cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A differential-exponential hardening law for non-Schmid crystal plasticity finite element modeling of ferrite single crystals

Abstract Crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) modeling of multi-phase, third generation advanced high strength steel (3GAHSS) requires finding the hardening parameters of slip systems operating in different phases (e.g. FCC, BCC, BCT). It is common to see the Schmid law used to model the deformation of BCC crystals. However, researches by Bassani and others have shown that BCC crystals could obey the non-Schmid law. In this paper we examined the differences between using a CPFE model based on the Schmid versus a non-Schmid law to model the uniaxial compression of single crystal ferrite micropillars with distinct orientations carved out of dual phase DP980 and three-phase QP980 steel sheets. To accurately model the changing hardening rate of the single crystal, a new exponential hardening model was developed that would differentially harden slip systems. Criteria for transitioning from stage I to stage II hardening of single crystals were also developed and verified. Finally, it was shown that it is not sufficient to use only one single crystal micropillar compression force-displacement curve for the calibration of the non-Schmid CPFE model. The predictions of the resulting model would be unreliable, and its accuracy highly dependent on the orientation of the micropillar chosen for calibration. However, when two mircopillar compression force-displacement curves were used for calibration, the model's predictions were consistently accurate. Using more than two curves for calibration did not result in significant improvements.
Restoring logic and data to phage-cures for infectious disease

Antibiotic therapy for infectious disease is being compromised by emergence of multi-drug-resistant bacterial strains, often called superbugs. A response is to use a cocktail of several bacteria-infecting viruses (bacteriophages or phages) to supplement antibiotic therapy. Use of such cocktails is called phage therapy, which has the advantage of response to bacterial resistance that is rapid and not exhaustible. A procedure of well-established success is to make cocktails from stockpiles of stored environmental phages. New phages are added to stockpiles when phage therapy becomes thwarted. The scientific subtext includes optimizing the following aspects: (1) procedure for rapidly detecting, purifying, storing and characterizing phages for optimization of phage cocktails, (2) use of directed evolution in the presence of bacteriostatic compounds to obtain phages that can be most efficiently used for therapy in the presence of these compounds, (3) phage genome sequencing technology and informatics to improve the characterization of phages, and (4) database technology to make optimal use of all relevant information and to rapidly retrieve phages for cocktails that will vary with the infection(s) involved. The use of phage stockpiles has an established record, including a recent major human-therapy success by the US Navy. However, I conclude that most research is not along this track and, therefore, is not likely to lead to real world success. I find that a strong case exists for action to rectify this situation.
Increased levels of circulating Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected lymphocytes and decreased EBV nuclear antigen antibody responses are associated with the development of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease in solid-organ transplant recipients

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is an uncommon but potentially fatal complication of immunosuppression in solid-organ transplant recipients. A semiquantitative DNA polymerase chain reaction assay was developed to amplify a unique 269-bp region of the EBNA-1 gene in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) using the primers described by Telenti et al (J Clin Microbiol 28:2187, 1990). Serial samples were studied from 23 transplant recipients, 12 of whom were diagnosed with PTLD. The majority of transplant recipients who were EBV seropositive at the time of transplant surgery and who did not develop PTLD (5 of 7, 71%) exhibited less than a 10-fold increase in the levels of EBV-infected PBL over the 0.1 to 5 EBV genomes/10(6) PBL observed in immunocompetent EBV seropositive controls. Transplant recipients who were seronegative at the time of transplantation and who underwent a primary EBV infection but did not develop PTLD exhibited a reduced capacity to control viremia because the levels of EBV-infected PBL were up to 400 times greater than the 1.0 to 50 EBV genomes/10(6) PBL observed in individuals undergoing acute infectious mononucleosis (Rocci et al: N Engl J Med 296:132, 1977). However, all transplant recipients who developed PTLD exhibited a marked elevation of EBV-infected PBL independent of their serologic state at the time of transplantation. Six of the 10 transplant recipients with PTLD exhibited > or = 300,000 EBV genomes/10(5) PBL, two exhibited 10,000 to 50,000 EBV-infected genomes/10(5) PBL, and one each exhibited 2,500 and 500 EBV genomes/10(5) PBL. However, the latter two samples were obtained 4 to 5 weeks after the diagnosis of PTLD and may reflect a decrease in viral load resulting from immunomodulation. Marked decreases in the levels of EBV nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1), EBNA-2, and EBNA-LP antibodies correlated with the increase in EBV-infected PBL. Hence, a quantitative difference in circulating EBV viral load and EBNA antibody levels is evident between transplant recipients with and without PTLD and may be useful as a noninvasive prognostic marker with which to monitor and/or predict the development of PTLD.
Ultrasound and CT of the posterior fossa in neonates

Ultrasound, CT and MRI may all be used in the evaluation of the posterior fossa in neonates depending on the clinical scenario. Ultrasonography is particularly valuable for the evaluation of the neonatal brain because of the lack of ionizing radiation and the ability to perform exams at the bedside and, importantly, advancements in ultrasound technology now allow for diagnostic-quality imaging. While CT is still the initial imaging modality of choice in most neurologic emergencies, in the neonate, ultrasound is the first line in nontraumatic emergencies. The goal of this chapter is to discuss the ultrasound technique for evaluation of the cerebellum, to describe the normal sonographic and CT appearance of posterior fossa and to provide the classical findings of the most common cerebellar abnormalities. While ultrasound is able to accurately diagnosis a majority of cerebellar abnormalities in neonates, subsequent MR imaging remains essential to confirm findings and to detect associated abnormalities.
Real-Time 4D Cardiac Segmentation by Active Geometric Functions

Recent advances in 4D imaging and real-time imaging provide image data with clinically important dynamic information at high spatial or temporal resolution. The enormous amount of information contained in these data, on the other hand, has also raised a challenge for traditional image analysis algorithms in terms of efficiency. In this chapter, a novel deformable model framework, active geometric functions (AGFs), is introduced for the real-time segmentation problem. As an implicit deformable framework in parallel with level-set, AGF has mathematical advantages in efficiency and computational complexity as well as several flexible features similar to level-set framework. The performance of AGF is demonstrated in two cardiac applications: endocardial segmentation in 4D ultrasound and myocardial segmentation in MRI with super high temporal resolution. In both applications, AGF can perform accurate real-time segmentation in several milliseconds per frame, which was less than the acquisition time per frame. Segmentation results are compared to manual tracing with comparable performance with inter-observer variability. The ability of such real-time segmentation will not only facilitate the traditional diagnoses and workflow but also open the paths for novel applications such as interventional guidance and interactive image acquisition with online segmentation.
You Can Teach an Old Magician New Tricks.

John P. Bonomo (bonomojp@westminster.edu) is an associate professor of computer science at Westminster College. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in physics from Catholic University and a Ph.D. in computer science from Purdue University. He has served as a judge and problem contributor for the International Collegiate Programming Contest several times, most recently in 2008. His interests outside of academia focus primarily on his wife, his three children, bridge, and a plethora of Japanese puzzles, including Heyawake, Nurikabe, and Fillomino. He is the current holder of the Geek Professor of the Year award at Westminster, much to the chagrin of his children.
Variations in Decision-Making Profiles by Age and Gender: A Cluster-Analytic Approach

Using cluster-analysis, we investigated whether rational, intuitive, spontaneous, dependent, and avoidant styles of decision making (Scott & Bruce, 1995) combined to form distinct decision-making profiles that differed by age and gender. Self-report survey data were collected from 1,075 members of RAND's American Life Panel (56.2% female, 18-93 years, Mage = 53.49). Three decision-making profiles were identified: affective/experiential, independent/self-controlled, and an interpersonally-oriented dependent profile. Older people were less likely to be in the affective/experiential profile and more likely to be in the independent/self-controlled profile. Women were less likely to be in the affective/experiential profile and more likely to be in the interpersonally-oriented dependent profile. Interpersonally-oriented profiles are discussed as an overlooked but important dimension of how people make important decisions.
Technical Note: Analytical Performance Evaluation of Electrochemiluminescence Cyclosporine Assay on Cobas e411 Analyzer.

Background Roche Diagnostics has developed electrochemiluminescence cyclosporine assay for application on multiple platforms including Cobas e 411 analyzer. This assay is not yet approved by the FDA for clinical application. We evaluated analytic performance of this new assay. Methods Within run, between run and linearity of this new assay were evaluated. In addition, cyclosporine values in 100 specimens obtained by using this new method were compared with values obtained by using the CMIA assay (Abbott Laboratories). Results New electrochemiluminescence cyclosporine assay showed excellent precision and accuracy. Comparing cyclosporine values obtained by using the CMIA tacrolimus assay (x-axis) with corresponding values obtained by using the Cobas tacrolimus assay (y-axis), the following regression equation was observed: y=0.9446x-2.018 (n=100, r=0.99). Conclusion The new electrochemiluminescence cyclosporine assay is comparable to the FDA approved CMIA tacrolimus assay. Therefore, when this assay is approved by the FDA, it can be used for therapeutic drug monitoring of cyclosporine.
Label Free MicroRNA Biomarker Detection in Serum Samples for Diagnosis Applications at Point-of Care

Biomarker testing is the first step toward diagnosis of many diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and infections. In addition to traditional circulating biomarkers such as protein, DNA and RNA, microRNAs (miRNAs) could also be used to accurately map the disease related biological changes at tissue, organ or cellular level. One of the roadblocks for using miRNA in diagnosis is the accurate detection of panel of miRNA biomarkers in clinical samples. Current detection methods are expensive, lacking sensitivity and specificity for clinical samples. In addition, to minimize the degradation, miRNA need to be detected within 30 min of sample collection and current detection methods will take hours to days. To address this critical issue, we have developed a new method where we used molecular-field interactions to concentrate target miRNA near micro-electrodes in the disposable device. We then used electrical impedance to quantify the target miRNAs. Our results show that proposed method could detect miRNAs that are in pico-molar levels.
Coastal Langmuir circulations induce phase-locked modulation of bathymetric stress

The ocean boundary layer (OBL) is forced by atmosphere-ocean and sea ice-ocean momentum fluxes, wave dynamics, and buoyancy; in coastal zones, OBL dynamics are further complicated by additional shear from the seafloor. Among numerous other phenomena, coastal mixing affects dispersion of anthropogenic quantities, erosion and turbidity, and benthic sequestration. In the OBL, interaction of wind-induced shear and surface waves manifests so-called Langmuir turbulence and distinctive Langmuir cells under favorable conditions, which have implications for the aforementioned coastal processes. Large-eddy simulation was used to dynamically sample the flow during relative extremes in bathymetric stress and vertical velocity. Probability density functions of vertical velocity are bimodal, the signature of persistent upwelling and downwelling within Langmuir cells, and this attribute manifests itself in the bathymetric stress, revealing a phase-locked modulation. We report modulation between negative vertical velocity (downwelling) and relatively elevated bathymetric stresses, thereby revealing that coastal Langmuir turbulence has direct implications for erosion and turbidity.
Improvements in Physician Clinical Workflow Measures After Implementation of a Dashboard Program.

Abstract Purpose To determine whether a combination of data-driven, personalized feedback and implementation of a graduated, sequential intervention model improved key measures of physician workflow and quality in radiation treatment planning. Methods and Materials All radiation oncologists across 3 facilities at a single academic institution were prospectively evaluated on 5 predefined metrics of timeliness and accuracy in the treatment-planning process using a web-based institutional data repository and an institutional incident learning system. The study period encompassed 10 quarters from 2014 to 2016, with 2013 serving as a retrospective baseline. Physicians received quarterly individualized reports of their compliance metrics (a practice labeled the Physician Dashboard), and administrative interventions were initiated if >20% noncompliance with any metric was exceeded within a quarter. Consecutive quarters of noncompliance resulted in escalating interventions, including progress meetings with department leadership, and culminated in financial penalties. Rates of noncompliance were compared before and after implementation of this model. Results Three thousand six hundred sixty pre-Dashboard and 9497 post-Dashboard simulations were analyzed. After Dashboard implementation, significant reductions were observed in the rates of simulation orders requiring signature by a covering physician (14.1% vs 7.4%, P Conclusions Regular assessment and targeted feedback using the Physician Dashboard significantly improved radiation oncologist compliance with clinically meaningful treatment planning responsibilities at a high-volume academic center.
Ethical and Legal Considerations

In this chapter, the four basic principles of biomedical ethics are discussed in relation to clinical decision-making for patients with SUDs and their families: (1) beneficence, (2) non-maleficence, (3) respect for autonomy and (4) justice. Examples focusing on decisions particular to medication treatment for OUD are presented. Stigma is considered. Additionally, some of the regulatory frameworks that affect substance use are reviewed, including current laws to expand access and availability of naloxone for opioid overdose reversal, the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914 and the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. The Narcotic Addict Treatment Act of 1974 and the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000), under which opioid agonist treatments have been delivered in the United States are explored. Patient confidentiality laws such as 42 CFR Part 2 are also examined.
Deep wavelet sequence-based gated recurrent units for the prognosis of rotating machinery:

Prognostics and health management (PHM) is an emerging technique which aims to improve the reliability and safety of machinery systems. Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is the key part of PHM...
Evaluating topographic variation as a guide to Cassia crossbill refugia

Abstract The Cassia crossbill (Loxia sinesciuris) feeds exclusively on seeds held in serotinous cones of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta latifolia). Its population, confined to 67 km2 of pine in southern Idaho, declined by ~ 80% between 2003 and 2011 apparently because an increase in the occurrence of hot summer days (≥32 °C) caused the serotinous cones to open and shed their seeds. We hypothesized that the propensity for serotinous cones to open varies across the landscape depending on the maximum temperatures cones experienced. We tested a suite of abiotic variables for predicting the occurrence of open serotinous cones among 1547 trees at 170 sites. The best-supported model indicated that trees with open cones were less frequent on northeastern aspects and as slope increased. Fewer open cones were expected on northeast aspects because they receive less direct solar radiation. However, the decrease in trees with open cones as slope increased on southwest aspects was unexpected. Increased convection on slopes could reduce maximum cone temperatures and account for the decrease of open cones on steeper slopes, regardless of aspects. Although cones are less likely to open on steeper slopes, slopes with southerly aspects are likely the least favorable for pine recruitment and survival. The most favorable sites for both lodgepole pine and the persistence of closed cones are slopes on northeast aspects. Such locations are often dominated by subalpine fir (Abies bifolia). Reforestation of fir-dominated areas with lodgepole pine, therefore, provides a means to expand microclimatic refugia for Cassia crossbills.
Role of Polymer Architecture on the Activity of Polymer–Protein Conjugates for the Treatment of Accelerated Bone Loss Disorders

Polymers of similar molecular weights and chemical constitution but varying in their macromolecular architectures were conjugated to osteoprotegerin (OPG) to determine the effect of polymer topology on protein activity in vitro and in vivo. OPG is a protein that inhibits bone resorption by preventing the formation of mature osteoclasts from the osteoclast precursor cell. Accelerated bone loss disorders, such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and metastatic bone disease, occur as a result of increased osteoclastogenesis, leading to the severe weakening of the bone. OPG has shown promise as a treatment in bone disorders; however, it is rapidly cleared from circulation through rapid liver uptake, and frequent, high doses of the protein are necessary to achieve a therapeutic benefit. We aimed to improve the effectiveness of OPG by creating OPG–polymer bioconjugates, employing reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization to create well-defined polymers with branching densities varying f...
Air traffic surveillance method using an existing network of DME navigation system

The goal of the paper is to present a new method developed to provide a surveillance of the air space. It detects and finally determines location of air vehicles which are currently using RNAV DME-DME method to measure their own positions. By processing signals between an air vehicle and ground based DME beacon the observer is able to determine current distance between an aircraft and the beacon. This effectively changes the role of the DME from a navigation aid (an aircraft determining its own position) to a surveillance aid (an observer determining the position of a DME-equipped aircraft). There is no need for other systems or signals, and the detection and localization of the target can be done from a single point (the observer).
Asymmetric Synthesis by Homogeneous Catalysis

This section describes new approaches to asymmetric catalysis including screening mixtures of chiral ligands, applications of normally unresolvable ligands, chiral poisoning, asymmetric activation of racemic catalysts, asymmetric activation of enantioenriched catalysts, optimization of enantioselective catalysts using achiral and meso ligands, and combinatorial methods for catalyst generation. Keywords: enantioselective catalysis; asymmetric catalysis; asymmetric synthesis; chiral poisoning; asymmetric activation; asymmetric hydrogenation; asymmetric alkylation; conjugate addition; salen complexes; asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction
Properties of Rocks and Minerals – The Electrical Conductivity of Rocks, Minerals, and the Earth

The electrical conductivity of mantle and transition zone minerals is known with reasonable precision and can be used to model the deep Earth. In olivine, small polarons (Fe 3 + on an Mg-site) and magnesium vacancies govern the conductivity at oxygen fugacities of the mantle. Their relative importance varies with temperature; small polarons dominate at lower temperatures with magnesium vacancies playing a greater role at higher temperatures. The dominant conducting species at low oxygen fugacity are less well constrained. Multiple-anvil high-pressure electrical conductivity measurements of mantle and transition zone minerals (olivine, pyroxene, wadsleyite, ringwoodite, ilmenite, and perovskite) indicate that polarons also govern conductivity in these materials. Hydrogen in these minerals greatly enhances electrical conductivity but the conduction occurs by a mechanism different than that of hydrogen diffusion. Mineral physics-based mantle conductivity models constructed to fit resistivity and phase results of magnetotelluric studies offer the potential for mapping hydrogen in the mantle and other phases or species that cause high conductivity.
A puzzle about persistence

Our topic is the ontology and persistence conditions of material objects. One widely held doctrine is that identity-over-time has causal commitments. Another is that identity-over-time is just identity (simpliciter) as it relates one object that exists at two times. We believe that a tension exists between these two apparently sensible positions: very roughly, if identity is the primary conceptual component of identity-over-time and—as is plausible—identity is noncausal, then the conceptual origins of the causal commitments of identity-over-time become a mystery. We will begin by formulating the two widely held doctrines and our puzzle more fully and more carefully. Then, the remainder of the paper will be devoted to analyzing views one might adopt that could minimize the tension.
Reexamining the Workplace Justice to Outcome Relationship: Does Frame of Reference Matter?

Using a combination of self-interest and deontological theories as justification, we propose a demarcated view of workplace justice that separates justice for an individual (personal justice) and inferred assessments of justice for organizational members (third party justice). Results of two studies confirmed the appropriateness of separate justice measures and demonstrated differential effects on key criteria based on the relevancy (personal or joint) of the outcome in question. Specifically, Studies 1 and 2 found that personal justice was a better predictor of organizational commitment and turnover intentions while third party justice was more closely related to workplace cohesion (Study 1), citizenship behaviours (Study 2), and deviance behaviours (Study 2). Implications of these findings and future research needs are discussed.
A student laboratory environment for real-time software systems development

This paper describes a versatile and innovative active learning laboratory, called the Real-Time Lab, currently under development that will be used to teach a wide variety of computer science and mathematics subjects. The laboratory, equipped with a model railroad system, autonomous mobile robots and a network of control computers, offers students hands-on experiences with hardware interfacing, data acquisition, real-time programming, client/server programming, and observing actual physical results of numerically computed solutions to problems. The goal of this work is to produce students with experience in designing solutions to challenging problems that have many dimensions and also the ability to effectively implement and test those solutions. This laboratory will enable us to transform a wide range of computer science algorithms and abstract concepts into physical realities. This paper briefly describes the laboratory hardware and overviews an incrementally complex series of assignments supported by the laboratory.
The dehalogenation of halouracils by hydroxylamine buffers

Abstract At room temperature, hydroxylamine dehalogenates 5-Br-and 5-I-uracil. 5-Cl-uracil reacts to a much less extent. Reaction with 5-F-uracil yields the 6-hydroxyamino-adduct as a product. Kinetics monitored spectrally indicate that dehalogenation involves the formation of a 5-halo-6-hydroxyamino-5, 6-dihydrouracil intermediate which then slowly dehalogenates. 5-Bromo-6-methoxy-5,6-dihydrothymine, a model for the above intermediate, also dehalogenates yielding thymine as a product. Hydroxylamine (NH 2 OH), a mutagenic agent (1,2) reacts with pyrimidine rings promoting such reactions as the formation of 5,6-dihydro-N 4 -hydroxy-6-hydroxyaminocytosine from cytosine (3,4) and both urea and isoxazoles from uracil derivatives (2,5,6). It is believed to be unreactive toward 5-substituted uracil derivatives (2,5,6) but has been reported to cause the dehalogenation of 5-bromouracil derivatives yielding Br − and uracil as products (2,7,8). The object of this report is to demonstrate the generality of NH 2 OH addition to the 5-halouracils with the subsequent dehalogenation of both 5-Br-and 5-I-uracil; reactions which appear to proceed via pathways similar to bisulfite buffer mediated halouracil dehalogenation (9–13). A preliminary report of this work has appeared (14).
First results from the asymmetric (a) improved Fermilab action

We present first results from calculations using an o(a) improved (FNAL) space-time asymmetric fermion action on a 123 × 24 quenched lattice at β = 5.7 and with cSW = 1.57. The mass dependent asymmetry parameter ζ is determined non-perturbatively from the energy-momentum dispersion relation. Calculations have been made in the charm and bottom quark mass sectors in order to test the ζ dependence of the spectrum, since it is at these heavier masses that the asymmetry is expected to be most relevant.
The software license with teeth

What happens when a graduate student in computer science buys a telephone directory on CD-ROM and uses the directory to start a business on the Internet? Can he take advantage of the legal rule that the content of telephone directories is not protected by copyright law, or is he bound by the license that came with the box of software. Those were the questions before the court in the recent case of ProCD Inc. vs. Zeidenberg. ProCD brought suit in Wisconsin federal court for infringement of its copyrights and for breach of the shrink-wrap license. On its copyright claim, ProCD ran headlong into a 1991 Supreme Court case-the Feist case-which held that the contents of telephone directories are not protected by the copyright laws because they lack sufficient creativity. Based on this case, the district court found that Zeidenberg had done nothing wrong under the copyright laws in using ProCD's directory. ProCD did no better on its shrink-wrap license claim. With its business in jeopardy, ProCD had no choice but to appeal the district court's decision to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. This time ProCD won. The appeals court focused its attention on the shrink-wrap license. On the question of whether the license was a binding contract, the court noted that many commercial transactions involve paying first and receiving contract terms later. Of critical importance to the court was the fact that ProCD's license agreement allowed the purchaser to return the product after reading the license. Accordingly, although Zeidenberg did not have an opportunity to negotiate the terms of the license, if he did not agree to them, he could have sent the product back. ProCD's victory represents an important breakthrough in computer law since it is the first appellate case to enforce a shrink-wrap license. Future cases are likely to refine this decision, but for now, shrink-wrap licenses clearly have more teeth than ever before.
Echoic Control in Conversational Speech

Summary Thirty-six college men and women spoke to each other in pairs (dialogue) or spoke alone (monologue) on the women's liberation movement. It was found that pairs of Ss spoke more words in common in the dialogue conditions than in the monologue conditions. The results were discussed in terms of Skinner's hypothesis of echoic control in verbal behavior.
Designing sensor systems capable of differentiating children from adults.

Abstract Introduction Injury prevention systems intended to prevent children from entering hazardous locations (or at least alert caregivers if that occurs) often respond to every instance of a person's presence, regardless of whether the intruder is a child. This performance results in a high nuisance alarm rate that sometimes causes adults to disable or circumvent the safety system. If a child safety system can accurately identify intruders as adults or children, nuisance alarm rates can be decreased. Method This analysis selects three human factors (height, foot length, and cognition) amenable to adult/child differentiation and describes likely sensor strategies, advantages, and disadvantages. Results Preliminary testing of prototypes systems shows that simple sensor systems are capable of acquiring adequate data for adult/child differentiation. The discussion addresses requirements for discriminator systems and the effects of various sensor combinations on overall performance.
An Overview of Effective Practices with Gifted Students in General-Education Settings:

Approximately 675 citations in journals dedicated to gifted studies and 83 abstracts indexed by ERIC, PsycLIT, and Dissertation Abstracts International from 1989 to the present were reviewed. To qu...
Technical Change, Labor Use, and Small Farmer Development: Evidence from Sierra Leone

In large areas of Africa where land-labor ratios are high and use of capital is minimal (usually less than $10 per farm annually), labor is the dominant factor of production. Effective use of labor is then a key element in any program to increase output and incomes among small farmers. Following Hayami and Ruttan, technical change appropriate to these factor endowments would involve adoption of labor-saving technology for peak season operations to raise labor productivity. When the labor bottleneck occurs at planting time as is common in tropical Africa, this translates into mechanization of planting operations, particularly land preparation to enable expanded acreage. However, because labor constraints are only seasonal, conventional land-saving technologies may also be appropriate. If planting labor is the bottleneck, biological-chemical technologies that increase yields per acre and hence increase weeding and harvesting labor but leave planting labor unchanged will in fact be labor saving with respect to labor at the peak season. It is not uncommon to observe both mechanical and biological-chemical technologies being adopted side by side in high landlabor ratio areas in Africa. These interrelationships between technical change and demand for labor must also be examined within the context of available labor supply. Where there is no class of landless laborers because of the land surplus situation, labor supply to agriculture depends primarily on the time input and allocation of family members, particularly at the peak season. Competition with nonfarm activities has been shown to be one important component of labor supply to farming (Norman, Byerlee and Eicher). Recently, there has also been interest in the role of female labor supply in both traditional and improved farming systems. Despite the obvious importance of these labor supply and demand relationships to small farmer development, there are relatively few detailed studies of labor utilization in traditional African agriculture and almost none that examine labor use under improved technologies. The objectives of this paper are then to briefly highlight some findings based n a detailed farm survey, with respect to l bor use in two contrasting situations-one employing mechanical cultivation and the other improved biological-chemical technology-in rice production in Sierra Leone. Specifically, we shall first examine labor use from the demand side, noting the impact of the different technological packages on resource combination and returns to labor. We then examine labor use from the supply side by analyzing the impact of technical change on household family labor inputs and the differentiation of labor use by sex.
The role of radical cystectomy in patients with clinical T4b bladder cancer.

Abstract Objectives Patients with clinical T4b bladder cancer (extension to pelvic wall and/or adjacent organs other than prostate, vagina, or uterus) are commonly considered unresectable. We hypothesized that select patients might achieve durable benefit from multiagent chemotherapy and extirpative surgery. Methods We identified patients with clinical T4bN0 bladder cancer from our IRB-approved database of patients undergoing radical cystectomy ( n = 1,194). Relevant demographic, clinical, and pathologic data were compiled. Overall (OS), disease-specific (DSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier estimation. Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was used to evaluate the influence of several potential prognostic factors. Results Twenty-three patients (16 male) with a median age of 65 years met study criteria. Chemotherapy was administered preoperatively to 19 (83%) and postoperatively to 8 (35%) patients. Eight patients died of disease and 1 of other causes. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year DSS was 91% (95% C.I. 70%–98%), 66% (95% C.I. 42%–83%), and 60% (95% C.I. 34%–78%), respectively. Eight of 17 patients with pT2-4 tumors succumbed to disease compared with none of 6 who were ≤pT1 ( P = 0.04). Other predictors of decreased DSS included positive surgical margins (HR = 5.34, 95% C.I. 1.25–22.83) and presence of pathologic nodal metastasis (HR = 29.33, 95% C.I. 3.13–275.19). Variant histology was more common in this cohort than in the overall cystectomy database (43% vs. 11%). Conclusions Long-term survival can be achieved in a proportion of patients with cT4b bladder cancer undergoing chemotherapy and extirpative surgery. Careful selection of patients and meticulous surgical technique to avoid positive margins are critical.
Enhancing Didactic Education Through Participation in a Clinical Research Project

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess self-evaluation of knowledge and skills (eg, counseling, education, interviewing, and assessment skills) of students participating as research assistants. Fifteen students enrolled in the Dietetics Program (n=10) or the Graduate Program in Nutrition (n=5) were recruited as research assistants via flyers and announcements in nutrition courses. These students assisted faculty researchers with their clinical study called "Weight Loss Effects on Bone Mass in Adolescent Females." The clinical study included a comprehensive 6-month weight-loss program. Surveys asking students to evaluate their experience as research assistants were mailed with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to all 15 student research assistants, followed by a reminder telephone call. Thirteen surveys (87%) were returned. On a Likert scale (1=poor, 5=excellent) student research assistants scored 63% of the knowledge-based and skill-based requirements of their research participation as "good" (mean score≥4.0) and 27% as "adequate" (4.0≥mean≥3.5). Open-ended questions reported the research experience to be beneficial in developing knowledge and skills and in identifying knowledge deficits (eg, behavior modification). According to our findings, it seems that participation in clinical research enhances students' knowledge and skills and, thus, is valuable in preparing dietetics students for future practice. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999;99:1090–1093.
An analysis of convective losses from cavity solar central receivers

Abstract An analytical model is presented which enables the estimation of convective losses from cavity receivers. Evidence from solar experiments is used to test the hypothesized mechanisms. The analytical results and experimental evidence indicate that the convective loss from cavity receivers is appreciable. The model indicates that the influences of the wind on the convective loss at normal operating conditions are minimal. It also shows that the internal thermal resistances, i.e. the ability to heat the air inside the cavity, are of greatest importance. Buoyancy induced flows are, on the other hand, very effective in transferring energy across the aperture.
Characterization of diacylglycerylphosphocholine molecular species by FAB-CAD-MS/MS: A general method not sensitive to the nature of the fatty acyl groups

The use of negative ion mode fast-atom bombardment-collision-activated dissociation-tandem mass spectrometry (FAB-CAD-MS/MS) for diacylglycerylphosphocholine molecular species determinations was investigated for 24 naturally occurring and synthetic compounds. The previously proposed method of selecting [M-15]− as the parent ion and using the relative abundance of the carboxylate daughter ions to distinguish the positions of esterification was found to be unreliable in cases where the fatty acyl group at sn1 was much larger than that at sn2. The predicted greater abundance of the sn2 carboxylate daughter, relative to the sn1 carboxylate daughter, was also violated when polyunsaturated fatty acyl groups were esterifred at sn2. In addition, several marginal cases were found where the ratio of intensities of the sn2/sn1 carboxylate daughters followed the expected pattern (sn2 > sn1) initially, but reversed over extended scanning time. The use of an alternative FAB-CAD-MS/MS method is proposed where the [M-B6]− ion is selected as the precursor and the relative intensities of the daughters resulting from loss of the free fatty acids at snl and sn2 are determined. In every case examined to date, the ion formed by loss of the free acid from the sn2 position was always more abundant. Because the parent ion is equivalent to the phosphatidic acid ion, this technique should be equally applicable to all other phospholipid classes where this fragment ion is present in the spectrum.
Financial Reporting Practices of China's Listed Firms

The long-term success of financial markets depends on the widespread availability of reasonably detailed and reliable financial information. Individual investors depend critically upon companies' regulatory filings and voluntary disclosures to assess their long-run risks, payoffs, and, ultimately, their intrinsic values. However, a recent string of accounting frauds involving Chinese firms listed on overseas markets has drawn attention to the accounting and governance risks associated with investing in Chinese firms. This article provides a brief overview of the information environment of Chinese capital markets and the primary forces that affect the incentives of Chinese listed companies to provide timely and accurate financial reports. The evidence reviewed here indicates that the adoption of world-class standards and regulation, although necessary, is not sufficient to generate incentives for transparency. The long-term health of China's capital markets will also depend upon other reforms that are designed to accomplish the following: (1) improve the protection of investor rights through an effective, independent judiciary court system that promotes civil lawsuits, and through credible regulatory enforcement; (2) strengthen market development activity, especially with respect to foreign investors; and (3) limit political rent-seeking behavior and deter politicized business decisions, especially in China's state-owned enterprises. Together, such reforms have the potential to improve corporate governance in China and better align the incentives of the state and majority shareholders with those of minority shareholders, while increasing the ability of accounting to serve a contracting function and the demand for timely information for valuation purposes.
The Cultural Appraisal of Efforts to Alleviate Information Inequity.

This article suggests that action to alleviate information inequity should be guided by the principles of contextualism, incrementalism, motivation of information users, and more knowledge of the absorptive process that is unique to each cultural group. To do this, information services should recognize cultural pluralism and the need to eliminate information poverty as viewed by the members of the groups being served. For some it may mean provision of information services to help in their assimilation into the mainstream, while for others it may mean provision of information services for greater cultural cohesion. Instead of the term “minority” or “disadvantaged,” the idea of a “cultural community” is advanced as the proper unit of analysis to identify significant numbers of potential users who may have distinct values, beliefs, and attitudes toward external information services. To grasp effectively the behavioral and cultural dimensions of information inequity, a national inventory of “cultural communities” is suggested using social mapping. This technique would include: a delineation of cultural groups, a description of the indigenous social/information organization, a plotted pattern of the movement of information within the group, the information values of the group, and an analytical description of the information poor within each group. These groups can then be visualized as a series of different information constituencies, with different information needs and different capacities for absorbing information.
Removal of natural organic material by a magnetic ion exchange resin

The aim of this research was to elucidate the interactions among dissolved organic carbon (DOC), inorganic anions and a magnetic ion exchange (MIEX) resin. Model waters containing well characterised natural organic matter (NOM) extracts in addition to DOC-free model waters containing sulphate and bicarbonate were used in all experiments. The NOM extracts used in this work included two reference fulvic acids supplied by the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS): Suwannee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA) and Pony Lake Fulvic Acid (PLFA). These reference fulvic acids possess unique chemical characteristics that are representative of their distinct end-member environments. The charge density of the NOM extracts, obtained by potentiometric titration, was used to perform charge balance analyses for ion exchange reactions involving DOC, sulphate, bicarbonate and chloride. For SRFA, the results clearly show the stoichiometric exchange of DOC and bicarbonate for chloride. This work provides an improved understanding of the interactions between NOM, MIEX resin and the background solution matrix, and should result in more effective applications of ion exchange treatment for the removal of DOC during drinking water treatment.
Theoretical debye-waller factors for the (100) and (110) surfaces of tungsten

Abstract The ratios of the atomic mean square displacements at the (100) and (110) surfaces to those in the bulk have been calculated as a function of temperature for the body-centered cubic crystal tungsten. The calculations have been carried out for a slab-shaped crystal in which the atoms interact through central potentials up to fourth neighbors and through a harmonic angle-bending interaction involving pairs of nearest neighbors. The required averages over the two-dimensional Brillouin zone were obtained using sets of special points which are most efficient in finding such averages. A comparison between the theoretical results and the available experimental data is given.
An in Vitro Biomechanical Comparison of Two Interlocking‐Nail Systems for Fixation of Ostectomized Equine Third Metacarpal Bones

Objective To compare the mechanical properties of 2 interlocking-nail systems for fixation of ostectomized equine third metacarpi (MC3): (1) a standard interlocking nail with 2 parallel screws proximal and distal to a 1-cm ostectomy; and (2) a modified interlocking nail with 2 screws proximal and distal to a 1-cm ostectomy with the screws offset by 30 degrees. Animal or sample population Twelve pairs of adult equine forelimbs intact from the midradius distally. Methods Twelve pairs of equine MC3 were divided into 2 test groups (6 pairs each): torsion and caudocranial 4-point bending. Standard interlocking nails (6-hole, 13-mm diameter, 230-mm length) were placed in 1 randomly selected bone from each pair. Modified interlocking nails (6-hole, 13-mm, 230-mm length, screw holes offset by 30 degrees) were placed in the contralateral bone from each pair. All bones had 1-cm mid-diaphyseal ostectomies. Six construct pairs were tested in caudocranial 4-point bending to determine stiffness and failure properties. The remaining 6 construct pairs were tested in torsion to determine torsional stiffness and yield load. Mean values for each fixation method were compared using a paired t test within each group. Significance was set at P Results Mean (+/-SEM) values for the MC3-standard interlocking-nail composite and the MC3-modified interlocking-nail composite, respectively, in 4-point bending were: composite rigidity, 3,119 +/- 334.5 Nm/rad (newton. meter/radian) and 3,185 +/- 401.2 Nm/rad; yield bending moment, 205.0 +/- 18.46 Nm and 186.7 +/- 6.17 Nm; and failure bending moment, 366.4 +/- 21.82 Nm and 378.1 +/- 20.41 Nm. There were no significant differences in the biomechanical values for bending between the 2 fixation methods. In torsion, mean (+/-SEM) values for the MC3-standard interlocking-nail composite and the MC3-modified interlocking-nail composite were: composite rigidity, 135.5 +/- 7.128 Nm/rad and 112.5 +/- 7.432 Nm/rad; gap stiffness, 207.6 +/- 10.57 Nm/rad and 181.7 +/- 12.89 Nm/rad; and yield load, 123.3 +/- 2.563 Nm and 107.5 +/- 8.353 Nm, respectively. Composite rigidity and gap stiffness for standard interlocking-nail fixations were significantly higher than the modified interlocking-nail fixation technique in torsion. Yield load had a tendency to be higher for the standard interlocking-nail fixation (P =.15). Conclusions No significant differences in biomechanical properties were identified between a standard interlocking nail and one with the screw holes offset by 30 degrees in caudocranial 4-point bending. The standard interlocking nail was superior to the modified interlocking nail in torsional gap stiffness and composite rigidity. The torsional yield load also tended to be higher for the standard interlocking nail. Clinical relevance The standard interlocking nail with parallel screw holes is superior to a modified interlocking nail with the screw holes offset by 30 degrees in ostectomized equine MC3 bones in vitro when tested in torsion.