cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some aspects of the theory of nonlinear networks

In the development of network theory over the years, the primary focus of attention has been in the area of linear systems. Several reasons for this emphasis can easily be cited, but perhaps the foremost reason is that it has long been thought that, except in certain very special cases, little progress toward a rigorous definitive theory could be expected once the hypothesis of linearity is discarded. The recent success in the use of numerical methods for computing solutions of the equations for specific nonlinear networks (the importance of which is not to be minimized) has, furthermore, resulted in a certain complacency on the part of many engineers who occasionally need to solve network problems. One senses their outlook as being, basically, that whenever a particular nonlinear problem arises, one need only then run, data in hand, to the computer. Somewhat ironically, however, the development of computer-aided network analysis techniques has also been a prime impetus for many of the recent theoretical investigations in the field of nonlinear networks, and although much remains to be done, a rather comprehensive body of knowledge in this area has begun to take form. A number of related recent contributions to the theory of non-linear networks are reviewed here. As distinct from the computational aspects of the network analysis problem, we discuss work whose primary purpose is to yield an understanding of the nature of the equations that describe the behavior of nonlinear networks, and to identify and relate certain properties of the network elements, and the manner of their interconnection, to properties of the equations and their solutions. In addition, we do frequently touch on the problem of computation since, as has already been implied, it is indeed one of the purposes of the work discussed here to provide more of a theoretical foundation on which to base the numerical analyses.
The complex interplay between delirium, sepsis and sedation

Critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation frequently suffer from intensive care unit delirium, a syndrome associated with numerous poor measured outcomes. The relationship between delirium, sepsis, and sedation is complex. A discussion of the recent study ('Effect of dexmedetomidine versus lorazepam on outcome in patients with sepsis: an a priori-designed analysis of the MENDS [maximizing efficacy of targeted sedation and reducing neurological dysfunction] randomized controlled trial') by Pandharipande and colleagues is presented in this commentary.
REDESCRIPTION AND DESCRIPTIVISM IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

In its quest to become more scientific, many have held that social science should more closely emulate the methodology of natural science. This has proven difficult and has led some to assert the impossibility of a science of human behavior. I maintain, however, that many critics of empirical social science have misunderstood the foundation for the success of the natural sciences, which is not that they have discovered the "true vocabulary of nature," but—on the contrary—that they have realized the benefits of flexibility in "redescribing" familiar phenomena in alternative ways, in the pursuit of scientific explanations. In this paper I argue that this same path is open to the social sciences and that its pursuit would facilitate the prospects for the scientific study of human behavior.
Palynology of three bog cores shows complex European impact on the forests of Central Maine.

Abstract Short peat cores from three sphagnum bogs in central Maine were analyzed palynologically to determine whether recent reforestation approximates forest composition immediately prior to European colonization and deforestation. Radiocarbon dating and palynology show that the cores extend to 600–2000 years b.p., beginning well before 18th-century colonial forest disturbance. Cores from Round Pond bog (Franklin County) and Kanokolus Bog (Waldo County) show that Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock) was much more abundant on the local landscape at the time of European settlement than it is today; a core from Hamilton Pond bog (Kennebec County) records an abrupt local Eastern Hemlock decline, and accompanying Acer spp. (maple) rise, that preceded European contact by several centuries. All three bogs show increased heath (Ericales) abundance with deforestation, presumably a result of augmented nutrient flux into the bog basins due to increased erosion on surrounding slopes. Modern forest composition around ...
Numerical Modeling of Concrete-FRP Debonding Using a Crack Band Approach

In this study, numerical procedures are proposed to predict the structural behavior of concrete members strengthened with fiber-reinforced polymeric (FRP) sheets or plates. The concept of damage band or crack band is introduced and used for predicting the debonding failure of the concrete-epoxy interface formed when FRP sheets or plates are externally bonded to a concrete substrate. In the crack band approach, all the processes taking place during the failure of a concrete-epoxy interface are smeared in a band of fixed width. This makes the approach attractive from a modeling point of view since continuum theories, along with softening relations, can be used to model the damage which causes debonding of the interface. In order to validate this approach, numerical predictions, using the concept of crack band, are compared against experimental results obtained from tests of concrete blocks and reinforced concrete beams strengthened with FRP. In particular, the capability of the proposed numerical approach t...
Error bounds for quantum-mechanical perturbation theory

A new method is described, which yields rigorous upper and lower bounds to the sums over excited states which occur in second-order quantum-mechanical perturbation theory. The only data required are values of certain expectation values over the wave function describing the ground state of the system, and the excitation energy of the first excited state which contributes to the sum. The error bounds are shown to be the most precise possible using only this information. As an example of the method, the optical polarizability of H and He atoms are calculated. The means of the upper and lower bounds in these cases have an accuracy of the order of 1%, although the rigorous error bounds can only guarantee an accuracy near 10%. A plausible, but non-rigorous argument is given for expecting this apparent greater accuracy of the mean value to hold in other cases as well. When wave functions of one or more excited states have been calculated, this additional information may be used to obtain more precise error limits for the perturbation sums. The method is applicable to a wide variety of problems which can be treated by perturbation theory.
Low voltage cycling of programmable metallization cell memory devices

Future nanoscale memory technologies must ultimately be able to operate at power supply voltages in the order of 0.6?V or less. We have demonstrated in this work that it is possible to utilize symmetric program?erase (P?E) cycling for Ag/Ag?Ge?S/W programmable metallization cell devices at voltages below 0.6?V and still maintain an OFF/ON resistance ratio well in excess or 10 over a wide range of program and erase currents (0.27, 1.6, 55 and 220? ?A) as set by a series resistance. The distributions of resistance values for 104 P?E cycles indicate that the margins between the highest on-?and lowest off-state resistances are sufficient for unambiguous differentiation in all but the lowest current case in which there is some overlap. In addition, there is no substantial change in switching speed for up to 1.5 ? 106 P?E operations, the maximum number of cycles attempted in this study.
Rejecting the Null: Research and Social Justice Means Asking Different Questions

The focus of this article is on the specific ethical issues related to social justice research and the practical implications of engaging in social justice research, including the potential impact of research results on practice, policy, and advocacy at the local and national level. Specific recommendations are offered, including identifying research questions that advance social justice, managing researcher bias and power differentials, improving research methodologies, disseminating research, and giving back and advocating for social justice concerns.
1,3‐Dimethylbarbituric Acid

[769-42-6] C6H8N2O3 (MW 156.13932) InChI = 1S/C6H8N2O3/c1-7-4(9)3-5(10)8(2)6(7)11/h3H2,1-2H3 InChIKey = VVSASNKOFCZVES-UHFFFAOYSA-N (active methylene reagent useful for condensation reactions, for preparing synthetic intermediates, particularly heterocycles; widely used in multicomponent reactions during recent years, leading rapidly to various libraries of biologically active molecules) Alternate Names: 1,3-dimethyl-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-pyrimidinetrione; 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid; N,N′-dimethylbarbituric acid; 1,3-dimethyl-1,3-diazinane-2,4,6-trione. Physical Data: mp 121–123 °C; pKa = 4.68.1 Solubility: soluble in water, 60 g/L−1 (20 °C). Form Supplied in: white crystalline powder, commercially available. Analysis of Reagent Purity: 1H NMR, HPLC. Preparative Method: syntheses of 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid were reported in 19212 and 1941.3 However, the syntheses involved several steps,3 and scaling up led to undesired products. Later, a more efficient, scalable procedure was reported using 1,3-dimethylurea, malonic acid, and acetic anhydride in acetic acid.4 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: the reagent must be stored in a cool, dry place in a tightly closed container. Any contact with eyes (risk of serious permanent damage), skin (harmful irritant), or clothes must be avoided. Appropriate protective eyeglasses or chemical safety goggles and gloves are required.
Dynamic Viscoelastic Properties and Glass Transition Behavior of Corn Kernels

Information on viscoelastic properties is useful in industrial processing of foods as it provides insight into the structure of the material as a function of processing conditions. Corn kernels were hand sanded to obtain smooth and closely uniform samples with minimum damage to the kernel structure. The sample was tested using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. A miniature three point bending clamp was used to test the samples over a temperature range of 5–110°C at frequencies of 1 and 10 Hz in the moisture content ranging from 11.9–%24.7% (db). The average value of storage modulus (G′) showed a decreasing trend with increase in the moisture content. The corresponding tan δ curve showed a peak representing the glass transition temperature. The kernels exhibited a transition in the range of 20–60°C, which is expected to be the glass transition range. The transition range is consistent with the results of similar studies on cornstarch. It embodies an average of several transition temperatures that arise due to ...
The Logic of Knowledge Based Obligation

Deontic Logic goes back to Ernst Mally’s 1926 work, Grundgesetze des Sollens: Elemente der Logik des Willens [Mally. E.: 1926, Grundgesetze des Sollens: Elemente der Logik des Willens, Leuschner & Lubensky, Graz], where he presented axioms for the notion ‘p ought to be the case’. Some difficulties were found in Mally’s axioms, and the field has much developed. Logic of Knowledge goes back to Hintikka’s work Knowledge and Belief [Hintikka, J.: 1962, Knowledge and Belief: An Introduction to the Logic of the Two Notions, Cornell University Press] in which he proposed formal logics of knowledge and belief. This field has also developed quite a great deal and is now the subject of the TARK conferences. However, there has been relatively little work combining the two notions of knowledge (belief) with the notion of obligation. (See, however, [Lomuscio, A. and Sergot, M.: 2003, Studia Logica 75 63–92; Moore, R. C.: 1990, In J. F. Allen, J. Hendler and A. Tate (eds.), Readings in Planning, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Mateo, CA]) In this paper we point out that an agent’s obligations are often dependent on what the agent knows, and indeed one cannot reasonably be expected to respond to a problem if one is not aware of its existence. For instance, a doctor cannot be expected to treat a patient unless she is aware of the fact that he is sick, and this creates a secondary obligation on the patient or someone else to inform the doctor of his situation. In other words, many obligations are situation dependent, and only apply in the presence of the relevant information. Thus a case for combining Deontic Logic with the Logic of Knowledge is clear. We introduce the notion of knowledge based obligation and offer an S5, history based Kripke semantics to express this notion, as this semantics enables us to represent how information is transmitted among agents and how knowledge changes over time as a result of communications. We consider both the case of an absolute obligation (although dependent on information) as well as the (defeasible) notion of an obligation which may be over-ridden by more relevant information. For instance a physician who is about to inject a patient with drug d may find out that the patient is allergic to d and that she should use d′ instead. Dealing with the second kind of case requires a resort to non-monotonic reasoning and the notion of justified belief which is stronger than plain belief, but weaker than absolute knowledge in that it can be over-ridden. This notion of justified belief also creates a derived notion of default obligation where an agent has, as far as the agent knows, an obligation to do some action a. A dramatic application of this notion is our analysis of the Kitty Genovese case where, in 1964, a young woman was stabbed to death while 38 neighbours watched from their windows but did nothing. The reason was not indifference, but none of the neighbours had even a default obligation to act, even though, as a group, they did have an obligation to take some action to protect Kitty.
Negative effects of increasing group size on foraging in two estuarine piscivores

The effect of predator density on per capita ingestion rates in two estuarine predators, age-0 bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix L.) and age-1 striped bass (Morone saxatilis W.), was examined in a 121,000-l research aquarium. Group size treatments were 3, 6, 12, and 24 predators; each treatment was provided with 100 prey (mummichog killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus L.) during a 22-h feeding trial. The behaviors of predator and prey were recorded. Predator type and group size had a significant effect on per capita ingestion rates. Bluefish had significantly higher per capita ingestion rates compared to striped bass. For bluefish, per capita ingestion rate was highest in the three predator group, while for striped bass, individuals in the six predator treatment had the highest ingestion rates. From these maxima, per capita ingestion rate values declined to their lowest values in the 24 predator treatment for both species. Several factors that may be responsible for lowered per capita ingestion rates at higher group sizes include predator interference, prey depletion, and anti-predator behaviors of prey. For juvenile bluefish and striped bass being a member of a relatively large group may lead to decreased individual ingestion rates. Given that large group sizes of these species occur in nature, we conclude that these foraging costs must be outweighed by benefits of group membership.
Balancing power: tradeoffs between connection lifetime and control traffic in MANETS

We present new power distribution schemes on an active route in wireless ad hoc networks, with the objective of maximizing connection lifetime against node mobility. Through experiments with each of the proposed power distribution schemes, we obtain a description of the relationship between control traffic overhead and their expected gains in connection lifetime, as well as an understanding of the influence of various system parameters (e.g. connection size, node density, and power budget size) on this relationship.
Examining Reliability of Reading Comprehension Ratings of Fifth Grade Students' Oral Retellings

The purpose of this study was to rate oral retellings of fifth graders to determine how passages, raters, and rating occasions affect those ratings, and to identify what combination of those elements produce reliable retelling ratings. A group of 36 fifth grade students read and orally retold three contemporary realistic fiction passages. Two researchers rated these retellings on two separate occasions using the Reader Retelling Rating Scale (3-RS). These ratings were analyzed using generalizability software. Results showed that to obtain high reliability coefficients, retellings of a minimum of four (preferably six) passages should be rated by at least two raters on one occasion.
Perturbation analysis of a SVD based method for the harmonic retrieval problem

Model based spectral estimation techniques consist of essentially two steps. The first step is the estimation of a parameter set from the data and the second step consists of extracting the relevant information from the parameter set. A numerical evaluation of the overall procedure can be performed by conducting a perturbation analysis of the two steps separately. We demonstrate this by studying the linear prediction approach for estimating the frequencies of sinusoids in white noise. It is shown that in the first step the continuity of the generalized inverse and the concept of angle between subspaces play an important role. The continuity concept helps explain the need for a low rank approximation and the quality of the approximant is appraised by using the notion of angle between subspaces. For the second step the sensitivity of the zeros of the predictor polynomial becomes an important consideration and is examined.
Advances in neuroimaging: management of partial epileptic syndromes

Structural and functional neuroimaging studies are essential in the evaluation of individuals with partial epilepsy syndromes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is important to delineate structural abnormalities underlying seizure disorders, commonly including hippocampal sclerosis or cortical dysplasias. Identification of a structural lesion is often a reliable indicator of the site of seizure onset. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows us to investigate cerebral metabolites and some neurotransmitters. Reduction in various metabolite concentrations has proven to be prognostically valuable when no structural abnormality is identified. Positron emission tomography (PET) using deoxyglucose demonstrates areas of reduced glucose metabolism, which are the hallmark of epileptogenic zones and usually extend beyond the underlying anatomical region. It is useful in temporal lobe epilepsy for lateralization; however, results in extratemporal lobe epilepsy have been less favorable. More promising is the use of benzodiazepine receptor ligands, which are reduced in the epileptogenic zone in a more restricted distribution. This appears to be helpful in the localization of extratemporal seizure foci. Peri-ictal single photon emission computed tomography measures increased blood flow during the ictal event and is beneficial in patients with normal MRI studies to determine lateralization and localization of the ictal onset zone. All imaging modalities should be correlated with clinical and neurophysiological data.
Perioperative herbal supplement use in cancer patients: potential implications and recommendations for presurgical screening.

Background: Products made from botanicals that are used to maintain or improve health are known as herbal supplements, botanicals, or phytomedicines. Many herbs have a long history of use and claimed health benefits. However, many herbal supplements and botanicals have potent pharmacologic activity that can contribute to adverse effects and drug interactions. The use of herbal supplements by cancer patients in the perioperative period is common and consistent with the substantial increase in the use of alternative medical therapies. Methods: We reviewed the literature to examine the constituents, safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of those herbal supplements that are predominantly used by cancer patients. Results: Different supplements possess antiplatelet activity, adversely interact with corticosteroids and central nervous system depressant drugs, have gastrointestinal manifestations, produce hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, and produce additive effects when used with opioid analgesics. Conclusions: With the increasing use of herbal supplements by cancer patients, surgical staff need to screen patients presurgically for use of these supplements. Clinical practice guidelines are needed for screening and prevention of herbal supplement usage to prevent potential adverse events that may arise from herbal medications taken alone or combined with conventional therapies during the perioperative period. Herbal supplements commonly used by cancer patients in the perioperative period can produce pharmacokinetic interactions that can complicate surgery.
Humboldt: A distributed phishing disruption system

Conventional techniques for combating phishing have focused primarily on detecting phishing web sites and preventing users from revealing their passwords to such sites. This passive form of defense is by its nature incomplete and does nothing to protect users that do reveal their passwords. Combating the phishing threat requires more than simple avoidance—it requires a more active approach to disrupting even successful phishing operations. Humboldt is a distributed system that submits poisonous fake data to phishing web sites that is indistinguishable from the input of actual phishing victims. The poisonous data collected by a phisher produces detectable behaviors when the phisher attempts to use it and provides a mechanism for tracking activities associated with identity theft. We evaluate Humboldt to show that it is effective in disrupting phishing operations with a reasonably low overhead.
Snake-cage redox polyelectrolytes based on anion-exchange resins

Redox polyelectrolytes are described where the polyphenols hydroquinone, pyrogallol, and catechol were absorbed as counterions by a strong base anion-exchange resin in the hydroxide form, and then polymerized by refluxing in 1:1 mole ratio with formaldehyde in aqueous solution, thus producing a “snake-cage” configuration. The redox capacities of the resins were determined by oxidation with iodine/iodide solution, and found to approach theoretical at between 5.1 and 5.4 meq/g. The rate of oxidation was found to be controlled by diffusion within the particles. Fe3+ was unsatisfactory as an oxidant, owing to the exclusion effect by the fixed positive charges in the resin matrix. At low pH the resin beads were light to reddish brown in the reduced form, black in the oxidized form. The resins, especially that based on catechol, showed much greater stability in 1N NaOH solution than simple polyphenol–formaldehyde condensation polymers.
Special Collection: Emerging Concepts in Three-Dimensional Microtissues.

Over the past decade, the concept of tissue engineering has been extended to include technologies that use multicellular aggregates, not only to repair or replace tissue but also as a stand-alone in vitro device (e.g., “organ-on-a-chip”) with well-defined biological outputs. The advantage of such systems is that they allow for culture of one or more cell types in three dimensions, which may promote tissue function that is more mimetic of the in vivo state, while allowing high-throughput sample testing and a large degree of control of external culture factors that may lead to more reproducible results than that found in the more complex in vivo environment. While the means used to achieve these devices vary greatly, in this special collection, we focus our attention on formation and use of scaffold-free cellular aggregates (three-dimensional microtissues).
Functions of Vitamin D

From the early work of Nicolaysen it was firmly established that vitamin D improves intestinal calcium absorption (Nicolaysen, 1937a, b, c; Nicolaysen et al., 1953). Nicolaysen and his associates further demonstrated conclusively that vitamin D is essential for the ability of the intestine to adapt its intestinal calcium absorption to the needs for calcium (Nicolaysen et al., 1953). These two fundamental biological observations still remain today to be elucidated in molecular detail. Following the work of NICOLAYSEN, several investigators using a variety of techniques confirmed the idea that vitamin D increases intestinal calcium absorption (Wasser-Man, 1963). However, little progress was made until Schachter and Rosen introduced the technique of everted intestinal sacs in vitro as a technique to measure calcium transport (Schachter and Rosen, 1959). Using this technique, these pioneering investigations revealed that vitamin D increases the transport of calcium against a concentration gradient in a process which required metabolic energy and thus appeared to be active transport (DowDle et al., 1960; Schachter, 1963). SchachTer and colleagues continued their investigations and demonstrated that the ability of the small intestine to transport calcium was not only dependent upon vitamin D, but was also modulated by dietary calcium levels in support of the early conclusions of Nicolaysen (Kimberg et al., 1961). Harrison and Harrison (1965) confirmed the everted intestinal sac work of Schachter and his colleagues but introduced the concept that vitamin D might not function at the active transport site but might rather increase the permeability of small intestine to calcium.
Exploring the differential associations between components of executive functioning and reactive and proactive aggression

Objective: A large body of literature confirms the importance of executive functioning (EF) in the explanation of aggressive and antisocial behaviors. However, the common and specific associations ...
Dr. Schultz on Farm Management Research

W ITH the general import of Dr. Schultz's paper on farm management research in the August number of THIS JOURNAL, the writer finds himself in full accord. No more pertinent general criticisms of much of past research could be offered than the two with which he begins his analysis, namely that it has not provided an adequate basis for adjusting farm organization and practice to economic change, and that it has not adequately related the individual farm economy to the economy of the whole. But certain passages in it do not seem to the writer to hold together very well. It therefore seems worth while to undertake a restatement of a few of Dr. Schultz's propositions. One of the points of emphasis in the article relates to inputoutput ratios. Dr. Schultz says that a good deal of effort is now going into determining physical input-output "constants," and that such an approach to farm management analysis is "inherently unrealistic" and that trying to work up these "constants" is a poor use of the resources of agricultural economists. And yet in another paragraph he writes: "It follows that what is important on the physical side in farming is not what input-output rates are possible under controlled laboratory conditions but what technical rates are possible in practice and which the farmer expects. It is the latter that enter into his decisions and plans. It is these that must be ascertained if we are to predict the actions of farmers. These expected technical rates, however, will probably vary significantly from farm to farm within any given area or type."
Effects of Window Seal Mechanical Properties on Vehicle Interior Noise

One dominant "wind noise" generating mechanism in road vehicles is the interaction between turbulent flows and flexible structures which include side glass windows. In this study, the effects of seal mechanical propertieson the sound generated from flow-induced vibration of side glass windows were investigated. The primary goal was to assess the influence of seal support properties on the noise generated from a plate. Two different models to calculate the optimal support stiffness of the seal that minimizes the velocity response are presented. The results show that both the velocity response and the sound radiation are strongly influenced by dissipation of vibration energy at the edges. It is demonstrate that support tuning can yield significant noise and vibration reduction.
Fourth-Stage Anti-Catholicism

Anti-Catholicism is once again on the rise in America.With us since colonial times, hatred for the Church and those who adhere to her teachings has passed through three stages: theological, political and sociological. Its latest incarnation — evident in the recent spate of Catholic bashing — expresses something different.
A Humoral Sensitizing Factor for Norepinephrine in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

AbstractThe vasopressor effect of exogenous norepinephrine was compared before and after iv injection of sera from Aoki-Okamoto spontaneously hypertensive rats into bioassay animals. Changes in the pressor responses were compared to those produced by the sera of normotensive Sprague-Dawley-derived rats. The systolic blood pressures of serum donor animals were periodically taken via a cuff over the caudal artery. The animals were decapitated and trunk blood was collected. The mean systolic blood pressure of the spontaneously hypertensive group was 184 ± 4 mm Hg just prior to killing. A separate group of normotensive rats was bilaterally nephrectonized and after 24 hr was ganglionically blocked with hexamethonium and used as bioassay animals. Bioassay animals were given standardized doses of norepinephrine iv at 6-min intervals both before and after iv injection of 15-25 μl of either normotensive or spontaneously hypertensive rat serum. Spontaneously hypertensive rat serum increased the average pressor resp...
Nematic Order Drives Macroscopic Patterns of Graphene Oxide in Drying Drops

We report on a series of experiments on large-area ordered patterns of graphene oxide on solid substrates deposited from aqueous dispersions by directed drop evaporation. The aqueous dispersion of graphene oxide exhibits phase transitions from isotropic to liquid crystalline nematic phases via a biphasic region with increasing concentration. In the single nematic phase, schlieren textures accompanied by oriented bands are frequent. Drying of drops in each phase results in deposition covering the whole drop base. The dynamic process of drop drying is analyzed based on the weight loss, radius change, and texture change over time. It is found that the radial bands develop in the nematic drops in the vicinity of the receding of the contact line and subsequently transform into birefringent stripes after drying. Study into the structure and morphology of the stripes reveals anisotropic wrinkling of graphene oxide sheets. The nature of stripe orientation is strongly dependent on the local nematic order at the de...
Appraisal of Current Strategies for Controlling Onion Maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) in New York State

Chlorpyrifos applied in the furrow at planting in mid-May to control onion maggot, Delia antiqua (Meigen), infestations gave adequate control for 8 weeks (mid-July). In laboratory and field tests, undamaged onion plants grown with or without insecticide treatment became resistant to maggot invasion after 12 weeks of plant growth (about mid-August in all but one field). Maggots died primarily through failing to establish on the bulbs rather than through desiccation. Late-season (third generation) damage was most prevalent in rows where plants had been damaged during weekly applications of parathion sprays. Improvements to the current strategy of onion maggot control may be effected by development of a more persistent soil treatment, selection of onion cultivars with midseason resistance to invasion, and effective adulticide treatments for midseason application.
Continuous caudal analgesia: A report of 1,500 consecutive cases

Abstract A detailed study has been made of the results obtained in 1,500 consecutive cases receiving continuous caudal analgesia for the management of labor and delivery. In 80 per cent of the cases in which caudal was attempted, the results were entirely satisfactory. Caudal was used successfully in several cases complicated by cardiac and respiratory disease, and in several cases of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. The most gratifying results were obtained in premature labors. The mortality in premature infants born of mothers receiving continuous caudal analgesia was only one-third as great as in premature infants born of mothers receiving other types of analgesia and anesthesia. No serious complications have been encountered in this group of cases. The needle was broken in three cases. Occult subarachnoid tap occurred in two cases. Localized infection occurred at the site of puncture in five cases. The systolic blood pressure fell to 80 mm. or below in 13.6 per cent of the cases, but this was usually promptly restored to normal by change in position or vasopressor drugs.
‘The antithesis of the film magnate’: Irving Thalberg and the politics of ethno-religious identity in early Hollywood

AbstractAs a powerful, high-profile member of Los Angeles’ Jewish and German-American communities and a founder of MGM, the native-born, middle-class Irving Thalberg was framed as a ‘better, finer’ Jew as compared to his older, immigrant, US film industry mentors. This essay sheds new light on Thalberg’s hybrid identity as German-Jewish-American, asking how it shaped his life, work, popular persona, and memory. As MGM production chief, Thalberg’s work included shaping culture and philanthropy in 1920s and 1930s Los Angeles. Then and now, Thalberg as ‘model minority’ both challenged and reinforced pernicious ethno-religious stereotypes that undergirded myths of Jewish media domination in an industrializing America.
Laparoscopic Surgery for Cancer: Historical, Theoretical, and Technical Considerations

Surgery for cancer carries concerns of tumor dissemination related to tumor manipulation, tumor violation, and wound seeding. Minimally invasive surgery is now standard for several benign conditions, such as symptomatic cholelithiasis and surgical therapy of gastroesophageal reflux. With the minimally invasive surgery explosion of the 1990s, virtually every procedure traditionally performed via laparotomy has been performed successfully with laparoscopic methods, including pancreaticoduodenectomy for cancer. Shortly after the first descriptions of laparoscopic-assisted colectomy, reports of port-site tumor recurrences surfaced, raising concerns of using pneumoperitoneum-based surgery for malignancy. This review covers the development of laparoscopic surgery for cancer. Historical perspectives elucidate factors that helped shape the current state of the art. Theoretical concerns are discussed regarding surgery-induced immune suppression and its potential effects on tumor recurrence with both open and laparoscopic approaches. The concerns of laparoscopic port-site wound metastases are addressed, with a critical evaluation of the literature. Finally, a technical discussion of laparoscopic-assisted resections of hepatic and pancreatic tumors details patient selection, operative approach, and existing data for these operations.
OPTIMAL DESIGN OF CULVERTS UNDER UNCERTAINTIES

In the design of highway drainage culverts there are many uncertainties involved in addition to the normally considered hydrologic uncertainty due to the randomness in flood and rainfall frequencies. Uncertainties can be contributed from many sources and are classified as hydrologic, hydraulic, structural, and economic with subtypes of uncertainties in each of these categories. This paper describes a procedure for systematically analyzing and incorporating the uncertainties into the optimal design of drainage culverts. The procedure is based upon the concepts of hydrologic risk, first-order analysis of uncertainties, evaluation of expected damages, and optimization. The optimization model is used to select the magnitudes of the design variables in order to minimize total expected project costs. Using such a design procedure, the proper trade-off analysis among the potential flood damages, the design uncertainties, and the cost of the project is performed in determining the design.
High and Low Culture in Victorian Bradford

The development of Bradford produced two distinctive ways of life in the nineteenth century — one working class and located in the central part of the city and the other middle class and safely tucked away in the surrounding hillsides. As a Bradford man noted in 1856: Fifty or even thirty years ago the connection between the employer and employed was quite different. It was then a matter of everyday occurrence for the master to mix socially with his workpeople, to enter into their pastimes with a healthy zest … But now employers not only live apart from their operatives but are as socially separated as the Europeans at the Cape are from the Hottentots.1
Genesis of clay lamellae in golf course soils of Mississippi, USA

Abstract Clay lamellae have been observed in the sand putting green soils of a golf course in Mississippi, USA. These lamellae result in reduced water infiltration, saturated soils, and a decline in turfgrass density. The soils featured an A horizon of 4 to 5 cm, mixed A/C horizons of approximately 10 cm, and C horizons of about 30 cm over gravel. The soils were constructed in 2005 with 90% (quartz) sand and 10% (by volume) sand-sized calcined clay over 10 cm of gravel, which was constructed on a subgrade of compacted native soil. Clay lamellae were commonly observed at the interface of sand and gravel, with the exception of a soil profile directly above a drain pipe. Clay contents in the lamellae ranged from 0.10 to 3.8%. We proposed three hypotheses to explain the formation of these lamellae: 1) clay was present in the sand as a construction contaminant and subsequently moved downward, 2) clay originated from the breakdown and subsequent translocation of a calcined soil amendment that was used to construct the soils, or 3) clay from the underlying compacted subgrade moved upwards through the gravel and into the sand. In each hypothesis, clay accumulated at the boundary of sand and gravel due to preferential retention of water in the sand above the gravel. X-ray diffraction showed that the lamellae contained kaolinite and quartz, whereas the calcined soil amendment contained illite and no kaolinite. The underlying subgrade soil contained kaolinite, quartz, and hydroxy-interlayered vermiculite. Discriminant analysis of X-ray fluorescence spectra showed that the clay fractions of these three different samples had unique chemical fingerprints. These findings suggest that the lamellae did not likely originate from the calcined soil amendment or the subgrade soil. We propose that they originated from clay that was initially present in the sand, which was translocated downwards. This study provides evidence for formation of lamellae in
The role of implementation science training in global health: from the perspective of graduates of the field’s first dedicated doctoral program

Bridging the ‘know-do gap’ is an enormous challenge for global health practitioners. They must be able to understand local health dynamics within the operational and social contexts that engender them, test and adjust approaches to implementation in collaboration with communities and stakeholders, interpret data to inform policy decisions, and design adaptive and resilient health systems at scale. These skills and methods have been formalized within the nascent field of Implementation Science (IS). As graduates of the world’s first PhD program dedicated explicitly to IS, we have a unique perspective on the value of IS and the training, knowledge, and skills essential to bridging the ‘know-do gap’. In this article, we describe the philosophy and curricula at the core of our program, outline the methods vital to IS in a global health context, and detail the role that we believe IS will increasingly play in global health practice. At this junction of enormous challenges and opportunities, we believe that IS offers the necessary tools for global health professionals to address complex problems in context and raises the bar of success for the global health programs of the future. Keywords: global health; implementation science; education; training; curriculum (Published: 14 November 2016) Citation: Glob Health Action 2016, 9 : 31899 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/gha.v9.31899
A meta-analysis of response-time tests of the sequential two-systems model of moral judgment

The (generalized) sequential two-system (“default interventionist”) model of utilitarian moral judgment predicts that utilitarian responses often arise from a system-two correction of system-one deontological intuitions. Response-time (RT) results that seem to support this model are usually explained by the fact that low-probability responses have longer RTs. Following earlier results, we predicted response probability from each subject’s tendency to make utilitarian responses (A, “Ability”) and each dilemma’s tendency to elicit deontological responses (D, “Difficulty”), estimated from a Rasch model. At the point where A = D, the two responses are equally likely, so probability effects cannot account for any RT differences between them. The sequential two-system model still predicts that many of the utilitarian responses made at this point will result from system-two corrections of system-one intuitions, hence should take longer. However, when A = D, RT for the two responses was the same, contradicting the sequential model. Here we report a meta-analysis of 26 data sets, which replicated the earlier results of no RT difference overall at the point where A = D. The data sets used three different kinds of moral judgment items, and the RT equality at the point where A = D held for all three. In addition, we found that RT increased with A–D. This result holds for subjects (characterized by Ability) but not for items (characterized by Difficulty). We explain the main features of this unanticipated effect, and of the main results, with a drift-diffusion model.
From Furious to Fearless: Faculty Action and Feminist Praxis in Response to Rape Culture on College Campuses

In this article, we (four faculty members) draw on a specific rape-promoting incident on our campus as a case study for feminist faculty responses to civil rights issues on college campuses. We critically examine the incident and share our multipronged response as faculty members. In so doing, we highlight interdisciplinary activism, the importance of strong visual presence of feminist faculty activism on campus, as well as our challenges and dilemmas. As a call to arms, we hope this article inspires other faculty to recognize their power and to take incisive action on their respective campuses.
Cumulative effects of prenatal-exposure to exogenous chemicals and psychosocial stress on fetal growth: Systematic-review of the human and animal evidence.

Author(s): Vesterinen, Hanna M; Morello-Frosch, Rachel; Sen, Saunak; Zeise, Lauren; Woodruff, Tracey J | Abstract: BackgroundAdverse effects of prenatal stress or environmental chemical exposures on fetal growth are well described, yet their combined effect remains unclear.ObjectivesTo conduct a systematic review on the combined impact and interaction of prenatal exposure to stress and chemicals on developmental outcomes.MethodsWe used the first three steps of the Navigation Guide systematic review. We wrote a protocol, performed a robust literature search to identify relevant animal and human studies and extracted data on developmental outcomes. For the most common outcome (fetal growth), we evaluated risk of bias, calculated effect sizes for main effects of individual and combined exposures, and performed a random effects meta-analysis of those studies reporting on odds of low birthweight (LBW) by smoking and socioeconomic status (SES).ResultsWe identified 17 human- and 22 animal-studies of combined chemical and stress exposures and fetal growth. Human studies tended to have a lower risk of bias across nine domains. Generally, we found stronger effects for chemicals than stress, and these exposures were associated with reduced fetal growth in the low-stress group and the association was often greater in high stress groups, with limited evidence of effect modification. We found smoking associated with significantly increased odds of LBW, with a greater effect for high stress (low SES; OR 4.75 (2.46-9.16)) compared to low stress (high SES; OR 1.95 (95% CI 1.53-2.48)). Animal studies generally had a high risk of bias with no significant combined effect or effect modification.ConclusionsWe found that despite concern for the combined effects of environmental chemicals and stress, this is still an under-studied topic, though limited available human studies indicate chemical exposures exert stronger effects than stress, and this effect is generally larger in the presence of stress.
The anaesthetic management of autistic children

Autistic children are difficult to manage and there are no anaesthesia studies to suggest management strategies. We present five case reports which describe an integrated management program taking into account the special needs of autistic children and their families. We describe a method of early warning and recognition of these patients and the establishment of a database to allow review of our program. We also present a process to minimize the stress and problems inherent in the conventional admission process. Oral ketamine (6 to 7 mg/kg) has proven to be the most reliable preoperative sedative for these patients.
Looking For The Development In Authentic and Adaptive Leadership Development

This pre- and post- study examines the interaction between student level of consciousness (LoC) and two leadership courses – one grounded in the Authentic Leadership framework and another grounded ...
Crop Production, Export of Virtual Water and Water-saving Strategies in Arizona

Abstract Growing world population and the uncertain hazards that accompany climate change put an increasing pressure on the management and sustainability of scarce environmental resources, notably water. In spite of its water scarcity, the state of Arizona permits as much as 73% of its water to be consumed by a single sector, crop production. Since 79% of such crop production is not consumed in Arizona, it corresponds to exporting up to 67% of the water available in the state to the rest of the country and abroad. It has certain and glooming consequences on the availability of water for a state expected to see its population grow and its climate get drier. Based on input-output techniques, we simulate three scenarios aiming at saving 19% of the water available, a figure set by the first of them based on improving the efficiency of the current irrigation system. The same savings could also be reached by a twenty-seven-fold increase in the price of water or a 19.5% reduction in crop exports. Estimates indicate that the least costly solution is a more efficient irrigation system while export reduction is the second-best choice.