cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A conceptual model for segregation of duties: Integrating theory and practice for manual and IT-supported processes

A fundamental element of internal control is the maintenance of adequate segregation of duties (SoD), the allocation of work so that an individual cannot both perpetrate and conceal errors or fraud in the normal course of their duties. Notwithstanding its importance, there has been limited research describing the conceptual basis for determining how duties should be segregated. Significant differences exist between the SoD model proposed in the theoretical literature, the model described in the pedagogical and practitioner literature and auditing standards, and the practices commonly implemented by organizations. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize a prescriptive model for SoD that reflects the insights of all three domains to address the weaknesses of each, and can be applied effectively. The synthesized model calls for segregation of six sets of duties among a minimum of five employees: three duties for manual processes, including asset custody and recording, primary authorization, and secondary authorization; and three more duties for computer-supported processes: access control granting, primary authorization of access control granting, and secondary authorization of access control granting. The model differentiates between a primary SoD, which enables detection of errors and requires at least two employees for manual processes and three employees for IT-supported processes, and a secondary SoD, which helps organizations maintain a consistent, repeatable level of internal control and requires at least three employees in a manual setting and five employees in an IT-supported setting. This is significantly different from both the three-way segregation called for in the theoretical literature and the model described in the pedagogical and practitioner literature and auditing standards. Insight provided by the new model also provides an opportunity for organizations to enhance the quality and/or reduce the cost of internal control in practice. Several future research opportunities are identified.
Aldolase in Anacystis nidulans and Rhodopseudomonas spheroides

EXTRACTS of some Cyanophyceae1–3, and Rhodopseudomonas spheroides2,4 appear to lack significant amounts of fructose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase. These findings were unexpected, at least with respect to the blue-green organisms, for two groups of authors5,6 found that the distribution of 14C in the products formed during photosynthesis was similar to that obtained with Chlorella, an alga which contains aldolase. This manuscript is concerned with the partial characterization of aldolase in Anacystis nidulans and R. spheroides. A similar enzyme was also detected in extracts of Tolypothrix tenuis and Anabaenopsis sp.
Who benefits from secondary market price stabilization of IOPs

Abstract Initial public offerings that receive secondary market price support from their underwriters are characterized by severely attenuated selling by small-quantity, presumably retail, traders and more aggressive selling by large-quantity, presumably institutional, traders. The increase in institutional trading is concentrated in the first day of trading while the attenuation of retail trading persists. This pattern exists in spite of the likelihood that retail investors receive relatively large initial allocations of (fully-priced) stabilized offers. Thus the evidence is consistent with institutional investors being the primary beneficiaries of price stabilization efforts and with the use of penalty bids to constrain retail selling activity.
Location of binding sites for RNA polymerase II from wheat germ and from human placenta on adenovirus 2 DNA

Electron microscopic visualization of binary complexes between eukaryotic RNA polymerases and Adenovirus 2 (Ad 2) DNA was used to locate specific binding sites for the enzymes. RNA polymerase II from human placenta binds to 10–16 distinct sites depending on the ratio of enzyme to DNA and the divalent cation present in the binding mixture. Wheat germ RNA polymerase binds to 12–14 strong binding sites and 2–3 weaker sites, all but one of which correspond to binding sites for the placental enzyme. At least six of the strong binding sites for both enzymes correspond to promoters known to be active in vivo.
The Misconception of Corporal Punishment: A Rejoin to Albrecht's “Drop and Give Us 20, Seifried: A Practical Response to Defending the Use of Punishment by Coaches”

Dr. Rick Albrecht's article, titled “Drop and Give Us 20, Seifried: A Practical Response to Defending the Use of Punishment by Coaches,” argued that I held a disregard for the unintended negative consequences of punishment and pointed out several items of concern he felt obligated to communicate to the scholarly and professional community to support this notion (Albrecht, 2009). While several of the issues he brought to our attention deserve merit, in this reply, I focus my counter on Albrecht's assertion that corporal punishment under my definition is “fatally flawed” and outside the mainstream of coaching (p. 474). I also discuss the cultural differences and expectations between the classroom and competitive athletics to help develop the issue. Finally, I offer advice to him and other members of the scholarly coaching education fraternity on how to better reduce the disconnect between them and real practicing coaches.
Memorable Messages and the H1N1 Flu Virus

This study applied the control theory explanation of memorable message to H1N1 prevention. Participants (N = 204) described an H1N1 prevention memorable message and then evaluated it along the dimensions of argument, directness, and vulnerability; they also completed measures of positive and negative health self-concept from the Health-Related Self-Concept scale, general health behaviors, and flu-related health behaviors. Descriptively, campus and mass media were the most common sources of H1N1 messages, and wash hands, avoidance, and getting shot/vaccine were the most common contents. Correlation analyses revealed that positive health self-concept was positively related to the argument message dimension and flu-prevention behaviors; negative health self-concept was negatively related to the argument message dimension and hand washing. Further, the interaction of self-image-actual behavior discrepancy and message explicitness fell just short of conventional significance levels in predicting hand washing b...
Strategic planning in a regulated trade bloc: The pharmaceutical industry in the European union

Abstract This article reports the results of personal interviews with multinational managers regarding the changing business environment in the European Union (EU). The study investigates pharmaceutical executives' perceptions of significant issues facing their industry in the EU and what types of strategies these managers might consider undertaking to survive in this regional trade bloc. Mahon and Murray's (1981) typology of strategies for regulated industries is used to evaluate the interview data. Overall, the pharmaceutical managers exhibit a reactive response to the changing pharmaceutical marketplace. The article concludes with a discussion of potential strategies for dealing with the regulated framework governing this industry in the EU.
A Multidimensional, Case-control Study of Women with Self-identified Chronic Vulvar Pain

Jamaica, NY; and ‡ VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Psychology Service (116B), West Haven, Connecticut Objective. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a multidimensional evaluation of women with chronic vulvar pain. Design. Fifty-seven women with self-identified vulvar pain were contrasted with 74 healthy control women. Measures were selected based on a multidimensional perspective and included questionnaires related to the core aspects of chronic pain: Pain severity, physical disability, affective distress, and marital satisfaction. Results. In comparison with controls, women with vulvar pain reported significantly greater physical disability and affective distress. In women with vulvar pain, pain severity was not related to physical disability and affective distress. While women with vulvar pain scored in the normal range for marital satisfaction, they reported significantly less marital satisfaction than controls. Conclusions. Findings suggest that the experience of persistent vulvar pain in general, rather than the level of intensity of the pain, accounts for disturbances in functioning and emotional well-being. In comparison with their peers, but not with norms, women with vulvar pain reported less marital satis- faction. A multidimensional approach to the assessment of chronic vulvar pain will lead to a greater understanding of the psychosocial functioning of women with this condition.
Cornell's experience running online, inter‐school law courses—an FAQ

Abstract FOR EIGHT years Cornell's Legal Information Institute has offered online law courses to students at other US law schools. Using a paced asynchronous approach, with streaming audio linked to referenced Web materials, interactive problems, online discussion/ and a series of written exercises, the courses offer a successful model of how law schools can pool teaching resources and students to enrich curricula. This article reports on and explains the choices, challenges, student response, and educational outcomes of this ongoing experiment, organised around ten frequently asked questions. It also ventures some cautious conclusions about the near‐term prospects for distance learning in US legal education, noting both inhibiting forces, including importantly constraints imposed by accreditation rules, and recent grounds for optimism.
Mysterious Behavior of Optimization Calculation With MOGA

Multi-Objective Generic Algorithm (MOGA) is a popular and viable optimization calculation scheme for many practical engineering problems. This is because MOGA provides reliable search results covering wide and multi-variable design spaces. Most importantly when an optimization problem involves using mixed design variables, i.e. continuous and discrete variables, MOGA is still applicable. However, in such a condition MOGA needs to be programmed in a binary mode, which requires a minimum number of bits to represent each real and integer design variable. The accuracy of the prediction of the optimization calculation is expected to depend on the number of bits used. This paper introduces such a problem based on a general turbomachinery design problem. The design variables of the centrifugal impeller design consist of discrete and continuous variables. Some puzzling behavior occurred when the optimization calculation was carried out, related to the prediction accuracy when applying different number of bits to represent the continuous and discrete design variables. It is found that the accuracy is independent of the number of binary bits used. Detailed analyses were performed using simplified analytic formulations for the objective functions to determine why the calculated results show such a behavior. In addition, objective functions are developed and verified that do not show this behavior.© 2013 ASME
Qualitative Analysis of Large‐Scale Systems: Stability, Instability and Boundedness

New results for stability, instability, and boundedness of composite or interconnected systems are presented and a procedure for stabilizing such systems is established. Both time domain and frequency domain methods are employed. The results are applied to several specific examples. Neue Ergebnisse fur Stabilitat, Instabilitat und Unbeschranktheit zusammengesetzter oder verbundener Systeme werden dargelegt, und ein Verfahren zur Stabilisierung solcher Systeme wird hergeleitet. Zeit- sowie Frequenzmethoden werden herangezogen. Die Ergebnisse werden auf einige spezifische Beispiele angewendet.
Hyperkalemia and Rhabdomyolysis With Succinylcholine Used for Rapid Sequence Intubation A Case Report

Objective: Succinylcholine, a depolarizing neuromuscular blocker used during intubation, has a black box warning for use in pediatric patients due to the risk of rhabdomyolysis, hyperkalemia, ventr...
The role of the NIH in nurturing clinician-scientists.

In an effort to replenish the shrinking pipeline of clinically trained research scientists, the NIH has established the NIH–Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program as well as a new grant program, Opportunities for Collaborative Research at the NIH Clinical Center.
Speech perception as categorization

Speech perception (SP) most commonly refers to the perceptual mapping from the highly variable acoustic speech signal to a linguistic representation, whether it be phonemes, diphones, syllables, or words. This is an example of categorization, in that potentially discriminable speech sounds are assigned to functionally equivalent classes. In this tutorial, we present some of the main challenges to our understanding of the categorization of speech sounds and the conceptualization of SP that has resulted from these challenges. We focus here on issues and experiments that define open research questions relevant to phoneme categorization, arguing that SP is best understood as perceptual categorization, a position that places SP in direct contact with research from other areas of perception and cognition.
Power and Profits: The Social Structure of Accumulation and the Profitability of the Postwar U.S. Economy

This paper seeks to explain trends in United States corporate profitability since World War II through an analysis of the rise and subsequent demise of a postwar social structure of accumulation (SSA). Building from a formal model of the determinants of profitability, we provide econometric support for the hypothesis that variations in profitability can be explained to a large extent by variations in quantitative indicators of capitalist power in the postwar SSA.
Rat C-6 Glioma Cells Maintained In an Organ Culture System: A Study of Kinetic Parameters

Rat C-6 glioma cells were grown on a sponge foam matrix in an organ culture system and the cell cycle parameters, including the growth fraction (GF), were assessed after autoradiography. the zones of growth consisted of a compact upper layer (UL) at the gaseous interface, a central necrotic layer and a deeper lower layer (LL) which invaded the matrix. the fraction of continuously labeled mitoses (FCLM) was similar in both the UL and LL cells. the derivatives of the FCLM curves obtained in three experiments gave an average modal TG2 of 5 hr. A mathematical model relating GF, TG2, TC and labeling index as a function of time, LI(t), was devised for cells in a steady state exposed continuously to tritiated thymidine and was applied to data obtained from UL cells. A mean GF of 9% (range: 8–10%) and a mean cell cycle time (TC') of 27 hr (range: 13–47 hr) were obtained. the mean TS was calculated to be 11 hr (range: 8–16 hr) by the method of grain counts per mitotic figure or grain index (GI). Knowledge of TS permitted alternative calculation of the cell cycle time from the equation TS/TC= LI(0)/GF: this gave a mean cell cycle time (TC) of 29 hr (range: 20–45 hr). Except for the GF, the cell kinetics were comparable to those of the same cell line grown in monolayer culture. the GF in the in vitro system described is in the lower range reported in some human malignant gliomas in vivo.
Using Feature Selection to Determine Optimal Depth for Wavelet Packet Decomposition of Vibration Signals for Ocean System Reliability

Vibration signals are an important source of information for machine condition monitoring/prognostic health monitoring to ensure the reliability of ocean systems. Because they are waveforms, vibration data must be transformed into the frequency domain before they can be used to build classification and prediction models. One popular transformation is wavelet packet decomposition, a higher resolution variant of wavelet transformation. For wavelet packet decomposition, depth is an important parameter to control the maximum level of detail while minimizing the computational time when constructing and using the decomposition tree. Little guidance exists in the literature to assist researchers in choosing a depth, however. In this paper, we present a feature selection-based approach to determining the optimum depth for wavelet packet decomposition. First, the data is transformed using a very high depth, and all of the features are ordered based on their importance for predicting the class. Then, a depth which captures the most important features is chosen. Finally, a model is built using that depth. We show that a classification model built according to this procedure retains almost all of the accuracy of models built using a much deeper transform, while allowing for smaller depths and vastly fewer features.
Comments on "Minimal Fault Tests for Combinational Networks"

It is shown that the definition of check points of combinational networks given earlier1 must be expanded to include the primary input nodes which fan out (in addition to the fan out branches from these nodes) in order to make the derivation of test sets for detecting single stuck-at faults1valid.
Frameless, time domain continuous image capture

Most image sensors mimic film, integrating light during an exposure interval and then reading the "latent" image as a complete frame. In contrast, frameless image capture attempts to construct a continuous waveform for each sensel describing how the Ev (exposure value required at each sensel) changes over time. This is done using an array of on-sensor nanocontrollers, each independently and asynchronously sampling its sensel to interpolate a smooth waveform. Still images are computationally extracted after capture using the average value of each sensel’s waveform over the desired interval. Thus, image frames can be extracted to represent any interval(s) within the captured period. Because the extraction of a frame is done using waveforms that are continuous time-varying functions, an Ev estimate is always available, even if a particular sensel was not actually sampled during the desired interval. The result is HDR (high dynamic range) with a low and directly controllable Ev noise level. This paper describes our work toward building a frameless imaging sensor using nanocontrollers, basic processing of time domain continuous image data, and the expected benefits and problems.
LIMITATIONS OF LEAD ACETATE FOR SEPARATION OF METHANETHIOL AND HYDROGEN SULFIDE FROM FOOD SYSTEMS

The principle involved in the quantification of methanethiol in the presence of hydrogen sulfide is based on the efficient separation of hydrogen sulfide from methanethiol. The removal of hydrogen sulfide from a mixture containing methanethiol is dependent upon the selective reaction of hydrogen sulfide with crystalline lead acetate under dry conditions. It was found that crystalline lead acetate is not as selective as it was previously thought. It was also concluded that methanethiol either reacted or was absorbed by the crystalline lead acetate under dry conditions.
Ubiquitin, the proteasome and protein degradation in neuronal function and dysfunction

Eukaryotic protein degradation by the proteasome and the lysosome is a dynamic and complex process in which ubiquitin has a key regulatory role. The distinctive morphology of the postmitotic neuron creates unique challenges for protein degradation systems with respect to cell-surface protein turnover and substrate delivery to proteolytic machineries that are required for both synaptic plasticity and self-renewal. Moreover, the discovery of ubiquitin-positive protein aggregates in a wide spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases underlines the importance and vulnerability of the degradative system in neurons. In this article, we discuss the molecular mechanism of protein degradation in the neuron with respect to both its function and its dysfunction.
Novel Players in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pathogenesis

Technological and conceptual advances in inflammatory bowel disease research have uncovered new mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis of these disorders. It is becoming increasingly clear that the microbiota of the gut and the response of intestinal cells to that microbiota can initiate or contribute to intestinal inflammation. Evidence from genetic studies have identified IBD-associated genes implicated in autophagy and innate sensing of microbes. These genes also play key roles in the homeostasis of a cell type that stands at the interface of host-microbial interaction – the Paneth cell. Here we discuss recent findings that underscore the importance of the microbiome, Paneth cells and autophagy in inflammatory bowel disease.
Young stellar flares and meteoritic isotopic anomalies

A long-standing enigma in planetary science has been the presence of daughter products of radioactive isotopes with short (τ ~ 106 yr) lifetimes. Some models are based on the injection of freshly synthesized nuclides from stellar sources (e.g. a supernova remnant) into the molecular cloud from which the solar system formed. Other models produce these radionuclides within the disk via spallation by high fluences of MeV baryons. We report here the first quantitative measure of magnetic reconnection flaring in Myr-old analogs of the early Sun from Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of the Orion Nebula Cluster. We show that virtually all analogs of the ≤ 1 Myr Sun exhibit X-ray flares that are ~30 times more powerful and ~300 times more frequent than the most powerful flares seen on the contemporary Sun. We infer that the proton fluence of the early Sun was 105 times that seen today, and argue that these protons may plausibly have bombarded solids in the protoplanetary disk. Others have demonstrated that such particle fluences are sufficient to produce several of the most troublesome excesses of short-lived CAI isotopes via spallation of normal nebular material. Our results thus strengthen the astronomical foundation for local irradiation models of meteoritic short-lived isotopic anomalies. This work is described in detail by Feigelson et al. (2002b).
Priming Compared to Recall: Following Multiple Exposures and Delay

The activation of words can be measured directly, by recall, or indirectly, by noting their occurrence as associates on a subsequent association test (priming). 12 groups of Ss had 0, 1, 2, or 4 exposures to 14 words, using one intentional and two incidental learning tasks. 6 additional groups, after 1, 2, or 4 presentations of the words for intentional learning, had a 6- or 12-min. delay before taking the association test. All 15 experimental groups had significantly better recall after more exposures and less delay. The priming effects, however, were affected neither by repeated exposure nor by delay. More primed associates were elicited on the association test after one exposure than after two. Priming and recall, thus, seem to measure two distinct processes.
The use of low altitude satellite data bases for modeling of core and crustal fields and the separation of external and internal fields

The near-Earth geomagnetic field is a complex combination of fields from a variety of sources within and external to the Earth. These fields have a complex characterization in space and time such that if the field were known at all times and positions external to the Earth's surface it would be possible to separate the measured field into its component parts except for the low degree field from the crust and the high degree field from the core. In practice the measurements come far short of such a space-time characterization. Because of this it is useful to keep in mind several principles when working with these data. These principles are: (1) know the enemy, i.e., understand as much as possible about all the sources, (2) don't expect a boy to do a man's job, i.e., recognize the limitations of the data, (3) use some common sense, and, (4) recognize personal prejudice. Examples are given from published and unpublished results to illustrate how these principles have been, and ought to be, applied. At the same time, suggestions are made as to how future analyses might proceed. These examples are drawn first of all from the way the main field and near-Earth magnetospheric fields are modeled, then from analyses of residuals from such models resulting from ionospheric and crustal fields.
The Release of Lipoprotein Lipase from 3T3-L1 Adipocytes Is Regulated by Microvessel Endothelial Cells in an Insulin-Dependent Manner

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the hydrolysis of serum triglycerides associated with the lipoprotein particles very low density lipoprotein and chylomicrons. The cell biology of LPL is complex. It functions while tethered to the extracellular matrix of the capillary endothelium. LPL is synthesized, however, in the parenchymal cells (for example, adipocytes or muscle cells) subtending the endothelium. Thus, after synthesis in and release by the parenchymal cell, LPL must move to the endothelial cell and across this cell monolayer before expression at its physiologically relevant location. LPL expression on the endothelium is regulated by insulin. The intent of this study was to ascertain the role of microvessel endothelial cells in the release of LPL from 3T3-L1 adipocytes and to ascertain whether insulin regulates the function of the endothelial cells. Endothelial cells were treated with insulin, and the resultant culture medium conditioned by the endothelial cells was placed on 3...
Mdm2 Is a RING Finger-dependent Ubiquitin Protein Ligase for Itself and p53

Mdm2 has been shown to regulate p53 stability by targeting the p53 protein for proteasomal degradation. We now report that Mdm2 is a ubiquitin protein ligase (E3) for p53 and that its activity is dependent on its RING finger. Furthermore, we show that Mdm2 mediates its own ubiquitination in a RING finger-dependent manner, which requires no eukaryotic proteins other than ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1) and an ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2). It is apparent, therefore, that Mdm2 manifests an intrinsic capacity to mediate ubiquitination. Mutation of putative zinc coordination residues abrogated this activity, as did chelation of divalent cations. After cation chelation, the full activity could be restored by addition of zinc. We further demonstrate that the degradation of p53 and Mdm2 in cells requires additional potential zinc-coordinating residues beyond those required for the intrinsic activity of Mdm2 in vitro. Replacement of the Mdm2 RING with that of another protein (Praja1) reconstituted ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of Mdm2. However, this RING was ineffective in ubiquitination and proteasomal targeting of p53, suggesting that there may be specificity at the level of the RING in the recognition of heterologous substrates.
Views of mathematical programming models and their instances

Large-scale mathematical models are built, managed and applied by people with different cognitive skills. This poses a challenge for the design of a multi-view architecture of a system that accommodates these differences. A primary objective of mathematical modeling is providing insights into problem behavior, and there are many constituencies who require different views for different questions. One constituency is composed of modellers who have different views of basic model components. Another constituency is composed of problem owners for whom models are built. These two constituencies, which are not exhaustive, have significantly different needs and skills. This paper addresses this issue of multiview architecture by presenting a formal framework for the design of a view creation and management system. Specific views we consider include algebraic, block schematic, graphic, and textual. Both form and content are relevant to view creation, and the merits of views are determined by their value in aiding comprehension and insight. The need for a central, formal structure to create and manage views is demonstrated by the inadequacy of direct mappings from any of the popular systems that are typically designed to support only one view of linear programming models and their instances.
Early development, growth and survival of the yellow crab Cancer anthonyi Rathbun (Decapoda, Brachyura) in the laboratory

Abstract Larvae of the yellow crab, Cancer anthonyi Rathbun, were reared through five zoeal stages and one megalops stage in the laboratory. Total larval development times were 33 and 45 days at 22°C and 18°C, respectively. Survival rates to the first crab instar, for larvae reared in recirculating systems on a diet of Artemia nauplii, were 26% at 22°C and 17% at 18°C. Although no larvae reared in glass containers at 22°C survived past the first zoeal stage, 11% of those in similar containers at 18°C reached the first crab instar. Bacterial infections were associated with most observed mortalities. Antibiotics failed to increase the survival rates of larvae reared in glass containers. Juvenile crabs were reared in individual containers and in communal aquaria through 14 crab instars. Although instar durations were shorter at 22°C than at 18°C, mean carapace widths were significantly greater at the lower temperature. Crabs in communal aquaria at 22°C were larger than corresponding crabs at the same temperature in individual containers. Crabs reared in aquaria at 22°C reached the twelfth instar with a mean size of 90.3 mm, 195 days after hatching. Sexually mature thirteenth stage laboratory-reared crabs were mated and their offspring were reared through the ninth crab stage.
Molecular characterization of two myosin heavy chain genes expressed in the adult heart

Four cDNA clones containing cardiac myosin heavy chain (MHC) inserts have been characterized. Hybridization and nucleotide sequence analysis identify two different MHC genes coding for proteins of different length that are both specifically expressed in the adult heart. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences reveal a highly conserved structure in the light meromyosin portion of MHC from striated muscle tissues.
A History of the Future: Prognostication in Technical Communication: An Annotated Bibliography

Since the 1950s, technical communicators have been trying to predict future developments in technology, economics, pedagogy, and workplace roles. Prognosticators have included founders of the profession, academics, business leaders, and practitioners. This article examines their predictions to determine what they reveal about technical communication as a discipline.
Meiosis in Drosophila: seeing is believing

Recently many exciting advances have been achieved in our understanding of Drosophila meiosis due to combined cytological and genetic approaches. New techniques have permitted the characterization of chromosome position and spindle formation in female meiosis I. The proteins encoded by the nod and ncd genes, two genes known to be needed for the proper partitioning of chromosomes lacking exchange events, have been identified and found to be kinesin-like motors. The effects of mutations in these genes on the spindle and chromosomes, together with the localization of the proteins, have yielded a model for the mechanism of female meiosis I. In male meiosis I, the chromosomal regions responsible for homolog pairing have been resolved to the level of specific DNA sequences. This provides a foundation for elucidating the molecular basis of meiotic pairing. The cytological techniques available in Drosophila also have permitted inroads into the regulation of sister-chromatid segregation. The products of two genes (mei-S332 and ord) essential for sister-chromatid cohesion have been identified recently. Additional advances in understanding Drosophila meiosis are the delineation of a functional centromere by using minichromosome derivatives and the identification of several regulatory genes for the meiotic cell cycle.
Antarctic dry valleys: Microclimate zonation, variable geomorphic processes, and implications for assessing climate change on Mars

The Antarctic Dry Valleys (ADV) are generally classified as a hyper-arid, cold-polar desert. The region has long been considered an important terrestrial analog for Mars because of its generally cold and dry climate and because it contains a suite of landforms at macro-, meso-, and microscales that closely resemble those occurring on the martian surface. The extreme hyperaridity of both Mars and the ADV has focused attention on the importance of salts and brines on soil development, phase transitions from liquid water to water ice, and ultimately, on process geomorphology and landscape evolution at a range of scales on both planets. The ADV can be subdivided into three microclimate zones: a coastal thaw zone, an inland mixed zone, and a stable upland zone; zones are defined on the basis of summertime measurements of atmospheric temperature, soil moisture, and relative humidity. Subtle variations in these climate parameters result in considerable differences in the distribution and morphology of: (1) macroscale features (e.g., slopes and gullies); (2) mesoscale features (e.g., polygons, including ice-wedge, sand-wedge, and sublimation-type polygons, as well as viscous-flow features, including solifluction lobes, gelifluction lobes, and debris-covered glaciers); and (3) microscale features (e.g., rock-weathering processes/features, including salt weathering, wind erosion, and surface pitting). Equilibrium landforms are those features that formed in balance with environmental conditions within fixed microclimate zones. Some equilibrium landforms, such as sublimation polygons, indicate the presence of extensive near-surface ice; identification of similar landforms on Mars may also provide a basis for detecting the location of shallow ice. Landforms that today appear in disequilibrium with local microclimate conditions in the ADV signify past and/or ongoing shifts in climate zonation; understanding these shifts is assisting in the documentation of the climate record for the ADV. A similar type of landform analysis can be applied to the surface of Mars where analogous microclimates and equilibrium landforms occur (1) in a variety of local environments, (2) in different latitudinal bands, and (3) in units of different ages. Documenting the nature and evolution of the ADV microclimate zones and their associated geomorphic processes is helping to provide a quantitative framework for assessing the evolution of climate on Mars.
Molecules, water, and radiant energy: new clues for the origin of life.

We here examine the putative first step in the origin of life: the coalescence of dispersed molecules into a more condensed, organized state. Fresh evidence implies that the driving energy for this coalescence may come in a manner more direct than previously thought. The sun’s radiant energy separates charge in water, and this free charge demonstrably induces condensation. This condensation mechanism puts water as a central protagonist in life rather than as an incidental participant, and thereby helps explain why life requires water.
Multiple system atrophy: a clinical and neuropathological perspective

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease involving motor abnormalities that include akinesia, rigidity and postural instability. While improved diagnostic criteria have aided the accurate diagnosis of MSA, our understanding of the neuropathological aspects underlying MSA was bolstered by the identification of α-synuclein (α-syn) as the primary constituent of the abnormal protein aggregates observed in the brains of MSA patients. The generation of transgenic animal models of MSA coupled with an increasing understanding of the biochemical structure and function of α-syn has highlighted a number of key pathological pathways thought to underlie the neurodegeneration observed in MSA. This review summarizes key findings in the field, discusses current areas of debate, and describes current experimental approaches towards disease-modifying therapies.
Optic nerve and choroidal blood flow in humans by laser Doppler flowmetry

Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) was applied to measure blood flow in discrete regions of the optic nerve head (ONHBF) and in the foveal region of the choroid (ChBF) in humans. LDF is based on the Doppler effect. For its ocular application, a diode laser beam (wavelength equals 810 nm, 60 mW at the cornea) was delivered to the eye through a fundus camera. For ONHBF the beam was directed at regions of the optic disk with no apparent individual vessels. For ChBF in the foveal region subjects were asked to look directly at the beam. Light scattered by red blood cells in the tissue volume illuminated by the incident laser beam was detected at the fundus image plane of the camera by an optical fiber. Two analysis schemes of the Doppler signal were developed: one uses commercial skin blood flowmeters, the other a NeXT station (Motorola 68040 based) computer system. Responses of ONHBF and ChBF to various physiological and pharmacological stimuli were obtained and shown to be in agreement with previously published findings. LDF is a valid technique for obtaining non- invasive, continuous and sensitive recordings of ONHBF and foveal ChBF, the latter without the need to dilate the pupil.
An idiom-finding tool for increasing productivity of accelerators

Suppose one is considering purchase of a computer equipped with accelerators. Or suppose one has access to such a computer and is considering porting code to take advantage of the accelerators. Is there a reason to suppose the purchase cost or programmer effort will be worth it? It would be nice to able to estimate the expected improvements in advance of paying money or time. We exhibit an analytical framework and tool-set for providing such estimates: the tools first look for user-defined idioms that are patterns of computation and data access identified in advance as possibly being able to benefit from accelerator hardware. A performance model is then applied to estimate how much faster these idioms would be if they were ported and run on the accelerators, and a recommendation is made as to whether or not each idiom is worth the porting effort to put them on the accelerator and an estimate is provided of what the overall application speedup would be if this were done.As a proof-of-concept we focus our investigations on Gather/Scatter (G/S) operations and means to accelerate these available on the Convey HC-1 which has a special-purpose "personality" for accelerating G/S. We test the methodology on two large-scale HPC applications. The idiom recognizer tool saves weeks of programmer effort compared to having the programmer examine the code visually looking for idioms; performance models save yet more time by rank-ordering the best candidates for porting; and the performance models are accurate, predicting G/S runtime speedup resulting from porting to within 10% of speedup actually achieved. The G/S hardware on the Convey sped up these operations 20x, and the overall impact on total application runtime was to improve it by as much as 21%.
Unplanned transfers to a medical intensive care unit: causes and relationship to preventable errors in care.

BACKGROUND: Unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) transfers may result from errors in care but the frequency of their occurrence, and whether these transfers might be prevented, has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To determine why unplanned transfers occur, what fraction results from errors in care, whether they are preceded by changes in clinical status and if so, whether earlier or different responses might prevent the transfers. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: All patients 18 to 89 years with unplanned transfers to the medical ICU from June 1, 2005 to May 30, 2006. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS: Demographics, admission and transfer diagnoses, clinical triggers preceding the transfer, mortality, judgment by three reviewers about cause of transfer and whether it could have been prevented. RESULTS: A total of 152 patients had unplanned transfers. The most common reasons were worsening of the problem for which the patient was admitted (48%) and development of a new problem (39%). Errors in care accounted for 29 transfers (19%), 15 of which were due to incorrect triage at the time of admission, and 14 due to iatrogenic errors. Of the 14 iatrogenic errors, the investigators determined that eight transfers might have been prevented by an earlier intervention. Agreement among the three reviewers was moderate to almost perfect (κ 0.55-0.90). CONCLUSIONS: Although 19% of unplanned transfers to medical ICUs are associated with errors in care, almost 80% of these seem to be preventable. Most of the preventable errors resulted from inappropriate admission triage. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2010. © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.
School staff perspectives on the challenges and solutions to working with court-involved students

BACKGROUND: Court-involved students, such as those in foster care and the juvenile justice system, generally experience high incidences of both acute and chronic trauma, adversely impacting their educational well-being and overall academic trajectory. Utilizing perceptions of teachers and other school staff, this study explores the challenges and needs of school personnel working with this student population. METHODS: Participants were school personnel employed at a Midwest, urban, public charter school during the 2012-2013 academic year. Focus groups explored the perceptions of school staff members working with court-involved students to develop a staff training curriculum. Focus groups also were conducted after the training intervention to get feedback from participants and identify remaining challenges. Focus group data were analyzed and results were member-checked with study participants. RESULTS: Findings included 7 major themes (14 subthemes) regarding student behaviors that were challenging for school staff to manage. Themes included trauma-related behaviors, attachment-related behaviors, staff preintervention needs, intervention feedback, and staff postintervention needs. CONCLUSIONS: Teachers and school staff can play a role in the educational well-being of court-involved youth. However, they need trauma-specific knowledge and resources to be effective.
Proton affinity of peroxyacetyl nitrate. A computational study of topical proton affinities

The structure and energetics of the peroxyacetyl nitrate conformers syn- and anti-PAN and several cations formed by PAN protonation were investigated by a combination of density functional theory and ab initio calculations. syn-PAN is the more stable conformer that is predicted to predominate in gas-phase equilibria. The acetyl carbonyl oxygen was found to be the most basic site in PAN, the oxygen atoms of the peroxide and NO(2) groups being less basic. The 298 K proton affinity of syn-PAN was calculated as 759-763 kJ mol(-1) by effective QCISD(T)/6-311 + G(3df,2p) and 771-773 kJ mol(-1) by B3-MP2/6-311 + G(3df,2p). The calculated values are 25-39 kJ mol(-1) lower than the previous estimate by Srinivasan et al. (Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 1998; 12: 328) that was based on competitive dissociations of proton-bound dimers (the kinetic method). The calculated threshold dissociation energies predicted the formation of CH(3)CO(+) + syn - HOONO(2) and CH(3)COOOH + NO(2)(+) to be the most favorable fragmentations of protonated PAN that required 83 and 89 kJ mol(-1) at the respective thermochemical thresholds at 298 K. The previously observed dissociation to CH(3)COOH + NO(3)(+) was calculated by effective QCISD(T)/6-311 + G(3df,2p) to require 320 kJ mol(-1). The disagreement between the experimental data and calculated energetics is discussed.
Protein association discovery in biomedical literature

Protein association discovery can directly contribute toward developing protein pathways; hence it is a significant problem in bioinformatics. LUCAS (Library of User-Oriented Concepts for Access Services) was designed to automatically extract and determine associations among proteins from biomedical literature. Such a tool has notable potential to automate database construction in biomedicine, instead of relying on experts' analysis. This paper reports on the mechanisms for automatically generating clusters of proteins. A formal evaluation of the system, based on a subset of 2000 MEDLINE titles and abstracts, has been conducted against Swiss-Prot database in which the associations among concepts are entered by experts manually.
Elements of a Script for Friendship in Transactions

Social norms constrain people's behaviors in transactions, but such norms are rarely investigated. Script theory provides a coherent, holistic structure for understanding socially mediated behaviors. This study proposes terms of a script for the pricing behavior of transactors when friendship is considered. The script generates testable hypotheses, which are studied in three lab-based experiments. Vignette studies considered the effect of friendship on two-party transactions and revealed consistent behaviors. Without discussion, subjects exhibit consistent agreement for what constitutes appropriate pricing for friends and for strangers in different contexts: when pricing a variety of commodities for a transaction, when acting as agents for a friend or a stranger, and when observing others engaged in such transactions.
Domestic Taxes and the External Debt Laffer Curve

This paper highlights the role of the domestic tax system in determining the economic consequences of an external debt overhang. The analysis indicates that fairly strong, and probably unrealistic, assumptions about the domestic tax system are needed to argue that the investment disincentives associated with the debt overlhang are large enough to place a country on the wrong side of the debt Laffer curve. A simple taxation scheme is specified, and it is shown that a country can be on the 'wrong side' of its debt Laffer curve only if it is on the wrong side of its tax Laffer curve.
Some Open Problems in Quantum Information Theory

Some open questions in quantum information theory (QIT) are described. Most of them were presented in Ban
New discretization procedure for the agglomeration equation

A new discretization procedure for the agglomeration equation is presented. The intrinsic problems caused by discretization of the particle-size distribution are mitigated by using proper probability functions. Thus, the new discretized equation predicts the same total number of particles as its continuous counterpart and guarantees conservation of mass. This general method can correctly predict any two properties simultaneously and is not limited to number and mass. Simulation results with various agglomeration kernels show that the new method provides significant improvements over the conventional discretization method. Furthermore, the new method allows the user to choose equal-size intervals or geometric-size intervals with any geometric ratio to cover the particle-size range. In addition to flexibility, the latter feature leads to better accuracy in particle-size distribution predictions.
Absolute near-infrared oximetry for urology: A quantitative study of the tissue hemoglobin saturation before and after testicular torsion in a rabbit model

We present an experimental study on four rabbits to demonstrate the feasibility of near-infrared spectroscopy in the noninvasive assessment of testicular torsion. We used a multi-distance frequency-domain method, based on a fixed detector position and a 9-mm linear scan of the illumination optical fibers, to measure absolute values of pre- and post-operative testicular oxygen saturation. Unilateral testicular torsions (by 0°, 540° or 720°) on experimental testes and contralateral sham surgeries (no torsion) on control testes were performed and studied. Our results showed (a) a consistent baseline absolute tissue oxygen saturation value of 78% ± 5%; (b) a comparable absolute saturation of 77% ± 6% on the control side (testes after sham surgery); and (c) a significantly lower tissue oxygen saturation of 36% ± 2% on the experimental side (testes after 540° or 720° torsion surgery). These results demonstrate the capability of frequency domain nearinfrared spectroscopy in the assessment of absolute testicular hemoglobin desaturation caused by torsion, and show promise as a potential method to serve as a complement to conventional color and spectral Doppler ultrasonography.