Cabling, contact structures and mapping class monoids

In this paper we discuss the change in contact structures as their supporting open book decompositions have their binding components cabled. To facilitate this and applications we define the notion of a rational open book decomposition that generalizes the standard notion of open book decomposition and allows one to more easily study surgeries on transverse knots. As a corollary to our investigation we are able to show there are Stein fillable contact structures supported by open books whose monodromies cannot be written as a product of positive Dehn twists. We also exhibit several monoids in the mapping class group of a surface that have contact geometric significance.Comment: 62 pages, 32 figures. Significant expansion of exposition and more details on some argument

Teacher Strategies to Improve Pupil Self-Concept

The purpose of this research was to assess the effects of the Utah State University Pupil Self-Concept Program on the performance of inservice elementary school teachers and on the self-concepts of pupils in their classrooms. Four volunteer teachers were trained in the SelfConcept behaviors as part of an inservice course. A single-subject multiple baseline design was used to determine teacher effects for these four teachers. The first teacher was the main subject, and the study was then directly replicated three times using the other three experimental teachers. Data on these four subjects were collected through observation of program-related teacher behaviors. Results from the Teacher data indicated that teachers will indeed exhibit changes in their use frequency of the USU Pupil Self-Concept Program verbal behaviors when each of these behaviors is taught. The use of negative behaviors decreased in frequency while the use of positive behaviors increased in frequency. Results from this data indicated that pupils whose teachers are trained to emit the Program\u27s specific language skills receive significantly higher self-concept scores than do pupils whose teachers do not receive this training, provided there are no other interaction styles used in the classroom than that of the trained or untrained teacher. A quasi-experimental design was used to assess pupil effects as a result of teacher training. The pupils in the four trained teachers\u27 classes served as the experimental group. The control group consisted of the pupils in three additional volunteer teachers\u27 classes. These teachers were not trained; therefore, the pupil control group received no treatment. A pupil self-concept measure was administered before and after the inservice course

A New Preventive for B L O A T

New product called poloxalene has been tested at Iowa State and Kansas State Universities and is the most effective preventive of legume bloat yet developed. It\u27s now being marketed commercially

Toe Brace Designs

In various embodiments, provided are braces for use in supporting the metatarophalangeal joint, reducing or maintaining the intermetatarsal angle, enhancing or maintaining alignment of the hallux, or combinations thereof in a subject having hallux valgus

Toe Joint Replacement Models

In various embodiments, provided are implantable devices for replacing all or a portion of a metatarsophalangeal joint, comprising (i) a metatarsal component comprising a Substan tially convex bearing Surface; or (ii) a phalanx component comprising a Substantially concave bearing Surface; or (iii) both. In various embodiments, also provided are methods of treating hallux Valgus by replacing all or a portion of a meta tarsophalangeal joint with one or more of the provided implantable devices

Fuel-Supply-Limited Stellar Relaxation Oscillations: Application to Multiple Rings around AGB Stars and Planetary Nebulae

We describe a new mechanism for pulsations in evolved stars: relaxation oscillations driven by a coupling between the luminosity-dependent mass-loss rate and the H fuel abundance in a nuclear-burning shell. When mass loss is included, the outward flow of matter can modulate the flow of fuel into the shell when the stellar luminosity is close to the Eddington luminosity $L_{\rm Edd}$. When the luminosity drops below $L_{\rm Edd}$, the mass outflow declines and the shell is re-supplied with fuel. This process can be repetitive. We demonstrate the existence of such oscillations and discuss the dependence of the results on the stellar parameters. In particular, we show that the oscillation period scales specifically with the mass of the H-burning relaxation shell (HBRS), defined as the part of the H-burning shell above the minimum radius at which the luminosity from below first exceeds the Eddington threshold at the onset of the mass loss phase. For a stellar mass M_*\sim 0.7\Msun, luminosity L_*\sim 10^4\Lsun, and mass loss rate |\dot M|\sim 10^{-5}\Msun yr$^{-1}$, the oscillations have a recurrence time $\sim 1400$ years $\sim 57\tau_{\rm fsm}$, where $\tau_{\rm fsm}$ is the timescale for modulation of the fuel supply in the HBRS by the varying mass-loss rate. This period agrees with the $\sim$ 1400-year period inferred for the spacings between the shells surrounding some planetary nebulae, and the the predictied shell thickness, of order 0.4 times the spacing, also agrees reasonably well.Comment: 15 pages TeX, 1 ps figure submitted to Ap

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Infant Hearing Assessment: A Kids’ Inpatient Database Review

Objective: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) has become an epidemic. This study assesses documented rates of failed newborn hearing screening (NBHS) or hearing loss diagnosis (HL) in NAS infants, and sociodemographic factors associated with abnormal inpatient hearing results. Methods: The 2016 HCUP/KID national database was used to identify a weighted sample of infants with failed NBHS/HL during birth hospitalization. Independent variables included diagnoses of NAS/in-utero opioid exposure, HL risk factor presence and sociodemographic data. Univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine associations between NAS and abnormal hearing assessment. Results:NAS infants had lower odds ratio (OR) of documented failed NBHS (OR=0.76, p Conclusion: NAS children have lower rates of inpatient documented failed NBHS and higher rates of HL diagnosis. The complex medical care of these infants could complicate NBHS, documentation, and subsequent follow-up. Certain sociodemographic factors result in a higher risk of hearing loss

Wean Dairy Calves Early

Dairy calves can be weaned from milk at 1 month of age by feeding a palatable, nutritious starter. Here\u27s more about the early weaning program\u27s secret - getting the calves on starter at an early age