cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long, directional interactions in cofacial silicon phthalocyanine oligomers.

Single crystal structures have been determined for the three cofacial, oxygen-bridged, silicon phthalocyanine oligomers, [((CH3)3SiO)2(CH3)SiO](SiPcO)2–4[Si(CH3)(OSi(CH3)3)2], and for the corresponding monomer. The data for the oligomers give structural parameters for a matching set of three cofacial, oxygen-bridged silicon phthalocyanine oligomers for the first time. The staggering angles between the six adjacent cofacial ring pairs in the three oligomers are not in a random distribution nor in a cluster at the intuitively expected angle of 45° but rather are in two clusters, one at an angle of 15° and the other at an angle of 41°. These two clusters lead to the conclusion that long, directional interactions (LDI) exist between the adjacent ring pairs. An understanding of these interactions is provided by atoms-in-molecules (AIM) and reduced-density-gradient (RDG) studies. A survey of the staggering angles in other single-atom-bridged, cofacial phthalocyanine oligomers provides further evidence for the e...
A Thousand Points of Light

(1990). A Thousand Points of Light. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 406-409.
Paper or Plastic? Yes, but Not as a Mixture

As expressed by the chorus lyrics of a song by Dan Einbender, “it really isn’t garbage ‘til you mix it all together. It really isn’t garbage ‘til you throw it away. Separate your paper, plastic, compost, glass and metal. Then you get to use it all another day.” It’s worth paying attention to these lyrics once again in the face of yet another type of product that is starting to show up in stores. Extruded sheets of polyethylene (no. 2 plastic) with as much as 80% ground calcium carbonate content are being sold as “paper”. Calcium carbonate is widely used as a component of real paper. However, it rubs me the wrong way when the word “paper” is being used to refer to something that has no fibers in it and is not formed on a screen and dried. My more serious concern is that such materials, if they become widely used, have the potential to contaminate paper recycling operations.
Risk assessment of vector in Yanqi lake ecological demonstration region in Beijing

Objective To provide the scientific basis to the vector control of this building ecological demonstration zones under,using risk assessment method to evaluate risk index of the damage caused by vectors and related diseases in Yanqi ecological demonstration zones,Huairou,Beijing.Methods Analysising the occurrence probability of risk events and the consequences caused by these events,classifying risk,establishing risk assessment index matrix and predicting the risk level of vector diseases in the ecological demonstration zones.Results Varying degrees of vector infectious diseases and biological vector nuisance caused by danger existed in the Yanxi ecological demonstration zones.The demonstration area was facing the risk of moderate rodent-borne diseases and low degree mosquito-borne diseases,there was risk of hemorrhagic fever epidemic.Conclusion Corresponding prevention and control measures is established based on the scientific assessment of potential risk casued by vectors,which ensure that no serious harmful events caused by vector in ecological demonstration region.
An Analysis on the Current Situation and Change of Miao Langnage in Xiaomaopoying Village

According to the field work materials,this paper analyses the factors that affect the vicissitudes of Miao language based on dessribing the use and handing down of it, and reflects about the protection of Miao language, hoping to provide some reference for local language research and protection.
The important role of metabolic syndrome in acute cerebral infarction in the middle-aged and youth

Objective To explore the role of metabolic syndrome in acute cerebral infarction in the middle-aged and youth.Methods Totally 198 patients with the age between 35 to 60 were selected.Acute cerebral infarction was confirmed by brain CT or MRI.According to the revised ATPⅢ definition,all the patients were divided into two groups: metabolic syndrome group(MS) and non-metabolic syndrome group(nMS).Results The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was high,more than half of the patients belonging to the MS.The rate of recurrence was much higher in patients with MS than nMS.Compared with the nMS group,the BMI,FBG and TG increased while HDL-C decreased significantly in patients with MS group.Fibrinogen was also found elevated in MS group.Carotid and vertebral atherosclerosis especially plaque were detected much more in MS than those of nMS.Conclusion MS may play an important role in cerebral infarction in middle-aged and youth.
A silicon photo-multiplier signal readout using strip-line and waveform sampling for Positron Emission Tomography

Abstract A strip-line and waveform sampling based readout is a signal multiplexing method that can efficiently reduce the readout channels while fully exploiting the fast time characteristics of photo-detectors such as the SiPM. We have applied this readout method for SiPM-based time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) detectors. We have prototyped strip-line boards in which 8 SiPMs (pitch 5.2 mm) are connected by using a single strip-line, and the signals appearing at the ends of the strip-line are acquired by using the DRS4 waveform sampler at a nominal sampling frequency of 1–5 GS/s. Experimental tests using laser and LYSO scintillator are carried out to assess the performance of the strip-line board. Each SiPM position, which is inferred from the arrival time difference of the two signals at the ends of the strip-line, is well identified with 2.6 mm FWHM resolution when the SiPMs are coupled to LYSO crystals and irradiated by a 22 Na source. The average energy and coincidence time resolution corresponding to 511 keV photons are measured to be ∼32% and ∼510 ps FWHM, respectively, at a 5.0 GS/s DRS4 sampling rate. The results show that the sampling rate can be lowered to 1.5 GS/s without performance degradation. These encouraging initial test results indicate that the strip-line and waveform sampling readout method is applicable for SiPM-based TOF PET development.
Flow cytometric analysis of oxidase activity of neutrophils from chronic granulomatous disease patients.

Phagocyte cells, neutrophils and macrophages constitute the main defense mechanisms of the human body against invading microorganisms. The bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) involves the activation of a cell membrane associated NADPH oxidase enzyme“. Following activation of the NADPH oxidase enzyme, a cascade of oxidation/reduction reactions occurs, with the generation of several oxygen radicals. Superoxide (0 2 − ) hydrogen peroxide (H202), hydroxyl radical (HO) singlet oxygen (0) are the main oxygen by-products of the respiratory burst of PMNs2 and have an important role in killing of bacteria. The enzyme NADPH oxidase has a major function in the generation of O 2 − radical while other enzymes including superoxide dismutase3, myeloperoxidase4, catalase and glutathione peroxidase5 serve a regulatory activity in the respiratory burst. NADPH oxidase differs from other cellular oxidase enzymes (i.e., mitochondrial), since it is a cyanide insensitive enzyme6. The activation of the NADPH oxidase enzyme with different soluble stimulants as phorbol esters7, formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine8 and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane9 results in the generation of active oxygen radicals and mimics the biochemical events which occur during phagocytosis in vivo.
Assessment of mechanisms for enhanced performance of TiO2/YAG:Yb+3,Er+3 composite photocatalysts for organic degradation

Abstract Wastewater remediation is a key component to a sustainable water management program and the use of photo-activated catalysis has emerged as a promising advanced oxidative process for the decomposition of organic contaminants to innocuous products. Although the process is feasible using UV photons, only ∼5% of solar insolation is comprised of UV photons and few advances have been made to improve upon commercial TiO 2 (i.e., P25). Here, composite catalysts containing both an upconversion phase (Yb +3 /Er +3 /Y-Al garnet or YAG host) and a photocatalyst (TiO 2 ) are assessed for enhancing the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 for organic degradation using simulated insolation. Samples of the upconverting phosphor (YAG host) were prepared utilizing the Pechini method with varying molar concentration of Yb +3 ions [0%, 10%, 15%, or 20%] and a constant concentration of Er +3 ions [2%]. The composite materials were then obtained via calcination of the various YAG:Yb +3 ,Er +3 samples with titania at molar concentrations of [10%, 15%, or 20%]. Structures and properties of the upconverting phosphors and composite materials were verified with characterization analyses including X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. For rose bengal degradation in a batch slurry reaction using a simulated ‘daylight’ spectrum as the irradiation source, results indicated that a mixed phased, Y-Al oxide doped with 2 mol% Er +3 and 15 mol% Yb +3 with 10 mol% doped YAG/balance TiO 2 composite yielded a 42% higher rate constant and apparent quantum yield than TiO 2 alone. Additional kinetic studies with portions of the solar spectrum (i.e., UV bulbs or UV or IR LEDs) were conducted to further probe the effect of photon energies and suggested that rate and apparent quantum yield enhancements were largely attributed to increased amounts of organic adsorption and close proximity between phases, which coincided with the presence of the monoclinic phase (not cubic) of the Y-Al oxide structure. Upconversion and decreased charge carrier recombination rates were deemed to provide minimal contribution to these enhancements.
Differentiation of marijuana headspace volatiles from other plants and hemp products using capillary microextraction of volatiles (CMV) coupled to gas-chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS)

Abstract The ability to rapidly detect illicit drugs, such as marijuana, is critical to policing legislation across the country. However, it is often difficult to distinguish or identify small quantities of drugs in large spaces without the aid of trained canines. A new device, the capillary microextractor of volatiles (CMV), has the potential to provide rapid detection due to its ability to collect and preconcentrate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) directly from air within minutes. Analysis of the captured compounds can then be performed using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometer (GC–MS). This study focuses on the detection of marijuana volatiles using the CMV as a sampling and preconcentration device given the hypothesis that marijuana will have a distinct chemical profile, or collection of VOCs, that distinguishes it from related plants and other products that could emit similar compounds. Volatile compounds from the headspace of marijuana, related plants, and hemp products were extracted using the CMV and analyzed with GC–MS. The compounds identified and the chemical profiles of each sample were then compared to the volatiles found in the headspace of authentic marijuana samples. The findings presented here suggest that marijuana plants emit volatiles that are readily distinguished from the other samples tested in this study. The distinguishing compounds included α-santalene, valencene, and β-bisabolene. In some cases, THC and cannabinol were also present in the headspace of marijuana. Although these findings support the hypothesis that marijuana has a distinct chemical VOC signature, further work to create a larger database of potential plants and materials is recommended prior to routine use of the CMV coupled to a GC–MS in forensic casework.
Detection of organic-rich oil shales of the green river formation, Utah, with ground-based imaging spectroscopy

Oil shales contain abundant immature organic matter and are a potential unconventional petroleum resource. Prior studies have used visible/shortwave infrared imaging spectroscopy to map surface exposures of deposits from satellite and airborne platforms and image cores in the laboratory. Here, we work at an intermediate, outcrop-scale, testing the ability of field-based imaging spectroscopy to identify oil shale strata and characterize the depositional environments that led to enrichment of organic matter in sedimentary rocks within the Green River Formation, Utah, USA. The oil shale layers as well as carbonates, phyllosilicates, gypsum, hydrated silica, and ferric oxides are identified in discrete lithologic units and successfully mapped in the images, showing a transition from siliciclastic to carbonate- and organic-rich rocks consistent with previous stratigraphic studies conducted with geological fieldwork.
Energy Balance in Pig Production Systems: A Progress Report

Energy is used in all aspects of pig production, from the manufacture of materials used in building construction to the cultivation and processing of feedstuffs. Historically the availability of fossil fuels has minimized pressure to consider all uses of energy in pig production. Rising energy prices, uncertain access to petroleum supplies, and recognition of the environmental impacts of fossil fuels are increasing awareness and incentive to reduce consumption of limited resources. Comprehensive, accurate information is critical to informed decision making. Analysis of energy use by modern pig farms in Iowa, the Midwest, and the U.S. is needed. The project focuses on pig production–cropping system interaction with methodology developed through the project that will be adaptable to evaluating energy consumption and ecological impact of other livestock systems. This project addresses a need for energy and resource use information by policy makers and community members as they strive to make informed decisions.
Supporting large scale connected vehicle data analysis using HIVE

Connected vehicles (CVs) are vehicles that can exchange messages containing location and other safety-related information with other vehicles, and with devices affixed to roadside infrastructure. While the main purpose of vehicle connectivity is to enhance safety, the data generated by CVs has an enormous potential to support transportation planning and operations. However, handling the vast volume of data produced by CVs presents considerable challenges for researchers in the transportation domain. This paper presents a case study of using HIVE to facilitate CV data analysis based on the largest CV data set publicly released to date. We characterize the data analytic tasks that are expected to enable transportation planning research, and investigate several approaches to increase the corresponding query efficiency and throughput. This study compares the use of HIVE in conjunction with the MapReduce and Spark programming frameworks, analyzes its performance using different data storage formats, and exemplifies potential use cases.
Power Sector Reforms and Technical Performance: Good News from an Instrumental Variable Analysis

Over the past three decades, various power sector reforms have overhauled the governance of electricity generation, transmission, and distribution in almost a hundred countries. Have these reforms produced benefits? Using instrumental variables, we improve upon earlier studies and demonstrate that power sector reforms enacted between 1982 and 2008 have both had large positive effects on the availability of generation capacity and reduced transmission and distribution losses. We also show that the positive effects on generation capacity are pronounced in developing countries and that hybrid reforms falling short of privatization and free competition are effective in improving generation capacity in particular. Overall, the results show that these reforms are an effective tool to remove an important constraint on economic growth.c”µaS›eƒ¨e—¨ae”¹e ©a’ŒaeS€aeœ¯ae€§eƒ½i¼sae ¥e‡aa·¥a…·a ˜e‡ aˆ†aež cs„a¥½ae¶ˆae ¯ e?‡aŽ»a¸‰a a¤sa¹´e—´, c”µaS›eƒ¨e—¨cs„a „c§ ae”¹e ©a·²a…¨e ¢ae”¹a ˜ao†e?‘a¸€c™¾a¹´e—´aeœ‰a…³c”µaS›c”Ÿao§a€ a¼ e¾“a’Œaˆ†e… cs„ae²»c †a€‚c„¶e€Œ, e?™ao›ae”¹e ©ao§c”Ÿc›Sa¤„ao†a —i¼Ÿe€se?‡a½?c”¨a·¥a…·a ˜e‡ , aeœ¬ae–‡a¯¹a¹‹a‰ cs„c ”c©¶e?›eiŒao†ae”¹e‰¯, a¹¶e¯ ae˜Žao†a»Ž 1982 aˆ° 2008 a¹´e—´ae‹Ÿa®scs„c”µaS›eƒ¨e—¨ae”¹e ©a¸ a»…a¯¹c”µaS›c”Ÿao§eƒ½aS›cs„a ¯c”¨ae€§ao§c”Ÿao†a¤§a¹…ao¦c§¯aež a½±a“ , e?˜a‡ a°‘ao†c”µaS›a¼ e¾“ae Ÿa¤±a’Œaˆ†e… ae Ÿa¤±a€‚aeœ¬ae–‡a Œae—¶ei¨ae˜Ž, a¯¹c”µaS›c”Ÿao§eƒ½aS›ao§c”Ÿcs„c§¯aež a½±a“ aœ¨a ‘a±•a¸­a›½a®¶a aˆ†ae˜¾e‘—, a¹¶a¸”c¼oa°‘c§ aeœ‰aŒ–a’Œe‡ac”±c«žao‰cs„ae··a ˆaž‹ae”¹e ©i¼ˆhybrid reformi¼‰a°¤a…¶aœ¨ae e«˜c”µaS›c”Ÿao§eƒ½aS›a¸Sa aˆ†aeœ‰ae•ˆa€‚ae€»e€Œe¨€a¹‹, c ”c©¶c»“aežœae˜¾c¤o, e?™ao›ae”¹e ©ae˜¯c§»e™¤c» aeµŽa¢že•?e™ aˆ¶cs„aeœ‰aS›a·¥a…·a€‚Reformas del sector de la energA­a y el desempeA±o tA©cnico: buenas noticias de un anAilisis de variables instrumentales A lo largo de las tres dA©cadas pasadas, varias reformas del sector de la energA­a han renovado la gobernanza de la producciA³n de electricidad, la transmisiA³n y la distribuciA³n en casi cien paA­ses. Â?Han generado beneficios estas reformas? Utilizando variables instrumentales, mejoramos estudios previos y demostramos que las reformas del sector de la energA­a puestas en marcha entre 1982 y 2008 han tenido, tanto grandes efectos positivos en la disponibilidad de la capacidad de producciA³n, como pA©rdidas reducidas de transmisiA³n y distribuciA³n. TambiA©n mostramos que los efectos positivos de la capacidad de generaciA³n son significativos en paA­ses en vA­as de desarrollo y que las reformas hA­bridas no logran completamente la privatizaciA³n y la competencia libre es efectiva para mejorar la capacidad de generaciA³n en particular. En resumen, los resultados muestran que estas reformas son una herramienta efectiva para remover una restricciA³n importante para el crecimiento econA³mico.
Analysis of Students’ Missed Organic Chemistry Quiz Questions that Stress the Importance of Prior General Chemistry Knowledge

A concern about students’ conceptual difficulties in organic chemistry prompted this study. It was found that prior knowledge from general chemistry was critical in organic chemistry, but what were some of the concepts that comprised that prior knowledge? Therefore an analysis of four years of organic chemistry quiz data was undertaken. Multiple general chemistry concepts were revealed that are essential prior knowledge in organic chemistry. The general chemistry concepts that were found pose a challenge to organic chemistry instructors who have identified those same concepts as ones they review or consider important in organic chemistry. A review of the literature provides recommendations that address the general chemistry students’ difficulties revealed in this study. Further research, however, is needed to follow through on those recommendations.
Testing the Tests: What Are the Impacts of Incorrect Assumptions When Applying Confidence Intervals or Hypothesis Tests to Compare Competing Forecasts?

AbstractWhich of two competing continuous forecasts is better? This question is often asked in forecast verification, as well as climate model evaluation. Traditional statistical tests seem to be well suited to the task of providing an answer. However, most such tests do not account for some of the special underlying circumstances that are prevalent in this domain. For example, model output is seldom independent in time, and the models being compared are geared to predicting the same state of the atmosphere, and thus they could be contemporaneously correlated with each other. These types of violations of the assumptions of independence required for most statistical tests can greatly impact the accuracy and power of these tests. Here, this effect is examined on simulated series for many common testing procedures, including two-sample and paired t and normal approximation z tests, the z test with a first-order variance inflation factor applied, and the newer Hering–Genton (HG) test, as well as several boots...
Etiology and treatment of adrenoleukodystrophy: new insights from Drosophila

ABSTRACT Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a fatal progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting brain white matter. The most common form of ALD is X-linked (X-ALD) and results from mutation of the ABCD1 -encoded very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) transporter. X-ALD is clinically heterogeneous, with the cerebral form being the most severe. Diagnosed in boys usually between the ages of 4 and 8 years, cerebral X-ALD symptoms progress rapidly (in as little as 2 years) through declines in cognition, learning and behavior, to paralysis and ultimately to a vegetative state and death. Currently, there are no good treatments for X-ALD. Here, we exploit the Drosophila bubblegum ( bgm ) double bubble ( dbb ) model of neurometabolic disease to expand diagnostic power and therapeutic potential for ALD. We show that loss of the Drosophila long-/very-long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase genes bgm and/or dbb is indistinguishable from loss of the Drosophila ABC transporter gene ABCD . Shared loss-of-function phenotypes for synthetase and transporter mutants point to a lipid metabolic pathway association with ALD-like neurodegenerative disease in Drosophila ; a pathway association that has yet to be established in humans. We also show that manipulation of environment increases the severity of neurodegeneration in bgm and dbb mutant flies, adding even further to a suite of new candidate ALD disease-causing genes and pathways in humans. Finally, we show that it is a lack of lipid metabolic pathway product and not (as commonly thought) an accumulation of pathway precursor that is causative of neurometabolic disease: addition of medium-chain fatty acids to the diet of bgm or dbb mutant flies prevents the onset of neurodegeneration. Taken together, our data provide new foundations both for diagnosing ALD and for designing effective, mechanism-based treatment protocols. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Malignancies of the Penis and Urethra

Carcinoma of the penis is an uncommon malignancy in the United States. It accounts for less than 1% of all male cancers in America, but it accounts for 10-20% of male malignancies in countries with poor genital hygiene or where neonatal circumcision is rare (1,2). This circumstantial evidence reinforces a belief that neonatal circumcision is protective for the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis, and indeed, reports of this disorder in males who were circumcised during the neonatal period are rare. Over the past 20 yr, however, more reports have surfaced indicating that penile cancer is not fully prevented by neonatal circumcision, although its risk is reduced by a factor of between 3.0 and 3.2 (3,4). Other factors that contribute to an increased risk of carcinoma of the penis include smoking (risk increased by factor of 2.8), longstanding phimosis (3.5), chronic balanitis or penile rash or tear (3.9-9.4), a history of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection (5.9), and a history of multiple sexual partners (2.8) (3,5). Clearly, some risk factors overlap with the absence of neonatal circumcision. For example, phimosis and chronic balanitis are virtually never seen in circumcised males, and circumcision provides at least some protection against infection by sexually transmitted diseases, including HPV (6,7).
CHAPTER 6 – Porous Carbon Fiber-Carbon Binder Composites

This chapter reviews the manufacture, structure, properties, and applications of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)'s low density, carbon fiber-carbon binder composites. Porous carbon fiber-carbon binder composite materials are a class of carbon composites that are not widely recognized. Unlike dense, structural carbon composites, which are used extensively in aerospace and military applications, there are relatively few applications of porous carbon fiber-carbon binder composites. These applications are enabled through the unique combination of physical properties exhibited by the porous carbon fiber-carbon binder composites. However, their combination of properties makes them uniquely suited to certain applications. ORNL developed and optimized a class of low density, carbon fiber-carbon binder composite for an aerospace application. In addition, the ability to tailor other physical properties enhances the potential utility of this class of carbon composite material. The pore structure of the material, which is of paramount importance in fluid separation and gas storage applications, can be controlled through careful selection of the precursor carbon fiber and processing and activation route. It is likely that new applications of porous, adsorbent, carbon fiber based monoliths will be developed in the near term. These applications will be less cost sensitive than many current applications of commodity granular activated carbon (GAC), but will be applications in which the novel properties of porous carbon fiber-carbon binder composites make them uniquely suited.
Planting Hatred, Sowing Pain: The Psychology of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

he world has known many periods when two factions held such strong hatred of each other that bloody conflicts were regular, unsurprising events. But there is perhaps no modern period of conflict as sustained as that of Israel-Palestine conflict. This book argues that obstacles to achieving solution are not just political, but also psychological.
Addressing Agency Problems in Privatizing Public Services

Scholars disagree whether contracting out public services is an effective means of public service provision, especially for social programs. Are social policies different from other public policies? If so, why, and what are the implications in terms of designing and implementing such policies? This paper’s formal theory analysis suggests that monitoring cost and political cost are crucial elements, which differentiate social policies from others. One of the policy implications of this paper is to suggest that the key to successful contracting out is to apply effective monitoring systems (fire alarm vs. police patrol) depending on the types of public service recipients.This paper presents both a formal game theoretical model and an empirical analysis. The formal model analyzes a government’s contracting out as a set of strategic decisions made by both a government (principal) and a vendor (agent). Among the findings, this paper emphasizes the function of citizen feedback and the application of diverse monitoring schemes. Regression analysis attests the findings of formal modeling analyses. Given that vendor performance and monitoring systems are categorical variables, ordered logit analysis is employed for monitoring and vendor performance data, CERS (Contract Evaluation and Reporting System) from the Florida State Department of Families and Children.
A multi-physics approach for modeling hygroscopic behavior in wood low-tech architectural adaptive systems

Abstract Wood is a natural engineering material that has traditionally been exploited in design for a wide variety of applications. The recent demand for sustainable material and construction processes in the construction industry has triggered a renewed interest and research in the inherent properties of wood and their derived applications, and specifically for developing low-tech architectural adaptive systems. This paper focuses on the physical and computational modeling of the morphing behavior of wood through hygroscopic expansion or contraction to a high degree of precision. The amount of stress related to the hygroscopic shrinking or swelling ranges from almost zero to high values, and its prediction is fundamental to alleviate any fatigue challenges. The capability of designing wood composite whose stress state remains limited under changes of the environmental humidity is beneficial for any engineering application subjected to a repeated reversal of loading such as adaptive systems. In this paper, a mechanical model, together with its numerical implementation, is presented; the model is benchmarked against some prototypical experiments, performed by using real material parameters. The control parameter in the model is the relative moisture change in wood that determines the orthotropic swelling/de-swelling phenomenon, and is coupled with the elastic behavior of wood. This model is integrated into a programmable matter design approach that combines physical and computational exploration. The approach is illustrated for a hygro-morphic building facade panel. The approaches and algorithms presented in this paper have further applications for computer-aided design of smart materials and systems with interchanging functionalities.
Emerging Roles for Immune Cells and MicroRNAs in Modulating the Response to Cardiac Injury

Stimulating cardiomyocyte regeneration after an acute injury remains the central goal in cardiovascular regenerative biology. While adult mammals respond to cardiac damage with deposition of rigid scar tissue, adult zebrafish and salamander unleash a regenerative program that culminates in new cardiomyocyte formation, resolution of scar tissue, and recovery of heart function. Recent studies have shown that immune cells are key to regulating pro-inflammatory and pro-regenerative signals that shift the injury microenvironment toward regeneration. Defining the genetic regulators that control the dynamic interplay between immune cells and injured cardiac tissue is crucial to decoding the endogenous mechanism of heart regeneration. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the extent that macrophage and regulatory T cells influence cardiomyocyte proliferation and how microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate their activity in the injured heart.
Weighted LCPs and interior point systems for copositive linear transformations on Euclidean Jordan algebras

In the setting of a Euclidean Jordan algebra V with symmetric cone $$V_+$$ , corresponding to a linear transformation M, a ‘weight vector’ $$w\in V_+$$ , and a $$q\in V$$ , we consider the weighted linear complementarity problem wLCP(M, w, q) and (when w is in the interior of $$V_+$$ ) the interior point system IPS(M, w, q). When M is copositive on $$V_+$$ and q satisfies an interiority condition, we show that both the problems have solutions. A simple consequence, stated in the setting of $$\mathbb {R}^{n}$$ is that when M is a copositive plus matrix and q is strictly feasible for the linear complementarity problem LCP(M, q), the corresponding interior point system has a solution. This is analogous to a well-known result of Kojima et al. on $$\mathbf{P}_*$$ -matrices and may lead to interior point methods for solving copositive LCPs.
Oxytocin, Vasopressin and Prolactin in New Breastfeeding Mothers: Relationship to Clinical Characteristics and Infant Weight Loss:

Background:Maternal milk production requires the neuropeptide oxytocin. Individual variation in oxytocin function is a compelling target for understanding low milk production, a leading cause of br...
Documentation of Indo-Islamic architecture built along a 16th-century highway

An internationally recognized presence in the documentation of Indic and South East Asian art and architecture, the Center for Art and Archaeology (CA&A) of the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS) conducted a documentation project in 2007 that explored an interesting range of built heritage arrayed along a 16th-century highway, the Agra – Lahore route, laid by the Mughal rulers of India. The stretch of the Agra – Lahore highway this project traced, crossed two north Indian states of independent India – Haryana and Punjab, and documented built heritage that survives on that road. The documentation revealed edifices unique to a travel environment including Caravansarai (rest house), Kos-Minars (distance markers), bridges, stepped-wells and Bagh (pleasure gardens) built under the patronage of Mughal elites. The project emphasized the importance of identifying the strands of cultural heritage and the processes of documenting them. A major aim of such documentation was to aid preservation of the monuments themselves by providing critical information for future decisions.
Kinetics of chlorine deposition and removal over promoted silver catalysts during ethylene epoxidation

Abstract High partial oxidation selectivity in ethylene oxidation over Ag catalysts is achieved in part via the presence of adsorbed chlorine promoters. Chlorine coverage during ethylene oxidation is maintained by co-feeding organic chlorides in ppm levels and alkane moderators in concentrations of ~0.5 mol%. The relative efficacy of organic chlorides in Cl deposition and of alkanes in Cl removal is typically estimated using empirical correlations. Apparent kinetics of Cl removal were measured by feeding ethyl chloride and propane during ethylene oxidation catalysis over a highly-promoted Ag/α-Al2O3 catalyst and quantifying the rate of chloropropane formation during steady state reaction. Propane oxychlorination forms 1- and 2-chloropropane in a ~1:2 ratio, as expected given the lower bond dissociation enthalpy of methylene than methyl C H bonds in propane, and at total rates on the order of 10-4 mol C3H7Cl (mol Agsurf)-1 s−1. Concurrent ethylene oxidation rates of order 10-1 mol (mol Agsurf)-1 s−1 provide evidence that Cl moderation occurs in a distinct catalytic cycle over promoted Ag catalysts. Cl removal has a supralinear dependence on propane pressure (PC3H8) and an inverse dependence on ethyl chloride pressure (PC2H5Cl) at high PC2H5Cl/PC3H8, while Cl removal is positive order in pressures of both C2H5Cl and C3H8 at low PC2H5Cl/PC3H8, as expected for surfaces that are increasingly covered in Cl as PC2H5Cl/PC3H8 increases. Chloropropane formation rates were positive order in dioxygen pressure for all PC2H5Cl/PC3H8 ratios. Taken together, the kinetics of Cl removal require both rate determining deposition of Cl from an alkyl chloride and kinetically relevant removal of Cl by an alkane. We develop a kinetic model that describes these trends and allows for quantification of rate and equilibrium parameters, and provide evidence for the elementary steps enumerated by measuring a kinetic isotope effect and assessing the fate of alkyl fragments from chloroethane and chloropropane in gas-phase batch reactions. Rate and equilibrium constants regressed from this kinetic model are used to develop an isotherm for Cl coverage as a function of the ratio of organic chloride promoter to alkane moderator pressures. This isotherm quantitatively predicts Cl coverages measured in situ after steady state reactions with feedstreams containing both ethyl chloride-ethane and ethyl chloride-propane mixtures. Measured reaction orders for chloropropane formation with respect to ethylene and carbon dioxide pressure reflect surface ethylene and carbon dioxide coverages that are lower for sites that form chloropropane than for sites that form ethylene oxide, suggesting that site ensembles for Cl deposition and removal vary from those involved in selective oxidation of ethylene.
Epidemiology of Pediatric Gender Identity

Recent studies have estimated that approximately 1–2% of young people in the United States identify as transgender or gender diverse (TGD). Studies of prepubertal youth come primarily from gender clinic-referred populations, which have found an overrepresentation of birth-assigned males at this stage of development. Notably, it is unclear if these gender clinic-referred youth truly identified as TGD or if they were referred to gender identity clinics due to parental discomfort with gender diverse behaviors. As these children approach adolescence, the ratio of birth-assigned males to birth-assigned females approaches 1:1 in clinic-referred cohorts. The natural history of gender identity in TGD youth is understudied, and it is currently unclear how many TGD prepubertal youth will continue to identify as such into adolescence onward. However, for TGD youth who identify as such following the onset of puberty, existing literature suggests the vast majority continue to identify as TGD in adulthood. TGD youth suffer disproportionate rates of adverse mental and physical health outcomes, driven primarily by societal stigma and minority stress. Emerging research suggests that these adverse outcomes can be mitigated by accepting social environments.
Functional and MRI outcomes of Superior Capsule Reconstruction with Acellular Dermal Matrix

Objectives:Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) is an emerging treatment option for irreparable massive rotator cuff tears (MRCT). The initial description utilized fascia lata autograft, but acel...
Racial differences and an increased systemic inflammatory response are seen in patients with COVID-19 and ischemic stroke

Objective To describe the difference in clinical presentation, including race, of ischemic stroke between patients with and without novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the association of inflammatory response with stroke severity. Methods This is a retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study of patients (n ​= ​60) admitted with ischemic stroke between late March and early May 2020. All patients were tested for COVID-19 during admission. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data was collected through electronic medical record review. Descriptive statistics was performed to observe the differences between stroke patients with and without COVID-19. Results 60 hospitalized patients with acute ischemic stroke were included in the analysis. Nine were positive for COVID-19. African-Americans comprised of 55.6% of those that had COVID-19 and stroke and 37.7% of those with only stroke. Stroke patients with COVID-19 had a significantly higher NIHSS [18.4 (8.8)] and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) [7.3 (4.2) vs 3.8 (2.8); P ​= ​0.0137] than those without. Those with COVID-19 also had a significantly higher mortality rate (44.4% vs. 7.6%; p ​ Conclusion We observed a cohort of patients, including a large proportion of African-Americans, who developed ischemic stroke with or without COVID-19. An exaggerated inflammatory response, as indicated by NLR, likely plays a role in stroke severity among COVID-19 patients that concurrently develop ischemic stroke.
Extubation in the Critical Care Setting: Evaluating Evidence Based Medicine and Cost Analysis

Background: Several critical care arenas continue to extubate patients to low-flow cool aerosol mask when at low risk for requiring elevated support to NIPPV or HFNC. A lack of literature offering evidence that extubation to specific low-flow oxygen device is best practice over another. In terms of healthcare quality, overuse occurs when a service is provided with no evidence of providing value to the patient. Efficient healthcare avoids unnecessary waste including equipment, supplies, time, and energy. Current cultural practice in the ICUs at UC Davis Health requires extubated patients requiring low-flow oxygen, to cool aerosol mask prior to transitioning to nasal cannula or room air (RA). As this is not established in EBM, an assessment need was identified by respiratory care leadership as a QI project. Methods: 449 Acute care surgery and trauma critical care surgery patients extubated between 2018 and 2019 were evaluated under an IRB approved QI project. A cohort of 184 patients identified as requiring low-flow oxygen were extubated to aerosol mask, with a secondary extubation device documented as nasal cannula or RA were evaluated to assess time to secondary device. Cost analysis of delivery devices were performed as well as workflow analysis of time to setup of delivery device equipment. The current practice of extubating to an aerosol mask setup included the following equipment: one humidifier, one aerosol adapter, three feet of large-bore corrugated oxygen tubing, and one aerosol mask. Results: Eighty-five patients (46%) were extubated to aerosol mask and transitioned to nasal cannula in 3.01 hours on average. Ninety-nine patients (54%) who were extubated to aerosol mask transitioned to RA in 2.39 hours on average. The cost of the aerosol mask set-up at UC Davis is $4.25 per set-up compared to $1.29; a cost savings $2.96/occurrence. Time to initiation of an aerosol mask was 10 minutes, between gathering equipment, set-up, and placing patient on the device as compared to 5 minutes with a nasal cannula. Conclusions: Current efforts are being made to identify patients requiring supportive needs with NIPPV and HFNC after extubation. However, necessary steps are needed to look at efficient healthcare in those being treated with unnecessary low-flow oxygen delivery devices. Additionally, newer ventilator models that incorporate not only NIPPV, but HFNC, will provide added cost savings benefits, value, and decreased waste when extubating all patient populations and differing levels of care.
THE GLOBAL SOLAR MAGNETIC FIELD—IDENTIFICATION OF TRAVELING, LONG-LIVED RIPPLES

We have examined the global structure of the solar magnetic field using data from the Fe I spectral line at 5250.2 A obtained at the 150 foot tower telescope at the Mt. Wilson Observatory. For each point on the solar surface, we find the value of the magnetic field in the meridional plane, B{sub m} , by averaging over all available observations using a cosine weighting method. We have revised our cosine weighting method by now taking into account more fully the highest latitude geometry. We use the annual variation in the latitude of the disk center, b{sub 0}, to deduce the tilt angle of the field relative to the local vertical so that we can find the radial component of the field, B{sub r} , from B{sub m} . We find this tilt angle to be small except for a near-polar zone where a tilt-angle model can reduce the annual variation. The reduced annual variation in the deduced B{sub r} allows us to study dB{sub r} /dt and associated deviations in B{sub r} from a smoothed B{sub r} with a smoothing width of 2.5 yr. These functions make evident the presence of small amplitude (3-5 G) but spatially coherentmore » ripples with a semi-regular periodicity of one to three years. At any given time, the half-wavelength (peak to trough) is between 15 Degree-Sign and 30 Degree-Sign of latitude. These patterns are ubiquitous and in many cases drift from near the equator to the poles over a time period of roughly two years. The drift rate pattern is not compatible with simple advection.« less
Examining the Effects of Performance Monitoring and Performance-Based Pay on Honest Behavior

As the workplace grows more complex, employers increasingly rely on information provided by frontline employees and managers. For this reason, honesty is an increasingly important topic in the business literature. We investigate the effects of two environmental variables on behavioral dishonesty. Using 88 participants in a 2×2 experimental design, we manipulate the presence of performance-based pay (PBP) and performance monitoring (PM) in the work environment. Once the participants are accustomed to their assigned work environment, we test for dishonesty across treatment groups by letting the participants privately roll dice to determine the size of a bonus gift card. We find an interaction effect of PBP and PM on dishonesty, where dishonesty is highest for those who were exposed to PBP but no PM, lowest for those who were exposed to both PBP and PM, and in between for the other two conditions. Additional analysis from our exit survey confirms that the effects of “feeling monitored” on honesty is dependent on compensation type. Explanations and implications are discussed.
Sex-Specific Alterations in Inflammatory MicroRNAs in Mouse Brain and Bone Marrow CD11b+ Cells Following Traumatic Brain Injury.

Sex is a key biological variable in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and plays a significant role in neuroinflammatory responses. However, the molecular mechanisms contributing to this sexually dimorphic neuroinflammatory response remain elusive. Here we describe a significant and previously unreported tissue enrichment and sex-specific alteration of a set of inflammatory microRNAs (miRNAs) in CD11b+ cells of brain and bone marrow isolated from naive mice as well as mice subjected to TBI. Our data from naive mice demonstrated that expression levels of miR-146a-5p and miR-150-5p were relatively higher in brain CD11b+ cells, and that miR-155-5p and miR-223-3p were highly enriched in bone marrow CD11b+ cells. Furthermore, while miR-150-5p and miR-155-5p levels were higher in male brain CD11b+ cells, no significant sexual difference was observed for miR-146a-5p and miR-223-3p. However, TBI resulted in sex-specific differential responses of these miRNAs in brain CD11b+ cells. Specifically, miR-223-3p levels in brain CD11b+ cells were markedly elevated in both sexes in response to TBI at 3 and 24 h, with levels in females being significantly higher than males at 24 h. We then focused on analyzing several miR-223-3p targets and inflammation-related marker genes following injury. Corresponding to the greater elevation of miR-223-3p in females, the miR-223-3p targets, TRAF6 and FBXW7 were significantly reduced in females compared to males. Interestingly, anti-inflammatory genes ARG1 and IL4 were higher in females after TBI than in males. These observations suggest miR-223-3p and other inflammatory responsive miRNAs may play a key role in sex-specific neuroinflammatory response following TBI.
Movies, gender, and social change: the hollywood romance film

With a sample of over 250 films released in the U.S. from 2000 to 2014, and with the benefit of over fifty years of feminist film theorizing on the issue of the characterization of women in both Ho...
Gas-Pressurized Transfer of Liquid Hydrogen

Until very recently liquid hydrogen has been in limited supply and its use has been restricted to small quantities at any one time. The transfer of small quantities of liquid from storage dewars to the use points has been effected by pressurization of the dewar with hydrogen or helium gas or by the use of specially designed centrifugal pumps. As the use of liquid hydrogen for missiles and for other activities increases, the quantity of gas required to pressurize and transfer the liquid from a dewar become s large and its cost and that of the pressure vessel required become important considerations in the selection of the type of transfer system to be used.
The Gravitational Constant G

The gravitational interaction between any two particles of matter is stated in Newton’s law of gravitation $$ F = G\frac{{{m_1}{m_2}}}{{{d^2}}} $$ where F is the force of attraction between any two particles of matter in the universe having masses of m1 and m2, d is the distance between the particles, and G is the constant of proportionality. Gravitational interaction possesses two rather unique properties: great universality and extreme weakness. Both of these features contribute to the difficulty of measuring the gravitational constant, G.
Fluorescence-activated sorting of isolated nuclei. Heterogeneity of histone H5 immunofluorescence in chicken erythrocyte nuclei.

Abstract When Tween-treated isolated chicken erythrocyte nuclei were examined by indirect immunofluorescence with antibodies to histones H5 and H1, heterogeneity in fluorescence was observed. The distribution of nuclei with varying fluorescence intensity was analysed quantitatively with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Even with excess anti-H5 antibody, 15–20% of the nuclei did not stain brightly; with anti-H1, more than 90% of the nuclei were bright. Preparative sorting allowed the collection of dim and bright populations separately. Histones were extracted from these populations and analysed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The dim nuclei had as much H5 as the bright ones, suggesting that conformational properties or association with other proteins masked the H5 antigenic determinants in the dim nuclei.
Underwriting Cycles: A Synthesis and Further Directions

Underwriting cycles are associated with a mystique that few topics in the area of risk and insurance share. Many explanations and theories have focused on underwriting cycles, but little research exists to discern the relative importance of these theories in explaining insurance pricing and profitability. This research provides an intuitive review of the existing literature on underwriting cycles in the context of a demand and supply model. Specific, unaddressed issues about underwriting cycles are raised in the literature reviewed.