cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Conformal Lubricated Contact of Cylindrical Surfaces Involved in a Non-Steady Motion

A non-steady problem for a conformal elastohydrodynamically lubricated (EHL) contact of two infinite cylindrical surfaces with parallel axes is considered. It takes into account the elasticity of cylinders, lubricant viscosity, contact surface velocities, and the applied load. The problem is solved based on the modified formulation proposed by Kudish et al. (2000) which is free of such defects as discontinuity of its solution and independence of the solution from some of the initial data. The problem is reduced to a system of nonlinear integro-differential equations. The additional conditions include initial and boundary conditions and Newton's second law applied to the internal cylinder motion. The main emphasis of the paper is three fold: the analysis of the transient dynamics of the system under constant external conditions and due to abrupt changes in applied load, and the system behavior in the case of a bump/dent presence on the shaft surface. The numerical solutions exhibit damped oscillatory behavior while approaching a steady state. It is observed that in a transient motion the radial displacement of the shaft center may vary by no more than 2.5 percent while the maximum pressure may vary by as much as 350 percent. Moreover, the variations of pressure are greater for stiffer materials.
Non-cognitivism and rational inference

Non-cognitivism might seem to offer a plausible account of evaluative judgments, at least on the assumption that there is a satisfactory solution to the Frege–Geach problem. However, Cian Dorr has argued that non-cognitivism remains implausible even assuming that the Frege–Geach problem can be solved, on the grounds that non-cognitivism still has to classify some paradigmatically rational inferences as irrational. Dorr’s argument is ingenious and at first glance seems decisive. However, in this paper I will show that Dorr’s argument equivocates between two different notions of evidence, and that once this equivocation is noted there is no reason to doubt that non-cognitivism is consistent with the rationality of such inferences, at least if it is assumed that the Frege–Geach problem can be solved. In particular, I will show that non-cognitivists can endorse the same explanation of the rationality of such inferences that cognitivists should endorse, and that there is thus no need for non-cognitivists to offer any sort of idiosyncratic account of the epistemology of such cases, in contrast to what other commentators on Dorr’s argument have thought.
Adsorption kinetics of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus on single-walled carbon nanotube aggregates

Batch adsorption studies to determine adsorption kinetics of Escherichia coli ( E.coli ) K12 and Staphylococcus aureus ( S.aureus ) SH 1000 bacterial cells on single-walled carbon nanotube aggregates were performed at two different initial concentrations. The diffusivity of E. coli cells in single-walled carbon nanotube aggregates obtained was 6.54 × 10−9 and 8.98 × 10–9 cm2/s, whereas that of S. aureus was between 1.00 × 10–7 and 1.66 × 10–7 cm2/s respectively. In addition to batch adsorption studies, electron microscopy studies were also conducted. The results suggest that diffusion kinetics of bacterial cells is concentration dependent as well as bacteria dependent. Diffusivity of S. aureus is two orders of magnitude greater than E. coli cells. This proves to be beneficial from an adsorption perspective where it is desired to filter microorganisms (water pretreatment and wastewater post treatment) and from nanotube biosensor perspective where it is desired to simultaneously capture and detect biothreat agents in a shorter span of time.
P-020 Emergent Carotid Artery Stenting with or without Intracranial Tandem Occlusion Lesions Following Carotid Endarterectomy

Introduction Stroke in the immediate post-operative period following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is usually due to carotid thrombosis. Many centers have begun incorporating angiography before re-exploration, which has the advantage of confirming carotid occlusion and treating tandem intracranial lesions. The aim of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of this strategy. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all cases undergoing stenting of the carotid artery following carotid endarterectomy from November 2009 to February 2014 at the Medical University of South Carolina and the Vanderbilt University Medical center. Charts and angiographic images were reviewed. Six cases of carotid thrombosis within 72 h of CEA and subsequent stent reconstruction are summarised. Results Five patients had greater than 70% carotid stenosis prior to carotid endarterectomy. One patient had intraoperative occlusion and dissection of the ICA which was noted on intraoperative carotid duplex ultrasound. All patients underwent post-operative computer tomography (CT) or computer tomography perfusion (CTP) scans with subsequent cerebral angiography and stent reconstruction within 11 h of symptom onset. Two patients had tandem middle cerebral artery M3 branch occlusion which was successfully recanalised. In all cases, recanalization was successfully completed between 40 to 160 min. There were no procedural complications. Conclusion Emergent endovascular evaluation in the setting of acute post CEA thrombosis is a safe and timely treatment option, with the benefit of detecting and treating embolic intracranial lesions. More investigation is necessary to define the role of immediate angiography and intervention in this rare surgical complication. Disclosures J. Vargas: None. S. Zuckerman: None. I. Chaudry: 2; C; EV3/Coviden, Microvention, Penumbra, Stryker, Pulsar, Blockade, Medina. R. Turner: 2; C; Coviden, Microvention, Blockade, Codman, Stryker, Reverse Medical, Pulsar Vascular, Siemens, Penumbra. A. Turk: 1; C; Stryker, Codman, Microvention, Penumbra, Siemens, Coviden. 2; C; Stryker, Microvention, Penumbra, Pulsar Vascular. 4; C; Pulsar Vascular, Lazarus Effect, Medina, Blockade. A. Spiotta: 2; C; Pulsar Vascular, Microvention, Penumbra.
A simulation method for stationary Gaussian random functions based on the sampling theorem

Abstract A unified method is developed for simulating realizations of real-valued stationary Gaussian processes, vector processes, fields, and vector fields. The method is based on parametric random models consisting of superpositions of deterministic functions of time or space with random amplitudes. The parametric models are based on the sampling theorem for random processes and generalizations of it for vector processes and random fields. The proposed simulation method is efficient and uses algorithms for generating realizations of random processes and fields that are similar to simulation techniques based on ARMA models. Several examples are presented to demonstrate the proposed simulation method and evaluate its efficiency and accuracy.
Augmentation of macrophage antibody-dependent killing of tumor targets by microtubule inhibitors.

Abstract Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) to tumor targets was studied using murine resident peritoneal macrophages and a macrophage cell line RAW264.10A, both having low inherent cytolytic activity. The target was 125 I-labeled pre-B lymphoma 18-8. Pretreatment of both macrophage populations with 0.5 – 2 μ M concentrations of the microtubule-stabilizing drug taxol greatly increased their antibody-dependent cytotoxicity with no stimulation of nonspecific killing. Taxol present only during the 18-hr cytolytic assays had no effect on target killing. Optimal killing activity was obtained by treating macrophages 2 days with taxol, similar to previously described cytokine stimulation of ADCC. This concentration completely blocked growth of RAW264 cells. Other microtubule inhibitors, lidocaine and colchicine, also augmented peritoneal and cell line macrophage ADCC at cytostatic concentrations. In contrast, the microfilament-disrupting agent, cytochalasin B, caused little or no stimulation of ADCC. These results show that microtubule reformation is not necessary for the development of cytotoxicity. Since microtubule inhibitors block lysosomal discharge, they may stimulate macrophage ADCC by causing accumulation of toxic molecules involved in cytotoxicity.
Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Potent and Selective Ligands for the Dopamine 3 (D3) Receptor with a Novel in vivo Behavioral Profile

A series of compounds structurally related to pramipexole were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as ligands for the dopamine 3 (D3) receptor. Compound 12 has a Ki value of 0.41 nM to D3 and a selectivity of >30000- and 800-fold over the D1-like and D2 receptors, respectively. Our in vivo functional assays showed that this compound is a partial agonist at the D3 receptor with no detectable activity at the D2 receptor.
A note on exact discrete Fourier transforms

It is proved that the z transform of a sequence of data values cannot be exactly computed using a binary number representation for values of z on the unit circle, except z =±1, z = ±j. It is also proved that the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of a sequence of data values cannot be evaluated with rational numbers.
Childhood and adolescent antecedents of substance use in adulthood.

AIMS: To examine childhood antecedents of marijuana and cocaine use in adulthood. DESIGN: Epidemiological, longitudinal cohort study of African American first graders (age 6) followed to age 32. PARTICIPANTS: Children (N=1242) and families in the 57 first grade classrooms from Woodlawn, an inner-city community in Chicago. First grade teachers, mothers and children provided assessments over the life course. During adulthood, 952 participants were re-interviewed. MEASUREMENTS: First grade teacher behavior ratings, readiness for school tests, self-reports of adolescent drug use, social bonds and adult self-reports of drug use were the primary variables. FINDINGS: Males who were both shy and aggressive in first grade were more likely to be adult drug users compared to those who were neither. Shy females in first grade were less likely to be adult marijuana users than non-shy females. Adolescent social bonds did not moderate the relationships of earlier childhood behavior to adult drug use. Males who had a 'high/superior' readiness to learn scores in first grade were less likely to be cocaine users as adults, even though in earlier work we showed that they were more likely to initiate adolescent drug use. Females scoring as poor performers in first grade were less likely to ever use cocaine compared to females with higher scores. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of shy and aggressive behavior is an important antecedent for later male drug use and may help distinguish those who will be persistent users in adulthood from those who experiment in adolescence. Language: en
Intermolecular perturbation theory applied to an exactly solvable model

It is remarkable that application of intermolecular perturbation theory to a simple, exactly solvable model of diatomic molecules reproduces the basic problems encountered when that theory is applied to real systems. For real systems it took over 50 years to recognize fully the consequences of choosing products of atomic/molecular functions as unperturbed wave functions. The primary consequence is that the physical ground state energy is generally buried in a continuum of unphysical state energies, i.e., energies of states which violate the Pauli Exclusion Principle. This makes the simplest perturbation theory incapable of predicting even the ground state energy of most systems when summed to infinite order. The model reveals clearly why and how unphysical solutions arise in intermolecular perturbation theory. The model neglects the interaction between electrons, reducing the N-electron problem to that of the one-electron molecular ion. Because the model can be solved exactly, it is suggested that it could be useful in testing new perturbation theories for the calculation of intermolecular potential surfaces. The traditional test systems, H2+ and H2, provide no real test because they have no unphysical solutions. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2002
Keeping cartographers busy

In the post-genome era, there is increasing interest in developing quantitative models of cell function at the molecular level. Although data describing the role of individual proteins in cell behaviour remain rate-limiting for such efforts, large-scale screening approaches are providing results that can be used to map the protein–protein interactions of a living biological system.
The effect of fungicides on sugar beet infected with beet mild yellowing virus

Abstract Studies were made in 1989, 1990 and 1991 to establish whether carbendazim (MBC) had a direct therapeutic effect on sugar beet plants infected with beet mild yellowing virus (BMW), resulting in detectable yield benefits. In a field trial in 1989 virus-infected plots treated with carbendazim gave a significantly higher yield, of 0.66 t sugar/ha, than virus-infected plots sprayed with sulphur to control powdery mildew. This response to carbendazim in virus-inoculated plots was not repeated in subsequent trials in 1990 and 1991, and a glasshouse study showed no apparent effect on virus concentration within inoculated plants. Neither was any effect of carbendazim on symptom development observed in any of the trials or glasshouse experiments.
Complex Impedance, DSC and Lithium-7 NMR Studies of Poly(propylene oxide) Complexed with LiN(SO2CF3)2 and with LiAsF6

Abstract Complex impedance/electrical conductivity, differential scanning calorimetry and 7 Li nuclear magnetic resonance measurements on poly (propylene oxide) complexed with two lithium salts LiN (SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 and LiAsF 6 , with compositions of eight ether oxygens per lithium, are reported. Ionic mobility, as probed by NMR linewidth and spin-lattice relaxation measurements, is strongly coupled to polymer segmental motion above T g . The electrical conductivity for PPO 8 LiAsF 6 is about an order of magnitude smaller than for PPO 8 LiN (SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 . This is a consequence of the higher glass transition temperature for PPO 8 LiAsF 6 . The stretched exponential parameter β se , obtained in fits to electric modulus data, was found to be about 0.51 for PPO 8 LiN (SO 2 CF 3 ) 2 and 0.57 for PPO 8 LiAsF 6 .
Myocardial Preservation: Effect of Venous Drainage

Abstract We compared the effect of three methods of venous drainage on myocardial temperature, coronary blood flow as determined with radioactive microspheres, myocardial metabolites (lactate, adenosine triphosphate [ATP], and glycogen), and left ventricular function before, during, and after cardiopulmonary bypass with hypothermic, hyperkalemic cardioplegic arrest. Venous drainage was established in the 6 dogs in Group 1 using a Sarns 51F cavoatrial catheter, in the 7 dogs in Group 2 using two USCI 32F vena caval catheters with tourniquets, and in the 7 dogs in Group 3 using two USCI 32F vena caval catheters without tourniquets. The lowest myocardial temperature was achieved in Group 1 (7.26° ± 0.45°C compared with 10.45° ± 0.56°C in Group 2 and 9.78° ± 0.43°C in Group 3) ( p p p
Polarized secretion of IGF-I and IGF-I binding protein activity by cultured aortic endothelial cells.

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) secretion by the vascular endothelium has been proposed to play a role in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. Because vascular smooth muscle cells are adjacent to the abluminal surface of the endothelium, we tested the hypothesis that secretion of IGF-I by endothelial cells is polarized. Porcine aortic endothelial cells were cultured on permeable membranes and IGF-I measured by radioimmunoassay. Basal secretion exceeded apical secretion by a ratio of 2.3 ± 0.2:1.0 (P < 0.05). We also identified 35 kDa IGF-I binding protein activity that is preferentially secreted on the basal surface of endothelial cells. We conclude that both IGF-I and IGF-I binding protein activity secretion by endothelial cells is polarized towards the basal surface of the endothelium. A polarized secretion mechanism for IGF-I may be of importance in the normal growth and differentiation of the vasculature as well as in the development of vascular pathology. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The use of precipitation‐gage measurements in forecasting the inflow to Lake Mead

(In connection with this paper, S. O. Harper, acting Chief Engineer of the Bureau of Reclamation, writes as follows to Dr. Church: “I am forwarding herewith a paper prepared by Mr. O. C, Reedy of this office, discussing the plan of the Bureau of Reclamation to utilize measurements of precipitation in conjunction with snow-course measurements as a means of forecasting the probable inflow to Lake Mead. You will note from reading the paper that presentation of the material may be a bit premature in that the Bureau has not made sufficient use thereof to be able to state any conclusions. However, it may be that by presenting our ideas on the subject, and getting other people to think along these lines, we may secure some suggestions as to our plan of attack, and I assure you that these will be welcome.”)
Biodiversity conservation, yield, and alternative products in coffee agroecosystems in Sumatra, Indonesia

Agroecology and conservation must overlap to protect biodiversity and farmer livelihoods. Coffee agroecosystems with complex shade canopies protect biodiversity. Yet, few have examined biodiversity in coffee agroecosystems in Asia relative to the Americas and many question whether coffee agroecosystems can play a similar role for conservation. We examined vegetation, ant and bird diversity, coffee yields and revenues, and harvest of alternative products in coffee farms and forests in SW Sumatra, Indonesia near Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBS). BBS is among the last habitats for large mammals in Sumatra and >15,000 families illegally cultivate coffee inside of BBS. As a basis for informing management recommendations, we compared the conservation potential and economic outputs from farms inside and outside of BBS. Forests had higher canopy cover, canopy depth, tree height, epiphyte loads, and more emergent trees than coffee farms. Coffee farms inside BBS had more epiphytes and trees and fewer coffee plants than farms outside BBS. Tree, ant, and bird richness was significantly greater in forests than in coffee farms, and richness did not differ in coffee farms inside and outside of BBS. Species similarity of forest and coffee trees, ants, and birds was generally low (<50%). Surprisingly, farms inside the park were significantly older, but farm size, coffee yields, and revenues from coffee did not depend on farm location. Farmers outside BBS received higher prices for their coffee and also more often produced other crops in their coffee fields such that incentives could be created to draw illegal farmers out of the park. We also discuss these results with reference to similar work in Chiapas, Mexico to compare the relative contribution of coffee fields to conservation in the two continents, and discuss implications for working with farmers in Sumatra towards conservation plans incorporating sustainable coffee production.
The Rhetoric of Exorcism

Abstract Exorcism incorporates all three branches of classical rhetoric: judicial (as in a trial, accusing the demon for his actions); deliberative (exhorting the demon to depart); and ceremonial or epideictic (praising the power of God and blaming Satan for taking possession of a human soul). The structure of a typical exorcism follows the classical arrangement of exordium , narratio , divisio , refutatio , probatio , and peroratio . The speaker is the exorcist, a Catholic priest who was often classically educated. There are five audiences in any given exorcism, three supernatural and two human, and each of these requires specific rhetorical strategies.
The many conformational states of RNA polymerase elongation complexes and their roles in the regulation of transcription

Transcription is highly regulated both by protein factors and by specific RNA or DNA sequence elements. Central to this regulation is the ability of RNA polymerase (RNAP) to adopt multiple conformational states during elongation. This review focuses on the mechanism of transcription elongation and the role of different conformational states in the regulation of elongation and termination. The discussion centers primarily on data from structural and functional studies on Escherichia coli RNAP. To introduce the players, a brief introduction to the general mechanism of elongation, the regulatory proteins, and the conformational states is provided. The role of each of the conformational states in elongation is then discussed in detail. Finally, an integrated mechanism of elongation is presented, bringing together the panoply of experiments.
Halothane prevents nitrous oxide teratogenicity in Sprague-Dawley rats; folinic acid does not

The teratogenic effects of nitrous oxide (N2O) administered with halothane or folinic acid (FA) were studied in two separate experiments using a total of 206 timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats. In each experiment, rats were exposed to either 1) air (n = 30–40); 2) N2O (50–75% for 24 h on day 8 of pregnancy, n = 20–30); 3) test agent (i.e., 0.27% halothane for 24 h on day 8 of pregnancy; or 5 mg/kg/day of FA on day 5–13 of pregnancy, subcutaneously by osmotic pump, n = 20–30); or 4) N2O + test agent (n = 20–30). Cesarean sections were performed on day 20, and fetuses were examined for visceral and skeletal abnormalities. There were no differences in pregnancy rate, number of implantations and live fetuses per rat, and fetal weight among any of the groups. Treatment with N2O resulted in significantly higher incidences of resorptions and of major visceral and minor skeletal abnormalities. Halothane administered with N2O protected against these effects; folinic acid did not. Using an additional 65 nonpregnant rats, hepatic methionine synthase activity was measured after treatment with 50% N2O, 50% N2O plus 0.27% halothane, or 50% N2O plus 5 mg/kg/day of folinic acid. Methionine synthase activity was equally depressed in all groups. These findings do not support the commonly held theory that inactivation of methionine synthase is the sole cause of N2O teratogenicity; rather, they suggest a multifactorial etiology, which may include changes in uterine blood flow.
Some Effects on the Phases of Amalgam Induced by Corrosion

"Aged" amalgam restorations were analyzed using X-ray spectrometry with the SEM and the electron microprobe. The results indicated that the corrosion process penetrates throughout the amalgam mass. The tin of the γ2 phase consistently was associated with nonmetals, particularly chlorine, in areas of high corrosion. Other nonmetals were associated with tin within the interfacial corrosion layer and, to a lesser degree, within the amalgam bulk.
Cholinergic Enzyme Activity in the Septum and Related Brain Areas in Deceased Mentally Normal, Chronic Schizophrenic and Organic Brain Syndrome Patients

The relationship between the activity of the cholinergic enzymes and mental illness is far from clear. However, we do know a lot concerning the neurochemistry of the cholinergic system. It is now well known that there are two major types of cholinesterases able to hydrolyze acetylcholine (ACh). One type “true” or acetyl-cholinesterase (AChE) is found primarily in “cholinergic” neurons throughout the body, but also in non-neuronal tissues including red blood cells and the placenta. The other type “pseudo” or butyrylcholinesterase (ChE) is found throughout the body, especially in the brain and in the plasma.
Effects of Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Placement on Myocardial Oxidative Stress Markers

Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to examine the changes in myocardial oxidative stress during the support of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Methods Myocardial tissue was collected from the lower left ventricle of 15 adult subjects with class IV heart failure (HF) during LVAD placement ( n =9) or LVAD removal (Post-LVAD; n =6). Each tissue sample was separated into cytosolic and myofibrillar subfractions and analysed for protein content and carbonylation. Results The myofibrillar proteins in the HF subjects had a significantly lower ( p =0.008) level of protein carbonylation when compared to the myofibrillar proteins in Post-LVAD patients at 1.630±0.277 and 3.075±0.413 optical density, respectively. The level of protein carbonylation in myosin and actin were lower in HF (myosin: 1406.22±218.45, actin: 436±79.72 optical density) subjects compared to Post-LVAD (myosin: 2280.5±441.26, actin: 804.67±155.71 optical density) subjects ( p =0.035 and p =0.018, respectively). However, once the extent of carbonylation in the myosin and actin bands were normalised to the amount of protein content, all significant difference was lost (HF moysin: 1823.89±413.42, Post-LVAD myosin: 1330.33±297.10 optical density, p =0.199 and HF actin: 3755.78±349.59, Post-LVAD actin: 4402.83±666.51 optical density, p =0.182). There was no significant difference in the cytosolic subfractions before or after normalisation of protein content. Conclusion Carbonylation is elevated in the myocardium of HF and Post-LVAD subjects and it appears that LVAD support does not affect the level of myocardial oxidative stress.
Does Early Supplementation Affect Long-Term Breastfeeding?

The purpose of this secondary data analysis from two different samples was to examine the effect of early supplementation with manufactured milks on breastfeeding status at 20 weeks postpartum in mothers of healthy term infants. In two convenience samples of 120 and 223, respectively, breastfeeding mothers were followed up for 20 weeks postpartum or until weaning occurred. The breastfeeding rate at 20 weeks postpartum was significantly greater for mothers who reported feeding exclusively mother's milk the second week after delivery compared with mothers who breastfed and simultaneously supplemented with manufactured infant milks. Of the mothers in samples one and two who exclusively fed human milk during week 2 postpartum, 63.0% and 59.7%, respectively, were still breastfeeding at week 20, compared with 28.1% and 24.2%, respectively, who supplemented with artificial milks. There was no significant difference between these two groups of mothers and their intended duration of breastfeeding. Early introduction of supplemental bottles of artificial milks is associated with a decrease in the amount of human milk the infant receives as well as with early weaning.
Toward a software testing and reliability early warning metric suite

The field reliability is measured too late for affordablyguiding corrective action to improve the quality of thesoftware. Software developers can benefit from an earlywarning of their reliability while they can still affordablyreact. This early warning can be built from a collection ofinternal metrics. An internal metric, such as the numberof lines of code, is a measure derived from the productitself [15]. An external measure is a measure of a productderived from assessment of the behavior of the system[15]. For example, the number of defects found in test isan external measure. The ISO/IEC standard [15] statesthat "[i]nternal metrics are of little value unless there isevidence that they are related to external quality."Internal metrics can be collected in-process and moreeasily than external metrics. Additionally, internalmetrics have been shown to be useful as early indicatorsof externally-visible product quality [1]. For these earlyindicators to be meaningful, they must be related (in astatistically significant and stable way) to the fieldquality/reliability of the product. The validation of suchmetrics requires the convincing demonstration that (1) themetric measures what it purports to measure and (2) themetric is associated with an important external metric,such as field reliability, maintainability, or fault-proneness[12].Software metrics have been used as indicators ofsoftware quality [1, 19-21, 23] and fault proneness [8-10,24]. There is a growing body of empirical results thatsupports the theoretical validity of the use of higher-orderearly metrics, such as OO metrics [1] defined byChidamber-Kemerer (CK) [6] and the MOOD [5] OOmetric suites as predictors of field quality. However,general validity of these metrics (which are oftenunrelated to the actual operational profile of the product)is still open to criticism [7].
Communicating the value of uncertain information technology investments using an options approach

Valuing IT investments in hypercompetitive business environments remains an elusive task as traditional valuation tools fail to model inherent uncertainty. Real-options analysis presents a viable alternative to traditional valuation tools in planning and valuing IT investments in uncertain business environments. While much has been written about the quantitative and valuation aspects of real options, we believe that its use as a strategic tool to inculcate broader thinking about IT investment has been understated. Our objective is to illustrate how decision makers can use such thinking to articulate IT value in an environment characterised by high levels of uncertainty. We discuss cumulation, dynamism, and complexity as three major characteristics of uncertain IT-investment decisions and illustrate the use of a strategic real-options framework in each scenario. We hope to stimulate a mode of thinking that can facilitate better communication regarding IT investment and valuation in times of rapid growth and change.
The return on R&D versus capital expenditures in pharmaceutical and chemical industries

The impact of research and development (R&D) on firm performance is generally agreed to be positive, but the nature and extent of this impact share little agreement in the previous research. Using an improved, time series, cross-sectional regression model that accounts for both contemporaneous and firm-specific serial correlation, as well as the feedback between firm profitability and investments, our study compares the rate of return from a dollar investment on R&D to a dollar investment on fixed assets in pharmaceutical and chemical industries. We find positive associations of R&D intensity and all variables of firm performance (net margin, operating margin, sales growth, and market value). We find that an investment in R&D earns an operating margin return much higher than the industry cost of capital. We also find that the effect of an investment in R&D on the firm's market value is about twice as much the effect of an investment in fixed assets. These findings have implications for corporate investment strategies, indicating that additional R&D investment is more likely to provide a firm with a unique and sustainable competitive advantage.
LHAP: a lightweight hop-by-hop authentication protocol for ad-hoc networks

Most ad hoc networks do not implement any network access control, leaving these networks vulnerable to resource consumption attacks where a malicious node injects packets into the network with the goal of depleting the resources Of the nodes relaying the packets. To thwart or prevent such attacks, it is necessary to employ authentication mechanisms that ensure that only authorized nodes can inject traffic into the network. In this paper we present LHAP a scalable and light-weight authentication protocol for ad hoc networks. LHAP is based on two techniques: (i) hop-by-hop authentication for verifying the authenticity of all the packets transmitted in the network and (ii) one-way key chain and TESLA for packet authentication and for reducing the overhead for establishing trust among nodes. We analyze the security of LHAP and show LHAP is a lightweight security protocol through detailed performance analysis.
Electromyographic evaluation of a bed assistive device for abdominal surgery patients in postoperative care.

Objective: Muscle activity with and without the use of commercially available patient assistive devices during bed rising and lowering was quantified. Background: Limited research is available in understanding or evaluating the physical benefits of assistive devices for patient use following major abdominal surgery. Methods: Twenty healthy participants (9 men, 11 women) took part in a laboratory study to test the effects of device configuration (five levels) and bed elevation angle (0° and 30°) on mean and peak upper and lower rectus abdominis and external oblique concentric and eccentric muscle activity. Results: Reduced muscle activity was associated with the use of an assistive device, as compared with manual bed rising (unassisted). Positioning the devices at a higher anchor height and/or increasing the bed elevation angle further reduced muscle activity. Objective and subjective differences between the two assistive devices evaluated in the study were found. Conclusion: These results suggest that sel...
Mission-Aware Vulnerability Assessment for Cyber-Physical Systems

Designing secure cyber-physical systems (CPS) is fundamentally important and performing vulnerability assessment becomes indispensable. In this paper, we discuss our ongoing work on building an automated mission-aware vulnerability CPS assessment framework that can accomplish three objectives including i) mapping CPS missions into infrastructural components, ii) evaluating global impact of each vulnerability, and iii) achieving verifiable results and high flexibility. In order to accomplish these objectives, we follow a model-assisted analysis strategy. Specifically, we take advantage of CPS simulator to model the behaviors of CPS components under different missions, our framework facilitates a bottom-up approach to construct a holistic model of a CPS that aim at profiling relationships among all CPS components. Formal methods, including program symbolic execution, logic programming, and linear optimization, have been employed to analyze the model, which build mathematical rigor into our framework. The framework first identifies mission-critical components, then discovers all attack paths from system access points to mission-critical components, and finally recommends the optimized mitigation plan.
Winter Lake Breezes near the Great Salt Lake

Case studies of lake breezes during wintertime cold air pools in Utah’s Salt Lake Valley are examined. While summer breezes originating from the Great Salt Lake are typically deeper, of longer duration, and have higher wind speeds than winter breezes, the rate of inland penetration and cross-frontal temperature differences can be higher during the winter. The characteristics of winter breezes and the forcing mechanisms controlling them (e.g., snow cover, background flow, vertical stability profile, clouds, lake temperature, lake sheltering, and drainage pooling) are more complex and variable than those evident in summer. During the afternoon in the Salt Lake Valley, these lake breezes can lead to elevated pollution levels due to the transport of fine particle pollutants from over the Great Salt Lake, decreased vertical mixing depth, and increased vertical stability.
Bacteriophage Lambda Expression Systems for Enhanced Recombinant Protein Production

Expression systems based on bacteriophage lambda vectors provide a useful vehicle to achieve both high segregational stability and productivity in recombinant protein production. In lysogeny which involves integration of the lambda vector into the host chromosome, the stability of the product gene is 100% for at least 75 generations. In the lytic state, the lambda vector multiplies extrachromosomally to yield gene amplification and high product levels. The level of cloned gene product, β-galactosidase, was 15% of total cell protein in the mutant lytic state, a 60-fold amplification over that in the single-copy lysogenic state. By selecting a suitable lambda system, the recombinant product can be either retained in the cell or released into the extracellular medium.
Structural Analysis of Porphyrin Multilayer Films on ITO Assembled Using Copper(I)-Catalyzed Azide–Alkyne Cycloaddition by ATR IR

We report the use of grazing-angle attenuated total reflectance (GATR) IR and polarized UV–vis to determine the molecular structure of porphyrin based molecular multilayer films grown in a layer-by-layer (LbL) fashion using copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The molecular orientation and bonding motif present in multilayer films of this type could impact their photophysical and electrochemical properties as well as potential applications. Multilayer films of M(II) 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-ethynylphenyl)porphyrin (1 M = Zn, 2 M = Cu) and azido based linkers 3–5 were used to fabricate the films on ITO substrates. Electrochemically determined coverage of films containing 2 match the trends observed in the absorbance. GATR-IR spectral analysis of the films indicate that CuAAC reactivity is leading to 1,4-triazole linked multilayers with increasing porphyrin and linker IR characteristic peaks. Films grown using all azido-linkers (3–5) display an oscillating trend in azide IR intensity suggesting th...
Early life socioeconomic status and metabolic outcomes in adolescents: The role of implicit affect about one's family

OBJECTIVES Previous research suggests that the quality of early family relationships may moderate the association between lower socioeconomic status (SES) and cardiovascular and other health outcomes. In this study, we investigated how implicit measures of early childhood environments (implicit anger, fear, or warmth about one's family) interacted with early life SES to predict metabolic outcomes in a sample of healthy adolescents. METHOD Adolescents (N = 259) age 13 to 16 participated with 1 parent. Implicit family affect was measured with a computer-based implicit affect assessment tool. Early life SES was indexed by home crowding (e.g., number of people per bedroom) during the first 5 years of life. Metabolic indicators included resting blood pressure, total cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin, and waist circumference. RESULTS Early life SES significantly interacted with implicit negative family affect in resting systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure levels, such that among those participants with higher early life SES, as implicit negative family affect increased, resting blood pressure also increased. Similarly, early life SES interacted with implicit family warmth to predict total cholesterol levels, such that among those participants with higher early life SES, as implicit family warmth decreased, total cholesterol increased. These patterns were not observed with current SES or with explicit measures of family relationships. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide evidence that implicit family affect moderates the association between early life SES and adolescent metabolic outcomes in a way that suggests that implicit family affect may be more relevant among higher SES adolescents. The utility of implicit psychosocial measures in cardiovascular health studies, particularly for higher SES samples, is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
Relationship among base,objective and clinical trial design in development of new traditional Chinese medicine and natural drugs

The relationship was described among base,objective and clinical trial design in the development of new traditional Chinese medicine,and natural drugs in this paper.It will provide a reference for researchers to develop the type of drugs.
An Unplanned Journey into Higher Education

The editor, John Smart, has invited me to describe how I entered higher education as a field of study, highlighting major individuals and developments that shaped my career. In addition, he asked that I give my perspectives on how the field of higher education has evolved during my career and offer suggestions to current scholars about possible future developments. I am honored to have this opportunity and especially pleased to be the first woman to write an autobiographical essay in this series. As I collected my thoughts, I was struck first by how unplanned my career development has been; second, by how vastly different my story is from those of my esteemed male colleagues who have written articles in this series; and third, by the fact that I am the first writer in the group whose advanced degree was in higher education rather than in a traditional discipline.
Assessment of Sensory and Motor Function

The assessment of individuals with neurological deficits requires focused evaluation of the extent to which pathophysiology of cells or tissues is expressed as neurological impairment, as well as an understanding of the disabilities and limitations imposed by the sensory-motor losses (see Table 1) (National Institutes of Health, 1993; World Health Organization, 1980). This chapter provides an overview of the clinical evaluation of sensory motor system impairment and the pathology that points to the impairment underlying the disability. Furthermore, we discuss the combined effects of sensory-motor impairment on function as evaluated by gait. Limitations imposed by the environment are not the focus of this chapter.
Application of DORT to active sonar

Active sonar in shallow water is often reverberation-limited and the detectability is often limited by the presence of too many false alarms. The problem of improving detection, and classification, in shallow water is being worked on in several different ways. The time reversal operator decomposition (DORT) is a technique that has recently been applied to the problem of discriminating echoes in shallow water based on the different depths of the scatterers. DORT uses scattering data from a multiple source and multiple receiver sonar arrangement to separate scatterers that are resolvable by the source and receiver arrays. DORT is the application of the singular value decomposition of the frequency-domain data. This paper presents a derivation of DORT from the sonar equation. DORT is inherently a frequency-domain technique. In order to preserve range-resolution, the sonar equation is transformed into the time-frequency domain. With that representation, DORT can be applied to the frequency domain signal within a range resolution cell. Following the derivation of DORT from the sonar equation, numerical simulations are shown that demonstrate the depth resolution of a vertical line array of sources and receivers. Sufficient depth resolution is shown using few sources at frequencies near 500 Hz in water with a depth of 100 m. Problems that are encountered with the implementation of the technique are discussed. Target motion causes leakage of signal energy into several singular values. Motion of the source or receiver is shown to have little effect. The problems and constraints that arise from different multiplexing techniques, including frequency, code and time division, are shown. Results are shown with data taken on the Atlantic shelf, east of Cape May, NJ, during Geoclutter 03 and TREX-04 experiments
Free Semicircular Families in Free Product Banach \({*}\)-Algebras Induced by p-Adic Number Fields Over Primes p

In this paper, we study semicircular-like elements, semicircular elements and operators generated by these elements in a free product Banach \(*\) -algebra generated by measurable functions over p-adic number fields \(\mathbb { Q}_{p},\) over primes p.
Sense of Conservation: When Is a Black Rat Snake (Elaphe obsolete) Really Just a Snake?

This chapter focuses on taking into consideration the knowledge of the audience when developing a program. I describe a research project in which middle level students (ages 11–14) knowledge of local plants and animals was assessed. The findings indicated that students were aware of local flora and fauna, but used common names. For example, when asked to identify a black rat snake students identified the organism as black snake or snake. In the discussion, I argue that this is the starting point at which conservation educators must start in their program design. Educators must take into account the conservation related knowledge of the community in which they work. People form emotional bonds and are familiar with local places. Those local places include the ecosystems and organisms of the area. The bonds and familiarity that form between people and their local environments do not form because people know the scientific name of an organism. The bonds form with the local natural community because people have a sense of where they live. From this basic idea, I describe the characteristics of Sense of Conservation and correlate them with the notion that people have emotional bonds and strongly felt beliefs about local nature that influence the value they place on conservation.
Family/Community Issues in Policing

Family/community issues in policing refer to the way psychological sciences are or can be used to understand the manner in which police officers address domestic dilemmas in their own lives or in the lives of citizen suspects. The police officer responding to a domestic violence call must, in some way, play the role of a psychologist. Upon arriving at the scene of a domestic dispute, the officer must discriminate between conflicting stories, examine the psychological status of the victim, evaluate the potential dangerousness of the alleged offender, and provide support and comfort to the victim. Police officers may face civil liability for inappropriate responses if they are apathetic, respond untimely to 911 calls, failure to enforce a state statute, or if they are motivated by animus against women. The establishment of more informed and rigorous training programs for police officers is the most important step, when controlling or mediating domestic dispute situations. These initiatives should include mental health expertise conducted by police psychologists to aid officers in more effectively interfacing with victims of domestic violence. Legal and social resource availability, such as: (1) domestic violence shelters, (2) medical care, (3) counseling, and (4) escorted transportation and assistance in the removal of items from the victim's residence, are all powerful strategies that help ensure police immunity from civil liability, as well as provide much needed comfort force to victims of partner abuse.
Fürwitz: Curiosity or a Passion for Fashion?

»Der Furwitz«, a little-known shrovetide play by Hans Sachs, develops a surprising but logical connection between the concepts of curiosity and fashion. A superficial reading might conclude that this is a simple didactic play, a hackneyed depiction of vices like so many other works of the early modern period. But such an interpretation would certainly notice something odd about the play’s title. Any dictionary will say that Furwitz is curiosity, but what does this have to do with the vices described in the work? Why does this spirit of inquisitiveness tempt a young man to constantly change his wardrobe so that he will always be dressing in the latest styles? Why does the same urge that drove Eve to taste the forbidden fruit also entice the young man to invest in silver mining, to try a popular health treatment, or to decorate his manor house with stylish Italian architecture? Using the methods of a sociological word study, this article argues that curiosity and the passion for fashion can be seen as two manifestations of the same social and psychological pressures.
Oil-Price Strategies, Balance-of-Payments Constraints and Economic Growth

Abstract The present article reports on the characteristics and some of the simulation results of the INTERDEPENDENCE system of economic models developed by and under the sponsorship of the Italian oil company ENI, with the participation of Battelle-Geneva. The purpose of the INTERDEPENDENCE model is to assess (a) the impact of different oil price strategies on the oil-exporting countries, the major OECD countries and the world economy as a whole, and (b) implications of economic conditions and policies (growth, trade policies, monetary policies, exchange rates, etc.) in the major industrialized countries on the economies of the oil-exporting countries. The article, which reflects the opinions of the author and is not to be attributed to either ENI or Battelle, deals primarily with the balance-of-payments aspects of this interdependence.