cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generalized WKB and Milne solutions to one-dimensional wave equations.

Diverse semianalytical constructions of wave functions, approximate or exact, are combined through the introduction of novel concepts. These include representing wave functions by a mosaic of analytic functions of a phase variable phi, each of them adapted to the problem's features over a restricted range of a coordinate x, and focusing the numerical effort on the metric relation between phi and x. This shift of attention from the wave function proper to metric relations is viewed as the essence of the Milne approach and of its WKB approximation. Illustrative examples are worked out and discussed.
A Microprocessor-Controlled on-Machining Apparatus

An ion-milling apparatus used for surface-wave delay-line fabrication has been fitted with a work table which is positioned by a microprocessor operated computer. After the desired machining profile has been entered into the computer via a teletypewriter, the computer calculates the rate at which the work piece must be translated through the ion beam to obtain the desired profile and, by reference to an internal real time clock, issues pulses to a stepping motor at an appropriate rate. Operating parameters of the ion-milling apparatus which are critical to machining rate are monitored frequently by the computer as a basis for in-process alterations of the work piece translation rate to compensate for changes in system operating parameters. Upon completion of the run or upon the occurrence of any of several failure conditions, the computer shuts down the ion-milling apparatus and reports via the teletypewriter the reason for shutdown.
Quality of Fryer Carcasses as Related to Protein and Fat Levels in the Diet 1. Fat Deposition and Moisture Pick-up During Chilling

Abstract THE influence of feeding different added of fat with levels varying amounts of protein in broiler-type rations on 10 week fryer weights, dressing percentages, and specific gravity of carcasses was reported by Essary et al. (1965). Birds used in the above cited publication were further evaluated in this study to determine the influence of the rations (see footnote Table 1) on fat deposition or weight differences of the heart, liver, gizzard, with and without fat, abdominal and gizzard fat, intestinal tract, skin and moisture pick-up during chilling operation. Fat deposited in the abdominal cavity of birds could alter dressing yields and be objectionable to consumers. Fat in or under the skin is associated with the finish of birds. However, excess fat in the skin and abdominal area of birds would be of concern to manufacturers of prepared foods since this fat could result in lower cooking yields of the carcass.…
Probing the Electronic Structure of Metallocarbohedrenes: M8C12 (M = Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb)

We report a systematic study of the electronic structure of the five metcars in the title using anion photoelectron spectroscopy. The electron affinities of the metcars are measured and are found t...
The effects of perinatal hypoxia on the behavioral, neurochemical, and neurohistological toxicity of the metabolic inhibitor 3-nitropropionic acid

3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA) neurotoxicity and long-term effects of perinatal hypoxia were evaluated in 18 adult rats. Hypoxia-insulted (I) and noninsulted (NI) rats were delivered by cesarean section. Hypoxic insult was effected by submerging dissected uterine horns in warmed saline for 15 min. NI rats were delivered from the adjacent nonsubmerged horns. At postnatal day 90, I and NI rats were trained to perform tasks thought to measure behaviors dependent upon aspects of time estimation (TE), motivation, and learning. At 12 months of age, rats were injected i.p. with escalating doses of 3-NPA (5 mg/kg/day to a maximum of 30 mg/kg/day) immediately after each test session and sacrificed at the end of treatment. Additional male rats were used as untreated controls. Although 3-NPA produced a dose-dependent impairment of performance in each task, the effects were qualitatively similar for each group. A significant difference between I and NI rats was, however, observed in the TE task where NI rats completed less of the task at high doses of 3-NPA compared to I rats. Compared to untreated controls, dopamine concentrations were decreased in caudate nucleus of both I and NI rats after 3-NPA. Specific areas most frequently damaged included cerebral cortex, hippocampal subfield CA1, thalamus, caudate nucleus, and the cerebellum. Lesions usually were less extensive in the I rather than NI members of a littermate pair, suggesting a possible protective effect of perinatal hypoxia against subsequent 3-NPA neurotoxicity.
Multidimensional steric parameters in the analysis of asymmetric catalytic reactions.

Many parameters have been designed to describe steric size, but few have been able to explain consistently the selectivity of asymmetric catalytic reactions. Here, Sterimol parameters — originally used to develop quantitative structure–activity relationships in medicinal chemistry — have been used to quantify enantioselectivity in a diverse collection of asymmetric catalytic reactions.
Microcontroller interface for diode array spectrometry

Abstract An alternative to bus-based computer interfacing is presented using diode array spectrometry as a typical application. The new interface consists of an embedded single-chip microcomputer, known as a microcontroller, which provides all necessary digital I/O and analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) along with an unprecedented amount of intelligence. Communication with a host computer system is accomplished by a standard serial interface so this type of interfacing is applicable to a wide range of personal and minicomputers and can be easily networked. Data are acquired asynchronousty and sent to the host on command. New operating modes which have no traditional counterparts are presented.
A unified approach to solving ill‐conditioned matrix problems

A unified approach to solving ill-conditioned matrix problems is presented, concentrating on those problems arising in engineering where measurement inaccuracy is the major source of error. By applying the singular value decomposition, it is shown that regularization with a parameter can be used without squaring the condition number of the matrix. Numerical examples demonstrate that a smaller relative error is attainable using the unified approach over the more standard technique of discarding singular values. Lastly, a simple method is presented for locating the optimal solution using a computed residual.
Characteristic views and perspective aspect graphs of quadric-surfaced solids

We present a computational method for determining the characteristic views of general quadric-surfaced solids. Each characteristic view (CV) is a representative view of a characteristic-view domain (CVD). The viewing space of a solid is fully described by its CVs and the CVD graph (or aspect graph) which shows the interrelationships among the CVDs. The paper discusses the feasibility of using the CV concept for 3D object recognition and pose estimation. An illustrative example is included.
Functional traits, productivity and effects on nitrogen cycling of 33 grassland species

Summary 1. Our goal was to determine the relationships among ecophysiological, whole-plant and ecosystem traits of a wide variety of grassland species grown under field conditions in the long term. We measured 87 traits for 33 species (32 perennial, one annual) grown in monoculture for 5 years on sandy soils, and determined the relationship among traits and their correspondence with current functional classifications. 2. Among non-legumes, species that produced and maintained large amounts of biomass had tough, low-activity leaves and roots, high root : shoot ratios, and low extractable inorganic nitrogen and N mineralization in their soils. The set of correlations among the functional traits of fine roots for non-legumes parallels the set of correlations for leaf functional traits. Low-N species maintained greater biomass than highN species, more by producing tissues with low N concentrations and greater longevity than by acquiring more N. Greater relative production below ground, and the production of long-lived below-ground structures, were both important in determining the high root : shoot ratio of species. 3. For legumes, N 2 fixation not only led to greater above-ground biomass production, but also was associated with low fine root production; greater relative production of stem biomass; and accelerated ecosystem N cycling compared to non-legumes. 4. The measured traits, as condensed via principal components analysis, differentiated the 32 species into groups that corresponded with a common grassland functional classification scheme (C 3 grasses, C 4 grasses, forbs, legumes, woody species) as well as an alternative, continuous approach. For all traits, species can be arrayed well along two continuous axes. The first axis separates cool-season and warm-season legumes; the second low-N and high-N non-legumes. 5. These continuous classifications show the generality of the two strategies for dealing with low nitrogen availability (N 2 fixation and the low-N suite of traits) and extends the strategies to span organ-level traits to ecosystem processes including roots, whole-plant patterns of productivity, and nutrient cycling. The correlations of traits among species will also be useful in predicting a large number of important parameters associated with plant growth from the measurement of a few, key traits.
TEAM STORM: demonstrating an interaction model for working with multiple ideas during creative group work

Informal design tools can provide immense value during the creative stages of the design process, e.g., by transforming sketches into interactive simulations. Two key limitations of informal and many other design tools are that they do not promote working with multiple design ideas in parallel or collaboration. In this paper, we present a new interaction model that allows a team of designers to work efficiently with multiple ideas in parallel. The model is grounded in theories of creativity and collaboration, and was further informed by observations of creative group work practice. Our interaction model is fully demonstrated within a new system called TEAM STORM. Results from an initial evaluation indicate that design teams are able to effectively utilize our system to create, organize, and share multiple design ideas during creative group work. The benefit of our model is that it demonstrates how many existing single-user design tools can be extended to support working efficiently with multiple ideas in parallel and co-located collaboration.
Dynamic and Spatial Welfare Changes from the Impact of Menhaden Fishery Conservation Plans on the US Atlantic Coast

Impacts from proposed conservation plans in the US Atlantic menhaden industry are examined in this paper. The regulations have been proposed because of concerns that fishing pressure has been too intense on juvenile menhaden. The impacts are examined by the use of a bioeconomic model in which a time-dynamic and geography-specific framework is employed. The results indicate that a shorter fishing season would redistribute the existing pattern of catches and income. The whole industry would experience a net gain but the gainers and losers are clearly delineated spatially and temporally.
Pulmonary Veins and Bronchial Vessels Undergo Remodeling in Sustained Pulmonary Hypertension Induced by Continuous Air Embolization Into Sheep

While it is well known that chronic pulmonary hypertension is accompanied by characteristic structural changes in the pulmonary arteries, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the remodeling process also involves the venous side of the circulation. The present paper utilizes a sheep model of sustained pulmonary hypertension induced by continuous air embolization (CAE) into the pulmonary arterial circulation to examine the structure of the pulmonary veins and bronchial vasculature. Morphometric techniques were applied to the pulmonary veins and bronchial vessels following distension of the venous circulation with a barium—sulfate gelatin mixture; this route of filling also resulted in distension of the bronchial vessels. Four and 12 days of CAE resulted in a significant increase in the proportion of muscular pulmonary veins (e.g., percent muscular veins < 75 μm following 12 days CAE = 17.7 ± 6.9; controls = 0), an approximate doubling in percent venous medial thickness, and a 50% reduction in number of...
cAMP-Independent Dilation of Coronary Arterioles to Adenosine

Abstract —Adenosine is known to play an important role in the regulation of coronary blood flow during metabolic stress. However, there is sparse information on the mechanism of adenosine-induced dilation at the microcirculatory levels. In the present study, we examined the role of endothelial nitric oxide (NO), G proteins, cyclic nucleotides, and potassium channels in coronary arteriolar dilation to adenosine. Pig subepicardial coronary arterioles (50 to 100 μm in diameter) were isolated, cannulated, and pressurized to 60 cm H2O without flow for in vitro study. The arterioles developed basal tone and dilated dose dependently to adenosine. Disruption of endothelium, blocking of endothelial ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels by glibenclamide, and inhibition of NO synthase by N G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester and of soluble guanylyl cyclase by 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3,-a]quinoxalin-1-one produced identical attenuation of vasodilation to adenosine. Combined administration of these inhibitors did not further attenuate the vasodilatory response. Production of NO from coronary arterioles was significantly increased by adenosine. Pertussis toxin, but not cholera toxin, significantly inhibited vasodilation to adenosine, and this inhibitory effect was only evident in vessels with an intact endothelium. Tetraethylammonium, glibenclamide, and a high concentration of extraluminal KCl abolished vasodilation of denuded vessels to adenosine; however, inhibition of calcium-activated potassium channels by iberiotoxin had no effect on this dilation. Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, a cAMP antagonist, inhibited vasodilation to cAMP analog 8-Br-cAMP but failed to block adenosine-induced dilation. Furthermore, vasodilations to 8-Br-cAMP and sodium nitroprusside were not inhibited by glibenclamide, indicating that cAMP- and cGMP-induced dilations are not mediated by the activation of KATP channels. These results suggest that adenosine activates both endothelial and smooth muscle pathways to exert its vasodilatory function. On one hand, adenosine opens endothelial KATP channels through activation of pertussis toxin–sensitive G proteins. This signaling leads to the production and release of NO, which subsequently activates smooth muscle soluble guanylyl cyclase for vasodilation. On the other hand, adenosine activates smooth muscle KATP channels and leads to vasodilation through hyperpolarization. It appears that the latter vasodilatory process is independent of G proteins and of cAMP/cGMP pathways.
Biotechnology Applied to the Improvement of Underground Systems of Woody Plants

The optimal functioning of the root system of a plant and its most favorable association with the soil and the microorganisms of the rhizosphere are crucial to the growth and development of the whole plant. A variety of technical approaches directed toward improving the functioning of the underground systems of woody plants are available. Genetic manipulations, including root transformations using microbial vectors, may result in more effective root systems and better understanding of root development. Chemical treatments, including mineral nutrient additions, hormonal modifications, and soil amendments, result in improved plant development. The root system provides sites for complex and subtle microbial interactions. Optimization of host-microorganism associations managed for maximal productivity is a major mode for biotechnical improvement of plants.
Are Public Officials Obstacles to Citizen-Centered E-Government? An Examination of Municipal Administrators' Motivations and Actions

This study investigates why municipal officials have not fully taken advantage of the interactive features of the Internet to bring citizens closer to their governments. Studies show that although ...
Anthocyanin pigments in the skin of lychee fruit

The anthocyanins in the skin of lychee fruit were isolated and purified by Sephadex G-25 and LH-20 gel column chromatography, and Sep-Pak C-18 cartridge. Further separation by HPLC on a C-18 column, on-line spectra by photodiode array detection, and acid and alkali hydrolyses were used for identification. Cyanidin-3-rutinoside was the major anthocyanin found. Cyanidin-3-gIucoside and malvidin-3-ace-tylglucoside were also identified. Polymerized anthocyanin pigment was also present, appearing to contribute to the brownish-red color.
Mortality after Bladder Augmentation in Children with Spina Bifida

Purpose: Renal failure has been a leading cause of death for children with spina bifida. Although improvements in management have increased survival, current data on mortality are sparse. Bladder augmentation, a modern intervention to preserve renal function, carries risks of morbidity and mortality. We determined long-term mortality and causes of death in patients with spina bifida treated with bladder augmentation.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with spina bifida who underwent bladder augmentation between 1979 and 2013. Those born before 1972 or older than 21 years at augmentation were excluded. Demographic and surgical data were collected. Outcomes were obtained from medical records, death records and the Social Security Death Index. Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and Kaplan-Meier plots were used for analysis.Results: Of 888 patients in our bladder reconstruction database 369 with spina bifida met inclusion criteria. Median followup was 10.8 years. A...
Alterations in spinal cord Fos protein expression induced by bladder stimulation following cystitis

These studies examined Fos protein expression in spinal cord neurons synaptically activated by stimulation of bladder afferent pathways after cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced bladder inflammation. In urethan-anesthetized Wistar rats with cystitis, intravesical saline distension significantly ( P ≤ 0.0005) increased the number of Fos-immunoreactive (IR) cells observed in the rostral lumbar (L1, 35 cells/section; L2, 27 cells/section) and caudal lumbosacral (L6, 120 cells/section; S1, 96 cells/section) spinal cord compared with control animals, but Fos protein expression in the L5 segment was not altered. The topographical distribution of Fos-IR cells was also altered in the lumbosacral spinal cord. The majority of Fos-IR cells were distributed in the dorsal commissure (45%), with smaller percentages in the sacral parasympathetic nucleus (25%), medial dorsal horn (20%), and lateral dorsal horn (10%). These results demonstrate that urinary bladder distension produces increased numbers and an altered distribution pattern of Fos-IR cells after cystitis. This altered distribution pattern resembles that following noxious irritation of the bladder in control animals. Pretreatment with capsaicin significantly reduced the number of Fos-IR cells induced by bladder distension after cystitis. These data suggest that chronic cystitis can reveal a nociceptive Fos expression pattern in the spinal cord in response to a non-noxious bladder stimulus that is partially mediated by capasaicin-sensitive bladder afferents.
Discrimination and the unemployment durations of white and black males

In this study we develop a model to decompose the longer unemployment duration of blacks into discriminatory and non-discriminatory components. By extending Becker's theory of discrimination to job-search theory, the discriminatory component is seen to be the result of two separate effects. First, a white treatment advantage shortens the unemployment duration of whites because they receive more frequent and higher wage offers than would prevail in the absence of discrimination for working alongside blacks. Second, a black treatment disadvantage lengthens the jobless spell of blacks because blacks receive lower wage offers than would prevail without discrimination as discriminating employers extract quasi-rents from their labour. We estimate our model using date from the CPS Displaced Workers Survey. The results show that 3.81 of the 4.58 weeks longer unemployment spell for blacks is due to discrimination, with 3.11 weeks resulting from the white treatment advantage, and 0.7 weeks emanating from the black ...
III–V triple junctions and MQW-fine tuning at 1 EV in synergy for high efficiency solar cells

High efficiency triple junctions (≫40%) in synergy with tuned MQW pin structures may lead to even higher efficiency values for a new class of solar cells that include quantum size effects. This paper exploits the possibility of quantum wells in superlattice form where photocarrier conduction is feasible via thermionic and/or tunneling conduction. Such structures may be designed to absorb at selective bands of the solar spectrum (e.g. 1eV range); carrier confinement occurs at concentrations from 1012 – 1013 cm2 pew quantum well. A top three junction cell is simulated at 28.4% efficiency (AlGaAs/GaAs/GaAs), and bottom multijunction cell (MQW GaAs-Ge superlattice) at 22%. The synergy of the two units leads to a projected efficiency near 44.2%, a clear step to highest efficiencies feasible in the immediate future. Our design opens the way to highly effective solar cells via (a) triple junctions and (b) 2-dimensional electronic transport (c) flexibility in material selection.
Midgestational Lethality in Mice Lacking the Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)/PTH-Related Peptide Receptor Is Associated with Abrupt Cardiomyocyte Death

PTHrP is a key developmental regulatory protein and a potent vasoactive agent. Previous studies have shown that mice lacking either the Pthrp or the PTH type 1 receptor (Pth1r) gene exhibit severe chondrodysplasia. In addition, in most genetic backgrounds, the receptor null mice die prenatally at midgestation, but the cause of death remains elusive. Here we show the loss of the Pth1r gene in C57BL6 mice leads to massive, abrupt cardiomyocyte death and embryonic lethality between embryonic days (E) E11.5 and E12.5. PTH1R mRNA was abundantly expressed in the developing wild-type mouse heart and cardiomyocytes from E11.5 embryos demonstrated acute increases in cAMP and increased Ca2+oscillations in response to PTHrP-(1–34)NH2. Analyses of more than 300 embryos (E8–E14.5) from C57BL6/PTH1R +/− matings showed that PTH1R−/− mice survived until E11 with no obvious defects in any tissue. By E12, only 10% of the PTH1R−/− embryos survived and all PTH1R null mice were dead by E13. Ultrastructural and histological an...
Valid Comparisons of Antifibrinolytic Agents Used in Cardiac Surgery

Bleeding is a major source of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgical procedures. Patients who return to the operating room for bleeding have a 4-fold increase in mortality and a similar increase in the rate of sternal infection. The significance of this issue is underscored by the fact that patients undergoing cardiac surgery consume up to 30% of the nation’s blood supply. During massive hemorrhage resulting from trauma, the life-saving benefits of blood transfusion are well documented. However, in the more common setting of elective blood and blood component transfusions in intensive care units using arbitrary transfusion triggers, the benefits of transfusion are not well established and may have a net negative influence on outcomes. Indeed, the overt dangers of transfusion are unequivocal (hepatitis C, HIV, fever, infection, increased costs, transfusion reaction), and evidence of the covert dangers of blood transfusion (prolonged intensive care unit stay, increased mortality, increased morbidity) after cardiac surgery is persuasive.1 Because both bleeding itself and the transfusions administered to compensate for blood loss have an untoward impact on outcomes, there is strong motivation to decrease the occurrence of bleeding associated with cardiac surgical procedures in the first place. In this regard, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Workforce on Evidence Based Surgery, in conjunction with the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, recently published a comprehensive guideline outlining appropriate methods for blood conservation in cardiac surgery.2 Article p 2801 Recently, Mangano et al published the short-term3 and longer-term4 results of the same observational study comparing the 3 antifibrinolytic agents available for use in cardiac surgical patients (aprotinin, e-aminocaproic acid [EACA], and tranexamic acid [TXA]) with control patients who received neither of these agents. These studies caused considerable concern among cardiac surgeons and regulatory agencies because the authors concluded that aprotinin was associated with a …
Regimes, Repertoires and State Repression

Charles Tilly wrote a great deal about a greater number of topics – includ-ing state repression. While he wrote about repressive behavior quite fre-quently and, many respects, it served as a central element of his work, in-terestingly it was never a topic of interest in and of itself. Instead, it sat like a pillar around which he would ground discussions of contentious politics, democracy and state-building; indeed, repression was largely embedded within his idea of what governments could do to/against citizens (Tilly 2006, chapter 4). There is thus no masterful book or article on the topic. There are, however, numerous sections of Tilly’s articles and books that include mention of the subject (e.g., an extensive discussion can be found in the much neglected
Genetic method to optimize binary dithering technique for high-quality fringe generation

The recently proposed dithering techniques could substantially improve measurement quality when fringes are wide, but offer limited improvement when fringes are narrow. This Letter presents a genetic algorithm to optimize the dithering technique for sinusoidal structured pattern representation. We believe both simulation and experimental results show that this proposed algorithm can substantially improve fringe quality for both narrow and wide fringe patterns.
A Case Study: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease

Objective Sickle cell disease (SCD) negatively impacts patients' functioning and quality of life. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) promotes acceptance of difficult sensations, emotions, and thoughts when doing so facilitates living a values-based life. This study describes ACT for improving functioning and quality of life for an adolescent with SCD and his parents. Methods A 16-year old with SCD and his parents attended an eight-session ACT program. Process (adolescent psychological flexibility, parent acceptance) and outcome (adolescent social anxiety, pain, functioning, quality of life; parent distress) measures were conducted prior to and following treatment and at 3-month follow-up. Results and conclusions Improvements were evident, especially at follow-up. Process measures suggest adolescent psychological flexibility and parent acceptance might explain positive effects. Anecdotal comments support these findings and provide additional evidence that ACT might effectively promote functioning and quality of life in adolescents with chronic diseases.
Medical students' perceptions of the body donor as a "first patient" or "teacher": a pilot study.

University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) students attending a seminar on the history and ethics of anatomical dissection were fascinated by a report on the dissection room experience in Thailand that relates the body donor’s status as a teacher. The students felt that they had naturally adopted the ‘‘body as teacher’’ approach in their dissection course, rather than the ‘‘body as first patient’’ approach that is encouraged by faculty. It was decided to explore the question whether other medical students shared these perceptions. A questionnaire was sent out to all UMMS students who had finished the anatomical dissection course. One hundred twenty-eight responses from a population of 500 students were received. Results indicate that students believe the ‘‘body as teacher’’ approach is more effective in engendering respect and empathy towards the body and towards future patients, and in facilitating students’ emotional development. Students also reported wanting a more personal relationship with their donors. Eighty four percent of students preferred the ‘‘body as teacher’’ approach to the currently taught ‘‘body as first patient’’ approach. The results support the hypothesis that students’ desired closer personal relationship with donors might be better facilitated by the "body as teacher" approach, and that this closer relationship engenders empathy and respect towards the donor and future patients. A new model for anatomy programs could introduce the donor first as a teacher and later transition into viewing the donor as a patient. Anat Sci Educ 4: 208–213. © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.
Wheat farmers adopt the undercutter fallow method to reduce wind erosion and sustain profitability

Abstract Blowing dust from excessively tilled fallow fields is a major soil loss and air quality concern in the low precipitation ( Triticum aestivum L.) production region of the Inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States. A 2-year tillage-based winter wheat-summer fallow (WW-SF) rotation is practiced on >90% of rainfed cropland in the region. Earlier research proved the undercutter method for non-soil inversion primary spring tillage to be environmentally superior and agronomically and economically equivalent to high-soil-disturbance conventional tillage. In this study, we conducted comprehensive surveys of 47 wheat farmers who purchased undercutters through the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Farmers received 50% cost shares on the condition they used the undercutter as prescribed by university scientists on at least 65 ha of land for three consecutive years. Participating farmers were interviewed each year from 2008 to 2010 regarding the agronomic and economic performance of the undercutter versus conventional fallow on their farms. The survey revealed equivalent average WW grain yields and profitability for the two systems from 104 paired comparisons. Survey results also showed that 90% of farmer participants were satisfied with the undercutter system. We conclude the soil-conserving undercutter fallow system provides farmers equal profitability as the conventional-tillage fallow system.
Does local government have capacity for enabling local economic development? Lessons from Jamaica

Implementation of the Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED)1began in 2012 in seven countries for a duration of six years, to support sustainable economic growth in the region. CARILED has introduced the idea of local economic development (LED) to the ‘development’ debate in the region but has also brought the organisational capacity of local government, and local government’s role as ‘facilitator’ of LED,to the fore. This paper assesses organizational behaviour and capability in local government in Jamaica to determine the state of readiness for a developmental role. The paper draws on two sets of research data to aid its analysis–a capacity audit (CAPAUD) conducted in 2010 and an organisational analysis (OA)commissioned by the Ministry of Local Government in 2010, both of which targeted a sample of local authorities in Jamaica. The study found that when assessed against established criteria for an LED organisation, ie: research and information provision; marketing and coordination; learning and innovation; and leadership - local government’s institutional and organisational capacity for development is unevenly distributed. For instance, local leaders understood organisational purpose but efforts to give effect to this appeared undeveloped, sporadic and uni-directional. It was also evident that participatory strategies are used to gain information from communities but these were often devoid of systematic research methodologies rendering formal community impact on local planning negligent. Finally there is strong potential for the kind of administrative leadership required by a developmental local government to evolve,indicated by the quality of training, quantum of managerial/supervisory staff, and stability of staff establishment. However, this potential is threatened by the deficiencies in the non-traditional functional areas that are strategic to the organisation’s effectiveness as a ‘facilitator’ of LED, ie:alignment of community engagement/interface with LED priorities, diffusion of information technology in organisational processes, and utilisation of policy analysis and development. These findings contribute important policy relevant information to the discourses in the region about the construction of alternative solutions to institutional and organisational problems in response to the economic crises of small island developing states (SIDS).
S-1: a promising new oral fluoropyrimidine derivative

The fluoropyrimidine anticancer agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is active in a wide range of solid tumors, particularly gastric, colorectal, and head and neck cancers. Whilst infusional 5-FU is associated with higher response rates and a favorable safety profile compared with the classical i.v. bolus administration, prolonged infusions can be inconvenient for the patients, and catheter-related problems are common complications. An oral 5-FU formulation would allow for sustained 5-FU plasma concentrations, mimicking the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a continuous infusion with the addition of convenience of administration. The oral administration of 5-FU itself is not feasible owing to the high activity of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) in the gut wall, which causes rapid metabolism of the drug and results in decreased and erratic absorption of 5-FU and nonlinear PK. To bypass this problem, oral fluoropyrimidine derivatives were developed either in the form of 5-FU prodrugs (i.e., tegafur, doxifluridine or ca...
Interval and Robust Stability of Two-Parameter Discrete Systems with Interval Coefficients

For a two-parameter discrete system with interval coefficients, we obtain conditions for robust stability and stability in the sense of interval analysis. In the general case, these two notions of stability are distinct; however, they are equivalent under the assumption that the coefficients of the system are nonnegative.
Developmental and biochemical characteristics of the cardiac membrane-bound arginine-specific mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase

ADP-ribosylation of protein in heart membrane preparations has been shown to be present in adult tissue but absent from early neonate tissue [Piron and McMahon (1990) Biochem. J. 270, 591-597]. To further this observation, the cardiac membrane-bound form of arginine-specific mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.31) has been characterized. Apparent Km values of 330 and 470 microM were found in heart membrane preparations from rat and quail respectively. The Vmax. value depended greatly on the species of animal studied, and was 1.1 and 48 nmol/min per mg in rat and quail preparations respectively. The specific activity of the enzyme was lowest in pig, intermediate in rat, dog and rabbit, and highest in mouse and quail cardiac membranes. In the rat, the ADP-ribosylation of protein and enzyme activity were very low in heart preparations from 1-15-day-old animals. Thereafter the ADP-ribosylation and enzyme activity increased gradually to adulthood. Bacillus cereus phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, known to hydrolyse glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors of proteins, released the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase from membrane preparations of both rat and quail in a dose-dependent, Zn(2+)-inhibited manner. Thus it appears that a membrane-bound form of arginine-specific mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase is present in heart membranes from a variety of species and is not species-specific. The activity of this ADP-ribosyltransferase appears to be developmentally regulated and to be bound to the cardiac membranes by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor.
Absence of bone marrow toxicity in elderly patients treated with recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone and empirically dosed radioiodine for thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the rate of clinically significant bone marrow toxicity in elderly patients after recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH) and empirically dosed radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancer. METHODS This is a retrospective review of 15 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer that were at least 70 years old at the time of their first radioiodine treatment at our institution administered by the authors under a protocol involving an empiric dose prescription and preparation with rhTSH rather than hypothyroidism. The median dose per administration was 203 mCi and the median total dose per patient was 234 mCi. One third of the patients had at least 1 positive posttreatment whole-body scan and the other two thirds all had negative posttreatment whole-body scans. The primary study endpoint was a red cell, white cell, or platelet count below the lower limit of the normal range that produced symptoms or resulted in a recommendation for treatment. Complete blood count follow-up was at least 1 year in all patients, with a median value of 4 years. RESULTS There was no evidence of clinically important bone marrow toxicity from radioiodine therapy in the patients in this study. No patient required treatment for anemia, leucopenia, or thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSIONS In patients with normal renal function, clinically significant bone marrow toxicity from radioiodine therapy is highly unlikely with rhTSH preparation and empiric dosing with <250 mCi per administration and total cumulative doses <350 mCi.
Depression of hepatic gluconeogenesis by acute lead administration.

SummaryMale rats were administered either 5 mg lead acetate or sodium acetate iv and then fasted overnight. Gluconeogenesis was assessed both in vivo employing radiotracer as well as chemical conversions of alanine to glucose, and in vitro using isolated hepatocytes. Lead-treated rats had depressions in both 14C-alanine incorporation into blood glucose and the hyperglycemic response to an alanine load. Isolated hepatocyte gluconeogenesis from either 10 mM alanine, lactate or pyruvate was depressed from 40 to 60% for lead-treated rats as compared to controls; the addition of lead acetate to normal hepatocytes in vitro had no effect on gluconeogenesis. Glucose synthesis from three precursors which do not require a mitochondrial step for conversion to glucose—i.e., fructose, glycerol, and oxaloacetate—was not markedly depressed in hepatocytes from lead-treated rats. Incorporation of 14C-alanine into both glucose and carbon dioxide were also depressed following lead treatment. These data on hepatic gluconeoge...
Cross-Linked Ultrathin Polyurea Films via Molecular Layer Deposition

Ultrathin cross-linked polymer thin films are highly desirable materials because of their important roles in many applications. However, they are difficult and challenging to fabricate. Here we rep...
Unique Effects of the Chain Lengths and Anions of Tetra-alkylammonium Salts on Quenching Pyrene Excimer

Pyrene (Py) excimer, through its unique fluorescence quenching, exhibits high sensitivity and high selectivity in detecting specific electron-deficient molecules, providing a potential platform for sensing technology, optical switch, and probing hydrophobicity of molecular environment. In solution state, its quenching mechanism has been well-studied. However, there remain many unknown properties regarding the quenching mechanism of the solid-state Py excimer. In this paper, the effects of a series of tetra-alkylammonium salts (with a variety of chain lengths and anions) on Py excimer quenching are investigated to identify the controlling parameters of the fluorescence quenching in the binary system. Several experimental approaches including steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, UV absorption, 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and time-dependent fluorescence decay are employed to seek for the fundamental understanding of the quenching mechanism...
Study on ways of direct colorimetric assay of boric and borax in frozen food

Objective:To study and establish green analytic means of direct colorimetric assay of boric acid and borax in food without harmful chemical agents so as to reduce environmental pollution to minimal extent,which is also sensitive,accurate and applicable to the grassroots level.Methods:Unfreeze the sample of frozen food,use non-aqueous reprocessing in the conditions of alkali,and dissolve with hydrochloric acid.Rose-red chemical compounds are formed by boron and curcumin.Color comparison was made at(λ-(max)=540 nm)and then was compared with quantity of standard series.Results:There was a good linear relationship in the range of 0.0～240 μg/L.Relative standard deviation5.0% and the addition standard recovery was 95.2%～103.7%.Conclusion:This is an easy,accurate,reliable and pollution-free method to determine boric acid in frozen food.
The Unequal Structure of the German Education System: Structural Reasons for Educational Failures of Turkish Youth in Germany.

The paper examines the educational experiences of Turkish youth in Germany with special references to the statistical data of Educational Report, PISA surveys. The results of the educational statistics of Germany show that more than group characteristics like social and cultural capital, structural and institutional factors (multi-track system with its selective mechanism, education policy, context of negative reception of Germany, institutional discrimination, and lack of intercultural curriculum) could have a decisive role in hampering the educational and labor market integration and social mobility of Turkish youth. This can be explained by a mix of factors: the education system which does not foster the educational progress of children from disadvantaged families; the high importance of school degrees for accessing to the vocational training system and the labor market; and direct and indirect institutional discrimination in educational area in Germany. Thus, this work suggests that the nature of the education system in Germany remains deeply “unequal,” “hierarchical” and “exclusive.” This study also demonstrates maintaining the marginalized position of Turkish children in Germany means that the country of origin or the immigrants’ background is still a barrier to having access to education and the labor market of Germany.
Non–Operating Room Anesthesia in the Endoscopy Unit

The term, non-operating room anesthesia, describes a location remote from the main operating suites and closer to the patient, including areas that offer specialized procedures, like endoscopy suites, cardiac catheterization laboratories, bronchoscopy suites, and invasive radiology suites. There has been an exponential growth in such procedures and they present challenges in both organizational aspects and administration of anesthesia. This article explores the requirements for the location, preoperative evaluation and patient selection, monitoring, anesthesia technique, and postoperative management at these sites. There is a need to better define the role of the anesthesia personnel at these remote sites.
Delegation of duties to hospital dietary supportive personnel.

Various educational avenues in promoting delegation have an impact within hospital dietary departments, which this survey evaluated, Education alone, it is indicated, is relatively ineffective in this respect. Implications are that dietitians may view delegation as an occasional transfer of less technical duties to extend available professional manpower rather than as a permanent sharing of responsibilities with supportive personnel.
Life-cycle cost and benefit analysis of utilizing hoods for light-duty cooking appliances in commercial kitchens (RP-1631, part 2)

The objective of this study was to compare the life-cycle cost of using a dedicated hood exhaust and replacement air system versus the cost of removing heat and moisture by the kitchen's general HVAC system. With measured sensible and latent heat generation data from Part I of the RP-1631, whole-building energy performance simulations and cost–benefit analysis were conducted for a generic prototype model of restaurants/cafeteria that included a dining and kitchen zone. Simulations were performed for 12 climate zones in the United States and different amounts of transfer air from the dining to the cooking zone. For most of the climates simulated, the hooded cases resulted in an increase in energy consumption, particularly for the heating-dominated regions, since the heat from the appliance was not used for space heating. In the cooling dominated regions, the hooded cases had about the same or less energy consumption due to reduced cooling loads. However, after integrating the initial cost, maintenance cost...
An Initial Evaluation of the Impact of Pokémon GO on Physical Activity.

BackgroundPokemon GO is a location‐based augmented reality game. Using GPS and the camera on a smartphone, the game requires players to travel in real world to capture animated creatures, called Po...
Optimal windy sites in Algeria: Potential and perspectives

Abstract The Algerian government has established an attractive policy to encourage investment in the wind energy by installing 5 GW of wind power by 2030. It has focused on collaborations and calls for investment from outside wind energy companies. However, this energy sector development requires the identification of potentially windy sites. This study was performed in order to determine new optimal sites in Algeria that may be eligible to receive the wind farm projects. Therefore, data from about 74 new sites were identified and assimilated to verify and update the wind resource estimates. Hourly wind speeds data were used for the establishment of the annual and seasonal wind maps at 10 m and 80 m a.g.l. As the wind map updates highlighted important changes in the wind resource, the wind potential sensitivity to the data time period was evaluated. The windy sites were classed on the basis of the NREL international standards. However, In order to ensure an adequate return on investment, the other objective of this study was to identify the optimal sites using a multi-criteria analysis based on the GIS method. Considering additional factors as network availability and wind energy previsions, different strategic scenarios of wind farms planning were proposed.
Colonial Cruelty: The Expression and Perpetuation of Violence in Theodor de Bry’s America

The images accompanying the Girolamo Benzoni account of Spanish colonization in the New World are characterized as some of the most violent of Theodor de Bry’s collection, America. Revisiting these depictions with an explicit focus on violence reveals the different ways in which violent acts are either justified or condemned in colonial discourse and power structures. The purpose of this discussion is twofold: first, to examine how violence is defined and represented in this early modern visual context; and second, to explore how the De Bry illustrations advance an equally violent colonial discourse. A juxtaposition of expressions of both indigenous and Spanish violence from parts four through six of De Bry’s America highlights the argumentative substratum of the images – mainly that European acts of aggression are justified actions of colonial control, while indigenous aggression is unbridled brutality, thus consequentially promoting colonial efforts that directly affect that very America in focus.