cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroangiographic assessment of aneurysm stability and impending rupture based on a non-linear biomathematical model

AbstractThe probability or risk of aneurysm rupture is assessed using conventional angiography by applying the aneurysm radius and systolic blood pressure obtained at examination to a non-linear biomathematical model of an aneurysm. A non-linear bio mathematical model was developed based on Laplace’s law to represent the viscoelastic relation between the wall tension and the radius. A differential expression of this relation was used to derive the critical radius: Rc = [2Et/P]2At/p where E is the elastic modulus of the aneurysm, t is the wall thicknessP is the pressure, and A is the elastic modulus of collagen. Using average values of E, A, and t, the risk of aneurysm rupture is defined as the area of integration under the curve defined by the minimum value of pressure (50 mmHg) and the patient pressure recorded at examination. This area was normalized by the area of integration defined by the pressure limits: 50 to 300 mmHg. This method of risk assessment was applied to four previously published case stu...
New matroids from old

Given a matroid, how can you use that matroid to create a new matroid? When does a given matroid (or a vector space, or a group, or a ring, …) decompose as a union or a sum of two (or more) smallermatroids? These are important questions, and this chapter attempts to answer them. We beginwith two very important operations on amatroid that aremotivated by graph theory. Matroid deletion and contraction This section is devoted to two very important operations we can perform on a matroid: deletion and contraction . Both operations reduce the size of the matroid by removing an element from M ; this is frequently useful for proofs involving mathematical induction. Recall that an element e of a matroid is an isthmus if it's in every basis, and e is a loop if it's in no basis. (For a quick review of the different ways to describe an isthmus and a loop, see Exercises 6 and 7 from Chapter 2.) Definition 3.1. Let M be a matroid on the ground set E with independent sets I . Deletion (1) Deletion For e ∈ E ( e not an isthmus), the matroid M − e has ground set E − { e } and independent sets that are those members of I that do not contain e : I is independent in M − e if and only if e ∉ I and I is independent in M .
Do Community Characteristics Relate to Young Adult College Students' Credit Card Debt? The Hypothesized Role of Collective Institutional Efficacy.

This study examines the extent of emergent, outstanding credit card debt among young adult college students and investigates whether any associations existed between this credit card debt and the characteristics of the communities in which these students grew up or lived. Using data (N = 748) from a longitudinal survey and merging community characteristics measured at the zip code level, we confirmed that a community's unemployment rate, average total debt, average credit score, and number of bank branch offices were associated with a young adult college student's acquisition and accumulation of credit card debt. For example, a community's higher unemployment rate and lower number of bank branches were associated with a young adult college student's greater accumulated debt. Community characteristics had the strongest associations with credit card debt, especially after controlling for individual characteristics (i.e., a young adult college student's race and financial independence) and familial characteristics (i.e., their parents' income and parents' discussions of financial matters while growing up at home). The findings may help to understand the unique roles that communities play in shaping children and young adults' financial capability, and how communities can be better capacitated to support the financial goals of their residents.
Shaped stimuli-responsive hydrogel particles: syntheses, properties and biological responses

The ability to create nano- and micro-sized hydrogel matrices of well-defined shapes can provide a powerful means not only to mimic the key properties of biological systems, but also to regulate shape-dependent particle biodistribution and cellular association, and to correspondingly optimize drug delivery carriers. This review focuses on stimuli-responsive hydrogel particles of non-spherical shapes ranging from filled porous networks to hollow capsules. We summarize a pool of current experimental approaches and discuss perspectives in the development of the synergistic combination of shape and stimuli-response in particulate hydrogels. Recent advances in the design and synthesis of the pH-, redox-, temperature-sensitive, mechanical force-, magnetic- and enzyme-responsive hydrogel particles of non-spherical shapes are presented. Examples of existing and emerging technologies for creating a variety of shapes with controlled hydrogel composition and size are highlighted. We also discuss the effects of shape on the physiochemical properties of these particles as well as their shape-regulated biological interactions including particle circulation time and biodistribution.
Deposition and characterization of CNT-Polyurethane nanocomposite films

This paper presents the results of our studies on the deposition and characterization of multi wall carbon nanotube films in combination with polyurethane (PU) and N-methyl- 2-pyrrolidone (NMP). These studies mainly focused on the effect of ultra violet Ozone plasma treatment on the on the contact angle and wettability characteristics of the substrates, Silicon and Polyimide. Polyurethane/ multi-walled carbon nanotube elastomer composite films are synthesized on polyimide and glass substrates using spin coating methods. The effect of Ultraviolet-Ozone Plasma treatment (UVO) on the wettability of the substrate was studied after different exposure times, by making contact angle measurements on the chosen substrates. These measurements showed that the contact angle decreases with increasing exposure times, which indicated enhanced wettability after longer exposure to UVO plasma. The microstructure of these films are examined using optical and scanning electron microscopes. The conductivities of the films are examined using Van der Pauw method. The AC conductivity of 1wt%, 5wt% and 8wt% CNT loaded PU nanocomposite films were found to be 3.86, 5.90 and 5.38 S/m respectively which are few orders higher than the values reported in the literature. These values were confirmed with the Nyquist plot and equivalent circuit modelling. This shows the frequency independent conductive nature of the composite films. The quality of these films is analyzed using Laser Raman spectroscopy. The effect of substrate (Polyimide or Glass), UVO exposure (Ultraviolet-Ozone plasma treatment, carbon nanotube loading (1-8%) on the quality of the films are presented in detail in this paper.
Living with Ghosts, Living Otherwise

From 1975 to 1979, Cambodia, under the leadership of Pol Pot and other leaders of the Democratic Kampuchea,1 was forcibly returned to an agrarian, Marxist-Leninist state in which education, money, religion, and class divisions were violently dismantled. During this period—which was preceded by civil war and tense, violent conflict with Vietnam and the United States—an estimated 2 million members of the Cambodian population perished.
When Is Neglect, Neglect?: It Depends on Who You Ask

In order to identify victims of child neglect, social service workers rely heavily on referrals from concerned friends, neighbors, and others in the community. Little is known, however, about how lay individuals perceive child neglect and what factors influence their decision to make a referral. This study explored the effects of child, parent, and participant gender on laypersons' evaluations of child neglect. Participants read a case of neglect of a child by a custodial and absent parent and then rated the parents' culpability and intentionality and decided whether the parents' behavior met the legal definition of neglect. When evaluating the custodial parent, men but not women viewed fathers as more culpable than mothers for the neglect of their son and viewed mothers as somewhat more culpable for the neglect of their daughter. Men also perceived absent mothers as more intentionally harmful than absent fathers. Finally, both men and women were more likely to qualify parental behavior as legally neglectful when the genders of the custodial parent and child matched. Results, which suggest that gender bias may exist in laypersons' perceptions of child neglect and may influence their decisions to report, have implications for identification of and intervention for vulnerable children and families.
Liver transplantation in New Orleans: parity in a world of disparity?

Abstract Background Racial disparity in access to liver transplantation among African Americans (AA) compared to Caucasians (CA) has been well described. The aim of this investigation was to examine the presentation of AA liver transplant recipients in a socioeconomically challenged region. Methods 680 adult liver transplant candidates and 233 resultant recipients between 2007 and 2015 were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate factors significant for transplantation. Results Percentages of wait list patients transplanted were similar between CA and AA (34.9% vs. 32.2%, p = 0.5205). AA were younger (50.4 ± 1.8 vs. 56.3 ± 0.7 yrs, p = 0.0003) with higher average MELD scores (22.9 ± 1.6 vs. 19.4 ± 0.7, p = 0.0230). Overall patient mortality was similar (AA 22.7% vs. CA 26.3%, p = 0.5931). A multiple linear regression showed that male gender was strongly associated with transplantation. Conclusions Equal access to liver transplantation remains challenging for racial minorities. At our institution, AA were accepted and transplanted at an equivalent rate as CA despite a higher AA population, HCV rate and diagnosed HCC. AA were younger and sicker at the time of transplant, but overall had similar outcomes compared to CA. Our study highlights the need for studies to delineate the underpinnings of disparity in transplantation access.
A Comparison of Three Paired Modified Fyke Nets for Characterizing Fish Assemblages in the Nearshore Zone of Lake Michigan

AbstractWe performed a gear comparison between three types of paired fyke nets used to monitor fish communities in the nearshore zone of Lake Michigan. Our objective was to identify a single net design that would maximize species diversity and catch. The three types of paired fyke nets included a small frame model with 3-mm bar mesh (Mini-fyke), a larger-framed model with 13-mm mesh (Fyke), and a large frame model with 13-mm mesh recommended by the American Fisheries Society (AFS-fyke). We set all three gear types in triplicate on similar nearshore littoral habitat at 16 sites in Green Bay, an embayment of Lake Michigan. Total catch was dominated by Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus, Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius, Trout-perch Percopsis omiscomaycus, and Yellow Perch Perca flavescens, which represented 99.3% of all individuals captured. We found that Mini-fyke nets selected for smaller individuals, caught relatively few species, and had the highest catch per unit effo...
Thermal dark matter through the Dirac neutrino portal

We study a simple model of thermal dark matter annihilating to standard model neutrinos via the neutrino portal. A (pseudo-)Dirac sterile neutrino serves as a mediator between the visible and the dark sectors, while an approximate lepton number symmetry allows for a large neutrino Yukawa coupling and, in turn, efficient dark matter annihilation. The dark sector consists of two particles, a Dirac fermion and complex scalar, charged under a symmetry that ensures the stability of the dark matter. A generic prediction of the model is a sterile neutrino with a large active-sterile mixing angle that decays primarily invisibly. We derive existing constraints and future projections from direct detection experiments, colliders, rare meson and tau decays, electroweak precision tests, and small scale structure observations. Along with these phenomenological tests, we investigate the consequences of perturbativity and scalar mass fine tuning on the model parameter space. A simple, conservative scheme to confront the various tests with the thermal relic target is outlined, and we demonstrate that much of the cosmologically-motivated parameter space is already constrained. We also identify new probes of this scenario such as multibody kaon decays and Drell-Yan production of $W$ bosons at the LHC.
Virtual Apartment-Based Stroop for assessing distractor inhibition in healthy aging

Executive functioning declines found in healthy aging may impact negatively on everyday activities. Inhibitory control is an executive function that involves the preclusion of irrelevant information and prohibition of prepotent responses. Decreased inhibitory control has been suggested as a feature of age-related cognitive decline. In this study, we compared a Virtual Apartment Stroop Task with paper-and-pencil and computerized Stroop modalities in older adults and young adults. The primary results were (a) within groups the classic "Stroop pattern" found in traditional modalities (e.g., paper-and-pencil; computer automated) was observed in the Virtual Apartment Stroop Task; (b) the Virtual Apartment "Stroop scores" between groups were consistent with significant differences found between older adults and young adults on the paper-and-pencil and computerized Stroop tasks; and (c) individuals in the older adult cohort performed significantly more poorly on the Virtual Apartment Stroop Task than did participants in the young adult cohort. These results suggest the potential of the Virtual Apartment Stroop Task to distinguish between prepotent response inhibition and resistance to distractor inhibition in aging adults.
‘Pain is the only school-teacher’: the Jack London Club and the politics of American animal performance, 1880–1945

AbstractThis essay explores the historical significance of the Jack London Club, founded by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and dedicated to staging walkouts during amusements containing animal performers. I pay special attention to the circus, the nation’s most popular form of entertainment in 1918, the year the Club was founded. Earlier generations of circuses had experienced little conflict with SPCAs because most animal advocates were philosophically comfortable with captivity, training, and performance in a muscle powered world. In the 1910s, however, several historical forces converged to trigger an ethical reassessment of the circus: the nation’s move from animal power to motorization; the destruction of wilderness and concurrent rise of conservationism; the growing visibility of evolutionary theory; and the volatile climate of xenophobia, nativism, and racism during World War I, which represented animal trainers as ‘cruel’ Germans. Further, the increasingly elab...
The challenges of diagnosing osteoporosis and the limitations of currently available tools.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was the first imaging tool widely utilized by clinicians to assess fracture risk, especially in postmenopausal women. The development of DXA nearly coincided with the availability of effective osteoporosis medications. Although osteoporosis in adults is diagnosed based on a T-score equal to or below − 2.5 SD, most individuals who sustain fragility fractures are above this arbitrary cutoff. This incongruity poses a challenge to clinicians to identify patients who may benefit from osteoporosis treatments. DXA scanners generate 2 dimensional images of complex 3 dimensional structures, and report bone density as the quotient of the bone mineral content divided by the bone area. An obvious pitfall of this method is that a larger bone will convey superior strength, but may in fact have the same bone density as a smaller bone. Other imaging modalities are available such as peripheral quantitative CT, but are largely research tools. Current osteoporosis medications increase bone density and reduce fracture risk but the mechanisms of these actions vary. Anti-resorptive medications (bisphosphonates and denosumab) primarily increase endocortical bone by bolstering mineralization of endosteal resorption pits and thereby increase cortical thickness and reduce cortical porosity. Anabolic medications (teriparatide and abaloparatide) increase the periosteal and endosteal perimeters without large changes in cortical thickness resulting in a larger more structurally sound bone. Because of the differences in the mechanisms of the various drugs, there are likely benefits of selecting a treatment based on a patient’s unique bone structure and pattern of bone loss. This review retreats to basic principles in order to advance clinical management of fragility fractures by examining how skeletal biomechanics, size, shape, and ultra-structural properties are the ultimate predictors of bone strength. Accurate measurement of these skeletal parameters through the development of better imaging scanners is critical to advancing fracture risk assessment and informing clinicians on the best treatment strategy. With this information, a “treat to target” approach could be employed to tailor current and future therapies to each patient’s unique skeletal characteristics.
Glutamate and GABA concentrations following mild traumatic brain injury: a pilot study

To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine neurotransmitter concentrations in vivo at multiple time points throughout recovery from mild traumatic brain injury in humans.
Stackable Wafer-Level Analog Chip-Scale Package

Stacking is a trend that has brought and still brings excitements to the semiconductor packaging societies. While the main driving force for the stacked package has been high level of integration and smaller package footprint, improvement of electrical performance due to the shortened path of signal transmission and power distribution is also frequently referred. Though it is relatively rare, improvement of overall thermal performance is occasionally mentioned as well. More frequently, heat dissipation is one of the mostly concerned areas for the stacked package. Cost of manufacturing the 3D structure seems to be the main hurdle for wider adoptions of the more aggressive 3D package concepts.
Clinical approach to diagnosis of syncope. An Overview.

Effective management of the syncope patient is critically dependent on excluding conditions in which altered consciousness is not due to syncope (e.g., seizure and sleep disorders) then establishing the basis for syncopal symptoms. The initial diagnostic step in syncope patients is differentiation of those individuals with normal cardiovascular status from those with structural heart disease. In the former, tilt-table testing and related studies of autonomic nervous system function are usually the most productive direction in which to proceed. In patients with structural heart disease, a functional assessment of the suspected structural disturbance (i.e., hemodynamic, angiographic, imaging as appropriate) and evaluation for susceptibility to symptomatic arrhythmias by monitoring or conventional electrophysiologic testing is appropriate. Autonomic function testing should follow if the diagnosis remains unclear. In only a few instances should specialized neurologic studies be undertaken as an initial step. The ultimate objective is always to obtain a sufficiently strong correlation between syncopal symptoms and detected abnormalities to feel confident in the diagnosis, permit an accurate assessment of prognosis, and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Why Women Win: Gender and Success in State Supreme Court Elections:

Although women remain underrepresented in U.S. elective office, female candidates have experienced similar or greater electoral success compared to their male counterparts. Research suggests both s...
Modeling of Thermal Coupling and Temperature Sensor Circuit Design Considerations for Hardware Trojan Detection

This paper describes the development of a model for the simulation of electrothermal coupling to detect malicious circuits with on-chip temperature sensors. The strategy is presented using the layout of a digital control logic block from an 8-bit conventional successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). A differential temperature sensor with a high sensitivity of 2.1 $V^{\circ}$C was designed with 130 nm CMOS technology. Joint simulation results of the circuit under test and temperature sensor indicate the potential for temperature-based hardware Trojan (HT) detection with on-chip resources.
Essentials of neural development

A short book giving an account of the development of the nervous systems in both invertebrates and vertebrates. It describes the nervous system at all stages of development from the early embryo, when nerve cells first appear, through to the adult.
Experimental Study on Tire Vibrations and Induced Noise

Tire-pavement induced vibrations are among the main sources of vehicle exterior noise. Its dominant spectral content is approximately within 500–1500 Hz. For these frequencies, previous studies have proposed the existence of travelling waves along the tire’s circumferential direction, as opposed to a modal behavior. This distinctive structural response generates acoustic waves that propagate into the environment. Unfortunately, no noise measurements above 500 Hz that can be used to validate this assumption have been conducted. In this work, a methodic measurement approach for tire vibrations and noise within the frequency range of interest is presented. Two tires of different size and construction were horizontally suspended over a test rig inside an anechoic room. In order to avoid the interference with the rig’s rigid body modes, they were hanged with low stiffness cords. The tires were then excited with an impulse input by using an impact hammer. Noise was measured using a 19 microphone arc array. The array formed a semi-circle around the tire’s cross section, thus providing noise levels induced by both sidewall and tread band vibrations. The arc was then rotated around the tire in order to capture tire noise directivity patterns. On the other hand, vibrations measurements were performed by using accelerometers on a set of 35 equally spaced points along the mid-tread line of the tires. A chirp signal was implemented as an input in order to fully characterize the tire response within the frequency range of interest. Noise measurements show the expected levels decay along the circumferential direction, whereas structural tire responses suggest the existence of waves that propagate along this direction.
Randomized controlled trial of a positive affect intervention to reduce HIV viral load among sexual minority men who use methamphetamine

IntroductionIn the era of HIV treatment as prevention (TasP), evidence‐based interventions that optimize viral suppression among people who use stimulants such as methamphetamine are needed to improve health outcomes and reduce onward transmission risk. We tested the efficacy of positive affect intervention delivered during community‐based contingency management (CM) for reducing viral load in sexual minority men living with HIV who use methamphetamine.MethodsConducted in San Francisco, this Phase II randomized controlled trial tested the efficacy of a positive affect intervention for boosting and extending the effectiveness of community‐based CM for stimulant abstinence to achieve more durable reductions in HIV viral load. From 2013 to 2017, 110 sexual minority men living with HIV who had biologically confirmed, recent methamphetamine use were randomized to receive a positive affect intervention (n = 55) or attention‐control condition (n = 55). All individual positive affect intervention and attention‐control sessions were delivered during three months of community‐based CM where participants received financial incentives for stimulant abstinence. The 5‐session positive affect intervention was designed to provide skills for managing stimulant withdrawal symptoms as well as sensitize individuals to natural sources of reward. The attention‐control condition consisted of neutral writing exercises and self‐report measures.ResultsMen randomized to the positive affect intervention displayed significantly lower log10 HIV viral load at six, twelve and fifteen months compared to those in the attention‐control condition. Men in the positive affect intervention also had significantly lower risk of at least one unsuppressed HIV RNA (≥200 copies/mL) over the 15‐month follow‐up. There were concurrent, statistically significant intervention‐related increases in positive affect as well as decreases in the self‐reported frequency of stimulant use at six and twelve months.ConclusionsDelivering a positive affect intervention during community‐based CM with sexual minority men who use methamphetamine achieved durable and clinically meaningful reductions in HIV viral load that were paralleled by increases in positive affect and decreases in stimulant use. Further clinical research is needed to determine the effectiveness of integrative, behavioural interventions for optimizing the clinical and public health benefits of TasP in sexual minority men who use stimulants such as methamphetamine.
Efficient affinity-tagging of M13 phage capsid protein IX for immobilization of protein III-displayed oligopeptide probes on abiotic platforms

We developed a genetic approach to efficiently add an affinity tag to every copy of protein IX (pIX) of M13 filamentous bacteriophage in a population. Affinity-tagged phages can be immobilized on a surface in a uniform monolayer in order to position the pIII–displayed peptides or proteins for optimal interaction with ligands. The tagging consists of two major steps. First, gene IX (gIX) of M13 phage is mutated in Escherichia coli via genetic recombineering with the gIX::aacCI insertion allele. Second, a plasmid that co-produces the affinity-tagged pIX and native pVIII is transformed into the strain carrying the defective M13 gIX. This genetic complementation allows the formation of infective phage particles that carry a full complement (five copies per virion) of the affinity-tagged pIX. To demonstrate the efficacy of our method, we tagged a M13 derivative phage, M13KE, with Strep-tag II. In order to tag pIX with Strep-tag II, the phage genes for pIX and pVIII were cloned and expressed from pASG-IBA4 which contains the E. coli OmpA signal sequence and Strep-Tag II under control of the tetracycline promoter/operator system. We achieved the maximum phage production of 3 × 1011 pfu/ml when Strep-Tag II-pIX-pVIII fusion was induced with 10 ng/ml of anhydrotetracycline. The complete process of affinity tagging a phage probe takes less than 5 days and can be utilized to tag any M13 or fd pIII-displayed oligopeptide probes to improve their performance.
The Safety Planning Assistant: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Web-Based Suicide Safety Planning Tool for At-Risk Adolescents and Their Parents

Suicide safety planning is an intervention to assist individuals with suicide ideation in maintaining safety during a suicidal crisis. However, safety planning with adolescents is complicated by ad...
Blood component separation of pathogen-reduced whole blood by the PRP method produces acceptable red cells but platelet yields and function are diminished.

Background This study evaluated blood components processed by the platelet rich plasma (PRP) method from fresh whole blood (FWB) treated with a pathogen reduction technology (PRT). The effects of storage temperature on PRT treated platelet concentrates (PCs) were also examined. Study design and methods PRT was performed using riboflavin and ultraviolet light on FWB in citrate phosphate dextrose anticoagulant. Following PRT, red blood cells (RBCs), PCs, and plasma for fresh frozen plasma (FFP), were isolated by sequential centrifugation. RBCs were stored at 4°C, FFP at -80°C, and PC at 22°C or at 4°C. Components were assayed throughout their storage times for blood gases, chemistry and CBC, hemostatic function as well as platelet (PLT) and RBC integrity. Results Component processing following PRT resulted in a significant drop in platelet recovery. Most PRT-PC bags fell below AABB guidelines for platelet count. PRT-PC also showed a decrease in clot strength and decreased aggregometry response. Platelet caspases were activated by PRT. Storage at 4°C improved platelet function. In PRT-FFP, prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time (PT and aPTT) were prolonged; factors V, VII, VIII, and XI, protein C, and fibrinogen were significantly decreased. Free hemoglobin was elevated two-fold in PRT-RBC. Conclusion Blood components isolated by the PRP method from PRT-treated WB result in a high percentage of PC that fail to meet AABB guidelines. FFP also shows diminished coagulation capacity. However, PRT-RBC are comparable to control-RBC. PRT-WB retains acceptable hemostatic function but alternatives to the PRP method of component separation may be more suitable.
A 21st Century Low‐Carbon Transition in U.S. Electric Power: Extent, Contributing Factors, and Implications

The U.S. electric power sector has experienced a substantial shift of the generation mix since the turn of the century, moving from heavy reliance on coal‐powered generation to one drawing more from natural gas and, more recently, renewables. This transition has been forged by a mix of macroeconomic factors (recession and recovery); technological breakthroughs (horizontal drilling coupled with hydraulic fracturing; improvements in natural gas plant efficiency); clean energy policies at federal, state, and local levels of government; and private sector demands for carbon‐free energy sources. These factors have combined to reduce carbon emissions from electric power generation substantially this century. In this article we examine the extent of this transition, its causes, as well as the distinct American institutional factors steering it, including energy and environmental federalism, electoral politics, and the political economy of clean energy policy enactment and resistance. 美国电力部门自本世纪开始便经历了电力生产组合的实质性转变，从严重依赖燃煤发电转变到更多地使用天然气，以及近几年开始的可再生能源发电。宏观经济因素（经济衰退与恢复）、技术突破（水平钻井加上水力压裂、天然气厂效率提升）、联邦、州级和地方政府的清洁能源政策、以及私人部门对零碳能源的需求，这一切的组合共同形成了该能源转型。这些因素大幅减少了本世纪电力生产的碳排放。本文中我们检验了能源转型的程度、起因、以及引导该转型的独特美国制度因素，包括能源与环境联邦主义、选举政治、以及与清洁能源政策采纳与抵制相关的政治经济 El sector de la energia electrica de EE. UU. Ha experimentado un cambio sustancial en la mezcla de generacion desde el cambio de siglo, pasando de una gran dependencia de la generacion a carbon a una que utiliza mas gas natural y, mas recientemente, energias renovables. Esta transicion ha sido forjada por una combinacion de factores macroeconomicos (recesion y recuperacion), avances tecnologicos (perforacion horizontal junto con fracturacion hidraulica, mejoras en la eficiencia de la planta de gas natural), politicas de energia limpia a nivel de gobierno federal, estatal y local, y privado. demandas del sector de fuentes de energia libres de carbono. Estos factores se han combinado para reducir las emisiones de carbono de la generacion de energia electrica sustancialmente este siglo. En este articulo examinamos el alcance de esta transicion, sus causas, asi como los distintos factores institucionales estadounidenses que la dirigen, incluido el federalismo energetico y ambiental, la politica electoral y la economia politica de la promulgacion y resistencia de politicas de energia limpia.
Physical properties of the trigonal binary compound Nd 2 O 3

Exotic magnetic phases often have frustration as a key ingredient. Chemically and structurally simple materials are particularly prized as testbeds for concepts found in more complex ones. Using a combination of neutron diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering, and laboratory-based characterization methods, the authors find long-range antiferromagnetic order in Nd${}_{2}$O${}_{3}$ only below 0.55 K, despite indications that the magnetic energy scales are significantly higher. The ground state possesses alternating stripes of local moments in the plane of the triangular lattice and is characterized by strong XY anisotropy that originates from the local crystal field. These results suggest that Nd${}_{2}$O${}_{3}$ may be a model system for studying frustration originating from competing interactions between magnetic moments subject to strong spin-orbit coupling on a centrosymmetric lattice.
Myeloid cell dynamics in bleomycin-induced pulmonary injury in mice; effects of anti-TNFα antibody

Abstract Bleomycin is a cancer therapeutic known to cause lung injury which progresses to fibrosis. Evidence suggests that macrophages contribute to this pathological response. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α is a macrophage-derived pro-inflammatory cytokine implicated in lung injury. Herein, we investigated the role of TNFα in macrophage responses to bleomycin. Treatment of mice with bleomycin (3 U/kg, i.t.) caused histopathological changes in the lung within 3 d which culminated in fibrosis at 21 d. This was accompanied by an early (3–7 d) influx of CD11b+ and iNOS+ macrophages into the lung, and Arg-1+ macrophages at 21 d. At this time, epithelial cell dysfunction, defined by increases in total phospholipids and SP-B was evident. Treatment of mice with anti-TNFα antibody (7.5 mg/kg, i.v.) beginning 15–30 min after bleomycin, and every 5 d thereafter reduced the number and size of fibrotic foci and restored epithelial cell function. Flow cytometric analysis of F4/80+ alveolar macrophages (AM) isolated by bronchoalveolar lavage and interstitial macrophages (IM) by tissue digestion identified resident (CD11b−CD11c+) and immature infiltrating (CD11b+CD11c−) AM, and mature (CD11b+CD11c+) and immature (CD11b+CD11c−) IM subsets in bleomycin treated mice. Greater numbers of mature (CD11c+) infiltrating (CD11b+) AM expressing the anti-inflammatory marker, mannose receptor (CD206) were observed at 21 d when compared to 7 d post bleomycin. Mature proinflammatory (Ly6C+) IM were greater at 7 d relative to 21 d. These cells transitioned into mature anti-inflammatory/pro-fibrotic (CD206+) IM between 7 and 21 d. Anti-TNFα antibody heightened the number of CD11b+ AM in the lung without altering their activation state. Conversely, it reduced the abundance of mature proinflammatory (Ly6C+) IM in the tissue at 7 d and immature pro-fibrotic IM at 21 d. Taken together, these data suggest that TNFα inhibition has beneficial effects in bleomycin induced injury, restoring epithelial function and reducing numbers of profibrotic IM and the extent of pulmonary fibrosis.
ARS2-directed alternative splicing mediates CD28 driven T cell glycolysis and effector function

Abstract CD8 T cell activation prompts extensive transcriptome remodeling underlying effector differentiation and function. Regulation of transcriptome composition by the mitogen-inducible nuclear cap-binding complex (CBC) adaptor protein ARS2 has critical cell type-specific consequences, including thymic T cell survival. Here we show that ARS2 was upregulated by CD28 during activation of peripheral T cells, was essential for anti-tumor immunity, and facilitated T cell activation-induced alternative splicing. The novel splicing function of ARS2 was mediated at least in part by recruitment of splicing factors to nascent transcripts including the M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (Pkm2), a key determinant of CD8 T cell effector properties. Notably, ARS2-directed Pkm2 splicing occurred days after stimulation of PI3K-indepdendent CD28 signaling and increased glycolysis beyond levels determined by PI3K signaling during T cell priming. Thus, ARS2-directed Pkm2 splicing represents a mechanism by which CD28 drives glycolytic metabolism, allowing for optimal effector cytokine production and T cell anti-tumor immunity.
Unexpected Bond Ratings and the Cost of Municipal Debt

We investigate whether credit rating agencies (CRAs) and investors price the extent to which municipal bond ratings are explainable using public information. We use an ordinal logistic regression to estimate the expected and unexpected portions of bond ratings, and find that both CRA fees and yield premiums are higher for negative unexplained (i.e., pessimistic) ratings. CRA fees are not generally associated with positive unexplained (i.e., optimistic) ratings, although we document a positive association when financial reporting quality or investor sophistication is low. While creditors price both pessimistic and optimistic unexplained ratings, yield premiums for pessimistic ratings are significantly greater than yield discounts for optimistic ratings. These findings manifest after the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act, among sophisticated investors, and among municipalities with high financial reporting quality. We contribute to research that examines the determinants of municipal debt costs, CRA fees, and the information content of bond ratings.
Partial Interpretations: Reflexive Revisiting as a Cultural Studies Methodology

In this article, I argue for a renewed engagement with the practice of revisiting in cultural studies, as a way of staying with the particularities, indeterminacies and troubles that fieldwork encounters propose. Reflecting on my research alongside internally displaced women in Colombia, the article shows how returning to one’s previous engagements can put into question former interpretations while serving as an analytical strategy to fully grasp the multiplicity of determinations that concretize fieldwork encounters. Moreover, the article offers an approach to what I call the 'reflexive revisit,' as a mode of critically engaging with our former work and writing, which slows down analysis and conceptualization in a reflexive manner. By suggesting a return to one's work and writing as a way to disentangle information from preceding perspectives and find new resonances, this paper offers a novel way of engaging with the textures proper to fieldwork, "without guarantees".
GLIDE: a grid-based light-weight infrastructure for data-intensive environments

The promise of the grid is that it will enable public access and sharing of immense amounts of computational and data resources among dynamic coalitions of individuals and institutions. However, the current grid solutions make several limiting assumptions that curtail their widespread adoption in the emerging decentralized, resource constrained, embedded, autonomic, and mobile (DREAM) environments: they are designed primarily for highly com plex scientific problems, and therefore require powerful hardware and reliable network connectivity; additionally, they provide no application design sup port to grid users (e.g., scientists). To address these limitations, we present GLIDE, a prototype light-weight, data-intensive middleware infrastructure that enables access to the robust data and computational power of the grid on DREAM platforms. We illustrate GLIDE on an example file sharing application. We discuss our early experience with GLIDE and present a set of open research questions.
Influence of deposition temperature of ZnO thin films for self powered wearable fabrics using ALD

Zinc oxide thin films are becoming increasingly popular for their wide range of properties and the ability to deposit these films on organic substrates for applications such as biotemplating, OLEDs, or deposition on fabrics for functionalization purposes including power generation from the flexing and deformation of wearable textiles. However, since many fabrics and other organic substrates can not survive the typically high temperatures of thin film growth, it is important to characterize and understand the dependence of the properties of these films as a function of temperature deposition and subsequent thermal treatments. We report on the properties of zinc oxide thin films grown by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and the dependence of, surface roughness, film stress, surface energy and crystalline structure on deposition temperature.
The “M,” a new intrauterine contraceptive device☆

An M-shaped IUD 27 mm long by 30 mm wide made of stainless steel ribbon is described and preliminary data from a trial in 281 women are presented. This device was designed to be nonexpellable and to conform to and seek the fundus because of its laterally compressible sides and infinite shape memory. The M is packaged in a sterile disposable plastic inserter which is operated by holding the plunger and retracting the sheath. In these trials (only observations after 3 months are included) there were primary insertions in 162 multiparas and 18 nulliparas 71 postpartum insertions and 30 in women who had expelled 2 or more other devices. After follow-up of 3 to 30 months (majority 12-18 months) 1 expulsion 1 pregnancy no perforation or infection and the usual amount of bleeding and pain were recorded. This IUD is available from the Pathfinder Fund Boston Massachusetts.
A time-multiplexed switched-capacitor circuit for neural network applications

A time-multiplexed switched-capacitor computational block with some neural network characteristics is under development. The goal of this work is not to model biological neuron qualities exactly but rather to emulate their primary characteristics to the extent necessary to solve some types of problems not suited to digital processing. The circuit operation and limitations on its performance are described. The circuit is intended to serve as a coprocessor to a digital microprocessor. Circuit functionality has been demonstrated with breadboarded circuit, and the circuit is currently being integrated. >
PEDOT:PSS as back contact for CdTe solar cells and the effect of PEDOT:PSS conductivity on device performance

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) was studied as the back contact of Cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells and was compared with conventional Cu-based back contact. A series of PEDOT:PSS aqueous solutions with different conductivities were spin coated onto the glass/SnO2:F/SnO2/CdS/CdTe structures as back contact, and the PEDOT:PSS conductivity dependence of device performance was studied. It was found that PEDOT:PSS back contact with higher conductivity produces devices with lower series resistance and higher shunt resistance, leading to higher fill factor and higher device efficiencies. As the conductivity of PEDOT:PSS increased from 0.03 to 0.24 S/cm, the efficiency of the solar cell increased from 2.7 to 5.1 %. Methanol cleaning also played an important role in increasing the device performance. The efficiency of our best device with PEDOT:PSS back contact has reached 9.1 %, approaching those with conventional Cu/Au back contact (12.5 %).
Reactions of diazo derivatives of 5-membered heterocycles with hydrazines

Interaction of hydrazine or dimethylhydrazine with 5-diazoimidazole-4-carboxamide produced, presumably via tetrazenes, high yields of 5-azidoimidazole-4-carboxamide. In contrast, when semicarbazide reacted with either the diazoimidazole or the analogous diazo-1,2,3-triazole, the yield of the azidoheterocycle was low, and the yield of biurea, and presumably the aminoheterocycle, was high. 3-Azidopyrazole-4-carboxamide was obtained from a reaction of hydrazine with the diazopyrazole. Both azido and amino derivatives were formed from reactions of diazo-imidazole esters with hydrazine or thiosemicarbazide.
Profiling the Sulfation Specificities of Glycosaminoglycan Interactions with Growth Factors and Chemotactic Proteins Using Microarrays

We report a carbohydrate microarray-based approach for the rapid, facile analysis of glycosaminoglycan-protein interactions. The key structural determinants responsible for protein binding, such as sulfate groups that participate in the interactions, were elucidated. Specificities were also readily compared across protein families or functional classes, and comparisons among glycosaminoglycan subclasses provided a more comprehensive understanding of protein specificity. To validate the approach, we showed that fibroblast growth factor family members have distinct sulfation preferences. We also demonstrated that heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate interact in a sulfation-dependent manner with various axon guidance proteins, including slit2, netrin1, ephrinA1, ephrinA5, and semaphorin5B. We anticipate that these microarrays will accelerate the discovery of glycosaminoglycan-binding proteins and provide a deeper understanding of their roles in regulating diverse biological processes.
Heptahelical Receptor Signaling: Beyond the G Protein Paradigm

Heptahelical receptors, so called because of their conserved structure featuring seven α-helical transmembrane spans, mediate physiological responses to a remarkably diverse array of stimuli. These include hormones, neurotransmitters, small peptides, proteins, lipids and ions, as well as sensory
Wetting Phenomenon in Nanoporous Gold Films

We have fabricated nanoporous gold (np-Au) films on silicon wafers by dealloying films formed by simultaneous sputter deposition of gold and silver. We report an interesting wetting phenomenon observed after placing a droplet of liquid on the np-Au film surface. As a droplet was dispensed onto the surface, wetting equilibrium was quickly reached and a wetting halo appeared with its perimeter equidistant from the perimeter of the droplet. Non-porous gold control samples did not display such behavior. This phenomenon was systematically studied by dispensing liquid droplets with different surface tensions and then measuring the width of the wetting halo. It was observed that halo width increased with surface tension. Experiments were extended to observe the effects of film thickness and porosity on the halo width. The width increased as film thickness increased. The relationship between the width and porosity was inconclusive due to large data scatter
Linear relaxation analysis of the mechanochemical transformation of collagen fibers.

The isometric tensile stress generation observed when collagen fibers are immersed in aqueous solutions of lithium bromide ranging in molar concentration up to 7 was studied at 23°C. The reverse process, namely, isometric stress relaxation of the fiber occurring by subsequent immersion in distilled water, was also studied. We find that the data in the region of LiBr concentration up to about 2.5 moles/liter are adequately represented by a superposition integral where σ(t) is the time-dependent stress generated by the collagen fiber held at fixed length, c(t) is the history of LiBr molar concentration, and K(t) is the isometric contractility function, expressed as stress per unit salt concentration. We conclude that, within a limited range of salt concentration, a collagen fiber in a LiBr bath behaves as if it were a linear, time-invariant system defined mechanochemically by a single function K(t) which depends on the structural characteristics of the fiber while being independent of salt concentration. An analysis is presented of isometric mechanochemical data obtained under conditions of equilibrium by other workers who studied the behavior of collagen fibers in aqueous solutions either of urea, LiBr, or KCNS. The analysis shows that these independent (equilibrium) data confirm the linarity of the relation between isometric contractile stress and salt concentration on which our superposition integral representation is based. We also find that the asymptotic (infinite-time) value of the isometric stress is linearly related to the chemical potential of the salt as well, in agreement with the equilibrium thermodynamic treatment of mechanochemical processes by Katchalsky and Oplatka.