cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust and energy-efficient DSP systems via output probability processing

This paper proposes to employ error statistics of nanoscale circuit fabrics to design robust energy-efficient digital signal processing (DSP) systems. Architectural level error statistics are exploited to generate probability or the reliability of each output bit of a DSP kernel. The proposed technique is referred to here as bit-level a posteriori probability processing (BLAPP). Energy efficiency and robustness of a 2D discrete cosine transform (2D-DCT) image codec employing BLAPP is studied. Simulations in a commercial 45nm CMOS process show that BLAPP provides up to 14X improvement in robustness, and 25% power savings over conventional 2D-DCT codec design.
Patterns of dietary fluoride supplement use in children from birth to 96 months of age.

Objective: This paper reports on fluoride supplement use from birth to age 96 months. Methods: As part of the Iowa Fluoride Study, questionnaires were mailed at 3 to 6– month intervals assessing use of supplements. Estimated fluoride intake from supplements was calculated as a daily fluoride intake in mg. Analyses include descriptive statistics of supplements use for individual periods, area-under-the-curve (AUC) for combined periods, and associations between fluoride supplement use and demographic covariates. Results: Participants (n=1,388) were mostly white, with about two-thirds of parents having some college education. Percentages using fluoride supplements were 11.2% (12 months), 6.3% to 6.8% (24, 36, 48 and 60 months) and 3.6% to 4.7% (72, 84 and 96 months). Physicians prescribed most supplements until age three. The mean supplement dosage when used gradually increased from 0.25 mg (12 months) to 0.82 mg (84 months) and 0.75 mg (96 months). The effective mean daily fluoride supplement quantities ingested among users for the successive age groups from 12 to 96 months old were 0.14, 0.14, 0.25, 0.34, 0.37, 0.43, 0.48, and 0.37mg, respectively Estimated daily average fluoride ingested from supplements increased from 0.06 mg (birth-12 months) to 0.07 mg (12–60 months) to 0.18 mg (60–96 months). Conclusion: Fluoride supplement use patterns varied substantially among individuals; however, average use within the intervals birth-12 months, 12–60 months, and 60–96 months was fairly consistent.
5-Thyminyl-5,6-dihydrothymine from DNA irradiated with ultraviolet light.

Abstract The major thymine-derived product (P 3 ) has been isolated and characterized from DNA irradiated with ultraviolet light at low temperature (−78°C). P 3 is chromatographically indistinguishable from the major photoproduct of UV-irradiated bacterial spores — generally referred to as spore-photoproduct (“sp”) and of dry DNA. On the basis of UV, IR, NMR and mass spectra studies, 5-thyminyl-5,6-dihydrothymine has been assigned as the most probable structure of P 3 . The mechanism proposed for the formation of P 3 in DNA involves the addition of a thyminyl radical to the 5-position of a thymyl radical.
Structural Basis for the Differential Regulation of DNA by the Methionine Repressor MetJ

The Met regulon in Escherichia coli encodes several proteins responsible for the biosynthesis of methionine. Regulation of the expression of most of these proteins is governed by the methionine repressor protein MetJ and its co-repressor, the methionine derivative S-adenosylmethionine. Genes controlled by MetJ contain from two to five sequential copies of a homologous 8-bp sequence called the metbox. A crystal structure for one of the complexes, the repressor tetramer bound to two metboxes, has been reported (Somers, W. S., and S. E. Phillips (1992) Nature 359, 387-393), but little structural work on the larger assemblies has been done presumably because of the difficulties in crystallization and the variability in the number and sequences of metboxes for the various genes. Small angle neutron scattering was used to study complexes of MetJ and S-adenosylmethionine with double-stranded DNA containing two, three, and five metboxes. Our results demonstrate that the crystal structure of the two-metbox complex is not the native solution conformation of the complex. Instead, the system adopts a less compact conformation in which there is decreased interaction between the adjacent MetJ dimers. Models built of the higher order complexes from the scattering data show that the three-metbox complex is organized much like the two-metbox complex. However, the five-metbox complex differs significantly from the smaller complexes, providing much closer packing of the adjacent MetJ dimers and allowing additional contacts not available in the crystal structure. The results suggest that there is a structural basis for the differences observed in the regulatory effectiveness of MetJ for the various genes of the Met regulon.
Existence of many positive solutions of semilinear elliptic equations on annulus

Abstract We study the existence of many nonradial positive solutions in an annulus of RN. It is an improvement of results in C. V. Coffman (A nonlinear boundary value problem with many positive solutions, J. Differential Equations 54 (1984), 429–437. An annulus is invariant under many group actions and these group actions act naturaly on the functional and leave the functional invariant. Therefore when we look for critical points of the functional we can restrict the functional to the manifold consisting of all fixed points under the group action. We are going to use different group actions to obtain critical points and furthermore we can distinguish them.
Rapid fabrication of bimetallic spherical motors.

Catalytic bimetallic nanomotors can swim at 100 body lengths per second as well as pick up, haul, and release micrometer-scale cargo. The electrokinetic locomotion of bimetallic nanomotors is driven by the electrocatalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The motors are typically fabricated by electrodeposition-based template synthesis techniques that result in heterogeneous samples and require specialized knowledge of electrochemistry, a three-electrode potentiostat setup, cyanide-based chemistry, and porous membranes. This paper presents a rapid and facile method for fabrication of spherical bimetallic motors that only requires access to metal deposition equipment and commercially available microspheres. The resulting spherical motors swim at speeds comparable to rod-shaped motors with the same dimensions and composition. The spherical motors’ velocity increases with fuel concentration and decreasing diameter.
Effects of adrenaline on nerve terminals in the superior cervical ganglion of the rabbit

Abstract 1. Adrenaline decreases the release of transmitter from the presynaptic nerves in the superior cervical ganglion of the rabbit. The presynaptic mechanism of adrenaline action was investigated with micro-electrode techniques. 2. Adrenaline (10-5M) did not change the threshold of the presynaptic nerve terminals to a current stimulus. 3. The effect of adrenaline on the excitatory postsynaptic potential (e.p.s.p.) was decreased when the calcium concentration of the perfusing solution was increased to 10 mM. 4. The effect of adrenaline on a train of e.p.s.ps (30-50 Hz) was analysed. Adrenaline decreased the readily available stores of transmitter, but only slightly changed the probability of release. 5. The probability of release was increased when the calcium concentration was increased to 5 mM. 6. It was concluded that adrenaline acts directly on excitation release coupling in the presynaptic terminals.
GLCM and neural network based watermark identification

In this work, we extend our previous research on gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) based watermark embedding in the discrete cosine transform (DCT) domain to the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) domain. The GLCM method incorporated human visual system information into the embedding process making the watermark more transparent. DWT techniques allow for more compression as fewer coefficients are required to reconstruct an image. In addition, DWT methods will not exhibit block artifacts commonly encountered when applying block based DCT methods. The watermark identification is further enhanced using neural networks. In this research, daubechies wavelets are utilized to evaluate the efficiency of the watermark identification while the method is subjected to multiple attacks such as filtering, compression, or rotation. The results are then compared with previously published methods by the authors such as LMS based correlation and adaptive DWT based watermark identification.
Effect of experimental analogs of contingency management treatment on cocaine seeking behavior

Abstract Background Contingency management (CM) treatment is effective for treating cocaine dependence but further mechanistic studies of its efficacy are warranted. This study aimed to determine whether: (a) higher vs. lower predictable money amounts ($3 vs. $1; analogs of standard voucher-based CM) increase cocaine demand elasticity; and (b) probabilistic amounts matched for expected value with the $3-predictable amount (50% chance of $6; 25% chance of $12; and 12.5% chance of $24; analogs of prize CM) similarly affect cocaine choice. Methods Each of 15 cocaine-dependent participants first completed a qualifying session to ensure that intranasal cocaine functioned as a reinforcer, then completed a 10-session, within-subject, randomized crossover study. During each of the 10 sessions, the participant responded on a progressive ratio schedule to earn units of cocaine (5-mg or 10-mg) and/or money (five monetary conditions above). Results During the reinforcement qualifying session (10-mg vs. 0-mg units; no money alternative), cocaine choice was high. The $3-predictable amount significantly decreased cocaine choice relative to both the $1-predictable amount and the qualifying session. Cocaine-choices in the probabilistic conditions were similar to the $3 predictable condition. Conclusions These findings indicate that CM interventions targeted at reducing cocaine self-administration are more likely to succeed with higher value non-drug reinforcement.
Chemical and radiation induced late dominant lethal effects in mice

Although theoretically expected, experimental data to date have not shown dominant lethal expression to occur throughout the developmental period. Specifically, late post-implantation effects have not been demonstrated. We routinely use an experimental technique in which parental females mated to mutagenically treated males are allowed to give birth and wean their litter, and their uterine horns are then inspected for uterine scars indicative of live and dead embryos. In a number of experiments in which males were mutagenically treated with either chemicals or X-irradiation, a discrepancy was observed between the number of live embryos as determined by the scar technique and the number of live observed at birth, suggesting the possibility of embryonic losses at a late stage in development. Initial analyses showed that mutagenic treatment increased the percentage of these late losses. These differences were statistically significant in 2 of 3 analyses. Factors affecting statistical significance and an understanding of dominant lethal mutations are discussed.
Fate of pGFP-Bearing Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Ground Beef at 2 and 10°C and Effects of Lactate, Diacetate, and Citrate

Although beef has been implicated in the largest outbreaks of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection in the United States, studies on the fate of this pathogen have been limited. Problems in such studies are associated with detection of the pathogen at levels considerably lower than the levels of the competing microorganisms. In the present study, a green fluorescent protein-expressing E. coli O157:H7 strain was used, and the stable marker allowed us to monitor the behavior of the pathogen in ground beef stored aerobically from freshness to spoilage at 2 and 10°C. In addition, the effects of sodium salts of lactate (SL) (0.9 and 1.8%), diacetate (SDA) (0.1 and 0.2%), and buffered citrate (SC) (1 and 2%) and combinations of SL and SDA were evaluated. SC had negligible antimicrobial activity, and SL delayed microbial growth, while SDA and SL plus SDA were most inhibitory to the total-aerobe population in the meat. At 2°C, the initial numbers of E. coli O157:H7 (3 and 5 log 10 CFU/g) decreased by ∼1 log 10 CFU/g when spoilage was manifest (>7 log 10 CFU of total aerobes/g), irrespective of the treatment. There was no decline in the numbers of the pathogen during storage at 10°C. Our results showed that the pathogen was resistant to the salts tested and confirmed that refrigerated meat contaminated with the pathogen remains hazardous.
Lysosomal storage disorders: the need for better pediatric recognition and comprehensive care.

The past decade has witnessed major advances in our understanding of the clinical, biochemical; and genetic aspects of lysosomal storage disorders. This large and heterogeneous group of almost 50 inherited disorders shares a common pathogenesis: a genetic defect in a specific lysosomal enzyme, receptor target, activator protein, membrane protein, or transporter that causes lysosomal accumulation of specific substrates. These waste products accumulate progressively, causing deterioration of cellular and tissue function (Fig 1). The extent and severity of the lysosomal storage disorder depend on the type and amount of substrate that accumulates, but almost all disorders are progressive. Most disorders have both central nervous system and systemic manifestations, whereas some affect just the central nervous system. Many patients with lysosomal storage disorders die in infancy or childhood, and patients who survive to adulthood often have a decreased lifespan and significant morbidity. Although separately each is somewhat rare, as a group, lysosomal storage disorders have an incidence of one per 7000 to 8000 live births. 1,2 Therefore, many physicians are likely to encounter these patients during the course of their practice. This includes specialists as well as generalists, because the manifestations of lysosomal storage disorders encompass virtually all medical specialties. In addition, as each disorder becomes more clearly defined, an increasing number of patients with milder, attenuated forms are being identified. Thus, current incidence figures may underestimate the actual frequency of these disorders. With the growing availability of disease-specific therapies and of diagnostic and treatment resources for lysosomal storage disorders, two important challenges must be met. The first is to raise recognition of these disorders and alert physicians to their presenting signs and symptoms. Missed, delayed, or erroneous diagnoses exact an enormous toll on patients, families, and healthcare providers. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential to provide specific therapy before the development of irreversible injury. Once a diagnosis is established, the second challenge is to provide access to expert consultation and up-to-date comprehensive care. All of these disorders are best managed with a multidisciplinary team of medical specialists.
Effects of allatotropin and allatostatin on in vitro production of juvenile hormones by the corpora allata of virgin females of the moths of Heliothis virescens and Manduca sexta

Retrocerebral complexes (RCs) were isolated from adult females of the moths Heliothis virescens and Manduca sexta. Different homologs of juvenile hormone (JH) produced by the isolated RCs were identified and amounts measured by capillary gas chromatography-chemical ionization (isobutane)-mass spectroscopy. Only JH I, II and III were identified. Incubation of RCs from both species in media containing acetate, but no propionate, induced production of approximately equal amounts of JH II and JH III, but the amount of JH I present was very low in all samples. Incubation of RCs with synthetic Manduca sexta allatotropin stimulated significant increases in production of all three homologs but increases in JH I and JH II were greater than those for JH III. The effect of allatotropin was mimicked by addition of propionate to the medium, which indicated that allatotropin increased supply of acetyl- and propionyl-CoA precursors. Incubation of tissue from H. virescens females during the first 24 h after eclosion with synthetic Manduca sexta allatostatin did not reduce production of JH. However, incubation of tissue from 3-day-old females with allatostatin significantly reduced production of JH. Similarly, incubation of tissue from H. virescens females during the first 24 h after eclosion with both allatotropin and allatostatin did not increase JH over the amount present in extracts from tissue incubated without the neuropeptides, indicating that allatostatin negated the action of allatotropin. Incubation of tissue from H. virescens females with allatostatin plus farnesol or JH III acid resulted in significant production of JH III, but neither JH I nor JH II was detected. These findings indicated that allatostatin acts prior to formation of the sesquiterpene alcohol precursors of JH.
Kinetics of desolvation-mediated protein-protein binding.

The role of desolvation in protein binding kinetics is investigated using Brownian dynamics simulations in complexes in which the electrostatic interactions are relatively weak. We find that partial desolvation, modeled by a short-range atomic contact potential, is not only a major contributor to the binding free energy but also substantially increases the diffusion-limited rate for complexes in which long-range electrostatics is weak. This rate enhancement is mostly due to weakly specific pathways leading to a low free-energy attractor, i.e., a precursor state before docking. For alpha-chymotrypsin and human leukocyte elastase, both interacting with turkey ovomucoid third domain, we find that the forward rate constant associated with a collision within a solid angle varphi around their corresponding attractor approaches 10(7) and 10(6) M(-1)s(-1), respectively, in the limit phi approximately 2 degrees. Because these estimates agree well with experiments, we conclude that the final bound conformation must be preceded by a small set of well-defined diffusion-accessible precursor states. The inclusion of the otherwise repulsive desolvation interaction also explains the lack of aggregation in proteins by restricting nonspecific association times to approximately 4 ns. Under the same reaction conditions but without short range forces, the association rate would be only approximately 10(3) M(-1)s(-1). Although desolvation increases these rates by three orders of magnitude, desolvation-mediated association is still at least 100-fold slower than the electrostatically assisted binding in complexes such as barnase and barstar.
Learning with a non-exhaustive training dataset: a case study: detection of bacteria cultures using optical-scattering technology

For a training dataset with a nonexhaustive list of classes, i.e. some classes are not yet known and hence are not represented, the resulting learning problem is ill-defined. In this case a sample from a missing class is incorrectly classified to one of the existing classes. For some applications the cost of misclassifying a sample could be negligible. However, the significance of this problem can better be acknowledged when the potentially undesirable consequences of incorrectly classifying a food pathogen as a nonpathogen are considered. Our research is directed towards the real-time detection of food pathogens using optical-scattering technology. Bacterial colonies consisting of the progeny of a single parent cell scatter light at 635 nm to produce unique forward-scatter signatures. These spectral signatures contain descriptive characteristics of bacterial colonies, which can be used to identify bacteria cultures in real time. One bottleneck that remains to be addressed is the nonexhaustive nature of the training library. It is very difficult if not impractical to collect samples from all possible bacteria colonies and construct a digital library with an exhaustive set of scatter signatures. This study deals with the real-time detection of samples from a missing class and the associated problem of learning with a nonexhaustive training dataset. Our proposed method assumes a common prior for the set of all classes, known and missing. The parameters of the prior are estimated from the samples of the known classes. This prior is then used to generate a large number of samples to simulate the space of missing classes. Finally a Bayesian maximum likelihood classifier is implemented using samples from real as well as simulated classes. Experiments performed with samples collected for 28 bacteria subclasses favor the proposed approach over the state of the art.
First Report of Blight Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii on the Invasive Exotic Weed, Vincetoxicum rossicum (Pale Swallow-Wort), in Western New York.

Pale (Vincetoxicum rossicum) and black swallow-wort (V. nigrum) are perennial, twining vines that are increasingly invasive in natural and managed ecosystems in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Both species, introduced from Europe in the 1800s, are listed as noxious weeds or banned invasive species by the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service. Observations by C. Southby, a local naturalist, over several years at a meadow populated by pale swallow-wort in Powder Mill Park, Monroe County, NY, revealed a gradual disappearance of pale swallow-wort with restoration of native grasses and some dicotyledonous plant species, in a 6.7-m-diameter area. Diseased swallow-wort plants had extensive yellowing and wilting of foliage, likely due to splitting of the basal stem, with white mycelium throughout the stem and crown; small, reddish brown sclerotia were evident, but roots were not affected. Stem tissue sections from 20 symptomatic plants were vacuum infiltrated with 2% NaOCl for 20 min,...
Electoral Systems and the Number of Parties in Postcommunist States

Scholars studying electoral systems have consistently found that single-member plurality elections tend to constrain the number of parties operating in a polity to a much greater extent than multimember proportional representation systems. This article tests this hypothesis in the post-communist context by examining the effects of proportional representation and single-member district elections on the number of parties in five postcommunist states. It is shown that some postcommunist states, most notably Poland and Hungary, have followed the standard pattern of party consolidation over time in reaction to incentives of electoral systems, while others, most notably Russia and Ukraine, have not. The author argues that the different effects of electoral systems can be attributed to different levels of party institutionalization found in postcommunist states.These findings have policy implications. Under conditions of extreme party underdevelopment, the electoral system that promotes the use of party labels—proportional representation—may be more effective than the plurality system in constraining the number of parties, provided a legal threshold is used. This runs counter to the conventional wisdom that plurality elections offer the greatest constraint on the number of parties.
Do Groups Know What They Don't Know? Dealing With Missing Information in Decision-Making Groups

Although scholars have examined how individuals deal with information that is unavailable on decision-making tasks, little research has explored how groups deal with missing information. The present study proposes two ways groups can address information that is unavailable: by employing a diminished information set or by inferring the value of missing information. Both of these approaches are tested using an information sharing task. Groups are compared with information unavailable to any member, available but unshared among group members (i.e., hidden profile), and available and shared among all group members. Evidence indicates that group members may utilize both strategies to deal with missing information.
(201) The Effect of an Integrated Cognitive-Behavioral Pain Management Program on Pain Intensity, Self-efficacy Beliefs and Depression in Chronic Pain Patients on Completion and One Year Later

Cognitive-behavioral treatment programs have demonstrated the ability to reduce pain, emotional distress and disability for individuals with chronic pain. Investigators suspect a change in self-efficacy beliefs may be the mechanism by which these positive outcomes occur. This investigation examined pre- and post-program data from participants of an integrated cognitive-behavioral program, to identify patterns of change in the areas of pain intensity (visual analogue scale), self-efficacy beliefs (Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy Scale), pain-related disability (Pain Disability Index) and depression (CES-D) in 170 chronic pain patients. At the end of the 10-session treatment program, the greatest area of change was an increase in self-efficacy levels by 38% from baseline. This increase was significantly (p < 0/00.1) associated with a 24% reduction in pain intensity, while disability and depression scores declined by 17% and 28% respectively. Patients responding to a follow-up survey one year after completion (n = 41) reported continued improvements. Pain, disability and depression scores declined to 27%, 25%, and 32% respectively. Self-efficacy scores remained the same (38% higher than baseline) as the immediate post-program scores remained the same (38% higher than baseline) as the immediate post-program measures. All were significant at the p < 0.001 level. Changes remained significant after controlling for pain intensity, and use of antidepressants &/or opioids. Self-efficacy levels at the conclusion of the program were significantly (p < 0.01) related to pain intensity (r = −.58), disability (r = −.65) and depression (r = −.65). In the one-year data set, even stronger associations were noted. Conclusion: Support continues to mount that desirable outcomes occur as a result of participation in an integrated cognitive-behavioral pain program. Reductions in pain, disability and depression occur in association with an enhancement in self-efficacy beliefs. The beneficial effects of the program continue after its conclusion, as pain, disability and depression scores continue to fall, and self-efficacy continues to rise one year after program completion.
Eric L. Butler: Congressional Science Fellow

Eric L. Butler, a chemistry and oceanography instructor at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., has been selected as the 1984–85 AGU Congressional Science Fellow. Last week he began his 1-year stint on Capitol Hill AGU's eighth Congressional Science Fellow. Butler, a member of AGU's Ocean Sciences section, received his Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Oceanography of the University of Rhode Island. While his formal course work focused on chemistry and oceanography, his research has dealt largely with atmospheric chemistry and the measurement and geochemistry of trace organic compounds. He has been associated with the Center for Atmospheric Chemical Studies at the University of Rhode Island since its inception several years ago.
Mechanosensitivity in the model sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

Tentacles of the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, are covered with hair bundles. Hair bundles were deflected by water jets to test whether they are mechanoreceptors. Electrophysiological recordings confirm that deflections of hair bundles induce transients in membrane current. In a different species of anemone, hair bundle mechanoreceptors are known to change shape and responsiveness according to the activity of chemoreceptors that bind prey-derived compounds including N-acetylated sugars. In Nematostella, hair bundles significantly elongate upon exposure to NANA, an N-acetylated sugar. Based on a bioassay in which discharged nematocysts are counted in gelatin-coated test probes touched to tentacles, we find that NANA shifts vibration dependent discharge of basitrich nematocysts to lower frequencies overlapping those produced during swimming by known prey including planktonic crustaceans. Furthermore, we find for the first time that vibration detection extends at least 2.5 cm beyond the tentacle tips. Thus, Nematostella likely employs its hair bundles to detect swimming movements of nearby prey.
A Cross-Cluster Approach for Measuring Semantic Similarity between Concepts

We present a cross-cluster approach for measuring the semantic similarity/distance between two concept nodes in ontology. The proposed approach helps overcome the differences of granularity degrees of clusters in ontology that most ontology-based measures do not concern. The approach is based on 3 features (1) cross-modified path length feature between the concept nodes, (2) a new features: the common specificity feature of two concept nodes in the ontology hierarchy, and (3) the local granularity of the clusters. The experimental evaluations using benchmark human similarity datasets confirm the correctness and the efficiency of the proposed approach, and show that our semantic measure outperforms the existing techniques. The proposed measure gives the highest correlation (0.873) with human ratings compared to the existing measures using the benchmark RG dataset and WordNet 2.0.
A Heterogeneous Coarse Mesh Method for Coupled Photon Electron Transport Problems

A hybrid Monte Carlo/deterministic coarse mesh transport method (COMET-PE) has been developed for pure photon or coupled photon and electron transport in heterogeneous problems. The accuracy of the method was evaluated in two highly stylized 2D benchmark problems: (1) a homogeneous rectangular water phantom and (2) a heterogeneous problem that is typical of a 2D vertical slice of lung. It was found that the method produces results that are very close to those of direct Monte Carlo with significantly higher computational efficiency (2–3 orders of magnitude). In both test problems, the maximum and the average energy deposition differences between COMET-PE and the reference Monte Carlo solutions for the pure photon transport case ranged from 2.0%–2.4% and 1.0%–1.2%, respectively. The corresponding differences for the coupled photon and electron transport case ranged from 1.1%–2.2% and 0.5%–0.9%, respectively. The COMET-PE computation time was more than 200 and 700 times shorter than EGSnrc in the homogeneous...
REPRESENTATIONS AND RIGIDITY OF Aut(F3)

We construct some new matrix representations of Aut(F3), the automorphism group of a free group of rank 3, and show that there are infinitely many distinct irreducible representations of Aut(F3) in dimensions at most 42.
An experimental study of hydrogen production by dissociation of water vapor in a radio frequency plasma source

This experiment investigates a novel technique of hydrogen production by dissociating water molecules in a radio-frequency (rf) plasma. This plasma source has a helicon antenna, capable of operating in capacitive, inductive, or helicon mode when operating conditions match those required to excite these modes. Hydrogen is produced by injecting water vapor into the plasma source. The species identified in the plasma from data obtained via a residual gas analyze are hydrogen, oxygen, water, hydroxyl, and nitrogen. Partial pressures of these gases are also obtained from the residual gas analyzer. In this paper, we show that this plasma source is capable of dissociating water molecules into their constituent species when operating in inductive mode.
Inner Strength Among HIV-Infected Women: Nurses Can Make a Difference

The purpose of this qualitative study was twofold. First, the authors examined the phenomenon of inner strength as a resource that women infected with HIV use to cope with and manage their difficult lives. Second, the authors sought the women's views on the potential impact health care workers, specifically nurses, can have on the activation of inner strength. This study was phenomenologically informed and qualitatively structured. The goal was to construct an analytical understanding of inner strength as it is perceived, defined, experienced, and activated by women infected with HIV. Data were collected by means of 19 conversational, biographical interviews. These interviews were conducted with a stratified (by ethnicity and social class) sample of women infected with HIV. The data were elicited in terms of respondents' stories of living with HIV. The women listed a number of definitions for inner strength such as "the ability to fight" and "the motivation to go on and do better." The women recommended that nurses working with them be sensitive to the following patient concerns: validation, reality, sensitivity, and autonomy. The concept of inner strength can be of great scholarly and clinical value if it is defined as follows: Inner strength refers to the different ways women with serious illnesses experience and talk about the deepest, existential resources available to and used by them to manage severe risks to self-integrity. The recommendations, although somewhat critical of nurses, are plausible because they incorporate nurses' traditional approaches to caring for patients.
Characterization of Colony Morphology Variants Isolated from Streptococcus pneumoniae Biofilms

In this study, we report the isolation of colony morphology variants from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 biofilms. The colony variants differed in colony size (large, medium, and small) and their mucoid appearance on blood agar. The small nonmucoid variant (SCV) emerged during the initial attachment stage of S. pneumoniae biofilm formation and dominated over the course of biofilm growth. Mucoid variants appeared at later biofilm developmental stages. The reduction in colony size/mucoidy correlated with a decrease in capsule production and an increase in initial attachment. The large mucoid variant formed flat unstructured biofilms, failed to aggregate in liquid culture, and adhered poorly to solid surfaces. In contrast, SCVs autoaggregated in liquid culture, hyperadhered to solid surfaces, and formed biofilms with significant three-dimensional structure, mainly in the form of microcolonies. The variants showed similar antibiotic resistance/susceptibility based on a modified Kirby-Bauer test and when grown as biofilms. However, antimicrobial treatment of S. pneumoniae biofilms altered the colony variant's distribution and mainly affected the most interior areas of biofilm microcolonies. To further explore the nature of the variants, the capsule biosynthetic operon (cps3DSUM) was explored in greater detail. The genetic analysis indicated that the emergence of nonmucoid variants was due to a deletion comprising cps3DSU as well as additional genes upstream of the cps3 operon. Overall, our findings suggest that in vitro biofilm formation of S. pneumoniae serotype 3 coincides with the emergence of colony variants with distinct genotypic and phenotypic characteristics.
Demonstration of Ultraviolet 6H-SiC PIN Avalanche Photodiodes

We report electrical and electrooptical characteristic of mesa-structure 6H-SiC PIN avalanche photodiodes. At a gain of 1000, the dark current density is 9.2 muA/cm2. The excess noise factor corresponds to a k value of ~0.1. In addition, peak responsivity of 80 mA/W was observed at 290 nm (external quantum efficiency of ~35%)
Utilization of amino acids by planktonic marine bacteria: Importance of clean technique and low substrate additions1,2

Rapid turnover of dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) by bacterioplankton in the Gulf of Mexico was observed with techniques designed to eliminate contamination of samples with trace metals and organic compounds. The mean turnover rate of DFAA, based on incorporation of 0.5 nM additions of a mixture of amino acids, was 4.9-d-l for high productivity neritic environments and 1.3.d-’ for low productivity oceanic environments. These rates are faster than those in parallel samples measured by traditional techniques and are consistently faster than previously reported values. Data for multiple level (0.01-7 nM) additions of the mixed substrate were in accord with the Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics model. Kinetic parameters derived from this model (V,,,, K, + S,, and R), bacterial cell numbers, and V,,,/cell were highest at photic depths of the neritic zone, intermediate at photic depths of the oceanic zone, and lowest at aphotic depths of the oceanic zone. Estimates of secondary productivity by bacterioplankton (based on V,,,,,) on an equal water volume basis were 6.6 + 1.5% (+-SE, y1 = 5) of the light-saturated primary productivity at the maximum productivity depth. Estimated turnover time of the bacterioplankton community ranged from 2.4 d at 5 m at the highest productivity station to 130 days at 250 m at the lowest productivity
Xenon low-n Rydberg states in supercritical argon near the critical point

We present vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectra and an asymmetric line shape simulation of the 6s and 6s 0 Rydberg states (including the blue satellite bands) of xenon doped into argon, from low argon number density to the density of the triple point liquid, at both noncritical temperatures and near (+0:5 ‐ C) the critical isotherm of argon (i.e., i122:3 ‐ C). The argon induced shift in the simulated primary transition of the Xe 6s and 6s 0 Rydberg states is presented as a function of argon number density for noncritical temperatures and along an isotherm near the critical temperature. This shift demonstrates a perturber critical point efiect on the transition energies of low-n dopant Rydberg states.
Interaction of cholecystokinin-8 and pancreatic glucagon in control of food intake in dogs

Feeding responses to continuous intravenous administration of graded doses of the COOH-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin (CCK-8) and pancreatic glucagon, alone and in combination, were determined in dogs fasted 4 h. Low doses of glucagon (50, 500, 5,000, 6,000 pmol.kg-1.h-1) had no effect on food intake, whereas higher doses (12 and 24 nmol.kg-1.h-1) depressed intake by 50-60%. Of the CCK-8 doses administered (50 and 400 pmol.kg-1.h-1), food intake was depressed only at the higher dose (53%). This effect was blocked by glucagon (50-5,000 pmol.kg-1.h-1). Simultaneous administration of 50 or 500 pmol.kg-1.h-1 of glucagon and 50 pmol.kg-1.h-1 of CCK-8, doses currently thought to produce plasma peptide levels similar to those occurring postprandially in dogs, had no effect on food intake. These results suggest that plasma levels of CCK and glucagon after a meal are not sufficient alone or in combination to produce satiety.
Self-stigma: A personal journey.

Topic This contribution describes a personal recovery journey and highlights the value and importance of engagement in peer-to-peer services to help promote growth and transformation. Purpose In this contribution, the author emphasizes the significance of educating and supporting others to overcome the barriers of self-stigma to gain both a positive self-image and self-esteem. Sources used Personal life experiences are shared and resource information is provided as a guide for readers. Conclusions and implications for practice Encouraging individuals with a lived experience of mental illness to tell their stories is a way of educating people about mental illness and reducing stigma.
Analysis and Design for Rapid Prototyping Mechanism Using Hybrid Flexural Pivots

Abstract High performance motion systems play an important role in modern technology especially in the area of metrology and process equipment related to the field of micro- and nanotechnology. The purpose of this study is to show how to properly design and fabricate prototyped mechanisms that integrate metal-polymer flexural pivots for precision motion applications. Finite element simulations are used to understand the mechanical behavior of these components leading to dimensions that minimize the work done by the polymer structures. Simulations indicate that, the penetration distance of the metallic inserts into the polymer structures should be around one half of the total insert length and that the profile of the pressure interference can be modified to enhance the performance of the composite structure. A cantilever beam with a flexural pivot is used to test the performance of the design and a piezoelectric-actuated four bar mechanism is prototyped and studied as a general application of these types of structures to the precision motion field. The methodology implemented in this work poses a simple and affordable way to fabricate, assemble and customize low-cost devices for precision motion application and it applies to both, systems fabricated by polymer and metal rapid prototyping technologies.
Donor Cell Myeloid Sarcoma in an Umbilical Cord Transplant Patient: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature

Donor cell leukemia (DCL) represents a rare complication of allogeneic transplantation. The precise incidence remains unclear, though it may be higher following umbilical cord blood transplants. Here, we present an unusual case of a patient with B-ALL who presented with a donor derived myeloid sarcoma of the heart following a double cord blood transplant. To our knowledge, it is the first case of sarcomatous or chloromatous presentation of DCL following a UCBT.
The Molested Young Female: Evaluation and Therapy of Alleged Rape

The physician plays an important and complex role in the initial management of the juvenile rape victim. He must render immediate therapy for life-threatening injuries, gather information essential for the successful prosecution of the assailant, and protect the patient from the avoidable sequelae of venereal disease, pregnancy, and psychoneuroses.
Glucose Utilization of the Rat Vestibular End Organs: A Quantitative 2-Deoxyglucose Study

The local metabolic rate of glucose utilization (LMRglc) for the rat vestibular end organs was determined with a modification of the [14C]deoxyglucose method. Data are expressed as micromoles per 100 g per minute +/- SEM. Results indicate that the LMRglc is similar within the utricle (40.3 +/- 3.2) and saccule (41.2 +/- 5.5) and significantly higher than that for the superior (20.1 +/- 2.9), posterior (25.4 +/- 2.0), or lateral canal (22.0 +/- 2.6) ampullae. These differences in LMRglc may be related to differences in the ratios of sensory to nonsensory cells, dark cell distributions, response to acoustic stimulation, or activity levels during the experimental period. Given the high blood flow rates reported for the vestibular end organs by Lyon and coworkers, a much higher LMRglc was expected. Together, these data would suggest that delivery of metabolites is not a primary regulating force for vestibular blood flow. Instead, the primary reason for a high blood flow rate may be waste removal, the maintenance of pH, ion balance, and/or temperature.
Nucleation at the contact line observed on nanotextured surfaces

It has been conjectured that roughness plays a role in surface nucleation, the tendency for freezing to begin preferentially at the liquid-gas interface. Using high speed imaging, we sought evidence for freezing at the contact line on catalyst substrates with imposed characteristic length scales (texture). Length scales consistent with the critical nucleus size and with δ∼τ/σ, where τ is a relevant line tension and σ is the surface tension, range from nanometers to micrometers. It is found that nanoscale texture causes a shift in the nucleation of ice in supercooled water to the three-phase contact line, while microscale texture does not.
Identification of non‐random sequence properties in groups of signature peptides obtained in random sequence peptide microarray experiments

Immunosignaturing is an emerging experimental technique that uses random sequence peptide microarrays to detect antibodies produced by the immune system in response to a particular disease. Two important questions regarding immunosignaturing are "Do microarray peptides that exhibit a strong affinity to a given type of antibodies share common sequence properties?" and "If so, what are those properties?" In this work, three statistical tests designed to detect non-random patterns in the amino acid makeup of a group of microarray peptides are presented. One test detects patterns of significantly biased amino acid usage, whereas the other two detect patterns of significant bias in the biochemical properties. These tests do not require a large number of peptides per group. The tests were applied to analyze 19 groups of peptides identified in immunosignaturing experiments as being specific for antibodies produced in response to various types of cancer and other diseases. The positional distribution of the biochemical properties of the amino acids in these 19 peptide groups was also studied. Remarkably, despite the random nature of the sequence libraries used to design the microarrays, a unique group-specific non-random pattern was identified in the majority of the peptide groups studied. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 106: 318-329, 2016.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): An Approach for Transforming the ’Myth’ of CRM Success into Dual-Creation of Value

(2009). Customer Relationship Management (CRM): An Approach for Transforming the ’Myth’ of CRM Success into Dual-Creation of Value. Journal of Information Technology Case and Application Research: Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 1-8.
Changes of Erythrocyte Immunity Function in Children with Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective To explore the changes and mechanism of erythrocyte immunity function (EIF) in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods Sixty children with TBI were selected as test group and divided them into mild group and moderate to severe group according to the extent of injury.The children with inguinal hernia or cryptorchidism were selected as control group.Red Blood Cell-C3b Receptor Rate( RBC-C3bRR) and Red Blood Cell- Immune Complex Rate( RBC-ICR) of children after TBI were measured by method of yeast fungus. The content of serum β-endophin (β-EP) in children after TBI was tested by radioimmunoassay.Results Compared with the control group, RBC-C3bRR of children after TBI decreased significantly while RBC-ICR increased significantly(Pa0.01).Moreover, the moderate to severe group had more manifest difference than the mild group(Pa0.05). β-endorphin was negatively correlated with RBC-C3bRR (r=-0.865 P0.05)and positively with RBC-ICR (r=0.644 P0.05) in mild group;and negatively correlated with RBC-C3bRR (r=-0.635 P0.05)and positively with RBC-ICR (r=0.746 P0.05)in severe group.Conclusion EIF in children after traumatic brain injury decrease significantly which demonstrate erythrocyte immune dysfunction is related with the increasing of the β-EP.
Economic Analysis of Chinese Country Social Framework Change in Shunt Time

With the background of the country social life after the reformation opening, the paper discusses that the China country social framework is the informal organized and informal system occupied social mainstream, the main character is the personality commutation, which makes up the price determination factor of economy com-mutation. Then it discusses the existing specific relationship between people, civilian debits and credits, social protection, which takes the deciding function on resource scheme. The country social framework change in shunt time is the process that formal social framework increasingly vanishes, and the informal social framework increas-ingly builds up. Moreover , the writers bring forward the tentative plan on how to conform the China country infor-mal social framework .
Supplier integration: impact of sole sourcing, multiple sourcing and vertical integration on firm profitability

Although theory and empirical studies have documented the conditions under which firms arrive at a 'make' or 'buy' decision, there is no framework to suggest how firms make such a decision. The purpose of this article is to highlight the conditions under which firms should 'make', that is vertically integrate versus 'buy', that is use suppliers.