cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extracellular Peptidase Activity Tunes Motor Pattern Modulation

We are examining how extracellular peptidase activity sculpts the peptidergic actions of modulatory projection neurons on rhythmically active neuronal circuits, using the pyloric circuit in the stomatogastric ganglion (STG) of the crab Cancer borealis. Neurally released peptides can diffuse long distances to bind to their receptors. Hence, different neurons releasing the same neuropeptide into the same neuropil may reach the same receptor complement. However, extracellular peptidases can limit neuropeptide diffusion and terminate its actions. Distinct versions of the pyloric rhythm are elicited by selective activation of different projection neurons, including those with overlapping sets of cotransmitters. Two of these projection neurons, modulatory commissural neuron 1 (MCN1) and the modulatory proctolin neuron (MPN), contain the neuropeptide proctolin plus GABA. MCN1 also contains Cancer borealis tachykinin-related peptide Ia (CabTRP Ia). CabTRP Ia is not fully responsible for the distinct actions of MCN1 and MPN. Because there is aminopeptidase activity in the STG that terminates proctolin actions, we tested the hypothesis that the differences in the actions of MCN1 and MPN that are not mediated by CabTRP Ia result from the differential actions of aminopeptidase activity on proctolin released from these two projection neurons. We found that the pyloric circuit response to these two projection neurons becomes more similar when this aminopeptidase activity is blocked. This result supports the hypothesis that extracellular peptidase activity enables different projection neurons to use the same neuropeptide transmitter for eliciting distinct outputs from the same neuronal circuit.
The association between symptomatic asthma and neurobehavioral comorbidities among children.

Background. Asthma affects millions of children in the United States. The extent to which asthma and other medical conditions coexist, however, is largely unknown. Objective. This study aimed to determine associations between symptomatic asthma and neurobehavioral comorbidities among children in rural United States. Methods. This cross-sectional study used data from 406 parents/caregivers of children aged 16 or younger, who completed survey questionnaires assessing their child’s health status. Symptomatic asthma was defined as parents’/caregivers’ report of physician diagnosed asthma and presence of night-time asthma symptoms in their children. The dependent variables were parents’/caregivers’ reported comorbidities in children. Results. Symptomatic asthma was present in 9% of the sample. Approximately 26% parents/caregivers reported their child had one or more mental health problems and 13% reported one or more neurological problems. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, a statistically nonsignificant 50% elevated odds of one or more mental health problems were observed for children with symptomatic asthma (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.6–3.5). Of the individual comorbidities included in the mental health construct, more than 2-fold elevated odds of anxiety problems (adjusted OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 0.8–8.6) and attentional problems (adjusted OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.0–5.8) were observed for symptomatic asthma. The odds of reporting one or more neurological problems were 4-fold elevated (adjusted OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 1.6–10.0) for symptomatic asthma. Of the individual comorbidities included in the neurological construct a significantly elevated odds of hearing impairment or deafness was observed among children with symptomatic asthma (adjusted OR = 8.2, 95% CI = 1.5–45.3) as compared to the no asthma/no symptoms reference group. Conclusion. These data suggest significant associations between symptomatic asthma and neurological comorbidities.
The effect of heating rate on the melting of polytetrafluoroethylene

When virgin polytetrafluoroethylene is heated at intermediate rates, two melting peaks are observed. As the heating rate is increased, the higher-temperature peak grows at the expense of the lower-temperature one without any significant change in the total heat of fusion. It is suggested that the higher-temperature peak represents a transition to a strained melt which subsequently changes to the more stable equilibrium melt. After recrystallization from the melt, there is only a single melting peak which occurs at a lower temperature than peaks for the virgin polymer. All of these transitions are subject to superheating.
Estimating the Variance of Disease‐Prevalence Estimates from Population‐Based Registries

Summary. We propose a new Poisson method to estimate the variance for prevalence estimates obtained by the counting method described by Gail et al. (1999, Biometrics55, 1137–1144) and to construct a confidence interval for the prevalence. We evaluate both the Poisson procedure and the procedure based on the bootstrap proposed by Gail et al. in simulated samples generated by resampling real data. These studies show that both variance estimators usually perform well and yield coverages of confidence intervals at nominal levels. When the number of disease survivors is very small, however, confidence intervals based on the Poisson method have supranominal coverage, whereas those based on the procedure of Gail et al. tend to have below-nominal coverage. For these reasons, we recommend the Poisson method, which also reduces the computational burden considerably.
Death by Caring: Ebola and Alcott's Little Women

her bedside, admiring Beth and regretting that she herself didn’t do more to lift the burden of caring for the ill family from Beth’s shoulders. Despite Beth’s efforts at quarantine, her family is affected by the illness. Her younger sister Amy is isolated from her family and has to live apart with an elderly relative to keep her safe from the contagion. Both Jo and her older sister Meg now become Beth’s caregivers. They struggle to keep Beth alive, all the while fearing that Beth will die for her kindness to others. Despite her sisters’ efforts, Beth never fully recovers from her illness and remains an invalid throughout the rest of her brief life. Alcott’s description of Beth’s pain and weakness is remarkably similar to the descriptions she wrote in her personal journal about her own sister’s gradual death. Alcott watched as her sister died from what is assumed to be rheumatic fever, and relived the pain again in her story as she wrote that one of Beth’s remaining pleasures was to make mittens for the school children passing under her window. Finally, the time came when “. Beth said the needle was ‘so heavy’ and put it down forever.” One can only wonder whether Elizabeth Alcott’s self-sacrificing nature was the impetus for Alcott herself to become a nurse during the Civil War. Today the play continues in a different theatre, observing the courageous Ebola health care workers fall ill with the disease of their patient as they too battle a contagion without a cure. The compassion of Beth March and others was true then and today as they continue to care for the suffering. Perhaps they will inspire others to serve those in need, no matter the ongoing risk to themselves or their families.
Plane stress crack-line fields for crack growth in an elastic perfectly-plastic material

Mode-I crack growth in an elastic perfectly-plastic material under conditions of generalized plane stress has been investigated. In the plastic loading zone, near the plane of the crack, the stresses and strains have been expanded in powers of the distance, y, to the crack line. Substitution of the expansions in the equilibrium equations, the yield condition and the constitutive equations yields a system of simple ordinary differential equations for the coefficients of the expansions. This system is solvable if it is assumed that the cleavage stress is uniform on the crack line. By matching the relevant stress components and particle velocities to the dominant terms of appropriate elastic fields at the elastic-plastic boundary, a complete solution has been obtained for ϵy in the plane of the crack. The solution depends on crack-line position and time, and applies from the propagating crack tip up to the moving elastic-plastic boundary. Numerical results are presented for the edge crack geometry.
Gramicidin Channel Kinetics under Tension

We have measured the effect of tension on dimerization kinetics of the channel-forming peptide gramicidin A. By aspirating large unilamellar vesicles into a micropipette electrode, we are able to simultaneously monitor membrane tension and electrical activity. We find that the dimer formation rate increases by a factor of 5 as tension ranges from 0 to 4 dyn/cm. The dimer lifetime also increases with tension. This behavior is well described by a phenomenological model of membrane elasticity in which tension modulates the mismatch in thickness between the gramicidin dimer and membrane.
A New Indium Phase with Three Stuffed and Condensed Fullerane-Like Cages: Na172In197Z2(Z= Ni, Pd, Pt)

Abstract Ternary compounds Na ∼172 In ∼197 Z 2 with Z = Ni, Pd or Pt are obtained by slow cooling of the appropriate fused mixtures of the elements in welded Ta. They occur in the orthorhombic space group Pmmn , Z = 2 and, for Ni, a = 15.988 (5), b = 26.102 (7), c = 47.59 (6) A and R (F), R w = 6.0, 6.7% for the refined composition Na 171.85(5) In 197.1(2) Ni 2 . The structure contains puckered layers of condensed fullerane-type spheres or cages built of 70 and 78 indium atoms, each of which shares six of its twelve pentagonal faces with six other spheres, two of the same type and four of the other. These are joined into double layers via bonds to exo In 11 and In 14 polyhedra fused near one pole of the two fulleranes. The double layers are in turn separated by sodium cations and M 60 = In 48 Na 12 cages which share six of their pentagonal faces with two In 70 cages and four In 78 cages. All three cages have C 2 v symmetry but are close to those of the corresponding carbon fullerenes. The In 70 and M 60 cages are centered by isolated In ∼10 Z clusters, and the In 78 spheres, by In 16 clusters about a central Na that are tethered to the inside of the In 78 fullerane via vertices of two icosahedra fused into the framework. In addition, all three cages contain endohedral sodium ion deltahedra that screen the encapsulated clusters from the fullerane. The partially disordered Ni-centered clusters of indium exhibit nearly spherical geometry and a diffuse distribution of the electron density on the surface that is excluded from positions below the 12 more inward-lying Na within the corresponding fulleranes. The cluster distributions were approximated by refining many closely positioned indium atoms, some partially occupied. In all three cases, the results could be reduced to geometries close to those of previously known In 10 Ni 10− (within In 70 , M 60 ) or In 16 (within In 78 ) species through removal of the disorder induced by mirror planes from the C 2 v symmetry imposed by the overall structure. The multiply endohedral descriptions Ni@In 10 @Na 37 @In 70 and Ni@In 10 @Na 32 @(In 48 Na 12 ) are apt for the first two fullerane components. The suitability of large polyhedral constructs for the description of other condensed structures is also considered.
Protecting library staff, users, collections and facilities

In Protecting Library Staff, Users, Collections, and Facilities, Pamela Cravey examines security issues in all type sand sizes of libraries. She provides an overview of library security and address...
Paleoepidemiology of a central California prehistoric population from Ca-Ala-329: II. Degenerative disease.

Degenerative lesions are scored and frequencies of involvement are computed for a skeletal collection from Ca-Ala-329, a prehistoric site on the southeastern side of San Francisco Bay, dating from 500 A.D. up to European contact. A large earthmound site, excavations conducted there by San Jose State University retrieved close to 300 burials. For this epidemiological analysis, reasonably complete and aged skeletons representing 77 adult females and 90 adult males are available. Degenerative changes are scored macroscopically in an ordinal fashion for the large fibro-cartilagenous joints between adjacent vertebral bodies (vertebral osteophytosis) as well as the small apophyseal articulations of the spine. In addition, in the peripheral skeleton degenerative changes are scored in the temporo-mandibular, shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee joints as well as the small articulations of the hands and feet. The most common degenerative changes in the spine are seen between the vertebral bodies of the lower lumbar region. In the peripheral skeleton the highest involvement of degenerative disease is seen in the hands and feet. Compared to other relevant osteological samples, this group of hunting-gathering California Indians shows more degenerative changes than settled agriculturists (from Pecos Pueblo, New Mexico) but substantially less frequent involvement than in arctic hunters (Alaskan Eskimos).
The Comparative Requirements of Chicks and Turkey Poults for Riboflavin

Abstract THE riboflavin requirements of the chick and the consequences of riboflavin deficiency have been fairly well established by Lepkovsky and Jukes (1936). Jukes (1938) found that the riboflavin requirements of chicks and turkey poults for maximum growth were about the same. Later work has substantially confirmed this observation, the requirements of chicks being about 250 micrograms of riboflavin per 100 grams of feed (Bethke and Record, 1942) and that of the turkey poult 270 (Patrick et al. 1944). The consequences of riboflavin deficiency in the turkey poult are not as well established as in the chicken. Lepkovsky and Jukes (1936) found that a dermatitis developed in riboflavin-deficient turkey poults, and Jukes (1938) later confirmed this observation. No paralysis was observed by these investigators. Patrick, Darrow, and Morgan (1944) did not find dermatitis in their riboflavin-deficient poults, but did find it in biotin-deficient poults. This raised the question of whether or . . .
Regulation of mammalian siderophore 2,5-DHBA in the innate immune response to infection

Competition for iron influences host–pathogen interactions. Pathogens secrete small iron-binding moieties, siderophores, to acquire host iron. In response, the host secretes siderophore-binding proteins, such as lipocalin 24p3, which limit siderophore-mediated iron import into bacteria. Mammals produce 2,5-dihydroxy benzoic acid, a compound that resembles a bacterial siderophore. Our data suggest that bacteria use both mammalian and bacterial siderophores. In support of this idea, supplementation with mammalian siderophore enhances bacterial growth in vitro. In addition, mice lacking the mammalian siderophore resist E. coli infection. Finally, we show that the host responds to infection by suppressing siderophore synthesis while up-regulating lipocalin 24p3 expression via TLR signaling. Thus, reciprocal regulation of 24p3 and mammalian siderophore is a protective mechanism limiting microbial access to iron.
Informed Theory and Measurement Equivalence in Child Development Research

— The role of theory informed by the nature of the population being studied is often overlooked in considering the equivalence of measures across developmental changes, across groups that differ in developmental status, or across groups that differ in participant characteristics. The purpose of this article is to discuss the “best practice” approaches for evaluating measurement equivalence based on such informed theory. This article discusses the role of informed theory in the consideration of various types of measurement equivalence in developmental research, as well as equivalence of translated items and measures.
Influence of atomic order-disorder transitions on the thermopowers of Cu3Au and Cu0.83Pd0.17

Abstract The thermopowers of the related systems Cu3Au and Cu0.83Pd0.17 each have a pronounced change in magnitude and sign with the onset of atomic disorder. However, rather than the similarity in changes predicted by commonly accepted arguments, these changes are essentially “mirror-images” of each other. Electrical resistivity and thermopower data are used to identify individual contributions to the thermopower. The individual contributions show systematic dependences upon the degree of order which are quite different from deductions made using the total thermopower.
Mechanism for the enhanced effect of mowing followed by glyphosate application to resprouts of perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium)

Abstract Herbicides currently registered for use near water have been ineffective for control of perennial pepperweed. Previous research has demonstrated that mowing followed by an application of glyphosate at 3.33 kg ae ha−1 to resprouting tissue can enhance the control of perennial pepperweed. The objectives of this study were to determine the mechanism(s) responsible for the enhanced effectiveness of glyphosate in combination with mowing. Mowing plants altered the leaf area distribution within the canopy. In mowed areas, the majority of leaf area was in the basal third of the canopy, whereas the bulk of the leaf area was in the top third of the canopy in unmowed plots. This change in plant architecture affected the deposition pattern of the spray solution. Unmowed plants retained 49 to 98% and 42 to 83% of a dye solution within the middle and top thirds of the canopy at the Colusa and Woodland sites, respectively, with only 1.9 to 6.0% dye deposited on the basal third of the canopy at both sites. In co...
Six Sigma: Continuous Improvement Toward Excellence

Manufacturing and service organizations attempt to improve their products and processes by decreasing variation, because the competitive global market leaves little room for error. Variation is the biggest enemy of quality that is defined and evaluated by customers. The traditional concept of quality is based on average measures of the process/product and their deviation from the ideal target value. However, customers evaluate the quality of a process/product not only on the basis of the average but also by the variance in each transaction or use of the product. Customers want consistent, reliable, and predictable processes that deliver the best-in-class level of quality.
A history of low back pain affects pelvis and trunk coordination during a sustained manual materials handling task.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the coordination between the trunk and the pelvis during a sustained asymmetric repetitive lifting task between a group with a history of low back pain (LBP; HBP) and a group with no history of LBP (NBP).
Liquid Filled Hourglasses: A Study of Interstitial Fluid Effects on the Kinetic Behavior of Granular Materials

Experimental measurements of discharge rate and observations of flow pattern were made for spherical, monosized particles in a liquid- filled, hourglass shaped container. Different combinations of fluid properties, solid properties and vessel geometry exhibited a range of flow patterns that are described as lubricated, fluidized, oscillatory, or localized channeling discharges. A Bagnold number is used to present the discharge rate and flow regime results.
Intimations of the Finite: Thinking Pragmatically at the End of Modernity

In the years since the uprisings of the late 1960s swept the cultures of Europe and America, the emergence of a radical critique of modernity and the heralding of a corresponding transition into postmodernity have increasingly occupied the minds of many cultural critics, theologians, philosophers, and historians alike. These three decades have witnessed the development of a wide array of differing cultural, social, and conceptual possibilities: the academy, for example, has seen the growth of gender studies and inquiries dedicated to previously marginalized communities, as well as the advancement of postmodern theories of culture, action, and knowledge among practitioners of philosophy, sociology, and theology, among others. The story is by now familiar, and while cataloging these changes itself would be an interesting endeavor, suffice it here to underscore that the interests, orientations, foci, and theoretical approaches of the academy have all changed significantly at the end of the twentieth century. One principal feature of this upheaval-if one can call it a single upheaval-has been the critique of the dominance of the "subject" in modernity, where "subject" denotes the human being (often white and male) or the culture or nation (usually Western and of European origin). While these
Effect of Office Hour Participation on Student Performance

Office hours are available for students to receive extra help outside of class. Unfortunately, this resource is often underutilized by students despite efforts to schedule convenient and accessible office hour times. Previous survey results from students attending a variety of courses in Mechanical Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) have shown a positive correlation between low office hour attendance and the following factors: (i) high understanding of course material, (ii) procrastination and lack of time to seek help before deadlines, and (iii) low time studying materials outside of class. Interestingly, the results of this survey did not support the hypothesis that students who attended more office hours performed better.A new homework grading policy was instituted in Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics I in the fall and spring semesters of the 2013 academic year at RIT. Under this policy, students were required to visit office hours to receive credit for completion of assigned weekly problems. Implementation of this policy has provided quantitative information regarding participation and timing of office hour visits. This investigation will examine the effects of attendance and timing of office hour participation on metrics of performance including final class grades and theoretical understanding as measured by performance on multiple choice test questions.Results presented here suggest that the office hour grading system resulted in high participation rates across a broad range of students. Higher office hour participation rates had a positive impact on student performance in long answer exam problems and low impact on performance in multiple choice questions. While performance was a stronger function office participation at the of end of term than in week five, early semester participation rates can be used as a tool to help identify students at risk of dropping a class or receiving a poor grade.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity often overexpresses p16 but is rarely driven by human papillomavirus.

Summary Objective Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a causal and prognostic factor for oropharyngeal cancer, but its role in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (SCCOC) is unclear. We sought to clarify HPV’s role in SCCOC. Materials and Methods Patients with newly diagnosed SCCOC ( N = 460) were prospectively recruited, treated, and followed at one institution. p16/HPV status was determined by p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) ( N = 210), PCR-based HPV 16/18 E6/7 DNA testing ( N = 403), and/or HPV in situ hybridization (ISH) ( N = 178). Kaplan–Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to compare survival by p16/HPV status. Results p16 expression was detected in 30% of tumors (62/210) and HPV 16/18 E6/7 DNA in 28% (114/403), although correlation between these two assays was poor ( r = −0.01). Patients with p16-positive tumors were more likely to be younger and have primary tumors of the oral tongue. Only 4% of tumors (7/171) were positive for HPV by ISH. Comparisons of patients with p16-positive and p16-negative tumors, patients with HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumors by PCR, and patients with HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumors by ISH showed no significant differences in disease-specific or disease-free survival by p16/HPV status. When we applied a more stringent definition of HPV positivity based on a combination of assay results, only 10 of 166 tumors were HPV positive, and there were no significant differences in demographic, exposure, clinical, or survival characteristics between these patients and the 156 HPV-negative patients. Conclusions Very few patients with SCCOC have HPV-driven tumors. SCCOC that overexpresses p16 may be a unique subset deserving of further study.
Female Reproductive Potential and Its Apparent Evaluation by Male Mammals

Among mammals it has been widely supposed that females are more discriminatory than males in mate selection. Little attention has focused on a related issue, whether males evaluate potential female mates. Data on bison ( Bison bison ) and possibly other mammals suggest that males discriminate among females based on female reproductive potential. Evidence is presented that older (≥6 year) males not only outnumber younger males early in the rut when females of higher fecundity are available for breeding, but that older males actively select and copulate with females that have greater probabilities of bearing offspring in the subsequent season. Although the proximate mechanism of mate selection has yet to be identified, the data may explain some previously misunderstood anomalies in male breeding behavior and they demonstrate previously undescribed, subtle discriminations made by male mammals.
Investigation on status of human immunodeficiency virus infection among immigrant women in rural areas of Lianyungang city

Objective To understand the status of human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) infection among immigrant women in rural areas of Lianyungang city.Methods A face-to-face investigation was conducted through household visit,and the blood samples were collected for HIV antibody test,in the meanwhile,977 persons who selected by randomly took part in a questionnaire survey.Results There were 80.66% immigrant women in rural areas came from Yunnan,Guizhou and Sichuan Provinces,21 infections were detected with HIV-positive,the prevalence for HIV was 0.24%(21/8833).Eight of whom transmitted by husbands to wife or wife to husband;the prevalence of horizontal transmission in couples was 38.10%;the prevalence was 14.29% by vertical transmission.It was shown that the knowledge rate of awareness about HIV/AIDS was higher in women,12.78% of them had risk sexual behavior;condom use rate was 56.69% when had sex intercourse with non-spouse.Conclusion A long-term mechanism for management should be established to discover infections as early as possible by knowing the relevant information of immigrant women,enforcing HIV detection and health education,integrating with routine work of VCT to carry out screening for pre-married and prenatal women.
Threads for tear film collection and support in quantitative amino acid analysis

The collection of tears for chemical composition analysis is complicated by both the difficulty in sampling the tear film and the relatively low microliter volumes available for analysis. The experiments in this study are focused on the demonstration of a method for determining amino acids from tear samples. Phenol red thread was used to absorptively collect tear fluid for qualitative and quantitative analyses of amino acids in basal, reflex, and emotional tears. The thread is also used as a support for sample preparation followed by elution with a buffer. The phenol red indicator on the thread turns from yellow to red with 15-s tear absorption and allows accurate volume measurement from 100 nL to over 1 μL. Derivatization of amino acids was performed directly on the thread with primary amine reactive fluorescamine for fluorescence detection. Analyte elution was performed via centrifugation with the thread in a pipet tip suspended in a centrifuge tube. Collected tear eluate was analyzed via capillary electrophoresis with LED-induced fluorescence. Glycine, glutamate, and aspartate were baseline resolved and used for method characterization. Recoveries were at 50 % for a single derivation and elution step but average recoveries near 90 % were found with two-step processing. Glutamate and aspartate are shown to be stable stored on thread for 3 days. Basal, reflex, and emotional tears were analyzed from three subjects showing distinct amino acid profiles for each tear type. The demonstration of this method may facilitate the development of routine tear compositional analysis to assess ocular health. Graphical Abstract Schematic drawing of thread-based tear collection and quantitative analysis.
An Exploratory Study of Health Literacy and African American Adolescents

ABSTRACTAdolescents are increasingly involved with their health care, but little information is available about the health literacy of adolescents from vulnerable populations. Although African American youth are significantly impacted by health disparities, there is almost no research on African American youth and health literacy. This exploratory study conducted 48 semi-structured interviews with African American adolescents ages 14 to 17 in the United States. The interview questions addressed use of mass media, experience and preferences getting health information, and interactions with health care providers. We also administered the Rapid Estimate of Adolescent Literacy in Medicine (REALM-Teen). We found that 65% of the sample had low health literacy. We also found important differences by health literacy level for three health literacy domains for health information: obtain, understand, and process. Respondents with lower health literacy reported having more trouble understanding information from heal...
Promoting Self-Care Skills

Publisher Summary The overall goal of obtaining self-care skills extends beyond maintaining basic life functions and securing independence. A focus on personal development, personal aspirations, and empowerment has replaced the individual deficit view that once served as the central paradigm guiding assessment and intervention for persons with disabilities. Self-care adaptive skills are assessed on the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-II across age ranges (0–89 years) and across forms. The development of self-care skills is often contingent upon motor skills, self control, social understanding, and cognitive skills. Demonstration of self-care skills also can be contingent on attitudinal and motivational factors. The heterogeneity of strengths and deficits among persons with various disabilities, and even among those with similar disabilities, creates a plethora of conditions that impact development, performance, and maintenance of self-care skills.
Induced nanoparticle aggregation for short nucleic acid quantification by depletion isotachophoresis.

A rapid (<20 min) gel-membrane biochip platform for the detection and quantification of short nucleic acids is presented based on a sandwich assay with probe-functionalized gold nanoparticles and their separation into concentrated bands by depletion-generated gel isotachophoresis. The platform sequentially exploits the enrichment and depletion phenomena of an ion-selective cation-exchange membrane created under an applied electric field. Enrichment is used to concentrate the nanoparticles and targets at a localized position at the gel-membrane interface for rapid hybridization. The depletion generates an isotachophoretic zone without the need for different conductivity buffers, and is used to separate linked nanoparticles from isolated ones in the gel medium and then by field-enhanced aggregation of only the linked particles at the depletion front. The selective field-induced aggregation of the linked nanoparticles during the subsequent depletion step produces two lateral-flow like bands within 1 cm for easy visualization and quantification as the aggregates have negligible electrophoretic mobility in the gel and the isolated nanoparticles are isotachophoretically packed against the migrating depletion front. The detection limit for 69-base single-stranded DNA targets is 10 pM (about 10 million copies for our sample volume) with high selectivity against nontargets and a three decade linear range for quantification. The selectivity and signal intensity are maintained in heterogeneous mixtures where the nontargets outnumber the targets 10,000 to 1. The selective field-induced aggregation of DNA-linked nanoparticles at the ion depletion front is attributed to their trailing position at the isotachophoretic front with a large field gradient.
Active photo-thermal self-healing of shape memory polyurethanes

Structural health monitoring (SHM) has received significant interest over the past decade and has led to the development of a wide variety of sensors and signal processing techniques to determine the presence of changes or damage in a structural system. The topic has attracted significant attention due to the safety and performance enhancing benefits as well as the potential lifesaving capabilities offered by the technology. While the resulting systems are capable of sensing their surrounding structural and environmental conditions, few methods exist for using the information to autonomously react and repair or protect the system. One of the major challenges in the future implementation of SHM systems is their coupling with materials that can react to the damage to heal themselves and return to normal function. The coupling of self-healing materials with SHM has the potential to significantly prolong the lifetime of structural systems and extend the required inspection intervals. In the present study, an optical fiber based self-healing system composed of mendable polyurethanes based on the thermally reversible Diels–Alder (DA) reaction is developed. Inspired by health monitoring techniques, active photo-thermal sensing and actuation is achieved using infrared laser light passing through an optical fiber and a thermal power sensor to detect the presence of cracking in the structure. Healing is triggered as the crack propagates through the polymer and fractures the embedded optical fiber. Through a feedback loop, the detected power drop by the sensor is utilized as a signal to heat the cracked area and stimulate the shape memory effect of the polyurethane and the retro-DA reaction. The healing performance results indicate that this novel integrated system can be effectively employed to monitor the incidence of damage and actively heal a crack in the polymer.
Implementation and Testing of the Dantzig-Wolfe Procedure

This chapter discusses the AMPL implementation and results for running the IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 30-bus systems. The environment for the AMPL modeling software is discussed regarding how to specify the model, data, and run-file information.
On The Efficiency of Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) occurs when redox reactions between oxidizing and reducing species generated electrochemically result in the production of light. Since the reactant species are frequently radical ions, this luminescence is sometimes called radical ion chemiluminescence, although a number of cases of ECL have now been described where at least one of the reacting partners is not a radical ion. Because a number of reviews (1-6) on ECL have appeared since the initial experiments described in 1964, only a brief outline of the methods and recent results will be presented here. A review of the experimental methods in ECL and an outline of the results of the as yet unreviewed research of 19701972 will appear shortly. (7)
Relationship between infant malnutrition and childhood maltreatment in a Barbados lifespan cohort.

ABSTRACTChildhood malnutrition and maltreatment (abuse, neglect) are both prevalent, particularly in resource-limited settings. Despite their known negative impact on child development, there is surprisingly little research documenting their interrelationships. To address this gap, we administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – Short Form (CTQ-SF), a retrospective structured self-report of childhood abuse and neglect, in a Barbadian cohort of 77 adult survivors of infant malnutrition, limited to the first year of life, and 62 healthy controls from the same classrooms and neighborhoods (mean age ± SD = 43.8 ± 2.3 years). This cohort has been followed since birth. Using factor analysis and comparison with archival data addressing similar constructs, we found evidence for reliability and validity of the CTQ-SF in this population. Linear regression analyses, with and without adjusting for childhood household standard of living at three childhood ages, revealed that a history of infant malnutrition was s...
A cohesive zone model and scaling analysis for mixed-mode interfacial fracture

Abstract A semi-analytical methodology is developed to study mixed-mode interface fracture that combines beam theory and cohesive zone interactions. The method is validated with predictions from a non-linear commercial finite element package and results in the literature. Compared to commercial finite element packages, the method is significantly faster ( > 1000X) and robustly converges. Scaling equations are extracted that predict load, crack length, damage zone length and mode-mix. These equations can be used to extract cohesive zone interactions from experimentally obtained load-displacement data.
Approximation to Boltzmann transport in semiconductor devices

There is hierarchy of models of electron transport in semiconductor device. A complete physical description is provided by the Schrodinger equations, which are numerically too intensive to implement. A simplified model is the drift-diffusion model, which has been successfully used to design devices larger than 0.25μ. The Boltzmann transport equation is a great simplification over the Schrodinger equations model, yet it contains much of the physics; see [1]. The solution of the Boltzmann equation is obtained by computationally expensive Monte Carlo techniques [2]. This motivated several simplified approaches, notably the hydrodynamic model and the drift-diffusion model (see [3] and the references given there). Another approximation to the Boltzmann equation has been developed by Hagan, Cox and Wagner [4] (see also [5; Chap. 11] and the last chapter in this volume).
Lentigo Maligna, Lentigo Maligna Melanoma In Situ and Lentigo Maligna Melanoma

The spectrum of severely atypical melanocytic proliferations in sun-damaged skin of the elderly ranges from a proliferation of scattered individual cells along the dermal epidermal junction (lentigo maligna), to a dense proliferation of tumor cells that replaces the epidermis with nesting, confluence and pagetoid spread (lentigo maligna melanoma in situ). When the tumor cells invade the dermis, this is invasive melanoma. Below are the criteria for distinguishing these three steps in melanocytic neoplasia.
At the flick of a switch.

Voltage control of recently discovered two-dimensional magnets has been demonstrated, highlighting their potential for low-power data storage.
Medical Treatment: Alternative Medicine and Glaucoma

When patients ask this sort of a question, seize this opportunity to bond with them. Do not dismiss such a question in a trivial manner. Such a question typically comes from newly diagnosed glaucoma patients who are in the initial phases of acquiring knowledge about their condition and learning about you, the physician. The question is usually not meant to challenge your knowledge about glaucoma. Use this question as a stepping-stone to explain the natural history of glaucoma and what one can expect from conventional therapy. If the patient senses an aloof approach from you, how will they respond if you actually recommend something invasive like a trabeculectomy, even when such a recommendation is totally appropriate? Glaucoma is a life-long condition and providing knowledgeable answers to this type of question will go a long way toward building a healthy patient–physician relationship.
CHAPTER 8 – The Digital Computer

This chapter summarizes the history and development of the digital computer and focuses on those parts of a computer with which the user interacts. Theinformation revolution, also known as the “third revolution,” which the digital computer heralded 50 years ago has profoundly changed the way society in general works and interacts. Even though electronics in its beginning was strictly analog, with the advent of high-speed circuits, digital techniques quickly evolved and are now dominant with a wide range of digital devices available. Programming languages are the tools for communicating with a computer. The chapter closes with a discussion on the operating systems that act as a computer's manager that controls the basic functions of a computer. There are two primary categories of software: operating systems and applications. Operating-system software is designed to perform system and computer management utility and/or “housekeeping” functions such as directing the central processor in the loading, storage, and execution of programs and in accessing files, controlling monitors, controlling memory storage devices, and interpreting keyboard commands.
4 – Advanced Gaussian Filters

This chapter describes robust filtering techniques for 3-D surfaces. With robust algorithms even highly strained surfaces can be filtered without distortion of functionally relevant surface details such as laser spots and honing marks in engine bore surfaces or EDM-craters in steel sheet. The chapter focuses on the development of the robust Gaussian regression filter, which has proved to be a powerful tool for the evaluation of 3-D surface topography. By changing the order of the filter it can approximate to any form. Its robust algorithm reduces the effect of outliers and provides significant results with functional stratified surfaces, that is, beating faces, engine bore surfaces or rolling faces. The implementation of the 3-D surface filter into the geometrical product specification (GPS) standard chain format is also discussed. The 2D version of this filter is to be implemented in the German automotive industry in the future. Additionally, the 2D version of the filter has already been delivered as Technical Report to ISO.
22Ne(d,p)23Ne reaction and neutron balance in the s process.

One possible source of neutrons for the astrophysical {ital s} process is the {sup 22}Ne({alpha},{ital n}){sup 25}Mg reaction. However, the number of neutrons available to synthesize heavy elements may be limited by the rate of the {sup 22}Ne({ital n},{gamma}){sup 23}Ne reaction. To aid in the interpretation of recent ({ital n},{gamma}) measurements, we have used the {sup 22}Ne({ital d},{ital p}){sup 23}Ne reaction to investigate the single-particle structure of states located near the {sup 22}Ne+{ital n} threshold. No states that correspond to astrophysically significant resonances were found, and so the ({ital n},{gamma}) rate is effectively determined by direct capture.
What is Social Choice Theory

Social Choice Theory is the study of systems and institutions for making collective choices, choices that affect a group of people.
The Question of How the Dorsal Horn Encodes Sensory Information

The dorsal gray matter of the mammalian spinal cord is the origin of ascending somatosensory pathways. Impulses from thermoreceptive, nociceptive, and mechanoreceptive afferents excite various types of second-order neurons of the dorsal horn. Radical transformations are made of these inputs in such a manner that responses to somatosensory stimuli do not simply passively reflect the responses of cutaneous receptors. These transformations have important implications for perception of somatosensory sensations. The dorsal horn also is the central focal point for autonomic and somatomotor reflexes initiated by stimulation of body tissues. This region clearly does not function autonomously but is under the influence of several descending control mechanisms. For these reasons and others, it is important to characterize these afferent input—output relationships in terms of their role in encoding sensory information.
Step time asymmetry increases metabolic energy expenditure during running

To improve locomotor performance, coaches and clinicians encourage individuals with unilateral physical impairments to minimize biomechanical asymmetries. Yet, it is unknown if biomechanical asymmetries per se, affect metabolic energy expenditure in individuals with or without unilateral impairments during running. Thus, inter-leg biomechanical asymmetries may or may not influence distance-running performance. Purpose: We sought to determine whether running with asymmetric step times affects metabolic rate in unimpaired individuals. Methods: Ten unimpaired individuals were instructed to run on a force-measuring treadmill at 2.8 m/s and contact the ground simultaneously to the beat of an audible metronome. The metronome either played at time intervals equal to the respective participant’s preferred step times (0% asymmetry), or at time intervals that elicited asymmetric step times between legs (7, 14, and 21% step time asymmetry); stride time remained constant across all trials. We measured ground reaction forces and metabolic rates during each trial. Results: Every 10% increase in step time and stance average vertical ground reaction force asymmetry increased net metabolic power by 3.5%. Every 10% increase in ground contact time asymmetry increased net metabolic power by 7.8%. More asymmetric peak braking and peak propulsive ground reaction forces, leg stiffness, as well as positive and negative external mechanical work, but not peak vertical ground reaction force, increased net metabolic power during running. Step time asymmetry increases the net metabolic power of unimpaired individuals during running. Therefore, unimpaired individuals likely optimize distance-running performance by using symmetric step times and overall symmetric biomechanics.
Aluminum metal–organic frameworks for sorption in solution: A review

Abstract This Review covers the progress of research on sorption on aluminum metal–organic frameworks, Al-MOFs in the liquid phase within the recent 5 years and the relevant earlier reports. Al-MOFs show the versatility in the structure, an exceptional chemical and structural stability at the elevated temperatures, in air, water and organic solvents, high capacity and selectivity in the sorption, separations, purification, heterogeneous catalysis, sensing. This focused critical Review includes the research on the following aspects of Al-MOFs: 1) their activation and thermal stability; 2) stability in water and aqueous solutions; 3) sorption of organic dyes, miscellaneous organic and inorganic compounds in water; 4) stability in organic solvents, and sorption of organic compounds of various classes e.g. N-heterocyclic and S-heterocyclic compounds from liquid fuels, and 5) the industrial-scale synthesis and emerging large-scale applications. The perspectives and limitations of a wide industrial use of Al-MOFs are outlined. The particular focus is on the mechanisms of activation and molecular interactions with the adsorbate during the sorption/desorption: the π-π, Lewis and Bronsted acid-base interactions, ionic, coordination and hydrogen bonding, “breathing”, sterical match between the “guest” molecule and nanopores in Al-MOFs, and non-specific interactions. The current knowledge gaps are highlighted and the unexplored application niches are revealed.
The Scientific and Social Implications of Unblinding a Study Subject.

Bias can occur at multiple levels throughout a clinical trial and has the potential to undermine the validity and accuracy of a study. Bias is best described as the “difference between the true val...