cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impacts of invasive Asian (Amynthas hilgendorfi) and European (Lumbricus rubellus) earthworms in a North American temperate deciduous forest

Current understanding of earthworm invasions in North America is founded on studies of European species belonging to a single family (Lumbricidae); the ecological effects of taxa from other regions are largely unknown, despite many reports of established populations. Amynthas (Megascolecidae), a genus of invasive Asian earthworm, has increasingly been documented in North American regions lacking native earthworms. We present results from complimentary field and laboratory experiments designed to (1) evaluate potential impacts of Amynthas hilgendorfi on forest–floor nutrient cycling, leaf-litter decomposition, and soil structure, (2) compare these impacts to those of a better-understood invasive European species, Lumbricus rubellus, and (3) test for interactive effects between these species. While each species increased litter-decomposition rates in laboratory mesocosms, the effect of L. rubellus was greater than that of A. hilgendorfi. Each species also increased concentrations of mineral forms of soil nitrogen and phosphorus in the laboratory, and the increases caused by A. hilgendorfi were greater than those of L. rubellus. A. hilgendorfi increased mean soil aggregate size in the field while L. rubellus did not. Additionally, we determined the growth rate of A. hilgendorfi in the field and found that at 1.35 mg AFDM/day, the rate was greater than most published values for invasive European species. Treatment effects were stronger in laboratory mesocosms than field enclosures. No interactive effects between the two species were observed. These results suggest that the effects of A. hilgendorfi can be significant and, like those of European species, are undesirable from the perspective of meeting conservation goals.
A shared resource algorithm for distributed simulation

We propose a distributed simulation method which is particularly well suited for the simulation of large synchronous networks. In general, distributed simulation has significant potential for alleviating the time and memory constraints often encountered when using conventional simulation techniques. Currently proposed methods for distributed simulation suffer performance degradation due to the employment of strategies for preventing deadlock and due to artificial blocking of processes. We describe a new method for doing distributed simulation which is deadlock free whenever the physical system being simulated is deadlock free. Furthermore, our method does not suffer from artificial blocking of processes.
In Situ TEM Heating of Nanosized ZrO2

In situ TEM heating experiments at temperatures between 820° and 860°C provide significant insights into the atomistics of neck formation during the sintering of nanoscale faceted, single-crystal particles of ZrO 2 . High-resolution TEM was used to observe the crystallography and the relative orientation in a variety of original particle-pairs and the relative orientation of their evolving necks. Previous studies have determined that unconstrained particles can rotate during neck growth. When there is a significant amount of misalignment, the particles are not able to align completely. In these instances, the neck that forms is epitaxial with one of the particles. Additionally, in particle-pairs with significant misalignment, the neck stops growing when it forms a crystallographic facet which is continuous with the preexisting facet of the template particle. When the two particles have close to the same orientation, the particles rotate into complete alignment and the neck that forms is consequently epitaxial with both particles. When the neck-particle system is in complete registry, the growing neck is rounded: there is an aperiodic arrangement of steps, even on the atomic resolution scale. The experimental results are discussed in terms of the random starting state of the two particles, the equilibrium crystal shape of the particle-neck system, and the operative kinetic mechanisms.
MINIMUM BLOOD CONCENTRATION—A UNIVERSAL CONCEPT OF ANAESTHETIC POTENCY

SUMMARY Although brain concentration of anaesthetic agents is attractive as a method of expressing anaesthetic potency, both theoretical and practical considerations limit the usefulness of this index. Therefore, the MAC concept has been utilized to develop another expression of potency: the minimum blood concentration. This takes into account the blood/gas solubility coefficient, and the fact that at equilibrium the amount of anaesthetic agent present in brain is reflected in the blood concentration, and it is applicable to both parenteral and to inhalation anaesthetic agents.
Condensation of DAMN with conjugated aldehydes and polymerizations of the corresponding imines

The reaction of diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN) with aldehydes such as acrolein, methacrolein, and crotonaldehyde in the presence of acid catalyst at low temperature yielded exclusively monoimine derivatives of DAMN. These compounds have very low loss of volatiles up to 1000 °C and form high char yields. The residual mass at 800 °C for the acrolein derivative was found to equal 70% of the starting material. Thermally induced step growth 1,4-conjugate addition polymerization on these compounds yields moderate molecular weight oligomeric materials (Mn = 1376, Mw = 2050). N-EthylDAMN was synthesized by reaction of DAMN with acetaldehyde followed by reduction with NaBH4. N-EthylDAMN reacted with acrolein, methacrolein, and crotonaldehyde to form N-ethyl-monoimine derivatives of DAMN. These analogues also undergo 1,4-conjugate addition polymerization to yield linear polymers. The dimethylamino derivative was found to undergo polymerization by a different mechanism, strengthening the proposed 1,4-conjugate addition ...
A paradigm for examining toxicant effects on viability, structure, and axonal transport of neurons in culture.

NIE.115 murine neuroblastoma cells differentiating in serum-free medium were used to develop a paradigm for testing neurotoxicity in vitro. The paradigm was designed to test the effects of toxicants on four different aspects of cell function or structure: 1. Viability as shown by the retention of cellular radiolabel (51Cr); 2. Growth and maintenance of neurites as reflected by the incidence and average length of these processes; 3. Gross structure of neurites; and 4. Velocity and flux of rapid anterograde and retrograde axonal transport as judged by video-enhanced differential interference contrast microscopy.
Trends in the management of vestibular schwannomas at Johns Hopkins 1997-2007.

Objectives/Hypothesis: To assess trends in the management of unilateral vestibular schwannomas over an 11-year period and to identify disease- and provider-related influences. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: Subjects presented to the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and the Department of Neurosurgery for management of unilateral vestibular schwannoma from 1997 through 2007, with at least two visits within the first year of presentation. The proportion of patients for whom initial management consisted of observation, surgical resection, or radiation therapy was determined, and the relative influence of study year, patient age, hearing status, and tumor size was analyzed. Results: Over the study period there was an increase in the proportion of cases that were observed with follow-up scanning (10.5% to 28.0%) and recommended for radiation (0% to 4.0%), whereas the proportion of operated cases declined (89.5% to 68.0%). There were no changes in mean age or hearing status at diagnosis, but mean tumor size declined significantly. Compared to those undergoing surgery, patients choosing observation and radiation therapy were on average 11.7 and 4.5 years older, respectively. Tumors that were surgically removed were on average 11.6 mm larger than those that were observed. The increasing frequency over time of observation relative to surgery was significant even after controlling for age, hearing status, and tumor size. Conclusions: Among patients managed by our center, there has been a significant shift in management of vestibular schwannomas over the last decade, with increasing tendency towards observation. This trend implies changing provider philosophy and patient expectations. Laryngoscope, 2010
The effect of saturated pyrimidine bases on RNA conformation.

Saturation of the pyrimidine bases in polynucleotides leads to pronounced changes in their biological activity. The template activity of copolymers of 5,6-dihydrouridine and uridine decreases with increasing 5,6-dihydrouridine content in an in vitro protein synthesizing system [l] and changes its coding properties in an RNA-polymerase system [2] . Photohydration products of uridine, Ghydroxy5,6-dihydrouridine, have been identified as major lethal lesions formed by ultraviolet irradiation in the small coliphage R17 [3] . Saturated derivatives of thymine of the 6-hydroxy(hydroperoxy) 5,6-dihydrothymine type appear to be major lesions produced by ionizing radiation in bacterial DNA [4, 51 . Besides the importance of the saturated pyrimidines in photoand radiobiology, 5, 6-dihydrouridine is an ubiquitous minor constituent of transfer RNA. In all transfer RNA species which have been sequenced, the saturated residues were always found in a topographically similar region, termed accordingly as the dihydrouridine loop [6]. The effects of the introduction of saturated residues on the biological activity of polynucleotides may in part be due to changes which occur in the polymer conformation as a result of the modification. It has been observed that the ability of copolymers of 5,6_dihydrouridine and uridine to form ordered helical complexes with poly A decreased with increasing content of 5, 6-dihydrouridine [7]. This decrease was attributed to two major effects resulting from reduction of the 5,6-double bond in uridylic acid: 1) a lowering of the hydrogen bonding capability due to an increase in the pK, of the base; and 2) a loss
Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd

Abstract The case deals with the decision in mid-1997 of StarInvest, an American investment company, on whether to subscribe to a new issue of 230 million B shares by Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd. Qingqi Motorcycle is incorporated in the People’s Republic of China, and B shares were tradable only among foreign investors. The case solution is in the form of policy report from Daniel Campbell, asset manager at StarInvest, to his Investment Committee. The report contains his assessment of the opportunities and risks from China investment in general, and his recommendations on the Qingqi Motorcycle stock issue in particular. The objective of this case is to introduce students to the unique accounting issues and investment environment in China. From working on this case, the students should become familiar with the developmental steps and basic features of China’s accounting standards and capital markets. An important theme that should be emphasized by the instructor is that institutional environments are more important at influencing the accounting information in a country than the accounting standards as written on paper. The case has been used in an international accounting course offered to the MBA students. It could also be used in a similar course offered at the undergraduate level. Students having completed an introductory financial accounting course should have the required knowledge and skills to work on this case. The case can be used either as an individual assignment or as a group assignment.
Analyzing administrative costs and structures

Administrative growth and administrative expenditures are major issues for institutions of higher education. This paper reports on a study of administrative costs and structures at lowa State University. Various indicators of administrative efficiency are examined, including those related to administrative structures, administrative costs, administrative salaries, and administrative intensity. For each of these aspects, the paper describes the methodology used, summarizes the findings, and provides comparisons to peer institutions when these are available. Conclusions and plans, for the ongoing examination of administrative costs and structures at lowa State University are presented. The final section discusses the adaptability of the methodologies used in this study to studies that could be conducted by other institutions of higher education.
State collapse and regional contagion in sub-Sahara Africa: Lessons for Zimbabwe

Hollowing out the state State collapse is one of the most important security threats in Sub-Sahara Africa. The George W. Bush administration's National Security Strategy includes failed and failing states as a national security priority. The U.S. European Command, whose area of responsibility includes much of Sub-Sahara Africa, are "concerned about ungoverned areas descending into chaos with terrorist and warlords…."2 The United Nations is trying to restore order to numerous collapsed states in Africa. Nonetheless, while there are discernable patterns to state failure and collapse, not near enough attention has been paid to them. This is a problem, of course, primarily for Sub-Sahara Africa, but increasingly, as well, for the rest of the world that has interests in that continent. This essay will point out these patterns. It will briefly describe and explain state collapse in West Africa and in Central Africa. It will then use those patterns to discuss the possibility of collapse in Zimbabwe and the potential contagion effects for the southern African subcontinent.
Cutaneous diffusing capacity increases during hypoxia in cold submerged bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana)

Abstract Gas exchange through amphibian skin appears to be primarily diffusion limited; manipulating cutaneous diffusing capacity for oxygen (DO2) may therefore be an important means of regulating cutaneous oxygen uptake (ṀO2). To test this hypothesis, curarized, cannulated bullfrogs were submerged and exposed to progressive aquatic hypoxia at 5°C, conditions under which all O2 uptake is cutaneous and regulation of cutaneous gas exchange can be expected to be most evident. In normoxic 5°C water, arterial PO2 was low (26 Torr) and the PO2 gradient across the skin was high (114 Torr). ṀO2 was constant as ambient PO2 decreased from 140 to 80 Torr. The PO2 gradient across the skin decreased 40% (from 114 to 68 Torr) and DO2 increased 40% (from 36 to 49 pmol·g−1·min−1·Torr−1 over this range of ambient PO2. DO2 almost doubled in severe hypoxia (PO2 30 Torr) compared to normoxia. Increased cutaneous DO2 thus helps maintain cutaneous ṀO2 and arterial O2 saturation in the face of environmental hypoxia.
Film thickness of cements beneath complete crowns.

Summary The results showed that Durelon, EBAC, zinc phosphate, Epoxylite CBA, and Fynal had thinner film thicknesses than EBA and Fluoro-Thin. In addition, venting of a crown resulted in lower film thicknesses with all cements except Fynal and EBAC. No significant differences occurred with these two cements whether the crown was vented or not. Obviously many other factors besides film thickness, such as toxicity, strength, and solubility, have to be considered before selecting a cement for clinical use. When only film thickness is to be considered, all of the cements in the study could be recommended for the cementation of crowns with the exception of EBA and Fluoro-Thin.
Left Ventricular Systolic Time Intervals as Indices of Postural Circulatory Stress in Man

The effects of graded increments of passive head-up tilt on the duration of the systolic time intervals corrected for heart rate were investigated in 15 normal subjects. Head-up tilt caused a prolongation of the pre-ejection period and a shortening of the left ventricular ejection time, while total electromechanical systole diminished minimally. The lengthening of the pre-ejection period and abbreviation of the left ventricular ejection time increased progressively with stepwise increments of head-up tilt. The application of venous occlusive tourniquets produced changes in the systolic intervals directionally similar to those observed with head-up tilt. In contrast to the normal subjects, three patients with congestive heart failure demonstrated no change in the systolic time intervals during head-up tilt. After diuresis in two of the patients with heart failure, the responses of their systolic time intervals to head-up tilt returned toward normal.
Slave fermions and the infinite-U Anderson lattice above quarter-filling: Ferromagnetic spin excitations and antiferromagnetic instabilities at low electron count

We extend our earlier formulation for the Anderson lattice (using auxiliary fermions and bosons to represent the charge and spin, respectively) to calculate the spin wave excitation spectrum for a wide range of model parameters in one and two dimensions. We show that, for the case of nearest neighbor conduction electron hopping, the compensated spin state obtained in mean-field theory is bounded at an upper conduction electron concentration (where the spin wave velocity vanishes) and at a lower concentration (close to quarter-filling) by an antiferromagnetic instability, signaled by a vanishing spin wave energy at the appropriate zone boundary. In addition, the range of stable compensated ferromagnetism vanishes as the local f-level energy passes through the bottom of the band (from below). This suggests that only the Kondo regime where the f level lies well below the Fermi level shows a saturated ferromagnetic state.
Justification of the local space charge neutrality hypothesis in metal oxidation

Abstract The important local charge neutrality hypothesis in metal oxidation theory is shown numerically to be self-consistent with Poisson's equation and the coupled transport equations for diffusion of oppositely-charged ionic and electronic defect species deep within very thick growing oxides.
Engineered muscle systems having individually addressable distributed muscle actuators controlled by optical stimuli

A multi degree-of-freedom system using live skeletal muscles as actuators is presented. Millimeter-scale, optically excitable 3D skeletal muscle strips are created by culturing genetically coded precursory muscle cells that are activated with light: optogenetics. These muscle bio-actuators are networked together to create a distributed actuator system. Unlike traditional mechanical systems where fixed axis joints are rotated with electric motors, the new networked muscle bio-actuators can activate loads having no fixed joint. These types of loads include shoulders, the mouth, and the jaw. The optogenetic approach offers high spatiotemporal resolution for precise control of muscle activation, and opens up the possibility to activate hundreds of interconnected muscles in a spatiotemporally coordinated manner. In this work, we explore the design of robotic systems composed of multiple light-activated live muscular actuator units. We describe and compare massively parallel and highly serial/networked distributions of these building-block actuator units. We have built functional fundamental prototypes and present experimental results to demonstrate the feasibility of the construction of larger scale muscle systems.
Direct probing of solvent-induced charge degradation in polypropylene electret fibres via electrostatic force microscopy.

Summary Electrostatic force microscopy was used to directly probe solvent-induced charge degradation in electret filter media. Electrostatic force gradient images of individual polypropylene electret fibres were used to quantify the extent of charge degradation caused by the immersion of the fibres into isopropanol. Electrostatic force gradient images were obtained by monitoring the shifts in phase and frequency between the oscillations of the biased atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilever and those of the piezoelectric driver. Electrostatic force microscopy measurements were performed using non-contact scans at a constant tip-sample separation of 75 nm with varied bias voltages applied to the cantilever. Mathematical expressions, based on the capacitance of the tip-sample system, were used to model the phase and frequency shifts as functions of the applied bias voltage to the tip and the offset voltage due to the fibre's charge. Quantitative agreement between the experimental data and the simplified model was observed.
Characterizations of some continuous distributions

This paper gives characterizations of normal and gamma distributions .via conditional structure.
A survey of techniques for the vacuum deposition of thin metallic films

Abstract The major problem in laying down thin metallic films by vacuum deposition is to produce the metal vapour. Nine basic methods of producing a metal vapour are discussed. Six of these involve heating the metal, and include electron bombardment heating and induction heating. The other three methods are forms of sputtering. Some of the strengths and weaknesses of the various methods are outlined. The conclusion is that for general purpose, reliable, metal evaporation, electron bombardment heating is the best method, but for certain special requirements DC sputtering is preferred.
Positive energy in field theories

In this paper sufficient conditions are given for positive energy theorems to obtain in a class of field theories. This class is characterized by the requirement that the field equations are obtained from a variational principle similar to that from which the Einstein field equations may be derived. That is the theories involve ann-dimensional Lorentzian spaceV n with metric tensor γαβ which determines a scalar curvatureB. The variant principle requires that the metric γαβ is such that the integral ofB overV n is an extremal. Such theories arise in the five dimensional Kaluza-Klein and the Jordan-Thiry theories. They also arise in the generalizations of these theories currently of interest to particle physicists. It is pointed out below that the static solutions of equations (1.9) whenn=5 obtained by Sorkin and Gross and Perry violate assumptions made by Einstein and Lichnerowicz in their stationary solution of these equations.
Corticoide in der Rheumatherapie gestern – heute – morgen

The discovery of the suprarenal glands and their function is discussed. The complicated history of cortisone from the synthesis until its use as an antirheumatic is told. Pharmacotherapy with this physiologic hormone also caused serious side effects. Changing the molecular structure did not essentially solve this problem. Only after finding novel ways of application could these risks be reduced. The indications for therapy were further effectively reduced after understanding the mechanisms of action. Modern standards for corticoid therapy of rheumatoid arthritis are discussed. The important problem of corticoid osteoporosis and the myth of cortisone ulcers are also explained. The problems of coping with patient fears to cortisone are considered. Concurring drugs of cortisone and their special benefits are compared.
Arrow Key Configuration on Laptops Performance and User Preference of the Inverted-T and Modified Cross

With the popularization of mobile devices, product design is adapting to the needs of mobility. Laptops are getting smaller, thus the keyboards on laptops are becoming smaller. Having a smaller keyboard means redesigning certain key configurations. A common key configuration that is often modified for the sake of keyboard size is the arrow keys. The most common arrow key configuration is the inverted-T, but the modified cross is being used on laptop keyboards more frequently due to its size and scalability. This study sought to understand how the modified cross performs against the well-known inverted-T in speed and accuracy. Also, we were interested in understanding the user experience and perceived performance with these two configurations. Although, the user rankings and preference ratings favored the inverted-T, we found that the performance of the modified cross was significantly faster than the inverted-T. There was no significant difference of the number of errors between the two configurations.
Hormonal Activation of Female Sexual Behavior is Accompanied by Hypothalamic Norepinephrine Release.

The present study employed the intracranial microdialysis technique to measure norepinephrine release in the ventrolateral dendritic fields of the ventromedial hypothalamus of freely-moving animals before and during ovarian steroid (estradiol and progesterone) activation of female sexual behavior (lordosis). One day after implantation of a dialysis probe, animals were injected with 3 ,ug of estradiol benzoate followed 44 h later by 200 pg of progesterone. introduction of a male rat 4 h after progesterone treatment was correlated with dramatic increases in extracellular norepinephrine levels measured in dialysates of the ventrolateral ventromedial hypothalamus of female rats which displayed high levels of lordosis behavior. In contrast, female rats given the same steroid treatment but which did not show lordosis responses did not have elevated norepinephrine levels in their dialysates. Moreover, animals that received an estrogen antagonist concurrently with the estrogen treatment had neither an increase in ventromedial hypothalamic levels of norepinephrine during behavior testing nor did they display lordosis. These results indicate a close relationship among ovarian steroids, noradrenergic transmission in the ventromedial hypothalamus, and the expression of female sexual behavior.
SOME TENSILE CHARACTERISTICS OF RAW FISH FLESH1

The rheological characteristics of fresh fish fillets were studied by an Instron Universal Testing Machine and a specially designed instrument that enabled recording of tensile forces of stretched specimens during controlled cooking programs. The tensile stress-strain relationships revealed two types of deformation patterns. At strains of up to about 10% the fillets deformed as rubbery materials although with noticeable viscoelasticity. At larger strains the behavior was characterized by a progressive increase in stiffness and in the portion of irrecoverable deformation. In relaxation tests at programmed temperature histories, force generation phenomena could clearly be monitored. Their extent and the temperature at which they occurred varied markedly with the fish species and the individual fillet's age, which suggests that they reflect the overall structural and physiological state of the tissue.
Chaotic systems that are robust to added noise

While added noise can destroy synchronization in synchronized chaotic systems, it was shown that some chaotic systems were not sensitive to added noise. In this paper, the mechanism for this noise resistance is explored. It is seen that part of the chaotic system acts like it is resonant, reducing the noise sensitivity of the system. By comparing to a model of a neuron, it is speculated that similar mechanisms may also be present in biological systems.
Why ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny

In development, mammalian embryos successively develop notochord, somites, gill pouches and three sets of kidneys: pronephros, mesonephros and metanephros. Hence, Ernst Haeckel's dictum "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny." The reason for this dictum appears to be the immortality of genes. Genes, once well entrenched, appear to linger for a long time even after the forfeiture of their raison d'etre. The genes for dental enamel and dentin of the chicken are good examples. Furthermore, genes once doomed may resurrect themselves. For example, genes for red and green opsins of higher primates arose as alleles of the once doomed but resurrected red opsin locus.
The chemosensory basis for behavioral divergence involved in sympatric host shifts II: olfactory receptor neuron sensitivity and temporal firing pattern to individual key host volatiles.

The Rhagoletis species complex has been a key player in the sympatric speciation debate for much of the last 50 years. Studies indicate that differences in olfactory preference for host fruit volatiles could be important in reproductively isolating flies infesting each type of fruit via premating barriers to gene flow. Single sensillum electrophysiology was used to compare the response characteristics of olfactory receptor neurons from apple, hawthorn, and flowering dogwood-origin populations of R. pomonella, as well as from the blueberry maggot, R. mendax (an outgroup). Eleven volatiles were selected as stimuli from behavioral/electroantennographic studies of the three R. pomonella host populations. Previously, we reported that differences in preference for host fruit volatile blends are not a function of alterations in the general class of receptor neurons tuned to key host volatiles. In the present study, population comparisons involving dose–response trials with the key volatiles revealed significant variability in olfactory receptor neuron sensitivity and temporal firing pattern both within and among Rhagoletis populations. It is concluded that such variability in peripheral sensitivity and temporal firing pattern could influence host preference and contribute to host fidelity and sympatric host shifts in the Rhagoletis complex.
The three-body recombination and dissociation of diatomic molecules: A comparison between theory and experiment

The modified phase-space theory of reaction rates has been used to predict the three-body recombination and dissociation rate coefficients of the diatomic gas molecules: H2, N2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2, HF, HCl, CO and NO, in the presence of argon as a collision partner. The ability of the theory to quantitatively predict and correlate both low-temperature recombination rate measurements and high-temperature dissociation rate measurements is substantial. The success of the theory clearly illustrates the importance of the weak attractive forces between the recombining atoms and argon atoms for recombination at low temperatures, the marked reduction in the rates at high temperatures due to nonequilibrium distributions in the vibrational state populations of the molecules, and the major contributions to reaction progress via electronically excited molecular states at all temperatures for such molecules as N2 and CO.
The adsorption and structure of carbon monoxide on ethylidyne-covered Pd(1 1 1)

Abstract A quarter of a monolayer of carbon monoxide (CO) adsorbs on ethylidyne-covered Pd(1 1 1) (ethylidyne saturation coverage, 0.25 monolayers) at 300 K, compared to the saturation coverage of 0.55 monolayers for CO on clean Pd(1 1 1). Infrared and temperature-programmed desorption data reveal that CO adsorbs on the hexagonal-close-packed, threefold hollow site on ethylidyne-covered Pd(1 1 1). This, in turn, suggests that ethylidyne species on Pd(1 1 1) occupy face-centered-cubic, threefold hollow sites. Atop sites become occupied when an ethylidyne-covered Pd(1 1 1) surface is pressurized with 10−2 Torr of CO, and no additional CO appears to adsorb when the surface is pressurized with 5 Torr of CO.
Polynomial operators, stieltjes convolution, and fractional calculus in hereditary mechanics

Fractional calculus is used to describe the general behavior of materials with memory. An expression for the fractional derivative or the fractional integral is developed in terms of the Stieltjes convolution and the Riesz distribution. The general fractional calculus polynomial operator constitutive equation is reduced to a Stieltjes convolution. A constitutive equation which depends on a memory parameter for an isotorpic viscoelastic material is presented. The proposed creep compliance has an initial response, a primary creep region, a secondary creep region and a tertiary creep region. The corresponding relaxation modulus has a glassy region, a leathery region, a rubbery region and a liquid region.
Gas-Phase Thermochemistry of Iron Oxides and Hydroxides: Portrait of a Super-Efficient Flame Suppressant

In the search for non-ozone-depleting Halon (CF3Br) replacements, several metals, including iron, have been identified as super-efficient flame suppressants. Although some thermochemical data exist for the species that are thought to be most important in iron's flame chemistry, a more complete and accurate characterization of the thermochemistry of iron oxides, hydrides, and hydroxides is required to improve kinetic flame models. In this investigation predicted enthalpies (Δrxn ) and free energies (Δrxn ) of the reactions of several FeOxHy species in methane flames are reported. Heats of formation (Δf ) for the FeOxHy species of interest are also recommended. The hybrid B3LYP density-functional method and the CCSD(T) coupled-cluster method are employed in conjunction with a relativistic effective core potential on the iron center and a valence triple-ζ basis on all atoms in order to characterize the relative energetics of the important species.
Irrational beliefs as predictors of anxiety and depression in a college population

Abstract This study investigated the predictive discriminant validity of the five irrational beliefs scales of the Survey of Personal Beliefs (SPB) in assessing depression and anxiety in a college population. The results indicated that one scale (Low Frustration Tolerance) was a unique predictor of both depression and anxiety symptoms. In addition, two scales (Other-Directed Shoulds and Self-Worth) were found to have unique predictive associations with anxiety symptoms. However, the relationship between one of these scales (Other-Directed Shoulds) and anxiety was in the opposite direction to expectations as predicted by RET theory. Implications for theory and the external validity of these findings were discussed.
Psychological function in orthognathic surgical patients before and after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy with rigid and wire fixation.

Abstract A multisite randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the psychological function of patients who undergo surgical correction of a Class II malrelation with bilateral sagittal split osteotomy with either wire or rigid fixation. Subjects were 31 male and 86 female patients referred by orthodontists. Psychopathological symptoms and psychological distress were measured with the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised at the following times: before placement of orthodontic appliances, 1 to 2 weeks presurgery, and 1 week, 8 weeks, 6 months, and 2 years postsurgery. Patients’ satisfaction with their surgical outcome was measured with a 3-item questionnaire. Results showed no statistically significant differences in psychological function or satisfaction between patients treated with wire or rigid fixation. Psychological function was within normal limits immediately before surgery. Psychological parameters did not determine patient satisfaction, even among patients who met an operational definition of “psychopathological caseness.” Psychological symptoms and general distress increased modestly immediately after surgery for both groups and then progressively declined over the succeeding 2 years, eventually reaching levels that were significantly lower than presurgical levels. It was concluded that (1) rigid and wire fixation do not differ in their effects on psychological function and satisfaction; (2) patients who seek orthognathic surgery for a Class II malocclusion are psychologically healthy, ie, comparable to normal populations, immediately before surgery; (3) presurgical psychological function does not determine satisfaction with surgical outcome; and (4) psychological function tends to improve during the 2 years after surgery. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 1999;115:536-43)
Consequences of Bandgap Shifts Resulting from Decreasing CIGS Thickness in CIGS Solar Cells

We investigated the effects on performance of reducing the thickness of CIGS solar cells. One of the important observations is that there is an apparent bandgap increase as the thickness is reduced. This is attributed to the details of our device fabrication and resulting Ga profile. AMPS simulations indicate that accompanying expected lowering of Jsc due to absorption losses, we should expect increases in Voc and FF resulting in a net gain in efficiency. As we decrease thickness the losses that we observe in Jsc are larger than expected from absorption due to two factors: the unexpected bandgap increase and increased defect density at the junction interface. However, while AMPS predicts an increase of 13 mV in Voc, the increase we observe is in the 20 ? 30 mV range. Jsc's for one micron thick devices have also been increased to 30.5 mA/cm2 which is somewhat above what is expected from simulations.
Three-phase capital campaigns

The structure of most capital campaigns traditionally contains a private (or quiet) phase and a public phase. Leadership gifts are raised in the first phase, while the general prospect pool is asked to participate in the effort during the public phase. An announcement is made at some point to make the campaign public. A survey of 195 donors reveals that as the campaign nears its end (95 percent completed), donors tend to be much more likely to contribute. This suggests organizing campaigns (in addition to planning and evaluation phases) into three core phases (leadership, growth, and goal line) rather than two phases (quiet and public). The implication for fundraisers is to wait as long as possible (at least to 40 percent of the goal) before moving into the second growth phase. They might also take advantage of the propensity of donors to want to complete the task and reach the goal by implementing a special effort in the final “goal line” phase. Once the goal is reached, donors are dramatically less likely to continue giving to the campaign.
DAG-aware AIG rewriting a fresh look at combinational logic synthesis

This paper presents a technique for preprocessing combinational logic before technology mapping. The technique is based on the representation of combinational logic using and-inverter graphs (AIGs), a networks of two-input ANDs and inverters. The optimization works by alternating DAG-aware AIG rewriting, which reduces area by sharing common logic without increasing delay, and algebraic AIG balancing, which minimizes delay without increasing area. The new technology-independent flow is implemented in a public-domain tool ABC. Experiments on large industrial benchmarks show that the proposed methodology scales to very large designs and is several orders of magnitude faster than SIS and MVSIS while offering comparable or better quality when measured by the quality of the network after mapping.
Anomaly Based Network Intrusion Detection by using Data Mining

As network attacks have increased in number and severity over the past few years, intrusion detection system (IDS) is increasingly becoming a critical component to secure the network. Due to large volumes of security audit data as well as complex and dynamic properties of intrusion behaviors, optimizing performance of IDS becomes an important open problem that is receiving more and more attention from the research community. Intrusion poses a serious security risk in a network environment. The ever growing new intrusion types pose a serious problem for their detection. The human labeling of the available network audit data instances is usually tedious, time consuming and expensive. In this paper, we apply one of the efficient data mining algorithms called k-means clustering via naive bayes classification for anomaly based network intrusion detection. Experimental results on the KDD cup’99 data set show the novelty of our approach in detecting network intrusion. It is observed that the proposed technique performs better in terms of Detection rate when applied to KDD’99 data sets compared to a naive bayes based approach.
Uncontested categories: the use of race and ethnicity variables in nursing research

Classifying human beings according to race and ethnicity may seem straightforward to some but it, in fact, belies a difficult process. No standard procedure exists for categorizing according to race and ethnicity, calling into question the variables' use in research. This article explores the use of race and ethnicity variables in the nursing research literature. Content analysis was conducted of a sample of 337 original research studies published in Nursing Research from the years 1952, 1955, and then every 5 years through to 2000. Of the 337 research articles reviewed, 167 mentioned race, ethnicity, or their 81 code words or phrases. Out of the 167 articles, 153 used race or ethnicity to describe the study sample, and 45 of the 167 articles included race or ethnicity as an element of data analysis. Throughout the sample, there was substantial inconsistency related to race and ethnicity categorization, meanings of the terms, and use of these variables. Specificity related to conceptual assumptions, definitions, and context was missing and, as a result, data interpretation and understanding are suspect. The integrity of nursing knowledge requires that nurse researchers recognize and address the difficulties inherent in using race and ethnicity in health research.
Grouping-and-shifting designs for structured LDPC codes with large girth

We introduce a method to design structured LDPC codes with large girth and flexible code rates. The method is simple to explain: we divide the nodes in the Tanner graph into groups and connect nodes in these groups according to a set of parameters called shifts. We derive a general theorem on the shifts to prevent small cycles. Simulations show that these codes, GS-LDPC codes, outperform random LDPC codes.
Synthesis and Characterization of New Rh(III) Compounds with the K4CdCl6Structure-Type: Sr3MRhO6(M=Y, Sc, In)

Abstract The compounds Sr3MRhO6(M=Y, Sc, In) have been synthesized and structurally characterized by Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction data in the space groupR 3 c;Z=6. The lattice parameters for the series were found to bea=9.7598(1) A andc=11.3152(1) A,a=9.6833(1) A andc=11.0478(2) A, anda=9.6473(1) A andc=11.3597(1) A, for Sr3YRhO6, Sr3ScRhO6, and Sr3InRhO6, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates that these phases are stoichiometric rhodium(III) oxides. The oxygen content was determined to be 6.00(2), 6.05(2), and 5.99(2), for Sr3MRhO6(M=Y, Sc, In), respectively. These compounds are isostructural with K4CdCl6. The structure consists of infinite one-dimensional chains of alternating face-shared RhO6octahedra andMO6trigonal prisms (M=Y, Sc, In). The strontium cations are located in a distorted square antiprismatic environment.
Developmental Gene Amplification and Origin Regulation

Developmentally regulated gene amplification serves to increase the number of templates for transcription, yielding greatly increased protein and/or RNA product for gene(s) at the amplified loci. It is observed with genes that are very actively transcribed and during narrow windows of developmental time where copious amounts of those particular gene products are required. Amplification results from repeated firing of origins at a few genomic loci, while the rest of the genome either does not replicate, or replicates to a lesser extent. As such, amplification is a striking exception to the once-and-only-once rule of DNA replication and may be informative as to that mechanism. Drosophila amplifies eggshell (chorion) genes in the follicle cells of the ovary to allow for rapid eggshell synthesis. Sciara amplifies multiple genes in larval salivary gland cells that encode proteins secreted in the saliva for the pupal case. Finally, Tetrahymena amplifies its rRNA genes several thousand-fold in the creation of the transcriptionally active macronucleus. Due to the ease of molecular and genetic analysis with these systems, the study of origin regulation has advanced rapidly. Comparisons reveal an evolutionarily conserved trans-regulatory apparatus and a similar organization of sequence-specific cis-regulatory replicator and origin elements. The studies indicate a regulatory role for chromatin structure and transcriptionally active genes near the origins.
A gene involved in control of human cellular senescence on human chromosome 1q.

Abstract Normal cells in culture exhibit limited division potential and have been used as a model for cellular senescence. In contrast, tumor-derived or carcinogen- or virus-transformed cells are capable of indefinite division. Fusion of normal human diploid fibroblasts with immortal human cells yielded hybrids having limited life spans, indicating that cellular senescence was dominant. Fusions of various immortal human cell lines with each other led to the identification of four complementation groups for indefinite division. The purpose of this study was to determine whether human chromosome 1 could complement the recessive immortal defect of human cell lines assigned to one of the four complementation groups. Using microcell fusion, we introduced a single normal human chromosome 1 into immortal human cell lines representing the complementation groups and determined that it caused loss of proliferative potential of an osteosarcoma-derived cell line (TE85), a cytomegalovirus-transformed lung fibroblast cell line (CMV-Mj-HEL-1), and a Ki-ras(+)-transformed derivative of TE85 (143B TK-), all of which were assigned to complementation group C. This chromosome 1 caused no change in proliferative potential of cell lines representing the other complementation groups. A derivative of human chromosome 1 that had lost most of the q arm by spontaneous deletion was unable to induce senescence in any of the immortal cell lines. This finding indicates that the q arm of human chromosome 1 carries a gene or set of genes which is altered in the cell lines assigned to complementation group C and is involved in the control of cellular senescence.
Are adolescents with high socioeconomic status more likely to engage in alcohol and illicit drug use in early adulthood

Previous literature has shown a divergence by age in the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and substance use: adolescents with low SES are more likely to engage in substance use, as are adults with high SES. However, there is growing evidence that adolescents with high SES are also at high risk for substance abuse. The objective of this study is to examine this relationship longitudinally, that is, whether wealthier adolescents are more likely than those with lower SES to engage in substance use in early adulthood. The study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (AddHealth), a longitudinal, nationally-representative survey of secondary school students in the United States. Logistic regression models were analyzed examining the relationship between adolescent SES (measured by parental education and income) and substance use in adulthood, controlling for substance use in adolescence and other covariates. Higher parental education is associated with higher rates of binge drinking, marijuana and cocaine use in early adulthood. Higher parental income is associated with higher rates of binge drinking and marijuana use. No statistically significant results are found for crystal methamphetamine or other drug use. Results are not sensitive to the inclusion of college attendance by young adulthood as a sensitivity analysis. However, when stratifying by race, results are consistent for white non-Hispanics, but no statistically significant results are found for non-whites. This may be a reflection of the smaller sample size of non-whites, but may also reflect that these trends are driven primarily by white non-Hispanics. Previous research shows numerous problems associated with substance use in young adults, including problems in school, decreased employment, increases in convictions of driving under the influence (DUI) and accidental deaths. Much of the previous literature is focused on lower SES populations. Therefore, it is possible that teachers, parents and school administrators in wealthier schools may not perceive as great to address substance abuse treatment in their schools. This study can inform teachers, parents, school administrators and program officials of the need for addressing drug abuse prevention activities to this population of students.