cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural characterization and electrochemical properties of nickel (II) complexes bearing sterically bulky hydrotris(3-phenyl)- and hydrotris(3-tert-butylpyrazol-1-yl)borato ligands

Abstract Two series of pseudo-tetrahedral nickel (II) complexes bearing the bulky hydrotris(3-phenyl)- or hydrotris(3-tert-butylpyrazol-1-yl)borato ligands, TpPhNiL and TptBuNiL respectively, have been synthesized and characterized with the intent of investigating the affects of substituent size on the redox properties of the nickel center (L = Cl, Br, I, NCS, NO3). X-ray analysis reveals both Tp ligands bind in a κ3 fashion with the R groups pointing out towards the metal producing a pocket in which the 4th ligand, L, resides. The TpPh ligand results in a larger pocket and produces nickel complexes with distorted solid-state geometries, specifically bent B…Ni…L angles, unlike the corresponding TptBu complexes which show much less variation in structure. Cyclic voltammetry experiments indicate all complexes undergo a Ni2+/1+ reduction at large negative potentials vs. ferrocene with varying levels of reversibility. The NCS complexes are the most reversible and the easiest to reduce with an average reduction potential of −1.51 V due to the slightly electron withdrawing nature of the thiocyanate ligand. The strong donor properties of the bidentate nitrate ligand result in complexes that are the most difficult to reduce at an average of −1.80 V. Overall, the TpPhNiL complexes are easier to reduce than their corresponding TptBuNiL complexes resulting from the weakened donor ability of the TpPh ligand. While the two ligands do produce different structural motifs, the electrochemical trends are more in line with the electronic properties of the complexes than structural differences.
Enhancing the Socially Instrumental Role of Insurance: The Opportunity and Challenge Presented by the ALI Restatement Position on Breach of the Duty to Defend

The American Law Institute (ALI), in its current draft of the Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance, has adopted the position that a liability insurer in breach of its duty to defend, but not acting in bad faith, forfeits the right to dispute coverage of the resulting judgment or reasonable, noncollusive settlement in a lawsuit. The ALI view is the minority rule in the courts in that most make bad faith a prerequisite for loss of a coverage defense but presumably will spur re-examination of the issue in many states. Unsurprisingly, insurers have opposed the ALI position with some vigor, arguing that forfeiture of coverage defenses is an unduly punitive measure that can improperly result in coverage beyond what the policyholder purchased. Insurers argue that traditional contract damages, primarily payment of the policyholder’s defense costs, provide an adequate remedy. The debate tilts solidly in favor of the ALI if one takes a broad view of contract doctrine, and especially if one appreciates the purpose of liability insurance, the magnitude of a breached duty to defend, and the degree to which insurance involves not only a contract-based relationship between policyholder and insurer but also impacts the public at large. Insurance policies are not only contracts but products, private legislation, and social instruments serving a socioeconomic function for which insurer defense and resolution of claims is particularly important. It should be denied only in clear cases. By encouraging insurers to resolve close cases in favor of
Internal wave-driven transport of fluid away from the boundary of a lake

A field experiment was conducted to study transport of fluid from the boundary to the interior of a lake. Tracking of a tracer injected into the metalimnion was combined with measurements of meteorological forcing, internal waves, and temperature microstructure. Seiches of vertical mode 2 and horizontal modes 1 and 2 were initiated after a wind event, and the tracer moved 950 m into the interior after 29.2 h. Four potential mechanisms for spreading of the tracer from the boundary to the interior were considered: intrusions from boundary mixing, horizontal dispersion, advection by seiches, and advection and dispersion driven by internal waves. Some evidence of boundary mixing was observed 0.5 h before the dye injection, when the speed of seiche-driven currents was large, but a model of an intrusion driven by steady input overpredicted the propagation distance by a factor of about two. A one-dimensional model with only dispersion yielded a dispersion coefficient of 0.8 m2 s−1, and a one-dimensional model with only advection caused by internal waves predicted the position of the peak concentration and a change in longitudinal variance that was 60% of the measured change. Estimates of dispersion caused by the interaction of vertical diffusion with velocity gradients in the internal wave field are large enough to explain the rest of the spreading and suggest that the transport can be modeled as wave-driven advection and dispersion.
Equity and International Law: The Comment in the Tentative Draft

Tentative Draft No. 1 of the Restatement of Foreign Relations Law of the United States (Revised) (the Tentative Draft),' unlike the predecessor Restatement (Second),discusses the general principle of equity, albeit briefly, in the section on Sources of International Law, comment m (the comment. Given the brevity of the comment and the importance often attached in practice to the Restatements, I thought it might be helpful to expand on the comment. First I will show how it accurately restates, in a succinct fashion, a considerable body of traditional doctrine about the role of equity in international law. Second I will explain why neither the comment nor the doctrine on which it is based do a satisfactory job with two of the more important equity problems presently confounding nternational lawyers.
Advances in bis(N‐heterocyclic carbene) chemistry: new classes of structurally dynamic materials

A major challenge in the pursuit of dynamic materials is the dichotomy between reversible structure and electronic conjugation. Guided by the precedence for N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) to dimerize, couple with electrophiles and bind to transition metals, we proposed that linearly opposed bis(NHC)s could, in a similar manner, afford unsaturated homopolymers, alternating copolymers, and metallopolymers. To realize these goals, we developed synthetic methods for accessing ditopic NHCs and investigated their propensities to undergo homopolymerization via dimerization and copolymerization via coupling with ditopic electrophiles or divalent transition metals. The materials obtained from these reactions were of relatively high molecular weight, exhibited electronic properties that were consistent with extensively delocalized systems, and in many cases, were found to be thermally reversible. In addition to expanding the scope of carbene chemistry, these polymers represent significant advancements towards the realization of reversible, conjugated polymers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microstructure and texture evolution in aluminum and commercially pure titanium dissimilar welds fabricated using ultrasonic additive manufacturing

Abstract Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a solid-state hybrid manufacturing technique. In this work characterization using electron back scatter diffraction was performed on aluminum–titanium dissimilar metal welds made using a 9 kW ultrasonic additive manufacturing system. The results showed that the aluminum texture at the interface after ultrasonic additive manufacturing is similar to aluminum texture observed during accumulative roll bonding of aluminum alloys. It is finally concluded that the underlying mechanism of bond formation in ultrasonic additive manufacturing primarily relies on severe shear deformation at the interface.
Notes on the Study of Regional and Folk Society

There is one possibility. It consists in logically developing the familiar discrimination long ago made in law and political theory, between the natural man and the legal person. The legal person is a purely artificial bundle of immunities and powers. The state makes it and can unmake it. The natural man is biological and psychological only. He has neither social status nor legal powers. It is theoretically possible, therefore, and presumably possible in fact, to put the unfit out of business as legal persons, by extinguishing their law made capacities and powers, and yet, at the same time, without harm to the body politic or to future generations, to seek and save the lost, as human sympathy prompts and Christian teaching enjoins, provided we save them only as natural individuals divested of social status and legal personality. Concretely and specifically this procedure would save human beings as such from preventable misery and premature death, even thought they be unfit to survive in any capacity. It would not save them in the status of authenticated members of society, to run amuck therein. It would not save them as potential voters, legislators, and executives in public office. Above all, it would not save them as unsegregated heads of families in unconditioned sex activities, lawfully to perpetuate their degenerate race. Obviously, the possibility here indicated can be converted into reality only through a far-seeing and courageous co6peration between folk society and states. Is it approaching?
Carbon Nanotubes as Molecular Conduits: Advances and Challenges for Transport through Isolated Sub-2 nm Pores

Devices that explore transport through the narrowest diameter single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have only recently been enabled by advances in SWCNT synthesis methods and experimental design. These devices hold promise as next-generation sensors, platforms for water desalination, proton conduction, energy storage, and to directly probe molecular transport under significant geometric confinement. In this Perspective, we first describe this new generation of devices and then highlight two important concepts that have emerged from recent work. First, the most reliable way to identify transport is to borrow techniques from the biological and silicon nanopore communities and analyze the discrete stochastic events caused by molecules blocking the SWCNT channel. Second, it is nearly impossible to isolate mass transport within a SWCNT without a substantial suppression of leakage transport and around the SWCNT. To highlight this, we discuss experiments showing water transport along the exterior of SWCNTs. Fi...
An ovarian hilus-cell tumor associated with endometrial carcinoma: report of a case.

A case of ovarian hilus-cell tumor associated with endometrial carcinoma in a 70-year-old woman with postmenopausal bleeding is reported. Clinically no evidence of virilism was noted. The association may have endocrinologic significance, for there is presumptive evidence that hilus cells may have estrogenic as well as androgenic potential.
Towards shortest path identification on large networks

The use of Big Data in today’s world has become a necessity due to the massive number of technologies developed recently that keeps on providing us with data such as sensors, surveillance system and even smart phones and smart wearable devices they all tend to produce a lot of information that need to be analyzed and studied in details to provide us with some insight to what these data represent. In this paper we focus on the application of the techniques of data reduction based on data nodes in large networks datasets by computing data similarity computation, maximum similarity clique (MSC) and then finding the shortest path in a quick manner due to the data reduction in the graph. As the number of vertices and edges tend to increase on large networks the aim of this article is to make the reduction of the network that will cause an impact on calculating the shortest path for a faster analysis in a shortest time.
Fluorescent silica nanoparticles for cancer imaging.

In recent years, fluorescent silica nanoparticles (FSNPs) received immense interest in cancer imaging. FSNPs are a new class of engineered optical probes consisting of silica NPs loaded with fluorescent dye molecules. These probes exhibit some attractive features, such as photostability and brightness, which allow sensitive imaging of cancer cells. In general, FSNPs are chemically synthesized in solution using appropriate silane-based precursors. Fluorescent dye molecules are entrapped during the synthesis process. The synthetic process involves hydrolysis and condensation reactions of silane precursors. Stober's sol-gel and water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsion methods are two popular chemical methods that have been used for synthesizing FSNPs. Silica matrix is capable of carrying hundreds of fluorescent dye molecules in each FSNP, resulting in bright fluorescence. In FSNPs, fluorescent molecules are somewhat protected by the surrounding silica layer, resulting in good photostability. For cancer cell imaging, surface modification of FSNPs is often necessary to obtain appropriate surface functional groups to improve NP aqueous dispersibility as well as bioconjugation capability. Using conventional bioconjugate chemistry, cancer cell-specific biomolecules are then attached to the surface-modified FSNPs. For targeting cancer cells, the FSNPs are often conjugated to specific biomolecules such as antibodies, aptamers, and folic acid. In this chapter, different approaches for the FSNP design will be discussed and some representative protocols for FSNP synthesis will be provided. We will also discuss FSNP surface modification and bioconjugation techniques that are useful for cancer cell imaging.
Educational Resilience and Academic Achievement of Immigrant Students from Ghana in an Urban School Environment.

Educational resilience is often linked to educational success of various immigrant youth including Black immigrants despite the challenges they face. However, few studies have explored the factors ...
An Approach to the Integration of Vision and Touch for Robot Control

Abstract Advanced, flexible robotic systems require multiple sensors to successfully perform tasks in changing or unfamiliar environments. The data from these sensors must be integrated dynamically, in a coherent fashion, if the robot is to respond promptly and appropriately and complete its assigned task. This paper describes a methodology for the integration of two robotic senses - vision and touch. Integration is performed by augmenting the usual structural models of the object in the robot's world with functional information. These functional attributes, which describe how an object relates to other objects in the world, facilitates the process of inferring from multiple sensors and thus in controlling the robot's motions.
A Systematic Review of NMDA Receptor Antagonists for Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in Clinical Practice.

To investigate the efficacy of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) receptor antagonists for neuropathic pain and review literature to determine if specific pharmacologic agents provide adequate neuropathic pain relief. Literature was reviewed on PubMed using a variety of key words for 8 NMDA receptor antagonists. These key words include: “Ketamine and Neuropathy”, “Ketamine and Neuropathic Pain”, “Methadone and Neuropathy”, “Methadone and Neuropathic Pain”, “Memantine and Neuropathic pain”, “Memantine and Neuropathy”, “Amantadine and Neuropathic Pain”, “Amantadine and Neuropathy”, “Dextromethorphan and Neuropathic Pain”, “Dextromethorphan and Neuropathy”, “Carbamazepine and Neuropathic Pain”, “Carbamazepine and Neuropathy”, “Valproic Acid and Neuropathy”, “Valproic Acid and Neuropathic Pain”, “Phenytoin and Neuropathy” and “Phenytoin and Neuropathic Pain”. With the results, the papers were reviewed using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting in Systematic and Meta-Analyses) guideline. A total of 58 randomized controlled trials were reviewed among 8 pharmacologic agents, which are organized by date and alphabetical order. Of the trials for ketamine, 15 showed some benefit for analgesia. Methadone had 3 beneficiary trials, while amantadine and memantine each only had 2 trials showing neuropathic analgesic properties. Dextromethorphan and Valproic Acid both had 4 randomized controlled trials that showed some neuropathic treatment benefit while carbamazepine had over 8 trials showing efficacy. Finally, phenytoin only had 1 trial that showed clinical response in treatment. It is evident there are a variety of NMDA receptor antagonist agents that should be considered for treatment of neuropathic pain. Nevertheless, continued and further investigation of the 8 pharmacologic agents is needed to continue to evaluate their efficacy for treatment of neuropathic pain.
3D Printed Integrated Microfluidic Cooling for High Power RF Applications

Abstract This paper presents the design and fabrication of microfluidic channel integration in a plastic substrate using 3D printing. The microfluidic channels are integrated along with a copper plate which the coolant is in direct contact with. To demonstrate the design, a diode intended for switched power supplies is integrated onto the copper plate and its performance characterized. 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) allows for fast prototyping of such package designs and can be readily adopted in the fabrication of RF circuits. This paper, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time will demonstrate a 3D printed integrated microfluidic channel for the cooling of electronic circuits. Details of design, fabrication and characterization are presented.
Surface and top-of-atmosphere radiative feedback kernels for CESM-CAM5

Abstract. Radiative kernels at the top of the atmosphere are useful for decomposing changes in atmospheric radiative fluxes due to feedbacks from atmosphere and surface temperature, water vapor, and surface albedo. Here we describe and validate radiative kernels calculated with the large-ensemble version of CAM5, CESM1.1.2, at the top of the atmosphere and the surface. Estimates of the radiative forcing from greenhouse gases and aerosols in RCP8.5 in the CESM large-ensemble simulations are also diagnosed. As an application, feedbacks are calculated for the CESM large ensemble. The kernels are freely available at https://doi.org/10.5065/D6F47MT6 , and accompanying software can be downloaded from https://github.com/apendergrass/cam5-kernels .
Modifiers of Herbicide Action at Target Sites

The spectrum of weed control afforded by most of the currently available herbicides is rather limited. Attempts to improve the performance of single herbicides by using herbicide mixtures date back to the early beginnings of the development of chemical weed control.1 Combinations of a graminicide and a broadleaf herbicide have been particularly successful and are recommended for use in most agronomic crops.2 More recently, many of the newer herbicides with high potency and a single target site (e.g., sulfonylureas and imididazolinones) are mixed with several old and cheap herbicides for broad-spectrum, season-long weed control.3,4
Nutrition and Alcoholism

The purpose of this chapter is to review nutritional abnormalities that may occur in alcoholics. A brief discussion of nutritional assessment techniques will provide the reader with a background into specific methods used to evaluate nutritional status and the possible shortcomings of these techniques. Evidence for protein/calorie malnutrition will be provided in individual sections concerning alcoholics either with or without liver disease. Next, specific nutritional deficiencies and their possible role in certain complications of alcoholism will be presented. Finally, the possible role of nutritional intervention in prevention of some of the complications of alcoholism will be discussed.
On the Isometry Groups of Hyperbolic Orbifolds

A generic, geometrically finite, hyperbolic n-orbifold is proved to have a finite group of isometries.
Limitations of “Jewish” as a Label in Roman North Africa

Selective attentions to “normative” Jewish archaeological materials and exclusions of ambiguous or complex evidence from Jewish archaeological compendia have diverted attention from those artifacts that might otherwise have yielded more productive observations about the cultural ranges of ancient Jewish populations. Application of more critical approaches to the classification of archaeological evidence, contextual approaches for the analysis of archaeological materials, and the replacement of essentialistic or syncretistic cultural models with more realistic ones, yield vastly improved understandings of ancient Jewish archaeological materials, and, by extension, better articulated pictures of the continua between early Jewish and Christian cultural identities.
Improving Family Nurse Practitioner Students' Confidence for Clinical Decision Making and Presenting Patient Information to the Preceptor.

Background Family nurse practitioner (FNP) students often lack the confidence to develop diagnostic skills and convey patient information to their clinical preceptor. Preparing FNP students for these tasks is essential to their clinical success. Objective To describe the adequacy of interactive case studies to increase confidence in making clinical decisions and presenting patient information to the clinical preceptor. Methods The authors developed three interactive case studies for student analysis during an on-campus intensive week prior to the students' first clinical rotation. Student confidence was examined pre and post to determine if the interactive cases had any effects on their diagnostic reasoning and skill in presenting patients to the preceptor. Results The pretest survey found that students were least confident in presenting a patient to the preceptor (21% not confident). After the three interactive case studies, students demonstrated a significant increase in confidence. Conclusion Interactive case studies and role-playing the patient presentation prior to an initial clinical rotation is a successful educational methodology for improving FNP students' confidence for the clinical environment. Implications for nursing Faculty can implement interactive case studies in traditional and online courses to foster student confidence.
ErbB4 promotes malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor pathogenesis via Ras-independent mechanisms.

We have found that erbB receptor tyrosine kinases drive Ras hyperactivation and growth in NF1-null malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). However, MPNSTs variably express multiple erbB receptors with distinct functional characteristics and it is not clear which of these receptors drive MPNST pathogenesis. Here, we test the hypothesis that altered erbB4 expression promotes MPNST pathogenesis by uniquely activating key cytoplasmic signaling cascades. ErbB4 expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, immunoblotting and real-time PCR. To define erbB4 functions, we generated mice that develop MPNSTs with floxed Erbb4 alleles (P0-GGFβ3;Trp53+/−;Erbb4flox/flox mice) and ablated Erbb4 in these tumors. MPNST cell proliferation and survival was assessed using 3H-thymidine incorporation, MTT assays, Real-Time Glo and cell count assays. Control and Erbb4-null MPNST cells were orthotopically xenografted in immunodeficient mice and the growth, proliferation (Ki67 labeling), apoptosis (TUNEL labeling) and angiogenesis of these grafts was analyzed. Antibody arrays querying cytoplasmic kinases were used to identify erbB4-responsive kinases. Pharmacologic or genetic inhibition was used to identify erbB4-responsive kinases that drive proliferation. Aberrant erbB4 expression was evident in 25/30 surgically resected human MPNSTs and in MPNSTs from genetically engineered mouse models (P0-GGFβ3 and P0-GGFβ3;Trp53+/− mice); multiple erbB4 splice variants that differ in their ability to activate PI3 kinase and nuclear signaling were present in MPNST-derived cell lines. Erbb4-null MPNST cells demonstrated decreased proliferation and survival and altered morphology relative to non-ablated controls. Orthotopic allografts of Erbb4-null cells were significantly smaller than controls, with reduced proliferation, survival and vascularization. ERBB4 knockdown in human MPNST cells similarly inhibited DNA synthesis and viability. Although we have previously shown that broad-spectrum erbB inhibitors inhibit Ras activation, Erbb4 ablation did not affect Ras activation, suggesting that erbB4 drives neoplasia via non-Ras dependent pathways. An analysis of 43 candidate kinases identified multiple NRG1β-responsive and erbB4-dependent signaling cascades including the PI3K, WNK1, STAT3, STAT5 and phospholipase-Cγ pathways. Although WNK1 inhibition did not alter proliferation, inhibition of STAT3, STAT5 and phospholipase-Cγ markedly reduced proliferation. ErbB4 promotes MPNST growth by activating key non-Ras dependent signaling cascades including the STAT3, STAT5 and phospholipase-Cγ pathways. ErbB4 and its effector pathways are thus potentially useful therapeutic targets in MPNSTs.
Cellular replication limits in the Luria–Delbrück mutation model

Abstract Originally developed to elucidate the mechanisms of natural selection in bacteria, the Luria–Delbruck model assumed that cells are intrinsically capable of dividing an unlimited number of times. This assumption however, is not true for human somatic cells which undergo replicative senescence. Replicative senescence is thought to act as a mechanism to protect against cancer and the escape from it is a rate-limiting step in cancer progression. Here we introduce a Luria–Delbruck model that explicitly takes into account cellular replication limits in the wild type cell population and models the emergence of mutants that escape replicative senescence. We present results on the mean, variance, distribution, and asymptotic behavior of the mutant population in terms of three classical formulations of the problem. More broadly the paper introduces the concept of incorporating replicative limits as part of the Luria–Delbruck mutational framework. Guidelines to extend the theory to include other types of mutations and possible applications to the modeling of telomere crisis and fluctuation analysis are also discussed.
Beyond self-constructed knowledge: The study of culture and morality.

This essay is a review of what is known and what is not known about three is sues in comparative ethics: (a) What are the ideas and concepts associated with moral thinking in normal (non-sociopathic) Western adults? (b) What are the processes resulting in a judgment that something is a vice or a virtue? and (c) Are those ideas, concepts, and processes available in different cultures and at different ages?
Artificial Intelligence in Musculoskeletal Imaging: A Paradigm Shift

Artificial intelligence is upending many of our assumptions about the ability of computers to detect and diagnose diseases on medical images. Deep learning, a recent innovation in artificial intelligence, has shown the ability to interpret medical images with sensitivities and specificities at or near that of skilled clinicians for some applications. In this review, we summarize the history of artificial intelligence, present some recent research advances, and speculate about the potential revolutionary clinical impact of the latest computer techniques for bone and muscle imaging. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. Published 2019. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Thermodynamic modeling of the U3O8-x solid solution phase

Abstract It is important to accurately characterize the equilibrium behavior of U3O8 during UO2 nuclear fuel fabrication as the determination of the oxygen to uranium ratio in UO2 powders and pellets is dependent on U3O8 stoichiometry. Prior thermodynamic modeling efforts have treated U3O8 as stoichiometric; however, it is experimentally known that the phase exhibits hypostoichiometric behavior at temperatures >850 K. The goal of this work was to model U3O8 as a solid solution using the compound energy formalism and optimize the model to experimental data according to the CALPHAD methodology. Results of the U3O8-x model assessment were visualized by recalculating the previously assessed U–O binary phase diagram replacing a stoichiometric representation of U3O8 with a U3O8-x solid solution model. Moreover, a recommendation is made to revise the U3O8 to U conversion factor used in the ASTM C 1453 standard based on the literature and updated thermodynamic representation for U3O8-x presented in this work.
Community Geography: Examining Open Space, Socioeconomic Status, Housing Market Strength, and Solar Energy Potential in Buffalo’s West Side, New York

Community geography entails a university-community partnership where university researchers are guided by research questions and objectives provided by an organization or entity. Texas State Univer...
Sex-based differences in T-wave alternans

Abstract Identification of individuals at risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD), the primary cause of adult mortality in industrially developed countries, persists as a major challenge. The main contemporary noninvasive marker, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), has not proved adequately reliable, as the majority of individuals who succumb to SCD have relatively preserved LVEF. Monitoring of T-wave alternans (TWA), a beat-to-beat fluctuation in ST-segment or T-wave morphology, on ambulatory electrocardiogram is an attractive approach on both scientific and clinical grounds. Specifically, TWA's capacity to assess risk for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias has been shown to rest on sound electrophysiologic principles, and TWA monitoring can be carried out during the conduct of routine clinical evaluation. This review (1) summarizes briefly the electrophysiology basis for TWA's predictive capacity and the underlying physiologic factors that influence its level; (2) discusses the contemporary methodologies and clinical evidence supporting TWA's predictive value; and (3) reviews available evidence indicating potential sex-related differences in this phenomenon.
The information practices of law enforcement: Passive and active collaboration and its implication for sanctuary laws in Washington state

Abstract Although Washington state sanctuary policies of 2017 prohibit collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement in noncriminal cases, compliance with sanctuar...
Influence of metallic contaminants on the electrochemical and thermal behavior of Li-ion electrodes

Abstract Emerging nondestructive (direct) recycling techniques for lithium-ion batteries may introduce metallic impurities into recycled electrodes. In the present work, the impact of such nonionic contaminants on the practical performance of both anode and cathode materials is evaluated using a synergistic combination of electrochemical and thermal analysis. The impurities under study have been selected through evaluation of industrially shredded batteries, and include Fe0, Al0, Mg0, Cu0, and Si0. The electrochemical behavior of materials containing each individual contaminant at either the anode or the cathode is evaluated in both half-cell and full-cell format. Further, the first-cycle thermal signatures of full cells are used to validate and complement electrochemical signatures, and the two techniques are used in conjunction to suggest distinct mechanisms of electrochemical reactivity for the various impurities. At the anode, metallic contaminants are found to disrupt performance through direct reaction with Li and may serve as weak catalysts to accelerate electrolyte degradation. At the cathode, metallic contaminants show evidence of crossover during formation cycling to disrupt SEI formation. We suggest that coupled electrochemical and thermal analysis may be used to both identify the presence of contaminants and to elucidate specific mechanisms of reactivity for metallic impurities under anodic and cathodic conditions.
Control of pattern duplication in the retinotectal system of Xenopus. Suppression of duplication by eye-fragment interactions.

Abstract Recombining right nasal half-eyes with left temporal half-eyes at embryonic stage 32 in Xenopus produces a double or “twinned” pattern of functional connections between retina and midbrain optic tectum. The left temporal half-eye is reprogrammed such that it projects to the tectum as a mirror-image duplicate pattern of the nasal right half-eye; both half-eyes project across the entire tectum. However, recombining a right nasal half-eye (in situ) with a right dorsal half-eye (grafted into the temporal position; NRDR eye) produces a single normal retinotectal projection. Where interactions between NR and TL involve both axial reprogramming and duplication of NR positional values in TL, NRDR interactions involve axial reprogramming in DR without duplication of NR values. In a second approach to interactions which suppress pattern duplication, both nasal and temporal one-third-sized eye fragments form approximate “NN” or “TT” duplicate pattern maps, respectively, when either is allowed to round up and form a whole eye. Allowing nasal and temporal thirds to permanently fuse (after removal of a one-third-sized vertical center strip of retina at stage 32) produces a normal projection; allowing the nasal and temporal thirds to interact (fuse) for 35–40 hr, followed by removal of one or the other third, suppresses pattern duplication (produces normal maps) in the remaining third in a majority of cases. Allowing the thirds to interact for 18–30 hr before removal of the temporal third produces a majority result of partial duplication in the remaining nasal third. Partial duplicates are apparent spatial intermediates with regard to interactions which suppress duplication in either fragment type.
Measurement of 14CO2 Assimilation in Soils: an Experiment for the Biological Exploration of Mars

A method is described for the measurement of 14CO2 assimilation by microorganisms in soils. A determination involves exposing soil to 14CO2, pyrolyzing the exposed soil, trapping the organic pyrolysis products on a column of firebrick coated with CuO, combusting the trapped organics by heating, and measuring the radioactivity in the CO2 produced in the combustion. The detection of significant levels of 14C in the trapped organic fraction appears to be an unambiguous indication of biological activity. The 14CO2 which is adsorbed or exchanged into soils by nonbiological processes does not interfere. The method easily detects the 14CO2 fixed by 102 to 103 algae after light exposure for 3 to 24 hr. Assimilation of 14C is also demonstrable in dark-exposed soils containing 105 to 106 heterotrophic bacteria. Possible applications of the method in the biological exploration of Mars are discussed. Images
Movement of components in reversed-phase chromatography : III. Regeneration policies in liquid chromatography

Abstract The theory of chromatography that assumes equilibrium behavior and Langmuir isotherms was used to analyze various column regeneration schemes and to develop optimal policies for efficient equilibration. Analytical expressions were derived for the volume of solvent required to equilibrate the column with a new mobile phase. The theory permits the selection of optimal regenerant solutions, the choice being made according to the appropriate Langmuir isotherm parameters. The results show that a train of different solvents in series is more effective than any single regenerant. Further, the use of gradient schemes or multi-component regenerants is less efficacious than a regenerant train with square-wave inputs. The theory also shows that for elution of several species from the column the optimal scheme focuses on stripping only the most strongly retained species, as the more weakly bound components are readily removed. The theory allows the calculation of effluent concentration profiles in a straightforward manner that involves only algebraic equations. The assumption of local equilibrium between mobile and stationary phases was confirmed experimentally under conditions typical in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Thus, this approach can find application in optimizing processes where regeneration is important, viz., in gradient, frontal and displacement chromatography and in preparative and routine analytical separations by HPLC.
Factors affecting the use of conservation tillage in the United States

Conservation tillage was used on nearly 36% of planted hectares in 1996 in the U.S. This level has remained relatively unchanged since 1991. The use of conservation tillage varies by crop and is dependent on site-specific factors including soil sype, topsoil depth, and local climate conditions. A number of economic, demographic, geographic, and policy factors have affected the adsorption of conservation tillage. While it is not possible to quantify exactly the impact of these factors, it is clear that management complexities and profitability are key factors impeding the further adsorption of conservation tillage.
Quantities of B6 vitamers in human milk by high-performance liquid chromatography. Influence of maternal vitamin B6 status.

Abstract A rapid, sensitive procedure is described for the analysis of the B 6 vitamers pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxine in human milk from women taking and not taking supplements containing the vitamin using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection. Vitamer values represent the sum of their phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms. Minimum detectable quantities were 1–3 ng. Excellent recoveries of these vitamers in milk were obtained. Similar B 6 vitamer concentrations of milk were obtained using the developed high-performance liquid chromatographic and the accepted microbiological techniques. Pyridoxal, actually consisting of pyridoxal plus pyridoxal phosphate, was the predominant B 6 vitamer in human milk. The concentration of B 6 vitamers in milk was reflective of the maternal vitamin B 6 status.
Tritium Technology Programs in the United States

This paper discusses tritium technology in the united States which has advanced considerably since the 1988 Tritium Conference in Toronto. This advance has come in facilities, processing, and safety related technologies and in an ever increasing commitment to compliance related issues. The major laboratories in the U.S. tritium programs continue to be (Westinghouse) Savannah River Site, EG and G Mound, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Each of the Laboratories have made some significant changes in their programs and/or facilities in the past four years.
Prepregnancy obesity and breastfeeding noninitiation in the United States: an examination of racial and ethnic differences.

Abstract Background: Prepregnancy overweight/obesity can adversely affect breastfeeding initiation, but studies examining this association among different racial/ethnic groups of U.S. women are limited. This study used a large, nationally representative sample to assess racial/ethnic differences in breastfeeding noninitiation among U.S. women of different body mass index (BMI) classifications. Materials and Methods: This study analyzed data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, including 95,141 women who delivered a live, singleton baby from 2009 to 2011 and provided BMI and breastfeeding information. Prepregnancy BMI was categorized as underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), and obese (≥30.0 kg/m2). Breastfeeding initiation was reported as having ever breastfed after delivery (yes or no). Adjusted models, which included only potential confounders resulting in a 10% or greater change in estimate, generated adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95%...
The Sources of Intrastate Violence: Rationality and Emotion

Reputation and Civil War: Why Separatist Conflicts Are So Violent. By Barbara F. Walter Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009. 255 pp. $31.99 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-521-74729-5). This book is a gem. It is theoretically sophisticated, empirically grounded, sensitive to issues of causal inference, and contributes strongly to the literature on the causes of separatist violence. Yet, it was with some trepidation that I agreed to review it. After all, I knew that the theory underpinning this approach emerged from a game theoretic branch of econometrics. My own recent research instead has been influenced profoundly by social psychology and history. In the end, my fears were unwarranted. As we shall see, the two research emphases complement each other (McDermott 2004). This complementarity will provide a structure to this review. Full disclosure: Barbara Walter and I share the same editor and publisher, John Haslam at Cambridge University Press, but to the best of my recollection, she and I have never met. While clearly situated within the rational choice tradition (Fearon and Laitin 1996; Fearon 1995; Powell 2006, 2002), this book also stems from Walter's earlier concern with contested territory as a stumbling block to stability (Walter 2003; Toft 2003; Diehl 1999; Huth 1996; Vasquez 1993). Government reputation and its potential for the deterrence of separatist violence is the central concern of this book. Game theory in the form of the chain store model of reputation building (e.g., Neral and Ochs 1992) provides the initial research cut into the problem. A game tree is constructed to represent the payoffs of both the defender (government) and challenger (ethnic group). The …
Systematic approach to numerical simulation and modelling of shale gas reservoirs

With the rapid development of unconventional resources in the USA and its contribution by diminishing energy dependency on foreign supplies, reservoir simulation technology is facing new challenges in providing key information to be utilised for long-term development decisions. Therefore, growth in shale gas reservoir development necessitated new approach to reservoir simulation. In this paper, simulation model formulations dealing with unique physics and flow mechanism within shale gas reservoirs have been discussed and more suitable simulation techniques have been devised with the intention of improving shale gas recovery. Fractures have substantial effect on production from shale gas reservoirs. Complex DFNs were stochastically generated and up-scaled in order to simulate fluid flow through the system. Logarithmic local grid refinement was employed to model hydraulic fractures, while matrix discretisation technique with matrix subgrids was used to capture long transient fracture to matrix gas flow. History matched model was further used for studying enhanced shale gas recovery through CO 2 sequestration simulation.
Temporal and spatial relationships of vine pruning mass in Concord grapes

Background and Aims Studies on vine size variation have generally been limited to small plot studies, particularly for correlation with canopy imaging. Research and anecdotal reports indicate there is a temporal stability in the spatial patterns of imagery of the canopy. This study directly examines and quantifies the spatial and temporal variation in vine size, rather than a canopy sensor response, at a block (∼1 ha) level. Methods and Results The mass of pruned wood for each individual vine was measured for 3 consecutive years in a 0.93-ha vineyard. The spatial and temporal variability in pruning mass was interrogated with geostatistics and map comparison methods. Potential management units were derived from these data and used to verify the temporal response in vine size. Conclusions The majority of variance in pruning mass occurred at a vine-to-vine scale; however, the autocorrelated variance exhibited a strong, stable spatial structure over 3 consecutive years. Map comparison methods were shown to be an alternate and visually demonstrable method of comparing spatio-temporal patterns. Significance of the Study The temporal stability of spatial patterns in vine size would indicate that it is not necessary to measure vine size annually and that historical information can drive site- or zone-specific management decisions. The large vine-to-vine variation indicates that high spatial resolution, vine-specific sensing and decision support systems are needed if the objective is to manage as much of the variability in vine size as possible.
Hoes and hashtags: constructions of gender and race in trending topics

This study examines Twitter's hashtag trend topic functionality in America and explores social dialects within popular trending topics, specifically categories relating to the social constructions of gender and race where the majority of users employ Black avatars. The methodology applies a content analysis of words within a specific 24-hour trending hashtag (#becauseofhoes), followed by a critical discourse analysis, informed by feminist thought and critical race theory, of the emergent semantic fields. While previous research examines the “social relevance” of Twitter hashtags, this study's results and discussion explore the semiosis, or analysis of cultural communication, of gender and race constructions within trending topics popular with what appear to be predominately Black participants.
Strain measurement of a mouse bone by 3D-electronic speckle pattern interferometry (3D-ESPI)

Abstract Bone is a mechanosensitive tissue that adapts its mass, architecture and mechanical properties to mechanical loading. Appropriate mechanical loads provide an effective means to stimulate bone remodeling and prevent from bone loss. It is controversial whether in situ strain in bone is a critical determinant in enhancement of bone formation, and it is therefore important to evaluate load-driven strain in bone. Using electronic speckle pattern interferometry, we determined high-resolution three-dimensional strains on the mouse femur in response to two loading modalities: an axial loading modality (ALM) and a knee loading modality (KLM). We demonstrated that these two loading modalities induced a different pattern of strain distributions. ALM generated strain in the midshaft of cortical bone, while strains with KLM were concentrated on the distal epiphysis of the mouse femur. Since KLM is capable of enhancing bone formation in cortical bone distant from the knee, the current results indicate that in situ strain is not always necessary for load-driven bone formation. Key words: bone, mechanical loads, strain distributio n, electronic speckle pattern interferometry
An assessment of the strength of NG108-15 cell adhesion to chemically modified surfaces.

The strength of adhesion of NG108-15 cells to glass substrates modified with adsorbed proteins (laminin and poly-ornithine) or modified with covalently bound peptides (tri-ornithine and Tyr–Ile–Gly–Ser–Arg) was quantitatively assessed, by determining the shear stresses necessary to denude the cells from substrates using a spinning disk device. The shear stresses required to detach NG108-15 cells from glass modified with either adsorbed poly-ornithine or with both poly-ornithine and laminin were significantly (P<0.05) higher than the shear stresses required to detach the cells from plain glass substrates. Covalent surface modifications resulted in higher strengths of NG108-15 adhesion than were exhibited on surfaces modified with adsorbed proteins. NG108-15 cell adhesion strength was maximal on surfaces covalently modified with only amine groups (without any peptides or proteins). These results indicate that general (i.e., not necessarily receptor-specific) surface modification strategies, which increase the net surface charge of a substrate, will elicit strong adhesion of NG108-15 cells.