cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The U. S. Geological Survey National Hydrologic Model infrastructure: Rationale, description, and application of a watershed-scale model for the conterminous United States

Abstract The ability to effectively manage water resources to meet present and future human and environmental needs is essential. Such an ability necessitates a comprehensive understanding of hydrologic processes that affect streamflow at a watershed scale. In the United States, water-resources management at scales ranging from local to national can benefit from a nationally consistent, process-based watershed modeling capability to provide the requisite understanding. The National Hydrologic Model (NHM) infrastructure, which was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to support coordinated, comprehensive, and consistent hydrologic modeling at multiple scales for the conterminous United States, provides this essential capability. NHM-based applications provide information to enable more effective water-resources planning and management, fill knowledge gaps in ungaged areas, and support basic scientific inquiry. In the future, as process algorithms and data sets improve, the NHM infrastructure will continue to evolve to better support the nation's water-resources research and management needs.
Impacts of lean electrolyte on cycle life for rechargeable Li metal batteries

Abstract Strong demand for higher energy batteries for extended range electric vehicles has driven battery technology development toward Li metal batteries. One limitation of Li metal batteries is cycle life. At odds are the amount of electrolyte to fulfill high energy and the amount needed to achieve long cycle life. Here we employ an electrochemical model and design of experiment to understand impacts on cycle life and failure as electrolyte content is reduced to levels needed to achieve reasonably high specific energy. With lean electrolyte, a gap exists in achieving long cycle life with a reduction by a factor of 6.5 when electrolyte amount is reduced from 37.0 g Ah−1 to 6.0 g Ah−1. Two primary failure routes are identified with differences between lean and high electrolyte quantities. The results suggest that reporting and performing experiments for high energy cell designs requires that amount of electrolyte be considered a critical parameter.
Softening Shape Memory Polymer Substrates for Bioelectronic Devices With Improved Hydrolytic Stability

Candidate materials for next generation neural recording electrodes include shape memory polymers (SMPs). These materials have the capability to undergo softening after insertion in the body, and therefore reduce the mismatch in modulus that usually exists between the device and the tissue. Current SMP formulations, which have shown promise for neural implants, contain ester groups within the main chain of the polymer and are therefore prone to hydrolytic decomposition under physiological conditions over periods of 11-13 months in vivo, thus limiting the utility for chronic applications. Ester free polymers are stable in harsh condition (PBS at 75 °C or NaOH at 37 °C) and accelerated aging results suggest that ester free SMPs are projected to be stable under physiological condition for at least seven years. In addition, the ester free SMP is compatible with microfabrication processes needed for device fabrication. Furthermore, they demonstrate in vitro biocompatible as demonstrated by high levels of cell viability from ISO 10995 testing.
Armed with real guns: student unions, student identity, and violence in Côte d’Ivoire

African higher education has been the site of repeated contestations over identity. Higher education institutions, as spaces made up of individuals claiming a diversity of identities, are susceptib...
Abstract TP547: Peripheral Blood Indices for Platelet Reactivity and Systemic Inflammation Correlate With Coated-Platelet Trends After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Introduction: Cerebral micro-thrombosis and neuroinflammation are important mechanisms causing delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Apart from these loca...
Endoscopic Treatment of Extraforaminal Entrapment of L5 Nerve Root (Far Out Syndrome) by Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic Approach: Technical Report and Preliminary Clinical Results.

OBJECTIVE Far out syndrome is compression and entrapment of the L5 nerve root in the extraforaminal area between the hypertrophied L5 transverse process and the sacral ala. The purpose of this study was to describe the technique of unilateral biportal endoscopic decompression for far out syndrome and to analyze early clinical results after endoscopic decompression. METHODS The authors consecutively performed operative treatments for 16 patients with unilateral extraforaminal entrapment of the L5 nerve root (far out syndrome) using percutaneous biportal endoscopies. We included only patients who were followed more than six months after surgery. Demographic characteristics, operative time, concomitant herniated disc, and surgical complications were investigated. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using modified MacNab criteria, the visual analogue scale (VAS) for legs, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS Among 16 patients, a total of 14 cases with 4 males and 10 females were included in the study. The mean leg VAS and the ODI were significantly improved after unilateral biportal endoscopic surgery. Concomitant extraforaminal disc herniation was associated with a favorable outcome (p<0.05). Abdominal pain in the immediate postoperative period occurred in 2 patients. Abdominal pain was completely resolved with conservative management in both patients. CONCLUSION We were able to achieve successful decompression of unilateral extraforaminal entrapment of the L5 nerve root using unilateral biportal endoscopic surgery. A unilateral biportal endoscopic approach may be considered as an alternative surgical treatment for far out syndrome.
A comparison of surgical complications after appendicostomy and neoappendicostomy in pediatric patients.

Abstract Purpose There are limited data on neoappendicostomy complications owing to small patient populations. This study compares appendicostomy and neoappendicostomy procedures with an emphasis on major postoperative complications requiring either a surgical or interventional radiology procedure. Method A single-institution retrospective review included all patients with complete medical charts in the Cincinnati Children's Colorectal Database who underwent either an appendicostomy or neoappendicostomy from August 2005 through December 2016. Demographics, details of the procedure, and major postoperative complications were evaluated. Results 261 patients (appendicostomy n = 208, neoappendicostomy n = 53) with a median follow up time of 2.5 years resulted in 84 patients (appendicostomy n = 60, neoappendicostomy n = 24) experiencing a total of 118 complications requiring surgical or radiologic intervention with a significant difference between the groups (29% vs 45%, RR = 1.79 (95% CI: 1.24–2.60), p Conclusions Appendicostomies and neoappendicostomies can be an effective way to manage fecal incontinence; however, 32% of our patients experienced a complication that required either a surgical or interventional radiology procedure. Patients need to be informed of the possible complications that are associated with appendicostomy and neoappendicostomy construction. Type of study Single institution retrospective review. Level of evidence IV.
In search of the lost kingdom of childhood

Who is a child soldier? Did the child have a childhood in a home and family before becoming a soldier? What is childhood? How does the definition of childhood (legal or otherwise) jibe with the child’s own perception or understanding of his/her place in society? Does the child return home and to a family after combat? Are home and family still the same? Using Ahmadou Kourouma’s Allah is not Obliged, Emmanuel Dongala’s Johnny Mad Dog, and Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone as primary sources of reference, this Chapter engages these and other questions. The hope is to unveil broader vistas of agency, victimhood and the human capacity to transcend adversity, focusing specifically on how the child (or child soldier) negotiates the meandering road upon which s/he has been thrust by people and circumstances while lacking any properly functioning compass.
Chapter 14 – Anticholinergic Drugs

Anticholinergic drugs are medications that reduce the effect of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is involved in many major bodily functions in the central and peripheral nervous systems. These drugs are commonly used in critical care medicine. Anticholinergic agents are classified into two categories according to the receptors that they act on: antinicotinic and antimuscarinic. Antinicotinic agents act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. They prevent the transmission of signals from motor nerves to neuromuscular structures of the skeletal muscle. Neuromuscular blockers, which main therapeutic use is in surgical procedures as muscle relaxants, either as adjuvants or as premedication drugs for anesthesia. Antimuscarinics are generally used in psychiatry to treat the extrapyramidal side effects of antipsychotic medications. They may have antidepressant and mood-​elevating properties, and are liable to abuse, have hallucinogenic features. Four antimuscarinic drugs—tiotropium bromide (Spiriva), darifenacin (Enablex), solifenacin (VESIcare), and tolterodine (Detrol)—are included in the list of Top 200 Drugs by sales for the 2010s.
Influence of phononic material filters on nonlinear ultrasound measurements

Nonlinear ultrasound (NLU) is a nondestructive evaluation method that is sensitive to microscopic material damage, which is highly desirable information to prevent failure of critical components. The damage is correlated to the second harmonic generated by a sinusoidal signal as it propagates through a material. However, measurements of the second harmonic are plagued by experimentally induced nonlinearities and require careful calibrations that have limited them to laboratory measurements. Here, we propose the use of phononic materials with ultrasonic filtering properties to reduce extraneous nonlinearities. Finite element simulations were used to design phononic materials to transmit an ultrasonic wave but forbid the propagation of its second harmonic. Phononic filters were fabricated with additive manufacturing and experimentally characterized in the ultrasonic regime. Results show that the phononic materials behave as low-pass filters, where the cut-off frequency is controlled by the phononic material’s unit cell geometry. Filters were then incorporated into NLU measurements. Experimental results show that the phononic filter decreases the measured second harmonic amplitude and removes extraneous nonlinearities from the transducer, therefore better isolating second harmonic generation in a material. This work suggests that phononic materials could enable in situ NLU measurements and of critical components.
Real-space RG, error correction and Petz map.

We study the error correction properties of the real-space renormalization group (RG). The algebra of long-distance operators are the correctable operators encoded in the physical algebra of short-distance operators. This is closely related to modeling the holographic map as a quantum error correction code. As opposed to holography, the real-space RG of a many-body quantum system on a lattice (MERA) does not have the complementary recovery property. In the language of operator algebra error correction, the failure of complementary recovery occurs when there are operators in the image of the error map that are not correctable. We study the operator algebra quantum error correction in the GNS Hilbert space. We show that for any error map in between von Neumann algebras the Petz dual of the error map is a recovery map, even when only a subalgebra of operators in the image of the error map are correctable.
What Drives Deregulation? The Economics and Politics of the Relaxation of Bank Branching Restrictions

This paper investigates private interest, public interest, and political-institutional theories of regulatory change to analyze state-level deregulation of bank branching restrictions. Using a hazard model, we find that interest group factors related to the relative strength of potential winners (large banks and small, bank-dependent firms) and losers (small banks and the rival insurance firms) can explain the timing of branching deregulation across states during the last quarter century. The same factors also explain congressional voting on interstate branching deregulation. While we find some support for each theory, the private interest approach provides the most compelling overall explanation of our results.
The Gender Gap in Voluntary Quits

Women earn less than men. One common explanation is women’s propensity to interrupt their careers, often voluntarily, more so than men. Yet, the determinants and trends of this gender gap in quit behavior has not been given much attention in the literature. Using the Current Population Survey and both NLSY 1979 and 1997 cohorts, I measure the gender gap in quit behavior and considers if it is changing over time. I also determine whether parenthood in particular affects quit decisions differently between men and women. After controlling for demographic and job characteristics, individual and geographic fixed effects, and also local unemployment rates, I find in both CPS and NLSY data that parenthood affects male and female voluntary turnover differently, and that the gender gap in voluntary turnover has declined over time.
K-Domain Technology: Constitutive Expression of a Blueberry Keratin-Like Domain Mimics Expression of Multiple MADS-Box Genes in Enhancing Maize Grain Yield

MADS-box genes are considered as the foundation of all agronomic traits because they play essential roles in almost every aspect of plant reproductive development. Keratin-like (K) domain is a conserved protein domain of tens of MIKC-type MADS-box genes in plants. K-domain technology constitutively expresses a K-domain to mimic expression of the K-domains of other MADS-box genes simultaneously and thus to generate new opportunities for yield enhancement, because the increased K-domains can likely prevent MADS-domain proteins from binding to target DNA. In this study, we evaluated utilizing the K-domain technology to increase maize yield. The K-domain of a blueberry's SUPPRESSOR of CONSTITUTIVE EXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (VcSOC1K) has similarities to five MADS-box genes in maize. Transgenic maize plants expressing the VcSOC1K showed 13-100% of more grain per plant than the nontransgenic plants in all five experiments conducted under different experimental conditions. Transcriptome comparisons revealed 982 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the leaves from 83-day old plants, supporting that the K-domain technology were powerful and multiple functional. The results demonstrated that constitutive expression of the VcSOC1K was very effective to enhance maize grain production. With the potential of mimicking the K-domains of multiple MADS-box genes, the K-domain technology opens a new approach to increase crop yield.
Evaluation of maximum wall shear stress from air impingement to remove food deposits from stainless steel surfaces

Abstract The risk of cross-contamination during manufacturing of low water activity foods requires careful attention to cleaning and sanitation. Considering the challenges encountered in such manufacturing, air impingement can provide a unique approach to remove deposits from the food-contacted surface, particularly, the crevices or cracks. The objective of this study was to evaluate the shear stress-induced by air jet impingement for removal of food residues. The wall shear stress distribution on a surface below an air jet was measured using oil-film interferometry. The air impingement was operated at three level of air velocity (Reynolds number = 7756, 13,444, and 18,787) and three different nozzle height (24 (H/D = 6), 32 (H/D = 8), 40 mm (H/D = 10)). The shear stress was found to become higher along with the increase of air velocity and decrease of nozzle height. The observed distribution of wall shear stress on the surface was fitted using the Gaussian model and Polynomial model. The Gaussian model appeared to be preferable according to the statistical analysis, which aligned with previous literature. Based on the Gaussian model, the maximum wall shear stress was estimated. The maximum wall shear stress increased with Reynolds number (Re) and the ratio of jet height to jet nozzle diameter. The highest maximum shear stress (10.74 Pa) occurred at a Reynolds number of 18,787 and a height of 24 mm (H/D = 6). This trend was directly correlated with removal efficiency. The greatest removal of the treatment was achieved by 40% at maximum wall shear stress. A linear relationship between percent residue removed and maximum wall shear stress was obtained from the experimental results, and a threshold maximum wall shear stress of 2.73 Pa has been proposed for removal of peanut butter residue from a stainless-steel surface. The current study demonstrates the promising of the air impingement in the cleaning operation for low water activity food.
Can big data analytics help organisations achieve sustainable competitive advantage? A developmental enquiry

Abstract Society is changing radically and fast, triggered by the digital revolution. Firms are thus looking for newer ways to attract, satisfy and retain those customers as their needs and aspirations change. Such newer ways constitute the firms’ quest to achieve competitive advantage. However, in this current digital era almost all the traditional “Porterian” competitive advantage barriers are difficult to sustain. Further, COVID has led to a rapid acceleration in the pace of digitalisation. Can the huge data generated in every digitally enabled entity of today be judiciously combined with other firm resources? Can this big data be transformed into meaningful knowledge which organisations can leverage to sustain and grow? Can big data provide a sustainable competitive advantage? In this conceptual paper, I use a knowledge-based approach analysed through resource-based view from the strategic management domain to search for answers to these questions. I introduce a holistic framework that integrates the following: (i) firm knowledge, (ii) managerial capabilities and decision-making, (iii) sustainable competitive advantage, (iv) big data analytics. I call this framework the “The Perpetual Model of BDA as a Sustainable Competitive Advantage”. I also propose a unique Analytic Maturity Model, which I call the SAMDDC-DAMPPC Model, which can help identify and classify firms based on their analytic maturity.
Introduction to 3-Manifolds

Perspectives on manifolds Surfaces 3-manifolds Knots and links in 3-manifolds Triangulated 3-manifolds Heegaard splittings Further topics General position Morse functions Bibliography Index
Technical Progress and Performance

There is no doubt that the long-range trend of technological change has been toward ever-increasing complexity, sophistication, and greater technical performance. The analysis of technological change requires that some carefully defined measures be constructed that will permit the comparison of the state of technology at different times. Here, two different kinds of such measures will be considered. The first refers to the actual performance capabilities of a device, process, or system, while the second refers to the efficiency with which a technological system is utilized in practice.
Geostatistical Problems in Marine Placer Exploration

Current developments in in-situ geochemical analysis systems undoubtedly will result in significant cost-reductions in marine placer exploration programs. These systems cannot be used to full advantage, however, until more sophisticated mathematical techniques, to process and interpret the geochemical data they generate, are also developed and employed. In particular, methods are needed to facilitate the identification of specific geochemical anomalies associated with particular types of marine placers, to discern the relationship between geochemical signals used in exploration and the geochemistry of the source rocks from which the placer minerals are derived, and to improve the understanding of sediment dispersal patterns in nearshore areas. Simple correlation analysis of geochemical data has been used to gain insight into the formation of both gold and platinum placers. For platinum placers, it has been shown that the results of simple correlation analysis can be refined by employing a comparitive principal-components analysis in order to obtain a better understanding of the geochemical basis for any observed statistical correlations. Recent research results suggest that newly developed geostatistical techniques, such as end-member composition factor analysis and modelling with linear programming methods, may also be useful in solving the types of geostatistical problems encountered in marine placer exploration.
Health care practice patterns for balance disorders in the elderly

Objectives/Hypothesis Characterize health care practice patterns for balance disorders in the elderly. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis of national health care survey. Methods Balance disorder cases in patients aged ≥65 years were extracted from the 2008 National Health Interview Survey. Records were analyzed for health professionals seen, diagnostic testing ordered, diagnoses given, and treatments offered. Relationships between diagnostic success, imaging studies, and specialty providers seen were compared. Results Among 7.02 ± 0.22 million elderly persons reporting a balance problem, 50.0% (3.44 ± 0.16 million) saw a health professional, and 35.8% saw ≥3 providers; 59.6% of elderly patients reported a diagnosed cause for the balance problem. The most common causes were medication side effects (11.3%), inner ear infection (11.0%), heart disease (8.6%), and loose ear crystals (7.9%). Imaging studies had been obtained in 56.7% (2.00 ± 0.11 million cases). Among 24.3% of patients receiving some form of treatment, 61.7% had been taking prescription medication, most commonly diuretic agents (36.5%), anxiolytic agents (25.1%), and meclizine (21.4%). Seeing an otolaryngologist or neurologist was associated with a higher but similar rate of diagnostic imaging studies (70.1%, P = .029 and 78.5%, P < .001). However, obtaining an imaging study was not associated with a diagnosed cause of the balance disorder (61.5% with imaging vs. 56.9% without, P = .265). Conclusions Despite a high prevalence of balance problems in the elderly, a significant proportion do not come to a clear diagnosis. There is a noteworthy rate of prescription medication utilization in this population. Given an increasingly aging population, attention needs to be given to balance problems in the elderly to optimize diagnosis and health care utilization. Level of Evidence 2b Laryngoscope, 123:2539–2543, 2013
The Metaphysics of Omissions

Omissions – any events, actions, or things that do not occur – are central to numerous debates in causation and ethics. This article surveys views on what omissions are, whether they are causally efficacious, and how they ground moral responsibility.
Obesity Does Not Increase Complication Rate of Percutaneous Epicardial Access

Epicardial Access and Obesity Introduction Percutaneous epicardial access for ablative therapies is an increasingly common technique utilized for refractory ventricular arrhythmias. There are, however few known data on obesity and complication rates associated with this procedure. Methods and Results We retrospectively reviewed the charts of subjects undergoing epicardial access at Mayo Clinic between January 2004 and June 2013. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic data were collected for each subject, who was then classified into body mass index (BMI) categories as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese based on a BMI of <18.5, 18.5–24.99, 25–29.99, and ≥30, respectively. Events and complications were recorded, and procedural and clinical success rates were determined. There was no statistically significant difference in access approach, procedural or clinical outcomes, or complications among the BMI categories. Note that 95.1%, 91.7%, and 93.1% derived procedural success among the normal weight, overweight, and obese categories, respectively (P value = 0.81). Similarly, there was no difference in clinical outcomes with success rates of 68.3%, 66.7%, and 75.9% between the respective groups (P value = 0.54). At 5 years, there was a trend toward increased mortality among obese individuals (28.8%) compared to normal weight (8.8%) and overweight (9.8%) patients (P value = 0.139). Conclusion Percutaneous epicardial access, mapping, and ablation can be performed in obese individuals with similar outcomes to those of lower weight category. Obesity should not preclude the use of percutaneous epicardial access when clinically indicated.
Promoting Better Deaf/Hearing Communication Through an Improved Interaction Design for Fingerspelling Practice

Fingerspelling is a manual system used by many signers for producing letters of a written alphabet to spell words from a spoken language. It can function as a link between signed and spoken languages. Fingerspelling is a vital skill for ASL/English interpreters, parents and teachers of deaf children as well as providers of deaf social services. Unfortunately fingerspelling reception can be a particularly difficult skill for hearing adults to acquire. One of the contributing factors to this situation is a lack of adequate technology to facilitate self-study. This paper describes new efforts to create a practice tool that more realistically simulates the use of fingerspelling in the real world.
Human herpesviruses-6, -7 and -8 in organ transplant recipients

Summary The newer herpesviruses are being increasingly recognized as significant opportunistic pathogens in organ transplant recipients. Published data support the role of human herpesvirus-6 as a potential cause of encephalitis and bone marrow suppression in transplant setting. An association of human herpesvirus-6 with fungal infections and cytomegalovirus infection has also been documented. Human herpesvirus-7 also appears to be an immunomodulatory agent and may facilitate the pathogenicity of cytomegalovirus. Unlike human herpesviruses -6 and -7, human herepsvirus -8 is not ubiquitous; its seroprevalence exhibits wide geographic variation. Human herpesvirus-8 has been causally associated with post-transplant Kaposi's sarcoma. The complete spectrum of pathogenicity and ultimately the effective prophylaxis and management of these viruses has yet to be fully elucidated.
Lead time and price quotation mode selection: Uniform or differentiated?

Firms in service and make-to-order manufacturing industries often quote lead times and prices to customers. We define uniform quotation mode (UQM) as the strategy where a firm offers a single lead time and price quotation, and differentiated quotation mode (DQM) is where a firm offers a menu of lead times and prices for customers to choose from. Both modes are followed in practice. Firms should determine which is more profitable. We classify customers into two groups: lead time sensitive (LS) and price sensitive (PS). LS customers value lead time reduction more than PS customers. We develop mathematical models of both quotation modes and analyze them to determine the most profitable mode under specified situations as well as the best lead time and price quotations within each mode. We find that DQM is dominated by UQM whenever PS customers have positive utilities from UQM or LS customers have positive utilities from DQM. Otherwise, which quotation mode is better depends on multiple factors, such as customer characteristics (including lead time reduction valuation and product valuation of a customer, and the proportion of LS customers) and production characteristics (including the desired service level and service or production cost).
The quasi 2-day wave at Durham (43°N): solar and magnetic effects

Abstract A quasi 2-day oscillation has been observed in the meteor winds at Durham since 1970. On a four-day basis the oscillation occurs throughout the year with amplitudes of 10 m s −1 and standing wave or evanescent ( λ z > 150 km ) behavior with height. During late summer the oscillation increases in amplitude to ~30 m s −1 with increased phase coherence. When analyzed as a 48 h component the time of maximum of the North-South oscillation prefers the value 15 h LST implying some interaction with the solar tides. The amplitude of the 2-day component is correlated with the daily magnetic index A p indicating magnetic activity as a possible forcing for this oscillation.
Metal gates for advanced CMOS technology

This paper will provide an overview of the emerging trends in metal gate solutions for advanced CMOS technology. Performance enhancement in silicon-based CMOS technology through MOSFET scaling has shown some limitations with the current polysilicon gate electrode. Replacing polysilicon gate electrode by metal appears to be promising. However, the choice of the metal gate material depends on its work function (single or dual metal gates), thermal/chemical stability with surrounding materials, process integration (conventional or inlaid approach), deposition process, resistivity, and eventually performance, reliability and future scaling. This paper will discuss some of the results published in the literature that address some of these issues and propose future directions. Single mid-gap metal gate approach appears to be simpler from an integration point of view but achieving low MOSFET threshold voltage is a concern. Some channel engineering approaches have been reported to address this issue. Dual metal gate approach with work function similar to n + and p + doped poly-Si appears ideal, although processing complexity could be a hindrance. Also the need for inlaid gate integration could be enhanced because of thermal/chemical stability effects of metal gate electrode with underlying gate dielectric, the inability to etch new materials or to reduce device instability due to film stress as in the conventional approach. The performance improvement of CMOS devices has been estimated with metal gates along with reliability issues.
RING CLOSURE WITH CYANOGEN BROMIDE

A novel synthesis of 4-phenylpiperidines and related nitrogen heterocycles, using cyanogen bromide as the condensing agent.
Reactivities of Oxalamidines (N,N-Oxalins)

Abstract In order to determine the reactivity characteristics of putative oxalamidine metabolites (monoamidines of oxalic acid or N,N -oxalins), a series of cyclic and acyclic derivatives were synthesized and their reactivities examined. The results indicate that around neutral pH at 37°C oxalamidines are stable to hydrolysis or attack by nucleophiles typical of those that would be encountered physiologically. Also, under such conditions metal ions do not appreciably catalyze their destruction. The results further indicate that oxalamidines are stable to acid conditions (at least to 1 M HCl) but that they are readily hydrolyzed under basic conditions to oxamate derivatives. Kinetic and product data for the base-catalyzed reaction can be analyzed in terms of a mechanism similar to that proposed earlier for the hydrolysis of other amidines. This involves reversible addition of hydroxide to the protonated amidine followed by rate determining loss of amine.
Opinion writing and acclimation effect

The area of judicial research previously referred to as the “freshman effect” has generated a substantial amount of interest among Supreme Court scholars. Until recently, however, efforts to establish the existence of this effect have met with mixed success. Hagle (1993a) contends that the mixed results of previous freshman or acclimation effect studies are primarily due to the use of the behavior of the experienced justices as a baseline to measure the behavior of the new justice. Given normal variations in the justices' behavior, using the behavior of experienced justices to determine whether a new justice experienced acclimation effects may lead to a false conclusion. In this study we examine the opinion writing behavior of 24 justices who joined the Court from the 1943 through the 1993 Terms. While controlling for the number of cases, we use each justice's own later opinion writing behavior in each of two control periods as a baseline against which to judge whether that justice experienced an acclimation effect in his or her first-term opinion writing. We also compare the opinion writing behavior of Rehnquist and the other three Chief Justices with that of the Associate Justices. Our results indicate that a substantial number of the justices (67%) manifest significant acclimation effects in their opinion writing for one or both of the two control periods. Our results also show a significant difference in Rehnquist's opinion writing behavior as he moved from Associate Justice to Chief Justice and a substantial difference between the opinion writing behavior of the Chief Justices as compared to the Associate Justices.
Growth of Alaskan Blue King Crabs, Paralithodes Platypus (Brandt), Parasitized By the Rhizocephalan Briarosaccus Callosus Boschma

Le rhizocephale Briarosaccus callosus Boschma parasite une forte proportion des populations du Lithodidae Paralithodes platypus dans Glacier Bay, Alaska, U.S.A. Des individus parasites et non parasites de cette provenance ont ete conserves en laboratoire de mars a septembre 1984. Les individus ont ete capable de muer sans mortalite liee au parasitisme, mais l'accroissement relatif a la mue et le gain de poids apres la mue etaient plus faibles, et de facon significative, chez ceux non parasites. Bien que l'efficacite de l'absorption de nourriture n'ait pas presente de difference dans les deux groupes d'individus, une quantite de nourriture significativement moindre a ete consommee journellement par ceux qui etaient parasites. La croissance est reduite chez les mâles de P. platypus parasite par Briarosaccus callosus.
Singular Perturbation Analysis of the Faradaic Impedance of Copper Dissolution Accounting for the Effects of Finite Rates of a Homogeneous Reaction

A singular perturbation analysis has been developed for the dissolution of a copper rotating disk in 0.1N HCl that is based on an assumed E/sub r/C/sub i/ reaction mechanism. The underlying objective of the paper is to explore the effect that finite rates of a homogeneous chemical reaction can have on the preceding heterogeneous electrode reaction. Calculated complex-plane and Bode plots, for a wide range of values of the homogeneous-reaction rate constant {kappa}/sub b/, demonstrate the significant effect that the chloride complexing reaction can have on the frequency dependence of the faradaic impedance. An additional semicircle results in the complex plane due to the chemical reaction, and provides a basis for determining the homogeneous-reaction rate constant from frequency-response data. Other reaction mechanisms that possibly describe the copper dissolution process, as well as ways to distinguish experimentally between the different cases are discussed. Comparison of the available experimental copper dissolution data with the dimensionless faradaic impedance complex-plane plot yields a value of the order of a 10/sup 7/ s/sup -1/ for {kappa}/sub b/. Also, results from the perturbation formulation of the problem are compared to the numerically-calculated results of the Stefan-Maxwell impedance model.
Multi-Stage Rescheduling of Generation, Load Shedding and Short-Term Transmission Capacity for Emergency State Control

A multi-stage formulation of the problem of scheduling generation, load shedding and short term transmission capacity for the alleviation of a viability emergency is presented. The formulation includes generation rate of change constraints, a linear network solution, and a model of the short term thermal overload capacity of transmission lines. The concept of rotating transmission line overloads for emergency state control is developed. The ideas are illustrated by a numerical example.
Microhardness studies of renal calculi

Abstract The development of acoustic and other methods of kidney stone fragmentation has given importance to the study of the mechanical properties of such stones. Renal calculi based upon calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, uric acid, cystine, and magnesium ammonium phosphate have been studied using Knoop microhardness indentation methods. The microhardness of dry stones was found to vary with the calculi chemical composition, yet remained consistent within composition groups. The hardest calculi were found to be calcium oxalates with a Knoop microhardness of 68–88 kg/mm 2 . Other compositions have hardness of up to a factor of two lower than this.
Temporal stability of personality traits and disorders within substance dependent patients

The current study evaluated the temporal stability of personality disorders (PD) and traits as assessed by the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP) within a sample being treated for substance dependence in a residential TC. Temporal stability coefficients were similar to the few previous studies with clinical samples and comparable retest intervals; however, the current study extended previous work by examining mean-level stability of the PD scales. While most SNAP scales remained stable or decreased over 6 months of active psychotherapy, increases on some scales (e.g. workaholism as well as antisocial, narcissistic and obsessive–compulsive PDs) raised compelling questions. These findings suggest additional research on the stability and validity of the SNAP in treatment samples. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of the electron diffraction and ab initio structures of neopentane and di-tert-butyl methane☆

Abstract The molecular structures of neopentane (NP) and di-tert-butyl methane (DTBM) were determined by ab initio gradient geometry refinements on the 4-21G level. The structure calculated for DTBM is in agreement with the steric deformations previously inferred by an experimentally underdetermined electron diffraction analysis. The average CC bond distance is stretched by 0.008 A from the neopentane reference value (experimental value 0.008 A). The central CCC bond angle is opened to the extreme value of 124.2° (experimental value 125–128(6)°). The methyl carbons in adjacent t-butyl groups are twisted away from the perfectly staggered positions by 11.6–16.5° (experimental value 15 ± 6°). Calculated average CH and CC bond distances (rg) are 1.118(10) A and 1.536(3) A, respectively, for NP (experimental values 1.114(8) A $ and 1.537(3) A); and 1.118(10) A and 1.544(3) A, respectively, for DTBM (experimental values 1.122(15) A and 1.545 (5) A). Calculated results for DTBM provide important structural trends, including significant differences in individual CH and CC bond distances, and asymmetry of t-butyl and methyl groups, not established experimentally.
Gasless laparoscopic-assisted intestinal stoma creation through a single incision.

Intestinal stoma creation has been performed using both open and laparoscopic surgery. However, each technique still has disadvantages. We created the intestinal stoma through one incision, with the use of the laparoscope in a gasless fashion. This method has not been reported previously. Fourteen adult patients underwent this technique between February 1996 and December 1998. Indications for stoma creation were for various anorectal disease processes, most commonly for purposes of hygiene in patients with spinal cord injury. The average operative time to perform the stoma was 58 (range, 15–78) minutes, with minimal blood loss (<35 ml). Follow-up ranged from 1 to 22 months. Two cases (14 percent) were converted secondary to severe adhesions. All nonconverted patients were able to tolerate a regular diet within two days of surgery. There was only one stoma-related complication. Two patients (14 percent) died of comorbidities during follow-up. In conclusion, the initial experience with gasless laparoscopic-assisted intestinal stoma creation through a single incision is encouraging. Patients requiring ostomy creation as a single intervention may benefit from this approach.
FREE VIBRATION ANALYSIS OF DISCRETELY STIFFENED SKEW PLATES

Stiffened skew plates find application in various engineering fields. The free vibration characteristics of such plates have been studied by various methods. An orthogonally stiffened skew plate is a skew plate with stiffeners running orthogonal to two opposite edges. To the best knowledge of the present investigators, no previous work has been done for free vibration characteristics of skew plates of such stiffening geometry. The present work studies the free vibration of such plates. The pb-2 Rayleigh–Ritz method was employed due to its accuracy and computational efficiency. The conventional finite element method was also used as a comparative check. A convergence study was first performed for various boundary conditions. Then the vibration of orthogonally stiffened skew plates with different boundary conditions was studied. Close agreement was found between these two methods. The variations of natural frequencies with different parameters, including skew angle ϕ, edge ratio b/a, and height-thickness ratio f/h, were investigated for three types of boundary conditions.
Finding one's place in the virtual world

Ciphers and deciphering have an origin embedded in the idea of codex books, of text, of other than electronic pulsations. There is a subtext in this volume addressing the problem of moving from a “looking at” to a new “looking through” environment (p. 1). When William Gibson coined the term “cyberspace” in his novel Neuromancer (1982), it was the rare reader who brought to the term any prior interpretive experience. Cyberspace and virtual reality were easily conflated. Gibson’s work was fiction and Gibson’s use of the term was situated in a fictional narrative. Cyberspace quickly migrated from its original fictional home to the electronic ambience of computer-mediated activities. For many of us cyberspace is the same as the Internet, the world wide web, and all of the activities encompassed within electronic communication. What presumption it takes to review a book like this. The closest thing I remember is when I was a start-up assistant professor about 50 years ago. I was teaching at the University of Kansas and I received an invitation to review an encyclopedia. I wasn’t comfortable with rejecting any invitation to get published so I accepted the invitation and about three weeks later a complete set of an encyclopedia was delivered to my door. I opened the box, looked at the 20 volumes, and asked myself what in heaven’s name I was thinking of when I said I would do it. I handled the challenge by going through the set and picking out those entries that dealt with something I knew a little about: wine, speech, I. P. Pavlov, horses, sleight of hand, Vietnamese, and so on. I reviewed those entries with what critical acumen I had available and let the reader generalize to the entire set. Deciphering Cyberspace is not encyclopedic but it is a serious effort to deal with a multifaceted subject by means of triangulation. In his introduction Shyles says:
Artemisinin-based combination therapies: a vital tool in efforts to eliminate malaria

Plasmodium falciparum resistance to chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine has led to the recent adoption of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as the first line of treatment against malaria. ACTs comprise semisynthetic artemisinin derivatives paired with distinct chemical classes of longer acting drugs. These artemisinins are exceptionally potent against the pathogenic asexual blood stages of Plasmodium parasites and also act on the transmissible sexual stages. These combinations increase the rates of clinical and parasitological cures and decrease the selection pressure for the emergence of antimalarial resistance. This Review article discusses our current knowledge about the mode of action of ACTs, their pharmacological properties and the proposed mechanisms of drug resistance.
Variability of infrared BRDF for military ground targets

Two characteristics are critical in the understanding of target signatures, physical surface temperature and surface reflectance. An objects surface reflectance can be thought of as having two major components, the diffuse and specular components. The best way to understand these components is by examining the Bi-directional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF). The BRDF provides an understanding of the reflectance behavior of a surface from every incident angle and reflectance angle. With the BRDF one can provide an accurate computer model of how the material behaves. Databases of BRDF data are available for use in modeling and simulation of targets but are typically comprised of pristine samples that may not be representative of real world targets. This paper will provide methods, data and trends of the BRDF variability in the infrared regions. We will also explore appropriate data sets for use to represent typical fielded targets.
Clays, Nanoclays, and Montmorillonite Minerals

The recent introduction of nanoclays as fillers or additives in polymers for various desired effects is a subject of an increased interest for research and development to establish various applications. An increased consumption is indicated by the wider applications of clay nanocomposites approaching to almost one-quarter (24 pct) in 2005 of the total nanocomposites used. However, an interesting concern, along with the studies addressing how nanoclays change the behavior of polymeric materials, is to discover what are clays, nanoclays and montmorillonite minerals. The various structures of montmorillonite available in nature and their modification for application are discussed. An attempt is made to review the origin of using clays when nanotechnology did not exist, coupled with the effects of montmorillonite-based nanoclays on commercially known polymers.
Measurement of the Dihadron Mass Continuum in p-Be Collisions and a Search for Narrow Resonances

We have studied the high-mass dihadron continuum in 400-GeV $p$-Be collisions over the mass range 4-10 GeV. The experiment was performed at Fermilab using a double arm magnetic spectrometer including \ifmmode \check{C}\else \v{C}\fi{}erenkov particle identification. Mass spectra for all combinations formed with an identified ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, ${K}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, or $p(\overline{p})$ in each arm have been examined. No evidence for resonance production was observed. Results on mass and ${p}_{T}$ dependence of the dihadron inclusive cross sections are presented.
Amphotericin B Formulation Confusion and Mortality in an HIV-Seropositive Patient:

Amphotericin B (AmB) is commonly used in patients with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive diagnosis for the treatment of disseminated fungal infections such as Histoplasma spp. or Cryptococcus spp. Newer liposomal formulations of AmB have been introduced to the market to avoid the toxic effects of the traditional agent. With the introduction of these new agents, there is a risk of confusion between the agents in regards to dosing, which may lead to toxicity. We report the case of an HIV-seropositive patient who inadvertently received five times the dose of AmB deoxycholate for disseminated Histoplasma capsulatum and died.