cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cognitive factors that maintain social anxiety disorder: a comprehensive model and its treatment implications.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common, distressing and persistent mental illness. Recent studies have identified a number of psychological factors that could explain the maintenance of the disorder. These factors are presented here as part of a comprehensive psychological maintenance model of SAD. This model assumes that social apprehension is associated with unrealistic social standards and a deficiency in selecting attainable social goals. When confronted with challenging social situations, individuals with SAD shift their attention toward their anxiety, view themselves negatively as a social object, overestimate the negative consequences of a social encounter, believe that they have little control over their emotional response, and view their social skills as inadequate to effectively cope with the social situation. In order to avoid social mishaps, individuals with SAD revert to maladaptive coping strategies, including avoidance and safety behaviors, followed by post‐event rumination, which leads ...
Molten globule state of equine β‐Lactoglobulin

The acid-unfolded state of equine beta-lactoglobulin was characterized by means of circular dichroism, nuclear magnetic resonance, analytical gel-filtration chromatography, and analytical centrifugation. The acid-unfolded state of equine beta-lactoglobulin has a substantial secondary structure as shown by the far-ultraviolet circular dichroism spectrum but lacks persistent tertiary packing of the side chains as indicated by the near-ultraviolet circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. It is nearly as compact as the native conformation as shown by the gel filtration and sedimentation experiments, and it has the exposed hydrophobic surface as indicated by its tendency to aggregate. All of these characteristics indicate that the acid-unfolded state of equine beta-lactoglobulin is a molten globule state. The alpha helix content in the acid-unfolded state, which has been estimated from the circular dichroism spectrum, is larger than that in the native state, suggesting the presence of nonnative alpha helices in the molten globule state. This result suggests the generality of the intermediate with nonnative alpha helices during the folding of proteins having the beta-clam fold.
Questions about functionalism in Kant's philosophy of mind: lessons for cognitive science

It has been argued by Kitcher, Brook, Sellars and others that: (1) Kant's philosophy of mind has valuable contributions to make to contemporary cognitive science and artificial intelligence projects contra earlier positivist commentators like P. F. Strawson; and (2) Kant's theory of mind is an early version of functionalism. The author agrees with the first thesis and disagrees with the second. Kant's theory of mental processing has a superficial resemblance to functional theories, but it diverges on several important points: Kant employs a transcendental method that is distinct and more powerful than the functionalist method, Kant believes that there is a specific transcendental architecture in the mind that functionalism is not well equipped to identify, Kant's theory has much stronger ontological commitments than those of functionalism, on Kant's view causal relationships are the product of cognitive processing, functionalism presupposes them, and Kant describes a reflexive problem created by the attem...
Growth, behavior, and textural sector zoning of biotite porphyroblasts during regional metamorphism and the implications for interpretation of inclusion trails: Insights from the Pequop Mountains and Wood Hills, Nevada, USA

Metapelites in the Pequop Mountains and Wood Hills, Nevada, contain biotite porphyroblasts that are part of a Barrovian metamorphic sequence that formed in response to tectonic burial. Inclusion trails and patterns in these biotite porphyroblasts provide a remarkable record of their growth and behavior in this environment. Accompanied by a strong component of coaxial strain, the porphyroblasts underwent a constructive phase that involved growth characterized by textural sector zoning followed by a destructive phase involving fracturing, rotation, and minor residual growth. Textural sector zoning is the result of uninhibited syntectonic growth in all directions. Growth along porphyroblast margins that parallel foliation involved incorporation of inclusions, whereas growth along margins perpendicular to foliation involved syntaxial precipitation of biotite in dilating strain shadows, which generally precluded development of inclusions. This growth mechanism partially accommodated strain and produced porphyroblasts with a characteristic hourglass-shaped included core bounded by zones of relatively unincluded biotite. Cessation of growth of biotite triggered onset of the destructive phase and ultimately resulted in the transference of some strain to the porphyroblasts and the filling of strain shadows with mostly quartz instead of biotite. Residual growth of biotite in the destructive phase was largely restricted to strain shadows and extension fractures. Progression through the constructive and destructive phases results in production of inclusion trails with a diversity of dip angles, dip directions, and trail geometries and patterns. Therefore, caution must be used when inferring strain histories on the basis of inclusion trails. Furthermore, although textural sector zoning has been reported in a variety of other porphyroblast species, where it is thought to develop in a state of hydrostatic stress in pretectonic or intertectonic porphyroblasts, zoning in biotite is significant in that it is strain induced and hence an indicator of syntectonic growth.
Ventral tegmental area region governs GABAB receptor modulation of ethanol-stimulated activity in mice

Locomotor stimulation in response to ethanol in mice may model human ethanol-induced euphoria. The associated neural substrates, possibly relevant to alcoholism, have not been fully elucidated. Systemic injection of baclofen, a GABA(B) receptor agonist, attenuates ethanol's stimulant effects. GABA(B) receptors on dopamine cell bodies in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) may modulate ethanol-induced dopamine release, a postulated mechanism for ethanol's stimulant effects. However, baclofen's attenuating effects could be associated with peripheral receptor actions. Baclofen was injected i.c.v. or into the VTA of FAST mice, bred for extreme sensitivity to ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation, to test the hypotheses that (1) central GABA(B) receptors influence baclofen's effects on ethanol-stimulated activity, and (2) VTA GABA(B) receptors specifically modulate ethanol's stimulant effects. I.c.v. baclofen dose-dependently attenuated ethanol stimulation, supporting a central locus for baclofen's effects. Anterior VTA baclofen also attenuated ethanol stimulation. However, more posterior VTA infusions unexpectedly potentiated ethanol stimulation. In SLOW mice, bred for resistance to ethanol stimulation, posterior intra-VTA baclofen did not alter EtOH response. However, anterior VTA baclofen alone produced a locomotor depressant effect in SLOW mice, not seen in FAST mice. GABA(B) receptor autoradiography using [(3)H]CGP 54626, a potent GABA(B) receptor antagonist, did not reveal line differences in binding density in the VTA, or in the substantia nigra pars compacta, a nearby brain structure associated with motor control. These results suggest that anterior VTA GABA(B) receptors play a role in baclofen's attenuation of ethanol's stimulant effects, and that posterior VTA GABA(B) receptors serve an opposite role that is normally masked. Selection for differential ethanol stimulant sensitivity has altered VTA GABA(B) systems that influence locomotor behavior. However, differences in GABA(B) receptor densities in the VTA or substantia nigra pars compacta cannot explain the selected line difference.
Cardiac Per2 Functions as Novel Link between Fatty Acid Metabolism and Myocardial Inflammation during Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury of the Heart

Disruption of peripheral circadian rhyme pathways dominantly leads to metabolic disorders. Studies on circadian rhythm proteins in the heart indicated a role for Clock or Per2 in cardiac metabolism. In contrast to Clock−/−, Per2−/− mice have larger infarct sizes with deficient lactate production during myocardial ischemia. To test the hypothesis that cardiac Per2 represents an important regulator of cardiac metabolism during myocardial ischemia, we measured lactate during reperfusion in Per1−/−, Per2−/− or wildtype mice. As lactate measurements in whole blood indicated an exclusive role of Per2 in controlling lactate production during myocardial ischemia, we next performed gene array studies using various ischemia-reperfusion protocols comparing wildtype and Per2−/− mice. Surprisingly, high-throughput gene array analysis revealed dominantly lipid metabolism as the differentially regulated pathway in wildtype mice when compared to Per2−/−. In all ischemia-reperfusion protocols used, the enzyme enoyl-CoA hydratase, which is essential in fatty acid beta-oxidation, was regulated in wildtype animals only. Studies using nuclear magnet resonance imaging (NMRI) confirmed altered fatty acid populations with higher mono-unsaturated fatty acid levels in hearts from Per2−/− mice. Unexpectedly, studies on gene regulation during reperfusion revealed solely pro inflammatory genes as differentially regulated ‘Per2-genes’. Subsequent studies on inflammatory markers showed increasing IL-6 or TNFα levels during reperfusion in Per2−/− mice. In summary, these studies reveal an important role of cardiac Per2 for fatty acid metabolism and inflammation during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, respectively.
Exploring mobile phone and social media use in a Nairobi slum: a case for alternative approaches to design in ICTD

Technology developers continue to develop new information and communication technologies (ICTs) aimed at addressing longstanding problems in international development. However, the sheer number of unsuccessful projects shows the importance of better understanding the ways in which a given population uses technology, before attempting to build novel applications for that population. We argue that this means adopting a methodological approach that recognizes that ideas develop slowly over time. As a first step in realizing this process, we present results from an exploratory qualitative study of mobile phone and social media use among residents of an informal settlement, or "slum", in Nairobi, Kenya. Our fieldwork reveals how contextual factors unique to slum environments affect mobile phone ownership and Internet access. We use these findings to propose an alternative approach to design, which accounts for the realities of living in a slum, and engages with residents. We also address the need for greater reflexivity in ICTD research.
CONSTRAINTS ON THE HEATING OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE ACTIVE REGION LOOPS: OBSERVATIONS FROM HINODE AND THE SOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY

We present observations of high-temperature emission in the core of a solar active region using instruments on Hinode and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). These multi-instrument observations allow us to determine the distribution of plasma temperatures and follow the evolution of emission at different temperatures. We find that at the apex of the high-temperature loops the emission measure distribution is strongly peaked near 4 MK and falls off sharply at both higher and lower temperatures. Perhaps most significantly, the emission measure at 0.5 MK is reduced by more than two orders of magnitude from the peak at 4 MK. We also find that the temporal evolution in broadband soft X-ray images is relatively constant over about 6 hr of observing. Observations in the cooler SDO/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) bandpasses generally do not show cooling loops in the core of the active region, consistent with the steady emission observed at high temperatures. These observations suggest that the high-temperature loops observed in the core of an active region are close to equilibrium. We find that it is possible to reproduce the relative intensities of high-temperature emission lines with a simple, high-frequency heating scenario where heating events occur on timescales much less than a characteristic cooling time. In contrast, low-frequency heating scenarios, which are commonly invoked to describe nanoflare models of coronal heating, do not reproduce the relative intensities of high-temperature emission lines and predict low-temperature emission that is approximately an order of magnitude too large. We also present an initial look at images from the SDO/AIA 94 A channel, which is sensitive to Fe XVIII.
Initial and long-term outcome of 354 patients after coronary balloon angioplasty of total coronary artery occlusions.

BACKGROUNDCoronary balloon angioplasty of chronic total occlusions is associated with relatively low success rates and a high incidence of restenosis. Whether there is long-term benefit in performing angioplasty of these lesions is unknown. The purpose of the present report was to analyze the long-term outcome of a large series of patients undergoing this procedure.METHODS AND RESULTSA computerized database analysis of 354 consecutive patients (from 1979 to 1990) who underwent coronary angioplasty of a chronic total coronary occlusion was performed (mean age, 62.3 years). Initial technical success was achieved in 69%; in 66%, success was achieved without procedural death or need for coronary artery surgery. During hospitalization, six patients suffered myocardial infarction, nine required emergency bypass surgery, and nine patients died. During a mean follow-up period of 2.7 years, no difference was found in survival or freedom from myocardial infarction among 234 successfully dilated patients compared wi...
Geodynamo model and error parameter estimation using geomagnetic data assimilation

S U M M A R Y We have developed a new geomagnetic data assimilation approach which uses the minimum variance’ estimate for the analysis state, and which models both the forecast (or model output) and observation errors using an empirical approach and parameter tuning. This system is used in a series of assimilation experiments using Gauss coefficients (hereafter referred to as observational data) from the GUFM1 and CM4 fieldmodels for the years 1590–1990.We show that this assimilation system could be used to improve our knowledge of model parameters, model errors and the dynamical consistency of observation errors, by comparing forecasts of the magnetic field with the observations every 20 yr. Statistics of differences between observation and forecast (O − F) are used to determine how forecast accuracy depends on the Rayleigh number, forecast error correlation length scale and an observation error scale factor. Experiments have been carried out which demonstrate that a Rayleigh number of 30 times the critical Rayleigh number produces better geomagnetic forecasts than lower values, with an Ekman number of E = 1.25 × 10−6, which produces a modified magnetic Reynolds number within the parameter domain with an ‘Earth like’ geodynamo. The optimal forecast error correlation length scale is found to be around 90 per cent of the thickness of the outer core, indicating a significant bias in the forecasts. Geomagnetic forecasts are also found to be highly sensitive to estimates of modelled observation errors: Errors that are too small do not lead to the gradual reduction in forecast error with time that is generally expected in a data assimilation system while observation errors that are too large lead to model divergence. Finally, we show that assimilation of L ≤ 3 (or large scale) gauss coefficients can help to improve forecasts of the L > 5 (smaller scale) coefficients, and that these improvements are the result of corrections to the velocity field in the geodynamo model.
Computers in behavioral science. Legislative districting by computer simulation.

The political districting process can be thought of as locating geographical boundaries that enclose electoral populations. Equal population, as specified by the Supreme Court, suggests the use of quantitative procedures in districting that would draw district boundaries on an impartial basis. Such analytical procedures could unquestionably aid in achieving equitable representation on a population basis. The purpose of this paper was to create rational districting schemes through the development of analytical techniques. The intent was to provide an efficient means of generating many impartial districting arrangements that would satisfy both the equal population requirement and a number of traditional districting criteria including contiguity, compactness, preservation of existing political boundaries, and singular representation. This paper demonstrates that an abstract computer simulation model can be used effectively in creating rational districting solutions based on population equality. It also shows that additional criteria can be programmed into the model to accommodate current districting requirements. Moreover, the computational speed of the digital computer permits rapid calculation and determination of superior arrangements.
Vibrotactile thresholds of the Non-Pacinian I channel: I. Methodological issues.

Thresholds of the Non-Pacinian I (NP I) channel were measured using a two-interval forced-choice paradigm, a technique independent of the subject's criterion. The studies were performed using the terminal phalanx of the human middle finger with a 40-Hz vibratory stimulus. Unlike most of the previous experiments performed in our laboratory, a contactor surround was not used. This was done to enable comparison with population models of mechanoreceptive fibers in the literature. Since the Pacinian (P) channel and NP I channel have similar vibrotactile thresholds at 40 Hz, a forward-masking procedure was used to elevate the thresholds of the P channel with respect to the NP I channel. While it has been established that the Pacinian fibers are entrained at high stimulus levels, the P channel can be perceptually masked using a 250-Hz stimulus presented prior to the 40-Hz test stimulus. The masking functions were found to be approximately linear on log-log axes and the threshold shifts were found to increase as ...
Effects of nicotine gum dose by level of nicotine dependence

We used the Heaviness of Smoking Index, a subset of the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, to classify 608 cigarette smokers planning a cessation attempt as low or high in nicotine dependence. Subjects within each level of dependence were then randomly assigned to placebo, 2-mg, or 4-mg nicotine gum treatment. Subjects were also provided brief (5-10 min per visit) behavioral counseling during a 1-year period of follow-up. At 1 year post-cessation, quit rates were 11.2, 19.5, and 18.4% for low-dependence smokers receiving placebo, 2-mg, and 4-mg gum, respectively (plinear trend = 0.20). For high-dependence smokers, quit rates at 1 year were 6.1, 15.7, and 20.7% for the placebo, 2-mg, and 4-mg gum conditions, respectively (plinear trend = 0.002). The interaction of nicotine-gum dose and dependence group was not significant (p = 0.42), nor did the 2-mg and 4-mg doses differ significantly in effectiveness, though both 2-mg and 4-mg gum were significantly more effective than placebo gum. We also found a significant dose-related effect for nicotine gum to moderate post-cessation heart-rate decline. Other variables related to abstinence at 1 year post-cessation were a longer period of abstinence on a prior quit attempt, being married, higher education level, and having a non-smoking spouse or significant other. Results indicate that nicotine gum is a significant aid to smoking cessation, more than doubling the odds of successful cessation compared to the odds for placebo-gum users. The 4-mg dose provided a non-significant increase in cessation rates for high-dependence smokers. Smoking history and demographic variables also have a significant impact on the outcome of a quit-smoking attempt.
IRES‐dependent translational control of Cbfa1/Runx2 expression

The P1 and P2 promoters of the Cbfa1/Runx2 gene produce Type I and II mRNAs with distinct complex 5'-untranslated regions, respectively designated UTR1 and UTR2. To evaluate whether the 5'-UTRs impart different translational efficiencies to the two isoforms, we created SV40 promoter-UTR-luciferase reporter (luc) constructs in which the translational potential of the 5'-UTR regions was assessed indirectly by measurement of luciferase activity in transfected cell lines in vitro. In MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts, UTR2 was translated approximately twice as efficiently as the splice variants of UTR1, whereas translation of unspliced UTR1 was repressed. To determine if the UTRs conferred internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-dependent translation, we tested bicistronic SV40 promoter-Rluc-UTR-Fluc constructs in which Fluc is expressed only if the intercistronic UTR permits IRES-mediated translation. Transfection of bicistronic constructs into MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts demonstrated that both UTR2 and the spliced forms of UTR1 possess IRES activity. Similar to other cellular IRESs, activity increased with genotoxic stress induced by mitomycin C. In addition, we observed an osteoblastic maturation-dependent increase in IRES-mediated translation of both UTR2 and the spliced forms of UTR1. These findings suggest that Cbfa1 UTRs have IRES-dependent translational activities that may permit continued Cbfa1 expression under conditions that are not optimal for cap-dependent translation.
A Comparison of Patient-Reported and Measured Range of Motion in a Cohort of Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients

Range of motion (ROM) is an important component of the assessment of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcome. We compared patient-reported versus clinically observed ROM in a prospective cohort. Clinically observed ROM was measured using a goniometer by a trained research assistant. Self-reported ROM was estimated using a set of lateral knee photographs depicting varying levels of flexion and extension. All measures were taken pre-operatively, three, and six months postoperatively. We found statistically significant associations between self-reported ROM and clinically observed ROM for flexion and extension (all P < 0.001). We dichotomized flexion at 90° and found that self-report had a specificity of 94% and sensitivity of 65%. We conclude that patient-reported ROM may be a useful outcome measure for TKA.
Social Structure, Burnout, and Job Satisfaction

Two hundred and seventy five randomly selected social workers who were practicing in Massachusetts in 1988 were studied to better understand burnout and job satisfaction. The findings from hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that perceived lack of autonomy and the influence of the funding sources are major contributors to burnout, and perceived autonomy and bureaucratization are major contributors to job satisfaction. The findings challenge the assumption that bureaucracy is the most efficient form of organization and question the ideological and social control functions of organizations. A focus on the effects of the organizational structure as it contributes to burnout and job satisfaction is suggested for policy, practice, and professional decisions.
Limitations of contrast enhancement for infrared target identification

Contrast enhancement and dynamic range compression are currently being used to improve the performance of infrared imagers by increasing the contrast between the target and the scene content. Automatic contrast enhancement techniques do not always achieve this improvement. In some cases, the contrast can increase to a level of target saturation. This paper assesses the range-performance effects of contrast enhancement for target identification as a function of image saturation. Human perception experiments were performed to determine field performance using contrast enhancement on the U.S. Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD standard military eight target set using an un-cooled LWIR camera. The experiments compare the identification performance of observers viewing contrast enhancement processed images at various levels of saturation. Contrast enhancement is modeled in the U.S. Army thermal target acquisition model (NVThermIP) by changing the scene contrast temperature. The model predicts improved performance based on any improved target contrast, regardless of specific feature saturation or enhancement. The measured results follow the predicted performance based on the target task difficulty metric used in NVThermIP for the non-saturated cases. The saturated images reduce the information contained in the target and performance suffers. The model treats the contrast of the target as uniform over spatial frequency. As the contrast is enhanced, the model assumes that the contrast is enhanced uniformly over the spatial frequencies. After saturation, the spatial cues that differentiate one tank from another are located in a limited band of spatial frequencies. A frequency dependent treatment of target contrast is needed to predict performance of over-processed images.
The Business Case for Systems Engineering: Comparison of Defense Domain and Non-defense Projects

Abstract : This report summarizes analysis of data collected from the 2011 Systems Engineering (SE) Effectiveness Survey performed by the National Defense Industrial Association Systems Engineering Division, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society, and the Software Engineering Institute. This analysis examined the differences in the deployment and impact of SE activities between defense-domain projects and non-defense projects. The analysis found significant differences in both the deployment of SE in the two domains and the effectiveness of the SE. The report identifies specific process areas where effectiveness in one domain is noticeably higher than in the other. Further research to understand these differences will support the transplantation of best practices between the two domains to the benefit of both.
A Hermite WENO-based limiter for discontinuous Galerkin method on unstructured grids

A weighted essentially non-oscillatory reconstruction scheme based on Hermite polynomials is developed and applied as a limiter for the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method on unstructured grids. The solution polynomials are reconstructed using a WENO scheme by taking advantage of handily available and yet valuable information, namely the derivatives, in the context of the discontinuous Galerkin method. The stencils used in the reconstruction involve only the van Neumann neighborhood and are compact and consistent with the DG method. The developed HWENO limiter is implemented and used in a discontinuous Galerkin method to compute a variety of both steady-state and time-accurate compressible flow problems on unstructured grids. Numerical experiments for a wide range of flow conditions in both 2D and 3D configurations are presented to demonstrate the accuracy, effectiveness, and robustness of the designed HWENO limiter for the DG methods.
Teaching Total Quality Management: Developing and Deploying Education Throughout a Healthcare System

Healthcare organizations are faced with the responsibility of teaching their entire staff the founding principles, concepts, and practices of total quality management (TQM), to improve organizational effectiveness. Purchasing training products from outside consultants can be costly, but healthcare leaders can design and develop their own TQM training products, integrating each product with their organization's mission and values. This article describes how a Catholic healthcare system successfully developed and deployed a compendium of TQM educational products throughout the health-care system.
The Rise and Fall of West Virginia's Bureau of Negro Welfare and Statistics, 1921-1957

In 1955, Ivanhoe S. Wayne, the director of West Virginia’s Bureau of Negro Welfare and Statistics, sued the state auditor for unpaid wages. The state contended that the legislature had not approved Wayne’s appointment and that he was entitled neither to the position he claimed nor to the salary prescribed in the West Virginia Code. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals concurred that the bureau and its director operated at the legislature’s pleasure. 1 Two years later, not long after Governor William Marland lauded West Virginia’s mostly peaceful desegregation of its public schools in his final address to the legislature, a bill to reestablish the provision for the bureau director’s salary died in the state senate’s finance committee. 2 With the bureau slated for quiet termination, Director Bird R. Forney and Field Deputy William L. Spriggs wrote a final report, a shorter and more indignant one than usual. School desegregation, they pointed out, was taking place alongside increasing black unemployment and a dramatic exodus of African Americans from the state. “In the same manner by which the entire people of West Virginia aided and accepted the integration of schools,” they wrote, “so should its officials and civic leaders search with all diligence for ways to eradicate racial and ethnic discriminatory practices, because we search haplessly for work.”3 If integration were to accomplish anything of value for West Virginia’s African Americans, they argued, it would need to be applied beyond the schoolhouse door. Forney and Spriggs exaggerated in their claim that West Virginia’s “entire people” had accepted the desegregation of schools and state-funded institutions. Members of the state’s political establishment, including Governor Marland and School Superintendent W. W. Trent, had placed their allegiance firmly behind the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education. For years the bureau’s leaders had worked for black economic advancement in West Virginia without specifically advocating school integration. Now that such integration was being accomplished, the state government seemed indifferent to increasing black economic inequality.
An Electron Microscopy Study of the Effects of Deposition Conditions on the Growth of Glow Discharge Prepared a-Ge:H Films.

Electron microscopy techniques have been used to study the effect of deposition conditions on island growth and coalescence in r.f. glow discharge prepared a-Ge:H. Planar views of 500 A thick films were obtained using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the cross-sectional microstructure of thicker films. Films were prepared on both electrodes of a capacitively-coupled, diode deposition system. The substrate temperature, level of applied power, externally applied d.c. substrate bias, and the germane to diluent gas ratio were systematically varied. For films prepared on the unpowered electrode, island coalescence was dramatically enhanced with increasing substrate temperature while columnar structure, found for samples prepared at lower substrate temperatures, vanished. Both effects are attributed to the elimination of a coalescence barrier with increased temperature. Increasing negative substrate bias slightly increased island coalescence while increasing the level of applied power had no visible effect on film microstructure. The island size decreased with increasing dilution of the gas plasma by H2. The addition of GeF4 to the gas plasma leads to a low density, porous film. This observation is attributed to either a difference in the plasma chemistry or increased film etching due to the presence of F in the gas plasma. High quality films prepared on the powered electrode were found to be more structurally homogeneous and environmentally stable than films prepared on the unpowered electrode at the same substrate temperature. Enhanced bombardment and/or a different plasma chemistry near the powered electrode are two factors which may contribute to the observed difference in microstructure.
A Describing Function for Nonlinear Systems with Memory Subject to Random Input

The Fourier series representation of a random function is used to obtain the optimum (in the mean-square sense) linear approximation to systems with no memory and also for systems with energy storage. The optimality of the result is demonstrated.
A Comparative Analysis of E-Mail and Face-to-Face Communication in an Educational Environment.

Electronic mail (e-mail) is an extremely important medium for Internet-based education. Due to its unique characteristics, there is reason to be concerned that students do not put appropriate care into writing messages that are sent via e-mail. This has significant implications for the effectiveness of online learning environments. This paper describes an empirical research project to investigate the amount of thought students put into e-mail communication versus traditional face-to-face communication. A survey was administered to 596 undergraduates. The results of this survey indicate that students put significantly more thought into e-mail communication with the instructor and groups of peers than they do for equivalent face-to-face communication. At the same time, students tend to put about the same amount of thought into e-mail compared to verbal communication with individual peers. Finally, the research uncovered some interesting patterns concerning student gender and technology comfort as predictors of thought put into e-mail communication.
Joint optimization of data hiding and video compression

From copyright protection to error concealment, video data hiding has found usage in a great number of applications. Recently proposed applications such as privacy data preservation require huge amount of information to be hidden inside a compressed video bitstream. Since data hiding disturbs the underlying statistical patterns of the source data, it adversely affects the performance of compression which are designed based on the statistical properties of the data. As such, it is imperative to design a data hiding scheme that is compatible with the compression algorithm and at the same time, introduces as little perceptual distortion as possible. In this paper, we propose a novel compression-domain video data-hiding algorithm that determines the optimal embedding strategy to minimize both the output perceptual distortion and the output bit rate. The hidden data is embedded into selective discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients which are found in most video compression standards. The coefficients are selected based on minimizing a cost function that combines both distortion and bit rate via a user-controlled weighting. Two methods are proposed - exhaustive search and fast Lagrangian approximation. While the former produces optimal results, the latter approach is significantly faster and amenable to real-time implementation.
Project-Based Curriculum for Teaching Analytical Design to Freshman Engineering Students via Reconfigurable Trebuchets

This paper presents an effort to revitalize a large introductory engineering course for incoming freshman students that teaches them analytical design through a project-based curriculum. This course was completely transformed from a seminar-based to a project-based course that integrates hands-on experimentation with analytical work. The project is centered on a reconfigurable trebuchet kit that student groups assemble and work to identify design decisions that will maximize projectile launch distance. Challenges include streamlining the project experience for the large enrollment (up to 148 students) with limited contact hours, and helping students fuse hands-on experiences with quantitative engineering analysis. A mixed-methods approach supported the claim that the curriculum improved the students’ engineering judgment and demonstrated to students the value of engineering analysis and mathematical models in practical engineering design. A rigorous statistical analysis of student trebuchet launch performance at different course stages is included. A qualitative assessment of student learning is derived through students’ reflection of their course experience. Comprehensive results comparing students’ design iterations versus algorithmic design optimization iterations provide important insights into student design intuition, paving the way for hybrid design education models that teach students how to combine human design intuition with quantitative design tools to design superior systems.
Economics of Controlling Horn Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) in Range Cattle Management

Yearling stocker calves and mother cows were treated with either stirofos (Rabon®) or fenvalerate (Ectrin®) ear tags to control Haematobia irritans (L.) at Woodward and EI Reno, Okla., in 1979, 1980, and 1982. Stirofos tags in 1979 failed to provide acceptable control and resulted in only a 2.8% gain in weight. Fenvalerate tags (two tags per head) used in 1980 and 1982 at Woodward, Okla., resulted in excellent horn fly control and gain in weight from 11 to 14.3%. In 1981, at El Reno, Okla., calves from fenvalerate-treated cows outweighed calves from untreated cows by 7.4 kg per head at weaning. These increases in weight resulted in returns ranging from $2.16 to $8.38 per $1.00 spent on insecticides for fly control. These differences were obtained when treated animals were essentially free of H. irritans and untreated animals had as many as 700 flies each.
Iridium Satellite Based Global Communications for High Altitude Scientific Ballooning

In an effort to address ever increasing flight durations and the demand for global real time communications support , along with increased data rates, the need to reduc e equipment cost, and create uniform system configurations; a new communications medium is integrated to upda te and fill this widening void . I ncorporation of the Iridium satellite based communication systems in to the existing Long Duratio n Balloon (LD B) platform and its related subsystems is discussed . Augment ation to the existing flight systems ha s provide d a true global, over -the -horizon communications link. Topics reviewed include d esign aspects, operational characteristics, actual flight tested sta tist ics, principles and com munications path , together with science payload and communications support instrumentation interfacing .
Call admission control and bandwidth reallocation algorithm for multi-classes of adaptive multimedia services in wireless/mobile networks

In this paper, we propose an optimal distributed Call Admission Control (CAC) scheme with bandwidth reallocation algorithm (multi-class-CAC-BRA) for multi-classes of adaptive multimedia services in wireless/mobile networks. The multi-class-CAC-BRA approach optimizes revenue for service providers and satisfies QoS requirements for service users. The proposed approach adopts semi-Markov Decision Process to model both CAC and bandwidth reallocation algorithm. Since the non-adaptive multimedia traffic is a special case of adaptive multimedia traffic, the non-adaptive optimal CAC scheme is a special case of our optimal multi-class-CAC-BRA scheme. Furthermore, the Interior-point Method in linear programming is used to solve the optimal decision problem. Simulation results reveal that the proposed multi-classCAC-BRA scheme achieves optimal revenue, and satisfies QoS requirements that are the upper bounds of handoff dropping probabilities. Our approach solves the optimal adaptive multimedia CAC problem. We believe that this work has both theoretical and practical significance.
Affecting Student Perception and Performance by Grading with 10,000 Points.

As professors, we each have our own approach to grading which allows us to assess learning and provide useful feedback to our students, yet is not too onerous. This article explains one approach we...
Connecting Rural China:Public Investment Record of Quasi-commercial Electricity and Telephone Agencies in China's Villages

Using a nationally representative public investment dataset collected from 2 459 villages in 6 provinces,the paper focuses mainly on the public investment record of quasi-commercial electricity and telephone agencies in China's villages.The empirical results show that as a profit maximization unit,quasi-commercial enterprises' investment strategy is some what different from public investment.If no government strains,quasi-commercial enterprises invest less in poor and mountainous villages with regards to electricity and telephone projects.However,although informal connection(Guanxi) is very important in getting public projects funded by public organizations,it does not work in quasi-commercial enterprises' decision process when implementing the electricity and telephone projects.The chief conclusion of the paper is that with some government strains attached,the quasi-commercial enterprises could correct their behavior by adopting a more pro poor approach.If it is true,then the quasi-commercial enterprises will be an important and effective complement funding sources for the public projects in rural china' villages in the future.
Role of Kynurenine Metabolism Pathway Activation in Major Depressive Disorders

A proportion of depressed individuals show evidence of inflammation. Both animal, quasi-experimental, and longitudinal studies indicate that inflammatory processes may play a causal role in the developmental of depressive illness. While there may be multiple causal pathways through which inflammatory processes affect mood, activation of the kynurenine pathway is essential for the development of depression-like behavior in rodents. Studies of hepatitis C or cancer patients receiving treatment with inflammation-inducing medications show increased activation of the kynurenine pathway and decreased levels of tryptophan that correlate with inflammation-induced depression. Further, this treatment has been shown to lead to increased production of neurotoxic kynurenine pathway metabolites such as quinolinic acid (QA). Similarly, in non-medically ill patients with major depression, multiple studies have found activation of the kynurenine pathway and/or preferential activation of the neurotoxic (QA) pathway at the expense of the production of the NMDA antagonist, kynurenic acid. Initially, activation of the kynurenine pathway was believed to precipitate depressive symptoms by depleting brain serotonin, however, the weight of the evidence now suggests that an imbalance between neurotoxic and neuroprotective metabolites may be the principal driver of depression; conceivably via its effects on glutamatergic neurotransmission.
Experimental verification of epsilon-near-zero plasmon polariton modes in degenerately doped semiconductor nanolayers

We investigate optical polariton modes supported by subwavelength-thick degenerately doped semiconductor nanolayers (e.g. indium tin oxide) on glass in the epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) regime. The dispersions of the radiative (R, on the left of the light line) and non-radiative (NR, on the right of the light line) ENZ polariton modes are experimentally measured and theoretically analyzed through the transfer matrix method and the complex-frequency/real-wavenumber analysis, which are in remarkable agreement. We observe directional near-perfect absorption using the Kretschmann geometry for incidence conditions close to the NR-ENZ polariton mode dispersion. Along with field enhancement, this provides us with an unexplored pathway to enhance nonlinear optical processes and to open up directions for ultrafast, tunable thermal emission.
Relative Abundances of Mineral Species: A Statistical Measure to Characterize Earth-like Planets Based on Earth’s Mineralogy

The mineral frequency distribution of Earth’s crust provides a mineralogy-based statistical measure for characterizing Earth-like planets. It has previously been shown that this distribution conforms to a generalized inverse Gauss–Poisson large number of rare events model. However, there is no known analytic expression for the probability distribution of this model; therefore, the population probabilities do not exist in closed forms. Consequently, in this paper, the population probabilities are calculated numerically for all mineral species in Earth’s crust, including the predicted undiscovered species. These population probabilities provide an estimate of the occurrence probabilities of species in a random sample of N mineral species–locality pairs. These estimates are used to characterize Earth in terms of its mineralogy. The study demonstrates that Earth is mineralogically unique in the cosmos. In spite of this uniqueness, the frequency distribution of minerals from Earth can be used to quantify the extent to which another planet is Earth-like. Quantitative criteria for characterizing Earth-like planets are given. An example, involving mineral species found on Mars by the CheMin instrument during the Mars Science Laboratory mission suggests that Mars is mineralogically similar to an Earth-like planet.
Comparative Psychology Versus Ethology

As humans, we consistently judge the behavior of animals (e.g., that pet is cute) or fellow humans (e.g., that new neighbor is friendly, etc.) based on their appearance and how they act from our perspective. In other words, we seldom look at the ecology of a pet or human or, for that matter, of an animal in the wild. In contrast, wildlife managers typically look at the ecology of an animal or view the animal as being part of a population; management of a species is based on populations rather than on individuals; wildlife management classically focused on populations, habitat, and people (Giles 1978).
A basic plasma test for gyrokinetics: GDC turbulence in LAPD

Providing an important step towards validating gyrokinetics under comparatively little-explored conditions, simulations of pressure-gradient-driven plasma turbulence in the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) are compared with experimental observations. The corresponding signatures confirm the existence of a novel regime of turbulence, based on the recently-discovered gradient-driven drift coupling (GDC) instability, which is thus confirmed as a candidate mechanism for turbulence in basic, space and astrophysical plasmas. Despite the limitations of flux-tube gyrokinetics for this scenario, when accounting for box size scaling by applying a scalar factor , agreement between simulations and experiment improves to within a factor of two for key observables: compressional magnetic, density, and temperature fluctuations, both in amplitude and structure. Thus, a first, strong indication is presented that the GDC instability seen in gyrokinetics appears to operate in the experiment and that the essential instability physics is present in the numerical model. Overall, the gyrokinetic framework and its numerical implementation in the Gene code therefore perform well for LAPD plasmas very different from their brethren in fusion experiments.
Fuzzy cell genetic algorithm approach for flexible flow-line scheduling model

This paper focuses on makespan minimization for the flow line scheduling problem using a Fuzzy Cell Genetic Algorithm (FCGA). Real world applications of this problem are commonly found in printing and electronic circuit board manufacturing industries. A generalized integer programming (IP) model for this problem is proposed. The Fuzzy Cell Genetic Algorithm (FCGA) is proposed to solve the IP model, which has been proven to be NP-hard. Sample problems are generated with known good solutions to evaluate the effectiveness of the FCGA approach. The FCGA matches the performance of the IP model for small sized problem instances and it is proven to be effective for larger problem instances.