cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneously reducing CO 2 and particulate exposures via fractional recirculation of vehicle cabin air

Prior studies demonstrate that air recirculation can reduce exposure to nanoparticles in vehicle cabins. However when people occupy confined spaces, air recirculation can lead to carbon dioxide (CO2) accumulation which can potentially lead to deleterious effects on cognitive function. This study proposes a fractional air recirculation system for reducing nanoparticle concentration while simultaneously suppressing CO2 levels in the cabin. Several recirculation scenarios were tested using a custom-programmed HVAC (heat, ventilation, air conditioning) unit that varied the recirculation door angle in the test vehicle. Operating the recirculation system with a standard cabin filter reduced particle concentrations to 1000 particles/cm3, although CO2 levels rose to 3000 ppm. When as little as 25% fresh air was introduced (75% recirculation), CO2 levels dropped to 1000 ppm, while particle concentrations remained below 5000 particles/cm3. We found that nanoparticles were removed selectively during recirculation and demonstrated the trade-off between cabin CO2 concentration and cabin particle concentration using fractional air recirculation. Data showed significant increases in CO2 levels during 100% recirculation. For various fan speeds, recirculation fractions of 50-75% maintained lower CO2 levels in the cabin, while still reducing particulate levels. We recommend fractional recirculation as a simple method to reduce occupants' exposures to particulate matter and CO2 in vehicles. A design with several fractional recirculation settings could allow air exchange adequate for reducing both particulate and CO2 exposures. Developing this technology could lead to reductions in airborne nanoparticle exposure, while also mitigating safety risks from CO2 accumulation.
Phylogenomic red flags: Homology errors and zombie lineages in the evolutionary diversification of placental mammals

Phylogenomic studies can settle long-standing debates but should be scrutinized when well-established clades are contradicted and divergence dates are highly incompatible with the fossil record. Liu et al. (1) construct a species tree for Mammalia based on 4,388 protein-coding genes from 90 taxa to derive a novel model for the placental radiation, but their coalescence time tree shows multiple “red flags” that suggest underlying problems. Three well-validated clades (2⇓⇓–5), Odontoceti (toothed whales), Lemuriformes (lemurs, aye-aye), and Afrosoricida (tenrecs, golden moles) are robustly contradicted (100% bootstrap) in their preferred STAR species tree (1). Odontoceti has been corroborated repeatedly over the past 20 y (2⇓–4), and 12 homoplasy-free transposons diagnose the clade (5), so it is remarkable that … [↵][1]2To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: jgatesy{at}amnh.org or springer{at}ucr.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Applications of Sonochemistry to Materials Synthesis

One of the most important recent applications of sonochemistry has been to the synthesis and modification of inorganic materials [1–5]. In liquids irradiated with high intensity ultrasound, acoustic cavitation drives bubble collapse producing intense local heating, high pressures, and very short lifetimes; these transient, localized hot spots drive high energy chemical reactions [5–11]. As described in detail elsewhere in this monograph, these hot spots have temperatures of roughly 5000°C, pressures of about 1000 atmospheres, and heating and cooling rates above 1010 K/s. Thus, cavitation serves as a means of concentrating the diffuse energy of sound into a unique set of conditions to produce unusual materials from dissolved (and generally volatile) solution precursors.
Positive balance: a hierarchical perspective of positive mental health.

An attempt is made in this paper to provide the community of health-related quality-of-life scholars with a hierarchical perspective of positive mental health guided by the concept of positive balance. Specifically, individuals with positive mental health are characterized to experience: (1) a preponderance of neurochemicals related to positive emotions (dopamine, serotonin, etc.) relative to neurochemicals related to negative emotions (cortisol), at a physiological level; (2) a preponderance of positive affect (happiness, joy, etc.) relative to negative affect (anger, sadness, etc.), at an emotional level; (3) a preponderance of domain satisfaction (satisfaction in salient and multiple life domains such as family life and work life) relative to dissatisfaction in other life domains, at a cognitive level; (4) a preponderance of positive evaluations about one’s life using certain standards of comparison (satisfaction with one’s life compared to one’s past life, the life of family members, etc.) relative to negative evaluations about one’s life using similar or other standards of comparison, at a meta-cognitive level; (5) a preponderance of positive psychological traits (self-acceptance, personal growth, etc.) relative to negative psychological traits (pessimism, hopelessness, etc.), at a development level; and (6) a preponderance of perceived social resources (social acceptance, social actualization, etc.) relative to perceived social constraints (social exclusion, ostracism, etc.), at a social-ecological level.
This is easy, you can do it! Feedback during mathematics problem solving is more beneficial when students expect to succeed

Students’ problem-solving success depends on more than their knowledge and abilities. One factor that may play a role is the teacher’s expectations of students. The current study focused on how a teacher’s explicitly-stated expectations influence students’ ability to learn from corrective feedback during problem solving. On the one hand, setting low expectations (e.g., this task is hard, you’ll likely fail) may help students avoid disappointment in response to negative feedback, thereby facilitating student learning. On the other hand, setting low expectations may produce a self-fulfilling prophecy in which negative feedback confirms the teacher’s expectations and hinders student learning. In a controlled experiment, undergraduate students (N = 160) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions based on a crossing of two factors: teacher expectations for the student (success or failure) and verification feedback during problem solving (yes or no). Posttest performance revealed that feedback had negative effects when teachers set low expectations for students. Results suggest that basic feedback may be more beneficial when teachers help students set their expectations for success.
Effects of Gastric Neuromodulation on Crohn's Disease in Patients With Coexisting Symptoms of Gastroparesis

INTRODUCTION Crohn's Disease (CD) results from chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract involving TNF-α release. Gastrointestinal electrical stimulation (GES), a form of neuromodulation used to treat upper GI motility symptoms (UGI Sx), exerts an anti-inflammatory effect via TNF-α suppression. We hypothesized patients with CD symptoms in patients with gastroparesis (GP) may respond to GES. METHODS We retrospectively examined 284 patients with symptomatic gastroparesis (Gp Sx), who underwent GES placement. Patients with Gp Sx were evaluated by validated GI Sx patient reported outcome. Scores were obtained at baseline, after temporary GES placement and after permanent GES placement. Eleven patients from this cohort with coexisting CD were analyzed for improvements in their CD symptomatology using the Harvey Bradshaw Index (HBI). HBI scores were compared from before GES to after two sequential applications of electrical stimulation (temporary then permanent). A 3-point decrease in HBI indicated a clinical response and an HBI <5 indicated clinical remission after GES. An unadjusted repeated measures model was used in the analysis with statistical significance set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS Our cohort prevalence of CD was 3.9% (2 M & 9 F, mean age 49.8 yrs.). Within both the Gp + CD & Gp subgroups, UGI Sx substantially improved after temporary and permanent GES. Furthermore, 55% of the GP + CD subgroup demonstrated a clinical response by HBI, while one patient achieved clinical remission (p < 0.01). CD medications were reviewed before and after GES placement, and any interval changes are unlikely to explain the improved HBI scores. DISCUSSION We conclude that both UGI and CD symptoms in GP + CD patients responded well to GES. The interaction of Gp and CD and the effects of neuromodulation on CD symptoms warrant additional investigation.
Mindful Attention and Eating Expectancies among College Students with Obesity and a History of Trauma Exposure.

Trauma exposure and obesity are highly prevalent among college students and both are associated with disordered eating. There is a need to understand psychological factors that may be related to maladaptive eating behavior among college students with obesity and a history of trauma exposure. Participants included 139 college students with obesity (defined as a BMI ≥ 30) and a history of trauma exposure (76.3% females; Mage = 25.4 years, SD = 8.07). The current study conducted three separate two-step hierarchical regressions examining mindful attention and its relation to eating expectancies (expectancies of eating to help manage negative affect, expectancies of eating to alleviate boredom, and expectancies of eating to lead to feeling out of control). Results indicated that lower levels of mindful attention were related to greater levels of expectancies of eating to help manage negative affect (b = − 4.16, SE = 1.08, p = .023, CI95% = − 7.72, − 0.60, sr2 = .04), expectancies of eating to alleviate boredom (b = − 1.09, SE = 0.39, p = .006, CI95% = − 1.86, − 0.32, sr2 = .06), and expectancies of eating to lead to feeling out of control (b = − 1.62, SE = 0.40, p < .001, CI95% = − 2.41, − 0.83, sr2 = .11). Results were observed over, and above variance accounted for by sex (assigned at birth), body mass index (BMI), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. Overall, the results from the present investigation suggest the potential importance and need for future research in the role of mindful attention in relation to several distinct eating expectancies associated with maladaptive eating.
What if your partner…? A situated decision-making approach to romantic competence in young adulthood

Abstract Individuals are likely to vary in their abilities to enact appropriate relationship behavior. With the aim of quantifying such differences, young adult participants were asked to rate the likelihood that they would respond to simulated relationship challenges in different ways and such responses were transformed into a Romantic Competence-Behavioral Tendency (RC-BT) metric through the use of several innovations. Three studies (total N = 496) then showed that higher RC-BT scores were predictive of prosocial feelings for the partner in combination with lesser aggression. Further, both participants and their partners were more satisfied and committed to their relationships with higher RC individuals. The findings provide support for a new way of thinking about romantic competence that builds on situated decision-making processes.
Eating Problems in Advanced Dementia: Navigating Difficult Conversations.

Introduction The majority of older adults with advanced dementia (AD) develop difficulties with eating and swallowing, often prompting concerns about nutrition and quality of life. Employing a pall...
Implant Considerations for the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) have become an important life-saving intervention in patients at high risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD). The goal of this chapter is to discuss techniques to safely and effectively implant ICDs and how to avoid complications of ICD implantation.
Traumatic Elbow Arthrotomy Pediatric Case Report: The Saline Load Test is a Reliable Method of Detection.

Introduction Lacerations and open elbow injuries are common emergency department visits which necessitate an orthopedic surgery evaluation for a traumatic elbow arthrotomy (TEA). A delay in this diagnosis can lead to septic arthritis, requiring more invasive surgical procedures, prolonged antibiotics, and possible long-term sequelae. To date, there is scarce literature on TEA. The purpose of this case report is to better educate the orthopedic community on a reliable method of detection for a TEA, including pediatric patients. Case report Case 1 - Twelve-year-old boy sustained a traumatic dog bite to the right elbow by a large stray dog. Evaluation in the emergency department revealed five 1 centimeter or smaller lacerations over the lateral elbow and another 1 cm laceration to the volar and proximal forearm. A saline load test (SLT) was performed from a posterior approach and was positive after 20cc of normal saline was injected into the joint. An arthroscopic irrigation and debridement were performed as definitive treatment. He was discharged with Augmentin BID for 7 days. Follow-up appointments at 1 and 4 weeks post-operatively revealed no signs of infection.Case 2 - Seven-year-old boy who was in a bicycle accident and sustained a large laceration over the posterior elbow. Evaluation in the emergency department revealed an approximately 15 by 4 cm laceration over the posterior elbow. A SLT was positive after 30cc's was injected from the anterolateral approach. He underwent arthroscopic irrigation and debridement as definitive treatment and was discharged home with Cephalexin BID for 7 days. Follow-up appointments at 1 and 4 weeks post-operatively showed no signs of infection. Conclusion Performing a SLT is a reliable method of detection to evaluate for a TEA. Our case report demonstrated confirmation of TEA in two pediatric patients based on positive SLT. We were able to treat these injuries appropriately with early surgical intervention and prophylactic antibiotics. Our early diagnosis and time-sensitive management prevented septic arthritis based on the patient's short-term follow-up examinations.
Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the major salivary glands: Increasing incidence and survival.

Abstract Background Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) of the major salivary glands is a rare high-grade malignancy that often presents with vague symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate its incidence and prognosis on a population level. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for cases of major salivary gland DLBCL. Results 896 patients had DLBCL affecting the parotid gland (78.3%) or submandibular gland (19.8%). The incidence was increasing at 1.5% (P = 0.005) per year from 1973 to 2016. 24.4% of patients underwent parotidectomy, 16% had biopsy, and the remaining provided no details of diagnostic method. Five-year disease-specific survival increased from 59.8% to 84.0%. Late-stage disease (HR = 1.7, P = 0.003) and female sex (HR = 2.1, P = 0.018) were associated with increased risk of mortality. Conclusion Despite the rising incidence of major salivary gland DLBCL, chemotherapy and radiation treatment has resulted in increasingly favorable survival outcomes. The otolaryngologist - head and neck surgeon continues to play a critical role in establishing the diagnosis of salivary gland DLBCL.
Effect of Light Biocementation on the Liquefaction Triggering and Post-Triggering Behavior of Loose Sands

AbstractMicrobially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is an environmentally conscious ground-improvement method that can enhance the engineering properties of granular soils through the precipit...
Automated Extraction of Vulnerability Information for Home Computer Security

Online vulnerability databases provide a wealth of information pertaining to vulnerabilities that are present in computer application software, operating systems, and firmware. Extracting useful information from these databases that can subsequently be utilized by applications such as vulnerability scanners and security monitoring tools can be a challenging task. This paper presents two approaches to information extraction from online vulnerability databases: a machine learning based solution and a solution that exploits linguistic patterns elucidated by part-of-speech tagging. These two systems are evaluated to compare accuracy in recognizing security concepts in previously unseen vulnerability description texts. We discuss design considerations that should be taken into account in implementing information retrieval systems for security domain.
Abstract 2132: Mutant Kras associated protein oxidation in pancreatic neoplasia

Recent studies have suggested that mutant Kras associated activation of the Nrf2 pathway may have a significant role in pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis. Nrf2 regulates a battery of antioxidant genes, including peroxiredoxin-1 (Prdx-1), that are responsible for maintaining redox homeostasis in the cell. While ROS detoxification may have significant roles in cancer, several non-classical mechanisms of redox signaling associated with protein oxidation and phosphorylation are also important in tumorigenesis. Prdx-1 can regulate transcription as a cofactor in multiple oxidation states, represses tumorigenesis in its reduced state, and can act as a nuclear chaperone in elevated states of oxidation and when phosphorylated. We are therefore investigating the role of Prdx-1 and its oxidation states in oncogenic signaling pathways in mutant Kras models of pancreatic tumorigenesis and neoplasia. Our data demonstrate that Prdx1 is localized to the nucleus in normal c57-BL6 mice and exclusively located in the cytoplasm in normal pancreatic cells in the EL-Kras model of pancreatic neoplasia. Moreover, in acinar to ductal metaplatic pancreatic cells in EL-Kras mice, there is an increase in cytoplasmic Prdx1 expression and evidence of nuclear staining. Papillary cells in lesions of EL-Kras mice have apical Prdx-1 expression and ductal cells lining these lesions have higher cytoplasmic Prdx-1 expression and some nuclear Prdx-1 localization. This suggests that throughout tumor progression, Prdx-1 is differentially regulated. In vitro, neoplastic and tumorigenic pancreatic cell lines have more total Prdx-1 and oxidized Prdx-1 expression than non-tumorigenic cell lines. Moreover, cells that have mutant Kras were associated with higher levels of protein oxidation than those with wildtype Kras expression. Interestingly, mutant Kras was also associated with differences in pERK interaction with Prdx-1, which was also differentially regulated by fatty acids that control pancreatic neoplasia. In addition, ERK phosphorylation was also modified by fatty acid treatment in wildtype and mutant Kras normal, neoplastic, and tumorigenic cell lines. Our data therefore suggests that mutant Kras is associated with elevated levels of Prdx-1 oxidation and that Kras mediated activation of ERK could be associated with changes in Prdx-1 signaling in pancreatic neoplasia. Citation Format: Michelle A. Schultz, Rital Shah, Brian DeCant, David Bentrem, Paul Grippo. Mutant Kras associated protein oxidation in pancreatic neoplasia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Innovations in Research and Treatment; May 18-21, 2014; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(13 Suppl):Abstract nr A16.
Mechanisms of microRNA turnover

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 20-24 nucleotide (nt) RNAs that regulate gene expression by guiding Argonaute (AGO) proteins to specific target RNAs to cause their degradation or translational repression. The abundance of miRNAs is strictly controlled at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional levels. miRNA turnover is presumably a necessary means to regulate miRNA levels in response to physiological, developmental, and environmental changes. miRNA 3' end methylation, 3' end nucleotide addition, AGO and complementary target transcripts are known or probable processes/factors that affect miRNA stability and turnover. Here we discuss the mechanisms that control miRNA turnover in plants and, where applicable, make references to similarities and differences in these mechanisms between plants and animals.
Shape from texture: an aggregation transform that maps a class of textures into surface orientation

A new approach to obtaining shape information from textural information in static monocular Images la outlined. Also presented is a new aggregation transform which determines (under certain condition) vanishing points and lines. A theorem is proved which relates this Hough-l0ike transform to the gradient space, showing that the transform also directly indicates local surface orientation. Additionally, the transform is shown to have many properties that make it an appealling substitute for some other current image transforms. An example is given of its application to a synthetic textured Image.
Studies on the phloroglucinol–HCl reactive material produced by squash fruit elicited with pectinase: Isolation using hydrolytic enzymes and release of p -coumaryl aldehyde by water reflux

Pathological tissues from a variety of plants turn red when treated with the histochemical reagent phloroglucinol (PG)–HCl. This induced PG–HCl reacting material has been termed both wound gum and, more recently, induced lignin or lignin-like material. We are exploring alternative approaches to better identify this induced material. In this report, we describe methods for purifying the PG–HCl reactive material from solvent-washed tissue preparations and measuring the amount of p -coumaryl aldehyde released from the purified material by boiling in water. Acorn squash fruit wall tissue was sliced, sprayed with pectinase to elicit the formation of PG–HCl reactive material and incubated up to 72 h at 27°C. Sampled tissue was washed extensively with water and organic solvents. Insoluble residues were treated with cell wall degrading enzymes to remove cell wall materials, and dimethyl sulfoxide was used to dissolve starch. Yields of residual material increased from 7.5% in the time zero samples to 29.7% after 72 h. Refluxing the purified material in water released <6 μ g p -coumaryl aldehyde g−1 from preparations of tissue at time zero and 8100 μ g p -coumaryl aldehyde g−1 from samples incubated for 48 h. These results suggest that the function of the material is to sequester phytoalexins, but are not consistent with the material being lignin. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Recent work on modelling the global field line topology of interplanetary magnetic clouds

Magnetic clouds form a distinct and important subset of coronal mass ejections (CME's) distinguished by a few simple properties. In recent years there has been lively interest in modelling the global magnetic field line topology of magnetic clouds. Are they closed magnetic configurations disconnected from the Sun (magnetic bubbles), or are they better described as magnetic loops or tongues or flux ropes (magnetic bottles), perhaps even retaining magnetic connection to the Sun ? In this selective review we discuss the arguments advanced in favour of one or other of two models developed enough to allow meaningful comparison of theoretical predictions with in situ spacecraft data: on the one hand, a magnetic flux rope and, on the other, a spheromak. The experimental datum that magnetic clouds are strongly evolving configurations will be central to the discussion. Our comparisons will be based on exact solutions of the ideal MHD equations describing the radial, self-similar expansion of cylindrical magnetic flux ropes and spheromaks. On present evidence, this comparison favours the magnetic flux rope topology. We shall also briefly discuss recent MHD simulations of the propagation of magnetic clouds into interplanetary space and how the results thus obtained compare with analytical conclusions. A short discussion of magnetic field line draping as a potential means of distinguishing the two topologies follows. Finally, we point out the importance in further analytical elaboration of the models of incorporating the interaction of magnetic clouds with surrounding flows.
Singlet oxygen-triggered immediate preprogrammed apoptosis.

Publisher Summary The two distinct morphological forms of cell death are apoptosis and necrosis. These morphological distinctions can be seen using light, fluorescent, or electron microscopy. This chapter describes methods that allow good recovery and separate analysis of both apoptotic and morphologically normal cell populations following singlet oxygen damage by UVA1 radiation or PDT. These methods are divided into three sections. The first section describes general modifications to various common processing techniques that maximize the yield of all cell populations to assure that accurate and reliable results are obtained. It also describes irradiation procedures and postexposure treatments. The second section describes some specific ways to determine if a new system creates singlet oxygen and if this damage causes cells to die by immediate (T
1,5-Bis(benzothiazolyl)-3-thiapentane and its asymmetric dinuclear Ag(I) complex with three distinct intermolecular-stacking interactions

Synthesis of a dibenzothiazole thioether ligand that coordinates Ag(I) yielding an asymmetric dinuclear complex with three unique intermolecular π-stacking interactions, which influence the first coordination spheres of the silver centers, is reported.
Reliability-based hybrid ARQ using convolutional codes

Reliability-based hybrid ARQ (RB-HARQ) is a recently introduced approach to incremental-redundancy ARQ. In RB-HARQ, the bits that are to be retransmitted are adaptively selected at the receiver based on the estimated bit reliabilities. This technique has the potential to improve performance and minimize retransmission size by targeting those bits that are likely to be in error. However, previous versions of the RB-HARQ algorithm have resulted in large request (NACK) packets that made the technique appropriate only for systems that can tolerate large request packets on the feedback link. In this paper, we show that RB-HARQ is effective with convolutional codes, and we exploit the time-correlation properties of these codes to significantly reduce the size of the retransmission requests.
Magnetic investigations on AlB2 type structures

Abstract Magnetic measurements over a temperature interval 6°–630°K show that the effective paramagnetic moments in Gd 3 Si 5 , Dy 3 Si 5 , and Tb 3 Si 5 are those of the tripositive rare-earth ions, and these materials are either antiferromagnets or have spiral configurations. In NdSi 1.6 Ni 0.4 the effective magnetic moment is due to Nd +3 only. NdSi 1.6 Fe 0.4 shows a complex magnetic structure. LaSi 1.6 Ni 0.4 and LaSi 1.6 Fe 0.4 are Pauli paramagnets.
Biogeochemical processes controlling the speciation and transport of arsenic within iron coated sands

Abstract Iron (hydr)oxides exert a domineering control on the dissolved concentration and transport of arsenic within surface and subsurface environments. Here we examine desorption and transport of As(V) (arsenate) and As(III) (arsenite) within ferrihydrite-coated sand under hydrodynamic conditions during biotic and abiotic induced transformations. For sands containing active cultures of the Fe(III) and As(V) respiring bacterium Sulfospirillium barnesii (an iron and arsenic respiring organism), an initial pulse (within 2 days) of arsenic desorption was followed by an exponential decrease (tailing) in eluted arsenic concentration for both As(V) and As(III)-in both columns, As(III) was the only species eluted after 2 days of reaction. The pulse in arsenic release was coincident with changes in iron mineralogy brought about by Fe(II) production. For As(V) loaded columns containing a culture of As(V) respiring Bacillus benzoevorans (an organism capable of As(V) respiration but incapable of dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction), the major pulse of arsenic release was delayed but remained elevated, with As(III) being the predominant species eluted after 1 day of reaction. Arsenic desorption in sterile columns, however, was even greater than the biologically active systems for As(V) and particularly As(III). Furthermore, despite As(III) having an adsorption maximum on ferrihydrite nearly twice that of As(V) at pH 7, As(III) desorption was more rapid and extensive than for As(V). Batch desorption experiments illustrate that Fe(II) and cellular organic materials aided the retention of arsenic (i.e., they depressed the extent of desorption), particularly for As(V). Our findings therefore suggest that arsenic desorption from ferrihydrite (or other labile iron oxides) and transport is greatest at the onset of an oxidizing to reducing transition and are promoted by mildly reducing conditions where arsenic reduction occurs but limited aqueous Fe(II) concentrations result.
Effects of surface roughness on microwave heating of soil for detection of buried land mines

Two common techniques proposed for detection of landmines are ground-penetrating radar (GPR.) and IR imagery. Because of the wide diversity of mines, the clutter which is encountered in minefields, and variation caused by the ground surface, the task of interpreting GPR. signals is daunting. Likewise, variations in thermal properties of soil, solar heating, clutter, and surface irregularities lead to limited performance for IR imaging systems.
Radiolysis of Thymine in Aqueous Solutions: Change in Site of Attack with Change in pH

In the radiolysis of thymine in neutral air-saturated solutions the principal site of attack is at the 5,6 double bond; in strongly alkaline solutions the attack shifts to the 5-methyl group. The shift correlates well with a model based on two changes in the reaction path as the pH is increased.
Scratching of Patterned Cu/Dielectric Surface Layers by Pad Asperities in CMP

In chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), as the rough polymer pad slides over patterned structures of metal interconnects and dielectrics the pad asperities themselves, though soft, may scratch the relatively hard layers. The fully plastically deformed pad asperities with high interfacial friction are the primary sources of pad scratching. In this paper, scratching of Cu/dielectric line structures by pad asperities is investigated. First, the scratching criteria and the scratch-regime maps, constructed previously for monolithic layers based on contact mechanics are extended for the patterned layers. Then sliding experiments have been conducted on patterned Cu/dielectric surface layers of various linewidths using solid polymeric pins loaded into the fully plastically deformed state, as well as commercial CMP pads. Specifically, the role of the width of Cu and dielectric lines in comparison with the contact diameter is examined. The theoretical models predict that the scratch criteria for patterns with wide lines are the same as those for monolithic layers, whereas patterns with extremely narrow lines behave as composite layers with effective mechanical properties. Experimental results validate the scratch criteria based on contact mechanics.
Dynamics of wormlike chains: theory and computer simulations

The theory of the dynamics of wormlike chains based on the pure bending equation is reviewed. The normal mode solution obtained with the neglect of hydrodynamic interactions has been used to compute correlation functions for the forward depolarized dynamic light scattering, fluorescence polarization anisotropy, and the q dependent polarized dynamic light scattering of wormlike chains. The depolarized light scattering results are also applicable to the field free decay of the transient electric birefringence. Corrections to the relaxation rates due to hydrodynamic interactions are included. Extensive computer simulations based on Brownian dynamics for depolarized light scattering and fluorescence polarization anisotropy have been carried out with full and preaveraged hydrodynamic interaction, as a function of the ratio L/P of the contour length to persistence length of the chain. Flexibility was studied in the range 1 ≤ L/P ≤ 20 which spans relatively rigid to fairly flexible chains. The simulations are compared to theory in order to.study the validity of the assumptions used. It was found that the longest relaxation time observed in the simulations for all the experiments could be interpreted as the rotational diffusion of the chain, in agreement with the assumptions of the theory and the Yamakawa-Yoshisaki formulas for the rotational diffusion coefficient, even in the very flexible case. In the case of fluorescence, the data may show the presence of a small amount of coupling of flexing and rotation. The fast relaxation times in the rigid region are also in good agreement with theory, but the analysis of the data for greater flexibilities is not straightforward due to the resolution limitations of the exponential analysis programs and the large number of relaxations that contribute. The simulations show that, in general, the coupling between the degrees of freedom is small perhaps up to L/P ≤ 4, and is unknown beyond that. The difference between full and preaveraged hydrodynamic interactions was systematic but small.
Molecular dynamics study of thermal disorder in a bicrystal model

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 1989.
Identification of harmonic sources by a state estimation technique

A reverse power flow procedure is described to identify the sources of harmonic signals in electric power systems. Methods have been reported elsewhere to analyze the propagation of these harmonics signals throughout the network. Here the reverse problem of how to identify the source (and potentially the type) of harmonic signals is considered. Line and bus data at several points in the network are used with a least-squares estimator to calculate the injection spectrum at buses suspected of being harmonic sources. When energy at harmonic frequencies is found to be injected into the network at a bus, that bus is identified as a harmonic source. >
The NO signaling pathway differentially regulates KCC3a and KCC3b mRNA expression.

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) donors and protein kinase G (PKG) acutely up-regulate K–Cl cotransporter-1 and -3 (KCC1 and KCC3) mRNA expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Here, we report the presence, relative abundance, and regulation by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) of the novel KCC3a and KCC3b mRNAs, in primary cultures of rat VSMCs. KCC3a and KCC3b mRNAs were expressed in an approximate 3:1 ratio, as determined by semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis. SNP as well as YC-1 and 8-Br-cGMP, a NO-independent stimulator of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) and PKG, respectively, increased KCC3a and KCC3b mRNA expression by 2.5-fold and 8.1-fold in a time-dependent manner, following a differential kinetics. Stimulation of the NO/sGC/PKG signaling pathway with either SNP, YC-1, or 8-Br-cGMP decreased the KCC3a/KCC3b ratio from 3.0 ± 0.4 to 0.9 ± 0.1. This is the first report on a differential regulation by the NO/sGC/PKG signaling pathway of a cotransporter and of KCC3a and KCC3b mRNA expression.
The frequency and classification of the needs of offenders in community settings

Abstract Concern for the specific needs of offenders, or concern for “behavioral objectives” in community supervision practices, has increased considerably in the last twenty years. This article examines the development of needs-focused supervision technology in three different ways. An analysis of trends in correctional literature from 1964–1983 is conducted to see whether there have been changes in the types, frequencies, or variety of needs reportedly met by community corrections programs. Second, data on needs from ten separate needs-assessment studies are aggregated to compare need incidence across different setting and different offender populations. Finally, a factor analysis is performed on one set of needs data to determine whether the conceptual dimensions used to classify needs can be empirically validated.
487 IMPROVED PERINATAL OUTCOME IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL: NEONATAL MORTALITY VERSUS VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

The very low birth weight rate (infants ≤ 1500gm/1000 births) has increased linearly at our institution (r = .84) from 35 to 55 from 1974 to 1979. The proportion of VLBW infants weighing ≤ 1000gm remained unchanged during this period and averaged 31%. However, the number of extreme low birth weight (≤ 700gm) infants increased dramatically from a mean of 3.8% of very low birth weight infants for 1974-1977 to 10% in 1978 and 1979 (p < .02). In spite of this increase in very tiny infants, the neonatal mortality rate fell progressively from 25.8 deaths/thousand births in 1974 to 17.9 in 1979 (r = -.76). Neonatal mortality has been shown to be closely linked with the very low birth weight rate, both within one institution and in the United States, as well as from country to country. The ratio of neonatal mortality rate to very low birth weight rate has been suggested to be a measure of quality of care.* This ratio declined linearly (r = -.97) in our perinatal service from 0.74 in 1974 to 0.32 in 1979. This ratio was 1.09 for the USA in 1975. Thus, a vast improvement in quality of care appears to have occurred in our hospital in the six year span, despite an increased very low birth weight rate, an increased proportion of whom have been ≤ 700g in birthweight.
Water‐induced micellar structure change in Pluronic P103/water/o‐xylene ternary system

Both laser light scattering (LLS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) were used to study the water-induced formation and structure of micelles and supramolecules of Pluronic P103 [(EO) 17 (PO) 60 (EO) 17 ] in o-xylene, a selective solvent for the long middle block. In pure o-xylene, P103 molecules exist as unimer coils with an equivalent hard-sphere radius of 1.6 nm even at fairly high concentrations. Micelles with a PEO/water core and a PPO dominated corona were formed in the presence of water when the P103 concentration ≥0.046 g/mL. The size and structure of micelles have been studied as a function of solubilized water content Z ( the molar ratio of water to EO units) in micelles. The micelles change from a somewhat open structure with some EO units either dangling out of the micellar core or being incorporated into neighboring micellar cores at low Z values to a flower-like structure with relatively sharp interface at high Z values. At low Z values ( about 2.9 ), micelles have a flower-like structure with the two end PEO blocks belonging to the small micellar core. With increasing Z, the values of R c o, and N increased, while R s kept nearly a constant. In the concentrated regime ( C > 0.30 g/mL), a stiff polymer network at a critical o value of 0.49 was formed. The supramolecular structures with a face-center cubic packing, and a possible hexagonal packing at higher polymer concentrations ( i.e. > 0.55 g/mL ), were observed, respectively.
Sub-Tg relaxation in Ge5Se95 and As5Se95 glasses

Abstract High-purity Ge 5 Se 95 (glass transition temperature, T g = 75°C) and As 5 Se 95 ( T g = 52°C) bulk glasses were prepared by melting pre-distilled or surface oxide-removed 5 and 6N pure raw materials in a fused silica ampoule. The density, ϱ, shear modulus, G , Poisson's ratio, ν, heat capacity, C p , and stress-optic coefficient, B , at λ = 1.8 μ m were measured periodically over about 7 months after cooling to room temperature. In between the measurements, glasses were stored stress-free at room temperature (∼ 20°C) in darkness. For both glasses, the magnitude of B increased by about 50% in a near-exponential manner over the initial 14-day period and leveled thereafter. Associated with the relaxation of B , there appeared some increased, although no more than one standard deviation from the average, in the density and elastic properties of Ge 5 Se 95 . The elastic properties of As 5 Se 95 appeared relatively constant over the 14-day period. The shape of the C p versus T curves for both the glasses changed in the transition region. The relaxation resulted in an increase in the glass transition temperature (defined by the onset of the endothermic transition), with a concurrent decrease in the fictive temperature (defined by the equivalent enthalpy). It is suggested that the Ge(As) atoms are under-coordinated in the initial structure, and that the sub- T g structural relaxation involves coordination changes of these atoms effective increased degree of crosslinking with time.
Porcine urinary bladder extracellular matrix grafts (ACell Vet® Corneal Discs) for keratomalacia in 17 equids (2012–2013)

Objective To describe the clinical course, outcomes, and complications associated with use of commercially available porcine urinary bladder extracellular matrix (ECM) grafts (ACell Vet® Corneal Discs) in equid patients with keratomalacia, and to evaluate the efficacy of ECM grafts as a viable alternative to other biomaterials for corneal grafting in equid patients. Animals Sixteen horses and one donkey (17 eyes) with unilateral keratomalacia severe enough to warrant surgical repair between August 2012 and September 2013. Procedure Retrospective medical record review to identify equid patients meeting inclusion criteria of (i) diagnosis with keratomalacia severe enough to warrant surgical repair and (ii) surgical repair with an extracellular matrix graft. Results Eleven geldings, four mares, and two colts met inclusion criteria. Patients averaged 9 years of age. Twelve of 17 eyes (71%) were considered infected based on either corneal cytology (10/17, or 59%) or corneal culture (12/17, or 71%) positive for bacteria (8/17, or 47%) or fungi (9/17, or 53%). At the time topical medications were discontinued, 16 eyes (94%) were visual. One operated eye ruptured 5 days postoperatively and was enucleated. Keratouveitis developed in 14/14 eyes that underwent regular examinations approximately 2 weeks postoperatively which responded to systemic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy. Conclusions Extracellular matrix grafts may be a viable alternative to other biomaterials for corneal grafting in equids. Advantages include commercial availability and shelf storage.
Problems, progress and prognosis in trade and investment negotiations: the transatlantic free trade and investment partnership

A comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) would increase economic output, create jobs, establish regulatory standards with global reach and set a new ‘gold standard’ for other trade agreements. However, institutionalised differences in key policy areas, divergent preferences for what constitutes an acceptable agreement, and sceptical populations constitute insurmountable hurdles. Using empirical and theoretical arguments, this paper is both a prediction for the TTIP and a contribution to our understanding of when and why trade negotiations fail, while also highlighting the positive side effects of negotiations. Assessing the extent to which the factors presented in this paper are present in other negotiations improves our understanding of the outcome of complex bilateral negotiations.
Growth strain-induced wrinkled membrane morphology of white blood cells

The membranes of white blood cells possess a highly corrugated or wrinkled surface topology. This topology provides excess surface area which serves as a reservoir for membrane expansion during osmotic swelling and for membrane mediated events such as adhesion and sensing. We explore and model the dynamic development of the wrinkled morphology to arise from buckling instabilities triggered by the deformation mismatch between the membrane and the cytoskeleton during membrane growth. In particular, we examine the formation of the wavelengths and amplitudes of the wrinkled topology during the large deformations of the membrane growth, which lead to the experimentally observed spicule-like character of the topology. The anisotropic nature of the membrane structure and mechanical behavior, in particular the high stiffness resisting surface area change which provides a high biaxial bending stiffness of the membrane, are found to play an important role in topology development.
An impedance sheet approximation for thin dielectric shells

An approximate equivalence between an impedance loaded surface and a thin dielectric shell is given. This approximation is used to compute the backscattering from a thin circular dielectric tube and the results are compared to the exact solution. Computations for backscattering from a thin dielectric cone-sphere and resonant wire loop inside of a thin dielectric cylinder are also given as further illustrations of the method.
A method for estimating the probability that a specific frameshift mutation was selected in the course of evolution

Abstract Where the amino acid sequences of two proteins (or portions thereof) from two homologous genes differ sufficiently, it is possible that a frameshift mutation has occurred. Where a putative frameshift would appear to leave only a few of the coding nucleotides mismatched, one needs to know the probability that such a low number of mismatches might arise by chance before concluding that a frameshift actually occurred. A method is presented which enables one to calculate that probability for frameshifts of one or two nucleotides. The method is applied to the amino-terminal region of plant and bacterial ferredoxins (for which evidence had previously been presented indicating a possible frameshift relationship) and the evidence is found to be unconvincing.
Identifying redox‐sensitive extra‐chloroplastic enzymes by homology modeling

Homology modeling has been used to identify extra-chloroplastic enzymes that contain potential disulfide bonds. All of the higher plant fructose bisphosphatases and mitochondrial citrate synthases that have been tested to date, two glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenases, two enolases and one lactate dehydrogenase, are redox-sensitive and may then be redox-regulated in vivo. Apparently, redox-sensitivity is not limited to the chloroplast.
Neurogenic Inflammation and Arthritis

Inflammation and inflammatory diseases are sexually dimorphic, but the underlying causes for this observed sexual dimorphism are poorly understood. We discuss neural-immune mechanisms that underlie sexual dimorphism in three critical aspects of the inflammatory process-plasma extravasation, neutrophil function, and inflammatory hyperalgesia. Plasma extravasation and accumulation/activation of leukocytes into tissues are critical components in inflammation and are required for several other aspects of the inflammatory response. Pain (hyperalgesia) also markedly influences the magnitude of other components of the inflammatory response and induces a feedback control of plasma extravasation and neutrophil function. More important, this feedback control itself is powerfully modulated by vagal afferent activity and both the function of the primary afferent nociceptor and the modulation of inflammatory hyperalgesia by vagal afferent activity are highly sexually dimorphic.
Noncovalent mechanism for the conformal metallization of nanostructured parylene films.

We describe a rapid, reliable method of preparing nanoporous Ni or Co films using nanostructured poly(chloro-p-xylylene) (nanoPPX) films as templates. The nanoPPX films are vapor deposited onto Si substrates using oblique angle polymerization (OAP), resulting in the formation of an obliquely aligned PPX nanorod array on the substrate. The nanoPPX films are then subjected to noncovalent functionalization using an aromatic ligand (i.e., pyridine) by means of treatment with either an aqueous solution of the ligand or ligand vapor. The results of quartz crystal microbalance and X-ray diffraction studies support a model in which pyridine adsorption is facilitated by the formation of π−π interactions with aromatic moieties in the amorphous surface regions of nanoPPX. The physisorbed pyridine in the nanoPPX film can subsequently bind a catalytic Pd(II)-based colloidal seed layer. Continuous, conformal Ni or Co films, characterized by FIB/SEM and AFM, are grown on the Pd(II)-laden nanoPPX films using electroless ...