cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization and Implementation of Hybrid Reverse-Voltage-Blocking and Bidirectional Switches using WBG Devices in Emerging Motor Drive Applications

Reverse-voltage-blocking (RB) and bidirectional (BD) power switches using wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor materials enable new power converter designs. Due to the dominance of voltage-source inverters (VSIs) using switches that are only required to block forward voltage, limited research has been devoted to the development of RB and BD switches using either monolithic or discrete devices. In this paper, detailed characterization results for three prototype hybrid RB/BD switches that have been built using discrete silicon-carbide (SiC) devices are presented. The dynamic voltage sharing, switching speed, voltage overshoot, and switching loss of these hybrid RB/BD switches are compared. The important commutation issues associated with the implementation of hybrid RB/BD switches in current-source inverters (CSIs) and matrix converters (MCs) are discussed. For the MC, gate signal shifting control applied to hybrid BD switches with dual gate drives is presented to achieve reliable commutation. For the CSI, a novel H8-CSI topology is proposed to achieve reliable commutation using hybrid BD switches that only require a single gate drive.
Sensitive and quantitative probing of pseudouridine modification in mRNA and long noncoding RNA.

Pseudouridine (Ψ) is the most abundant RNA modification in cellular RNA present in tRNA/rRNA/snRNA and also in mRNA and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA). Elucidation of Ψ function in mRNA/lncRNA requires mapping and quantitative assessment of its modification fraction at single-base resolution. The most widely used Ψ mapping method for mRNA/lncRNA relies on its reaction with N-Cyclohexyl-N'-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide (CMC), forming an adduct with the Ψ base in RNA that is detectable by reverse transcription (RT) stops. However, this method has not produced consistent Ψ maps in mRNAs; furthermore, available protocols do not lend confidence to the estimation of Ψ fraction at specific sites, which is a crucial parameter for investigating the biological relevance of mRNA modifications. Here we develop a quantitative RT-PCR based method that can detect and quantify the modification fraction of target Ψ sites in mRNA/lncRNA, termed C MC-RT and l igation a ssisted P CR analysis of Ψ modification (CLAP). The method still relies on RT stop at a CMC-Ψ site, but uses site-specific ligation and PCR to generate two distinct PCR products in the same sample, corresponding to the modified and unmodified site, that are visualized by gel electrophoresis. CLAP not only requires a small amount of cellular RNA to validate Ψ sites but also determines the Ψ fraction semiquantitatively at target sites in mRNA/lncRNA. We determined the Ψ status of four mRNA sites and one lncRNA site whose modification fractions range from 30% to 84% in three human cell lines. Our method enables precise mapping and assessment of Ψ modification levels in low abundance cellular RNAs.
Novel Keto−Enol Systems: Cyclobutane Derivatives

3H-Perfluorobicyclo[2.2.0]hexan-2-one (3) has been synthesized from hexafluorobenzene and equilibrated with its enol form (4). In carbon tetrachloride Ke/k = 0.07 ± 0.01 (25 °C), but in Lewis basic solvents (e.g. acetonitrile, ether, and tetrahydrofuran) only enol is detectable at equilibrium because of its strength as a hydrogen bond donor. In the monocyclic counterpart of this keto−enol system, 2H-perfluorocyclobutanone (1) and perfluorocyclobut-1-enol (2), the enol is more stable yet. Here ketone is undetectable under equilibrating conditions in all media examined, including carbon tetrachloride. Among unhindered and unconjugated enols, 2 and 4 are more stable relative to their ketones than any others that have been reported. Ab initio quantum mechanical calculations support the conclusion that destabilization of the ketones, but not stabilization of the enols, by fluorine substitution is responsible for the unique relative stability of these enols.
Maximizing Effective Feedback and End-of-Course Evaluations

Providing learners with effective feedback and creating a feedback-rich culture is a key and critical component of medical education. Feedback provides learners with information that can help them to improve future performance. Effective evaluations at the end of a course or rotation that summarize learner performance are also essential in medical education. This chapter focuses on why feedback is important, reviews barriers to feedback, and describes how to provide effective feedback using two models for giving feedback (ADAPT and R2C2). This chapter further describes the importance of engaging learners in the feedback process. This chapter also reviews some best practices for completing end-of-course/rotation evaluations.
The New UNOS Heart Allocation Changes Significantly Changed the Landscape of Heart Transplantation

Purpose October 2018 saw a change in the UNOS heart allocation which prioritized the sickest patients especially those of temporary devices. The main driver of the change was to reduce wait list mortality. We aim to examine whether the new allocation benefits come at a cost of reduced post-transplant survival. Methods A retrospective UNOS database review of all heart transplants performed between April 2018 and April 2019 (n=3431). These patients divided according to their allocation status and whether they were done prior (n=2143) or after the allocation change (n=1288). Proportion of patients in each status and the rate of temporary device use were assessed. 6-month survival in each status was also analyzed. Results The proportion of patient listed in the urgent status of 1, 2 or 3 was 77% which is a significant increase compared to the 69% for status 1A patients. We observed a significant reduction in Status 4 listing compared to status 1B 19% vs. 27%. ECMO use significantly increased from 1% in the old system to 5% in the new system with no differences in survival 76% vs. 79%. No significant changes in Impella utilization were observed however survival was reduced from 98% in the old system to 77% in the new p=0.006. IABP utilization significantly increased in the new allocation system from 8% to 23% utilization with no significant changes in survival. Conclusion Under the new allocation we have seen a significant rise in the ECMO and IABP utilization resulting in an increase in the proportion of status 1, 2 and 3 compared to status 1A group but was associated with a significant reduction in the status 4 patients (former status 1B). While this new allocation prioritizes a reduction in wait times and mortality, we have observed that this is associated with higher transplant mortality in status 1, 2, 3 and 4 patients. Finally, more time and data is required to determine if the new allocation results in reduced wait list mortality at the cost of lower post-transplant survival.
Atrioventricular junctional ablation: The good, the bad, the better.

Background The management of patients with atrial fibrillation and an abnormally fast ventricular response has been through the use of pharmacologic agents. In those cases where rate control cannot be achieved pharmacologically, a standard approach has been atrioventricular (AV) junctional ablation and ventricular pacemaker implantation to achieve a stable ventricular rate. Long-term ventricular pacing has been shown to result in diminished ventricular function that can lead to heart failure. Objective To describe an experimental and clinical study demonstrating a modified form of AV junction ablation. Methods Ablation of the slow and fast AV nodal input does not produce AV block. Ablation of the connection between the two induces AV block, leaving the AV node and His bundle intact. Results Subsequently the escape heart rate is close to normal and responds well to exercise. Conclusion In a clinical study with a 42 month follow-up, the modified procedure resulted in significantly reduced pacemaker dependence and mortality compared to the standard AV ablation procedure.
Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Central Pain Responses in a Nonpharmacologic Treatment Trial of Osteoarthritis.

Background and purpose Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common source of pain in older adults. Although OA-induced pain can be relieved with analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, the current opioid epidemic is fostering the exploration of nonpharmacologic strategies for pain mitigation. Amongs these, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and mindfulness-based meditation (MBM) hold potential for pain-relief efficacy due to their neuromodulatory effects of the central nervous system, which is known to play a fundamental role in pain perception and processing. Methods In this double-blind study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate the effects of tDCS combined with MBM on underlying pain processing mechanisms at the central nervous level in older adults with knee OA. Nineteen subjects were randomly assigned to two groups undergoing a 10-day active tDCS and MBM regimen and a sham tDCS and MBM regimen, respectively. Results Our results showed that the neuromodulatory intervention significantly relieved pain only in the group receiving active treatment. We also found that only the active treatment group showed a significant increase in oxyhemoglobin activation of the superior motor and somatosensory cortices colocated to the placement of the tDCS anodal electrode. To our knowledge, this is the first study in which the combined effect of tDCS and MBM is investigated using fNIRS. Conclusion In conclusion, fNIRS can be effectively used to investigate neural mechanisms of pain at the cortical level in association with nonpharmacological, self-administered treatments.
Phylogeny, Evolution, and Biogeography of the North American Trapdoor Spider Family Euctenizidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) and the Discovery of a New ‘Endangered Living Fossil’ Along California’s Central Coast

Abstract We report here the discovery of a remarkable new monotypic mygalomorph spider genus, known only from one geographical location along the central coast of California. The single relict species comprising Cryptocteniza kawtakn. gen. n. sp., is morphologically distinct and geographically isolated from other related genera, with its closest phylogenetic relatives found much further to the east in New Mexico and Arizona. Using a phylogenomic approach employing anchored hybrid enrichment, we reconstruct the evolutionary history of the family Euctenizidae Raven, 1985 to explore relationships among genera, affirmatively place previously undescribed taxa, explore rates of diversification, and reconstruct the group’s biogeography. A biogeographic analysis shows that extinction likely played a significant role in shaping the observed disjunct modern-day distribution of Cryptocteniza and its sister taxa. Our extinction hypothesis is further bolstered by a diversification rate analysis identifying considerably higher rates of speciation in other euctenizid lineages like AptostichusSimon, 1891. Consequently, changes in environmental conditions (or other related biotic and/or abiotic factors) may have spurred an adaptive radiation in related genera now widely distributed across the California Floristic Province biodiversity hotspot, with concomitant extinction in Cryptocteniza following the Miocene and establishment of a Mediterranean climate. Owing to its phylogenetic distinctiveness, incredibly narrow distribution and age, we show that Cryptocteniza meets all the criteria of an ‘Endangered Living Fossil’ and is consequently of grave conservation concern.
Predictors and Reasons Why Patients Decline to Participate in Home Hospital: a Mixed Methods Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Acute care at home (“home hospital”) compared to traditional hospital care has been shown to lower cost, utilization, and readmission and improve patient experience and physical activity. Despite these benefits, many patients decline to enroll in home hospital. Describe predictors and reasons why patients decline home hospital. Mixed methods evaluation of a randomized controlled trial. Patients in the emergency department who required admission and were accepted for home hospital by the home hospital attending, but ultimately declined to enroll. Home hospital care, including nurse and physician home visits, intravenous medications, remote monitoring, video communication, and point-of-care testing. We conducted a thematic content analysis of verbatim reasons for decline. We performed bivariate comparisons then multivariable logistic regression to identify patient characteristics associated with declining participation. Two hundred forty-eight patients were eligible to enroll, and 157 (63%) declined enrollment. Patients who declined and enrolled were of similar age (median age, 74 vs 75 years old; p = 0.27), sex (32% vs 36% female; p = 0.49), and race/ethnicity (p = 0.26). In multivariable analysis, patients were significantly more likely to decline if they initially presented at the community hospital compared to the academic medical center (53% vs 42%; adjusted OR, 2.2 [95% CI, 1.2 to 4.2]) and if single (37% v 24%; adjusted OR, 2.5 [95% CI, 1.2 to 5.1]). We formulated 10 qualitative categories describing reasons patients ultimately declined. Many patients declined because they felt it was easier to remain in the hospital (20%) or felt safer in the hospital than in their home (20%). Patients who declined to enroll in a home hospital intervention had similar sociodemographic characteristics as enrollees except partner status and declined most often for perceptions surrounding safety at home and the ease of remaining in the hospital. NCT03203759
Diversify or Decolonise? What You Can Do Right Now and How to Get Started

Changing the academic curriculum to make it inclusive for Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students is difficult work, no matter what we call it. However, using terms interchangeably can confuse and immobilise scholars who want to make changes, but are unsure what to call those changes or how to get started. Michelle Grue considers the meanings of contested terms: equity, equality, diversifying, or decolonising. After this discussion, Grue asks the hard questions teachers and department leaders need to ask themselves and their departments, respectively, to assess the status quo and decide which of the terms best apply to what they can do in their present environment and what they might work towards in the future. She closes the chapter with practical tips for getting started.
Photonic engineering of atomic sensors

The discrete electronic energy levels in atoms and the ability to probe and control them using their interactions with electromagnetic fields have enabled a host of applications in quantum sensing and metrology, including atom-based time and frequency standards, magnetometers, and inertial sensors. Precision measurements with atoms rely on the capability to control the frequency, phase, polarization, and direction of photons used to prepare and measure quantum systems, and thus developments in near-infrared optics and photonics are critical to advancing state-of-the-art atomic sensors. In this talk, I will summarize the basic principles of atom-based quantum sensing and highlight the role of atom-photon interactions in quantum measurements. The benefits and challenges of realizing atom-based quantum sensors will be illustrated through examples from my prior research, including the development of sensitive accelerometers and gyroscopes based on cold-atom interferometers. I will discuss the critical developments in photonic engineering that are still needed to improve the performance and functionality of atom-based-quantum sensors and our research progress at UW-Madison towards addressing these needs.
A Protective Role for Arachidonic Acid Metabolites against Advanced Colorectal Adenoma in a Phase III Trial of Selenium

Oxylipins derived from arachidonic acid (ARA) have been implicated in the development of colorectal adenomas and colorectal cancer. The primary purpose of this work was to determine the relationship between plasma levels of oxylipins and colorectal adenoma characteristics at study entry, as well as with the development of a new adenoma during follow-up within a Phase III adenoma prevention clinical trial with selenium (Sel). Secondarily, we sought to determine whether the selenium intervention influenced plasma oxylipin levels. Four oxylipins were quantified in stored plasma samples from a subset of Sel study subjects (n = 256) at baseline and at 12-months. There were significantly lower odds of an advanced adenoma at baseline with higher prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), with an OR (95% CI) of 0.55 (0.33-0.92), and with 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) ((0.53 (0.33-0.94)); and of a large adenoma with higher PGE2 ((0.52 (0.31-0.87)). In contrast, no associations were observed between any oxylipin and the development of a new adenoma during follow-up. Selenium supplementation was associated with a significantly smaller increase in 5-HETE after 12 months compared to the placebo, though no other results were statistically significant. The ARA-derived oxylipins may have a role in the progression of non-advanced adenoma to advanced, but not with the development of a new adenoma.
Wittgenstein's Tractatus: A Dialectical Interpretation

Introduction 1. Pictures and logical atomism 2. What is analysis? 3. The essence of the proposition 4. The liberating word.
Physical and Chemical Properties of Reversibly Inactivated Lactate Dehydrogenases

Abstract The effect of reversible inactivation on the physical and chemical properties of dogfish M4 and chicken heart H4 lactate dehydrogenases has been studied. Reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide was found to have a significant effect on the rate of recovery of the enzymatic activity, but not on the over-all recovery. Optical rotatory dispersion, circular dichroism, fluorescence, and immunological studies have shown structural differences between the native and reassociated enzyme. Further evidence for the difference in conformational structure was obtained from the pattern of reactivity of sulfhydryl groups of the reactivated enzyme. The native enzyme was also found to be more stable to heat and urea denaturation than the reassociated form. Pyruvate inhibition, and the catalytic activity with coenzyme analogues, was found to be different for the native and the reassociated enzyme. These results indicate the possibility that a conformational difference exists between the native and the reassociated enzyme for both dogfish M4 and chicken H4 lactate dehydrogenase. Studies on the lactate dehydrogenase reassociated in the presence of reduced DPN showed structural characteristics which are closer to the native dehydrogenase than the enzyme which was reassociated in the absence of the reduced coenzyme. Incubation of the enzyme with DPNH after reassociation does not convert the reassociated enzyme to a structure similar to that of the native enzyme. These studies suggest a possible role of the reduced coenzyme in the folding of the peptide chain or in the subunit interaction and in the attainment of the native conformation of the enzyme.
Modeling Coastal and Marine Environmental Risks in Belize: the Marine Integrated Decision Analysis System (MIDAS)

The livelihood of coastal communities is directly linked to the health of intertidal and marine ecosystems. Coastal zones and marine areas are rapidly changing and highly vulnerable to impacts from climate change, accelerating human development, and over-fishing. Quality of life and the benefits of coastal development can be greatly enhanced, and costs minimized, by projecting and comparing alternative policy outcomes before management decisions are made. This article describes the Marine Integrated Decision Analysis System (MIDAS), an interactive decision support tool designed to assist the users and managers of Belize's system of marine management areas (MMAs) in understanding the interactions among various ecological, socioeconomic, and governance conditions in a spatially explicit manner. MIDAS can simulate and visualize the likely effects of alternative management strategies and therefore provides an important tool for evaluating potential scenarios. We developed two MIDAS modules to address specific...
Definitions and Basic Principles

Nuclear power plants currently generate better than 20 % of the central station electricity produced in the United States. The United States currently has 104 operating power producing reactors, with 9 more planned. France has 58 with 1 more planned. China has 13 with 43 planned. Japan has 54 with 3 more planned. In addition, Russia has 32 with 12 more planned. Nuclear generated electricity has certainly come into its own existent and is the safest, cleanest and greenest form of electricity currently is in produced on this planet. However, many current thermodynamics texts ignore nuclear energy and use few examples of nuclear power systems. Nuclear energy presents some interesting thermodynamic challenges and it helps to introduce them at the fundamental level. Our goal here will be to introduce thermodynamics as the energy conversion science that it is and apply it to nuclear systems. Certainly, there will be many aspects of thermodynamics that are given little or no coverage. However, that is true for any textual introduction to this science; however by considering concrete systems, it is easier to give insight into the fundamental laws of the science and to provide an intuitive feeling for further study. Although brief summary of definition and basic principles of thermodynamic are touched up in this chapter for the purpose of this book, we encourage the readers to refer themselves to references [1–6] provided at the end of this chapter.
Rock fall dynamics and deposition: an integrated analysis of the 2009 Ahwiyah Point rock fall, Yosemite National Park, USA

We analyzed a combination of airborne and terrestrial LiDAR, high-resolution photography, seismic, and acoustic data in order to gain insights into the initiation, dynamics, and talus deposition of a complex rock fall. A large (46 700 m3) rock fall originated from near Ahwiyah Point in eastern Yosemite Valley and fell a total of 730 m to the valley floor on 28 March 2009. Analyses of remote sensing, seismic, and acoustic data were integrated to reconstruct the rock fall, which consisted of (1) the triggering of a 25 400 m3 rock block in an area of intersecting and sometimes highly weathered joint planes, (2) the sliding and subsequent ballistic trajectory of the block from a steeply dipping ledge, (3) dislodging of additional rock from the cliff surface from beneath the rock fall source area, (4) a mid-cliff ledge impact that detached a volume of rock nearly equivalent in volume to the initial block, (5) sliding of the deteriorating rock mass down the remainder of the cliff, and (6) final impact at the base of the cliff that remobilized the existing talus downward and outward and produced an airblast that knocked down hundreds of trees. The depositional geomorphology indicates that the porosity of the fresh talus is significantly lower than that expected for typical blocky talus slopes, likely because the rock debris from this event was pulverized into smaller, more poorly sorted fragments and densified via dynamic compaction when compared to less energetic, fragmental-type rock falls. These results suggest that accumulation of individual rock-fall boulders tends to steepen talus slopes, whereas large, energetic rock falls tend to flatten them. Detachment and impact signals were recorded by seismic and acoustic instruments and highlight the potential use of this type of instrumentation for generalized rock fall monitoring, while LiDAR and photography data were able to quantify the cliff geometry, rock fall volume, source and impact locations, and geomorphological changes to the cliff and talus. Published in 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Prostate Biopsy Markers of Inflammation are Associated with Risk of Clinical Progression of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Findings from the MTOPS Study

Purpose: Factors associated with worsening of benign prostatic hyperplasia are not well understood. We measured inflammatory markers from prostate biopsies to study if inflammation is related to clinical progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia.Materials and Methods: We measured inflammatory cell markers CD45, CD4, CD8 and CD68 in transition zone biopsies from 859 men in the MTOPS biopsy substudy. Using novel imaging techniques we quantified amounts of moderate/severe inflammation. Benign prostatic hyperplasia clinical progression was defined as a confirmed 4-point or greater increase in the AUA symptom score from baseline, or the occurrence of urinary incontinence or acute urinary retention. Baseline clinical parameters including concomitant medication use were determined. Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the risk of progression.Results: Inflammation as measured by CD45, CD4 and CD68 increased the risk of clinical progression of benign prostati...
Aqueous, protein-driven synthesis of transition metal-doped ZnS immuno-quantum dots.

The intentional introduction of transition metal impurities in semiconductor nanocrystals is an attractive approach for tuning quantum dot emission over a wide range of wavelengths. However, the development of effective doping strategies can be challenging, especially if one simultaneously requires a low-toxicity crystalline core, a functional protein shell, and a “green”, single-step synthesis process. Here, we describe a simple and environmentally friendly route for the biofabrication of Cu-doped (blue-green) or Mn-doped (yellow-orange) ZnS nanocrystals surrounded by an antibody-binding protein shell. The ZnS:Mn hybrid particles obtained with this method exhibit a 60% enhancement in maximum photoluminescence intensity relative to undoped nanocrystals and have a hydrodynamic diameter inferior to 10 nm. They can be stored for months at 4 °C, are stable over a physiological range of pH and salt concentrations, can be decorated with variable amounts of antibodies by direct mixing, and hold promise for biose...
Six Sigma for Software Application of Hypothesis Tests to Software Data

The article discusses statistical analysis on Release data from a mature Global Software Group (GSG) with three business domains with an aim to ascertain if any correlation can be established between the data collected after release and the benefits to the centre from the outcome of the analysis. Thus re-evaluating the process involved in creating and delivering software products to our customers. This article will strive to explain some of the Six Sigma methodologies and tools used in comparing groups (ANOVA method) and categorical data analysis techniques on software data. The paper will also discuss in detail normal distribution, tests for normality and comparative methods along with Contingency Table Analysis (Mosaic plots) and Correspondence Analysis. The application of statistics for SOFTWARE process improvement is increasing in the industry; we present how these techniques can be applied in practice.
Clinical Implications of the DREAM Study

In response to an article (1) published in 2003 demonstrating that both diet and exercise as well as pioglitazone reduced insulin resistance in upper-body obese, sedentary, nondiabetic individuals, I wrote an editorial (2) discussing whether the treatment of insulin resistance independent of any effect on glycemia could be beneficial for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). At that time, evidence for a beneficial effect rested on surrogate end points and intermediate outcomes of CVD. The final sentence in the editorial was, “If the ongoing clinical trials demonstrate a reduction in hard clinical events, difficult decisions will need to be made.” Although thiazolidinediones (TZDs) continued to lower many of the surrogate risk factors associated with and early manifestations of CVD (e.g., endothelial dysfunction, intima medial thickness of carotid arteries) in subsequent studies, the effect on preventing hard clinical outcomes in the first clinical trial reported was less robust than many had anticipated (3). Now the Diabetes Reduction Assessment with Rampipril and Rosiglitazone Medication (DREAM) study (4) has been published, raising the question of treating nondiabetic individuals with a TZD, to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes rather than CVD. The DREAM study (4) randomized over 5,000 individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and/or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) to receive either 8 mg rosiglitazone or placebo over a median of 3 years. There was an ∼60% less chance of those receiving the TZD to develop diabetes compared with those receiving the placebo. For every 1,000 subjects with IFG and/or IGT given rosiglitazone, 144 would be prevented from developing diabetes. There would be, however, four to five excess cases (i.e., over what would have occurred if a TZD had not been given) of heart failure. In addition to the small increase in heart failure, the cost of the TZD …
Effective spring stiffness for non-interacting penny-shaped cracks at an interface between two dissimilar, isotropic, linearly elastic materials

A quasi-static approximation has been widely used to model ultrasonic wave interactions at imperfect interfaces between two linearly elastic materials. To simulate the reduction of static stiffness of the overall structure due to compromised interfaces (micro-cracks or micro-disbonds), the compliance of an imperfect interface to a loading is represented by continuous, uniform distributions of linearly elastic interfacial springs. In this work, a representation by normal and transverse effective spring stiffnesses of an array of non-interacting penny-shaped cracks at the interface between two dissimilar, isotropic, linearly elastic materials is obtained based on classical fracture mechanics. The results obtained are useful in estimating the disbonded area, which is critical in assessing the bond integrity and estimating the remaining life. Special care is taken to avoid crack surface interpenetration for transverse loading, and the valid loading range is obtained to assure negligibility of crack surface in...
Heterometallic cubane single-molecule magnets.

Two new heterometallic cubane molecules have been synthesized. High-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance and magnetization measurements indicate that [Mn3Ni(hmp)3O(N3)3(C7H5O2)3] (1) displays a well-isolated S = 5 ground state (ΔE > 120 K), with g = 2.0, D = −0.23 cm-1, and ferromagnetic Mn−Mn exchange interactions competing with antiferromagnetic Ni−Mn interactions. [Mn3Zn(hmp)3O(N3)3(C3H5O2)3] (2) possesses a S = 6 ground state (ΔE > 105 K), with g = 2.0, D = −0.14 cm-1, and ferromagnetic Mn−Mn exchange interactions. Magnetization vs magnetic field data for oriented single crystals of 1 and 2 indicate that both complexes are single-molecule magnets.
Reply to A. R. Jensen's Comments on M. W. Smith's Analysis of Culture Bias in the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale

(1977). Reply to A. R. Jensen's Comments on M. W. Smith's Analysis of Culture Bias in the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 130, No. 1, pp. 117-120.
Hip Hop and Religion: Gangsta Rap’s Christian Rhetoric

Abstract: This article analyzes gangsta rap discourse through the lens of rhetorical studies to reveal central features of its Christian religious ethos. The religious rhetorical output of many gangsta rappers, both textual and visual, reveals a religious ethos containing a form of religious phronesis (practical wisdom). This ethos has three central telling characteristics: solidarity with Jesus formed through the common theme of suffering; a mistrust of organized religion; and the presence of a psycho-social battle between good and evil, analyzed here through the examples of DMX and Mase.
The amyloidogenicity of gelsolin is controlled by proteolysis and pH.

Abstract Background: Normally, gelsolin functions in plasma as part of the actin-scavenging system to assemble and disassemble actin filaments. The Asp187→Asn (D1 87N) and Asp187→Tyr (D1 87Y) gelsolin mutations facilitate two proteolytic cuts in the parent protein generating a 71-residue fragment that forms amyloid fibrils in humans, putatively causing Finnish type familial amyloidosis (FAF). We investigated the role of the D187N mutation in amyloidogenicity using biophysical studies in vitro . Results: Both the recombinant wild-type and D1 87N FAF-associated gelsolin fragments adopt an ensemble of largely unfolded structures that do not self-associate into amyloid at pH 7.5. Incubation of either fragment at low pHs (6.0-4.0) leads to the formation of well-defined fibrils within 72 hours, however. Conclusions: The D1 87N mutation has been suggested to destabilize the structure of the gelsolin parent protein (specifically domain 2), facilitating two proteolytic cleavage events. Our studies demonstrate that generating the largely unstructured peptide is not sufficient alone for amyloid formation in vitro (on a time scale of months). A drop in pH or an analogous environmental change appears necessary to convert the unstructured fragment into amyloid fibrils, probably through an associative mechanism. The wild-type gelsolin fragment will make amyloid fibrils from pH 6 to 4 in vitro , but neither the wild-type fragment nor fibrils have been observed in vivo . It is possible that domain 2 of wild-type gelsolin is stable in the context of the whole protein and not susceptible to the proteolytic degradation that affords the 71-residue FAF-associated peptide.
The effects of contamination on gaseous X-ray detectors

Results are presented which detail how the performance of a proportional counter degrades when oxygen is added as a contaminant. It is demonstrated that argon based gas fillings are much less sensitive to electronegative impurities than are xenon filled detectors which can show significant deterioration for contamination levels as low as 10 ppm. The data are particularly relevant to X-ray astronomy, where sealed systems must operate for long periods of time.
Pregnancy complicated by a suburethral sling: a case report.

Incontinence surgery is rarely performed prior to the completion of a woman’s childbearing. The literature is sparse in regard to women with prior incontinence surgery. There are no reports of pregnancy complicated by a sling procedure. A 26-year-old gravida 3, para 2-0-0-2 with prior surgical history of a Pereyra urethropexy followed by a Vesica suburethral sling, was referred at 18 weeks’ gestation for assessment of the sling. Her antenatal course was complicated by pyelonephritis and intermittent urethral obstruction requiring Foley catheter placement. She delivered by scheduled cesarean section at 37 weeks’ gestation. Three months following delivery she presented with pyelonephritis and recurrence of her incontinence. Pregnancy complicated by prior suburethral sling procedure may result in urinary outlet obstruction, pyelonephritis and disruption of the surgical repair.
Influence of Carrier and Gear Manufacturing Errors on the Static Load Sharing Behavior of Planetary Gear Sets

In this paper, a state-of-the-art contact mechanics model of a planetary gear set is employed to study the effect of a number of manufacturing and assembly related carrier and gear errors on the load sharing amongst the planets. Three different groups of errors are considered: (i) time-invariant, assembly-independent errors such as carrier planet pinhole position errors, (ii) time-invariant, assembly-dependent errors such as planet tooth thickness errors, and (iii) time-varying, assembly-dependent errors such as gear run-out errors. With such errors present, planet load sharing characteristics of an n-planet system (n=3 to 6) is investigated for different piloting configurations under quasi-static conditions. Load sharing behavior as a function of key manufacturing errors is quantified and design guidelines are proposed for better planet load sharing behavior.
Courtship disruption at the lek in the Guianan cock-of-the rock

During 4 seasons of study at a large (55 male) lek of Guianan cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola rupicola) in Suriname, we observed 3906 female courtship visits. Of these, 1171 (30.0%) were disrupted by adult males, 430 (11.0%) were disrupted by yearling males, and 289 (7.4%) were disrupted by females. This is one of the highest levels of courtship disruption reported among lek-breeding birds. Disruption was performed by approximately half of the territorial adult males each year, spanning the full range of mating success and territory location. Courtship disruption occurs in two contexts among adult male cock-of-the-rock. The most frequently performed disruptions were low-intensity supplantings and threats directed toward more successful territorial neighbors. These appear to reflect attempts to improve or maintain territorial status within the male social organization. Less commonly, individual males persistently directed high-intensity disruption toward specific females. Such males succeeded in redirecting the females' mate choice to themselves in 27% of instances. We found no support for the hypothesis that females choose males on the basis of their immunity to disruption. Reproductively successful males received disruption at proportionately equal or greater levels than unsuccessful males. Courtship disruption by yearling cock-of-the-rock occurred primarily in the context of practice courtship by these non-territorial immatures. Disruption by females was uncommon and did not appear to deny or even delay access to any male. We discuss these results in the light of recent proposals concerning the role of courtship disruption in the operation of mate choice and the determination of male dispersion on leks.
Insulin binding to cultured B- and T-lymphocytes.

Abstract Insulin receptors have been demonstrated on activated but not resting T-lymphocytes. We compared insulin binding to several T- and B-cell tissue culture lines transformed by either radiation or lymphotrophic Herpes virus. Two T-cell lines derived from mouse lymphomas, one T-cell derived from the cotton top marmoset and one mouse B-cell line bound, at most, 3% of a tracer dose of [ 125 I]insulin. In contrast, positive B-cell line (1605 L) derived from a leukemic cotton top marmoset, bound 40% of tracer [ 125 I]insulin. The binding was of high affinity (1.9 nM −1 ), displayed analogue specificity characteristic of the insulin receptor and receptor number per cell was 16,600. The data show that a transformed B-lymphocyte binds substantial levels of insulin. The magnitude of such expression might be related to the fact that this B-cell line also expresses Epstein-Barr virus.
Chromatography of lysosomal enzymes on hydroxylapatite.

Abstract Soluble proteins were extracted from Triton WR 1339-filled rat liver lysosomes and were chromatographed on hydroxylapatite by stepwise elution with increasing concentrations of phosphate buffer (pH 6.8). The distribution of the activities of the cathepsins A, B, C, and D; β-galactosidase; α-mannosidase; β-glucuronidase; β-N-acetylglucosaminidase; acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase in the resulting fractions was determined. Ammonium sulfate fractionation of lysosomal proteins was combined with separation on hydroxylapatite in an attempt to improve the resolution of the cathepsins. Lowering the pH of the phosphate buffers to 5.8 greatly increased the affinity of lysosomal proteins for hydroxylapatite. By a combination of these manipulations fractions were obtained which contained cathepsin D without contamination by other cathepsins.
DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIES DOMINANCE ALONG AN ELEVATIONAL GRADIENT: POPULATION DYNAMICS OF PINUS EDULIS AND JUNIPERUS MONOSPERMA

We evaluated species‐environment relationships within pinon‐juniper woodlands in northern New Mexico (United States) using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The first CCA axis was associated primarily with elevation. Our results showed separation between pinon and juniper along the elevation gradient, as expected: pinon is relatively more dominant at higher sites, whereas juniper is relatively more dominant at lower sites. To examine how this pattern of dominance might emerge with time, we plotted the position of centroids for three pinon and juniper size classes along the first CCA axis. We found that small pinons and junipers were distributed relatively uniformly across the gradient, whereas large pinons and junipers were strongly segregated along the gradient, with intermediate‐sized pinons and junipers intermediate on the CCA axis between small and large. This produced a pattern of increased divergence between the two species that increased with size. We suggest that this pattern emerges as a r...
Kimura disease with advanced renal damage with anti-tubular basement membrane antibody.

Kimura disease (KD) is an autoimmune eosinophilic granulomatous disorder with generalized lymphadenopathy. A handful of pediatric patients with renal disease have been described, none of whom have been African-American (AA). We present an AA boy with KD and nephrotic syndrome (NS). Two months after stopping steroids, fever, asthma, eczema, and proteinuria recurred. His NS did not relapse but his platelet count decreased to 51,000/μl (×106/l). On restarting prednisone, his platelet count normalized. A kidney biopsy revealed 23 of 37 glomeruli obsolescent and advanced damage with over 50% of cortical tissue replaced by interstitial fibrosis and chronic inflammation. Glomerular immunofluorescence was largely negative; very intense linear anti-tubular basement membrane (TBM) deposits of IgA, IgG, C3, and C4 were noted. At present, 36 months from onset, serum creatinine is 1.2 mg/dl (106 µmol/l). We present a 4-year-old AA boy with KD, NS, relapsing thrombocytopenia, and renal damage with anti-TBM antibody.
Low temperature growth of Ga1−xInxP bulk crystals from InSb-rich melt

Abstract Bulk growth of phosphorus and arsenic based ternary III–V semiconductor crystals using pseudo-binary melts such as GaP–InP, GaP–GaAs, AlAs–GaAs, etc. is significantly challenging due to the high vapor pressures of group V species in conjunction with slow growth rates and the need for melt replenishment and mixing during growth. Lowering the growth temperature is desirable such that the vapor pressures of P and As can be easily handled. Low growth temperatures could be achieved by using Ga or In rich solutions. However, this approach is less attractive for growing bulk crystals due to several experimental difficulties including sticking of the growth solution to the crucible wall and to the grown crystal, making it challenging for crystal extraction. Growth of ternary crystals from low temperature quaternary melts has been found to be attractive. In this paper, we will present a new method for the growth of Ga1−xInxP from InSb rich Ga1−xInxPySb1−y melts at low growth temperatures in the range of 800–1050 °C. Thermodynamic phase diagrams calculated at various temperatures using a Gibbs free energy minimization software and materials databases commercially available from Thermo-Calc software will be presented along with experimental validation for Ga1−xInxP crystals grown at 1000 °C.
Synchronization of porcine fetal fibroblast cells with topoisomerase-inhibitor hoechst 33342.

Abstract Proper synchronization of donor nuclei has been shown to have a major influence on the developmental potential of nuclear transfer embryos. In the present study, a protocol was established to synchronize porcine fetal fibroblasts in the G2 stage of the cell cycle. Cell cycle analyses were performed by flow cytometry. Cells were pre-synchronized by serum deprivation or aphidicoline-treatment; then incubated in medium containing 0.1 μg/ml Hoechst 33342 (H342). The fluorochrome H342 has been shown to be a topoisomerase-inhibitor that can inhibit progression through the cell cycle. There was no significant difference in the percentage of fibroblasts in G2/M whether cells were pre-synchronized in medium supplemented with 0.1% serum for 48 h or 0.5% serum for 6 days. Compared with controls, pre-synchronization in early S-phase before incubation in H342 increased the proportion of G2/M fibroblasts; also an increase from 0 and 6 versus 12 h culture in complete medium before incubation in H342 resulted in an increased percentage of cells in G2/M at the end of the synchronization period (9.3 and 13.1% versus 33.7%; P
Mechanistic studies of dimethylsulfide oxidation products using an observationally constrained model

[1] A one-dimensional model of dimethylsulfide (DMS) oxidation chemistry and simultaneous observations from Flight 24 of the First Aerosol Characterization Experiment are used to test the oxidation of DMS by OH and the gas-phase production of SO2, H2SO4, and methanesulfonic acid (MSA) in the remote marine atmosphere. The model includes a comprehensive chemical mechanism (55 sulfur reactions, 28 sulfur species), vertical mixing, scavenging by background aerosols, and surface losses and emissions. Model parameter uncertainties have been estimated and are used to compute probability distribution functions of observable model outputs using a Monte Carlo method. Seven mechanistic scenarios are considered, which include a baseline case incorporating our best current knowledge and six cases that test novel MSA production reactions involving a newly proposed MSA isomer and the oxidation of methanesulfenic (MSEA) and methanesulfinic (MSIA) acids. The results show that for each of the seven scenarios the modeled DMS and SO2 concentrations agree statistically with the Flight 24 observations. For MSA, however, the observations are a factor of 104 to 105 larger than the baseline mean model predictions and lie 3–4 orders of magnitude outside of the one-sigma model uncertainty range. Statistical agreement between the boundary layer MSA observations and the model is achieved only for the mechanism scenarios that invoke new MSA production pathways, with the best agreement occurring when MSA is produced from the oxidation of MSIA or through a path involving the DMS-OH adduct and MSA isomer. For H2SO4 this study finds that even though the majority of the observations lie within the one-sigma model uncertainty range, the baseline scenario systematically underproduces H2SO4 in the boundary layer. These systematic differences are removed when the production of SO3 is enhanced through a pathway that is independent of SO2. This provides evidence for an efficient H2SO4 production pathway that does not involve SO2 as a precursor. Sensitivity studies are also presented, the results of which suggest observables that are most effective at distinguishing between our seven DMS mechanistic scenarios.
Desiccation induced structural alterations in a 66-amino acid fragment of an anhydrobiotic nematode late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins have been found in a number of anhydrobiotic (i.e., a state of anhydrobiosis or life without water) organisms that are adapted to severe water deficit as a result of extreme drought and cold in nature. However, the precise mechanism by which LEA proteins protect the organisms in response to water depletion remains to be defined. Because protein functions are generally determined by its structure, molecular dynamics simulations were performed in this study to understand the structure and its stability of a 66-amino acid fragment of a group 3 LEA protein from an anhydrobiotic nematode during desiccation. It was found that, unlike the vast majority of proteins, the fully hydrated LEA protein in an aqueous solution is by and large unstructured (mainly in the form of random coils and turns). The protein gradually becomes folded into a hairpin-like, double-bundled, α-helical 3D conformation in response to the loss of water. Major structural formation was observed to oc...