cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TSUNAMI: Disconnect and the Aftermath

At one time, few people lived permanently near the edges of the world’s oceans. Now, more than half of the world’s population lives near beaches and estuaries. People in developed countries have primary or secondary homes there to enjoy the views and for recreation. Poor people in developing countries live there to engage in fishing, jobs in tourism for people from developed countries, and for subsistence farming in river delta areas. They remain despite persistent hurricanes, typhoons, and resulting flooding. There is a serious disconnect for both rich and poor people between the reality of living near oceans and the danger that this entails. For a variety of reasons, people are becoming less and less connected to the world around them. Natural events that have devastating effects on humans are considered to be strange and unusual, rather than a normal part of human existence on a continually changing planet. Our disconnect from nature has serious consequences. Earthquakes under the oceans, from shifting tectonic plates or volcanic eruptions, are known to result in oceanic disturbances that result in elevated wave activity near ocean shores. A high wall of water, or wave, that emerges from the water column caused by an ocean disturbance is called a tsunami (Japanese for “harbor wave”). Globally, 80% of tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean region. Seismic waves above 7.5 m occur there naturally every 15 years. Tsunamis are not unusual events. When I was in Japan recently, I discovered that they are a favorite theme in Japanese art, especially in woodblock prints. The earthquake that recently occurred in the Indian Ocean was unusually strong (9.0 on the Richter Scale) and the resulting tsunami resulted in horrific loss of life and property in countries like Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka. Television has enabled everyone to witness the devastation and its aftermath. More than 150,000 people have died and huge coastal areas have been destroyed. Stunned local populations are responding to an enormous outpouring of international relief aid. What will be the aftermath of this devastating tsunami? Reefs have been damaged or destroyed as have coastal mangrove areas and estuaries. What effects this will have on fish populations and reproduction are unknown. Ponds used to cultivate shrimp have been destroyed. Few fishing boats are left to harvest what fish may be left. Seawater was driven inland, killing plants and animals, and infiltrating agricultural land and wells used for drinking water. The long-term effects on agriculture and well water are not known. Ecologists have an opportunity to study recolonization of affected areas by plants and animals. Epidemics of diseases have not developed as prompt burial of bodies and distribution of clean water and
Effect of Trim Level, Cooking Method, and Chop Type on Lipid Retention, Caloric Content, and Cholesterol Level in Cooked Pork

The effect of external fat trim on fat, caloric, and cholesterol content of pork lean was investigated. Paired top-loin chops (TL), rib chops (RC) and blade steaks (BS) were obtained and trimmed free of all subcutaneous fat before (NF) or after (SF) cooking. Cuts were cooked to 71°C by roasting, pan-frying, braising or microwaving. Lean from TL chops having SF contained more fat and calories and similar amounts of cholesterol compared with NF chops, regardless of cooking method. Few differences were observed in fat and caloric content of RC and BS cooked with SF versus NF, perhaps due to seam fat. Eliminating external fat prior to cooking reduced fat and caloric content of pork lean.
Effects of chloro substitutions on aliphatic acid inhibitors of pantothenate metabolism in Escherichia coli.

Abstract The pantothenate-synthesizing enzyme and growing cultures of Escherichia coli were used to study antimetabolite relations involved in inhibitions by salts of aliphatic acids and their chlorine-substituted derivatives. Protection of the enzyme against these inhibitors followed two different patterns. β-Alanine protected the enzyme against inhibition by unchlorinated aliphatic acids, monochloroacetic acid, and β-chloropropionic acid. Pantoate protected the enzyme against inhibition by α-chloropropionic and di- or trichloro-substituted acids of the acetic and propionic series. Chloro-substituted compounds in the first group were less inhibitory to the enzyme than the unchlorinated compounds. However, toxicity to the enzyme increased with additional chlorine substitutions on chloro-substituted compounds antagonized by pantoate. Growing cultures of Escherichia coli strains with reduced capacity for pantoate or β-alanine synthesis were protected from inhibitions due to propionate or its chloro-substituted derivatives by addition of the deficient substrate rather than the substrate effective in protections at the enzyme level.
Acquiring intersentential explanatory connections in expository texts

A taxonomy of explanatory links connecting sentences in expository texts is presented. It is also shown that there are two types of knowledge, which we have called analytical and empirical knowledge in analogy to the distinction between analytical and empirical sentences, that allow us to find and learn the explanatory connections. The role that the notion of analyticity plays in learning explanatory connections from expository texts is also emphasized. A program that embodies the ideas and that finds and learns explanatory connections in expository texts is also briefly explained.
ALGEBRAIC CLOSE-COUPLING CALCULATION OF THE SCATTERING OF ELECTRONS AND POSITRONS BY HYDROGEN.

The algebraic close-coupling method is applied to slow collisions of electrons and positrons with atomic hydrogen. The wave function is assumed to be of the form appropriate for a $1s\ensuremath{-}2s\ensuremath{-}2p$ close-coupling calculation. The variational method proposed by Nesbet is used to calculate the appropriate phase shifts and cross sections. Excellent agreement with previously published results of Burke, Schey, Smith, and others is obtained for scattering below the $n=2$ threshold. Information concerning resonance structure for positrons, and for electrons in the singlet and triplet state, is also obtained. Good results are also obtained above threshold in the $1s\ensuremath{-}2s$ and three-state approximations. Problems connected with the choice of asymptotic functions for the open $n=2$ channels are discussed.
Life-long caloric restriction does not alter the severity of age-related osteoarthritis

Chronic adipose tissue inflammation and its associated adipokines have been linked to the development of osteoarthritis (OA). It has been shown that caloric restriction may decrease body mass index and adiposity. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of lifelong caloric restriction on bone morphology, joint inflammation, and spontaneously occurring OA development in aged mice. C57BL/NIA mice were fed either a calorie-restricted (CR) or ad libitum (AL) diet starting at 14 weeks of age. All mice were sacrificed at 24 months of age. Adipose tissue and knee joints were then harvested. Bone parameters of the joints were analyzed by micro-CT. OA and joint synovitis were determined using histology and semiquantitative analysis. Lifelong caloric restriction did not alter the severity of OA development in C57BL/NIA aged mice, and there was no difference in the total joint Mankin score between CR and AL groups (p = 0.99). Mice also exhibited similar levels of synovitis (p = 0.54). The bone mineral density of the femur and the tibia was comparable between the groups with a small increase in cancellous bone volume fraction in the lateral femoral condyle of the CR group compared with the AL group. Lifelong caloric restriction did not alter the incidence of OA or joint synovitis in C57BL/NIA mice, indicating that a reduction of caloric intake alone was not sufficient to prevent spontaneous age-related OA. Nonetheless, early initiation of CR continued throughout a life span did not negatively impact bone structural properties.
Quantitative Analysis of Pancreatic Polypeptide Cell Distribution in the Human Pancreas

The pancreatic islet is mainly composed of beta-, alpha- and delta-cells with small numbers of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and epsilon cells. It is known that there is a region in the head of the pancreas that is rich in PP-cells. In the present study, we examined the distribution of PP-cells, and assessed the influence of the PP-cell rich region to quantify the total islet mass. Pancreatic tissues were collected from donors with no history of diabetes or pancreatic diseases (n = 12). A stereological approach with a computer-assisted large-scale analysis of whole pancreatic sections was applied to quantify the entire distribution of endocrine cells within a given section. The initial whole pancreas analysis showed that a PP-cell rich region was largely restricted to the uncinate process with a clear boundary. The distinct distribution of PP-cells includes irregularly shaped clusters composed solely of PP-cells. Furthermore, in the PP-cell rich region, beta- and alpha-cell mass is significantly reduced compared to surrounding PP-cell poor regions. The results suggest that the analysis of the head region should distinguish the PP-cell rich region, which is best examined separately. This study presents an important implication for the regional selection and interpretation of the results.
Simulation of a fluorescent bit-wise volumetric optical data storage system

A quasi-vector diffraction simulation tool is introduced to simulate a fluorescent bit-wise volumetric optical data storage system. Examples and a comparison of simulation results with an analytical optical transfer function calculation are presented.
The role of superoxide radical in a nonenzymatic hydroxylation.

Abstract P -Cresol and 4-nitrophenol were hydroxylated in reaction mixtures containing dihydroxyfumaric acid, FeSO 4 and O 2 . The accumulation of hydroxylated product exhibited an initial lag whereas the oxidation of dihydroxyfumaric acid did not. This lag was eliminated by H 2 O 2 . Hydroxylation was partially inhibited by Superoxide dismutase, catalase, or formate and was completely inhibited by ethanol. The results suggest that the active hydroxylating species was OH· and that O 2 − , although not functioning directly as a hydroxylating agent, did serve to generate OH· by a reaction which involved H 2 O 2 .
Upper to lower body muscular strength and endurance ratios for women and men.

Abstract This study examined possible gender differences for relative upper (elbow) to lower (knee) body strength and endurance, as well as relative flexion to extension strength and endurance. Seven women and nine men who were matched for both upper and lower body aerobic power were tested on an isokinetic strength instrument. Absolute isokinetic strength was lower (P 005) in isokinetic endurance fatigue decrements, or upper to lower body endurance ratios between genders. These data indicated that there were differences in absolute strength between the genders, but strength per lean body weight, as well as upper to lower body ratios for strength and endurance were similar for both genders. It was recommende...
Middle to late Miocene planktonic foraminiferal datum levels and paleoceanography of the North and Southeastern Pacific Ocean

Abstract Quantitative middle—late Miocene analysis of planktonic foraminifera of the North Pacific DSDP Sites 310, 173, 296, and 292 and the Southeast Pacific Site 319 reveal strikingly similar abundance distributions and foraminiferal datum levels permitting correlations between all sites. The following first (FA) and last (LA) appearances appear to be isochronous in tropical, subtropical, and temperate faunas: Globigerina nepenthes FA, G. druryi FA, Globorotalia mayeri LA, G. siakensis LA, Globoquadrina dehiscens LA, Globigerinoides kennetti FA and LA, and G. obliquus extremus FA. Isotope analysis is available for Site 310 and indicates a depletion in carbon at about 6.2 Ma following the extinction of G. kennetti and the first appearance of G. obliquus extremus . An increase in dissolution of calcium carbonate is apparent in the interval preceding the carbon shift at Site 310 and two further dissolution intervals are present lower in the section within paleomagnetic Epochs 7–8 (N16) and 12 (N14). Similar dissolution intervals have been observed in these same biostratigraphic intervals at DSDP Sites 296, 292, and 319. These dissolution intervals are often associated with a short hiatus and are marked by major faunal changes apparently due to climatic cooling.
BpaB, a novel protein encoded by the Lyme disease spirochete’s cp32 prophages, binds to erp Operator 2 DNA

Borrelia burgdorferi produces Erp outer surface proteins throughout mammalian infection, but represses their synthesis during colonization of vector ticks. A DNA region 5' of the start of erp transcription, Operator 2, was previously shown to be essential for regulation of expression. We now report identification and characterization of a novel erp Operator 2-binding protein, which we named BpaB. erp operons are located on episomal cp32 prophages, and a single bacterium may contain as many as 10 different cp32s. Each cp32 family member encodes a unique BpaB protein, yet the three tested cp32-encoded BpaB alleles all bound to the same DNA sequence. A 20-bp region of erp Operator 2 was determined to be essential for BpaB binding, and initial protein binding to that site was required for binding of additional BpaB molecules. A 36-residue region near the BpaB carboxy terminus was found to be essential for high-affinity DNA-binding. BpaB competed for binding to erp Operator 2 with a second B. burgdorferi DNA-binding protein, EbfC. Thus, cellular levels of free BpaB and EbfC could potentially control erp transcription levels.
Infrared spectroscopic measurements relevant to atmospheric remote sensing

SF6 is a synthetic chemical which is used in many industrial applications and as a meteorological tracer. This paper describes determinations of spectral absorption coefficients k-nu of SF6 measured in the central Q-branches of the nu(3)-fundamental at 947/cm at various temperature-pressure combinations representing tangent heights in solar-occultation experiments or layers in the atmosphere. Spectral data were also obtained for C2H4 and NH3 fundamental bands. Measurements were made with the Doppler-limited spectral resolution of a tunable diode laser spectrometer with a cryogenically cooled absorption cell, described by Varanasi and Chudamani (1992).
Interaction between emotional state and learning underlies mood instability

Intuitively, good and bad outcomes affect our emotional state, but whether the emotional state feeds back onto the perception of outcomes remains unknown. Here, we use behaviour and functional neuroimaging of human participants to investigate this bidirectional interaction, by comparing the evaluation of slot machines played before and after an emotion-impacting wheel-of-fortune draw. Results indicate that self-reported mood instability is associated with a positive-feedback effect of emotional state on the perception of outcomes. We then use theoretical simulations to demonstrate that such positive feedback would result in mood destabilization. Taken together, our results suggest that the interaction between emotional state and learning may play a significant role in the emergence of mood instability.
INCOMPATIBILITY IN AMSINCKIA GRANDIFLORA (BORAGINACEAE): DISTRIBUTION OF CALLOSE PLUGS AND POLLEN TUBES FOLLOWING INTER- AND INTRAMORPH CROSSES

The distribution of callose plugs and pollen tubes was investigated following inter- and intramorph crosses of Amsinckia grandiflora (Boraginaceae), a distylous species possessing cryptic self-incompatibility. Callose plug distribution provided a good indication of the distribution of pollen tubes. Compared to intramorph crosses, many more callose plugs and pollen tubes were found in basal stylar regions following intermorph crosses, indicating that differential pollen tube growth is a likely cause of cryptic self-incompatibility. The incompatibility response differed for the floral morphs: in the pin (long-styled) morph pollen tubes were most likely to cease growth in the midstylar region, while inhibition was more likely to occur in the upper stylar region of the thrum (short-styled) morph. There was no evidence of stigmatic inhibition of pollen tubes for either morph, although the incompatibility response in the Boraginaceae is normally located in the stigmatic region. IN THE MAJORITY of flowering plant species
Solidification of Highly Undercooled Liquid Metals and Alloys.

Abstract : The undercooling and solidification of liquid alloys in fine droplet form has been examined by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and metallography. New maximum undercooling limits have been established for several metals and hypercooling has been demonstrated for the first time in a metallic system. In alloys some aspects of the phase selection kinetics for formation of metastable phases have been identified in eutectic, peritectic and monotectic reactions. The use of droplet samples allows the measurement of thermodynamic properties of undercooled liquids and the study of microstructure development with changing undercooling. In some alloys, the effective isolation of nucleants that is possible with micron size droplets results in a continuous solidification to the amorphous state. The observations are presented in terms of the potential of undercooling for structure modification and rapid solidification technology. (Author)
Views of Cesarean Birth Among Primiparous Women of Mexican Origin in Los Angeles

: This study examined data from a larger project on the cultural context of first birth among low-income women of Mexican origin giving birth in Los Angeles. Data on knowledge of cesarean birth and perceptions of the cesarean birth experience were collected. In addition, differences in perceptions of the experience between women giving birth vaginally and those giving birth by cesarean as reported in the literature were assessed. Five hundred eighteen women were surveyed, of whom 58 had a cesarean birth. Statistical analyses revealed few significant differences between the two groups with regard to childbirth knowledge and attitudes, which may indicate that Latinas are different from the Anglo women discussed in the literature. In their postnatal assessment, 28 percent of the women giving birth by cesarean reported dissatisfaction with the experience, the majority regarded cesareans as “normal,” and 11 percent thought they were at an advantage to have had cesarean births. These results suggest that cultural beliefs and attitudes may affect a woman's perceptions of the childbirth experience. The findings discussed here have implications for cross-cultural research on childbirth for childbirth educators and for health care providers working in multicultural settings.
724-4 Coexistence of Typical and Atypical Atrio-ventricular Nodal Reentry: Evidence for Multiple Pathways of Slow Conduction

The nature of the atrio-ventricular nodal (AVN) reentry circuit is still a source of debate. We studied two patients in which both typical (slow-fast, SF) AVN reentrant tachycardia and atypical (fast-slow, FS) AVN reentrant echoes could be elicited with atrial and ventricular stimulation respectively. Discontinuous antegrade and retrograde AVN curves were present in both patients, as shown below: Download : Download high-res image (79KB) Download : Download full-size image The earliest atrial activation during SF reentry was recorded at the His bundle electrogram, while during FS reentry it was recorded anterior and inferior to the coronary sinus ostium. A single radiofrequency (RF) application at the earliest atrial site during FS reentry eliminated both the FS echoes and the retrograde discontinuous curve, while maintaining a discontinuous antegrade curve (figure) and SF reentry (non sustained in one patient and sustained in the other patientl. In the latter patient, complete elimination of the slow pathway and SF reentry was achieved by further RF applications approximately 1 cm above the ablation site for FS reentry. Conclusion Prevention of atypical AVN echoes does not necessarily abolish the typical form of AVN reentry. This suggests that the atypical form is not simply a “reverse” of the typical form of AVN reentry.
Chronic anti-phencyclidine monoclonal antibody therapy decreases phencyclidine-induced in utero fetal mortality in pregnant rats

Illicit drug use during pregnancy is a serious social and public health problem inflicting an array of deleterious effects on both mother and offspring. We investigated the hypothesis that a murine anti-phencyclidine (PCP) monoclonal antibody (mAb6B5; K(D)=1.3 nM) can safely protect mother and fetus from PCP-induced adverse health effects in pregnant rats. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats (n=4-5) were intravenously administered bolus injections of PCP (1mg/kg) on multiple days during pregnancy. They were also chronically treated with anti-PCP mAb6B5 at 45 mg/kg as a PCP antagonist. This dose provided one mAb-PCP binding site for every four PCP molecules. Therapeutic and safety study endpoints included pregnancy outcome (litter size, number of live vs. dead pups), maternal hemodynamic status and locomotor activity. Maternal hemodynamic changes (i.e., blood pressure and heart rate) and locomotor activity were measured in dams from gestation days 6-21 (one day antepartum) using a radiotelemetry-tracking device with a femoral arterial pressure catheter. This mAb6B5 treatment regimen significantly (p=0.008) reduced the number of PCP-induced in utero fetal deaths (odds ratio=3.2; 95%CI 1.3 to 7.9) and significantly (p<0.05) reduced acute PCP-induced maternal locomotor effects in the second trimester. Maternal hemodynamic responses to PCP were not significantly affected by mAb6B5 treatment. In conclusion, these data suggest that anti-PCP mAb treatments administered during pregnancy can safely protect a mother and her fetus(es) from PCP-related morbidity and mortality even when the mAb dose is too low to significantly prevent other PCP-induced maternal pharmacological effects.
Effect of Body Mass Index on Magnitude of Setup Errors in Patients Treated With Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Endometrial Cancer With Daily Image Guidance

Purpose To determine the impact of body mass index (BMI) on daily setup variations and frequency of imaging necessary for patients with endometrial cancer treated with adjuvant intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with daily image guidance. Methods and Materials The daily shifts from a total of 782 orthogonal kilovoltage images from 30 patients who received pelvic IMRT between July 2008 and August 2010 were analyzed. The BMI, mean daily shifts, and random and systematic errors in each translational and rotational direction were calculated for each patient. Margin recipes were generated based on BMI. Linear regression and spearman rank correlation analysis were performed. To simulate a less-than-daily IGRT protocol, the average shift of the first five fractions was applied to subsequent setups without IGRT for assessing the impact on setup error and margin requirements. Results Median BMI was 32.9 (range, 23–62). Of the 30 patients, 16.7% (n = 5) were normal weight (BMI Conclusions Daily shifts, systematic errors, and margin requirements were greatest in obese patients. For women who are normal or overweight, a planning target margin margin of 7 to 10 mm may be sufficient without IGRT, but for patients who are moderately or severely obese, this is insufficient.
Modified Ultrafiltration Attenuates Dilutional Coagulopathy in Pediatric Open Heart Operations

Abstract Background . Extreme hemodilution caused by relatively large prime volumes required for cardiopulmonary bypass in infants causes a dilutional coagulopathy, characterized by low concentrations of fibrinogen and other circulating coagulation factors. Modified ultrafiltration results in hemoconcentration and is associated with decreases in postoperative bleeding and transfusion requirements in children. This study was undertaken to quantify the effect of modified ultrafiltration on concentrations of fibrinogen, plasma proteins, and platelets in infants and small children. Methods . Twenty patients less than 15 kg were studied. Cardiopulmonary bypass circuits were primed with crystalloid solutions. Red blood cells were added during cardiopulmonary bypass for hematocrits less than 15%. Colloid solutions were not administered. Concentrations of fibrinogen, plasma proteins, and platelets, and hematocrit were measured before cardiopulmonary bypass, before modified ultrafiltration, and after modified ultrafiltration. Results . Modified ultrafiltration was associated with significant ( p p = 0.129) in platelet count. Conclusions . We conclude that modified ultrafiltration significantly attenuates the dilutional coagulopathy associated with cardiopulmonary bypass in infants.
Photoprotection and the vitamin D status of the elderly. A concern for dermatologists.

The preliminary study published in this issue of theArchivesby Matsuoka et al 1 addresses the question of whether the long-term use of sunscreens by the elderly will result in poor vitamin D status. Comparing two adult populations, one that used a p -aminobenzoic acid (PABA)-containing sunscreen with one that did not use sunscreen, these investigators found significantly lower levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) in the group that used sunscreen. In our zeal to protect patients from the undesirable effects of sunlight, we encourage our fairskinned patients to apply sunscreen liberally and avoid the sun. 2 Patients with fair skin, actinic damage, or a history of skin cancer are particularly encouraged to apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Recently, tretinoin (Retin-A) has been advocated to reverse photoaging. 3,4 These patients avoid the sun to minimize further photodamage. Because tretinoin use increases
Automatic target recognition performance losses in the presence of atmospheric and camera effects

The importance of networked automatic target recognition systems for surveillance applications is continuously increasing. Because of the requirement of a low cost and limited payload, these networks are traditionally equipped with lightweight, low-cost sensors such as electro-optical (EO) or infrared sensors. The quality of imagery acquired by these sensors critically depends on the environmental conditions, type and characteristics of sensors, and absence of occluding or concealing objects. In the past, a large number of efficient detection, tracking, and recognition algorithms have been designed to operate on imagery of good quality. However, detection and recognition limits under nonideal environmental and/or sensor-based distortions have not been carefully evaluated. We introduce a fully automatic target recognition system that involves a Haar-based detector to select potential regions of interest within images, performs adjustment of detected regions, segments potential targets using a region-based approach, identifies targets using Bessel K form-based encoding, and performs clutter rejection. We investigate the effects of environmental and camera conditions on target detection and recognition performance. Two databases are involved. One is a simulated database generated using a 3-D tool. The other database is formed by imaging 10 die-cast models of military vehicles from different elevation and orientation angles. The database contains imagery acquired both indoors and outdoors. The indoors data set is composed of clear and distorted images. The distortions include defocus blur, sided illumination, low contrast, shadows, and occlusions. All images in this database, however, have a uniform (blue) background. The indoors database is applied to evaluate the degradations of recognition performance due to camera and illumination effects. The database collected outdoors includes a real background and is much more complex to process.
Gene Expression Profiling of Human Sarcomas: Insights into Sarcoma Biology

Sarcomas are a biologically complex group of tumors of mesenchymal origin. By using gene expression microarray analysis, we aimed to find clues into the cellular differentiation and oncogenic pathways active in these tumors as well as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We examined 181 tumors representing 16 classes of human bone and soft tissue sarcomas on a 12,601-feature cDNA microarray. Remarkably, 2,766 probes differentially expressed across this sample set clearly delineated the various tumor classes. Several genes of potential biological and therapeutic interest were associated with each sarcoma type, including specific tyrosine kinases, transcription factors, and homeobox genes. We also identified subgroups of tumors within the liposarcomas, leiomyosarcomas, and malignant fibrous histiocytomas. We found significant gene ontology correlates for each tumor group and identified similarity to normal tissues by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Mutation analysis done on 275 tumor samples revealed that the high expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in certain tumors was not associated with gene mutations. Finally, to further the investigation of human sarcoma biology, we have created an online, publicly available, searchable database housing the data from the gene expression profiles of these tumors (http://watson.nhgri.nih.gov/sarcoma), allowing the user to interactively explore this data set in depth.
Hedge Fund Ownership, Board Composition and Dividend Policy in the Telecommunications Industry

This paper examines the impact of hedge fund ownership, mutual fund ownership, board composition and large block ownership on the dividend policy of telecommunications firms. The paper is intended to test the agency cost hypothesis for dividends, in which dividends serve as a substitute control mechanism in circumstances in which shareholder control has been attenuated. The evidence suggests that hedge fund ownership serves as a substitute for dividends as a corporate control mechanism to alleviate agency problems. However, the same case cannot be made for mutual fund ownership. The evidence also suggests that board independence increases the likelihood and the magnitude of a dividend payout. Furthermore, the results also indicate that the joint presence of independent boards and large shareholdings reduces the likelihood of a dividend payment. The latter two results suggest that greater independent board representation provides an effective medium for shareholders to extract dividends as well as a complement to top shareholder concentration in relieving agency costs. Overall, the results provide ample support for an agency-theoretic explanation of dividends.
Mathematical aspects of GPS RAIM

This paper presents and proves two new theorems that provide deeper understanding of receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) methods. The theorems answer the following two questions about RAIM and the least squares navigation solution. (i) Given one set of GPS measurements (a "snapshot"), is it ever possible to determine the navigation error from the parity vector? (ii) Consider a set of measured satellite ranges. All the measurements are subject to noise and one of the measurements is biased by an unknown amount. Three navigation solutions may be obtained. (A) All the measurements are used. (B) Solution A is corrected using standard RAIM techniques for estimating the bias and its effect on the navigation solution. (C) The biased measurement is excluded and a navigation solution is obtained with the remaining measurements. The first theorem reveals the surprising result that the navigation solution is independent of the parity vector, given any single set of measurements. It indicates that accumulation of measurements is essential for an accurate integrity solution. Based on this result, NAVSYS Corporation has developed the NAVSAFE software package which verifies navigation precision by accumulating sets of measurements. The second theorem states that Solution B and Solution C are equivalent. The NAVSAFE software package uses Solution B to correct biased measurements with excellent success. The proof presented in this paper gives sound theoretical foundation to the results observed in practice. Both theorems are proved by employing the singular value decomposition of the observation matrix. >
From Farm to Table: The Organic Vegetable Commodity Chain of Northern California

L'objet de cette etude etait la structure et les dynamiques des systemes de productions biologiques en Californie. Les AA. ont mene a peu pres soixante-dix interviews semidirectifs avec des acteurs-cles tout au long de la chaine de production en recherchant a la fois les dynamiques internes de chaque etape et les relations entre elles. La qualification de biologique ou organique qui a contribue a l'extraordinaire et recente croissance de l'industrie agro-alimentaire biologique, a aussi cree des rentes economiques et des opportunites uniques d'accumulation pour l'agribusiness. Dans cet article, les AA. montrent que le capital agro-alimentaire est en train de penetrer le segment de plus forte plus-value de la chaine de production des legumes biologiques, malgre l'existence de pratiques et d'idees allant a contre-courant du secteur conventionnel de production. Les pratiques agronomiques et de marketing sont un miroir grossissant des pratiques de l'agriculture conventionnelle. Les AA. ont identifie plusieurs exemples de ce que Goodman et al. ont appele appropriationisme la ou les processus une fois integres a l'exploitation sont transformes et reutilises en inputs et substitionnisme la ou les couts de la transformation industrielle representent une forte proportion de la valeur ajoutee
Grammatical Processing without Semantics? An Event-related Brain Potential Study of Preschoolers using Jabberwocky Sentences

Behavioral studies have demonstrated that children develop a nearly adult-like grammar between 36 and 42 months, but few studies have addressed how the child's brain processes semantic versus syntactic information. In previous research, Silva-Pereyra and colleagues showed that distinct event-related potentials (ERPs) are elicited by semantic and syntactic violations in sentences in children as young as 30, 36, and 48 months, following the patterns displayed by adults. In the current study, we examined ERPs to syntactic phrase structure violations in real and jabberwocky sentences in 36-month-old children. Jabberwocky sentences are sentences in which content (open-class) words are replaced by pseudowords while function (closed-class) words are retained. Results showed that syntactically anomalous real sentences elicited two positive ERP effects: left-distributed effects from 500 to 750 msec and 1050 to 1300 msec, whereas syntactically anomalous jabberwocky sentences elicited two negative ERP effects: a left-distributed effect from 750 to 900 msec and a later broadly distributed effect from 950 to 1150 msec. The results indicate that when preschoolers process real English sentences, ERPs resembling the positive effects previously reported for adults are noted, although at longer latencies and with broader scalp distributions. However, when preschoolers process jabberwocky sentences with altered lexical-semantic content, a negative-going ERP component similar to one typically associated with the extraction of meaning is noted.
The /ay/ diphthong in a Martha's Vineyard community: What can we say 40 years after Labov?

This article revisits Labov's (1962, 1972a) germinal sociolinguistic work on Martha's Vineyard speech, providing a synchronic analysis of the /ay/ diphthong in words like right and time, and, in turn, a diachronic perspective on a sound change in progress. Labov observed that the first element of the /ay/ diphthong was raised in the speech of Martha's Vineyarders, particularly fishermen, and he correlated it with social factors like identity (i.e., local heritage) and resistance to summer visitors. The present authors provide a sociolinguistic analysis of /ay/ from a new set of data collected in a Martha's Vineyard speech community. The outcome suggests a change in the linguistic pattern observed by Labov, which the authors argue is linked to socio-economic restructuring and resulting ideological changes taking place on the island. The acoustic and social factors are analyzed using VARBRUL to show how /ay/ variation today patterns with various internal and external factors found to be salient in Labov's earlier study.
Wage Arrears and Economic Voting in Russia

This paper revisits the issue of economic voting in the context of the 1996 Presidential Election in Russia. The election was branded as a fundamental choice between capitalism and communism, yet voters were also grappling with a large crisis of personal finances: about one in two workers experienced nonpayments of wages at the time of the elections. The analysis exploits a rich nationally representative household panel dataset to identify the impact of wage arrears on the second-round election outcome. Wage arrears reduced the vote for the incumbent President Yeltsin among workers from around 65% to 49%, which amounts to a drop of 4% in the Yeltsin vote in the second round. Support for Yeltsin vote declined with the amount of wage arrears at the time of the vote and with wage arrears in 1995. Wage arrears led more voters to believe the government to be noncaring and to favor income restrictions for the rich. Political attitudes of working men changed more than those of working women.
Implicit motif distribution based hybrid computational kernel for sequence classification

Motivation: We designed a general computational kernel for classification problems that require specific motif extraction and search from sequences. Instead of searching for explicit motifs, our approach finds the distribution of implicit motifs and uses as a feature for classification. Implicit motif distribution approach may be used as modus operandi for bioinformatics problems that require specific motif extraction and search, which is otherwise computationally prohibitive. Results: A system named P2SL that infer protein subcellular targeting was developed through this computational kernel. Targeting-signal was modeled by the distribution of subsequence occurrences (implicit motifs) using self-organizing maps. The boundaries among the classes were then determined with a set of support vector machines. P2SL hybrid computational system achieved ∼81% of prediction accuracy rate over ER targeted, cytosolic, mitochondrial and nuclear protein localization classes. P2SL additionally offers the distribution potential of proteins among localization classes, which is particularly important for proteins, shuttle between nucleus and cytosol. Availability:http://staff.vbi.vt.edu/volkan/p2sl and http://www.i-cancer.fen.bilkent.edu.tr/p2sl Contact: rengul@bilkent.edu.tr
Flow structure produced by the interaction and merger of a pair of co-rotating wing-tip vortices

Experiments have been performed to study the co-rotating wing-tip vortex pair produced by a pair of rectangular wings in a split-wing configuration. Detailed measurements made in cross-sections upstream and downstream of merger reveal, for the first time, the complex turbulence structure of this flow. The vortices spiral around each other and merge some 20 chordlengths downstream of the wings. As merger is approached the vortices lose their axisymmetry – their cores develop lopsided tangential velocity fields and the mean vorticity field is convected into filaments. The cores also become part of a single turbulence structure dominated by a braid of high turbulence levels that links them together. The braid, which quite closely resembles the structure formed between adjacent spanwise eddies of transitional mixing layers, grows in intensity with downstream distance and extends into the vortex cores. Unlike a single tip vortex, the unmerged cores appear turbulent.The merging of the vortices wraps the cores and the flow structure that surrounds them into a large turbulent region with an intricate double spiral structure. This structure then relaxes to a closely axisymmetric state. The merged core appears stable and develops a structure similar to the laminar core of a vortex shed from a single wing. However, the turbulent region formed around the vortex core during the merger process is much larger and more axisymmetric than that found around a single wing-tip vortex.
Self-heating and trapping effects on the RF performance of GaN MESFETs

RF power performances of GaN MESFETs incorporating self-heating and trapping effects are reported. A physics-based large-signal model is used, which includes temperature dependences of transport and trapping parameters. Current collapse and dc-to-RF dispersion of output resistance and transconductance due to traps have been accounted for in the formulation. Calculated dc and pulsed I-V characteristics are in excellent agreement with the measured data. At 2 GHz, calculated maximum output power of a 0.3 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m GaN MESFET is 22.8 dBm at the power gain of 6.1 dB and power-added efficiency of 28.5% are in excellent agreement with the corresponding measured values of 23 dBm, 5.8 dB, and 27.5%, respectively. Better thermal stability is observed for longer gate-length devices due to lower dissipation power density. At 2 GHz, gain compressions due to self-heating are 2.2, 1.9, and 0.75 dB for 0.30 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m, 0.50 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m, and 0.75 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m GaN MESFETs, respectively. Significant increase in gain compression due to thermal effects is reported at elevated frequencies. At 2-GHz and 10-dBm output power, calculated third-order intermodulations (IM3s) of 0.30 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m, 0.50 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m, and 0.75 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m GaN MESFETs are -61, -54, and - 45 dBc, respectively. For the same devices, the IM3 increases by 9, 6, and 3 dBc due to self-heating effects, respectively. Due to self-heating effects, the output referred third-order intercept point decreases by 4 dBm in a 0.30 /spl mu/m/spl times/100 /spl mu/m device.
Effects of acute nicotine administration on behavioral inhibition in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Rationale Adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) become cigarette smokers at twice the rate of non-ADHD adolescents, and this finding continues into adulthood. Abnormal cognitive/behavioral inhibition is one core cognitive symptom of ADHD, leading to impulsive behavior in people with this disorder. Nicotine, contained in tobacco smoke, is known to improve attention, vigilance, and short-term memory. However, little is known about how nicotine might effect cognitive/behavioral inhibition.
Role of Hydrogen in Silicon Nitride Films Prepared by Various Deposition Techniques

Different properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride films, prepared by various deposition techniques, are reported in this paper. Special attention has been devoted to the influence of film stoichiometry and hydrogen content on these properties. It has been established that the hydrogen can influence the physical, chemical, mechanical, and magnetic properties of the N-rich film. However, for a given film stoichiometry there is no clear evidence for the hydrogen content influence on optical and electrical properties; the film stoichiometry provides the main influence on these properties. The best quality gate dielectric silicon nitride is N-rich film deposited at temperatures exceeding 350°C.
Tools to aid in wiring rule generation for high speed interconnects

The MetaSim allows multiple simulation studies to be automatically specified, conducted, and analyzed in such a fashion so as to produce wiring rules for layout tools. The authors describe the operation of MetaSim and give an example of its use. One of MetaSim's current engines, Transim, is a convolution simulator that incorporates a robust, rapid, and accurate method for the simulation of coupled, lossy interconnect structures specified with frequency-dependent parameters. Transim solves the problem of incorporating transient circuit simulation with nonlinear devices, with transmission line simulation in the frequency domain. >
Lumen Thiol Oxidoreductase1, a Disulfide Bond-Forming Catalyst, Is Required for the Assembly of Photosystem II in Arabidopsis

Here, we identify Arabidopsis thaliana Lumen Thiol Oxidoreductase1 (LTO1) as a disulfide bond–forming enzyme in the thylakoid lumen. Using topological reporters in bacteria, we deduced a lumenal location for the redox active domains of the protein. LTO1 can partially substitute for the proteins catalyzing disulfide bond formation in the bacterial periplasm, which is topologically equivalent to the plastid lumen. An insertional mutation within the LTO1 promoter is associated with a severe photoautotrophic growth defect. Measurements of the photosynthetic activity indicate that the lto1 mutant displays a limitation in the electron flow from photosystem II (PSII). In accordance with these measurements, we noted a severe depletion of the structural subunits of PSII but no change in the accumulation of the cytochrome b6f complex or photosystem I. In a yeast two-hybrid assay, the thioredoxin-like domain of LTO1 interacts with PsbO, a lumenal PSII subunit known to be disulfide bonded, and a recombinant form of the molecule can introduce a disulfide bond in PsbO in vitro. The documentation of a sulfhydryl-oxidizing activity in the thylakoid lumen further underscores the importance of catalyzed thiol-disulfide chemistry for the biogenesis of the thylakoid compartment.
Measuring the Ignition of Fuel Blends Using a Design of Experiments Approach

A comprehensive set of experiments to determine the autoignition and ignition-delay times of multi-component fuel blends lends itself to a design-of-experiments approach. Possible blends of interest to gas turbine engines include methane combined with ethane, propane, butane, pentane, and hydrogen, with CH4 concentrations lower than 50% in some cases. For the fuel-air autoignition experiments, the only parameters are the fuel components. The proposed measurements will determine the autoignition limits in terms of a maximum residence time for either a given mixture temperature (800 K) or for the maximum mixture temperature for a given residence time. The fuel/air mixtures in the autoignition experiments will be at elevated pressures (18 atm) and lean equivalence ratios corresponding to typical Lean Premixed Combustor conditions. Orthogonal matrices of 41, 9, and 8 fuel combinations were utilized instead of a full factorial matrix that would require 243 combinations, assuming 3 levels for each factor. A chemical kinetics model was used in a numerical experiment to determine the autoignition times within each matrix, resulting in mathematical correlations. The results of this numerical exercise indicate that neither the 8or 9-combination matrix can be used in lieu of the larger 41-blend matrix in the autoignition experiments because they did not produce the same results within acceptable error. Several parameters in addition to fuel-blend combinations are required to fully characterize the oxidation kinetics of all possible fuel blends in a combustion environment, including equivalence ratio (0.5 – 2.0), pressure (1 – 25 atm), and diluent mole fraction (75 – 98%) over a range of temperatures from 700 – 2000 K. A 16-test matrix was derived to fully characterize possible pairs of CH4 and one other fuel (100/0 – 40/60% CH4/other). Additional matrices were formulated to cover oxidation experiments for CO/H2 blends and a range of possible methane blends with more than one fuel additive.