cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fleas, Lice, and Epifaunistic Pseudoscorpions of Some Native Mammals in Northwestern Costa Rica

ABSTRACT: Two species of chewing lice (Eutrichophilus mexicanus and Neotrichodectes mephiditis), 4 species of sucking lice (Fahrenholzia fairchildi, Fahrenholzia ferrisi, Fahrenholzia n. sp., and Hoplopleura mendezi), 4 species of fleas (Kohlsia traubi, Polygenis roberti beebei, Rhopalopsyllus australis australis, and Rhopalopsyllus lugubris), and 1 species of epifaunistic pseudoscorpion (Epichernes guanacastensis) were recorded from native mammals in the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica during a parasite All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory from 1996 to 2004. All 6 species of lice were host specific. Fleas were less host specific and included a record of a rodent flea (R. a. australis) from a jaguar, Panthera onca. Epifaunistic pseudoscorpions were recorded only from Salvin’s spiny pocket mouse, Liomys salvini, on which they appear to be mutualistic with the host by preying on ectoparasites in the host pelage. Eutrichophilus mexicanis, N. mephiditis, F. ferrisi, H. mendezi, K. traub...
Parametric VaR Analysis

Leptokurtosis poses an especially keen threat to the economically informed evaluation of market risk in the trading books of major financial institutions (including, but not limited to, those deemed systemically important to global financial stability). Why this should be so warrants a quick look at global banking regulation. I will then describe VaR analysis and its parametric implementation under Gaussian assumptions.
Resurrection in Paganism and the Question of an Empty Tomb in 1 Corinthians 15

On the basis of the semantics of ἀνίστημι and ἐγeίρω and the nature of resurrected bodies in ancient Judaism and ancient paganism, one can conclude that Paul could not have conceived of a resurrection of Jesus unless he believed the tomb was empty.
Anomalous Domain Wall Magnetoresistance in Ultrathin Manganite Films Near M–I Transition Boundary

Resistance and magnetoresistance in compressively strained epitaxial \({\text{Pr}}_{{\text{2/3}}} {\text{Sr}}_{{\text{1/3}}} {\text{MnO}}_{\text{3}}\) ultrathin films have been studied. The samples were first demagnetized in different ways so that different magnetic structures were created, such as random domain and single domain states. Very large difference in resistance in zero applied magnetic field was observed between different states. The large change of resistance between states is attributed to spin-dependent scattering at the domain walls. We have shown for the first time that large domain wall resistance can be obtained in strained ultrathin manganite films and the result cannot be explained by the double-exchange model.
Cost-based filtering for shorter path constraints

Many real world problems, e.g. in personnel scheduling and transportation planning, can be modeled naturally as Constrained Shortest Path Problems (CSPPs), i.e., as Shortest Path Problems with additional constraints. A well studied problem in this class is the Resource Constrained Shortest Path Problem. Reduction techniques are vital ingredients of solvers for the CSPP, that is frequently NP-hard, depending on the nature of the additional constraints. Viewed as heuristics, until today these techniques have not been studied theoretically with respect to their efficiency, i.e., with respect to the relation of filtering power and running time. Using the concepts of Constraint Programming, we provide a theoretical study of cost-based filtering for shorter path constraints on acyclic, on undirected and on directed graphs that do not contain negative cycles.
Orthopedic Considerations in Rehabilitative Surgery

Understanding the nature of orthopedic injuries and the basis of orthopedic care allows for interdisciplinary management of patients with musculoskeletal injuries or deficits. Optimal care of the patient with musculoskeletal pathology requires close collaboration between orthopedists and specialists in the rehabilitative arena. Where interaction is inadequate, the patient may have limited access to various diagnostic and therapeutic options and modalities. The outcome will thus likely be adversely affected without the benefit of a coordinated team providing specialized care.
Instability in Settling of Suspensions Due to Brownian Effects

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses instability in settling of suspensions because of Brownian effects. Uniform suspensions of hydrophobic colloidal particles sediment in a manner that is not compatible with the elementary theory of Brownian motion. This means that the particles do not sediment to reach an equilibrium concentration that is linearly increasing with depth into the container, but instead the concentration forms nearly constant layers and sharp transitions to higher densities as the depth increases. The principal mechanism for this effect must be Brownian motion and not electrostatic forces and boundary influences. By using a suitable description of the problem by a Fokker–Planck equation and using a scaling that fits reasonably well with Siano's experiment, an effective equation for the evolution of the concentration can be derived.
Effect of Missing Data on Classification Error in Panel Surveys

Sensitive outcomes of surveys are plagued by wave nonresponse and measurement error (classification error for categorical outcomes). These types of error can lead to biased estimates and erroneous conclusions if they are not understood and addressed. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is a nationally representative rotating panel survey with seven waves measuring property and violent crime victimization. Because not all crime is reported to the police, there is no gold standard measure of whether a respondent was victimized. For panel data, Markov Latent Class Analysis (MLCA) is a model-based approach that uses response patterns across interview waves to estimate false positive and false negative classification probabilities typically applied to complete data. This article uses Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML) to include respondents with partial information in MLCA. The impact of including partial respondents in the MLCA is assessed for reduction of bias in the estimates, model specification differences, and variability in classification error estimates by comparing results from complete case and FIML MLCA models. The goal is to determine the potential of FIML to improve MLCA estimates of classification error. While we apply this process to the NCVS, the approach developed is general and can be applied to any panel survey.
Fertility preservation: A novel method to improve fertility discussion and documentation.

e18152Background: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) published guidelines in 2006 to address discussions regarding infertility and fertility preservation options, and referrals to fertili...
Plumbagin improves the efficacy of androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer: A pre-clinical study

Background Plumbagin is a candidate drug for the treatment of prostate cancer. Previous observations indicated that it may improve the efficacy of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). This study evaluates the effectiveness of treatment with combinations of plumbagin and alternative strategies for ADT in mouse models of prostate cancer to support its clinical use. Methods Plumbagin was administered per oral in a new sesame oil formulation. Standard toxicology studies were performed in rats. For tumor growth studies, mouse prostate cancer cell spheroids were placed on top of grafted prostate tissue in a dorsal chamber and allowed to form tumors. Mice were separated in various treatment groups and tumor size was measured over time by intra-vital microscopy. Survival studies were done in mice after injection of prostate cancer cells in the prostate of male animals. Androgen receptor (AR) levels were analyzed by Western blot from prostate cancer cells treated with plumbagin. Results Plumbagin caused a decrease in AR levels in vitro. In mice, plumbagin at 1 mg/kg in sesame oil displayed low toxicity and caused a 50% tumor regression when combined with castration. The combination of plumbagin with various forms of chemical ADT including treatment with a GnRH receptor agonist, a GnRH receptor antagonist, or CYP17A1 inhibitors, outperformed ADT alone, increasing mouse survival compared to the standard regimen of castration alone. In contrast, the combination of plumbagin with AR antagonists, such as bicalutamide and enzalutamide, showed no improvement over AR antagonists alone. Thus, plumbagin is effective in combination with drugs that prevent the synthesis of testosterone or its conversion to dihydrotestosterone, but not with drugs that bind to AR. Conclusion Plumbagin significantly improves the effect of ADT drugs currently used in the clinic, with few side effects in mice.
Parental Absence and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Social Support, Social Constraints and Sense-Making

Given the rise of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in youth, it is imperative to address understudied correlates that may contribute to NSSI. The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate NSSI in college students (N = 1703) with or without a history of parental absence. We also examined the relationships between parental absence, interpersonal (i.e., support and social constraint) factors, intrapersonal (i.e., sense-making) factors, and NSSI in our sample of primarily Caucasian/White, heterosexual, single, traditional-aged, female college students. Logistic regression indicated that the odds of reporting NSSI were 5 times higher for participants who had experienced permanent parental absence (e.g., death) compared to those who had not experienced absence. The odds of reporting NSSI were 8.5 and 7.5 times higher for those respondents who had experienced non-permanent parental absence (e.g., parental travel) and both types of parental absence, respectively, when compared to those who experienced permanent parental absence. Social support, social constraint, and sense-making made significant but small contributions to the prediction of NSSI endorsement. Participants who reported experiencing both permanent and non-permanent absence exhibited the highest level (p < .001, η2 = .09) of interpersonal reasons (e.g., to hurt someone) for engaging in NSSI. These findings can serve as a catalyst for future NSSI research (e.g., the potential importance of including parental absence as a background variable). Moreover, the results suggest the possible benefit of continued examination of: (a) the relationship between experiencing both types of parental absence and engagement in NSSI for interpersonal reasons; and (b) social support, sense-making, and social constraint as contributing factors of NSSI endorsement.
Facial emotion recognition system through machine learning approach

Data mining also sometimes called data or knowledge discovery is the process of analyzing data from different perspectives and summarizing it into useful information. Image processing is related to Computer vision, which is a high-level image processing out of which a machine/computer/software intends to decipher the physical contents of an image or a sequence of images. One of the ways to do this is by comparing selected facial features from the image and a facial database. Recognizing emotion from images has become one of the active research themes in image processing and in applications based on human-computer interaction. This research conducts an experimental study on recognizing facial emotions. The flow of our emotion recognition system include the basic process in FER system. These include image acquisition, preprocessing of an image, face detection, feature extraction, classification and then when the emotions are classified the system assigns the user particular music according to his emotion. Our system focuses on live images taken from the webcam. The aim of this research is to develop automatic facial emotion recognition system for stressed individuals thus assigning them music therapy so as to relief stress. The emotions considered for the experiments include happiness, Sadness, Surprise, Fear, Disgust, and Anger that are universally accepted.
Learning and Mapping Lyme Disease Patient Trajectories from Electronic Medical Data for Stratification of Disease Risk and Therapeutic Response

Background: Lyme disease (LD) is an epidemic, tick-borne illness with approximately 329,000 incidences diagnosed each year in United States. Long-term use of antibiotics is associated with serious complications, including post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). The landscape of comorbidities and health trajectories associated with LD and associated treatments is not fully understood. Consequently, there is an urgent need to improve clinical management of LD based on a more precise understanding of disease and patient stratification. Methods: We used a precision medicine machine-learning approach based on high-dimensional electronic medical records (EMRs) to characterize the heterogeneous comorbidities in a LD population and develop systematic predictive models for identifying medications that influence the risk of subsequent comorbidities. Findings: We identified 3, 16, and 17 comorbidities at broad disease categories associated with LD within 2, 5, and 10 years of diagnosis, respectively. At higher resolution of ICD-9 levels, we pinpointed specific co-morbid diseases on a timescale that matched the symptoms associated with PTLDS. We identified 7, 30, and 35 medications that influenced the risks of the reported comorbidities within 2, 5, and 10 years, respectively. These medications included six previously associated with the identified comorbidities and 29 new findings. For instance, the first-line antibiotic doxycycline exhibited a consistently protective effect for typical symptoms of LD, including 9backache Not Otherwise Specified (NOS)9 and 9chronic rhinitis9, but consistently increased the risk of 9cataract NOS9, 9tear film insufficiency NOS9, and 9nocturia9. Interpretation: Our approach and findings suggest new hypotheses for precision medicine treatments regimens and drug repurposing opportunities tailored to the phenotypic profiles of LD patients. Funding: The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation
Public attitudes toward presidential veto powers

Previous research on presidential powers has demonstrated predictable variation in the level of support for presidential usage of those powers. However, much of this work has focused solely on unil...
Well-woman Care Barriers and Facilitators of Low-income Women Obtaining Induced Abortion after the Affordable Care Act.

Abstract Objectives This study uses the abortion visit as an opportunity to identify women lacking well-woman care (WWC) and explores factors influencing their ability to obtain WWC after implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Methods We conducted semistructured interviews with low-income women presenting for induced abortion who lacked a well-woman visit in more than 12 months or a regular health care provider. Dimensions explored included 1) pre-abortion experiences seeking WWC, 2) postabortion plans for obtaining WWC, and 3) perceived barriers and facilitators to obtaining WWC. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Results Thirty-four women completed interviews; three-quarters were insured. Women described interacting psychosocial, interpersonal, and structural barriers hindering WWC use. Psychosocial barriers included negative health care experiences, low self-efficacy, and not prioritizing personal health. Women's caregiver roles were the primary interpersonal barrier. Most prominently, structural challenges, including insurance insecurity, disruptions in patient–provider relationships, and logistical issues, were significant barriers. Perceived facilitators included online insurance procurement, care integration, and social support. Conclusions Despite most being insured, participants encountered WWC barriers after implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Further work is needed to identify and engage women lacking preventive reproductive health care.
Risk factors contributing to cardiac events following general and vascular surgery.

Abstract Background Cardiac events (CE) following surgery have been associated with morbidity and mortality. Defining risk factors that contribute to CE is essential to improve surgical outcomes. Study design This was a retrospective study at a large urban teaching hospital for surgery performed from 2013 to 2015. Adult patients (≥18 years) that underwent general and vascular surgery were analyzed. Patients were grouped into those who experienced postoperative CE and those who did not. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to identify predictors of postoperative CE, and association of CE with adverse postoperative outcomes. Separate subgroup analyses were also conducted for general and vascular surgery patients to assess predictors of CE. Results Out of 8441 patients, 157 (1.9%) experienced CE after major general and vascular surgery. Underlying predictors for CE included age >65 years(OR 4.9, 95%CI 3.4–6.9,p 3(OR 12.0, 95%CI 8.5–16.9,p 1.2 mg/dL(OR 5.1, 95%CI 3.7–7.1,p = 0.01), hematocrit 240 min(OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.3–3.3,p = 0.02). Following surgery, CE was associated with increased mortality(OR 3.5, 95%CI 1.2–6.5,p Conclusion Postoperative CE are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Identified predictors of CE should allow for adequate risk stratification and optimization of perioperative surgical management.
"Is it worth my time and effort?": How children selectively gather information from experts when faced with different kinds of costs.

Abstract Gathering good-quality information is important for effective learning, but children may often need to expend time or energy (i.e., costs) in order to do so. In this study, we examined how 4- and 5-year-olds (N = 91) gather information from others when one source of information comes at a cost. Children were given three types of question cards (doctor-related, mechanic-related, and neutral questions) and could assign each question to either a doctor or car mechanic puppet. One puppet (either the doctor or the car mechanic, counterbalanced) could be accessed immediately, but the other puppet required either waiting 30 s or completing a tedious sorting task first. Children’s verbal intelligence and executive function skills were also assessed. Results showed that cost influenced how children sought information from each of the expert puppets; children selected the costly expert for domain-relevant questions at chance levels and otherwise strongly preferred to question the non-costly puppet. In addition, executive function skills (but not verbal intelligence) related to how frequently children were willing to direct questions to the costly puppet. Overall, these results indicate that children are influenced by costs when gathering information from others and that their ability to expend a cost to gather good-quality information may relate to their inhibition skills. Implications for encouraging effective learning are discussed.
Repellent effects of methyl anthranilate on western corn rootworm larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in soil bioassays.

Methyl anthranilate, a natural compound in maize roots, was previously shown to be repellent to larvae of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. In this study, MA was tested in a soil environment for behavioral effects on neonate larvae. In tests with a single maize seedling surrounded by MA-coated granules, MA prevented larvae from locating the roots and the number of larvae recovered from roots decreased with increasing rates of MA. When MA was employed in a simple push-pull strategy between an MA-treated seedling and an untreated seedling, concentrations of MA as low as 0.01% caused significantly more larvae to be “pushed” to and recovered from roots of the untreated seedling. The effect strengthened as the dosage increased, with up to 90% repellency occurring with the highest dose tested (10% MA). A commercial product containing MA gave similar results, with 96% repellency observed for the highest dose tested. Chemical analysis showed that amounts of MA remained high for 4 weeks in dry, sterilized or unsterilized soil, but MA levels declined rapidly in moist soil. After 7 days, MA levels in moist, sterilized soil were 50% lower than in dry soil and in unsterilized moist soil, only a trace of MA remained, suggesting that both moisture and microbial activity contributed to the loss of MA. A variety of carrier granules were coated with MA and tested in soil bioassays after aging in moist soil. After 1 day in the soil, all of the MA granules were repellent at the 1% rate and clay granules were also effective at 0.1%. After one week in the soil, only the molecular sieve granules elicited repellency, but this activity was gone after two weeks of aging. These results demonstrate that MA elicits a repellent effect by western corn rootworm larvae in the soil environment and may have future potential as a rootworm treatment if formulations can be developed to protect the material from decomposition in the soil.
Nicotine Reduction in Cigarettes: Literature Review and Gap Analysis.

Background The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering reducing nicotine levels in cigarettes to "minimally or non-addictive levels." However, important research gaps remain, and the FDA must determine when the available research is sufficient to support moving forward. Methods The authors conducted a systematic review of research articles in PubMed relating to nicotine reduction. Building on a review of risk assessment best practices, the authors also developed a risk assessment framework for tobacco regulation and used it to guide a gap analysis of nicotine reduction research. Results The final sample consisted of 78 articles. The majority examined either nicotine dependence on very low nicotine cigarettes (VLNCs) or markers of potential health effects of using VLNCs. One-third of the identified articles reported results from four large randomized controlled trials (RCTs). While these studies report promising results and suggest that a nicotine reduction rule would be a powerful tool to reduce cigarette smoking, our gap analysis suggests that there is a need for studies that better reflect the use and availability of a wide range of tobacco/nicotine products and the potential for dual- or multi-product use. Conclusion The current body of research on nicotine reduction is weighted towards RCTs, which is appropriate for a policy that has not yet been implemented anywhere in the world. The FDA must consider a wide range of factors that may impact a product standard's public health impact, including those difficult to assess in RCTs, such as a nicotine reduction rule's impact on smoking initiation and relapse. Implications This systematic review presents a gap analysis based on a risk assessment framework to help identify remaining research priorities to inform FDA's potential product standard to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes. Quickly addressing those gaps would support the FDA's effort to develop a nicotine reduction product standard that will be effective and withstand legal challenges.
EDF Scheduling of Industrial Robotic Manufacturing Tasks

As industry leans more towards automation, there has been an increase in productivity with the integration of industrial robots. Industrial robots are able to provide greater flexibility with stringent timing and reliability in addition to functional correctness. We ask the question whether the traditional task scheduling algorithm-Earliest Deadline First (EDF)-is suitable for robots in an industrial setting. A task set is schedulable under EDF if and only if it satisfies the condition that the total processor utilization due to the task set is less than or equal to 1, for a set of periodic real-time tasks {T1, T2,…, Tn}. The selected scheduling algorithm is optimal for scheduling a set of independent and preemptable tasks, which is heavily applicable to the industrial robotic manufacturing industry. In this paper, we address the scheduling problem for a single processor device that executes preemptable time-critical tasks and evaluate its performance and explore the possibilities of modified EDF in a multiprocessor environment. The full solution to the multi-robot coordination problem relies on an efficient solution to this single robot scheduling problem. For real-time scheduling problems like the one that we are exploring, the criteria will be scheduled in polynomial time of any task set which satisfies some specific conditions. The overall performance of EDF in both uniprocessor and multiprocessor states will be explored.
State Preventive Medicine: Public Health, Indian Removal, and the Growth of State Capacity, 1800–1840

Despite growing awareness of the American state's active role in the early nineteenth century, scholars have tended to ignore the early republic's public health apparatus. The few studies that do chronicle antebellum health initiatives confine themselves to programs intended to directly reward citizens—and particularly those who contributed politically or economically to the nation's founding and expansion. As this detailed study of the Indian Vaccination Act of 1832 makes clear, however, antebellum policymakers saw value in providing medical care to those outside their settler citizenry. Blending liberal, republican, and ascriptive ideas, the vaccination program joined two competing political logics: one emphasizing the humanity of indigenous people and the importance of providing for their welfare, and the other prioritizing the state's interest in an efficient “removal” process. Evidencing far more autonomy and administrative capacity than the average nineteenth-century bureaucracy, the War Department played a pivotal role in petitioning Congress for, and ultimately administering, the vaccination program. Unwilling to cede regulatory power over indigenous health to more proximate local governments or private parties, the War Department preferred its own military manpower—a decision that would profoundly shape the design and reception of subsequent Native health programs.
A MOUTH FULL OF TEETH: A CASE REPORT

Background An increase in the number of teeth is termed supernumerary teeth.1,2 These teeth can be present both unilaterally or bilaterally, in one jaw, or in both jaws.2 In the maxilla, the anterior region is the most common location, and a solitary tooth in the midline is referred to as mesiodens. However, supernumerary teeth are more often seen in the mandible, especially in the premolar region, and are referred to as peridens.1,2 Supernumerary teeth distal to the molars are referred to as distodens.2 This type of dental anomaly is commonly associated with developmental disorders, such as Gardner syndrome and cleidocranial dysplasia.2,3 The excess number of teeth affects both the primary and permanent dentitions. It more commonly affects the permanent dentition and usually interferes with the eruption pattern, leading to malposition, crowding, ectopic eruption, and malocclusion.1,2 Clinical and Radiographic Presentation A 9-year-old female with multiple impacted supernumerary teeth was referred by an orthodontist requesting a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan for evaluation of impacted teeth. According to the clinic notes from the orthodontist, the patient was not complaining of any pain and had not been previously diagnosed with any medical disorder. There was no concerning medical history reported for the patient. The family history revealed that the patient’s mother was deaf. The CBCT scan revealed multiple impacted permanent and supernumerary teeth in the jaws. On the basis of the radiologist’s recommendation, the patient was referred to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinic for genetic tests to rule out a possible underlying disorder. Differential Diagnosis Cleidocranial dysplasia, Gardner syndrome, Apert syndrome, and Crouzon syndrome were considered. Diagnosis and Management The CBCT scan revealed 19 impacted supernumerary teeth, apart from the impacted permanent teeth. The scan also showed a dentigerous cyst around the unerupted permanent mandibular right first molar. The image revealed multiple open sutures. A chest radiograph revealed marked variations in the clavicles bilaterally. On genetic testing, in addition to the findings from the scan, led to the diagnosis of cleidocranial dysplasia. The patient is currently scheduled for systematic removal of the supernumerary teeth as part of the comprehensive treatment plan. Discussion This case demonstrates the crucial role and importance of interpretation of CBCT volumes by a radiologist and the immense benefit of interdisciplinary care provided to a patient. CBCT is an excellent imaging tool to evaluate the location of teeth and aids in the treatment plan by revealing incidental findings that could be life changing for a patient and by enabling better patient care and outcomes.
Centuries of Ballot-Box Transportation Planning in Los Angeles:

Since 1980, many have marveled at Los Angeles’“innovation” of funding transportation through ballot measures that are raising billions for transportation improvements. In fact, historically much tr...
Spatio-temporal deep learning models of 3D turbulence with physics informed diagnostics

Direct Numerical Simulations (DNSs) of high Reynolds number turbulent flows, encountered in engineering, earth sciences, and astrophysics, are not tractable because of the curse of dimensionality a...
Gender and Justice

In meting out punishments for crimes, our society defines justice in terms of both proportionality—the fit between offense and consequence—and equal treatment, the imposition of penalties without regard for such personal characteristics as gender, race, or social class. This chapter is concerned with justice in the second sense. It focuses on the gap between the ideal of equal treatment and the reality that prisons punish inmates differently on the basis of gender.
Seismic-resistant self-centering rocking core system

Abstract Conventional braced frame systems exhibit limited drift capacity before brace buckling and associated damage leads to strength and stiffness degradation. A self-centering rocking core (SC-RC) system is being developed to provide significant drift capacity while limiting damage and residual drift. The SC-RC system consists of beams, columns, and braces branching off a central column. Friction at lateral-load bearings that transfer inertia forces from the floor diaphragms to the SC-RC is used to dissipate energy to reduce the overall seismic response of the SC-RC system. Vertically oriented post-tensioning bars provide additional overturning moment resistance and help to reduce residual drift. The paper introduces a preliminary design approach for SC-RC systems. Several SC-RC systems are designed, and pushover and dynamic nonlinear analysis results are presented. Dynamic analysis results confirm the expected drift capacity and behavior of the system.
Mechanism of action of malt beta-glucanases. 8. Structures of products formed during hydrolysis of barley beta-D-glucan by A11-endo-beta-glucanase.

Abstract Barley β- d -glucan was subjected to exhaustive hydrolysis by A II -endo-β-glucanase from germinated barley. The products were separated by paper chromatography, extracted, and quantitated. The identities of the products were deduced from chromatographic mobilities, products formed during emulsin hydrolysis, products formed after reduction and partial acid hydrolysis, degree of polymerization, periodate cleavage products, and melting points. Approximately 12% of the carbohydrate separated was not recovered from the paper. A minimum of 53.0% 3-0-β- d -cellobiosyl- d -glucose 26.5% 3-0-β- d -cellotriosyl- d -glucose, and 8.0% higher oligosaccharide units containing mainly (1 → 4) linked glucose residues terminated on the reducing end with a (1 → 3) linked glucose unit were found in barley β- d -glucan.
QFD: a method for guaranteeing communication of the customer voice through the whole product development cycle

The authors briefly describes the program that HP's (Hewlett-Packard's) Corporate Quality Department is putting in place to promote the use of QFD (quality function deployment) in new product development. Capsule accounts are given of several HP projects that have used elements of QFD. Lessons learned about the accelerating factors and the pitfalls in implementing QFD are presented. >
Specific recognition site probes for isolating genes encoding DNA-binding proteins.

Publisher Summary A large number of sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins have been cloned using recognition sites as ligands to screen expression libraries. This chapter presents a partial listing of the various clones. Most of these proteins are mammalian transcription factors. However, the technique is not restricted by the source or function of the DNA-binding protein. Sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins generally contain one of the following structural motifs: the helix-turn-helix, zinc fingers, the leucine zipper, or the helix-loop-helix. The screening strategy, although a very powerful tool, has limitations. Because it relies on the functional expression of a DNA-binding domain in E. coli , it is highly unlikely to enable the cloning of proteins that depend either on a cell-specific posttranslational modification or on a second distinct subunit for high-affinity DNA binding. The strategy of cloning a gene, based on the detection of its functional recombinant product with a ligand probe, has considerable potential. It has been successfully used with other ligand probes, such as apurinic DNA and protein subunits.
An analysis of narrative moves in improvisational theatre

Our continued investigation into the experience of improvisers as they construct narrative in improvisational theatre provides a meaningful decomposition of its atomic unit, the offer. Our study was conducted with improvisers performing improv "games" in their theatre with each performance video recorded. Individual participants were selectively shown individual performances before being interviewed. This process is meant to elicit deeper information into how the performer chooses specific narrative interactions to develop in an improvisation performance. This paper presents our ongoing findings related to narrative development in improvisational theatre and how they were used to create an improvisational micro-agent. These findings have demonstrated that the use of offers to construct a scene involves the offers' acceptance and augmentation in a scene more than just the strength of an offer.
Characteristics of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid of Tφ3, a Bacteriophage for Bacillus stearothermophilus

It is shown that the individual strands of bacteriophage Tφ3 DNA are intact and that heat-denatured Tφ3 DNA forms a bimodal distribution in a neutral CsCl density gradient.
Production and Welding Technology of Some High-Temperature Nickel Alloys in Relation to Their Properties

The most effective matching of alloys to the needs of advanced high-temperature gas-cooled reactors requires not only a knowledge of material properties, but also some understanding of the inherent...
Reproduction, Ethics, Sex Selection

Introduction Background Sperm Separation Preimplantation Diagnosis Fetal Sex Determination Attitudes Toward Sex Selection Case Study Ethical Arguments for and Against Sex Selection Keywords: ethics; sex selection
The Social Contract and the Rules of Trial: Re-Thinking Procedural Rules

This essay explores the connections between the criminal standard of proof, the rules of evidence and procedure, and the social contract. It argues that the deontological reification of existing procedures and standards into fixed, inviolable rights rests on an egregious misreading of what protections the contract obliges the state to provide to its citizens. It further shows that a proper definition of the appropriate standard of proof in criminal trials - which this paper purports to provide - has nothing to do with the famous Blackstone ratio and very little to do with the vexed question of the ratio of errors at trial.
Converse stability theorems for discontinuous dynamical systems: Improved results

In [1] we established, among other results, a set of sufficient conditions for the uniform asymptotic stability of invariant sets for discontinuous dynamical systems (DDS) defined on metric space, and under some additional minor assumptions, we also established a set of necessary conditions (a converse theorem). This converse theorem involves Lyapunov functions which need not necessarily be continuous. In the present paper, we show that under some additional very mild assumptions, the Lyapunov functions for the converse theorem need actually be continuous. This improvement in the regularity properties of the Lyapunov functions shows that the stability results in [1] (under the additional mild assumptions) are rather robust. To keep our presentation as simple as possible, we confine ourselves to discontinuous dynamical systems determined by ordinary differential equations. However, the methodology em ployed herein can be used to establish converse theorems for DDS involving continuous Lyapunov functions for dynamical systems defined on metric spaces concerning a variety of stability and boundedness types.
A high performance web-based system for molecular electronic structure visualization

To facilitate research in theoretical chemical physics, and to also enhance the knowledge of undergraduate students in bonding theory, we have developed a tool for the real-time visualization of molecular orbitals. Typically these calculations take anywhere from several minutes to hours on a single processor, and therefore are unsuitable for use in a classroom setting. The tool utilizes a custom-designed web based interface to remotely drive a heterogeneous parallel virtual machine which performs the quantum mechanical calculations and the evaluation of the molecular wavefunctions over the spatial coordinates of the molecule. These results are subsequently passed to another system that generates the graphical representation of the orbitals and returns a web viewable form to the user's display. By carefully considering issues related to the data parallelism, processor strengths, load balancing, and network bandwidth, we have developed a tool that is fast enough for world wide classroom instructional use. Furthermore, because the tool is general enough to handle virtually any molecule, it can be widely used for general research in molecular science and bonding theory.
n−3 Fatty acids and gene expression

Accumulating evidence in both humans and animal models clearly indicates that a group of very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, the n-3 fatty acids (or omega-3), have distinct and important bioactive properties compared with other groups of fatty acids. n-3 Fatty acids are known to reduce many risk factors associated with several diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. The mechanisms whereby n-3 fatty acids affect gene expression are complex and involve multiple processes. As examples, n-3 fatty acids regulate 2 groups of transcription factors, such as sterol-regulatory-element binding proteins and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, that are critical for modulating the expression of genes controlling both systemic and tissue-specific lipid homeostasis. Modulation of specific genes by n-3 fatty acids and cross-talk between these genes are responsible for many effects of n-3 fatty acids.
Numerical simulation of thin-film electro-optic beam deflectors

In this paper, we present numerical simulations, based on the beam propagation method (BPM), of a Gaussian beam deflected by a thin-film electro-optic (EO) deflector. The results are compared to geometric optics calculations and experimental data. From the BPM simulation, it is clear that one should choose a larger number of interfaces for prism-like EO deflectors in order to obtain a predictable deflection angle and good beam quality. >
Development Innovations through Entrepreneurial Microfinance and the Attempt to Achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in Bangladesh

As one of the countries in the Global South, Bangladesh has experienced numerous development challenges since its liberation in 1971. Bangladesh has showcased how to fight against poverty and to initiate meaningful change and development in human lives. Nobel Prize (2006) winner Grameen Bank is one of the popular development innovations in the country. Since the beginning of this Bank in the early 1970s, microfinance and entrepreneurship development with small amounts of money have proliferated to nearly every corner of the globe with the paramount goal of alleviating global poverty and ensuring human development. Like all other new social science techniques, the societal revolution brought about by microfinance expansion has left substantial room for refinement and further support by empirical evidence. This article critically evaluates a non-governmental initiative to empower extremely poor women through entrepreneurial microfinance, and examines the socioeconomic impacts in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNMDGs). This article covers both primary and secondary information. The aim is to demonstrate how countries of the Global South can use carefully designed microfinance projects to address major development challenges and meaningfully contribute to creating a more equal, humane society.
Mitigating the impact of hardware defects on multimedia applications: a cross-layer approach

Increasing exponentially with each technology generation, hardware-induced soft errors pose a significant threat for the reliability of mobile multimedia devices. Since traditional hardware error protection techniques incur significant power and performance overheads, this paper proposes a cooperative cross-layer approach that exploits existing error control schemes at the application layer to mitigate the impact of hardware defects. Specifically, we propose error detection codes in hardware, drop and forward recovery in middleware, and error-resilient video encoding at the application level to effectively and efficiently combat soft errors with minimal overheads. Experimental evaluation on standard test video streams demonstrates that our cooperative error-aware method for video encoding improves performance by 60% and energy consumption by 58% with even better reliability at the cost of only 3% quality degradation on average, as compared to an error correction code based hardware protection technique. Combining intelligent schemes to select a recovery mechanism can guide system designers to trade off multiple constraints such as performance, power, reliability, and QoS.
Teachers' Perceptions of Policy Influences on Science Instruction with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Elementary Students.

This study asked elementary school teachers how educational policies affected their science instruction with a majority of English language learners. The study employed a questionnaire followed by focus group interviews with 43 third and fourth grade teachers from six elementary schools in a large urban school district with high populations of English language learners in the southeastern United States. Results indicate that teachers' opinions concerning all areas of policy evolved as the state enforced stronger measures of accountability during the 2-year period of the study. Although relatively positive regarding standards, their opinions became increasingly negative regarding statewide assessment, and even more so toward accountability measured by reading, writing, and mathematics. The results suggest that it is important to understand how teachers perceive the influence of policies, particularly those relating to English language learners, as science accountability becomes more imminent across the states. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 725–746, 2007
Preparation of polycarbosilanes and polysilanes from (trimethylsilylmethyl)chlorosilanes

The one-step conversion of (Me3SiCH2)SiCl3 to polycarbosilanes by reaction with three molar equivalents of the alkali metals lithium, sodium, or sodium potassium alloy is reported. The expected network polysilanes were not isolated. Under similar conditions (Me3SiCH2)SiHCl2 gives polysilanes. The low molecular weight polymers have been characterized by elemental analyses, gpc, and FT-IR, NMR, UV-vis, and mass spectroscopies.
Strange nonchaotic attractor in low-frequency quasiperiodically driven systems

To generate strange nonchaotic attractor in quasiperiodically driven systems, there must be an unstable region in its phase-space. In this paper, a theoretical analysis shows that the quasiperiodic force acts as noise to lead the trajectory running into different expanding orbits when the trajectory repeatedly runs into the unstable region. Thus the resulting attractor is strange. The local-phase Lyapunov exponent is introduced for the study of low-frequency quasiperiodically driven systems. It is shown that the local-phase Lyapunov exponents can be approximated by the exponents of autonomous systems. The statistical properties of SNA system driven by low-frequency quasiperiodic force can then be approached by a set of autonomous systems.
Oxygen isotope fractionations involving pyroxenes: The calibration of mineral-pair geothermometers

Abstract Oxygen isotope fractionations between wollastonite, diopside, jadeite, hedenbergite and water have been experimentally studied at high pressures (1 18 O 16 O fractionations were made close to equilibrium and initial 17 O 16 O ratios were well removed from equilibrium, allowing accurate determinations of the equilibrium 18 O 16 O fractionations and of the extent of isotopic exchange. Scanning electron microscope and rate studies show that the wollastonite-water and diopside-water exchange reactions occur largely by solution-precipitation (Ostwald Ripening) mechanisms. Equilibrium 18 O 16 O fractionations between water and the minerals wollastonite, diopside, and hedenbergite are in close agreement with one another, whereas significantly more positive fractionations are found for jadeite-water. These isotopic substitution effects can be ascribed to replacement of SiOM bonds (M is a divalent metal cation in octahedral coordination) by higher frequency SiOAl bonds. The fractionations determined in this study can be combined with quartz- and feldspar-water data of Matsuhisa et al. (1979) and revised magnetite-water data of O'NEIL (1963), to provide a coherent set of mineral-pair fractionations satisfactorily represented by straight lines through the origin on a conventional graph of In /ga versus T−2. Mineral-water data, on the other hand, cannot readily be fitted to the simple relationship suggested by Bottinga and Javoy (1973). Coefficients “A” for the mineral-pair fractionations 1000 ln α = A × 106T−2 are: Ab Jd An Di Wo Mt Q 0.50 1.09 1.59 2.08 2.20 6.11 Ab 0.59 1.09 1.58 1.70 5.61 Jd 0.50 0.99 1.11 5.02 An 0.49 0.61 4.52 Di 0.12 4.03 Wo 3.91 Geologically reasonable temperatures are found for appropriate natural assemblages.
Does perceived burdensomeness erode meaning in life among older adults

Background: Identification of risk factors for the loss of meaning in life among older adults is needed. In this article, we test hypotheses derived from the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide concerning the role of perceptions that one is a burden on others as a risk factor for lower meaning in life. Methods: A prospective design was used to examine the temporal associations between perceptions of burdensomeness on others and perceived meaning in life among older adults (n = 65) seeking mental health treatment (primarily for depression and/or anxiety) at an outpatient geriatric mental health clinic. Participants completed self-report questionnaires within a month following intake. Follow-up questionnaires were completed over the phone two months later. Results: Perceived burdensomeness predicted lack of meaning in life two months later, while accounting for depression severity. In contrast, baseline levels of meaning in life did not significantly predict the levels of burdensomeness at two months. Conclusio...