cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brain Management During Trauma

The Neurosurgeon faces a dilemma, that is, how to treat and reconstruct the injured skull and brain with limited knowledge as to how the injury occurred. In an attempt to understand such injuries, our group assembled a series of acceleration sleds to experimentally reproduce these injuries in primates and high frame rate flash x-ray cine system to radiographically study their time course.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Elastic tripping analysis of asymmetrical stiffeners

Abstract An energy method is developed for analyzing the flexural-torsional and lateral-torsional buckling (“tripping”) behavior of flanged stiffeners subjected to axial force, end moment, lateral pressure and any combination of these. A strain distribution is assumed and the total potential energy functional is then derived. The strain assumptions coincide with van der Neut's assumption. However, unlike the somewhat obscure differential equation approach given by van der Neut, this study provides a simple, clear, energy approach. Both the rigid web case and the flexible web case are studied. The study explores the effect of plate rotational restraint, and a previously unresolved question regarding plate mode shape is answered. The method requires only four degrees of freedom and therefore the solution process is rapid. A number of sample stiffened panels are analyzed using the ABAQUS finite-element program; the results are in quite good agreement. The method has also been extended to inelastic tripping, and this generalized form shows excellent agreement with experimental tests on typical steel panels. This work will be presented in a second paper, to avoid an overly long publication.
Combatting program fragmentation: Local systems of vocational education and job training

As the number of local institutions that train individuals for employment has grown, policymakers have become concerned about possible duplication and wasteful competition. Potential solutions to this perceived problem typically revolve around strategies for encouraging greater coordination among local education and training agencies. Yet little is known about either the extent of duplication in local communities or about interactions among institutions. To begin to fill this gap, we conducted comparative case studies of eight communities. We found little service overlap or competition. Instead, using a variety of mechanisms, local institutions have established clear divisions of labor and have linked themselves in well-defined, though largely informal, systems. The present study concludes with a discussion of how state and federal policy might facilitate the creation and maintenance of effective local systems of work-related education and training.
A Tunneling Spectroscopy Study of Molecular Degradation due to Electron Irradiation.

Electron tunneling spectroscopy has been used to characterize the degradation of β- D -fructose after electron bombardment in a scanning electron microscope. The decrease in intensity of various vibrational bands is correlated with structural changes in the molecule, thereby providing a detailed picture of the degradation process.
N-Formylpeptides Induce Two Distinct Concentration Optima for Mouse Neutrophil Chemotaxis by Differential Interaction with Two N-Formylpeptide Receptor (Fpr) Subtypes Molecular Characterization of Fpr2, a Second Mouse Neutrophil Fpr

The N-formylpeptide receptor (FPR) is a G protein-coupled receptor that mediates mammalian phagocyte chemotactic responses to bacterial N-formylpeptides. Here we show that a mouse gene named Fpr-rs2 encodes a second N-formylpeptide receptor subtype selective for neutrophils which we have provisionally named FPR2. The prototype N-formylpeptide fMLF induced calcium flux and chemotaxis in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells stably transfected with FPR2. The EC(50)s, approximately 5 microM for calcium flux and chemotaxis, were approximately 100-fold greater than the corresponding values for mouse FPR-transfected HEK 293 cells. Consistent with this, fMLF induced two distinct concentration optima for chemotaxis of normal mouse neutrophils, but only the high concentration optimum for chemotaxis of neutrophils from FPR knockout mice. Based on these data, we hypothesize that high- and low-affinity N-formylpeptide receptors, FPR and FPR2, respectively, may function in vivo as a relay mediating neutrophil migration through the high and low concentration portions of N-formylpeptide gradients.
Keeping the Tension: Pressures to Keep the Controversy in the Management Discipline

Management journals often contain heated discussions about disciplinary approaches, or how and whether to legitimate different kinds of research. The author classifies nine such approaches in a typology. These varied approaches arise because none can fully accommodate the conflicting scientific and pragmatic pressures placed on academic research. The airing of these views, however, helps members of the discipline meet their responsibility to re-evaluate the value of existing research and new currents in an ongoing fashion.
A Gauss-Newton algorithm for exploratory factor analysis

It is shown that the scoring algorithm for maximum likelihood estimation in exploratory factor analysis can be developed in a way that is many times more efficient than a direct development based on information matrices and score vectors. The algorithm offers a simple alternative to current algorithms and when used in one-step mode provides the simplest and fastest method presently available for moving from consistent to efficient estimates. Perhaps of greater importance is its potential for extension to the confirmatory model. The algorithm is developed as a Gauss-Newton algorithm to facilitate its application to generalized least squares and to maximum likelihood estimation.
The Transition to Topographic Normal Modes

Abstract The present note proposes an explanation of topographic normal modes that grow in a flow with a zonally symmetric mountain. An issue of practical importance is whether one expects the maximum amplitude to occur poleward or equatorward of a mountain localized in the cross-stream direction. Using a quasigeostrophic model, it is shown that the occurrence of maximum amplitude to the south of the mountain occurs only for longer waves. For a given wave of medium scale, the amplitude is more likely to maximize to the south of the mountain for steeper slopes. The transient behavior resulting from the sudden appearance of a mountain in the presence of an Eady normal mode is discussed first. The topographic correction to the Eady mode quickly acquires a negative meridional tilt at the surface. This tilted structure penetrates upward to the lid and advects basic-state temperature. Because the phase tilt of the Eady mode varies with zonal wavelength, the phase of the topographic correction at the lid relativ...
The Utilization of Wheat and Wheat By-Products in Feeding Young Chickens: IV. Ground Wheat as a Source of Vitamin G Growth Factor. Unknown Factors Which Affect Plumage Color and Structure

Abstract IT HAS been demonstrated that grains should be supplemented with water-soluble growth-promoting factors associated with the vitamin B complex if good growth is to be obtained. There seems to be some confusion as to the identity of growth factors other than the commonly recognized vitamins B (B1, antineuritic), and vitamin G (B2, flavin). 3 Hauge and Carrick (1926) showed that corn was rich in the antineuritic factor but relatively poor in a growth-promoting factor. Normal growth in chicks was obtained by supplementing the corn with dried yeast. Since no symptoms of pellagra were reported when the percentage of corn was low, although slow growth was obtained in the absence of yeast, it was apparent that the growth-promoting factor was not identical with the pellagric factor, but rather with some other factor, probably the vitamin G growth factor. Differentiation between the antineuritic, antipellagric, and growth factors of the vitamin B complex has . . .
Android Smartphone Third Party Advertising Library Data Leak Analysis

Android has many security flaws that are being exploited by malicious developers. Common malware includes many different kinds of behaviors; from complicated root exploits -- to simple private data leakage via explicit permissions. The security features that have been put in place by the Android developers have proven to be insufficient and incapable of preventing malware from proliferating through official and unofficial repositories. Private data leakage has become a popular topic because of the sheer number of applications that request the various permissions to access mobile device's private data and an influx of general privacy concerns amongst the Android community.
Age of first cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use among U.S. biracial/ethnic youth: A population-based study

This study examines age of first cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use among self-identified biracial youth, using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). We found an intermediate biracial phenomenon in which some biracial youth initiate substance use at ages that fall between the initiation ages of their 2 corresponding monoracial groups. When controlling for the covariates, our findings show White-Asian biracial youth begin smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol at earlier ages than Whites and engaging in all forms of substance use at earlier ages than Asian youth. Results indicate White-American Indian youth start smoking cigarettes at earlier ages than all biracial and monoracial groups. Our findings underscore the need for future research to examine substance-use initiation and progression among biracial/ethnic youth.
Elite control of HIV: p21 (waf-1/cip-1) at its best

Despite enormous advances in antiretroviral drug development, infection with HIV-1 continues to remain a major challenge to human health. Efforts to limit the spread of the HIV epidemic have mostly focused on the development of classical vaccines, however, despite more than 20 y of intense research, an effective HIV-1 vaccine remains elusive.1 All HIV-1 vaccines developed so far have focused on the induction of HIV-1-specific T and B cell responses, however, HIV-1 can rapidly escape from immune recognition through sequence variation. Evading from T- and B- cell mediated immune activity through mutational escape is a major strength of HIV-1, suggesting that targeting HIV-1 with such adaptive immune responses may not represent an ideal strategy. Recent investigations have instead focused on identifying specific vulnerabilities of HIV-1 that may offer previously unrecognized opportunities for limiting viral transmission. Most dominantly, such studies have focused on the identification of host molecules that HIV-1 depends on for effectively performing its productive replication cycle in human cells. In prior investigations, several hundred human proteins have been detected that are required for individual steps of the HIV-1 replication cycle, and in the absence of which HIV-1 replication in human cells is substantially reduced.2,3 A prominent component of these HIV-1 dependency factors are cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), which to the readers of this journal may be best known for their ability to regulate cell cycle progression. However, CDKs also play vital roles in supporting replicative activities of a number of viruses, including HSV, CMV, Adenoviruses and HIV-1.4 Mechanistically, the ability of CDKs to support HIV-1 replication has been mostly attributed to their effects on transcriptional elongation of HIV-1 mRNA. Indeed, prior studies demonstrated that effective elongation of HIV-1 mRNA transcripts from chromosomal HIV-1 DNA depends on CDK9-mediated phosphorylation of human RNA polymerase II (RNAPII)5,6; in the absence of CDK9, effective HIV-1 gene transcription does not occur. Could this dependence of HIV-1 on human CDK9 create a specific vulnerability for HIV-1 that some individuals can effectively exploit to keep viral replication under control?
Transient detection of E1-containing adenovirus in saliva after the delivery of a first-generation adenoviral vector to human parotid gland.

Background Radiation-induced salivary hypofunction is a common side-effect of treatment for head and neck cancers. Patients suffer significant morbidity and there is no suitable conventional therapy. We are conducting a Phase I clinical trial, using a first-generation serotype 5 adenoviral (Ad5) vector encoding human aquaporin-1 (AdhAQP1) to treat such patients. One week after the administration of AdhAQP1 to an enrolled, generally healthy patient, E1-containing adenovirus was detected in parotid saliva. Methods The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactuion (PCR) was used to measure the Ad5 E1 gene and AdhAQP1 in saliva and serum. PCR and sequencing were used to characterize viral/vector DNA extracted from saliva. The presence of infectious adenovirus was assessed by the inoculation of A549 cells with aliquots of saliva. Serum Ad5 neutralizing antibodies were measured by the inhibition of 293-cell transduction with an Ad5 vector encoding luciferase. Multiple clinical evaluations were performed. Results On day 7 after AdhAQP1 delivery, low levels of the Ad5 E1 gene were detected in parotid saliva (82 copies/µl). In addition, significant levels of AdhAQP1 were also detected (1.5 × 103 copies/µl). The patient was asymptomatic and subsequent analysis of parotid saliva samples prior to day 7 and after day 7 until day 42 was negative for both virus and vector. No virus or vector was detected in serum at any time. Detailed PCR analyses of DNA extracted from the day 7 parotid saliva sample suggested the absence of a recombination event, and no infectious virus was found. Conclusions The patient most likely had a latent Ad5 infection in the targeted parotid gland that was activated after gene transfer and was without clinical consequence. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diurnal salivary cortisol is associated with body mass index and waist circumference: The multiethnic study of atherosclerosis

Neuroendocrine abnormalities, such as activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are associated with obesity; however, few large-scale population-based studies have examined HPA axis and markers of obesity. We examined the cross-sectional association of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and diurnal salivary cortisol curve with obesity. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Stress Study includes 1,002 White, Hispanic, and Black men and women (mean age 65±9.8 years) who collected up to 18 salivary cortisol samples over 3 days. Cortisol profiles were modeled using regression spline models that incorporated random parameters for subject-specific effects. Cortisol curve measures included awakening cortisol, CAR (awakening to 30 minutes post-awakening), early decline (30 minutes to 2 hours post-awakening), late decline (2 hours post-awakening to bedtime), and the corresponding areas under the curve (AUC). Body-mass-index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were used to estimate adiposity. For the entire cohort, both BMI and WC were negatively correlated with awakening cortisol (p<0.05), AUC during awakening rise and early decline and positively correlated to the early decline slope (p<0.05) after adjustments for age, race/ethnicity, gender, diabetes status, socioeconomic status, beta blockers, steroids, hormone replacement therapy and smoking status. No heterogeneities of effects were observed by gender, age, and race/ethnicity. Higher BMI and WC are associated with neuroendocrine dysregulation, which is present in a large population sample, and only partially explained by other covariates.
A semilinear singular Sturm–Liouville equation involving measure data

Abstract Given α > 0 and p > 1 , let μ be a bounded Radon measure on the interval ( − 1 , 1 ) . We are interested in the equation − ( | x | 2 α u ′ ) ′ + | u | p − 1 u = μ on ( − 1 , 1 ) with boundary condition u ( − 1 ) = u ( 1 ) = 0 . We establish some existence and uniqueness results. We examine the limiting behavior of three approximation schemes. The isolated singularity at 0 is also investigated.
Millimeter-submillimeter wavelength filter system

We describe the design, fabrication, measurement, and performance of a set of cryogenic millimetersubmillimeter wavelength filters used in a balloonborne bolometric radiometer. The set contains single resonant mesh grids used as dichroic beam splitters, resonant meshes in a double quarter-wave configuration, a commercial inductive grid filter, and high-frequency blocking filters. The resultant system has passbands at λ = 1.73, 1.05, 0.61, 0.44 mm with δλ/λ = 0.23, 0.23, 0.12, 0.06. Limits on high-frequency leakage are deduced from laboratory measurements and from the analysis of flight data. The filter set response to three different sources of radiation is presented to show the method and limitations of our characterization. The key element of the filter system is a resonant periodic array of cross-shaped holes etched in thin aluminum. We give an empirical scaling law for the resonant wavelength as a function of structure parameters for aluminum on 25-µm-thick Mylar. Plots of the transmittance for normally incident radiation and the transmittance and reflectance for a 45° incident radiation are presented.
Nicotine and endogenous opioids: neurochemical and pharmacological evidence.

Abstract Although the mesolimbic dopamine hypothesis is the most influential theory of nicotine reward and reinforcement, there has been a consensus that other neurotransmitter systems contribute to the addictive properties of nicotine as well. In this regard, the brain opioidergic system is of interest. Striatum is rich in opioid peptides and opioid receptors, and striatal opioidergic neurons are engaged in a bidirectional communication with midbrain dopaminergic neurons, closely regulating each other’s activity. Enkephalins and dynorphins exert opposing actions on dopaminergic neurons, increasing and decreasing dopamine release respectively, and are components of circuits promoting positive or negative motivational and affective states. Moreover, dopamine controls the synthesis of striatal enkephalins and dynorphins. Evidence suggests that opioidergic function is altered after nicotine and endogenous opioids are involved in nicotine’s behavioral effects. 1) The synthesis and release of β-endorphin, met-enkephalin and dynorphin in brain, especially nucleus accumbens (NAc), are altered after acute or chronic nicotine treatment and during nicotine withdrawal. 2) Although opioid receptor binding and mRNA do not appear to change in the striatum during nicotine withdrawal, the activity of κ-opioid (KOPr) and δ-opioid (DOPr) receptors is attenuated in NAc. 3) The nicotine withdrawal syndrome reminisces that of opiates, and naloxone precipitates some of its somatic, motivational, and affective signs. 4) Genetic and pharmacological studies indicate that μ-opioid (MOPr) receptors are mainly involved in nicotine reward, while DOPrs contribute to the emotional and KOPrs to the aversive responses of nicotine. 5) Finally, MOPrs and enkephalin, but not β-endorphin or dynorphin, are necessary for the physical manifestations of nicotine withdrawal. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Trends in Neuropharmacology: In Memory of Erminio Costa’.
The Effects of the Timing of Nitrogen Fertilizer Application and Irrigation on Yield and Nitrogen Loss in Cotton Production

Nitrogen losses associated with the timing of the application of nitrogen fertilizer and the use of irrigation in the production of cotton in the United States are investigated. For nonirrigated production of cotton, nitrogen fertilizer applied during the fall or the spring realizes a significant loss compared with that applied during the growing season. There is no (statistically) significant evidence that more nitrogen fertilizer applied in the fall is unavailable for plant use relative to nitrogen fertilizer applied in the spring for either nonirrigated or irrigated production of cotton. Irrigation practices result in a significant loss of nitrogen fertilizer because of the increased leaching associated with the irrigation process. Irrigation does reduce, however, potential loss of nitrogen fertilizer by increasing its uptake by plants.
Bifurcation structures: Constraints for models of anodic corrosion chemistry

Abstract Analysis of the steady state bifurcation structures present in the anodic polarization curves of aluminum identify two significant constraints for any viable model of the anodic corrosion process. These constraints appear in the form of the k -determinacy and codimension of the experimentally observed butterfly catastrophy surface for the anodic region of the polarization surface. Using these constraints it is shown that the “Tafel Law” model of corrosion cannot adequately describe the underlying anodic corrosion chemistry.
Synthesis of somatomedin C/insulin-like growth factor I by human placenta.

We have reported the presence of insulin-related poly A+RNA sequences in human placenta by RNA to DNA hybridization. In this study we have used a monoclonal antibody to somatomedin C/insulin-like growth factor I (Sm-C/IGF-I) to identify somatomedin-like proteins whose synthesis is directed by placental mRNA. Poly A+RNA from first trimester and term placenta was translated in a cell-free system using micrococcal nuclease-treated reticulocyte-lysate and [35S]methionine as a label. From 2.0×106 cpm of specifically incorporated [35S]methionine labeled protein, an immunoprecipitate with an apparent molecular weight of 14000 represented about 0.1% of total radioactivity in the translational products of poly A+RNA of first trimester placenta. A less prominent band (0.006%) of the same apparent molecular weight was also evident from translational products of term placental mRNAs. This protein could be competed with either acromegalic serum or synthetic Sm-C/IGF-I when added prior to immunoprecipitation. Translational products synthesized from mRNA of term placenta showed a second labeled band of 24000 daltons. This band was less effectively competed by acromegalic serum and not competed with either Sm-C/IGF-I or IGF-II and therefore its identity is uncertain. A protein similar to Sm-C/IGF-I is, therefore synthesized in first trimester placenta and to a lesser extent at term, suggesting developmental changes in Sm-C/IGF-I synthesis. Because Sm-C/IGF-I may act in a paracrine fashion, our findings suggest a role for Sm-C/IGF-I in growth of the placenta during early gestation.
Synthesis and solid-state structures of dimethyl 2,2'-bithiophenedicarboxylates.

The syntheses of dimethyl 2,2‘-bithiophene-4,4‘-dicarboxylate (3), dimethyl 2,2‘-bithiophene-3,4‘-dicarboxylate (4), and dimethyl 2,2‘-bithiophene-3,3‘-dicarboxylate (5) are described. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis of these compounds shows that the thiophene rings in 3 and 4 are nearly coplanar (dihedral angle close to 0°) and they adopt the anti sulfur conformation in the solid state. Further, the structure of 4 is in agreement with our previous suggestion that there is an electrostatic stabilization of the planar structure due to attraction of the 3-carbonyl oxygen to the sulfur of the distal ring. In 5, however, the thiophene rings are nearly perpendicular (dihedral angle 75°), indicating considerable steric hindrance between the two large ester groups at the 3- and 3‘-positions. Unlike compounds 3 and 4, where the thiophene rings have the sulfur atoms anti, the sulfur atoms in 5 are completely syn. This is the first instance where a bithiophene has been shown to adopt a conformation where t...
Black youth's personal involvement in the HIV/AIDS issue: does the public service announcement still work?

Recent public service announcements (PSAs) directed toward Black youth utilize various formats and appeals to stimulate a motivated cognitive process that engenders personal involvement in the HIV/AIDS issue. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) by Petty and Cacioppo argues that engagement with messages that consist of substantive content causes the audience member to critically analyze the message, which can produce awareness and attitude change. An efficient way to add emphasis to the message and seize the attention of the target audience is to insert the message into an entertainment context. Our study attempted to analyze the impact of the peripheral cue, character appeal, on audience members' attitude change in response to analyzing high- and low-involvement message content. A2 × 4 factorial design was used, with message involvement (high/low) and character appeal (White/Black and celebrity/noncelebrity) as independent variables. The findings showed that celebrity status is the salient factor, with...
A power-efficient wireless sensor network for continuously monitoring seismic vibrations

We present a novel power-efficient wireless sensor network for continuously monitoring and analyzing seismic vibrations with sensor nodes and forwarding the retrieved information with low-cost relay nodes to backend applications. The applied vibration sensing algorithms are derived from the DIN 4150–3 standard. All nodes in the network are battery-powered and equipped with an IEEE 802.15.4 compatible radio transceiver. The nodes communicate with each other by executing a novel power-efficient protocol stack, which provides all network functions required by the vibration-sensing application and uses a publish/subscribe messaging protocol for communicating between the network nodes and the backend applications. Results obtained in certification and field tests show that the proposed vibration-sensing solution is standard-compliant, and that the wireless vibration sensor network (WVSN) exhibits excellent performance in terms of packet delivery rate, latency, and power efficiency.
Field and laboratory aging of RTV silicone insulator coatings

The silicone-based coating applied to 345 kV post insulators in a substation on the shore of Long Island Sound has depolymerized over a period of about 7 years although no in-service failures have occurred. However, the increasing rate of depolymerization suggests that the coatings will have to be renewed in the near future. This paper reports comparisons of aging and material properties for a number of RTV silicone insulator coatings and measurements related to application of a new coating over an existing, field-aged coating.
Transient analysis of dissipative dispersive multiconductor transmission lines by the extended method of characteristics

A numerical technique for the time-domain analysis of lossy dispersive uniform/nonuniform multiconductor lines with arbitrary terminations is presented. The technique is based on an extension of the method of characteristics and includes the dispersion due to skin-effect and higher-order modes in the analysis. The method can characterize high frequency interconnects in terms of frequency dependent equivalent line constants. It is shown that the inverse transforms of these line constants can be used to solve the time domain coupled line equation by using this method. >
Taming of the Skew: Transactional Models Fail to Predict Reproductive Partitioning in the Paper Wasp Polistes dominulus

Female Polistes paper wasps can initiate colonies either solitarily or in cooperative groups. Reproduction is often distributed unequally in groups, even to the point of complete monopolization of breeding by the dominant group member. Transactional models of reproductive skew predict the degree of reproductive partitioning, assuming that the dominant controls group membership and will yield a proportion of reproduction to a subordinate as an incentive to stay peacefully in the group. Using a combination of demographic, genetic and morphological data from a population of P. dominulus, we test predictions of ‘classical’ two-person skew models as well as more complex ‘N-person’ models. This is the most comprehensive study of skew in this species to date, and the results generally do not support transactional models. We found no relationship between skew and relatedness for dyads, and complete skew was observed in unrelated groups despite the prediction for this population that such groups should not occur. In contrast to N-person model predictions, group size tended to increase with relatedness. Although we did find the predicted positive correlation between group size and skew for groups of nonrelatives, this relationship was weak. The zone of conflict between the predicted minimum and maximum staying incentives often spans the entire possible range of reproductive skew, suggesting that a ‘tug-of-war’ scenario may be more appropriate than a transactional framework for understanding within-colony dynamics. Overall, our results demonstrate that transactional skew models have little predictive power and are therefore unlikely to yield further insight into Polistes wasp societies.
Developing an international business reference collection

This article is a bibliographic essay on the development of an international business reference collection. It traces the evolution of resources from print to web-based access. It shows how some broad-based titles are exploded into many subsets such as Consumer International into regional consumer resources. Hopefully this work will provide smaller libraries with new awareness of resources they might aspire to own.
ALIGNING SENTENCES IN PARALLEL CORPORA

In this paper we describe a statistical technique for aligning sentences with their translations in two parallel corpora. In addition to certain anchor points that are available in our data, the only information about the sentences that we use for calculating alignments is the number of tokens that they contain. Because we make no use of the lexical details of the sentence, the alignment computation is fast and therefore practical for application to very large collections of text. We have used this technique to align several million sentences in the English-French Hansard corpora and have achieved an accuracy in excess of 99% in a random selected set of 1000 sentence pairs that we checked by hand. We show that even without the benefit of anchor points the correlation between the lengths of aligned sentences is strong enough that we should expect to achieve an accuracy of between 96% and 97%. Thus, the technique may be applicable to a wider variety of texts than we have yet tried.
Factors Affecting Protein Distribution and Structure in a Dried Droplet

Convective/diffusive drying of biopreservation solutions that contain biological macromolecules or organisms is widely-utilized, especially in desiccated and vitrified state preservation. Typically, solutions are deposited on a surface as thin films or droplets and are dried in a controlled environment. A typical biopreservation solution contains the biomaterial to be preserved, non-reducing sugars (trehalose, sucrose, etc.), polyols, and salts [1]. There are several factors that affect the overall stabilization and storage efficiency of a biopreservation solution: the properties of the chemicals in the solution, the thermodynamic state of the product to be stabilized, the processing conditions, and the interactions of the solution with the surface it is dried on. For example, during drying of a sessile droplet in a low relative humidity environment, secondary flows form within the droplet due to contact line pinning and non-uniform surface flux. These flows mainly cause accumulation of solutes at the droplet’s periphery [2]. An additional factor is the specific interactions among the constituents of the biopreservation solution, which can affect the stability of the biological material.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Predicting global landslide spatiotemporal distribution: Integrating landslide susceptibility zoning techniques and real-time satellite rainfall estimates

Landslides triggered by rainfall can possibly be foreseen in real time by jointly using rainfall intensity-duration thresholds and information related to land surface susceptibility. However, no system exists at either a national or a global scale to monitor or detect rainfall conditions that may trigger landslides due to the lack of sufficient ground-based observing network in many parts of the world. Recent advances in satellite remote sensing technology and increasing availability of high-resolution geospatial products around the globe have provided an unprecedented opportunity for such a study. In this paper, a framework for developing a preliminary real-time prediction system to identify where rainfall-triggered landslides will occur is proposed by combining two necessary components: surface landslide susceptibility and a real-time space-based rainfall analysis system (http://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov). First, a global landslide susceptibility map is derived from a combination of semi-static global surface characteristics (digital elevation topography, slope, soil types, soil texture, land cover classification, etc.) using a GIS weighted linear combination approach. Second, an adjusted empirical relationship between rainfall intensity-duration and landslide occurrence is used to assess landslide hazards at areas with high susceptibility. A major outcome of this work is the availability for the first time of a global assessment of landslide hazards, which is only possible because of the utilization of global satellite remote sensing products. This preliminary system can be updated continuously using the new satellite remote sensing products. This proposed system, if pursued through wide interdisciplinary efforts as recommended herein, bears the promise to grow many local landslide hazard analyses into a global decision-making support system for landslide disaster preparedness and mitigation activities across the world.
Error intensity measures for multi-parameter tracking and passive bearing estimation

A general method is presented for approximating the global error performance of ML (maximum likelihood)-type multiparameter estimators. Comparisons between the global approximation to the mean square error for known and unknown nuisance parameters indicate the degree to which nuisance parameters degrade the performance of ML estimators. The results of a numerical study illustrate the implementation of the method for time delay estimation in cases of coherent interference and Doppler effect. >
Administrative Elites in Multiethnic Polities

The experience of multiethnic empires (Habsburg, Russian, and Ottoman) can be especi ally instructive for contemporary polities. Although all three of these historical adminis trative types were ultimately unsuccessful, informed statesmanship in different historical conditions might have adapted parts of the models they provided, notably the integration of administrative recruits with differing patterns of socialization derived from diverse ethnic cultures.
Coordination Chemistry of 3-Mercapto-2-(mercaptomethyl)propanoic Acid (Dihydroasparagusic Acid) with Iron and Nickel

The first transition-metal complexes bearing the natural product dihydroasparagusic acid, (HSCH2)2CHCO2H, as a ligand are reported. Various coordination modes and nuclearities are demonstrated for the chelating ligand by a series of iron and nickel complexes. Fe2[(SCH2)2CHCO2H](CO)6 retains carbonyl substitution reactivity typical of Fe2(SR)2(CO)6 complexes, yet carboxy coordination to FeI was unobserved. Coupling of the carboxylic acid with amines yields the corresponding amides Fe2[(SCH2)2CHC(O)NHR](CO)6 (R = Et, gly–O–tBu). Fe2[(SCH2)2CHCO2H](CO)4(PMe3)2 catalyzes H2 production, but no better than unfunctionalized alkyl dithiolate analogs. Reactions of the ligand with NiCl2(dppe) afforded mono-, di-, and trinuclear complexes. Noteworthy is Ni3[(SCH2)2CHCO2]2(dppe)2, which features an octahedrally coordinated NiII center linked to a pair of square-planar NiII centers. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
The Effect of Organizational/Technological Factors and the Nature of Knowledge on Knowledge Sharing

This study investigates the dynamics of a knowledge sharing effort in New York State government that involved multiple organizations, divisions, and geographically separated offices in the development of the Multi-Purpose Access for Customer Relations & Operational Support System. Using a case study approach, we address the question of how multiple organizational and technological factors — distributed leadership, alignment of issues and incentives, coordination of a number and variety of groups, trust, technology, and implementation strategy — interact with the nature of knowledge to influence the knowledge sharing process. A major contribution of this study is that it uses a multi-dimensional view of knowledge, examining the interactive impact of the nature of knowledge with multiple organizational and technological factors in public sector knowledge management research.
Natural history of thoracic aortic aneurysms: indications for surgery, and surgical versus nonsurgical risks.

Abstract Background The natural history of thoracic aortic aneurysm is incompletely understood. Over the last 10 years, at Yale University we have maintained a large computerized database of patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. Analysis of this database has permitted insight into fundamental issues of natural behavior of the aorta and development of criteria for surgical intervention. Methods Specialized statistical methods were applied to the prospectively accumulated database of 1600 patients with thoracic aneurysm and dissection, which includes 3000 serial imaging studies and 3000 patient years of follow-up. Results Growth rate: the aneurysmal thoracic aorta grows at an average rate of 0.10 cm per year (0.07 for ascending and 0.19 for descending). Critical sizes: hinge points for natural complications of aortic aneurysm (rupture or dissection) were found at 6.0 cm for the ascending aorta and 7.0 cm for the descending. By the time a patient achieved these critical dimensions the likelihood of rupture or dissection was 31% for the ascending and 43% for the descending aorta. Yearly event rates: a patient with an aorta that has reached 6 cm maximal diameter faces the following yearly rates of devastating adverse events: rupture (3.6%), dissection (3.7%), death (10.8%), rupture, dissection, or death (14.1%). Surgical risks: risk of death from aortic surgery for thoracic aortic aneurysm was 2.5% for the ascending and arch and 8% for the descending and thoracoabdominal aorta. Genetic analysis: family pedigrees confirm that 21% of probands with thoracic aortic aneurysm have first-order family members with arterial aneurysm. Conclusions In risk/benefit analysis the accumulated data strongly support a policy of preemptive surgical extirpation of the asymptomatic aneurysmal thoracic aorta to prevent rupture and dissection. We recommend intervention for the ascending aorta at 5.5 cm and for the descending aorta at 6.5 cm. For Marfan's disease or familial thoracic aortic aneurysm, we recommend earlier intervention at 5.0 cm for the ascending and 6.0 cm for the descending aorta. Symptomatic aneurysms must be resected regardless of size. Family members should be evaluated.
B → X s γ in supersymmetry with explicit CP violation

We discuss $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{B}{X}_{s}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decay in both constrained and unconstrained supersymmetric models with explicit $\mathrm{CP}$ violation within the minimal flavor violation scheme by including $\mathrm{tan}\ensuremath{\beta}$-enhanced large contributions beyond the leading order. In this analysis, we take into account the relevant cosmological and collider bounds, as well as electric dipole moment constraints. In the unconstrained model, there are portions of the parameter space yielding a large $\mathrm{CP}$ asymmetry at leading order (LO). In these regions, we find that the $\mathrm{CP}$ phases satisfy certain sum rules, e.g., the sum of the phases of the $\ensuremath{\mu}$ parameter and the top squark trilinear coupling centralize around $\ensuremath{\pi}$ with a width determined by the experimental bounds. In addition, at large values of $\mathrm{tan}\ensuremath{\beta},$ the sign of the $\mathrm{CP}$ asymmetry tracks the sign of the gluino mass, and the $\mathrm{CP}$ asymmetry is significantly larger than the LO prediction. In the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model based on minimal supergravity, we find that the decay rate is sensitive to the phase of the universal trilinear coupling. This sensitivity decreases at large values of the universal gauino mass. We also show that, for a given set of the mass parameters, there exists a threshold value of the phase of the universal trilinear coupling which grows with $\mathrm{tan}\ensuremath{\beta}$ and beyond which the experimental bounds are satisfied. In both supersymmetric scenarios, the allowed ranges of the $\mathrm{CP}$ phases are wide enough to have phenomenological consequences.
The effects of varying lengths of initial interaction on attraction

This study focused on changes in attraction during an initial interaction between two strangers. Participants were instructed to engage in “getting‐acquainted” interaction. During their interaction they were interrupted and asked to complete an instrument assessing attraction. They continued their interaction and upon finishing again completed the instrument. No linear relationship was found between the length of interaction and attraction. No significant difference in the mean level of attraction from the first and second assessments was found; however, a large percentage of participants were found to change in the level of attraction between the two assessment periods.
Frontier analysis in healthcare

Frontier techniques can be of immense use in establishing the best practice benchmarks against which the performance of healthcare providers can be evaluated. If credible benchmarks are set by frontier techniques, then reimbursement schemes can be guided by the performance of individual providers. Although frontier techniques have gained acceptance in other regulatory arenas, their potential remains unfulfilled in healthcare. This paper speculates on the strengths and weaknesses of the application of frontier techniques in healthcare reimbursement schemes, although the main objective is to introduce the readers to the basics of the techniques. Two techniques are considered; one is regression-based and the other is based on linear programming techniques. Each technique has its own relative advantage depending on the confidence generated by the underlying data or the ability to model a complex service delivery technology.
Geodetic and dynamical properties of planets

Data concerning planetary dynamics and geodesy are severely limited because, at present, only one planetary system in the universe can be studied. It is, therefore, impossible to base the study of planets on a significant statistical sample. The gravity fields of the planets are discussed, giving attention to the various space missions involved in the collection of the relevant data. Other subjects considered include planetary shape and topography, planetary rotations, and planetary interiors. The basic problem in finding an acceptable model for the planetary interior is to specify the chemical composition with depth and then to find a physically realistic equation for the material.
Ub Iwerks' (Multi)Plain Cinema

While pioneer animator Ub Iwerks has often been praised as a driving force behind the early success of the Walt Disney Company, his independent work has received scant attention. That relative omis...
Locally compact, locally countable spaces and random reals

Abstract In this note I will present a proof that, assuming PFA, if R is a measure algebra then after forcing with R every uncountable locally compact locally countable cometrizable space contains an uncountable discrete set. The lemmas and techniques will be presented in a general form as they may be applicable to other problems.
The impact of lymph node involvement on survival in patients with papillary and follicular thyroid carcinoma.

Background The prognostic role of lymph node metastases in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma remains controversial. We investigated impact of lymph node involvement on survival in patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Methods We queried the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry for patients diagnosed with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma between 1988 and 2003. Cases were stratified by age ( Results We identified 33,088 patients. 30,504 patients (49% ≥45 years) had papillary carcinoma and 2,584 patients (55% ≥45 years) had follicular carcinoma. Age affected survival in all models ( P P = .535), whereas in patients ≥45 years, lymph node involvement was associated with 46% increased risk of death ( P P ≤ .002). Effects of other covariates varied between models. Conclusion Cervical lymph node metastases conferred independent risk in all patients with follicular carcinoma and in those patients with papillary carcinoma aged ≥45 years, but did not affect survival in patients with papillary carcinoma
Effects of sediment load on emergence of aquatic invertebrates and plants from wetland soil egg and seed banks

Intensive agricultural activities near prairie wetlands may result in excessive sediment loads, which may bury seed and invertebrate egg banks that are important for maintenance and cycling of biotic communities during wet/dry cycles. We evaluated effects of sediment burial on emergence of plants and invertebrates from seed and invertebrate egg banks. Sediment-load experiments indicated that burial depths of 0.5 cm caused a 91.7% reduction in total seedling emergence and a 99.7% reduction in total invertebrate emergence. Results of our burial experiments corroborated prior research on seedling emergence. However, our study demonstrated that invertebrate emergence is also highly susceptible to the effects of burial. Our research suggests that sediment entering wetlands from agricultural erosion may also hamper successional changes throughout interannual climate cycles. Land-management strategies need to be implemented that will prevent erosion of cropland top soil from entering wetlands.
Foreign Aid and Coups D’État

What role does foreign aid play in the introduction of violence conflict into political life? Specifically, does foreign aid encourage and promote coups d’etat? Two answers have emerged from the relevant literature. In the first, foreign aid, like other sources of rent and non-tax revenue, stabilizes regimes. In the second, foreign aid actually encourages violence as political actors battle for control over the rent that it represents. Indeed, the first argument misses the fact that while regime type may seem to be stable, individual leaders and their winning coalitions may be violently turned out of office with regularity. Given the fact that foreign aid has been advanced as a way to improve the lives of those living in the developing world, attention should be given to its pernicious consequences. To gain leverage over this question, I execute a quantitative test, using OECD aid data as my independent variable, and coups from the Polity IV list of such events.