cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deals from Hell: M&A Lessons that Rise Above the Ashes

Foreword by Arthur Levitt, Jr. Acknowledgments. 1. Introduction. I. The Foundations of M&A Failure. 2. Where M&A Pays and Where It Strays:A Survey of Research. 3. Profiling the Outlying M&A Deals. 4. Real Disasters and M&A Failure. II. Case Studies of M&A Failure. 5. February 1968: Merger of the Pennsylvania and New York Central Railroads. 6. December 1986: The Leveraged Buyout of Revco Drug Stores. 7. September 1989: The Acquisition of Columbia Pictures by Sony Corporation. 8. September 1991: The Acquisition of NCR Corporation by AT&T Corporation. 9. December 1993: Renault's Proposed Merger with Volvo. 10. December 1994: The Acquisition of Snapple by Quaker Oats. 11. May 1999: Mattel's Acquisition of The Learning Company. 12. January 2001: Merger of AOL and Time Warner. 13. December 2001: Dynegy's Proposed Merger with Enron. 14. January 2002: Acquisition Program of Tyco International. III. Avoiding the Deal from Hell. 15. Conclusions and Implications. 16. Memo to the CEO:A Coda on Growth. References. About the Author. Index.
Does mowing height influence alkaloid production in endophytic tall fescue and perennial ryegrass

The mutualistic symbiosis following infection of tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea, and perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne, by fungal endophyte (Neotyphodium spp.) results in the production of alkaloids that are feeding deterrents or toxic to insects and livestock. If the levels of the alkaloids can be manipulated by cultural practices in the grasses that are used for home lawns and golf courses, this could alleviate the need for pesticide applications in urban environments. We evaluated the influence of mowing height on the levels of some alkaloids in a greenhouse experiment for two consecutive months. In tall fescue, levels of four of the nine alkaloids, including one presumptive alkaloid, showed increased levels with increasing the mowing height from 2.5 to 7.5 cm. The alkaloids were ergonovine, ergocryptine, perloline methyl ether, and an unidentified alkaloid designated as unknown C. In perennial ryegrass, three out of six alkaloids, perloline methyl ether, chanoclavine, and unknown A, showed similar increases. The alkaloid levels in perennial ryegrass showed more variability than those in tall fescue between the two sampling dates. It was clear in both grasses that the relative levels of the alkaloids varied with mowing height, as well as over time.
Life and Death Decisions: Prosecutorial Discretion and Capital Punishment in Missouri

This article presents the results of an empirical study of intentional homicide cases in Missouri. The authors created a database of 1046 cases; it includes substantially all of the homicide cases prosecuted in Missouri over a five year period that were initially charged as murder or voluntary manslaughter and that yielded criminal convictions. The authors selected 247 cases from the larger database for more detailed analysis. We analyzed geographic and racial disparities in the rates at which: prosecutors charge first-degree murder versus lesser charges; prosecutors seek the death penalty, not lesser punishments; defendants are convicted of first-degree murder versus lesser crimes; and defendants are sentenced to death, not lesser punishments. The Missouri statute gives prosecutors very broad discretion. We estimate that at least 76 percent of the cases in the database are death-eligible under the statute. However, prosecutors pursued capital trials in only about five percent of the cases. Thus, death-eligible cases in which prosecutors chose not to pursue capital trials comprise at least 71 percent of the cases in the database. Prosecutors in different counties exercise their discretion differently, leading to substantial variation in charging and sentencing practices in different counties across the state. The analysis of cases by race of victim and race of defendant shows that there are racial disparities in charging and sentencing decisions, but the racial disparities are not as significant as the geographic disparities. The article presents measures of racial and geographic disparities without controlling for individual culpability; a follow-on study will introduce culpability measures as control variables.
The Emerging Powers

Using four ways of describing power (economic, military or hard, soft or cultural influence, and regional influence), this chapter looks at the definitions, challenges, and impacts of emerging states. While the well-known BRICS countries are generally considered the most influential emerging powers, some commentators argue that other growing states such as Mexico and Indonesia should be considered of equal importance. Furthermore, there are other blocs in the Global South that arguably deserve more attention, such as the one between India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA); that between Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, and South Africa (CIVETS); and finally that between Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey (MINT). There is a general trend towards more inclusion when it comes to looking at emerging powers in the international realm; this can be seen through newer larger blocs such as the G20. This book features case studies from thirteen major emerging powers and how think tanks operate within them.
Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches to Alcoholism Treatment

Cognitive-behavioral theories explain alcoholism as a learned behavior that can be changed using the same behavior modification interventions employed to alter other learned behaviors. Treatment interventions teach clients the skills they need to confront or avoid everyday situations that may lead to drinking.
Evaluation of low-ash poultry meal as a protein source in canine foods.

Eight mature female dogs (18.0 +/- 0.2 kg) were used in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square experiment to determine the feeding value of low-ash poultry meal (PM) in a complete food fed to dogs. All foods contained graded concentrations of PM (10.4 to 32.5% DM), resulting in foods that were 10, 15, 20, and 25% CP. Daily DMI averaged 284 +/- 14 g/d. An increase in PM resulted in an increase in fecal moisture from 44.7 to 55.1% (linear; P 0.05). Large intestinal CP digestibility increased from 21.6 to 37.1% (linear; P < 0.05) with increasing PM. Total-tract CP digestibility increased from 81.0 to 86.6% (linear; P < 0.01) as PM increased. Arginine had the highest overall digestibility ranging from 88.5 to 91.3%, whereas cysteine had the lowest digestibility, ranging from 67.1 to 71.4%. These data indicate that PM is a highly digestible protein source for canine foods with inclusions of 10.4 to 32.5% of DM.
Electroencephalographic biomarkers for treatment response prediction in major depressive illness: A meta-analysis

Objective:Reducing unsuccessful treatment trials could improve depression treatment. Quantitative EEG (QEEG) may predict treatment response and is being commercially marketed for this purpose. The ...
Environmentally Induced Epigenetic Plasticity in Development: Epigenetic Toxicity and Epigenetic Adaptation.

Epigenetic processes represent important mechanisms underlying developmental plasticity in response to environmental exposures. The current review discusses three classes of environmentally induced epigenetic changes reflecting two aspects of that plasticity, toxicity effects as well as adaptation in the process of development. Due to innate resilience, epigenetic changes caused by environmental exposures may not always lead to impairments but may allow the organisms to achieve positive developmental outcomes through appropriate adaptation and a buffering response. Thus, some epigenetic adaptive responses to an immediate stimulus or exposure early in life would be expected to have a survival advantage but these same responses may also result in adverse developmental outcomes as they persist into later life stages. Although accumulating literature has identified environmentally induced epigenetic changes and linked them to health outcomes, we currently face challenges in the interpretation of the functional impact of their epigenetic plasticity. Current environmental epigenetic research suggests that epigenetic processes may serve as a mechanism for resilience, and that they can be considered in terms of their impact on toxicity as a negative outcome, but also on adaptation for improved survival or health. This review encourages epigenetic environmental studies to move deeper into the functional meaning of epigenetic plasticity in development.
A History of Western Education (Volumes 1, 2 and 3)

This set reprints volumes 1, 2 and 3 of James Bowen's A History of Western Education originally published by Methuen in the 1970s.Volume One: The Ancient World: Orient and Mediterranean 2000B.C - A.D. 1054The volume traces the development of education in the ancient world from the first scribal cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt to learning in the early Christian church. A detailed account is given of the acheivements of Greece in literacy, learning, philosophy and training for public life - achievements which were further developed in the Hellenistic Orient and incorporated by the Romans into their own highly organized educational system. This leads to the emergence of a specifically Christian ideal of education, the decline of secular learning in the West, and the preservation of learning both in Byzantium and in Western monasticism.Volume Two: Civilization of Europe: Sixth to Sixteenth CenturyVolume Two follows the growth and process of learning in Europe from its foundations in the Carolingian era through its evolution in medieval Europe - especially italy, France, Germany and England - to its expansion and refinement in the sixteenth century. Particular attention is paid to:* The role of medieval institutions of the cathedral and grammer schools and the university* The contribution of notable scholars of the age such as Abelard, Thomas Aquinas, Erasmus and LutherVolume Three: The Modern West: Europe and the New WorldThe final volume covers the period of educational dissent, which became conspicuous in the early seventeenth century and reached crisis proportions in the late twentieth, when the dominant ideologies of progress and equality, generated at the beginning of the nineteenth century, were questioned for the first time on a widespread, popular scale.
Expanding the Role of Levels of Personality Functioning in Personality Disorder Taxonomy: Commentary on “Criterion A of the AMPD in HiTOP”

The Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) construes personality disorder diagnosis in terms of levels of personality functioning (LPF) as well as dimensions of pathological personality...
EML Webinar overview: New developments in shell stability

Abstract The stability of structures continues to be scientifically fascinating and technically important. Shell buckling emerged as one of the most challenging nonlinear problems in mechanics in the middle of the last century when it was first intensively studied. The subject has returned to life motivated not only by structural applications but also by developments in the life sciences and in the field of soft materials. The challenge is that shell structures are susceptible to dramatic load-carrying reductions due to relatively small imperfections in their geometry. Imperfections must be factored into buckling load estimations. Recent work on spherical shells subject to external pressure will be used to illustrate some of the new developments in shell stability. Buckling mode localization, imperfection-sensitivity, energy barriers for stability, and probing to establish the stability landscape will be discussed. EML Webinar speakers and videos are updated at https://imechanica.org/node/24098 .
Differences in Estimates of Post-Herpetic Neuralgia Between Medical Chart Review and Self-Report.

Purpose Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common herpes zoster (HZ) complication, where pain persists 90 days after the initial HZ diagnosis. Evaluating PHN risk is essential for determining the burden on patients and health-care systems, but research shows variable estimates. The extent to which these differences are related to the assessment method has not been examined. The purpose of this study is to compare the proportion of PHN among HZ patients measured by medical chart review and self-report surveys. Methods PHN risk was assessed among a sample of Kaiser Permanente Southern California members with HZ. Chart reviews identified lingering pain 90-180 days post-HZ diagnosis and the Zoster Brief Pain Inventory was administered 90 days post-HZ diagnosis by telephone. Frequencies of PHN identified with each approach were cross-tabulated and stratified by sex, age group, and zoster vaccine live vaccination status. Results Chart review and self-report were largely concordant (n=875, 89.20%); however, chart review yielded lower PHN risk overall and for the stratified subgroups. PHN from self-report was substantially higher (6.30-8.33%) among patients who were male, ≥70 years, or unvaccinated. Among those who typically seek care more often (female, younger, vaccinated), the discrepancy between each method was notably lower (1.60-2.92%). Conclusion Our findings suggest that chart review underestimates cases among those less likely to seek health care, including males, the elderly, and unvaccinated individuals. The agreement between the methods indicates that each can provide a reasonable approximation of PHN, but analyses should carefully control for health-care utilization.
Allelopathy is pervasive in invasive plants

Invasive species utilize a wide array of trait strategies to establish in novel ecosystems. Among these traits is the capacity to produce allelopathic compounds that can directly inhibit neighboring native plants or indirectly suppress native plants via disruption of beneficial belowground microbial mutualisms, or altered soil resources. Despite the well-known prevalence of allelopathy among plant taxa, the pervasiveness of allelopathy among invasive plants is unknown. Here we demonstrate that the majority of the 524 invasive plant species in our database produce allelochemicals with the potential to negatively affect native plant performance. Moreover, allelopathy is widespread across the plant phylogeny, suggesting that allelopathy could have a large impact on native species across the globe. Allelopathic impacts of invasive species are often thought to be present in only a few plant clades (e.g., Brassicaceae). Yet our analysis shows that allelopathy is present in 72% of the 113 plant families surveyed, suggesting that this ubiquitous mechanism of invasion deserves more attention as invasion rates increase across the globe.
Hybrid and Online Synchronous Delivery of Environmental Engineering during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study on Perception, Attitude, and Assessment

Hybrid and online synchronous delivery of courses is a time-demanding approach to teaching and learning systems that is designed to engage students in investigations of authentic concepts or problems without coming to the pre-assigned classrooms two or three times a week. This study presents perceptions and attitudes of students that attended a hybrid course in environmental engineering that suddenly converted to an online synchronous delivery due to COVID-19. It also presents an assessment of the hybrid and online synchronous delivery approach on the final exam scores as well as the final grades of the same course. The course, ‘Introduction to Environmental Engineering’, was developed as an online course for Civil and Environmental Engineering program students and delivered with hybrid and online synchronous options due to COVID-19 pandemic for several semesters to test the concept. In the hybrid delivery set up, all the quizzes and homework assignments were online while the midterm and final exams were in-class. For spring 2020 the final exam was online and for summer 2020 both the midterm and final exams were online due to COVID-19 adjustment. At the very end of the semesters, an online anonymous survey was conducted with five questions to understand the students’ perception and attitude on exam taking options and learning environment. Students’ perceptions and attitudes about online synchronous delivery approach compared to hybrid delivery approach, as well as the learning outcomes, appeared at face value not to be favorable. However, statistical analysis revealed that differences between online synchronous delivery and the Pre-COVID-19 hybrid delivery were not significant, indicating that, at least for these engineering students, online synchronous delivery is a justifiable option.
Arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy in an adolescent patient with DSP mutation

Abstract The current understanding of the genotype-phenotype relationship in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy continues to evolve. Initial studies described arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy as a fibrofatty replacement of cardiac myocytes in the right ventricle associated with a high incidence of ventricular arrhythmias. Newer studies suggest a broader phenotypic array of disease driven by distinct genetic mutations. This includes arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy associated with DSP mutations. Herein, we describe an unusual case of an adolescent male with syncope and findings of ALVC secondary to DSP mutation.
Utility of chemotherapy given before and/or after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy for appendiceal adenocarcinoma with peritoneal metastases.

e16276Background: Appendiceal adenocarcinoma is relatively rare and often diagnosed incidentally during operations for acute appendicitis. It is commonly associated, either at time of initial prese...
Odd-degree Rational Irreducible Characters

We study finite groups whose rational-valued irreducible characters are all of odd degrees. We conjecture that in such groups, all rational elements must be 2-elements.
Strangeness in astrophysics: Theoretical developments

In this conference proceeding, we review important theoretical developments related to the production of strangeness in astrophysics. This includes its effects in supernova explosions, neutron stars, and compact-star mergers. We also discuss in detail how the presence of net strangeness affects the deconfinement to quark matter, expected to take place at large densities and/or temperatures. We conclude that a complete description of dense matter containing hyperons and strange quarks is fundamental for the understanding of modern high-energy astrophysics.
Linköping University’s CAMAD System

Linkoping University’s CAMAD (Computer Aided Modelling, Analysis, and Design of VLSI Systems) system includes scheduling, data path synthesis, and design iteration.
Stand-Up Philosophy

This chapter provides an overview of philosophy. Philosophy forms the foundation of all rational inquiry — whether scientific, theological, ethical, axiological, aesthetic — and is the wellspring of even idle speculation. People hold strong beliefs about themselves and others, and the world, and whether these are well or ill-founded is a matter of philosophical examination. People make daily inferences about themselves and others, and the world, and whether these are sound or unsound is a matter of philosophical rigor. People obey or break laws and follow or defy customs, according to their philosophical interpretations of justice, liberty, and right. People seek, find, or deny meaning and purpose in their lives and deaths, according to their philosophical conceptions of these things. People make myriad choices on a daily basis, guided by their philosophical deliberations or blinded by a conspicuous lack thereof. People constantly wonder who and where they are, how they came to be who and where they are, and who they shall become, and in what place and by what means and to what end they shall become it. These are quintessentially philosophical questions.
Results from Functional Analysis

A Banach space is a complete normed vector space over \({\mathbb {R}}\) or \({\mathbb {C}}\).
Health information and older adults

This chapter presents evidence-based tips and techniques for health information providers in working with older adults in nonclinical settings. Topics include health information access points and presentation settings, formatting and media considerations, specific potential challenges to information reception and understanding among older adults, and ways to circumvent such barriers.
Suppression of geometric component of charge-pumping current in SOI/MOSFETs

Charge-pumping current in SOI/MOSFETs tends to have a very large geometric component which makes the data analysis very difficult, and thus the technique is not widely adopted for SOI despite its ability to probe both interfaces in small devices. We have systematically analyzed the nature of this parasitic effect, and this paper will introduce a simple method to improve the majority carrier response and effectively suppress this geometric component.
A new training rule for optical recognition of binary character images by spatial correlation

Explores a method for automatically training and recognizing patterns such as characters or symbols in an image. The research is based upon the commercially proven recognition technique of spatial correlation, whose major drawback is the tedious process of training each character while taking into account the variations in print from sample to sample. The research attempts to completely automate the training process by a new learning rule in feedforward neural networks, to create an "optimal" representation of each character from a representative set of character images. The research presents bounds of the learning constant and proofs of convergence of the proposed algorithm. The method significantly enhances existing commercial OCR systems that are based on spatial correlation. >
The importance of proline metabolism under conditions of nutrient stress

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 4501 Under conditions of nutrient stress, cells switch to a survival mode catabolizing cellular and tissue constituents for energy. Proline metabolism is especially important in nutrient stress because it is readily available from the breakdown of extracellular matrix (ECM), and the degradation of proline by proline oxidase (POX), a mitochondrial inner membrane enzyme, can generate ATP. The cycling of proline and product pyrroline-5-carboxylate functions as a redox shuttle and the electrons from proline can be used for generation of ATP or ROS. Thus, the degradation of proline may bioenergetically maintain survival or mediate apoptosis. We found that accompanying the downregulation of mTOR by amino acid or glucose deprivation, POX expression and activity were upregulated. A 3-4 fold increase in POX catalytic activity was obtained with withdrawal of either glucose or amino acids. Rapamycin, the inhibitor of mTOR, markedly upregulated POX, supporting the role of mTOR in the POX response to nutrient stress. In spite of nutrient deprivation, ATP levels were maintained with increased proline degradation. Following rapamycin treatment an initial decline in intracellular ATP levels was obtained. However, by 12 h, the increase in POX activity was accompanied by a rise in ATP levels. This increase in ATP levels was suppressed when POX was inhibited indicating the contributions of POX and proline to the maintenance of ATP. AICAR which activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibits mTOR signaling, also markedly upregulated POX and increased POX-dependent ATP production, further supporting the role of POX during nutrient/ energy stress. Nutrient stress not only activates pathways that conserve energy for survival, but also will provide a switch to apoptosis when a critical point is reached. We studied the generation of ROS and induction of apoptosis and found that only when nutrients were very low would ROS generation be induced leading to apoptosis. This suggested that POX activity may contribute to ROS as well as ATP. Therefore, we propose that the induced POX activity, once the stress exceeds the possibility of survival, will be the source of electrons for ROS. Thus, the induced degradation of proline under conditions of stress may contribute to maintaining energy levels for survival, but this can be switched from a survival to an apoptotic mode by inducing ROS along with ATP.
A Behavior-Genetic Study of the Legacy of Early Caregiving Experiences: Academic Skills, Social Competence, and Externalizing Behavior in Kindergarten

A critique of research examining whether early experiences with primary caregivers are reflected in adaptation is that relevant longitudinal studies have generally not employed genetically informed research designs capable of unconfounding shared genes and environments. Using the twin subsample (N = 485 pairs) of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, the current study provides evidence that early parental support (derived from observations at 24 months and around age 4, in prekindergarten) is associated with academic skills (r = .32), social competence (r = .15), and externalizing behavior (r = −.11) in kindergarten. Crucially, the shared environment accounted for virtually all of the correlation between parenting and academic skills, roughly half of the association between parenting and social competence, and approximately one fourth of the correlation between parenting and externalizing behavior.
SATO: Surface Area Traversal Order for Shadow Ray Tracing

We present the surface area traversal order SATO metric to accelerate shadow ray traversal. Our formulation uses the surface area of each child node to compute the TO. In this metric, we give a traversal priority to the child node with the larger surface area to quickly find occluders. Our algorithm reduces the pre-processing overhead significantly, and is much faster than other metrics. Overall, the SATO is useful for ray tracing large and complex dynamic scenes e.g. a few million triangles with shadows.
Designing for long-term human-robot interaction and application to weight loss

Human-robot interaction is now well enough understood to allow us to build useful systems that can function outside of the laboratory. This thesis defines sociable robot system in the context of long-term interaction, proposes guidelines for creating and evaluating such systems, and describes the implementation of a robot that has been designed to help individuals effect behavior change while dieting. The implemented system is a robotic weight loss coach, which is compared to a standalone computer and to a traditional paper log in a controlled study. A current challenge in weight loss is in getting individuals to keep off weight that is lost. The results of our study show that participants track their calorie consumption and exercise for nearly twice as long when using the robot than with the other methods and develop a closer relationship with the robot. Both of these are indicators of longer-term success at weight loss and maintenance. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
MECHANISM OF ACTION OF NALIDIXIC ACID ON ESCHERICHIA COLI.

Goss, William A. (Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute, Rensselaer, N.Y.), William H. Dietz, and Thomas M. Cook. Mechanism of action of nalidixic acid on Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 88:1112-1118. 1964.-Nalidixic acid was lethal for proliferating cultures of Escherichia coli. Associated with this lethal effect was the formation of elongated, serpentine forms. Cultures treated with nalidixic acid were osmotically stable; lethality was observed in the presence of stabilizers. Although it was possible to demonstrate leakage of intracellular components from treated cells, this effect occurred only after 99% of the cells were nonviable. Nalidixic acid had little or no effect on respiration with glucose as substrate. If cellular growth was restricted by suboptimal temperature or nutritional deficiencies, the drug was not lethal. Chemical analysis of cellular constituents revealed that lipid, protein, and ribonucleic acid levels were of the same order of magnitude in control and drug-treated cells. Only deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) levels were markedly lowered in drug-treated cells. These facts are consistent with the view that nalidixic acid interferes with the synthesis of E. coli DNA.
Is Vancouver Canada's supervised injection facility cost-saving?

Objective To determine whether Vancouver's Insite supervised injection facility and syringe exchange programs are cost-saving—that is, are the savings due to averted HIV-related medical care costs sufficient to offset Insite's operating costs? Methods The analyses examined the impact of Insite's programs for a single year. Mathematical models were used to calculate the number of additional HIV infections that would be expected if Insite were closed. The life-time HIV-related medical costs associated with these additional infections were compared to the annual operating costs of the Insite facility. Results If Insite were closed, the annual number of incident HIV infections among Vancouver IDU would be expected to increase from 179.3 to 262.8. These 83.5 preventable infections are associated with $17.6 million (Canadian) in life-time HIV-related medical care costs, greatly exceeding Insite's operating costs, which are approximately $3 million per year. Conclusions Insite's safe injection facility and syringe exchange program substantially reduce the incidence of HIV infection within Vancouver's IDU community. The associated savings in averted HIV-related medical care costs are more than sufficient to offset Insite's operating costs.
On the use of Levy's method for symmetrically laminated composite plates

Abstract For rectangular plates with two opposite edges simply supported and no bending twisting coupling, Levy's method can yield exact solutions for static deflections, free vibrations and buckling loads. However, three distinct solutions are obtained, depending on the relative magnitude of the plate rigidities, which in turn are functions of material properties, laminate thickness and lay-up. In this communication a stiffness invariant formulation is used to identify those laminates which fall under the three cases defined.
Inter-rater reliability of manual and automated region-of-interest delineation for PiB PET

A major challenge in positron emission tomography (PET) amyloid imaging studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the reliable detection of early amyloid deposition in human brain. Manual region-of-interest (ROI) delineation on structural magnetic resonance (MR) images is generally the reference standard for the extraction of count-rate data from PET images, as compared to automated MR-template(s) methods that utilize spatial normalization and a single set of ROIs. The goal of this work was to assess the inter-rater reliability of manual ROI delineation for PiB PET amyloid retention measures and the impact of CSF dilution correction (CSF) on this reliability for data acquired in elderly control (n=5) and AD (n=5) subjects. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to measure reliability. As a secondary goal, ICC scores were also computed for PiB outcome measures obtained by an automated MR-template ROI method and one manual rater; to assess the level of reliability that could be achieved using different processing methods. Fourteen ROIs were evaluated that included anterior cingulate (ACG), precuneus (PRC) and cerebellum (CER). The PiB outcome measures were the volume of distribution (V(T)), summed tissue uptake (SUV), and corresponding ratios that were computed using CER as reference (DVR and SUVR). Substantial reliability (ICC≥0.932) was obtained across 3 manual raters for V(T) and SUV measures when CSF correction was applied across all outcomes and regions and was similar in the absence of CSF correction. The secondary analysis revealed substantial reliability in primary cortical areas between the automated and manual SUV [ICC≥0.979 (ACG/PRC)] and SUVR [ICC≥0.977/0.952 (ACG/PRC)] outcomes. The current study indicates the following rank order among the various reliability results in primary cortical areas and cerebellum (high to low): 1) V(T) or SUV manual delineation, with or without CSF correction; 2) DVR or SUVR manual delineation, with or without CSF correction; 3) SUV automated delineation, with CSF correction; and 4) SUVR automated delineation, with or without CSF correction. The high inter-rater reliability of PiB outcome measures in primary cortical areas (ACG/PRC) is important as reliable methodology is needed for the detection of low levels of amyloid deposition on a cross-sectional basis and small changes in amyloid deposition on a longitudinal basis.
Interactions of Refractory Materials with Molten Gasifier Slags

The current study focuses on the analysis of sessile-drop interfacial reactions between two synthetic slags (based on average ash chemistries of coal and petcoke feedstock) and two refractory materials (90 wt% Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}–10 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and 100 wt% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}), using a Confocal Scanning Laser Microscope (CSLM). Ground slag samples (less than 325 mesh) were placed at specific microstructure locations on refractory substrates and heated to 1500 °C in an atmosphere of CO/CO{sub 2} gas mixture (volume ratio = 1.8), using a gold-image heating chamber. Cross-sections of the slag/refractory interface indicated unique slag penetration into preferred areas of the refractory and grain dissolution into the slag which promoted spalling of the refractory. Initially, the slag attacked both grain boundaries and fine microstructure areas, freeing alumina grains into the slag. The formation of VO{sub x}-based crystalline material in the petcoke slag was found to alter the liquid composition. Chemical spalling of Cr-containing crystal layer also facilitated degradation of the refractory.
High-Resolution Kinetic Spectroscopy by a Multiple-Flash Method*

Experiments are described in which double-beam absorption measurements are made at high spectral resolution (better than 0.05A in the visible and near ultraviolet) at an accurate sequence of time intervals as short as 200 μsec. This is accomplished with a high-resolution monochromator and dual-photomultiplier detector using a stroboscopic xenon flash source. Signals representing the absorption ratios are recorded on magnetic tape and read out with a digital integrator.A quantitative test of this procedure was made by observing the iodine recombination reaction following flash photolysis. The accuracy of the results compares favorably with previous measurements which have used spectral bandwidths a thousand times broader. The use of this method for measuring rates of free-radical reactions is described using observations of NH2 radicals as an illustration.
Shock wave compression of hexagonal-close-packed metal single crystals: Time-dependent, anisotropic elastic-plastic response of beryllium

Understanding and modeling the response of hcp metals to high stress impulsive loading is challenging because the lower crystal symmetry, compared to cubic metals, results in a significantly more complex material response. To gain insight into the inelastic deformation of hcp metals subjected to high dynamic stresses, shock wave compression of single crystals provides a useful approach because different inelastic deformation mechanisms can be examined selectively by shock compression along different crystal orientations. As a representative example, we report, here, on wave propagation simulations for beryllium (Be) single crystals shocked along the c-axis, a-axis, and several low-symmetry directions to peak stresses reaching 7 GPa. The simulations utilized a time-dependent, anisotropic material model that incorporated dislocation dynamics, deformation twinning, and shear cracking based descriptions of inelastic deformation. The simulation results showed good overall agreement with measured wave profiles ...
Perturbation treatment of the Hartree–Fock equations of 1s2p3s4Pθ state of the lithium isoelectronic sequence

The first order Hartree–Fock equations of the 1s2p3s4P0 state of the three-electron atomic systems have been solved exactly. These solutions are used to evaluate Hartree–Fock energy up to third order with high accuracy. The third order Hartree–Fock energies for Li to Ne7+ are compared with those derived from experiment and other theoretical calculations.
Changes in cerebral cortical lipids in cobalt-induced epilepsy.

– In control rats and in rats rendered epileptic by insertion of cobalt slivers into the cerebral cortex, total free fatty acids, free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids were measured in normal and lesion areas of cerebral cortex. The cortical lipid profile of the adult rat resembled that of the whole brain of very young rats rather than that of adult whole brain, with the principal differences from whole adult brain being lower total lipid content, increased proportions of phosphatidyl choline in the phospholipid fraction, and higher levels of cholesterol esters. Cobalt-induced epilepsy was associated with significant changes in cerebral cortical lipids in the area of the lesion and in the non-necrotic tissue adjacent to the lesion. The total lipid in the area of the lesion decreased sharply as a result of reductions in free cholesterol and total phospholipids. The levels of cholesterol esters and triglycerides increased in the area of the lesion, and cholesterol esters were also increased in the adjacent tissue. In addition there were decreases in the proportion of phosphatidyl ethanolamine in the phospholipids from the lesion site and adjacent tissue and decreases in the proportions of oleic, arachidonic and nervonic acids (unsaturated acids), and an increase in the proportions of lignoceric acid in the phospholipids. In the site of the lesion only, we observed a decrease in phospholipid palmitic acid and an appreciable increase in the proportions of an unidentified long-chained fatty acid.
Differences in the earnings of black workers in the private and public sectors

Abstract Does public sector employment provide black workers with a special niche that shelters their earnings from the negative effect of segregation? A contextual analysis is performed to identify how characteristics of the local area labor market affect the earnings of black workers in the public and private sectors. The focus is on the influence of residential segregation, a structural factor that contributes to the disadvantaged position of blacks in the labor market. The results show that segregation negatively affects the earnings of blacks in the private sector but has no effect on the earnings of blacks in the public sector. These findings suggest that the public sector may shelter black workers from structural barriers to earnings attainment, thus providing blacks with a special niche in the economy.
Improved Kolmogorov inequalities for the binomial distribution

Abstract This paper presents improved Kolmogorov inequalities for the binomial distribution.
Does Involvement in Performance Management Routines Encourage Performance Information Use? Evaluating GPRA and PART

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 and the George W. Bush administration’s Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) established new routines that were intended to foster performance management practices. Using data from two surveys, the authors find that the involvement of agency employees in GPRA processes and PART reviews generally had little direct effect on performance information use once other factors are accounted for. The main exception is that managerial involvement in GPRA processes and PART reviews is associated with the use of performance data to refine measures and goals. This reflects the limits of government-wide reform efforts that depend on difficult-to-observe bureaucratic behavior. The authors also find that a series of organizational factors—leadership commitment to results, learning routines led by supervisors, the motivational nature of the task, and the ability to link measures to actions—are positive predictors of performance information use.
Distribution of functions and control in RPCNET

This paper describes the general characteristics and architecture of RPCNET, a distributed computer network for use in the Education and Research area which is being developed in Italy. This project is a joint undertaking of the National Research Council, IBM Scientific Center and a number of Universities and Research Institutes. In order to match the variety of needs and contraints inherent in the environment in which the network must be developed and made operational, a functional rather than a system approach has been followed in the designing of the Network. The present architecture includes some modifications to the original design which were necessary in order to establish a more definite boundary between applications, interface and communication subnetwork. The mapping of these functions into physical components is also presented as well as some types of applications.
Recovery of cellulase from lignaceous hydrolysis residue

The adsorption of cellulase protein on lignaceous hydrolysis residue was studied over the range of initial cellulase concentrations: 20–200 FPU/g cellulose. The adsorbed protein (mg/g of substrate) was found to depend on the solids concentration as well as the concentration of protein in solution. Soluble reaction products did not affect the adsorption of cellulase on residue. Over the range of enzyme loadings studied, the residue did not saturate with protein. Activity could be recovered from the washed residue by mixing with fresh substrate.
Separating Thermal and Nonthermal X-Rays in Supernova Remnants. II. Spatially Resolved Fits to SN 1006 AD

We present a spatially resolved spectral analysis of full ASCA observations of the remnant of the supernova of A.D. 1006. This remnant shows both nonthermal X-ray emission from bright limbs, generally interpreted as synchrotron emission from the loss-steepened tail of the nonthermal electron population also responsible for radio emission, and thermal emission from elsewhere in the remnant. In earlier work, we showed that the spatially integrated spectrum was well described by a theoretical synchrotron model in which shock acceleration of electrons was limited by escape, in combination with thermal models indicating high levels of iron from ejecta. Here we use new spatially resolved subsets of the earlier theoretical nonthermal models for the analysis. We find that emission from the bright limbs remains well described by those models and refine the values for the characteristic break frequency. We show that differences between the northeast and southwest nonthermal limbs are small, too small to account easily for the presence of the northeast limb, but not the southwest, in TeV γ-rays. Comparison of spectra of the nonthermal limbs and other regions confirms that simple cylindrically symmetric nonthermal models cannot describe the emission, and we put limits on nonthermal contributions to emission from the center and the northwest and southeast limbs. We can rule out solar-abundance models in all regions, finding evidence for elevated abundances. However, more sophisticated models will be required to accurately characterize these abundances.
WAIS performance IQ in aphasia as a function of auditory comprehension and constructional apraxia.

Abstract This study investigated differences in nonverbal intelligence between diagnostic subgroups of aphasics using the Performance Tests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). Subjects were 98 right-handed hospitalized males with unilateral left-hemisphere damage who had unambiguous clinical diagnoses of Broca's, Anomic, Conduction, Mixed Non-Fluent, Wernicke's, or Global aphasia. Group differences were examined using the WAIS Performance IQ (PIQ), subscores for spatial organization (Block Design and Object Assembly) and for verbalizability (Picture Completion and Picture Arrangement). There were significant group differences for each WAIS score, determined by the impaired performance of the Global aphasics. With covariance correction for level of auditory comprehension, group differences were eliminated on the verbalizable subtests, but not on the spatial organization subtests. Covarying for level of constructional apraxia (assessed with drawings, sticks, blocks), however, eliminated group differences for both subscores. Using demographic, neurological, linguistic variables, multiple regression analyses confirmed the covariate analysis findings; constructional apraxia was the most predictive variable for both spatial and verbalizability subscores, while auditory comprehension and education level predicted performance on the verbalizable subtests.
Quantitative NMR spectroscopy using coaxial inserts containing a reference standard: purity determinations for military nerve agents.

A novel 31P NMR method for the determination of purity for the military nerve agents sarin, soman, and VX has been developed. In contrast to more conventional quantitative NMR methods, stem coaxial inserts are placed into the sample tube to introduce reference material into the analysis without mixing or reaction with the analyte. All sample preparation is eliminated, and the analysis is completed expeditiously in less than 25 min. The method is highly specific and rugged with respect to operator-induced variability, experimental parameters, and all influences from nuclear magnetic relaxation. Nerve agent purity can be determined with a precision and accuracy typically better than 1%, and impurities can be detected at concentrations as low as 25 μg/mL. The limit of quantitation has been estimated at 85 μg/mL. In terms of precision, accuracy and execution time, the method rivals typical chromatographic methods.
The use of branched DNA for nanoscale fabrication

An approach to molecular nanotechnology is presented that utilizes branched DNA molecules to form stick figures. These branched molecules are directed to associate in a particular fashion by utilizing the addressability of DNA sticky ends. The sequences of molecules are designed using an algorithm that minimizes sequence symmetry. This system has been used to construct macrocycles, a DNA quadrilateral, a molecule with the connectivity of a cube and a single-stranded DNA knot. Possible uses for this system include the construction of macromolecular zeolites for structure determination by diffraction, the assembly of new catalysts, the solubilization and delivery of drugs, and the assembly of molecular electronic devices.
Rapid, continuous cycling and psychiatric co‐morbidity in pediatric bipolar I disorder

Objectives: The primary purpose of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of bipolar I disorder (BP-I) as it occurs in children and adolescents and to assess whether the manifestations of BP-I were similar in both age groups. Method: Ninety youths between the ages of 5 and 17 years meeting full diagnostic symptom criteria for BP-I were included in this study. The diagnosis of BP-I was established for these youths based on the results of a semi-structured diagnostic interview and a clinical assessment by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. The course of a subset of these youngsters’ illnesses was assessed using the Life Charting Method (LCM). Data regarding the clinical presentation, longitudinal history, psychiatric co-morbidities and parental psychopathology were also obtained. Results: The clinical presentation of BP-I was similar in children and adolescents. Youths meeting diagnostic criteria for BP-I developed an average of approximately 5.8 of the 7 symptoms of mania during periods of elevated or irritable mood. BP-I was found to be a cyclic disorder characterized by high rates of rapid cycling (50%) with almost no inter-episode recovery. Almost 75% of these subjects also met diagnostic symptom criteria for a disruptive behavior disorder. High rates of mood disorders were found in fathers. Conclusions: These data suggest that the presentation of juvenile BP-I is a cyclic and valid clinical condition with manifestations on a continuum with the later-onset forms of this illness.