cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regional differences between superficial and deep lumbar multifidus in patients with chronic lumbar spine pathology

Due to its unique arrangement, the deep and superficial fibers of the multifidus may have differential roles for maintaining spine stabilization and lumbar posture; the superficial multifidus is responsible for lumbar extension and the deep multifidus for intersegmental stability. In patients with chronic lumbar spine pathology, muscle activation patterns have been shown to be attenuated or delayed in the deep, but not superficial, multifidus. This has been interpreted as pain differentially influencing the deep region. However, it is unclear if degenerative changes affecting the composition and function of the multifidus differs between the superficial and deep regions, an alternative explanation for these electrophysiological changes. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate macrostructural and microstructural differences between the superficial and deep regions of the multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar spine pathology. In 16 patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery for degenerative conditions, multifidus biopsies were acquired at two distinct locations: 1) the most superficial portion of muscle adjacent to the spinous process and 2) approximately 1 cm lateral to the spinous process and deeper at the spinolaminar border of the affected vertebral level. Structural features related to muscle function were histologically compared between these superficial and deep regions, including tissue composition, fat fraction, fiber cross sectional area, fiber type, regeneration, degeneration, vascularity and inflammation. No significant differences in fat signal fraction, muscle area, fiber cross sectional area, muscle regeneration, muscle degeneration, or vascularization were found between the superficial and deep regions of the multifidus. Total collagen content between the two regions was the same. However, the superficial region of the multifidus was found to have less loose and more dense collagen than the deep region. The results of our study did not support that the deep region of the multifidus is more degenerated in patients with lumbar spine pathology, as gross degenerative changes in muscle microstructure and macrostructure were the same in the superficial and deep regions of the multifidus. In these patients, the multifidus is not protected in order to maintain mobility and structural stability of the spine.
PRDM9 directs recombination hotspots to prevent competition with meiotic transcription

Abstract PRDM9 drives recombination hotspots in some mammals, including mice and apes. Non-functional orthologs of PRDM9 are present in a wide variety of vertebrates, but why it is functionally maintained in some lineages is not clear. One possible explanation is that PRDM9 plays a role in ensuring that meiosis is successful. During meiosis, available DNA may be a limiting resource given the tight packaging of chromosomes and could lead to competition between two key processes: meiotic transcription and recombination. Here we explore this potential competition and the role that PRDM9 might play in their interaction. Leveraging existing mouse genomic data, we use resampling schemes that simulate shuffled features along the genome and models that account for the rarity of features in the genome, to test if PRDM9 influences interactions between recombination hotspots and meiotic transcription in a whole genome framework. We also explored possible DNA sequence motifs associated to clusters of hotspots not tied to transcription or PRDM9. We find evidence of competition between meiotic transcription and recombination, with PRDM9 appearing to relocate recombination to avoid said conflict. We also find that retrotransposons may be playing a role in directing hotspots in the absence of other factors.
Refining Indications for Orbital Floor Fracture Reconstruction: A Risk-Stratification Tool Predicting Symptom Development and Need for Surgery.

Background Challenges in orbital floor fracture management include delayed symptom onset and controversial surgical indications based on radiographic findings. This study assessed which imaging characteristics most reliably predict symptomatology to generate a tool quantifying individual need for surgery on initial presentation. Methods The clinical course for all patients with isolated orbital fractures at a single institution from 2015 to 2017 were reviewed. Trauma mechanism, computed tomographic scan findings, and symptoms necessitating surgery (diplopia, enophthalmos) were noted. Univariable and multivariable regression modeling was used to generate a predictive risk model for operative fractures. Results One hundred twenty-one patients with isolated orbital fractures were identified. Mechanism of injury included falls (41 percent), assault (37 percent), and vehicular trauma (17 percent). Patient follow-up averaged 4.4 ± 4.8 months. Average orbital floor fracture area was 2.4 cm2 (range, 0.36 to 6.18 cm2), and orbital volume herniation averaged 0.70 cm3 (range, 0.01 to 4.23 cm3). Twenty-one patients (17.3 percent) required surgical intervention for symptomatic fractures. The strongest predictors of symptoms were orbital volume increase greater than 1.3 cm3 (OR, 10.5; p = 0.001) and inferior rectus displacement within/below the fracture line (OR, 3.7; p = 0.049). Mechanical fall was risk-reducing (OR, 0.08; p = 0.005). Symptom risk was stratified from low (3.6 percent) to high risk (71 percent) (C-statistic = 0.90). The volume of herniated orbital contents was significantly more predictive of symptoms than fracture area (C-statistic = 0.81 versus C-statistic = 0.66; p = 0.02). Conclusions The proposed risk tool allows highly accurate, early prediction of symptomatic orbital floor fractures. Findings suggest that orbital volume change, not fracture area, more reliably informs operative indications, along with inferior rectus muscle caudal malposition. A simplified stepwise decision algorithm demonstrates the potential utility of this risk-assessment tool. Clinical question/level of evidence Risk, III.
A New Approach to Impartial Division

Bin-filling, a new impartial method of allocating a dollar among claimants without a priori entitlements is introduced. It differs from the earlier method of de Clippel, et. al., in that it guarantees that all of the dollar is allocated. The possible bin-filling allocations are characterized. In the case that there is an exact allocation that is consistent with the views of all of the claimants, estimates are provided to show that the bin-filling allocation cannot be very far from the perfect one. This new approach has certain practical advantages over previously discussed methods.
Recognition of Symmetry as a Powerful Tool in Natural Product Synthesis

The design of concise and efficient synthetic strategies to access naturally occurring, pharmaceutically active complex molecules is of utmost importance in current chemistry. It not only enables rapid access to these molecules and their analogues but also provides sufficient quantities for their biological evaluation. Identification of any symmetric or pseudosymmetric synthetic intermediates upon retrosynthetic bond disconnection of the target molecule holds the promise to significantly streamline the route towards the compound of interest. This review will highlight recent examples of successful natural product syntheses reported within the past five years that benefited from the recognition of symmetry elements during the retrosynthetic design.
The Circuit Simulation Problem

As mentioned in the introduction, circuit simulation amounts to solving numerically the system of nonlinear ODE’s that describes the dynamic behavior of a circuit. In this chapter, we will address three topics: the construction of a system of differential equations from the description of a circuit, the mathematical properties of the constructed systems, and the issues to consider when choosing a numerical method for solving the system.
Simulation in Ophthalmology

Training future surgeons of any variety presents challenges to the supervising faculty as they must permit adequate supervision while allowing ample practice time for the trainee to confidently execute the physical task. A careful balance of permitting education of the novice must exist while keeping patient safety at highest regard. Ophthalmic surgery is especially challenging as the small operative field and maneuvering under the microscope is particularly complex for a novice surgeon. The use of training outside the operative suite is beneficial in keeping patients safe as ophthalmic residents proceed through training. This chapter will serve to discuss wet laboratory simulation, virtual simulation, and cognitive simulation as it regards to ophthalmic surgical training purposes.
Optimization with Surrogate Models

In this chapter, we show how artificial curiosity can be used to focus on the most pertinent search points in black-box optimization. We present a novel response surface method, which employs a memory-based model to estimate the interestingness of each candidate point using Gaussian process regression. For each candidate point this model estimates expected improvement and yields a closed-form expression of expected information gain. The algorithm continually pushes the boundary of a Pareto-front of candidates not dominated by any other known point according to both an information and a cost criterion. This makes the exploration–exploitation trade-off explicit, and permits maximally informed search point selection. We illustrate the robustness of our approach in a number of experimental scenarios.
Tensor sparse coding for region covariances

Sparse representation of signals has been the focus of much research in the recent years. A vast majority of existing algorithms deal with vectors, and higher-order data like images are usually vectorized before processing. However, the structure of the data may be lost in the process, leading to poor representation and overall performance degradation. In this paper we propose a novel approach for sparse representation of positive definite matrices, where vectorization would have destroyed the inherent structure of the data. The sparse decomposition of a positive definite matrix is formulated as a convex optimization problem, which falls under the category of determinant maximization (MAXDET) problems [1], for which efficient interior point algorithms exist. Experimental results are shown with simulated examples as well as in real-world computer vision applications, demonstrating the suitability of the new model. This forms the first step toward extending the cornucopia of sparsity-based algorithms to positive definite matrices.
Distinct effects of nuclear volume fraction and cell diameter on high b-value diffusion MRI contrast in tumors.

Purpose While many recent studies have demonstrated improved detection and characterization of malignant lesions using high b-value diffusion imaging techniques, little is known about the underlying physical characteristics of tumor cells that modulate the restricted water signal at high b on clinical scanners. Methods Monte Carlo simulations of diffusion in a synthetic tumor cell environment were used to study the specific effects of tumor cell diameter and nuclear volume fraction (ν) on high b diffusion contrast. Results Results indicate that clinical pulsed-gradient spin-echo diffusion-weighted signals measured at high b (∼4000 s/mm2), long diffusion time (Δ ∼40–60 ms), and long echo time (TE ∼60–140 ms) are generally insensitive to tumor cell diameter, but increase exponentially with ν. Moreover, these results are predicted by a simple analytic expression for the intracellular restricted water signal with elevated T2 for the intranuclear versus cytosolic compartment. Conclusion Nuclear volume fraction is an important characteristic of cancer cells that modulates the apparent restriction of water at high b on clinical scanners. This model offers a possible explanation for the apparent unreliable correlation between tumor cell density (cellularity) and traditional ADC. Magn Reson Med 72:1435–1443, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Behavioral and Neuroeconomics of Reinforcer Pathologies: Implications for Managerial and Health Decision Making

Although humans do not always respond rationally, decades of behavioral economic research have brought order to these irrational patterns of responding, particularly in individuals whose maladaptive behavior and the neurobiological dysregulation that presumably undergirds it directly impact their health (drug addiction and obesity). These findings have given rise to a new paradigm, reinforcer pathologies. Specifically, poor health decisions are consistently related to an inability to value the future and an overvaluation of specific unhealthy rewards (drugs, cake, etc.). The current review briefly describes these robust areas of research with the goal of adapting the present findings to improve staff performance. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Maximal accurate forests from distance matrices

We present a fast converging method for distance-based phylogenetic inference, which is novel in two respects. First, it is the only method (to our knowledge) to guarantee accuracy when knowledge about the model tree, i.e bounds on the edge lengths, is not assumed. Second, our algorithm guarantees that, with high probability, no false assertions are made. The algorithm produces a maximal forest of the model tree, in time O(n3) in the typical case. Empirical testing has been promising, comparing favorably to Neighbor Joining, with the advantage of making few or no false assertions about the topology of the model tree; guarantees against false positives can be controlled as a parameter by the user.
Sequence diversity of gap junction proteins

This paper summarizes our understanding of the molecular organization of gap junction proteins. There appear to be overall similarities in the organization of heart and liver junctions in terms of general domains, even though the molecular sizes of the two proteins are quite different. Sequence data on the amino-terminal regions of these two proteins show 43% of the residues to be identical and 25% more to be homologous. The major intrinsic protein of lens (MIP), believed by many to be the lens-fibre junction protein, does not show such sequence homology with the known portions of junction proteins from either heart or liver. Yet the sequence of MIP, which is completely known, suggests a conformation for this molecule quite compatible with a junctional role. It thus appears that molecules potentially involved in junction formation will prove to form a rather diverse family, with special characteristics of organ-specific molecules that may well be related to their function.
Physicochemical and Morphological Characterization of a New Allotransplantable Mammary Carcinoma Ascites Subline, TA3-St/ticol/-A

ABSTRACTThe TA3-St/ticol ascites cell (I), Âimmunoselectedfrom thestrain-specific TA3-St mammary carcinoma ascites cell of thestrain A mouse for decreased H-2a antibody-binding capacity,underwent a spontaneous transition in vivo to a new cell line,TA3-St/ticol/-A (II).Line II was more allotransplantablethan wasthe parental line (line I),and its absorptive capacity for anti-H-2santibody was manyfold less than line I. Disruption of line II cellsby lyophilization did not increase the absorptive capacity, incontrast to its marked enhancement in the TA3-Ha ascites cellunder similar conditions. An explanation for the enhanced allo-transplantability of line II may be related to either a loss of H-2"antigens or altered macromolecularstructures at the cellsurface:sialicacid, consisting of 93% W-glycolylneuraminicacid for line IIand 9% for line I; altered chemical structures of cell surfaceglycoproteins, particularly a high-molecular-weight glycoproteinpresent in much greater proportion in line II than in line I; amacromolecular complex released by a protease from line I, butnot line II; and I being agglutinataleby concanavalin A, but notlineII.Electron microscopy showed lineIIto be morepleomorphicand less rounded than was line I. Under high-resolution electronmicroscopy, the cell surfaces of both allotransplantable cells,lines II and I, exhibited thin filamentous material, material notobserved at the surface of the nonallotransplantable TAS-Stascites cell.INTRODUCTIONA procedure to select for TA3-St ascites cells with low H-2aantigen expression, namely, several repetitions of the passageof anti-H-2" antibody-coated cells through columns of beadswithattached mouse antiimmunoglobulin, followed by passage inascites form in the syngeneic strain A mouse (10,11 ), produceda new variant, the TA3-St/ticol ascites cell (11).This cell differedfrom its parental strain-specific cell in karyotype, and it possessed greater allotransplantability and lower capacity to absorbanti-H-2" antibody (11). It was found to differ from the TA3-St
Influence of Molecular Weight on the Mechanical Performance of a Thermoplastic Glassy Polyimide

Mechanical Testing of an advanced thermoplastic polyimide (LaRC-TM-SI) with known variations in molecular weight was performed over a range of temperatures below the glass transition temperature. The physical characterization, elastic properties and notched tensile strength were all determined as a function of molecular weight and test temperature. It was shown that notched tensile strength is a strong function of both temperature and molecular weight , whereas stiffness is only a strong function of temperature. A critical molecular weight (Mc) was observed to occur at a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of approximately 22000 g/mol below which, the notched tensile strength decreases rapidly. This critical molecular weight transition is temperature-independent. Furthermore, inelastic analysis showed that low molecular weight materials tended to fail in a brittle manner, whereas high molecular weight materials exhibited ductile failure. The microstructural images supported these findings.
The applications of EBG structures in power/ground plane pair SSN suppression

SSN suppression in power delivery systems using electromagnetic band gap structures is discussed. Factors that affect the EBG performance are presented. The performance of a PDS with EBGs and decoupling capacitors is compared to designs with only decoupling capacitors.
Using Social Work Interns to Assist in Creating Integrated Pediatric Primary Care

Introduction and description: It is estimated that less than twenty-five percent of children in the United States with diagnosable mental health conditions are receiving treatment (1). Expanding services within the primary care office would provide early screening, identification, and treatment for mental health conditions. Maryland’s BHIPP program (a partnership between Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, and Salisbury University, with funding from Maryland’s Behavioral Health Administration and the Maryland State Department of Education) was established in 2012, and consists of a phone consultation line for pediatric medical providers, resource mapping, professional training, and the placement of co-located MSW social work interns. BHIPP Salisbury explores collaborative relationships with medical providers, student interns, and faculty field supervisors. Through the training, placement, and supervision of the social work student interns, the program increases early access to screenings, and increases care capacity in the pediatric medical office. Theory of change: BHIPP Salisbury utilizes Systems Theory to examine the patient and their family from an ecological context. This approach allows patients to receive coordinated services in primary care to address health, basic needs, and behavioral health concerns. The target populations are the children and families served within medical practices. Highlights: The innovative components of the Salisbury model include the selection, training, and supervision of master’s level social work student interns in screening and brief behavioral health intervention services in the primary care setting. Irregular contact between primary care and specialty care providers is a barrier to integrated care (2). BHIPP Salisbury addresses this barrier by providing consultation services in this host environment and serving on the inter-professional care team. As a member of this care team, the student interns support increased access to care, and increase the capacity of care provision in rural, underserved pediatric primary care medical offices.
High-impedance fault detection and localization in distribution feeders with microprocessor based devices

An accurate electrical model for a HIF is implemented to investigate typical patterns in the line's current that allow for the detection of these faults. Based on the implemented model an algorithm is proposed to detect and localize the occurrence of HIFs using present recloser/sectionalizer technology. The detection algorithm is presented showing the decision criteria for HIF declaration and its discrimination against nominal behavior in distribution feeders of similar harmonic content.
The Judge at the School House Door: Courts and the Regulation of School Membership

The 2007 Supreme Court decisions Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 and Meredith v. Jefferson County Board of Education have been regarded as a retreat of federal judicial interventions into U.S. schooling. This article situates those decisions within the context of federal authority to regulate schooling, particularly the regulation of attendance relationships within schools. Its aim is to understand the development of federal authority over public education and to highlight Parents Involved and Meredith as the most recent expressions of a particular kind of federal regulation of schools. The article contends that federal judicial regulation of schooling emerges out of a sequence of institution-building of public education within the United States, in which a weak federal educational bureaucracy has relied on courts as a primary tool of educational policy-making. Setting the argument within the contexts of educational “intercurrence,” the article explores locates the origins of federal regulation of public school attendance in early 20th century federal courts that sought initially to set boundary conditions on plenary authority of states to control students. Post-Civil Rights Era Congressional efforts to reform education have sought to build on the success of judicial regulation of schooling, but have had difficulty moving away from the “judicial no” model of federal educational governance. In short, the success of judicial regulation of schooling has been institutionally incorporated within bureaucratic modes of federal educational authority, yet that incorporation ultimately undermines the independent authority of federal bureaucracy to move away from a rights-based conception of educational regulation and toward an outcomes-based notion of public education. The argument is advanced by tracking federal regulation of attendance relationships from the origins of compulsory school attendance in the late 19th century to the 2007 Supreme Court decisions. By holding constant over time the regulation of who may go to school with whom, the article seeks to map the changes and limitations of federal authority in public education.
On the Matrix Equation f(X) = A

Abstract This paper deals with the matrix equation f(X)=A, where A∈ C n×n is a given matrix, and ƒ is a complex holomorphic function defined on an open subset D ƒ of C . It furnishes information concerning the set S of all solutions X∈ C n×n of ƒ(X)=A , the subset Sp ⊂ S of all solutions that are polynomials in A, and the subset SD ⊂ S of all diagonalizable solutions. A necessary and sufficient condition for S to be nonempty is established. Relations among all solutions of ƒ(X)=A lying in the same similarity class are established. In the particular case where A∈ R n×n , D ƒ is symmetric with respect to the real line R ⊂ C , and ƒ( z )= f(z) for every z∈ D ƒ , a necessary and sufficient condition for S ∩ R n×n to be nonempty is established. Necessary and sufficient conditions for SP and SD to be empty, finite, infinite, and commutative are established. Explicit computations of all the elements of SP and SD are furnished, and the numbers of elements of these two sets are determined. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the relations S=SP, S=SD, or SP=SD to be satisfied are established. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of normal, hermitian, skew-hermitian, positive definite, and unitary solutions are established. It is shown that the set P(ƒ,A) of all polynomials p ∈ C [x] such that X = p(A) is a solution of ƒ(X) = A depends only on the minimal polynomial of A, and not on the size of A. An example is furnished of a matrix equation ƒ(X) = A that has no solution in F n×n for any field F , but has a solution in R n×n when R is a certain ring. These results are applied to the particular equations Xm = A, eX = A and the fixed-point equation ƒ(X) = X .
Simulation of Phosphorene Field-Effect Transistor at the Scaling Limit

The ultimate scaling limit and device physics of aggressively scaled phosphorene MOSFETs are examined by self-consistent multiscale quantum transport simulations. The MOSFET structure can effectively suppress the ambipolar conduction and decrease the leakage current, and thereby, is more scalable than the Schottky barrier FET structure. The interplay of quantum mechanical effects and highly anisotropic band structure plays a critical role for phosphorene transistors with a sub 10-nm channel length, in which the optimum choice of the transport crystalline direction is completely different from phosphorene FETs with a longer channel length. Even at a sub-10-nm channel length with considerable quantum tunneling effects, the anisotropic band structure still provides a better device performance in terms of ON-current over other 2-D semiconductors with nearly isotropic band structures, such as MoS2. With the optimum choice of the transport direction, both n- and p-type phosphorene FETs meet the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductor (ITRS) target at the 5-nm technology node.
Drug flashbacks. II. Some additional findings

A subsample was drawn from an earlier collection of data in order to answer a number of questions related to "acid" (LSD, STP) flashbacks. Acid users who reported flashbacks also reported significantly more marijuana use than those who did not; the two groups did not differ on use of other drugs, including acid. Simple correlations and multiple regression analyses both showed extent of marijuana use to be the only drug variable significantly related to acid flashbacks. No optimal combination of marijuana and acid improved flashback prediction. Among acid users, correlations between amounts of use for various drugs were high and significant, excepting only the marijuana-acid correlation.
Catalytic Mechanism of S-Ribosylhomocysteinase (LuxS): Stereochemical Course and Kinetic Isotope Effect of Proton Transfer Reactions†,‡

S-ribosylhomocysteinase (LuxS) catalyzes the cleavage of the thioether bond in S-ribosylhomocysteine (SRH) to produce homocysteine and 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD), the precursor of type II bacterial quorum sensing molecule. The proposed mechanism involves a series of proton-transfer reactions, which are catalyzed by an Fe2+ ion and two general acids/bases in the LuxS active site, resulting in the migration of the ribose carbonyl group from its C1 to C3 position. Subsequent beta-elimination at C4 and C5 positions completes the catalytic cycle. In this work, the regiochemistry and stereochemical course of the proton transfer reactions were determined by carrying out the reactions using various specifically deuterium-labeled SRH as substrate and analyzing the reaction products by 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Our data indicate a suprafacial transfer of the ribose C2 proton to its C1 position and the C3 proton to the C2 position during catalysis, whereas the ribose C4 proton is completely washed into solvent. The primary deuterium kinetic isotope effect suggests that the conversion of 2-keto intermediate to 3-keto intermediate is partially rate limiting. However, mutation of Glu-57, the putative second general acid/base in catalysis, to an aspartic acid renders the final beta-elimination step rate limiting.
Immune dysregulation as a cause of autoinflammation in fragile X premutation carriers: link between FMRI CGG repeat number and decreased cytokine responses.

Background Increased rates of autoinflammatory and autoimmune disorders have been observed in female premutation carriers of CGG repeat expansion alleles of between 55–200 repeats in the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene. To determine whether an abnormal immune profile was present at a cellular level that may predispose female carriers to autoinflammatory conditions, we investigated dynamic cytokine production following stimulation of blood cells. In addition, splenocyte responses were examined in an FMR1 CGG knock-in mouse model of the fragile X premutation. Methods Human monocyte and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) were isolated from the blood of 36 female FMR1 premutation carriers and 15 age-matched controls. Cells were cultured with media alone, LPS or PHA. In the animal model, splenocytes were isolated from 32 CGG knock-in mice and 32 wild type littermates. Splenocytes were cultured with media alone or LPS or PMA/Ionomycin. Concentrations of cytokines (GM-CSF, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17, IFNγ, TNFα, and MCP-1) were determined from the supernatants of cellular cultures via Luminex multiplex assay. Additionally, phenotypic cellular markers were assessed on cells isolated from human subjects via flow cytometry. Results We found decreases in cytokine production in human premutation carriers as well as in the FMR1 knock-in mice when compared with controls. Levels of cytokines were found to be associated with CGG repeat length in both human and mouse. Furthermore, T cells from human premutation carriers showed decreases in cell surface markers of activation when compared with controls. Conclusions In this study, FMR1 CGG repeat expansions are associated with decreased immune responses and immune dysregulation in both humans and mice. Deficits in immune responses in female premutation carriers may lead to increased susceptibility to autoimmunity and further research is warranted to determine the link between FMR1 CGG repeat lengths and onset of autoinflammatory conditions.
Linking Linear/Nonlinear Thinking Style Balance and Managerial Ethical Decision-Making

This study presents the results of an empirical analysis of the relationship between managerial thinking style and ethical decision-making. Data from 200 managers across multiple organizations and industries demonstrated that managers predominantly adopt a utilitarian perspective when forming ethical intent across a series of business ethics vignettes. Consistent with expectations, managers utilizing a balanced linear/nonlinear thinking style demonstrated a greater overall willingness to provide ethical decisions across ethics vignettes compared to managers with a predominantly linear thinking style. However, results comparing the ethical decision-making of balanced thinking managers and nonlinear thinking managers were generally inconsistent across the ethics vignettes. Unexpectedly, managers utilizing a balanced linear/nonlinear thinking style were least likely to adopt an act utilitarian rationale for ethical decision-making across the vignettes, suggesting that balanced thinkers may be more likely to produce ethical decisions by considering a wider range of alternatives and ruling out those that are justified solely on the basis of their outcomes. Implications are discussed for future research and practice related to management education and development, and ethical decision-making theory.
The effect of the ISO-14001 environmental management system on corporate financial performance

This study employed a quasi-experimental design to compare ISO companies with the matched comparison companies on the effect of ISO-14001 registration (independent variable) on financial performance (three dependent variables): Return On Revenue (ROR), Return On Assets (ROA), and Operating Revenue (OPR). Eighty one pairs of companies (N = 162) were collected from the Standard & Poor's (S&P) database, which had at least one ISO certificate and for whom five years of financial data were available. Data on ISO registration indicated a strong pattern of distribution by industry, by years, and by the size of company. Control for initial difference, the results of statistical analyses (ANCOVA, MANOVA, and ANOVA)indicated that registration of ISO-14001 led to lower ROR and ROA in the two-year period, and no change in the third year period. OPR did not change. Early adoption, length of ISO registration and the size of company did not affect the relationship of ISO registration and financial performance.
Two object-based decomposition methodologies

An interesting and little documented problem is the influence of a design methodology on the program architecture. In this case study, we compared two design methodologies and their impact on both development process and the resulting program architecture. The methodologies are object-based variants of refinement methodology and structured design, respectively. Both methodologies were applied to the same problem (a library system of less than 1000 lines of Ada code), and the results were compared. Substantial differences between the two resulting architectures are analysed and discussed.
Clinical pathology in the National Toxicology Program.

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) developed a standard approach for clinical pathology investigations that was integrated into most toxicity studies designed and conducted after 1986. Protocols...
Effect of tortilla chip preparation on the protein fractions of quality protein maize, regular maize and sorghum

Protein solubility, molecular weight distribution and pepsin-digestibilities of tortilla chips prepared from quality protein maize (QPM), regular maize and sorghum kernels were determined. QPM products contained higher amounts of extractable albumins plus globulins than regular maize and sorghum. Tortilla chip preparation decreased the solubility of proteins in salt-water (albumins plus globulins) and alcohol (prolamins) and increased the amount of unextractable proteins. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate exhibited fewer bands for albumins plus globulins in all grains and for prolamins in sorghum. Processing all grains into tortilla chips decreased protein digestibilities as estimated using the pepsin assay. Sorghum was the cereal most negatively affected by processing and possessed the lowest protein digestibility.
Converting from Pascal to Modula-2 in the undergraduate curriculum

Modula-2 has been adopted as the primary programming language at New Mexico State University. This paper discusses the reasons which led to this choice of a new primary programming language. It compares some of the features of Pascal, Modula-2 and Ada. It also gives the results of our implementation efforts.
Backpropagation separates when perceptrons do

Consideration is given to the behavior of the least-squares problem that arises when one attempts to train a feedforward net with no hidden neurons. It is assumed that the net has monotonic nonlinear output units. Under the assumption that a training set is separable, that is, that there is a set of achievable outputs for which the error is zero, the authors show that there are no nonglobal minima. More precisely, they assume that the error is of a threshold least-mean square (LMS) type, in that the error function is zero for values beyond the target value. The authors' proof gives, in addition, the following stronger result: the continuous gradient adjustment procedure is such that from any initial weight configuration a separating set of weights is obtained in finite time. Thus they have a precise analog of the perceptron learning theorem. The authors contrast their results with the more classical pattern recognition problem of threshold LMS with linear output units. >
Transportation readiness assessment and valuation for emergency logistics

Unique characteristics exist in transportation networks including open infrastructure, widely dispersed populations, and diverse geographic areas. Exploring transportation emergency preparedness is important because these networks are essential for transporting freight and linking residents with essential services. This research investigates the disaster relief and recovery needs of communities and provides a scorecard for evaluating transportation–related emergency preparedness for these communities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101 is a vital source used by state and local officials to develop emergency operations plans. This guide is used as the basis for developing the Transportation Readiness Assessment and Valuation for Emergency Logistics (TRAVEL). TRAVEL is a scorecard based on Value–Focused Thinking principles that evaluates transportation readiness in emergency operations planning. An application of TRAVEL to three county–level emergency operations plans is provided to demonstrate the use of TRAVEL in a real world plan assessment scenario.
Structure and Function of Tomato Leaf Chloroplasts During Ammonium Toxicity

Ammonium toxicity resulted in morphological modifications of tomato leaf chloroplasts. The chloroplasts, which are normally flattened around the protoplast periphery, became ellipsoidally rounded and dispersed through the protoplasm. The first apparent effect of plastid degradation was development of many vesicles from the fretwork. Later the grana lamellae swelled, and some disappeared. Eventually, distinct grana could not be detected.Ammonium accumulation, chlorophyll loss, and photosynthetic decrease occurred simultaneously. Initial changes in these processes preceded the detection of modifications of fine structure; however, each continued with further breakdown of the chloroplasts.
Electron capture at the two acceptor levels of a zinc center in silicon

Electron-capture rates in zero electric field at both zinc acceptor levels have been directly and accurately measured by the transient-capacitance techniques for the first time. The data elucidate two major outstanding questions in recombination physics: (1) It has been suspected for two decades that the carrier capture rates associated with many centers with multiple charge states were due to a local Auger mechanism. We show that this postulate can be experimentally tested by the double-pulse method, and in the case of Zn in Si the Auger effect plays a negligible role. (2) While several workers have stressed that the electronic barrier may be more important than the vibronic barrier in determining the temperature dependence of carrier-capture rates at repulsive centers below room temperature, the charge effect was usually ignored in the literature. We show that in the case of Zn in Si, tunneling through the screened Coulomb barrier controls the temperature dependence below 200 K and above which tunneling through the vibronic barrier becomes important. Overall, the effect of the electronic barrier below room temperature is predominant and it gives a temperature-dependent capture rate that can be easily mistaken as the occurrence of a multiphonon-emission mechanism. Failure to recognize the charge effect may result in fitting of trap parameters inconsistent with physical reality.
Crystallization under stress: A theory of fibrillar crystallization

A theory of crystallization in stretched polymer networks is developed. In it, four principal features are incorporated: (i) crosslinks are displaced by growing crystallites, (ii) network chains are constrained to positions compatible with fixed sample shape and volume, (iii) some network chains remain amorphous, and (iv) the relative direction of a chain through a crystallite may not be the same for all chains. The derived network force exhibits a V or U shape with changing temperature in the crystallization zone that is a close replica of the behavior of gutta percha networks. Postulates of fibrillar-lamellar transitions are not introduced into the calculations.
State-selective preparation of NO2+ and the effects of NO2+ vibrational mode on charge transfer with NO.

Two color resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) scheme of NO2 through the E 2Σu+ (3pσ) Rydberg state was used to prepare NO2+ in its ground and (100), (010), (0200), (0220), and (001) vibrational states. Photoelectron spectroscopy was used to verify >96% state selection purity, in good agreement with results of Bell et al.1 for a similar REMPI scheme. The effects of NO2+ vibrational excitation on charge transfer with NO have been studied over the center-of-mass collision energy (Ecol) range from 0.07 to 2.15 eV. Charge transfer is strongly suppressed by collision energy at Ecol < ∼0.25 eV but is independent of Ecol at higher energies. Mode-specific vibrational effects are observed for both the integral and differential cross-sections. The NO2+ bending vibration strongly enhances charge transfer, with enhancement proportional to the bending quantum number, and is not dependent on the bending angular momentum. The enhancement results from increased charge transfer probability in large impact par...
Real Exchange Rate Behavior and Economic Growth: Evidence from Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia

This paper examines the effect of the real exchange rate misalignment (RERMIS) on the collective economic growth of Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia. The paper constructs three measures of exchange rate misalignment based on purchasing power parity; a black market exchange rate; and a structured model. The empirical investigation confirmed the adverse effect of RERMIS on growth, using all measures of RERMIS, as predicted by endogenous growth models. The results also highlighted the role of other factors; specifically, capital growth and population have the theoretical signs predicted by the Solow growth model and are statistically significant.
Personality and Other Factors Associated with the Gambling Addiction

The Millon Multiaxial Clinical Inventory (MMCI) and a questionnaire for the elicitation of demographic information were administered to 35 male compulsive gamblers, all members of Gamblers Anonymous (GA). In Comparison with Millon's normative sample, the GA members scored significantly higher on the Gregarious, Narcissistic, Aggressive, and Drug Abuse Scales, and significantly lower on the Conforming and Neurotic Depression Scales. The discussion centers around the implications of these results and the information obtained from the demographic questionnaires.
Ultrafast Dynamics in the Three-Photon, Double-Resonance Ionization of Phenol via the S2 Electronic State

The three-photon ionization pathways of phenol involving the S2 electronic state as well as higher molecular resonances are explored. Photoelectron spectra are obtained upon ionization with femtosecond laser pulses at 206 and 412 nm. In addition to the well-known two-photon ionization signal, there is a small component in the spectrum that stems from a three-photon pathway. This path is resonant with the both the S2 state and a superexcited state at 9 eV. The dependence of the three-photon pathway on the laser polarization suggests that the optically bright superexcited state has the same symmetry as the S2 state. Upon two-photon excitation of the superexcited state, a nonradiative decay leads to the population of a set of Rydberg states, which can be ionized by a third laser photon. Photoelectron spectra taken with a time delay between the fourth-harmonic pulse, which prepares the molecule in the S2 state, and the second-harmonic pulse, which ionizes the molecule via the superexcited states, reflect the ...
Management of antiretroviral treatment-related complications

Antiretroviral therapy for HIV restores immune function, controls viral replication, decreases opportunistic infections, and extends lifespan to near-normal for infected individuals. However, successful HIV therapy has been accompanied by the emergence of treatment-related complications, with an impact not yet fully understood. This article reviews six common complications of antiretroviral therapy, including hyperlactatemia/lactic acidosis, hypersensitivity reactions, abnormal glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, body composition changes, and cardiovascular disease. A comprehensive approach to management of antiretroviral-related complications includes awareness of (1) risk factors for adverse reactions, (2) clinical syndromes suggestive of an evolving complication, and (3) evidence-based monitoring and treatment strategies. Fluency in options for preventing and managing complications can provide maximal opportunity to balance treatment effects with quality of life.
The Acoustic Analogy - A Powerful Tool in Aeroacoustics with Emphasis on Jet Noise Prediction

The acoustic analogy introduced by Lighthill to study jet noise is now over 50 years old. In the present paper, Lighthill s Acoustic Analogy is revisited together with a brief evaluation of the state-of-the-art of the subject and an exploration of the possibility of further improvements in jet noise prediction from analytical methods, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions, and measurement techniques. Experimental Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data is used both to evaluate turbulent statistics from Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) CFD and to propose correlation models for the Lighthill stress tensor. The NASA Langley Jet3D code is used to study the effect of these models on jet noise prediction. From the analytical investigation, a retarded time correction is shown that improves, by approximately 8 dB, the over-prediction of aft-arc jet noise by Jet3D. In experimental investigation, the PIV data agree well with the CFD mean flow predictions, with room for improvement in Reynolds stress predictions. Initial modifications, suggested by the PIV data, to the form of the Jet3D correlation model showed no noticeable improvements in jet noise prediction.
The effect of single-walled carbon nanotubes on Escherichia coli: multiple indicators of viability

The impact of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 was investigated using four indicators of viability: enzyme activity, membrane integrity, plate count, and total RNA. The study examined the effects of SWCNT concentration (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1,000 μg/ml), SWCNT length (0.5–2 and 5–30 μm), and bacterial density (6.5 log10 CFU and 9 log10 CFU per treatment) on E. coli ATCC 8739 viability. Results show that anti-bacterial activity is dependent on both the length and concentration of SWCNTs. Long SWCNTs (5–30 µm) were more toxic for E. coli than short SWCNTs (0.5–2 µm). The susceptibility of E. coli to SWCNTs was dependent on the initial density of cells in the treatment, with cells at the higher density being more resistant. Estimates of viability reductions were generally similar for the four assays examined; however, the beta galactosidase and LIVE/DEAD assays were more conservative than the plate count as indicators of viability reductions.