cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Zinc deficiency in the weanling--how important?

. A wide spectrum of zinc deficiency states has been recognized in the weanling. Severe zinc deficiency affects most organ systems and causes a wide variety of clinical manifestations; these occur only in special circumstances. Zinc deficiency of intermediate severity has been reported in malnourished infants, in whom it may contribute to the clinical manifestations and limit the rate of recovery from protein energy malnutrition. Results of randomized, controlled studies of dietary zinc supplementation in Denver indicate that mild nutritional zinc deficiency is one cause of failure to thrive. Better laboratory indices for the determination of mild zinc deficiency are needed before the epidemiology of this syndrome can be understood. Quantitative data on zinc absorption from dflerent weanling diets are required before it will be possible to determine the adequacy of zinc intake.
Time-course correlation of biofilm properties and electrochemical performance in single-chamber microbial fuel cells

The relationship between anode microbial characteristics and electrochemical parameters in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) was analyzed by time-course sampling of parallel single-bottle MFCs operated under identical conditions. While voltage stabilized within 4 days, anode biofilms continued growing during the six-week operation. Viable cell density increased asymptotically, but membrane-compromised cells accumulated steadily from only 9% of total cells on day 3 to 52% at 6 weeks. Electrochemical performance followed the viable cell trend, with a positive correlation for power density and an inverse correlation for anode charge transfer resistance. The biofilm architecture shifted from rod-shaped, dispersed cells to more filamentous structures, with the continuous detection of Geobacter sulfurreducens-like 16S rRNA fragments throughout operation and the emergence of a community member related to a known phenazine-producing Pseudomonas species. A drop in cathode open circuit potential between weeks two and three suggested that uncontrolled biofilm growth on the cathode deleteriously affects system performance.
Wireless Ceramic Sensors Operating in High Temperature Environments

A platform for the wireless transmission of data at high temperature is presented. The platform is demonstrated by means of a wireless temperature sensor fabricated from multilayer high -temperature ceramic MEMS technology. Extensions of the platform to chemical sensing are also discussed. As a first example of high temperature, wireless chemical sensi ng, a carbon dioxide sensor is implemented.
Adjustable Amplification of Synaptic Input in the Dendrites of Spinal Motoneurons In Vivo

The impact of neuromodulators on active dendritic conductances was investigated by the use of intracellular recording techniques in spinal motoneurons in the adult cat. The well known lack of voltage control of dendritic regions during voltage clamp applied at the soma was used to estimate dendritic amplification of a steady monosynaptic input generated by muscle spindle Ia afferents. In preparations deeply anesthetized with pentobarbital, Ia current either decreased with depolarization or underwent a modest increase at membrane potentials above −40 mV. In unanesthetized decerebrate preparations (which have tonic activity in axons originating in the brainstem and releasing serotonin or norepinephrine), active dendritic currents caused strong amplification of Ia input. In the range of −50 to −40 mV, peak Ia current was over four times as large as that in the pentobarbital-anesthetized preparations. Exogenous administration of a noradrenergic agonist in addition to the tonic activity further enhanced amplification (sixfold increase). Amplification was not seen in preparations with spinal transections. Overall, the dendritic amplification with moderate or strong neuromodulatory drive was estimated to be large enough to allow the motoneurons innervating slow muscle fibers to be driven to their maximum force levels by remarkably small synaptic inputs. In these cells, the main role of synaptic input may be to control the activation of a highly excitable dendritic tree. The neuromodulatory control of synaptic amplification provides motor commands with the potential to adjust the level of amplification to suit the demands of different motor tasks.
Renal Complications in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients is associated with significantly increased mortality across a broad spectrum of conditions. According to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database, patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement with or without coronary artery bypass grafting had a more than 50% reduction in observed 8-year survival compared with those without chronic kidney disease. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is an exciting new approach for the treatment of aortic stenosis in high-risk or inoperable patients with severe aortic stenosis. This article discusses the incidence, predictors, impact, and potential avoidance and management strategies of renal dysfunction associated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
Slow relaxation in granular compaction

Abstract Experimental studies show that the density of a vibrated granular material evolves from a low density initial state into a higher density final steady state. The relaxation towards the final density follows an inverse logarithmic law. As the system approaches its final state, a growing number of beads have to be rearranged to enable a local density increase. A free volume argument shows that this number grows as N = ϱ (1−ϱ) . The time scale associated with such events increases exponentially ∼ eN, and as a result a logarithmically slow approach to the final state is found ϱ ∞ − ϱ(t) ∼ 1 ln t . Furthermore, a one-dimensional toy model that captures this relaxation dynamics as well as the observed density fluctuations is discussed.
Exercise-induced asthma may be associated with diminished sweat secretion rates in humans.

Background: Muscarinic receptor agonists increase water secretion from the acinar cells of respiratory, sweat, salivary, and lacrimal glands. Mice lacking the gene for aqueous water channel aquaporin (Aqp) 5 exhibit methacholine-induced bronchiolar hyperreactivity when compared to normal mice. Individuals with asthma also have enhanced airway responsiveness to methacholine and diminished airway hydration. Because Aqp5 in humans is also expressed in respiratory, sweat, salivary, and lacrimal glands, we hypothesized that those individuals with exercise-induced asthma and excessive bronchiolar reactivity should also have decreased muscarinic receptordependent sweat, salivary, and tear gland secretions. Methods: Healthy, athletic subjects who are suspected of having exercise-induced bronchospasm were recruited, and FEV1 values were determined following provocative airway challenges with methacholine. Measurements of pilocarpine-induced sweat secretion were taken in 56 volunteers, and some additional subjects also had timed collections of saliva and tear production. Results: Subjects manifesting excessive airway reactivity demonstrated by exaggerated methacholineinduced reductions in FEV1 also had diminished values for pilocarpine-induced sweat secretion (n 56; r 0.59; p < 0.0001). The rate of pilocarpine-stimulated sweat secretion in our subjects correlated highly with salivary flow rate (r 0.69; p < 0.0001) and tearing rate (r 0.86; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Hyperhidrosis, sialorrhea, and excessive tearing are traits that may indicate a phenotype that predicts resistance to hyperactive airway diseases such as exercise-induced asthma in humans. (CHEST 2008; 134:552–558)
Surface modeling algorithm for pyramid architectures

A parallel version of the random midpoint displacement algorithm is developed to take advantage of the similarities between the structure of the algorithm and massively parallel machines with pyramid (quadtree) architectures. The proposed random fractal surface algorithm is designed to be used with massively parallel (greater than 1000 processing elements) pyramid architectures in a three-dimensional environment. The general algorithm is explained, followed by an explanation and comparison of the sequential and parallel algorithms. It is shown that to implement this algorithm on a machine with a single processor, much overhead is involved in the recursion (four calls to itself). In addition, the single-processor solution is inefficient for this type of algorithm since it has to perform each calculation for each area subdivision and displacement sequentially. It is also found that the depth of recursion must be greater than two and the number of levels must be at least as great as the depth of recursion. >
Extracorporeal life support outcome for 128 pediatric patients with respiratory failure.

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe a single-center experience with pediatric extracorporeal life support (ECLS) and to determine variables predictive of outcome in pediatric patients, both before the institution of ECLS and while on support. Methods: From October 1985 to September 1998 the authors supported 128 children with severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (n = 121, PaO 2 /FIO 2 ratio=58 ± 29) or acute hypercarbic respiratory failure (n = 7, PaCO 2 = 128 ± 37), despite maximal conventional ventilation. Mode of access included venoarterial bypass (VA, n=64), venovenous bypass (VV, n=53), and VV to VA bypass (n = 11). The techniques used included lung rest, pulmonary physiotherapy, diuresis to dry weight using hemofiltration if needed, minimal anticoagulation, and optimal systemic oxygen delivery. Results: The median age was 1.4 years (range, 2 weeks to 17 years). The mean duration of ECLS was 288 ± 240 hours (range, 4 to 1148 hours or 0.2 to 47.8 days). Lung compliance increased from 0.32 ± 0.02 mL/cm H 2 O/kg to 0.59 ± 0.03 mL/cm H 2 O/kg in survivors, but only increased from 0.34 ± 0.02 mL/cm H 2 O/kg to 0.35 ± 0.02 mL/cm H 2 O/kg in nonsurvivors ( P P P P P P P Conclusions: ECLS provides life support in severe respiratory failure in children, allowing time for injured lungs to recover. Pre-ECLS predictors, such as pH and variables during ECLS, such as presence of renal failure, improvement in compliance, return to dry weight, and the need for inotropes on ECLS, may be useful for predicting outcome. J Pediatr Surg 35:197-202. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Magnet Design in High-Energy Accelerators

The similarities and differences in magnet design of the presently existing multi-billion-volt accelerators are reviewed. Special emphasis is given to the requirements for alternating-gradient synchrotrons, particularly as exemplified by the Brookhaven AGS. Details include pole-contour shaping, choice of steel, coil design and power-supply requirements together with more general considerations of mechanical and electrical problems.
Laboratory study of polarized scattering by surface waves at grazing incidence. I. Wind waves

Laboratory measurements of Ku-band scattering at grazing incidence are presented. This study was motivated by the need to understand the processes which significantly contribute to scattering at grazing incidence. A dual polarized (VV, HH) coherent pulsed Ku-band scatterometer with good temporal resolution (3 ns) was used to obtain Doppler spectra and the absolute cross-section of scattered signals for grazing angles from 6-12/spl deg/, and winds in the range 2-12 m/s. Wire wave gauges were used to measure the wind-wave field. Measurements of the first few moments of the Doppler spectra (cross-section, central frequency and bandwidth) showed that the data separated into two groups. The first grouping corresponded to HH scattering in the upwind look direction, and was clearly associated with scattering from the dominant gravity wind-waves. The second grouping corresponded to HH scattering in the downwind look direction, and all VV scattering, and was consistent with Bragg scattering from free higher frequency waves. This classification of the electromagnetic scattering was consistent with comparisons of direct and Doppler measurements of the kinematics of the surface wave field. The electromagnetic classification was also consistent with asymmetries in the wave field which increased with increasing wind speed. >
Using market basket analysis to integrate and motivate topics in discrete structures

Nearly every computer science curriculum includes a course called "Discrete Structures" or "Discrete Mathematics". Over the past few years, considerable attention has been paid to this course in an attempt to overcome the misperception by students that the material is mathematics and not related to computer science. Most of these efforts deal with attempting to explicitly show students the application of discrete mathematics within computer science. We present an application that adds to the efforts of this community by giving instructors a modern, powerful, and elegant example to motivate student engagement in discrete structures.
Identifying repeat domains in large genomes

We present a graph-based method for the analysis of repeat families in a repeat library. We build a repeat domain graph that decomposes a repeat library into repeat domains, short subsequences shared by multiple repeat families, and reveals the mosaic structure of repeat families. Our method recovers documented mosaic repeat structures and suggests additional putative ones. Our method is useful for elucidating the evolutionary history of repeats and annotating de novo generated repeat libraries.
Investigations of the adhesion of maleic anhydride/cyclic olefin alternating copolymers to silicon substrates: Improved materials for 193 NM lithography

Various synthetic variations that affect the molecular weight, yield, and composition of maleic anhydride (MAH), norbornene (Nb), and tert-butyl 5-norbornene-2-carboxylate (Nb-TBE) terpolymers have been investigated. The adhesive properties of these polymers were evaluated from work of adhesion (W adh ) values to silicon substrates (treated with hexamethyldisilazane) using the method of fractional surface free energy from contact angle measurements of water and methylene iodide on the polymer films and substrate. These measurements showed that the W adh increased with higher Nb-TBE content, and values were close to those of conventional 248 nm photoresist polymers. Furthermore, 193 nm resist formulations incorporating polymers with high Nb-TBE content showed increased imaging performance and successfully produced sharp and defined features as small as 110 nm, which were seen via scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Signal characteristics of cerebellar activity recorded with 2D micro-electrode arrays

Recordings were performed on the rat paramedian lobule of the cerebellum with a surface micro-electrode array during hand licking and quiet states. The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and average coherence both showed a change in the frequency distributions between active and quiet conditions. The signals were segregated into different frequency bands and the signal compositions were analyzed. In each of the bands an increase in neural activity was seen at the onset of activity. Frequency coherence analysis was performed between electrodes at two different separations for active and quiet conditions. The coherence analysis showed that there was an increase in coherence for shorter distances and during activity.
Passivity based control of drum boiler

In this paper, we propose a novel state space model for the drum boilers with natural recirculation. The states of this model are the total mass and energy inventories. The main advantage of the model is that it has an affine structure in control variables. A passivity based inventory controller is developed, which ensures the asymptotic stability of the closed- loop boiler system. Numerical simulations show the performance and efficiency of this passivity based controller design technique.
Challenges for a research publication: Quantity, quality, and crowd wisdom

![Figure][1] The landscape of scientific publishing is changing rapidly, as are the challenges faced by journal editors. While estimates are imprecise, approximately 8.5 million science, technical, and medicine (STM) researchers published more than 1.8 million articles in almost 22,000 peer-
Fate of aflatoxin M1 during production and storage of parmesan cheese

Abstract The fate of AFM1 during production of a long maturing cheese (Parmesan cheese) was assessed. Different levels of AFM1 contamination and of the fat/casein (F/C) ratio of milk were considered, in order to evaluate if these factors can influence the enrichment factor (EF) of AFM1 in cheese. For this purpose, 24 cheese-makings were carried out using naturally contaminated milk at 3 different AFM1 levels and at 2 F/C ratios. AFM1 analysis was performed by HPLC in raw milk, cream, cauldron milk, liquid cattle rennet, whey, curd and cheese at 3, 9, 16 and 24 months of ageing. The mass balances of the cheese-making processes were close to 100%; in whey, AFM1 concentration was about 40% less than the concentration in cauldron milk. The EF in curd was between 4.0 and 5.2, with an average value of 4.7 ± 0.4; this factor was not significantly affected by either AFM1 contamination level or F/C ratio. During maturation, AFM1 concentration and consequently EF increased from curd to 16 ageing months; successively, AFM1 slightly decreased at 24 months and consequently the EF. At 3, 9, 16 months of maturation, the EF was significantly higher for cheeses prepared using milk with low F/C than those with high F/C milk; on the contrary, EF was not significantly influenced by the AFM1 contamination level. In cheeses, EF values were between 4.7 and 6.3; from these results, the maximum admissible level for AFM1 in Parmesan cheese should be about 0.275 μg kg−1.
Emissions of metal and organic compounds from cement kilns using waste derived fuels

Research completed to date suggests that the use of waste as a substitute fuel in cement kilns is fundamentally sound in theory, and in a number of cases, has been demonstrated sound in practice. Analysis of the database generated in certificate of compliance tests clearly demonstrate that cement plants burning waste-derived fuel (WDF) can employ existing technology to meet and in some cases exceed current emission regulations. With the exception of cement kilns using raw materials with high levels of hydrocarbons, the emission of organics can be controlled by applying well-established good-combustion practices. Metals emissions from cement plants burning WDF can be predicted based upon input metal flow rates, provided that plant-specific information on the collection efficiency of air pollution control equipment and by-pass flow rates are available. 23 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs.
A Techno-Economic Assessment of Hybrid Cooling Systems for Coal- and Natural-Gas-Fired Power Plants with and without Carbon Capture and Storage

Advanced cooling systems can be deployed to enhance the resilience of thermoelectric power generation systems. This study developed and applied a new power plant modeling option for a hybrid cooling system at coal- or natural-gas-fired power plants with and without amine-based carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems. The results of the plant-level analyses show that the performance and cost of hybrid cooling systems are affected by a range of environmental, technical, and economic parameters. In general, when hot periods last the entire summer, the wet unit of a hybrid cooling system needs to share about 30% of the total plant cooling load in order to minimize the overall system cost. CCS deployment can lead to a significant increase in the water use of hybrid cooling systems, depending on the level of CO2 capture. Compared to wet cooling systems, widespread applications of hybrid cooling systems can substantially reduce water use in the electric power sector with only a moderate increase in the plant-le...
Understanding Uncertainties in the Economic Feasibility of Transportation Fuel Production using Biomass Gasification and Mixed Alcohol Synthesis

This study evaluates uncertainties in the techno-economic analysis of transportation fuel production from biomass gasification and mixed alcohol synthesis. Two scenarios are considered: a state-of-technology scenario and a target scenario with projected technological advances. Uncertainties of more than 10 parameters are investigated. The probability distributions of these parameters are estimated based on historical price data and experimental data. Data samples generated from the corresponding distribution are then utilized to run a Monte Carlo simulation. The results yield minimum fuel-selling prices of $ 1.85 L−1 with a standard deviation of 0.13 for the state-of-technology scenario and $ 1.14 L−1 with a standard deviation of 0.11 for the target scenario, respectively. The feedstock price and internal rate of return (IRR) have significant impacts on the minimum fuel-selling price in both scenarios. These findings are indicative of the reduction in biofuel cost and uncertainty achievable with increasing technology maturity.
Improving Information Processing: The Effect of Label Format Among Current and Potential Over-the-Counter Medication Users.

Objective:To test the effect of current versus 2 experimental label formats on information processing among current and potential over-the-counter (OTC) users.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was c...
Anaphylactic shock in mouse. II. Allergenicity of water-in-oil emulsions with or without Mycobacterium.

Summary1) Mice sensitized with 0.1 mg of bovine albumin incorporated into water-in-oil emulsion containing Mycobacterium butyricum showed anaphylactic reactivity when challenged 28 days postsensitization with as little as 0.01 mg of bovine albumin. 2) Mice sensitized in a similar manner exhibited signs of anaphylaxis when challenged 196 days following sensitization. 3) Anaphylactogenicity in mice of bovine albumin in emulsions lacking Mycobacterium butyricum was comparable to that in emulsions containing acid-fast bacilli.
Study on Improving Technological Properties of Solid Fuel SQ Formulation Used in Solid-Liquid Hybrid Rocket

It was found that the aggregation method is suitable to treat solid fuel SQ in solid-liquid hydrid rocket. It obviouslyincreased the solid content of SQ-based fuel formulation in which its mass fraction increased from 40 % to 60%. The technologicalproperties of the solid fuel formulation were effectively improved. The key technical problems of the formulation were resolved.
Trauma center resource consumption and mortality.

Studies suggesting that increased trauma center (TC) patient volume leads to improved patient outcomes have produced inconsistent results. It is possible that the combination of TC patient volume and TC resources has a greater influence over outcomes than TC volume alone. Patients admitted to 131 TCs from 1994 to 2002 were included. TC density was calculated as the ratio of TC adult beds to patient volume and categorized into quartiles. Adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and 95 per cent confidence intervals (CIs) compared mortality of groups (Q1 [low density]-Q4 [high density]). Relative to Q4 TCs, for penetrating injuries with ISS <15, elevated mortality was seen for Q2 (low-moderate density) TCs (RR 1.47, CI 1.09-1.99) and Q3 (high-moderate density) TCs (RR 1.81, CI 1.36-2.41); but for ISS ≥15, mortality was lowest for Q1 (RR 0.78, CI 0.68-0.89). For blunt injury, mortality was similar for low- and high-density TCs but elevated for low-moderate- and high-moderate-density TCs. Mortality at low-density TCs was decreased overall and for penetrating injuries specifically but similar for blunt injuries when compared with high-density TCs. Enhanced resources measurements will clarify the relationship between patient volume, resources, and mortality.
Are beta blockers effective first-line treatments for hypertension?

Current evidence does not support the use of beta blockers as initial therapy for hypertension.
Does Social Conformity Influence Portfolio Choice? Evidence from 401(K) Allocations

Financial researchers agree that allocating money to employer stock in a 401(k) plan is a poor strategy, yet many employees do so. Not only does this investment strategy bear unrewarded idiosyncratic risk, but it also correlates employees' retirement portfolios with their human capital. I find evidence that social conformity contributes to this selection. Specifically, the percentage allocated to company stock by employees in the 401(k) plan is positively related to both the net open-market purchases of company stock by management and the percentage of the defined benefits plan invested in company stock. Surprisingly, the allocation to company stock in 401(k) plans increases with investment in employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), which are a dominant substitute since they often offer stock at a discount. Lastly, I provide additional support for the social conformity hypothesis through interaction tests. The relationship between employees and management is influenced by geographic dispersion and trust within the firm -- two factors that alter group cohesion and, in turn, social conformity.
Do bank lending relationships affect corporate cash policy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether prior bank lending relationships affect firms’ liquidity management. Design/methodology/approach The authors mainly work on evaluating first, whether prior lending relationships affect corporate cash holdings? and second, whether the cash flow sensitivity of cash varies systemically with lending relationships. Three different ways are used to define lending relationships, including the lending relationship dummy, a firm’s maximum relationship intensity in terms of number of deals across all lenders and a firm’s maximum relationship intensity in terms of dollar amounts across all lenders. In addition, the paper applies two-stage least squares (2SLS) to address the concern of endogeneity between firms’ liquidity management and banking relationships. Findings The authors find that firms with lending relationships maintain a lower level of cash holdings and save less cash out of cash flow. Furthermore, the effect of lending relationships is more profound for firms with high cash flow. The results suggest that prior lending relations alleviate information asymmetry, lower the cost of capital and therefore affect firms’ propensity to retain cash and maintain a high level of cash holdings. Research limitations/implications This paper contributes to both the liquidity management literature and the literature on the value of maintaining lending relationships with banks. Researchers should take into consideration the lending relationships built over the course of the lending when assessing firms’ cash policies. Social implications Bank lending relationship mitigates the information asymmetry problem, one type of market friction, and facilitates firms’ future external financing, thereby affecting firms’ cash policies and giving more flexibility in liquidity management. The value of lending relationships distinguishes bank loans from public bonds. Therefore, firms, especially those facing more information asymmetry issue, should take into account the benefits from lending relationships in their future debt financing. Originality/value Extant literature examines how firm characteristics affect firms’ cash holdings. This paper introduces a new factor that could explain corporate cash policy.
Business Education for Residents: Results of a Pilot Business Course at a Urology Residency Program

Abstract Introduction We evaluate the effect of a mini-MBA (master of business administration) course to improve the business acumen of residents. Methods A constructed survey and questionnaire were administered to all attendees of the mini-MBA curriculum developed at our institution. The course was developed and taught by a senior faculty member with lengthy business experience who holds a major administrative role within our institution. A pre-test and a post-test, comprised of 10 questions each, were conducted at the time of each lecture. A survey was provided at the end of the 6-session course. Descriptive statistics were used to assess participants’ attitudes toward business education. Results Average attendance was 14 to 15 people per session. The majority of participants were involved in an academic practice setting (94%). Residents (77%) comprised the majority of the survey respondents, and the specialties represented included urology, pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology. Only 11% of participants had any significant prior background business knowledge but an overwhelming majority believed that business acumen was important for the graduating physician. In all sessions the post-test results were higher than the pre-test results, with significance seen for the last 2 tests. Conclusions The changing dynamics of health care require a balance among clinical care, leadership and business administration. Background business knowledge can accelerate learning for new graduates and address a perceived need seen by physicians at all levels of training.
Vowel harmony in Igbo and Diola-Fogny

Although both Igbo and Diola-Fogny have vowel harmony systems in which the harmonic feature is [Advanced Tongue Root], superficially they are very different. Aoki [1968] suggests that Igbo vowel harmony is similar to vowel harmony in Uralic and Altaic languages such as Finnish and Hungarian whereas Diola-Fogny has a dominant-recessive system like that found in Nez-Perce. However, analysis of vowel harmony in Igbo and Diola-Fogny reveals that these two languages actually have identical vowel harmony rules; the superficial differences result from a different distribution of [+ATR] vowels in the two languages.
A low-noble-metal W1−xIrxO3−δ water oxidation electrocatalyst for acidic media via rapid plasma synthesis

Acid-based electrolysis has many advantages, but to achieve simultaneous activity and stability, commercial water oxidation catalysts rely on noble metal oxides that are expensive and too rare for the global scale. Here, earth-abundant tungsten was used as a structural metal to dilute the noble metal iridium content while maintaining high activity and stability in acid. Mixed-metal oxide catalysts were synthesized using rapid plasma oxidation in which the non-equilibrium reaction environment permitted better formation of a homogenous W1−xIrxO3−δ phase. With an Ir metal content as low as 1%, a competitive and durable overpotential for oxygen evolution was achieved. Relative to high Ir content, low Ir compositions consisted of a more highly crystalline, phase-pure iridium polytungstate which was more catalytically active per Ir content. Moreover, the plasma-synthesized material had a sharp electrocatalytic improvement over an equivalent composition synthesized via standard thermal oxidation, demonstrating the value of non-equilibrium synthesis to find new catalysts.
The Origins of State Pure Food Regulation

Why did state governments begin to regulate the food industry in the late nineteenth century? One possible explanation is that pure food regulation was the result of rent seeking on the part of traditional food producers who wanted to limit the availability of new substitutes. Another potential hypothesis is that regulation was desired because it helped solve an asymmetric information problem in the market for food products. I find the evidence to be more consistent with the latter hypothesis. D uring the late 1800s state governments in America began to regulate the food industry. Over the course of roughly two decades the food and dairy trade became one of the more heavily regulated segments of the United States economy. State legislatures began to enact pure food and pure dairy laws in the early 1880s. By 1900 nearly every state had passed some kind of pure food or pure dairy legislation that made it illegal to sell "adulterated" food products. What explains this expansion of regulatory activity?1 One hypothesis is that state pure food laws were enacted to enhance the market power of manufacturers and distributors of traditional food products. Technological developments in food manufacturing and processing during the late 1800s gave rise to new and cheaper products, such as oleomargarine, glucose, and dressed beef, that threatened to undermine the market power of more traditional food products. Could it be that pure food laws that outlawed the "adulteration" (cheapening through the addition of impurities) of food products were introduced to protect traditional food producers from these new substitutes? Another hypothesis is that pure food laws were enacted to help make a market for certain food products.2 Specialization and technological change in food production made it difficult for consumers to judge product quality
Proceedings of the 44th annual Southeast regional conference

On behalf of the Organization Committee, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 44th Annual ACM Southeast Conference (ACMSE 2006). This year, the conference is hosted by and held at the Florida Institute of Technology, in Melbourne, Florida. Thank you for your contributions to this regional event that continues to improve in quality. Proof of such success is in the increasingly number of international submissions we receive each year. ACMSE is an event dedicated to computer scientists and engineers seeking innovative ideas in various areas of computer-related sciences. It strongly encourages the participation of students by providing subsidized registration while offering most of the benefits of a regular attendee.The conference is being held in collaboration to two SIGs: the Special Interest Group on Applied Computing (SIGAPP) and the Special Interest Group on Design of Communication (SIGDOC). Our thanks to Barrett Bryant and Scott Tilley (chairs of SIGAPP and SIGDOC respectively) who helped us getting this support and encouraged us to run this conference. We must also thank our industrial partners for their financial and logistical support. This year we have Microsoft, Electronic Arts (EA), Raytheon, Essex, and Northrop Grumman as our corporate partners.Again, we welcome you to ACMSE 2006 and the sunny city of Melbourne, Florida. We hope you enjoy your stay and leave this event enriched with new ideas and colleagues. Next year, we invite you to participate in ACMSE 2007 to be held at Winston-Salem, North Carolina on March 23-24. The conference will be co-hosted by Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University.
Dimensions of the Dynamic Hand: Implications for Glove Design, Fit, and Sizing

Gloves are critical personal protective equipment to perform tasks in industries such as medicine, construction, and firefighting. To ensure wearer safety, comfort, and hand function, glove design requires detailed ergonomic and anthropometric analysis of the hand in motion. This study noted the absence of a 3D hand anthropometric database, and aimed to pilot test a methodology for the creation of one that included dynamic hand positions and more comprehensive anthropometric measurements. Three hand positions were scanned and 17 dimensions were analyzed for 30 subjects. Results indicate significant measurement change for both dorsal and palmar side measurements across the three hand positions, as well as significant gender differences. The results from this study will inform the creation of a national anthropometric hand survey to inform evidence-based, user-centered, ergonomic glove design.
Hall effect and electronic structure of La2-xSrxCuO4.

The unusual Hall coefficient ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{H}}$ observed in ${\mathrm{La}}_{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$ single crystals is explained in terms of strong electron-electron scattering in a nearly half-filled Cu ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{x}}^{2}$-${\mathit{y}}^{2}$ band ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{l}}$, together with a small number of holes in another band. Including multiple-scattering terms beyond the Born approximation yields an electron mobility that decreases dramatically as the Sr content is lowered toward x\ensuremath{\simeq}0.06. There, a metal-insulator transition is predicted by our analysis for an on-site Coulomb coupling U of intermediate strength. Hence the minority-hole carriers yield a net positive ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{H}}$ for x0.4 by virtue of their higher mobility. Surprisingly, despite changes in ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathit{H}}$ by orders of magnitude, the calculated plasma frequency remains nearly constant with ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{p}}$\ensuremath{\simeq}0.8 eV over the metallic x range, in agreement with reflectivity data.
A New Kind of Case Study: Using Business Bestsellers in the Business Policy Course

The undergraduate Business Policy (Strategic Management) course is often taught by using the case method of instruction. Cases are generally regarded as especially good vehicles for giving students an understanding of the general management view of an organization. The authors believe that it is useful for students to learn much about the strategy of at least one corporation in-depth. They use a business bestseller about a particular company or industry each semester for this purpose. All undergraduate students prepare the same written assignments on this company or industry using the business bestseller as a starting point. Experience in using the business bestseller as the basis of a written assignment in the business policy course has been very positive. Students both enjoy and profit from an assignment that focuses in-depth on a major firm or industry that they can comprehend and the evolution of which they can follow. Alumni often indicate that they continue to track the company or industry after graduation. The authors believe that such written assignments help prepare students of business strategy for the real world.
Immune checkpoints and cancer in the immunogenomics era

Immune checkpoints have been the subject of a wave of new studies. Among these checkpoints are tytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4, checkpoints programmed death-1 and programmed death-ligand 1; their blockades have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for therapy of melanoma and other types of cancers. Immunogenomics, which combines the latest nucleic acid sequencing strategy with immunotherapy, provides precise information about genomic alterations (e.g. mutations) and enables a paradigm shift of immune checkpoint therapy from tumor types to molecular signatures. Studying these critical checkpoints in relation to genomic mutations and neoantigens has produced groundbreaking results. This article examines these studies and delves into the relationships between immune checkpoint blockade and tumors harboring certain genomic mutations. Moreover, this article reviews recent studies on resistance to immune checkpoint therapy.
A 264-µW 802.15.4a-Compliant IR-UWB Transmitter in 22nm FinFET for Wireless Sensor Network Application

A fully-integrated 802.15.4a-compliant IR-UWB transmitter (TX) in Intel 22nm FinFET Low Power process is presented. The TX consumes 264µW while transmitting −16.2dBm at 110kbps data rate in 8GHz band with 9.1% TX efficiency. The TX supports both coherent and non-coherent 802.15.4a operation and only requires a 32.768kHz real-time clock for non-coherent operation.
MODERN ACTING: THE LOST CHAPTER OF AMERICAN FILM AND THEATRE By Cynthia Baron. Palgrave Macmillan, 2016. 328 pp. $99.00 cloth. $79.99 e-book.

Cynthia Baron's Modern Acting: The Lost Chapter of American Film and Theatre is an essential volume for scholars of screen acting. Displaying impressive wide-ranging research, Baron takes the reade...
Opportunity Lost? Diagnostic Laparoscopy in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database.

Routine preoperative staging in pancreas cancer is controversial. We sought to evaluate the rates of diagnostic laparoscopy (DLAP) for pancreatic cancer. We queried the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for patients with pancreas cancer (2005–2013) and compared groups who underwent DLAP, exploratory laparotomy (XLAP), pancreas resection (RSXN) or therapeutic bypass (THBP). We compared demographics, comorbidities, postoperative complications, 30-day mortality (Chi-square P < 0.05) and trends over time (R2 0–1). We identified 17,138 patients (RSXN 81.8%, XLAP 16.5%, THBP 8.2%, and DLAP 12.9%), with some having multiple CPT codes. Only 10.3% (n = 1432) of RSXN patients underwent DLAP prior to resection. XLAP occurred in 49.5% of non-RSXN patients, of whom 67.1% had no other operation. The percentage of patients undergoing RSXN increased 20.3% over time (R2 0.81), while DLAP decreased 52.6% (R2 0.92). XLAP patients without other operations decreased from 4.2 to 2.4%, although not linearly (R2 0.31). Only 10.3% of XLAP had a diagnostic laparoscopy as well, leaving nearly 90% of these patients with an exploratory laparotomy without RSXN or THBP. Diagnostic laparoscopy for pancreas malignancy is becoming less common but could benefit a subset of patients who undergo open exploration without resection or therapeutic bypass.
Advanced Imaging in Cardiac Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a chronic disease of unknown etiology characterized by the presence of noncaseating granulomas. Cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis may lead to adverse outcomes such as advanced heart block, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, or death. Cardiac sarcoidosis can occur in patients with established sarcoidosis, or it can be the sole manifestation of the disease. Traditional diagnostic techniques, including echocardiography, have poor sensitivity for diagnosing cardiac sarcoidosis. The accumulating evidence supports the essential role of advanced cardiac imaging modalities such as MRI and PET in diagnosis, risk stratification, and management of patients with cardiac sarcoidosis. The current review highlights important theoretic and practical aspects of using cardiac imaging tools in the evaluation of patients with suspected or established cardiac sarcoidosis.
Urgently strategic insights to resolve the Nigerian food security crisis

The food security crisis is a serious worldwide predicament in developing countries but it is a relatively larger problem in Nigeria. We argued there was no solution for the Nigerian food security ...
The Protection Gap in Homeowners Insurance: An Introduction

In the past few years the insurance community has paid increasing attention to the “protection gap”—the extent to which significant property losses are not covered by insurance. Because insurance plays an important economic and social role in many ways, the protection gap is significant to individuals, firms, the communities in which they reside or operate, and the economy as a whole. This paper explores protection gaps in the context of homeowners insurance in the United States: what they are, where they occur, what causes them, and how to cure them.
The Recuperation of Moral Agency through Structural Erasure in Clinical Social Workers’ Accounts of Career Path and Treatment Decisions

Although the field of clinical social work has historically distinguished itself among the helping professions by its attentiveness to the ecological systems within which client struggles are embed...
Comparing statistical predictions of quantum particle transit times in molecular systems to experimental measurements

The movement of quantum particles between distinct spatial regions is an essential feature of nanoscale devices. Consequently, theoretical methods for characterizing the transit time associated wit...
Closing the college achievement gap: Impacts and processes of a help-seeking intervention

Abstract Compared to more privileged students, underrepresented college students experience disparities in social capital and social support that contribute to academic achievement gaps. This longitudinal, quasi-experimental study examines how a 4-session, group-based intervention (Connected Scholars) may improve underrepresented student outcomes by increasing help-seeking and network orientation. Participants were 396 public university students, 65% female, 90% racial/ethnic minority, and 42% first-generation college students (FGCS). We examined the effect of Connected Scholars on student-instructor relationships and GPA through the intervention's influence on help-seeking and network orientation. Additionally, we investigated differential impacts of FGCS status. Results indicated changes in help-seeking and network orientation partially accounted for the impact of Connected Scholars on GPA and student-instructor relationships, and positive effects were observed for FGCS. Findings suggest a relatively low-cost intervention can have meaningful impacts on FGCS and help close achievement gaps in the first year of college. Further policy and practice implications are discussed.
Acid-Base Properties of Ceramic Powders

The fundamental aspects of Potentiometrie titration, electrokinetics, and conductometric titration in evaluating surface and interfacial thermodynamic behavior are addressed. The characterization of aqueous systems which are pertinent to the processing of ceramic powders is emphasized.
Literature Review: Rethinking BioMEMS in the aftermath of COVID-19

Recently significant efforts have been performed to understand the function of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes CoViD-19. Devices based on the BioMEMS technology...
Democratization and Troop Contributions to United Nations Peacekeeping

What explains the post–Cold War surge in peacekeeping contributions from the developing world? I argue that, amid a wave of democratization and expanded peacekeeping activity, such countries use pe...
Technical communication after the social justice turn: Building coalitions for action, by Walton, R., Moore, K. R., and Jones, N. N. (2019). New York, NY. Routledge.

I still remember the feeling. I was beginning the 2nd year of my PhD program and was finally feeling like I had an understanding of what being a technical communication scholar means. I was also starting to feel critical of our field---wondering if I, an Indigenous scholar from rural Alaska, would find a meaningful place in technical and professional communication (TPC). I was at the grocery store and my phone dinged; I had received an email from Natasha Jones. She and her coauthors were writing a book and wanted to include a list of multiply marginalized and underrepresented (MMU) scholars to amplify in its pages. They asked if I wanted to be part of their list and if I knew others who should be added. I emailed back immediately thanking them, consenting, and gave them my friends Zarah Moeggenberg and Les Hutchinson's names. I paid for my groceries, walked out to my truck, and cried.