cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selection of a black chrome bath for continuous tube-plating and the properties of the coatings deposited from it

Abstract The planning and design of a 50-kW experimental solar thermal power plant which was to have a selective coating on the absorber initiated an investigation into black chrome deposition in order to find the most suitable type of solution for a continuous plating process. Acetic acid-type and fluorosilic acid-type electrolytes were tested with a variety of additives and deposition parameters. The best results were achieved with an electrolyte containing fluorosilic acid as the catalyst. With this solution, coatings with optimum thermo-optical properties were formed in only 22 sec at current densities of 0.5 A cm−2 and a temperature of 15°C. These yielded values of 0.97 for total absorptance (AM2 spectrum) and 0.08 (100°C) for the thermal emittance on a basis of light Watts-type nickel. Other nickel undercoatings which were investigated produced less satisfactory results. Both the thermal stability of the plating up to temperatures of 400°C and the dependence of its IR emittance on temperature were investigated. The tubes coated in the way described have a uniform, matt-black appearance and the thermo-optical properties are constant along their whole length and round their whole circumference.
Convergence of the age structure: applications of the projective metric.

Abstract This paper states necessary and sufficient conditions for the convergence of the age structure (in a discrete time, one-sex model of population growth); it also contains a new and simple proof of the weak ergodic theorem of stable population theory. The main tool used to attain these results is Hilbert's notion of the projective metric. This metric provides a way of defining the distance between positive vectors in R n which has two important features: First, the distance between any two positive vectors depends only on the rays on which the vectors lie; and, second, positive matrices act as contractions in this metric.
Bovine, human and porcine thyrotropins: molecular weights, amino- and carboxyl-terminal studies.

Abstract The molecular weights and end-group analyses of bovine, human, and porcine thyrotropins (TSH) are reported. Both the hormones and their S-carboxymethyl derivatives behave as physically homogeneous materials during sedimentation equilibrium runs in 6 m guanidine hydrochloride. The weight average molecular weights of all three thyrotropins are approximately 25,000. No evidence was found for separation into peptide chains of smaller molecular size after disulfide bond cleavage. In the absence of a dissociating agent bovine TSH exhibited concentration-dependent aggregation. End-group analyses were in agreement with the above and showed phenylalanine to be the major amino-terminal residue in both bovine and porcine thyrotropins. In human TSH, phenylalanine and valine were present in equal proportions. In addition, 0.1 to 0.2 moles of amino-terminal aspartic acid per mole of hormone was found in each case. The carboxyl-terminal sequences of bovine and human TSH are most probably -His-Tyr-Lys-Ser-Tyr-COOH; that of porcine TSH, -His-Tyr-Lys-Tyr-Ser-COOH. About 0.2 moles of methionine and leucine which could not be accommodated in the above sequences were also found at or near the carboxyl-termini of bovine and human TSH respectively. The amino acid and carbohydrate compositions of human and porcine TSH are compared with those of bovine TSH and purified human and bovine luteinizing hormones.
ADAPTIVE CONTROL FOR SAFE AND QUALITY REBAR FABRICATION

Rebar fabrication is a labor intensive operation that uses scrap steel for raw materials and therefore can benefit greatly from improvements in safety, productivity, and quality. Shared control through a human-machine interface may be the best alternative for achieving highest quality standards and improving worker performance in safety and productivity. This paper develops a control scheme for automated rebar bending within the framework of computer integrated construction and presents research focused on the task level control to compensate for springback in the bent rebar. Three major problems are addressed: conception of a hierarchical computer integrated construction control structure that links rebar fabrication to the other construction project functions, comparative evaluation of alternative algorithms for prediction of springback, and portability of a springback control model that uses real-time electronic sensing. Bending tests were conducted with both a laboratory prototype and an actual shop table bender to experiment with alternative models for in-process springback prediction including a neural network model. Limitations in control system portability were realized in the transfer from the laboratory prototype bender to the shop bender. Springback model evaluations revealed that empirical statistical models, neural networks, and in-process relaxation performed equally well.
Perceived benefits in trauma research: examining methodological and individual difference factors in responses to research participation.

This study examined methodological and individual difference factors in relation to perceived benefits and cost-benefit ratios among adult participants in trauma-related research. In two samples (N...
Examining Student Under- and Overperformance in College to Identify Risk of Attrition.

This study explores the value in using the difference between a student's predicted first-year grade point average (FYGPA), based on high school grade point average and SAT scores, and their observed FYGPA, namely, their FYGPA residual, as a tool in identifying those at risk for leaving an institution. Specifically, this study examined whether college students who did not perform as expected (earned higher or lower 1st-year grades) were more likely to leave their institution. Based on a large national sample, hierarchical generalized linear modeling was employed to model the relationship between a student's FYGPA residual and retention in college, taking into account both relevant student and institutional characteristics. Results showed that both under- and overperforming students were more likely to leave after their 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-year of college as compared to their academically similar peers who performed as expected. Recommendations for postsecondary institutions to incorporate this information...
Optimal Design of Satellite Formation Relative Motion Orbits Using Least-Squares Methods

Formation flying relative orbit design can be achieved by determining six initial conditions in the local-vertical- local-horizontal frame or, equivalently, six differential orbital elements. In this paper, two novel approaches are proposed to design perturbed satellite formation relative motion orbits using least-squares techniques. First, it is shown that the initial conditions required to approximate a desired formation geometry can be analytically solved for by using the Gim―Alfriend state transition matrix in conjunction with a linear least-squares approach. An improvement to this method is obtained by using the Gaussian least-squares differential correction approach and numerical integration of the equations of motion of the two satellites. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the applications of the two approaches.
Efficient computation of wave propagation along axisymmetric pipes under non-axisymmetric loading

This paper presents an efficient formulation of the problem of wave propagation along the length of axisymmetric pipes under non-axisymmetric loading such as leaks or new cracks so that wave characteristics in a pipe can be identified without the excessive computational time associated with most current 3D modeling techniques. The axisymmetric geometry of the pipe is simplified by reducing the problem to 2D while the non-axisymmetric loading is represented by the summation of Fourier series. Since the pipe stiffness matrix as conventionally formulated represents the greatest single computational load, the strain-displacement matrix is partitioned in such a way that numerical integration components are decoupled from ź (the angular parameter) and n (the number of Fourier terms). A single numerical integration of the strain-displacement matrix is performed and utilized for all the iterations of Fourier terms to represent the non-axisymmetric load. The numerical formulation is conducted using spectral elements, which also reduce computational time since these elements yield a diagonal mass matrix. The computational efficiency of the developed method is compared with conventional finite element tools. Wave propagation in pipe due to non-axisymmetric loading.Fourier series summation utilized to represent non-axisymmetric load.Stiffness matrix formulated as independent from angle and number of Fourier series.
Weak monotonicity suffices for truthfulness on convex domains

Weak monotonicity is a simple necessary condition for a social choice function to be implementable by a truthful mechanism. Roberts [10] showed that it is sufficient for all social choice functions whose domain is unrestricted. Lavi, Mu'alem and Nisan [6] proved the sufficiency of weak monotonicity for functions over order-based domains and Gui, Muller and Vohra [5] proved sufficiency for order-based domains with range constraints and for domains defined by other special types of linear inequality constraints. Here we show the more general result, conjectured by Lavi, Mu'alem and Nisan [6], that weak monotonicity is sufficient for functions defined on any convex domain.
Linear independence of intertwining operators

Abstract For an irreducible admissible representation of a connected reductive p-adic group, we consider standard intertwining operators holomorphic at zero. Using algebraic methods connected with the structure of linear algebraic groups, we control supports of particularly chosen functions from the induced space. We prove linear independence of standard intertwining operators. This is used to extend the definition of the R-group from a square integrable representation to its Aubert involution
LOCALLY ADAPTIVE LAG‐WINDOW SPECTRAL ESTIMATION

. We propose a procedure for the locally optimal window width in nonparametric spectral estimation, minimizing the asymptotic mean square error at a fixed frequency Λ of a lag-window estimator. Our approach is based on an iterative plug-in scheme. Besides the estimation of a spectral density at a fixed frequency, e.g. at frequency Λ= 0, our procedure allows to perform nonparametric spectral estimation with variable window width which adapts to the smoothness of the true underlying density.
Audit anticipation: does it impact job performance?

Purpose – To determine if the anticipation of an initial audit affects an individual's accuracy in preparing vouchers – an accounting task – in a business environment.Design/methodology/approach – A laboratory setting was chosen to maintain greater control over the variables influencing an individual's performance of a typical accounting activity.Findings – The results of the analyses indicated that anticipation of the audit does influence accuracy of performance of the participants, who made a statistically significant smaller number of errors than their counterparts not anticipating an audit. The research design involved varying the content and source of the communications which subjects received describing the purpose and conduct of the audit. The subjects chosen for the experiment were 90 College of Business and Economics students.Research limitations/implications – The study uses students to surrogate for internal audit personnel and it is based in the USA, which may limit its usefulness elsewhere.Pr...
Computers and information technology as a learning aid

A reflection on the most important advantage of the computer as a learning device — interaction — is followed by a discussion of the stages involved in the production of learning materials: 1. pedagogical design, 2. screen design, 3. code writing, and 4. review evaluation. The use of authoring languages is discouraged. A vision is given on future hardware, producers, distributors, and users of computer-based learning material.
Identifying Top Sellers In Underground Economy Using Deep Learning-Based Sentiment Analysis

The underground economy is a key component in cyber carding crime ecosystems because it provides a black marketplace for cyber criminals to exchange malicious tools and services that facilitate all stages of cyber carding crime. Consequently, black market sellers are of particular interest to cybersecurity researchers and practitioners. Malware/carding sellers are critical to cyber carding crime since using malwares to skim credit/debit card information and selling stolen information are two major steps of conducting such crime. In the underground economy, the malicious product/service quality is reflected by customers' feedback. In this paper, we present a deep learning-based framework for identifying top malware/carding sellers. The framework uses snowball sampling, thread classification, and deep learning-based sentiment analysis to evaluate sellers' product/service quality based on customer feedback. The framework was evaluated on a Russian carding forum and top malware/carding sellers from it were identified. Our framework contributes to underground economy research as it provides a scalable and generalizable framework for identifying key cybercrime facilitators.
Die Auswirkungen einer Bekämpfungsaktion gegen den Tannentriebwickler (Choristoneura murinana [Hübner]) auf den Vertilgerkreis der Weißtannenläuse der Gattung Dreyfusia Börner

Zusammenfassung In der Vorbergzone des sudlichen Schwarzwaldes wurden Tannenbestande gegen Choristoneura murinana mit einer DDT-Dieselol-Emulsion bespruht (1,5 kg DDT/ha). Die Tannenbestande sind teilweise auch von Stammlausen der Gattung Dreyfusia Borner befallen. Es wurde die Auswirkung der Begiftung auf deren Vertilgerkreis untersucht. Sie brachte eine fast vollige Vernichtung der Predatoren Laricobius erichsonii (Col. Derodont.) und Cremifania nigrocellulata (Dipt., Chamaemyidae). Auch unter den ubrigen zu dieser fruhen Zeit bereits auftretenden Predatoren (Bekampfung im Beobachtungsgebiet am 27. 4. 62) entstanden starke Verluste.
The Effects of Hairpin Loops on Ligand−DNA Interactions

Hairpin nucleic acids are frequently used in physical studies due to their greater thermal stability compared to their equivalent duplex structures. They are also good models for more complex loop-containing structures such as quadruplexes, i-motifs, cruciforms, and molecular beacons. Although a connecting loop can increase stability, there is little information on how the loop influences the interactions of small molecules with attached base-paired nucleic acid regions. In this study, the effects of different hairpin loops on the interactions of A/T specific DNA minor groove binding agents with a common stem sequence have been investigated by spectroscopic and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor methods. The results indicate that the hairpin loop has little influence on the specific site interactions on the stem but significantly affects nonspecific binding. The use of a non-nucleotide loop (with a reduced negative charge) not only enhances the thermal stability of the hairpin but also reduces the nonspecific binding at the loop without compromising the primary binding affinity on the stem.
Symmetry detection in 3D scenes

Retinal image of a symmetric object is itself symmetric only for a small set of viewing directions. Interestingly, human subjects have little difficulty in determining whether a given retinal image was produced by a symmetric object, regardless of the viewing direction. We tested perception of planar (2D) symmetric figures (dotted patterns and polygons) when the figures were slanted in depth. We found that symmetry could be detected reliably with polygons, but not with dotted patterns. Next, we tested the role image features representing the symmetry of the pattern itself (orientation of projected symmetry axis and symmetry lines) vs. those representing the 3D viewing direction (orientation of the axis of rotation). We found that symmetry detection is improved when the projected symmetry axis or lines are known to the subject, but not when the axis of rotation is known. Finally, we showed that performance with orthographic images is higher than that with perspective images. A computational model, which measures the asymmetry of the presented polygon based on its single orthographic or perspective image, is presented. Performance of the model is similar to the performance of human subjects.
A Study of Suicide-Related Behaviors among Colombian Youth: Reflections on Prevention and Implications for Health Education.

Abstract This study examined risk behaviors related to depression and suicide among adolescent students enrolled in public schools in Bogota, Colombia. Data were collected from 1,692 respondents who completed a modified version of the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Measures of central tendency, chi-square, and analysis of variance tests were used to analyze the data. Findings from this study revealed that 21% of the participants expressed suicidal ideation; fantasizing about suicide transcended to an actual plan in 19% of the cases; and 16% reported at least one attempt in the 30 days preceding the study. This article presents selected literature on the relationship between culture and suicidal risk behavior, methodological considerations in cross-cultural research, and implications for suicide prevention for Colombian adolescents and U.S. health educators.
TQM’s impact on employee attitudes

Successful implementation of total quality management depends heavily on changes in employee attitudes and activities. But what is the impact of these changes on the employee, especially on employee turnover intentions? Describes empirical testing of several hypotheses which compare employee turnover intentions before and after the implementation of a TQM programme. Studies the differences revealed from a one‐company field test using 113 employees before TQM and a subset of 73 employees after TQM implementation. Results indicate significant improvements in role ambiguity, job satisfaction, job involvement, organizational commitment, and employee turnover intentions, but no significant changes in role conflict, task characteristics, and career satisfaction.
Planar surface reconstruction using circle generator laser light

A method is presented for finding the spatial position and orientation of a planar surface using a laser light source that generates structured light in the form of concentric circles. The purpose of the work is to provide the foundation for mapping regular and irregular surfaces for use in spatial surface reconstruction. The results of this work will lead to practical applications in the evaluation of pre- and post-surface deformation, and the reconstruction and representation of higher ordered surfaces. The latter having application as an alternative approach for capturing surfaces in direct geometric terms as opposed to the copious data discretization methods employed in surface reconstruction today.
The synthesizer generator

Programs are hierarchical compositions of formulae satisfying structural and extra-structural relationships. A program editor can use knowledge of such relationships to detect and provide immediate feedback about violations of them. The Synthesizer Generator is a tool for creating such editors from language descriptions. An editor designer specifies the desired relationships and the feedback to be given when they are violated, as well as a user interface; from the specification, the Synthesizer Generator creates a full-screen editor for manipulating programs in the language.
Bacterial Inactivation by a Singlet Oxygen Bubbler: Identifying Factors Controlling the Toxicity of 1O2 Bubbles

A microphotoreactor device was developed to generate bubbles (1.4 mm diameter, 90 μL) containing singlet oxygen at levels toxic to bacteria and fungus. As singlet oxygen decays rapidly to triplet oxygen, the bubbles leave behind no waste or byproducts other than O2. From a comparative study in deaerated, air saturated, and oxygenated solutions, it was reasoned that the singlet oxygen bubbles inactivate Escherichia coli and Aspergillus fumigatus, mainly by an oxygen gradient inside and outside of the bubble such that singlet oxygen is solvated and diffuses through the aqueous solution until it reacts with the target organism. Thus, singlet oxygen bubble toxicity was inversely proportional to the amount of dissolved oxygen in solution. In a second mechanism, singlet oxygen interacts directly with E. coli that accumulate at the gas–liquid interface although this mechanism operates at a rate approximately 10 times slower. Due to encapsulation in the gaseous core of the bubble and a 0.98 ms lifetime, the bubbl...
Ten-Year Prospective Study of Public Health Problems Associated With Early Drinking

Objective. To compare early nondrinkers, experimenters, and drinkers on the prevalence of problem behaviors at grades 7 and 12 and at age 23 (N = 6338, 4265, and 3369, respectively). Methods. Results are based on longitudinal self-report data from individuals who were originally recruited from 30 California and Oregon schools at grade 7 (1985) and assessed again at grade 12 (1990) and at age 23 (1995). Logistic regression was used to develop weighted estimates of the prevalence of academic difficulties, employment problems, substance use, and delinquent and violent behaviors within the 3 drinking status groups at grades 7, 12, and/or at age 23. Huber variance estimates, which adjust for weighting and clustering of observations, were used to assess the statistical significance of differences across groups. Results. Early drinkers and experimenters were more likely than nondrinkers to report academic problems, substance use, and delinquent behavior in both middle school and high school. By young adulthood, early alcohol use was associated with employment problems, other substance abuse, and criminal and violent behavior. Conclusions. Early drinkers do not necessarily mature out of a problematic lifestyle as young adults. Interventions for these high-risk youth should start early and address their other public health problems, particularly their tendency to smoke and use other illicit drugs.
Tyrosine hydroxylase expression in non-catecholaminergic cells in cerebellar cultures.

Abstract Organotypic cerebellar cultures, some with incorporated portions of brainstem, were immunostained after 12–19 days in vitro with three different antibodies to tyrosine hydroxylase. Similar cultures were reacted with glyoxylic acid and examined for catecholamine histofluorescence. Locus coeruleus and other subcortical neurons were positive for tyrosine hydroxylase, as were Purkinje cells and outgrowth zone astrocytes. By contrast, only locus coeruleus neurons and their axons exhibited catecholamine histofluorescence after reaction with glyoxylic acid. These results confirm previously reported in vivo developmental studies indicating that tyrosine hydroxylase can be expressed in the absence of its normal biosynthetic products, and suggest that tyrosine hydroxylase cannot be considered to be a specific marker for catecholaminergic neurons in vitro, as well as during development in vivo.
Sequins, Sass, and Sisterhood: An Exploration of Older Women's Belly Dancing

Disempowering stereotypes plague public perceptions of older women's bodies, particularly within Western contemporary societies. Consequently, as women age, their bodies often become sources of shame, discomfort, and ridicule. Belly dance, as a form of recreative leisure, provides a unique and somewhat unexpected space for women to subvert such perceptions. Based on qualitative interviews with older American women who belly dance, this article examines the ways in which this form of recreation provides participants a means of (re)gaining mobility, (re)claiming social space, (re)building social support, and (re)defining what it means to be sensual later in life.
Preoperative assessment of the older surgical patient: honing in on geriatric syndromes

Nearly 50% of Americans will have an operation after the age of 65 years. Traditional preoperative anesthesia consultations capture only some of the information needed to identify older patients (defined as ≥65 years of age) undergoing elective surgery who are at increased risk for postoperative complications, prolonged hospital stays, and delayed or hampered functional recovery. As a catalyst to this review, we compared traditional risk scores (eg, cardiac-focused) to geriatric-specific risk measures from two older female patients seen in our preoperative clinic who were scheduled for elective, robotic-assisted hysterectomies. Despite having a lower cardiac risk index and Charlson comorbidity score, the younger of the two patients presented with more subtle negative geriatric-specific risk predictors - including intermediate or pre-frail status, borderline malnutrition, and reduced functional/mobility - which may have contributed to her 1-day-longer length of stay and need for readmission. Adequate screening of physiologic and cognitive reserves in older patients scheduled for surgery could identify at-risk, vulnerable elders and enable proactive perioperative management strategies (eg, strength, balance, and mobility prehabilitation) to reduce adverse postoperative outcomes and readmissions. Here, we describe our initial two cases and review the stress response to surgery and the impact of advanced age on this response as well as preoperative geriatric assessments, including frailty, nutrition, physical function, cognition, and mood state tests that may better predict postoperative outcomes in older adults. A brief overview of the literature on anesthetic techniques that may influence geriatric-related syndromes is also presented.
Job Satisfaction of Information Technology Workers: The Impact of Career Orientation and Task Automation in a CASE Environment

This study investigates the job satisfaction of information technology (IT) professionals in an environment where computer aided software engineering (CASE) tools are used. Although the recent downturn in the economy might have temporarily eased the IT labor shortage, issues of recruitment and retention of qualified personnel are key to the success of IS development projects. This study presents a model of the combination of CASE tool usage and job satisfaction as related to internal career orientation. Two hypotheses based on this model were tested using empirical evidence collected through a survey method. The first examines whether the career orientation of IS personnel influences their job satisfaction. The second incorporates the impact of CASE tool usage on this relationship. The results indicate that in a CASE tool environment, personnel with a predominant technical career orientation have more job satisfaction than those with a predominant managerial tation. However, there is a significant and positive synergy between the sophistication of the CASE tool used and managerial competence orientation leading to higher job satisfaction. These findings indicate that combating the IT personnel shortage through task automation may also increase worker satisfaction, thereby decreasing turnover. Careful selection of the CASE tool for use may result in this win-win situation.
Abundance, Density, and Diversity of Neotropical Migrants at the Lula Lake Land Trust, GA

I used point counts and mist netting at the Lula Lake Land Trust, GA, a reclaimed mining area, to assess its suitability for migrating and breeding long- distance migratory landbirds. The results suggest that the property is suitable for migrants. The proportion of migrants is similar to other areas of the southeastern United States, as well as other reclaimed forestland. In addition, migrant populations were either stable or increased over the three years of monitoring, and 4% of migrants banded returned in subsequent years. Management of the Trust properties should continue to emphasize maintaining large areas of mature forest, and Trust managers should take measures to ensure that increased human recreational activity on the property does not degrade habitat quality.
Eminence, IQ, Physical and Mental Health, and Achievement Domain Cox's 282 Geniuses Revisited

Catharine Cox published two studies of highly eminent creators and leaders, the first in 1926 as the second volume of Terman's landmark Genetic Studies of Genius and the second in 1936 as a coauthored article. The former publication concentrated on the relation between IQ and achieved eminence, and the latter focused on early physical and mental health. Taking advantage of unpublished data from the second study, we examined, for the first time, the relationships among achieved eminence, IQ, early physical and mental health, and achievement domain. The correlation and regression analyses showed, for these 282 individuals, that eminence is a positive function of IQ and that IQ is a positive function of mental health and a negative function of physical health, implying an indirect effect of physical and mental health on eminence. Furthermore, levels of early physical and mental health vary across 10 specific domains of achievement.
Chemoenzymatic synthesis of fluorinated carbohydrates: 2-Deoxy-2-fluoro-d-glucose and 5-deoxy-5-fluoro-manno-γ-lactol

Abstract Two fluorinated hexoses were prepared from optically active cis -diols 1 , which were obtained by microbial oxidation of the corresponding halobenzenes with E. coli JM109 (pDTG 601). The stereochemistry of the products was controlled by careful introduction of fluorine onto the periphery of the cis -diols via opening of epoxides with tetrabutylphosphoniumfluoride dihydrofluoride (TBPF-DF). Oxidative cleavage of the cyclohexene skeleton followed by reductive cyclization led to the fluorinated hexoses.
Lime applications to aged pine media increase early-season sweet potato transplant production in heated beds

Abstract Aged pine sawdust and bark are likely to be the most widely used media for sweet potato transplant production in heated beds in north Alabama. Transplant production in these media, however, may be limited by acid conditions. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of the application of lime (0.0, 2.2, and 4.4 kg/m3) on early‐season production of ‘Georgia Jet’ sweet potato transplants. Differences in transplant yield and quality due to media were not obtained at the first harvest, but heavier total early‐season transplants were obtained with aged pine bark than with aged pine sawdust. At the first harvest, the highest transplant number (936 transplants/m2) and weight (1.685 kg/m2), and the greatest mean transplant length (23.4 cm) were obtained with 2.2 kg/m3 of lime, but the total early‐season transplant numbers increased linearly from 1025 to 1154 transplants/m2 with the addition of lime. Total early‐season transplant quality parameters, however, did not respond to the addition of...
Paleoecology of a large Early Cambrian bioturbator

The Lower Cambrian Poleta Formation in the White-Inyo Mountains of eastern California contains well-preserved and laterally extensive exposures of the large looping and meandering trace fossil Taphrhelminthopsis nelsoni n.isp. Such traces are typical features on upper bed surfaces of Lower Cambrian shallow marine sandstones and occur with Ediacaran fossils at other localities. Morphologic, sedimentologic and goniogram analyses suggest that the inferred tracemaker was a large soft-bodied echinozoan- or mollusc-grade animal with a volume greater than 14 cm 3 that actively grazed or ingested sediment at the sediment-water interface. Although portions of these traces appear to reflect relatively ‘complex’ behavior, looping patterns are not periodic as expected for a systematic foraging strategy. T. nelsoni traces are patchy in distribution and commonly associated with suspect-microbial features, suggesting that tracemakers may have been targeting microbial-based or related concentrations of food resources. Such behavioral patterns are typical of shallow late Neoproterozoic-early Cambrian settings, and like suspect-microbial structures are later restricted to deep marine or stressed settings.
The importance of proper vehicle selection in the detection of minoxidil sensitivity.

• Background.— The correct selection of vehicles for patch testing specific substances is essential in the evaluation of suspected allergic contact dermatitis. A reaction to a chemical may be dependent not only on the concentration tested but also on the vehicle in which it is tested. In cases of suspected allergic contact dermatitis to minoxidil, propylene glycol, and alcohol formulations, patch testing is usually done with the formulation of minoxidil in alcohol and/or minoxidil in petrolatum. Observations.— An acute contact dermatitis of the scalp developed in a 34-year-old white man while he was using minoxidil (Rogaine [2% minoxidil in a solution of alcohol 60% vol/vol, propylene glycol, and water]) solution. Patch testing with 2% minoxidil in alcohol and 2% minoxidil in petrolatum showed no reaction, while both Rogaine solution and 2% minoxidil in propylene glycol produced papulovesicular plaques. Conclusions.— Patch testing in cases of suspected minoxidil allergic contact dermatitis should include testing with minoxidil in propylene glycol. Omitting this testing may cause diagnoses and therapeutic formulation alternatives to go unrecognized. ( Arch Dermatol. 1992;128:653-656)
Spectral improvement by fourier thresholding of in vivo dynamic spectroscopy data.

Purpose MR spectroscopy (MRS) typically requires averaging of multiple acquisitions to achieve adequate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In systems undergoing dynamic changes this can compromise the temporal resolution of the measurement. One such example is 31P MRS of exercising skeletal muscle. Spectral improvement by Fourier thresholding (SIFT) offers a way of suppressing noise without averaging. In this study, we evaluate the performance of SIFT in healthy subjects and clinical cases. Methods 31P MRS of the calf or thigh muscle of subjects (n = 12) was measured continuously before, during, and after exercise. The data were processed conventionally and with the addition of SIFT before quantifying peak amplitudes and frequencies. The postexercise increase in the amplitude of phosphocreatine was also characterized by fitting with an exponential function to obtain the recovery time constant. Results Substantial reductions in the uncertainty of peak fitting for phosphocreatine (73%) and inorganic phosphate (60%) were observed when using SIFT relative to conventional processing alone. SIFT also reduced the phosphocreatine recovery time constant uncertainty by 38%. Conclusion SIFT considerably improves SNR, which improved quantification and parameter estimation. It is suitable for any type of time varying MRS and is both straightforward and fast to apply. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
What Are the Research Standards for Full Professor of Finance

Based on a sample of 126 recently promoted faculty, different standards for full professor are observed between top 20 finance departments and lower ranked departments. Full professors affiliated with a top 20 department place an average of 1 out of 3 articles in either Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies, or Journal of Financial Economics compared to 1 out of 6 articles for professors at lower-ranked schools. Total citations and cites per year are also significantly different between top- and lower-ranked departments, but total articles and articles per year are not significantly different between these two groupings. FACULTY ANED UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS confront many decisions over time, but promotion and tenure decisions must rank as two of the most difficult and important. Thus, the resources expended as candidates proceed through the promotion and/or the tenure process are substantial. Typically, faculty committees, inside and outside reviewers, and various administrators review research papers, teaching evaluations, and additional material prior to voting or otherwise expressing an opinion on the merits of a candidate. At research-oriented institutions, a candidate's scholarship invariably becomes the central focus of these efforts. The question that is frequently asked is whether a candidate's research productivity and quality are sufficiently high to justify a positive decision. In other words, has the research had an impact on the profession, is it published in high-quality journals, is it of sufficient quantity, and does it compare well with the overall standards of the department, school, and university? The debate surrounding these questions is of ten contentious and colorful, particularly in institutions that are seeking to raise overall faculty quality. To help reduce the uncertainty involved in such decisions, individuals involved oftern seek objective information about a candidate's research productivity. The Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) is one source that provides data on the impact of a candidate's research on other published research.,
American Economic Expertise from the Great War to the Cold War: Some Initial Observations

The twentieth-century American economics profession was privileged and shaped by the federal government's need to direct resources and to call on experts. Bureaucratic tendencies to classify and count had an impact on the discipline's self-concept, subdisciplines, and multiple research agendas. A consensus of professional opinion and the standardization of graduate curriculums emerged out of the involvement of economists with governmental affairs. Moreover, American economists played an important role in the reconstitution of the profession overseas after World War II.
Design of an automated algorithm for labeling the cardiac blood pool in gated SPECT images of radiolabeled red blood cells

The design of an automated computer algorithm for labeling the cardiac blood pool within gated 3-D reconstructions of the radiolabeled red blood cells is investigated. Due to patient functional abnormalities, limited resolution, and noise, certain spatial and temporal features of the cardiac blood pool that one would anticipate finding in every study are not present in certain frames or with certain patients. The labeling of the cardiac blood pool requires an algorithm that only relies upon features present in all patients. The authors investigate the design of a fully-automated region growing algorithm for this purpose.
Purification of a NifEN Protein Complex That Contains Bound Molybdenum and a FeMo-Co Precursor from an Azotobacter vinelandii ΔnifHDK Strain *

The NifEN protein complex serves as a molecular scaffold where some of the steps for the assembly of the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co) of nitrogenase take place. A His-tagged version of the NifEN complex has been previously purified and shown to carry two identical [4Fe-4S] clusters of unknown function and a [Fe-S]-containing FeMo-co precursor. We have improved the purification of the his-NifEN protein from a ΔnifHDK strain of Azotobacter vinelandii and have found that the amounts of iron and molybdenum within NifEN were significantly higher than those reported previously. In an in vitro FeMo-co synthesis system with purified components, the NifEN protein served as a source of both molybdenum and a [Fe-S]-containing FeMo-co precursor, showing significant FeMo-co synthesis activity in the absence of externally added molybdate. Thus, the NifEN scaffold protein, purified from ΔnifHDK background, contained the Nif-Bco-derived Fe-S cluster and molybdenum, although these FeMo-co constituents were present at different levels within the protein complex.
Faunal responses to fire in chaparral and sage scrub in California, USA

Impact of fire on California shrublands has been well studied but nearly all of this work has focused on plant communities. Impact on and recovery of the chaparral fauna has received only scattered attention; this paper synthesizes what is known in this regard for the diversity of animal taxa associated with California shrublands and outlines the primary differences between plant and animal responses to fire. We evaluated the primary faunal modes of resisting fire effects in three categories: 1) endogenous survival in a diapause or diapause-like stage, 2) sheltering in place within unburned refugia, or 3) fleeing and recolonizing. Utilizing these patterns in chaparral and sage scrub, as well as some studies on animals in other mediterranean-climate ecosystems, we derived generalizations about how plants and animals differ in their responses to fire impacts and their postfire recovery. One consequence of these differences is that variation in fire behavior has a much greater potential to affect animals than plants. For example, plants recover from fire endogenously from soil-stored seeds and resprouts, so fire size plays a limited role in determining recovery patterns. However, animals that depend on recolonization of burned sites from metapopulations may be greatly affected by fire size. Animal recolonization may also be greatly affected by regional land use patterns that affect colonization corridors, whereas such regional factors play a minimal role in plant community recovery. Fire characteristics such as rate of spread and fire intensity do not appear to play an important role in determining patterns of chaparral and sage scrub plant recovery after fire. However, these fire behavior characteristics may have a profound role in determining survivorship of some animal populations as slow-moving, smoldering combustion may limit survivorship of animals in burrows, whereas fast-moving, high intensity fires may affect survivorship of animals in aboveground refugia or those attempting to flee. Thus, fire regime characteristics may have a much greater effect on postfire recovery of animal communities than plant communities in these shrubland ecosystems.
PET and PET/CT Imaging in Melanoma

PET is a sensitive and specific technique for the detection of melanoma, but micrometastases and lesions smaller than 10 mm may not be detected. PET is more sensitive than CT for detection of metastases in subcutaneous sites, lymph nodes, abdomen, and skeleton, but CT is equivalent to, or more sensitive than, PET for detecting small pulmonary lesions. Contrast-enhanced MRI remains the preferred method for detection of brain metastases. Falsepositive PET findings may be seen at surgical sites and in inflammatory lesions and may also be seen in some benign tumors. Clinical correlation significantly improves the specificity of PET.
Optical waveguide modeling of refractive index mediated pH responses in silica nanocomposite thin film based fiber optic sensors

Recent experiments have demonstrated a pH-dependent optical transmission of silica based nanocomposite thin film enabled evanescent wave absorption spectroscopy based fiber optic sensors in aqueous solutions. Although the response was observed to linearly correlate with the pH-dependent surface charge density of the silica matrix, the responsible mechanism was not fully clarified. In this manuscript, an optical waveguide model is applied to describe observed responses through a modified effective refractive index of the silica matrix layer as a function of the solution phase pH. The refractive index dependence results from a surface charge dependent ionic adsorption, resulting in concentration of ionic species at charged surfaces. The resultant effective index modification to porous silica is estimated through effective medium theories and applied to an optical waveguide model of a multi-mode fiber optic based sensor response capable of reproducing all experimental observations reported to date.
Discontinuity of Outpatient Antipsychotic Pharmacotherapy: Risperidone Maintenance after Hospitalization:

Objective:To investigate continuity of outpatient antipsychotic pharmacotherapy with risperidone in patients discharged from state psychiatric hospitals.Methods:Of 1,201 patients discharged from Illinois state psychiatric hospitals while taking risperidone during the first year of the medication's commercial availability, 627 public aid–eligible patients were trackable on the basis of public aid billing data. Data on risperidone continuation and other medication use for these patients were collected for the two-year period following each patient's discharge.Results:Forty-four percent of the patients discontinued risperidone within two weeks of hospital discharge, with one-half receiving no medications and most of the remainder switching to other antipsychotics. More than 75% of the patients discontinued risperidone within one year of hospital discharge, and fewer than 1% received continuous risperidone pharmacotherapy for the two-year follow-up period.Conclusions:Although the study methods do not permit u...
Tight-binding model for graphene π-bands from maximally localized Wannier functions

The electronic properties of graphene sheets are often understood by starting from a simple phenomenological $\ensuremath{\pi}$-band tight-binding model. We provide a perspective on these models that is based on a study of ab initio maximally localized Wannier wave functions centered at carbon sites. Hopping processes in graphene can be separated into intersublattice contributions responsible for band dispersion near the Dirac point, and intrasublattice contributions responsible for electron-hole symmetry breaking. Both types of corrections to the simplest near-neighbor model can be experimentally relevant. We find that distant neighbor hopping parameters increase the ratio of the full $\ensuremath{\pi}$-band width to the Dirac point velocity and flatten bands along the $KM$ Brillouin-zone edge. We propose a five-parameter model which achieves a good compromise between simplicity and accuracy, and an alternate 15-parameter model achieves better accuracy with some loss of simplicity.
Rationale for therapeutic silencing of alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease.

The purpose of this paper is to provide the rationale for therapeutic silencing of the alpha-synuclein gene (SNCA) in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The paper reviews the public health significance of PD; the causal links between rare SNCA variants and familial PD; the association of common SNCA variants and PD susceptibility; the association of SNCA variants also with age at onset and motor and cognitive outcomes in PD; therapeutic strategies targeting SNCA in PD; and preliminary findings and considerations on small interfering RNA-based therapies and PD.
Psychometric validation of the Core Self-Evaluations Scale in people with spinal cord injury.

AbstractPurpose: Core self-evaluations (CSE) are the perceptions that people have about their overall worth and capability. CSE may be a useful global indicator of adaptation to disability and subjective well-being. The Core Self-Evaluations Scale (CSES) is the most common direct measure of CSE, but its use with persons with disabilities has not been validated. This study aims to evaluate the factorial and concurrent validity of the CSES in persons with spinal cord injury. Method: Two hundred forty-seven individuals with spinal cord injury completed an online survey consisting of the CSES, measures of the four CSE traits, and selected psychosocial variables. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis results provide support for the one-factor measurement structure of the CSES. When correlated with selected psychosocial variables, the CSES was found to perform in a similar fashion to an indirect measure of CSE constructed from measures of the individual CSE traits. Conclusions: The CSES demonstrated acceptable ...
Management Control Theory: A Comparison and Reflection

Management control theory has developed over two hundreds years in western developed countries.Reviewing its history and predicting the future trends will benefits the research and the practice of management control in China.This paper first reviews the origins of management control thoughts and compares the differences in concepts and framework of management control between different schools and finally predicts the future tends of this research.