cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in the spectrum and rates of extracellular enzyme activities in seawater following aggregate formation

Abstract. Marine snow aggregates are heavily colonized by heterotrophic microorganisms that express high levels of hydrolytic activities, making aggregates hotspots for carbon remineralization in the ocean. To assess how aggregate formation influences the ability of seawater microbial communities to access organic carbon, we compared hydrolysis rates of six polysaccharides in coastal seawater after aggregates had been formed (via incubation on a roller table) with hydrolysis rates in seawater from the same site that had not incubated on a roller table (referred to as whole seawater). Hydrolysis rates in the aggregates themselves were up to three orders of magnitude higher on a volume basis than in whole seawater. The enhancement of enzyme activity in aggregates relative to whole seawater differed by substrate, suggesting that the enhancement was under cellular control, rather than due to factors such as lysis or grazing. A comparison of hydrolysis rates in whole seawater with those in aggregate-free seawater, i.e. the fraction of water from the roller bottles that did not contain aggregates, demonstrated a nuanced microbial response to aggregate formation. Activities of laminarinase and xylanase enzymes in aggregate-free seawater were higher than in whole seawater, while activities of chondroitin, fucoidan, and arabinogalactan hydrolyzing enzymes were lower than in whole seawater. These data suggest that aggregate formation enhanced production of laminarinase and xylanase enzymes, and the enhancement also affected the surrounding seawater. Decreased activities of chondroitin, fucoidan, and arabinoglactan-hydrolyzing enzymes in aggregate-free seawaters relative to whole seawater are likely due to shifts in enzyme production by the aggregate-associated community, coupled with the effects of enzyme degradation. Enhanced activities of laminarin- and xylan-hydrolyzing enzymes in aggregate-free seawater were due at least in part to cell-free enzymes. Measurements of enzyme lifetime using commercial enzymes suggest that hydrolytic cell-free enzymes may be active over timescales of days to weeks. Considering water residence times of up to 10 days in the investigation area (Apalachicola Bay), enzymes released from aggregates may be active over timescales long enough to affect carbon cycling in the Bay as well as in the adjacent Gulf of Mexico. Aggregate formation may thus be an important mechanism shaping the spectrum of enzymes active in the ocean, stimulating production of cell-free enzymes and leading to spatial and temporal decoupling of enzyme activity from the microorganisms that produced them.
Dual nature of the excited state in organic–inorganic lead halide perovskites

The rapid increase in efficiency of methylammonium lead halide perovskite solar cells necessitates further investigation into the nature of perovskite absorption features and optical properties. Films obtained from the deposition of solutions containing lead halides and the CH3NH3+ organic cation is known to yield the CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite structure upon annealing. In examining the precursor solution used in the processing of CH3NH3PbI3 solar cells, we find that Pb2+ readily forms plumbate complexes in the presence of excess iodide ions and exhibits characteristic absorption bands at 370 (PbI3−) and 425 nm (PbI42−). Through comparative spectral analysis of the absorption features of charge transfer complexes in the solution phase and the final solid-state perovskite films, we are able to fully classify the absorption features in the excited state of CH3NH3PbI3 across the transient absorption spectrum recorded following laser pulse excitation. In particular, we attribute the broad photoinduced absorption to a charge-transfer excited state, and show correlation between the photoinduced absorption and 480 nm bleach signals. These observations lead us to propose a band structure composed of two distinct transitions that is consistent with the various spectral features and kinetic behavior of the CH3NH3PbI3 excited state. Characterization of this unique dual excited state nature provides further insight into the optoelectronic behavior of hybrid lead halide perovskite films and thus aids in elucidating their exceptional photovoltaic properties.
Misuse case-based design and analysis of secure software architecture

This paper presents an approach to the architectural design and analysis of secure software systems based on the system requirements elicited in the form of use cases and misuse cases. We identify architectural components and their connections and analyze whether or not a candidate architecture can address security concerns. This provides a smooth transition from requirements specification to high-level design for engineering secure software systems, and greatly improves the traceability of security concerns, which allows a system developer to know what requirement an architectural component references back to. We demonstrate our approach through a case study on a security-intensive hospital information system.
Comparative toxicity of chemicals to earthworms

The concentration-response (mortality) relationships of four species of earthworms, Eisenia fetida (Savigny), Allo lobophora tuberculata (Eisen), Eudrilus eugemae (Kinberg), and Perionyx excavatus (Perrier) are summarized for 62 chemi cals and two test protocols A Weibull function is used to summarize these data for each chemical in terms of sensitivity and toxicity in addition to the LC50 The estimation of the Weibull parameters a and k summarize the entire concentration response relationship This technique should be applicable to a variety of testing protocols with different species whenever the goal is summarizing the shape of the concentration-response curves to fully evaluate chemical impact on organisms In some cases for these data four orders of magnitude separate LC50s of the soil test and the contact test for the same chemical and species All four species appear to be similar in range of toxicity and tolerance to these chemicals, suggesting that Eisenia fetida may be rep resentative of these four species and these chemicals
Postcolonial Developments: Agriculture in the Making of Modern India

Postcolonial Developments: Agriculture in the Making of Modern India. Akhil Gupta. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1998. 410 pp.
Neural Control of Urethral Outlet Activity in Vivo: Role of Nitric Oxide

AbstractThe present study investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the reflex changes in urethral outlet activity during micturition. Isovolumetric bladder contractions, urethral pressure and external urethral sphincter electromyogram (EUS EMG) activity were recorded independently in urethane-anesthetized rats. During reflex bladder contractions, the urethra exhibited reflex responses characterized by an initial decrease in urethral pressure in conjunction with a rise in bladder pressure. This was followed by a period of high frequency oscillations (HFOs) associated with maximal urethral relaxation and burst type EUS EMG activity. Administration of N-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG) 10 mg./kg. intravenously, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, reversibly decreased the magnitude (62 percent, p less than 0.05) and duration (40 percent, p less than 0.05) of reflex urethral relaxation (N = 7). In 4 additional experiments, L-NOARG (10 to 15 mg./kg. intravenously) completely eliminated reflex urethral relaxation ...
Integration of dispenser-printed ultra-low-voltage thermoelectric and energy storage devices

This paper reports on an integrated energy harvesting prototype that consists of dispenser-printed thermoelectric energy harvesting and electrochemical energy storage devices. Parallel-connected thermoelectric devices with low internal resistances were designed, fabricated and characterized. The use of a commercially available dc-to-dc converter was explored to step-up a 27.1 mV input voltage from a printed thermoelectric device to a regulated 2.34 V output at a maximum of 34% conversion efficiency. The regulated power succeeds in charging dispenser-printed, zinc-based micro-batteries with charging efficiencies of up to 67%. The prototype presented in this work demonstrates the feasibility of deploying a printable, cost-effective and perpetual power solution for practical wireless sensor network applications.
Guided-wave behavior in complex media and applications to planar microwave devices

A review is provided of recent theoretical, material and physical concept developments in guided wave behavior in complex media and their impact on device applications in the microwave and millimeter wave frequency regimes. The use of ferrite, semiconductor, chiral, magnetoplasma, superconductor and ferroelectric materials in microwave planar devices are examined. Planar structures include hybrid circuit configurations and monolithic integrated circuits.
The Completeness of the Real Line

It is widely taken for granted that physical lines are real lines, i.e., that the arithmetical structure of the real numbers uniquely matches the geometrical structure of lines in space; and that other number systems, like Robinson�s hyperreals, accordingly fail to fit the structure of space. Intuitive justifications for the consensus view are considered and rejected. In so far as it is justified at all, the conviction that physical lines are real lines is a scientific hypothesis which we may one day reject.
Self-phasing receive array for RF-sensing and tracking applications

A self-phasing receive array based on the phase-detection and phase-shifting architecture is demonstrated in the S-band. The array is capable of selectively steering toward a specific observation frequency in an RF environment composed of multiple signals of varying frequencies. RF target tracking is reported over a ±60° range at 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 GHz.
An infrasound array study of Mount St. Helens

The ongoing activity of Mount St. Helens provides an opportunity to study the infrasonic wavefield produced by an active, silica-rich volcano. In late October 2004, as a pilot experiment for the Acoustic Surveillance for Hazardous Eruptions (ASHE) project, we deployed two infrasound arrays, each co-located with a broadband seismometer and weather station, to continuously record seismo-acoustic signals from Mount St. Helens. The nearest array, Coldwater, was deployed on the northern flank of the volcano, ∼ 13 km from the summit. The second array, Sacajawea, was deployed ∼ 250 km east of the volcano, at a distance where stratospherically ducted acoustic waves may be expected during the winter. This paper presents an overview of the experimental setup, and preliminary results from this unique data set. Eruptions on January 16th 2005 and March 9th 2005 produced strong infrasonic signals. The aseismic January 16th eruption signal lasted ∼ 9.4 min beginning at ∼ 11:20:44 01/16/05 UTC, while the March 9th eruption signal lasted ∼ 52.8 min beginning at ∼ 01:26:17 03/09/05 UTC, with the main steam and ash venting stage probably lasting ∼ 7.2 min. The March 9th signal was an order of magnitude larger than the January 16th signal, and was clearly recorded 250 km east at the Sacajawea array. Infrasonic expressions of long period (LP) seismic events (‘drumbeats’) have also been intermittently observed, and are recorded as acoustic waves mimicking the waveform and temporal sequence of their seismic counterparts. These acoustic observations provide important constraints for source models of long period events and eruptions.
AUTHORSHIP OF THE FRESHWATER RED ALGAL SPECIES TUOMEYA AMERICANA (BATRACHOSPERMACEAE)

Tuomeya Harvey (1858) is recognized as a genus of freshwater red algae of the order Batrachospermales (Kumano 2002; Vis et al. 1998). Tuomeya americana was originally described and reported from the eastern half of North America (Bailey 1848; Flint 1948; Harvey 1858; Kaczmarczyk et al. 1993; Kutzing 1857; Prescott 1951; Sheath and Hymes 1980; Smith 1950). Although Sheath (2003) referred to T. americana as unique to North America, the species now is known also from South Africa (Borge 1928), Finland (Eloranta and Kwandrans 1996), India (Babu and Baluswami 2005), and China (Feng et al. 2007). The record of T. americana from Australia (from a Master’s thesis and reported by Day et al. 1995) is based on a misidentification (T. Entwisle, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, pers. comm.). A second species reported from North America, T. grandis (Wolle) Wolle (Wolle 1887), was transferred to Paralemanea (Kumano 2002). An additional species, T. gibberosa Kumano (1978), was described from Malaysia but later transferred to Batrachospermum (Kumano 1986). Necchi and Entwisle’s (1990) proposal to relegate Tuomeya to the status of a section within Batrachospermum was opposed by Kaczmarczyk et al. (1993) and has not been subsequently followed (Vis et al. 1998). Ever since Papenfuss (1958) proposed the binomial Tuomeya americana (Kutz.) Papenf. to replace the taxonomic synonym T. fluviatilis Harv., the authorship of the former name has persisted in the literature, including contemporary publications and on-line resources (Bourrelly 1970; Entwisle 1984; Guiry and Guiry 2007; Kaczmarczyk et al. 1993; Kapraun et al. 2007; Kumano 2002; Sheath 2003; Vis and Entwisle 2000; Vis et al. 1998, 2005). Papenfuss (1958) pointed out that Kutzing’s (1857) Baileya americana predated RHODORA, Vol. 109, No. 940, pp. 464–467, 2007 E Copyright 2007 by the New England Botanical Club
Epidemiologic Aspects of Waterborne Infectious Disease

Public health surveillance and epidemiologic research can inform environmental microbiology research and practice. Likewise, advances in environmental microbiology improve our understanding of waterborne disease transmission and support targeted public health actions. Waterborne disease outbreak investigations provide useful information about clusters of uncommon but clinically significant infections caused by recognized pathogens. Furthermore, factors that resulted in outbreaks are often characterized and prevention strategies can be developed. Cohort studies of acute waterborne illness provide information about common but mild sporadic cases of illness. In some settings (but not others) such studies have identified microbial measures of water quality that predict illness occurrence. However, pathogens and environmental factors that caused sporadic cases are generally not identified. The majority of recognized waterborne disease outbreaks in the United States occur in the context of recreation in swimming pools, water parks, and other treated waters, with Cryptosporidium spp. the agent responsible for the vast majority of cases. Recognized outbreaks at lakes and rivers are caused by a wider array of infectious agents. Outbreaks linked to drinking water tend to be caused by deficiencies in water treatment and distribution, with bacteria as the causative agents of most outbreaks. Emerging concerns that have been the focus of recent research include respiratory disease attributable to biofilm-associated microbes in drinking water systems, illness caused by toxins elaborated by algal blooms, and associations between precipitation and waterborne disease.
Enhancing combustion in a dump combustor using countercurrent shear. Part 1: Nonreacting flow control and preliminary combustion results

During the last decade, countercurrent shear has been established as an effective flow control technique for increasing turbulent mixing in a variety of flow configurations and operating regimes. Based on the robust mixing enhancement observed for jets and shear layers, the technique appears to have many potential benefits for enhancement and control for turbulent combustion flows. Countercurrent shear flow control has been applied to a planar asymmetric rearward-facing step dump combustor. A nonreacting flow study on the implementation of suction-based countercurrent shear at the dump plane provided insight into the flow control mechanisms. Control of turbulence velocity and length scales occurs through two mechanisms, the development of a countercurrent shear layer near the dump plane, and enhanced global recirculation caused by the removal of mass at the dump plane. Parametric studies on the geometry of the suction slot indicate that the enhancement of the global recirculation zone is the primary mechanism for increasing global turbulence levels within the combustor. Turbulence energy and length scales both increase in a manner such that the spatially-filtered strain rates as measured with particle image velocimetry remain nominally constant, a desirable characteristic for premixed turbulent combustion. Connections will be made to a recent study on fully-developed turbulent countercurrent shear layers showing additional attractive features of countercurrent shear including enhanced turbulent energy production, entrainment, and three dimensionality. Preliminary reacting flow results for the dump combustor operating while burning premixed/prevaporized JP-10 illustrate qualitative changes in the turbulent combustion process within the combustor. The companion paper will describe the quantitative effects of countercurrent shear on the global heat release rates within the combustor.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Formulary Decisions and Health Economics

Because of increasing concerns about health care costs, physicians must consider the cost-effectiveness of a treatment strategy, as well as its efficacy and safety. The question of whether the greater expense of a newer drug is justified over the cost of a generic drug deserves a comprehensive evaluation. The determination of effectiveness and tolerability of the newer antipsychotics should be expanded to include quality-of-life issues, reintegration of the patient into the community, resource utilization, and medical costs. There are clear indications that patients who take atypical antipsychotics utilize fewer medical resources than patients who take typical antipsychotics; however, the positive outcomes of the newer drugs must be translated into cost benefits if formularies are to be intelligently controlled.
Neutron Scattering Angular Distributions in 239Pu at 570 and 700 keV

Neutron elastic and inelastic scattering in 239 Pu have been studied via the time-of-flight technique. Neutrons were generated by the 7 Li(p, n) 7 Be reaction at the University of Massachusetts Lowell 5.5-MV Van de Graaff Accelerator Laboratory. Angular distributions were measured at 570 and 700 keV for two level groups, ground state plus first excited state, and second plus third excited state. The plutonium sample was disk-shaped with a mass of 28. 7 g. The angle-integrated cross sections obtained for the two scattered neutron groups, one corresponding to the elastic plus 7.9 keV level and the other corresponding to the inelastic 57 keV plus 76 keV levels, were 5864 ± 264 mb and 570 ± 42 mb, respectively, for 570-keV incident neutrons and 5060 ± 308 mb and 518 ± 62 mb, respectively, for 700-ke V incident neutrons. The results are compared with ENDF/B-VI and with the measurement of Haouat et al. at 700 keV.
The effect of negative pressure on a failed 54-inch PCCP with a malfunctioning valve in the pipeline - A case study

Much research has been conducted for Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP), focusing on the performance of the pipe under normal loading conditions. However, little has been done to analyze PCCP’s performance under negative pressure that could be created by malfunctioned valves during the dewatering. This paper presents the results of a case study investigating the failure causes of a 54-inch PCCP failed under negative pressure. This investigation will improve the understandings of PCCP’s performance under negative pressure and the findings of this research will help utility owners better manage their PCCP pipeline systems. A 54-inch PCCP failed when Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) was dewatering the pipeline which had one valve stopped working and created negative pressure. The engineers were trying to investigate the failure causes of this pipe but they were not sure if it was the negative pressure that caused the failure. Therefore, it is very important to know the influence of negative pressure on the structural safety of the pipe to identify the actual failure cause of the pipe. If the negative pressure can cause failures of PCCP, then a condition assessment program has to be developed to examine all the valves in the pipeline periodically, which will be very costly and take long time. In this paper, a finite element (FE) model is developed to simulate the structural response of PCCP to the negative pressure, considering the number and location of broken prestressing wires. In the FE model, the weight of soils and pipe is also considered. The structural details such as concrete core, steel cylinder, intact and broken prestressing wires, and coating are simulated to fully represent the structural performance of PCCP under actual loading conditions.
Amino Acids, Including Asparagine and Glutamine, in Plasma and Urine of Normal Human Subjects

SummaryThe use of lithium citrate buffer systems for the analyses of acidic and neutral amino acids in plasma and urine was tested and found superior to the usually employed sodium citrate buffer systems. The lithium systems have the advantage of resolving asparagine and glutamine without loss of resolution of other acidic and neutral amino acids. Normal levels of these amides in plasma and urine were established, and the relative contributions of the aspartic and glutamic acids, their amides, and unknown conjugates (peptides?) to the total measurable acids in protein-free filtrates after hydrolysis were determined. The general pattern of excretion of amino acids in urine collected for 4 hr from fasting individuals was shown to be quite similar to the pattern found in 24-hr urines collected from nonfasting subjects.
Successful treatment of bleeding large duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumour in a patient under dual antiplatelet therapy after recent drug-eluting coronary stent implantation

We report a case of a 69-year-old man who started dual antiplatelet therapy (APT) with aspirin and clopidogrel after recent implantation of drug-eluting coronary stent and developed massive bleeding due to large duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST). Following endoscopic haemostasis and discontinuation of dual APT, neoadjuvant chemotherapy with imatinib was started under continuation of ‘single’ APT with aspirin. A good chemotherapeutic response was achieved without recurrence of bleeding, and subsequent less invasive surgical resection of the tumour was performed, while preoperative single APT was continued for prevention of stent thrombosis. The patient recovered well without any thromboembolic or bleeding events. Neoadjuvant imatinib therapy and subsequent less invasive surgery under continuation of APT is one of the preferred approaches for patients with duodenal GIST with severe thromboembolic comorbidities, as in the current case.
How Kidneys Function in Pregnancy

During pregnancy kidneys have increased plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate in the first two trimesters; are more likely to excrete glucose, lactose and protein, have dilated pelves and ureters; are influenced by hormonal changes; and are more prone to pyelonephritis and acute insufficiency.
DePEGylation studies: PEG-RBC stability in conditions consistent with massive transfusion.

Each year the United States population receives an estimated 12 to 14 million units of packed red blood cells (RBCs) and whole blood.1,2 It is estimated that 33% of transfusions associated with trauma are with unmatched type O RBCs (UORBC).3 UORBCs have been proven effective and relatively safe3 however, by masking RBC surface antigens the risk of transfusion reaction may be further decreased. It is, therefore, important to evaluate and validate the stability of antigen masked RBCs, which may play a part in avoiding transfusion reactions. These antigen-masked RBCs would be regularly subjected to abnormal in vivo conditions commonly associated with massive transfusion such as lactic acidosis, bacteremia, and in vitro irradiation, which is frequently used to sterilize and decrease T Lymphocyte counts in RBC units before transfusion. This study compared two methods of masking RBC antigens by PEGylation: maleimide-PEGylation and cyanuric chloride-PEGylation. RBC PEGylation effectively masks the Rh(D) antigen4,5 and PEG-RBC bond stability was evaluated by comparison of pre and post exposure agglutination with anti-D sera. While the stability of maleimide-PEG-RBCs remained unaffected, the cyanuric chloride-PEG-RBCs remained stable in the bacteremia and irradiation studies, but critical concentrations of lactic acid caused dePEGylation. Further studies are warranted to ensure in vivo stability.
Language and Ethnicity: Interethnic communication and language prejudice

I have wrassled with an alligator. I done tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning, throwed thunder in jail. That's bad. Only last week I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I'm so mean, I make medicine sick . (Muhammad Ali, When We Were Kings , 1996) TENNIS, ANYONE? In 1996 Richard Williams predicted that his daughters, Venus and Serena, would dominate the world of tennis (Malley 2002). Among his other predictions at various points were that they would be ranked numbers one and two in the world, that they would play each other in the finals at Wimbledon, and that they would become “the next two female Michael Jordans” (CNN.com). The mainstream US media consistently reported on Williams' comments in a very negative fashion, as well as on other comments made by Venus and Serena themselves, such as Serena's “It's our ambition to take over tennis … and we're doing a decent job of it” (Baines 2000) or Venus's saying of her $40 million contract with Reebok “If you ask me … I'm worth it” (Puma 2005). The adjective most often used to describe them by the media? “Arrogant.” But are they? I was not surprised by the reaction of the media, but still I found it disappointing, mainly because as a researcher on language and ethnicity I saw in the media coverage something that most European-Americans did not see. The mainstream US media, unremarkably, presents everything from the perspective of the dominant white, middle-class culture.
Emergence of Novel Human Infections: New Insights and New Challenges

Novel human infections have continued to emerge over the past decade. Their presentation, epidemiology, and microbiology have shifted the paradigms of traditional science. In particular insights into nongenetic or paragenetic mechanisms (plasmid mediated), modes of infection have challenged biology. In reviewing the new challenges posed by these emergent events, new technologies promise some answers; however, global health security against pandemic threats, particularly given the uneven distribution of global resources for prevention, detection, and response, remains a critical area of challenge.
Pharmaceutical Interventions for Tourette’s Syndrome

Tourette’s syndrome is a childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics that are chronic (duration of >1 year) (Kurlan N Engl J Med. 363:2332; Jankovic and Kurlan Mov Disord. 26:1149; Diagnostic and statistical manual of psychiatry. 4th ed.). Tics are commonly associated with obsessive–compulsive symptoms and disturbances of attention. In many children with Tourette’s syndrome, tics are mild and not disabling, and education about the condition with supportive counseling is sufficient. However, tics can be disabling by causing social embarrassment, school bullying, isolation, and sometimes conflict. Some tics are painful, and some can be self-injurious. When tics are disabling, tic-suppressing therapy is indicated which can be behavioral therapy and/or pharmacotherapy. Treatment of associated ADHD and OCD symptoms is also warranted when they are disabling.
Visualization of the Phase Propagation within Carbon-Free Li4Ti5O12 Battery Electrodes

The electrochemical reactions occurring in batteries involve the transport of ions and electrons among the electrodes, the electrolyte, and the current collector. In Li-ion battery electrodes, this dual functionality is attained with porous composite electrode structures that contain electronically conductive additives. Recently, the ability to extensively cycle composite electrodes of Li4Ti5O12 without any conductive additives generated questions about how these structures operate, the answers to which could be used to design architectures with other materials that reduce the amount of additives that do not directly store energy. Here, the changes occurring in carbon-free Li4Ti5O12 electrodes during lithiation were studied by a combination of ex situ and operando optical microscopy and microbeam X-ray absorption spectroscopy (μ-XAS). The measurements provide visualizations of the percolation of lithiated domains through the thick (∼40-μm) structure after a depth of discharge of only 1%, followed by a sec...
American soft power and public diplomacy in the Arab world

This position article applies the concept of soft power as developed by Joseph Nye to the Arab world and US public diplomacy in that area. Evaluating public opinion and the challenges of public diplomacy in the Arab world is difficult because of the absence of hard data on polling and public diplomacy issues. However, American diplomats who have served in the Arab world, including this author, know that most Arabs are critical of US foreign policy but that they have positive attitudes towards America as a country, due in part to American cultural and commercial products and education. This essay first discusses the impact of the digital revolution on the American public diplomacy effort and on soft power. The expansion of private communication channels has provided challenges to the US effort and has impacted its soft power. Many Arabs have exaggerated expectations about America’s ability to solve their problems. Sometimes the behaviour of private American citizens has created new challenges for our public diplomacy and damaged our soft power. This essay then analyzes several other new issues that have arisen recently affecting American soft power. One is the private dissemination of American cultural products abroad. Another is the question of whether foreign audiences still regard the US political system as a model, which they once did. A third is the exchange of persons programme, which remains an important vehicle for soft power, but which is underfunded. New security measures made necessary by terrorism also impact US soft power and public diplomacy. Futhermore, the Pentagon’s communications “mission creep” competes with the State’s public diplomacy. At the end of the essay the author takes issue with the thesis that American power generally has declined. This article is published as part of a collection on soft power.
Determinants of single family residential water use across scales in four western US cities

A growing body of literature examines urban water sustainability with increasing evidence that locally-based physical and social spatial interactions contribute to water use. These studies however are based on single-city analysis and often fail to consider whether these interactions occur more generally. We examine a multi-city comparison using a common set of spatially-explicit water, socioeconomic, and biophysical data. We investigate the relative importance of variables for explaining the variations of single family residential (SFR) water uses at Census Block Group (CBG) and Census Tract (CT) scales in four representative western US cities - Austin, Phoenix, Portland, and Salt Lake City, - which cover a wide range of climate and development density. We used both ordinary least squares regression and spatial error regression models to identify the influence of spatial dependence on water use patterns. Our results show that older downtown areas show lower water use than newer suburban areas in all four cities. Tax assessed value and building age are the main determinants of SFR water use across the four cities regardless of the scale. Impervious surface area becomes an important variable for summer water use in all cities, and it is important in all seasons for arid environments such as Phoenix. CT level analysis shows better model predictability than CBG analysis. In all cities, seasons, and spatial scales, spatial error regression models better explain the variations of SFR water use. Such a spatially-varying relationship of urban water consumption provides additional evidence for the need to integrate urban land use planning and municipal water planning.
Repeated exposure to methamphetamine induces sex-dependent hypersensitivity to ischemic injury in the adult rat heart

Background We previously reported that adult female, but not male rats that were prenatally exposed to methamphetamine exhibit myocardial hypersensitivity to ischemic injury. However, it is unknown whether hypersensitivity to ischemic injury develops when rats are exposed to methamphetamine during adulthood. The goal of this study was to determine whether methamphetamine exposure during adulthood sensitizes the heart to ischemic injury. Methods Adult male and female rats received daily injections of methamphetamine (5 mg/kg) or saline for 10 days. Their hearts were isolated on day 11 and subjected to a 20 min ischemic insult on a Langendorff isolated heart apparatus. Cardiac contractile function was measured by an intraventricular balloon, and infarct size was measured by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. Results Hearts from methamphetamine-treated females exhibited significantly larger infarcts and suppressed postischemic recovery of contractile function compared to hearts from saline-treated females. In contrast, methamphetamine had no effect on infarct size or contractile recovery in male hearts. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that hypersensitivity to ischemic injury persisted in female hearts following a 1 month period of abstinence from methamphetamine. Myocardial protein kinase C-e expression, Akt phosphorylation, and ERK phosphorylation were unaffected by adult exposure to methamphetamine. Conclusions Exposure of adult rats to methamphetamine sex-dependently increases the extent of myocardial injury following an ischemic insult. These data suggest that women who have a heart attack might be at risk of more extensive myocardial injury if they have a recent history of methamphetamine abuse.
Application of Appropriate Use Criteria for Initial Transthoracic Echocardiography in an Academic Outpatient Pediatric Cardiology Program

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a non-invasive diagnostic modality for children with suspected heart disease. The American College of Cardiology published Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for an initial outpatient pediatric TTE in 2014 to promote effective care and improve resource utilization. The objective was to determine the appropriateness of TTE per the published AUC in a single academic pediatric cardiology clinic as a baseline performance quality measure. The echocardiography database was used to identify initial outpatient TTE in children during January–March 2014. TTE indications (appropriate [A], may be appropriate [M], or rarely appropriate [R]) and findings (normal, incidental, or abnormal) were recorded. The effect of AUC and age groups on yield of abnormal TTE findings was analyzed. Of the 2166 screened studies, our study cohort consisted of 247 TTEs. Indications rated A, M, and R were found in 129, 27, and 90, respectively, and 1 was unclassifiable. Majority of TTE (n = 183) were normal, although incidental findings were noted in 32 and abnormal findings in 32 cases. Abnormal findings were noted in 26/129 of A, 2/27 of M, and 4/90 of R. Indications rated A were significantly associated with yield of abnormal TTE findings, adjusted by age group. Infants and adolescents were more likely to have abnormal TTE findings compared to young children. Recently published AUC were validated for initial TTE in the outpatient pediatric cardiology clinic. Appropriateness rated by AUC was highly associated with yield of abnormal TTE findings and worked best in infants and adolescent.
Crystal structure of chlorido-(dimethyl sulfoxide-κS)bis-[4-(pyridin-2-yl)benzaldehyde-κ3C2,N]iridium(III) aceto-nitrile monosolvate.

The title compound, [IrCl(C12H8NO)2{(CH3)2SO}]·H3CCN or [IrCl(fppy)2(DMSO)]·H3CCN [where fppy is 4-(pyridin-2-yl)benzaldehyde and DMSO is dimethyl sulfoxide], is a mononuclear iridium(III) complex including two fppy ligands, a sulfur-coordinating DMSO ligand, and one terminal chloride ligand that define a distorted octa­hedral coordination sphere. The complex crystallizes from 1:1 DMSO–aceto­nitrile as an aceto­nitrile solvate. In the crystal, weak C—H⋯O and C—H⋯N hydrogen-bonding inter­actions between adjacent complexes and between the aceto­nitrile solvent and the complex consolidate the packing.
The Mark of Criminality: Rhetoric, Race, and Gangsta Rap in the War-On-Crime Era, by Bryan J. McCann: Tuscaloosa: U of Alabama P, 2017. 208 pp. $49.95 (cloth)

Bryan J. McCann asks us to think about the history of Gangsta Rap as instructive for engaging rhetorics of identity and embodied performances embedded in the politics of “the mark of criminality,” ...
Facing the challenge

The challenge was to create a fully autonomous vehicle capable of navigating complex desert terrain at high speeds to compete for } in the DARPA Grand Challenge. The solution was to use an advanced NI PXI sensor suite and LabVIEW to perform GPS navigation, obstacle avoidance, and road following.
The principles of experimental design and analysis in relation to theory building.

The frame of reference on which we now focus is that of general psychological research, within which we propose to define the varieties of experimental design. It is necessary to get into such a perspective that multivariate experimental design which we have so far briefly historically introduced but with which later chapters are extensively concerned.
SOME ASPECTS OF DISLOCATION — POINT DEFECT INTERACTIONS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE TO INTERNAL FRICTION

A short review of the salient aspects of the Koehler-Granato-Lucke theory of strain-amplitude independent internal friction arising from mobile dislocation segments is given. The subsequent extensions by Thompson and Holmes and Simpson and Sosin to account for point defect pinning and dragging, respectively, are also briefly discussed. These mechanisms invoke the presence of dislocation core-entrapped point defects. An additional damping mechanism arises from diffusive motion of the point defects in solution in response to the time dependent stress field of the vibrating dislocation segments. The magnitude of this effect is estimated. It is possible that it might explain the anomalous low frequency (kHz) dependence of the damping if some trace impurity were to be unusually mobile. The concept of pinning due to irradiation-produced self-defects is also analyzed. The result indicates it to be extremely unlikely that single self-interstitials can act as dislocation pins at low frequencies. Additionally, the topic of Thermodynamic forces upon pinning points is addressed. It is pointed out that besides the entropy force on pinning points, a force originating in the dislocation damping exists. This internal energy force has the opposite effect to that due to vibrational entropy, while the two are of comparable magnitude. As a consequence it is suggested that Thermodynamic forces may be ignored. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the nature of the point defect capture process by dislocations. It is shown that a previously-ignored interaction arising from induced dislocation glide arises. Some tentative remarks upon the manner in which this may enter into the Internal Friction problem are given.
Current Compensators for Unbalanced Electric Distribution Systems

Inherent current imbalances are often present in electric distribution systems due to the increase of single-phase generation in the form of renewables and the existence of single-phase loads. The continued expansion of non-linear load usage is also increasing the levels of harmonics through the power transformers servicing these distribution systems. The issues that arise from these operating conditions are widely known and standard solutions used by utilities are as well. However, they are often bulky and do not provide a level of control or versatility appropriate for these challenges. This paper gives an overview of many of the problems that are faced on distribution systems and how an active shunt compensator may be used to mitigate or eliminate them.
Deciphering the Colorectal Cancer Gut Microbiota: Association vs. Causality

Studies have identified differences between the gut microbiota of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients versus healthy individuals. In this review, we assess the scientific literature to determine if gut microbes should be considered causal, co-varying, or a necessary but not sufficient agent in CRC development. Oral bacteria may influence CRC susceptibility. Colonic biofilms in both sporadic and hereditary CRC suggest these bacteria are present in early neoplasia. Pathogenic drivers and opportunistic passenger bacteria may underlie direct effect of the gut microbiota on carcinogenesis. Members of multiple bacterial taxa have been implicated in CRC tumorigenesis and progression, with distinct mechanisms of action described for each. Individual bacterial organisms found in the colon are likely not enough to explain CRC development and progression. The entire colonic environment, including genetic factors, local tissue inflammatory state as well as dietary components may influence the way epithelial cells respond to the presence of certain bacteria. Longitudinal, human intervention studies are needed to completely clarify complex interactions in the colonic environment and specific causative pathways between the microbiota and CRC.
Transverse Spurious Mode Compensation for AlN Lamb Wave Resonators

Lamb wave modes with type I dispersion characteristics exhibit strong affinity toward multi transverse modes behavior above resonance frequency (f r ) in the AlN Lamb wave resonators (LWRs), especially the high-transduction-efficiency modes: S 0 and S 1 mode. For conventional interdigital transducer (IDT) design, the IDT aperture and IDT gap are the two main factors impacting the transverse mode placements and strengths, according to the wave vector analysis and finite element method (FEM) simulation. Moreover, the convex slowness curve of the Lamb wave modes propagating in AlN platelets allows the waveguiding and weak lateral leakage into busbars by the high-velocity IDT gap region. Apodization, the standard technique to suppress the transverse modes for IDT-excited resonators, suffers from drawbacks, such as additional loss and reduction of the effective coupling coefficient (k eff 2 ). Type I Lamb wave modes in AlN show positive slope in the dispersion branch so that a border region of lower Eigen-resonance frequency is required to form piston mode structure for transverse spurious mode suppression and lateral leakage reduction. Based on dispersion calculations and 2.5D FEM simulations, we demonstrate that by designing the low-velocity border region, such as simply changing the IDT layout, the guiding can be improved and a piston mode can be obtained for the type I Lamb wave modes.
An exploration of apparel and well-being among transmasculine young adults

Physical expression is key to transmasculine people’s identity, presentation of gender, comfort, and safety. We explored the significance of apparel among transmasculine young adults and the relati...
Soft Switching Realization of LCCL-LC Resonant Converter for Wireless Power Transfer Application

The LCCL-LC resonant converter is a promising topology for wireless power transfer (WPT) systems and soft switching is essential to reduce the switching related loss and electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise for a high frequency system. In this paper, an analytical model considering the dead-time period to realize zero voltage switching (ZVS) in the LCCL-LC circuit is proposed. With the analytical model, the ZVS condition is derived for one-transmitter one-receiver case and then is extended to multiple-transmitter one-receiver case. A detailed comparative study of the existing current control methods in a multiple transmitter system is conducted in terms of ZVS. Finally, a 6.78MHz wireless charging system is built and the proposed ZVS model is validated by the experimental results. The peak system efficiency is 85% at 5W output level.
Advances in the fabrication of disordered transverse Anderson localizing optical fibers [Invited]

Disordered transverse Anderson localizing optical fibers have shown great promise in various applications from image transport to random lasing. Their success is due to their novel waveguiding behavior, which is enabled by the transverse Anderson localization of light. The strong transverse scattering from the transversely disordered refractive index structure results in transversely confined modes that can freely propagate in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, these fibers behave like large-core highly multimode optical fibers, with the peculiar property that most modes are highly localized. This property makes them ideal for such applications as image transport and spatial beam multiplexing. In this review paper, we will explore some of the recent advances in these fibers, especially those related to the material structure and fabrication methods.
Neonatal surgery in low- vs. high-volume institutions: a KID inpatient database outcomes and cost study after repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, esophageal atresia, and gastroschisis.

The volume–outcome relationship and optimal surgical volumes for repair of congenital anomalies in neonates is unknown. A retrospective study of infants who underwent diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), gastroschisis (GS), and esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) repair at US hospitals using the Kids’ Inpatient Database 2009–2012. Distribution of institutional volumes was calculated. Multi-level logistic/linear regressions were used to determine the association between volume and mortality, length of stay, and costs. Total surgical volumes were 1186 for CDH, 1280 for EA/TEF, and 3372 for GS. Median case volume per institution was three for CDH and EA/TEF, and four for GS. Hospitals with annual case volumes ≥ 75th percentile were considered high volume. Approximately, half of all surgeries were performed at low-volume hospitals. No clinically meaningful association between volume and outcomes was found for any procedure. Median cost was greater at high- vs. low-volume hospitals [CDH: $165,964 (p < 0.0001) vs. $104,107, EA/TEF: $85,791 vs. $67,487 (p < 0.006), GS: $83,156 vs. $72,710 (p < 0.0009)]. An association between volume and outcome was not identified in this study using robust outcome measures. The cost of care was higher in high-volume institutions compared to low-volume institutions. III
Three-Dimensional Study of a Jet Penetrating a Stream at Right Angles

I A RECENT NOTE in the Readers' Forum, 1 Mr. Summers pointed out that the expression for the apparent additional mass of a cylinder with symmetrical wings and unequal vertical fins translating along its unsymmetrical axis can be expressed as an algebraic function of its dimensions instead of a function containing elliptic integrals as given in my paper. I t can be shown that his expression is a simplification of my Eq. (34); my oversight in not simplifying the expression was due to the fact that the function G*(\, ju) defined by Eq. (8) in Appendix (1) can only be expressed in terms of elliptic integrals, whereas G(\, fx) = G*(\ ju) + G*(JU, X) can be expressed simply as