cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polyaniline-carbon based binder-free asymmetric supercapacitor in neutral aqueous electrolyte

Abstract We demonstrate the fabrication of self-standing, binder-free activated porous carbon nanofibers (A-PCNFs) and polyaniline-carbon nanofibers (PANI-PCNFs) as electrodes for asymmetric supercapacitor. The A-PCNFs are generated through the electrospinning process followed by pyrolysis and chemical activation of the spun fibers. The PANI-CNFs are obtained via galvanostatic deposition of aniline on porous carbon nanofibers. We also provide insight into the electroactivity of PANI in a neutral aqueous electrolyte (1 M Li2SO4) using in situ Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroelectrochemical study. Potential dependent oxidation of the polymer in the neutral electrolyte is observed through emergence of characteristics IR absorption bands associated with different structures of PANI in oxidized and doped state. The IR band at 1566 cm−1 typically associated with quinoid structure of the polymer chain is shown to increase in intensity as the potential is applied, indicating oxidation of the benzoquinoid structure. Doping of the polymer chain by Li+ was also observed by increase in the intensity of the IR band at 1038 cm−1 associated with electron delocalization. Asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) based on binder-less PANI-PCNFs cathode and A-PCNFs anode achieved an energy density of 29 W h kg−1 at an operating voltage window of 1.8 V. The cell retained 75% of its capacitance over 4500 cycles at 2 A g−1 with the capacitance remaining largely constant after the first 500 cycles. Such high capacitance in a neutral electrolyte is attributed to the excellent pore distribution in the A-PCNF network (surface area of 2218 m2 g−1), which leads to high double layer capacitance and thin, conformal coating of PANI, which contributes to high pseudocapacitance.
Protecting IPs Against Scan-Based Side-Channel Attacks

The need for on-chip security has been on the rise with the proliferation of cryptochips and other applications that contain intellectual property that must be protected. In order to test these chips, scan-based testing has been commonly used due to the ease of application and high coverage. However, once in the field, the test ports become a liability due to the amount of controllability and observability scan-based testing provides. This chapter presents a low-cost secure scan solution that allows the ease of testing using a scan while maintaining a high level of security that will protect the on-chip IP. The proposed solution authorizes users through the use of a test key that is integrated directly into the test pattern and will prevent unauthorized users from correctly analyzing the responses from the scan chain. The area overhead of the proposed solution is negligible, has no impact on performance, and adds several layers of security on top of the scan chain without modifying the standard test interface.
Protein-Induced Neonatal Specific and Non-Specific Immunosuppression

Experimentally produced neonatal tolerance to a protein antigen can be induced by injection of a single large dose of tolerogen at or near birth (1). This tolerant state is finite and animals originally tolerant eventually return to full responsiveness to the tolerogen. Studies reported here indicate that there is not only a specific suppression of immune response to the tolerizing antigen following neonatal tolerance induction in chickens, but the development of hypogammaglobulinemia and a nonspecific immunosuppression as well.
Pollen fertility among BC2 offspring of Impatiens interspecific hybrids of New Guinea and Indonesian ancestry

BCT2 seedlings, derived from the cross Tangeglow (I. hawkeri Bull. × I. aurantiaca Teysm.) × 7851-1 (I. hawkeri Bull. × I. platypetala Lindl.) with 7851-1 as recurrent parent, were tested for presence of pollen fertility. Of 59 BC2 seedlings, 11 were capable of in vitro pollen germination and also of effecting fertilization and subsequent seed set as pollen parent when crossed with Tangeglow as the seed-parent tester. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [rs] of + 0.63 indicated a moderately good correlation of seedling ranking, based on pollen germination percent in vitro and seed set in vivo. Pollen germination of the 11 pollen-fertile BC2 seedlings varied from a mean low of 4% to a mean high of 41%. The 3 highest pollen-germinating BC2 seedlings also had the highest seed sets, but siblings showed a wide range in pollen-germinating ability. The best pollen germination for a seedling was 8% in the BC1 and 41% in the BC2. Pollen fertility in the BC2 is discussed in relation to using interspecific hybridization in an Impatiens breeding program.
Effects of lipoic acid on walking performance, gait, and balance in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background Gait and balance impairment is common in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). Lipoic acid (LA), an over-the-counter antioxidant, is effective in MS animal models and may improve walking speed, but effects on mobility are unreported. Objective Examine the effects of 1200 mg daily oral dose of LA versus placebo (PLA) on gait and balance in a 2-year, randomized, double-blind pilot study. Methods 134 participants were screened for eligibility before assignment to LA (n = 28) or PLA (n = 26). Included here were, 21 participants with SPMS who took LA (N = 11) or PLA (N = 10) capsules for 2 years (enrolled May 2, 2011 – August 14, 2015) and completed all tasks without the use of an assistive device. Participants completed the Timed Up and Go (TUG) and quiet standing tasks every 6 months while wearing inertial sensors (APDM Opals) to quantify mobility. Results LA had a medium effect on time to complete TUG at 2 years (g = 0.51; 95% CI = -0.35, 1.38). In a subset of 18 participants with less disability (EDSS Conclusions LA had an effect on walking performance in people with SPMS, particularly in those with lower baseline disability. Trial Registration Lipoic Acid for Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01188811?term=spain+lipoic+acid&rank=1 NCT0118881.
Geochemical Fractionation of Stream Sediments Impacted by Pb-Zn Mining Wastes: Missouri, USA

Stream sediments affected by historic mining in Aurora, Missouri, were digested via sequential extraction to determine the amount of Zn, Pb, and Cd bound to each of five geochemical phases: exchangeable, carbonate, Fe-Mn oxides, organic matter, and residual. The metal bound to the exchangeable and carbonate phases represents an approximation of the metal that is bioavailable, and thus a source of toxicity to aquatic biota and a contamination risk to the aquifer underneath. The bioavailable fraction was found to increase with total metal content, comprising an average of 19% of the total Zn, 13% of the Pb, and 14% of the Cd. In general, Pb was preferentially bound to the residual fraction, Zn to the Fe-Mn oxides fraction, and Cd to the organic fraction. As a result of metals binding to different chemical fractions, each of these metals will mobilize differently if/as environmental conditions change and chemical weathering progresses. The most mobile of the three metals was Cd and the least mobile Pb. The concentration pattern for each metal downstream reflects their relative mobility.
Pre-Existing Dengue Immunity Drives a DENV-Biased Plasmablast Response in ZIKV-Infected Patient.

The re-emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the western hemisphere has most significantly affected dengue virus (DENV) endemic regions. Due to the geographical overlap between these two closely related flaviviruses, numerous individuals who suffered ZIKV infection during recent outbreaks may have also previously been exposed to DENV. As such, the impact of pre-existing dengue immunity on immune responses to ZIKV has been an area of focused research and interest. To understand how B cell responses to a ZIKV infection may be modulated by prior dengue exposures, we compared and contrasted plasmablast repertoire and specificity between two ZIKV-infected individuals, one dengue-naive (ZK018) and the other dengue-experienced (ZK016). In addition to examining serological responses, we generated 59 patient plasmablast-derived monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to define the heterogeneity of the early B cell response to ZIKV. Both donors experienced robust ZIKV-induced plasmablast expansions early after infection, with comparable mutational frequencies in their antibody variable genes. However, notable differences were observed in plasmablast clonality and functional reactivity. Plasmablasts from the dengue-experienced donor ZK016 included cells with shared clonal origin, while ZK018 mAbs were entirely clonally unrelated. Both at the mAb and plasma level, ZK016 antibodies displayed extensive cross-reactivity to DENV1-4, and preferentially neutralized DENV compared to ZIKV. In contrast, the neutralization activity of ZK018 mAbs was primarily directed towards ZIKV, and fewer mAbs from this donor were cross-reactive, with the cross-reactive phenotype largely limited to fusion loop-specific mAbs. ZK016 antibodies caused greater enhancement of DENV2 infection of FcRγ-expressing cells overall compared to ZK018, with a striking difference at the plasma level. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that the breadth and protective capacity of the initial antibody responses after ZIKV infection may depend on the dengue immune status of the individual. These findings have implications for vaccine design, given the likelihood that future epidemics will involve both dengue-experienced and naive populations.
Strategies to tailor serrated flows in metallic glasses

Serrated flow is one important characteristic of shear bands through which metallic glasses (MGs) accommodate plastic deformation. Serrated flow can be affected by intrinsic properties such as elastic modulus or extrinsic variables such as strain rate. However, the influences of pre-deformation and interfaces on serrated flow are less well understood. In this study, by using in situ micropillar compression inside a scanning electron microscope, we show that pre-deformation (consisting of cyclic loading/unloading below the nominal elastic limit) suppresses serrated flows in amorphous-CuNb but enhances serrated flows in amorphous-CuZr at both high and low strain rates. Moreover, layer interfaces in Cu/amorphous-CuNb multilayers mitigate serrated flows, and the average stress drop and strain duration associated with shear banding process can be tailored. Strain accommodation and energy dissipation via shear banding have clear impact on serrated flows. This study provides new perspectives on tailoring serrated flows and enhancing plastic deformation of MGs.
New or improved syntheses of the polyfluoroalcohols HOC(cyclo-C6H11)2(CF3), HO(cyclo-C6H11)(CF3)2, and HOC(Ar)(CF3)2 (Ar = 4-C6H4(t-Bu), 2,4,6-C6H2(CF3)3, 4-Si(i-Pr)3-2,6-C6H2(CF3)2, 3,5-C6H3(CH3)2), and 2-C6H4(C(OH)(CF3)2)

Abstract Five new polyfluoroalcohols, HOC(cyclo-C6H11)2(CF3), HO(cyclo-C6H11)(CF3)2, HOC(2,4,6-C6H2(CF3)3)(CF3)2, HOC(4-Si(i-Pr)3-2,6-C6H2(CF3)2)(CF3)2, and HOC(3,5-C6H3(CH3)2)(CF3)2, have been synthesized, and new procedures with improved yields for two known polyfluoroalcohols (HOC(cyclo-C6H11)(CF3)2, HOC(4-C6H4(t-Bu))(CF3)2) have been developed. Variable temperature 19 F NMR spectra and the X-ray structure of one of the new polyfluoroalcohols, HOC(2,4,6-C6H2(CF3)3)(CF3)2, are also reported. In hydrocarbon solution, the OH hydrogen atom of this compound interacts with one of the fluorine atoms of one of the o-CF3 groups in a manner identical to that previously reported by us for HOC(4-Si(i-Pr)3-2,6-C6H2(CF3)2)(CF3)2. In the solid-state, however, the OH hydrogen atom in HOC(2,4,6-C6H2(CF3)3)(CF3)2 appears to interact with one fluorine atom from each of the two geminal CF3 groups.
Misunderstanding graphs: The confusion of biological clade diversity diagrams and archaeological frequency seriation diagrams

Abstract Graph perception involves the accurate decipherment of (often quantitative) data displayed in visual form. Because graph style may reflect discipline-specific tradition, similar graph styles in distinct disciplines can be subject to misinterpretation. Both archaeologist James A. Ford and paleobiologist Stephen Jay Gould confused spindle diagrams representing archaeological frequency seriation and paleontological clade diversity analysis as displaying the same kinds of data and representing the same processes. Similarities between the two kinds of analysis are, however, limited to the use of the same graph style—spindle diagrams—to illustrate the history of frequencies of things. The kinds of frequencies differ in two ways between the two disciplines; frequencies are of low-level Linnaean taxa within a clade representing a higher taxon in paleobiology, and are frequencies of artifact specimens within each of several types in archaeology. Further, frequencies are absolute in clade diversity and relative in frequency seriation. Clade diversity analysis, as practiced by Gould and colleagues, is a time-series analysis that requires knowing the age of taxa prior to analysis of the shape of the spindle diagram. Frequency seriation in archaeology involves ordering multiple collections of artifacts that share at least some types; ordering is based on similar frequencies and a presumed unimodal frequency distribution, and the order is inferred to be a chronology. Different analytical assumptions and goals result in discipline specific rules of graph decipherment, though each of the two kinds of analyses can be performed in each of the two disciplines.
Shielding Logic Locking from Redundancy Attacks

The security of logic locking has been extensively examined under the threat model that assumes the availability of an activated IC. Recently, structural attacks such as ones based on redundancy analysis have challenged the viability of logic locking even when stringent measures are taken to preclude access to an activated IC. In this paper, we propose a gate selection based logic locking technique to identify key gate insertion sites such that the redundancy level deviates minimally under all key assignments. The proposed logic locking technique is evaluated on a set of benchmark circuits to confirm its resistance against redundancy analysis based attacks.
Tumor Mutation Burden in lung cancer

Abstract The clinical success of PD-1 pathway-targeted immunotherapy in a subset of lung cancer patients is imperfectly predicted by PD-L1 expression alone. Very unlike the targeting of activating driver mutations, PD-L1 represents a continuous variable that is semi-quantitatively assessed currently by immunotherapy and only relatively enriches for those more or less likely to benefit. The major mechanism of action is thought to be overcoming cytotoxic T-cell senescence and anergy, and these cells target peptide neo-antigens in the context of class I MHC. Thus the likelihood of an effective immune response is thought to be related to the presence, clonality, and number of somatic neo-epitopes. In many settings, simply counting the number of clonal somatic non-synonymous mutations is associated with increased clinical benefit, but there are many uncertain variables associated with this enumeration. The method and scope of the mutation analysis, source of DNA, the specific genes chosen, the thresholds for positivity, and the inclusion of frame-shift mutational neo-epitopes are all variables of uncertain impact in the different methods. In addition, T-cells do not recognize DNA mutations, but rather fragments of expressed proteins that have been processed and presented on MHCI, a process that involves dozens of steps, alterations in each of which can affect the probability of a given mutation being an effective T-cell target. The state of the art of tumor mutation burden assessment will be reviewed and its potential role as a biomarker for immunotherapy will be discussed.
Diabetes development after distal pancreatectomy: results of a 10 year series.

Abstract Background Limited literature is available on the postoperative development of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) following Distal Pancreatectomy (DP). We aimed to study the post-surgical clinical evolution of IGT/DM and its association with preoperative glycemic profiles of patients undergoing DP. Methods Pre- and postoperative glycemic laboratories were measured in patients undergoing DP by the senior author from 2007–2017. Multivariate risk factor analysis was performed to determine risk factors for new-onset IGT/DM after DP. Kaplan–Meier curves were constructed for development of NODM postoperatively. Results Of 216 included patients, n = 63, n = 68 and n = 85 were preoperatively diagnosed with no-diabetes (No-DM), pre-diabetes (Pre-DM), and diabetes (DM), respectively. At 2-year follow-up, n = 37, n = 80 and n = 99 were classified as No-DM, Pre-DM or DM, respectively. Pre-diabetics had a higher risk of developing postoperative dysglycemia (RR 2.230, 95% CI 1.732–2.870, p = 0.001). Preoperative OGTT>130, HbA1c >6.0, and chronic pancreatitis were risk factors for postoperative DM. Conclusion 40% of patients undergoing DP were unaware of their dysglycemic status (pre-DM or DM) pre-operatively. At 2-year follow-up, 36% non-diabetic and 57% pre-diabetic patients had developed NODM. Appropriate pre-operative diabetic assessment is warranted for all patients undergoing pancreatic resections.
Brain Studies: Trans Persons and Fish

Brain studies done in the last 25 years comparing Trans- and Cis-participants are reviewed. The research ranges over different brain areas and structures, with different investigations employing different measures. Strengths and weaknesses of the studies are highlighted. Three important issues emerge as the research progresses. Initially there was a search for brain-based etiologies for the Trans phenomenon. The next phase emphasized tracts and network differences, which in principle, can either bring about, or result from living a Trans experience. And, finally there are two issues more currently investigated: (1) the question of primary brain causes vs. epigenetic brain effects, and (2) the possibility of a new ontological trans phenotype. Studies of sex-changing fish (particularly one from Rhodes and colleagues [2019]) provide proof-of-concept.
Examining the construct validity of food addiction severity specifiers.

Food addiction (FA) is related to greater body mass index (BMI), eating-disorder psychopathology, food craving, and psychosocial impairment. Less is known regarding the utility of the FA severity specifiers, as measured by the number of symptoms endorsed on the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0). Participants (N = 1854) were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk to complete an online survey on eating behaviors. Participants completed self-report measures assessing FA, eating-disorder psychopathology (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire), and food craving (Food Craving Inventory). Based on the YFAS 2.0 specifiers, participants were classified into four FA groups: No FA (n = 1643), mild (n = 40), moderate (n = 55), and severe (n = 116). There were significant differences found in age, sex, BMI, and frequency of objective binge-eating episodes (OBEs) among the FA groups. Using ANCOVA, adjusted for multiple comparisons and covariates (e.g., BMI, sex, OBEs), the No FA group reported significantly lower levels of shape concern (η2 = 0.05; p < 0.001), weight concern (η2 = 0.04; p < 0.001), eating concern (η2 = 0.15; p < 0.001), and global eating-disorder psychopathology (η2 = 0.06; p < 0.001) than mild, moderate, or severe FA groups. The No FA group reported significantly lower levels of dietary restraint (η2 = 0.01; p < 0.01) than mild and severe FA groups. The severe FA group reported higher food craving scores (η2 = 0.02; p < 0.001) compared to the No FA group. Our findings parallel the severity specifiers literature for eating and substance use disorders by also indicating the limited utility of severity specifiers based on symptom count. Future research should investigate alternative targets for discriminating among levels of FA. Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
David Blackwell, 1919–2010: An explorer in mathematics and statistics

David Blackwell, a pioneering explorer who made foundational contributions to several branches of mathematics and statistics, passed away on July 8, 2010. He was born in Centralia, Illinois, on April 24, 1919, and, as his mathematical talents were recognized early, he entered the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign at age 16. Although racial discrimination affected his life and career in painful ways, his accomplishments were eventually rewarded with the honors they deserved, including election to the National Academy of Sciences in 1965 as the first Black member and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1968. Nevertheless, his love of mathematics, science, people, and his sunny personality prevailed. Blackwell left contributions that bear his name and other major ideas in five quite different areas of mathematics, statistics, and operations research. David Blackwell. Image credit: The Blackwell family. Blackwell at age 22, the year he received his doctorate and was awarded a prestigious Rosenwald Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Image credit: The Blackwell family. Blackwell ( Center ) with longtime collaborator Meyer A. (“Abe”) Girshick ( Right ) and friend and colleague Kenneth Arrow ( Left ) in 1948. Reprinted from ref. 6 with the permission of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. With limited opportunities available to him, Blackwell initially thought of becoming an elementary school teacher. However, his professors at the University of Illinois soon recognized his talent for mathematics and encouraged him to pursue … [↵][1]1Email: bickel{at}stat.berkeley.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Interactive Publication: The Document As a Research Tool

The increasing prevalence of multimedia and research data generated by scientific work affords an opportunity to reformulate the idea of a scientific article from the traditional static document, or even one with links to supplemental material in remote databases, to a self-contained, multimedia-rich interactive publication. This paper describes our concept of such a document, and the design of tools for authoring (Forge) and visualization/analysis (Panorama). They are platform-independent applications written in Java, and developed in Eclipse1 using its Rich Client Platform (RCP) framework. Both applications operate on PDF files with links to XML files that define the media type, location, and action to be performed. We also briefly cite the challenges posed by the potentially large size of interactive publications, the need for evaluating their value to improved comprehension and learning, and the need for their long-term preservation by the National Library of Medicine and other libraries.
Integration of an adaptive cohesive zone and continuum ductile fracture model to simulate crack propagation in steel structures

Abstract Damage mechanics continuum criteria have been shown to provide an effective alternative to conventional fracture mechanics parameters to simulate ductile crack initiation in mild steel under large scale yielding and variable stress states. In this study, a damage mechanics initiation criterion, called the Stress Weighted Damage Model, is extended to simulate ductile crack propagation through an Adaptive Cohesive Zone model. The proposed approach regularizes the crack tip singularity using features of conventional cohesive zone methods, while adaptively updating the traction separation relationship to model crack propagation based on the continuum damage criterion. The proposed model is implemented in the finite element platform WARP3D and demonstrated using a set of fourteen coupon scale fracture experiments of two structural steels. The tests include Circumferentially Notched Tensile bars and sharp-cracked Compact Tension specimens, where the response is represented by load-deformation response and J-R curves, respectively. Comparisons with test results demonstrate that the combined Stress Weighted Damage Model and Adaptive Cohesive Zone approach can accurately simulate crack propagation with consistent mesh convergence. Examples are included to contrast the proposed model capabilities with a conventional (stress-based) Cohesive Zone model and the Gurson-Tvergaard model.
A system performance throughput model applicable to advanced manned telescience systems

As automated space systems become more complex, autonomous, and opaque to the flight crew, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine whether the total system is performing as it should. Some of the complex and interrelated human performance measurement issues are addressed that are related to total system validation. An evaluative throughput model is presented which can be used to generate a human operator-related benchmark or figure of merit for a given system which involves humans at the input and output ends as well as other automated intelligent agents. The concept of sustained and accurate command/control data information transfer is introduced. The first two input parameters of the model involve nominal and off-nominal predicted events. The first of these calls for a detailed task analysis while the second is for a contingency event assessment. The last two required input parameters involving actual (measured) events, namely human performance and continuous semi-automated system performance. An expression combining these four parameters was found using digital simulations and identical, representative, random data to yield the smallest variance.
Biomechanical characteristics of an anterior cruciate ligament injury in javelin throwing

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand the mechanism of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in javelin throwing and javelin throwing techniques relevant to this ACL injury. Methods The patient in this study was an elite female javelin thrower who completed the first three trials and sustained a non-contact ACL injury on her left knee in the fourth trial of javelin throwing during a recent track and field meet. Three-dimensional kinematic data were collected in the injury and non-injury trials. The kinematic data of 52 male and 54 female elite javelin throwers were obtained from a javelin throwing biomechanical database. Results The patient had greater forward center of mass velocity and less vertical center of mass velocity after the first 25% of the delivery phase in the injury trial compared to non-injury trials. The patient had less left knee flexion angle and angular velocity but similar left knee valgus and internal rotation angles during the first 21% of the delivery phase in the injury trial compared to non-injury trials. The video images showed an obvious tibia anterior translation at the 30% of the delivery phase in the injury trial. The left knee flexion angle and angular velocity at the time of the left foot landing and the maximal left knee flexion angle during the delivery phase were not significantly correlated to the official distance for 52 male and 54 female elite javelin throwers. Conclusion The ACL injury in this study occurred during the first 30% of the delivery phase, most likely during the first 25% of the delivery phase. A stiff landing of the left leg with a small knee flexion angle was the primary contributor to this injury. Javelin throwers may have a soft left leg landing with a flexed knee, which may help them prevent ACL injuries without compromising performance.
Gene therapy for hemophilia.

Purpose of review This review will highlight the progress achieved in the past 2 years on using gene therapy to treat hemophilia in animals and humans. Recent findings There has been substantial progress in using gene therapy to treat animals with hemophilia. Novel approaches for hemophilia A in mice include expression of Factor VIII in blood cells or platelets derived from ex-vivo transduced hematopoietic stem cells, or in-vivo transfer of transposons expressing Factor VIII into endothelial cells or hepatocytes. Advances in large-animal models include the demonstration that neonatal administration of a retroviral vector expressing canine Factor VIII completely corrected hemophilia A in dogs, and that double-stranded adeno-associated virus vectors resulted in expression of Factor IX that is 28-fold that obtained using single-stranded adeno-associated virus vectors. In humans, one hemophilia B patient achieved 10% of normal activity after liver-directed gene therapy with a single-stranded adeno-associated virus vector expressing human Factor IX. Expression fell at 1 month, however, which was likely due to an immune response to the modified cells. Summary Gene therapy has been successful in a patient with hemophilia B, but expression was unstable due to an immune response. Abrogating immune responses is the next major hurdle for achieving long-lasting gene therapy.
Divergence in calls but not songs in the orchard oriole complex: Icterus spurius and I. fuertesi

Birdsong has important functions in attracting and competing for mates, and song characteristics are thought to diverge rapidly during the process of speciation. In contrast, other avian vocalizations that may have non-reproductive functions, such as calls, are thought to be more evolutionarily conserved and may diverge more slowly among taxa. This study examines differences in both male song and an acoustically simpler vocalization, the ‘jeet’ call, between two closely related taxa, Icterus spurius and I. fuertesi. A previous study comparing song syllable type sharing within and between I. spurius and I. fuertesi indicated that their songs do not differ discernibly. Here we measured 18 acoustic characteristics of their songs and found strong evidence supporting this prior finding. In contrast, we measured 17 acoustic characteristics of jeet calls and found evidence of significant divergence between the two taxa in many of these characteristics. Calls in I. fuertesi have a longer duration, a larger frequency bandwidth, a lower minimum frequency, a lower beginning frequency, and greater levels of both frequency and amplitude modulation in comparison to the calls of I. spurius. In addition, I. fuertesi calls contain two distinct parts, while the calls of I. spurius have only one part. Thus, we find evidence of divergence in the calls of the two taxa but not their songs challenging the widespread assumption that complex bird song evolves more rapidly than other types of vocalizations. Understanding divergence in multiple vocalization types as well as other behavioral, morphological, and molecular traits is important to understanding the earliest stages of speciation.
Proliferative nephritis in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: current therapeutic approaches and future perspectives

Renal involvement occurs in 50-75% of children with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). Proliferative lupus nephritis (LN) represents the most common pattern of renal involvement in cSLE. Despite aggressive treatment, progression to end stage renal disease can occur in up to 5-10% of children. Over the last 2 decades, tremendous advancements have been made in the treatment of pediatric LN. Special considerations in children need to address the impact of disease and therapy on both physical and psychological growth and development. This review will focus on pivotal clinical trials in the treatment of proliferative LN, with a focus on pediatric data when available.
World Systems Theory

World systems theory (WST) was created by Immanuel Wallerstein in the 1970s, though earlier Marxist theories first proposed similar ideas. WST claims that rich core capitalist societies succeed by exploiting poorer peripheral ones. In between are semiperipheral societies, a precarious global middle class. The periphery therefore can only advance through global revolution that will end the world capitalist system. WST's holistic approach that studies societies in the context of the entire world rather than in isolation is valuable. If freed of its Marxist extremism and questionable economic assumptions that have marginalized it, this approach can help us better understand the nature of social change.
Steering Control of Autonomous Vehicles by Neural Networks

This paper describes how neural networks can be used to control the steering of an autonomous vehicle. It is assumed that the vehicle is equipped with passive or active sensors providing the range and heading angle information. Most of the developed autonomous vehicles rely on a path planning module to obtain appropriate steering commands. In contrast to path planning, a human driver bypasses the computation of a path trajectory and turns the steering wheel in direct reaction to an observed heading angle and range. In this paper, we present a neural network scheme to emulate human driving in order to eliminate the difficulties associated with path planning. Backpropogation and functional-link networks have been studied in terms of training and recall capabilities. The networks are trained by real data obtained from vehicle-tracking live test runs.
A Review of “The Question of Gender: Joan W. Scott's Critical Feminism”

As the essays collected in The Question of Gender attest, Joan W. Scott's critical, historical feminism has provoked scholarship across the humanities and the social sciences. Two ideas Scott devel...
Vision-specific health-related quality of life: content areas for nursing home residents.

Nursing home residents have a high prevalence of remediable visual impairment and blindness. Future research on the effectiveness of providing eye care to nursing home residents will need to include a vision-targeted health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument appropriate for this population. The purpose of this study was to identify the core content areas for such an instrument. In-depth interviews on vision-related issues were conducted with 40 residents. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and coded using a standardized protocol. Binocular distance and near visual acuity were assessed using the resident's ‘walking around’ correction to examine whether one vision-specific HRQOL measure could address the needs of residents with ‘good’ and ‘poor’ vision. Overall 1070 vision-related comments were identified. Residents mentioned 315 problem comments that were grouped into 13 categories, including ocular symptoms (18% of comments), reading (15%), general vision (13%), psychological distress (12%), and activities of daily living (ADLs) (7%). Compared to published data on vision-specific content areas most relevant to community based persons, nursing home residents focused more on ocular symptoms and basic ADLs, with no mention of issues related to driving, home care, and finances. The majority of categories mentioned did not differ on the proportion of comments made by those with ‘good’ and ‘poor’ visual acuity, suggesting that one vision-specific HRQOL instrument would be appropriate for residents with varying levels of visual acuity. Future work will focus on developing a vision-specific HRQOL instrument for nursing home residents.
ICE: incremental 3-dimensional capacitance and resistance extraction for an iterative design environment

In this paper we discuss the 3-Dimensional (3-D) capacitance and resistance extraction within an iterative design environment, where small changes are made to the 3-D structures. We present a bounded incremental algorithm for accurate and fast 3-D extraction in such a design environment, based on the Boundary Element Method (BEM). The incremental algorithm can re-utilize the computation results of previous extractions and rapidly re-compute the new parasitic parameters in response to the design changes made to the layout. The incremental algorithm has been implemented in the ICE tool. Experimental results on a set of 3-D interconnect structures show that the incremental algorithm is efficient for the iterative design methodology. For one large structure, the incremental extraction is over 20 times faster than the full extraction without using the incremental algorithm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported work on an incremental algorithm for capacitance and resistance extraction.
Biogeographic patterns and cryptic speciation in bryophytes

Bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, hornworts) typically have broad geographical distributions that span two or more continents. Many species show classic patterns of disjunction that are similar to those found in many other groups of organisms (e.g. eastern Asia–eastern North America), and which are thought to result from fragmentation of previously continuous ranges (i.e. vicariance). However, in the bryophytes, these disjunctions often occur at the infra-specific level and suggest that morphological uniformity may belie complex underlying genetic structure. Recent demonstrations of cryptic speciation, revealed by analyses of isozymes and DNA sequence variation, support the interpretation that genetic subdivision has occurred within some morphologically uniform species. Evidence for cryptic or nearly cryptic speciation exists for seven species of liverworts and seven mosses. In most (but not all) cases, cryptic species have broadly overlapping geographical ranges, although many are ecologically differentiated. Future work should focus on species that display ‘classic’ patterns of disjunction at higher taxonomic levels in other organisms (e.g. eastern North America–eastern Asia, eastern or western North America–Europe, Gondwanic), and should utilize explicitly phylogenetic approaches.
On Explaining the Trial of Galileo

Arthur Koestler’s The Sleepwalkers is, the subtitle says, “a history of man’s changing vision of the Universe’. The thesis which this history illustrates, we are told, is that science and religion are essentially partners, sharing mystic intuition as their common source. Admittedly, science and religion are now divided, but this division is merely the outcome of some historical events — Galileo’s quarrel with the Church of Rome and the ensuing misunderstandings — which could have been avoided; it is high time now to reunite science and faith, so as to save Man from (nuclear) self-destruction. The meat of the volume consists of two essays, one on Kepler, one on Galileo. The former is sympathetic towards its hero and was well received, the latter is critical of its hero and was frowned upon. Prima facie, at least, public opinion was rather apologetic.
10 Neurohumoral Mechanisms of Ventricular Tachycardia in Experimental Heart Block

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathways by which electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus produces paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia (PVT) in dogs with chronic complete atrioventricular (A-V) block. Left thoracotomy was performed in 20 dogs to pass wire loops around the stellate ganglion and ansa subcalvia (cardiac nerves). Two weeks later, right thoracotomy was performed for placement of wires around the right cardiac nerves for production of complete A-V block by transatrial injection of formalin into the A-V node. One week later, under chloralose anesthesia, monopolar electrodes were placed into the lateral hypothalamic areas for 20 sec stimulations of 20 V, 1 msec, 50 cps stimulations. Aortic pressures (AP), left ventricular pressures (LVP) and ECG were recorded. In all 20 dogs, stimulation in the posterolateral hypothalamus (fields of Forel) caused an immediate depressor response followed by an increase in AP (systolic, diastolic and pulse pressure) with moderate increase in ventricular rate (VR). In 8 of these dogs, the pressure rise was followed by PVT with an average latency of 23 sec, a change in VR from 56 (resting VR) to 140, and a change in site of pacemaker. Production of PVT was not prevented by bilateral ablation of cardiac nerves. The long latent period suggested a humoral pathway. Administration of epinephrine HCl 5 to 10 μg/kg body weight produced PVT in 10 of 13 dogs with a latent period of 25 sec. This humorally-induced PVT was not prevented by ablation of cardiac nerves or α-adrenergic receptor blockade but was blocked by β-adrenergic receptor blockade. These studies suggest that adrenergic humoral mediation is a major pathway for production of PVT in heart block. (SPR)
Advances in PSII techniques for surface modification

Abstract Recent activities in plasma source ion implantation (PSII) technology include scale-up demonstrations for industry and development of variations on the original PSII concept for surface modification. This paper presents an overview of the continued growth of PSII research facilities world-wide and the industrial demonstrations within the USA. In order to expand the applicability of PSII, Los Alamos is actively researching a PSII-related technique called plasma immersion ion processing (PIIP). In one case, a pulsed-biased target can be combined with cathodic arc sources to perform ion implantation and coating deposition with metal plasmas. Erbium plasmas have been combined with oxygen to deposit erbia (Er 2 O 3 ) coatings that are useful for containment of molten metals. In a second case, hydrocarbon, inorganic and organometallic gases are utilized to create a graded interface between the substrate and the coating that is subsequently deposited by using pulsed-bias techniques. PIIP represents a significant advance since it allows coating deposition with all the strengths of the original PSII approach. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) and boron carbide are two such coatings that will be highlighted here for tribological applications.
Ending an Epidemic: The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Pioneers a Public-Private Partnership

than 25 million people and more than 40 million are infected today with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The spread has been worldwide but it is the developing world that is now bearing the brunt of the epidemic with 95% of the new infections. Despite increasing efforts at prevention and treatment, the epidemic, continues to accelerate. This year, according to UNAIDS, has seen the largest number of deaths to date, more than 3 million, with more than 5 million new infections. With 14,000 new infections a day, HIV is already reversing decades of progress in these developing countries and has the potential to be even more catastrophic. Only a vaccine has any hope of ending the AIDS epidemic, yet through the mid-1990s AIDS vaccine work was limited on the world’s richer nations, and even this work had slowed to a standstill. In 1996 I founded the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), a public-private partnership to advance the development of HIV vaccines for use globally, and particularly in the areas most affected by HIV and AIDS. IAVI faced great skepticism that a non profit could advance vaccine research and development. Yet only four years later, in August 2000, British physician and parliamentarian Evan Harris became the first person to be vaccinated with an HIV vaccine designed for Africa, using strains of the virus circulating in that region. In 2001, trials of this product began in Kenya, the first time an AIDS vaccine was tested in that country. The vaccine turned out to be ineffective—but IAVI’s model of working with academia, governments, and companies to speed product development and ensure an international focus was clearly effective. Today IAVI, a fully integrated vaccine development effort managed by experienced industrial project managers, is the second largest global program in HIV vaccine research and development, with more than forty active R&D relationships. IAVI has successfully translated innovative technologies into seven novel vaccine candidates that have entered human trials in the last six years, and has conducted clinical studies at 15 trial sites located in 11 countries. The Seth Berkley
Managing Time: A Team Effort by Secretary and Executive

(1980). Managing Time: A Team Effort by Secretary and Executive. The Journal of Business Education: Vol. 55, No. 6, pp. 260-262.
Modulation of N-cadherin junctions and their role as epicenters of differentiation-specific actin regulation in the developing lens

Extensive elongation of lens fiber cells is a central feature of lens morphogenesis. Our study investigates the role of N-cadherin junctions in this process in vivo. We investigate both the molecular players involved in N-cadherin junctional maturation and the subsequent function of these junctions as epicenters for the assembly of an actin cytoskeleton that drives morphogenesis. We present the first evidence of nascent cadherin junctions in vivo, and show that they are a prominent feature along lateral interfaces of undifferentiated lens epithelial cells. Maturation of these N-cadherin junctions, required for lens cell differentiation, preceded organization of a cortical actin cytoskeleton along the cells' lateral borders, but was linked to recruitment of α-catenin and dephosphorylation of N-cadherin-linked β-catenin. Biochemical analysis revealed differentiation-specific recruitment of actin regulators cortactin and Arp3 to maturing N-cadherin junctions of differentiating cells, linking N-cadherin junctional maturation with actin cytoskeletal assembly during fiber cell elongation. Blocking formation of mature N-cadherin junctions led to reduced association of α-catenin with N-cadherin, prevented organization of actin along lateral borders of differentiating lens fiber cells and blocked their elongation. These studies provide a molecular link between N-cadherin junctions and the organization of an actin cytoskeleton that governs lens fiber cell morphogenesis in vivo.
Regeneration by an amphiurid brittlestar exposed to different concentrations of dissolved organic material

Abstract Regeneration of disc tissue by an amphiurid brittlestar exposed to seawater media containing different levels of dissolved amino acids was measured for 21 days to test the hypothesis that dissolved organic material (DOM) is an important source of nutrition when particulate food is unavailable. Animals in all treatments regenerated disc tissue rapidly during the first 7 days. After Day 7, positive rates of regeneration were observed among animals in media with low and natural concentrations of amino acids, while animals in the medium without DOM generally shrank. Regressions of disc area and arm length to tissue weight were highly significant, and allowed estimation of body weight when destructive sampling was not possible. Small changes in weight unaccompanied by changes in area or length could not be detected with this method. Arm autotomy was observed only in the treatment with the highest concentration of amino acids and may have been caused by high numbers of bacteria in that treatment. Arm length did not change in the other treatments and was probably not a good indicator of the utilization of stored nutrients. Initial disc regeneration of all animals, including those deprived of DOM, indicates that stored materials play a role in the early regeneration process. Planar measurements of disc area and arm length cannot be used to resolve small differences in tissue weight during disc regeneration.