cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Germany's Syrian Refugee Integration Experiment

Abstract This article examines the effort in Germany to “integrate” roughly 750,000 Syrians who arrived after 2011, seeking refuge from the war. Based on the two pillars of so-called “integration classes” and vocational education, the massive program executed by the German government has so far managed to prove its detractors wrong by showing that the Syrian refugee population can help fill the void in their industrial sector left by a nationwide labor shortage. But it has also disempowered Syrians by placing them inside of an international refugee regime which denies them the right of choosing where to live and work, and how to contribute as full members of society. The article is based on site visits in the spring of 2018 and dozens of interviews with Syrian refugees, German nationals, and other foreign-born residents of all different socioeconomic backgrounds about their experiences with the integration process. It examines several aspects of Syrian integration into the German economy and society, particularly workforce integration, with a focus on the case of Bavaria; other routes to employment, such as through low-skill jobs, higher education, and program efforts by civil society and volunteer organizations; and societal integration, with a close look at some of the common threads in conversations with Germans and Syrians about how they are learning to live together. This report has been shortened and updated by the author for the Syrian Studies Association Bulletin. The original report, along with photographs and audio clips, was published September 6, 2018, by The Century Foundation, a progressive, independent think tank in New York, and supported in part by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Available at https://tcf.org/content/report/germanys-syrian-refugee-integration-experiment.
The potential of novel native plant materials for the restoration of novel ecosystems

Extensive ecological change has been sustained by many dryland ecosystems throughout the world, resulting in conversion to so-called novel ecosystems. It is within such ecological contexts that native plant materials destined for ecological applications must be able to function. In the Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis [Beetle & A.M. Young] S.L. Welsh) ecosystems of the Intermountain West, for example, novel ecosystem structure and functioning are pervasive. Invasive species, particularly annual grasses, fuel repeated wildfires that drive previously stable ecosystem states across thresholds to less desirable states that are highly recalcitrant to restoration efforts. Structural changes include reductions of native flora, damage to biological soil crusts, and alterations to soil microbiota. Functional changes include altered hydrologic and nutrient cycling, leading to permanent losses of soil organic matter and nitrogen that favor the invaders. We argue that there is an important place in restoration for plant materials that are novel and/or non-local that have been developed to be more effective in the novel ecosystems for which they are intended, thus qualifying them as “ecologically appropriate.” Such plant materials may be considered as an alternative to natural/local “genetically appropriate” plant materials, which are sometimes deemed best adapted due to vetting by historical evolutionary processes.
An investigation of information systems managers' innovativeness toward telecommuting

Enhancements in computer and communication technology have offered many alternatives to information systems (IS) users. Although these innovations have been widely tested and accepted, some IS managers and other organizational executives remain unconvinced that the potential benefits promised by this technology can be realized. Telecommuting was expected to solve many social, economic, and environmental problems of our society. It was supposed to reduce pollution caused by automobiles, to allow parents to work at home and care for small children, and to increase our nation's work force by allowing disabled or handicapped personnel to work from their home. This study analyzes the organizational and individual characteristics which help produce the innovative behavior of IS managers toward telecommuting. The main objective of this study was to determine which organizational and personal characteristics help determine the innovativeness of IS managers toward telecommuting. With the obvious benefits to society, to organizations, and to telecommuters, it seems that work should be done to examine what influences the innovativeness of IS managers toward telecommuting so that the negative aspects can be changed. The primary tool used to analyze the data and test the given hypotheses is structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM is used to analyze a series of relationships among simultaneous variables. In this study, the main item of concern was the IS managers' innovativeness toward telecommuting and what influences that innovative attitude. SEM examined the factors and showed which were significant with respect to the IS managers' innovativeness. Results of the study indicate that direct relationships exist between an IS manager's attitude toward change and the expectations that one has of telecommuting and innovativeness toward telecommuting. Other indirect relationships were found between innovativeness and other individual and organizational constructs. This research should prove helpful for organizations, managers, and government officials in assisting the growth and acceptance of telecommuting as an alternative work style in America.
Chapter 26. A Free Radical Pathology: Superoxide Radical and Superoxide Dismutases

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses superoxide and superoxide dismutases, and examines a few free radical pathologies. Superoxide radical can act as both an oxidant and a reductant. Thus, it oxidizes thiols, polyphenols, and dehydrogenasen- bound NADH and it reduces cytochrome tetranitromethane and nitroblue tetrazolium. Perhaps the cytotoxicity of superoxide depends upon SUCh direct oxidations or reductions, but there is another and a more possibility that superoxide might give rise to the reactive hydroxyl radical by reacting with H 2 0 2 . All reactions that generate superoxide by virtue of the dismutation produce H 2 O 2 . There are two classes of superoxide dismutases. One of these has a subunit weight of 20,000 and contains Fe (III) or Mn (III). The mangani-superoxide dismutase has been found in bacteria and in the matrix of mitochondria. The ferri-enzyme has been found in the periplasmic space of Escherichia coli and in blue-green algae. The other class of superoxide dismutases contains both Cu (lI) and Zn (ll), has a subunit weight of 16,000 and are found in the cytosols of eukaryotic cells. The chapter also discusses the evolutionary implications of the sequence homologies among the various superoxide dismutases.
Dynamical thermal response functions for strongly correlated one-dimensional systems : Hubbard and spinless fermion t-V model

In this paper, we study the thermal response functions for two one-dimensional models, namely, the Hubbard and spinless fermion $t\text{\ensuremath{-}}V$ model, respectively. By exactly diagonalizing finite sized systems, we calculate dynamical, electrical, thermoelectrical, and thermal conductivities via the Kubo formalism [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 12, 570 (1957)]. The thermopower (Seebeck coefficient), Lorenz number, and dimensionless figure of merit are then constructed, which are quantities of great interest to the physics community both theoretically and experimentally. We also geometrically frustrate these systems and destroy integrability by the inclusion of a second-neighbor hop in the kinetic energy operator. These frustrated systems are shown to have enhanced thermopower and Lorenz number at intermediate and low temperatures.
A Review of “Reassessing the Incumbency Effect”

The electoral advantage enjoyed by incumbent members of the U.S. House of Representatives over the past generation has not suffered for lack of attention from scholars of American elections. The st...
The use of inhaled nitrous oxide for analgesia in adult ED patients: a pilot study.

Abstract Background Oligoanalgesia challenges emergency department (ED) health care providers and remains an area of patient dissatisfaction. Nitrous oxide (NO) is a safe, quick-acting, and well-tolerated sedative agent with analgesic and anxiolytic properties that make it ideal for ED use. Objectives We seek to test the effectiveness of a self-administered and self-contained NO device as an analgesic agent in the ED and assess patient and staff satisfaction with this method. Methods We enrolled 85 patients 18 years and older in a prospective observational study of patients presenting to the ED with moderate to severe pain (≥ 30 mm on a 100-mm visual analog scale). Subjects received a mixture of 50% NO via a self-administered portable delivery device. Primary outcome was the reduction in baseline pain scores at 20, 40, and 60 minutes. Secondary outcomes were patient, nurse, and physician satisfaction as reported on a brief satisfaction questionnaire. Results There was a significant reduction in mean pain scores from baseline to 20 minutes that was sustained through the 60-minute period. Most subjects (93%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 85%-97%) and nurses (97%; 95% CI, 90%-99%) reported that the NO delivery system was easy to use and were satisfied with the level of pain relief and would use NO in the future (82%; 95% CI, 73%-89%). Physicians and nurses were also satisfied with the analgesic effects of NO (82%; 95% CI, 73%-89%). Conclusions The portable NO device is an effective analgesia adjunct for ED patients presenting with painful conditions, and patients, ED nurses, and emergency physicians are satisfied with its use. Nitrous oxide coupled with a nurse-driven analgesia protocol may provide a novel solution for improvement in ED analgesia rates and overall patient satisfaction with ED pain management.
Beliefs of Chinese buyers of pirated goods

This study fills a void in the piracy literature by describing the results of a qualitative investigation of buyers conducted in mainland China, one of the largest piracy markets in the world. Chinese college students, invited to write essays expressing their views, revealed themselves to be active buyers of fake music and movies, untroubled by any legal or ethical issues. Theories of cognitive dissonance and neoclassical economics are used to explain the behavior of buyers. A surprising result is the feeling of young Chinese that their government is unwilling and/or able to control piracy. Another insight not previously revealed in the literature is the Chinese essayists' condemnation of foreigners as hypocrites who preach against piracy while avidly buying fake goods themselves. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High-Precision Studies of Lattice-Parameter Changes in Lithium Intercalation Compounds

Abstract We present an in situ X-ray diffraction experiment which measures lattice parameter changes resulting from lithium intercalation to a precision of one part in 105. Experiments on 2H-LixTaS2 demonstrate the sensitivity and reproducibility of the method. To our knowledge, these results are the most precise measurments of lattice parameter changes resulting from intercalation. We find that the c-axis of 2H-LixTaS2 exhibits anomalous behaviour near x= 1 3 and x= 2 3 pr esumably because of the order-disorder transitions in the intercalated lithium.
Study of the crystallization of zeolite NaA by quasi-elastic light-scattering spectroscopy and electron microscopy

A study of the crystallization of the molecular sieve zeolite NaA from clear aluminosilicate solutions is reported. It was determined by powder X-ray diffraction that zeolite NaA was the only phase in the solid precipitate. The syntheses were monitored in situ by quasi-elastic light scattering spectroscopy. Characteristics of the products were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Our data show that nuclei formed from the clear aluminosilicate solution, that crystal growth occurred from the solution, that crystal growth was accelerated at elevated temperatures, and that aging the solution at room temperature before raising the synthesis temperature increased both the number of nuclei that formed and also the crystal growth rate for aging times up to a limit. Adding crushed seed crystal fragments to an unaged synthesis solution produced similar results to aging the solution, including reduced induction times, increased crystal growth rates, and polycrystalline product formation.
Single-electron capture and direct scattering in He2++D2, O2, and N2.

Single-electron capture and direct scattering are investigated in ${\mathrm{He}}^{2+}$ collisions with ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, and ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ molecules. For ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$, measurements are made at 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 keV. At the smallest scattering angles, only the exothermic ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$(1s)+${\mathrm{D}}_{2}^{+\mathrm{*}}$ channel is excited. Capture to ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$(n=2)+${\mathrm{D}}_{2}^{+}$(X) is found to have a threshold at a reduced scattering angle \ensuremath{\tau} near 2 keV deg and its contribution rises rapidly. The direct scattering is primarily elastic. ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ is studied at 4.0 keV and the capture at small angles is dominated by the quasiresonant ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$(n=2)+${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{+}$(X $^{2}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Pi}}_{\mathit{g}}$) and the exothermic ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$(1s)+${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{+\mathrm{*}}$ channels. The direct-scattering channel is electronically elastic for \ensuremath{\tau}1.6 keV deg. ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ is studied at 4.0 keV. For \ensuremath{\tau}g1.0 keV deg electron capture dominates the collision. The capture is predominantly exothermic for \ensuremath{\tau}1.2 keV deg.
Reply to Comment on “Garnet-bearing ultramafic rocks from the Dominican Republic: Fossil mantle plume fragments in an ultra high pressure oceanic complex?” by Jan C.M. De Hoog

Abstract Two competing hypotheses have been proposed for garnet-bearing ultramafic rocks in the Dominican Republic: (1) The ultrahigh pressure (UHP) – ultrahigh temperature (UHT) hypothesis involves a magmatic protolith of mantle origin, which was then delivered to, and incorporated into deep-subducted oceanic crust (eclogite) at UHP conditions (Abbott et al., 2005, 2006, 2007; Abbott and Draper, 2010; Gazel et al., 2011). (2) The low-pressure (LP) hypothesis involves a plagioclase-bearing, arc-related protolith of crustal origin, which was then subducted to UHP conditions (De Hoog, 2011; Hattori et al., 2010a,b). In both hypotheses, the rocks were uplifted to the surface by an as yet poorly understood mechanism. Here we respond to concerns regarding the integrity of REE analyses, Cpx-Grt REE partitioning, other matters related to the interpretation of the trace element data, and Grt-Spl major-element thermometry. We show that none of the concerns precludes a UHP magmatic origin.
Dental Stem Cells: Sources and Potential Applications

In recent years, stem cell research in dentistry has grown rapidly with the potential application for oral and maxillofacial tissue regeneration. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the oral and maxillofacial region are easy to access, have a high proliferation rate, multipotency, and potent immunomodulatory functions. They are excellent cell sources not only for stem cell-based therapy of dental and craniofacial diseases, but also with the potential for the treatment of other inflammatory diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of different types of MSCs that have been isolated and characterized from several origins such as dental pulp, exfoliated deciduous teeth, the periodontal ligament, the dental follicle, the dental papilla, oral mucosa, and gingiva, with the focus on the potential clinical applications for each type of dental stem cell.
Combined optical tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging of tumor bearing mice

With the advent of small animal imaging systems, it has become possible to non-invasively monitor the progression of diseases in living small animals and study the efficacy of drugs and treatment protocols. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an established imaging modality capable of obtaining high resolution anatomical images as well as studying cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2). Optical tomography, on the other hand, is an emerging imaging modality, which, while much lower in spatial resolution and insensitive to CBF, can separate the effects of oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, and CBV with high temporal resolution. In this study we present our first results concerning coregistration of MRI and optical data. By applying both modalities to imaging of kidney tumors in mice that undergo VEGF treatment, we illustrate how these imaging modalities can supplement each other and cross validation can be performed.
Brain potentials elicited by prose-embedded linguistic anomalies

Linguistic theories distinguish between syntax (sentence form) and semantics (sentence meaning). Correspondingly, recent studies have shown that syntactic and semantic anomalies elicit distinct changes in the event-related brain potential (ERP). However, these results have been obtained with highly artificial methodologies and have not yet been generalized to more natural reading conditions. Here, we recorded ERPs while subjects read a naturalistic prose passage. The subjects either read for comprehension with no other task being assigned or read for comprehension and made acceptability judgments after each sentence. Consistent with prior work and regardless of the subjects' assigned task, syntactic anomalies elicited a large positive wave (P600), whereas semantic anomalies elicited a large increase in N400 amplitude. These results demonstrate that the qualitatively distinct ERP responses elicited by syntactic and semantic anomalies are not artifacts of unnatural aspects of previously used stimuli, thereby providing additional evidence that separable syntactic and semantic processes exist.
Aqueous solubilities and octanol-water partition coefficients of binary liquid mixtures of organic compounds at 25°C

From thermodynamics and certain assumptions it is shown that, under the usual experimental conditions, the octanol-water partition coefficient (Ko/w) of a given organic liquid should be the same whether the substance is partitioned neat or as part of a mixture. Measurements of several mixtures of n-propylbenzene (log Ko/w=3.71±0.04)+ethylbenzene (log Ko/w=3.16±0.01) clearly confirm this. It is also shown that the aqueous solubility (Sw) of a neat organic liquid can be related to its aqueous solubility (S w ′ ), when it is present at volume fraction ϕ in an organic liquid mixture, by S w ′ =γϕSw, where γ is its activity coefficient in the organic mixture. The measured S w ′ values for n-propylbenzene + ethylbenzene (γ≈1), n-hexane + nitrobenzene (γ>1) and di-isopropyl ether + chloroform (γ<1) are found to be in good agreement with the predicted values (average differences of, respectively, <2%, ≈8% and ≈6%). In general, the bounds on S w ′ are expected to be 0<S w ′ <Sw.
EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE ON PLANT SPECIES DENSITY: COMPARING PREDICTIONS WITH EXPERIMENTS

Ideally, general ecological relationships may be used to predict responses of natural communities to environmental change, but few attempts have been made to determine the reliability of predictions based on descriptive data. Using a previously pub- lished structural equation model (SEM) of descriptive data from a coastal marsh landscape, we compared these predictions against observed changes in plant species density resulting from field experiments (manipulations of soil fertility, flooding, salinity, and mammalian herbivory) in two areas within the same marsh. In general, observed experimental responses were fairly consistent with predictions. The largest discrepancy occurred when sods were transplanted from high- to low-salinity sites and herbivores selectively consumed a particularly palatable plant species in the transplanted sods. Individual plot responses to some treatments were predicted more ac- curately than others. Individual fertilized plot responses were not consistent with predictions (P > 0.05), nor were fenced plots (herbivore exclosures; R2= 0.15) compared to unfenced plots (R2 = 0.53). For the remaining treatments, predictions reasonably matched responses (R2 = 0.63). We constructed an SEM for the experimental data; it explained 60% of the variance in species density and showed that fencing and fertilization led to decreases in species density that were not predicted from treatment effects on community biomass or observed distur- bance levels. These treatments may have affected the ratio of live to dead biomass, and competitive exclusion likely decreased species density in fenced and fertilized plots. We conclude that experimental validation is required to determine the predictive value of comparative relationships derived from descriptive data.
Missing data estimation in fMRI dynamic causal modeling

Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM) can be used to quantify cognitive function in individuals as effective connectivity. However, ambiguity among subjects in the number and location of discernible active regions prevents all candidate models from being compared in all subjects, preventing the use of DCM as an individual cognitive phenotyping tool. This paper proposes a solution to this problem by treating missing regions in the first-level analysis as missing data, and performing estimation of the time course associated with any missing region using one of four candidate methods: zero-filling, average-filling, noise-filling using a fixed stochastic process, or one estimated using expectation-maximization. The effect of this estimation scheme was analyzed by treating it as a preprocessing step to DCM and observing the resulting effects on model evidence. Simulation studies show that estimation using expectation-maximization yields the highest classification accuracy using a simple loss function and highest model evidence, relative to other methods. This result held for various dataset sizes and varying numbers of model choice. In real data, application to Go/No-Go and Simon tasks allowed computation of signals from the missing nodes and the consequent computation of model evidence in all subjects compared to 62 and 48 percent respectively if no preprocessing was performed. These results demonstrate the face validity of the preprocessing scheme and open the possibility of using single-subject DCM as an individual cognitive phenotyping tool.
The Cortical Protein Num1p Is Essential for Dynein-Dependent Interactions of Microtubules with the Cortex

In budding yeast, the mitotic spindle moves into the neck between the mother and bud via dynein-dependent sliding of cytoplasmic microtubules along the cortex of the bud. How dynein and microtubules interact with the cortex is unknown. We found that cells lacking Num1p failed to exhibit dynein-dependent microtubule sliding in the bud, resulting in defective mitotic spindle movement and nuclear segregation. Num1p localized to the bud cortex, and that localization was independent of microtubules, dynein, or dynactin. These data are consistent with Num1p being an essential element of the cortical attachment mechanism for dynein-dependent sliding of microtubules in the bud.
SOLUTION DYNAMICS OF THE TRP REPRESSOR : A STUDY OF AMIDE PROTON EXCHANGE BY T1 RELAXATION

The amide proton exchange rates of Escherichia coli trp repressor have been measured through their effects on the longitudinal relaxation rates of the amide protons. Three types of exchange regimes have been observed: (1) slow exchange (on a minute/hour time-scale), measurable by isotope exchange, but not by relaxation techniques in the core of the molecule; (2) relatively rapid exchange, with the rates on a T1 relaxation time-scale (seconds) in the DNA-binding region and (3) very fast exchange at the N and C termini. The results have been analyzed in terms of the two-site exchange model originally proposed by Linderstrom-Lang, and of a three-site extension of the model. The values of the intrinsic exchange rates calculated using the two-state model agree with the values expected from the studies of Englander and co-workers for the very fast case of the chain terminals, but disagree with the literature values by two orders of magnitude in the intermediate case found in the DNA-binding region. The implication of these findings is that the “open” state of the two-state model in the DNA-binding region is not completely open and has an intrinsic exchange rate different from that of a random coil peptide. Alternatively, if the literature values of the intrinsic exchange rates are assumed to apply to the open states in all parts of the repressor molecule, two “closed” helical states have to be postulated, in slow exchange with each other, with only one of them in rapid exchange with the open state and hence with the solvent. Kinetically, the two models are indistinguishable.
ON PERSONNEL BUDGETING FOR CONTINUOUS OPERATIONS (WITH EMPHASIS ON HOSPITALS)

This paper develops an approach for determining staff size when Nj personnel are needed on weekday j, j= 1, 2,…,7. The method explicitly incorporates the fact that staff size will vary with both regular rest policy and fringe-benefit days. The typical hospital case where N employees are needed weekdays and n on weekends is developed in detail.
Hypocalcemic activities in the ultimobranchial bodies of lungfishes, Neoceratodus forsteri and Lepidosiren paradoxa and teleosts, Fundulus heteroclitus and Gadus morhua.

Abstract Acid extracts of homogenates of ultimobranchial bodies of Neoceratodus forsteri , Lepidosiren paradoxa, Fundulus heteroclitus , and Gadus morhua produced hypocalcemia in young rats. Tetany was observed in some rats 6 hr after injection with Fundulus ultimobranchial body extract.
Recommendations for information security awareness training for college students

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to survey the status of information security awareness among college students in order to develop effective information security awareness training (ISAT). Design/methodology/approach – Based on a review of the literature and theoretical standpoints as well as the National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-50 report, the author developed a questionnaire to investigate the attitudes toward information security awareness of undergraduate and graduate students in a business college at a mid-sized university in New England. Based on that survey and the previous literature, suggestions for more effective ISAT are provided. Findings – College students understand the importance and the need for ISAT but many of them do not participate in it. However, security topics that are not commonly covered by any installed (or built-in) programs or web sites have a significant relationship with information security awareness. It seems that students learned ...
Electric Fields in Tumors Exposed to External Voltage Sources: Implication for Electric Field-Mediated Drug and Gene Delivery

The intratumoral field, which determines the efficiency of electric field-mediated drug and gene delivery, can differ significantly from the applied field. Therefore, we investigated the distribution of the electric field in mouse tumors and tissue phantoms exposed to a large range of electric stimuli, and quantified the resistances of tumor, skin, and electrode-tissue interface. The samples used in the study included 4T1 and B16.F10 tumors, mouse skin, and tissue phantoms constructed with 1% agarose gel with or without 4T1 cells. When pulsed electric fields were applied to samples using a pair of parallel-plate electrodes, we determined the electric field and resistances in each sample as well as the resistance at the electrode-tissue interface. The electric fields in the center region of tissue phantoms and tumor slices ex vivo were macroscopically uniform and unidirectional between two parallel-plate electrodes. The field strengths in tumor tissues were significantly lower than the applied field under both ex vivo and in vivo conditions. During in vivo stimulation, the ratio of intratumoral versus applied fields was approximately either 20% or 55%, depending on the applied field. Meanwhile, the total resistance of skin and electrode-tissue interface was decreased by approximately 70% and the electric resistance at the center of both tumor models was minimally changed when the applied field was increased from 50 to 400 V/cm. These results may be useful for improving electric field-mediated drug and gene delivery in solid tumors.
Three-component laser doppler velocimetry measurements in the regurgitant flow region of a björk-shiley monostrut mitral valve

Three-dimensional laser Doppler velocimetry measurements were acquired in a mock-circulatory loop proximal to a Bjork-Shiley monostrut valve in the mitral position, and synchronous ensemble-averaging was applied to form an “average” beat. Two axial locations in the regurgitant flow region of the valve (in the minor orifice) were mapped, and maximum Reynolds shear stresses were calculated. A large spike in regurgitant flow was noted at the beginning of systole, which may be thesqueeze flow phenomenon computed by other researchers. A region of sustained regurgitant flow 50 msec later was the focus of this study. Maximum velocities of ∼3.7 mps were noted, and maximum Reynolds shear stresses of ∼10,000 dyne/cm2 were calculated. Comparisons were made of two-dimensional (ignoring tangential component)versus three-dimensional shear stresses, and, in this case, in regions of high stress, the differences were insignificant. This suggests that the tangential component of velocity can probably be ignored in similar measurements where the tangential velocity is likely to be small.
Religion and the Internet

Emergent scholarship on the most radical technological invention of our time confirms what most of us know from first-hand experience – that the internet has fundamentally altered our perceptions and our knowledge, as well as our sense of subjectivity, community and agency (see, e.g., Vries, 2002: 19). The American scholar of religion and communications Stephen O’Leary, one of the first scholars to analyze the role of the new media for religious communities, claims that the advent of the internet has been as revolutionary for religious growth and dissemination as was the invention of the printing press (O’Leary, 1996). In the present essay, I consider the transformations of both religion, and by extension scholarship on religion, occasioned by computer-mediated communication (CMC) and information. I lay out a basic framework for analyzing the multifunctionality of the internet with regard to religion. I also briefly address the multidisciplinarity required to comprehend this multi-dimensional technological revolution. My primary focus is religious uses (Lawrence, 2000), but some reference is also made to religious perceptions of this new medium. In my broader research, I am particularly interested in some of the latest forms of internet applications by religious individuals and organizations, and their consequence for inter-religious conflict or harmony in what sociologist Manuel Castells calls our ‘global network society’ (Castells, 1997; Hackett, 2003, 2005).2 The information technology revolution and the restructuring of late capitalist economies have generated this new form of society. But as to whether the internet is predominantly utopian or dystopian is hard to discern, and conclusions may be determined by one’s own interests and vantage-point.
Analytic and external control variates for queueing network simulation

While external control variates (ECVs) have long been advocated for reducing the variance of simulation estimators, the lack of tractable external control systems and the almost doubling of the computational burden has hindered their use. This paper presents preliminary work on a new type of control variate, the analytic control variate (ACV), that has the advantages of the ECV but requires much less additional computation. Use of an ACV is demonstrated for open queueing networks.
Autonomic evaluation is independent of somatic evaluation for small fiber neuropathy.

Abstract Background The relationship between the autonomic reflex screening test (ARS) and measures of sensory function and structure (quantitative sensory testing (QST) and intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD)) remains uncertain in patients with distal small fiber neuropathy (SFN). The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations among a range of autonomic (quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART), cardiovagal and cardio adrenergic tests and the composite autonomic severity score (CASS)) and somatic sensory measures (QST of vibration, cooling and heat-pain thresholds and IENFD). Method 122 patients with clinically suspected sensory neuropathy without motor weakness and with normal nerve conduction studies underwent blinded autonomic reflex screening test (ARS), quantitative sensory testing (QST) and skin biopsy (IENFD) for diagnosis of SFN. The relationship between autonomic and somatic sensory measures was assessed. Results There was no association between autonomic function measures (QSART volume, CASS_QSART, CASS_vagal, CASS_adrenergic or total CASS) and small fiber sensory measures (IENFD, cooling or heat-pain thresholds). Weak correlations were noted among some modalities of QST (vibration and cooling thresholds) and IENFD. Discussion Autonomic and sensory outcomes are independent (complementary) measures of distal SFN, and should where feasible be used concurrently in the evaluation of SFN.
Local Motions of Organic Pollutants in Soil Components, as Studied by 2H NMR

{sup 2}H NMR spectra and interpretations are presented on a series of samples, each consisting of a deuterium-labeled organic pollutant (trichloroethylene, acetone, pyridine, benzene, or ethylene glycol) adsorbed on a soil component (montmorillonite clay or humic acid). Spectra were obtained over a wide temperature range and using two values of the quadrupolar echo delay period. Computer simulations of line shapes resulting from various forms of local motion of C-{sup 2}H moieties provide useful guidelines for interpreting the experimental results. In a few cases, detailed line shape simulations are given. This approach is attractive for elucidation of the detailed motional behaviors of organic pollutants adsorbed in soil.
Fallopian Tube Imaging Using An Articulating Confocal Microlaparoscope

A confocal microlaparoscope for in-vivo imaging of early stage cancer inside the fallopian tube is presented. Feasibility is demonstrated using a rigid microlaparoscope and preliminary in-vivo results with the new articulating catheter are expected.
Spitzer IRS Observations of the Galactic Center

We present Spitzer IRS R ~ 600 spectra (10 - 38 μm) of 38 positions in the Galactic Center (GC), all at the same Galactic longitude of and including the Arches Cluster. Our positions include the Arched Filaments, regions near the Quintuplet Cluster, the ''Bubble'' lying along the same line-of-sight as the molecular cloud MO.13-0.13, and the diffuse interstellar gas along the line of sight at higher Galactic latitudes. From measurements of the [O IV], [Ne II], [Ne III], [Si II], [S III], [Fe II], [Fe III], and H2 S(0), S(1), and S(2) lines we determine the gas excitation and ionic abundance ratios. The main source of excitation is photoionization, with the Arches Cluster ionizing the Arched Filaments and the Quintuplet Cluster ionizing the gas nearby and at lower Galactic latitudes including the far side of the Bubble. In addition, strong shocks ionize gas to O+3 and destroy dust grains, releasing iron into the interstellar medium (ISM); the shock effects are particularly noticeable in the center of the Bubble but the highly ionized gas is present in all positions. The H2 lines are formed both in photodissociation regions in the GC and along the line of sight to the GC.
Scene Segmentation For Autonomous Robotic Navigation Using Sequential Laser Projected Structured Light

Vision systems for mobile robots or autonomous vehicles navigating in an unknown terrain environment must provide a rapid and accurate method of segmenting the scene ahead into regions of pathway and background. A major distinguishing feature between the pathway and background is the three dimensional texture of these two regions. Typical methods of textural image segmentation are very computationally intensive, often lack the required robustness, and are incapable of sensing the three dimensional texture of various regions of the scene. A method is presented where scanned laser projected lines of structured light, viewed by a stereoscopically located single video camera, resulted in an image in which the three dimensional characteristics of the scene were represented by the discontinuity of the projected lines. This image was conducive to processing with simple regional operators to classify regions as pathway or background. Design of some operators and application methods, and demonstration on sample images are presented. This method provides rapid and robust scene segmentation capability that has been implemented on a microcomputer in near real time, and should result in higher speed and more reliable robotic or autonomous navigation in unstructured environments.
Role of tyrosine-sulfated proteins in retinal structure and function

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a significant role in cellular and retinal health. The study of retinal tyrosine-sulfated proteins is an important first step toward understanding the role of ECM in retinal health and diseases. These secreted proteins are members of the retinal ECM. Tyrosine sulfation was shown to be necessary for the development of proper retinal structure and function. The importance of tyrosine sulfation is further demonstrated by the evolutionary presence of tyrosylprotein sulfotransferases, enzymes that catalyze proteins' tyrosine sulfation, and the compensatory abilities of these enzymes. Research has identified four tyrosine-sulfated retinal proteins: fibulin 2, vitronectin, complement factor H (CFH), and opticin. Vitronectin and CFH regulate the activation of the complement system and are involved in the etiology of some cases of age-related macular degeneration. Analysis of the role of tyrosine sulfation in fibulin function showed that sulfation influences the protein's ability to regulate growth and migration. Although opticin was recently shown to exhibit anti-angiogenic properties, it is not yet determined what role sulfation plays in that function. Future studies focusing on identifying all of the tyrosine-sulfated retinal proteins would be instrumental in determining the impact of sulfation on retinal protein function in retinal homeostasis and diseases.
Differences in the behavior of the purine and pyrimidine bases on dextran columns at different pH values

Abstract When the carboxyl groups of a highly cross-linked dextran gel are converted to their acid form, the gel can act as a cation exchanger towards purines and pyrimidines containing basic groups, and as a result the distribution coefficients of such compounds are markedly increased over those values obtained on neutral dextran. At alkaline pH's these same carboxyl groups interact in an opposite manner with the acidic groups of purines and pyrimidines to lower their distribution coefficients. Choosing a proper balance between the charge on the matrix of the gel, the charges of the compounds themselves, and the adsorptive effect of the compounds for the ether groupings of the dextran gel makes possible the analytical separation of purines and pyrimidines at acidic or alkaline pH's. Desalting of the purine and pyrimidine bases can be accomplished on dextran columns at neutral pH, since many of the common salts such as chlorides, acetates, formates, phosphates, and iodides precede the bases as a sharp and distinct band.
Numerical Simulation of the Life History of a Hailstorm

Abstract A two-dimensional, time-dependent cloud model has been used to simulate the evolution of hail cells and hailstorms. The model has been under development for several years tested on a few days of real data, and gives reasonable predictions of the convective characteristics and essential precipitation processes for both severe and nonsevere convection days. Hydrodynamic equations for. deep convection are integrated over a 20 km square grid with 200 m spacing between grid points. Cloud formation and precipitation processes employing bulk water techniques are simulated in the model. Autoconversion and accretion are used to transform cloud water to rain. Precipitating ice (hail) is formed by the freezing of rain and through an approximation to the Bergeron-Findeisen process to transform cloud liquid to precipitating ice. Accretion of cloud water by rain, and accretion of cloud water, cloud ice and rain by hail are modeled. Wet and dry growth of hail and the shedding of rain from hail are simulated. Cl...
Incorporating Information Literacy into the Accounting Curriculum

ABSTRACT This article illustrates the relevance of information literacy concepts to accounting students, and describes the collaborative approach used by librarians and accounting faculty at Weber State University (WSU) to incorporate information literacy into the accounting curriculum. A case study of an introductory international accounting course is used to exemplify how WSU's information literacy competency framework is incorporated. The results of this approach are discussed.
Accuracy of the Taylor-Galerkin model for contaminant transport in groundwater

The Taylor-Galerkin finite element model (TGFEM) is second-order accurate in time. However, it provides oscillatory results for advection dominated transport. The objective of this paper is to develop criteria for the TGFEM to provide oscillation-free accurate results. The accuracy of the TGFEM was evaluated by comparing its prediction with the corresponding analytical solution. The model was found to provide oscillation-free accurate results for Peclet number, Pe, as high as 20 and Courant number Cr=<0.10.
Leveraging directional emission together with nonimaging optics for next-generation luminescent solar concentrators

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) aim to deliver high concentration ratio for photovoltaic cells without tracking the Sun, however, experimental realizations to date underperform their limiting theoretical potential by more than an order of magnitude. Here, we pursue a new path to improve LSC performance by combining highly directional spontaneous emission with integrated nonimaging optical elements. By minimizing the etendue of emitted light through use of simple and scalable photonic structure, we employ the nonimaging optical design to transform limited angular extent into high spatial compression. We discuss the conceptual basis and theoretical potential of this approach and show through a combination of experiment and ray-tracing simulation that dramatic increases in LSC concentration ratio can be realized.
Salmonella typhimurium mutations affecting utilization of L-leucine beta-naphthylamide.

L-leucine-β-naphthylamide (LNA) will support growth of a leucine auxotroph of Salmonella typhimurium. Utilization of this compound depends on the presence in the cells of active peptidase N. Selection for improved growth on a suboptimal concentration of LNA yields mutants some of which contain elevated levels of peptidase N. The properties of these strains indicate that they carry tandem genetic duplications of the pepN locus: they show rec-dependent genetic instability; they contain an approximately doubled level of the pepN gene product; neighboring chromosomal loci are also duplicated; and, the mutants occur with a greatly diminished frequency in rec− strains. When selection for improved growth on LNA is applied to a rec− strain, the mutants obtained do not contain duplications. These strains appear to contain lesions in the pepN gene that lead to the production of a peptidase N with altered substrate specificity.
Reciprocity principle for radiative transfer models that use periodic boundary conditions

Many numerical models use periodic boundary conditions in solving the radiative transfer through heterogeneous media specified over a fixed domain. A reciprocity principle applicable to solutions from these models is derived for the common situation of a scattering and absorbing heterogeneous medium that is illuminated over the entire domain from a single direction. The derived reciprocity principle states that the domain-averaged bidirectional reflectance distribution function remains invariant when incoming and outgoing directions are interchanged, regardless of the heterogeneity of the medium and the size of the domain. This reciprocity principle provides a simple and useful benchmark test for radiative transfer models that use periodic boundary conditions.
Fronto-limbic function in unaffected offspring at familial risk for bipolar disorder during an emotional working memory paradigm

Evidence from neuroimaging studies indicate that individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) exhibit altered functioning of fronto-limbic systems implicated in voluntary emotion regulation. Few studies, however, have examined the extent to which unaffected youth at familial risk for BD exhibit such alterations. Using an fMRI emotional working memory paradigm, we investigated the functioning of fronto-limbic systems in fifteen healthy bipolar offspring (8–17 years old) with at least one parent diagnosed with BD (HBO), and 16 age-matched healthy control (HC) participants. Neural activity and functional connectivity analyses focused on a priori neural regions supporting emotion processing (amygdala and ventral striatum) and voluntary emotion regulation (ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)). Relative to HC, HBO exhibited greater right VLPFC (BA47) activation in response to positive emotional distracters and reduced VLPFC modulation of the amygdala to both the positive and negative emotional distracters; there were no group differences in connectivity for the neutral distracters. These findings suggest that alterations in the functioning of fronto-limbic systems implicated in voluntary emotion regulation are present in unaffected bipolar offspring. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine the extent to which such alterations represent neurodevelopmental markers of risk for future onset of BD.
Dependence of the ejection velocities of laser-ablated ions on the laser wavelength and fluence.

Drift measurements of initial ejection velocities of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization matrix compounds have been made as a function of ablating laser wavelength and laser fluence. For pulsed laser irradiation just above the matrix ion appearance threshold, initial ejection velocities of protonated molecular ions of an anthranilic acid target increase from ∼ 1350 m/s to ∼ 1640 m/s (kinetic energies of 1.3 eV and 1.9 eV, respectively) when the ablation laser wavelength is changed from 355 nm to 266 nm. Increasing the laser fluence per pulse by up to a factor of 10 above threshold results in the appearance of a slower component of the ejected ion flux. The results are interpreted by a photomechanical ejection model in which a photoexcited surface molecule instantaneously becomes larger and recoils away from the surface.