cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Capturing and marking howler monkeys for field behavioral studies

Methods for capturing and marking howler monkeys for ecological studies are discussed. Systems for capturing and handling animals are compared. A dart with liquid Sernylan for capture and Sernylan or Ketamine as a holding drug was preferred to darts using powdered succinylcholine chloride (SCC) and ether. The effectiveness of both Sernylan and SCC is compared and dosages are given for Sernylan in howler monkeys and SCC for howlers and capuchins. The advantages of Ketamine over ether as a holding drug are discussed. Animals can be marked with leg-bands, collars, and freeze-branding.
Effects of fine fuel moisture and loading on small scale fire behavior in mixed-oak forests of Southeastern Ohio

Multiple factors interact to influence fire behavior. While the interactions of fuel moisture and fuel loading in western coniferous communities are well understood, few studies have examined fire behavior in eastern deciduous forests. In order to accurately predict fire behavior in mixed-oak forests, studies need to examine fire behavior in eastern deciduous forests. We conducted a fine-scale manipulative experiment to determine the specific effects that fine fuel moisture and load have on fire behavior in Ohio mixed-oak forests. Three fuel moisture levels (0, 4, and 15% moisture), and five field-simulated fuel loads were burned in a 3×5 factorial experiment. Thermocolor pyrometers were used to measure maximum temperature at 5 and 30 cm as an indicator of fire behavior. Additionally, amount and percent of fuel burned were determined for each set of conditions. As expected, fires burned hotter with decreasing fuel moisture, and with increasing fuel load. Percent of fuel burned and mean temperature at 5 and 30 cm were positively correlated. Interactive effects were not observed. Temperatures were similar to those found in prior field studies in Appalachian Ohio. Controlled experiments such as this will likely prove useful in future efforts to link fuel conditions and fire behavior as landscape-scale effects are modeled. In particular, our results can be used to verify and calibrate fire behavior models in eastern mixed-oak forests.
Genetic Relations of Polynesian Sibling Terminologies

Relations between anthropology and linguistics are explored through the examination of the taxonomy and phylogeny of a small lexical set (sibling terms) within the Polynesian genetic language/culture unit using traditional and mathematical techniques of historical semantics and ethnology. Preliminary to examination of the Polynesian case a theory of sibling terminologies is developed, building on those of Murdock and of Nerlove and Romney. Beginning with the lattice of all possible partitions of sibling terms, assumptions are developed which reduce the number of terminologies (4140) to a smaller number (146), based on conjunctive concepts. The terminologies of a sample of twenty-three Polynesian languages/cultures are shown to be five of the 146 types. Four of the five types are shown to be adjacent points in an upper semi-lattice of the whole lattice. An evolutionary hypothesis is developed which further reduces the number of evolvable types, from 146 to nineteen for the Polynesian unit. The relation of the evolution of the terminologies and the daughter languages is shown. Likely paths of evolution of the terminologies are suggested. Functional correlates of the types are also examined, and it is concluded that economic features are of great significance in the evolution of sibling terminologies.
FGF-23: More Than a Regulator of Renal Phosphate Handling?

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is likely to be the most important regulator of phosphate homeostasis, which mediates its functions through FGF receptors and the coreceptor Klotho. Besides reducing expression of the sodium-phosphate cotransporters NPT2a and NPT2c in the proximal tubules, FGF-23 inhibits the renal 1α-hydroxylase and stimulates the 24-hydroxylase, and it appears to reduce parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion in short-term studies. FGF-23 synthesis and secretion by osteocytes and osteoblasts is upregulated through 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] and through an increased dietary phosphate intake. FGF-23 levels are elevated or inappropriately normal in patients with tumor-induced osteomalacia and several inherited hypophosphatemic disorders, but the most significant increases are found in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). During the early stages of CKD, increased FGF-23 production enhances urinary phosphate excretion and thus prevents the development of hyperphosphatemia, reduces the circulating levels of 1,25(OH)2D3, and therefore contributes to the development of secondary hyperparathyroidism. In patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), FGF-23 levels can be extremely high and were shown to be predictors of bone mineralization, left ventricular hypertrophy, vascular calcification, and mortality. It remains to be determined, however, whether FGF-23 represents simply a sensitive biomarker of an abnormal phosphate homeostasis or has, independent of serum phosphate levels, potentially negative “off-target” effects. Nonetheless, reducing the production and/or the biologic activity of FGF-23 may be an important therapeutic goal for this patient population. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Cdk family genes are expressed not only in dividing but also in terminally differentiated mouse germ cells, suggesting their possible function during both cell division and differentiation

The roles of the cyclin dependent kinase (Cdk) family in murine germ cell development have been examined by studying the expression of five Cdk family genes (Cdc2, Cdk2, Cdk4, Pctaire-1, and Pctaire-3) in mouse reproductive organs. Northern blot and in situ hybridization analyses revealed distinctive expression patterns of these genes with striking cellular, lineage, and developmental stage specificity. We observed Cdk expression in cell types with proliferative activity: Cdc2 and Cdk2 expression in premeiotic spermatocytes in the testis, and Cdc2, Cdk2, and Cdk4 expression in granulosa cells of ovarian follicles. Cdc2 transcripts were most abundant in late pachytene to diplotene spermatocytes, soon to undergo meiosis. Surprisingly, we also observed expression of Cdk family genes in non-proliferating cell types. All five Cdk family genes examined were expressed in Sertoli cells of the adult testis, which are no longer mitotically active. With regard to Pctaire-1 and Pctaire-3, the highest levels of expression were observed in postmeiotic spermatids. Immunoblot analysis also revealed the presence of high levels of Pctaire-1 in postmeiotic germ cells. These results suggest that Cdk family kinases may exhibit various functions in germinal and somatic cells during gametogenesis, not only in the cell cycle but also in other regulatory processes, including differentiation. © 1995 wiley-Liss, Inc.
Orientation statistics and effective viscosity of suspensions of elongated particles in simple shear flow

Abstract The significance of the particle aspect ratio on the statistics of the particle orientation and effective viscosity of a non-dilute suspension in simple shear flow is discussed and investigated by dynamical simulation. It is argued that, in the absence of an imposed length scale or screening dimension due to bounding surfaces, assumed periodicity, or long-range particle interactions, the concept of rotational diffusivity is not appropriate in the limit of infinite dilution for non-colloidal systems. Numerical simulations are carried out based on an improved implementation of the boundary-element method for particulate Stokes flow, featuring the iterative solution of the master linear system for the particle contour traction and particle linear and angular velocities, based on particle-cloud clustering. The numerical results confirm that the transition from a nearly-ordered to the random state due to particle interactions occurs on a time scale that is consistent with the theoretical estimate, and demonstrate that the particle eccentricity reduces the effective viscosity of the suspension and skews the orientation probability density distribution in the direction of the unperturbed shear flow.
Commentary: The Injury Proportion Ratio: What's It All About?

We thank the Journal of Athletic Training (JAT ) and Deits et al1 for allowing us to comment on the analysis of national emergency department (ED) surveillance data on hockey injuries appearing in this issue. This commentary focuses on the use in descriptive epidemiology of the injury proportion ratio (IPR). We are prompted to comment on the IPR due to its increasing use in the sports injuryprevention literature, including JAT. Our comments are aimed at examining the IPR and highlighting the usefulness and limitations of the measure in relation to other measures in injury-prevention research, notably the injury rate ratio. Our concern is that, without understanding the assumptions underlying these measures, the IPR can be easily misinterpreted, thereby leading readers to draw false conclusions. Published research2–6 has used IPRs in the context of hospital-based surveillance data as well as a Web-based high school surveillance system.7–16 By design, hospitalbased ED injury surveillance systems, such as the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), collect information only on injured individuals. Such surveillance systems provide useful descriptive information about severe injury patterns, such as who was injured, what types of injuries occurred, what was happening at the time of injury, and the type of care provided for that injury. However, NEISS does not collect information about the population among whom these injuries occurred or arose: the population of hockey players, in this case. Additionally, NEISS does not collect information on hockey injuries that do not result in a visit to the ED, an issue we will ignore for the purposes of this commentary.
Issues in Education: Teacher-Sanctioned Violence

(2001). Issues in Education: Teacher-Sanctioned Violence. Childhood Education: Vol. 77, No. 3, pp. 167-168.
Dissecting the Pleiotropic Consequences of a Quantitative Trait Nucleotide

The downstream consequences of a single quantitative trait polymorphism can provide important insight into the molecular basis of a trait. However, the molecular consequences of a polymorphism may be complex and only a subset of these may influence the trait of interest. In natural isolates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a nonsynonymous polymorphism in cystathione β-synthase (CYS4) causes a deficiency in both cysteine and glutathione that results in rust-colored colonies and drug-dependent growth defects. Using a single-nucleotide allele replacement, we characterized the effects of this polymorphism on gene expression levels across the genome. To determine whether any of the differentially expressed genes are necessary for the production of rust-colored colonies, we screened the yeast deletion collection for genes that enhance or suppress rust coloration. We found that genes in the sulfur assimilation pathway are required for the production of rust color but not the drug-sensitivity phenotype. Our results show that a single quantitative trait polymorphism can generate a complex set of downstream changes, providing a molecular basis for pleiotropy.
Determination of frozen soil thermal properties by heated needle probe

Determination of the in situ thermal properties of ice-bearing frozen soil by a two-prong heated needle probe has traditionally been confounded by the energy consumption and release resulting from the melting and re-freezing of soil ice. A two-dimensional soil thermal model that accounts for soil unfrozen water and phase change was used to analyse data from the laboratory and a field site in Spitsbergen. A close correspondence was found between modelled and observed thermal behaviour of the probe. The thermal model highlighted the unsuitability of the probe for determining the thermal properties for ice-bearing frozen soil at temperatures approximately between −10 °C and 0 °C by standard solver software that does not account for melting of soil ice. The model shows that a heated needle probe can generally be used to determine the soil thermal properties for soil at or below −10 °C. For most soils the thermal properties vary only marginally between about −10 and −2 °C and therefore the thermal properties that are determined for a particular soil at temperature below −10 °C generally apply also to soils that are at temperatures between −10 and −2 °C. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Refugees’ Right to Employment and Evolving Responsibilities of Host Countries: The Urgency of Iraqi Refugees to Realize Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights

Evolving global demographic trends have changed the face of “conventional” refugee and internally displaced populations. Such populations were encountered on a large scale in the 1990s with Serbian...
A comparison of electrolytic and chemical etch systems on the resin-to-metal tensile bond strength.

Abstract This investigation compared the tensile bond strengths of a nickel-chromiumberyllium alloy etched electrolytically and etched with a commercially available chemical gel. The number of applications and the thermal conditions of the chemical etchant were varied to assess their influence on the composite-to-metal tensile bond strength. Etched metal cylinders were bonded end-to-end with a resin luting agent and were subsequently tested for tensile strength. Etch patterns, mean bond strengths, and mode of failure were recorded. Significant differences relating to the application number and the thermal conditions of the chemically etched specimens were noted.
Endogenous swimming rhythms of blue crab, Callinectes sapidus , megalopae: effects of offshore and estuarine cues

Larvae of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun develop on the continental shelf. The postlarval stage (megalopa) occurs near the surface and is transported shoreward by wind-driven surface currents. It then uses selective tidal stream transport for migration up an estuary. Endogenous swimming rhythms were measured under constant dark conditions in the laboratory in megalopae collected from the Newport River Estuary (North Carolina), the Delaware Bay, and offshore from the Newport River Estuary. Megalopae from all areas had a similar circadian activity rhythm, in which they swam during the time of the day phase in the field and were inactive at night. This rhythm predicts the presence of a reverse, diel, vertical-migration pattern offshore which would contribute to the location of megalopae near the surface during the day. The rhythm lacks obvious ecological significance in estuaries because it does not contribute to selective tidal stream transport and would increase vulnerability to visual predators during the day. Attempts to entrain a circatidal rhythm in swimming by cyclic and step changes in salinity were unsuccessful, as the circadian rhythm persisted. The rhythm also continued in the presence of the eelgrass Zostera marina, which is a site of settlement and metamorphosis in the field. Thus, megalopae enter estuaries with a solar day rhythm in activity. This rhythm, however, is not expressed, because light inhibits swimming during the day upon exposure to estuarine water. Since this light inhibition is removed in offshore waters, the rhythm would be expressed if, after entering an estuary, megalopae were transported back to offshore areas.
Comparative microbial analysis of paired amniotic fluid and cord blood from pregnancies complicated by preterm birth and early-onset neonatal sepsis.

Background 16S rRNA-based genomic analyses have revolutionized our understanding of infectious diseases. Many cases which were recognized as "idiopathic" are now known to have an infectious etiology. Here, we present a proof-of-concept study to examine the microbial link between intra-amniotic infection (IAI) and early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS). Results Using culture independent methods, we analyzed paired amniotic fluid (AF) and cord blood (CB) samples from 36 singleton pregnancies complicated by preterm birth (PTB), IAI, and/or EONS. PTB cases were grouped as 1) Group 1- neonatal blood culture-positive EONS (n=6). 2) Group 2- neonatal blood culture-negative presumed EONS with positive IAI (n=16). 3) Group 3- neonatal blood culture-negative presumed EONS with no IAI (n=7); 4) Group 4- no EONS or IAI (n=7). In addition, samples from term healthy deliveries (n=8) served as technical controls. A total of 31 species (15 non-redundant) were identified in AF, of which only 1/3 were cultivated. Significantly fewer microorganisms were detected in CB, with a total of 18 species (7 non-redundant) identified, of which only 2 (Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae) were cultivated. Of those, Bergeyella, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Sneathia sanguinegens had not been detected in EONS before. The novel species identified in AF by PCR include Peptoniphilus harei and Lachnospiraceae sp. The majority (72%) of CB species were also detected in the matching AF, with E. coli and F. nucleatum as the most prevalent. The 16S rRNA sequences of paired AF and CB were 99.9-100% identical, while no identical sequences were found between different pregnancies. Conclusions Previously unrecognized, uncultivated or difficult-to-cultivate species are implicated in EONS. Microbial species in paired AF and CB likely share the same infectious origin. Given its prevalence in EONS, F. nucleatum should be placed on the same importance scale as E. coli.
The development of cavity growth maps for superplastic materials

Superplastic alloys usually deform to very large extents but excessive cavitation can lead to premature cavitation failure in these materials. Several mechanisms can contribute to the growth of cavities during superplastic deformation although, generally, there is only one mechanism that controls cavity growth. Cavity growth mechanisms of relevance to superplastic materials are analysed in detail and the possible transitions in rate-controlling cavity growth mechanisms are considered. The contribution of lattice diffusion to the diffusional growth of cavities is included in the overall analysis of cavity growth. Cavity growth maps are constructed to show the dominant cavity growth mechanisms under different experimental conditions. Equations are developed to predict the appropriate transitions in cavity growth mechanisms with increasing cavity radii. Finally, it is demonstrated that the predictions of the cavity growth maps are consistent with the experimental results in several superplastic materials.
Large, Sparse Optimal Matching With Refined Covariate Balance in an Observational Study of the Health Outcomes Produced by New Surgeons

Every newly trained surgeon performs her first unsupervised operation. How do the health outcomes of her patients compare with the patients of experienced surgeons? Using data from 498 hospitals, we compare 1252 pairs comprised of a new surgeon and an experienced surgeon working at the same hospital. We introduce a new form of matching that matches patients of each new surgeon to patients of an otherwise similar experienced surgeon at the same hospital, perfectly balancing 176 surgical procedures and closely balancing a total of 2.9 million categories of patients; additionally, the individual patient pairs are as close as possible. A new goal for matching is introduced, called "refined covariate balance," in which a sequence of nested, ever more refined, nominal covariates is balanced as closely as possible, emphasizing the first or coarsest covariate in that sequence. A new algorithm for matching is proposed and the main new results prove that the algorithm finds the closest match in terms of the total within-pair covariate distances among all matches that achieve refined covariate balance. Unlike previous approaches to forcing balance on covariates, the new algorithm creates multiple paths to a match in a network, where paths that introduce imbalances are penalized and hence avoided to the extent possible. The algorithm exploits a sparse network to quickly optimize a match that is about two orders of magnitude larger than is typical in statistical matching problems, thereby permitting much more extensive use of fine and near-fine balance constraints. The match was constructed in a few minutes using a network optimization algorithm implemented in R. An R package called rcbalance implementing the method is available from CRAN.
The Influence of Increased Survival in Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW), Low Birth Weight (LBW) and Normal Birth Weight (NBW) Infants on the Incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): 1985-1991. † 1134

To understand the efficacy of SIDS reduction initiatives in the years following 1992, it is essenrial that potentially confounding factors such as increasing survival of preterm infants (a group identified as being at increased risk of SIDS) be elucidated. We hypothesized that increasing neonatal survival of VLBW and LBW preterm infants would be associated with increasing SIDS rates. Data on singleton births to U.S. residents at the time of delivery were extracted from the Birth Cohort Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Sets from 1985 to 1991. Rates were compared globally and by birth weight strata over time using the Mantel-Haenszel X2trend test on data for 26,866,694 singleton live births ≥500gm and 32,522 autopsied SIDS deaths. Figure
Methodological Issues in Ethnic and Racial Identity Research With Ethnic Minority Populations: Theoretical Precision, Measurement Issues, and Research Designs

This article takes stock of research methods employed in the study of racial and ethnic identity with ethnic minority populations. The article is presented in three parts. The first section reviews theories, conceptualizations, and measurement of ethnic and racial identity (ERI) development. The second section reviews theories, conceptualizations, and measurement of ERI content. The final section reviews key methodological and analytic principles that are important to consider for both ERI development and content. The article concludes with suggestions for future research addressing key methodological limitations when studying ERI.
Incidence of cancer of the pancreas, extrahepatic bile duct and ampulla of Vater in the United States, before and after the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Abstract Background: Some epidemiologic studies have identified cholecystectomy as a risk factor for pancreatic and biliary cancer. Methods: We compared the incidence of cancers of the pancreas, extrahepatic bile duct and ampulla of Vater before and after the widespread adoption of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the United States in 1991, when the use of cholecystectomy increased dramatically. Results: Compared with 1980 to 1991, there was no increase in the incidence of cancer of the pancreas (adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94 to 0.99) or extrahepatic bile duct (IRR 0.80, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.87) during 1992 to 1996. There was a small increase in the incidence of ampullary cancer (IRR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.26). Conclusions: We did not find clear evidence of a short-term increase in the incidence of cancers of the pancreas, bile duct, and ampulla of Vater, that was attributable to the increased use of cholecystectomy.
Comparative kinetics and efficacy of amikacin administered once or twice daily in the treatment of systemic Gram-negative infections

In an open randomized study the safety, efficacy and kinetics of a twice-daily amikacin (7.5 mg/kg bd) regimen (group A) was compared with a once-daily dosage (15 mg/kg) schedule (group B). Thirty patients were enrolled in each group. They were suffering from urinary tract infections (37), respiratory tract infections (17), soft-tissue infections (3), exacerbation of chronic prostatitis (1), acute cholangitis (1) and abdominal abscess (1). Aggravating factors were present in 77% and 60% of the groups respectively. The pathogens isolated included strains of various Enterobacteriaceae (53) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10) In 76.7 vs 97% (P less than 0.05) the clinical result was satisfactory with pathogen eradication in 80 vs 86.7%. However, there were proportionately more patients in the 7.5 mg/kg bd regimen with respiratory tract infection (40 vs 13%) and fewer patients with urinary tract infections (40 vs 80%). Mild and transient nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity was observed in five and three patients respectively. More patients in group B had amikacin trough concentrations less than or equal to 5 mg/l and peak levels greater than 40 mg/l (P less than 0.001) as well as serum bactericidal titres greater than or equal to 1:16 (P less than 0.05) without significant serum amikacin accumulation over time. It is concluded that amikacin administered once daily is well tolerated and provides better serum bactericidal activity than the twice-daily regimen.
SU‐E‐T‐709: Monte Carlo Evaluation of Superposition‐Algorithm Skin Dose Calculation for Brain Radiotherapy

Purpose: Skindose is one of the concerns in brainradiotherapy: over dose will cause patient hair loss. It is important to predict accurate skindose in treatment planning. Inaccuracy of skindose calculations using some treatment planning systems has been reported in literatures. Monte Carlo calculation is recognized as the gold standard in radiationdose calculation. The study was aimed to apply Monte Carlo calculation to evaluate the accuracy of skindose calculation performed with our clinic treatment planning system (CMS XIO), which is based on a superposition algorithm. Methods: A conformal treatment plan for braintumortreatment was generated in a CMS XIO treatment planning system and the plan was recalculated using a Monte Carlo calculation algorithm for the same linear accelerator with the same beam settings (beam energy, angles, field sizes, and monitor units). The Monte Carlo calculation was performed in a CMS Monaco treatment planning system in the QA mode, with variance of 1%. The treatment plans used 4 photon conformal beams (6 MV). The skin structure was ∼5 mm thick, which represented the thickness of clinic concern. The skindoses calculated using the XIO superposition algorithm were compared against those calculated using the Monte Carlo algorithm. Results: For each individual beam, the differences of the mean skindoses were 0.4%, 0.9%, 1.9%, and –1.4%, respectively, and the differences of the maximum skindoses were –2.6%, –3.1%, 2.9%, and –3.7%, respectively. For the composite beams (4 beams were on), the differences of the mean doses and the maximum doses were 0.6% and –1.4%, respectively. Conclusions: There were no clear trends in the dose differences. The differences in skindose between the superposition calculation and the Monte Carlo calculation were not significant: < 2% in mean dose and < 4% in maximum dose.
Advances in catalytic synthesis and utilization of higher alcohols

Abstract Alcohols can be used directly as fuels and fuel additives or as intermediates to form high octane or high cetane ethers. Catalysts have been improved to synthesize the higher alcohols, especially isobutanol, from coal- or natural gas-derived H 2 /CO synthesis gas, and reaction engineering approaches are being investigated to further increase the activities and selectivities of the reactions forming the higher alcohols. These approaches include (a) using a dual catalyst bed reactor for gas phase conversions and (b) employing a slurry phase reaction system for increasing the reaction rate of the exothermic synthesis reactions. These developments have led to higher alcohol productivities. For example, with double bed Cs/Cu/ZnO/Cr 2 O 3 catalysts, productivities of isobutanol and total alcohols as high as 202 and 947 g/kg catalyst/h, respectively, have been achieved. However, declining petroleum prices over the last three years have pushed the economic break-even point to even greater productivity levels of isobutanol and of a mixture of the higher alcohols. It is shown that alcohols and certain ethers have desirable properties as octane enhancers, while other ethers could be used as additives to enhance the cetane number of diesel fuel.
Mechanical behaviour and health monitoring by acoustic emission of sandwich composite integrated by piezoelectric implant

Abstract The feasibility of embedding piezoelectric sensor to detect the acoustic emission (AE) activities in sandwich composites has been investigated experimentally. A series of sandwich specimens with and without embedded piezoelectric sensor were tested in three-point bending in static and fatigue loading while continuously monitoring the response by the AE technique. Experimental results show that the incorporation of piezoelectric sensor causes low degradation of mechanical properties of material. The analysis and observation of AE signals leads to the identification of the acoustic signatures of four damage mechanisms in sandwich materials. One of the major differences between the two types of materials (with and without embedded sensor) is the intense acoustic activity in the integrated material.
Wear rates and specific energies of some ceramic, cermet and metallic coatings determined in the Coriolis erosion tester

Abstract A series of ceramic, cermet and metallic coatings of known resistance to slurry jet erosion has been subjected to sliding bed wear using a 10 wt.% aqueous slurry of 80 grit crushed alumina particles in the Coriolis erosion tester. Wear scar cross-sections have been measured and specific energies for material removal calculated for these coatings as well as for some bulk solid materials for reference purposes. Thermal-sprayed coatings included high velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF)-sprayed WC–12Co, Cr3C2/NiCr and 316L steel, plasma-sprayed (PS) Al2O3 and Al2O3/TiO2 and arc-sprayed 440C steel. Pulsed laser clad coatings of two FeCrB based alloys were also tested. The Coriolis erosion tester consists of a 150 mm diameter rotor with a diametral passage in which a flat plate specimen is located on each side, equidistant from the rotation centre. Slurry, delivered to a central orifice, is constrained to flow outwards through the channel as the rotor is turned at speeds up to 7000 rpm, the erodent particles being pressed onto the test specimen surface by the Coriolis force. The cross-sectional area of the scar is measured as a function of distance from the rotation centre and, through a summation of an expression for frictional work done, a value for the specific energy for material removal (essentially a measure of erosion resistance) is calculated. The test method seeks to simulate the wear environment in slurry pumps and cyclones in which particles move rapidly over the test surface either singly or in a bed. The wear rate of a WC–Co cermet was found to be ∼1000 times lower than that of 316L stainless steel. The remarkable ability of the Coriolis erosion tester to discriminate in the erosion performance of different materials is discussed in terms of particle trajectories and the probable wear mechanism. Coriolis test results are compared with those for slurry jet erosion and the applicability of the two tests for erosion resistance ranking of hard coating materials is discussed.
SBA-15-Supported Mixed-Metal Oxides: Partial Hydrolytic Sol−Gel Synthesis, Adsorption, and Structural Properties

Several bimetallic mixed oxides−silica nanocomposites were prepared using SBA-15 as a support and suitable metal-containing reagents. The oxide precursors were obtained by reacting two metal alkoxides, namely, titanium(IV) isopropoxide [Ti(OiPr)4], zirconium propoxide [Zr(OPr)4], and aluminum isopropoxide [Al(OiPr)3], or one of these alkoxides with a solution of nickel nitrate hexahydrate [Ni(NO3)2·6H2O] in isopropyl alcohol (iPrOH). The final condensation of the bimetallic species was achieved by a partial hydrolytic sol−gel route in the pores of SBA-15 silica using small amounts of HCl with concomitant slow evaporation of the solvent. High loadings of these oxides were deposited after several deposition cycles. The as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, whereas nitrogen adsorption at −196 °C was measured for the materials calcined at 300 and 600 °C. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms and the calculated pore-size distributions showed that the deposition of large amounts o...
When School Fits Me: How Fit Between Self-Beliefs and Task Benefits Boosts Math Motivation and Performance

We hypothesized that college students would engage more and perform better in math when the benefits of learning it were described in a manner that fit their self-beliefs, such as whether they view themselves as interdependent or as independent and unique. In three studies, fit predicted greater performance on math problems. Fit also predicted greater use of tutorials after answering problems incorrectly, and choosing to work on problems framed in the service of students' beliefs. Results highlight the potential power for strengthening math motivation and performance by creating a fit between the portrayal of math's utility and students' self-beliefs.
Accelerated chaining: a better way to harness peer power in video-on-demand applications

We present a more efficient chaining protocol for video-on-demand applications. Chaining protocols require each client to forward the video data it receives to the next client watching the same video. Unlike all extant chaining protocols, our protocol requires these clients to forward these data at a rate slightly higher than the video consumption rate. Our simulations indicate that increasing the client video forwarding rate by 5 percent is sufficient to virtually eliminate the server workload for a two-hour video when request arrival rates remain above 30 requests per hour.
Dicyanobis(triphenylphosphine)nickel(II)

[21946-42-9] C38H30N2NiP2 (MW 635.31) InChI = 1S/2C18H15P.2CN.Ni/c2*1-4-10-16(11-5-1)19(17-12-6-2-7-13-17)18-14-8-3-9-15-18;2*1-2;/h2*1-15H;;; InChIKey = KBSXFMJOIORMAN-UHFFFAOYSA-N (nickel(II) complex useful for the oligomerization of norbornadiene2 and the isomerization of alkenes3) Physical Data: mp 212 °C (dec). Solubility: only sparingly sol most organic solvents; most sol CH2Cl2. Preparative Method: dry nickel(II) cyanide (11 g) was refluxed in 1 L ethanol with 78 g Triphenylphosphine for 48 h. The yellowish-gray Ni(CN)2 turned to a light yellow coarse crystalline mass. The solvent was decanted and the solid was rinsed with ethanol to remove unreacted PPh3. The remaining solid product was dried, extracted with CH2Cl2, and filtered to exclude insoluble Ni(CN)2. Removal of solvent provided 39 g (62%) of light yellow crystals.4 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: air stable. Store at rt.
Domestic violence in a primary care setting. Patterns and prevalence.

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of domestic violence among women patients in a primary care setting, the types of violence experienced by each woman, and the reasons for their visit to the family physician. DESIGN AND SAMPLE Structured interviews with all consecutive, consenting women patients scheduled for morning appointments between July 26 and August 13, 1993. SETTING A community-based family practice residency outpatient clinic in a midwestern city with a population of 85,000. RESULTS Of the 42 women interviewed, 45% reported experiencing physical, social, and/or emotional violence in their relationships. Thirty-six percent reported being physically battered during their lifetimes; 12% reported being currently involved in a battering relationship. Relationships and patterns between various types of violence were evident. Sixty-two percent of the women who had experienced slapping and hitting (moderate abuse) also experienced punching and kicking (severe violence), some of which included sexual violence and weapon use. Women who were sexually abused were also likely to be emotionally abused (r = .66; P < .001), and women who were socially abused were also likely to be severely battered (r = .60; P < .005). None of the currently battered women was being seen for routine health maintenance reasons, but presented instead with specific complaints such as neck stiffness and migraine headache. CONCLUSIONS Domestic violence is very prevalent among women patients in primary care settings and involves predictable patterns of injury. Physicians should routinely assess for violence at all types of visits, educate patients about violence, and work to prevent the violence that occurs in abusive relationships.
Current information on the scope and nature of child sexual abuse.

Approximately 150,000 confirmed cases of child sexual abuse were reported to child welfare authorities in the United States during 1993. This number represents about 15% of the more than one million confirmed cases of all child abuse and neglect. But the true scope of this problem is better reflected in retrospective surveys of adults, and this article summarizes data from 19 of these surveys. Considerable evidence exists to show that at least 20% of American women and 5% to 10% of American men experienced some form of sexual abuse as children. The rates are somewhat lower among people born before World War II, but there is little evidence of a dramatic increase for recent generations. The studies provide little evidence that race or socioeconomic circumstances are major risk factors. They do show elevated risk for children who experienced parental inadequacy, unavailability, conflict, harsh punishment, and emotional deprivation. Adult retrospective studies are also good sources of information about the characteristics of abuse. Most sexual abuse is committed by men (90%) and by persons known to the child (70% to 90%), with family members constituting one-third to one-half of the perpetrators against girls and 10% to 20% of the perpetrators against boys. Family members constitute a higher percentage of the perpetrators in child protective agency cases because the mandate of these agencies generally precludes their involvement in extrafamily abuse. Around 20% to 25% of child sexual abuse cases involve penetration or oral-genital contact. The peak age of vulnerability is between 7 and 13. Studies of the criminal justice processing of sexual abusers suggest that, compared with other violent criminals, slightly fewer are prosecuted, but of those prosecuted, slightly more are convicted. Studies conducted in the 1980s also showed that, once convicted, relatively few sexual abusers receive sentences longer than one year, while 32% to 46% serve no jail time. Overall, there is little evidence to suggest that either the child welfare system or the criminal justice system abandons its usual standards of operation and acts hysterically when confronted with sexual abuse. Language: en
The Effects of a Buddy Skills Package on Preschool Children's Social Interactions and Play.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a buddy skills package on the social and play interactions between three preschoolers with developmental delays and their peers. Each child participated in sociodramatic play activities with two peers who exhibited age-appropriate social and play skills. Following baseline, the children participated in three sessions of training on the strategies of stay, play, and talk with your friends. The intervention consisting of teacher feedback, praise, and picture cards was then used to support children’s social interactions and play. A multiple baseline design indicated that the package was effective for increasing children’s cooperative play in the exchange of activity-related comments. In addition, each playgroup continued to demonstrate these positive outcomes during a maintenance condition.
Productivity Assessment of Multiple Retail Outlets

One of the main problems in assessing the relative efficiency of multiple retail outlets is the fact that customers are an essential component of the "production process" in retailing. Hence, the efficiency of a particular retail store depends both on the seller's and the buyers' efficiency. While there is often data on each store's inputs to the production of retail serv1ces, the contribution of each store's custom­ers to this process is difficult to measure, and often goes unmeasured. In the absence of data on variation in customer efficiency across stores, it is difficult to make comparisons of the relative efficiency of the retailer's operation across stores. In this paper, we propose to solve the problem of missing data on customer inputs by treating stores as members of different latent classes, where the classes are defined by differences in customer inputs and other market characteristics. We consider the clusterwise estimation of multiple translog cost functions, which identifies sets of retail outlets operat­ing under similar conditions and simultaneously estimates multiple cost functions for these classes. The efficiency of each outlet would then be evaluated relative to others in its class, which allows for a more equitable evaluation of each retail outlet, in comparison to other units operating under similar conditions.We apply this approach in the evaluation of multiple branches from a commercial bank in Latin America, and compare the efficiency measures obtained from it with measures obtained from other methods, using the bank's central managers' classification of markets as a benchmark. Our results indicate that the clusterwise estimation of translog cost functions leads to a more equitable assessment of the branches, more in tune with the market differences perceived by the bank managers.
Beamforming and signal processing with sparse, random arrays for space based radar

We investigate moving target detection with a space-based cluster of radar satellites, modeled as a random sparse array. For a linear array which moves along its axis, the optimum space-time processing leads to a DPCA-like solution. We analyze the performance degradation with array pitch (satellite cluster rotation) and yaw (Earth rotation) and known random element position errors. Results show that the signal/clutter improvement factor is an extremely sensitive function of the pulse repetition frequency and that it varies over a large dynamic range. Achievable improvement factor maxima are moderately degraded by array pitch and strongly degraded with increasing position errors. Yaw effects appear to be negligible. In general, with increased randomness, fewer elements contribute to form DPCA pairs so that satellite usage efficiency (and SNR) is degraded.
METHODS FOR DISPERSION AND ALIGNMENT OF SINGLE-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES AND EFFECTS ON THEIR STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES

Two effective methods for dispersion and alignment of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were developed. One is the floating-potential dielectrophoresis (FPD) method, which can achieve the alignment of individual SWCNTs between two electrodes with high yield (more than 30%) and high repeatability. The second is the gas blow method. Using the shear forces associated with a rapidly moving fluid, SWCNTs were positioned in a direction corresponding to the flow vector of the fluid. This technique shows great potential for scaling up the displacement of SWCNTs with controlled orientations. Various dispersion agents including ethanol, dichlorobenzene, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and DNA were investigated with these two methods. It was found that SDS was the most effective dielectric medium used for FPD dispersion and alignment of SWCNTs. The result of electric measurement for the individual SWCNTs aligned between two electrodes suggests that, using the FPD method, both metallic and semiconducting SWCNTs co...
Exploring the Relationship Between Experience and Problem Behaviors A Longitudinal Analysis of Officers From a Large Cohort

This study explores the relationship between police officer experience and problem behaviors using longitudinal data gathered from a large cohort of officers. As extant research on problem behaviors has been cross-sectional and gathered for a limited number of years, little is known about the patterns of these behaviors over time. As there is no guidance in police research for examining these behaviors across experience, the criminal career paradigm is employed. Results suggest that although experience and problem behaviors are related in an orderly way in the aggregate, there is a substantial amount of variation in these behaviors across the police population. Implications are discussed.
Games of Seduction and Games of History: Alioum Moussa's Fashion Victims in Niamey, Niger

In his November 2011 solo art exhibition, Fashion Victims , held in Niamey, Niger, the Cameroonian artist Alioum Moussa launched a critique of global participation in the industrial fashion system by employing secondhand garments as his primary medium. The show had special resonance in a city attempting to cultivate both industrial and artisanal production of dress and fashion for global markets. Moussa demanded that viewers reckon with their own consumerist dress practices and potential fashion victimization in what he described as “global games of seduction,” and he offered tributes to the different “fashion victims” by inviting others to play in shared games of history. Resume: Dans son exposition d’art de Novembre 2011 intitulee Victimes de la mode , tenue a Niamey au Niger, l’artiste camerounais Alioum Moussa a pris position contre la globalisation du monde de la mode industrielle en utilisant des vetements de seconde main comme medium principal. Le spectacle a eu une resonance particuliere dans une ville qui tente de cultiver a la fois une production industrielle et une production artisanale pour la mode et le pret-a-porter sur les marches mondiaux. Moussa a pousse les spectateurs a reflechir sur leurs propres pratiques vestimentaires consumeristes et sur la victimisation potentielle de la mode a travers ce qu'il decrit comme des “jeux mondiaux de la seduction.” Il a egalement rendu hommage a differentes “fashion victims” en invitant d’autres acteurs a jouer dans des jeux partages de l’histoire.
Rearing factors that influence the propensity for injurious feather pecking in laying hens

Feather pecking during rearing is difficult to identify and therefore often underestimated. However, as rearing conditions will affect the behaviour of adult hens, it is important or prevent feathe...
Engineering the artificial pancreas

The development of control systems for medical applications poses particular challenges, distinct from the applications in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering. Physiological systems involve a myriad of networked subsystems, with multiple feedforward and feedback loops, and interactions at many levels. There is both interpatient dynamic variability as well as intrapatient variability. Real-time measurement of key physiological variables is often not possible. Quantifying clinical objectives is another challenge, as medical metrics do not easily translate into the mathematical performance measures common in control systems theory. In this talk, I will focus on the challenges of biomedical control for Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), a chronic autoimmune disease affecting approximately 35 million individuals world-wide, with associated annual healthcare costs in the US estimated to be approximately $15 billion. Current treatment requires either multiple daily insulin injections or continuous subcutaneous (SC) insulin infusion (CSII) delivered via an insulin infusion pump. Both treatment modes necessitate frequent blood glucose measurements to determine the daily insulin requirements for maintaining near-normal blood glucose levels.