cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The characteristics of high-technology manufacturing firms in a declining industrial region: an empirical analysis from western New York 1

This paper examines the recent business performance and technical characteristics of high-versus low-technology manufacturing establishments in western New York. Data from a survey of local industrial firms across a variety of sectors are presented. The results indicate that high-technology establishments exhibit more geographically diversified export markets and stronger innovation performance than their low-technology counterparts. In terms of recent employment performance, sales growth and technical service utilization, however, the two groups are found to be broadly similar. If anything, in fact, the results suggest a modest performance edge for low-technology firms. The survey results are discussed in the context of local policy options for future industrial development. A word of caution is offered to economic policy agencies that see high-technology manufacturing as the most suitable option for local industrial renewal.
A Model of Couple Stress Effect Upon the Transverse Stiffness of a Fiber-Reinforced Material

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the possible effect of couple stresses on the transverse elastic moduli of anisotropic composite material systems. Couple stress theory considers that within an elastic body, the surface of each element of material is subjected not only to normal and tangential stress components but also to a moment component designated as a couple stress, thus introducing another elastic constant of the material.The necessary theory of elasticity needed for this purpose is developed and extended from the available classical theory found in the literature. The model considered is a uniaxially loaded infinitely long rectangular cell of composite material with a circular fiber located at the center. The stress and displacement fields thus developed in the composite cell are for the plane strain case.A numerical solution for the transverse elastic stiffness of the composite material as a function of the elastic constants, including the moduli of curvature, of the fiber and the matr...
A theoretical study on the modes of homolytic bond fragmentation in HnXYHm, HSXY and HS(O)XY systems

Abstract Recent studies in the authors' laboratories have involved studies on the formation and reactions of substituted alkoxy radicals derived by the photo-induced homolytic cleavage of the SO bond of substituted alkyl 4-nitrobenzenesulfenates ( 1 ), and the alkyl radicals formed by the β-scission of the alkoxy radicals. An interesting extension of these studies would be consideration of the homolytic cleavage of the SX and XY bonds in ArSXY and ArS(O)XY systems where X and Y are various combinations of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. Ab initio theoretical calculations have been carried out on various parent H-S-X-Y-H and HS(O)XYH systems and on the radical species formed by the homolytic dissociation of the SX and XY bonds using the G2MP2 method in order to determine the relative magnitudes of the homolytic bond dissociation energies (taken as the difference in the sum of the total energies of the product radicals minus the total energy of the parent system, E rex s). For calibration purposes, similar calculations have been carried out on hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine for which experimental homolytic bond dissociation energies have been measured. It is found that, in the latter calculations, the results obtained at the HF/UHF level give very poor correspondence with the experimental values, but the results obtained at the UMP2 and QCISD(T) levels nicely bracket the experimental values. The results of the calculations have given an indication of whether the SX or XY bond prefers to undergo homolytic cleavage. The results of these studies could very well be of significant importance in the areas of both physical and synthetic organic chemistry. In these homolytic cleavage reactions some very interesting radical species are formed, only a few of which have been studied previously experimentally or theoretically. The results of these studies indicate that the preferred mode of homolytic cleavage of the SX and XY bonds is essentially dependent only on the relative stability of the radicals formed in the two modes of homolytic bond cleavage.
The Forkhead Box Transcription Factor FOXC1 Promotes Breast Cancer Invasion by Inducing Matrix Metalloprotease 7 (MMP7) Expression

Therapeutic options for treatment of basal-like breast cancers are limited and identification of molecular targets for novel therapies to treat this aggressive cancer is urgently needed. Recently, FOXC1, a forkhead box transcription factor, was identified as a functionally important biomarker of breast cancer aggressiveness and the basal-like breast cancer subtype. However, the mechanism through which FOXC1 controls aggressiveness of basal-like breast cancer remains to be elucidated. Here, we identify matrix metalloprotease 7 (MMP7) as a key downstream effector of FOXC1-mediated invasiveness. Expression of FOXC1 and MMP7 is significantly correlated in breast cancer samples and cell lines at both the mRNA and protein levels. Transient expression of FOXC1 in nontransformed mammary epithelial cell lines resulted in significantly increased expression of MMP7 and an MMP7-dependent increase in invasiveness. In reciprocal experiments, silencing endogenous FOXC1 in basal-like breast cancer cell lines resulted in decreased expression of MMP7 without decreased expression of other matrix metalloproteinases. We also demonstrate that elevated co-expression of FOXC1 and MMP7 is an independent predictor of patient outcome in multivariate analyses of two breast cancer patient cohorts. Together, our findings identify MMP7 as a novel mechanism through which FOXC1 may regulate the basal-like breast cancer invasive phenotype and the propensity of these cancers to metastasize. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate for the first time a correlation between MMP7 expression and basal-like breast cancers, suggesting that MMP7 may be a useful therapeutic target for treatment of this disease.
The near-equivalence of five species of spectrally-accurate radial basis functions (RBFs)

Radial basis function (RBF) interpolants have become popular in computer graphics, neural networks and for solving partial differential equations in many fields of science and engineering. In this article, we compare five different species of RBFs: Gaussians, hyperbolic secant (sech's), inverse quadratics, multiquadrics and inverse multiquadrics. We show that the corresponding cardinal functions for a uniform, unbounded grid are all approximated by the same function: C(X)~(1/(?))sin(πX)/sinh (πX/?) for some constant ?(α) which depends on the inverse width parameter ("shape parameter") α of the RBF and also on the RBF species. The error in this approximation is exponentially small in 1/α for sech's and inverse quadratics and exponentially small in 1/α2 for Gaussians; the error is proportional to α4 for multiquadrics and inverse multiquadrics. The error in all cases is small even for α~O(1).These results generalize to higher dimensions. The Gaussian RBF cardinal functions in any number of dimensions d are, without approximation, the tensor product of one dimensional Gaussian cardinal functions: C d ( x 1 , x 2 ? , x d ) = ? j = 1 d C ( x j ) . For other RBF species, we show that the two-dimensional cardinal functions are well approximated by the products of one-dimensional cardinal functions; again the error goes to zero as α?0. The near-identity of the cardinal functions implies that all five species of RBF interpolants are (almost) the same, despite the great differences in the RBF ?'s themselves.
Stage III or IIA-B carcinoma of the intact uterine cervix treated with irradiation: a multivariate analysis

Abstract Although treatment results for Stage IB-IIA-B carcinoma of the cervix are generally stratified only by stage, several authors have found that other parameters such as tumor size, patient age, histology, and pretreatment hematocrit may influence pelvic control and/or survival. This is an analysis of 306 patients with carcinoma of the cervix treated with irradiation alone at the University of Florida between October 1964 and June 1984. Results were analyzed for the end points of pelvic control, distant metastasis, relapse-free survival, and overall survival. Stage for stage, there was a decrease of at least 20 percentage points in pelvic control rates of tumors ≥ 6 cm versus those of tumors 0 to 3 cm in diameter, by univariate analysis; a similar pattern was also observed for the end point of relapse-free survival. When patients were stratified by Stages IB-IIA (≥ 6 cm and 40%. The parameters of stage, tumor size, patient age, histology, and pretreatment hematocrit were evaluated in a multivariate analysis. For the end points of pelvic control, distant metastasis, and relapse-free survival, only tumor size was of independent prognostic significance for all three end points with p -values of 0.022, 0.003, and 0.0006, respectively. Stage did not show independent prognostic significance for any of these end points with p -values of 0.257, 0.878, and 0.284, respectively. The data suggest that tumor size is an important prognostic factor and should be incorporated into the reporting of cervical cancer treatment results.
Securing Security Expert Testimony: Overcoming the Daubert Challenge to Reach the Witness Stand

This article focuses on the implications of recent developments in the jurisprudence of expert evidence in the arena of security-related cases. By discussing the cases of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals and Kumho Tire Co v. Carmichael, the article explains the advent of the ‘Daubert challenge’ and how it affects experts testifying in security-related matters. The article analyzes the three areas in which the security expert's testimony may be excluded, as failing to meet the legal requirements of Federal Rule of Evidence 702: qualifications; reliability; and relevancy. Further, the article theorizes on methods by which security experts can successfully overcome the hurdles posed by a Daubert challenge.
The rise of academic physical anthropology in the United States (1880–1980): A historical overview

This paper surveys the development of physical anthropology in the period from 1880 to 1980, beginning with the founding of the U.S. Bureau of American Ethnology and the advent of professionalism in anthropology. The growth of physical anthropology within academic anthropology and the effect of the bias toward ethnology and archaeology is considered. Three historical phases are suggested: pre-1900, the pre-academic period of physical anthropology; 1900–1930, the initial development of academic physical anthropology, which witnessed the founding of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology and the American Association of Physical Anthropologists by Hrdlicka, and of Hooton's program at Harvard University; 1930-present, which has seen the full development of physical anthropology in an academic context.
Enhancement of the behavioral effects of 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methyl-amphetamine (DOM) by pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine.

Abstract Seven food deprived male rats were trained to press a bar on a fixed ratio-40 (FR-40) schedule of food reinforcement. Administration of 0.5 mg/kg 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methyl amphetamine (DOM) immediately before the start of the session resulted in cessation of responding for some portion of the 40-min test session. Three successive days of p -chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) administration (100 mg/kg) 30 min after each session reduced 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) to 15–26% of control concentrations in various brain regions but did not alter control rates of responding under the FR-40 schedule. Administration of 0.5 mg/kg DOM following this PCPA pretreatment resulted in a greater amount of non-responding than observed earlier. These data suggest that the effects of the phenethylamine hallucinogen DOM are enhanced by disruption of 5-HT neuronal activity.
Bispectral analysis of the wavelength dependence of speckle: remote sensing of object shape

A bispectrum-based technique is presented for analyzing the wavelength dependence of the laser speckle intensity from diffuse three-dimensional objects. This new technique yields extremely high-resolution measurements of the scattering object’s range-resolved laser radar cross section. These measurements are useful in remote sensing of an object’s size, shape, and surface-scattering properties. The technique is illustrated on laboratory measurements obtained with a tunable Ti:sapphire ring laser.
The associations among personality disorder symptoms, suicide proneness and current distress in adult male prisoners

Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, and the third leading cause of death in US jails and penitentiaries. Research has shown that the presence of an Axis II personality disorder (PD) increases the risk for suicidal behaviour. While many correctional institutions screen inmates for suicidal ideation upon intake, they can neglect to assess for the presence of PD symptoms other than those associated with criminality such as Antisocial PD. The current study examined whether symptoms of various PDs were associated with self-reports of current suicide proneness and distress in a small sample of adult male inmates residing in a medium or a maximum security facility. As hypothesized, elevated scores on numerous PD Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III scales (e.g. Schizoid, Depressive, Sadistic, Schizotypal, Borderline) were significantly associated with both self-reports of current suicide proneness and psychological distress. Once the nature of these associations in inmates is better understood, more effective suicide prevention programs can be designed and implemented in correctional facilities. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Specific interaction of vinculin with α-actinin

Abstract Vinculin and α-actinin are cytoskeletal proteins present at focal contacts of the ventral surface of cultured fibroblasts. We labelled α-actinin with an acceptor fluorophore and vinculin with a donor. A mixture of vinculin and α-actinin showed a 28% quench, due to energy transfer, suggesting an interaction. Quench of vinculin was dependent on the concentration of α-actinin; Scatchard analysis gives a dissociation constant in the μM range. Quench was inhibited by excess unlabelled α-actinin, and by reaction of the acceptor protein with p-chloromercuribenzoate. We found that vinculin had a slightly greater elution volume in a gel filtration column equilibrated with α-actinin, indicating a higher effective Stokes radius due to the interaction of the two proteins.
A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE GROWTH PATTERN OF 110 CHILDREN WITH HYPERPHENYLALANINEMIA (HPA)

Growth was assessed retrospectively in 110 children (49 boys, 61 girls) with HPA. They were 12.22 ± 4.74 years (mean ± SD) at the time of the last evaluation. 87 pts had the classical (type 1), 18 the mild form (type 2), 5 pts had persistent hyperphyenylalaninemia (type 3). Height was compared with the growth of normal children by calculation of the standard deviation score (SDS), using the data of Tanner et al. (1966). The height-SDS was similar in all three groups with 0.40 ± 1.0 (type 1), 0.42 ± 1.06 (type 2) and 0.69 ± 0.46 (type 3). In 27 pts the dietary regimen was discontinued at the age of 8.81 ± 2.24 years with the height-SDS being 0.18 ± 1.19. At 16.02 ± 1.55 years the height-SDS had not changed significantly with 0.46 ± 0.10 SDS. 10 boys and 28 girls have reached final adult height. Boys measured 178.50 ± 8.53 cm, girls 164.51 ± 5.25 cm, which was 0.85 ± 4.74 and 3.64 ± 7.32 cm above target height with no significant difference between type 1 and 2. Our data demonstrate that growth is normal in the different forms of HPA and is not affected by discontinuation of the dietary regimen.
Effects of Ozone/Hydrogen Peroxide Pretreatment on Aerobic Biodegradability of Nonionic Surfactants and Polypropylene Glycol

Studies were conducted which used the ozone/hydrogen peroxide (O3/H2O2) advanced oxidation process to pretreat three classes of compounds prior to aerobic biological treatment. The study compounds included ethylene oxide/propylene oxide (EO/PO) block copolymers, polypropylene glycols (PPGs), linear secondary alcoholethoxylates (LSAEs), and alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs). After preoxidation with ozone and hydrogen peroxide (added at their stoichiometric ratio), 300 mg/L as COD samples were bioassayed in aerobic batch bioassays with a mixed liquor suspended solids concentration of 1500 mg/L. It was found that unoxidized polypropylated compounds (EO/PO block copolymers and PPGs) and LSAEs tended to be biorecalcitrant, while alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs) were partially biodegradable. Increasing oxidant dosages (i.e., ozone plus stoichiometric hydrogen peroxide) consistently increased both the rate and extent of biodegradation of these compounds with the exception of NP(EO)5, which initially decreased in biodeg...
Stefan and Hele-Shaw type models as asymptotic limits of the phase-field equations.

Using detailed asymptotic analyses of the dynamics of the phase-field model, we show that the major sharp-interface models (Stefan, modified Stefan, Hele-Shaw, etc.) all arise as limiting cases of the phase-field equations. The scaling of the physical parameters in the microscopics leads to distinct macroscopic models with critical differences.
Term relevance feedback and query expansion: relation to design

To improve information retrieval effectiveness, research in both the algorithmic and human approach to query expansion is required. This paper uses the human approach to examine the selection and effectiveness of search terms sources for query expansion. The results show that the most effective sources were the users written question statement, user terms derived during the interaction and terms selected from particular database fields. These findings indicate the need for the design and testing of automatic relevance feedback techniques that place greater emphasis on these sources.
Abdominal mass: "fetus in fetu".

. A female newborn presented a mass in the left upper abdominal quadrant. It was removed by surgery and contained two independent fetuses. Dissection and radiological study of the fetuses showed an axial skeleton and long bones. It corresponds to the generally recognized diagnostic criteria of fetus in fetu.
A Novel Method to Measure the Learning Capability of a Parameter in Artificial Neural Network with Application to Network Freezing

The artificial neural network is typically trained from initial weight/bias position. As training progresses the network parameters such as weights and biases are updated according to learning algorithm to reduce the performance index. Not all the network parameters are equally learning the input-output mapping. Some parameters would hold more discriminating capability while others are not so effective. We propose a novel method of measuring the learning capability of a network parameter. The learning capability for a parameter we call it as learnability is contribution of that parameter to reduce performance index as the network is training. The proposed method of measuring learnability is applied on network parameters freezing on feedforward neural network. Our method is validated on MNIST handwritten numeral database using backpropagation learning algorithm.
Gene Response to Stress in the Asian Citrus Psyllid (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)

ABSTRACT The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, is a vector of the phloem-inhabiting bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, a pathogen associated with the economically important citrus disease known as huanglongbing. Knowledge of the molecular genetics of D. citri and other insects provides insights into the basic biology of insects. For example, insects can be subjected to stressful conditions and then screened to determine if the conditions promote specific genetic responses. Such information, by identifying critical genetic responses linked to survival, can then be used in the development of genetic tools and in novel management strategies aimed at reducing psyllids populations. In this study, transcriptional responses of D. citri adults against 3 stress factors were investigated: physical wounding, heat stress, and exposure to low doses of the insecticide imidacloprid. No measureable transcriptional activity was observed for genes (cyp, gst, CuZn-SOD, hsc70, or hsp90), which, in other insec...
Densities and Viscosities of Four Alkyl Esters with Nitromethane Systems at (293.15, 303.15, and 313.15) K

Densities and viscosities were measured for the four binary mixtures formed by methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, and butyl acetate with nitromethane at (293.15, 303.15, and 313.15) K. Excess volumes and viscosity deviations from the mole fraction average were derived. The kinematic viscosities were compared with McAllister's model.
Doing unto others through technical communication internship programs

While technical writing continues to struggle for recognition as a legitimate academic discipline, English programs are increasingly perceived not only by nonacademics, but by academics in other fi...
Women who use exercise as a compensatory behavior: How do they differ from those who do not?

Abstract Objectives This research examined group differences between women who reported using exercise as a compensatory behavior (ECB; n = 73) and women who did not report using exercise as a compensatory behavior (NECB; n = 133) on alcohol and exercise behavior, drinking and exercise motivation, and several related constructs. Design A cross-sectional design was used. Methods Undergraduate women (M age = 19.5 years, SD = 3.01 years) completed self-report measures regarding their alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, exercise behavior, alcohol and exercise motivations, impulsivity, body dissatisfaction, and dietary restraint. Results Results indicated that women in the ECB group reported consuming more alcohol, more binge drinking episodes, more alcohol-related problems, higher alcohol and exercise motivations, more exercise, and greater impulsivity, body dissatisfaction, and dietary restraint than women in the NECB group (p's ranging from Conclusions Interestingly, women who use exercise as a compensatory behavior consumed higher amounts of alcohol, but did not drink more frequently than women who did not use exercise as a compensatory behavior. Women who use exercise as a compensatory behavior also endorse drinking and exercise motives more strongly than women who did not use exercise as a compensatory behavior.
Tetrahydrobiopterin increases NO-dependent vasodilation in hypercholesterolemic human skin through eNOS-coupling mechanisms.

Localized exogenous R-tetrahydrobiopterin (R-BH4) corrects the deficit in local heat-induced vasodilation (VD) in hypercholesterolemic (HC) human skin through one of two plausible mechanisms: by se...
Capacities, universality and singularity

In this paper I criticize Cartwright's analysis of capacities and offer an alternative analysis. I argue that Cartwright's attempt to connect capacities to her condition CC fails because individuals can exercise capacities only in certain contexts. My own analysis emphasizes three features of capacities: 1) Capacities belong to individuals; 2) Capacities are typically not metaphysically fundamental properties of individuals, but can be explained by referring to structural properties of individuals; and 3) Laws are best understood as ascriptions of capacities.
Perceptions of Consumer Products: Hazardousness and Warning Expectations

This research examines several characteristics of consumer products that influence warning communication. Seventy-two generically-named products were rated according to perceived hazardousness, familiarity, and several other measures: 1) willingness to read warnings, 2) need for warnings, 3) location of warnings, and 4) appearance of products with warnings. The results indicate that reported willingness to read warnings is strongly and positively related to the perceived hazardousness of the product. Though product familiarity is significantly related to willingness to read warnings, it provides little predictive value beyond hazardousness. Additional analyses showed, the more hazardous the product: 1) the greater the need for warnings, 2) the closer to the product one expects to find a warning, and 3) the less warnings detract from the appearance of such products. Implications of these results are discussed with regard to applications for warning design.
Confirmation by chemical synthesis of the structure of 4-ipomeanol, a lung-toxic metabolite of the sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas.

WE have described the lung and liver toxicity of mould-damaged sweet potatoes and characterized briefly some abnormal metabolites responsible for these phenomena1–4. The respiratory tract toxin, 4-ipomeanol (1-[3-furyl]-4-hydroxy-1-pentanone) (VI), may be responsible for the typical lung oedema of cattle that are fed mouldy sweet potatoes as well as a similar pathological state in mice fed or injected with the pure compound.
Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 Signaling in Pancreatic Islet β-Cells Is Modulated by the Extracellular Matrix

Maintenance of pancreatic beta-cell mass depends on extracellular stimuli that promote survival and proliferation. In the islet, these stimuli come from the beta-cell microenvironment and include extracellular matrix deposited by associated vascular endothelial cells. Fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR1) has recently been implicated as a signaling pathway that is important for normal beta-cell function. We would like to understand how extracellular matrix and FGFR1 signaling interact to promote beta-cell survival and proliferation. To examine beta-cell-specific receptor responses, we created lentiviral vectors with rat insulin promoter-driven expression of Venus fluorescent protein-tagged full-length (R1betav) and kinase-deficient (KDR1betav) FGFR1. Significant FGF-1-dependent activation of ERK1/2 was observed in betaTC3 cells, dispersed beta-cells, and beta-cells in intact islets. This response was enhanced by R1betav expression and reduced by KDR1betav expression. Plating-dispersed beta-cells on collagen type IV resulted in enhanced expression of endogenous FGFR1 that was associated with sustained activation of ERK1/2. Conversely, plating cells on laminin reduced expression of FGFR1, and this reduction was associated with transient activation of ERK1/2. Addition of neutralizing antibodies to inhibit beta-cell attachment to laminin via alpha(6)-integrin increased high-affinity FGF-1-binding at the plasma membrane and resulted in sustained ERK1/2 activity similar to cells plated on collagen type IV. These data show that the FGF-stimulated beta-cell response is negatively affected by alpha(6)-integrin binding to laminin and suggest regulation associated with vascular endothelial cell remodeling.
Changes in plasma free and phospholipid-bound choline concentrations in chronic hemodialysis patients

Abstract Background: Choline deficiency may develop in malnourished patients, those with cirrhosis, and those who require total parenteral nutrition. Previous data has suggested an important role for the kidneys in the maintenance of choline homeostasis. Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the change in plasma choline during hemodialysis and to determine if it was lost in the dialysate. Design: Thirteen adult patients (10 men, 3 women) who had required hemodialysis for a mean of 10.8 years were studied. Dialysis was performed 3 times weekly for 4 hours using either a cellulose acetate or polysulfone dialyzer membrane. Venous and arterial blood, and dialysate samples were taken for measurement of plasma free and phospholipid-bound choline concentration before beginning dialysis and after each hour of dialysis. An in vitro system was devised to determine if choline could bind to a significant degree to the dialysis membrane. Results: Plasma free choline concentration was increased above normal (11.7 ± 3.7 nmol/mL) at baseline and declined progressively during dialysis. In contrast, plasma phospholipid-bound choline concentration increased progressively during dialysis. The decrease in plasma free choline (−1.8 ± 0.3 nmol/mL −1 /h −1 ; P = 1.6 × 10 −6 ) was almost entirely related to that which was removed during dialysis, although the magnitude of the loss was not correlated with the increase in plasma phospholipid-bound choline concentration (125 ± 20.5 nmol/mL −1 /h −1 ; P −6 ). Patients lost a mean of 246 μmol of free choline during hemodialysis. Choline did not bind to the dialysis membrane. Conclusion: Plasma free choline concentration is elevated before dialysis, and choline is lost to a significant degree in the dialysate. Further investigation is necessary to determine whether a transient, dialysis-induced choline deficiency develops, and whether there is a role for choline supplementation in these patients. The choline homeostatic mechanism requires further investigation in renal failure patients.
The Vemont Portfolio Assessment Program: Findings and Implications

How effective has the Vermont program been in meeting its goals? What goals appear to be in conflict in programsof this type? Why is there a need for “caution and moderate expectations”?
A Kalman filter formulation for noisy regional job data

Abstract A problem of great concern to regional economic forecasters is how to know the current local economic status given the delays and noise in provisional data. In this paper the structure of revisions to one of the most important regional data sets, local jobs by industry, is analyzed. A Kalman filter formulation is presented that can be used to improve the monthly estimates of jobs in local industries where large subsequent data revisions are most likely. Two data sets, one for the State of Virginia and one for the Louisville MSA, are used to illustrate the technique. The results, while not conclusive, suggest that the technique may be of practical importance in the monitoring and forecasting of employment activity in mining, construction and other industries for which provisional estimates are subject to the greatest later revision.
Using Facebook to Supplement Participant Pools for Class Research Projects: Should We Like It?.

In-class research projects are a valuable way of providing research experience for undergraduate students in psychology. This article evaluates the use of online social networks to supplement sample recruitment for in-class research projects. Specifically, this article presents a systematic analysis of seven student research projects that recruited through social networks and a traditional participant pool. Data from these studies suggest that the social network and participant pool samples were very similar in participant characteristics and overall levels of the dependent measures. Similarly, the magnitude and direction of the effect sizes were very similar across the studies. Results suggest that online recruiting may be a viable way of supplementing sample sizes while also providing additional opportunities to address learning goals related to statistical analyses. However, the pedagogical benefits of increasing sample size through online recruiting must be considered in conjunction with the potential...
IGF-1 rescues human intervertebral annulus cells from in vitro stress-induced premature senescence.

The aging human intervertebral disc contains a sizeable population of senescent cells. Since senescent cells cannot divide, senescence reduces the disc's ability to generate new cells to replace existing ones lost to necrosis or apoptosis. The objectives of the present work were: (1) to develop a reliable in vitro model for stress-induced premature senescence in human annulus cells, and (2) to investigate the potential for insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) to prevent or ameliorate senescence in vitro. The developed experimental model employs a 2 h exposure to 50 μM hydrogen peroxide; immunocytochemical localization of senescence associated-beta-galactosidase at pH 6.0 was used as the marker for senescent cells, and the percentage of senescent cells quantified after 3 days of culture. Nine sets of annulus cells were obtained from eight human surgical disc specimens; cells were tested with 0, 50, 100 or 500 ng/ml IGF-1. Although 50 or 100 ng/ml IGF-1 did not significantly alter the percentage of senescen...
Backward masking and enhancement of multisegmented visual targets

The present experiment was designed to replicate and elaborate two earlier findings: (1)that certain visual targets comprising alternating black and white pie-shaped segments are both relatively difficult to detect in the absence of a masking figure and relatively easy to detect when followed by a masking stimulus, and (2) that detection of some such targets is actually enhanced when the annular masking figure is presented. In general, those results were obtained in this experiment, though enhancement was evident for targets having from 16 to 32 segments, whereas previous research suggested that the enhancement effect would fail somewhere between the values of 16 and 32.
Chemical and genetic attributes of a maize-silk olfactory trait

A maize inbred extracted from an Iowa synthetic (BSBB) produces silks with an odor that is easily detectable by most humans. The inbred did not demonstrate greater field resistance to ear-feeding by insects than sister lines from the same synthetic. The odorous trait was determined to be inherited as a recessive trait but could not be positively associated with a single gene when the odorous line was crossed with unrelated normal lines. Failure to produce a single-gene Mendelian ratio for F2 and backcross generations was attributed to errors in classification for a subjectively evaluated trait and the seeming incomplete penetrance of the trait, possibly due to the presence of modifying genes. Eleven compounds that differed from those obtained from nonodorous sister lines were separated and identified by headspace trapping and analysis by gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. A five-member panel clearly identified the odorous compound as indole.
Knowledge and the Internal Revisited

In “Knowledge and the Social Articulation of the Space of Reasons,” Robert Brandom reads my “Knowledge and the Internal” as sketching a position that, when properly elaborated, opens into his own social-perspectival conception of knowledge (and of objectivity in general). But this depends on taking me to hold that there cannot be justification for a belief sufficient to exclude the possibility that the belief is false. And that is exactly what I argued against in “Knowledge and the Internal.” Seeing that P constitutes falsehood-excluding justification for believing that P. That should seem common sense, but it is made unavailable by the inferentialist conception of justification that Brandom takes for granted. So far from realizing my aims, Brandom's social-perspectival conception of knowledge is squarely in the target area of my argument in “Knowledge and the Internal,” which I restate here so as to bring that out.
Thermal and urea-induced unfolding in T7 RNA polymerase: calorimetry, circular dichroism and fluorescence study.

Structural changes in T7 RNA polymerase (T7RNAP) induced by temperature and urea have been studied over a wide range of conditions to obtain information about the structural organization and the stability of the enzyme. T7RNAP is a large monomeric enzyme (99 kD). Calorimetric studies of the thermal transitions in T7RNAP show that the enzyme consists of three cooperative units that may be regarded as structural domains. Interactions between these structural domains and their stability strongly depend on solvent conditions. The unfolding of T7RNAP under different solvent conditions induces a highly stable intermediate state that lacks specific tertiary interactions, contains a significant amount of residual secondary structure, and undergoes further cooperative unfolding at high urea concentrations. Circular dichroism (CD) studies show that thermal unfolding leads to an intermediate state that has increased β-sheet and reduced α-helix content relative to the native state. Urea-induced unfolding at 25°C reveals a two-step process. The first transition centered near 3 M urea leads to a plateau from 3.5 to 5.0 M urea, followed by a second transition centered near 6.5 M urea. The CD spectrum of the enzyme in the plateau region, which is similar to that of the enzyme thermally unfolded in the absence of urea, shows little temperature dependence from 15° to 60°C. The second transition leads to a mixture of poly(Pro)II and unordered conformations. As the temperature increases, the ellipticity at 222 nm becomes more negative because of conversion of poly(Pro)II to the unordered conformation. Near-ultraviolet CD spectra at 25°C at varying concentrations of urea are consistent with this picture. Both thermal and urea denaturation are irreversible, presumably because of processes that follow unfolding.
Cracking of SiO2 layers on annealed InP

Abstract We observed cracking in chemically vapor-deposited SiO2 encapsulating layers on InP when these samples were annealed at temperatures above 650°C. Using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy we studied the detailed nature of this form of film failure. Thermally induced stress between the film and the InP does not fully account for the phenomena reported here. The observed cracking apparently results from an interaction between mechanical stress, chemical effects and possibly defects in the SiO2 layers.
Evaluation of probiotic treatment in a neonatal animal model.

The clinical use of probiotic agents such as enteral Lactobacillus to enhance intestinal defense against potential luminal pathogens has been tested in vivo; however, an understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the observed protection is lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus on bacterial translocation (BT) in a neonatal animal model. Newborn New Zealand white rabbit pups were enterally fed a 10% Formulac solution inoculated with or without a 108 suspension of ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli K1 (E. coli K1A) and/or Lactobacillus casei GG (Lacto GG). Pups received either no bacteria (n = 10), Lacto GG (n = 8), E. coli K1A (n = 26), or a combination of Lacto GG and E. coli K1A (n = 33). On day 3, representative tissue specimens from the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), spleen (SPL), and liver (LIV) were aseptically harvested in addition to a small-bowel (SB) sample that was rinsed to remove luminal contents. The specimens were then cultured in organism-specific media. Statistical analysis was by one-way ANOVA with P values less than 0.05 considered significant. Neonatal rabbits receiving Lacto GG-supplemented formula exhibited a 25% decrease (P < 0.05) in small-bowel colonization by E. coli K1A. In addition, Lacto GG decreased the frequency of extraintestinal BT by 46% (P < 0.05), 61% (P < 0.05), and 23%, respectively, in the MLN, SPL, and LIV. We have shown that enterally-administered Lacto GG decreases the frequency of E. coli K1A translocation in a neonatal rabbit model. These results may have significant implications for the treatment of BT and sepsis in the human neonate and provide a model for further studies.
Model-Based Planning of Sensor Placement and Optical Settings

We present a model-based vision system that automatically plans the placement and optical settings of vision sensors in order to meet certain generic task requirements common to most industrial machine vision applications. From the planned viewpoints, features of interest on an object will satisfy particular constraints in the image. In this work, the vision sensor is a CCD camera equipped with a programmable lens (i.e. zoom lens) and the image constraints considered are: visibility, resolution and field of view. The proposed approach uses a geometric model of the object as well a model of the sensor, in order to reason about the task and the environment. The sensor planning system then computes the regions in space as well as the optical settings that satisfy each of the constraints separately. These results are finally combined to generate acceptable viewing locations and optical settings satisfying all constraints simultaneously. Camera planning experiments are described in which a robot-arm positions the camera at a computed location and the planned optical settings are set automatically. The corresponding scenes from the candidate viewpoints are shown demonstrating that the constraints are indeed satisfied. Other constraints, such as depth of focus, as well as other vision sensors can also be considered resulting in a fully integrated sensor planning system.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Relationship of Sr 2 RuO 4 to the superconducting layered cuprates

The properties of ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{RuO}}_{4}$ are discussed in relation to the high-critical-temperature cuprate superconductors. The discussion is based on local-density-approximation band structure and phonon calculations. The electronic structure is highly anisotropic. Three hybridized Ru 4d--plane O p bands cross the Fermi energy, yielding cylindrical sheets of Fermi surface. Two of these are electronlike sheets around \ensuremath{\Gamma}, while the third is an X-centered hole surface. The electronlike sheets change topology as the energy is raised leading to Van Hove singularities in close proximity to the Fermi energy. In general, the electronic properties are related to those of the cuprates, with the exception that Coulomb correlations are expected to be much less significant due to the larger bandwidth and smaller on-site energy. ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{RuO}}_{4}$ is expected to be a very useful reference material for interpreting experiments on the cuprate superconductors.
Genome Sequence Analysis of Dengue Virus 1 Isolated in Key West, Florida

Dengue virus (DENV) is transmitted to humans through the bite of mosquitoes. In November 2010, a dengue outbreak was reported in Monroe County in southern Florida (FL), including greater than 20 confirmed human cases. The virus collected from the human cases was verified as DENV serotype 1 (DENV-1) and one isolate was provided for sequence analysis. RNA was extracted from the DENV-1 isolate and was used in reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to amplify PCR fragments to sequence. Nucleic acid primers were designed to generate overlapping PCR fragments that covered the entire genome. The DENV-1 isolate found in Key West (KW), FL was sequenced for whole genome characterization. Sequence assembly, Genbank searches, and recombination analyses were performed to verify the identity of the genome sequences and to determine percent similarity to known DENV-1 sequences. We show that the KW DENV-1 strain is 99% identical to Nicaraguan and Mexican DENV-1 strains. Phylogenetic and recombination analyses suggest that the DENV-1 isolated in KW originated from Nicaragua (NI) and the KW strain may circulate in KW. Also, recombination analysis results detected recombination events in the KW strain compared to DENV-1 strains from Puerto Rico. We evaluate the relative growth of KW strain of DENV-1 compared to other dengue viruses to determine whether the underlying genetics of the strain is associated with a replicative advantage, an important consideration since local transmission of DENV may result because domestic tourism can spread DENVs.
Formin 1-isoform IV deficient cells exhibit defects in cell spreading and focal adhesion formation.

Background Regulation of the cytoskeleton is a central feature of cell migration. The formin family of proteins controls the rate of actin nucleation at its barbed end. Thus, formins are predicted to contribute to several important cell processes such as locomotion, membrane ruffling, vesicle endocytosis, and stress fiber formation and disassociation. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study we investigated the functional role of Formin1-isoform4 (Fmn1-IV) by using genetically null primary cells that displayed augmented protrusive behaviour during wound healing and delayed cell spreading. Cells deficient of Fmn1-IV also showed reduced efficiency of focal adhesion formation. Additionally, we generated an enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-fused Fmn1-IV knock-in mouse to monitor the endogenous subcellular localization of Fmn1-IV. Its localization was found within the cytoplasm and along microtubules, yet it was largely excluded from adherens junctions. Conclusions/Significance It was determined that Fmn1-IV, as an actin nucleator, contributes to protrusion of the cell's leading edge and focal adhesion formation, thus contributing to cell motility.
Familial Factors in Illicit Drug Abuse: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

Research on familial factors in illicit drug abuse has been approached from the perspectives of psychiatric epidemiology, which aims to assess familial clustering of disorders, and clinical psychiatry, which focuses on intrafamilial dynamics. To date, however, these two research traditions have existed in relative isolation from each other, and there has been little consideration given to enhancing the understanding of familial factors in drug abuse by combining these approaches. The intention of this article is to critically review the literature in these two areas and to offer suggestions as to how the strengths from each could be applied in a comprehensive research approach.
Texture and Anisotropy in Silicon Nitride

In this investigation quantitative texture analysis, including calculation of the orientation distribution function, is used to demonstrate the degree of preferred orientation in β-Si3N4 which has been hot-pressed or hot-worked. The results indicate that plane strain compression can produce strong textures. The texture is decided by the processing parameters including temperature, sintering additives, and stress state. Grain rotation and preferred grain growth apparently both contribute to texture development in β-Si3N4. Basal (00l) pole figures obtained from the orientation distribution function are consistent with microstructural observations and are reflected in indentation fracture toughness anisotropy. In plane strain the ratio of maximum to minimum fracture toughness is greater than 2.
Assessment of observer agreement for matched repeated binary measurements

Agreement is a broad term simultaneously covering evaluations of accuracy and precision of measurements. Assessment of observer agreement is based on the similarity between readings made on the same subject by different observers. The assessment of agreement on categorical observations is traditionally based on kappa or weighted kappa coefficients. However, kappa statistics have been criticized because they attain implausible values when the marginal distributions are skewed and/or unbalanced. New scaled indices called the coefficients of individual agreement (CIAs) have been developed for the assessment of individual observer agreement by comparing the observed disagreement between two observers to the disagreement between replicated observations made by the same observer on the same subject. This is based on the notion that under a good agreement, the disagreement between the two observers is usually not expected to exceed the disagreement between replicated observations of the same observer, and hence, a satisfactory agreement is established if these quantities are similar. This idea is extended and a new method utilizing the generalized linear mixed model is proposed to estimate the CIAs for binary data which consist of matched sets of repeated measurements made by the same observer under different conditions. The conditions may represent different time points, raters, laboratories, treatments, etc. The new approach allows the values of the measured variable and the magnitude of agreement to vary across the conditions. The reliability of the estimation method is examined via a simulation study. Data from a study aiming at determining the validity of diagnosis of breast cancer based on mammography are used to illustrate the new concepts and methods.