cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting nitrate pollution of Mitidja plain groundwater (Northern Algiers - Algeria)

Abstract The Mitidja aquifer, a 1300 Km2 plain oriented east west, north of Algeria, is very important in size and role. It is infortunately very sensitive to pollution. Sources of nitrates pollution are numerous: domestic, agricultural and industrial. An association of Na + , K + and CL − elements with nitrates was observed. In order to determine a probable source of contamination, we studied this association. A high rate of these elements is more likely to indicate a possible nitrate contamination of organic origin. To precise the origin of this pollution, a coupling of natural isotope tracing with values of Bore is necessary. In a second phase, a mathematical model will be proposed to predict the evolution of nitrate concentration in time and space in that region.
Growth of Copper on Single Crystalline ZnO: Surface Study of a Model Catalyst

Copper, vapor-deposited on the polar, Zn-terminated ZnO(0001) surface is investigated in view of its suitability as model system for the technologically important Cu/ZnO catalyst. The structure and electronic properties of Cu clusters on ZnO(0001)–Zn have been studied with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and low-energy He+ ion scattering (LEIS). At room temperature copper grows as two-dimensional (2D) clusters only at very low coverages of 0.001–0.05 equivalent monolayers (ML). At coverages greater than 0.01 ML, 3D clusters start to develop. This is contrasted to Cu growth on the oxygen-terminated ZnO(0001bar) surface, where a strong adhesion between Cu and the ZnO substrate results in an initial wetting of the surface by Cu. On ZnO(0001)–Zn, surface roughness and sputter damage change the growth mode to more 2D-like. Annealing in UHV results in well-separated, hexagonal clusters rotationally aligned with the substrate. Annealing of 2–5 ML Cu deposits on the ZnO(0001)–Zn surface in 10−6 mbar O2 results in the formation of a (√3 × √3)R30° superstructure with respect to the ZnO lattice. This superstructure likely contains Cu+ sites. The suitability of the different surface morphologies to probe specific sites that are thought to be active for catalytic processes is discussed.
Experimental demonstration of phase correction with a 32×32 microelectromechanical systems mirror and a spatially filtered wavefront sensor

A 32×32 microelectromechanical systems deformable mirror is controlled in closed loop with a spatially filtered Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor and a Fourier-transform wavefront reconstruction algorithm. A phase plate based on atmospheric turbulence statistics is used to generate a 1 µm peak-valley static phase aberration. Far-field images and direct phase measurements of the residual are used to compare performance with and without the spatial filter. Use of the spatial filter reduces error in the controllable band from 20 to 6 nm rms. Residual phase power is reduced by more than a factor of 5 for all spatial frequencies up to 0.85×1/2d, with a maximum attenuation factor of 37.
The Fallacy of the Slippery Slope Argument on Abortion

ABSTRACT This paper attempts to show that the acorn–oak tree argument against the slippery slope on the personhood of the fetus is valid and William Cooney's attack on this argument fails. I also argue that the slippery slope argument leads to on undesirable conclusion and should not be used as a valid tool in the debate on the personhood of the fetus.
MMIC amplifier-based receivers for Earth remote sensing

We have developed amplifier based receivers using Indium Phosphide high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. These compact receivers are designed with atmospheric temperature and humidity sounding requirements in mind, operating at 100-125 GHz around the 118 GHz oxygen line, and at 160-185GHz near the 183 GHz water line, with average noise temperatures of 1600 and 1200K respectively. They are intended for applications where small volume and power consumption are critical. We will present laboratory data on the noise temperature of these receivers operated at room temperature and preliminary field data.
Hydroxyl radical and ozone initiated photochemical reactions of 1,3-butadiene

1,3-Butadiene, classified as hazardous in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, is an important ambient air pollutant. Understanding its atmospheric transformation is useful for its own sake, and is also helpful for eliciting isoprene's fate in the atmosphere (isoprene dominates the biogenic emissions in US). In this paper, samples from both hydroxyl- and ozone-initiated photooxidation of 1,3-butadiene were analyzed by derivatization with O- (2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)-hydroxylamine followed by separation and detection by gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry to detect and identify carbonyl compounds. The following carbonyls were observed: formaldehyde, acrolein, glycolaldehyde, glycidaldehyde, 3-hydroxy-propanaldehyde, hydroxy acetone, and malonaldehyde, which can be classified into three categories: epoxy carbonyls, hydroxyl carbonyls, and di-carbonyls. Three non-carbonyls, furan, 1,3-buatdiene monoxide, and 1,3-butadiene diepoxide, were also found. To confirm their identities, both commercially available and synthesized standards were used. To investigate the mechanism of 1,3-butadiene, separate batch reactor experiments for acrolein and 1,3-butadiene monoxide were carried out. Time series samples for several products were also taken. When necessary, computational chemistry methods were also employed. Based on these results, various schemes for the reaction mechanism are proposed.
Molecular Dynamics Comparison of Electroporation in Water-Vacuum-Water and Lipid Bilayer System

A recent study showed that water forms cone-like structures at a vacuum or air interface under a sufficiently high electric field [1]. This protruding water formation may be a key step in the initiation of electroporation of lipid bilayers and cell membranes. In molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of water-vacuum-water (WVW) systems, we observe the intrusion of water into the vacuum region, similar to the pore initiation stage of electropore formation in phospholipid bilayer systems [2]. Pore initialization time in WVW systems is found to decay exponentially with applied electric field, consistent with simulations of lipid bilayers [2]. Pore initialization time in WVW systems also increases exponentially with increasing vacuum gap size. We analyze pore creation, pore annihilation, and pore stabilization. By comparing the evolution of the pore radius in both systems, we can begin to quantify how water and phospholipids each contribute to the formation and stability of lipid nanopores.1. Okuno, Y., Minagawa M., Matsumoto H., and Tanioka A. 2009. Simulation study on the influence of an electric field on water evaporation. J Mol Struct 904:83-90.2. Levine, Z. A., and Vernier, P. T. 2010. Life Cycle of an Electropore: Field-Dependent and Field-Independent Steps in Pore Creation and Annihilation. J Membrane Biol 236:27-36.
Risk Factors and Prevention of Late Onset Sepsis in Premature Infants

Late-onset sepsis in premature infants is a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and increased medical costs. Risk factors include low birth weight, low gestational age, previous antimicrobial exposure, poor hand hygiene, and central venous catheters. Methods studied to prevent late-onset sepsis include early feedings, immune globulin administration, prophylactic antimicrobial administration, and improved hand hygiene. In this review, we will outline the risk factors for development of late-onset sepsis and evidence supporting methods for prevention of late-onset sepsis in premature infants.
TARGET: A multi-channel digitizer chip for very-high-energy gamma-ray telescopes

Abstract The next-generation very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray observatory, the Cherenkov Telescope Array, will feature dozens of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs), each with thousands of pixels of photo-sensors. To be affordable and reliable, reading out such an array of up to a million channels requires event recording technology that is highly integrated and modular, with a low cost per channel. We present the design and performance of a chip targeted to this application: the TeV Array Readout with GSa/s sampling and Event Trigger (TARGET). This application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) has 16 parallel input channels, a 4096-sample buffer for each channel, adjustable input termination, self-trigger functionality, and tight window-selected readout. We report the performance of the first-generation version of this chip (TARGET 1) in terms of sampling frequency, power consumption, dynamic range, current-mode gain, analog bandwidth, and cross talk. The large number of channels per chip allows a low cost per channel ($10 to $20 including front-end and back-end electronics but not including photosensors) to be achieved with a TARGET-based IACT readout system. In addition to basic performance parameters of the TARGET 1 chip, we present a camera module prototype as well as a second-generation chip (TARGET 2), both of which have now been produced.
A localizer design to improve missed approach guidance

A novel VHF localizer system has been designed, built and successfully tested to provide increased reliability and safety of commercial and general aviation air transportation. Additional benefits are more precise tracks for aircraft executing a missed approach, reduced volume of the airspace needed for missed approaches, and reduced sizes of areas affected by noise. The design uses contemporary instrument landing system (ILS) hardware to provide dual independent front and back course directional localizer operation with two carriers in the receiver passband offset 4 kHz from the nominal carrier frequency. An example is given of an application and solution to an ILS problem at Reno, NV. Relevant data are presented. >
Consistency of personality in interactive characters

This study examined whether people would interpret and respond to verbal (text) and non-verbal cues (posture) of personality in interactive characters just as they interpret cues from a person. In a balanced, between-subjects experiment (N=40), introverted and extroverted participants were randomly paired with one of two types of consistent computer characters: (1) matched participants' personality with both verbal and non-verbal cues or (2) completely mismatched the participant, or one of two types of inconsistent characters: (3) matched with verbal cues but not with non-verbal cues or (4) matched with non-verbal but not with verbal cues. Participants accurately identified the character's personality type in their assessment of its verbal and non-verbal cues. Preference was for consistent characters, regardless of participant personality. Consistent characters also had greater influence over peoples' behavior?interaction with consistent characters led to greater changes in people's answers than interaction with inconsistent characters. Finally, contrary to previous research, participants tended to prefer a character whose personality was complementary, rather than similar, with their own. This study demonstrates the importance of orchestrating the overall set of cues that an interactive computer character presents to the computer user, and emphasizes the need for consistency among these cues.
Organosulfur formation in forest soils: Site comparison of kinetic parameters

Abstract The kinetics of organosulfur formation were analyzed with soil samples collected from various depths of forested sites that should, by virtue of location, have different sulfate deposition histories. Saturation potentials, based on the Vmax for SO2−4-S incorporation into organic matter, were found to decrease with increasing depth in 8 out of 12 sites examined. Estimation of the SO2−4 concentration required to saturate a given horizon, was made, and irrespective of depth, a forest located near a coal-fired power plant in Tennessee (the Tarklin site) was the most saturated whereas samples from forests located in relatively non-polluted areas of New York state (Huntington and Whiteface sites) were generally the least saturated. This latter parameter was also found to decrease with increasing depth in 6 out of 12 sites examined. Turnover times for the recently-formed organic S exceeded 103 h in 7 out of 12 uppermost (A, E) soil horizons, S out of 13 intermediate (primarily A/B) soil horizons, and 7 out of 12 lowermost (B, C) soil horizons. These results indicate that no significant change in the recalcitrance of the newly-formed organic S occurred with increasing depth.
Genome Variability and Gene Content in Chordopoxviruses: Dependence on Microsatellites

To investigate gene loss in poxviruses belonging to the Chordopoxvirinae subfamily, we assessed the gene content of representative members of the subfamily, and determined whether individual genes present in each genome were intact, truncated, or fragmented. When nonintact genes were identified, the early stop mutations (ESMs) leading to gene truncation or fragmentation were analyzed. Of all the ESMs present in these poxvirus genomes, over 65% co-localized with microsatellites—simple sequence nucleotide repeats. On average, microsatellites comprise 24% of the nucleotide sequence of these poxvirus genomes. These simple repeats have been shown to exhibit high rates of variation, and represent a target for poxvirus protein variation, gene truncation, and reductive evolution.
Cross-Generational Valuing Among Peer Academic Librarians

This study addresses a gap in the research concerning generational roles in the academic library workforce, particularly with regard to Millennials.; Extracted text
Key articles and guidelines in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension: 2011 update.

Pharmacotherapeutic approaches for the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have expanded greatly in the last 10 years. Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a relatively rare disease and is associated with myriad disease processes. The older term for PAH, primary PAH, has been changed to represent these differences and to distinguish it from postcapillary PAH associated with left-sided heart failure. Limitations in evaluating treatment approaches for PAH include its rarity, the small number of patients included in clinical trials, and issues regarding the use of placebo-controlled trials in a disease with such a high mortality rate if left untreated. Management options include the use of prostacyclin and prostacyclin analogues, endothelin receptor antagonists, and phosphodiesterase inhibitors, as well as traditional background therapy with diuretics, digoxin, calcium channel blockers, and warfarin. Numerous drugs are under investigation to evaluate their possible roles in management. Combination therapy is increasingly becoming a standard approach to therapy, with mounting literature to document effectiveness. Current or emerging roles for the pharmacist in the management of PAH largely involves ensuring access to drug therapy, facilitating specialty pharmacy dispensing, and providing patient counseling. Newer roles may include future drug development, optimized use of investigational drugs, and specialized disease management programs. This compilation includes a series of articles identifying important literature in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy. This bibliography focuses on pharmacotherapeutic management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Most of the cited works present the results of significant human clinical studies that have shaped the management of patients with PAH. Limited primary literature is available for some topics, so in addition, consensus documents prepared by expert panels are reviewed. This compilation may serve as a teaching tool, reference resource, or update of the literature for pharmacy clinicians, physicians, and students.
Transient environmental changes and age-limited genes as causes of variation in sib-sib and parent-offspring correlations

SummaryCorrelations between 116 adult siblings in soft tissue measurements (weight, muscle, fat) diminished with increasing age difference between members of a sibling pair. This did not occur for bone measurements. The estimated heritabilities of the latter are less likely to vary among samples drawn from different environments than are estimated heritabilities of soft tissue.
Effects of uncertainty on use of the availability of heuristic for self‐efficacy judgments

Under conditions of higher or lower uncertainty, college students recalled three or eight ways to improve exam performance and then estimated their likelihood of getting As on their easiest and hardest finals. Results supported the hypothesis that the availability heuristic is used only under conditions of uncertainty. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Full-Length Isoform of Human Papillomavirus 16 E6 and Its Splice Variant E6* Bind to Different Sites on the Procaspase 8 Death Effector Domain

Human papillomavirus 16 is a causative agent of most cases of cervical cancer and has also been implicated in the development of some head and neck cancers. The early viral E6 gene codes for two alternatively spliced isoforms, E6(large) and E6*. We have previously demonstrated the differential effects of E6(large) and E6* binding on the expression and stability of procaspase 8, a key mediator of the apoptotic pathway. Additionally, we have reported that E6 binds to the FADD death effector domain (DED) at a novel E6 binding domain. Sequence similarities between the FADD and procaspase 8 DEDs suggested a specific region for E6(large)/procaspase 8 binding, which was subsequently confirmed by mutational analysis as well as by the ability of peptides capable of blocking E6/FADD binding to also block E6(large)/caspase 8 binding. However, the binding of the smaller isoform, E6*, to procaspase 8 occurs at a different region, as deletion and point mutations that disrupt E6(large)/caspase 8 DED binding do not disrupt E6*/caspase 8 DED binding. In addition, peptide inhibitors that can block E6(large)/procaspase 8 binding do not affect the binding of E6* to procaspase 8. These results demonstrate that the residues that mediate E6*/procaspase 8 DED binding localize to a different region on the protein and employ a separate binding motif. This provides a molecular explanation for our initial findings that the two E6 isoforms affect procaspase 8 stability in an opposing manner.
On a passivity of the Arnoldi based model order reduction for full-wave electromagnetic modeling

Progress in MEMS and packaging design has made significant changes in the requirements for modeling tools. In order to design a modern microdevice or interconnect system it is no longer sufficient to limit the analysis to quasielectrostatic modeling due to smaller size and higher operation frequencies of the microdevices. On the other hand, a "full-wave" analysis produces huge systems of equations which require tremendous amounts of computational resources. Many model order reduction algorithms were developed in order to solve this problem. But the passivity of the reduced system is still an issue for "full-wave" models. This paper will describe the Arnoldi based model order reduction algorithm for "full-wave" electromagnetic analysis and will show that this algorithm preserves passivity of the reduced system.
Long-distance signals influence assessment of close range mating displays in the field cricket, Gryllus integer

Male sexual displays often include components detected across long distances, and those perceived only at close range. Understanding what information females gain from each component of a complex display and how they use these signals to make decisions are questions of major interest in sexual selection research. We evaluated content-based hypotheses (‘redundant signals’ and ‘multiple messages’) for the courtship displays of field crickets (Gryllus integer) by measuring female responses to males’ long-distance calling song (calls) and close-range chemical cues. Females’ responses to a male’s calls and chemical cues were uncorrelated, supporting the ‘multiple messages’ hypothesis. We also tested the ‘inter-signal interaction’ hypothesis by investigating how long-distance calls influence evaluation of close-range courtship. The relationship between long- and close-range signals was complex and conditional: females accepted close-range courtship more quickly after exposure to attractive calling song than they did after exposure to either unattractive calling song or silence, and unattractive calls were no more or less effective than silence. This inter-signal interaction could affect our understanding of mate choice in species with multiple mating signals because it implies that females may save time and energy by not assessing the close-range signals of attractive long-distance signalers. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100, 856–865.
Evaluation of breast cancer using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) histogram analysis: comparison with malignant status, histological subtype, and molecular prognostic factors.

Purpose To examine heterogeneous breast cancer through intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) histogram analysis.
Consumer Behavior Regarding Genetically Modified Foods: A Mediator Model

In the European Union, the development of genetically modified (GM) crops has been very limited, primarily because of the distrust of European society toward transgenic food. The biotech industry is now focused on offering direct benefits to consumers (the second generation of GM functional foods); however, success still depends on the degree of social acceptance. This chapter intends to provide a better understanding of consumers' acceptance toward the second generation of GM foods. An empirical study was performed in southern Spain (Andalusia) using 448 face-to-face surveys in which GM foods with an organoleptic claim, a healthy claim, and a non-claim were offered to measure the intentions to purchase. In addition, we analyzed the strength of the mediator role played by the perceived risks of GM technology and food in the acceptance of consumers.
Role of Chymase in Matrix and Myocardial Remodeling Due to Mitral Regurgitation: Implications for Therapy

The pure volume overload of mitral regurgitation (MR) has many unique features including matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activation, increased bradykinin, extracellular matrix loss, disruption of the focal adhesion complex, and cardiomyocyte myofibrillar loss—all of which either directly or indirectly are beneficially affected by inhibition of chymase. Cardiomyocyte myofibrillar loss and cytoskeletal disruption may be related to intracellular oxidative stress and/or increased chymase production within the cardiomyocyte. Increased adrenergic drive is also an important underlying pathophysiologic feature, which, like chymase activation, is present both early and late in course of MR. There is now both dog and human data ­demonstrating the benefit of β1-receptor blockade in isolated MR. However, neither ­chymase inhibition nor β1-receptor blockade alone attenuates left ventricular (LV) dilatation. These data raise the intriguing question whether the combination of a chymase inhibitor and β1-receptor blocker would have a synergistic effect in preventing LV remodeling, especially if started early in the course of isolated MR.
Homomorphic AES evaluation using the modified LTV scheme

Since its introduction more than a decade ago the homomorphic properties of the NTRU encryption scheme have gone largely ignored. A variant of NTRU proposed by Stehle and Steinfeld was recently extended into a full fledged multi-key fully homomorphic encryption scheme by Lopez-Alt, Tromer and Vaikuntanathan (LTV). This NTRU based FHE presents a viable alternative to the currently dominant BGV style FHE schemes. While the scheme appears to be more efficient, a full implementation and comparison to BGV style implementations has been missing in the literature. In this work, we develop a customized implementation of the LTV. First parameters are selected to yield an efficient and yet secure LTV instantiation. We present an analysis of the noise growth that allows us to formulate a modulus cutting strategy for arbitrary circuits. Furthermore, we introduce a specialization of the ring structure that allows us to drastically reduce the public key size making evaluation of deep circuits such as the AES block cipher viable on a standard computer with a reasonable amount of memory. Moreover, with the modulus specialization the need for key switching is eliminated. Finally, we present a generic bit-sliced implementation of the LTV scheme that embodies a number of optimizations. To assess the performance of the scheme we homomorphically evaluate the full 10 round AES circuit in 29 h with 2048 message slots resulting in 51 s per AES block evaluation time.
An Information-Retrieval Approach to Language Modeling: Applications to Social Data

In this paper we propose the IR-LM (Information Retrieval Language Model) which is an approach to carrying out language modeling based on large volumes of constantly changing data as is the case of social media data. Our approach addresses specific characteristics of social data: large volume of constantly generated content as well as the need to frequently integrating and removing data from the model.
Statistical performance of the ARM cortex A9 accelerator coherency port in the xilinx zynq SoC for real-time applications

Using the Xilinx Zynq SoC, this work extends previous work by analysing and quantifying the effects of various outer (L2) caching behaviors and memory ordering models on memory accesses from a hardware accelerator (HA) implemented in programmable logic (PL) and from one of two ARM Cortex A9 CPUs. Memory accesses to the L2 cache/external memory and onchip memory (OCM) are both considered. The HA is configured to perform either coherent or non-coherent memory accesses through the accelerator coherency port (ACP), using full AXI4 transactions with 256 64-bit word burst sizes. The L1 caches of the CPU are configured with write-back/no-write-allocate for all normal memory ordering operations. The effects of a dummy task executing on the CPU is considered in this work. Performance is measured as the turnaround time of memory accesses, for which writes and reads are measured separately. The numerical results are presented as standard deviation, maximum, and mean values for real-time applications. All experiments are executed on the Avent ZedBoard for 4,000 iterations with 64 KB data payload. Memory accesses to either OCM or external memory from either CPU or ACP are shown to have similar performance, but only under specific behaviors of the memory hierarchy. It is also shown memory whose ordering model is configured as device can hold several advantages over normal and strongly-ordered models.
Comparison of Two Blood Culture Systems

A new vacuum type of blood culture system was compared with a conventional diphasic type as to convenience, % recovery, and time necessary for the detection of growth.
Rhinoviruses: an antigenic study of the prototype virus strains.

SummaryNinety rhinovirus types and a prime strain of RV 22 were compared in reciprocal serum neutralization tests. Neutralization was observed for each of the 91 homologous virus-serum mixtures. A single instance of reciprocal neutralization between two rhinovirus serotypes was noted. This reciprocal relationship, between RV types 29 and 44 was not altered by absorption with human liver powder. It is suggested that the relationship between RV types 29 and 44 may be a prime strain relationship similar to that described for RV type 22.Other antigenic similarities noted in this study were one-way crosses between RV types 1A and 1B, 9 and 32, and between types 36 and 58. The heterologous neutralizing activity of anti-RV 58 guinea pig serum was significantly reduced by absorption with human liver powder. Absorption did not materially alter the cross reactivity observed with the remaining antisera.
Differences in Reaction to Frustration as a Function of Need for Approval

Differences in reaction to frustration on the Rosenzweig P-F test were assessed for high and low n approval Ss (as measured by the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability scale). as compared with the low group, high n approval Ss gave significantly fewer E responses (p < .025) but more M responses (p < .05). No differences were found for the 1 category.
Lone Butte: A Folsom Hunting Camp and Overlook in the Central Tularosa Basin of New Mexico

The Lone Butte site represents a substantial lithic assemblage from a Folsom hunting camp and overlook locality in the central Tularosa Basin of south-central New Mexico. It appears to be similar to the Rio Rancho site in the Central Rio Grande Valley in terms of its landscape position and assemblage signature. Lone Butte represents the largest and most comprehensive lithic assemblage from any Paleoindian site in the Tularosa Basin, strongly documented to have a substantial history of Folsom occupation. Interestingly, the Lone Butte assemblage is distinguished from the overall regional pattern in having relatively high proportions of preforms and channel flakes, which are made predominantly from Rancheria chert located at a distance of 40–100 km west of the site. This assemblage clearly reflects the anticipated mobility which seems partly characteristic of Folsom technological and settlement organization.
Pre-Practice Hydration Status and the Effects of Hydration Regimen on Collegiate Division III Male Athletes

Pre-practice euhydration is key in the prevention of heat related injuries. The pre-practice hydration status of male National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-Division III athletes and the effects of a direct hydration regimen have yet to be investigated therefore; the aim of the study was 1) to analyze the pre-practice hydration status of current NCAA-DIII male athletes and 2) assess the impact of a directed intervention on pre-practice hydration status. The study was divided into baseline, pre and post intervention phases. For baseline, hydration status through urine specific gravity (USG) and anthropometric indices were measured prior to morning practice. Following baseline, pre-intervention commenced and participants were assigned to either control (CON) or experimental (EXP) groups. The CON and EXP group participants were instructed to maintain normal hydration and diet schedules and record fluid intake for seven days leading to post-intervention. The EXP group participants were asked to consume an additional 23.9 fl oz (~ 750 ml) per day for one week (7 days) leading to post-intervention. After 7 days the same measures were taken. At baseline, the majority of the participants were hypohydrated. Following the intervention, the EXP group participants consumed significantly more fluids than the participants in the CON group (3277.91 ± 1360. 23 ml vs 1931.54 ± 881.81 ml; p 0.05) difference in the regression slopes or intercepts between the CON and EXP groups when expressed as daily fluid intake per kg body (ml·kg(-1)) and change in USG from pre-intervention to post-intervention. Most of the participants were hypohydrated at baseline/pre-intervention and the direct hydration intervention improved post-intervention hydration status but only to a small extent. Key pointsThe majority of NCAA-DIII male athletes whom we assessed prior to practice through the use of USG appeared to be hypohydrated.The hydration intervention of adding 24.9 fl oz (~750ml) per day to an athlete's daily fluid intake led to a significant increase in fluid consumption but resulted in only small improvements in USG.The only small improvement in hydration status following the intervention may be a result of an intervention volume that is too small or an under-reporting of fluid consumption.
Small-Business Financing after the Financial Crisis: Lessons from the Literature

We survey the literature on how small businesses in the United States finance themselves. Our results demonstrate the important role that the financial services industry, particularly bank credit, plays in the capital structure of small firms. The results also reinforce the importance of owner equity as a primary source of financing. In addition, we find that small firms have been seeking and obtaining less capital since the 2008 financial crisis. Our findings about the main sources of small-business financing will be informative when formulating financial regulation. The available evidence suggests that new regulation of the financial services industry may be restricting access to products that small-business owners rely on and may adversely affect small banks.
Measuring synchronization of stochastic oscillators in biology

A fundamental problem in physics is measuring and modeling the synchronization of coupled stochastic oscillators. The problem is relatively recent in biology, where it has become possible to measure stochastic oscillators in single cells. A variety of synchronization measures have been proposed to describe a field of coupled stochastic oscillators. We introduce a synchronization measure new to this problem (but old to Genetics) called the intraclass correlation (ICC). The ICC is simple to interpret and has a statistical framework for inference. We illustrate ICC behaviour in the Kuramoto phase-locking model and on a field of over 25,000 oscillators in single cells measured every half-hour over a ten day interval.
Four steps to eliminate or reduce pain in children caused by needles (part 1)

Dr Stefan Friedrichsdorf speaks to Jade Parker, Commissioning Editor: Stefan J Friedrichsdorf, MD, is medical director of the Department of Pain Medicine, Palliative Care and Integrative Medicine at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis/St Paul, MN, USA, home to one of the largest and most comprehensive programs of its kind in the country. The interdisciplinary pain team is devoted to prevent and treat acute, procedural, neuropathic, psycho-social-spiritual, visceral, and chronic/complex pain for all inpatients and outpatients in close collaboration with all pediatric subspecialties at Children's Minnesota. The palliative care team also provides holistic care for pediatric patients with life-threatening diseases and adds an extra layer of support to the care of children with serious illness and their families. Integrative medicine provides and teaches integrative ('non-pharmacological') therapies, such as massage, acupuncture/acupressure, biofeedback, aromatherapy and self-hypnosis, to provide care that promotes optimal health and supports the highest level of functioning in all individual children's activities. Children's Minnesota became the first children's hospital to system-wide implement a "Children's Comfort Promise: We promise to do everything to prevent and treat pain," resulting in decrease or elimination of needle pain caused by vaccinations, blood draws, intravenous access, and injections in more than 200,000 children annually.
Free Vibration of Shells of Revolution Using FEM

A displacement finite element formulation for the dynamic analysis of shells of revolution is presented. Following the derivation of the mass and stiffness matrices, the kinematic condensation technique is employed to reduce the order of the eigenvalue problem. The scope and accuracy of displacement functions are treated through analytical and numerical studies.
Musical Parenting and Music Education: Integrating Research and Practice:

Although teachers work constantly with parents, discussions concerning parental roles in children’s music learning are often left at the margins in music teacher training programs. The aim of this ...
Microperimetry in Uveitis

Microperimetry (fundus-guided perimetry) has been utilized to evaluate and monitor various types of macular diseases. The main advantage is its ability to correlate the morphologic changes to functional aspects of retinal sensitivity. Automated microperimetry has demonstrated a new role in monitoring the progression of various uveitides.
Developing a sustainable environment for workplace diversity

The purpose of this review was to highlight the importance of developing a sustainable environment for achieving workplace diversity. The driving concept is for organisations to use the power of diversity as a foundation for developing a sustainable competitive advantage. In addition, factors were considered that may lead to the development of a sustainable environment favourable to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. This paper presents a number of companies that have been successful employing diversity for organisational success and then provides a model for developing a sustainable environment for workplace diversity.
Properties of soluble fusions between mammalian aspartic proteinases and bacterial maltose-binding protein.

The mammalian aspartic proteinases procathepsin D and pepsinogen form insoluble inclusion bodies when expressed in bacteria. They become soluble but nonnative when synthesized as fusions to the carboxy terminus of E. coli maltose-binding protein (MBP). Since these nonnative states of the two aspartic proteinases showed no tendency to form insoluble aggregates, their biophysical properties were analyzed. The MBP portions were properly folded as shown by binding to amylose, but the aspartic proteinase moieties failed to bind pepstatin and lacked enzymatic activity, indicating that they were not correctly folded. When treated with proteinase K, only the MBP portion of the fusions was resistant to proteolysis. The fusion between MBP and cathepsin D had increased hydrophobic surface exposure compared to the two unfused partners, as determined by bis-ANS binding. Ultracentrifugal sedimentation analysis of MBP–procathepsin D and MBP–pepsinogen revealed species with very large and heterogeneous sedimentation values. Refolding of the fusions from 8 M urea generated proteins no larger than dimers. Refolded MBP–pepsinogen was proteolytically active, while only a few percent of renatured MBP–procathepsin D was obtained. The results suggest that MBP–aspartic proteinase fusions can provide a source of soluble but nonnative folding states of the mammalian polypeptides in the absence of aggregation.
Soft electrodes combining hydrogel and liquid metal

Soft and stretchable materials play an important role in the emerging fields of soft robotics, human-machine interfaces, and stretchable electronics. Hydrogels are compelling materials because they are soft, chemically tunable, biocompatible, and ionically conductive. Hydrogels have been used as components of skin mountable sensors, such as electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes, and show promise in emerging devices as stretchable, transparent electrodes. Ultimately, these types of devices interface the hydrogel with rigid metallic electrodes to connect with electronic circuitry. Here, we show it is possible to interface hydrogel with liquid metal (eutectic gallium indium, EGaIn) electrodes to create completely soft and deformable electrodes that provide low resistance traces through the gel without altering its mechanical properties. As a case study, we created and tested electrodes for ECG monitoring. ECG electrodes require low impedance at biomedically relevant frequencies (1-50 Hz). Potentiostatic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements show that capacitive effects at the hydrogel-EGaIn interface dominate the impedance at these low frequencies, yet can be reduced by interfacing the metal with acidic or basic hydrogels that remove the native oxide skin from the metal. Increasing the ionic strength of the hydrogel also helps in lowering the impedance of the metal-hydrogel electrodes. The resulting devices have signal-to-noise ratios that exceed commercial ECG electrodes. The softness of these hydrogels can be modified without compromising the electrical properties to create truly soft electrodes. Interfacing liquid metal conductors with hydrogels represents a potential strategy of creating soft electrodes for various bioelectronic applications, e-skins, and next-generation soft robotics.
Refuge Tech: An Assets-Based Approach to Refugee Resettlement

Refugee integration is a long process that follows resettlement into a country where refugees not only face language and culture barriers but also difficulties integrating into the workforce, receiving a good education and accessing healthcare. In addition to the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, there are countless organizations and nonprofits around the world focused on trying to facilitate this process and provide support where needed. This paper presents preliminary user research undertaken in Clarkston, Georgia (USA), to study the process. We used qualitative research methods including contextual analysis and semi-structured interviews to evaluate the ease of integration for refugees who have relocated to Clarkston. We took a human-centered design approach to identify the gaps in the current process and to present preliminary design recommendations.
The impact of equity share class on the information content of earnings and cash flows: evidence from Mexico

We investigate the relative and incremental information content of earnings and cash flows in Mexico. Mexico provides a unique setting to test this relation because firms are allowed to issue different classes of equity shares which appeal to different investors. Share classes differentiate between investors based on nation of origin (domestic vs. foreign), voting rights and cash flow rights. We find that, for the market as a whole, both earnings and cash flows provide incremental information and earnings provide greater relative information. We also test these relations for each share class individually and find that cash flows provide the greatest amount of information when investors are at the greatest risk of expropriation.
Numerical Simulation of Boiling Water Reactor Vent-Clearing Hydrodynamics

Pressure suppression pools used in nuclear reactors are subject to hydrodynamic processes involving complicated free surface configurations. A new numerical method, SOLA-VOF, developed to handle such problems is described and evaluated through comparisons with laboratory test data. Results from numerous computations provide a detailed understanding of the hydrodynamic phenomena associated with boiling water reactor vent-clearing processes. In addition, calculations show the sensitivity of the results to variations in the water vapor content, vent submergence depth, vent orifice size, and to the influence of fluid-structure interactions.
Delivering comprehensive services to homeless mentally ill offenders

A consortium of social services agencies developed a comprehensive community mental health services program for homeless mentally ill offenders in Portland, Oregon. Residential services were provided in a single-room-occupancy hotel. Forty-seven clients were accepted for the program, 38 actually entered the program, and 14 graduated--that is, attained sobriety and were placed in community housing. Problems complicating program implementation included differing philosophical approaches of key agencies, staff turnover, and financial shortfalls. Many potential clients were not accepted into the program because of recent violence or potential violence; some clients were expelled or reincarcerated because of violent behavior.
Parallel High-Resolution Imaging of Leukocyte Chemotaxis Under Agarose with Rho-Family GTPase Biosensors.

Neutrophils are key early responders in the innate immune response that use chemotaxis, the directed migration along chemical gradients, to reach sites of infection or inflammation. This process requires integrating inputs from cell surface receptors with the cell's polarity and motility signaling network, in which highly dynamic and interconnected signaling by Rho-family GTPases plays a central role. To understand this fundamentally important behavior, we describe a high-resolution, under-agarose chemotaxis assay for use with neutrophil-like cell lines (HL-60 or PLB-985) or with primary neutrophils. We also describe how to use optical uncaging of chemoattractants to stimulate cells in this assay. These techniques are compatible with epifluorescence, total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF), and confocal microscopy. Additionally, we cover how to measure the activities of Rho-family GTPases in this context using Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensors. The specific experimental steps outlined in this chapter include how to (1) set up the under-agarose assay, (2) optically pattern chemoattractant gradients, (3) image cells, and (4) conduct basic image analysis for FRET biosensors.
Structure and Finances of U.S. Farms: Family Farm Report, 2010 Edition

Most U.S. farms—98 percent in 2007—are family operations, and even the largest farms are predominantly family run. Large-scale family farms and nonfamily farms account for 12 percent of U.S farms but 84 percent of the value of production. In contrast, small family farms make up most of the U.S. farm count but produce a modest share of farm output. Small farms are less profitable than large-scale farms, on average, and their operator households tend to rely on off-farm income for their livelihood. Generally speaking, farm operator households cannot be characterized as low-income when both farm and offfarm income are considered. Nevertheless, limited-resource farms still exist and account for 3 to 12 percent of family farms, depending on how “limited-resource” is defined.
Quantitative Trait Loci for Freezing Tolerance in a Lowland x Upland Switchgrass Population

Low-temperature related abiotic stress is an important factor affecting winter survival in lowland switchgrass when grown in northern latitudes in the United States. A better understanding of the genetic architecture of freezing tolerance in switchgrass will aid the development of lowland switchgrass cultivars with improved winter survival. The objectives of this study were to conduct a freezing tolerance assessment, generate a genetic map using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, and identify QTL (quantitative trait loci) associated with freezing tolerance in a lowland × upland switchgrass population. A pseudo-F2 mapping population was generated from an initial cross between the lowland population Ellsworth and the upland cultivar Summer. The segregating progenies were screened for freezing tolerance in a controlled-environment facility. Two clonal replicates of each genotype were tested at six different treatment temperatures ranging from -15 to -5°C at an interval of 2°C for two time periods. Tiller emergence (days) and tiller number were recorded following the recovery of each genotype with the hypothesis that upland genotype is the source for higher tiller number and early tiller emergence. Survivorship of the pseudo-F2 population ranged from 89% at -5°C to 5% at -15°C with an average LT50 of -9.7°C. Genotype had a significant effect on all traits except tiller number at -15°C. A linkage map was constructed from bi-allelic single nucleotide polymorphism markers generated using exome capture sequencing. The final map consisted of 1618 markers and 2626 cM, with an average inter-marker distance of 1.8 cM. Six significant QTL were identified, one each on chromosomes 1K, 5K, 5N, 6K, 6N, and 9K, for the following traits: tiller number, tiller emergence days and LT50. A comparative genomics study revealed important freezing tolerance genes/proteins, such as COR47, DREB2B, zinc finger-CCCH, WRKY, GIGANTEA, HSP70, and NRT2, among others that reside within the 1.5 LOD confidence interval of the identified QTL.