cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adult third culture kids: HRD challenges and opportunities

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are children who travel with expatriate parents and spend significant portions of their growing years in cultures other than their passport cultures. Such children internalize portions of both the home culture and the host culture, building a new cultural identity that reflects all their experiences without developing a sense of belonging to any single culture. TCKs often have more in common with each other than with peers raised in either their home or host cultures. As they mature and enter higher education systems and the workforce, TCKs present both challenges and opportunities for human resource development (HRD) professionals. This paper reviews the literature on TCKs, focusing on implications for HRD teaching, research, and practice.
Now what do people know about global climate change? Survey studies of educated laypeople

In 1992, a mental-models-based survey in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, revealed that educated laypeople often conflated global climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion, and appeared relatively unaware of the role of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions in global warming. This study compares those survey results with 2009 data from a sample of similarly well-educated laypeople responding to the same survey instrument. Not surprisingly, following a decade of explosive attention to climate change in politics and in the mainstream media, survey respondents in 2009 showed higher awareness and comprehension of some climate change causes. Most notably, unlike those in 1992, 2009 respondents rarely mentioned ozone depletion as a cause of global warming. They were also far more likely to correctly volunteer energy use as a major cause of climate change; many in 2009 also cited natural processes and historical climatic cycles as key causes. When asked how to address the problem of climate change, while respondents in 1992 were unable to differentiate between general "good environmental practices" and actions specific to addressing climate change, respondents in 2009 have begun to appreciate the differences. Despite this, many individuals in 2009 still had incorrect beliefs about climate change, and still did not appear to fully appreciate key facts such as that global warming is primarily due to increased concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the single most important source of this carbon dioxide is the combustion of fossil fuels.
In vitro studies on the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone and corticosterone on hepatic steroid receptor binding and mitochondrial respiration

Abstract 1. 1. The in vitro effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S) and related steroids on glucocorticoid corticosterone (GC) binding in hepatic cytosol and hepatic mitochondrial respiration were examined in male BHE/cdb and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. 2. 2. The Kd and the IC50 for GC binding in SD rats were 5- and 2-fold higher, respectively, than in BHE/cdb rats. 3. 3. Hepatic cytosol from BHE/cdb rats bound six times more [3H]-GC to receptors than that from SD rats. 4. 4. The percentage displacement and Bmax of GC for its receptors were similar for the two strains of rats. 5. 5. DHEA and DHEA-S did not displace GC from its receptors. 6. 6. DHEA and related non-sulfated steroids decreased state 3 mitochondrial respiration, respiratory control and oxidative phosphorylation capacity in a dose-dependent manner with malate + pyruvate as substrate.
Peer group effects in applied general equilibrium

Summary. In this paper, I develop an applied general equilibrium environment with peer group effects. The application I consider is schooling. The framework used here is general equilibrium with clubs. I establish the existence of equilibrium for the economy with a finite number of school types. This result is then extended to the case where the set of school types is a continuum. The two welfare theorems are shown to hold for both economies. To compute the equilibrium, I construct a Negishi mapping from the set of weights on individual type’s utility to the set of transfers that support the corresponding Pareto allocations as competitive equilibria with transfers. Because this mapping is a correspondence, a version of Scarf’s algorithm is used to find a competitive equilibrium.
Vangl1 Protein Acts as a Downstream Effector of Intestinal Trefoil Factor (ITF)/TFF3 Signaling and Regulates Wound Healing of Intestinal Epithelium

The intestinal trefoil factor (ITF/TFF3) protects intestinal epithelia from a range of insults and contributes to mucosal repair. However, the signaling events that mediate healing responses are only partially understood. To identify ITF signaling pathways, proteins that were Ser/Thr phosphorylated in response to ITF stimulation were immunoprecipitated from human colon carcinoma cell lines and identified by mass spectrometry. We demonstrated that Van Gogh-like protein 1 (also designated Vang-like 1 or Vangl1), a protein with four transmembrane domains, was Ser/Thr phosphorylated in response to ITF stimulation. Vangl1 was present in normal human colon and all intestinal epithelial cell lines (IEC) tested. In transfected IEC, FLAG-Vangl1 was mostly present in the Nonidet P-40 soluble fraction as detected by Western blotting, corresponding to the localization of endogenous protein in cytoplasmic vesicular structures by confocal microscopy with rabbit polyclonal anti-human Vangl1 antibody (α-Vangl1). Vangl1 cell membrane association increased with differentiation, as demonstrated by co-localization with E-cadherin in differentiated IEC. Increased Vangl1 phosphorylation after stimulation with ITF corresponded to decreased cell membrane association with E-cadherin. Functionally, Vangl1 overexpression enhanced ITF unstimulated and stimulated wound closure of IEC, whereas siRNA directed against Vangl1 inhibited the migratory response to ITF. Vangl1 protein may serve as an effector mediating the ITF healing response of the intestinal mucosa.
UPS of multilayer nitrogen-bearing compounds on the Si(100) surface

Ultraviolet photoemission spectra (UPS) are presented for condensed layers of three ethylated amines; mono-, di-, and triethylamine (TEA) on the Si(100) surface at 100 K. The photoemission peaks associated with the nitrogen lone pair electrons are identified in the amines and compared with the corresponding spectra for condensed ammonia. Shifts in the lone pair binding energy for the ethyl-substituted amines are shown to be consistent with conventional chemical paradigms. Also, for comparison purposes spectra for two nonethylated amines, trimethylamine (TMA), and its silicon analog, trisilylamine (TSA), are presented and discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Usability in machine learning at scale with graphlab

Today, machine learning (ML) methods play a central role in industry and science. The growth of the Web and improvements in sensor data collection technology have been rapidly increasing the magnitude and complexity of the ML tasks we must solve. This growth is driving the need for scalable, parallel ML algorithms that can handle "Big Data."In this talk, we will focus on: Examining common algorithmic patterns in distributed ML methods.Qualifying the challenges of implementing these algorithms in real distributed systems.Describing computational frameworks for implementing these algorithms at scale.Addressing a significant core challenge to large-scale ML -- enabling the widespread adoption of machine learning beyond experts.In the latter part, we will focus mainly on the GraphLab framework, which naturally expresses asynchronous, dynamic graph computations that are key for state-of-the-art ML algorithms. When these algorithms are expressed in our higher-level abstraction, GraphLab will effectively address many of the underlying parallelism challenges, including data distribution, optimized communication, and guaranteeing sequential consistency, a property that is surprisingly important for many ML algorithms. On a variety of large-scale tasks, GraphLab provides 20-100x performance improvements over Hadoop. In recent months, GraphLab has received many tens of thousands of downloads, and is being actively used by a number of startups, companies, research labs and universities.
Bayesian Analysis: A Look at Today and Thoughts of Tomorrow

(2000). Bayesian Analysis: A Look at Today and Thoughts of Tomorrow. Journal of the American Statistical Association: Vol. 95, No. 452, pp. 1269-1276.
A least squares solution for successive intervals assuming unequal standard deviations

A least squares solution has been presented for the Law of Categorical Judgment and the Method of Successive Intervals, which is formally equivalent to Horst's solution for the matrix of incomplete data. A simplified approximation which is recommended for use with any matrix of complete data is also given. A procedure, analogous to that originally devised by Thurstone and presented by Saffir, is outlined for the typical experimental matrix of incomplete data. It is essentially a “point and slope” method of fitting a straight line which comes rather directly from the least squares solution.
Alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the cheek.

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma is a rare malignant tumour of uncertain histogenesis, the two main sites of which are the lower extremities in adults and the head and neck in children. We know of only three case reports of intraoral locations without tongue involvement. Here, we describe the first case of an alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the cheek which presented in a patient over 30 years old and had an extremely rapid and eventually fatal evolution. We have also reviewed hypotheses about its aetiology.
An evaluation of control modes in high gain manipulator systems

Abstract The performance of replica master and resolved motion rate control of a large manipulator is evaluated for two tasks. The first task simulates removing parts from a conveyor and stacking them on a pallet. The second task simulates stowing palletized cargo in a container. Related experiments are discussed and the results correlated to this work. Results show the bilateral master to have a distinct performance advantage over resolved motion rate control. The advantage is not as large as reported for small manipulators, however.
Medical therapy of occlusive arterial disease.

SUMMARY 1.Occlusion of the abdominal aorta, segmental occlusion of the iliac and femoral arteries, thromboangiitis obliterans and arteriosclerosis obliterans constitute the major diseases affecting the peripheral arteries. The first two conditions are now treated surgically. 2.The general principles of medical treatment that apply to occlusive arterial diseases are to arrest the progress of the disease, to dilate the uninvolved vessels, to increase circulation mechanically, to relieve pain, to instruct in prevention of injury to ischemic tissue and to treat ulceration and gangrene. 3.Abstinence from tobacco is imperative. Anticoagulants are of value in acute arterial occlusion but usually are not of practical value for prevention of thrombosis in chronic occlusive arterial disease. 4.Pain in occlusive arterial disease may be due to intermittent claudication, ischemic neuritis, or ulceration and gangrene. 5.Early diagnosis is important. Appropriate surgical procedures can be performed if the disease is segmental. If the disease is diffuse, use of adequate active and prophylactic treatment may do much to prevent pain, disability, gangrene and economic loss.
Morphology and crystal face specificity of catalysis on small particles

Abstract The kinetics of every chemical reation proceeding via successive steps is determined by the energy profile of the reaction path, which includes the transition states for the formation of reaction intermediates and their decomposition. In the case of heterogeneous catalysis, the transition states which characterize the formation of chemisorption complexes and their decomposition to reaction products are relevant. For a given catalyst, these free energies depend characteristically on the adsorbing crystal face and therefore on the morphology of the catalyst. Research on adsorption by single crystals, in particular by means of field electron microscopy, has revealed a pronounced crystal face dependence of adsorption which can be rationalized in terms of (1) the coordinative unsaturation of the surface atoms, and (2) the ensemble size of the adsorbing site. For every small particles of metals on amorphous supports or in zeolite cavities the concept of crystal faces becomes less meaningful, but differences in shape result in differences of catalytic performance. We assume an icosahedral arrangement for Pt particles consisting of 13 atoms and located inside the supercage of a Y-zeolite. Molecules such as methylcyclopentane can be chemisorbed on such a particle, but steric limitations prevent “rolling over” of the adsorbed ring. This might explain the peculiar selectivity for hydrogenolytic opening of the C5 ring: while 2-methyl pentane are formed abundantly, the formation of n-hexane is suppressed.
Changes in intrinsic functional brain networks following blast-induced mild traumatic brain injury

AbstractObjective: Blast-induced mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) commonly go undetected by computed tomography and conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study was used to investigate functional brain network abnormalities in a group of blast-induced mTBI subjects using independent component analysis (ICA) of resting state functional MRI (fMRI) data.Methods: Twenty-eight resting state networks of 13 veterans who sustained blast-induced mTBI were compared with healthy controls across three fMRI domains: blood oxygenation level-dependent spatial maps, time course spectra and functional connectivity.Results: The mTBI group exhibited hyperactivity in the temporo-parietal junctions and hypoactivity in the left inferior temporal gyrus. Abnormal frequencies in default-mode (DMN), sensorimotor, attentional and frontal networks were detected. In addition, functional connectivity was disrupted in six network pairs: DMN–basal ganglia, attention–sensorimotor, frontal–DMN, attention–sensorimotor, att...
Classification and pathological characteristics of the cortical dysplasias

Background Focal cortical dysplasias (FCD) are a well-recognized cause of medically intractable epilepsy. They are defined as malformations of cortical development and are marked by abnormalities of cortical layering and neuronal differentiation and maturation. A number of classification approaches have been devised over the last four decades, indicating controversies surrounding issues of recognition, definition, and philosophical approach. More recent attempts have attempted to correlate morphologic phenotype with clinical or developmental parameters in order to provide a clinical relevance.
Analyzing consistency properties for fun and profit

Motivated by the increasing popularity of eventually consistent key-value stores as a commercial service, we address two important problems related to the consistency properties in a history of operations on a read/write register (i.e., the start time, finish time, argument, and response of every operation). First, we consider how to detect a consistency violation as soon as one happens. To this end, we formulate a specification for online verification algorithms, and we present such algorithms for several well-known consistency properties. Second, we consider how to quantify the severity of the violations, if a history is found to contain consistency violations. We investigate two quantities: one is the staleness of the reads, and the other is the commonality of violations. For staleness, we further consider time-based staleness and operation-count-based staleness. We present efficient algorithms that compute these quantities. We believe that addressing these problems helps both key-value store providers and users adopt data consistency as an important aspect of key-value store offerings.
The Role of Mesoscale Eddies in the Rectification of the Southern Ocean Response to Climate Change

Abstract Simulations from a fine-resolution global coupled model, the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Climate Model, version 2.4 (CM2.4), are presented, and the results are compared with a coarse version of the same coupled model, CM2.1, under idealized climate change scenarios. A particular focus is given to the dynamical response of the Southern Ocean and the role played by the eddies—parameterized or permitted—in setting the residual circulation and meridional density structure. Compared to the case in which eddies are parameterized and consistent with recent observational and idealized modeling studies, the eddy-permitting integrations of CM2.4 show that eddy activity is greatly energized with increasing mechanical and buoyancy forcings, buffering the ocean to atmospheric changes, and the magnitude of the residual oceanic circulation response is thus greatly reduced. Although compensation is far from being perfect, changes in poleward eddy fluxes partially compensate for the enhanced equatorward...
Clinical trials in pediatric cancer: parental perspectives on informed consent

To better understand parental perceptions of the informed consent process in pediatric oncology clinical trials, 20 parents of newly diagnosed children at two pediatric cancer centers described their perceptions in a semi-structured interview. They recalled well the diagnosis, the general treatment plan, and the statistics of survival and/or cure, but the research nature of the clinical trials, particularly randomization, was not well understood. However, despite the need to assimilate a great deal of information, time pressure to make decisions, and reportedly high levels of distress during the discussions, parents expressed general satisfaction with the informed consent discussions with their pediatric oncology providers. However, half to two thirds of parents felt there had been inadequate discussion of alternatives to the proposed treatment and of the research nature of the protocol. While further study of the informed consent process should be conducted in larger, representative samples, the findings from this pilot study suggest that a goal of future informed consent interventions should be to improve parents' understanding of the research aspects of treatment. It is critical to parents' ability to provide informed consent that they feel satisfied that they know alternatives to proposed treatment and that they understand the randomization of treatments, which is the gold standard of clinical trials in pediatric oncology.
Simultaneous Energy Harvesting and Gust Alleviation for a Multifunctional Wing Spar Using Reduced Energy Control Laws via Piezoceramics

The increasing need for lightweight structures in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications raise issues involving gust alleviation. Here we examine the gust alleviation problem using a self-sensing, self-charging, and self-actuating structure. The basic idea is that the wing itself is able to harvest and store energy from the normal vibrations during flight along with any available sunlight. If the wing experiences any strong, unexpected wind gust, it will sense the increased vibration levels and provide vibration control to maintain its stability. In this paper, a multifunctional wing spar is designed, which integrates a flexible solar cell array, piezoceramic wafers, a thin film battery and an electronics module into a composite structure. This multifunctional wing spar therefore carries on the functions of energy harvesting and storage, as well as the functions of gust alleviation via piezoelectric materials. The piezoceramic wafers act as sensors, actuators, and harvesters. The global modulus and stiffness of this multifunctional wing spar are estimated using both the rule of mixtures and the cross section transformation method. These values are then used in an Euler-Bernoulli cantilever beam model of the multifunctional spar. The first two dominant modes are predicted analytically for the distributed parameter model. The finite element method is employed to confirm the analytical eigenvalues estimation. Special attention is given to the self-contained gust alleviation with the goal of using harvested energy. The gust signals are generated using a Gaussian white noise source n (t) ∼ N (0,1) fed into a linear filter, with the required intensity, scale lengths, and power spectral density (PSD) function for the given flight velocity and height. The Dryden PSD function is implemented for atmospheric turbulence modeling. The recently developed reduced energy control law is combined with a positive strain feedback controller to minimize the actuation energy and the dissipated heat energy. Positive feedback operation amplifiers (op-amps) and voltage buffer op-amps are implemented for two dominant mode gust disturbance controls. This work builds off of our previous research in self-charging structures and holds promise for improving UAV performance in wind gust alleviation.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Diffusion Bias and Photophysical Dynamics of Single Molecules in Unsupported Lipid Bilayer Membranes Probed with Confocal Microscopy

We use scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy to study the dynamic properties of single fluorescent lipid molecules in unsupported planar bilayers. Specifically, we characterize the emission saturation and diffusive behavior of lipids that have been covalently modified at various locations. By analyzing the time interval between fluorescent bursts, we observe a large deviation from theoretical prediction that indicates a substantial 2D diffusion bias. Interestingly, a correlation between the emission saturation and the power dependency of the deviation suggests that the resonantly enhanced polarizability of the fluorescent label plays a role in the biasing mechanism. Incorporation of the measured fluorescence rate constant into a model for particle escape from a shallow potential well indicates that the well depth is ≈kT. These results are in agreement with the calculable laser/membrane interaction potential and are consistent with previous reports concerning diffusion biases in free solution caused by...
Patent activity by date of application — Estimating recent applications in the U.S. patent system

Abstract Using the number of patents applied for each year can be a useful indicator of the level of inventive effort and a more accurate measure than one based on patent issue date. In the U.S. patent system, this indicator is hampered by the closed examination process, which results in an undercounting of applications field in the recent past. This article describes a method for overcoming this problem by estimating recent patent activity by date of application for U.S. patents. The method uses the historical data for the time between application and issue and can be used to estimate activity by application date up to one year before the date of the most recently issued patents.
Deep inelastic collisions: A classical description with friction and deformation

Abstract A simple classical model with frictional forces and deformation degrees of freedom is presented which reproduces the deep inelastic cross sections, angular distributions and energy losses in a wide range of nuclei. A quantitative fit to the fusion cross sections can also be obtained.
Bridging the Gender Gap in Computing: An Integrative Approach to Content Design for Girls

Although some observed differences in males' and females' attitudes toward and uses of computers appear to be narrowing, the gender gap remains widest in relation to programming and software design, which are still male preserves. In response, software and Web site designers have applied feminist theories to develop three distinct approaches to creating content for girls that might increase their interest in computers. These approaches involve appealing to girls' traditional “feminine” interests, nontraditional “masculine” interests, and gender-neutral interests. This study proposes that to bridge today's gender gap, prior approaches need to integrate appeals to girls' traditional and nontraditional interests, and focus content more clearly on learning about computer design itself. An experimental test of this integrative strategy, used to develop a prototype World Wide Web site tested on girls in their homes (n = 125), obtained significant increases in the treatment group's interest in, sense of relevanc...
Characterization of individual fly ash particles emitted from coal- and oil-fired power plants

Abstract Individual particles from coal- and oil-fired power plants were analyzed by scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer to investigate size, morphology, and composition. Samples were collected on filters by dichotomous sampler in the fine ( 95%) smooth, mineral spheres. No cenospheres (perforated hollow spheres) were detected, and almost 90% of the mass concentrations occurred in the coarse fraction. Sulfur as lared as a surface layer on the mineral core; the abundances of Fe and S were highly variable. The Al/Si ratio was fairly constant for most of the spheres but not for the relatively few Fe-rich or non-spherical coal fly ash particles. Over 90% of the mass of oil fly ash occurred in the fine fraction. The size distribution of chemical and morphological properties of individual oil fly ash particles was found to be trimodal. Oil fly ash particles smaller than 0.7 μ (geometric diameter) were non-spherical and relatively pure in sulfate, and 90% of such particles were smaller than 0.5 μm; V or Ni could be detected in 50% to 60% of such particles larger than 0.3 μm. Those particles in the 0.7–3 μm range of geometric diameters were predominantly spherical and of mineral composition, highly variable in Al, Si, P, Ca, Ti and Fe; 50–60% of them contained detectable amounts of V or Ni. Larger oil fly ash particles had a lacy morphology and consisted of carbonaceous material and sulfur.
The Target-to-Foils Shift in Simultaneous and Sequential Lineups

A theoretical cornerstone in eyewitness identification research is the proposition that witnesses, in making decisions from standard simultaneous lineups, make relative judgments. The present research considers two sources of support for this proposal. An experiment by G. L. Wells (1993) showed that if the target is removed from a lineup, witnesses shift their responses to pick foils, rather than rejecting the lineups, a result we will term a target-to-foils shift. Additional empirical support is provided by results from sequential lineups which typically show higher accuracy than simultaneous lineups, presumably because of a decrease in the use of relative judgments in making identification decisions. The combination of these two lines of research suggests that the target-to-foils shift should be reduced in sequential lineups relative to simultaneous lineups. Results of two experiments showed an overall advantage for sequential lineups, but also showed a target-to-foils shift equal in size for simultaneous and sequential lineups. Additional analyses indicated that the target-to-foils shift in sequential lineups was moderated in part by an order effect and was produced with (Experiment 2) or without (Experiment 1) a shift in decision criterion. This complex pattern of results suggests that more work is needed to understand the processes which underlie decisions in simultaneous and sequential lineups.
Iranian Women's Literature: From Pre-Revolutionary Social Discourse to Post-Revolutionary Feminism

The literary works produced by Iranian women writers after the 1979 revolution, despite their diversity in artistic value and quality of narrative, commonly manifest a remarkable sensitivity toward women's issues and gender relations. The overall theme tying these works together seems to be the problematic of gender hierarchy and women's suffering expressed in a figurative language, transcending the extant male-dominated literary discourse. In these works, women's personal and private experiences become public. Their narratives articulate their protests against sexual oppression and reflect their struggle for identity. This phenomenon is noteworthy not simply because this is a literature produced by women about women, but also because this body of work displays a contrast with the literary works produced by women in the decades preceding the revolution. Pre-revolutionary works, under the sway of the dominant literary discourse, did not give rise to a feminist literary movement, for they emphasized sociopolitical issues more than specific gender issues. To be sure, there were themes related to women, but they were often presented in the context of socially conscious yet male-dominated committed literature. Women's literary paradigms before and after the revolution thus represent different literary discourses, and the Iranian Revolution of 1979 appears to be the major historical event that separates these two discourses and may well be responsible for the shift. In a strict sense, gender is socially constituted, and gender issues are in fact a type of social issue.
Identification of an AU-rich Translational Enhancer within the Escherichia coli fepB Leader RNA

The fepB gene encodes a periplasmic binding protein that is essential for the uptake of ferric enterobactin by Escherichia coli. Its transcription is regulated in response to iron levels by the Fur repressor. The fepB transcript includes a 217-nucleotide leader sequence with several features suggestive of posttranscriptional regulation. To investigate the fepB leader for its contribution to fepB expression, defined deletions and substitution mutations in the leader were characterized using fepB-phoA translational fusions. The fepB leader was found to be necessary for maximal fepB expression, primarily due to the influence of an AU-rich translational enhancer (TE) located 5' to the Shine-Dalgarno sequence. Deletions or substitutions within the TE sequence decreased fepB-phoA expression fivefold. RNase protection and in vitro transcription-translation assays demonstrated that the TE augmented translational efficiency, as well as RNA levels. Moreover, primer extension inhibition assays showed that the TE increases ribosome binding. In contrast to the enhancing effect of the TE, the natural fepB GUG start codon decreased ribosome binding and reduced fepB expression 2.5-fold compared with the results obtained with leaders bearing an AUG initiation codon. Thus, the TE-GUG organization in fepB results in an intermediate level of expression compared to the level with AUG, with or without the TE. Furthermore, we found that the TE-GUG sequence is conserved among the eight gram-negative strains examined that have fepB genes, suggesting that this organization may provide a selective advantage.
Hypothalamic leptin regulation of energy homeostasis and glucose metabolism

Growing evidence suggests that food intake, energy expenditure and endogenous glucose production are regulated by hypothalamic areas that respond to a variety of peripheral signals. Therefore, in response to a reduction in energy stores or circulating nutrients, the brain initiates responses in order to promote positive energy balance to restore and maintain energy and glucose homeostasis. In contrast, in times of nutrient abundance and excess energy storage, key hypothalamic areas activate responses to promote negative energy balance (i.e. reduced food intake and increased energy expenditure) and decreased nutrient availability (reduced endogenous glucose production). Accordingly, impaired responses or 'resistance' to afferent input from these hormonal or nutrient-related signals would be predicted to favour weight gain and insulin resistance and may contribute to the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Bowl-shaped deformation found in Earth's magnetosphere

The decade-long Cassini mission has yielded invaluable information about Saturn's magnetosphere. One feature of Saturn's magnetosphere that has puzzled scientists is a bowl-shaped deformation of Saturn's equatorial current sheet—the disk-like sheet of charged particles across which the planet's magnetic field abruptly reverses direction. So far, there are few data available to explain this deformation, which is seen only during periods when the planet's magnetic axis is not perpendicular to the solar wind flow.
Developing the Emotionally Intelligent Leader: Instructional Issues

This study generates evidence that participants who completed a specific leadership development curriculum increased their emotional intelligence (EI). This study also fills a gap in the literature by providing evidence that (a) there are no differences in the effectiveness between a face-to-face and hybrid (online and face-to-face) curriculum, or (b) between a 7-week and 16-week curriculum, and that (c) participants with initial low or average EI experience improvements in their EI, whereas those with initial high EI do not.
Mass transfer with liquid lithium in circular conduits

Forced convection mass transfer between circular tubes and liquid lithium was experimentally investigated over a range of Schmidt numbers from 40 to 57 and Reynolds numbers from 5550 to 22500. Information concerning the mechanism for mass transfer was obtained by measuring local solution and deposition rates as a function of distsnce along the tubes. Observed entrance effects for the solution process suggest that it involves the parallel mechanisms of diffusion through a solid film and through occluded liquid in grain boundaries. It is indicated that the relative contributions of these processes change with increasing temperature. A j-factor correlation of existing liquid metal mass transfer data for fully developed conditions in circular conduits is presented and indicates that an exponent of 0.112 for N/sub R//sub e/ best represents the data. (auth)
The Only Function of Grauzone Required for Drosophila Oocyte Meiosis Is Transcriptional Activation of the cortex Gene

The grauzone and cortex genes are required for the completion of meiosis in Drosophila oocytes. The grauzone gene encodes a C2H2-type zinc-finger transcription factor that binds to the cortex promoter and is necessary for high-level activation of cortex transcription. Here we define the region of the cortex promoter to which Grauzone binds and show that the binding occurs through the C-terminal, zinc-finger-rich region of the protein. Mutations in two out of the five grauzone alleles result in single amino acid changes within different zinc-finger motifs. Both of these mutations result in the inability of Grauzone to bind DNA effectively. To determine the mechanism by which Grauzone regulates meiosis, transgenic flies were produced with an extra copy of the cortex gene in homozygous grauzone females. This transgene rescued the meiosis arrest of embryos from these mutants and allowed their complete development, indicating that activation of cortex transcription is the primary role of Grauzone during Drosophila oogenesis. These experiments further define a new transcriptional pathway that controls the meiotic cell cycle in Drosophila oocytes.
Regulation of SM22α expression by arginine vasopressin and PDGF-BB in vascular smooth muscle cells

Vascular smooth muscle (SM) cells (VSMC) undergo phenotypic modulation in vivo and in vitro. This process involves coordinated changes in expression of multiple SM-specific genes. In cultured VSMC,...
On the economics of mass-marketed software

This paper looks at the assumptions driving mass marketed software. These assumptions explain why traditional software engineering methods and processes appear to have less economic value in a mass market. The assumptions lead to a model that predicts observed patterns such as (1) rapid development, (2)lower quality, and (3) an initially dominant product that is eclipsed later
Uncertainty Quantification in Viscous Hypersonic Flows using Gradient Information and Surrogate Modeling

In this paper, the use of gradient observations in conjunction with surrogate models for the purposes of uncertainty quantification within the context of viscous hypersonic flows is examined. The approach is presented within the context of both perfect gas and nonequilibrium real gas simulations and can be used to quantify the uncertainty in an output of interest due to the uncertainty associated with various model and design parameters. The gradient of an objective is calculated via a discrete adjoint approach. By using an adjoint based approach, the sensitivity of an objective to a large number of input parameters can be calculated in an efficient and timely manner. With these sensitivity derivatives, the uncertainty in an objective due to input parameters is calculated in various ways. Initially, first-order methods, such as the method of moments and linear extrapolation, are used to represent the design space and calculate relevant output statistics. In order to improve upon these first-order approaches, Kriging and gradient enhanced Kriging models are created for the function space and serve as a basis for additional inexpensive Monte Carlo sampling. The probability distribution functions and statistics generated by these linear and Kriging based methods compare favorably with the results of nonlinear Monte Carlo sampling and can serve as a basis for further exploration of uncertainty quantification in hypersonic flows.
Latency of the human herpesviruses

The herpesviruses are ubiquitous pathogens that establish latent infections and can reactivate to produce recurrent disease. The fact that clinical recurrences are infrequent in most healthy individuals indicates that potent regulatory mechanisms must exist to ensure viral latency. Rapid progress is being made toward understanding the pathogenesis of latency and reactivation and is the subject of this review.
Orbital-based insights into parallel-displaced and twisted conformations in π–π interactions

Dispersion and electrostatics are known to stabilize π–π interactions, but the preference for parallel-displaced (PD) and/or twisted (TW) over sandwiched (S) conformations is not well understood. Orbital interactions are generally believed to play little to no role in π-stacking. However, orbital analysis of the dimers of benzene, pyridine, cytosine and several polyaromatic hydrocarbons demonstrates that PD and/or TW structures convert one or more π-type dimer MOs with out-of-phase or antibonding inter-ring character at the S stack to in-phase or bonding in the PD/TW stack. This change in dimer MO character can be described in terms of a qualitative stack bond order (SBO) defined as the difference between the number of occupied in-phase/bonding and out-of-phase/antibonding inter-ring π-type MOs. The concept of an SBO is introduced here in analogy to the bond order in molecular orbital theory. Thus, whereas the SBO of the S structure is zero, parallel displacement or twisting the stack results in a non-zero SBO and overall bonding character. The shift in bonding/antibonding character found at optimal PD/TW structures maximizes the inter-ring density, as measured by intermolecular Wiberg bond indices (WBIs). Values of WBIs calculated as a function of the parallel-displacement are found to correlate with the dispersion and other contributions to the π–π interaction energy determined by the highly accurate density-fitting DFT symmetry adapted perturbation theory (DF-DFT-SAPT) method. These DF-DFT-SAPT calculations also suggest that the dispersion and other contributions are maximized at the PD conformation rather than the S when conducted on a potential energy curve where the inter-ring distance is optimized at fixed slip distances. From these results of this study, we conclude that descriptions of the qualitative manner in which orbitals interact within π-stacking interactions can supplement high-level calculations of the interaction energy and provide an intuitive tool for applications to crystal design, molecular recognition and other fields where non-covalent interactions are important.
Targeted Motor Rehabilitation Dissociates Corticobulbar Versus Corticospinal Dysfunction in an Animal Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Background. Recent evidence suggests that motor training may be beneficial for slowing the onset of motor impairments in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective. To examine the impact of targeted rehabilitation on limb motor and cranial motor function and the corresponding corticospinal and corticobulbar circuits in a rodent model of PD. Methods. Baseline performance of limb (reaching) and cranial (licking) motor function were established prior to and 6 weeks following unilateral intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) infusions. Animals then received 6 weeks of limb motor rehabilitation (LMR) or cranial motor rehabilitation (CMR), after which motor performance was reassessed. Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) was used to generate motor maps of corresponding corticospinal (forelimb) and corticobulbar (tongue) movement representations within the motor cortex ipsilateral to the 6-OHDA infusion. Quantitative tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry was performed to determine levels of striatal TH depl...
Observational study of erythrocyte protoporphyrin screening test for detecting low lead exposure in children: impact of lowering the blood lead action threshold.

We examined a retrospective sample of 1800 children on whom both erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) and blood lead (BPb) measurements were taken. The primary objective was to ascertain whether EP is a cost-effective screening test for low but increased BPb concentrations and to establish the optimal thresholds. The data did not provide evidence of an EP threshold at low BPb concentrations; however, the data did show a significant age effect. A subset of 500 children for whom both EP and hematocrit data were available showed no correlation between those variables. Age-specific operating characteristic curves, total error, and cost analyses are presented. The latter sets bounds on the relative cost of EP testing, above which only BPb determination should be performed. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of impending changes in U.S. federal guidelines for preventing lead poisoning in young children.
Natural Products as Aromatase Inhibitors

With the clinical success of several synthetic aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in the treatment of postmenopausal estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, researchers have also been investigating the potential of natural products as AIs. Natural products from terrestrial and marine organisms provide a chemically diverse array of compounds not always available through current synthetic chemistry techniques. Natural products that have been used traditionally for nutritional or medicinal purposes (e.g., botanical dietary supplements) may also afford AIs with reduced side effects. A thorough review of the literature regarding natural product extracts and secondary metabolites of plant, microbial, and marine origin that have been shown to exhibit aromatase inhibitory activity is presented herein.
Improved network-based identification of protein orthologs

Motivation: Identifying protein orthologs is an important task that is receiving growing attention in the bioinformatics literature. Orthology detection provides a fundamental tool towards understanding protein evolution, predicting protein functions and interactions, aligning protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks of different species and detecting conserved modules within these networks. Results: Here, we present a novel diffusion-based framework that builds on the Rankprop algorithm for protein orthology detection and enhances it in several important ways. Specifically, we enhance the Rankprop algorithm to account for the presence of multiple paralogs, utilize PPI, and consider multiple (>2) species in parallel. We comprehensively benchmarked our framework using a variety of training datasets and experimental settings. The results, based on the yeast, fly and human proteomes, show that the novel enhancements of Rankprop provide substantial improvements over its original formulation as well as over a number of state of the art methods for network-based orthology detection. Availability: datasets and source code are available upon request. Contact: niryosef@post.tau.ac.il
Patriarchal Pressures: An Exploration of Organizational Processes that Exacerbate and Erode Gender Earnings Inequality

The focus of this article is on the organizational contexts in which gender-based earnings inequalities are exacerbated or eroded. By conceptualizing patriarchy in workplaces as a process of dynamic struggles over organizational practices and rewards, we assume that the degree of gender inequality in workplaces should vary as a function of organizational structure, resources, and practices. We examine five organizational characteristics hypothesized to affect the level of gender inequality: organizational resources, regional gender culture, market sector, size of firm, and formalization of employment relations. Gender earnings inequality varies across organizational contexts, with the predicted female-to-male earnings ratio ranging from as little as 51 percent to parity. In particular, we find that gender earnings inequalities are higher where organizational resources are greater and lower where formalization of the employment relationship is greater and in medium-size firms. We conclude that the gendered...
Variations in the α2A‐adrenergic receptor gene and their functional effects

Background and Objectives The α2A-adrenergic receptor (ADRA2A) plays a central role in the regulation of systemic sympathetic activity and hence cardiovascular responses such as heart rate and blood pressure. The objectives of this study were to systematically search for variants in the ADRA2A gene, to define the gene's haplotype structure, and to examine potential functional effects of these variants. Methods We examined 5957 base pairs of contiguous sequence of ADRA2A (promoter, exonic, and 3′-flanking region) using polymerase chain reaction to amplify the genomic target, followed by bidirectional sequencing, in 135 healthy subjects (85 white and 50 black subjects). Haplotypes were inferred by use of an expectation-maximization algorithm. Primary (plasma norepinephrine concentration) and secondary (resting heart rate and blood pressure) phenotypes were compared among subjects grouped by individual polymorphisms and haplotypes. Results We identified 41 variants, including 24 novel variants. On the basis of 9 optimally selected markers, 11 haplotypes in 5 haplotype groups were inferred, representing approximately 99% of the cohort. Two uncommon variants in complete linkage disequilibrium (G>C at −1903 and C>G at −1607, identified in 3 black subjects) were associated with significantly increased plasma norepinephrine concentrations (376.7 ± 6.1 pg/mL versus 218.4 ± 95.0 pg/mL, P = .011). There was no other significant association between genetic variants or any of the haplotypes with phenotypes. Conclusion We describe novel variants and the haplotype structure of the ADRA2A gene. Common genetic ADRA2A variants are not important determinants of baseline cardiovascular measures (plasma norepinephrine, heart rate, and blood pressure) in healthy volunteers. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2006) 79, 173–185; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2005.10.006
Religious concepts in the formation of Kiswahili Expressions.

Religious concepts in the formation of Kiswahili Expressions. [Extracted from KISWAHILI: Journal of the Institute of Kiswahili Research] Vol 46/2 pp. 41-46