cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catalytic pyrolysis-GC/MS of lignin from several sources

Abstract Lignin from four different sources, extracted by various methods, were pyrolyzed at 650 °C using analytical pyrolysis methods (Py-GC/MS). Pyrolysis was carried out in the absence and presence of two heterogeneous catalysts, an acidic zeolite (HZSM-5) catalyst and a mixed metal oxide catalyst (CoO/MoO 3 ). Non-catalytic Py-GC/MS was used to identify the lignin as characterized by their H-, G- or S-lignin makeup and also served as the control basis to evaluate the effect of the said catalysts on the production of aromatic hydrocarbons from these lignin sources. Experiments show that the selectivity to particular aromatic hydrocarbons varies with the composition of the lignin for both catalysts. The major pathway for hydrocarbon production over HZSM-5 is likely increased depolymerization efficiency that releases and converts the aliphatic linkers of lignin to olefins followed by aromatization. Simple phenols produced from the deconstruction of the lignin polymer are likely to be a source of zeolite deactivation. The CoO/MoO 3 is likely to produce aromatic hydrocarbons through a direct deoxygenation of methoxyphenol units.
Unity Occupation of Sites in a 3D Optical Lattice

An average filling factor of one atom per lattice site has been obtained in a submicron scale far-off-resonance optical lattice (FORL). High site occupation is obtained through a compression sequence that includes laser cooling in a 3D FORL and adiabatic toggling between the 3D FORL and a 1D FORL trap. After the highest filling factor is achieved, laser cooling causes collisional loss from lattice sites with more than one atom. Ultimately $44%$ of the sites have a single atom cooled to near its vibrational ground state. A theoretical model of site occupation based on Poisson statistics agrees well with the experimental results.
A century of debate for internal controls and their assessment: a study of reactive evolution:

In July 2002, the United States Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in an effort to assuage the public outrage over the lax regulatory oversight in light of the high-profile financial scandals. It was hoped that the act would calm the fears of investors and bring confidence back to corporate reporting through a mandated internal control review process. Though the impact of the act on audit procedures and internal control development will be studied for many years, it may be simply one of many developments in the evolution of internal control theory and practice that had occurred over the previous century. Like Sarbanes-Oxley, many of the changes in internal control procedures were a reaction to an event that identified a weakness in current practice. This evolution of the internal control process, as seen through the many laws, regulations and pronouncements of the previous century, has been, in the main, a reactive one resulting from inadequate control measures.
Categorization by Race: The Impact of Automatic and Controlled Components of Racial Prejudice

The present research examined the influence of both automatic and controlled processes related to racial prejudice on the categorization of stimulus persons by race. Participants judged the similarity of photos of individuals who varied in race, gender, and occupation. These similarity ratings were subjected to a multidimensional scaling procedure. The degree to which individuals weighted race in judging similarity was found to increase as a function of the extent to which race was attitude-evoking for the individual and to decrease as a function of motivation to control seemingly prejudiced reactions. It is suggested that the attention of individuals for whom attitudes were automatically activated in response to Black faces was automatically drawn to the race information, but that individuals motivated to control prejudiced reactions actively resisted weighting race heavily. Examination of the latencies with which the similarity judgments were made provided support for this account of the process underlying categorization by race.
Giving it away: The ironies of sociology’s place in academia

Sociologists tend to be defensive about our discipline. I don't know that this has always been the case, but it has been true for the 35 years I have been following the sociological literature. When I entered the trade, it was common for introductory sociology classes to begin with the instructor denying that sociology was "nothing more than common sense." And those were the good old days, when higher education was expanding, and there were no fears that sociology Ph.D.s might have trouble finding academic positions. Recent de cades have featured tighter job markets, and there has been lots of talk about the need to balance the supply of, with the demand for, new Ph.D.s, about unemployed and underemployed sociologists, and (among optimists) about the promise of careers in "sociological practice." There are calls for protecting our turf by licensing or certifying sociologists. At the same time, intradisciplinary bickering and breast-beating continues. At sociology's soft, qualitative edge, postmodernists experiment with autobiographi cal essays and poems, while denouncing positivism as philosophically bankrupt and its scientific trappings as vacuous at best, dangerous at worst. Their coun terparts at the discipline's hard, quantitative edge insist that sociology doesn't get respect because it isn't scientific enough; their remedy is more arcane statistical methods (and recruiting graduate students with higher quantitative GRE scores). And there are other voices raised in recrimination: ideologues denounce the profession's ignoring its moral obligation to promote their version of social justice; proponents of assorted theoretical positions charge that rival schools fail to comprehend the most basic contours of social life; scholars in an ever-larger number of ever-narrower specialties increasingly turn inward, ignoring those who do not share their substantive interests; while sociologists with administrative experience warn that the discipline appears weak, fragmented, unfocused, and possibly unnecessary. (Nothing new in that. Remember 1981, when Doonesbury's President Kingman considered cutting the budget at Waiden College; it was the sociology department on the chopping block.)
FOCAL INFLAMMATORY DISEASE OF THE LIVER

CT scan and sonography are both highly sensitive in detecting pyogenic liver abscess, although CT scan may be slightly more sensitive. In the series by Barnes et al, 5 CT scan detected 15 (100%) of 15 pyogenic liver abscesses, whereas sonography detected 37 (94.4%) of 39. The imaging features of hepatic abscesses are varied and often nonspecific. Diagnostic needle aspiration is often essential for confirmation of a pyogenic abscess. CT scan and sonography can both guide percutaneous catheter drainage of pyogenic hepatic abscesses, the treatment method of choice. Although MR imaging can detect liver abscesses (Fig. 1), it is much less useful because it cannot guide percutaneous aspiration or drainage in a practical or cost-efficient way. Smaller pyogenic abscesses (
Bootstrapping a time series model: some empirical results

The bootstrap is a methodology for estimating standard errors. The idea is to use a Monte Carlo simulation experiment based on a nonparametric estimate of the error distribution. The main objective of this article is to demonstrate the use of the bootstrap to attach standard errors to coefficient estimates in a second-order autoregressive model fitted by least squares and maximum likelihood estimation. Additionally, a comparison of the bootstrap and the conventional methodology is made. As it turns out, the conventional asymptotic formulae (both the least squares and maximum likelihood estimates) for estimating standard errors appear to overestimate the true standard errors. But there are two problems:i. The first two observations y1 and y2 have been fixed, and ii. The residuals have not been inflated. After these two factors are considered in the trial and bootstrap experiment, both the conventional maximum likelihood and bootstrap estimates of the standard errors appear to be performing quite well.
Assessment of a shell bank and associated substrates as nursery habitat of postsettlement red snapper

Abstract Trawl surveys were conducted in 2000 and 2001 to examine patterns of distribution and abundance of postsettlement red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) on a shell bank, Freeport Rocks Bathymetric High (FRBH), in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. In addition, otolith-based methods were used to determine age, hatch-date, growth and mortality of new recruits associated with FRBH. Date and region were significant factors affecting density of red snapper in 2000. Peak densities of red snapper were observed in July and August, and mean density among habitat types (shell bank, inshore mud, offshore mud) was similar (range: 50–52 ind hectare−1) in 2000. Alternatively, a habitat effect was detected during a limited survey conducted in 2001, with density higher on the shell bank than inshore or offshore mud habitat. Postsettlement red snapper were first detected at approximately 16 mm standard length, and individuals less than 20 mm were present in all habitats. Estimated ages of red snapper ranged from 26 to 121 d, with new settlers (≤20 mm) typically less than 28 d. Predicted hatch dates ranged from early April to mid August with a single peak occurring from late May to early June. Growth rate for the April–May cohort (0.817 mm d−1) was similar to the June–July cohort (0.830 mm d−1). Habitat-specific differences in growth were observed, and rates were highest for individuals from the inshore habitat (0.881 mm d−1). Mortality rates (Z) during the early post-settlement period were approximated using catch curves, and early life mortality of red snapper was 12.1% d−1 (Z=0.129). While the difference in mortality between cohorts was negligible, a habitat-specific difference in mortality was observed. Mortality rate of red snapper inhabiting the inshore mud habitat (Z=0.045, 4.4% d−1) was lower than rates observed for individuals on the shell bank (Z=0.120, 11.9% d−1) or offshore (Z=0.099, 9.3% d−1) habitat. Individuals residing in the inshore habitat had significantly higher growth rates and significantly lower mortality rates, suggesting that recruitment potential was higher for these individuals.
Verbal repetition and changes in meaning of synonyms: Satiation or set?

The effects of four different verbal repetition conditions on word association to test words were compared. The repeated word was either the test word itself, a high-related synonym of the test word, a low-related synonym, or a control word different in meaning from the test word. Repetition of low-related synonyms led to the least common responses to the test words. In addition, the percentage of associations (elicited by the test words) which also appear as associates to the high-related synonym in word association norms, was greater after repetition of high-related than low-related synonyms. The reverse was found for the percentage of asscciations (elicited by the test words) which also appear as associates to the low-related synonym. The results suggest that changes in meaning of words following continued repetition of their synonyms are an effect of set and not due to generalization of verbal satiation.
Measurement and prediction of Energy Efficient Engine noise

The NASA/GE Energy Efficient Engine (E3) static noise levels were measured in an acoustic arena on the Integrated Core and Low Spool Test System. These measured levels were scaled to the appropriate size to power four study aircraft and were projected to flight for evaluation of noise levels relative to FAR36, Stage III limits. As a result of these evaluations, it is predicted that the NASA/GE E3 engine with a wide spacing cut-on blade/vane ratio fan and a forced mixer nozzle can meet FAR36 Stage III limits with sufficient design margin.
Destruction of Superconductivity in Disordered Near-Monolayer Films

Severe decreases are observed in the superconducting transition temperatures of metallic films as they are made thinner and more disordered. Explanations for these decreases in the transition temperature are discussed. These include changes in the phonon spectrum, the effect of the metal-insulator boundary, size quantization in small particles, the effect of an activated conduction mechanism in the normal state, and, finally, the effect of order-parameter fluctuations.
Observations of joule and particle heating in the auroral zone

Observational data from the Chatanika, Alaska incoherent scatter radar have been used to deduce atmospheric heating rates associated with particle precipitation and joule dissipation. During periods when Chatanika is in the vicinity of the auroral oval the height-integrated heat input to the lower thermosphere can be as large as 100 ergs per sq cm per sec with joule and particle heating rates of comparable magnitude. Altitude profiles of these heat inputs are also obtained, showing that the energy liberated by joule dissipation tends to peak at a substantially higher altitude (about 130 km) than that due to particles (100-120 km). As a consequence, it follows that joule heating can be expected to provide a rapid means for creating thermospheric disturbances. It is also pointed out that joule and particle heating are permanent features of the auroral oval and polar cap. As such, expansion of the auroral oval leads to an increase in the total global heating and, hence, to the close relationship between magnetic disturbances and thermospheric perturbation.
Maternal foster families provide more stable placements than paternal families

Abstract The use of kinship families to provide foster care has been increasing due to changes in legislation and the hope that it will provide better quality placements, but there has been little consideration of differential outcomes based on sub-types of kin. Using data from one Ontario, Canada, child protection agency we compared the frequency and stability of placements with maternal versus paternal kin. We found that maternal relatives provided placements much more often than paternal kin and this was most striking with single grandmothers. 90% of genetically related kinship caregivers were grandparents or other equally close kin. Maternal and paternal kin placements had similar durations, but maternal placements ended significantly more frequently by the child returning home or obtaining a permanent placement, whereas paternal placements more often broke down. A Cox proportional hazards analysis, controlling for child sex, age, reason for placement and caregiver attributes, showed that paternal kin placements were more than twice as likely to break down as maternal kin placements, within a given interval. We discuss whether placement stability should be considered a proxy for placement quality and policy implications, and we comment on aspects of assessing prospective placements.
Morphophonological variability and form-function regularity: a usage-based approach to the Japanese modal adverb yahari/yappari/yappa

Abstract Based on corpora and survey studies in the framework of a usage-based model, this paper claims that morphophonological variations of the Japanese adverb ( yahari , yappari , yappa ) are not “free” variations, as treated previously. Positionally, yahari is predominant in utterance-internal positions, while yappari and yappa appear utterance-initially/finally. Functionally, yahari is a sentential adverb (‘as expected/after all’), while yappari and yappa show emerging pragmatic functions (e.g., filler). Semantically, (inter)subjectivity increases from yahari to yappari then to yappa . This paper argues that such differences are correlated with phonological shapes (e.g., the mora obstruent /Q/), and are motivated by the principles of iconicity.
A free-fall direct-recording ocean bottom seismograph

A compact and relatively low-cost ocean bottom seismograph has been constructed for use in marine seismic research. The instrument is deployed as a free-fall package and can record for 12.5 days. Signals from a vertical geophone, a hydrophone, and a clock are direct recorded on four channels of 6.35×10-3 m magnetic tape. A timed-release system returns the instrument to the surface.
Inclusion of multiple fragment types in the site identification by ligand competitive saturation (SILCS) approach.

The site identification by ligand competitive saturation (SILCS) method identifies the location and approximate affinities of small molecular fragments on a target macromolecular surface by performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the target in an aqueous solution of small molecules representative of different chemical functional groups. In this study, we introduce a set of small molecules to map potential interactions made by neutral hydrogen bond donors and acceptors and charged donor and acceptor fragments in addition to nonpolar fragments. The affinity pattern is obtained in the form of discretized probability or, equivalently, free energy maps, called FragMaps, which can be visualized with the target surface. We performed SILCS simulations for four proteins for which structural and thermodynamic data is available for multiple diverse ligands. Good overlap is shown between high affinity regions identified by the FragMaps and the crystallographic positions of ligand functional groups with simi...
Contribution of particulates and pH on cowbirds' (Molothrus ater) avoidance of grain treated with agricultural lime

Abstract Agricultural lime used as a grain coating can be repellent to graniverous birds. However, whether repellency is achieved depends upon the method of preparation. The primary mechanism for mediating repellency is pH. Cowbirds avoid seed coated with agricultural lime (5% wt/wt) when the pH exceeds 12.3. A second underlying component mediating repellency exits that is based on avoidance of particulates. If the particulate seed coating consists of particles sized ∼63–150 μ m, and has a pH of 11.4 or less, the repellent potency is about half that observed for raw unprocessed lime. Together, these data help explain emerging conflicting reports on the efficacy of agricultural lime as a bird-repellent. Finally, short-term data on food and water intake and energy balance suggest that periodic intake of agricultural lime does not adversely affect birds.
Measurements of the kinetics of the OH‐initiated oxidation of isoprene

[1] The mechanism of the OH-initiated oxidation of isoprene has been studied at 300 K and 100 and 150 Torr total pressure using a turbulent flow technique coupled with laser-induced fluorescence detection of the OH radical. The rate constant for the reaction of OH with isoprene was measured to be (10.8 ± 0.5) × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 at 150 Torr total pressure and independent of pressure between 100 and 150 Torr, in excellent agreement with most previous absolute measurements. In the presence of O2 and NO, propagation of OH radicals and loss of OH through radical termination resulting from the formation of organic nitrates were measured at 150 Torr total pressure and compared to simulations of the kinetics of this reaction system. The results of these experiments are consistent with an overall rate constant of (1.1 ± 0.8) × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 for the reaction of NO with isoprene-based hydroxyalkyl peroxy radicals, with branching ratios of 0.85 ± 0.10 for the bimolecular channel (oxidation of NO to NO2) and 0.15 ± 0.10 for the termolecular channel (formation of organic nitrates). Although the organic nitrate yield reported here is the result of indirect measurements, it suggests that isoprene may be a more significant sink of NOx than previously estimated.
Charging of dust grains by anisotropic solar wind multi-component plasma

Abstract In this paper we study the charging process of small grain particles by anisotropic multi-component solar wind plasmas (electrons, protons and heavy ions), versus two-component (electron/proton) plasmas. We are focusing attention on the important characteristics of the charging process, namely the charging time, floating potential and current content as functions of plasma parameters such as He++/H+ (α/p) number density and Tα/Tp temperature ratios of alpha particles to protons, as well as plasma streaming velocity v0. Measured statistical properties of solar wind plasma parameters at 1 AU show considerable variations in α/p-temperature ratios from 1 to 10, in α/p-number density ratio from 0.01 to 0.35, as well as in values of streaming velocity v0 from 200 km/s to 1000 km/s and more. Periods of these variations could last for several days each, leading to significant variability in the charging process, according to newly derived general analytical expressions. Numerical calculations performed for protons/alphas plasmas showed large disparity in the charging characteristics. For example, in anisotropic plasma, grain charging time varies up to 90% depending on α/p-particles temperature and number density ratios, whereas changes in floating potential are up to 40%. In contrast, in isotropic plasma, charging characteristic for grains do not change very much for the same plasma parameters variations, with charging time varying about 12% and floating potential only varying about 4%. It is also shown that in highly anisotropic plasma, with all ballistic electrons and ions, dust grains could not hold their charges, and characteristic discharged time is calculated. We note that the analysis is equally applicable to any sized body immersed in solar wind plasma.
Multistream video fusion using local principal components analysis

We present an approach for fusion of video streams produced by multiple imaging sensors such as visible-band and infrared sensors. Our approach is based on a model in which the sensor images are noisy, locally affine functions of the true scene. This model explicitly incorporates reversals in local contrast, sensor-specific features and noise in the sensing process. Given the parameters of the local affine transformations and the sensor images, a Bayesian framework provides a maximum a posterior estimate of the true scene. This estimate constitutes the rule for fusing the sensor images. We also give a maximum likelihood estimate for the parameters of the local affine transformations. Under Gaussian assumptions on the underlying distributions, estimation of the affine parameters is achieved by local principal component analysis. The sensor noise is estimated by analyzing the sequence of images in each video stream. The analysis of the video streams and the synthesis of the fused stream is performed in a multiresolution pyramid domain.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Structural analysis of audit evidence using belief functions

This article performs two types of analysis using Dempster-Shafer theory of belief functions for evidential reasoning. The first analysis deals with the the impact of the structure of audit evidence on the overall belief at each variable in the network, variables being the account balance to be audited, the related transaction streams, and the associated audit objectives. The second analysis deals with the impact of the relationship (logical "and"" and "algebraic relationship") among various variables in the network on the overall belief. For our first analysis we change the evidential structure from a network to a tree and determine its impact.
Do not phase out nuclear power - yet.

Fission power must remain a crucial part of the energy mix until renewable energy technologies can be scaled up, argues Charles D. Ferguson.
Stability of drug additives in peritoneal dialysis solutions in a new container

ObjectiveTo evaluate the stability of gentamicin, tobramycin, netilmycin, vancomycin, cefazolin, unfractionated heparin, and low molecular weight heparin when added to four different peritoneal dia...
Development of a supported molten-salt Wacker catalyst for the oxidation of ethylene to acetaldehyde

Abstract A modified supported molten-salt Wacker catalyst involving palladium chloride/copper chloride is developed by replacing the conventional aqueous reaction medium (H 2 O + HCl) with a eutectic melt of cuprous chloride and potassium chloride and supporting it on a porous support. Experimental studies for the oxidation of ethylene to acetaldehyde over the supported molten-salt catalyst (SMSC) show the kinetics to be similar to the aqueous-phase Wacker process and the SMSC diffusion-reaction characteristics to be well predicted by the theoretical model of R. Datta and R. G. Rinker ( J. Catal. 95 , 181 (1985)). The SMS catalyst was found to be extremely stable owing to the essentially nonvolatile nature of the molten salt whereas the aqueous-phase supported liquid-phase catalyst deactivated rapidly due to the evaporation of the solvent. The developed supported molten-salt catalyst appears to have substantial advantages over the commen⌝cal liquid-phase Wacker process. Further, the SMSC technique utilized here should prove to be useful in developing efficient catalysts for many other processes.
Evidence for silent synapses: Implications for the expression of LTP

Summary Recent work has suggested that some proportion of excitatory synapses on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells that express NMOA receptors (NMDARa) may not express functional AMPA receptors (AMPARs), thus making these synapses silent at the resting membrane potential. In agreement with this hypothesis, we demonstrete here that it is pQssible to stimulate synapses that yield no detectable excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) when the cell is held at -60 mV; yet at positive holding potentials (+30 to +60 mV), EPSCs can be elicited that are completely blocked by the NMOAR antagonist, D-APV. When these functionally silent synapses are subjected to an LTP Induction protocol, EPSCs mediated by AMPARs appear and remain for the duration of the experiment. This conversion of silent synapses to functional synapses is blocked by D-APV. These results suggest that LTP may involve modification of AMPARs that, prior to LTP, were either not present in the postsynaptic membrane or electrophysiologically silent. This mechanism may account for several experimental results previously attributed to presynaptic changes in quantal content.
The area postrema does not modulate the long-term salt sensitivity of arterial pressure

The hindbrain circumventricular organ, the area postrema (AP), receives multiple signals linked to body fluid homeostasis. In addition to baroreceptor input, AP cells contain receptors for ANG II, vasopressin, and atrial natriuretic peptide. Hence, it has been proposed that the AP is critical in long-term adjustments in sympathetic outflow in response to changes in dietary NaCl. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that long-term control of arterial pressure over a range of dietary NaCl requires an intact AP. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly selected for lesion of the AP (APx) or sham lesion. Three months later, rats were instrumented with radiotelemetry transmitters for continuous monitoring of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate and were placed in individual metabolic cages. Rats were given 1 wk postoperative recovery. The dietary salt protocol consisted of a 7-day period of 1.0% NaCl (control), 14 days of 4.0% NaCl (high), 7 days of 1.0% NaCl, and finally 14 days of 0.1% NaCl (low). The results are reported as the average arterial pressure observed on the last day of the given dietary salt period: APx ( n = 7) 114 ± 2 (1.0%), 110 ± 3 (4.0%), 110 ± 3 (1.0%), and 114 ± 4 (0.1%) mmHg; sham ( n = 6) 115 ± 2 (1.0%), 114 ± 3 (4.0%), 111 ± 3 (1.0%), and 113 ± 2 (0.1%) mmHg. Neither group of rats demonstrated significant changes in MAP throughout the entire dietary salt protocol. Furthermore, no significant differences in MAP were detected between groups throughout the protocol. All lesions were histologically verified. These results suggest that the area postrema plays no role in long-term control of arterial pressure during chronic changes in dietary salt.
IMPACT OF A TOURIST FACILITY ON ITS HINTERLAND

ABSTRACT A number of basic principles concerning tourist and outdoor recreation facilities are being developed on a priori grounds rather than from empirically derived data. One of the most fundamental of such generalizations relates to the effect of a facility on its hinterland, the degree of impact being postulated as a function of the friction of distance. The basic purpose of this study is to test the validity of this concept by analyzing the actual impact of two similar tourist attractions in Pennsylvania on their hinterlands. Major discrepancies are found to exist between the pattern of geometrically regular hypothetical impact zones and the highly irregular patterns actually produced by the two test facilities. Analysis of conditions that might create such irregularities yields null results in the case of 1) invalid data, 2) accessibility, and 3) intervening opportunity factors, and significant correlation in the case of the 4) regional orientation, 5) familiarity, and 6) advertising factors.
Dual-Layer Cooperative Error Control for Reliable Nanoscale Networks-on-Chip

We propose a framework that allows dual-layer cooperative error control in a nanoscale network-on-chip (NoC), to simultaneously improve reliability, performance and energy efficiency. The framework combines a configurable routing algorithm in the network layer and an adaptive error control coding scheme in the datalink layer. When the network layer detects an increase in network congestion, either the routing algorithm is switched from deterministic to partially adaptive routing or the error controls schemes is adjusted to a powerful mode. In high noise conditions, the adaptive error control in the datalink layer is switched to a more powerful error control mode, cooperating with the configurable routing algorithm. The resulting dual-layer framework allows reliability and network congestion to be managed dynamically. Simulation results show that the proposed method improves the average latency up to 24% and the average energy up to 27% compared to the single layer error control, with 8% area overhead.
New approximations for the event count distribution for superimposed renewal processes at the time origin with application to the reliability of new series systems

When n independent identical renewal processes are superimposed, the number of events in 0, s is approximately Poisson distributed for large n. For small to moderate n, this approximation is inaccurate. If no component process has more than one event in 0, s, the probability of exactly r events for the superimposed process is given by a binomial-like expression where the p and q do not sum to one. Several approximations have been derived from this observation and compared to the exact probability for small n, when the underlying distribution of time between events is gamma. One of these binomial approximations gives excellent results for small n. The following application is discussed. When k new series systems, each consisting of m identical components, are tested for time s and failed components are replaced upon failure, a superimposed renewal process results. To design an acceptance sampling scheme for new series systems using exact probability computations is cumbersome. The Poisson approximation is convenient, but may give misleading estimates of the O.C. curve for small n. The new binomial approximation is a compromise: It is easier to use for test design than the exact computation and more accurate than the simpler Poisson approximation.
On Supporting Kleene Closure over Event Streams

Complex event patterns involving Kleene closure are finding application in a variety of stream environments for tracking and monitoring purposes. In this paper, we propose a compact language, SASE+, that can be used to define a wide variety of Kleene closure patterns, analyze the expressive power of the language, and outline an automata-based implementation for efficient Kleene closure evaluation over event streams.
An Assessment of Statin Safety by Neurologists

The National Lipid Association's (NLA) Statin Safety Task Force charged the Neurology Expert Panel with the task of reviewing the scientific evidence related to adverse effects with statins and providing assessments and advice regarding the safety of statins. The evidence included key adverse reaction statin literature identified via a Medline search by the Task Force and Panel members and the commissioned reviews and research presented in this supplement. Panel members were asked to use this evidence to independently form explicit answers to a series of questions posed by the Task Force. Panelists were asked to grade the type of literature and the confidence they had in it in forming their answers using prescribed scales. Panelists were encouraged to seek the highest level of evidence available to answer their questions and to concentrate on literature involving humans. In addition, the Neurology Expert Panel was asked to propose recommendations to regulatory authorities, health professionals, patients, researchers, and the pharmaceutical industry to address statin safety issues.
Effect of planetary rotation on distal tektite deposition on Mars

[1] The rapid rotation of Mars creates a significant pseudoforce, known as the Coriolis force, that greatly modifies the flight paths and subsequent deposition of distal ejecta (ejecta with launch velocities of 3 km/s and greater). An accurate depiction of the effects of the Coriolis force requires the integration of the Coriolis terms directly into a series of spherical ballistic equations applied within a rotating reference frame. The resulting landing positions of radially ejected particles tend to form distinct wrapping patterns that are focused to specific areas in the hemisphere opposite from the source crater: around the pole for high-latitude craters (45° in latitude and above) and in an equatorial band for low-latitude craters (below 45° latitude). Consequently, particular locations on the surface receive deposits in stages: direct delivery of ejecta followed by deposits of higher-velocity ejecta. This staged deposition leads to regions of enhanced ejecta accumulations where meters of material collect (millimeters would be predicted in nonrotational radial decay models). Thus high-latitude craters could supply a considerable amount of distal products (tektites and melts) to polar locations, perhaps contributing to the dark circumpolar materials.
Laparoscopic treatment of enteric fistulas

Background: Elective laparoscopically assisted sigmoid colectomy for diverticular disease and ileocolic resection for terminal ileal Crohn’s disease are safe and beneficial procedures in many patients. However, few data exist regarding the laparoscopic management of enteric fistulas from diverticular and Crohn’s disease. Methods: We completed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent laparoscopic treatment of enteric fistulas complicating diverticular and Crohn’s disease. Results: During an 8-year period (1994–2002), 72 patients underwent 73 laparoscopically assisted bowel resections for enteric fistulas by one surgeon at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. Ninety percent of patients had Crohn’s disease, the average age was 39, and the male/female ratio was 38/34. Patients had a history of prior abdominal surgery in 39.7% of cases. Multiple fistulas were present in 30% of patients and 12.3% underwent multiple resections at the time of operation. Mean operating time was 199 min, and the conversion rate was 4.1%. Average length of stay was 5.2 days. There were no mortalities in the series. Overall morbidity was 11%. Conclusions: Laparoscopic management of enteric fistula disease is safe and effective. Low morbidity and short hospital stay demonstrate the safety and benefit of the minimally invasive approach for even complicated fistula disease in patients with history of prior abdominal surgery and multiple fistulas, or in patients requiring multiple resections for fistulas from diverticular and Crohn’s disease.
XMT-based direct simulation of flow and heat transfer through open-cell aluminum foams

Three aluminum foam samples of varying pore sizes - 10 ppi, 20 ppi and 40 ppi - are CT-scanned using a commercial X-ray scanner at 20 micron resolution for measuring and comparing important heat transfer parameters such as effective thermal conductivity and Nusselt number. Small sub-samples from the resulting stack of images are processed to generate featurepreserving high-quality finite-volume meshes. It is observed that all three foam samples exhibit similar volumetric porosity (in the range ∼ 91–93%), and thereby a similar thermal conductivity. For the domain sizes considered, the samples exhibit anisotropic conduction along the three coordinate directions of the mesh, which is attributed to the randomness of the structure and the small domain sizes considered. The values of average effective thermal conductivity are compared with a number of previous experimental and simulation results. Effective tortuosity for conduction along the coordinate directions is also calculated. Permeability simulations in the Darcy flow regime with air and water show that foam permeability is isotropic and is of the order of 10−7 m2. The resulting friction factor variation with Reynolds number is validated against published results. Nusselt numbers are also computed for this range of Reynolds numbers. The heat transfer results exhibit a dependence on the linear porosity, even though the corresponding volumetric porosity is the same for all the samples considered.
Behavioral and neural effects of chromatic isoluminance in the primate visual motion system.

We have previously reported that the responses of individual neurons in macaque visual area MT elicited by movement of contrast-reversing heterochromatic red/green borders are largest when the two hues are “balanced” or isoluminant (Dobkins & Albright, 1994). This “neural” isoluminant point was found to vary somewhat across the sample of neurons. Here, we compare the average neural isoluminant point in area MT to a behavioral measure of isoluminance, obtained using a modification of an oculomotor procedure developed by Chaudhuri and Albright (1992). These behavioral estimates of isoluminance closely parallel the neuronal data obtained from area MT. In accordance with previous evidence (e.g. Lee et al., 1988; Kaiser et al., 1990; Valberg et al., 1992), this correlation suggests that activity within the dorsal/magnocellular stream underlies behavioral expression of chromatic isoluminance.
Multiple Wavelength Emission From Semipolar InGaN/GaN Quantum Wells Selectively Grown by MOCVD

Multiple wavelength emission is experimentally observed from semipolar InGaN/GaN quantum wells selectively grown by MOCVD. Selective growth rates on different mask opening areas result in a multiple wavelength emission from the same wafer.
Self-regulated learning of a natural category: Do people interleave or block exemplars during study?

Despite decades of research focused on the representation of concepts, little is known about the influence of self-regulatory processes when learning natural categories. Such work is vital, as many contexts require self-regulation when we form complex concepts. Previous research has demonstrated that interleaving, as compared to blocking, can improve classification. Thus, as an initial step to explore self-regulated learning of natural concepts, we evaluated whether people chose to block or interleave their practice. According to the search-for-differences hypothesis, people attempt to identify features of birds that distinguish one category (i.e., bird family) from another, and hence should interleave their study. According to the search-for-similarities hypothesis, people attempt to identify features that indicate inclusion into a single category, and hence are expected to block their study. To evaluate these hypotheses, we had participants learn exemplar birds (e.g., Song Sparrow) with their respective bird families (e.g., Sparrow) by selecting the order in which to study bird families. Across four experiments, different formats for selecting exemplars for study were used, so as to provide converging evidence for how participants regulated their learning. Participants overwhelmingly preferred to block their study, even though interleaving is normatively better for learning.
Semi-parametric estimation of non-separable models: a minimum distance from independence approach

Summary This paper studies non-separable structural models that are of the form with U uniform on in which is a known real function parametrized by a structural parameter . We study the case in which contains a finite dimensional component and an infinite dimensional component h. We assume that the true value is identified by the restriction . Our proposal is to estimate by a minimum distance from independence (MDI) criterion. We show that: (a) our estimator for is consistent and we obtain rates of convergence and (b) the estimator for is consistent and asymptotically normally distributed.
Migration, age, and earnings: the special case of employee transfers

The regional relocation of workers within firms is examined. This aspect of migration has received little attention, in spite of the routine occurance of employee transfers. The existence of such transfers suggests that a portion of each worker's human capital is employer-specific and readily transferrable across locations. Thus a different age profile for transfers than that for conventional migrants may be expected. Specially, a model of employee relocation and the consequences of relocation on post-transfer earnings is examined.
Novel cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) response element modulator theta isoforms expressed by two newly identified cAMP-responsive promoters active in the testis.

cAMP signaling contributes to the control of the developmental progression of germ cells during the spermatogenic cycle. Genes regulated by cAMP include those encoding transcription factors such as the cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM). The disruption of CREM gene expression in crem null mice results in arrest of spermatogenesis and infertility. The transcriptional control of the CREM gene is attributed to two promoters, P1 and P2. The P1 promoter constitutively activates the synthesis of messenger RNAs encoding activator (τ) and repressor (α) forms of CREM, whereas the cAMP-responsive P2 promoter activates the formation of messenger RNAs encoding the inducible cAMP early repressor. Here we report the identification of two additional promoters in the CREM gene, P3 and P4, that in the rat testis encode two novel transcriptional activator CREM isoforms, termed CREM θ1 and CREM θ2, respectively. Notably, the P3 and P4 promoters are activated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, thereby providing cAMP-reg...
Steady magnetospheric convection: Statistical signatures in the solar wind and AE

[1] We identify steady magnetospheric convection (SMC) whenever AE ≥ 200 nT and AL does not decrease by more than 25 nT in one minute. We demonstrate that the distribution of durations of SMCs has a larger tail than would be expected by assuming that long intervals of SMC are chance conjunctions of shorter SMCs. This implies that the magnetosphere can resist substorm onset and remain in a steady convective state. We also examine the distribution of interplanetary parameters during the long SMCs to determine what conditions are associated with SMCs. We document that solar wind velocity below 450 km s−1 and magnetic field Bz ∼ −3 nT are the hallmarks of the SMC intervals identified by our criteria. We note that the variability of Bz is only somewhat smaller during SMC intervals than during other times. We conclude by demonstrating that the appropriate solar wind conditions alone are not sufficient for producing an SMC.
Self-assembly of borane end-functionalized polystyrene through tris(1-pyrazolyl)borate (Tp) iron(II) linkages.

Treatment of trimethylsilane-terminated polystyrenes with BBr(3) resulted in the formation of dibromoboryl-functionalized mono- or ditelechelic styrene polymers. Subsequently, the borane moieties were selectively converted to tris(1-pyrazolyl)borate (Tp) moieties capable of transition metal coordination. These novel telechelic polymers assemble into redox-active supramolecular polymer structures upon reaction with Fe(II) as indicated by GPC, UV-vis, and cyclic voltammetry studies.
Value Modeling for Enterprise Resilience

Abstract. The idea that resilience is a tangible, measureable, and desirable system attribute has grown rapidly over the last decade beyond is origins in explaining ecological, physiological, psychological, and social systems. Operational enterprise resilience requires two types of measurement. First, the system must monitor various operational conditions in order to respond to disruptions. These measurements are part of one or more observation, orientation, decision, and action (OODA) loops The OODA control processes that implement a resilience strategy use these measurements to provide robustness, rapid recovery and reconstitution. In order to assess the effectiveness of the resilience strategy, a different class of measurements is necessary. This second type consists of measurements about how well the OODA processes cover critical enterprise functions and the hazards to which the enterprise is exposed. They allow assessment of how well enterprise management processes anticipate, mitigate, and adapt to a changing environment and the degree to which the system is fault tolerant. This paper nominates a theoretical framework, in the form of definitions, a model, and a syntax, that accounts for this important distinction, and in so doing provides a mechanism for bridging resilience management process models and the many proposed cyber-defense metric enumerations.
Lessons in Signaling and Tumorigenesis from Polyomavirus Middle T Antigen

Summary: The small DNA tumor viruses have provided a very long-lived source of insights into many aspects of the life cycle of eukaryotic cells. In recent years, the emphasis has been on cancer-related signaling. Here we review murine polyomavirus middle T antigen, its mechanisms, and its downstream pathways of transformation. We concentrate on the MMTV-PyMT transgenic mouse, one of the most studied models of breast cancer, which permits the examination of in situ tumor progression from hyperplasia to metastasis.
Gastric operations and glucose homeostasis. II. glucagon and secretin.

Alimentary hyperglycemia in patients who have undergone gastric operations may be due, in part, to altered intestinal signals for glucose disposition. We measured glucose, immunoreactive insulin (IRI), pancreatic glucagon (IRG), and glucagon-like immunoreactivity (GLI) after oral glucose in patients with prior antrectomy or vagotomy and pyloroplasty and in normal individuals. All subjects had normal assimilation coefficients for intravenous glucose, which suggests that the responsiveness of the pancreatic β-cells had not been altered by the surgical procedures. The early hyperglycemic response to oral glucose and the associated elevation of plasma GLI were much greater and the IRI levels slightly higher in both experimental groups in comparison to normal subjects. A decrease in the level of IRG, albeit not statistically significant, was noted in all groups after the ingestion of glucose. In gastrectomy patients, secretin infusion during repeated oral glucose tolerance tests partially corrected the hyperglycemia and lowered plasma GLI and IRI levels. The responses of the vagotomy and pyloroplasty patients and of the normal subjects were not altered by secretin infusion. We conclude that the intolerance to oral glucose after gastric surgery may be related to elevated GLI levels, and that the beneficial effect of secretin may be due to its ability to decrease these levels.
Slip Chart–Inspired Project Schedule Diagramming: Origins, Buffers, and Extension to Linear Schedules

AbstractLinear schedules continue to hold significant potential for planning and control in construction project management, where work progress of activities is often repetitive in nature. However...