cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sleep, performance, circadian rhythms, and light-dark cycles during two space shuttle flights

Sleep, circadian rhythm, and neurobehavioral performance measures were obtained in five astronauts before, during, and after 16-day or 10-day space missions. In space, scheduled rest-activity cycles were 20-35 min shorter than 24 h. Light-dark cycles were highly variable on the flight deck, and daytime illuminances in other compartments of the spacecraft were very low (5.0-79.4 lx). In space, the amplitude of the body temperature rhythm was reduced and the circadian rhythm of urinary cortisol appeared misaligned relative to the imposed non-24-h sleep-wake schedule. Neurobehavioral performance decrements were observed. Sleep duration, assessed by questionnaires and actigraphy, was only approximately 6.5 h/day. Subjective sleep quality diminished. Polysomnography revealed more wakefulness and less slow-wave sleep during the final third of sleep episodes. Administration of melatonin (0.3 mg) on alternate nights did not improve sleep. After return to earth, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was markedly increased. Crewmembers on these flights experienced circadian rhythm disturbances, sleep loss, decrements in neurobehavioral performance, and postflight changes in REM sleep.
Using ‘Foundation'as Inculturation Hermeneutic in a World Church: Did Rahner Validate Lonergan?

Lonergan writes both of a foundation for human knowing as well as of a functional specialty he termed ‘foundations’. Neither of these is the same as ‘foundation’ as the term is used by nonfoundationalists. Lack of clarity and differentiation regarding what is meant by ‘foundationalism’ sometimes informs the perception that Lonergan is a foundationalist. The burden of this essay is to show that Lonergan's philosophical and theological thought, as well as his use of the term ‘foundations’, fall awkwardly, if at all, under anti-foundationalist strictures. There is a need to clarify and differentiate a range of terms and concepts in this regard. Lonergan shares with anti-foundationalists the rejection of ocular metaphors and other naive approaches to human knowing. Lonergan's own search for ‘foundations’, which I argue is critical for a world Church consciousness and meets the Rahner-test for a world Church, is part of an overall project to situate knowing within identifiable, recurring patterns in the operations of human consciousness.
Following midurethral versus bladder sling procedures

Objective The objective of the study was to compare detrusor overactivity and urge urinary incontinence rates after midurethral slings versus bladder neck slings. Study design Three hundred forty subjects underwent midurethral slings or bladder neck slings. Comparisons were made using Student's t test and χ 2 test. Multivariate analysis was performed to detect confounding factors. Results More patients in the midurethral sling group resolved detrusor overactivity than in the bladder neck sling group (38% versus 15%, P P = .002). The only significant predictors of postoperative detrusor overactivity were preoperative detrusor overactivity ( P P Conclusion Midurethral slings have increased rates of resolution of detrusor overactivity and lower rates of de novo detrusor overactivity than transvaginal bladder neck sling procedures.
L-arginine improves endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and reduces intimal hyperplasia after balloon angioplasty.

Reductions in nitric oxide (NO) activity persist after arterial intimal injury and may be a factor in the development of intimal hyperplasia. NO inhibits in vitro platelet aggregation, leukocyte adhesion, and smooth muscle cell growth, all of which are key components in the process of intimal hyperplasia. We hypothesized that long-term supplementation with L-arginine, the precursor of NO, would increase NO production and thereby improve endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and simultaneously reduce intimal hyperplasia. Twenty-six New Zealand White male rabbits were fed standard rabbit chow either with or without 2.25% L-arginine in their drinking water for 3 weeks. Then the animals underwent unilateral iliac artery angioplasty and were continued on their respective diets. Four weeks after angioplasty, the iliac arteries were harvested for functional and morphometric studies. The iliac arteries from several animals from each group were processed for study by electron microscopy. Maximal endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in injured arteries was significantly greater in L-arginine-supplemented animals (mean +/- SEM, 71.8 +/- 4.1%; n = 6) than controls (51.4 +/- 4.0%, n = 7; P < .05). Furthermore, the intimal area in injured arteries was significantly reduced in L-arginine-supplemented animals (0.22 +/- 0.03 mm2, n = 5) compared with controls (0.34 +/- 0.03 mm2, n = 6; P < .05). These data suggest that L-arginine supplementation enhances NO production at sites of vascular healing and may reduce intimal hyperplasia.
Experimental proof that the generation of periodic transients in β-carotene single crystals, under the influence of applied electric fields, is a bulk phenomenon

By making bulk current measurements on a single crystal β-carotene crystal measuring 5.5×3.5×1 mm3, and using the electrode arrangement published by Kuẑel and Weichman [4] for Cu2O to bypass all surface current components, it has been unequivocally established that the recent reported transient generation in single crystal β-carotene crystals by applied electric fields is a bulk phenomenon. Additionally, the changes in the temperature dependence of the electrical bulk conductivity that occur at the onset of oscillations indicate that fundamental changes in the transport mechanism must accompany the generation of the periodic transients. Es wird gezeigt, das die Erzeugung von Schwingungen niedriger Frequenz durch starke elektrische Felder in einem β-Carotene-Einkristall ein Volumenphanomen ist, indem die Schwingungen in dem den Kristallkorper durchfliesenden elektrischen Strom nachgewiesen werden. Die Trennung zwischen Oberflachen- und Volumenstrom erfolgt mit Hilfe der Kuẑel und Weichman'schen Anordnung [4] der Elektroden auf einem 5,5×3,5×1 mm3 β-Carotene-Einkristall. Auserdem wird gefunden, das die elektrische Leitfahigkeit eine markante Anderung erfahrt, sobald die elektrischen Schwingungen einsetzen. Dies deutet auf eine Anderung im Transportmechanismus hin, hervorgerufen durch das Uberwechseln des β-Carotene vom normalen Leitungszustand zum Schwingungsleitungszustand.
Numerical investigations of the porosity effect on the shock focusing process

The effect of cylindrical obstacles and the porosity in between them along the path of a converging cylindrical shock is studied through numerical simulations. An initially cylindrical converging shock wave is perturbed by cylindrical obstacles placed radially in its path. High pressures and temperatures are achieved as the shock wave is focused. Results show that the shape of the shock wave close to the point of convergence as well as the porosity and type of shock wave reflection the converging shock undergoes influence the peak values. Various configurations of the obstacle size and number are considered. The Guderley constant for each case is compared with previous reported experimental values.
Formal Bonds During the Transition to Adulthood: Extended Foster Care Support and Criminal/Legal Involvement

This study examines the relationship between extending care past age 18 and self-reported criminal and legal involvement among youth aging out of the foster care system, hypothesizing that staying in care past age 18 acts as a protective factor by reducing the likelihood that youth will engage in criminal behavior or experience arrests, incarcerations, and/or convictions. Data from a prospective study of former foster youth are used to test this hypothesized relationship. There is evidence that extending the youths' bond to the foster care system is associated with fewer arrests among females.
Second-order theory for flow past oscillating foils.

Abstract : A second-order theory for the lifting problem was developed for foils performing harmonic oscillations either in plunging or pitching modes. The second-order problem is obtained by systematic expansions of the variables involved. By a suitable definition of the second-order acceleration potential, the second-order problem is reduced to a form similar to that of the first-order problem. The method used for the first-order problem was applied for the solution of the second-order problem with some modifications. Numerical results were obtained for a symmetric Joukowsky foil oscillating in plunging or pitching mode. These results are compared with existing results on the effect of finite thickness of the foil, and to some recent results obtained by numerically solving the full nonlinear problem. (Author)
The retail power-performance conundrum

Abstract The conventional wisdom that retailers have grown more powerful relative to packaged goods manufacturers in the packaged goods industry has not been supported by empirical analyses of the relative profitability of retailers and manufacturers. This is despite increases in trade and consumer promotion, and the prevalence of store brands, all of which were viewed as indicators of growing retail power. In recent years, researchers have developed a much better understanding of the role that these purported “indicators” play in manufacturer-retailer interaction. The objective of this article is to synthesize what this new research teaches us about the impact of promotions and store brands on the relative performance of manufacturers and retailers. It concludes that promotions are just as beneficial for manufacturers as for retailers, if not more so. Store brands do provide leverage to retailers and allow them to improve margins, but a competitive national brand assortment is still necessary for retail profitability. This helps explain why manufacturer profitability has not worsened relative to retailers even as trade and consumer promotion spending have grown and store brands have become strong in many product categories.
Decreased fumonisin hepatotoxicity in mice with a targeted deletion of tumor necrosis factor receptor 1.

Abstract Fumonisin B 1 (FB 1 ), a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides and related fungi infests corn and other cereals, and causes a variety of toxic effects in different mammalian species. Hepatotoxicity is a common toxic response in most species. The cellular responses of FB 1 involve inhibition of ceramide synthase leading to accumulation of free sphingoid bases and a corresponding induction of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). We recently reported that FB 1 hepatotoxicity was considerably reduced in a mouse strain lacking tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2 or TNFR1b). To further investigate the relative contribution of the two TNFα receptors (TNFR1 and TNFR2 or P55 and P75 receptors) we evaluated the hepatotoxicity of FB 1 in male C57BL/6J mice (WT) and a corresponding TNFR1 knockout (TNFRKO) strain, genetically modified by a targeted deletion of this receptor. The hepatotoxic effects of five daily injections of 2.25 mg/kg per day of FB 1 were observed in WT but were reduced in TNFRKO, evidenced by the microscopic evaluation of the liver and increased concentrations of circulating alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. FB 1 induced the expression of TNFα, and similar increases in free sphinganine and sphingosine in livers of both WT and TNFRKO mice. Results indicated that both P55 and P75 receptors are required for FB 1 -induced hepatotoxicity and TNFα plays an important role in such response in mouse liver.
Global flexibility--shop floor flexibility: what's a worker to do?

For several years new forms of work organization have been introduced by U.S. management to cut labor costs, improve productivity, and increase their shop floor control. Corporations have also invested in computer-controlled machinery in an effort to eliminate large numbers of skilled blue-collar workers and to decrease their reliance on the tacit knowledge of such workers. Once seemingly secure jobs in diverse industries like airplanes, jet engines, machine tools, and computer chips, are no longer so stable. In an effort to expand their global reach and reorganize the workplace, managers are able to capitalize on two conflicted and conflicting attitudes among the workforce: the first, workers most deep-seated fear, the loss of a permanent job; the second, their aspirations to contribute their knowledge and skills in a positive way on the shop floor. In this article the reorganization of work at two western Massachusetts metalworking companies is described. What distinguishes these cases is the central role that the union played in the organized plant and the workers played in both plants to improve production and at least for now preserve jobs.
Micromagnetic simulation using the dynamic alternating direction implicit method

Abstract We have developed a 3-D micromagnetic algorithm using finite-differences and the iterative matrix solution method, dynamic alternating direction implicit (DADI), for the magnetostatic potential equation. As in previous work, the magnetization is integrated in time toward equilibrium with the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert (LLG) equation. We have found that only one iteration of DADI is needed for each time step of the LLG equation. The resulting algorithm has relatively short computation times even for simulations with linearly permeable structures of various shapes. In addition to the magnetostatic field the effective H -field includes exchange coupling, crystalline anisotropy, interlayer exchange coupling, and current-induced fields allowing the simulation of a wide range of devices.
Endoscopic surgical repair of type 3 laryngeal clefts.

Importance Type 3 laryngeal clefts (LC type 3) are traditionally repaired through an open approach, which requires tracheal intubation or tracheotomy placement and risks potential wound complications. Objective To describe the surgical technique and outcomes of endoscopic carbon dioxide laser–assisted repair in pediatric patients with LC type 3. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective medical record review of 6 patients with LC type 3, diagnosed via direct laryngoscopy and rigid bronchoscopy, from January 2007 to September 2013, at a tertiary pediatric hospital. Interventions All patients underwent endoscopic carbon dioxide laser–assisted repair. Main Outcomes and Measures Patient demographics, medical comorbidity, surgical technique, swallowing outcomes, and complications were analyzed. Results Median age at diagnosis was 4 months (interquartile range [IQR], 1.6 months) and at endoscopic repair, 7.5 months (IQR, 2.1 month). Congenital anomalies were found in 4 patients (67%). Five patients (83%) had gastrostomy tubes and 2 (33%) had a Nissen fundoplication prior to cleft repair. All patients aspirated preoperatively on thickened liquids as diagnosed by modified barium swallow. Median operative time was 98.2 minutes (IQR, 16.0 minutes). Five patients (83%) had no aspiration on their 3-month follow-up modified barium swallow, and no patients developed aspiration pneumonia during the follow-up period. Conclusions and Relevance Endoscopic carbon dioxide laser–assisted repair should be considered as an alternative to open repair for LC type 3 when an adequate level of anesthesia with spontaneous ventilation can be maintained throughout the procedure and there is sufficient posterior glottic exposure for laser ablation and suture placement.
Feature optimization in chemometric algorithms for explosives detection

This paper details the use of a genetic algorithm (GA) as a method to preselect spectral feature variables for chemometric algorithms, using spectroscopic data gathered on explosive threat targets. The GA was applied to laserinduced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy (UVRS) data, in which the spectra consisted of approximately 10000 and 1000 distinct spectral values, respectively. The GA-selected variables were examined using two chemometric techniques: multi-class linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machines (SVM), and the performance from LDA and SVM was fed back to the GA through a fitness function evaluation. In each case, an optimal selection of features was achieved within 20 generations of the GA, with few improvements thereafter. The GA selected chemically significant signatures, such as oxygen and hydron peaks from LIBS spectra and characteristic Raman shifts for AN, TNT, and PETN. Successes documented herein suggest that this GA approach could be useful in analyzing spectroscopic data in complex environments, where the discriminating features of desired targets are not yet fully understood.
The Center for Eukaryotic Structural Genomics

The Center for Eukaryotic Structural Genomics (CESG) is a “specialized” or “technology development” center supported by the Protein Structure Initiative (PSI). CESG’s mission is to develop improved methods for the high-throughput solution of structures from eukaryotic proteins, with a very strong weighting toward human proteins of biomedical relevance. During the first three years of PSI-2, CESG selected targets representing 601 proteins from Homo sapiens, 33 from mouse, 10 from rat, 139 from Galdieria sulphuraria, 35 from Arabidopsis thaliana, 96 from Cyanidioschyzon merolae, 80 from Plasmodium falciparum, 24 from yeast, and about 25 from other eukaryotes. Notably, 30% of all structures of human proteins solved by the PSI Centers were determined at CESG. Whereas eukaryotic proteins generally are considered to be much more challenging targets than prokaryotic proteins, the technology now in place at CESG yields success rates that are comparable to those of the large production centers that work primarily on prokaryotic proteins. We describe here the technological innovations that underlie CESG’s platforms for bioinformatics and laboratory information management, target selection, protein production, and structure determination by X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy.
Antihyperlipidemic drugs-In vitro effect on the function and structure of rat liver mitochondria

Three antihyperlipidemic drugs, clofibrate, p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate (acid form of clofibrate), and tibric acid, were examined for their effect on the function and structure of freshly isolated rat liver mitochondria. All three compounds uncouple respiration from phosphorylation in analogy to the known uncoupling agent, 2,4-dinitrophenol. The efficacy of uncoupling is in the order: 2,4-dinitrophenol >clofibrate>tibric acid>p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate. Tibric acid and p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate result in immediate uncoupling when added to respiring mitochondria whereas uncoupling with clofibrate requires a short lag period. Clofibrate and tibric acid, when added at concentrations much higher than those necessary to elicit uncoupling, also inhibit respiration of intact mitochondria. The three antihyperlipidemic agents, also similar to 2,4-dinitrophenol, induce a stimulation of mitochondrial ATPase activity, but to a much lesser extent (
The Effect That Genotyping Errors Have on the Robustness of Common Linkage-Disequilibrium Measures

The rapid development of a dense single-nucleotide–polymorphism marker map has stimulated numerous studies attempting to characterize the magnitude and distribution of background linkage disequilibrium (LD) within and between human populations. Although genotyping errors are an inherent problem in all LD studies, there have been few systematic investigations documenting their consequences on estimates of background LD. Therefore, we derived simple deterministic formulas to investigate the effect that genotyping errors have on four commonly used LD measures— D′, r, Q, and d —in studies of background LD. We have found that genotyping error rates as small as 3% can have serious affects on these LD measures, depending on the allele frequencies and the assumed error model. Furthermore, we compared the robustness of D′, r, Q, and d, in the presence of genotyping errors. In general, Q and d are more robust than D′ and r, although exceptions do exist. Finally, through stochastic simulations, we illustrate how genotyping errors can lead to erroneous inferences when measures of LD between two samples are compared.
Head Orientation Prediction: Delta Quaternions Versus Quaternions

Display lag in simulation environments with helmet-mounted displays causes a loss of immersion that degrades the value of virtual/augmented reality training simulators. Simulators use predictive tracking to compensate for display lag, preparing display updates based on the anticipated head motion. This paper proposes a new method for predicting head orientation using a delta quaternion (DQ)-based extended Kalman filter (EKF) and compares the performance to a quaternion EKF. The proposed framework operates on the change in quaternion between consecutive data frames (the DQ), which avoids the heavy computational burden of the quaternion motion equation. Head velocity is estimated from the DQ by an EKF and then used to predict future head orientation. We have tested the new framework with captured head motion data and compared it with the computationally expensive quaternion filter. Experimental results indicate that the proposed DQ method provides the accuracy of the quaternion method without the heavy computational burden.
Wave behavior in horizontal annular air–water flow

Abstract In this study, non-intrusive pressure drop, liquid base film thickness distribution, and wave behavior measurements have been obtained for 206 horizontal annular two-phase (air–water) flow conditions in 8.8, 15.1, and 26.3 mm ID tubes. Reliable wave velocity measurements are available for 185 of these flow conditions, while 131 flow conditions allow for reliable wave frequency measurements. The wave velocity is found to be predicted to within 9% by gas friction velocity and 6% by an optimized correlation of similar structure. Wave frequency can also be predicted with a simple correlation to within 5% for the 8.8 and 15.1 mm tubes, but a separate relation is required to explain 26.3 mm frequency data. The differences in wave behavior between the annular and wavy-annular/wavy regimes are also discussed.
Permissive effects of oxygen on cyclic AMP and interleukin-1 stimulation of surfactant protein A gene expression are mediated by epigenetic mechanisms.

Surfactant protein A (SP-A) is important for immune defense within the alveolus. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) stimulation of SP-A expression in lung type II cells is O2 dependent and mediated by increased phosphorylation and binding of thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) to an upstream response element (TTF-1-binding element [TBE]). Interleukin-1 (IL-1) stimulation of SP-A expression is mediated by NF-κB (p65/p50) activation and increased binding to the TBE. In this study, we found that O2 also was permissive for IL-1 induction of SP-A expression and for cAMP and IL-1 stimulation of type II cell nuclear protein binding to the TBE. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we observed that when type II cells were cultured in 20% O2, cAMP and IL-1 stimulated the recruitment of TTF-1, p65, CBP, and steroid receptor coactivator 1 to the TBE region of the SP-A promoter and increased local acetylation of histone H3; these effects were prevented by hypoxia. Hypoxia markedly reduced global levels of CBP and acetylated histone H3 and increased the expression of histone deacetylases. Furthermore, hypoxia caused a global increase in histone H3 dimethylated on Lys9 and increased the association of dimethyl histone H3 with the SP-A promoter. These results, together with findings that the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A and the methyltransferase inhibitor 5′-deoxy(5′-methylthio)adenosine markedly enhanced SP-A expression in lung type II cells, suggest that increased O2 availability to type II cells late in gestation causes epigenetic changes that permit access of TTF-1 and NF-κB to the SP-A promoter. The binding of these transcription factors facilitates the recruitment of coactivators, resulting in the further opening of the chromatin structure and activation of SP-A transcription.
Characterization of Microdamage Healing in Asphalt Concrete with a Smeared Continuum Damage Approach

The fatigue of asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures is a major source of distress in pavement structures. In most laboratory fatigue studies, testing is carried out by means of continuously repeating load cycles. However, under real traffic conditions, AC is subjected to a succession of load pulses as the traffic passes. Between these loads the material is not subjected to external forces and undergoes changes related to relaxation and healing, which together act to increase the overall fatigue life relative to what is observed under continuous loading. In the study reported in this paper, the effects of a rest period on the fatigue response in uniaxial, on-specimen, displacement-controlled loading was studied at 4.4°C, 21.1°C, and 38°C. Loading consisted of a sinusoidal pulse-rest history with rest periods of 1, 5, or 10 s. Mixtures were used with the same aggregate structure and constituent materials but different asphalt and air void (AV) contents. It was found that the introduction of even short rest period...
Dialdehyde starch and zein plastic: Mechanical properties and biodegradability

Dialdehyde starch (DAS) and zein, a hydrophobic corn protein, were investigated to produce biodegradable plastics with improved water resistance and mechanical properties. In the study, dialdehyde starch and zein ratio, plasticizers, and degree of starch oxidation were examined. Increased molding temperature and level of starch oxidation decreased water absorption of the plastic. Tensile strength and Young's modulus increased with starch oxidation. The biodegradation of starting materials and ground plastic specimens was studied in aerobic soil reactors maintained at 25°C for 180 days. Biodegradation of corn starch, zein, and dialdehyde starch for 180 days produced CO2 equivalent to 64, 63, and 10% of theoretical carbon, respectively. Specimens of molded DAS and zein (3 : 1) plastic showed accelerated CO2 evolution compared to DAS and other raw materials alone. By 180 days, specimens made with starch of low oxidation (1 and 5% oxidized) demonstrated a 60% biodegradation, and specimens with highly oxidized starch (90% oxidized) achieved 37% biodegradation.
Evaluation of biometric spoofing in a multimodal system

Multimodal biometric systems have consistently presented better recognition rates when compared to the unimodal systems that compose them. A common claim is that they also provide higher security when compared to unimodal systems since an intruder would have to successfully break into more than one biometrical system. We argue that this may not be true due to two main reasons: a multimodal system has a higher number of vulnerable points that may be explored by an intruder, and an intruder may break the multimodal system by attacking only a subset of the unimodal systems. In particular, we investigate a multimodal system composed of face and fingerprint under different spoof attack scenarios. In this case, a forger may choose to spoof the face or fingerprint traits. We empirically show that the false acceptance rate increases dramatically when either mode is spoofed, which means that an intruder may be falsely authenticated by spoofing only one mode.
Quartz etch optimization

Studies on photomask quartz etching in a gas system consisting of SF6, O2, and He were carried out using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) photomask etcher. A profilometer was used for etch rate uniformity characterization. Quartz etch was performed in the same chamber as was used for MoSi etching. The defectivity influence was also investigated so that the feasibility of MoSi and quartz etches in the same chamber was examined and discussed. Process optimization was studied by changing the Cr layer thickness, the O2, SF6, and He flow rates and gas composition, the ICP power and bias power, and the pressure. It was found that ICP power, bias power, pressure, O2 flow rate, and He flow rate played an important role in determining etch performance. Plasma stability and etch performance were also investigated. An empirical kinetic equation was proposed based on experimental data and a quartz etch mechanism was also explained. Systematic etch non-uniformity resulting from radial and the side-to-side errors were also investigated in this study. High CD resolution (down to 100 nm), good etch rate linearity, extremely low etch rate dependency on photomask patterns with different loading, and repeatable etch rate produced an optimal etch process suitable for 90 nm and below technology node.
Product state distributions in the photodissociation of expansion-cooled NO2 near the NO(X 2Π) ν=1 threshold

Abstract The photodissociation of NO2 near the NO ν=1 threshold was studied using a supersonic molecular beam of NO2 and multiphoton ionization detection of NO(X 2Π 1 2 , 3 2 ). The vibrational populations near the ν=1 threshold are nonstatistical as compared with the predictions of phase space theory (PST). The rotational distributions in both NO ν=0 and 1 show pronounced structures and fluctuations; however, their average is described fairly well by PST, suggesting that the decomposition of NO2 at λ ⩾ 370 nm can be viewed as vibrational predissociation on the mixed X 2A1/1 2B2 surface. Similar structured rotational distributions have been observed by Miller et al. in recent studies of the photodissociation of CO2 at 157 nm. The structures in the rotational distributions are interpreted as fluctuations inherent in the decomposition of an excited complex with many overlapping resonances (Ericson fluctuations).
Self-interest, distributive justice, and the income distribution: A theoretical fragment based on St. Anselm's postulate

The Mertonian starting idea for this paper is St. Anselm's idea that the will has two inclinations: an affection for what is to the person's own advantage and an affection for justice. We show that in decision-making situations, where the individual must choose a course of action from among a set of alternatives, the individual, subject to the two inclinations and thus guided by the twin considerations of own good and the common good as he/she forms the preference orderings for the alternatives, is in one of three states: (i) the state of Harmony, defined by perfect coincidence of the orderings induced by the two criteria; (ii) the state of Conflict, defined by perfect reversal of the orderings; and (iii) the state of Ambiguity, defined by ordering-pairs which are neither identical nor exactly opposite. The most general result states that if the number of alternatives is two, then the individual is in either Harmony or Conflict; if, however, the number of alternatives exceeds two, then Ambiguity is also a possible outcome. We then apply the framework to the case of choosing an income distribution, letting the own-good and common-good criteria dictate orderings based on personal outcomes (such as own income or own income rank) and social outcomes (such as mean income or income inequality), respectively, and examining the relation between the two orderings in five families of probability distributions. In the special case where own good is an increasing function of own income and the common good is a decreasing function of income inequality, our results show that each society has a group in Harmony (the poorest group) and one additional group, either in Conflict or in Ambiguity. Finally, we speculate about the behavioral and social implications of the three states and their configurations in the population.
Determination of JP-8 components in soils using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract Jet Propellant-8 (JP-8) is a military fuel associated with a large percentage of chemical exposures documented by the US Department of Defense. A fast and sensitive solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric (SPME–GC–MS) method has been developed for the determination of 34 ‘marker compounds’ found in JP-8. Linear ranges (R2 > 0.99) were determined for each marker component and precision was measured (
A density functional evaluation of an Fe(III)-Fe(IV) model diiron cluster: comparisons with ribonucleotide reductase intermediate X.

Using broken-symmetry density functional theory and spin-projection methods, we have examined the electronic structure and properties of a large mixed-valent Fe(III)−Fe(IV) diiron system that displays two bidentate carboxylates and a single μ-oxo moiety as bridging ligands. Two carboxylates and a single oxygen species have long been implicated as core elements of the elusive intermediate X in ribonucleotide reductase. Spectroscopic studies of X have also identified the presence of an additional terminal or bridging oxygen-based ligand. Introduction of a second oxygen and protonated variants thereof in the core of our structural model is favored as a bridging hydroxide based on the lowest energy structure. Mossbauer measurements indicate clearly that the two iron sites of X are distinct and that there is significant electron delocalization onto the oxygen-based ligands. For several examined spin states of our model cluster, Mossbauer parameters from density functional calculations are neither able to diffe...
The Relationship of Community and Sponsor System Support To Selected Aspects of Adult Education Agency Functioning

Although support from sponsoring institutions and the community is a topic frequently discussd in the prescriptive literature of adult education, support has seldom been treated as a variable in empirical studies. This article explores the relationship between adult education directors' perceptions of community support and sponsor system support and such variables as program enrollment, size of budget, recruitment difficulty, absenteeism, agency autonomy, and the amount of paid time an adult education director devotes to adult education. The units of analysis are New Jersey public school adult education agencies.While community support was found to correlate significantly with all variables, sponsor system support associated only with agency autonomy. The importance of support as a program variable was demonstrated. It was also found that commun ity support and sponsor system support are conceptually different variables that affect agency operation in different ways.
Effect of wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars and seeding rate on yield loss from Galium aparine (cleavers)

Abstract Galium aparine L. is a troublesome broadleaved weed in winter wheat fields and other winter-sown crops in Eurasia and North America. Field experiments were conducted in Havza and Kavak, Samsun-Turkey, to evaluate the effect of different densities of G. aparine on the productivity of four wheat cultivars and to determine the effects of different seeding rates of wheat cultivars on the competitive ability of G. aparine . In experiments over 3 years, the wheat cultivar Panda was taller at maturity than other cultivars at both sites. Although Bezostaja was naturally shorter than other cultivars, its height decreased less due to competition from G. aparine than other cultivars. Wheat grain yields increased with seeding rate, either in the presence or in the absence of G. aparine at both locations. Based on wheat yields the relative competitiveness of the wheat cultivars was Bezostaja>Momtchill=Panda>Kate A-l. G. aparine biomass and seed numbers were reduced by an increase in the wheat seeding rate and by cultivar effects.
Excitation of a chain of neurones

When the first of a uniform chain of neurones is excited with a stimulus intensityS1, it is found that, according to the nature of the chain,either the excitation is always transmitted with decreasing intensity,or else the intensity for succeeding neurones of the chain approaches a fixed finite value, characteristic of the chain and independent ofS1, wheneverS1 exceeds a certain “threshold” value.
Software engineering process model: a case study

Recently a faction of software engineering researchers has focused their attention on studying the process by which software is produced, stimulating interest in models to specify, design, and implement software. A significant part of the practicing software industry must produce software that conforms to a documentation standard (military standard 2167A) for software products; it is intended to ensure that delivered software meets the documentation requirements. This paper is a case study of how a government software contractor might use models to define a process for designing and implementing a software product that complies with the documentation requirements. The intent of the paper is to apply business process modeling technology to the software engineering domain, thus exploring strengths and weaknesses of our evolving models of group collaboration. The case study illustrates an alternative way to design, analyze, and track software processes. It also attempts to illustrate how the model might “break down” as the basis of an enactment model if it were to be used to coordinate the work of a large number of software developers.
Departmental Report Cards

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME : To develop a management tool for measuring departmental performance. "Report Card" has been added to the vocabulary of health care leaders as payers and patients require them to demonstrate performance. Leaders are pressuring managers to monitor and improve their department's efficiency and fiscal responsibility. A departmental "Report Card" provides a mechanism to assess performance by analyzing patient outcomes, satisfaction with services and fiscal achievement. The Nutrition & Foodservices Report Card establishes minimum standards, provides internal benchmarks, objectively measures performance and guides quality improvement efforts. It integrates and consolidates financial, quality, service and competency information from a variety of sources so that managers can see the relationship among the factors. Fiscal indicators track productivity through work load units (e.g., minutes per patient tray, labor cost per meal), sick time rates and overtime usage. Non labor costs are monitored through utilization and revenues are tracked. Quality indicators evaluate the timeliness and appropriateness of nutrition assessments, accuracy of diet order transcription, and tray accuracy. Service indicators track food service complaints and results of a satisfaction survey sent to discharged patients. Summaries of competency based on observation and chart reviews are reported quarterly and are integrated into the annual performance evaluation process. The "Report Card" is designed as an Excel spreadsheet with preset formulas. Data entry produces automatic graphic presentation of results. Managers are required to add a narrative analysis and action plan. Managers are proud to submit their monthly "Report Cards" to Senior Leadership. It provides a systematic and objective snapshot of performance and offers key information for managing and planning operations.
Distracted by Details: Narrative Influence Following Conflicting Stories

Work on narrative influence has demonstrated that stories can have a strong effect on people's thoughts and attitudes. However, existing research has not addressed how people respond to multiple stories endorsing different conclusions. The current studies examined how reading two conflicting narratives influences people's decisions about a subsequent situation, with particular emphasis on how resemblances between the narratives and the situation moderate the effects. Across two studies, participants read two testimonials that described the successful use of different treatments for a medical disorder. Participants subsequently made treatment recommendations for a patient who resembled one of the testimonials in treatment-relevant ways. The key manipulation was whether the patient also resembled the other testimonial in treatment-irrelevant ways. Both studies found that these distracting, irrelevant similarities led to less appropriate treatment recommendations. The effect on decision confidence, however, ...
Women's Status and Economic Globalization

This article examines the relationship between women’s status and economic globalization. The expectations of both proponents and skeptics of globalization are discussed with regard to women’s status, and a series of statistical examinations of this relationship are performed using data on 130 countries from 1982 to 2003. To control for the potential sensitivity of findings to the use of particular indicators of women’s status, we use five indicators of women’s status from two different data sources to represent the economic, political, and social spheres of women’s status. As well, four indicators of economic globalization are used. We find that the relationship between economic globalization and women’s status varies by type and era and, in the majority of instances, economic globalization is associated with improved women’s status.
Concerning the relationship between teachers' theoretical orientations toward reading and their concept maps.

Abstract Recent research in teacher cognition has shown that concept maps, or ordered trees, are sensitive to differences in teacher experience and to change resulting from participation in academic courses. In the current study, we examined the usefulness of concepts maps for detecting differences in kindergarten teachers' theoretical orientation (whole language versus phonics), and we assessed the stability of their concept maps over time. Both the structure and content of teachers' concept maps were examined at three times across an academic year. Results revealed that content but not structure measures differentiated whole language from phonics teachers. Specifically, whole language teachers generated more nodes related to child affect and individual differences between children. Teachers' maps were quite stable structurally and moderately stable in terms of content. The results suggest that concept maps are useful as a measure of theoretical orientation and that both structure and content of concept maps should be considered in studies using the ordered tree technique. Directions for future research are discussed.
Computer-assisted improvement of mean squared error in statistical estimation

Abstract A computer-assisted method for improving the mean squared error (MSE) in estimation for parametric models is presented. Assuming existence of nontrivial sufficient statistics, the method involves generation of Monte Carlo samples from the conditional distribution of the observables, given the sufficient statistic(s). The method is illustrated in connection with a simple back-propagation neural network model for estimating a logistic regression function, and a specific numerical example related to logistic regression is presented.
Origin of andesite and dacite: Evidence of mixing at Glass Mountain in California and at other circum-Pacific volcanoes

The intimate association of basalt, andesite, dacite, and rhyolite within a volcanic center suggests that these rocks are genetically related. Individual lava flows that show a gradation in composition may preserve maximum evidence of the magmatic processes producing this association. One such flow of rhyolite to dacite composition, Glass Mountain in northern California, was formed by contamination of rhyolite magma as it intruded the basaltic flows of the Medicine Lake Highland shield volcano. Although dacite flows and domes commonly show less variation in composition than the Glass Mountain flow, many show similar evidence of contamination by basalt by the presence of abundant basaltic inclusions and phenocrysts and phenocryst clots from those inclusions. Similarly, many andesite flows contain rhyolitic inclusions, rhyolitic bands, and phenocrysts appropriate to rhyolite. These observations indicate that andesite and dacite are hybrid rocks that are formed when rising primary basalt and rhyolite magmas either become contaminated with the glassy debris of the volcanic pile or mix with each other directly. Linear variation in bulk composition, phenocryst assemblages of intermediate rock, and frequency distribution of lava compositions in the southern Cascade Range, Chilean Andes, Taupo volcanic zone, and Tongan Islands support this hypothesis. It appears that partial melting usually produces magma of rhyolitic and basaltic compositions and that any subsequent fractional crystallization is of limited importance.
Morphometrics of Canis taxa in eastern North Carolina

We describe the external morphological characters of red wolves, coyotes, and their hybrids from North Carolina and assess if morphology could be an accurate discriminator among the 3 canid taxa. We used body measurements from 171 red wolves (Canis rufus), 134 coyotes (Canis latrans), and 47 hybrids in a polytomous logistic regression analysis to assess if they could be used to identify canids as red wolves, coyotes, or hybrids. Polytomous logistic regression analysis of 7 morphometric variables was able to correctly allocate 86% of canids to their a priori taxa groups. Using Akaike’s information criterion, we judged hind-foot length, body mass, width of head, and tail length as variables to best separate taxa. Among the 3 sympatric Canis taxa in eastern North Carolina, red wolves are clearly the larger canid with hybrids intermediate to coyotes and red wolves in body size. Our results suggest that red wolves represent a unique Canis phenotype in the southeastern United States.
Analysis of protein-protein interaction by simulation of small-zone size exclusion chromatography. Stochastic formulation of kinetic rate contributions to observed high-performance liquid chromatography elution characteristics.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedures provide size-exclusion chromatography with sufficient speed that the elution characteristics of mixtures of interacting macromolecules are potentially determined by the kinetics of association and dissociation. However, few studies have yet addressed the consequences of interaction kinetics on HPLC analyses or evaluated the potential application of HPLC methods for the qualitative and quantitative interpretation of macromolecular interaction kinetics. An earlier simulation of small-zone chromatography of interacting molecules (Stevens, F. J. 1986. Biochemistry. 25:981–993) has been modified to incorporate the effects of association/dissociation kinetics on elution behavior. The previous assumption of instantaneous equilibration has been replaced by explicit calculation of partial relaxation of complexed and free constituent mixtures during each iteration of the simulation. In addition, a stochastically based formulation has been introduced to determine a velocity probability distribution that emulates the partial intermixing of free and complexed pools during the iteration cycle. The simulation generates bimodal elution profiles representing stable complexed and free components of mixtures for which interaction is characterized by slow kinetics relative to chromatography run times. For mixtures with rapid kinetics, a single-asymmetric peak results. When tested with a large-zone sample such that a plateau of stable concentration is generated, the simulation reproduces previous characterizations based on evaluations of solute continuity equations. Therefore, HPLC may, in many cases be an appropriate basis for techniques by which to evaluate kinetic and affinity characteristics of interacting biomolecules.
155 Quantification of pulse wave velocity in the pulmonary artery in patients with pulmonary hypertension

Introduction Pulmonary artery (PA) stiffness increases in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an index of stiffness that provides prognostic information in systemic arterial disease, but its quantification in the pulmonary circulation is challenging. Harmonic analysis of the oscillatory variations in PA diameters and pressures measured invasively has been used in the past to determine that PWV is on average ~2 m/s in normal individuals and ~4.5 m/s in the presence of PH.