cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resonant Column Test for Unsaturated Soils With Suction–Saturation Control

Comprehensive characterization of the small strain shear modulus Gmax of an unsaturated soil specimen during hydraulic hysteresis requires precise control of the stress state, matric suction, degree of saturation, as well as knowledge of the void ratio. This paper describes the details and typical results from a test method which incorporates the axis translation technique for suction control, a flow pump for degree of saturation control, and a vertically oriented proximeter to infer changes in void ratio into a fixed–free resonant column setup. A unique aspect of this test method is the operation of the flow pump to reach equilibrium points on the hysteretic soil–water retention curve (SWRC) for measurement of Gmax. The flow pump, which controls water flow to or from the soil specimen through a high air-entry ceramic disk, is guided using a feedback loop involving the matric suction measured at the boundary of the specimen. Values of Gmax were measured at different equilibrium points on the primary drainage path of the SWRC up to the point of water occlusion, then along a scanning imbibition path of the SWRC. The results indicate a greater shear modulus during imbibition, consistent with trends and magnitudes noted in the technical literature.
Carrier Relaxation Dynamics in GaSe Nanoparticles

Hole relaxation dynamics have been studied in approximately 4 nm diameter GaSe nanoparticles in solution. The particles are photoexcited with femtosecond pulses at 387.5 nm and subsequently probed at 500 to 700 nm. A strong absorption is observed in this range, which is assigned to hole intraband transitions. This assignment is made on the basis of the decay kinetics, compared with the emission decay kinetics. The assignment is also confirmed by carrier quenching studies in which the nanoparticles are capped with pyridine ligands that act as hole acceptors and thereby quench the transient absorption. The interfacial hole transfer time to the pyridine ligands is about 2.5 ps. The 500 to 700 nm absorption exhibits a 20 ps rise component, having a wavelength-dependent amplitude. This transient is assigned to a hole intraband relaxation. The comparison of this hole relaxation rate with carrier relaxation rates in other types of semiconductor nanoparticles is discussed.
Social Regulation in the Time of War: Constituting the Current Crisis

Abstract The ‘war on terror’ is an iconic example of state violence—the transgression by one state violating the sovereignty of another. However, state violence is neither limited to cross-national transgressions nor associated only with wartime. Rather, state violence, and not only the threat of violence, constitutes politics everywhere and requires for its understanding rethinking development in the idiom of violence, where it is important to interpret violence as more than the effects of development interventions. Such an approach also encourages us to understand how violence is constituted in transgressor states. Empirically, I use the Danish cartoon scandal and the Dubai Ports World crisis in 2006 to offer two linked arguments. First, I suggest that the rhetorical climate surrounding events in the US cast inequality, particularly gender inequality, and violent opposition as occurring ‘elsewhere’, while framing inequality as difference and opposition as terrorism ‘at home’. Second, I query critical st...
A phase I study of high-dose calcitriol in combination with temozolomide for patients with metastatic melanoma.

Background: Temozolomide is efficacious as an oral alternative for patients with metastatic melanoma (MM). Calcitriol has anti-proliferative properties and vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms are associated with alterations in melanoma susceptibility and progression. Methods: Tem 150 mg/m2 was administered on days 2–8 and 16–22 every 28 days. Calcitriol was given on days 1 and 15 every 28 days. VDR gene analysis was completed using PCR-RFLP based assays. Tolerability was the primary objective with secondary objectives of time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). Results: Twenty pts with MM were registered. Cytopenias and thrombosis were the most common grade 3 or 4 toxicities. Median TTP was 1.8 mo. Pts with high-risk VDR genotype tt+/−ff (n = 6) had an OS of 3.8 mo from time of enrollment, compared to 7.4 mo for those with non-tt/ff genotypes (n = 11), although not statistically significant (HR = 1.20, 95% CI 0.41–3.53, p = 0.74). Conclusions: The extended dosing of Tem with calcitriol is a well-tolerated regimen. The trend toward improved OS in non-tt/ff VDR genotypes is consistent with prior studies associating the tt/ff genotype with biologic aggressiveness.
The Culture of Poverty: An Adjustive Dimension

merely situational responses to extreme poverty and other forms of deprivation. The data in this paper, derived from interviews with a sample of the Negro population of Philadelphia, indicate that Negroes living in poverty hold attitudes that can be characterized as a "subculture of poverty." On the other hand, the data also suggest that such attitudes represent but one segment of the total range of attitudes and reference values held by this population, many of which are shared by the larger society. Furthermore, the evidence indicates that these attitudes serve to maintain the mental health of those living in a severely disadvantaged social situation. [deviant behavior, Negro, poverty]
A Fully Polynomial-Time Approximation Scheme for Single-Item Stochastic Inventory Control with Discrete Demand

The single-item stochastic inventory control problem is to find an inventory replenishment policy in the presence of independent discrete stochastic demands under periodic review and finite time horizon. In this paper, we prove that this problem is intractable and design for it a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme.
Healing the diabetic wound and keeping it healed: Modalities for the early 21st century

The incidence of lower extremity wounds, infections, and amputations continues to increase worldwide. Fortunately, the past decade has seen a surge of activity in research into new modalities in wound healing and, even more recently, prevention. This article discusses the basic physiology of wound healing, with particular attention being paid to current and potential wound healing modalities. These include, among other modalities, discussions of bioengineered skin, hyaluronic acid, subatmospheric pressure therapy, growth factors, and endogenous cytokine stimulation. Emerging concepts targeting prevention through novel methods of patient empowerment, dermal thermometry, and computerized activity monitoring are also discussed.
Smart phase-only micromirror array fabricated by standard CMOS process

Smart, phase-only modulation micromirror arrays have been implemented through a commercial CMOS service. The novel, 2-dimensional array of deflectable micromirrors with integrated CMOS switching circuits and piezoresistive deflection sensors on flexures is presented in this paper. The individual mirror pixels are capable of modulating light in the visible to near-infrared spectrum by piston-like movement of a trampoline-type suspended micromirror driven by thermal multi-morph actuators. A flip chip bonding technology is used to integrate the micromirror array with a microlens array to increase the optical fill factor of the hybrid system. Finite element analysis is used to model electro-thermo-mechanical behavior of the micromirror. A 2.5 mrad beam steering angle was successfully demonstrated.
A Coupled Modeling Study of the Seasonal Cycle of the Pacific Cold Tongue. Part I: Simulation and Sensitivity Experiments

A coupled tropical ocean‐atmosphere model that fills the gap between anomalous coupled models and fully coupled general circulation models is described. Both the atmosphere and ocean are represented by two and one-half layer primitive equation models, which accentuate the physical processes in the oceanic mixed layer and atmospheric boundary layer. The two media are coupled through both momentum and heat flux exchanges without explicit flux correction. The coupled model, driven by solar radiation, reproduces realistic seasonal cycles of the mixed layer temperature, currents, and depth, and the surface winds and rainfall in the tropical Pacific. The model results indicate that the equatorial westward phase propagation of the annual warming is primarily caused by zonal temperature advection and downward solar radiation modified by clouds, whereas the windevaporation-SST feedback plays a minor role. The meridional wind component appears to have a stronger impact than the zonal wind component on the seasonal cycle of the eastern Pacific cold tongue, because the cross equatorial winds have stronger annual variation, which is more effective in regulation of SST through changing surface evaporation and mixed layer entrainment. The annual variation of the solar forcing is shown to have a significant impact on the long-term mean state. Without the seasonal cycle forcing, the western Pacific warm pool would shift eastward and the latitudinal climate asymmetry in the eastern Pacific would be stronger.
Controlling action times in daily workforce schedules

Abstract Action times occur when a shift or break starts on finishes. It is found that the number of action times can be reduced or increased substantially without increasing the amount of unproductive staffing. Reducing the number of action times reduces the managerial burden of schedule implementation, while increasing the number of action times allows for more effective real-time schedule control.
Prolonged cortisone and hydrocortisone therapy.

ANY investigator+-” have demonstrated that cortisone will control the symptoms of various allergic manifestations in a majority of patients. However, it is the general consensus of these and other investigators that better results are obtained with ACTH. One of’ the possible reasons for this difference could be that corticoids other than cortisone, known to be liberated from the adrenal by ACTH stimulation, may be responsible for this. (These may be more beneficial in the relief of allergic disorders.) One of these other steroids, hydrocortisone or compound F, has recently been made available for oral a,dministration. This substance has already proved beneficial by injection and topical application in the treatment of certain conditions of the eyes,lO skin,ll and joints,12; Is and more recently by oral therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. As yet, the effect of hydrocortisone in bronchial asthma has not been describedi ; hence, we wish to present our clinical evaluation of hydrocortisone and its comparative effectiveness to cortisone in. the treatment of bronchial asthma. SELECTION OF PATIENTS Cortisone or hydrocortisone was prescribed for allergic patients only when the usually accepted methods of therapy failed to give adequate relief. Included in the ‘(usual methods” were specific hyposensitization, other allergic management, symptomatic medications as epinephrine sprays, aminophyllin, iodides, ephedrines, etc. Asthmatic patients with acute infections were not started on the steroids, but if they had been, and developed infection, the appropriate antibiotic was prescribed and the steroid was continued. 14 total of 75 patients from the allergy clinics of the Buffalo General and Children’s Hospital and private practice were followed from one week to almost four years. Sixteen of these have been followed for over two years. This does not mean that these patients were receiving cortisone or hydrocortisane constantly, as there were rest periods and periods when ACTH was instituted. The actual duration of treatment with cortisone and hydrocortisone is shown in Table I.
SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION THROUGH CHAOTIC INTERROGATION

Abstract We introduce a method by which the coefficient of viscous damping for a linear n dof system may be estimated. The technique utilises the unique properties of chaos by driving the system with the output of a non-linear oscillator. By tuning the Lyapunov exponents of the driving signal to the eigenvalues of the linear structure, the dimension of the output is effectively controlled. Estimates of the complete Lyapunov spectrum may then be used to extract the real part of the dominant eigenvalue, and hence the damping, for the system. Results are presented for a 2-dof spring–mass–damper driven with the output of the chaotic Lorenz oscillator. The effects of additive noise are also considered.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Free Energy Analyses on the Dimer Formation of an Amyloidogenic Heptapeptide from Human β2-Microglobulin: Implication for the Protofibril Structure

Amyloid formation is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. Recent findings suggest that early oligomeric aggregates could be major sources of toxicity. We present a computational investigation of the first step of amyloid initiation–dimer formation of a seven residue peptide (NHVTLSQ) from human β2-microglobulin at pH 2.0, which renders +2.0 units charges to each peptide. A total of over 1.2 μs of simulations with explicit solvent and 1.0 μs of simulations with implicit solvent were conducted. Main-chain conformational restraint was applied to facilitate the formation of ordered dimers. An antiparallel β-sheet with six main-chain hydrogen bonds was dominant in the implicit solvent simulations. In contrast, no stable dimers were observed in the two negative controls, the mouse heptapeptide (KHDSMAE, +3.0 units charges) and the scrambled human heptapeptide (QVLHTSN). Explicit solvent simulations presented a more complex scenario. The wild-type human heptapeptide formed predominantly antiparallel β-sheets (∼38%) although parallel ones (∼12%) were also observed. Hydrophobic contacts preceded hydrogen bond saturation in the majority of the association events in the explicit solvent simulations, highlighting the important role of hydrophobic interaction in amyloid initiation. The fact that the mouse dimer dissociated immediately after the removal of conformational restraint suggests that the higher conformational entropy barrier, along with the stronger charge repulsion and weaker hydrophobic interaction, contributed to its inability to form amyloid fibril. The closeness of positive charge pairs in the dimers of the scrambled human heptapeptide may prohibit further β-sheet extension and fibril growth. Combining the results from simulations and free energy analyses, we propose that the building block for this amyloid fibril is an antiparallel dimer with a two-residue register shift and six main-chain hydrogen bonds. A double-layer protofibril structure is also proposed in which two antiparallel β-sheets face each other and are held together by hydrophobic staples and hydrogen bonds of the polar side-chains.
Neural mechanisms of mindfulness and meditation: Evidence from neuroimaging studies

Mindfulness is the dispassionate, moment-by-moment awareness of sensations, emotions and thoughts. Mindfulness-based interventions are being increasingly used for stress, psychological well being, coping with chronic illness as well as adjunctive treatments for psychiatric disorders. However, the neural mechanisms associated with mindfulness have not been well characterized. Recent functional and structural neuroimaging studies are beginning to provide insights into neural processes associated with the practice of mindfulness. A review of this literature revealed compelling evidence that mindfulness impacts the function of the medial cortex and associated default mode network as well as insula and amygdala. Additionally, mindfulness practice appears to effect lateral frontal regions and basal ganglia, at least in some cases. Structural imaging studies are consistent with these findings and also indicate changes in the hippocampus. While many questions remain unanswered, the current literature provides evidence of brain regions and networks relevant for understanding neural processes associated with mindfulness.
Lattice gauge theory in the microcanonical ensemble

The microcanonical-ensemble formulation of lattice gauge theory proposed recently is examined in detail. Expectation values in this new ensemble are determined by solving a large set of coupled ordinary differential equations, after the fashion of a molecular dynamics simulation. Following a brief review of the microcanonical ensemble, calculations are performed for the gauge groups U(1), SU(2), and SU(3). The results are compared and contrasted with standard methods of computation. Several advantages of the new formalism are noted. For example, no random numbers are required to update the system. Also, this update is performed in a simultaneous fashion. Thus the microcanonical method presumably adapts well to parallel processing techniques, especially when the p action is highly nonlocal (such as when fermions are included).
Identifying immigrants to Tikal, Guatemala: Defining local variability in strontium isotope ratios of human tooth enamel

Abstract Stable strontium isotopes have been used to identify the skeletons of migrants in several recent archaeological studies, in which local 87Sr/86Sr values have been inferred through statistical parameters of human 87Sr/86Sr data, or by reference to local fauna or other environmental samples. This paper compares these approaches using data from the ancient Maya city of Tikal, Guatemala. The skeletons of eight migrants from distant geological zones are readily apparent among the 83 Tikal skeletons sampled. Three additional non-local skeletons can be eliminated to obtain a normally distributed “local” Tikal sample. The mean of this sample is higher than the available data for local fauna and for lime that may have been used to treat maize at Tikal. It is possible that imported sea salt with a high 87Sr/86Sr ratio could account for this elevated mean for Tikal humans. Modeling demonstrates that dietary 87Sr/86Sr may be raised to the level found at Tikal by a daily intake of only 6 g of sea salt.
Statistical waveform and current source based standard cell models for accurate timing analysis

Increasing variability in the manufacturing process and growing complexity of the integrated circuits has given rise to many design and verification challenges. Statistical analysis of circuits and current source based gate delay models have started to replace the conventional static timing analysis which uses lookup tables for gate delays. In this paper we develop a statistical current source based gate model. We use accurate analytical models for representing the parameters of the gate model as functions of process parameters. Using the proposed statistical gate model, the gate output signal is generated and modeled as process dependent variational waveform. We present a compact model for representation of the variational signal waveform. The proposed waveform model can accurately generate the signal waveform at any process corner for accurate timing analysis. We generated the prosed model for gates of a 90 nm industry library and validated with SPICE simulations. Our model for logic gates and variational waveforms showed very good correlation with SPICE. The maximum error across all validation experiments was close to 3%.
Prospective neurocognitive evaluation of patients undergoing carotid interventions

Objective Distal cerebral embolization is a known complication of carotid interventions. We prospectively investigated whether subclinical microembolization seen on postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) leads to cognitive deficits in patients undergoing carotid revascularization procedures. Methods Patients undergoing carotid interventions and eligible for MRI scanning were recruited. Among 247 patients who received preoperative and postoperative MRI evaluations, 51 also completed neuropsychologic testing before and at 1 month after their procedure. Cognitive evaluation included the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) for memory evaluation and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for general cognitive impairment screening. Results The 51 patients (all men), comprising 16 with carotid artery stenting (CAS) and 35 with carotid endarterectomy (CEA), were a mean age of 71 years (range, 54-89 years). Among them, 27 patients (53%) were symptomatic preoperatively, including 11 who had prior stroke and 16 who had prior preoperative transient ischemic attack symptoms. Most patients had significant medical comorbidities, including hypertension (96%), diabetes (31.3%), coronary artery disease (47%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (15.7%). Two patients (4%) had prior ipsilateral CEA and eight had contralateral carotid occlusion (15.7%). Memory decline evident on RAVLT was identified in eight CAS patients and 13 CEA patients. Eleven patients had evidence of procedure-related microemboli. Although there was no significant difference in baseline cognitive function or memory change between the CEA and CAS cohorts, the CAS cohort had a significantly higher incidence of microembolic lesions. Multivariate regression analysis showed that procedure-related microembolization was associated with memory decline (P = .016) as evident by change in RAVLT. A history of neurologic symptoms was significantly associated with poor baseline cognitive function (MMSE; P = .03) and overall cognitive deterioration (change in MMSE; P = .026), as determined by Wilcoxon rank sum test and linear regression analysis, respectively. Conclusions Although CEA and CAS are effective in stroke prevention, with minimal neurologic complication, neurocognitive effects remain uncertain. Procedure-associated microembolization and pre-existing neurologic symptoms are associated with poor baseline cognitive function and memory decline after the procedures. Further comprehensive cognitive evaluation to determine the benefit of carotid interventions is warranted.
A tunable g/sub m/-C filter with low variation across process, voltage and temperature

A tunable g/sub m/-C filter with cutoff frequency insensitive to Process, Voltage and Temperature is proposed. An external clock frequency is used to generate a current using a switched capacitor circuit. The proposed filter is ideally suited for applications where a tight control on cutoff frequency is desired across different operating conditions of the chip. The circuit was designed in 3.3 V BiCMOS technology and simulations were carried out using SPICE. The simulation results show that the total variation in the cutoff frequency is 1% as compared to the 27% variation in conventional g/sub m/-C filter over the temperature range of -40 to 120 degC. The variation across process corners is 2.4% and is almost independent of the capacitor variation due to process and temperature.
Sex-Based Glass Ceilings in U.S. State-Level Bureaucracies, 1987-1997

This study employed a national data set obtained from the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to answer two questions. Are women adequately represented in the top-level positions in state bureaucracies and are impediments that women might encounter in reaching the highest level administrative posts related to the policy missions and/or organizational characteristics of these agencies? The authors found that (a) women are underrepresented in top-level administrative and professional positions in distributive and regulatory agencies, suggesting the continued presence of glass ceilings in such agencies; (b) women are better represented among administrative and especially professional cadres in redistributive agencies, however their full representation at the uppermost administrative levels remains an unrealized goal; and (c) women are less well represented in higher paying positions (in proportion to their numbers in the agency) in agencies with higher salaries.
The transcription factor Pokemon : A new key player in cancer pathogenesis

Learning how critical cell regulatory pathways are controlled may lead to new opportunities for cancer treatment. We recently identified the transcription factor Pokemon as a central regulator of the important tumor suppressor ARF. Pokemon is overexpressed in multiple human cancers and cells lacking Pokemon are refractory to oncogenic transformation. These findings suggest that Pokemon may offer an effective new target for cancer therapeutics.
The Fragile X proteins Fmrp and Fxr2p cooperate to regulate glucose metabolism in mice

Fragile X syndrome results from loss of FMR1 expression. Individuals with the disorder exhibit not only intellectual disability, but also an array of physical and behavioral abnormalities, including sleep difficulties. Studies in mice demonstrated that Fmr1, along with its paralog Fxr2, regulate circadian behavior, and that their absence disrupts expression and cycling of essential clock mRNAs in the liver. Recent reports have identified circadian genes to be essential for normal metabolism. Here we describe the metabolic defects that arise in mice mutated for both Fmr1 and Fxr2. These mice have reduced fat deposits compared with age- and weight-matched controls. Several metabolic markers show either low levels in plasma or abnormal circadian cycling (or both). Insulin levels are consistently low regardless of light exposure and feeding conditions, and the animals are extremely sensitive to injected insulin. Glucose production from introduced pyruvate and glucagon is impaired and the mice quickly clear injected glucose. These mice also have higher food intake and higher VO2 and VCO2 levels. We analyzed liver expression of genes involved in glucose homeostasis and found several that are expressed differentially in the mutant mice. These results point to the involvement of Fmr1 and Fxr2 in maintaining the normal metabolic state in mice.
Effect of resource enrichment on a chemostat community of bacteria and bacteriophage

We determined the responses of a model laboratory community to resource enrichment and compared these responses to the predictions of prey-dependent and ratio-dependent food chain models. Our model community consisted of Escherichia coli B and bacteriophage T4 in chemostats supplied with different concentrations of glucose. We observed the following responses to enrichment: (1) a large and highly significant increase in the equilibrium population density of the predator, bacteriophage T4, (2) a small but significant increase in the equilibrium population density of the prey, E. coli, and (3) a large and highly significant decrease in the stability of both the predator and prey populations. These responses were better predicted by a prey-dependent model (altered to include a time delay between consumption and reproduction by predators) than by a ratio-dependent model. Enrichment had a large effect on evolutionary change in our system. Enrichment significantly decreased the amount of time required for mutants of E. coli that were resistant to predation by bacteriophage to appear in the chemostats. Enrichment also significantly increased the rate at which these bacteriophage-resistant mutants invaded the chemostats. These results were also better predicted by the prey-dependent model. Invasion by bacteriophage-resistant mutants had a large effect on the subsequent population dynamics of both predator and prey. Both the equilibrium density and stability of the E. coli population increased following invasion, and the population shifted from being primarily limited by predators to being primarily limited by resources. After invasion by the mutants, the T4 population decreased in equilibrium density, and the population cycled with an increased period. These results were compared to the predictions of a ratio-dependent model and a prey-dependent model altered to include T4-resistant mutants. The dynamics of this community were better predicted by the modified prey-dependent model; however, this model was more complex mathematically than the simpler ratio-dependent model.
Featureless Expressions: When Morphophonological Markers Are Absent

Ackema and Neeleman (2003) discuss three phenomena that arise in the context of agreement and pronominals: agreement asymmetries, cliticization, and null subjects. They develop a unified analysis for these phenomena, claiming that they all involve a process of weakening within prosodic domains. While we agree with their important insight that the PF interface is responsible for some of these phenomena, we will argue against their weakening analysis. We provide arguments that agreement asymmetries cannot be uniformly analyzed as involving the same processes as phonological cliticization or null subjects. We instead propose that the observed asymmetries arise because of the alternative forms of spelling out features at the PF interface.
The wit: a personality analysis.

Fifty-eight undergraduate psychology students were group tested on 12 variables thought to be related to the successful prediction of wit. In addition to a score on wit, scores on creativity, verbal fluency, need for play, need for impulsivity, self-confidence, dominance, exhibition, change, autonomy, personal adjustment, authoritarianism, and sex group were obtained. The results were analyzed in a stepwise multiple regression analysis. A significant Pearson product-moment correlation was obtained between wit and creativity (p < .01) and between wit and personal adjustment (p < .05). The multiple regression analysis indicated that creativity was the best single significant predictor of wit. Personal adjustment, in combination with creativity, provided the next highest significant contribution. The results are discussed and suggestions for further research are posited.
Scheme and Java in the first year

We compare the experiences of several years of teaching beginning programming in Pascal, in Java, and in Scheme-followed-by-Java. In addition, we discuss the integration of PSP and "pair programming" into the first-year programming courses.
Chest Manifestations of Systemic Diseases

There are numerous systemic diseases, both acquired and hereditary, that affect the thorax. The many radiologic manifestations of these diseases may involve the lungs and pleura as well as cardiovascular, neurologic, hematologic and osseous structures of the thorax. What follows is a summary of the more common of these entities.
Bioethics and Human Rights – Wherever the Twain Shall Meet

Bioethics nowadays is characterized by a growing approximation to international human rights law. This is due to the recent globalization of bioethical discourse, following the internationalization of medical research and healthcare.
Some Thoughts on Traditional Hausa Aesthetics, and on Arabic Influence on Yoruba and Hausa Writing Traditions in Nigeria

"This paper has two inter-related themes. First, to examine some Hausa written poems within the paradigm of Hausa traditional literary discourse. Secondly, to move on to discuss the role of religion in the development of written language forms in Nigeria, and especially the role of the Arabic script in the Yoruba and Hausa languages, and why such a system is still the most viable one to those people who would prefer to use it in Nigeria if given the opportunity. In this context, I will also outline the involvement of the oral form in the writing traditions of Ilorin, a multilingual, multiethnic community in Nigeria. One can then see that poetic forms continue a long tradition of written-into-oral systems and constitute a refining of the earlier trends."
Eating as a Christian act of hope

This paper argues that eating can be understood as a profound act of Christian hope. Christian hope anticipates God's act of bringing creation to its glorious consummation and rests fundamentally on the faithfulness and power of God, uniquely demonstrated in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, by modelling behaviour that exhibits at least a pale reflection, as Sallie McFague calls it, of the kingdom of God. Hopelessness, according to Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper, exists around every corner in two forms: despair and presumption. This paper contends that eating and food systems can be representations of Christian hope over against the perniciousness of despair and presumption. For example, eating should remind us daily of our ontological dependence upon God and interdependence with the rest of creation. Furthermore, our intimate link to the soil, emphasised in the creation account of Genesis 2, should compel us to exhibit a certain sort of humility, which should have dramatic implications for how we view the role of technology in developing and participating in sustainable food systems. Moreover, this paper asserts that this Christian understanding of eating virtuously shapes the individual as well as the common good.
Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens: an Interagency Risk Assessment-model and baseline results.

The Interagency Risk Assessment—Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in Retail Delicatessens provides a scientific assessment of the risk of listeriosis associated with the consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods commonly prepared and sold in the delicatessen (deli) of a retail food store. The quantitative risk assessment (QRA) model simulates the behavior of retail employees in a deli department and tracks the Lm potentially present in this environment and in the food. Bacterial growth, bacterial inactivation (following washing and sanitizing actions), and cross-contamination (from object to object, from food to object, or from object to food) are evaluated through a discrete event modeling approach. The QRA evaluates the risk per serving of deli-prepared RTE food for the susceptible and general population, using a dose-response model from the literature. This QRA considers six separate retail baseline conditions and provides information on the predicted risk of listeriosis for each. Among the baseline conditions...
The Development of a Continuum Hydraulic/Pneumatic Actuator for Enhancing Gripping Function

This paper describes a research project being conducted to develop a flexible actuator to be used in orthotic and robotic devices. A unique Continuum Hydraulic/Pneumatic Actuator (CHPA) has been designed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Fluid Power Research Laboratory (UW-FPRL). As the name suggests, the CHPA can be hydraulically or pneumatically energized to produce a pushing force. The actuator is being developed to flex fingers to assist the gripping capability of persons who have a combination of diminished strength and motor control. The CHPA is implemented within a powered hand orthosis (PHO) and can feasibly be used with end effectors. A glove-like, non-bulky, and non-patient specific PHO prototype was fabricated to be used in conjunction with the actuator. Test results indicate that with component development and improved fabrication methods, the performance of the CHPA can be optimized for common gripping tasks. At an operating pressure of 120 psi (830 kPa) an actuator 0.35 inches (9 mm) in diameter and 4.5 inches (114 mm) in length provides (distal) pushing forces between 5–6 pounds (22–27 N) and produces corresponding (palmar) finger-tip forces in the range of 2–5 pounds (9–22 N). Future efforts will focus on optimizing the CHPA mechanism, it’s configuration within the orthosis and integrating a suitable control interface.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Existence of Micellae in Aqueous Solutions of Saponin

It is well known that if certain surface active substances are adsorbed into a surface to form a monolayer, there are certain critical concentrations in which the static surface tension is at a minimum, these corresponding to the concentrations in which the molecules at the surface form regular patterns. Granted certain assumptions, it is possible to determine from the values for these critical concentrations the dimensions of the molecule of the surface active substance, and in this way du Nouy1 has determined the mean length, breadth, and thickness of such molecules as that of sodium oleate and serum albumin.This note concerns the result obtained when similar experiments are carried out with saponin in aqueous solution. The technique of du Nouy was followed in detail, dynamic and static surface tension measurements being made on solutions of quillia saponin contained in Petrie dishes with a surface area of 63.6 cm.2 Each dynamic surface tension measurement is the average of 15 separate determinations, a...
Comparison of Growth and Developmental Process and Yield Characteristics of Early Hybrid Rice Combinations with Different Maturity

Six early hybrid rice combinations were divided into two maturing groups: early group and late group,and a comparison was conducted on the growth and developmental process and yield characteristics between these two groups.The results showed that there was not a significant difference between early maturing hybrids and late maturing ones in leafing rate,young panicle differentiation duration(from young panicle initiation to heading) and young panicle differentiating rate,and grain filling duration(from heading to ripening).The significant difference in whole growth duration between them resulted primarily from their difference in vegetative growth stage.The earlygroup hybrids had a shorter vegetative growth duration and started young panicle initiation earlier so that they could get matured earlier than the late-group hybrids.In addition,there was not much difference between the early and late groups in such yield characteristics as effective panicles,spikelets per panicle,filled grains per panicle and seed setting rate.However,the economic yield and biomass of the early hybrids were very significantly lower than those of the late hybrids,resulting mainly from a lower 1000-grain weight and a shorter plant height for the early hybrids.It is indicated that enhancing leafing rate in vegetative growth period could be the key to coordinate early maturity and high yield for early hybrid rice,and it would be possible to achieve a breakthrough in breeding of early hybrid rice with both early maturity and high yield by selecting such cultivars with the characteristics of shorter vegetative growth duration,higher leafing rate,more main stem leaves,higher 1 000-grain weight and properly higher plant height as parents to make hybrids.
Application of machine learning for the evaluation of turfgrass plots using aerial images

Historically, investigation of turfgrass characteristics have been limited to visual ratings. Although relevant information may result from such evaluations, final inferences may be questionable because of the subjective nature in which the data is collected. Recent advances in computer vision techniques allow researchers to objectively measure turfgrass characteristics such as percent ground cover, turf color, and turf quality from the digital images. This paper focuses on developing a methodology for automated assessment of turfgrass quality from aerial images. Images of several turfgrass plots of varying quality were gathered using a camera mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle. The quality of these plots were also evaluated based on visual ratings. The goal was to use the aerial images to generate quality evaluations on a regular basis for the optimization of water treatment. Aerial images are used to train a neural network so that appropriate features such as intensity, color, and texture of the turfgrass are extracted from these images. Neural network is a nonlinear classifier commonly used in machine learning. The output of the neural network trained model is the ratings of the grass, which is compared to the visual ratings. Currently, the quality and the color of turfgrass, measured as the greenness of the grass, are evaluated. The textures are calculated using the Gabor filter and co-occurrence matrix. Other classifiers such as support vector machines and simpler linear regression models such as Ridge regression and LARS regression are also used. The performance of each model is compared. The results show encouraging potential for using machine learning techniques for the evaluation of turfgrass quality and color.
Relationships, Infrataxa, and Hybrids of Rosa gymnocarpa (Rosaceae)

Abstract The relationships of Rosa gymnocarpa Nutt. in connection with historical sect. Gymnocarpae Crep. and recent publications on Rosa phylogeny are discussed, noting the relative isolation of the species within the genus. All synonyms and segregate taxa are addressed; a lectotype is designated for the species and other names as needed. Two subspecies are recognized: subsp. gymnocarpa, primarily west of the Cascade-Sierra axis, and subsp. helleri (Greene) Ertter & W. H. Lewis, occurring from southeastern British Columbia and northwestern Montana to the northern Sierra Nevada in California. Subspecies gymnocarpa is further divided into var. gymnocarpa and var. serpentina Ertter & W. H. Lewis. A key, range descriptions, and representative specimens are provided for infraspecific taxa. Extensive zones of intergradation occur where the ranges intersect, especially in the Klamath and Siskiyou ranges of northeastern California and adjacent Oregon; intermediates are also common in northern Idaho and adjacent ...
Parallelization of Closed-Form Stiffness Matrix Generation for Tetrahedral Finite Elements

This paper expands on previous research into the use of parallelization tools for closed-form solutions with a focus on applications in finite element analysis (McCaslin SE (2010) “Parallelization of shape function generation for hierarchical tetrahedral elements.” In: Sobh T, Elleithy K (eds.) Innovations in computer science and software engineering, pp 409–414). Recent advances in parallelization tools for computer algebra systems allow users to easily implement parallelization, using built-in tools. Previous work used the generation of higher-order shape functions for tetrahedral elements through p-level 20 as a simple test case to demonstrate the potential for increased computational efficiency (McCaslin SE (2010) “Parallelization of shape function generation for hierarchical tetrahedral elements.” In: Sobh T, Elleithy K (eds.) Innovations in computer science and software engineering, pp 409–414). This research generates closed-form upper triangular stiffness matrices (not merely the shape functions) for straight-sided hierarchical tetrahedral elements (Shiakolas PS, Lawrence KL, Nambiar RV (1994) Closed-form expressions for the linear and quadratic strain tetrahedral finite elements. Comput Struct 50:743–747; McCaslin SE, Shiakolas PS, Dennis, BH, Lawrence KL (2009) “Closed-form matrices for higher order tetrahedral elements.” In: Proceedings of the 12th international conference on civil, structural and environmental engineering computing, Madeira, Portugal, September 2009) through the 9th order on a dual-core desktop by exploiting available parallelization tools. A speed-up ratio of over 2,000 and reduction in required memory of up to 83 % was achieved.
Foraging success and tree species use in the least Flycatcher

Etude des effets de la morphologie des especes d'arbres sur le comportement d'approvisionnement chez Empidonax minimus
Critical Realist and Postpositivist Realist Feminisms: Towards a Feminist Dialectical Realism

Current inquiries into the meaning of feminist concepts, such as the third world woman worker, seek to explain contemporary social relations of global capitalism within the context of the legacy of post-colonialist structures. At the same time, these very concepts draw attention to the limitations of language to adequately approximate the world as it is in order to capture some truth about its categorical entities, in particular, about the embodied experiences of the third world women worker. Through a comparative analysis of critical and postpositivist realisms that highlights feminist interventions in the context of standpoint epistemology, and the evolution in both towards dialectics, I argue that feminist dialectical realism offers an alternative to feminist poststructuralist materialisms as well as addresses limitations in prevailing standards for truth in social theory and philosophy.
Acute Heart Failure Syndromes in Neonatal and Pediatric Populations

The etiologies, presentation, and management of acute heart failure syndromes (AHFSs) in children vary significantly from those in adults. Childhood cardiac disease is a result, primarily, of congenital heart defects and cardiomyopathies, rather than coronary heart disease. Furthermore, the prevalence of cardiac disease in children is far lower than in the adult population. Also, unlike adults, pediatric cardiac arrest is rarely a primary cardiac event (1), but typically occurs secondary to circulatory collapse due to sepsis or from respiratory failure. Appreciation of these differences yields important implications for the diagnostic evaluation and management of a child with suspected acute heart failure. Therapies designed for adults are often not applicable to neonates and children with AHFS.
Seeing is believing- can increasing the number of female leaders reduce sex selection in rural India?

Abstract Cultural values regarding gender roles encourage gender discrimination and the practice of sex selection. Increasing political and work force participation of women challenges such norms. Exploiting the implementation of an Indian law that required one-third of local political seats to be reserved for women, I investigate the impact of female leadership on sex selection in rural India. I find an increase in the survival of higher birth order girls if political seats at the local level have been reserved for women. I argue that the likely underlying mechanism is a change in beliefs due to exposure to female leaders.
Electronic and optical properties of ultra-thin 2D tungsten disulfide for photovoltaic applications

Abstract Atomically thin 2D layered semiconductor materials such as Transition Metal Di-Chalcogenides (TMDCs) have great potential for use as flexible, ultra-thin photovoltaic materials in solar cells due to their favorable photon absorption and electronic transport properties. The electronic properties, such as band structure and bandgap, and optical absorption properties of Tungsten Disulfide (WS 2 ) were obtained from Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations; the properties of WS 2 make it a favorable photovoltaic material. Using these properties, we have modelled, using numerical calculations and simulations, a solar cell based on monolayer and bulk WS 2 together with amorphous silicon (a-Si). The maximum efficiency of this cell is 23.26% with V OC of 0.843 V and J SC of 33.49 mA/cm 2 . The performance of our solar cell is comparable to many commercial cells. The results show how monolayer WS 2 can serve as a suitable photovoltaic material, opening possibilities to develop solar cells based on 2D TMDC materials.