cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aggregation of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase in familial and sporadic ALS.

Abstract Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the selective death of motor neurons. While the most common form of ALS is sporadic and has no known cause, a small subset of cases is familial because of underlying genetic mutations. The best-studies example of familial ALS is that caused by mutations in the protein copper–zinc superoxide dismutase. The formation of SOD1-rich inclusions in the spinal cord is an early and prominent feature of SOD1-linked familial ALS in human patients and animal models of this disease. These inclusions have been shown to consist of SOD1-rich fibrils, suggesting that the conversion of soluble SOD1 into amyloid fibrils may play an important role in the etiology of familial ALS. SOD1 is also present in inclusions found in spinal cords of sporadic ALS patients, allowing speculations to arise regarding a possible involvement of SOD1 in the sporadic form of this disease. We here review the recent research on the sign...
Localization of calcium antimonate in the atrial and ventricular muscle fibers of the cat heart.

Abstract The technique of using potassium antimonate to precipitate sodium ions selectively in neutral or in weakly alkaline solutions has been used in preparing cardiac tissues for electronmicroscopic studies. We have observed, however, that potassium antimonate also precipitates calcium ions in these solutions. Since this reaction is not specific for sodium ions, the electron-dense precipitates in antimonate-treated tissues probably contain both sodium and calcium antimonate. But the calcium antimonate can be chelated by EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) or EGTA [(ethylene-bis-oxyethylenenitrilo) tetraacetic acid], separating it from the sodium antimonate. This permitted study of the localization of calcium as an antimonate precipitate in the atrial and ventricular muscle fibers of the cat heart. Calcium antimonate was found mainly in the nuclei and in the I bands of both the atrial and ventricular muscle fibers. Mitochondria contain a modest amount of calcium antimonate precipitate. Calcium is also clearly localized to the longitudinal tubules and the lateral sacs of the sarcoplasmic reticulum of ventricular muscle fibers; less clearly so in atrial muscle fibers. In addition, a significant amount of calcium is found in L lines on both sides of the M bands in ventricular muscle fibers.
A holistic approach to high-performance computing: xgrid experience

The Ringling School of Art and Design is a fully accredited four-year college of visual arts and design. With a student to computer ratio of better than 2-to-1, the Ringling School has achieved national recognition for its large-scale integration of technology into collegiate visual art and design education. We have found that Mac OS X is the best operating system to train future artists and designers. Moreover, we can now buy Macs to run high-end graphics, nonlinear video editing, animation, multimedia, web production, and digital video applications rather than expensive UNIX workstations. As visual artists cross from paint on canvas to creating in the digital realm, the demand for a high-performance computing environment grows. In our public computer laboratories, students use the computers most often during the workday; at night and on weekends the computers see only light use. In order to harness the lost processing time for tasks such as video rendering, we are testing Xgrid, a suite of Mac OS X applications recently developed by Apple for parallel and distributed high-performance computing. As with any new technology deployment, IT managers need to consider a number of factors as they assess, plan, and implement Xgrid. Therefore, we would like to share valuable information we learned from our implementation of an Xgrid environment with our colleagues. In our report, we will address issues such as assessing the needs for grid computing, potential applications, management tools, security, authentication, integration into existing infrastructure, application support, user training, and user support. Furthermore, we will discuss the issues that arose and the lessons learned during and after the implementation process.
A Family of Vortices to Study Axisymmetric Vortex Breakdown and Reconnection

A new analytic model describing a family of vortices has been developed to study some of the axisymmetric vortex breakdown and reconnection fluid dynamic processes underlying body-vortex interactions that are frequently manifested in rotorcraft and propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft wakes. The family of vortices incorporates a wide range of prescribed initial vorticity distributions -- including single or dual-core vorticity distributions. The result is analytical solutions for the vorticity and velocities for each member of the family of vortices. This model is of sufficient generality to further illustrate the dependence of vortex reconnection and breakdown on initial vorticity distribution as was suggested by earlier analytical work. This family of vortices, though laminar in nature, is anticipated to provide valuable insight into the vortical evolution of large-scale rotor and propeller wakes.
Transformation twinning in carbon-doped PrCo2 magnetic crystals

Abstract A rhombohedral PrCo2Cx (x = 0·05–0·25) phase (space group, R 3 m) was observed and characterized in an original cubic PrCo2 hard magnet (space group, Fd3 m) after adding carbon. The rhombohedral crystal is heavily twinned along the {110} and {211} planes. The twinning mechanism was explored by analysing the reduction in crystal symmetry due to the cubic-to-rhombohedral phase transformation. The origin of the twinning and the formation of four twin variants were attributed to the insertion of carbon interstitials into Co4 tetrahedra along the 3 axis in the rhombohedral lattice, which corresponds to one of the four equivalent (111) axes of the parent cubic lattice.
Black-white and pattern discrimination in rats without photoreceptors

Abstract The discrimination performance of rats whose retinas lacked receptor cells was compared with the performance of normal, control rats. Retinal degeneration was produced by exposing animals to 30 days of constant light at 18 ft-c intensity. Both control rats and those with retinal degeneration were trained and tested in a T-maze on a black-white discrimination and two pattern discriminations. In the pattern tasks, the discriminanda consisted of targets with alternating black-and-white stripes oriented either horizontally or vertically. In the easier pattern discrimination the black-and-white stripes were 0.8 cm wide and in the more difficult pattern task they were 0.4 cm wide. The general finding was that rats without receptor cells were not impaired on any of the discrimination tests used in this experiment, but could readily perform at high levels on both black-white and pattern tasks. They could not only retain a visual habit learned prior to the degeneration, but could learn new discriminations at rates indistinguishable from control animals. The results strongly suggest that retinal elements other than receptor cells are sensitive to light.
Pore-opening mechanism in trimeric P2X receptor channels

The opening of ion channels in response to ligand binding, voltage or membrane stretch underlies electrical and chemical signalling throughout biology. Two structural classes of pore-opening mechanisms have been established, including bending of pore-lining helices in the case of tetrameric cation channels, or tilting of such helices in mechanosensitive channels. In this paper, we explore how the structure of the pore changes during opening in P2X receptors by measuring the modification of introduced cysteine residues in transmembrane helices by thiol-reactive reagents, and by engineering metal bridges. Our results are consistent with the X-ray structure of the closed state, and demonstrate that expansion of the gate region in the external pore is accompanied by a significant narrowing of the inner pore, indicating that pore-forming helices straighten on ATP binding to open the channel. This unique pore-opening mechanism has fundamental implications for the role of subunit interfaces in the gating mechanism of P2X receptors and points to a role of the internal pore in ion permeation.
The Slave Girls of Baghdad: the Qiyān in the early Abbasid eraFUAD MATTHEW CASWELL

To write women securely into medieval Islamic/Near Eastern history, the concubines and ‘courtesans’ of Abbasid court society (Baghdad and Samarra, circa 750–900 C.E.) offer a compelling and, even, ...
Emulating the Prospector Expert System with a raster GIS

Abstract Recent enhancements to the MAPS public-domain raster geographic information system (GIS) allow it to emulate the methodology of the Prospector Expert System. This pragmatic implementation deviates from the classic methods of expert systems, forward and backward chaining, but uses the standard GIS method of cartographic modeling. This allows faster processing of cell maps, but requires that the rule base be ordered before use. There is some evidence in the original description of Prospector of deviation from the reported method of backward chaining. The Prospector methodology is discussed, and step-by-step examples of Bayesian inference, fuzzy logic, and certainty calculations are presented. Expert systems provide the ability to process a cartographic model with missing or incomplete data. A simplified model of the original Prospector rules determining a favorable location to drill for copper was used to test this methodology. This model can accept up to 26 maps as input. The example in this paper uses 23 maps. The results are compared with those of the original Prospector report.
Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus K5 removes CD31/PECAM from endothelial cells

The transmembrane ubiquitin ligase K5/MIR2 of Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) mediates internalization and lysosomal degradation of glycoproteins involved in antigen presentation and co-stimulation. In endothelial cells (ECs), K5 additionally reduced expression of CD31/platelet–endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM), an adhesion molecule regulating cell-cell interactions of ECs, platelets, monocytes, and T cells. K5 also reduced EC migration, a CD31-dependent process. Unlike other K5 substrates, both newly synthesized and pre-existing CD31 molecules were targeted by K5. K5 was transported to the cell surface and ubiquitinated pre-existing CD31, resulting in endocytosis and lysosomal degradation. In the endoplasmic reticulum, newly synthesized CD31 was degraded by proteasomes, which required binding of phosphofurin acidic cluster sorting protein-2 (PACS-2) to acidic residues in the carboxyterminal tail of K5. Thus, CD31, a novel target of K5, is efficiently removed from ECs by a dual degradation mechanism that is regulated by the subcellular sorting of the ubiquitin ligase. K5-mediated degradation of CD31 is likely to affect EC function in KS tumors.
PCR, direct sequencing, and the comparative approach.

P C R has relieved much of the experimental drudgery of molecular biology and dramatically improved the sensitivity of many diagnostic procedures. These practical advantages are having a profound impact on the fields of molecular systematics and comparative biology. The reason is that PCR has made possible the analysis of previously intractable small, old, and poorly preserved samples and greatly facilitated the rapid cloning and sequencing of large numbers of samples. DNA sequences allow finer resolution of phylogenies, represent stable characters for taxonomic identification, and provide new insight into the patterns of evolutionary change in genes. This review will focus primarily on the impact of PCR on the field of molecular systematics, but I will also argue for the incorporation of a more comparative approach into molecular biology in general. Sequence data can be a "common currency" which can intellectually link evolutionary and molecular biology, to the advantage of both fields.
The Diffraction of Kelvin Waves and Bores at Coastal Bends.

Abstract Bends in coastal mountain ranges may diffract propagating atmospheric Kelvin waves and trapped coastal currents. Analytic solutions exist for the diffraction of both linear Kelvin waves and linear nonrotating gravity waves. Within the context of the single-layer shallow-water equations, we examine the diffraction of nonlinear gravity waves and bores in a nonrotating reference frame and nonlinear Kelvin waves and coastally trapped bores in a rotating reference frame. The diffraction process can significantly decrease the amplitude of linear and nonlinear waves and bores in the nonrotating reference frame. Unlike for their linear counterpart, however, the diffraction-related amplitude decay for the nonrotating nonlinear waves takes place entirely within the region of the bend and does not produce a continuous decay after the bend. Moreover, theory predicts a critical bend angle at which bore amplitudes will be zero at the wall after propagation around the bend, but shallow-water model simulations d...
Tumors of the Retrorectal Space

Retrorectal tumors are a diverse group of masses derived from a variety of embryologic origins. Because of this, some confusion is associated with their diagnosis and management. Although rare, a basic understanding of the etiology, presentation, work-up, and treatment of retrorectal masses is essential. The incidence, classification, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of these masses are presented. A comprehensive review of the literature is included in our analysis. Retrorectal lesions can be classified as congenital, inflammatory, neurogenic, osseous, or miscellaneous. Benign and malignant lesions behave similarly. The most common presentation is an asymptomatic mass discovered on routine rectal examination, but certain nonspecific symptoms can be elicited by careful history. Biopsy of these lesions should be avoided to prevent tumor seeding, fecal fistula, meningitis, and abscess formation. Complete surgical resection, usually after appropriate specialized imaging, remains the cornerstone of their treatment. Three approaches commonly used for resection are abdominal, transsacral, or a combined abdominosacral approach. Prognosis is directly related primarily to local control, which often is difficult to achieve for malignant lesions. Retrorectal masses present a challenging surgical problem from diagnosis to treatment. A high index of suspicion and resultant early diagnosis, followed by thorough preoperative planning, is required for optimal management and outcome.
Sensor data modeling and validating for wireless soil sensor network

Actual wireless sensor actuation network in high-tunnel greenhouse.Real time monitoring of greenhouse temperature, humidity, soil moisture.Novel sensor data modeling, clustering and filtering.Model based sensor reading validation and prediction.Performance evaluation with soil moisture data measurement. Precise modeling of field sensor data is an important link in precision agriculture which uses a wireless network for data collecting and field management. A good sensor model allows accurate prediction of environmental variables even with incomplete sensor data and provides basis to assess the quality of sensor readings. We investigate a clustered sensor model using observations of nearby sensors. The proposed method uses a cluster of self-evolving sub-models to model the dynamic and correlation between the networked field sensors. Each cluster represents a set of closely-related sensor attributes. The model is shown to produce accurate sensor prediction when proper attributes are selected during model training. The clustered sensor model is evaluated using field data collected in a high tunnel greenhouse. Our experiment data indicate that correlation of sensor attributes can be identified from training data and significantly improve prediction accuracy with the presence of faulty sensor data.
Ectoderm as a determinant of early tissue pattern in the limb bud

This review considers the hypothesis that the limb bud ectoderm establishes the initial pattern of the various mesodermal components within the limb bud. The evidence reviewed supports the hypothesis that the ectoderm establishes a peripheral, non-chondrogenic, avascular sleeve around the limb bud. The ectodermal influence is a diffusible factor that acts by altering the collagenous extracellular matrix so that cell flattening and fibrogenic differentiation are promoted. It is hypothesized that just within this sleeve is a vascular-rich zone where myogenic cells migrate in response to a chemotactic influence. In the center of the limb bud is the prechondrogenic core, whose size determines the number of skeletal elements which subsequently form. The dimensions of the developing limb bud are established during distal limb outgrowth by the reciprocal interaction between the apical ectodermal ridge, which has a mitogenic influence, and the underlying mesoderm.
Plasma assisted deposition techniques and synthesis of novel materials

Abstract Various industrial applications have been found for plasma assisted deposition processes in the synthesis of a variety of compound films. These include dielectric, metallic and semiconducting films for microelectronics, optics and optoelectronics, as well as hard carbides and nitrides for cutting and forming tools, sulfides for solid lubricants and solid state batteries, etc. The uniqueness of plasma assisted deposition processes lies in their ability to synthesize complex films at relatively low substrate temperatures. These processes enable film properties to be varied over a wide range by control of the plasma conditions e.g. electron density, energy and distribution function. Therefore, plasma assisted deposition processes have attracted a great deal of interest in recent years. We present a review of plasma assisted deposition techniques currently used in industry, in terms of their potential and their limitations for synthesis of novel materials such as diamond, cubic boron nitride, etc. Results of experimental work in our laboratory are also discussed.
Applied cognition and training research to address emerging military requirements

Modeling, Simulation and Training (MS&T) technologies have provided significant capabilities for Military training and mission rehearsal. However, most of the state-of-the-art MS&T systems used today are high fidelity, stand alone systems, routinely staffed by a team of support and instructional personnel. As the military becomes more reliant on these technologies to support ever changing concepts of operations, they are asking for numerous technological advancements including 1) automated instructional features to reduce the number of personnel required for exercises, 2) increased capability for adaptation of human computer interfaces to support individual differences and embedded performance support in operational settings, and 3) a continuum of low to high fidelity system components to provide embedded, deployable and transportable solutions. A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at the University of Central Florida's (UCF) Institute for Simulation and Training (IST) Applied Cognition and Training in Immersive Virtual Environments Lab (ACTIVE), lead by Dr. Denise Nicholson, is performing research and development to address these emerging requirements as part of on-going projects for Navy, Marine Corps and Army customers. In this paper we will discuss some of the challenges that confront researchers in this area and how the ACTIVE lab hopes to respond to these challenges.
Gas chromatographic measurement of carbon monoxide in hydrocarbon matrices with a redox chemiluminescence detector

The rapid measurement of trace levels of carbon monoxide in ethylene by gas chromatography with redox chemiluminescence detection is described. Linear response for carbon monoxide over three decades and a detection limit in the sub-parts per million by volume (ppmv) concentration range were observed without methanation or preconcentration of the sample. Samples containing 0.2 ppmv of carbon monoxide in ethylene were readily quantitated.
Theoretical calculations of nuclear spin coupling of phosphorus to carbon and hydrogen by the finite perturbation method

Finite perturbation calculations using CNDO/2 wave functions are presented for the determination of 31P13C and 31P1H couplings. The calculations were carried out on 46 molecules and a comparison with experimental values is given. The groups of compounds considered were phosphonium cations, phosphine oxides, alkylidenephosphoranes, phosphine sulfides, phosphoranes and phosphines. With the exception of phosphines, the finite perturbation approach reproduces the experimental couplings with fair accuracy. It is found that there is a good correlation with the calculated 1J(P, C) and the phosphorus 3s-carbon 2s bond orders for tetra- and pentavalent phosphorus compounds. This lends support to the growing body of evidence for the direct relationship of the magnitude of 1J(P, C) and percent s character in the hybrid orbital on the carbon comprising the PC bond. The finite perturbation technique was also used to explore the effects of geometrical changes on PC and PH couplings. Finally, the effect of deleting d orbitals on phosphorus is discussed briefly.
Geometry and kinematics of active normal faults, South Oquirrh Mountains, Utah: implication for fault growth

Abstract The NNW-striking South Oquirrh Mountains normal fault zone consists of four individual faults. The individual faults are arranged in a right-stepping pattern in the north and a left-stepping pattern in the south, forming a convex-shaped fault zone in map view with the apex towards the hanging wall. Late Quaternary fault activity is characterized by 2.0–4.5 m high discontinuous fault scarps developed in both late Quaternary alluvium and bedrock. The fault scarps in bedrock contain evidence of two large rupture events. The last large earthquake occurred prior to the highstand of the Bonneville lake cycle (15 ka), based on cross-cutting relationship between the Bonneville shoreline and the fault scarp, and on comparisons of fault scarp morphology. Cumulative displacement patterns inferred from range crest elevations, Bouguer gravity data in the adjacent basin and rotation of the subsidiary faults adjacent to the West Mercur fault are similar to the pattern of displacements measured across late Quaternary fault scarps; that is, the maximum displacement is near the apex of the convex-shaped fault zone, where the West Mercur fault is located, and then tapers off towards both ends of the fault zone. Fault traces that range from a few meters to tens of kilometers long are characterized by two dominant orientations (strike N11°W and N43°W): the two orientations are separated from each other by a statistically constant angle of 33° ± 3°. Slip directions concentrate on a trend of S70°W for both groups of faults, perpendicular to the average strike of the fault zone. These data indicate that the geometry of the fault surfaces is non-cylindrical and may be composed of self-similar structural ridges and troughs of variable wavelength and amplitude that are elongated parallel to slip direction. The relationships between fault geometry, displacement and geomorphology in the South Oquirrh Mountains fault zone suggests a growth model of normal faults in which apex points on the convex-shaped fault sections mark the nucleation points of primary faults. Secondary faults developed at the ends of the primary fault step into the footwall block as the fault zone grows laterally. Intersecting regions between two laterally growing fault zones are concave-shaped in map view.
Short communication: Evaluation of acid-insoluble ash and indigestible neutral detergent fiber as total-tract digestibility markers in dairy cows fed corn silage-based diets

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate acid-insoluble ash (AIA) and indigestible NDF (iNDF) as intrinsic digestibility markers in comparison with total fecal collection (TC) in dairy cows fed corn silage- and alfalfa haylage-based diets. The experiment was part of a larger experiment, which involved 8 Holstein cows [102±28.4 d in milk, 26.4±0.27 kg/d of dry matter (DM) intake, and 43±5.3 kg/d milk yield]. The experimental design was a replicated 4×4 Latin square with the following treatments: metabolizable protein (MP)-adequate diet [15.6% crude protein (CP); high-CP], MP-deficient diet (14.0% CP; low-CP), and 2 other low-CP diets supplemented (top-dressed) with ruminally protected Lys or Lys and Met. Data for the 3 low-CP diets were combined for this analysis. Total feces were collected for 5 consecutive days during each period to estimate total-tract apparent digestibility. Digestibility was also estimated using AIA (digestion with 2 N HCl) and iNDF (12-d ruminal incubation in 25-μm-pore-size bags). Significant diet × digestibility method interactions were observed for fecal output of nutrients and digestibility. Fecal output of nutrients estimated using AIA or iNDF was lower compared with TC and fecal output of DM, organic matter, and CP tended to be higher for iNDF compared with AIA for the high-CP diet. For the low-CP diet, however, fecal output of all nutrients was lower for AIA compared with TC and was higher for iNDF compared with TC. Data from this experiment showed that, compared with TC, AIA underestimated fecal output and overestimated digestibility, particularly evident with the fiber fractions and the protein-deficient diet. Compared with TC, fecal output was overestimated and digestibility of the low-CP diet was underestimated when iNDF was used as a marker, although the magnitude of the difference was smaller compared with that for AIA. In the conditions of the current study, iNDF appeared to be a more reliable digestibility marker than AIA in terms of detecting dietary differences in apparent digestibility of some nutrients, but significant diet × marker interactions existed that need to be considered when estimating total-tract digestibility using intrinsic markers.
Precise cutting of single-walled carbon nanotubes

We precisely cut single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to create short nanotubes with controlled length and open ends using an ultra-microtome and magnetically aligned SWNT membranes. At −60 °C, multiple layers of SWNT membranes were stacked and frozen together, and then cut at lengths of 50 and 200 nm, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman characterizations clearly indicated that nanotubes were mechanically chopped to create open ends without notable sidewall damage. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterization and statistical analysis showed that the length distributions of the cut SWNTs can be controlled. Short SWNTs are very promising for applications in biomolecular transportation, field emission, field effect transistor and nanocomposites.
Sensitization of T cells to apoptosis--a role for ROS?

T cell homeostasis is achieved by balancing the production and proliferation of T cells with their apoptotic cell death. Activation of naive T cells by antigen in the context of MHC results in the massive expansion of antigen-specific T cells and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Following expansion, the majority of the T cells die via apoptosis, while a small number of them survive and differentiate into memory T cells. This cell fate decision is crucial to our understanding of how autoimmunity is avoided and how immunity is maintained. It has become increasingly clear that ROS can affect this cell fate decision by sensitizing T cells to apoptosis. Interestingly, ROS have effects on both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways through modulation of expression of the major molecules in these pathways, Bcl-2 and FasL. In this review, we will focus on the pro-apoptotic effects of ROS and mechanisms by which they regulate the death of T cells.
The Emotional Impact of Recurrent Cancer

This article describes a study assessing the emotional and psychosocial status of 102 patients who had a recurrence of one of six types of cancer: breast, colon, lung, gynecologic, Hodgkin's disease, and malignant melanoma. In the cross-sectional analysis, patients contrasted their current experience with that at the initial diagnosis. The researchers also used test scores, personality inventories, and common clinical characteristics such as stage of disease in the comparisons. Although recurrence is clearly an ominous development, the authors found no research evidence that it is actually more distressing and menacing than the first diagnosis.
Estimating relative bed-load contributions by lithology counts

In gravel-bedded streams where bed material of a tributary differs distinctly in lithology from that of the main stream, rock-type percentages can be used to estimate bed-load contributions of the two streams. The rock type that shows the greatest difference in abundance between the two streams is selected as the indicator lithology. Percentages of this lithology are estimated in both the main stream and tributary stream above their junction, and also in the main stream at a distance sufficiently downstream from the junction to allow complete mixing. The fraction of bed load contributed by the main stream, p,is estimated by\(\hat p = (\hat p_r - \hat p_2 )/(\hat p_1 - \hat p_2 )\),where\(\hat p_1\)is an estimate of the proportion of indicator rock fragments in the bed of the main stream above the junction,\(\hat p_2\)is an estimate of the proportion in the bed of the tributary above the junction, and\(\hat p_r\)is an estimate of the proportion in the bed of the main stream below the junction. The variance of\(\hat p\)is obtained as var (\(\hat p\))= [p1q1(pr − p2)2/n(p1 − p2)4] + [p2q2(pr − p1)2/n(p1 − p2)4] + [prqr/n(p1 − p2)2].Although no estimate of actual quantity of bed load is provided, the indicator rock technique supplies data that can serve as a check on data obtained by means of empirical formulas or actual transport measurements.
The Subsidiarization of the Securities Industry and the Organization of Securities Fraud Networks to Return Profits in the 1980s

This article examines 48 well-known but little analyzed 1980s security fraud cases. Organizational and archival data, personal interviews, and court documents are used as data sources to define the networks involved in insider trading, parking, skimming warrants, taxfraud, and market manipulation. The fraud analyzed was embedded in a high information processing industry with fast-changing markets. It returned exceptional rewards to both host units and individual members who retained nearly one half of every million dollars they grossed from fraud. Findings demonstrate that securities fraud activities require high centrality and intensity of communication combined with highly centralized decision making. These characteristics are incompatible in most multidivisional decentralized firms. Fraud networks emulate neither the structural contingency nor the secrecy models. The answer is found in the structural transformation of securities firms, during the late 1970s and 1980s, from multidivisional to multisubsi...
The dynamic relations in the US crude oil market

This paper revisits the dynamic relationships among the determinants of the real price of the West Texas Intermediate (WTI). Using the classical commodity storage model, we find a strong and significant equilibrium trend among variables of the real price of crude oil, production proxied by drilling rigs, inventories, and demand, which supports the findings by Dvir and Rogoff (2013). Our empirical test shows that oil drilling rigs in the USA serve as a better proxy for oil production. Furthermore, we extend the commodity storage model to include other market factors such as gold, S&P 500, and the US dollar index. We conclude that it is the fundamental supply–storage–demand factors that are significant and making the short–run adjustments towards the long–run equilibrium. The adjustment is not made by gold–stock–currency factors that have been reported in prior studies.
Conscious thoughts from reflex-like processes: A new experimental paradigm for consciousness research

The contents of our conscious mind can seem unpredictable, whimsical, and free from external control. When instructed to attend to a stimulus in a work setting, for example, one might find oneself thinking about household chores. Conscious content thus appears different in nature from reflex action. Under the appropriate conditions, reflexes occur predictably, reliably, and via external control. Despite these intuitions, theorists have proposed that, under certain conditions, conscious content resembles reflexes and arises reliably via external control. We introduce the Reflexive Imagery Task, a paradigm in which, as a function of external control, conscious content is triggered reliably and unintentionally: When instructed to not subvocalize the name of a stimulus object, participants reliably failed to suppress the set-related imagery. This stimulus-elicited content is considered ‘high-level’ content and, in terms of stages of processing, occurs late in the processing stream. We discuss the implications of this paradigm for consciousness research.
Development of Renal Determine Nutrition Screening Tool for Health Care Professionals and Renal Determine Checklist for Patients

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify malnutrition in renal patients using the renal nutrition screening tools. Malnutrition is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, and decreased quality of life among renal patients. Therefore, it is critical for health care professionals who care for renal patients to be able to identify potentially malnourished patients and to provide the appropriate interventions to prevent or resolve any nutrition related problems. Nutrition screening is the first step in identifying and treating nutrition related problems stemming from the medical, physiological, nutritional, psychosocial and economical factors. The Renal DETERMINE Nutrition Screening Tool was developed to help health care professionals recognize the risk factors of malnutrition in renal patients and provide suggestions for interventions to prevent. control, or ameliorate nutrition related problems. Using the mnemonic DETERMINE from the Nutrition Screening Initiative as the fundamental structure, the tool lists the most common nutrition related concerns for end stage renal disease, hemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis patients. Post kidney-transplant patients have different nutritional concerns and these are addressed separately. For each risk factor, rationales are presented, and simple interventions to resolve the nutrition related problems are provided. A Renal DETERMINE Checklist, adapted from the Nutrition Screening Initiative's "DETERMINE Your Nutrition Health" was also developed for patients to help educate and increase patient awareness of the importance of nutrition. This Checklist provides a set of simple questions that help renal patients identify nutrition related problems. Once patients are aware of their nutritional problems, they can correct them by seeking help from a health care professional. These nutrition screening tools have been reviewed and refined by expert renal nutritionists.
On the throughput capacity of large wireless ad hoc networks confined to a region of fixed area

We study the throughput capacity of large ad hoc networks confined to a square region of fixed area, thus exploring the dependence of the achievable throughput on the spatial node density. We find that there exists the value of the node density (the "critical" density) depending on the ratio of the total noise power to the transmit power such that the throughput increases as n(α-1)/2 at first, reaches a maximum, and then decreases as n-1/2.
At the heart of child care: Predictors of teacher sensitivity in center-based child care

This study examined the extent to which characteristics of early childhood teachers and settings predicted observed teacher sensitivity. Participants included 41 head teachers at child care centers located in Northern California. Accreditation status, center size, and program quality were uniquely associated with teacher sensitivity. Accreditation was also associated with a number of other teacher (training, ethnic minority status, and depression) and setting characteristics (program quality, subsidies, and child ethnic minority enrollment). Other unique predictors included more teacher training, smaller center size, and perceived organizational health. Having a greater number of depressive symptoms or working in a larger center were identified as risks to teacher sensitivity, and were moderated by higher levels of teacher training and observed program quality The current study provides preliminary support for the importance of examining the ways that teacher and setting characteristics are related to teacher interactions with young children.
Insect sex pheromones: Evaporation rates of alcohols and acetates from natural rubber septa.

The half-lives (t1/2) of alcohol sex pheromones, 1-alkanols, acetate sex pheromones, and an epoxide (disparlure) were determined on natural rubber septa. Thet1/2 values for the homologous alcohols from decanol to heptadecanol increased regularly from 2.2 to 1117 days, but thet1/2 of octadecanol was 609 days. Thet1/2 values of (Z)7-, (E)7-, and (Z)9-tetradecen-1-ol acetates were 154, 168, and 199 days, respectively, whereas those of five other tested 14-carbon acetates ranged from 310 to 350 days. The dependence oft1/2 values on chain length and double-bond position is consistent with the hypothesis that molecular size is an important variable affectingt1/2 values. Also, in accordance with the hypothesis, when aZ-alkenyl compound has a much shortert1/2 than the corresponding saturated compound, thet1/2 values of theZ compound and itsE isomer may be quite different. Thus, (E)-9-tetradecen-l-ol acetate had at1/2 of 331 days. Thet1/2 of disparlure was 180 days. The effect of thecis-7,8 epoxide group is apparently similar to that of the olefin group in lowering thet1/2 below the value that would be expected solely on the basis of chain length.
Baseline Dependent Percentile Features for Offline Arabic Handwriting Recognition

Handwritten text in Arabic and other languages exhibit significant variations in the slant and baseline of characters across words and also within a single word. Since the concept of baseline does not have a precise mathematical definition, existing approaches use heuristic methods to first identify a set of baseline relevant pixels and then fit lines/curves through them. However, for statistical features like percentiles that we use in our system, we only need an approximate curve that is close to the baseline to normalize the features. Hence we propose a two stage approach to estimate the approximate baseline. First we segment the text line into a set of components, and then estimate the baseline in each component using two methods - max projection and smoothed centroid line. We incorpate the computed baseline into percentile feature computation in the BBN Byblos OCR system for an Arabic offline handwriting recognition task. Our new features, result in a 1% absolute gain and 3.1% relative gain in the word error rate on a large test set with 15K handwritten Arabic words, which is statistically significant with p-valuev
Combination of redox-active ligand and lewis acid for dioxygen reduction with π-bound molybdenum-quinonoid complexes.

A series of π-bound Mo−quinonoid complexes supported by pendant phosphines have been synthesized. Structural characterization revealed strong metal–arene interactions between Mo and the π system of the quinonoid fragment. The Mo–catechol complex (2a) was found to react within minutes with 0.5 equiv of O2 to yield a Mo–quinone complex (3), H2O, and CO. Si- and B-protected Mo–catecholate complexes also react with O2 to yield 3 along with (R2SiO)n and (ArBO)3 byproducts, respectively. Formally, the Mo–catecholate fragment provides two electrons, while the elements bound to the catecholate moiety act as acceptors for the O2 oxygens. Unreactive by itself, the Mo–dimethyl catecholate analogue reduces O2 in the presence of added Lewis acid, B(C6F5)3, to generate a MoI species and a bis(borane)-supported peroxide dianion, [[(F5C6)3B]2O22–], demonstrating single-electron-transfer chemistry from Mo to the O2 moiety. The intramolecular combination of a molybdenum center, redox-active ligand, and Lewis acid reduces O...
Self-report questionnaires of nurses in Taiwan reveal that critical thinking ability and nursing competence are both at the middle level and there is a correlation between the two

Commentary on: MJ Chang, YJ Chang, SH Kuo, et al.. Relationships between critical thinking ability and nursing competence in clinical nurses. J Clin Nurs2011;20:3224–32.
Pulsed fluorescence measurements of trapped molecular ions with zero background detection

Sensitive methods have been developed to measure laser-induced fluorescence from trapped ions by reducing the detection of background scattering to zero levels during the laser excitation pulse. The laser beam diameter has been reduced to 150 m to eliminate scattering on trap apertures and the resulting laser–ion interaction is limited to a volume of 10 5 cm 3 which is 0.03– 0.15 of the total ion cloud volume depending on experimental conditions. The detection optics collected fluorescence only from within the solid angle defined by laser–ion interaction volume. Rhodamine 640 and Alexa Fluor 350 ions, commonly used as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) fluorophores, were generated in the gas phase by using electrospray ionization and injected into a radiofrequency Paul trap where they were stored and exposed to Nd:YAG laser pulses at 532 and 355 nm for times up to 10 m. Fluorescence emitted by these ions was investigated for several trap qz values and ion cloud temperatures. Analysis of photon statistics indicated an average of 10 photons were incident on the PMT detector per 15 ns pulse for 10 3 trapped ions in the interaction volume. Fluorescence measurements displayed a dependence on trapped ion number which were consistent with calculations of the space charge limited ion density. To investigate the quantitative capability of these fluorescence techniques, the laser-induced fragmentation of trapped Alexa Fluor 350 ions was measured and compared with a rate equation model of the dynamics. Decay of the fluorescence signal as well as the parent ion number compared closely with quantitative predictions of the photofragmentation model. (J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 2002, 13, 696 –708) © 2002 American Society for Mass Spectrometry
Use of a Fourier model in describing the fusion of complex visual stimuli.

In 1922 Ives suggested that the fusion of intermittent light sources may be described by means of a Fourier analysis of the visual stimulus. De Lange has recently revived interest in this approach by plotting frequency response curves (“attenuation characteristics”) which relate the amplitude and frequency of the Fourier fundamental of the stimulus at fusion. The resultant functions, while subject to displacement as a function of the intensity and wavelength of the test field, appear to be independent of waveform. One interesting property of this type of analysis is that the direction of analysis with respect to time is irrelevant. Given a train of pulses which consists of three periods of alternating duration, the train ABCABC ⋯ has the same amplitude-frequency components as the train CBACBA⋯. Further, if the three periods are square waves with on times equal to off times, these components remain the same when the on-off times within each period are reversed. The present paper demonstrates that such trains of pulses, having different temporal patterns but the same amplitude-frequency components according to Fourier, have equivalent fusion points.
A study of machine-learning-based approaches to extract clinical entities and their assertions from discharge summaries.

Objective The authors' goal was to develop and evaluate machine-learning-based approaches to extracting clinical entities—including medical problems, tests, and treatments, as well as their asserted status—from hospital discharge summaries written using natural language. This project was part of the 2010 Center of Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside/Veterans Affairs (VA) natural-language-processing challenge. Design The authors implemented a machine-learning-based named entity recognition system for clinical text and systematically evaluated the contributions of different types of features and ML algorithms, using a training corpus of 349 annotated notes. Based on the results from training data, the authors developed a novel hybrid clinical entity extraction system, which integrated heuristic rule-based modules with the ML-base named entity recognition module. The authors applied the hybrid system to the concept extraction and assertion classification tasks in the challenge and evaluated its performance using a test data set with 477 annotated notes. Measurements Standard measures including precision, recall, and F-measure were calculated using the evaluation script provided by the Center of Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside/VA challenge organizers. The overall performance for all three types of clinical entities and all six types of assertions across 477 annotated notes were considered as the primary metric in the challenge. Results and discussion Systematic evaluation on the training set showed that Conditional Random Fields outperformed Support Vector Machines, and semantic information from existing natural-language-processing systems largely improved performance, although contributions from different types of features varied. The authors' hybrid entity extraction system achieved a maximum overall F-score of 0.8391 for concept extraction (ranked second) and 0.9313 for assertion classification (ranked fourth, but not statistically different than the first three systems) on the test data set in the challenge.
Joint transform correlation using correlation plane data fusion

A novel JTC technique for multiple target detection which employs data fusion in the correlation plane while avoiding the image subtraction in the Fourier plane is proposed. The proposed JTC technique enhances the correlation peak intensity between the reference and the targets in the input scene and reduces the out-of-class correlation peak intensity between the reference and the non-target objects that may be present in the input scene.
A multilens measurement platform for high-throughput adhesion measurements

Current high-throughput methodologies for measuring interfacial adhesion typically rely on serial or sequential testing of discrete or continuous libraries. We have developed a measurement platform that employs an array of micro-lenses to simultaneously measure adhesion at multiple points on a planar specimen library. This technique relies on the accurate measurement of the overall lens array displacement, rather than load and individual lens contact areas to quantify the work of adhesion using the Johnson, Kendall and Roberts (JKR) model. We demonstrate the ability of this technique to measure the work of adhesion (loading) and energy release rate (unloading) for a polydimethylsiloxane lens array against glass, and we compare our work of adhesion measurements to the traditional single-lens geometry. We find the work of adhesion measured with the multilens array is 18.9 mJ m−2 ± 9.4 mJ m−2 compared to 20 mJ m−2 ± 5 mJ m−2 for a single-lens experiment. Also, the micro-lens array deviates from the JKR model when the lens array displacement is comparable to lens height.