cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of crosslinking and polarity in the dark relaxation of azobenzene-based, polymer-stabilised cholesteric liquid crystals

Prior examinations have reported that polymer stabilisation of azobenzene-based cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) mixtures can reduce the time necessary for complete colour restoration in the dark from three days to as few as five minutes. This work extends upon these prior examinations by exploring and elucidating the role of crosslinker concentration and monomer polarity on the colour restoration of a representative CLC mixture composed of a high HTP bis(azo) binapthanyl chiral dopant (QL76) mixed into the cyanobiphenyl nematic liquid crystal host MDA-00-1444. The impact of these variables was unexpectedly convoluted. In all the formulations examined here, polymer stabilisation dramatically reduces the time for complete colour restoration of the starting reflection notch. In mixtures based on nonpolar liquid crystal monomers, increasing the crosslinker concentration reduces the time necessary for complete colour restoration. However, the dependence on crosslinker concentration reverses in mixtures compos...
Garfinkel’s Conception of Time

Garfinkel articulates a significant conception of time - as situated and sequential - that works in tandem with his rendering of social order in terms of situated practices. However, because his tr...
Gonadal neoplasms in hard shell clams Mercenaria spp., from the Indian River, Florida: occurrence, prevalence, and histopathology.

Abstract The presence of gonadal neoplasms in hard shell clams Mercenaria spp., from the Indian River, Florida, was investigated over a 2-year period. Histopathological examinations of 1263 clams revealed an annual mean incidence of gonadal neoplasms in 11.6% of the population. Peak prevalences appeared during the summer months. Microscopically, the tumors were seen as proliferations of atypical germ cells arising from the germinal epithelium of the follicles, often completely filling the lumen of both male and female follicles. In one female clam, the neoplastic cells invaded the connective tissue, muscle tissue, and the ground substance of the stomach and typhlosole. Electron microscopy confirmed the germ cell origin but did not reveal any viral particles. This is the first reported occurrence of a neoplastic disease in Mercenaria spp. from the southeastern United States.
Plant growth on soils mixed with dredged lake sediment

Abstract Sediment dredged from a fresh‐water lake in South Dakota was mixed in various dry volume ratios with either an agriculturally productive soil or sand. The effect on the growth and nutrient uptake was determined under greenhouse conditions for three field crops, maize (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), and sunflower (Helianthus annus L.), and two forage species, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman). Plant growth measured as shoot dry matter, shoot total N, P, and K concentration, and relative shoot N, P, and K uptake were not diminished for any crop when the dry volume of the dredge material mixed with the Moody soil increased from 25% to 100%. However, shoot dry matter, shoot N, P, and K concentration, and relative N, P, and K uptake increased dramatically as increasingly greater proportions of the dredge material were mixed with sand. The dredged lake‐bottom sediment could be applied appropriately to an agricultural soil for land disposal without impai...
Robust explicit estimation of the two-parameter Birnbaum–Saunders distribution

The two-parameter Birnbaum–Saunders distribution is widely applicable to model failure times of fatiguing materials. Its maximum-likelihood estimators (MLEs) are very sensitive to outliers and also have no closed-form expressions. This motivates us to develop some alternative estimators. In this paper, we develop two robust estimators, which are also explicit functions of sample observations and are thus easy to compute. We derive their breakdown points and carry out extensive Monte Carlo simulation experiments to compare the performance of all the estimators under consideration. It has been observed from the simulation results that the proposed estimators outperform in a manner that is approximately comparable with the MLEs, whereas they are far superior in the presence of data contamination that often occurs in practical situations. A simple bias-reduction technique is presented to reduce the bias of the recommended estimators. Finally, the practical application of the developed procedures is illustrate...
An X-ray photoemission investigation of the density of states of β′ -NiAl☆

Abstract The electronic structure of β′ -NiAl was studied by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The observed valence band density of states agrees quite well with the non-relativistic APW calculations of Connolly and Johnson. These results are also compared with other experimental data. The hypothesis of d -band filling is supported by our XPS measurements.
XML Based Implementation of a Bibliographic Database and Recursive Queries

The Structured Query Language (SQL) of relational database models does not have the expressive power to implement recursive queries. Consequently, recursive queries are implemented as an application program in the host language. The newly developed XML schema provides a different setting for database design and query implementation. In this paper, we design and implement an XML schema and a set of associated queries for a bibliographic database. We will investigate and demonstrate the capabilities of Xpath, Xquery, and XSLT as standard query languages for XML-based databases. We will also show efficient implementations of recursive queries in XSLT.
Dating, Parent-Adolescent Conflict, and Behavioral Autonomy.

Although dating is thought to contribute to adolescent development, little is known about how it affects autonomy development and relationships with parents. The contributions of dating status, grade, gender, and family structure to the frequency and intensity of normative conflict and to behavioral autonomy were studied. Tenth- and twelfth-grade public high school students (N = 859) completed measures of dating history, frequency, and intensity of parent–adolescent conflict, and of behavioral autonomy. Current daters (n = 325) had more frequent conflict and reported higher levels of behavioral autonomy than nondaters (n = 170). Additionally, males and twelfth graders reported more autonomy than females and tenth graders, respectively. Sophomores who were dating reported the most frequent conflict with parents, females who were dating reported the most intense conflict with parents, and seniors who were dating reported the highest levels of autonomy. Short-term daters had more frequent and more intense conflicts with parents relative to long-term daters and nondaters. These data highlight the utility of focusing on developmental tasks in addition to age when assessing conflict patterns and processes.
Workshop: It's more than coding- using video scenarios to engage students in computing

Studies indicate that students, particularly females, find computing most engaging when it is presented in relation to reallife problems, rather than when it is presented in ways that emphasize computing for the sake of computing. Video scenarios are a novel tool for encouraging students to explore computing in a problem-centric, rather than a code-centric, manner. Video scenarios are short films (2–5 minutes long) that depict individuals facing problems in life-like settings. The scenarios emphasize the diverse and often ill-defined nature of real world problems, and the potential for creative and entrepreneurial computing they present. The video scenarios and their associated discussion/exercise questions are freely available on the web at www.Virt-U.org.
Structures and Interactions Underlying Rotational Augmentation of Blade Aerodynamic Response

Blade rotation routinely and significantly augments aerodynamic forces during zero yaw HAWT operation. To better understand the flow physics underlying this phenomenon, time dependent blade surface pressure data were acquired from the NREL Unsteady Aerodynamics Experiment, a full-scale HAWT tested in the NASA Ames 80 ft × 120 Ft wind tunnel. Time records of surface pressures and normal force were processed to obtain means and standard deviations. Surface pressure means and standard deviations were analyzed to identify boundary layer separation and reattachment locations. Separation and reattachment kinematics were then correlated with normal force behavior. Results showed that rotational augmentation was linked to specific separation and reattachment behaviors, and to associated three-dimensionality in surface pressure distributions.
Choosing Your Neighbors: Networks of Diffusion in International Relations

In examining the diffusion of social and political phenomena like regime transition, conflict, and policy change, scholars routinely make choices about how proximity is defined and which neighbors should be considered more important than others. Since each specification offers an alternative view of the networks through which diffusion can take place, one’s decision can exert a significant influence on the magnitude and scope of estimated diffusion effects. This problem is widely recognized, but is rarely the subject of direct analysis. In international relations research, connectivity choices are usually ad hoc, driven more by data availability than by theoretically informed decision criteria. We take a closer look at the assumptions behind these choices, and propose a more systematic method to asses the structural similarity of two or more alternative networks, and select one that most plausibly relates theory to empirics. We apply this method to the spread of democratic regime change and offer an illustrative example of how neighbor choices might impact predictions and inferences in the case of the 2011 Arab Spring. Who are a country’s neighbors? On a gut level, the answer might seem obvious: A country’s neighbors are the ones closest to it. Yet, choosing an appropriate proximity measure can be a difficult task and one that can influence empirical findings in decisive ways (Stetzer
Position control of a PM stepper motor by exact linearization

The authors consider the position control of a permanent magnet (PM) stepper motor using the exact linearization method. This nonlinear controller takes into account the full dynamics of the stepper motor. In particular, the phase shift between voltage and current in each phase is automatically taken into account. The feedback linearization controller makes the stepper motor into a fast accurate positioning system. The authors consider the feedback linearization technique for the PM stepper motor and show, when the detent torque is neglected, how it quite naturally leads to the well-known DQ transformation of electric machine theory. The authors indicate how constant load torques may be asymptotically rejected by using a nonlinear observer. >
Live Cell Imaging of Paxillin in Rolling Neutrophils by Dual‐Color Quantitative Dynamic Footprinting

Objective Neutrophil recruitment to sites of inflammation involves P-selectin dependent rolling. Quantitative dynamic footprinting is a useful tool to visualize the topography of the neutrophil footprint as it interacts with the substrate. However, elucidating the role of specific proteins in addition to topography requires simultaneous visualization of two fluorochromes.
M-Width: Stability, noise characterization, and accuracy of rendering virtual mass

In certain robot control and physical human-robot interaction scenarios, it is desirable to carefully control the apparent mass of a robot. Manipulating the apparent mass can be accomplished through virtual mass rendering, where the actuators of the robot produce forces proportional to measured acceleration. Many factors influence mass rendering, including device mechanical properties, sample rate, control structure, filtering, environment dynamic coupling parameters, and delay. Inspired by the âZ-Widthâ approach to sampled-data robotic system passivity, which represents the infinite-dimensional passive impedances of a robotic haptic display, we establish âM-Widthâ: the passive range of pure virtual mass. In this paper, we identify important parameters for system passivity and stability, present passivity and stability boundaries, predict noise limit cycles and establish conditions for their existence, and describe the expected accuracy of rendered virtual mass. We construct explicit parameter regions to describe the three-way trade-off that occurs between passivity/stability, noise, and accuracy. Experimental data gathered with a Phantom Premium 1.5 robot validates the theoretical analysis. These results serve as a general design tool for manipulating the effective mass of a robot, which is particularly relevant for rehabilitation robotics, robotic exoskeletons, and haptic display applications.
A rare cause of widened mediastinum.

Figure 1. Chest X-ray study showing a significantly widened mediastinum (arrows). A 53-year-old man with history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and chronic left leg deep vein thrombosis on Coumadin (Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ) presented complaining of chest pain. The pain was dull, midsternal, gradual in onset, and rated 5/10. There was no radiation of the pain, and the patient initially said that this pain was similar to his previous cardiac pain. Review of systems was positive for mild exertional chest pain and occasional shortness of breath. Vital signs were stable and the examination was remarkable for a 2/6 systolic ejection murmur. Electrocardiogram showed right bundle branch block without ischemia. Cardiac enzymes were normal. Chest X-ray study (Figure 1) showed widened mediastinum. A computed tomography scan with angiography of the chest (Figure 2) revealed a pulmonary aneurysm with the main pulmonary artery dilatated to 71 mm and enlargement of both pulmonary arteries. An echocardiogram showed a severely dilatated right ventricle, moderate tricuspid regurgitation, and a pulmonary artery pressure of approximately 66 mm Hg, consistent with pulmonary hypertension. The patient’s pulmonary aneurysm was thought to most likely be secondary to chronic undiagnosed pulmonary embolisms causing pulmonary hypertension. His symptoms resolved, so he was medically optimized and discharged. The aneurysm has remained stable since his first visit. Pulmonary artery aneurysms are found in approximately 1 in 14,000 postmortem examinations (1). Congenital heart disease is thought to cause the majority of
Rootstock effects in grafted conifers: A review

The literature on rootstock effects (on scions) in conifers was reviewed, specifically: graft success, compatibility, size, reproduction, phenology, crown and needle characters, mineral contents, organic compounds, water relations, disease resistance and wood properties. Scions usually had higher graft success and less incompatibility on more closely related rootstocks although there were exceptions. Even intergeneric grafts have succeeded on occasion. Although there were marked rootstock effects on growth and reproduction, the effects did not follow a pattern with increasing relationship. It is also likely that some crown characters and the nutrient content of scions can be manipulated by the use of rootstocks. For many characters, a specific rootstock may give a desired result only for a limited number of scion types (species, cultivars or clones). With some exceptions, the review shows that the subject has not been comprehensively studied. Many of the studies were either short-term, inadequately replicated, or poorly designed to allow firm conclusions about rootstock effects. The physiological and biochemical mechanisms, which cause the changes seen in morphology, are not well understood. Further research and more comprehensive study of rootstock effects on scion biology are recommended.
Osmometry in the Evaluation of Alcohol Intoxication

(1972). Osmometry in the Evaluation of Alcohol Intoxication. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 343-363.
Hurdles and bottlenecks on the road to biocontrol of plant pathogens

Despite the progress in biocontrol research that has placed about 40 commercially available biocontrol products on the shelf, many hurdles to the wide adoption of biocontrol remain. Biocontrol works well under conditions of low biological diversity, such as in soil-less potting mix, but is more difficult to demonstrate in the field, and biocontrol is often less consistent than chemical control. Is biocontrol not working, or is it our inability to deliver and establish the biocontrol organism in the appropriate physiological state, in the right place at the right time? A greater understanding of the ecology of the organisms involved, as well as the epidemiology of the system, will help us to develop ecologically rational approaches to disease management. More efficient and effective ways of growing and formulating biocontrol organisms are needed in many cases in order to make biocontrol economically viable. Research on safety and environmental fate of biocontrol agents is lacking in some cases. Trends that may encourage more research into biocontrol of plant diseases include the increased public interest in ‘organic’ foods, the public’s concern over non-target effects of chemical pesticides in the environment, and the loss of many chemical pesticides, or uses of those pesticides, from the market.
Angiotensin II Amplifies Macrophage-Driven Atherosclerosis

Objective— We evaluated the role of angiotensin II (AII) in a marrow-derived macrophage-driven model of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results— Eight-week-old C57BL/6 wild-type mice were reconstituted with bone marrow harvested from apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE−/−→ apoE+/+) or wild-type for apoE gene (apoE+/+→ apoE+/+) mice. At 20 weeks, mice were exposed to either AII (1000 ng/kg per minute subcutaneously) or saline for 2 weeks. Animals did not differ in body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol/triglycerides, or peripheral blood monocyte counts. ApoE−/−→ apoE+/+ mice exposed to AII had 3-fold greater atherosclerotic area than saline-treated apoE−/−→ apoE+/+ mice. By contrast, AII did not affect atherosclerosis in apoE+/+→ apoE+/+ mice. Macrophage-positive areas were increased by AII in mice reconstituted with either apoE-deficient or apoE-competent marrow. AII also significantly increased fragmentation of elastin laminae in both apoE−/−→ apoE+/+ and apoE+/+→ apoE+/+ mice. In vitro, AII caused greater increase in monocyte chemoattractant protein-1–stimulated migration of macrophages harvested from AII-infused versus saline-infused mice. Conclusions— The current studies reveal that AII has both initiating and sustaining proatherogenic effects. By promoting macrophage migration into the vascular intima, AII is pivotal in initiating atherosclerosis; by promoting elastin breaks, a novel mechanism implicated in migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells, AII may be pivotal in subsequent development and expansion of atherosclerotic lesion.
Both common and specialty mushrooms inhibit adhesion molecule expression and in vitro binding of monocytes to human aortic endothelial cells in a pro-inflammatory environment

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality in the United States as well as globally. Epidemiological studies show that regular fruit and vegetable consumption reduces CVD risk, in part, due to antioxidant activity and immunomodulation since oxidative stress and inflammation are features of atherogenesis. Accumulating evidence also shows that dietary fungi, viz., mushrooms, can protect against chronic disease by altering inflammatory environments such as those associated with CVD although most research has focused on specialty mushrooms. In this study, we tested the ability of both common and specialty mushrooms to inhibit cellular processes associated with CVD. Methods: Human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) were incubated overnight with control media with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) vehicle (1% v/v) or containing DMSO extracts of whole dehydrated mushrooms (0.1 mg/ mL), which included Agaricus bisporus (white button and crimini), Lentinula edodes (shiitake), Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster), and Grifola frondosa (maitake). Monolayers were subsequently washed and incubated with medium alone or containing the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1b (5 ng/mL) for 6 h to upregulate pro-atherosclerotic adhesion molecules (AM). AM expression was assayed by ELISA and binding of U937 human monocytes pre-loaded with fluorescent dye was determined. Results: White button mushrooms consistently reduced (p < 0.05) VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin-1 expression, whereas other test mushrooms significantly modulated AM expression singly, collectively, or combinatorially. All mushrooms, however, significantly reduced binding of monocytes to both quiescent and cytokine-stimulated monolayers. Conclusion: These data provide evidence that dietary mushrooms can inhibit cellular processes such as adhesion molecule expression and ultimate binding of monocytes to the endothelium under pro-inflammatory conditions, which are associated with CVD. As a result, these findings support the notion that dietary mushrooms can be protective against CVD.
Solubility of corundum + kyanite in H2O at 700°C and 10 kbar: evidence for Al‐Si complexing at high pressure and temperature

The solubility of the assemblage corundum + kyanite in H2O was determined at 700°C and 10 kbar, using a piston-cylinder apparatus and rapid-quench/fluid-extraction techniques. Weighted mean concentrations of total Al and Si were 5.80 ± 0.03 mmol kg−1 H2O and 0.308 ± 0.003 mol kg−1 H2O, respectively (1σ errors). The Al concentration is nearly five times higher than that of corundum solubility in pure H2O. This difference is interpreted to arise from complexing between Si and Al to form HAlSiO4,aq species. Charged or more polymerized species are also possible, but their abundance cannot be constrained based on these experiments. Assumption of a single aqueous aluminosilicate complex permits calculation of the thermodynamic consequences of Al-Si interaction in high-pressure fluids, as well as phase diagrams for the system Al-Si-O-H. Formation of Al-Si complexes leads to a large increase in dissolved Al with increasing Si in solution, such that Al concentration in equilibrium with kyanite + quartz is predicted to be 7.1 mmolal, higher than with kyanite + corundum. The elevated concentration of Si in deep-crustal and mantle aqueous fluids suggests that Al must readily be dissolved and transported by Al-Si complexing in high-pressure metamorphic and metasomatic environments. The results provide a simple explanation for the common observation of kyanite + quartz segregations in eclogites and Barrovian metamorphic rocks.
Camera Based Localization for Autonomous UAV Formation Flight

This work considers the task of accurate in-air localization for multiple unmanned or autonomous aerial vehicles flying in close formation. The paper describes our experimental setup using two small UAVs and the details of the localization algorithm. The algorithm was implemented on two low-cost, electric powered, remote control aircraft with wing spans of approximately 2 meters. Our control software, running on an onboard x86 CPU, uses LQG control (an LQR controller coupled with an EKF state estimator) and a linearized state space model to control both aircraft to fly synchronized circles. In addition to its control system, the lead aircraft is outfitted with a known pattern of high-intensity LED lights. The trailing aircraft captures images of these LEDs with a camera and uses the Orthogonal Iteration computer vision algorithm to determine the relative position and orientation of the trailing aircraft with respect to the lead aircraft at 25Hz. The entire process is carried-out in real-time with both vehicles flying autonomously. We note that the camera based system is used for localization, but not yet for closed-loop control. Although, an absolute quantification of the error for the in-air localization system is difficult as we do not have ground truth positioning data during flight testing, our simulation results analysis and indoor measurements suggest that we can achieve localization accuracy on the order of 10 cm (5% wingspan) when the UAVs are separated by a distance of about 10 meters (5 spans).
On the Serrated Behavior during Plastic Deformation of a Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glass

The uniaxial compression tests were conducted on an amorphous Zr-based alloy at room temperature. The results show that this alloy exhibited the typical features of metallic glasses and the stress-strain curve is extensively serrated within the plastic regime. The analysis reveals that for all the shear band events, the maximum stresses remained approximately constant during the course of plastic deformation, and the minimum stresses began to decrease when the deformation enters the late stage. This phenomenon is probably associated with the different shear-banding behaviors within various deformation stages. Calculations find that the stress accumulation sections in the stress-strain curve are parallel to each other, indicating that such reloading processes are elastic in nature. Therefore, there are elastic and plastic sections in the stress-strain curve. Further analysis discloses that the plastic strain component carried by each shear band event increases with the applied strain within the late deformation stage.
Auf dem Weg zu “grüneren” übergangsmetallkatalysierten Verfahren: Quantifizierung durch den E‐Faktor

Die ubergangsmetallkatalysierte Bildung von Kohlenstoff-Kohlenstoff- oder Kohlenstoff-Heteroatom-Bindungen gehort zu den am intensivsten genutzten Reaktionen in der universitaren und industriellen Chemie. So bedeutend solche Kreuzkupplungen fur die Synthese sind, so hoch ist auch ihr Preis fur Umwelt und Nachhaltigkeit. Ein Instrument, um die Menge an Losungsmittelabfall zu messen, ist der E-Faktor. Ursachlich fur einen hohen E-Faktor bei der Produktion von Pharmazeutika und Feinchemikalien sind vor allem die verwendeten organischen Losungsmittel. Eine Alternative zu organischen Losungsmitteln bei Kreuzkupplungen bietet die Katalyse mit Micellen. Bei diesem Verfahren katalysieren neuartige Nanopartikel aus Designer-Tensiden die Reaktion, die in wassriger Umgebung und zumeist bei Raumtemperatur ablauft. Da ohne organisches Losungsmittel auch kein organischer Abfall produziert wird, reduziert sich der E-Faktor drastisch.
Blueberries improve glucose tolerance without altering body composition in obese postmenopausal mice.

Objective Metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk increases significantly during menopause and remains elevated postmenopause. Several botanicals, including blueberries (BB), have been shown to delay MetS progression, but few studies have been conducted in postmenopausal animal models. Here, the effects of BB supplementation on obese postmenopausal mice using a chemically induced menopause model were examined. Methods After induction of menopause, mice were fed a high-fat diet or the same diet supplemented with 4% BB powder for 12 weeks. Body weight and body composition were measured, and mice were subjected to glucose and insulin tolerance tests. Serum triglycerides and adiponectin were measured, and liver histology and hepatic gene expression were assessed. Results Menopausal and BB-supplemented mice had significantly higher body weights and fat mass than control mice, while menopausal mice had impaired glucose tolerance and higher serum triglycerides when compared with control and BB-supplemented mice. Menopausal mice also had hepatic steatosis that was prevented by BB supplementation and correlated with expression of genes involved in hepatic fatty acid oxidation. Conclusions BB supplementation prevents the glucose intolerance and hepatic steatosis that occur in obese postmenopausal mice, and these effects are independent of body weight.
Coordinating the Supply Chain in the Agricultural Seed Industry

This paper examines contract practices between suppliers and retailers in the agricultural seed industry. We construct and analyze single-retailer models of various contract types actually used in the industry, which include, for example, certain “bonus” and “penalty” features. With no assumption on the demand distribution, we establish sufficient conditions for contract parameters to guarantee supply chain coordination. Under the assumption of uniform demand, we fully characterize all coordinating contracts. In addition, we compare the models studied herein with other models in the literature and demonstrate that current behavior in the agricultural seed industry is substantively different than that captured by other models. Conversely, we argue why other existing models are not reasonable to implement in the agricultural seed industry.
The Transtheoretical Model as a Framework for Developing Substance Abuse Interventions

The Transtheoretical Model (TTM; Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984) suggests that one of the major challenges in substance abuse treatment is to creatively adapt to the complexities of change, (e.g., shifting motivation and ambivalence) using an array of change processes dependent upon treatment readiness. The TTM offers a solid theoretical foundation upon which innovative substance abuse treatments can be developed and the major dimensions of this model (stages of change, processes of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy) have proven to be important constructs in understanding and facilitating the process of intentional behavior change. We describe several recently developed substance abuse treatment programs based on the TTM constructs and describe the measures used to assess change in the various studies. We also highlight how counseling strategies, such as motivational interviewing, can be incorporated into TTM-based treatments.
Calcium and Phosphorus Supplementation of Rations for Lactating Cows

Forty Holstein cows were assigned among four dietary treatments that resulted in dietary calcium and phosphorus: 1) 1.0%, .31%; 2) 1.0%, .54%; 3) 1.8%, .30%; and 4) 1.7%, .54%. Calcium was supplemented as ground limestone and phosphorus as sodium tripolyphosphate. Treatment diets were fed from parturition until 10 mo postpartum. Cows fed diets low in phosphorus had lower milk yields, feed intakes, and poorer efficiencies of milk production. Inorganic phosphorus in blood plasma was reduced by low phosphorus intake. Overall, calcium of the diet did not affect milk production. However, there was a significant calcium-phosphorus interaction with increased milk production and greater feed intake when calcium was added to low phosphorus diets but not to diets containing excess phosphorus. Added calcium did not affect inorganic phosphorus, calcium, or magnesium of blood plasma. Fecal pH was increased and percent starch in the feces decreased with added dietary limestone. Efficiency of milk production was not improved by added limestone. Maximum milk yields and performance cannot be obtained with .3% dietary phosphorus.
ESL Reading Comprehension Instruction

Observational studies have shown that very little time is devoted to comprehension instruction in reading classes. In addition, there is a tendency for reading students to practice skills on their own and to determine for themselves how and where to use those skills. In this paper the authors present some techniques for comprehension instruc tion and some guidance on how to teach students to apply the reading skills they have learned.
Clinical review of malaria for the emergency physician

Abstract Malaria is a disease caused by parasites of the Plasmodium genus, and is one of the most prevalent diseases in Africa and around the world. Emergency physicians in both endemic and non-endemic regions often encounter initial presentations of malaria, and knowledge about the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease is crucial in caring for these patients. This article covers briefly the epidemiology of malaria and the lifecycle of the Plasmodium parasite. This is followed by a discussion of the clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and management of patients with malaria, as pertinent to the African emergency physician.
The evaluation and implementation of a water containment system to support aerospace flywheel testing

High-energy flywheel systems for aerospace power storage and attitude control applications are being developed because of the potential for increasing the energy density and reducing operational costs. A significant challenge facing the development of the test hardware is containment of the rotating elements in the event of a failure during the development and qualification stages of testing. This containment is critical in order to ensure the safety of the test personnel and the facility. A containment system utilizing water as the containment media is presented. Water containment was found to be a low cost, flexible, and highly effective containment system. Ballistic test results and analytical results are discussed along with a description of a flywheel test facility that was designed and built utilizing the water containment system at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio.
Fact and Fiction in the Debate Over Video Game Regulation

Recent federal, state and local proposals to regulate electronic game content are driven by myths that should not serve as the basis for government intervention. Six myths commonly used in support of government regulation of game content are addressed as follows: Contrary to current misconceptions about voluntary ratings enforcement, the industry's self-imposed ratings system is the most sophisticated, descriptive, and effective ratings system ever devised by any major media sector in America. Additionally the vast majority of video games sold each year do not contain intense violence or sexual themes, despite what can be perceived otherwise. The expectation that proposals to restrict the sale of violent video games will be deemed constitutional in the courts is misguided as well, given that state and local laws attempting to regulate video games were struck down as unconstitutional in the past, citing First Amendment concerns, vague legislative language, and lack of scientific evidence of a link between aggressive behavior and video games. And despite the myth that federal regulation will build on the industry's ratings system, in reality congressional intervention could cause game developers to abandon the industry's voluntary ratings system because of fear of legal liability. Also opposite what industry critics may have us believe, there is no direct correlation between exposure to violent video games and decline in social and cultural indicators. Moreover, almost every social/cultural indicator of importance, such as juvenile violent crime, has been improving in recent years and decades even as media exposure and video game use among youth has increased. Finally in contrast to the notion that video games have no social or educational value, video games might have some beneficial effects, especially that of a cathartic nature, that critics often overlook.
A tuberculosis event on a Navy assault ship.

ABSTRACT A tuberculosis event occurred on a U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in September 2003. The event was signaled by a jump in monthly purified protein derivative positivity rates. A baseline new reactor rate of 0 to 1% suddenly jumped to 6.3%, prompting screening of the entire crew and embarked Marines. Ultimately, a total of 31 Navy and 17 Marine new reactors was identified. This represented 2.4% of the Navy crew and 1.2% of embarked Marines. Only 1 of 31 Navy cases involved an officer. Two Navy, male, enlisted berthing areas showed a statistically significantly increased odds ratio for infection risk. Despite intensive investigation, no active case of tuberculosis was ever identified. After treatment of new reactors with isoniazid, the ship's monthly new reactor rate returned to baseline. This case illustrates the principles and pitfalls of respiratory disease control at sea.
Buspirone Effect On Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms: A Pilot Study

Tobacco withdrawal symptoms hamper smoking cessation. This was a pilot study of buspirone, a new azapirone anxiolytic, for tobacco withdrawal. Thirteen smokers entered an open clinical trial. Smokers were titrated to 30 mg/day of oral buspirone for 2 weeks prior to cessation. Tobacco withdrawal and Spielberger state-anxiety scales were used at baseline, on the quit date, and then at 24 hours, 48 hours, 1 week, and 2 weeks after abrupt cessation. At the final visit, smokers compared their withdrawal experience with previous cessation attempts. Two patients (15 percent) could not tolerate the medication and did not attempt smoking cessation. Of the remaining 11 smokers, 3 (27 percent) rated withdrawal relief "very definite," 6 (55 percent) "moderate," and 2 (18 percent) "slight." More than two-thirds of the smokers believed that their difficulty concentrating, craving, restlessness, and anxiety were improved compared with earlier tobacco withdrawal attempts. Five patients (46 percent) reported decreased smoking urges during the 2-week medication titration period. Tobacco withdrawal symptoms and state-anxiety scores changed significantly during the study (P less than 0.05). These results are encouraging, but they should be interpreted with caution because of the small sample size and lack of placebo control. Buspirone effect on tobacco withdrawal symptoms should be studied in a randomized, controlled clinical trial.
Direct imaging of surface plasmon polariton dispersion in gold and silver thin films

We image the dispersion of surface plasmon polaritons in gold and silver thin films of 30 and 50 nm thickness, using angle-resolved white light spectroscopy in the Kretschmann geometry. Calibrated dispersion curves are obtained over a wavelength range spanning from 550 to 900 nm. We obtain good qualitative agreement with calculated dispersion curves that take into account the thickness of the thin film.
Formal Specification of the IFC Concept Structure for Precast Model Exchanges

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) provides a rich and redundant schema for interoperability. However, IFC lacks semantic clarity in mapping entities and relationships resulting in multiple methods to map the same information. This research explores a software engineering methodology based on engineering ontologies to develop a formal, consistent and machine-readable structure for IFC entities, attributes and relationships. Various issues such as the need for a logical framework, the current semantic approaches in AEC/FM and advantages of ontology for IFC are addressed. Details of the approach are illustrated by building application ontology for precast model exchanges. This research is expected to impact the overall interoperability of BIM tools by providing a formal and consistent taxonomy and classification structure for creating model view definitions (MVD) using IFC.
Human Performance Factors in Cyber Security Forensic Analysis

Human performance has become a pertinent issue within cyber security. However, this research has been stymied by the limited availability of expert cyber security professionals. This is partly attributable to the ongoing workload faced by cyber security professionals, which is compounded by the limited number of qualified personnel and turnover of personnel across organizations. Additionally, it is difficult to conduct research, and particularly, openly published research, due to the sensitivity inherent to cyber operations at most organizations. As an alternative, the current research has focused on data collection during cyber security training exercises. These events draw individuals with a range of knowledge and experience extending from seasoned professionals to recent college graduates to college students. The current paper describes research involving data collection at two separate cyber security exercises. This data collection involved multiple measures which included behavioral performance based on human-machine transactions and a questionnaire-based assessments of cyber security experience. It was found that participants reporting more experience with cyber security topics and cyber security software tools made greater use of general purpose software tools, combining the use of general purpose tools with specialized cyber security software applications. Given that organizations make substantial investments in cyber security software tools, it is important to recognize that while these tools enable specialized analyses that would not be possible otherwise, they are not sufficient. Instead, effective cyber security operations involve a range of activities that extends from the highly general (e.g., taking notes, Internet search) to domain specific (e.g., disk forensics) and the accompanying work environment should accommodates this range of activities.
Modeling based on Prohl-Myklested and nonlinear analysis for an automotive transmission helical gear system

Based on the method of Prohl-Myklested,a formula was proposed to calculate equivalent torsional stiffness of a massless elastic shaft. Because sections of disks of an automotive transmission helical gear system had little change compared with those of a shaft,it was simplified as a lumped-parameter model with fewer DOFs using that method. The simplified model was validated with simulations. The stiffness matrix of a shaft-disk system was proposed with different bending stiffnesses of shafts at both ends of the disk. Moreover,equations of motion of a helical gear rotor system with lumped masses at both ends,asymmetric elastic supports and different bending stiffness and torsional stiffness of each shaft section were established. Then the numerical integration method was employed to study the non-linear characteristics of the system. The results showed that the model of an automotive transmission helical gear system with its dimensional number reduced using the method of Prohl-Myklested improved can accurately reflect the dynamic characteristics of the system; backlash coupled with time-varying stiffness causes the system's complex non-linear phenomena; meanwhile,fault characteristics due to excessive backlash are extracted to provide an evidence for gear system fault diagnosis.
Does Information Disclosure Affect Environmental Injustice

We bring insights from institutional theory to bear on the question of how effective information disclosure programs can be in creating improved environmental performance, and specifically whether ...
Effect of Detector Noise on Phantom Image Quality in a Number of FFDM Systems

We have assessed phantom image quality from a number of commercially available Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) systems. Image quality, contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and signal to noise ratio (SNR) were evaluated at various technique factors to assess the effect of detector noise on image quality, detector dynamic range and quantum limited operating region.
New species and notes on southern African Hesperantha (Iridaceae)

Three new species of the African genus Hesperantha are described. Hesperantha pilosa ssp. latifolia is raised to specific rank as H. pseudopilosa . The new species are: H. umbricola , a small white-flowered plant from a moist shady site in Swaziland; H. teretifolia , from the Roggeveld escarpment in the western Karoo, South Africa; and H. truncatula from the northern foothills of the Klein Swartberg, in the south-western Karoo. New records and notes are also presented for the Cape winter rainfall area species H. pilosa, H. juncifolia and H. oligantha , the last rediscovered 90 years after the type and only collection was made. Original chromosome counts are presented for H. teretifolia and H. juncifolia , both 2 n = 26.
Recent advances and applications of power electronics and motor drives - Introduction and perspective

Power electronics has now emerged as one of the most important disciplines in electrical engineering after nearly four decades of technology evolution. The cost, size and performance advantages have promoted power electronics applications extensively in industrial, commercial, residential, transportation, utility, aerospace, and military environments in recent years. This summary paper will include discussion on the importance of power electronics and perspective on advances and trends of power semiconductor devices, converters, motor drives, and advanced control and estimation techniques.
Metabolism of disulfiram and diethyldithiocarbamate

The first and rapid step in the metabolism of disulfiram (DSSD) is the reduction of its disulfide bond. This biotransformation can be effected by endogenous thiols, sulfhydryl groups of proteins (section 5.2), or reduced forms of redox cycling metal ions (section 5.4). Moreover, such reactions can occur in blood, liver and other tissues. The eventual end result of these reactions is the conversion of both the DS moieties of DSSD to diethyldithiocarbamic acid (DSH). The sulfhydryl groups of thiols and proteins react with DSSD to yield immediately one equivalent of DSH. The second equivalent of DSH becomes available when the DS residue-containing mixed disulfide is subsequently reduced. In the case of proteins the latter reduction can be brought about by a vicinal sulfhydryl group, if one is present. This results in the formation of an intramolecular disulfide bond between the protein’s vicinal sulfhydryls while DSH is released (section 8.1). Reducing metal ions react with DSSD to form chelates from which DSH can be later displaced (section 5.4).
Risk of progression of Barrett's esophagus in patients with cirrhosis.

AIM To study Barrett's esophagus (BE) in cirrhosis and assess progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) compared to non-cirrhotic BE controls. METHODS Cirrhotic patients who were found to have endoscopic evidence of BE confirmed by the presence of intestinal metaplasia on histology from 1/1/2000 to 12/1/2015 at Cleveland Clinic were included. Cirrhotic patients were matched 1:4 to BE controls without cirrhosis. Age, gender, race, BE length, hiatal hernia size, Child-Pugh (CP) class and histological findings were recorded. Cases and controls without high-grade dysplasia (HGD)/EAC and who had follow-up endoscopies were studied for incidence of dysplasia/EAC and to assess progression rates. Univariable conditional logistic regression was done to assess differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. RESULTS A total of 57 patients with cirrhosis and BE were matched with 228 controls (BE without cirrhosis). The prevalence of dysplasia in cirrhosis and controls were similar with 8.8% vs 12% with low grade dysplasia (LGD) and 12.3 % vs 19.7% with HGD or EAC (P = 0.1). In the incidence cohort of 44 patients with median follow-up time of 2.7 years [interquartile range 1.0, 4.8], there were 7 cases of LGD, 2 cases of HGD, and 2 cases of EAC. There were no differences in incidence rates of HGD/EAC in nondysplastic BE between cirrhotic cases and noncirrhotic controls (1.4 vs 1.1 per 100 person- years, P = 0.8). In LGD, cirrhotic patients were found to have higher rates of progression to HGD/EAC compared to control group though this did not reach statistical significance (13.7 vs 8.1 per 100 person- years, P = 0.51). A significant association was found between a higher CP class and neoplastic progression of BE in cirrhotic patients (HR =7.9, 95%CI: 2.0-30.9, P = 0.003). CONCLUSION Cirrhotics with worsening liver function are at increased risk of progression of BE. More frequent endoscopic surveillance might be warranted in such patients.