cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Die Bürgerrechte I: Die Freiheit der Person

Das Wesen einer rechtsstaatlichen Gemeinschaftsordnung oder „Verfassung“ liegt in dem Schutz, den sie den Machtadressaten gegen willkurliche Einwirkungen der Machttrager auf ihre Personlichkeitssphare gewahrt, oder, anders ausgedruckt, in dem Schutz, den die Burger gegenuber den Regierangsmasnahmen geniesen, die, vom Standpunkt der allgemein gultigen Gesetze aus gesehen, auch dann rechtswidrig sind, wenn sie unter dem Vorwand des offentlichen Interesses vorgenommen werden. Der Begriff der burgerlichen Freiheitsrechte2 ist demnach der Kern des Rechtsstaats (rule of law). Was die heutige „Gestalt“ der britischen Verfassungsordnung als der Freiheit von Staatswillkur ausmacht, kann fuglich als das Ergebnis der im Laufe der Jahrhunderte sich einstellenden Beschrankungen der Staatsmacht angesehen und in diesem Sinn beschrieben werden. Die burgerlichen Freiheitsrechte sind daher weit weniger „abstrakte“ Postulate einer bestimmten, hier der naturrechtlichen Ideologie, wie es bei den rationalisierten Rechtserklarungen der franzosischen Revolution weitgehend der Fall und auch charakteristisch fur die amerikanische Freiheitsmetaphysik war; vielmehr reflektieren sie die im common law und in bestimmten Gesetzen enthaltenen politischen Konzessionen, die eine bestimmte, sich mit dem „Volk“ identifizierende Klasse den jeweiligen Machttragern aufzwang, wenn diese ihre Machtausubung uber das fur die Machtadressaten ertragliche Mas auszudehnen versuchten. Alle englischen Gesetze, die heute die Grundlage der burgerlichen Freiheitsrechte bilden, verdanken demnach ihre rechtliche Geltung konkreten Anlassen als im Kampf mit der Obrigkeit erzwungene Zugestandnisse zum Schutz der burgerlichen Personlichkeitssphare.
Analysis of Wheel-Tissue Interaction for In Vivo Robotic Mobility

Providing mobility of miniature, in vivo surgical robots under a variety of changing in vivo conditions is necessary to help expand the application of minimally invasive surgery. Analytical and finite element analysis results of wheeled mobility on tissue inside abdominal cavity are presented here, as a preliminary step towards further improved mobility performance. Results indicate that the mobility of a wheeled robot on tissue is influenced by factors including wheel torque application rate and material relaxation time. While using a viscoelastic standard linear solid material tissue model, the steady state translation speed of the wheel decreases with the increase of material relaxation time given a constant torque application time. Interestingly, at a relaxation time threshold value, the wheel’s steady-state speed no longer decreases, but abruptly undergoes continuous acceleration. Results also indicate that for very small and very large relaxation times the viscoelastic material can be approximated as an elastic material.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Analyzing Framing Processes by Means of Logical Argument Mapping

The primary goal of this paper is to present a new method-called Logical Argument Mapping (LAM)-for the analysis of framing processes. To justify this approach, I start with a distinction between boundary setting, sense making, and meaning construction as three forms or aspects of framing, and argue for the thesis that crucial for the resolution of frame-based controversies is our ability to deal with entire "webs" of mutually supporting beliefs. LAM allows us to visualize the inferential structure of those webs of belief in a holistic manner. The method is introduced by means of an exemplary analysis of two conflicting interpretations of how the international community should deal with Hamas after its election victory in 2006.
Localized, positive charge mediates adhesion of rhodosporidium toruloides to barley leaves and polystyrene

The physicochemical forces that mediate attachment of yeasts to the phylloplane are unknown. Cell surface charge and hydrophobicity and adhesion to polystyrene, glass, and barley were assessed for wild-type Rhodosporidium toruloides and attachment-minus (Att−) mutants. Cells were grown under conditions promoting (excess carbon) or not promoting (excess nitrogen) capsule production. Hydrophobicity was measured by adhesion to xylenes, and surface charge characteristics were assessed by attachment to either DEAE (positive)- or carboxymethyl (CM) (negative)-Sephadex ion-exchange beads. Hydrophobicity and adhesiveness of nonencapsulated, wild-type R. toruloides decreased from mid-log to late stationary phase. Encapsulated wild-type R. toruloides cells were more hydrophobic and more adhesive than nonencapsulated cells. However, two encapsulated Att− mutants were more hydrophobic than the wild type and levels of adhesion of R. toruloides were similar on polystyrene and less hydrophobic glass surfaces. Adhesion of wild-type yeast to barley and polystyrene was correlated with attachment to CM-Sephadex beads, indicating a positive cell surface charge. Sixteen Att− mutants did not exhibit a positive cell surface charge, and wild-type yeast cells that did not attach to CM-Sephadex did not adhere to either polystyrene or barley. Wild-type R. toruloides attached to CM-Sephadex beads by the poles of the cells, indicating a localization of positive charge which was also visualized with India ink. We conclude that localized, positive charge, and not hydrophobic interactions, mediates attachment of R. toruloides to barley leaves.
Antenna molecule drives solar hydrogen generation

It would be convenient if gigantic reservoirs of molecular hydrogen H2(g) existed in the earth’s crust that could be safely tapped as an energy source. Instead, most hydrogen found near the earth’s surface is bound up in water as protons, H+(aq) that must be reduced before utilization as a fuel (1). When the electrons for proton reduction come from the oxidation of water to O2(g), this redox chemistry is commonly referred to as “water splitting”: 2 H 2 O ( aq ) → 2 H 2 ( g ) + O 2 ( g ) ( Δ G ° = 4 . 92 eV ) . [1] As shown in Eq. 1 , water splitting is thermodynamically uphill and hence provides a means for storing energy in chemical bonds. The reverse reaction produces water and energy. The identification of an inexpensive scalable process for water splitting has been a “holy grail” of science for decades that could one day enable a “hydrogen economy” (2). Electrolysis accomplishes water splitting, but practical utility requires an inexpensive source of electrical power that ideally would not involve greenhouse gas formation from fossil fuel combustion. Electricity generated from wind or photovoltaic panels could be used for this purpose, but this does not yet appear to be cost-effective. Approaches that integrate solar energy harvesting and catalysis are particularly attractive as they afford the real possibility for inexpensive production of H2(g). In 1972, Fujishima and Honda (3) reported sustained water splitting from a relatively simple photoelectrochemical cell based on TiO2 and Pt electrodes separated by a membrane (Fig. 1). The drawback was that sunlight absorption was limited to the UV region, comprising less than 3% of the solar spectrum. Since that time, alternative semiconductor materials have been identified that effectively harvest sunlight … [↵][1]1Email: gjmeyer{at}email.unc.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Book Reviews: General/Theoretical Anthropology

Book reviewed in this article: Ecstasy, Ritual, and Alternate Reality: Religion in a Pluralistic World. Felicitas D. Goodman Religious Worlds: The Comparative Study of Religion. William E. Paden
Sequences in the human cytomegalovirus 2.7-kilobase RNA promoter which mediate its regulation as an early gene.

We have studied the regulation of expression of a major human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) early transcription unit located within the long repeat of the strain AD169 genome. This region specified a 2.7-kilobase RNA which underwent its largest increase in abundance between 8 and 14 h postinfection. To study the regulation of this gene, its promoter was cloned 59 of the gene for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) for use in transient expression assays. A construct containing 651 base pairs of upstream sequence and 54 base pairs of leader sequence was transfected into human fibroblast cells, followed by HCMV infection. Analysis of the steady-state levels of RNA expressed from this hybrid gene indicated that it accumulated with the same kinetics as the authentic viral transcript early in the infection. Cotransfection of human fibroblasts with the 2.7-kilobase RNA promoter-CAT construct and plasmids containing different HCMV immediate-early (IE) genes showed that the region of the HCMV genome encoding the transcription units corresponding to IE1 and 2 and the 59 end of IE3 is capable of stimulating promoter activity but not to the same extent as HCMV infection. To define important cis-acting regulatory elements in the promoter, a series of 59 deletion mutants was constructed. Transient expression analysis showed a stepwise reduction in inducible CAT activity, suggesting the presence of multiple regulatory sites. To further characterize the nature of these sites, we used gel mobility shift assays to study DNA-protein interactions occurring within this promoter sequence. With nuclear extracts prepared from HeLa cells as well as from infected and uninfected human foreskin fibroblasts, we found specific binding of a cellular factor to a region of the promoter important in HCMV inducible activity. This region contains a palindromic octamer with homology to the binding site of the cellular factor USF/MLTF. Images
Pulmonary artery dissection and rupture in Eisenmenger's syndrome.

A patient with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary arterial hyperten sion (Eisenmenger's syndrome) associated with aortic coarctation with fol low-up for 19 years, and with rupture of an aneurysmatic pulmonary artery is described. An incident of extreme fright with a possible transient systemic hypertension may have precipitated the dissection of the pulmonary arterial intima and the rupture.
IL-2 limits IL-12 enhanced lymphocyte proliferation during Leishmania amazonensis infection

C3H mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis develop persistent, localized lesions with high parasite loads. During infection, memory/effector CD44hiCD4+ T cells proliferate and produce IL-2, but do not polarize to a known effector phenotype. Previous studies have demonstrated IL-12 is insufficient to skew these antigen-responsive T cells to a functional Th1 response. To determine the mechanism of this IL-12 unresponsiveness, we used an in vitro assay of repeated antigen activation. Memory/effector CD44hiCD4+ T cells did not increase proliferation in response to either IL-2 or IL-12, although these cytokines upregulated CD25 expression. Neutralization of IL-2 enhanced CD4+ T cell proliferation in response to IL-12. This cross-regulation of IL-12 responsiveness by IL-2 was confirmed in vivo by treatment with anti-IL-2 antibodies and IL-12 during antigen challenge of previously infected mice. These results suggest that during chronic infection with L. amazonensis, IL-2 plays a dominant, immunosuppressive role independent of identifiable conventional Treg cells.
Latitude-dependent sensitivity to stationary perturbations in simple climate models

The steady-state zonally averaged climate is perturbed by adding a latitude-dependent heat source to an energy balance equation of the simplified Budyko-Sellers type. The latitude of the ice edge, which is attached to an isotherm, becomes dependent on the strength of the perturbation. This dependence is given in terms of the well-known iceline-solar constant relation, and the latitude dependence of the perturbed temperature field is then uniquely determined. The exact analytical solution is linearized and expressed in terms of a superposition of line sources at various latitudes. The main features are: (1) The total temperature response is a sum of the direct effect of the perturbation and an indirect ice-albedo effect proportional to the solar ice-edge sensitivity; and (2) the indirect feedback effect produces an enhanced response in polar latitudes.
Tau protein after delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in a human neuroblastoma cell line

1. 1. A human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y, was used to determine the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on microtubule-associated tau protein. 2. 2. After 48-hr treatment, THC (10−9 M) decreased 50 kD tau protein in the cytoplasmic (supernatant) fraction, and in the membrane (pellet) fraction the drug (10−7 M) also decreased 50 kD tau protein. 3. 3. This reduction in tau protein was accompanied by a 27% reduction (P<0.05) in the membrane (pellet) total protein after (10−7 M) THC and a 28% increase (P<0.02) in cytoplasmic (supernatant) total protein after 10−9 M THC.
A Report on the New Edition of Walter Bauer's Rechtgläubigkeit und Ketzerei im ältesten Christentum

T IS one of the curiosities of the recent history of theological studies that Walter Bauer's book, Rechtglidubigkeit und Ketzerei im dltesten Christentum, which first appeared in 1934, even today has hardly been noticed by international scholarship. And yet the significance of this book is not to be ranked below that of Bauer's well-known Griechisch-deutschen Wirterbuches zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments,2 for the thesis which Bauer develops in it is still today, thirty years after the first edition, well adapted to stimulate critical re-examination of a position which is often accepted as self-evident in the writing of church history, and to bring new points of view to the study of the earliest epoch of Christian faith. The initial question of the book is directed to the point of view which developed in the first decades of the writing of church history, according to which the course of church history was determined by a simple straight line of development. At the beginning was the self-revelation of Jesus, which was carried farther, after the death, resurrection, and ascension, by the disciples as the apostles chosen by Jesus. Harmony in faith and doctrine also marked the community of the post-apostolic period and its missionary activity. It was characteristic for this epoch that in spite of external hindrances, the proclamation continually expanded. The same point of view holds for the relation of the church to the heresies. The heretical groups fall into a pattern of church development which is dominated by the series "unfaith, orthodoxy, heresy." Thus, the heretical groups are not seen as an independent element in the development of the history, and scarcely as an intrusive element. They rather appear as a "waste-product of orthodoxy," which can only confirm the integrity and orthodoxy of the church.
Comparison of the Physicochemical Properties of a Urinary Pigment of Human and Bovine Origin

A GENETICALLY determined syndrome has been described in the Holstein-Friesian strain of cattle which causes the calf to die in hypoglycaemia soon after birth. Affected calves of this strain are carried as many as 90 days beyond the normal 280 days of gestation. The genetic defect appears when the calf is homozygous for the trait. Both the heterozygous cow and bull are capable of generating a normal progeny if crossed with a non-affected animal; and the cow is capable of normal-length pregnancy if it does not carry a homozygous, affected calf. Holm1 has reported that during an affected pregnancy the urine of these cows lacks a magenta pigment that can normally be detected in organic solvent extracts of hydrolysates of urines of non-affected cows. These findings are reported to be consistent enough to be used for the screening of the pregnant cows to detect those that carry an affected foetus.
A randomized trial comparing three methods of bowel preparation for flexible sigmoidoscopy

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the optimum method of bowel preparation for flexible sigmoidoscopy. Methods: A total of 164 adults undergoing flexible sigmoidoscopy at an ambulatory clinic were randomized to receive one of three preparations: a single hyperphosphate enema 1 h before the procedure; a hyperphosphate enema given 1 and 2 h before the procedure; or a hyperphosphate enema administered 1 and 2 h before the procedure, preceded by a 296 ml bottle of magnesium citrate taken p.o. the night before. Patients completed surveys on preparation and procedure comfort and satisfaction. The performing endoscopist assessed preparation quality, procedure duration, and depth of sigmoidoscope insertion. Results: All three preparations were equally well tolerated with slightly more diarrhea reported among patients receiving magnesium citrate (p = 0.007). The addition of magnesium citrate resulted in more procedures rated by the endoscopist as excellent or good (RR 1.5, 95% CI: 1.3–1.9), deeper sigmoidoscope insertion (56 vs 51 cm, p = 0.0036), fewer procedures requiring repeat preparation (RR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.04–0.98) and more procedures rated by patients as discomfort free (RR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.39–3.60). Excellent and good preparations were associated with shorter procedure duration (19 vs 14 min, p = 0.008) and greater depth of insertion (56 vs 50 cm, p = 0.003). Fewer diverticuli were noted with a single enema than the two enema preparation (p = 0.006) with the remaining outcomes equal between these two groups. Conclusion: The addition of bottle of magnesium citrate to a 2-hyperphosphate enema preparation is well tolerated and improves bowel preparation for flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Three-dimensional computed tomographic demonstration of lumbosacral fracture-dislocation

A 15-year-old girl sustained a lumbosacral fracture-dislocation in a motor vehicle accident with resulting neurologic deficits. Plain films demonstrated a grade III spondylolisthesis, and computed tomography (CT) showed the actual facet subluxation on the right and dislocation on the left at L5-S1 with traumatic spondylolysis. Three-dimensional CT reformation more clearly displayed the relationship of L5 to S1, facilitating surgical planning and management.
Turning Work into Play: Implications for Microcomputer Software Training

This study examined the effects of task labelling (as play or work) and trainee age on learning outcomes. Results indicate an interaction between task labelling and age: Younger employees who received training labelled as ‘play’ showed higher motivation to learn and performed better in an objective test of software knowledge than older employees. In contrast, no differences were found between younger and older employees receiving training labelled as ‘work‘. Implications for training are discussed.
Self-fulfilling prophecies in the clinical context: Review and implications for clinical practice

Abstract The expectancies a therapist and client bring into the clinical relationship can act as self-fulfilling prophecies. This article reviews the literature bearing on three types of self-fulfilling prophecies in a clinical context. First, I look at how the initial expectancies held by a therapist may bias the diagnosis and treatment of the client. Second, I look at the client's own self-expectancies for improvement and how they can enhance or impede progress. Last, I look at how receiving mental health treatment may be regarded as a stigma by others, resulting in negative social interactions for the client. For each of these domains, practical examples and implications are discussed, and suggestions are offered to therapists for how they can avoid or minimize damaging effects of negative self-fulfilling prophecies.
Leaders et partisans au Liban

Franck Mermier & Sabrina Mervin (Eds), Paris, Karthala, 2012, ISBN 978-2-8111-0595-2, €32.00 Mermier and Mervin's Leaders et partisans au Liban is the most scholarly and substantial edited volume p...
Rethinking Culture and Personality Theory Part II: A Critical Examination of Two More Classical Postulates

This essay is the second part of a critical examination of the classical postulates of culture and personality theory. In Part I of the essay (see Ethos 7:3) two postulates were examined: (1) the search for global traits, or the postulate that stimulus generalization has precedence over stimulus discrimination; and (2) the search for childhood origins, or the postulate that the past influences the present. It was concluded that individual differences do not generalize widely across comparable contexts, and that early child-care practices may not have predictable consequences on adult character. It was also concluded that the extant evidence for "cultural integration" is not compelling. In the present essay, two other postulates are appraised: (3) the search for comparable situations, or the individual difference model of cultural differences; and (4) explanation by reference to consequences, or the postulate of adaptive accommodation to an "objec-
Comparison of three methods for detection of the lactate threshold

The lactate threshold (LT) represents the onset of a metabolic acidosis during graded exercise testing (GXT). It is a valuable measurement in clinical exercise testing and correlates well with endurance performance. Our purpose was to compare three LT detection methods, namely, Inspection (work rate at onset of a systematic increase in blood lactate concentration determined by inspection of blood lactate versus work rate plot), 0.5 mM (work rate which just precedes a rise in blood lactate concentration of >0.5 mM) and log-log (work rate at the intersection of two linear lines in plot of log lactate versus log work rate where the residual sum of squares for both lines added together is minimized). Fourteen subjects underwent cycle ergometer GXT with blood samples obtained at the end of each 3-min work rate increment and analysed for lactate concentration. The mean +/- 95% confidence limits of work rates at LT for the Inspection, 0.5 mM and log-log methods were 104.5 +/- 28.0, 103.2 +/- 28.1 and 105.1 +/- 27.3 W, respectively. Repeated-measures analysis of variance yielded a non-significant F ratio. The Bland-Altman bias +/- 95% limits of agreement for Inspection versus 0.5 mM, Inspection versus log-log and 0.5 mM versus log-log were 1.3 +/- 20.6, -0.6 +/- 12.5 and -1.9 +/- 20.5 W, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients for Inspection versus 0.5 mM, Inspection versus log-log and 0.5 mM versus log-log were 0.978, 0.992 and 0.977, respectively. The results of this study suggest that all three methods detect the LT at the same work rate.
Intruder Signature Analysis from a Phase-sensitive Distributed Fiber-optic Perimeter Sensor

Using a phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometer developed at Texas A&M University, this paper reports on recent advances in intruder detection and classificatoin for long perimeters or borders. The system uses light pulses from a narrow linewidth CW laser with low frequency drift to interrogate an optical fiber. The backscattered light is detected, and real-time processing of the received signal is performed. Signatures from single and multiple humans on foot, nearby vehicle traffic on a road, construction-like vehicle activity, and animals have been obtained. Individual footsteps are clearly identified and the cadence readily observed. Time-frequency plots are used to compare the signatures. The detected signal contains information regarding the weight of the intruder as well. An adult weighing around 60kg may produce several π-radian shifts in the optical phase, which is detected by the system. While distances up to 20km have been monitored in previous remote field tests, we report measurements on a local test site with a total fiber length of 12km. A 3-mm diameter fiber cable is buried at a depth of 20-46 cm over a distance of 44m, with a 2km spool of fiber attached prior to the buried fiber and a 10km fiber spool connected in series after the buried section. Recent advances in data acquisition and signal processing allow us to avoid false alarms due to drifts in the laser center frequency and greatly improve the probability of detection. With these advancements, this technology is prime for low-cost perimeter monitoring of high-value and high-security installations such as nuclear power plants and military bases as well as national borders.
Bench scale studies of oil shale flash pyrolysis under hot-recycled-solid conditions☆

Abstract Burnt oil shale cokes oil and reduces the hydrocarbon yield from a hot-recycled-solid (HRS) retort. A novel volatile hydrocarbon detector that gives a precise organic carbon balance under HRS conditions has been designed to investigate flash pyrolysis of eastern and western oil shales. The kerogen H:C atomic ratio sets a theoretical upper limit on yield and allows experimental trends from eastern oil shale studies to be applied to western oil shale. This limit cannot be exceeded unless external hydrogen donors are introduced. The additional oil formed when eastern oil shale pyrolyses under steam fluidization conditions apparently results partially from an increase in H donors as steam reacts with iron-containing minerals. Oil vapour losses due to coking increase as burnt shale surface area increases, but surface area and, hence, coking activity decreases as the burn temperature increases. Thus, eastern spent shale burnt at 1060 K cokes less oil than when burnt at 750 K. However, with a heat carrier:raw shale ratio of three, 50 wt% more oil plus gas was obtained with unburnt rather than burnt Devonian shale, even though porosities and surface areas of the two materials are similar. Procedures to make burnt shale more like unburnt retorted shale have realized some increase in oil yield under solid recycle conditions. Reduction with H 2 and carbon deposition are methods for successfully reducing the coking activity of burnt shale. A small quantity of coke deposited onto surfaces from the vapour phase is more effective than partially oxidized residual carbon (char) for surface deactivation.
It knows what you're going to do: adding anticipation to a Quakebot

The complexity of AI characters in computer games is continually improving; however they still fall short of human players. In this paper we describe an AI bot for the game Quake II that tries to incorporate some of the missing capabilities. This bot is distinguished by its ability to build its own map as it explores a level, use a wide variety of tactics based on its internal map, and in some cases, anticipate its opponents actions. The bot was developed in the Soar architecture and uses dynamical hierarchical task decomposition to organize it knowledge and actions. It also uses internal prediction based on its own tactics to anticipate its opponents actions. This paper describes the implementation, its strengths and weaknesses, and discusses future research.
Recalcitrant Hypocalcemia after Thyroidectomy in Patients with Previous Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

Background Hypocalcemia is a potential complication after thyroidectomy. Patients with previous roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) may be at increased risk for recalcitrant symptomatic hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy. This complication is poorly described and there is no current consensus on optimal management in this unique population. Methods All patients from 2000 to 2012 who underwent thyroidectomy with history of preceding RYGBP were identified retrospectively. Each of the 19 patients meeting inclusion criteria were matched 2:1 for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) to a cohort who underwent thyroidectomy without previous RYGBP. The study cohort and matched controls were compared for incidence of symptomatic postoperative hypocalcemia, requirement of intravenous (IV) calcium supplementation, and duration of hospital stay. Results Age, proportion of female patients, and BMI were equivalent between cases (n = 19) and controls (n = 38). Comparison of primary outcomes demonstrated that the study group had a significantly higher incidence of symptomatic hypocalcemia (42% vs 0%; P Conclusion Patients with previous RYGBP have a greater incidence of recalcitrant symptomatic hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy, resulting in prolonged duration of hospital stay. In this patient population, calcium levels should be closely monitored and early calcium and vitamin D supplementation initiated preemptively.
Credentialism, meritocracy, and merit: educational requirements and the public service

The American myth of mobility suggests that educational attainment, as evidenced by some credential, is the road to achievement for everyone. This has never been entirely true, but recent trends su...
Air breakdown dynamics of preformed plasma channels

Summary form only given. A time-dependent air-plasma model based upon the Boltzmann equation for the electron energy distribution function, coupled with an extensive non-equilibrium air-chemistry kinetics was developed to study the breakdown dynamics of electric discharges in preformed plasma channels. Incorporated in the model are the species balance equations, nitrogen vibrational kinetics as well as the thermal balance equation. The temporal evolution of various nitrogen and oxygen species in ground and excited states, as well as electrons, atomic and molecular ions was obtained from the model. The electrical breakdown process was studied for different combinations of applied external electric field strengths (5-30 kV/cm) and different initial electron densities (1015-1017 cm-3). The model predicts low plasma channel electric breakdown field of 5-10 kV/cm, with a delay time of hundreds of nanoseconds, when the electron density drops to ~1013-1012 cm-3. It was observed that a combination of factors such as increased ionization due to relaxation of the electron energy distribution function toward a Maxwellian distribution, strong electron detachment, and the gas heating dynamics contribute to the reduction of the breakdown field
Applying the digital image correlation method to estimate the mechanical properties of bacterial biofilms subjected to a wall shear stress.

A digital image correlation (DIC) method was applied to characterize the mechanical behavior of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in response to wall shear stress using digital video micrographs taken from biofilm flow cells. The appearance of the biofilm in the transmitted light photomicrographs presented a natural texture which was highly conducive to random encoding for DIC. The displacement fields were calculated for two biofilm specimens. The DIC method concurred with previous analysis showing that biofilms exhibit viscoelastic behavior, but had the advantage over simple length measurements of longitudinal strain that it could precisely measure local strains in length (x) and width (y) within biofilm clusters with a 2 μm resolution as a function of time and wall shear stress. It was concluded that DIC was more accurate at measuring elastic moduli than simple length measurements, but that time-lapse 3D images would enable even more accurate estimates to be performed.
Fisher waves in reaction random walks

Abstract We study systems of particles that disperse via a persistent random walk and undergo branching-coalescence reactions in the activation-controlled regime. These reaction random walks represent a generalization of the Fisher reaction–diffusion equation. Activation control can be modelled in reaction random walks either implicitly, using direction-independent kinetics, or explicitly, using direction-dependent kinetics. We show that traveling waves exist in both cases and that the minimal wave speeds are smaller than for the classical Fisher equation.
Serum uric acid is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease: a preventive cardiology information system (PreCIS) database cohort study.

Objective Uric acid is a product of the activity of xanthine oxidase, an enzyme linked to oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and heart failure. It is unclear whether adding uric acid levels to the assessment of cardiovascular risk might contribute to the improved ability to stratify cardiovascular risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of serum uric acid levels in a large cohort of men and women at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Methods Serum uric acid levels were determined in all patients seen for primary/secondary cardiovascular disease prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Section of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation between 1998 and 2004, and all data were entered into the Preventive Cardiology Information System (PreCIS) database. Vital status of the patients was determined through the Social Security Death Index. Death from all causes was summarized across quartiles of uric acid values. Results A total of 3,098 patients (age range 18–87 years) were identified in the database, among whom 43% had cardiovascular disease. There were 156 deaths (5%) during the 14,262 person-years of followup. For each 1-mg/dl increase in the serum uric acid level, there was a 39% increase in the risk of death (by Cox regression analysis). After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, history of cardiovascular disease, estimated glomerular filtration rate, levels of cholesterol fractions, and plasma glucose levels, the serum uric acid level continued to predict the risk of death (hazard ratio = 1.26 [95% confidence interval 1.15–1.38], P < 0.001). This association was present regardless of diuretic use. Concordance index (C statistic) analyses showed that uric acid significantly improved the predictive accuracy of a model that included Framingham Heart Study score factors, metabolic syndrome components, and fibrinogen levels. Conclusion Serum uric acid levels are an independent predictor of death in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Further studies are warranted to evaluate its prognostic implications and potential utility in the monitoring of therapy.
Beyond regulations: Industry voluntary ban in arsenic use

Firms play a key role in pollution abatement and control by engaging in beyond-compliance actions without the force of law in voluntary programs. This study examines the effectiveness of a bilateral voluntary agreement, one type of voluntary programs, negotiated between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the pressure-treated wood industry to phase-out the use of chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a poisonous arsenic compound. Arsenic is ranked number one on the EPA's priority list of hazardous substances. Unlike a majority of earlier studies on voluntary programs, dynamic panel estimation and structural break analysis show that while a technological innovation in semiconductors is associated with arsenic use increases, the CCA voluntary agreement is associated with a reduction in arsenic use to levels not seen since the 1920s. A voluntary ban in arsenic acid by pesticide manufacturers in the agriculture sector has also contributed to arsenic reductions. Furthermore, the results suggest that environmental activism has played a role in curbing arsenic use. Increasing stakeholder pressures, as measured by membership in the Sierra Club, improves voluntary agreement effectiveness.
An Evolutionary Theory-systems Approach to a Science of the Ilities

Abstract For system engineers to effectively document requirements for non-functional properties (ilities), to reason about tradeoffs, and to implement and verify such properties, the language used in these endeavors must be precise enough to support rigorous engineering activities. Yet the language used today is often ambiguous and imprecise. Moreover, many past attempts to improve it with natural language deﬁnitions and explanations have not converged. We propose an embedded theory-systems (ETS) alternative approach. It replaces natural language with theories (models) in an expressive formal language; mechanically derives software from these models to foster community engagement with the theories; and uses feedback based on interactions with the software to drive theory evolution and validation. We hypothesize that this approach can accelerate convergence on models that are precise and validated enough for rigorous systems engineering. We present an early case study on applying this method to the Ross et al. semantic approach to deﬁning change-related ility terms. Results include a clarifying formalization of their informal model, its evolution through four stages of feedback, insights into key remaining shortcomings, and evidence that the approach can promote engagement with theories in ways that drive convergence toward shared, precise, useful language for engineering system ilities.
An analysis of university employee car-sharers in Los Angeles

Abstract This paper analyzes personal and car-sharing characteristics of commuters at university in Los Angeles, California. These commuters do not hold an on-campus parking permit and commute by an alternative mode other than driving alone. Each month, the university offers them 8 h free use of shared vehicles across the campus. University employee car-sharers’ housing distribution is significantly different from that of their counterparts who drive to work. Commuter benefits influence not only the participation rate of a car-sharing program but also the program participants’ frequency, time and quantity of car-sharing consumption. Car-sharing is most popular among bus commuters, university students and female employees.
THE USE OF TERNARY CATIONS TO CONTROL NUCLEATION : AVOIDING BINARY COMPOUNDS AS REACTION INTERMEDIATES

In this article we compare and contrast the evolution of ternary modulated reactants of the form M−Mo−Se (M = Ni, Zn, Sn, In, and Cu) with each other and with the binary Mo−Se system. The binary elementally modulated reactants interfacially nucleate MoSe2 over a broad composition range surrounding that of the binary compound Mo6Se8. Increasing the concentration of any of the studied ternary elements except nickel above a critical value in the initial reactant suppressed interfacial nucleation of the diselenide. The nickel-containing reactants all interfacially nucleated NixMoSe2 at low temperatures. The subsequent nucleation and growth of crystalline compounds from the amorphous intermediates obtained in the other four systems was found to depend on both the identity and concentration of the ternary element. In the Sn−Mo−Se system, a layered dichalcogenide was the first compound nucleated. In the Zn−Mo−Se system, the dichalcogenide and the ternary compound ZnxMo6Se8 were observed to nucleate at approximat...
E-government evaluation: towards a multidimensional framework

This paper analyses how electronic government (e-government) value is defined and assessed by evaluating the progress of e-government research to date and comparing it to existing prescriptions of public sector information technology (IT) research based on multidisciplinary public administration and information systems (IS) perspectives. The paper shows that e-government projects are characterised by many stakeholders with multiple value dimensions (financial, social and political), but that few e-government studies adopt a multidimensional perspective incorporating all value dimensions and relevant stakeholders. The paper proposes a framework for identifying, analysing, communicating and managing e-government value in a more objective and comprehensive fashion.
Welcome to the world

Background. The specialty of emergency medical services (EMS) has been challenged to take up community prevention activities as a part of its service mission. Though outcome evaluations of these activities have been published, there are no reports of programs' process evaluations. Orange County EMS initiated, in 1998, the “Welcome to the World” (WTTW) program, a home safety screening program for families with newborns. Objective. We sought to perform a process evaluation of the WTTW program. Methods. By reviewing programmatic data andrecords, conducting key informant interviews andfocus groups, andanalyzing print materials, we conducted a retrospective process evaluation encompassing recruitment, reach, context, and, to a lesser extent, “dose delivered,” “dose received,” andfidelity. Results. The program evaluation found that recruitment was less than optimal with a minority of participants from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The WTTW program reached about 4% of all possible participants in the communit...
An improved simulation result for ink-bounded turing machines

Abstract A (one tape, deterministic) Turing Machine is f ( n ) ink bounded if the machine changes a symbol of its work tape at most f ( n ) times while processing an input of length n . The result of our paper is the construction of an “ink efficient” universal machine which, for any f ( n ) ink bounded machine M and input x , can simulate the processing of M on x or detect that M is looping infinitely on input x . The universal machine requires O ( f ( n ) 1+ ϵ ink for this simulation, where e is an arbitrarily small positive number. As a corollary we establish that for ink-constructable g : For any ϵ > 0, if inf n →∞ ( f ( n ) 1+ ge / g ( n )) = 0 then there is a language in INK( g(n) ) not in INK( f(n) ).
Proton Pump Inhibitors and the Prevention of Recurrent GI Bleed in Patients Treated with Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet agent indicated in the management of atherothrombotic conditions. Bleeding is a predictable adverse event associated with antiplatelet agents. While non-ulcerogenic; a major site of bleeding with clopidogrel is the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The risk of GI bleeding with clopidogrel monotherapy is generally low; however, it increases with the presence of other risk factors such as aspirin use, advanced age, prior GI bleed, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids and anticoagulants. In patients with a prior GI bleed, the risk of recurrence is high and strategies to prophylactically mitigate the risk should be implemented. In this review, evidence supporting the use of proton pump inhibitors to reduce the risk of recurrent GI bleed is discussed. Recommendations on an appropriate regimen to diminish the risk are provided.
To see or not to see: a study comparing four-way avatar, video, and audio conferencing for work

We conducted a study comparing avatar conferencing with video and audio conferencing for work scenarios. We studied nine four-person teams using a within-subjects design that measured users' perceptions and preferences across the conferencing conditions. Video was rated highest in all measures. Avatar and Audio were rated similarly, except for sociability, where Avatar was rated higher than Audio, and realism, where Avatar was rated lower than Audio. While users appreciated how avatar conferencing brought them together in a common virtual space, they found the cartoon avatars to be inappropriate for a professional discussion. As a result, participants preferred Video the most and Avatar the least for a business meeting. Lower ratings for the avatar condition were partly due to users' frustrations when the avatar system did not track them perfectly. When assuming a "perfect" system, preference for Avatar increased significantly while preference for Audio and Video remained unchanged.
Spin-dependent interpretation for possible signals of light dark matter

Signals broadly compatible with light (7--10 GeV) dark matter have been reported in three direct detection experiments: CoGeNT, DAMA/LIBRA, and CDMS-II silicon. These possible signals have been interpreted in the context of spin-independent interactions between the target nuclei and dark matter, although there is tension with null results, particularly from xenon-based experiments. In this paper, we demonstrate that the CoGeNT and CDMS-II silicon results are also compatible assuming a spin-dependent neutron interaction, though this is in tension with xenon-based experiments and PICASSO. The tension with the null results from XENON100 and XENON10 is approximately the same as for the spin-independent coupling. All three experimental signals can be made compatible through a combination of spin-dependent interactions with both the proton and neutron, although such a scenario increases the conflict with the null results of other experiments.
Thermal pulse propagation and dispersion in laminar flow within conduits of finite wall conductivity

The temporal and spatial characteristics of thermal pulses travelling in conduits of finite wall conductivity are studied using a multiple time scale expansion. Values for the effective dispersion coefficient of these pulses for parabolic laminar flows within both tubes and parallel plate channels are derived and some experimental observations are made to confirm the prediction that the pulses propagate at a sub-mean flow velocity. Several analogues are drawn between the presently reported results and know phenomena in chromatography.
Les composants de la chaudière nucléaire et les problèmes de vieillissement associés

Les materiaux qui assurent l'integrite de la 2 eme barriere de surete des chaudieres nucleaires a eau pressurisee sont les aciers faiblement allies au Mn-Ni-Mo, les aciers inoxydables austenitiques et austeno-ferritiques, les alliages base nickel de type Ni-Cr-Fe et la plupart des aciers allies et des alliages inoxydables pour boulonnerie. Ils ont ete choisis pour des raisons aussi diverses que l'aptitude a la fabrication de gros composants, la resistance a la rupture brutale ou la resistance a la corrosion dans l'eau a haute temperature. Le vieillissement au sens large du terme couvre l'ensemble des modes d'endommagement susceptibles de se produire en service: amincissement de la paroi resistante, creation de fissures de fatigue ou de corrosion, propagation de defauts de fabrication, fragilisation des materiaux par irradiation neutronique ou vieillissement thermique. Certaines precautions sont prises lors de la conception et de la fabrication pour eviter ou limiter les endommagements des composants. En service, la surveillance de l'endommagement se fait a travers des controles non destructifs et des expertises. Cette surveillance, couplee a une bonne connaissance des conditions de fonctionnement, permet la comparaison entre les marges de securite reelles et les marges reglementaires et par voie de consequence, l'evaluation de la duree de vie des composants.
PROCEDURAL JUSTICE, INTERACTIONAL JUSTICE, AND TASK PERFORMANCE: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

This manuscript reports the results of two studies, one in the laboratory and one in the field, both of which examined intrinsic motivation as a mediator of the relationship between justice and task performance. Using fairness theory, we argued that procedural justice and interpersonal justice would have significant, independent effects on intrinsic motivation. In general, the results showed that procedural justice predicted both self-reported and free-choice based measures of intrinsic motivation. Procedural justice also predicted task performance, a relationship that was partially mediated by intrinsic motivation. In contrast, interpersonal justice was not significantly related to either intrinsic motivation or task performance. We discuss the implications of these results for the continued integration of the justice and motivation literatures.
Merging the accountability and scientific research requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act: using cohort control groups

This article shows how assessment data such as that mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act can be used to examine the effectiveness of educational interventions and meet the Act’s mandate for “scientifically based research.” Based on the classic research design literature a cohort control group and a cohort control group with historical comparisons design are suggested as internally valid analyses. The logic of the “grounded theory of generalized causal inference” is used to develop externally valid results. The procedure is illustrated with published data regarding the Reading Mastery curriculum. Empirical results are comparable to those obtained in meta-analyses of the curriculum, with effect sizes surpassing the usual criterion for educational importance. Implications for school officials and policy makers are discussed.