cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Altering the landscape of viruses and bionanoparticles

In recent years, protein-based nanoparticles or bionanoparticles (BNPs), have been used as primary building blocks to generate ornate nanomaterials for a wide-range of applications. Over the past fifty years, numerous BNPs have been chemically modified or genetically engineered to function as smart drug/gene delivery vehicles, advanced vaccine vehicles, and isolated reaction vessels for inorganic, metallic, and semi-conductive depositions. These studies have contributed invaluable insights to the expansive capabilities of these simple, yet highly robust, nanosized building materials. Here we highlight some of the recent progress in the chemical modifications of BNPs and hopefully inspire the development of many new materials in the near future.
Steady-State Theory of the Amplidyne Generator

The fundamental steady-state theory of the amplidyne generator is presented in this paper together with methods for calculating the characteristics of the generator from the machine constants. Experimental data obtained on a test machine are compared with calculated, results to show the accuracy of the methods and to substantiate the theory. The effects of such factors as brush losses, commutation, and overcompensation and undercompensation on the operation of the generator are explained. Overcompensated and undercompensated machines are treated from the standpoint of both steady-state operation and electrical stability. Methods are given for the determination of the machine constants from open-circuit and short-circuit tests performed on the machine. This method offers the advantage that the machine constants so determined apply for actual conditions of operation and need not be modified to include the effects of such factors as brush and commutation losses, eddy currents, and hysteresis.
TECHNO‐SECULARISM AND “REVEALED RELIGION”: SOME PROBLEMS WITH CAIAZZA'S ANALYSIS

. Instead of focusing my remarks on John Caiazza's interesting and important thesis about the way in which modern technology is drastically secularizing our culture today, I examine the frame within which he sets out his thesis, a frame I regard as seriously flawed. Caiazza's argument is concerned with the broad range of religion/science/technology issues in today's world, but the only religion that he seems to take seriously is what he calls “revealed religion” (Christianity). His consideration of religion is thus narrow and cramped, and this makes it difficult to assess properly the significance of what he calls techno-secularism. I suggest that employing a broader conception of religion would enable us to see more clearly what is really at stake in the rise of techno-secularism. Instead of defining the issues in the polarizing terms of revealed religion versus secularity, I argue for a more integrative approach in which concepts are developed that can bring together and hold together major religious insights and themes with modern scientific thinking. If, for example, we give up the anthropomorphism of the traditional idea of God as creator and think of God as simply creativity, it becomes possible to integrate theological insights with current scientific thinking and to formulate the issues posed by the rise of techno-secularism in a more illuminating way. This in turn should facilitate effective address of those issues.
Acute effect of cigarette smoking on the coronary circulation: constriction of epicardial and resistance vessels

Objectives. This study was performed to determine the acute effect of cigarette smoking on proximal and distal epicardial condult and coronary resistance vessels. Background. Cigarette smoking causes constriction of epicardial arteries and a decrease in coronary blood flow in patients with coronary artery disease, despite an increase in myocardial oxygen demand. The role of changes in resistance vessel tone in the acute coronary hemodynamic effect of smoking has not been examined. Methods. Twenty-four long-term smokers were studied during cardiac catheterization after vasoactive medications had been discontinued. The effect of smoking one cigerette 10 to 15 mm long on proximal and distal conduit vessel segments was assessed before and immediately after smoking and at 5, 15 and 30 min after smoking (n = 8). To determine the effect of smoking on resistance vessels, coronary flow velocity was measured in a nonobstructed artery with a 3F intracoronary Doppler catheter before and for 5 min after smoking (n = 8). Eight patients were studied without smoking to control for spontaneous changes in conduit arterial diameter (n = 5) and vessel tone (n = 3). Results. The average diameter of proximal coronary artery segments decreased from 2.56 ± 0.12 mm (mean ± SEM) before smoking to 2.41 ± 0.09 mm 5 min after amoking (−5 ± 2%, p < 0.05). Distal coronary diameter decreased from 1.51 ± 0.07 to 1.39 ± 0.06 mm (−8 ± 2%, p < 0.01). Marked focal vasoconstriction after smoking was observed in two patients. Coronary diameter returned to baseline by 30 min after smoking. There was no change in vessel diameter in control patients. Despite a significant increase in the heart rate-mean arterial pressure product, coronary flow velocity decreased by 7 ± 4% (p < 0.05) and coronary vascular increased by 21 ± 4% (p < 0.01) 5 min after smoking. There was no change in these variables in the control subjects. Conclusions. Smoking causes immediate constrictioin of proximal and distil epicardial coronary arteries and an increase in coronay resistance vessel tone despite an increase in myocardial oxygen demand. These acute coronary hemodynamic effects may contribute to the adverse cardiovascular consequences of cigarette smoking.
Evidence that the etiology of the syndrome containing type 2 diabetes mellitus results from abnormal magnesium metabolism.

Evidence is reviewed supporting the presence of an inherited structural defect in the plasma membranes of somatic cells of humans who have type 2 diabetes mellitus and sodium-sensitive essential hy...
Effect of tax laws on mineral exploration in Canada

Abstract Changes since 1972 in Canadian federal and provincial tax laws have eliminated many of the prior tax incentives offered to the mining industry. These changes provide an opportunity to study the effect of tax laws on a country's mineral resource development by comparing trends in mineral exploration in various provinces with adjoining regions, and by comparing these results with firm behaviour that would be expected from microeconomic analysis. Mineral producers have sought higher, more stable returns, resulting in shifts of exploration into political regions with more favourable and less changeable tax policies. Future supplies of mineral raw materials from a political region are dependent on current exploration effort, which is in turn influenced by the region's tax laws.
An alpha-recoil spectrometer

Abstract A gas-proportional counter is described which measures fast-neutron spectra using the recoils of helium nuclei scattered by neutrons. The resulting signal is unfolded using a matrix-inversion technique. Theory and experimental results are included.
A room fire screening test procedure

Full-scale room fire economics necessitate a screening test procedure requiring only a small amount of material to quantitatively assess heat release rate. This test could determine which materials may justify full-scale testing and those which fail early. Such a procedure is described, sample results are given, and it is suggested that correlation of screening test results with full-room and bench-scale test methods could improve the evaluation of the pre-flashover fire spread characteristics of materials.
Habit Reversal Training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Tourette Syndrome: A Pilot Project

Chronic tic disorders (CTDs), including Tourette Syndrome, affect approximately 1 in 100 individuals, and pediatric onset is the norm. Pharmacotherapy has traditionally been the first line of treatment for CTD. However, given that partial response to pharmacotherapy is typical and that the side effect profile for efficacious medications warrants consideration before initiating treatment, there is a clear need to develop and disseminate psychosocial treatments to enhance outcomes among individuals with CTDs. The current report describes findings from a pilot project designed to: (a) train two sites in behavior therapy involving Habit Reversal Training (HRT) for CTDs; (b) pilot test the HRT protocol in adolescents and young adults with CTDs; (c) develop and refine a combined Habit Reversal Training plus Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (HRT+ACT) protocol for CTDs; and (d) pilot test the combined protocol in adolescents and young adults with CTDs. Results indicated that, on average, both the HRT alone and the HRT+ACT groups experienced substantial, clinically relevant, durable, and comparable reductions in tic symptoms through the 1 month follow-up, as well as improvements in participant and parent-rated global functioning over this same period.
First Aid Training for Those on the Front Lines: Digital Preservation Needs Survey Results 2012

Every day history is being made and recorded in digital form. Every day, more and more digitally-captured history disappears completely or becomes inaccessible due to obsolescence of hardware, software, and formats. Although it has long been the focus of libraries and archives to retain, organize, and preserve information, these communities face a critical skills gap. Until we have in place the infrastructure, expertise and resources to distill critical information from the digital deluge and preserve it appropriately, what steps can those in the field take to help mitigate the loss of our cultural heritage? This article argues for the need for practical, accessible free or low-cost digital preservation training webinars, and reports on the results of a survey to identify the most important topics and types of materials on which to focus.
Mechanisms of solute and drug transport in relaxing, swellable, hydrophilic glassy polymers

Water and solute or drug transport in crosslinked polymeric materials was investigated to determine the effects of polymer morphology, composition and solute properties on transport behavior. Two crosslinked polymer systems, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (P(HEMA-co-MMA)) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), were used in water transport and solute release experiments. Structural parameters of the polymers investigated in this work included the initial polymer molecular weight, the nominal crosslinking ratio, and the copolymer composition. Swelling rates, water diffusion coefficients and the diffusional Deborah number, De, were used to characterize the water uptake process. Swelling rates correlated well with the polymer network mesh sizes; the slowest rate of water uptake was observed in P(HEMA-co-MMA) samples containing large quantities of methyl methacrylate. Initial crosslinking ratios had a sizable effect on water uptake in crosslinked PVA samples but not in the P(HEMA-co-MMA) polymers. Drug release rates, drug diffusion coefficients and the swelling interface number, Sw, were used to characterize solute transport. Release experiments were conducted using eight solutes: theophylline, triamterene, oxprenolol HCl, buflomedil HCl, vitamin B12, dextran, inulin and myoglobin. Release rates decreased with increasing solute molecular weight. A molecular weight cut-off, beyond which drug release was greatly hindered by the hydrogel mesh size, was established for each polymer tested.
Ab initio study on fracture toughness of Ti0.75X0.25C ceramics

Ab initio density functional theory calculations have been performed to evaluate the fracture toughness for selected Ti0.75X0.25C ceramics (X = Ta, W, Mo, Nb and V). The calculated Young’s modulus E, surface energy γ and fracture toughness K IC of pure TiC are in a good agreement with experimental data and other theoretical calculations. The results for Ti0.75X0.25C system show that alloying additions increase Young’s modulus, and all but vanadium increase surface energy. It was observed that tungsten has the most significant effect on increasing Young’s modulus, while tantalum on increasing surface energy of the Ti0.75X0.25C system. Surface energy plays a dominated role in determining the trend of fracture toughness. Overall, tantalum and tungsten are the most effective alloying elements in increasing the fracture toughness of Ti0.75X0.25C ceramics.
Effect of pH on the properties of soy protein–pectin complexes

Abstract The interactions of a commercial soy protein isolate (SPI) and a 2:1 SPI:high methoxy pectin (PEC) complex were evaluated over a range of pH values (3–7). The SPI formed very large (> 50 μm) and largely insoluble aggregates ( 80%) particles at higher and lower pH values. The addition of PEC increased the solubility of SPI close to its IEP (pH 4 and 5) and prevented the formation of very large aggregates. However, PEC reduced the solubility of SPI at higher and lower pH values presumably via a depletion mechanism. The ζ-potential of diluted SPI dispersions decreased from positive to negative with increasing pH, passing through zero at pH 4.6, the isoelectric point (IEP) of the protein. At pH
Reactogenicity, Immunogenicity, and Antibody Persistence in Adults Given Inactivated Influenza Virus Vaccines—1978

Monovalent A/USSR/77 (H1N1) and trivalent A/USSR/77, A/Texas/77 (H3N2), and B/Hong Kong/72 influenza virus vaccines from four manufacturers were tested in 292 adult volunteers. Systemic reactions were mild and resembled those with 1976 (swine) vaccines containing similar doses (in micrograms) of viral hemagglutinin. Trivalent vaccines caused more local inflammation than did monovalent, especially in older women. Two doses containing 7 micrograms of hemagglutinin each were required to induce a titer of hemagglutinin-inhibiting antibody of greater than or equal to 40 against A/USSR/77 virus in a majority of persons with an initial titer of less than 10, but one dose containing 20 micrograms of hemagglutinin did so; even one dose containing 7 micrograms was sufficient if the initial titer was greater than or equal to 10. Vaccine-induced titers of antibody to A/USSR/77 virus fell more during the six months after vaccination in younger than in older adults; this observation suggested that prior experience with related influenza viruses alters both production and persistence of antibody after vaccination. Seroconversions to A/Texas/77 and B/Hong Kong/72 viruses were more frequent in younger than in older adults with titers less than or equal to 20 before vaccination, but the final proportion of volunteers with titers of greater than or equal to 40 was high in both groups. Standardization of dosages in terms of micrograms of hemagglutinin appeared to reduce differences in responses to vaccines of different types and sources.
THE ACTIVITIES OF CERTAIN NUCLEOSIDE DIPHOSPHOKINASES OF NORMAL AND REGENERATING RAT LIVER.

Abstract It was found that rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase has practically no activity with thymidine diphosphate and deoxycytidine diphosphate. This finding has been used to develop a simple method to assay adenosine triphosphate-thymidine diphosphate and adenosine triphosphate-deoxycytidine diphosphate phosphotransferase activities. It was demonstrated that these activities in the supernatant fraction of regenerating rat liver, 48 hours after partial hepatectomy, were 2–2.5 times as much as those in the supernatant fraction of normal liver.
Effects of congenital heart disease on brain development

Brain and heart development occurs simultaneously in the fetus with congenital heart disease. Early morphogenetic programs in each organ share common genetic pathways. Brain development occurs across a more protracted time-course with striking brain growth and activity-dependent formation and refinement of connections in the third trimester. This development is associated with increased metabolic activity and the brain is dependent upon the heart for oxygen and nutrient delivery. Congenital heart disease leads to derangements of fetal blood flow that result in impaired brain growth and development that can be measured with advanced magnetic resonance imaging. Delayed development results in a unique vulnerability to cerebral white matter injury in newborns with congenital heart disease. Delayed brain development and acquired white matter injury may underlay mild but pervasive neurodevelopmental impairment commonly observed in children following neonatal congenital heart surgery.
Purification of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase using a self-cleaving elastin-like polypeptide tag.

A self-cleaving elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) tag was used to purify the multisubunit Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) via a simple, nonchromatographic method. To accomplish this, the RNAP α subunit was tagged with a self-cleaving ELP-intein tag and coexpressed with the β, β′, and ω subunits. The assembled RNAP was purified with its associated subunits, and was active and acquired at reasonable yield and purity. To remove residual polynucleotides bound to the purified RNAP, two polymer precipitation methods were investigated: polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyethylene (PEG) precipitation. The PEG procedure was shown to enhance purity and was compatible with downstream ELP-intein purification. Thus, this simple ELP-based method should be applicable for the nonchromatographic purification of other recombinant, in vivo-assembled multisubunit complexes in a single step. Further, the simplicity and low cost of this method will likely facilitate scale up for large-scale production of additional multimeric protein targets. Finally, this technique may have utility in isolating protein interaction partners that associate with a given target.
Medicare reimbursement policy and teaching physicians' behavior in hospital clinics: the changes of 1996.

PURPOSE To determine the frequency of attending physicians' contacts with residents' patients in hospital-based outpatient clinics and changes in these practices after June 1996. METHOD Using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys, 1993 to 1997, the author determined the numbers and characteristics of residents' patients in hospital-based outpatient clinics and the proportions of these patients also seen by a staff physician before and after the date new explicit national guidelines for Medicare Part B reimbursement (IL-372) took effect (July 1, 1996). Logistic regression models were used to identify patients' and clinics' attributes associated with a higher chance of a resident's patient's also being seen by a staff physician and changes after June 30, 1996. RESULTS From 1993 to 1997, residents saw about 15,000,000 hospital-based clinic outpatients each year. Overall, 45% of residents' patients also saw a staff physician. The odds that a resident's patient would also see a staff physician varied substantially among patients seen in different regions of the country, types of clinics, and patients' sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, after July 1, 1996, the odds that a resident's patient would also see a staff physician increased significantly (odds ratio 1.64, 95% CI = 1.11 to 2.41), but the proportion of Medicare-insured patients who also saw a staff physician did not increase significantly. CONCLUSION The proportion of residents' patients also seen by a staff physician increased after June 1996. The lack of a similar significant increase for patients 65 and over with Medicare suggests that the more explicit and stricter interpretation of Medicare regulations did not primarily affect Medicare-insured patients but rather changed the process of care for all clinic patients.
Reply to White, ‘foreign aid, taxes and public investment: A further comment’

Our paper presented and estimated a rather straightforward model of policymaker behavior in examining how developing countries allocate the foreign aid they receive. In part, our contribution was methodological, refocussing the issue of aid impacts on intermediate short-run variables and shifting the study of aid impacts from cross-country to the analysis of behavior in a single country. The paper has many obvious shortcomings: the over-restrictive formulation of the policy-maker preference function and the constraints placed on their behavior, the difficulty in empirically measuring the theoretical variables including the formulation of the targets by policy-makers, the assumed exogeneity of aid, and interpreting time series estimates in light of the short-run nature of the theoretical model. Our compromises, we felt, were reasonable and we explicitly laid out all the steps we followed in hopes that others, if they found this approach interesting, would improve on our methodology. The comment by White illustrates some of these short-comings but does little to improve on our analysis. Here we highlight some of the major issues he raises. White repeats the valid theoretical criticism by Binh and McGillivray (1993) of the loss function we employed, though as we point our in our reply (Gang and Khan, 1993) their alternative loss function empirically works out to not including a constant term in our estimating equations. We also point out that the way forward is not through the problematic quadratic loss function but through the use of an asymmetric loss function, or more flexible functional forms,
Quality of life of family caregivers 5 years after a relative's cancer diagnosis: Follow-up of the national quality of life survey for caregivers

Background. Although cancer has been considered as a chronic disease for those diagnosed, the long-term impact of cancer on the family caregivers' quality of life (QOL) remains unknown. Thus, the current study aimed: (a) to characterize family caregivers of cancer survivors, (b) to describe the multidimensional aspects of QOL of family caregivers of cancer survivors, and (c) to identify demographic and caregiving experience factors that may play significant roles in the caregivers' QOL around 5 years after the relative's initial diagnosis. Methods. A total of 1218 caregivers participated in the 5-year follow-up nationwide QOL Survey for Caregivers. Demographics and caregiving experiences were measured 2 years post-diagnosis of their relative's cancer. Multidimensional aspects of QOL were assessed, including mental and physical health, psychological adjustment, and spirituality at 5 years post-diagnosis. Results. Three groups of caregivers were identified: former caregivers due to the recipients being in remission, former caregivers whose recipients were deceased, and current caregivers. Current caregivers reported worst levels of QOL. Bereaved caregivers reported lower levels of psychological and spiritual adjustment than former caregivers whose recipients were in remission. In addition, caregivers' age and stress were consistent predictors of QOL across three caregiver groups at 5 years post-diagnosis. Conclusions. The findings help to increase evidence-based awareness of the long-term impact of cancer on the family caregivers' QOL. Findings also have implications for developing programs, whereby family caregivers in the various phases of caregivership will benefit by improving their QOL. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Brittle faulting induced by ductile deformation of a rheologically stratified rock sequence, Badwater Turtleback, Death Valley, California

Field relations in the footwall of the Badwater Turtleback fault provide evidence that macroscopically ductile deformation was directly responsible for early stages of brittle faulting during extensional denudation. Footwall rocks, which are typically mylonitie, consist of dominantly pegmatite, quartzofeldspathic gneiss, and dolomite and calcite marble. Because of the ductile deformation, these rocks are widely variable in thickness: bodies of rock that exceed 10 m in thickness may pinch out to zero thickness in distances of less than 100 m. The mylonitic rocks also display crosscutting relations that indicate that onset of bulk brittle behavior occurred at different stages of uplift for different rock types. Calcite marble was the last to deform by predominantly crystal-plastic mechanisms and therefore accommodated most of the shear strain during later stages of lower-plate, ductile deformation. Where the calcite marble pinched out into adjacent stronger rocks, the high strains caused brittle faulting in the adjacent rocks. The process described here, of ductile deformation leading to extreme thickness variations and consequent brittle faulting, directly links mid-crustal, ductile deformation with upper-crustal, brittle deformation. It further demonstrates that brittle faulting can initiate at depths where ductile deformation accommodates the bulk strain.
Taste cells with synapses in rat circumvallate papillae display SNAP-25-like immunoreactivity.

SNAP-25 is a 25 kDa protein believed to be involved in the processes of membrane fusion and exocytosis associated with neurotransmitter release. In the present study we present evidence that SNAP-25-like immunoreactivity can be used as a marker for taste cells with synapses in rat circumvallate papillae. SNAP-25 immunoreactivity is present in most intragemmal nerve processes and a small subset of taste cells. Intense immunoreactivity is associated with the nerve plexus located below the base of the taste bud. Of a total of 87 taste cells with synapses onto nerve processes, 80 of the presynaptic taste cells had SNAP-25 immunoreactivity. The association of SNAP-25 immunoreactivity with taste cells possessing synapses suggests that these cells may be gustatory receptor cells. Because this SNAP-25 antibody can label taste cells with synapses, it may also serve as a useful tool for future studies correlating structure with function in the taste bud. J. Comp. Neurol. 424:205–215, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cyclosporin A and FK506 decrease adenosine kinase activity and adenosine uptake in T-lymphocytes

Adenosine is a potent modulator of immune function, and adenosine kinase (AK), a rate-limiting enzyme for adenosine uptake and metabolism, is a potential mediator of adenosine regulation. We have found that adenosine uptake increased six- to 18-fold during T-lymphocyte activation. This increase correlated with an increase in AK activity but not in AK protein. The immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporin A (CsA) and FK506 inhibited both adenosine uptake and AK activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Among several nucleosides and bases, the inhibition of uptake was selective for adenosine. Immunosuppressive drug treatment also caused a twofold increase in the level of extracellular adenosine but not of inosine, suggesting that the effect is not related to the general toxicity of drugs. Inhibitors of calcineurin did not inhibit adenosine uptake, suggesting that this protein phosphatase does not mediate the effect. These data demonstrate that CsA and FK506 enhance adenosine concentrations in T-lymphocytes by way of a mechanism that involves AK inhibition.
Functional activity within the frontal eye fields, posterior parietal cortex, and cerebellar vermis significantly correlates to symmetrical vergence peak velocity: an ROI-based, fMRI study of vergence training

Convergence insufficiency (CI) is a prevalent binocular vision disorder with symptoms that include double/blurred vision, eyestrain, and headaches when engaged in reading or other near work. Randomized clinical trials support that Office-Based Vergence and Accommodative Therapy with home reinforcement leads to a sustained reduction in patient symptoms. However, the underlying neurophysiological basis for treatment is unknown. Functional activity and vergence eye movements were quantified from seven binocularly normal controls (BNC) and four CI patients before and after 18 h of vergence training. An fMRI conventional block design of sustained fixation vs. vergence eye movements stimulated activity in the frontal eye fields (FEF), the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), and the cerebellar vermis (CV). Comparing the CI patients' baseline measurements to the post-vergence training data sets with a paired t-test revealed the following: (1) the percent change in the BOLD signal in the FEF, PPC, and CV significantly increased (p < 0.02), (2) the peak velocity from 4° symmetrical convergence step responses increased (p < 0.01) and (3) patient symptoms assessed using the CI Symptom Survey (CISS) improved (p < 0.05). CI patient measurements after vergence training were more similar to levels observed within BNC. A regression analysis revealed the peak velocity from BNC and CI subjects before and after vergence training was significantly correlated to the percent BOLD signal change within the FEF, PPC, and CV (r = 0.6; p < 0.05). Results have clinical implications for understanding the behavioral and neurophysiological changes after vergence training in patients with CI, which may lead to the sustained reduction in visual symptoms.
The oxidation-reduction kinetics of palladium powder

The cyclic oxidation-reduction of submicrometer sized palladium powder was investigated over the temperature range 848 to 923 K. The total oxygen uptake was found to decrease with increasing number of cycles as a consequence of sintering. Furthermore, sintering was found to be restricted to the reduction steps in these cycles. The relationships for the rate constants of the oxidation and reduction processes are, respectively, Kx, = (1.04)106 exp[-(74.1)103/RT],kr = (7.63)1012 exp[—(207.9)103/RT]. The activation energies for the oxidation of palladium powder and the reduction of palladium oxide are 74.1 and 207.9 kJ mol−1, respectively.
Optical efficiency of far-infrared photoconductors

The present optimization of the geometry of far-IR photoconductive detectors with diffraction-limited throughput, on the basis of experimental and theoretical results, gives attention to the internal optical path relative to measured absorption length, photoconductive gain, uniformity of illumination, cosmic ray cross section, and design compatibility with the requirements of one- and two-dimensional arrays. It is demonstrated that a rod-shaped, square cross section detector geometry, having lateral face electrodes and a beveled backface with which to trap the radiation by total internal reflection, exhibits responsivity commensurate with that of the best available detectors in integrating cavities.
External versus internal open-loop unstable processes

This paper points out that there are two distinctly different types of open-loop unstable processes and that this leads to different methods for the selection and tuning of feedback controllers. Internal open-loop instability occurs when an individual unit operation is open-loop unstable, i.e., one or more open-loop eigenvalues with positive real parts. The classical chemical engineering example is the exothermic irreversible chemical reactor. External open-loop instability occurs when a collection of open-loop stable units are connected in such a way that the coupled system is open-loop unstable. The classical chemical example is a feed/effluent heat exchanger connected with an adiabatic exothermic chemical reactor. These two types of processes have different dynamic structures. The transfer function of an internal open-loop unstable process is typically of order 2 or higher. The transfer function of an external open-loop unstable process typically has a net order of zero. This difference explains the ph...
Enhancing a Model-Free Adaptive Controller through Evolutionary Computation

Many robotic systems experience fluctuating dynamics during their lifetime. Variations can be attributed in part to material degradation and decay of mechanical hardware. One approach to mitigating these problems is to utilize an adaptive controller. For example, in model-free adaptive control (MFAC) a controller learns how to drive a system by continually updating link weights of an artificial neural network (ANN). However, determining the optimal control parameters for MFAC, including the structure of the underlying ANN, is a challenging process. In this paper we investigate how to enhance the online adaptability of MFAC-based systems through computational evolution. We apply the proposed methods to a simulated robotic fish propelled by a flexible caudal fin. Results demonstrate that the robot is able to effectively respond to changing fin characteristics and varying control signals when using an evolved MFAC controller. Notably, the system is able to adapt to characteristics not encountered during evolution. The proposed technique is general and can be applied to improve the adaptability of other cyber-physical systems.
Spectral domain polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography achieved by single camera detection

We present a spectral domain polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) system that incorporates: 1) a spectrometer configured with a single line-scan camera for spectral interferogram detection, 2) a reference delay line assembly that provides a fixed optical pathlength delay between the lights of two orthogonal polarization states, and 3) a moving reference mirror that introduces a constant modulation frequency in the spatial spectral interferograms while the probe beam is scanned over the sample. The system utilizes the full range of complex Fourier plane for polarization sensitive imaging, where OCT images formed by the vertical and horizontal polarization beam components appear adjacent to each other. It is able to provide imaging of retardation, fast optic axis and backscattered intensity of the interrogated biological tissue. The system is experimentally demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo with an imaging rate at 10,000 A scans per second.
Correlation between mixed‐function oxidase enzyme induction and aflatoxin B1‐induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in the chick embryo, in vivo

The unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) technique has been adapted for use in the chick embryo, in vivo, to determine the relationship between induction of the mixed-function oxidase (MFO) enzyme system and genetic damage from an indirect-acting mutagen-carcinogen. Embryos were injected at 6 days of incubation (DI) with either phenobarbital (PB), a specific inducer of P-450-associated enzyme activities, or 3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB), a specific inducer of P/sub 1/-450-associated enzyme activities. Aflatoxin B/sub 1/ (AFB1) was injected 24 hr later (7 DI), followed by a 5-hr continuous /sup 3/H-thymidine exposure. The livers were removed, prepared for autoradiography, and hepatocytes were scored for an increase in grains/nucleus, indicative of UDS. Aflatoxin B/sub 1/ caused a dose-related increase in UDS in all control and induction groups. Phenobarbital-induced embryos had an increased UDS response while TCB-induced embryos had a decreased UDS response, relative to noninduced embryos, for each dosage of AFB1. This suggests that the genotoxicity of an indirect-acting mutagen-carcinogen can be either increased or decreased, in vivo, depending on the inducer used. The chick embryo provides an excellent system for studying the effect of MFO induction on the genotoxicity of promutagen-carcinogens in a developing system.
Study of the growth of conductive single-wall carbon nanotube films with ultra-high transparency

Abstract We report a study of the growth of conductive single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films with ultra-high transparency (typically above 98% at 550 nm wavelength) on quartz substrates. Ferritin was used as the catalyst precursor and ethanol as the carbon feed. The effects of experimental parameters on film structure and performance have been investigated. Catalyst concentration and pre-annealing of the substrate after catalyst deposition seem to be important parameters to optimize the resulting films. Analysis of these trends gives further insight into the mechanism of SWCNT film growth and termination, which may contribute to more effective synthesis of SWCNT films.
Acute Aortic Dissection Extending Into the Lung

The radiologic manifestations of ruptured acute aortic dissection, Stanford type A aortic dissection, DeBakey type 1 can present in different radiographic scenarios with devastating outcomes. Here, we present a rare case of a 70-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with chest pain radiating to the back. A chest computed tomography scan showed a Stanford type A, DeBakey type 1, acute aortic dissection ruptured into the aortopulmonary window and stenosing the pulmonary trunk, both main pulmonary arteries, and dissecting the bronchovascular sheaths and flow into the pulmonary interstitium, causing pulmonary interstitial hemorrhage. The patient underwent emergent ascending aorta replacement with hemiarch replacement with circulatory arrest. The postoperative course was unremarkable.
Does mentoring matter: results from a survey of faculty mentees at a large health sciences university

Background: To determine the characteristics associated with having a mentor, the association of mentoring with self-efficacy, and the content of mentor-mentee interactions at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), we conducted a baseline assessment prior to implementing a comprehensive faculty mentoring program. Method: We surveyed all prospective junior faculty mentees at UCSF. Mentees completed a web-based, 38- item survey including an assessment of self-efficacy and a needs assessment. We used descriptive and inferential statistics to determine the association between having a mentor and gender, ethnicity, faculty series, and self-efficacy. Results: Our respondents (n=464, 56%) were 53% female, 62% white, and 7% from underrepresented minority groups. More than half of respondents (n=319) reported having a mentor. There were no differences in having a mentor based on gender or ethnicity (p≥0.05). Clinician educator faculty with more teaching and patient care responsibilities were statistically significantly less likely to have a mentor compared with faculty in research intensive series (p<0.001). Having a mentor was associated with greater satisfaction with time allocation at work (p<0.05) and with higher academic self-efficacy scores, 6.07 (sd=1.36) compared with those without a mentor, 5.33 (sd=1.35, p<0.001). Mentees reported that they most often discussed funding with the mentors, but rated highest requiring mentoring assistance with issues of promotion and tenure. Conclusion: Findings from the UCSF faculty mentoring program may assist other health science institutions plan similar programs. Mentoring needs for junior faculty with greater teaching and patient care responsibilities must be addressed. Keywords: mentoring; faculty development; program evaluation; self-efficacy (Published: 23 April 2010) Citation: Medical Education Online 2010, 15: 5063 - DOI: 10.3402/meo.v15i0.5063
Avian Influenza Virus H5N1: A Review of Its History and Information Regarding Its Potential to Cause the Next Pandemic

Avian influenza virus H5N1, which has been limited to poultry, now has spread to migrating birds and has emerged in mammals and among the human population. It presents a distinct threat of a pandemic for which the World Health Organization and other organizations are making preparations. This article reviews information about the virus itself and its spread among poultry, migrating birds, mammals, and humans.
Human Operator Decision-Making in Manual Control

To decide whether or not to attempt a given maneuver, an operator must consider the likelihood of his success as well as the costs or values of the possible outcomes. Detecting the future success of a maneuver from the physical circumstances that make it more or less difficult to achieve and from past experience is formally like detecting signals in noise. Two experiments are described, which indicate that the basic decision model and ROC analysis used for signal detection can also be applied to manual control decisions. Results are given comparing the decision performance of operators who execute the maneuvers with the performance of observers who only watch them.
Cationic oligonucleotides can mediate specific inhibition of gene expression in Xenopus oocytes

Base-specific hydrogen bonding between an oligonucleotide and the purines in the major groove of a DNA duplex provide an approach to selective inhibition of gene expression. Oligonucleotide-mediated triplex formation in vivo may be enhanced by a number of different chemical modifications. We have previously described an in vitro analysis of triplex formation using oligonucleotides containing internucleoside phosphate linkages modified with the cation N , N -diethyl-ethylenediamine (DEED). When compared with unmodified oligonucleotides of identical base composition, DEED-modified oligonucleotides were better able to form DNA triplexes under conditions that approximate the pH, magnesium and potassium levels found in vivo . Here we report the ability of DEED-modified oligonucleotides to inhibit the expression of plasmid DNA injected into Xenopus oocytes. Inhibition is specific to plasmids containing a triplex formation target and sensitive to sequence alteration in the triplex forming target site. Inhibition of gene expression was nearly complete when oligonucleotide and plasmid were mixed together prior to injection. Inhibition was partial when oligonucleotide was injected first and not evident when plasmid was injected and allowed to form chromatin prior to oligonucleotide injection. Thus, access to DNA is a determining factor in effective triplex inhibition of gene expression.
Bloodmeal-Induced Differential Gene Expression in the Disease Vector Culex nigripalpus (Diptera: Culicidae)

We have characterized gene expression changes in the midgut tissue of Culex nigripalpus Theobold (Diptera: Culicidae) females, after they ingest a bloodmeal, by differential display of RNA isolated from pre- and postfeeding females. Seventy-two cDNA fragments exhibiting reproducible differences were observed. Of these, 22 showed an increase in gene expression and 50 showed a decrease in gene expression as a result of blood feeding. Eleven cDNA fragments exhibiting increased expression after a bloodmeal were cloned and sequenced. Seven of these were novel transcripts, and they did not match any sequences in GenBank. Three clones were similar to conserved proteins of unknown function from Aedes aegypti (L.) and Anopheles gambiae Giles. Here, we present the expression data on the first cDNA clones isolated from Cx. nigripalpus midgut tissue, including their molecular characterization, and we discuss their possible involvement in blood-feeding-associated processes and disease transmission.
Role of Excited States in Low‐Energy Electron (LEE) Induced Strand Breaks in DNA Model Systems: Influence of Aqueous Environment

Radiation induced ionizations and excitations of DNA represent the initial steps in DNA radiation damage that lead to resulting biological effects.1,2 Radiation induced low energy electrons (LEEs), below 15 eV, are produced in large numbers (4 × 104 per MeV energy deposited)3 along the tracks of the ionizing radiation and have been recognized as a potential significant contributor to the DNA damage. Recently, Sanche and coworkers discovered that these LEEs even below 4 eV can produce single-strand breaks (SSB) in plasmid DNA.4 Subsequently, these LEEs were also found to cause a variety of damages in DNA model compounds.4,5 While LEEs clearly result in strand breaks in DNA, it is well known from pulse radiolysis that in aqueous environment solvated electrons do not cause strand breaks on attachment to DNA.6,7 To add insight to these experiments,4 - 7 a number of theoretical efforts have been reported in the recent years and have added some understanding of potential underlying mechanisms of strand break formation and base release.8 - 15
A pentagon photomultiplier-quadrant-sharing BGO detector for a rodent research PET (RRPET)

Using the photomultiplier-quadrant-sharing (PQS) technique, we designed pentagonal detector blocks with high resolution (2.0 mm) and high sensitivity for a rodent research PET (RRPET). In order to reduce the cost, 8 /spl times/ 8 Bismuth germinate (BGO) crystal array and 19-mm regular round PMTs were used in this research. The average detector pitch was about 2.0 /spl times/ 2.0 mm and 10 mm deep. To minimize the depth-of-interaction effect due to the "panelization" of the detectors, we modified the original cubical block for panelized PQS detector into a pentagon shape with the ends tapered, so that each pentagonal block acted as a facet of the polygonal detector ring. This tapered-pentagon-PQS design provides a very high packing-fraction (96%) for a ring-type PET. We fully exploited the flexibility of our latest PQS fabrication method, i.e., using partially painted reflective windows between crystals, in the pentagonal block development, this fabrication method allowed the fine tuning of the scintillation light distribution inside the block for optimal decoding. The effect of block geometry on PQS design was examined by developing cubical and pentagonal block directly coupled to four PMTs and decoding by pileup-recovery electronics. Two-dimensional crystal decoding maps and pulse-height spectra of the individual crystals with their corresponding energy resolutions were acquired. Each crystal was clearly decoded and the average individual crystal energy resolution was found to be 21% and 22.3% for cubical and pentagon block, respectively. The pentagon-PQS design is an alternative to the prevailing small animal PET detector assembly of lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) or gadolinium oxyorthosilicate (GSO), optical-fiber or light-guide with PS-PMT.
The toxicity of glyphosate alone and glyphosate–surfactant mixtures to western toad (Anaxyrus boreas) tadpoles

Pesticide choice based on toxicity to nontarget wildlife is reliant on available toxicity data. Despite a number of recent studies examining the effects of glyphosate on amphibians, very few have aimed to understand the toxicological effects of glyphosate in combination with surfactants as it is commonly applied in the field. Land managers interested in making pesticide choices based on minimizing impacts to nontarget wildlife are hindered by a lack of published toxicity data. Short-term acute toxicity trials were conducted for glyphosate in the form of isopropylamine salt (IPA) alone and mixed with 2 surfactants: Agri-dex and Competitor with western toad (Anaxyrus [Bufo] boreas) tadpoles. Glyphosate IPA mixed with Competitor was 6 times more toxic than glyphosate IPA mixed with Agri-dex, and both mixtures were more toxic than glyphosate IPA alone. The median lethal concentrations reported for 24-h and 48-h exposures were 8279 mg/L (24 h) and 6392 mg/L (48 h) for glyphosate IPA alone; 5092 mg/L (24 h) and 4254 mg/L (48 h) for glyphosate IPA mixed with Agri-dex; and 853 mg/L (24 h) and 711 mg/L (48 h) for glyphosate IPA mixed with Competitor. The present study indicates that the toxicity of a tank mix may be greatly increased by the addition of surfactants and may vary widely depending on the specific surfactant. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;9999:1–5. © 2015 SETAC
Multireference (MR) configuration interaction (CI) approach for quasidegenerate systems

The multireference (MR) configuration interaction (CI) wavefunctions utilizing generalized Hartree-Fock (GHF) molecular orbitals are discussed in relation to our previous extended HF and recent full-valence MCSCF methods for quasidegenerate systems. The reaction natural orbitals (RNO) for constructing the reference functions are selected on the basis of GHF calculations. The computational procedures for the MR CI are illustrated by considering imino nitroxide (HNNO) as an example. It is found that the present MR CI provides well-balanced wavefunctions between the ground and lower-lying excited states of the species. The correlation corrections coming from higher-order excitations are examined by a Davidson-like formula. The relation of this formula to the coupled-cluster method is stressed.
OTA-GS filters: the new face of RC-active filters

An approach for the direct translation of conventional RC active filters into CMOS integratable structures is presented. This technique is based on the replacement of resistors by differential gain stages, and of op-amps by single ended gain stages. A high-frequency compensated CMOS universal filter derived using this method is shown and experimentally verified.