cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reflections of Program Faculty on NIA-Supported Research Training

From the program faculty of St. Scholastica's National Institute on Aging Summer Institute on the Psychology of Aging, 7 members responded to a series of questions posed to them in individual telephone interviews. They represented a wide range of disciplinary interests and institutions. Their motivation for participation, their advice for both program participants and others at similar institutions, and their sense of the niches that could be filled by aging research conducted at primarily undergraduate teaching institutions differed among the faculty in provocative ways. At the same time, their positive experiences with the program, willingness to return, and respect and admiration for its goals and its director were very apparent. This suggests that programs such as this might provide opportunities for faculty development, with benefits extending also to the faculty who bring their expertise to the program. The motivations and benefits mentioned are consistent with those identified in the mentoring lite...
Raz on Responsibility

Standard treatments of responsibility have been preoccupied with issues of blame and punishment, and concerns about free will. In contrast, Raz is concerned with problems about responsibility that arise from the “puzzle of moral luck,” puzzles that lead to misguided skepticism about negligence. We are responsible not only for conduct that is successfully guided by what we take to be our reasons for action, but also for misexercises of our rational capacities that escape our rational control. To deny this is to lose sight of the ways “moral luck” is an inescapable feature of our agential engagement in the world. The present essay attempts to set out Raz’s argument as sympathetically as possible. Raz’s shift of focus is a powerful counter to current tendencies and points us in new and promising directions. Nonetheless, as it stands, it may just relocate skepticism about negligence to a different place.
Rotational stability in stalked crinoids and the function of wing plates in Pterotocrinus depressus

Baumiller, Tomasz K. & Plotnick, Roy E. 1989 07 15: Rotational stability in stalked crinoids and the function of win2–. plates in Pterotocrinus depressus. Lethaia, Vol. 22, pp. 317–326. Oslo. ISSN 0024–1164. An unusual feature of the Mississippian camerate crinoid Pterotocrinus depressus is its tegmen with five wing-like appendages (wing plates). It has been suggested that the wing plates served as anti-predatory devices, hydrodynamic baffles, or outriggers for stabilization and support on the substrate. We propose two alternative hypotheses. First, the wing plates may have served as splitter plates, which would have acted to reduce drag on the organism. Second. wing plates served as stabilizing fins or rudders, allowing the passive maintenance of an efficient feeding posture in moving water. Experimental analyses of the forces acting on model crinoids, with and without the wing plates, support the hypothesis of the rudder function. A model developed for maintenance of stability in moving water should be applicable to all suspension feeders. *Crinoids, paleobiomechanics, biological rudders.
Limit-Cycle Oscillation Induced by Nonlinear Aerodynamic Forces

The aerodynamic e ow state on launch vehicle payload fairings and aircraft wings can change abruptly during transonic e ight if the angle of attack reaches a critical value. The nonlinear pressure variation associated with a e ow-state change induces transient structural responses that may converge to a limit-cycle oscillation (LCO). In this steady state, the work conducted during thee ow-statechangesbalances theenergy dissipation from structural damping.AnalysisofthistransonicLCOphenomenonisoftenconductedusingasemi-empirical,unsteadypressure variation in which the levels for the e ow states are determined from steady wind-tunnel test data. The presented theory addresses the condition in which the e ow-state changes occur near a quasi-steady, nonzero angle of attack. The analysis for the resulting asymmetric forcing function complements the authors’ existing derivations for a symmetric forcing function at zero angle of attack. Both the asymmetric and the symmetric analyses develop closed-form equations for the structural response frequency and amplitude. These expressions show that the solution space contains a subcritical Hopf bifurcation when the critical angle of attack equals the quasi-steady angle of attack. They also show that a saddle-node bifurcation, or fold, corresponds to the critical angle of attack beyond which LCO will not occur for a given quasi-steady angle of attack.
Interaction between dietary methionine and methyl donor intake on rat liver betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase gene expression and organization of the human gene.

We previously showed that rat liver betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) mRNA content and activity increased 4-fold when rats were fed a methionine-deficient diet containing adequate choline, compared with rats fed the same diet with control levels of methionine (Park, E. I., Renduchintala, M. S., and Garrow, T. A. (1997) J. Nutr. Biochem.8, 541–545). A further 2-fold increase was observed in rats fed the methionine-deficient diet with supplemental betaine. The nutrition studies reported here were designed to determine whether other methyl donors would induce rat liver BHMT gene expression when added to a methionine-deficient diet and to define the relationship between the degree of methionine restriction and level of methyl donor intake on BHMT expression. Therefore, rats were fed amino acid-defined diets varying in methionine and methyl donor composition. The effect of diet on BHMT expression was evaluated using Northern, Western, and enzyme activity analyses. Similar to when betaine was added to a methionine-deficient diet, choline or sulfonium analogs of betaine induced BHMT expression. The diet-induced induction of hepatic BHMT activity was mediated by increases in the steady-state level of its mRNA and immunodetectable protein. Using methyl donor-free diets, we found that methionine restriction was required but alone not sufficient for the high induction of BHMT expression. Concomitant with methionine restriction, dietary methyl groups were required for high levels of BHMT induction, and a dose-dependent relationship was observed between methyl donor intake and BHMT induction. Furthermore, the severity of methionine restriction influenced the magnitude of BHMT induction. To study the molecular mechanisms that regulate the expression of BHMT, we have cloned the human BHMT gene. This gene spans about 20 kilobases of DNA and contains 8 exons and 7 introns. Using RNA isolated from human liver and hepatoma cells, a major transcriptional start site has been mapped using the 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends technique, and this start site is 26 nucleotides downstream from a putative TATA box.
Using the Caenorhabditis elegans soil toxicity test to identify factors affecting toxicity of four metal ions in intact soil

A previously developed soil toxicity test for rapidly determining the toxicity of chemicals to the soil-dwelling nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (Donkin and Dusenbery, 1993) was used to measure the toxicity of four metals (Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, and Pb2+) added to four soils common to the southeastern United States. Nematode survival after a 24-hour exposure in the presence of a bacterial food source was assessed. All soils reduced the toxicity of most metal ions compared to solutions without soil. Pb was the most strongly affected, while Cd toxicity was not much influenced by the soils. Correlations between the LC50S and various soil or metal characteristics were determined. No significant correlation was found between LC50s and many soil characteristics commonly cited as having large effects on soil bioavailability of metals. Although sample size was limited, the indication was that bioavailability of metals to nematodes is determined by a complex array of many interacting soil, as well as metal, properties. Comparison of the relative mobilities of these ions in other soils with the relative toxicity measured here suggests that mobility may be a good predictor of toxicity. The C. elegans soil toxicity test is shown to be as sensitive and more rapid than the commonly used earthworm soil toxicity test.
Biostratinomic utility of Archimedes in environmental interpretation

Biostratinomic information from the bryozoan Archimedes can be used to infer paleocurrent senses when other more traditional sedimentary structures are lacking. As with other elongate particles, Archimedes zooaria become oriented in the current and, upon settling, preserve a sense of the flow direction. Orientations and lengths were measured on over 200 individuals from bedding plane exposures in the Upper Mississippian Union Limestone (Greenbrier Group) of West Virginia. These were separated into long and short populations and plotted on rose diagrams. The results show that long and short segments become preferentially oriented in the current and the bimodally distributed long segments can be used to infer the current sense. The current sense is defined by the line which bisects the obtuse angle created by the two maxima in the rose diagram for long segments. Statistical evaluation of the long and short populations indicate they are significant to the 99.9 percent level. Elongate fossils such as Archimedes can be used in paleocurrent evaluations and can add more detail to the interpretation of paleodepositional conditions.
Phenomenology of Fermionic Strings

We investigate the low-energy phenomenology of string models constructed in the fermionic formulation. Models are constructed in which the gauge group SU(3){times}SU(2){times}U(1){times}... is obtained directly from free world-sheet fermions. We also construct models in which SU(3){times}SU(2){times}U(1){times}... is obtained by symmetry breaking along completely flat directions in the effective potential; this corresponds to world-sheet interactions. In this category we construct models in which SU(5) is broken to SU(3){times}SU(2){times}U(1) by a Higgs boson in the adjoint representation and in which SO(4){times}SO(6) is broken by the spinor representation. We analyze the effects of the spin structure, massless moduli, and Fayet-Iliopoulos {ital D} terms on low-energy phenomenology. In particular we consider the renormalization-group flow of the couplings, proton decay, mass matrices, Higgs-boson mass, and charge quantization. We briefly compare these results with the flipped SU(5) approach and other constructions such as orbifolds and Calabi-Yau manifolds.
Fast inhomogeneous plane wave algorithm for the fast analysis of two-dimensional scattering problems

A novel algorithm, the fast inhomogeneous plane wave algorithm (FIPWA), has been developed to accelerate the solution of integral equations pertinent to the analysis of the scattering from two-dimensional perfect electric conducting surfaces. Unlike the fast steepest descent path algorithm, the proposed technique directly interpolates the far-field pattern of the source group and matches it along a modified steepest descent path. A novel approach, which results in a diagonal translator with built-in interpolation coefficients, is proposed. The computational complexity per matrix-vector multiplication of a two-level implementation of the proposed FIPWA is O(N4/3) and the multilevel implementation further reduces the complexity to O(NlogN), where N is the number of unknowns in the discretized integral equation. It is shown that this technique outperforms the previously developed fast methods such as the fast mulitpole method and the ray-propagation fast multipole algorithm.
Biomechanical comparison of an interspinous fusion device and bilateral pedicle screw system as additional fixation for lateral lumbar interbody fusion.

Abstract Background This investigation compares an interspinous fusion device with posterior pedicle screw system in a lateral lumbar interbody lumbar fusion. Methods We biomechanically tested six cadaveric lumbar segments (L1–L2) under an axial preload of 50 N and torque of 5 Nm in flexion–extension, lateral bending and axial rotation directions. We quantified range of motion, neutral zone/elastic zone stiffness in the following conditions: intact, lateral discectomy, lateral cage, cage with interspinous fusion, and cage with pedicle screws. Findings A complete lateral discectomy and annulectomy increased motion in all directions compared to all other conditions. The lateral cage reduced motion in lateral bending and flexion/extension with respect to the intact and discectomy conditions, but had minimal effect on extension stiffness. Posterior instrumentation reduced motion, excluding interspinous augmentation in axial rotation with respect to the cage condition. Interspinous fusion significantly increased flexion and extension stiffness, while pedicle screws increased flexion/extension and lateral bending stiffness, with respect to the cage condition. Both posterior augmentations performed equivalently throughout the tests except in lateral bending stiffness where pedicle screws were stiffer in the neutral zone. Interpretation A lateral discectomy and annulectomy generates immediate instability. Stand-alone lateral cages restore a limited amount of immediate stability, but posterior supplemental fixation increases stability. Both augmentations are similar in a single level lateral fusion in-vitro model, but pedicle screws are more equipped for coronal stability. An interspinous fusion is a less invasive alternative than pedicle screws and is potentially a conservative option for various interbody cage scenarios.
Total sleep time obtained from actigraphy versus sleep logs in an academic sleep center and impact on further sleep testing.

Background While actigraphy has been deemed ideal for the longitudinal assessment of total sleep time (TST) by select groups, endorsement has not been universal and reimbursement is lacking, preventing its widespread use in clinical practice. This study compares longitudinal TST data obtained by actigraphy and logs preceding a clinical evaluation, and secondarily ascertains whether longitudinal TST impacts clinicians' decisions to proceed with further sleep testing. Methods This was a retrospective, consecutive chart review spanning about 4 months in an academic sleep center. Eighty-four patients wore actigraphs in anticipation of clinical evaluations. Concomitant completion of sleep logs is routinely requested in this setting. Longitudinal TST data available in complete form was reviewed in a blinded fashion among a subset of these patients. A review of text from clinical notes of an expanded cohort with complete actigraphy data (regardless of the degree of completion of logs) enabled determination of the frequency and rationale for cancellation of prescheduled sleep testing. Results Of 84 actigraphy recordings, 90% produced complete data, and 30% produced fully completed logs. Among the subset with both available in complete form, significant mean TST differences were observed on weekends (7.06 ± 2.18 hours versus 8.30 ± 1.93 hours, P = 0.009), but not on weekdays (7.38 ± 1.97 hours versus 7.72 ± 1.62 hours, P = 0.450) for actigraphy and logs, respectively. Further analyses revealed poor agreement between the two measures, with predominantly increased TST estimation with logs. Among those with complete actigraphy data (±logs), testing was cancelled in 11 (15%), eight of whom (73%) presented with hypersomnia and three of whom (27%) presented with insomnia. Determination of insufficient sleep time was cited as the primary reason for cancellation (64%). Conclusion Actigraphy and sleep logs provided discrepant mean TST data on weekends only, and the latter predominantly estimated increased TST. Actigraphy was completed more reliably than logs. Longitudinal TST information influenced clinicians' decisions to proceed with further testing, particularly among patients presenting with hypersomnia.
Phase modulation of the bucket stops bunch oscillations at the Fermilab Tevatron

Bunches in the Tevatron are known to exhibit longitudinal oscillations which persist indefinitely. These oscillations are colloquially called 'dancing bunches.' Although the dancing proton bunches do not cause single bunch emittance growth or beam loss at injection, they lead to bunch lengthening at collisions. In Tevatron operations, a longitudinal damper has been built which stops this dance and damps out coupled bunch modes. Recent theoretical work predicts that the dance can also be stopped by an appropriate change in the bunch distribution. This paper describes the Tevatron experiments which support this theory.
Metrics for requirements engineering

Abstract Today's large software-intensive systems have critical quality requirements, limited budgets, and stringent development and maintenance schedules. It is therefore necessary to be able to objectively evaluate these systems during their development to determine whether they will meet requirements, schedule, and budget, to assist risk management, and to facilitate corrective and preventive action. The discipline of software metrics has the potential for providing the objective information necessary for technical and managerial insight into, and control of, the development effort. However, the current software metrics literature does not address the need for integrated and consistent system- and software-level metrics, nor does it provide detailed descriptions of metrics for full life cycle coverage. This article is an introduction to work in progress at The Aerospace Corporation and California State University, Long Beach, in the area of metrics for requirements engineering. The first in a planned series of papers on metrics for full life cycle system and software engineering, it describes the role of metrics in an integrated approach to system and software engineering, introduces the basic components of complete metric definitions, and discusses the use of metrics in comprehensively assessing objective aspects of the requirements engineering process and its products.
TIME CODING IN THE MIDBRAIN OF MORMYRID ELECTRIC FISH. I. PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY OF CELLS IN THE NUCLEUS EXTEROLATERALIS PARS ANTERIOR

In mormyrid electric fish, species-specific electric organ discharge waveforms are thought to be analyzed by the Knollenorgan electroreceptor subsystem. The midbrain anterior and posterior exterolateral nuclei (ELa and ELp) are thought to be the sites of this analysis. This paper is an electrophysiological study of the properties of the neurons in ELa. We recorded intracellularly from three classes of cells within ELa: the afferent axons from the nucleus of the electrosensory lateral line lobe (NELL), the large interstitial cells of ELa and an unidentified cell type. The large cells and the NELL axons were identified by intracellular injection of biocytin and are physiologically similar. Cells in ELa responded to square pulse stimuli with one or more time-locked action potentials with 2.8–3.0 ms latency. Both large cells and NELL axons arborized extensively in ELa and contacted numerous small cells. Based on the pattern of arborizations, we constructed a counter- current flow model of temporal coding by the small cells of ELa. We postulate that individual small cells are not selectively tuned for specific stimulus durations, but rather, the firing patterns of groups of small cells must be analyzed by neurons further up in the sensory hierarchy to determine the stimulus duration.
Partial fluorination overcomes herringbone crystal packing in small polycyclic aromatics.

We report the synthesis and characterization of partially fluorinated condensed tetracyclic aromatic compounds. Typical edge-to-face/herringbone packing of nonfluorinated analogues is replaced here by columnar stacks with disk planes orthogonal to the columnar axes. Enhanced π-overlap results with overlaid electron-poor and -rich regions.
Treatment of landfill leachates by reverse osmosis

High-strength landfill leachates and industrial wastes can be successfully renovated using a reverse osmosis process system subsequent to pretreatment.
Test Results of High Performance HTS Pancake Coils at 77 K

A series of pancake coils using several kilometers of second generation (2G) (RE)BCO conductor has been fabricated as a part of a R&D program to build a large aperture high field solenoid for energy storage application. This paper discusses the preparation of double pancake coils and the test results at 77 K before assembling the final magnet. These tests played an important role in assuring: the quality of conductors, coil winding and assembly, and integrity of splices within the coils.
FFAGs as Accelerators and Beam Delivery Devices for Ion Cancer Therapy

First, a review is given of fixed field alternating gradient (FFAG) accelerators, presenting a bit of their history and basic concepts. Special attention is paid to the concept of scaling (S-FFAG) and nonscaling (NS-FFAG) FFAGs. This notation is used only in the NS-FFAG part of the article. A discussion is then provided on operating FFAGs. A presentation is made of the designs being considered for S-FFAGs. A bit more is said about the concept of the NS-FFAG and a resonance crossing problem resulting from designs of the NS-FFAGs. A beam delivery system (gantry) employing the NS-FFAG concept is presented after that and, finally, future plans and R&D requirements are put forward.
Long-term open-label response to atomoxetine in adult ADHD: influence of sex, emotional dysregulation, and double-blind response to atomoxetine

A three-year open-label study of atomoxetine in adults with ADHD followed two multicenter, double-blind trials. In the double-blind trials, female gender and higher levels of emotional symptoms were associated with better outcome. Following a 4-week placebo washout period, 384 (of 536) subjects continued into the open-label study. 61% of subjects entering this open-label study remained after 6 months at an average dose of 100 mg/day. Subjects who had previously responded to double-blind atomoxetine achieved maximum response after 8 weeks of open-label medication, but others continued to improve for 36 weeks. Women improved more (7.7 ± 6.4) than men (6.1 ± 6.4) on the Wender–Reimherr Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (WRAADDS) (P = .007) and the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale (P = .03). Subjects with emotional dysregulation improved more than others on the WRAADDS (P = .001). Responders ultimately improved approximately 60% in attentional, hyperactive/impulsive, and emotional symptoms. Thirty-nine percent of atomoxetine double-blind non-responders became responders during open-label treatment.
Studies of nanocomposites of carbon nanotubes and a negative dielectric anisotropy liquid crystal.

It has been widely recognized that the combination of carbon nanotube (CNT) and liquid crystals (LCs) not only provides a useful way to align CNTs, but also dramatically enhances the order in the LC phases, which is especially useful in liquid crystal display (LCD) technology. As the measure of this phase behavior, the complex specific heat is presented over a wide temperature range for a negative dielectric anisotropy alkoxyphenylbenzoate liquid crystal (9OO4) and CNT composites as a function of CNT concentration. The calorimetric scans were performed under near-equilibrium conditions between 25 and 95 °C, first cooling and then followed by heating for CNT weight percent ranging from ϕw = 0 to 0.2. All 9OO4/CNT mesophases have transition temperatures ∼1 K higher and a crystallization temperature 4 K higher than that of the pure 9OO4. The crystal phase superheats until a strongly first-order specific heat feature is observed, 0.5 K higher than in the pure 9OO4. The transition enthalpy for the nanocomposit...
Structure and properties of polypropylene-based nanocomposites: Effect of PP-g-MA to organoclay ratio

Abstract The structure–property relationships of polypropylene (PP)-based nanocomposites prepared by melt processing have been investigated with a main focus on the ratio of polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PP- g -MA) to organoclay. The morphological observations by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction are presented in conjunction with the mechanical, rheological and thermal expansion properties of these nanocomposites. Detailed morphological studies and subsequent quantitative particle analyses for the dispersed clay phase reveal that the aspect ratio of clay particles decreases as the amount of clay increases, and it increases as the amount of PP- g -MA increases. The rheological properties suggest that the extent of a percolation network can be enhanced by increasing the number of organoclay particles at a fixed ratio of PP- g -MA to organoclay and by increasing the degree of exfoliation at fixed clay content. However, mechanical and thermal expansion behaviors do not improve correspondingly in all cases because of the reduction of matrix properties by PP- g -MA. The reduction of the modulus and the increase in the expansion of the polymer matrix caused by the presence of PP- g -MA are compared to the prediction of the Chow model. Clearly, the amount of PP- g -MA added along with its lower crystallinity are important factors affecting the mechanical and thermal expansion properties of PP-based nanocomposites.
A little "more" conversation and practice: training student technology trainers

This paper outlines the processes and best practices implemented to train Duke's Office of Information Technology (OIT) student technology trainers on technical topics and to help them become comfortable in the classroom (public speaking, handling questions, etc.).
Variants of DNA Polymerase β Extend Mispaired DNA Due to Increased Affinity for Nucleotide Substrate

DNA polymerase beta offers an attractive system to study the biochemical mechanism of polymerase-dependent mutagenesis. Variants of DNA polymerase beta, Y265F and Y265W, were analyzed for misincorporation efficiency and mispair extension ability, relative to wild-type DNA polymerase beta. Our data show that the fidelity of the mutant polymerases is similar to wild-type enzyme on a one-nucleotide gapped DNA substrate. In contrast, with a six-nucleotide gapped DNA, the mutant proteins are slightly more accurate than the wild-type enzyme. The mutagenic potential of Y265F and Y265W is more pronounced when encountering a mispaired DNA substrate. Here, both variants can extend a G:G mispair quite efficiently, and Y265F can also extend a T:G mispair. The kinetic basis of the increased mispair extension efficiency is due to an improved ability to bind to the incoming nucleotide. Y265W extends the G:G mispair even with an incorrect nucleotide substrate. Overall, our results demonstrate that the Y265 hinge residue is important for stabilizing the architecture of the nucleotide binding pocket of DNA polymerase beta, and that alterations of this residue can have significant impacts upon the fidelity of DNA synthesis.
The Responsive Voter: Campaign Information and the Dynamics of Candidate Evaluation

We find strong support for an on-line model of the candidate evaluation process that in contrast to memory-based models shows that citizens are responsive to campaign information, adjusting their overall evaluation of the candidates in response to their immediate assessment of campaign messages and events. Over time people forget most of the campaign information they are exposed to but are nonetheless able to later recollect their summary affective evaluation of candidates which they then use to inform their preferences and vote choice. These findings have substantive, methodological, and normative implications for the study of electoral behavior. Substantively, we show how campaign information affects voting behavior. Methodologically, we demonstrate the need to measure directly what campaign information people actually attend to over the course of a campaign and show that after controling for the individual's on-line assessment of campaign messages, National Election Study-type recall measures prove to be spurious as explanatory variables. Finally, we draw normative implications for democratic theory of on-line processing, concluding that citizens appear to be far more responsive to campaign messages than conventional recall models suggest.
More-than-moore reinvented

MtM is an old field, but it has a new life now. Green requirement, cloud computing, and natural world interfaces demand for much more sophisticated MtM solutions. This trend presents both challenges and opportunities for IDM's, fabless companies, and foundries.
Monte Carlo-based dosimetry of head-and-neck patients treated with SIB-IMRT.

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of previously reported superposition/convolution (SC) dosimetric results by comparing with Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculations for head-and-neck intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) patients treated with the simultaneous integrated boost technique. Methods and Materials: Thirty-one plans from 24 patients previously treated on a phase I/II head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma simultaneous integrated boost IMRT protocol were used. Clinical dose distributions, computed with an SC algorithm, were recomputed using an EGS4-based MC algorithm. Phantom-based dosimetry quantified the fluence prediction accuracy of each algorithm. Dose–volume indices were used to compare patient dose distributions. Results and Discussion: The MC algorithm predicts flat-phantom measurements better than the SC algorithm. Average patient dose indices agreed within 2.5% of the local dose for targets; 5.0% for parotids; and 1.9% for cord and brainstem. However, only 1 of 31 plans agreed within 3% for all indices; 4 of 31 agreed within 5%. In terms of the prescription dose, 4 of 31 plans agreed within 3% for all indices, whereas 28 of 31 agreed within 5%. Conclusions: Average SC-computed doses agreed with MC results in the patient geometry; however deviations >5% were common. The fluence modulation prediction is likely the major source of the dose discrepancy. The observed dose deviations can impact dose escalation protocols, because they would result in shifting patients to higher dose levels.
A molecular theory of solubility parameters: generalization to polar fluid mixtures

Abstract The Scatchard-Hildebrand theory of solubility parameters is reformulated in terms of statistical mechanical quantities. We show that the regular-solution assumptions can be relaxed by incorporating entropic effects. This is accomplished by including the hard-core mixing terms as formulated by Nezbeda. Applications to mixtures of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, and polar compounds show that the new formulation treats the vapor liquid equilibria of nonideal mixtures accurately.
Relative price changes and absolute banking disasters: The role of equilibrium asset price adjustments

Abstract Collapsing asset values frequently coincide with wider solvency crises, leaving financial institutions in the position of seizing and liquidating collateral at precisely the moment when the market value is lowest. This paper develops a dynamic general equilibrium model to explore the steady state and dynamic consequences of real exchange rate shocks for equilibrium domestic sectoral asset values—and by extension for domestic banks. The model is applied retroactively to the Chilean financial collapse of 1983.
Thermal energy interchange during anaerobic methane fermentation of waste organic substrates

An experimental calorimeter-type anaerobic fermentation system was developed to evaluate the extent of thermal energy interchange during anaerobic digestion of waste organic solids at 36 C. Results over a period of 184 days indicated that the energy released during conversion of the waste substrate was utilized primarily for the production of CH 4 and that any excess released as heat during normal digestion was not sufficient to overcome heat losses from the system. The more exothermic response observed during retarded digestion was attributed to the accumulation of volatile acids and associated reduction in gas yields. After combustion of the CH 4 produced during digestion, between 2,370 and 3,950 kcal per lb of volatile solids converted per day was available for heating the process and maintaining optimal temperature conditions. Images
Influence of photovoltaic angle-dependence on overall power output for fixed building integrated configurations

Abstract Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems are an emerging approach to reduce installation costs while supplementing building energy needs. However, the physical constraints of the building architecture often prevent photovoltaic systems from being installed at their optimal orientation. Recently, it was shown that thin film photovoltaics can be designed for improved angle-dependent responsivity at specific angles. In this study, the complex impact of angular dependency on overall power output is explored based on detailed hourly solar position, location, and flux data. These results demonstrate that reducing the angular roll-off dependence can enhance overall power outputs by 30% or more in fixed orientation configurations depending on the geographical location, orientation, and angle-dependent roll-off characteristics.
Forecasting Artificial Intelligence Demand

Forecasts are major components of the decision analysis process. When accurate, estimates of future economic activity associated with specific courses of action can correctly set corporate strategy in an uncertain environment. When inaccurate, they can lead to bankruptcy. The basic trouble with most forecasts is that they are not made by forecasters.
Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with multiple mucosal involvement in mucous membrane pemphigoid.

Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP), also known as cicatricial pemphigoid (CP), is an autoimmune mucocutaneous, blistering disease which can lead to blindness and/or death from sudden asphyxiation, secondary to a scarring process. Conventional therapy for the treatment of MMP consists of high-dose systemic corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressive agents. Some patients do not respond to these treatments and develop multiple serious side effects, which can be potentially fatal. In such patients, alternative treatment modalities are needed. This study presents the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy in 15 patients with severe MMP whose disease was nonresponsive to the prolonged use of high-dose systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents and who developed multiple side effects to them. All 15 patients received an IVIg dose of 1-2 g/kg/cycle. The following objective parameters were used to assess the clinical outcome pre- and post-IVIg therapy: number of side effects, frequencies of recurrences and relapses, duration and total dosage of prednisone therapy, and the quality of life. The differences in these variables between the pre- and post-IVIg data were statistically analyzed using the SAS UNIVARIATE software running the two-sided Wilcoxon signed-rank and sign tests. A statistically significant difference was observed between pre- and post-IVIg therapy data when comparing the aforementioned variables. All 15 patients had an effective clinical response, were able to discontinue previous systemic therapies, and eventually achieved a prolonged clinical remission. IVIg improved the quality of life in all 15 patients and demonstrated a steroid-sparing effect. No serious side effects were observed. IVIg therapy is a safe and effective alternative modality in the treatment of patients with nonresponsive and progressive MMP and can induce a sustained clinical remission.
Preventing COPD: Evidence of Progress

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. Over the period 1965 to 1998, while mortality rates of heart diseas...
Maximizing the entropy of a sum of independent bounded random variables

Let X1,...,Xn be n independent, symmetric random variables supported on the interval [-1,1] and let Sn=sigmai=1 nXi be their sum. We show that the differential entropy of Sn is maximized when X1,...,Xn-1 are Bernoulli taking on +1 or -1 with equal probability and Xn is uniformly distributed
Assessing Mechanical And Thermodynamic Response Upon Allosteric Perturbation

Allosteric regulation involves changes of protein activity upon ligand binding or covalent modification at a location distinct from the active site. We investigate the underlying mechanisms of allosteric proteins using a minimal Distance Constraint Model (mDCM) [1]. We recently employed the mDCM to assess how relationships between mechanical and thermodynamic descriptions affect intramolecular communication [2]. Here, both the mechanical and thermodynamic response upon allosteric perturbation is assessed. Constraints are introduced at every residue position to mimic the binding of allosteric ligands, and the resulting changes are analyzed using a wide array of response functions. We apply the methodology to several proteins, including calmodulin, CheY, and ras. Interestingly, application of a small number of constraints in one domain of the extended calmodulin structure is sufficient to cause substantial changes in the other, despite the propagation path being channeled through a long connecting helix. Residues identified as important to the binding and function of these dynamic protein systems show acute changes in thermodynamic response. In addition to quantifying changes in free energy, thermodynamic response is decomposed into component enthalpies and entropies. Allosteric response is also quantified by induced changes within mechanical properties, such as flexibility along the backbone, cooperativity correlation between residue pairs, and global rigidity characteristics. Taken together, the mechanical and thermodynamic responses provide insight into the fundamental mechanisms of allosteric communication. This work is supported by NIH R01 GM073082.[1] D.R. Livesay, et al. FEBS Lett. 576, 468-476 (2004), and D.J. Jacobs and S. Dallakayan, Biophys. J. 88, 1-13 (2005).[2] J.M. Mottonen, et al. PROTEINS In press (DOI: 10.1002/prot.22273).
Structure of the Havallah sequence, Golconda allochthon, Nevada: Evidence for prolonged evolution in an accretionary prism

The Golconda allochthon of northern and central Nevada contains the Havallah sequence and correlative units of latest Devonian to early Late Permian age. The Havallah sequence is dominated by radiolarian ribbon chert and argillite associated with variable, but generally subordinate, siliciclastic, cal-carenitic, and volcaniclastic turbidites and slump deposits. Cherts of all ages (except Pennsylvanian?) locally rest depositionally on tholeiitic basalts. Some were altered and mineralized by ridge-type hydrothermal systems, suggesting deposition in an ocean basin containing active spreading center(s) for much of the upper Paleozoic. The Havallah sequence was thrust eastward along the basal Golconda thrust onto coeval sediments of the western North American shelf during the latest Paleozoic-earliest Mesozoic Sonoma orogeny. Detailed studies of the Havallah sequence in the Sonoma and Tobin Ranges and in Battle Mountain indicate the presence of complex diagenetic and structural fabrics that developed prior to the obduction of the allochthon. A large number of thrusts, composite thrusts, and shear zones slice the Havallah into numerous tectonic packets of contrasting lithology and/or internal structural style. Internal structures in chert packets include bedding-parallel and bedding-normal solution cleavage, solution boudins, three or more sets of east-verging folds of variable geometry, and features associated with high pore-fluid pressures such as crack-seal fractures, dilation breccias, clastic dikes and sills, and clastic intrusions along thrust surfaces. The fabrics suggest a general progressive evolution from deformation characterized by bedding-normal compression and slight east-west extension (D1) to deformation dominated by bedding-parallel, east-directed shear (D2). Local chert packets may have suffered alternating episodes of high and low pore-fluid pressure. The degree of development and the styles and orientations of various structural elements vary, sometimes radically, from packet to packet. The pre-Golconda thrust fabrics can be modeled as the result of imbrication and deformation of successive batches of ocean-floor sediments into the toe of an accretionary prism in front of an east-facing arc. Relatively undeformed Permian calcarenite units, interpreted as being trench-slope deposits, suggest that this prism was well developed by Permian time. Coarse slump deposits containing chert clasts with pre-depositional structural fabrics suggest a prism that was active long enough to recycle previously tectonized cherts. If we are correct, the classical Sonoma orogeny (D3) marked the culmination of a protracted structural evolution that may have spanned much of the upper Paleozoic.
Paradox in Political Participation and Economic Development—A Study of Congressional Voting in Urban China in 1993 and 2002

This paper is interested in the decline of congressional voting in urban China. Classic studies in comparative politics long argue that with economic development, countries would experience increased level of political participation. Employing the 1993 Social Mobility and Social Change Survey and 2002 Asian Barometer Survey, I found congressional voting in urban China declined substantially in the past decade. With the analyses of the Probit Model and Generalized Linear Model, I contributed this decline to the disappearance of sociopolitical institutions that used to serve critical conduits for citizens’ participation. I argue that although economic development produces more resources to encourage participation, overall political participation actually declines in urban China and the public opts to withdraw from politics.
Isolation of cDNAs encoding novel transcription coactivators p52 and p75 reveals an alternate regulatory mechanism of transcriptional activation

Transcriptional activation in human cell-free systems containing RNA polymerase II and general initiation factors requires the action of one or more additional coactivators. Here, we report the isolation of cDNAs encoding two novel human transcriptional coactivators (p52 and p75) that are derived from alternatively spliced products of a single gene and share a region of 325 residues, but show distinct coactivator properties. p52 and p75 both show strong interactions with the VP16 activation domain and several components of the general transcriptional machinery. p52, like the previously described PC4, is a potent broad-specificity coactivator, whereas p75 is less active for most activation domains. These results suggest that p52 is a general transcriptional coactivator that mediates functional interactions between upstream sequence-specific activators and the general transcription apparatus, possibly through a novel mechanism.
The Iron Barons: A Social Analysis of an American Urban Elite, 1874-1965

Tracing the rise of hundreds of men and families to positions of wealth and power in the rapidly expanding iron and steel industry of the late 19th century, Ingham examines the manner in which these families consolidated and improved their social positions during the 20th century, even though the original source of their wealth and power had slipped from their grasp.
Anecdotal self‐invention in Sor Juana's Respuesta a Sor Filotea

(1995). Anecdotal self‐invention in Sor Juana's Respuesta a Sor Filotea. Colonial Latin American Review: Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 73-83.
Adverse reactions associated with an alcohol-based hand antiseptic among nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract Background: Alcohol-based hand antiseptics are strongly recommended in the 2002 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hand-hygiene guideline. In a study comparing 2 hand-hygiene regimes, an alcohol-based (61% ethyl) antiseptic and a detergent containing 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 2 neonatal intensive care units, we noted adverse reactions associated with the alcohol-based antiseptic. Methods: A prospective study was conducted of the skin condition of 58 nurses using an alcohol-based product from March 2001 to January 2002. Adverse reactions to the alcohol-based product were noted and the Fisher exact test was used to determine factors associated with these reactions. Nurses with reactions to the alcohol product who were available to follow-up were patch tested to the product. Results: Of 58 (1.1/100 nursing mo) nurses, 7 were evaluated by occupational health services for dermatologic symptoms that varied from mild to severe after use of the alcohol product, but 4 of 7 have resumed use. Nurses who had adverse reactions develop had been employed on the study unit and in the nursing profession for significantly less time than those with no reactions ( P =.037 and P =.002, respectively), and were significantly more likely to report a history of itchy, sore skin ( P =.047). A positive patch-test result was noted in 3 of 4 nurses with a previous reaction to the product. Conclusion: This case series will alert users in the United States and elsewhere to the nature of reactions to alcohol products and how these reactions differ from reactions to traditional hand antiseptic products. (Am J Infect Control 2003;31:43-8.)
Enacting orbits: refining the design of a full-body learning simulation

Interactive and immersive digital environments offer promising avenues for embodied interaction --- learning by enacting concepts through one's body. These environments have the potential to generate intuitive forms of understanding about processes and principles in areas such as science. More needs to be known, however, about how to design systems that effectively elicit both the desired physical actions and the relevant conceptions, such that they become amenable for change. In this paper we describe the design of a full-body simulation environment where students are tasked to enact trajectories of a virtual asteroid projected onto the floor. The paper presents preliminary analyses of semi-structured interviews that allow insights into how the experience of "creating an orbit" shaped the participants' developing understanding about orbital motion, the role of gravity, and general principles about how things move in space. An initial evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and future work is discussed.
Proposed Standardized Method for Testing and Interpreting Susceptibility of Bacteroides fragilis to Tetracycline

One hundred twenty-four strains of Bacteroides fragilis were examined for susceptibility to tetracycline disks and by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations. MIC values and zone sizes around 30-mug tetracycline disks were determined by using selected test conditions which included Mueller-Hinton agar supplemented with sheep blood, vitamin K, and hemin and an incubation temperature of 35 C in an atmosphere of 80% N(2), 10% H(2), and 10% CO(2). Strains were separated into two distinct populations by geometric mean MIC and dis tests. Of the 124 strains, 78 were resistant and 46 were susceptible. The resistant strains had geometric mean MIC's of 8 mug/ml or greater, whereas the geometric mean MIC's of sensitive strains were 5 mug/ml or less. The disk test proved to be more reproducible than the MIC test and completely separated the resistant and susceptible populations. An interpretive scheme for B. fragilis to tetracycline was statistically derived on the basis of the distribution of zone sizes of susceptible and resistant strains: resistant, 18 mm or less; indeterminant, 19 to 20 mm; and susceptible, 21 mm or greater. These zone sizes compared closely with the Kirby-Bauer criteria for aerobic bacteria.