cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computational Simulations of Ocular Blast Loading and Prediction of Eye Injury Risk

Ocular injury from blast loading is associated with severe ocular morbidity and visual impairment [1]. Improvised explosive devices are a common cause of ocular injury and were responsible for 51% of ocular war injuries in a study by Mader et al [2].© 2012 ASME
A path to eradication of hepatitis C in low- and middle-income countries.

Abstract We are entering a new era in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and almost all patient groups in high-income countries have the potential to be cured with all-oral, highly potent combinations of direct-acting antiviral drugs. Soon the main barrier to curing hepatitis C, even in wealthy countries, will be the high price of these all-oral regimens. The gulf between the advances in HCV drug development and access to treatment for individual patients will be even greater in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where 80% of the global burden of HCV infection and mortality exists. Ensuring that people in LMIC have access to regimens against HCV will require a similar level of advocacy and public–private partnerships as has transformed the control of other global diseases such as HIV. Numerous challenges will need to be overcome. These include improving low-cost diagnostic tests, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where the false-positive rate is unacceptably high, reducing iatrogenic spread of HCV, addressing transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID), and ensuring affordable access to antiviral treatment for all people living with HCV infection in LMIC. This article forms part of a symposium in Antiviral Research on “Hepatitis C: next steps toward global eradication.”
Cerebral blood flow in the sea lion (Zalophus californianus) during voluntary dives

Abstract 1. 1. Cerebral blood flow increased linearly and heart rate decreased during non-stressed voluntary diving in Zalophus californianus. 2. 2. Breathing 9–12% CO2 or rebreathing expired air elicited comparable increases in CBF and confirmed CO2 sensitivity in pinniped cerebral vessels. 3. 3. Histochemical fluorescence studies indicate rich adrenergic and cholinergic innervation and suggest neurogenic mechanisms may also control cerebral blood flow in Zalophus.
Relative nutritional quality of C3 and C4 grasses for a graminivorous lepidopteran, Paratrytone melane (Hesperiidae).

We tested the hypothesis that C4 grasses are inferior to C3 grasses as host plants for herbivorous insects by measuring the relative performance of larvae of a graminivorous lepidopteran, Paratrytone melane (Hesperiidae), fed C3 and C4 grasses. Relative growth rates and final weights were higher in larvae fed a C3 grass in Experiment I. However, in two additional experiments, relative growth rates and final weights were not significantly different in larvae fed C3 and C4 grasses. We examined two factors which are believed to cause C4 grasses to be of lower nutritional value than C3 grasses: foliar nutrient levels and nutrient digestibility. In general, foliar nutrient levels were higher in C3 grasses. In Experiment I, protein and soluble carbohydrates were digested from a C3 and a C4 grass with equivalent efficiencies. Therefore, differences in larval performance are best explained by higher nutrient levels in the C3 grass in this experiment. In Experiment II, soluble carbohydrates were digested with similar efficiencies from C3 and C4 grasses but protein was digested with greater efficiency from the C3 grasses. We conclude (1) that the bundle sheath anatomy of C4 grasses is not a barrier to soluble carbohydrate digestion and does not have a nutritionally significant effect on protein digestion and (2) that P. melane may consume C4 grasses at compensatory rates.
Predicting E-Government Use and Public Support for Computer Access and Training: Employing Two Distinct Theoretical Approaches

This study tests two theories that may explain why individuals demand e-government services: self-interest and symbolic politics. Using a unique survey of local government e-service initiatives, we find that both explanations do well to predict e-government usage and demand for better access and training programs. We also uncover distinctive attitudes and behaviors among low-income and minority respondents, which suggests they are more likely to use these services and potentially benefit from expanded programs. These findings should help policy-makers understand and tailor e-government initiatives to needy populations.
Mechanism of oral absorbent AST-120 in lipid abnormalities in experimental uremic rats

Mechanism of oral absorbent AST-120 in lipid abnormalities in experimental uremic rats Background We have reported that oral sorbent AST-120 (AST) is effective in delaying the induction of dialysis in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) because of its effect on lipid metabolism. To clarify the precise mechanism of AST in lipid abnormalities in CRF, we examined the effect of AST on plasma lipid profile, total bile acids (TBA), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in experimental uremic rats. Methods Uremic rats were prepared using male Wistar rats by ligating 5/6 of the renal artery. Uremic rats were randomly divided into two groups as follows: a control group in which rats were maintained on the standard diet and an AST group in which rats were maintained on a diet containing 5 g of AST per 100 g of standard diet for 10 weeks. Plasma LPL activity was measured as free fatty acid (FFA) generation after intravenous administration of heparin. Results Plasma creatinine at 1.5 ± 0.1 mg/dl was lower in the AST group than the 1.9 ± 0.5 mg/ml level in the control group. AST significantly decreased plasma total cholesterol from 192 ± 29 to 142 ± 25 mg/dl, triglycerides from 198 ± 71 to 99 ± 38 mg/dl, and TBA from 19.6 ± 2.6 μmol/liter to 8.8 ± 3.5 μmol/ml. Plasma LPL activity at 0.22 ± 0.01 μmol FFA/min/hr was significantly higher in the AST group than 0.15 ± 0.03 μmol FFA/min/hr in the control group. Conclusions These results suggest that AST may improve plasma lipid abnormalities by binding to bile acids in the intestinal lumen and preventing their reabsorption and inhibiting the reduction of LPL activity in experimental uremic rats.
Determination of the Photon Lifetime for DFB Lasers

The photon lifetime of the distributed feedback (DFB) laser is obtained through the relations between cavity photon flux and power associated with the electric fields. The solution of the coupled wave equations provides the propagation parameters and the amplitude gain coefficients for which numerical and approximate solutions are obtained. Using the photon lifetime the threshold condition of the DFB laser within a fixed mirror cavity is determined. The evaluation of both Fabry-Peacuterot and DFB modes is shown by the calculation, using two different photon lifetimes, of all modal concentrations, with the Fermi energy as the independent variable. The current density is also evaluated using the Fermi energy and threshold current is identified as the value when the Fermi energy clamps
Event-related potentials reveal temporal staging of dynamic facial expression and gaze shift effects on attentional orienting

Multiple sources of information from the face guide attention during social interaction. The present study modified the Posner cueing paradigm to investigate how dynamic changes in emotional expression and eye gaze in faces affect the neural processing of subsequent target stimuli. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants viewed centrally presented face displays in which gaze direction (left, direct, right) and facial expression (fearful, neutral) covaried in a fully crossed design. Gaze direction was not predictive of peripheral target location. ERP analysis revealed several sequential effects, including: (1) an early enhancement of target processing following fearful faces (P1); (2) an interaction between expression and gaze (N1), with enhanced target processing following fearful faces with rightward gaze; and (3) an interaction between gaze and target location (P3), with enhanced processing for invalidly cued left visual field targets. Behaviorally, participants responded faster to targets following fearful faces and targets presented in the right visual field, in concordance with the P1 and N1 effects, respectively. The findings indicate that two nonverbal social cues-facial expression and gaze direction-modulate attentional orienting across different temporal stages of processing. Results have implications for understanding the mental chronometry of shared attention and social referencing.
Detection and contrast discrimination of moving signals in uncorrelated Gaussian noise

We investigate human visual detection and contrast discrimination of a moving Gabor signal in spatiotemporal white noise. We measure performance as a function of signal contrast for detection and contrast discrimination in a 4 alternative forced choice task. Observers were instructed and trained to maintain their gaze on a fixation point at all times during the experiment. The effect of signal contrast on human detection and contrast discrimination performance (d') for a moving signal in spatiotemporal noise is similar to that found for the case of a stationary signal in spatial noise. It can be described by a linear function with a positive x-intercept for detection and a 0 intercept for contrast discrimination. The difference in x-intercepts for the detection and contrast discrimination tasks are consistent with signal uncertainty. The improvement in performance with increasing number of frames is different for the detection and contrast discrimination tasks. Results show performance improvement with number of frames that saturates much later (750 - 800 msec) than would be expected from the early temporal filters (100 - 150 msec). Observers are more efficient detecting a stationary signal than a moving signal (when no eye tracking is allowed) in spatiotemporal noise. In an additional experiment where the signal interframe displacement was increased, observer performance (d') decreased with increasing interframe signal displacements dropping 50% for an interframe displacement of 70 min. of arc showing that human performance for detection of a moving signal is affected by the specific characteristics of the signal motion.
Robust Tolerant Control for a Class of Nonlinear Systems with Uncertainties and Input Time Delays Based on T-S Fuzzy Model

The problems of robust tolerant control for a class of nonlinear systems with uncertainties and input time delays are studied. The T-S fuzzy model with uncertainties and time delays is adopted. For the actuator fault of systems, the state feedback controller is designed. A sufficient condition is given based on Lyapunov stability theory and linear matrix inequality (LMI) method, which can guarantee robust stable for system with actuator faults. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The Association between Atrial Septal Defect and Prolapse of the Tricuspid Valve: An Echocardiographic Study

The echocardiograms of 52 patients with atrial septal defects were reviewed. Six patients were noted to have prolapse of the tricuspid valve. Three of these subjects had associated prolapse of the mitral valve. The diagnosis of tricuspid valvular prolapse was confirmed by angiograms in one patient. Four patients had midsystolic tricuspid valvular prolapse, and holosystolic prolapse of the tricuspid valve was observed in two. In one patient a striking increase in the degree of tricuspid valvular prolapse was noted after closure of the atrial septal defect A concomitant increase in the degree of tricuspid regurgitation was noted after surgery. Aggravation of tricuspid valvular prolapse should be considered as one of the causes of clinical and hemodynamic deterioration in the condition of a patient following repair of an atrial septal defect
Phosphorylation of Ser982 in the sodium bicarbonate cotransporter kNBC1 shifts the HCO3− : Na+ stoichiometry from 3 : 1 to 2 : 1 in murine proximal tubule cells

1. Adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) modulates proximal tubule sodium and bicarbonate absorption by decreasing the rate of apical Na(+)-H(+) exchange and basolateral sodium bicarbonate efflux, through activation of protein kinase A (PKA). The electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransporter kNBC1 mediates basolateral sodium and bicarbonate efflux in the proximal tubule by coupling the transport of 1 Na(+) cation to that of 3 HCO(3)(-) anions. In this work we studied the effects of cAMP on the function of kNBC1 expressed heterologously in a proximal tubule cell line. 2. A mouse renal proximal tubule cell line, deficient in electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransport function, was transfected with kNBC1. Cells were grown on a permeable support to confluence, mounted in an Ussing chamber and permeabilized apically with amphotericin B. Current through the cotransporter was isolated as the difference current due to the reversible inhibitor dinitrostilbene disulfonate. The HCO(3)(-) : Na(+) stoichiometry of kNBC1 was calculated from its reversal potential by measuring the current-voltage relationships of the cotransporter at different Na(+) concentration gradients. 3. Addition of the potent cAMP agonist 8-Br-cAMP caused the stoichiometry of kNBC1 to shift from 3 HCO(3)(-) : 1 Na(+) to 2 HCO(3)(-) : 1 Na(+). Pretreatment of the cells with the PKA inhibitor H-89 abolished the effect of the agonist on the stoichiometry change. Replacing Ser(982) at the C-terminus consensus PKA phosphorylation site with alanine resulted in a failure of PKA to phosphorylate the transporter and induce a stoichiometry shift. 4. Our data indicate that cAMP modulates the stoichiometry of kNBC1 through activation of PKA. The change in stoichiometry from 3 : 1 to 2 : 1 is predicted to cause a shift in the direction of basolateral membrane sodium bicarbonate transport from efflux to influx. Ser(982) in the C-terminus of kNBC1 is a target for PKA phosphorylation. This is the first example of modulation of the stoichiometry of a membrane transporter by phosphorylation.
Mitochondrial Enlargement and Crystalloid Matrix Arrays: Distinctive Finding in Childhood Portal Hypertension Due to Cavernous Transformation of the Portal Vein

Elongated, enlarged mitochondria with crystalloid matrix arrays were discovered in periportal hepatocytes in 11 of 12 children (age 6 to 15 years) with portal hypertension, minimal alterations on light microscopy, and cavernous transformation of the portal vein. Eleven of the children were clinically well before onset of symptoms, one was anemic with megaloblastic bone marrow, and a second had undergone renal transplantation. Minimal findings by light microscopy included slight portal fibrosis (six cases), pericentral venular fibrosis (one case), mild, patchy sinusoidal sclerosis (one case), central venular and sinusoidal dilatation (two cases), and mild hepatocellular lipid accumulation (one case). Four were judged normal by routine histologic examination. Subtle depletion of periportal hepatocellular glycogen was present in six. In 10, subtle striation or granularity of periportal hepatocyte cytoplasm was visible with high-magnification light microscopy. Although similar mitochondria are seen sporadically in hepatocytes in diverse settings, enlarged mitochondria with crystalloid matrix inclusions have not been previously reported as a uniform feature in children with portal hypertension due to cavernous transformation of the portal vein and minimal other hepatic alteration. It is postulated that the mitochondria are adapting in response to an abnormal metabolic milieu created by hemodynamic alterations.
Bayesian analysis for inversion of aerosol size distribution data

Abstract Obtaining the continuous aerosol size distribution from a set of discrete measurements is an ill-posed problem. We use a new methodology based on a synthesis of Bayesian probability analysis and Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the parameters of a bimodal lognormal size distribution, i.e. the mass median diameters and geometric standard deviations of the two modes, and the fraction of the total mass in the first mode. In the Bayesian view, a measurement process serves to refine previous knowledge of physical parameters by narrowing their probability distributions. The approach avoids the direct solution of the inverse problem; instead the “forward” problem is solved repeatedly for many sets of input size distribution parameters. From a statistical analysis of the model outputs, the input size distribution parameters are inferred. The method makes explicit use of information available prior to making any measurements and the nature of the measurement errors. Once the updated probability distributions of the size distribution parameters are determined, a number of possible solutions can be obtained. The choice could either be the maximum likelihood solution, or a minimum variance Bayes estimate that minimizes the difference between the actual measurements and those calculated using the solution. Good retrievals were obtained for numerically generated data as well as experimental data. Bayes-Monte Carlo gives reconstructions that are better than those obtained using a weighted least-squares method, even though they may sometimes come with higher computation costs. The method is not limited to determining the parameters of a certain functional form of the size distribution; it is flexible enough to allow estimation of size distributions without predetermined functional forms.
Social networks and mothers' interactions with their preschool children.

The relation of mothers' personal and maternal networks to the quality of their play interactions was examined. Personal networks consisted of all persons the mother deemed important in her life at the present time; her maternal network consisted of those who were important in her role as a mother. 44 mothers were $$ extensively about their social networks and kept a logdiary for 1 week of their contacts with networks members. They were also observed during a play session with their 4-year-old child. Intercorrelations among network variables supported the conceptualization of social networks as multifaceted with major distinctions between personal and maternal networks and between structure and satisfaction. Mothers who were more satisfied with their personal networks and mothers with larger maternal networks demonstrated more optimal maternal behavior: they praised their children more and they were less intrusively controlling. Mothers with less cohesive networks also demonstrated this pattern.
Calcium signaling in cancer and vitamin D

Calcium signals induced by the Ca(2+) regulatory hormone 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) may determine the fate of the cancer cell. We have shown that, in breast cancer cell lines, 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) induces a sustained increase in concentration of intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) by depleting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+) stores via inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor/Ca(2+) release channel and activating Ca(2+) entry from the extracellular space via voltage-insensitive Ca(2+) channels. In normal cells, 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) triggered a transient Ca(2+) response via activation of voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels, which were absent in breast cancer cells. The normal cells, but not breast cancer cells, expressed the Ca(2+) binding/buffering protein calbindin-D(28k) and were capable of buffering [Ca(2+)](i) increases induced by a mobilizer of the ER Ca(2+) stores, thapsigargin, or a Ca(2+) ionophore, ionomycin. The 1,25(OH)(2)D(3)-induced sustained increase in [Ca(2+)](i) in breast cancer cells was associated with induction of apoptotic cell death, whereas the transient [Ca(2+)](i) increase in normal cells was not. The forced expression of calbindin-D(28k) in cytosol or increase in the cytosolic Ca(2+) buffering capacity with the cell-permeant Ca(2+) buffer BAPTA prevented induction of apoptosis with 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) in cancer cells. The sustained increase in [Ca(2+)](i) in breast cancer cells was associated with activation of the Ca(2+)-dependent apoptotic proteases, mu-calpain and caspase-12, as evaluated with antibodies to active (cleaved) forms of the enzymes and the fluorogenic peptide substrates. Selective inhibition of the Ca(2+) binding sites of mu-calpain decreased apoptotic indices in the cancer cells treated with 1,25(OH)(2)D(3), thapsigargin, or ionomycin. The mu-calpain activation preceded expression/activation of caspase-12, and calpain was required for activation/cleavage of caspase-12. Certain non-calcemic vitamin D analogs (e.g., EB 1089) triggered a sustained [Ca(2+)](i) increase, activated Ca(2+)-dependent apoptotic proteases, and induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells in a fashion similar to that of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3). The 1,25(OH)(2)D(3)-induced transient Ca(2+) response in normal mammary epithelial cells was not accompanied by activation of mu-calpain and caspase-12. In conclusion, we have identified the novel apoptotic pathway in breast carcinoma cells treated with 1,25(OH)(2)D(3): increase in [Ca(2+)](i)-->mu-calpain activation-->caspase-12 activation-->apoptosis. Our results support the hypothesis that 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) directly activates this apoptotic pathway by inducing a sustained increase in [Ca(2+)](i). Differences of Ca(2+) regulatory mechanisms in cancer versus normal cells seem to allow 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and vitamin D analogs to induce Ca(2+)-mediated apoptosis selectively in breast cancer cells. Thus, deltanoids may prove to be useful in the treatment of tumors susceptible to induction of Ca(2+)-mediated apoptosis.
The Reaction of a High‐Valent Nonheme Oxoiron(IV) Intermediate with Hydrogen Peroxide

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are versatile small molecules that under normal homeostatic control are essential for physiological signaling, whereas an improper balance can lead to aging and age-related diseases. A main regulatory mechanism for the ROS hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is associated with heme enzymes called catalases. These metalloenzymes dismutate two molecules of H2O2 via the proposed reaction pathways shown in Equations (1) and (2). Initial oxidation of the Fe resting state with H2O2 generates a high-valent oxoiron(IV) porphyrin p-cation radical, also known as compound I, [(PC)Fe=O], where P= porphyrinate dianion [Eq. (1)]. The reaction of compound I with a second molecule of H2O2 results in the return to the resting state of the enzyme with the release of water and dioxygen [Eq. (2)]. Considering the reactivity of compound I toward H2O2 in heme enzymes, a similar interaction with H2O2 has not been reported for oxoiron(IV) intermediates involved in the catalytic cycles of mononuclear nonheme iron enzymes.
Bovine eye 1-Cys peroxiredoxin: expression in E. coli and antioxidant properties.

Peroxiredoxins constitute a molecular family of novel antioxidant proteins and are distributed broadly in non-mammalian and mammalian tissues, including the eye. In this study, a recombinant bovine...
Defense expenditures and national well-being.

The existence of a trade-off between military expenditures and social spending is widely hypothesized but often difficult to establish empirically. This article constructs a model to test the effects of changes in military spending on federal expenditures for health and education from 1941 through 1979. Important economic, demographic, and political changes are controlled. No systematic tradeoff between military spending and federal health and education expenditures is found, nor in this period was there any significant depressing effect on health and education expenditures by Republican presidential administrations. Thus, the current (Reagan) administration, under which there are major increases in military spending and major cuts in health and education spending, emerges as exceptional.
Sex differences in response to imagining a partner's heterosexual or homosexual affair

Abstract Based on sexual strategies theory, we predicted that men would be less likely to continue an imagined long-term relationship following a partner’s heterosexual affair compared to homosexual affair. For women, it was expected that both affair types would result in a low willingness to continue the relationship, but especially so for homosexual affairs. We further predicted that the interaction would remain independent of the following moderator variables: number of affair partners, number of instances of infidelity, and real infidelity experience. Participants ( N = 718) were randomly assigned to read one of eight infidelity scenarios and estimate the likelihood that they would continue the relationship. Results confirmed all three predictions. A separate analysis of relationship outcomes following real infidelity experiences provided additional corroboration. These results support the conclusion that threats to paternity and threats of abandonment differentially motivate men and women to terminate relationships in response to a partner’s infidelity.
The selection of delphi panels for strategic planning purposes

Despite the popularity of the Delphi technique little scientific literature exists to help guide the strategic planner in its proper application. In an effort to fill part of that void a comparative test was conducted using both intracompany and intercompany Delphi panels to forecast future events in the socio-political environment of business. The intent was to determine whether the two groups produced similar or different forecasts under virtually identical test conditions. Analysis of the data showed similarities in both the forecast estimates and the degree of consensus achieved across groups. Since strong similarities were demonstrated, the intracompany panel type is recommended to strategic planners based on its unique advantages.
The Reliability of an Objective Sentence Completion Scoring Technique

(1962). The Reliability of an Objective Sentence Completion Scoring Technique. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 58, No. 1, pp. 163-166.
The Kalman Filter Performance for Dynamic Change in System Parameters

This paper studies the performance of the simple kalman filter for dynamic changes of the system variables. The kalman filter was used to detect the fundamental component of power system signal contained harmonics. First the performance of the kalman filter was examined for a sudden change in the amplitude of the fundamental component, then for a frequency variation. The noise covariance matrices were assumed to be unknown, the values of these matrices were changed to study the. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v3i6.3857
Efficient data layout, scheduling and playout control in MARS

Large-scale on-demand multimedia servers thatcan provide independent and interactive access to a vastamount of multimedia information to a large number ofconcurrent clients will be required for a widespread deployment of exciting multimedia applications. Our project, calledMassively-parallel And Real-time Storage (MARS) is aimedat prototype development of such a large-scale server. Thispaper primarily focuses on the distributed data layout andscheduling techniques developed as a part of this project.These techniques support a high degree of parallelism andconcurrency, and efficiently implement various playout control operations, such as fast forward, rewind, pause, resume,frame advance and random access.
Blind source separation based on self-organizing neural network

This contribution describes a neural network that self-organizes to recover the underlying original sources from typical sensor signals. No particular information is required about the statistical properties of the sources and the coefficients of the linear transformation, except the fact that the source signals are statistically independent and nonstationary. This is often true for real life applications. We propose an online learning solution using a neural network and use the nonstationarity of the sources to achieve the separation. The learning rule for the network's parameters is derived from the steepest descent minimization of a time-dependent cost function that takes the minimum only when the network outputs are uncorrelated with each other. In this process divide the problem into two learning problems one of which is solved by an anti-Hebbian learning and the other by an Hebbian learning process. We also compare the performance of our algorithm with other solutions to this task.
A shock tube study of methane decomposition using laser absorption by CH3

The pyrolysis of methane was studied in the temperature range 1790 to 2325K, pressure range 0.56 to 3.76 atm, and CH 4 mol fraction range 200 ppm to 1.0% in reflected shock wave experiments. The rate coefficient, k 1 , for methane decomposition, CH 4 + Ar → CH 3 + H + Ar was determined by comparing measurements of CH 3 concentrations made using a narrowlinewidth CW laser absorption technique with CH 3 concentrations calculated using a reaction mechanism adapted from Miller and Bowman (1989) . Reactant mixture compositions and the experimental conditions were selected so that the early-time CH 3 concentration profiles were sensitive almost exclusively to the rate of reaction (1). The least-squares fit to 25 early-time CH 3 profiles yielded a bimolecular rate coefficient expression k 1 = 8.17 × 10 16 exp (−44030/T[K])[cm 3 /mol/s]. The measured bimolecular rate coefficients were found to be independent of pressure in the range studied. The present determination is similar to the previously-published values summarized by Cobos and Troe (1990) and differs from the recent determination of Klemm et al. (1991) .
Flexible chemiresistor sensors: thin film assemblies of nanoparticles on a polyethylene terephthalate substrate

The thin film assembly of metal nanoparticles on flexible chemiresistor (CR) arrays represents an intriguing way to address the versatility of chemical sensor design. In this work, thin film assemblies of gold nanoparticles in size range of 2–8 nm diameters with high monodispersity (unlinked or linked by molecular mediators) were assembled on a CR array with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate to demonstrate the flexible chemiresistor characteristics of the nanostructured materials. The correlation between the relative change in electrical conductivity and the change in dielectric medium constant in response to flexible wrapping of the device demonstrated the viability of manipulating the electrical responses in terms of wrapping direction. The responses of the devices in response to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed in terms of particle size, interparticle properties, and substrate–film interactions. For molecularly linked films with small particle size and large interparticle spacing, which is characterized by a high percentage of organics and linker molecules, the relatively low electrical conductivity renders the change in interparticle spacing able to play a dominant role in the sensor response to VOCs with small dielectric constants. The combination of a high percentage of linker molecules in the thin film assembly and a high dielectric constant for the VOCs was found to produce a negative response characteristic. In contrast, the response characteristic for the unlinked film via weak interparticle interactions was dominated by the change in interparticle spacing regardless of the percentage of organics in the nanostructure. The delineation between these factors and the sensing characteristics is useful in enabling a rationale design of the nanostructures on flexible chemiresistors.
The impact of gentrification on voter turnout

Objective. The goal of this article is to test between two competing theories (mobilization vs. destabilization) about the impact of gentrification on political participation. Methods. Using geographic information systems (GIS) software, Census data from 1990 and 2000, and a voter file for the City of Atlanta, we estimate a multilevel model of voter turnout. Results. Controlling for relevant individual and contextual factors, we find that gentrification decreases turnout among longstanding residents. Conclusions. Our findings provide support for the destabilization hypothesis and suggest that policymakers should develop strategies to soften the negative consequences of gentrification. From the pages of scholarly journals to the streets of inner cities, gentrification generates considerable debate. Researchers have questioned the extent of gentrification (Henig, 1980), characterizing revitalized neighborhoods as ‘‘islands of renewal in seas of decay’’ (Berry, 1985), and chronicled the ‘‘resurgence of gentrification’’ in contemporary urban America (Wyly and Hammel, 1999). Scholars have debated the causes of gentrification, focusing on the consumer demand for in-town living (Ley, 1981) and the supply of uneven development in cities (London, Lee, and Lipton, 1986). To some, gentrification epitomizes needed revitalization in the inner city, while to others gentrification represents destruction of longstanding communities. Critics of gentrification are particularly troubled by fears that existing residents on fixed incomes may be pushed out by higher housing costs, increased property taxes, and higher monthly rents. Gentrification can lead to racial tension if residents of one ethnic group displace longstanding residents of another group. Although scholars have debated the magnitude, causes, and consequences of gentrification, there has been surprisingly little research on its political effects. In this article, we explore the impact of gentrification on voter turnout. We begin by discussing the importance context can play in an
Optimal design considerations for interior permanent magnet motor for a range-extended electric vehicle

Interior permanent magnet motors (IPM) have been widely used in electric or hybrid electric vehicles due to their high efficiency and high power density. Frequent starts and stops, acceleration and deceleration of vehicles present heavy requirements for the drive motor. In this paper, a 4kW interior permanent magnet motor is designed for a small range-extended electric vehicle. A case study has been carried out for a range-extended solar-electric auto rickshaw, which is used extensively in Asian cities for point-to-point transportation with frequent starts and stops. Based on the specifications for the auto rickshaw, the optimal design processes of traction motor has been proposed, which includes specific considerations for determining dimensions of the stator and rotor, selection of slot-pole combination, skewing effect, the structure of rotor and permanent magnets, analysis of the pole-arc to pole-pitch ratio and reduction of active material in the motor. Analytical results obtained are verified by finite element analysis (FEA).
Citizen groups and scientific decisionmaking: Does public participation influence environmental outcomes?

This paper explores the influence of local community groups on agency decisionmaking at hazardous waste sites nationwide. The central purpose of this research is to examine the relative influence of two forms of public participation at Superfund sites: Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) and Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs). When citizens mobilize and become involved in the decisionmaking process via CAGs and TAGs, are outcomes systematically different when compared to hazardous waste sites where citizen groups are not active? I utilize a treatment effects regression analysis to isolate the impact of these groups on remedy selection at Superfund sites while adjusting for the non-random formation of local interest groups. The results suggest that even when controlling for other factors that may guide agency decisionmaking, such as site characteristics, the Environmental Protection Agency is more likely to choose health protective clean-up approaches when CAGs and TAGs have formed at Superfund sites. © 2007 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Maximum likelihood for matrices with rank constraints

Maximum likelihood estimation is a fundamental computational task in statistics. We address this problem for manifolds of low rank matrices. These represent mixtures of independent distributions of two discrete random variables. This non-convex optimization problems lead to some beautiful geometry, topology, and combinatorics. We discuss methods for finding the global maximum of the likelihood function, we present a duality theorem due to Draisma and Rodriguez, and we share recent work with Kubkas and Robeva concerning nonnegative rank and the EM algorithm.
Alveolar soft part sarcoma of the uterine cervix

Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a histologically distinctive neoplasm of uncertain histogenesis. Since its initial description in 1952, more than 200 cases have been reported. The extremities are most often the sites of involvement; the tongue, bones, and the orbit have been less commonly involved. The present paper describes a case of alveolar soft part sarcoma which was present only within the uterine cervix of a 37-year-old woman. Histologically, the tumor cells were arranged in the characteristic alveolar pattern; diagnostic PAS-positive diastase-resistant needle-shaped crystals were observed within the cytoplasm of the tumor cells. After the initial biopsy, the patient underwent a radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection. Although no residual tumor was found within the cervix, a microscopic focus of tumor was detected in an obturator lymph node. The patient is at present clinically free of disease.
Tribological characteristics of nanocrystalline diamond films grown on titanium

AbstractNanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films on titanium alloys are of importance for tribology and biomedical implants. However, due to the different thermal expansion coefficients of the two materials, the complex nature of the interlayer formed during diamond deposition, and the difficulty in achieving very high nucleation density, it is difficult to deposit adherent thin NCD films on titanium and its alloys. In the present study smooth NCD films were successfully deposited in microwave chemical vapour deposition plasma from CH4/H2 mixtures, for the purpose of improving the film’s adhesion and the wear resistance of the titanium. An exceptional adhesion of NCD film to the titanium substrate was observed by indentation testing up to 150 kg load. The friction coefficient against a cemented carbide ball of 10 mm in diameter with 20 N load was estimated to be ∼0·05 in dry air. Detailed experimental results of the preparation, characterisation and successful deposition of the NCD film on pure Ti are discussed.
Immunofluorescence detection and characterization of N2-fixing microorganisms from aquatic environments

The role of N,-fixing microheterotrophs in marine nitrogen budgets is poorly understood, primarily due to the absence of appropriate technology for assessing the in situ distribution and abundance of these microorganisms. We describe here the application of immunofluorescence microscopy for identifying and characterizing marine N,-fixing microorganisms. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the Fe-S protein of the nitrogenase enzyme complex from the bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum were demonstrated to recognize nitrogenase from both marine and freshwater N,-fixing bacteria and cyanobacteria. Initial tests of the antibodies were conducted with immunoblots of cell lysates and indicated monospccificity for nitrogenase. We also conducted immunofluoresccnce assays on paraformaldehyde-fixed whole bacterial cells made permeable with lysozyme, allowing microscopic examination and identification of cells containing the enzyme. Immunofluorescence microscopy also revealed the localization of nitrogenase within cyanobacterial heterocysts or filaments. The approach and techniques described here provide reliable means to determine the presence, relative abundance, and distribution of N,-fixing microorganisms in natural microbial assemblages.
A Brief History of Wine in Spain

This paper describes the evolution of wine in Spain from Phoenician times to the present, within a historical context. Each of the six main sections deserves more careful analysis, but the broad overview given here could be of interest to the curious (and thirsty) reader.
Bacteriophage Therapy: Exploiting Smaller Fleas

Although bacteriophages have been used for the treatment of patients with bacterial infections in some regions of the world for >9 decades, adequate clinical trials of the safety and efficacy of the treatment have not been reported. The increasing problem of antibiotic resistance has, however, rekindled interest in this approach to therapy. Although potentially significant obstacles to systemic administration of phages exist, topical and oral administration of phages and/or phage products, such as lysins, are feasible in the short term. In addition to exploitation of the effects of native phages and phage products, bioengineering of phages will allow directed specificity and their use as delivery systems for antimicrobial and antivirulence molecules. This brief overview of the history and status of phage therapy, along with speculation about its future, provides a background for understanding of this imminent therapeutic modality.
Is Revenge Sweet?: The Effect of Attitude Toward a Thief on Crime Reporting

A confederate interacted with shoppers in a supermarket in a friendly or rude manner. She then shoplifted an item in full view of each shopper. Subjects' reporting of the crime was not affected by the interaction, suggesting the act of reporting was not one of retribution for the subject. Other factors that may influence crime reporting are discussed, as well as possible reasons why results of this study conflict with previous role-playing findings. Language: en
Response: re: promotion of family-centered birth with gentle cesarean delivery.

To the Editor: We thank Dr. Pust for his comments and for reiterating the goal of promoting vaginal birth as the ideal mode of delivery whenever possible. The context of our gentle cesarean work is a small urban hospital caring for a largely underserved population, including many high-risk
Remote sensing of sagebrush canopy nitrogen

Abstract This paper presents a combination of techniques suitable for remotely sensing foliar Nitrogen (N) in semiarid shrublands – a capability that would significantly improve our limited understanding of vegetation functionality in dryland ecosystems. The ability to estimate foliar N distributions across arid and semi-arid environments could help answer process-driven questions related to topics such as controls on canopy photosynthesis, the influence of N on carbon cycling behavior, nutrient pulse dynamics, and post-fire recovery. Our study determined that further exploration into estimating sagebrush canopy N concentrations from an airborne platform is warranted, despite remote sensing challenges inherent to open canopy systems. Hyperspectral data transformed using standard derivative analysis were capable of quantifying sagebrush canopy N concentrations using partial least squares (PLS) regression with an R 2 value of 0.72 and an R 2 predicted value of 0.42 ( n = 35). Subsetting the dataset to minimize the influence of bare ground ( n = 19) increased R 2 to 0.95 ( R 2 predicted = 0.56). Ground-based estimates of canopy N using leaf mass per unit area measurements (LMA) yielded consistently better model fits than ground-based estimates of canopy N using cover and height measurements. The LMA approach is likely a method that could be extended to other semiarid shrublands. Overall, the results of this study are encouraging for future landscape scale N estimates and represent an important step in addressing the confounding influence of bare ground, which we found to be a major influence on predictions of sagebrush canopy N from an airborne platform.
Improving the cycle life of a high-rate, high-potential aqueous dual-ion battery using hyper-dendritic zinc and copper hexacyanoferrate

Abstract Prussian Blue Analogue (PBA)-Zn aqueous batteries are attractive because of the high potential of PBA against Zn (∼1.7 V), relative safety of the system, and high rate capability. But, despite the long cycle life of PBA half-cells, full PBA-Zn battery systems studied thus far have typically reported only up to 100 cycles and suffer significant capacity fade beyond that. In this work we demonstrate that the loss in capacity retention and cycle life is a combined effect of Zn2+ ion poisoning at the PBA cathode, as well as dendrite formation in the zinc anode. We address both these issues via the use of a dual ion (Na+ as the primary charge carrier) electrolyte and hyper-dendritic Zinc (HD Zn) as the anode. The copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHcf) vs. HD Zn system with Na+ ion electrolyte demonstrated herein exhibits 90% (83%) capacity retention after 300 (500) cycles at a 5C rate and a 3% reduction in usable capacity from 1C to 5C. Detailed characterization is done using in situ synchrotron energy-dispersive XRD (EDXRD), conventional XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, and electrochemical techniques.
Fatty acid composition of brain glycolipids in Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, and cerebrocortical atrophy.

Quantitative fatty acid compositions are reported for human cerebral gray matter glycolipids (gangliosides, cerebrosides, and cerebroside sulfates) in Alzheimer's disease (presenile dementia) and related disorders of the central nervous system. Although the fatty acid compositions were generally similar to those of the controls, some significant differences were noted in Alzheimer's disease which were not found in the single samples of senile dementia and of senile cerebrocortical atrophy. In the ganglioside fatty acids, the percentage of palmitic acid was higher in all three cases of Alzheimer's disease than in the controls. In cerebrosides, the proportion of 2-hydroxy to nonhydroxy acids was slightly lower in Alzheimer's disease than in controls and the relative proportions of 2-hydroxystearic acid and 2-hydroxytricosenoic acid were slightly higher. In cerebroside sulfates, monounsaturated 2-hydroxy acids were lower in two of the samples with Alzheimer's disease. The results indicate possible effects of the degenerative changes in this disease on glycolipid metabolism.
Journalists and researchers: equal responsibility in protecting the public.

![Figure][1] Over the past 10 months in these Editor’s Pages, I have often encouraged my cardiologist colleagues to observe our responsibilities as teachers, leaders, and caregivers. However, in this Editor’s Page, I turn my attention to different guardians of society: the media. As
Hidden hunger: gender and the politics of smarter foods, by Aya Hirata Kimura

This important study of food insecurity examines how the global articulates with the local, how expertise limits the possibilities of action and how the positivist nutritional sciences shape bodies...
Mechanical and Electrical properties of Hydrogen or Helium Diluted a-Si:H Prepared at Low Temperatures

Hydrogen or helium dilution of silane has been used to improve charge transport characteristics or deposition rate for thick amorphous silicon layers. In both cases, mechanical instability, such as peeling-off, due to high strain energy stored in the a-Si:H film is one of the major concerns. Growing the a-Si:H film at temperatures below 150°C brought the residual stress in the film to a level low enough to prevent delamination. The defect density increased at the same time, but it could be recovered by annealing at 160°C for 100 hours without affecting the stress state. In the hydrogen-diluted material, the deposition condition for optimum mobility and defect density values corresponded to the onset of the microcrystalline formation, and this relationship was confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Existence of a small amount of an ordered phase in the helium-diluted material, which was hardly observed by the TEM, was revealed by IR absorption spectra and supported by the change in ratio of photo-to-dark conductivity compared to that of undiluted material.
Experimental exploration of the Mulliken-Hush relationship for intramolecular electron transfer reactions.

The Mulliken−Hush (M-H) relationship provides the critical link between optical and thermal electron transfer processes, and yet very little direct experimental support for its applicability has be...