cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Special peers’ perceived use of communication openness and functional communication skills in specific organizational contexts

Myers, Knox, Palowski and Ropog's (1999) study evaluated communication openness and affective and non‐affective functional communication skills of information, collegial, and special peers in various organizations. In order to further explore the perceived communication behaviors of special peers, important persons in the work environment who have exceptionally close relationships with co‐workers, the present study focused only on the nature of these relationships within the specific context of two business, two government, and one non‐profit organizations. This study's findings reveal that there were no significant differences in the perceived communication openness of special peers regardless of the organizational context. However, data indicate that there was a significant difference in two affective and three non‐affective functional communication skills of government co‐workers as compared to business and non‐profit employees.
Racial classifications in the US census: 1890–1990

Abstract This article examines racial classifications on United States population census schedules between 1890 and 1990 to provide insights on the changing meanings of race in US society. The analysis uses a sociology of knowledge perspective which assumes that race is an ideological concept that can be interpreted most productively by relating its definition and measurement to the larger social and political context. Four themes are identified and discussed: (i) the historical and continuing importance of skin colour, usually dichotomized into white and non‐white, in defining race and counting racial groups; (ii) a belief in ‘pure’ races that is reflected in a preoccupation with categorizing people into a single or ‘pure’ race; (iii) the role of census categories in creating pan‐ethnic racial groups; and, (iv) the confusing of race and ethnicity in census racial classifications. Each theme demonstrates the potential or actual role of official statistics, exemplified by census racial data, in reflecting ...
Tidal residual eddies and their effect on water exchange in Puget Sound

Tidal residual eddies are one of the important hydrodynamic features in tidally dominant estuaries and coastal bays, and they could have significant effects on water exchange in a tidal system. This paper presents a modeling study of tides and tidal residual eddies in Puget Sound, a tidally dominant fjord-like estuary in the Pacific Northwest coast, using a three-dimensional finite-volume coastal ocean model. Mechanisms of vorticity generation and asymmetric distribution patterns around an island/headland were analyzed using the dynamic vorticity transfer approach and numerical experiments. Model results of Puget Sound show that a number of large twin tidal residual eddies exist in the Admiralty Inlet because of the presence of major headlands in the inlet. Simulated residual vorticities near the major headlands indicate that the clockwise tidal residual eddy (negative vorticity) is generally stronger than the anticlockwise eddy (positive vorticity) because of the effect of Coriolis force. The effect of tidal residual eddies on water exchange in Puget Sound and its subbasins was evaluated by simulations of dye transport. It was found that the strong transverse variability of residual currents in the Admiralty Inlet results in a dominant seaward transport along the eastern shore and a dominant landward transport along the western shore of the inlet. A similar transport pattern in Hood Canal is caused by the presence of tidal residual eddies near the entrance of the canal. Model results show that tidal residual currents in Whidbey Basin are small in comparison to other subbasins. A large clockwise residual circulation is formed around Vashon Island near entrance of South Sound, which can potentially constrain the water exchange between the Central Basin and South Sound.
Time-adjusted global warming potentials for LCA and carbon footprints

Purpose The common practice of summing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and applying global warming potentials (GWPs) to calculate CO2 equivalents misrepresents the global warming effects of emissions that occur over a product or system’s life cycle at a particular time in the future. The two primary purposes of this work are to develop an approach to correct for this distortion that can (1) be feasibly implemented by life cycle assessment and carbon footprint practitioners and (2) results in units of CO2 equivalent. Units of CO2 equilavent allow for easy integration in current reporting and policy frameworks.
A mathematical analysis of the R-MAT random graph generator

The R-MAT graph generator introduced by Chakrabarti et al (Int Conf Data Mining, 2004) offers a simple, fast method for generating very large directed graphs. These properties have made it a popular choice as a method of generating graphs for objects of study in a variety of disciplines, from social network analysis to high performance computing. We analyze the graphs generated by R-MAT and model the generator in terms of occupancy problems to prove results about the degree distributions of these graphs. We prove that the limiting degree distributions can be expressed as a mixture of normal distributions with means and variances that can be easily calculated from the R-MAT parameters. Additionally, this article offers an efficient computational technique for computing the exact degree distribution and concise expressions for a number of properties of R-MAT graphs. ©2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.*. NETWORKS, 2011 The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes.
Prospective, randomized trial of palliative treatment for unresectable cancer of the esophagus.

Abstract To evaluate the best method of palliation for obstructing nonresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the mid or distal esophagus, 27 patients were prospectively randomized to one of three treatment arms: (1) esophageal intubation with an Atkinson tube (AT, 10 patients), (2) esophageal intubation followed by radiation therapy (AT/RT, 8 patients), and (3) endoscopic laser therapy followed by irradiation (L/RT, 9 patients). Pretreatment characteristics were similar in the three groups. There was no procedure-related mortality. There were eight total complications related to the tube and none related to laser treatment ( p = 0.02). Mean survival was 119 days in the AT group, 72 days in the AT/RT group, and 169 days in the L/RT arm ( p = not significant). Quality of survival was most dependent on swallowing ability, and the swallowing score increased by 2.3 units in the AT group, 1.8 units in the AT/RT group, and 1.4 units in the L/RT group ( p = not significant). Adding RT to laser therapy significantly increased time in treatment (mean, 38.7 days) when compared with the AT group (mean, 12.5 days) ( p
Consistent quantization and symmetry structure of a non-Abelian chiral gauge theory

The SU({ital N}) chiral Schwinger model with a Wess-Zumino term is studied by use of non-Abelian bosonization, the Becchi-Rouet-Stora formalism, and a dual transformation, and it is confirmed that this model is a sensible quantum theory in a certain range of the anomaly parameter {ital a}. The SU({ital N}) gauge symmetry restored by the inclusion of the Wess-Zumino term gets spontaneously broken and the gauge field becomes massive. Left-handed fermions are found to be confined while right-handed fermions remain free and massless. For the specific value {ital a}=2, the symmetry of the model enlarges (to a U({ital N}){times}U({ital N}) Kac-Moody symmetry). It is shown by fermionization of the Wess-Zumino field that for {ital a}=2 this model is equivalent to massless two-dimensional QCD (QCD{sub 2}) in the sense that they share the same gauge field and the same left-handed fermions. A dual transformation is used to cast the model into an equivalent nonlinear system of scalar fields only, which reveals the particle spectrum of the model.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies of hydrogen reduced rutile (TiO2-x) surfaces

Abstract XPS measurements have been made on reduced rutile surfaces under various conditions. It is found that upon exposure to H 2 O the amphoteric hydroxyl groups previously detected on the surface of the unreduced TiO 2 are not present in the reduced sample. Results and their consequences are discussed.
EBSD and FIB/TEM examination of shape memory effect deformation structures in U–14 at.% Nb

Abstract Detailed examinations of shape memory effect (SME) deformation structures in martensite of U–14 at.% Nb were performed with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). An accommodation strain analysis, which has been previously used to predict SME deformation structures and texture evolution in polycrystalline material, was also performed. Martensite variants and twin relationships observed with EBSD after compressive or tensile deformation were determined to be consistent with those expected from calculated accommodation strains. Focused ion beam (FIB) was used to select twinned regions identified with EBSD for more detailed TEM analysis to verify the presence of these specific twins. The observed SME twinning systems in the martensite agree with previous TEM observations and the predicted { 1 ¯ 76 } twinning system was observed experimentally for the first time in U–14 at.% Nb using these complementary techniques.
Thermal charm production by massive gluons and quarks

We investigate charm production in an equilibrated quark-gluon plasma produced in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC and LHC. Effective quark and gluon masses are introduced from thermal QCD calculations. Assuming a Bjorken-type longitudinal expansion and including the influence of temperature-dependent masses on the expansion, we determine the total number of $c\overline{c}$ pairs produced in the quark-gluon plasma phase. We calculate the charm production rate at leading order with massive gluons and quarks and compare our result to charm production by massless partons. We consider two different scenarios for the initial conditions, a parton gas with a rather long kinetic equilibration time and a minijet gas with a short equilibration time. In a parton gas, assuming ${m}_{c}=1.2$ GeV, we obtain a substantial enhancement over the thermal charm rate from massless quarks and gluons, up to 4.9 secondary charm quark pairs in Au+Au collisions at RHIC and 245 charm pairs in Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC.
Being important matters: The impact of work and family centralities on the family-to-work conflict–satisfaction relationship

We examined whether and how work centrality and family centrality interact to moderate the relationships between family-to-work conflict and family and job satisfaction. In a field sample from Sweden, we found a three-way interaction between work centrality, family centrality, and family-to-work conflict on job and family satisfaction. Specifically, when work centrality was high, family-to-work conflict was related to job and family satisfaction regardless of the level of family centrality. However, when work centrality was low, the relationships between family-to-work conflict and job and family satisfaction were moderated by family centrality. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.
Attributes of the ceratopsian dinosaur Torosaurus, and new material from the Javelina Formation (Maastrichtian) of Texas

A bone bed in the middle part of the Javelina Formation (Maastrichtian) in Texas yielded parts of about 37 identifiable ceratopsid dinosaur bones, mostly appendicular and limb girdle elements belonging to one juvenile and two adult individuals of Torosaurus cf. utahensis. The bone bed is a lag assemblage comprising large immobile parts of the skeletons accumulated in an abandoned stream channel. In general form and proportions the postcranial bones are similar to those in Pentaceratops sternbergi and are not as robust as those in Torosaurus latus or Triceratops horridus. A few cranial elements are preserved, including parts of a parietal, squamosal, maxilla, and two dentaries. The form of the parietal fragment is comparable to that of a more nearly complete specimen of Torosaurus cf. utahensis collected nearby at about the same stratigraphic level. The bone bed material provides a basis for the first skeletal reconstruction of this enigmatic horned dinosaur. Most characters used in diagnoses of T. utahensis and T. latus are inadequate. Only the raised bar along the squamosal/parietal suture, present in T. latus; and the midline epiparietal, absent in T. latus, may discriminate the two species.
The development of family hierarchies and their relation to children's conduct problems

Despite the intuitive richness of family systems theory, relatively little research has sought to test the validity of constructs theorized to be critical in the development of children's adjustment. One such cornerstone of structural and strategic family therapy is the family hierarchy. The present study investigated both the development of hierarchical structure in families from infancy to late middle childhood and relations between strong hierarchical structure and children's conduct problems. Using structural equation modeling, direct pathways to low hierarchical structure were evident for early caregiving behavior and parent-child conflict, with indirect associations present for parental adjustment, marital functioning, negative child behavior, and ecological disadvantage. In turn, family hierarchies were associated with youth antisocial behavior, an effect that was moderated by ethnic and neighborhood context. The results are discussed in reference to family systems' theory and implications for prevention and intervention.
Cognitive diversity in perceptive informatics and affective computing

The advent of sensor technologies and imaging modalities has greatly increased our ability to map the brain structure and understand its cognitive function. In order for the acquired Big Data (with large volume, wide variety, and high velocity) to be valuable, innovative data-centric algorithms and systems in machine learning, data mining and artificial intelligence have been developed, designed and implemented. Due to the complexity of the brain system and its cognitive processes, new data-driven paradigm is needed to recognize patterns in Big Data, to fuse information from different sources (systems and sensors), and to extract useful knowledge for actionable decisions.
Superpipelined reconfigurable hardware for DSP

Reconfigurable hardware offers a number of advantages over custom integrated circuits, including low development cost, high flexibility, and high adaptability to changing requirements. However, this alternative does incur some reduction in performance, especially for computationally intensive tasks such as digital signal processing. Recent developments in both research and industry have aimed to reduce this gap. This paper introduces a novel reconfigurable architecture that pipelines computations at the bit level. The architecture includes a number of features to improve performance, including medium-grain cells, hierarchical interconnections, and minimal clocking overhead. Circuit simulations demonstrate that the basic cell runs at 1.5 GHz in a modest 180-nm technology. At this speed, we estimate that the device could compute a 256-point fast Fourier transform in 829 ns.
Nanodrop on a smooth solid surface with hidden roughness. Density functional theory considerations

A nanodrop of a test fluid placed on a smooth surface of a solid material of nonuniform density which covers a rough solid surface (hidden roughness) is examined, on the basis of the density functional theory (DFT), in the presence of an external perturbative force parallel to the surface. The contact angles which the drop profile makes with the surface at the leading edges of the drop are determined as functions of drop size and perturbative external force. A critical sticking force, defined as the largest value of the perturbative force for which the drop remains at equilibrium, is determined and its dependence on the size of the drop is explained on the basis of the shape of the interaction potential generated by the solid in vicinity of the leading edges of the drop. For even larger values of the perturbative force no drop-like solution of the Euler–Lagrange equation of the DFT was found. The upper bound of the inclination angle of a surface containing a macroscopic drop is estimated on the basis of results obtained for nanodrops and some experimental results are interpreted. The main conclusion is that the hidden roughness has a similar effect on the drop features as the traditionally considered physical and chemical roughnesses.
Microbial Power‐Generating Capabilities on Micro‐/Nano‐Structured Anodes in Micro‐Sized Microbial Fuel Cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an alternative electricity generating technology and efficient method for removing organic material from wastewater. Their low power densities, however, hinder practical applications. A primary limitation in these systems is the anode. The chemical makeup and surface area of the anode influences bacterial respiration rates and in turn, electricity generation. Some of the highest power densities have been reported using large surface area anodes, but due to variable chemical/physical factors (e.g., solution chemistry, architecture) among these studies, meaningful comparisons are difficult to make. In this work, we compare under identical conditions six micro/nano-structured anodes in micro-sized MFCs (47 μL). The six materials investigated include carbon nanotube (CNT), carbon nanofiber (CNF), gold/poly (ϵ-caprolactone) microfiber (GPM), gold/poly(ϵ-caprolactone) nanofiber (GPN), planar gold (PG), and conventional carbon paper (CP). The MFCs using three dimensional anode structures (CNT, CNF, GPM, and GPN) exhibited lower internal resistances than the macroscopic CP and two-dimensional PG anodes. However, those novel anode materials suffered from major issues such as high activation loss and instability for long-term operation, causing an enduring problem in creating widespread commercial MFC applications. The reported work provides an in-depth understanding of the interplay between micro-/nano-structured anodes and active microbial biofilm, suggesting future directions of those novel anode materials for MFC technologies.
Effects of Human Disturbance on the Dune Vegetation of the Georgia Sea Islands

This research investigates how human disturbance has affected foredune veg- etation of the Georgia Sea Islands (GSI) in the United States. The cover of native dune- building grasses (Uniola paniculata L. and Panicum amarum Ell.) was more abundant within less-disturbed sites than in sites that had higher levels of human disturbance. In contrast, dunes in human-disturbed areas had significantly higher cover of alien plants and native generalist taxa, and they also had higher overall species diversity. Additionally, the cover of native dune-building grasses was significantly greater on protected National Wildlife Refuge islands than on more frequently visited and developed tourist islands. In addition to the ANOVA, nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) analysis showed that the vegetation composition differed between disturbed and less-disturbed plots and between plots on tourist islands and protected islands. Both ANOVA and NMS analyzes agree that dunes in human-modified areas have lower dune-grass cover and greater cover of species that are not adapted to building and stabilizing dunes. Therefore, human distur-
Translation Research in Diabetes

The burden of diabetes is well documented. Adverse health conditions, disability, reduced quality of life, and heightened risk of premature death characterize the progression of this disease (1, 2, 3). The considerable personal burden of diabetes is magnified by the penetration of the disease into the American population. By the age of 60, approx 1 in 10 Caucasians, 1 in 6 Latinos, and 1 in 5 African Americans, have type 2 diabetes (4). Further, the prevalence of diabetes is projected to increase by almost 40% by 2010 (5). An unfortunate sidebar to these statistics is the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes or its precursor, impaired glucose tolerance, among American children (6). In clinic-based studies, the proportion of diagnosed pediatric type 2 diabetes (i.e., type 2 vs type 1) has risen from less than 5% prior to 1994 to 30–50% in recent years (6). Similar to adults, the disease is disproportionately high among youth with minority ethnic and racial backgrounds (6). In addition to the considerable burden on personal health, it is estimated that the annual direct and indirect economic costs of diabetes in the Unites States are approx $132 billion (7).
Comparative morphology in the carpel of the Liliaceae: tepallary and staminal vascularization in the Wurmbaeoideae

Tepallary and staminal vascularization in a random sample of the Wurmbaeoideae was eomprised of three vascular bundles per tepal and one per stamen, as in the Rosaceae. The structural similarity of the vascularization of the carpel of the Wurmbaeoideae with that of the Rosaceae is mentioned with the tentative implication of a common ancestry.
Interesting practitioners in training in empirically supported treatments: research reviews versus case studies.

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that clinicians rely more on clinical judgment than on research findings. We hypothesized that psychologists in practice might be more open to adopting empirically supported treatments (ESTs) if outcome results were presented with a case study. Psychologists in private practice (N=742) were randomly assigned to receive a research review of data from randomized controlled trials of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) and medication for bulimia, a case study of CBT for a fictional patient with bulimia, or both. Results indicated that the inclusion of case examples renders ESTs more compelling and interests clinicians in gaining training. Despite these participants' training in statistics, the inclusion of the statistical information had no influence on attitudes or training willingness beyond that of the anecdotal case information. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 66:1–23, 2010.
First steps toward scientific cyber-security experimentation in wide-area cyber-physical systems

This extended abstract reports on steps towards an environment for repeatable and scalable experiments on wide-area cyber-physical systems. The cyber-physical systems that underlie the world's critical infrastructure are increasingly vulnerable to attack and failure. Our work has focused on secure and resilient communication technology for the electric power grid, a subset of the general cyber-physical problem. We have demonstrated tools and methodology for experimentation with GridStat, a middleware system designed to provide enhanced communication service for the grid, within the DETERlab cyber-security testbed. Experiment design tools for DETERlab and for GridStat will ease the creation and execution of relatively large experiments, and they should make this environment accessible to users inexperienced with cluster testbeds. This abstract presents brief overviews of DETERLab and of GridStat and describes their integration. It also describes a large scale GridStat/DETERlab experiment.
Extracellular Matrix and Radiation G1 Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Fibroblasts

It is thought that sublethal doses of radiation cause cells to pause in either G1 or G2 phase, but that then cells with repaired DNA damage reenter the cell cycle. However, it has been observed that gamma-irradiation causes normal human fibroblasts to arrest indefinitely in G1 phase unless the irradiated cells are subcultured. This indicates that cell adhesion plays a role in maintaining the arrest. We now show that the type of extracellular matrix dramatically affects the percentage of cells that arrest in G1 phase. The prolonged radiation G1 arrest in human fibroblasts has been referred to as "senescence-like"; however, we find that smooth muscle alpha-actin is highly expressed in cells that arrest in G1 phase after irradiation. This indicates that the fibroblasts differentiate to myofibroblasts. Together, our results show that the length of radiation G1 arrest in human fibroblasts is affected by the type of extracellular matrix on which the cells are irradiated and that arrest results in myofibroblast differentiation.
Power Noise in TSV-Based 3-D Integrated Circuits

A three-dimensional (3-D) test circuit examining power grid noise in a 3-D integrated stack has been designed, fabricated, and tested. Fabrication and vertical bonding were performed by MIT Lincoln Laboratory for a 150 nm, three metal layer SOI process. Three wafers are vertically bonded to form a 3-D stack. Noise analysis of three power delivery topologies is described. Calibration circuits for a source follower sense circuit compare the different power delivery topologies as well as the separate 3-D stacked circuits. The effect of the through silicon via (TSV) density on the noise profile of a 3-D power delivery network is experimentally described. A comparison of the peak noise for each topology with and without board level decoupling capacitors, and resonant behavior is provided, and suggestions for enhancing the design of a 3-D power delivery network are offered.
Using C in CS1: evaluating the Stanford experience

In 1991, the Stanford Department of Computer Science decided to abandon Pascal in its introductory computer science courses and to adopt ANSI C as the language of instruction. We based this decision on several factors: the inadequacy of standard Pascal as a base for teaching modern programming concepts, the need to prepare our students for more advanced courses in which they will be expected to use C for programming projects, and increasing pressure from students and faculty throughout the School of Engineering for instruction in a language that has become the industry standard. We also believe that it is not reasonable to expect students to learn C on their own; students must receive instruction in C in order to become good C programmers. C has several known deficiencies that make it a challenging language to teach. Based on our experience at Stanford, we believe that it is possible to minimize the problems associated with teaching C at the introductory level by applying standard software engineering strategies—procedural abstraction, modular decomposition, and information hiding—to good pedagogical effect. This paper expands on the reasons behind Stanford’s decision to adopt C and summarizes the pedagogical approach.
Epidermal growth factor and its receptor: Markers of— and targets for—chemoprevention of bladder cancer

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is excreted in urine in high concentrations in a biologically active form. Several lines of evidence indicate that EGF plays a role in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) development and growth. These include:(1) EGF in the normal urine of rats promotes chemically initiated TCC; (2) EGF in normal human urine stimulates the clonal growth of human TCC cells in vitro; (3) EGF stimulates the in vitro growth of human TCC cells, but not normal human urothelial cells; (4) the density and distribution of the EGF receptor (EGF-R) on human urothelial tissues permits significant access of premalignant, dysplastic, and malignant cells to EGF; and (5) the concentration of EGF in the voided urine of patients with TCC is reduced, implying that EGF may be “extracted” from urine by the greater number of EGF-Rs in patients with urothelial malignancy. Abnormal expression of the urothelial EGF-R and/or altered excretion of EGF may well precede overt evidence of TCC and thus may serve as markers of risk or exposure. Similarly, reversion of EGF-R expression or the return of excreted EGF to normal levels may provide a marker of response for preventive and therapeutic strategies. Interference with the EGF/EGF-R interaction through dietary or pharmacological manipulations of the urine, or via targeting strategies employing intravesical administration of conjugated toxins or isotopes is already being employed in experimental and clinical studies. These approaches offer promising new tools in the detection, monitoring, prevention, and management of early stage bladder cancer. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Interest Rate Controls: The United States in the 1940s

In 1942 the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve agreed to keep the interest rate on long-term government bonds below a ceiling of 2.5 percent. Assuming rational expectations, the ceiling on long-term interest rates can be viewed as a government commitment to low long-run inflation. The Fed also agreed to buy and sell short-term government bonds at a below-market rate of 3/8 percent. This policy did not result in long-run inflation because it was narrowly confined to 3-month Treasury bills.
The Development of Polymer-Based Flat Heat Pipes

In this paper, polymer-based flat heat pipes (PFHPs) with a thickness on the order of 1 mm have been successfully developed and tested. Liquid-crystal polymer (LCP) films with copper-filled thermal vias are employed as the case material. A copper micropillar/woven mesh hybrid wicking structure was designed and fabricated to promote evaporation/condensation heat transfer and the liquid supply to the evaporator of the PFHP. Water was selected as the working fluid because of its superior thermophysical properties. An experimental study was conducted to examine the PFHP performance. The test data demonstrated that the PFHP can operate with a heat flux of 11.94 W/cm2 and results in effective thermal conductivity ranging from 650 to 830 W/m · K, with the value varying with the input heat flux and the tilt angle. With the employment of flexible LCP as casing material, the PFHP could potentially be directly integrated into a printed circuit board or flexible circuits for thermal management of heat-generating components.
The theoretical analysis of data compression systems

The concept of reducing the required transmission rate for a given system through prediction, interpolation, or other such techniques loosely labeled as "data compression" is now well known. The problems in analyzing such systems by theoretical means are formidable in even the simplest situations due to the inherent nonlinear nature of the operations performed. This paper discusses these difficulties, presents some approximate and exact solutions, and suggests areas where further work is needed.
Control of telomerase action at human telomeres

Recent progress has greatly increased the understanding of telomere-bound shelterin proteins and the telomerase holoenzyme, predominantly as separate complexes. Pioneering studies have begun to investigate the requirements for shelterin-telomerase interaction. From this vantage point, focusing on human cells, we review and discuss models for how telomerase and shelterin subunits coordinate to achieve balanced telomere-length homeostasis.
Electromechanical properties of BST for acoustic imaging arrays

BST capacitors possess excellent dielectric and electromechanical properties near FE-PE phase transition under dc bias field. In this work we will present the field and temperature dependencies of the electromechanical properties of (Ba,Sr)TiO/sub 3/. Experimental observations will be compared to predictions from the phenomenological theory of ferroelectric phase transitions. Previously developed densely populated two-dimensional BST arrays will be described for potential applications in real time hand-held acoustic camera for underwater divers, medical imaging, and acoustic microscopy.
Action video game modifies visual selective attention

As video-game playing has become a ubiquitous activity in today's society, it is worth considering its potential consequences on perceptual and motor skills. It is well known that exposing an organism to an altered visual environment often results in modification of the visual system of the organism. The field of perceptual learning provides many examples of training-induced increases in performance. But perceptual learning, when it occurs, tends to be specific to the trained task; that is, generalization to new tasks is rarely found. Here we show, by contrast, that action-video-game playing is capable of altering a range of visual skills. Four experiments establish changes in different aspects of visual attention in habitual video-game players as compared with non-video-game players. In a fifth experiment, non-players trained on an action video game show marked improvement from their pre-training abilities, thereby establishing the role of playing in this effect.
Predicting software development errors using software complexity metrics

Predictive models that incorporate a functional relationship of program error measures with software complexity metrics and metrics based on factor analysis of empirical data are developed. Specific techniques for assessing regression models are presented for analyzing these models. Within the framework of regression analysis, the authors examine two separate means of exploring the connection between complexity and errors. First, the regression models are formed from the raw complexity metrics. Essentially, these models confirm a known relationship between program lines of code and program errors. The second methodology involves the regression of complexity factor measures and measures of errors. These complexity factors are orthogonal measures of complexity from an underlying complexity domain model. From this more global perspective, it is believed that there is a relationship between program errors and complexity domains of program structure and size (volume). Further, the strength of this relationship suggests that predictive models are indeed possible for the determination of program errors from these orthogonal complexity domains. >
STRATIGRAPHY IN PHYLOGENY RECONSTRUCTION—REPLY TO SMITH (2000)

In a brief commentary, Smith (2000) broadly dismisses several newly developed phylogenetic methods that make use of temporal data. In this comment, I wish to concur with other critics of Smith (Fisher et al., 2002; Wagner, 2002), and in particular expand on an argument of Fisher et al. regarding stratocladistics and the divisibility of paleontological time scales. Smith's strongest and most detailed argument is that “With enough subdivisions of time … stratigraphic debt can be made sufficiently large to overturn any phylogeny based on morphology …” As pointed out by Fisher et al. (2002), Clyde and Fisher (1997) actually employed a rather conservative algorithm for defining the number of time intervals. Here I argue that stratocladistics fundamentally depends on global temporal durations of fossil taxa, not just on their ranges across individual (or even composite) stratigraphic sections, and that these durations are intrinsically expressed in discrete, not continuous, units. Thus, paleontological time scales cannot be subdivided arbitrarily and are not literally “stratigraphic.” I also discuss additional objective criteria for limiting temporal subdivision, which show that a series of stratocladistic studies involving North American mammals actually have underdivided the time scale. Thus, stratocladistics does not allow for infinite temporal subdivision either in principle or in practice. Smith (2000) almost casually mentions that there always may be “enough subdivision of time” to create as much “stratigraphic debt” as one might want. Smith nowhere explains why. One might think so because the literature has used “stratigraphy” and “time” as virtual synonyms; local stratigraphic sections are measured in continuous units such as meters; and perhaps, then, time is mathematically continuous and infinitely divisible. Alternatively, in an illustration Smith (2000, Fig. 1) shows subdivisions of “absolute time,” and numerical time scales also are necessarily discrete and fundamentally different from measured sections. …
Covalent binding of chemical residues: health impact.

Risk assessment of covalent binding of reactive intermediates to proteins in humans is dependent on whether the exposure of these chemicals is direct or indirect. It is well established that direct exposure of drugs and environmental chemicals capable of covalent binding to proteins in laboratory and food-producing animals and humans could result in potential risk. The degree of toxicological concern is dependent on the dose, chemical nature of the reactive intermediates, protein targets and other factors. Humans could also be exposed to food containing covalently bound chemical residues, mostly meat from drug-treated food-producing animals, and agriculture products from pesticide-treated crops. Health impact from this type of indirect exposure (i.e. protein bound residues rather than the free parent compound) is more difficult to evaluate in humans.
Distinct localization and function of 1,4,5 IP 3 receptor subtypes and the 1,3,4,5 IP 4 receptor GAP1 IP4BP in highly purified human platelet membranes

Platelet activation is associated with an increase of cytosolic Ca++ levels. The 1,4,5IP3receptors [1,4,5IP3R] are known to mediate Ca++ release from intracellular stores of many cell types. Currently there are at least 3 distinct subtypes of1,4,5IP3R—type I, type II, and type III—with suggestions of distinct roles in Ca++ elevation. Specific receptors for 1,3,4,5IP4 belonging to the GAP1 family have also been described though their involvement with Ca++ regulation is controversial. In this study we report that platelets contain all 3 subtypes of1,4,5IP3R but in different amounts. Type I and type II receptors are predominant. In studies using highly purified platelet plasma (PM) and intracellular membranes (IM) we report a distinct localization of these receptors. The PM fractions were found to contain the type III 1,4,5IP3R and GAP1IP4BP in contrast to IM, which contained type I1,4,5IP3R. The type II receptor exhibited a dual distribution. In studies examining the labeling of surface proteins with biotin in intact platelets only the type III1,4,5IP3R was significantly labeled. Immunogold studies of ultracryosections of human platelets showed significantly more labeling of the PM with the type III receptor antibodies than with type I receptor antibodies. Ca++ flux studies were carried out with the PM to demonstrate in vitro function of inositol phosphate receptors. Ca++ release activities were present with both 1,4,5IP3 and1,3,4,5IP4 (EC50 = 1.3 and 0.8 μmol/L, respectively). Discrimination of the Ca++-releasing activities was demonstrated with cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PK) specifically inhibiting 1,4,5IP3 but not1,3,4,5IP4-induced Ca++ flux. In experiments with both PM and intact platelets, the1,4,5IP3Rs but not GAP1IP4BP were found to be substrates of cAMP-PK and cGMP-PK. Thus the Ca++ flux property of1,3,4,5IP4 is insensitive to cAMP-PK. These studies suggest distinct roles for the1,4,5IP3R subtypes in Ca++movements, with the type III receptor and GAP1IP4BPassociated with cation entry in human platelets and the type I receptor involved with Ca++ release from intracellular stores.
Race on the move: Brazilian migrants and the global reconstruction of race

The rigorous use of comparative methods in the social sciences can be very powerful. Tiffany D. Joseph's new book adopts a twist on that approach. She uses a different type of powerful comparative ...
Weed Control with Cover Crops in Irrigated Potatoes

Field experiments at Oakes, ND, USA in 2010 and Carrington, ND, USA in 2011 were conducted to evaluate the potential for cover crops grown in the Northern Great Plains, USA in order to reduce weed emergence and density in irrigated potatoes. Treatments included five cover crop treatments and three cover crop termination treatments. Termination of cover crops was done with glyphosate, disk-till, and roto-till. Cover crop biomass accumulation was greatest for rye/canola and triticale at Oakes, and hairy vetch and hairy vetch/rye at Carrington. Cover crop and termination affected weed control 14, 29, and 51 days after planting (DAP) at Oakes. Weed control at Carrington was at least 90% for all cover crop and termination treatments at all three evaluation timings. Marketable yield at Oakes was greater when roto-till was used to terminate the cover crops compared with disk-till or herbicide, which is beneficial for organic systems where herbicides are not used. Marketable yield at Carrington was not affected by cover crop or termination treatments. Results suggest that cover crops can successfully be integrated into irrigated potato production for weed control with yields equal to no cover crop, and with attention to potential mechanical difficulties.
The effect of inflammatory mediators on neutrophil function.

The adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a form of acute lung injury that most commonly afflicts patients who have suffered major trauma or sepsis. The magnitude of this clinical problem is appreciated in statistics that estimate there being approximately 200,000 cases per year in the United States, costing several billion dollars in medical expenditure. The serious nature of this problem is further amplified by an ARDS mortality rate of 40 to 70%. Despite thirty years of intense research we are only beginning to appreciate the pathophysiology of the disease, prevention is nonexistent and therapeutic measures are merely supportive (1,2).
Judging the Quality of Automatically Generated Gap-fill Question using Active Learning

In this paper, we propose to use active learning for training classifiers to judge the quality of gap-fill questions. Gap-fill questions are widely used for assessments in education contexts because they can be graded automatically while offering reliable assessment of learners’ knowledge level if appropriately calibrated. Active learning is a machine learning framework which is typically used when unlabeled data is abundant but manual annotation is slow and expensive. This is the case in many Natural Language Processing tasks, including automated question generation, which is our focus. A key task in automated question generation is judging the quality of the generated questions. Classifiers can be built to address this task which typically are trained on human labeled data. Our evaluation results suggest that the use of active learning leads to accurate classifiers for judging the quality of gap-fill questions while keeping the annotation costs in check. We are not aware of any previous effort that uses active learning for question evaluation.
The Peopling and Depeopling of Early Pennsylvania: Indians and Colonists, 1680-1720

history. The painting, although inaccurate in its detail, is laden with the symbolism of Christian reconciliation. It depicts the unrealized ideal of the American past: contact between natives and settlers with out violence, colonization without conquest. West's image of Penn has counterparts in literature, poetry, and history. Penn's "Holy Experi ment" has been continually depicted as a representation of the possibil ity, however fleeting, of harmony between the European colonists and the North American Indians.1
Discovering the Java reflection API with an iterated prisoner's dilemma

The Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma (IPD) is an abstract game that has been used to model the emergence of cooperative behavior among rational individuals motivated purely by self-interest. Widespread interest in the game was sparked in the early 1980s by Robert Axelrod's famous computer simulations in which various strategies competed by earning points through interactions with each other. Strategies with cooperative tendencies were observed to be the most successful. The purpose of this article is to illustrate how the IPD can be used to introduce students to the Java Reflection API while studying inheritance. Reflection is an advanced technique that enables a program to alter the state and behavior of objects at runtime. Our implementation of an IPD tournament emphasizes the interdisciplinary character of computer science and permits the instructor to introduce an interesting technical area that students might not otherwise encounter during their undergraduate studies.
Prevention of Neural Myoinositol Depletion in Diabetic Rats by Aldose Reductase Inhibition with Tolrestat

The effect of the aldose reductase inhibitor tolrestat on the sugar and polyol contents in the sciatic nerve was investigated in male Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats rendered diabetic with streptozocin. At a daily oral dose of 5 mg/kg, given for 10 days before and for 14 days after streptozocin injection, tolrestat completely prevented the accumulation of sorbitol and the depletion of myoinositol.
Nutritive Value of Casein as Influenced by Alcohol Extraction.

SummaryThe nutritive quality of crude casein is reduced by continuous extraction with hot 95% ethanol. These results confirm the observations of Hartman and Gary. Rats fed rations containing such extracted casein grow at a reduced rate and develop a characteristic hair loss. The alcohol extracts obtained from the extraction of crude casein do not increase the rate of growth of rats ingesting extracted casein but do prevent the characteristic hair loss. The growth rate of rats ingesting alcohol extracted casein can be increased to normal by feeding fresh liver. The analysis of the extracted casein and the crude casein for 14 amino acids following enzymatic or acid hydrolysis failed to show any appreciable differences.
Is Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis-a Target for Reversing Obesity?

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expenditure of all physical activities other than volitional sporting-like exercise. NEAT includes all the activities that render us vibrant, unique and independent beings such as working, playing, and dancing. Because people of the same weight have markedly variable activity levels, it is not surprising that NEAT varies substantially between people by 2000 kcal/day. Evidence suggests that low NEAT may occur in obesity but in a very specific fashion. Obese individuals appear to exhibit an innate tendency to be seated for 2.5 hours per day more than sedentary lean counterparts. If obese individuals were to adopt the lean 'NEAT-o-type', they could potentially expend an additional 350 kcal/day. Obesity was rare a century ago and the human genotype has not changed over that time. Thus, the obesity epidemic may reflect the emergence of a chair-enticing environment to which those with an innate tendency to sit, did so and became obese. To reverse obesity therefore, we need to develop individual strategies to promote standing & ambulating time by 2.5 hours per day but also re-engineer our work, school and home environments to render active living the option of choice. Key words: non-exercise activity thermogenesis; physical activity; energy expenditure; obesity; malnutrition
The surgical correction of mitral insufficiency.

SUMMARY 1. A morphologic classification of the pathology of mitral insufficiency is presented. 2. Some cardinal features of the kinetic pathology are described. 3. Various techniques that have been tried in other clinics to correct mitral insufficiency are reviewed. 4. Some of the problems incident to the surgical correction of mitral insufficiency are defined. 5. Various unsuccessful techniques in our experience are mentioned. 6. The rationale, technique, and results of the ball-baffle, bottle-baffle, and spindle-baffle operations are presented. 7. The spindle-baffle operation is considered sufficiently promising to deserve continued trial under restricted conditions in the human being.