cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Highly Stereoselective Heterogeneous Diene Polymerization by Co-MFU-4l: A Single-Site Catalyst Prepared by Cation Exchange

Molecular catalysts offer tremendous advantages for stereoselective polymerization because their activity and selectivity can be optimized and understood mechanistically using the familiar tools of organometallic chemistry. Yet, this exquisite control over selectivity comes at an operational price that is generally not justifiable for the large-scale manufacture of polyfolefins. In this report, we identify Co-MFU-4l, prepared by cation exchange in a metal–organic framework, as a solid catalyst for the polymerization of 1,3-butadiene with high stereoselectivity (>99% 1,4-cis). To our knowledge, this is the highest stereoselectivity achieved with a heterogeneous catalyst for this transformation. The polymer’s low polydispersity (PDI ≈ 2) and the catalyst’s ready recovery and low leaching indicate that our material is a structurally resilient single-site heterogeneous catalyst. Further characterization of Co-MFU-4l by X-ray absorption spectroscopy provided evidence for discrete, tris-pyrazolylborate-like coo...
Compound heterozygous CASQ2 mutations and long‐term course of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia

Background Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a potentially lethal inherited cardiac disorder characterized by episodic ventricular tachycardia during adrenergic stimulation. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Knowledge of the underlying genetic cause, pathogenesis, and the natural history of the disease remains incomplete. Approximately 50% of CPVT cases are caused by dominant mutations in the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RYR2) gene, <5% of cases are accounted for by recessive mutations in cardiac calsequestrin (CASQ2) or Triadin (TRDN). Methods We report a family with two CASQ2 gene mutations. A research-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) initiative was used in a patient with a severe CPVT phenotype and her clinically unaffected son. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from platelet RNA was used to assess the consequences of predicted splice variants. Results NGS revealed that the proband carried a novel c.199C>T (p.Gln67*) mutation and a previously reported splice site mutation c.532+1G>A in CASQ2. Her son is a heterozygous carrier of the c.199C>T (p.Gln67*) mutation alone and the proband was compound heterozygous at CASQ2. RNA analysis demonstrated that the splice site mutation results in the retention of intron 3 with no full-length CASQ2 mRNA. Conclusion This study describes a novel CPVT genotype and further characterizes the effect of a previously reported CASQ2 splice site mutation. The long-term follow-up of 23 years since first symptom provides additional insight into the natural history of CASQ2-associated CPVT.
Sociological Thought with Otto Neurath

That I call my paper ‘Sociological Thought with...’ rather than ‘The Sociology of Otto Neurath’ is, because—in spite of his having written, in 1931, a whole book called Empirical Sociology and in 1944 a monograph Foundations of the Social Sciences and already in 1910 a major paper ‘Zwr Theorie der Sozialwissenschaften’ (‘On the Theory of the Social Sciences’)—he never wrote anything that could be presented as the sociology of Otto Neurath.
Cassirer v. Kingdom of Spain and Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation

In Cassirer v. Kingdom of Spain and Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation, heirs of Lilly Cassirer sued in the American courts to recover a Pissarro painting the Nazis seized from her by the Nazis in Munich in 1939, which was later sold in the United States and was eventually acquired by the Spanish government and placed in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. This chapter examines the adjudication of the case, which raises a host of problems of constitutional law, conflicts of law, and foreign property law.
Efficacy of Autogenous Bone Marrow Aspirate as a Fusion-promoting Adjunct to Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Single Center Retrospective Cohort Study

Background Autogenous iliac crest bone marrow aspirate (BMA) has been shown to be a safe osteobiological adjunct to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), but little evidence exists to support its superiority to traditional methods. The object of this study was to retrospectively evaluate two cohorts of patients undergoing ACDF - with or without the use of BMA - in an effort to better characterize the clinical and radiographic outcomes associated with the use of BMA in ACDF. Methods The charts of all patients undergoing ACDF with a collagen-hydroxyapatite (CHA) sponge, local vertebral autograft and a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) interbody graft with or without BMA by a single staff neurosurgeon between 2011 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Post-operative dynamic plain films and CT scans for each patient were reviewed and each instrumented level was independently evaluated for fusion over time. Results A total of 203 cervical levels were instrumented in 92 patients (with BMA, 52 patients, 122 levels; without BMA, 40 patients, 81 levels). The mean radiographic follow-up period was 21.4 ± 18.4 months, over which time 154 of 203 (75.6%) instrumented cervical levels were found to have fused (BMA group, 93/122 segments fused [76.2%]; non-BMA group, 61/81 segments fused [75.3%], p = 1). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a higher probability of fusion at any given time point for the BMA group when compared with the non-BMA group (p < 0.001, log-rank test). Conclusions BMA is a readily accessible, low-cost adjunct to ACDF that enhances the fusion rates seen with a CHA/PEEK allograft combination.
Leukopenia as a Possible Biomarker for Overall Survival in Glioblastoma Patients Treated with Temozolomide (P6.167)

Objective: To investigate whether leukopenia is associated with increased overall survival (OS) in glioblastoma patients at our institution. Primary outcome measure was overall survival. Background: Median survival in patients with glioblastoma is 14–16 months with a 5 year OS of 9.8%. Standard of care treatment includes radiation with concomitant temozolomide (TMZ) followed by adjuvant TMZ. Current practice parameters involve holding TMZ or decreasing the dose once a patient develops myelosuppression (thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, or anemia) given the risks for bleeding and infection. There has been emerging literature however suggesting that myelosuppression, specifically leukopenia, may correlate with increased OS in glioblastoma patients. Design/Methods: We retrospectively collected complete blood counts from 98 patients with glioblastoma treated at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Brain Tumor Clinic between January 2012 and December 2015. Results: Using Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank, the presence of leukopenia correlated with increased OS (p=0.049). Furthermore, patients with grade 1 or 2 leukopenia survived longer than those without myelosuppression (p=0.02), but there was no difference in OS between patients with grade 3 or 4 leukopenia and those without myelosuppression (p=0.32). Conclusions: Overall survival is increased in patients with low grade leukopenia, suggesting that leukopenia may be a possible biomarker for OS in glioblastoma patients treated with TMZ. This supports other single-institution studies on this topic. If these results are confirmed in a prospective trial, a dose escalation trial may be considered in the future to determine if treatment-induced leukopenia is beneficial for all patients receiving TMZ. Disclosure: Dr. Ho has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wong has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Advance Medical, Merck. Dr. Wong has received research support from Novocure. Dr. Uhlmann has nothing to disclose.
The Surrogate Effect: Technoliberalism and Whiteness in a “Post” Labor Era

This paper offers preliminary reflections on the relationship between the seemingly opposed logics of white supremacy and racial liberalism by sketching the contours and workings of what the authors call technoliberalism that is a part of the so-called fourth industrial revolution. The article first overviews the relationship between the discourse of “white loss,” immigration and automation in contemporary US national politics. It then turns to how technoliberal imaginaries that argue that it is robots, not racialized others, who are taking US jobs, pin their anti-racist logics on a post-racial technological future.
The Eocene Origin of Anthropoid Primates

One of the few previous attempts to model anthropoid origins emphasized apparent global climatic changes at the Eocene—Oligocene boundary (now placed at 34 MA) that may have served as the driving force for changes in primate geographic distribution southward and for the evolutionary origin of key new dietary and foraging adaptations (Cachel, 1979, 1981). The most recent proponent of the idea that anthropoid origin was a geologically sudden event associated with profound environmental change at the Eocene—Oligocene transition has been Gingerich (1993). In recent years, however, the view of the Eocene—Oligocene boundary as an important threshold for anthropoid origins has been supplanted by new interpretations based on research in geology and dating (Bown and Kraus, 1988; Van Couvering and Harris, 1991; Kap-pelman et al., 1992; Rasmussen et al, 1992; Gingerich, 1993), Afro-Arabian paleontology (de Bonis et al., 1988; Thomas et al., 1988, 1989, 1991; Simons, 1989, 1990, 1992; Godinot, Ghapter 10, this volume; Godinot and Mahboubi, 1992; Hartenberger and Marandat, 1992), and functional anatomy (Rasmussen and Simons, 1992). Evidence now demonstrates that the anthropoid clade underwent a significant radiation in the late Eocene of Africa, where prosimi-ans were apparently scarce, and that these early anthropoids did not differ appreciably from their prosimian contemporaries on other continents in basic dietary and sensory adaptations or in size.
Neurofeedback for soldiers.

A new study shows that undergoing electroencephalography-based neurofeedback training of amygdala activity leads to an improved ability to regulate emotion in soldiers during combat training, a skill that may prevent future psychiatric disorders.
Optically tunable on-chip microresonator

Photoswitchable organic molecules can undergo reversible structural changes with an external light stimulus. These optically controlled molecules have been used in the development of “smart” polymers, optical writing of grating films, and even controllable in-vivo drug release. Being the simplest class of photoswitches in terms of structure, azobenzenes have become the most ubiquitous, well-characterized, and implemented organic molecular switch. Given their predictable response, they are ideally suited to create an all-optically controlled switch. However, fabricating a monolithic optical device comprised solely from azobenzene while maintaining the photoswitching functionality is challenging. In this work, we combine integrated photonics with optically switchable organic molecules to create an optically controlled integrated device. A silica toroidal resonant cavity is functionalized with a monolayer of an azobenzene derivative. After functionalization, the loaded cavity Q is above 105 . When 450 nm light is coupled into cavity resonance, the azobenzene isomerizes from trans-isomer to cis-isomer, inducing a refractive index change. Because the resonant wavelength of the cavity is governed by the index, the resonant wavelength changes in parallel. At the probe wavelength of 1300 nm, the wavelength shift is determined by the duration and intensity of the 450 nm light and the density of azobenzene functional groups on the device surface, providing multiple control mechanisms. Using this photoswitchable device, resonance frequency tuning as far as sixty percent of the cavity’s free spectral range in the near-IR is demonstrated. The kinetics of the tuning agree with spectroscopic and ellipsometry measurements coupled with finite element method calculations.
Integrating multiple perspectives in an urban ecology course

New approaches are needed to educate university students about urban sustainability challenges. In particular, students need opportunities to learn the importance of integrating not just biophysical issues (e.g. climate change, pollution, loss of biodiversity, etc.), but how these issues are related to societal issues (e.g. racism, poverty, access to health care, etc.). To this end, we created a course that uses a comparative, study abroad approach, focusing on the cities of Rochester, NY (USA) and Malmo, Sweden. Students are provided with numerous scaffolded opportunities to learn from each other, from local experts, and from faculty and students abroad. An assessment of learning outcomes in the course revealed that students who completed the study abroad portion of the course integrated more key topics into their final projects (x = 3.93 ± 0.22) than students who took the same course, but did not go abroad due to the global pandemic in 2020 (x =2.13 ± 0.40; p = 0.004). A survey of students also illustrated that the exposure to a new culture and ideas was key in changing how they thought about environmental problems.
In response to 'The clinical artificial intelligence department: a prerequisite for success'.

We read with interest the article by Cosgriff et al , on the need for a clinical department of artificial intelligence (AI), in which the authors argue that the clinical AI department is a prerequisite to harness power of AI in clinical care.[1][1] While we agree with the goal, understanding the
Variance Asymmetry Managed Portfolios

I propose a forward-looking measure of the asymmetry in the variance of asset returns and introduce a way to estimate it from option prices. This measure is model free and it serves as a close approximation for the asset expected excess return. I provide an empirically supported sufficient condition under which the risk-neutral variance asymmetry ranks stocks based on their physical expected returns. Empirically, I find strong cross-sectional correlation between this measure and future stock returns. Variance asymmetry managed portfolios yield economically large average returns and Sharpe ratios. Crash risk and standard asset pricing factors do not explain this abnormal performance.
Partners in space: Discordant population structure between legume hosts and rhizobium symbionts in their native range

Coevolution is predicted to depend on how the genetic diversity of interacting species is geographically structured. Plant-microbe symbioses such as the legume-rhizobium mutualism are ecologically and economically important, but distinct life history and dispersal mechanisms for these macrobial and microbial partners, plus dynamic genome composition in bacteria, present challenges for understanding spatial genetic processes in these systems. Here we study the model rhizobium Ensifer meliloti using a hierarchically-structured sample of 191 strains from 21 sites in the native range and compare its population structure to that of its host plant Medicago truncatula. We find high local genomic variation and minimal isolation by distance across the rhizobium genome, particularly at the two symbiosis elements pSymA and pSymB, which have evolutionary histories and population structures similar to each other and distinct from both the chromosome and the host. While the chromosome displays weak isolation by distance, it is uncorrelated with hosts. Patterns of discordant population structure among elements with the bacterial genome has implications for bacterial adaptation to life in the soil versus symbiosis, while discordant population genetic structure of hosts and microbes might restrict local adaptation of species to each other and give rise to phenotypic mismatches in coevolutionary traits.
Advances in CD-CAT: The General Nonparametric Item Selection Method

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is characterized by its high estimation efficiency and accuracy, in contrast to the traditional paper-and-pencil format. CAT specifically for cognitive diagnosis (CD-CAT) carries the same advantages and has been seen as a tool for advancing the use of cognitive diagnosis (CD) assessment for educational practice. A powerful item selection method is the key to the success of a CD-CAT program, and to date, various parametric item selection methods have been proposed and well-researched. However, these parametric methods all require large samples, to secure high-precision calibration of the items in the item bank. Thus, at present, implementation of parametric methods in small-scale educational settings, such as classroom, remains challenging. In response to this issue, Chang, Chiu, and Tsai (Appl Psychol Meas 43:543–561, 2019) proposed the nonparametric item selection (NPS) method that does not require parameter calibration and outperforms the parametric methods for settings with only small or no calibration samples. Nevertheless, the NPS method is not without limitations; extra assumptions are required to guarantee a consistent estimator of the attribute profiles when data conform to complex models. To remedy this shortcoming, the general nonparametric item selection (GNPS) method that incorporates the newly developed general NPC (GNPC) method (Chiu et al. in Psychometrika 83:355–375, 2018) as the classification vehicle is proposed in this study. The inclusion of the GNPC method in the GNPS method relaxes the assumptions imposed on the NPS method. As a result, the GNPS method can be used with any model or multiple models without abandoning the advantage of being a small-sample technique. The legitimacy of using the GNPS method in the CD-CAT system is supported by Theorem 1 proposed in the study. The efficiency and effectiveness of the GNPS method are confirmed by the simulation study that shows the outperformance of the GNPS method over the compared parametric methods when the calibration samples are small.
Psychological and Sleep

The mental health of the older adult population requires the practitioner to invest time in understanding the life events and lifestyle of their patients in order to adequately assess and support this key area of health. Older adults often find themselves in highly stressful environments. Big life stresses such as the loss of a spouse or loved ones, financial strain, health concerns, polypharmacy, and social isolation are common and can trigger imbalances in mental health. Even in patients with previously well-managed psychological conditions, medications begin to fail, new triggers create a higher need, and additional compromise in health ignites a mental health crisis. Complementing psychotherapy with nutritional improvements, well-placed nutraceuticals, and safe movement such as Tai Chi or swimming addresses the root causes of symptoms. Paying attention to the interconnection between brain health and gut health is critical to addressing the root causes driving the inflammation, toxicity, and hormonal imbalances that lay the foundation for psychological distress. Recognizing the bidirectional information highway between the gut and the brain, the enteric nervous system with the longest nerve in the body called the vagus nerve, is the key to understanding the interconnectedness of the two and, thus, supporting healing in the seat of our psychological state, the brain. The manifestations of various imbalances in the gut, inflammatory responses, and detoxification pathways can manifest as psychological distress. The most common psychological disorders in the aging adult population are depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
Convergence acceleration by a method of intercalation

Many convergence acceleration techniques function successfully when applied to series of real terms which alternate in sign, but are unsuccessful when applied to series of terms having the same sign. Given a series Σuv of terms having the same sign and whose sumU is required, it is often possible to construct a series of the form u0−v0+u1−v1+..., where Σvv is a series whose terms have the same sign as the {uv} and whose sumV is known, which is amenable to transformation. The required estimate ofU is then recovered from the transformed estimate ofU−V and the known value ofV. Use of this artifice is illustrated with reference to the -algorithm, two numerical examples being given.
Symposium on the Notion of Recursiveness: The Theory of Hierarchies

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the existing theories of hierarchies and focuses on the theory of hierarchies that bears out Hilbert's prediction. The theories of particular hierarchies have arisen, more or less independently, in three areas of mathematics and logic—namely, analysis, recursive function theory, and pure logic. The theory of hierarchies in analysis long ago assumed an identity and name of its own and is now referred to as “descriptive set theory.” With the origins of the first of these “branches of the theory of hierarchies,” by Borel, Baire, Lebesgue, Suslin, and Luzin, the chapter associates them with the second Kleene and Mostowski (and more recently Kondo), and with the third Herbrand and Tarski. In the three areas combined, results have been published by well over 100 workers. There has been an interesting interplay between the mathematical and meta-mathematical approaches in these branches of the theory of hierarchies. In analysis, the mathematical approach has long dominated and only recently has the meta-mathematical approach made an impact.
Mechanical Properties of Bone

We have now learned much about the variable structure of the material inside bones. Previously, we learned that the muscle forces acting on the skeleton are quite large relative to the forces exerted on it by the outside world. It is now time to bring these two aspects of skeletal tissue mechanics together: to learn how strong bones are relative to the loads they must bear, and how the mechanical properties of bones depend on their structure.
A Noteworthy Absence: How and why Race and Racism is Ignored by Public Administration Scholarship

This article examines the substantial lack of inquiry by public administration scholarship into how race shapes and has been shaped by U.S. public institutions, laws and public administration. The paper finds that pertinent matters of racism have evolved in the shadow of public administrative practices, and that the relevance, each for the other, warrants substantially more inquiry.
Final report to NASA JSC : thermal abuse performance of MOLI, Panasonic and Sanyo 18650 Li-ion cells.

Thermal property measurements of 18650 cells for the Space Shuttle Orbiter Advanced Hydraulic Power System (AHPS, formerly known as EAPU) have been performed. Cells were measured from three commercial manufacturers: E-One MOLI (12 cells), Panasonic (5 cells) and Sanyo (5 cells). Thermal property measurements of the MOLI 18650 cells included measurements of specific heat, self discharge (microcalorimetry), overcharge response and thermal runaway by accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC). The Panasonic and Sanyo cells were measured only for thermal runaway response in the ARC at increasing states of charge (3.8V, 4.0V, 4.2V, 4.3V).
Brain Neoplasms Studied by MRI

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 General Neoplasm Features Seen on MRI 3 Specific Tumor Features Seen on MRI 4 Specific Neoplasms and Characteristics Displayed on MRI 5 Summary 6 Biographical Sketches Related Articles
Effect of L-Asparaginase on Mouse Bone Marrow, Assayed by In Vitro Culture

L-asparaginase administered in therapeutic doses to mice was found to reduce the total number of nucleated marrow cells and colony-forming cells when assayed 4 hours after administration by a methylcellulose bone marrow culture technique. Both marrow cellularity and the fraction of surviving IVCFC/femur were normal by 24 hours after injection, except with very large doses, at a time when there were sufficient quantities of L-asparaginase free or cellularly bound within the marrow to be toxic to the culture system. The enzyme could be removed from the marrow specimens with repeated washings. It is postulated that the bone marrow of the mouse is similar to the regenerating rat liver in that both have the ability to compensate for Lasparagine depletion, even in the presence of active L-asparaginase. The rarity of clinically observed myelosuppression in human subjects could be the result of a similar mechanism.
Zappers&Phantom-ware A global demand for tax fraud technology

Ainsworth, Richard Thompson.June, 2008.Zappers&Phantom-ware,Theses,Boston,U.SBoston University,Boston Univ. School of law working paper/no.08-20,27
Structural specificity of mucosal-cell transport and metabolism of peptide drugs: implication for oral peptide drug delivery

The brush border membrane of intestinal mucosal cells contains a peptide carrier system with rather broad substrate specificity and various endo- and exopeptidase activities. Small peptide (di-/tripeptide)-type drugs with or without an N-terminal alpha-amino group, including beta-lactam antibiotics and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, are transported by the peptide transporter. Polypeptide drugs are hydrolyzed by brush border membrane proteolytic enzymes to di-/tripeptides and amino acids. Therefore, while the intestinal brush border membrane has a carrier system facilitating the absorption of di-/tripeptide drugs, it is a major barrier limiting oral availability of polypeptide drugs. In this paper, the specificity of peptide transport and metabolism in the intestinal brush border membrane is reviewed.
Spectacular Girls: Media Fascination & Celebrity Culture. by Sarah Projansky

Sarah Projansky’s Spectacular Girls: Media Fascination & Celebrity Culture is a compelling example of innovative girls studies scholarship that investigates how turn-of-the twenty-first-century U.S...
Identification of selected gamma-ray induced deficiencies in zebrafish using multiplex polymerase chain reaction

The ease with which mutations can be generated in zebrafish makes this vertebrate an important resource for developmental genetics and genome studies. We have developed a PCR-based screening method that allows the efficient identification of gamma-ray induced deficiencies targeted to selected sequences. We describe three mutants characteristic of our findings and show that these mutations include deletions and translocations that can affect as much as 1% of the genome. These deficiencies provide a basis for analyzing the functions of cloned zebrafish genes using noncomplementation screens for point mutations induced by high-efficiency chemical mutagenesis.
Efficient Continuous Nearest Neighbor Query in Spatial Networks Using Euclidean Restriction

In this paper, we propose an efficient method to answer continuous k nearest neighbor (Ck NN) queries in spatial networks. Assuming a moving query object and a set of data objects that make frequent and arbitrary moves on a spatial network with dynamically changing edge weights, Ck NN continuously monitors the nearest (in network distance) neighboring objects to the query. Previous Ck NN methods are inefficient and, hence, fail to scale in large networks with numerous data objects because: 1) they heavily rely on Dijkstra-based blind expansion for network distance computation that incurs excessively redundant cost particularly in large networks, and 2) they blindly map all object location updates to the network disregarding whether the updates are relevant to the Ck NN query result. With our method, termed ER-Ck NN (short for Euclidian Restriction based Ck NN), we utilize ER to address both of these shortcomings. Specifically, with ER we enable 1) guided search (rather than blind expansion) for efficient network distance calculation, and 2) localized mapping (rather than blind mapping) to avoid the intolerable cost of redundant object location mapping. We demonstrate the efficiency of ER-Ck NN via extensive experimental evaluations with real world datasets consisting of a variety of large spatial networks with numerous moving objects.
Building shapes by self-assembly

The research discussed in this paper is focused on algorithmic issues that arise in highly-distributed robotics systems at the nanoscale. The fundamental problem to be addressed is how to program large numbers of limited-capability robots so that they assemble themselves into complex nanostructures with specified shapes. Unexpected connections between geometric modeling and distributed robotics emerge from this work. Nanorobots have dimensions comparable to those of biological cells, and are expected to have remarkable applications in health care and environmental monitoring. For example, they might serve as programmable artificial cells for early detection and destruction of pathogens. The motivation for this project, however, does not stem from environmental or biomedical applications, but rather from the need to build nanostructures efficiently. Assembly of nanoscale components with scanning probe microscopes (SPMs), which is used extensively today, is inherently a sequential process, ill-suited to mass production. Passive self-assembly, that is, the autonomous assembly of building blocks driven by natural phenomena such as thermal agitation or surface tension, is an efficient, massively parallel process, but typically cannot produce the asymmetric structures needed by many applications. Active self-assembly, the approach proposed here, uses nanorobots as building blocks, and programs them through simple local rules to generate specified global shapes. Once the desired configuration is achieved, the constituent robots themselves become the structure. Active self-assembly is a massively parallel process that does not appear to have the drawbacks of its passive counterpart. Individual nanorobots of the future are expected to have limited capabilities: small memories and processors, few sensors, and communications primarily based on chemical interactions, which require contact between robots. A robot per se will not do much, but large teams of such robots may achieve complex behaviors. In the work reported in this paper nanorobots teams are modeled as swarms of robots in which each robot has a simple shape, is controlled by a small finite-state machine, and is capable of moving autonomously and exchanging a small number of messages with other robots only when they are in contact. The results to be presented show that it is possible to use such models to build wires (or, equivalently, to plan collision-free paths) between given locations, as well as to construct various shapes. The ultimate goal of the project is to demonstrate that essentially arbitrary nanostructures can be built by programming such robot swarms.
Urine-Derived Compound Evokes Membrane Responses in Mouse Vomeronasal Receptor Neurons

Sensory neurons of the vomeronasal organ (VNO) are thought to detect species-specific chemical signals important for reproductive function. The electrical properties of VNO neurons have begun to be characterized in a variety of species; however, the response of VNO neurons to possible physiological ligands has not yet been reported. One physiological effector, dehydro-exo-brevicomin (DHB), is found in the urine of intact male mice and affects the estrous cycle of female mice. In the present study, dissociated VNO neurons were voltage- or current-clamped and their response to DHB was determined. Approximately 26% of VNO neurons responded to DHB with an outward current at negative holding potentials; the current reversed at approximately +4 mV. Application of DHB in current-clamp mode produced membrane hyperpolarization and/or a reduction in the firing of action potentials. Because membrane conductance was shown to be decreased during application of DHB, the results suggest that the outward current associated with DHB application is a reflection of a reduction in inward current caused by closing an ion channel. This study provides the first evidence that a compound found in male urine directly affects VNO neurons.
Left subclavian artery coverage during thoracic endovascular aortic repair and risk of perioperative stroke or death

Introduction Left subclavian artery (LSA) coverage during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is often necessary due to anatomic factors and is performed in to up to 40% of procedures. Despite the frequency of LSA coverage during TEVAR, reported associations with risk of periprocedural stroke or death are inconsistent in reported literature. We examined the 2005-2008 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use Data file to determine associations between LSA coverage during TEVAR and risk of perioperative stroke or death. Methods Current procedural terminology (CPT) codes were used to identify patients undergoing TEVAR, LSA coverage, and subclavian revascularization. Patients undergoing coronary bypass, ascending aortic repair, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, or nonvascular intra-abdominal procedures during the same operation were excluded. Perioperative stroke and mortality associations with LSA coverage were examined using logistic regression models for each outcome. Significance was assessed at α = 0.05, with univariable P Results Eight hundred forty-five TEVAR procedures were identified, of which 52 patients were excluded due to additional major procedures performed with TEVAR. Seven hundred thirty-three of the remaining 793 procedures included CPT codes indicating primary placement of an initial thoracic endograft and form the basis of this analysis. LSA coverage occurred in 279 procedures (38%). Thirty-day stroke and mortality rates were 5.7% and 7.0%, respectively. LSA coverage was associated with increased 30-day risk of stroke in multivariable modeling (odds ratio [OR], 2.17 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-4.14; P = .019). Other significant multivariable risk factors for stroke included proximal aortic cuff placement during TEVAR (OR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.30-5.16; P = .007) and emergency procedure status (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 1.87-6.94; P Conclusion LSA coverage during thoracic endovascular repair is associated with increased risk of perioperative stroke following TEVAR. Further evidence is needed to determine whether procedural modifications, including LSA revascularization, reduce the incidence of stroke associated with TEVAR.
Reconsidering retaliation Structural inhibitions, emotive dissonance, and the acceptance of ambivalence among inner-city young men

Contemporary criminology directs a great deal of attention toward the factors which may lead to crime and violence, but little attention to individuals in circumstances which fit all the necessary ...
Renal ammonia production as a model for the study of enzyme adaptation in mammals.

Chronische Verabreichung von Saure fuhrt zu einer erhohten Glutaminase-I-Konzentration in der Niere und zu einer gesteigerten Ammoniakausscheidung im Urin. Das ammoniakproduzierende biokatalytische System (Glutaminase I) ist besonders gut zum Studium der Enzymadaptation (Induktion) bei Saugetieren geeignet. Der Stand der Adaptation kann nicht nur durch die Bestimmung der Enzymveranderungen in der Niere, sondern auch durch den Nachweis des Reaktionsproduktes (Ammoniak) im Urin am lebenden Tier beurteilt werden.
Advance notice as a means of reducing relative deprivation

Considerable research has documented that global perceptions of proceduralv fairness are associated with reductions in relative deprivation (RD). Less research has examined the specific process elements that lead individuals to perceive procedural fairness. In view of this, several researchers have suggested that providing advance notice concerning a negative decision increases perceived justice and thereby lowers levels of RD. Unfortunately, the evidence for this causal relationship is currently limited and is based upon a small number of correlation and role-playing studies. Thus, the present paper reports on two experimental studies that investigate the causal relationship between advance notice and RD. Findings in Study 1 showed that advance notice impacted the cognitive aspects of RD but not the affective or behavioral aspects. However, some methodological limitations were identified. These were corrected and a second experiment was conducted. This time advance notice lowered both the cognitive and affective aspects of RD but still did not impact the behavioral measure. Results are discussed in terms of Tyler's (1987) group value model.
The cost-benefit approach to development economics

Abstract The author starts with a review of past thinking on the process of growth, and the steady movement from the use of highly aggregated macro-growth models to highly disaggregated micro-models with a multiplicity of possible sources of growth. The identification of the most appropriate source of growth can best be carried out by cost-benefit analysis. He then examines the economics of policymaking in the less-developed countries, in the light of his earlier look at models of growth, and explores the application of the cost-benefit approach to the theory of effective protection and for economic planning, including in the later issues of income distribution and basic needs. While he finds that the gains from using cost-benefit analysis have been very great for microeconomic policy in the developing countries, the economic profession has not been as successful in deriving lessons for macro-policy in the light of the cost-benefit approach; and much more can be done in the macroeconomic area with this approach.
Relaxation nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (R-NMRI) of PDMS/PDPS siloxane copolymer desiccation

Abstract Relaxation nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (R-NMRI) was employed to study the effects of desiccation on SiO2-filled and unfilled polydimethylsiloxane–polydiphenylsiloxane (PDMS/PDPS) copolymers. Uniform NMR spin–spin relaxation time (T2) profiles were observed across the sample thickness indicating that the drying process is approximately uniform, and that the desiccation of the silicone copolymer is not a H2O diffusion limited process. In a P2O5 desiccation environment, significant reduction of T2 was observed for the SiO2-filled and unfilled copolymer material for desiccation up to 225 days. A very small reduction in T2 was observed for the unfilled copolymer between 225 and 487 days. The increase in relative stiffness with desiccation was found to be higher for the unfilled copolymer.
Prediction of Large Array Characteristics from Small Array Parameters

An efficient procedure is proposed to predict the performance of large finite arrays from a smaller array. The procedure depends on the knowledge of the mutual admittance matrix of the small array. The mutual admittance matrix of the large array is constructed from the small array ignoring the coupling beyond the small array size. Once the mutual admittance is constructed the effective input impedances of the array elements under different scanning directions and different power distributions are computed. An air filled microstrip antenna is considered. The results obtained using the present method is verified by a full wave numerical analysis of the large array. (5 pages)
Effect of metal surfacing on the color characteristics of porcelain veneer.

Abstract The color matching ability of the porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations is controlled by a number of factors. One of these includes the surface characteristics of the underlying substrate. This study investigated the effect of surface roughness and conditioners on hue, value and chroma of the ceramic veneers. Two different metal substrates, a precious alloy and base metal alloy, were included in the study. Color characteristics were evaluated using a tristimulus color measuring device, a reflectance spectrophotometer as well as visual comparison tests. Slight color variations were noted with each method of evaluation. These variations, however, were considered to be clinically insignificant.
Comparison of Voltage- and Current-Feedback Amplifiers

This paper points out the differences between an amplifier with voltage feedback and one with current feedback. The effect of variations of amplifier constants on output voltage and current is decreased by either type of negative feedback. Voltage feedback decreases the effect of load impedance on output voltage, and current feedback decreases the effect of load impedance on load current. Voltage feedback increases the damping of a loudspeaker and improves its response. A table also is given to assist in the choice of type and amount of feedback to be used in a given application.
Intramyocardial injection of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells for patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction (First Mononuclear Cells injected in the US [FOCUS]): Rationale and design

Background The increasing worldwide prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) continues to challenge the medical community. Management options include medical and revascularization therapy. Despite advances in these methods, CAD is a leading cause of recurrent ischemia and heart failure, posing significant morbidity and mortality risks along with increasing health costs in a large patient population worldwide. Trial Design The Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN) was established by the National Institutes of Health to investigate the role of cell therapy in the treatment of chronic cardiovascular disease. FOCUS is a CCTRN-designed randomized, phase II, placebo-controlled clinical trial that will assess the effect of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells delivered transendocardially to patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and symptomatic heart failure or angina. All patients need to have limiting ischemia by reversible ischemia on single-photon emission computed tomography assessment. Results After thoughtful consideration of both statistical and clinical principles, we will recruit 87 patients (58 cell treated and 29 placebo) to receive either bone marrow–derived stem cells or placebo. Myocardial perfusion, LV contractile performance, and maximal oxygen consumption are the primary outcome measures. Conclusions The designed clinical trial will provide a sound assessment of the effect of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells in improving blood flow and contractile function of the heart. The target population is patients with CAD and LV dysfunction with limiting angina or symptomatic heat failure. Patient safety is a central concern of the CCTRN, and patients will be followed for at least 5 years.
Presence of electrolyte promotes wetting and hydrophobic gating in nanopores with residual surface charges

Hydrophobic nanopores provide a model system to study hydrophobic interactions at the nanoscale. Such nanopores could also function as a valve since they halt the transport of water and all dissolved species. It has recently been found that a hydrophobic pore can become wetted i.e. filled with condensed water or an aqueous solution of salt when a sufficiently high electric field is applied across the membrane. The wetting process is reversible thus when the voltage is lowered or switched off, the pore comes back to a closed state due to water evaporation in the pore. In this manuscript we present experimental studies on how the switching between conducting and non-conducting states can be regulated by the electrolyte concentration. Transport properties of single nanopores modified with alkyl chains of different lengths were recorded in salt concentrations between 10 mM and 1 M KCl. Nanopores modified with propyl chains exhibited gating in 10 mM KCl and were open for ionic transport for all voltages at higher salt concentrations. Nanopores modified with decyl chains did not conduct current in 10 mM and exhibited repeatable hydrophobic gating in 100 mM and 1 M KCl. The results are explained in the context of Maxwell stress in confined geometry with local surface charges, which change the shape of the water–vapor interface and promote wetting.
Substitute-and-simplify: a unified design paradigm for approximate and quality configurable circuits

Many applications are inherently resilient to inexactness or approximations in their underlying computations. Approximate circuit design is an emerging paradigm that exploits this inherent resilience to realize hardware implementations that are highly efficient in energy or performance. In this work, we propose Substitute-And-SIMplIfy (SASIMI), a new systematic approach to the design and synthesis of approximate circuits. The key insight behind SASIMI is to identify signal pairs in the circuit that assume the same value with high probability, and substitute one for the other. While these substitutions introduce functional approximations, if performed judiciously, they result in some logic to be eliminated from the circuit while also enabling downsizing of gates on critical paths (simplification), resulting in significant power savings. We propose an automatic synthesis framework that performs substitution and simplification iteratively, while ensuring that a user-specified quality constraint is satisfied. We extend the proposed framework to perform automatic synthesis of quality configurable circuits that can dynamically operate at different accuracy levels depending on application requirements. We used SASIMI to automatically synthesize approximate and quality configurable implementations of a wide range of arithmetic units (Adders, Multipliers, MAC), complex data paths (SAD, FFT butterfly, Euclidean distance) and ISCAS85 benchmarks, using various error metrics such as error rate and average error magnitude. The synthesized approximate circuits demonstrate power improvements of 10%–28% for tight error constraints, and 30%–60% for relaxed error constraints. The quality configurable circuits obtain between 14%–40% improvement in energy in the approximate mode, while incurring no energy overheads in the accurate mode.
Near 5-day nonisostatic response of the Atlantic Ocean to atmospheric surface pressure deduced from sub-surface and bottom pressure measurements

[1] Nonisostatic ocean responses to atmospheric pressure have been observed in tropical regions of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans at periods near 5 days. Barotropic ocean model simulations coupled to atmospheric forcing predicted that this nonisostatic ocean response is driven not regionally but globally by the Rossby-Haurwitz wave. To date little observational evidence has been provided to support the model simulations, especially at extratropical latitudes. Here we present the basin-scale nature of the nonisostatic response in the Atlantic Ocean near 5-day periods using four historical long-term (≥1.5 year) sub-surface and bottom pressure measurements spanning from 16°S to 37°N. Joint analysis of them together with global-gridded atmospheric pressure reveals a basin-scale nonisostatic sea level fluctuation in the North and tropical Atlantic Oceans near 5-day periods with almost uniform phase. It also confirms that the driving force for this near 5-day fluctuation is the westward propagating Rossby-Haurwitz wave.