cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The optical absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra of Re4+ in the cubic hosts, Cs2ZrCl6, Cs2NaYCl6, and Cs2ZrBr6

The magnetic circular dichroism (M.C.D.) and absorption spectra of ReCl6 2- and ReBr6 2- have been measured at liquid helium temperatures in the crystalline hosts Cs2ZrCl6, Cs2NaYCl6, and Cs2ZrBr6 over the energy regions 13 000–39 000 cm-1, 28 000–40 000 cm-1 and 19 000–31 000 cm-1 respectively. All of the observed bands are assigned to allowed or parity forbidden charge-transfer transitions, except those in ReCl6 2- at energies between 13 000 and 16 000 cm-1, for which the M.C.D. spectra support the d-d interpretation of earlier work. The experimental data have been compared with predicted spectra based on a model which includes spin-orbit coupling and electrostatic interactions within the metal and ligand configurations, but neglects metal-ligand electrostatic interactions except as perturbations. Comparisons have been made with the spectra of OsX6 2- and IrX6 2- whenever appropriate, and it is suggested that the spin-orbit splitting of the t 1u (π + σ) ligand orbital in the chloride complexes is ∼ 1500...
Cost effectiveness of EUS for preoperative localization of pancreatic endocrine tumors

Abstract Background: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is highly accurate in the localization of small pancreatic tumors. We determined the cost effectiveness of EUS used early in the preoperative evaluation of pancreatic endocrine tumors. Methods: In a study with a case-control design, 36 patients (19 men, 17 women) who underwent preoperative EUS were matched retrospectively with 36 patients who underwent surgical exploration immediately before the introduction of EUS. The number, cost, and effectiveness of preoperative localization studies, days of hospitalization, and surgical and anesthesia times were assessed. Results: The EUS group had reduced charges for preoperative localization studies: $2620 versus $4846 per patient ( p p Conclusion: EUS is highly accurate in the localization of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and is cost effective when used early in the preoperative localization strategy. EUS decreased the need for additional invasive tests and avoided unnecessary morbidity and resource consumption. EUS should play a primary role in preoperative localization of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. (Gastrointest Endosc 1999;49:19-25.)
Could cooperative MAC protocols improve performance in multi-hop wireless ad hoc networks?

The study in this paper investigates the use of (single-hop) cooperative medium access control (MAC) protocols in multi-hop radio networks. The objective is to assess whether the cooperative MAC protocols available in literature can improve performance in multi-hop ad hoc networks. A simulation based comparison is carried out in order to evaluate the potential performance gains and other benefits. The comparison is purposefully carried out over static and pre-computed routes to capture the full magnitude of the potential gains brought about by the cooperative MAC protocols, regardless of the routing protocol in use. Results indicate that performance gains are highly dependent on the type of cooperative MAC protocol adopted.
Dense wavelength division multiplexing photonic transport for wireless access systems

Transporting PCS and BWA over a DWDM photonic transport system can meet system performance over the 40 km requirement. Both the PCS and BWA can be transported over longer distances however the PCS is limited by system timing requirements. Transporting these services over fiber at the native frequencies will provide both BWA and PCS networks operators with benefits such as incremental increase in coverage, increased capacity by extensively re-using assigned spectrum, and centralization of expensive transmission and control equipment, making the deployment of the above services quicker and less expensive.
Quantifying global plasmaspheric images with in situ observations

Simultaneous IMAGE EUV plasmaspheric images and Magnetospheric Plasma Analyzer (MPA) data from the Los Alamos National Laboratory's geosynchronous satellites are combined to understand plasmaspheric behavior and to quantify the global images. A brief review of the understanding of the plasmasphere as learned from in situ observations prior to the launch of IMAGE is given to place the results presented here into context.
Bifurcation Analysis Near a Double Eigenvalue of a Model Chemical Reaction.

In this paper we analyze the steady-state bifurcations from the trivial solution of the reaction-diffusion equations associated to a model chemical reaction, the so-called Brusselator. The present analysis concentrates on the case when the first bifurcation is from a double eigenvalue. The dependence of the bifurcation diagrams on various parameters and perturbations is analyzed. The results of reference [2] are invoked to show that further complications in the model would not lead to new behavior.
Structural and spectroscopic comparisons of tris(2-(diphenylphosphino)ethyl)aminecopper(I) tetraphenylborate, [(NP3)Cu](BPh4), with gold(I) and silver(I) [(NP3)M]X (X=BPh4, NO3, PF6) complexes

Abstract The ligand tris(2-(diphenylphosphino)ethyl)amine (NP3) reacts with CuCl in CH2Cl2 to produce the monomeric complex [(NP3)Cu](BPh4), (1). Unlike the Au(I) and Ag(I) derivatives, this material is weakly 4-coordinate with a trigonal CuP3 coordination and somewhat long Cu–N bonding to the tertiary N atom. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n (No. 14) with cell constants: a=21.068(8) A, b=18.546(2) A, c=31.523(6) A, β=107.02(2)° and Z=8. Refinement of 12572 reflections and 1075 parameters yields R=0.0927 and Rw=0.1980. This structure completes the Cu, Ag, Au triad of NP3 complexes. The 3-coordinate mononuclear and binuclear Au(I) NP3 complexes, [(NP3)Au]X (X=BPh4, PF6, NO3) and [(NP3)2Au2]X2 (X=BPh4, PF6), all show a brilliant luminescence under UV radiation. This emission has been studied in detail and is attributed to a metal-centered pz→(dx2−y2,dxy) transition. The Cu(I) complex is not luminescent in the visible spectral region.
DARwIn’s evolution: development of a humanoid robot

The Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with Intelligence (DARwIn), a humanoid robot, is a sophisticated hardware platform used for studying bipedal gaits that has evolved over time. Three version of DARwIn have been developed, each an improvement on its predecessor. The first version, DARwIn 0.0, was used as a design study to determine the feasibility of creating a small-scale humanoid robot. The second version, DARwIn 1.0, used improved gaits and software. The third version, DARwIn 2.0 has not only even better gaits and control software, but also has artificial intelligence. The platform is primarily used as a research tool for studying bipedal and humanoid locomotion. Additionally, DARwIn 2.0 has been tailored for the international autonomous robot soccer competition, Robocup.
At the Threshold of Dissolution: the National Liberals and Bismarck 1877/1878*

Allied to Bismarck and more national than liberal, the National Liberal party split the liberal movement and became the largest and most successful party in Germany from 1867 to 1879. But it acted singularly ineffectively when it plunged headlong into the greatest crisis of its history by failing to support tax legislation during a year-long negotiation with Bismarck begun in the summer of 1877. For one thing, the party focused its attention on a single issue when many were at stake, any one of which could have been an obstacle to an agreement with Bismarck. Secondly, although its factions had continually demonstrated their willingness to reach unanimity, these agreements had taken so long to develop and lasted so briefly that in effect the party spent the greater part of a critical year in opposition to Bismarck. Furthermore, by weakening the degree of its commitments in response to Bismarck's hostility towards its demands, the National Liberal party appeared indecisive, unreliable and deceptive. The issue which had produced this inept behaviour was the implementation of the party goal of maintaining parliamentary power in Germany, specifically of assuring to the Reichstag the right to vote annually the sources of the revenue of the imperial government. The story of that issue is the concern of this article. It argues that knowledge of the tensions generated by divergent principles and goals on parliamentary rights will clarify both the schismatic tendencies and the character of the National Liberal party in the later 1870s. Thus the proper assessment of the role that the issue played in the history of the party requires that the actual decision-making process be counted at least equally with agreements. Whether continual co-operation among National Liberals on parliamentary rights was based upon increased hostility or cordiality has remained the critical and unanswered practical question.
Using Berry’s phase for position-sensitive acoustical and stress detection

Berry showed that a quantum system, upon an excursion around a closed path in phase space, can lead to a geometric phase. The polarization state of light in a fiber is a classical analog that is called the Pancharantnam phase. While most experiments have focused on esoteric issues, I show that, in theory, Berry’s phase (or Pancharantnam’s phase) can be used to make a position-sensitive acoustical or stress sensor.
Finitely additive representation of Lp spaces

Abstract Let λ ¯ be any atomless and countably additive probability measure on the product space { 0 , 1 } N with the usual σ-algebra. Then there is a purely finitely additive probability measure λ on the power set of a countable subset T ⊂ T ¯ such that L p ( λ ¯ ) can be isometrically isomorphically embedded as a closed subspace of L p ( λ ) . The embedding is strict. It is also ‘canonical,’ in the sense that it maps simple and continuous functions on T ¯ to their restrictions to T.
Diagnosis of innervation-related motility disorders of the gut and basic aspects of enteric nervous system development.

Motility disorders of the gut in children have become a matter of increasing concern for the pediatric surgeon. Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is the most common disease requiring surgery in early infancy. While this entity was first described as early as 1888 by Hirschsprung, its etiology and pathogenesis are still an enigma. Fortunately, its surgical treatment is simple and safe, which cannot be said of all other motility disorders of the infantile gut.
Human Beings and Human Becomings

The dominant approach to youth ministry in the United States is a developmental model wherein outcomes of maturity are granted normative authority. Preoccupation with development has made our attention to young people’s experience of divine action problematic if not impossible. Offering an interpretive corrective, by introducing childhood studies as an interdisciplinary partner alternative to developmental psychology, and a theological corrective by drawing on the eschatological theology of Jurgen Moltmann, I provide rationale for youth workers to recognise and participate in God’s action in the lives of young people, even those who will not progress according to standards of spiritual maturity. 1
The political market for real income redistribution through choice of the weights in COLAs

This paper studies alternative cost-of-living indexes derived from the generalized Fechner-Thurstone (GFT) utility form, their use in contracts for cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), and the resulting effect of choice of index on the distribution of real income. The indexes and their distributional effects are compared to the officially reported Consumer Price Index (CPI) and a CPI computed from the same data set used to compute the GFT indexes. It is found that the choice of index used in adjustment clauses in contracts has an impact on the distribution of real income of the group. As an example, the U.S. federal government schedule of wages and salaries is adjusted from 1981 through 1984 by all of the indexes reported here. Use of alternative indexes illuminates the normative assumptions regarding the relative importance of different income strata (among other things) implicit in any public practice of pegging COLAs to a single form of price index.
Hester Prynne's Individuality in a Puritanical Community

During the nineteenth century, the theme of the individual in opposition to the community was prolific in politics, culture, and literature. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne, the bearer of the scarlet letter, struggles with her community’s ostricization of her because she commits adultery, resulting in a pregnancy. Although the isolation is difficult for her, she maintains her dignity through her sustaining strength. Although the community solely blames Hester for the sin because she is the mother of her illegitimate child, Pearl, Hester is not the only one who suffers as the individual excluded from the community. As one of the reverends in the community, Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale’s unresolved guilt isolates him from his parish. The community isolates Pearl because she has an irrevocable connection to her mother and her mother’s sin. Community is a singular thing, but it is made up of individuals. As soon as an individual rebels from the group, as Hester does, the entire group must denounce the individual because she mars their image as a whole, and as individuals. When it comes to religion, a community must disapprove wholeheartedly, especially of Hester’s deviant sin. Ignoring the sin implies acceptance and therefore approval. The community needs to show God and its church that it condemns the sin and the sinner and are more devout Puritans than the individual.
The Battle Over Drug Preemption Reaches the Supreme Court: How Wide the Impact?

The extent to which FDA decisions preempt tort liability for prescription drugs has become an important and contentious issue. The agency has issued a Preemption Policy that favors preemption when a drug manufacturer consults with the agency about a risk. The Supreme Court has considered two preemption cases this term and is expected to make an important ruling on drug preemption next term in Wyeth v. Levine. Wyeth has some unusual factors, though, since the label had a warning about the risks from the method of administration, and the plaintiff's expert testified that the label should not have allowed the method at all. The most important and difficult preemption question is the liability for risks that are found from use after the drug is on the market. This paper will examine the factors that could limit the scope of the Wyeth decision. Instead of having a broad rule that there never is preemption or there always is preemption, a better approach is to focus preemption on matters that the agency has specifically addressed based on current and accurate information. The consultation process between the agency and the drug company also needs to be made more transparent about the information available about emerging risks.
QP-S — The Electron Acceptor of Succinate Dehydrogenase

A ubiquinone protein called QP-S accepts electrons from succinate via succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). A method, different from the previously reported one from this laboratory (Biochemistry 19, 3579), produced a new preparation of QP-S. The old preparation has been found by chemical sequencing to be a mixture containing a significant amount of QP-C (another QP acting in the cytochrome b and c 1 region). The new QP-S is entirely different from the old QP-S by SDS-gel electrophoretic pattern and amino acid composition. These two aspects are similar to that reported by Hatefi and Galante (J. Biol. Chem. 255, 5530). However, the new QP-S contains only 0.2–0.6 nmol b/mg protein and its activity is completely independent of cytochrome b. The new QP-S has been shown to be structurally reconstitutive with SDH to form succinate-Q reductase.
Replacing synthetic N with clovers or alfalfa in bermudagrass pastures. 1. Herbage mass and pasture carrying capacity

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of including alfalfa (ALF, Medicago sativa L.) or a combination of white (Trifolium repens L.) and red (Trifolium pretense L.) clovers (CLVR) inter-seeded into bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) on herbage nutritive value compared with monocultures of bermudagrass fertilised with 0 (0N), 56 (56N), or 112 (112N) kg nitrogen (N)/ha over four grazing seasons. In autumn, at the end of the fourth year and in the spring before the fifth grazing season, alfalfa and clover plants were killed and the carryover N benefit of CLVR or ALF was compared with N fertilisation rates during the fifth year. Across years, N fertilisation rate increased herbage mass and carrying capacity linearly; whereas herbage production from CLVR and ALF swards was equivalent to 56N, were greater than 0N and less than 112N. Herbage mass in CLVR and ALF swards was greater than fertilised bermudagrass swards in the spring and did not differ from fertilised bermudagrass in the early summer. In late summer herbage accumulation of CLVR and ALF swards appeared to decrease, limiting the herbage mass in the legume pastures compared with 56N and 112N. Carrying capacity of CLVR and ALF swards was greater than fertilised bermudagrass in the spring and early summer, but did not differ from fertilised swards in the late summer. The N benefit of including legumes in bermudagrass swards can alleviate the reliance on synthetic N fertilisation with little overall effect on pasture carrying capacity.
Fabrication and electrical characterization of silicon nanowire arrays

High density boron-doped silicon nanowire arrays were fabricated within the pores of anodized alumina membranes via vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth Anodized alumina membranes with a nominal pore diameter of 200 nm served as templates for the sequential electrodeposition of silver, cobalt, and gold which served as the backside electrical contact, ohmic contact metal and catalyst metal for VLS growth, respectively. Boron-doped silicon nanowires were then synthesized within the pores by VLS growth using silane (SiH4) and trimethylboron (TMB) gas sources. Arrays of Al dots were deposited on the top surface of the membrane after nanowire growth. A series of samples was prepared with different SiNW lengths and boron doping levels. Two point probe measurements were used to measure the I-V characteristics of the silicon nanowire arrays before and after annealing. Nanowire resistivity and contact resistance were determined from plots of resistance versus nanowire length. The resistivity of the SiNW was observed to decrease with the addition of TMB during growth.
Contact Mortality of the Alfalfa Weevil Parasite Microctonus aethiopoides1 from Insecticide Residues on Alfalfa234

The toxicities of residues of carbofuran (Furadan®), methyl parathion, methoxychlor, and methidathion (Supracide®) were evaluated in the laboratory against Microctonus aethiopoides Loan, an alfalfa weevil parasite. Adult parasites were exposed at different time intervals to alfalfa plants previously treated with insecticides. Applied dosages approximated field application rates. Carbofuran was the most toxic insecticide through day 7 but induced only 10% mortality by the 10th day. Methidathion was highly toxic to the parasites 2 days postspray and almost totally dissipated after 1 wk. Methoxychlor residue was the least toxic initially but most persistent, inducing ca. 10% mortality 2 wk later. Methyl parathion residues, although causing 100% mortality immediately postspray, declined sharply 24 h later and caused 0% mortality by day 5.
Power and access in the public hearings of city council meetings

This article investigates the public hearings of a northeast Ohio city’s council meetings. Using grounded theory, conversation analysis (CA), and critical discourse analysis (CDA), the article examines the discourse exchanges between government officials and the general public during public hearings, access to the legislative process leading up to the public hearings, and access to the agenda that controls the topics and method in which the meetings are run. Results demonstrate that although the public has access to the public hearings, their access is controlled and restricted not only during the hearings but in the entire legislative, agenda-setting, and decision-making processes preceding the hearings.
Nanostructures of functionalized gold nanoparticles prepared by particle lithography with organosilanes.

Periodic arrays of organosilane nanostructures were prepared with particle lithography to define sites for selective adsorption of functionalized gold nanoparticles. Essentially, the approach for nanoparticle lithography consists of procedures with two masks. First, latex mesospheres were used as a surface mask for deposition of an organosilane vapor, to produce an array of holes within a covalently bonded, organic thin film. The latex particles were readily removed with solvent rinses to expose discrete patterns of nanosized holes of uncovered substrate. The nanostructured film of organosilanes was then used as a surface mask for a second patterning step, with immersion in a solution of functionalized nanoparticles. Patterned substrates were fully submerged in a solution of surface-active gold nanoparticles coated with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane. Regularly shaped, nanoscopic areas of bare substrate produced by removal of the latex mask provided sites to bind silanol-terminated gold nanoparticles, a...
Effects of Ply Stacking Sequence in 3D Fiber Reinforced Foam Core Sandwich Structures with Defects

Foam core sandwich composites are widely used in primary structural components of launch vehicles and spacecraft. These structures exhibit complex failure modes and are highly sensitive to butt-joints, core mismatches, impact damage, voids, and facesheet delaminations. 3D Fiber Reinforced Foam Cores (3DFRFC) represent a new class of core material designed to replace standard foam core in future aerospace structures. An analysis program is being developed to investigate the effect of ply stacking sequence on debond buckling in 3DFRFC structures with defects. The detailed microstructure is modeled using the embedded element method to investigate the local interaction between the facesheet and the core. Linear and nonlinear buckling analysis was used to understand the sensitivity of the predicted buckling load to the ply stacking sequence. Preliminary results show that the effect of ply stacking sequence on the buckling load is consistent across variations to the core types, modeling methods, and defect sizes investigated.
Intravascular pressure enhances the abundance of functional Kv1.5 channels at the surface of arterial smooth muscle cells

Voltage-dependent potassium (K(v)) channels are present in various cell types, including smooth muscle cells (myocytes) of resistance-sized arteries that control systemic blood pressure and regional organ blood flow. Intravascular pressure depolarizes arterial myocytes, stimulating calcium (Ca(2+)) influx through voltage-dependent Ca(2+) (Ca(v)) channels that results in vasoconstriction and also K(+) efflux through K(v) channels that oppose vasoconstriction. We hypothesized that pressure-induced depolarization may not only increase the open probability of plasma membrane-resident K(v) channels but also increase the abundance of these channels at the surface of arterial myocytes to limit vasoconstriction. We found that K(v)1.5 and K(v)2.1 proteins were abundant in the myocytes of resistance-sized mesenteric arteries. K(v)1.5, but not K(v)2.1, continuously recycled between the intracellular compartment and the plasma membrane in contractile arterial myocytes. Using ex vivo preparations of intact arteries, we showed that physiological intravascular pressure through membrane depolarization or membrane depolarization in the absence of pressure inhibited the degradation of internalized K(v)1.5 and increased recycling of K(v)1.5 to the plasma membrane. Accordingly, by stimulating the activity of Ca(v)1.2, membrane depolarization increased whole-cell K(v)1.5 current density in myocytes and K(v)1.5 channel activity in pressurized arteries. In contrast, the total amount and cell surface abundance of K(v)2.1 were independent of intravascular pressure or membrane potential. Thus, our data indicate that intravascular pressure-induced membrane depolarization selectively increased K(v)1.5 surface abundance to increase K(v) currents in arterial myocytes, which would limit vasoconstriction.
CMOS Bandgap Reference Design by Means of Adaptive Feedback Control

Based on the principle of piecewise compensation,a novel high-order compensation technique with adaptive feedback control scheme for bandgap reference is proposed.This method focuses on forming multiple local extrema of the curve of reference voltage instead of single valley or peak in the entire operating temperature range,which significantly improves the temperature independence.At the same time,some parameters,including the voltage,the current,resistor,etc.have been fixed by the principle of temperature compensation;These circuits are implemented in CSMC 0.35μm 3.3V standard CMOS process,the results are simulated by Cadence Sepctre.This bandgap reference can reach a temperature coefficient of 0.98×10-6/℃ from-40℃ to 125℃.With the low voltage,the PSRR is-60.82dB at DC frequency.The simulation verifies that circuit achieves a relatively stable temperature coefficient with reducing the temperature coefficient.So,the proposed BGR has a good performance,which is applied widely in DRAM,Flash,ADC,DAC and so on.
Sustained Inflation for Lung Aeration After Birth

Lung aeration is critical for successful neonatal transition after birth. Most preterm infants require assistance to aerate their lungs and establish a functional residual capacity. Continuous positive airway pressure and intermittent positive airway pressure with positive end-expiratory pressure are the standard methods of supporting lung aeration. Sustained inflation is an alternative strategy to promote lung aeration. In this article, we review the available preclinical and clinical evidence for sustained inflation.
Sleep-Associated Airway Problems in Children

Several of the most common and most important sleep-associated airway problems are discussed, including obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux and nocturnal aspiration, spasmodic croup, nocturnal asthma, and sleep hypoxemia in chronic lung disease, and guidelines are offered for the often difficult diagnosis and for treatment.
Behavior and Learning of Students Using Worked-Out Examples in a Tutoring System

Worked-out examples have been shown to increase learning gains over problem solving alone. These increases are even greater in novices and those who are learning algorithmic topics, such as those in Computer Science. We have integrated this strategy into our Intelligent Tutoring System and evaluated it on undergraduate students learning the linked list data structure. Although promising, we have identified behavioral differences between high and low gainers - spending less time on an example, and prematurely quitting them led to greater learning.
Hormonal and Reproductive Changes Associated with Physical Activity and Exercise

Exercise-associated menstrual disturbances (EAMD) are frequently observed in women participating in recreational and competitive-level training and sport. The etiology of EAMD is linked to inadequate energy intake relative to high energy expenditure, also referred to as an energy deficiency. Chronic energy deficiency promotes compensatory alterations in resting energy expenditure (REE) and metabolic hormones (i.e., total triiodothyronine (TT3), ghrelin, peptide YY (PYY), and leptin) to conserve fuel for vital physiological processes. The cumulative effect of these energetic/metabolic disturbances translate to suppression of the normal release of reproductive hormones, that is, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone, and follicular-stimulating hormone, thereby altering the production of estrogen and progesterone to result in subclinical (luteal phase defects and anovulation) or clinical EAMD (functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) and oligomenorrhea). REE and TT3 often present in a dose-response manner across the continuum of EAMD such that increases in energy conservation (reductions in REE and TT3) occur in association with increases in severity of EAMD. Ghrelin and PYY are gastrointestinal peptides that influence central mechanisms regulating energy homeostasis and reproductive function. An anorexigenic profile of elevated ghrelin and PYY is commonly observed in exercising women with FHA. Mechanistically, this profile may prevent compensatory increases in energy intake secondary to psychological markers of subclinical disordered eating and increased exercise energy expenditure in exercising women with FHA. Leptin, an adipocyte-secreted hormone, has been proposed to play a role in the hormonal regulation of both reproductive function and energy homeostasis in humans. Leptin has also been implicated in the maintenance or restoration of normal menstrual cyclicity in exercising women with FHA. Dietary strategies to restore menstrual function (i.e., by increasing energy intake) appear to be optimal approaches such that the focus of the treatment is on improvement of the full metabolic hormone profile concomitant with recovery of menstrual function.
II. Quality assessment of beef loaves utilizing HACCP models: HACCP models for quality control of entree production in hospital foodservice systems

Production conditions for beef loaves were simulated for three types of foodservice systems, and control points were tested, using the HACCP model. Quality characteristics were then tested to validate the application of the model.
Macro-to-micro interfacing to microfluidic channels using 3D-printed templates: application to time-resolved secretion sampling of endocrine tissue

Employing 3D-printed templates for macro-to-micro interfacing, a passively operated polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device was designed for time-resolved secretion sampling from primary murine islets and epidiymal white adipose tissue explants. Interfacing in similar devices is typically accomplished through manually punched or drilled fluidic reservoirs. We previously introduced the concept of using hand fabricated polymer inserts to template cell culture and sampling reservoirs into PDMS devices, allowing rapid stimulation and sampling of endocrine tissue. However, fabrication of the fluidic reservoirs was time consuming, tedious, and was prone to errors during device curing. Here, we have implemented computer-aided design and 3D printing to circumvent these fabrication obstacles. In addition to rapid prototyping and design iteration advantages, the ability to match these 3D-printed interface templates with channel patterns is highly beneficial. By digitizing the template fabrication process, more robust components can be produced with reduced fabrication variability. Herein, 3D-printed templates were used for sculpting millimetre-scale reservoirs into the above-channel, bulk PDMS in passively-operated, eight-channel devices designed for time-resolved secretion sampling of murine tissue. Devices were proven functional by temporally assaying glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from <10 pancreatic islets and glycerol secretion from 2 mm adipose tissue explants, suggesting that 3D-printed interface templates could be applicable to a variety of cells and tissue types. More generally, this work validates desktop 3D printers as versatile interfacing tools in microfluidic laboratories.
The effects of shell mass, surface topography, and depth for withdrawal on shell selection by an intertidal hermit crab

Acanthina angelica shells were experimentally manipulated in order to determine the effect of shell mass, external surface topography, and depth for withdrawal on shell selection by the hermit crab, Clibanarius digueti Bouvier. Reducing shell mass by up to 30% and the removal of shell knobs on the outer surface of shells had no effect on shell preference by this hermit crab. The plugging of shells 1.25 whorls back from the aperture, however, resulted in the hermit crabs selecting significantly larger shells. These results in combination with other studies suggest that hermit crabs may select their preferred shells in order to maximize the room for withdrawal into the shell, subject to a constraint imposed by the shell's mass.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease is Similar in Patients with Older Onset and Younger Onset.

BACKGROUND As the American population is aging, the number of older people with inflammatory bowel disease is increasing. We used clinical data from the Sinai-Helmsley Alliance for Research Excellence (SHARE), a prospective cohort, to examine disease and treatment differences in older adults. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study assessing demographics and disease behavior by age at diagnosis with univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. "Older-onset" patients were diagnosed after age 60, "younger-onset" patients were diagnosed before age 60 but are older than 60 years, and the remainder were "young." RESULTS There were 91 older-onset, 389 younger-onset, and 3431 young patients with Crohn's disease. Older-onset patients had more ileal (37%) and colonic (27%) disease compared with younger-onset and young patients. There were no differences in disease behavior, location, or surgeries between older-onset and young patients with Crohn's disease within 5 years of diagnosis. Older-onset patients with inflammatory disease had a higher odds of being in remission. Young patients reported more anti-tumor necrosis factor and thiopurine use compared with younger-onset and older-onset patients (P < 0.01). There were 98 older-onset, 218 younger-onset, and 1702 young patients with ulcerative colitis. There were no differences in disease extent, activity index, or surgeries. Young patients with ulcerative colitis reported more anti-tumor necrosis factor use (26%) compared with younger-onset patients (17%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Disease behavior or location was not different between younger and older adults with inflammatory bowel disease. Older patients were less likely to be treated with immunosuppression. If older patients have similar disease behavior, less frequent treatment with immunosuppressives may risk suboptimally controlled disease.
GATA2 expression and biochemical recurrence following salvage radiation therapy for relapsing prostate cancer

Objective:High GATA2 expression has been associated with an increased risk of poor clinical outcomes after radical prostatectomy; however, this has not been studied in relation to risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after salvage radiation therapy (SRT) for recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy. Our aim was to evaluate the association between protein expression levels of GATA2 in primary prostate cancer tumour samples and the risk of BCR after SRT.Methods:109 males who were treated with SRT were included. The percentage of cells with nuclear staining and GATA2 staining intensity were both measured. These two measures were multiplied together to obtain a GATA2 H-score (range 0–12) which was our primary GATA2 staining measure.Results:In unadjusted analysis, the risk of BCR was higher for patients with a GATA2 H-score >4 (hazard ratio = 2.04, p = 0.033). In multivariable analysis adjusting for SRT dose, pre-SRT PSA, pathological tumour stage and Gleason score, this association weakened subst...
A heterogeneous chemical reactor analysis and design laboratory: The kinetics of ammonia decomposition

Abstract A laboratory module for senior-level reaction engineering/reactor design students is described. Students use low-conversion experimental data to explore and characterize the kinetics of ammonia decomposition over various supported catalysts at atmospheric pressure in a packed-bed reactor. Each student team is assigned one of four catalyst types, a reactor temperature, and a series of feed flow rates and compositions. Aggregate data from all student groups is then summarily analyzed per catalyst type. In each experimental trial, the reactor conversion is determined by a thermal conductivity measurement applied to the feed (reactor bypass) and reactor effluent gases. An analysis of the reaction rate across a range of temperatures and varying feed gas partial pressures allows students to test various reaction mechanisms, to suggest rate-determining steps, and to statistically determine rate law parameters. Students typically use the Langmuir–Hinshelwood–Hougen–Watson (LHHW) approach to derive rate law expressions, and determine rate constants through application of the Arrhenius equation. High student numbers (ca. 140) are accommodated through the availability of four experimental stations — each sharing a common source of feed gas and equipped with independent flow controllers and gas analyzers.
Nutrients, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases

A balanced diet with sufficient essential nutritional elements is critical for maintaining a healthy body.[...]
The View From the Top: Academic Emergency Department Chairs' Perspectives on Education Scholarship

Education scholarship continues to grow within emergency medicine (EM) and in academic medicine in general. Despite a growing interest, would-be education scholars often struggle to find adequate mentorship, research training, funding and protected time to produce rigorous scholarship. The ways in which individual academic EM departments can support this mission remains an area in need of description. Objectives We sought to describe academic EM department chairs’ perceptions of education scholarship and facilitators and barriers to producing high quality education scholarship. Methods We conducted a qualitative study using a grounded theory-derived approach. Participants were solicited directly, and semi-structured interviews were conducted via telephone. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and were analyzed by three study investigators using a coding matrix. Discrepancies in coding were resolved via in depth discussion. Results We interviewed seven EM chairs from academic departments throughout North America (six in geographically diverse regions of the United States and one in western Canada). Chairs described education scholarship as lacking clearly defined and measurable outcomes, as well as methodological rigor. They identified that education faculty within their departments need training and incentives to pursue scholarly work in a system that primarily expects teaching from educators. Chairs acknowledged a lack of access to education research expertise and mentorship within their own departments, but identified potential resources within their local medical schools and universities. They also voiced willingness to support career development opportunities and scholarly work among faculty seeking to perform education research. Conclusions Academic EM chairs endorse a need for methodological training, mentorship, and access to expertise specific to education scholarship. While such resources are often rare within academic EM departments, they may exist within local universities and schools of medicine. Academic EM chairs described themselves as willing and able to support faculty who wish to pursue this type of work. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Field Techniques for Reaeration Measurements in Rivers

Dissolved oxygen is an important measure of water quality in rivers, and surface reaeration is an important source of dissolved oxygen. In conducting reaeration experiments, it is important to consider transport and mixing to determine whether one- or two-dimensional distributions are likely to exist. The three primary methods that have been used for reaeration measurements are based on oxygen balances, disturbed equilibrium, and tracer gases. The oxygen balance approach is not widely used now because of the potentially large errors associated with the many sources and sinks of oxygen which must be evaluated. If temporal variations of dissolved oxygen exist, the disturbed equilibrium method suffers from the conflicting requirements of a short travel time for estimation of natural dissolved oxygen concentrations and long travel time for error considerations. Although all questions concerning tracer gas techniques have not been addressed, these techniques seem to hold the greatest promise for reliable gas transfer measurements under field conditions. For each of the methods, it is possible to analyze the propagation of random measurement errors to estimate the error bounds on gas transfer coefficients.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two Chemosynthetic Arcobacter Strains Isolated from Hydraulically Fractured Wells in Marcellus and Utica Shales

ABSTRACT Genome sequences were obtained for two isolates of the genus Arcobacter from saline fluids produced from hydraulically fractured shale gas wells in the Marcellus and Utica formations. These genomes provide insight into microbial sulfur cycles occurring in a high-salt deep terrestrial shale environment.
Pauli’s identities in the Dirac algebra

It is shown in this paper that by choosing suitable forms for 4×4 matrices as products of Dirac matrices and matrices of rank unity (i.e., products of 4×1 and 1×4 matrices), and expressing them as linear combinations of the sixteen elementsγ A of the basis of the Dirac algebra, one can derive the generalized identities of Pauli which hold in this algebra. Generalizations are given for cases not dealt with by Pauli, and the use of his B-matrix is also avoided. The same method yields further ‘tensor’, multilinear, and polynomial identities of which it is shown that the last two kinds of identities are derivable from bilinear and quadratic ones. It is pointed out that all types of identities can be deduced by considering five primitive types of matrices.
Online Sensor Calibration Monitoring Uncertainty Estimation

Empirical modeling techniques have been applied to online process monitoring to detect equipment and instrumentation degradations. However, few applications provide prediction uncertainty estimates, which can provide a measure of confidence in decisions. This paper presents the development of analytical prediction interval estimation methods for three common nonlinear empirical modeling strategies: artificial neural networks, neural network partial least squares, and local polynomial regression. The techniques are applied to nuclear power plant operational data for sensor calibration monitoring, and the prediction intervals are verified via bootstrap simulation studies.
Mood and cognitive disorders in cancer patients receiving cytokine therapy.

The use of cytokines, especially interferon-α (IFN-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) to treat malignancies and chronic viral infections is broadening, and increasing attention is being paid to the effects of these agents on the central nervous system (CNS). It is now known that cytokine therapy can be associated with the development of cognitive and psychiatric adverse effects that range from subtle impairments of attention and memory undetectable on routine medical evaluation to delirium and psychosis. Because IFN-α is a highly effective therapy in certain diseases, it is important that patients continue on treatment at effective doses. Understanding the nature, incidence, severity, and mechanisms of CNS effects is essential to develop interventions to decrease morbidity while maintaining patients on treatment.
On Oracle-Efficient PAC Reinforcement Learning with Rich Observations

We study the computational tractability of provably sample-efficient (PAC) reinforcement learning in episodic environments with rich observations. We present new sample-efficient algorithms for environments with deterministic hidden state dynamics and stochastic rich observations. These methods operate in an oracle model of computation — accessing policy and value function classes exclusively through standard optimization primitives — and therefore represent computationally efficient alternatives to prior algorithms that require enumeration. In the more general stochastic transition setting, we prove that the only known sample-efficient algorithm, Olive [1], cannot be implemented in our oracle model. We also present several examples that illustrate fundamental challenges of tractable PAC reinforcement learning in such general settings.
Spontaneous Translocation of a Gut Pathobiont Drives Autoimmunity that is Preventable by Intramuscular Vaccination

The gut microbiota contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmunity. The mechanisms and sites of host-microbiota interactions are, however, largely unknown. Dietary antigens reach the mesenteric lymph node (MLN) via the lymphatics and the liver via the portal vein. We hypothesized that commensals reach lymphocytes beyond the gut barrier in autoimmune-prone hosts. We first altered the gut microbiota with single antibiotics in the (NZWxBXSB)F1 model of systemic autoimmunity that is characterized by a leaky barrier based on oral gavage with FITC-dextran. To test commensal translocation, we cultured anaerobically MLN and livers. Compared to controls, vancomycin alone lowered autoantibodies, Th17 and Tfh cells, and protected mice from autoimmune deaths. Cultures of MLN and liver of (NZWxBXSB)F1 mice revealed significant anaerobic growth, which was suppressed by vancomycin. Sequencing of colonies identified E. gallinarum , a human gut commensal, that grew uniquely in tissues of autoimmune but not control mice. Species-specific PCR of liver tissues from autoimmune hepatitis patients also revealed E. gallinarum . 16S rDNA sequencing confirmed the presence of Enterococcus genus in the gut of (NZWxBXSB)F1 mice. Germ-free C57BL/6 mice monocolonized with E. gallinarum also led to translocation and induction of autoantibodies as well as Th1/Th17 responses. Remarkably, an intramuscular vaccine against E. gallinarum prevented autoimmune deaths in (NZWxBXSB)F1 mice. These data support that an innocuous gut commensal translocates spontaneously to initiate autoimmunity that is preventable by a vaccine targeted at the translocating pathobiont. This approach represents a novel therapeutic avenue for immune-mediated diseases.
Boron doped with iron: Preparation and combustion in air

Abstract Combustion-relevant effects of iron as an additive to boron powders were examined. 95% pure boron powder was doped with iron by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl. Iron concentration was determined using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. Two doped boron samples with 1.6 and 3.1 wt-% Fe were compared to commercial boron powder for physical morphology and combustion characteristics. No significant morphological differences between the doped and undoped samples were detected by scanning electron microscopy. Elemental maps confirmed uniform distribution of iron in the coated powders. For combustion studies, individual particles of different powders were ignited in air by passing through a CO2 laser beam. Burn times and combustion temperatures were determined from optical emissions of burning particles. Doped boron samples have shorter burn times than particles of the undoped commercial boron powder with the same size. The effect of doping boron with iron on burn times appears to be greater for larger particles. Combustion temperatures depend on the iron content. Lower iron concentrations showed temperatures near 3100 K, comparable to uncoated commercial boron. At higher Fe concentrations, the temperatures decreased to about 2500 K. A reaction mechanism is proposed explaining qualitatively a two-stage reaction pattern observed for the full-fledged combustion of boron; the approach uses a recently published binary B-O phase diagram. This combustion reactions are altered when boron is doped with iron, which is proposed to serve as a catalyst for boron oxidation.
Comprehensive Academic Support: An Examination of the Student-Athlete in Conference Reaffiliation

Erie University’s star football athlete, Johnathan Snow, has led his team to an undefeated season and prospects of a conference championship and bowl game qualification. However, based on his midte...