Calculation of Effective Coulomb Interaction for Pr3+Pr^{3+}, U4+U^{4+}, and UPt3UPt_3

In this paper, the Slater integrals for a screened Coulomb interaction of the the Yukawa form are calculated and by fitting the Thomas-Fermi wavevector, good agreement is obtained with experiment for the multiplet spectra of $Pr^{3+}$ and $U^{4+}$ ions. Moreover, a predicted multiplet spectrum for the heavy fermion superconductor $UPt_3$ is shown with a calculated Coulomb U of 1.6 eV. These effective Coulomb interactions, which are quite simple to calculate, should be useful inputs to further many-body calculations in correlated electron metals.Comment: 8 pages, revtex, 3 uuencoded postscript figure

Controlling earworms on sweet corn

In cooperation with Illinois State Natural History Survey.Cover title

Domestic Rivalry and Export Performance: Theory and Evidence from International Airline Markets

The much-studied relationship between domestic rivalry and export performance consists of those supporting a national-champion rationale, and those supporting a rivalry rationale. While the empirical literature generally supports the positive effects of domestic rivalry, the national-champion rationale actually rests on firmer theoretical ground. We address this inconsistency by providing a theoretical framework that illustrates three paths via which domestic rivalry translates into enhanced international exports. Furthermore, empirical tests on the world airline industry elicit the existence of one particular path - an enhanced firm performance effect - that connects domestic rivalry with improved international exports

Open-label, cluster randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation of a brief letter from a GP on unscheduled medical contacts associated with the start of the school year: the PLEASANT trial

BACKGROUND: Asthma is seasonal with peaks in exacerbation rates in school-age children associated with the return to school following the summer vacation. A drop in prescription collection in August is associated with an increase in the number of unscheduled contacts after the school return. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a public health intervention delivered in general practice reduced unscheduled medical contacts in children with asthma. DESIGN: Cluster randomised trial with trial-based economic evaluation. Randomisation was at general practice level, stratified by size of practice. The intervention group received a letter from their general practitioner (GP) in late July outlining the importance of (re)taking asthma medication before the return to school. The control group was usual care. SETTING: General practices in England and Wales. PARTICIPANTS: 12 179 school-age children in 142 general practices (70 randomised to intervention). MAIN OUTCOME: Proportion of children aged 5-16 years who had an unscheduled contact in September. Secondary endpoints included collection of prescriptions in August and medical contacts over 12 months (September-August). Economic endpoints were quality-adjusted life-years gained and health service costs. RESULTS: There was no evidence of effect (OR 1.09; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.25 against treatment) on unscheduled contacts in September. The intervention increased the proportion of children collecting a prescription in August by 4% (OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.24 to 1.64). The intervention also reduced the total number of medical contacts between September-August by 5% (incidence ratio 0.95; 95% CI 0.91 to 0.99).The mean reduction in medical contacts informed the health economics analyses. The intervention was estimated to save £36.07 per patient, with a high probability (96.3%) of being cost-saving. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention succeeded in increasing children collecting prescriptions. It did not reduce unscheduled care in September (the primary outcome), but in the year following the intervention, it reduced the total number of medical contacts. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN03000938; Results

Epidemiological Features of the Selenium Status in Cattle of Northern California

Selenium (Se) is an essential mineral for animal health. Deficiencies result in white muscle disease (WMD), retained placenta, and ill thrift in cattle. These health problems are known to occur in some northern California herds. This survey was initiated to provide knowledge on the epidemiological features of Se deficiency in cattle in this region. Blood samples were drawn from 10 cows on each of 10 ranches in each of the northern 22 counties. Whole blood Se and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were determined, and these values were statistically compared with each other and with data obtained by questionnaire. The latter included information on animal diseases, soils, forages, and general ranch descriptors like elevation and rainfall. The GSH-Px spot test produced either a positive (+), negative (-) or intermediate (+/-) enzyme activity classification for each cow. Herd classification was identified as + or - if > 70% cow-values fell in that class, otherwise it was identified as +/-. The overall geometric mean blood-Se value was 47.6 ng/ml. Regressions of individual and herd GSH-Px-class against blood-Se values produced r = .75 and r = .82, respectively. Significantly low blood-Se levels were recorded in herds with: 1) negative GSH-Px values, 2) past histories of WMD and ill thrift, 3) predominantly hay diet, 4) pregnant and early lactating cows, and 5) pure bred cows. The Se status of herds using Se-salt blocks was not different from non-supplemented herds. Descriptive ranch variables did not reliably assess the Se status of herds in this study

Epidemiological features of the selenium status in cattle of northern California

Selenium (Se) is an essential mineral for animal health. Deficiencies result in white muscle disease (40), retained placenta, and ill thrift in cattle. These health problems are known to occur in some northern California herds. This survey was initiated to provide knowledge on the epidemiological features of Se deficiency in cattle in this region. Blood samples were drawn from 10 cows on each of 10 ranches in each of the northern 22 counties. Whole blood Se and glutathione peroxidase (GBH-Px) activities were determined, and these values were statistically compared with each other and with data obtained by questionnaire. The latter included information on animal diseases, soils, forages, and general ranch descriptors like elevation and rainfall. The GSH-Px spot test produced either a positive (+), negative (-) or intermediate (+/-) enzyme activity classification for each cow. Herd classification was identified as + or - if >70% cow-values fell in that class, otherwise it was identified as +/-. The overall geometric mean blood-Se value was 47.6 ng/ml. Regressions of individual and herd GSH-Px-class against blood-Se values produced r = .75 and r = .82, respectively. Significantly low blood-Se levels were recorded in herds with: 1) negative GSH-Px values, 2) past histories of WMD and ill thrift, 3) predominantly hay diet, 4) pregnant and early lactating cows, and 5) pure bred cows. The Se status of herds using Se-salt blocks was not different from non- supplemented herds. Descriptive ranch variables did not reliably assess the Se status of herds in this study

The Journal of the Friends' Historical Society vol. 4 No. 1

1. Notes and Queries. 2. Our Bibliographers. 3. A New Book on George Fox. 4. American Letters of Edmund Peckover. 5. Meeting Records. 6. Friends at Newbury, Berkshire. 7. Presentations of Quakers in Episcopal Visitations, 1662-1679. 8. Friends on the Atlantic. 9. The Collection of Friends' Books in the Library of Haverford College, Pa. 10. The late Duke of Argyle's Estimate of Elizabeth Fry. 11. A so-called "Quaker Highwayman". 12. Matthew Raven, Stainesgate, Essex. 13. Brewers Yard Burial Ground. 14. Marriage Certificate - Hough-Barnes, 1676. 15. Paul Bevan's "One Little Book". 16. Land in New Jersey, 1685. 17. Minister and Merchant. 18. Friends in Current Literature. 19. Friends' Reference Library

The dimensions of software engineering success

Software engineering research and practice are hampered by the lack of a well-understood, top-level dependent variable. Recent initiatives on General Theory of Software Engineering suggest a multifaceted variable – Software Engineering Success. However, its exact dimensions are unknown. This paper investigates the dimensions (not causes) of software engineering success. An interdisciplinary sample of 191 design professionals (68 in the software industry) were interviewed concerning their perceptions of success. Non-software designers (e.g. architects) were included to increase the breadth of ideas and facilitate comparative analysis. Transcripts were subjected to supervised, semi-automated semantic content analysis, including a software developer vs. other professionals comparison. Findings suggest that participants view their work as time-constrained projects with explicit clients and other stakeholders. Success depends on stakeholder impacts – financial, social, physical and emotional – and is understood through feedback. Concern with meeting explicit requirements is peculiar to software engineering and design is not equated with aesthetics in many other fields. Software engineering success is a complex multifaceted variable, which cannot sufficiently be explained by traditional dimensions including user satisfaction, profitability or meeting requirements, budgets and schedules. A proto-theory of success is proposed, which models success as the net impact on a particular stakeholder at a particular time. Stakeholder impacts are driven by project efficiency, artifact quality and market performance. Success is not additive, e.g., ‘low’ success for clients does not average with ‘high’ success for developers to make ‘moderate’ success overall; rather, a project may be simultaneously successful and unsuccessful from different perspectives

N-WASP control of LPAR1 trafficking establishes response to self-generated LPA gradients to promote pancreatic cancer cell metastasis

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most invasive and metastatic cancers and has a dismal 5-year survival rate. We show that N-WASP drives pancreatic cancer metastasis, with roles in both chemotaxis and matrix remodeling. lysophosphatidic acid, a signaling lipid abundant in blood and ascites fluid, is both a mitogen and chemoattractant for cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer cells break lysophosphatidic acid down as they respond to it, setting up a self-generated gradient driving tumor egress. N-WASP-depleted cells do not recognize lysophosphatidic acid gradients, leading to altered RhoA activation, decreased contractility and traction forces, and reduced metastasis. We describe a signaling loop whereby N-WASP and the endocytic adapter SNX18 promote lysophosphatidic acid-induced RhoA-mediated contractility and force generation by controlling lysophosphatidic acid receptor recycling and preventing degradation. This chemotactic loop drives collagen remodeling, tumor invasion, and metastasis and could be an important target against pancreatic cancer spread

Stochastic Approximation to Understand Simple Simulation Models

This paper illustrates how a deterministic approximation of a stochastic process can be usefully applied to analyse the dynamics of many simple simulation models. To demonstrate the type of results that can be obtained using this approximation, we present two illustrative examples which are meant to serve as methodological references for researchers exploring this area. Finally, we prove some convergence results for simulations of a family of evolutionary games, namely, intra-population imitation models in n-player games with arbitrary payoffs.Ministerio de Educación (JC2009- 00263), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010: CSD2010-00034, DPI2010-16920