cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of chemical and physical properties of Dried Distillers Grains with solubles (DDGS) on Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) development

Abstract Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS) has been used as a grain-based supplement in animal feed. The focus of this study was to investigate the effects of chemical and physical characteristics that may affect DDGS susceptibility to Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) infestation. Multiple regression-based models were built to determine if the diet’s chemical and physical characteristics affect T. castaneum development. Based on the regression models, diet particle size was the most influential factor in larval development. Larval weight increased more rapidly on T. castaneum normal laboratory diet, 90% flour/10% brewer’s yeast (F/Y), followed by ground DDGS, compared to raw DDGS with different particle sizes. To determine the effect of diet particle size on larval development, experiments were conducted to increase particle size by pelletizing F/Y using a rotary drum granulation apparatus. T. castaneum larval stage lasted significantly longer on F/Y granules with a particle size of 1.4 mm or larger. Although the chemical properties of DDGS (protein, fat, fiber and ash content) were not significant predictors of T. castaneum larval development, larval developmental time and weight gain on ground DDGS was significantly slower than on F/Y, highlighting the potential importance of nutritional factors not accounted for in our analysis. Our results conclude that storing DDGS as raw ingredient and in the granule or pellet form with large particle size may help limit T. castaneum infestations. Although granulation or pelletization may not be economically feasible for small manufacturing plants, larger producers may benefit from the reduced risk of insect contamination associated with secondary feeders such as T. castaneum.
Optimization of the Lubricating Oil Control System of Large Capacity Synchronous Condenser for UHV Converter Station

The lubricating oil system is an important auxiliary system of large capacity synchronous condensers for UHV converter station. Its configuration and control is related to the reliability of long-term safe operation of synchronous condensers. First, the causes of abnormal tripping faults in the switching process of the AC lubricating oil pump is analyzed. The optimization measures based on the original lubricating oil control system are proposed, such as increasing the interlocking of the AC lubricating oil pump hard circuit, modifying the execution sequence of the logical configuration of the distributed control system, in order to shorten the starting time of the standby AC lubricating oil pump. Finally, the static and dynamic test results show that the proposed optimization measures are effective, and the establishment speed of lubricating oil pressure in the process of AC lubricating oil pumps' switching is increased.
Being well in the world: an alternative discourse to mental health and well-being

The author provides a critique of the current campaign promoting well-being and mental health in UK schools. The paper focuses on the unintended consequences of aligning with a medical model of und...
Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD)

Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) relies on the fact that blood flow and blood oxygenation in the brain are closely linked to neural activity. The BOLD response rises to a peak over 4–5 s, before falling back to baseline.
Atmospheric effects of friction, friction noise and wear with silicon and diamond. Part II. SEM tribometry of silicon in vacuum and hydrogen

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) tribometric data on polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) vs. poly-Si, Si(100) vs. Si(100) and Si(111) vs. Si(111) interfaces, obtained in \(\sim 1 \times 10^{ - 5}\) Torr and in 0.2 Torr partial pressure of hydrogen gas (\(P_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} }\)) from room temperature to 850°C, were performed under standard and much slower thermal ramping rates. The friction data were analyzed per the methodology described in part I of this paper series. The results indicate a highly beneficial friction- and wear-reducing regime within a relatively narrow thermal region. This desirable region coincides with some chemisorption of excited species of molecular hydrogen just before the mass thermal desorption of surface hydrides. These data represent the tribochemical equivalent of a method routinely used in electronics, whereby deep electron traps (dangling Si bonds) are passivated by baking in molecular hydrogen. The \(P_{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}} }\) also exerts a moderating influence on the size of the friction noise at all test temperatures. However, the general level of friction beyond the beneficial thermal region is high. In parallel, the general wear rate of Si representative of the entire range of standard thermal ramping in both atmospheric environments is in the extremely high 10-12m3/(N m) range. Operating strictly in the beneficial, low-friction thermal regime resulted in a several orders-of-magnitude reduction in the wear rate over those measured under standard thermal ramping conditions. Although the results confirm previous findings that Si is not a good material of construction for miniaturized moving mechanical assemblies (e.g., microbearings and gears), there seems to be some limited possibility of gas-phase lubrication of Si micromechanisms with rarefied hydrogen at surface temperatures between 100 and 300°C.
Cardiac neural crest contributes to cardiomyocytes in amniotes and heart regeneration in zebrafish

Cardiac neural crest cells contribute to important portions of the cardiovascular system including the aorticopulmonary septum and cardiac ganglion. Using replication incompetent avian retroviruses for precise high-resolution lineage analysis, we uncover a previously undescribed neural crest contribution to cardiomyocytes of the ventricles in Gallus gallus, supported by Wnt1-Cre lineage analysis in Mus musculus. To test the intriguing possibility that neural crest cells contribute to heart repair, we examined Danio rerio adult heart regeneration in the neural crest transgenic line, Tg(-4.9sox10:eGFP). Whereas the adult heart has few sox10+ cells in the apex, sox10 and other neural crest regulatory network genes are upregulated in the regenerating myocardium after resection. The results suggest that neural crest cells contribute to many cardiovascular structures including cardiomyocytes across vertebrates and to the regenerating heart of teleost fish. Thus, understanding molecular mechanisms that control the normal development of the neural crest into cardiomyocytes and reactivation of the neural crest program upon regeneration may open potential therapeutic approaches to repair heart damage in amniotes.
Pilot Contamination Attack Detection for NOMA in 5G mm-Wave Massive MIMO Networks

Power non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) has been considered as a new enabling technology in 5G communication. In this paper, we introduce the problem of pilot contamination attack (PCA) on NOMA in millimeter wave (mmWave) and massive MIMO 5G communication. Due to the new characteristics of NOMA such as superposed signals with multi-users, PCA detection faces new challenges. By harnessing the sparseness and statistics of mmWave and massive MIMO virtual channel, we propose two effective PCA detection schemes for NOMA tackling static and dynamic environments, respectively. For the static environment, the problem of PCA detection is formulated as a binary hypothesis test of the virtual channel sparsity. For the dynamic environment, the statistic of the peaks in the virtual channel is leveraged to distinguish the contamination state from the normal state. A peak estimation algorithm and a machine learning based detection framework are proposed to achieve high detection performance. To further optimize the proposed scheme, a feature selection algorithm and an optimization model considering the detection accuracy and detection delay are presented. Simulation results evaluate and confirm the effectiveness of the proposed detection schemes. The detection rate can approach 100% with 10−3 false alarm rate in the static environment and above 95% in the dynamic environment under various system parameters.
Irreversible engines—Open cycles

Abstract In many practical applications, an engine operates in an open cycle that is driven by fuel combustion. This chapter shows that in combustion-driven power cycles, the thermal efficiency inversely correlates with specific entropy generation defined as the total entropy generation rate per unit flowrate of the fuel burned. A mathematical proof will first be presented demonstrating that a design based on maximum thermal efficiency is identical to that of minimum specific entropy generation. The power cycles to be examined include simple gas turbine cycle, regenerative gas turbine cycle, and combined cycle. The application of organic Rankine cycles to produce power from low-grade heat such as the exhaust of a regenerative gas turbine will also be discussed.
Management of Laparoscopy-Related Complications

The benefits of laparoscopy have been well established and are numerous. However, laparoscopy is not without complications. The overall complication rate ranges from 0.2 to 10.3 %. The rate of complications is clearly correlated with the complexity of the surgery and the skill set and experience of the surgeon. More than half of laparoscopic injuries occur during abdominal entry. Additionally, 20–25 % of complications are not recognized intraoperatively. The complication rate for surgeons who have performed less than 100 laparoscopies is more than four times greater than a surgeon with more experience.
The Revisionist Turn: A Brief History of Recent Work on Free Will

I’ve been told that in the good old days of the 1970s, when Quine’s desert landscapes were regarded as ideal real estate and David Lewis and John Rawls had not yet left a legion of influential students rewriting the terrain of metaphysics and ethics respectively, compatibilism was still compatibilism about free will. And, of course, incompatibilism was still incompatibilism about free will. That is, compatibilism was the view that free will was compatible with determinism. Incompatibilism was the view that free will was incompatible with determinism.1 What philosophers argued about was whether free will was compatible with determinism. Mostly, this was an argument about how to understand claims that one could do otherwise. You did not need to talk about moral responsibility, because it was obvious that you couldn’t have moral responsibility without free will. The literature was a temple of clarity.
Dietary plasticity and the importance of salmon to brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) body size and condition in a low Arctic ecosystem

Ecological flexibility within animal populations can allow for variation in resource use and foraging decisions. We estimated brown bear (Ursus arctos) diet composition in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska from 2013 to 2015 to evaluate how variation in foraging behavior influences body condition and size. We used stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analyses of sectioned brown bear hair samples to evaluate assimilated diet. We then developed a set of a priori linear models to evaluate differences in the diet composition of brown bears (n = 80) in relation to body fat (%) and mass. The proportion of meat (salmon [Oncorhynchus keta] and terrestrial meat combined) in the diet from July through late September varied between male and female bears, with males ( $$\stackrel{-}{x}$$ = 62%, SD = 30) assimilating significantly more meat than females ( $$\stackrel{-}{x}$$ = 40%, SD = 29). Most of the meat consumed came from marine-derived resources for males (53% of the total diet or 86% of the meat) and females (31% of the total diet or 77% of the meat). As we found the range of observed diets was unrelated to physiological outcomes (i.e., percentage body fat), we suggest that ecological flexibility within populations may provide an adaptive advantage by allowing individuals to reduce competition with conspecifics by foraging on alternate food resources. Identifying variable foraging behaviors within a population can allow for a better understanding of complex behaviors and, ultimately, lead to more informed management decisions related to habitat use, development, and harvest.
Omission of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Rectal Cancer Patients with Pathologic Complete Response: a National Analysis.

An increasing number of patients achieve a pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer. Consensus guidelines continue to recommend oncologic resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy in these patients. We hypothesize that there is significant variability in compliance with this recommendation. The National Cancer Database was queried from 2006 to 2015 for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by oncologic resection with a pCR (ypT0N0). Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to generate risk and reliability-adjusted rates of adjuvant chemotherapy utilization in patients with pCR at each hospital. In total, 2421 pCR patients were identified. Five-year overall survival was improved in pCR patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy compared with those who did not (92 vs. 85%, p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis indicated that improvement in overall survival remained associated with adjuvant chemotherapy (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44–0.82, p < 0.01). The mean adjuvant chemotherapy utilization rate among hospitals was 32%. There was an upward trend in use over the past decade, but two-thirds still do not receive the recommended therapy. High chemotherapy utilizer hospitals were more likely to be academic centers (54.9 vs. 45.9%, p < 0.01) when compared with low chemotherapy utilizers. Adjuvant chemotherapy is associated with improved survival in rectal cancer patients with pCR following neoadjuvant chemoradiation and oncologic resection. However, utilization among centers in the USA was only 32% with significant variability across centers. National efforts are needed to standardize treatment patterns according to national guidelines.
Acute IL-3 Priming Up-Regulates the Stimulus-Induced Raf-1-Mek-Erk Cascade Independently of IL-3-Induced Activation of Erk

IL-3 is a potent priming cytokine for human basophils, inducing an increase of mediator release after stimulation. The mechanism of IL-3 priming of the basophil response to FceRI aggregating stimuli remains unknown. We explored the regulation of several elements of IgE-mediated signaling by a short priming with IL-3. Early signaling events such as phosphorylation of Syk, Shc, linker for activation of T cells, and the calcium signal were not statistically affected by acute IL-3 priming. Downstream in the signaling cascade, a point of up-regulation was found at the level of Raf-1-Mek-Erk. Although the phosphorylation of Raf-1 was not changed by IL-3 priming, IL-3-primed anti-IgE-stimulated basophils showed a strong synergism for Mek and Erk phosphorylation when compared with either IL-3 or anti-IgE alone; pre-exposure to IL-3 induced a final 13-fold average increase over anti-IgE-induced Erk phosphorylation (6-fold above the sum of anti-IgE and IL-3 alone). The kinetics, dose response, and pharmacologic characteristics of the IL-3 priming of stimulus-induced Erk phosphorylation support the involvement of a yet unknown mechanism that is independent of IL-3-induced Erk and PI3K activation. This type of preactivation can be mimicked by incubation with the Ser-Thr kinase inhibitors, Ro-81–3220, or bisindoylmaleimide II.
Robust model predictive control of multivariable systems using input-output models with stochastic parameters

Model predictive control (MPC) algorithms that minimize the expectation of a multi-step quadratic loss function are formulated for systems described through an input-output model with stochastic parameters. The parameter matrix is modelled as a constant matrix plus a random perturbation matrix parameterized through a white noise vector. In open-loop optimal feedback control, the future inputs are optimized as deterministic variables. In closed-loop optimal receding horizon control, they are optimized as stochastic variables that depend on the future feedback measurements. In the absence of inequality constraints, optimal control policies for both cases are shown to be constant state feedback laws. Online implementation of these algorithms in the presence of inequality constraints is also discussed. The implications of the results for robust control and MPC are given and examples are shown to support their significance.
Induction of apoptosis and inhibition of tumorigenicity and tumor growth by adenovirus vector-mediated fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene overexpression.

We studied the effects of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene overexpression mediated by an adenoviral vector, Ad- FHIT , on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle kinetics in human cancer cells and on tumorigenicity and tumor growth in nude mice. Overexpression of the FHIT gene significantly inhibited cell growth in various Ad- FHIT -transduced human lung cancer cells and head and neck carcinoma cells with FHIT gene abnormalities, but not in normal human bronchial epithelial cells. Fewer than 20% of cells in all Ad- FHIT -transduced cells survived at 7 days after transduction. Overexpression of the FHIT gene induced cell apoptosis and altered cell cycle processes. The apoptotic cell population markedly increased, and cells accumulated in S phase after Ad- FHIT transduction. The tumorigenicity of human H1299 lung cancer cells transduced by Ad- FHIT , in comparison with that of the control transductants and untreated cells, was eliminated in vivo . Subcutaneous tumor growth in nude mice who received intratumoral injections of Ad- FHIT , at a total dose of 3 × 10 10 plaque-forming units/tumor for H1299 tumors and 4 × 10 10 /tumor for A549 tumors, were suppressed by more than 85% and 90%, respectively, compared with that in nude mice who received injections of empty vector at the same dose or with PBS alone. Together, our results suggest that the FHIT gene, when delivered at high efficiency by a recombinant adenoviral vector, functions as a tumor suppressor gene both in vitro and in vivo .
Titanium and Aircraft Engineering: The First of a Series of Articles Describing the Materials Used in Aircraft Construction

TITANIUM, with a melting point of 1,660 deg. C, higher than that of nickel or iron, a density little more than one‐half that of steel, and a corrosion resistance in certain environments superior to stainless steel, is evidently a metal of significance to aeronautics. In the last few years remarkable advances have been made in both the production technology and the basic physical metallurgy of the titanium alloys, and it would be fair to say that aeronautics generally has not exploited the possibilities of these alloys to the extent that might have been expected. This is in part due to economic factors, as titanium is still relatively expensive, and in part due to a lack of conviction in the relative advantages which the alloys can offer. It is obvious that as more titanium is brought into use in aeronautics, so the economic aspect will improve, and the more experience will designers and materials engineers generally gain in its utilization. The purpose of the present article is to survey some of the basic metallurgical considerations which enter into the development of the titanium alloys, and relate these to the specific engineering factors of interest in aeronautics. This will lead to a discussion of the ways in which the titanium alloys are being introduced into aircraft structures and engines. The subject is clearly a very large one to attempt in a single article, and many quite important topics have necessarily been abridged or omitted altogether. The references should, however, make it possible to follow up individual subjects in more detail.
Nomograms for Sample Size

Excerpt To the editor: Young, Bresnitz, and Strom (1) present two nomograms for sample size determination when the response variable is either dichotomous or approximately normal. In the instructio...
The Molecular Evolution of Visual Pigments of Freshwater Crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae)

This study examines the diverse maximum wavelength absorption (λmax) found in crayfishes (Decapoda: Cambaridae and Parastacidae) and the associated genetic variation in their opsin locus. We measured the wavelength absorption in the photoreceptors of six species that inhabit environments of different light intensities (i.e., burrows, streams, standing waters, and subterranean waters). Our results indicate that there is relatively little variation in λmax (522–530 nm) among species from different genera and families. The existing variation did not correlate with the habitat differences of the crayfishes studied. We simultaneously sequenced the rhodopsin gene to identify the amino acid replacements that affect shifts in maximum wavelength absorption. We then related these to changes that correlated with shifts in λmax by reconstructing ancestral character states using a maximum-likelihood approach. Using amino acid sequences obtained from five species (all were 301 amino acids in length), we identified a number of candidates for producing shifts of 4 to 8 nm in λmax. These amino acid replacements occurred in similar regions to those involved in spectral shifts in vertebrates.
Varieties of citizen review: the implications of organizational features of complaint review procedures for accountability of police

Citizen review of complaints against police officers is an important new aspect of policing which takes many different forms. Explains the reasons leading to the usage of this term in preference to similar terms. Analyzes official documents related to the 65 citizen review (CR) procedures currently in force in the USA. Highlights the problematic relationship between the goals of CR and administrative features. Finds that existing procedures do not always guarantee an independent review of complaints. Suggests additional research on procedures, more critical assessment of the assumptions underlying CR, and rigorous comparative evaluations of complaint review systems, also of the relationship between CR and other innovations such as community policing.
Increased apoptosis coincides with onset of involution in infantile hemangioma

Objective: Hemangioma is an endothelial cell tumor that grows rapidly during infancy and regresses slowly during childhood. However, little is known about the natural history of this common tumor. To gain insight into the cellular mechanisms that underlie the switch from uncontrolled growth to involution of endothelium, we investigated the extent of cellular apoptosis versus proliferation in hemangioma specimens that spanned the natural life cycle of the tumor. Methods: We analyzed apoptosis and cellular proliferation in frozen sections from 16 hemangioma specimens using the TUNEL assay to detect apoptotic cells and the Ki67 antigen to detect dividing cells. Results: Apoptosis was low in proliferative phase hemangiomas but increased fivefold in involutive phase specimens obtained from children one to four years of age. Immunofluorescence double-labeling experiments showed that at least one third of the apoptotic cells were endothelial. As expected, cellular proliferation was high in specimens up to 2 years of age but decreased significantly thereafter. Apoptosis was consistently low in nine normal skin tissues (newborn to 4 years of age) obtained from discarded pathology specimens. Conclusions: These results suggest that increased apoptosis during the second year of life can offset cellular proliferation and may be involved in initiating regression of hemangioma.
The effect of temperature on the behavior of the interphase in polymeric composites

Abstract The single-filament fragmentation method for measuring the fiber/matrix stress transfer was used for the identification of interphase perturbations. This technique is based on the measurement of the fiber length resulting from the multiple fracture of a single fiber embedded in a resin specimen during tensile loading. A series of single-fiber fragmentation experiments was conducted over a wide range of temperatures on the AS4-carbon-fiber/Epon-828/PACM20-epoxy-resin system. Critical aspect ratios, the magnitude of which is considered to be inversely proportional to the square root of the matrix modulus, showed a significant increase from ambient to elevated temperatures, at temperature levels much lower than the glass transition point of the bulk matrix. This increase was consistent with the existence of an interphase of lower glass transition temperature than the bulk matrix. A three-concentric-cylinder elastic model was employed to correlated the effect of material properties.
Market Segmentation and the Valuation of Closed-End Country Funds: An Empirical Analysis

This article examines the role of market segmentation on the valuation of the U.S. stock exchange-listed closed-end country funds and analyzes the determinants of net fund premia in a multivariate context. It is shown that fund returns are generally sensitive to both national and U.S. market factors, but only national factors are priced. Cross-section and time series estimation of net fund premia indicates the importance of market segmentation as a determinant of net fund premia. There is some evidence that exchange rate changes may exert an additional influence. However, market expectation variables such as economic growth of the country or relative capitalization rates are insignificant.
Materials Characterization with Cold Neutrons

NIST has established at its Gaithersburg site the nation’s first dedicated facility for “cold neutron” research (the CNRF). This new national facility is providing researchers in such fields as materials science, physics, chemistry, and biology state-of-the-art instrumentation which takes advantage of the unique properties of cold neutrons. As of May 1993, eleven of the planned fifteen new instruments were operational. One-quarter to two-thirds of total beam time is available for generic research at no charge to the general research community through a proposal evaluation system. The main focus of this paper will be on the principal techniques in which cold neutrons are currently used at the CNRF for nondestructive materials characterization: small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), neutron reflectometry, neutron depth profiling (NDP), and prompt-gamma activation analysis (PGAA).
TEACHING TOWARD GENDER AND ETHNIC INCLUSIVITY

Abstract A paramount task of religious education should be the exposing and redressing of social injustice. Two of the pervasive and perduring evils of our time are sexism and racism. With their insights into theological authenticity and their skills in both shaping attitudes and inspiring actions, religious educators are in potent positions to effect liberationist change. To do so, they must become comprehensively informed and profoundly committed. They must become transformed teachers of transforming truth. I have looked at the South's beautiful churches with their lofty spires pointing heavenward. I have beheld the impressive outlines of their massive religious education buildings. Over and over I found myself asking, What kind of people worship here? Who is their God?
Task-Oriented Social Ego Network Generation via Dynamic Collaborator Selection

Social networks are social structures derived from general human societies based upon certain scope or relationships. People in social networks, rather than behaving randomly, are highly organized and cooperative. To study evolutions of social networks, existing random graph theories only provide global views on network evolutions. Nevertheless, the evolutions of a social network should be examined from a local point of view. That is we can claim that someone's social network has evolved, if and only if the network is indeed evolved from the person's perspective. Hence, in this paper, we introduce the concept of social ego network. We propose two dynamic collaborator selection methods for the Task-Oriented Social Ego Network Generation process, which is believed to be the key process of social ego network evolution. We also conduct experimental simulations for our proposed methods.
Interferometric measurements of the λ 7319 Å doublet emissions of OII

Abstract Fabry-Perot interferometer observations of the OII 7319 A line made from College, Alaska are presented. Significant Doppler shifts corresponding to the ion drift motion, caused by the convection electric fields, were observed under special conditions, but no steady observations were possible due to the sporadic nature of this emission. Very preliminary results of the observed doublet separation (≈0.836 A) are also presented.
A Roadmap for E-Business Implementation

Abstract:The rapid deployment of e-business systems has surprised even the most futuristic management thinkers. Unfortunately, little empirical research has documented the variations of e-business solutions as major software vendors release complex IT products into the marketplace. The literature holds simultaneous evidence of major successes and major failures as implementations evolve. The current economic conditions have slowed implementation efforts but most companies report ongoing efforts to further strengthen their investment in e-business as they anticipate a reinvigorated marketplace. In this research, we first distinguish and develop a conceptual model of e-business and its predecessor concepts of e-commerce, supply chain management (SCM), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) and demonstrate how these systems relate and serve significantly different strategic objectives. This research combines interviews, case studies and an industry survey to determine the significant variables leading to suc...
The Effects of Repeated Reading On Two Types of CBM: Computer Maze and Oral Reading With Second-Grade Students With Learning Disabilities:

The purpose of this study was to determine if two types of curriculum-based measurement, computer maze and oral reading, are equally sensitive to improvements made due to the strategy of repeated r...
Concurrent Engineering Approach to Reducing Design Delivery Time

A common method used to reduce project delivery time is to overlap sequential activities. Evolution and sensitivity characterizations of design activities provide a practical tool for identifying overlapping opportunities. The faster the evolution of information in an activity, the less risky it is to begin a downstream activity before the upstream activity is finalized. Also, the lower the sensitivity to changes in upstream information, the less risky it is to overlap activities. A methodology for determining the evolution and sensitivity of design activities has been developed through a series of expert interviews. The evolution of an activity can be determined by evaluating the levels of design optimization, constraint satisfaction, external information exchange, and standardization. The sensitivity of an activity can be determined by evaluating activity constraints, input variables, and the level of design integration. This framework for characterizing design activities in terms of evolution and sensitivity will lead to significant reductions in project delivery times.
Development of a Fertigation Program for Sprinkler-Irrigated Corn

(...) A 5-yr study was conducted to compare applications of N through the irrigation system (N fertigation) with applications by concentional means. Determining optimum timming of N fertigations in order to obtain highest yield was a major objective. Initial experiments compared «conventional» sidedress applications with an intensive fertigation program where N was applied weekly or biweekly. In those experiments the fertigation did not enhance corn yield. Comparison of the fertigation schedules with optimum N uptake data revealed that the lack of yield enhancement may have been due to applications that were too late to allow optimum uptake. (...)
Compositions for monolithic linings of steelcasting ladles

A technology for producing quartz—clay ramming compounds for monolithic linings of steelcasting ladles has been developed and introduced at the Krasnogorovsk Refractories Plant. The compound contains 10–13% semiacid Druzhkov clay and the binder is spent sulfite liquor or orthophosphoric acid, or a mixture of both. The technology consists of preparing the quartzite, drying and grinding the clay, preparing the slip, mixing the components, triturating the finished compound, and packing it.
Thermal Inactivation of the Kanagawa Hemolysin of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Buffer and Shrimp

A semipurified thermostable direct hemolysin (Kanagawa hemolysin) was prepared from a clinical isolate of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (strain 533- 72). Preliminary experiments determined that the hemolytic activity and mouse lethality of the hemolysin were inactivated at the same rate, that the rate was linear, and that the pH range of optimum thermal stability was pH 5.5-6.5. When approximately 256 rat erythrocyte units/g of Kanagawa hemolysin were heated at 115°, 120°, 125°, and 130°C, D values ranged from 46.5-13 min (zc= 27°C) in Tris buffer and 48.1-10.4 min (zc= 23.2°C) in shrimp homogenate, both at pH 7.0.
Propane dehydrogenation in a packed-bed membrane reactor

Membrane reactors combine reaction and separation in one-unit operation, the membrane selectively removing one or more of the reactant or product species. These reactors have been used with thermodynamically or kinetically limited reactions. They help increase their yields through the use of membranes, which allow product/reactant species to permeate out of the reaction zone. This group has reported in the past on the use of catalytic membrane, reactors for ethane dehydrogenation and methane steam reforming. A general model for the catalytic membrane reactor has been developed and applied to ethane dehydrogenation. Here, the authors report results of their studies with propane dehydrogenation in a packed-bed membrane reactor. To the best of their knowledge, this is the first open literature report for this reaction being carried out in a packed-bed membrane reactor.
Charge-Transfer Excited States in a π-Stacked Adenine Dimer, As Predicted Using Long-Range-Corrected Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory

The lowest few electronic excitations of a pi-stacked adenine dimer in its B-DNA geometry are investigated, in the gas phase and in a water cluster, using a long-range-corrected version of time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) that asymptotically incorporates Hartree-Fock exchange. Long-range correction is shown to eliminate the catastrophic underestimation of charge-transfer (CT) excitation energies that plagues conventional TD-DFT, at the expense of introducing one adjustable parameter, mu, that determines the length scale on which Hartree-Fock exchange is turned on. This parameter allows us to interpolate smoothly between hybrid density functionals and time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory. Excitation energies for CT states (in which an electron is transferred from one adenine molecule to the other) are found to increase dramatically as a function of mu. Uncorrected hybrid functionals underestimate the CT excitation energies, placing them well below the valence excitations, while time-dependent Hartree-Fock calculations place these states well above the valence states. Values for mu determined from certain benchmark calculations place the CT states well above the valence pipi* and npi* states at the Franck-Condon point.
Characterization of Discontinuities in the Stripa Granite

An important problem in the storage of radioactive waste in fractured crystalline rock is the characterization of natural fractures for both thermomechanical and hydrologic purposes. From a thermomechanical standpoint fractures can introduce nonlinear behavior in the rock mass response to heating. Hydrologically, fractures represent the principal flow paths for radionuclide transport away from a repository. In the Swedish-American Radioactive Waste Storage Program at Stripa, Sweden, the fracture system is being characterized over either a local or large scale according to the needs of the experiment (1). The large scale studies are hydrologically oriented (2), whereas this paper deals with local fracturing around one of the underground heater tests at Stripa. The experiment, termed the “time-scaled” test, is located in a cavern 335 m below surface in massive granitic rock. While the site geology and experiment are described elsewhere (3), the purpose here is to present observational fracture data that can serve as input for thermomechanical interpretation of the test.
Protectionism: An analysis from project LINK

Abstract The LINK system of world trade is used to examine present tendencies toward protectionism. In protectionist scenarios we increase the prices of manufactured imports into 13 LINK-OECD countries by 5, 10, and 20 percent respectively, for 1978–1979. If a country's import equations do not depend significantly on relative price, we impose corresponding quantitative import restrictions of 5, 10, and 20 percent. Smaller OECD countries, developing countries, and socialist countries are assumed to be nonprotectionist in these scenarios. The discrepancies between the values of leading variables in the protectionist scenarios and in a baseline case show the effects of the different degrees of protectionism assumed. The results describe and validate Adam Smith's principles of the gains from free trade.
Combining Optical-resolution Photoacoustic Microscopy with Optical Coherence Tomography in a Miniature Probe

We present a miniature probe combining optical-resolution PAM (ORPAM) with optical coherence tomography (OCT), suitable for insertion through a standard endoscopic or laparoscopic port during minimally invasive surgery or endoscopic exam.
Half-time Tc-99m sestamibi imaging with a direct conversion molecular breast imaging system.

Background In an effort to reduce necessary acquisition time to perform molecular breast imaging (MBI), we compared diagnostic performance of MBI performed with standard 10-min-per-view acquisitions and half-time 5-min-per-view acquisitions, with and without wide beam reconstruction (WBR) processing.
Teaching bit-level algorithm analysis to the undergraduates in computer science

The paper presents a number of elementary examples which could be used to teach the concept of bit-level algorithm analysis to the undergraduate students in Computer Science. Each of these example algorithms take one or more integer(s) as input in order to output the result. Without a bit-level analysis, the run-time complexities of these algorithms can not be estimated correctly. These simple examples will greatly facilitate learning this new concept.
Suppression of melanoma cell tyrosinase activity and tumorigenicity after incorporation of bromouracil for one or two cell divisions.

We have studied the kinetics of suppression of tyrosinase activity and tumorigenicity in unsynchronized B16 mouse melanoma cells (clone B/sub 5/59) exposed to 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU, 3 ..mu..g/ml) for one or two cell divisions, then cultured in BrdU-free medium (RM) for five or six days. Bromouracil replaced about 23 percent of thymine residues after 24 hours (1 cell division) and almost 40 percent after 48 hours (2 cell divisions) in the presence of BrdU. Upon subsequent growth in RM the extent of replacement declined in a manner consistent with dilution by new DNA synthesis, reaching 5-10 percent substitution by day 7 of these experiments. Tyrosinase activity was significantly reduced after treatment with BrdU for 24 or 48 hours but continued to decline after the cultures were changed to RM, approaching undetectable levels on day 7. The time course of reduction was similar to that previously determined in cells grown continuously for seven days in the presence of BrdU. Therefore, suppression of tyrosinase activity can result from incorporation of BrdU during a single cell cycle, but requires about seven days for full manifestation of the effect. Tumorigenicity decreased to 55 percent after 24 hours and to 15 percent after 48 hours withmore » BrdU but rapidly reversed to approach that of untreated melanoma cells when subsequently grown in RM for 5 to 6 days. The effects of BrdU on total RNA or protein synthesis, or on plating efficiency appeared insufficient to account for the degree of suppression observed. Our results indicate that substitution by bromouracil into either strand of DNA loci controlling tyrosinase activity or tumorigenic potential may be sufficient for suppression. In addition, they demonstrate that such brief treatment with BrdU may be used to probe the regulation of differentiated function and tumorigenicity in these melanoma cells.« less
Changing Trends of Imaging in Angle Closure Evaluation

Primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) is a significant cause of visual disability worldwide. It predominantly affects the Eastern and South Asian population of the world. Early detection of anatomically narrow angles is important, and the subsequent prevention of visual loss from PACG depends on an accurate assessment of the anterior chamber angle (ACA). Gonioscopy has given way to modern day imaging technologies such as ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and more recently, anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Ultrasound biomicroscopy provides objective, high-resolution images of anterior segment anatomy, including the cornea, iris, anterior chamber, anterior chamber angle, and ciliary body. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noncontact optical signal acquisition and processing device that provides magnified, high-resolution cross-sectional images of ocular tissues. Recent technological advances towards three-dimensional visualization broadened the scope of AS-OCT in ophthalmologic evaluation. Optical coherence tomography systems use low-coherence, near-infrared light to provide detailed images of anterior segment structures at resolutions exceeding that of UBM. This paper summarizes the clinical application of UBM and OCT for assessment of anterior segment in glaucoma.
Vitamin D and the Neonate: An Update

In this review, we aim to summarize available data on vitamin D in neonates critically. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble, steroid hormone with pleiotrophic effects not only on bone metabolism but also on optimal functioning of many organ systems. Deficiency is considered when 25-hydroxyvitamin D value is ˂20 ng/ml. Vitamin D deficiency is a global problem that prevales even in developed countries. Vitamin D deficiency is closely related to multiple disease states. It may influence obstetrical complications as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, bacterial vaginosis, preterm birth, low-birth weight and cesarean section. Long-term outcomes in the offspring including asthma, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, abnormal neurocognitive outcome, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and insulin resistance can occur with vitamin D deficiency. Trials are needed to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation and its dosage during pregnancy and lactation on clinical outcomes. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 400 IU/day of supplemental vitamin D for breastfed infants from the 1 st day of life. Preterm infants born <32 weeks are at a greater risk to develop vitamin D deficiency. The European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition has recommended higher intakes of vitamin D of 800-1000 IU/day for preterm infants. However, studies are needed to evaluate the dose and duration of vitamin D supplementation to preterm infants.
Cardiac size and left ventricular performance. Lack of correlation with silhouette measurement.

The validity of using the measurement of the cardiac silhouette as an objective guide for the evaluation of left ventricular performance was investigated in 75 patients with arteriographically demonstrated coronary heart disease. None of the measurements of the silhouette, when normal, reliably excluded poor left ventricular function. Even the most reliable dimensions of the cardiac silhouette, the frontal plane transverse diameter, oblique diameter, and cardiothoracic ratio, frequently were normal in individuals with moderate to severe impairment of ventricular function. The results of this study suggest that the size of the cardiac silhouette should be considered only secondarily for the purpose of clinically evaluating the functional state of the left ventricle. By implication, these results also suggest that a greater reliance should be placed on other clinical methods, including a carefully taken history and physical examination. (JAMA229:1614-1620, 1974)
The impact of DR3 microvariation on peptide binding: The combinations of specific drβ residues critical to binding differ for different peptides

HLA-DR molecules are a group of highly polymorphic glycoprotein heterodimers that present peptide antigens to T lymphocytes for immune surveillance. To assess the significance of limited polymorphism on the functional differentiation of DR molecules, the binding of several immunogenic peptides to the DR3 microvariants [DR(alpha, beta 1*0302) and DR(alpha, beta 1*0301)] and to mutants of these DR3 molecules was examined. This analysis has shown that each residue (DR beta 26, DR beta 28, DR beta 47, and DR beta 86), which differentiates these two DR3 molecules, contributes to their functional distinction and that the relative contribution of each residue varies for different peptide/DR3 complexes. For example, DR beta 28 and DR beta 86 controlled the mycobacterium tuberculosis 65-kD heat shock protein peptides 3-13 and 4-15 (HSP) binding specificity to DR (alpha, beta 1*0301). [HSP does not bind to DR(alpha, beta 1*0302)], whereas DR beta 26, DR beta 28, and DR beta 86 controlled the influenza hemagglutinin peptide 306-318 (HA) binding specificity to DR(alpha, beta 1*0302). [HA does not bind to DR(alpha, beta 1*0301).] In comparison, DR beta 86 alone controlled the binding level difference of sperm whale myoglobin peptide 132-151 (SWM) and of myelin basic protein peptide 152-170 (MBP) [both bind to DR(alpha, beta 1*0301) at levels five times greater than to DR(alpha, beta 1*0302)] to the DR3 molecules. Although not critical, additional DR beta residues influenced the binding level of individual peptides of each of the DR3 molecules and, again, the combinations of these residues differed for different peptide/DR3 complexes. These data showed that individual DR residues vary in their relative contribution to the interaction between a specific DR molecule and different peptides and that limited polymorphism can create substantial differences in the peptide binding profiles among DR molecules.