cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The real effects of financial reporting quality: Agency costs of overvalue equity in takeover market

Does pre-existing financial reporting quality play a role in mitigating market-driven takeover bids and enhancing investment efficiency? An exogenous buying pressure from mutual funds with extreme capital inflows affords us a quasi-experimental setting for testing the real effects of acquirers’ financial reporting quality. We find that financial reporting quality disciplines acquiring firm managers at the front-end of the acquisition process and averts value-destroying takeover stock bids. Our findings suggest that managers discipline themselves and offer takeover bids less frequently as a reaction to equity overvaluation when high-quality financial reporting facilitates an effective board oversight and managers rationally anticipate that the board will reject their market-driven stock bids. If managers inflate earnings proactively to prop up the stock price for their upcoming M&As, we will also observe an inverse relation between financial reporting quality and the likelihood of M&As. Our identification strategy on exogenous equity overvaluation helps in ruling out the reverse causality explanation of our findings. We contribute to the literature by investigating the effects of transparent financial reporting on mitigating managers’ sub-optimal investment decisions and unraveling the mechanisms underlying the real effects of financial reporting quality. Our falsification test result suggests the presence of tensions in our hypothesis.
Serotyping of primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolates from diverse geographic locations by flow cytometry

The immunologic relatedness of the various human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) clades was determined with 13 human anti-HIV-1 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to six immunogenic regions of the HIV-1 structural proteins. The immunoreactivity of the native, oligomeric viral envelope glycoproteins expressed on the surfaces of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected in vitro with primary isolates from clades A through E was determined by flow cytometry. Some epitopes in the immunodominant region of gp41 and the C terminus of gp120 appear to be HIV-1 group specific in that they are expressed on the surfaces of cells in cultures infected with the majority of viruses tested from clades A to E. Epitopes within the V3 region appear to be clade restricted. Surprisingly, one MAb to an epitope in the C terminus of gp120 was entirely clade B specific. Staining with anti-V2 and anti-CD4 binding domain (CD4bd) reagents was infrequently detected. Anti-CD4bd MAbs stained only CD4-negative T cells because the CD4bd of gp120 appeared to be complexed with membrane CD4. When present, the epitopes of V2 and the CD4bd appeared to be expressed on cells infected with various clades. Thus, the results suggest that MAbs to gp41, the C terminus, and the V3 loop of gp120 are most useful in serotyping primary isolates of HIV-1, providing group-specific, clade-restricted, and clade-specific reagents. The use of the immunofluorescent method with the reagents described herein distinguishes infection with clade B from that with all other HIV-1 clades. With additional MAbs, this technique will allow a broadly applicable, reproducible, and practical method for serotyping HIV-1.
A Policy Service for GRID Computing

In a distributed multi-institute environment like the GRID, each participating institute may want to enforce some limits on how its resources are being used by other institutes. We discuss how the concept of resource allocation policies can assist in this task. We then present an architecture for policy based resource management in the case of a single institute, and how a policy server based on GRID concepts can be developed. We then show how to extend the policy server to support virtual organizations.
Double-exposure collector system for solar heating applications

A retrofit solar water-heating system has been installed in a three-story apartment building at Drexel University. The system employs two conventional collector banks mounted at the latitude angle for Philadelphia of 40/sup 0/ from the horizontal and two double-exposure collectors (DEC's) mounted vertically in mirrored enclosures. Although the DEC units are being used for year-round domestic water heating for the building, they are designed to provide maximum output in the winter and are therefore well-suited to solar space heating applications. The performance of the DEC units relative to conventional collectors has been calculated.
Medication-related stressors among family caregivers.

The contribution of medications to stress among family caregivers and the need of caregivers for pharmaceutical care services were studied. Persons in northern Florida who were caring for a family member at home who was at least 55 years of age and routinely took at least one medication were asked if they would consent to an interview. The interview was designed to elicit information about the characteristics of the caregiver and care recipient, stressors stemming directly from the medications (such as adverse effects) and arising from problems in managing the drug regimen (such as compliance), the mediators of medication-related stress (such as services received from the pharmacist), and the outcomes of stress (such as the caregiver's satisfaction with services). A total of 31 caregivers agreed to be interviewed. The mean +/- S.D. ages of caregivers and recipients were 63 +/- 13 and 80 +/- 10 years, respectively. Medication-related tasks accounted for only 7.7% of the total caregiving time. However, medications contributed substantially to caregivers' stress, with 10 caregivers (32%) reporting problems directly related to medications and 6 (19%) and 16 (52%) reporting problems in managing the drug regimen currently or within the past year, respectively. Twenty-two (71%) used the same pharmacy regularly, and 18 (58%) saw the same pharmacist regularly. Twenty-five caregivers talked with others about medication concerns. Of these, 18 (72%) discussed their charge's drug therapy with a physician but only 10 (40%) with a pharmacist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Management of Acute Respiratory Failure in Patients With Hematological Malignancy

Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is the leading cause of intensive care unit admission in patients with hematologic malignancies and is associated with a high mortality. The main causes of ARF are b...
The role of law in promoting women in elite athletics: An examination of four nations

Globally, the participation of women and girls in sport has increased tremendously. Much of this growth has been attributed to relatively recent changes in national and international law, yet few e...
Ca/Sr and 87Sr/86Sr ratios as tracers of Ca and Sr cycling in the Rio Icacos watershed, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico

Abstract We investigated Ca and Sr cycling in a humid tropical forest by analyzing Ca/Sr ratios and 87Sr/86Sr ratios in soil minerals, soil exchangeable cations, soil porewater, and plant roots, wood and leaves, and calculating the relative contributions of Sr from atmospheric inputs and weathering of local bedrock. An unexpectedly large contribution of bedrock-derived Sr and presumably Ca is cycled through the vegetation, reflecting the important role of geological processes in controlling the cycling of base cation nutrients even in a system with intensely weathered soil. This is surprising because over 99% of the Ca and Sr that was originally in the bedrock is leached out of the soil and saprolite during early stages of weathering at this site, and because there are large atmospheric inputs to the site of both sea salt and Saharan dust. Substantial differences in Ca and Sr cycling are seen on small spatial scales between a ridgetop and an adjacent steep hillslope site. Measured Ca/Sr ratios reflect fractionation between these elements during biogeochemical cycling. Fractionation was particularly evident between wood and foliar tissue, but fractionation during soil exchange processes is also likely. In comparing the Ca/Sr ratios of plants, exchangeable cations, and bulk soils, we found that foliar Ca/Sr ratios were greater than exchangeable cation Ca/Sr ratios, which in turn were greater than soil Ca/Sr ratios, similar to patterns observed at other highly weathered tropical sites.
Tailored sutureless meatoplasty: A new technique for correcting meatal stenosis

Abstract Objective Standard practice for meatoplasty includes the use of sutures to evert the mucosa. We present a novel technique that is equivalent to standard meatoplasty without the need for suturing. Materials and methods A retrospective chart review was performed of patients who presented with primary meatal stenosis in 2007–2009. One group underwent a tailored, sutureless meatoplasty performed by one surgeon. The second group underwent a standard meatoplasty with mucosal advancement and suturing of the mucosal edges by another surgeon. Data were collected regarding demographics, presenting symptoms, symptom resolution, and postoperative complications. These were then compared between the two groups. Preoperative and postoperative uroflowmetry data were collected for the sutureless group to demonstrate objective improvement. Results Of 85 patients, aged 2–17 years, 60 underwent the tailored, sutureless procedure while 25 had a standard meatoplasty. The majority of patients presented with a deviated and/or narrowed stream of urine. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in regard to symptom resolution. Uroflowmetry data analyzed for 20 patients in the sutureless group demonstrated a significant improvement in Q max and flow pattern; there was no significant change in % post-void residual. No patient had a complication in either group, or presented with recurrence. Conclusions Tailored sutureless meatoplasty is comparable to meatoplasty with mucosal advancement in resolving symptoms, improving uroflowmetry parameters, and complication rate, but is more efficient and cost effective.
Sampling among haplotype resolutions in a coalescent-based genealogy sampler.

Analysis of the coalescent structure of a population may provide information useful in mapping disease loci. Current coalescent-based genealogy samplers require haplotyped data, but haplotypes are not always available, and it is not practical to sum over all haplotype assignments for large data sets. We describe a method of adding haplotype re-evaluation to the sampler, so that it samples not only among genealogies explaining a given haplotype configuration, but also among different haplotype configurations. Several different haplotype-rearrangement strategies are considered, but the simplest—investing the phase of a single site in a single individual—appears to be the most successful. The straightforward haplotype sampler does not mix well; heating approaches can greatly improve its performance. Genet. Epidemiol. 19(Suppl 1):S15–S21, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Low-Temperature Specific Heat of Ni-Base fcc Solid Solutions with Cu, Zn, Al, Si, and Sb

For Ni-Cu solid solutions around the equiatomic composition the low-temperature specific-heat term linear in temperature was found to contain a magnetic contribution. The measured $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ for these alloys is, therefore, not representative of the electronic specific heat. The presence of magnetic moments in Ni-Cu alloys with Cu contents as high as 0.6 atomic fraction may be concluded from the known magnetic properties, as well as from the low-temperature specific-heat results. The $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ values for the Ni-Zn alloys vary with the electron concentration in a manner analogous to that observed for Ni-Cu alloys, although the available data are much more limited.
On-line identification and control of pneumatic servo drives via a mixed-reality environment

This paper presents a method to identify and control electro-pneumatic servo drives in a real-time environment. Acquiring the system’s transfer function accurately can be difficult for nonlinear systems. This causes a great difficulty in servo-pneumatic system modeling and control. In order to avoid the complexity associated with nonlinear system modeling, a mixed-reality environment (MRE) is employed to identify the transfer function of the system using a recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm based on the auto-regressive moving-average (ARMA) model. On-line system identification can be conducted effectively and efficiently using the proposed method. The advantages of the proposed method include high accuracy in the identified system, low cost, and time reduction in tuning the controller parameters. Furthermore, the proposed method allows for on-line system control using different control schemes. The results obtained from the on-line experimental measured data are used to determine a discrete transfer function of the system. The best performance results are obtained using a fourth-order model with one-step prediction.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of landscape pattern and hydrologic process in watershed systems

Summary Land use change is influenced by spatial and temporal factors that interact with watershed resources. Modeling these changes is critical to evaluate emerging land use patterns and to predict variation in water quantity and quality. The objective of this study is to model the nature and emergence of spatial patterns in land use and water resource impacts using a spatially explicit and dynamic landscape simulation. Temporal changes are predicted using a probabilistic Markovian process and spatial interaction through cellular automation. The MCMC (Monte Carlo Markov Chain) analysis with cellular automation is linked to hydrologic equations to simulate landscape patterns and processes. The spatiotemporal watershed dynamics (SWD) model is applied to a subwatershed in the Blackstone River watershed of Massachusetts to predict potential land use changes and expected runoff and sediment loading. Changes in watershed land use and water resources are evaluated over 100 years at a yearly time step. Results show high potential for rapid urbanization that could result in lowering of groundwater recharge and increased storm water peaks. The watershed faces potential decreases in agricultural and forest area that affect open space and pervious cover of the watershed system. Water quality deteriorated due to increased runoff which can also impact stream morphology. While overland erosion decreased, instream erosion increased from increased runoff from urban areas. Use of urban best management practices (BMPs) in sensitive locations, preventive strategies, and long-term conservation planning will be useful in sustaining the watershed system.
Ternary interactions in a humic acid–Cd–bacteria system

Abstract Humic acid adsorption onto the bacterial surface of Bacillus subtilis was measured with and without Cd, as a function of pH and humic–bacteria–Cd ratios. These experiments tested for the existence of ternary interactions in a bacteria–humic–metal system. We determine both the effects of humic acid on the bacterial adsorption of Cd, as well as the effects of the aqueous metal cation on the bacterial adsorption of humic acid. The presence of Cd does not affect the extent of humic acid adsorption onto the bacterial surface, indicating that there is no competition for sorption sites between humic acid and Cd under the experimental conditions, and that changes in the charging properties of the bacterial surface, as a result of the Cd adsorption, are not significant enough to affect humic acid adsorption. The presence of humic acid does diminish Cd adsorption onto the bacterial surface, suggesting the presence of an aqueous Cd–humate complex under mid to high pH conditions. However, we also observe that the solubility of humic acid is unaffected by the presence of aqueous Cd. This apparently inconsistent behavior of an aqueous Cd–humate complex affecting Cd adsorption but not affecting humic acid solubility is not observed with simpler ionizable organic molecules. We propose that the solubility of humic acid is controlled by the solubility of a less soluble fraction of the acid. Cd forms an aqueous complex with the more soluble fraction of humic acid and there is no interdependence between the aqueous activities of the more and less soluble fractions. That is, the solubility of one humic acid fraction is unaffected by the presence of an aqueous Cd–humate complex involving another humic acid fraction. These experimental results constrain the relative importance of surface ternary and aqueous metal–humate complexes on the bacterial adsorption of both humic acid and metal cations.
A DIFFERENTIAL WORD USE MEASURE FOR CONTENT ANALYSIS IN AUTOMATED ESSAY SCORING

This paper proposes an alternative content measure for essay scoring, based on the difference in the relative frequency of a word in high-scored versus low-scored essays. The differential word use (DWU) measure is the average of these differences across all words in the essay. A positive value indicates the essay is using vocabulary more typical of high-scoring essays in this task, and vice versa. In addition to the traditional prompt level, this measure is also computed at the generic task level, where the content of an essay is evaluated in the context of the general vocabulary of the writing task (e.g., GRE® issue), across different prompts. Evaluation results across four GRE and TOEFL® tasks are presented. Factor analyses show that both the prompt and task DWU measures load on the same factor as the prompt-specific content analysis measures of e-rater®. Regression results on the human essay scores show that the generic task DWU measure is a strong predictor of human scores, second only to essay length among noncontent e-rater features. This measure provides a way to conduct a task-level content analysis that is related to the prompt-specific content analysis of e-rater but does not require prompt-specific training. Regression results for the prompt-level DWU show that it can be used as a replacement to prompt-specific content-vector analysis (CVA) features.
Nucleus accumbens dopamine depletions alter relative response allocation in a T-maze cost/benefit task

This experiment was conducted to study the role of nucleus accumbens dopamine in the performance of a novel T-maze cost/benefit procedure. Rats were trained on a T-maze task for food reinforcement. Under one of the test conditions, one arm of the maze contained a high reinforcement density (4 x 45 mg Bioserve pellets) and the other arm contained a low reinforcement density (2 x 45 mg pellets). A large vertical barrier (44 cm) was placed in the arm that contained the high density of food reinforcement. In the second test condition, a separate group of rats was trained in the same T-maze, in which there were 4 food pellets in the arm that was obstructed by the barrier, yet there were no food pellets in the unobstructed arm. After training rats received intra-accumbens of injections 6-hydroxydopamine or ascorbate vehicle. Nucleus accumbens dopamine depletions substantially decreased the number of selections of the obstructed arm with the high reinforcement density when the unobstructed arm also contained 2 food pellets. Dopamine-depleted rats in this condition showed increased selection of the no-barrier arm as well as decreased entry into the arm that contained the barrier. These effects persisted throughout the 3 weeks of post-surgical testing. Nevertheless, when the unobstructed arm contained no food pellets, and the only way to obtain food was to climb the barrier, rats with nucleus accumbens dopamine depletions showed only a modest effect on selections of the obstructed arm, which recovered by the second week of testing. Dopamine-depleted rats that were tested with food in the unobstructed arm showed significantly fewer barrier crossings than dopamine-depleted rats that were tested with no food in the unobstructed arm. Thus, the present findings are not consistent with the notion that nucleus accumbens dopamine depletion rendered the animals unable to climb the barrier, or set an absolute ceiling on the number of barrier crossings the animals could perform. Instead, the present results indicate that nucleus accumbens dopamine depletions affected the relative allocation of barrier climbing responses if alternative food sources were available.
Airways hyper‐responsiveness to bradykinin and methacholine: effects of inhaled fluticasone

Summary Background Although inhaled corticosteroids are the most effective anti-inflammatory agents available for the treatment of asthma, they have, at best, only modest effects on airways responsiveness to methacholine. Thus, hyper-responsiveness to methacholine is a relatively insensitive monitor of the effectiveness of glucocorticoids in asthmatic subjects. Objective The study aimed to determine if airways hyper-responsiveness to bradykinin provides a more sensitive index of glucocorticoid responsiveness in asthmatic subjects than does hyper-responsiveness to methacholine. Methods A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study comparing the effects of inhaled fluticasone (220 µg twice daily) on responsiveness to the two stimuli in asthmatic subjects who had never previously received corticosteroid therapy. Drug (n = 13) or placebo (n = 12) were administered for 16 weeks. Responsiveness to bradykinin and methacholine was determined at baseline and at 4 week intervals. Results Placebo did not alter responsiveness to either stimulus compared to baseline. Fluticasone treatment significantly reduced responsiveness to bradykinin (P < 0.001 by Friedman anova) and methacholine (P = 0.02), but changes in responsiveness to bradykinin were significantly greater than those in methacholine responsiveness (P = 0.002). Bradykinin responsiveness was decreased at all treatment times compared to baseline, while methacholine responsiveness was not decreased until 8 weeks of therapy. When data were analyzed as changes from baseline (ΔLog PD20), ΔLog PD20 for methacholine was not different at any time-point between the two treatment groups. By contrast, ΔLog PD20 for bradykinin was significantly greater in patients receiving fluticasone compared to those on placebo at all but the 16-week treatment time. Ten of 13 subjects receiving fluticasone failed, on at least one post-treatment visit, to show a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume (FEV1), even at the highest dose of bradykinin. Conclusions Airways responsiveness to bradykinin is more profoundly, and more rapidly, reduced by inhaled glucocorticoids than is responsiveness to methacholine. Airways hyper-responsiveness to bradykinin provides a convenient and sensitive monitor of glucocorticoid responsiveness in asthma.
Moral distress and prospects for closure.

Autumn Fiester (2015) argues that when an ethics consult simply issues a recommendation it may leave a vacuum then filled by moral distress or moral emotion. “Assisted conversation”—a dialogue-focu...
Configuration management for multi-agent systems

As heterogeneous distributed systems, multi-agent systems present some challenging configuration management issues. There are the problems of knowing how to allocate agents to computers, launch them on remote hosts, and once the agents have been launched, how to monitor their runtime status so as to manage computing resources effectively.In this paper, we present the RETSINA Configuration Manager, \emph{RECoMa}. We describe its architecture, how it uses agent infrastructure such as service discovery, to assist the multi-agent system administrator in allocating, launching, and monitoring a heterogeneous distributed agent system in a distributed and networked computing environment.\footnote{The authors would like to acknowledge the significant contributions of Matthew W. Easterday in his earlier and exhaustive implementations of configuration management programs and CM design proposals. This research has been sponsored in part by DARPA Grant F-30602-98-2-0138 and the Office of Naval Research Grant N-00014-96-16-1-1222.}
Minocycline affects microglia activation, Aβ deposition, and behavior in APP-tg mice

Activated microglia and reactive astrocytes invade and surround cerebral beta amyloid (Abeta) plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the role of microglia in plaque development is still unclear. In this study, minocycline was administered for 3 months, prior to and early in Abeta plaque formation in amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice (APP-tg). When minocycline was given to younger mice, there was a small but significant increase in Abeta deposition in the hippocampus, concurrent with improved cognitive performance relative to vehicle treated mice. If APP-tg mice received minocycline after Abeta deposition had begun, microglial activation was suppressed but this did not affect Abeta deposition or improve cognitive performance. In vitro studies demonstrated that minocycline suppressed microglial production of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF, and NGF. Thus, minocycline has different effects on Abeta plaque deposition and microglia activation depending on the age of administration. Our data suggest that this may be due to the effects of minocycline on microglial function. Therefore, anti-inflammatory therapies to suppress microglial activation or function may reduce cytokine production but enhance Abeta plaque formation early in AD.
Quinone and hydrocarbon production in the defensive glands of Eleodes longicollis and Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)

Abstract The defensive glands of tenebrionid beetles produce a mixture of benzoquinones and hydrocarbons. These reactive toxicants are manufactured within a complex morphological system, consisting of secretory cells, secretory vesicles within these cells, and cuticular organelles and tubules which carry the products to the gland reservoir. Histochemical and thin-layer chromatographic techniques were employed to follow the process of toxicant production within these cells. Chromatographic evidence indicated the presence of both p -diphenols and their glucosides in extracts of the secretory cells, which suggested that quinones are generated from phenol glucosides by hydrolysis and subsequent oxidation. Histochemical tests demonstrated concentrations of phenolic materials in the cytoplasm of one cell, type 2a, and on the basis of their sensitivity to emulsin, it was concluded that these are phenol glucosides. Glucosidase activity, as shown by a modified bromonaphthol-glucoside technique, was associated with the margins of the vesicle in the same cell type. The cuticular organelle, within this vesicle, yielded positive reactions for a phenolase both with dopa and with N-phenyl- p -phenylene diamine as substrates. Along the efferent tubule which runs from this organelle to the gland reservoir, a haemoprotein peroxidase was detected by the benzidine peroxidase test. Each of these steps in quinone production was associated with a particular morphological compartment, and it is apparent that the cytoplasm of the secretory cell is never exposed to the toxic product of the secretory unit. Lipid reserves, which are possible precursors of the hydrocarbon components in the secretory end-products, were found in all secretory cells. However, the densest deposits were concentrated in the type 1 units, and in these units, a paraoxon-resistant carboxylic esterase was demonstrated with indoxyl substrate, along the margins of and within the secretory vesicle. Deposits of unsaturated lipids were detected in the cuticular organelle of this vesicle.
On Failure Mechanisms in Flip Chip Assembly—Part 1: Short-Time Scale Wave Motion

The demand for higher clock speed and larger current magnitude in high-performance flip chip packaging configurations of small footprint has raised the concern over rapid thermal transients and large thermal spatial gradients that could severely compromise package performance. This paper explores coupled electrical-thermal-mechanical multiphysics to evaluate the concern and to establish the knowledge base necessary for improving flip chip reliability. It is found that within the first few hundreds of nanoseconds after power-on, there are fast-attenuating, dispersive stress waves of extremely high frequency propagating in the package. The concepts of high cycle fatigue, power density, and joint time-frequency analysis are employed to characterize the waves along with the various damage modes resulting from the propagation of these short-lived dynamical disturbances in bulk materials and along bimaterial interfaces. A qualitative measure for failure is developed to evaluate the extent of damage inflicted by short-time wave motion. Damages identified in this study are in agreement with physical failure modes commonly seen in industry, thus implying that micron scale cracks or interfacial adhesion flaws initiated at the short-time scale would be further propagated by the coefficient of thermal expansion induced thermal stresses at the long-time scale and result in eventual electrical disruptions.
EMC robust analog output driver for automotive applications

This paper describes an analog output stage of a combined high side — low side driver suitable for automotive environment. Design of the driver was dictated by the environment — high electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements, low susceptibility, robustness of the driver to transient overvoltage pulses and mis-wiring. The driver has also to fulfill safety requirements. In case of failure conditions like a missing ground or supply connection the output of the driver goes into diagnostic position.
Colors Produced by Reflection at Grazing Incidence from Rough Surfaces

Using a precision spectrometer with a photomultiplier attached to its telescope, the specular reflection of light from various rough surfaces was measured at angles of incidence in the region 80° to 89°. Seven interference filters were used to isolate spectral bands covering the visible spectrum. From the measured values of reflectance the chromaticity of the specularly reflected light was computed, assuming CIE source “A” for the incident light. It was found that at all angles the resulting colors lay in a narrow region near the Planckian locus, being more reddish than the incident light. The maximum redness was found at an angle where the specular reflectance had already become small. It is shown to be likely that if the specularly reflected light could be isolated the surface would form an accurate means of reducing color temperature.
MC-Live: A Portable Computing Environment for Computer Science Students

Computer Science departments have special requirements for their computing environments, distinct from the "normal" requirements of most other departments. However, shrinking budgets and other factors make it difficult for many of us to provide an adequate computing environment for our students, above and beyond the generic support provided by our school's computing services division. This paper describes the use of bootable, "live" USB keys to provide students with a standard, portable environment that they can use on their own computers as well as in our labs.
Convulsive thresholds and severity and the anticonvulsant effect of phenobarbital and phenytoin in adult rats administered 6-hydroxydopamine or 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine during postnatal development

Rats were administered intracisternal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) within the first three postnatal days, at several ages centered on the third postnatal week or on postnatal day 180. When the rats were 210-days-old, maximal electroshock convulsive thresholds and responses and the anticonvulsant effect of phenobarbital and phenytoin were determined. All 5,7-DHT treatments resulted in an approximate 21% decrease in the tonic convulsive threshold and increased the incidence of tonic hindlimb extension (HLE). Only the 5,7-DHT treatment at 180 days was associated with a more severe HLE response (shortened onset and prolonged duration). All neonatal 6-OHDA treatments were associated with no change in the tonic threshold, but increased the incidence and severity of HLE. The latter effect depended on the postnatal age of 6-OHDA-treatment: treatment at postnatal days 14 and 15 resulted in the greatest increase in severity (52% decrease in onset and 48% increase in duration). The 6-OHDA treatment to 180-day-old rats increased the incidence and duration of HLE but had no influence on the tonic threshold or onset of extension. The effectiveness of both phenobarbital and phenytoin to block HLE was variably decreased by all neurotoxin treatments. The results suggest that interference with the postnatal maturation of monoaminergic influences on seizure processes can have a long-lasting influence on the ability of the brain to limit the generation and spread of seizure activity and on the effectiveness of anticonvulsant drugs.
Acetaldehyde-Mediated Neurotoxicity: Relevance to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Ethanol-induced neuro-developmental abnormalities are associated with impaired insulin and IGF signaling, and increased oxidative stress in CNS neurons. We examined the roles of ethanol and its principal toxic metabolite, acetaldehyde, as mediators of impaired insulin/IGF signaling and oxidative injury in immature cerebellar neurons. Cultures were exposed to 3.5 mM acetaldehyde or 50 mM ethanol ± 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP), an inhibitor of ethanol metabolism, and viability, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, DNA damage, and insulin responsiveness were measured 48 hours later. Acetaldehyde or ethanol increased neuronal death and levels of 8-OHdG and 4-HNE, and reduced mitochondrial function. Ethanol inhibited insulin responsiveness, whereas acetaldehyde did not. 4-MP abated ethanol-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, but failed to restore insulin responsiveness. Furthermore, alcohol and aldehyde metabolizing enzyme genes were inhibited by prenatal ethanol exposure; this effect was mediated by acetaldehyde and not ethanol + 4MP. These findings suggest that brain insulin resistance in prenatal alcohol exposure is caused by direct effects of ethanol, whereas oxidative stress induced neuronal injury is likely mediated by ethanol and its toxic metabolites. Moreover, the adverse effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on brain development may be exacerbated by down-regulation of genes needed for metabolism and detoxification of alcohol in the brain.
An algorithm for identifying Morishima and anti-Morishima matrices and balanced digraphs

Abstract We present an algorithm for identifying Morishima and anti-Morishima matrices. Since Morishima matrices have signed diagraphs that are balanced, our algorithm also identifies such diagraphs. We actually work with a signed graph and our algorithm is a depth first traversal with certain markers added to keep track of parsing of nodes and signs of edges. The algorithm is of course, linear in the amount of input.
Crack Velocity Dependence of Electron Emission During Fracture of Filled Elastomers.

Abstract : We examine the electron emission accompanying the fracture of filled elastomers, which in previous work we have shown to be intense and due predominately to interfacial failure. In this study we show that there is a strong velocity dependence on the rate of electron emission during the propagation of a crack in filled silicon rubber and polybutadiene filled with glass beads. We propose that the concentration of free radicals produced by crack propagation increases rapidly with crack velocity which in turn produces more intense electron emission by a chemi-emission mechanism. (Author)
Increase in atmospheric CHF2Cl (HCFC-22) over southern California from 1985 to 1990

Column densities of CHF2Cl (HCFC-22) have been measured over Table Mountain Facility (TMF), Wrightwood, California (34.4 deg N) using the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. Between October 1985 and July 1990, the exponential column increase rate was (6.7 +/- 0.5)%/yr. Additionally, column measurements of CHF2Cl over McMurdo Sound, Antarctica (78 deg S) in September and October 1986 by the MarkIV FTIR spectrometer were used to derive a south-north interhemispheric ratio of (0.86 +/- 0.08). Model calculations investigated the feasibility of using CHF2Cl column measurements with a predicted global OH field to determine a globally averaged chemical lifetime for CHF2Cl, or equivalently, an estimate of the OH field using a predicted lifetime. The current uncertainty in historical CHF2Cl emissions is too large for CHF2Cl to be used to infer adequately either the lifetime or the OH field.
Comments relating to pair potentials for atomistic simulations at metal interfaces and in bulk

Abstract We suggest some general forms for pair potentials in bulk metals which include density dependencies consistent with electron screening principles. For long wavelength perturbations the density parameter in the potential is a local average. Where more drastic inhomogeneities occur such as at a surface or interface the concept of locally defined pair potentials may still be useful although not for obtaining total energy of defects.
Suborbital Launch Trajectories for Satellite Delivery

The utility of suborbital launch trajectories to increase the payload capacity for a hypersonic-lifting-body launch vehicle was investigated. This type of trajectory involves deployment of a payload and booster motor from the launch vehicle at suborbital speed. A payload booster motor is required to insert the spacecraft into orbit while the launch vehicle re-enters and returns to earth. For this study, a simplified analytical technique was developed to estimate the payload capacity (not including booster motor) of various suborbital launch trajectories. Comparison with a detailed trajectory simulation showed that the simplified technique provided a reasonable estimate of suborbital trajectory performance. Results indicated that depending on certain vehicle and flight parameters, a hypersonic lifting body following a suborbital ascent trajectory could increase the payload-to-orbit weight by up to 61%.
Climate Vulnerability and the Indispensable Value of Industrial Capitalism

It is widely believed that man-made greenhouse gas emissions are increasing overall vulnerability to climate-related disasters, and that, consequently, policies aimed at cutting off these emissions are urgently needed. But a broader perspective on climate vulnerability suggests that the most important factors influencing susceptibility to climate-related threats are not climatologic, but political and economic. The dramatic degree to which industrial development under capitalism has reduced the risk of harm from severe climate events in the industrialized world is significantly under-appreciated in the climate debate. Consequently, so too is the degree to which green climate and energy policies would undermine the protection that industrial capitalism affords—by interfering with individual freedoms, distorting market forces, and impeding continued industrial development and economic growth. The effect of such policies would, ironically, be a worsening of overall vulnerability to climate.
Proton particle-hole states in116Sn

Abstract The reaction115In(3He,d)116Sn has been studied at 25.6 MeV. It is found that low-lying neutron particle-hole states are extremely weakly excited whereas core excitations consisting of the g 9/2 proton hole coupled to protons in the d 5/2, d 3/2 and g 7/2 shells are strongly excited. DWBA estimates of the strength of the various “gross structure transitions” are given.
Basic fibroblast growth factor: a potential mediator of stromal growth in the human prostate.

Studies were undertaken, using isolated prostatic epithelial and stromal cells, to evaluate the role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the regulation of benign prostatic growth. bFGF was detected in lysates, but not the conditioned media, of cultured prostatic epithelial and stromal cells by Western immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled proteins. Immunofluorescence analysis of benign human prostate localized the majority of bFGF to the prostatic stroma. In addition, bFGF was a potent stimulator of stromal cell proliferation in vitro, but was not mitogenic to cultured epithelial cells. Further studies demonstrated bFGF receptors (Kd = 258 pM; 61,400 receptors/cell) on stromal cells, but not epithelial cells. Epithelial cell-conditioned medium was mitogenic for stromal cells, suggesting the presence of paracrine interactions. However, bFGF does not appear to be the mediator of this interaction, since the mitogenic effect of epithelial cell-conditioned medium on stromal ce...
Method: automatic segmentation of mitochondria utilizing patch classification, contour pair classification, and automatically seeded level sets

While progress has been made to develop automatic segmentation techniques for mitochondria, there remains a need for more accurate and robust techniques to delineate mitochondria in serial blockface scanning electron microscopic data. Previously developed texture based methods are limited for solving this problem because texture alone is often not sufficient to identify mitochondria. This paper presents a new three-step method, the Cytoseg process, for automated segmentation of mitochondria contained in 3D electron microscopic volumes generated through serial block face scanning electron microscopic imaging. The method consists of three steps. The first is a random forest patch classification step operating directly on 2D image patches. The second step consists of contour-pair classification. At the final step, we introduce a method to automatically seed a level set operation with output from previous steps. We report accuracy of the Cytoseg process on three types of tissue and compare it to a previous method based on Radon-Like Features. At step 1, we show that the patch classifier identifies mitochondria texture but creates many false positive pixels. At step 2, our contour processing step produces contours and then filters them with a second classification step, helping to improve overall accuracy. We show that our final level set operation, which is automatically seeded with output from previous steps, helps to smooth the results. Overall, our results show that use of contour pair classification and level set operations improve segmentation accuracy beyond patch classification alone. We show that the Cytoseg process performs well compared to another modern technique based on Radon-Like Features. We demonstrated that texture based methods for mitochondria segmentation can be enhanced with multiple steps that form an image processing pipeline. While we used a random-forest based patch classifier to recognize texture, it would be possible to replace this with other texture identifiers, and we plan to explore this in future work.
Hardness Assurance Experience on the DSCS III Spacecraft Program

This paper describes hardness assurance experience gained during the production of three DSCS (Defense Satellite Communications System) III spacecraft. The program approach is applicable to both natural space and nuclear explosive radiation environments. This hardness assurance program included semiconductor lot sample tests and latchup screening of certain integrated circuits. The lot sample testing included both displacement damage and ionization damage induced by reactor and Cobalt-60 sources, respectively, and prompt dose testing using high level flash x-ray (FXR) exposure. Test results and resolution of failed lots are discussed. Significant observations and issues for future technology studies are presented in the areas of both displacement and ionization damage, prompt dose stress (burnout) and latchup.
Crustal deformation in Taiwan: Results from finite source inversions of six Mw > 5.8 Chi‐Chi aftershocks

[1] We inverted strong motion data for the finite source parameters of six large aftershocks of the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquake to investigate seismogenic structure in Taiwan. For each event we derived a preferred model by testing different focal mechanisms, hypocenters, rupture velocities, and dislocation risetimes, as well as different combinations of stations in more than 1000 inversions. We documented how the fits between the waveforms and the corresponding synthetics deteriorated as the hypocenter and focal mechanism deviate from those of the preferred model. If the deviation in focal mechanisms and hypocenters is less than 20° and 5 km, respectively, we generally recovered 80% of the preferred model's synthetic waveform fit. Unlike the dislocation risetime, the rupture velocity used in the inversion had a strong influence on the waveform fits in this study. We also used the slip models to study fault geometry. Two of the aftershocks ruptured on the southern extension of the main shock slip area. One strike-slip aftershock nucleated within the basement but ruptured mainly within the overlying sedimentary strata, suggesting that seismogenic deformation in the basement can influence shallow structures. P axes of the derived models have azimuths consistent with current plate motion. Finally, GPS displacement derived from the six slip models can explain 80% of the postseismic deformation observed in the aftershock regions, indicating that studies of postseismic deformation must take into account the cumulative effects of large, shallow aftershocks.
The “Diindene” ArInInAr (Ar = C6H3-2,6-Dipp2, Dipp = C6H3-2,6-Pri2). Dimeric versus Monomeric In(I) Aryls: para-Substituent Effects in Terphenyl Ligands

The synthesis and structure of a “diindene” with significant metal−metal bonding are described. It has an In−In distance of 2.9786(5) A, an In−In−C angle of 121.23(6)°, and an In−In bond order that is probably less than unity.
Expression of axolotl RNA-binding protein during development of the Mexican axolotl

Amphibians occupy a central position in phylogeny between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates and are widely used as model systems for studying vertebrate development. We have undertaken a comprehensive molecular approach to understand the early events related to embryonic development in the Mexican axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, which is an exquisite animal model for such explorations. Axolotl RBP is a RNA-binding protein which was isolated from the embryonic Mexican axolotl by subtraction hybridization and was found to show highest similarity with human, mouse, and Xenopus cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP). The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis suggests that it is expressed in most of the axolotl tissues except liver; the expression level appears to be highest in adult brain. We have also determined the temporal and spatial pattern of its expression at various stages of development. RT-PCR and in situ hybridization analyses indicate that expression of the AxRBP gene starts at stage 10–12 (gastrula), reaches a maxima around stage 15–20 (early tailbud), and then gradually declines through stage 40 (hatching). In situ hybridization suggests that the expression is at a maximum in neural plate and neural fold at stage 15 (neurula) of embryonic development.
Effect of Entrance Condition on Frictional Losses and Transition to Turbulence

In studying the fluid flow and heat transfer in microchannels, various claims have been made regarding transition at Reynolds numbers significantly below 2300. As a first step in identifying the reasons for such early transition, the effect of entrance geometry on the pressure drop and transition to turbulence is studied experimentally in a conventional channel of 1.9 cm inner diameter. Four types of entrance conditions have been studied with flow of oil in a closed loop. The experimental results show the effect of entrance conditions on local friction factor, hydrodynamic developing length, and transition Reynolds number. The study will be extended to microchannels in the future.Copyright © 2002 by ASME