cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Expectations Theory in the Money Market: Details Matter

One of the most popular theories of the term structure of interest rates is the pure expectations theory. In its purest form it postulates that long term interest rates are a reflection of the market's perception of future short term rates. Almost all of the tests of the pure form of this theory with financial markets of various countries have resulted in a rejection of the theory. A standard approach of most of the literature is to linearize the equations associated with the theory and then estimate a linear regression to determine if the spread is indeed a predictor of future short rates. While this approximation is valid for testing the expectations hypothesis when the spread is between long and short duration instruments, researchers should be careful applying this technique to money market spreads. In particular, this approximation will not be valid for very flat term structures, which is usually the case for bills with less than twelve months to maturity. This paper uses simulations to show how erroneous conclusions can be drawn by using this approximation in the money market and re-examines the pure expectations theory for the money markets of various countries using the DOLS approach to estimating series that are cointegrated. The conclusions are different from other studies on this subject and are particularily supportive of the expectation's hypothesis. In fact, while the theory is sometimes rejected (accepted) when using approximations, it is accepted (rejected) using the exact formulas.
Responses to 19 generations of litter size selection in the NE Index line. II. Growth and carcass responses estimated in pure line and crossbred litters.

Our objective was to estimate responses in growth and carcass traits in the NE Index line (I) that was selected for 19 generations for increased litter size. Differences between Line I and the randomly selected control line (C) were estimated in pure line litters and in F 1 and three-way cross litters produced by mating I and C females with males of unrelated lines. Contrasts of means were used to estimate the genetic difference between I and C and interactions of line differences with mating type. In Exp 1,694 gilts that were retained for breeding, including 538 I and C and 156 F 1 gilts from I and C dams mated with Danbred NA Landrace (L) sires, were evaluated. Direct genetic effects of I and C did not differ for backfat (BF) at 88.2 kg or days to 88.2 kg; however, I pigs had 1.58 cm 2 smaller LM area than did C pigs (P < 0.05). Averaged over crosses, F 1 gilts had 0.34 cm less BF, 4.29 cm 2 greater LM area, and 31 d less to 88.2 kg than did pure line gilts (P < 0.05). In Exp 2, barrows and gilts were individually penned for feed intake recording from 27 to 113 kg and slaughtered. A total of 43 I and C pigs, 77 F 1 pigs produced from pure line females mated with either L or Danbred NA 3/4 Duroc, 1/4 Hampshire boars (T), and 76 three-way cross pigs produced from F 1 females mated with T boars were used. Direct genetic effects of I and C did not differ for ADFI, ADG, G:F, days to 113 kg, BF, LM area, ultimate pH of the LM, LM Minolta L* score, or percentage of carcass lean. Interactions of line effects with crossing system were significant only for days to 113 kg. Pure line I pigs took 4.58 ± 4.00 d more to reach 113 kg than did C pigs, whereas I cross F 1 pigs reached 113 kg in 6.70 ± 3.95 d less than C cross F 1 pigs. Three-way cross and F 1 pigs did not differ significantly for most traits, but the average crossbred pig consumed more feed (0.23 ± 0.04 kg/d), gained more BW per unit of feed consumed (0.052 ± 0.005 kg/kg), grew faster (0.20 ± 0.016 kg/d), had less BF (-0.89 ± 0.089 cm), greater LM area (5.74 ± 0.926 cm 2 ), more lean (6.21 ± 0.90%), and higher L* score (5.27 ± 1.377) than the average pure line pig did (P < 0.05). Nineteen generations of selection for increased litter size produced few correlated responses in growth and carcass traits, indicating these traits are largely genetically independent of litter size, ovulation rate, and embryonic survival.
Adaptive Immune Cells Link Microbial Metabolites to Stroke Recovery.

Ischemic stroke has pervasive effects outside the CNS, leading to a cascade of inflammatory events that drives multiorgan dysfunction and hampers long-term stroke recovery. Peripheral organs, such as the lung ([Mai et al., 2017][1], [2019][2]), heart ([Bieber et al., 2017][3]), and intestine ([Singh
HYDRODYNAMICS, SEDIMENT TRANSPORT, AND WATER QUALITY OF TWO CONTRASTING DREDGE PITS ON THE LOUISIANA SHELF

Abstract Sediment is needed for coastal restoration in Louisiana and is often excavated offshore from mud-capped and sandy dredge pits. To better understand the post-dredging effects on hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and water quality, two tripods were deployed at sandy Caminada pit and mud-capped Sandy Point pit in summer 2018 and 2019, respectively, and profiling data were collected during a total of 34 casts in 2018 and 2019. The results reveal similarities and differences between pit and adjacent waters and are used to compare two pits. Tropical storm events were observed during each deployment which provided insight concerning the effects these storms have on dredge pits. Water masses inside Caminada pit were relatively stable and sluggish which resulted from the pit's deep depth and location. Sandy Point dredge pit was highly impacted by the Mississippi River plume due to its proximity, which effectively stratified the water column in summer 2019, affecting ventilation near the seabed. Strong winds, taller waves, higher shear stresses, elevated turbidity and increased dissolved oxygen were generally found during the passages of tropical storms over both pits. Comparing with outside tripod station, the inside station of Caminada pit experienced a longer duration of low dissolved oxygen in bottom waters. Water mass movements and oxygen consumption from resuspension of pit bottom are likely key mechanisms driving oxygen dynamics. Our results provide observational data for future studies on post-dredging morphologic change, marine communities, and oxygen dynamics of dredge pits on the Louisiana shelf and other coastal dredge areas worldwide.
White Matter Hyperintensities Predict Response to Language Treatment in Poststroke Aphasia.

BackgroundWhite matter hyperintensities (WMH) are a radiological marker of brain health that has been associated with language status in poststroke aphasia; however, its association with language t...
An Empirical Study of Web API Quality Formulation

This paper presents an empirical study on one of the most popular web API repositories, www.programmableweb.com. The study is to ascertain the impact of the structure and formulation of external web API quality factors on the overall web API quality. The study is based on the hypothesis that, in such a multi-factor quality measurement, the structure and formulation of the quality factors can make a substantial difference in its quantification. Specifically, we employ statistical tools such as exploratory factor analysis, to determine the latent factors that contributes to web API quality. We subsequently determine the loading of each latent factors to propose a new quality model for web API quality computation.
Severe Sepsis With Septic Shock as a Consequence of a Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia Resulting From a Combined Legionella pneumophila and Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a frequent cause of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in adults and the sixth leading cause of death worldwide. Although co-infections have been previously reported, the co-existence of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila is exceedingly rare. Despite the fact that Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common etiology in the majority of cases, atypical organisms such as Legionella pneumophila should be considered as etiologic agents among all CAP cases that require hospitalization. Unlike Legionella, extra-pulmonary findings are uncommon in patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia. In this report, the authors describe an unusual case of septic shock resulting from a combined Legionella pneumophila and Streptococcus pneumoniae infection associated with rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, pancreatitis, and acute liver injury.
Stabilization by noise of a ℂ2-valued coupled system

D. Herzog and J. Mattingly have shown that a ℂ-valued polynomial ODE with finite-time blow-up solutions may be stabilized by the addition of ℂ-valued Brownian noise. In this paper, we extend their results to a ℂ2-valued system of coupled ODEs with finite-time blow-up solutions. We show analytically and numerically that stabilization can be achieved in our setting by adding a suitable Brownian noise, and that the resulting system of SDEs is ergodic. The proof uses the Girsanov theorem to induce a time change from our ℂ2-system to a quasi-ℂ-system similar to the one studied by Herzog and Mattingly.
Impact of Atomic Layer Deposition Co-Reactant Pulse Time on 65nm CMOS Integrated Hafnium Dioxide-based Nanoscale RRAM Devices

In this work, we have improved switching reliability of Hafnium Oxide (HfO 2 ) based CMOS integrated RRAM devices by tuning Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Co-reactant pulse time for HfO 2 switching layer deposition. Three different pulse times for H 2 O vapor pulses were chosen for this split: standard pulse time, 1.5X pulse time and 5X pulse time. Based on full wafer device testing results, the 5X pulse time RRAM devices showed higher mean forming voltages attributed to lower leakage current density. Additionally, 1T1R cells fabricated with 5X cycle time showed more than 2X improvement in memory window and significant reduction in HRS switching variability. We also report $\gt 95$% switching yield and a sigma of $\lt 0.5$ for cell-to-cell switching variability based on over 450 tested 1T1R devices across full 300 mm wafers, demonstrating the robustness of our process.
Influence of Pediatric Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Resections on Midface and Skull Base Development.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to use imaging data to determine if endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES) for skull base tumor resection interrupts skull base growth and development, resulting in an atrophic midface skeletal structure, compared to matched normal controls. METHODS Data were collected by a retrospective chart review done on children aged 16 years and below who underwent endoscopic tumor resection and had pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging with relevant midface anatomy. 121 normal controls were matched to 20 EES patients by age and gender. Three measurements related to midface anatomy were taken from 1 sagittal T1 slice and 1 axial T2 slice of each scan. Statistical analysis was used to compare growth measures between cases and controls. RESULTS Twenty patients who underwent EES between November 2015 and April 2018 met our inclusion criteria. The mean age of the patients, 11 males and 9 females, was 10 years, and 8 patients (38%) were aged 7 years or younger. Six patients who had a high-flow CSF leak obtained a nasoseptal flap. A student T test and multivariate regression analysis found that EES did not affect midface and skull base growth. Among the variables assessed, age appears to be the only driver of growth. CONCLUSION There were no identified differences in craniofacial growth in pediatric patients undergoing EES for skull base tumor resection as compared to the control group. EES does not appear to significantly interfere with midface/skull base development and is a good surgical option for pediatric patients.
Rabphillin-3A-Like gene is a candidate tumor suppressor in colorectal adenocarcinoma

3650 Background: The recently identified human ortholog of the Rabphillin-3A-Likegene (RPH3AL), located at the 17p13.3 locus, has been assessedfor molecular status and for its clinical significance in colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC). Methods: To determine the role of RPH3AL in CRC we screened 95 prospectively collected frozen CRCs andtheir matching control (benign epithelial) tissues for the mutational status of RPH3AL using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing methods. We assessed the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at D17S643, DS17S849, D17S926 and D17S1866 loci in genomic DNA samples isolated from 53 CRCs and their matching controls. Also, the mRNA levels of this gene were measured by quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in 95 paired tissues. The LOH status of the RPH3AL gene was correlated with different clinicopathologic features and patient survival. Results: The mutational analysis of RPH3AL has detected five novel missense mutations: at codons 67 (GTG > ATG; Val > Met) in 2 CRCs, at codon 175 (CCC > TCC; Pro > Ser) in 1 CRC, at codon 268 (GCC > GGC; Ala > Gly) in 1 CRC and at codon 290 (AGG > AAG; Arg > Lys) in 1 CRC, and a novel silent mutation at codon 98 (TGC> TGT; Cys > Cys) in 1 CRC. Additionally, 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified: three at codon 49, nine at codon 62, and two at codon 303, in the coding region of the RPH3AL gene. Loss of heterozygosity was found in 26 of 44 (59%) informative cases demonstrating allelic loss in at least one of the four loci analyzed. The levels of mRNA expression were significantly reduced in CRCs (average copy number = 0.42, range 0.038-1.70) compared to their matching controls (average copy number=2.36, range 0.15-10.32) (χ2, P Conclusions These preliminary findings suggest that the RPH3AL gene is a candidate tumor suppressor whose inactivation is involved in aggressiveness of colorectal adenocarcinoma.This work is supported partially by funds from the Departmentof Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham and by a grantfrom the National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute(RO1-CA98932-01).
Test Results of a Zero-Gravity Cryogenic Phase Separator

Previous work, performed under the first part of a NASA study, compared various methods of venting only vapor from a cryogenic propellant tank under zero-gravity conditions where the orientation of liquid and vapor is unknown [1]. These studies showed that a heat-exchanger type system has the best potential for advanced cryogenic vehicles. Results of these tradeoffs have been presented earlier [2].
Adaptive and Evolvable Network Services

This paper proposes an evolutionary framework where a network service is created from a group of autonomous agents that interact and evolve. Agents in our framework are capable of autonomous actions such as replication, migration, and death. An evolutionary mechanism is designed using genetic algorithms in order to evolve the agent’s behavior over generations. A simulation study is carried out to demonstrate the ability of the evolutionary mechanism to improve the network service performance (e.g., response time) in a decentralized and self-organized manner. This paper describes the evolutionary mechanism, its design and implementation, and evaluates it through simulations.
Inhibition of fatty acid oxygenases by onion and garlic oils: Evidence for the mechanism by which these oils inhibit platelet aggregation

Abstract Inhibition of in vitro platelet aggregation by onion and garlic oils was accompanied by decreased formation of thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2 ) and 12-hydroxyheptadecatrienoic acid (HHT) from [1- 14 C]arachidonic acid (AA). At intermediate concentrations (10–30 μg ml ), these oils also induced a redistribution of the products of the lipoxygenase pathway; at higher concentrations (30–60 μg ml ), they completely suppressed the formation of all oxygenase products. Measurements of oxygen consumption in antimycin-treated platelets indicated a direct correlation between inhibition of platelet fatty acid oxygenases and the anti-aggregating activity of these oils. Onion and garlic oils also inhibited fatty acid oxygenases from sheep vesicular gland preparations as shown both by decreased oxygen consumption and decreased formation of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) and PGD 2 from [1- 14 C]AA. Onion oil was approximately ten times more effective in inhibiting the platelet oxygenases than the oxygenases from the vesicular gland. In addition, these oils suppressed the soybean lipoxygenase-catalyzed oxygenation of AA. In all three enzyme systems, onion oil exhibited greater inhibitory activity than garlic oil. Many nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic drugs act by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase component of the prostaglandin and thromboxane synthetases. Our findings thus suggest that onion and garlic contain compounds that may have serendipitous pharmacological effects.
A filtration-based protein microarray technique.

Protein microarrays are an emerging technology for studying protein expression profiling and protein functions. However, with the current design approaches, the overall performance of protein microarrays can be compromised by diffusion-limited kinetics. We developed a new protein microarray platform that utilizes a filtration assay with protein microarrays printed on protein-permeable nitrocellulose filter membranes. Compared with protein microarrays assayed with the conventional incubation−shaking method, this new approach overcomes the diffusion limit. We demonstrated that this novel technique can improve the overall reaction kinetic rate by 10-fold, yield a dynamic range of 4 decades, and enhance the assay sensitivity and specificity. Further, using multistacking protein chips, at least 14 chips can be probed simultaneously, with 22 400 different reactions in a single assay. The advantages of large fluorescent dyes, such as phycobilisome and quantum dots, can be better exploited using the filtration as...
Chlamydial entry involves TARP binding of guanine nucleotide exchange factors.

Chlamydia trachomatis attachment to cells induces the secretion of the elementary body–associated protein TARP (Translocated Actin Recruiting Protein). TARP crosses the plasma membrane where it is immediately phosphorylated at tyrosine residues by unknown host kinases. The Rac GTPase is also activated, resulting in WAVE2 and Arp2/3-dependent recruitment of actin to the sites of chlamydia attachment. We show that TARP participates directly in chlamydial invasion activating the Rac-dependent signaling cascade to recruit actin. TARP functions by binding two distinct Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), Sos1 and Vav2, in a phosphotyrosine-dependent manner. The tyrosine phosphorylation profile of the sequence YEPISTENIYESI within TARP, as well as the transient activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K), appears to determine which GEF is utilized to activate Rac. The first and second tyrosine residues, when phosphorylated, are utilized by the Sos1/Abi1/Eps8 and Vav2, respectively, with the latter requiring the lipid phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate. Depletion of these critical signaling molecules by siRNA resulted in inhibition of chlamydial invasion to varying degrees, owing to a possible functional redundancy of the two pathways. Collectively, these data implicate TARP in signaling to the actin cytoskeleton remodeling machinery, demonstrating a mechanism by which C. trachomatis invades non-phagocytic cells.
Patient awareness of breast density and interest in supplemental screening tests: comparison of an academic facility and a county hospital.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to measure women's knowledge of breast density and their attitudes toward supplemental screening tests in the setting of the California Breast Density Notification Law at an academic facility and a county hospital, serving women with higher and lower socioeconomic status, respectively. Methods Institutional review board exemptions were obtained. A survey was administered during screening mammography at two facilities, assessing women's awareness of and interest in knowing their breast density and interest in and willingness to pay for supplemental whole breast ultrasound and contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CEMG). The results were compared by using Fisher exact tests between groups. Results A total of 105 of 130 and 132 of 153 women responded to the survey at the academic and county facilities, respectively. Among respondents at the academic and county facilities, 23% and 5% were aware of their breast density, and 94% and 79% wanted to know their density. A majority were interested in supplemental ultrasonography and CEMG at both sites; however, fewer women had a willingness to pay for the supplemental tests at the county hospital compared with those at the academic facility (22% and 70%, respectively, for ultrasound, P P Conclusions Both groups of women were interested in knowing their breast density and in supplemental screening tests. However, women at the county hospital were less willing to incur out-of-pocket expenses, suggesting a potential for a disparity in health care access for women of lower socioeconomic status after the enactment of breast density notification legislation.
Spares optimization for the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter

Over the next few decades, the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter will supplant existing aircraft in various branches of US and NATO armed forces. A major deployment challenge is the identification of low-cost, high-performance sparing policies and resource allocations across geographically dispersed supply and repair chains. Through a joint effort, Sandia National Laboratories and Lockheed Martin have developed a detailed enterprise-level discrete events simulation of the complete operation. Optimization in the context of this simulator is exceptionally challenging: the number of free parameters numbers in the hundreds of millions, while individual simulations require hours of runtime. We will describe the architecture and algorithms forming the basis of a software system that leverages a careful balance of simulation output analysis, heuristics, mixedinteger programs, and local search to achieve low-cost, high-quality sparing policies and resource allocations for the full-scale distribution network.
Novel fluorescent indicator proteins for monitoring free intracellular Ca2

We have recently described a fluorescent indicator protein in which red- and blue-shifted variants of green fluorescent protein are joined by the calmodulin-binding sequence from smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase [Romoser V.A., Hinkle P.M., Persechini A. Detection in living cells of Ca(2+)-dependent changes in the fluorescence of an indicator composed of two green fluorescent protein variants linked by a calmodulin-binding sequence. A new class of fluorescent indicators. J Biol Chem 1997; 272: 13270-13274]. The fluorescence emission of this protein at 505 nm (380 nm excitation) is reduced by approximately 65% when (Ca2+)4-calmodulin is bound, with a proportional increase in fluorescence emission at 440 nm. We have found that fusion of an engineered calmodulin, in which the C- and N-terminal EF hand pairs have been exchanged, to the C-terminus of this protein results in a novel indicator that responds directly to changes in the Ca2+ ion concentration, with an apparent Kd value of 100 nM for Ca2+ in the presence of 0.5 mM Mg2+. The affinity of the indicator for Ca2+ can be decreased by altering the amino acid sequence of the calmodulin-binding sequence to weaken its interaction with the intrinsic calmodulin domain. The fluorescence emission of this indicator can be used to monitor physiological changes in the free Ca2+ ion concentration in living cells.
Raman and kinetic studies of myoglobin structure and dynamics

Resonance Raman spectroscopy is used to analyze the absorption line shapes of myoglobin (Mb), its CO ligated complex (MbC0) and the low-temperature photoproduct (Mb*, CO). Energetically significant inhomogeneous broadening is detected in the line shapes of the unligated species and a strong coupling to low-frequency (CO torsional) modes is found for MbCO. These observations lead naturally to a simple model of the protein-heme system and its thermally induced conformational fluctuations. The model is used to analyze the non-exponential ligand binding, optical line shifts and kinetic holeburning exhibited by (Mb*, CO) at low temperatures
Neural Signatures of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Insights into Brain Network Dynamics

Neuroimaging investigations of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have advanced our understanding of atypical brain function and structure, and have recently converged on a model of altered network-level connectivity. Traditional task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and volume-based structural MRI studies have identified widespread atypicalities in brain regions involved in social behavior and other core ASD-related behavioral deficits. More recent advances in MR-neuroimaging methods allow for quantification of brain connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging, functional connectivity, and graph theoretic methods. These newer techniques have moved the field toward a systems-level understanding of ASD etiology, integrating functional and structural measures across distal brain regions. Neuroimaging findings in ASD as a whole have been mixed and at times contradictory, likely due to the vast genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity characteristic of the disorder. Future longitudinal studies of brain development will be crucial to yield insights into mechanisms of disease etiology in ASD sub-populations. Advances in neuroimaging methods and large-scale collaborations will also allow for an integrated approach linking neuroimaging, genetics, and phenotypic data.
Psychological gender differences in bariatric surgery candidates.

Background Over 177,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in 2006. Most patients are required to receive presurgical psychological clearance, although there are no empirically validated psycho-surgical risk factors. In an effort to establish normative data on suspected risk factors, the present study was conducted to determine if males and females differ on psycho-surgical risk factors.
Evidence that stimulation of 1,25(OH)2D3 production in primary cultures of mouse kidney cells by cyclic AMP requires new protein synthesis.

When primary culture of C75BL6 mouse cortical kidney cells in serum-free medium were incubated with unlabeled 25(OH)D3, they produced a metabolite which co-migrated with authentic 1,25(OH)2D3 and which could be measured by competitive receptor assay. A metabolite co-migrating with authentic 10-oxo-19-nor-25-OH-D3 was also produced. However, when cultures were incubated with 25(OH)D3 for 1 hour or longer, 10-oxo-19-nor-25-OH-D accounted for less than 15% of the total 3H-1,25(OH)2D3 displacement activity. Production of 1,25(OH)2D3 increased with increasing protein content of the cultures, with time of incubation, and with substrate concentration. The apparent Km was 1.4 ± 0.6 μM and Vmax 2.6 ± 0.4 pM/mg protein/hr. These cultures possessed a very high level of phosphodiesterase activity, as indicated by their high cyclic AMP (cAMP) response to IBMX. This high phosphodiesterase activity may have been responsible for the lack of stimulation of 1,25(OH)2D3 production by physiologic or near physiologic concentrations of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the absence of IBMX. However, when IBMX 10−6M was present, bPTH 10−9M significantly increased production of both cAMP and 1,25(OH)2D3. There was a close correlation between 1,25(OH)2D3 production and cAMP content of the cultures (basal or stimulated). An incubation time of at least 4 hours was required for cAMP to increase 1,25(OH)2D3 production and was inhibited in the presence of cycloheximide and actinomycin D. This study further documents the regulation of renal 1,25(OH)2D3 synthesis by PTH in mammalian kidney and provides evidence for cAMP as a possibly important second messenger in this effect. The synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D3 in response to cAMP appears to depend upon the ability of the cell to synthesize new protein.
Structure and Intermolecular Dynamics of Liquids: Femtosecond Optical Kerr Effect Measurements in Nonpolar Fluorinated Benzenes

A comparative study of the collective polarizability anisotropy dynamics of benzene, 1,3,5-trifluorobenzene, and hexafluorobenzene was carried out by using optical heterodyne-detected Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy (OHD-RIKES) with 45 fs laser pulses. The OHD-RIKES data were analyzed by using a model-dependent approach and a Fourier transform approach, which yields a spectral density for the liquid. From an analysis of the long-time tails, collective reorientation times of 2.45 ± 0.06, 9.05 ± 0.10, and 13.5 ± 0.1 ps were obtained respectively for C6H6, 1,3,5-C6F3H3, and C6F6. The spectral densities are narrower for 1,3,5-C6F3H3 and C6F6 than for C6H6 by roughly a factor of 2. Information about the intermolecular vibrational modes of the liquid is contained in the reduced spectral density which is obtained by subtracting the tail-matched diffusive reorientational response from the OHD-RIKES data. In the case of C6H6 and C6F6, the intermolecular spectral density can be decomposed into at least two b...
High-temperature sorbents for Hg, Cd, Pb, and other trace metals: Mechanisms and applications

Abstract This paper is concerned with the sequestration of mercury, cadmium, lead, sodium and potentially other volatile and semi-volatile metals by high-temperature mineral, non-carbon based dispersed sorbents. The focus here is on kaolinite and lime powders (for Pb, Cd, and Na), and on intimate kaolinite/calcite/lime mixtures (for Hg), both of which undergo morphological and chemical changes when exposed to high temperatures. These changes play critical roles in the metal capture mechanisms, initially enhancing metal capture, either through a eutectic melt on the surface, or through some other transformation, but ultimately causing sorbent de-activation through a catastrophic melt that causes pore closure. Results and interpretation from two types of experiments are presented. The first employed a 20 kW downflow combustor, a low-pressure impactor and application of the aerosol fractionation method to quantitatively determine the fraction of metal sequestered by the sorbent at the sampling point. The second employed an externally heated quartz reactor and simulated flue gases containing mercury and injected sorbent. Quantitative, rate models have been extracted from the data to describe the global reactions of dispersed kaolinite with lead, sodium, and cadmium metal vapors. They have also been derived for the global reaction of cadmium with dispersed hydrated lime, which was ineffective for Na and Pb but very effective for Cd. Qualitative results showing the effective scavenging of Pb and Cd by the intimate kaolinite/calcite/lime mixture are also presented. The intimate kaolinite/calcite/lime mixture was also shown to capture metallic mercury through two mechanisms, namely, an in-flight mechanism and one involving interactions between Hg, the sorbent and the quartz reactor walls. The in-flight mechanism had similarities to those observed previously between kaolinite, lead, cadmium and sodium, in that mineral transformations played a key role in both sorbent activation and sorbent de-activation. At a constant residence time, the in-flight mechanism exhibited a maximum effectiveness at 900 °C, followed by apparent de-activation. Spent in-flight sorbent showed the presence of calcium silicates and calcium aluminosilicates. The wall deposit mechanism increased in efficacy with temperature and did not show a maximum, and showed the presence of substantial amounts of captured mercury. Adding to the complexity of this process is that Hg capture by this mixture required the presence of O 2 in the flue gas, albeit at low levels of 4000 ppm.
Effects of illumination on auditory threshold

Abstract Auditory thresholds of four squirrel monkeys were examined with a 4 kHz tone in light and dark ambient sensory conditions. The results revealed that auditory sensitivity is higher in the light than in the dark.
Statistical evaluation of phosphorus breakthrough profiles using a segmented exponential model

Abstract Few studies have utilized a statistical approach for the evaluation and comparison of breakthrough profiles obtained from soil column investigations. Our objective was to investigate the use of nonlinear estimation techniques to identify the phosphorus (P) breakthrough point and other parameters endemic to breakthrough data. Four soils exhibiting a range in physical and chemical properties were leached under saturated‐flow conditions with a 10 mg P/L solution for 34 d. Leachate P concentrations were analyzed by flow injection colorimetric analysis. A four‐parameter segmented exponential model provided a good fit for the breakthrough data in each soil tested. In addition to identifying the breakthrough point, the model parameters provided estimates of other identifiable aspects of a breakthrough profile including background P concentration, equilibrium P concentration, and the rate of concentration change once breakthrough is attained. Estimation of these parameters also facilitated statistical co...
Charge generation in low dielectric constant liquids flowing past surfaces: non-linear theory for turbulent flow in tubes

Abstract The problem of the development and transport of electric charge during turbulent flow of low dielectric constant liquids (hydrocarbons) in tubes, previously analyzed by K oszman and G avis under the restriction that the ratio of charge density to original ionic concentration, expressed in C/vol. is very small, is considered more generally, without the restriction. The present analysis is based upon the non-linear equation for transport of charge. The appropriate solution of that equation reduces to the original solution of Koszman and Gavis for small values of the charge density—ion concentration ratio. It also reduces to the original solution for sufficiently long tubes and for sufficiently short tubes. The consequences of these facts for the earlier work are discussed.
Effect of kinematics on motion planning for planar robot arms moving amidst unknown obstacles

An approach of dynamic path planning (DPP) was introduced elsewhere, and nonheuristic algorithms were described for planning collision-free paths for a point automaton moving in an environment filled with unknown obstacles of arbitrary shape. The DPP approach was further extended to a planar robot arm with revolute joints; in this case, every point of the robot body is subject to collision. Under the accepted model, the robot, using information about its immediate surroundings provided by the sensory feedback, continuously (dynamically) generates its path. Various kinematic configurations of planar arms with revolute and sliding joints are analyzed in this paper from the standpoint of applying the same strategy. It is shown that, depending on the arm kinematics, specific modifications must be introduced in the path planning algorithm to preserve convergence. The approach presents an attractive method for robot motion planning in unstructured environments with uncertainty.
Comprehensive thermochemistry of W-H bonding in the metal hydrides CpW(CO)2(IMes)H, [CpW(CO)2(IMes)H](•+), and [CpW(CO)2(IMes)(H)2]+. Influence of an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand on metal hydride bond energies.

The free energies interconnecting nine tungsten complexes have been determined from chemical equilibria and electrochemical data in MeCN solution (T = 22 °C). Homolytic W–H bond dissociation free energies are 59.3(3) kcal mol–1 for CpW(CO)2(IMes)H and 59(1) kcal mol–1 for the dihydride [CpW(CO)2(IMes)(H)2]+ (where IMes = 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene), indicating that the bonds are the same within experimental uncertainty for the neutral hydride and the cationic dihydride. For the radical cation, [CpW(CO)2(IMes)H]•+, W–H bond homolysis to generate the 16-electron cation [CpW(CO)2(IMes)]+ is followed by MeCN uptake, with free energies for these steps being 51(1) and −16.9(5) kcal mol–1, respectively. Based on these two steps, the free energy change for the net conversion of [CpW(CO)2(IMes)H]•+ to [CpW(CO)2(IMes)(MeCN)]+ in MeCN is 34(1) kcal mol–1, indicating a much lower bond strength for the 17-electron radical cation of the metal hydride compared to the 18-electron hydride or dihydrid...
Public administration and policymaking: The political/career executive environment

Federal government policymaking is improved by the partici-pation of career executives. As a minimum, contributions based on their professional expertise and institutional experience can serve as an early warning system for helping political executives to avoid mistakes in new policy ventures. However, a number of political, structural, and attitudinal factors cause the political/career executive relationship environment to be characteristically stressful, tense, and frequently not conducive to joint involvement in policymaking. Historic factors producing this environment include basic constitutional and democratic values regarding the exercise of unitary power, the ambiguous roles of political and career executives, the controversial executive workforce structure, and the differing orientations of career and non-career executives. More recent obstacles to developing a cooperative state of political/career relations consist of the rise of the administrative presidency accompanied by bureaucrat-bashing, an...
Morphometric analysis of effects of spinal cord transection

After spinal cord transection in the rat, endothelial reactivity to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was quantified at the ultrastructural level. The ratio of the area of labeled endothelial vesicles to area of endothelium (pinocytotic index) was established using morphometric techniques. From 3 h through 7 days the pinocytotic index was significantly elevated as far as 10 mm distal to the transection site. Correlating these findings with a previously established blood vessel classification model, the tracer uptake was identified as both a pinocytotic and vesicular transport mechanism. The latter was associated with an acute response lasting as long as 1 day after transection. Thereafter, the barrier appeared to reestablish its selectivity and only pinocytotic uptake of HRP was apparent.
Pain catastrophizing is related to temporal summation of pain but not temporal summation of the nociceptive flexion reflex

Pain catastrophizing is associated with enhanced temporal summation of pain (TS-Pain). However, because prior studies have found that pain catastrophizing is not associated with a measure of spinal nociception (nociceptive flexion reflex [NFR] threshold), this association may not result from changes in spinal nociceptive processes. The goal of the present study in healthy participants was to examine the relationship between trait (traditional) and state (situation-specific) pain catastrophizing and temporal summation of NFR (TS-NFR) and TS-Pain. A secondary goal was to replicate prior findings concerning relationships between catastrophizing and NFR threshold, electrocutaneous pain threshold, and sensory and affective ratings of electrocutaneous stimuli. All analyses controlled for depression symptoms, pain-related anxiety, and participant sex. As expected, multiple regression analyses indicated that neither trait nor situation-specific catastrophizing was associated with NFR threshold, but that situation-specific catastrophizing was associated with pain ratings. Multilevel linear growth models of TS data indicated that situation-specific catastrophizing was associated with TS-Pain but not TS-NFR. Trait catastrophizing was not related to TS-Pain or TS-NFR. Together, these results confirm prior studies that indicate that catastrophizing enhances pain via supraspinal processes rather than spinal processes. Moreover, because catastrophizing was associated with TS-Pain but not TS-NFR, caution is warranted when using pain ratings to infer temporal summation of spinal nociceptive processes.
Efficiency comparison between mean and log-rank tests for recurrent event time data

Recurrent event time data are common in biomedical follow-up studies, in which a study subject may experience repeated occurrences of an event of interest. In this paper, we evaluate two popular nonparametric tests for recurrent event time data in terms of their relative efficiency. One is the log-rank test for classical survival data and the other a more recently developed nonparametric test based on comparing mean recurrent rates. We show analytically that, somewhat surprisingly, the log-rank test that only makes use of time to the first occurrence could be more efficient than the test for mean occurrence rates that makes use of all available recurrence times, provided that subject-to-subject variation of recurrence times is large. Explicit formula are derived for asymptotic relative efficiencies under the frailty model. The findings are demonstrated via extensive simulations.
Religion in the Dead Sea Scrolls

The present study is intended as a synthesis of the current state of research on religion in the Qumran community as articulated in the Dead Sea Scrolls. We treat here religion both in thought and in practice. The former refers to the theological belief system of the Qumran community: God, dualism and predestination and eschatology, messianism, and resurrection; the latter indicates the way that the religious ideals of the Qumran community were actualized in daily life: formation of Jewish law, temple, sacrifice, and prayer, and ritual and purity. Our intention is to present the critical issues (and texts) as they relate to each of these subjects and the various scholarly models associated with their study.
Developmental changes in how children understand television

The purpose of this research was to study how children understand scenes of social interaction that are portrayed on television and how their understanding changes as a function of age and cognitive development. Measures were obtained from children's spontaneous reconstructions of television scenes and also from their responses to a series of specific questions regarding the thoughts and feelings of particular television characters. It was found that younger and less cognitively mature viewers were more likely to structure televised social content in terms of overt descriptive features, action, and literal repetition of dialogue. Older children and adolescents were more likely to consider the inferential aspects of social interaction and to offer interpretations based on people's psychological qualities.
Seismic stratigraphy of the northern Bermuda Rise

Abstract Analysis of low-frequency seismic profiles from the northern Bermuda Rise has led to the recognition of several seismic horizons and determination of a regional seismic stratigraphic framework. Horizon A∗ is the deepest regionally significant reflector identified, and Horizon A C , A T , and A V of the Horizon A complex are also mappable reflectors in the study area. Three additional regionally significant reflectors named Yellow, Purple and Silver have been identified in the area. These seven reflectors allow speculation on the sedimentary evolution of the area. Sedimentation below the Horizon A complex was primarily pelagic. The distribution of reflectors within the Horizon A complex indicates the area experienced turbidite deposition from both the U.S. east coast continental margin and nearby Bermuda, as well as pelagic deposition during the Eocene. Sedimentation subsequently has been dominated by at least two distinct periods of abyssal current flow. Initially bottom currents brought in sediments from the north or west, creating an anomalously thick accumulation of seismically poorly stratified sediments on the Rise. This period of accumulation was punctuated by an episode of erosion in latest Miocene or earliest Pliocene. The most recent sediments are seismically well-stratified sediments of primarily Quaternary age carried from the east by the Gulf Stream System.
A comparative analysis of the changes in nursing practice related to health sector reform in five countries of the Americas

Objective. To identify changes in nursing practice and the nursing-practice environment that have occurred with implementation of health sector reform in five countries in the Americas. Methods. An exploratory study of selected settings in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States of America was conducted between 1997 and 1999 to collect narrative data from 125 professional nurses about their perceptions of nursing practice and changes in work environments. Descriptions of characteristics and trends in nursing practice in the study sites were also obtained. Results. Reorganization of health services has occurred in all five of the countries, responding to health sector reform initiatives and affecting nursing practice in each country. Respondents from all five countries mentioned an emphasis on private enterprise, changes in payment systems for patients and providers, redistributions in the nursing workforce, changes in the personnel mix and nursing-practice functions, work shifting from the hospital to the community, and greater emphasis on cost control and prevention in practice settings. Conclusions. The study provides initial information about current nursing issues that have arisen as a result of health care reform initiatives. Regardless of differences in service models or phases of health sector reform implementation, in all the countries the participating nurses identified many common themes, trends, and changes in nursing practice. The driving forces for change and their intensity have been different in the five countries. Nurses maintain their core values despite increased work stress and greater patient care needs in all the countries as well as economic crises in the Latin American countries.
Minimizing the Range of Lateness on a Single Machine

This paper gives an optimizing algorithm to minimize the range of lateness, that is the difference between the maximum and minimum lateness, of jobs in a single-machine sequencing problem. The procedure is based on a branch-and-bound technique. One example has been solved to illustrate the method.
The mediating effect of parental neglect on adolescent and young adult anti-sociality: a longitudinal study of twins and their parents

The causes of correlation between parental treatment and offspring behavior are ambiguous since genetic and social factors are correlated in typical family studies. The problem is complicated by the need to characterize the effects of genes and environment on both juvenile and adult behavioral outcomes. A model is developed for the resemblance between juvenile and adult twins and their parents that allows some of these effects to be resolved. Data on childhood adversity, parental anti-social behavior, and longitudinal adult and juvenile anti-social behavior were obtained from 1,412 families of adolescent and young adult twins. A structural model is fitted that allows for the effects of genetic and social transmission of information from parents to children. Environmental effects of parents may be mediated through measured features of the home environment. Parameters were estimated by diagonal weighted least squares applied to the 33 distinct polychoric correlations between relatives and between variables within and between ages. Sub-hypotheses were tested. Results confirmed that effects of genes and environment were both highly significant. Genetic effects were large in juveniles and largely age and sex-specific. Approximately 30% of the variation due to the shared environment was due to the effect of childhood adversity. The remaining shared environmental effects are unexplained. Adversity is affected significantly by maternal anti-social behavior. The correlation between paternal ASP and adversity may be explained by antisocial fathers selecting (or creating) antisocial mothers. All significant environmental effects of parental ASP are mediated through the measure of adversity. Though transmission of ASP is both genetic and social, passive genotype-environment correlation is very small. Assortative mating for ASP has barely detectable consequence for the genetic correlation between siblings. The longitudinal study of twins and their parents makes it possible to demonstrate there is a direct causal effect of childhood adversity on child conduct disorder over and above any indirect genetic correlation.