cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface waves generated by shallow underwater explosions

Surface water waves generated by surface and near surface point explosions are calculated. Taking the impulse distribution imparted at the water surface by the explosion as the overriding mechanism for transferring energy of the explosive to surface wave motion, the linearized theory of Kranzer and Keller is used to obtain the wave displacement in the far field. The impulse distribution is obtained by integrating the pressure wave over an appropriate time interval on a horizontal surface just beneath the undisturbed water surface. For surface explosions, a modified form of the similarity method first used by Collins and Holt is used to obtain the flow field. In the case of submerged explosions, the flow field is estimated by making necessary modifications to Sedov's similarity solution to account for the venting that accompanies the interaction of the leading (blast) wave with the ocean surface. Surface waves generated by a charge at six depths of placement (0.15 m, 0.30 m, 0.61 m, 0.91 m, 1.37 m, 3.05 m) are considered in addition to surface explosions. The results seem to support the existence of an upper critical depth phenomenon (of the type already established for chemical explosions) for point (nuclear) explosions.
Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas in pediatric patients: A case report and institutional case series

Abstract Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas is a rare tumor presenting in adolescent and young adult females. A previously healthy 13 year-old female presented to our institution with abdominal pain and emesis. Imaging revealed a pancreatic cystic mass. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with fine needle biopsy suggested SPN. Pathologic evaluation following resection revealed immunohistochemical (IHC) staining positive for β-catenin and α-1-antitrypsin despite extensive necrosis. We discuss this patient as well as our institutional series of SPN of the pancreas, describing the evaluation, management, and histopathology of this rare tumor.
A Longitudinal Study of Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Block Versus Traditional Scheduling

This study compares teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of block scheduling during the first and second year of implementation with their perceptions during the third and fourth year at four high schools. Variables included initial perception, subject area taught, and years of teaching experience. Results show a consistent rating among teachers from year one to year four.
The Use of a Spring-Loaded Silo for Gastroschisis: Impact on Practice Patterns and Outcomes

Objective To evaluate the impact of the use of a bedside-placed spring-loaded silo (SLS) on practice patterns and on outcomes for infants with gastroschisis. Design Retrospective review comparing neonates with gastroschisis treated before and after the implementation of selective SLS placement. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Of 91 consecutive neonates admitted for initial treatment of gastroschisis between January 1998 and August 2007, 45 were admitted before and 46 were admitted after implementation of the SLS. Main Outcome Measures Immediate fascial closure rate, infection rate, time to fascial closure, time to initiation of enteral feeding, time to achievement of full enteral feeds, time of hyperalimentation requirement, and length of hospital stay. Results The rate of immediate fascial closure was lower in the postimplementation group (58% before vs 20% after implementation, P Conclusions The use of an SLS placed at the bedside has resulted in lower immediate fascial closure rates for infants with gastroschisis without significant detrimental clinical outcome. The main benefit of using the bedside-placed SLS is the avoidance of urgent surgical intervention. For patients undergoing delayed fascial closure, use of the bedside SLS resulted in shorter times to definitive fascial closure.
Preliminary performance of CSU Solar House I heating and cooling system

Abstract The NSF/CSU Solar House I solar heating and cooling system became operational on 1 July 1974. During the first months of operation the emphasis was placed on adjustment, “tuning”, and fault correction in the solar collection and the solar/fuel/cooling subsystems. Following this initial check out period, analysis and testing of the system utilizing a full year of data was begun. This paper discusses the preliminary performance of the heating and cooling system. During the period 1 August 1974–31 January 1975, approximately 40 per cent of the cooling load was provided by solar energy. Solar heating over the same period of time provided 86 per cent of the space heating load and 68 per cent of the domestic hot water heating load. These percentages represent a total solar contribution of 33,996 MJ delivered to load (8061 MJ to the cooling unit; 20,687 MJ to heating; 5248 MJ to hot water). Natural gas accounted for 22,442 MJ, total. In addition, preliminary analysis has provided several significant results associated with the operating characteristics of the solar system and the individual components.
A passionate management scholar: interview with Dr Xiao‐Ping Chen (Part I)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to document an interview with Dr Xiao‐Ping Chen to share her professional and career experience as a management scholar. It shows the path of her scholarly journey fueled by her love and passion for the profession.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a recent interview with Dr Xiao‐Ping Chen.Findings – Dr Xiao‐Ping Chen's experience demonstrated the importance of love and passion in one's career pursuit. It shows the importance of the interplays of internal passion and commitment and the external factors in paving and determining a scholar's career success, and how to balance personal life and a demanding role in research, teaching, and professional service.Research limitations/implications – Dr Chen's career provides an exemplar case for junior scholars to deal with the Chinese transitioning symptom associated with pursuing an academic research career. In particular, Dr Chen's optimistic and persistent way of dealing with difficulties in career and l...
The conjunction fallacy: Judgmental heuristic or faulty extensional reasoning?

Twenty subjects trained in graduate-level statistics and 12 subjects employed in a business firm were asked to estimate probabilities of randomly sampling members of specified political parties distributed in known proportions between two pools. There was a strong tendency to commit the conjunction fallacy [e.g., p(republican ∩ Club I member) > p(republican)] on problems involving sampling the club followed by sampling from the club. This tendency was accompanied by tendencies to confuse conditional with joint probabilities and make such estimates independently of the component event. Such results were less pronounced in situations involving direct sampling from the pools. Results suggest that errors in probabilistic reasoning stemmed from problems in information processing rather than from the use of judgmental heuristics.
Translating Data on Antihypertensive Drugs Into Clinical Practice

Two problems in the treatment of hypertension continue to be largely unsolved. The first, and more simple, is our inability to adequately control blood pressure in the majority of hypertensive patients. This not only reflects the difficulty of retaining patients in effective treatment programs, but also of convincing physicians to strive for optimal blood pressure levels. There is a continuing need for new antihypertensive drugs and combinations to help accomplish these goals. The second major problem is that the major clinical endpoints, including coronary events and renal failure, have not been adequately reduced by traditional therapies. Standard regimens, particularly those including diuretics, have protected against strokes and heart failure. Our improved understanding of vascular biology in hypertension has directed interest to the mechanisms in hypertensive patients that might accelerate atherosclerosis and vascular events in these individuals. This involves addressing the concomitant metabolic risk factors that comprise the "Hypertension Syndrome," and, perhaps of equal importance, finding therapies that directly inhibit unwanted types of growth and proliferative activities within the walls of critical arteries. Many substances within the endothelium and the vascular wall may participate as initiators or mediators of pathology, but most information thus far has focused on the renin-angiotensin system. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (and potentially angiotensin receptor blockers) have provided coronary and renal protection in various cardiovascular conditions, though not yet in formal hypertension trials. Calcium channel blockers have also shown promise, including recent stroke and cardiovascular benefits in patients with isolated systolic hypertension, but, again, definitive coronary data in hypertension are awaited. Unless concomitant conditions mandate the selection of a particular antihypertensive drug class, physicians currently have a dilemma: should they choose drugs from older classes that have not provided full protection? Or, should they prescribe newer agents with exciting potential but with, as yet, unproved endpoint benefits in hypertension? Until currently ongoing prospective trials of antihypertensive therapy are completed, physicians must be guided by their own interpretations of the available data.
Mach-Zehnder interferometric measurement of laser heating/cooling in Yb3+: YAG

ABSTRACT A 915 nm T:Sapphire laser was used to excite luminescence from Yb 3+ doped YAG crystal. The excited ions undergo nonradiative relaxation followed by strong emission at 1030 nm. The heating produced by the nonradiative relaxation increases the sample temperature. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer was setup with 514.5 nm Ar + laser beam. Laser heating causes the interferometer fringes to move. A mathematical formula was developed to estimate the change in sample temperature from the fringe count. When 300mW Ti:Sapphire laser beam was focused through the YAG:Yb 3+ crystal its temperature increased by 6.9°C. This techniqu e works equally well to measure the solid sample temperature changes in laser cooling studies. Key words: Laser heating, laser cooli ng, Mach-Zehnder interferometer, YAG:Yb 3+ . 1. INTRODUCTION Interferometers are versatile 1,2 and suitable for the determination of the temperature distribution/gradients of flow structures, heat transfer 3 , crystal growth monitoring
Numerical investigation of the homologous coronal mass ejection events from active region 9236

We present a three-dimensional compressible magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) simulation of the three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) of 2000 November 24, originating from NOAA active region 9236. These three ejections, with velocities around 1200 km s-1 and associated with X-class flares, erupted from the Sun in a period of about 16.5 hr. In our simulation, the coronal magnetic field is reconstructed from MDI magnetogram data, the steady-state solar wind is based on a varying polytropic index model, and the ejections are initiated using out-of-equilibrium semicylindrical flux ropes with a size smaller than the active region. The simulations are carried out with the Space Weather Modeling Framework. We are able to reproduce the shape and velocity of the CMEs as observed by the LASCO C3 coronograph. The complex ejecta resulting from the interaction of the three CMEs is preceded at Earth by a single shock wave, which, in our simulation, arrives at Earth 10 hr later than the shock observed by the Wind spacecraft. This article discusses the three-dimensional aspects of the propagation, interaction, and merging of the forward shock waves associated with the three ejections. Synthetic images from the Heliospheric Imagers onboard the STEREO spacecraft are produced, and we predict that the large density jump associated with the interaction of the shocks should be observed by those coronographs in the near future.
Sonolysis of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid in Aqueous Solutions. Evidence for ¥ OH-Radical-Mediated Degradation

2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) undergoes efficient degradation when an O2- or Ar-saturated aqueous solution is subjected to high-frequency (640 kHz) sonolysis. 2,4-dichlorophenol, hydroquinone, and catechol are major reaction intermediates common to various experimental conditions. The similarities between the reaction intermediates of sonolytic and radiolytic reactions indicate •OH radical as the primary reactive species responsible for 2,4-D degradation. Very little 2,4-D degradation occurs if the sonolysis is carried out in the presence of the •OH radical scavenger tert-butyl alcohol, also indicating that little or no pyrolysis of the compound occurs. Most of the 2,4-D eventually forms oxalic acid, which, unlike other •OH-mediated oxidation methods, is not easily mineralized with high-frequency ultrasound.
Direct observation of microscopic reversibility in single-molecule protein folding

Both folded and unfolded conformations should be observed for a protein at its melting temperature (T(m)), where DeltaG between these states is zero. In an all-atom molecular dynamics simulation of chymotrypsin inhibitor 2 (CI2) at its experimental T(m), the protein rapidly loses its low-temperature native structure; it then unfolds before refolding to a stable, native-like conformation. The initial unfolding follows the unfolding pathway described previously for higher-temperature simulations: the hydrophobic core is disrupted, the beta-sheet pulls apart and the alpha-helix unravels. The unfolded state reached under these conditions maintains a kernel of structure in the form of a non-native hydrophobic cluster. Refolding simply reverses this path, the side-chain interactions shift, the helix refolds, and the native packing and hydrogen bonds are recovered. The end result of this refolding is not the initial crystal structure; it contains the proper topology and the majority of the native contacts, but the structure is expanded and the contacts are long. We believe this to be the native state at elevated temperature, and the change in volume and contact lengths is consistent with experimental studies of other native proteins at elevated temperature and the chemical denaturant equivalent of T(m).
Compositional topography of melon lipids in the amazon river dolphin, inia geoffrensis: Implications for echolocation

Abstract 1. 1. Major variations in lipid composition exist within the fatty melon tissue of the Amazon River dolphin, Inia geoffrensis . 2. 2. Triglycerides and wax esters are the principal lipids present. A central “inner melon” core has a much higher wax ester content than the surrounding “outer melon”. Molecular weights of both the triglycerides and wax esters are lower in the inner melon. 3. 3. Acoustical considerations suggest that this melon lipid topography could produce some refractive collimation of the animal's echolocative sound beam, but melon anatomy and forehead shape are probably more important factors in shaping that beam.
The dynamic effects of tax policies in a small open economy

We develop an intertemporal optimizing model of a small open economy with both durable and nondurable consumption to address the implications of alternative tax policies. An increase in lump sum taxes reduces the steady state level of consumption and improves the stock of foreign bonds. Consistent with empirical evidence, durable consumption exhibits initial excess volatility. Though an increase in the tax on durables increases the demand for nondurables and improves the bond holdings in the steady state, an increase in the tax on nondurables has insignificant effects on the stock of foreign bonds and the consumption of durables. Using quarterly data from the UK and estimating generalized impulse response functions we find empirical support. We also calibrate the welfare implications of different tax policies.
A complementary pair of rapid molecular screening assays for RecA activities

The bacterial RecA protein has been implicated in the evolution of antibiotic resistance in pathogens, which is an escalating problem worldwide. The discovery of small molecules that can selectively modulate RecA's activities can be exploited to tease apart its roles in the de novo development and transmission of antibiotic resistance genes. Toward the goal of discovering small-molecule ligands that can prevent either the assembly of an active RecA-DNA filament or its subsequent ATP-dependent motor activities, we report the design and initial validation of a pair of rapid and robust screening assays suitable for the identification of inhibitors of RecA activities. One assay is based on established methods for monitoring ATPase enzyme activity and the second is a novel assay for RecA-DNA filament assembly using fluorescence polarization. Taken together, the assay results reveal complementary sets of agents that can either suppress selectively only the ATP-driven motor activities of the RecA-DNA filament or prevent assembly of active RecA-DNA filaments altogether. The screening assays can be readily configured for use in future automated high-throughput screening projects to discover potent inhibitors that may be developed into novel adjuvants for antibiotic chemotherapy that moderate the development and transmission of antibiotic resistance genes and increase the antibiotic therapeutic index.
Coercion in Intimate Partner Violence: Toward a New Conceptualization.

For decades, battered women’s advocates have placed coercive control squarely at the center of their analysis of intimate partner violence. Yet, little work has been done to conceptualize and measure the key construct of coercive control. In this article, we apply French and Raven’s social power model to a conceptualization of coercive control in intimate partner violence relationships. Central elements of the model include: social ecology; setting the stage; coercion involving a demand and a credible threat for noncompliance; surveillance; delivery of threatened consequences; and the victim’s behavioral and emotional response to coercion. These elements occur in spiraling and overlapping sequences to establish an overall situation of coercive control. The implications of this model for theory and practice are discussed.
Video management – mystified with the rest of us

Purpose – This paper aims to explain how library managers can better prepare and plan for the future institutional structural costs related to the management of seemingly limitless streaming video content.Design/methodology/approach – Different strategies are provided as antidotes to the problem of information technology (IT) managers being given the default responsibility of managing internet video because of their current management of internet services within organizations.Findings – The paper finds that the mindset that streaming video is simply another information source to be added to the library's already rich set of offerings is preferred over the assumption that since IT manages internet services it should also manage video being streamed over the web to researchers.Originality/value – This paper reviews the situation of streaming video as a unique problem because of the popularity of sound and movement over the printed word. It provides four distinct managerial options for cost control and conta...
ALR, negative S, and extended gauge models.

The implications of the recent measurement of the left-right asymmetry ${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{L}\mathit{R}}$ by the SLD Collaboration for theories with extended gauge sectors are examined. We show that it is possible to arrange for large, negative values of S, based on an analysis of leptonic data, without serious side effects for other observables in certain classes of models. The implications of such scenarios for future measurements on the Z peak, at the Fermilab Tevatron, and for atomic parity violation experiments are examined.
A confirmatory approach to the factor structure of the Boredom Proneness Scale: evidence for a two-factor short form.

We analyzed previous exploratory factor analytic structures on the Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS; Farmer & Sundberg, 1986) using confirmatory factor analysis in structural equation modeling in LISREL 8 (Joreskog & Sorbom, 1993). These analyses indicated that 2 factors were generally consistent across 6 exploratory models. Items that had significant loadings on these two factors (N = 12; 6 for each factor) indicated a lack of Internal Stimulation and External Stimulation. In further analysis on these 12 items using LISREL, we found a much improved fit and provided support for a short form version of the original BPS. We also found the shortened version to be invariant across gender. We discuss implications for the more precise measurement of boredom proneness and the use of the scale in applied settings.
Potato planter attachment for distributing weighed quantities of fertilizers for plots

A fertilizer attachment for a potato planter which will distribute a weighed quantity of fertilizer for a given length of plot is described. The distributor distributes fertilizers or chemicals from a horizontal belt. By use of interchangeable sprockets four feet of belt travel will fertilize plots varying in length from a few feet up to 271 feet.
Anatomical features of plantar aponeurosis : cadaveric study using ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging

Abnormalities of the plantar aponeurosis are commonly encountered in patients with subcalcaneal heel pain. Understanding normal anatomy is required to accurately diagnose some disorders of the foot. The purpose of our study was to describe the normal anatomy of the plantar aponeurosis, using ultrasonography and MRI with close anatomic correlation in cadavers. After MRI and ultrasonography of 10 cadaveric foot specimens, the thickness of the central and lateral portions of the plantar aponeurosis displayed by imaging studies was measured by three radiologists. One specimen was sectioned in the transverse plane, one in the coronal plane, one in the sagittal plane, and two in a sagittal oblique plane. Normal anatomy was identified and similar measurements of the plantar aponeurosis were also made. An average value was determined and a statistical analysis was accomplished. The calcaneal insertions of the plantar aponeurosis were better visualized than its distal portions with both MRI and ultrasonography. The measurements of the plantar aponeurosis made by three different radiologists were different, but without statistical significance. The average measurements for the central and lateral portions of the plantar aponeurosis with both imaging methods were different from each other because of differences in the morphology of these structures. The values obtained with ultrasonography and MRI, were also different from each other for both the central and lateral portions of the plantar aponeurosis, but with no statistical significance. We have described the detailed anatomy of the plantar aponeurosis with emphasis on the more distal structures that can be visualized with MRI. There was no statistically significant difference between the accuracy of ultrasonography and MRI regarding the measurements of the thickness of the central and lateral portions of the plantar aponeurosis. Knowledge of the normal anatomy of these structures enables the radiologist to identify early alterations, providing timely diagnosis and treatment.
Photoinduced Electron Transfer and Fluorophore Motion as a Probe of the Conformational Dynamics of Membrane Proteins: Application to the Influenza A M2 Proton Channel

The structure and function of the influenza A M2 proton channel have been the subject of intensive investigations in recent years because of their critical role in the life cycle of the influenza virus. Using a truncated version of the M2 proton channel (i.e., M2TM) as a model, here we show that fluctuations in the fluorescence intensity of a dye reporter that arise from both fluorescence quenching via the mechanism of photoinduced electron transfer (PET) by an adjacent tryptophan (Trp) residue and local motions of the dye molecule can be used to probe the conformational dynamics of membrane proteins. Specifically, we find that the dynamics of the conformational transition between the N-terminal open and C-terminal open states of the M2TM channel occur on a timescale of about 500 μs and that the binding of either amantadine or rimantadine does not inhibit the pH-induced structural equilibrium of the channel. These results are consistent with the direct occluding mechanism of inhibition which suggests that the antiviral drugs act by sterically occluding the channel pore.
The Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (EESI): a standardized approach for measuring chemical intolerances for research and clinical applications:

The lack of a generally accepted case definition for multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and the absence of a standardized approach for measuring salient aspects of chemical sensitivity that would ...
JAK2 in myeloproliferative disorders is not just another kinase.

Myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) represent a subcategory of hematological malignancies and are characterized by a stem cell-derived clonal proliferation of myeloid cells including erythrocytes, platelets, and leucocytes. Traditionally, the term ‘MPD’ included chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM). At present, these four disorders are referred to as ‘classic’ MPD and are distinguished from a spectrum of other MPD-like clinico-pathologic entities that are operationally classified as ‘atypical’ MPD. The oncogenic mutations(s) in classic MPD are unknown except for CML, which is associated with an activating mutation (Bcr/Abl) of the gene encoding for the Abl cytoplasmic protein kinase (PTK). In the last 3 months, a somatic point mutation of JAK2 (JAK2V617F), the gene encoding for another cytoplasmic PTK was reported in the majority of patients with PV and approximately half of those with either ET or MMM. The s...
Seasonal Changes in Energy Content and Proximate Composition Associated with Somatic Growth and Reproduction in a Representative Age‐Class of Female English Sole

Abstract The magnitude of seasonal fluctuations in energy content and proximate composition of ovarian and somatic tissues was estimated for female English sole Parophrys vetulus of a standard size, A 386.7-mm, 6-year-old fish gained 73 g dry weight during the spring and summer but subsequently lost 61 g dry weight or 36% of its peak mass from October to March. Thirty-three percent of the lost somatic mass could be accounted for by an increase in ovary mass. However, analysis of gross chemical composition revealed a disproportionate transfer of materials; 55% of lost body protein, 47% of ash, and 5% of lipids were accounted for by an increase in these constituents in ovarian tissue during sexual maturation.
The Ecology of Racial Discrimination

In this article we build on prior studies that have used audit methods to document continued discrimination against African Americans in U.S. housing markets. Whereas prior work focused primarily on measuring racial disparities in housing access, here we seek to determine which personal, ecological, and agent factors raise or lower discrimination. Our data come from phone-based audit studies of rental housing offered in the Philadelphia metropolitan market in the spring of 1999, the fall of 2000, and the spring of 2002. Male and female auditors called listings to inquire about the availability of units using white middle-class English, black-accented English, and Black English Vernacular. Results show that whites are more likely to be favored over black auditors of the same gender when the black auditor speaks Black English Vernacular compared with black-accented English. Access was also lower in suburbs than the central city and it decreased as distance from a predominantly black neighborhood fell. Blacks experienced much lower access to units marketed by private landlords rather than professional agents. Blacks are more likely to gain access to areas that already have high concentrations of blacks or in areas that are not in danger of black encroachment (i.e., further away from black concentrations). These mechanisms serve to reinforce and replicate segregation.
A multistable movement display: evidence for two separate motion systems in human vision

Two competing sensations of apparent movement were produced by the rapid alternation of two multielement stimulus frames. Either sensation could be made dominant by, appropriate manipulations of the stimulus display. The results suggest that there are two systems capable of generating movement signals in man. One system depends on preliminary processing of form, and the second system does not.
Obliterative airway disease in tracheal allografts requires tumor necrosis factor alpha

Abstract Introduction: Obliterative Bronchiolitis (OB), characterized by epithelial denudation, inflammation, and fibrosis of small airways, is the major complication affecting long-term lung and heart-lung transplant recipients. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) is known to mediate and promote inflammation and fibrosis in chronic lung injury. This study clarified the role of TNF-a in an established obliterative bronchiolitis model. Methods: Rat tracheas and mainstem bronchi were transplanted from MHC-disparate Brown-Norway donors into Lewis recipients, and explanted on days 7 & 14. Treated groups received a TNF-a translational inhibitor, RDP-58, beginning immediately post-transplant or on day-7 once luminal occlusion had partially developed. Computerized morphometry assessed epithelial denudation and luminal obliteration. Separate tracheal specimens were processed for TNF-a mRNA expression by RQRT-PCR, and protein localization and expression by immunohistochemistry. EMSAs evaluated NFkB activation. Results: 14-day control allografts averaged 58% occlusion and 98% epithelial denudation. These parameters were significantly improved with TNF-a inhibition, averaging 34% luminal obliteration (p Conclusions: TNF-a promotes obliterative airway disease in tracheal allografts via an NFkB-dependent mechanism. TNF inhibition may even be beneficial in ameliorating disease progression after patients present with established lesions.
Thermochemistry for the Dehydrogenation of Methyl-Substituted Ammonia Borane Compounds

Atomization energies at 0 K and heats of formation at 0 and 298 K are predicted for (CH3)H2N-BH3, (CH3)HN=BH2, (BH3)HN=CH2, (CH3)H2B-NH3, (CH3)HB=NH2, and (NH3)HB=CH2, as well as various molecules involved in the different bond-breaking processes, from coupled cluster theory (CCSD(T)) calculations. In order to achieve near-chemical accuracy (+/-1 kcal/mol), three corrections were added to the complete basis set binding energies based on frozen core CCSD(T) energies, corrections for core-valence, scalar relativistic, and first-order atomic spin-orbit effects. Scaled vibrational zero-point energies were computed with the MP2 method. The heats of formation were predicted for the respective dimethyl- and trimethyl-substituted ammonia boranes, their dehydrogenated derivatives, and the various molecules involved in the different bond breaking processes, based on isodesmic reaction schemes calculated at the G3(MP2) level. Thermodynamics for dehydrogenation pathways in the monomethyl-substituted molecules were predicted. Dehydrogenation across the B-N bond is more favorable as opposed to dehydrogenation across the B-C and N-C bonds. Methylation at N reduces the exothermocity of the dehydrogenation reaction and makes the reaction more thermoneutral, while methylation at B moves it away from thermoneutral. Various mixtures of CH3NH2BH3 and NH3BH3 were made, and their melting points were measured. The lowest melting mixture contained approximately 35% NH3BH3 by weight and melted at 35-37 degrees C.
Family and cognitive factors: modeling risk for aggression in children with ADHD.

ABSTRACT Objective To explore the relationships of family and cognitive factors to aggression as reported by parents and teachers. Method Data regarding different types of aggressive behavior were collected from parents and teachers of 165 school-age (7-11 years old) children referred to a study of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and disruptive behavior. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the differential relationships of family and cognitive factors to aggression in the home and school settings. Results Family risk factors influenced aggression reported at home and at school, whereas cognitive risk factors may exert their influence on aggression at school. Significant covariance between parent and teacher report of aggressive behavior was observed. Conclusions Intervention at the family level may serve to reduce aggressive behaviors in both home and school environments. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 2006;45(3):355-363.
Identity, Self-Interpretation and Workplace Change: An Investigation of the Work Activity of Machining

The objective of this work was to study the development of identity in changing contexts. The site of study was machining work in the automotive industry. Machining is an economically critical activity undergoing rapid technological change, with the changes occurring within the working lives of individuals. The development of individuals was considered within the context of the culturally organized human activities in which they occurred. The informants were skilled machinists working for a major automotive company in the United States. A developmental perspective, based on cultural historical theory, together with C. S. Pierce’s theory of sign generation, provided an explanatory framework for the development of identity as a self-regulatory higher psychological function.
Data analysis and calibration for a bulk-refractive-index-compensated surface plasmon resonance affinity sensor

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) affinity sensing, the problem of bulk refractive index (RI) interference in SPR sensing, and a sensor developed to overcome this problem are briefly reviewed. The sensor uses a design based on Texas Instruments' Spreeta SPR sensor to simultaneously measure both bulk and surface RI. The bulk RI measurement is then used to compensate the surface measurement and remove the effects of bulk RI interference. To achieve accurate compensation, robust data analysis and calibration techniques are necessary. Simple linear data analysis techniques derived from measurements of the sensor response were found to provide a versatile, low noise method for extracting measurements of bulk and surface refractive index from the raw sensor data. Automatic calibration using RI gradients was used to correct the linear estimates, enabling the sensor to produce accurate data even when the sensor has a complicated nonlinear response which varies with time. The calibration procedure is described, and the factors influencing calibration accuracy are discussed. Data analysis and calibration principles are illustrated with an experiment in which sucrose and detergent solutions are used to produce changes in bulk and surface RI, respectively.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Secure cross-platform hybrid mobile enterprise voice agent

Voice is a very compelling natural interface for mobile computing devices. However, mobile operating system speech solutions (e.g., Siri, Google Voice Search) are platform-specific, making their integration within an enterprise environment difficult due to the lack of uniformity in the user experience as well as concerns over privacy and confidentiality. Hybrid apps can overcome these enterprise-specific challenges by allowing for fast deployment of functionality that is accessible across mobile platforms and enabling secure containerization of resources. But such hybrid apps often encounter significant performance slowdown due to the overheads associated with cross-platform compatibility and security. In this paper, we introduce a new secure mobile voice agent for enterprise voice interface applications on mobile devices that overcomes these issues. The proposed voice agent architecture enables confidentiality, enterprise integration, good cross-platform performance, and easy portability to multiple mobile platforms (such as Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, and Blackberry). Our approach avoids the need to manage multiple native speech engines across mobile OS platforms, reducing the time to deploy cross-platform voice interface solutions, and ensuring a cohesive user experience. In addition to describing the architecture and design of our mobile voice agent, we also provide a comparative analysis of its performance on various contemporary mobile computing platforms.
Uncooled nonequilibrium HgCdTe IR detector modeling

The narrow gap semiconductor HgCdTe is commonly used for IR detection. Conventional HgCdTe IR detectors need significant cooling in order to reduce noise and leakage currents resulting from thermal generation and recombination processes. These cooling requirements considerably increase the cost, size, weight and complexity of infrared systems. The need for cooling to reduce noise and leakage currents resulting from Auger processes has long been thought to be fundamental and inevitable. However, recently, it has been suggested that by means of a steady-state non-equilibrium mode of operation, which holds the carrier densities below their equilibrium values, Auger generation and even radiative generation rates can be reduced. This is possible through the reduction of carrier concentrations because the Auger generation rate depends approximately on the square of the carrier concentration and radiative recombination rate depends linearly on it. This paper reports the modeling of a HgCdTe detector operated in a steady-state non-equilibrium mode at 230 approximately equals 295 K. The device architecture, NvP+, which is practical in MBE growth, is suitable for this application. Radiative and Auger lifetimes, zero surface recombination velocities, and zero background photon fluxes are assumed. The dependence of detectivity on minority carrier extraction efficiency is studied in this paper. At 230 and 250 K for ND equals 1 X 1014approximately equals 15 cm-3, the detectivity appears to become saturated at values in the order of 1010 cm Hz1/2/W when the minority carrier extraction efficiency is greater than 3.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Usefulness of Baseline Plasma Myeloperoxidase Levels as an Independent Predictor of Myocardial Infarction at Two Years in Patients Presenting With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Baseline plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels have been shown to independently predict the early risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in patients presenting with chest pain. In addition, baseline MPO levels have been demonstrated to predict the development of adverse cardiac events up to 6 months after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, in contrast to other biomarkers, there are no data about the long-term independent predictive value of baseline MPO values in patients with ACS. The present study investigated the long-term prognostic significance of baseline MPO levels in a well-characterized cohort of 193 men with ACS who were referred for coronary angiography at a Veterans Administration Medical Center. All patients were followed prospectively for the development of death and MI, and follow-up data were available for all patients at 24 months. After controlling for different baseline clinical, laboratory, and angiographic variables, baseline plasma MPO values were a strong and independent predictor of MI at 24 months by multivariate analysis. Using the median MPO value of the entire cohort of patients (i.e., 20.34 ng/ml) as a prespecified cutoff, the MI-free survival at 24 months for the group whose baseline MPO values were ≤20.34 ng/ml was 88% compared with 74% in those whose values were >20.34 ng/ml (p = 0.0249 by log-rank test). In conclusion, these data demonstrate that baseline MPO levels independently predict MI at 2 years in patients with ACS.
Coupled Partial Current Density Behavior of Cobalt–Terbium Alloy Codeposition

The effect of cobalt(II) concentration, pH, and deposition potential on cobalt-terbium alloy electrodeposition was investigated from an aqueous electrolyte. The electrodeposition was carried out by applying potentiostatic steps onto a copper foil working electrode from the electrolyte kept under quiescent condition. The alloy composition and the partial current densities exhibited a coupled deposition behavior between cobalt and terbium. The terbium concentration in the deposit and the current efficiency was found to depend on cobalt(II) concentration. From the same electrolyte, cobalt-terbium alloy nanowires were deposited using a nanoporous polycarbonate template.
An incentive effect in thermally motivated behavior

Three shaved adult male albino rats were trained to press a lever to replace a hot air drive condition (50° C) with either a small reinforcer (32° C) or a large reinforcer (14° C). Following the 10-sec reinforcer, the drive condition was either reinstated immediately (no delay) or after a 15-sec exposure to the drive temperature, during which the bar was withdrawn (delay). Response rate during the no-delay procedure was faster for the small reinforcer than for the large. This relation reversed during the delay procedure. The former observation is similar to a satiation effect and the latter resembles an incentive effect.
Development and validation of a phosphorylated SMAD ex vivo stimulation assay

Assessing the pharmacodynamics (PD) of a potential therapeutic through the use of a downstream biomarker is essential. This is traditionally performed in the target tissue but limited volume and invasiveness of sampling pose challenges with solid tumours. Currently, there are several small molecule receptor kinase inhibitors and large molecule therapeutic antibodies in clinical trials that interfere with TGFbeta signalling to treat various forms of cancer. With the advent of these new therapies, there is a need for a surrogate tissue that is easily accessible and indicative of tumour response. We propose the use of an ex vivo TGFbeta1 stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) coupled with the measurement of phosphorylated SMAD2 (Sma/Mothers Against dpp, a downstream transcriptional activator) using a sandwich ELISA. TGFbeta is involved in many different cellular responses, such as proliferation, angiogenesis, migration, invasion and immunomodulation. SMAD2 and SMAD3 are phosphorylated as a result of the canonical cascade through ligand binding and receptor kinase activation. These phosphorylated SMADs (pSMAD) associate with SMAD4, a co-SMAD, and transcriptionally activate TGFbeta-mediated genes. This paper describes the novel method for measuring the downstream effects of inhibiting canonical TGFbeta signalling using ex vivo stimulation of surrogate tissue to predict tumour response. In addition, we present the assay validation rationale and data. This novel, validated assay can be used to gain insight into clinical trials regarding TGFbeta signal modulation by multiple inhibitor platforms for both large and small molecules.
Long-range transport and deposition of sulfur in Asia

The long range transport of sulfur in Asia is analyzed through the use of a multi-dimensional acid deposition model. The air quality of this region is heavily influenced by the combination of Asia's growing population, its expanding economy, and the associated systems of energy consumption and production. These factors combined with a shift to using indigenous coal as the primary fuel source for the region, will result in increased emissions of pollutants into the environment. By the year 2020 sulfur emissions from Asia are projected to exceed the combined emissions from Europe and North America. We have estimated sulfur deposition in Asia on a one-by-one degree spatial resolution in the region from Pakistan to Japan and from Indonesia to Mongolia using a 3-layer Lagrangian model. Deposition in excess of 10 g S/m2 is predicted in south-central China. The relationship between emission source and receptor has been developed into a “deposition matrix” and examples of the source-receptor relationship are presented.
BEYOND SURFACE HEAT FLOW : AN EXAMPLE FROM A TECTONICALLY ACTIVE SEDIMENTARY BASIN

Thermal anomalies that have important geodynamic implications may not always be recognizable in present-day surface heat-flow patterns. The masking occurs because surface heat flow responds to mantle heat, crustal radioactivity, magmatism, crustal deformation, burial and/or exhumation, and fluid movement, any of which may offset the thermal effects of the others. Sedimentary basins are particularly suited to partitioning heat flow into its various components. We use Taranaki basin, New Zealand, as an example. It has a relatively undeformed (since the Miocene) western region that is used as a control against which the tectonically active eastern region can be compared. Although surface heat flow is roughly constant across Taranaki basin, basal heat flow modeled at lower crustal–upper mantle depths varies by a factor of two or more. A combination of low heat-producing crust and the heat sink effects of crustal thickening in the eastern region can account for the basal heat-flow anomalies. The tectonic thermal anomaly would have gone unnoticed without the aid of detailed basin analysis and thermal modeling.
Comparison of IRT True-Score and Equipercentile Observed-Score "Equatings"

Two methods of 'equating' tests are compared, one using true scores, the other using equipercentile equat ing of observed scores. The theory of equating is dis cussed. For the data studied, the two methods yield almost indistinguishable results.
Optimal linear combinations using householder transformations

In pattern classification of sampled vector valued random variables it is often essential, due to computational and accuracy considerations, to consider certain measurable transformations of the random variable. These transformations are generally of a dimension-reducing nature. In this paper we consider the class of linear dimension reducing transformations, i.e., the k × n matrices of rank k where k < n and n is the dimension of the range of the sampled vector random variable. In this connection, we use certain results (Decell and Quirein, 1973), that guarantee, relative to various class separability criteria, the existence of an extremal transformation. These results also guarantee that the extremal transformation can be expressed in the form (Ik∣ Z)U where Ik is the k × k identity matrix and U is an orthogonal n × n matrix. These results actually limit the search for the extremal linear transformation to a search over the obviously smaller class of k × n matrices of the form (Ik ∣Z)U. In this paper th...
Real-time 3D data acquisition for augmented-reality man and machine interfacing

Based on recent discoveries, we present a method to project a single structured pattern and then reconstruct the three-dimensional range from the distortions in the reflected and captured image. Traditional structured light methods require several different patterns to recover the depth, without ambiguity and albedo sensitivity, and are corrupted by object movement during the projection/capture process. Our method efficiently combines multiple patterns into a single composite pattern projection -- allowing for real-time implementations. Because structured light techniques require standard image capture and projection technology, unlike time of arrival techniques, they are relatively low cost. Attaining low cost 3D video acquisition would have a profound impact on most applications that are presently limited to 2D video imaging. Furthermore, it would enable many other applications. In particular, we are studying real time depth imagery for tracking hand motion and rotation as an interface to a virtual reality. Applications include remote controlled robotic interfacing in space, advanced cockpit controls and computer interfacing for the disabled.