cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strategic groupings as competitive benchmarks for formulating future competitive strategy: A modelling approach

Previous studies on strategic groups have examined issues such as the identification of strategic groups, the relationship between strategic groups structure and industry performance, and the movement of strategic groups over time. In contrast to previous studies, this paper uses the analytical concepts of game theory to explore the question of what strategic groups will exist in the future. These benchmark (future) strategic groups represent long-run strategic positions available within an industry and thus reference points for firms in developing sustainable competitive strategies. The benchmark strategic groups are discussed and comments are offered to illustrate how firms can use the benchmark information to redirect their strategic positions in order to survive and remain competitive in the long run.
Alcohol Use Among Mexican American and Non-Hispanic White 7-12th Grade Students in the Southwestern United States.

This study assessed rates of lifetime and current alcohol use among 7th through 12th-grade Mexican American and non-Hispanic White students. Students from 55 middle and high schools from the southwestern U.S. completed a survey of alcohol use. Odds ratios were calculated for grade by gender by ethnicity comparisons for Mexican American boys (n = 2570) and girls (n = 3295), and non-Hispanic White boys (n = 1722) and girls (n = 2127). Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Consistent with past studies, Mexican American students used alcohol less frequently than non-Hispanic White students, but binge drank more frequently. Somewhat surprisingly, among younger students more girls than boys reported current drinking, but among older students, fewer girls reported recent drunkenness or binge drinking. Grade in school moderated a number of ethnicity and gender differences. Higher rates of alcohol use among young girls compared to young boys may signal increased risk for girls, particularly among Mexican Americans.
Externally Dispersed Interferometry for Low Photon Noise High Resolution Broadband Spectroscopy

An externally dispersed interferometer (EDI) is a hybrid instrument combining the compactness and beamshape insensitivity of a FTS with the low photon noise of a grating spectrograph. High resolution mapping demonstrated on the solar spectrum.
An Experimental Investigation of the Thermal Interaction of Electro-Optical Components on a Printed Circuit Board in Natural and Forced Convection

The thermal interaction of an electrical and an optical component located on the same vertical circuit board is studied experimentally. The effects of component proximity and convective flow rate on overall power dissipation from each component are analyzed. The components are represented by isothermal heat sources mounted to a standard 1.59mm (0.0625 in) thick FR4 circuit board. In natural convection situations, when the spacing between components is great enough that the component thermal footprints do not interfere, the power dissipation reaches a maximum “plateau” value that is independent of spacing. If the components are located close enough together that their thermal footprints interfere then the total power dissipation is highly dependent on component spacing (relative location of the electrical source and the geometric positioning of both sources). In forced convection, the total power dissipated increases with both Reynolds number and component spacing. As in natural convection, the relative location of the electrical sources and the positioning of the sources are found to have a strong influence on power dissipation.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Isoform diversity among fibroblast growth factor homologous factors is generated by alternative promoter usage and differential splicing.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) homologous factors-1, -2, -3, and -4 (FHFs 1–4; also referred to as FGFs 11–14) comprise a separate branch of the FGF family and have been implicated in the development of the nervous system and limbs. We report here the characterization of multiple isoforms of FHF-1, -2, -3, and -4 which are generated through the use of alternative start sites of transcription and splicing of one or more of a series of alternative 5′-exons. Several isoforms show different subcellular distributions when expressed in transfected tissue culture cells, and the corresponding differentially spliced transcripts show distinct expression patterns in developing and adult mouse tissues. Together with the evolutionary conservation of the FHF isoforms among human, mouse, and chicken, these data indicate that alternative promoter use and differential splicing are important regulatory processes in controlling the activities of this subfamily of FGFs.
A novel role for RAX, the cellular activator of PKR, in synergistically stimulating SV40 large T antigen-dependent gene expression

The double-stranded (ds) RNA-binding protein RAX was discovered as a stress-induced cellular activator of the dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR), a key regulator of protein synthesis in response to viral infection and cellular stress. We now report a novel function of RAX, independent of PKR, to enhance SV40 promoter (origin)/enhancer-dependent gene expression. Several mammalian cell lines including COS-7, CV-1, and HeLa cells were tested. Results reveal that the SV40 large T antigen is required for RAX-mediated, synergistic enhancement of gene expression. RAX augments SV40 regulatory element-dependent DNA replication and transcription. The mechanism requires the SV40 enhancer, a viral transcriptional element that is necessary for efficient SV40 DNA replication in vivo. Mutational analysis reveals that the dsRNA-binding domains of RAX are required for the gene expression enhancing function. Thus, in addition to stimulating PKR activity, RAX can positively regulate both SV40 large T antigen-dependent DNA replication and transcription in a mechanism that may alter the interaction of the cellular factor(s) with the SV40 enhancer via the dsRNA-binding domains of RAX. This novel function of RAX may have implications for regulation of mammalian DNA replication and transcription because of the many similarities between the viral and cellular processes.
STUDIES IN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DWARFISM. I. INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT AND SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT.

Though human growth hormone has been used in the treatment of dwarfed children since 1956, no detailed studies of the psychologic aspects of such treatment have been published. The intelligence quotients and school achievement of 15 dwarfed children determined prior to treatment with growth hormone are recorded here and will serve as a comparative baseline for further studies to be made on these same children. In these children physical retardation was not paralleled by mental retardation. Their school achievement, however, was unsatisfactory and did not correlate with their intellectual ability. In most of these children, a search for approval from their peers and teachers seems to interfere with their school work. The question is raised as to whether physical benefits from growth treatment will motivate improved school achievement.
Inverse design of a three-dimensional nanophotonic resonator

The inverse design of a three-dimensional nanophotonic resonator is presented. The design methodology is computationally fast (10 minutes on a standard desktop workstation) and utilizes a 2.5-dimensional approximation of the full three-dimensional structure. As an example, we employ the proposed method to design a resonator which exhibits a mode volume of 0.32(λ/n)3 and a quality factor of 7063.
Development and implementation of thermal signature testing protocol of auxiliary power unit (APU) and diesel tractor

Thermal signature may be one of the defining factors in determining the applicability of fuel cell auxiliary power unit (APU) technology in military applications. Thermal characterization is important for military applications given that identification and detection may be accomplished through observation of its thermal signature. The operating modes and power takeoff operations of a vehicle will likely determine the thermal profile. The objective of our study was to develop and implement a protocol for quantifying the thermal characteristics of a methanol fuel cell and an idling tractor engine under representative characteristic operations. APU thermal characteristics are a special case for which standardized testing procedures do not presently exist. A customized testing protocol was developed and applied that is specific to an APU-equipped vehicle. Initial testing was conducted on the methanol APU-equipped Freightliner tractor using a high-performance radiometric infrared system. The APU profile calls for a series of infrared images to be collected at three different viewing angles and two different elevations under various loads. The diesel engine was studied in a similar fashion using seven different viewing angles and two different elevations. Raw data collected according to the newly developed methodology provided the opportunity for computer analysis and thermal profiling of both the fuel cell and the diesel engine.
Organic phosphates and ligand binding in hemoglobin

Abstract Although several organic phosphates appear to react rapidly with hemoglobin, and to be nearly at equilibrium with the various intermediates during oxygen binding, pyridoxal phosphate reacts quite slowly, allowing study of the properties of intermediates bound both to organic phosphate and to oxygen. The affinity for oxygen and the n value are much decreased as compared with stripped hemoglobin. It has been calculated that about a third to a half of the heme-heme interaction energy is associated with binding of organic phosphates or other anions, in a linked reaction occurring only with tetrameric hemoglobin, which must therefore be considered as the smallest unit permitting a meaningful. description of hemoglobin-ligand interactions.
Zoeppritz amplitude correction: Is it needed?

common-mid-point gathers to the amplitude and polarity of a trace at a given reference offset and time The reference offset is zero for seismic stacked record sections to obtain interoretable. correct. and accurate amplitude and polarity. Some of the eifects of the offs& dependent reflection amplitudes in critical processing stages, such as velocity analysis and stacking, are presented to emphasize the importance of the correction introduced. The synthetic data examples are presented to exhibit the importance of amplitude versus offset correction in routine data processing and interpretation. Without the Zoeppritz amplitude correction, the stacking process may produce incorrect and inaccurate reflections. In some cases reflections may be totally lost by the stacking process, resulting in incorrect interpretations. Velocity analysis which suggest double velocities for the same reflection time can be explained by the effect of the Zoeppritz amplitudes. If the stacking velocities are affected by the Zoeppritz amplitudes one may prefer to choose the higher velocities over the lower velocities to attenuate multiple energy. This is a case that can alter the polarity of reflections. It is demonstrated that if the seismic parameters are available, one can at-& the Zoeooritz amolitude correction to eliminate these effects. ?‘& seismic p’kuneters’may be obtained by inversion using the Zoeppritz equations or by methods of velocity analysis which use both actual amplitude information and geometrical relations.
Towards an ontological theory of substance intolerance and hypersensitivity

A proper ontological treatment of intolerance-including hypersensitivity-to various substances is critical to patient care and research. However, existing methods and standards for documenting these conditions have flaws that inhibit these goals, especially translational research that bridges the two activities. In response, I outline a realist approach to the ontology of substance intolerance, including hypersensitivity conditions. I defend a view of these conditions as a subtype of disease. Specifically, a substance intolerance is a disease whose pathological process(es) are realized upon exposure to a quantity of substance of a particular type, and this quantity would normally not cause the realization of the pathological process(es). To develop this theory, it was necessary to build pieces of a theory of pathological processes. Overall, however, the framework of the Ontology for General Medical Science (which uses Basic Formal Ontology as its uppermost level) was a more-than-adequate foundation on which to build the theory.
Current status of etoposide in the management of small cell lung cancer.

Etoposide is a schedule-dependent drug with excellent activity against small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Single-agent etoposide achieves overall response rates ranging from 15% to 84%, depending on the schedule of drug administration and the characteristics of the treated population. The route of etoposide administration (intravenous versus oral) has little impact on response rate, provided appropriate dose adjustments are made for oral therapy. In combination with other active agents, etoposide has proven particularly effective in the management of SCLC. Etoposide can be substituted for doxorubicin or vincristine in the cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine (CAV) regimen without loss of efficacy. The etoposide and cisplastin (EP) combination is thought to be synergistic and has proven to be an effective salvage regimen for CAV failures. A regimen that alternates CAV and EP has been found by some investigators to be modestly more effective against SCLC than CAV alone; however, EP alone may be as useful as an alternating regimen. Most studies to date have demonstrated that EP induction is at least as effective as any other standard induction regimen. However, EP has the potential advantage of being more easily integrated with thoracic radiation therapy (RT). This is particularly important in limited-disease patients: two recent pilot studies employing EP induction with hyperfractionated thoracic RT yielded 2-year survival rates of greater than 50%. These promising results are being evaluated further in an ongoing Phase III trial in the United States. The available data indicate that etoposide is one of the most active agents against SCLC and therefore should be included as a component of induction therapy in all patients. New schedules of etoposide administration warrant further study.
Mothers' Knowledge About Children's Play and Language Development: Short-Term Stability and Interrelations

Sixty-four mothers of children ranging in age from 6 to 58 months were asked to determine, for pairings of play and language items, which item was more advanced developmentally. This procedure was repeated within 2 weeks. In general, mothers' orderings of play and language items matched those established in the developmental literature and were stable over the short term. Mothers' knowledge about language development was stronger than and unrelated to their knowledge about play, suggesting that maternal knowledge about developmental domains is differentiated and specific. Finally, mothers' judgments about the developmental milestones depended on their children's current developmental stage: Mothers were less accurate at estimating the timing of milestones that their children had mastered many months earlier, supporting the view that mothers' knowledge is informed by their children's recent rather than past achievements in specific areas.
Initial experience with the cardiva Boomerang™ vascular closure device in diagnostic catheterization

Objectives: The authors studied the safety and efficacy of the Cardiva Boomerang™ vascular closure device in patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization. Background: Conventional vascular closure devices (sutures, collagen plugs, or metal clips) have been associated with catastrophic complications including arterial occlusion and foreign body infections; furthermore, they cannot be utilized in patients with peripheral vascular disease or vascular access site in a vessel other than the common femoral artery. The Cardiva Boomerang™ device facilitates vascular hemostasis without leaving any foreign body behind at the access site, can be used in peripheral vascular disease, and can be used in vessels other than the common femoral artery Methods: A total of 96 patients undergoing transfemoral diagnostic cardiac catheterization were included in this study, including 25 (26%) patients with contraindications to conventional closure devices. Femoral angiography was performed prior to deployment of the Cardiva Boomerang™ closure device. Patients were ambulated at 1 hr after hemostasis was achieved. Results: The device was successfully deployed and hemostasis achieved with the device alone in 95 (99%) patients. The device failed to deploy in 1 (1%) patient and required conversion to standard manual compression. Minor complications were observed in 5 (5%) patients. No patients experienced major complications including femoral hematoma > 4 cm, red blood cell transfusion, retroperitoneal bleed, arteriovenous fistula, pseudoaneurysm, infection, arterial occlusion, or vascular surgery. Conclusions: The Cardiva Boomerang™ device is safe and effective in patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization using the transfemoral approach, facilitating early ambulation with low rates of vascular complications. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Characterization of Crack Growth in BGA Under Drop Impact

This paper presents the characterization of the crack growth rate of Sn-4.0wt.%Ag-0.5wt.%Cu (SAC405) solder joints under drop impact. Several actual ChipArray® BGA (CTBGA) packages were cross-sectioned, polished and used as the test vehicles. The ball drop tests were performed using a specially-designed tester. The drop impact from the drop ball induces bending in the PCB, which damages the solder joints. The crack lengths in the solder joints were measured after every five drops using microscope imaging. Crack growth rates were calculated from the test results. Insight into the crack growth rate in solder joints under drop impact is provided. The direct cyclic approach for low-cycle fatigue analysis in ABAQUS was used to simulate the crack growth in the solder joints.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Programming primitives for database languages

This paper examines a number of programming primitives in query languages for relational databases. The basic framework is a language based on relational algebra, whose variables take relations as values. The primitives considered are (i) looping, (ii) counters, (iii) generic (or unranked) variables, (iv) equality, (v) bounded looping (which corresponds to counting the number of tuples in a relation), and (vi) isomorphism class (which corresponds to knowing the isomorphism class of the data base). A comparison diagram is given relating all combinations of these six primitives, and several of the resulting classes of queries are characterized by their complexity or algebraic properties. It is shown, for example, that equality cannot be simulated using all the other primitives, that generic variables (with loops) cannot be simulated with only ranked variables and all the other primitives, and that with bounded loops one can determine the isomorphism class of the database when generic variables are allowed, but not otherwise.
Effects of supervision by attending anesthesiologists on complications of emergency tracheal intubation.

Background Emergent intubation is associated with a high complication rate. These intubations are often performed by resident physicians in teaching hospitals. The authors evaluated whether supervision by an anesthesia-trained intensivist decreases complications of emergent intubations. Methods The authors performed a prospective cohort study in an Academic Tertiary Care Hospital. They enrolled 322 consecutive patients who required emergent intubation between November 1, 2006, and April 15, 2008. Emergency intubations are performed by anesthesia residents during their surgical intensive care unit rotation. An attending anesthesiologist was assigned to supervise these intubations at predetermined periods. A respiratory therapist assisted with airway management and ventilation. Information related to the intubation, detailing patient demographics, indication for intubation, attending anesthesiologist presence, medications used, and immediate complications, was recorded. Disposition and duration of mechanical ventilation were also recorded. Results There were no differences in demographics, clinical characteristics, or illness severity among patients intubated with and without attending supervision. Attending physician supervision was associated with a significant decrease in complications (6.1% vs. 21.7%; P = 0.0001). There was no difference in ventilator-free days or 30-day mortality. Conclusion Supervision by an attending anesthesiologist was associated with a decreased incidence of complications during emergent intubations.
Expression of genes encoding proteins involved in ecdysteroidogenesis in the female mosquito, Aedes aegypti

A blood meal induces the ovaries of female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to produce ecdysteroid hormones that regulate many processes required for egg maturation. Various proteins involved in the intracellular transport and biosynthesis of ecdysteroid precursors have been identified by analysis of Drosophila melanogaster mutants and by biochemical and molecular techniques in other insects. To begin examining these processes in mosquito ovaries, complete cDNAs were cloned for putative orthologs of diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI), StAR-related lipid transfer domain containing protein (Start1), aldo/keto reductase (A/KR), adrenodoxin reductase (AR), and the cytochrome P450 enzymes, CYP302a1 (22-hydroxylase), CYP315a1 (2-hydroxylase) and CYP314a1 (20-hydroxylase). As shown by RT-PCR, transcripts for all seven genes were present in ovaries and other tissues both before and following a blood meal. Expression of these genes likely supports the low level of ecdysteroids produced in vitro (7-10 pg /tissue/6 h) by tissues other than ovaries. Ovaries from females not blood fed and up to 6 h post blood meal (PBM) also produced low amounts of ecdysteroids in vitro, but by 18 and 30 h PBM, ecdysteroid production was greatly increased (75-106 pg/ovary pair/6h) and thereafter (48 and 72 h PBM) returned to low levels. As determined by real-time PCR analysis, gene transcript abundance for AedaeCYP302 and AedaeCYP315a1 was significantly greater (9 and 12 fold, respectively) in ovaries during peak ecdysteroid production relative to that in ovaries from females not blood fed or 2 h PBM. AedaeStart1, AedaeA/KR and AedaeAR also had high transcript levels in ovaries during peak ecdysteroid production, and AedaeDBI transcripts had the greatest increase at 48 h PBM. In contrast, gene transcript abundance of AedaeCYP314a1 decreased PBM. This study shows for the first time that transcription of a few key genes for proteins involved in ecdysteroid biosynthesis is positively correlated with the rise in ecdysteroid production by ovaries of a female insect.
The Determination of Arsenic, Lead, Nickel, and Zinc in Copper by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

Atomic absorption spectrophotometry has been critically evaluated as a method for the determination of traces of arsenic, lead, nickel, and zinc in copper. With careful matrix compensation, reliable (±5%–6%) results were obtained down to lower concentration limits of 0.025% for arsenic, 0.002% for lead, 0.003% for nickel, and 0.002% for zinc. Copper was found to interfere strongly with the determination of nickel in dilute nitric acid solutions. The use of the nitrous oxide–acetylene flame was found mandatory for the determination of arsenic. This work suggests at least limited applicability of atomic absorption to the problem of tracing the origin of ancient copper metal by impurity patterns.
Personality Traits Elucidate Sex Differences in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Comorbidity During Early Childhood

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is highly comorbid with other childhood disorders, and there are striking sex differences in this comorbidity, particularly during early childhood. For example, boys with ADHD are more likely to exhibit comorbid disruptive behavior and neurodevelopmental disorders, compared to girls, during early childhood. Yet, explanations for these well-established sex differences remain in short supply. The current study evaluated the novel hypothesis that personality traits may serve as intermediate phenotypes that help explain sex differences in common ADHD comorbidity profiles during early childhood. Study participants were 109 children between the ages of 3 and 6 and their primary caregivers and teachers/daycare providers, recruited from the community and over-recruited for ADHD-related problems. Primary caregivers completed the Child Behavior Checklist, and teachers/daycare providers completed the Teacher Report Form as a measure of child behavior problems. Examiners completed the California Q-Sort as a measure of child personality traits. Moderated mediation analyses suggested that personality traits explain associations between ADHD and oppositional-defiance, aggression, and language problems in a sex-specific manner. While high neuroticism mediated associations between ADHD and oppositional-defiance in girls, disagreeableness mediated associations between ADHD and aggression and low conscientiousness mediated associations between ADHD and neurodevelopmental language problems in boys. Sex differences in trait-psychopathology associations may help explain sex differences in comorbidity profiles with possible implications for child assessment and personalized early intervention.
Electrochemical and Transport Phenomena in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

This paper begins with a brief review of the thermodynamic and electrochemical fundamentals of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Issues concerning energy budget and ideal energy conversion efficiency of the electrochemical processes in an SOFC are addressed. Chemical equilibrium is then discussed for the situations with internal reforming and shift reactions as an SOFC is fed with hydrocarbon fuel. Formulations accounting for electrical potential drops incurred by activation polarization, ohmic polarisation, and concentration polarization are reviewed. This leads to a discussion on numerical modeling and simulation for predicting the terminal voltage and power output of SOFCs. Key features associated with numerical simulation include strong coupling of ion transfer rates, electricity conduction, flow fields of fuel and oxidizer, concentrations of gas species, and temperature distributions. Simulation results based primarily on authors' research are presented as demonstration. The article concludes with a discussion of technical challenges in SOFCs and potential issues for future research.
Transfection of Ovarian Cancer Cells with Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) Antisense mRNA Abolishes the Proliferative Response to Interleukin-1 (IL-1) but Not TNF-α

Recombinant interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) can induce endogenous TNF-alpha mRNA expression and stimulate proliferation of epithelial ovarian cancer cells. In a previous report, proliferation induced by either cytokine could be partially blocked by soluble TNF-alpha receptor or by neutralizing antibodies against TNF-alpha. In the present study, we have transfected the ovarian cancer cell line OVCA 432 with vectors that contain the TNF-alpha gene in the antisense or sense orientation. Antisense-transfected cells showed a 4.5- to 26-fold reduction in IL-1-induced TNF-alpha secretion. Similarly, the stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation by IL-1 but not by TNF-alpha was blocked by TNF-alpha antisense transfection. These results are consistent with a model in which the macrophage-derived cytokines IL-1 and TNF-alpha might stimulate endogenous production of TNF-alpha that in turn could stimulate proliferation of ovarian cancer cells by autocrine growth regulation.
Identifying Measures of Student Behavior from Interaction with a Course Management System.

The purpose of this work is to identify process measures of student interaction with a course management system (CMS). Logs maintained by Web servers capture aggregate user interactions with a Website. When combined with a login system and context from the course recorded in the CMS, more detailed measures of individual student interaction can be extracted electronically. Measures of student interaction with one CMS, ITWeb, were identified at the scopes of the entire course and individual homework assignments. Measures at the level of the entire course were collected through ITWeb for two different semesters of the same undergraduate course, while measures for individual assignments were collected for one of the courses. Correlation analysis was performed between the proposed measures and student grades with inconsistent results between courses and assignments. Though not consistently related to performance, this work demonstrates collecting objective measures of student interaction with a CMS.
Influence of mercury environment on the fatigue behavior of spallation neutron source (SNS) target container materials

Abstract The high-cycle fatigue behavior of 316 LN stainless steel (SS), the prime candidate target-container material for the spallation neutron source (SNS), was investigated in air and mercury at frequencies from 10 to 700 Hz with a R ratio of 0.1. A decrease in the fatigue life of 316 LN SS in air was observed with increasing frequency. However, little influence of frequency on fatigue life was found in mercury. An increase in the specimen temperature at 700 Hz seems to be the main factor that contributed to the decrease of the fatigue life in air, relative to that at 10 Hz. However, because of the cooling effect of mercury, only a small temperature increase was found at 700 Hz, and, therefore, there was little frequency influence in mercury. At 10 Hz, a shorter fatigue life of 316 LN SS was measured in mercury than in air at stresses greater than yield strength, which may have resulted from liquid metal embrittlement (LME). At lower stresses, no difference in fatigue lives between mercury and air was detected at 10 Hz. At 700 Hz, the fatigue life in mercury was longer than in air. The fatigue endurance limit measured at both frequencies in mercury and in air was approx. 350 MPa.
Comforting conversations: The effects of strategy type on evaluations of messages and message producers

Two studies assessing outcomes associated with the use of comforting strategies are reported. Study 1 examined how a message variable, individual‐difference variables, and contextual variables influenced evaluations of both comforting messages and the sources of these messages. Participants (N = 410) read one of eighteen different fictional conversations in which one person attempted to comfort a friend who was experiencing emotional distress. Evaluations of both messages and message sources were found to differ significantly as a function of the sophistication of the strategies employed by the source. In addition, female sources were more positively evaluated than male sources. Study 2 found that evaluations of comforting messages varied as a direct, linear function of message sophistication.
Benefits of mycorrhizae to soybeans grown on various regimes of nitrogen nutrition 1

Abstract Nodulating and nonnodulating isolines of soybean (Glycine max Merr ‘Clay') were grown in sand culture in a greenhouse. The plants were cultured with or without mycorrhizal (Glomus mosseae) infection, and nodulating plants were inoculated with Rhizobium iaponicum. Phosphorous was supplied as hydroxyapatite or dicalcium phosphate with N nutrition from nitrate or as combinations of nitrate and ammonium or nitrate and urea. Best growth of the nodulating isoline was with urea nutrition. Best growth with the nonnodulating isoline was with ammonium nutrition. Urea‐treated nodulating plants showed increased growth due to mycorrhizae. Urea‐treated or ammonium‐treated nonnodulating plants showed growth increases due to mycorrhizae. Nitrate‐treated plants did not show increased growth due to mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizal infection was greatest with urea nutrition, and the infection increased the tissue N content of these plants relative to nonmycorrhizal plants. Enhancement of tissue P accumulation through mycor...
U.S. Shared-Use Vehicle Survey Findings on Carsharing and Station Car Growth: Obstacles and Opportunities

Shared-use vehicle services provide members with access to a vehicle fleet for use as needed, without the hassles and costs of individual automobile ownership. From June 2001 to July 2002, there was a survey of 18 U.S. shared-use vehicle organizations on a range of topics, including organizational size, partnerships, pricing, costs, and technology. Although survey findings demonstrate a decline in the number of organizational starts in the last year, operational launches into new cities, membership, and fleet size continue to increase. Several growth-oriented organizations are responsible for most of this expansion. Several factors were explored that challenge shared-use vehicle growth, such as high capital investment (or start-up costs), dramatic insurance rate hikes, and scarcity of cost-effective technologies. Although the findings of early niche markets are encouraging, the ability of this emerging sector to actualize its total environmental, economic, and social goals may be limited without the collective support of private industry (e.g., automobile manufacturers, insurance providers, technology producers); public agents (e.g., transit and governmental agencies); and shared-use vehicle programs. Indeed, public-private partnerships and cooperation among shared-use vehicle providers may play a key role in addressing insurance and technology costs and ensuring the long-term viability of this market.
A simulation of growth and coalescence of voids during ductile fracture

During tensile fracture of ductile metals, damage usually percolates from small clusters of microvoids. Experimental observations suggest that a cluster geometry of three closely spaced voids appears especially susceptible to accelerated void growth and coalescence from which fracture propagates. In this study, a three-dimensional finite element model has been developed to simulate the growth and coalescence within a cluster of three equal sized, initially spherical voids, spaced one void diameter apart, and embedded in a tensile specimen. The results show that, while void growth initially occurs at a rate close to that predicted for an isolated void, the growth rate accelerates with strain in a manner that depends on strain hardening and specimen necking. Significantly, a load limit develops within the inter-void ligament at strain levels that are close to the strain hardening exponent, suggesting a void coalescence criterion that depends on strain hardening in a sensitive manner.
Wireless intelligent sensor and actuator network (WISAN): a scalable ultra-low-power platform for structural health monitoring

This paper presents Wireless Intelligent Sensor and Actuator Network (WISAN) as a scalable wireless platform for structural health monitoring. Design of WISAN targeted key issues arising in applications of structural health monitoring. First, scalability of system from a few sensors to hundreds of sensors is provided through hierarchical cluster-tree network architecture. Special consideration is given to reliable delivery of wireless data in real-world conditions. Second, a possibility of autonomous operation of sensor nodes from energy harvesters is ensured through extremely low power consumption in operational and standby modes of operation. Third, all the sensors and actuators operate in globally synchronized time on the order of a few microseconds through utilization of the beaconing mechanism of IEEE802.15.4 standard. Fourth, depending on application requirements, the system is capable of delivering real-time streams of sensor data or performing on-sensor storage and/or processing with result transmission. Finally, a capability to work with heterogeneous arrays of sensors and actuators is ensured by a variety of analog and digital interfaces. Results of experimental tests validate the performance of the WISAN.
Hydrogen-induced gas porosity formation in Al–4.5 wt% Cu–1.4 wt% Mg alloy

The effects of low (0.067 cm3/100 g) and relatively high (0.19 and 0.27 cm3/100 g) initial melt hydrogen concentration, solidification processing conditions, and grain refining on the formation of hydrogen-induced gas porosity in Al–4.5 wt% Cu–1.4 wt% Mg alloy have been quantitatively investigated. The study was conducted with unidirectionally cooled laboratory-size ingots solidified at 0.2–37 K/s. An optical microscope-based image analyzer and precision density measurement based on the Archimedes’ principle were used to quantify the characteristics of the hydrogen-induced porosity in the ingots. Predictably, increase in melt hydrogen concentration and decrease in solidification rate increased the amount of porosity and average pore size. However, the effect of solidification rate was greater at the very low melt hydrogen concentration (0.067 cm3/100 g). These results are consistent with reported effects of solidification rate and melt hydrogen content on porosity formation in other aluminum alloys. Addition of grain refiner slightly increased the amount of porosity and the average pore size, especially at solidification rates above 1 K/s.
Methods For Simultaneous Optical And Electrical Measurement Of Neurovascular Coupling in Awake Rats

Development of an implantable EEG and diffuse optical imaging probe for longitudinal measurements in awake rats to investigate neurovascular coupling.
Quantization and the Classical Hamilton-Jacobi Equation

In this paper, a formalism for quantization is developed which starts out from the Hamilton-Jacobi expression, $\frac{\ensuremath{\partial}S}{\ensuremath{\partial}t}+H(\frac{\ensuremath{\partial}S}{\ensuremath{\partial}q}, q)$, and which leads to its usual quantum-mechanical operator equivalent by means of straightforward algebra. The quantum-mechanical operator equivalents of $H$ and $p$ are then seen to be the consequence of assigning a number of equally probable classical paths to a dynamical system.
Three short cases for use in online introduction to computer information systems courses

Online courses are now commonplace at many universities, replacing correspondence (postal) based distance education methods. An important and widely used component of online courses are online forums. Forums encourage interaction between students (who may never meet face-to-face) and are a vital part of the virtual classroom experience. Literature suggests that distance learners require a great deal of interaction to overcome the feeling of isolation; the development of a virtual world (classroom) encourages students to participate in the learning process by exploring and playing with course materials; and promotes interactions between students and teachers that may not occur in a traditional classroom. In order to conduct a successful online forum it is necessary to have a collection of provocative discussion topics and a sound technique to implement them. This paper presents three short cases; Electronic Voting, the Digital Divide, and Internet Ethics, that have successfully been used in online courses along with pedagogy and implementation notes.
The measurement of alcohol‐related accidents

This paper examines some of the major ethical and research issues associated with the measurement and recording of alcohol-related problems. Because self-reports of the history of the amount of alcohol ingested are sometimes unreliable, the assessment of the role of alcohol in casualties often relies on a variety of methods which are both diverse and interrelated. The unique measurement problems posed by the diversity of alcohol measures are reviewed and issues in selection and recording bias of alcohol's involvement in injury are discussed. A number of fundamental ethical and moral issues related to measurement are identified.
Surface Optomechanics: Observation of Surface Acoustic Resonances

We experimentally demonstrate excitation by light of a mechanical Rayleigh surface mode. The acoustical mode is small in volume and high in mechanical Q, related to the small material dissipation for such waves and to the unique geometry in which the acoustical wave is circumferentialy circulating while not leaking through the device support.
Le rôle du chronotope dans le façonnement du mécanisme de la perception chez Marcel Proust

The present reflection seeks to establish the chronotope as an operating unit in the act of reading inasmuch as it strives to reconstruct the coherence of the novel's universe and to uncover the essence of things. Of the equal value is the Bakhtinian principle of dialogism, which proves propitious in rendering explicit the connections between different chronotopical units.
Coordination and collective mind in software requirements development

The purpose of this study was to understand how the group processes of teams of software requirements analysts led to problems and to suggest possible solutions. Requirements definition is important to establish the framework for a development project. Researchers have proposed numerous requirements development techniques, but less has been done on managing teams of requirements analysts. To learn more about group processes within such teams, we studied two teams of analysts developing requirements for large, complex real-time systems. These teams had problems ensuring that requirements documents were complete, consistent, and correct; fixing those problems required additional time and effort. To identify sources of problems, we applied two theories of collective action, coordination theory and collective mind theory. Coordination theory suggests that a key problem in requirement analysis is identifying and managing dependencies between requirements and among tasks. Most requirements methods and tools reflect this perspective, focusing on better representation and communication of requirements. The collective mind perspective complements these suggestions by explaining how individuals come to understand how their work contributes to the work of the group. This perspective suggests that deficiencies in actors' representations of the process and subordination to collective goals limit the value of their contributions.
Subjective Social Status Predicts Quit-Day Abstinence Among Homeless Smokers.

Abstract Purpose. Smoking prevalence is alarmingly high among the homeless. Few studies have focused on predictors of smoking abstinence in this population. Subjective social status, a person's ranking of their own social standing relative to others in the United States or in their own self-defined communities, has predicted smoking cessation among domiciled smokers in analyses adjusted for objective socioeconomic status and other demographic variables. This study examined if subjective social status predicted quit-day abstinence among homeless smokers making a quit attempt. Design. Longitudinal study using self-reported survey data. Setting. Transitional homeless shelter in Dallas, Texas. Subjects. A total of 57 homeless smokers enrolled in a cessation program. Measures. Predictors were the Subjective Social Status-U.S (SSS-U.S.) and the Subjective Social Status-Community (SSS-Community) ladders measured 1 week pre quit. Covariates were sociodemographics and tobacco dependence measured 1 week pre quit. T...
Effect of Maillard reaction products on oxidation products in ground chicken breast

Three amino acid-sugar solutions were adjusted to pH 8.0, heated and lyophilized prior to addition to ground chicken breast (GCB). GCB with no additives, GCB with 0.01% BHT, GCB with 0.1 or 0.2mg/g glucose heated with arginine, valine, or histidine were prepared. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), volatiles determined by gas chromatography, and Hunter L*, a* and b* values were monitored over nine days. Multiple linear regression models were used to determine the effects of the studied factors on the corresponding outcome variables. a* values of GCB ranged from 1.60 to 4.90 over nine days of storage. While Maillard reaction products (MRP) lowered oxidation compared to control, no significant difference in TBARS between MRP solutions heated for 8 or 24h was found. Further, 0.1mg/g heated glucose-valine mixture decreased aldehydes up to 72.87%. Therefore, shelf-life of GCB could be extended using 0.1 or 0.2mg/g MRP.
Sensory feedback and the impaired motor system

A group design study was carried out using regulated feedback to enhance functional recovery in stroke patients. Patients trained on three computerized tasks aimed at improving guided limb motion in the hemiplegic arm. The therapeutic group was able to make use of the sensory feedback to outperform the control group in each of the three tasks. The therapeutic group also showed an adaptation of the improved performance on the three tasks. Further investigation is required to demonstrate that such sensory feedback training results in a corresponding improvement in activities of daily living skills.
The male reproductive cycle of the rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus)

Opheodrys aestivus is a slender, arboreal colubrid snake inhabiting the south-cast quarter of the U.S.A. Males reach sexual maturity (begin spermatogenesis) in their second calendar year of life (12 months of age). During the first spermatogenic season, enough sperm are produced to permit mating in the following spring. The spermatogenic cycle in this species is post-nuptial. Spermatogenesis begins in June and reaches a peak in July and August. The sexual segment of the kidney and plasma testosterone levels have a cycle opposite to that of the testis. Peak levels of testosterone and secretory activity of the sex segment occur in the early spring (April) and late summer (August). The occurrence of a late summer increase in testosterone and sex segment of the kidncy is discussed in relation to season of mating.
Peroxisomal MAVS activates IRF1-mediated IFN-λ production.

Infection with an RNA virus induces the interferons IFN-β and IFN-λ via the adaptor MAVS located in mitochondria, while peroxisomal MAVS selectively activates an IFN-λ response.