Showing papers by "California State University, Long Beach published in 2006"

Insights from the genome of the biotrophic fungal plant pathogen Ustilago maydis

Abstract: Ustilago maydis is a ubiquitous pathogen of maize and a well-established model organism for the study of plant-microbe interactions. This basidiomycete fungus does not use aggressive virulence strategies to kill its host. U. maydis belongs to the group of biotrophic parasites (the smuts) that depend on living tissue for proliferation and development. Here we report the genome sequence for a member of this economically important group of biotrophic fungi. The 20.5-million-base U. maydis genome assembly contains 6,902 predicted protein-encoding genes and lacks pathogenicity signatures found in the genomes of aggressive pathogenic fungi, for example a battery of cell-wall-degrading enzymes. However, we detected unexpected genomic features responsible for the pathogenicity of this organism. Specifically, we found 12 clusters of genes encoding small secreted proteins with unknown function. A significant fraction of these genes exists in small gene families. Expression analysis showed that most of the genes contained in these clusters are regulated together and induced in infected tissue. Deletion of individual clusters altered the virulence of U. maydis in five cases, ranging from a complete lack of symptoms to hypervirulence. Despite years of research into the mechanism of pathogenicity in U. maydis, no 'true' virulence factors had been previously identified. Thus, the discovery of the secreted protein gene clusters and the functional demonstration of their decisive role in the infection process illuminate previously unknown mechanisms of pathogenicity operating in biotrophic fungi. Genomic analysis is, similarly, likely to open up new avenues for the discovery of virulence determinants in other pathogens.

Educating English language learners

Abstract: The book provides a review of scientific research on the learning outcomes of students with limited or no proficiency in English in U.S. schools. Research on students in kindergarten to grade 12 is reviewed. The primary chapters of the book focus on these students' acquisition of oral language skills in English, their development of literacy (reading & writing) skills in English, instructional issues in teaching literacy, and achievement in academic domains (i.e., mathematics, science, and reading). The reviews and analyses of the research are relatively technical with a focus on research quality, design characteristics, and statistical analyses. The book provides a set of summary tables that give details about each study, including full references, characteristics of the students in the research, assessment tools and procedures, and results. A concluding chapter summarizes the major issues discussed and makes recommendations about particular areas that need further research.

A trehalose metabolic enzyme controls inflorescence architecture in maize

Abstract: Inflorescence branching is a major yield trait in crop plants controlled by the developmental fate of axillary shoot meristems. Variations in branching patterns lead to diversity in flower-bearing architectures (inflorescences) and affect crop yield by influencing seed number or harvesting ability. Several growth regulators such as auxins, cytokinins and carotenoid derivatives regulate branching architectures. Inflorescence branching in maize is regulated by three RAMOSA genes. Here we show that one of these genes, RAMOSA3 (RA3), encodes a trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase expressed in discrete domains subtending axillary inflorescence meristems. Genetic and molecular data indicate that RA3 functions through the predicted transcriptional regulator RAMOSA1 (RA1). We propose that RA3 regulates inflorescence branching by modification of a sugar signal that moves into axillary meristems. Alternatively, the fact that RA3 acts upstream of RA1 supports a hypothesis that RA3 itself may have a transcriptional regulatory function.

School Reform and Standards-Based Education: A Model for English-Language Learners.

Abstract: The authors examined a model of instruction for English-language learners (ELLs) who were learning academic English while they tried to meet content standards required by the nation's education reform movement. In previous work (J. Echevarria, M. E. Vogt, & D. Short, 2000), the authors developed and validated a model of instruction (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol; SIOP model) for ELLs. In this study, the authors tested the model for its effects on student achievement. Findings revealed that students whose teachers implemented the SIOP model performed slightly better than did a comparison group on an expository essay writing task, which closely approximated academic assignments that ELLs must perform in standards-based classrooms.

Uncertainties associated with digital elevation models for hydrologic applications: a review

Abstract: . Digital elevation models (DEMs) represent the topography that drives surface flow and are arguably one of the more important data sources for deriving variables used by numerous hydrologic models. A considerable amount of research has been conducted to address uncertainty associated with error in digital elevation models (DEMs) and the propagation of error to derived terrain parameters. This review brings together a discussion of research in fundamental topical areas related to DEM uncertainty that affect the use of DEMs for hydrologic applications. These areas include: (a) DEM error; (b) topographic parameters frequently derived from DEMs and the associated algorithms used to derive these parameters; (c) the influence of DEM scale as imposed by grid cell resolution; (d) DEM interpolation; and (e) terrain surface modification used to generate hydrologically-viable DEM surfaces. Each of these topical areas contributes to DEM uncertainty and may potentially influence results of distributed parameter hydrologic models that rely on DEMs for the derivation of input parameters. The current state of research on methods developed to quantify DEM uncertainty is reviewed. Based on this review, implications of DEM uncertainty and suggestions for the GIS research and user communities are offered.

Stimulus-Response Compatibility Principles: Data, Theory, and Application

Abstract: STIMULUS-RESPONSE COMPATIBILITY AND SELECTION OF ACTION: BASIC CONCEPTSIntroductionClassic StudiesTerminology and DistinctionsTechniques for Studying S-R CompatibilityModels for S-R Compatibility EffectsChapter SummaryFACTORS IN ADDITION TO S-R COMPATIBILITY THAT AFFECT RESPONSE-SELECTION EFFICIENCYIntroductionThe Speed-Accuracy TradeoffUncertainty and Number of AlternativesResponse-Precuing EffectsSequential EffectsInfluence of Practice on Set-Size Effects and Sequence LearningChapter SummaryBASIC STIMULUS-RESPONSE COMPATIBILITY EFFECTSIntroductionSpatial Stimuli and ResponsesVerbal and Nonverbal S-R ModesOther Element-Level S-R Compatibility EffectsChapter SummaryCORRESPONDENCE OF IRRELEVANT STIMULUS INFORMATION AND RESPONSES: THE SIMON EFFECTIntroductionSpatial Stimuli and ResponsesSimon-Type Effects for Other Stimulus and Response DimensionsChapter SummaryS-R COMPATIBILITY EFFECTS FOR MULTIDIMENSIONAL STIMULUS AND RESPONSE SETSIntroductionTwo-Dimensional Nonspatial Stimuli Mapped to Keypress ResponsesThe Right-Left Prevalence Effect for Two-Dimensional Spatial Stimuli and ResponsesSimon Effects for Two-Dimensional Spatial Stimuli and ResponsesStatic and Dynamic DimensionsJudgment and Decision-MakingChapter SummaryREVERSING THE SIMON EFFECT FOR IRRELEVANT LOCATIONIntroductionThe Hedge and Marsh ReversalManipulating Percentages of Corresponding and Noncorresponding TrialsEffects of Intermixed Location-Relevant MappingsTransfer from a Prior Spatial Mapping to the Simon TaskChapter SummaryCONSEQUENCES OF MIXED MAPPINGS AND TASKSIntroductionMixing Compatible and Incompatible Mappings in Spatial Choice TasksMixing Nonspatial S-R MappingsAccounts for Elimination of the S-R Compatibility Effect with Mixed MappingsMixing Location-Relevant and -Irrelevant Trials: The S-R Compatibility EffectAccounts for the Elimination of SRC Effects with Mixed Location-Relevant and -Irrelevant TrialsComparison of Mixed Mappings and Trial TypesA Negative Correspondence Effect for Masked StimuliChapter SummaryCOMPATIBILITY EFFECTS FOR ORTHOGONAL DIMENSIONSIntroductionUp-Right/Down-Left Mapping AdvantageInfluences of Hand, Hand Posture, and Response Eccentricity on Orthogonal S-R CompatibilityCorrespondence of Asymmetric Codes as a General Principle of Binary-Choice ReactionsTasks with More than Two AlternativesChapter SummaryPOPULATION STEREOTYPES FOR DIRECTION OF MOTION AND COLOR, WORD, AND PICTURE ASSOCIATIONSIntroductionLinear Display Indicators and their Relations to ControlsRotary Displays and their ControlsOther Population StereotypesChapter SummarySTIMULUS-RESPONSE COMPATIBILITY EFFECTS IN DUAL-TASK PERFORMANCEIntroductionThe PRP Effect and the Central Bottleneck ModelSimon Effects for Irrelevant Stimulus LocationConsistency of MappingsCrosstalk between TasksC

Late Colonization of Easter Island

Abstract: Easter Island (Rapa Nui) provides a model of human-induced environmental degradation. A reliable chronology is central to understanding the cultural, ecological, and demographic processes involved. Radiocarbon dates for the earliest stratigraphic layers at Anakena, Easter Island, and analysis of previous radiocarbon dates imply that the island was colonized late, about 1200 A.D. Substantial ecological impacts and major cultural investments in monumental architecture and statuary thus began soon after initial settlement.

Switching LPV control of an F-16 aircraft via controller state reset

Abstract: In flight control, the design objective and the aircraft dynamics may be different in low and high angle of attack regions. This paper presents a systematic switching LPV control design method to determine if it is practical to use for flight control designs over a wide angle of attack region. The approach is based on multiple parameter-dependent Lyapunov functions. A family of LPV controllers are designed, and each of them is suitable for a specific parameter subspace. The state of the controller is reset to guarantee the stability requirement of the Lyapunov function when the switching event occurs. Two parameter-dependent switching logics, hysteresis switching and switching with average dwell time, are examined. The proposed switching LPV control scheme is applied to an F-16 aircraft model with different design objectives and aircraft dynamics in low and high angle of attack regions. The nonlinear simulation results using both switching logics are compared.

The displaced aggression questionnaire.

Abstract: Previous measures of aggressive personality have focused on direct aggression (i.e., retaliation toward the provoking agent). An original self-report measure of trait displaced aggression is presented. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided support for a 3-factor conceptualization of the construct. These analyses identified an affective dimension (angry rumination), a cognitive dimension (revenge planning), and a behavioral dimension (general tendency to engage in displaced aggression). The trait measure demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability as well as convergent and discriminant construct validity. Unlike other related personality measures, trait displaced aggression significantly predicted indirect indicators of real-world displaced aggression (i.e., self-reported domestic abuse and road rage) as well as laboratory displaced aggression in 2 experiments.

Market Pioneer and Early Follower Survival Risks: A Contingency Analysis of Really New Versus Incrementally New Product-Markets

Abstract: Does the first entrant in a new market have a difficult time surviving or do first-mover advantages provide protection from outright failure? This empirical study of 264 new industrial product-markets yields insights into this controversial research topic. The key data analysis insights arise through a comparison of survival risks in markets that were started with a really new product and in those that were started with an incremental innovation. When a pioneer starts a new market with a really new product, it can be a major challenge just to survive. In contrast, in markets started by an incremental innovation, market pioneer survival risks are much lower. Notably, early followers have the same survival risk across both types of markets. Overall, these results indicate that in markets started by a really new product, the first to market is often the first to fail. In contrast, in markets started by an incremental innovation, it appears that first-mover advantages protect the pioneer from outrigh...

Detection of a 45 Degree Tidal Stream Associated with the Globular Cluster NGC 5466

Abstract: We report on the detection in Sloan Digital Sky Survey data of a 45 degree tidal stream of stars, extending from Bootes to Ursa Major, which we associate with the halo globular cluster NGC 5466 Using an optimal contrast, matched filter technique, we find a long, almost linear stellar stream with an average width of 14 degrees The stream is an order of magnitude more tenuous than the stream associated with Palomar 5 The stream's orientation on the sky is consistent to a greater or lesser extent with existing proper motion measurements for the cluster

The Effect of Confucian Values on Succession in Family Business

Abstract: This article examines Confucian values and their effect on family business succession Several implications are drawn One of these is that Confucianism places family business in a social context in which the interpersonal relationships inside and outside the business family are subject to a variety of environmental influences Examining family firms in their social context provides more complete understanding of the dynamics underlying choices and activities in family firms

Oral Communication Skills in Higher Education: Using a Performance-Based Evaluation Rubric to Assess Communication Skills

Abstract: This study used The Competent Speaker, a rubric developed by the National Communication Association (S. P. Morreale, M. R. Moore, K. P. Taylor, D. Surges-Tatum, & R. Hulbert-Johnson, 1993), to evaluate student performance in general education public speaking courses as a case study of student skills and programmatic assessment. Results indicate that students taking the general education public speaking course are below satisfactory standards on five of the eight competencies defined by the National Communication Association and are above satisfactory standards on two of the eight competencies. Implications for this particular program, other communication departments, and communication across the curriculum in general education are discussed. We also offer suggestions for those in other disciplines or educational settings in the use of performance evaluation rubrics for assessing other student skills/knowledge and for training new teachers.

Good, Bad or 'Necessary Evil'? Reinterpreting the Colonial Burning Experiments in the Savanna Landscapes of West Africa

Abstract: A simple ecological model underlies contemporary fire policy in many West African countries. The model holds that the timing (or seasonality) of annual savanna fires is a principal determinant of vegetation cover. The model’s origin can be traced to the ideas held by influential colonial scientists who viewed anthropogenic fire as a prime force of regional environmental degradation. The main evidence in support of the model derives from the results of a series of long-term burning experiments carried out during last century. The experimental results have been repeatedly mapped onto fire policy often taking the form of a three-tiered model in which fire exclusion is considered the ultimate management objective, late dry-season fire is discouraged and early dry-season fire is allowed but only under specific, often state-controlled circumstances. This paper provides a critique of contemporary fire policy in the region and the fire ecology model on which it is based. Through an analysis of burn scars for the 2002–3 fire season generated from ETM+ imagery, the study documents the spatiotemporal pattern of burning for an area in southern Mali. It argues that current policy, which is informed by an a-spatial model, cannot adequately account for the critical pattern of burning that is characteristic of the region. A reinterpretation of the burning experiments is presented in light of four factors: empirical data; recent developments in patch-mosaic theory; historical evidence on the effects of fire suppression; and data on indigenous burning strategies, all of which suggest a need to reconsider current fire policy.

Relational quality and communicative responses following hurtful events in dating relationships: An expectancy violations analysis

Abstract: The present study uses expectancy violations theory to investigate hurtful events, relational quality, and communication in dating relationships. Participants (N = 263) described a hurtful behavior performed by their dating partner and recalled their reaction to that behavior. When respondents evaluated the hurtful event as a highly negative expectancy violation and judged their partner as unrewarding, they were more likely to report breaking up, being less satisfied and committed, and using destructive rather than constructive communication. Individuals who were deeply hurt reported being slightly less likely to break up, more likely to be satisfied and committed, and more likely to use both constructive and destructive communication. Finally, victims who perceived their partners’ actions as intentional were more likely to report using destructive communicative responses.

Port Dynamic Empty Container Reuse

Abstract: In this paper, empty container movements in the Los Angeles and Long Beach (LA/LB) port area are studied in an effort to reduce congestion by optimizing the empty container reuse. The dynamic empty container reuse is modeled analytically, and techniques are developed to optimize empty container operations. Several case studies based on current and projected demand in the LA/LB port area are used to evaluate the proposed techniques. Simulation results demonstrate that significant cost and congestion reductions can be achieved in the area, through reuse of empty containers.

Shifting emphasis from pharmacogenomics to theragnostics.

Abstract: What will be the role of theragnostic patents in upstream and downstream biomarker research?

RELATIONSHIPS AMONG AD-INDUCED AFFECT, BELIEFS, AND ATTITUDES: Another Look

Abstract: In spite of a wealth of empirical attention directed at understanding the structural relationships among affect, cognition, and attitude, the tasks and settings in many of these studies may have inflated the relative impact of cognition in the persuasion process. The studies reported here use an affectively driven advertising context (i.e., television commercials void of product-relevant information cues) to demonstrate (1) that positive and negative forms of affect operate differently, and (2) that their direct and indirect effects on attitude are influenced by brand familiarity. Cognition played a less dominant role in the attitude formation process for an unknown brand compared to situations in which consumers held preexisting impressions (i.e., for well-known brands). A means-end model approach is used to link concrete and abstract forms of cognition (i.e., brand beliefs) and attitude.

Barriers to Mental Health Care Utilization for U.S. Cambodian Refugees

Abstract: Asian Americans encounter barriers to mental health care, some of which are structural, whereas others may be cultural. Using data from a probability sample (N = 490) drawn from the largest Cambodian refugee community in the United States, the authors assessed the extent to which structural and cultural barriers were experienced. Surprisingly, a relatively small proportion endorsed commonly cited cultural barriers such as distrust of Western care (4%) and greater confidence in alternative care (5%), whereas most endorsed structural barriers such as high cost (80%) and language (66%). Among those with a probable diagnosis, a similar pattern was found. Findings suggest that structural, not culturally based, barriers are the most critical obstacles to care in this U.S. Cambodian refugee community.

An extended self-organizing map network for market segmentation: a telecommunication example

Abstract: Kohonen's self-organizing map (SOM) network is an unsupervised learning neural network that maps an n-dimensional input data to a lower dimensional output map while maintaining the original topological relations. The extended SOM network further groups the nodes on the output map into a user specified number of clusters. In this research effort, we applied this extended version of SOM networks to a consumer data set from American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T). Results using the AT&T data indicate that the extended SOM network performs better than the two-step procedure that combines factor analysis and K-means cluster analysis in uncovering market segments.

Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren: Ethnic and Racial Differences in Well-Being Among Custodial and Coparenting Families

Abstract: This study compares the well-being of African American, Latina, and White grandmothers raising or helping to raise grandchildren in custodial and coparenting families. Grandmother caregivers (N = 1,051) were recruited through schools and media for 1-hr interviews. Latina grandmothers had higher life satisfaction than African American or White grandmothers when they coparented with a parent in the household. Among African American grandmothers, higher life satisfaction was evident in custodial compared to coparenting arrangements. White grandmothers had higher negative mood and assumed care more frequently in response to serious parental substance-related reasons and less frequently because of the parent’s financial need. In contrast, levels of depression were the same regardless of ethnicity. Results suggest that expectations regarding caregiving roles and socioeconomic resources may shape the grandmother’s mood and sense of satisfaction with life in response to family circumstances but not affect her dep...

Method for future payment transactions

Abstract: A method for the online modification, submission and approval processing of a future payment request to afford a user the ability to renegotiate established loan agreement debt terms in which network communications are established between a user, such as a debtor, and a server is presented. The method comprises receiving information, at the server, regarding the loan agreement debt terms, presenting received information to a debtor, providing an interactive environment enabling a debtor to modify existing terms, submitting modified terms, processing data from the available information using a rules based engine, and processing a future payment request based on at least one decision made by the rules based engine. While online, the user/debtor may engage in revising a rejected future payment request in an attempt to reach a satisfactory renegotiation of debt terms.

Health and mental health services for children in foster care: the central role of foster parents.

Abstract: It is well documented that children enter foster care with special health and mental health needs and, while in care, those conditions are often exacerbated However, less attention has been given to foster parents who have the most contact with these children Results are presented from a national study on the developmental, health and mental health care needs of children in foster care that included foster parents' perspectives and observations Their role in improving child well being is explained and recommendations for policy, practice and advocacy also are included

Histidine-Controlled Two-Dimensional Assembly of Zinc Phosphite Four-Ring Units

Abstract: Despite there being numerous examples of metal−organic frameworks in which metal centers or clusters are joined together by bi- or polydentate ligands into extended structures, biologically important amino acids, histidine in particular, are rarely known to serve as bridging ligands for the construction of open-framework architectures. Here, we report hydrothermal self-assembly between neutral zwitterionic histidine molecules and inorganic secondary building units (i.e., (Zn−O−P−O)2 four-rings) into a crystalline solid containing infinite two-dimensional arrays. We demonstrate that the acid−base and coordination chemistry of histidine can be controlled to promote the formation of open architectures with bridging histidine ligands instead of the commonly observed metal−chelates with chelating histidine ligands. Crystallographic data for Zn(HPO3)(dl-C6H9N3O2)(H2O)1/2, C2/c, a = 15.1307(3) A, b = 8.4230(2) A, c = 16.6322(4) A, β = 100.420(1)°, V = 2084.75(8) A3, Z = 8.

Path of Glenohumeral Articulation Throughout the Rotational Range of Motion in a Thrower's Shoulder Model:

Abstract: BackgroundOverhead-throwing athletes have increased external and diminished internal glenohumeral rotation that may alter glenohumeral kinematics.PurposeTo quantify the kinematic changes present in a cadaveric model of a thrower's shoulder.Study DesignControlled laboratory study.MethodsIn 8 fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders, the rotator cuff and overlying muscles were removed, and the glenohumeral capsule, coracoacromial ligament, and coracohumeral ligament were left intact. The scapula was fixed, and the humerus was placed in 90° of shoulder abduction in a 6 degrees of freedom testing device. A compressive force of 44 N was applied. A thrower's shoulder model was created, and sequential conditions were examined: intact, after anterior stretching, and after the addition of posterior-inferior capsular plication. Kinematic measurements were obtained through a complete range of glenohumeral rotation.ResultsGlenohumeral external rotation increased 16%, from 149° to 173° (P <. 001), after stretching in external...