cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Similarity in communication values as a predictor of friendship choices: Studies of friends and best friends

The similarity‐attraction hypothesis maintains that cognitively similar persons are more attracted to and more likely to form relationships with each other than cognitively dissimilar persons. The current paper extends this general hypothesis by suggesting that persons with similar communication values are more likely to become friends than persons with dissimilar communication values. This general hypothesis was tested and confirmed in two studies. Implications of the findings for friendship formation are discussed.
McMurry Chemistry on TiO2(110): Reductive C═C Coupling of Benzaldehyde Driven by Titanium Interstitials

Selective reductive coupling of benzaldehyde to stilbene is driven by subsurface Ti interstitials on vacuum-reduced TiO2(110). A combination of temperature-programmed reaction spectroscopy and scan...
The Adequacy of Supplemental Security Income Benefits for Aged Individuals and Couples

Information is provided on the adequacy of benefits using state-level data on costs and benefits and multiple indicators of adequacy. Maximum Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for aged persons are generally shown to be inadequate. However, when income from other sources is included, couples' SSI benefits appear more adequate when compared to the preferred measures, while those for individuals remain inadequate. Adequacy is also compared across states, and a multivariate analysis is conducted to determine factors that may predict the presence or amount of state supplementary payments. Policy options for improving the adequacy of benefits are discussed.
Efficacy of a New Pattern of Delivery of Methylphenidate for the Treatment of ADHD: Effects on Activity Level in the Classroom and on the Playground

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the pharmacodynamic effects of an experimental (EXP) delivery of methylphenidate (MPH) in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and to investigate the situational nature of effects in laboratory classroom and playground settings. Method: A “sipping” study methodology was used to deliver a bolus followed by small but increasing MPH doses as the EXP regimen. A randomized, double-blind crossover design was used to compare the EXP regimen to a thrice-daily (TID) regimen and a placebo (PLA) regimen. Measures of efficacy were obtained from a Motionlogger® actigraph to quantify activity and from the Swanson, Kotkin, Agler, M-Flynn, and Pelham (SKAMP) rating scale to quantify two domains of behavior (attention and deportment). Results: Compared with PLA, both EXP and TID delivery of MPH produced large, significant reductions in activity and inappropriate behavior in the classroom, but the two MPH regimens did not differ in onset or duration of effects across the day. The MPH effects were situationally dependent and were smaller for the playground than for the classroom settings. Conclusions: The findings of this “proof of concept” study support the efficacy of a continuous, ascending delivery of MPH. The situational effects of MPH provide support for the theory of selective effects of stimulants, dependent on the demands of the environment.
A note on spatial price policy when demand is linear but non-uniform

Abstract For linear demand functions whose coefficients may depend on location we examine conditions under which mill pricing or uniform pricing is profit maximizing.
The time scale of the catalytic loop motion in triosephosphate isomerase.

Abstract Loop 6 in the active site of Triosephosphate Isomerase (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) moves in order to reposition key residues for catalysis. The timescale of the opening and closing of this loop has been measured, at temperatures from −15 to +45°C, using broadline solid state deuterium NMR of a single deuterated tryptophan located in the loop’s N terminal hinge. The rate of the loop opening and closing was best detected using samples containing subsaturating amounts of a substrate analogue dl -glycerol 3-phosphate so that the populations of the open and closed forms were roughly equal, and using temperatures optimal for enzymatic function (30–45°C). The T2 values were much shorter than for unligated samples, consistent with full opening and closing of the loop at a rate of order 104 s−1, and in good agreement with the rates estimated based on solution state 19F NMR. The loop motion appears to be partially rate limiting for chemistry in both directions.
The Feasibility Study of AGR 7-Position Fuel Testing Assembly in NEFT Position

In order to support the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Program 2018 deployment schedule, the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program must reduce the AGR fuel irradiation testing time in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) from approximately 2 1/2 calendar years to 1 1/2 calendar years. The AGR fuel irradiation testing requirements are: (a) burn-up of at least 14% FIMA; (b) Fast neutron fluence (E > 0.18 MeV) – maximum 1.0 MeV) to Thermal (E 0.18 MeV) results indicate that the average fuel compact burnup and fast neutron fluence reach 14.79% FIMA and 4.16 × 1025 n/m2 , respectively. The fuel compact peak burnup reached 16.68% FIMA with corresponding fast neutron fluence for that fuel compact of 5.06 × 1025 n/m2 , which satisfied the fuel testing requirements. It is therefore concluded that accelerating the AGR fuel testing using the proposed AGR 7-position fuel test configuration in the NEFT is very feasible.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
‘Fatigue’ in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: Motor Pathway Conduction and Event-Related Potentials

Ten patients with a definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and complaints of "fatigue" were studied using (1) reaction times and event-related potentials accompanying the performance of auditory memory tasks (target detection, verbal short-term memory) and (2) motor conduction velocities of the pyramidal tract elicited by cerebral and cervical magnetic stimulation. Patients were studied when "rested" and when fatigued. Reaction times of the patients when rested were significantly delayed in the short-term memory but not the target-detection tasks when compared with normal controls. When patients were fatigued, their reaction times became significantly longer in all tasks compared with when they were rested. Event-related potentials in these tasks consist of N1/P2 sensory components and P3a and P3b cognitive components. The N1 component latency was longer and P3a and P3b amplitudes were reduced in patients compared with controls. Fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis was accompanied by a shortening of P3a latency and an increase in P3a and P3b amplitudes compared with these measures when patients were rested. Pyramidal tract conduction velocities did not differ between rested and fatigued conditions. Thus, fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis was associated with a slowing of performance (reaction time) on memory tasks, whereas brain potentials reflecting neural events of stimulus encoding and classification were either unchanged or paradoxically speeded up in latency in the fatigued compared with the rested conditions. We postulate that, in patients with multiple sclerosis, fatigue affects neural processes acting after stimulus evaluation but before activation of the primary motor pathways.
Comparison of Synthetic Isoparaffinic Kerosene Turbine Fuels with the Composition-Explicit Distillation Curve Method

In recent years, civilian and military users of aviation kerosene have been interested in expanding the scope of fuel feed stocks to include nonpetroleum sources. There are many reasons for this, the most important of which are the potential minimization of supply disruptions, the minimization of dependence on foreign sources of petroleum, the vulnerability of large centralized refineries, and the rising costs of current fuel streams. It is unlikely that a completely new, drop-in replacement fuel will be successful in the foreseeable future. In the meantime, however, the goal is to extend or enhance present petroleum-derived stocks. For this to be done on a rational basis, careful attention must be paid to fuel design parameters, one of the most important of which is the fluid volatility as expressed by the distillation curve. We have recently introduced several important improvements in the measurement of distillation curves of complex fluids. The modifications to the classical measurement provide for (1...
New high-concentration mirror-based Kohler Integrating Optical Design for Multijunction Solar Cells

A novel two-mirror high concentration nonimaging optic has been developed that shares the advantages of present two mirror imaging concentrators but also overcomes their main limitation like their trade-off between acceptance angle and irradiance uniformity.
Erratum to “Genetic influences on hippocampal structure and function in recombinant inbred mice” [Behav. Brain Res. 196 (2009) 78–83]

a Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States b Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States c Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, United States d University of California, Irvine, CA, United States e Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States f Research Training & Career Development Office Division of Neuroscience & Basic Behavioral Science NIMH/NIH/DHHS, United States
Advances in understanding immunity to Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii is an important cause of clinical disease in fetuses, infants and immunocompromised patients. Since the discovery of T. gondii 100 years ago, this pathogen and the host's immune response to toxoplasmosis have been studied intensely. This has led to the development of a working model of immunity to T. gondii, and has also resulted in fundamental new insights into the role of various cytokines in resistance to infection. By examining this organism, researchers have identified many of the requirements for resistance to intracellular pathogens and characterized numerous regulatory factors, including interleukin-10 (IL-10) and IL-27, which control inflammatory processes. In the next 100 years of T. gondii immunobiology, researchers will have the opportunity to answer some of the long-standing questions in the field using new techniques and reagents. These future studies will be vital in building a more comprehensive model of immunity to this pathogen and in advancing our understanding of immunoregulation, particularly in humans. Ultimately, the challenge will be to use this information to develop new vaccines and therapies to manage disease in affected patients.
Defect tolerance in nanodevice-based programmable interconnects: utilization beyond avoidance

This work focuses on defect tolerance for nanodevice-based programmable interconnects of FPGAs. First, we show that the stuck-closed defects of nanodevices have a much higher impact than the stuck-open defects. Instead of simply avoiding the stuck-closed defects, we use them by treating them as shorting constraints in the routing. We develop a scalable algorithm to perform timing-driven routing under these extra constraints. We also enhance the placement algorithm to recover logic blocks which become virtually unusable due to shorted pins. Simulation results show that at the up-to-date level of nanodevice defects (108--1011x higher than CMOS), compared to the simple avoidance method, our approach reduces the degradation of resource usage by 87%, improves the routability by 37%, and reduce the degradation of circuit performance by 36%, at a negligible overhead of tool runtime.
Residual chemosensory capabilities in double P2X2/P2X3 purinergic receptor null mice: intraoral or postingestive detection?

Mice lacking the purinergic receptors, P2X2 and P2X3 (P2X2/P2X3Dbl−/−), exhibit essentially no tastant-evoked activity in the chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal nerves and substantial loss of tastant-evoked behavior as measured in long-term intake experiments. To assess whether the residual chemically driven behaviors in these P2X2/P2X3Dbl−/− mice were attributable to postingestive detection or oropharyngeal detection of the compounds, we used brief access lickometer tests to assess the behavioral capabilities of the P2X2/P2X3Dbl−/− animals. The P2X2/P2X3Dbl−/− mice showed avoidance to high levels (10 mM quinine and 10–30 mM denatonium benzoate) of classical “bitter”-tasting stimuli in 24-h, 2-bottle preference tests but minimal avoidance of these substances in the lickometer tests, suggesting that the strong avoidance in the intake tests was largely mediated by post-oral chemosensors. Similarly, increases in consumption of 1 M sucrose by P2X2/P2X3Dbl−/− mice in long-term intake tests were not mirrored by increases in consumption of sucrose in lickometer tests, suggesting that sucrose detection in these mice is mediated by postingestive consequences. In contrast, in brief access tests, P2X2/P2X3Dbl−/− mice avoided citric acid and hydrochloric acid at the same concentrations as their wild-type counterparts, indicating that these weak acids activate oropharyngeal chemoreceptors.
The Fine Structure of Plant Mitochondria

The fine structure of plant mitochondria was studied by electron microscopy in the following species: Aloe vera, Elodea canadensis, Glycine max, Yucca glauca, Zingiber officinale, Juniperus communis, Cibotium chamissoi, Psilotum triquetrum, Bryum sp., Funaria hygrometria, Marchantia polymorpha. In all these genera, without exception, the mitochondria were observed to have the same basic structure: a double membrane and a tubular or microvillous structure arising from the folds of the inner membrane. Highly organized lamellated cristae were not present in any of these mitochondria. The diameters of microvilli were measured and ranged from 280A a to 950A.
HETEROGENEITY AND DYNAMICS ON A SHOAL DURING SPRING -WINTER STORM SEASON, SOUTH-CENTRAL LOUISIANA, USA

Ship Shoal, a shore-parallel elongate sand shoal and a remnant of a late Holocene active delta has a unique heterogeneous sedimentary feature strongly affected by winter storms and fluvial sediment input from the Atchafalaya River. The interaction between fluvially derived sediment and subsequent deposition on the shoal has not been quantified; implications for hydrodynamic modeling are profound given that the shoal surface vacillates between sand and fluid mud. Thus, attenuation effects on waves and currents vary greatly. The results of a field survey undertaken during spring flood and winter storm periods showed that during fair weather, river-borne sediments transported to the shoal, forms a distinct fluid mud layer. Bottom sediments were re-suspended and transported by storm-induced waves and prevailing northerly/southerly
Impact of lung allocation score on survival in cystic fibrosis lung transplant recipients

Background The lung allocation score (LAS) has changed organ allocation for lung transplantation in the United States. Previous investigations of transplant recipients reported an association between high LAS and an increased risk of death after lung transplantation. We hypothesize that a high LAS predicts survival in lung transplant recipients with cystic fibrosis (CF) in the United Network for Organ Sharing Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database. Methods A cohort study was conducted of 1,437 U.S. adult lung transplant recipients with CF from May 1, 2005, through December 31, 2012. The cohort was divided into a high-risk group and a low-risk group based on LAS. Survival data were examined using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazard models to compare survival. The primary outcome was adjusted survival at 1 year after lung transplantation. Results The high-risk group of 318 patients with a median LAS of 69.6 (interquartile range 56.3–87.2) was compared with a low-risk group of 1,119 patients with a median LAS of 38.8 (interquartile range 36.3–42.3). Patients in the high-risk group had a 41% increased relative risk of cumulative mortality at 1 year after transplantation compared with the low-risk group (16.1% vs 12.0%). After adjustment for known predictors of mortality, the risk of death at 1 year after transplantation remained elevated (hazard ratio=1.41; 95% confidence interval=1.00–2.01). The high-risk group had worse survival at 90 days and 2 years after lung transplantation. Conclusions High LAS are associated with worse survival in lung transplant recipients with CF.
Local analysis of a one step ahead adaptive controller

A local analysis of the one step ahead adaptive controller of [1] is presented. We study the behavior of the closed loop adaptive system, in presence of periodic inputs, around a trajectory defined as the solution of a nominal system. We establish that if this solution is unique, it is uniformly asymptotically stable and we can tolerate a wide class of small perturbations from this nominal system.
Three-dimensional animations of power-electronics circuits visualize voltage and current

3D circuit animations can be highly effective to understand and to visualize the interactions of components, voltages and currents in power electronics. With modern computer hardware and software tools, animations can be readily produced, and have been used to demonstrate power electronic circuit behavior. We introduce a new circuit animation system and the ideas behind it to the power electronics community. This animation system, offers potentially important advantages in showing the interactions of components, voltages, and currents in power-electronics circuits. We apply it to develop animations of rectifiers and DC/DC converters, and we report experience using them in a power electronics course.
Integrated wafer-scale growth and transfer of directional Carbon Nanotubes and misaligned-Carbon-Nanotube-immune logic structures

We successfully demonstrate essential components and their integration for large-scale carbon nanotube field effect transistor (CNFET) technology: 1. First demonstration of full-wafer-scale growth of directional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on 4" single-crystal quartz wafers. 2. First demonstration of full-wafer-scale CNT transfer from 4" quartz wafers to 4" silicon wafers for integration on silicon. 3. Integration of full-wafer-scale growth and transfer, together with metallic-CNT removal, for the first demonstration of misaligned-CNT-immune digital logic structures on a full-wafer-scale. Such logic structures guarantee correct logic functionality in the presence of a large number of misaligned and mis-positioned CNTs.
Brand personality, self-congruity, and preference: A knowledge structures approach

Using the construct of brand personality to measure automobile and soft drink personalities, two studies represented self-congruity by combining brands and the self-image into Pathfinder associative networks (Schvaneveldt et al., 1989). Self-congruity, the number of links between the self and each brand, was predictive of preference and ideal brand. Because brand personality and self-image are knowledge structures, and facets of brand personality also describe the self, self-congruity can be represented and measured in networks. This approach could be helpful to marketers studying how the self is related to each brand and how brands interrelate. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A pilot investigation of enamel reduction procedures.

Objective: To test and describe the use of various combinations of mechanical and chemical techniques for enamel reduction to obtain a smooth surface. Methods: Bovine teeth (2 surfaces on each of 32 teeth) were used. The teeth were mounted in blocks of dental plaster, which were then mounted in a vise. The mesiodistal enamel contact areas were reduced by various combinations of mechanical and chemical aids. The mesiodistal width of each tooth was measured with a digital caliper after initial reduction of the enamel surface and again after polishing. The teeth were subsequently prepared and mounted for scanning electron microscopy. Results: All combinations yielded statistically significant enamel reduction ( p < 0.05). The use of acid stripping in conjunction with mechanical procedures produced especially smooth enamel surfaces. Conclusions: Steps must be taken to ensure that a smooth enamel surface remains after enamel reduction and polishing. It is recommended that conventional enamel etchants be added to the polishing procedure. Enamel reduction can increase available space, but the quantity of enamel that can be removed without adverse consequences should be carefully evaluated.
A novel algorithm of lane detection addressing varied scenarios of curved and dashed lanemarks

Lane detection is a critical step in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The detected lane information is used by later modules of warning and controlling the differential brake and steering angle. Here we propose an efficient algorithm for detecting accurate lane inbounds under varying illumination and road conditions like curvy, straight and dashed lane markings, deterministically. The current method uses edges extracted from frames and lane mask information extracted from spatial lane stripes through adaptive figure-ground segregation to determine the lane bounds. The proposed method has been extensively validated for varying real time scenarios against the state-of-art methods of lane detection.
Comment: Fundamentals and Innovation in Antibiotic Trials.

In this issue of Statistics in Biopharmaceutical Research (SBR), Price, Rubin, and Valappil discussed challenges associated with antibiotic development, outline issues in antibiotic trials, and dis...
The Speech Recognition Virtual Kitchen Toolkit

Speech recognition and natural language processing are interesting and relevant applications of many CS principles. Unfortunately, the barrier to entry for using existing tools is quite high, often requiring many hours installing, compiling, testing, and debugging tools before students can even begin exploring the technical concepts. The "Speech Recognition Virtual Kitchen" environment is an NSF-sponsored collaborative research infrastructure project that has the goals to promote community sharing of research techniques, foster innovative experimentation, and provide solid reference systems as a tool for education, research, and evaluation. The core of the research infrastructure is the use of virtual machines (VMs) that provide a consistent experimental environment. We liken the virtual machines to a "kitchen" because they provide the infrastructure into which one can install "appliances" (e.g., speech recognition tool-kits), "recipes" (scripts for creating state-of-the art systems), and "ingredients" (language data). A web-based community platform allows physically disconnected users to jointly explore VMs, learn from each other, and collaborate in research. This demo will provide an overview of available VMs, suggestions for use in undergraduate and graduate computer science courses and capstone projects, and a demonstration of our teaching VM, highlighting the ease of working with available tools. We invite participation in our community through downloading and uploading VMs, which can be an entry to open-source software development. More information can be found at speechkitchen.org.
Transfusion practices and infectious risks

Transfusion-transmitted infections remain among the most-feared complications of allogeneic blood transfusion. Thanks to several strategies including donor screening and deferral, blood testing and pathogen inactivation, their risks have reached all-time low levels, particularly in developed nations. Nonetheless, new and emerging infections remain a threat that is likely to exacerbate in the coming years with continued globalization and climate change. More effective strategies of pathogen inactivation and more vigilant horizon screening are hoped to abate the risk. Additionally, allogeneic transfusion has repeatedly been shown to be associated with worsening of outcomes in patients, including the documented increased risk of infections (often nosocomial) in recipients of transfusions. The underlying mechanism is likely to be related to immunosuppressive effects of allogeneic blood, iron content, and bacterial contamination. This issue is best addressed by more judicious and evidence-based use of allogeneic blood components to ensure the potential benefits outweigh the risks.
Integrated 3-D simulation of solid propellant rockets

ABSTRACT This paper presents an overview of research activities at the Center for Simulation of Ad-vanced Rockets (CSAR) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. CSAR is one of fiveuniversity-based research centers funded by the U. S. Department of Energy as part of the Accel-erated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI). The purpose of ASCI is to advance the state of theart in computational simulation of complex, multicomponent systems and to provide the compu-tational hardware and infrastructure necessary to carry out very large-scale simulations. CSAR isusing the solid rocket boosters of the NASA Space Shuttle as the simulation vehicle. Now at thebeginning of the fourth year of our ten-year pro-gram, the implementation of a fully integratedsimulation code is nearly complete and is ex-pected to be finished before the end of 2000. Itprovides a characterization of various burn sce-narios and the onset of potential component fail-ures. Other sub-scale rockets have been simulatedto provide verification data for CSAR codes. Re-fined multiscale component models and advancedsystem integration concepts based on lessonslearned from our current work constitute the keyfeatures in the second-generation code targetedfor the next few years.
Reweaving the Tapestry: What can We Learn from Sibley and Ahlquist (1990)?

ABsTRAcr.-Sibley and Ahlquist's phylogeny of the birds ("The Tapestry") has drawn both praise and criticism. Two major criticisms are that trees were based on incomplete distance matrices and that their tree-building algorithm (UPGMA) was inappropriate. Their 1990 book answered critics by including several complete matrices analyzed by the Fitch-Margoliash algorithm. Matrices were constructed by combining species into composite taxa, which requires additional (possibly defensible) assumptions and introduces additional (probably random) error. Three problems remain: (1) The algorithm used does not always find the bestfit topology, depending on taxon order. (2) The error variance of the data does not fit the assumptions of the Fitch-Margoliash algorithm. The assumptions of the algorithms of Fitch and Margoliash and of Cavalli-Sforza and Edwards are limiting cases that bracket the truth. (3) Even a matrix with no phylogenetic content has a best-fit topology; some test of the strength of support for branches on a tree is required. To address these problems, I analyzed: (1) each matrix several times with different orderings of taxa and with user-defined trees; (2) each matrix with both algorithms; (3) upper-right and lower-left halves of each matrix separately, performed a complete set of single-taxon jackknifings, and created a jackknife strict consensus of all best-fit trees using both algorithms. Based on these analyses, 97 of 173 interior branches (56%) on the FITCH trees published by Sibley and Ahlquist (1990) were still present in my consensus trees. Many trees remained nearly intact; others collapsed into polytomies. I found that 11 of 97 remaining branches (11%) contradict the Tapestry. I conclude that the data in Sibley and Ahlquist (1990), properly analyzed, have a strong phylogenetic signal.
Pretesting Field Interviewing Costs Through Simulation

Determination of the cost implications of alternate field procedures and sample designs has been a thorny problem for those conducting field surveys.This article shows how computer simulation can p...
Angiotonin induction of vascular lesions in desoxycorticosterone-treated rats.

Summary1. Hourly intraperitoneal administration of angiotonin to rats pretreated with DCA and salt elicited edema, convulsions, a positive fluid balance and increased fluid intake, together with proteinuria, visceral hemorrhages and acute necrotizing lesions in small arteries and arterioles. 2. The same series of changes occurred in similarly pretreated rats given renin subcutaneously. 3. We conclude that the vascular lesions elicited by renin in sensitized animals are very likely due to the action of renin as such, effected by liberation of angiotonin and are not, as hitherto seemed possible, attributable to vasculo-toxic factors in renin preparations or to an action of renin independent of formation of angiotonin.
Novel CoS2 embedded carbon nanocages by direct sulfurizing metal–organic frameworks for dye-sensitized solar cells

Owing to its excellent electrocatalytic properties, cobalt disulfide (CoS2) is regarded as a promising counter electrode (CE) material for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). However, hindered by its relatively poor electrical conductivity and chemical instability, it remains a challenge to apply it into high-performance DSSCs. In this work, we have developed novel CoS2 embedded carbon nanocages as a CE in DSSCs, using ZIF-67 (zeolitic imidazolate framework 67, Co(mim)2, mim = 2-methylimidolate) as a template. The CoS2 samples sulfurized for different time lengths are prepared through a facile solution process. It is found that the sulfurization time can be optimized to maximize the DSSC efficiency and the DSSC based on the CoS2 embedded carbon nanocages sulfurized for 4 hours exhibits the highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.20%, higher than those of DSSCs consisting of other CoS2 CEs and Pt-based DSSC (7.88%). The significantly improved DSSC PCE is contributed by the synergic effect of inner CoS2 nanoparticles and an amorphous carbon matrix, leading to a CE with high catalytic activity, good electrical conductivity and excellent durability. This study demonstrates that the CE based on inexpensive CoS2 embedded carbon nanocages is a prospective substitute to expensive platinum and provides a new approach for commercializing high-efficiency DSSCs.
Remote application for spectral collection

In the area of collecting field spectral data using a spectrometer, it is common to have the instrument over the material of interest. In certain instances it is beneficial to have the ability to remotely control the spectrometer. While several systems have the ability to use a form of connectivity to capture the measurement it is essential to have the ability to control the settings. Additionally, capturing reference information (metadata) about the setup, system configuration, collection, location, atmospheric conditions, and sample information is necessary for future analysis leading towards material discrimination and identification. This has the potential to lead to cumbersome field collection and a lack of necessary information for post processing and analysis. The method presented in this paper describes a capability to merge all parts of spectral collection from logging reference information to initial analysis as well as importing information into a web-hosted spectral database. This allows the simplification of collecting, processing, analyzing and storing field spectra for future analysis and comparisons. This concept is developed for field collection of thermal data using the Designs and Prototypes (D&P) Hand Portable FT-IR Spectrometer (Model 102). The remote control of the spectrometer is done with a customized Android application allowing the ability to capture reference information, process the collected data from radiance to emissivity using a temperature emissivity separation algorithm and store the data into a custom web-based service. The presented system of systems allows field collected spectra to be used for various applications by spectral analysts in the future.
Leukocyte Telomere Length Predicts SSRI Response in Major Depressive Disorder: A Preliminary Report

Short leukocyte telomere length (LTL) may be associated with several psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). Short LTL has previously been associated with poor response to psychiatric medications in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but no studies have prospectively assessed the relationship of LTL to SSRI response in MDD. We assessed pre-treatment LTL, depression severity (using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HDRS]), and self-reported positive and negative affect in 27 healthy, unmedicated adults with MDD. Subjects then underwent open-label treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant for eight weeks, after which clinical ratings were repeated. Analyses were corrected for age, sex and BMI. "Non-responders" to treatment (HDRS improvement <50%) had significantly shorter pre-treatment LTL, compared to "Responders" (p=0.037). Further, shorter pre-treatment LTL was associated with less improvement in negative affect (p<0.010) but not with changes in positive affect (p=0.356). This preliminary study is the first to assess the relationship between LTL and SSRI response in MDD and among the first to prospectively assess its relationship to treatment outcome in any psychiatric illness. Our data suggest that short LTL may serve as a vulnerability index of poorer response to SSRI treatment, but this needs examination in larger samples.
Versatile Nanodelivery Platform to Maximize siRNA Combination Therapy

The unsatisfactory outcomes of typical multiple cytotoxic chemotherapeutic combination therapies used to treat patients have fostered a need for new unconventional combinations of therapeutic agents. Among the candidates, siRNA has been widely discussed and tested. However, the right time right place codelivery of siRNA with other types of active ingredients is challenging because of the possible differences among their physiochemical and pharmacodynamics properties. To accomplish a synergistic cytotoxic effect, a nanoassembly is thus designed to codeliver siRNA with other therapeutic agents. A siRNA, targeting prosurvival gene for the p75 neurotrophin receptor, and an organelle-fusing peptide, targeting mitochondria, are layered onto a nanotemplate by charge-charge interaction, followed by a layer of CD44 targeting ligand. The formulated triple-functional nanomedicine is efficiently internalized by the CD44 expressing triple-negative breast cancer cells. The encapsulated siRNA and the pro-apoptotic peptide are released inside cells, silencing the intended prosurvival gene, and inducing apoptosis by fusing the mitochondrial membrane, respectively. A synergistic effect is achieved by this three-agent combination. The design of the developed multifunctional nanomedicine can be generalized to deliver other siRNA and drugs for a maximum therapeutic combination with minimal off-targeting effects.
Total synthesis of malagashanine: a chloroquine potentiating indole alkaloid with unusual stereochemistry

The first total synthesis of malagashanine, a chloroquine potentiating indole alkaloid, is presented. A highly stereoselective cascade annulation reaction was developed to generate the tetracyclic core of the Malagasy alkaloids. This chemistry is likely to be broadly applicable to the synthesis of other members of this stereochemically unique family of natural products.
Cyclic Shear Transfer and Type of Interface

Cyclically reversing and monotonic shear transfer tests are reviewed for companion intitially cracked specimens of normal weight and lightweight reinforced concrete. Both composite and monolithic specimens were tested. The interfaces of all composite specimens were roughened as required by sec. 11.7.9 of the ACI Building Code, ACI 318-77. In some cases the bond at the interface was deliberately broken. In the case of monolithic specimens and composite specimens in which good bond is obtained at a roughened interface, the strength under cyclically reversing shear is about 80 percent of the shear transfer strength under monotonic loading.
Fault Diagnosis of Output-Induced Actuator Failures for a Flexible Beam with Collocated Input and Output

Abstract Nonlinear adaptive parameter estimation techniques are employed to detect changes due to actuator faults, in a plant described by a flexible beam actuated via a pair of piezoceramic patches. Changes in the input term, which provide a very simple and practical model of actuator failures whose magnitudes are functions of the output signals, are monitored via the implementation of an on-line estimator. Both abrupt and incipient time profiles of failures are considered in this note. Using Lyapunov redesign methods, extended and applied to distributed parameter systems, a stable learning scheme for fault diagnosis is proposed. The resulting scheme is able not only to detect the occurrence of a fault but also to identify the location and shape of the fault. A numerical algorithm is provided for the implementation of the detection scheme and simulation studies are used to illustrate the applicability of the theoretical results.
Mason Impact, OSCAR, and Undergraduate Education at Mason

Mason has taken a new initiative for enhancing its undergraduate education, which fits under the big umbrella of Mason Impact. This initiative has been created to ensure that our graduates are the next generation of leaders, alumni who are impacting the world and look back on their Mason experience as the foundation of their success. Mason Impact builds on the legacy of Virginia and Mason, our unique location and variety of academic programs, our expanding challenge-driven research agenda, our experience in being a leader in undergraduate scholarship, and our civic responsibility, to create a unique Mason identity. This poster will describe the architecture under the new Mason Impact Umbrella, which consists of three main categories: 1) engaged citizens, 2) well-rounded scholars, and 3) prepared to act. In the first category, students will take advantage of integrative, innovative, and experiential learning opportunities on campus, regionally, and globally. In the second category, Mason core and OSCAR will be the main drivers for opportunities through undergraduate courses and undergraduate research, respectively. Finally, in the third category, students will learn to translate their knowledge and skills into action and solve real-world problems via entrepreneurship experience and career guidance.Find information about the Curriculum Impact Grants:AÂ https://provost.gmu.edu/mason-impact/curriculum-impact-grants/For information about 2017 grant proposals:AÂ AÂ https://provost.gmu.edu/mason-impact/curriculum-impact-grants/curriculum-impact-grant-call-for-proposals-2017/
Input-variable sensitivity assessment for sediment transport relations

A methodology to assess input-variable sensitivity for sediment transport relations is presented. The Mean Value First Order Second Moment Method (MVFOSM) is applied to two bed load transport equations showing that it may be used to rank all input variables in terms of how their specific variance affects the overall variance of the sediment transport estimation. In sites where data are scarce or nonexistent, the results obtained may be used to (i) determine what variables would have the largest impact when estimating sediment loads in the absence of field observations and (ii) design field campaigns to specifically measure those variables for which a given transport equation is most sensitive; in sites where data are readily available, the results would allow quantifying the effect that the variance associated with each input variable has on the variance of the sediment transport estimates. An application of the method to two transport relations using data from a tropical mountain river in Costa Rica is implemented to exemplify the potential of the method in places where input data are limited. Results are compared against Monte Carlo simulations to assess the reliability of the method and validate its results. For both of the sediment transport relations used in the sensitivity analysis, accurate knowledge of sediment size was found to have more impact on sediment transport predictions than precise knowledge of other input variables such as channel slope and flow discharge.
Predictors of behavioral problems in young children 3 to 9 years old: The role of maternal and child factors

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of maternal level factors (maternal depression, maternal spanking, parenting stress) and child level factors (cognitive ability, attachment, child welfare involvement) with children's problem behavior trajectory from age 3 to age 9. The study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCW), a 20-city sample of 4898 children born in urban areas in the United States between 1998 and 2001. Results indicate an association of all maternal and child level variables with Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores. The multilevel model analysis indicates having an insecure attachment type at age 3 had the largest increasing impact on child behavior problems from age 3 to 9. Children's cognitive ability also had an increasing impact on child behavior problems over time and the impact of parenting stress at age 3 had a decreasing impact on behavior problems from age 3 to 9. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Abstract P156: Comorbidity Profile Preceding Dementia Diagnosis: Findings From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study Cohort

Background: Most patients receive a diagnosis of dementia late in the course of the disease. In an effort to learn more about the potential for earlier detection, we examined comorbidity burden pre...
Perturbation Analysis of the GI/GI/1 Queue

We examine a family ofGI/GI/1 queueing processes generated by a parametric family of service time distributions,F(x,θ), and we show that under suitable conditions the corresponding customer stationary expectation of the system time is twice continuously differentiable with respect toθ. Expressions for the derivatives are given which are suitable for single run derivative estimation. These results are extended to parameters of the interarrival time distribution and expressions for the corresponding second derivatives (as well as partial second derivatives involving both interarrivai and service time parameters) are also obtained. Finally, we present perturbation analysis algorithms based on these expressions along with simulation results demonstrating their performance.
Monomeric IgE and Mast Cell Development, Survival and Function

Mast cells play a major role in allergy and anaphylaxis, as well as a protective role in immunity against bacteria and venoms (innate immunity) and T-cell activation (acquired immunity).1,2 It was long thought that two steps are essential to mast cell activation. The first step (sensitization) occurs when antigen-specific IgE binds to its high-affinity IgE receptor (FceRI) expressed on the surface of mast cells. The second step occurs when antigen (Ag) or anti-IgE binds antigen-specific IgE antibodies bound to FceRI present on the mast cell surface (this mode of stimulation hereafter referred to as IgE+Ag or IgE+anti-IgE stimulation, respectively).
First Pick Good Parents

Someone wise once said “The secret to a happy childhood is to pick good parents.” As I reflect on my career, I would add this variation: “For success in academic medicine, first pick good mentors.” My good fortune in receiving outstanding mentoring and making the best of it has been the single most important reason that my career has been successful and fulfilling.
The Duality Complex. An Unresolved Paradox in African American Politics

As the 20th century rushes to a speedy conclusion, African Americans' political sensibilities remain entangled in the duality complex that Du Bois spoke of nearly 100 years ago. That America's residents of African descent exhibit this complex in their politics is not surprising, considering that the subject of their national identity has yet to be reconciled. In its operative modes, the twoness condition yields paradoxical political urgings from African American communities seeking freedom and justice. One part finds expression most notably through assimilative and integrative-oriented activities; the other part is primarily embodied in a range of nationalist projects. On closer examination, we discover that the manifest political urgings of African Americans are byproducts of competing core values (mainly between those rooted in European and Euro-American conceptions of individualism) and those rooted in collective consciousness (an African-centered value). The troublesome aspect of African Americans' enigmatic political consciousness is that it impedes the development of an unfettered, proactive posture. More appropriately put, this precarious politics results from lacking a collective consciousness toward
Variability of contact transscleral neodymium:YAG cyclophotocoagulation.

PURPOSE To study the variability of ciliary body lesions created by contact Nd:YAG cyclophotocoagulation and to evaluate modifications in probe design to reduce this variability. METHODS Contact transscleral Nd:YAG cyclophotocoagulation was performed on fresh, enucleated porcine eyes in three ways: using a standard, handheld fiber-optic probe (98 eyes); using the same probe with an adjunctive contact lens guide to control for probe pressure, angle, and position (69 eyes); and using a spring-loaded handpiece to control for probe pressure (148 eyes). Four laser lesions were created in each eye and were rated for size and severity of tissue response. RESULTS For the three groups of eyes, the mean for size differences (largest lesion minus smallest lesion in millimeters for each eye) was 2.53, 1.65, and 2.36, respectively. The mean for severity differences (most severe lesions minus least severe lesion for each eye, based on a four-part subjective rating) was 1.9, 1.1, and 1.7, respectively. These measures of size difference and severity difference were significantly lower with the lens guide than with the other two systems (P = 0.022 and P = 0.020, respectively). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that contact transscleral cyclophotocoagulation can be associated with considerable variation in the size and severity of the ciliary body reaction. This variation has a significant dependence on probe pressure and orientation against the eye and can be reduced by modification in probe design.
Beyond Borders: Our Middle Eastern Experience of International Collaboration to Run a Successful Heart Transplantation Program

Introduction Heart transplantation (HT) is a highly successful management strategy for end-stage heart failure, and survival rates exceed those achieved by medical therapy. Factors such as donor availability, social and legislative boundaries limit the expansion of high volume HT programs. Methods We adopted a one-of-a-kind multicenter HT program operation in collaboration between our center in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and 3 active HT centers in India. Patients completed their pretransplant evaluations within our program and were then sent to India to be on the HT waiting list. Once transplanted, they were sent back to the UAE where all post HT follow-up and care took place. This included surveillance endomyocardial biopsies and immunosuppression monitoring. Results Over two years, 10 HT recipients [9 males; mean age 34 yrs (range 14-62)] went through this arrangement. Fifty percent of patients were referred on inotropes and one with an LVAD. Mean waiting time was 41±8 days. Table 1 highlights baseline characteristics and table 2 summarizes our clinical outcomes after a mean follow up of 421 days. One year survival was 90%. Only one patient developed biopsy proven acute rejection requiring therapy, and 3 were found to have significant donor transmitted coronary artery disease. All patients were maintained on tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil, with corticosteroids tapered within the first year. The cost for HT to our patients was between $60,000 and $75,000. Conclusion International collaborations can be ideal to operate effective HT programs with excellent outcomes. Not only is this strategy is an excellent alternative while building fully independent programs, but it is also a way to overcome donor inavailability, long waiting times and inadequate financial support.