cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of Mathematical Language in Preschool and Its Role in Learning Numeracy Skills

Abstract Early mathematics skills do not develop in isolation from other cognitive and academic skills. A growing body of evidence highlights the important role that language skills—particularly mathematical language (e.g., words and concepts such as many, most, few, fewest)—play in young children's acquisition of early mathematical knowledge. In this chapter we (1) discuss the connections between general language and mathematics development, (2) define mathematical language and distinguish it from mathematics talk, (3) present the correlational and experimental evidence supporting the role mathematical language plays in early numeracy acquisition and existing mechanisms for intervention, and finally (4) discuss remaining unanswered questions about the mechanisms underlying this relation and future directions regarding this line of research. Ultimately, early mathematical language skills appear to be a central component in the process of young children's development of early mathematics skills, but more work is needed to better understand mechanisms and improve instructional practices.
Money, Power, and Capitalism: Marx’s Theory of Money and the Contemporary State-Credit Standard

The analytical structure of Marx’s theorization of money reflects both his materialist conception of history and the dialectical method of analysis he deployed to understand concrete phenomena. The same approach is deployed to comprehend how and why and by what means credit money (and state credit money in particular) became the basis of the modern monetary system. The chapter highlights how Marx’s ideas about money and finance, which were developed in the context of commodity money, help in comprehending the contemporary international financial system.
Phonetics of Polish "soft"-"hard" vowel allophony.

This paper reports on the results of a three-dimensional ultrasound study of Polish vowels in consonant-vowel sequences. It was found that allophonic variation in vowels in the context of “soft” consonants is consistently implemented phonetically by means of tongue root advancement, which effectively expands the pharyngeal cavity and reduces the volume of the oral cavity. The tongue root is also consistently advanced in the soft consonants that trigger vowel allophony and retracted (or neutral) in the “hard” sounds, which do not trigger allophony, suggesting that tongue root advancement is part of the phonological representation of the “softness” (or palatalization) contrast. In parallel to this allophony, the same tongue root mechanism was found to underlie the phonotactic distribution of the phonemic vowels /i/ and /ɨ/, yielding an entirely symmetric system with consonant-vowel sequences always obligatorily compatible in terms of the position of the tongue root.
Recent Progress on Well-Quasi-ordering Graphs

Graphs are arguably the first objects studied in the field of well-quasi-ordering. Giant successes in research on well-quasi-ordering graphs and fruitful extensions of them have been obtained since Vazsonyi proposed the conjecture about well-quasi-ordering trees by the topological minor relation in the 1940’s. In this article, we survey recent development of well-quasi-ordering on graphs and directed graphs by various graph containment relations, including the relations of topological minor, minor, immersion, subgraph, and their variants.
Is There a Correlation Between Comprehensive Basic Science Examination and United States Medical Licensure Examination Step 1 Performance Among Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residents

Purpose Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) applicant Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) scores are scrutinized by residency programs and medical schools because of their perceived predictive value for United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step 1 performance. The purpose of this study was to answer the following question: Is there a correlation between the OMS applicant's CBSE score and his or her later USMLE Step 1 score? Materials and Methods We e-mailed all current 45 dual-degree OMS residency programs to request participation in the study. Participating programs submitted residents' CBSE scores and USMLE Step 1 scores. Results Of 45 United States–based, dual-degree OMS residency programs, 23 (51%) enrolled in the study, including data for 152 residents from 2012 to 2018. The mean CBSE score was 71 (range, 47 to 99). The mean USMLE Step 1 score was 220 (range, 177 to 266). The Pearson correlation coefficient for the relationship between the CBSE and USMLE Step 1 scores was 0.36. The overall USMLE pass rate was 97%. On the USMLE Step 1, OMS residents outperformed their translated CBSE score by an average of 15 points. Of the 50 residents (33%) with a translated CBSE score below the passing level, 94% passed the USMLE Step 1. Residents who had a translated passing CBSE score outscored residents with a translated failing score by 14 points when taking the USMLE Step 1 (225 vs 211). Conclusions Although no statistically significant difference in the USMLE Step 1 pass rates was found between OMS residents with a translated passing CBSE score and those with a translated failing CBSE score, a weak positive correlation was noted between CBSE and USMLE Step 1 scores. These data do not support the use of a certain cutoff CBSE score for OMS applications by OMS program directors, especially as it pertains to interview offers.
At a Moment's Notice: Community Advisory Board Perspectives on Biobank Communication to Supplement Broad Consent.

INTRODUCTION To address ethical concerns about the of future research authorization, biobanks employing a broad model of consent can design ongoing communication with contributors. Notifying contributors at the time of sample distribution provides one form of communication to supplement broad consent. However, little is known about how community-informed governance might anticipate contributor responses and inform communication efforts. OBJECTIVE We explored the attitudes of members of a three-site Community Advisory Board (CAB) network. CAB members responded to a hypothetical proposal for notifying biobank contributors at the time of sample distribution to researchers utilizing the biobank. METHODS We used regularly scheduled CAB meetings to facilitate 3 large-group and 6 small-group discussions. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content using descriptive thematic analysis. RESULTS The results challenged our expectation of general support for the proposed communications. While CAB members identified some advantages, they were concerned about several potential harms to biobank contributors and the biobank. The CABs understood biobank communication in terms of an ongoing relationship with the biobank and a personal contribution to research. CONCLUSION Our findings contribute to the emerging literature on community engagement in biobanking. Additional communication with biobank contributors can serve a variety of value-based objectives to supplement broad consent. Design of communication efforts by biobanks can be improved by CAB members' anticipation of the unintended consequences of additional contact with contributors. CAB members' holistic interpretation of communication efforts suggests that biobank leadership considers all communication options as part of a more comprehensive communications strategy.
Precipitation of rare earth elements from acid mine drainage by CO2 mineralization process

Abstract Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) has been of environmental concern for decades but found to be a viable source of critical Elements (CEs), including Rare Earth Elements (REEs). The current AMD treatment methods typically use hydroxide base chemicals for neutralization which results in precipitation of ions from the solution. In these methods, up to 70% of REEs precipitate at the target treatment pH of AMD, and the rest is discharged with the treated water. To address this issue, a novel staged precipitation process was investigated for efficient, low-cost, and environmentally friendly recovery of REEs and other CEs while treating AMD for environmental compliance. This process incorporates CO2 mineralization in staged precipitation to achieve a high recovery of these elements at a relatively narrow pH range and within the target pH of AMD treatment. Staged precipitation experiments were performed using NaOH, as the beeline, and the CO2 mineralization process. The corresponding precipitation patterns of the REE-hydroxides and REE-carbonates were then studied. The experiments were conducted using a sample collected from an active AMD treatment facility in Pennsylvania. Through the CO2 mineralization process, 90% of Al and over 85% of REEs were recovered at pH values below 7, while suppressing the precipitation of most of the Fe content (i.e., 65%). It was found that the precipitation pattern of REE-hydroxides follows the tetrad classification of the coordination number of the corresponding elements. In contrast, the precipitation pattern of REE-carbonates in the CO2 mineralization process followed the hydration energy trend of these elements. The findings were used to recommend a two-step staged precipitation process for the recovery of CEs during the AMD treatment process.
Anti-corrosion non-isocyanate polyurethane polysiloxane organic/inorganic hybrid coatings

Abstract As people become more aware of the necessity and importance of environment protection and product safety, the environmentally friendly non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) has received great attention. In this work, a series of NIPU anti-corrosion coatings were prepared by amine-terminated NIPU, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), and bisphenol A (BPA) epoxy. First, the BPA cyclic carbonate was synthesized from carbon dioxide and BPA epoxy resin. Then, the amine-terminated NIPU was synthesized from BPA cyclic carbonate and fatty acid amine. Next, the NIPU TEOS hybrid coatings were formulated by different amounts of TEOS. The anti-corrosion performance of NIPU TEOS hybrid coatings was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and salt spray. NIPU coating with 5 wt. % of TEOS showed the best anti-corrosion behavior while NIPU coating with 20 wt. % of TEOS exhibited the worst corrosion resistance. The resulting anti-corrosion difference was attributed to the organic/inorganic micro-phase separation, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This study reveals the effect of TEOS on the anti-corrosion performance of environmentally friendly NIPU coatings.
Beliefs about Computing: Contrary Evidence from a Study of Mobile Computing Use among Criminal Justice Personnel

In this paper, we explore how technological determinism can act as a belief System. To do so, we draw on a multi-organization field trial of uses of mobile computing by criminal justice personnel. Our findings make clear that mobile computing does not yet meet operational needs. In high contrast, we find that the belief these mobile computing technologies will solve the preponderance of organizational, informational, and communication problems that beset contemporary criminal justice efforts is unchanged by the shortcomings of the current environment. While the devices, applications, and telecommunications network never worked as intended or expected, their introduction was met with acceptance, enthusiasm, and the deterministic belief that they would make work better. We go beyond the common explanation of learning from a field trial and explore the contradictions inherent to the findings through the lens of technological determinism. In doing this, we highlight several implications that deterministic beliefs have regarding organizational value of field trials and research conceptions regarding the introduction of new computing technologies.
Patient Perceptions of Trust in Trainees During Delivery of Surgical Care: A Thematic Analysis.

Objective Trust is an essential element of an effective physician-patient relationship. There is limited literature examining trust between trainees and patients in the surgical setting. The goal of this study was to investigate how otolaryngology patients perceive trust in trainees during delivery of surgical care. Design We extracted trainee-specific data from a larger, qualitative interview study examining trust in the surgeon-patient relationship. We then used realist thematic analysis to explore preoperative otolaryngology patients’ perceptions of trust in trainees during delivery of surgical care. Setting Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, MI, a tertiary academic medical center. Participants Using convenience sampling, adults 18 years or older scheduled to undergo elective otolaryngologic surgery between February and June 2019 were invited, and 12 agreed to participate in the study. Results All participants (n = 12) self-identified as White/Caucasian with a mean age of 60 years (range, 28-82). Participants were 50% (n = 6) female and 50% (n = 6) male. Thematic analysis of participants’ perspectives about trust in trainees during delivery of surgical care revealed 3 themes. Trust in trainees is conditional based on (i) level of trainee involvement; (ii) trust in the attending surgeon; and, (iii) trust in the institution. Conclusion Trust in trainees during delivery of surgical care is conditional on types of tasks trainees perform, bounded by trust in their attending surgeon, and positively influenced by institutional trust. Trainees and surgical educators must look to innovative methods to engender trust more efficiently in the clinic and immediate pre-operative setting. Such approaches can have a positive impact on patient outcomes, facilitate stronger trainee-attending interpersonal relationships, and empower surgeons to practice the professional values integral to surgical care.
Observation of a bistable flow in a hemispherical cavity.

It can be concluded from the comparison between the experimental and theoretical results that the deflection expression (6), with the proper ratio between the parameters A, B, and C, represents a good approximation of the fundamental mode shape of the plate and can be used to obtain the fundamental frequency of the plate over a wide range of support locations. In addition, it can be used to determine the location of the supports to give the maximum fundamental frequency and the value of the maximum frequency.
Malaria in the USA: How Vulnerable Are We to Future Outbreaks?

Malaria poses a threat to nearly half of the world’s population, and recent literature in the USA is lacking regarding understanding risk for local outbreaks. This article aims to review Anopheles mosquito data, vector-borne disease outbreak preparedness, and human travel data from large international gateway cities in an effort to examine risk for localized outbreaks. The majority of vector control organizations are widely unprepared for a vector-borne disease outbreak, and multiple mosquito species capable of transmitting malaria continue to persist throughout the USA. Despite the lack of recent autochthonous cases in the USA, multiple risk factors suggest that local malaria outbreaks in the USA will continue to pose a public health threat due to large numbers of international travelers from endemic areas, multiple Anopheles spp. capable of transmitting the parasite, and unsatisfactory vector-borne disease outbreak preparedness. Climate conditions and recent changes in travel patterns will influence malaria across the globe.
Materiality Matters: How Human Bodies and Writing Technologies Impact the Composing Process

This article explores the materiality and embodied effects of writing by asking the research question: how are writers’ composing processes affected by the writing technologies they employ? Current scholarship on the embodied effects of writing highlights lived experiences and merits of specific technologies but does not fully investigate the importance of the body itself in the composing process. Drawing together select studies on embodied composition with my own autobiographical study, I investigate the interrelationship between a writer’s body, writing technologies, and the text produced. I build this understanding using Saldana’s coding methods and inductive analysis of screen recordings, material recordings, and think-aloud protocols. Findings indicate that technologies that caused the most physical discomfort resulted in the fewest generated words and sentences in response to the given prompt and the least amount of time spent writing or generating prose. While these results are unsurprising, the primary takeaway is that writing practices should not be seen as universal or generalizable. Instead, writing ought to be understood and researched as a deeply personal experience that matches technologies to a writer’s individual comfort. Although limited, this study also has pedagogical implications, suggesting teachers reimagine the composition classroom by centering the unique, lived bodies of their students.
Rising Stars and Underdogs: The Role Race and Parental Education Play in Predicting Mentorship:

Research suggests that youth with more financial and social resources are more likely to have access to mentorship. Conversely, the rising star hypothesis posits that youth who show promise through...
Cloud-connected real-time oil condition monitoring of utility transformers using impedance spectroscopy

The use of impedance spectroscopy is described to diagnose the condition of oil in utility transformers. Actual transformer oil samples having different dissolved fault gas and moisture concentrati...
Mechanisms of Genome Instability in the Fragile X-Related Disorders.

The Fragile X-related disorders (FXDs), which include the intellectual disability fragile X syndrome (FXS), are disorders caused by expansion of a CGG-repeat tract in the 5′ UTR of the X-linked FMR1 gene. These disorders are named for FRAXA, the folate-sensitive fragile site that localizes with the CGG-repeat in individuals with FXS. Two pathological FMR1 allele size classes are distinguished. Premutation (PM) alleles have 54–200 repeats and confer the risk of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) and fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI). PM alleles are prone to both somatic and germline expansion, with female PM carriers being at risk of having a child with >200+ repeats. Inheritance of such full mutation (FM) alleles causes FXS. Contractions of PM and FM alleles can also occur. As a result, many carriers are mosaic for different sized alleles, with the clinical presentation depending on the proportions of these alleles in affected tissues. Furthermore, it has become apparent that the chromosomal fragility of FXS individuals reflects an underlying problem that can lead to chromosomal numerical and structural abnormalities. Thus, large numbers of CGG-repeats in the FMR1 gene predisposes individuals to multiple forms of genome instability. This review will discuss our current understanding of these processes.
When topical therapy of atopic dermatitis fails: a guide for the clinician.

INTRODUCTION While topical medications are the first line of treatment for mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis, they are ineffective in individuals with diffuse disease and moderate-to-severe atopic itch. For these individuals, as well as those who do not respond to topical treatments, systemic medicines are typically essential and helpful. AREAS COVERED We conducted a review of the literature to identify established systemic therapies, novel biologic agents, and recent advances in the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis. The review discusses these data, which show that the majority of atopic itch medications now in development target the type 2 immune axis and brain sensitization, two main etiologies of atopic itch. We emphasize the evidence, efficacy, and side effect profiles of currently available systemic medications for atopic itch, as well as future potential for tailored therapy. EXPERT OPINION We give our professional opinion on the current state of knowledge about atopic eczema pathogenesis and the innovative targets and therapies for atopic itch that include MRGPRX2, periostin, gabaergic medicines, and JAK/STAT inhibitors. Additionally, we discuss patient populations that stand to benefit the most from targeting these molecules or utilizing these drugs, as well as those who may face a disproportionate weight of adverse effects.
Conditional rotation between forecasting models

Abstract We establish conditions under which forecasting performance can be improved by rotating between a set of underlying forecasts whose predictive accuracy is tracked using a set of time-varying monitoring instruments. We characterize the properties that the monitoring instruments must possess to be useful for identifying, at each point in time, the best forecast and show that these reflect both the accuracy of the predictors used by the underlying forecasting models and the strength of the monitoring instruments. Finite-sample bounds on forecasting performance that account for estimation error are used to compute the expected loss of the competing forecasts as well as for the dynamic rotation strategy. Finally, using Monte Carlo simulations and empirical applications to forecasting inflation and stock returns, we demonstrate the potential gains from using conditioning information to rotate between forecasts.
Intermetacarpal Bone Block for Arthrodesis Between the Thumb and Index Finger Metacarpals to Maintain Palmar Abduction of the Thumb

Fixing the thumb in a position of palmar abduction is an operation of last resort. It is reserved for those cases of paralysis in which there are no transferable muscles, where there are spastic paralysis and adduction contracture, and where there is severely scarred thumb-web space but in which there is still some chance for useful hand function if the thumb can be placed in an abducted position (Figs. 47-1 A Figs. 47-1 B Figs. 47-1 C-I).
Shock Effects in Solids

Publisher Summary Shock waves in solids have been important in military and industrial applications for at least a century. However, only during the past decade have techniques and instrumentation reached the degree of sophistication required to make shock waves a really useful tool in solid-state research. Although several excellent review articles exist for shock-wave theory and techniques, the actual findings concerning shock effects in solids are widely scattered in the literature, and much of the work has not been reported at all in the open literature. This chapter is intended as a comprehensive review of shock-produced effects in solids which have been reported through December 1965, although many later references are cited. The discussion is oriented primarily toward crystalline solids, because these are the materials that have received by far the most study. The passage of a shock wave through a solid (and the subsequent release of pressure) can produce changes in the physical state of the material. Some of these changes are not permanent and must be studied during the process of shock compression; others are residual and can be studied in recovered specimens. Many shock studies have been concerned with transient measurements made while the shock wave or subsequent relief wave is traversing the specimen. Such transient experimental observations include those of phase transitions and mechanical, electrical, optical, and magnetic properties. In this chapter, they have been cataloged and discussed in terms of current thinking as to the roles played by pressure, temperature, and strain-rate effects.
Distributed middleware requirements for disparate avionics and control software

We define a set of requirements and criteria for selection and development of middleware for large distributed systems (system-of-systems or SoS). Middleware technologies are critical to the successful implementation and integration of large distributed systems. Such systems are developed by multiple vendors, and often integrated by a large prime contractor. In any such large system-of-systems, there is a wide variety in application performance and functionality requirements. These requirements place a wide range of requirements on the underlying middleware. Our thesis for this research is that it is futile and counter-productive to define one single middleware for these complex systems. There are two major reasons for this difficulty: a) Any middleware implementation approach always requires design compromise between functionality, flexibility, performance, size-weight-power, and cost. For example, more dynamic systems are harder to verify; higher-integrity systems may require lock-step hardware replication. A single implementation can never meet the needs of all applications; b) Middleware is so critical to the overall system integration that suppliers of individual systems are loath to loosen their own control over this middleware. For a large SoS integration, this problem gets especially complicated as system vendors have product and business strategies often in conflict with the SoS integrator. In this scenario, the middleware quickly becomes the SoS bottleneck not just in schedule and cost, but also a large technical risk. The requirements on the underlying middleware depend not on the middleware technologies used, but on the application context it is used in. This becomes the biggest challenge for designing the SoS middleware. Since a specific (or a small set of) trade-offs must be made, there will always be some applications that will not be able to use the middleware to perform its functions. We explore major categories of requirements: Dependability (such as timeliness, fault-tolerance, availability, and information integrity); Functional complexity and distributed state management; and platform size, weight, power. Unfortunately, there are trade-offs to be made as we characterize the performance of an application within these categories. The enhancements in one category will usually lead in a reduction in other categories.
A dive into membrane dynamics with sponge peptides.

In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Arita et al. (2015) report that theonellamides can specifically recognize cholesterol in liquid-disordered environment, modulate membrane order, and change cell morphology and thus may serve as probes to unveil the enigmatic nature of cell membranes.
Wolff rearrangement of β‐alkynyl‐α‐diazo‐β‐ketoesters: light‐induced acetylene–allene isomerization and its use for activation of enediynes

Irradiation of β-phenylethynyl-α-diazo-β-ketoester with 300 or 350 nm light results in efficient and regioselective Wolff rearrangement producing only the product of alkynyl group migration. Addition of alcohols to the resulting α-oxoketene yields α-phenylethynyl-β-diester, which undergoes rapid (τ < 1 min) tautomerization to 1,1-dicarbalkoxyallene. The latter then adds second molecule of alcohol in Michael fashion to form the final product, 2-(1-alkoxy-2-phenylvinyl)malonic ester. α-Phenylethynyl-β-ketoacid produced from the ketene in aqueous solutions does not isomerize to an allene but rather undergoes decarboxylation to give β,γ-acetylenic ester. Introduction of o-(3-hydroxy-1-propynyl) fragment in the structure of the parent α-diazo-β-ketoester allowed us to achieve two goals simultaneously: ring closure by intramolecular nucleophilic attack of propargyl alcohol on photo-generated ketene and the subsequent acetylene–allene rearrangement. The resulting enyne–allene undergoes spontaneous Myers–Saito cycloaromatization generating 1,4-biradical. In alcohol solutions, however, ketene reaction with solvent outcompetes the intramolecular process. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NEW CLASSICAL ECONOMICS: TOWARDS A NEW PARADIGM FOR ECONOMICS?

We discuss the emerging field of New Classical economics from the perspective of some classical economic questions regarding the generation of wealth. We limit our discussion to the foundations of the emerging field and do not provide a complete overview of the details of the literature. We first discuss the foundational hypotheses of New Classical economics. We identify some problems with some basic concepts in its structure and suggest some avenues to amend and enhance this emerging field. We conclude that there are significant synergies with the field of evolutionary or Darwinian game theory to warrant the claim that New Classical economics could form part of the foundation of a newly emerging paradigm in economic theory.
PReach: Reachability in Probabilistic Signaling Networks

Extracellular molecules trigger a response inside the cell by initiating a signal at special membrane receptors (i.e., sources) which is then transmitted to reporters (i.e., targets) through various chains of interactions among proteins. Understanding whether such a signal can reach from membrane receptors to reporters is essential in studying the cell response to extracellular events. This problem is drastically complicated due to the unreliability of the interaction data. In this paper, we develop a novel method, called PReach (Probabilistic Reachability), that precisely computes the probability that a signal can reach from a given collection of receptors to a given collection of reporters when the underlying signaling network is uncertain. This is a very difficult computational problem with no known polynomial-time solution. PReach represents each uncertain interaction as a bivariate polynomial. It transforms the reachability problem to a polynomial multiplication problem. We introduce novel polynomial collapsing operators that associate polynomial terms with possible paths between sources and targets as well as the cuts that separate sources from targets. These operators significantly shrink the number of polynomial terms and thus the running time. PReach has much better time complexity than the recent solutions for this problem. Our experimental results on real datasets demonstrate that this improvement leads to orders of magnitude of reduction in the running time over the most recent methods.
Cooperative Game Theory and the Measurement of Political Power

Many studies using the political preference function (PPF) approach to measure the political powers of agricultural interest groups have been criticized for offering little theoretical justification for their methodology (Zusman, p. 447; Beghin and Karp, p. 51; Bullock 1994). It has been claimed that cooperative game theory developed by Nash (1950, 1953) and Harsanyi (1963, 1977) provides a formal theoretical basis for PPF methodology (Zusman; Rausser and Zusman 1992, forthcoming; Zusman and Amiad; Beghin; Beghin and Karp). In this paper I present a brief discussion of the geometry of cooperative game theory and discuss and critique studies that have attempted to apply it to empirical studies of the political economy of agriculture.
Production, Rapid Purification and Catalytic Characterization of Extracellular Phytase from Aspergillus Ficuum

A rapid purification scheme utilizing three chromatographic steps resulted in 6 fold purification of Aspergillus ficuum phytase (myo-inositol-hexakisphosphate 3-phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.8). At pH 5.0 and 60 degrees C the enzyme performed acceptably for 2.0 hr with only 30% diminished catalytic rate at the end. Substrate concentration exceeding 2mM was inhibitory. The inorganic orthophosphate, the product and a weak inhibitor, exhibited a Ki of 1.9 x 10(-3)M. The extracellular phytase has the potential for industrial use since it can be over produced, easily purified, remain catalytically active for a longer period and is not subjected to severe product inhibition.
Effectiveness of antimicrobial food packaging materials

Antimicrobial additives have been used successfully for many years as direct food additives. The literature provides evidence that some of these additives may be effective as indirect food additives incorporated into food packaging materials. Antimicrobial food packaging is directed toward the reduction of surface contamination of processed, prepared foods such as sliced meats and Frankfurter sausages (hot dogs). The use of such packaging materials is not meant to be a substitute for good sanitation practices, but it should enhance the safety of food as an additional hurdle for the growth of pathogenic and/or spoilage microorganisms. Studies have focused on establishing methods for coating low-density polyethylene film or barrier films with methyl cellulose as a carrier for nisin. These films have significantly reduced the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in solutions and in vacuum packaged hot dogs. Other research has focused on the use of chitosan to inhibit L. monocytogenes and chlorine dioxide sachets for the reduction of Salmonella on modified atmosphere-packaged fresh chicken breasts. Overall, antimicrobial packaging shows promise as an effective method for the inhibition of certain bacteria in foods, but barriers to their commercial implementation continue to exist.
Temperature-associated population diversity in salmon confers benefits to mobile consumers

Habitat heterogeneity can generate intraspecific diversity through local adaptation of populations. While it is becoming increasingly clear that population diversity can increase stability in species abundance, less is known about how population diversity can benefit consumers that can integrate across population diversity in their prey. Here we demonstrate cascading effects of thermal heterogeneity on trout-salmon interactions in streams where rainbow trout rely heavily on the seasonal availability of anadromous salmon eggs. Water temperature in an Alaskan stream varied spatially from 5 degrees C to 17.5 degrees C, and spawning sockeye salmon showed population differentiation associated with this thermal heterogeneity. Individuals that spawned early in cool regions of the 5 km long stream were genetically differentiated from those spawning in warmer regions later in the season. Sockeye salmon spawning generates a pulsed resource subsidy that supports the majority of seasonal growth in stream-dwelling rainbow trout. The spatial and temporal structuring of sockeye salmon spawn timing in our focal stream extended the duration of the pulsed subsidy compared to a thermally homogeneous stream with a single population of salmon. Further, rainbow trout adopted movement strategies that exploited the multiple pulses of egg subsidies in the thermally heterogeneous stream. Fish that moved to track the resource pulse grew at rates about 2.5 times higher than those that remained stationary or trout in the reference stream with a single seasonal pulse of eggs. Our results demonstrate that habitat heterogeneity can have important effects on the population diversity of dominant species, and in turn, influence their value to species that prey upon them. Therefore, habitat homogenization may have farther-reaching ecological effects than previously considered.
The system approach to reliability

The title of this paper is intended to indicate concern not so much with the individual techniques of reliability, even though a number of these will be mentioned, but rather with the total impact of these various techniques on the reliability of a data processing subsystem, especially techniques above the circuit-component level. Hence, this paper will discuss the approach to reliability taken in the design of one system which is now reaching the operational stage, and to indicate what sort of results that approach is giving. Then, some more recent developments will be reviewed for their implications to a system now being developed. The type of application being considered is one requiring continuous 24-hour-per-day operation in real time, such as a continental air defense or air traffic control system. Many of the same problems are found in other combat operations center or command control systems.
Re: Factors affecting recovery after acoustic neuroma resection by Cohen et al.

(2003). Re: Factors affecting recovery after acoustic neuroma resection by Cohen et al. Acta Oto-Laryngologica: Vol. 123, No. 7, pp. 889-890.
Frequency domain model validation in Wasserstein metric

This paper connects the time-domain uncertainty propagation approach for model validation in Wasserstein distance 2W2, introduced by the authors in [1], with the frequency domain model validation in the same. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first frequency domain interpretation of Monge-Kantorovich optimal transport. It is shown that the asymptotic 2W2 can be written as functions of the ℌ2 norms of the system gains, which have intuitive meaning. A geometric interpretation for this newly derived frequency-domain formula is given. The geometric interpretation helps us in comparing Wasserstein distance with classical frequency-domain validation metrics like υ-gap.
Medical therapy vs surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis: a prospective, multi-institutional study.

Background: Evidence evaluating the comparative effectiveness of various treatments for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is insufficient. This study evaluates outcomes in patients who failed initial medical management and elect a subsequent treatment option, either continued medical management or endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) coupled with continued medical management. Methods: Adult subjects were prospectively enrolled into a nonrandomized, multi-institutional cohort. Baseline characteristics and objective clinical findings were collected. Primary outcome measures included 2 disease-specific quality-of-life (QOL) instruments: the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) and Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS). Bivariate and multivariate analyses compared QOL improvement by treatment type, as well as differences in antibiotic and oral steroid utilization and work/school productivity. Results: Subjects (n = 180) were enrolled between March 2009 and April 2010. Patients electing medical management (n = 55) reported significantly better baseline QOL on 1 instrument relative to surgery patients (CSS symptom [p = 0.019] and total scores [p = 0.010]). Surgical patients (n = 75) reported significantly more improvement than medically managed patients (RSDI, p = 0.015; CSS, p < 0.001). Surgical patients reported significantly fewer oral antibiotics (p = 0.002), oral steroids (p = 0.042), and missed days of work/school (p < 0.001) following ESS. After adjustment, more frequent improvement was found within the surgical cohort as measured by the RSDI physical (78.7% vs 56.4%; odds ratio [OR], 3.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–9.87; p = 0.027), CSS symptom (80.6% vs 57.4%; OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.06–6.66; p = 0.038), medication (49.3% vs 29.6%; OR, 2.33; 95% CI, 0.96–5.64; p = 0.060), and total scores (76.4% vs 53.7%; OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 0.86–5.59; p = 0.099). Conclusion: Patients electing ESS experienced significantly higher levels of improvement in several outcomes. Further investigation with a larger cohort is warranted as treatment selection bias may confound the magnitude of improvement experienced with each treatment. © 2011 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
Evidence for increasing ultraviolet irradiance at Point Barrow, Alaska

This paper presents analysis of noontime ultraviolet irradiance measurements made at Point Barrow, Alaska (71.2° N, 159° W) between the years 1991 and 1996. Eighteen wavelengths of the solar irradiance spectrum between 290 nm and 340 nm were examined for multiyear trends. This spectral region is particularly critical as these wavelengths are known to cause biological damage. After reducing the effects of clouds, 305 nanometer wavelength increases ranging between 3 and 10% per year were found in all daylit months except June which exhibited an annual average decline of approximately −3% per year at this wavelength. The correlation between the absorption cross-section of ozone and the spectral character of the UV-B changes suggest that declines in column ozone are responsible for the dramatic 305 nm increases. The unexpected decline in June 305 nm irradiance may be due to an increase in column ozone over this location in June.
Effect of pretreatment with amphetamine on the interaction between amphetamine and dopamine neurons in the nucleus accumbens.

Abstract The present study was designed to examine the effect of pretreatment with amphetamine on the ability of amphetamine to release dopamine from slices of the nucleus accumbens and striatum and to stimulate locomotor activity or stereotyped behavior, after direct injection into either the nucleus accumbens or the striatum. Rats were injected twice daily for 5 days with either amphetamine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline. At 33 days after this pretreatment, the release of endogenous dopamine from both regions of the brain in vitro by amphetamine and the changes in behavioral responses to the direct injection of amphetamine into either region were examined. Amphetamine at both 1 and 10 μM stimulated the release of endogenous dopamine from slices prepared from both of the brain areas. The release of dopamine by amphetamine was increased in rats pretreated with amphetamine. Consistent with its ability to stimulate endogenous release of dopamine, amphetamine, when injected into the nucleus accumbens, stimulated locomotor activity, while stereotyped behavior was enhanced when amphetamine was injected into the striatum. However, the locomotor activity and stereotyped behavioral responses to small doses of amphetamine (5, 10 or 25 μg) were not significantly greater in amphetamine-pretreated rats, compared to saline-pretreated animals. A greater stimulation of both responses in amphetamine-pretreated rats was only observed when a large dose (50 μg) of amphetamine was administered into either the nucleus accumbens or striatum. Thus, the enhanced release of dopamine, induced by amphetamine from the nucleus accumbens or striatum of amphetamine-pretreated rats, corresponds with an enhanced hypermotility or stereotyped behavior responses to amphetamine injected into the nucleus accumbens or striatum, respectively, but only when a large dose of amphetamine was administered.
A contact algorithm for problems involving quadrilateral approximation of surfaces

Abstract A finite element simulation of frictional contact problem between two deformable three-dimensional bodies is presented. While most aspects of this simulation have been adopted from literature, those related to the analysis of contact itself have been modified and constitute the main contribution of this work. Contact boundaries are decomposed into quadrilateral surface segments, and a new contact searching algorithm is proposed based on a node-to-segment model. Kinematics and force distribution in the contact zone are modified accordingly. A regularized friction law is employed. The approach is applicable to a wide range of contact problems, even though the presentation of numerical results is mainly related to the press fit connection problem. In this context, the numerical analysis presented provides an estimate of the force needed to create the press fit connection and gives an assessment of the deformation and stress levels for both bodies involved.
Low-loss silicon interposer for three-dimensional system integration with embedded microfluidic cooling

Novel technology enablers for high-performance three-dimensional (3D) system integration are demonstrated in this paper: (a) A thick silicon interposer with 65 μm diameter and 370 μm tall low-loss polymer-embedded vias on a 150 μm pitch is fabricated and characterized demonstrating a 78% reduction in insertion loss compared to similar-sized conventional TSVs at 50 GHz; (b) Two dice with embedded microfluidic heatsinks and electrical and fluidic microbumps are assembled to an interposer demonstrating lower thermal resistance, chip-to-interposer average electrical microbump resistance of 12.06 mΩ and a robust fluidic microbump interconnection.
Using spatial information technologies for detecting and mapping Eurasian watermilfoil

This paper describes the spectral light reflectance characteristics of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) and the application of aerial colour-infrared (CIR) photography and videography for distinguishing infestations of this invasive, exotic, submersed aquatic weed in Texas waterways. Airborne videography was integrated with global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS) technologies for mapping the distribution of Eurasian watermilfoil. Field reflectance measurements showed that Eurasian watermilfoil could be spectrally distinguished from other associated plant species in either the visible green, visible red or near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Eurasian watermilfoil submerged at depths greater than 5 cm below the water surface had similar visible reflectance to water. Surfaced Eurasian watermilfoil could be distinguished on CIR aerial photography and videography where it had a greyish-pink or faint pink image response. Integration of the GPS w...
Accuracy of model surgery: Evaluation of an old technique and introduction of a new one

This article evaluates the ability of 4th-year residents to accurately perform maxillary model surgical repositioning in the conventional manner. Using a special model surgery--measuring platform, measurements of the maxillary dental casts were recorded before and after model surgery was performed by residents in 20 bimaxillary cases. The model surgery was performed in the usual manner described in several texts, using reference lines scored on the casts and measurements made to the incisal pin and upper member of the articulator. Analysis of the differences between the planned movements and the postsurgical position of the maxillary model surgery casts showed statistically significant errors in maxillary repositioning for all measures. This indicates that the manner in which model surgery was performed by the residents, as reported in the literature, was inaccurate. A new technique and instrument for more accurately recording measurements and repositioning the maxillary cast is introduced.
Pyrazine-N,N'-dioxide/tetracyanoethylene electron donor-acceptor bonding and the effect of donor steric demand and symmetry on the cocrystal assembly

The synthesis of a sterically hindered pyrazine dioxide electron donor (2,5-diethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine-N,N′-dioxide) and its cocrystallization with tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) are reported. The resulting DA assembly in the cocrystal is compared to that observed for a smaller pyrazine-N-oxide donor. Increased steric demand and lower donor symmetry yield a new, more complex two-dimensional DA assembly with slightly longer DA bonds and higher TCNE content in the cocrystal.
Coherent Spectroscopy on a Single Atomic System at Rest in Free Space III

When I gave the first talk under this title in 1976 at the second of these symposia (below referred to as II), serious mono-particle spectroscopy had just arrived on the scene with a precision measurement of the g-factor of an individual electron by the Seattle group. This experiment, published under the title Axial, magnetron, cyclotron and spin-cyclotron-beat frequencies measured on single electron almost at rest in free space (geonium), already made use of an early rf variant of sideband cooling. At II I also discussed the 1973–75 abstracts Proposed 1014 ΔV < V Laser Fluorescence Spectroscopy on Thallium + Mono-ion Oscillator I–III, which went on to “electron shelving” and laser side band cooling. Prior to 1973, impressive spectral resolution had been attained in Seattle, NASA, Bell, and Bonn-Mainz studies of hfs resonances in clouds of trapped He+, H2 +, Hg+ ions in Paul rf traps, and of cyclotron and spin resonances in clouds of electrons in Penning traps. Historically, spectra of electrons trapped in vacuum were observed first. A 1961 progress report to the NSF detailed the observation of cyclotron, magnetron and axial resonances on small clouds in a Penning trap in Seattle. Thus many of the techniques and procedures now widely used for trapped charged and neutral atoms were first proposed or exercised for electrons. Even so, no individual neutral atom has been isolated to date.