cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Ability of Global Ensemble Prediction Systems to Predict Tropical Cyclone Track Probabilities

The ability of ensemble prediction systems to predict the probability that a tropical cyclone will fall within a certain area is evaluated. Ensemble forecasts of up to 5 days issued by the European Centre for MediumRange Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the Met Office (UKMET) were evaluated for the 2008 Atlantic and western North Pacific seasons. In the Atlantic, the ECMWF ensemble mean was comparable in skill to a consensus of deterministic models. Dynamic ‘‘probability circles’’ that contained 67% of the ECMWF ensemble captured the best track in ;67% of all cases for 24‐84-h forecasts, and were slightly underdispersive beyond 96 h. In contrast, the Goerss predicted consensus error (GPCE) was overdispersive. The addition of the UKMET ensemble yielded improvements in the short range and degradations for longer-range forecasts. The ECMWF ensemble performed similarly when the size was reduced from 50 to 20. On average, it produced a lower measure of independence between its members than an ensemble comprising different deterministic models. The 67% circles normally captured the best track during straight-line motion, but less so for sharply turning tracks. In contrast to the Atlantic, the ECMWF ensemble (and GPCE) was unable to capture sufficient verifications within the 67% probability circles in the western North Pacific, in part because of a less skillful ensemble mean (and consensus). Though further evaluations are necessary, the results demonstrate the potential for ensemble prediction systems to enhance probabilistic forecasts, and for The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) to be embraced by the operational and research communities.
Velocity of Gamma Rays from a Moving Source

Serious difficulties from extinction are shown to exist in the interpretation of past experiments on $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays from moving sources. We have measured the relative speed of the two $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays emitted forward and backward by a ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ meson decaying in flight. The velocity of the neutral pions, which were produced in the reaction ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}+n$, was $v=0.2c$. We have compared our results with what would have been expected, taking account of extinction, on the assumption that the initial photon velocities were $c+v$ and $c\ensuremath{-}v$. The results were in complete disagreement with this assumption.
Age and Gender Difference in ST Height at Rest and after Double Autonomic Blockade in Normal Adults

Background: ST elevation is commonly seen in young, healthy men. The exact mechanisms that cause ST height to be greater in young men are not yet completely understood. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether autonomic tone is responsible for age and gender differences in ST height. Methods: Gender and age differences in ST height were studied at rest and after double autonomic blockade (DAB) with atropine and propranolol. Fifty healthy men and women were included (16 men, 14 women, age 23–32 years; 9 men, 11 women, age 65–79 years). Twelve-lead ECGs were registered at rest and after DAB. Leads II and V1–V4 were chosen for analysis. ST height (in mm) was measured manually at the J-point, and 40 ms and 80 ms after the J-point. Values were corrected for QRS amplitude. Results: Gender and age differences in ST height were seen in both rest and DAB data. Men had greater ST height compared to women at J-point, 40 and 80 ms after the J-point (P ≤ 0.0001), and younger subjects had greater ST height than older subjects at J-point (P = 0.0140), 40 and 80 ms after the J-point (P ≤ 0.0001). DAB did not change ST height at J-point or at 40 ms, but increased ST height at 80 ms. Women had less of an increase in ST height following DAB than men did. Conclusions: ST elevation in the absence of structural or electrical heart disease is mainly seen in young men. Age and gender difference persist after DAB and thus are not due to differences in autonomic tone.
Personality and perceptions of situations from the Thematic Apperception Test

Participants (N = 186) viewed three pictures from the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1938) and rated the situations contained therein using a new measure of situations, the Riverside Situational Q-Sort (RSQ; Wagerman & Funder, 2009). Results support a two-component view of situation perception: an objective component attributable to the situation being perceived and a subjective component attributable to the person doing the perceiving (Murray, 1938; Rauthmann, 2012; Sherman, Nave, & Funder, 2013; Wagerman & Funder, 2009). Further, distinctive perceptions of situations were consistent across pictures and were associated with the Big Five personality traits, particularly Neuroticism and Openness, in a theoretically meaningful manner. These results provide support for perception as a core process for how personality traits work.
Shock treatment: Heavy quark drag in a novel AdS geometry

We calculate the drag force on a heavy quark hit by a shock wave, thus generalizing the strongly coupled AdS/CFT heavy quark drag calculations to both hot and cold nuclear matter. The derivation employs the trailing string configuration, similar to that used in the literature for a quark moving through a thermal medium, though in the shock metric the string profile is described by a much simpler analytic function. Our expression for the drag depends on the typical transverse momentum scale of the matter in the shock. For a thermal medium this scale becomes proportional to the temperature, making our drag coefficient and momentum limit of applicability identical to those found previously. As the shock wave can be composed of either thermalized or non-thermalized media, our derivation extends the existing drag calculations to the case of arbitrarily distributed matter.
Assessing and safeguarding network resilience to nodal attacks

This article introduces new methods for evaluating and improving resilience of network connectivity to attacks on nodes of the network. Network connectivity is evaluated using a centrality measure that quantifies sensitivity of the size of the largest connected component to node removals. Based on this centrality measure, a new method for improving resilience is introduced, called edge rewiring. The topology of the power grid of western U.S. states is used to illustrate the proposed method. Using the proposed centrality measure, we show that the power grid topology is especially vulnerable to nodal attacks. In particular, using the proposed centrality measure, an attacker could reduce the largest component size by nearly a factor of two by only targeting 0.2 percent of the nodes. More importantly, we show that network resilience can be greatly improved via a few edge rewires without introducing additional edges in the network.
Spinal cord stimulator for the treatment of a woman with vulvovaginal burning and deep pelvic pain.

BACKGROUND: Vulvodynia is a chronic pain disorder of the vulva that occurs in the absence of visible infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic, or neurological findings. Multiple treatment modalities are used, often with insufficient results. We report the successful use of a spinal cord stimulator to treat vulvodynia symptoms in a patient who had unsuccessful prior conservative therapies. CASE: A postmenopausal woman presented with 15 years of treatment for vulvar and vaginal burning and deep pelvic pain. She had been taking multiple pain medications with inadequate relief. After successful test stimulation, a permanent spinal cord stimulator was implanted. At 10 months posttreatment, her pain improved by 80%, and the patient no longer requires oral medication. CONCLUSION: The use of spinal cord stimulation was successful in a patient with vulvodynia and unsuccessful multiple prior therapies and whose symptoms were diffuse in nature.
Mediating Oxidation States in Decamethyleuropocene Complexes. The Role of the Diazabutadiene Fragment

The Eu diazabutadiene complexes (C5Me5)2Eu(DADBu-t) and (C5Me5)2Eu(DADC6F5) (DADBu-t = t-BuNC(H)C(H)NBu-t; DADC6F5 = C6F5NC(Me)C(Me)NC6F5) have been prepared, and on the basis of characterization b...
The Group Context Framework: An Extensible Toolkit for Opportunistic Grouping and Collaboration

In this paper, we present the Group Context Framework (GCF), a general-purpose toolkit that allows mobile devices to opportunistically share contextual information. GCF provides a standardized way for developers to request contextual data for their applications. The framework then intelligently groups with other devices to satisfy these requirements. Through two prototypes, we demonstrate how GCF can be used to support a broad range of collaborative and cooperative tasks. We then show how our framework's architecture allows devices to opportunistically detect and collaborate with one another, even when running different applications. Finally, we present two real-world domains that show how GCF's ability to form groups increases users' access to relevant and timely information, and discuss possible incentives and safeguards to context sharing from a user standpoint.
Visuospatial and verbal fluency relative deficits in ‘complicated’ late-preterm preschool children

Abstract Background Late-preterm children constitute a majority of all preterm deliveries (75%). Their immature brain development at birth has been associated with an increased risk for morbidities. Data have been sparse regarding neuropsychological outcomes in the preschool years. Aim To examine general cognition, attention/working memory, language, manual coordination/motor dexterity, visuomotor, visuospatial, and executive functions in preschoolers born late-preterm (LPT; 34–36 gestational weeks) who required NICU admission compared to term-born participants. Design Single-center retrospective cohort study of 95 three-year-old children; 60 born LPT in 2004–2005 and admitted to the NICU compared to 35 healthy term-born participants born ≥ 37 gestational weeks and ≥ 2500 g. Results LPT birth was associated with visuospatial (p = .005), visuomotor (p = .012), and executive function (noun [p = .018] and action-verb [p = .026] fluency) relative deficits, but not attention/working memory, receptive or expressive language, nonverbal reasoning, or manual coordination/dexterity deficit. Conclusions Late-preterm birth is likely to be associated with negative neuropsychological sequelae, although subtle and selective compared to effects reported for children born at an earlier gestational age. Visuospatial function appears to be especially vulnerable to disruption even at preschool age, and verbal fluency may be useful as an early predictor of executive dysfunction in childhood. Routine preschool neuropsychological evaluation is recommended to identify delay or deficit in LPT children preparing for school entry, and may highlight underlying vulnerable neural networks in LPT children.
Correlates of Reinjury Risk in Sibling Groups: A Prospective Observational Study

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify child, parent, and family characteristics that are associated with short-term recurrence of injury within sibling groups. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted of 92 children who were aged 0 to 15 years and treated for injury at a regional pediatric trauma center and their 166 siblings. The outcome of interest was a second or subsequent injury in the sibling group, occurring within 3 months of the index injury event. Explanatory variables included injury variables, child factors (age, gender, previous injury experience, behavior problems, and traumatic stress symptoms), parental factors (age, education, social support, depressive symptoms, and traumatic stress symptoms), and family factors (socioeconomic status, family function, family structure, and life events). Poisson regression was used in multivariable models with statistical adjustment for clustering within sibling groups. RESULTS: More than 19% of families had at least 1 child injured or reinjured during 3 months of follow-up. The rate of reinjury to index children (8.7%) was similar to that in siblings (7.2%). Controlling for age, gender, and race, the risk for reinjury during follow-up was increased with single-parent family structure (relative risk [RR]: 3.39 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.69–6.80]), receipt of public assistance (RR: 3.65 [95% CI: 1.61–8.28]), and clinically significant posttraumatic stress disorder arousal symptoms in the child (RR: 3.76 [95% CI: 1.51–9.33]). CONCLUSIONS: Along with their siblings, children who receive treatment for injury are at short-term risk for additional injury. Children in single-parent households, in families who receive public assistance, and those with posttraumatic stress disorder arousal symptoms 1 month after injury to themselves or a sibling are at highest risk. These associations could be used to develop interventions to identify and support families through periods of high injury risk.
Characterization and solubilization of membrane bound diacylglycerol lipases from bovine brain.

Abstract 1. 1. Bovine brain contains two diacylglycerol lipases. One is localized in purified microsomes and the other is found in the plasma membrane fraction. 2. 2. The microsomal enzyme is markedly stimulated by the non-ionic detergent, Triton X-100, and Ca 2+ , whereas the plasma membrane diacylglycerol lipase is strongly inhibited by Triton X-100 and Ca 2+ has no effect on its enzymic activity. 3. 3. Both enzymes were solubilized using 0.25% Triton X-100. The solubilized enzymes followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. 4. 4. The apparent K m values for microsomal and plasma membrane enzymes are 30.5 and 12.0 μM respectively. 5. 5. Both lipases are strongly inhibited by RHC 80267, with K i values for microsomal and plasma membrane diacylglycerol lipases of 70 and 43 μM, respectively. 6. 6. The retention fo microsomal diacylglycerol lipase on a concanavalin A-Sepharose column and its elution by methyl α- d -mannoside indicates the glycoprotein nature of enzyme.
Endogenous division rules as a family constitution: strategic altruistic transfers and sibling competition

Based on the notions of parental altruism, sibling competition, and family constitution, we present a self-enforcing model where heterogeneous children have economic incentives to supply family-specific merit goods (e.g., companionship) to their parents for securing inheritable wealth and the altruistic parents decide on division rules according to an optimizing behavior. In our analysis of intergenerational cooperation and intragenerational competition, the altruistic parents care about the efficiency of the children-provided merit goods and the equity of the children’s incomes. For an optimal allocation of wealth, the parents strategically partition it into two pools: one to be distributed equally whereas the other unequally according to their children’s supply of merit goods. We look at motivation of the parents in allocating their wealth to the two different pools. The analysis of endogenous division rules has implications for the compatibility between equal postmortem transfers and unequal inter vivos gifts, both of which are consistent with parental altruism.
Coatings In Space Environment

The behavior in space environment of evaporated Al uncoated and coated with reactively deposited silicon oxide (SiOx), electron beam evaporated SiO2 and Al2O3, and Al and Ag coated with double layers of Al2O3 + SiOx is compared with metallized Teflon and Kapton, anodized Al (Alzak), and white paints. Flight data from three calorimetric experiments and one reflectometer flown in different orbital environments are compared with laboratory test data. The results demonstrate that evaporated thin films are extremely versatile and stable coatings for space applications. Through the use of control samples studied in different laboratory tests and monitored for up to 12,000 hours of solar exposure in different orbits, a classification of orbital severity and an estimate of laboratory simulation accuracy is obtained.
Synthesis of an Estrogen Receptor β-Selective Radioligand: 5-[18F]Fluoro-(2R*,3S*)-2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pentanenitrile and Comparison of in Vivo Distribution with 16α-[18F]Fluoro-17β-estradiol

Estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta), a less active ER subtype that appears to have a restraining effect on the more active ERalpha, could be a factor that determines the level of estrogen action in certain estrogen target tissues. ERbeta is found in breast cancer, and its levels relative to ERalpha decline with disease progression. Thus, the independent quantification of ERalpha and ERbeta levels in breast cancer by imaging might be predictive of responses to different hormone therapies. To develop an imaging agent for ERbeta, we synthesized a fluoroethyl analogue of DPN (2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanonitrile), a known ERbeta-selective ligand. This analogue, FEDPN (5-fluoro-(2R,3S)-2,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)pentanenitrile), has an 8.3-fold absolute affinity preference for ERbeta. [18F]Fluoride-labeled FEDPN was prepared from a toluenesulfonate precursor, which provided [18F]FEDPN with a specific activity greater than 3100 Ci/mmol after HPLC purification. Biodistribution studies in immature female rats using estradiol as a blocking agent revealed specific uptake of [18F]FEDPN in the uterus and ovaries. Experiments using ERalpha- and ERbeta-knockout mice demonstrated the expected ERalpha-subtype dependence in the tissue uptake of the known 16alpha-[18F]fluoro-17beta-estradiol ([18F]FES), which has a 6.3-fold preference for ERalpha. The tissue uptake of [18F]FEDPN in the ER knockout mice showed some evidence of mediation by ERbeta, but the levels of specific uptake of this agent were relatively modest. Based on our results, imaging of ERalpha can be done effectively with [18F]FES, but imaging of ERbeta will likely require agents with more optimized ERbeta binding affinity and selectivity than [18F]FEDNP.
The End of the Message--Another Link Between Yeast and Mammals

Three reports in this week9s issue (p. 1511, p. 1514, and p. 1517) demonstrate that subunits of a protein factor that controls addition of the polyadenylated 3 9 tail to messenger RNA are conserved between yeast and mammals. In his Perspective, Manley describes what we know of the conservation of sequence signals for polyadenylation as well as of protein factors between yeast and mammals.
Oxygen (O 2 ) consumption as measure of cell number in intrauterine growth failure (IUGF)

O2-cons. in the basal state is a measure of the metabolically active tissue mass and, as such, may reflect cell number rather than cell mass. This was tested by comparing conditions which have a different ratio between cell number and cell mass (CNo). 24 patients with IUGF and persistent linear growth failure after birth (PIUGF) were assumed to have a low CNo. 31 patients with growth failure of postnatal onset due to undernutrition, group A, were assumed to have a higher CNo than PIUGF because undernutrition in not rapidly multiplying tissues decreases cell size. 24 patients with growth failure of postnatal onset and congenital anomalies were placed in group B, with unkown relative CNo. Age were 4/12–10 years and height ages <3 years. 37 normal control were <3 years old. O2-cons. for age and height age was significantly lower in PIUGF than all other groups. O2-cons. of groups A and B was not different, i.e. significantly lower than the normal for age and similar to the normal for height age. O2-cons. per body weight was normal in PIUGF and elevated in groups A and B. O2-cons. per weight predicted from height was negatively related to height in per cent of the normal height for age. The regression for PPIUGF was significantly lower than in group A and B. A good correlation was evident only in group A (r = .723). This suggests an increase in metabolically active tissue with increasing degrees of linear growth failure due to undernutrition, which compatible with the known effect of chronic undernutrition on cell size. In concluding therefore that changes in CNo were responsible for this observation, it is suggested that the lower patients with persistent growth failure after birth we apparently singled out cases with “hypoplastic” IUGF.
Electrochemical examination of unusual properties of spectroscopic graphite electrodes

Abstract Spectroscopic graphite has several features that make it attractive as a substrate material for the construction of polymer-modified electrodes. In particular, its high porosity aids in the adhesion of highly swollen polymer films used as electrode coatings. The voltammetry of various organic compounds is demonstrated to be as well-behaved as that reported for activated forms of glassy carbon. The high background charge observed at these graphite electrodes, however, obeys an apparent t 1 2 relationship, making conventional means of background compensation inadequate. Electrode areas determined at neutral pH in KCl + phosphate and nitrate media appear to be reasonably consistent, but values obtained in extremely alkaline media (1 M KOH) are consistently low. An apparent surface CE mechanism is noted as a possible explanation for this unusual behavior.
Regulation of thrombospondin secretion by cells in culture

Thrombospondin (TS), a 450,000 molecular weight glycoprotein, is released from alpha-granules of thrombin-activated platelets and is secreted and incorporated into the extracellular matrix by several cell types in culture. We have examined the effects of cell density and transformation on the production of TS in cell culture. The levels of TS, per cell, in the culture medium of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts were greater at lower cell densities; in fibroblasts the levels of two other extracellular matrix proteins, fibronectin and collagen, were unaffected by cell density. Our evidence indicates that the higher levels of TS in the culture medium, determined for lower-density cells, were achieved by an increased secretion of the protein rather than by a reduction in degradation or incorporation into the extracellular matrix. TS production by normal and transformed WI-38 fibroblasts was the same, although the fibronectin level in the culture medium of the transformed cells was substantially decreased. These findings suggest that the production of TS by cells in culture is regulated in a different fashion from that of fibronectin or collagen.
HD 105262, A NEWLY-DISCOVERED HR 4049 STAR WITH A LARGE PROPER MOTION

HD 105262 has a spectrum like that of HR 4049 in having Balmer liens as in a Ib supergiant but very weak lines due to He I, Ca II, Si II, Ti II, fe I, Fe II, and Mg II. It has a published proper motion of 0.057" ± 0.011" yr-1. If the star had the luminosity of a Ib supergiant, its space motion would be several times the escape velocity from the Galaxy. HD 105262 does not have the spectral appearance of a horizontal-branch or post AGB star. The most likely explanation for the spectrum is the model proposed for HR 4049 by Lamers et al. (1986), Waelkens et al. (1987), and Lambert et al. (1988), namely a low-mass proto-planetary nebula star in which the narrow Balmer lines are formed in an extended atmosphere.
“Little Italian Slaves”: Lessons Learned from the Padrone Boys

Whenever I teach child development, I begin the class with this question: ‘‘Based on various indicators of quality of life, are children today better off, about the same, worse off, or much worse off than they were previously?’’ Most education majors are convinced that circumstances for the very young are ‘‘worse’’ or even ‘‘much worse’’ than in bygone eras. To support this position, preservice and inservice educators point to highly publicized accounts of child maltreatment in the media. I then share over a hundred images of children in art across the ages, from antiquity to the 1900s—an idea I got from a conference presentation by early childhood educator Bettye Caldwell many years ago. This PowerPoint slide show of children depicted in art is combined with information gleaned from other history books that focus on children (DeMause 1974; Osborne 1980; Lascarides & Hinitz 2000; Wortham 1992), art books, and art prints available online. College students usually are surprised to learn that, from the mid-1800s and continuing up into the early twentieth century, large numbers of children were brought to the United States to become, at best, indentured servants or, at worst, slaves, Education majors find this fact surprising for at least three reasons. First of all, this situation occurred after the Civil War and after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted to abolish slavery. Secondly, college students have not heard about this before in any of their history books or their study of childhood. Third, the slaves in this scenario were Caucasian; primarily Italian and Greek children whose parents were living in rural areas and in poverty (Iorizzo 1980).
Evaluation of two arthropod vectors as inoculators of developing maize ears with Aspergillus flavus.

The wheat curl mite, Eriophyes tulipae (Kifer), and the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky), were evaluated as potential vectors of Aspergillus flavus Link ex Fries for use in the screening of maize ( Zea mays L.) cultivars for genetic resistance to A. flavus . The mite did not effectively vector A. flavus spores into the kernel. The maize weevil (dusted with A. flavus spores), however, can be an effective vector of this pathogen in areas such as Missouri where natural levels of infection are erratic.
Thoughts on university computer curricula

The forms of computer programs that might be found at a university are discussed. The idea is established that computer curricula at a university should reflect the extent and depth of computer use in society. That extent and depth is great and pervades most every area of life. Similarly, computer curricula, programs and courses at universities should exist and florish in all disciplines and not be restricted to residency in just one or two in the names of efficiency and/or required special expertise.
Sodium Channel β1 Subunit-mediated Modulation of Nav1.2 Currents and Cell Surface Density Is Dependent on Interactions with Contactin and Ankyrin

Voltage-gated sodium channels are composed of a pore-forming α subunit and at least one auxiliary β subunit. Both β1 and β2 are cell adhesion molecules that interact homophilically, resulting in ankyrin recruitment. In contrast, β1, but not β2, interacts heterophilically with contactin, resulting in increased levels of cell surface sodium channels. We took advantage of these results to investigate the molecular basis of β1-mediated enhancement of sodium channel cell surface density, including elucidating structure-function relationships for β1 association with contactin, ankyrin, and Nav1.2. β1/β2 subunit chimeras were used to assign putative sites of contactin interaction to two regions of the β1 Ig loop. Recent studies have shown that glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins containing portions of Nav1.2 intracellular domains interact directly with ankyrinG. We show that native Nav1.2 associates with ankyrinG in cells in the absence of β subunits and that this interaction is enhanced in the presence of β1 but not β1Y181E, a mutant that does not interact with ankyrinG. β1Y181E does not modulate Nav1.2 channel function despite efficient association with Nav1.2 and contactin. β1Y181E increases Nav1.2 cell surface expression, but not as efficiently as wild type β1. β1/β2 chimeras exchanging various regions of the β1 Ig loop were all ineffective in increasing Nav1.2 cell surface density. Our results demonstrate that full-length β1 is required for channel modulation and enhancement of sodium channel cell surface expression.
FOCU:S - future operator control unit: soldier

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory's (ARL) Computational and Information Sciences Directorate (CISD) has long been involved in autonomous asset control, specifically as it relates to small robots. Over the past year, CISD has been making strides in the implementation of three areas of small robot autonomy, namely platform autonomy, Soldier-robot interface, and tactical behaviors. It is CISD's belief that these three areas must be considered as a whole in order to provide Soldiers with useful capabilities. In addressing the Soldier-robot interface aspect, CISD has begun development on a unique dismounted controller called the Future Operator Control Unit: Soldier (FOCU:S) that is based on an Apple iPod Touch. The iPod Touch's small form factor, unique touch-screen input device, and the presence of general purpose computing applications such as a web browser combine to give this device the potential to be a disruptive technology. Setting CISD's implementation apart from other similar iPod or iPhone-based devices is the ARL software that allows multiple robotic platforms to be controlled from a single OCU. The FOCU:S uses the same Agile Computing Infrastructure (ACI) that all other assets in the ARL robotic control system use, enabling automated asset discovery on any type of network. Further, a custom ad hoc routing implementation allows the FOCU:S to communicate with the ARL ad hoc communications system and enables it to extend the range of the network. This paper will briefly describe the current robotic control architecture employed by ARL and provide short descriptions of existing capabilities. Further, the paper will discuss FOCU:S specific software developed for the iPod Touch, including unique capabilities enabled by the device's unique hardware.
Reductive dehalogenation of tetrachloroethylene by microorganisms: current knowledge and application strategies

Reductive anaerobic dehalogenation is a useful method for remediation of sites contaminated by chlorinated ethylenes, where hydrogen concentration plays the key role. Under anaerobic conditions, dehalogenating bacteria compete best against methanogenic consortia when the hydrogen level is low; and methanogenic consortia outplay dehalogenating bacteria when the hydrogen level is high. Thus, in an anaerobic mixed culture, efficient use of hydrogen for dehalogenation can be achieved by strategies that maintain hydrogen at a certain low concentration. However, due to the role of acetate, expected dehalogenating results cannot be obtained and unexpected methane formation can be encountered in practice.
Migration of Alder Flycatchers (Empidonax alnorum) and Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii) through the Tuxtla Mountains, Veracruz, Mexico, and the Identification of Migrant Flycatchers in Collections

ABSTRACT We sequenced a diagnostic fragment of the mitochondrial Cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene in 144 flycatchers, identified only as “Traill's flycatchers,” which were collected during spring and fall migration of 1973 and 1974 in the Tuxtla Mountains, Veracruz, Mexico. We found 135 E. alnorum, 3 E. traillii, 3 E. virescens, and 3 that did not match any known Empidonax sequence. Thus, E. traillii is an infrequent migrant in spring and fall in northern Veracruz, and instead likely passes along the southern part of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as other studies have found. We also sequenced Cyt b mitochondrial DNA from toe pads of study skins of these species. Of 11 identified on the label as E. alnorum, one was E. traillii whereas the rest were E. alnorum. Of 16 specimens identified on the label as E. traillii, only one was actually this species; fourteen were E. alnorum and one was an E. virescens. Thus, we suggest that the species identification of specimens labeled as E. alnorum and E. traillii taken during m...
Consistent balanced models in bounded and periodic domains

Abstract An analysis is made of a family of balanced models which are intermediate in physical content and complexity between the primitive equations and quasigeostrophy. The family is based on the linear balance equations and balance equations, and is characterized by truncations of the full vorticity and divergence equations that retain a global energy invariant. Consistent initial boundary value problems for this family of models are derived, and various aspects of numerical balanced model design are discussed.
An Evaluation of the Relationship Between Family Bonding Characteristics and Adolescent Alcohol Use

ABSTRACT Adolescent alcohol use continues to be a major social problem in our country. Recent researchers have identified social/ family bonding as a potential protective factor against adolescent problem behaviors. In the present study, the relationship between social bonding characteristics and alcohol use is examined in over 700 young adolescent boys and girls. In an open-ended format, participating students described their current and previous family structures, and degree of current family conflict and cohesion. Further, they described their general use of alcohol as well as specific situations in which they decided not to drink alcohol despite the opportunity to do so. Based on regression analyses, family variables and student decision-making rationale are related to adolescent alcohol use but the predictive factors vary by gender of the participant.
The Use of Visual Prompts to Increase the Cleanliness of Restrooms on a College Campus.

Prompting procedures have been used in community settings to change many public health related behaviors. The current study took place on a college campus and used a multiple baseline across settings design to evaluate the effectiveness of visual prompts to decrease urinal splatter on men's restroom floors. Results indicate that prompts were immediately effective, and effectiveness was maintained during follow-up four months later. Findings suggest research in community settings should investigate long-term maintenance of prompts to increase the generalization of behavior analytic interventions.
On bipartite restrictions of binary matroids

In a 1965 paper, Erd?s remarked that a graph G has a bipartite subgraph that has at least half as many edges as G . The purpose of this note is to prove a matroid analogue of Erd?s's original observation. It follows from this matroid result that every loopless binary matroid has a restriction that uses more than half of its elements and has no odd circuits; and, for 2 ? k ? 5 , every bridgeless graph G has a subgraph that has a nowhere-zero k -flow and has more than k - 1 k | E ( G ) | edges.
Promotion Dynamics the Peter Principle: Incumbents vs. External Hires

Abstract The “Peter Principle” (Peter and Hull, 1969; Fairburn and Malcomson, 2001; Lazear, 2004) suggests that individuals are “promoted to their level of incompetence”. A corollary of the “Peter Principle” prediction is that external hires should have an advantage when competing with incumbents for a higher position. Using five years of personnel records from a single large U.S. corporation, this paper contributes to the literature on internal labor markets and intra-firm job mobility by testing this prediction for career advancement. Results support the idea of differences in promotion dynamics among incumbents and external hires, since past career advancement within the firm result in a lower probability of subsequent promotion, even after controlling for workers' heterogeneity and tenure on the current job. The advantage for external hires does not hold once other job changes (lateral transfers, task reorganizations) are considered, highlighting that promotions are a very different job placement mechanism than transfers. Overall, the evidence points out towards declining performance following promotion, as opposed to alternative competing hypothesis of probation placement or “handicapping” external candidates.
Periodic Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation with Application to Photonic Crystals

We present some results on existence of nontrivial solutions of periodic stationary nonlinear Schrodinger equations. We also sketch an application to nonlinear optics and discuss some open problems.
The Globe Encircled and the World Revealed

Contents: Introduction Part I: On the way to the East- Portuguese communication with Africans on the searoute to India, Jeanne Hein Wishes and facts - the evaluation of Columbusa (TM) a "Indiaa (TM) project by Portuguese and Spanish cosmographers in the light of the geographic science of the time, W. G. L. Randles In search of meaning - the certainty of Columbus: some recent studies, John Larner Significance of interpretation- the meaning of a "discoverya (TM) in the 15th and 16th centuries, Wilcomb E. Washburn Part II: Key to the terraquaeus globe -"the strait that shall forever bear his name": Octobera "November 1520, Samuel Eliot Morison Marinera (TM)s world - seamen ashore and afloat: the social environment of the Carreira da India,1550a "1750, A. J. R. Russell-Wood Arrival and conflict - conquest and so-called conquest in Spain and Spanish America, Charles Gibson Nature responds - America as model: the demographic impact of European expansion upon the non-European world, Woodrow W. Borah Atlantic becomes familiar - generalizations: European source regions, D. W. Meinig Part III: City in Spain - Seville in the 16th century, Ruth Pike City in America - Tenochtitlan: the public image, Inga Clendinnen Mission to save souls - faith and empire: the cross and the crown in Portuguese expansion, 15th to 18th centuries, C. R. Boxer Intent and effect of colonization - a secular sense of responsibility, John H. Parry Instrument for the voiceless - Indian riots and rebellions in colonial central America, 1530a "1720, Murdo J. MacLeod Impact blunted for Europe - Renaissance Europe and America: a blunted impact?, John H. Elliott Index.
LDL-induced cytotoxicity and its inhibition by HDL in human vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in culture.

Abstract Human aortic medial smooth muscle cells (SMC) and umbilical vein endothelial cells (EC) in culture were exposed to various concentrations of plasma low density (LDL) and high density (HDL) lipoproteins prepared from normolipemic donors in order to assess their effects on cell growth. So that the effects of each lipoprotein could be evaluated separately and in combination, lipoproteins were added to culture medium containing lipoprotein deficient serum (LPDS, d > 1.25 g/ml at a protein concentration of 4.5 mg/ml of medium). The addition of LDL at cholesterol concentrations of 160 μg/ml of culture medium, resulted in significant reductions in both the number of SMC and EC cells per dish within 3 days of exposure ( P P This cytotoxic phenomenon was dose-related, and only at LDL cholesterol concentrations equal to or below 50 μ/ml were no marked changes observed. In contrast, HDL at all concentrations tested produced no such deleterious effects. Autoradiographic assessment of DNA synthesis confirmed these findings. After 48 h of continuous exposure to tritiated thymidine, labeling indexes reached much lower plateaus in the LDL-treated groups. The addition of HDL inhibited this LDL-induced cytotoxicity. However, only at a low LDL concentration (100 pg LDL cholesterol/ml of medium) could HDL completely prevent toxicity. At the higher LDL concentration tested (250 μ/ml of medium) the addition of HDL up to an HDL/LDL ratio of unity could not prevent the LDL-induced effects. When LDL was added to lipid depleted serum (LDS at 4.5 mg protein/ml culture medium, prepared by ether extraction of all lipids, with the exception of phospholipids) instead of LPDS, only slight growth inhibition was noted. This suggests that protection against LDL toxicity by HDL (and LDS) may involve protein and phospholipid components.
Homotetrameric Structure of the SNAP-23 N-terminal Coiled-coil Domain

Abstract SNARE proteins mediate intracellular membrane fusion by forming a coiled-coil complex to merge opposing membranes. A “fusion-active” neuronal SNARE complex is a parallel four-helix bundle containing two coiled-coil domains from SNAP-25 and one coiled-coil domain each from syntaxin-1a and VAMP-2. “Prefusion” assembly intermediate complexes can also form from these SNAREs. We studied the N-terminal coiled-coil domain of SNAP-23 (SNAP-23N), a non-neuronal homologue of SNAP-25, and its interaction with other coiled-coil domains. SNAP-23N can assemble spontaneously with the coiled-coil domains from SNAP-23C, syntaxin-4, and VAMP-3 to form a heterotetrameric complex. Unexpectedly, pure SNAP-23N crystallizes as a coiled-coil homotetrameric complex. The four helices have a parallel orientation and are symmetrical about the long axis. The complex is stabilized through the interaction of conserved hydrophobic residues comprising the a and dpositions of the coiled-coil heptad repeats. In addition, a central, highly conserved glutamine residue (Gln-48) is buried within the interface by hydrogen bonding between glutamine side chains derived from adjacent subunits and to solvent molecules. A comparison of the SNAP-23N structure to other SNARE complex structures reveals how a simple coiled-coil motif can form diverse SNARE complexes.
Minimum symbol error probability MIMO design under the per-antenna power constraint

Approximate minimum symbol error probability transceiver design of single user MIMO systems under the practical per-antenna power constraint is considered. The upper bound of a lower bound on the minimum distance between the symbol hypotheses is established. Necessary conditions and structures of the transmit covariance matrix for reaching the upper bound are discussed. Three numerical approaches (rank zero, rank one, and permutation) for obtaining the optimum precoder are proposed. When the upper bound is reached, the resulting design is optimum. When the upper bound is not reached, a numerical fix is used. The approach is very simple and can be of practical use.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: NEW ABILITY OR ECLECTIC TRAITS?

Some individuals have a greater capacity than others to carry out sophisticated information processing about emotions and emotion-relevant stimuli and to use this information as a guide to thinking and behavior. The authors have termed this set of abilities emotional intelligence (EI). Since the introduction of the concept, however, a schism has developed in which some researchers focus on EI as a distinct group of mental abilities, and other researchers instead study an eclectic mix of positive traits such as happiness, self-esteem, and optimism. Clarifying what EI is and is not can help the field by better distinguishing research that is truly pertinent to EI from research that is not. EI--conceptualized as an ability--is an important variable both conceptually and empirically, and it shows incremental validity for predicting socially relevant outcomes.
Optimizing abstaining classifiers using ROC analysis

Classifiers that refrain from classification in certain cases can significantly reduce the misclassification cost. However, the parameters for such abstaining classifiers are often set in a rather ad-hoc manner. We propose a method to optimally build a specific type of abstaining binary classifiers using ROC analysis. These classifiers are built based on optimization criteria in the following three models: cost-based, bounded-abstention and bounded-improvement. We demonstrate the usage and applications of these models to effectively reduce misclassification cost in real classification systems. The method has been validated with a ROC building algorithm and cross-validation on 15 UCI KDD datasets.
Analytical asymptotic structure of the exchange and correlation potentials at a metal surface

Abstract We derive the exact analytical asymptotic structure of the Kohn-Sham theory exchange potential and thereby of the correlation potential at a semi-infinite jellium metal surface. The exchange potential is image-like ( −A x ), where A depends on the Fermi energy and surface barrier height, and is precisely 1 4 for stable jellium.
Dominant-Negative Suppression of HCN1- and HCN2-Encoded Pacemaker Currents by an Engineered HCN1 Construct Insights Into Structure-Function Relationships and Multimerization

I f , a diastolic depolarizing current activated by hyperpolarization, is a key player in cardiac pacing. Despite the fact that I f has been known for over 20 years, the encoding genes, namely HCN1 to 4, have only recently been identified. Functional data imply that different HCN isoforms may coassemble to form heteromeric channel complexes, but little direct evidence is available. Subunit stoichiometry is also unknown. Although the pore region of HCN channels contains the glycine-tyrosine-glycine (GYG) signature motif found in K + -selective channels, they permeate both Na + and K + . In the present study, we probed the functional importance of the GYG selectivity motif in pacemaker channels by replacing this triplet in HCN1 with alanines (GYG 349–351 AAA or HCN1-AAA). HCN1-AAA did not yield functional currents; coexpression of HCN1-AAA with wild-type (WT) HCN1 suppressed normal channel activity in a dominant-negative manner (55.2±3.2%, 68.3±4.3%, 78.7±1.6%, 91.7±0.8%, and 97.9±0.2% current reduction at −140 mV for WT:AAA cRNA ratios of 4:1, 3:1, 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2, respectively) without affecting gating (steady-state activation, activation and deactivation kinetics) or permeation (reversal potential) properties. HCN1-AAA coexpression, however, did not alter the expressed current amplitudes of Kv1.4 and Kv2.1 channels, indicating that its suppressive effect was channel-specific. Statistical analysis reveals that a single HCN channel is composed of 4 monomeric subunits. Interestingly, HCN1-AAA also inhibited HCN2 in a dominant-negative manner with the same efficacy. We conclude that the GYG motif is a critical determinant of ion permeation for HCN channels, and that HCN1 and HCN2 readily coassemble to form heterotetrameric complexes.
Vortex blob methods applied to interfacial motion

We develop a boundary integral method for computing the motion of an interface separating two incompressible, inviscid fluids. The velocity integral is regularized, so that the vortex sheet on the interface is replaced by a sum of "blobs" of vorticity. The regularization allows control of physical instabilities. We design a class of high order blob methods and analyze the errors. Numerical tests suggest that the blob size should be scaled with the local spacing of the interfacial markers. For a vortex sheet in one fluid, with a first-order kernel, we obtain a spiral roll-up similar to Krasny [J. Comput. Phys. 65 (1986) 292], but the higher order kernels lead to more detailed structure. We verify the accuracy of the new method by computing a liquid gas interface with Rayleigh Taylor instability. We then apply the method to the more difficult case of Rayleigh-Taylor flow separating two fluids of positive density, a case for which the regularization appears to be essential, as found by Kerr and Tryggvason [both J. Comput. Phys. 76 (1988) 48; 75 (1988) 253]. We use a "blob" regularization in certain local terms in the evolution equations as well as in the velocity integral. We find strong evidence that improved spatial resolution with fixed blob size leads to a converged, regularized solution without numerical instabilities. However, it is not clear that there is a weak limit as the regularization is decreased.