cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gas exchange and carbon partitioning in the leaves of celery (Apium graveolens L.) at various levels of root zone salinity

Both mannitol and sucrose (Suc) are primary photosynthetic products in celery (Apium graveolens L.). In other biological systems mannitol has been shown to serve as a compatible solute or osmoprotectant involved in stress tolerance. Although mannitol, like Suc, is translocated and serves as a reserve carbohydrate in celery, its role in stress tolerance has yet to be resolved. Mature celery plants exposed to low (25 mM NaCl), intermediate (100 mM NaCl), and high (300 mM NaCl) salinities displayed substantial salt tolerance. Shoot fresh weight was increased at low NaCl concentrations when compared with controls, and growth continued, although at slower rates, even after prolonged exposure to high salinities. Gas-exchange analyses showed that low NaCl levels had little or no effect on photosynthetic carbon assimilation (A), but at intermediate levels decreases in stomatal conductance limited A, and at the highest NaCl levels carboxylation capacity (as measured by analyses of the CO2 assimilation response to changing internal CO2 partial pressures) and electron transport (as indicated by fluorescence measurements) were the apparent prevailing limits to A. Increasing salinities up to 300 mM, however, increased mannitol accumulation and decreased Suc and starch pools in leaf tissues, e.g. the ratio of mannitol to Suc increased almost 10-fold. These changes were due in part to shifts in photosynthetic carbon partitioning (as measured by 14C labeling) from Suc into mannitol. Salt treatments increased the activity of mannose-6-phosphate reductase (M6PR), a key enzyme in mannitol biosynthesis, 6-fold in young leaves and 2-fold in fully expanded, mature leaves, but increases in M6PR protein were not apparent in the older leaves. Mannitol biosynthetic capacity (as measured by labeling rates) was maintained despite salt treatment, and relative partitioning into mannitol consequently increased despite decreased photosynthetic capacity. The results support a suggested role for mannitol accumulation in adaptation to and tolerance of salinity stress.
Relationship of cell-free urine MicroRNA with lupus nephritis in children.

Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of genes. The objective of this study was to investigate whether select urinary cell-free microRNA’s may serve as biomarkers in children with active lupus nephritis (LN) and to assess their relationship to the recently identified combinatorial urine biomarkers, a.k.a. the LN-Panel (neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, transferrin, and beta-trace protein).
On a Particular Class of Similar Solutions of the Equations of Motion and Energy of a Viscous Fluid

By introducing the similarity concept to the two-dimensional, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and energy equation, a particular class of solutions is found. Two general types of flows are considered: (1) laminar free convection—i.e., flows which take place due to a body force—and (2) laminar forced convection. For free convection on vertical plates, similar solutions are obtained for two different power-law surface temperature variations, and it is shown that one of these solutions constitutes a new type of boundary problem. Results of numerical integrations of the equations are compared with solutions of the similar boundary-layer equations for free convection, and it is demonstrated that a range of surface temperature variations exists for which the boundary layer equations are no longer valid. For forced convection, it is shown that the use of similarity transformations provides an alternate method of deriving the ordinary differential equations for some well-known solutions, such as Couette and stagnation point flows. Solutions are obtained for radial converging or diverging flows between plane surfaces when the temperatures of the surfaces vary as arbitrary powers of the distance from the origin. Results of numerical integrations of the ordinary differential equations are presented for Prandtl numbers of 0.01 and 1.0 and for linear surface temperature variations. Some rather surprising results are obtained for diverging flows when separation occurs and some revealing comparisons with results from boundary-layer theory are made.
Polish Engineers' Participation in the Solidarity Movement

One of the most important aspects of the Polish Solidarity movement uas the extensive participation of professionals. Conflicting interests and discrepant statuses make the common struggle of professionals and zorkers unexpected in Soviet-type society, but many engineers were members of Solidarity. Nonmanagerial engineers were drawn to Solidarity because the integration mechanisms of interesting work and superior privilege zere substantially dissolved as the economic crisis progressed over the 1970s. The lower but still substantial rate of participation by managerial engineers was not a result of declining status. The union's growing strength made continued production dependent on maintaining good relations between managers and Solidarity. The alliance between engineers and workers in Solidarity was thus the result of an economic crisis which led nonmanagerial engineers to help create a social movement so powerful as to move sympathetic but cautious managerial engineers into membership. The possibilities for and consequences of social transformation are shaped by the character of revolutionary class alliances. For Marx ([1850] 1978; [1852] 1978), the fleeting success and ultimate failure of the French Revolution of 1848 could be explained by the nature of the alliance between the Parisian proletariat, petty bourgeoisie, and a fraction of the bourgeoisie. Other epochs of transformation or near-transformation have also been analyzed in terms of the conditions occasioning exceptional alliances between different classes (Moore 1966; Wolf 1969). These various historical inquiries have not yielded a single theory of class alliance. After all, there are different classes involved in these studies and the struggles they wage vary with societal type and historical era. The major goal of these studies *Revised version of a paper presented at the 1985 meetings of the American Sociological Association. The collection of Polish data was made possible by a fellowship from the International Research and Exchanges Board. I thank them and those who commented on previous versions: Ireneusz Bialecki, Craig Calhoun, John Clark, Valerie Haines, T. Anthony Jones, Gerhard Lenski, Maurice Simon, and the anonymous referees. Address correspondence to the author, Department of Sociology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. ? 1987 The University of North Carolina Press
MEMS Testbed for Mechanical Testing of Nanowires

In this paper, we present a MEMS test bed for electromechanical testing of nanowires and nanotubes. The MEMS device exploits the mechanics of post buckling deformation of slender columns to achieve very high force and displacement resolution. The proposed technique involves manipulating the nanowire or nanotube to the device site and hence is applicable to any type of one-dimensional solid. Initial experiments on semiconducting ZnO nanowires estimated the elastic modulus to be 1 GPa.© 2005 ASME
Synthesis, Diffusion and Ion-Exchange in Open Structure Sodium Tungstates and Ybacu Tungstates

Critical to the effectiveness of any solid state device is the reactivity of its components. In solid state ionics one desires certain atoms or ions to show high ionic mobility; yet, at the same time one does not want these atoms or ions to participate in side reactions. These reactions are a function of the crystalline structure of the material, of the way in which it was synthesized and of it’s thermodynamic stability relative to the environment. This paper describes the synthesis of a variety of tungsten oxides which exhibit ionic mobility, and the determination of their crystalline structure and reactivity. The reactivity of the 123 superconductor with tungsten oxides is described in terms of the phases formed; none of these phases exhibited superconductivity. Both of these structurally related materials react with lithium and oxygen in a reversible manner, and these reactions are critically important in determining their properties and potential commercial application.
Vaginal cancer: the experience from 2 large academic centers during a 15-year period.

AbstractObjectiveLimited data regarding the natural history, management, and prognosis of vaginal cancer exist owing to the relative disease rarity.Materials and MethodsA retrospective chart review was performed at 2 institutions to identify women receiving treatment for vaginal cancer between 1990
Gravitational Wave and High Energy Neutrino Multimessenger Searches

Most astronomical sources emit multiple messengers, such as photons, cosmic rays, gravitational waves and neutrinos. These messengers often carry complementary information about the emission mechanism and its environment. A combined multimessenger analysis is synergetic: the relative properties of the messengers (such as amplitude and timing) provide additional information compared to that can be extracted by single-messenger analyses.
Evaluation of the Relationship between AcademicPerformance and Physical Fitness Measures in California Schools

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness in California schools. Data from the academic year 2004-2005 Fitnessgram were compared to reading, mathematics and science scores on the California Standards test (CST) of 253 elementary schools in the Orange County School District. Physical education teachers from the 10 lowest scoring and 10 highest scoring schools were interviewed regarding content of the physical education classes in their school. Simple correlation coefficients revealed a positive linear relationship between academic scores and physical fitness scores. The interview with the teachers revealed that most of the 10 lowest scoring schools did not have a designated physical education teacher. All of the 10 highest scoring schools had designated physical education teachers and followed the physical education guidelines recommended by the California Education Board.
The safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type B in the treatment of patients with cervical dystonia : Summary of three controlled clinical trials

Article abstract-Cervical dystonia (CD) is characterized by abnormal, involuntary contractions of the cervical and/or shoulder muscles. Direct injection of Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) into the affected muscles has been used successfully to treat this condition. However, clinical resistance to BTX-A therapy develops in a limited number of patients. Moreover, an unknown proportion of treated patients have a suboptimal response to their present therapy. BTX-B is antigenically distinct from BTX-A and possesses a different mechanism of action. Three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials evaluated the safety and efficacy of BTX-B (Elan's BTX-B evaluated as NeuroBloc®) as a treatment for patients with CD. Patients received a single dose of BTX-B ranging from 2,500 to 10,000 U. The primary efficacy evaluation for each of these studies used the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) total score. Additional efficacy measures included the TWSTRS severity, disability, and pain subscale scores, as well as the Patient Analog Pain Assessment and Patient's and Physician's Global Assessments of Change. In all three studies, groups receiving BTX-B displayed statistically significant improvements in TWSTRS total score and other efficacy end points compared with those who received placebo treatment. The clinical benefits after BTX-B treatment lasted 12 to 16 weeks and were observed in both BTX-A-responsive and BTX-A-resistant patients. In general, treatment with BTX-B was well tolerated and most of the reported adverse events were of short duration, mild to moderate in severity, and anticipated. The results from the three controlled clinical trials demonstrate the safety and efficacy of BTX-B in the treatment of patients with CD, including those who are resistant to BTX-A treatment.
Salting out of Proteins Using Ammonium Sulfate Precipitation

Protein solubility is affected by ions. At low ion concentrations (<0.5 M), protein solubility increases along with ionic strength. Ions in the solution shield protein molecules from the charge of other protein molecules in what is known as 'salting-in'. At a very high ionic strength, protein solubility decreases as ionic strength increases in the process known as 'salting-out'. Thus, salting out can be used to separate proteins based on their solubility in the presence of a high concentration of salt. In this protocol, ammonium sulfate will be added incrementally to an E. coli cell lysate to isolate a recombinantly over-expressed protein of 20 kDa containing no cysteine residues or tags.
Steady-state analysis of multibody systems with reference to vehicle dynamics

This paper presents a systematic methodology and formulation for determining the steady-state response of multibody systems. The equations of motion for a general multibody system are described in terms of a set of relative joint accelerations. Then, the differential equations of motion are converted to a set of algebraic equations for the steady-state response. These equations are derived based upon a set of conditions that must exist for the steady state. The application of this formulation in determining the steady-state response of a vehicle moving in a circular path is shown. The multibody model of the vehicle for two- or four-wheel steering is presented. The results of the steady-state simulation are compared with those obtained from a transient dynamic analysis.
Trying Home: The Rise and Fall of an Anarchist Utopia on Puget Sound. By Justin Wadland. (Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University Press, 2014. Pp. xi, 180. $19.95.)

The Pacific Northwest has long been a haven for people looking to challenge the status quo. In the last two decades of the nineteenth century, nearly a dozen utopian communities took root in and ar...
Techniques of lumpectomy and axillary dissection.

Preservation of the breast with a good or excellent cosmetic appearance is achievable in most patients. Careful attention to the details of the surgical technique allows these procedures to be carried out easily and comfortably for patient and surgeon alike.
Site formation processes at Fort Fillmore, New Mexico: First interpretations

While the general, theoretical level of analysis is of great interest among historical archaeologists, it remains critical to address certain basic, methodological issues. This point is illustrated with an example from Fort Fillmore, New Mexico, a Civil War period frontier military outpost. Initial artifact analysis suggested that more locally-produced ceramic vessels were present near the officers’ quarters, relative to what was present near the enlisted men’s barracks. Further analysis, however, taking into account site formation processes, suggested a very different picture—a relatively greater number of locally-produced ceramic vessels might actually have been present at the latter location. Which interpretation is correct cannot be resolved at present, and historical scenarios regarding the military use of local goods are judged primarily by reference to documentary evidence.
Eudaimonic Growth: The Development of the Goods in Personhood (or: Cultivating a Good Life Story)

Eudaimonic growth refers to the development of the varied goods of personhood over time. This chapter summarizes a theory of eudaimonic growth in three parts. In the first section of the chapter we consider a model of a good life that focuses on personhood and its development. In this model, eudaimonic well-being is defined as the wellness of one’s being. Hedonic pleasure and eudaimonic meaning are explained as two, irreducible features of a good life. The term “meaning” refers to the canonical goods of eudaimonia, such as wisdom, moral virtue, meaningfulness, self-actualization, and growth. In the second section we examine the idea of eudaimonic growth specifically, distinguishing eudaimonic, humanistic, and organismic value orientations as well as distinguishing growth valued from growth attained. In the third section we consider relations between eudaimonic growth and self-identity. The person who identifies with the idea of eudaimonic growth has what I call a transformative self. I take a narrative perspective on meaning-making and self-identity over time. The person constructs a transformative self in his or her life story, forming a narrative self-identity that features eudaimonic growth as a central theme. Such a life story borrows from cultural master narratives of eudaimonic growth, both reflecting and fostering cultural ideals of the good within the person’s life. We consider limitations of the person’s physical and social conditions that hinder one’s actualizing these ideals for eudaimonic growth. Finally, self-actualizing is presented as the development of self-authorship from independence to authenticity in a process of psychosocial maturation.
Arrestin-2 Regulates Akt Activation by G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Platelets.

Abstract Arrestins have been shown to play important roles in G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) function in many cells, but their roles in platelets remain uncharacterized. While the classical role of arrestins is considered to be the internalization and desensitization of GPCRs, more recent studies suggest that arrestins can serve as scaffolds to recruit phosphatidyl inositol-3 kinases (PI3K)s to Gq-coupled receptors and promote PI3K-dependent signaling. Thrombin stimulates the PI3K-dependent activation of Akt in platelets in a Gq-dependent manner. Therefore, we sought to determine whether arrestins are involved in the PI3K-dependent activation of Akt in platelets. Comparative immunoblots show that of the two non-visual mammalian arrestins, only one, arrestin-2 (β-arrestin-1), is expressed in human and mouse platelets. Immunoprecipitation of arrestin-2 or p85-PI3K from platelet lysates demonstrated that arrestin-2 associates with the p85 subunit of PI3Ka/b in thrombin or ADP-stimulated platelets, but not resting cells. The association can be inhibited by inhibitors of the P2Y12 receptor for ADP, but not by P2Y1 inhibitors. p85-arrestin association is also blocked by inhibitors of src family kinases, as is Akt phosphorylation. To determine whether src family members were part of the p85-arrestin complexes, immunoblots were re-probed with antibodies to src, lyn and fyn. The results show that Lyn is incorporated into thrombin-stimulated arrestin complexes in a P2Y12-dependent manner. To determine whether arrestin-2 is important for Akt phosphorylation in platelets, megakaryocytes differentiated in culture from mouse embryonic stem cells were used as models of platelet signaling, since these cells are amenable to genetic manipulation. Arrestin-2 was inhibited in the cultured megakaryocytes using a siRNA approach, then cells were stimulated with thrombin and Akt phosphorylation was assessed by immunoblotting. Arrestin-2 expression in the cultured megakaryocytes treated with arrestin-2 specific siRNA was suppressed by an average of 53% compared to cells treated with scrambled siRNA, while thrombin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation was suppressed by 98% compared to scrambled siRNA-treated control cells (n=3 experiments, difference is significant, p=.01, unpaired student's t-test). In conclusion, the results show that arrestin-2, lyn and PI3Kform a tri-molecular complex following stimulation of platelets with ADP or thrombin. Formation of arrestin complexes at activated receptor sites is important for the localized recruitment and src-dependent activation of p85-PI3K, thus promoting activation of Akt by G protein-coupled receptors.
Myelopathy due to Léri’s Disease

It is considered relatively benign disease affecting the skeleton and adjacent soft tissue, but it causes much pain, deformity and considerable functional morbidity. Synonyms include melorheostosis, flowing hyperostiosis, osteopathia hyperostotica, or sclerosing bone dysplasia.
Molecular Genetics of Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood derived from primitive neural crest cells of the sympathetic nervous system. Recent next-generation sequencing and genome-wide association studies of tumor samples from neuroblastoma patients have discovered new germline mutations, multiple somatically acquired genetic alterations, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the past decade, which have led to a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying genetic events that predispose to the development of neuroblastoma. To understand the genetic underpinnings of neuroblastoma, this chapter will review the molecular genetics of this pediatric tumor, emphasizing the most recent discoveries concerning genetic mutations, epigenetic alterations, and single nucleotide polymorphisms that are associated with neuroblastoma predisposition and pathogenesis, and how this information is leading to novel approaches to targeted therapy.
Analysis of diffraction from chiral gratings

The coupled-wave theory is generalized to analyze the diffraction of waves by chiral gratings for arbitrary angles of incidence and polarizations. Numerical results are illustrated for the Stokes parameters of diffracted Floquet modes versus the thickness of chiral gratings with various chiralities. Both horizontal and vertical incidences are considered for illustration. The diffracted waves from chiral gratings are in general elliptically polarized; and in some particular instances, it is possible for chiral gratings to convert a linearly polarized incident field into two nearly circularly polarized Floquet modes propagating in different directions.
Systematic Review: Outcomes by Duration of NPO Status prior to Colonoscopy.

Background/Aims. Variation exists among anesthesia providers as to acceptable timing of NPO (“nothing by mouth”) for elective colonoscopy procedures. There is a need to balance optimal colonic preparation, patient convenience, and scheduling efficiency with anesthesia safety concerns. We reviewed the evidence for the relationship between NPO timing and aspiration incidence and colonoscopy rescheduling. Methods. We searched MEDLINE (1990–April 2015) for English language studies of any design and included them if at least one bowel preparation regimen was completed within 8 hours of colonoscopy. Study characteristics, patient characteristics, and outcomes were abstracted and verified by investigators. We determined risk of bias for each study and overall strength of evidence for primary and secondary outcomes. Results. We included 28 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 2 controlled clinical trials, and 10 observational reports. Six studies reported on aspiration; none found that shorter NPO status prior to colonoscopy increased aspiration risk, though studies were not designed to assess this outcome (low strength of evidence). One RCT found fewer rescheduled procedures following split-dose preparation but NPO status was not well-documented (insufficient evidence). Conclusions. Aspiration incidence requiring hospitalization during colonoscopy with moderate or deep sedation is very low. No study found that shorter NPO status prior to colonoscopy increased aspiration risk. We did not find direct evidence of the effect of NPO status on colonoscopy rescheduling.
GaAs TECHNOLOGY PERSPECTIVE.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of GaAs technology, particularly with regard to integrated circuit development. The technology has reached the point that integrated circuits are receiving most of the attention, both as an important and interesting area of research, and as an area with potential for many applications in the future. The chapter discusses important properties of GaAs and its related III–V compounds, and presents their comparison with silicon. III–V materials have properties that provide a distinct advantage over silicon. Sufficient investments are being made in GaAs research and development. GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) would play an important part in future military systems, and they might have relatively large-volume commercial application for direct satellite television reception. The role of GaAs MMICs is not contested by silicon technology. The superior high-frequency performance of GaAs devices and the availability of semi-insulating substrates for circuit fabrication provide GaAs MMICs with a decided advantage. Systems applications that would not otherwise be feasible are possible using GaAs MMICs. An excellent example is the active element phased array radar.
Nurturing Family Resilience in Response to Chronic Illness: An Integrative Approach to Health and Growth Promotion

In 1995, Ann Burack Weiss published a paper in Social Work describing how her personal and professional experiences in family chronic illness caretaking, the enormous gap between practitioner biomedical education and the real-life challenges that families and caretakers faced, and their often overlooked strengths, inspired her to collect chronicles of family caretaking. In The Caregiver’s Tale: Loss and Renewal in Memoirs of Family Life (2003), she recommends selected memoirs educating practitioners about family lived experiences with chronic illness. Her book is used in the field of medical humanities to help physicians’ empathically connect to patients’ illness experiences through narratives and other creative arts (Charon, 2008). In a volume on family systems and health, McDaniel, Hepworth, and Doherty (2003) asked contributors to present their frameworks and practice in light of a personal experience of facing family chronic illness that informed their work. Other writers have depicted efforts to move beyond “technocratic” medical models of illness and cure to offer “humanistic” biopsychosocial or “holistic” perspectives emphasizing cultural and spiritual worldviews of illness and wellness (Davis-Floyd, 2001; Walsh, 2006).
Genomic diversity in low-risk disease: present and future.

New data have confirmed the genomic diversity of low-risk prostate cancer. Improved understanding of the heterogeneity of this disease has implications for disease management and has the potential to change treatment for patients in the future.
A Relational Database Management System Approach for Data Integration in Manufacturing Process

In this paper we introduce a data integration system by implementing a function into the context of PostgreSQL. The aim of this work is to collect files to process from two different data sources (a platform of Physical Testing Software (PTS) and another one of Physical Simulation Software (PSS)), in order to retrieve specific records through a query and integrate them. Both these platforms contain a large amount of files in semi-structured or unstructured format. This approach allows analysing data from different sources and creating a database remaining always in the PostgresSQL context. Indeed, the code is modular and it can be customizable for the specific scope. This approach reduces the information exchange with the client and the computational cost, because the instructions are applied all in once (on-the-fly) to the files stored in the Network File System (NFS). Furthermore, the integration outputs and the related data can be stored within it. One of the objectives of this work is to perform a new product introduction (NPI) for multi-sources data retrieval and integration. The result is a modular approach, customizable and suitable for the most of the integration and retrieval issues. The architecture proposed allows all the authorized users to access to the data in parallel, independently and on the same device, by running query straightly on the file through the Structured Query Language (SQL).
A Hierarchy of Idealized Monsoons in an Intermediate GCM

AbstractA hierarchy of idealized monsoons with increased degrees of complexity is built using an intermediate model with simplified physics and idealized land–sea geometry. This monsoon hierarchy h...
Posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis is associated with reduced parasympathetic activity during sleep in US veterans and military service members of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Study objectives To determine whether high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) during sleep differs between those with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a function of sleep type (non-rapid eye movement [NREM] vs. rapid eye movement [REM]), and to explore this relationship across successive sleep cycles. Participants with PTSD were hypothesized to have lower HF-HRV across both REM and NREM sleep. Methods Sixty-two post-9/11 military veterans and service members completed self-report measures of sleep quality, insomnia severity, and disruptive nocturnal behaviors. Participants then completed a laboratory-based polysomnographic study night with concurrent HRV assessment. Results Participants with PTSD (N = 29) had lower HF-HRV in overall NREM sleep relative to those without PTSD (N = 33) (F(1, 54) = 4.24, p = .04). Groups did not differ on overall HF-HRV during REM sleep. HF-HRV increased over the night for the sample as a whole during both NREM and REM sleep. PTSD status did not moderate the association between HF-HRV and sleep cycles. However, the PTSD group had lower HF-HRV in the first t(155) = 2.67, p = .008, and fourth NREM cycles, t(155) = 2.11, p = .036, relative to participants without PTSD. Conclusions Findings suggest blunted parasympathetic modulation during NREM sleep in a young cohort of military veterans and service-members with PTSD. Findings are concerning considering the increased risk of incident cardiovascular events associated with impaired parasympathetic nervous system function. Reduced parasympathetic modulation may be one mechanism underlying the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among veterans with PTSD.
Building Road Safety Institutions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The Case of Argentina

Traffic injuries remain a leading health concern in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, most LMICs have not established institutions that have the legislative mandate and financ...
Gel-on-a-chip: continuous, velocity-dependent DNA separation using nanoscale lateral displacement

We studied the trajectories of polymers being advected while diffusing in a pressure driven flow along a periodic pillar nanostructure known as nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement (nanoDLD) array. We found that polymers follow different trajectories depending on their length, flow velocity and pillar array geometry, demonstrating that nanoDLD devices can be used as a continuous polymer fractionation tool. As a model system, we used double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) with various contour lengths and demonstrated that dsDNA in the range of 100–10 000 base pairs (bp) can be separated with a size-selective resolution of 200 bp. In contrast to spherical colloids, a polymer elongates by shear flow and the angle of polymer trajectories with respect to the mean flow direction decreases as the mean flow velocity increases. We developed a phenomenological model that explains the qualitative dependence of the polymer trajectories on the gap size and on the flow velocity. Using this model, we found the optimal separation conditions for dsDNA of different sizes and demonstrated the separation and extraction of dsDNA fragments with over 75% recovery and 3-fold concentration. Importantly, this velocity dependence provides a means of fine-tuning the separation efficiency and resolution, independent of the nanoDLD pillar geometry.
Theme Poster Session: Inhibitors I

The primary and absolute requisite for calcium-oxalate stone formation - supersaturation of urine with this salt - is satisfied under normal conditions in stone formers and healthy subjects alike. This is manifested in both groups as the passage of calcium-oxalate crystals in the urine. The fact that the majority of us do not, as a consequence, succumb to the disease has been ascribed to the presence in urine of inhibitors which prevent the progression from crystal nucleation to crystal growth and crystal aggregation. These three separate phenomena are commonly collected under the single title of crystallization. The obvious extension to the presumed existence of natural inhibitors of crystallization in urine is that the occurrence of stones can be regarded as the direct result of their lack or deficiency in urine from stone formers. In accord with this so-called ‘inhibitor theory’, it has been observed that crystals of calcium oxalate occur more frequently in the urine of stone formers and that, moreover, they are larger and more highly aggregated than those excreted in the urine of individuals who have never formed a stone. While this theory has been largely accepted as a feasible, although as yet unproved, explanation for the formation of stones, an alternative ‘promoter’ hypothesis has also been given serious consideration. This states that urines from afflicted individuals, rather than lacking inhibitors (or, perhaps, in addition to such a lack), contain substances which promote crystallization.
A Paper-Based Disposable Strain Sensor by Direct Laser Printing

A paper-based, disposable strain sensor by means of a direct laser printing process with high sensitivity has been developed and demonstrated. Commercially-available printing papers are first soaked with the gelatin-Mo5+ ink and ablated by a CO 2 laser to convert molybdenum ions into conductive MoC and graphene nanocomposite flakes for disposable paper electronics. The strain sensor made of continuous MoC flakes has the capability of detecting and distinguishing both tensile and compressive strain. It is found that the stability of the sensor is preserved when there are defects in the device as well as in environments with heavy humidity for potential applications in wearable devices.
The Role of Foreignness in the Relationship between Disruptive Innovation and MNE Performance

The innovation-performance literature has failed to make a distinction between the effects of incremental and disruptive innovation on multinational enterprise (MNE) performance. The understanding of the role of foreignness has overemphasized the negative side. From the institutional anomie theory perspective, this study investigates how foreignness, which consists of national culture, industrial competition, and innovative national capacity, affects the relationship between disruptive innovation and MNE performance. We illustrate the distinctiveness between incremental and disruptive innovation and then build a conceptual model to show the moderating role of foreignness on the innovation-performance link. The model suggests that foreignness provides contextual conditions under which the relationship between disruptive innovation and MNE performance is either strengthened or impeded. Also, firm-level cultural intelligence (CQ) can help MNEs to overcome the negative effects of foreignness, as well as enhance its positive effects. Propositions are discussed for further research.
Comparison between the performance of high concentrated and non-concentrated PV-cells for hydrogen production using PEM water electrolyzers

Abstract We report outdoor experimental results of PV-electrolysis systems using a series of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers powered directly either through InGaP/GaAs/Ge based concentrated (750 sun) or Si based non-concentrated (1 sun) PV modules. At power matched conditions, solar to hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency of 18–21% with a production rate of 0.8–1.0 L/(min-m2module area) of H2 was obtained using concentrated PV modules (~28–30% efficiency). Conventional Si module (~17.5% efficiency), on the other hand, generated about 0.3 L/(min-m2module area) of H2 Average with a STH Average of 9.4%. While scaling up of the electrolyzers by increasing the size of their electrodes resulted in a similar voltage losses due to mismatching of their power point with that of PV modules (when coupled without power electronics), scaling them out in series maximizes H2 production by utilizing the maximum power available from PV. Unlike, PV-electrolysis operated via power electronics, direct integration of PV modules with electrolyzers leads to effective utilization of PV power, with STH values closer to the theoretical limit of the coupled system (STH = PV module efficiency × Electrolyzer efficiency). The H2 production rate and STH using a concentrated system with a solar tracker remained constant and high during the measurement period (5–6 h). On the other hand, the production rate as well as STH varied with time on a conventional Si module without a tracker under 1 sun, with a significantly low average H2 production rate. Keeping cost factor aside, PV-electrolysis under concentration outweighs the performance of non-concentrated PV based system by a factor between 1.5 and 3.0.
Three Dimensional Light Microscopy: Imaging & Corrections for Quantitative Analysis

There are several forms of three-dimensional (3-D) light microscopy but all utilize the principle of optical section recording, i.e. the 3-D image is a sequence of two-dimensional (2-D) images called optical sections. The optical sections are particular focal planes formed within the thick specimen and usually correspond to the conventional image projections recorded in a light microscope, referred to as x,y projections. The optical sections are recorded for a sequence of focus- or z-positions. This “stack” of 2-D images is the data set for the 3-D image. If quantitative analysis is to be performed on the 3-D images, the choice of the z-dimension increment between 2-D images is especially important, and its value may be more or less critical depending on the analysis algorithm used. A reasonable starting value for this dimension is the depth-of-field of the objective lens, but the actual value may have to be smaller to optimize the image analysis or larger to decrease the influence of photobleaching. The most photostable dyes should be selected and the specimen should be mounted in index-of-refraction matching media with an antioxidant.The image resolution in all three-dimensions is determined by the 3-D point-spread-function (psf), and as a rough rule of thumb the z-resolution is degraded by a factor of 3 relative to the x,y resolution. To achieve or at least approach isotropic resolution the 3-D image can be deconvolved. Figure 1 shows the 2-D maximum value projection of a 3-D image of a cultured glial cell dual labeled for actin and vinculin before and after deconvolution. The actin fibers and vinculin focal contacts are more clearly resolved after deconvolution. Although a single cultured cell might traditionally be considered a thin object, it is really a thick object if the desired spatial resolution is less than the thickness of the cell. It is desirable to image as deep into a thick object as possible to maximize the tissue volume sampled. However, it has been shown that the image signal decreases with depth into the specimen. Figure 2 demonstrates this effect in a 3-D image of the nuclei of the rat hippocampus that have been labeled with the fluorescent Schiffs reagent acriflavine. In the x,y projection, it is not clear why some nuclei are dimmer than others, but the x,z projection shows that the dimmer ones tend to be deeper in the section. It has been shown that this depth dependent signal attenuation follows the form of an exponential function.
Boundedness and Decay for the Teukolsky System of Spin $$\pm \,2$$ ± 2 on Reissner–Nordström Spacetime: The Case $$|Q| \ll M$$ | Q | ≪ M

We prove boundedness and decay statements for solutions to the spin $$\pm \,2$$ generalized Teukolsky system on a Reissner–Nordstrom background with very small charge. The first equation of the system is the generalization of the Teukolsky equation in Schwarzschild for the extreme component of the curvature $$\alpha $$ . The second equation, coupled with the first one, is a new equation for a new gauge-invariant quantity involving the electromagnetic curvature components. The proof is based on the use of derived quantities, introduced in previous works on linear stability of Schwarzschild (Dafermos et al. in Acta Math 222:1–214, 2019). These derived quantities are shown to verify a generalized coupled Regge–Wheeler system. These equations are the ones verified by the extreme null curvature and electromagnetic components of a gravitational and electromagnetic perturbation of the Reissner–Nordstrom spacetime. Consequently, as in the Schwarzschild case, these bounds provide the first step in proving the full linear stability of the Reissner–Nordstrom metric for small charge to coupled gravitational and electromagnetic perturbations.
MRI findings of chronic distal tendon biceps reconstruction and associated post-operative findings

Rupture of the distal biceps tendon is becoming increasingly diagnosed due to an active aging population and an increase in diagnostic imaging opportunities. While physical exam may help in diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is particularly useful in evaluating chronic rupture. Although partial tears can be managed conservatively, the gold standard treatment for a chronic distal biceps tear is anatomic reinsertion with additional use of an allograft or autograft. No study has highlighted the normal appearance and postsurgical complications seen on MRI associated with allograft or autograft usage. Clinicians and radiologists may be unaware of the normal and abnormal post-operative imaging findings and their clinical relevance. The purpose of this manuscript is to discuss the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and preoperative MRI findings of distal biceps ruptures necessitating reconstruction, to explain distal biceps tendon surgical reconstruction technique with allograft or autograft usage, to display the normal and abnormal post-operative MRI findings, and to review the clinical outcomes associated with the procedure.
Teaching Digital Signal Processing by Partial Flipping, Active Learning and Visualization

Effectiveness of teaching digital signal processing can be enhanced by reducing lecture time devoted to theory, and increasing emphasis on applications, programming aspects, visualization and intuitive understanding. An integrated approach to teaching requires instructors to simultaneously teach theory and its applications in storage and processing of audio, speech and biomedical signals. Student engagement can be enhanced by engaging students to work in groups during the class where students can solve short problems and short programming assignments or take quizzes. These approaches will increase student interest in learning the subject and student engagement.
ATOMIC REACTION MODEL FOR DIFFUSION BONDING OF METALS

According to probabilty theory and atomic activation on bonding interface of metals, a mathematical model was developed for the atomic interfacial reaction during diffustion bonding. The effect of parameters of bonding processing and material on the bonding strength was then gained. It was suggested that the activation centre of atomic interfacial reac-tion of bonding may be, in situ, the boundary dislocaion and its elastic stress field. A substantial agreement about the quantitative prediction of the model was made with the results of diffusion bonding experiments for 7075 Al alloy
Structural and biochemical analysis of human ADP-ribosyl-acceptor hydrolase 3 reveals the basis of metal selectivity and different roles for the two magnesium ions.

ADP-ribosylation is a reversible and site-specific post-translational modification that regulates a wide array of cellular signaling pathways. Regulation of ADP-ribosylation is vital for maintaining genomic integrity, and uncontrolled accumulation of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation triggers a poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR)–dependent release of apoptosis-inducing factor from mitochondria, leading to cell death. ADP-ribosyl-acceptor hydrolase 3 (ARH3) cleaves PAR and mono(ADP-ribosyl)ation at serine following DNA damage. ARH3 is also a metalloenzyme with strong metal selectivity. While coordination of two magnesium ions (MgA and MgB) significantly enhances its catalytic efficiency, calcium binding suppresses its function. However, how the coordination of different metal ions affects its catalysis has not been defined. Here, we report a new crystal structure of ARH3 complexed with its product ADP-ribose and calcium. This structure shows that calcium coordination significantly distorts the binuclear metal center of ARH3, which results in decreased binding affinity to ADP-ribose, and suboptimal substrate alignment, leading to impaired hydrolysis of PAR and mono(ADP-ribosyl)ated serines. Furthermore, combined structural and mutational analysis of the metal-coordinating acidic residues revealed that MgA is crucial for optimal substrate positioning for catalysis, whereas MgB plays a key role in substrate binding. Our collective data provide novel insights into the different roles of these metal ions and the basis of metal selectivity of ARH3 and contribute to understanding the dynamic regulation of cellular ADP-ribosylations during the DNA damage response.
Learning from Outsiders: Explaining How External Advice Can Inform Entrepreneurial Strategy

External advice is critical to entrepreneurial strategy as it can provide access to new information and prevent premature satisficing in firms with little experience. Despite the importance of exte...
A Computational Gait Model With a Below-Knee Amputation and a Semi-Active Variable-Stiffness Foot Prosthesis

INTRODUCTION Simulations based on computational musculoskeletal models are powerful tools for evaluating the effects of potential biomechanical interventions, such as implementing a novel prosthesis. However, the utility of simulations to evaluate the effects of varied prosthesis design parameters on gait mechanics has not been fully realized due to the lack of a readily-available limb loss-specific gait model and methods for efficiently modeling the energy storage and return dynamics of passive foot prostheses. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a forward simulation-capable gait model with lower-limb loss and a semi-active variable-stiffness foot (VSF) prosthesis. METHODS A seven-segment 28-DoF gait model was developed and forward kinematics simulations, in which experimentally observed joint kinematics were applied and the resulting contact forces under the prosthesis evolved accordingly, were computed for four subjects with unilateral below-knee amputation walking with a VSF. RESULTS Model-predicted resultant ground reaction force (GRFR) matched well under trial-specific optimized parameter conditions (mean R2: 0.97, RMSE: 7.7% body weight (BW)) and unoptimized (subject-specific, but not trial-specific) parameter conditions (mean R2: 0.93, RMSE: 12% BW). Simulated anterior-posterior center of pressure demonstrated a mean R2 = 0.64 and RMSE = 14% foot length. Simulated kinematics remained consistent with input data (0.23 deg RMSE, R2 > 0.99) for all conditions. CONCLUSIONS These methods may be useful for simulating gait among individuals with lower-limb loss and predicting GRFR arising from gait with novel VSF prostheses. Such data are useful to optimize prosthesis design parameters on a user-specific basis.