cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Arms Trade Treaty: Lack of Aim on Anti-Corruption Results in Att Missing its Target

This article brings light to the misguided efforts of the United Nations in trying to control weapons entering into the illicit market. The recent Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) focuses on the legal trade in weapons to prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in arms while missing a vital component: corrupt government officials. Corruption in the area of international trade law is an ongoing and growing issue as countries and governments struggle to control groups using weapons to commit violence against women, children, and other vulnerable persons. This article focuses on the trade of a subset of weapons covered by the treaty: small arms and light weapons (SALW), as these types of weapons are used more often to commit human-rights abuses than any other type of weapon manufactured.The article examines the previous efforts by the United Nations to prevent weapons from being used to commit human rights violations and how the ATT’s lack of focus on anti-corruption procedures will make the treaty ineffective. The legal trade in weapons, especially in the United States, is thorough and has been called the “gold standard” across the world. However, similar laws are needed in developing countries that are more prone to corruption and are at a greater risk of placing weapons into the illicit (“black”) market.The article recommends that subsequent revisions of the ATT and discussions regarding it need more focus on anti-corruption policies and procedure to correct the overly broad regulations that leave the interpretation of the treaty up to the member states. Additionally, countries should implement municipal laws similar to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the United States to assist in combating the illegal trade in weapons. This will help limit corrupt government officials from circumventing the provisions of the ATT for their personal benefit.
Yield of Xe 133 in the Thermal Neutron Fission of U 235

The yield of 5.27-day ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{133}$ in the thermal neutron fission of ${\mathrm{U}}^{235}$ was determined accurately by a method in which the fission rate was measured with a double chamber fission counter, and in which the disintegration rate of the chemically separated Xe was measured by gas phase proportional counting. Five separate determinations gave a mean value of (6.62\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.15) percent, where the indicated error is the 99: 1 probable error. A considerable number of possible sources of error was investigated in detail and taken into account when making the measurements and calculations.As by-products of this work, it was determined that: (1) the independent yield of ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{133}$ in ${\mathrm{U}}^{235}$ fission is not greater than 0.1 percent of the chain yield; (2) the independent yield of 9.15-hr ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{135}$ is about 3.5 percent of the total yield of the mass-135 chain; and (3) the half-life of ${\mathrm{I}}^{133}$, as measured by a procedure which circumvented most of the interference from other nuclides, is 20.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 hours.
Polarized IR MEIRAS Study of Surface Orientations of CO Molecules Adsorbed on Pt Nanowires Catalysts

Multilayer enhanced infrared reflection spectroscopy (MEIRAS) experiments were performed on parallel Pt nanowires nanofabricated on TiO2 and SiO2 substrates, while being exposed to 1% CO at atmospheric pressure and 75 °C. We studied the effect of nanowire widths and IR polarization and incidence angle on peak wavenumbers and intensities of absorption bands of CO molecules adsorbed on Pt surfaces. The samples consist of 4 mm × 4 mm arrays of rough polycrystalline parallel Pt nanowires placed 200 nm apart, 15–90 nm wide, and approximately 8 nm high/thick. The nanowires have somewhat straight side-faces because of the directional nature of the Pt deposition process used. We also studied 5 nm thick polycrystalline Pt film samples. Spectra from unpolarized IR at small incidence angles (20° from surface normal) showed a decrease in linearly adsorbed CO peak wavenumbers with decreasing nanowire width, from about 2090 cm –1 on Pt film to less than 2055 cm –1 on thin nanowires, indicating differences in Pt–CO inte...
Resource Variability and Life History Parameters of Leptopilina boulardi (Hymenoptera: Eucoilidae)

Influence of resource availability on the reproductive and life history parameters of the wasp parasitoid Leptopilina boulardi (Barbotin et al.) was examined. Cohorts of female wasps were exposed to patches containing an excess of appropriately aged larvae of Drosophila simulans (Sturtevant) in one of the three following schedules: (1) continuous-exposure cohort (wasps were continuously exposed to host larvae, being transferred daily to a freshly prepared vial); (2) intermittent-exposure cohort (wasps were presented with host larvae for a 24-h period every third day); (3) limited-exposure cohort (wasps were presented with host larvae daily for 1 h). Females of the continuous-exposure cohort exhibited an early peak and subsequent rapid decline in progeny production followed by a protracted period of postreproductive survival and produced a male-biased sex ratio. Females treated with intermittent and limited exposure schedules showed extended production of female progeny and produced female-biased sex ratios. The limited-exposure cohort was the most successful in terms of the highest production of female offspring, lowest sex ratio, and highest values of R . The commonly used laboratory technique for estimating parasitoid life history parameters involving continuous exposure to excessive host larvae may lead to inaccurate estimates of reproductive potential and population growth rates.
Gallery of Furs, Inc.: Fur Industry Merger Exercise

The set of four cases composing the Fur Industry Merger Exercise affords the opportunity for a merger negotiation among students. Three potential buyers (Adams [UVA-F-0964], Jindo [UVA-F-0962], and Lessard [UVA-F-0963]) compete for two potential sellers (Adams and Gallery of Furs). The cases give detailed financial forecasts for the target firms that are unique to each party. The forecasts form the basis for valuation of the target companies. The merger opportunities are prompted by major competitive changes in the worldwide fur-garment industry and by adverse changes in demand in U.S. fur retailing. The exercise affords insights into the challenges of cross-border acquisitions. Gallery of Furs is the second largest retailer of fur coats and garments in the United States. Its recent poor financial performance has made it the target of an uninvited raid. In response, the company desires to sell its Fur Retailing Division on the most advantageous terms. The "Gallery of Furs" case may be used on a stand-alone basis to illustrate aspects of valuation in a merger setting.
Floristic Quality Index for woodland ground flora restoration: Utility and effectiveness in a fire-managed landscape

Abstract Monitoring is a critical component of ecological restoration and requires the use of metrics that are meaningful and interpretable. We analyzed the effectiveness of the Floristic Quality Index (FQI), a vegetative community metric based on species richness and the level of sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbance of individual species present (Coefficient of Conservatism (CC)), using ground layer vegetation data from forests and woodlands with different fire histories in the Missouri Ozarks, USA. Specifically, we used total species richness, mean CC, and FQI to quantify differences in ground layer vegetation between burned and unburned sites, determine if relationships between richness and mean CC were consistent at local and landscape-scales, and evaluate the influence of richness and mean CC on FQI values using empirical data. Concerns regarding FQI identified in previous studies were also observed in this study, including a negative relationship between richness and mean CC. However, we observed this negative relationship using data from all study plots (landscape-scale) but not within discrete site types (local-scale). Relationships among mean CC, richness, and FQI were complicated because species richness was strongly correlated to FQI values across plots in which richness was low, whereas mean CC was only correlated with FQI values across plots in which richness was high. We conclude that the interpretation of the Floristic Quality Index may be challenged by: (1) the possibility of obtaining the same FQI value through different combinations of mean CC and richness; and (2) the dominating effect of richness on FQI. Although the FQI metric appears responsive to prescribed fire effects on plant communities in the Missouri Ozarks, the inclusion of species richness and mean CC provide more complete indication of plant community response than FQI alone.
Experimental Study of the Influence of Ethanol Mixed and Diluted Combustion on the Oil Consumption of a Diesel

After a heat absorption,ethanol can be pyrolyzed partially and produce a mixture of several gases.To study the oil saving effectiveness of gas mixing and dilution combustion in a diesel engine,the diesel system was modified:let ethanol to absorb the waste heat of the exhaust gas by passing through a miniature and efficient heat exchanger mounted on the exhaust gas pipe of the diesel engine and after a pyrolysis in a part,the gas mixture thus produced is fed into the combustor of the diesel engine via an inlet pipe to improve the combustion.On the system under discussion,an oil-saving experimental study was conducted at constant power-various rotating speeds and rated speed-various powers.The research results show that the system in question can have a relatively good oil-saving and energy-saving effectiveness at both high and low powers.When operating at 1500 r/min.the diesel engine can achieve a possible highest oil-saving rate and energy-saving rate of 40% and 13.5% respectively.When operating at 2000 r/min,the diesel can attain a possible highest oil-saving rate and energy-saving rate of 24% and 5.7% respectively.The measurement data of the gas mixture pyrolyzed from ethanol induce one to conclude that the oil-saving principle of the system mainly depends on ethanol steam at a low power while mainly on gases with small molecules at a high power.
ADDITIONAL RESIDENCES AWAY FROM HOME: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS ON SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP OF MULTIPLE RESIDENCES IN BEIJING

The housing system and housing consumption in urban China have changed significantly since the housing reform was launched.The rate of homeownership has increased rapidly,and multiple homes have emerged in a society that was previously dominated by public rental.Adopting the concept of place utility and spatial diffusion,this paper theoretically studied the spatial relationship between primary home and second home.Second home is further divided into different categories based on its purpose,including investment,leisure,helping family members/relatives,convenience,and market barrier related second home.This paper utilizes 2009 Beijing survey data and fieldwork to empirically study the spatial relationships between primary and second homes.Analysis shows that the purposes,usages,and housing and community characteristics of primary home and second homes are very different,supporting the place utility compensation hypothesis.Second homes are mostly located in the same city,within a short distance.The farther away from primary home,the fewer second homes there are,supporting the hypothesis of distance decay.Analysis also shows second home tends to be located in cities with similar administrative rank as the host city of primary home,and social network including kinship networks and danwei(work unit) networks affects the location of second homes.Different types of second home have different spatial patterns,modes of transportation,housing and community characteristics.Second home in urban China shares similarities with that in the west,but the unique housing system,housing culture and government policies in urban China has resulted in different spatial patterns.
Ultrafast Solid-State Circuit Breakers: Protecting Converter-Based ac and dc Microgrids Against Short Circuit Faults [Technology Leaders]

Renewable power sources and other distributed energy resources (DERs), such as photovoltaics, wind, and battery storage, feed electricity to the utility grid and/or local loads through interfacing power electronic converters. The safe and uninterrupted operation of these microgrids against fault conditions is an important system requirement. Although alternating current (ac) is still the dominant form of electricity, direct current (dc) has been gaining traction in data centers and office buildings because it offers higher system efficiency, lower capital and operating expenses, and easier integration of renewable resources and DERs.
AirSense: an intelligent home-based sensing system for indoor air quality analytics

In the U.S., people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Unfortunately, indoor air quality (IAQ) may be two to five times worse than the air outdoors, and is often overlooked. Existing IAQ monitoring technologies focus on IAQ measurements and visualization. However, the lack of information about the pollution sources as well as the seriousness of the pollution makes people feel powerless and frustrated, resulting in the ignorance of the polluted air at their homes. In this work, we fill this critical gap by presenting AirSense, an intelligent home-based IAQ sensing system that is able to automatically detect pollution events, identify pollution sources, estimate personal exposure to indoor air pollution, and provide actionable suggestions to help people improve IAQ. We have deployed AirSense at five homes to evaluate its performance and investigate how users interact with it. We demonstrate that AirSense can accurately detect pollution events, identify pollution sources, and forecast IAQ information within five minutes in both controlled and real-world settings. We further show the great potential of AirSense in increasing users' awareness of IAQ and helping them better manage IAQ at their homes.
Suppression of Baroclinic Instabilities in Buoyancy-Driven Flow over Sloping Bathymetry

AbstractBaroclinic instabilities are ubiquitous in many types of geostrophic flow; however, they are seldom observed in river plumes despite strong lateral density gradients within the plume front. Supported by results from a realistic numerical simulation of the Mississippi–Atchafalaya River plume, idealized numerical simulations of buoyancy-driven flow are used to investigate baroclinic instabilities in buoyancy-driven flow over a sloping bottom. The parameter space is defined by the slope Burger number S = Nf−1α, where N is the buoyancy frequency, f is the Coriolis parameter, and α is the bottom slope, and the Richardson number Ri = N2f2M−4, where M2 = |∇Hb| is the magnitude of the lateral buoyancy gradients. Instabilities only form in a subset of the simulations, with the criterion that SH ≡ SRi−1/2 = Uf−1W−1 = M2f−2α 0.2, where U is a horizontal velocity scale and SH is a new parameter named the horizontal slope Burger number. Suppression of instability formation for certain flow conditions contrasts...
SELECTION FOR RETENTION OR EXPORT OF LARVAE IN ESTUARIES

Abstract Two quite different sorts of selection could favor export of offspring from estuaries: (1) animals which spread offspring over several estuaries increase relative to non-spreaders in the population when favorability of estuaries varies independently; (2) animals which export offspring from an estuary during the larval stage increase relative to non-exporters in the population when survival or growth of larvae is greater outside the estuary. Adaptation to local conditions and the occurrence of homing in many life histories are indirect evidence against the first hypothesis. Conclusions are premature, but predictions are that (1) varying favorability among estuaries rarely favors the spread or dispersal of larvae among estuaries, (2) waters outside estuaries are often safer for larvae than waters inside estuaries, and (3) when there is selection for export of larvae from estuaries, it is selection for migration to areas more favorable to larval development rather than dispersal. In this view, the large scale spread of offspring is an accidental though important consequence of a long planktonic period; the spread of offspring confers no short term advantage.
Uprooting Community: Japanese Mexicans, World War II, and the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands. By Selfa A. Chew.

Uprooting Community: Japanese Mexicans, World War II, and the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands . By Selfa A. Chew. (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2015. x + 237 pp. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $50.00.) Writing against a tendency to view the concentration of Japanese Mexicans in more sanguine terms than Japanese American internment, Selfa A. Chew demonstrates how forced relocation led to “the loss of freedom, property, and lives of Japanese immigrants and their Mexican spouses, children, and grandchildren” (p. 7). Using U.S. National Archives and Mexican Department of Political and Social Investigations files, Chew’s work illustrates how the Mexican government took advantage of a climate of suspicion of Japanese in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands to restrict civil liberties and improve its relationship … Fredy.gonzalez{at}colorado.edu
Direct load control for electricity market risk management via risk-limiting dynamic contracts

This paper proposes a new direct load control framework that provides financial risk management solutions for real-time electricity markets. In this program, a load-serving entity makes risk-limiting dynamic contracts with its customers to optimally manage its revenue and risk. This risk is generated by both price volatility and demand uncertainty regarding distributed renewable generation as negative load. The key feature of our contract method is its risk-limiting capability: the amount of risk transferred to each customer is less than or equal to a pre-specified threshold. This is achieved by formulating the contract design problem as mean-variance constrained risk-sensitive control. We develop a dynamic programming-based solution approach. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed contracts by using locational marginal price (LMP) data from the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas and data on the electric energy consumption of customers in Austin, Texas. The numerical experiments suggest that the proposed direct load control program efficiently manages the load-serving entity's and its customers' risks even when the load-serving entity passes the wholesale electricity price to the customers.
Comparison of Commercially Available and Synthesized Titania Nano-Additives in Composite HTPB/AP Propellant

This study presents a comparison of commercially available titania nano-particles produced using electric wire explosion with nano-particles manufactured by the authors using a sol-gel synthesis process. For the present study, 20-nm titania was purchased off-the-shelf. It was determined to be rough spheres of 20 nm forming large, micron-sized agglomerates, whereas particles synthesized using the sol-gel process were found to be fundamentally 10 nm but with sub-micron agglomerations thereof. The nano-titania was added to 80% AP monomodal propellants at 0.3% and 1.0% by mass. Additional, 85% bimodal-AP mixtures were made, comparing commercial titania to the laboratory-synthesized particles at 1.0% by mass. Another set of samples compared a method of pre-mixing the synthesized additives directly into the binder material at 0.3% by mass of laboratory titania; two additional pre-mixed titania batches at 0.5% by mass were doped with either Fe or Cu into the nanocrystals. All propellants were tested up to 13.8 MPa at 3.8 MPa increments. Dry powder laboratory additives show a 60-to-100% increase in burning rate over the baseline samples with no catalyst and a 20-to-30% increase over the commercial nano-particles. Pre-mixed additives were found to produce similar burning rate increases but with lower concentrations required. This latest generation of particle synthesis techniques was further demonstrated in this study to have great potential for future propellant catalyst development.
Feasibility Pilot of a Randomized Faith-Based Intervention to Reduce Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Korean Americans.

INTRODUCTION Interventions are needed to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS), which persists in certain immigrant enclaves, including Koreans in the United States. A faith-based and culturally acceptable intervention was developed and pilot tested in collaboration with Korean churches to address SHS exposure among people of Korean descent. METHODS A pilot cluster randomized intervention trial was conducted with 11 Korean churches in southern California and 75 Korean adults who were exposed to SHS. Study participants received a multicomponent intervention, which consisted of motivational interviewing by telephone and educational materials tailored with related biblical messages; the intervention was bolstered by church-based group activities and environmental cues. The control group received the same type and frequency of intervention components, but the components related only to fruit and vegetable consumption. Data were collected on the feasibility of the intervention and study procedures. SHS exposure and awareness and knowledge of SHS exposure were assessed by telephone interviews at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS At follow-up, a larger percentage of the intervention group than the control group reported correct SHS knowledge and disapproval of SHS. The intervention group's SHS exposure was reduced by 8.5 cigarettes per week (vs a reduction of 1 cigarette per week among the control group). CONCLUSIONS Initial findings are promising for improving knowledge, attitudes, and protective behaviors surrounding SHS exposure. Results suggest that a faith-based intervention for Korean Americans who are exposed to SHS is feasible, acceptable, and potentially effective in reducing their exposure to SHS.
Seeking stability in Chicago: School actions, (c)overt forms of racial injustice, and the slow violence of neoliberal rationality

During the 2012-13 school year, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) reported 18,669 students were enrolled in the Students in Temporary Living Situations (STLS) program. In this paper, we seek to discuss school closings in relationship to their impact on poor, unstably housed, black students in Chicago. Critical race theory (CRT) constructs of (1) whiteness as property (Harris, 1995), (2) racial realism (Bell, 1992; Buras, 2013), and (3) white supremacy as education policy (Donnor, 2013; Gillborn, 2005) will be the frames in which we situate and analyze the school actions that have resulted in the recent closure/consolidation of 49 Chicago Public Schools (CPS). We contend that these constructs related to race, when mixed with neoliberal rationality (Brown, 2015) conspire to foster disastrous school policy that unduly impacts vulnerable populations and de-democratizes Chicago in profound ways. For this project, the CPS STLS program manager overseeing STLS transitions during the 2012-13/2013-14 school actions, and civil rights lawyers-advocates who have spent over two decades working to enforce McKinney-Vento implementation in CPS were interviewed. Document analysis of court records regarding three cases through which the Chicago Public Schools were named as Defendants in litigation brought forth by families (parents and students) impacted by CPS’ school actions; Chicago Teacher’s Union data and IL General Assembly’s Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force were completed. Findings reveal in order to promote equitable, and effective education policy for students of color experiencing housing instability means working against white supremacy and slow violence found throughout the US and world.
Federal feminism? The stealthy encoding of federal startup recruitment materials

Are you a woman of color in software development? Are you tired of the tech industry’s boys’ club? If so, the United States government wants you. Just watch its recruiting video.In 2014, President ...
Nightside Pi2 Wave Properties During an Extended Period With Stable Plasmapause Location and Variable Geomagnetic Activity

The frequencies and amplitudes of inner magnetosphere Pi2 waves are affected by the radial plasma density profile. Variable geomagnetic activity and external driving conditions can affect both wave properties and density profiles simultaneously. When interpreting observations, this can lead to ambiguity about whether changing wave properties are due to changing external conditions, density profiles, or a combination of factors. We present a case study using multipoint ground-based and in situ measurements to examine Pi2 wave properties during a period of variable geomagnetic activity. Multiple satellite passes demonstrate the density profile and plasmapause location are stable for at least 2 h over a wide range of magnetic local time. This stability allows us to examine how factors besides the radial density profile affect Pi2 wave properties. We find evidence for Pi2 waves with a broadband frequency spectrum as well as a discrete frequency plasmaspheric virtual resonance (PVR) that is observed at low, middle, and high latitudes and both inside and outside the plasmapause. The PVR is excited in repeated bursts before, during, and after (1) the development of a substorm, (2) several auroral intensifications, (3) the development of Subauroral Polarization Stream flows/electric fields/conductivities, and (4) variable interplanetary magnetic field conditions. Through all these changes the PVR frequency remains remarkably stable (8.2 ± 0.53 mHz, based on low-latitude ground magnetometer observations), suggesting that these variations have little effect on the frequency. This is consistent with PVR model predictions for a stationary plasmapause.
Towards sub-10 nm diameter InGaAs vertical nanowire MOSFETs and TFETs

The III-V vertical nanowire (VNW) MOSFETs is one of the candidates under consideration for CMOS technology beyond the 7 nm node [1]. This device architecture brings together the superior transport properties of III-V semiconductors [2] with the ultimate scalability of a vertical nanowire channel [3] where gate length, spacer thickness and contact length do not contribute to the footprint of the device [4]. With a similar geometry, III-V VNW TFETs potentially allow lower voltage operation and extreme high energy efficiency [5]. This is due to the TFET ability to achieve a subthreshold swing (S) below 60 mV/dec at room temperature (RT), a physical limit to MOSFETs [5]. III-V vertical nanowire MOSFETs and TFETs have been demonstrated by bottom-up [6-8] and top-down approaches [9-11]. Future ultra-scaled logic applications demand VNW FETs with sub-10 nm diameter [4]. Achieving this, remains an elusive goal. The difficulty lies in creating VNWs with a small diameter and a high aspect ratio, in contacting such thin VNWs, and altogether in addressing the integration challenges posed by such deeply scaled transistor structures. To our best knowledge, to date, the narrowest VNW transistor that has been claimed is an InAs/GaSb TFET with a diameter of 11 nm, but no electrical characteristics were shown [8]. In the Si system, 18 nm diameter VNW MOSFETs has been demonstrated [12].
Dual‐Earner Couples in the United States

With the massive movement of women into the US labor force, dual-earner couples have become a norm in the United States. The shift from single-earner to dual-earner family has affected the marital relationship, the well-being of family members, employers, and communities, with both positive and negative effects. Dual-earner couples generally have less traditional gender ideologies and share household tasks more equally than single-earner couples. This increase in the husband's participation in housework promotes the wife's marital satisfaction. Dual-earner couples suffer from work–family conflict and are vulnerable to crossover stress. They usually negotiate their role conflicts between work and family. There are gender differences in experiencing work–family stress and how to cope with work–family conflict. Some research reports ethnic differences in the division of labor between husband and wife. Nonstandard work schedules negatively affect marital relationships and increase the chances of divorce. The majority of homosexual dual-earner couples work outside the home and do the housework together. Their division of labor and relationship are more equal than those of heterosexual couples. With the increasing entrance of women into full-time professional and managerial positions, dual-career couples have emerged as a subset of dual-earner couples. The dual-career lifestyle will be viable among only a minority of couples because of its high demand for dedication and aspiration. Keywords: domestic division of labor; dual-earner couple; gender roles; homosexual dual-earner couple; lack of time; marital satisfaction; maternity leave; role overload; working wives/mothers; work-to-family conflict
Cystic acne due to imatinib therapy for chronic myelocytic leukemia.

Imatinib mesylate is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of several malignancies. Its use, however, is associated with a number of toxic effects including adverse cutaneous reactions....
Anesthesia Disparities Between High-Income Countries and Low-and Middle-Income Countries: Providers, Training, Equipment, and Techniques

There is a growing consensus that surgical disease will eclipse infectious disease as a global healthcare issue in the next 10 years. However, anesthesia resources are extremely limited in low and middle-income countries. Funds for anesthesia are limited. Trained providers are scarce. Many providers migrate to highincome countries for economic and professional reasons. Lack of equipment, pharmaceuticals and infrastructure for the provision of safe anesthesia also limit anesthesia delivery. This chapter details each of these factors.
A Longitudinal Preliminary Study of Addiction-Like Responses to Food and Alcohol Consumption Among Individuals Undergoing Weight Loss Surgery.

Reductions in addiction-like food behaviors and increases in alcohol intake have been reported after weight loss surgery. However, no studies have tracked these measures in combination and prospectively. In this preliminary study, 27 participants underwent bariatric surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) (n = 10) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) (n = 6)), dietary weight loss (n = 6), or no treatment (n = 5). Participants were weighed, completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), and reported alcohol intake frequency before intervention and at 4 and 24 months after baseline. At 24 months, only the surgery group showed significant reductions in BMI. Between baseline and 24 months, YFAS scores decreased (p = .006) and alcohol intake increased in the surgery group (p = .005). Significant changes were not observed in the diet or no treatment groups.
Studies related to alkylations of enolate anions of 1,4-benzodiazepinones

Treatment of 1,4-benzodiazepinone derivatives with a Wittig-Horner reagent, led to the desired carbon-carbon bond formation at the amide carbonyl carbon atom in reasonable yield. An examination of this reaction has shown that only secondary amides can be used, indicating that this process requires the amide proton. This observation would exclude the accepted mechanism for Wittig-Horner type reactions (four membered spiro ring intermediate), and an alternate mechanism, that involves cleavage of the anion prior to addition of the reagent to substrate is proposed
Magnetic Helicity and the Solar Dynamo

Solar magnetism is believed to originate through dynamo action in the tachocline. Statistical mechanics, in turn, tells us that dynamo action is an inherent property of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence, depending essentially on magnetic helicity. Here, we model the tachocline as a rotating, thin spherical shell containing MHD turbulence. Using this model, we find an expression for the entropy and from this develop the thermodynamics of MHD turbulence. This allows us to introduce the macroscopic parameters that affect magnetic self-organization and dynamo action, parameters that include magnetic helicity, as well as tachocline thickness and turbulent energy.
Influences of a Church-Based Intervention on Falls Risk Among Seniors.

Background and objectives Prior studies illustrate that community-based programs effectively decrease falls risk in older adults and that faith-based programs improve health behaviors. The literature is unclear whether faith-based initiatives reduce seniors' fall risks. To tackle this gap, a long-term partnership led by 10 urban churches, a nearby nursing school, and a medical school developed a study with 3 objectives: determine baseline health concerns associated with falls (eg, depression, polypharmacy), implement a nurse-led, faith-based health education initiative for community-dwelling African American seniors at-risk of hospitalization, and assess pre- to post -program fall frequency. Methods The 100 Healthy, At-Risk Families study team implemented 8 monthly educational health sessions promoting self-care and social support. Community nurses led the 60- to 90-minute sessions at each of 10 churches. To collect study data, nurses interviewed enrolled seniors pre- and post-intervention. Descriptive and comparison statistics were analyzed in Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results Senior data at baseline found high rates of polypharmacy and physical imbalance, and no significant depression or gaps in social support. There was not a statistically significant change pre- to post-program in fall frequency "in prior year." Conclusions Study findings reveal insights about African American senior health and fall risks. Church settings may provide a protective, psychosocial buffer for seniors, while polypharmacy and mobility/balance concerns indicate need for continued attention to fall risks. No increase in pre- to post-program falls was encouraging.
Partitioned GMM for Correlated Data with Bayesian Intervals

A Partitioned GMM logistic regression model with Bayes intervals for marginal means with time-dependent covariates is presented. The model is flexible and attainable in obtaining credible intervals of the regression coefficients for time-dependent covariates. It converges in cases where the frequentist model does not.
Why Isn't Congress More Corrupt? A Prelimenary Inquiry

In the aftermath of the indictment of New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on corruption charges, law professor (and recent reformist gubernatorial candidate) Zephyr Teachout published an op-ed in the New York Times entitled “Legalized Bribery.”1 In it, she argued that campaign contributions are a “gateway drug” to bribes and that politicians are “precorrupted” by taking campaign contributions and doing favors for contributors.2 She wants campaign finance limits, public financing, and limits on outside income for legislators.3 Although Teachout used powerful rhetoric and suggested worthy reforms, I see her as offering an empirical hypothesis about the relationship between campaign contributions and bribery: the easier it is to take campaign contributions, and the higher the contribution limits, the more politicians are primed to be bribed and therefore the more public corruption cases will emerge. But if campaign contributions lead to corruption, why do we not see more corruption in Congress? After all, members of Congress may take up to $5,400 each election;4 they also may set up leadership political action
Ubiquitous Nationwide 5G? Examining the Implications of Nationwide Promises

In the days leading up to Super Bowl LIV, the major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs): ATT Pressman, 2020; Sprint, 2019; T-Mobile, 2018). Yet what does it mean to have nationwide mobile network coverage? Wheeler (2018) argues that worldwide leadership in 5G will come from ubiquitous 5G that serves all Americans. Considering that some rural, low-income, Tribal, and geographically disadvantaged populations are still not served by 3G/4G networks, the United States has still not achieved (ubiquitous) nationwide coverage. Therefore, this paper critically examines how nationwide is leveraged by the major MNOs in the rollout of 5G. This paper uses critical discourse analysis and historical analysis to compare the notions of nationwide for 1G and 5G networks, will include maps of the various generations of these network buildouts to demonstrate the lack of uniform coverage across the United States, and will examine the consequences of nationwide discourse for future 5G policy. Interrogating nationwide as an objective, challenges assumptions about the possibility of scalability for small cell 5G deployment and about the affordances of 5G networks for areas with low population density. Will rural communities demonstrate enough demand for the IoT capabilities that 5G promises to encourage infrastructure buildout? The capital intensiveness, the frequency of antennas, the corresponding buildout of fiber back haul, and spectrum allocation are hurdles to 5G infrastructure even in dense urban areas and for rural populations these barriers may prove to be prohibitive.
The Changing Epidemiology and Microbiology of Patients With Prostate Abscess: Increase in Staphylococcal Infection

Background Prostatic abscesses are rare and have been most commonly associated with gram-negative bacteria; however, Staphylococcus aureus has emerged as a leading cause, particularly in persons who are immunocompromised. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients discharged from Ben Taub Hospital with a diagnosis of prostatic abscess during January 2011-January 2019. Demographic, clinical, microbiologic, and radiographic data were abstracted from the patients' charts and analyzed for comorbidities, causative organisms, clinical course, and outcomes. Results We identified 32 patients with a prostatic abscess during the study period. S. aureus was the most common causative organism (18/32, 56%). Most patients (24/32, 75%) were admitted to a general medicine service, and the median length of stay was 9 days. Twenty-one patients (66%) were treated with a combination of surgical drainage and antibiotic therapy; 11 (34%) were treated with antibiotics alone. All patients treated with antibiotics alone had full clinical recovery. Two patients (6.3%) died, both of whom had septic shock secondary to disseminated S. aureus infection. Conclusions Prostatic abscesses are rare and can be difficult to diagnose, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. S. aureus is a frequent causative organism especially in persons with diabetes mellitus or other immunocompromising conditions. Hematogenous spread of S. aureus infection to the prostate appears common. Prostatic abscesses can serve as the nidus of disseminated S. aureus infection.
Asymptotic Representation for Solutions of Difference Systems

In this chapter we first consider systems of linear difference equations $$\displaystyle{ y(n + 1) = A(n)y(n),\qquad n \geq n_{0}, }$$ (3.1) which are in what we call l 1-diagonal form $$\displaystyle{ y(n + 1) = [\varLambda (n) + R(n)]y(n),\qquad n \geq n_{0} }$$ (3.2) and establish results similar to those in Sects. 2.2– 2.4. This includes discrete versions of Coppel’s theorem and Levinson’s fundamental theorem from Sect. 2.2 for l 1-diagonal systems, and some results for weak dichotomies.
Crop/Weed Outcomes from Site-Specific and Uniform Soil-Applied Herbicide Applications

While uniform broadcast application (BC) of soil-applied herbicides is the norm, advances in geospatial technologies have enabled the deployment of site-specific herbicide application (SS). Since there are several, largely-untested decision rules for SS herbicide use, the objective of this work was to evaluate crop/weed outcomes and isoxaflutole use for a number of BC and SS strategies. Field experiments were established where isoxaflutole dose response functions were quantified from early-season Zea mays (L.), Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench., and Abutilon theophrasti Medic. response data at multiple plots (64 in 1999; 62 in 2000) throughout a variable field. These data were then used to infer crop and weed outcomes from simulated application strategies. While BC and SS strategies that relied on the product label were similar in terms of total herbicide use, extent of crop tolerance, and A. theophrasti efficacy, the SS strategy resulted in a significant redistribution of herbicide. Using biologically effective doses (ED) resulted in the highest efficacy and herbicide use was highly species-dependent. By using a historical weed map of the field to guide herbicide application, herbicide use could be reduced some 20–48% when following the product label where seedlings were present, or >90% when using the ED for A. theophrasti. In order to maximize the potential agronomic benefits of SS, biological and spatial information of both the weed and soil should be taken into account.
Development of a welding process model for H/sup /spl infin//-control design

In this paper we develop a dynamical input/output model of a gas tungsten arc welding process for H/sup /spl infin//-control design. The model is linear time invariant and is based on the heat conduction in weldment. Its impulse response is an infinite sum of infinite dimensional terms. The infinite sum due to the finite thickness of weldment is truncated, and the sum of infinite dimensional terms after truncation is approximated by a finite dimensional system. The controller is designed for this new model, and its performance is tested using the original model.
Representation, Voluntary Retirement, and Shirking in the Last Term

There is disagreement over whether or not representatives shirk.Previous studies, however, have used raw interest group scores thatdo not allow for accurate comparisons over time. I take advantageof recently published indexed ADA scores by Groseclose, Levitt, andSnyder (1999) that adjust for temporal differences to test forshirking. I compare results from adjusted ADA scores to Poole andRosenthal's Nominate scores. With a simple, straightforward test ofdyadic representation, I provide additional evidence that shirkingexists among voluntarily retiring members of Congress.
An empirical evaluation of bagging in inductive logic programming

Ensembles have proven useful for a variety of applications, with a variety of machine learning approaches. While Quinlan has applied boosting to FOIL, the widely-used approach of bagging has never been employed in ILP. Bagging has the advantage over boosting that the different members of the ensemble can be learned and used in parallel. This advantage is especially important for ILP where run-times often are high. We evaluate bagging on three different application domains using the complete-search ILP system, Aleph. We contrast bagging with an approach where we take advantage of the non-determinism in ILP search, by simply allowing Aleph to run multiple times, each time choosing "seed" examples at random.
On justifications for public support of the arts

A large literature has discussed the philosophical and economic arguments that might justify government involvement and subsidies to public charities for the arts. Major disagreements characterize this literature. On the one hand, advocates for the arts justify government subsidies by the inherent value of art for the cultural development of our society, the education of our children, and the enjoyment of our citizens. On the other hand, some analytically-mlnded economists (but not all) may argue that the free market works reasonably well on its own, without much governmental interference, unless some welldefined market failure causes a rni~allocation of resources that could justify public action.
On the Hausner Ratio and its relationship to some properties of metal powders

Abstract The ratio between the tap density and apparent density of a powder mass is termed the Hausner Ratio. Values of this ratio, flow times and angles of repose are compared for three types of dry powder and for two types of oiled copper powder. The results indicate that the Hausner Ratio measures the friction condition in a moving powder mass. It is concluded that the Hausner Ratio is a characteristic of a powder in addition to angle of repose and flow time. Knowledge of the Hausner Ratio is of use in gaining a basic understanding of the mechanism in sieving and of the initial stage of compaction of powders.
Insulin signaling in the transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of CYP2E1 expression.

Abstract Diabetes has been reported to increase the expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2E1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein several-fold, and enhanced expression has been associated with elevated ketone bodies. Primary cultured rat hepatocytes were used to explore ketone body and insulin regulation of CYP2E1 expression. Hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate (AC), alone or in combination, either failed to affect or decreased CYP2E1 mRNA levels by up to 90% relative to untreated hepatocytes. Insulin produced a concentration-dependent decrease in CYP2E1 mRNA levels, and insulin receptor immunoprecipitation showed a correspondence between receptor phosphorylation and the decrease in CYP2E1 mRNA levels at physiologic levels of insulin. Phosphatase inhibitors decreased CYP2E1 mRNA levels by greater than 95%. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) inhibitors wortmannin or LY294002 and rapamycin, an inhibitor of p70 S6 kinase phosphorylation, ameliorated the insulin-mediated decrease in CYP2E1 mRNA levels. Geldanamycin, which inhibits Src kinase, also abrogated the insulin-mediated decrease in CYP2E1 mRNA levels. In contrast, the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide, the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059, and the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitor SB202190 did not affect the insulin-mediated decrease in CYP2E1. CYP2E1 mRNA half-life decreased from ∼48 hours in the absence of insulin to ∼15 hours at 10 nmol/L insulin, and this decrease was prevented by wortmannin. The half-life of CYP2B mRNA was increased by insulin, whereas that of CYP3A was unaffected. Analysis of CYP2E1 gene transcription using heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA) showed that insulin suppressed CYP2E1 transcription. In conclusion, these data show involvement of transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms in the insulin-mediated regulation of CYP2E1 and implicate PI3-kinase, p70 S6 kinase, and Src kinase in mediating these effects. (H EPATOLOGY .)
Gradient-based direct normal-mode analysis.

A formulation of a direct, iterative method for obtaining the lowest eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a Hessian matrix is presented. Similar to the iterative schemes in electronic structure configuration interaction calculations (methods due to Lanczos, Davidson, and others), the mass-weighted Hessian matrix K is not constructed explicitly; instead, its operation on a basis vector (a direction in the 3N Cartesian configuration space of the atoms) is computed based on the principles of dynamical equations of motion. By noting that the time derivative of the gradient vector in the harmonic force field is related to the particles’ momenta via dg∕dt=Kp, a Hessian-vector product can be computed on the fly by finite differentiation of the gradient along the direction specified by the p vector. Thus, only two evaluations of the gradient are required per Davidson-like iteration per root, which leads to a linear scaling behavior of the computational effort with the number of atoms (provided that the evaluation of t...
The fractal character of fracture spacing and RQD

Abstract Fracturing and fragmentation processes occur on all scales and, hence, may be described in terms of fractals. We examined the fractal dimensions of discontinuity spacing measurements in a fractured rock mass and observed a relation between the fractal dimension and the quality of the rock mass in terms of RQD. RQD tends to increase with a decrease infractal dimension for a given scanline length. Thus a relatively more-competent fractured rock mass will tend to have a lower fractal dimension and vice versa.