cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on structural foam processing II. Bubble dynamics in foam injection molding

An experimental study was carried out to gain a better understanding of the dynamic behavior of gas bubbles during the structural foam injection molding operation. For the study, a rectangular mold cavity with glass windows on both sides was constructed, which permitted us to record on a movie film the dynamic behavior of gas bubbles in the mold cavity as a molten polymer containing inert gas was injected into it. The mold was designed so that either isothermal or nonisothermal injection molding could be carried out. Materials used were polystyrene, high-density polyethylene, and polycarbonate. As chemical blowing agents, sodium bicarbonate (which generates carbon dioxide), a proprietary hydrazide and 5-phenyl tetrazole, both generating nitrogen, were used. Injection pressure, injection melt temperature, and mold temperature were varied to investigate the kinetics of bubble growth (and collapse) during the foam injection molding operation. It was found that the processing variables (e.g., the mold temperature, the injection pressure, the concentration of blowing agent) have a profound influence on the nucleation and growth rates of gas bubbles during mold filling. Some specific observations made from the present study are as follows: an increase in melt temperature, blowing agent concentration, and mold temperature brings about an increase in bubble growth but more non-uniform cell size and its distribution, whereas an increase in injection pressure (and hence injection speed) brings about a decrease in bubble growth but more uniform cell size and its distribution. Whereas almost all the theoretical studies published in the literature deal with the growth (or collapse) of a stationary single spherical gas bubble under isothermal conditions, in structural foam injection molding the shape of the bubble is not spherical because the fluid is in motion during mold filling. Moreover, a temperature gradient exists in the mold cavity and the cooling subsequent to mold filling influences bubble growth significantly. It is suggested that theoretical study be carried out on bubble growth in an imposed shear field under nonisothermal conditions.
Building a bridge from the other bank: This issue's focus on research methods and tools for hospitality management

General managers, restaurant managers, and corporate officers may have little enough time to stop and consider what kind of research projects in which to partake. After all, such research often yields only an incremental advance in theory, which is of seemingly limited managerial value. Nevertheless, a major component of the mission of many academic institutions is to conduct research, and to interpret and disseminate the findings. Many efforts have been made to bridge the divide between researchers and practitioners. This has included special research issues devoted to examples of researcher-practitioner collaboration, papers providing insights for enhancing the effectiveness of teaching organizational sciences, and books targeted at academics and intended to increase the practical nature of research. Notably missing, however, is work aimed at building the bridge from the other bank of this chasm. The strengthening of ties between researchers and practitioners requires effort on the part of both parties to create a successful partnership.
Phosphorescence of cycloalkanones

Abstract The 3n, π∗ phosphorescence of a series of cycloalkanones has been studied in EPA at 77 K with the aim of deducing the importance of ring strain and substitution on radiationless decay processes. Results indicate that the contour of the phosphorescence spectrum (unstructured) remains the same (≈450 nm maximum) for the series cyclobutanone, cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, cycloheptanone, and cyclo-octanone, and that whereas α-methyl substitution decreases the phosphorescence intensity relative to the parent cycloalkanone, β-substitution results in increasing phosphorescence. The phosphorescence yield of cyclobutanone, cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, cycloheptanone, cyclo-octanone, increase in the ratio 1 : 63 : 22 : 201 : 290. The low phosphorescence yield of cyclobutanone (op=0.003) is considered to be an indication of a small triplet yield relative to the remaining molecules. The results suggest that the α-CH stretching mode is a factor in radiationless deactivation from the lowest triplet and that radiotionless deactivation processes may be different in the singlet and triplet states.
A novel vertical attenuated total reflectance photochemical flow-through reaction cell for Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

A unique photochemical cell design and two experiments are presented, which illustrate the usefulness of flow-through attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as a technique for investigating photochemical reactions at the mineral-water interface. The kinetics of the photolysis reaction of potassium oxalate (K2C2O4) in a ferric iron solution and oxalate adsorbed onto goethite (α-FeOOH) were investigated to show the capabilities of the cell. Due to complicated kinetics, the adsorption experiment demonstrates not only the types of complex problems, that may exist at the mineral-water interface, but also the ability for this novel cell design to address them.
Metformin sensitizes chemotherapy by targeting cancer stem cells and the mTOR pathway in esophageal cancer

Our clinical study indicates esophageal adenocarcinoma patients on metformin had a better treatment response than those without metformin. However, the effects of metformin and the mechanisms of its action in esophageal cancer (EC) are unclear. EC cell lines were used to assess the effects of metformin alone or in combination with 5-fluorouracil on survival and apoptosis. RPPA proteomic array and immunoblots were used to identify signaling affected by metformin. Standard descriptive statistical methods were used. Reduction in cell survival and induction of apoptosis by metformin were observed in several EC cell lines. The use of metformin in combination with 5-FU significantly sensitized EC cells to the cytotoxic effect of 5-FU. RPPA array demonstrated that metformin decreased various oncogenes including PI3K/mTORsignaling and survival/cancer stem cell-related genes in cells treated with metformin compared with its control. Immunoblots and transcriptional analyses further confirm that metformin downregulated these CSC-related genes and the components of the mTOR pathway in a dose-dependent manner. Sorted ALDH-1+ cell tumor sphere forming capacity was preferentially reduced by metformin. Finally, metformin reduced tumor growth in vivo and when combined with FU, there was synergistic reduction in tumor growth. Metformin inhibits EC cell growth and sensitizes EC cells to 5-FU cytotoxic effects by targeting CSCs and the components of mTOR. The present study supports our previous clinical observations that the use of metformin is beneficial to EC patients. Metformin can complement other therapeutic combinations to effectively treat EC patients.
How Do Land-Use and Climate Change Affect Watershed Health? A Scenario-Based Analysis

With the growing emphasis on biofuel crops and potential impacts of climate variability and change, there is a need to quantify their effects on hydrological processes for developing watershed management plans. Environmental consequences are currently estimated by utilizing computer models such as Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate watershed hydrology under projected climate and land-use scenarios to assess the effect on water quantity and/or quality. Such studies have largely been deterministic in nature, with the focus being on whether hydrologic variables such as runoff, sediment and/or nutrient loads increase or decrease from the baseline case under projected scenarios. However, studying how these changes would affect watershed health in a risk-based framework has not been attempted. In this study, impacts of several projected land-use and climate change scenarios on the health of the Wildcat Creek watershed in Indiana have been assessed through three risk indicators, namely reliability–resilience–vulnerability (R–R–V). Results indicate that cultivation of biofuel crops such as Miscanthus and switchgrass has the potential to improve risk indicator values with respect to sediment, total N and total P. Climate change scenarios that involved rising precipitation levels were found to negatively impact watershed health indicators. Trends of water quality constituents under risk-based watershed health assessment revealed nuances not readily apparent from deterministic assessments alone. For example, while biofuel crop cultivation reduced total N loads under all hypothetical land-use scenarios examined in this study, watershed vulnerability in terms of total N also rose in some of those scenarios. Risk-based analyses coupled with deterministic methods are needed for a more comprehensive assessment of the health of a watershed under projected scenarios.
First report of Impatiens necrotic spot virus in blackberry in the Southeastern United States.

Blackberry yellow vein disease (BYVD) has emerged as an important disease of blackberry (Rubus spp.) in the south and southeastern United States (2,3). In an effort to characterize viruses that may be involved in the disease, double-stranded RNA extracted from a symptomatic 'Apache' blackberry from South Carolina was used for shotgun cDNA cloning (4). Sequence analysis showed that in addition to Blackberry yellow vein associated virus (BYVaV) (2), a constant component of BYVD, sequences of Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) also were obtained. The 623-nt fragment of INSV (Genbank Accession No. EU287930) shared 98% nucleotide and amino acid sequence identity with GenBank Accession No. NC003616. Confirmation of the results of the initial shotgun cloning was done by reverse transcription-PCR with primers INSVF (5' GATCTGTCCTGGGATTGTTC 3') and INSVR (5' GTCTCCTTCTGGTTCTATAATCAT 3') that amplify a 460 base fragment of the M RNA of INSV. Amplicons obtained from single-stranded and dsRNA templates were sequenced and found to be identical with EU287930. The identity of INSV by PCR was also supported by positive results with a commercially available INSV-ELISA kit (AC Diagnostics, Fayetteville, AR). Earlier, more than 400 plants from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia with BYVD and other virus-like symptoms were tested for INSV by ELISA and approximately 33% were found to be infected with the virus (1). Thus, INSV appears to be one of the major viruses infecting blackberry in the southeastern United States, and it remains to be seen if INSV acts synergistically with BYVaV and other viruses to contribute to the severity of BYDV. To our knowledge, this is the first report of INSV infecting Rubus spp. References: (1) T. L. Guzman-Baeny. M.S. thesis. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, 2003. (2) J. Susaimuthu et al. Plant Pathol. 55:607, 2006. (3) J. Susaimuthu et al. Virus Res. 131:145, 2008. (4) I. E. Tzanetakis et al. J. Virol. Methods 124:73, 2005.
maelstrom is required to position the MTOC in stage 2–6 Drosophila oocytes

The factors that determine intracellular polarity are largely unknown. In Drosophila oocytes one of the earliest polar events is the positioning of the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC). Here we present data that are consistent with the hypothesis that maelstrom is required for posterior positioning of the MTOC.
Radiographic assessment of vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: the physiological perspective

Abstract Objectives: Vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is ascribed to be the cause of morbidity and mortality in 10–30% of patients. Vascular narrowing following SAH defined by angiography (along with non-invasive vascular imaging such as CT angiography) is, however, present in most patients. We seek to describe the need for understanding the clinically relevant syndrome of delayed ischemic neurological deficit (DIND) and to describe various perfusion techniques which in addition to vascular imaging studies, are needed to fully understand when delayed neurological deficits are due to due vasospasm induced ischemia. Methods: The literature regarding various perfusion techniques as they relate to vasospasm and DIND was reviewed. Results: There are many techniques which offer some data regarding cerebral blood flow in the setting of DIND. Truly quantitative techniques such as positron emission tomography and xenon CT offer powerful tools to identify areas at increased risk for infarction...
Progress and bottlenecks in simulating lattice gauge theory with fermions

We present a progress report in lattice gauge theory computer simulations which includes the effects of light, dynamical fermions. Microcanonical and hybrid microcanonical-Langevin alogrithms are presented and discussed. A method for “accelerating” stochastic differential equations and defeating critical slowing down is reviewed. Physics applications such as the thermodynamics of quantum chromodynamics, hierarchal energy scales in unified gauge theories, and the phase diagram of theories with many fermion species are discussed. Prospects for future research are assessed.
Sodium channels in cardiac Purkinje cells.

Sodium (Na+) currents are responsible for excitation and conduction in most cardiac cells, but their study has been hampered by the lack of a satisfactory method for voltage clamp. We report a new method for low resistance access to single freshly isolated canine cardiac Purkinje cells that permits good control of voltage and intracellular ionic solutions. The series resistance was usually less than 3Ω cm2, similar to that of the squid giant axon. Cardiac Na+ currents resemble those of nerve. However, Na+ current decay is multiexponential. The basis for this was further studied with cell-attached patch clamp recording of single Na+ channel properties. A prominent characteristic of the single channels was their ability to reopen after closure. There was also a long opening state that may be the basis for a small very slowly decaying Na+ current. This rare long opening state may contribute to the Na+ current during the action potential plateau.
Independently Validating Ideology Measures: A Look at NOMINATE and Adjusted ADA Scores

Measures of political ideology are central to a broad range of political science scholarship. However, despite extensive evaluation of the relative characteristics of vote-based ideology measures, little scholarship examines their validity independent of legislator behavior. Ideological validity is overlooked because all existing measures are action based. To address this gap, this article applies an instrumental-variables technique called FILTER to assess the validity of two important measures of legislator ideology: NOMINATE and interest-group ratings. The technique is also applied to investigate whether the measured action-based ideology suffers from agenda bias. The results show that the measures produce valid estimates of legislator ideology. Moreover, FILTER offers an important alternative to existing action-based measures of ideology that might be inappropriate for use in some settings, such as when the dependent variable being studied is also action based.
Influence of water quality and associated contaminants on survival and growth of the endangered Cape Fear shiner (Notropis mekistocholas).

The Cape Fear shiner (Notropis mekistocholas) is a recently described cyprinid species endemic to the Cape Fear River Basin of North Carolina, USA. Only five populations of the fish remain; thus, it is listed as endangered by the U.S. Government. Determining habitat requirements of the Cape Fear shiner, including water quality and physical habitat, is critical to the survival and future restoration of the species. To assess water quality in the best remaining and in the historical habitats, we conducted a 28-d in situ bioassay with captively propagated Cape Fear shiners. Fish were deployed at 10 sites in three rivers, with three cages per site and 20 fish per cage. Water and sediment samples were collected and analyzed for selected metals and organic contaminants. Passive sampling devices also were deployed at each site and analyzed for organic contaminants at test termination. Fish survival, growth (as measured by an increase in total length), and contaminant accumulation were measured on completion of the bioassay. Survival of caged fish averaged 76% (range, 53-100%) and varied significantly among sites and rivers. Caged fish accumulated quantities of cadmium, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other persistent contaminants over the test duration and grew significantly at only four sites. No apparent relations were observed between exposure to or accumulation of a specific contaminant and reduced growth or survival of fish among all the sites. However, a generalized hazard assessment showed that certain sites exhibited trends in cumulative contaminant presence with reduced fish survival and growth, thereby enabling the identification of the existing riverine habitat most suitable for reintroduction or population augmentation of this endangered fish. Keywords—Biomonitoring In situ toxicity Endangered species Water quality Cape Fear shiner
ATTEMPTS TO UTILIZE BACTERIOPHAGE TO COMBAT SALMONELLA ENTERICA SEROVAR ENTEMTIDIS INFECTION IN CHICKENS

Bacteriophage capable oflysing a nalidixic acid-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis strain (SeE Nal r ) were tested for the ability to reduce cecal Salmonella counts in young chickens infected with the bacterium. Qualitative analysis of cloacal swabs suggested that phage treatment can possibly reduce shedding of SeE Nal r , but average SeE Nal r counts ofbetween 10 5 and 10 7 cfu of SeE Nal r per g of cecum were obtained even from phage-treated 14-day old birds and even when more than 10 7 plaque forming units of phage were present per gram of cecal content. The average cecal SeE Nal r counts were generally between 0.3 and 1.3 orders of magnitude lower in phage-treated chickens than in untreated controls birds. The difference in counts was statistically not significant in three animal trials, but significant in two trials using feed particles as delivery vehicles for the phage. Although some of the SeE Nal r in the cecae of phage-treated chickens had developed resistance to some of the phage used, factors other than phage resistance must have contributed to the failure of the phage to substantially reduce SeE Nal r counts.
Inhalation injury with burns: A lethal combination

Inhalation injury is known to add significant morbidity and mortality to patients with burns. Estimating the severity of inhalation injury is difficult, as signs of respiratory failure may occur hours or even days after the injury. We have reviewed 86 consecutive patients who were admitted to our Burn/Trauma Center with burns and evidence suggestive of smoke inhalation. Of these patients, 88% required endotracheal intubation. There was a 62% mortality. Admission chest x-rays studies, PAO2, and auscultation of the patient's lungs were normal in 90% of the study group. These factors could not be used to predict respiratory failure or death. Patients with as little as 15% total body surface burns with mild smoke inhalation are at significant risk of respiratory failure and the need for ventilatory support.
Infections of Orthopaedic Implants and Devices

Prosthetic implantation is rising in popularity in the United States, and use of prostheses will only continue to increase with the aging of the Baby Boomer generation. A concurrent rise in the number of infections of these implants is also being seen. Prosthetic implant infection (PII) can be caused by direct inoculation of bacteria to the implant or by seeding from the blood (hematogenous). Because the implant is quickly coated by host connective tissue upon implantation, bacteria such as the staphylococcal species S. aureus and S. epidermidis are able to readily gain a foothold in the host. S. aureus is able to quickly develop antibiotic resistance and methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA) are considered endemic in hospitals. This bacterium features a myriad of virulence factors that allow it to colonize and damage the host, as well as avoid the host immune response. These virulence factors are largely regulated through population-based quorum sensing via the agr system. S. aureus is also able to form biofilms, microbial communities encased in a polysaccharide matrix, which allows the bacteria within to persist in the face of antimicrobial therapies and the host response. Diagnosis of PII is difficult with many false results and confusion with aseptic loosening of the implant. Because of ineffective means of diagnosis, combined with S. aureus’ high incidence of antibiotic resistance and its ability to evade both antibiotics and the host response through biofilm formation, treatment for PII is often inadequate and infection can become chronic. Therefore, PII has a high rate of morbidity and mortality for patients, as well as an extreme economic burden on the US healthcare system.
Outside of a Small Circle of Friends: States, Genocide, Mass Killing and The Role of Bystanders

The paper begins with a brief discussion of the conditions under which genocide and other instances of mass killing occur and discusses recent levels of reporting of such instances. The core of the paper is an examination of the circumstances and structural conditions which have allowed these crimes against humanity to go relatively undernoticed and unchallenged. Three interrelated questions concerning the assumptions which are built into the current state system and the state as an institution guide the analysis of how states have arrived at a position in which mass killing by states and their agents is somehow 'accepted' and whereby there is little expectation that other states in the system will intervene on behalf of those in danger. To explore the lack of response further, the literature of 'bystander apathy' is introduced and the classic formulation of Latane & Darley 1969 is employed to structure an exammation of bystander non-involvement in the international system of states. Eleven confounding fa...
The global range of subduction zone thermal models

We model 56 segments of subduction zones using kinematically defined slabs based on updated geometries from Syracuse and Abers (2006) to obtain a comprehensive suite of thermal models for the global subduction system. These two-dimensional thermal models provide insight to the dehydration and melting processes that occur in subduction zones. Despite the wide range of slab geometries, ages, convergence velocities and upper plates the predicted thermal structures share many common features. All models feature partial coupling between the slab and the overriding plate directly downdip of the thrust zone, invoked to replicate the cold nose observed in measurements of heat flow and seismic attenuation. We test four separate assumptions about the causes of the partial coupling: (1) the downdip end of the partial coupling is at a constant depth, (2) it is at constant distance trenchward from the arc, (3) it is defined by a critical surface slab temperature, or (4) it is adjusted such that the hottest part of the mantle wedge beneath the arc is at a constant temperature for all subduction zones. In all of these models, slabs reach temperatures where the top of the oceanic crust and sediments dehydrate before they reach subarc depths, and the overlying mantle wedge is too hot for hydrous minerals to be stable at subarc depths. By contrast, the interior of the oceanic crust and underlying mantle within the downgoing plate remains cold enough for hydrous phases to be stable beyond the arc in all but the hottest subduction zones, allowing water to be carried beyond the arc in the slab.
Task options for redundancy resolution using configuration control

New goals for redundancy resolution are established based on manipulator dynamics and end-effector characteristics. These goals can be accomplished by employing the configuration control approach. Redundancy resolution is achieved by controlling the joint inertia matrix or the end-effector mass matrix that affect the inertial torques, or by reducing the joint torques due to gravity loading and payload. The manipulator mechanical advantage and velocity ratio and the end-effector sensitivity are also used as performance measures to be improved by proper utilization of redundancy. The goals for redundancy resolution presented allow a more efficient utilization of the redundant joints based on the desired task requirements. >
Effects of elevated circulating cortisol concentrations on maternal behavior in common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus)

Summary Both acute and chronic stress can impair maternal behavior and increase rates of infant abuse in several species. The mechanisms inducing these effects are unknown, but experimental manipulation of circulating corticosterone levels alters maternal behavior in rats, and circulating or excreted cortisol concentrations have been found to correlate either positively or negatively with maternal behavior in humans and nonhuman primates. In this study, therefore, we experimentally tested the hypothesis that both acute and chronic treatment with exogenous glucocorticoids would alter maternal behavior in a primate, the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Multiparous females, approximately 3—5 weeks postpartum, received daily injections of either cortisol (hydrocortisone sodium succinate and hydrocortisone acetate; N = 7) or vehicle (N = 7) for 8 days, and maternal behavior was characterized under baseline conditions as well as during exposure to a noise stressor. Cortisol treatment successfully elevated both morning and afternoon plasma cortisol concentrations and suppressed circulating levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone. In home-cage observations, cortisol-treated females carried their infants significantly less than control mothers, and in noise-stressor tests, several hours after the first cortisol or vehicle treatment, cortisol-treated mothers inspected their infants significantly more often than controls. Aggression towards infants was infrequent and mild, and did not differ between treatment groups. These findings provide the first experimental evidence that cortisol elevations can alter maternal behavior in primates. As these effects were limited in scope, however, they suggest that other stress-responsive hormones or neuropeptides may additionally play a role in mediating the effects of stress on maternal behavior.
Age-related functional and histopathological changes of the ear in the MPS I mouse

Summary Objective Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a mutation in the gene encoding the enzyme α-L-iduronidase. This enzyme is responsible for degradation of dermatan and heparan sulfates. Enzyme deficiency results in their accumulation in lysosomes of virtually all organs, resulting in severe somatic and neurological changes. Clinical findings of otitis media with mixed hearing loss are common. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of ear pathology and hearing loss are not understood. The purpose of this study is to describe the age-related audiologic and histopathologic changes of the ear in the mouse model of MPS I. Methods Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were obtained to clicks and tone bursts at 1–32 kHz, and pathological changes to middle and inner ears were studied with light and electron microscopy in 53 mice that included: (1) wild type (+/+)—five at 2 months, five at 4–6 months, and five at 13–19 months; (2) heterozygotes (+/−)—four at 2 months, five at 4–6 months, and eight at 13–19 months; and (3) homozygotes (−/−)—five at 2 months, six at 4–6 months, and five at 13–19 months. Histopathology was also done on five newborn −/− mice. Results In newborns, no lysosomal storage was observed and the ear appeared age appropriately normal. In all other −/− mice, cells with lysosomal storage vacuoles were observed in spiral ligament, spiral prominence, spiral limbus, basilar membrane, epithelial and mesothelial cells of Reissner's membrane, endothelial cells of vessels, and some ganglion cells; their number increased with aging. Hair cell loss was not observed at 2 or 6 months, but there was total loss of the organ of Corti in year-old mice. Hearing of −/− mice was significantly decreased at all ages compared to +/+ and +/−. Hearing loss progressed from mild to moderate loss at 2 months to profound at 6 months and total deafness by 1 year of age. Conclusions Progressive age-related changes suggest early therapeutic intervention to prevent sensory cell damage and hearing loss.
The viscous damping of cnoidal waves

The viscous damping of cnoidal waves progressing over a smooth horizontal bed is investigated. First approximations are derived for the attenuation of wave height with distance and for the friction coefficient at the bed. Attenuation coefficients are larger than those predicted on the basis of shallow-water sinusoidal wave theory and, unlike the case of sinusoidal waves, they are not independent of wave height. The limiting case of the solitary wave, considered previously by Keulegan (1948), is also discussed.
Effects of Oscillating Dietary Protein on Growth, Efficiency, and Serum Metabolites in Growing Beef Steers

Ninety-six Gelbvieh-Angus steers (average initial BW = 270 ± 0.5 kg) were used in a randomized complete block-design 56-d experiment to evaluate the effects of oscillating dietary CP on growth and serum metabolite concentrations in growing beef steers. The four treatments consisted of an 11, 13, or 15% CP diet fed daily or a regimen in which dietary CP was oscillated between 11 and 15% on a 48-h basis (ACP). All diets consisted of 65% bromegrass hay (8.9% CP, 61% NDF, and 37% ADF) plus 35% corn-based supplement and were formulated to contain ruminally degradable protein (RDP) at 8.5% of DM using a combination of soybean meal and urea. Treatment CP concentrations > 11% were accomplished with the addition of a ruminally undegradable protein (RUP) source (SoyPLUS®; West Central Cooperative, Ralston, IA). All steers were fed at 3.0% of BW (DM basis) throughout the trial, resulting in an average DMI of 8.6 kg/d across treatments. Increasing CP from 11 to 15% linearly increased (P=0.007) ADG, which was associated with a linear increase (P=0.008) in feed efficiency (kg of BW gain/100 kg of DM). Conversely, increasing dietary CP decreased (quadratic, P=0.02) efficiency of CP use (kg of BW gain/kg of CP intake) and increased (P=0.0001) serum urea N (SUN) concentrations. Steers fed ACP exhibited similar (P≤0.43) ADG and feed efficiency compared with those fed 13% CP daily. However, feeding ACP tended (P=0.13) to improve efficiency of CP use (1.00 vs 0.93 kg of BW gain/kg of CP intake) and tended (P=0.07) to reduce SUN compared with feeding the 13% CP diet daily. These results suggest that oscillating the CP concentration in the diet has little effect on steer performance and may increase efficiency of protein utilization compared with steers fed the same quantity of protein on a daily basis.
Effect of Thin Film Thicknesses and Materials on the Response of RTDs and Microthermocouples

Fabrication and thermal characterization of a resistance temperature detector (RTD) heater and microthermocouples (MTs) on silicon substrates have been reported in this paper. The influence of film thickness and nickel-gold (Au) electroplating on RTD on its steady-state temperature with respect to its steady-state electrical power input and resistance is studied. Further, the thermal effects of multiple thermocouples in a thermopile as well as the effects of Au layers in the contact pads of the thermopiles on their open-circuit Seebeck voltage are studied. Therein lies the novelty of this paper. The in situ operating relationships for the RTD heater and the MT are provided
Influences on Human Resource Management Practices in Multinational Corporations

A study of human resource management practices in 249 U.S. affiliates of foreign-based multinational corporations (MNCs) shows that in general affiliate HRM practices closely follow local practices, with differences among specific practices. The degree of similarity of local practices is significantly influenced by the method of founding, dependence on local inputs, the presence of expatriates, and the extent of communication with the parent. In addition, sharp differences are revealed among affiliates of Canadian, Japanese and European MNCs, suggesting strong country effects. Together, these findings support the view of MNCs as composed of differentiated practices, which in turn are shaped by forces for local isomorphism and for internal consistency.
Catch-All or Catch and Release? The Electoral Consequences of Social Democratic Parties' March to the Middle in Western Europe

This paper addresses the electoral consequences of catch-all parties' shifts to the political center. Although the move to the center of many European Social Democratic parties in the 1990s was first rewarded with victories, these parties have since faced a remarkable electoral drought that is surprisingly carrying through the current "hard times" of the international economic order. What explains the seeming inability of these catch-all parties to cast a wider, but sustainable net for voters? This inability is particularly puzzling given that Social Democratic parties should be well positioned to address the current economic troubles. This development challenges standard explanations that apply variations of the Downesian spatial model. It is necessary to add a temporal dimension to explain when and why the broadening of party platforms fails and produces counterintuitive electoral outcomes. Of particular concern in explaining the outcomes of catch-all strategies are the existence of viable parties to the left of the catch-all party on the left-right continuum and the electoral institutions of a given country. Scholars of European political parties have called into question the adequacy of standard left/right indicators as measures of party competition, suggesting that a multi-dimensional space is necessary to accurately depict contemporary European politics. Without dismissing other factors, we stress the enduring relevance of material-based competition in today's European politics, a competition still well captured by left/right measurements. Our empirical study analyzes the votes of individuals in six European countries in the past three decades in comparison to an individual's distance from Social Democratic catch-all parties' left-right position. The individual level allows us to observe current votes as they relate to previous votes, which is an essential part of our argument, but necessarily omitted from studies using aggregate vote shares. Our findings indicate that current analyses of the electoral effects of strategy shifts are misleading inasmuch as they fail to account for individual-level motivations for vote switching.
Strategy, environmental scanning and firm performance: an integration of content and process in the foodservice industry.

A survey of 65 foodservice firms questioned CEO's on their firm's strategy, environmental scanning, and performance. Results indicate that firms espousing low cost or differentiation perform significantly higher than focus firms; higher performing firms engage in significantly higher levels of environmental scanning; and the effects of strategy and scanning are additive.
Security threats to mobile multimedia applications: Camera-based attacks on mobile phones

Today's mobile smartphones are very powerful, and many smartphone applications use wireless multimedia communications. Mobile phone security has become an important aspect of security issues in wireless multimedia communications. As the most popular mobile operating system, Android security has been extensively studied by researchers. However, few works have studied mobile phone multimedia security. In this article, we focus on security issues related to mobile phone cameras. Specifically, we discover several new attacks that are based on the use of phone cameras. We implement the attacks on real phones, and demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the attacks. Furthermore, we propose a lightweight defense scheme that can effectively detect these attacks.
A study into the sequencing of thermal cycling and vibration tests

During operation, microelectronic packages are subjected to a combination of thermal cycling, power cycling, and dynamic mechanical loading such as shock and vibration. Although microelectronic packages are subjected to a combination of loading conditions, the vast body of existing literature has focused on understanding the reliability of microelectronic packages typically under one loading condition. Assessing solder joint reliability under loading conditions is especially important for harsh environments such as space, automobile, and military applications. The work presented here is directed towards testing and predicting solder joint reliability under multiple loading conditions in a ceramic column grid array (CCGA) electronic package. In this work, the sequence effect on solder joint reliability of a CCGA component under sequential accelerated thermal cycling tests (ATC) and vibration was investigated. A nonlinear cumulative damage model was developed to account for the sequence effect of thermal cycling and vibration loading of a CCGA electronic component. The methodology, developed in this work, is generic in nature and has the potential for application for other electronic packages.
Mere Exposure: A Gateway to the Subliminal:

In the mere-repeated-exposure paradigm, an individual is repeatedly exposed to a particular stimulus object, and the researcher records the individual's emerging preference for that object. Vast literature on the mere-repeated-exposure effect shows it to be a robust phenomenon that cannot be explained by an appeal to recognition memory or perceptual fluency. The effect has been demonstrated across cultures, species, and diverse stimulus domains. It has been obtained even when the stimuli exposed are not accessible to the participants’ awareness, and even prenatally. The repeated-exposure paradigm can be regarded as a form of classical conditioning if we assume that the absence of aversive events constitutes the unconditioned stimulus. Empirical research shows that a benign experience of repetition can in and of itself enhance positive affect, and that such affect can become attached not only to stimuli that have been exposed but also to similar stimuli that have not been previously exposed, and to totally...
Pheromone-mediated gene expression in the honey bee brain

(9-ODA), (R,E)-()- and (S,E)-()-9-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (9HDA), methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (HOB), and 4-hydroxy-3methyoxyphenylethanol (HVA) (7). QMP plays many roles in social regulation (7). It prevents reproduction both by inhibiting worker ovary development (10) and the rearing of new queens (11). It may control brain development in the olfactory system of young bees (12). QMP also influences age-related division of labor among worker bees. Bees perform in-hive tasks such as brood care (nursing) for the first 2–3 weeks of their adult life and switch to foraging for food outside the hive in the last weeks of their life. Honey bees show many changes in physiology in association with this behavioral maturation, including structural changes in the mushroom bodies of the brain (which are sites of multimodal sensory integration and higher-order functions such as learning and memory), and differences in brain gene expression in nurses compared with foragers (13, 14). QMP delays honey bee behavioral maturation (15). In this article we report on experiments that test two hypotheses: exposure to QMP causes changes in gene expression in the brain, and these changes correlate with the downstream behavioral effects of the pheromone. We used a recently developed honey bee brain microarray (16) to profile pheromone-induced changes in brain gene expression. Experiments were performed both with cage studies under controlled conditions in the laboratory and natural colony conditions in the field, to determine the robustness of the QMP effects. Because differences in gene expression associated with nursing and foraging behaviors have been analyzed extensively with microarrays (14), we used this information to explore our second hypothesis, that pheromoneregulated changes in gene expression are correlated with pheromone-induced changes in behavior. Finally, we began to characterize the effects of QMP on an ortholog of the Drosophila transcription factor kruppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) (17), a particularly promising candidate gene that emerged from our microarray analyses.
Drain Placement Can be Safely Omitted After the Majority of Robotic Partial Nephrectomies

Purpose: Drain placement after partial nephrectomy is considered standard but it is based on routine and not on evidence. With experience we performed robotic partial nephrectomy and routinely omitted a drain even with significant collecting system violation. We have rarely used drains after robotic partial nephrectomy for several years, and we report our outcomes.Materials and Methods: We reviewed a single surgeon, prospective database of all robotic partial nephrectomies from February 2008 to March 2012, including the characteristics of those with and without a drain.Results: The 150 patients underwent a total of 160 robotic partial nephrectomy procedures with a drain used in 11 patients and omitted in 93%. Mean patient age was 57 years (range 22 to 89), mean American Society of Anesthesiologists score was 2.8 (range 2 to 4) and mean body mass index was 32 kg/m2 (range 18 to 54). Values were similar in patients with and without a drain. In patients without a drain and in those with a drain mean tumor si...
Solutions for 3-D self-reconfiguration in a modular robotic system: implementation and motion planning

In this manuscript, we discuss new solutions for mechanical design and motion planning for a class of three -dimensional modular self-reconfigurable robotic system, namely I-Cubes. This system is a bipartite collection of active links that provide motions for self-reconfiguration, and cubes acting as connection points. The links are three degree of freedom manipulators that can attach to and detach from the cube faces. The cubes can be positioned and oriented using the links. These capabilities enable the system to change its shape and perform locomotion tasks over difficult terrain. This paper describes the scaled down version of the system previously described in [1] and details the new design and manufacturing approaches. Initially designed algorithms for motion planning of I-Cubes are improved to provide better results. Results of our tests are given and issues related to motion planning are discussed. The user interfaces designed for the control of the system and algorithm evaluation is also described. Keyword: self-reconfiguration, modular robots, reconfiguration planning, mechatronics, collective robotics
Local and distant components of bipolar cardiac electrograms

Bipolar electrograms recorded during activation of the left or right ventricle alone exhibited deflections representing local or distant cardiac electrical activity. Local activation deflections had larger slope magnitudes and peak-to-peak amplitudes than did deflections generated by distant activation, although some overlap occurred between groups. Increasing the spacing between bipole pairs resulted in more prominent distant activation deflections. Differentiating local from distant activity is difficult for low-amplitude bipolar electrograms. >
THE GEOTROPIC RESPONSE IN ASTERINA.

Upon a surface inclined at angle α Asterina gibbosa orients upward during negatively geotropic creeping until the average angle (θ) of the path is such that Δ sin θ/Δ sin α = const. This is true also in positively geotropic movement. The direction of orientation may be temporarily reversed by mechanical disturbance. The variation of θ is greater at low slopes. Tests with directed impressed pulls, due to an attached cork float, show that the pull upon the tube feet is of primary consequence for the determination of θ. When the component of gravitational pull in the direction of movement reaches a fraction of the total pull which is proportional to the gravitational vector parallel to the surface, the laterally acting component is ineffective. On this basis, it follows that Δ sin θ/Δ sin α = const.
A Multi-Method Investigation of Mathematics Motivation for Elementary Age Students.

This paper presents the results of a multi-method study examining elementary students with high self-reported levels of mathematics motivation. Second- through fifth-grade students at a Title One school in the southeastern United States completed the Elementary Mathematics Motivation Instrument (EMMI), which examines levels of mathematics motivation across three subscales: (a) Math Anxiety, (b) Self-Efficacy, and (c) Value of Math. Results from this quantitative phase were used to identify a sample for a qualitative phase examining how students who report high levels of motivation perceive mathematics. The resulting qualitative phase utilized a phenomenological design to explore mathematics motivation for a particular set of students in a fifth-grade setting. Findings indicate that elementary students with high mathematics motivation value mathematics as a present and future oriented discipline and value teachers that deemphasize testing as a measure of success.
Recent representation results for linear system maps: A short survey: Research Articles

We give an expression for the most general input–output map associated with the members of a certain important large family of multidimensional linear shift-invariant systems with bounded Lebesgue-measurable inputs. The expression given is an iterated function-space limit of a convolution. We also give a necessary and sufficient condition under which the limit can be written as a convolution with an integrable impulse–response function. A key role is played by a certain family of weighting operators. It is observed that for the large family of inputs and maps addressed, the Dirac impulse–response concept is in fact not the key concept concerning the representation of H, and that instead the input–output properties of H are determined, in general, by a certain type of family of responses. Some related material concerning other results, engineering education, and discrete-space systems, is also given. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Dedicated to Professor Sean Scanlan on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
A Reliable Covert Communication Scheme Based on VoIP Steganography

Steganography is the science of hiding information in such a way that an adversary wouldn’t know it existed. A significant amount of research has been done in this field for non-real time mediums. Research on real time mediums, for example Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), isn’t as mature. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that enables data hiding in G.711, the most commonly used voice codec for VoIP devices, while gracefully handling packet loss. This would allow two telephone users to covertly transfer multiple pieces of arbitrary information between their respective systems in a reliable manner. We use important performance metrics to evaluate our algorithm, namely, throughput, noise-to-signal ratio and the Perceptual Evaluation of Speech Quality algorithm. We demonstrate that our algorithm performs well compared to other algorithms proposed in the literature in real world environments, where packet loss is inevitable, by maintaining high throughput and good speech quality.