cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Practical implications of plant-derived antimicrobials in poultry diets for the control of Salmonella Enteritidis

SUMMARY Several plant-derived antimicrobials have been tested under laboratory or research farm conditions and have been shown to be effective in reducing the colonization and shedding of Salmonella Enteritidis from laying hens and broiler chickens when added to the feed. How well these particular compounds or essential oils work under commercial conditions is yet to be determined. Some of the practical implications of using these compounds in commercial poultry feed or diets are discussed in this paper. In general, an ample supply of many of these compounds exist, they are relatively easily mixed with other feed ingredients, and are effective at relatively small amounts. The cost of adding to the feed is still a variable and the total economic effect can only be estimated at this point.
Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression in Normal Skin Associated With Basal Cell Carcinoma and in Distal Skin From the Same Patients

ObjectiveTo obviate the difficulty of ruling out confounding variables (eg, age, individual variability) as the source of differences seen when comparing tumor tissue and control tissue from unrela...
New Visions of Information Technology and Postmodernism: Implications for Advertising and Marketing Communications

Although volumes have been written on information revolution and much writing continues at this very moment, it is rather surprising that this has not made an impact on the academic field of marketing communications or advertising (Katz 1991). Even within the broader field of marketing, the writing is limited — for exceptions, see Blattberg/Glazer/Little (1994), and current authors’ contributions from 1984 through 1994. In the world of marketing practice, there is no question that the information revolution has had an impact on various marketing activities such as, channels of distribution, networking of global markets, product design and new product development, customer data management, home shopping, home banking, real time manufacturing and marketing, to name a few. Although the world of marketing practice is being revolutionized because of new information technologies, the field of advertising seems to lag behind. In a recent speech to the Advertising Foundation, Edwin Artzt, the Chairman of Procter and Gamble lamented profoundly about the state of the advertising field, pointing to the fact that it has yet to show any initiative in capitalizing on new technologies.
Work in progress - measuring reading comprehension in technical courses

Reading is critical to any course. However, many courses in higher education (especially technical courses) do not emphasize reading as a significant part of the course. Despite recommendations from instructors with suggested sections to read before and after lecture, most students do not like to read or are less motivated to read material from textbooks. In this paper, we discuss a novel system that was developed and deployed to assist instructors automatically measure reading activities and to assess student degree of ldquoreading comprehensionrdquo compared to that of an expert(s). The system consists of Adaptive Book, an interactive software tool that allows students to annotate and label the text, and an online markup analysis tool that uses a heuristic rule based algorithm to compare student markups to that of an expert reader. The system has shown some early promising results in computer science pilots and may serve as a tool that can be deployed across many technical courses to encourage and assess reading.
Hsp70-Based Anticancer Vaccines: Chaperoning The Immune Response

The hsp70 gene family encode molecular chaperones intrinsic to cellular life and essential for cell survival (Georgopolis and Welch, 1993; Lindquist and Craig, 1988). The essential intracellular functions of the hsp70 genes are in protein folding and protection from cell death pathways. Each Hsp70 family member contains two major functional domains, a C-terminal peptide binding domain and an Nterminal ATPase domain that controls the opening and closing of the peptide binding domain (see review (Bukau and Horwich, 1998; Bukau et al., 2006)). These two domains mediate the immune properties of Hsp70, permitting the acquisition of cellular antigens and their delivery to immune effector cells (Calderwood et al., 2005b; Noessner et al., 2002; Srivastava and Amato, 2001). There are at least 12 members of the human hsp70 gene family members, including proteins expressed in cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria (Bukau and Horwich, 1998; Lindquist and Craig, 1988; Tang et al., 2005). In addition, cells possess both constitutive cytoplasmic Hsp70 members (such as human HSC73) and members induced by stress (HSP72) (Schlessinger, 1994; Tang et al., 2005). Hsp70 becomes dysregulated in cancer and the elevated Hsp70 levels that ensue protect emerging cancer cells from the triggering of programmed cell death that accompanies many of the steps in transformation, while also creating an opportunity for immune attack (Calderwood et al., 2007; Calderwood et al., 2006; Ciocca and Calderwood, 2005; Clark and Menoret, 2001; Cornford et al., 2000; Nylandsted et al., 2000; Tang et al., 2005) (Also see Ciocca et al, Chapter 2, this volume). Many studies now suggest that Hsp70, through its ability to bind peptide antigens is a major factor linking the tumor phenotype, with its accompanying expression of mutated and overexpressed
Radiographic Assessment of Lower Limb Deformities

Radiographs of the lower limbs are obtained in orthogonal reference planes: frontal plane, AP view; sagittal plane, LAT view. The true AP view of the knee is obtained in the knee forward position (patella centered on the femoral condyles). The knee forward plane corresponds to the frontal plane. For standing radiographs, the radiography technologists are usually taught to position the patient with the feet together in the “stand at attention” posture. If the patient has external or internal tibial torsion, such positioning will result in the kneecap’s pointing inward or outward, respectively (► Figs. 3-1 and 3-2). The correct method is to orient the patella forward, irrespective of the foot position. To orient the patella forward, feel the patella with the index finger and thumb of one hand and rotate the foot until the patella is pointing forward (►Fig. 3-2). The radiograph confirms the correct position, showing the patella centered between the femoral condyles (► Fig. 3-lb).
Patent Reviews: 6,570,648 B1; 6,576,905 B2; 6,587,214 B1; 6,597,462 B2; 6,603,126 B2; 6,603,561 B2; 6,606,150 B2; 6,608,689 B1; 6,610,990; 6,624,884; 6,624,888 B2; 6,630,999; 6,633,382

The patent number, date of issuance by the U.S. Patent Office, and classification are shown on the first line. The filing date is that of the first application (although some patents may derive from earlier applications with earlier claim dates). Any opinions expressed are those of the reviewers and do not reflect the opinions of the organizations with which they are associated, the Optical Society of America, or this journal. Printed copies of these patents may be ordered from the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, DC 20231: telephone (703) 557-3158, URL http://patents.uspto.gov. Inquiries about patents should be addressed to the Patents Office, not to this journal or to OSA.
The Genesis of the Strozza Subplot in George Chapman's The Gentleman Usher

George Chapman's source for every important incident in the Strozza subplot of The Gentleman Usher was Chapter x of De Abditis Nonnullis ac mirandis morborum & sanationum causis liber, a collection of medical case histories written in Latin by Antonio Benivieni, a fifteenth-century Florentine physician and associate of Ficino. Both works are informed with Neo- Platonism. Chapman took from Benivieni's work several key phrases and in cidental details. Possibly echoing Italian political names, he added a villain, Medice, and changed the name of the protagonist from Gaspar to Strozza; to establish a Platonic parallel with Vincentio and Margaret of the main plot, he replaced Gaspar's spiritual counselor, a friend named Marioctus, with a wife, Cynanche, who serves the same function. The names Strozza and Cynanche contribute significant lexical meanings to the play: strozza is Italian for “throat,” and κυνάγχη Greek for both “sore throat” and “dog collar”; primarily, Cynanche is a collar to her husband in the common Renaissance symbol of discipline. Poetic elaboration aside, Chapman's only other important alteration was to allow Strozza to retain, in an apparently weakened form, the prophetic gift which Gaspar lost immediately after his miraculous cure.
Modulated Microstructures in β-Phase Alloys

Many ordered β-phase alloys of the B2 or D03 types exhibit unusual diffraction patterns and images when examined in the transmission electron microscope. These effects include “extra” diffraction spots, diffuse scattering, satellites, “tweed microstructures, spinodal decomposition and the formation of incommensurate phases. Examples of these phenomena will be presented and discussed. Although most of the β-alloys also undergo a martensitic transformation at some lower temperature it will be argued that the above effects are not “premartensitic” or precursory in nature. However many of them can be related to certain properties of the β-phase such as elastic anisotropy, a soft phonon mode and electronically driven instabilities.
High-Intensity Sweeteners in Alternative Tobacco Products

INTRODUCTION Sweeteners in tobacco products may influence use initiation and reinforcement, with special appeal to adolescents. Recent analytical studies of smokeless tobacco products (snuff, snus, dissolvables) detected flavorants identical to those added to confectionary products such as hard candy and chewing gum. However, these studies did not determine the levels of sweeteners. The objective of the present study was to quantify added sweeteners in smokeless tobacco products, a dissolvable product, electronic cigarette liquids and to compare with sweetener levels in confectionary products. METHODS Sweetener content of US-sourced smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarette liquid, and confectionary product samples was analyzed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS). RESULTS All smokeless products contained synthetic high intensity sweeteners, with snus and dissolvables exceeding levels in confectionary products (as much as 25-fold). All snus samples contained sucralose and most also aspartame, but no saccharin. In contrast, all moist snuff samples contained saccharin. The dissolvable sample contained sucralose and sorbitol. Ethyl maltol was the most common sweet-associated component in electronic cigarette liquids. DISCUSSION Sweetener content was dependent on product category, with saccharin in moist snuff, an older category, sucralose added at high levels to more recently introduced products (snus, dissolvable) and ethyl maltol in electronic cigarette liquid. The very high sweetener concentrations may be necessary for the consumer to tolerate the otherwise aversive flavors of tobacco ingredients. Regulation of sweetener levels in smokeless tobacco products may be an effective measure to modify product attractiveness, initiation and use patterns. IMPLICATIONS Dissolvables, snus and electronic cigarettes have been promoted as risk-mitigation products due to their relatively low content of nitrosamines and other tobacco toxicants. This study is the first to quantify high intensity sweeteners in snus and dissolvable products. Snus and dissolvables contain the high intensity sweetener, sucralose, at levels higher than in confectionary products. The high sweetness of alternative tobacco products makes these products attractive to adolescents. Regulation of sweetener content in non-cigarette products is suggested as an efficient means to control product palatability and to reduce initiation in adolescents.
MR IMAGING IN THE EVALUATION OF SMALL (≤ 3.0 cm) RENAL MASSES

The use of MR imaging in evaluating renal tumors has expanded beyond the established utility for patients with renal insufficiency and allergy to iodinated contrast. MR imaging is increasingly relied on for the evaluation of small renal lesions. The use of gadolinium chelate contrast agents, high performance MR systems, and optimized techniques is essential. This article details our experience using MR to evaluate small renal tumors and reviews the clinical issues pertinent to the management of these lesions.
Nasal Cavity and Nasopharynx

In many ways the pediatric nasal cavity is similar to that of an adult. In all age groups, the nose functions to filter, warm, humidify, and sample air for respiration. However, nasal breathing is critical for survival in newborns until around 4 months of age (Sasaki CT et al., Arch Otolaryngol 103:169–171, 1977). Even a relatively small obstruction can cause significant distress, because neonates are obligated to breathe nasally due to the position of their larynx and the need to breathe while feeding. As the nose matures, the nasal cavity expands in response to the development of surrounding structures. The sinuses, most present at birth, grow throughout childhood until reaching normal adult dimensions around the age of 15 (Parket al., Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 74:1347–1350, 2010). The deciduous and adult teeth form and erupt as the craniofacial skeleton grows, maturing and lengthening to create adult facial features.
A Data-driven Approach to Understanding the Demand-driven Acquisition Program at North Carolina State University

ABSTRACTAs demand-driven acquisition programs become more prevalent, the need for better data about those programs increases. This article details the results of a project at the North Carolina State University Libraries to blend together multiple sources of data, including ILS and COUNTER reports, for the purpose of gaining a better understanding of the intricacies of the demand-driven acquisition program.
Taking Harmony Into Account: The Effect of Harmony on Melodic Probability

Probabilistic models have proved remarkably successful in modeling melodic organization (e.g., Huron, 2006a; Pearce, 2005; Temperley, 2008). However, the majority of these models rely on pitch information taken from melody alone. Given the prevalence of homophonic music in Western culture, however, surprisingly little attention has been directed at exploring the predictive power of harmonic accompaniment in models of melodic organization. The research presented here uses a combination of the three main approaches to empirical musicology—exploratory analysis, modeling, and hypothesis testing—to investigate the influence of harmony on melodic behavior. In this study a comparison is made between models that use only melodic information and models that consider the melodic information along with the underlying harmonic accompaniment to predict melodic continuations. A test of overall performance shows a significant improvement using a melodic-harmonic model. When individual scale degrees are examined, the major diatonic scale degrees are shown to have unique probability distributions for each of their most common harmonic settings. That is, the results suggest a robust effect of harmony on melodic organization. Perceptual implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Slip Inversion Along Inner Fore-Arc Faults, Eastern Tohoku, Japan

Funding was provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation Tectonics Program grant EAR-0809939 to D.M.F. and E.K., Geologic Society of America Graduate Research Grants, and the P.D. Krynine Memorial Fund. The authors thank Gaku Kimura, Kyoko Tonegawa, Hiroko Watanabe, Jun Kameda, and Asuka Yamaguchi for scientific and logistical support, and Kristin Morell for comments on early versions of the manuscript. We also thank Yuzuru Yamamoto and Kohtaro Ujiie for their detailed reviews and suggestions for improvement to the manuscript. The authors acknowledge the use of the Move Software Suite granted by Midland Valley's Academic Software Initiative. Geologic, structural, stratigraphic, and chronologic data used herein are accessible in manuscript figures, and in the citations therein. Input geologic data for trishear kinematic modeling can be accessed in Table 1 and in the supporting information. (EAR-0809939 - National Science Foundation Tectonics Program grant; Geologic Society of America Graduate Research Grants; P.D. Krynine Memorial Fund)
Managing iPads with Apple School Manager

In this chapter, you’ll learn about Apple School Manager, Apple’s turnkey service for managing Macs and iOS devices in schools and similar institutions. This chapter explains what you need to know about Apple School Manager to use it effectively—starting with the fact that you may not need to use Apple School Manager directly at all if your school uses a mobile device management (MDM) solution that integrates with Apple School Manager.
Optimum low speed control of regenerative braking for electric vehicles

In this paper, a new approach for finding the optimal low speed regenerative braking cutoff point for Electric Vehicles (EVs) is proposed. This method is based on real-time sensing of motor current and disabling the regenerative braking at low speeds when the motor current falls below zero. It requires no hardware modifications to the existing architecture and can be implemented by modifying the brake controller algorithm. The proposed controller is tested and validated on an EV test bench simulation model and energy consumption is compared to a case where a fixed cutoff point is considered at low speeds. The results indicate improvement in extracting maximum energy during regenerative braking by applying this method.
Differences in Online Consumer Ratings of Health Care Providers Across Medical, Surgical, and Allied Health Specialties: Observational Study of 212,933 Providers.

Background: Health care consumers are increasingly using online ratings to select providers, but differences in the distribution of scores across specialties and skew of the data have the potential to mislead consumers about the interpretation of ratings. Objective: The objective of our study was to determine whether distributions of consumer ratings differ across specialties and to provide specialty-specific data to assist consumers and clinicians in interpreting ratings. Methods: We sampled 212,933 health care providers rated on the Healthgrades consumer ratings website, representing 29 medical specialties (n=128,678), 15 surgical specialties (n=72,531), and 6 allied health (nonmedical, nonnursing) professions (n=11,724) in the United States. We created boxplots depicting distributions and tested the normality of overall patient satisfaction scores. We then determined the specialty-specific percentile rank for scores across groupings of specialties and individual specialties. Results: Allied health providers had higher median overall satisfaction scores (4.5, interquartile range [IQR] 4.0-5.0) than physicians in medical specialties (4.0, IQR 3.3-4.5) and surgical specialties (4.2, IQR 3.6-4.6, P<.001). Overall satisfaction scores were highly left skewed (normal between –0.5 and 0.5) for all specialties, but skewness was greatest among allied health providers (–1.23, 95% CI –1.280 to –1.181), followed by surgical (–0.77, 95% CI –0.787 to –0.755) and medical specialties (–0.64, 95% CI –0.648 to –0.628). As a result of the skewness, the percentages of overall satisfaction scores less than 4 were only 23% for allied health, 37% for surgical specialties, and 50% for medical specialties. Percentile ranks for overall satisfaction scores varied across specialties; percentile ranks for scores of 2 (0.7%, 2.9%, 0.8%), 3 (5.8%, 16.6%, 8.1%), 4 (23.0%, 50.3%, 37.3%), and 5 (63.9%, 89.5%, 86.8%) differed for allied health, medical specialties, and surgical specialties, respectively. Conclusions: Online consumer ratings of health care providers are highly left skewed, fall within narrow ranges, and differ by specialty, which precludes meaningful interpretation by health care consumers. Specialty-specific percentile ranks may help consumers to more meaningfully assess online physician ratings.
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for stage I NSCLC: Successes and existing challenges

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has emerged as a standard treatment of peripherally located medically inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (1-5). With SABR, local control of primary tumors is greater than 90% in tumors up to 5 cm, and regional lymph node recurrence within the chest is low (5% to 10%). Distant metastasis remains a dominant pattern of failure (10% to 20%). SABR has been accepted by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and is included in the NCCN treatment guidelines, and SABR is widely used (>75%) by radiation oncology centers, including community hospitals, according to a recent survey by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)
Further Validation of the Bolino and Turnley Impression Management Scale

As the field of impression management studies matures, the tools used to study and assess its components continue to be refined. The present study supplies additional testing and confirmation for one of the tools currently being used in the field: the Bolino and Turnley (1999) impression management scale. Using three samples of 144, 236, and 204 full-time employees, we confirm the factor structure and the utility of the majority of the scale’s twenty-two items, as well as demonstrate the convergent and discriminant validity of the scale. The results of the study also suggest avenues for future research.
Why the Constitution Was Written Down

A funny thing about the U.S. Constitution is that it’s written down. Words might seem like an obvious feature of any constitution, but they’re notably missing from much of the constitution of Great Britain, the country from which the United States seceded. Historians have often assumed that the quirky American practice of putting constitutions into single documents has its origins in the corporate charters of the seventeenth-century trading companies that founded more than half of the thirteen original states. But, as historian Mary Sarah Bilder has written, it is surprisingly difficult to explain the change from corporate charter to modern constitution with precision and persuasive power. This Article attempts to do just that, telling the story of a series of lawsuits that forced the Massachusetts Bay Company to treat its charter’s terms as Gospel. Relying on original research of thousands of primary sources from the United States and the United Kingdom spanning from 1607 through 1793, this Article presents an account of how a corporate charter evolved into a “Charter Constitution” in America while the British Constitution remained intangible. This Article demonstrates that written words became a defining feature of American constitutionalism a century before the American Revolution, and that this distinction between the American and British understandings of constitutions contributed to American independence. The historical origins of American constitutionalism can also supply more depth to modern interpretive debates over whether text alone can provide meaningful limits on government power without reference to external traditions, modes of enforcement, or evolving practices.
Documenting pan-Caribbeanism on screen: José de Diego’s trip to Santo Domingo (1915)

In the tumultuous summer of 1915, the Puerto Rican politician Jose de Diego traveled across the Spanish-speaking Caribbean promoting the formation of what he called an ‘Antillean Union’. This ‘poli...
Constitutional Design and Politics-as-Exchange: The Optimism of Public Choice

Public choice theory, built on the homo economicus model, is regularly attacked as an empirically inadequate and potentially harmful example of economic imperialism. I offer a methodological defense of the homo economicus assumption and argue that public choice theory provides not merely a negative theory of “government failure.” Instead, public choice can be understood as a positive, optimistic enterprise that points to the potential for institutional reforms that are in the common interests of citizens.
Dynamics of maize endosperm development

CHAPTER ONE. INTRODUCTION CHAPTER TWO. LITERATURE REVIEW Endosperm Cells Mitotic Activity Nuclei and Nuclei Size Nuclear DNA Starch Granules CHAPTER THREE. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2 5 Plant Material 2S Collection of Kernels 2S Histochemistry Studies 2? Procesing of Kernels 25 Fixation 29 Dehydration and staining 29 Infiltration and embedding 3C Sectioning and Staining of Tissues 30 Orientation and thickness 30 Mounting and staining 32 Collection of Data for Quatitative Analysis 33 Regions and type of data collected 33 Analysis of data 35 Microscopy and Flow Cytometry Studies 36 Nuclei and Starch Granule Number Determination 36 Collection and fixation 36 Endosperm dissection and digestion 36 Staining and nuclear number determination 38 Staining and starch granule number determination 38 Nuclear preparation for flow cytometry 39 Flow Cytometry Analysis 40 CHAPTER FOUR. RESULTS 41 Whole Endosperm 41 Endosperm Cell Size and Number 4 6 Nuclear Size 56 Aleurone Cells and Nuclei 65 Starch Granule Size and Numbe Nuclear DNA Content CHAPTER FIVE. DISCUSSION Whole Endosperm Endosperm Ceil Size and Numbe Nuclear Size Aleurone Cells and Nuclei Starch Granule Size and Numbe Nuclear DNA Content CHAPTER SIX. CONCLUSIONS SummaryConclusions Future Studies
Statins are associated with new onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Medicare patients ≥65 years.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the association of statins and co-morbidities with new onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in patients 65 years and older. METHODS This retrospective study used de-identified administrative healthcare claims and enrolment data from a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) health plan offered by a large multistate healthcare company. The plan covered >2.4 million individuals, of whom >1.7 million individuals were ≥65 years. Of these, 265 554 individuals had continuous MAPD enrolment January 2008 to December 2015. The unadjusted model assessed demographic, pharmacy and T2DM co-morbidities as covariates. Significant variables (P < .05) in the unadjusted model were then included in the adjusted model. The adjusted model used Cox proportional hazards to evaluate covariate effects. Matched propensity score analysis was used to analyse the association of statins and T2DM onset. RESULTS The cumulative rate of diagnosed T2DM onset in the study cohort was 4.82% (4314/89 390). Annualised incidence of T2DM diagnosis was 0.82%, 0.88%, 1.04% and 2.09% in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. T2DM onset was associated with male sex, non-white (African American or Hispanic ethnicity), statin use, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, heart failure, lower limb ulceration, atherosclerosis, other retinopathy, angina pectoris, poor vision and blindness and absence ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Matched propensity score analysis showed that statin use was significantly associated with T2DM onset (Odds Ratio = 1.26, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.12-1.41, P < .0001) in the adjusted model. CONCLUSIONS Analyses indicated that statin usage was associated with new onset T2DM after adjusting for covariates.
Control of wildfire-sourced PM2.5 in an office setting using a commercially available portable air cleaner

A steady increase in wildfire event severity and season length has led to greater potential for exposure to fine particulate matter associated with wildfire smoke. Research has found fine particula...
Chapter 3 – Determinants and Eigenvalues

In Chapter 3, we define the determinant of a matrix using cofactor expansion, and then show how to compute the determinant using row reduction. We compute the areas and volumes of parallelograms and parallelepipeds as an application. The determinant also provides a quick method for discovering whether a matrix is nonsingular and whether certain linear systems have a unique solution. Finally, we use determinants to introduce eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and diagonalization of a square matrix, when possible.
Apps for Behavior Management, Communication, and Learning: Using Sociocultural Theory to Understand Mobile Technology in PK-12 Settings

Mobile applications (apps) are currently used for classroom management, communication with parents, and student learning. Although teachers have acknowledged an unfamiliarity with tools to support ...
Interrogating the substantive implications of India’s declaration to CEDAW’s Article 5(a): Part I

India acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) with a Declaration to its Article 5(a) in 1993, stating that it will implement its obligations only when it does not require interference in the religious activities of its minorities. The due diligence obligation to the CEDAW expands the obligations under Article 5(a) and calls upon nation-states to specifically redress the traditional, cultural attitudes that cause GBV. This Article argues that India’s Declaration to CEDAW’s Article 5(a), stating that it will redress the harmful cultural patterns causing gender-based violence (GBV) only when it does not require interference in the religious affairs of its minority religion- Islam, is in material violation of the due diligence obligation as traditional, cultural attitudes cause GBV in India. This case is made by examining two historical moments- the sati of Roop Kanwar, 1987, and the Parliamentary reversal of the Shah Bano Judgment, 1986. This Article uses the methodology of political science to make its case, situating the current argument at the intersection of the relationship between political science and public international law. Conventionally, the study of human rights compliance within political science has proceeded only by parsing empirical facts subsequent to treaty accession. This Article makes the methodological innovation of empirical observation of compliance prior to India’s accession in 1993. Hence, simultaneously this Article speaks back to the compliance literature and demonstrates that a cogent picture on the historical nature of GBV is necessary to comprehend the nature of compliance. A fallacy in contemporary scholarship that marks treaty accession as an artificial cut-off point is detected. This Article uses these two historical moments to also contest the argument that norms are epiphenomenal. The due diligence has accurately captured the empirical causes of GBV worldwide. Further, the epiphenomenal contention is contested by demonstrating that norms derive from the contingent experiences of nation-states. Therefore, this Article uses the methodologies of both political science as well public international law to assess the implications of India’s Declaration to CEDAW’s Article 5(a).
Lithium oxidation and electrolyte decomposition at Li-metal/liquid electrolyte interfaces

We examine the evolution of events occurring when a Li metal surface is in contact with a 2 M solution of a Li salt in a solvent or mixture of solvents, via classical molecular dynamics simulations with a reactive force field allowing bond breaking and bond forming. The main events include Li oxidation and electrolyte reduction along with expansion of the Li surface layers forming a porous phase that is the basis for the formation of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) components. Nucleation of the main SEI components (LiF, Li oxides, and some organics) is characterized. The analysis clearly reveals the details of these physical–chemical events as a function of time, during 20 nanoseconds. The effects of the chemistry of the electrolyte on Li oxidation and dissolution in the liquid electrolyte, and SEI nucleation and structure are identified by testing two salts: LiPF6 and LiCF3SO3, and various solvents including ethers and carbonates and mixtures of them. The kinetics and thermodynamics of Li6F, the core nuclei in the LiF crystal, are studied by analysis of the MD trajectories, and via density functional theory calculations respectively. The SEI formed in this computational experiment is the “native” film that would form upon contact of the Li foil with the liquid electrolyte. As such, this work is the first in a series of computational experiments that will help elucidate the intricate interphase layer formed during battery cycling using metal anodes.
Topographic position amplifies consequences of short-interval stand-replacing fires on postfire tree establishment in subalpine conifer forests

Abstract Stand-replacing fires burned at 100 to 300-year intervals for millennia in subalpine conifer forests of western North America, but forests are burning more frequently as climate warms. Postfire tree regeneration is reduced when young forests reburn before recovering from previous fires or when drought occurs during postfire years. However, whether seedling vulnerabilities to harsh microclimate conditions may be amplified in short-interval (
Association of Diet With Erectile Dysfunction Among Men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

Author(s): Bauer, Scott R; Breyer, Benjamin N; Stampfer, Meir J; Rimm, Eric B; Giovannucci, Edward L; Kenfield, Stacey A | Abstract: ImportanceErectile dysfunction, especially in younger men, is an early sign of cardiovascular disease and may decrease quality of life. Men may be motivated to adopt a healthy dietary pattern if it lowers their risk of erectile dysfunction.ObjectiveTo assess the association between adherence to a diet quality index based on healthy dietary patterns and erectile dysfunction in men.Design, setting, and participantsThis population-based prospective cohort study included men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study with follow-up from January 1, 1998, through January 1, 2014. Participants included US male health professionals aged 40 to 75 years at enrollment. Men with erectile dysfunction or a diagnosis of myocardial infarction, diabetes, stroke, or genitourinary cancer at baseline were excluded. Analyses were completed in February 2020.ExposuresA food frequency questionnaire was used to determine nutrient and food intake every 4 years.Main outcomes and measuresDiet quality was assessed by Mediterranean Diet score and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010 score, with higher scores indicating healthier diet. Dietary index scores were cumulatively updated from 1986 until men developed erectile dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, died, or were lost to follow-up. Incident erectile dysfunction was assessed with questionnaires in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012. Hazard ratios (HRs) by prespecified categories or quintiles of dietary index scores were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression analyses stratified by age.ResultsAmong 21 469 men included in analysis, mean (SD) age at baseline was 62 (8.4) years. During a mean (SD) follow-up of 10.8 (5.4) years and 232 522 person-years, there were 968 incident erectile dysfunction cases among men younger than 60 years, 3703 cases among men aged 60 to less than 70 years, and 4793 cases among men aged 70 years or older. Men younger than 60 years and in the highest category of the Mediterranean Diet score had the lowest relative risk of incident erectile dysfunction compared with men in the lowest category (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.66-0.92). Higher Mediterranean diet scores were also inversely associated with incident erectile dysfunction among older men (age 60 to l70 years: HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.76-0.89; age ≥70 years: HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.86-1.00). Men scoring in the highest quintile of the Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010 also had a lower risk of incident erectile dysfunction, particularly among men age younger than 60 years (quintile 5 vs quintile 1: HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.63-0.97).Conclusions and relevanceThis cohort study found that adherence to healthy dietary patterns was associated with a lower risk for erectile dysfunction, suggesting that a healthy dietary pattern may play a role in maintaining erectile health.
Attenuation Coefficient Parameter Estimations to Characterize Ex Vivo Carotid Plaque

A leading cause of stroke is carotid artery atherosclerosis. Attenuation coefficient (AC) parameters can evaluate carotid plaque echogenicity and visualize plaque composition for assessments of vulnerability. High-frequency radiofrequency (RF) data (fc = 40 MHz) were acquired using a stepper motor from 10 plaques removed via carotid endarterectomy. AC parameters such as Median AC were calculated using an optimum power spectral shift estimation (OPSSE) method developed in our lab. Parametric maps were created to visualize AC parameter variation throughout plaque. AC parameters were compared with surgical scores and histopathology assessments. Kendall's tau correlations compared AC parameters, whole plaque scores, and histopathology assessments. Kruskal-Wallis H and Dunn's post hoc test assessed ability of AC parameters to distinguish among tissue scores. This work demonstrates a technique for computing AC parameters that suggests correlations and discriminatory potential for surgical and histopathological markers of plaque composition and vulnerability.
Toward in-situ flaw detection in laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing through layerwise imagery and machine learning

Abstract Process monitoring in additive manufacturing may allow components to be certified cheaply and rapidly and opens the possibility of healing defects, if detected. Here, neural networks (NNs) and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are trained to detect flaws in layerwise images of a build, using labeled XCT data as a ground truth. Multiple images were recorded after each layer before and after recoating with various lighting conditions. Classifying networks were given a single image or multiple images of various lighting conditions for training and testing. CNNs demonstrated significantly better performance than NNs across all tasks. Furthermore, CNNs demonstrated improved generalizability, i.e., the ability to generalize to more diverse data than either the training or validation data sets. Specifically, CNNs trained on high-resolution layerwise images from one build showed minimal loss in performance when applied to data from an independent build, whereas the performance of the NNs degraded significantly. CNN accuracy was also demonstrated to be a function of flaw size, suggesting that smaller flaws may be produced by mechanisms that do not alter the surface morphology of the build plate. CNNs demonstrated accuracies of 93.5 % on large (>200 μm) flaws when testing and training on components from the same build and accuracies of 87.3 % when testing on a previously unseen build. Finally, evidence linking the formation of large lack-of-fusion defects to the presence of process ejecta is presented.
The Highs and Lows of Hierarchy in Multiteam Systems

Multiteam system research operates under the assumption that multiteam systems should be structured hierarchically, or consist of component teams nested under a formal, centralized leadership team ...
Was India's Demonetization Redistributive? Insights from Satellites and Surveys.

On November 8, 2016, the Indian government abruptly demonetized 86\% of its currency in circulation in an attempt to reduce black money, corruption, and counterfeiting. Yet, 99\% of the currency was eventually returned to banks. We use both, regional and household data to examine the medium-term effects of this policy. Using monthly night-light data, we show that districts which experienced higher deposit growth during the demonetization period recorded higher levels of economic activity in the year and a half that followed. We estimate a one standard deviation increase in deposits is associated with about 4\% increase in district GDP per capita. We also show the districts that experienced large deposit increases from demonetization are generally poorer, or worse off, in several widely used measures of socio-economic characteristics. Using a longitudinal survey of household expenditures and incomes, we also show that poorer households had larger increases in expenditures and incomes in the following eighteen months.
Lessons on the Resource-Based View and Generic Competitive Strategies From Kinky Boots: The Musical:

Kinky Boots: The Musical is a filmed version of the London West End production that tells the story of the unlikely collaboration between Charlie Price, inheritor of a struggling family business, a...
IPM — Approaches and Prospects

Thrips continue to increase as pests of agricultural and greenhouse crops. While there has been a dramatic increase in crop damage by a number of species with disparate life cycles (Heliothrips haemorroidalis, Taeniothrips inconsequens, Thrips palmi, etc.), the greatest problem worldwide on the largest number of crops is caused by the western flower thrips (WFT). Knowledge of the general biology and ecology of thrips, especially of WFT, has expanded rapidly over the past ten years. However, effective management programs for control are still unproven for many major crops attacked by this pest. Reliable programs do not exist for greenhouse cultivation of floricultural crops where WFT is the most serious threat to producing unblemished material capable of satisfying export quarantine requirements. Using WFT on floriculture crops as an example, various management options available to growers under the tenets of integrated pest management are explored. The realities and limitations of each are discussed and areas of future research identified.
Prolapse of the umbilical cord. Study of 110 cases.

Abstract 1. 1. There were 110 cases of prolapsed cord studied. 2. 2. Etiological factors, methods of treatment, and results are discussed. 3. 3. Corrected infant salvage (over 2,500 grams) is 87.5 per cent in this series; that is, a fetal loss of 12.5 per cent.
Effects of salinity on xylem structure and water use in growing leaves of sorghum

Within the growth zone, salt-affected leaves of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) had narrower protoxylem and metaxylem cells than controls. Leaf width and cross-sectional area were also reduced, so that the salt treatment had no effect on the area of protoxylem per area of leaf cross section. Dye uptake studies suggested that in controls most of the veins, but in salt-affected leaves only half of the veins, are functional in water transport. Volumetric water flow was greatly diminished in the salt-affected plants. The reduced flow rate was largely explained by the salt-induced decrease in leaf surface area. Some decreases in flow rates per unit leaf mass or area were also produced by salinity, particularly in late developmental stages. Not surprisingly, leaf conductance measured with a diffusion porometer did not appear to be correlated with the diameter of the protoxylem or metaxylem elements. By contrast, published values of water deposition rates are strongly related to the size of the protoxylem elements: the rates of water deposition into the growing leaf tissue are proportional to the square of the protoxylem radius. Thus environmentally produced change of the hydraulic architecture of monocot leaves may cause change in local growth rates.
Volitional control of neural activity: implications for brain-computer interfaces.

Successful operation of brain–computer interfaces (BCI) and brain–machine interfaces (BMI) depends significantly on the degree to which neural activity can be volitionally controlled. This paper reviews evidence for such volitional control in a variety of neural signals, with particular emphasis on the activity of cortical neurons. Some evidence comes from conventional experiments that reveal volitional modulation in neural activity related to behaviours, including real and imagined movements, cognitive imagery and shifts of attention. More direct evidence comes from studies on operant conditioning of neural activity using biofeedback, and from BCI/BMI studies in which neural activity controls cursors or peripheral devices. Limits in the degree of accuracy of control in the latter studies can be attributed to several possible factors. Some of these factors, particularly limited practice time, can be addressed with long-term implanted BCIs. Preliminary observations with implanted circuits implementing recurrent BCIs are summarized.
Extremal chiral ring states in the AdS/CFT correspondence are described by free fermions for a generalized oscillator algebra

This paper studies a special class of states for the dual conformal field theories associated with supersymmetric $AdS_5\times X$ compactifications, where $X$ is a Sasaki-Einstein manifold with additional $U(1)$ symmetries. Under appropriate circumstances, it is found that elements of the chiral ring that maximize the additional $U(1)$ charge at fixed R-charge are in one to one correspondence with multitraces of a single composite field. This is also equivalent to Schur functions of the composite field. It is argued that in the formal zero coupling limit that these dual field theories have, the different Schur functions are orthogonal. Together with large $N$ counting arguments, one predicts that various extremal three point functions are identical to those of ${\cal N}=4 $ SYM, except for a single normalization factor, which can be argued to be related to the R-charge of the composite word. The leading and subleading terms in $1/N$ are consistent with a system of free fermions for a generalized oscillator algebra. One can further test this conjecture by constructing coherent states for the generalized oscillator algebra that can be interpreted as branes exploring a subset of the moduli space of the field theory and use these to compute the effective K\"ahler potential on this subset of the moduli space.
Discontinuous innovation and the growth paradox

“To understand that a technology — and the company whose future success depends on it — will eventually face the end of its lifecycle inspires urgency for, and commitment to, discontinuous innovation.”
On the Theory of Elastic Undamageable Materials

In this work, both the concepts of Voyiadjis–Kattan materials and undamageable materials are introduced. The Voyiadjis–Kattan material of order n is defined as a nonlinear elastic material that has a higher-order strain energy form in terms of n. The undamageable material is obtained as the limit of the Voyiadjis–Kattan material of order n as n goes to infinity. The relations of these types of materials to other nonlinear elastic materials from the literature are outlined. Also, comparisons of these types of materials with rubber materials are presented. Finally, a proof is given to show that the value of the damage variable remains zero in an undamageable material throughout the deformation process. It is hoped that these proposed new types of materials will open the way to new areas of research in both damage mechanics and materials science.
Effects of fertiliser materials and combinations on the phytotoxicity, availability and content of arsenic in corn (maize).

This study shows that some fertiliser materials significantly affected plant growth, available As, and As in the plant on corn (Zea mays, “US 13”) grown on Hagers-town silty clay loam treated with 0,10,100 and 500 parts/million As. Phosphorus was shown to be the most influential of the various fertiliser materials tested. It increased plant growth, available soil As and As residues in the corn tissue. The best fertiliser combination, based on plant growth, available As and As in the plant, was NH4NO3 + Ca(H2PO4)2 + K2SO4 + CaCO3.