cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Friction and wear studies of various head materials and magnetic tapes in a linear mode accelerated test using a new nano-scratch wear measurement technique

Abstract A new wear measurement technique was developed to measure the wear of various head materials sliding against different magnetic tapes in a linear mode. A nano-scratch array was produced in the center of the head sample surface using a commercial nano indenter. Using an atomic force microscope, scratch depths were measured before and after running against magnetic tapes as a direct measure of wear on the head surface. Co-γ-Fe 2 O 3 , CrO 2 , metal particle (MP), barium ferrite (BaFe), and metal-evaporated (ME) magnetic tapes were tested against Mn-Zn ferrite. Abrasivity of CrO 2 was much higher than the other tapes. ME tape exhibited no measurable head wear, however adherent transfer debris was observed on the head surface. Mechanisms of head wear for the particulate tapes were dominated by abrasion, whereas with ME tape it was adhesive. Real area of contact measurements were made to determine any changes in the contact of the worn tape surfaces. Generally, the number of contacts increased with wear, however the contact size remained roughly the same. Single layer, double layer, and uncalendered single layer MP tapes were also run against Mn-Zn ferrite to compare differences in friction and wear characteristics. The uncalendered tape was three orders of magnitude more abrasive than the calendered tape. Wear rates of single layer and double layer MP tapes were comparable. In all tests significant edge wear was observed. The severity of the edge grooving (relative to the overall depth of wear) seemed to be inversely related to the stiffness of the magnetic tape. To study the effect of head material on head wear, CaTiO 3 , A1 2 0 3 TiC, and SiC head materials were also tested against CrO 2 tape. The relative wear rates of the various head materials were inversely related to their hardness. Finally, tests were conducted with high wear-rate candidate materials, a machinable ceramic and an amorphous glass. These materials could be used in accelerated tests to screen relative tape abrasivities. Both the amorphous glass and machinable ceramic exhibited wear rates about an order of magnitude greater than ferrite.
How I treat acute chest syndrome in children with sickle cell disease

Acute chest syndrome describes new respiratory symptoms and findings, often severe and progressive, in a child with sickle cell disease and a new pulmonary infiltrate. It may be community-acquired or arise in children hospitalized for pain or other complications. Recognized etiologies include infection, most commonly with atypical bacteria, and pulmonary fat embolism (PFE); the cause is often obscure and may be multifactorial. Initiation of therapy should be based on clinical findings. Management includes macrolide antibiotics, supplemental oxygen, modest hydration and often simple transfusion. Partial exchange transfusion should be reserved for children with only mild anemia (Hb > 9 g/dL) but deteriorating respiratory status. Therapy with corticosteroids may be of value; safety, efficacy and optimal dosing strategy need prospective appraisal in a clinical trial. On recovery, treatment with hydroxyurea should be discussed to reduce the likelihood of recurrent episodes.
Righteous Political Violence and Contemporary Western Intellectuals

Modern political violence has been increasingly preceded or accompanied by elaborate ideological justifications, devised, in part, by intellectuals motivated by their own political beliefs and commitments. Many idealistic intellectuals have been especially sympathetic toward political movements and systems that have promised to carry out far-reaching social transformations. These movements and systems have often relied upon violent means to accomplish their goals. The political partisanship of many Western intellectuals necessitates a revision of their idealized conception. These issues are dealt with in the context of the intellectuals’ attitudes toward Nazism, communism, and present-day Islamic radicalism.
On the tensorial nature of advective porosity

Abstract Field tracer tests indicate that advective porosity, the quantity relating advective velocity to Darcy flux, may exhibit directional dependence. Hydraulic anisotropy explains some but not all of the reported directional results. The present paper shows mathematically that directional variations in advective porosity may arise simply from incomplete mixing of an inert tracer between directional flow channels within a sampling (or support) volume ω of soil or rock that may be hydraulically isotropic or anisotropic. In the traditional fully homogenized case, our theory yields trivially a scalar advective porosity equal to the interconnected porosity ϕ , thus explaining neither the observed directional effects nor the widely reported experimental finding that advective porosity is generally smaller than ϕ . We consider incomplete mixing under conditions in which the characteristic time t D of longitudinal diffusion along channels across ω is much shorter than the characteristic time t H required for homogenization through transverse diffusion between channels. This may happen where flow takes place preferentially through relatively conductive channels and/or fractures of variable orientation separated by material that forms a partial barrier to diffusive transport. Our solution is valid for arbitrary channel Peclet numbers on a correspondingly wide range of time scales t D ⩽ t ≪ t H . It shows that the tracer center of mass is advected at a macroscopic velocity which is generally not collinear with the macroscopic Darcy flux and exceeds it in magnitude. These two vectors are related through a second-rank symmetric advective dispersivity tensor Φ . If the permeability k of ω is a symmetric positive-definite tensor, so is Φ . However, the principal directions and values of these two tensors are generally not the same; whereas those of k are a fixed property of the medium and the length-scale of ω , those of Φ depend additionally on the direction and magnitude of the applied hydraulic gradient. When the latter is large, diffusion has negligible effect on Φ and one may consider tracer mass to be distributed between channels in proportion to the magnitude of their Darcy flux. This is made intuitive through a simple example of an idealized fracture network. Our analytical formalism reveals the properties of Φ but is too schematic to allow predicting the latter accurately on the basis of realistic details about the void structure of ω and tracer mass distribution within it. Yet knowing the tensorial properties of Φ is sufficient to allow determining it indirectly on the basis of ω -scale hydraulic and tracer data, including concentrations that represent homogenized samples extracted from (or sensed externally across) an ω -scale plume.
Origin of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame

[1] With recent improvements in space geodesy, the Earth's center of mass (CM) and center of figure (CF) are no longer indistinguishable. The current origin of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) is defined as the CM, which shows measured seasonal variations of several millimeters to 1 cm with respect to true CM. As scientists study Earth's dynamic deformations on seasonal and shorter timescales and begin to compare observed geocenter motion with predictions from geophysical models, the reference frame origin presents significant error due to missing the geocenter motion. This paper discusses the nature of the origin of the ITRF and explores the sensitivity of GPS measurements to geocenter motion. We find that since the values of nonlinear geocenter motion are not included in the positions of the ITRF sites, the behavior of the current ITRF origin reflects CM on secular timescale but reflects CF on seasonal and short timescales. The nature of the ITRF origin depends on both the adopted kinematic model and unmodeled network motion. The realized ITRF origin should be defined by a new nomenclature to reflect its nature accurately. By the new nomenclature, the origin will maintain its current long-term stability, while improving its stability on seasonal timescales to the submillimeter level. With the degree-1 deformation approach, GPS measurements are able to provide potentially valuable information on geocenter variations on seasonal and short timescales.
Reply to Colin Anderson’s commentary on “Ten experiments that would make a difference in understanding immune mechanisms”

Colin Anderson correctly challenges the assumptions that I feel are crucial to understanding immune responsiveness. In order to address his concerns, I will follow the format of his analysis.
Development of quality measures for the care of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background & Aims Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common and costly disorder. Symptoms attributed to GERD have a wide spectrum of presentations and complications that have led to complex diagnostic and management algorithms. As such, there is considerable variation in clinical approaches to GERD. In contrast to multiple published guidelines for the management of GERD, there are few validated GERD quality measures. The objective of this study was to use a well-described, formal methodology to develop valid, physician-led quality measures for all aspects of care for patients with GERD. Methods Quality measures were identified from the literature, consensus guidelines, and GERD experts. Eight clinical experts ranked potential measures for validity on the basis of the RAND/University of California, Los Angeles Appropriateness Methodology. Results Of the 52 proposed quality measures, 24 were rated as valid, and 1 new measure was developed. These valid measures were related to initial diagnosis and management (9), monitoring (3), further diagnostic testing (4), proton pump inhibitor refractory symptoms (2), symptoms of chest pain (1), erosive esophagitis (3), esophageal stricture or ring (1), and surgical therapy (2). Fifteen of these measures were ranked with the highest validity. Twenty-seven measures were determined to be equivocal; 89% of these were extracted from guidelines that were based on low or moderate level evidence. Conclusions We used RAND/University of California, Los Angeles Appropriateness Methodology to develop quality measures for GERD care. By examining performance on these valid, formally developed quality measures, clinical practices and individual providers can assess their adherence with them and direct quality improvement efforts accordingly.
First direct measurements of enthalpy flux in the hurricane boundary layer: The CBLAST results

[1] Hurricanes extract energy from the warm ocean through enthalpy fluxes. As part of the Coupled Boundary Layer Air-Sea Transfer (CBLAST) experiment, flights were conducted to measure turbulent fluxes in the high-wind boundary layer of hurricanes. Here we present the first field observations of sensible heat and enthalpy flux for 10m wind speeds to 30 ms−1. The analyses indicate no statistically significant dependence of these bulk exchange coefficients on wind speed. As a measure of hurricane development potential, we compute the mean ratio of the exchange coefficient for enthalpy to that for momentum and find it to be significantly below the lowest threshold estimated by previous investigators. This suggests that the enthalpy flux required for hurricane development may come from sources other than turbulent fluxes, such as lateral fluxes from the vortex warm core, or sea spray. Alternatively, it demands a re-evaluation of the theoretical models used to derive the threshold.
Sensitivity and specificity of tritiated thymidine incorporation and ELISPOT assays in identifying antigen specific T cell immune responses

Standardization of cell-based immunologic monitoring is becoming increasingly important as methods for measuring cellular immunity become more complex. We assessed the ability of two commonly used cell-based assays, tritiated thymidine incorporation (proliferation) and IFN-gamma ELISPOT, to predict T cell responses to HER-2/neu, tetanus toxoid (tt), and cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigens. These antigens were determined to be low (HER-2/neu), moderate (tt), and robustly (CMV) immunogenic proteins. Samples from 27 Stage II, III, and IV HER-2/neu positive breast cancer patients, vaccinated against the HER-2/neu protein and tt, were analyzed by tritiated thymidine incorporation and IFN-gamma ELISPOT for T cell response. Linear regression analysis indicates that both stimulation index (SI) (p = 0.011) and IFN-gamma secreting precursor frequency (p < 0.001) are significant indicators of antigen specific immunity. ROC curves plotted to assess the performance of tritiated thymidine incorporation and the ELISPOT assay indicate that SI is a significant indicator of low T cell response to the HER-2/neu vaccine (p = 0.05), and of moderate and robust responses to tt (p = 0.01) and CMV (p = 0.016), respectively. IFN-gamma precursor frequency is a significant indicator of a robust T cell response to CMV (p = 0.03), but not of moderate tt (p = 0.09), or low HER-2/neu (p = 0.09) T cell responses. These data underscore the importance of taking into consideration the performance characteristics of assays used to measure T cell immunity. This consideration is particularly necessary when determining which method to utilize for assessing responses to immunotherapeutic manipulations in cancer patients.
The City as National Resource: New Deal Conservation and the Quest for Urban Improvement

This article argues that the conservation movement provided a conceptual and organizational model for New Deal—era urban professionals eager to motivate federal and local investments in city improv...
Effect of 5-azacytidine on the methylation aspects of NMDA receptor NR2B gene in the cultured cortical neurons of mice.

Our previous study revealed that the exposure of the drug 5-Azacytidine and ethanol to the cultured cortical neurons of mice causes demethylation of cytosine residues in the CpG island of the NMDA receptor NR2B gene (Marutha Ravindran and Ticku, Mol Brain Res 121:19-27, 2004). In the present study, we further analyzed methylation in the CpG island with various concentration frame and time frame of exposure of the cultured cortical neurons with 5-azacytidine to identify whether methylation in the NR2B gene is site specific or region specific. Methylation was studied by digesting the genomic DNA with methylation sensitive HpaII, MspI, AciI or HhaI enzyme following the exposure of cultured cortical neurons of mice with 5-azacytidine by performing PCR and Southern hybridization. We observed demethylation of DNA at 1, 3 and 5 μM concentrations of 5-azacytidine in the regions (5982–6155), (6743–7466) and at 3 and 5 μM concentrations of 5-azacytidine used in the region (6477–6763). Similarly in the time frame study with 5-azacytidine, demethylation of DNA was observed at 24 h and 36 h of incubation with 5-azacytidine in the regions (5982–6155), (6743–7466) and at 36 h of incubation with 5-azacytidine used in the region (6477–6763). Our experimental results demonstrate that the methylation in the CpG islands of the NR2B gene may not be site specific or region specific in the cultured cortical neurons of mice.
Maximal acid reflux control for Barrett’s oesophagus: feasible and effective

Introduction: The treatment of patients with Barrett’s oesophagus is controversial. Debate exists regarding the use and value of high dose acid suppression as the standard of practice. Despite prolonged use of high dose proton pump inhibitors (40 mg omeprazole, 60 mg lansoprazole), most studies have shown no convincing evidence of significant regression of Barrett’s length. These studies, however, have used fixed doses of proton pump inhibitors and did not regularly document control of oesophageal acid exposure. Aim: To determine whether regression of Barrett’s epithelium can be achieved with documented maximal acid suppression. Methods: We have prospectively followed nine patients with Barrett’s oesophagus (eight male; mean age 60 years) for more than 1 year. They were all treated using medical therapy with pH monitoring documenting oesophageal acid exposure over 24 h < 1.6% of the time, and with two or more esophagogastroduodenoscopies performed by the same endoscopist. Results: Acid control was individually tailored and achieved with proton pump inhibitor b.d. (omeprazole 20 mg or lansoprazole 30 mg) and ranitidine at bedtime (HS) (Ran) if necessary. All nine patients (100%) showed some evidence of regression. All nine patients (100%) showed a decrease in Barrett’s length (mean 2 cm, range 1–3 cm). Six out of nine (66.67%) patients showed evidence of squamous islands on the last oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. The mean total distal oesophageal acid exposure was 0.38% (range: 0–1.5%). The mean follow-up of patients was 54 months (range: 13–118 months). Conclusions: Consistent and individually tailored maximal acid suppression documented by pH-metry is achievable and may result in decreased length and development of squamous islands in patients with Barrett’s epithelium. This approach should be further evaluated as potentially the preferred medical treatment for these patients.
Evaluation of ventilation performance for indoor space

Abstract Ventilation performance depends on room geometry, ventilation method, and operating conditions as well as location and strength of the source and types of contaminants. A personal computer based application of computational fluid dynamics was developed that is capable of determining the turbulent flow field and time-dependent/steady-state contaminant concentration distributions within isothermal indoor space. The computational speed is extremely fast. The flow field calculated from this 2-D k-e turbulence model showed good agreement with results from the commercially available FLUENT code. Ventilation performance was evaluated using the “ventilation performance index.” Effects of room configurations, operating conditions, and effective diffusion coefficient (or Peclet number) on ventilation performance were investigated.
Inter-limb differences in quadriceps strength and volitional activation

Abstract In this crossover study, we wished to determine if normalized inter-limb differences in strength differed from inter-limb differences in voluntary activation at 30°, 70°, and 90° of knee flexion. We also assessed the relationship between inter-limb differences in torque with the inter-limb differences in activation. Twenty-five healthy volunteers were used for final data analyses; the order of leg tested, joint angle, and measurement technique (isokinetic strength, voluntary activation) were randomly assigned. Quadriceps strength was measured isokinetically at 1.05 rad · s−1, while quadriceps voluntary activation was assessed via the central activation ratio. Absolute values of inter-limb differences for both measures were calculated by subtracting the non-dominant leg values from those of the dominant leg. Inter-limb isokinetic strength differences were greater than inter-limb central activation ratio differences at all joint angles (P = 0.003). Interestingly, inter-limb deficits between measure...
Time-Varying Risk Premia in the Foreign Currency Futures Basis

Significant time-varying risk premia exist in the foreign currency futures basis, and these risk premia are meaningfully correlated with common macroeconomic risk factors from equity and bond markets. The stock index dividend yield and the bond default and term spreads in the U.S. markets help forecast the risk premium component of the foreign currency futures basis. The specific source of risk matters, but the relationships are robust across currencies. The currency futures basis is positively associated with the dividend yield and negatively associated with the spread variables. These correlations cannot be attributed to the expected spot price change component of the currency futures basis, thus establishing the presence of a time-varying risk premium component in the currency futures basis.(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
The Effect of a Diagnostic Label of Language Delay on Adults' Perceptions of Preschool Children

The effects of the label of expressive language disorder (ELD) on adults' perceptions of preschoolers were investigated. Twenty adults interacted with 3 children of typical development and one child previously diagnosed with ELD. Adults were randomly assigned to a label group (in which the child with ELD was identified) or a nonlabel group (in which the child with ELD was not identified). After interacting with dyads of children, adults ranked them according to behavioral characteristics and competencies. Results indicated that the nonlabel group ranked the child with ELD as significantly less likable and less productive, and they predicted less academic competence from her. In contrast, the label group did not differentiate the children behaviorally, but they predicted less social competence from the child with ELD. Implications regarding the use of labels in the inclusion of children with disabilities are discussed.
Hopping conduction in high electric fields: three issues

Three issues concerning phonon-assisted hopping in molecularly doped polymers are considered. The first issue is whether Arrhenius jump rates in the vicinity of room temperature arise from single- phonon or small-polaronic hopping. It is concluded that Arrhenius hopping only occurs above low temperatures through small-polaronic hopping. Second, hopping in molecularly doped polymers is compared with small- polaronic hopping of other systems. Small-polaronic hopping typically occurs between similar chemical structures whose energies are relatively insensitive to their surroundings. Thus, disorder energies experienced by carriers are often modest, values of several hundredths of an eV are common. Nonetheless, the effects of large electric fields on carrier mobilities differ significantly among disordered systems. Data reported for molecularly doped polymers is unlike that for either transition- metal-oxide or chalcogenide glasses. In no case is high-field transport well understood. Finally, I stress that steady-state flow is driven by differences in sites` quasielectrochemical potentials (QECPs). With disorder, differences of QECPs are not simply related to the driving emf. Solution of the (nonlinear) stochastic equations for the QECPs shows that bottlenecks produced by disorder result in nonohmic conduction. Solving the linearized stochastic (disordered resistor network) equations underestimates bottleneck effects. Linearization is inappropriate when interest differences in themore » QECPs exceed [kappa]T.« less
The Relation between Formal Procedures for Pursuing OR/MS Activities and OR/MS Group Success

This paper examines the relation between the formalization of OR/MS procedures and OR/MS group success in more man 100 large US industrial organizations. The research gathered evidence on the existence of a formal charter for the OR/MS group and on the use of formalized project procedures. After developing an idealized set of ten procedural phases for projects, we used them as a guide in determining the degree of procedural elaboration followed by each OR/MS group. We recorded various measures of success and used them to show a strong correlation between proceduralization and success, in terms of these measures. We examined the effects of several other behavioral and environmental variables on this relation: the orientations of the OR/MS manager, top-management behavior, OR/MS-group age and size, and OR/MS diffusion within the organization. Finally, we note the possibility that proceduralization may be either, or both, a cause or an indicator of OR/MS success.
Preference scheduling for nurses using column generation

The purpose of this paper is to present a new methodology for scheduling nurses in which several conflicting factors guide the decision process. Unlike manufacturing facilities where standard shifts and days off are the rule, hospitals operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and face widely fluctuating demand. A more flexible arrangement for working hours and days off is needed, especially in light of the growing nursing shortage. To improve retention, management must now take into account individual preferences and requests for days off in a way that is perceived as fair, while ensuring sufficient coverage at all times. This multi-objective problem is solved with a column generation approach that combines integer programming and heuristics. The integer program is formulated as a set covering-type problem whose columns correspond to alternative schedules that a nurse can work over the planning horizon. A double swapping heuristic is used to generate the columns. The objective coefficients are determined by the degree to which the individual preferences of a nurse are violated. As part of the computational scheme, feasible solutions are refined to minimize the use of outside nurses, but when gaps in coverage exist, the outside nurses are distributed as evenly as possible over the shifts. The methodology was tested on a series of problems with up to 100 nurses using data provided by a large hospital in the US. The results indicate that high-quality solutions can be obtained within a few minutes in the majority of cases.
RAS/ERK pathway transcriptional regulation through ETS/AP-1 binding sites.

The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is activated by mutation in many cancers. Neighboring ETS and AP-1 DNA binding sequences can act as response elements for transcriptional activation by this pathway. ERK phosphorylation of an ETS transcription factor is one mechanism of activating the RAS/ERK gene expression program that can promote cancer cell phenotypes such as proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Recent genome-wide mapping of ETS proteins overexpressed by chromosomal rearrangement in prostate cancer reveals a second mechanism for activation of this gene expression program. An oncogenic subset of ETS transcription factors can activate RAS/ERK target genes even in the absence of RAS/ERK pathway activation by binding ETS/AP-1 sequences. Thus, regulation of cancer cell invasion and metastasis via ETS/AP-1 sequence elements depends on which ETS protein is bound, and the status of the RAS/ERK pathway. This commentary will focus on what is known about the selectivity of ETS/AP-1 sequences for differen...
Non-covalent assembly of meso-tetra-4-pyridyl porphine with single-stranded DNA to form nano-sized complexes with hydrophobicity-dependent DNA release and anti-tumor activity.

DNA and porphyrin based therapeutics are important for anti-cancer treatment. The present studies demonstrate single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) assembles with meso-tetra-4-pyridyl porphine (MTP) forming porphyrin:DNA nano-complexes (PDN) that are stable in aqueous solution under physiologically relevant conditions and undergo dissociation with DNA release in hydrophobic environments, including cell membranes. PDN formation is DNA-dependent with the ratio of porphyrin:DNA being approximately two DNA nucleobases per porphyrin. PDN produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a light-dependent manner under conditions that favor nano-complex dissociation in the presence of hydrophobic solvents. PDN induce light-dependent cytotoxicity in vitro and anti-tumor activity towards bladder cancer xenografts in vivo. Light-dependent, PDN-mediated cell death results from ROS-mediated localized membrane damage due to lipid peroxidation with mass spectrometry indicating the generation of the lipid peroxidation products 9- and 13-hydroxy octadecanoic acid. Our results demonstrate that PDN have properties useful for therapeutic applications, including cancer treatment.
Modeling and Control of a Deformable Mirror

A multi-input multi-output surface shape control system model is developed to study wavefront aberration correction. The plant model represents a deformable mirror and utilizes a finite element model that is validated using an actual prototype deformable mirror and an interferometer system. The sensor model is based on a Shack-Hartmann sensor, and the controller model is based on a least squares approach. The control system model is used to compare an available Gaussian model with the validated finite element model. Results clearly show the efficacy of the approach and the superiority of the finite element based method. The control approach is expected to be implemented on the adaptive optics system of the National Ignition Facility.
Update in Medical Education

Academic general internists are integral medical educators across the entire continuum of learners. Medical education research allows us to incorporate best practices in curriculum development and assessment and to promote effective teaching behaviors. In this paper, we summarize selected articles chosen for presentation at the Update in Medical Education session at the 30th annual meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine.
Bioconjugation of Ultrabright Semiconducting Polymer Dots for Specific Cellular Targeting

Semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) represent a new class of ultrabright fluorescent probes for biological imaging. They exhibit several important characteristics for experimentally demanding in vitro and in vivo fluorescence studies, such as their high brightness, fast emission rate, excellent photostability, nonblinking, and nontoxic feature. However, controlling the surface chemistry and bioconjugation of Pdots has been a challenging problem that prevented their widespread applications in biological studies. Here, we report a facile yet powerful conjugation method that overcomes this challenge. Our strategy for Pdot functionalization is based on entrapping heterogeneous polymer chains into a single dot, driven by hydrophobic interactions during nanoparticle formation. A small amount of amphiphilic polymer bearing functional groups is co-condensed with the majority of semiconducting polymers to modify and functionalize the nanoparticle surface for subsequent covalent conjugation to biomolecules, such as streptavidin and immunoglobulin G (IgG). The Pdot bioconjugates can effectively and specifically label cellular targets, such as cell surface marker in human breast cancer cells, without any detectable nonspecific binding. Single-particle imaging, cellular imaging, and flow cytometry experiments indicate a much higher fluorescence brightness of Pdots compared to those of Alexa dye and quantum dot probes. The successful bioconjugation of these ultrabright nanoparticles presents a novel opportunity to apply versatile semiconducting polymers to various fluorescence measurements in modern biology and biomedicine.
Physiological Disease of Rice attributable to Iron Toxicity

IN the course of an investigation on the influence of the intensity of reduction of a submerged soil on the growth and yield of rice, it was observed that three of the twenty-seven treatments studied exhibited symptoms strongly suggestive of a wide-spread disease of rice of unknown cause, described in the literature as ‘mentek’ in Java1–3, ‘penyakit merah’ in Malaya4, browning disease in Ceylon5,6, and under various local names in India and Burma2,7,8.
Optimal strategies for node selection games on oriented graphs: Skew matrices and symmetric games

Abstract In the node selection game Γ D each of the two players simultaneously selects a node from the oriented graph D . If there is an arc between the selected nodes, then there is a payoff from the “dominated” player to the “dominating” player. We investigate the set of optimal strategies for the players in the node selection game Γ D . We point out that a classical theorem from game theory relates the dimension of the polytope of optimal strategies for Γ D to the nullity of certain skew submatrix of the payoff matrix for Γ D . We show that if D is bipartite (with at least two nodes in each partite set), then an optimal strategy for the node selection game Γ D is never unique. Our work also implies that if D is a tournament, then there is a unique optimal strategy for each player, a result obtained by Fisher and Ryan [Optimal strategies for a generalized “scissors, paper, and stone” game, Amer. Math. Monthly 99 (1992) 935–942] and independently by Laffond, Laslier, and Le Breton [The bipartisan set of a tournament game, Games Econom. Behav. 5 (1993) 182–201].
Milk Production and Composition Responses to the Source of Protein Supplements in Diets Containing Wheat Middlings

Two 3 × 3 Latin square trials were conducted to determine the effect of the source of supplemental protein in diets containing wheat middlings on milk production and composition. Cottonseed meal or meat and bone meal was substituted for a portion of the soybean meal and provided 24.5% of the total dietary crude protein. Trial 1 was conducted during fall 1989, and trial 2 was conducted during summer 1993. During trial 1, no differences in production or composition of milk were found for primiparous cows fed the various protein supplements. Multiparous cows tended to have higher dry matter intakes and produced more milk with lower milk fat percentages when fed meat and bone meal than when fed soybean meal or cottonseed meal. No differences were found among supplements for other milk components or for the production of energy-corrected milk. In trial 2, primiparous cows tended to produce more milk, and multiparous cows tended to produce less milk, when fed meat and bone meal than when fed soybean meal. No differences were found for dry matter intake, milk composition, or production of energy-corrected milk. Cottonseed meal was equal to soybean meal in supporting milk production. Meat and bone meal tended to support higher productions of milk than did soybean meal, but production of energy-corrected milk was similar for both.
The return of Phineas Gage: clues about the brain from the skull of a famous patient

When the landmark patient Phineas Gage died in 1861, no autopsy was performed, but his skull was later recovered. The brain lesion that caused the profound personality changes for which his case became famous has been presumed to have involved the left frontal region, but questions have been raised about the involvement of other regions and about the exact placement of the lesion within the vast frontal territory. Measurements from Gage's skull and modern neuroimaging techniques were used to reconstitute the accident and determine the probable location of the lesion. The damage involved both left and right prefrontal cortices in a pattern that, as confirmed by Gage's modern counterparts, causes a defect in rational decision making and the processing of emotion.
A reliable skin mole localization scheme

Mole pattern changes are important cues in detecting melanoma at an early stage. As a first step to automatically register mole pattern changes from skin images, this paper presents a framework to detect and label moles on skin images in the presence of clutter, occlusions, and varying imaging conditions. The input image is processed with cascaded blocks to successively discard non-mole pixels. Our method first searches the entire input image for skin regions using a non-parametric skin detection scheme, and the detected skin regions are further processed using a difference of Gaussian (DoG) filter to find possible mole candidates of varying sizes. Mole candidates are classified as moles in the final stage using a trained support vector machine. To increase the mole classification accuracy, hair is removed if present on the skin image using steerable filters and a graphical model. The performance of the designed system is evaluated with 28 test images, and the experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mole localization scheme.
Phase relations in the system NaCl-KCl-H2O: IV. Differential thermal analysis of the sylvite liquidus in the KCl-H2O binary, the liquidus in the NaCl-KCl-H2O ternary, and the solidus in the NaCl-KCl binary to 2 kb pressure, and a summary of experimental data for thermodynamic-PTX analysis of solid-liquid equilibria at elevated P-T conditions

The sylvite liquidus in the binary system KCl-H2O and the liquidus in the ternary system NaCl-KCl-H2O were determined by using isobaric differential thermal analysis (DTA) cooling scans at pressures up to 2 kbars. Sylvite solubilities along the three-phase curve in the binary system KCl-H2O were obtained by the intersection of sylvite-liquidus isopleths with the three-phase curve in a P-T plot. These solubility data can be represented by the equation Wt.% KCl (±0.2) = 12.19 + 0.1557T − 5.4071 × 10−5T2, where 400 ≤ T ≤ 770°C. These data are consistent with previous experimental observations. The solidus in the binary system NaCl-KCl was determined by using isobaric DTA heating scans at pressures up to 2 kbars. Using these liquidus and solidus data and other published information, a thermodynamic-PTX analysis of solid-liquid equilibria at high pressures and temperatures for the ternary system has been performed and is presented in an accompanying paper (Part V of this series). However, all experimental liquidus, solidus, and solvus data used in this analysis are summarized in this report (Part IV) and they are compared with the calculated values based on the analysis.
β2 Subunit Propeptides Influence Cooperative Proteasome Assembly

Vertebrate proteasomes are structurally heterogeneous, consisting of both "constitutive" (or "standard") proteasomes and "immunoproteasomes." Constitutive proteasomes contain three ubiquitously expressed catalytic subunits, Delta (beta 1), Z (beta 2), and X (beta 5), whereas immunoproteasomes contain three interferon-gamma-inducible catalytic subunits, LMP2 (beta 1i), MECL (beta 2i), and LMP7 (beta 5i). We recently have demonstrated that proteasome assembly is biased to promote immunoproteasome homogeneity when both types of catalytic subunits are expressed in the same cell. This cooperative assembly is due in part to differences between the LMP7 (beta 5i) and X (beta 5) propeptides. In the current study we demonstrate that differences between the MECL (beta 2i) and Z (beta2) propeptides also influence cooperative assembly. Specifically, replacing the MECL propeptide with that of Z enables MECL incorporation into otherwise constitutive (Delta(+)/X(+)) proteasomes and facilitates X incorporation into otherwise immunoproteasomes (MECL(+)/LMP2(+)). We also show, using MECL(-/-) mice, that LMP2 incorporation does not require MECL, in contrast with previous suggestions that their incorporation is mutually codependent. These results enable us to refine our model for cooperative proteasome assembly by determining which combinations of inducible and constitutive subunits are favored over others, and we propose a mechanism for how propeptides mediate cooperative assembly.
Techniques for the Use of Long Slender End Mills in High-speed Milling

Abstract This paper presents two techniques using end mills in high-speed milling, in the first, the top speed and power of the spindle are accepted as fixed, and the structural dynamics are manipulated by adjusting the tool length so as to take advantage of stability lobe effects. Sometimes, lengthening the tool improves the metal removal rate. The second technique permits the machining of parts with very thin ribs. Tools with relieved shanks are used to avoid increases in axial depth of cut associated with forced vibration of the rib. Photographs of parts made with and without such tooling are shown.
Stability testing of time delay systems

Abstract Based on the strictly bounded real lemma and the Schur-Cohn test, stability theory for time delay systems with commensurate time delays is developed. It is demonstrated here that the stability theory is closely related to some existing system theory and that it provides an effective stability testing algorithm for time delay systems.
What Gamification Tells us about Web Communication

The games that have become a staple on Facebook provide lessons on how to make websites and Internet marketing more successful. We highlight these points that gamers have accomplished: Provide ideological agreement, Create a community, Provide a sense of control or autonomy, Create a way for people to communicate with each other, Recognize gender differences, Provide rewards, and Convince people to commit.
Interactive exploration of large filesystems

Secure management of file systems of large organizations can present significant challenges to system administrators, in terms of the number of users, shared access to parts of the file system for supporting large software projects, and securing and monitoring critical parts of the file system from intruders. We present interactive visualization tools for monitoring and viewing the complex access control relationships within large file systems. This tool is targeted as an aid to system administrators to manage users, software applications and shared access. We tested our tool on UNC Charlotte's Andrew File System (AFS), which contains 7043 users, 560 user groups, and about 2.1 million directories. Our system displays summary information about the file system, and two types of visualizations to explore access control relationships among classes of users. In addition, drill-down features are provided to explore the user file system structure and manage access control information of any directory within the system. All of the views are linked to permit easy navigation and features are provided that make the system scalable to larger filesystems.
Nutritive Value and Nutrient Uptake of Sorghum–Sudangrass under Different Broiler Litter Fertility Programs

Broiler (Gallus gallus) litter fertility regimes and nutrient removal by sorghum–sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] are not well defined. The objective of this study was to determine broiler litter fertility regimes for sorghum–sudangrass that would maximize nutrient removal and produce comparable forage nutritive value compared with inorganic fertilizers while reducing potential soil nutrient accumulation. A randomized, complete-block experiment with four replications and four treatments (litter applied at recommended nitrogen [N] rate [Litter-N], recommended phosphorus [P] rate plus supplemental inorganic N [Litter-P1N], recommended P rate [Litter-P], and inorganic fertilizer [INORG]) was established. Acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude protein (CP), P, Cu, Fe, and Zn were determined. Treatments did not affect ADF, NDF, Cu, or Fe in 2001, whereas ADF and NDF were similar for INORG and Litter-N in 2002. Greatest P concentrations were observed in Litter-N and Litter-P plots. Crude protein was greatest for INORG plots, similar for Litter-P1N and Litter-N treatments, and lowest for Litter-P plots. Treatments affected Cu and Zn: Forage from Litter-N plots contained 44% greater forage Cu than those from Litter-P plots in 2003. Iron concentration for 2003 was 60% higher than for 2001 in Litter-N plots, and there were 22% and 30% increases in P uptake in 2003 compared with 2001 for the Litter-N and Litter-P1N plots, respectively. Lower rates of broiler litter, applied based on the P requirement and supplemented with inorganic N, can produce similar forage nutritive value to that fertilized with inorganic fertilizer only or broiler litter applied to meet crop N requirements. B ROILER (Gallus gallus) production has increased 10fold in Kentucky over the last 8 yr (KASS, 2003) and continues to increase in the southeast USA. The expansion of the poultry industry and an increase in the price of inorganic fertilizer, especially nitrogen, has led to an increase in the use of broiler litter (a mixture of chicken manure, wasted feed, wood shavings or crop residue such as rice or peanut hulls, and feathers) as a source of crop nutrients. This increase in poultry production has led to an increase in broiler litter and the associated problem of how to handle, use, or dispose of it in an environmentally sustainable manner. Broiler litter is often over applied to fields in close proximity to poultry production areas in an effort to dispose of the litter. This practice may cause water pollution and soil nutrient imbalances. Long-term application of broiler
Connecting Urban Youth with their Environment: The Impact of an Urban Ecology Course on Student Content Knowledge, Environmental Attitudes and Responsible Behaviors

This study explores the impact of an urban ecology program on participating middle school students’ understanding of science and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. We gathered pre and post survey data from four classes and found significant gains in scientific knowledge, but no significant changes in student beliefs regarding the environment. We interviewed 12 students to better understand their beliefs. Although student responses showed they had learned discrete content knowledge, they lacked any ecological understanding of the environment and had mixed perceptions of the course’s relevance in their lives. Students reported doing pro-environmental behaviors, but overwhelmingly contributed such actions to influences other than the urban ecology course. Analyses indicated a disconnect between the course, the environment, and the impact on the students’ lives. Consequently, this suggests the importance of recognizing the implications of context, culture, and identity development of urban youth. Perhaps by providing explicit connections and skills in urban environmental programs through engaging students in environmental scientific investigations that stem from their own issues and questions can increase student engagement, motivation, and self-efficacy of environmental issues.
Mixture suppression without inhibition for binary mixtures from whole cell patch clamp studies of in situ olfactory receptor neurons of the spiny lobster

Abstract Whole cell patch clamping was used to investigate mechanisms of mixture suppression for in situ olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus . We used a set of single compounds and binary mixtures that have been used in previous biochemical studies of receptor-odorant binding, electrophysiological studies of spiking output from ORNs, and behavioral studies. These odorants were adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP), betaine (Bet), l -cysteine (Cys), l -glutamate (Glu), taurine (Tau), ammonium chloride, d,l -succinate, binary mixtures of these compounds, as well as a 33-component artificial oyster mixture (AOM). For the 40 ORNs studied, these stimuli more frequently elicited inward than outward currents. AMP, Glu, Tau and Bet evoked the largest and most numerous inward currents; Cys most commonly evoked outward currents. Na + was an important charge-carrying ion for the Glu-evoked response in one ORN and the Bet-evoked response in another ORN. Mixture suppression, defined conservatively in this study as cases where the response to a binary mixture was less than the response to the more excitatory component of that mixture, was observed in 6 ORNs. In all 6 cases, neither component of the mixture evoked an outward conductance (i.e. neither was inhibitory). Five of these cases of mixture suppression involved a mixture containing two excitatory compounds (i.e. producing inward conductances): four ORNs were excited by both Glu and AMP, and one ORN was excited by both Tau and Glu. One case of mixture suppression occurred for a compound (Tau) that did not produce a current when presented alone but which when added to Bet suppressed the inward current generated by Bet. Mechanisms for these suppressions are discussed, including inhibition of receptor binding by the components of a binary mixture and effects on second messengers or ion channels.
Investigative strategy in international technical assistance projects

Evaluation in international technical assistance programs places a unique set of pressures on the evaluator, which in turn places special demands on the investigative strategies employed.