cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A numerical investigation of hydrogen injection into noble gas working fluids

Abstract The thermodynamic efficiency of internal combustion engines is primarily dependent on the compression ratio and specific heat ratio of the working fluid. Due to a higher specific heat ratio, using a noble gas and oxygen instead of air can increase the thermal efficiency. The lack of nitrogen in the working fluid also eliminates NOx formation. In this study, the three-dimensional turbulent injection of hydrogen into a constant volume combustion chamber has been modeled and compared to mixtures of oxygen with nitrogen, argon, and xenon at different injection velocities. The results indicate that the hydrogen jet has a longer penetration length in nitrogen compared to argon and xenon. However, smaller penetration lengths lead to more complex jet shapes and larger cone angles. Combustion in a noble gas environment results in higher temperatures and OH radical concentrations, due in part to lower specific heats and the jet characteristics. Furthermore, mixedness is investigated using mean spatial variation and mean scalar dissipation. Hydrogen in argon shows a better mixing rate compared to nitrogen and xenon due to the higher diffusivity. The results indicate that reduction in mean spatial variation can lead to a shorter ignition delay.
Regulation of InsP3R by Ca2+ and Cytosolic Ca2+ Dynamics

Hormonal stimulation leads to the generation of second messenger inositol(1,4,5)-trisphosphate (InsP3) and release of calcium (Ca2+) from intracellular calcium stores due to activation of inositol(1,4,5)-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R). InsP3-induced Ca2+ release is widely utilized by multiple cell types and constitutes one of the major steps in calcium signaling pathway. The activity of InsP3R receptor is under tight control in the cell and its most important regulatory mechanisms is the feedback effect exerted by cytosolic Ca2+. Modulation of the InsP3R by Ca2+ has been demonstrated in permeabilized cell preparations, using isolated microsomal vesicles and in planar lipid bilayer experiments with reconstituted InsP3R. These studies demonstrated the bell-shaped Ca2+ dependency of InsP3R activity, manifested within the effective physiological range of cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations. In the first part of this chapter we describe the initial discovery of InsP3R modulation by cytosolic Ca2+, the progress of our understanding of Ca2+ feedback on the InsP3R and some recent suggestions regarding the variability in Ca2+ regulation of different InsP3R isoforms. In the second part of the chapter we will relate the InsP3R modulation by cytosolic Ca2+ to the complex spatiotemporal behaviour of Ca2+ signaling in cells, manifested as cytosolic Ca2+ waves and oscillations.
Model Studies of LCVD of Transition Metals on Silicon: Surface Processes

Investigation of laser- and thermally-induced reactions of refractory metal complexes adsorbed on silicon surfaces is of both technological and fundamental importance. The technical goal of laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition of refractory metal films is to rapidly deposit high conductivity films that adhere well to the semiconductor substrate.1,2 In most work to date refractory metal carbonyls were used as precursors for the deposition process3–10 due to their high volatility and rich gas phase photochemistry. Unfortunately, high quality films have not been fabricated by laser-assisted deposition of refractory metals using the respective metal carbonyls; low conductivity films are formed due to the presence of carbon and/or oxygen impurities and highly porous film morphology. The impurities in the film may be incorporated during the laser deposition process from dissociation of the CO or other ligands trapped on the surface or from secondary surface reactions of molecules present in the ambient background under practical LCVD conditions.11 It is our challenge to determine the origin of the carbon and oxygen contamination and possibly suggest methods for minimizing impurities under conditions suitable for practical LCVD through systematic investigation of the deposition process itself and the reactivity of the laser-deposited films under idealized, ultra-high vacuum conditions. We have employed a combination of surface spectroscopies: multiple internal reflection Fourier transform infrared, temperature programmed desorption/reaction, laser induced desorption, and Auger electron spectroscopies and low energy electron diffraction.
Quantitative conformational profiling of kinase inhibitors reveals origins of selectivity for Aurora kinase activation states.

Protein kinases undergo large-scale structural changes that tightly regulate function and control recognition by small-molecule inhibitors. Methods for quantifying the conformational effects of inhibitors and linking them to an understanding of selectivity patterns have long been elusive. We have developed an ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence methodology that tracks structural movements of the kinase activation loop in solution with angstrom-level precision, and can resolve multiple structural states and quantify conformational shifts between states. Profiling a panel of clinically relevant Aurora kinase inhibitors against the mitotic kinase Aurora A revealed a wide range of conformational preferences, with all inhibitors promoting either the active DFG-in state or the inactive DFG-out state, but to widely differing extents. Remarkably, these conformational preferences explain broad patterns of inhibitor selectivity across different activation states of Aurora A, with DFG-out inhibitors preferentially binding Aurora A activated by phosphorylation on the activation loop, which dynamically samples the DFG-out state, and DFG-in inhibitors binding preferentially to Aurora A constrained in the DFG-in state by its allosteric activator Tpx2. The results suggest that many inhibitors currently in clinical development may be capable of differentiating between Aurora A signaling pathways implicated in normal mitotic control and in melanoma, neuroblastoma, and prostate cancer. The technology is applicable to a wide range of clinically important kinases and could provide a wealth of valuable structure–activity information for the development of inhibitors that exploit differences in conformational dynamics to achieve enhanced selectivity.
The Ecology of Forest Disturbances

Abstract Forest disturbances are among the most spectacular manifestations of ecological change. They are the subjects of countless scientific studies, newspaper headlines, local and national legislation, and international initiatives. Despite the ubiquity of disturbances in forests globally, many central questions remain unresolved and many policy strategies are at odds with contemporary ecological understanding. Here we consider the causes and consequences of forest disturbances and discuss related ecosystem management. While throughout much of the history of the science of ecology, disturbances were considered aberrations or disruptions to functioning ecosystems, there is now clear recognition that disturbances are integral components of functioning ecosystems, representing a necessary part of the ecological whole. Although disturbances, especially large and severe ones, can be challenging from a management perspective, it is often possible to incorporate disturbances into management plans that provide multiple ecosystem services. Eliminating disturbances is neither possible, nor always desirable. Although passive management of all disturbed forests is not necessarily feasible, allowing disturbances, even large ones, to shape some forest ecosystems may promote ecological resilience in the face of climatic and environmental change.
How Government Created and Shaped the U.S. Nursing Home Industry

Beginning in the 1960s, U.S. government policy largely created, and subsequently facilitated the corporatization of, a powerful, multi-billion dollar nursing home industry. Using data from trade pu...
Next-Generation Asymmetric Membranes Using Thin-Film Liftoff.

For the past 30 years, thin-film membrane composites have been the state-of-the-art technology for reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration, and gas separation. However, traditional membran...
Productivity in the Global Value Chain World

This article is adapted from the 2019: William S. Vickrey Distinguished Address I was invited to deliver at the International Atlantic Economic Conference in Miami, October 19, 2019. It explores three significant and interconnected global factors that are projected to shape the future of labor and productivity. Among these three identified factors are the emergence of enhanced labor hours through the development of artificial intelligence, the restructuring of population demographics and labor forces, and the integration of global value chains. The individual and interconnected effects of these three factors are illustrated through the use of artificially intelligent “autocoders” in the Office of Safety, Health, and Working Conditions at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, current and projected demographic shifts in the Japanese labor force, and the impact of global value chain production in the Chinese automobile industry. Although the long-run impact of these global trends is unknown, it is evident that as a general rule and in the aggregate, national economies will find opportunities to increase productivity as they embrace enhanced labor in the workplace and integrate global networks of value creation that span borders and industries.
Normally Closed Microfluidic Valves with Microstructured Valve Seats: A Strategy for Industrial Manufacturing of Thermoplastic Microfluidics with Microvalves

This paper reports the characteristics of thermoplastic elastomer based normally closed microvalves with microstructured valve seats. Compared to the state of the art, we demonstrate, for the first time, a solution to the problematic issue of valve bonding that is frequently encountered with microfluidic valves during device assembly. Our configuration enables industrial manufacturing of fully thermoplastic microfluidic devices integrated with microvalves for a wide variety of biomedical applications.
Oxidation of Nickel-Coated AISI 430 Alloy: Effect of Pre-oxidation and Fe0.5Ni0.5 Inter-diffusion Layer

The oxidation behavior of nickel (Ni)-coated AISI 430 alloy was investigated at 800 °C in moisture-saturated (~ 3% H2O) air. Effects of pre-oxidation of AISI 430 in air and inter-diffusion layer (Fe0.5Ni0.5) of Ni-coated AISI 430, in dilute hydrogen (Ar–3%H2) at 800 °C, on the oxidation behavior were also studied. Microstructure, elemental chemistry, and compound/oxide formation across the reaction zones/oxide layer were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction techniques. Multilayered oxides/reaction zones were found for all the samples. Ni-coated AISI 430 exhibits the lowest chromium diffusion into the oxide scale from the AISI 430/oxide scale interface. Pre-oxidation of AISI 430 and inter-diffusion of Ni-coated AISI 430 show excessive chromium diffusion into the reaction zone/oxide scale and interfacial porosity.
18F-Fluciclovine-Avid Mediastinal Lymph Node Metastasis of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma.

ABSTRACT A 63-year-old man with recent diagnosis of high-risk prostate adenocarcinoma was referred to our Nuclear Medicine Department for 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT to rule out metastasis in the setting of elevated serum prostate-specific antigen levels. The patient had previous history of nodular melanoma of the right cheek treated 6 years back with surgery and adjuvant radiation. Surveillance 18F-FDG PET/CT for melanoma 1 month back had revealed enlarged FDG-avid mediastinal para-aortic lymph nodes, which on endoscopic biopsy had revealed melanoma metastasis. On current fluciclovine PET/CT, the same enlarged para-aortic lymph nodes showed fluciclovine uptake, suggesting false-positive uptake.
B7-H3: An Attractive Target for Antibody-based Immunotherapy.

The recent impressive clinical responses to antibody-based immunotherapy have prompted the identification of clinically relevant tumor antigens that can serve as targets in solid tumors. Among them, B7-H3, a member of the B7 ligand family, represents an attractive target for antibody-based immunotherapy: it is overexpressed on differentiated malignant cells and cancer initiating cells, with limited heterogeneity, and high frequency (60% of 25,000 tumor samples) in many different cancer types, but has a limited expression at low level in normal tissues. In non-malignant tissues, B7-H3 has a predominantly inhibitory role in adaptive immunity, suppressing T-cell activation and proliferation. In malignant tissues, B7-H3 inhibits tumor antigen-specific immune responses, leading to a pro-tumorigenic effect. B7-H3 also has non-immunological pro-tumorigenic functions, such as promoting migration and invasion, angiogenesis, chemoresistance and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition as well as affecting tumor cell metabolism. As a result, B7-H3 expression in tumors is associated with poor prognosis. Although experimental B7-H3 silencing reduces cancer cell malignant potential, there has been limited emphasis on the development of B7-H3 blocking antibodies, most likely because the B7-H3 receptor remains unknown. Instead, many antibody-based strategies utilizing distinct effector mechanisms to target B7-H3-expressing cancer cells have been developed. These strategies have demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity and acceptable safety profiles in preclinical models. Ongoing clinical trials are assessing their safety and efficacy in patients. Identification of the B7-H3 receptor will improve our understanding of its role in tumor immunity, and will suggest rational strategies to develop blocking antibodies which may enhance the therapeutic efficacy of tumor immunity.
From Salvation to Inquiry: Preservice Teachers' Conceptions of Race.

Race is a marker hiding more complex narratives. Children identify the social cues that continue to segregate based on race, yet too often teachers fail to provide support for making sense of these...
Do U.S. Stock Market Indexes Over- Or Under-React?

Our objective is to investigate the short-term over- or underreaction of six U.S. stock market indexes. We find evidence of a one-day underreaction for winners (days on which an index experiences abnormally high returns) and losers (days on which an index experiences abnormally poor performance). We also find strong evidence of a sixty-day underreaction for winners. For losers, abnormal returns turn from negative to positive as the period is extended, resulting in significant reversals over the sixty-day period. Results are generally consistent for each of the six indexes. Overall, these results provide strong support for the Uncertain Information Hypothesis.
Book review: Sanjib Baruah, In the Name of the Nation: India and Its Northeast:

Sanjib Baruah, In the Name of the Nation: India and Its Northeast. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2020, 278 pp.
Effect of structural transitions of n-hexadecane in nanoscale confinement on atomic friction

Abstract Atomic-scale friction of graphene supported on silica as a function of immersion time in non-polar n-hexadecane is investigated using atomic force microscope (AFM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. With an increase in immersion time, n-hexadecane molecules diffuse and intercalate at the graphene-silica confinement initially, decreasing friction forces until a transition time, and beyond which the forces increase till the end of the measurement (∼70 h). This non-monotonic change in friction is explained by the structural transformations of the intercalated n-hexadecanes at graphene-silica nanoconfinement. A disorder-to-order transition of n-hexadecane molecules in the intercalated layer is established by measuring the structure of solvation layers formed above the graphene layer and the stick-slip friction loops. The intercalated layer structure affects the flexibility of graphene, determining the quality of the contact between the AFM tip and substrate, which dominates the atomic friction. Our combined experiments and simulations have enabled a fundamental understanding of dissipation mechanisms for supported-graphene in non-polar solvents, critical for employing two-dimensional materials as additives in friction-reducing or rheological oils.
The Black Parenting Strengths and Strategies Program–Racialized Short (BPSS-RS): “Real-World” Dismantle, Implementation, and Evaluation

The Black Parenting Strengths and Strategies (BPSS; Coard, 2003) is a 12-week manualized evidence-based parenting program designed to promote positive and culturally relevant parenting practices for fostering cultural, social, and behavioral competence in African American children. BPSS purposefully and strategically combines universal (commonly studied) approaches to parenting (e.g., monitoring, positive parenting) with inherent strengths and processes of African American families (e.g., racial-ethnic socialization) and attends to the unique challenges that African American parents face in childrearing (e.g., racism, discrimination). Feasibility and efficacy (highly controlled lab setting) for BPSS has been established via a randomized controlled trial (pre-intervention and immediate-post intervention) (Coard et al., The Counseling Psychologist, 35(6), 797-820, 2007). Informed by a dismantling approach and developed to meet the expressed need of a community (community centered approach), The Black Parenting Strengths and Strategies–Racialized Short (BPSS-RS) is a 3-week abbreviated version of the BPSS intervention composed solely of racialized parenting and racial-ethnic socialization components. Evaluation of BPSS-RS was the focus of the current study given that it is unknown what outcomes the abbreviated version may yield, particularly when implemented in a “real-world” or “service as usual” environment. Based on pre-post analyses, participation in BPSS-RS resulted in significant improvements in proactive racial socialization, with no significant improvements in the other parenting variables. Furthermore, BPSS-RS participants showed high rates of attendance and satisfaction with the program. Results of this study provide additional support for feasibility and receptibility of the BPSS program, and highlight the potential effectiveness of culturally relevant intervention programs in improving parenting strategies believed to be most instrumental in helping youth respond to racism and fostering African American parents’ use of culturally relevant coping strategies with their children (i.e., racial socialization) in an effort to guard against the negative effects of racial discrimination and racism.
Human subjects research after the Holocaust

Preface Acknowledgments Foreword by Arthur L. Caplan 1. Introduction: How Did It Go So Wrong? by Sheldon Rubenfeld 2. Twin Experiments at Auschwitz: A First-Person Account by Eva Mozes Kor 3. Eugenics and Racial Hygiene: Applied Research Strategies before, during and after National Socialism by Hans-Walter Schmuhl 4. Medical Ethics and Medical Research on Human Beings in National Socialism by Florian Bruns 5. Sulfonamide Experiments on Prisoners in Nazi Concentration Camps: Coherent Scientific Rationality Combined with Complete Disregard of Humanity by Volker Roelcke 6. Stages of Transgression: Anatomical Research in National Socialism by Sabine Hildebrandt 7. Nurses and Human Subjects Research during the Third Reich and Now by Susan Benedict and Cathy Rozmus 8. Involuntary Abortion and Coercive Research on Pregnant Forced Laborers in National Socialism by Gabriele Czarnowski 9. Abusive Medical Practices on "Euthanasia" Victims in Austria during and after World War II by Herwig Czech 10. Medical Research and National Socialist Euthanasia: Carl Schneider and the Heidelberg Research Children 1942 until 1945 by Gerrit Hohendorf and Maike Rotzoll 11. Victims of Human Experiments and Coercive Research under National Socialism: Gender and Racial Aspects by Paul Weindling 12. The White Rose: Resisting National Socialism by Traute Lafrenz Page and Susan Benedict 13. The Origins and Impact of the Nuremberg Doctors' Trial by Howard Brody 14. In the Shadow of Nuremberg: Unlearned Lessons from the Medical Trial by Tom L. Beauchamp 15. The Ethics of Medical Experiments: Have We Learned the Lessons of Tuskegee and the Holocaust? by Patricia L. Starck and Doris S. Holeman 16. Human Subjects Research during and after the Holocaust: Typhus Vaccine Development and the Legacy of Gerhard Rose by Wendy Keitel 17. Ethics in Space Medicine: Holocaust Beginnings, the Present, and the Future by Neal Pellis 18. Reproduction Then and Now: Learning from the Past by Tessa Chelouche 19. Promoting Clinical Research and Avoiding Bad Medicine: A Clinical Research Curriculum by Roy S. Weiner and Brian J. Weimer 20. The Psychophysiology of Attribution: Why Appreciative Respect Can Keep us Safe by Linda Emanuel 21. Confronting Medicine during the Nazi Period: Autobiographical Reflections by Volker Roelcke 22. Teaching the Holocaust to Medical Students: A Reflection on Pedagogy and Medical Ethics by Joseph J. Fins 23. No Exceptions, No Excuses: A Testimonial by Mauro Ferrari Index.
Diffusion in Metals

Publisher Summary This chapter describes intermetallic diffusion as a research field in a state of active flux. Intermetallic diffusion has played a role in the affairs of man since the remote time when one of our ancestors, heating a mass of mineral on an open fire or chancing upon a shiny object lying on the ground, ushered in the age of metals. For centuries, an interest in diffusion-limited phenomena was the almost unique province of the working metallurgist, who strove to develop tempering techniques which would improve the quality of his alloys. Because of limitations of space, it is not possible to present all sides of current controversial issues, nor to discuss adequately the important research activities being carried on in a number of related fields. Some subjects will be by-passed entirely. In this category are the fields of diffusion in semiconductors, in interstitial solid solutions, and in ordered alloys.
Some effects of diazepam on the fine structure of human fibroblasts in tissue culture.

Abstract A study of the effects of diazepam on the fine structure of human fibroblasts in tissue culture is presented. Cells were grown in a culture medium containing diazepam in concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, 10.0, and 20.0 μg per milliliter and were compared with cells unexposed to the drug. Cultures were prepared for study by light and electron microscopy. No significant changes in cellular morphology were noted at the light microscopic level. At ultrastructural levels, alterations in organization of the cytoplasm, which appear to be dose dependent, were noted. These alterations were most prominent in the membranous elements of the cell and consisted of the appearance of increased numbers of large and small vesicular structures, including many bizarre forms. Disruption of elements of smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, as well as areas of focal cytoplasmic degeneration, was also seen.
Learning-based design of fault-tolerant cooperative multi-agent systems

This paper addresses fault-tolerance of multi-agent systems. Modeling the behaviors of each agent in the system as a local automaton and the system behaviors as the composition of them, the fault-tolerance property requires that the system can satisfy a global regular language specification prior to as well as after the occurrence of a fault. In particular, this paper concerns with sensor and actuator failures occurring in individual agents, in which the former are captured as loss of observability of a local event of a failed agent, and the latter are modeled as a total loss of an event from an agent. Should either failure occur, the corresponding local supervisors need to be redesigned and the team needs to be reconfigured as the original task decomposition scheme and controllers would fail to satisfy the specification. For such a pursuit, we propose frameworks for addressing sensor and/or actuator failure tolerance by incorporating a learning-based supervisor synthesis approach and control reconfiguration mechanism in the face of possible failures. Illustrative examples are also presented to show the frameworks' effectiveness.
Thermodynamic properties of organic compounds

Abstract Published enthalpies of fusion and melting point temperatures have been gathered from the chemical literature and are presented in tabular form according to increasing carbon and hydrogen atom numbers. References are also provided to indicate the literature sources consulted.
RECONSTRUCTING THREE-DIMENSIONAL FLUID VELOCITY VECTOR FIELDS FROM ACOUSTIC TRANSMISSION MEASUREMENTS

A theory with supporting experimental evidence is presented for reconstructing the three-dimensional fluid velocity vector field in a moving medium from a set of measurements of the acoustic propagation time between a multiplicity of transmitter and receiver locations on a stationary boundary surface. The inversion of the integrals’relating the acoustic propagation path to the propagation time measurements is affected by linearization and discrete approximation of the integrals and application of an algebraic reconstruction technique (ART). The problem of the presence of certain invisible fluid flow functions is treated. Since this technique does not require the presence of scattering centers or the optical transparency of the medium, it may be applied in many cases (i.e., turbid, opaque, or chemically pure media) where Doppler or optical (e.g., laser holography) methods fail.
Use of three-dimensional photoelasticity in fracture mechanics

The philosophy of fracture mechanics is reviewed and utilized to formulate a simplified approach to the determination of the stress-intensity factor photoelastically for three-dimensional problems. The method involves a Taylor Series correction for the maximum in-plane shear stress (TSCM) and does not involve stress separation. The results are illustrated by applying the TSCM to surface flaws in bending fields. Other three-dimensional problems solved by the TSCM are cited.
Decay mechanisms of the 4d core hole through the 4d-4f resonance in dysprosium

Soft x-ray emission through the 4d-4f resonance of Dy{sub 2}O{sub 3} is studied with monochromatic photon excitation. The different soft x-ray emission processes are compared and it is found that inelastic scattering due to 4f inner-shell excitation and resonant elastic scattering are the strongest emission processes followed by inelastic scattering due to 5p-4f net transitions. The nonresonant emission occurring for excitation energies above the 4d-4f resonance is an extremely weak process. The measurements are in good agreement with our calculations. (c) 1999 The American Physical Society.
Gene silencing goes viral and uncovers the private life of plants

To understand how genes influence plant responses to the environment, it is important to have appropriate tools for studying gene function. This may be a challenge for non-model plant species or plants that are recalcitrant to genetic transformation. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) has been established as a convenient, rapid, and efficient method for reverse genetics in a wide range of plant species ranging from non-model dicot plants to cereal crop plants. Virus-induced gene silencing is not limited to the green parts of a plant; genes can also be efficiently silenced in roots and reproductive organs. As it is established during later developmental stages, it avoids the problem of embryo- or seedling lethality, which may impede the investigation of some null mutants or transgenic knock-out plants. Virus-induced gene silencing can be designed to target specific members of a gene family, or to co-silence paralogous genes, and it has been adapted for high-throughput analysis. Virus-induced gene silencing has frequently been used to study plant–pathogen interactions and plant development. This review emphasizes the great potential of VIGS for the study of plant–arthropod interactions, ranging from plant–herbivore and plant–pollinator interactions to behavioral animal responses to plants. In spite of this potential, VIGS has not often been adopted by entomologists and plant scientists who study plant–arthropod interactions. We also provide practical considerations for developing or adopting a VIGS system.
Vowel Harmony in Optimality Theory

This article reviews the analysis of vowel harmony in Optimality Theory. Vowel harmony is a phenomenon in which the vowels in a word or another domain show systematic agreement for some property, such as rounding, backness, height, or ATR quality. Optimality Theory is a framework of generative linguistics in which grammars consist of a hierarchy of constraints on outputs. The treatment of various aspects of harmony systems are discussed, including what drives harmony, directionality and trigger control, opaque and transparent segments, dominant-recessive patterns, and variation. Data from Turkish, Igbo, Pulaar, Diola Fogny, Finnish, and Hungarian are discussed.
A comment on English neologisms and programming language keywords

The choice of keywords in the design of programming languages is compared to the formation of neologisms, or new words, in natural languages. Examination of keywords in high-level programming languages shows that they are formed using mechanisms analogous to those observed in English. The use of mirror words as closing keywords is a conspicuous exceptions.
The Suffolk Fire Investigation Team

Abstract This paper describes how the Suffolk Fire Service, together with the Suffolk Police, approached the investigation of certain fires, why this approach should be considered necessary, how it had been achieved and its success to date.
Formulaic sequences and EAP writing development: Lexical bundles in the TOEFL iBT writing section

Abstract Formulaic sequences are widely used in academic writing and are known to be an important aspect of EAP writing development. However, little research has investigated the frequency, function and degree of fixedness of their use by ESL writers across proficiency levels. This study examines the use of lexical bundles in written responses across three proficiency levels in the TOEFL iBT ( N = 480). Bundles that were identical to those found in the prompts were analyzed separately. Biber, Conrad, and Cortes' (2004) taxonomy was used to identify bundle functions. Following Biber (2009) , the degree of fixedness for each of the four slots in the bundle was investigated in relation to the other three. The results indicate that lower level learners used more bundles overall but also more bundles identical to those in the prompts. In contrast, the functional analysis reveals a similar use of stance and discourse organizing bundles across proficiency levels and very few referential bundles used by any of the groups. In addition, there were few differences in fixed versus variable slot bundles across proficiency levels. These findings have important implications for instruction and assessment of EAP writing.
Prognostic Significance of Microvascular Obstruction by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background—The extent of microvascular obstruction during acute coronary occlusion may determine the eventual magnitude of myocardial damage and thus, patient prognosis after infarction. By contras...
Evaluating Instructional Software: A Simplified Model

This article describes the evaluation of a simplified version of the new software evaluation model proposed by Reiser and Dick (1990). This approach to evaluation of instructional software focuses upon the collection of performance data to determine the extent to which students learn the skills the software is designed to teach. In two field evaluations of instructional software packages, it was found that use of the simplified software evaluation model generally produced evaluative conclusions similar to those reached using the original, more complex model. It was also found that student learning data did not support the high ratings assigned by subjective software evaluation services. These findings support the use of the simplified model by teachers and media specialists who have limited time and resources, and stress the need for local on-site evaluation efforts.
Comparison of U–Th, paleomagnetism, and cosmogenic burial methods for dating caves: Implications for landscape evolution studies

Caves are useful in landscape evolution studies because they often mark the level of previous water tables and, when dated, yield incision rates. Dating caves is problematic, however, because their ages are only constrained by the oldest deposits contained within, which may be far younger than the cave itself. We dated cave deposits in the Sierra Nevada using U–Th dating of speleothems, paleomagnetic dating of fine sediment, and cosmogenic 26 Al/ 10 Be burial dating of coarse sediment. The sampled caves formed sequentially as the water table lowered, providing an important stratigraphic test for the dating methods. Large discrepancies between deposit ages from similar cave levels demonstrate that, even when accurately determined, deposit ages can seriously underestimate the timing of cave development. Drip-type speleothems are most prone to this minimum age bias because they can accumulate long after caves form, and because the U–Th method is limited to ~400 ka. Paleomagnetic dating requires correlation with the global reversal chronology, and is hindered by a lack of continuous stratigraphy. The fine sediment analyzed for paleomagnetism is also highly susceptible to remobilization and deposition in cave passages well above base level. Cosmogenic 26 Al/ 10 Be dates bedload material deposited when caves were at or very near river level, and can date material as old as ~5 Ma. In the Sierra Nevada, speleothem U–Th ages and sediment burial ages from the same cave levels differ by as much as an order of magnitude. These results suggest speleothem ages alone may significantly underestimate cave ages
Non-diffusive ignition of a gaseous reactive mixture following time-resolved, spatially distributed energy deposition

Systematic asymptotic methods are applied to the compressible conservation and state equations for a reactive gas, including transport terms, to develop a rational thermomechanical formulation for the ignition of a chemical reaction following time-resolved, spatially distributed thermal energy addition from an external source into a finite volume of gas. A multi-parameter asymptotic analysis is developed for a wide range of energy deposition levels relative to the initial internal energy in the volume when the heating timescale is short compared to the characteristic acoustic timescale of the volume. Below a quantitatively defined threshold for energy addition, a nearly constant volume heating process occurs, with a small but finite internal gas expansion Mach number. Very little added thermal energy is converted to kinetic energy. The gas expelled from the boundary of the hot, high-pressure spot is the source of mechanical disturbances (acoustic and shock waves) that propagate away into the neighbouring ...
The Evaluation of MBA Group Work: A Case Study of Graduate Student Experiences and Perceptions of Positive Group Work Outcomes

The article forms part of an exploration into how graduate business students experience group work. A single-case, embedded study was conducted in 2010–2011, and reveals new insight and understanding into the manner in which master's of business administration students perceive evaluation methods of their group work assignments and how these methods contribute to their perception of positive group work outcomes.
More highly mixed, higher order cyanocuprates “RT(2-thienyl)Cu(CN)Li2”. Efficient reagents which promote selective ligand transfer

Abstract The combination of an organolithium (R T Li) and 2-lithiothiophene (2-thienyl) with CuCN forms a new reagent, “R T (2-thienyl)Cu(CN)Li 2 .” This species selectively transfers the R T ligand in substitution reactions with epoxides and halides. In conjugate addition processes, the cuprate reacts with unhindered substrates, while β,β-disubstituted cases unexpectedly afford products resulting from 1,2-addition of the thiophene group. The prospects for use of these reagents in the synthesis of polyene macrolide antibiotics are discussed.
ENSO classification indices and summer crop yields in the Southeastern USA

This research uses a quantitative methodology for directly comparing the responses of observed crop yields in the SE USA to ENSO phenomena classified using dissimilar ENSO indices. ENSO condition has been related to agricultural yields in many parts of the world. It has been generally recognized that the strongest effects on spring and summer crops occur during the boreal winter, and therefore most directly affect spring–summer field crops in the southern hemisphere. However, some ENSO effects on northern hemisphere spring and summer crops have been found, particularly when researchers have used sub-annual indicators of ENSO conditions that, unlike annual ENSO indices, distinguish between continuity and change prior to or during the crop season. To evaluate the utility of such sub-annual ENSO indicators for agriculture in the SE USA, a tercile-based scoring system was devised to compare four distinct ENSO indices: three monthly ENSO indices and the JMA annual ENSO index. Each index was scored in its ability to predict crop yields differing from the historically normal tercile for corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypiumhirsutum L.), and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Annual crop yield data were used from selected counties in five Southeastern USA states. No geographic differentiation among the data was included in the analysis. This aggregation of county data increased the sample size for each crop, to address the limitation of a short time-series (47 years) distributed among up to 9 ENSO categories. Statistical significance was compared using contingency tables and the Fisher exact test. Peanut and corn yield response matched best to the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) and cotton, to the Oceanic Nino Index (ONI). The MEI and ONI are quantitative indices, while the lower-scoring JMA and Modified-JMA indices are categorical. Therefore, future efforts may reduce the focus on categorical (Nino, Nina, Neutral) classification, and explore the response of crop yields to quantitative ENSO data.
On a three-valued logical calculus and its application to the analysis of the paradoxes of the classical extended functional calculus

A three-valued propositional logic is presented, within which the three values are read as ‘true’, ‘false’ and ‘nonsense’. A three-valued extended functional calculus, unrestricted by the theory of types, is then developed. Within the latter system, Bochvar analyzes the Russell paradox and the Grelling-Weyl paradox, formally demonstrating the meaninglessness of both.
FireWxNet: a multi-tiered portable wireless system for monitoring weather conditions in wildland fire environments

In this paper we present FireWxNet, a multi-tiered portable wireless system for monitoring weather conditions in rugged wildland fire environments. FireWxNet provides the fire fighting community the ability to safely and easily measure and view fire and weather conditions over a wide range of locations and elevations within forest fires. This previously unattainable information allows fire behavior analysts to better predict fire behavior, heightening safety considerations. Our system uses a tiered structure beginning with directional radios to stretch deployment capabilities into the wilderness far beyond current infrastructures. At the end point of our system we designed and integrated a multi-hop sensor network to provide environmental data. We also integrated web-enabled surveillance cameras to provide visual data. This paper describes a week long full system deployment utilizing 3 sensor networks and 2 web-cams in the Selway-Salmon Complex Fires of 2005. We perform an analysis of system performance and present observations and lessons gained from our deployment.
How CIOs manage their superiors' expectations

Survival of the chief information officer isn't easy. It takes a keen sense of what the boss anticipates from IT projects as well as a diplomatic understanding of what the boss really does---and does not---know about IT.
Neuroendocrine modulation of chronic relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: a critical role for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Murine relapsing EAE can be profoundly suppressed by restraint stress (RST) administered beginning prior to neuroantigen immunization. This study determined what hormone pathway(s) mediate disease suppression. Our results showed that nadolol (NAD), a β2-adrenergic antagonist, did not reverse the RST-induced suppression of EAE. However, administration of either RU486 or aminoglutethimide, which block the action of peripheral glucocorticoids, resulted in a partial reversal of EAE suppression. Administration of exogenous corticosterone mimicked the effects of RST, in terms of suppression of EAE, decrease in lymphoid cell numbers and decrease in Th1 cytokine production. Therefore, the HPA axis plays a more profound role in the RST-induced suppression of EAE than does the sympathetic nervous system.
Aptitude for computer literacy

Are cognitive abilities that were related to achievement in an introductory course in computer programming also related to achievement in a computer literacy course? Correlations between scores on a programming aptitude test and scores obtained on three exams given in an undergraduate course that taught the use of software were examined. A secondary purpose of the study was to investigate correlations between several personality measures and exam scores. Subjects were 90 college students enrolled in “Computers in Business”. Once achievement was controlled for basic verbal and numerical aptitude, the programming aptitude test did not significantly predict scores on any of the course exams. Thus, the task of learning to use software seemed to be analogous to any other academic learning and could be viewed as simply another application of generic cognitive abilities. Two variables, ownership of a personal computer and scores on a personality test measuring a concern for detail and perfectionism, were conducive to achievement early in the course, while experience in a prior programming course was related to achievement later in the course.
Clinical investigation and imaging

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects 2–4 % of children and is diagnosed between age 10 and skeletal maturity. The female to male ratio for mild curves less than 20° is 1.5:1; however, progression to a severe deformity occurs more often in females (Weinstein in JAMA 289(5):559–567, 2003). Despite significant ongoing research, including into the genetic basis for AIS, there are currently no identifiable causes, and therefore the disorder still remains a diagnosis of exclusion. History, physical examination and radiographic assessment must exclude other possible causes of spinal deformity and are crucial in predicting the risk of curve progression. History should focus on family history, menarche, presence or absence of pain, sports activities and neurologic changes. Physical examination concentrates on anthropometric data, pubertal staging, neurologic testing and specific investigation of the spine, with the Adams’ forward bending test being the most meaningful step to evaluate trunk rotation. Definitive diagnosis cannot be made without imaging. The gold standard remains plain radiography with assessment of the Cobb angle on a standing coronal radiograph of the entire spine. A lateral X-ray is used for assessing sagittal balance and for evaluating the deformity in the sagittal plane. If available, surface topography can accompany the follow-up in AIS, reducing the radiation exposure. The role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in AIS is an ongoing matter of debate. Common indications for MRI are the presence of an atypical curve pattern and abnormal neurological findings.
STATE-DEPENDENT OPINION DYNAMICS

We study the simultaneous evolution of the opinion profile and network topology of a system of N agents. Based on the opinion profile at any given time, agents probabilistically decide which other agents to form links with. The probability of a link being formed with another agent depends on both similarity of their opinions and the popularity of that agent. Agents then average their opinion with the opinions of the agents they have formed links with, giving rise to a new opinion profile that determines ‐in a probabilistic fashion‐ the network topology for the next time step. Thus both opinions and network structure exhibit a strong correlation over time. Despite this correlation, we show that this system converges to a consensus in opinion. We provide simulations of convergence times and the limiting opinion profile as a function of the parameters of the system.
Effect of Heat‐Treatment on the Constitution and Mechanical Properties of Some Hydrated Aluminous Cements

The compound compositions of four aluminous cements were determined on anhydrous as well as hydrated specimens which had been heat-treated at temperatures between room temperature and 1400° C. Phases were identified by X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis. Specimens were also tested for transverse strength, dynamic modulus of elasticity, and thermal length change. A study of the dehydration characteristics of CaO - Al2O8 - 10H2O3 3CaO.Al2O3. 6H2O, and Al2O3. 3H2O was included. The data indicated that CaO. Al2O3 10H2O was the primary crystalline hydrate formed in the cements at room temperature. At 50° C., 3 CaO Al2O3-6H2O and Al2O3. 3H2O were formed as by-products of the dehydration of CaO.Al2O3.10H2O. When heated alone in an open system, CaO.Al2O3.10H2O did not convert to 3CaO. Al2O3. 6H2O and A12O3. 3H2O. A correlation between the mechanical properties and compound compositions was noted.
Economic disadvantage, family dynamics, and adolescent enrollment in higher education.

This study applies a family process model to the linkage between early economic disadvantage and later enrollment in higher education. Using two waves of data on low-income youth, the authors found that the attitudes and behaviors of their parents, mostly mothers, mediate the impact of disadvantage on enrollment. Economically disadvantaged parents are less optimistic about their adolescents' educational chances and, in turn, engage less in the proactive parenting that promotes enrollment. The authors also found that parents' perceived efficacy buffers against the more negative consequences of disadvantage that can influence their adolescents' educational trajectories. Group comparisons reveal few differences by gender or ethnicity.
Exact Solutions to the Capacitated Clustering Problem: A Comparison of Two Models

In this paper, we investigate a natural nonlinear alternative to a standard linear model for CCP and compare the two models on a set of test problems. Our results show that moderate sized instances of CCP can in fact be solved optimally with modern exact methods in modest amounts of time and that the quadratic model generally outperformed its equivalent linear alternative in terms of quickly finding optimal or near optimal solutions.
Prevalence of HIV in Medicare beneficiaries with lung cancer

Material and methods This study used the SEER-Medicare database which links Medicare claims data with patients identified through cancer registries as part of the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program. There were 250,500 patients who were diagnosed with malignant lung cancer between 1998 and 2007: 225,233 qualified for Medicare based on age and were 65 years or older at diagnosis and 25,267 qualified for Medicare based on disability and were less than 65 years old at diagnosis. Demographic information was taken at the time of the initial lung cancer diagnosis. Patients were classified as prevalent HIV cases if their first Medicare claim with a diagnosis of HIV preceded the diagnosis of lung cancer or occurred within one year after lung cancer was diagnosed. Relative risk (RR) was used to assess risk factors.