cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the SIP3 protein identified in a two-hybrid screen for interaction with the SNF1 protein kinase

Abstract The Saccharomyces cerevisiae SIP3 gene was identified in a two-hybrid screen for proteins that interact in vivo with the SNF1 protein kinase, which is necessary for release of glucose repression. We showed that the C-terminal part of SIP3, recovered through its ability to interact with SNF1, strongly activates transcription when tethered to DNA. We have cloned and sequenced the entire SIP3 gene. The predicted 142-kD SIP3 protein contains a putative leucine zipper motif located in its C terminus. The native SIP3 protein also interacts with DNA-bound SNF1 and activates transcription of a target gene. A complete deletion of the SIP3 gene did not confer phenotypes characteristic of snf1 mutants. However, in a mutant deficient for the SNF1 kinase activity due to loss of the SNF4 stimulatory function, increased dosage of SIP3 partially restored expression of the glucose-repressible SUC2 gene. Overexpression of the C terminus of SIP3 caused defects in growth and SUC2 expression which were remedied by overexpressing SNF1. Taken together, these genetic data suggest that SIP3 is functionally related to the SNF1 protein kinase pathway.
An instructional assignment for student engagement in auditing class: Student movies and the AICPA Core Competency Framework

Abstract Student engagement can improve any accounting class, including the auditing class. Auditing concepts are often abstract, difficult to learn, and even considered a bit boring for many undergraduate students. For the past six semesters student teams in my auditing classes have recorded short movies about auditing concepts and/or audit-related situations. The students have created humorous movies with various themes including Batman, Star Wars, Charlie’s Angels, families making moonshine, and Scooby-Doo. While the themes have varied, each of the movies has related to an auditing concept. As the students prepare the script, they learn the relevant auditing concepts well enough to rephrase them and write them into a situational comedy. Most importantly, this instructional assignment provides for student practice on many of the competencies found in the AICPA Core Competency Framework for Entry into the Accounting Profession ( AICPA, 2005 ).
Maltreated children's emotional availability with kin and non-kin foster mothers: A sociobiological perspective

Abstract Relationship differences between maltreated child–kin foster mother dyads and maltreated child–non-kin foster mother dyads were examined using Emotional Availability (EA) Scales. A sample of 106 maltreated children (2–8 years old), referred for mental health services, and their biological/kin ( n = 50) or non-kin ( n = 56) foster mothers were assessed for EA in semi-structured play sessions. After controlling for child's age, foster mother's age, foster mother's education, and placement duration, foster mother's status as kin or non-kin did not predict emotional availability between maltreated child and foster mother. Findings did not support the hypothesis of a sociobiological-based relationship advantage for kin foster placements. Limitations of the clinical sample of foster children and the lack of measurements for external support are discussed.
Escaping the Cave to Dream New Dreams A Normative Vision for Learning Disabilities

This essay is predicated on two beliefs: (a) that special educators must critically examine the dominant view of reality undergirding the field of learning disabilities to see the false images built into it, and (b) we must seek a new, empowering vision of the purposes of education as we move into the twenty-first century. The purpose of the article is to analyze how the dominant image of reality in the field of learning disabilities is derived from the diagnostic model, and to propose an alternative, normative conception of education that emphasizes the importance of caring, social relatedness, and community participation.
Causal signals between codon bias, mRNA structure, and the efficiency of translation and elongation

Ribosome profiling data report on the distribution of translating ribosomes, at steady-state, with codon-level resolution. We present a robust method to extract codon translation rates and protein synthesis rates from these data, and identify causal features associated with elongation and translation efficiency in physiological conditions in yeast. We show that neither elongation rate nor translational efficiency is improved by experimental manipulation of the abundance or body sequence of the rare AGG tRNA. Deletion of three of the four copies of the heavily used ACA tRNA shows a modest efficiency decrease that could be explained by other rate-reducing signals at gene start. This suggests that correlation between codon bias and efficiency arises as selection for codons to utilize translation machinery efficiently in highly translated genes. We also show a correlation between efficiency and RNA structure calculated both computationally and from recent structure probing data, as well as the Kozak initiation motif, which may comprise a mechanism to regulate initiation.
Observations of Quasi-Symmetric Echo Patterns in Clear Air with the CSU–CHILL Polarimetric Radar

Abstract On a few occasions during the summer and fall of 2002, and again in the fall of 2003, the Colorado State University (CSU)–University of Chicago–Illinois State Water Survey (CHILL) S-band polarimetric Doppler radar observed dumbbell-shaped radar echo patterns in precipitation-free air returns. Dumbbell shaped refers to two distinct and quasi-symmetrical regions of echo surrounding the radar. These were horizontally widespread (thousands of square kilometers) layers, with the highest reflectivity factors (sometimes >20 dBZ) arranged approximately perpendicular to the direction of the mean wind. The echoes coincided with strongly positive differential reflectivity (ZDR) measurements (often >4 dB). Most interestingly, the echoes were elevated near the top of the boundary layer in the 2–3-km-AGL vertical range. Assuming a horizontally uniform layer of scatterers, the observations suggest that targets aloft are quasi prolate in shape and aligned horizontally along the direction of the mean wind. The ec...
Interplay of Thermochemistry and Structural Chemistry, the Journal (Volume 11, 2000), and the Discipline

As practiced disciplines, structural chemistry and thermochemistry need not be related. In the current study they are: the entire contents of the journal Structural Chemistry (Vol. 11) for the year 2000 has been reviewed and then each and every article that appeared therein was given a thermochemical commentary, “spin” or “slant.”
Variable Participation and Cyclical Unemployment

This paper generalizes the standard aggregate worker-flow calculation of Shimer (2007) to account for monthly changes in labor-force participation. The resulting series confirm previous findings with regard to the large procyclicality of the aggregate rate of outflow from unemployment in the U.S. and indicate that this cyclicality is due in approximately equally measure to fluctuations in the rate at which the unemployed find jobs and the rate at which they exit the labor force. Decomposition exercises show that the unemployment-nonparticipation transition rate is more important than job vacancies or job separations in explaining cyclical variation in unemployment. This rate depends in expected ways on the benefits of job search and aggregate income, but compositional fluctuations in the pool of unemployed are important for explaining its pronounced procyclicality.
Preclusion and the Denial of Class Certification: Avoiding the 'Death by a Thousand Cuts'

Consider this fact pattern: D acts in a way that arguably injures 100 people. One victim (Rep-1) brings a class action against D on behalf of the 100. After litigation, the court denies class certification (for lack of manageability or of commonality or of predominant common questions). If those findings do not preclude the putative class members, 99 other potential class representatives may line up to try again and again to have the class certified. In the colorful terms of Professor Martin H. Redish and Meghan Kiernan, D faces the “death by a thousand cuts.” Commentators and courts have wrestled with whether putative class members ought to be bound by Rep-1’s failure to gain certification. In an article in the Iowa Law Review, Redish and Kiernan suggest that we have been focusing on the wrong target for preclusion. Because the class lawyer is the de facto real party in interest, preclusion should be invoked to bar counsel from bringing a second certification motion.In responding to the Redish/Kiernan proposal, this piece has three goals. First, it explicates the source of D’s dilemma. Specifically, the “death by a thousand cuts” looms because of the asymmetry between the requirement that one may not be bound without having had a “day in court,” on the one hand, and preclusion doctrine, on the other. The problem is reminiscent of the seminal work by Professor Brainerd Currie on nonmutual preclusion.Second, I disagree with the assumption, implicit in the Redish/Kiernan article, that the Supreme Court’s rejection of preclusion in Smith v. Bayer Corporation (2011) ended the possibility of precluding putative class members. I argue that these non-parties are bound because they are in privity with the class representative, so long as the court rejecting class certification expressly found that the class representative was adequate under Federal Rule 23(a)(4) or its equivalent. It is unfair to allow putative class members to claim non-party status if the court found Rep-1 to be adequate. In that instance, the members have had their day in court on issues relating to class certification and should be bound.Third, I argue that issue preclusion is problematic not because of Smith, but because of more prosaic doctrinal concerns, principally the requirement that multiple cases present the same “issue.” This problem will also thwart the Redish/Kiernan proposal, at least if it is to be implemented by case law along the lines of traditional preclusion. Implementation in a rule, however, could avoid these doctrinal restrictions.
Review of Steve Fuller's Book: Kuhn vs. Popper: The Struggle for the Soul of Science (Revolutions in Science)

Fuller's book in interesting (worth four stars) because of the contrast made between Kuhn and Popper found in the first half of the book. The confusion comes later, but Fuller (page viii) shows little affection for Kuhn from the get-go, and writes: "The more I have tired to make sense of Kuhn's words and deeds, the more I have come to regard him as an intellectual coward who benefitted from his elite institutional status in what remains the world's dominant society." Fuller tells us that Kuhn won the class struggle, and Fuller's own emotionality betrays his affection for Popper's libertarianism. You can find this book at Amazon: Kuhn vs. Popper: The Struggle for the Soul of Science (Revolutions in Science) .
Oxidation Kinetics of Calcium Films by Water Vapor and Their Effect on Water Vapor Transmission Rate Measurements

The oxidation of calcium films by water vapor is the basis of the “Ca test” used to measure low water vapor transmission rates (WVTRs) through gas diffusion barriers. The Ca test assumes that the Ca film oxidation rate is linear with H2O flux transmitted through the barrier. However, lag times are often observed during WVTR measurements that could indicate that the Ca film oxidation rate is not linear with H2O flux. To explore the oxidation kinetics of Ca films by H2O vapor, a new Ca test was developed based on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. The QCM measures the mass gain that occurs as the Ca film oxidizes according to the reaction: Ca + 2H2O → Ca(OH)2 + H2. The QCM measurements observed a long lag time before the Ca films began to oxidize. The Ca film oxidation was studied using a number of experimental configurations. In all cases, the Ca film oxidation was not linear with H2O flux to the Ca film. These results suggest that the nonlinearity of Ca film oxidation in many WVTR experiments...
Determination of Particle Size of a Dispersed Phase by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

A method for determining particle diameters up to ca 500 rnm is described. X-ray data are obtained with an ultra-high resolution Bonse-Hart diffractometer and subsequently desmeared. The resultant data, viewed as the invariant argument h l(h), are interpreted as arising from a log-normal distribution of independent spherical particles. The distribution is characterized by its median value and breadth.
GENETICS OF SPECIATION IN LAKE WHITEFISHES IN THE ALLEGASH BASIN.

Since the publication of Ernst Mayr's major review (1963) of the process of speciation in animals, advances in methodology and theory have revolutionized the field of evolutionary genetics (Lewontin, 1974; Nei, 1975). Electrophoresis and other techniques of studying molecular variation have opened to quantitative analysis many previously intractable problems (Markert, 1975; Ayala, 1976; Selander, 1976). Consequently, some traditional evolutionary concepts are being revised under the pressure of new empirical evidence. There is, for example, increasing evidence that speciation often (although perhaps not normally; see Ayala, 1975; Avise, 1976) occurs without the major genomic modifications postulated by Mayr (1963) and Dobzhansky (1959, 1970) (Hubby and Throckmorton, 1968; Nevo et al., 1974; Avise et al., 1975), at least insofar as change is reflected in frequencies of electromorphs (allozymes) encoded by structural gene loci. This finding is, in turn, relevant to such questions as whether cladogenesis is "gradual" or "rectangular" (Stanley, 1975). The lake whitefishes (Coregonus clupeaformis) present difficult problems for the systematist (Behnke, 1972), having been designated as one species or a "species complex" (McPhail and Lindsey, 1970). In at least three widely separated parts of North America, there are sympatric pairs of "C. clupeaformis" morphotypes: Squanga Lake, Yukon Territory (Lindsey, 1963); Lake Opeongo, Ontario (Kennedy, 1943); and lakes in the Allegash
Spreadsheet macros for coloring sequence alignments.

This article describes a set of Microsoft® Excel macros designed to color amino acid and nucleotide sequence alignments for review and preparation of visual aids. The colored alignments can then be modified to emphasize features of interest. Procedures for importing and coloring sequences are described. The macro file adds a new menu to the menu bar containing sequence-related commands to enable users unfamiliar with Excel to use the macros more readily. The macros were designed for use with Macintosh® computers but will also run with the DOS version of Excel
An Evaluation of the Functional Perspective in Small Group Communication

(1993). An Evaluation of the Functional Perspective in Small Group Communication. Annals of the International Communication Association: Vol. 16, Communication Yearbook 16, pp. 615-622.
On the Use of Surrogates in Consumer Research: A Country-of-Origins Study

This study extends “student surrogates” research stream into the international domain. Results based on a country-of-origins study conducted in Saudi Arabia suggest that use of students as surrogates of adults should be approached with caution.
Four Mechanistic Models of Peer Influence on Adolescent Cannabis Use.

Most adolescents begin exploring cannabis in peer contexts, but the neural mechanisms that underlie peer influence on adolescent cannabis use are still unknown. This theoretical overview elucidates the intersecting roles of neural function and peer factors in cannabis use in adolescents. Novel paradigms using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in adolescents have identified distinct neural mechanisms of risk decision-making and incentive processing in peer contexts, centered on reward-motivation and affect regulatory neural networks; these findings inform a theoretical model of peer-driven cannabis use decisions in adolescents. We propose four “mechanistic profiles” of social facilitation of cannabis use in adolescents: (1) peer influence as the primary driver of use; (2) cannabis exploration as the primary driver, which may be enhanced in peer contexts; (3) social anxiety; and (4) negative peer experiences. Identification of “neural targets” involved in motivating cannabis use may inform clinicians about which treatment strategies work best in adolescents with cannabis use problems and via which social and neurocognitive processes.
Enabling Spectrum Sharing between LTE and RADAR Systems in S-Band

Spectrum sharing is proposed as one of the solutions to help the commercial cellular industry meet the 1000x mobile data challenge they are facing. Most of the valuable spectrum lies below 6 GHz and is currently being occupied by commercial communication and RADAR systems. Commercial communication systems of the future are expected to be based on 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards. In this paper, we present an overview of some of the techniques that can be used for enabling efficient co-existence of commercial LTE and RADAR systems. The solutions outlined in this paper do not require any changes to the existing standards nor are they specific to any regional regulatory requirements.
First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat into a Cultural Phenomenon

(2006). First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat into a Cultural Phenomenon. Quality Management Journal: Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 62-63.
High-Resolution NMR Studies of Proteins Under High Pressure

Advanced high-resolution NMR spectroscopy, including twodimensional NMR techniques, combined with the high-pressure capability represents a powerful new tool in studies of proteins. Selected results taken from recent studies illustrate the high information content and the range of problems that can be investigated. This lecture is organized in the following way. First, the specialized instrumentation needed for high-pressure NMR experiments is discussed. Design features and performance characteristics of high-sensitivity, high-resolution, variable temperature NMR operating at 500 MHz and at pressures up to 900 MPa will be described. The main part of this lecture deals with an overview of several recent studies or studies in progress from our laboratory using ID and 2D high-resolution, highpressure NMR spectroscopy to investigate the pressure-induced reversible unfolding and cold denaturation of proteins. The following proteins were studied: lysozyme, apomyoglobin, α-lactalbumin, and ubiquitin. The experimental evidence for the relationship between the residual secondary structure of pressure-assisted cold-denatured states and the structure of early folding intermediates is given. The use of pressure as a tool for generating intermediate folding states is discussed.
Age Determinants in Neonatal Primates: A Comparison of Growth Factors

Interest in nonhuman primates as animal models for biomedical research can be traced back four decades, when rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) were used for the first time at Yale University in studies of developmental and reproductive physiology (Hartman, 1932; van Wagenen, 1972). During many years of using nonhuman primates in various areas of biomedical research, an alarming decrease in the wild population of various species has been observed. Thus, the increasing demand for nonhuman primates resulted in the development of large breeding programs and increasing emphasis on domestic breeding rather than importation of various species. However, this requires more information on neonatal care as well as on the early developmental stages of these species in order to raise healthy primates in captivity. The purpose of our study was to contribute to the better understanding of various problems related to the neonatal stage of development in nonhuman primates by obtaining information on growth and development as well as age characteristics and age determination of neonatal M. mulatta. Further, we sought to establish criteria for the best determination of age and its related growth changes in neonates and infants, and to correlate certain growth characteristics with age. Finally, we compared various methods of age determination commonly used in biomedical research to determine which of these is best for the period from birth to 6 months of age.
Home Range, Movements, and Habitat Selection

Home range, movements, and habitat selection are commonly used metrics to examine the response of vertebrates to habitat change. Localized habitat disturbance from land management activities, such as forest management, have been proposed as a threat to Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister) populations (Castleberry et al. 2001). Dependence upon rock outcrops makes Allegheny woodrats especially vulnerable to disturbance in habitat surrounding the outcrop. Local disturbances can change vegetative structure and resource distribution, and these have been shown to influence demographics, home range size, and microhabitat use of rodents (Yahner 1986, Bowers et al. 1990, Jones 1990, Lacher and Mares 1996, Taulman et al. 1998). Few data are available on home range, movements, and habitat selection by the Allegheny woodrat. Furthermore, few studies have examined the effects of local disturbances on these aspects of woodrat ecology. In this chapter, I summarize the existing knowledge on home range, movements, and habitat use in general and how these variables are influenced by local disturbance, such as timber harvesting.
Ask them all: Self-report universal prenatal substance use screening in the United States

ABSTRACTBackground: Increasing rates of opioid use in the United States have created a national public health crisis. Substance use in pregnancy increases risk for poor birth outcomes. National adv...
Sensible quantum experiences: Encounters with Stein's philosophy of quantum mechanics

Abstract This paper develops an approach to the interpretation of quantum mechanics inspired by the philosophy of Howard Stein. Taking up Stein’s (1994) call to schematize the observer and the observation, I introduce a class of observables called ‘sensibles’ which provide a means to assign probabilities to an observer's experiences of experimental phenomena. In particular, sensibles provide an assignment of probabilities to an event space that, while satisfying the demands of probability theory, also allows for an interpretation of these events as occurring at definite space-time regions. On this understanding, the experimental events to which probabilities are ascribed are conditional occurrences—types of events which occur at a definite location in a specific experimental context. This proposal differs from dynamical collapse theories such as GRWf since these sensibles are genuine quantum observables arising from the unitary dynamics of the theory. I conclude with some remarks on the import of Stein's philosophy for the measurement problem.
Severe Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

Complicated soft tissue infections encompass a wide spectrum of life-threatening bacterial infections including necrotizing soft tissue infections as well as non-necrotizing/purulent infections. The pathogenesis of these infections is due to an inoculation of susceptible tissue with multiple factors determining the extent of infection such as the size of the inoculum, the invasiveness of the organism, and the quality of the host response. This chapter summarizes general diagnostic and therapeutic principles as well as clinical syndromes associated with these infections.
Tracing cell trajectories in a biofilm.

Born in 1881 on a farm in Pennsylvania, Alice C. Evans dedicated her life to studying bacteria in dairy products. Early in her career, Alice became convinced that most bacteria display multicellular behavior as part of their life cycles. At the time, the morphological changes observed in bacterial life cycles created confusion among scientists. In 1928, as the first female president of the American Society for Microbiology, Alice wrote to the scientific community: “When one-celled organisms grow in masses, … individual cells influence and protect one another.” She continued, “Bacteriologists need not feel chagrinned … to admit that… forms they have considered as different genera are but stages in the life cycle of one species” (1). Nearly 100 years later, on page 71 of this issue, Qin et al. (2) make a substantial leap forward in deciphering cell dynamics in biofilms—groups of microorganisms that adhere to a surface, and each other, by excreting matrix components.
Sacred recipes: The praxis, power, and politics of Black food culture

First paragraph: Garth and Reese’s edited volume Black Food Matters paints a vivid picture of the evolution of Black food culture as it negotiates the socio-cultural and political complexities surrounding food and race in America. This work centers around the manifestation of Black food in all its stages, from seed to plate, recognizing that it is both a reflection of the lived experiences of Black people in America and an outright rejection of the harm inflicted on them through a persistently anti-Black structural context. The authors trace the resistance and sur­vival praxis of Black food culture from its earliest origins in the practices of slaves on the Middle Passage to the contemporary practices of local-food–based economies in Black urban and rural communities across the nation. In doing so, each of the authors highlights the ongoing threat that racial capitalism poses to the cultural integrity and socio-economic sustainability of Black com­muni­ties. Readers are able to draw valuable com­parisons between the past and present as they see how Black alimentary and economic autarky have consistently been met with multifaceted exploita­tion by mainstream, white-dominated society. And yet, the stories told by the book’s authors are ones of resilience and dignity, highlighting the innova­tion, adaptability, and forti­tude of Black people, as reflected in both African-American and Afro-diasporic food culture. . . .
Dynamic Fracture-Toughness Testing of a Hierarchically Nano-Structured Solid

The polyurea coating is found very useful in strengthening structures ranging from helmets to concrete structures under impact or blast loading. We believe that the hierarchical architecture of nano and microstructures is the bases of the strengthening mechanism, which provides scale-dependent stress laxation and energy dissipation. Here, a challenge is to characterize the strengthening mechanisms not only in the bulk of the copolymer but also at the coating/substrate interface. To this end, we have found that the tapping-mode images of an atomic-force-microscope (AFM) are ideal markers for digital image correlation (DIC) analysis of nano/micro-scale deformation. The tapping-mode images typically exhibit clustered hierarchical structures of hard and soft domains that can trace multiscale deformation mechanisms. To study the role of the hierarchical deformation mechanisms in dynamic toughening, we have developed a line-image shearing interferometer (L-ISI) for plate impact experiments of dynamic fracture testing. The L-ISI measures the variation of the normal-displacement-gradient over time along a line on the back surface of a pre-cracked specimen loaded by plate impact. The time history of the displacement gradient forms fringes on the streak-camera image, and the fringes are inverted to determine the time history of the crack speed and the dynamic toughness.
Environmental, Social, and Governance Issues and the Financial Analysts Journal

The Financial Analysts Journal has a history of publishing academic and practitioner articles on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues; many appeared decades before the terminology bec...
Religious Congregations' Technological and Financial Capacities on the Eve of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically upended religious life and placed significant strain on religious congregations. However, the effects of the pandemic were likely not felt evenly across the religious landscape. We used data from the fourth wave of the National Congregations Study, gathered on the eve of the coronavirus pandemic in 2018–19, to identify the kinds of congregations that may have been especially vulnerable to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using bivariate and multiple regression analysis, we examined two aspects of congregations' preparedness for the pandemic: technological infrastructure and financial stability. We found that, while many congregations were technologically and financially equipped for a time of social distancing and economic recession, there were stark inequalities in levels of preparedness among congregations on the basis of race, class, size, urban/rural location, religious tradition, and the age of congregations' parishioners. In particular, Catholic congregations and congregations with older attendees tended to lack streaming or online communication capacities, and both rural and small congregations had more limited technological infrastructure and less financial cushion. Somewhat surprisingly, predominantly Black congregations were more likely to have worship streaming systems set up prior to the pandemic, though these congregations were more likely to lack other kinds of technological and financial infrastructure. Though COVID-19’s full impact on congregations will not be known for several years, these results highlight variations in congregations’ readiness for the pandemic’s challenges, and they show that COVID-19’s impact likely has not been felt equally across the religious landscape.
Embankment Drainage After Instantaneous Drawdown

A method is presented for use in determining the position of the saturation line and the per cent drainage in the upstream portion of an earth dam following complete or partial drawdown of the reservoir based upon: (1) A dimensionless time factor which is a function of elapsed time, permeability, effective porosity, and boundary conditions, and (2) a drawdown ratio which expresses the drop in reservoir elevation as a function of the original height of water above the slope. Since an evaluation of slope stability under drawdown conditions is dependent upon pore pressures related to the position of the saturation line, a quick method of predicting its location is desirable. The drainage theory used in this method is similar to the approach proposed by Casagrande for evaluating base course drainage of airfield pavements and later adapted by Shannon for use in dams. Expressions are derived for predicting the effect of partial drawdown. Model studies indicate that hyperbolas related to a coordinate system, which is a function of the time factor and the drawdown ratio, can be used to define the saturation line.
Perception versus Reality: Determining Business Students' Computer Literacy Skills and Need for Instruction in Information Concepts and Technology

Many colleges and universities require incoming students to demonstrate a prescribed level of computer proficiency. Currently, many educational institutions offer introductory computer courses to assist students in meeting this requirement. Other institutions are considering eliminating introductory computer courses with the expectation that students will demonstrate adequate computer knowledge through the proficiency examination. This assumes that students have acquired both computer knowledge (concepts) and computer skills (applications) in high school or through other personal experiences. Giving the students the option of taking a computer proficiency exam in lieu of a required course allows students to take other required, elective, or optional courses that will assist them in completing their degree requirements. However, not offering the introductory computer skills course may, likewise, be detrimental to students who would otherwise benefit from the knowledge gained from such a course. Thus, a study of 140 incoming business freshmen was developed to determine if students had adequate computer knowledge and skills to exempt the introductory computer fundamentals course. Using online testing software, students were tested on both computer skills (Excel) and computer concepts that students are expected to master at the completion of an introductory computer fundamentals course. Overall, the findings revealed that the students’ average test scores were 60 percent, which is significantly below passing. This study also found that only 36 percent of the students tested could exempt or “test out” of the course if given that option. Students not able to exempt the course demonstrated a mean gain or improvement of 26 points in the Excel post test and 23 points in the Computer Concepts post test following course instruction. This data indicates that course instruction was effective for students not able to exempt the course and achieved the desired effect of providing meaningful knowledge in information technology concepts and skills. Based on these findings, it was concluded that incoming business students lack the necessary computer knowledge, skills, and abilities to pursue their undergraduate degree programs. It is recommended that freshman business students need an introductory computer course that includes both Information Systems (IS) con
A 50 ns 16 Mb DRAM with a 10 ns data rate

A 16-Mb DRAM chip fabricated in a 0.5- mu m CMOS process using silicided polysilicon, double metal, and trench storage is described. It incorporates an architecture that supports either 11/11 or 12/10 RAS/CAS (row-address strobe/column-address-strobe) addressing. It is segmented to utilize bit redundancy of 2 lines/137-b lines/half quadrant, and separate word-redundant array of 24 lines/quadrant, providing any-for-any-word-line replacement within a quadrant. It has single-error-correct/double-error-detect (SEC/DED) error checking and correcting (ECC) Hamming odd-weight code/quadrant and either 5-V or 3-V operation. The design provides a RAS access of 50 ns with 16-ns fast-page access, 18-ns static column or toggle of 10 ns at 2.9 V and 85 degrees C. DRAM features are summarized. >
Visualizing phylogenetic treespace using cartographic projections

Phylogenetic analysis is becoming an increasingly important tool for biological research. Applications include epidemiological studies, drug development, and evolutionary analysis. Phylogenetic search is a known NP-Hard problem. The size of the data sets which can be analyzed is limited by the exponential growth in the number of trees that must be considered as the problem size increases. A better understanding of the problem space could lead to better methods, which in turn could lead to the feasible analysis of more data sets. We present a definition of phylogenetic tree space and a visualization of this space that shows significant exploitable structure. This structure can be used to develop search methods capable of handling much larger datasets.
Managing in the ATE Business Postcards from the Past, Lessons for the Future

In the course of piloting Teradyne from start-up to world ATE leader, Alex d'Arbeloff encountered all the challenges that have bedeviled the industry for decades—high volatility, a concentrated customer base, fast-changing technology, overseas competition, etc. In his talk, Mr. d'Arbeloff will share some of the insights gained in the course of managing Teradyne for almost 40 years, in the hope that the managers and entrepreneurs of the future will profit from the lessons of the past.
Technology and physics implications of oscillating-field current drive in reversed-field pinches

The property of reversed-field pinches (RFPs) to relax to a near-minimum-energy state is the basis of oscillating-field current drive (OFCD), wherein plasma current is driven by modulating in quadr...
Video-based instruction for introductory computer programming

Video replacement of in-person lecture is finding its way into more and more computer science education settings such as inverted classrooms, massive open online courses, online/distance learning, and programming camps. Since the use of video is critical to some pedagogies, the question of how it impacts student attitudes and learning is important. This study investigates this by looking at experiences in the programming unit within two sections of a broad-scope CS0 course, one of which used video-based instruction while the other did not. We found that students in the video section had a more positive view of the learning activities and thought their student-instructor interactions were more meaningful. Student performance data also suggests that video instruction may benefit student learning as well.
Leaf Polarity and Meristem Formation in Arabidopsis

Shoot apical meristems (SAMs) of seed plants are small groups of pluripotent cells responsible for making leaves, stems and flowers. While the primary SAM forms during embryogenesis, new SAMs, called axillary SAMs, develop later on the body of the plant and give rise to branches. In Arabidopsis plants, axillary SAMs develop in close association with the adaxial leaf base at the junction of the leaf and stem (the leaf axil). We describe the phenotype caused by the Arabidopsis phabulosa-1d (phb-1d) mutation. phb-1d is a dominant mutation that causes altered leaf polarity such that adaxial characters develop in place of abaxial leaf characters. The adaxialized leaves fail to develop leaf blades. This supports a recently proposed model in which the juxtaposition of ad- and abaxial cell fates is required for blade outgrowth. In addition to the alteration in leaf polarity, phb-1d mutants develop ectopic SAMs on the undersides of their leaves. Also, the phb-1d mutation weakly suppresses the shoot meristemless (stm) mutant phenotype. These observations indicate an important role for adaxial cell fate in promoting the development of axiallary SAMs and suggest a cyclical model for shoot development: SAMs make leaves which in turn are responsible for generating new SAMs.
Distribution of elastase-like enzyme activity among snake venoms.

1. 1. Venoms from 25 poisonous snakes (12 Crotalidac, 5 Viperidac and 8 Elapidae) were studied for elastase-like enzyme activity. 2. 2. A correlation between elastase-like activities of venom and taxonomy of poisonous snakes at the family level was observed. All of the Crotalidae and Viperidae venoms but none of the Elapidae venom tested hydrolyzed the synthetic elastase substrate t-BOC-l-alanine-p-nitrophenol. 3. 3. No correlation between elastase-like activity and genera of poisonous snake was observed. 4. 4. HgCl2, cysteine, PMSF and EDTA markedly inhibited venom elastinolytic and p-nitrophenyl esterase activities.
Does the Media Agenda Reflect the Candidates'Agenda?

This article examines whether the issue agendas of political candidates are reflected in the coverage of the news media. In their coverage of political issues during a campaign, do the media follow the lead of the candidates, or do they chart their own course? The context for our investigation is five U.S. Senate races in 2002. Using television advertising to track the candidate agenda and using content analyses of both local newspapers and local television news broadcasts, we find that the degree of candidate-media issue convergence varies depending on both the state and the medium examined (television or newspapers).
Reproduction by Dipodomys merriami in Captivity

Reproduction by captive Dipodomys has been so rare that each instance is still worthy of note. Eleven or more litters of Dipodomys ordi pallidus have been obtained in the laboratory of the Ecological Research Unit, University of Utah (Day et al. , Science, 124: 485–86, 1956), and Bailey (N. Amer. Fauna No. 53: 254, 1931) reared one litter of D. spectabilis spectabilis . The present note is the third record of reproduction by captive Dipodomys , and the first for D. merriami merriami . Individuals of D. merriami merriami have been kept under general observation in the laboratory, in connection with a field study. In the field, reproductively active females weigh around 44 grams; females in the last days of pregnancy weigh 46–48 grams. In the laboratory, females that …
Optimal Taxation of Foreign Source Investment Income With Heterogeneous Households

Using a two-country static general equilibrium model with two goods (tradables and nontradables) and heterogeneous households (laborers and capital owners), this article analyzes how real exchange rate and income redistribution affect the optimal taxation of foreign source investment income. It shows that if the home tradable good sector is capital intensive relative to the nontradable good sector and if the weight of capital owners in the social welfare function is sufficiently high, then the optimal tax rate on foreign source investment income is lower than the tax rate on domestic investment income. Numerical simulations suggest that a higher weight of capital owners in the social welfare function and a higher fraction of the multinational's capital exported from the home country are among the factors that lead to a greater (negative) differential between the taxes on foreign source and domestic investment income.
Elimination of dimer formation in InIIIporphyrin-based anion-selective membranes by covalent attachment of the ionophore.

The spontaneous hydroxy-bridged dimer formation of metalloporphyrins in ion-selective membranes gives rise to a short sensor lifetime (typically days), triggered by solubility problems, the occurrence of a super-Nernstian response slope, and a pH cross response. This dimer formation is eliminated here by covalent attachment of the ionophore to the polymer matrix. Specifically, two different indiumIIIporphyrins containing polymerizable groups, the chloride-selective chloro(3-[18-(3-acryloyloxypropyl)-7,12-bis(1-methoxyethyl)-3,8,13,17-tetramethylporphyrin-2-yl]propyl ester)indium(III) and the nitrite-selective Chloro(5-(4-acryloyloxyphenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrinato)indium(III), were synthesized and copolymerized with methyl methacrylate and decyl methacrylate. The covalent attachment of the ionophore to the polymer matrix indeed prevents the metalloporphyrin from forming dimeric species, as confirmed by UV/visible spectroscopy. The ion-selective membranes with grafted indium porphyrin showed Nernstia...
Space Navigation Applications

Over the past 25 years, we have witnessed the extraordinary achievements of both robotic and manned space missions. A key element in the success of these missions has been the development of the navigation systems that have enabled the determination of current and predicted spacecraft position and velocity to the accuracies required to meet mission objectives. This paper presents an overview of space navigation systems, navigation techniques, and capabilities for robotic and manned mission applications for the past 25 years. Robotic navigation system data types, information content, and navigation data processing techniques are reviewed. Application of these systems to planetary missions is discussed, with emphasis placed on the Voyager mission. For manned space navigation systems, the role of on-board and ground navigation capabilities is presented. Key technology developments that enabled the development of on-board systems are discussed. Ground and on-board navigation data types and their information content, data processing techniques, and system operations are reviewed. Application of these ground and on-board systems to Apollo, Skylab, Apollo/Soyuz, the Space Shuttle, and the Space Station is described. Finally, a look at the future of space navigation is presented. The application and extension of current navigation concepts and of new navigation-enhancing technologies to the future requirements of robotic and manned space navigation systems are discussed.
Rapid solid-state synthesis of materials from molybdenum disulphide to refractories

LAYERED molybdenum and tungsten dichalcogenides have stimulated considerable interest as lubricants1,2, battery cathodes3–5, and catalysts6–8. Pure, crystalline group VI transition-metal dichalcogenides are normally prepared by intermittently grinding and heating the elements at >900 °C for several days. Low-temperature solution routes to these materials have also been explored9–11. In those studies, exchange (metathesis) reactions between transition-metal halides and alkali-metal sulphides or covalent sulphiding agents in polar organic solvents were found generally to yield finely divided products at close to ambient conditions. Here, in contrast, we consider the factors that influence reactions between transition-metal halides and alkali-metal chalcogenides in the solid state. These highly energetic reactions, driven by the formation of very stable product species, provide a powerful method for the rapid synthesis of materials normally prepared at high temperatures over long periods of time. Other advantages of these solid-state reactions include control of reaction conditions and of product particle sizes. Although our study focuses on group VI transition-metal dichalcogenides, analogous metathesis reactions can be used for rapid syntheses, initiated at low temperatures, of many other technologically important materials.
Proximity graph analysis for linear networks extraction from high-resolution satellite imagery

Reliable and accurate methods for detection and extraction of linear network, such as road networks, in satellite imagery are essential to many applications. We present an approach to the road network extraction from high-resolution satellite imagery that is based on proximity graph analysis. We are jumping off from the classification provided by existing spectral and textural classification tools, which produce a set of candidate road patches. Then, constrained Delaunay triangulation and Chordal Axis transform are used to extract centerline characterization of the delineated candidate road patches. We refine produced center lines to reduce noise influence on patch boundaries, resulting in a smaller set of robust center lines authentically representing their road patches. Refined center lines are triangulated using constrained Delaunay triangulation (CDT) algorithm to generate a sub-optimal mesh of interconnections among them. The generated triangle edges connecting different center lines are used for spatial analysis of the center lines relations. A subset of the Delaunay tessellation grid contains the Euclidian Minimum Spanning Tree (EMST) that provides an approximation of road network. The approach can be generalized to the multi-criteria MST and multi-criteria shortest path algorithms to integrate other factors important for road network extraction, in addition to proximity relations considered by standard EMST.
Effects of Mechanical Forces and Mediators of Hypertrophy on Remodeling of Gap Junctions in the Heart

This review article focuses on remodeling of gap junctions in response to chemical mediators of ventricular hypertrophy, mechanical forces, and alterations in cell-to-cell adhesion. Signaling mediated by mechanical forces is likely to be involved in the upregulation of cardiac gap junctions during the early phase of cardiac hypertrophy and the subsequent downregulation in cardiac failure. Several signaling pathways involving cAMP, angiotensin II, transforming growth factor-β, vascular endothelial growth factor, and integrin-mediated regulators have been shown to affect expression of gap junction proteins. However, a comprehensive view of regulation of gap junction trafficking, synthesis, and degradation is still lacking. In addition to gap junction regulation by extracellular mechanical forces, there is a close relation between gap junctions and adhesion junctions and their linkage to the cytoskeleton. This can be inferred from experiments on neoformation of cell-to-cell coupling, concomitant upregulation of adherens and gap junctions after mechanical stretch, and human cardiomyopathies caused by genetic defects in cell-cell adhesion junction proteins. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the interaction between mechanical and functional cell-to-cell coupling remain to be elucidated.