cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to special issue of Children and Youth Services Review on “Comparative Child and Family Policy”

Abstract This special issue contains a set of papers prepared for a conference on “Comparative Child and Family Policy” held in honor of Sheila B. Kamerman on the occasion of her retirement from Columbia University School of Social Work. The papers collected in this issue provide a contemporary perspective on comparative child and family policy, highlighting new developments and current challenges for research and policy. In this Introduction, we briefly summarize the papers and then conclude with a discussion of some implications for future research and policy.
An addition formula for the e-functions

Abstract An explicit geometric addition law is given on the complex projective plane with three non-coaxial lines removed. This is made isomorphic to the group of complex 2-vectors modulo the subgroup of integer linear combinations of a pair of independent 2-vectors. The explicit isomorphism is given as a relation involving sums of integrals of Weierstrass e -functions. The result is a relation usually seen for periodic or doubly periodic functions but involving, here, modular functions.
Preliminary comparison of sediment extraction procedures and exchange solvents for hydrophobic compounds based on inhibition of bioluminescence

Two procedures for extracting hydrophobic contaminants from sediment samples collected from various sites in Florida were compared. The sediments, which varied in nature and degree of chemical contamination, were extracted with dichloromethane by shaking (24 h) and sonication (15 min). The dichloromethane extracts obtained were solvent exchanged into either methanol or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The efficiency of each procedure was evaluated based on the response of Photobacterium phosphoreum in the Microtox assay to the solvent extracts. The 24-h shaking procedure produced significantly higher toxicity than the 15-min sonication procedure for 8 of the 10 sediment samples tested. Comparisons of methanol and DMSO as exchange solvents revealed that there was generally no significant difference between these solvents in terms of toxicity.
Acute myelogenous leukaemia modulated by B12 deficiency: a case with bone marrow blast cell assay corroboration.

Summary A patient is described who appeared to demonstrate modulation of acute myelogenous leukaemia with vitamin B12 deprivation. Support for this observation was obtained via an in vitro bone marrow blast cell assay. The addition of B12 to this patient's bone marrow in vitro significantly stimulated the colony forming ability of the blast cells. Patients with B12 deficiency have an increased incidence of haematopoietic malignancies and excessive replacement of B12 may in some cases have the potential of accelerating such disorders. Intensive B12 replacement in refractory megaloblastic anaemias should be done with caution.
Microtomography with 3D visualization

The facility has been developed for producing high quality tomographs of order one micrometer resolution. Three dimensional volumes derived from groups of adjacent tomographic slices are then viewed and navigated in a stereographic viewing facility. This facility is being applied to problems in geological evaluation of oil reservoir rock, medical imaging, protein chemistry, and CADCAM.
The Three Faces of PMS: The Professional, Gendered, and Scientific Structuring of a Psychiatric Disorder

The case examined here concerns the 1986 decision by the Board of Trustees of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to include Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD)—a PMS-related diagnosis—in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised (DSM-111-R). Drawing on a social worlds perspective in the sociology of science, I argue that this controversy was not restricted to conflict between feminists and the APA as was portrayed in the popular press; nor, was it a natural result of scientific progress set within rational procedures of the revision process within the APA. Rather, I argue that as a result of sustained debate and conflict, the diagnosis of LLPDD assumed different forms and even became a different artifact: I) In the “health and mental health domain,” LLPDD became the object of struggle for professional control over mental disorders among the various scientific, medical, and mental health fields; 2) in the “woman domain,” LLPDD was defined as a result of struggle for control over the definition of a normal and healthy woman; 3) in the “science domain,” LLPDD was a site in which the definition of the “truth” about PMS was debated publicly and the knowledge used in settling social and policy issues in powerful organizations like the APA.
The use of bile salts to improve absorption of tallow in chicks, one to three weeks of age.

Abstract Apparent fat absorption was 39.6 and 68.2% in chicks 4–7 and 14–19 days of age, respectively, fed purified-type diets with 8.2% tallow (TLW). Cholic acid (C.A.), chenodesoxycholic acid (Ch.A.) and taurocholate, sodium salt (T.A.) at .025 and .05% increased significantly the apparent absorption of fat by 8.4 percentage units in chicks 4–7 days of age, and as much as 10 percentage units in chicks 14–19 days of age. No significant increase in metabolizable energy of diets was detected. C.A. was fed to S.C.W.L. hens at graded levels up to .2% in corn-soy diets containing either 4 or 8% TLW or hydrogenated soybean oil. No improvement in fat absorption or M.E. was detected in these hens which absorbed 86–89% of the fat. The data indicate that bile salts appear to be effective in improving the absorption of saturated-type fats only in young chicks whose absorptive mechanism for fat is not fully developed.
Early Expression of the Calmodulin Gene, Which Precedes Appressorium Formation in Magnaporthe grisea, Is Inhibited by Self-Inhibitors and Requires Surface Attachment

Fungal conidia contain chemicals that inhibit germination and appressorium formation until they are well dispersed in a favorable environment. Recently, such self-inhibitors were found to be present on the conidia of Magnaporthe grisea, and plant surface waxes were found to relieve this self-inhibition. To determine whether the self-inhibitors suppress the expression of early genes involved in the germination and differentiation of conidia, the calmodulin gene was chosen as a representative early gene, because it was found to be expressed early in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum trifolii differentiation. After calmodulin cDNA and genomic DNA from M. grisea were cloned, the promoter of the calmodulin gene was fused to a reporter gene, that for green fluorescent protein (GFP), and transformed into the M. grisea genome. Confocal microscopic examination and quantitation of expression of GFP green fluorescence showed (i) that the expression of the calmodulin gene decreased significantly when self-inhibition of M. grisea appressorium formation occurred because of high conidial density or addition of exogenous self-inhibitors and (ii) that the expression level of this gene was restored when self-inhibition was relieved by the addition of plant surface waxes. The increase in fluorescence correlated with the percentage of conidia that formed appressoria. The induction of calmodulin was also confirmed by RNA blotting. Concanavalin A inhibited surface attachment of conidia, GFP expression, and appressorium formation without affecting germination. The high correlation between GFP expression and appressorium formation strongly suggests that calmodulin gene expression and appressorium formation require surface attachment.
Unions of Cockcroft two-complexes

A combinatorial hypothesis is presented that serves as a necessary and sufficient condition for a union of connected Cockcroft two-complexes to be Cockcroft. This combinatorial hypothesis has a component that can be expressed in terms of the second homology of groups. The hypothesis is applied to the study of the third homology of groups.
Crossing conjugate normal faults in field exposures and seismic data

Crossing conjugate normal faults are common in many hydrocarbon-producing basins. In these settings, they exert a range of influences from trapping hydrocarbon accumulations to producing permeability anisotropy by preferentially enhancing or reducing permeability, and reducing effective thicknesses of seal and reservoir units. The fault intersection region is typically poorly imaged with seismic data, and consequently, developing a coherent interpretation of deformation in the intersection region is difficult. In this article, we explore crossing conjugate normal faults across two orders of magnitude of displacement using clear field exposures from the western United States and subsurface examples from the Jeanne d'Arc Basin, offshore Newfoundland. We demonstrate common structural elements and potential pitfalls associated with interpretation of crossing conjugate normal faults, and emphasize the widespread and often unrecognized occurrence of these structures.
A Genome-Wide Scan for Autoimmune Thyroiditis in the Old Order Amish: Replication of Genetic Linkage on Chromosome 5q11.2-q14.3

Autoimmune thyroiditis (AITD) is a common disorder characterized by circulating antibodies to epitopes of thyroid tissue and hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's thyroiditis or AITD-hypothyroidism), although many subjects with AITD are euthyroid. Current evidence suggests that AITD is familial and polygenic. We studied AITD in a homogeneous founder Caucasian population, the Old Order Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We found autoimmune thyroiditis, defined by the presence of circulating antimicrosomal antibodies, to be relatively common in the Amish, with a prevalence of 22.7%. The prevalence of AITD-hypothyroidism was 9.2%. We performed a genome-wide linkage analysis with 373 short tandem repeat markers in 445 subjects from 29 families. We observed suggestive evidence of linkage of AITD to a locus on chromosome 5q11.2-q14.3 (LOD, 2.30; P = 0.0006 at 94 cM; closest marker, D5S428), a region that was previously reported to be linked to AITD-hypothyroidism in a Japanese study. AITD-hypothyroidism showed a more modest linkage peak to the same region (LOD, 1.46; P = 0.005). Possible linkage (nominal P < 0.01) to autoimmune thyroiditis and/or AITD-hypothyroidism was also detected in five other regions. We conclude that a gene on chromosome 5q11.2-q14.3 is likely to contribute to susceptibility to AITD in the Amish.
Solubilization of Benzoic Acid by Systems Containing Varying Proportions of Benzene and a Nonionic Surfactant

The solubilization of benzoic acid in the presence of an additive, benzene, has been examined by the potentiometric method. It is shown that in all systems of L1 phase (isotropic aqueous liquid) the solubilization mechanism is governed by the Langmuir isotherm, whereas in emulsions dimerization of benzoic acid apparently occurs.
Compliance With Hospital Medication Management Standards for Safety and Efficacy Information

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (TJC) requires US hospitals to manage all aspects of medication use throughout the institution. Within its medication management (MM) standards, TJC lists explicit expectations for establishment of policies governing the procurement, storage, labeling, administration, and monitoring of medications. Although conventional hospital pharmacy operational requirements are well described in TJC standards, drug information requirements are less clear. TJC standards for drug information in hospitals are limited to MM 02.01.01 (formerly MM 2.10) titled ‘‘The hospital selects and procures medications.’’ Within this standard, Element of Performance (EP) 9 states ‘‘Medications designated as available for dispensing or administration are reviewed at least annually based on emerging safety and efficacy information.’’ A similar statement is also found in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Conditions for Participation No. 482.25. This report describes our interpretation of the intent of this standard and subsequent efforts by drug information specialists at our hospital to comply with its requirements.
Developmental abnormalities in the nerves of peripheral myelin protein 22‐deficient mice

Peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) is a tetraspan glycoprotein whose misexpression is associated with a family of hereditary peripheral neuropathies. In a recent report, we have characterized a novel PMP22-deficient mouse model in which the first two coding exons were replaced by the lacZ reporter. To investigate further the myelin abnormalities in the absence of PMP22, sciatic nerves and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuron explant cultures from PMP22-deficient mice were studied at various stages of myelination. Throughout the first 3 months of postnatal development, myelin protein and beta4 integrin levels are dramatically reduced, whereas p75 and beta1 integrin remain elevated. By immunostaining, the distributions of several glial proteins, including beta4 integrin, the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.1, and E-cadherin, are altered. Schwann cells from PMP22-deficient mice are able to produce limited amounts of myelin in DRG explant cultures, yet the internodal segments are dramatically fewer and shorter. The comparison of PMP22-deficient mice with other PMP22 mutant models reveals that the decrease in beta4 integrin is specific to an absence of PMP22. Furthermore, whereas lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 and ubiquitin are notably up-regulated in nerves of PMP22-deficient mice, heat shock protein 70 levels remain constant or decrease compared with wild-type or PMP22 mutant samples. Together these results support a role for PMP22 in the early events of peripheral nerve myelination. Additionally, although myelin abnormalities are a commonality among PMP22 neuropathic models, the underlying subcellular mechanisms are distinct and depend on the specific genetic abnormality.
A Tutorial Introduction to Decision Theory

Decision theory provides a rational framework for choosing between alternative courses of action when the consequences resulting from this choice are imperfectly known. Two streams of thought serve as the foundations: utility theory and the inductive use of probability theory. The intent of this paper is to provide a tutorial introduction to this increasingly important area of systems science. The foundations are developed on an axiomatic basis, and a simple example, the "anniversary problem," is used to illustrate decision theory. The concept of the value of information is developed and demonstrated. At times mathematical rigor has been subordinated to provide a clear and readily accessible exposition of the fundamental assumptions and concepts of decision theory. A sampling of the many elegant and rigorous treatments of decision theory is provided among the references.
Room- and Low-Temperature Crystallographic Study of the Ambient Pressure Organic Superconductor (Bisethylene dithiotetrathiofulvalene)4Hg2.89Br8

(BEDT-TTF)4Hg2.89Br8 (BEDT-TTF = bisethylene dithiotetrathiofulvalene) is an ambient pressure low-temperature superconductor (Tc = 4.3K) with an incommensurate two-sublattice structure. It crystallizes in orthorhombic and monoclinic modifications. Only the monoclinic phase becomes superconducting on cooling, as confirmed in this study. Its Hg sublattice undergoes a transition when the temperature is reduced, during which the Hg columns gradually shift in a direction parallel to the column axis. Since the symmetry is lowered, twinning occurs, but the structure of the conducting layers of BEDT-TTF molecules is little affected. The structures at room temperature and 40K are analyzed using four-dimensional superspace group theory.
On the accuracy of a Stewart platform. I. The effect of manufacturing tolerances

Manufacturing tolerances, installation errors and link offsets cause deviations with respect to the nominal kinematic parameters of the platform. As a result, if the nominal values of these parameters are used within the platform control software, the resulting pose of the platform will be inaccurate. In order to evaluate the effects of the above factors on the platform accuracy, the inverse and forward kinematic problems of the actual platform model need to be solved. The authors present a numerical method for the solution of both problems and demonstrate, through simulation, the effect of the above factors on platform accuracy. The simulation results provide insight to the expected accuracy and indicate the major factors contributing to inaccuracies. >
Heparin-like anticoagulants in asthma.

In a previous study, and in the present study, we have found that the baseline plasma samples of patients with asthma contain average levels of an endogenous heparin-like material (EHM) that is significantly higher than that noted in non-allergic, non-asthmatic controls. This material appears to have properties of both heparin and heparan sulfate. Three out of six patients responding to inhalational antigen challenge displayed an acute increment in EHM concentration that coincided with a fall in FEV1 values. The relation of EHM concentration to provoked asthma, or to asthma in general, remains to be determined.
Normalized correlation for pattern recognition

The normalization of the correlation filter response effects intensity invariance. We discuss the implications of a normalization based on the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality for the discrimination problem. It is shown that normalized phase-only and synthetic discriminant functions do not provide the discrimination/recognition obtained with the classical matched filter.
Physics-Based Modeling for Heterogeneous Objects

Heterogeneous objects are composed of different constituent materials. In these objects, material properties from different constituent materials are synthesized into one part. Therefore, heterogeneous objects can offer new material properties and functionalities. The task of modeling material heterogeneity (composition variation) is a critical issue in the design and fabrication of such heterogeneous objects. Existing methods cannot efficiently model the material heterogeneity due to the lack of an effective mechanism to control the large number of degrees of freedom for the specification of heterogeneous objects. In this research, we provide a new approach for designing heterogeneous objects. The idea is that designers indirectly control the material distribution through the boundary'conditions of a virtual diffusion problem in the solid, rather than directly in the native CAD (B-spline) representation for the distribution. We show how the diffusion problem can be solved using the B-spline shape function, with the results mapping directly to a volumetric B-Spline representation of the material distribution, We also extend this method to material property manipulation and time dependent heterogeneous object modeling. Implementation and examples, such as a turbine blade design and prosthesis design, are also presented. They demonstrate that the physics based B-spline modeling method is a convenient, intuitive, and efficient way to model object heterogeneity.
Studies on the Phreaticolous Water Mites of North America: the Genus Feltria (Acarina: Feltriidae)

A subgenus NEOFELTRIA is erected for Feltria virginiensis (subgeneric type; Virginia) and F. similis (Missouri). Seven new species and subspecies are described in Feltria s.str., namely, F. cornuta americana (Missouri), F. cornutopsis (Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Montana), F. gennada (Oregon, Montana), F. faceta (Virginia), F. ozarkensis (Oklahoma), F. cataphracta (Washington, Montana, Virginia), and F. echinopalpis (Montana, Colorado, Wyoming). All were collected from sand and/or gravel bars of streams.
Identification of goat and mouse urinary metabolites of the pneumotoxin, 3-methylindole

1. Urine from goats dosed i.v. With 3-methylindole (3MI; 15 mg/kg) or [methyl-14C] 3MI (15 mg/kg, 0.5 μCi/kg) contained at least 11 metabolites of 3MI.2. Goat metabolized 3MI to sulfate conjugates of 4- or 7-hydroxy-3-methyloxindole, 5- or 6-hydroxy-3-methyloxindole, and 3,5- or 6-dihydroxy-3-methyloxindole; glucuronic acid conjugates of indole-3-carboxylic acid and 4- or 7-hydrexy-3-methyl-oxindole; and unconjugated 3-hydroxy-3-methyloxindole. Diastereoisomeric glucuronic acid conjugates of 3-hydroxy-3-methyloxindole were also identified in goat urine.3. Urine from mice dosed i.p. With 3MI (400mg/kg) or [ring-UL-14C] 3MI (400 mg/kg, 125 μCi/kg) contained at least six metabolites of 3MI.4. Mice metabolized 3MI to glucuronic acid conjugates of 3,5- or 6-dihydroxy-3-methyloxindole, 5- or 6-hydroxy-3-methyloxindole, and indole-3-carboxylic acid; and unconjugated indole-3-carboxylic acid. Unconjugated 3-hydroxy-3-methyloxindole was identified in mouse urine in a previous report.5. Both goats and mice metaboli...
Use of Technology for HIV Prevention Among Adolescent and Adult Women in the United States

Although the proportion of new HIV infections in the USA among women has decreased over the last few years, still, approximately 20 % of new infections occur annually among adolescent and adult women. The development of effective evidence-based prevention interventions remains an important approach to further decreasing these numbers. Technology-delivered prevention interventions hold tremendous potential due, in part, to their ability to reach beyond the walls of brick-and-mortar intervention sites to engage individuals where they are. While most technology-delivered interventions have focused on adolescents and men who have sex with men, much fewer have specifically targeted adolescent or adult women despite evidence showing that interventions tailored to specific target populations are most effective. We summarize the recently published literature on technology-delivered HIV prevention interventions for US adolescent and adult women and provide suggestions for next steps in this nascent but emergent area of prevention research.
Stochastic Optimization Theory

This final chapter deals with a class of stochastic optimization problems. For this purpose we introduce a measure theoretic structure on top of the topological structure, and the resulting interplay brings a new set of questions interesting on their own as well. The measure theory is nonclassical in that the measures are only finitely additive on the field of cylinder sets, the canonical example being the Gauss measure. The notion of a weak random variable suffices for the stochastic extension of the control problems of the previous chapter, a crucial notion being that of “white noise,” leading to a treatment that is novel with this book, of filtering and control problems embracing in particular linear stochastic partial differential equations. Important tools in the development are the Krein factorization theorem and the Riccati equation. For nonlinear operations we develop a “nonlinear” white noise theory in which the notion of a physical random variable plays a crucial role, as in the calculation of the Radon-Nikodym derivative of finitely additive Gaussian measures. Within the scope of the present work we can but touch upon the general theory of nonlinear stochastic differential equations.
Major Armed Conflicts, Militarization, and Life Chances: A Pooled Time-Series Analysis

Armed conflict typically worsens civilian life chances. The effects of social militarization (maintenance of armed forces) and economic militarization (military expenditures) on civilian life chances are disputed, and the joint effect of armed conflict and militarization on civilian life chances has not previously been examined. This study examines the joint effects of three types of major armed conflicts and two types of militarization on civilian life chances, using a fixed-effects negative binomial cross-national panel analysis (1985-1998) of data from 175 countries with populations larger than two hundred thousand. General economic development, political regime, and country-specific effects are controlled. Armed conflict and militarization interact in affecting civilian life chances. Armed conflict results in higher levels of civilian mortality; militarization interacts with armed conflict, producing the best civilian life chances at either medium-low or medium-high levels of militarization.
A Theory of Variational Assimilation with Kalman Filter–Type Constraints: Bias and Lagrange Multiplier

Abstract A theoretical study is made on the variational formulation of data assimilation with Kalman filter–type constraints in discrete form, and a time-forward integration scheme is developed in order to primarily reduce bias and increase computer efficiency. The following are major results obtained from this theoretical study: 1) The strong optimality condition, setting the Lagrange multiplier to vanish at each time step, is sufficient for an optimal solution. It is also sufficient to derive Kalman filter equations. 2) The Lagrange multiplier represents the error of holonomic constraint and the error potential of nonholonomic constraint, and relates directly to the bias error of constraint. The vanishing end conditions of the Lagrange multiplier help reduction of bias error. 3) Reduction of bias error is accomplished by solving the bias adjustment equation derived under the strong optimality. 4) For practical application of the adjustment, deterministic approximation is proposed, which approximates a p...
Signs of the Times: The Visual Politics of Jim Crow by Elizabeth Abel

(2011). Signs of the Times: The Visual Politics of Jim Crow by Elizabeth Abel. Design and Culture: Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 265-267.
Dynamic Mosaics

Past mosaicing approaches stitch a set of photos into a single static mosaic. We present a novel approach where we visualize a photo collection in an interactive viewer that allows the user to smoothly and seamlessly transition between a collection of local mosaics instead of a single static mosaic. Such an approach works with more general photo collections than possible with static mosaicing while preserving the straight lines in the scene. Moreover, the viewer dynamically selects optimal seams between images in a semi-online fashion that handles misalignment, scene motion and parallax and also recreates dynamic aspects such as moving objects and exposure changes.
RED LASER INITIATIVE AT LOS ALAMOS

Several solid state lasers systems tunable between 0.70 and 0.95 μm have been the subject of studies to identify new lasers for various programs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. These solid state lasers include Cr:GSGG, Cr:GSAG and Ti:Sapphire. Both laser pumped and flashlamp pumped results are described in the following sections.
Evidence for the Ligand-Assisted Energy Transfer from Trapped Exciton to Dopant in Mn-Doped CdS/ZnS Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Trapping of charge carriers is the major process competing with radiative recombination or transfer of charge carriers important in the application of semiconductor nanocrystals in photonics and photocatalysis. In typical semiconductor quantum dots, trapping of charge carriers usually leads to quenching of exciton luminescence. In this study, we present evidence indicating that thiol ligands on the surface that quench exciton luminescence can have an opposite effect on sensitized dopant luminescence in doped semiconductor nanocrystals by facilitating the recovery of the trapped exciton for sensitization. Despite the increase in hole trapping by the added octanethiol to the surface of Mn-doped CdS/ZnS nanocrystals, the sensitized Mn luminescence increased by the added octanethiol and the enhancement became stronger with increasing Mn doping concentration. While the role of octanethiol as the hole trap and the enhancement of Mn luminescence may seem contradictory, the thiol-induced enhancement of Mn lumines...
Thermal Requirements for Development of Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Preimaginal development of Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville from the Ithaca, N.Y., area (˜;42°N) requires an accumulated 230 degree-days over a threshold of 12°C. The optimal temperature for development of H. convergens , the temperature with fastest development and lowest mortality, is 29°C. Above 17°C, the rates of development were faster for the population of H. convergens from New York than for a population from Arizona (˜32°N). As is the case for three other multivoltine predacious coccinellids in the Ithaca area, thermal requirements for development and food availability act to regulate the voltinism of H. convergens by influencing development and reproduction.
PCDD/PCDF Ratio in the Precursor Formation Model over CuO Surface

The discrepancies between polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin to polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD to PCDF) ratios in laboratory and field studies in the exhaust of combustion sources are not fully explained by available formation models. In this paper we present the results of experimental studies of the surface mediated formation of PCDD/F at the conditions mimicking the combustion cool zone from a mixture of 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCBz) and 2-monochlorophenol (2-MCP) over a model surface consisting of 5% CuO/Silica. The PCDD to PCDF ratio was found to be strongly dependent on the ratio of chlorinated benzenes to chlorinated phenols and oxygen content. The higher the 1,2-DCBz to 2-MCP ratio, the lower the PCDD to PCDF ratio. PCDFs are formed predominantly from chlorinated benzenes, while chlorinated phenols are responsible for majority of PCDDs. These laboratory results are in general agreement with full-scale measurement and can be used to improve predictive models of PCDD/F formation.
A Mechatronics and Material Handling Systems Laboratory: Experiments and Case Studies:

Industrial mechatronic systems integrate technologies from a variety of engineering disciplines to create solutions to challenging manufacturing problems. The material handling industry utilizes mechatronics to move, track, and manipulate items in factories and distribution centers. Material handling systems are a logical choice of study, due to their use of multiple mechatronic elements. This article describes mechatronic experiments and projects in a new course. Topical coverage includes sensors, actuators, PLCs, robotics, pneumatics, hydraulics, human factors, teamwork, leadership, and project management. A series of eight laboratory experiments have been created to introduce PLCs, robotics, electric circuits, and data acquisition fundamentals. In-depth case studies synthesize the technologies and interpersonal skills together to create a flexible material handling system. The most significant student outcome is the successful completion of a course project that required individuals to apply mechatroni...
LA FAVOLA DI MACHIAVELLI: BELFAGOR ARCIDIAVOLO:

L'articolo prende in esame la Favola (meglio conosciuta come Belfagor Arcidiavolo) di Machiavelli e cerca di dimostrare, partendo proprio dalla scelta significativa del titolo, come nelle intenzion...
Effect of Hyperoxia on the Erythropoietic Response to Sodium-L-Triiodothyronine

An interaction of thyroid function and hematopoiesis is evident from numerous clinical and experimental observations. Accelerated erythropoiesis has been documented in association with thyroid hyperactivity (1) and decreased erythropoiesis with thyroid hypoactivity (2). The anemia in hypothyroidism results from multiple factors, but a hyporegenerative component is the essential feature. Prior observations (3–4) have been the basis for the conclusion that the major effects of the thyroid on erythropoiesis are mediated through an alteration in oxygen requirement and oxygen utilization. Other investigators (5) have postulated an additional direct stimulatory effect not related to changes in metabolism. The present experiments tested the effects of hyperoxia on erythropoiesis and the erythropoietic response to L-triiodothyroine. Graded doses of LT3 produced the expected augmentation of red blood cell mass in animals maintained in a normal environment while an atmosphere of 50% oxygen clearly attenuated this e...
High carbon–nitrogen iron alloys

A new processing technique produces high carbon–high nitrogen iron alloys by melting iron-carbon steels in a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) furnace with nitrogen as the pressurizing gas. Furnace cooling O-1 tool steel with enhanced nitrogen concentrations resulted in the retention of the austenite phase without formation of carbide and nitride precipitates. The duplex austenite/ferrite structure has enhanced hardness, strength, and wear resistance.
Using plans in chess

The purpose of this research is to investigate the extent to which knowledge can replace and support search in selecting a chess move and to delineate the issues involved. This has been carried out by constructing a program, PARADISE Pattern recognised Applied to Directing Search), which finds the best move in tactically sharp middle game positions. It encodes a large body of knowledge in the form of production rules. The program uses the knowledge base to discover plans during static analysis and to guide a small (tens of nodes) tree search. PARADISE does not place a depth limit on the search (or any other artificial effort limit), and has found combinations as deep as 19 ply. This paper describes plans how they are produced, and how they are used to guide the search. A complete description of PARADISE appears in [12]
Efficient Processing of Large Graphs via Input Reduction

Large-scale parallel graph analytics involves executing iterative algorithms (e.g., PageRank, Shortest Paths, etc.) that are both data- and compute-intensive. In this work we construct faster versions of iterative graph algorithms from their original counterparts using input graph reduction. A large input graph is transformed into a small graph using a sequence of input reduction transformations. Savings in execution time are achieved using our two phased processing model that effectively runs the original iterative algorithm in two phases: first, using the reduced input graph to gain savings in execution time; and second, using the original input graph along with the results from the first phase for computing precise results. We propose several input reduction transformations and identify the structural and non-structural properties that they guarantee, which in turn are used to ensure the correctness of results while using our two phased processing model. We further present a unified input reduction algorithm that efficiently applies a non-interfering sequence of simple local input reduction transformations. Our experiments show that our transformation techniques enable significant reductions in execution time (1.25x-2.14x) while achieving precise final results for most of the algorithms. For cases where precise results cannot be achieved, the relative error remains very small (at most 0.065).
Effects of aboveground herbivory on plants with long-term belowground biomass storage

Plant tolerance to herbivory is contingent on multiple traits and adaptive mechanisms, which makes it a complex response with ecological implications. In plants with long-term belowground storage, allocation of biomass to inaccessible parts belowground in response to folivory is a well-recognized tolerance mechanism. In temperate regions, spring growth from buried rootstock is common among winter deciduous plants and is often followed by regrowth after defoliation, both of which draws resources from the stored reserves. We developed a mathematical model to analyze this tolerance response in a winter deciduous plant with long-term belowground biomass when it is defoliated by a specialist insect folivore. The model explores how three closely associated traits—(1) belowground biomass allocation to roots, (2) spring utilization of stored reserves, and (3) post-defoliation regrowth capacity—modulate the persistence and dynamics of the plant and herbivore populations. Model results show that allocation to belowground storage is not only a critical component of tolerance but also influences the herbivore population dynamics in ways that depend on how and when plant biomass is allocated and used. Low belowground biomass allocation and high storage utilization combined with poor photosynthetic growth caused extirpation of the plant population by the defoliating insects. Stable coexistence of the plant at low biomass along with its specialist insect required a moderate amount of post-herbivory belowground allocation. High values of belowground biomass allocation, storage utilization, and photosynthetic growth resulted in sustained cycles of the herbivore and plant populations. Interestingly, utilization of stored reserves had conflicting influence on above and belowground biomass, and strongly affected herbivore population dynamics. Our model thus highlights the complexity of tolerance response when it involves multiple traits and mechanisms as evinced by winter deciduous plants. We close by discussing the implications of our findings for the contributions of defoliating insects to biocontrol programs.
Helping older adults to live better with hearing and vision losses

Because vision and hearing impairments increase in prevalence as age increases, professionals who work with older adults in community settings often encounter people with a wide range of difficulties with their vision and/or hearing. These problems can range from locating financial support to purchasing glasses or hearing aids to obtaining in-home training and devices that will make it possible for the individual with a sensory disability to continue living independently. Meeting the needs of these people requires that professionals be able to recognize sensory losses, accommodate for them, and help older adults to understand and cope with them.
Introduction. A New Field: Comparative Law and Regulation

The contemporary regulatory process is global. Markets and the problems they generate — consumer privacy, chemicals safety, and many others — cross borders and multiple national and international jurisdictions are called into action, sometimes in concert but just as often in competition. The new field of comparative law and regulation is devoted to understanding this global regulatory process. This introductory essay lays the groundwork for the volume and future research in the field by defining the object of study and by identifying three important avenues of theoretical inquiry. Comparative law and regulation covers the law of the regulatory function — legislative and administrative rulemaking, oversight, enforcement, and judicial review — in both domestic and international jurisdictions, and involving both public and private actors. Theoretically, the field tackles three critical features of the global regulatory process — jurisdictional variation, convergence (and divergence) over time, and legal prescription based on comparison. Jurisdictional variation is best captured by classifications based on paradigms of public law and models of legitimate private involvement in public regulation. The question of whether and how convergence occurs should be studied using causal theories of legal transplants and diffusion. And legal prescription based on comparison, a favorite rhetorical device in the global regulatory process, should be evaluated based on a normatively explicit and empirically sensitive functional method of comparative law research. These conceptual and theoretical tools apply equally to domestic and international jurisdictions.
Adjuvant Medications for Pain in the Rehabilitation Patient

This chapter will cover adjuvant, non-opioid medications used for pain management in the rehabilitation patient. This chapter is exclusive of opioids and psychiatric drugs usedfor pain, which are described in subsequent chapters. Adjuvant medications are non-opioid drugs used for pain, which can be incorporated as part of a multimodal, multidisciplinary pain management program.
Microbiota-activated PPAR-γ signaling inhibits dysbiotic Enterobacteriaceae expansion

Perturbation of the gut-associated microbial community may underlie many human illnesses, but the mechanisms that maintain homeostasis are poorly understood. We found that the depletion of butyrate-producing microbes by antibiotic treatment reduced epithelial signaling through the intracellular butyrate sensor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ). Nitrate levels increased in the colonic lumen because epithelial expression of Nos2, the gene encoding inducible nitric oxide synthase, was elevated in the absence of PPAR-γ signaling. Microbiota-induced PPAR-γ signaling also limits the luminal bioavailability of oxygen by driving the energy metabolism of colonic epithelial cells (colonocytes) toward β-oxidation. Therefore, microbiota-activated PPAR-γ signaling is a homeostatic pathway that prevents a dysbiotic expansion of potentially pathogenic Escherichia and Salmonella by reducing the bioavailability of respiratory electron acceptors to Enterobacteriaceae in the lumen of the colon.
The dynamic welfare state, by D. Stoesz: (2016). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press (282 pp., $35.00, ISBN 9780190251123).

Over the past 35 years, there has been no shortage of texts examining the shifts in the American welfare state, as neoliberal policies overtook Keynesian economic models, and U.S. public social pro...
Optimal metrics for identifying long term patterns of depression in older HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men.

Objectives: Center of Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale (CES-D) provides a snapshot of symptom severity at a single point in time. However, the best way of using CES-D to classify long-term de...
Visualization of Cellular Electrical Activity in Zebrafish Early Embryos and Tumors

Bioelectricity, endogenous electrical signaling mediated by ion channels and pumps located on the cell membrane, plays important roles in signaling processes of excitable neuronal and muscular cells and many other biological processes, such as embryonic developmental patterning. However, there is a need for in vivo electrical activity monitoring in vertebrate embryogenesis. The advances of genetically encoded fluorescent voltage indicators (GEVIs) have made it possible to provide a solution for this challenge. Here, we describe how to create a transgenic voltage indicator zebrafish using the established voltage indicator, ASAP1 (Accelerated Sensor of Action Potentials 1), as an example. The Tol2 kit and a ubiquitous zebrafish promoter, ubi, were chosen in this study. We also explain the processes of Gateway site-specific cloning, Tol2 transposon-based zebrafish transgenesis, and the imaging process for early-stage fish embryos and fish tumors using regular epifluorescent microscopes. Using this fish line, we found that there are cellular electric voltage changes during zebrafish embryogenesis, and fish larval movement. Furthermore, it was observed that in a few zebrafish malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, the tumor cells were generally polarized compared to the surrounding normal tissues.
On the local regularization of inverse problems of volterra type

We consider a local regularization method for the solution of first-kind Volterra integral equations with convolution kernel. The local regularization is based on a splitting of the original Volterra operator into “local” and “global” parts, and a use of Tikhonov regularization to stabilize the inversion of the local operator only. The regularization parameters for the local procedure include the standard Tikhonov parameter, as well as a parameter that represents the length of the local regularization interval. We present a convergence theory for the infinite-dimensional regularization problem and show that the regularized solutions converge to the true solution as the regularization parameters go to zero (in a prescribed way). In addition, we show how numerical implementation of the ideas of local regularization can lead to the notion of “sequential Tikhonov regularization” for Volterra problems; this approach has been shown in (Lamm and Elden, 1995) to be just as effective as Tikhonov regularization, but to be much more efficient computationally. INTRODUCTION We consider a local regularization method for the problem of finding u solving
In vitro study of the biochemical origin and production limits of odorous compounds in cattle feedlots

Livestock odors are closely correlated to airborne concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC), which are a complex mixture of carbon-, sulfur-, and nitrogen-containing compounds produced primarily during the incomplete anaerobic fermentation of animal manure by microorganisms. Volatile fatty acids, alcohols, and aromatic ring compounds comprise a substantial fraction of VOC, yet very little is known about their biochemical origin and environmental factors controlling their production. The anaerobic production of fermentation products and consumption of substrates (CP, starch, and nonstarch carbohydrate) were analyzed in slurries of fresh ( 1 d) cattle manure over several weeks. Ethanol, acetate, propionate, butyrate, lactate, and H2 were the major products of fermentation. Aged cattle manure produced twice the concentration of VFA during incubation produced by the fresh manure (P < 0.001). Aromatic compounds (phenols, indoles, and benzoates) remained unchanged in both manures. Production of VFA from fresh manure was inhibited when the pH fell below 4.5. It is likely that the presence of calcareous soil, which has a high buffering capacity, and lactate-consuming microorganisms minimized acidification in the aged manure slurries. Low starch content limited VFA production in the aged manure. Starch was the likely biochemical source for fermentation products in both manures based on the strong negative correlations between fermentation product and starch content (r = -0.944 and -0.773) and ratio of fermentation products produced to starch consumed (r = 0.64 and 0.72) for fresh and aged manure, respectively. Nonstarch carbohydrate served an indeterminate role in the production of fermentation products. Nonstarch carbohydrate decreased by 4.7 and 23.4 g/L in the fresh and aged manure, respectively, whereas the starch content decreased by 18.6 and 22.4 g/L in the fresh and aged manure, respectively. The concentration of CP did not change, which suggests a balance between protein consumption and new bacterial biomass production. We conclude that the types of substrates in cattle manure and the feedlot soils where they are deposited are significant factors in the production of odors.
Introduction to the E2F family: protein structure and gene regulation

The E2F gene family was identified through several different types of investigations, including studies of viral oncogenes, positive and negative growth regulatory proteins, and cellular promoters. As described below and by Cobrinik, Cress and Nevins, and Adams and Kaelin (this volume), the E2F family (which includes at least seven members) has not only been implicated in controlling viral and cellular gene expression, but also is thought to play an important role in growth regulatory processes such as the G1 to S phase transition and programmed cell death. To understand how this gene family can mediate these important events it is first necessary to examine the structure and regulation of the individual family members.
Applied Polymer Rheology

The overall science that considers flow and deformation of all matter, solids as well as fluids, is termed rheology. The concept emanates from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who wrote, “Panta rhei,” translated as “Everything flows.” Rheology gives us the key to understanding in the processing of polymers.