cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Piezoelectric resonators loaded with viscoelastic and nonuniform media

This paper uses a simple, plane bulk acoustic wave model to discuss effects arising from changes occurring at the vibrating surfaces of a piezoelectric resonator, when exposed to coatings having various properties, as well as a variety of interfacial contact behaviors. The effect of air loading on the Q values of the three thickness modes of an SC-cut quartz resonator is computed for various pressures as an example of mode coupling by mechanical boundary conditions.
Quinone Moieties Act as Electron Acceptors in the Reduction of Humic Substances by Humics-Reducing Microorganisms

The possibility that quinones serve as electron-accepting moieties when microorganisms transfer electrons to humic substances was investigated. Humic substances from a variety of environments had the ability to accept electrons from a humics-reducing microorganism, Geobacter metallireducens. A lignaceous carbon source for the humic substances was not necessary in order for the humic substances to act as electron acceptors. Humic substances extracted from soils typically had a greater electron-accepting capacity than humic substances extracted from aquatic sediments, and sediment humic substances had more electron-accepting capacity than dissolved aquatic humic substances. Electron spin resonance measurements at pH 10 demonstrated that humic substances that had a higher electron-accepting capacity also had a higher free radical content than did humic substances with a lower electron-accepting capacity. The ESR spectra were consistent with semiquinones as the main organic radicals. Microbial reduction of hu...
The role of starvation, hypoglycemia, and adrenergic blockade on growth hormone secretion in obesity.

The effects of starvation and refeeding on the circulating levels of human growth hormone (HGH) of seven obese subjects were studied with and without alpha and beta adrenergic blockade during an insulin tolerance test (ITT). The tests were performed during baseline, total fast, and refeeding periods. Autonomic blockade during starvation was not performed. The degrees of hypoglycemia produced during the mean baseline ITT before and after blockade and in the fasting period were comparable and associated with HGH levels of similar response. During refeeding, mean fasting glucose levels before and after blockade were higher than in control and fasting periods. The insulin-induced hypoglycemia effect was comparable in percentage decrease, although absolute levels of hypoglycemia were less. There was correspondingly less response of HGH to this stimulus. This indicates that HGH secretion is normal in obesity provided sufficient hypoglycemia is produced a not apparently affected by circulating catecholamine levels.
MOISTURE, FAT, PROTEIN AND. MINERAL CONTENT OF MECHANICALLY DEBONED POULTRY MEAT

Mechanically deboned poultry meat samples from chicken broiler and turkey parts were analyzed for percentage moisture, fat, protein and mineral content. Moisture for turkey samples averaged 68.5%, fat 15.7% and protein 15.2%. Moisture, fat and protein for broiler samples averaged 72.2%, 14.4% and 13.4%, respectively. The minerals or elements detected in the largest amounts in ppm in decreasing order in turkey meat samples were K, Ca, Na, Cl, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb and Al. In broiler meat samples the elements detected in largest amounts in ppm in decreasing order were K, Na, Ca, Cl, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Rb, Al and Br. Other minerals were present in smaller amounts. There was a wide range in levels of the different elements in turkey and broiler meat samples.
Effects of stimulated optical phonon decay on hot carriers in GaAs

We have considered energy transfer from highly nonequilibrium electron gas to crystal lattice via emission of high-frequency longitudinal optical (LO) phonons and their subsequent transformations. At high intensity of electron excitation, the daughter LA phonons resulting from LO-phonon decay accumulate in considerable numbers and cause the LO-phonon decay to be a stimulated process. The stimulated decay e!ectively decimates the LO phonons and thus prevents their reabsorption by the electrons. These e!ects being incorporated in description of the electron}phonon kinetics, we have obtained considerable intensi"cation of energy transfer from the electron subsystem. We also qualitatively discuss the e!ects of stimulation for alternative channels of LO-phonon decay. ( 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
New York Adopts a VAT

On August 13, 2010 the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Office of Tax Policy Analysis, Taxpayer Guidance Division released Amendments Affecting the Application of Sales Tax to Rent Received for Hotel Occupancy by Room Remarketers. The legislative revision it considers (Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2010) was effective September 1, 2010. The changes brought in by this Chapter effectively converted New York’s Hotel Room Occupancy Tax from a single-stage retail sales tax to multi-stage European-style VAT. This paper considers the New York VAT in hotel accommodations in three sections. The first defines a European-style credit-invoice VAT and applies it to the New York Hotel Room Occupancy Tax, the second considers the critical term – the operator – and examines how this term in the context of a hotel tax modeled on the retail sales tax creates problems when virtual intermediaries get involved facilitating accommodation rentals, and the third considers the new term room remarketer as it is used in the New York Hotel Room Occupancy Tax. A short concluding section discusses why in re-designing this tax as a VAT New York has made an insightful tax policy decision. New York will most likely increase revenue without increasing rates or expanding the tax base with this decision. Gains will come from increased efficiency, more stable revenue deposits from fractionated payments, and lower enforcement costs from the self-enforcing nature of the VAT. In these difficult economic times when the call for “no new taxes” is heard in tandem with a demand for more revenue to pay for necessary programs, New York seems to have accomplished the impossible. By adopting a limited purpose, European-style, credit-invoice VAT in the hotel tax it has increased revenue and decreased enforcement costs without raising rates or expanding the tax base. Other jurisdictions should take notice.
On the Reliability of Quake‐Catcher Network Earthquake Detections

Over the past two decades, there have been several initiatives to create volunteer‐based seismic networks. The Personal Seismic Network, proposed around 1990, used a short‐period seismograph to record earthquake waveforms using existing phone lines (Cranswick and Banfill, 1990; Cranswick et al. , 1993). NetQuakes (Luetgert et al. , 2010) deploys triaxial Micro‐Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors in private homes, businesses, and public buildings where there is an Internet connection. Other seismic networks using a dense array of low‐cost MEMS sensors are the Community Seismic Network (Clayton et al. , 2012; Kohler et al. , 2013) and the Home Seismometer Network (Horiuchi et al. , 2009). One main advantage of combining low‐cost MEMS sensors and existing Internet connection in public and private buildings over the traditional networks is the reduction in installation and maintenance costs (Koide et al. , 2006). In doing so, it is possible to create a dense seismic network for a fraction of the cost of traditional seismic networks (D’Alessandro and D’Anna, 2013; D’Alessandro, 2014; D’Alessandro et al. , 2014). A rapidly deployable and highly mobile seismic network can collect enormous volumes of data at high spatial density during an aftershock sequence following major earthquakes (Naito et al. , 2013). Although the low‐cost seismic networks described above were primarily designed to detect and characterize earthquakes, the networks have also been used for other purposes such as to monitor building health in Kohler et al. (2013). These types of low‐cost networks may also have other potential applications such as detecting landslides (Azzam et al. , 2011) and locating explosions (Taylor et al. , 2011). The Quake‐Catcher Network (QCN) is another variant of a cyber‐social seismic network, which has been operating since 2008. Cochran, Lawrence, Christensen, and Chung (2009) and Cochran, Lawrence, Christensen, and Jakka (2009) describe the implementation that uses a client software phase‐picking …
Optical pulling force and conveyor belt effect in resonator–waveguide system

We present the theoretical condition and actual numerical design that achieves an optical pulling force in resonator-waveguide systems, where the direction of the force on the resonator is in the opposite direction to the input light in the waveguide. We also show that this pulling force can occur in conjunction with the lateral optical equilibrium effect, such that the resonator is maintained at the fixed distance from the waveguide while experiencing the pulling force.
Nanoparticle-Mediated Brain-Specific Drug Delivery, Imaging, and Diagnosis

Central nervous system (CNS) diseases represent the largest and fastest-growing area of unmet medical need. Nanotechnology plays a unique instrumental role in the revolutionary development of brain-specific drug delivery, imaging, and diagnosis. With the aid of nanoparticles of high specificity and multifunctionality, such as dendrimers and quantum dots, therapeutics, imaging agents, and diagnostic molecules can be delivered to the brain across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), enabling considerable progress in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of CNS diseases. Nanoparticles used in the CNS for drug delivery, imaging, and diagnosis are reviewed, as well as their administration routes, toxicity, and routes to cross the BBB. Future directions and major challenges are outlined.
A biorobotic flapping fin for propulsion and maneuvering

A series of biorobotic fins has been developed based on the pectoral fin of the bluegill sunfish. These robotic fins model physical properties of the biological fin, and execute kinematics derived from sunfish motions that were identified to be most responsible for thrust. When the physical properties of the robotic fin are tuned appropriately to operating conditions, the robotic fin, like the sunfish, produces positive thrust throughout the entire fin beat. Due to having many degrees of freedom, these fins can be used to generate and control forces for propulsion and maneuvering.
R & D for accelerator magnets with react and wind high temperature superconductors

High temperature superconductors (HTS) have the potential to change the design and operation of future particle accelerators beginning with the design of high performance interaction regions. HTS offers two distinct advantages over conventional low temperature superconductors (LTS)-they retain a large fraction of their current carrying capacity (a) at high fields and (b) at elevated temperatures. The Superconducting Magnet Division at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has embarked on a new R & D program for developing technology needed for building accelerator magnets with HTS. We have adopted a "React and Wind" approach to deal with the challenges associated with the demanding requirements of the reaction process. We have developed several "conductor friendly" designs to deal with the challenges associated with the brittle nature of HTS. We have instituted a rapid turn around program to understand and to develop this new technology in an experimental fashion. Several R & D coils and magnets with HTS tapes and "Rutherford" cables have been built and tested. We have recently performed field quality measurements to investigate issues related to the persistent currents. In this paper, we report the results to date and plans and possibilities for the future.
A View From the ToP and Beyond: An Interview With Randolph A. Smith

Randy Smith was born and grew up in southeast Texas. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Houston and PhD at Texas Tech University in experimental psychology (specialties in human learning/memory and statistics). He began teaching at Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) in Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 1977 and is professor of psychology and chair of the department. Randy currently serves as editor of Teaching of Psychology. He is author of Challenging Your Preconceptions: Thinking Critically About Psychology (2002) and coauthor (with Steve Davis) of The Psychologist As Detective: An Introduction to Conducting Research in Psychology (2001). He has worked with high school teachers grading Advanced Placement (AP) exams since the test's inception and is a faculty advisor for Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS). His recreational interests include golf, running, and reading. Randy is married to Corliss (who teaches in OBU's Education Department) and has two sons, Ben (a graduate s...
Turbulent convection into a linearly stratified fluid: the generation of ‘subsurface anticyclones’

Penetrative turbulent convection from a localized circular top source into a rotating, linearly stratified ambient fluid of strength N has been investigated in a laboratory tank. Initially, the induced three-dimensional convective flow penetrated rapidly into the stratified water column until it reached an equilibrium depth at which the convective flow began to propagate radially outward. At this stage, the usual cyclonic vortices were generated around the convection source at the edge of the radially propagating flow. Soon after, a thin ‘subsurface anticyclone’ was formed at the level of equilibrium depth beneath the convection source. Later, this anticyclone dominated the central part of the convective regime and did not allow new cyclones to be injected into the system. After reaching its maximum mean diameter D a / R ≈10( R 0; R ) 2/3 and swirl velocity v a ≈( B 0 R ) 1/3 , an anticyclone became unstable and split into two new vortices that left the area beneath the source, allowing a new anticyclone to form at its original place (here, R 0, R =( B 0 / f 3 R 2 ) 1/2 is the Rossby number based on R the radius of the source, B 0 is the surface negative buoyancy flux, and f is the Coriolis parameter). These observations provide crucial evidence that many of the ‘subsurface anticyclonic’ vortices detected in the stratified pycnocline of the central Arctic Ocean are indeed generated as a result of convective processes occurring in this region.
A synthetic peptide derived from mouse pituitary calcitonin cDNA sequence exhibits potent inhibition of prolactin secretion and prolactin mRNA abundance in primary mouse pituitary cells

We have shown that gonadotrophs synthesize and secrete immunoreactive calcitonin (CT)-like peptide, and CT is a potent inhibitor of prolactin (PRL) secretion and gene transcription. CT cDNA cloned from LsT2 cells (pit-CT cDNA) exhibits 99% homology with mouse CT cDNA sequence, but exhibits four mismatches in the coding region of CT peptide (347–485 bp) with consequent changes in the amino acids at positions 5 and 17 of mouse CT. We have synthesized a putative 23 amino acid pit-CT peptide based on pit-CT cDNA sequence, and tested its effect on PRL secretion and mRNA abundance in primary mouse pituitary cells. The results suggest that synthetic pit-CT attenuates PRL mRNA abundance and inhibits PRL release from mouse anterior pituitary cells. Moreover, pit-CT is remarkably more potent than salmon (S)CT in attenuating PRL mRNA abundance. These results raise a possibility that this endogenous pituitary peptide may potentially serve as a therapeutic molecule for the treatment of prolactinomas.
A Dynamic Authentication Mechanism for Real-Time Network Security

Computers networks are only as secure as the weakest computer system attached to them. Thus, the authentication method used by computers on the network affects its safety. Static authentication methods are applied only once at the beginning of a user session. Unfortunately, these methods provide no protection from the interactions a user has after they are logged on and using the system. An ongoing dynamic authentication supplements an intrusion detection system by recognizing a masquerader, or a legitimate user's change of intent. In this paper, we statistically analyze the underlying distributions of the time between user commands and develop an analytic model that emulates the underlying mathematical properties of user behaviors. From this, we show how the probabilities of users executing a sequence of commands during a session can be ascertained. Finally, via our experimental results, we show how the efficacy of dynamic authentication schemes in networked computing environments can be improved by incorporating our techniques.
Studies on western Atlantic Octocorallia (Gorgonacea: Primnoidae). Part 8: New records of Primnoidae from the New England and Corner Rise Seamounts

ABSTRACT New records of nine primnoid species are reported from the New England and Corner Rise Seamounts at depths of 1315–3855 m, making a total of 10 primnoid species known from this region. One new genus, Paranarella, and three new species are described: P. watlingi, Calyptrophora clinata, and Parastenella atlantica, the latter being the first record of Parastenella from the Atlantic. Calyptrophora pillsburyae is synonymized with C. microdentata, and the first subsequent report of Convexella jungerseni is noted. The fauna is hypothesized to have colonized the seamounts from the northward flowing Gulf Stream, the southerly flowing Deep Western Boundary Current, and/or via insular steeping stones from the east.
Missed Opportunity in Lima: Creating a Process for Examining Equity Considerations in the Formulation of INDCs

After reviewing the basis for urgency of assuring that nations reduce their ghg emissions to their fair share of safe global emissions, this paper examines the outcome of UNFCCC COP-20 in Lima in regard to getting traction for ethics and justice in national formulation of climate change commitments. In light of what is actually known about how nations have considered ethics and justice in formulating national climate change policies, this paper critically reviews elements of a Lima decision on what information nations must include when they submit their emissions reductions commitments, now known as Intended Nationally Determined Commitments (INDCs). The paper argues that some developing countries seeking to preserve distinctions between duties of developed versus developing countries set out in the UNFCCC may have inadvertently undermined a mechanism that had some significant potential to improve the compliance of high-emitting nations on the basis of equity and justice. Relying on recent research on the...
The Integrative Approach for Management of Pediatric Pain Acupuncture

Chronic pain in the pediatric population is a ­significant problem. It is estimated that 15–20% of children were affected by chronic pain (Goodman and McGrath 1991). The common pediatric chronic pain symptoms include headache, abdominal pain, and complex-regional pain syndromes (type I and type II). Other pain syndromes can be cerebral palsy (spasticity), malignant tumors, scoliosis, benign tumor, cystic fibrosis, irritable bowl syndrome, fibromyalgia, flat feet, and vertebral and spinal cord abnormalities.Despite advances in understanding and treating chronic pain in pediatric patients, treatment is inadequate in many cases (Anand and Hickey 1987; Romej et al. 1996; Kemper et al. 2000; Howard 2003). The major reasons are several: (1) Pain is multifactorial and that requires patient care considerations beyond the use of analgesics. (2) Pain is a subjective expression that can be easily influenced by the child’s developmental level, past experiences with pain, coping skills, anxiety level, culture, family dynamics, and peer issues, as well as the level of fatigue, focus of attention, and the child’s general state of well-being. (3) Since the treatment of pain relies on self-report, only children who have attained a certain degree of cognitive ability have been able to provide information. Several self-report pain scales/drawings, specifically designed for young children to understand and use, were developed. However, the sensitivity and specificity of these scales remain questionable and frequently rely on how a scale was presented to the child (McGrath et al. 1985). Objective measurements were developed such as behavioral observations, changes in physiologic characteristics, and/or combinations of these measures. Thus far, facial expression has been one of the most reproducible. However, this behavioral measurement is age related. Generally, the utility of physiologic measures is diminished because of the homeostatic mechanisms that tend to oppose such changes over time. Despite the fact that multiple scales have been developed, each having its advantages and limitations (such as more than 20 validated pain scales to assess the pain in infants), no individual scale has emerged as superior. The lack of a gold standard or a universally reliable indicator that can be used to accurately assess pain in pediatric patients has limited the health-care providers’ ability to treat pediatric pain adequately.
Healthcare security: A course engaging females in cybersecurity education

The paper describes experience in teaching a sophomore-level healthcare security course. The course introduced security in context. The context was healthcare. The structure of the course is outlined. The pedagogy and research questions are described. Surveys conducted provide insights that security in context of healthcare is effective in engaging students in security topics.
The Dual Purposes of the U Visa Thwarted in a Legislative Duel

Congress created the U visa non-immigrant classification to achieve the dual purposes of both strengthening law enforcement’s ability to pursue domestic violence cases and protecting victims. This article reveals how the gatekeeper function of the law enforcement certification in the U visa petition, as set out in the interim final regulations, undermines Congress’s dual purposes and thwarts the statutory framework entirely. The law enforcement certification provisions of the U visa interim final regulations irreparably shift considerable centralized power to law enforcement personnel, subjecting the certification process to inconsistent application and misapplication. U Visas allow undocumented non-immigrants who are victims of certain qualifying crimes to petition for lawful status if they cooperate in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity, as certified by law enforcement personnel. This article reviews the background of the U visa framework, considering why and for whom Congress created the U visa classification and the role of the law enforcement certification in the petition. It explains how the certification process is unique in its threshold significance to the U visa as an antecedent to petition USCIS for U visa relief. It shows how the U visa regulations - promulgated seven years after the statute was enacted - formalize a more rigid structure than Congress intended. The existing framework leaves petitioners in some jurisdictions and in some cases unable to petition for U visa relief merely because of the jurisdiction of the crime and the resulting inability to get a certification in that jurisdiction. This shift in power is magnified and compounded by the current political, legal, and social status of undocumented immigrants since the U visa legislation was enacted in 2000. Most notably, local law enforcement are playing an increasing and intensifying role in enforcing federal immigration law, dramatically heightening the risks for victims of crime to report qualifying crimes. Law enforcement leaders face new complexities in assisting victims while balancing strong countervailing political pressures to appear “tough on immigration.” This legal framework is problematic in any federal legislative program, but particularly in the U visa legislative scheme. This article recommends statutory amendments to incorporate a certification bypass procedure, following the T visa model, or alternatively, regulatory modifications to add needed flexibility to the certification procedures and restore the dual purposes that Congress intended. This article concludes that while Congress created the U visa to both help law enforcement agencies pursue criminal acts and protect victims, the certification requirement, as implemented, effectively defeats the victim protections and renders the statutory implementation focused on a singular law enforcement purpose that is not consistent with legislative intent and which is inherently unworkable.
African Immigrants in Low-Wage Direct Health Care: Motivations, Job Satisfaction, and Occupational Mobility

This study explores motivations, job satisfaction, and overall perceived occupational mobility for African immigrants working in low-wage direct health care occupations. The study uses qualitative semi-structured interviews with a sample of thirty African immigrant workers in the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Results show that four major themes captured the motivations of interviewees for doing direct care work: passion for care work, quick money, easily obtained employment, and direct care work as a pathway to other health occupations. The majority of the interviewees were satisfied with their jobs, yet almost all of them saw their occupations as temporary or transitional employment. Most of the interviewees also saw their jobs as lacking occupational mobility. In light of the increased national demand for direct care workers, the growing numbers of immigrants in the direct care labor force, and the high turnover and low retention rates of direct care workers overall, the study suggests that more must be done to make direct care work attractive and rewarding for African immigrant workers.
Chemical coverage on corn and sorghum plants sprayed with lithium sulfate using an airplane, chemigation, or a multifunction irrigation-pesticide application system

Comparisons of spray coverage on soybeans, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, and cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., were made using several application technologies. Lithium sulfate monohydrate was applied by three methods: (1) chemical application with the multifunction irrigation system (MFIS) so spray nozzles moved vertically within the canopy while spraying, (2) traditional chemigation with irrigation nozzles located above the canopy and spraying large volumes of water, and (3) spray application using an airplane. Methods 1 and 2 were compared using high- and low-volume nozzles. The most lithium was recovered on soybean and cotton plants sprayed with MFIS using the low-volume nozzle moving downward every 50 s. Lithium concentrations on the plant were low when applications were made with the chemigation nozzles. The distribution of chemical within the plant canopy varied among treatments, and the best vertical coverage on soybeans was obtained using chemigation with high-volume nozzles. Obtaining spray penetration into the inner portion of soybean plants was difficult. MFIS using the high-volume nozzle oriented and moving upward every 25 s was the only application that provided even coverage on the outer and inner portions of soybean plants. Distribution of lithium on cotton plants was more uniform than on soybeans. More lithium was deposited on cotton plants using the MFIS with low volume nozzles than with any other method. In contrast, the most uniform coverage on cotton was obtained with chemigation using high-volume nozzles. Distribution of spray applied by airplane on both crops was uneven, and more than two-thirds of the chemical was recovered on the fully exposed leaves on the top half of the plant and on the outer leaves of the canopy.
The Use of Mobility and Social Media to Improve Student Involvement

The present study examined the effects of integration of mobile technologies and social media through the lens of remote teaching on quality and quantity of student interactions. Classroom interactions were observed over two academic semesters with a separate group of students each semester. The sampling frame included college students enrolled in a social sciences introductory course. Students comprised two separate groups, based on the course they attended. Group 1 included the students in the fall semester of the course. Group 2 included the students in the spring semester of the course. A paired samples t test was completed for the total sample (Groups 1 and 2) frequency of comments. This showed no significant difference between the frequency of in class (M=3.71, SD=4.418) and online (M=5.31, SD=2.309) student comments (p = .055). A paired samples t test was also completed for the total sample (Groups 1 and 2) quality of comments. This showed a statistically significant difference between the quality of in class (M=1.78, SD=1.037) and online (M=2.36, SD=0.519) student comments (p < .05). http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAd15.2015.341
Novel Citronellyl-Based Photoprobes Designed to Identify ER Proteins Interacting with Dolichyl Phosphate in Yeast and Mammalian Cells.

Dolichyl phosphate-linked mono- and oligosaccharides (DLO) are essential intermediates in protein N-glycosylation, C- and O-mannosylation and GPI anchor biosynthesis. While many membrane proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) involved in the assembly of DLOs are known, essential proteins believed to be required for the transbilayer movement (flip-flopping) and proteins potentially involved in the regulation of DLO synthesis remain to be identified.The synthesis of a series of Dol-P derivatives composed of citronellyl-based photoprobes with benzophenone groups equipped with alkyne moieties for Huisgen "click" chemistry is now described to utilize as tools for identifying ER proteins involved in regulating the biosynthesis and transbilayer movement of lipid intermediates. In vitro enzymatic assays were used to establish that the photoprobes contain the critical structural features recognized by pertinent enzymes in the dolichol pathway. ER proteins that photoreacted with the novel probes were identified by MS.The potential of the newly designed photoprobes, m-PAL-Cit-P and p-PAL-Cit-P, for identifying previously unidentified Dol-P-interacting proteins is supported by the observation that they are enzymatically mannosylated by Man-P-Dol synthase (MPDS) from Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells at an enzymatic rate similar to that for Dol-P. MS analyses reveal that DPM1, ALG14 and several other yeast ER proteins involved in DLO biosynthesis and lipid-mediated protein O-mannosylation photoreacted with the novel probes.The newly-designed photoprobes described in this paper provide promising new tools for the identification of yet to be identified Dol-P interacting ER proteins in yeast and mammalian cells, including the Dol-P flippase required for the "re-cycling" of the glycosyl carrier lipid from the lumenal monolayer of the ER to the cytoplasmic leaflet for new rounds of DLO synthesis.
Heat Transfer Enhancement in the Heat Sinks for Electronic Cooling Applications

In a design competition by the mechanical engineering students at Carnegie Mellon University, which was the design of heat sinks for electronic cooling applications, twenty seven heat sinks were designed and tested for thermal performance. A heat sink with three rows of 9, 8, and 9 dimpled rectangular fins (staggered configuration) demonstrated the best performance in the test. This heat sink even had the least total volume (about 25% less than the set value). This paper reports on an effort made to verify and quantify the role of dimples on heat transfer enhancement of the heat sinks. This includes measurements and simulations of the thermal fluid properties of the heat sinks with and without dimples. Results of both the measurements and simulations indicate that dimples do in fact improve heat transfer capability of the heat sinks. Albeit, dimpled fins cause more pressure drop in air along the heat sink. Keeping the total volume of the heat sink and the height of the fins constant and changing the number of the fins and their arrangement show that there exist an optimum number of fins for the best performance of the heat sink. However, this number of fins is different for inline and staggered arrangements. To check the role of the roughness type on the heat transfer behavior of the fins, a heat sink with twenty-seven bumped fins with inline arrangement was also simulated. Results indicated that bumps increase both thermal resistance and pressure drop relative to that of the heat sinks with plain fins.© 2005 ASME
Supramolecular Donor–Acceptor Assembly Derived from Tetracarbazole–Zinc Phthalocyanine Coordinated to Fullerene: Design, Synthesis, Photochemical, and Photoelectrochemical Studies

A functional photosynthetic antenna–reaction center mimicking donor–acceptor polyad has been newly designed, synthesized, and characterized. The polyad was comprised of four entities of carbazole covalently linked to the macrocycle periphery of a zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc). Efficient singlet excitation transfer from the carbazole to zinc phthalocyanine has been witnessed from the emission studies. Axial coordination of phenylimidazole-functionalized fulleropyrrolidine to ZnPc served as an electron acceptor in the polyad. Optical absorption and emission along with computational studies revealed stable complex formation wherein the evaluated binding constant K was 7.7 ± 0.2 × 105 M–1, an order of magnitude higher than that observed earlier for similar complexes due to the electronic effect induced by the carbazole entities. From the free-energy calculations, photoinduced electron transfer from the 1ZnPc* to fullerene within the polyad was established to be an exothermic process. Kinetics of charge separatio...
United Nations and regional development

Based on an introduction to the regional development strategy of United Nations to developing countries, the historical background and geographical conditions for establishing United Nations Center for Regional Development(UNCRD) in Nagoya, Japan, and UNCRD's major regional development programs in developing countries, especially in China are presented in this paper.
Horus, Harmakhis, and Harpokrates in Chapter III of V. and "Under the Rose"

In both Chapter III of V. and "Under the Rose," Hugh Bongo-Shaftsbury appears at the Fink restaurant wearing a hollowed-out ceramic hawk's head. "'Harmakhis'" he explains. "'God of Heliopolis and chief deity of Lower Egypt. Utterly genuine, this: a mask used in the ancient rituals.… Literally Horus on the horizon.'" This casual reference to Horus is more important than it appears.
Robotic Applications in Advancing General Surgery

The use of robotics has been developing for several decades, but its adoption for General Surgery only started to emerge in the 1990s. While several robotic devices have been developed, the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical Inc, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) remains today by far the most commonly used robotic device for General Surgery. This master-slave system separates the surgeon from the patient and consists of a surgical console, surgical and vision carts. It is designed to mimic the upper extremities of the surgeons and results in very intuitive control of articulated surgical instruments while providing a true 3-dimensional image with magnification. Additional software features include motion scaling and tremor filtration. As a result, robotic surgery appears technologically superior when compared to conventional laparoscopy by overcoming some of the technical challenges that are imposed to the surgeon. While robotics has been applied to a wide range of surgical procedures, its role in General Surgery remains a subject of debate as increased costs need to be justified by superior clinical outcomes. Until now, no clear clinical evidence has been created that establishes the use of robotics as the gold standard for procedures of General Surgery. While surgical robotics is still in its infancy with multiple novel systems currently under development and clinical trials in progress, the opportunities for this technology appear endless and robotics will have a lasting impact to the field of General Surgery.
Electronic interactions of i, i + 1 dithioamides: increased fluorescence quenching and evidence for n-to-π* interactions

Thioamide residues can be effective, minimally-perturbing fluorescence quenching probes for studying protein folding and proteolysis. In order to increase the level of quenching, we have here explored the use of adjacent dithioamides. We have found that they are more effective fluorescence quenchers, as expected, but we have also observed unexpected changes in the thioamide absorption spectra that may arise from n-to-π* interactions of the thiocarbonyls. We have made use of the increased quenching to improve the fluorescence turn-on of thioamide protease sensors.
Can low molecular weight heparins and heparinoids be safely given to patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia syndrome?

Background. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and heparinoids have been offered as alternatives to unfractionated heparin (UH) to patients with heparin-associated antiplatelet antibodies (HAAb) and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia syndrome (HIT). Some of these patients have had continued HIT in the presence of the UH substitutes. It would seem important to know whether the heparin substitute is likely to cause patients'platelets to aggregate before administering the substitute to patients with HAAb. Methods. Patients with HIT were identified as having HAAb by positive platelet aggregometry testing with commercial UH. Plasmas from 51 patients with HAAb were tested for the ability to aggregate platelets in the presence of two LMWHs (Mono-Emboles NM and Fragmin) and one heparinoid (Org 10172)
An equalized traveling wave electrode design for Mach Zehnder modulator

We present an equalized traveling-wave electrode design for Mach Zehnder modulator (MZM) which combines the passive electrode with a feedback circuit. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme can potentially increase the 3-dB EO response bandwidth of the MZM by 35%.
UNsatisfied? Public Support for Postconflict International Missions:

Public opinion in postconflict societies toward international missions is widely believed to be important. We offer a theory that local satisfaction critically depends on an individual’s perception of whether the mission is furthering the wartime political agenda of his or her social group. To test this theory and competing hypotheses, we examine Kosovo Albanian satisfaction with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). We use data from seventeen different representative surveys conducted in Kosovo from 2002 to 2007 as well as focus group and other primary and secondary sources. Consistent with our theory, we find that aggregate satisfaction over time reflected UNMIK’s growing acceptance of Kosovo’s independence and individuals with more radical views tended to be less satisfied with UNMIK. Our analysis implies that missions can achieve greater local satisfaction by doing what is possible to be responsive to, or at a minimum recognize, the wartime political agendas of the key social groups.
Core-Shell Nanostars for Multimodal Therapy and Imaging

The coupling of diagnostic capability and effective therapy in a single multifunctional nanomedicine is desirable but remains challenging. Here, we developed multifunctional nanoparticles consisting of a gold nanostar (AuNS) core with a shell of metal-drug coordination polymer (CP). The AuNS core enabled plasmonic photothermal effect and two-photon photoluminescence (TPL), while the CP shell of gadolinium and gemcitabine monophosphate allowed chemotherapy and MRI imaging. The AuNS@CP nanoparticles exhibited a strong T1 contrast signal and could monitor the localization of nanoparticles in vivo through noninvasive MR imaging, while intravital TPL imaging could be used to study nanoparticle behavior in tumors at the microscopic level. The combination of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy inhibited tumor growth in vivo.
Aortic Stenosis: Valvular

Regular reevaluation, including echo, at 1–3 year intervals dictated by disease severity once diagnosis of AV sclerosis/stenosis is made
Targeting RAS – will GPR31 deliver us a new path forward?

ABSTRACTEffective anti-rat sarcoma viral oncogene (RAS) therapies have remained the holy grail of cancer treatment. Mutant Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) sustains tumorigenesis when linked to the plasma membrane (PM). The G protein-coupled receptor 31 (GPR31) is now identified to mediate KRAS membrane association and is crucial for proliferation, survival and macropinocytosis of KRAS-dependent cancer cells, suggesting that GPR31 is a druggable target for anti-RAS therapy.
Multi-dimensional information filter for Space-Based Platforms (MIFS)

Military operators require relevant information from Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets to make timely decisions and to issue effective responses to mission events. Today's sensing and Command and Control (C2) systems blindly collect and pass all available ISR data, which results in data overload that increases demand for communications bandwidth and processing power, with reduction in operator effectiveness. The magnitude of this problem is dramatically growing as commercial, DoD, and other government agency networks transform into a global net-centric enterprise system where any end user is enabled to share data with any other end-user at any time and from any location. The problem is most acute for space-based platforms where bandwidth is extremely limited and very expensive for geostationary platforms. One way to reduce cost is to use inexpensive low orbit Small Satellites (Small Sats). However, providing sufficient processing within the Size Weight and Power (SWaP) limitation for Small Sats is a major issue. The Multi-dimensional Information Filter for Space-Based Platforms (MIFS) addresses this problem.
Why and How Schools Make Nutrition Education Programs "Work"

BACKGROUND There are many potential health benefits to having nutrition education programs offered by expert outside sources in schools. However, little is known about why and how schools initiate, implement, and institutionalize them. Gaining this understanding may allow the impact and reach of nutrition and other health education programs in schools to be extended. METHODS A total of 22 school community members from 21 purposefully selected New York City public elementary schools were interviewed using a semistructured interview protocol about their schools' experiences initiating, implementing, and institutionalizing nutrition education programs. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Chronological narratives were written detailing each school's experience and passages highlighting key aspects of each school's experience were identified. These passages (N = 266) were sorted into domains and themes which were regrouped, resorted, and adjusted until all researchers agreed the domains and themes represented the collective experiences of the schools. RESULTS The interviews elicited 4 broad domains of action: building motivation, choosing programs, developing capacity, and legitimizing nutrition education. Within each domain, themes reflecting specific actions and thoughts emerged. CONCLUSIONS The identified domains of action and their themes highlight specific, practical actions that school health advocates can use to initiate, implement, and institutionalize nutrition education programs in schools.
To Infinity and Beyond: A Cultural History of the Infinite

(2008). To Infinity and Beyond: A Cultural History of the Infinite. Math Horizons: Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 23-23.
Visual Estimation of Force Applied During Simulated Deliveries Complicated by Shoulder Dystocia.

Background Shoulder dystocia occurs when the fetal head delivers, but the shoulder is lodged behind the pubic symphysis. Training for these emergency deliveries is not optimized, and litigation can occur around a shoulder dystocia delivery. Objective Evaluate the ability of an outside observer to visually estimate the amount of traction applied to the fetal head during simulated deliveries complicated by shoulder dystocia. Study Design Simulated deliveries with an objective measurement of traction were randomly organized for estimation of traction applied. Videos show providers applying a “normal” (75 N) and “excessive” (150 N) amount of force in both a “calm” and “stressed” delivery. Results Fifty participants rated the amount of force applied. Observers estimated traction, on a scale from 1 to 5, higher in the 150-N deliveries as compared with 75-N deliveries (“calm” environment: 3.1 vs. 2.8, p Conclusion Observers are not able to determine when “excessive force” is used and are twice as likely to overestimate the force applied to a fetal head when an average amount of force is used and the delivery environment is stressful. Precis Observers are unable to determine when excessive traction is applied to the fetal head during simulated deliveries complicated by shoulder dystocia.
Bladder decompensation and reduction in nerve density in a rat model of chronic bladder outlet obstruction are attenuated with the NLRP3 inhibitor glyburide.

Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) leads to progressive voiding dysfunction. Acutely, obstruction triggers inflammation that drives bladder dysfunction. Over time, inflammation leads to decreased bla...
Improving quality of the informed consent process: Developing an easy-to-read, multimodal, patient-centered format in a real-world setting.

Abstract Objective To develop a patient-centered informed consent and assessment tool written at a 6th grade-level that is multimodal, affordable, transportable, and readily modifiable for protocol updates. Methods This quality improvement initiative was performed in two phases on an actively-recruiting study at a pediatric diabetes clinic. In phase I, 38 volunteers underwent the standard-paper consent process, a comprehension assessment and provided feedback. Using feedback and the structure of the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle a multimodal consent and assessment were developed. In phase II, volunteers were randomized to the standard (n = 25) or the multimodal consent (n = 25) and all completed the same comprehension assessment via touch-screen tablet. Primary outcomes were comparison of the individual and total comprehension assessment scores. Results Total comprehension scores were higher in the multimodal versus the standard consent group (p Conclusion A multimodal consent and assessment presented sequentially on a touch-screen tablet were patient-centered enhancements to standard consent. Practice implications Multimodal standardization of delivery with improved readability may strengthen the informed consent process.
Layered Multistep Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory Networks for Biomedical Word Sense Disambiguation

In this paper, we propose a novel deep neural network architecture for supervised medical word sense disambiguation. Our architecture is based on a layered bidirectional LSTM network, upon which a max-pooling along multiple time steps are performed so that a dense representation of the context is created. In addition, we introduced four different adjustments to the output of the LSTM in order to find the most suitable input form to the max-pooling layer. Results show that the best model outperforms the current state-of-the-art model on the MSH WSD dataset. Moreover, we also train an “universal” network to disambiguate all the target ambiguous words together. We concatenate the embedding of the ambiguous word to the max-pooled vector in the universal network as a ‘hint’ layer. Results show that our universal network achieves nearly 90 percent of the test accuracy.
Abstract P218: Eating Frequency, Breakfast Consumption, and Abdominal Obesity Among Adults Living in Puerto Rico

Background: Puerto Rican adults have a high burden of obesity, but little information is available regarding eating frequency and breakfast consumption in this at-risk ethnic minority group. Thus, ...