cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Situ Dry Matter and Crude Protein Degradation of Fresh Forages During the Spring Growth

Abstract We compared ruminal dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradation kinetics of fresh forages of alfalfa (vegetative, early bud, early flowering, and late flowering stages) and bromegrass with endophyte-free and endophyte-infected tall fescue (tillering, stem elongation, heading, and flowering stages) by using nonlinear models. Duplicate Dacron bags were incubated for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, and 60h in 2 Simmental × Angus steers fitted with ruminal cannulas. The effects of animal, forage species, and maturity within forage species were evaluated.A first-order kinetics model was determined to be suitable for estimation of degradation profiles relative to models with variable rate of degradations. Alfalfa had higher soluble DM (36.6%), lower insoluble potentially digestible DM (43.0%), higher rate (13.8%/h), and higher extent of DM degradation (66.3%) than grasses (27.2, 53.5, 6.7%/h, and 54.6% for soluble DM, insoluble potentially digestible DM, rate, and extent of DM degradation, respectively). The extent of CP degradation was similar among forages (74.7%), but alfalfa had a higher CP degradation rate than grasses (16.1 vs. 12.5%/h). Extents of degradation of DM and CP decreased with maturity in alfalfa and in grasses. Ruminally undegradable CP (RUP) was higher in alfalfa (40.0g/kg of DM) than in grasses (34.9g/kg of DM), and decreased with maturity in grasses (40.4 to 28.3g/kg of DM) but not in alfalfa. The amount of RUP that was potentially degradable in the rumen was not different among forage species (22.1g/kg). As forage CP concentration decreased, the RUP (as a percentage of CP) increased but, as a percentage of forage DM, decreased. Species of forage had important effects on ruminal DM and CP degradation when incubated in fresh form.
The Jacobi Identity for Relative Twisted Vertex Operators Associated with the Roots of the Lie Algebras and , and the Generating Function Identities for Level-k Standard and -Modules

The generalizations of the Jacobi identity to relative vertex operators require the introduction of “correction factors” to preserve the vertex operator structure of the identity. In the cases of relative Z 2 and Z 6-twisted cases associated, respectively, to the and weight lattices, these correction factors uncover the main features of the Z-operator algebras, several generalized commutator, and anticommutator relations, as residues of the suitable versions of the Jacobi identity for relative twisted vertex operators. More specifically, using k copies of the weight lattices of the Lie algebras and in the diagonal embedding, we construct relative twisted vertex operators equivalent to Z-operators. In the -case, the residues (with respect to the untwisted vertex operator formal variable) of two versions of the Jacobi identity (differing by a rational function in the square roots of the twisted vertex operator formal variables) are the generalized commutator and anticommutator relations that determine (with...
A possible beneficial effect of selenium administration in antiarrhythmic therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The following review of the literature on the importance of Selenium (Se) in myocardial homeostasis and of the pharmacology of this trace metal, represents an attempt to search, without prejudice to other possible explanations, for a rationale of a beneficial effect of Se substitution as an adjuvant to antiarrhythmic therapy. BACKGROUND: For several years, in the early 1980s, I had to deal with the problem of a serious ventricular arrhythmia (non-sustained and sustained ventricular tachycardia) which was remarkably resistant to a battery of the most potent antiarrhythmic agents. Eventually, dramatic improvement, lasting for a period of 8 years, was achieved with Flecainide, which, however, left unsolved the episodic occurrence of disabling ventricular bigemini. Over the most recent period of 1 year and 8 months, there was a sudden and unexplained return to unbroken normal sinus rhythm. Among the multiplicity of possible reasons for this fortunate development, the concurrent introduction of Se s...
Slant-haar transform †

A hybrid version of the slant (ST) and Haar Transforms (HT) called slant-Haar transform (SHT) is developed. Its properties and fast algorithms are also developed. Based on some standard performance criteria its utility and effectiveness are compared with other discrete transforms in applications such as feature selection, Wiener filtering and data compression.
Coexistence of three nuclear shapes in /sup 151/Eu

Levels in $^{151}\mathrm{Eu}$ were populated using the ($d, t$) reaction. Most of the cross section is concentrated between an excitation energy of 2.2 and 2.6 MeV while levels below 261 keV were not observed. We interpret this as evidence for the coexistence of three distinct shapes in $^{151}\mathrm{Eu}$.
To Accelerate the Language Stream

Author's Summary— Suggestions for overcoming the isolationism and inertia now hindering a wholesome spread of general language interest and accomplishment.)
Social Isomers in Encapsulation Complexes

We introduce here a new form of isomerism-social isomerism-that arises when two different guests are confined to a cylindrical host capsule. The isomerism deals with the orientationof one guest with respect to the other when they are in a container. Specifically, para-substituted toluenes coencapsulated with typical solvent molecules such as benzene, chloroform, and cyclohexane show two different isomeric arrangements that interconvert slowly on the NMR time scale. The dimensions of the capsule prevent the guests from squeezing past one another or tumbling freely.
Incorporating Spatial Structure in Stock Assessment: Movement Modeling in Marine Fish Population Dynamics

Investigations into population structure have been at the forefront of fisheries research for decades, yet it is generally ignored in stock assessment models. As the complex nature of marine population structure has been uncovered, models have attempted to accurately portray it through the development of spatially explicit assessments that allow for movement between sub-populations. Although current tag-integrated movement models are highly complex, many arose from the relatively simple models of Beverton and Holt (1957). This article traces the historical development of these models and compares their features. Originally estimation of movement utilized only tag-recapture models, but now tag-integrated assessment models incorporate several sources of fishery, survey, and tag-recapture information to inform movement estimates. As spatial management measures become more widely used, it is increasingly important that assessment models include the spatial complexities of population structure and patterns of ...
Mechanism of modification by palladium in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract The effects of palladium and mixtures containing palladium on the absorbance characteristics of lead, thallium, cadmium, selenium, manganese and cobalt are described. These data, together with results of scanning electron microscopy showing the distribution of palladium on the graphite surface, indicate that palladium has a physical mechanism of analyte modification. During furnace heating, the analyte dissolves in molten palladium and may combine with it chemically. However, the rate limiting step leading to atomization appears to be diffusion of the analyte from palladium. The addition of magnesium, molybdenum or powdered carbon increases the speed of diffusion by causing palladium to form smaller droplets, and hence produces sharper absorbance peaks. Palladium becomes less effective as the atomization temperature increases, because the rate of diffusion is higher. This accounts for palladium having only a small stabilizing effect on less volatile elements such as manganese and cobalt. The addition of ascorbic acid to palladium has no significant effect on its modifying properties in a dilute nitric acid matrix. Results of kinetic studies on the atomization of gold are consistent with analyte diffusion out of palladium as the rate-limiting step leading to atomization.
Formation of Silver Metal Nanoclusters in MgO by MeV Ag Implantation

Nanoclusters of Ag metal in MgO(100) single crystals was formed by implantation of 1.5 MeV silver ions at fluences of 6 {times} 10{sup 16} ion/cm{sup 2} and at 1.2 {times} 10{sup 17} ion/cm{sup 2}, and subsequent annealing at temperatures between 600 C to 1,100 C. The formation of the Ag metallic clusters was confirmed using optical absorption spectrophotometry by the absorption band at 430 nm. This is in agreement with the theoretical prediction using Mie`s theory, with calculated average nanocluster size about 3 nm. Using ion channeling the authors confirmed that the orientation of the Ag nanoclusters was in the same direction of the host crystal. Using Z-scan they found the nonlinear refractive index of Ag implanted MgO to be 4.9 {times} 10{sup {minus}8} esu.
On the use of spleen mass as a measure of avian immune system strength

The avian spleen has been frequently used in studies of avian ecology, parasitology, and evolution to infer immune system strength in birds. Traditionally, it has been assumed that a large spleen is representative of a strong immune system and conclusions based on this assumption have led to interesting interpretations of the role of disease and parasitism, for example in predator-prey interactions. This assumption of a positive relationship between spleen size and immune system strength has been made despite an incomplete understanding of the physiology of the avian spleen and little evidence of the validity of such an assumption. In this response, we demonstrate that the assumption of a predictable, positive relationship between spleen size and immunocompetence may be unjustified based on what is known of avian splenology. We also review recent research that may indicate that the inverse of the above assumption is true and we discuss general limitations of the use of the spleen as an indicator of immune system strength in birds. Finally, we make recommendations for future research topics in this field of study.
Multiple Rad5 activities mediate sister chromatid recombination to bypass DNA damage at stalled replication forks

Summary DNA damage that blocks replication is bypassed in order to complete chromosome duplication and preserve cell viability and genome stability. Rad5, a PCNA polyubiquitin ligase and DNA-dependent ATPase in yeast, is orthologous to putative tumor suppressors and controls error-free damage bypass by an unknown mechanism. To identify the mechanism in vivo, we investigated the roles of Rad5 and analyzed the DNA structures that form during damage bypass at site-specific stalled forks present at replication origins. Rad5 mediated the formation of recombination-dependent, X-shaped DNA structures containing Holliday junctions between sister chromatids. Mutants lacking these damage-induced chromatid junctions were defective in resolving stalled forks, restarting replication, and completing chromosome duplication. Rad5 polyubiquitin ligase and ATPase domains both contributed to replication fork recombination. Our results indicate that multiple activities of Rad5 function coordinately with homologous recombination factors to enable replication template switch events that join sister chromatids at stalled forks and bypass DNA damage.
Porcine Valve Durability in Children

Abstract Calcification of porcine heterograft valves may be greater in the pediatric than in the adult population. This multicenter study evaluates the long-term actuarially determined durability of porcine valves in children less than 21 years old. We evaluated 227 late survivors of porcine valve implantation with 47 aortic valves, 67 mitral valves, 14 tricuspid valves, 14 pulmonary valves, 77 pulmonary conduits, and 8 apicoaortic conduits. In this series, 20 porcine valves degenerated, most in the aortic and mitral positions. At 5 years 40% of aortic, 40% of mitral, 100% of tricuspid, 100% of pulmonary, and 89% of pulmonary conduits remained functional. In this series, calcification and dysfunction occurred significantly faster ( p
Alzheimer disease and other dementias

Dementias become more prevalent with increasing age. As the growth in the geriatric population increases, so does their incidence. Risk factor profiling, neuroimaging, and neurocognitive testing are helping provide objective evidence for determining between normal aging and cognitive deficit states. The diagnosis usually can be made, however, by a careful interview of the patient and a reliable informant and a detailed physical examination with emphasis on the neurologic and mental status examinations, followed by standard laboratory testing. Earlier therapeutic intervention can make a long-term difference in outcome. Distinguishing variants of dementias grants the clinician an opportunity of intervening based on etiology and similarities in neurotransmitter deficit states. Palliative ways of slowing progressive decline are available primarily by way of ChEIs, although no cures yet exist for the dementias. Optimizing current treatments makes sense in improving the quality of life of sufferers.
Pyroxenes from the Beaver Bay gabbro complex of Minnesota

Although the Beaver Bay ferrogabbro is a small-scale layered intrusion, Ca-rich pyroxenes show a strong iron enrichment during fractionation, ranging from augite (Mg38Fe24 Ca38) to ferrohedengergite (Mg10Fe48Ca42). Ca-poor pyroxenes from intermediate pigeonite (Mg39Fe50Ca11) to ferriferous pigeonite (Mg27Fe65Ca8) occur as intercumulus minerals. The pyroxenes from the non-layered Beaver River gabbro are included in the overall pyroxene fractionation trend of the Beaver Bay gabbro complex. The pyroxene trend of the Beaver Bay gabbro complex is similar to those of the Skaergaard and Bushveld; however, there is a slight difference in that the Ca-rich pyroxenes of Beaver Bay (having Mg content over 30%) are slightly richer in Ca than either the Skaergaard or Bushveld augites.
Spatial regulation of RhoC activity defines protrusion formation in migrating cells

Protrusion formation is the first step that precedes cell movement of motile cells. Spatial control of actin polymerization is necessary to achieve directional protrusion during cell migration. Here we show that the spatial coordinators p190RhoGEF and p190RhoGAP regulate actin polymerization during leading edge protrusions by regulating the actin barbed end distribution and amplitude. The distribution of RhoC activity and proper balance of cofilin activation achieved by p190RhoGEF and p190RhoGAP determines the direction of final protrusive activity. These findings provide a new insight into the dynamic plasticity in the amplitude and distribution of barbed ends, which can be modulated by fine-tuning RhoC activity by upstream GEFs and GAPs for directed cell motility.
Decision trees using apparent resistance to detect impending loss of synchronism

This paper shows how to use decision trees for predicting loss of synchronism on an AC intertie using apparent resistance along with its rate of change measured near the electrical center of the intertie. Operation is response based like most controlled separation schemes including the actual R-Rdot relay which was installed on the Pacific AC Intertie (PACI). Response based control by a decision tree (DT) is achieved by turning every time sample from every simulation into an input-output pair for the DT training set. Different misclassification costs are specified for false trips versus failures to trip in order to adjust their relative frequencies of occurrence. Pattern recognition approaches to discrete event control can potentially be trained and tested for this and for other applications in large-scale simulation.
Vibrio cholerae phosphatases required for the utilization of nucleotides and extracellular DNA as phosphate sources.

Summary Phosphate is essential for life, being used in many core processes such as signal transduction and synthesis of nucleic acids. The waterborne agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae, encounters phosphate limitation in both the aquatic environment and human intestinal tract. This bacterium can utilize extracellular DNA (eDNA) as a phosphate source, a phenotype dependent on secreted endo- and exonucleases. However, no transporter of nucleotides has been identified in V. cholerae, suggesting that in order for the organism to utilize the DNA as a phosphate source, it must first separate the phosphate and nucleoside groups before transporting phosphate into the cell. In this study, we investigated the factors required for assimilation of phosphate from eDNA. We identified PhoX, and the previously unknown proteins UshA and CpdB as the major phosphatases that allow phosphate acquisition from eDNA and nucleotides. We demonstrated separable but partially overlapping roles for the three phosphatases and showed that the activity of PhoX and CpdB is induced by phosphate limitation. Thus, this study provides mechanistic insight into how V. cholerae can acquire phosphate from extracellular DNA, which is likely to be an important phosphate source in the environment and during infection.
Identification of novel small molecule ligands that bind to tetanus toxin.

Tetanus toxin belongs to a family of clostridial protein neurotoxins for which there are no known antidotes. Another closely related member of this family, botulinum toxin, is being used with increasing frequency by physicians to treat severe muscle disorders. Botulinum toxin has also been produced in large quantities by terrorists for use as a biological weapon. To identify small molecule ligands that might bind to the targeting domain of tetanus and botulinum toxins and to facilitate the design of inhibitors and new reagents for their detection, molecular docking calculations were used to screen a large database of compounds for their potential to bind to the C fragment of tetanus toxin. Eleven of the predicted ligands were assayed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for binding to the tetanus toxin C fragment, and five ligands (45%) were found to bind to the protein. One of these compounds, doxorubicin, was observed to have strong hydrophobic interactions with the C fragment. To check...
The effects of periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) on cardiovascular disease

Periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) are uncontrollable nocturnal movements that occur during sleep and increase with age. Research has implicated PLMS as a contributing factor to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this manuscript is to 1) explain the sleep disorder of PLMS and implications on CVD; 2) identify the impact of PLMS on CVD; 3) discuss treatment options for PLMS; 4) present future research needs for PLMS/RLS; 5) provide implications to health care providers to improve the care and health outcomes of persons with PLMS.
Theta lingua franca: A common mid-frontal substrate for action monitoring processes

In this paper, we present evidence that a multitude of mid-frontal Event-Related Potential (ERP) components partially reflect a common theta-band oscillatory process. Specifically, mid-frontal ERP components in the “N2” time range and “ERN” time range are parsimoniously characterized as reflections of theta band activities. Forty participants completed three different tasks with varying stimulus-response demands. Permutation tests were used to identify the dominant time-frequency responses of stimulus- and response-locked conditions, as well as the enhanced EEG responses to novelty, conflict, punishment and error. A dominant theta band feature was found in all conditions, and both ERP component amplitudes and theta power measures were similarly modulated by novelty, conflict, punishment and error. The findings support the hypothesis that generic and reactive mPFC processes are parsimoniously reflected by theta band activities.
Mechanisms of Dysfunction in Senescent Pulmonary Endothelium

Age-dependent changes in pulmonary endothelium contribute to worsened clinical outcomes in elderly individuals. Due to altered pulmonary endothelial responses, older participants have increased vulnerability to infection-related sequelae, higher prevalence of pulmonary hypertension, mitigated DNA repair mechanisms, and attenuated parenchymal healing. Aberrant signaling in pulmonary endothelium undergird these clinical processes. In this review, we provide an overview of the work that has elucidated age-related molecular derangements in pulmonary endothelial cells. In particular, we summarize studies describing mishandling of intracellular reactive oxygen species, pathological nitric oxide signaling, and deficient recruitment of endothelial stem cell precursors. We conclude with a summary of potential future avenues of investigation. The signaling pathways associated with pulmonary endothelial senescence reviewed herein suggest a number of putative therapeutic drug targets. Further elucidation of the cellular processes associated with aging in the pulmonary endothelium may provide critical insights into the rational design of therapies that may subvert or even reverse the effects of aging on a molecular level.
Discrete optimal terminal control with application to missile guidance

The following aspects of discrete optimal terminal control of a linear system with a quadratic performance index are considered: 1) specification of a performance index that will give satisfactory results from an engineering standpoint at the critical terminal time; 2) closed-form algebraic solutions of the control law that are computationally feasible on-line, without necessitating prior lengthy off-line computation and storage. For a linear plant with discrete control, it is shown how a generalized performance index can be modified slightly in order to provide implicit feedback. The original plant and control problem are replaced by an "equivalent plant" (with eigenvalues that are shifted only if those of the original plant are unsuitable) and an "equivalent problem." The equivalent problem (with a slight restriction) has a performance index whose loss function weights only the control, and is solved for the optimal control in closed form with minimal difficulty from literal matrix inversion. Solution of the optimal control in the original problem is a minor additional step. If the original plant has suitable eigenvalues, as in the case of a missile system with a well-designed autopilot, then the equivalent problem reduces to the original problem because there is no need for implicit feedback via the performance index. For a general missile-guidance problem, the solution of the restricted equivalent problem with discrete control is given. The example is for a missile airframe (without a conventional autopilot) having unsuitable eigenvalues. Performance in terms of rms state variables is sharply improved by making the equivalent plant have eigenvalues that correspond to a fast integral of the squared acceleration error response.
Growth Retardation in Steroid Dependent Asthma Corrected by Corticotrophin (ACTH) Case Reports with Comments

When longterm corticosteroid therapy is found necessary in children during their growth period, their linear growth should be monitored very carefully. If evidence of growth re tardation occurs, then a change to ACTH should be considered.
Navy CAD/CAM

The assumptions underlying the following discussion are that CAD/CAM must be implemented in distributed systems, and that the data stored should embrace not only engineering data but also production planning, material and production scheduling, purchasing and material control, material handling, instructions to machine tools, production management, quality control, and management of these functions.
Repeated use of codes for error detection five times is bad

The undetected error probabilities of codes when used repeatedly to transmit sequences of messages are studied. It is shown that for any code whose rate is greater than zero but less than one, the coding scheme obtained by the repeated use of the code is bad, if used five times or more, and improper if used four times or more. Furthermore, the repeated use of any linear code, over an alphabet greater than five, more than once, is bad and improper.
Targeting specific distributions of trajectories in MDPs

We define TTD-MDPs, a novel class of Markov decision processes where the traditional goal of an agent is changed from finding an optimal trajectory through a state space to realizing a specified distribution of trajectories through the space. After motivating this formulation, we show how to convert a traditional MDP into a TTD-MDP. We derive an algorithm for finding non-deterministic policies by constructing a trajectory tree that allows us to compute locally-consistent policies. We specify the necessary conditions for solving the problem exactly and present a heuristic algorithm for constructing policies when an exact answer is impossible or impractical. We present empirical results for our algorithm in two domains: a synthetic grid world and stories in an interactive drama or game.
Fiber-based, high-power 1-micron source for optical coherence tomography

We report supercontinuum generation at 1 micron from a practical, fiber-based source for optical coherence tomography. The portable fiber device provides compact, high-power (~80 mW) broadband spectrum with 6.5-micron longitudinal resolution
Isolated central nervous system histoplasmosis in an immunocompetent patient: 53-month hiatus to diagnosis and treatment

Chronic meningitis may result from a wide range of etiologies, both infectious and noninfectious, and is often diagnostically challenging. In most series, tuberculosis remains the most common recognized cause. Of the fungal diseases resulting in chronic meningitis, Cryptococcus is the most common. When untreated, the infectious meningitides typically exhibit an inexorably progressive course with high morbidity and mortality. We report a patient with chronic meningitis due to Histoplasma capsulatum who exhibited a remarkably benign course despite being untreated for the disorder for more than 4 years.
Should you show me the money? Concrete objects both hurt and help performance on mathematics problems

How do concrete objects that cue real-world knowledge affect students’ performance on mathematics word problems? In Experiment 1, fourth- and sixth-grade students (N ¼ 229) solved word problems involving money. Students in the experimental condition were given bills and coins to help them solve the problems, and students in the control condition were not. Students in the experimental condition solved fewer problems correctly. Experiment 2 tested whether this effect was due to the perceptually rich nature of the materials. Fifth-grade students (N ¼ 79) were given: perceptually rich bills and coins, bland bills and coins, or no bills and coins. Students in the perceptually rich condition made the most errors; however, their errors were least likely to be conceptual errors. Results suggest that the use of perceptually rich concrete objects conveys both advantages and disadvantages in children’s performance in school mathematics. 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Formation of jets in Comet 19P/Borrelly by subsurface geysers

Observations of the inner coma of Comet 19P/Borrelly with the camera on the Deep Space 1 spacecraft revealed several highly collimated dust jets emanating from the nucleus. The observed jets can be produced by acceleration of evolved gas from a subsurface cavity through a narrow orifice to the surface. As long as the cavity is larger than the orifice, the pressure in the cavity will be greater than the ambient pressure in the coma and the flow from the geyser will be supersonic. The gas flow becomes collimated as the sound speed is approached and dust entrainment in the gas flow creates the observed jets. Outside the cavity, the expanding gas loses its collimated character, but the density drops rapidly decoupling the dust and gas, allowing the dust to continue in a collimated beam. The hypothesis proposed here can explain the jets seen in the inner coma of Comet 1P/Halley as well, and may be a primary mechanism for cometary activity.
Obesity does not increase external mechanical work per kilogram body mass during walking

Walking is the most common type of physical activity prescribed for the treatment of obesity. The net metabolic rate during level walking (W/kg) is � 10% greater in obese vs. normal weight adults. External mechanical work (Wext) is one of the primary determinants of the metabolic cost of walking, but the effects of obesity on Wext have not been clearly established. The purpose of this study was to compare Wext between obese and normal weight adults across a range of walking speeds. We hypothesized that Wext (J/step) would be greater in obese adults but Wext normalized to body mass would be similar in obese and normal weight adults. We collected right leg three-dimensional ground reaction forces (GRF) while twenty adults (10 obese, BMI ¼ 35.6 kg/m 2 and 10 normal weight, BMI ¼ 22.1 kg/m 2 ) walked on a level, dual-belt force measuring treadmill at six speeds (0.50–1.75 m/s). We used the individual limb method (ILM) to calculate external work done on the center of mass. Absolute Wext (J/step) was greater in obese vs. normal weight adults at each walking speed, but relative Wext (J/step/kg) was similar between the groups. Step frequencies were not different. These results suggest that Wext is not responsible for the greater metabolic cost of walking (W/kg) in moderately obese adults.
Commutation-caused eddy-current losses in permanent-magnet brushless DC motors

An analytical approach based on a two-dimensional electromagnetic field analysis in polar coordinates is developed to predict the commutation losses in a permanent magnet brushless dc (PMBD) motor. These losses are essentially the eddy-current losses induced in the PMBD motor's rotor magnets and core and are caused by the rotor sweeping of the stationary stator magnetic field before each current commutation due to inverter switching takes place. The approach is applicable to motor constructions with either magnet segments or a magnet ring and able to deal with ill-conditioned cases. The model was applied to an existing motor and good agreement (within 11%) with the finite element method was achieved.
5E-5 Generated Power Characterization of Piezoelectrics with Electromechanical Coupling Coefficient and Quality Factor

A simple equation for generated power of piezoelectric devices was developed for the case in which deflection is fixed. The generated power equation is expressed in terms of stiffness, resonant frequency, deflection and electromechanical coupling coefficient k2. The generated power equation shows that power is not a function of quality factor Q under this condition. The power output produced by three piezoelectric cantilevers with a variation in dimensions, k2, natural frequency, and stiffness was measured and compared to the model of the generated power. The model and experiment agreed very well
Disinfection of S. Mutans bacteria using a plasma needle at atmospheric pressure

Summary form only given. The "plasma needle" device produces a small-diameter low-power atmospheric-pressure glow discharge. It is intended for dental or medical applications. Radio-frequency high voltage is applied to a single needle electrode located inside a concentric gas-flow nozzle. The nozzle has a diameter of a few millimeters, and the plasma that flows out of the nozzle has a comparable diameter. The nozzle is placed a few millimeters from the surface that is to be treated, and the plasma jet is directed onto that surface. When desired, the plasma needle can be operated at a power so low that the glow is barely visible to the unaided eye. Using small diameter plasma allows site-specific disinfection of spots with a diameter of a few millimeters. In this talk, a demonstration is reported showing that the plasma needle kills Streptococcus mutans(S. mutans) bacteria under conditions that are attractive for clinical applications in dentistry. In the test, the plasma was applied to a suspension of S. mutans that was plated onto the surface of agar nutrient in a Petri dish. S. mutans is the most important microorganism for causing dental caries. Images of the sample, taken after both plasma treatment and incubation, reveal that S. mutans was killed uniformly within a circle of diameter 5 mm. This demonstrates that plasma-needle treatment can deliver a desirable site-specific disinfection. We also found other operating conditions where bacteria were killed in a ring-shaped region. While this would be undesirable for clinical treatment, it offers an opportunity to gain an understanding plasma transport processes. Optical imaging and spectroscopy diagnostics of the plasma needle glow were performed. The ring-shaped killing pattern is explained by the spatial distribution of energetic electrons, as revealed by Abel-inverted images of the glow. The presence of radicals OH and O, which are known to be bactericidal was verified using OES
Utilitarianism and Human Rights

INTRODUCTIONWe look to rights for protection. The hope of advocates of “human rights” has been that certain protections might be accorded to allof humanity. Even in a world only a minority of whose inhabitants live under liberal democratic regimes, the hope is, certain standards accepted in the liberal democracies will gain universal recognition and respect. These include liberty of persons as opposed to enslavement, freedom from cruelty, freedom from arbitrary execution, from arbitrary imprisonment, and from arbitrary deprivation of property or livelihood, freedom of religion, and freedom of inquiry and expression.Philosophers, of course, concern themselves with the theory of rights, and that is partly because of the ways questions of rights bear on fundamental normative theory. By far the most highly developed general normative theory has been utilitarianism. Now many opponents of utilitarianism argue that considerations of rights discredit utilitarianism, that utilitarianism yields conclusions about rights that we would normally regard as faulty, and that moreover, the reasons for regarding those conclusions as faulty turn out, upon examination, to be stronger than the reasons forregarding utilitarianism as valid. A valid theory cannot have faulty conclusions, and so thinkingabout rights shows utilitarianism not to be a valid normative theory.Jeremy Bentham, the founder of the utilitarian movement in nineteenth century England, accepted the incompatibility of utilitarianism and “the rights of man, ” and rejected talkof the latter as “anarchical fallacies”. His great successor John Stuart Mill, however, argued that a perceptive and far–sighted utilitarianism supports strong rights both of democratic participation and of individual freedom of action.
Rearrangement of a metal (η2-alkyne) complex to a metal vinylidene and subsequent reaction of the metal vinylidene to regenerate the alkyne

The η2-alkyne complex (C5H5)(PMe3)2Ru(HCCMe)+PF6–, which was isolated from a reaction of HCCMe with (C5H5)(PMe3)2RuCl, undergoes first-order rearrangement to give (C5H5)(PMe3)2RuCC(H)Me + PF6–; at higher tempreatures in MeCN, this vinylidene complex cleanly regenerates HCCMe and forms (C5H5)(PMe3)2Ru(MeCN)+PF6–.
Development of the yield enhancement system of a high-volume 8-inch wafer fab

This presentation describes the development of a state-of-the-art, proactive yield enhancement system during the startup of Motorola's latest high-volume 8-inch MOS 12 fab. The system has demonstrated rapid defect and failure analysis capability, resulting in fast problem identification and providing yield enhancement engineers with information for continuous yield improvement.
Optimization of system reliability in the presence of common cause failures

Abstract The redundancy allocation problem is formulated with the objective of maximizing system reliability in the presence of common cause failures. These types of failures can be described as events that lead to simultaneous failure of multiple components due to a common cause. When common cause failures are considered, component failure times are not independent. This new problem formulation offers several distinct benefits compared to traditional formulations of the redundancy allocation problem. For some systems, recognition of common cause failure events is critical so that the overall system reliability estimation and associated design resembles the true system reliability behavior realistically. Since common cause failure events may vary from one system to another, three different interpretations of the reliability estimation problem are presented. This is the first time that mixing of components together with the inclusion of common cause failure events has been addressed in the redundancy allocation problem. Three non-linear optimization models are presented. Solutions to three different problem types are obtained. They support the position that consideration of common cause failures will lead to different and preferred “optimal” design strategies.
Development of hybrid genetic algorithms for product line designs

In this paper, we investigate the efficacy of artificial intelligence (AI) based meta-heuristic techniques namely genetic algorithms (GAs), for the product line design problem. This work extends previously developed methods for the single product design problem. We conduct a large scale simulation study to determine the effectiveness of such an AI based technique for providing good solutions and bench mark the performance of this against the current dominant approach of beam search (BS). We investigate the potential advantages of pursuing the avenue of developing hybrid models and then implement and study such hybrid models using two very distinct approaches: namely, seeding the initial GA population with the BS solution, and employing the BS solution as part of the GA operator's process. We go on to examine the impact of two alternate string representation formats on the quality of the solutions obtained by the above proposed techniques. We also explicitly investigate a critical managerial factor of attribute importance in terms of its impact on the solutions obtained by the alternate modeling procedures. The alternate techniques are then evaluated, using statistical analysis of variance, on a fairly large number of data sets, as to the quality of the solutions obtained with respect to the state-of-the-art benchmark and in terms of their ability to provide multiple, unique product line options.
Women, Quotas, and Politics. Edited by Drude Dahlerup

Over the past 15 years, gender quota debates have emerged in national politics all over the world. More than 40 countries have reformed their constitutions or passed new electoral laws requiring that women comprise certain percentages of aspirants, candidates, or legislative seats, while in many other countries, political parties have adopted quotas on their own. This phenomenon raises both normative and empirical questions, ranging from whether gender quotas are appropriate to why countries adopt them and how effective they have been. Drude Dahlerup's edited book addresses these concerns with the first worldwide compilation of gender quota studies. The editor brings together a diverse group of authors who examine quotas in seven regions of the world, and she brackets their contributions with theoretical chapters on quota adoption and implementation. The result is the most comprehensive resource on gender quotas to date.
A Rapidly Enlarging Maxillary Lesion

A teenage girl was seen at the emergency department after severalmonths of sinus pressure and facial swelling and several weeks of external deviationofhernasal septum.Onexamination, a left nasalmasswasnoted.Computed tomographic (CT) scanswithoutand with contrast showed a heterogeneous mass with solid and cystic components completely opacifying the leftmaxillary sinus (Figure, AandB, respectively). Themasseroded theorbital floor,medial and posterior maxillary walls, and anterior ethmoid air cells. There was no extension beyond the cribriformplate.Mild left-sided proptosis was noted, with displacement of the inferior rectus but no muscle invasion. The left maxillary alveolar ridge and several molar roots were involved.Bony changeswere consistentwith remodeling and thinning.Magnetic resonance imagingwasunavailablebecause the patienthadbraces.Biopsyandtissueanalysisdemonstratedaspindle cell process in a patternless arrangement with clinically significant multinucleated giant cells (Figure, C). The tissue specimen showed rare mitotic activity and lacked cytologic atypia. The mass was removed using amicrodebrider and Tru-cut forceps. Curved olive-tip suction was placed between themaxillary sinus walls, nasal cavity, andanterior aspect of themass. The tumorwas collapsed in and removed in 5 portions; the largestmeasured 7.0 × 4.0 × 2.0 cm. The most firm, fibrotic portion of the tumor, centered on the posterior maxillary wall, was removed en bloc through identification of a fibrous dissection plane between the tumor and periosteum overlying the pterygopalatine space. At the 5-month follow-up the patient was stable and asymptomatic and showed no evidence of recurrence following excision and left maxillectomy. What is your diagnosis? A
International Nonprofit Collaboration: Examining the Role of Homophily

The importance and popularity of interorganizational collaboration among nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have grown considerably in recent years. Despite these growths, however, not much is kn...
The selection for mismatch repair defects in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer: revising the mutator hypothesis.

The “mutator hypothesis” asserts that gene alterations that increase the rate of spontaneous mutation (mutators) underlie tumorigenesis [(1][1] [, 2)][2] . However, the lack of a clear initial selection for the mutation of a mutator gene has been a contentious issue in cancer biology [(3)][3] .
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Cough, and Asthma

A 54-year-old female with history of asthma presents with ongoing asthma not responsive to therapy. She complains of persistent coughing and wheezing that occurs on a weekly basis. Over the last year, she has suffered from one attack that required hospitalization. When asked further about her symptoms, she states that she can feel her attacks coming and that they often start with coughing spells and a slight uneasiness in her chest. From previous visits, her therapy has been maximized to a long-acting β-agonist and inhaled corticosteroid combination.
Oral Immunization with Recombinant Vaccinia Virus Prime and Intramuscular Protein Boost Provides Protection against Intrarectal Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Challenge in Macaques

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) acquisition occurs predominantly through mucosal transmission. We hypothesized that greater mucosal immune responses and protective efficacy against mucosal HIV-1 infection may be achieved by prime-boost immunization at mucosal sites. We used a macaque model to determine the safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy of orally delivered, replication-competent but attenuated recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing full-length HIV-1 SF162 envelope (Env) or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag-Pol proteins. We examined the dose and route that are suitable for oral immunization with recombinant vaccinia viruses. We showed that sublingual inoculation of two vaccinia virus-naive pigtailed macaques with 5 × 10(8) PFU of recombinant vaccinia viruses was safe. However, sublingual inoculation with a higher dose or tonsillar inoculation resulted in secondary oral lesions, indicating the need to optimize the dose and route for oral immunization with replication-competent vaccinia virus vectors. Oral priming alone elicited antibody responses to vaccinia virus and to the SF162 Env protein. Intramuscular immunization with the SF162 gp120 protein at either 20 or 21 weeks postpriming resulted in a significant boost in antibody responses in both systemic and mucosal compartments. Furthermore, we showed that immune responses induced by recombinant vaccinia virus priming and intramuscular protein boosting provided protection against intrarectal challenge with the simian-human immunodeficiency virus SHIV-SF162-P4.
Sex Pheromones of Lepidoptera. XXXIII. Evaluation of the Disruptive Effect of Tetradecyl Acetate on Sex Pheromone Communication in Pectinophora gossypiella

Tetradecyl acetate reduces the catch of males of the pink bollworm, Pectinphora gossypiella (Saunders), when placed in traps baited with hexalure ( cis -7-hexadecenyl acetate), but it does not reduce their response to traps containing females which release the true sex pheromone of the species. Therefore, tetradecyl acetate cannot be used for disruption of P. gossypiella pheromone communication by the environmental permeation technique.
An investigation on condom use and characteristics of sexual behaviors among MSM in Pudong New Area of Shanghai

[Objective]To investigate the awareness rate and understanding ways of knowledge related to HIV /AIDS,characteristics of sexual behaviors,conditions about condom use and the attitude toward AIDS among men who have sex with men(MSM),provide the basis for carrying out HIV detection among this population and developing the intervention strategies.[Methods]HIV detection and face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted in MSM from VCT(HIV Voluntary Counseling Testing) clinic and non-governmental organizations of homosexuality.[Results]202 subjects were investigated,36 of them were diagnosed with HIV,and the HIV infection rate was 17.8%.The main ways that MSM got sex partners included internet,friends,bathroom,bar and park.90.6%,68.3% and 49% of subjects had anal sex,oral sex and masturbation respectively.The subjects ever had sex with women accounted for 44.6 %.45% considered that they can play the role of husband or wife.51.1% subjects often use condom,and 89.1% of them have used a condom during their most recent sexual activity.The awareness rate of HIV transmission routes,proper use of condom and prevention role of having only one sex partner was 95.2%,94.6% and 95.5%,respectively.Their knowledge about HIV / AIDS prevention mainly comes from school and company education,free publicity materials,books and internet.[Conclusion]MSM in Pudong New Area have good awareness rate of AIDS and high use rate of condom,while they know the dangerousness of AIDS in certain degree and have strong self-protection consciousness.MSM show the positive attitudes towards HIV infection,either for themselves or their sexual partners,and there are no abandon and discrimination.It indicates HIV / AIDS intervention among MSM has obtained the significant effect.
Doing a Dam in Laos: Challenges in Handling Impact Assessment and Mitigation Planning

In Laos, social and environmental impacts that the building of the Nam Theun (NT2) Hydroelectric dam caused was massive and required the resettlement of 6,200 people. Since this was a World Bank-supported project, impact assessment and mitigation planning had to be of a higher standard. But to do this was no easy task. The gathering of the required information and preparing a detailed mitigation plan in consultation with all affected people turned out to be a huge challenge. The government, the power company and the others concerned found the World Bank requirements too stringent and hard to meet. On the other hand, the civil society groups wanted analyses to be even more comprehensive to be able to identify all impacts. Many useful lessons in doing a comprehensive SIA and rebuilding the lives of the affected people were learnt. The Bank also learnt that it should spell out its impact and mitigation planning requirements right at the commencement of a project to avoid problems later.