cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electronic data interchange (EDI)-definition-justification-implementation

A general discussion of electronic data interchange (EDI) is presented. EDI is defined, and its domain is indicated. Economic issues specific to EDI are discussed. An approach for project management and implementation is suggested. The possible future effects of EDI on business are given. >
Fluid infiltration and regional metamorphism of the Waits River Formation, north‐east Vermont, USA

The Siluro-Devonian Waits River Formation of north-east Vermont was deformed, intruded by plutons and regionally metamorphosed during the Devonian Acadian Orogeny. Five metamorphic zones were mapped based on the mineralogy of carbonate rocks. From low to high grade, these are: (1) ankerite-albite, (2) ankerite-oligoclase, (3) biotite, (4) amphibole and (5) diopside zones. Pressure was near 4.5kbar and temperature varied from c. 450° C in the ankerite-albite zone to c. 525° C in the diopside zone. Fluid composition for all metamorphic zones was estimated from mineral equilibria. Average calculated χco2[= CO2/(CO2+ H2O)] of fluid in equilibrium with the marls increases with increasing grade from 0.05 in the ankerite-oligoclase zone, to 0.25 in the biotite zone and to 0.44 in the amphibole zone. In the diopside zone, χCO2 decreases to 0.06. Model prograde metamorphic reactions were derived from measured modes, mineral chemistry, and whole-rock chemistry. Prograde reactions involved decarbonation with an evolved volatile mixture of χCO2 > 0.50. The χCO2 of fluid in equilibrium with rocks from all zones, however, was generally <0.40. This difference attests to the infiltration of a reactive H2O-rich fluid during metamorphism. Metamorphosed carbonate rocks from the formation suggests that both heat flow and pervasive infiltration of a reactive H2O-rich fluid drove mineral reactions during metamorphism. Average time-integrated volume fluxes (cm3 fluid/cm2 rock), calculated from the standard equation for coupled fluid flow and reaction in porous media, are (1) ankerite-oligoclase zone: c. 1 × 104; (2) biotite zone: c. 3 × 104; (3) amphibole zone: c. 10 × 104; and diopside zone: c. 60 × 104. The increase in calculated flux with increasing grade is at least in part the result of internal production of volatiles from prograde reactions in pelitic schists and metacarbonate rocks within the Waits River Formation. The mapped pattern of time-integrated fluxes indicates that the Strafford-Willoughby Arch and the numerous igneous intrusions in the field area focused fluid flow during metamorphism. Many rock specimens in the diopside zone experienced extreme alkali depletion and also record low χCO2. Metamorphic fluids in equilibrium with diopside zone rocks may therefore represent a mixture of acid, H2O-rich fluids given off by the crystallizing magmas, and CO2-H2O fluids produced by devolatilization reactions in the host marls. Higher fluxes and different fluid compositions recorded near the plutons suggest that pluton-driven hydrothermal cells were local highs in the larger regional metamorphic hydrothermal system.
Another Look at the Annual and Semiannual Cycles of Atmospheric Angular Momentum

Abstract The annual variation of global atmospheric angular momentum (AAM) is dominated by its first and second harmonic components. The first harmonic is associated with maximum global AAM in winter (December– January–February) and minimum in summer, but the second harmonic is important enough to produce a distinct secondary midwinter minimum. Locally, the second harmonic has largest amplitude in the Tropics and subtropics of the upper troposphere. At present, little is known concerning the fundamental cause of this semiannual variation. The problem is investigated here by focusing on the upper-tropospheric winds, whose angular momentum is an excellent proxy of global AAM. The annual variation of the rotational part of these winds (the part that contributes to the global AAM) is diagnosed in a nonlinear upper-tropospheric vorticity-equation model with specified horizontal wind divergence and transient-eddy forcing. The divergence forcing is the more important of the two, especially in the Tropics and sub...
Bio and Nano Working Together: Engineering the Protein-Nanoparticle Interface

Surface engineering of nanoparticles controls the interaction of these materials with proteins and other biomolecules. These interactions provide an important tool for integrating synthetic and biological systems. We will discuss the use of nanoparticles to modulate the structure and function of proteins, the self-assembly of proteins and nanoparticles to create multifunctional materials, and the construction of nanoparticle-based sensors for the detection and identification of proteins and cells.
Decentralized utility-based sensor network design

Wireless sensor networks consist of energy-constrained sensor nodes operating unattended in highly dynamic environments. In this paper, we advocate a systematic decentralized approach towards the design of such networks based on utility functions. A local utility function is defined for each sensor node in the network. While each sensor node "selfishly" optimizes its own utility, the network as a "whole" converges to a desired global objective. For the purpose of demonstrating our approach, we consider the following two separate case studies for data gathering in sensor networks: (a) construction of a load balanced tree and (b) construction of an energy balanced tree. Our work suggests a significant departure from the existing view of sensor networks as consisting of cooperative nodes, i.e. "selfish" sensor nodes is a useful paradigm for designing efficient distributed algorithms for these networks.
Wavelengths of U III and U IV lines in the near ultraviolet

Recent interest in isotope separation schemes which involve plasmas requires information concerning the wavelengths of highly ionized uranium lines, especially U III and U IV. The study reported here was undertaken to contribute to this required knowledge and was limited to the near UV. (AIP)
A rational account of pedagogical reasoning: Teaching by, and learning from, examples

Much of learning and reasoning occurs in pedagogical situations— situations in which a person who knows a concept chooses examples for the purpose of helping a learner acquire the concept. We introduce a model of teaching and learning in pedagogical settings that predicts which examples teachers should choose and what learners should infer given a teacher’s examples. We present three experiments testing the model predictions for rule-based, prototype, and causally structured concepts. The model shows good quantitative and qualitative fits to the data across all three experiments, predicting novel qualitative phenomena in each case. We conclude by discussing implications for understanding concept learning and implications for theoretical claims about the role of pedagogy in human learning.
Action selection under constraints: dynamic optimization of behavior in machines and humans

Biological brains are capable of adaptive behavior to sustain performance in tasks in the face of increasingly difficult constraints.. We present a task with varying conditions of resource and time constraints. We compare our heuristic and neural network models to human data and speculate about dynamic mechanisms of action selection.
Ion Exchange Equilibrium Studies on Sulfonated Polystyrene Cross-Linked with Pure Divinylbenzenes

Abstract Equilibrium isotherms of Na-H, K-H, Rb-H, Cs-H, and Ag-H systems for series of sulfonated polystyrene resins prepared from styrene and m- and p-DVB copolymers (2, 4, 8 mole % DVB) have been studied at 25[ddot] C. The difference between the selectivity coefficient (KH M) for the 8 mole % m-DVB resin and that for the para isomer resin is relatively large and increases with the natural order of affinity of the cations up to the silver ion. The isotherms of the commercial DVB resin are also different. The variation of KH M with the cationic composition (XR) of the p-DVB resin is larger than that of the m-DVB resin as can be seen in the variation in the slope of plots. These facts are explained in terms of a variation in ion exchange sites which are related to the network structure of the copolymers. This indicates that the exchange sites are more uniformly distributed in the m-DVB resin that in the para isomer resin.
The minimal dimension of stable faces required to guarantee stability of a matrix polytope

Considers the problem of determining whether each point in a polytope n*n matrices is stable. The approach is to check stability of certain faces of the polytope. For n>or=3, the authors show that stability of each point in every (2n-4)-dimensional face guarantees stability of the entire polytope. Furthermore, they prove that, for any k >
Echocardiographic Findings in Fetuses With Vascular Lesions or Malformations

Fetal vascular lesions or malformations such as sacrococcygeal teratomas, cervical teratomas, chorioangiomas, and vein of Galen aneurysms are associated with an increased risk of fetal death due to cardiac failure and hydrops. Large vascular lesions have the potential to result in increased cardiac output and volume overload on the fetal heart. As the heart compensates for the increasing blood flow, cardiovascular changes, demonstrable on fetal echocardiography, are likely to occur in the fetus. In the current era of fetal intervention and surgery, it is important to characterize these changes as a means of recognizing cardiac dysfunction and selecting patients for fetal intervention and management. This retrospective study characterizes the echocardiographic findings in fetuses with vascular lesions or malformations using 2D, color, and pulsed-wave Doppler imaging.
Effect of maternal pyridoxine•HCL supplementation on the vitamin B-6 status of mother and infant and on pregnancy outcome

The effect of maternal pyridoxine X HCl (PN-HCl) supplementation on the vitamin B-6 status of pregnant women and their infants at birth and on pregnancy outcome was investigated. Volunteer subjects were randomly assigned a daily vitamin B-6 supplement containing 0, 2.6, 5, 7.5, 10, 15 or 20 mg of PN-HCl in a double-blind study. The mean dietary vitamin B-6 intake of the group was 1.43 +/- 1.28 mg/day as estimated from 24-hour dietary recalls. Maternal plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) levels were positively correlated with vitamin B-6 supplementation at 30 weeks gestation (r = 0.55, P less than 0.0005) and at delivery (r = 0.54, P less than 0.01). Cord plasma PLP levels reached a maximum when maternal PN-HCl supplementation was 7.5 mg and greater. Supplemental PN-HCl at the 7.5-mg level was required to prevent a decrease in maternal plasma PLP at delivery. Apgar scores at 1 minute after birth were higher (P less than 0.05) for infants whose mothers took 7.5 mg or more supplemental PN-HCl than for infants of mothers who took 5 mg or less. These findings indicate that a vitamin B-6 intake between 5.5 and 7.6 mg/day (diet plus supplement as pyridoxine equivalents) was required to maintain maternal plasma PLP levels at term at a level comparable to initial values.
Estimation of linear stochastic systems over a queueing network

In this paper, we consider the standard state estimation problem over a congested packet-based network. The network is modeled as a queue with a single server processing the packets. This provides a framework to consider the effect of packet drops, packet delays and bursty losses on state estimation. We use a modified Kalman Filter with buffer to cope with delayed packets. We analyze the stability of the estimates with varying buffer length and queue size. We use high order Markov chains for our analysis. Simulation examples are presented to illustrate the theory.
IMPACT-TO-WEAR RESISTANCE OF PMPC-GRAFTED HYDRATED BEARING SURFACE USING PIN-ON-DISK TESTER

The main objective of joint arthroplasty is to improve activities of daily living of the patient. However, normal daily activities may lead to separation of articular surfaces of an artificial joint, possibly as a result of a combined impact and sliding motion. Therefore, the properties of articular surfaces define the durability of implant materials. Modification of bearing surfaces with poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) increases the hydration of the surfaces and decreases the wear of the substrates. Hence, a PMPC layer can potentially cushion the impact and improve the resistance of cross-linked polyethylene (CLPE). This study aimed to explore the fatigue and wear resistance of PMPC-grafted hydrated CLPE under impact-to-wear conditions using a pin-on-disk tester. The surfaces of a CLPE disk (3- or 6-mm thick) were modified with PMPC by photoinduced polymerization and were sterilized using gamma rays. The wear resistance of PMPC-grafted CLPE disks against a Co-Cr-Mo alloy pin was evaluated and compared to that of untreated disks. The disks were fixed to the tester with a metal plate (Ti-6Al-4V alloy) that had a central hole. The test was performed for 2 × 10 6 cycles of repetitive impact and unidirectional sliding with the maximum load of 150 N, sliding distance of 10 mm, and frequency of 1 Hz [Fig. 1]. Gravimetric wear was determined by weighing the disks, and soak controls were used to compensate for fluid absorption. Volumetric changes in the surfaces of the disks were evaluated using a three-dimensional non-contact optical profiler. The average gravimetric wear (mg) after 2 × 10 6 cycles was 0.000/0.120 for CLPE (3/6 mm) and −0.073/–0.137 for PMPC-CLPE (3/6 mm). The weight gain of the PMPC-CLPE disks was due to their greater fluid absorption compared to that of the soak controls under the impact-to-wear conditions, as judged from the fact that during the load-soak in the lubricant this gain was observed for all the disks irrespectively of PMPC grafting. PMPC-grafting decreased the gravimetric wear of CLPE ( p 6 cycles of impact loads, mechanical fracture or delamination of the impact-sliding or backside surfaces were hardly observed in all the groups. The results of this study revealed that: (1) PMPC-grafting of CLPE surfaces decreased the gravimetric wear irrespectively of the disk thickness; and (2) thinner CLPE increased the risk of volumetric changes, including penetration in the impact-sliding surface and extrusion of the backside surface. In conclusion, PMPC grafting can potentially improve the wear resistance of the bearing surface of biomaterials even under impact-to-wear conditions, increasing the longevity of artificial joints.
The Biology of Carcinoma in the Cervix Uteri

Five years ago a paper was presented before the American Association of Obstetricians, Gynecologists and Abdominal Surgeons entitled “A Study of Twelve Hundred Cervices.” Since then, over 500 additional cervices have been studied, attention being focused more especially upon the biological behavior of cervical cells under normal and neoplastic conditions. Normal Standards Histologically the stratified epithelium and subepithelial stroma of the vagina is a modified cutaneous tissue with an abrupt transition to columnar epithelium within the cervical canal. The branched (elkhorn) mucous glands furnish an abundant secretion, which serves as a protection against both infection and friction. The endocervical canal is closed by mucus except as it is opened periodically by menstrual activity or reproductive function. The thirty or more years of recurring activity and the changes of senescence tend to alter the precisely adjusted cellular parts. This decidual, atrophic, involutional process is dependent upon a balanced withdrawal of endocrine influences and progressive lessening of the blood supply for all cells alike. The scant muscle parts give place to relatively dominating connective tissue. Even the well defined, persisting, stratified epithelial layer narrows, and the polarity of the cells becomes progressively indifferent. The germinative or basal layer of cells is the last to surrender its vitality because of its advantageous contact with the stromal transportation of blood, lymph and tissue hormones. It is obvious that when normal structural and physiological criteria are kept in mind, biological deviations may be more clearly defined. Certain major changes may reasonably have some bearing upon the development of carcinoma in the cervix uteri, as developmental defects, malformations, vascular and degenerative changes, inflammatory and metabolic disturbances, trauma, endocrine imbalance, disturbed cellular adjustments, and benign neoplasms. These will be discussed in reverse order.
Changes in circulating eosinophils in man following epinephrine, insulin, and surgical operations.

SummarySignificant eosinopenia has been observed following injection of epinephrine and of insulin. This change was exaggerated in patients with essential hypertension, and diminished or absent in patients with adrenal or pituitary insufficiency. Marked eosinopenia has been found after surgical operations.
Modeling the Policies of Several Labor Arbitrators

The policies of three labor arbitrators are modeled using seven criteria: management rights, contract language, past practice, fairness, effect on worker, negotiating history, and prior awards. The...
Limitations of cost-benefit-based aesthetic injury levels for managing twospotted spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Aesthetic injury levels (AIL) were calculated for two spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on Euonymus alatus (Thunberg) 'Compacta'. Methods were developed for sampling T. urticae and assessing its ability to discolor plant leaves in the landscape. Cumulative estimates of spider mite density more consistently predicted changes in the discoloration of plant leaves than did seasonal peak estimates of spider mite density. A survey of 134 retail nursery customers showed 50% of the respondents thought that plants with a change of < 5% leaf discoloration were damaged. A model was developed that predicted retail customer dissatisfaction with plants from cumulative spider mite densities. As the cost associated with a management strategy increased, more customers were likely to be dissatisfied with a plant managed at a given AIL. The utility of an AIL for common management strategies is discussed.
Reactive sputtering of III-N materials for applications in electronic devices

Gallium Nitride (GaN) and other III-N semiconductors are rapidly gaining importance in high power and high frequency electronic applications. III-N material based devices are fabricated on heterostructures that are usually grown by high vacuum techniques such as metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). However, in many applications, it is necessary to regrow thin cap layers of III-N materials during device fabrication. One such application is regrowth of ohmic contacts to III-N devices. Heavily doped n+ GaN, or InGaN grown by MBE or MOCVD is used to obtain low resistance non-alloyed ohmic contacts to GaN based devices. However, from a commercial point of view, this becomes difficult because of the high cost and lack of availability of ultra high vacuum (~1x10-10 Torr) techniques in most clean room facilities. Reactive sputtering provides a cheaper and more ubiquitous alternative for the growth of thin cap layers on parent MOCVD III-N heterostructures during device fabrication. In this work, we explore the possibility of using reactive sputtering as a method to grow III-N materials as ohmic contacts to GaN based devices.
Chemical, Electrical, and Structural Properties of Au/Pd Contacts on Chemical Vapor Cleaned p-type GaN Surfaces

The chemical, electrical, and microstructural properties of Au/Pd contacts on p-type GaN(0001) surfaces previously cleaned either ex situ or ex situ and in situ have been investigated. The in situ process involved a high temperature, NH3-based chemical vapor clean (CVC); it produced ordered, stoichiometric, p-type GaN surfaces with no detectable C and an O constituent which was subsequently reduced from 15 at% on the ex situ treated surface to 2 ± 1 at% following the CVC process. The Pd contacting layer grew epitaxially in a layer-by-layer mode on the CVC surface and formed an abrupt, unreacted metal-semiconductor interface. The Au capping layer also grew epitaxially on the Pd. Au/Pd contacts on both HCl and CVC treated surfaces exhibited identical surface roughness values (RMS) in the as-deposited state and following a 500°C anneal. Contact structures on CVC treated surfaces demonstrated excellent high-temperature microstructural stability as evidenced by the absence of significant change in the surface roughness (RMS) with successive annealing at 600 and 700°C. Identical contact structures on ex situ cleaned surfaces exhibited poor high temperature microstructural stability, as indicated by a significant increase in the surface roughness (RMS) following successive anneals at 600 and 700°C. There was a significant degradation in the morphology of both surfaces following the 800°C anneal as evidenced by the formation of large voids in the contact metallization and the exposure of the underlying p-type GaN substrate. The lowest resistance contact structures with uniform metal coverage were obtained for Au/Pd contacts on a CVC treated surface annealed at 700°C.
Government Forbearance: Myth or Reality?

This paper examines the thesis advanced by Thomas M. Merrill and Henry W. Smith in Property (2010) that various factors, including the political process, induce governments to forbear from unduly interfering with the rights of property owners. Expressing confidence in government, the authors prefer minimal judicial oversight of private property. This paper argues that legislators are more responsive to perceived political imperatives than to constitutional limits that dictate restraint. It concludes that the political process is unlikely to afford much protection to individual owners in the context of eminent domain or land use regulation. Moreover, any protection provided by the political system is likely to be skewed in favor of the wealthy and politically well-connected, and not assist the most vulnerable. Nor can federalism be seen as an effective deterrent to government abuse of property rights. Exit strategies are irrelevant to fixed assets, such as land, which cannot leave a jurisdiction to escape onerous taxes and regulations. Finally, the paper challenges constitutional doctrines which marginalize the rights of property owners while providing greater judicial solicitude for other claims of individual rights. Rejecting the government forbearance thesis, it finds no excuse for judicial abdication in enforcing the property clauses of the Constitution.
The Application of Evidence-based Nursing in the Surgical Treatment about Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrom

Objective To explore the effect of evidence-based nursing in the surgical treatment about children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrom. Methods Chose 402 cases of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrom children in hospital time divided into routine nursing group 194 cases and the evidence-based nursing group 208 examples, the routine nursing group with oral interpretation and written general nursing routine health education, and in the bed, evidence-based nursing group on the basis of conventional nursing group according to perioperative nursing problems, postoperative complications, clinical assessment, the application of the concept and implementation steps of evidence-based nursing to specific guidance, and parents together to develop and implement nursing plan,then to observe the clinic effect of the two groups. Results Occurrence of postoperative complications of conventional group was obviously higher than that of evidence-based group, evidence-based nursing set of parents to the disease related knowledge cognition and satisfaction of nursing is significantly higher than normal group, difference was statistically significant(P0.05). Conclusion Evidencebased nursing can effectively ensure the safety of surgery to prevent and reduce postoperative complications and to improve nursing quality and to make children get high quality nursing service, so it is worth popularizing in pediatric clinic.
Lotus Blossom or Dragon Lady: A Content Analysis of “Asian Women” Online Pornography

A content analysis was undertaken to consider the depiction of sexual behaviors in a random sample of videos from the “Asian Women” category of content on Xvideos.com, which is the largest and most popularly visited free online pornography tube site in US. The study has shown that women in the Asian women category were depicted very differently from women in other categories of pornography. Women in Asian women category of pornography were treated less aggressively. In addition, women in Asian women category were less objectified but also had lower agency in sexual activities. Thus, the Asian women stereotype in current pornography is closer to “Lotus Blossom” and far away from “Dragon Lady”. The results are considered in terms of their potential to influence the perceptions of content consumers.
X-Pro dipeptidase (eukaryotes)

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the activity, specificity and structural chemistry of X-Pro dipeptidase (XPD). A dipeptidase showing specificity for C-terminal proline was originally obtained from mammalian intestine and designated as prolidase. It was isolated, shown to be a metalloenzyme and characterized for substrate preference. The enzyme has been found in a variety of tissues and in bacteria, and is variously known as Xaa-Pro dipeptidase, X-Pro dipeptidase, proline dipeptidase, imidodipeptidase or peptidase D. XPD from a number of sources has been shown to exist in solution as a dimer of 55 kDa subunits, each of which consists of an identical single chain. An essential Arg has been identified at the active site by chemical modification. The human enzyme has been sequenced, and primary structures are also known for the mouse and the bacterial counterparts. XPD has been shown to cleave only the trans rotamer of the acyl-proline peptide linkage within its substrates. The active site evidently contains a catalytic metal ion that is especially Lewis-acidic. Activation of the dipeptide scissile linkage by chelative binding of the substrate N-terminus to a metal ion is indicated from specificity studies.
The Impact of Random Metal Detector Searches on Contraband Possession and Feelings of Safety at School

Weapons at school pose a danger to students as well as faculty. Educational administrators have attempted to reduce their prevalence by implementing random weapons searches in schools. This article...
The knowledge management system for the equipment maintenance technology

As for the semiconductor manufacture spot, it asks that a equipment doesn't break down to improve the quality maintenance of the product. However, the product is given a bad influence for the quality, delivery and cost without proper and quick reparation when a equipment breaks down. In order to operate the proper and quick reparation, the system supported the effective use of the technological improvement of the maintenance operator and the information joint ownership such as knowledge, information, experience and know-how of the equipment maintenance has been constructed in (Inc.) Renesas Technology Kumamoto factory. MTTR (mean time to repair average repair time) shortening and effect on a device vendor dependence rate decrease were provided by using this system. From now on, it will aim at more effect by the technological intake of the inside of the office, outside of the office.
From Acquisition to Inquiry: Supporting Informal Educators Through Iterative Implementation of Practice

Museum educators face many challenges in their work, especially when taking on new content and new approaches to visitor learning. This chapter provides a close look at the processes used to bring museum educators into the center of implementing new content and new facilitation structures in school trips at a large natural history museum. We use the phrase “iterative implementation” to describe our process of reflectively working to actualize a newly designed educational program, or a program that is new to a particular context. Through iterative implementation, practitioners identify something that is not working during a cycle of implementation, new ideas are discussed and tested, and, if more successful, are implemented into the next version of the program. By providing space for these part-time natural history museum docents to reflect on their practice and bring challenges and new ideas to share with their colleagues and leadership, they were able to embrace an inquiry-centered approach to museum learning that was not previously part of their educational repertoire. This project used three guiding principles for inquiry-based learning: learner autonomy, conversation with reflection, and deep investigation. Not only did museum educators encourage these principles on the floor of the museum, they also engaged in the same kind of learning in their professional work to iteratively implement the new school trip format.
Advanced predictions for moments of the anti-B ---> X(s) gamma photon spectrum

Based on a new, exact QCD factorization formula for the partial B->X_s+gamma decay rate with a restriction on large photon energy, improved predictions are presented for the partial moments and - ^2 of the photon spectrum defined with a cut E_gamma>E_0. In the region where Delta=m_b-2E_0 is large compared with Lambda_{QCD}, a theoretical description without recourse to shape functions can be obtained. However, for Delta<<m_b it is important to separate short-distance contributions arising from different scales. The leading terms in the heavy-quark expansion of the moments receive contributions from the scales Delta and \sqrt{m_b Delta} only, but not from the hard scale m_b. For these terms, a complete scale separation is achieved at next-to-next-to-leading order in renormalization-group improved perturbation theory, including two-loop matching contributions and three-loop running. The results presented here can be used to extract the b-quark mass and the quantity mu_pi^2 with excellent theoretical precision. A fit to experimental data reported by the Belle Collaboration yields m_b^{SF}=(4.62+-0.10_{exp}+-0.03_{th})GeV and mu_pi^{2,SF}=(0.11+-0.19_{exp}+-0.08_{th})GeV^2 in the shape-function scheme at a scale mu_f=1.5GeV, while m_b^{kin}=(4.54+-0.11_{exp}+-0.04_{th})GeV and mu_pi^{2,kin}=(0.49+-0.18_{exp}+-0.09_{th})GeV^2 in the kinetic scheme at a scale mu_f=1GeV.
Ocena jakości kształcenia w Polsce – problemy i rekomendacje

The main objective of this paper is to initiate a discussion on the system of quality evaluation of HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) in Poland. The author of this article points out that the current solutions applied within the field of Polish higher education concerning the assessment of the quality of HEIs are built without a reference to a strategic (long-term) vision. So it seems necessary to answer the following questions: 1) What is the profile of PKA (Polish Accreditation Committee)? Should it be the office controlling the HEIs? Or an expert unit enhancing the process of teaching at universities? 2) If PKA would became an expert unit, would it become a dangerous gap in the control system of HEIs that will increase the number of “diploma mills”? 3) Who within the Polish higher education system should take care for the control and quality assessment? The author presents the idea of creation of an unit that would deal professionally with the quality control in higher education - similar to the Financial Supervision Commission or the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection. The article uses ethnographic research conducted by the author. This article has been written with reference to the legal status of November 1st, 2016.
Role of Cytochrome P450 and Oxidative Stress in Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury

Alcohol-induced liver injury is a significant global health problem. The mechanisms by which alcohol causes cell injury are still not clear. Many of the hepatic toxic effects of ethanol have been linked to its metabolism in the liver and shown to correlate with cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) levels, lipid peroxidation, and elevated formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). CYP2E1 is induced under a variety of pathophysiological conditions, by drugs, and by alcohol. The goal of this review is to describe and characterize the liver cytochrome P450 microsomal mixed function oxidase system including the generation of ROS. The review then discusses biochemical and toxicological properties of CYP2E1 and its contribution to ethanol-elevated oxidant stress and liver pathology.
Emergence of β-Band Oscillations in the Aged Rat Amygdala during Discrimination Learning and Decision Making Tasks

McKnight Brain Research Foundation; National Institutes of Health [R01 AG012609]; Canadian Institute of Health Research [SIB171357]
Comprehension Disorders in Aphasia: The Case of Sentences that Require Syntactic Analysis

Publisher Summary Almost 100 years earlier, Wernicke (1874) had made exactly the same theoretical move about single word comprehension. Confronted with a patient who made phonemic errors in speech and did not understand spoken language, he argued that the two performances arose because of a single impairment—a loss of the long-term store of the sounds of words, which he argued would produce exactly these two deficits. An analysis of two abnormal performances being because of a deficit in a single underlying function has trouble withstanding the observation that each of the abnormal performances occurs in isolation. Unfortunately for both Wernicke's theory and the theory that agrammatic speech and asyntactic comprehension have their origins in a single deficit of syntactic processing, disturbances of each function have been observed in isolation. Some agrammatic patients have normal comprehension, some patients without Broca's aphasia or agrammatism have disorders of comprehension that are indistinguishable from those seen in these syndromes. As far as is known, the same or at least similar disorders of comprehension occur in all aphasic syndromes.
The effects of fluid transport on the creation of a dense cluster of activated fractures in a porous medium

The formation of a cluster of activated fractures when fluid is injected in a low permeability rock is analysed. A fractured rock is modelled as a dual porosity medium that consists of a growing cluster of activated fractures and the rock’s intrinsic porosity. An integro-differential equation for fluid pressure in the developing cluster of fractures is introduced to account for the pressure-driven flow through the cluster, the loss of fluid into the porous matrix and the evolution of the cluster’s permeability and porosity as the fractures are activated. Conditions under which the dependence of the permeability and porosity on the fluid pressure can be derived from percolation theory are discussed. It is shown that the integro-differential equation admits a similarity solution for the fluid pressure and that the cluster radius grows as a power law of time in two regimes: (i) a short-time regime, when many fractures are activated but pressure-driven flow in the network still dominates over fluid loss; and (ii) a long-time regime, when fluid loss dominates. The power law exponents in the two regimes are functions of the Euclidean dimension of the cluster, percolation universal exponents and the injection protocol. The model predicts that the effects of the fluid properties on the morphology of the formed network are different in the two similarity regimes. For example, increasing the injection rate with time, in the flow dominant regime, produces a smaller cluster of activated fractures than that formed by injecting the fluid at a constant rate. In the fluid loss dominated regime, however, ramping up the injection rate produces a larger cluster.
Molecular structure of 2,6-di(bromomethyl)biphenyl

The molecular structure of 2,6-di(bromomethyl)biphenyl has been determined. The two phenyl rings are near perpendicular arrangement (86.0°), and the bromomethyl groups adopt an anti-conformation, resulting in the interlocking of two molecules and the cofacial arrangement of the substituted aromatic ring on two adjacent molecules. Crystal data: orthorhombic, Pbcn, a = 12.098(2), b = 13.677(3), c = 7.892(2) A, V = 1305.8(5), and Z = 4.
Common Psychological Themes in Societies’ Reaction to Terrorism and Disasters

In this presentation I will outline the major components of disasters (man-made and natural) and terrorism. In each I will develop their common scenarios, dominant psychological themes, and impacts on society. We shall then explore the remarkable psychological similarities in terms of the human beings touched by these events; i.e., the universality of anxiety in such experiences and the long-term psychological price to be paid; i.e., the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Successful Outcome Following Orthotopic Heart Transplantation With a Donor Half Way Across The Country.

Abstract Orthotopic heart transplantation is the criterion standard treatment for end-stage heart failure and the number of recipient candidates has been increasing. Despite this increasing demand, there is limited donor organ supply. In order to surmount this challenge, we propose harvesting donor hearts from more distant locations and accepting longer cold ischemic times. The usual accepted total ischemic time limit for the transplanted human heart is up to 4 hours. Here, we report the successful use of a donor heart from 1268 miles away with a total allograft ischemic time greater than 6 hours.
The association between strengths and post-residential treatment needs of youth in the child welfare system

Abstract A common and critical issue faced by youth discharged from residential treatment is the gradual loss of gains made while in residential treatment. This can put these youth at greater risk for negative long-term outcomes such as poor behavioral and emotional functioning. The objective of this study was to identify factors that can improve long-term outcomes following discharge from residential treatment. Of special interest was the interplay of protective factors, including a variety of youth strengths (e.g., coping skills, family support, educational support) with youth behavioral and emotional outcomes. This study also considered the role of race/ethnicity, age, gender, and post-residential placement type. A sample of 799 youth who were discharged from residential treatment was examined. This study found a positive relationship between the total number of strengths at residential discharge and behavioral and emotional outcomes at 6 months following residential discharge. This study also found that the overall change in the number of youth's strengths (improvement or deterioration) after discharge from residential treatment was associated with decreased or increased youth behavioral and emotional needs over time. Additionally, change in two specific types of strengths—interpersonal and coping skills—following residential discharge was associated with decreased or increased youth behavioral and emotional needs over time. Overall, this study suggests that interventions that help to maintain or build youth strengths following discharge from residential settings may lead to decreased emotional and behavioral needs over time.
CNFs/S1-xSex Composites as Promising Cathode Materials for High-Energy Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

High-energy lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries still suffer from poor rate capability and short cycle life caused by the polysulfides shuttle and insulating nature of S (and the discharge product, Li2S). Selenium disulfide (SeS2), with a theoretical specific capacity of 1342 mAh g-1, is a promising cathode material as it has better conductivity compared to sulfur. The electrochemical reaction kinetics of CNFs-S/SeS2 composites (denoted as CNFs/S1-xSex, where x ≤ 0.1) are expected to be remarkably improved because of the better conductivity of SeS2 compared to sulfur. Here, a high-performance composite cathode material of CNFs/S1-xSex for novel Li-S batteries is reported. The CNFs/S1-xSex composites combine the higher conductivity and higher density of SeS2 with high specific capacity of sulfur. The CNFs/S1-xSex electrode shows good initial discharge capacity of ~1050 mAh g-1 at 0.05 C rate with high mass loading of materials (~6-7 mg cm-2 of composites) and > 97% initial coulombic efficiency. The CNFs/S1-xSex electrode shows more than 600 mAh g-1 specific capacity after 50 charge-discharge cycles at 0.5C rate, much higher compared to the CNFs/S cathodes.
Risk assessment of fast-track projects: a systems-based approach

Fast-tracking the large infrastructure projects through overlapping design and construction levitates multifaceted risks aggravating project complexity critical to efficient planning. Traditional r...
Cost-Effective ECC with Low Fiber Content for Pavement Application

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a cost-effective Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) with low fiber content (1.5% volume fraction) for pavement application. The ECC material studied was evaluated in compression, uniaxial tension and bending. In addition, flexural fatigue performance was evaluated. The cost-effective ECC material evaluated in this study exhibited a compressive strength of 37.6 MPa, a tensile ductility of 2.61%, and a flexural strength of 9.58 MPa. Moreover, the ECC material exhibited an equivalent flexural fatigue life to that of concrete at approximately two times the applied stress. Based on the experimental findings, it was shown that the cost-effective ECC materials with low fiber content can be promising for pavement application.
High-Fat Diet Impairs Tactile Discrimination Memory in the Mouse

Research on the impact of diet and memory has garnered considerable attention while exploring the link between obesity and cognitive impairment. High-fat diet (HFD) rodent models recapitulate the obesity phenotype and subsequent cognitive impairments. While it is known that HFD is associated with sensory impairment, little attention has been given to the potential role these sensory deficits may play in recognition memory testing, one of the most commonly used cognitive tests. Because mice utilize their facial whiskers as their primary sensory apparatus, we modified a common recognition test, the novel object recognition task, by replacing objects with sandpaper grits at ground level, herein referred to as the novel tactile recognition task (NTR). First, we tested whisker-manipulated mice in this task to determine its reliance on intact whiskers. Then, we tested the HFD mouse in the NTR. Finally, to ensure that deficits in the NTR are due to cognitive impairment and not HFD-induced sensory deficiencies, we tested the whisker sensitivity of HFD mice via the corner test. Our results indicate that the NTR is a whisker dependent task, and that HFD mice exhibit tactile recognition memory impairment, not accompanied by whisker sensory deficits.
ViewPoint: Student Experiences with Technology Supporting Role-Based Educational Simulations

We examine the experience of students who used ViewPoint to participate in a technology-supported, role-based simulation in a large university course, where graduate students designed and built a simulation about the college admissions process for undergraduate students. We focus on the user experience with ViewPoint  a web application to author, structure, and manage role-based simulations. Users noted four ways that ViewPoint supported their experience: it provided convenient and equitable access to resources, facilitated communication among roles, created focus through its self-contained environment, and mirrored real-world tasks through its interface. Users noted two dimensions to consider for future support of role-based simulations: maintaining the conceit of the simulation narrative and creating awareness of auxiliary information streams.
Economic comparisons of variable rate irrigation and fertigation with fixed (uniform) rate irrigation and fertigation and pre-plant fertilizer management for maize in three soils

Abstract Extensive field research for data collection to conduct economic comparisons of variable rate irrigation (VRI) with fixed (uniform) rate irrigation (FRI) and no irrigation (NI) in combination with three nitrogen application strategies of fixed (uniform) rate fertigation (FRF), variable rate fertigation (VRF) and pre-plant nitrogen (PP) management for maize (Zea mays L.) were conducted. Research was conducted in three soil types [(i) Crete silt loam (S1); (ii) Hastings silty clay loam (S2); and (iii) Hastings silt loam (S3)] for three growing seasons (2015, 2016 and 2017) in Nebraska, USA. For the economic analyses, the average initial investment of the irrigation system and necessary VRI technology, salvage value of the system, total capital investment, total fixed cost, net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) were quantified by considering numerous factors/variables, including interest rate, production input cost, longevity of the system, insurance cost, ownership cost and salvage value. Soil types and irrigation management strategies (treatments) had significant impact on grain yield and thus on profitability, NPV, IRR and irrigation system payback period. Net income from FRI management was significantly higher than VRI management in all soil types. The nitrogen treatments did not affect net income in any of the growing seasons. The FRI management strategy had a positive NPV in all soil types whereas VRI management in S2 and S3 had negative NPVs. The negative NPV indicates that the present value of the costs exceeds the present value of future profits at the assumed discount rate (5%). Averaging all three years and three soils, FRI had a substantially higher net income than VRI in most cases. The maximum NPV of $4,882.07 per ha and maximum IRR of 18 % was observed in FRI-FRF treatment. A payback period of ≤10 years was determined for all FRI management treatments while the payback period for VRI management, in most cases, was more than 27 years. While the pay-back period in VRI irrigation system was less than ten years in S1, it was still longer than the corresponding FRI management treatments. Results suggest that the VRI and VRF strategies are not economically feasible in current conditions. For these variable irrigation and fertilizer technologies to be competitive with the FRI and FRF, the cost of the VRI and VRF technology will need to be significantly lower than the current investment costs. While there could be some environmental benefits of VRI and VRF technology, with the current high investment cost of VRI technology and the fact that the grain yields are not improved sufficiently to offset the investment cost, it is not possible for VRI technology to be an economically viable technology for profitable economic net return. This may explain, in part, extremely limited adoption of these technologies by producers currently in large scale production fields.