. Carbon nanotube technology based X-ray tubes were lined up along a parallel-imaging geometry to decrease the motion blur. Five representative reconstruction algorithms, including back projection (BP), filtered back projection (FBP), matrix inversion tomosynthesis (MITS), maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM) and simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART), were investigated to evaluate the image reconstruction of the tomosynthesis system. Reconstructed images of the masses and micro-calcification clusters embedded in the phantom were studied. The evaluated multi-beam X-ray breast tomosynthesis system is able to generate three-dimensional information of the breast phantom with clearly-identified regions of the masses and calcifications. Future study will be done soon to further improve the imaging parameters' measurement and reconstruction.
Compounds from Syzygium aromaticum possessing growth inhibitory activity against oral pathogens

A crude MeOH extract of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) exhibited preferential growth-inhibitory activity against Gram-negative anaerobic periodontal oral pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia. By means of bioassay-directed chromatographic fractionation, eight active compounds were isolated from this extract and were identified as 5,7-dihydroxy-2-methylchromone 8-C-beta-D-glucopyranoside, biflorin, kaempferol, rhamnocitrin, myricetin, gallic acid, ellagic acid, and oleanolic acid, based on spectroscopic evidence. The antibacterial activity of these pure compounds was determined against Streptococcus mutans, Actinomyces viscosus, P. gingivalis, and P. intermedia. The flavones, kaempferol and myricetin, demonstrated potent growth-inhibitory activity against the periodontal pathogens P. gingivalis and P. intermedia.
T cells respond preferentially to antigens that are similar to self H-2.

Abstract We have constructed bone marrow irradiation chimeras to investigate the influence of self antigens on the specificity of the T lymphocyte receptor repertoire. Bone marrow cells from (A X B)F1 mice heterozygous for the major histocompatibility genes were allowed to mature into T cells in irradiated parent A or parent B strains. More than 8 weeks after irradiation, when the lymphoid system had regenerated from the F1 stem cells, the degree of T cell reactivity to mutant major histocompatibility antigens, A', was assessed. It was found that T cells that had matured in the irradiated A mice, [F1 leads to A] chimeras, responded better to A' antigen than did T cells from the [F1 leads to B] chimeras. Because the mutant histocompatibility antigen A' is very similar in structure to A, differing only by one or a few residues, this suggests that the T cell repertoire in [F1 leads to parent] chimeras reacts preferentially with foreign antigens that are slight variants of the self antigens expressed on radiation-resistant cells--probably cells in the thymus.
LIAS--Library Automation with an Integrated Design.

Through a single computerized system, the Libraries Information Access System (LIAS) provides integrated access to a range of information functions in support of services at all libraries of the Pennsylvania State University. It supports both academic and administrative needs. Its design facilitates access to all components through a common terminal. In development since 1975 by the University Libraries, LIAS is a fully interactive system, providing immediate information about collections and transactions.
Development of Atlas Liner Cassette Power Flow Channel

The original Atlas upper liner cassette joint was based on the Shiva Star design and were of the cryogenic interference type. The upper joint relied exclusively on the interference of the glide plane/liner interface for electrical conductivity and structural integrity. The second-generation cassette was designed to accommodate unpredictable changes in inner power flow channel z-axis geometry by fabricating the liner and liner current joint electrodes as a single piece of aluminum. Deforming a preformed section of the liner as the cassette is assembled makes a current joint between the liner and the return current conductor. Experiments have been conducted with variations of the deformable current joint designs to better understand how the materials fit together, joint configuration, tensile force associated with the joint and the reliability of vacuum integrity at the joint and the resulting shape of the liner. Laser interferometer measurements and finite element analysis are used to analyze the joint.
Creating Effective Board-CEO Relationships and Fundraising to Achieve Successful Student Outcomes.

As increased accountability is demanded of community colleges at the same time that state funding is being drastically cut, presidents must still maintain high standards of teaching and learning while looking for new means of fundraising. Strong support from boards of trustees is necessary for successful governance, which itself relies on effective identification and communication of educational and revenue challenges. This chapter examines some of the challenges as well as some of the avenues to success for effective governance and fundraising under these difficult circumstances.
Nursing Home Admissions and Long-Stay Conversions Among Persons With and Without Serious Mental Illness

The appropriateness of nursing homes for individuals with serious mental illness remains a controversial issue in long-term care policy more than a decade since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court Olmstead decision in 1999, which affirmed the rights of persons with disabilities to live in their communities. Using national nursing home Minimum Data Set assessments from 2005, the authors compared the demographic, clinical, and functional characteristics of persons with and without serious mental illness newly admitted to nursing homes. They found that newly admitted people with serious mental illness were younger and more likely to become long-stay residents than those admitted with other conditions, despite a higher proportion of residents with serious mental illness, including the elderly, classified as low-care status. The most substantial and clinically significant difference for rates of low-care status 90 days after initial admission are for persons younger than 65 with serious mental illness versus those...
EUS-guided drainage of pelvic abscess (with video)

Background Although pelvic abscesses have traditionally been drained by surgery or under radiologic guidance, a small subset of patients who are not candidates for these interventions require an alternate mode of drainage. Objective Evaluate the efficacy of EUS for drainage of pelvic abscesses that could not be drained under US or CT guidance. Design Prospective case series. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Four patients underwent EUS-guided drainage of pelvic abscesses that were not amenable for drainage by US and/or CT guidance. Interventions A 10F drainage catheter was deployed in the abscess cavity under EUS guidance in all patients. The catheters were flushed periodically until resolution of the abscess was confirmed by CT imaging. Main Outcome Measurements Resolution of a pelvic abscess on follow-up CT and improvement in clinical symptoms. Results A drainage catheter was successfully placed in all 4 patients. The mean size of the abscess was 68 × 72 mm. There were no procedure-related complications. One patient died of worsening congestive heart failure 48 hours after the procedure. The abscesses resolved in the remaining 3 patients within a mean duration of 6 days, with complete symptom relief. Limitations A small number of patients and short duration of follow-up. Conclusions EUS-guided placement of drainage catheter is a minimally invasive technique for draining pelvic abscesses that are within the reach of the echoendoscope.
Occupational Level and Holland's Theory for Employed Men and Women.

Abstract The main concern of this study was to investigate occupational level differences among men and women employed in Enterprising environments using the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI) and the Self-Directed Search (SDS). The VPI and SDS were administered to 84 male and female workers at high (insurance managers) and low (route salespersons) occupational levels. All workers were employed in Enterprising environments. The findings showed that high occupational level workers tend to be more differentiated and more masculine than low occupational level workers. In addition, the results revealed that the employed men and women tend to respond differently to the VIP and the SDS. Finally, the evidence indicated that all of the occupational groups obtained mean scores on the Enterprising scale of the two inventories that were consistent with Holland's theoretical predictions.
An Infrared Study of Methanol Synthesis from CO2 on Clean and Potassium-Promoted Cu/SiO2

Abstract Infrared spectroscopy and temperature-programmed reaction (TPR) spectroscopy were used to study hydrogenation of CO2 and CO2/CO mixtures over Cu/SiO2 and potassium-promoted Cu/SiO2 catalysts. Isothermal and temperature-programmed reactions were conducted at temperatures between 303 and 563 K and pressures of 0.1 and 0.72 MPa. The only products observed during the reaction of H2 and CO2 are CO, H2O, and CH3OH. At 0.1 MPa over Cu/SiO2, only 1% of the CO2 reacts to form methanol, the balance forming CO via the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction. Increasing the total pressure to 0.72 MPa and adding CO to the feed (CO/CO2 = 1) improve the methanol selectivity to 26%. Apparent activation energies measured at 480 K during H2/CO2/Ar reaction at 0.72 MPa are 21.1 kcal/mol for methanol synthesis and 15.2 kcal/mol for the RWGS reaction. Substitution of CO for Ar in the feed does not affect the apparent activation barrier for RWGS but lowers that for methanol synthesis to 16.9 kcal/mol. Infrared spectra reveal the following species on the Cu surface during CO2 hydrogenation: bidentate formate, monodentate formate, H2O, CO, and two forms of carbonate. Small concentrations of methanol and methoxy species are also observed. Addition of CO to the H2/CO2 feed increases both bidentate formate coverage and methanol synthesis TOF by 40%. Potassium promotion of Cu/SiO2 accelerates the RWGS reaction but hinders methanol synthesis, reducing methanol selectivity to 1% at 0.72 MPa during the reaction of H2 and CO2. Infrared observations show that potassium promotion stabilizes formate and carboxylate species. Based on the species observed during TPR-IR experiments and previous insights from methanol decomposition studies, a mechanism is proposed for CO2 hydrogenation over Cu. The effects of CO addition to the feed and potassium promotion of Cu can be explained by the proposed scheme.
Statistical Process Control Charting Applied to the Analysis of Human Performance in Computer-Supported Environments

To develop usable Human-Machine Systems, we need Tools to evaluate and measure the length of learning periods, error rate, response time, and transfer of learning in the human operators of these systems (Whiteside, Bennett, and Holtzblatt, 1988). This research explores the use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts as a tool to visualize and analyze performance in a decision-making task. The data submitted to control charting was collected in an experiment that explored the effect of order of training or experience in working with alternate display formats. Results for an individual subject as well as a summary for one of the four experimental groups are discussed. Suggestions for further applications of these techniques are offered.
Minimizing Error Variance Introduced By Missing Data Routines in Survey Analysis

Seven ways of dealing with the problem of missing data are examined in this paper in light of their expected consequences on the strength of association among treated variables. These seven approaches include the (1) delete cases, (2) delete items, (3) sample mean, (4) group mean, (5) pairwise r, (6) regression analysis, and (7) random assignment solutions.
Imaging Xe with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope.

We have obtained images of individual Xe atoms absorbed on a Ni(110) surface using a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The atom-on-jellium model has been used to calculate the apparent height of a Xe atom as imaged with the STM and the result is found to be in good agreement with experiment. We conclude that the Xe 6s resonance, although lying close to the vacuum level, is the origin of the Fermi-level local state density which renders Xe «visible» in the STM
Measurements of polarization- and wavelength-dependent performance of waveguide volume grating couplers

CCD imaging of the output of waveguide volume grating couplers (WVGCs) is used to measure the response of wavelength-dependent and wavelength-independent couplers to TE and TM polarized input light. It is also used to measure the wavelength selectivity of output WVGCs. Experimental results are presented and compared with calculated values.
Quantitative reflectometry of the ocular fundus

This review shows that quantitative measurements of fundus reflectance can be described by models that explicitly incorporate anatomical and physical properties of the fundus tissue. Newer techniques examine the fundus in ways fundamentally different from conventional optics, and must be included in this approach of measurement and modeling. The importance of the "inner surface reflector" (ISR) for tomographic imaging warrants more study of its optical properties, particularly its directional reflectance. For example, because the surface of a glaucomatous optic disc can slope steeply into the cup, the directional reflectance of the ISR may affect its apparent topography and thus the reproducibility of measurements of cup size. >
Extracting fundamental photochemical and photophysical information from photorearrangements of aryl phenylacylates and aryl benzyl ethers in media comprised of polyolefinic films

Abstract A review is presented of the use of photo-Fries rearrangements of aryl esters and photo-Claisen rearrangements of aryl ethers to probe the microenvironments of polyolefinic media and of the use of polyolefinic media to increase the selectivity of the photoreactions. Related photophysical data and results from photoreactions of the same probe molecules in ‘model’ isotropic media are employed in the analyses. For the most part, the focus is on studies performed by the authors. Factors associated with the directing influences of the ‘reaction cages’ of the polymers on singlet radical pair intermediates in these reactions are discussed. They include (1) small differences between the trajectory of approach of phenylacyl and benzylic radicals when bonding to their aryloxy radical partners in a cage and (2) the intrinsic reactivity of the aryloxy radicals. It is shown that the interplay between the polymeric hosts and their guests is complex, involving structural and dynamic factors that can be “tuned” to lead to very selective photochemical transformations. Information about both the mechanisms of transformations of the guests and the micromorphology of the polymer hosts is revealed and dissected.
Subroutine for the computation of equilibrium concentrations for the elementary bimolecular cycle.

Abstract A subroutine is described, allowing the computation of equilibrium concentrations for an enzyme system, labeled “Elementary Bimolecular Cycle”, or also “The Quadratic Scheme”. The cycle consists of four bimolecular steps with free enzyme, two different bimolecular enzyme complexes and one termolecular enzyme complex. The system is related to a wide variety of enzyme reactions. If the analytical concentrations of the three principal components are in the range of the dissociation constants and also are comparable with each other, the originally cubic equation cannot be reduced to a linear equation or even a quadratic equation. The numerical solution is presented here together with a variety of test results.
One-Pot, Bioinspired Coatings To Reduce the Flammability of Flexible Polyurethane Foams

In this manuscript, natural materials were combined into a single “pot” to produce flexible, highly fire resistant, and bioinspired coatings on flexible polyurethane foam (PUF). In one step, PUF was coated with a fire protective layer constructed of a polysaccharide binder (starch or agar), a boron fire retardant (boric acid or derivative), and a dirt char former (montmorillonite clay). Nearly all coatings produced a 63% reduction in a critical flammability value, the peak heat release rate (PHRR). One formulation produced a 75% reduction in PHRR. This technology was validated in full-scale furniture fire tests, where a 75% reduction in PHRR was measured. At these PHRR values, this technology could reduce the fire threat of furniture from significant fire damage in and beyond the room of fire origin to being contained to the burning furniture. This flammability reduction was caused by three mechanisms—the gas-phase and condensed-phase processes of the boron fire retardant and the condensed-phase process o...
Development of a Methodology to Evaluate Projects Using Dynamic Traffic Assignment Models

The identification and selection of performance measures play an important role in any decision making process. Additionally, millions of dollars are spent on appropriate planning and identification of prospective projects for improvements. As a result, current practitioners spend a lot of time and money in prioritizing their limited resources. This research proposes two tasks: 1) estimation of performance measures using a simulation based on dynamic traffic assignment model, and 2) development of a methodology to evaluate multiple projects based on benefit-cost analysis. The model, DynusT, is used for the Las Vegas roadway network during the morning peak time period. A comparative analysis of the results from proposed methodology with existing California Benefit-Cost (Cal-B/C) models is presented. The results indicate that the new methodology provides an accurate benefit-cost ratio of the projects. In addition, it signifies that the existing Cal-B/C models underestimate the benefits associated with the prospective project improvements. The major contribution of this research is the simultaneous estimation of the performance measures and development of a methodology to evaluate multiple projects. This is helpful to decision makers to rank and prioritize future projects in a cost-effective manner. Planning and operational policies for the transportation systems can be developed based on the gained insights from this study.
An analytical two-dimensional perturbation method to model submicron GaAs MESFETs

A two-dimensional analytical model has been developed for finding the potential distribution in submicron GaAs MESFETs. The potential distribution is obtained by solving Poisson's equation with nonrectangular boundary conditions using a perturbation method. The expression for the potential is used to derive the current-voltage relation for GaAs MESFETs having channel lengths ranging from 0.2 to 0.9 mu m. The model is applicable in the linear, saturation, and subthreshold regimes of the current-voltage characteristics. Numerically simulated results are compared with experimental data and are found to be in good agreement. >
Vowel duration characteristics of esophageal speech.

The duration of a large number of representative vowels produced by 10 esophageal and nine normal speakers were measured. Overall vowel durations of esophageal speakers were consistently longer tha...
Automatically identifying reusable OO legacy code

Much object oriented code has been written without reuse in mind, making identification of useful components difficult. The Patricia (Program Analysis Tool for Reuse) system automatically identifies these components through understanding comments and identifiers. To understand a program, Patricia uses a unique heuristic approach, deriving information from the linguistic aspects of comments and identifiers and from other nonlinguistic aspects of OO code, such as a class hierarchy. In developing the Patricia system, we had to overcome the problems of syntactically parsing natural language comments and syntactically analyzing identifiers-all prior to a semantic understanding of the comments and identifiers. Another challenge was the semantic understanding phase, when the organization of the knowledge base and an inferencing scheme were developed.
Can mammographic and sonographic imaging features predict the Oncotype DX™ recurrence score in T1 and T2, hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative and axillary lymph node negative breast cancers?

To determine whether mammographic or sonographic features can predict the Oncotype DX™ recurrence scores (RS) in patients with TI–II, hormone receptor (HR) positive, HER2/neu negative and node negative breast cancers. Institutional board review was obtained and informed consent was waived for this retrospective study. Seventy-eight patients with stage I–II invasive breast cancer that was HR positive, HER2 negative, and lymph node negative for whom mammographic and or sonographic imaging and Oncotype DX™ assay scores were available were included in the study Four breast dedicated radiologists blinded to the RS retrospectively described the lesions according to BI-RADS lexicon descriptors. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test for significant independent predictors of low (<18) versus intermediate to high range (≥18). Two imaging features reached statistical significance in predicting low from intermediate or high risk RS: pleomorphic microcalcifications within a mass (P = 0.017); OR 8.37, 95 % CI (1.47–47.79) on mammography and posterior acoustic enhancement in a mass on ultrasound (P = 0.048); OR 4.35, 95 % CI (1.01–18.73) on multivariable logistic regression. A mass with pleomorphic microcalcifications on mammography or the presence of posterior acoustic enhancement on ultrasound may predict an intermediate to high RS as determined by the Oncotype DXTM assay in patients with stage I–II HR positive, HER2 negative, and lymph node negative invasive breast cancer.
Municipal publications: A selective bibliographic guide to 153 cities

Abstract Bibliographic control of municipal publications varies greatly from municipality to municipality and in most cases may be termed irregular. Librarians want ways to identify and gain access to municipal activities for their own and other municipalities. This bibliography provides selective information for approximately 87 percent of the United States cities eligible for inclusion in Greenwood Press's Index to Current Urban Documents. It also includes data for Boulder, Colorado; Tallahassee, Florida; Springfield, Illinois; and Carson City, Nevada. Excluded from consideration were Canadian cities, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
On Accepting Relationships between People with Mental Retardation and Non-disabled People: Towards an Understanding of Acceptance

ABSTRACT This article outlines the “sociology of acceptance” as a theoretical framework for understanding relationships between people with mental retardation and typical people. As a point of departure, the authors review sociocultural perspectives on deviance and explore their contribution to the study of mental retardation. Based on qualitative research on community programs for people with severe disabilities, the authors next examine the nature of accepting relationships and describe four sentiments expressed by typical people who form relationships with people with mental retardation: family; religious commitment; humanitarian sentiments; and feelings of friendship. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the implications of a sociology of acceptance for the field of mental retardation.
A new method of fitting approximate vibrational spectra to heat capacities of solids with Tarasov functions

A new, least-squares optimization method with interpolation is devised to fit skeletal vibrational heat capacities to the two parameters θ1 and θ3 in the Tarasov function used for heat capacity calculations of linear macromolecules. When heat capacities are available in the proper temperature range, θ1 and θ3 can be determined uniquely in a single computer run. Appended to our Advanced THermal Analysis System (ATHAS), this new method offers an improvement in analyzing heat capacity data and facilitates the systematic study of the physical significance of θ1 and θ3 values for all polymers and related molecules of the ATHAS data bank.
A Sociocultural Perspective on Language Learning Strategies: The Role of Mediation

Sociocultural theory maintains that social interaction and cultural institutions, such as schools, classrooms, etc., have important roles to play in an individual's cognitive growth and development. The purpose of this paper is specifically to address the issue of the development of language learning strategies within sociocultural theory. Through a case study of an intact college French class whose learning was mediated by the use of a portfolio assessment procedure, we will attempt to show how reconfiguring the culture of the language classroom can contribute to the growth and development of strategic learning. We will argue that sociocultural theory can provide an explanatory framework for understanding and refining our notions of how learners become competent members of a language learning community (36). We will also show how participation in this community is characterized by the learner's ability to develop, reflect upon, and refine their own language learning strategies (16; 17). Evidence will be provided that support the notion that the development of language learning strategies is mainly a by-product of mediation and socialization into a community of language learning practice. This approach differs from much of the research on learning strategies that emphasizes the identification of strategy types (25), variables affecting the choice of strategies (31), or investigations of their teach ability and learnability (4; 29). Moreover, this perspective also questions the notion that "strategies are perhaps the product of one's cognitive style, personality, or hemispheric preference" (15: p. 199). Rather, sociocultural theory maintains that emergence of strategies is a process directly connected to the practices of cultural groups through which novices develop into competent members of these communities.
Intentions and outcomes in the radiotherapeutic management of epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma

The indications for and outcome of radiotherapy for 226 epidemic Kaposi's sarcomas are reported. The overall likelihood of obtaining complete regression of tumor masses was 68%, although residual purple pigmentation remained in 20%. Local recurrence developed in 9%. The indications for treatment were not equally represented. Palliation of pain or improvement of the patient's appearance were the most common indications for treatment. Kaposi's sarcoma lesions do not all behave in a like manner. Best fit log-linear models of associations among the variables were derived. They demonstrated that the combination of treatment intention, anatomic site, and Karnofsky score predicted the short-term and long-term tumor response. The intention of treatment was closely linked to the anatomic site of treatment and in concert directly influenced outcome. The host's Karnofsky score was an independent predictive factor, but had less impact on outcome than did site or intention. Our data demonstrate that case selection can markedly alter the observed response rate of epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma to radiotherapy. This finding should be considered in future analyses of trials that test the efficacy of treatment for this disease.
Phosphorylation of intermediate filament proteins by cAMP-dependent protein kinases

Abstract The intermediate filament proteins, desmin and vimentin, are phosphorylated in skeletal muscle cells in vivo. Desmin kinase activities have been purified from mature chicken skeletal muscle and identified as the cAMP-dependent kinases. Chicken skeletal muscle contains two cAMP-dependent protein kinases which are similar to those of other tissues in their subunit composition and chromatographic behavior. The catalytic subunits purified from the two chicken cAMP-dependent kinases phosphorylate both desmin and vimentin in vitro, using cytoskeletal residues prepared from cultured myogenic cells as a substrate. Likewise, the purified catalytic subunits of the rabbit skeletal muscle and bovine heart cAMP-dependent protein kinases phosphorylate desmin and vimentin in vitro. Desmin and vimentin phosphorylation by the rabbit skeletal muscle catalytic subunit is inhibited by the addition of its regulatory subunit. This inhibition is reversed by the presence of cAMP in the reaction mixture. A small fraction of the vimentin phosphorylation is cAMP-independent. Tryptic peptide analysis of desmin phosphorylated in vivo shows two major phosphopeptides. Serine is the phosphorylated amino acid in both peptides. The same two peptides are phosphorylated in vitro by the bovine heart catalytic subunit, but additional peptides are also phosphorylated.
An integrated web environment for fast access and easy management of a synchrotron beam line

Tired of all the time spent on the phone or sending emails to schedule beam time? Why not make your own schedule when it is convenient to you? The integrated web environment at the NIGMS East Coast Structural Biology Research Facility allows users to schedule their own beam time as if they were making travel arrangements and provides staff with a set of toolkits for management of routine tasks. These unique features are accessible through the MediaWiki-powered home pages. Here we describe the main features of this web environment that have shown to allow for an efficient and effective interaction between the users and the facility.
Gene expression profile of activated microglia under conditions associated with dopamine neuronal damage

Microglia are the resident antigen-presenting cells within the central nervous system (CNS), and they serve immune-like functions in protecting the brain against injury and invading pathogens. By contrast, activated microglia can secrete numerous reactants that damage neurons. The pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases has been associated with microglial activation, but the signaling pathways that program a neuronally protective or destructive phenotype in microglia are not known. To increase the understanding of microglial activation, microarray analysis was used to profile the transcriptome of BV-2 microglial cells after activation. Microglia were activated by lipopolysaccharide, the HIV neurotoxic protein TAT, and dopamine quinone, each of which has been linked to dopamine neuronal damage. We identified 210 of 9882 genes whose expression was differentially regulated by all activators (116 increased and 94 decreased in expression). Gene ontology analysis assigned up-regulated genes to a number of specific biological processes and molecular functions, including immune response, inflammation, and cytokine/chemokine activity. Genes down-regulated in expression contribute to conditions that are permissive of microglial migration, lowered adhesion to matrix, lessened phagocytosis, and reduction in receptors that oppose chemotaxis and inflammation. These results elaborate a broad profile of microglial genes whose expression is altered by conditions associated with both neurodegenerative diseases and microglial activation.
Xenorhabdus nematophila Requires an Intact iscRSUA-hscBA-fdx Operon To Colonize Steinernema carpocapsae Nematodes

An insertion between iscA and hscB of the Xenorhabdus nematophila iscRSUA-hscBA-fdx locus, predicted to encode Fe-S assembly machinery, prevented colonization of Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes. The insertion disrupted cotranscription of iscA and hscB, but did not reduce hscBA expression, suggesting that X. nematophila requires coordinated expression of the isc-hsc-fdx locus for colonization.
Application of the Likelihood Ratio Test To Age Estimation Using the Infant and Child Temporal Bone

Several developmental changes in the skull of infants and children are well documented and have been used in the estimation of age at death of infants and children. This paper will present a feature of the infant and child temporal bone, the development of the tympanic plate (floor) of the external auditory meatus, which has recently proven useful in age estimation. Through the use of the Likelihood Ratio Test (Sprott, '73), a six-stage developmental sequence for the tympanic plate has been evaluated. Analysis of the tympanic plate developmental sequence has produced the following age categories: fetal, newborn, six months, one to two and one-half years. A general discussion of the basis and potential applications of the Likelihood Ratio Test for analysis of stages and other ordinal data is offered.
A single nucleotide polymorphism in the E-cadherin gene promoter alters transcriptional activities.

E-cadherin plays a critical role in many aspects of cell adhesion, epithelial development, and the establishment and maintenance of epithelial polarity. The loss of the adhesive function of E-cadherin is a critical step in the promotion of epithelial cells to a more malignant phenotype. We identified a C/A single nucleotide polymorphism at −160 from the transcriptional start site of the E-cadherin gene promoter. Transient transfection experiments showed that the A allele of this polymorphism decreased the transcriptional efficiency by 68% compared with the C allele ( P < 0.001). Electrophoretic mobility shift and footprinting assays revealed that the C allele had a stronger transcriptional factor binding strength than the A allele. These results indicate that the− 160 C/A polymorphism has a direct effect on E-cadherin gene transcriptional regulation. This allelic variation may be a potential genetic marker that can help identify those individuals at higher risk for invasive/metastatic diseases.
Characteristics of third-party money management for persons with psychiatric disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined different types of third-party money management arrangements for persons with psychiatric disabilities and consumers' perceptions of their finances in the context of these arrangements. METHODS: Clinical and demographic data were collected through structured interviews and record reviews for 240 persons with a diagnosis of a psychotic or major affective disorder who had been involuntarily hospitalized and were awaiting discharge on outpatient commitment in North Carolina. All consumers were receiving Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance. RESULTS: Third-party money management arrangements were reported by 102 (41 percent) of the study participants. A majority (77 percent) of these consumers had their finances managed by a family member. Consumers with third-party money managers were more likely to have a median annual income below $5,000, to have a diagnosis of a primary psychotic disorder, and to have substance use problems. Most participants w...
Theoretical analysis of the max/Median filter

Median filtering has been used successfully for extracting features from noisy one-dimensional signals; however, the extension of the one-dimensional case to higher dimensions has not always yielded satisfactory results. Although noise suppression is obtained, too much signal distortion is introduced and many features of interest are lost. In this paper, we introduce a multidimensional filter based on a combination of one-dimensional median estimates. It is shown that threshold decomposition holds for this class of filters, making the deterministic analysis simpler. Invariant signals to the filter, called root signals, consist of very low resolution features making this filter much more attractive than conventional median filters.