cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methanogen survival following exposure to desiccation, low pressure and martian regolith analogs

Abstract Any life existing in the martian environment must be able to deal with relatively extreme factors including desiccation, low pressure, and the presence of different martian regoliths. We have been studying methanogens, microorganisms in the domain Archaea, as models for life on Mars. Previously, we have examined methanogens in the presence of these three factors individually. Here, four methanogen species were tested for survival under the three conditions combined. Two of the methanogens survived desiccation at low pressure. One survived desiccation at low pressure on different martian regolith analogs.
Selected symptoms associated with sexual and physical abuse history among female patients with gastrointestinal disorders: the impact on subsequent health care visits

Background. Despite a growing literature pointing to the deleterious health effects of sexual and physical abuse history, few studies provide evidence about which medical symptoms are most affected. The aim of this paper is to determine the impact of sexual and physical abuse history on a selected set of medical symptoms, and to test how such abuse, medical symptoms and functional disability may affect subsequent health care visits.Methods. We studied 239 women from a referral-based gastroenterology clinic; follow-up data were available on 196 of these women. All women were interviewed about sexual and physical abuse history.Results. Women with abuse history, particularly those with severe abuse, were much more likely to report somatic symptoms related to panic (e.g. palpitations, numbness, shortness of breath), depression (e.g. difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite), musculoskeletal disorders (e.g. headaches, muscle aches), genito-urinary disorders (e.g. vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, painful intercourse), skin disturbance (e.g. rash) and respiratory illness (e.g. stuffy nose). Furthermore, we found that the severity of abuse history, somatic symptoms and functional disability predicted 30% of the variance in health care visits during the subsequent year, and that the effect of abuse severity on visits was explained by abused women having more somatic symptoms and functional disability.Conclusions. Patients' reports of abuse history, somatic symptoms and functional disability appear to be important factors in explaining the number of health care visits among a clinic sample of women with gastrointestinal disorders.
Induction of Mammary Growth and Lactation in Rabbits with Epinephrine, Acetylcholine and Serotonin.∗

Summary1. Thirty-eight mature female, predominantly New Zealand White rabbits, were injected subcutaneously daily with 0.2 mg estradiol for 15 days to develop the mammary duct system. They were then divided into 4 groups and injected subcutaneously as follows for 5 days: 0.85% saline; 0.25 mg epinephrine in oil twice daily; 12.5 mg acetylcholine iodide/kg BW twice daily; 5 mg serotonin base/kg BW once daily. On 21st day the rabbits were killed and mammary glands examined for growth and lactation.2. Only 1 of 11 saline-injected rabbits showed gross lactation and lobulo-alveolar development, in contrast to 6 of 8 epinephrine-treated rabbits, 5 of 8 acetylcholine-injected rabbits and 9 of 11 rabbits treated with serotonin. The latter drug induced the greatest, and acetylcholine the least degree of mammary growth and lactation.3. These results demonstrate that the 3 drugs in pharmacological doses can induce prolactin release from the anterior pituitary of rabbits.
Language for content description, sharing and retrieval of distributed multimedia information

There has been significant progress in the area of content- based still image retrieval systems. However, most of the existing visual information management system use static feature analysis models decided by database implementers based on their heuristics, and use indexing oriented data modeling techniques. In other words, such systems have limitations of areas including scalability, extensibility and adaptability. In this paper, we will attempt to resolve the problems that surface in content modeling, description and sharing of distributed heterogeneous multimedia information. A language; named UCDL, for heterogenous multimedia content description is presented to resolve the related problem. The resulting UCDL facilitates a formal content modeling and description method for complex multimedia content and the exchange of heterogeneous content information. The proposed language has several advantages. For instance, an individual user can easily create audio-visual descriptions by using a library of automated tools. Users can perform automated testing of content description becomes implementation independent, thus offering portability across a number of applications for authoring tools to database management systems. Users can have personalized retrieval view through content filtering, and can easily share the heterogeneous content descriptions of various information sources. In addition, the proposed language can be a part of MPEG-7 DDL.
Does ethnic focus change how banks should implement customer relationship management

This paper describes the development of the ethnic banking market in the UK. It describes the main ethnic groups involved and how they manage their relationships with banks, whether as individuals, families or small businesses. It analyses the problems ethnic customers have in dealing with banks and the gaps that emerge between them and their banking providers. In addition the paper analyses what banks have done to bridge the gap, with a brief comparison with the situation in the United States. The paper then suggests which areas banks need to focus on in order to improve management of their ethnic customers, and concludes by suggesting that given the rapidly growing size and value of the ethnic segments, banks would do well to undertake an ethnic banking audit.
Effect of the T/B North Cape Oil Spill on the Surf Clam (Spisula Solidissima) in the Coastal Waters of Southern Rhode Island1

ABSTRACT On 19 January 1996, the T/B North Cape grounded on the south shore of Rhode Island and spilled approximately 828,000 gallons of home heating oil. Storm waves mixed the oil into the water c...
Differentiably Finite Power Series

A formal power series ∑ f(n)xn is said to be differentiably finite if it satisfies a linear differential equation with polynomial coefficients. Such power series arise in a wide variety of problems in enumerative combinatorics. The basic properties of such series of significance to combinatorics are surveyed. Some reciprocity theorems are proved which link two such series together. A number of examples, applications and open problems are discussed.
CONCURRENT PRODUCT DESIGN: A CASE STUDY ON THE PICO RADIO TEST BED

This paper presents a case study on the mechanical design and fabrication of the Pico Radio Test Bed : a wireless networking node for experimentation with applications, networking, media access layer design, and position locating algorithms. Particular focus is placed on the systematic design process and resolving coupling design constraints between the mechanical and electrical domains. Three generations of the design are presented to demonstrate the evolution of the design as conflicts arose, problems were noticed, and requirements changed.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
The glomerulus - a view from the inside - the endothelial cell

The glomerular endothelial cells are unique both in location and anatomy compared to most other endothelial cells throughout the body. The absence of a diaphragm with retention of a basement membrane and fenestrations enable these uniquely situated cells to have a key role in filtration performed by the kidney. Interaction with other glomerular cells such as the podocytes and mesangial cells, as well as with circulating and infiltrating inflammatory cells, contribute to the final impact of the glomerular endothelial cells on maintenance of body fluid homeostasis and modulation of disease. Thus, endothelial cells contribute to hemodynamic function, reactive oxygen stress, regulate the balance between pro-thrombotic and anti-thrombotic forces, and importantly, contribute to fibrosis, the key injury of progressive chronic kidney disease. Repair of endothelial cell damage and restoration of segmentally sclerosed glomeruli are key areas considered for intervention in chronic kidney disease. This review will focus on the structure, function, and interplay of endothelial cells with other glomerular cells and systemic factors, their impact on renal disease and give rationale for possible intervention that may forestall progressive injuries.
Geometric design of spatial PRR manipulators

Abstract This paper studies the geometric design of spatial open loop prismatic–revolute–revolute (PRR) robot manipulators. Four spatial positions and orientations are defined and the dimensions of the geometric parameters of the PRR manipulator are computed so that the manipulator will be able to place its end-effector at these four pre-specified locations. Denavit and Hartenberg parameters and 4×4 homogeneous matrices are used to formulate the design equations. Polynomial elimination techniques are used to solve these equations and 12 geometrically different solutions are found.
Electronics for a Next‐Generation SQUID‐Based Time‐Domain Multiplexing System

A decade has elapsed since the design, development and realization of a SQUID‐based time‐division multiplexer at NIST. During this time the system has been used extensively for low‐temperature‐detector‐array measurements. Concurrently, there have been substantial advancements both in detector array and commercial electronic component technology. The relevance and applicability of the technology has blossomed as well, often accompanied by more demanding measurement requirements. These factors have motivated a complete redesign of the NIST room‐temperature read‐out electronics. The redesign has leveraged advancements in component technology to achieve new capabilities better suited to the SQUID multiplexers and detector arrays being realized today. As examples of specific performance enhancements, the overall system bandwidth has been increased by a factor of four (a row switching rate of 6.24 MHz), the compactness has been increased by over a factor of two (a higher number of detector columns and rows per circuit board), and there are two high speed outputs per column (allowing fast switching of SQUID offsets in addition to digital feedback). The system architecture, design implementations, and performance advantages of the new system will be discussed. As an application example, the science chain flight electronics for the Micro‐X High Resolution Microcalorimeter X‐ray Imaging Rocket will be described as both a motivation for, and a direct implementation of the new system.
Left internal mammary artery perforation during Swan-Ganz catheter insertion

A wide spectrum of complications is associated with invasive hemodynamic monitoring. We report an unusual case of perforation of the left internal mammary artery that occurred during percutaneous insertion of a Swan-Ganz catheter using the subclavian vein approach. To the best of our knowledge, this complication has not been previously reported. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Diagn. 44:317–319, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Continuum electrostatics for electronic structure calculations in bulk amorphous polymers: application to polylactide

The bond rotational energy landscapes of polylactide (PLA) oligomers were estimated using electron density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G** level, both in vacuo and with a self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) method to simulate the electronic environment within the condensed phase. The SCRF method was evaluated for application to polymeric systems, and we demonstrate the difficulties involved in applying the method to bulk amorphous polymers with specific attention to the selection of the solvent probe radius. In addition, rotational isomeric states (RIS) calculations were performed, showing the effect of accounting for the bulk phase reaction field on the bond rotational energetics and characteristic ratio. We conclude that present methods of accounting for bulk environments in electronic structure calculations are not well suited for use with polymeric systems, and the development of improved methods is needed in this area.
Relationship of body fat topography to insulin sensitivity and metabolic profiles in premenopausal women

The relationship of body fat distribution to metabolic profiles was determined in 80 healthy premenopausal white women of a wide range of obesity levels [percentage of ideal body weight (% IBW) 92-251]. Distribution of fat between the upper and lower body was assessed from the waist/hips girth ratio (WHR), which varied from 0.64 to 1.02. In 23 women, in vivo insulin sensitivity was also determined from the steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) level at comparable insulin levels of approximately 100 microU/mL attained by the intravenous infusion of somatostatin, glucose, and insulin. Increasing WHR was accompanied by progressively increasing fasting plasma insulin levels (r = 0.47, P less than 0.001), insulin and glucose areas after glucose challenge (r = 0.53, P less than 0.001; r = 0.50, P less than 0.001, respectively) and fasting plasma triglyceride concentrations (r = 0.48, P less than 0.001). Obesity level was similarly correlated with these metabolic indices. Partial and multiple regression analysis and analysis of variance with a linear contrast model revealed that the effects of body fat topography were independent of, and additive to, those of obesity level. Within obese subjects alone (%IBW: 130), %IBW had no predictive value, but WHR remained a significant predictor of plasma glucose, insulin, and triglyceride concentrations. The WHR also correlated with the plasma cholesterol level, but this association was largely dependent on its relationship to %IBW. Both WHR and %IBW correlated with the insulin resistance index, SSPG (r = 0.60, P less than 0.01; r = 0.61, P less than 0.01, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A distributed control framework for motion coordination of teams of autonomous agricultural vehicles

A distributed control framework intended to coordinate the motions of teams of autonomous agricultural vehicles operating in proximity is presented; master–slave and peer-to-peer operation modes are supported. Each vehicle has a nonlinear model predictive tracking controller, which keeps it as close as possible to the path demanded by the task, and coordinates and avoids collisions with nearby vehicles. To do this, it receives the motion trajectories of all other vehicles in its vicinity that may interfere with its own projected motion via a wireless network, and incorporates these trajectories in the computation of its own optimal control action. Each controller is supervised by a higher-level task controller that determines a limited set of the controller's parameters. Simulation experiments have shown that the minimisation of the tracking error along a finite horizon enabled the controller to track paths containing sharp turns, by applying appropriate steering well in advance of the turn. It has also been shown that the variation of specific predictive controller parameters results in a wide range of behaviours; i.e., vehicles can move in both operating modes, coordinate with nearby vehicles by altering their velocity profiles or the shapes of their paths, and avoid collisions.
Functional connectivity of vergence neural substrates

While fMRI has identified which regions of interests (ROI) are functionally active during a vergence task (the inward or outward rotation of eyes), the functional connectivity between ROIs is less understood. This study tested the following hypotheses: 1) significant functional connectivity would be observed between the frontal eye fields (FEF), the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and the cerebellar vermis (CV), 2) significantly more functional activity and connectivity would be observed in binocularly normal controls (BNC) compared to patients with convergence insufficiency (CI), and 3) after vergence training, the functional activity and connectivity would improve in CI subjects compared to their baseline measurements. A block design of sustained fixation versus vergence eye movements stimulated activity in the FEF, PPC and CV. FMRI data from four CI subjects before and after vergence training were compared to seven BNC. Functional activity was assessed using the BOLD percent signal change. Functional connectivity was assessed using a seed-based functional connectivity analysis, which revealed significant correlation between the FEF, PPC and CV ROIs.
Effect of charging energy on superconductivity in granular metal films

Previous model calculations of the superconducting properties of aggregates of superconducting grains coupled by Josephson tunnel barriers did not take into account the charging energy associated with small metal grains. It is pointed out that in granular superconductors, in which the grain size is 20--100 A, the charging energy can be orders of magnitude larger than the Josephson coupling energy and superconducting coupling between the grains is quenched unless the grains are in intimate electrical contact.
Development and Initial Validation of a Measure of Drinking Urges in Abstinent Alcoholics

Although drinking urges and cravings are commonly reported by alcoholics, prospective studies have found inconsistent associations between such urges and drinking relapses. Previous studies have measured drinking urges by use of single-item ratings of alcohol craving or other measures of unknown reliability and validity. To permit improved evaluation of hypotheses regarding alcohol craving, a 49-item questionnaire that reflects several urge-related domains was developed and pretested. Items assessed subjects' desire for a drink, expectations of positive effects following drinking, relief of withdrawal and negative affect following drinking, and intention to drink. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the responses of 351 abstinent, treatment-seeking alcoholics indicated that alcohol urges are best described by a single factor. Based on these analyses, an internally consistent, reliable, and psychometrically valid 8-item scale, the Alcohol Urge Questionnaire (AUQ), was developed. Data indicated that AUQ scores were strongly related to alcohol dependence severity and to cognitive preoccupation with alcohol, and that they declined with prolonged abstinence. The AUQ may be useful in alcoholism treatment research and in laboratory studies of reactivity to alcohol or other manipulations.
The length of an excursion above a linear boundary by a random walk

We consider random walks with steps that are independent and identically distributed with finite mean. The distribution and expected value of the length of an excursion that begins with the first step is investigated.
Combination chemoimmunotherapy of metastatic breast cancer with 5‐fluorouracil, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, and BCG

One hundred and five patients with metastatic breast cancer were treated with 5-fluorouracil, Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide and BCG (FAC-BCG). The results were compared to those observed in a group of 44 patients treated with FAC chemotherapy alone. Although the overall response rates were similar (76% for FAC-BCG and 73% for FAC), the duration of remission was of 9 months for FAC and 14 months for FAC-BCG (p = 0.04). Similarly, survival or responding patients treated with FAC-BCG was significantly longer (24 months) than that observed in the chemotherapy alone treated group (15 months). There was no difference in survival or duration on study for non-responders. Response rates were not influenced by dominant site of disease, menopausal status or disease-free interval. The duration of remission and survival, however, were significantly longer for patients with bone and soft tissue involvement than for patients with visceral metastasis. Similarly patients with 1 or 2 metastatic sites survived significantly longer than those with more than 3 organ sites involved (p = 0.02). This chemotherapeutic combination is highly effective in inducing remissions. In addition, nonspecific immunotherapy with BCG appears to prolong duration of remission and survival for responding patients.
Gδ-points in remainders of topological groups and some addition theorems in compacta

Abstract In this article we establish some connections between properties of a topological space X and the structure of convergence at G δ -points in an arbitrary remainder of this space X. A special attention is given to the case when X is a topological group.
Comparative calculation of EPR spectral parameters in [MoVOX4]−, [MoVOX5]2−, and [MoVOX4(H2O)]− complexes

The EPR spectral parameters, i.e.g-tensors and molybdenum hyperfine couplings, for several d1 systems of the general formula [MoVEX4]n−, [MoVOX5]2−, and [MoVOX4(H2O)]− (E = O, N; X = F, Cl, Br; n = 1 or 2) were calculated using Density Functional Theory. The influence of basis sets, their contraction scheme, the type of exchange-correlation functional, the amount of Hartree-Fock exchange, molecular geometry, and relativistic effects on the calculated EPR spectra parameters have been discussed. The g-tensors and molybdenum hyperfine coupling parameters were calculated using a relativistic Hamiltonian coupled with several LDA, GGA, and ‘hybrid’ exchange-correlation functionals and uncontracted full-electron DGauss DZVP basis sets. The calculated EPR parameters are found to be sensitive to the MoE distance and EMo–Cl angle, and thus the choice of starting molecular geometry should be considered as an important factor in predicting the g-tensors and hyperfine coupling constants in oxo-molybdenum compounds. In the present case, the GGA exchange-correlation functionals provide a better agreement between the theory and the experiment.
The Moderating Role of Gender in Relationships of Stressors and Personality with Counterproductive Work Behavior

Gender differences in counterproductive work behavior (CWB: behavior that harms organizations or people) have been understudied. We explored gender mean differences, and the moderating effect of gender on the relationship of personality (agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, trait anger, and hostile attribution bias) and stressors (interpersonal conflict and organizational constraints) with three forms of CWB (directed toward organizations, directed toward persons, and relational aggression which are acts that damage relationships with other employees). A survey was conducted of 915 employed individuals recruited from university classes. All worked at least 20 h per week (mean 26.3 h), and held a variety of jobs in many industries. Men reported more CWB with correlations ranging from 0.12 to 0.18. Gender was found to moderate the relationship of job stressors and personality with CWB. The tendency for males to report engaging in more CWB was greater at high as opposed to low levels of interpersonal conflict, organizational constraints, trait anger and HAB and at low as opposed to high levels of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability. These results suggest that gender differences in overall CWB are rather small, with men engaging in more than women only when they have certain personality characteristics or perceive high levels of job stressors. In other words men may be more reactive than women. This study shows that gender serves a moderator role, and is the first to adapt the construct of relational aggression to the workplace.
Part one: for the motion. Evidence supports reducing the threshold diameter to 5 cm for elective interventions in women with abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Current practice guidelines recommend the repair of asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms once they reach the 5.5-cm diameter threshold, and are based on information from randomised controlled trials. However, as aneurysms are more common in men, women are under-represented in these trials, and questions persist with regard to whether this repair threshold should apply to them. In addition, women have smaller aortas to begin with and in most aneurysm cohorts are older, have more atherosclerotic risk factors, are less likely to be anatomical candidates for endovascular repair, and do less well after emergent or elective repair of their aneurysm. These are just some of the issues that our discussants address in determining whether the repair threshold should be at a smaller diameter for women.
Labor Environment and the Location of Electrical Machinery Employment in the US. South

This study focuses on the location of electrical machinery manufacturing in South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama (with special attention given to the first three states), and the degree to which this industry is associated with labor environments attractive to firms in the late stage of the product cycle. Labor-environment variables were selected from published sources and then collapsed into principal components. County-level component scores were then correlated with selected electrical machinery employment variables. The analysis suggests that, with the possible exception of electronic components manufacturing, there has been no widespread locational response by electrical machinery manufacturing in these states to labor environments attractive to firms in the late stage of the product cycle.
Serum free light chains as biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity

Objective To evaluate serum free light chains (FLC) as a putative biomarker of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) activity. Methods Seventy-five SLE patients and 41 age- and sex-matched rheumatoid arthritis (RA) controls were enrolled. Disease activity was assessed using the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus: National Assessment version of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) definition and physician global assessments for SLE and the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints for RA. Serum FLC levels were compared against other biomarkers (IgG, C3, C4, double-stranded DNA [dsDNA] antibody). Nonparametric tests were used to compare 1) FLC and IgG in SLE versus RA and healthy controls, 2) FLC and IgG among different levels of activity in SLE, and 3) FLC in active versus nonactive RA. Correlation of FLC, C3, C4, dsDNA antibody, and IgG with the SLEDAI and modified SLEDAI (M-SLEDAI) were obtained. Results FLC was higher in SLE than in RA; both were higher than referent healthy controls. Total FLC was significantly higher in subjects with greater SLE disease activity than lower/no activity. There were no significant differences in IgG, C4, or dsDNA antibody stratified by disease activity. Total FLC and C3 showed moderate to strong correlation with the SLEDAI and M-SLEDAI. In RA, no differences were seen in FLC levels for different levels of disease activity. Similar results were seen after controlling for renal function, age, and sex. In multiple linear regression, FLC significantly explained 50% variance of the SLEDAI after adjusting for renal function, age, and sex. Conclusion Serum FLC levels correlate strongly with disease activity in SLE, but not in RA. Serum FLC may be used as a biomarker of SLE disease activity.
System compliance with out-of-hospital trauma triage criteria.

BACKGROUND: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers are the initial link to a trauma care system. Previous studies have demonstrated poor compliance with trauma triage by EMS personnel. We sought to determine the proportion of adult EMS cases within a large state meeting Trauma Triage Criteria (TTC) who are ultimately cared for in trauma centers. METHODS: Merged EMS and hospital discharge records for 1996 were examined. All adult acute trauma cases were included. Single-system burns and late effects of injury were excluded. RESULTS: Nine thousand one hundred seventy-four adult cases had at least one TTC, and 60.1% of these patients were transported to a non-trauma center (NTC) and 74.6% of cases with an Injury Severity Score > 15 and one TTC were taken to trauma centers. Analyzing two large urban counties, 58.2% and 27.0% of all TTC cases were still taken to NTC hospitals. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of seriously injured patients meeting TTC were transported by EMS personnel to NTCs. Language: en
Filtering In The Time-Frequency Domain

We suggest a methodology for the design of time-variant filters based on time-frequency representations such as the short-time Fourier transform and the Wigner distribution function.
Autumn stomatal closure in six conifer species of the Central Rocky Mountains.

Environmental and water relations parameters during fall were monitored for six conifer tree species common to the central Rocky Mountains growing naturally at the same location (Pinus contorta, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus flexilus, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii). Subsequent to what appeared to be the beginning of seasonal stomatal closure, leaf conductance to water vapor declined sharply following the onset of freezing air temperatures at night. A coincident rapid decline in morning xylem pressure potentials (ψp) also occurred which resulted in values that were considerably below afternoon ψp. Continuing decreases in maximum leaf conductance during the day were highly correlated with corresponding decreases in minimum nocturnal air temperatures of the preceding night. By mid-December, morning ψp returned to values very near afternoon ψp and were only slightly lower than before the onset of subfreezing nights. A preliminary model is proposed which interprets the qualitative interaction between air and soil temperatures, soil and plant water potentials, and leaf conductance during seasonal stomatal closure in fall.
Sugar and spice and puppy dogs' tails: The psychodynamics of bullying

Bullies and their victims are more likely to engage in violent behavior than those who have never been involved in bullying. In both aggressor and victim, bullying is a sign of potential psychiatric disorder. It is primarily physical in children, becomes relational aggression in adolescents, and often appears in the form of sexual harassment in adulthood. The causes of bullying include the desire to control, revenge, envy, and emotional distress. Bullies have often themselves been bullied. Teachers are frequently reluctant to report bullying, even if they view it as a problem. Bullying deprives children of safety and security, but prevention and intervention are all too often not part of school curricula. The unique characteristics of bully and victim, risk factors leading to bullying behavior, the influence of the parents, and the roles of gender relationships and sex differences are explored in this article.
Limits on the continuous distribution of pulmonary vascular resistance versus compliance from outflow occlusion

Rapid occlusion of the venous outflow from a lung lobe perfused with constant flow causes the arterial and venous pressure to increase with time. Pressure values obtained by linear extrapolation of the nearly linear portions of the resulting arterial and venous pressure versus time curves back to the instant of occlusion provide data which can be used to place limits on the actual unknown distribution of resistance versus compliance. This has been proven deductively for the case of compartmental models having a small number of resistances and compliances. For compartmental models having a large number of resistances and compliances approaching a continuous distribution, an inductive approach was used in which a large number of simulations indicated that the actual continuous distribution is confined by the experimental data to the same limits as those for the small number of resistances and compliances.
Densification of porous materials by power-law creep

Abstract The densification of a porous intermetallic alloy (Ti-14wt%Al-21wt%Nb) during the final stage of densification has been investigated under various states of stress and compared with the predictions of current models for densification by power-law creep. The experiments generally confirm the model predictions that the densification rate is a sensitive function of the stress state. Experimentally, unconstrained uniaxial compression resulted in the largest densification rates, while constrained uniaxial compression resulted in the lowest. Hydrostatic loading resulted in a densification rate similar (but slightly higher) than that of constrained compression. This ordering of the densification rates agreed well with the model predictions. However, the magnitudes of the measured densification rates are found not to be accurately predicted. A number of factors, including pore shape, pore spatial distribution and matrix microstructure have been observed to affect the densification rate, and the significance of each of these factors to predictive modelling of creep consolidation processes is assessed.
Are Ballot Initiatives a Good Way to Make Education Policy? The Case of Affirmative Action

Are direct democratic ballot initiatives a just way to make education policy, especially when the policy disproportionately affects members of underrepresented groups? This is the broad question taken up in this article, related in particular to how education policy decided through the ballot initiative process affects minorities. The authors use philosophical inquiry to examine the fairness of education policy decisions being made by voters via the ballot initiative process. The primary purpose of this article is to shed light on an underexamined issue within education policy analysis, the phenomenon of education-related initiatives that focus on dismantling historic civil rights policies.
Model reduction of stochastic processes using Wasserstein pseudometrics

We consider the problem of finding reduced models of stochastic processes. We use Wasserstein pseudometrics to quantify the difference between processes. The method proposed in this paper is applicable to any continuous-time stochastic process with output, and pseudometrics between processes are defined only in terms of the available outputs. We demonstrate how to approximate a wide class of behavioral pseudometrics and how to optimize parameter values to minimize Wasserstein pseudometrics between processes. In particular, we introduce an algorithm that allows for the approximation of Wasserstein pseudometrics from sampled data, even in the absence of models for the processes. We illustrate the approach with an example from systems biology.
Response of Reptiles and Amphibians to Repeated Fuel Reduction Treatments

Recent use of prescribed fire and fire surrogates to reduce fuel hazards has spurred interest in their effects on wildlife. Studies of fire in the southern Appalachian Mountains (USA) have documented few effects on reptiles and amphibians. However, these studies were conducted after only one fire and for only a short time (1-3 yr) after the fire. From mid-May to mid-August 2006 and 2007, we used drift fences with pitfall and funnel traps to capture reptiles and amphibians in a control and 3 replicated fuel-reduction treatments: 1) twice-burned (2003 and 2006), 2) mechanical understory cut (2002), and 3) mechanical understory cut (2002) followed by 2 burns (2003 and 2006). We captured fewer salamanders in mechanical + twice-burned treatment areas than in twice-burned and control treatment areas, but we captured more lizards in mechanical + twice-burned treatment areas than in other treatment areas. Higher lizard captures in mechanical + twice-burned treatment areas likely was related to increased ground temperatures and greater thermoregulatory opportunities. Higher and more variable ground temperatures and faster drying of remaining litter and duff may have led to fewer salamander captures in mechanical + twice-burned treatment areas. Our longer term results, after 2 prescribed burns, differ from shorter term results. After one prescribed burn at the same site, eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) captures were greater in mechanical + burn treatment areas but salamander captures did not differ among treatment areas. Our results indicate that multiple ( L 2) fuel-reduction treatments that decrease canopy cover may benefit lizards but negatively affect salamanders.
Review: A survey of intrusion detection in wireless network applications

Information systems are becoming more integrated into our lives. As this integration deepens, the importance of securing these systems increases. Because of lower installation and maintenance costs, many of these systems are largely networked by wireless means. In order to identify gaps and propose research directions in wireless network intrusion detection research, we survey the literature of this area. Our approach is to classify existing contemporary wireless intrusion detection system (IDS) techniques based on target wireless network, detection technique, collection process, trust model and analysis technique. We summarize pros and cons of the same or different types of concerns and considerations for wireless intrusion detection with respect to specific attributes of target wireless networks including wireless local area networks (WLANs), wireless personal area networks (WPANs), wireless sensor networks (WSNs), ad hoc networks, mobile telephony, wireless mesh networks (WMNs) and cyber physical systems (CPSs). Next, we summarize the most and least studied wireless IDS techniques in the literature, identify research gaps, and analyze the rationale for the degree of their treatment. Finally, we identify worthy but little explored topics and provide suggestions for ways to conduct research.
A 18mW 10Gbps continuous-time FIR equalizer for wired line data communications in 0.12µm CMOS

This paper presents a 10Gbps continuous-time FIR receiver equalizer design with a ¼ symbol-period differential self-biased active inductor delay line in 0.12µm CMOS for wired line data communications. The proposed delay line, together with a proposed active inductor Cherry-Hooper transimpedance load at the FIR filter summing node, increases the equalizer speed, while reducing the equalizer power consumption to only 18mW. The prototype occupies 0.03mm2 die area and measurement results show that the equalizer can compensate for 15dB channel loss at 5GHz for 10Gbps data transmission.
Anatomy and Human Movement: Structure and Function, ed 5

Palastanga NP, Field D, Soames R. London, United Kingdom, NW1 7BY, Butterworth Heinemann Inc, 2006, paperback, 717 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-7506-8814-9, $95. This is an effective anatomy textbook that is directed toward health science students who need a thorough understanding of human movement but who do not have access to human cadavers for dissection and study. It is well suited for students of physical therapy, kinesiology, exercise science, occupational therapy, and athletic training, in particular. The authors of this text have been associated with physical therapy and other health science education programs in the United Kingdom for many years. The book focuses on the anatomy of movement in living subjects. Although there is somewhat limited coverage of the anatomy of the viscera and some areas contain less anatomical detail than others, there is a much greater integration of anatomical information with movement at all of the joints of the body within this text than is usually found in anatomy textbooks meant to accompany medically based dissection courses. This book begins with an introduction …
Constructions with Partial Orders

In the previous two chapters, we have been interested in temporal structures, where the primitives are moments of time or instants. We will now be interested in structures where the basic units are periods (and in the next section, events). In particular, we will be interested in the relations between instant structures and period structures. For a thorough discussion of the topics in this chapter, see van Benthem (1983), Kamp (1979a) and Kamp (1979b). I will be following van Benthem’s exposition rather closely here.
Self-Renewal and Personal Development in Professional Life.

The author discusses how senior student affairs administrators juggle busy lives and shares their recipes for maintaining healthy and balanced lifestyles.
Mineralogy of Cenozoic Deep-Sea Sediments from the Equatorial Pacific Ocean

Sediments ranging in age from Eocene (50 m.y.) to Holocene have been sampled at or near the sea floor in the equatorial Pacific. The mineralogy of fine fractions of these deposits shows that a component derived in large part from tholeiitic debris is the principal constituent of all middle Eocene (50-m.y.-old) to late Miocene (10-m.y.-old) deposits. This component is characterized by abundant montmorillonite, plagioclase of intermediate composition, and the zeolites phillipsite and clinoptilolite-heulandite. It persists as a major constituent of many late Cenozoic southern equatorial deposits but forms a minor portion of Quaternary sediments from the North Pacific. Southern and western equatorial sediments younger than late Miocene (10 m.y.) are rich in pyroxene (including orthopyroxene) and chlorite and have high pyroxene:plagioclase ratios (typically 1.4:1) in 2- to 20-μ fractions. The abundance of pyroxene may in part reflect late Cenozoic changes in the tenor of oceanic volcanism. Most of the pyroxene-rich debris is derived from the island arcs that form the western margin of the Pacific basin, however, and to a much lesser extent from Andean volcanoes. The appearance of the “island-arc” material coincides with a period of heightened tectonism in many marginal areas of the Pacific, and also with an interval when it has been suggested that the rate or pattern of sea-floor spreading was undergoing a marked change. Northern equatorial deposits of Quaternary age are dominated by windborne continental debris rich in quartz and illite. Fine fractions of periglacial loess deposits associated with Pleistocene ice masses in the northern hemisphere probably constitute the main source of such debris. Tertiary equatorial sediments (with the exception of a few northwestern equatorial occurrences of Pliocene age) consist of less than 20 percent “continental” material. Of the minerals studied, only chlorite appears to be modified by prolonged exposure to pore water. The crystallinity of chlorite deteriorates over a period of 5 to 10 m.y. but then changes little over additional periods of tens of millions of years. The only other observed pronounced diagenetic effect is a systematic increase in the grain size of older sediments due to dissolution of opaline tests and reprecipitation of the silica as cement.
Comparison of electrical properties of SOS and ISE SOI transistors

Summary form only given. The electrical properties of transistors in SOS and ISE (isolated silicon epitaxy) SOI wafers are compared. The radiation response of transistors fabricated with both types of wafers is included. The improved crystallinity of the ISE material over SOS material was found to affect several key transistor parameters. One was the ON voltage of the body-source diode. The lower ON voltage of the SOS material is a consequence of the higher density of recombination centers. The implication of this effect is that the kink effect and dynamic threshold variation due to gate-to-body capacitive coupling will be larger for ISE N channel transistors than for SOS transistors. For a base current of 10 mu A and a gate voltage of -1 V the ISE NFET (L=4 mu m) was found to have a beta of 3.5 as compared to the SOS NFET beta of 0.0005. The high beta of the ISE NFET is detrimental to the operation of some common CMOS circuits unless layouts include a body tie to ground. Also, the higher beta of ISE materials lowers BV/sub dss/. The radiation response of transistors indicated comparable threshold shifts. Back-channel leakage was much greater for the ISE NFETs where activation of back-channel leakage occurred at about 100 Krad(SiO/sub 2/). >
Paleohistology of Micropholis stowi (Dissorophoidea) and Lydekkerina huxleyi (Lydekkerinidae) Humeri from the Karoo Basin of South Africa, and Implications for Bone Microstructure Evolution in Temnospondyl Amphibians

ABSTRACTTemnospondyl amphibians are a large and diverse group of early tetrapods, whose paleohistology has been incompletely studied. Here, humeri of Micropholis stowi and Lydekkerina huxleyi from the Karoo Basin of South Africa (Katberg Formation) were thin–sectioned for paleohistological analysis. Diaphyseal bone histology of both taxa exhibits a convergence to fibrolamellar tissue and an absence of lines of arrested growth; additionally, medullary cavities free of trabeculae support terrestrial lifestyles in both Micropholis and Lydekkerina. The presence of azonal tissue in Micropholis is unlike that of other dissorophoids or extant caudatans, suggesting an adaptation to local conditions in the Early Triassic of the Karoo Basin, as well as a complicated and incompletely studied pattern of histological evolution in dissorophoids. Additionally, the propodial histology of these and 12 other taxa were assessed through different broad–scale phylogenetic hypotheses for Temnospondyli. Results reveal convergen...
Complainant behavioral tone, ambivalent sexism, and perceptions of sexual harassment

Previous research has examined the impact of the law on decisions made about social sexual interactions in the workplace in the context of a variety of individual difference variables including gender of the observer and sexist attitudes, as well as situational factors including legal standard and prior exposure to aggressive and submissive complainants. The current study continued this line of inquiry by testing whether hostile or benevolent sexist attitudes behaved differently under manipulated exposure to aggressive and submissive complainants. Full-time workers watched 1 videotape in which aggressive, submissive, or neutral (i.e., businesslike) women complained that male coworkers sexually harassed them; then, participants viewed a second complainant who always acted in a neutral behavioral tone. In the first case, participants high in hostile sexism who took a reasonable person perspective (but not those with a reasonable woman point of view) and all men who viewed an aggressive complainant found less evidence of harassment. With the second set of allegations, female workers who were exposed to a submissive complainant in the first case found less evidence of harassment against the neutral complainant, suggesting that exposure to a submissive complainant triggered some type of victim blaming in female workers. Policy and training implications are discussed.
sfatables: A Firewall-like Policy Engine for Federated Systems

Recent efforts to federate computation and communication resources across organizational boundaries face a challenge in establishing the policies by which one organization's users can access resources in other organizations. This paper describes an approach to defining, communicating, analyzing, and enforcing resource allocation policies in this new setting. Our approach was designed to address the needs of Planet Lab, but we demonstrate through a range of examples that it is general enough to accommodate a diverse collection of computing facilities. Our policy engine is implemented in a specific tool chain, called {\tt sfatables}, that is patterned after the {\tt iptables} mechanism used to define packet processing policies for network traffic. The interface to our policy engine thus uses the familiar paradigm of a {\tt firewall} and provides a flexible interface for resource owners to specify access policies for their resources. Our implementation makes it possible to precisely document policies, query, and analyze them.