cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cheddar cheese: influence of milking frequency and stage of lactation on composition and yield.

Cheddar cheese was made from milk collected from two groups of cows milked either two or three times daily during early, mid, and late lactation. Milk from cows in late lactation had lower casein as a percentage of true protein and a higher acid degree value than did milk from cows in early lactation. Milk from cows milked three times daily had lower concentrations of milk fat and casein and higher acid degree values than did milk from cows milked twice daily, and thus this milk would be expected to result in decreased cheese yield. Cheese composition was not affected by milking frequency. Stage of lactation effects on cheese composition were confined to differences in salt content and a trend for higher moisture in cheese made from milk of cows in late lactation. Stage of lactation influenced the pH and degradation of as-casein in cheese during aging. Fat and protein losses in whey at draining were higher for milk from cows in late lactation than from milk from cows in early lactation. The typical differences in fatty acid composition of milk from cows in early lactation that cause lower melting point may have caused higher fat loss in press whey. Fat loss in whey at draining was higher in cheese made from milk from cows milked three times daily than in cheese made from milk from cows milked twice daily, but the protein loss was not influenced. The ADV of milk was positively correlated to the fat loss in whey. Lower recoveries of fat and protein in cheese from milk of cows in late lactation were observed and may cause small but economically important decreases in cheese yield. Low SCC of milk from cows in late lactation may have minimized the changes in cheese composition and yield from stage of lactation.
Effects of linguistic experience on the ability to benefit from temporal and spectral masker modulation

Masked speech perception can often be improved by modulating the masker temporally and/or spectrally. These effects tend to be larger in normal-hearing listeners than hearing-impaired listeners, and effects of temporal modulation are larger in adults than young children [Hall et al. (2012). Ear Hear. 33, 340–348]. Initial reports indicate non-native adult speakers of the target language also have a reduced ability to benefit from temporal masker modulation [Stuart et al. (2010). J. Am. Acad. Aud. 21, 239–248]. The present study further investigated the effect of masker modulation on English speech recognition in normal-hearing adults who are non-native speakers of English. Sentence recognition was assessed in a steady-state baseline masker condition and in three modulated masker conditions, characterized by spectral, temporal, or spectro-temporal modulation. Thresholds for non-natives were poorer than those of native English speakers in all conditions, particularly in the presence of a modulated masker. The group differences were consistent across maskers when assessed in percent correct, suggesting that a single factor may limit the performance of non-native listeners similarly in all conditions.
Evaluation of Practical and Natural Diets for Juvenile Lake Herring

Abstract Juvenile lake herring Coregonus artedi were cultured over a 5-week period in a laboratory experiment to evaluate the effects of two practical diets (dry and moist formulated feeds) and two natural diets (nauplii and decapsulated cysts of brine shrimp Artemia sp.) on hatchery production attributes. Although all fish had similar initial sizes, the final mean lengths and weights of fish fed dry formulated (82.2 mm and 4.5 g) and moist formulated (85.3 mm and 5.1 g) diets were significantly greater than those fed Artemia nauplii (66.9 mm and 2.2 g) and decapsulated cysts (59.4 mm and 1.5 g). Specific growth rates also differed among feed treatments, with lake herring that were fed formulated diets having greater mean daily percent increases in length and weight than fish fed natural diets. The mean Fulton condition factors of fish fed dry (0.78) and moist formulated diets (0.81) were significantly greater than those of fish fed Artemia nauplii (0.72) and decapsulated cysts (0.68). Greater weight gain...
Strain measurements of a fiber loop rosette using high spatial resolution Rayleigh scatter distributed sensing

Strain is measured with high spatial resolution on fiber loops bonded to a metal test sample to form a fiber rosette. Strain measurements are made using an Optical Backscatter Reflectometer to detect changes in the phase of the Rayleigh Scatter of the fiber with 160 μm spatial resolution along the length of the fiber. Using this experimental set-up, applied strain levels as well as the axis along which the loads are applied are measured. Thermal gradients are also detected. The high spatial resolution and strain sensitivity of this technique enable highly functional fiber rosettes formed of small diameter loops of standard low-bend-loss optical fiber.
Murine models of human genetic skeletal disorders.

Abstract Genetic and molecular biological studies have recently resulted in the identification of gene mutations responsible for a large number of human osteochondrodysplasias, skeletal disorders associated with abnormalities of cartilage and/or bone development and growth. Mouse strains carrying mutations in homologous genes are useful, not only because they provide sources of abnormal tissue, but also because specific hypotheses concerning pathogenetic mechanisms can be readily tested. Many of the strains with abnormalities in cartilage and bone have been studied by morphological and biochemical methods for years without successful identification of the genes involved, but recent use of linkage mapping, followed by positional candidate gene cloning, has greatly improved the situation. In a number of instances, the mutations are now known. This is also true for the three “classical” mouse mutants chondysplasia (cho), disproportionate micromelia (Dmm) and cartilage matrix deficiency (cmd). In the three strains, mutations in α1(XI) collagen, α1(II) collagen or aggrecan lead to severe defects in the structure and function of cartilage with significant negative effects on longitudinal bone growth.
State of the science on wheeled mobility and seating measuring the health, activity and participation of wheelchair users.

The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), a part of the US Department of Education, has funded Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centres (RERCs) for the past 3 dec...
DEUTERIUM OXIDE: INHIBITION OF CALCIUM RELEASE IN MUSCLE.

Calcium release, measured as luminescence of the protein aequorin, was measured simultaneously with membrane potential and isometric tension in single muscle fibers of the barnacle (Balanus nubilus). Deuterium oxide inhibited calcium release and isometric tension but did not affect membrane potential, a result consistent with the postulate that deuterium oxide inhibits the coupling between excitation and contraction.
Degree and state of polarization of the time-integrated coherent four-wave mixing signal from semiconductor multiple quantum wells

All four of the Stokes parameters of the time-integrated degenerate four-wave mixing signal from a GaAs/${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$As multiple quantum well are measured as a function of the relative angle between the linear polarizations of the pump and the probe and of the incident fluence, thus completely characterizing the polarization state of the signal. The degree to which the signal is polarized, the ellipticity, and the orientation of the polarization ellipse are found to be strongly dependent on the orientation of the incident polarizations and on fluence. The principal features can be qualitatively understood in terms of a simple model that includes density-dependent dephasing and local-field corrections.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of mechanically alloyed, ingot metallurgy and powder metallurgy AlLiCuMg alloys

Abstract AlLiCuMg alloys with similar chemical compositions were prepared by mechanical alloying, ingot metallurgy and powder metallurgy. Their microstructures and their monotonic and fatigue properties were investigated. All three types of alloy exhibited low ductility, a problem typical of the high modulus, low density AlLi-base alloys. In the assolution-treated condition, uniformly distributed fine particles of oxide and carbides gave a reasonable strength to the alloy prepared by mechanical alloying. Although these particles homogenized the deformation, the presence of larger second-phase particles caused premature crack initiation and low tensile ductility. When alloys prepared by ingot metallurgy and powder metallurgy were deformed in the underaged and slightly overaged conditions, the shearable coherent Al3Li (δ′) particles that were present promoted planar slip, strain localization and low ductility. A low cycle fatigue study showed that no break was observed in the Coffin-Manson plot, suggesting that no change in the deformation mode occurred in the high and low strain amplitude tests. Also, because of the more homogeneous deformation the alloy prepared by mechanical alloying exhibited a higher fatigue resistance than the alloys prepared either by ingot metallurgy or by powder metallurgy of similar tensile strength.
A technique for deploying multiprobe data loggers to measure shallow water parameters

Low oxygen events have been suggested as causative factors for the reduction of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica in Bon Secour Bay, Alabama. Because younger C. virginica may be less resistant to low oxygen levels which more often occur near the substrate, the height above the substrate may play an important role in their survival. To investigate the effect of low oxygen on the growth and mortality of C. virginica, a series of multiprobe data loggers were deployed in conjunction with C. virginica beds at different heights above the substrate. A simple and inexpensive method for deploying multiprobe data loggers at a defined height above the substrate in shallow bodies of water is discussed.
Evaluation of Inexpensive Global Positioning System Units to Improve Crash Location Data

The state of Alabama stores and manages detailed information about vehicle crashes including their approximate locations. Currently, crash locations are estimated and hand recorded by highway patrol officers at the scene of a crash. These locations are typically placed at identifiable points along the roadway, such as mileposts and intersections. The resulting resolution can place vehicle crashes caused by the same roadway variable as far apart as 2 km, making accurate identification of roadway safety hazards difficult. The research project was initiated through the University Transportation Center for Alabama to improve vehicle crash analysis through accurate and inexpensive collection and display of crash locations. The research employed Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies. GPS units ranging in price from $130 to $3,400 were evaluated on the basis of cost, accuracy, usability, additional equipment needed, and time required to collect a location. From this...
Monte Carlo simulations of the growth of small fatigue cracks

Abstract In this paper are presented Monte Carlo simulations of small, plane embedded or surface-breaking fatigue cracks propagating under mode I cyclic loading through stochastic microstructures. Unlike most prior statistical models of surface-breaking fatigue cracks, which study only the behavior of the visible surface tips of the crack, the simulations calculate the advance of the entire crack front. The rate of growth of any segment of the crack front is determined by empirical or postulated laws that quantify the influence of its immediate microstructural environment. To make feasible the generation of many simulations at reasonable computational expense, approximate, simple algorithms have been derived for estimating the Mode I stress intensity factor around a plane, embedded or surface-breaking crack of any shape. The computational procedures used to carry out the simulations are defined. The potential of the simulations for analysing experimental measurements of fluctuations in crack shape and velocity is explored. The dependence on crack length and the variance of the aspect ratios of small surface-breaking cracks in Al 7075-T6 are accounted for successfully by the effects of microstructure-dependent plasticity-induced closure. Various other statistics of crack shape and velocity that can be predicted by the simulations and compared to experiment are considered. Laws describing the mechanics of crack growth both at and below the surface can be inferred from such comparisons.
The chemistry of the carbon–transition metal double and triple bond: Annual survey covering the year 2004

Abstract This is a review of papers published in the year 2004 that focus on the synthesis, reactivity, or properties of compounds containing a carbon–transition metal double or triple bond.
Effect of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Haploinsufficiency on Stress-Induced Remodeling of Hippocampal Neurons

Chronic restraint stress (CRS) induces the remodeling (i.e., retraction and simplification) of the apical dendrites of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons in rats, suggesting that intrahippocampal connectivity can be affected by a prolonged stressful challenge. Since the structural maintenance of neuronal dendritic arborizations and synaptic connectivity requires neurotrophic support, we investigated the potential role of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin enriched in the hippocampus and released from neurons in an activity-dependent manner, as a mediator of the stress-induced dendritic remodeling. The analysis of Golgi-impregnated hippocampal sections revealed that wild type (WT) C57BL/6 male mice showed a similar CA3 apical dendritic remodeling in response to three weeks of CRS to that previously described for rats. Haploinsufficient BDNF mice (BDNF(±) ) did not show such remodeling, but, even without CRS, they presented shorter and simplified CA3 apical dendritic arbors, like those observed in stressed WT mice. Furthermore, unstressed BDNF(±) mice showed a significant decrease in total hippocampal volume. The dendritic arborization of CA1 pyramidal neurons was not affected by CRS or genotype. However, only in WT mice, CRS induced changes in the density of dendritic spine shape subtypes in both CA1 and CA3 apical dendrites. These results suggest a complex role of BDNF in maintaining the dendritic and spine morphology of hippocampal neurons and the associated volume of the hippocampal formation. The inability of CRS to modify the dendritic structure of CA3 pyramidal neurons in BDNF(±) mice suggests an indirect, perhaps permissive, role of BDNF in mediating hippocampal dendritic remodeling.
The Increasing Use of Theory in Social Gerontology: 1990–2004

Objectives. To determine how often theory is used in published research in social gerontology, compare theory use over a 10-year period (1990–1994 to 2000–2004), and identify the theories most frequently used in social gerontology research. Methods. Systematic review of articles published in eight leading journals from 2000 to 2004 (N = 1,046) and comparison with a review conducted 10 years earlier. Results. Theory was mentioned in 39% of articles published from 2000 to 2004, representing a 12% increase in the use of theory over 10 years. This increase was driven by theories outside the core sociology of aging theories identified by Bengtson, V. L., Burgess, E. O., and Parrott, T. M. (1997). Theory, explanation, and a third generation of theoretical development in social gerontology. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 52B, S72–S88. The five most frequently used theories included the life course perspective, life-span developmental theories, role theory, exchange theory, and person–environment theory/ecological theories of aging. Commonly used models included stress process/stress and coping models, successful aging models, the Andersen behavioral model of health services use, models of control/ self-efficacy/mastery, and disablement process models. Discussion. Theory use in social gerontology increased between 1990 and 2004, with a shift toward theories that cross disciplines. However, the majority of research in social gerontology continues to be atheoretical. Models are widely used as a supplement to or substitute for theory. Many of these models are currently being debated and elaborated, and over time, they may emerge as important theoretical contributions to social gerontology.
NCAA Academic Fraud Cases and Historical Consistency: A Comparative Content Analysis

Academic fraud violations in NCAA Division I sports are considered to be major violations if institutional staff members knowingly are involved in providing fraudulent academic credit for athletes (NCAA, 2014). The purpose of this study is to perform a comparative content analysis of NCAA D-I football and men’s basketball academic fraud cases since 1990 using similar sources as the NCAA in gathering information for investigations. The researchers focus on violations of Bylaw 10.1 (b) and compare with similar academic fraud allegations not documented within the NCAA’s Legislative Services Database (LSDBi). Findings indicate the most common forms of academic fraud include providing exam answers and/or writing assignments for athletes. Inconsistencies exist regarding the following: disassociation periods for individuals, accrediting letters, institutional probation, informing future athletes of sanctions, and paying of fines. As such, it can be inferred that the NCAA may use Fletcher’s Theory of Situational ...
In Situ Embedded Sensor Monitoring of a United States Air Force Primer Beneath a Topcoat Exposed to Atmospheric Humidity and Thermal Conditions

Abstract Two-layered United States Air Force organic coatings are designed with the topcoat functioning as a barrier against the environment and the primer providing adhesion between the topcoat and the substrate, as well as promoting chromate passivation. In standard testing methods such as salt spray and QUV/Prohesion, periodic testing of coatings is performed using ex situ electrochemical experiments. The primary purpose of these accelerated testing procedures is to rank coating performance under simulated weathering conditions. The conventional approach for these electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements requires that a conductive medium be in direct contact with the exposed coating. As such, the influence of the atmospheric humidity on the performance of the coating is lost The inclusion of embedded sensors within two-layered coating systems allows in situ monitoring of the primer/substrate system beneath the topcoat electrochemical properties. The influences of atmospheric humidity and tem...
Improving usage of pediatric information on the Internet: the Virtual Children's Hospital.

Objective. Digital health sciences libraries (DHSLs) bring order to the chaos of the Internet by making authoritative medical information easily and conveniently available to patrons. The goal of this project was to perform a baseline usage analysis of the pediatric-related information in a general DHSL and to determine whether reorganization of the pediatric-related information into its own pediatric DHSL could increase the usage of the pediatric-related information. Methods. From March through August 1997, a baseline analysis of a general DHSL (Virtual Hospital) was conducted using computer server log file analysis programs. The quantity of pediatric-related information in the general DHSL and its baseline usage were determined. In September 1997, the pediatric-related information was reorganized into its own pediatric DHSL (Virtual Children9s Hospital), and server log file analyses were conducted of the pediatric DHSL from September 1997 to August 1998. Statistical analysis was performed by time series autoregression. Results. During the baseline, the general DHSL and the pediatric-related information received a monthly average of 2 320 782 and 141 444 qualified hits, respectively. After the intervention, the general DHSL and the pediatric DHSL received a monthly average of 2 765 454 and 256 998 qualified hits, respectively. This is an increase of 19.2% for the general DHSL and 81.7% for the pediatric DHSL. These changes were statistically significant at the P > .0001 level. The most requested pediatric-related content in the pediatric DHSL did not change substantively from preintervention to postintervention. Discussion. On the Internet, as in real life, children9s services must have their own distinct identity and must be differentiated from adult services. Therefore, pediatric-related information will receive increased usage if it is part of a pediatric DHSL rather than part of a general DHSL. Others can use this process and the lessons learned to develop and enhance their own pediatric-related information on the Internet. Internet, pediatrics, digital health sciences libraries, digital library, medical library.
Relative Prices and Postwar Markets for Animal Food Products

I. Criticism of certain aspects of recent theorizing, 237. — II. Critical survey of some recent postwar market predictions, 240. — III. Plan for further investigation, 245. — IV. Theoretical foundation of the method used, 247. — V. Survey of statistical materials, 248. — VI. Statistical derivation of the demand function for meat, 252. — VII. Further analysis of the commodity "meat," 259. — VIII. Poultry, eggs, dairy products, and lard, 264. — IX. Predictions of demand for animal products for 1950, 271. — Conclusions, 277.
Analytic Methods in Matched Pair Epidemiological Studies

Two methods of analysis of matched pair epidemiologic studies are presented. The within pair difference between study and comparison individuals is evaluated with respect to additional confounding variables while simultaneously maintaining the matching. The effects of additional confounding variables are quantiated by their association with the response variable (i.e. exposure in a case-control study or disease in a cohort study). For a binary response variable a multiple logistic function is used and a method to estimate the odds ratio is given. For a continous response variable multiple regression is used and a method to estimate an odds ratio function is derived.
All-optical distributed packet-switched networks: limitations and potential

It is shown that to take advantage of photonic switching in distributed packet-switched networks, a routing scheme suitable for optical implementation, e.g., the so-called hot-potato scheme, must be employed, and the optoelectronic bottleneck, associated with injecting packets onto and off of the network must be overcome. In hot-potato routing schemes, packets arriving at a node, but not destined for it, are immediately placed on an outgoing link. Since no buffering is required at the switching nodes, such routing algorithms are ideal for photonic switching. It is further shown that hot-potato routing is less efficient than store-and-forward routing, but when it is used in conjunction with time-compressed optical packets it provides a greater throughput. >
Automated analysis of the Cinderella story.

Background: AphasiaBank is a collaborative project whose goal is to develop an archival database of the discourse of individuals with aphasia. Along with databases on first language acquisition, classroom discourse, second language acquisition, and other topics, it forms a component of the general TalkBank database. It uses tools from the wider system that are further adapted to the particular goal of studying language use in aphasia. Aims: The goal of this paper is to illustrate how TalkBank analytic tools can be applied to AphasiaBank data. Methods &Procedures: Both aphasic (n = 24) and non-aphasic (n = 25) participants completed a 1-hour standardised videotaped data elicitation protocol. These sessions were transcribed and tagged automatically for part of speech. One component of the larger protocol was the telling of the Cinderella story. For these narratives we compared lexical diversity across the groups and computed the top 10 nouns and verbs across both groups. We then examined the profiles for two participants in greater detail. Conclusions: Using these tools we showed that, in a story-retelling task, aphasic speakers had a marked reduction in lexical diversity and a greater use of light verbs. For example, aphasic speakers often substituted “girl” for “stepsister” and “go” for “disappear”. These findings illustrate how it is possible to use TalkBank tools to analyse AphasiaBank data.
RST invariant digital image watermarking: importance of phase information

Based on Fourier-Mellin transform, this paper presents a novel digital image watermarking scheme that is invariant to rotation, scaling, and translation (RST). We embed watermark in the log-polar mappings of Fourier magnitude spectrum of original image, and use the phase information of the original image to rectify the watermark positions. The scheme avoids computing inverse log-polar mapping (ILPM), therefore preserves the image quality. Evaluations demonstrate that the scheme is invariant to rotation and translation, and sufficiently invariant to scaling transformation, and very robust to JPEG compression.
CHOLESTERYL HYDROPEROXYOCTADECADIENOATE FROM OXIDIZED LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN INACTIVATES PLATELET-DERIVED GROWTH FACTOR

Both oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) have been implicated in the genesis of various inflammatory responses, including atherosclerosis. We demonstrate here a novel interaction between specific oxidized lipids derived from ox-LDL and PDGF. The lipid moieties of ox-LDL caused concentration-dependent inactivation of PDGF as measured by loss of its mitogenic activity and its binding to high affinity receptors. Reverse-phase and normal-phase HPLC were used to purify the inactivating component in the lipid mixture. By fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy, we identified the inactivating lipids as the 9- and 13-hydroperoxy derivatives of cholesteryl linoleate, cholesteryl hydroperoxyoctadecadienoate. When a series of cholesteryl esters were subjected to oxidizing conditions, only those containing two or more double bonds caused inactivation of PDGF; the extent of inactivation increased with increased levels of oxidation. Exposing PDGF to cumene hydroperoxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, or hydrogen peroxide did not affect the activity of the mitogen. The oxidized lipid had no effect on the mitogenic activity of epidermal growth factor but did abolish the mitogenic activity of basic fibroblast growth factor and the antiproliferative activity of transforming growth factor β1. The inactivation of PDGF and other cytokines by lipid hydroperoxides may occur in such processes as vascular disease, inflammation, and wound healing.
Joint inversion of seismic AVO and EM data for gas saturation estimation using a sampling- based stochastic model

Summary A stochastic model is developed to estimate gas saturation and porosity using seismic AVO and EM data. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling methods are used to obtain posterior probability density functions of unknown parameters constrained by seismic AVO and EM data and prior information. Unlike conventional inverse methods, which search for an optimal solution giving the smallest misfit, MCMC methods estimate probability density functions of unknown gas saturation and porosity. This allows for evaluation of uncertainty as well as estimation of those parameters. A synthetic study, typical of gas exploration in the deep water of the Gulf of Mexico, is developed to demonstrate the benefits of joint inversion of seismic AVO and EM data. Results show that the inclusion of EM data reduces the uncertainty and ambiguity in gas saturation and porosity estimation.
Experiences with SLALOM on the distributed Pleiades/ESP system

The paper describes experiences gained during the process of Implementing a standard serial benchmark (SLALOM) on a distributed computing system (Pleiades running ESP/C++). Based on a real problem In computer graphics, SLALOM Is a timed benchmark that Includes problem set-up and I/O costs. The purpose of our experiments has been to maximize the speedup of a distributed implementation of SLALOM when compared to Its serial implementation. As a result of these experiments, we have developed several guidelines for adapting algorithms for distributed systems.
On the Dynamic Characteristics of Swinging Damaged Rectangular Vessels - An Analysis Employing Collaborative Simulation Based on MATLAB/FLUENT

The existing stability evaluation methods of damaged vessels fell short of the consideration of the turbulent characteristics. Based on the analysis of the coupled relation of the damaged rectangular vessels’ stability and the water dynamic characteristics under different stages, collaborative simulations were made with the aid of MATLAB and FLUENT. Results show that: (1) the swing significantly hinders the turbulent; when the swinging amplitude is comparatively small, its impact is weakened accordingly. (2) When the swinging amplitude increases, in phase , backflow emerges. (3) When the swing frequency is high, an extremum appeared in phase , whose value is determined by the biggest swing angular acceleration.
Liquid‐Liquid Immiscibility in Mixed ZrF4‐ThF4 Glass

Par mesure d'une double transition vitreuse dans la chaleur specifique, on observe une separation de phase liquide-liquide dans un verre ZrF 4 -ThF 4 . Cet effet, rarement observe dans d'autres verres et jamais dans des halogenures, est une preuve evidente que les verres fluores sont susceptibles de transitions de phase amorphe subliquides
Analysis and design of buck/boost zero-voltage-switching resonant DC/DC convertor

A steady-state analysis is presented for a buck/boost zero-voltage-switching resonant DC/DC power convertor. The current and voltage waveforms are derived using differential equations. Conditions for lossless operation are determined. Design equations are given for the DC transfer function, on-switch duty cycle, DC input resistance, maximum switching frequency, peak currents and voltages, power-conversion capability and component values. Whereas this analysis is directed toward the design of a high-efficiency high-power-density buck/boost convertor, it also provides insight into the behaviour and performance of modern resonant DC/DC convertors.
Scotus on Morality and Nature

This article is part of a larger project defending a version of divine command theory in ethics. What I am interested in from Scotus is that he combines such a theory with a view that grounds ethics in nature, especially human nature. In order to understand this combination, we need to start with his view of the two affections. Scotus takes from Anselm the idea that humans have in their will two basic affections (or intellectual appetites), what he calls the affection for advantage (affectio commodi) and the affection for justice (affectio justitiae). All acts of the will, on this view, stem from one affection or the other. Behind Anselm is Augustine's insistence, which Scotus alre refers to frequently, that God is to be enjoyed and not used (even though entering into God's love is our greatest happiness), and everything else is to be used and not enjoyed.
Reflections on the tapetum lucidum and eyeshine in lycosoid spiders

In the lycosoid spiders, the secondary eyes possess a grate-shaped tapetum lucidum that reflects light, causing eyeshine when these spiders are viewed with approximately coaxial illumination. This guanine-based reflective surface is thought to increase visual capabilities in low light. We explored the eyeshine of the posterior medial eye in eight taxa of pisaurid and lycosid spiders. The taxa included four pisaurids: Dolomedes tenebrosus Hentz 1844, D. triton (Walckenaer 1837), D. scriptus Hentz 1845 and D. vittatus Walckenaer 1837; and four lycosids: Gladicosa pulchra (Keyserling 1877), Hogna sp. (cf. Lycosa lenta (Hentz 1844) sensu Wallace 1942), Rabidosa punctulata (Hentz 1844) and Varacosa avara (Keyserling 1877). We found that there were significant family- and species-level differences in both the reflected spectra and the intensity of reflection. Although the peaks of the reflected spectra were in the green range for all spiders, the mean peak was further toward the blue end of the spectrum for the lycosids than for the pisaurids. Variation among species (about 54% of the total variation) was dominated by G. pulchra (Lycosidae) and D. vittatus (Pisauridae), both of whose spectra peaked near yellow, vs. V. avara (Lycosidae), whose spectra peaked to the blue side of green. The lycosid spiders showed overall brighter eyeshine. However, when corrected for their larger eyes, the lycosid spiders' reflections were dimmer for their eye size than were those of the pisaurid spiders. These results demonstrate that the reflective qualities of the tapeta, and perhaps the absorptive qualities of other tissues and media that the light must traverse, vary widely among lycosoid spiders. This variation may signal both functional differences in visual capabilities and interesting developmental or selective histories within this clade.
On the difficulty of triangulating three-dimensional nonconvex polyhedra.

A number of different polyhedraldecomposition problems have previously been studied, most notably the problem of triangulating a simple polygon. We are concerned with thepolyhedron triangulation problem: decomposing a three-dimensional polyhedron into a set of nonoverlapping tetrahedra whose vertices must be vertices of the polyhedron. It has previously been shown that some polyhedra cannot be triangulated in this fashion. We show that the problem of deciding whether a given polyhedron can be triangulated is NP-complete, and hence likely to be computationally intractable. The problem remains NP-complete when restricted to the case of star-shaped polyhedra. Various versions of the question of how many Steiner points are needed to triangulate a polyhedron also turn out to be NP-hard.
Leisure, ethnicity, race and migrations

In recent decades, we have witnessed an increase in international and domestic migrations as well as growing ethnic and racial diversity not only in Western countries, but throughout most of the wo...
Early identification of adverse drug reactions from search log data

Display Omitted Study use of search logs for the early detection of known adverse drug reactions (ADRs).Employ a time-indexed reference standard as ground truth in our prospective analysis.Propose novel methods to control for the advance availability of information online.Show that logs can detect new ADRs, the central challenge in pharmacovigilance. The timely and accurate identification of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) following drug approval is a persistent and serious public health challenge. Aggregated data drawn from anonymized logs of Web searchers has been shown to be a useful source of evidence for detecting ADRs. However, prior studies have been based on the analysis of established ADRs, the existence of which may already be known publically. Awareness of these ADRs can inject existing knowledge about the known ADRs into online content and online behavior, and thus raise questions about the ability of the behavioral log-based methods to detect new ADRs. In contrast to previous studies, we investigate the use of search logs for the early detection of known ADRs. We use a large set of recently labeled ADRs and negative controls to evaluate the ability of search logs to accurately detect ADRs in advance of their publication. We leverage the Internet Archive to estimate when evidence of an ADR first appeared in the public domain and adjust the index date in a backdated analysis. Our results demonstrate how search logs can be used to detect new ADRs, the central challenge in pharmacovigilance.
A novel domain overlapping strategy for the multiscale coupling of CFD with 1D system codes with applications to transient flows

A novel multiscale coupling methodology based on a domain overlapping approach has been developed to couple a computational fluid dynamics code with a best-estimate thermal hydraulic code. The methodology has been implemented in the coupling infrastructure code Janus, developed at the University of Michigan, providing methods for the online data transfer between the commercial computational fluid dynamics code STAR-CCM+ and the US NRC best-estimate thermal hydraulic system code TRACE. Coupling between these two software packages is motivated by the desire to extend the range of applicability of TRACE to scenarios in which local momentum and energy transfer are important, such as three-dimensional mixing. These types of flows are relevant, for example, in the simulation of passive safety systems including large containment pools, or for flow mixing in the reactor pressure vessel downcomer of current light water reactors and integral small modular reactors. The intrafluid shear forces neglected by TRACE equations of motion are readily calculated from computational fluid dynamics solutions. Consequently, the coupling methods used in this study are built around correcting TRACE solutions with data from a corresponding STAR-CCM+ solution. Two coupling strategies are discussed in the paper: one based on a novel domain overlapping approach specifically designed for transient operation, and a second based on the well-known domain decomposition approach. In the present paper, we discuss the application of the two coupling methods to the simulation of open and closed loops in both steady state and transient operation. The objective of this study is to examine the performance of each coupling method in terms of convergence, consistency, and numerical stability. As expected, the results produced by the two methods were found to be identical once numerical convergence is achieved and consistent with the standalone STAR-CCM+ solution in both steady state and transient cases. However, the domain overlapping method was found to achieve convergence at larger integration time steps than the domain decomposition approach and exhibited superior convergence and numerical stability characteristics in both steady state and transient scenarios.
Redesigning global climate change for cumulative learning

To strengthen cumulative learning we redesigned an existing Global Warming project, incorporating concepts of energy and increasing the personal relevancy of the project for students by building on their initial ideas. The goal of the new project design is to present information in a way that will more effectively facilitate an understanding of the relationship between the mechanisms associated with global climate change and student's energy consumption. The new project explores ways to leverage energy stories, advisory roles, and energy consumption surveys to better elicit students ideas based on their everyday experiences. In this way we can push our thinking of cumulative learning beyond the bounds of the science classroom by incorporating how students' social and cultural backgrounds inform their ideas about science phenomena such as global climate change, and the evidence that they use to support these ideas.
Synthetic Doped Amorphous Ferrihydrite for the Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis of Alternative Fuels

Ferrihydrites (FHYDs) with the general formula of FeOOH·nH2O are naturally occurring oxyhydroxide minerals found in environments varying from river beds, lakes, and marshes to even living organisms. Here, we report the synthesis of a new kind of synthetic doped amorphous two-line FHYDs containing aluminum and copper, which are not usually known to be found in nature. Transmission electron microscopy carried out on synthetic FHYDs showed them to be amorphous in nature with some nanosized groupings in the form of nanoclusters of about 50–200 nm size without any hint of diffraction fringes associated with crystalline order. The synthetic doped FHYDs exhibit unique properties and have been characterized extensively by magnetic measurements, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy as well as by Mossbauer spectroscopic studies. After promotion with potassium, these FHYDs were found to have high activity as catalysts for the Fischer–Tropsch (F–T) conversion of syngas to liquid fuels over a period of ∼100 h in...
Designing Water Efficient Residential Landscapes with Agent-Based Modeling

The focus of my research is an agent-based system for optimizing spatial arrangements of plants on a landscape to maximize their growth and minimize their water use. The optimization criteria include a natural phenomenon known as facilitation, which is observed in water-scarce environments when larger shrubs serve as benefactors to smaller annuals by generating conditions that protect them from harsh afternoon sun. In my modeling and optimization system each plant is an agent with growth requirements. A plant agent's fitness at a given location is defined by a fitness function that includes those growth requirements and a penalty term designed to force facilitation. The landscape design is formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem with a discrete set of locations for each plant on a grid, a fixed number of plants, and a fitness function that defines the performance of a plant at a location. To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach, I applied a variety of search strategies, including simulated annealing and a new agent-based approach that mimics how plant communities evolve over time, to different collections of simulated plant types and landscapes and compared the fitness scores and spatial arrangments in the solutions. The fitness scores from the search strategies were comparable. The search strategies produced different spatial distributions of the larger plants, and all designs exhibited facilitation and lower water use.
Prefrontal cortex neurons reflecting reports of a visual illusion.

When a small, focally attended visual stimulus and a larger background frame shift location at the same time, the frame's new location can affect spatial perception. For horizontal displacements on...
Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Very Dense and Hot Electron-Hole Plasmas in Crystalline and Amorphized Semiconductors

The physics of highly excited semiconductors has recently been the subject of many studies, especially in connection with the problem of pulsed laser annealing. Careful experiments [1–3] have now been performed with the temporal resolution required to demonstrate that one single picosecond or femtosecond pulse can produce melting at the surface of silicon. Since the carrier relaxation time is very short ( 1020 cm−3) and hot (Te > 2000°K) plasma close to but below the melting phase transition in Si and GaAs.
Regioisomer-Specific Mechanochromism of Naphthopyran in Polymeric Materials.

Transformation of naphthopyran into a colored merocyanine species in polymeric materials is achieved using mechanical force. We demonstrate that the mechanochemical reactivity of naphthopyran is critically dependent on the regiochemistry, with only one particular substitution pattern leading to successful mechanochemical activation. Two alternative regioisomers with different polymer attachment points are demonstrated to be mechanochemically inactive. This trend in reactivity is accurately predicted by DFT calculations, reinforcing predictive capabilities in mechanochemical systems. We rationalize the reactivity differences between naphthopyran regioisomers in terms of the alignment of the target C–O pyran bond with the direction of the applied mechanical force and its effect on mechanochemical transduction along the reaction coordinate.
Blueberry proanthocyanidins against human norovirus surrogates in model foods and under simulated gastric conditions.

Blueberry proanthocyanidins (B-PAC) are known to decrease titers of human norovirus surrogates in vitro. The application of B-PAC as therapeutic or preventive options against foodborne viral illness needs to be determined using model foods and simulated gastric conditions in vitro. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antiviral effect of B-PAC in model foods (apple juice (AJ) and 2% reduced fat milk) and simulated gastrointestinal fluids against cultivable human norovirus surrogates (feline calicivirus; FCV-F9 and murine norovirus; MNV-1) over 24 h at 37 °C. Equal amounts of each virus (5 log PFU/ml) was mixed with B-PAC (1, 2 and 5 mg/ml) prepared either in AJ, or 2% milk, or simulated gastric fluids and incubated over 24 h at 37 °C. Controls included phosphate buffered saline, malic acid (pH 7.2), AJ, 2% milk or simulated gastric and intestinal fluids incubated with virus over 24 h at 37 °C. The tested viruses were reduced to undetectable levels within 15 min with B-PAC (1, 2 and 5 mg/ml) in AJ (pH 3.6). However, antiviral activity of B-PAC was reduced in milk. FCV-F9 was reduced by 0.4 and 1.09 log PFU/ml with 2 and 5 mg/ml B-PAC in milk, respectively and MNV-1 titers were reduced by 0.81 log PFU/ml with 5 mg/ml B-PAC in milk after 24 h. B-PAC at 5 mg/ml in simulated intestinal fluid reduced titers of the tested viruses to undetectable levels within 30 min. Overall, these results show the potential of B-PAC as preventive and therapeutic options for foodborne viral illnesses.
Ammonia Oxide as a Building Block for High‐Performance and Insensitive Energetic Materials

3,5-Dinitrimino-1,2,4-triazole (2) with three protons has the potential of deprotonation to form energetic salts. Neutralization of 2 with 50 % hydroxylamine in varying molar ratios leads to the formation of the corresponding mono/dihydroxylammonium energetic salts. Additionally compound 5, an ammonia oxide adduct of dihydroxylammonium 3,5-dinitramino-1,2,4-triazolate, was prepared when excess hydroxylamine was used. The structures of 3-5 are supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The energetic properties of the new materials are competitive. Utilization of ammonia oxide adducts in hydroxylammonium energetic salts could lead to future practical applications as energetic materials.
Electrical and electrochemical characterization of proton transfer at the interface between chitosan and PdHx

In bioelectronic medicine and electroceuticals, electronic devices that conduct electrons are used to monitor and control ion-based biochemical reactions in order to detect and treat medical conditions. Advancing these devices will require a thorough understanding of the electrochemical pathways that transduce electronic currents into the ionic currents that interact with the natural system. Here, we analyze the tranduction of electronic current into a protonic current (H+) using Pd/PdHx contacts and a model proton conductor, chitosan. Linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data indicate that, for Pd, limited proton injection occurs at the interface aided by water oxidation. For PdHx, H desorption and electrochemical oxidation to H+ lead to sustainable proton injection and transfer to the chitosan protonic conductor. We have developed electroanalytical expressions and predictive digital simulations that match the experimental results. This work confirms that PdHx contacts integrated in DC devices, in parallel with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, comprise a suitable means for measuring H+ currents and interrogating the proton conductivity in biomaterials.
Clinical Research: A Patient Perspective

I updated this chapter that was included in previous editions of the textbook and included a new section on the role and contribution of the Patient Representative/Patient Advocate. I hope that you as new clinical researchers take these thoughts, observations, and suggestions to heart. Understanding and accommodating the impact of the process of medical research on your patient volunteers will benefit both you as a researcher and your patient volunteers and will enhance successful outcomes for all.
How To Know Whether Your Child Is Allergic

Allergies wrongly catch the blame for myriad complaints. Your doctor should be the one to say if your child really has an allergy. However, there are several questions that your doctor should ask to help him/her arrive at a diagnosis—questions you should be prepared to answer.