cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protandim, a Fundamentally New Antioxidant Approach in Chemoprevention Using Mouse Two-Stage Skin Carcinogenesis as a Model

Oxidative stress is an important contributor to cancer development. Consistent with that, antioxidant enzymes have been demonstrated to suppress tumorigenesis when being elevated both in vitro and in vivo, making induction of these enzymes a more potent approach for cancer prevention. Protandim, a well-defined combination of widely studied medicinal plants, has been shown to induce superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities and reduce superoxide generation and lipid peroxidation in healthy human subjects. To investigate whether Protandim can suppress tumor formation by a dietary approach, a two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis study was performed. At the end of the study, the mice on a Protandimcontaining basal diet had similar body weight compared with those on the basal diet, which indicated no overt toxicity by Protandim. After three weeks on the diets, there was a significant increase in the expression levels of SOD and catalase, in addition to the increases in SOD activities. Importantly, at the end of the carcinogenesis study, both skin tumor incidence and multiplicity were reduced in the mice on the Protandim diet by 33% and 57% respectively, compared with those on basal diet. Biochemical and histological studies revealed that the Protandim diet suppressed tumor promoter-induced oxidative stress (evidenced by reduction of protein carbonyl levels), cell proliferation (evidenced by reduction of skin hyperplasia and suppression of PKC/JNK/Jun pathway), and inflammation (evidenced by reduction of ICAM-1/VCAM-1 expression, NF-kB binding activity, and nuclear p65/p50 levels). Overall, induction of antioxidant enzymes by Protandim may serve as a practical and potent approach for cancer prevention.
The complete genome of klassevirus – a novel picornavirus in pediatric stool

Diarrhea kills 2 million children worldwide each year, yet an etiological agent is not found in approximately 30–50% of cases. Picornaviral genera such as enterovirus, kobuvirus, cosavirus, parechovirus, hepatovirus, teschovirus, and cardiovirus have all been found in human and animal diarrhea. Modern technologies, especially deep sequencing, allow rapid, high-throughput screening of clinical samples such as stool for new infectious agents associated with human disease. A pool of 141 pediatric gastroenteritis samples that were previously found to be negative for known diarrheal viruses was subjected to pyrosequencing. From a total of 937,935 sequence reads, a collection of 849 reads distantly related to Aichi virus were assembled and found to comprise 75% of a novel picornavirus genome. The complete genome was subsequently cloned and found to share 52.3% nucleotide pairwise identity and 38.9% amino acid identity to Aichi virus. The low level of sequence identity suggests a novel picornavirus genus which we have designated klassevirus. Blinded screening of 751 stool specimens from both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals revealed a second positive case of klassevirus infection, which was subsequently found to be from the index case's 11-month old twin. We report the discovery of human klassevirus 1, a member of a novel picornavirus genus, in stool from two infants from Northern California. Further characterization and epidemiological studies will be required to establish whether klasseviruses are significant causes of human infection.
On the Convergence of Hill's Method

Hill's method is a means to numerically approximate spectra of linear differential operators with periodic coefficients. In this paper, we address different issues related to the convergence of Hill's method. We show the method does not produce any spurious approximations, and that for selfadjoint operators, the method converges in a restricted sense. Furthermore, assuming convergence of an eigenvalue, we prove convergence of the associated eigenfunction approximation in the L 2 -norm. These results are not restricted to selfadjoint operators. Finally, for certain selfadjoint operators, we prove that the rate of convergence of Hill's method to the least eigenvalue is faster than any polynomial power.
Functional response of bone and bone cells to biomaterials coated with integrin-stimulating small peptides

Implant characteristics such as surface chemistry, charge, texture and porosity can be used to influence bone response. The author's research is targeted at understanding how small peptide, integrin-stimulating coatings influence bone formation. The composition of bone extracellular proteins and their corresponding integrin receptors provides a rational basis for designing bone-active surface coatings. The organic component of bone is comprised of numerous extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins including fibronectin, thrombospondin, osteopontin, type I collagen, osteonectin, and bone sialoprotein. These ECM proteins contain the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) sequence and interact with heterodimeric integrin receptors found on osteoblasts. Integrins use multiple intracellular signalling pathways to control cell adhesion, gene/protein expression and apoptosis. The author's laboratory has developed a model system to evaluate the biological activity of peptide modified biomaterials using self-assembled monolayer technology. Briefly, peptides with terminal cysteine groups (C=cysteine which contains free thiol side groups for gold binding) added to gold-coated surfaces form bioactive substrates. Using surface plasmon resonance and other surface analytical techniques (ESCA, SIMS), the author has demonstrated the formation of stable self assembled monolayers of cysteine terminated peptides on electron-beam deposited gold surfaces. Such surfaces are functionally stable for at least 30 days in vitro as demonstrated by osteoblast focal adhesion formation (the site of integrin clustering). A series of in vitro studies have also shown that rat calvarial osteoblasts cultured on RGDC coated surfaces show significantly greater spreading, surface area and number of focal adhesions in a peptide dose-dependent fashion.
Damage ingrowth and recovery in alpha-irradiated CaF2, SrF2, and BaF2

Abstract Single crystals of CaF2, SrF2, and BaF2 were irradiated at room temperature with alpha particles emitted from an effectively semi-infinite 238PuO2 source to a cumulative dose of 3 × 1020 alpha particles/m2. Although no change in the lattice parameter of CaF2 was observed, the crystals exhibited increasing coloration with dose. The lattice parameters of both SrF2 and BaF2 increased exponentially with dose, in agreement with a previously developed model, but the crystals developed no apparent coloration. Isochronal and isothermal-step annealing were used to study the recovery behavior of the lattice defects in both the SrF2 and BaF2 single crystals. A single recovery stage, tentatively associated with cation defects, was observed in each and the activation energy determined.
Beyond cultural competence: a model for individual and institutional cultural development.

Nursing's attention to cultural diversity has been influenced by the changing demographic composition of the U.S. population. Nursing must continue to increase awareness and promote attitudinal and behavioral changes that will result in the delivery of culturally appropriate nursing care. The nursing literature includes several models of cultural development to assist nurses and other health care professionals in conducting a cultural assessment and incorporating cultural data into nursing care plans. This article presents a synthesis model of cultural development that illustrates that cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, and cultural competence do not achieve the level of cultural development necessary to meet the health care needs of a diverse population. Cultural proficiency is a concept that extends cultural competence into nursing practice, administration, education, and research. It is a philosophical and behavioral approach to cultural diversity that guides and prescribes individual and institutional behavior toward "cultural others."
An advanced read/write channel for magnetic disk storage

An advanced read channel for magnetic disk recording is proposed. The channel incorporates a (1,7) run-length limited code with partial response equalization and Viterbi detection. The (1,7) code reduces the severe nonlinear effects that plague thin film disk recording at high densities. It is shown through analysis and simulation that the proposed read channel is suitable for user densities of 1.5 to 2.0 and higher, for reasonable SNR and error rates. >
How do parasites cost their hosts? Preliminary answers from trematodes and Daphnia obtusa

Cladocerans (Daphnia obtusa) in seasonal ponds in southeast Texas are infected with a trematode parasite (n. sp.). Infestation rate varies considerably among ponds and years, and among ponds within years. The parasite is rare in individuals < 1.00 mm long but is common in individuals 1.25-1.75 mm long. The parasite has no effect on whether females become gravid. Although there is a significant correlation between length and egg production for unparasitized females, this is not the case for parasitized individuals. An infection of l-2 parasites does not aflect fecundity; however, greater infections are correlated with reduced egg production. Another cost to Daphnia of harboring the parasite is reduced survivorship, particularly among larger individuals. As lthese individuals have the capacity to produce l more eggs than smaller individuals, it is likely that the parasite also causes a reduction in lifetime reproduction in addition to that in any one reproductive episode.
Energy efficient swing signal generation circuits for clock distribution networks

We propose Reduced Voltage Swing (RVS) signaling (by elevating the logic 0 voltage) as opposed to Low Voltage Swing (LVS) signaling (which reduces the logic 1 voltage). We propose an inverter which generates RVS signals, and an extension with programmable logic for adjusted logic 0 voltage. The proposed RVS scheme achieves reduced active power consumption, minimum performance degradation and minimum area overhead (without extra power supply network and a minimum number of extra transistors). Application of multi-threshold voltage design further alleviates compromises on noise margin and leakage. Experimental results based on SPICE simulation show that RVS clocking achieves an average of 37% active power consumption reduction, 8% performance degradation.
Reading between the Lines: Learning to Map High-Level Instructions to Commands

In this paper, we address the task of mapping high-level instructions to sequences of commands in an external environment. Processing these instructions is challenging---they posit goals to be achieved without specifying the steps required to complete them. We describe a method that fills in missing information using an automatically derived environment model that encodes states, transitions, and commands that cause these transitions to happen. We present an efficient approximate approach for learning this environment model as part of a policy-gradient reinforcement learning algorithm for text interpretation. This design enables learning for mapping high-level instructions, which previous statistical methods cannot handle.
COMPETITION BETWEEN TWO ESTUARINE SNAILS: IMPLICATIONS FOR INVASIONS OF EXOTIC SPECIES

An introduced snail, Batillaria attramentaria, has successfully invaded sev- eral salt marshes and mud flats in northern California. In these areas populations of the native mud snail, Cerithidea californica, have declined precipitously. Since both species feed on epipelic diatoms, I hypothesized that the decline in Cerithidea was a result of exploitative competition with Batillaria. To test this hypothesis I manipulated snail densities in Bolinas Lagoon, California, to estimate their effects on, and responses to, food resources. For two size classes of each snail species I quantified (1) the effect of intraspecific density on food availability, and (2) the growth response of each size class to different food levels. These relationships were used to generate predictions of the exploitative competitive effect of each snail on the other species. These predictions were tested against direct measurements of the effect of interspecific competition on snail tissue growth using field experiments. The observed values of snail growth matched well the predicted relationships, suggesting that exploitative competition does occur. Although the two snails did not differ in their effect on resource levels at any experimental snail density, the introduced snail was always more efficient at converting limited resources to tissue growth. Similar results were obtained in three different experimental periods. Batillaria's enhanced resource conversion efficiency provides a sufficient explanation for its successful invasion and subsequent exclusion of Cerithidea. Theoretically, conversion efficiency of resources should be just as important as resource suppression and uptake to exploitative competitive ability, but it is rarely examined experimentally. By separating exploitative competition into its component parts, the protocol used here allowed identification of a seldom implicated mechanism that can affect invasion success.
Plenary lecture five: fundamental theory of controllability and observability of first-order matrix difference systems

The theory of difference equations is much wealthier than its counterpart in differential equations. With the emergence of digital signal processing technology, the theory of difference equations assumes great importance in areas such as digital control, image processing, and digital filter design. In this talk, a first-order matrix Sylvester difference system with a control structure is discussed in view of the existence and uniqueness of its general solution. Results are used in the study of controllability and observability of the matrix difference system coupled with an output structure. More general criteria, such as the one-sided controllability and observability matrices, are obtained for complete controllability and complete observability of time-invariant systems.
Commit bubbles

Developers who use version control are expected to produce systematic commit histories that show well-defined steps with logical forward progress. Existing version control tools assume that developers also write code systematically. Unfortunately, the process by which developers write source code is often evolutionary, or as-needed, rather than systematic. Our contribution is a fragment-oriented concept called Commit Bubbles that will allow developers to construct systematic commit histories that adhere to version control best practices with less cognitive effort, and in a way that integrates with their as-needed coding workflows.
NH4FeCl2(HCOO): synthesis, structure, and magnetism of a novel low-dimensional magnetic material.

Solvothermal synthesis was used to create a low-dimensional iron(II) chloride formate compound, NH4FeCl2(HCOO), that exhibits interesting magnetic properties. NH4FeCl2(HCOO) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c (No. 15) with a = 7.888(1) A, b = 11.156(2) A, c = 6.920(2) A, and β = 108.066(2)°. The crystal structure consists of infinite zigzag chains of distorted Fe2+-centered octahedra linked by μ2-Cl and syn-syn formate bridges, with interchain hydrogen bonding through NH4+ cations holding the chains together. The unique Fe2+ site is coordinated by four equatorial chlorides at a distance of 2.50 A and two axial oxygens at a distance of 2.08 A. Magnetic measurements performed on powder and oriented single-crystal samples show complex anisotropic magnetic behavior dominated by antiferromagnetic interactions (TN = 6 K) with a small ferromagnetic component in the direction of chain propagation. An anisotropic metamagnetic transition was observed in the ordered state at 2 K in an applied magnetic f...
Application of Suction Scoops to Improve Pump-Approach Flow Distributions in Three-Pump Intake Bays

Two geometrically undistorted models of St. Louis Water Company's Meramec Plant Intakes 1 and 2 were constructed at a scale of 1:5 in order to solve chronic pump vibration problems. Because of the unconventional layouts of small, deep, rectangular pump pits with three pumps each, vertical -pump inverted drafttubes (VPIDs) were developed. Each intake chamber was divided into three individual bays using two vertical partition walls. Each VP ID included a two-segment straightline suction scoop, a floor splitter, a backwall splitter, two sidewall floor -corner fillets, two vertical backwall corner fillets, flow -turning vanes, and a vertical guidewall at the VPID entrance. In this paper only modeling efforts on Intake 1 are described. This is the second VPID model designed by IIHR – Hydroscience & Engineering (IIHR), The University of Iowa.
P4-S4.03 A low-cost microfluidics-based diagnostic test for STDs

Background Undiagnosed and untreated STIs cause large morbidity and mortality, including birth defects and stillborn babies. Since most STI9s have known treatments, the largest barriers for treating patients include high cost of transporting specimens to central labs and lack of access to diagnostic testing. We present data on a portable and low-cost microfluidics device for point-of-care diagnosis of multiple STDs (such as HIV and syphilis) in combination. In order to reduce the cost and size of the assay while maintaining high performance, we incorporated microfluidic designs such as single-use plastic microfluidic cassettes, a passive method for delivering reagents, and an amplification chemistry using gold nanoparticles. Methods Our overall device is named mChip (mobile microfluidic chip for immunoassay on protein markers). We demonstrated an ability of mChip to simultaneously detect antibodies against HIV and syphilis in needle-pricked sample volumes. Both commercial specimens and archived specimens from Sub-Saharan Africa were used. Results The test sensitivities and specificities for detection of HIV-specific antibodies and treponemal-specific antibodies matched the performances from lab-based ELISA. Compared to ELISA, our test can be performed anywhere, uses a very small volume of blood, and is about 10 times faster. Some of these results are in press in Nature Medicine , 2010. Conclusion The mChip provided excellent performance in the diagnosis of HIV using only 1 μl of unprocessed whole-blood and
Book & Resource Review

Reviews the book "Learning Practices: Assessment and Action for Organizational Improvement," by Anthony J. Dibella.
Optimized 3D Printed Chiral Lattice for Broadband Vibration Suppression

This paper presents an experimental study of optimized numerical simulations on a metastructure created for the purpose of broadband vibration suppression. The proposed structure uses a stiff outer frame with periodic inserts as internal resonators in a beam like assembly to achieve high damping broadband performance. With the rapid improvement of 3D printing capabilities, chiral lattice inserts can be quickly created from an elastomeric material for use in the structure. The stiff outer frame is used to maintain the integrity of the structure while the flexible chiral lattice and annular masses dissipate the energy. This combined assembly is characterized by high frequency bandgaps and tuned vibration attenuation at low frequencies. These inserts and masses have been previously optimized to find the optimal topology and tuning to reduce global vibration levels of the beam. Experimental results demonstrate the suppression capabilities of this structure for possible use in vibration absorption in load carrying structural members.
Evapotranspiration differences between agroforestry and grass buffer systems

Abstract Improved soil and water quality, and carbon sequestration are notable benefits of agroforestry practices compared to row-crop agriculture. Over an agricultural watershed with two buffer cropping systems (agroforestry buffers and grass buffers) soybean crop evapotranspiration was calculated from the Penman-Monteith equation using 10-min averages of meteorological measurements within crop alleys for 54 days in summer 2007. Wind speeds were consistently lower over the agroforestry buffer portion of the watershed by an average of 0.42 m s −1 . For calculated evapotranspiration assuming water-stressed conditions, this decrease in wind speed from the presence of agroforestry buffers was offset almost entirely by an increase in net radiation. Net radiation differences between the two systems were highest during the morning (∼40 W m −2 ) and were likely the result of solar radiation scattered from the agroforestry buffers. Wind speed reduction over the crop portion surrounded by agroforestry buffers varied by wind direction with daytime winds ≥0.6 m s −1 greater over the grass buffer portion of the crop for northerly and southerly winds (nearly perpendicular to the agroforestry buffers). Therefore, buffer orientation relative to the prevailing wind is important for reducing evapotranspiration. Changes in crop alley width would be expected to impact the portion of the crop within wind-sheltered zones and the portion receiving scattered radiation from trees. The sensitivity of evapotranspiration to agroforestry buffer orientation and crop alley width should be a focus of future investigations.
Surface Residual Stress Effects on Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of AISI 4340 Steel

A series of experiments was performed in an attempt to evaluate the role of residual stresses on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of AISI 4340 steel. Stress corrosion cracking tests were performed on cylindrical and notched tensile specimens in acidified 3.5% NaCl solution at -0.7 V versus a saturated calomel reference electrode. Time to failure at various applied and residual stress levels was measured. Acoustic emission spectra were also monitored throughout the tests. Test results showed the initiation of SCC cracks to be insensitive to the effects of surface residual stresses under the conditions evaluated. This is likely a result of the total time-to-failure criterion used to evaluate the SCC tests. The extremely aggressive environment used in these experiments apparently led to rapid crack initiation, even in specimens containing compressive residual stresses. Alternatively, the insensitivity of this series of tests is that cracks initiated in the specimen interior, below the depth of the mechanically induced residual stresses.
Optimization of paediatric CT

Children have a special place in the hearts of their parents and the same should be true for CT practices too! They have longer life expectancy, more dividing cells which have greater risk potential from radiation exposure. Plus, they can range from less than a kilogram to more than 100 kg with childhood obesity. Younger children also provide additional challenges when they cannot or do not cooperate during CT scanning, which can result in motion artifacts and suboptimal interpretations. These issues demand special attention to details during paediatric CT. The best way to optimize dose for children is to rationalize clinical indications for CT in children. Whenever possible and appropriate, non-ionizing radiation based imaging techniques should be used in children. When CT is appropriately indicated, careful attention must be given to patient positioning and counselling. Several scan techniques can help optimize radiation doses, and these must be liberally employed. Each paediatric CT should be tailored to personalize scan technique, image reconstruction and radiation doses to specific clinical indication, body region, and patient size. In this presentation, we will review strategies to optimize paediatric CT.
Drawing in poly(ε-caprolactone) fibers: tuning mechanics, fiber dimensions and surface-modification density

Uniaxial drawing of melt-coextruded poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) microfibers was investigated to understand impact on topological, mechanical, and chemical properties of the fibrous scaffolds. Fibers were uniaxially elongated up to 7-fold to observe polymer chain orientation and crystal structure. Crystallinity and orientation of crystal domains were investigated by DSC and X-ray scattering. Polymer physical properties were directly correlated to bulk fiber properties. Furthermore, the drawn fibers were modified photochemically with functionalized benzophenones. The results of these studies allowed for comparison between fiber dimension/surface area, mechanical properties, and photochemical reaction yield for surface modification. As drawing increased, the modulus and tensile strength of the fibers increased as did the surface area of the scaffolds. By contrast, increased drawing led to a decrease in the ability to undergo photochemical reaction at the polymer surface. This fundamental investigation provides a predictive framework to understand how post-processing impacts three critical parameters for coextruded fibrous biomaterial scaffolds.
Overseeing Agency Enforcement (Foreword)

A big part of what agencies do — indeed, the core of their executive power—is law enforcement. Whether it is a statute or an agency regulation, agencies make sure that individuals and entities comply with the law. In the case of some agencies, such as prosecutors’ offices or police departments, all they do is law enforcement; they do not possess rulemaking or judicial powers. Even for agencies that possess an array of powers, including rulemaking, enforcement is typically a core part of successfully achieving their statutory mission. Agency authorizing statutes typically give the agency broad discretion to set enforcement policies and prioritize the cases they will target. As a matter of administrative law doctrine, however, enforcement discretion plays a lesser role. To be sure, when agencies bring enforcement actions against a party, courts will review the agency to verify the agency is complying with the law and not exceeding its authority. But enforcement discretion is far broader than a decision to move ahead against a party. Most aspects of agency enforcement policy generally escape judicial review. A decision not to enforce is presumptively unreviewable, as is an agency’s decision not to monitor those it is charged with regulating. Courts tend to steer clear of second-guessing an agency’s selection of which actors to target and which to ignore. The judiciary takes a similarly hands-off approach to an agency’s broader plans for how it will proceed with enforcement, changes in its nonbinding enforcement policies, or how it will allocate funds from a lump-sum appropriation for enforcement needs. One might think that because these critical enforcement policy calls do not face judicial review, other oversight mechanisms should take on greater importance. But all too often, enforcement oversight outside the courts gets insufficient attention as well. This Foreword to the Annual Review of Administrative Law in The George Washington Law Review shines a spotlight on enforcement discretion as a standalone problem of agency oversight and begins to catalog approaches for overseeing it.
Longitudinal Changes in Speech Breathing in Older Adults with and without Parkinson's Disease.

This longitudinal study examines changes to speech production and speech breathing in older adults with Parkinson's disease (PD) and older adults without PD. Eight participants with PD and eight age- and sex-matched older adults participated in two data collection sessions, separated by 3.7 years on average. Speech severity and speech rate increased for people with PD. Vital capacity decreased for both groups. Older adult control participants displayed significant increases in lung volume initiation and excursion and percent vital capacity expended per syllable. These changes allow older adults to utilize higher recoil pressures to generate subglottal pressure for speech production, potentially reducing work of breathing. Participants with PD displayed significant decreases in lung volume initiation and termination. Thus, unlike older adults, people with PD exert more expiratory muscle pressure during speech production, leading to increased effort. Speech-language pathologists need to consider direct treatment of respiratory patterns for speech to reduce effort and fatigue.
Acoustic pulse propagation in forests

The propagation of acoustic pulses through a forest is considered. Multiple-scattering effects are accounted for by using the energy-based radiative transfer theory under a modified Born approximation, resulting in an expression for the diffuse intensity as a function of time and dominant frequency. While this expression is a complicated set of three integrals, certain practical approximations enable analytic evaluation of one, two, or even all three integrals. Any remaining integrals may be numerically calculated. The simple case of an impulse in an infinite homogeneous forest of diffuse scatterers is first considered, and then the effects of successively including non-diffuse scatterers, ground reflections in a forest of finite height, and finally a realistic forest model are analyzed with an emphasis on long-time decay and reverberation times. These theoretical findings are then compared with experimental results.
Retrieval, Documentation, and Evaluation of Mössbauer Spectroscopy Data

In the fifteen years since its observation was first reported, Mossbauer spectroscopy has developed into such a sophisticated technique that it used routinely by many scientists today. Approximately seven thousand articles have been published on Mossbauer spectroscopy with the current annual rate approaching one thousand. The activity of the Mossbauer Effect Data Index (MEDI) group has been the retrieval and documentation, and more recently, the evaluation of the Mossbauer literature. The first group, consisting of A. H. Muir, Jr., K. J. Ando, and H. M. Coogan, originated at North American Aviation (now North American Rockwell). Under their direction the North American Aviation Science Center informally published and distributed on request the Mossbauer Effect Data Index, Issue 1 (1958–1962), Issue 2 (1958–1963), and Issue 3 (1958–1964). Following these three issues the Mossbauer Effect Data Index 1958–1965 (1) was published and soon became known as the “Blue Book. ” The decrease in emphasis on basic science with its resultant cutback in funding put the Index into the files until it was revived by our group. With the advice and direction of Dr. Art Muir, Jr., the first annual MEDI covering the 1969 literature was published(2). At this time there were no elaborate systems or computer programs developed to handle the articles, so every computer card was hand-sorted and the different listings and the author file created manually. The following year, while frantically attempting to “de-bug” programs and having to repunch thousands of cards unacceptable to the computer, we longed for the peaceful days of hand-sorting. But now the programming is sophisticated and detailed and this year the last vestige of hand-sorting will disappear. More of this aspect of the operation is discussed under Documentation.
Floquet Topological Transition in Response to Strong Driving

We observe a topological edge mode reverse its propagation direction in response to an increased gauge field amplitude. The reversed chirality results from an associated change in the topology of the bulk system.
Line tension at Wetting and Prewetting Transitions

Three coexisting phases α, β, and γ meet along a line of common contact with definite contact angles whenever the tensions σαβ, etc., of the three interfaces satisfy.
COST MINIMIZATION IN NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS AND ISOTOPE PRODUCTION.

Costs associated with isotope production are minimized using Pontryagin's Maximum Principle. This method is combined with a technique to maximize the amount of a specific radioisotope compared with...
Inter- and Intra-Patient Sequence Diversity Among Parainfluenza Virus-Type 1 Nucleoprotein Genes

Parainfluenza viruses (PIV) have been categorized into four discrete types (types 1-4), based on antigenic similarities. Here is described an evaluation of nucleoprotein (NP) sequence variability among nine patients infected with the type 1 virus. The examination of short segments of the NP sequence was sufficient to define significant variability both within and between patient samples. These data, in conjunction with previous studies of hemagglutinin-neuraminidase and fusion protein sequences from PIV-infected patient populations suggest a lack of absolute stability among isolates within each virus type. Potentially, antigenic variability exists to the extent that an immune response elicited toward one isolate may not be fully protective against another of the same type. Thus, sequence variability could contribute to natural re-infections with PIV, as well as to previous vaccine failures. Results highlight the importance of analyzing viruses that break through vaccine-induced immunity, in order to measure the influence of virus diversity on PIV vaccine outcome.
Response Surface Methods and Second-Order Designs

Response surface methodology is a strategy for investigating, characterizing, or optimizing processes using empirical models. Often several experiments are performed sequentially. Estimation of a multifactor second-order polynomial model is one of the primary tools. This chapter provides a survey of the secondorder model and its analysis, as well as the popular experimental designs used for estimation. The designs presented here are constructed by augmenting or adapting two-level factorial designs.
Monitoring and Business Intelligence

An important aspect of B2B integration technology deployment in an enterprise is the ongoing monitoring of the deployed integration processes in order to ensure that these are running smoothly and that any errors are detected as early as possible. This allows them to be repaired as soon as possible in order to avoid future execution disruption.
Tardiness of starts of surgical cases is not substantively greater when the preceding surgeon in an operating room is of a different versus the same specialty.

Abstract Study objective Switching from one specialty to another increases mean turnover times (i.e., interval between the exit and entrance of consecutive patients in an operating room [OR]). We estimate the effect on the mean tardiness of to-follow surgeons from following another surgeon of a different versus same specialty. Tardiness of a case's start time refers to the number of minutes the patient enters the OR later than scheduled; tardiness is 0 min if the patient enters early. Tardiness cause surgeon waiting. There are multiple causes of tardiness, but, most often, the preceding case(s) took longer than estimated. Design 10-year historical cohort study with all surgical cases performed during regular workdays. Setting Large teaching hospital. Measurements Estimated OR end times were calculated using a Bayesian method. Because tardiness is influenced by the estimated case start time (i.e., later starting cases have greater tardiness), tardiness values were adjusted to a 12 noon start time for the 2nd surgeon. Main results The cases of to-follow surgeons in ORs had mean tardiness of 45.1 (SE 0.6) min. When the to-follow surgeon in the OR was of a different versus the same specialty from the first surgeon, the mean turnover time was 7.3 (0.4) min longer (P Conclusions OR managers can assure surgeons with afternoon starts that following a surgeon of a different specialty generally will not increase their waiting time. Case scheduling should focus on reducing over-utilized OR time and thus the hours that anesthesiologists and nurses work late.
Transport of Bupropion and its Metabolites by the Model CHO and HEK293 Cell Lines

Background Bupropion (BUP) is widely used as an antidepressant and smoking cessation aid. There are three major pharmacologically active metabolites of BUP, Erythrohydrobupropion (EB), Hydroxybupropion (OHB) and Threohydrobupropion (TB). At present, the mechanisms underlying the overall disposition and systemic clearance of BUP and its metabolites have not been well understood, and the role of transporters has not been studied. Objective The goal of this study was to investigate whether BUP and its active metabolites are substrates of the major hepatic uptake and efflux transporters. Method CHO or HEK293 cell lines or plasma membrane vesicles that overexpress OATP1B1, OATP1B3, OATP2B1, OATP4A1, OCT1, BCRP, MRP2 or P-gp were used in cellular or vesicle uptake and inhibition assays. Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to quantify transport activity. Results BUP and its major active metabolites were actively transported into the CHO or HEK293 cells overexpressing OATP1B1, OATP1B3 or OATP2B1; however, such cellular active uptake could not be inhibited at all by prototypical inhibitors of any of the OATP transporters. These compounds were not transported by OCT1, BCRP, MRP2 or P-gp either. These results suggest that the major known hepatic transporters likely play a minor role in the overall disposition and systemic clearance of BUP and its active metabolites in humans. We also demonstrated that BUP and its metabolites were not transported by OATP4A1, an uptake transporter on the apical membrane of placental syncytiotrophoblasts, suggesting that OATP4A1 is not responsible for the transfer of BUP and its metabolites from the maternal blood to the fetal compartment across the placental barrier in pregnant women. Conclusion BUP and metabolites are not substrates of the major hepatic transporters tested and thus these hepatic transporters likely do not play a role in the overall disposition of the drug. Our results also suggest that caution should be taken when using the model CHO and HEK293 cell lines to evaluate potential roles of transporters in drug disposition.
High-performance extended SWIR photodetectors using strain compensated InGaAs/GaAsSb type-II quantum wells

We have successfully fabricated extended SWIR photodetectors with the cutoff wavelength of 2.5 μm by using InGaAs (-0.3 %)/GaAsSb(+0.3 %) strain compensated type-II quantum wells as an absorption layer. The 250-pair InGaAs/GaAsSb quantum wells were grown on an InP substrate by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. The p-n junction was formed in the absorption layer by selective zinc diffusion. Dark current was low and showed diffusion current limited mode. Quantum efficiency in the wavelength region between 2.0 μm and 2.5 μm which corresponds to the type-II absorption became twice as high as that of the normal lattice-matched InGaAs/GaAsSb type-II quantum wells.
The Missing Second World: On Poland and Postcolonial Studies

This essay aims to place Poland in the field of postcolonial studies. Its point of departure is the problematic place of the so-called Second World within the field of postcolonial studies: as a re...
Energy-Efficient and Secure Data Networking Using Chaotic Pulse Position Coded PDUs

This paper presents the concept of a novel chaotic pulse position coded protocol data unit (CPPCP) for secure networking with very thin energy budgets. The core idea of CPPCP is to encode a protocol data unit (PDU) with a wideband pulse train with chaotically-varied inter-pulse intervals. The architecture ensures communication security by introducing randomness between data symbols, noise-like frequency spectrum, and significant energy savings by using a smaller number of pulse transmissions compared to existing secure coding schemes such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Compared with the traditional key-based cryptographic techniques, CPPCP suppresses decipherable information by eliminating symbol periodicity. The mechanism can also be piggy-backed on traditional cryptography solutions to achieve higher levels of security. The paper presents a detailed analysis of the CPPCP implementation in the presence of pulse shape and position fluctuations caused by hardware and channel variabilities. It also presents a detailed analysis of CPPCP’s abilities to detect errors without a traditional link layer. Finally, the paper reports a prototype sensor platform and a wideband pulse transmission channel simulator for demonstrating the efficacy of CPPCP in terms of energy-savings, communication security, and increased data transmission rates.
Estimating burn severity and carbon emissions from a historic megafire in boreal forests of China.

Abstract Wildfires, especially those of large size, worsen air quality and alter the carbon cycle through combustion of large quantities of biomass and release of carbon into the atmosphere. The Black Dragon fire, which occurred in 1987 in the boreal forests of China is among the top five of such megafires ever recorded in the world. With over 30 years of accumulation of data and availability of new greenhouse gas emission accounting methods, carbon emissions from this megafire can now be estimated with improved precision and greater spatial resolution. To do this, we combined field and remote sensing data to map four burn severity classes and calculated combustion efficiency in terms of the biomass immediately consumed in the fire. Results of the study showed that 1.30 million hectares burned and 52% of that area burned with high severity. The emitted carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e), accounted for approximately 10% of total fossil fuel emissions from China in 1987, along with CO (2%–3% of annual anthropogenic CO emissions from China) and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) contributing to the atmospheric pollutants. Our study provides an important basis for carbon emission estimation and understanding the impacts of megafires.
Analysis of Grain Volatiles and Development of a Simple Chemical Assay for Fungal Infestation of Grain

ABSTRACT A chemical means to quantitatively measure mustiness in stored grains is proposed. It is based on the observation that the fungi Aspergillus flavus, A. glaucus, and A. niger produced ethanol in direct relation to the increase in the mustiness odor produced. A small glass cylinder is filled with silica gel coated with potassium dichromate. When a measured volume of air from the storage bin is passed through the cylinder the ethanol present reduces the orange dichromate to green chromium (III). The length of the green portion is proportional to the amount of ethanol and hence the mustiness present. A portable and inexpensive instrument is proposed.
Influence of nitrogen fertilizer and duration of Purple Nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus ) interference on Onion ( Allium cepa ) growth and yield in minor seasons in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) is difficult to manage and persists in onion (Allium cepa) fields of the tropics. Critical period of weed control can be highly influenced by Nitrogen fertilizer (N) application. Thus, determine the critical period of purple nutsedge control in onion for different levels of nitrogen fertilizer is useful in making decisions on the need for and timing of purple nutsedge control in both biological and economic perspectives. A field study was conducted from June – September, 2010 in Sri Lanka to evaluate the influence of nitrogen application on the critical period of purple nutsedge control in onion. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied at rates equivalent to 100, 150, and 200 kgha-1. A quantitativeseries of treatments of both increasing duration of purple nutsedge interference and length of weed-free period were imposed within the different rates of N. The beginning and end of the critical period of purple nutsedge control based on 5% acceptable yield loss level were determined by fitting logistic and Gompertz equations to relative yield data representing increasing durations of purple nutsedge interference and weed-free period, respectively. The beginning of the critical period of the purple nutsedge control for onion varied with N application rate. The addition of N hastens the end of the critical period of the purple nutsedge control. Critical period of purple nutsedge control for onion reduced with increasing N. Plant height, dry weight and bulb diameter were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by interaction effect of purple nutsedge infestation period and Nitrogen application rate. In addition, Nitrogen application rates and duration of weed free period significantly (P<0.05) interacted with onion height, dry weight and bulb diameter. Overall, this study revealed that reductions in nitrogen use may create the need for more intensive purple nutsedge management in onion fields in the minor seasons of the Batticaloa.
Delayed school start times and motor vehicle accidents: a need for further inquiry.

Citation:Barlaan DR, Sinor K, Cromer LD. Delayed school start times and motor vehicle accidents: a need for further inquiry. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(9):1627.
Visualizing a viral genome with contrast variation small angle X-ray scattering

Despite the threat to human health posed by some single-stranded RNA viruses, little is understood about their assembly. The goal of this work is to introduce a new tool for watching an RNA genome direct its own packaging and encapsidation by proteins. Contrast variation small-angle X-ray scattering (CV-SAXS) is a powerful tool with the potential to monitor the changing structure of a viral RNA through this assembly process. The proteins, though present, do not contribute to the measured signal. As a first step in assessing the feasibility of viral genome studies, the structure of encapsidated MS2 RNA was exclusively detected with CV-SAXS and compared with a structure derived from asymmetric cryo-EM reconstructions. Additional comparisons with free RNA highlight the significant structural rearrangements induced by capsid proteins and invite the application of time-resolved CV-SAXS to reveal interactions that result in efficient viral assembly.
Electric conductivity of remotely heated Cu nanofilaments in Cu/TaOx/Pt ReRAM cells

A memory cell, initially set to a conductive state, of a resistive resistive random access memory array is heated remotely and controllably by a neighboring heat source cell, both cells having either a common active or an inert electrode. Upon switching off the heating of the heat source cell, the conductivity of the filament of the investigated cell is characterized by sufficiently small voltages to make sure that the filament does not suffer any structural reconstruction such as removal, addition, or permanent displacement of Cu atoms. One observes that immediately after the heating of the neighboring heat source device is switched off, the cell, initially set to an on state and characterized by a low resistance Ron, is found to be reset by remote heating to an off state, characterized by R off ≫ R on. In some instances, after a cooling off time of approximately 2 min or more, one observes the cell's spontaneous recovery from the Roff state to the original on state or very close to the initial Ron value. The process of the spontaneous recovery of the electric conductivity of the filament is interpreted as an attenuation of Cu atom vibrations in the filament with the attendant increase of electron tunneling effects for which the variation of the average tunneling distance between the vibrating Cu atoms is roughly proportional to the square root of the absolute temperature. At high temperatures, the average tunneling distance increases, leading to a sharp decrease of the tunneling probability and, consequently, to a sharp increase in transient resistance.