cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analyzing the Effectiveness of the Availability Management Process

Availability management is a major factor in successful supply chain management since it influences key supply chain performance metrics such as customer service level and inventory. The availability management process involves generating availability outlook, scheduling customer orders against the availability outlook, and fulfilling the orders. The process is also associated with many uncertainties such as customer demand, customer preference of product configuration, and changes in supply constraints and various supply chain policies, which also affect the supply chain performance. As e-commerce is becoming a major part of business transactions it is much easier for customers to compare availability and services from many different sellers. Therefore, it is important for sellers to process customer orders in real-time, promise ship dates, fulfill the orders as promised, and to have availability of resources to be able to promise customers desirable ship dates. In today’s competitive and dynamic business environment, companies need to continually evaluate the effectiveness of the availability management process and supporting IT system and look for ways to transform the process to achieve better customer service and profitability. To do that, there is a need for an easy-to-use modeling tool that can accurately assess the effectiveness of the existing availability management process, evaluate the impact of potential changes in the process and identify opportunities for improvement. In this chapter, we describe an availability management simulation tool that was developed at IBM to support the continuous effort to improve the availability management process. The simulation model has become a critical tool in making strategic business decisions that impact customer service and profitability at IBM.
A Community Resource Map to Support Clinical-Community Linkages in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Childhood Obesity, Eastern Massachusetts, 2014-2016.

Background Novel approaches to health care delivery that leverage community resources could improve outcomes for children at high risk for obesity. Community context We describe the process by which we created an online interactive community resources map for use in the Connect for Health randomized controlled trial. The trial was conducted in the 6 pediatric practices that cared for the highest percentage of children with overweight or obesity within a large multi-specialty group practice in eastern Massachusetts. Methods By using semistructured interviews with parents and community partners and geographic information systems (GIS), we created and validated a community resource map for use in a randomized controlled trial for childhood obesity. We conducted semistructured interviews with 11 parents and received stakeholder feedback from 5 community partners, 2 pediatricians, and 3 obesity-built environment experts to identify community resources that could support behavior change. We used GIS databases to identify the location of resources. After the resources were validated, we created an online, interactive searchable map. We evaluated parent resource empowerment at baseline and follow-up, examined if the participant families went to new locations for physical activity and food shopping, and evaluated how satisfied the families were with the information they received. Outcome Parents, community partners, and experts identified several resources to be included in the map, including farmers markets, supermarkets, parks, and fitness centers. Parents expressed the need for affordable activities. Parent resource empowerment increased by 0.25 units (95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.30) over the 1-year intervention period; 76.2% of participants were physically active at new places, 57.1% of participant families shopped at new locations; and 71.8% reported they were very satisfied with the information they received. Interpretation Parents and community partners identified several community resources that could help support behavior change. Parent resource empowerment and use of community resources increased over the intervention period, suggesting that community resource mapping should inform future interventions.
Future of human Chlamydia vaccine: potential of self-adjuvanting biodegradable nanoparticles as safe vaccine delivery vehicles

ABSTRACTIntroduction: There is a persisting global burden and considerable public health challenge by the plethora of ocular, genital and respiratory diseases caused by members of the Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Chlamydia. The major diseases are conjunctivitis and blinding trachoma, non-gonococcal urethritis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, tubal factor infertility, and interstitial pneumonia. The failures in screening and other prevention programs led to the current medical opinion that an efficacious prophylactic vaccine is the best approach to protect humans from chlamydial infections. Unfortunately, there is no human Chlamydia vaccine despite successful veterinary vaccines. A major challenge has been the effective delivery of vaccine antigens to induce safe and effective immune effectors to confer long-term protective immunity. The dawn of the era of biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles and the adjuvanted derivatives may accelerate the realization of the dream of h...
Applications for Micro Chemical and Thermal Systems

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is developing a variety of applications using Micro Chemical and Thermal Systems (MICRO-CATS). The products represent a decade of research and development by PNNL in miniature systems. Miniature devices include fuel vaporizers, fuel processors, fuel cells, heat pumps, heaters, power generators, heat exchangers, and chemical processing units. The sponsors for their development include the Office of Transportation (OTT) in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Defense (Army), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration (DARPA) and others. OTT wants to have fuel cells in automobiles. DARPA needs miniature heating, cooling and power generation units for soldiers in the field. NASA wants miniature chemical plants to produce oxygen, fuel, and other things from the resources available in outer space. For these microtechnology users, the status of current development and the promise for future applications of miniature systems are shown.
Metallography and Welding Process Control

Although welding metallurgy is concerned with the application of well-known metallurgical principles, the conditions existing during welding will be highly different from those prevailing during refining, casting, and forming of metals because of the strong nonisothermal nature of the arc-welding process. As a result, the understanding of the various chemical and physical reactions in arc welding is far less developed than it is for steelmaking, and, hence, predictions of weld microstructures and the resulting mechanical properties based on the consumables/parent plate and operational conditions can be subject at this point to no more than an incomplete theoretical treatment.
Astroglia as a modulation interface between meninges and neurons

The current view is that glial cells play important roles in brain functions. Previous authors have shown that glial cells (primarily astrocytes) are connected by gap junctions and functionally cooperate to form a network and coordinate interactions with neurons (see Chapter 13). On the basis of newly revealed anatomical data (Mercier and Hatton, 2000; 2001, Mercier et al., 2002; 2003) and re-analysis of the literature, it is here proposed that the glial network is an anatomical and functional interface between the neuronal compartment and meninges. Meninges are widely thought to be merely protective membranes that do not serve any important physiologically relevant function during adulthood. However, meninges produce numerous cytokines and growth factors (GF) throughout adulthood. Numerous of these signaling molecules bind to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) and/or interact with other extracellular matrix proteins contained in the basal lamina (BL) that is systematically interposed between meningeal cells and astrocytes of the glia limitans (GL). Therefore, meningeal-produced cytokines and GF can directly influence glial cell functions. Similar mechanisms have been demonstrated during development between the connective tissues and parenchymal tissues or epithelia (mesodermo-neuroectodermal or mesodermo-epithelial induction). Astrocytes produce cytokines and GF, likely in response to the information they receive from meningeal and vascular cells. This may form the basis of signaling cascades from the meninges to neurons via astrocytes.
Laser Ultrasonic and Photoacoustic Characterization of Subsurface Structures

There is a strong interest in applying laser ultrasonic and photoacoustic techniques to the NDE of some high performance structures, for example, the actively cooled panels of the National Aero-Space Plane. Both laser ultrasonic and photoacoustic techniques have been developed for years. Much significant work has been done on either the generation of waves, the mechanisms [1–3] or various techniques for the detection of these waves [4–6]. A few applications being pursued or conducted since the early stage of the development for these techniques [5–7]. However, there is little work concentrating on the interaction of these waves with structures and materials [8]. For successfully applying the laser ultrasonic and photoacoustic techniques to the NDE of a practical system, it is important to understand the interaction of laser generated ultrasounds and thermal waves with, for example, the subsurface structures or defects in the materials and their relationship to images obtained from the techniques.
Rifamycin congeners kanglemycins are active against rifampicin-resistant bacteria via a distinct mechanism.

Rifamycin antibiotics (Rifs) target bacterial RNA polymerases (RNAPs) and are widely used to treat infections including tuberculosis. The utility of these compounds is threatened by the increasing incidence of resistance (RifR). As resistance mechanisms found in clinical settings may also occur in natural environments, here we postulated that bacteria could have evolved to produce rifamycin congeners active against clinically relevant resistance phenotypes. We survey soil metagenomes and identify a tailoring enzyme-rich family of gene clusters encoding biosynthesis of rifamycin congeners (kanglemycins, Kangs) with potent in vivo and in vitro activity against the most common clinically relevant RifR mutations. Our structural and mechanistic analyses reveal the basis for Kang inhibition of RifR RNAP. Unlike Rifs, Kangs function through a mechanism that includes interfering with 5′-initiating substrate binding. Our results suggest that examining soil microbiomes for new analogues of clinically used antibiotics may uncover metabolites capable of circumventing clinically important resistance mechanisms.
Cholecystectomy following percutaneous cholecystostomy tube placement leads to higher rate of CBD injuries.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy tube (PCT) placement is often the management of severe acute cholecystitis in the unstable patient. PCT can be later reversed and cholecystectomy performed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of subsequent cholecystectomy and clinical factors associated with subsequent procedure. The SPARCS, an administrative database, was used to search all patients undergoing PCT placement between 2000 and 2012 in the state of New York. Using a unique identifier, all patients were followed for subsequent cholecystectomy procedures for at least 2 years. Patients were also followed up to 2014 for potential CBD injury during subsequent laparoscopic (LC) or open cholecystectomy (OC). Univariate and multivariable regression analysis were performed when appropriate. There were 9738 patients identified who underwent PCT placements. The incidence of patients who had a PCT in 2000–2012, which subsequently underwent cholecystectomy increased from 25.0% in 2000 to 31.7% in 2012. In addition, patients undergoing subsequent LC increased from 11.8% in 2000 to 22.2% in 2012, while the incidence of OC decreased from 13.2% in 2000 to 9.5% in 2012. After accounting for other confounding factors, younger male patients, race as white compared to black, who didn’t have any complications during PCT placement were more likely to undergo subsequent cholecystectomy (p < 0.05). Average time to LC was 122.0 days versus 159.6 days for OC (p < 0.0001). From the patients who underwent cholecystectomy following PCT, 47 patients experienced CBD injury (1.6%). Incidence of cholecystectomy following PCT increased during the study period. Surgeons seem to be more comfortable performing LC as rate of LC increased from 11.8 to 22.2%. However, rate of CBD injury is higher during subsequent cholecystectomy compared to that of the general population. Caution should be used when performing subsequent cholecystectomy following PCT, as these procedures may be more technically challenging.
Ischemic Core and Hypoperfusion Volumes Correlate With Infarct Size 24 Hours After Randomization in DEFUSE 3.

Background and Purpose- Accurate prediction of the subsequent infarct volume early after stroke onset helps determine appropriate interventions and prognosis. In the DEFUSE 3 trial (Endovascular Therapy Following Imaging Evaluation for Ischemic Stroke), we evaluated the accuracy of baseline ischemic core and hypoperfusion volumes for predicting infarct volume 24 hours after randomization to endovascular thrombectomy versus medical management. We also assessed if the union of baseline ischemic core and the volume of persistent hypoperfusion at 24 hours after randomization predicts infarct volume. Methods- Patients in DEFUSE 3 with computed tomography perfusion imaging or magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging/perfusion imaging acquired at baseline and at 24 hours after randomization were included. Ischemic core and Tmax >6s hypoperfusion volumes at baseline and follow-up were calculated using RAPID software and compared with the infarct volumes obtained 24 hours after randomization. Patients were stratified by reperfusion status for analyses. Results- Of 125 eligible patients, 59 patients with >90% reperfusion had a strong correlation between baseline ischemic core volume and infarct volume 24 hours postrandomization ( r=0.83; P 6s volume and infarct volume 24 hours postrandomization ( r=0.77; P 6s perfusion volume was highly correlated with infarct volume 24 hours postrandomization (for N=125; r=0.83; P<0.0001), with a median absolute difference of 21.3 mL between observed and predicted infarct volumes. Conclusions- The union of the irreversibly injured ischemic core and persistently hypoperfused tissue volumes, as identified by computed tomography perfusion or magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging/perfusion, predicted infarct volume at 24 hours after randomization in DEFUSE 3 patients. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02586415.
How Non-heterosexual Student Groups Utilized Liberation to Achieve Campus Assimilation

By the mid-1990s, Midwestern campus non-heterosexual student organizations had achieved remarkable inclusion into collegiate culture, including athletics, student housing, and student government. They were recognized as a minority population, and they strived for increasingly assimilationist goals: marriage, military service, and recognition of being “just like everyone else.” Such goals and identities are at odds with those of the students who formed the early campus organizations, who stressed liberty from, if not outright deconstruction of, such goals. To make sense of these changes, I present a framework for understanding the history of non-heterosexual college student organizing in the Midwest. I then posit two sets of themes, examining the organizations’ efforts at building minority identities and the effects of the organizations’ actions and services on campus. I use that analysis to respond to current questions of whether Gay Liberation “worked.”
Integrating motivation into current conceptualizations of personality

Abstract There are two broad approaches to understanding personality that have generally proceeded in isolation from each other. One approach focuses on the structure of personality, whereas the other approach focuses on personality processes. There have been numerous calls for integrating these two approaches but these attempts have had limited success. We believe that integrating motivational processes and motivation-related constructs into current conceptualizations of personality may help to bridge the divisions between structural and process-oriented approaches to understanding personality. The purpose of the present article is to review the connections between motivation and personality that have been examined previously and suggest additional directions for improving the integration of motivation into theory and research concerning personality.
Duration of extremity tourniquet application profoundly impacts soft-tissue antibiotic exposure in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract Introduction Extremity tourniquet (TNK) application is an effective means of achieving compressible hemorrhage control in the emergency prehospital and clinical trauma setting. Modern United States military medical doctrine recommends TNK use to prevent lethal hemorrhage from extremity injury, followed by systemic prophylactic antibiotics to prevent wound infection. Because tissue pharmacokinetics of prophylactic antimicrobials during and after TNK-induced limb ischemia are largely unknown, this study was conducted to empirically determine the relationship between TNK application time and soft tissue antibiotic exposure in order to guide medical personnel in the management of extremity trauma. Materials and Methods Hind limbs of anesthetized male Sprague Dawley rats were exsanguinated, and ischemia maintained by a pneumatic cuff placed at the level of the mid femur on one limb; the non-ischemic contralateral limb served as comparison tissue. Systemic prophylactic antibiotics (cefazolin, moxifloxacin, or ertapenem) were administered intravenously before or after TNK release following 2 or 4 h of ischemia with subsequent re-dosing every 12 h for 3 days. Free antibiotic in the interstitial fluid (ISF) of the tibialis anterior muscle of both hind limbs was recovered via microdialysis during ischemia and over three periods during reperfusion: immediately following TNK release, at 24 h post TNK release, and at 72 h post TNK release. Plasma and ISF free drug concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results Tourniquet application prevented delivery of prophylactic antibiotics into distal soft tissue for the duration of ischemia, and caused a profound reduction in skeletal muscle drug exposure for up to 72 h following TNK release. A progressive decline in tissue antibiotic exposure during reperfusion was observed as TNK times increased from 2 h to 4 h. The timing and severity of reduced drug distribution in post-ischemic skeletal muscle varied substantially among the three antibiotic classes evaluated. Conclusions Prolonged tourniquet application can significantly reduce distribution of prophylactic antibiotics into soft tissue during and after ischemia, potentially impairing prophylaxis of extremity wound infection. Our findings support the examination of alternative approaches to wound infection prophylaxis under conditions of delayed casualty evacuation when occlusive hemorrhage control measures are utilized.
Dermatomyositis recalcitrant to treatment associated with occult malignancy

The incidence of malignancy in patients with dermatomyositis is about 5 to 7 times greater than that of the general population.1 The most common malignancies associated with dermatomyositis include adenocarcinomas of the lung, ovaries, cervix, pancreas, and stomach.1, 2, 3, 4 Several factors have been reported as possible predictors of paraneoplastic disease, which include older age at diagnosis, male sex, autoantibodies to transcription intermediary factor 1-γ, nuclear matrix protein-2, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, cutaneous necrosis, and antinuclear antibody negativity.3, 4, 5, 6, 7 In our practice, we noticed that dermatomyositis recalcitrant to therapy may be an additional predictor of underlying malignancy. We classified recalcitrant dermatomyositis as having both cutaneous and muscle disease resistant to appropriate treatment, with the exception of resistant skin disease only in an amyopathic case. Here we report 3 cases.
Atomic and nanoscale spin dynamics

Abstract The relationship between quantum mechanics and nanoscale spin dynamics is investigated by analyzing past work in magnetism and beyond. Findings about magnetization dynamics, accumulated throughout the 20th century, are revisited from a unifying modern perspective and related to trends in other areas of physics and technology. Traditional topics, for example spin precession and thermally activated magnetization processes, are discussed with emphasis on characteristic times and length scales, showing that nanoscale magnetization dynamics is very different from atomic spin dynamics. It is shown how these topics are connected to more recent developments such as the Berry phase, the no-cloning theorem, quantum-spin fluctuations, and THz magnetization dynamics in antiferromagnets.
Educating refugee and Hurricane displaced youth in troubled times: countering the politics of fear through culturally responsive and trauma-informed schooling

There is a growing body of interdisciplinary scholarship on the traumas inherent in forced migration and the corresponding educational and mental health needs of displaced youth. Yet, there is limi...
Specific Heat of He 3 below 1°K

An adiabatic calorimeter of volume 0.5 cm/sup 3/ was used which was cooled below 0 deg K by a paramagnetic salt, the thermal connections being made through a superconducting Pb thermal valve which could be opened and closed magnetically. A 100 ohm manganin heater was used and temperatures were determined by susceptibility measurements of a cesium--magnesium specimen thermally attached to the calorimeter. Results of the measurements of pure He/ sup 3/ under a pressure of 12 to 15 cm of Hg are shown graphically. The smooth curve falls close to previous results down to 0.25 deg K. Below this temperature it continues to diminish smoothly with decreasing temperatures down to 0.085 deg K. The curve appears to allow a linear extrapolation dovm to 0 deg K to be made with a slope of 3.75 cal/mol-deg/sup 2/. (A.C.)
Incorporating physical activity in mental health intervention service delivery: School psychologists’ perspectives

Literature continues to suggest that physical activity is a viable modality in promoting positive mental health outcomes among youth. School psychologists may be well-positioned to incorporate phys...
CT-less Direct Correction of Attenuation and Scatter in the Image Space Using Deep Learning for Whole-Body FDG PET: Potential Benefits and Pitfalls.

CT-less direct correction of attenuation and scatter in the image space is feasible with use of deep learning for whole-body PET, and the potential benefits and pitfalls of this approach in relatio...
Is HPV vaccine awareness associated with HPV knowledge level? Findings from HINTS data across racial/ethnic groups in the US.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is recognized as a leading cause of multiple types of cancer. The current study examined HPV knowledge level and its associated factors, especially its relationship with ...
Value-directed memory effects on item and context memory

The ability to prioritize learning some information over others when that information is considered important or valuable is known as value-directed remembering. In these experiments, we investigate how value influences different aspects of memory, including item memory (memory for the to-be-learned materials) and context memory (memory for peripheral details that occurred when studying items) to get a better understanding of how people prioritize learning information. In this investigation, participants encoded words associated with a range of values (binned into higher, medium, and lower value in Experiment 1, and into higher and lower value in Experiment 2) for a subsequent memory test that measured item memory (Is this item old or new?) as well as both objective context memory (memory for an objectively verifiable contextual detail: In which voice was this item spoken?) and subjective context memory (How many visual, auditory, and extraneous thoughts/feelings can you remember associated with this item?). Results indicated that value influenced item memory but had no effect on objective context memory in both Experiments. In Experiment 2, results showed better subjective context memory for multiple episodic details for higher-value relative to lower-value materials. Overall, these findings suggest that value has a strong influence over some aspects of memory, but not others. This work gives a richer understanding of how people prioritize learning more important over less important information.
Prehospital ABC Score Accurately Forecasts Patients Who Will Require Immediate Resource Utilization.

OBJECTIVES Scoring systems, such as the Assessment of Blood Consumption (ABC) Score, are used to identify patients at risk for massive transfusion (MT, ≥10 U red blood cells in 24 hours). Our aeromedical transport helicopter uses ultrasound to perform the Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) examination. Our objective was to evaluate the ability of the Prehospital ABC (PhABC) Score to predict blood transfusions and the need for emergent laparotomy. METHODS Post hoc analysis of a prospective observational study of trauma patients who underwent an in-flight FAST during aeromedical transport during a 7-month period. PhABC Score was positive if ≥2 of the following were present in flight: penetrating trauma, heart rate >120 bpm, systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg, or a positive abdominal FAST. The PhABC Score was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves and logistic regression. RESULTS A total of 291 trauma patients met inclusion criteria, 23 underwent emergent laparotomy, and 12 received an MT. A positive PhABC Score predicted emergent laparotomy, with a positive predictive value of 48% and a negative predictive value of 95% (sensitivity 46%, specificity 96%, AUROC curve 0.83). A positive PhABC Score also predicted receipt of an MT with a positive predictive value of 28% and a negative predictive value of 94% (sensitivity 33%, specificity 93%, AUROC curve 0.77). Multiple logistic regression identified FAST as the most powerful contributor of the PhABC Score to the prediction of both emergent laparotomy (odds ratio 8.5, P < 0.001) and MT (odds ratio 5.9, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The PhABC Score effectively predicts in-hospital resource utilization. It provides an outstanding undertriage rate from the prehospital setting, and it is helpful to improve trauma team activation, mobilize blood products, and prepare the operating room.
A novel essential splice site variant in SPTB in a large hereditary spherocytosis family

Background We studied a large family with 22 individuals affected with autosomal dominant hereditary spherocytosis (HS). Methods Genome-wide linkage, whole-genome sequencing (WGS), Sanger sequencing, RT-PCR, and ToPO TA cloning analyses were performed. Results We revealed a heterozygous G>A transition in the 14q23 locus, at position +1 of the intron 8 donor splice site of the spectrin beta, erythrocytic (SPTB) gene. This splice variant (SPTB c.1064+1G>A) was confirmed by Sanger sequencing and showed complete co-segregation with HS in the family. Further RT-PCR reactions and sequencing analysis indicated that the variant leads to the exclusion of exon 8 and subsequent frameshift in exon 9 and a premature stop codon in SPTB. Translation of the altered allele would lead to a truncation with a loss of all spectrin repeat domains in SPTB protein. Conclusion This variant is novel and has not been found in any databases. We propose that this splice variant explains the spherocytosis phenotype observed in this large family.
Is the Expansion of Women’s Access to Political Leadership Rewarded? Evidence from the Allocation of US Foreign Aid

Do donor states reward recipient states for signaling a commitment to expanding the role of women in political decision making? Previous studies show that women are associated with positive outcome...
Accessory nutrient foramen in the mandibular ramus

While numerous anatomical variations in the osteology of the mandible have been reported, the current case describes a unique nutrient foramen in terms of its location and function. During an anatomical dissection of the infratemporal fossa, an accessory nutrient foramen was found in the mandibular ramus of a 93-year-old male dentulous cadaver. An anomalous vein draining the masseter muscle traversed the foramen. This venous structure was traced into a nutrient canal located anterior to the mandibular canal. To our knowledge, the location and function of the accessory nutrient foramen and anomalous vein have never been previously reported. These unique characteristics make this accessory nutrient foramen clinically relevant. Knowledge of accessory foramen in the mandibular ramus and similar anatomical variations may reduce the risk of injury to traversing structures during numerous surgical procedures.
Novel Use of Species Distribution Modeling to Identify High Priority Sites for American Woodcock Habitat Management

Most species distribution models (SDMs) predict the probability of presence (POP) of a species at any location based on an analysis of known occurrences and environmental variables; however, such SDMs cannot predict how much the POP of a species that requires young forest would change if a new patch of young forest is created at a certain location. We developed a new SDM tool to identify and prioritize sites where forest management efforts to create young forest vegetation would likely have the most positive effect for Scolopax minor (American Woodcock), an important umbrella species for other birds that require similar habitat. The primary output of the tool was a 50-m raster of the predicted POP in any upland forest location in the state after young forest is created. We conducted a preliminary assessment of the predictions of the tool, and concluded that our new tool can allow land managers to identify optimal locations on their properties to create young forest for woodcock, and help conservation agencies identify private landowners with suitable properties for improving woodcock habitat.
Nature-based Solutions are Job and Livelihood Solutions

UNDP has been implementing NbS to support climate adaptation and mitigation and biodiversity conservation throughout LAC. These projects provide a strong evidence base of the job and livelihood benefits of investments in NbS, including direct job creation, new livelihood opportunities, and increased incomes from PES, certification, biodiversity-friendly products, and increased productivity.
Characterization of Nanoporous Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Sensors Under Tensile Loading

University of Minnesota M.S.M.E. thesis. May 2021. Major: Mechanical Engineering. Advisor: Ping Zhao. 1 computer file (PDF); vii, 25 pages.
STANDARDS OF PROOF REVISITED

This Essay focuses not on how fact-finders process evidence but on how they apply the specified standard of proof to their finding. The oddity that prompts speculation is that, in noncriminal cases, the common law asks only that the fact appear more likely than not, while the Civil Law seems to apply the same high standard in these cases as it does in criminal cases. As a psychological explanation of the cognitive processes involved, some theorists posit that the bulk of fact-finding is an unconscious process, powerful but dangerous, which generates a level of confidence against which the fact-finder could apply the standard of proof. But this foggy confidence-based theory fails because standards of proof should, and factfinders arguably do, concern themselves with probability rather than confidence. Psychology also cannot explain the divide between the common law and the Civil Law because the real explanation likely lies in the different goals that the two procedural systems pursue through their standards of proof.
Measurement of the muon mass by critical mesic X-ray absorption

The advantages of proportional counters for a study of the critical absorption of the 88-kev 3D yields 2P transition of mesic phosphorus are given. Their use in measuring the absorption coefficients is described. Mesic x-ray spectra from a red phosphorus target were recorded with and without lead absorbers. A list of the experimental transmitted intensities for given absorber thickness and lead absorption curves corresponding to the assumed muon masses is given. (M.C.G.)
The Incorporation of β-Hydroxy Fatty Acids into a Phospholipid of Escherichia coli B

Abstract Using long chain 14C-β-hydroxyacyl derivatives of acyl carrier protein, the enzymatic incorporation of β-hydroxydecanoate, β-hydroxylaurate, and β-hydroxymyristate into a phospholipid has been demonstrated in Escherichia coli B. The enzymatic product was characterized as O-(1-β-hydroxyacyl-2-acyl-ns-glycero-3-phosphoryl)ethanolamine. Although initially particulate-bound, the acyl acyl carrier protein-phospholipid transferase activity was solubilized by sonic disruption. In addition, this procedure led to the separation of enzymatic activity from endogenous phospholipid acceptor. The enzymatic reaction exhibited an optimum magnesium concentration of 0.2 m and a pH optimum of 7.2 and was heat-labile. Added coenzyme A had no stimulatory effect. The radioactive product was identified by thin layer, silicic acid, diethylaminoethyl cellulose, and Sephadex LH-20 chromatography. On the basis of the same chromatographic criteria the structure of the acceptor was consistent with O-(2-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoryl)ethanolamine. Treatment of the radioactive product with phospholipase A gave 14C-O-(1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoryl)ethanolamine with no concomitant release of radioactivity as free fatty acid. Treatment with phospholipase D yielded 14C-phosphatidic acid. Phospholipid acceptor was prepared from E. coli B grown on 32Pi-containing medium. The acceptor was isolated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and subsequently was acylated enzymatically with 14C-β-hydroxy fatty acids. The resulting 14C-32P-labeled product was isolated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Acid hydrolysis of the acceptor yielded glycero-3-phosphate as the only 32P-containing product. Following deacylation of the doubly labeled product under alkaline conditions, all of the 32P was recovered as O-(3-sn-glycero-3-phosphoryl)ethanolamine. Treatment of the 14C-32P product with phospholipase A yielded O-(1-β-hydroxyacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoryl)ethanolamine containing both 14C and 32P. Treatment with phospholipase D yielded 14C-32P-phosphatidic acid.
2-/spl mu/m, 1.6-mW gated-g/sub m/ sampler with 72 dB SFDR at 160 Ms/s and 320.25-MHz f/sub in/

The sampler is often the limitation in determining how early in the signal chain the conversion to discrete time can be done. We have fabricated a high-speed, wideband sampler based upon a charge-domain gated-gm cell that has a measured SFDR of 72 dB at 160 Ms/s and 320.25-MHz input frequency. This performance is achieved at 2% of the power and 4% of the area of a recently-released high-performance but slower sampler. Simulations indicate that far higher performance is possible in a more optimized circuit.
Hypogeous Fungi Occurance, Distribution and Mycorrhizal Hosts in Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway

The persistence of mycorrhizal fungi in undisturbed coniferous forest ecosystems is assumed by the renewed appearance of their sporocarps each year. Sporocarps, however, are not produced in areas severely disturbed by fire or clearcutting; yet spores and other propagules of some species of hypogeous fungi are present in the soil in the absence of suitable mycorrhizal hosts, and are capable of forming mycorrhizae several years after clear-cutting or fire (Miller et al. 1989). In fact, hypogeous fungi such as Rhizopogon spp. are typically the first to recolonize root systems of new seedlings after large scale disturbance such as fire, insect attack, or clearcutting (Miller et al. 1989). Are these fungi residual in the soil from previously existing spore banks, or are they continuously being restocked into the area? Information on strategies for persistence, propagation and survival of ectomycorrhizal fungi is required before responses of forest ecosystems to fire and other disturbance can be understood.
A remark on the maximum eigenvalue for circulant matrices

We point out that the method of Davis-Mikosch (Ann. Probab. 27 (1999) 522-536) gives for a symmetric circulant n × n matrix composed of i.i.d. entries with mean 0 and finite (2 + δ)-moments in the first half-row that the maximum eigenvalue is on the order � 2n log n, and the fluctuations are Gumbel.
Isolation of volatile flavor compounds from peanut butter using purge-and-trap techniques

Publisher Summary In this chapter, a headspace analysis method for the isolation of volatile flavor compounds from peanut butter is developed. The headspace analysis method provides a representative sample of the volatile flavor compounds present in equilibrium with the food. The conditions for the maximum recovery of volatile flavor compounds from peanut butter include trapping on Tenax-GC with a purge temperature of 90oC for 4 hr. The recovery of a majority of volatile flavor compounds is greater, when Tenax was used as an adsorbent rather than CP/CS. Frequency table analysis of ranks and analysis of variance of a key variable set of compounds selected through multivariate statistical techniques are used to determine the conditions for the maximum recovery of volatile flavor compounds from peanut butter. The headspace analysis method developed in this research may be applied to future studies to determine the effects of postharvest and processing treatments on the flavor quality of peanuts.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT WHAT CAN ECONOMISTS DO ABOUT IT; EXPERIENCES FROM THE USA

The paper analyzes the policy goals, the policy leverage, the allocations to rural development and the new economics and added rationales about what can economics do for rural development, based on the USA experience. Paper ends with recommendations, including five principles for rural development programs: USDA-RD should take the lead for more interagency cooperation, rural development funds should move through the commercial banking system, not around it, farm payments should be shifted to rural development to support an orderly transition to a market-oriented farm sector, matching funding should be emphasized to leverage communities willing to invest in themselves, rural adjustment should be actively facilitated by mobilizing entire communities rather than by passive and piecemeal rural out-migration.
The N-body problem throughout the computer science curriculum

This paper presents a series of projects of increasing complexity centered on implementing (gravitational) N-simulations. Such gradual introduction to a complex real-world problem has numerous benefits both for Computer Science majors as well as for students majoring in the Natural Sciences and interested in the computational aspects of their particular discipline.
The Ups and Downs of Diplocraterion in the Glen Rose Formation (Lower Cretaceous), Dinosaur Valley State Park, Texas (USA)

Diplocraterion, a U-shaped burrow attributed to infaunal invertebrates, is normally a shallow-marine trace fossil and not part of a continental vertebrate ichnoassemblage. Hence, the Glen Rose Formation (Aptian–Albian) of Texas (USA) presents an opportunity to study Diplocraterion associated with a world-class dinosaur tracksite. Most Diplocraterion are in a bioclastic wackestone–packstone bed just above the Taylor Tracklayer, a significant dinosaur track horizon. Diplocraterion are consistently sized, but with variable depths; most have protrusive spreiten and northeast–southwest trends. Smaller Arenicolites co-occur with Diplocraterion, and other trace fossils include Rhizocorallium and a large theropod trackway. Based on our analysis, a sea-level rise buried the Taylor Tracklayer, with a shallow-marine carbonate mud colonised by Diplocraterion and Arenicolites tracemakers. Protrusive Diplocraterion, eroded burrow tops, Rhizocorallium, and other criteria point towards firming and net erosion of the bed ...
Evaluation of tumor-derived MRI-texture features for discrimination of molecular subtypes and prediction of 12-month survival status in glioblastoma

Purpose: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain cancer. Four molecular subtypes of GBM have been described but can only be determined by an invasive brain biopsy. The goal of this study is to evaluate the utility of texture features extracted from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans as a potential noninvasive method to characterize molecular subtypes of GBM and to predict 12-month overall survival status for GBM patients. Methods: The authors manually segmented the tumor regions from postcontrast T1 weighted and T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI scans of 82 patients with de novo GBM. For each patient, the authors extracted five sets of computer-extracted texture features, namely, 48 segmentation-based fractal texture analysis (SFTA) features, 576 histogram of oriented gradients (HOGs) features, 44 run-length matrix (RLM) features, 256 local binary patterns features, and 52 Haralick features, from the tumor slice corresponding to the maximum tumor area in axial, sagittal, and coronal planes, respectively. The authors used an ensemble classifier called random forest on each feature family to predict GBM molecular subtypes and 12-month survival status (a dichotomized version of overall survival at the 12-month time point indicating if the patient was alive or not at 12 months). The performance of the prediction was quantified and compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: With the appropriate combination of texture feature set, image plane (axial, coronal, or sagittal), and MRI sequence, the area under ROC curve values for predicting different molecular subtypes and 12-month survival status are 0.72 for classical (with Haralick features on T1 postcontrast axial scan), 0.70 for mesenchymal (with HOG features on T2 FLAIR axial scan), 0.75 for neural (with RLM features on T2 FLAIR axial scan), 0.82 for proneural (with SFTA features on T1 postcontrast coronal scan), and 0.69 for 12-month survival status (with SFTA features on T1 postcontrast coronal scan). Conclusions: The authors evaluated the performance of five types of texture features in predicting GBM molecular subtypes and 12-month survival status. The authors’ results show that texture features are predictive of molecular subtypes and survival status in GBM. These results indicate the feasibility of using tumor-derived imaging features to guide genomically informed interventions without the need for invasive biopsies.
Computer-Based Instrumentation

Currently, there are a number of useful computer-based programs available to assist speech-language pathologists in clinical intervention. As clinicians acquire computer-based systems, they must re...
Comparison of Rates of Development of Atlantic Mud Crab Larvae in the Laboratory and in Field-deployed Enclosures

ABSTRACT Larvae of the Atlantic mud crab Panopeus herbstii were reared for 13 days posthatching using two different laboratory methods and using large, field-deployed enclosures (mesocosms). The laboratory diet consisted solely of nauplii of Artemia sp., while the enclosure diet was a natural zooplankton assemblage. Survival was generally higher in the laboratory, but the rate of larval development was faster in the mesocosms. Differences in developmental rates were attributed to dissimilarities in the respective nutritional environments.
Effects of Hypothalamic Deafferentation on LH Secretion and the Estrous Cycle in the Hamster

A study was made of the effects of partial and total deafferentation of the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) on the estrous cycle, endocrine organ wt, and pituitary and serum LH values in the golden hamster. Complete deafferentation (CC) as well as extended anterior frontal deafferentation (EFC) blocked cyclic ovulation immediately and permanently. Smaller anterior cuts (FC) blocked ovulation for 8–12 days, but this effect was transient, and by 3 weeks following deafferentation the hamsters were showing normal 4–day cycles. Posterior—lateral deafferentation (PL) had no effect, either acute or chronic, on ovulation. Ovarian and uterine wt was drastically reduced in CC animals, indicating a lack of gonadotropin release, and this was confirmed by low serum LH levels and very high pituitary LH concentrations, determined by radioimmunoassay. In EFC animals uterine wt was increased over diestrous and metestrous controls, and their ovaries contained large cystic follicles. Furthermore, serum LH values were elevat...
Mar-Tex chemical: managing the research partnership between business and academia

Solutions to management's sensitive problems-compensation and turnover, for example-require the collection of sensitive data. While management desires research results that translate into answers, they are also hesitant to grant outsiders access to the very data that could result in effective solutions. At the same time, academics increasingly seek research projects with real world applications, but find it difficult to gain access to companies to study such problems. This case explores business and research partnerships, as well as the ethical dilemmas that academics face in field study research.
Algorithms for robust single and multiple period layout planning for manufacturing systems

Abstract In many layout design situations, the use of ‘optimality’ with respect to a design objective, such as the minimization of the material handling cost, is insufficiently discriminating. Robustness of the layout, in cases of demand uncertainty, is more important for the manufacturing manager. A robust layout is one that is close to the optimal solution for a wide variety of demand scenarios even though it may not be optimal under any specific demand scenario. In this paper, we develop algorithms to generate robust layout designs for manufacturing systems. Our robustness approach to the layout decision making can be applied to single and multiple period problems in the presence of considerable uncertainty, both in terms of products to be produced as well as their production volumes. Our algorithms, executed in a heuristic fashion, can be effectively used for layout design of large size manufacturing systems.
Treatment of severe brain ischemia with di- and tri-Calciphor (dimer and trimer of 16,16′-dimethyl prostaglandin B1)

Abstract Following 20 min occlusion of both carotid arteries, female gerbils were subjected to treatment with di- or tri-Calciphor (dimer or trimer of 16,16′-dimethyl prostaglandin B1). Dimer was injected i.p. at 5 and 10 mg/kg at 5 min and again at 24 h, 30 min and 24 h, 60 min and 24 h or 180 min and 24 h postischemia (N=25/group). Trimer was given i.p. at 5, 10 or 15 mg/kg at 5 min and 24 h postischemia (N=25/group.) The controls (N=25) were injected with the vehicle. Neurological status and postischemic survival of the animals were monitored for 14 days postischemia. Survival of the treated gerbils was significantly improved following the treatment with either di- or tri-Calciphor administered at 10 mg/kg at 5 min and 24 h postischemia (36 vs. 68% di- and 64% tri-Calciphor, P