cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Simple Model of Financial Epidemiology

Declining economic conditions over the past several years have identified a disturbing trend; more and more households in the US are being pushed to the brink of financial insolvency. Current legal and market protections (including, but not limited to the use of collateral and mortgage insurance, consumer credit counseling and bankruptcy protection) provide relief after financial distress occurs, but do nothing to prevent the likelihood of distress. Recent research argues that the use of preventive measures are superior to ex post measures, but can only be implemented with the help of predictive models to identify at risk households. This paper uses tools drawn from evolutionary game theory, economics and public health to create a simple model of â€œfinancial epidemiologyâ€ , which illustrates the role that social dynamics play in shaping household financial decisions. The model facilitates the prediction of financial insolvency by constructing phase diagrams which illustrate â€œtipping pointsâ€ beyond which households move down an inexorable path towards insolvency.
Characteristic Impedance of a Wide Slotline on Low-Permittivity Substrates (Short Paper)

Computed results on the characteristic impedance of wide slots etched on an electrically thin substrate of low dielectric constant epsilon/sub r/ are presented. These results combined with those in [1] provide design data for these slotlines. Curves are presented for epsilon/sub r/= 2.22, 3.0, 3.8, and 9.8. Comparison is shown for the characteristic impedance between the present calculations and those available in the literature for high-epsilon/sub r/ substrates. Empirical formulas, based on least-square curve fitting, are presented for the normalized slot wavelength lambda'/lambda/sub 0/ and the characteristic impedance Z/sub 0/ over the range 0.0015<=W/lambda/sub 0/<=1.0, 0.006<=d/lambda/sub 0/<=0.06, 2.22<=epsilon/sub r/<=9.8.
Effects of Training on Idea Generation in Groups

This study examined the effects of training and sequence of nominal and interactive groups on idea generation. Participants in groups of three or four were either trained in idea generation skills or were simply engaged in an equivalent amount of practice. They subsequently were asked to brainstorm in either an alone-to-group or a group-to-alone sequence. Training had a significant positive effect on the total number of ideas generated and average originality of ideas generated. The participants in the alone-to-group sequence generated a larger number of ideas than those in the group-to-alone sequence. These results indicate that training can increase both the quality and quantity of ideas generated in groups and that solitary idea generation prior to group brainstorming can be beneficial. These findings may be helpful to practitioners in enhancing the creativity of individuals in group work.
Flow and turbulence conditions in the wake of a H-section in cross flow

Abstract Both steady and unsteady wakes of a torsional aeroelastic wind energy converter are examined. The converter consists of a H-section prism with attached pendulums for adjusting the natural frequency of the system. To provide an understanding of the wake characteristics of the device, a particle image velocimetry system was used to measure the mean and fluctuating velocity fields from which various single-point statistics were calculated. For the steady case, wake profiles were obtained at angles of attack from −30° to +30° (at 5° intervals) with the H-section fixed at each angle. In the unsteady case, the H-section was free to vibrate due to flow–structure interaction and a torsional vibration was produced with angles of attack from −30° to +30°. Turbulent wake profiles obtained for the H-section at fixed angles of attack are compared with the oscillating cases and the differences between the various single-point turbulence velocity statistics are discussed. The presented results indicate that the overall dynamic wake deficit for the oscillating case is less than the static wake deficit. Furthermore, the dynamic wake deficit, which is about 20% of U∞ is dispersed across the entire section; whereas, the static wake is concentrated around the trailing edge side of the converter.
Structure of the European upper mantle revealed by adjoint tomography

The structure of the European crust and upper mantle is precisely known only in limited regions. A new tomographic model for the entire European upper mantle identifies northeastward subduction of the Adria plate beneath the Dinarides Mountains, volcanism related to the upwelling Eifel hotspot and mantle delamination beneath Scandinavia.
Single cell analysis demonstrating somatic mosaicism involving 11p in a patient with paternal isodisomy and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome

Partial isodisomy of 11p has been observed in some patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. In this study, we demonstrate somatic mosaicism directly through PCR and single cell analysis on blood lymphocytes from a patient with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Whole genome amplification was performed on single cells and the resultant product was subjected to locus specific microsatellite marker analysis using PCR. Two populations of cells were detected, a population of cells with normal biparental inheritance for chromosome 11 and a population of cells with partial paternal isodisomy of 11p between markers D11S922 (11p15.5) and D11S904 (11p14-p13). These results are consistent with somatic recombination resulting in mosaicism for paternal isodisomy. The use of single cell PCR is ideal for studying the distribution of mosaicism within and between tissues and has been used in this study to identify a cell line with uniparental disomy in a patient with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus virion-induced transcription activation of the ORF50 immediate-early promoter

Lytic cycle reactivation of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) can be initiated by transcription activation of the ORF50 immediate-early (IE) gene promoter (ORF50p). We provide evidence that KSHV virions stimulate transcription of ORF50p. Virion activation was resistant to UV inactivation and cycloheximide treatment. The virion-responsive element was mapped to core promoter region -150 to + 1 relative to the ORF50 initiation codon. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation suggest that KSHV virions indirectly alter the protein composition and chromatin modifications at ORF50p. These data suggest that KSHV virions possess an IE trans-inducing function similar to that observed in alpha- and betaherpesviruses.
Contrast Media Deaths

Ninety-two deaths resulting from the use of contrast media are described and analyzed together with 228 deaths reported earlier. Of these new deaths, 11 were associated with angiography, 28 with intravenous cholangiography and 53 with urography or C.T. The majority of deaths were associated with cardiac arrest or pulmonary oedema. The mode of death appears to be unrelated to the formulation of the contrast media. The suddenness of the demise and the organs affected suggest that a neurologic mechanism may be involved.
A moving-boundary model of biomass pyrolysis

Abstract A kinetics free model of macro-particle pyrolysis has been developed which considers the rate of heat transfer through a char layer as rate-controlling. The mathematical formulation treats pyrolysis as a moving-boundary phenomenon and is thus similar to problems encountered in phase-changes and reaction-diffusion processes in solids. The model has been applied to correlate temperature profiles in the pyrolysis zone of a moving-bed gasifier.
Quantum dynamics study of Li + HF reaction

We report rigorous quantum dynamics studies of the Li + HF reaction using the time-dependent wavepacket approach. The dynamics study is carried out on a recent ab initio potential energy surface, and state-selected reaction probabilities and cross sections are calculated up to 0.4 eV of collision energy. Many long-lived resonances (as long as 10 ps) at low collision energies (below 0.1 eV) are uncovered from the dynamics calculation. These long-lived resonances play a dominant role in the title reaction at low collision energies (below 0.1 eV). At higher energies, the direct reaction process becomes very important. The reaction probabilities from even rotational states exhibit a different energy dependence than those from odd rotational states. Our calculated integral cross section exhibits a broad maximum near the collision energy of 0.26 eV with small oscillations superimposed on the broad envelope which is reminiscent of the underlying resonance structures in reaction probabilities. The energy dependence of the present CS cross section is qualitatively different from the simple J-shifting approximation, in which a monotonic increase of cross section with collision energy was obtained.
Ruthenium endemic isotope effects in chondrites and differentiated meteorites

We report on the abundances of Ru isotopes in (1) iron meteorites, (2) stony-iron meteorites (pallasites), (3) ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites, and (4) in refractory inclusions from the carbonaceous meteorite Allende. We have developed improved Multiple-Collector, Negative-ion Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometric (MC-NTIMS) techniques for Ru, with high ionization efficiency of 4% and with chemical separation techniques for Ru, which reduce mass interferences to the ppm level, so that no mass interference corrections needed to be applied. Our data were normalized to ^(99)Ru/^(101)Ru to correct for mass-dependent fractionation. We find no Ru isotopic effects in the ordinary chondrites and group IAB iron meteorites we have measured. There are significant effects (deficits) in the pure s-process nuclide ^(100)Ru, in the Allende whole-rock and in refractory inclusions of up to 1.7 parts in 10,000 (eu). There are also endemic deficits in ^(100)Ru in iron meteorites and in pallasites of up to 1.1 eu. The Ru data suggest a wide spread and large scale heterogeneity in p-, s-, and r-process components resulting in a deficit in s-process nuclides or enhancements in both p- and r-process nuclides, in refractory siderophiles condensing in the early solar nebula. In contrast, the data on bulk Murchison suggest an excess in ^(100)Ru and in ^(104)Ru, which are distinct from the rest of the measured patterns. Our results establish the presence of significant isotopic heterogeneity for Ru in the early solar nebula. The observation of endemic Ru effects in planetary differentiates, such as iron meteorites and pallasites, must reflect the siderophile nature of Ru and the preservation in condensing FeNi metal of refractory metal condensate grains formed in the early solar nebula. Once incorporated in the metal phase, the refractory siderophiles remained in the metal phase through the melting and differentiation of planetesimals to form FeNi cores and silicate mantles and crusts.
Fundamental studies of hydrocarbon conversions over supported bimetallic catalysts

99 INTRODUCTION 100 EXPERIMENTAL 110 RESULTS 116 Background 116 C-H. on SiOp 119 CgH^ on Pt/SiOg 123 DISCUSSION 144 CONCLUSION 151 ACKNOWLEDGMENT 153
Mid-infrared extraordinary transmission through Ga-doped ZnO films with 2D hole arrays

Extraordinary optical transmission (EOT), through highly conductive ZnO films with sub-wavelength hole arrays is investigated in the long-wavelength infrared regime. EOT is facilitated by the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on Ga-Doped ZnO films and can be tuned utilizing the physical parameters such as film thickness, period, hole size, and hole shape, as well as doping of the film. Analytical and finite-difference time-domain calculations are completed for 1 micron thick films with square, circular, and triangular hole arrays demonstrating SPP coupling and EOT. The fundamental plasmonic modes are observed in each of these hole shapes at wavelengths that correspond to strong EOT peaks. Doping tunability for these structures is also observed. Ga-doped ZnO films are grown via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on silicon with plasma frequencies in the near-infrared. The sub-wavelength 2D hole arrays are fabricated in the Ga-doped ZnO films via standard lithography and etching processes. This highly conductive ZnO EOT structure may prove useful in novel integrated components such as tunable biosensors or surface plasmon coupling mechanisms.
In-beam study of174Lu isomers

Levels in174Lu have been investigated using the176Yb(p,3n) reaction. Prompt and delayedγ-ray spectra have been observed with a 0.56-cm3 Ge(Li) detector by a multispectrum analysis method. The half-life and decay mode of two isomeric levels, one at 240.8keV (395±15ns) and the other at 365.1keV (145±3ns) have been firmly established. Hindrance factors are discussed. New delayed transitions in175Lu are also noted.
Studies on Avian Fat Composition 1. Effect of Dietary Fat on the Fatty Acids of the Triglyceride and Phospholipid Fractions of the Blood Plasma and Adipose Tissue Lipids of the Laying Hen

Abstract THE fatty acid composition of body fats is primarily influenced by dietary fatty acids and results from highly specific and controlled metabolic reactions which not only concern the influence of one fatty acid on the distribution of other fatty acids, but also the position of the fatty acids on the glycerol molecule according to Barbour (1933) and Tove (1960). Animal fats may contain more than 35 fatty acids as was reported by Insull and Ahrens (1959), but six usually comprise more than 90% of the fatty acid composition of animal depot fats. The acids are myristic, palmitic, and stearic of the saturated acid series, and palmitoleic, oleic, and linoleic of the unsaturated series. The relative constancy of the fatty acid composition of ruminant fat as reported by Shorland (1950), resulted in the theory that the nature of the dietary fats did not appreciably modify the depot fats, however, most animals,…
An n -dimensional Clough-Tocher interpolant

We consider the problem of C1 interpolation to data given at the vertices and mid-edge points of a tessellation in Rn. The given data are positional and gradient information at the vertices, together with the gradient at the mid-edge points. By subdividing eachn-simplex in an appropriate way, we show how to solve the interpolation problem using piecewise cubic polynomials. The subdivision process is the key to the method and is inductive in nature. It is systematically built up from the two-dimensional case where a variant of the well-known Clough-Tocher element is used.
Maybe a new killer in illicit cocaine

Abstract This is the study of the author that refers about a case of a 46 years old man found dead inside his house, the death was related to cocaine intake. The police found the corpse laying in his bed with a sheet of newspaper rolled up and a few plastic coverings containing trace of cocaine on the desk. Toxicological analysis was performed and drug levels measured by means of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technology. Based on the autopsy findings and toxicological results the cause of death was related to an acute intoxication due to cocaine “overdose”. In addition to the presence of cocaine and smaller alkaloids, in the sheet made of newspaper rolled up and eluted of the nasal mucosas has been highlighted the presence of 2,6-disopropylnaphtalene (2,6-DIPN), a fungicidal pesticide very health hazard for human. A very easy, simple and selective gas chromatography mass spectrometry method was employed for the detection of 2,6-DIPN in the cocaine powder.
College algebra drills or applications

ABSTRACT Francis Marion University has been teaching college algebra since the school's establishment in the early 1970s. We tried an experiment using applications and projects to motivate the college algebra. Our students had many positive comments about the experience. In this article, we give a few illustrative examples of the applications/projects used and share some student comments. Based on the overall positive experience, two new freshman algebra courses were added using modeling and problem solving as their framework.
Implementation of HACCP and prerequisite programs in school foodservice

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to determine food safety procedures and practices related to the hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) program and prerequisite program implementation in school foodservice. Design This descriptive study used a mailed questionnaire to determine procedures and practices related to HACCP and prerequisite programs implemented in schools. Demographic questions related to school foodservice directors and districts were included. Subjects/settings The questionnaire was mailed to a national random sample of 600 district school foodservice directors, all 536 district school foodservice directors in Iowa, and 33 directors of school districts known to have centralized foodservice systems. Statistical analyses Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. Principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation identified underlying factors for HACCP procedures and practices items. Cronbach's alpha determined reliability for items within a factor. Multiple linear regression determined relationships among variables, and independent t tests were used to compare centralized and conventional foodservice systems. Results Of 1,169 questionnaires mailed, 414 school foodservice directors responded (35.4% response rate). HACCP programs were implemented in 22% of school districts. Two thirds of the directors had food safety certification. Centralized systems implemented more food safety procedures (21.4±5.6, 20.4±5.1, P=.04) and practices (26.1±3.5, 24.8±4.5, P=.002) than did conventional systems. Having one or more employees with primary responsibility for food safety resulted in a higher number of procedures and practices implemented (P=.031). Applications/conclusions School districts need to implement prerequisite programs so that they are ready for HACCP implementation. There are opportunities for dietitians to provide consulting, training, and technical assistance to schools on HACCP implementation. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103:55-60.
Politics and the Roma in state-socialist Eastern Europe

Abstract This article is a comparative analysis of state-socialist policies towards the East European Gypsies (Roma). I make two related arguments. First, the Gypsy policies of East European states evolved differently and resulted in considerable variation. Second, notwithstanding the state-socialist social control policies, a measure of independent Romani activism did emerge laying the groundwork for post-socialist Gypsy mobilization.
Taking Tilly south: durable inequalities, democratic contestation, and citizenship in the Southern Metropolis

Drawing on Charles Tilly’s work on inequality, democracy and cities, we explore the local level dynamics of democratization across urban settings in India, South Africa, and Brazil. In all three cases, democratic institutions are consolidated, but there is tremendous variation in the quality of the democratic relationship between cities and their citizens. We follow Tilly’s focus on citizenship as the key element in democratization and argue that explaining variance across our three cases calls for analyzing patterns of inequality through the kind of relational lens used by Tilly and recognizing that patterns of contestation are shaped by shifting political relationships between the nation and the city. We conclude that Tilly’s theoretical frame is nicely sustained by the comparative analysis of cases very different from those that stimulated his original formulations.
Multi-scale meteorological conceptual analysis of observed active fire hotspot activity and smoke optical depth in the Maritime Continent

Abstract. Much research and speculation exists about the meteorological and climatological impacts of biomass burning in the Maritime Continent (MC) of Indonesia and Malaysia, particularly during El Nino events. However, the MC hosts some of the world's most complicated meteorology, and we wish to understand how tropical phenomena at a range of scales influence observed burning activity. Using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived active fire hotspot patterns coupled with aerosol data assimilation products, satellite based precipitation, and meteorological indices, the meteorological context of observed fire prevalence and smoke optical depth in the MC are examined. Relationships of burning and smoke transport to such meteorological and climatic factors as the interannual El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), El Nino Modoki, Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), the seasonal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, the 30–90 day Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO), tropical waves, tropical cyclone activity, and diurnal convection were investigated. A conceptual model of how all of the differing meteorological scales affect fire activity is presented. Each island and its internal geography have different sensitivities to these factors which are likely relatable to precipitation patterns and land use practices. At the broadest scales as previously reported, we corroborate ENSO is indeed the largest factor. However, burning is also enhanced by periods of El Nino Modoki. Conversely, IOD influences are unclear. While interannual phenomena correlate to total seasonal burning, the MJO largely controls when visible burning occurs. High frequency phenomena which are poorly constrained in models such as diurnal convection and tropical cyclone activity also have an impact which cannot be ignored. Finally, we emphasize that these phenomena not only influence burning, but also the observability of burning, further complicating our ability to assign reasonable emissions.
Connective stability of large-scale stochastic systems†

The procedure of decomposition-aggregation analysis reported by Siljak (1973) and Grujic and Siljak (1973) has been used in a study of the connective-stability aspects of large-scale stochastic systems. An investigation is conducted of the tolerance of a system of interconnected deterministic subsystems to both deterministic and stochastic interactions. The connective stability in the mean is considered and the connective property of stability is defined. The defined concept is included in a modification of the comparison theorem described by Ladde (1975). Attention is also given to a derivation of the sufficient conditions for the connective stability in the mean.
Monitoring the radiation damage of the ATLAS pixel detector

Abstract The pixel detector is the innermost charged particle tracking component employed by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The instantaneous luminosity delivered by the LHC, now routinely in excess of 5 × 10 33 cm − 2 s − 1 , results in a rapidly increasing accumulated radiation dose to the detector. Methods based on the sensor depletion properties and leakage current are used to monitor the evolution of the radiation damage, and results from the 2011 run are presented.
Effects of sex and age on manganese metabolism in rats.

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effects of growth or differences in sex on Mn metabolism of rats fed diets deficient or adequate in Mn. Weanling male and female rats were fed diets containing less than 1 mg Mn/kg (MnD) or 47 mg Mn/kg diet (MnS). Four weeks before they were killed, at ages of 7, 11, and 15 weeks, each rat was fed a test meal containing 54 Mn. Absorption and excretion of 54 Mn were determined by measuring whole body retention of 54 Mn for four weeks using a small animal whole body counter. Animals were killed after a 20 hour fast. Tissue Mn and activity of liver arginase (LA) and heart manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) were measured. Rats fed MnS absorbed less and excreted more Mn than those fed MnD. Dietary deficiency of Mn markedly decreased (3 to 4 times) femur or liver. Mn concentration, plasma cholesterol and LA and SOD activity were decreased by Mn deficiency, but cholesterol and LA were not affected by sex or age of the rats. Male rats accumulated and utilized more Mn than did female rats by decreasing the rate of Mn excretion. Older rats absorbed less Mn and excreted Mn more slowly than younger rats. Changes in femur Mn with age did not vary with sex or amount of dietary Mn. Female rats were as vulnerable as males to the effects of Mn deficiency.
Dominant-negative p53 mutations in rheumatoid arthritis

Objective Studies were performed to determine if p53 mutations identified in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial tissue are dominant negative. Methods Site-directed mutagenesis was used to produce 2 RA-derived mutants: asparagineserine at codon 239 (N239S) and argininestop at codon 213 (R213*). HS68 dermal fibroblasts were transfected with either empty vector, wild-type p53 cDNA (wt), or the N239S or R213* mutant p53 cDNA clones. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and bax gene expression were determined by Northern blot analysis. Bax transcription was determined using a bax promoter/reporter gene construct (bax–luc). Results Transfection of HS68 cells with wt increased bax mRNA levels. This process was blocked by cotransfection with either mutant. The mutant p53 genes also increased IL-6 gene expression. Low levels of bax promoter activity were detected in HS68 cells cotransfected with bax–luc and empty vector, N239S, or R213*, indicating that the RA mutants lacked transcriptional activity. Transfection with wt and bax–luc led to a 10-fold increase in luciferase expression. When the wt gene was cotransfected with either of the mutants, there was a dose-dependent inhibition of bax promoter activity. Conclusion These data indicate that at least 2 of the p53 mutants identified in RA joint samples are dominant negative and suppress endogenous wild-type p53 function.
Development of hepatic and adipose tissue lipogenesis in the fa/fa rat.

Abstract 1. 1. Lipogenesis was studied in carbohydrate-fed obese (fa/fa) and non-obese (non-fa/fa) Zucker rats from 3–10 weeks of age. 2. 2. Hepatic and epididymal fat pad activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.44), malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40), citrate cleavage enzyme (EC 4.1.3.8), and fatty acid synthetase were generally higher among the fa/fa rats than the non-fa/fa rats by 4 weeks of age. 3. 3. Peak enzymatic activities in both tissues were observed at 4–6 weeks of age. In adipose tissue, these activities were similar in both phenotypes by 10 weeks of age. 4. 4. Hepatic rates of fatty acid synthesis were elevated by 4 weeks of age among the fa/fa rats and remained higher than non-fa/fa values. Adipose tissue fatty acid synthesis was elevated by 4 weeks, but by 10 weeks of age fa/fa and non-fa/fa values were similar. 5. 5. Although elevated lipogenesis occurs very early in the development of obesity, it does not precede reported increases in body composition.
Development of boundary curves, time-ratio curves and rocker swing-angle curves

Abstract The paper presents a simple analytical method of obtaining the boundary curves, time-ratio curves and rocker swing-angles of a four-bar mechanism. These curves are very helpful in the design of such mechanisms. The results concur with those of Eschenbach [1] who obtained them by a different method.
A SCENARIO STUDY FOR IMPROVING COST-EFFECTIVENESS IN ACOUSTIC TIME-REVERSAL SOURCE RELOCATION IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Through finite difference time domain (FDTD) numerical simulation, we have studied the possible observation settings to improve the cost effectiveness in time-reversal (TR) source relocation in a two-dimensional (2D) urban setting under a number of typical scenarios. All scenario studies were based on the FDTD computation of the acoustic wave field resulted from an impulse source, propagated through an artificial village composed of 15 buildings and a set of sources and receivers, a typical urban setting has been extensively analyzed in previous studies. The FDTD numerical modeling code can be executed on an off-the-shelf graphic processor unit (GPU) that increases the speed of the time-reversal calculations by a factor of 200. With this approach the computational results lead to some significant conclusions. In general, using only one non-line-of-sight (NLOS) single receiver is not enough to do a quality work to re-locate the source via time-reversal. This is particularly true when there are more than one path between the source and this receiver with similar wave energy travel time. However, when the single sensor is located in an acoustic channel, reverberation inside the waveguide may increase the effective aperture of the single receiver enough to give a good location. It is equivalent to say that the waveguide and the single receiver form a "virtual array". It appears that a sensor array with a minimum number of three receivers might be the most cost-effective way to carry out TR source relocation in an urban environment. The most optimal geometry of a sensor array with a minimum number of three receivers could be an equal side-length triangle. Simple analysis showed that by this setup it is possible to catch sound sources from almost all possible azimuths. Effective source relocation essentially depends on the geometry, relativity to the scatters, etc. of the sensing array. Generally, adding another single sensor relatively far away from the main array will not improve the results. It is practically useful and achievable to have a sensor array mounted on the outside of a single building, and in these cases successful source relocations were obtained. As stated by the fundamental TR theory, increasing the number of scatters, here, increasing the number of buildings will definitely be helpful to increase the effectiveness of TR source relocation.
A Theory of Transitions

This note offers three complementary comments on Sun Liping's essay, which appears in this issue. (1) The transition process China followed was indeed a unique path, but it is equally useful to distinguish among the divergent trajectories Eastern and Central European countries entered after the fall of communism. There are therefore three, rather than just two, trajectories leading out of socialism. (2) Nevertheless, there is evidence of some convergence among these trajectories during the past ten or so years. (3) Sun Liping concludes his article with a call for a sociology of practice. He recommends a focus on strategies of common people rather than elites. This is especially useful for the study of early stages of transitions, but with privatization of the publicly owned corporate sector, inter-elite struggle plays an increasing role in all former socialist societies.
Serum luteinizing hormone, testosterone, prolactin and cortisol concentrations after PGF2 alpha in the boar.

The effect of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) on serum luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), prolactin (PRL) and cortisol (CS) was studied in the boar. Indwelling cannulae were placed nonsurgically in the jugular vein of six 8 to 9 month-old boars weighing 130 to 160 kilograms. Twenty-four hr after cannulation, blood samples were collected every 30 min from 0630 to 1830 hours. Immediately after the second blood sample (0700 hr) three boars were injected intramuscularly (IM) with 20 mg PGF2 alpha and three boars were injected IM with saline (C). Serum concentrations of LH, T, PRL and CS were quantitated by radioimmunoassay. Serum LH and T concentrations were similar for the PGF2 alpha and C boars throughout the sampling period. In contrast, PRL and CS increased from basal concentrations (mean +/- SE) of 2.1 +/- .1 ng/ml and 24.0 +/- .9 ng/ml to 11.6 +/- .3 ng/ml and 86.9 +/- 9.8 ng/ml, respectively, within 30 min after PGF2 alpha injections and then decreased to control levels over the next 2.0 to 2.5 hours.
A rational approach to the design of highly effective chiral stationary phases for the liquid chromatographic separation of enantiomers

The design and rationale of some novel chiral stationary phases (CSPs) are discussed with respect to methods for determining enantiomeric purity, absolute configuration and for obtaining enantiomerically pure materials by liquid chromatography. The commercially-available dinitrobenzoylamino CSP type 1 is discussed with respect to the chiral recognition mechanisms which may operate in the resolution of some polycyclic and heterocyclic aromatic molecules and some benzodiazepines. N-Acyl alpha-arylalkylamines are also employed as models to formulate mechanisms for the chiral properties of type 1 CSPs in terms of enantiomeric stacking of the most stable conformations in solution. The properties of new types of 'reciprocal' CSPs are discussed and illustrated by enantiomeric separation of some amino acid and amino phosphoric acid derivatives, and by the separation of the following enantiomeric drugs as their 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl derivatives: metoprolol, oxoprenolol, ephedrine and alprenolol.
In vivo diffusion tensor imaging of rat spinal cord with echo planar imaging.

The in vivo apparent diffusion tensor (ADT) of spinal cord was measured in nine rats at 2.0 T using an interleaved multi-shot echo planar imaging (EPI) diffusion sequence. A technique that combines sliding acquisition and phase correction, based on a calibration scan, to reduce ghosting artifacts in the images introduced by the strong diffusion-sensitizing gradients was described. Two rotationally invariant parameters, the trace (actually trace/3, to be consistent with the published values) and the lattice anisotropy index (LAI) were estimated from the ADT. In in vivo cords, the mean white matter (WM) trace value (1.05 +/- 0.13 x 10(-3) mm(2)/sec) was found to be significantly higher than the gray matter (GM) trace (0. 84 +/- 0.12 x 10(-3) mm(2)/sec, p < 0.0025). Significant anisotropic diffusion was observed in both WM and GM, with greater anisotropy in the WM (LAI=0.59 +/- 0.04) than in the GM (LAI=0.47 +/- 0.06, p < 0. 0001). These results are in agreement with the in vivo values determined using the conventional spin-echo sequence. Magn Reson Med 42:300-306, 1999.
Restrictions and extensions of potentials of Hp distributions

Abstract In this note we consider extensions and restrictions of anisotropic classes of distributions which include the usual global or homogeneous Lipschitz classes Λ(B, X) as well as the Sobolev classes L α p . The novelty of our approach is that our results remain valid for all values of p (0 α = 1 p .
Effect of Neurofeedback on Variables of Attention in a Large Multi-Center Trial

Abstract Background: Neurofeedback studies have been criticized for including small numbers of subjects. The effect of SMR-beta neuro-feedback training on the Test of Variables of Attention was evaluated in more than 1,000 subjects from thirty-two clinics. Methods: 1089 subjects (726 children, 324 females, 186 with ADHD or ADD diagnoses) underwent twenty or more sessions of SMR-beta neurofeedback training for attentional and behavioral complaints at thirty-two clinical settings affiliated with EEG Spectrum, Inc. Subjects were evaluated prior to training and at training completion. One hundred and fifty-seven subjects who elected extensive training (forty sessions or more) were tested after both twenty and forty training sessions. Results: Neurofeedback training produced significant improvement in attentiveness, impulse control, and response variability. Significant clinical improvement in one or more measures was seen in eighty-five percent of those subjects with moderate pre-training deficits. Conclusion...
Structure of Attention in Children with Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common cause of disability among children in the United States, and attention deficits are frequently observed in both the acute and chronic phases of injury. The current study investigated models of attention in children with TBI and examined differential sensitivity of various components of these attention models to the severity of the brain injury. Participants included 151 children and adolescents (mean age 12.9 years, SD = 2.6) who had suffered TBI, and 50 normal controls (mean age 12.5 years old, SD = 2.2). All children were administered neuropsychological tests of attention as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological battery for brain injury (TBI group) or for the purposes of the current investigation (normal controls). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the attention tests indicated that a four-factor model of attention composed of Shift, Focus, Encode, and Sustain factors provided the best fit of the TBI group data. Factor scores were subsequently created an...
Different Religions, Different Politics? Religion and Political Attitudes in Argentina and Chile

Various theories attempt to explain political outcomes. One of the most bitterly contested schools of explanation deals with culture, attitudes, and values. In the broadest sense, this tradition argues that political and social outcomes are determined in large part by the shared beliefs and values of the populace or a subgroup thereof. Thus, Stephen White (1984) has defined political culture as “historically formed beliefs and behavior,” recognizing that one's political attitudes and behavior are usually formed by inherited values as well as life experience. Moreover, scholars of political culture expect continuity of values over time and therefore are intrigued by cases of changing beliefs and attitudes. Thus, the explosive growth of evangelical and Pentecostal Protestantism in Latin America, where Protestants have grown from a handful to 20–30 percent of the population in a single generation, provides a unique opportunity for study. This rapid shift to Protestantism and its consequences for democracy have been fiercely debated in recent years. Max Weber's Protestant ethic thesis suggests that Protestantism may provide a catalyst for the establishment of democratic norms. However, many contemporary scholars argue that evangelical Protestantism is conservative, authoritarian, and politically passive. Do different religions result in different political attitudes? Does religious devotion, as distinguished from denomination, affect one's politics? This article evaluates political attitudes among Protestants and Catholics in Argentina and Chile to examine the claims of recent political culture arguments that modern Latin American Protestantism is resistant to democratic values. Survey data indicate that religious intensity (“devout-ness”), rather than religious affiliation, does influence political attitudes, and that demographic and political engagement variables also influence democratic values.
PSI-BLAST pseudocounts and the minimum description length principle

Position specific score matrices (PSSMs) are derived from multiple sequence alignments to aid in the recognition of distant protein sequence relationships. The PSI-BLAST protein database search program derives the column scores of its PSSMs with the aid of pseudocounts, added to the observed amino acid counts in a multiple alignment column. In the absence of theory, the number of pseudocounts used has been a completely empirical parameter. This article argues that the minimum description length principle can motivate the choice of this parameter. Specifically, for realistic alignments, the principle supports the practice of using a number of pseudocounts essentially independent of alignment size. However, it also implies that more highly conserved columns should use fewer pseudocounts, increasing the inter-column contrast of the implied PSSMs. A new method for calculating pseudocounts that significantly improves PSI-BLAST's; retrieval accuracy is now employed by default.
Jonathan Lazar. Web Usability: A User-Centered Design Approach

Web Usability: A User-Centered Design Approach is a comprehensive and practical look at usability and the user-centered approach within the Web domain. The book consists of 11 chapters and four tho...
Intussusception and Oral Poliovirus Vaccination: Is There an Association?

Oral rotavirus vaccine was voluntarily withdrawn from the market after studies observed an increased risk of intussusception within 2 weeks after immunization. Concern has been raised that other orally administered vaccines, such as oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), may also be associated with intussusception. In this 1990-1998 case-control study, the authors examined the association between OPV and intussusception in the Washington State Medicaid population, evaluating receipt of OPV during the month prior to intussusception among 119 cases and 589 controls matched by date of birth. Analysis was conducted via matched conditional logistic regression, controlling for sex. Between 1990 and 1998, 119 children younger than age 2 years had a therapeutic enema, surgical reduction, or hospitalization for intussusception and had been enrolled in Medicaid for at least 1 month prior to their intussusception date. There was no significantly elevated risk of intussusception associated with receipt of OPV; 9.2% (11/119) of cases and 8.5% (50/589) of controls were given OPV 0-28 days prior to the case's intussusception date (odds ratio=1.1, 95% confidence interval: 0.5, 2.2). However, to address the hypothesis that risk of intussusception is related to receipt of a particular dose of OPV, a larger study would be required.
Direct Monte Carlo simulation of the ocean surface

Various elements of the ocean surface can focus or defocus light working as the lenses. In the latter case an underwater object can be hidden. When the ocean surface is focusing light, a strong return signal can be detected and misinterpreted as the underwater object at a given depth. Therefore, modeling the electromagnetic wave scattering on the ocean surface requires a mathematical model of a random ocean surface with statistical properties satisfying the experimental data. The main statistical characteristics are the surface spectrum, and probability distribution functions (PDF) of elevations and slopes. Several approaches have been proposed to model the random surface for lidar scattering applications, D.V. Vlasov et al. (1985), G.M. Krekov et al. (1998) and C. Cox et al. (1954). The main disadvantages of these approaches are that they do not simultaneously satisfy several surface statistical characteristics. This problem was overcome by V.V. Tatarskii et al. (1997). This approach is very convenient for analytical calculations of scattering. However, its major drawback is that the generated surface is not ergodic. The present paper gives a new method to generate a random surface with given elevation PDF and slope PDF. The generated surface is used to simulate lidar scattering for different wind speeds.
CMOS-Compatible All-Si High-Speed Waveguide Photodiodes With High Responsivity in Near-Infrared Communication Band

Submicrometer silicon photodiode waveguides, fabricated on silicon-on-insulator substrates, have photoresponse from <1270 to 1740 nm (0.8 AW-1 at 1550 nm) and a 3-dB bandwidth of 10 to 20 GHz. The p-i-n photodiode waveguide consists of an intrinsic waveguide 500times250 nm where the optical mode is confined and two thin, 50-nm-thick, doped Si wings that extend 5 mum out from either side of the waveguide. The Si wings, which are doped one p-type and the other n-type, make electric contact to the waveguide with minimal effect on the optical mode. The edges of the wings are metalized to increase electrical conductivity. Ion implantation of Si+ 1times10 13 cm-2 at 190 keV into the waveguide increases the optical absorption from 2-3 dBmiddotcm-1 to 200-100 dBmiddotcm-1 and causes the generation of a photocurrent when the waveguide is illuminated with subbandgap radiation. The diodes are not damaged by annealing to 450 degC for 15 s or 300 degC for 15 min. The photoresponse and thermal stability is believed due to an oxygen stabilized divacancy complex formed during ion implantation
Determinants of Restaurant Employees’ Technology Use Intention: Validating Technology Acceptance Model with External Factors via Structural Equation Model

The study aims to examine if the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) works for restaurant operations in using computing systems. In addition, we pursued other external variables, not included in the original TAM, to see how they affect perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intention to use. These included user characteristics, system quality and organizational support. The survey collected data from restaurants in Kentucky, and the response rate was 25% based on the total contacts eligible. SPSS 15.0 and AMOS 7.0 were used for the data analysis. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was the primary analysis used to examine the proposed hypotheses developed in fulfilling the study objectives. The SEM statistics supported all the proposed hypotheses but one. The SEM results were interpreted relative to industry implications.
Positive feedback between microclimate and shrub encroachment in the northern Chihuahuan desert

Woody plant encroachment is affecting vegetation composition in arid grasslands worldwide and has been associated with a number of environmental drivers and feedbacks. It has been argued that the relatively abrupt character (both in space and in time) of grassland-to-shrubland transitions observed in many drylands around the world might result from positive feedbacks in the underlying ecosystem dynamics. In the case of the Chihuahuan Desert, we show that one such feedback could emerge from interactions between vegetation and microclimate conditions. Shrub establishment modifies surface energy fluxes, causing an increase in nighttime air temperature, particularly during wintertime. The resulting change in winter air temperature regime is important because the northern limit of the dominant shrub in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, Larrea tridentata, presently occurs where minimum temperatures are sufficiently low to be a potential source of mortality. Using freezing responses from published studies in combination with observed temperature records, we predict that a small warming can yield meaningful changes in plant function and survival. Moreover, we also suggest that the effect of the change in air temperature on vegetation depends on whether plants experience drought during winter. Thus, in the Chihuahuan region a positive feedback exists between shrub encroachment and changes in microclimate conditions, with implications for the response of this ecosystem to regional changes in temperature and precipitation.
Insertion loads and forearm muscle activity during flexible hose insertion tasks.

Objective: To quantify the physical demands of hose insertion tasks in automotive assembly operations and how they are affected by method and the mechanical interference between the hose and the flange. Background: Insertion tasks were identified by workers as physically demanding and can often lead to fatigue or losses in production attributable to pain or injury. Methods: Six male and 6 female participants pushed a 25.4-mm flexible rubber hose onto a stationary flange during simulated insertions. Three insertion methods — rock, straight, and twist — were examined in the study. Muscle activity of the finger flexors was recorded to estimate grip effort during the simulated insertions. Results: The twist method (114.8 N) resulted in a 26% reduction in axial force compared with the straight method (155.7 N). Average muscle activity ranged from a low of 14% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC; men, straight method) to a high of 67% MVC (women, twist method). Hose resultant forces ranged from a low of 52.2 N t...