cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The mechanical hierarchies of fibronectin observed with single-molecule AFM

Mechanically induced conformational changes in proteins such as fibronectin are thought to regulate the assembly of the extracellular matrix and underlie its elasticity and extensibility. Fibronectin contains a region of tandem repeats of up to 15 type III domains that play critical roles in cell binding and self-assembly. Here, we use single-molecule force spectroscopy to examine the mechanical properties of fibronectin (FN) and its individual FNIII domains. We found that fibronectin is highly extensible due to the unfolding of its FNIII domains. We found that the native FNIII region displays strong mechanical unfolding hierarchies requiring 80 pN of force to unfold the weakest domain and 200 pN for the most stable domain. In an effort to determine the identity of the weakest/strongest domain, we engineered polyproteins composed of an individual domain and measured their mechanical stability by single-protein atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. In contrast to chemical and thermal measurements of stability, we found that the tenth FNIII domain is mechanically the weakest and that the first and second FNIII domains are the strongest. Moreover, we found that the first FNIII domain can acquire multiple, partially folded conformations, and that their incidence is modulated strongly by its neighbor FNIII domain. The mechanical hierarchies of fibronectin demonstrated here may be important for the activation of fibrillogenesis and matrix assembly.
Identity Theory and Foreign Policy: Explaining Japan’s Responses to the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 U.S. War in Iraq

This article examines the feasibility of using role identity as an independent variable to explain the direction of a state’s national security policy. Focusing on the response of the Japanese government to the Gulf War (January-March 1991) and the U.S. War in Iraq (March-May 2003), the article correlates articulations of their preferred role made in the Japanese Diet, with these policy outcomes. It finds that the different balance of role conceptions held by Japanese politicians in the two periods under study can explain the difference in policy outcomes. The study also finds, however, that the salience of these role identities is directly affected by contextual factors. Under circumstances of heightened threat perception, Japanese policy makers were less inclined to articulate any sort of value-based role identity for Japan in favor of role statements that were characterized by pragmatism.
The Impact of Modelling and Abstraction Concerns on Modern Programming Languages

The major issues of modern software are its size and complexity, and its major problems involve finding effective techniques and tools for organization and maintenance. This chapter traces the important ideas of modern programming languages to their roots in the problems and languages of the past decade and shows how these modern languages respond to contemporary problems in software development. Modern programming’s key concept for controlling complexity is abstraction — that is, selective emphasis on detail. New developments in programming languages provide ways to support and exploit abstraction techniques.
Monophosphate 32P-postlabeling assay of DNA adducts from 1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane, the most genotoxic metabolite of 1,3-butadiene: in vitro methodological studies and in vivo dosimetry.

Abstract Among the main DNA-reactive metabolites of 1,3-butadiene (BD), both 1,2:3,4-butadiene diepoxide (BDE) and 1,2-epoxy-3-butene (BME) have been reported in mice and rats exposed to BD, but blood and tissue levels of these metabolites are much higher in mice than in rats under similar exposure conditions. BDE, being more reactive and genotoxic than BME, is thought to be responsible for the greater susceptibility of mice to BD carcinogenicity. While BDE is a DNA-alkylating agent and some BDE adducts have been characterized, no sufficiently sensitive methods has been reported for studying BDE-DNA binding in vivo. In the present investigation, a modified dinucleotide/monophosphate version of the 32 P-postlabeling assay was applied to detect BDE-DNA adducts, which were prepared by reacting BDE with calf thymus DNA or deoxyribooligonucleotides [(AC) 10 , (AG) 10 , (CCT) 7 and (GGT) 7 ] in vitro or with skin DNA of mice in vivo upon topical treatment. Optimal resolution by 2-D PEI-cellulose TLC of the highly polar 5′-monophosphate adducts was achieved at +4°C using 0.3 M LiCl (D1) and 0.4 M NaCl, 0.04 M H 3 BO 3 , pH 7.6 (D2). The profiles of the 32 P-postlabeled adducts were similar for calf thymus and skin DNA, with 3 major spots being detected. Adducts obtained in in vitro and in vivo experiments were compared by re- and cochromatography in 4 or 5 different solvents, and these experiments provided evidence that corresponding BDE adducts, for the most part, were identical and represented adenine derivatives. Guanine adducts were not detected by this method although literature data indicate their formation. Quantitatively, the assay responded linearly to adduct concentration, as shown in an experiment where BDE-modified skin DNA was serially diluted up to 81-fold with control DNA. The limit of detection was approximately 1 adduct in 10 8 normal nucleotides. Further, in an in vivo dosimetry study, skin DNA from groups of 8 individual mice treated with different doses of BDE (1.9, 5.7, 17, 51 and 153 μmol/mouse) for 3 days exhibited a linear relationship ( r ≥ 0.992) between adduct levels and dose. The results suggest that the 32 P-postlabeling assay described herein will have utility in mechanistic studies and biomonitoring of DNA adduct formation from BDE and possibly other polar epoxides.
Emergency department visits by demented patients with malfunctioning feeding tubes

Background: Objective data indicate that feeding tubes in demented patients may not be efficacious and can have serious complications, but no study characterizes emergency department resource utilization for these patients. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and resource utilization related to feeding tube malfunction in demented patients visiting the emergency department. Methods: A retrospective chart review for all demented patients visiting the emergency department with malfunctioning feeding tubes from September 1999 to May 2001 was conducted. Demographic data, diagnoses, type of tube, length of emergency department stay, method of transportation to the emergency department, consultations, laboratory evaluation, x-ray data, and total hospital and ambulance charges were determined. Results: A total of 138 emergency department visits by 33 patients occurred during this period (range of visits per patients, 1–21; mean, 4.1 ± 4.3). Malfunctions occurred in 61 percutaneous endoscopically placed gastric tubes, 37 jejunostomy tubes, 34 gastric tubes, 4 endoscopically placed gastrostomy and jejunostomy tubes, and 2 percutaneous endoscopically placed jejunostomy tubes. This required 108 ambulance round-trips to and from the emergency department. The most frequent complication was unintentional dislodgement (n = 125). The average length of stay was 2.6 ± 1.6 h. All the patients were seen by an emergency department physician. In addition, there were 99 surgical and 26 gastroenterology consultations about these patients. The total hospital charges, not including physician fees, were $86,234.48, and the total reimbursement (actual) from Medicare for ambulance charges was $57,664.00. During the same 21-month period, 42 feeding tubes were placed for dementia. Conclusions: The expense of emergency department visits for tube dislodgment or malfunction is a previously unreported issue involved in the tube feeding of demented patients. Extrapolation of our data yields an estimated health care charge of almost $11 million for the country per year.
Adolescent Subcultures of Violence

Wolfgang and Ferracuti's Subculture of Violence thesis and Matza's theory of “drift” may be regarded as competing subcultural explanations of violence. Comments are offered on studies examining pro...
Energetic Displacement Cascades and Their Roles in Radiation Effects

The roles of energetic displacement cascades are ubiquitous in the fields of radiation damage and ion beam modifications of materials. These roles can be described on two time scales. For the first, which lasts less than approx. = 10/sup -11/ - 10/sup -10/ s, small cascade volumes are characterized by large supersaturations of point defects and energy densities of the order of eVs per atom. During this period, the system can be driven far from equilibrium with significant rearrangement of target atoms and the production of Frenkel pairs. Studies of ion beam mixing and the primary state of damage, in conjunction with molecular dynamics computer simulations, have contributed largely toward understanding these dynamic cascade processes. It is shown that in cascades, ''thermal spike'' diffusion is primarily responsible for atomic rearrangements, and that vacancy radial distribution functions provide a natural description of the primary state of damage. At later times, the microstructure of the material evolves as cascades begin to overlap, or at elevated temperatures, point defects migrate away from their nascent cascades. It is shown how the primary state of damage in cascades influences this microstructural development. 90 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs.
Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Recruits Muscle Microvasculature and Improves Insulin’s Metabolic Action in the Presence of Insulin Resistance

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) acutely recruits muscle microvasculature, increases muscle delivery of insulin, and enhances muscle use of glucose, independent of its effect on insulin secretion. To examine whether GLP-1 modulates muscle microvascular and metabolic insulin responses in the setting of insulin resistance, we assessed muscle microvascular blood volume (MBV), flow velocity, and blood flow in control insulin-sensitive rats and rats made insulin-resistant acutely (systemic lipid infusion) or chronically (high-fat diet [HFD]) before and after a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (3 mU/kg/min) with or without superimposed systemic GLP-1 infusion. Insulin significantly recruited muscle microvasculature and addition of GLP-1 further expanded muscle MBV and increased insulin-mediated glucose disposal. GLP-1 infusion potently recruited muscle microvasculature in the presence of either acute or chronic insulin resistance by increasing muscle MBV. This was associated with an increased muscle delivery of insulin and muscle interstitial oxygen saturation. Muscle insulin sensitivity was completely restored in the presence of systemic lipid infusion and significantly improved in rats fed an HFD. We conclude that GLP-1 infusion potently expands muscle microvascular surface area and improves insulin’s metabolic action in the insulin-resistant states. This may contribute to improved glycemic control seen in diabetic patients receiving incretin-based therapy.
Aprotinin reduces red blood cell transfusion in orthotopic liver transplantation: A prospective, randomized, double‐blind study

The effect of an aprotinin infusion on blood and blood product transfusion during adult primary orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) was investigated in a prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Sixty-three patients were enrolled; 33 patients were administered an aprotinin regimen of a 1,000,000-KIU loading dose, followed by a 250,000-KIU/h infusion during surgery, and 30 patients were administered equivalent volumes of normal saline. Red blood cell (RBC) and blood product transfusion intraoperatively and for the first 24 hours postoperatively was by protocol. Intraoperative coagulation testing and thromboelastography (TEG; Hemoscope Corp, Skokie, IL) were performed. Intraoperative RBC transfusion was significantly less in the aprotinin group versus controls: median, 5 units (interquartile range [IQR], 3 to 9 units) versus 7 units (IQR, 5 to 16 units; P = .0016). No significant differences were found for intraoperative blood product transfusion or transfusion of RBCs or blood products in the 24-hour postoperative period. No significant differences were observed in intraoperative coagulation testing or TEG parameters. We conclude that aprotinin infusion reduces RBC transfusion requirements in OLT.
IRR-Based Property-Level Performance Attribution

In this article, the author reviews the concept and practice of property level investment performance attribution. A new approach for performance attribution based on the property level since-acquisition internal rate of return (IRR) is presented, including numerical examples and usage recommendations. A methodology is presented for parsing the IRR into three components: Initial Yield, Cash Flow Change, and Yield Change; and for benchmarking performance in these attributes against NCREIF properties. The relationship is discussed between the three IRR attributes and the four fundamental property level investment management functions of: Property Selection, Acquisition Transaction Execution, Operational Management, and Disposition Transaction Execution. Resulting information and insights should be useful for entities managing large portfolios of real properties, including pension fund advisors and REITs.
Extraskeletal chondroma of the foot

Extraskeletal chondroma is a rare, benign cartilaginous tumor seen most frequently in the soft tissues of the hands and feet. The authors present a case of extraskeletal chondroma in a 52-year-old male patient who had a small mass on the left foot involving the flexor surface of the second toe. Radiographs showed the presence of a soft-tissue mass with scattered calcified foci. Surgical excision revealed a benign, lobulated cartilaginous tumor with prominent areas of calcification. Histologically; the lesion consisted of cartilage cells with centralized zones of cellular pleomorphism and giant-cell proliferation at the tumor margin consistent with extraskeletal chondroma.
Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease

Although most cases of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are sporadic, some cases are clearly familial. This review, part of the Genomic Medicine series, examines the genetics of these familial forms. Although the inherited forms are rare, the knowledge derived from investigating their pathobiology has improved our understanding of the pathobiology of the more common, sporadic forms of the diseases.
A FOUNDATION FOR SEMANTIC INTERPRETATION

Traditionally, translation from the parse tree representing a sentence to a semantic representation (such as frames or procedural semantics) has always been the most ad hoc part of natural language understanding (NLU) systems. However, recent advances in linguistics, most notably the system of formal semantics known as Montague semantics, suggest ways of putting NLU semantics onto a cleaner and firmer foundation. We are using a Montague-inspired approach to semantics in an integrated NLU and problem-solving system that we are building. Like Montague's, our semantics are compositional by design and strongly typed, with semantic rules in one-to-one correspondence with the meaning-affecting rules of a Marcus-style parser. We have replaced Montague's semantic objects, functors and truth conditions, with the elements of the frame language Frail, and added a word sense and case slot disambiguation system. The result is a foundation for semantic interpretation that we believe to be superior to previous approaches.
Modeling and Design of RF Amplifiers for Envelope Tracking WCDMA Base-Station Applications

Wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) base-station RF amplifiers using a variety of device technologies including GaN field-effect transistors (FETs), Si LDMOS, and GaAs high-voltage heterojunction bipolar transistors (HVHBTs) are modeled, optimized, and compared for use in wideband envelope tracking (ET) system. A quasi-static approach is employed to effectively model the supply-modulated RF amplifiers, and thus facilitate the design optimization process. A new design methodology for ET RF amplifiers is introduced including identification of optimum fundamental and harmonic terminations. The fundamental and harmonic impedances have been successfully optimized for various RF devices and good agreement has been achieved between the simulation and measurement results. Among the modeled and measured ET RF amplifiers, a GaAs HVHBT exhibits the best overall efficiency of 60% with an average output power of 33 W and a gain of 10 dB for a WCDMA signal with 3.84-MHz bandwidth and 7.7-dB peak-to-average power ratio, while meeting all linearity requirements of the WCDMA standard. Desirable device characteristics for optimum ET operation are also discussed.
Extraction of SPICE-type equivalent circuits of microwave components and discontinuities using the genetic algorithm optimization technique

In this paper, the genetic algorithm (GA) is employed as an efficient optimization tool to derive SPICE-type equivalent circuits of microwave components, and of discontinuities in coaxial lines, from their specified S-parameters. Nodal analysis and techniques are utilized in conjunction with the GA to extract these equivalent circuits, whose component values are the parameters optimized by the GA. Numerical examples, that demonstrate the fact that GA yields excellent results for the cases studied, are included in the paper.
Outcomes of a pilot occupational therapy wellness program for older adults.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a pilot occupational therapy wellness program designed to teach elders the importance of participation in meaningful social and community occupations to their quality of life. METHOD. Sixty-five older adults participated in this pilot wellness program held at each of three senior apartment complexes. Measures of health-related quality of life using the SF-36 Health Survey and frequencies of social and community participation from a program-specific intake form were completed by 39 participants before and after the 6-month program. Participants also evaluated components of the program through a satisfaction survey. RESULTS. Scores on the SF-36 Health Survey were significantly higher in vitality, social functioning, and the mental health summary scores following participation in the program. Participants reported an increased frequency of socialization and community participation with an average of 55% participating in at least three or more activities per week before the program to an average of 66% participating after the program. Participants who benefited the most attended more classes, were older, and were nondrivers. Eighty percent of those polled rated the pilot program as good or excellent. CONCLUSION. This pilot study provides additional support for prevention efforts for elders in the community. Wellness programs for seniors may be most effective if targeted to those who are older and nondrivers.
Cellular resistance to chloroethylnitrosoureas, nitrogen mustard, and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) in human glial-derived cell lines.

We investigated the cytotoxic and cytogenetic effects of 3-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea and 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea on five cell lines established from human glioma biopsy specimens. Compared to the sensitive cell line SF-126, SF-188 cells are 3- to 6.5-fold more resistant to the cytotoxic effects and 8- to 14-fold more resistant to the induction of sister chromatid exchanges. Cytotoxic effects and induction of sister chromatid exchanges are intermediate for SF-210 and SF-295 cell lines compared with SF-126 and SF-188. There is a good correlation between susceptibility to the cytotoxic effects and formation of DNA interstrand cross-links for cells treated with 3-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea . We quantitated the extent of repair of O6-methylguanine after treatment of these cell lines with [3H]methylnitrosourea. SF-126 cells showed no detectable repair of O6-methylguanine, SF-210 and SF-295 had intermediate levels of repair, and SF-188 had very high levels of repair. We conclude that the cellular capacity to repair O6-chloroethylguanine adducts in DNA, which is reflected in the methyl repair process, is an important factor in determining cytotoxic response, and that increased repair of O6-chloroethylguanine decreases cytotoxicity and causes fewer sister chromatid exchanges and DNA interstrand cross-links to form in cells treated with chloroethylnitrosoureas. We studied the effects of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) and nitrogen mustard in these cell lines. cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum(II) was equally cytotoxic and induced the same number of sister chromatid exchanges and DNA interstrand cross-links in all five cell lines. In contrast to the results obtained by treatment with chloroethylnitrosoureas, SF-126 cells treated with nitrogen mustard are 7.6-fold more resistant to the cytotoxic effects, 2-fold more resistant to the induction of sister chromatid exchanges, and 3-fold more resistant to the induction of DNA interstrand cross-links than are SF-188 cells. The results of this investigation with five human glial-derived cell lines clearly indicate that the molecular mechanisms of cellular resistance to alkylating chemotherapeutic agents are highly specific. Cellular resistance to chloroethylnitrosoureas does not result in cross-resistance to nitrogen mustard or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II).
Methotrexate Neurotoxicity Mimicking Stroke (P2.296)

Introduction: Stroke mimics present a difficult diagnostic challenge for clinicians because of the time-sensitive nature of acute stroke treatment. Here we report a case of a patient who presented with classic stroke symptoms and was found to have leukocencephalopathy from intravenous and intrathecal methotrexate. Case: A 25 year old male with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) presented to the emergency department complaining of acute onset slurred speech and left sided weakness. He was promptly evaluated for possible stroke and found to have left facial droop, dysarthria, left hemiparesis and ataxia. Five days prior to presentation, he had received intravenous and intrathecal methotrexate for his ALL. Initial computed tomography (CT), CT perfusion and CT angiogram of the head and neck were unremarkable. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head revealed hyperintense diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) signal extending from the ventral midbrain to the centrum semiovale bilaterally. There was also matching hypointensity on the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) sequence. Overnight, the patient improved dramatically with complete resolution of his symptoms. He was discharged to home the next day with follow-up MRI twenty days later showing complete interval resolution of the DWI and ADC abnormalities. He remained clinically stable and his planned methotrexate treatment was held. Discussion: Methotrexate is a commonly used anti-neoplastic with many side effects including neurotoxicity. Clinical symptoms include encephalopathy, seizure and focal neurological symptoms such as dysarthria, hemiparesis and hemiparesthesia that can mimic strokes. MRI findings most commonly reported are hyperintensity on DWI with matching ADC hypointensity. FLAIR as well as T2 hyperintensity have also been reported. The exact mechanism is not known, however, it is thought to be due to cytotoxic edema. Fortunately, the abnormalities are reversible with most patients making full recovery. Conclusion: It is important for clinicians to recognize methotrexate-induced neurotoxcity as a possible stroke mimic. Disclosure: Dr. Pham has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ermak has nothing to disclose.
Cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels mediate sodium and calcium influx in rat colon.

We found mRNA for the three isoforms of the cyclic nucleotide-gated nonselective cation channel expressed in the mucosal layer of the rat intestine from the duodenum to the colon and in intestinal ...
“They were not single men”: Responsibility for Family and Hierarchies of Deservedness

In the uncertain economic climate following the First World War, the Stourbridge Poor Law Board of Guardians had opened the workhouse labor yard so unemployed men could break stone to prove their willingness to work for relief. As the summer of 1919 approached and outdoor occupations became more readily available, guardian George Parkes argued that the board should close the stoneyard, because “the men would be able to find employment to tide them over until trade revived.” Guardian John Downing countered that the region still suffered significant unemployment, lamenting that “there were so many men in the Halesowen and Cradley district who were in distress, and who were willing to work if they could get it.” The Reverend T.J. McNulty, a long-time Liberal guardian representing Quarry Bank, agreed. He admitted, Some of the people who came to him were, no doubt, undeserving; but whether they were deserving or not, they were not single men, but had wives and families who were suffering acutely. The men who went from Quarry Bank to the labour yard were honest men, and only went there through sheer necessity. They felt ashamed that they had to go there to break stones; but they went there rather than see their wives and families pine away.
14 Quantitative modeling of transcription factor binding specificities using DNA shape.

DNA binding specificities of transcription factors (TFs) are a key component of gene regulatory processes. Underlying mechanisms that explain the highly specific binding of TFs to their genomic tar...
Conceptual Metaphor and the Embodied Mind: What Makes Mathematics Possible?

Recent findings in Cognitive Science — the multidisciplinary scientific study of the mind — have radically changed the views of human thought and conceptual systems. Ever since Aristotle, and later, through the legacy of Descartes and Leibniz, human thought was considered to be rational, conscious, monolithic, consistent, literal, and based on universal disembodied abstract laws. This long-lasting view, however, is now untenable in the light of recent scientific findings. Convergent evidence coming from different scientific disciplines, from neuroscience to anthropology, and from psychology to linguistics, show that the human mind is intrinsically embodied, that is, it arises from the peculiarities of the biology of our bodies and brains, and from the way we interact with our (social and physical) environments. In the last decades, it has been clearly established that human thought is by no means purely rational, and further, is mostly unconscious. Research has shown that thought is not literal nor based on abstract rules and categories, but rather it is essentially metaphorical in nature. Abstract thinking is based on cognitive mechanisms which allow the making of precise inferences in one conceptual domain based on the inferential structure of another domain (generally more concrete and closer to bodily experience).
Arterial Stenosis Affecting Arteriovenous Fistulae and Grafts in Hemodialysis Patients: Approach to Diagnosis and Management

Arterial stenoses are an underappreciated significant contributor to arteriovenous access dysfunction. Patients with end-stage renal disease have a high incidence of peripheral artery disease, and the arteries utilized for AV access creation are subject to similar pathologic processes as those of the lower extremities in this population. Adequate arterial inflow is an essential requirement of a successfully functioning arteriovenous access for hemodialysis. This chapter will provide an overview of the approach to the patient with suspected arterial stenosis leading to arteriovenous access dysfunction.
Culture, Peer Relationships, and Developmental Psychopathology

Research has shown considerable cross-cultural variations in the prevalence of major internalizing and externalizing behaviors such as social anxiety, aggression, conflict, and bullying that children and adolescents display in peer settings. There is also evidence indicating that specific behaviors may have different meanings in different societies. Culture plays a major role in shaping social attitudes and responses toward children's behaviors, which in turn serve to regulate the development of the behaviors and their relations with adjustment outcomes. Through guiding social interaction processes and affecting the function and structure of social relationships, culture exerts a significant impact on individual development in various areas. Thus, it is important to understand adaptive and maladaptive human development with cultural factors taken into account. Researchers and professionals should consider culturally bound social interaction context in developing effective and appropriate prevention and intervention programs for children and adolescents with psychopathological problems. Keywords: culture; peer interactions and relationships; developmental psychopathology; children and adolescents
Tandem Postsynthetic Metal Ion and Ligand Exchange in Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks

Herein, we report a general postsynthetic exchange (PSE) approach to introduce a redox-active transition metal, specifically Mn(II), into “inert” zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), a subclass of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). It is shown that metal ion PSE occurs in ZIF-71 (RHO topology) and ZIF-8 (SOD topology) under ambient conditions. The metal exchanged ZIFs are the first porous, Mn(II)-based ZIFs and a rare example of ZIFs with two transition metal centers in a single lattice. Exchanged materials are characterized by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersed X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis. In addition, stepwise “tandem” PSE strategies are described to exchange of metal ions and organic linkers consecutively in ZIFs. These findings are important for probing the chemical dynamics of ZIFs, despite their high crystallinity and robustness, and inspire t...
Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in a Dynamic Environment

The main goal of this research effort is to determine the optimal trajectory for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in a dynamic environment. A Model Predictive Control (MPC) approach is utilized to provide collision avoidance in view of pop-up threats and a random set of moving and stationary obstacles (no fly zones). The UAV path planning needs to adapt in near real-time to the dynamic nature of the operational scenario, and to react rapidly to updates in the situational awareness, given the vehicle’s maneuvering constraints. To achieve this objective, the UAV navigates from a given starting point to a desired target point via selected intermediate waypoints. The possible waypoints are geometrically obtained with additional waypoints placed near the vertices of each polygonshaped obstacle. The MPC optimizer minimizes a cost function at each control cycle using a nonlinear dynamic model of the situation with maneuvering constraints included. The MPC algorithm is selected because it can improve system performance while effectively handling constraints. However, the huge computational effort required for a complete nonlinear realization of the MPC algorithm renders infeasible a comprehensive real-time optimization for this application. To circumvent this problem, discrete-time Laguerre functions are used as basis functions to represent the control inputs instead of using their complete time histories. A representative scenario, consisting of five targets, five static obstacles, nine pop-up threats, and a large, moving no-fly zone, is used to demonstrate this algorithm. Results are presented based on MATLAB® simulation experiments using a UAV model that represents a RQ-7 Shadow 200 to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
Challenges in Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording

To meet the ever-growing demand for digital storage, the recording industry has been maintaining a phenomenal growth in the data storage density. This growth has been maintained by increasing the anisotropy of each of the grains each time their volume was decreased. Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording will allow this scaling to continue by removing the write-ability barrier; Heating the medium during the write process lowers the anisotropy, such that even with a modest magnetic field a bit can be switched, yet remain thermally stable at ambient temperature. In this paper we will address three major challenges that were overcome to successfully put together a Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording system.
Confidence in Confidence Intervals

An exoteric view of confidence intervals that involves subjective probability and makes use of computer-simulated sampling.
Mechanical work and efficiency in swimming crawl and back strokes

1. The problem of the mechanical work done in swimming crawl and back stroke was investigated. 2. A mathematical analysis of the motion in the crawl stroke was undertaken and substantiated by series of experiments. 3. Experiments consisted of:
Vascular characteristics of intracerebral arteriovenous malformations in patients with clinical steal.

In patients with intracerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), symptoms attributed to steal can lead to progressive debilitating deficits. This study was undertaken to determine which morphologic features of the AVM could be correlated with clinical symptoms of steal. Over a 4-year period, 65 patients with intracranial AVMs were evaluated with angiography supplemented by MR (46 cases) and CT (19 cases). Eleven characteristics of AVM vascular architecture were studied; these included size, lobar location, periventricular/intraventricular location, arterial stenosis, arteriovenous fistulae, angiomatous change (the presence of dilated transcortical collateral circulation), venous drainage pattern (central, cortical, mixed), venous stenosis, venous aneurysm or ectasia, venous variation, and delayed drainage. These characteristics were correlated with a history of clinical steal, which was seen in nine (14%) of 65 patients. Three characteristics were found to correlate highly with steal: angiomatous change (p less than .0001), size (p less than .0001), and peripheral venous drainage (p = .045). The mean size of the AVM nidus was 31.3 cm3 for the entire group of patients, 105.0 cm3 for patients with steal, and 19.5 cm3 for those without steal symptoms. Angiomatous change was seen in six (9%) of 65 patients; all six of these had clinical steal. The association of clinical steal with AVM size, angiomatous change, and peripheral venous drainage may contribute to establishing a prognosis and treatment planning. When a patient9s symptoms are caused by steal, treatment with subtotal excision or partial embolization may be beneficial.
Investigation of occupation health of shoemaking workers in Nanhai District of Foshan City

[Objective]To investigate the occupation health of shoemaking workers in Nanhai District of Foshan City,and provide evidence for strengthening the occupation health work with plan. [Methods]Through the statistical analysis of enterprise workers' occupation health examination results(routine blood test results) combined with the workplace concentration monitoring results of benzene,toluene,xylene,the workers' health risks were evaluated. [Results]The blood routine test abnormal rate of exposure group was 5.48% significantly higher than that of non contact group 2.67%,that of female workers in exposure group was 6.75% higher than the male 3.66%;among different types of works,the blood abnormal rates of workers engaged in shoe-covering and bottom-fixing were 7.84% and 7.06%,higher than that of workers engaged in vamp-jointing 3.69% and molding line 3.68%.The benzene concentrations in shoe-covering and bottom-fixing workshop exceeded the standard seriously. [Conclusion]Shoemaking enterprises in Nanhai District need to further reduce the use of benzene,and strengthen health protection and health care for workers,especially for women.
On architecting and composing engineering information services to enable smart manufacturing

Engineering information systems play an important role in the current era of digitization of manufacturing, which is a key component to enable smart manufacturing. Traditionally, these engineering information systems spanned the lifecycle of a product by providing interoperability of software subsystems through a combination of open and proprietary exchange of data. But research and development efforts are underway to replace this paradigm with engineering information services that can be composed dynamically to meet changing needs in the operation of smart manufacturing systems. This paper describes the opportunities and challenges in architecting such engineering information services and composing them to enable smarter manufacturing.
Solute exclusion by polymer and protein-dominated water: correlation with results of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and calorimetric studies and their significance for the understanding of the physical state of water in living cells.

According to the polarized multilayer (PM) theory of cell water proteins with their backbones fully extended and their NHCO groups directly exposed to bulk water, polarize water in multilayers. Experimental testing of the theory led to a new understanding of the uniqueness of gelatin, due to its permanently maintained fully extended conformation and its ability to polarize the bulk phase water in multilayers with reduced solubilities for solutes in a size dependent manner ("size rule"). Other models which behave like gelatin are urea-denatured proteins, synthetic polymers like polyethylene oxide (PEO), and polyvinylpyrrolidine (PVP), but not native proteins. NMR studies showed that the majority of water molecules dominated by these polymers does indeed suffer rotational (and translational) motional restriction as predicted by the PM theory. In conjunction with ultra-high frequency dielectric studies but particularly quasielastic neutron scattering of both model systems (e.g., PEO) and living cells (i.e., brine shrimp cysts and frog muscle), this finding offers confirmation of the PM theory of living cell water and model systems. Studies of the freezing point depression showed that the presence of as much as 50% of native proteins had no effect on the freezing point of water while inclusion of gelatin, PEO, etc., caused concentration-dependent lowering of the freezing temperature. These findings demonstrate the key role of polarized water in the phenomena of freezing point depression and the unusual ice forms seen in living cells.
A Community of Experience in Grigny

In this and the following chapter I describe the dynamics between the lived world of young urban troublemakers and state authorities in two different Western European settings: the neighborhoods of Grigny in France and Kanaleneiland in the Netherlands. Despite differences in locality and background, the two stories complement each other. Together these chapters paint a picture of the distance between the experiences of these adolescents and the domain of politics. In this chapter, I introduce the youngsters’ antagonistic vision of society. I describe how a distinctive community of experience, with its own social structure and organization, is developed at a distance from, and in a negative tension with, the social structure and organization of society at large. I speak of a community of experience because its binding social structure and sense of belonging are derived from shared experiences, set within a specific place and context — other than in a shared natural or preconstitutive identity. These shared experiences can be both positive and negative. Shared feelings of family and solidarity are contrasted with an “outside” world, which is dominated by powerful state institutions protecting the interests of richer citizens, while the struggling inhabitants of the banlieues are neglected.
The Challenge of Reforming European Communist Legacy ‘Logistics’

ABSTRACTThis article posits four key challenges to address the question as to why logistics reform in Communist-legacy defense institutions has been so slow. First, what is the conceptual foundation for logistics in these countries? Second, what is the general state of national logistics capabilities in these countries? Third, why has the reform of logistics in these post-Communist legacy defense institutions been so slow and superficial? Fourth, in an attempt to understand the problem better, what do legacy defense institutions need to do themselves in order to be able to adopt modern Western logistics concepts? Conversely, what do donor nations need to understand about these legacy logistics organizations the better to enable them to understand the immense gap that divides Communist from Western logistics concepts? In addressing these questions, the author will argue two points. First, logistics reform has been impeded to date by a lack of appreciation on the part of particularly Western officials that ...
Preparation and characterization of functionalized heparin-loaded poly-Ɛ-caprolactone fibrous mats to prevent infection with human papillomaviruses

In this study, heparin-loaded poly-ɛ-caprolactone (PCL) fibrous mats were prepared and characterized based on their physical, cytotoxic, thermal, and biological properties. The main objective of the work described here was to test the hypothesis that incorporation of heparin into a PCL carrier could serve as bio-compatible material capable of inhibiting Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The idea of firmly anchoring heparin to capture soluble virus, vs. a slow heparin release to inhibit a virus in solution was tested. Thus, one material was produced via conventional heparin matrix encapsulation and electrohydrodynamic fiber processing in one step. A second type of material was obtained via heparin crosslinking. This was achieved by running a carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) coupling reaction on preformed PCL fibers. In vitro HPV16 L1 protein binding capacity studies were performed. Infectivity assays were done using HPV16 pseudoviruses (PsVs) carrying a GFP plasmid to directly test the ability of the fibrous mats to prevent internalization of HPV PsVs. The crosslinked heparin material presented a dissociation constant (Kd) value comparable to those found in the literature for different heparin-protein L1 peptide interactions. Both materials significantly reduced internalization of HPV PsVs, with a reduction of 94% of PsVs internalization when matrix encapsulated heparin-loaded material was present. Differences in performance between the two proposed structures are discussed.
Renal Function Outcomes of High-risk Neuroblastoma Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy.

Purpose To analyze the renal function outcomes in patients undergoing radiation therapy for neuroblastoma. Methods and Materials The clinical metrics of renal function were analyzed in patients undergoing radiation therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma from 2000 to 2015. The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine values before radiation therapy were compared with last available follow-up values and analyzed with the clinical circumstances, including follow-up length, age at primary irradiation, nephrectomy, and radiation technique. The creatinine clearance was estimated using the Shull method. Results With a median follow-up period of 3.5 years, none of the 266 patients studied developed a chronic renal insufficiency. For all patients, the creatinine level increased from 0.44 to 0.51 mg/dL and the BUN increased from 10.53 to 15.52 mg/dL. Three patients required antihypertensive medication. The patients who underwent intensity modulated radiation therapy did not experience increased creatinine levels during the follow-up period; however, they had a reduced median follow-up length compared with patients treated with anteroposterior/posteroanterior beams (4.7 vs 3.3 years). A longer follow-up length was associated with an increased creatinine level. The preradiation therapy creatinine level increased with patient age, similar to that of the last follow-up creatinine level, suggesting that the changes in creatinine could likely be explained by physiologic increases associated with aging rather than radiation-induced renal damage. The creatinine clearance did not decrease in any circumstance. Conclusions The present cohort had excellent renal outcomes after radiation therapy for neuroblastoma. No patient developed chronic renal insufficiency, and the small increases in BUN and creatinine we observed correlated, as expected, with increases in patient age. The results of the present study revealed a possible advantage for intensity modulated radiation therapy in preserving renal function; however, the follow-up length is a recognized confounding variable. The kidneys are vital structures to consider when planning radiation therapy for neuroblastoma patients, and we have found encouraging evidence that modern techniques to spare them in the setting of multiple treatment-related insults have been successful.
Corporate social responsibility and the wealth gains from dividend increases

Abstract This study examines whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) influences the stock price response to dividend increase announcements and changes in subsequent operating performance. We find that dividend increasing firms with lower CSR scores elicit higher abnormal announcement returns and greater improvements in industry-adjusted operating performance. These findings support the argument in the literature that socially responsible firms are more transparent and commit to higher ethical standards than other firms, suggesting that they suffer fewer agency and informational problems (Kim, Park, & Wier, 2012). Consequently, larger dividend payouts reduce agency costs in firms with lower CSR commitments, thereby generating higher wealth gains for shareholders.
Pre-culture Sudan Black B treatment suppresses autofluorescence signals emitted from polymer tissue scaffolds

In tissue engineering, autofluorescence of polymer scaffolds often lowers the image contrast, making it difficult to examine cells and subcellular structures. Treating the scaffold materials with Sudan Black B (SBB) after cell fixation can effectively suppress autofluorescence, but this approach is not conducive to live cell imaging. Post-culture SBB treatment also disrupts intracellular structures and leads to reduced fluorescence intensity of the targets of interest. In this study, we introduce pre-culture SBB treatment to suppress autofluorescence, where SBB is applied to polymeric scaffold materials before cell seeding. The results show that the autofluorescence signals emitted from polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds in three commonly used fluorescence channels effectively decrease without diminishing the fluorescence signals emitted from the cells. The pre-culture SBB treatment does not significantly affect cell viability. The autofluorescence suppressive effect does not substantially diminish during the culturing period up to 28 days. The results also show that cell migration, proliferation, and myogenic differentiation in pre-culture SBB-treated groups do not exhibit statistical difference from the non-treated groups. As such, this approach greatly improves the fluorescence image quality for examining live cell behaviors and dynamics while the cells are cultured within autofluorescent polymer scaffolds.