cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbon nanotube knots

The structural and mechanical properties of carbon nanotube knots are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Using parametric representations of mathematical (harmonic) knots, a method is provided for calculating the initial atomic coordinates of carbon nanotubes in the shape of arbitrary knots for use in molecular dynamics simulations. A computational stress-strain testing scheme is implemented and applied to (5, 5) knotted carbon nanotubes to determine their tensile strength, plastic limit, and relative knot strength. Stress-strain curves are given for (5, 5) carbon nanotube stopper knots. It is determined that a carbon nanotube’s tensile strength is reduced to at most 1/3 of its original strength when tied into a knot. It is also shown that it is possible to form tight and stable carbon nanotube knots by subjecting the knots to stress beyond the plastic limit. In contrast, loose knots stabilized by noncovalent interactions are not dynamically stable and spontaneously untie. To help understand the stability of loose carbon nanotube knots, the relationship between bending strain energy and curvature is studied using carbon tori. Our study demonstrates the possibility to tie carbon nanotubes into various stable knots and provides a general framework for the study of other macromolecular knots relevant to potentially useful nanotechnology.The structural and mechanical properties of carbon nanotube knots are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Using parametric representations of mathematical (harmonic) knots, a method is provided for calculating the initial atomic coordinates of carbon nanotubes in the shape of arbitrary knots for use in molecular dynamics simulations. A computational stress-strain testing scheme is implemented and applied to (5, 5) knotted carbon nanotubes to determine their tensile strength, plastic limit, and relative knot strength. Stress-strain curves are given for (5, 5) carbon nanotube stopper knots. It is determined that a carbon nanotube’s tensile strength is reduced to at most 1/3 of its original strength when tied into a knot. It is also shown that it is possible to form tight and stable carbon nanotube knots by subjecting the knots to stress beyond the plastic limit. In contrast, loose knots stabilized by noncovalent interactions are not dynamically stable and spontaneously untie. To help understa...
Energy Efficient Data Forwarding in Disconnected Networks Using Cooperative UAVs

Data forwarding from a source to a sink node when they are not within the communication range is a challenging problem in wireless networking. With the increasing demand of wireless networks, several applications have emerged where a group of users are disconnected from their targeted destinations. Therefore, we consider in this paper a multi-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) system to convey collected data from isolated fields to the base station. In each field, a group of sensors or Internet of Things devices are distributed and send their data to one UAV. The UAVs collaborate in forwarding the collected data to the base station in order to maximize the minimum battery level for all UAVs by the end of the service time. Hence, a group of UAVs can meet at a waypoint along their path to the base station such that one UAV collects the data from all other UAVs and moves forward to another meeting point or the base station. All other UAVs that relayed their messages return back to their initial locations. All collected data from all fields reach to the base station within a certain maximum time to guarantee a certain quality of service. We formulate the problem as a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Program (MINLP), then we reformulated the problem as Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) after we linearize the mathematical model. Simulations results show the advantages of adopting the proposed model in using the UAVs' energy more efficiently.
Gross trunnion failure after a metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty leading to dissociation at the femoral head-trunnion interface

Abstract Gross trunnion failure (GTF) leading to dissociation at the femoral head-trunnion interface is an uncommon complication after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The incidence of this complication is currently unknown due to the limited number of reported cases but it is significantly more common in the context of a recalled femoral head. This report details the case of a gross trunnion failure and secondary polyethylene failure of a non-recalled metal-on-polyethylene primary THA from a taper type previously reported to be associated with an increased prevalence of mechanically assisted crevice corrosion (MACC). This case describes a 77-year-old man who was 10 years status post right THA presenting with acute-onset right hip pain after trying to rise from a seated position. Radiographs showed that the right femoral head was dissociated from the femoral component. At the time of surgical revision, there was extensive dark metallic debris in the hip joint. A revision THA was performed using a modular revision system. Clinicians must be aware that MACC can eventually lead to GTF, which can result in dissociation at the femoral head-trunnion interface in metal-on-polyethylene primary THA. Further research is needed to determine patient and implant factors that make patients susceptible to MACC/GTF so that adequate screening and patient counseling can be performed.
Study of surfactant alternating gas injection (SAG) in gas-flooded oil-wet, low permeability carbonate rocks

Abstract Many low permeability carbonate reservoirs are gasflooded but leave behind a large amount of residual oil. Surfactant solutions can be injected with gas to improve recovery. Surfactants and gas have the potential to form foam that can improve both oil displacement efficiency and sweep efficiency in oil reservoirs. However, in many carbonate reservoirs, foams need to overcome two adverse conditions: oil-wettability and low permeability. This study investigates the performance of 2 surfactant formulations in gas-flooded low permeability, oil-wet carbonate cores: one that combine wettability alteration, low interfacial tension (IFT), and coarse foaming and the other that is only foaming. Phase behavior experiments were performed to determine the optimal salinity for low oil-water IFT. Contact angle and imbibition experiments were performed on initially oil-wet media to identify surfactants for wettability altering capabilities. Coinjection coreflood experiments of surfactant solution and gas (with no crude oil) were performed at a constant injection rate with varying gas/water ratio and at varying injection rates to determine the critical foam parameters. Finally, oil displacement experiments were performed in low permeability limestone cores using the promising surfactant formulations to study the effect on incremental oil recovery after gas EOR injection process. In addition, dynamic adsorption tests were performed to estimate the adsorption of surfactants in limestone rocks. Mobility reduction factors obtained in coinjection experiments were low (less than 10 in most cases) in tight carbonate cores. The foaming was very coarse or weak, if any. There was a significant hysteresis effect at higher foam injection velocity; the foaming behavior in low permeability carbonate rocks were very weak and very different compared to those in high permeability rocks. Wettability alteration and low IFT can be achieved with anionic surfactants that generate coarse foam and help in fluid diversion. Adsorption of the anionic surfactants studied was between 0.04 and 0.11 mg/gm of rock in presence of alkali and EDTA in tight carbonate formations. Oil displacement experiments in oil-wet carbonate cores revealed that tertiary oil-recovery with injection of wettability-altering, low IFT surfactant can recover a significant amount of oil (about 28–70% ROIP) over the secondary gas flood. The pressure drops in the presence of oil suggested rapid foam coalescence and unstable foam in oil-wet carbonate cores. Good foaming surfactant that does not change wettability or achieve low IFT recovered less oil. Low IFT and wettability alteration in synergy with coarse foaming improves incremental oil recovery significantly and is crucial for higher oil recovery in oil-wet porous media.
Space Based Atmospheric Measurements by GLAS

A NASA space borne laser remote sensing experiment for free flight is the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) of the Earth Observing System. GLAS will observe atmospheric scattering structure including optically thin cirrus, near surface aerosols and volcanic plumes. Extensive study of the scientific importance of GLAS observations and modeling for the GLAS atmospheric performance have been done based on aircraft cloud and aerosol experiment data.
Negative Differential Conductivity in Other Materials

It is instructive to discuss the development of high-field domains in a more general fashion and apply the results to a variety of other examples.
Media and Second Dialect Acquisition

This article addresses the role that different types of media might play in second dialect acquisition. While many scholars agree that broadcast media such as television have little effect on individual speakers’ language use, research across fields (sociolinguistics, second language learning, laboratory phonology, and phonetics) suggests that high levels of engagement could facilitate dialect learning via mediated speech. I will briefly describe the mechanisms underlying acquisition of new dialect features, discuss how these mechanisms might operate when speakers are exposed to speech via specific types of media, and sketch some avenues for future research.
Flow Regimes in Buoyancy-Driven Homogeneous Variable-Density Turbulence

In this chapter, we discuss density-ratio effects on the life cycle of buoyancy-driven homogeneous variable-density turbulence (HVDT) by using high-resolution (\(2048^3\)) Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS). Two density ratios 1.105 : 1 and 7 : 1 are considered for analysis. In HVDT, the acceleration field is applied to a triply periodic domain in which an initially heterogeneous mixture of two miscible, incompressible fluids with different densities are resting. The fluids start to move in opposite direction due to the differential buoyancy forces which generates turbulence. Meanwhile, the fluids molecularly mix which reduces the density difference, leading to weakening of the buoyancy forces. Turbulence dissipation overcomes turbulence production and VDT starts to decay. The life cycle of HVDT is divided into four different regimes based on turbulent kinetic energy evolution. Variations in the density ratio are found to significantly change the local evolution of the flow which is discussed using three-dimensional contours and the probability density functions of the vertical velocity.
Treatment of erosive pustular dermatosis: a systematic review of the literature.

Importance Erosive pustular dermatosis (EPD) is a rare chronic inflammatory condition of the scalp and legs that is often difficult to manage. Currently, there are no treatment guidelines. Objective To systematically assess the existing literature on various treatment modalities and their efficacies when used in the management of EPD. Evidence review We searched PubMed, Cochrane Libraries, Scopus, and clicnialtrial.gov databases for articles in the English language with no limited time frame. Emphasis was placed on articles that reported on treatment for EPD. Findings Of the 168 articles identified by the literature search, 92 met eligibility criteria and were included for qualitative analysis. Efficacious topical treatments included clobetasol, betamethasone, and tacrolimus. Ninety-three and 88% of cases utilizing clobetasol and betamethasone respectively demonstrated improvement or resolution. All 32 cases utilizing tacrolimus reported improvement. Efficacious systemic treatments included oral steroids such as prednisone, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone. Topical dapsone, photodynamic therapy, systemic steroids, cyclosporine, and oral zinc derivatives were also described with some success. Conclusions and relevance According to available data, limited solely to case reports and case series, potent topical steroids are an effective treatment option for EPD. Topical tacrolimus may also be considered in cases that require long-term use or maintenance. Other treatment modalities shown to be successful based on high reported efficacy and low rates of recurrence after treatment include topical dapsone, systemic steroids, zinc derivatives, and cyclosporine. Further studies are needed to compare treatment modalities and to establish treatment protocols.
Identity, social interaction, and networks in the region of Wisconsin’s Holyland

This paper focuses on how a sense of identity, social interaction, and networks contribute to the construction and maintenance of regions. Using Wisconsin’s Holyland as a case study, we conducted f...
Rights-Politics and the Politics of Rights in Neoliberal India:

In 1991, the Indian economy, was finally proclaimed liberalised from the control of the state; the market was now to be the sole engine of growth, development and poverty alleviation. But just over...
Investigation of the correlation between college students’ success with stoichiometry subproblems and metacognitive awareness

The development of problem-solving skills — particularly with stoichiometry concepts — is paramount for succeeding in a general chemistry sequence. Key concepts related to problem solving and stoic...
Bregman-style Online Convex Optimization with Energy Harvesting Constraints

This paper considers online convex optimization (OCO) problems where decisions are constrained by available energy resources. A key scenario is optimal power control for an energy harvesting device with a finite capacity battery. The goal is to minimize a time-average loss function while keeping the used energy less than what is available. In this setup, the distribution of the randomly arriving harvestable energy (which is assumed to be i.i.d.) is unknown, the current loss function is unknown, and the controller is only informed by the history of past observations. A prior algorithm is known to achieve $O(\sqrtT )$ regret by using a battery with an $O(\sqrtT )$ capacity. This paper develops a new algorithm that maintains this asymptotic trade-off with the number of time steps T while improving dependency on the dimension of the decision vector from $O(\sqrtn )$ to $O(\sqrtlog(n) )$. The proposed algorithm introduces a separation of the decision vector into amplitude and direction components. It uses two distinct types of Bregman divergence, together with energy queue information, to make decisions for each component.
Strategic Behavior of In-Motion Wireless Charging Aggregators in the Electricity and Transportation Networks

This paper presents a framework to determine the strategic bidding of the wireless charging aggregators that operate wireless charging stations to provide in-motion charging services for the electric vehicles. The proposed framework captures the interactions between the electricity and transportation networks through competition among the wireless charging aggregators. Wireless charging aggregators participate in the wholesale electricity market to minimize the cost of gained energy from the bulk electricity network. In the retail wireless charging market, wireless charging aggregators compete to maximize their revenue by offering energy to the electric vehicles that are traveling on the transportation links. The strategic behavior of the wireless charging aggregators highlights the interdependence between the electricity and transportation infrastructure systems. In each system, the strategic behavior of the entities is determined by formulating a bi-level optimization problem which is further transformed into a mathematical problem with equilibrium constraints. The upper-level problem maximizes the profit of the entities while the lower level problem ensures the balance between the demand and supply in each infrastructure system. The demand and supply balance is guaranteed by the optimal power flow in the electricity network and the user equilibrium traffic assignment in the transportation network.
Vascular Grafts with Tailored Stiffness and a Ligand Environment via Multiarmed Polymer Sheath for Expeditious Regeneration.

The bypass graft is the mainstream of surgical intervention to treat vascular diseases. Ideal bypass materials, yet to be developed, require mechanical properties, availability, clinically feasible...
Effects of Cisapride, Buprenorphine, and Their Combination on Gastrointestinal Transit in New Zealand White Rabbits

Due to their effective analgesic properties, opioids are worthy of consideration for pain management in rabbits. However, this class of drugs causes undesirable effects including reduced gastrointestinal (GI) motility, reduced fecal output, and delays GI transit times and thus increases the risk of GI stasis. The risk of stasis discourages the use of opioids in rabbits, which could affect animal welfare. Gastroprokinetic agents such as cisapride are effective in promoting gastric emptying in many species, but whether this effect occurs in rabbits is unknown. This study assessed the efficacy of cisapride when administered as a single agent and in combination with buprenorphine in rabbits; efficacy was assessed by measuring GI transit times, fecal output, body weight, and food and water intake. Female New Zealand White rabbits (n = 10) were studied in a crossover, randomized design and received either vehicle and buprenorphine, cisapride and saline, cisapride and buprenorphine, or vehicle and saline (control) every 8 h for 2 d. Rabbits were anesthetized and administered radio-opaque, barium-filled spheres via orogastric tube. Feces was assessed via radiography for detection of the barium-spheres to determine GI transit time. GI transit time was significantly longer in buprenorphine groups than in control groups, regardless of the use of cisapride. Fecal output and food and water intake were lower for buprenorphine groups than control groups. Cisapride did not significantly alter GI transit, fecal output, or food and water intake. In addition, treatment group did not significantly affect body weight. In conclusion, buprenorphine treatment (0.03 mg/kg TID) prolonged GI transit time and reduced fecal output and food and water consumption in rabbits. Coadministration of buprenorphine and cisapride (0.5 mg/kg) did not ameliorate these effects, and the administration of cisapride at this dose did not appear to affect GI motility in female rabbits.
Evaluation of intramuscular anesthetic protocols in healthy domestic horses

Abstract Objective To assess anesthetic induction, recovery quality and cardiopulmonary variables after intramuscular (IM) injection of three drug combinations for immobilization of horses. Study design Randomized, blinded, three-way crossover prospective design. Animals A total of eight healthy adult horses weighing 470–575 kg. Methods Horses were administered three treatments IM separated by ≥1 week. Combinations were tiletamine–zolazepam (1.2 mg kg−1), ketamine (1 mg kg−1) and detomidine (0.04 mg kg−1) (treatment TKD); ketamine (3 mg kg−1) and detomidine (0.04 mg kg−1) (treatment KD); and tiletamine–zolazepam (2.4 mg kg−1) and detomidine (0.04 mg kg−1) (treatment TD). Parametric data were analyzed using mixed model linear regression. Nonparametric data were compared using Skillings–Mack test. A p value Results All horses in treatment TD became recumbent. In treatments KD and TKD, one horse remained standing. PaO2 15 minutes after recumbency was significantly lower in treatments TD (p Conclusions and clinical relevance In domestic horses, IM injections of tiletamine–zolazepam–detomidine resulted in more reliable recumbency with a longer duration when compared with ketamine–detomidine and tiletamine–zolazepam–ketamine–detomidine. Recoveries were comparable among protocols.
Knowledge spillovers in Schumpeterian environments: Asymmetries between new entrants and incumbents

Existing literature recognizes knowledge spillovers as an underpinning of the dynamic interplay between new entrants and incumbents but stops short of investigating systematic differences in the ex...
Evaluation of Pretreatment Magnetic Resonance Elastography for the Prediction of Radiation-Induced Liver Disease.

Abstract Purpose Magnetic resonance (MR) elastography (E) is a noninvasive technique for quantifying liver stiffness (LS) for fibrosis. This study evaluates whether LS is associated with risk of developing radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) in patients receiving liver-directed radiation therapy (RT). Methods and Materials Based on prior studies, LS ≤3 kPa was considered normal and LS >3.0 kPa as representing fibrosis. RILD was defined as an increase in Child-Pugh (CP) score of ≥2 from baseline within 1 year of RT. Univariate and multivariate Cox models were used to assess correlation. Results One hundred two patients, 51 with primary liver tumors and 51 with liver metastases, were identified with sufficient follow-up. In univariate models, pre-RT LS >3.0 kPa (hazard ratio [HR] 4.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-14; P = .004), body mass index (BMI), clinical cirrhosis, CP score, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade 2, primary liver tumor, and mean liver dose were significantly associated with risk of post-RT RILD. In a multivariate analysis, LS >3.0 and mean liver dose both were significantly associated with RILD risk. Conclusions Elevated pre-RT LS is associated with an increased risk of RILD in patients receiving liver-directed RT.
Monitoring Areawide Rural Water Quality

Stream water quality is usually measured by either grab or automated sampling schemes. Data obtained by these two methods at identical locations on rural watersheds demonstrated that sampling techniques themselves impacted measured water quality values. Point-in-time comparisons indicated that COD and TOC concentrations were lower for grab than automated samples due to sample procurement and storage effects. A first sample effect was also demontrated for COD, TOC, TP, and TKN concentrations by analysis of sequential samples obtained with automated samplers employing a sample-flush operational mode. The areawide annual water yield estimate obtained by simple time stratified grab sampling was approximately equal to the historical average, but the precision of individual site estimates was low because the distributions of flow measurements at the sites were highly skewed. Therefore, the potential of daily rainfall predictions as a stratification method to provide increased annual water yield precision at a given sampling frequency or budget level was demonstrated.
The Dilemma of the Superman

The acids of disillusionment were busily at work in the nineteenth century, eating like a cancer into the flesh of faith. Schopenhauer, the prophet of the absurd, still cherished an almost religious faith in salvation to be effected by the renunciation of the will to live. By the time Darwin’s work was published and the Christian interpretation of life and its conception of the nature of man were under concerted attack, the will to truth became an idee fixe, a more sacred and binding obligation than the demands of religion.1 Then came the disconcerting discovery that the scientific enlightenment, while it eliminated error and attempted to search out the empirical truth, could not “save.” This was the rock on which the bark of literature, like that of philosophy, crashed and foundered. The type of spiritual conflict to be waged by twentieth-century man is prefigured in the work of Nietzsche. Here was a nihilist who struggled desperately to overcome his nihilism, a Nay-sayer who sought to transcend his negations, an anti-Christ who derived much of his moral passion for the truth from his Christian past.2 Here is the Dionysian hero who, when he went mad, signed himself “The Crucified.”
Beyong Reproach: Has the Doctrine of Arbitral Immunity Been Extended Too Far for Arbitration Sponsoring Firms?

With the increase of mandatory arbitration agreements in consumer contracts, private arbitration firms emerged to administer arbitration proceedings between consumers, credit card companies, financial institutions, and debt-collection entities. Because of the enormous market for consumer arbitration services, firms have strong financial incentives to ensure clients remain satisfied with their services. Despite conflict of interest concerns, lawsuits alleging that firms violated ethical and contractual obligations to provide neutral arbitration proceedings have been largely unsuccessful because firms escape liability under the doctrine of arbitral immunity. After providing a history of arbitral immunity, this Note focuses on a novel approach taken by San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera that challenges a firm’s immunity on the grounds that the city is acting in a civil law enforcement capacity and only seeking equitable relief. This Note discusses the merits of San Francisco’s approach, its possible replication in other states, and the ultimate need for comprehensive legislative reform.
Selection of initial gain for optimal compensators

A technique for selecting initial gain such that a compensated feedback system is asymptotically stable is proposed. The problem is in two parts namely modeling and initial gain selection. The initial gain so obtained is used as a starting value for controller optimization.
Extending the schematic protection model. I. Conditional tickets and authentication

The Schematic Protection Model, SPM, allows us to specify the protection structure of a system and gives an algorithm to reason about the transmission of privileges in the system. This paper extends the SPM model to include for conditional tickets and to provide authentication. We also extend the decision algorithm of the safety problem to take into account these modifications. >
“Theism, Naturalism, and Meta-Ethics”

The relationship between God and morality has been a topic of philosophical discussion since Socrates engaged Euthyphro in the agora. In recent years, it has received a lot of attention, as theistic philosophers have attempted to show that divine command theory and other theistic meta-ethical accounts are defensible. Whether metaphysical naturalism is compatible with moral realism is a related (and equally controversial) topic. This essay surveys the main issues in these debates.
Fluoroalcohol-mediated reductive iodonio-Claisen rearrangement: Synthesis of complex ortho-substituted-allyl iodoarenes

Reductive iodonio-Claisen rearrangement (RICR) involving λ3-iodanes and allyl or substituted-allyl silanes in fluoroalcohols, such as 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE), was studied for the synthesis of complex ortho-allyl or substituted-allyl iodoarenes. In comparison to the previously reported condition involving boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, the RICR mediated by fluoroalcohols was found to proceed more effectively. The resulting complex ortho-allyl iodoarenes are useful synthetic intermediates and can be readily converted to various heterocyclic compounds.
Dairy Production 1955 to 2006

Abstract Increasing specialization and stability of milk supply characterize the last 25 yr of dairy production in the United States. Fewer farms, larger herds, and more production per cow are continuing trends. There is a geographic centralization of dairy farming in the Lake States, northeastern United States, and California. Herd size on the average farm will triple and an increase of 25% in production per cow is a conservative estimate in the next 25 yr. In 2006, as in 1980, the dairy cow will continue to provide milk and milk products for everyone. Research and adaptation of the technology developed by research will be essential to continue improvement of productive efficiency.
Study of the 2.0-eV photoluminescence band in Cd 1 − x Mn x Te semiconductor alloys

The 2.0-eV photoluminescence band in ${\mathrm{Cd}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{x}\mathrm{Te}$ semiconductor alloys is investigated over the range $0.4\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.7$. The emission is ascribed to the $^{4}T_{1}(^{4}G)\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{6}A_{1}(^{6}S)$ internal transition of ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$ within the $3{d}^{5}$ state. Excitation spectra reveal a drop in intensity near the fundamental edge; the decrease is a result of competitive intrinsic absorption that does not lead to ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$ emission. Onset of the $^{6}A_{1}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{4}T_{1}$ transition can be seen for $xg0.4$; excitation in samples with $xg0.6$ reveals the $^{6}A_{1}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{4}T_{2}$ transition as well. The strongly localized character of the emission is established from full width at half maximum data. A phonon energy of $\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}=53\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}16$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and a Huang-Rhys factor of $S=26\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2$ is obtained with the use of a linear configurational coordinate model. In addition, a value of inhomogeneous broadening ${H}_{\mathrm{in}}=80$ meV (645 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) is found from the analysis. Various sources of inhomogeneous broadening and line shift are discussed.
A simple semi-Lagrangian scheme for advection equations

A semi-Lagrangian scheme is proposed by using forward trajectories and a splitting approach to the interpolation procedure. Several polynomial interpolation schemes are tested, including cubic spline and Lagrange polynomials of degree 3, 5 and 7. A simple filter is also proposed to eliminate spurious short waves and to achieve positive-definiteness. Uniform, rotational and Smolarkiewicz's deformational flows are tested, a solution to the inviscid Burger's equation is also provided. This new algorithm employing cubic-spline interpolation and the new filter yields efficient and accurate short-term simulations. The advantage in efficiency of adopting split trajectories for interpolation is accompanied by a restriction which is slightly more stringent than the stability criterion for conventional semi-Lagrangian advection schemes. It is also found that the simple filter can eliminate spurious short waves very effectively without degrading the solutions.
SOME QUANTITATIVE REPRESENTATIONS OF ECOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION AND FAUNAL STRUCTURE APPLIED TO AFRICAN BIRDS

(1966). SOME QUANTITATIVE REPRESENTATIONS OF ECOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION AND FAUNAL STRUCTURE APPLIED TO AFRICAN BIRDS. Ostrich: Vol. 37, No. sup1, pp. 271-283.
Favard's interpolation problem in one or more variables

Given scattered data on the real line, Favard [4] constructed an interpolant which depends linearly and locally on the data and whose nth derivative is locally bounded by the nth divided differences of the data times a constant depending only on n. It is shown that the (n —1)th derivative of Favard’s interpolant can be likewise bounded by divided differences, and that one can bound at best two consecutive derivatives of any interpolant by the corresponding divided differences. In this sense, Favard’s univariate interpolant is the best possible. Favard’s result has been extended [8] to a special case in several variables, and here the extent to which this can be repeated in a more general setting is proven exactly.
A State Level Investigation of the Associations among Intellectual Capital, Religiosity and Reproductive Health.

The current study examines the degree to which state intellectual capital, state religiosity and reproductive health form a meaningful nexus of ecological relations. Though the specific magnitude of effects vary across outcomes, results from hierarchical regression analyses were consistent with the hypothesized path model indicating that a state's intellectual capital (as indicated by average state IQ and graduation rates at various levels) has a positive overall effect on state reproductive health statistics, whereas state religiosity generally has a negative impact. Specifically, both IQ and education were positively associated with breastfeeding rates, immunization rates, and rates of mammography screening, and negatively associated with teen fertility rates and infant mortality rates. Additionally, results confirm that education rates partially mediate the influence of IQ onto religiosity, and both education and religiosity partially or fully mediate the relation between IQ and state health (depending on specific outcome measure). The current results are consistent with a growing interdisciplinary literature establishing that individual, state and national well-being is substantially related to general mental ability and its covariates.
Ring strain in the oxazetidines

Abstract The strain energies for the two isomers of oxazetidine, 1,2-oxazetidine and 1,3-oxazetidine, are determined within the isodesmic, homodesmotic, and hyperhomodesmotic models. Optimum equilibrium geometries and corresponding electronic energies are computed for all pertinent molecular systems at the MP2 level of theory using the 6-311G(d,p) basis set. Single-point fourth-order perturbation theory and CCSD(T) calculations employing the 6-311+G(2df,p) basis set are also computed at the MP2/6-311G(d,p) optimized geometries. Harmonic frequency determinations indicate that both isomers of oxazetidine are local minima on the ONC2H5 potential energy hypersurface at both the SCF and correlated levels. In addition, the electronic energy for acetamide at its optimized geometry is computed for comparison purposes. Finally, the ring strains in the oxazetidines are compared to other small heterocyclic and homocyclic ring systems.
Negotiating Jewishness: Curb Your Enthusiasm and the Schlemiel Tradition

Abstract Larry David's persona in Curb Your Enthusiasm serves as a contemporary manifestation of the schlemiel from Yiddish culture. Although David keeps the essential aspects of the schlemiel intact, he adapts them to twenty-first-century America. David's schlemiel persona reflects the uneasiness many Jewish people feel about their place in multicultural America.
Correlation of Qualitative and Quantitative Results from Testing Respirator Fit

Three qualitative respirator fit tests were evaluated for their ability to adequately measure respiratory protection. The evaluated methods were the negative pressure test, the isoamyl acetate test, and the irritant smoke test. Each test was performed concurrently with a single quantitative fit test, the dioctylphthalate (DOP) test, during 274 half-mask and 274 full facepiece wearings. The quantitative values of DOP penetration obtained after passing or failing each qualitative fit test were lognormally distributed. For each qualitative test performed on each mask type, the average log10 penetration values obtained after passing and failing each test were statistically different from each other. The mean of the log10 penetration values associated with the failed qualitative test was always larger than the mean of the log10 penetration values associated with passed qualitative tests for all three qualitative methods. Most (95%) of the tested study had adequately fitting respirators as determined by quantit...
A theory of natural selection incorporating interaction among individuals. V. Use of random synchronized groups.

Abstract In the first paper of the current series, (I), a complex interaction model capable of describing any kind of interaction among individuals was developed. However, selection operating on random groups with regard to this model yielded short- and long-term results which were unbalanced. In subsequent kin-selection papers (II, III, and IV), a systematic analysis demonstrated that use of non-random groups could partially solve the balance problem. The present study is the first of several to employ a different approach to the problem of accommodating interaction. This approach involves changing the life-history model itself in such a way that the fitness components of individuals within groups are synchronized. Synchronization of fitness components produces total fitness values which are symmetrical. In the present study, selection operating on random groups for a model having symmetrical fitness values is evaluated for both balance and efficiency. It is demonstrated that the selection response is balanced and yields short- and long-term optimum results, but under a variety of conditions the efficiency can be low.
Localization and expression profile of Group I and II Activators of G-protein Signaling in the kidney

Activators of G-protein Signaling (AGS) are a family of accessory proteins that were discovered as modulators of heterotrimeric G-protein subunits. The primary aim of the present study was to localize Group I and II AGS proteins and determine the renal expression profile using immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR, respectively, during normal and injured states of the kidney. Group I AGS1 was found to be predominantly localized to the proximal tubule, Group II AGS3 and AGS5 were exclusively localized to the distal tubular segments, and Group II AGS6 was ubiquitously expressed in every nephron segment of the rodent kidney. In rat kidneys following ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI), Group I AGS1 mRNA was dramatically increased after 24 h by fivefold (P < 0.05), whereas Group II AGS3 and AGS4 mRNA was significantly decreased at the same time point (P < 0.05). No significant change in the transcript levels were detected at other time points for any of the AGS genes between control and IRI groups. In polycystic diseased kidneys, mRNA levels for AGS3, AGS4 and AGS6 was significantly increased (P < 0.05) by 75–80 % in PCK rat kidneys. The identification of Group I and II AGS mRNA and protein in the kidney may provide insight into the potential mechanism of action during normal and varying states of renal disease or injury.
Effect of gender on glucose utilization rates in healthy humans: A positron emission tomography study

Positron emission tomography (PET) was used with 18fluorodeoxyglucose to see if gender differences in resting cerebral glucose utilization could be detected. Thirty-two healthy subjects (15 women and 17 men; age range: 21-38 yr) were examined using a high-resolution PET scanner to determine the regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc) in 65 gray matter regions of interest. Whole brain CMRglc did not differ significantly between the two genders, nor did any of the regional CMRglc values. Only 1 of 65 ratios of regional-to-whole brain CMRglc differed significantly between men and women, which is consistent with chance. These results indicate that there are no differences in resting regional cerebral glucose utilization between young men and women.
Linked bis-isophthalic acid derivatives as bulding blocks in the design of self-assembling structures

Abstract In this paper we show that linked bis-isophthalic acid derivatives form ordered molecular structures in the solid state. The key organizing interactions are hydrogen bonds between the isophthalate carboxylic acid substituents on adjacent molecules or to methanol solvent. NMR investigations suggest that alternative aggregates form in solution.
Subclinical Cushing's syndrome.

Subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) refers to subtle autonomous cortisol hypersecretion that is insufficient to generate the typical, clinically recognizable overt syndrome. Diagnosis of SCS is challenging. The combination of 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test, serum ACTH level, and urinary cortisol level are used to diagnose SCS. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice for SCS. Patients with adrenal incidentalomas and SCS should be treated with perioperative steroids to prevent post-operative hypocortisolism.
Hidden Symmetries in M-Theory

We focus on D=l l supergravity as the low-energy limit of M-theory and pose the questions: (1) What are the $D=ll$ symmetries? (2) How many supersymmetries can M-theory vacua preserve?
Meta-analysis combines Affymetrix microarray results across laboratories

With microarray technology becoming more prevalent in recent years, it is now common for several laboratories to employ the same microarray technology to identify differentially expressed genes that are related to the same phenomenon in the same species. Although experimental specifics may be similar, each laboratory will typically produce a slightly different list of statistically significant genes, which calls into question the validity of each gene list (i.e. which list is best). A statistically-based meta-analytic approach to microarray analysis systematically combines results from the different laboratories to provide a single estimate of the degree of differential expression for each gene. This approach provides a more precise view of genes that are of significant interest, while simultaneously allowing for differences between laboratories. The widely-used Affymetrix oligonucleotide array and its software are of particular interest because the results are naturally suited to a meta-analysis. A simulation model based on the Affymetrix platform is developed to examine the adaptive nature of the meta-analytic approach and to illustrate the utility of such an approach in combining microarray results across laboratories.
Strategic Management in Engineering Organizations

The traditional philosophy of management in organizations that focus on the built environment, both in the public and private sector, places great emphasis on the ability to plan and execute projects. In contrast, a similar emphasis on strategic management has received less attention in this context. This paper introduces a comparative study of the current strategic management practices in public and private organizations that are responsible for constructing the built environment. The paper introduces the areas that organizations must address to compete in the face of changing customer and competitor conditions. A summary of a comparative survey conducted on firms in the construction industry is documented together with the background research that prompted the investigation of these topics.
Do emerging markets with consistent returns have better future performance

Using monthly data for 25 emerging markets around the world, it is found that emerging markets with recently consistent stock returns tend to have future returns that continue in the same direction. The effects are long-lived for negative consistency, and imply that capital flows are much more sensitive to market downturns than market upturns. Additionally, the longer a market has had consistently negative (positive) stock returns, the more negative (positive) are future returns. These results serve as confirmation that the consistency effects of Grinblatt and Moskowitz [J. Finan. Econ., 2004, forthcoming] and Watkins [J. Behav. Finan., 2003, 4, 1–32] exist in emerging markets around the world.
Design and synthesis of C60–benzenesulfonamide conjugates

Abstract Synthesis of C 60 –benzenesulfonamide conjugates is reported. The strategies for improving their water solubility, as required for binding to human carbonic anhydrase II, are discussed.
Respiratory Rate Extraction Via an Autoregressive Model Using the Optimal Parameter Search Criterion

We present an autoregressive model-based method which enables accurate respiratory rate extraction from pulse oximeter recordings over a wide range: 12–48 breaths/min. The method uses the optimal parameter search (OPS) technique to estimate accurate AR parameters which are then factorized into multiple pole terms. The pole with the highest magnitude is shown to correspond to the respiratory rate. The performance of the proposed method to extract respiratory rate is compared to the widely used Burg algorithm using both simulation examples and pulse oximeter recordings. In a previous study, we demonstrated several nonparametric time–frequency approaches that were more accurate than Burg’s algorithm when the data length was 1 min [Chon, K. H., S. Dash, and K. Ju. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 56(8):2054–2063, 2009]. One of the key advantages of the AR method is that a shorter data length can be used. Thus, in this study, we reduced the data length to 30 s and applied our OPS algorithm to examine if accurate respiratory rates can be extracted directly from pulse oximeter recordings. It was found that our proposed method’s accuracy was consistently better with smaller variance than Burg’s method. In particular, our proposed method’s accuracy was significantly greater when respiratory rates were lower than 24 breaths/min.
Structural and Functional Characterization of the Integral Membrane Protein VDAC-1 in Lipid Bilayer Nanodiscs

Biophysical studies of membrane proteins are often impeded by the requirement for a membrane mimicking environment. Detergent micelles are the most common choice, but the denaturing properties make them unsatisfactory for studies of many membrane proteins and their interactions. In the present work, we explore phospholipid bilayer nanodiscs as membrane mimics and employ electron microscopy and solution NMR spectroscopy to characterize the structure and function of the human voltage dependent anion channel (VDAC-1) as an example of a polytopic integral membrane protein. Electron microscopy reveals the formation of VDAC-1 multimers, an observation that is consistent with results obtained in native mitochondrial outer membranes. High-resolution NMR spectroscopy demonstrates a well folded VDAC-1 protein and native NADH binding functionality. The observed chemical shift changes upon addition of the native ligand NADH to nanodisc-embedded VDAC-1 resemble those of micelle-embedded VDAC-1, indicating a similar structure and function in the two membrane-mimicking environments. Overall, the ability to study integral membrane proteins at atomic resolution with solution NMR in phospholipid bilayers, rather than in detergent micelles, offers exciting novel possibilities to approach the biophysical properties of membrane proteins under nondenaturing conditions, which makes this technology particular suitable for protein-protein interactions and other functional studies.
The Intracellular Domain of the β-Amyloid Precursor Protein Is Stabilized by Fe65 and Translocates to the Nucleus in a Notch-like Manner

The β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a ubiquitous receptor-like molecule without a known function. However, the recent recognition that APP and Notch undergo highly similar proteolytic processing has suggested a potential signaling function for APP. After ligand binding, Notch is cleaved by the ADAM-17 metalloprotease followed by an intramembrane cleavage mediated by γ-secretase. The γ-secretase cut releases the Notch intracellular domain (NICD), which enters the nucleus and modulates transcription. Because APP is processed similarly by ADAM-17 and γ-secretase, we reasoned that the APP intracellular domain (AICD) has a role analogous to the NICD. We therefore generated a plasmid encoding the AICD sequence and studied the subcellular localization of the expressed protein (C60). Our results demonstrate that the cytoplasmic domain of APP is a highly labile fragment that is stabilized by forming complexes with Fe65 and can then enter the nucleus in neurons and non-neural cells. These findings strongly support the hypothesis that APP signals in the nucleus in a manner analogous to the function of Notch.
Numerical analysis of coupling for a kinetic equation

In this paper we introduce a coupled systems of kinetic equations for the linearized Carleman model. We then study the existence theory and the asymptotic behaviour of the result- ing coupled problem. In order to solve the coupled problem we propose to use the time marching algorithm. We then develop a convergence theory for the resulting algorithm. Numerical results con- rming the theory are then presented.