cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conceptual model for explaining the IT investment paradox in the banking sector

This paper discusses the IT productivity paradox in the banking sector (US banking in particular) and the fundamental justifications for the continuing and expanding IT investment in the banking industry. Given the dramatic increase in IT investment in the banking industry despite the inconclusive evidence of IT productivity gains, this study explains why heavy investment in IT continues amidst conflicting evidence of positive returns. A set of three exogenous forces: (1) technological turbulence, (2) market turbulence, and (3) regulatory turbulence are proposed as key drivers behind IT investments by banks. The contribution of this paper is the development of a conceptual model that proposes that IT investments in banks can be viewed as guided by two logics: strategic, and operational. Driven by the discussion of whether IT matters (Carr, 2003), we propose a framework for analysing whether IT investments in banks are indeed driven by the need for creating competitive advantages (strategic) or by the operational requirements of the bank.
Conservative surgery for penile cancer: what surgical excision margins are needed to achieve oncologic control?

Conservative surgery for penile cancer: what surgical excision margins are needed to achieve oncologic control?
Identification of Residues Involved in Substrate Recognition by a Vesicular Monoamine Transporter

To identify the residues involved in substrate recognition by recently cloned vesicular monoamine transporters (VMAT1 and VMAT2), we have mutagenized the conserved residues in a cytoplasmic loop between transmembrane domains two and three of VMAT2. Although studies of related bacterial antibiotic resistance proteins indicate an important functional role for this region, we found no effect of these mutations on VMAT2 activity. However, replacement of aspartate 33 in the first predicted transmembrane domain with an asparagine (D33N) eliminates transport. D33N shows normal levels of expression and normal binding at equilibrium to the potent inhibitor reserpine. However, in contrast to wild-type VMAT2, serotonin inhibits reserpine binding to D33N very poorly, indicating a specific defect in substrate recognition. Replacement of three serine residues in transmembrane domain three with alanine (Stmd3A) shows a similarly selective but even more profound defect in substrate recognition. The results suggest that by analogy to receptors and plasma membrane transporters for monoamines, the cationic amino group of the ligand interacts with an asparte in the first transmembrane domain of VMAT2 and hydroxyl groups on the catechol or indole ring interact with a group of serines in the third transmembrane domain. Importantly, D33N and Stmd3A retain coupling to the proton electrochemical gradient as measured by the delta microH(+)-induced acceleration of reserpine binding. This indicates that substrate recognition can be separated from coupling to the driving force.
Use of benlate to obtain soil free of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal activity for greenhouse investigations

Three successive greenhouse experiments were carried out to determine the effectiveness of an initial application of benlate for obtaining soil free of mycorrhizal activity. An Oxisol was amended with P to obtain target concentrations optimal for mycorrhizal host growth or near‐sufficient for mycorrhiza‐free growth. The soil was not inoculated or was inoculated with the vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus aggre‐gatum and amended with benlate to obtain concentrations of 0–100 mg kg‐1. At the former soil P concentration, benlate completely suppressed mycorrhizal formation and effectiveness, indicated by pinnule P content and shoot yield of Leucaena leucocephala in the initial experiment. The fungicide did not have significant effect on pinnule P content or shoot yield at the higher soil P concentration. In the second and third experiments, the inhibitory effect of the fungicide persisted through the first 30–40 days if the soil was not inoculated with G. aggregatum. Mycorrhizal activity in the be...
Game theory basis for control of long-lived lunar/planetary surface robots

Current and future NASA robotic missions to planetary surfaces are tending toward longer duration and are becoming more ambitious for rough terrain access. For a higher level of autonomy in such missions, the rovers will require behavior that must also adapt to declining health and unknown environmental conditions. The MER (Mars Exploration Rovers) called Spirit and Opportunity have both passed 600 days of life on the Martian surface, with extensions to 1000 days and beyond depending on rover health. Changes in navigational planning due to degradation of the drive motors as they reach their lifetime are currently done on Earth for the Spirit rover. The upcoming 2009 MSL (Mars Science Laboratory) and 2013 AFL (Astrobiology Field Laboratory) missions are planned to last 300---500 days, and will possibly involve traverses on the order of multiple kilometers over challenging terrain. This paper presents a unified coherent framework called SMART (System for Mobility and Access to Rough Terrain) that uses game theoretical algorithms running onboard a planetary surface rover to safeguard rover health during rough terrain access. SMART treats rover motion, task planning, and resource management as a Two Person Zero Sum Game (TPZSG), where the rover is one player opposed by the other player called "nature" representing uncertainty in sensing and prediction of the internal and external environments. We also present preliminary results of some field studies.
Ligand Exchange Reactions of Sodium Cation Complexes Examined Using Guided Ion Beam Mass Spectrometry: Relative and Absolute Dissociation Free Energies and Entropies

Guided ion beam mass spectrometry is used to study the ligand exchange reactions of Na+L1 with L2, where L1, L2 = H2O, C6H6, CH3OH, CH3OCH3, NH3, and C2H5OH, as a function of kinetic energy. For the endothermic ligand exchange reactions, reaction endothermicities are obtained by analyzing the kinetic energy dependence of the cross sections using our empirical threshold modeling equation. The thresholds are found to be systematically higher than values previously determined using competitive CID experiments by 0.07−0.2 eV. An analysis of the endothermic cross sections using a bimolecular, polyatomic phase theory model and a competitive, bimolecular RRKM model demonstrates that the systematic deviations result from a competitive shift between the thermoneutral reactions back to the reactants and the endothermic reactions to the ligand exchange products. For all reactions, thermal rate constants, k(298), are determined by modeling the cross sections in the low-energy region and integrating the model over a M...
On the Use of Wavelet Decomposition for String Classification

In recent years, the technological advances in mapping genes have made it increasingly easy to store and use a wide variety of biological data. Such data are usually in the form of very long strings for which it is difficult to determine the most relevant features for a classification task. For example, a typical DNA string may be millions of characters long, and there may be thousands of such strings in a database. In many cases, the classification behavior of the data may be hidden in the compositional behavior of certain segments of the string which cannot be easily determined apriori. Another problem which complicates the classification task is that in some cases the classification behavior is reflected in global be havior of the string, whereas in others it is reflected in local patterns. Given the enormous variation in the behavior of the strings over different data sets, it is useful to develop an approach which is sensitive to both the global and local behavior of the strings for the purpose of classification. For this purpose, we will exploit the multi-resolution property of wavelet decomposition in order to create a scheme which can mine classification characteristics at different levels of granularity. The resulting scheme turns out to be very effective in practice on a wide range of problems.
Preflight testing of the ATS-1 thermal coatings experiment.

Preflight testing of ATS-1 Thermal Coatings Experiment /TCE/, discussing cup designs, sensor and cup calibrations, etc
Contraceptive methods and use by women aged 35 and over: A qualitative study of perspectives

Background More than 30% of the pregnancies in women aged 35 and over are unintended. This paper compares perceptions about contraceptive methods and use among women with and without an unintended pregnancy after turning age 35.
Surface emission monitoring of pressed-wood products containing urea-formaldehyde resins

Abstract A survey of formaldehyde (CH 2 O) emission rates from U.S.-manufactured particleboard, hardwood plywood paneling, and medium density fiberboard products has been performed using a Formaldehyde Surface Emission Monitor (FSEM). The results indicate approximately two orders of magnitude variation in CH 2 O emission rates between weakly emitting paneling and strongly emitting fiberboard products. The measured CH 2 O emission rates for particleboard, paneling, and fiberboard products averaged 0.30, 0.17 and 1.5 mg/m 2 h, respectively. Sources of variation in CH 2 O emission rate data among the survey boards are investigated. The relative intraboard, interboard, and intermanufacturer variation observed in the test data varies strongly between particleboard, paneling, and fiberboard product categories. The FSEM has also been used to determine the CH 2 O emission rate of carpet-covered particleboard underlayment in two unfurnished research homes. Measurements were conducted at 16 different temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions ranging from 17–29 °C and 41%–88% RH to field-test the response of the ESEM to varying CH 2 O emission strength resulting from the variable environmental conditions. Substituting the FSEM CH 2 O emission rate data into a simple steady-state, CH 2 O concentration model (that does not account for variation in temperature and RH conditions) gave good agreement between FSEM-modeled and measured CH 2 O concentrations.
Completing the picture: Replacing generic embodiments in the historical flow

Grounded in an analysis of “situation”, this essay examines an approach to generic embodiments that offers unique contributions by rehistoricizing a rhetorical act once it has been identified as an instance of a particular genre. The piece begins with an examination of the varying senses, sources, and distinct functions of “situation” for generic rhetorical criticism. The importance of rehistoricizing a generic embodiment then is defended as a means for better understanding the influence of rhetorical acts on other rhetorical acts across time; the case of subsequent rhetorical acts that do not embody the genre in question, but that recover and revitalize an earlier generic embodiment's potential for the later rhetor's own purposes is of special interest. Barry Goldwater's 1964 campaign rhetoric, which embodied a jeremiad, and Ronald Reagan's subsequent recovery and revaluation of that rhetoric illustrates the arguments.
Ser-534 in the Hinge 1 Region of ArabidopsisNitrate Reductase Is Conditionally Required for Binding of 14-3-3 Proteins and in Vitro Inhibition

14-3-3 proteins bind to the hinge 1 region of nitrate reductase (NR) and inhibit its activity. To determine which residues of NR are required for 14-3-3-inhibitory interactions, wild-type and mutant forms of Arabidopsis NR were examined in the yeast two-hybrid system and in vitro inhibition assays. NR fragments with or without hinge 1 were introduced into yeast with one of seven Arabidopsis 14-3-3 isoforms (called GF14s). NR fragments (residues 1-562 or 487-562) containing hinge 1 interacted with all GF-14s tested; an NR fragment (residues 1-487) lacking hinge 1 did not. GF14 binding to NR fragments was dependent on Ser-534, since Asp or Ala substitutions at this site blocked the interaction. Revertants with second site substitutions restoring interaction between GF14omega and the Ala- or Asp-substituted NR fragments were identified. One isolate had a Lys to Glu substitution at position 531, which is in hinge 1, and six isolates had Ile to Leu or Phe substitutions at 561 in the heme binding region. Double mutant forms of holo-NR (S534D plus K531E, I561F, or I561L) were constructed and found to be partially inhibited by protein extracts from Arabidopsis containing 14-3-3 proteins. Wild-type NR is phosphorylated and inhibited by these extracts, but S534D single mutant forms are not. These results show that inhibitory NR/14-3-3 interactions are dependent on Ser-534 but only in the context of the wild-type sequence, since substitutions at second sites render 14-3-3 binding and in vitro NR inhibition independent of Ser-534.
Epidemiology of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury

Abstract Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common public health concern that affects millions of people each year. The available epidemiology of mTBI may contain insights that can guide future identification, prevention, and treatment efforts. This article discusses epidemiology of both non–sports-related mTBI and sports-related concussion. Specific occupational factors, emergency department data, and meta-analysis regarding mTBI are reviewed and discussed. With regard to sports concussion, the article will discuss data related to the sport played, the individual's position, level of play, and gender differences. Although males make up a larger percentage of cases than do females throughout the majority of reviewed non–sports-related mTBI data, the sports literature indicates that rates are higher in women when similar sports are compared. Identifiable risk factors within sports include female gender, sport, and position played. Emerging trends across mTBI include increased incidence and decreased rate of hospitalization for mTBI.
Disparities in cancer care: An operative perspective

Background Health disparities in cancer care have been described and stem from a complex interplay of patient, provider, and instutional factors. Methods A review of the literature describing disparities in aspects of cancer care was performed. Results Disparities in outcomes including overall survival for minority populations have been demonstrated to exist for race, age, and socioeconomic status. Conclusion Disparities in cancer care and outcomes clearly exist for many poorly understood reasons. After a diagnosis of cancer, barriers to care may develop at multiple points along the course of the patient's disease.
Reliability of the focus group technique in determining the quality characteristics of mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczec] noodles

Two commercial samples were evaluated in five focus group sessions to determine the reliability of the focus group technique in identifying the desirable and important sensory characteristics of dry and cooked mungbean noodles and to determine its quality characteristics. Each focus group consistently identified a similar list of desirable and undesirable characteristics. These results indicated that the focus group technique was a reliable method for determining consumer criteria for quality for mungbean noodles. When there is a need to determine consumers’ definition of product quality at a stage when consumer testing is not desired, the focus group technique can be used as a valuable tool. Mungbean noodle quality was found to have two distinct aspects: appearance of the dry noodles and eating quality of the cooked noodles. Color, glossiness, and transparency are the most important characteristics of dry starch noodles while mouthfeel or texture is considered the most important characteristic of cooked starch noodles. Color, taste, and odor of the cooked noodles were considered not as important.
AN EVALUATION OF A NEONATAL TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Pediatricians from 13 hospitals in Eastern Virginia implemented a neonatal ground transport system for high-risk neonates to an Intensive Care Nursery (ICN). In the first 10 months, 254 newborns were transported. 25% were intubated, 22% were on the ventilator, and 3% received classical CPAP. The efficacy and safety of the transport system were evaluated by comparing clinical parameters obtained on the infant prior to transport and on admission to the ICN. Prior to transport 47% of newborns had axillary temperatures of <36.5 C., 26% had blood pressures <40 mmHg and 36% had dextrostixs of <40 mg%. On admission to the ICN only 7% of the newborns were hypothermic, 16% were hypotensive, and 6% were hypoglycemic. Considering all 3 parameters 66% of the patients improved during transport, 7% deteriorated, and 27% had no change. Newborns transported by a conventional ambulance prior to the development of the neonatal transport system had a significantly higher mortality during transport and 24 hours after admission (P < .01). The mortality of transported infants within 24 hours of admission was significantly lover than the expected mortality based on birth weight and gestational age as reported by Lubchenco, L.O. et al ( J. Ped. 81:4, 1972). These data demonstrate that a transport system maintained by the ICN will reduce mortality and improve the clinical condition of critically ill neonates transported.
Transient combustion in mobile gas-permeable propellants

Abstract Gas-permeable propellants possess great potential for producing sizable thrusts within extremely short time intervals. A research program was set up with the objectives: (1) to obtain a deeper understanding of high speed flame propagation and the gas dynamic behavior of two-phase reactive flow systems; and (2) to predict the rates of gasification during transient heterogeneous combustion of granular propellant beds. The following transient phenomena occur in a few milliseconds: penetration of hot gases into interstitial voids, convective heating of pellets to ignition, granular bed compaction and rapid pressurization from 1 to 2600 atm in a thick-walled steel chamber. Pressure transients and flame-front speeds are measured by high-frequency pressure transducers and ionization probes, respectively. A gaseous pyrogen ignition system utilizing a spark ignition was found most suitable for varying igniter strengths and achieving high reproducibility. The physico-chemical phenomena described above have been formulated into a theoretical model. The governing equations were derived in the form of coupled, non-linear, inhomogeneous partial differential equations. A stable, fast convergent numerical scheme has been used to solve these hyperbolic partial differential equations. The results show that the flame front accelerates significantly and the rate of pressurization increases substantially in the downstream direction. The igniter strength and the propellant gasification temperature were found to have pronounced effects on the pressurization process. The theoretical predictions are in close agreement with the experimental data.
Relations of alcoholic beverage use to subsequent coronary artery disease hospitalization.

Abstract Unresolved questions about the inverse relation between alcohol consumption and coronary artery disease (CAD) include (1) Does past drinking have a role in the apparently higher CAD risk of abstainers? (2) Is the lower CAD risk found only among lighter drinkers? (3) Does type of alcoholic beverage matter? (4) Are abstainers at higher risk of CAD because symptoms or illness cause many to quit drinking? In a prospective study among 85,001 health examinees giving an alcohol history at a health examination from 1978 through 1982, 756 persons were later hospitalized for CAD in the same years. Using lifelong abstainers as the reference group and controlling for age, sex, race, smoking, coffee drinking and education, analysis showed that past drinkers and very infrequent drinkers had CAD risk similar to that of lifelong abstainers. A significantly and progressively lower CAD risk was found at higher drinking levels. Preference for wine, liquor or beer had no major independent effect. A subset of persons apparently free of CAD and other recent major illnesses showed a similar alcohol-CAD relation. Thus, this study suggests a negative answer to the 4 questions above and supports the view that alcohol protects against CAD. As most of the apparent protection was present at a daily intake of 1 to 2 drinks/day, an amount generally regarded as safe for most persons, the findings should not be used to justify heavier drinking.
Depression, Control, and Climate: An Examination of Factors Impacting Teaching Quality in Preschool Classrooms

Research Findings: This study investigated the relationship of preschool teachers’ self-reported depressive symptomatology, perception of classroom control, and perception of school climate to classroom quality as measured by the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Pre-K. The sample consisted of 59 urban preschool classrooms serving low-income and linguistically diverse students in the northeastern and southeastern United States. Results of hierarchical linear modeling revealed that teachers’ individual reports of depressive symptomatology were significantly and negatively predictive of the observed quality of their instructional support and classroom organization. Practice or Policy: The findings of this study have implications for increasing access to mental health supports for teachers in an effort to minimize depressive symptoms and potentially improve classroom quality.
TCAD assisted reflection on parameter extraction for compact modeling

Base resistance extraction for small geometry, self aligned bipolar transistors has become more problematic as the other resistances and capacitances effecting the input impedance have become more significant and distributed. Following an introduction to Analog Devices' XFCB3 process, this paper will review a combination of measured results, TCAD simulations and Spice analysis of hybrid-p equivalent circuits which were used to better understand the base resistance extraction issues.
Chemospecific deuteration of prostaglandin silyl ethers.

Abstract Complete chemical selectivity ( i.e. , chemospecificity) has been achieved in the homogeneous deuteration of C5C6 and endocyclic C10C11 prostaglandin double bonds without rearrangement or partial reduction of C13C14 or C8C12 double bonds. The homogeneous deuteration reaction utilizes protection of the C13C14 double bond as the C15 O-silyl ether and protection of the carboxyl group as the methyl ester prior to reduction under molecular deuterium with tris(triphenylphosphine)chlororhodium (I) (Wilkinson's catalyst) in 60:40 acetone:benzene at 25°C. The reaction has been used to prepare six specifically deuterated prostaglandins: 5,6-dideuterio-PGF1α, 5,6-dideuterio-PGE1, 5,6-dideuterio-PGB1, 3,3,4,4,5,6-hexadeuterio-PGF1α, 5,6,10,11-tetradeuterio-11-deoxy-PGE1, and 10,11-dideuterio-11-deoxy-PGE1.
Differential Feeding by Two Strains of Fall Armyworm Larvae on Carbaryl Treated Surfaces

Strains of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) larvae classified as resistant (R; LD100 > 250 µg/2.54 cm2) and susceptible (S; LD100 25µg/2.54cm2) were allowed to choose: between leaves treated with technical carbaryl (2.2 kg AI/100 liters) and untreated leaves; between leaves treated with 80% sprayable carbaryl (2.2 kg AI/100 liters) and untreated leaves; and between leaves treated with the carrier (2.2 kg equivalent/100 liters) for formulating the 80% sprayable and untreated leaves. Mortalities of the R (19%) and S (58%) strains were as expected and were significantly different. Mortalities for the carrier treated leaves and the untreated leaves were not different. The total amount of feeding by the R (298 mm2) and the S (149 mm2) larvae was significantly different, but both strains fed less on the carbaryl treated leaves than on the untreated leaves (R 418 vs. 200 mm2 and S 178 vs. 97 mm2). The data suggest that survival of fall armyworm larvae exposed to carbaryl treated plant material may be a result of avoidance as well as insect resistance to the chemical.
π-Groups in ion-pair bonding. The molecular structure of bis(tetrahydrofuran)sodium (9,10-dihydro-9,10-anthrylene)dimethylaluminate [Na(C4H8O)2]2[Al(CH3)2C14H10]2, a sodium/trimethylaluminum reduction product of anthracene

The structure of [Na(THF) 2 ] 2 [Al(CH 3 ) 2 C 14 H 10 ] 2 has been determined by three-dimensional X-ray crystallographic techniques. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group B 2 1 / c , and the unit cell dimensions are a =22.610(18), b =11.256(10), c =17.589(15) A, and β=93.27(5)°. The calculated density for eight [Na(THF) 2 ][Al(CH 3 ) 2 C 14 H 10 ] monomeric units is 1.196 g/cm 3 . The structure has been refined by least-squares to a conventional weighted R value of 0.08. The compound exists as a centrosymmetric, contact ion-pair complex with two Na(THF) 2 + cations complexed to the dimeric dianion. Two 1,4-dihydro-1,4-anthrylene groups are fused into the dianion via the two dimethylaluminum species. The average Al-C(anthrylene) bond distance of 2.060(8) A is significantly longer than the average Al-C(methyl) bond distance of 2.002(9) A. A discussion of the relative importance of steric and electronic effects is given. The importance of steric effects in ion-pairing is also considered.
Estimation of regional pulmonary deposition and exposure for fumes from SMAW and GMAW mild and stainless steel consumables

The particle size distributions and bulk fume densities for mild steel and stainless steel welding fumes generated using two welding processes (shielded metal arc welding [SMAW] and gas metal arc welding [GMAW]) were used in mathematical models to estimate regional pulmonary deposition (the fraction of each fume expected to deposit in each region of the pulmonary system) and regional pulmonary exposure (the fraction of each fume expected to penetrate to each pulmonary region and would be collected by a particle size-selective sampling device). Total lung deposition for GMAW fumes was estimated at 60% greater than that of SMAW fumes. Considering both the potential for deposition and the fume specific surface areas, it is likely that for equal exposure concentrations GMAW fumes deliver nearly three times the particle surface area to the lungs as SMAW fumes. This leads to the hypothesis that exposure to GMAW fumes constitutes a greater pulmonary hazard than equal exposure to SMAW fumes. The implications of t...
The effect of calcium channel blockade on basal- and substance P-induced intestinal secretion.

Calcium plays a central role in modulating many physiologic events. We have investigated the role of calcium channel blockade in the control of basal (n = 6)- and substance P-stimulated (n = 6) intestinal transport in the isolated perfused rabbit ileum. Twenty-centimeter segments of ileum, harvested from New Zealand rabbits, were arterially perfused at 1.5 ml/min with an oxygenated modified Krebs buffer solution containing washed human red cells (Hct = 15–20%) and 2.5 mM Ca2+. The intestinal lumen was perfused at 2 ml/min with an isotonic solution containing 1.2 mM Ca2+ and [14C]PEG as a nonabsorbable volume marker. The infusion of verapamil (1 μg/min) significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the basal secretion of H2O, and Cl−. Verapamil prevented the secretory effect of substance P infused at 0.25 μg/min. Intraarterial verapamil had no effect on vascular perfusion pressure. These data indicate that calcium channel blockade has significant effects on basal- and substance P-stimulated intestinal secretion and suggest that transmembrane calcium fluxes function as major determinants of basal- and secretagogue-stimulated intestinal transport.
Detection rate of quadruple-marker screening determined by clinical follow-up and registry data in the statewide California program, July 2007 to February 2009

Objective To evaluate the efficiency of California's quadruple-marker screening program and construct receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Methods This study included the screening records of 552 941 women during July 2007 to February 2009. The screen-positive women received clinical follow-up services at state-approved centers. We used the California Chromosome Defect Registry which includes clinical, laboratory, and demographic data from the prenatal diagnostic centers, cytogenetic laboratories, hospitals, and prenatal care providers. Risk calculations, screen-positive rates (SPRs), detection rates (DRs) for chromosomal abnormalities, and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were determined. ROC curves comparing the quadruple-marker to triple-marker screening were constructed. Results The DR and SPR for trisomy 21 (N = 827) during the quadruple-marker time period were 75.7% (95% CI 72.8–78.6%) and 3.75% (95% CI 3.70–3.80%) compared with 77.4% (95% CI 75.0–79.7%) and 5.4% during the triple-marker phase. The DRs were 78.2% (95% CI 75.0–81.4%) with ultrasound dating and 66.9% (95% CI 59.7–74.0%) for last-menstrual-period-dated pregnancies. For trisomy 18, triploidy, and trisomy 13, the DRs were 84.3, 95.7, and 43.5%, respectively. Conclusions The DR for trisomy 21 in California's statewide quadruple-marker screening is very similar to the Program's previously reported DR using triple-marker screening. However, this was achieved at a lower SPR, demonstrating improved screening performance. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Speech Convergence and Speech Evaluation in Fact-Finding Interviews

The purpose of this study was to examine speech convergence and speech evaluation in fact-finding interviews conducted in the field. Forty interviewers (ERs), undergraduates enrolled in a class on interviewing processes, conducted 20–30 minute interviews with selected interviewees (EEs), business persons and professionals in fields of interest to the ERs. Speech behaviors examined included response latency, speech rate, and turn duration; these were coded per one minute intervals of each interaction. Time series regression procedures indicated that both ERs and EEs converged speech rate and response latency toward their interlocutors' performances of these behaviors. Although turn duration convergence did not characterize the entire data set, male-male dyads did converge significantly and male (ER)-female (EE) dyads significantly diverged turn duration. Regarding speech evaluation, there was some evidence that greater response latency similarity, greater speech rate and response latency convergence, and faster ER speech and slower EE speech were positively related to the competence and social attractiveness judgments of participants. Limitations and implications are discussed.
Do free-market economists practice what they teach?

There is then a fundamental inconsistency between theory and application for political economists who both rely on standard microeconomics for their support of the free market and scorn government intervention. Theory matters in free-market critiques of public policy. It matters, however, not only in determining the content of those critiques, but also, from a methodological standpoint, in the sense of whether the world-view presupposed by theory is one that leaves room for any meaningful critique to take place at all. It should not be news that the authorities in charge of public policy are ignorant. Surprisingly, if we start from the presumptions of perfect-knowledge economics we would be logically led to conclude that those authorities indeed never make mistakes, or if they do that it must have been planned that way all along. Fortunately, political economists working in the Austrian tradition are, as they have been since Bohm-Bawerk’s and Mises’s devastating critiques of Marxian economics and socialism, free from having to maintain this curious point of view.
SIMPLE HYBRID SYSTEMS

A hybrid system is one which can instantaneously switch between a number of phase portraits. Switching occurs when trajectories hit prescribed switching curves. This type of system is highly applicable to digital controls such as robotic controls. A working definition of such a system is given, as well as a method for stabilizing periodic orbits and several examples.
P130Cas Src-Binding and Substrate Domains Have Distinct Roles in Sustaining Focal Adhesion Disassembly and Promoting Cell Migration

The docking protein p130Cas is a prominent Src substrate found in focal adhesions (FAs) and is implicated in regulating critical aspects of cell motility including FA disassembly and protrusion of the leading edge plasma membrane. To better understand how p130Cas acts to promote these events we examined requirements for established p130Cas signaling motifs including the SH3-binding site of the Src binding domain (SBD) and the tyrosine phosphorylation sites within the substrate domain (SD). Expression of wild type p130Cas in Cas −/− mouse embryo fibroblasts resulted in enhanced cell migration associated with increased leading-edge actin flux, increased rates of FA assembly/disassembly, and uninterrupted FA turnover. Variants lacking either the SD phosphorylation sites or the SBD SH3-binding motif were able to partially restore the migration response, while only a variant lacking both signaling functions was fully defective. Notably, the migration defects associated with p130Cas signaling-deficient variants correlated with longer FA lifetimes resulting from aborted FA disassembly attempts. However the SD mutational variant was fully defective in increasing actin assembly at the protruding leading edge and FA assembly/disassembly rates, indicating that SD phosphorylation is the sole p130Cas signaling function in regulating these processes. Our results provide the first quantitative evidence supporting roles for p130Cas SD tyrosine phosphorylation in promoting both leading edge actin flux and FA turnover during cell migration, while further revealing that the p130Cas SBD has a function in cell migration and sustained FA disassembly that is distinct from its known role of promoting SD tyrosine phosphorylation.
Transistor Paint: Environmentally Stable N-alkyldithienopyrrole and Bithiazole-Based Copolymer Thin-Film Transistors Show Reproducible High Mobilities without Annealing

New solution processable 4-(2-hexyldecan)-4H-bisthieno[2,3-d:3',2'-b]pyrrole and 4,4'-dialkyl-2,2'-bithiazole-based copolymers (PBTzDTPs) are synthesized with excellent FET performance. These novel copolymers have considerable potential in printable electronics as they have high charge carrier mobilities, excellent air stability, good solution processibility, and no requirement for post-deposition thermal annealing, all requirements for this field of application. The thin film transistors fabricated from PBTzDTPs achieve field effect mobilities as high as 0.14 cm 2 V -1 s -1 with current on/off ratios up to 10 6 without thermal annealing. In addition, the devices exhibit stable performance in air, showing no significant degradation over 60 days. Moreover, the polymers described here provide an excellent example of the systems in which higher mobility performance does not require higher crystalline, long-range ordered structures. Such a system appears to be particularly promising for rapid fabrication techniques, where kinetic conditions usually prevent the development of long-range order.
Nodes of topicality: modeling user notions of on topic documents

Topicality, while demonstrably an empirically manageable variable of investigation, engenders aspects of cognitive complexity that may, or may not, be easily managed during user interactions with IR systems. If an item retrieved from an IR system is considered to be on topic by a user, the meaning of that judgment may imply other underlying criteria. What makes an item on topic for users is the subject of this investigation. Although topicality has served to generate a great deal of attention in the body of information science literature, the meaning of topicality to IR system users has suffered from a lack of full understanding in designing more effective approaches to information search and retrieval. This investigation takes an inductive approach to the deductive extraction of characteristics that describe and explain how items retrieved from interactions with IR systems can be considered as on topic.
High temperature transport properties of polyphosphazene membranes for direct methanol fuel cells

Experimental methods for studying the conductivity and methanol permeability of proton conductive polymers over a wide range of temperatures have been developed. The proton conductivity and methanol permeability of several polymer electrolyte membranes including sulfonated and phosphonated poly[(aryloxy)phosphazenes] was determined at temperatures up to 120 °C. Nafion 117 membranes were tested using the same methods in order to determine the reliability of the methods. Although the conductivities of the polyphosphazene membranes were either similar to or lower than that of the Nafion 117 membranes, they continue to hold promise for fuel cell applications. We observed similar activation energies of proton conduction for Nafion 117, and for sulfonated and phosphonated polyphosphazene membranes. However, the methanol permeability of a sulfonated membrane was about 8 times lower than that of the Nafion 117 membrane at room temperature although the values were comparable at 120 °C. The permeability of a phosphonated phosphazene derivative was about 40 times lower than that of the Nafion 117 membrane at room temperature and about 9 times lower at 120 °C. This is a significant improvement over the behavior of Nafion 117.
Priming of the fluid pump by osmotic gradients across rabbit corneal endothelium

Abstract The present study shows that the inclusion of 5% Dextran (average mol. wt. 40 000) in solutions to preserve in vitro rabbit corneal endothelium induces a sizable osmotic flow across the preparation which is superimposed on the existing fluid transport. Furthermore, even after fluid transport ceases due to in vitro deterioration, the Dextran-induced flow remains for some addition time. The osmotic permeability was 162 ± 17 μ m/s in the presence of glucose and 451 ± 84 μ m/s in its absence. The latter, comparatively high value suggests that such osmotic flow traverses the intercellular junctions. In addition, temporary (10–15 min) imposition of an osmotic gradient has a separate stimulatory ‘priming’ effect on the rate of fluid transport. Thus, the rate of fluid pumping increased by about 40% after challenge with Dextran. It was further noted that, after addition of Dextran, preparations in the absence of glucose escape gross deterioration for a time longer than those in the presence of glucose. On the other hand, mere addition of Dextran to a glucose-containing solution does not appear to prolong the estimated ‘survival time’ of the pumping mechanism. The sizable osmotic flows and the priming effect described here may provide a physiological context with which previously described Dextran effects on cornea preservation can now be compared.
Incorporating Exergy Analysis and Inherent Safety Analysis for Sustainability Assessment of Biofuels

In the design of chemical/energy production systems, a major challenge is how to quantify the sustainability of the systems. Concerns on economic return and environmental impacts have been well received by researchers and practitioners. However, the irreversibility of the process has not been taken into consideration yet. Based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, exergy analysis allows accounting for irreversibility in the process and provides a detailed mechanism for tracking the transformation of energy and chemicals. Sustainability assessment in the societal dimension is mostly a “soft” activity, as the aspects to be considered and the method of evaluation are frequently subjective. How to assess the societal impact of a process in the early design stage remains as a challenging issue. This paper will present a sustainability assessment method incorporating economic, environmental, efficiency, and societal concerns. The efficiency assessment is conducted through exergy analysis, while the s...
What Types of Designs are We Using in Social Work Research and Evaluation

This article addresses a void in the literature about social work research and evaluation (R&E) designs, in particular related to the quality of its published work. Data were collected by reviewing...
A type-1 metacaspase from Acanthamoeba castellanii.

Summary The complete sequence of a type-1 metacaspase from Acanthamoeba castellanii is reported comprising 478 amino acids. The metacaspase was recovered from an expression library using sera specific for membrane components implicated in stimulating encystation. A central domain of 155 amino acid residues contains the Cys/His catalytic dyad and is the most conserved region containing at least 30 amino acid identities in all metacaspases. The Acanthamoeba castellanii metacaspase has the most proline-rich N-terminus so far reported in type-1 metacaspases with over 40 prolines in the first 150 residues. Ala–Pro–Pro is present 11 times. Phylogenies constructed using only the conserved proteolytic domains or the complete sequences show identical branching patterns, differing only in the rates of change.
Relativistic R matrix with pseudostates calculations for electron scattering from cesium atoms

The R matrix with pseudostates (RMPS) method was used with inclusion of relativistic effects to calculate differential cross sections and several spin asymmetries for elastic electron scattering from Cs atoms in the theoretically most difficult ``intermediate energy regime'' between one and five times the ionization threshold. Comparison of the RMPS predictions with experimental benchmark data for 7, 13, and 20 eV is satisfactory, thereby indicating the applicability of the method to collision systems involving heavy targets. Furthermore, justification for the apparent success of nonrelativistic calculations for the differential cross sections and the exchange asymmetry is given.
Running for President of Estonia: A Political Scientist in Politics

My family left Estonia in 1944 when I was 11, and I had been forbidden by Soviet authorities to return to my native land until 1987. Two years later, opinion polls showed me among the most popular public figures, on the strength of my writings, radio talks and visits. In 1991 Tartu University asked me to start and administrate a western-style School of Social Sciences. The day I arrived, in late July 1992, the Popular Front asked me to run for president, and a week later I agreed. It was 50 days before the elections, to be held on September 20. The first polls in mid-August were disappointing: 12%. I brought it up to 23%To by the election, still six critical percentage points short of second place. My campaign did make a difference: It blocked the incumbent head of state, Arnold Riiiitel, who fell eight percentage points short of the required absolute majority. The choice between the two top candidates was thrown into the parliament, where the more reform-minded second-runner, Lennart Meri, was elected.
High Regression Rate Hybrid Rocket Fuel Grains with Helical Port Structures

Results from a development campaign, where modern additive manufacturing methods are used to fabricate hybrid rocket fuel grains with embedded helical ports, are presented. The fuel grains were constructed from acrlyonitrile butadiene styrene using commercially available three-dimensional printer feedstock material. Gaseous oxygen is used as the oxidizer for this test campaign. When compared to cylindrical fuel ports, significant increases in fuel regression rates were observed, and these increases in regression rate diminished with time as the helical fuel port burns to become progressively more cylindrical. Comparisons to the helical pipe flow skin friction correlation developed by Mishra and Gupta indicate that increased skin friction only partially accounts for the increased regression rate. The Mishra–Gupta correlation underpredicts the regression rate amplification early in the fuel burn and overpredicts that value late in the burn. The authors conclude that radial wall-blowing due to fuel pyrolysis...
Solid-State Thermal Rectification With Existing Bulk Materials

A two-terminal thermal device exhibits thermal rectification if it transports heat more easily in one direction than in the reverse direction. Within the framework of classical heat conduction by Fourier's law, thermal rectification occurs in a two-segment bar if the thermal conductivities of the segments have different dependencies on temperature. The general solution to this problem is a pair of coupled integral equations, which in previous work had to be solved numerically. In this work the temperature dependencies of the thermal conductivities are approximated using power laws, and perturbation analysis at low thermal bias leads to a simple algebraic expression, which shows that the rectification is proportional to the difference in the power-law exponents of the two materials, multiplied by a geometric correction function. The resulting predictions have no free parameters and are in good agreement with the experimental results from the literature. For maximum recttfication, the thermal resistances of the two segments should be matched to each other at low thermal bias. For end point temperatures of 300 K and 100 K, using common bulk materials it is practical to design a rectifier with rectification of well over one hundred percent. A new quantity, the normalized thermal rectification, is proposed to better facilitate comparisons of various rectification mechanisms across different temperature ranges.
Influence of Post-Superplastic Forming Practices on the Tensile Properties of Aluminum-Lithium Alloys

The effect of thermal processing following superplastic forming on the tensile properties of aluminum-lithium alloys is addressed. The starting materials consisted of alloys 8090, 2090, and X2095 (a Weldalite™ 049 variant) in the form of commercial- grade superplastic sheet. Experience dictates that post- forming practices aimed at a slightly underaged T6 temper produce balanced engineering proper-ties in these alloys. The objective of this study was to assess the potential to use a T5- type temper by elimi-nating the solution heat treatment and/or cold water quenching steps characteristic of T6 processing. The experimental procedures adopted ensured that the tensile properties compiled were representative of the bulk material Initially, the strengthening behavior of each alloy as a function of temper selection was established. Subsequently, aging practices that resulted in peak strength and balanced properties were identified for the baseline T6 temper and two T5 tempers. The implications for replacing a T6 tem-per with a T5- type temper, including rapid and slow cooling following forming, are discussed on the basis of the results.