cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regridding Surface Triangulations

An advancing front surface gridding technique that operates on discretely defined surfaces (i.e. triangulations) is presented. Different aspects that are required to make the procedure reliable for complex geometries are discussed. Notable among these are (a) the recovery of surface features and discrete surface patches from the discrete data, (b) filtering based on point and side-normals to remove undesirable data close to cusps and corners, (c) the proper choice of host faces for ridges, and (d) fast interpolation procedures suitable for complex geometries. Post-generation surface recovery or repositioning techniques are discussed. Several examples ranging from academic to industrial demonstrate the utility of the proposed procedure forab initiosurface meshing from discrete data, such as those encountered when the surface description is already given as discrete, the improvement of existing surface triangulations, as well as remeshing applications during runs exhibiting significant change of domain.
Photodissociation and photoionization of organosulfur radicals

The dynamics of S^Pj.i.o", 'D,) production from the 193nm photodissociation of CH3SCH3 has been studied using 2+1 REMPI techniques. The 193nm photodissociation cross section for the formation of S from CHjS initially prepared in the photodissociation of CH3SCH3 is estimated to be 1x10"'^ cm-. The branching ratio for S('P)/S('D) is found to be 0.15/0.85. The fme-structure distribution observed for product S(^P2,i,o) is nearly statistical. Possible potential energy surfaces involved in the 193nm photodissociation of CH3S(X) have been examined theoretically along the CH3-S dissociation coordinate in C3, symmetry. These calculations suggest that predissociation of CH3S(ClA.2) via the repulsive CH3S(E-E) surface is most likely responsible for the efficient production of S('D). For vibrationally excited CHjSCX), a viable mechanism for the dominant production of S('D) may involve direct dissociation via the CHjSlE-E) state formed in the 193nm photoexcitation.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura as the cause of death in an HIV-positive child.

A case of fatal thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in a pediatric patient with HIV infection is reported. The diagnosis was made at autopsy based on the presence of platelet microthrombi in multiple organs, including the cardiac conduction system. The disease presented atypically with hemorrhagic manifestations, thrombocytopenia, and hemolytic anemia, without significant accompanying neurologic and renal abnormalities. Autoimmune-based thrombocytopenia has been well documented in the presence of HIV infection in both the adult and the pediatric population. We believe this to be the first reported case of TTP in an HIV-positive child.
Variation in Sensitivity to Environmental Tobacco Smoke among Adult Non-smokers

This study evaluated the extent to which acute reactions to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) among 723 adult non-smokers differ between those who report a medical history indicative of atopy and those with no such history. Study subjects were divided into three risk groups, based on their medical history: people who reported a doctor-confirmed diagnosis of asthma, hay fever, or allergic reactions to pollen, dust, or mites (n = 140); people not in Group I, who reported a doctor-confirmed history of chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, or sinus trouble (n = 246); and all other subjects (n = 337). Reactions to ETS were assessed by asking subjects to report how much it bothers them to be exposed to other people's tobacco smoke and to indicate whether they typically experience symptoms when exposed to ETS. Study findings support the concept that people with a history of atopy or respiratory illness are more sensitive to the acute irritating effects of ETS compared to people without such a medical history.
Performance characteristics of the QUANTIPLEX HIV-1 RNA 3.0 assay for detection and quantitation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA in plasma.

The QUANTIPLEX HIV-1 RNA assay, version 3.0 (a branched DNA, version 3.0, assay [bDNA 3.0 assay]), was evaluated by analyzing spiked and clinical plasma samples and was compared with the AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR Ultrasensitive (ultrasensitive reverse transcription-PCR [US-RT-PCR]) method. A panel of spiked plasma samples that contained 0 to 750,000 copies of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA per ml was tested four times in each of four laboratories (1,344 assays). Negative results (<50 copies/ml) were obtained in 30 of 32 (94%) assays with seronegative samples, 66 of 128 (52%) assays with HIV-1 RNA at 50 copies/ml, and 5 of 128 (4%) assays with HIV-1 RNA at 100 copies/ml. The assay was linear from 100 to 500,000 copies/ml. The within-run standard deviation (SD) of the log10 estimated HIV-1 RNA concentration was 0.08 at 1,000 to 500,000 copies/ml, increased below 1,000 copies/ml, and was 0.17 at 100 copies/ml. Between-run reproducibility at 100 to 500 copies/ml was <0.10 log10 in most comparisons. Interlaboratory differences across runs were ≤0.10 log10 at all concentrations examined. A subset of the panel (25 to 500 copies/ml) was also analyzed by the US-RT-PCR assay. The within-run SD varied inversely with the log10 HIV-1 RNA concentration but was higher than the SD for the bDNA 3.0 assay at all concentrations. Log-log regression analysis indicated that the two methods produced very similar estimates at 100 to 500 copies/ml. In parallel testing of clinical specimens with low HIV-1 RNA levels, 80 plasma samples with <50 copies/ml by the US-RT-PCR assay had <50 copies/ml when they were retested by the bDNA 3.0 assay. In contrast, 11 of 78 (14%) plasma samples with <50 copies/ml by the bDNA 3.0 assay had ≥50 copies/ml when they were retested by the US-RT-PCR assay (median, 86 copies/ml; range, 50 to 217 copies/ml). Estimation of bDNA 3.0 values of <50 copies/ml by extending the standard curve of the assay showed that these samples with discrepant results had higher HIV-1 RNA levels than the samples with concordant results (median, 34 versus 17 copies/ml; P = 0.0051 by the Wilcoxon two-sample test). The excellent reproducibility, broad linear range, and good sensitivity of the bDNA 3.0 assay make it a very attractive method for quantitation of HIV-1 RNA levels in plasma.
Adherence to clusters of health behaviors and successful aging.

Objectives: Analyses examine the extent to which adherence to recommendations regarding health behaviors cluster among older adults, whether people who adhere to multiple health behaviors are more likely to age successfully than those who adhere to fewer health behaviors, and whether some health behavior clusters are more closely associated with successful aging than others. Method: Cross-sectional data were collected using structured telephone interviews from 5,688 persons aged 50 to 74 living in New Jersey. Results: Prevalence odds ratio analyses indicated that differential cluster patterns exist. Logistic regression revealed that as the number of adherent behaviors increased so did the likelihood of aging successfully and that adherence to some health behavior clusters was more closely associated with successful aging than adherence to others. Discussion: Although adherence to more health behaviors was associated with a greater likelihood of successful aging, it is possible to age successfully by adher...
SPANIDS: a scalable network intrusion detection loadbalancer

Network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) are becoming an increasingly important security measure. With rapidly increasing network speeds, the capacity of the NIDS sensor can limit the ability of the system to detect intrusions. The SPANIDS parallel NIDS architecture overcomes this limitation by distributing network traffic load over an array of sensor nodes. Based on a custom hardware load balancer and cost-effective off-the-shelf sensors, the system employs novel stateless load balancing heuristics to thwart scalability limitations. It also uses dynamic feedback from the sensor nodes to adapt to changes in network traffic. This paper describes the overall system architecture, discusses some of the critical design decisions and presents experimental results that demonstrate the performance advantage of this approach
Research priorities in geriatric palliative care: an introduction to a new series.

mother of two with advanced ovarian cancer. Care for this patient would include chemotherapy until it no longer meets the patient’s goals of care; treating her symptoms (e.g., nausea, pain, fatigue); addressing her psychological and spiritual concerns; supporting her partner; and helping to arrange for care of her children after her death. The majority of this patient’s care occurs at home (with or without hospice) or in the hospital, and the period of functional debility is brief (months). In reality, a frail 88-year-old widowed woman with advanced heart failure, diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, mild cognitive impairment, and frailty typifies the most common example of a patient requiring palliative care. Palliative care for this patient involves treating the primary disease process (advanced heart failure); managing her multiple chronic medical conditions and comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, arthritis) and geriatric syndromes (cognitive impairment, frailty); assessing and treating the physical and psychological symptom distress associated with all of these medical issues; and establishing goals of care and treatment plans in the setting of an unpredictable prognosis. Additionally, the needs of her caregiver(s) are also different from those of the caregiver of the younger patient. Individuals caring for geriatric patients are often adult children with their own families, work responsibilities, and medical conditions. These roles must be balanced with the months to years of personal care that they will provide to their aging parent. Finally, because older adults often make multiple transitions across care settings (home, hospital, rehabilitation, long-term care), especially in the last months of life, palliative care programs for older adults must assure that care plans and patient goals are maintained from one setting to another. Thus, palliative care for the elderly is centered on the identification and amelioration of functional and cognitive impairment; the development of frailty leading to dependence on caregivers; symptom, emotional, and spiritual distress; and bereavement needs of adult children and elderly partners. The overlap between the traditional fields of geriatrics and palliative care is shown in Figure 1.
A Systematic Thermal Control Scheme for Microring-Based Optical Filters

We demonstrate a systematic thermal control scheme for microring-based optical filters. The detailed thermal interactions between the different elements of the optical filters-characterized by two thermal calibration matrices-have been successfully measured to understand the thermal behaviors of these waveguide-based optical filters. The effectiveness of controlling microring-based optical filters using these thermal calibration matrices is illustrated by a third-order lattice ring and a double-ring-assisted Mach-Zehnder interferometer.
Building an information on demand enterprise that integrates both operational and strategic business intelligence

The talk will discuss existing market directions driving the development and integration of Business Process Management (PBM), Corporate Performance Management (CPM), as well as strategic Business Intelligence analysis into a holistic enterprise architecture. In doing so, enterprise architectural approaches will be outlined with the integration of Information services provided to the application Business Processes for both B2B and B2C. Furthermore, Architectural approaches for integrating real-time Enterprise Data Warehousing, Master Data Management, Content and Discovery systems holistically into operational analytics will be discussed. This approach demands metadata integration as well as simplify operational Business Intelligence through embedded analytics within day-to-day business processes. Information as a Service (IaaS) as well as Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) are tooling and approaches to accomplish this.
A Parylene Bellows Electrochemical Actuator

We present the first electrochemical actuator with Parylene bellows for large-deflection operation. The bellows diaphragm was fabricated using a polyethylene-glycol-based sacrificial molding technique followed by coating in Parylene C. Bellows were mechanically characterized and integrated with a pair of interdigitated electrodes to form an electrochemical actuator that is suitable for low-power pumping of fluids. Pump performance (gas generation rate and pump efficiency) was optimized through a careful examination of geometrical factors. Overall, a maximum pump efficiency of 90% was achieved in the case of electroplated electrodes, and a deflection of over 1.5 mm was demonstrated. Real-time wireless operation was achieved. The complete fabrication process and the materials used in this actuator are biocompatible, which makes it suitable for biological and medical applications.
The use of life cycle analysis within the U.S. department of energy

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) decisions regarding D&D, waste management, and the selection of technologies for R, D&D are extremely complex. Historically, DOE decisions were based primarily on meeting near-term goals. There is evidence that some of those decisions were not optimal in terms of minimizing costs or in terms of minimizing overall environmental and health impacts. Fortunately, DOE is currently embracing the principles of life cycle analysis (LCA) in its decision-making. The results indicate that DOE is making better decisions since implementing the principles of LCA. This paper discusses LCA from the perspective of DOE and reviews several specific examples of the use of LCA by DOE.
Polygenic risk, stressful life events and depressive symptoms in older adults: a polygenic score analysis.

Background. Previous studies suggest that the relationship between genetic risk and depression may be moderated by stressful life events (SLEs). The goal of this study was to assess whether SLEs moderate the association between polygenic risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) and depressive symptoms in older adults. Method. We used logistic and negative binomial regressions to assess the associations between polygenic risk, SLEs and depressive symptoms in a sample of 8761 participants from the Health and Retirement Study. Polygenic scores were derived from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium genome-wide association study of MDD. SLEs were operationalized as a dichotomous variable indicating whether participants had experienced at least one stressful event during the previous 2 years. Depressive symptoms were measured using an eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale subscale and operationalized as both a dichotomous and a count variable. Results. The odds of reporting four or more depressive symptoms were over twice as high among individuals who experienced at least one SLE (odds ratio 2.19, 95% confidence interval 1.86–2.58). Polygenic scores were significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.21, p ⩽ 0.0001), although the variance explained was modest (pseudo r 2 = 0.0095). None of the interaction terms for polygenic scores and SLEs was statistically significant. Conclusions. Polygenic risk and SLEs are robust, independent predictors of depressive symptoms in older adults. Consistent with an additive model, we found no evidence that SLEs moderated the association between common variant polygenic risk and depressive symptoms.
The role of work related self-efficacy in supported employment for people living with serious mental illnesses.

OBJECTIVE This study tested whether higher work-related self-efficacy would predict the achievement of competitive employment in supported employment (SE) programs. METHODS N = 105 individuals were recruited from 5 state-funded SE programs in a Northeastern state. Participants were required to be unemployed and seeking employment to be eligible to enter the study. Research staff met with the individuals at baseline and collected demographic information and data on self-efficacy and psychiatric symptoms. For the follow-up assessment at 6 months, data were collected on participants, self-efficacy, psychiatric symptoms, and employment activity. RESULTS Thirty-eight percent of the participants achieved competitive employment at the 6-month follow-up. However, self-efficacy was not a positive predictor of competitive employment. Surprisingly, 1 of the subscales, work-related social skills self-efficacy, was negatively associated with employment. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE These findings suggest that self-efficacy is not a predictor of competitive employment for individuals living with serious mental illness and receiving supported employment services. It appears that SE can be helpful for participants with a range of self-efficacy.
Rotordynamic Analysis of Rotor–Stator Rub Using Rough Surface Contact

Undesirable rotor–stator rub is frequently observed in rotordynamic systems, and has been the subject of many investigations. Most of these studies employ a simple piecewise-smooth linear-elastic contact model (LECM), where the rotor switches between noncontacting and contacting operation once the clearance is exceeded (various complications have been incorporated, though the essential model premises endure). Though useful as a first step, the LECM relies on an arcane contact stiffness estimate, and therefore does not emulate the actual contacting surfaces. Consequentially, the LECM fails to elucidate how real surface parameters influence contact severity and surface durability. This work develops a novel model for rotor–stator rub which is commensurate with reality by treating the surfaces as a collection of stochastically distributed asperities. Specifically, the elastoplastic Jackson–Green (JG) rough surface contact model is used to calculate the quasistatic contact force as a function of rotor displacement, where bulk material deformation and surface cumulative damage are ignored. A simple exponential fit of the contact force is proposed to reduce computational burden associated with evaluating the JG rough surface contact model at each simulation time step. The rotor's response using the LECM and JG rough surface contact model is compared via shaft speed bifurcations and orbit analysis. Significant differences are observed between the models, though some similarities exist for responses with few contacts per rotor revolution.
Innovating to Equality: The Egalitarian Distribution of Welfare from the Rise of Consumer Electronics

Consumers have benefited from decades of technological improvement in electronics, yet the distribution of their welfare gains are unexamined, despite interest in other measures of inequality. In this paper, I examine the welfare gains to different income cohorts from the development of multiple categories of electronic products. Income dependent preferences are estimated in a dynamic model of demand. Key utility parameters, unique to income cohort, are identified from moments created using micro-level data containing purchase and demographic information. My results suggest that the benefits from the rise of electronics products may be far more egalitarian than conventional measures of inequality. Welfare gains to consumers in the bottom third of the US income distribution average approximately $1,000, while gains to the top third benefit are about $2,500. This is twice as equal as related measures of consumption inequality.
Ionic and electronic contributions to the Li chemical potential in Li x Ru z Mo 6-z Se 8

We studied Li interactions in ${\mathrm{Li}}_{\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Ru}}_{\mathrm{z}}$${\mathrm{Mo}}_{6\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{z}}$${\mathrm{Se}}_{8}$ for 0z2 using electrochemical cells. Near x=4-2z the chemical potential of Li rises and the resistance of the compound, measured in situ, has a sharp maximum, as expected if Li transfers its 2s electron to the host. Nevertheless, Li intercalation is reversible to x=4 and the triclinic distortion previously observed at x=3.7 for z=0 is unchanged for z\ensuremath{\le}1. Hence, ionic rather than electronic factors must cause the limit x=4 and this distortion. We also show that if a rapid-band model holds here, the bands must shift down in energy as electrons are added, as expected from electronic screening.
Novel Reaction Mechanisms Pathways in the Electron Induced Decomposition of Solid Nitromethane (CH3NO2) and D3-Nitromethane (CD3NO2)

Icy films of nitromethane (CH3NO2) together with D3-nitromethane (CD3NO2) were exposed to ionizing radiation to investigate the mechanisms in the decomposition of (D3)-nitromethane. The radiation induced modification of the ices was followed during the radiation exposure in situ via infrared spectroscopy (condensed phase) and via temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) exploiting reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry joined with single photon ionization of the subliming molecules at 10.49 eV (gas phase). The infrared spectroscopic and kinetics studies reveal the synthesis of methyl nitrite (CH3ONO) via isomerization of nitromethane (CH3NO2) as well as the presence of the molecular (formaldehyde (H2CO), nitrosylhydride (HNO)) and radical decomposition pathways (methoxy radical (CH3O), nitrogen monoxide (NO)) accounting for about 85% of all products formed. Here, TPD studies exploiting reflectron time-of-flight mass spectroscopy together with single photon ionization exposed three classes of complex m...
Examination of the roles of glycoprotein Ib and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa in platelet deposition on an artificial surface using clinical antiplatelet agents and monoclonal antibody blockade

The mechanism of platelet thrombus growth on an artificial surface is incompletely understood. While glycoprotein (GP)Ib and GPIIb/IIIa are required for normal attachment and thrombus formation on subendothelium, their roles in platelet deposition to artificial surfaces remain unclear. Using selected platelet inhibitors (aspirin [ASA], low molecular weight dextran, monoclonal antibodies 10E5 [v GPIIb/IIIa], and 6D1 [GPIb]) we examined the mechanism of platelet deposition to polyethylene (PE) surfaces under steady laminar and oscillatory flow conditions. Polyethylene-100 (PE-100) tubes (0.86 mm internal diameter) were perfused under steady laminar flow with citrated human whole blood reconstituted with 111indium-labeled platelets at 312 seconds-1 shear rate in the presence and absence of platelet inhibitors. The effect of oscillatory flow on platelet deposition was examined in a microwell system using 3/16-inch diameter discs of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute primary reference PE as the test surface. ASA and dextran did not significantly (P greater than .05) inhibit platelet deposition in laminar flow (not tested in oscillatory). Antibody 10E5 was a potent inhibitor (laminar less than 1%, P less than .0001, oscillatory less than 1.6%, P less than .01) of platelet deposition in both systems, and in this case, true adhesion (first attached layer) was blocked. Antibody 6D1 unexpectedly inhibited 70% of platelet deposition (P less than .01) in steady laminar flow and 56.5% in oscillatory flow (P less than .01). Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated platelets atop platelets in the controls, rare platelets in the 10E5 group, and a patchy monolayer of platelets in the 6D1 group. Transmission electron microscopy of cross-sections confirmed these observations. We conclude that the adhesion of the first platelet layer to an artificial surface requires GPIIb/IIIa. The data also suggest that GPIb is required for the development of the second layer in vertical platelet thrombus growth.
Crisis in Tort Law? The Institutional Perspective

The tort liability and insurance system displays symptoms of potential crisis. These symptoms are most acute in the context of personal injuries caused by business, professional, and government enterprise activities. Liability insurance rates have increased sharply. In some fields, affordable insurance has not been available at all from commercial insurers. Very large jury verdicts are increasingly common. The threat of enormous tort liabilities has driven major corporations to bankruptcy. Concerns over liability exposure have led to withdrawal of vaccines and other medical products from the market. Administrative costs of the tort system in areas such as products liability, medical malpractice, and toxic torts far exceed the compensation provided the injured. Not all observers regard these developments as particularly problematic or indicative of crisis. Some in fact view them as signs that tort law is energetically, and appropriately, deterring risky activities by pricing them at their social cost. But many more believe that there is a genuine crisis. These believers, however, are sharply divided as to the proper definition, diagnosis, and cure of the crisis. Three basic views have emerged. One group of observers focuses on insurance. They define the crisis in terms of a lack of available and affordable insurance, which some attribute to a lack of competition in the insurance in-
An assessment of overutilization and underutilization of laboratory tests by expert physicians in the evaluation of patients for bleeding and thrombotic disorders in clinical context and in real time.

Background Diagnostic error is extremely common in the USA and likely around the world. A major reason for the diagnostic error is both the overutilization and the underutilization of laboratory tests. Using a panel of two to four experts in coagulation, test selection was reviewed in clinical context and in real time, and consensus determinations were made to derive conclusions about the extent of overutilization and underutilization. Methods Two hundred cases of patients being evaluated for bleeding or thrombotic issues were presented at each daily meeting of the diagnostic management team, and a review of each case for appropriate utilization of tests was completed. Results Two hundred randomly selected cases revealed 77.5% diagnostic errors (155 cases). Sixteen percent were associated with overutilization of laboratory tests, 44% were associated with underutilization, and 17.5% were associated with both. The annual cost burden estimated for overutilization alone in one institution of 450 beds was on the order of $20,000. The cost burden for the delay in diagnosis or the misdiagnosis in cases with underutilization is orders of magnitude greater ($200,000 or more), but it is impossible to determine the cost of a misdiagnosis in an individual case because it can produce many different clinical outcomes. Conclusions This was a rare opportunity for experts in a given field to review cases in real time and in clinical context and provide immediately a consensus answer about test utilization. The results of this study show errors in test selection in nearly 75% of the cases evaluated.
Promoting Social Inclusion in High Schools Using a Schoolwide Approach

Abstract This study examines the impact of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools program in high schools across the country. Data were analyzed from 2,774 students from 11 high schools implementing the program concerning their perceptions and attitudes toward including students with intellectual disability (ID). Students participating in 1 or more program activities reported increased visibility of and social interactions with students with ID in school. This, in turn, promoted more positive perceptions and attitudes regarding school and classroom inclusion. Participation in different activities had unique effects on students' perceptions of their school's inclusive environment and on their attitudes toward classroom inclusion. These findings support an ecological approach to social inclusion and for structured, schoolwide interventions embedded within normative school contexts.
Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation: Interplay of Surface Properties and Their Impact on Water Orientations

Ice is ubiquitous in nature, and heterogeneous ice nucleation is the most common pathway of ice formation. How surface properties affect the propensity to observe ice nucleation on that surface remains an open question. We present results of molecular dynamics studies of heterogeneous ice nucleation on model surfaces. The models surfaces considered emulate the chemistry of kaolinite, an abundant component of mineral dust. We investigate the interplay of surface lattice and hydrogen bonding properties in affecting ice nucleation. We find that lattice matching and hydrogen bonding are necessary but not sufficient conditions for observing ice nucleation at these surfaces. We correlate this behavior to the orientations sampled by the metastable supercooled water in contact with the surfaces. We find that ice is observed in cases where water molecules not only sample orientations favorable for bilayer formation but also do not sample unfavorable orientations. This distribution depends on both surface-water and...
Comparing Corporate Managers' Personal Values Over Three Decades, 1967--1995

What is the nature of the decision-related personal values of corporate management? Managers' attitudes and behaviors are built upon their personal value systems (PVS). Knowledge about the structure of management's PVS assists in understanding the attributes of corporate decision making. Utilizing a survey instrument developed and used by England (1967, 1975), this article updates this research into corporate managers' personal value systems. England's PVS consists of sixty-six pre-tested values clustered into five groups. As one could expect with personal values, statistical tests reveal that even with dramatic changes in the business environment the overall personal values structure has not changed over the intervening three decades. The results also reveal that corporate managers retain their pragmatic value orientation as discussed by England.
Combined immunosuppressive activities of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and murine retrovirus.

The progression of events from initial infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) resulting in the development of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has stimulated a myriad of studies to identify cofactors capable of promoting HIV replication, thereby hastening the development of overt disease. One group of substances that has been touted as possible candidate cofactors in the progression of AIDS is drugs of abuse (1). The inability to study these virus-drug interactions in humans has generated the need for animal models to examine the effects of drugs of abuse on retrovirus replication and infection. The use and validity of particular animal infections on models for AIDS in man have been the subject of inquiry and debate (2–5). One useful experimental system employs the murine retrovirus, Friend leukemia virus (FLV) (6).
The isolation and characterization of the tryptic peptides from the f2 bacteriophage coat protein.

Tryptic digestion of the f2 coat protein produced 10 peptides and free lysine. Peptides which were soluble in 0.2 m pyridine acetate buffer, pH 3.1, were separated on columns of Dowex 50-X4. Peptides insoluble at this pH were fractionated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 with the use of 88% formic acid or by chromatography on diethylaminoethyl Sephadex in 8 m urea. Amino- and carboxyl-terminal analyses were performed on the protein and the peptides. The NH2-terminal residue of the protein is alanine and the COOH-terminal amino acid is tyrosine. The tryptic peptides which occupy the terminal positions in the protein were identified. The sum of amino acids in the tryptic peptides was estimated to be 129, and also the amino acid composition of the protein indicated 129 residues.
Selective autophagy in cellular quality control

Cells count on surveillance systems to handle protein alterations and organelle damage. This chapter focuses on one of the cellular systems for protein removal, autophagy, or the degradation of intracellular components in lysosomes, and its relationship with the toxicity induced by aberrant proteins. We describe some of the recent findings on the interplay between pathogenic proteins and autophagy, looking at it as a two-sided relationship. In the first part, we comment on the contribution of the different autophagic pathways to the removal of pathogenic proteins; in the second part, we review the toxic effect that pathogenic proteins can exert on the activity of different autophagic pathways.
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy of Chemical-Vapor-Deposition Diamond and Diamond-Like Carbon Thin Films

Insulating polycrystalline diamond films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and semiconducting diamond-like carbon (DLC) films grown by laser-ablation have been studied using STM and AFM as well as other complementary techniques. Issues relating to the STM technique as well as the materials properties of these films have been explored. In a novel approach, photo-induced bulk carrier transport using a xenon arc lamp providing broadband radiation (λ = 180−700 nm) was used successfully to establish bulk conduction for STM imaging of the insulating films. Comparisons of topographic STM images with AFM images acquired on the same samples demonstrated the ability to correlate sub-micrometer structures observed in the images. This capability opens up the possibility that local electronic surface structure can be measured with STS. Preliminary tunneling spectra acquired on semiconducting DLC films demonstrated that illumination promotes the occupation of new electronic states resulting in a reduction of the observed energy gap at the surface. Images of DLC samples grown under a variety of conditions are providing new information into the preparation and growth parameters required to obtain the best quality films and their integrity after thermal cycling and other postfabrication treatments.
Nonlinear Inverse Problems

Synopsis The nonlinear regression approaches of Chapter 9 are generalized to problems requiring regularization. The Tikhonov regularization and Occam's inversion approaches are introduced. Seismic tomography and electrical conductivity inversion examples are used to illustrate the application of these methods. Resolution analysis for nonlinear problems is addressed. We introduce the nonlinear conjugate gradient method for solving large systems of nonlinear equations. The discrete adjoint method is described and illustrated with a regularized heat flow example that utilizes the nonlinear conjugate gradient method in its solution.
Islam and the Islamic State's Magazine, Dabiq

Since the emergence of the Islamic State, considerable debate has arisen over the relationship (or lack of therein) between its ideological discourse and broader Islamic exegeses and learning. This paper aims to connect these wider discussions to its self-defined ideological standpoint as set out in its magazine, Dabiq. All 15 of these, published between June 2014 and July 2016, amounting to more than 900 pages, are examined to assess their authors’ (1) analysis of the Qur'an (2) use of classical scholarship, and (3) engagement with contemporary readings of Islam.
Housing Transitions and Recovery of Older Adults Following Hurricane Sandy.

Objectives This study explores the effects of social and environmental disruption on emergency housing transitions among older adults following Hurricane Sandy. It is based upon the Sandy Child and Family Health (S-CAFH) Study, an observational cohort of 1,000 randomly sampled New Jersey residents living in the nine counties most affected by Sandy. Methods This analysis examines the post-Sandy housing transitions and recovery of the young-old (55-64), mid-old (65-74), and old-old (75+) compared with younger adults (19-54). We consider length of displacement, number of places stayed after Sandy, the housing host (i.e., family only, friends only, or multi-host), and self-reported recovery. Results Among all age groups, the old-old (75+) reported the highest rates of housing damage and were more likely to stay in one place besides their home, as well as stay with family rather than by themselves after the storm. Despite this disruption, the old-old were most likely to have recovered from Hurricane Sandy. Discussion Findings suggest that the old-old were more resilient to Hurricane Sandy than younger age groups. Understanding the unique post-disaster housing needs of older adults can help identify critical points of intervention for their post-disaster recovery.
Nanocombinatorics with Cantilever-Free Scanning Probe Arrays

The effectiveness of combinatorial experiments is determined by the rate at which distinct experimental conditions can be prepared and interrogated. This has been particularly limiting at the intersection of nanotechnology and soft materials research, where structures are difficult to reliably prepare and materials are incompatible with conventional lithographic techniques. For example, studying nanoparticle-based heterogeneous catalysis or the interaction between biological cells and abiotic surfaces requires precise tuning of materials composition on the nanometer scale. Scanning probe techniques are poised to be major players in the combinatorial nanoscience arena because they allow one to directly deposit materials at high resolution without any harsh processing steps that limit material compatibility. The chief limitation of scanning probe techniques is throughput, as patterning with single probes is prohibitively slow in the context of large-scale combinatorial experiments. A recent paradigm shift c...
Field Effect in CdSeTe/CdTe Solar Cells with Biased Spectroscopy

Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements were performed under external electrical bias on thin polycrystalline CdSeTe/CdTe solar cells. The results indicate that internal field effects which can go unnoticed during traditional, unbiased spectroscopy measurements may be more consequential than generally realized. In addition, probing the field behavior with bias may allow investigation of defect states and the determination of transport characteristics, such as mobility.
Chang’s Conjecture with $$square {omega 1, 2}$$ □ ω 1, 2 from an $$omega 1$$ ω 1 -Erdős cardinal

Answering a question of Sakai (Arch Math Logic 52(1–2):29–45, 2013), we show that the existence of an $$\omega _1$$ -Erdős cardinal suffices to obtain the consistency of Chang’s Conjecture with $$\square _{\omega _1, 2}$$ . By a result of Donder (In: Set theory and model theory (Bonn, 1979), volume 872 of lecture notes in mathematics. Springer, Berlin, pp 55–97, 1981) this is best possible. We also give an answer to another question of Sakai relating to the incompatibility of $$\square _{\lambda , 2}$$ and $$(\lambda ^+, \lambda ) \twoheadrightarrow (\kappa ^+, \kappa )$$ for uncountable $$\kappa $$ .
Crystal structure of human lysosomal acid lipase and its implications in cholesteryl ester storage disease.

Lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) is a serine hydrolase that hydrolyzes cholesteryl ester (CE) and TGs delivered to the lysosomes into free cholesterol and fatty acids. LAL deficiency due to mutations in the LAL gene (LIPA) results in accumulation of TGs and cholesterol esters in various tissues of the body leading to pathological conditions such as Wolman's disease and CE storage disease (CESD). Here, we present the first crystal structure of recombinant human LAL (HLAL) to 2.6 A resolution in its closed form. The crystal structure was enabled by mutating three of the six potential glycosylation sites. The overall structure of HLAL closely resembles that of the evolutionarily related human gastric lipase (HGL). It consists of a core domain belonging to the classical α/β hydrolase-fold family with a classical catalytic triad (Ser-153, His-353, Asp-324), an oxyanion hole, and a "cap" domain, which regulates substrate entry to the catalytic site. Most significant structural differences between HLAL and HGL exist at the lid region. Deletion of the short helix, 238NLCFLLC244, at the lid region implied a possible role in regulating the highly hydrophobic substrate binding site from self-oligomerization during interfacial activation. We also performed molecular dynamic simulations of dog gastric lipase (lid-open form) and HLAL to gain insights and speculated a possible role of the human mutant, H274Y, leading to CESD.
Two Problems with Guerrero's Treatment of the Voting Paradox

Alexander A. Guerrero has advanced a new solution to the voting paradox. His argument is as follows: (1) The best practical measure of a candidate or elected official’s popular support in her electoral jurisdiction – her manifest normative mandate (MNM) – has important moral implications for how the candidate should act in office. a. The higher a candidate’s or official’s MNM, the more morally justified she is in acting as a trustee of her constituents (i.e. as someone entrusted to act on her own views of what is “all-things-considered best”). b. The lower a candidate’s or official’s MNM, the more she morally ought to act as a delegate (i.e. as someone who ought to act in deference to the what her constituents presently prefer while she is in office). (2) It is rational for individual citizens to want the elected representatives they support to function as trustees, not delegates. (3) Thus (from 1 & 2), it is rational for individual citizens to want their favored candidates/officials to have the highest MNM possible. (4) The outcome of a popular vote is the best practical measure of an official’s popular support in her jurisdiction (i.e. her MNM). (5) Every individual vote makes a small but nevertheless real difference to an elected official’s MNM. (6) Thus, (from 3-5), it is rational for citizens to vote whenever they support a particular candidate. This paper shows that (2) and (4) are both false.
Evaluation of autoignition models for production control of a spark-assisted compression ignition engine

The drive to improve performance and efficiency of internal combustion engines has greatly expanded the degrees of freedom of engine systems. As efficiency objectives exceed the capability of tradi...
Systematic Characterization of Hydrophilized Polydimethylsiloxane

Flexible microfluidics have found extensive utility in the biological and biomedical fields. A leading substrate material for compliant devices is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Despite its many advantages, PDMS is inherently hydrophobic and consequently its use in passive (pumpless) microfluidics becomes problematic. To this end, many physical and chemical modifications have been introduced to render PDMS hydrophilic, ranging from amphiphilic molecule additions to surface plasma treatments. However, when transitioning from lab benchtop to realized medical devices, these modifications must exhibit long-term stability. Unfortunately, these modifications are often presented but their mechanisms and long-term stability are not studied in detail. We have investigated an array of PDMS modifications, utilizing contact angle goniometry to study surface energy over a 30-day evolution study. Samples were stored in air and water, and Fourier Transform Infrared-Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR) analysis was used to confirm surface functional group uniformity. We have identified preferred modification techniques for long-lasting PDMS devices and characterized often overlooked material stability. [2020-0136]
The role of microsite sunlight environment on growth, architecture, and resource allocation in dominant Acacia tree seedlings, in Serengeti, East Africa

Seedling establishment is a critical life history stage for savanna tree recruitment due to variability in resource availability. While tree–grass competition for water is recognized as an important driver of tree seedling mortality, the importance of sunlight exposure on tree seedling performance has received little attention in savanna ecosystems despite variable seedling light environments caused by heterogeneity in biomass of the grass canopy. We studied the seasonal sunlight micro-environment for two dominant East African tree species (Acacia = Vachellia) robusta (Burch) and A. tortilis (Forssk) under natural field conditions. In the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, A. robusta trees occur in tall grasslands of the north (shady) and A. tortilis in the southern short grasslands (less shaded). We also designed a greenhouse experiment to quantify sunlight effects on seedling growth, architecture, and resource allocation traits. In the field, A. robusta seedlings were associated with lower understorey sunlight during the wet season compared to A. tortilis, with this trend switching during the dry season. In the greenhouse experiments, under low sunlight (25% radiation), A. robusta gained height faster than A. tortilis and self-shading among canopy leaves was evident in A. tortilis but not A. robusta. Biomass allocation to leaves, stems, and roots differed between species under different light environments suggesting phenotypic plasticity in response to variable light availability. Our study suggests that microsite light variability should be incorporated in models of the spatial and temporal variability of savanna tree recruitment.
Una Bibliografía de las formas

This article brings together a series of writing practices that propose a new use of the text within the context of artistic research in the academic sphere and which would make up the so-called "bibliography of forms". An approach that, far from attending to the texts as bearers of a reproducible and iterative knowledge, rescues the sensitive and particular of each one. It pays attention to what the text communicates from its form, as well as the ways in which writing and reading are produced. A visual essay composed of images-text, which is a cross between artistic and writing practices.
Technology Roadmap: Autonomous Bus Service

Organizations use technology roadmapping (TRM) to discover a critical path of action to pursue in their research and development of future technologies and products. This provides a technology roadmap for creating autonomous bus service in the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet). A review of related literature was performed and the essential market drivers, products, and technologies were researched and integrated into this technology roadmap, inferring that autonomous bus service be made available in the year 2042 while continuously enhancing intelligent transportation systems and its related products from the year 2018. The QFD (Quality Function Deployment) method was used to discover and evaluate relationships among market drivers, products, and technologies.
Lonely Voltage Sensor Seeks Protons for Permeation

The proton channel that ushers Hions across cell membranes to control cellular pH resembles an isolated voltage-sensing domain with no apparent pore.
Design and Experimental Evaluation of a "Fuzzy" System for the Control of Reactor Power

A rule-based, digital controller that incorporates fuzzy logic has been designed and experimentally demonstrated on the 5 MWt MIT Research Reactor. The potential value of fuzzy logic to the control of reactor power was assessed by comparing the performance of the fuzzy controller to that of one of identical structure that did not rely upon fuzzy logic. The fuzzy system perfomed better under degraded conditions, was less sensitive to noise, and required less movement of the actuator mechanism. Additional tests showed that the fuzzy controller adjusted the reactor power smoothly and without overshoot in response to changes in setpoint. Also, it functioned properly in the presence of externally-induced disturbances. Sensitivity experisents were conducted to identify the structural and design features responsible for the performance of the fuzzy system. Finally, the possible role of fuzzy logic in the control of industrial processes was explored.