cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High- $Q$ AlN-on-Silicon Resonators With Annexed Platforms for Portable Integrated VOC Sensing

Aluminum nitride (AlN) thin-film piezoelectric-on-silicon resonators optimized for gravimetric gas sensing are presented in this paper. Sensors with polyisobutylene-functionalized annexed platforms exhibit a linear sensitivity of −0.09 Hz/ppm to toluene and −0.18 Hz/ppm to xylene. The annexed platform design enables the sensor to maintain a high Q of 3700 in air and low motional resistance of 1.1 k $\Omega $ during operation, which ensures low-power oscillator interfacing and readout. AlN-on-Si resonators with annexed platforms are suitable for array implementation in environmental sensing microsystems that measure temperature, humidity, and various gases of importance to health and safety. [2013-0175]
Economics of Scholarly Publishing: Exploring the Causes of Subscription Price Variations of Scholarly Journals in Business Subject–Specific Areas

This empirical research investigates subscription price variations of scholarly journals in five business subject–specific areas using the semilogarithmic regression model. It has two main purposes. The first is to address the unsettled debate over whether or not and to what extent commercial publishers reap monopoly profits by overcharging academic libraries for scholarly journals they subscribe to. The second is to provide librarians with scholarly journal price estimates and to test publication factors that affect journal prices. The subject-specific approach used in this study provides more accurate estimates for serial budgeting and management. The findings show that in all cases the coefficient of the commercial publisher variable is statistically significant at a very high level (p < .0001). In most cases, the coefficients of other observed variables are also significant, and scholarly journal prices vary significantly among the business subject-specific areas.
Population trends and flight behavior of the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus (Coleoptera: Silphidae), on Block Island, RI

The endangered American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus, was monitored on Block Island, RI, USA, from 1991–2003 using mark-recapture population estimates of adults collected in pitfall traps. Populations increased through time, especially after 1994 when a program was initiated that provided carrion for beetle production. Beetle captures increased with increasing temperature and dew point, and decreased with increasing wind speed. Short distance movement was not related to wind direction, while longer distance flights tended to be downwind. Although many individuals flew considerable distances along transects, most recaptures were in traps near the point of release. These behaviors probably have counterbalancing effects on population estimates.
A species-level revision of the North American brontotheres Eotitanops and Palaeosyops (Mammalia, Perissodactyla)

A systematic revision based on a morphological and statistical analysis recognizes two species of Eotitanops (E. borealis, and E. gregoryi) and three species of Palaeosyops (P. paludosus, P. fontinalis, and P. robustus) as valid. The name P. robustus is selected as having priority over the name P. laticeps under the Principle of First Reviser. Eotitanops is the only member of the subfamily Eotitanopinae and Palaeosyops is the only member of the subfamily Palaeosyopinae.
Micropatterning of Aptamer Beacons to Create Cytokine-Sensing Surfaces

Aptamer beacons are DNA or RNA probes that bind proteins or small molecules of interest and emit signal directly upon interaction with the target analyte. This paper describes micropatterning of aptamer beacons for detection of IFN-γ—an important inflammatory cytokine. The beacon consisted of a fluorophore-labeled aptamer strand hybridized with a shorter, quencher-carrying complementary strand. Cytokine molecules were expected to displace quenching strands of the beacon, disrupting FRET effect and resulting in fluorescence signal. The glass substrate was first micropatterned with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel microwells (35 μm diameter individual wells) so as to define sites for attachment of beacon molecules. PEG microwell arrays were then incubated with avidin followed by biotin-aptamer-fluorophore constructs. Subsequent incubation with quencher-carrying complementary strands resulted in formation of DNA duplex and caused quenching of fluorescence due to FRET effect. When exposed to IFN-γ, microwells changed fluorescence from low (quencher hybridized with fluorophore-carrying strand) to high (quenching strand displaced by cytokine molecules). The fluorescence signal was confined to microwells, was changing in real-time and was dependent on the concentration of IFN-γ. In the future, we plan to co-localize aptamer beacons and cells on micropatterned surfaces in order to monitor in real-time cytokine secretion from immune cells in microwells.
Single Loop Thermal Control for Deep Space Exploration

The benefits of single loop thermal control systems over traditional dual loop systems in terms of mass, power, and volume are well known. Just as critical, especially for long duration deep space missions, are the additional benefits of improved safety, maintainability, and reliability of a single loop system. Without any mechanical components in an external loop that would require an EVA for servicing, risk to the crew is minimized with all of the single loop mechanical components located inside the cabin and accessible to the crew. Despite the advantages of single loop systems, the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is currently baselining a dual loop thermal control system. This paper presents a review of the major trade studies from the past seven years that led to the dual loop architecture. This paper goes on to present a summary of recent developments not available to the earlier trade studies that have reduced risk and increased understanding of single loop thermal control technologies. It will be shown that a single loop thermal control system is a viable candidate for future deep space vehicles.
Source Viewer 3D (sv3D) - a framework for software visualization

Source Viewer 3D is a software visualization framework that uses a 3D metaphor to represent software system and analysis data. The 3D representation is based on the SeeSoft pixel metaphor. It extends the original metaphor by rendering the visualization in a 3D space. New, object-based manipulation methods and simultaneous alternative mappings are available to the user.
Boerhaave's syndrome presenting as a mid-esophageal perforation associated with a right-sided pleural effusion

There are few published case reports of Boerhaave's syndrome presenting as a mid-esophageal perforation associated with a right-sided pleural effusion. We present an unusual case of spontaneous perforation of the mid-esophagus and discuss the surgical management and outcome. Our case underscores the importance of a meticulous diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the management of an often elusive and difficult disease process.
Kansas (Central States) Entomological Society Announcement of Spring 2011 Meeting

E 2011 Kansas Entomological Society Friday April 15 9:30 A.M.–11:00 A.M. Introduction to the LUCID software system for creating and editing digital identification keys. 1:30 P.M.–5:00 P.M. LUCID software workshop (separate registration required; co-sponsored by the Center for Biological Control, Florida A&M University, and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas) 4:00 P.M.–7:00 P.M. Open House and meeting registration at Monarch Watch
Capping the Costs of Consumer and Employment Arbitration

Arbitration agreements requiring arbitration but imposing costs of thousands of dollars can effectively make it impossible for consumers and employees to bring their disputes in any forum. The Supreme Court has stated that high costs can make an arbitration agreement unenforceable, but has not articulated clear standards. Lower courts are split two ways on the issue: some courts have adopted a per se approach and others a case-by-case approach. This article argues that the Federal Arbitration Act should be amended to take a third approach: arbitration fees paid by consumers or employees should be limited to what consumers or employees would pay if they litigated their claim.
Revisiting Friedrich List's National System of Political Economy

This paper traces a historical origin of the idea that the state (government) can and should implement a series of industrial policies to nurture domestic infant industries, in order to show how this economic theory sheds new light on contemporary debates regarding the proper relation between the state and market. Many scholars on the East Asian development experience have correctly focused on developmental states’ industrial and trade policies for promoting outward, export-led growth. However, least attention was paid to (the historical origin of) the economic theory that justifies this highly unorthodox policy measures by the state. The author claims that the original idea in the history of economic thought is best exemplified by the early 19th century German political economist Friedrich List, and examines how his infant industry protection policy proposals have been widely used by almost all advanced economies. This historical investigation of economic thought and the survey of actual capitalist economic development process shows that the East Asian development experience is not unique to this region and virtually almost all advanced economies had relied on a certain forms of policy of protection that List once emphasized. In addition, the same policy measures for protecting particular domestic industries are frequently used by the government in advanced capitalist economies even nowadays.
Identification of Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Feeding Sites on Sugar Maple Leaves

A method for rapidly identifying feeding sites of thnps on leaves is described. After an impression of the leaf surface is made using cellulose acetate film and acetone solvent, feeding sites are easily counted on the impression under a light microscope. When sugar maple, Acer saccharum Marsh., leaves exhibiting different degrees of damage by pear thrips, Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel), were compared using the method, we observed a close relationship between the degree of macroscopic dan:age symptoms and number of feeding sites per unit leaf area. The origin of feeding sites was further verified under laboratory conditions on sugar maple leaf disks fed upon by western flower thnps, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande). Feeding sites were found only on Impressions of leaf disks which were exposed to thrips.
Cellular mechanisms of thalamically evoked gamma oscillations in auditory cortex.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the neurogenesis of thalamically evoked gamma frequency (∼40 Hz) oscillations in auditory cortex by comparing simultaneously recorded extracellular and intr...
Office assessment for abuse and management of the battered patient

Summary Domestic violence is an enormous public health problem that is frequently encountered in health care settings, but often not recognized. In addition to physical injuries directly related to maltreatment, there is a growing scientific literature demonstrating that abuse and neglect, particularly when beginning early in life, results in brain functional, structural, and even epigenetic changes that have enduring effects. This article reviews the definitions and prevalence of domestic violence, summarizes the known neurobiological effects, and describes the fundamentals of office assessment for abuse and the management of the battered patient. Ethical challenges with regards to abuse assessment and reporting, particularly in states with mandatory reporting laws, are discussed. Comprehensive resources for both patients and clinicians are included.
A project-oriented introduction to flight test engineering

This paper describes a flight test course designed to teach senior undergraduates in Aerospace Engineering the fundamentals of flight test engineering. While the engineering subject matter is based on performance and stability and control principles (which are reviewed with emphasis on measurement techniques), the centerpiece of the course is a laboratory project designed to simulate a flight test project similar to ones encountered by a new flight test engineer on his first assignment. Students learn to work in a group, they practice both oral and written communication, and they lay out a schedule of critical events for their project that is used to measure their performance during the course. Two examples af projects assigned are discussed in some detail. The most beneficial outcomes of this projectoriented approach, according to feedback from students, is an opportunity to apply what they have studied for four years. The positive motivation that results has led several of these students to seek jobs in flight test.
Adult-Onset Asthma and Periocular Xanthogranulomas Associated with Systemic IgG4-Related Disease.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to report a case of Adult-Onset Asthma with Periocular Xanthogranulomas (AAPOX) associated with systemic IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). Observations A 57-year-old man presented with bilateral periorbital swelling for 1 year. Histopathology of a left orbital biopsy showed fibro vascular connective tissue inundated with foamy, lipid-laden histiocytes and touton giant cells with lymphocytic inflammation. Additional stains revealed CD68 positivity, and S100 negativity. The IgG and IgG4 stained slides showed increased IgG4 positive plasma cells but did not meet the criteria for IgG4-related orbital disease. His IgG4 serology was elevated, and IgG4 staining of his tissue previously diagnosed as autoimmune sclerosing pancreatitis was found to meet the criteria for IgG4-RD. Conclusion and importance AAPOX can be associated with systemic IgG4-RD.
Study on Analyzing the Inflow Performance of Oil Wells by BP Network Technique

The method is discussed of analyzing the inflow performance of oil wells by artificial neural network technique. In this method, an oil well is considered as a black box-like nonlinear dynamic system, so there is no need to build up a complicated mathematical model describing the dynamic of the oil well. The corresponding neural network prediction model can be built up by means of network learning of input/output of the dynamic system. The dynamic prediction and analyses for oil wells can be done and accurate IPR curve is drawn according to the model. Based on the various improved methods of BP networks, the structure and algorithm of networks are improved and optimized. At the same time, according to the characteristic and practical application of BP networks, a technique of rolling predicting is put forward. Finally good effects are gained by applying this technique to producing wells.
Image segmentation based on two-dimensional MCC and HEA

A two-dimensional Maximum Correlation Criterion(MCC) image segmentation based on Harmony Element string Algorithm(HEA) is proposed to resolve the instability of image segmentation algorithms.In this algorithm,the segmentation threshold is selected by using the maximum correlation value of the distribution of the object and background.The stability is optimized by using HEA which has been proved to be an excellent global search method.Experiment results show that the proposed algorithm can improve the stability and quality of image segmentation.
The Effect of Appeals on Survey Follow-up Mailing Response Behavior

The purpose of this study was to test the effect of five different appeals on follow-up mailing response rate, response speed, and response completeness. Analysis of variance results indicated that the effect of different appeals was statistically significant on response speed, but not on response rate and response completeness.
A 60 GHz transceiver with multi-gigabit data rate capability

A transceiver operating at 60 GHz capable of gigabit data rate has been built and demonstrated. On-off shift keying (OOK) was selected for modulation for the first-generation system due to the relative simplicity of implementation and the potential it offers for very high data rates. A combination of commercial and custom MMIC was used in the system. High-directivity horn antennas as well as omnidirectional antennas were used in various combinations during system testing. A BER of 1/spl times/10/sup -12/ for data rates up to 3 Gbit/s at 10 meters was demonstrated. At a data rate of 3.5 Gbit/s, a BER of 1/spl times/10/sup -8/ was measured at 3.0 meters. To the authors' knowledge, this is the highest data rate reported at a carrier frequency of 60 GHz.
Dietary Fiber, Sucrose, and Serum Lipids

The best known effects of diet on serum cholesterol were elaborated during a series of experiments on adult men carried out by Keys and others during the 1960s (Keys et al., 1965; Anderson et al., 1973). The conclusions reached from these experiments were that saturated fat was the most powerful cholesterol-raising dietary component, dietary cholesterol having a small additional effect, and polyunsaturated fat having a cholesterol-lowering effect about half as effective as the cholesterol-raising effect of saturated fat. Pectin, certain vegetables, and plant sterols were also found to have a cholesterol-lowering effect. Most of these studies were carried out using diets of usual Western composition, i.e., moderately high in saturated fat and cholesterol. The amount and type of carbohydrate was found to have little or no effect. When an effect was found, sucrose and other sugars had a cholesterol-raising effect compared to starch. By and large, the type of carbohydrate was thought to be of little significance compared to the large effect of type of fat (McGandy et al., 1967). So strong is this impression that in many studies the type of carbohydrate is not even stated.
Circadian and Weekly Patterns of Electrical Storm: A Role for Stress?

Electrical storm (ES) worsens morbidity, mortality, and quality of life in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). The reported incidence of ES varies widely depending on definition used, underlying cardiac pathology, and device programming but ranges between 2% and 10% per year, ≤20% in patients with ICDs implanted for secondary prevention.1–3 ES generally portends a poor prognosis, associated with an elevated risk of death that ranges between 2.4- and 7.4-fold increase, with risk during the first 3 months as high as a 17.8-fold.1,2,4,5 Hospitalization also increases after ES, at a rate 3× that in patients suffering an isolated ventricular tachyarrhythmia.6 Psychologically, multiple shocks can be devastating. While psychopathology specifically after ES has not been described, in general, receipt of >5 shocks is associated with an increase in both anxiety and depression and a reduction in both physical and mental health.1,7 See Article by Guerra et al Despite the deleterious impacts on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life, there are few data evaluating potential triggers for ES, which may lead to mechanistic understanding and ultimately point to novel therapies. The TEMPEST trial (Temperature-Related Incidence of Electrical Storm), reported by Guerra et al8 in this month’s Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology , examined temporal patterns and potential environmental triggers for ES and demonstrated a heterogeneous incidence of ES with a clustered pattern. They demonstrated the prevalence of ES to be significantly higher during work days and during morning hours. Their findings are highly suggestive of possible autonomic triggering mechanisms for …
Heterotopic Ossification After the Arthroscopic Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis.

Background: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a well-known complication following the surgical treatment of fractures and dislocations about the elbow but it is not commonly discussed as a complicat...
Transrectal Ultrasound Appearance of Transitional Cell Carcinoma Involving the Prostate

AbstractProstatic involvement with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is common. Surveillance for prostatic invasion consists primarily of cystoscopic examination of the urethra. Unfortunately, transitional cell carcinoma may involve other regions of the prostate that are inaccessible by cystoscopy. A total of 58 men with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder underwent transrectal ultrasound before cystoprostatectomy or, in some cases, ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies and subsequent cystoprostatectomy. Prostatic involvement was found in 20 patients (34.5%). Of those patients 10 (50%) demonstrated prostatic urethra invasion, 7 (35%) stromal invasion, 4 (20%) ejaculatory duct and seminal vesicle invasion, and 3 (15%) involvement of the periprostatic tissues. Invasion of the prostatic urethra was not detected by transrectal ultrasound but 5 of the 7 stromal lesions exhibited hypoechogenicity. All cancer-laden ejaculatory ducts were hypoechoic on ultrasound examination. All cases of periprosta...
Chikungunya virus infection in Cynomolgus macaques following Intradermal and aerosol exposure

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is transmitted via mosquito bite and potentially by aerosol, causing chikungunya fever and arthritic disease in humans. There are currently no licensed vaccines or antiviral therapeutics to protect against CHIKV infection in humans. Animal models recapitulating human disease, especially for transmission by aerosol, are needed for licensure of such medical countermeasures. Cynomolgus macaques (CMs) were challenged by intradermal (ID) inoculation or exposure to an aerosol containing CHIKV Ross strain at different target infectious doses (103–107 plaque forming units (PFU)). The clinical and virologic courses of disease were monitored up to 14 days post-exposure. ID infection of CMs led to overt clinical disease, detectable viremia, and increased blood markers of liver damage. Animals challenged by aerosol exhibited viremia and increased liver damage biomarkers with minimal observed clinical disease. All animals survived CHIKV challenge. We have described CHIKV infection in CMs following ID inoculation and, for the first time, infection by aerosol. Based on limited reported cases in the published literature, the aerosol model recapitulates the virologic findings of human infection via this route. The results of this study provide additional evidence for the potential use of CMs as a model for evaluating medical countermeasures against CHIKV.
Reviewing opioid use, monitoring, and legislature: Nursing perspectives

The phenomena of prescription opioid misuse and abuse have a complicated history of contributing factors including policies, practices, and prescribing leading to contemporary phenomena. Some factors implicated in the opioid drug abuse problem include inefficient prescribing and improper use, lack of knowledge related to interpretation and assessment of pain levels, and decreased oversight and regulation from government and policy agents. Nurses, often frontline providers, need to be knowledgeable and embrace the guidelines, and necessary implications associated with both prescribing and administration of opioids. Additionally, all providers including physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and bedside nurses must have a firm understanding of the improper use and abuse of opioids. The examination and review of opioid policies at the state and federal level has revealed inconsistency with regulations, policies, and guidelines that have lead to the current situation. The use of an interdisciplinary team with nurses and various other practitioners is a good strategy to help reduce this problem.
Capillary-Force-Assisted Clean-Stamp Transfer of Two-Dimensional Materials

A simple and clean method of transferring two-dimensional (2D) materials plays a critical role in the fabrication of 2D electronics, particularly the heterostructure devices based on the artificial vertical stacking of various 2D crystals. Currently, clean transfer techniques rely on sacrificial layers or bulky crystal flakes (e.g., hexagonal boron nitride) to pick up the 2D materials. Here, we develop a capillary-force-assisted clean-stamp technique that uses a thin layer of evaporative liquid (e.g., water) as an instant glue to increase the adhesion energy between 2D crystals and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for the pick-up step. After the liquid evaporates, the adhesion energy decreases, and the 2D crystal can be released. The thin liquid layer is condensed to the PDMS surface from its vapor phase, which ensures the low contamination level on the 2D materials and largely remains their chemical and electrical properties. Using this method, we prepared graphene-based transistors with low charge-neutral co...
Functional and Patient-Reported Outcomes Improve Over the Course of Rehabilitation: A Secondary Analysis of the ACL-SPORTS Trial.

Background:The Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Specialized Post-Operative Return to Sports (ACL-SPORTS) randomized controlled trial was designed to address deficits in functional and patient-reported ou...
General considerations of membranes.

It has long been believed that a membrane separates the contents of cells from the extracellular environment. With the advent of electron microscopy, this membrane, called the plasma membrane, was for the first time visualized and in addition it became evident that the internal structure of cells also contained complex systems of membranes (1) which are components of what often are called organelles (e.g., mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, lysosomes, etc.) (Fig.1). In recent years it has become possible to isolate in relatively pure form many of these membranous organelles from homogenates of tissues by means of differential and density gradient ultracentrifugation. From studies utilizing these isolated membranes the biochemical nature and the functions of many of these organelles have been established.
Coral reef fish community life history traits as potential global indicators of ecological and fisheries status

Abstract The productivity and diversity of coral reefs is being threatened by a number of human disturbances that could be better understood and managed with appropriate indicators. Here, I evaluated 9 biomass-weighted fish life history trait metrics and 4 categories of biomass (total, fishable, target, and non-target) using a large single-observer census of fish communities in 449 Indian Ocean reef sites. Comparisons and changes across a full gradient of fishing effort were made and fish traits compared between long unfished benchmark reefs (n = 62 sites) and reefs with variable fishing effort (n = 387 sites). I hypothesized that traits would differ between fished and the unfished benchmark sites and, as biomass increased, asymptotically approach benchmark values. Most weighted traits responded as predicted but variation among biomass categories, traits, and their responses to fishing and biomass was variable. For most traits, predictions for the total and fishable biomass fit better than target and non-target categories. Further, length-based traits were among the best indicator of status where as some commonly used traits like age-at-first maturity and trophic level were poor or responded contrary to predictions. Using multivariate analyses of all 9 traits did not strongly increase the predictive ability. Consequently, I suggest that geography, a large range in fishing pressure, and the inherent complexity of reef fish communities explains the variability better than the trait-specificity. Nevertheless, convergence between biomass and length-based traits occurred and suggest trait stability at an unfished biomass ∼1000–1200 kg/ha. Biomass and length-based traits may have the broadest use in estimating sustainable fishing while other traits are unlikely to have global benchmarks. Thus, future research will need to account for spatial variation in environmental forces and fishing disturbances when using life-history traits. The practice of focusing on temporal responses to disturbances in comparable environments is recommended for impact studies.
Mortality in young adults with Ewing sarcoma treated at specialized cancer centers in California.

10538Background: Ewing sarcoma is a rare malignancy of the soft tissue or bone that is most frequently seen in children and adolescents. One study suggested that care at specialized cancer centers ...
MDM2 antagonist-loaded targeted micelles in combination with doxorubicin: effective synergism against human glioblastoma via p53 re-activation

p53, The tumour suppressor protein encoded by P53 gene, is the most commonly altered protein in the human malignancies. MDM2 controls the p53 activity through an autoregulatory feedback loop. p53 a...
Evaluating a Contribution of the Knock-on Deuterons to the Neutron Yield in the Experiments with Weakly Collisional Plasma Jets (Part 2)

Part 1 of this note considered the kinematics of large-angle scattering (LAS) of the deuterons on the counter-streaming carbon ions, with both flows having the same velocity V. Due to a large mass ratio mC/mD, the backscattered deuterons have high velocity of up to (24/7)V. This significantly increases the cross-section for the neutron production in the collisions between the back-scattered and incoming deuterons and may provide significant contribution to the total neutron yield, despite the smallness of a large-angle Coulomb cross-section. This effect becomes particularly important when only one of the colliding streams is made of CD, whereas the other stream is made of CH. Part 1 evaluated the neutron yield produced by this mechanism and have found that its relative role increases for higher plasma densities and lower velocities. Part 2 discusses signatures of this effect which can be used to identify it experimentally and also discusses in some more detail its spatio-temporal characteristics. It goes without saying that a complete quantitative assessment should be based on numerical simulations accounting for the large-angle scattering.
Effects of components Deterioration on Helicopter operation in hostile environment

Operation of helicopter in dusty areas is capital expensive. Frequent engine maintenance is associated with consistent operation in such area. This amounts to high maintenance and operation costs which may lead the operator to operate by cutting corners. Consistent and prolonged operation in the hostile areas causes primarily blade and vane erosion as well as fouling. In this work a typical small helicopter engine (which have a service ceiling of 3810m) has been modelled and simulated at both clean, off design point and degraded conditions at different altitudes. The deteriorated engine performance which is indicated by lower shaft power output, reduction in engine acceleration, reduced compressor discharge pressure and possibly compressor surge is discussed in this work.
O 2 Facilitation of Self-Metalation andMetal Replacement Processes in Metal–Organic Complexes at Surfaces

Metal–organic complexes at surfaces are of growing interest for the development of new structural motifs and chemical functions at surfaces, particularly for the development of single-site transiti...
Hyperbolic Interpolation

It's always a red letter day when I can figure out a new use for homogeneous coordinates. This time I'll tell you about a way to use them to interpolate various parameters properly when tiling polygons. The exact definition of "properly" comes from one of those things that homogeneous coordinates are good at-perspective.
Posttraumatic stress, alcohol use severity, and alcohol use motives among firefighters: The role of anxiety sensitivity.

Abstract Introduction Firefighters are vulnerable to developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a cognitive-affective mechanism with clinical relevance to both PTSD and AUD. The current study examined the potential role of AS in the association of PTSD symptomatology with alcohol use severity and alcohol use motives among a large sample of firefighters. Heightened PTSD and high AS were expected to be associated with alcohol use severity and coping-oriented alcohol use motives. Heightened PTSD symptomatology was expected to be indirectly associated with alcohol use severity and coping motives through high AS. Covariates included number of years in the fire service and the number of traumatic event types endorsed. Methods Participants included 652 urban firefighters (93.3% male; Mage = 38.7, SD = 8.57). Firefighters completed an online questionnaire battery. Results PTSD symptomatology was positively associated with alcohol use and coping motives. AS was positively associated with alcohol use coping motives but not alcohol use severity. AS partially explained the association between PTSD symptomatology and coping, conformity, and social motives, but did not significantly account for the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and enhancement motives or alcohol use severity. Conclusions Among firefighters, the association between PTSD and alcohol use coping, conformity, and social motives is partially accounted for by AS. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
GUP: A cognitive initiative to identify relationships between academia and industry

With the amount of data being created now, it has become very important to analyze this data and make useful deductions from it. The enormous mass of data causes an information overload for the user and searching for relevant and useful data has become very tough. In this paper, we propose GUP, a system that unifies multiples sources of data which explore the different kinds relationships between enterprise, universities, and academia around the world into one centralized framework, which can then be analyzed using cloud cognitive services, that offer smarter, self-service capabilities so systems can quickly and identify insight, to find meaningful relations between universities and corporate employees which are then visualized for better understanding. The challenges to developing such a system is the wide variety of data sources to consider and finding optimal methods of aggregating them. The key contributions of this paper include:i.Data Collection: Aggregate all known data sourcesii.Data Analysis: Analyze this Data to make meaningful conclusionsiii.Data Visualization: Present the data in an easy to understand manner in the form of visualizations.
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection of Lung Transplants Breaks Established Tolerance through B Cell-Intrinsic Innate Immune Signaling That Promotes Intragraft Plasma Cell Generation and Donor Specific Antibody Accumulation

Purpose Antibody mediated rejection (AMR) has become an increasingly recognized form of lung transplant rejection. Our group recently identified Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection as a risk factor for clinical AMR but whether infection is sufficient for donor specific antibody (DSA) production and AMR remains unknown. Here we ask in a mouse model of orthotopic lung allograft transplantation whether airway infection with P. aeruginosa promotes DSA generation and AMR. Methods Balb/c lungs were transplanted into the following recipients: B6 WT (wildtype), uMT KO (No B cells), AID/uS KO (Have B cells but are unable to secrete Ig), CD19 Cre , CD19 Cre x TLR4fl/fl and CD19 Cre x MyD88fl/fl. Lung recipients were immunosuppressed with costimulatory blockade on post-operative day (POD) 0 (CD40L Ab) and POD 2 (CTLA4Ig) to induce allograft acceptance. On POD 21 recipients received intratracheal saline or 2 x 105 pfu/g body weight of live P. aeruginosa (clinical isolate M57-15) and then treated with ciprofloxacin from POD 22 to 25. On POD 42 peripheral blood was assessed for DSA and graft tissue evaluated for C4d deposition or quantitated for plasma cells (PC) by flow cytometric analysis (FACS). Results P. Aeruginosa infection stimulated high amounts of DSA generation and marked C4d deposition. In contrast, C4d deposition was nearly absent in uMT and AID/uS KO recipients. Infected recipients with TLR4 or MyD88 targeted-deficiency in B cells had sharply lower DSA when compared to WT controls. P. aeruginosa infection drove a 4-fold expansion of allograft resident PCs that was largely dependent on maintaining B cell TLR4-MyD88 signaling. In contrast, the spleen and bone marrow had only modest changes in PC abundance despite infection. Surprisingly, re-transplantation of P. aeruginosa-infected lung allografts into secondary uMT KO recipients revealed that lung allograft-resident PCs are capable of producing large amounts of DSA. Conclusion Collectively, these data show that P. aeruginosa infection abrogates established lung transplant tolerance through engaging innate immune signaling pathways within the B cell compartment. Additionally, we make the novel observation that the lung is a suitable environment for PC development with implications for clinical AMR.
Interleukin-6: An Important Mediator of Allograft Injury.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a cytokine with critical innate and adaptive immunity functions. It's diverse immunologic and physiologic actions include direction of immune cell differentiation, initial response to invading pathogens and ischemic injury, sustained plasma cell growth, and immunoglobulin production. IL-6 transcriptional dysregulation is commonly seen in patients with autoimmune or inflammatory disorders. Emerging information suggests IL-6 transcription is upregulated in patients with kidney and heart transplant rejection and may account for perpetuation of inflammatory responses in the allograft, leading to allograft rejection and vasculopathy. IL-6 directed therapeutics include monoclonal antibodies directed at IL-6, the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors. IL-6 mediated signaling to cell targets is unique, involving classic signaling (IL-6->IL-6R) cell membrane receptors, trans signaling (IL-6->soluble IL-6R->gp130) which activates any cell, and the recently discovered IL-6/IL-6R transpresentation where antigen presenting cells (APC) synthesize and express IL-6/IL-6R complexes which are transported through the cell membrane subsequently interacting with gp130 to costimulate T-cells. Currently, there are new trials in autoimmunity and heart and kidney transplantation to determine effectiveness of inhibiting IL-6/IL-6R to ameliorate chronic allograft rejection and coronary allograft vasculopathy. Therapeutic trials aimed at prevention of ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) to allografts based on animal data should be considered.
Incorporating Written Domain Numeric Grammars into End-To-End Contextual Speech Recognition Systems for Improved Recognition of Numeric Sequences

Accurate recognition of numeric sequences is crucial for many contextual speech recognition applications. For example, a user might create a calendar event and be prompted by a virtual assistant for the time, date, and duration of the event. We propose a modular and scalable solution for improved recognition of numeric sequences. We use finite state transducers built from written domain numeric grammars to increase the likelihood of hypotheses containing matching numeric entities during beam search in an end-to-end speech recognition system. Using our technique results in relative reduction in word error rate of up to 59% on a variety of numeric sequence recognition tasks (times, percentages, digit sequences, …).
Cyber-weapons in nuclear counter-proliferation

Under what conditions are cyber-weapons effective in nuclear counter-proliferation? With continued interest in nuclear proliferation professed by Iran, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia, a discussion o...
Ecological Conversion in the College Classroom: Practical Theological Reflection as Transformative Pedagogy

This essay describes an introductory theology course that appears to support ecological conversion. Ecological conversion is a term from Catholic Social Teaching popularized by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’; it indicates a transformation that results in ecological spirituality. The author, a Protestant theology professor at a Catholic university, makes a brief case for ecological conversion in the university and offers four reasons for the course’s impact: 1) a case study on consumerism, 2) cultivation of attentiveness, 3) a transformative pedagogy, and 4) a holistic approach. The author describes the units of the course, which are adapted from Richard Osmer’s practical theological reflection cycle, operationalized as a transformative pedagogy. The author shows how the course units track with a conversion sequence outlined by Lewis Rambo while calling for student agency and appropriation, thus supporting ecological conversion. The author details teaching practice and student engagement.
Improving Medical and Nurse Practitioner Student Confidence and Clinical Skill in Advance Care Plan Development: A Multidisciplinary Mentorship Model.

Background:Advance care planning (ACP) is an integral aspect of patient-centered care, however medical (MD) and Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) students receive minimal edu...
Physician Perceptions of Catching COVID-19

Abstract Background Risk perception, influenced and biased by multiple factors, can affect behavior. Objective To assess the variability of physician perceptions of catching COVID-19. Design Cross sectional, random stratified sample of physicians registered with Sermo, a global networking platform open to verified and licensed physicians. Main outcome measures The survey asked: “What is your likelihood of catching COVID-19 in the next three months?” The physicians were asked to give their best estimate as an exact percentage. Results The survey was completed by 1004 physicians (40 countries, 67 specialties, 49% frontline [e.g. ER, infectious disease, internal medicine]) with a mean (SD) age of 49.14 (12) years. Mean (SD) self-risk estimate was 32.3% ± 26% with a range from 0% to 100% (Figure 1a). Risk estimates were higher in younger ( Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first global study to document physician risk perceptions for catching COVID-19 and how it is impacted by age, gender, practice specialty and geography. Accurate calibration of risk perception is vital since both over- and underestimation of risk could impact physician behavior and have implications for public health.
Molecular Weight Distributions of Soluble Organic Matter in Various Secondary and Tertiary Effluents

Differences in the nature of soluble organic matter were measured for various full-scale wastewater treatment processes. Conventional activated sludge, pure oxygen activated sludge, biofiltration, granular activated carbon, and tertiary sand filtration were evaluated. Effluent soluble organic matter was analyzed by ultrafiltration for the apparent molecular weight distribution of soluble organic carbon and UV-absorbing material. The effects of annual season, secondary treatment process, and tertiary treatment process upon the properties of the effluent soluble organic matter were statistically significant at the 99% level. Effluent properties from the various treatments were sufficiently different to support the concept of the selection of appropriate treatments to minimize the effluent concentration of specific fractions of the soluble organic material as required for specific water reuse applications.
Scalable Variational Inference for Bayesian Variable Selection in Regression, and Its Accuracy in Genetic Association Studies

The Bayesian approach to variable selection in regression is a powerful tool for tackling many scientific problems. Inference for variable selection models is usually implemented using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). Because MCMC can impose a high computational cost in studies with a large number of variables, we assess an alternative to MCMC based on a simple variational approximation. Our aim is to retain useful features of Bayesian variable selection at a reduced cost. Using simulations designed to mimic genetic association studies, we show that this simple variational approximation yields posterior inferences in some settings that closely match exact values. In less restrictive (and more realistic) conditions, we show that posterior probabilities of inclusion for individual variables are often incorrect, but variational estimates of other useful quantities|including posterior distributions of the hyperparameters|are remarkably accurate. We illustrate how these results guide the use of variational inference for a genome-wide association study with thousands of samples and hundreds of thousands of variables.
Results of the first international workshop on self adaptive software

The second International Workshop on Self Adaptive Software was held on scenic Lake Balaton, in Hungary during May 17-19, 2001. The workshop was sponsored by the Technical University of Budapest, and organized by Gabor Peceli, Head of the Department of Measurement and Information Systems, assisted by Simon Gyula, Senior Lecturer in the department. This paper reports on the results of three workshop sessions held on the topics of applications, research needed and design patterns, all for self adaptive software.
Purification and characterization of a developmentally regulated carboxypeptidase from Mucor racemosus.

A developmentally regulated carboxypeptidase was purified from hyphae of the dimorphic fungus Mucor racemosus. The enzyme, designated carboxypeptidase 3 (CP3), has been purified greater than 900-fold to homogeneity and characterized. The carboxypeptidase migrated as a single electrophoretic band in isoelectric focusing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), with an isoelectric point of pH 4.4. The apparent molecular mass of the native enzyme was estimated by gel filtration to be 52 kDa. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE under nonreducing conditions revealed the presence of a single polypeptide of 51 kDa. SDS-PAGE of CP3 reacted with 2-mercaptoethanol revealed the presence of two polypeptides of 31 and 18 kDa, indicating a dimer structure (alpha 1 beta 1) of the enzyme with disulfide-linked subunits. By using [1,3-3H]diisopropylfluorophosphate as an active-site labeling reagent, it was determined that the catalytic site resides on the small subunit of the carboxypeptidase. With N-carboben zoxy-L-phenylalanyl-L-leucine (N-CBZ-Phe-Leu) as the substrate, the Km, kcat, and Vmax values were 1.7 x 10(-4) M, 490 s-1, and 588 mumol of Leu released per min per mg of protein, respectively. CP3 was determined to be a serine protease, since its catalytic activity was blocked by the serine protease inhibitors diisopropylfluorophosphate, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and 3,4-dichloroi Socoumarin (DCI). The enzyme was strongly inhibited by the mercurial compound p-chloromercuribenzoate. The carboxypeptidase readily hydrolyzed peptides with aliphatic or aromatic side chains, whereas most of the peptides which contained glycine in the penultimate position did not serve as substrates for the enzyme. Although CP3 activity was undetectable in Mucor yeast cells, antisera revealed the presence of the enzyme in the yeast form of the fungus. The partial amino acid sequence of the carboxypeptidase was determined. Images
Aspects of data assimilation peculiar to space weather forecasting

[1] Data assimilation in space weather forecasting is necessary but differs in important respects from terrestrial weather forecasting. These differences arise in part from the relative sparsity of data in space weather and from relatively direct driving of space weather phenomena. They present opportunities for space weather forecasting to add new data assimilation techniques to those developed in terrestrial weather forecasting.
Strategic anti-access/area denial in cyberspace

This paper investigates how anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) operations can be conducted to deny actors access to cyberspace. It examines multiple facets of cyberspace to identify the potential vulnerabilities within the system that could be exploited. This project will also touch upon the policy implications of strategic cyber A2/AD for national security, particularly as they relate to deterrence strategy, coercion, and interstate conflict.