cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improvement of daytime land surface skin temperature over arid regions in the NCEP GFS model and its impact on satellite data assimilation

[1] Comparison of the land surface skin temperature (LST) from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) operational Global Forecast System (GFS) against satellite and in situ data in summer 2007 indicates that the GFS has a large and cold bias in LST over the arid western continental United States (CONUS) during daytime. This LST bias contributes to large errors in simulated satellite brightness temperatures over land by the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM) and hence the rejection of satellite data in the NCEP Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system, especially for surface-sensitive satellite channels. The new vegetation-dependent formulations of momentum and thermal roughness lengths are tested in the GFS. They substantially reduce the large cold bias of daytime LST over the arid western CONUS in the warm season. This, in turn, significantly reduces the large biases of calculated satellite brightness temperatures found for infrared and microwave sensors in window or near-window channels, so that many more satellite data can be assimilated in the GSI system. In the arid western CONUS, the calculation of surface emissivity for microwave sensors in the CRTM can be further improved, and the new microwave land emissivity model together with increased LST via changes in surface roughness length formulations reduces biases and root-mean-square errors in the calculated brightness temperature.
Comparison of Recent Graduates of Clinical Versus Counseling Psychology Programs

Recent graduates from clinical (N = 65) and counseling (N = 64) psychology programs were surveyed to assess similarities and differences of aspects of their programs and job-related activity. Results revealed only minor differences. Counseling psychologists were more likely to provide group therapy, career counseling and assessment, public lectures and workshops, to have more knowledge of the Strong Interest Inventory, to be more likely to work in university counseling centers, and to endorse humanistic theoretical orientations. Clinical psychologists were more likely to work in medical school settings, to ascribe human behavior to internal states rather than to social causes, and to have greater knowledge of the Rorschach. However, the similarities between the two specialities relative to work setting, theoretical orientation, service, research, and teaching activities, far outweighed these minor differences. Implications of these findings are placed in the context of previous research that has suggested the possible merger of the two specialities.
The exploding exponential and other chaotic bursts in complex dynamics

ROBERT L. DEVANEY did his undergraduate work at Holy Cross and received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1973. He taught at Northwestern University, Tufts University, and the University of Maryland before coming to Boston University, where he served as chair of the mathematics department from 1983 to 1986. His research is centered in Dynamical Systems, with special interests in Hamiltonian mechanics, complex analytic dynamics, and computer experimentation.
The accuracy of plane strain models for the elastic contact of three-dimensional rough surfaces

Abstract Two finite surface element models for elastic contact (a general model employing a two-dimensional lattice of deflection nodes on the interface and a previously derived plane strain model using a one-dimensional line of nodes) are compared for a set of interfaces between deterministic rough surfaces to assess the minimum degree of topographical anisotropy for which the considerably more convenient one-dimensional model can confidently be used to predict the pressure and gap profiles along a line perpendicular to the anisotropy direction. The sum of the two contacting surfaces comprises an array of identical sinusoidal peaks and valleys, of peak-to-valley height 2H, elongated in the y direction by an anisotropy factor α. For a given sum surface and load, the two-dimensional model gives the “true” pressure or gap at each node, from which are computed, for each node row in the x direction, the mean pressure P, the contact length fraction F and the mean gap G. The one-dimensional model is then applied to each node row to compute F and G for this value of P, and the deviation of the one-dimensional model from the two-dimensional model is expressed as the average differences in F and G H averaged over all node rows. In general, both of the average deviations are less than 5% for α > 1.5 and less than 1% for α > 4.
Development of Antimicrobial Coatings by Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Using a Guanidine-Based Precursor

Antimicrobial coatings deposited onto ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) films were investigated using an atmospheric pressure - plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD) process. Varying concentrations of a guanidine-based liquid precursor, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine, were used, and different deposition conditions were studied. Attenuated total reflectance - Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study the chemical structure and elemental composition of the coatings. Conformity, morphology, and coating thickness were assessed through SEM and AFM. Optimal AP-PECVD parameters were chosen and applied to deposit guanidine coatings onto woven fabrics. The coatings exhibited high antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) based on a modified-AATCC 100 test standard, where 2–5 log reductions were achieved.
Recurrent Meningitis and Mondini Dysplasia

• Three infants with cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea and recurrent meningitis due to Mondini dysplasia have been treated at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex; 39 other patients with this association have been described. This review highlights the characteristics and embryologic basis of the malformation. The clinical evaluation of an infant with recurrent meningitis is outlined, and the importance of brain-stem response audiometry and thincut computed tomography of the temporal bones is discussed. Surgical management depends on the functional status of the dysplastic ear; usually, a stapedectomy is performed and the vestibule is obliterated. Although the surgical failure rate is 30% after one procedure, early identification of the dysplasia and prompt surgical management diminish morbidity and mortality and permit early habilitation of the child with congenital hearing impairment. (Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1990;116:608-612)
All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality among US Youth: Socioeconomic and Rural–Urban Disparities and International Patterns

We analyzed international patterns and socioeconomic and rural–urban disparities in all-cause mortality and mortality from homicide, suicide, unintentional injuries, and HIV/AIDS among US youth aged 15–24 years. A county-level socioeconomic deprivation index and rural–urban continuum measure were linked to the 1999–2007 US mortality data. Mortality rates were calculated for each socioeconomic and rural–urban group. Poisson regression was used to derive adjusted relative risks of youth mortality by deprivation level and rural–urban residence. The USA has the highest youth homicide rate and 6th highest overall youth mortality rate in the industrialized world. Substantial socioeconomic and rural–urban gradients in youth mortality were observed within the USA. Compared to their most affluent counterparts, youth in the most deprived group had 1.9 times higher all-cause mortality, 8.0 times higher homicide mortality, 1.5 times higher unintentional-injury mortality, and 8.8 times higher HIV/AIDS mortality. Youth in rural areas had significantly higher mortality rates than their urban counterparts regardless of deprivation levels, with suicide and unintentional-injury mortality risks being 1.8 and 2.3 times larger in rural than in urban areas. However, youth in the most urbanized areas had at least 5.6 times higher risks of homicide and HIV/AIDS mortality than their rural counterparts. Disparities in mortality differed by race and sex. Socioeconomic deprivation and rural–urban continuum were independently related to disparities in youth mortality among all sex and racial/ethnic groups, although the impact of deprivation was considerably greater. The USA ranks poorly in all-cause mortality, youth homicide, and unintentional-injury mortality rates when compared with other industrialized countries.
Sarcomatoid collecting duct carcinoma: A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of five cases

Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma is a well-known entity, but sarcomatoid collecting duct carcinoma has not been reported. We recently encountered five cases. The patients were men whose ages ranged from 59 to 82 years (mean age, 68 years). All presented with gross hematuria and three had abdominal fullness. Tumor size ranged from 6 to 9 cm in greatest dimension. The Fuhrman's nuclear grade of the carcinomatous components was 3 in three cases and 4 in two. The sarcomatoid areas were composed of pleomorphic spindle cells forming a malignant fibrous histiocytomatous pattern in four cases and a fibrosarcomatous pattern in one. The immunohistochemical findings in the carcinomatous and sarcomatoid components were identical. Wide-spectrum anti-cytokeratin cocktail, epithelial membrane antigen, and vimentin antibodies demonstrated immunoreactivity, while Leu-M1 did not react in all five cases. Three of the five tumors were positive for Ulex europaeus agglutinin I lectin. One sarcomatoid carcinoma reacted with monoclonal antibody to high molecular weight keratins, and all five tumors reacted with a monoclonal antibody to low molecular weight keratins. Two patients died at 5 months and 13 months after diagnosis, two are alive with metastatic disease at 1 and 14 months, and one is alive with no evidence of disease at 36 months.
A communication-computation efficient group key algorithm for large and dynamic groups

The management of secure communication among groups of participants requires a set of secure and efficient operations. In this paper we extend existing work to present a Communication-Computation Efficient Group Key Algorithm (CCEGK) designed to provide both efficient communication and computation, addressing performance, security and authentication issues of CCEGK. Additionally, we compare CCEGK with three other leading group key algorithms, EGK, TGDH, and STR. An analytical comparison of all algorithms revealed eight similar methods: add, remove, merge, split, mass add, mass remove, initialize, and key refresh. Comparing the cost in terms of communication and computation, we found CCEGK to be more efficient across the board.
microRNAs and prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most frequently diagnosed malignant tumour and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. One of the most troubling aspects of this disease is that, after androgen ablation therapy, androgen-dependent cancer cells inevitably progress to an androgen-independent status, for which no effective treatment has yet been developed. To date, the mechanisms that underlie the occurrence and progression of CaP remain largely unknown. Recent studies suggest that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in human tumourigenesis. Some aberrantly expressed miRNAs have been discovered in CaP cell lines, xenografts and clinical tissues and these CaP-related miRNAs may play critical roles in the pathogenesis of CaP. This review provides an overview of current findings about aberrantly expressed miRNAs in CaP. Although a number of CaP-related miRNAs were discovered, to date, only five are characterized for their functionalities: three as oncogenes and two as tumour suppressors. To understand the mechanisms of miRNA action as oncogenes or tumour suppressors, mRNA targets of miRNAs were characterized. Oncogenic miRNAs down-regulate the expression of apoptosis-related genes, and tumour suppressor miRNAs target the proliferation-related genes. Importantly, there is evidence that CaP-related miRNAs are regulated through androgen signalling and that this regulation may contribute to the development of androgen independence. Due to the oncogenic or tumour-suppressive properties of CaP-related miRNAs, they are highly likely to be of clinical use first as biomarkers but more importantly as therapeutic targets for prostate cancer treatment in the near future.
A shortened intermediate version of the halstead category test

An effort was made to determine whether the intermediate (ages 9-14) version of the Halstead Category Test (HCT) could be shortened to increase clinical utility without altering it's basic psychometric properties. The Long Intermediate Halstead Category Test was administered to four clinical groups. Statistics were conducted to verify that these groups did not relate differentially to the Category Test or other neuropsychological measures. Twelve shortened Category Tests were then extracted. The psychometric properties of these extracted shortened versions were compared to the long version and the three best were selected for further tests. These three shortened versions were then cross validated. Results indicated that the psychometric properties were similar across the shortened versions. The shortest version was there for chosen which best retained the characteristics of the original test.
Flashback Propensity of Syngas Fuels

The paper presents experimental measurements of flashback propensity of H2 -CO mixtures (primary constituents of syngas fuels). Effects of H2 concentration, external excitation and swirl on the flashback propensity of H2 -CO flames are discussed. The flashback behavior of H2 -CO flames changes nonlinearly with the increase in H2 contents in the mixture. The critical velocity gradient (gF ) values of 5%–95% and 15%–85% H2 -CO mixtures somewhat agree with the scaling relation (gF = c(SL 2 /α)) and yield an average c value of 0.035. However, the gF values of 25%–75% H2 -CO mixture show higher order variations with the SL 2 /α ratio (especially for SL 2 /α < 19,000 s−1 ). At a lower SL 2 /α ratio, burner diameters have small effects on critical velocity gradient measurements; however, the effect is significant at higher SL 2 /α ratio. The effect of external excitation on the flashback propensity of H2 -CO flames with more than 5% H2 is not significant. Flashback through two mechanisms and their dependence on combustor parameters were also identified for swirl stabilized H2 -CO flames.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Perception of a quadrilateral

Abstract In this report, we show that an arbitrarily given quadrilateral can always be interpreted as an image of a parallelogram and that the interpretation is unique aside from a multiplicative constant. Several applications of this theorem are discussed. It could be used to prove an old, geometrical theorem; it could facilitate the matching process when a sequence of images are available; it could be used as a simple technique for passive ranging in industrial environment or autonomous landing of an aircraft on a moving platform.
Transferable force fields for chlorinated germanes and silanes

Abstract A 9-parameter transferable Urey-Bradley force field (UBFF) reproduces the 36 vibrational frequencies of the series of molecules GeH4, GeH3Cl, GeHCl3, GeCl4 and the fully deuterated derivatives with a mean frequency deviation of 10 cm−1. The use of an individual UBFF for each molecule reduces this deviation to 4 cm−1. The 9-parameter transferable UBFF is superior to a 12-parameter transferable valence force field for these molecules. Similar results obtain for the series of analogous compounds of silicon.
Rassf Family of Tumor Suppressor Polypeptides

The Rassf1–6 polypeptides each contain a Ras/Rap association domain, which enables binding to several GTP-charged Ras-like GTPases, at least in vitro or when overexpressed. The Ras/Rap association domains are followed by SARAH domains, which mediate Rassf heterodimerization with the Mst1/2 protein kinases. Rassf1A is unequivocally a tumor suppressor, and all Rassf proteins behave like tumor suppressors, exhibiting epigenetic silencing of expression in many human cancers and pro-apoptotic and/or anti-proliferative effects when re-expressed in tumor cell lines. Herein, we review the binding of the Rassf polypeptides to Ras-like GTPases and the Mst1/2 kinases and their role in Rassf function.
State of the Art Reviews: Nutrition and Lifestyle for a Healthy Pregnancy

Nutrition and lifestyle factors can maximize health in pregnancy and lower future risk of disease for both mother and fetus. Education can make a big difference for patients in pregnancy outcomes, ...
An Evaluation of Power and Sample-Size Requirements for the Continuity-Corrected Fisher Exact Test:

Summary.-This article evaluates power and Type I error probabilities for a modified Fisher exact test for homogeneity of response probabilities in 2 x 2 tables. The original Fisher cxact tesr and the Pearson chi-square are employed as standards for comparison. The continuity-corrected Fisher statistic is shown to be considerably more powerful than the uncorrected Fisher exact tesr, while it is less often nonconservatively biased than the Pearson chi-square. Numerous authors have concluded that Fisher's exact test is seriously conservative when used to test the homogeneity of binary response probabilities in two treatment groups (Camilli & Hopkins, 1978; Detre & White, 1970; Garside & Mack, 1976; Grizzle, 1967; Plackett, 1964; Rhoades & Overall, in press). The conservatism results, not so much from the fact that the hypergeometric model is incorrect for the unconditional case where one set of marginal frequencies is free to vary, but from the discontinuity problem inherent in frequency data. Overall ( 1980) proposed augmenting by +1 the two cells of the 2 X 2 table in which observed frequencies exceed their expected values prior to calculation of the hypergeometric probability of the augmented table. Exact evaluation of Type I error probabilities showed that the continuity-corrected Fisher exact test is much less conservatively biased than is the uncorrected test and that it is less often nonconservatively biased than is the Pearson chi-square. Assuming that the continuity-corrected Fisher exact test has desirable alpha protection, as empirically demonstrated, an assessment of relative power and sample size requirements should enhance its utility. It is possible to calculate exactly the power that any test of homogeneity in 2 X 2 tables has against specified true differences in the binary response probabilities p1 and pa in two treatment groups of fixed sample sizes N1 and N2 (Garside & Mack, 1976; McDonald, et al., 1977; Rhoades & Overall, 1982). The probability of occurrence of any particular pattern of cell frequencies in a 2 X 2 table is the product of two independent binomial probabilities which represent the probabilities of nl "success" responses in Group 1 and nz "success" responses in Group 2 given true response probabilities p1 and pp. The sum of these exact probabilities for all possible 2 X 2 tables for fixed sample sizes N1 and N2 in which the test would lead to rejection of the null hypothesis is the exact power of the test.
Greater improvement in quality of life following unilateral deep brain stimulation surgery in the globus pallidus as compared to the subthalamic nucleus

While deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is a well-accepted treatment for Parkinson disease (PD) that improves overall quality of life (QoL), its effects across different domains of QoL are unclear. The study reported here directly compared the effects of unilateral DBS in subthalamic nucleus (STN) or globus pallidus (GPi) on QoL in 42 non-demented patients with medication-refractory PD. Patients were enrolled in the COMPARE trial, a randomized clinical trial of cognitive and mood effects of STN versus GPi DBS conducted at the University of Florida Movement Disorders Center. Patients underwent motor, mood, verbal fluency and QoL (Parkinson disease questionnaire: PDQ-39) measures before and 6 months following surgery. Groups experienced motor and mood improvements that did not differ by target. Patients with STN DBS evidenced a slight decrement on letter fluency. On average, all patients endorsed better overall QoL after surgery. However, despite similar motor and mood improvements, GPi patients improved more than STN patients (38 vs. 14%, respectively; P = 0.03). Patients reported better QoL on subscales of mobility, activities of daily living (ADLs), emotional well-being, stigma, cognition and discomfort, but not on those of social support and communication. Improvements on the mobility, ADLs, stigma and social support subscales were greater amongst GPi patients. In regression analyses, only depression changes independently predicted changes in overall QoL as well as emotional well-being and social support changes. Within the STN group only, declining category fluency scores correlated with poorer QoL on the communication subscale. Unilateral DBS in both STN and GPi improved QoL overall and in disparate domains 6 months after surgery. Patients receiving GPi DBS reported greater improvements that cannot be explained by differential mood or motor effects; however, verbal fluency changes may have partially contributed to lesser QoL improvements amongst STN patients.
Embryonic development in vitro following short-duration exposure to heat

Gestation day (GD) 10 rat embryos (10-12 somites) were exposed in vitro for 10 to 25 minutes at 42 or 43 degrees C and evaluated 24 hrs later for alterations in growth and specific morphological parameters, using a modified Brown-Fabro (Brown and Fabro: Teratology, 24:65-78, '81) scoring system that allowed evaluation of development relative to gestational age. At 42 degrees C, crown-rump length appeared to be particularly sensitive, responding to only 10 mins exposure. A 15-min exposure resulted in decreased total protein, somite number and morphological score. No system was uniquely sensitive, since all parameters demonstrated some degree of response. Rather, systems affected were those that would be developing most rapidly at this time in gestation. At 43 degrees C, all of the parameters measured were affected by a 10-min exposure. These results demonstrate alterations in vitro after much shorter exposure periods than previously reported on GD10, which may be due, in part, to the use of a modified scoring system that permitted the evaluation of graded individual end point changes relative to gestational age. The response patterns demonstrated a clear temperature- and exposure duration-dependency, with a shift from a more shallow duration-response curve to a more dramatic inhibition of development as temperature increased from 42 degrees C to 43 degrees C.
A remark about the stability of smooth equilibrium configurations of static liquid crystals

Abstract The William-Pieranski-Cladis experiment7 is reviewed in the context of the equilibrium theory of liquid crystals. Static theory does not suffice to explain the apparent can-cellation of singularities.
Effects of soil and wood depletion on biodiversity

Human depletion of soil and wood resources is dramatically altering the biodiversity of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This paper provides an overview of the numerous linkages between the depletion of soil and wood resources and the loss of biodiversity. While some of these linkages are well documented, others remain speculative or unexplored. In order to understand the full ramifications of resource depletion on biodiversity, additional research is required.
Space-Time Spaceless-Timeless Interactions

An argument, based on Lorentz invariance for the number of discrete objects and Lorentz non-invariance for continuous physical quantities, is used to arrive at an uncertainty relation involving dipole moment and mass. Applied to a photon, a virtual dipole moment is defined and the photon itself is described as an electromagnetic wave. The small distance singularity in the Coulomb potential is removed by using a complex number for distance.
Superconductivity of the Isotopes of Tin

The superconducting transition temperatures of six samples of tin with masses ranging from 113.58 to 123.01 were measured by a magnetic method and found to obey a relation of the form ${M}^{0.505}{T}_{c}=\mathrm{const}$. The critical filed curves for the samples of mass 113.58, 118.05, and 123.01 were determined between 1.4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and 3.8\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and observed to be geometrically similar to about 1 part in 800. From this it is concluded that the electronic specific heat in the normal state is independent of mass, and that the thermodynamic functions derived from the critical field curves also have the similarity property.
Curiosities at c = 1

We consider conformal field theories on a torus with central charge c = 1, and in particular models based upon modding out string propagation on the SU(2) group manifold by its finite subgroups. We find that the partition functions for these models coincide with the continuum limit partition functions of a recently introduced class of RSOS models, defined in terms of the extended Dynkin diagrams of simply-laced Lie algebras, thus giving an alternative interpretation for the primary fields in these latter theories. Three of the models have no massless moduli and thus do not lie on the same line of critical points with the rest. The particular correspondence between simply-laced Lie algebras and finite subgroups of SU(2) that emerges coincides with that which has already appeared in other mathematical contexts.
Specific heat of the high Tc organic superconductor κ-(ET)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br

Abstract An anomally in the specific heat of κ-(ET)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br, where ET is the radical-cation donor molecule bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene, has been observed around Tc ∼ 11.5K, indicating bulk superconductivity in this organic charge-transfer salt. The normal-state electronic specific heat coefficient, γ = 22 ± 3 mJK-2mol was obtained by the suppression of superconductivity with a sufficiently strong magnetic field applied parallel to the crystallographic b direction. The ratio of the specific heat discontinuity ΔC to γT indicates strong coupling. Comparisons with other ET-based organic superconductors are made.
Stratified corneal limbal epithelial cells are protected from UVB-induced apoptosis by elevated extracellular K+

The goal of this study was to determine whether elevated [K(+)] protects stratified corneal epithelial cells from entering apoptosis following exposure to ambient levels of UVB radiation. Human corneal limbal epithelial (HCLE) cells were stratified to form multilayered constructs in culture. The cells were exposed to UVB doses of 100-250 mJ/cm(2) followed by incubation in medium with 5.5-100 mM K(+). The protective effect of K(+) was determined by measuring the caspase-3 and -8 activity and TUNEL staining of the stratified HCLE constructs. In response to UVB exposure, activation of apoptotic pathways peaked at 24 h. Caspase-8 in stratified cells was activated by exposure to UVB at 100-250 mJ/cm(2), and activity was significantly reduced in response to 50 or 100 mM K(+). Caspase-3 was activated in the stratified cells in response to 100-250 mJ/cm(2) UVB and showed a significant reduction in activity in response to 25, 50 or 100 mM K(+). DNA fragmentation, as indicated by TUNEL staining, was elevated after exposure to 200 mJ/cm(2) UVB, and decreased following incubation with 25-100 mM K(+). These results show that in a culture system that models the intact corneal epithelium, elevated extracellular K(+) can reduce UVB-induced apoptosis which is believed to be initiated by loss of K(+) from cells. This is the basis of damage to the corneal epithelium caused by UVB exposure. Based on these observations it is suggested that the relatively high K(+) concentration in tears (20-25 mM) may play a role in protecting the corneal epithelium from ambient UVB radiation.
A Neural Network Model of Retrieval-Induced Forgetting

Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) refers to the finding that retrieving a memory can impair subsequent recall of related memories. Here, the authors present a new model of how the brain gives rise to RIF in both semantic and episodic memory. The core of the model is a recently developed neural network learning algorithm that leverages regular oscillations in feedback inhibition to strengthen weak parts of target memories and to weaken competing memories. The authors use the model to address several puzzling findings relating to RIF, including why retrieval practice leads to more forgetting than simply presenting the target item, how RIF is affected by the strength of competing memories and the strength of the target (to-be-retrieved) memory, and why RIF sometimes generalizes to independent cues and sometimes does not. For all of these questions, the authors show that the model can account for existing results, and they generate novel predictions regarding boundary conditions on these results.
Multiprocessor based system design

The letter discusses the design of a marketable and powerful microcomputer with maximum efficiency while keeping the cost and parts count low. The two main processors in the system are capable of operating in parallel and independently, thus resulting in high system throughput and speed. Colour graphics, floppy disks and hard disks are considered in this design.
At least six nucleotides preceding the AUG initiator codon enhance translation in mammalian cells

Abstract Sequences flanking the AUG initiator codon influence its recognition by eukaryotic ribosomes. From a comparison of several hundred mRNA sequences, CC A G CCAUGG emerged as the consensus sequence for initiation in higher eukaryotes. Systematic mutagenesis of a cloned preproinsulin gene confirmed the facilitating effect of A or G in position −3 (i.e. 3 nucleotides upstream from the AUG codon). C in positions −1 and −2, and G immediately following the AUG codon. The analysis of a new set of mutants now reveals that sequences slightly farther upstream are also influential, the optimal context for initiation being (GCC)GCC A G CCAUGG . Possible mechanistic implications of the repeating GCC motif are discussed.
Differences in animal 13C, 15N and D abundance between a polluted and an unpolluted coastal site: Likely indicators of sewage uptake by a marine food web

In comparing a control vs. a sewage-affected nearshore site off southern California, the natural relative abundances of 13C, 15N and D in Dover sole and Ridgeback prawn muscle were found to be significantly different. This between-site shift in animal isotope abundance is of the type expected if sewage organic materials were an important food source for animals in the latter site. Use of stable isotope natural abundance to trace the incorporation and movement of sewage-derived organics in marine food webs is suggested.
The Development and Validation of a Situational Judgement Test for Security Officers

This study reports on a novel tool for improving medical center security officer selection decisions. A low-fidelity situational judgement test (SJT) was developed and content/criterion-validated. A critical incident job analysis surveying 18 different organizations was conducted, and used to develop both the 56-item SJT and the eight-dimension performance appraisal. These instruments showed acceptable reliability, and security experts were in high agreement as to the relevance of the SJT incident items and the effectiveness of incident response options. Using a sample of 163 medical center security officers from the 18 organizations across the United States, a concurrent validation study was conducted. Results showed that total SJT scores correlated significantly with overall performance scores and were found to be significantly associated with each performance appraisal dimension rating. Racial group disparity in test performance favoring White persons and Hispanics was discovered. Finally, the utility of the test and the limitations of the study are discussed.
Machine translation as a testbed for multilingual analysis

We propose that machine translation (MT) is a useful application for evaluating and deriving the development of NL components, especially in a wide-coverage analysis system. Given the architecture of our MT system, which is a transfer system based on linguistic modules, correct analysis is expected to be a prerequisite for correct translation, suggesting a correlation between the two, given relatively mature transfer and generation components. We show through error analysis that there is indeed a strong correlation between the quality of the translated output and the subjectively determined goodness of the analysis. We use this correlation as a guide for development of a coordinated parallel analysis effort in 7 languages.
Protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocytes: evidence for the synthesis of initial dipeptides in the presence of pactamycin.

Abstract The effects of pactamycin on peptide chain initiation were studied using a reconstituted system comprised of reticulocyte ribosomes, poly r(A-U-G) messenger and peptide chain initiation factors, and the transfer of methionine from precharged Met-tRNA f Met into di-, oligo- and polymethionine products was measured. In the presence of low concentrations of pactamycin (10 −6 M), polymethionine synthesis in the above system was markedly reduced, and a concomitant increase in the synthesis of met-met and met-val dipeptides was observed. The latter dipeptide was presumably synthesized in response to endongenous hemoglobin messenger. Aurintricarboxylic acid and sparsomycin also inhibited polymethionine synthesis in response to poly r(A-U-G) messenger. Whereas aurintricarboxylic acid inhibited pactamycin induced dipeptide synthesis, sparsomycin had no significant effect on dipeptide synthesis in the presence of pactamycin.
Does market context impact payoffs to internationalization

Purpose – International strategy literature has shown that market context varies in terms of importance to international operations and competition. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of market context in influencing the relationship between internationalization and performance.Design/methodology/approach – Using cluster analysis, this study categorizes market context into two distinct groups: global and multidomestic. Later, it investigates the internationalization‐performance relationship for 263 firms distributed across two market contexts.Findings – Support for an inverted U‐shaped relationship was found in the case of market contexts which have global characteristics, while a U‐shaped relationship was found in the market contexts which have multidomestic characteristics. Additionally, findings indicate that the moderating influence of diversification on the internationalization‐performance relationship varies by the market context of the firm.Originality/value – The paper seeks to contr...
Discovery and characterization of small molecules that target the GTPase Ral

The Ras-like GTPases RalA and RalB are important drivers of tumour growth and metastasis. Chemicals that block Ral function would be valuable as research tools and for cancer therapeutics. Here we used protein structure analysis and virtual screening to identify drug-like molecules that bind to a site on the GDP-bound form of Ral. The compounds RBC6, RBC8 and RBC10 inhibited the binding of Ral to its effector RALBP1, as well as inhibiting Ral-mediated cell spreading of murine embryonic fibroblasts and anchorage-independent growth of human cancer cell lines. The binding of the RBC8 derivative BQU57 to RalB was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry, surface plasmon resonance and (1)H-(15)N transverse relaxation-optimized spectroscopy (TROSY) NMR spectroscopy. RBC8 and BQU57 show selectivity for Ral relative to the GTPases Ras and RhoA and inhibit tumour xenograft growth to a similar extent to the depletion of Ral using RNA interference. Our results show the utility of structure-based discovery for the development of therapeutics for Ral-dependent cancers.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Trajectories of Aggression in a Longitudinal Sample of High-Risk, Urban Youth

Purpose To estimate trajectories of aggression among African Americans and Hispanics using a longitudinal sample of urban adolescents, and test multiple domains of risk factors to differentiate profiles of aggression.
NSF's activities in Cyber-enabled energy systems research and education

This panel presentation provides a brief overview of the National Science Foundation's research and education activities in the program area of Cyber-enabled Energy Systems. Examples of these activities are numerous and while this contribution cannot claim to provide an exhaustive survey, this presentation will review some of the recent workshops, funding initiatives and awards.
A thinning transform for digital images

Abstract Given an elongated object in a digital image, a thinning transform is described to simultaneously calculate the coordinates of its medial line elements and a value for these elements equal to the width of the object at the element's coordinates. The transform is being used in the area of quantitative fractography in photo-micrographs of rock samples.
Stable nitroxides as lipid antioxidants.

STABLE nitroxides have been shown by Neiman et al.1,2 and Brownlie and Ingold3 to be inhibitors of polymerization. Hoffman4 mentioned that di-t-butyl nitroxide was an effective antioxidant, polymerization inhibitor and radical trap, but no details were given. According to Neiman et al.1 and Brownlie and Ingold3 the nitroxide radical reacts with an alkyl radical, stopping the chain reaction as follows The nitroxides compete favourably with oxygen for the R radical1, and propagation is said to be prevented with little or no peroxide formation. Work in this laboratory5 suggested that nitroxide radicals were involved in the antioxidant activity of secondary aliphatic hydroxyl-amines toward unsaturated lipids. Some of the known stable nitroxide radicals have now been examined.
A harmonic motion generator for telerobotic applications

A manipulator motion generator algorithm is described. It is based on observations of task space trajectory profiles produced by human operators manually through a position hand controller. The algorithm, the harmonic motion generator (HMG), is formulated in the velocity-position phase space and employs harmonic (sinusoidal) base functions in that space. The reported performance results include combinations of this HMG algorithm with force-torque sensor based active compliance control and with Cartesian servo. The results are encouraging. >
Physical and chemical constraints on the application of rapid thermal processing to the deposition and post-deposition processing of alternative high-k gate dielectrics

This paper discusses the amorphous morphology and electronic structure of elemental and binary oxides that have been proposed as alternative gate dielectrics for advanced Si CMOS devices. Based on fundamental aspects of amorphous morphology and electronic structure, binary alloys comprised of transition metal and rare earth oxides such as Zr(Hf)O/sub 2/ and Y(Gd)/sub 2/O/sub 3/, and either SiO/sub 2/ or Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ are identified as leading contenders for the first generation of advanced replacement dielectrics. This paper also addresses issues relative to deposition of these materials and their integration into CMOS devices.
Effects of Warning and Information Labels on Consumption of Full-Fat, Reduced-Fat, and No-Fat Products

Participants in a taste test study were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: warning label (e.g., "In this product, 90% of the calories come from fat. Warning: The U.S. Surgeon General has determined that eating high fat food increases your risk of heart disease." ), information label (e.g., "In this product, 90% of the calories come from fat."), and no label. Participants rated how much they wanted to taste full-, reduced-, and no-fat cream cheeses, and they chose 1 type to eat. People in the warning- and no-label groups wanted to taste the full-fat product more than those in the information-label group. People in the warning- and information-label groups were less likely to eat the full-fat product than those in the no-label group. People reacted to the warning label but avoided the full-fat product. For products with credible and familiar risks, information labels may be more effective than warning labels because they don't arouse reactance.
Group Model Building Workshop and Facilitation

This chapter provides an overview of the group model workshop and facilitation. The chapter covers the initial preparation before a workshop session, facilitation issues that can arise during a session, and debriefing immediately after the session. A conceptual framework is provided for understanding the different team roles in relation to managing boundary objects during group model building sessions including the special emphasis in community-based system dynamics on educating participants in the principles of SD. General tips on facilitation are covered along with techniques for managing situations when things go wrong. The chapter concludes with a discussion about role of recorders, consolidating insights and leading a debrief session.
A base called J

The African trypanosomes, which are the causal agents of African Sleeping Sickness in humans, undergo in the bloodstream of the mammalian host a selective expression of variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) genes as a mechanism to evade the immune response of the host (5). The trypanosomes have up to 20 different telomeric-localized expression sites and more than a hundred VSG genes, and are able to modulate VSG expression by several mechanisms, including replacing the VSG gene in the active expression site or activating a new expression site and silencing the old site (6). The mechanism for silencing all but one VSG sites and for the inheritance of these stable transcriptional states is unknown but is thought to involve an epigenetic mechanism because it is independent of promoter sequences. The original discovery of J stemmed from the observation that silenced telomeric genes could not be digested with restriction enzymes …
Building Social Capital: A Learning Agenda for the Twenty-first Century.

Social capital creates local economic prosperity. This ® nding by Putnam (1993a), Fukuyama (1995), Coleman (1988, 1990) and other social scientists has lent legitimacy to what those involved in community economic development have known intuitively for years: the level of inter-personal trust, civic engagement and organisational capability in a community counts. Their research indicates that the lack of, or decline in, social capital lies behind the psychological, spiritual and economic malaise in communities throughout the world. While there is a rich literature deploring the lack of civic commitment and the rise of individualism (Bellah et al., 1985, 1991; Etzioni, 1994; Lappe and DuBois, 1994), the social capital literature gives the issue a more compelling rationale for urgency: the bottom line. Just as the inter-personal aspects of total quality management (TQM) ushered in trustbuilding and team-building to the private and public sectors (Deming, 1982; Osborne and Gaebler, 1992), the concept of social capital brings these same values centre stage in the so-called third sector: civil society. The recognition of social capital as a determinant of local economic development directs the attention of development planners to a very intangible goal. In addition to creating jobs, disbursing loans, generating income, training the labour force and delivering services, development planners must now confront head on the fuzzy task of shaping levels of inter-personal trust, feelings of belonging and responsibility, and the quality and ef® cacy of civic engagement in a community. These intangibles can no longer be relegated to quaint touchy-feely by-products of community economic development. A central task for development planners is now social capital formationÐ i.e. communitybuilding itself.
Corridas bancarias sunspot y de tipo fundamental

Este articulo desarrolla un modelo de bancos en el que la crisis de tipo fundamental (que destaca las variables macroeconomicas como las causantes de crisis bancarias) y la crisis de tipo sunspot (en la cual las expectativas autogeneradas crean equilibrios cuando los agentes entran en panico y causan una corrida bancaria) coexisten. Una politica de 100% de reservas previene ambos tipos de crisis, pero mantener reservas excesivas de liquidez impide inversiones socialmente productivas, y por ende no es optima. Por otra parte, los bancos pierden su razon de ser con esta politica. Una politica de suspension de convertibilidad puede reducir el bienestar social relativo al caso en el que las crisis bancarias son permitidas, si la probabilidad de corridas sunspot es suficientemente baja.
In Defense of A Little Theory

It is common to hear students in today’s engineering programs remark, “Theory is useless .... Please get past it and give \Ipractical\N instruction.” This complaint seems odd, given that these same students aspire to be the masters of technology in our complex twenty-first century culture. But the complaint is not new. Most engineering schools appeared in America in the mid-nineteenth century, directly in response to the growth of engineering science. But then, interestingly enough, it was the established engineer, not the student, who disdained theory. The self-styled nineteenth century engineer whose knowledge base \Iwas\N his experience tended to take a dim view of the university graduate and regarded theoretical education as “not being very practical.” In contrast to these two extremes, this paper argues that theory promotes understanding, and understanding enables engineers to develop the practical expression of judgment and intuition vital to the engineering profession.
Sequential Extraction and Quantitative Recovery of Gliadins, Glutenins, and Other Proteins from Small Samples of Wheat Flour

Methods to sequentially extract and fractionate wheat flour proteins were evaluated to reliably quantify gliadins, glutenins, and albumins/globulins in single flour samples. Compositions of the resulting protein fractions were analyzed by RP-HPLC combined with SDS−PAGE. Unknown proteins were identified by mass spectrometry or N-terminal sequencing. The best separation and recovery of discrete albumin/globulin, gliadin, and glutenin fractions from the same flour sample was achieved by extraction with 0.3 M NaI in 7.5% 1-propanol followed by 2% SDS, 25 mM DTT in 25 mM TRIS, pH 8.0, and precipitation of the solubilized proteins with ammonium acetate/methanol followed by acetone. Average flour composition for the variety Butte86 was 10% albumin/globulin, 40% gliadin, and 48% glutenin. This method should be useful for determining flour composition in diverse samples and evaluating relationships between proteins and end-use functionality. Keywords: Albumin; flour; fractionation; glutenin; gliadin; HPLC; protein...
Developmental stages of genome elimination resulting in transmission ratio distortion of the T-007 male recombination (MR) chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT T-007 is a Male Recombination (MR) second chromosome that induces transmission ratio distortion (at its own expense) when heterozygous with many laboratory marker chromosomes. The developmental timing of elimination of T-007 chromosomes has been investigated. About 21% of the T-007 chromosomes expected to be recovered among the progeny of heterozygous T-007 males are lost at some point between fertilization and eclosion (representing 29% of the total distortion observed in young males). Another 52% of the expected number of T-007 chromosomes are lost as a result of spermatid abortion during spermiogenesis (representing 71% of the total distortion). Abnormalities in both the number of spermatids per bundle and the structure of spermatid tails are seen at the earliest stages of spermiogenesis in T-007 males.