cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advanced bipolar transistor modeling: process and device simulation tools for today's technology

A series of programs have been developed and linked together for doing advanced transistor modeling. The strategy begins with a process modeling program, SAFEPRO, for predicting two-dimensional impurity profiles. These are input to a two-dimensional device physics modeling program, 2DP, for generating device electrical characteristics. A three-dimensional distributed device model is then assembled by a model generator program (MGP) which, in turn, is used to derive a lumped equivalent-circuit model for numerical circuit analysis. The tools make it possible to do process sensitivity studies, perform process and device optimization, and provide early feedback on technology performance. The approach has recently been used to examine and compare various technologies at IBM.
Effect of microheterogeneity on the sedimentation behavior of self-associating proteins.

Abstract The effect of microheterogeneity on the sedimentation behavior of self-associating proteins has been examined theoretically with particular reference to rapidly equilibrating tetramerization reactions. Scieral models of microheterogeneity have been considered. Each one exhibits a sedimentation behavior departing substantially from that expected of homogeneous systems. It is anticipated that the results may be helpful for interpreting the sedimentation patterns of self-associating proteins when the patterns cannot be analyzed in terms of the Gilbert theory.
Thermodynamic Entropy and Its Relation to Probability in Classical Mechanics

A gas relaxing into equilibrium is often taken to be a process in which a system moves from an “improbable” to a “probable” state. Given that the thermodynamic entropy increases during such a process, it is natural to conjecture that the thermodynamic entropy is a measure of the probability of a macrostate. For nonideal classical gases, however, I claim that there is no clear sense in which the thermodynamic entropy of a macrostate measures its probability. We must therefore reject the idea that (in classical mechanics) thermodynamic entropy and probability are connected in a deep and general way.
How trade-related are intellectual property rights?

Abstract There is little empirical evidence about whether differing international levels of patent protection influence trade flows. If a nation strengthens its patent laws it could experience higher or lower imports. We specify an empirical model in which deviations of bilateral sectoral imports from anticipated levels are related to income, trade barriers, and patent laws. Patent regulations in the importing country are corrected for endogeneity through the use of instrumental variables. The results of the final equations indicate that increasing patent protection has a positive impact on bilateral manufacturing imports into both small and large developing economies.
Cell proliferation and displacement in the adrenal cortex of young rats injected with tritiated thymidine.

The origin and fate of cells within the growing adrenal cortex have been studied autoradiographycally in young rats injected with thymidine-H3 and sacrificed at intervals between one hour and ten weeks after injection. Cell proliferation (DNA synthesis and mitosis) was greatest in the zona glomerulosa, dropped off progressively deeper in the cortex, and was negligible in the inner fasciculata and reticularis. The shorter cell generation times in the glomerulosa, compared to the other zones, were due mainly to a decrease in duration of the G1 period of the cell proliferative cycle, although a slight diminution in the length of G2 + mitosis was also detected. The average duration of DNA synthesis was not appreciably modified. Growth of the cortex was achieved through peripheral addition of new cells produced by mitosis in the outermost regions of the gland. As the cortex thickened, some labeled cells within these outer layers were gradually displaced to progressively greater distances from the medullary surface. Since these cells remained within the zone of rapid proliferation, they continued to divide, thereby diluting their radioactivity. Other labeled cells were gradually displaced out of the proliferative regions towards the medullary surface, and into zones which did not support cell division (inner fasciculata and reticularis). In consequence, heavily labeled cells were ultimately restricted to the innermost zones. It was suggested that as cells are displaced within the growing adrenal cortex they encounter changing microenvironments which influence not only proliferative activity, but presumably enzymatic pathways of steroid synthesis as well.
Discrimination of lesion removal of N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase revealed by a potent neutralizing monoclonal antibody

N-Methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG), a ubiquitous DNA repair enzyme, initiates excision repair of several N-alkylpurine adducts, induced by alkylating chemotherapeutics, and deaminated and lipid peroxidation-induced purine adducts. We have generated monoclonal antibodies (moAbs) against human MPG. Twelve independent hybridoma clones were characterized, which, except 520-16A, are identical based on epitope exclusion assay. Four moAbs, including 520-2A, 520-3A, 520-16A, and 520-26A, have high affinity (K(D) approximately 0.3-1.6nM), and their subtypes were IgG(2a), IgG(1), IgG(2a), and IgG(2b), respectively. moAb 520-3A recognizes the sequence (52)AQAPCPRERCLGPP(66)T, an epitope exclusively present in the N-terminal extension of human MPG. We found that moAb 520-3A significantly inhibited MPG's enzymatic activity towards different substrates, such as hypoxanthine, 1,N(6)ethenoadenine and methylated bases, which represent different classes of DNA damage, however, with different efficiencies. Real-time binding experiments using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy showed that the pronounced inhibition of activity was not in the substrate-binding step. Single turnover kinetics (STO) revealed that the inhibition was at the catalytic step. Since we found that this antibody has an epitope in the N-terminal tail, the latter appears to have an important role in substrate discrimination, however, with a differential effect on different substrates.
Advances and Challenges in Hair Restoration of Curly Afrocentric Hair

Although the biochemical composition of hair is similar among racial and ethnic groups, the hair structure between them varies, and individuals with curly hair pose specific challenges and special considerations when a surgical option for alopecia is considered. Hair restoration in this population should therefore be approached with knowledge on the clinical characteristics of curly hair, hair grooming techniques that may influence the management, unique indications for the procedure, surgical instrumentation used, and the complications that may arise.
A global comparison of carbon monoxide profiles and column amounts from Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) and Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT)

[1] In this study, we compare carbon monoxide (CO) products from the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) and Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) and investigate the possible causes of the differences between retrievals for these two data sets. Direct comparisons of CO retrievals for July 2006 show that TES CO concentrations are consistently biased lower than those of MOPITT by 25 ppbv near the surface and by 20 ppbv at 150 hPa, primarily due to different a priori profiles and covariance matrices used in the TES and MOPITT CO retrievals. To reduce the effects of different a priori constraints, we apply TES a priori profiles and covariance matrices to a modified MOPITT retrieval algorithm. The mean TES-MOPITT CO difference decreases from � 25 to � 10 ppbv near the surface. To further account for retrieval smoothing errors due to different TES and MOPITT averaging kernels, TES averaging kernels are used to smooth MOPITT CO profiles to derive TES-equivalent CO profiles. Compared to these, TES CO profiles are biased 1 ppbv lower near the surface and 4–9 ppbv lower in the troposphere, and the mean absolute TES and TES-equivalent CO column difference is less than 6.5%. The mean TES and MOPITT CO differences due to smoothing errors are close to zero, and the remaining bias is primarily due to the combined effects of radiance biases, forward model errors, and the spatial and temporal mismatches of TES and MOPITT pixels.
The Dynamic Flow and Failure Behavior of Magnesium and Magnesium Alloys

We review the dynamic behavior of magnesium alloys through a survey of the literature and a comparison with our own high-strain-rate experiments. We describe high-strain-rate experiments (at typical strain rates of 103 s−1) on polycrystalline pure magnesium as well as two magnesium alloys, AZ31B and ZK60. Both deformation and failure are considered. The observed behaviors are discussed in terms of the fundamental deformation and failure mechanisms in magnesium, considering the effects of grain size, strain rate, and crystallographic texture. A comparison of current results with the literature studies on these and other Mg alloys reveals that the crystallographic texture, grain size, and alloying elements continue to have a profound influence on the high-strain-rate deformation behavior. The available data set suggests that those materials loaded so as to initiate extension twinning have relatively rate-insensitive strengths up to strain rates of several thousand per second. In contrast, some rate dependence of the flow stress is observed for loading orientations in which the plastic flow is dominated by dislocation mechanisms.
New immunoaffinity-LC-MS/MS methodology reveals that Aag null mice are deficient in their ability to clear 1,N6-etheno-deoxyadenosine DNA lesions from lung and liver in vivo.

Abstract The mouse alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (Aag) initiates base excision repair with a broad substrate range that includes the highly mutagenic exocyclic etheno DNA base adduct 1, N 6 -ethenodeoxyadenosine (edA). Previous attempts to determine the in vivo role of Aag in edA repair were complicated by technological difficulties in measuring low levels of edA in genomic DNA. Here we describe the development of a new method for edA detection in genomic DNA that couples an immunoaffinity purification with LC-MS/MS analysis and that utilizes an isotopically labeled internal standard. We go on to describe the application of this method to measuring the in vivo repair of edA base lesions in liver and lung tissue of wild type and Aag null mice. Our results demonstrate that while Aag clearly represents the major DNA repair enzyme for the in vivo removal edA bases, these lesions can also be eliminated from the genome via an alternative mechanism.
Quantum scattering theory on graphs with tails

We consider continuous-time quantum walks on a finite graph to which infinite tails are attached. We explore how the propagating and bound states depend on the structure of the finite graph. The $S$ matrix for such graphs is defined. Its unitarity is proved as well as some other of its properties such as its transformation under time reversal. A spectral decomposition of the identity for the Hamiltonian of the graph is derived using its eigenvectors. We derive formulas for the $S$ matrix of a graph under certain operation such as cutting a tail, attaching a tail or connecting two tails to form an edge.
Accuracy of ICD-9-CM codes in identifying infections of pneumonia and herpes simplex virus in administrative data

Abstract Purpose Clinical epidemiology studies increasingly rely on electronic medical records data. The validity of International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification ( ICD-9-CM ) diagnosis codes is crucial as they are often used to identify conditions of interest. We evaluated the use of archived ICD-9-CM codes to identify two representative infection-related conditions, pneumonia and herpes simplex virus (HSV), in a defined health system. Methods Records were obtained for a sample of 175 and 179 patients with ICD-9-CM codes for pneumonia and HSV, respectively. An adjudicated case status was assigned for each subject. Results The presence of a single ICD-9-CM code had a positive predictive value of 88% for pneumonia and 86% for HSV. False positives (noncases) accounted for less than 10% of records evaluated for each condition. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that ICD-9-CM codes for pneumonia and HSV were valid markers of a true history of these conditions, suggesting that ICD-9-CM codes can be used to successfully identify infection-related conditions in epidemiologic studies. However, validation studies for individual conditions may help identify condition-specific strategies to improve the performance of diagnostic codes.
Noncoding RNAs and Intranuclear Positioning in Monoallelic Gene Expression

Mammalian X inactivation, imprinting, and allelic exclusion are classic examples of monoallelic gene expression. Two emerging themes are thought to be critical for monoallelic expression: (1) noncoding, often antisense, transcription linked to differential chromatin marks on otherwise homologous alleles and (2) physical segregation of alleles to separate domains within the nucleus. Here, we highlight recent progress in identifying these phenomena as possible key regulatory mechanisms of monoallelic expression.
Beowulf and old Germanic metre

1. Introduction 2. The foot 3. The verse 4. Light feet and extra-metrical words 5. Metrical archaisms 6. Alliteration 7. Metrical subordination within the foot 8. Resolution 9. Word order and stress within the clause 10. Old Saxon alliterative verse 11. Hildebrandslied 12. Conclusions.
Contributions of Central European ornithology to world ornithology

Even with today's rapid communications, scientific advancements develop strikingly differently in various parts of the world so that it is often possible to trace the unfolding of a particular subject in one location and its subsequent spread to the rest of the world. Here I examine a number of important advances in ornithology which began in Central Europe and subsequently influenced the rest of the world. First is the rise of the German research university early in the 19th century on which was based the modern university and graduate studies in North America and eventually the rest of the world. The contribution of L. Agassiz to the development of university museums is included. Of specific areas within ornithology that developed in Central Europe, I consider morphology including ecomorphology, avian classification and the species concept, dynamic biogeography, ethology (= comparative behavior), and lastly avian orientation and migration. Within the latter, the origin of the International Ornithological Congresses in Vienna, 1886 is discussed as an idea developed in Central Europe by German workers. Lastly is the rise of the “New Avian Biology” in which I compare Erwin Stresemann with Joseph Grinnell of the University of California, Berkeley, two similar contemporaries. Clearly the “New Avian Biology” must be credited to E. Stresemann with the publication of hisAves volume and appearance in the Journal fur Ornithologie of an important series of diverse studies in biological ornithology including doctoral theses done under Stresemann's direction. Less clear is how these ideas reached the rest of the world. I suggest that this was achieved because the time was ripe for these new ideas and because of the proselytising by Ernst Mayr, the leading student of Stresemann who was fortunately located in New York City since the beginning of 1931. The “New Avian Biology” spread quite rapidly during the mid 1930s, and by 1950 most avian biologists over the entire world embraced this modern approach.
Review of Feminist Bioethics At the Center, On the Margins, edited by Jackie Leach Scully, Laurel E. Baldwin-Ragaven, Petya Fitzpatrick

The anthology, Feminist Bioethics, edited by Jackie Leach Scully, Laurel E. Baldwin-Ragaven, and Petya Fitzpatrick, examines how feminist bioethics theoretically and methodologically challenges mainstream bioethics, and whether these approaches are useful for exploring difference in other contexts. It offers critical conceptual analyses of "autonomy", "universality", and "trust", and covers topics such as testing for hereditary cancer, prenatal selection for sexual orientation, midwifery, public health, disability, Indigenous research reform in Australia, and China's one child policy.
The impact of DSS on organizational communication

Abstract There is some controversy in the MIS literature concerning the potential impact of computer systems on interpersonal communication in organizations. Generally, MIS researchers have found that effective communication between users and designers is an important factor in determining user satisfaction and MIS success. Recently, however, Naylor [8] has argued that decision support systems (DSS) may isolate managers from interaction with others. This is in marked contrast to the contentions of Wagner [16] and Huber [6] that DSS may lead to more effective managerial communication. We would argue that DSS encourage communication for several reasons: adaptive DSS development requires continued manager-analyst interaction; DSS-based decisions often require groups of managers; and there is a greater need for human information processing in a DSS environment. This paper reports the results of a study of the relationships between DSS usage and organizational communications. It was found that users in three different categories (managers, financial or planning analysts (FPAs), and “others”) felt that DSS usage encouraged communication. Also, significant positive relationships were found between increased communication and overall satisfaction with the DSS for all three groups. Finally, for managers and FPAs, significant positive relationships were found between increased communication and satisfaction with the DSS in decision-making activities.
A reevaluation of the toxicity of coal conversion process waters.

The acute toxicity to Daphnia magna of both untreated and treated process waters from a hydrocarbonization (HCZ) coal conversion process was evaluated recently by PARKHURST et al. (1979). Phenol, ammonia, and the three cresol isomers displayed additive toxicity in the untreated HCZ effluent. However, the treated HCZ effluent, in which concentrations of ammonia, phenol, and the cresols were reduced by biological oxidation, was much less toxic than might have been predicted from the concentrations of the individual components. At the LC50 dilution for the treated HCZ effluent, the concentration of total ammonia present was more than three times the LC50 value for D. maqna. This indicated a less-than-additive ammonia toxicity ~dT-6~--antagonistic interactions among ammonia and the other constituents. The less-than-additive ammonia toxicity was calculated from total ammonia concentrations and was attributed by PARKHURST et al. to a lower pH in the treated HCZ effluent than in a separate ammonia toxicity bioassay. But total ammonia includes both un-ionized ammonia (NH3) and ionized ammonia (NH4 +) in a pH- and temperature-dependent equilibrium. Un-ionized NH 3 is toxic to many aquatic organisms while NH4 + is relatively nontoxic (MCKEE and WOLF 1963). Therefore, if D__ L. magna are indeed more sensitive to NH 3 than to NH4 +, PARKHURST et al. incorrectly calculated the contribution of ammonia to the HCZ effluent toxicities by using total ammonia rather than un-ionized ammonia concentrations. Their interpretations of the importance of ammonia in these HCZ effluents may, therefore, be misleading and are reevaluated in the present report. The purposes of this paper are (1) to clarify the role of ammonia in the toxicity of complex coal conversion wastewaters, (2) to reevaluate the toxic contribution of ammonia in the treated HCZ effluent, and (3) to compare these results with literature reports for other coal conversion effluents (DEGRAEVE et al. 1980, HERBERT 1962). For the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanna-3 underground coal gasification (UCG) condenser water, DEGRAEVE et al. evaluated the interaction of phenol and ammonia in the toxicity of this process water to aquatic biota. Similarly, HERBERT determined the toxic contributions of phenol and ammonia in spent coal distillation process liquors to rainbow trout.
On the Expected Value of Games with Absentmindedness

Abstract Piccione and Rubinstein argue that a seemingly paradoxical form of time inconsistency can arise in games of imperfect recall. Their argument depends on calculating the expected value of a game from the standpoint of a player in the middle of play. We claim that this concept is not well defined in games with absentmindness (where two nodes on a path can be in the same information set) without additional assumptions. We show that, under some reasonable assumptions, no time inconsistency arises. Different assumptions will validate Piccione and Rubinstein's calculations, but these are such as to remove the appearance of paradox. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C70, D80, D84.
Context and orientation in hypermedia networks

The core of hypermedia's power lies in the complex networks of links that can be created within and between documents. However, these networks frequently overwhelm the user and become a source of confusion. Within Intermedia, we have developed the Web View-a tool for viewing and navigating such networks with a minimum of user confusion and disorientation. The key factors in the Web View's success are a display that combines a record of the user's path through the network with a map of the currently available links; a scope line that summarizes the number of documents and links in the network; and a set of commands that permit the user to open documents directly from the Web View.
A monotonicity result for discrete fractional difference operators

In this note we demonstrate that if y(t) ≥ 0, for each t in the domain of \({t \mapsto y(t)}\), and if, in addition, \({\Delta_0^{\nu}y(t) \geq 0}\) , for each t in the domain of \({t \mapsto \Delta_0^{\nu}y(t)}\) , with 1 < ν < 2, then it holds that y is an increasing function of t. This demonstrates that, in some sense, the positivity of the νth order fractional difference has a strong connection to the monotonicity of y. Furthermore, we provide a dual result in case \({\Delta_0^{\nu}y(t) \leq 0}\) and y is nonpositive on its domain. We conclude the note by mentioning some implications of these results.
Reaction Kinetics in Aqueous Surfactant Solutions

Abstract During the past two decades there has been considerable interest in reactions which can be carried out at interfaces. One aspect of this work has involved the catalysis or inhibition of solution reactions by submicroscopic entities such as polyelectrolytes, cyclodextrins, or micelles. (Work in these areas is discussed in Ref. 1, which provides a comprehensive summary of micellar catalysis and inhibition up to 1974.) These reactions often occur at the interface between the solvent, which is usually water or an aqueous organic mixture, and the submicroscopic particle or aggregate. There has been the hope that these interfacial systems would mimic enzymic catalysts, and at the least give some evidence on the factors which govern this catalysis, and many of the reactions studied, e.g., de-acylation and dephosphorylatum, are of biological interest [2–6].
The impact of different therapies on symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a prospective study

Abstract We conducted an observational study to evaluate prospectively the effectiveness of four modes of treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)—watchful waiting, alpha-blocker therapy, finasteride therapy, and surgery (transurethral prostatectomy). A total of 1459 men aged 48 to 84 years, who were diagnosed for the first time by physicians as having BPH in 1994 and who had not received treatment, participated in the study. During 1 year of follow-up, 1064 (72.9%) men remained on no treatment (watchful waiting), 156 (10.7%) were treated with finasteride, 198 (13.6%) were treated with an alpha-blocker, and 41 (2.8%) underwent prostatectomy. The American Urological Association (AUA) Symptom Index was administered to the cohort before the initiation of treatment in 1994, as well as 1 year later. Improvements in lower urinary tract symptoms, as measured by the AUA Symptom Index, were assessed using linear and logistic regression, adjusting for age and baseline. Men who underwent prostatectomy reported the biggest improvements in lower urinary tract symptoms, whether assessed by mean changes in symptom scores relative to no treatment (−5.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], −6.91 to −3.97) or by the odds of improving by 5 or more points on the AUA Symptom Index (odds ratio, 12.66; 95% CI, 5.93 to 27.0). Irrespective of the initial degree of symptom severity, prostate surgery resulted in larger improvements than those reported for either finasteride or alpha-blocker therapy. In this prospective, observational study, prostatic surgery was associated with statistically and clinically significant improvements in BPH symptoms.
Integrated PET/CT Fusion Imaging and Endoscopic Ultrasound in the Pre-operative Staging and Evaluation of Esophageal Cancer

Purpose Accurate staging of esophageal cancer (ECA) is critical in determining appropriate therapy. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) scanning can be used, but limited data exists regarding the use of combined PET/CT fusion imaging and EUS in ECA staging. The objective of this study is to evaluate the role of integrated PET/CT imaging and EUS in the staging of ECA.
Cognitive inconsistencies and non-symmetric friendship

Abstract Non-reciprocated relationships, such as all workers knowing the president of the company but only a few of the workers being known by the president, and non-symmetric relationships, such as workers thinking that they know the president and thinking that the president does not know them, are endemic to most social situations. While such inconsistencies may be expected in relationships such as giving advice and lending money, they are rarely expected to occur in seemingly symmetric relationships such as friendship. Nevertheless, they do. We suggest that research in this area has been hampered by the confused language used for describing ‘symmetries’ and ‘non-symmetries’. We present a framework for thinking about these relations that clearly distinguishes cognitive inconsistencies and non-symmetric and non-reciprocated relations. Then, we employ this framework and constructural theory to suggest that owing to cognitive inconsistencies, any interaction-based relationship, including friendship, can potentially be non-symmetric. We examine a series of hypotheses concerning interaction and interaction-based behaviors that derive from this theory using friendship relations. We find that we are able to predict both who is friends with whom, non-symmetry in friendship, and non-reciprocities in the expectation for and recall of friendship.
Human toddlers' attempts to match two simple behaviors provide no evidence for an inherited, dedicated imitation mechanism.

Influential theories of imitation have proposed that humans inherit a neural mechanism – an “active intermodal matching “ (AIM) mechanism or a mirror neuron system - that functions from birth to automatically match sensory input from others’ actions to motor programs for performing those same actions, and thus produces imitation. To test these proposals, 160 1- to 2½-year-old toddlers were asked to imitate two simple movements– bending the arm to make an elbow, and moving the bent elbow laterally. Both behaviors were almost certain to be in each child’s repertoire, and the lateral movement was goal-directed (used to hit a plastic cup). Thus, one or both behaviors should have been imitable by toddlers with a functioning AIM or mirror neuron system. Each child saw the two behaviors repeated 18 times, and was encouraged to imitate. Children were also asked to locate their own elbows. Almost no children below age 2 imitated either behavior. Instead, younger children gave clear evidence of a developmental progression, from reproducing only the outcome of the models’ movements (hitting the object), through trying (but failing) to reproduce the model’s arm posture and/or the arm-cup relations they had seen, to accurate imitation of arm bending by age 2 and of both movements by age 2½. Across age levels, almost all children who knew the word ‘elbow’ imitated both behaviors: very few who did not know the word imitated either behavior. The evidence is most consistent with a view of early imitation as the product of a complex system of language, cognitive, social, and motor competencies that develop in infancy. The findings do not rule out a role for an inherited neural mechanism, but they suggest that such a system would not by itself be sufficient to explain imitation at any age.
Stochastic perturbation analysis of groundwater flow. Spatially variable soils, semi-infinite domains and large fluctuations

As is well known, a complete stochastic solution of the stochastic differential equation governing saturated groundwater flow leads to an infinite hierarchy of equations in terms of higher-order moments. Perturbation techniques are commonly used to close this hierarchy, using power-series expansions. These methods are applied by truncating the series after a finite number of terms, and products of random gradients of conductivity and head potential are neglected. Uncertainty regarding the number or terms required to yield a sufficiently accurate result is a significant drawback with the application of power series-based perturbation methods for such problems. Low-order series truncation may be incapable of representing fundamental characteristics of flow and can lead to physically unreasonable and inaccurate solutions of the stochastic flow equation. To support this argument, one-dimensional, steady-state, saturated groundwater flow is examined, for the case of a spatially distributed hydraulic conductivity field. An ordinary power-series perturbation method is used to approximate the mean head, using second-order statistics to characterize the conductivity field. Then an interactive perturbation approach is introduced, which yields improved results compared to low-order, power-series perturbation methods for situations where strong interactions exist between terms in such approximations. The interactive perturbation concept is further developed using Feynman-type diagrams and graph theory, which reduce the original stochastic flow problem to a closed set of equations for the mean and the covariance functions. Both theoretical and practical advantages of diagrammatic solutions are discussed; these include the study of bounded domains and large fluctuations.
Asphalt-Aggregate Interactions Characterized by Zeta Potential and Retained Strength Measurements for Natural and Organosilane-Treated Aggregates

Zeta potentials in water have been measured for a poorly performing, easily stripped hard limestone, a well-performing hard limestone, a sandstone, a rhyolite, soda lime glass beads, and for eight AC-20 asphalt binders. Four of the binders selected to represent a range of zeta potentials were combined with the sandstone, the limestones, and the glass beads according to Oklahoma Department of Transportation mix formulas and tested for retained strength. The good hard limestone was the best overall performer with retained strengths of 96 to 100 percent, the poor hard limestone was acceptable, overall the sandstone was unsatisfactory; and the glass beads did not survive the retained strength preconditioning procedure. The aggregates were then treated with organosilane derivatives to chemically modify their surfaces and to change the aggregate zeta potential. For example, the zeta potential of the poor hard limestone was made to be closer to that of the good hard limestone. The modified aggregates were then u...
Integrating Design Throughout The Mechanical Engineering Curriculum: A Focus On The Engineering Clinics

At Rowan University, we have infused design into the curriculum through an eight-semester course sequence called the Engineering Clinic. Through this experience students learn the art and science of design in a multidisciplinary team environment. While many engineering programs currently include a Capstone Design course taken near the end of the college career to meet the design needs, Engineering Clinic at Rowan allows students to hone their design skills throughout their four-year career. This paper will describe in further detail the objectives and execution of each year in the design sequence, types of projects and how the Clinics complement traditional core courses in the curriculum. Impacts and benefits of the Clinics on students and faculty are discussed, as well as comparative data of Rowan Mechanical Engineering students and their peers nationally.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Western middle powers and global poverty: The determinants of the aid policies of Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden

This study attempts to answer why the policies of the five countries covered are marked by a greater degree of "humane internationalism" than those of other Western countries. It discusses what it ...
Finite Deformations of Tubular Dielectric Elastomer Sensors

This article describes a numerical model validated with experimental results for a large stretch tubular sensor. The sensor is a dielectric elastomer (DE) membrane with electrical properties that can be accurately correlated with mechanical strain, for strains well over 50%. The DE sensor is a passive capacitive sensor. To illustrate the concept, the sensor is attached to the inner surface of a fiber-reinforced elastomer actuator, which serves as the host substrate. Fiber-reinforced elastomers configured for pneumatic operation are employed as actuators in robotic, prosthetic, and morphing applications. An electromechanical model for the two-layer composite consisting of the fiber-reinforced elastomer and the sensor is derived. For several illustrative loading profiles, the model yields a strain output for an input capacitance value. Using identical loading cases, an experimental setup was designed to measure sensor output for two different sensor materials: silicone and polyacrylate. The sensitivity of t...
From Visual Literacy to Literary Proficiency: An Instructional and Assessment Model for the Graphic Novel Version of Kafka's Die Verwandlung

This article argues that instructors can effectively implement visual and multi-modal methods often used in beginner and intermediate courses as effective building blocks to develop skills of literary analysis. The article presents aspects of a mini-curriculum based on Die Verwandlung, the graphic novel, and examples of student work and feedback from a 200-level graphic-novel course. Corresponding to the format of a graphic novel that combines pictorial and visual information, items in the curriculum consistently incorporate methods to build visual literacy to move students toward verbal literacy. The article contributes to language pedagogy in explaining the use of graphic novels in the language classroom to develop literary analytical proficiency. Field-tested examples demonstrate ways students learn to use illustrations and literary products to support higher-level analysis. The article suggests that carefully crafted questions can emphasize the visual exploration that has typically gone into reading graphic texts, but has less frequently been associated with building skills of literary exploration.
Modeling surface plasmon resonance in sensors using finite-difference time-domain analysis

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is currently used as an optical immunassay technique for the detection of various analytes. The uniformity of the metal film and the wavefront structure of the incident beam have an effect on the sensitivity of the SPR technique, yet most analysis methods are not capable of considering inhomogeneous layers or nonplanar excitation beams. We have applied a new numerical electromagnetic method, called finite-difference time- domain (FDTD), to this problem. To correctly model the time domain behavior of the electron oscillations, the dynamic force equation is applied to a Drude free electron model of the metal. We have analyzed a particular SPR configuration consisting of an incident beam of finite size (approximating a focused beam) onto a smooth silver film, and have obtained Poynting vector plots and reflectivity data for this configuration. The angle and magnitude of minimum reflectivity are similar for the FDTD results compared to theoretical predictions, but the angular width of the reflectivity minimum is broadened. We have also analyzed a model of a rough metal film, and find that the local electric fields are enhanced near the metal edges.
Spatial characteristics of canopy disturbances in riparian old-growth hemlock - northern hardwood forests, Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA.

Gap dynamics in temperate, late-successional forests influence important riparian functions, including organic matter recruitment and light environments over streams. However, controls on gap dynamics specific to riparian forests are poorly understood. We hypothesized that (i) gaps are larger and more frequent nearer streams, (ii) gaps cluster at within-stand scales, and (iii) tree damage type and gap fraction vary among riparian landforms. All gaps within four 6–9 ha plots in riparian old-growth eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere) – northern hardwood forest in the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA, were mapped and measured. We recorded species, damage type, and diameter at breast height for gapmakers and dominant perimeter trees. Spatial distribution was assessed with Ripley’s K. Spatial autocorrelation in gap area and tree damage type were assessed using Moran’s I. Linear regression analysis defined relationships between proximity to streams and gap area and frequency. Expanded gap fracti...
Short crack growth and internal stresses

Abstract Short crack growth behavior has been examined using the two parametric approach developed earlier by the authors. It is commonly accepted that there is a lack of similitude in the description of the short crack growth behavior. Contrary to this understanding, it is shown that there is no anomaly in the short crack growth behavior. The apparent anomaly arises because of ignoring: (1) the second parameter associated with the threshold K ∗ max ; and (2) the existence of internal stresses in the crack tip field where the short cracks nucleate and grow. In the case of short cracks nucleating from notches the internal stresses can be pre-existing or can be generated in situ if they form at a free surface. In the latter case, formation of intrusions and extrusions at the persistent slip bands are the precursors for the crack nucleation providing the necessary internal stresses. Thus short cracks grow under a total force, consisting of both internal and applied stresses, satisfying the same two thresholds for long cracks. Examples are provided from the literature to illustrate the concepts. It is shown that the internal stresses decrease as a short crack grows out of the existing stress field. These internal stresses can be predicted using elastic or elastic-plastic continuum approximations. Application of this concept is extended to understand the role of: (1) residual stresses; and (2) the transformation induced internal stresses on the crack growth. Based on the analysis, we restate the similitude concept as: equal crack tip forces result in equal crack growth rates for the same crack growth mechanism, provided all the contributing forces are taken into consideration.
Promoting the success of Latino students: A call to action

This synthesis of the volume offers recommendations that will help student services personnel to facilitate the success of Latino students in higher education.
Emission quenching via intramolecular electron transfer for fluorescein conjugates. Dependences on driving force and medium

Abstract The fluorescence properties of conjugates of the dye, fluorescein, in which triazine or dinitrobenzoyl groups are attached to an amine function in the 5′ position have been studied. The substantial quenching of fluorescence which is observed with this modification is attributed to intramolecular electron transfer involving the xanthene moiety as electron donor (i.e., the shift of anionic charge). The fluorescein dianion which is important for neutral water solutions is more effective as an electron donor on comparison with the monoanion, as determined by the dependence of fluorescence quenching on pH. Binding of the conjugates to poly (vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP), a domain-forming polymer in water, leads to alterations of fluorescence spectra as well as changes in emission quantum yields and lifetimes. Fluorescence probes that are based on the mediation of emission properties by intramolecular electron transfer are discussed.
Impulsive plunging wave breaking downstream of a bump in a shallow water flume—Part II: Numerical simulations

Abstract Part II of this two-part paper presents the simulation results of the plunging wave-breaking generated by impulsive flow over a submerged bump fixed in a shallow water flume using the exact experimental initial and boundary conditions provided in Part I of this study. The overall plunging wave breaking process is described with major wave breaking events identified: jet plunge, oblique splash and vertical jet. These major events repeat up to four times before entering the chaotic breaking phase. The plunging wave breaking process of the simulations shows a similar time line as the experiments consisting of startup, steep wave formation, plunging wave, and chaotic wave breaking swept downstream time phases. Wave breaking profile, air entrainment, velocity, vorticity, flume bottom pressure, and energy are analyzed and compared with the experimental results. The simulations qualitatively predict all four time phases, all four plunging events and their sub-events. The wave profile and location at the maximum height is very close to the experiment results. The flume flow and velocity demonstrate the same flow trend as the experiments but with reduced velocity magnitudes. The simulations show similar bottom pressure to the experiments but with large oscillations, and the post-breaking water elevations are larger as compared to the experimental results.
Endorsements, licensing, and insurance for distributed system services

Clients in a distributed system place their confidence in many servers, and servers themselves rely on other servers for file storage, authentication, authorization, and payment. When a system spans administrative boundaries it becomes harder to assess the security and competence of potential service providers. This paper examines the issue of confidence in large distributed systems.When confidence is lacking in the “real world,” one relies on endorsements, licensing, insurance, and surety bonds to compensate. We show that by incorporating such assurances into a distributed system, users are better able to evaluate the risks incurred when using a particular server. This paper describes a method to electronically represent endorsements, licenses, and insurance policies, and discusses the means by which clients use such items when selecting service providers.
Territorial behaviour of the red-backed salamander: Expulsion of intruders

Abstract Red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus , were paired in laboratory chambers where they defended areas against each other by threat display and biting. Difference in sizes of paired individuals was not correlated with which one would enter the other's area or be more aggressive after an intrusion. We also found no sexual differences in agonistic behaviour. Both defenders and intruders assumed a threat posture for about 50% of the invasion periods, but defenders exhibited a higher rate of biting. Defenders expelled intruders in 74% of all encounters, while intruders expelled defenders in 18%, with 8% of the encounters a draw. Intruders frequently left the contested area even in the absence of biting or threat display by the defender, apparently in response to the defender's pheromones or to the high potential cost of an escalated aggressive contest (damage to the chemosensory structures). These data provide behavioural evidence that a salamander can evict intruders from a defended area and thus support the hypothesis of territoriality among terrestrial salamanders.
Neurodevelopmental outcome of children initiating peritoneal dialysis in early infancy.

A retrospective review of 34 infants who started long-term peritoneal dialysis at 1 year and who underwent a formal neurodevelopmental evaluation. In addition to dialysis, treatment of the patients included the use of calcium carbonate as the sole phosphate binder in all patients and supplemental nasogastric tube feeding in 27. At 1 year of age, the 28 patients had a mean head circumference standard deviation score of -0.96+/-1.2. The mental developmental score of 22 (79%) patients fell in the average range, while only 1 (4%) child was significantly delayed. Of 19 children retested at >/=4 years of age, 15 (79%) performed in the average range and 1 (5%) performed in the impaired range. Of 16 patients >/=5 years of age, 15 (94%) attended school full time and in age-appropriate classrooms. Twenty-four patients received their initial kidney transplant at a mean age of 2.1+/-0.8 years. This experience provides evidence that the combination of aggressive nutrition, the elimination of aluminum as a phosphate binder, the provision of dialysis, and subsequent transplantation all contribute to a favorable developmental outcome in infants who develop end-stage renal disease in early infancy.
On Vortex Wind Power

An infinite viscous laminar vortex with no reverse flow region in the exit plane, but with axial inflow at the base, is analyzed. The axial inflow is assumed to be finite everywhere. From the analysis, the maximum wind power that can be obtained from such a vortex is calculated. The results show that the power developed depends on the circulation at infinity and on the viscous radius of the core of the vortex. The significance of this result, as it relates to the recently proposed vortex wind energy system, is discussed.
Relationship between left atrial tissue structural remodelling detected using late gadolinium enhancement MRI and left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: Therapeutic effectiveness of ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is related to cardiovascular comorbidities. We studied the relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and left atrial tissue structural remodelling (LA-SRM), in patients presenting for AF ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified 404 AF patients who received a late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI) prior to catheter ablation. Left ventricular hypertrophy was defined as LV mass index >116 g/m(2) in men and >104 g/m(2) in women. One hundred and twenty-two patients were classified as the LVH group and 282 as the non-LVH group. We stratified patients into four stages based on their degree of LA-SRM (minimal, 5-20%; moderate, >20-35%; and extensive, >35%). All patients underwent catheter ablation with pulmonary vein isolation and posterior wall and septal debulking. The procedural outcome was monitored over a 1-year follow-up period. The mean LA-SRM was significantly higher in patients with LVH (19.4 ± 13.2%) than in non-LVH patients (15.3 ± 9.8%; P< 0.01). Patients with LVH generally had extensive LA-SRM (moderate and extensive stages; 38.5% of LVH group) as compared with non-LVH patients (23.1% of non-LVH group; P < 0.01). A Cox regression analysis showed that patients with LVH also had significantly higher AF recurrence rates than non-LVH patients (43.2 vs. 28%; P = 0.008) during the 1-year follow-up period post-ablation. CONCLUSION: Patients with LVH tend to have a significantly greater degree of LA-SRM, when compared with patients without LVH. Moreover, LA-SRM is a predictor for procedural success in patients undergoing AF ablation procedure.