cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seeing Red: The Female Body and Periodic Renewal

Alice Cooper once said that "only women bleed," but according to Dana Medoro, so do many of the canonical texts of American literature. And much as women and men in general have been taught to shun mention of the monthly "curse," male and female critics alike have largely avoided any discussion of the importance of menstruation in these works, despite their authors' best intentions: "Stanley Koteks" is hardly a subtle moniker, after all. But little of the previous criticism on Pynchon, Faulkner and Morrison investigates the paradigm, or indeed identifies it as one, even though, Medoro convincingly argues in The Bleeding of America, an entire parallel universe in these authors' novels revolves around the female body, the moon and menses, and offers an alternative to the masculine culture of separation, aggression and murder that each of these socially conscious authors indicts.
Does manual T-wave window adjustment affect microvolt T-wave alternans results in patients with structural heart disease?

Abstract Introduction Microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) analysis can identify patients at low risk of sudden cardiac death who might not benefit from an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Current spectral methodology for performing MTWA analysis may “miss” part of the T-wave in patients with QT prolongation. The value of T-wave window adjustment in patients with structural heart disease has not been studied. Methods We assembled MTWA data from 5 prior prospective studies including 170 patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, adjusted the T-wave window to include the entire T-wave, and reanalyzed MTWA. Results Of 170 patients, 43% required T-wave window adjustment. Only 3 of 170 patients (1.8%) had a clinically significant change in MTWA results. Conclusions In 98.2% of patients, T-wave window adjustment did not improve the accuracy of MTWA analysis. Spectral MTWA as currently implemented remains effective for identifying patients with structural heart disease unlikely to benefit from ICD therapy.
Lack of electrical interference between spinal cord stimulators and other implanted electrical pulse devices

Spinal cord stimulators (SCSs) have been used for decades to treat chronic pain. SCSs are often used to treat patients with chronic back pain caused by failed back surgery syndrome, patients with complex regional pain syndrome, or individuals who are not candidates for surgery. SCSs are a relative contraindication in patients with another electrical pulse device. We present 3 patients who received SCS despite having another implant in place. There was no interaction between devices. The first case was a patient with failed back surgery syndrome who had an implantable cardiac defibrillator and an SCS implant. The second case was a nonsurgical candidate with a pacemaker who received an SCS to help with lower back pain due to an occupational injury. The third case was a patient with complex regional pain syndrome and a bladder stimulator with a previous SCS who received a revision to help manage the pain. In all these patients, pain scores significantly improved after the trial.
Co-optimization of communication and motion planning of a robotic operation in fading environments

In this paper, we consider the scenario where a robot needs to maximize the amount of information it sends to a fixed station as it moves along a predefined trajectory. We consider the case where the robot operates under energy and time constraints and has to jointly consider its motion and communication costs. We then show how the robot can co-optimize its velocity, motion energy and transmission rate/power along the trajectory, by using our recently-proposed probabilistic wireless channel assessment framework. Our mathematical analysis and simulation results show how our proposed co-optimization framework results in a considerably more efficient use of the available resources.
Hamiltonian for the inclusion of spin effects in long-range Rydberg molecules

The interaction between a Rydberg electron and a neutral atom situated inside its extended orbit is described via contact interactions for each atom-electron scattering channel. In ultracold environments, these interactions lead to long-range molecules with binding energies typically ranging from 10 to $1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$ MHz. These energies are comparable to the relativistic and hyperfine structure of the separate atomic components. Studies of molecular formation aiming to reproduce observations with spectroscopic accuracy must therefore include the hyperfine splitting of the neutral atom and the spin-orbit splittings of both the Rydberg atom and the electron-atom interaction. Adiabatic potential energy curves and permanent electric dipole moments are presented for ${\mathrm{Rb}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{Cs}}_{2}$. The influence of spin degrees of freedom on the potential energy curves and multipole moments probed in recent experimental work is elucidated, and the observed dipole moments of butterfly molecules are explained by the generalized $^{3}P_{J}$ pseudopotential derived here.
31P-dephased, 13C-detected REDOR for NMR crystallography at natural isotopic abundance.

Typically, the process of NMR-based structure determination relies on accurately measuring a large number of internuclear distances to serve as restraints for simulated annealing calculations. In solids, the rotational-echo double-resonance (REDOR) experiment is a widely used approach to determine heteronuclear dipolar couplings corresponding to distances usually in the range of 1.5-8A. A challenge in the interpretation of REDOR data is the degeneracy of symmetric subunits in an oligomer or equivalent molecules in a crystal lattice, which produce REDOR trajectories that depend explicitly on two or more distances instead of one. This degeneracy cannot be overcome by either spin dilution (for molecules containing 31P, 19F and other highly abundant nuclei) or selective pulses (in the case where there is chemical shift degeneracy). For small, crystalline molecules, such as phosphoserine, we demonstrate that as many as five inter-molecular distances must be considered to model 31P-dephased REDOR data accurately. We report excellent agreement between simulation and experiment once lattice couplings, 31P chemical shift anisotropy, and radio-frequency field inhomogeneity are all taken into account. We also discuss the systematic inaccuracies that may result from approximations that consider only the initial slope of the REDOR trajectory and/or that utilize a two- or three-spin system. Furthermore, we demonstrate the applicability of 31P-dephased REDOR for validation or refinement of candidate crystal structures and show that this approach is especially informative for NMR crystallography of 31P-containing molecules.
Towards an Intelligent Communication Network Routing System

Abstract Neural network information processing forms the basis of a novel Intelligent Communication Network Routing(ICNR) system designed to implement optimal routing in a data communication network. The main function of the ICNR system is similar to current optimization routing algorithms with two additional innovative features. First, the relevant communications network routing “state” information necessary for determining optimal routing paths, is acquired by using a neural network with unsupervised learning capability. This neural network operates on a history of incomplete state information by performing clustering of states to estimate the complete network state vector. Secondly, the routing decisions made are learned by a neural network with a supervised learning rule which adapts to acquire the mapping between the incomplete network state vector and the optimal routing assignment and generalizes the mapping to provide sub-optimal solutions for new cases. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of using a neural network with unsupervised learning capability to estimate the communication network traffic congestion conditions necessary to implement effective routing algorithms.
Extremely parallel memristor crossbar architecture for convolutional neural network implementation

This paper presents a simulated memristor crossbar based Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Deep networks implemented on GPU clusters have become the state of the art in providing excellent classification ability, at the cost of a more complex data manipulation process. In this work we show that once deep networks are trained, the analog crossbar circuits in this paper can parallelize the recognition phase of a CNN algorithm. With the massively parallel structure proposed in this work, we are able to generate multiple output feature maps in a single processing cycle. We show the proposed system is capable of operating with a negligible loss in classification accuracy if the memristors utilized are able to store at least 16 unique values (essentially acting as 4-bit devices). Furthermore, we quantify the amount of classification accuracy lost due to analog amplification in the signal path. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that presents a memristor based circuit that is able to completely parallelize the CNN recognition process.
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome: A Historical and Medical Review

Alice in Wonderland syndrome is a disorienting neurological condition that affects human perception to the senses of vision, hearing, touch, sensation, and the phenomenon of time. Individuals affected with Alice in Wonderland syndrome can experience alterations in their perception of the size of objects or their own body parts, known as metamorphopsias. It is known to occur in conditions including migraine, epilepsy, and certain intoxicants and infectious diseases. The name refers to Lewis Carrol's well-known children's book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, in which the title character experiences alterations of sensation in which she felt that her body had grown too tall or too small, or parts of her body were changing shape, size, or relationship to the rest of her body. The syndrome was described in 1952 by Caro Lippman, and given its name in 1955 by John Todd. The metamorphopsias characteristic of this condition are also sometimes referred to as Lilliputian hallucinations, a reference to the fictional island of Lilliput in the novel Gulliver's Travels, written by Jonathan Swift in 1726. As such, many literary and medical publications have roots in the description of this syndrome. The purpose of this review is to summarize the literary and historical significance of Alice in Wonderland syndrome, as well as to provide the reader with a medical overview of the condition.
Haplo, we have a problem

In this issue of Blood, Ahci and colleagues describe a simple and robust method for identifying the phenomenon of leukemic HLA loss often associated with treatment failure of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from haploidentical donors (haplo-HSCT).
The Additional Costs and Health Effects of a Patient Having Overweight or Obesity: A Computational Model

Objective This paper estimates specific additional disease outcomes and costs that could be prevented by helping a patient go from an obesity or overweight category to a normal weight category at different ages. This information could help physicians, other health care workers, patients, and third-party payers determine how to prioritize weight reduction. Methods A computational Markov model was developed that represented the BMI status, chronic health states, health outcomes, and associated costs (from various perspectives) for an adult at different age points throughout his or her lifetime. Results Incremental costs were calculated for adult patients with obesity or overweight (vs. normal weight) at different starting ages. For example, for a metabolically healthy 20-year-old, having obesity (vs. normal weight) added lifetime third-party payer costs averaging $14,059 (95% range: $13,956-$14,163), productivity losses of $14,141 ($13,969-$14,312), and total societal costs of $28,020 ($27,751-$28,289); having overweight vs. normal weight added $5,055 ($4,967-$5,144), $5,358 ($5,199-$5,518), and $10,365 ($10,140-$10,590). For a metabolically healthy 50-year-old, having obesity added $15,925 ($15,831-$16,020), $20,120 ($19,887-$20,352), and $36,278 ($35,977-$36,579); having overweight added $5,866 ($5,779-$5,953), $10,205 ($9,980-$10,429), and $16,169 ($15,899-$16,438). Conclusions Incremental lifetime costs of a patient with obesity or overweight (vs. normal weight) increased with the patient's age, peaked at age 50, and decreased with older ages. However, weight reduction even in older adults still yielded incremental cost savings.
The Seagrass Holobiont and Its Microbiome.

Seagrass meadows are ecologically and economically important components of many coastal areas worldwide. Ecosystem services provided by seagrasses include reducing the number of microbial pathogens in the water, providing food, shelter and nurseries for many species, and decreasing the impact of waves on the shorelines. A global assessment reported that 29% of the known areal extent of seagrasses has disappeared since seagrass areas were initially recorded in 1879. Several factors such as direct and indirect human activity contribute to the demise of seagrasses. One of the main reasons for seagrass die-offs all over the world is increased sulfide concentrations in the sediment that result from the activity of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes, which perform the last step of the anaerobic food chain in marine sediments and reduce sulfate to H2S. Recent seagrass die-offs, e.g., in the Florida and Biscayne Bays, were caused by an increase in pore-water sulfide concentrations in the sediment, which were the combined result of unfavorable environmental conditions and the activities of various groups of heterotrophic bacteria in the sulfate-rich water-column and sediment that are stimulated through increased nutrient concentrations. Under normal circumstances, seagrasses are able to withstand low levels of sulfide, probably partly due to microbial symbionts, which detoxify sulfide by oxidizing it to sulfur or sulfate. Novel studies are beginning to give greater insights into the interactions of microbes and seagrasses, not only in the sulfur cycle. Here, we review the literature on the basic ecology and biology of seagrasses and focus on studies describing their microbiome.
Die Bedeutung des öffentlichen Diskurses für sozialdemokratische Reformvorhaben in Europa

Welche Rolle spielt der offentliche Diskurs bei den Reformvorhaben europaischer sozialdemokratischer Parteien? Der Diskurs ist von entscheidender Bedeutung, weil er nicht nur den politischen Ruckhalt sichert, der notwendig ist, um Veranderungen anzustosen, sondern auch die offentliche Unterstutzung, die unerlasslich ist, um die Veranderungen konsequent umzusetzen. Der offentliche Diskurs uber Reformen ist wichtig, weil Veranderungen nie leicht sind und sie notwendigerweise bedeuten, dass man sich gegen das „So weitermachen wie bisher“, gegen fest verwurzelte Interessen und insbesondere gegen Mehrheiten, die Veranderungen ablehnen, wenden muss. Fur Sozialdemokraten ist es vermutlich sogar noch schwieriger als fur die meisten anderen politischen Gruppierungen, mit einem uberzeugenden, legitimierenden Reformdiskurs aufzuwarten. Dies ist darauf zuruckzufuhren, dass die Reformen seit den achtziger Jahren tendenziell den vermeintlichen Interessen ihrer Wahler zuwiderlaufen und das hart erkampfte politische Erbe, das auf tiefen, langjahrigen Uberzeugungen und Werten basiert, gefahrden.
Prevalence and correlates of adolescents’ e-cigarette use frequency and dependence

Abstract Background Understanding predictors of e-cigarette use among adolescents in the context of wide availability and extreme popularity of these products is important for prevention and treatment. This study identifies correlates of e-cigarette use frequency and dependence among adolescent users. Methods Adolescent e-cigarette users (N = 173) were recruited from the San Francisco Bay Area. Participants reported demographic and psychosocial characteristics, e-cigarette use behaviors, and cigarette use. Bivariate relationships between potential correlates were examined, and correlates significant at p Results In the full models, frequent use was associated with receiving one’s first e-cigarette from a family member rather than a friend (r = −0.23, p Conclusions When assessing problematic e-cigarette use among adolescents, it is important to consider social factors (e.g., friends’ and family members’ e-cigarette use), device type, and dual use with cigarettes.
Layer-Assisted Adaptive Video Streaming

HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS) is the widely adopted solution for video streaming over the Internet. When network throughput is highly variable, designing an optimal HAS solution that maximizes Quality of Experience (QoE) becomes challenging. Each chunk should be prefetched at highest possible quality while rebufferings and quality switches are minimized. Scalable Video Coding (SVC), with its layered encoding of video, provides more flexibility for HAS clients. It can reduce the occurrence of rebufferings under variable network conditions. However, SVC introduces at least 10% overhead on video bitrate per layer and increases the number of HTTP requests to fetch video chunks. So streaming SVC video at high qualities is more expensive. We propose a solutions that employs both SVC and non-SVC video to improve user's QoE while avoiding the increased bandwidth overhead and HTTP signaling of SVC. Our experiments using real-world bandwidth traces show that this method improves QoE compared to the state-of-the-art adaptation methods under various network conditions.
Quasiparticle Model for High Frequency Inelastic Neutron Scattering from Intermediate Valence Compounds

In recent years considerable progress has been made in understanding the properties of intermediate valence impurities in non-magnetic host metals. Important theoretical advances have come about by utilizing renormalization group, Bethe Ansatz, and other field-theoretic techniques. Unfortunately, there has been much less progress in understanding intermediate valence compounds. Intermediate valence compounds, as the term is used here, are stoichiometric materials containing rare earth or actinide ions where the energy difference between the fn and fn−1 configurations lies close to the fermi energy.
Targeting the Messenger: Vector-Based Vaccines to Control Leishmania Infection and Transmission

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by the Leishmania parasite and transmitted by the bite of Phlebotomine sand flies. Approximately 350 million people are at risk for this neglected disease with an annual incidence of two million cases and a loss of 2,357,000 disability-adjusted life years [1, 2]. Leishmaniasis has multiple clinical manifestations ranging from cutaneous, mucocutaneous and diffuse, to visceral leishmaniasis; the latter being fatal if untreated [1]. To add to the complexity of this disease, different Leishmania species are responsible for the different disease manifestations and the different Leishmania parasites are transmitted by different sand fly species.
Aromatherapy Hand Massage for Test Anxiety and Self-Efficacy in Nursing Students: A Pilot Study

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if aromatherapy hand massage (HM) could improve test anxiety and self-efficacy in nursing students. Participants were randomized to receive aromatherapy hand massage (AHM), unscented HM, or no intervention (C) 60 minutes before an examination. No significant differences were found, but analysis of the percentage change from the means demonstrated the largest decrease in test anxiety in the AHM group (AHM = −12.4%, HM = −8.63%, C = −1.76%). Self-efficacy trends followed a similar pattern (AHM = 5.93%, HM = −3.03%, C = 0.52%). The trends in the percentage change from the means indicate that a larger sample may show improvements in test anxiety and self-efficacy with the use of AHM, which could improve nursing students’ academic performance and decrease attrition rates.
Female calling behaviour in the Asian longhorned beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Female Asian longhorned beetles, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), were observed rhythmically extruding their genitalia, resembling the calling behaviour observed in other species of Cerambycidae. We demonstrate that only female A. glabripennis adults perform this behaviour, which lasts up to nearly six minutes and typically includes two types: (1) extrusion of only the tip of genitalia and (2) genitalia fully extruded and deflexed. The frequency and duration of this behaviour are affected by temperature and posteclosion feeding experience, but do not vary with the female age. Anoplophora glabripennis adult males were observed flexing their abdomen downward while extruding their genitalia but only when exposed to the odour of live females with host twigs. In Y-tube olfactometer assays, the volatiles from live females or female genital extracts both attracted more males than the volatiles from live males, male genital extracts, or solvent controls, all in the presence of host-plant volatiles. These findings indicate that A. glabripennis females may produce volatile sexual attractants in association with genital extrusion.
Conclusion: Dialogue, Not Walls

We like happy endings to stories, but this narrative, which is about the unintended consequences of digital connectivity, has a nuanced resolution. There is a public good aspect to the Internet, in that the benefits of a healthy network are felt by all, regardless of who is paying. Information exchange and community spirit are non-exclusive and non-rival. Harnessing the power of this interaction has made humans the most powerful species and will continue to do so. It will require that connectivity across humans and machines is conducted in a spirit of cooperation, thereby promoting trust and risk sharing. The balance between individual liberty and networks of trust can be achieved through dialogue, collective thinking and collective action. We cannot achieve this with walls, firewalls and fragmented societies.
The Role of Religion on Human Resource Management (HRM) Practices in India

The main goal of this chapter is to understand how religious values impact human resource management (HRM) practices in India. HRM practices are embedded in a country’s social and cultural contexts. The understanding of these emic factors will definitely help business practitioners formulate better practices that are congruent with the local culture (Gannon and Pillai 2010, 2013).
Feature engineering in big data analytics for IoT-enabled smart manufacturing – Comparison between deep learning and statistical learning

Abstract As IoT-enabled manufacturing is still in its infancy, there are several key research gaps that need to be addressed. These gaps include the understanding of the characteristics of the big data generated from industrial IoT sensors, the challenges they present to process data analytics, as well as the specific opportunities that the IoT big data could bring to advance manufacturing. In this paper, we use an inhouse-developed IoT-enabled manufacturing testbed to study the characteristics of the big data generated from the testbed. Since the quality of the data usually has the most impact on process modeling, data veracity is often the most challenging characteristic of big data. To address that, we explore the role of feature engineering in developing effective machine learning models for predicting key process variables. We compare complex deep learning approaches to a simple statistical learning approach, with different level or extent of feature engineering, to explore their pros and cons for potential industrial IoT-enabled manufacturing applications.
Alpine Strawberry as a Potential Niche Crop for Florida Growers and Homeowners

Alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca) produce edible and highly aromatic strawberries known for their excellent eating quality. The berries are fragile and not suitable for long-distance shipping, which inhibits trade on the international market but also provides an opportunity for growers catering to local markets and for homeowners interested in growing this unique and delicious strawberry. This 5-page fact sheet written by Alan Chambers and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department describes yield and fruit quality for several varieties to guide potential growers. The results of this project are anticipated to benefit growers and homeowners looking to cultivate specialty alpine strawberries. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1326
Early postnatal interactions between beige adipocytes and sympathetic neurites regulate innervation of subcutaneous fat.

Mammals have two types of fatty tissue: white fat that mainly stores energy, and brown and beige fat, also known as thermogenic fat, which burns energy to generate heat. In humans, brown fat is associated with potent anti-obesity and anti-diabetes effects. A better understanding of how this type of fat develops and functions could lead to therapeutic strategies to treat these conditions. Adult human brown fat is similar to rodent inducible brown fat, also known as beige fat. In adult mice, beige fat cells need stimulation from the environment to form. Cold can lead to the generation of beige fat cells by activating a part of the nervous system known as the sympathetic nervous system. In order for this cold-induced formation of beige fat cells to take place, nerves from the sympathetic nervous system must first innervate the fatty tissue. Beige fat cells themselves are important for establishing this innervation, but it was not well understood when and how this occurs. To study the role of beige fat cells in the establishment of nerve innervation, Chi et al. used genetically modified mice whose beige fat cells are removed when they are treated with an antibiotic called doxycycline. If mice that had not been genetically modified were treated with doxycycline, they developed beige fat cells soon after birth, and these cells shortly became densely innervated by the sympathetic nervous system. However, if the mutant mice were treated with doxycycline around birth, these mice could not make beige fat cells during the treatment and failed to develop dense innervation even when they grew older. These results showed that beige fat cells that form soon after birth are necessary to establish sympathetic nervous system innervation. But are beige fat cells required to maintain this innervation as the mice grow older? To test this, Chi et al. removed them after the innervation was fully established. These mice maintained their innervation, showing that beige fat cells appear to only be required during the establishment of innervation. Understanding how the sympathetic nervous system establishes its connection to fat so cold can stimulate beige fat formation is a first step to finding new treatments for conditions such as diabetes or obesity. Exploring the timing that underlies the interactions between the sympathetic nervous system and beige fat cells may provide therapeutic targets in this direction.
Microalgae to biofuels through hydrothermal liquefaction: Open-source techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment

Abstract Hydrothermal liquefaction is a promising conversion technology in algae biofuel research due to its ability to agnostically convert proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids to biocrude. The high-temperature conditions that define this conversion process require the material to maintain a subcritical liquid state, which complicates the assessment of accurate thermochemical properties due to the required pressure. To clarify this issue, this work compares the estimated performance of algal hydrothermal liquefaction between different thermodynamic models. A process model was developed in Aspen Plus from a robust assessment of current literature. Techno-economic assessment and life-cycle assessment metrics are derived from this model and used as key performance indicators. The baseline fuel price contribution of hydrothermal liquefaction is $0.45 per liter gasoline equivalent. Independently decreasing the temperature from 350 °C to 260 °C while maintaining yield reduces the conversion cost by 19%, illustrating the importance of understanding the high-temperature thermodynamics of the system. Different thermodynamic property models can vary fuel conversion cost results by $0.07 per liter gasoline equivalent. The baseline global warming potential is +23 g CO2 eq MJ−1 and the net energy ratio is 0.30. Environmental metrics beyond global warming potential and net energy ratio are also discussed for the first time. Uncertainties in conversion performance are bounded through a scenario analysis that manipulates parameters such as product yield and nutrient recycle to produce a range of economic and environmental metrics. The work is supplemented with an open source model to support future hydrothermal liquefaction assessments and accelerate the development of commercial-scale systems.
Quantifying social contact patterns in Minnesota during Stay-at-Home social distancing order

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is primarily transmitted through person-to-person contacts. It is important to collect information on age-specific contact patterns because SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, transmission, and morbidity vary by age. To reduce risk of infection, social distancing measures have been implemented. Social contact data, which identify who has contact with whom especially by age and place are needed to identify high-risk groups and serve to inform the design of non-pharmaceutical interventions. We estimated and used negative binomial regression to compare the number of daily contacts during the first wave (April-May 2020) of the Minnesota Social Contact Study, based on respondents age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, and other demographic characteristics. We used information on age and location of contacts to generate age-structured contact matrices. Finally, we compared the age-structured contact matrices during the stay-at-home order to pre-pandemic matrices. During the state-wide stay-home order, the mean daily number of contacts was 5.6. We found significant variation in contacts by age, gender, race, and region. Adults between 40 and 50 years had the highest number of contacts. Respondents in Black households had 2.1 more contacts than respondent in White households, while respondents in Asian or Pacific Islander households had approximately the same number of contacts as respondent in White households. Respondents in Hispanic households had approximately two fewer contacts compared to White households. Most contacts were with other individuals in the same age group. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, the biggest declines occurred in contacts between children, and contacts between those over 60 with those below 60.
Goals for Adolescent Participation in Organized Youth Programs: Views From Adolescent-Parent Dyads

This study investigated the goals adolescents and parents have for the adolescent’s participation in an organized youth program. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 52 adolescents from 13 pro...
Phase Space Optimization of Quantum Representations: Non-Cartesian Coordinate Spaces

In an earlier article [Found. Phys. 30, 1191 (2000)], a quasiclassical phase space approximation for quantum projection operators was presented, whose accuracy increases in the limit of large basis size (projection subspace dimensionality). In a second paper [J. Chem. Phys. 111, 4869 (1999)], this approximation was used to generate a nearly optimal direct-product basis for representing an arbitrary (Cartesian) quantum Hamiltonian, within a given energy range of interest. From a few reduced-dimensional integrals, the method determines the optimal 1D marginal Hamiltonians, whose eigenstates comprise the direct-product basis. In the present paper, this phase space optimized direct-product basis method is generalized to incorporate non-Cartesian coordinate spaces, composed of radii and angles, that arise in molecular applications. Analytical results are presented for certain standard systems, including rigid rotors, and three-body vibrators.
Characterization of particulate matters and total VOC emissions from a binder jetting 3D printer

Abstract Binder jetting 3D printing is a popular type of additive manufacturing and a powerful tool for creating parts and prototypes. Due to continuous movement of dry powders inside printer chambers and injection of resin-like binder fluid during printing, binder jetting 3D printers are a potential emission source of fine particulate matters (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this study, real-time measurements of total VOC (TVOCs) and aerosol (10 nm–10 μm) during a 2-h continuous operation of a binder jetting printer were incorporated into a time-varying mass balance model to obtain the emission rates. The particle sizes between 205 and 407 nm had the highest emission rates by count. Time weighted average PM 2.5 and PM 10 and TVOC over a 24-h period all exceeded the USEPA ambient air quality standards. Continuous operation of the 3D printer led to a PM 2.5 level 10 times greater than the standard (344 vs 35 μg/m 3 ) and a PM 10 level 3 times higher than the standard (474 vs 150 μg/m 3 ). TVOC concentrations with a maximum value of 1725 μg/m 3 exceeded upper limit concentrations recommended by the Environment Institute of European Commission, and USGBC-LEED. Ultrafine particles emitted from the binder jetting 3D printer were 10 4 –10 5 times lower than those from typical fused deposition modeling (FDM) type of 3D printers using polylactic acid (PLA), but production of particles larger than 200 nm was significantly higher. The results suggest installing binder jetting 3D printers in an enclosure with proper ventilation for reducing the health risks.
Mutational Studies of the Cytochrome bc 1 Complexes

The ubihydroquinone: cytochrome c oxidoreductase (Cyt bc1 complex) is a multisubunit integral membrane protein present in a wide range of organisms. In the photosynthetic bacteria the Cyt bc1 complex is involved in both light driven cyclic electron transfer as well as respiratory electron transfer. It oxidizes ubihydroquinone generated either by the reaction center or the respiratory dehydrogenases and reduces Cyt c2 (or Cyt cy) which then either re-reduces the reaction center or donates electrons to a terminal cytochrome c oxidase. During electron transfer, protons are translocated from the cytoplasm to the periplasm and contribute to the formation of an electrochemical gradient used for ATP synthesis. A large body of spectroscopic data supports a Q-cycle mechanism of electron transfer through the Cyt bc1 complex. The enzyme is composed of three metal containing subunits, Cyt b, Cyt c1 and the ‘Rieske’ iron sulfur protein. The structural genes encoding these three core subunits (designated pet A, B and C or fbcF, B and C) have now been cloned and sequenced from several photosynthetic bacteria. Two of them, Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodobacter sphaeroides, have been genetically modified to allow site-directed mutagenesis, and a number ofsingle site mutants have been obtained in each of the three subunits. In recent years, the analyses of both site-directed mutants and spontaneous inhibitor resistant mutants have led to the identification of the ligands to the metal clusters, the general location of the sites of quinone interaction and more accurate folding models of the individual subunits of the complex. This chapter reviews recent biochemical and genetic studies (inclusive of 1994) that have greatly increased our understanding of how the Cyt bc1 complex functions at the molecular level.
Role of isoconversional methods in varying activation energies of solid-state kinetics: II. Nonisothermal kinetic studies

Abstract The concept of variable activation energy in solid-state reaction kinetics has caused considerable debate. Activation energy variation has been detected by isoconversional or “model-free” calculation methods, which generate activation energy as a function of reaction progress. The relationship between calculation methods and artifactual variation in activation energy was investigated in this work by employing model-fitting and isoconversional methods to analyze both simulated and experimental nonisothermal data. The experimental data was for nonisothermal sulfameter-dioxolane solvate desolvation by TGA. We show that variable activation energy in simple reactions could be an artifact resulting from the incorrect application of isoconversional methods.
The Impact of Using Inappropriate procedures to Neutralize forInflation in Recent Executive Compensation Studies

During the last several years, a considerable number of empirical studies have been published that link executive compensation with accounting performance measures or earnings components. The extant research relies on regression models based on agency theory. The objective of the research is to evaluate the extent to which the accounting-based managerial-performance measures explain executive compensation. In order to accomplish the statistical analysis, authors of several of these studies believed it necessary to adjust the time-series data for the effects of inflation. In doing so, they applied general price-level adjustments to figures drawn from successive year's financial statements, or scaled the accounting variables against other variables taken from the same year's financial statements, in order to neutralize for inter-year inflation. In this paper we show that the adjustment process followed in these studies will significantly bias the results and thereby call the conclusions into question. We conclude by calling on researchers to address the limitations of their efforts due to the adjustment process employed and by offering an alternative approach to conducting the analysis.
The molecular mechanism of hemoglobin-facilitated oxygen diffusion.

Hemoglobin in solution augments the rate of steady state diffusion of oxygen. The flux of oxygen exceeds the diffusive flux by an amount, the facilitated flux, which is constant for a given hemoglobin concentration and is invariant with changing oxygen tension. The facilitated flux is inversely proportional to the length of the diffusion path. Facilitation decreases with increasing molecular size of the oxygen-binding proteins. From this it is concluded that facilitation results from random displacements of oxyhemoglobin molecules. Translational diffusion is considered to make a far larger contribution than rotatory diffusion. Facilitation is proportional to hemoglobin concentration in dilute solutions which approach ideal behavior and declines at greater protein concentration. It persists in very concentrated hemoglobin solutions (34%) in which the hemoglobin molecules are close packed. Facilitation requires no special property of hemoglobin other than reversible oxygen binding since hemerythrin which is not a heme protein facilitates oxygen diffusion. The reactions occurring during facilitated diffusion are shown to be combination and dissociation of hemoglobin and oxygen. Oxygen displacement or transfer reactions are excluded. The rates of chemical reactions may become rate-limiting. The rate-limiting step is a reaction of oxyhemoglobin. Comparison of the rates of facilitation by several hemoglobins suggests that the rate-limiting step is ligand dissociation. Facilitated carbon monoxide diffusion is minute compared to that of oxygen.
Chemical vapor deposition of palladium on silica and alumina supports

Successful deposition of Pd onto silica and alumina high-surface-area supports was demonstrated by two-step CVD process using Pd(hfac)2 as a metal-organic precursor. Controlled deposition was achieved to form variable composition of 0.1 to 0.8 wt.% Pd in the samples. Highly dispersed and uniform Pd metal clusters were deposited by controlling the deposition and reduction temperatures of the CVD process. Higher reduction temperatures favor higher Pd loadings but decrease significantly the metal dispersion. An optimal reduction temperature of 200°C leads to impurities-free Pd metal clusters with high dispersion and uniformity.
[21] Use of TnphoA and T7 RNA polymerase to study fimbrial proteins

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on two tools that have proved to be particularly useful for studying cloned-gene clusters responsible for fimbriation and adhesion of enteric bacteria. Pertinent techniques, concepts, strategies, precautions, and advantages of (1) region-directed Tn phoA (Tn5IS 50 L :: phoA ) mutagenesis and (2) in vivo expression of cloned polycistronic genes with a T7 RNA polymerase/promoter system are presented. Because of their versatile properties, ease in handling, and disposition to molecular manipulations, transposons are among the most frequently used mutagenic tools. Two types of studies, in particular, can benefit from the use of transposon mutagenesis. In the first, the method is used to identify fimbrial or adhesion genes by random mutagenesis of a pathogenic strain followed by screening (if possible, selecting) for nonfimbriated or nonadhesive mutants. This approach is then followed by cloning and further analysis of the mutated locus. In a second type of study, a gene cluster of interest is already cloned on a multicopy number plasmid to be analyzed in Escherichia coli in more detail by region-directed mutagenesis, as discussed in the chapter. Mutated alleles can then be introduced into the original pathogenic strain by marker-exchange experiments. In both types of studies, Tn phoA has demonstrated advantages over other transposons, as it can be used to identify exported proteins. Tn phoA is particularly well suited for the study of bacterial fimbrial proteins and adhesins, because such proteins typically cross bacterial membranes to interact with host molecules.
Arabinoxylan content and characterisation throughout the bread-baking process

Summary End-use quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is influenced in a variety of ways by nonstarch polysaccharides, especially arabinoxylan (AX). The objective of this study was to track total and water-extractable AX (TAX and WEAX, respectively) throughout the bread-baking process, using wholemeal and refined flour. The TAX and WEAX content and the ratio of arabinose: xylose were assessed in flour, mixed dough, proofed dough and the bread loaf, which was separated into crumb, upper crust and bottom crust. Changes in TAX during the baking process differed between the refined flour and wholemeal samples, suggesting a change in the TAX availability which we ascribe to molecular interactions and heat treatment. WEAX content dramatically decreased during baking, suggesting that oxidative cross-linkages rendered it unextractable. Higher levels of WEAX and lower levels of arabinose substitution were correlated with higher loaf volumes for refined flour among the hard wheat varieties. Having a better understanding of the importance of both WEAX content and arabinose substitution allows for directed breeding efforts towards improved hard wheat varieties for optimum bread baking.
In vivo observations of pre- and postsynaptic changes during the transition from multiple to single innervation at developing neuromuscular junctions

Synaptic rearrangements in developing muscle were studied by visualizing individual neuromuscular junctions in the sternomastoid muscle of living neonatal mice as they underwent the transition from multiple to single innervation. Vital staining of ACh receptors (AChRs) with rhodamine-conjugated alpha-bungarotoxin showed that while junctions were still multiply innervated (usually by two motor axons), regions of the postsynaptic membrane within each junction became depleted of receptors. Usually, several small postsynaptic areas lost AChRs in succession. In these areas, AChRs already in the membrane rapidly disappeared compared to a low level of receptor turnover elsewhere in the junction. Moreover, there was no evidence of new AChRs being inserted into these areas. Within each postsynaptic area undergoing AChR depletion, the intensity of receptor staining decreased gradually over 1-2 d. In some junctions, it appeared that AChRs were migrating away from areas being depleted of receptors. The depletion of AChRs from some sites in combination with the spreading apart of the entire receptor-rich area due to muscle fiber growth accounts for the transformation from plaque-like to branched receptor distributions at developing neuromuscular junctions. Vital staining of presynaptic motor nerve terminals at junctions whose postsynaptic AChRs were also stained showed that motor nerve terminals were lost from the same areas that were depleted of receptors postsynaptically. Postsynaptic areas began to be depleted of AChRs before there was any obvious loss of membrane or intracellular staining in the overlying nerve terminal. Only when a single innervating axon remained at a junction did loss of motor nerve terminals and underlying AChRs largely cease. That former synaptic areas could at later times be identified as uninnervated regions within a junction indicates that synapse elimination during development leaves an indelible mark on synaptic structure. These observations suggest that the withdrawal of a motor axon from a neuromuscular junction occurs as a consequence of the stepwise elimination of all of its synapses with that muscle fiber. These results also suggest that an important aspect of synaptic competition leading to axon withdrawal is the precocious loss of AChRs beneath the nerve terminals of the axon that will be eliminated. A similar early loss of AChRs beneath one axon's synapses has been shown to occur during synapse elimination in reinnervated adult muscle (Rich and Lichtman, 1989a).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Unexpected innate immunity targets for cancer

Chronic inflammation, a hallmark of the innate immune system, promotes tumor growth and metastasis, yet new immunotherapy treatments for cancer usually target the adaptive immune system. New therapies are needed therefore for inflammation-related cancers, many associated with microbes—colon (dysbiosis), gastric ( Helicobacter pylori ), or head and neck (oral bacteria or yeast). A recent study by Farnebo et al . showed that targeting the innate immune receptor TLR2 in head and neck cancer may be one such approach. Colonization of the oral cavity with microbes or yeast occurs along with epithelial dysplasia, and microbial colonization of lesions is associated with progression to cancer. The authors showed that a yeast-derived TLR2 agonist, zymosan, promotes tumor growth. Zymosan activated both ERK and NF-κB, suggesting that it had downstream effects on both inflammatory cytokine production and cell proliferation. Human tumor tissues had high expression of TLR2, and activation of TLR2 led to growth of human organoid head and neck cancer cultures. The authors confirmed that TLR2 is a promising drug target by showing that anti-TLR2 antibodies markedly reduced tumor growth in organoid cultures when administered alone and inhibited organoid growth when given along with the TLR2 agonist. Last, pre-treatment of human tumor cells with anti-TLR2 drastically inhibited in vivo growth in xenograft mouse models. The next step will be to test this approach in vivo with a full, functioning immune system. Nevertheless, the results are a promising step toward identifying innate immune targets for infection- and inflammation-associated cancers. In another publication, the same group demonstrated a role for TLR2/MyD88 in promoting growth of breast and colon stem-like cell populations, indicating that drug targets in the innate immune system may prove useful in a variety of cancers. L. Farnebo et al. , Targeting Toll-like receptor 2 inhibits growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncotarget 6 , 9897–9907 (2015). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget/index.php?journal=oncotarget&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=3393