cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preliminary Surrogate Mixture Models for the Thermophysical Properties of Rocket Propellants RP-1 and RP-2

We have developed surrogate mixture models to represent the thermophysical properties of two kerosene rocket propellants, RP-1 and RP-2. The surrogates were developed with a procedure that incorporated experimental data for the density, sound speed, viscosity, thermal conductivity, and the advanced distillation curves for samples of the two fuels. The surrogate for RP-1 contains four components (α-methyldecalin, n-dodecane, 5-methylnonane, and heptylcyclohexane), and the surrogate for RP-2 contains five components (α-methyldecalin, n-dodecane, 5-methylnonane, 2,4-dimethylnonane, and heptylcyclohexane). Comparisons with experimental data demonstrate that the models are able to represent the density, sound speed, viscosity, and thermal conductivity of both fuels to within (at a 95% confidence level) 0.4, 2, 2, and 4%, respectively. The volatility behavior, as measured by the advanced distillation curves, is reproduced to within 0.5%.
The Mechanism and Regulation of Chromosomal V(D)J Recombination

V(D)J recombination is of fundamental importance to the generation of diverse antigen receptor repertoires. We review our current understanding of the V(D)J recombination reaction and how it is regulated during lymphocyte development. We also discuss how defects in the mechanism or regulation of V(D)J recombination can lead to human disease.
Novel high-speed approach for CD uniformity mapping and monitoring

Deep Ultraviolet Lithography is slowly gaining widespread use. Although the introduction of 248 nm excimer laser steppers and step&scan systems has been slower than anticipated, all of the advanced wafer fabs are now using two of the three technology platforms in mix-and-match with I-line steppers or scanners. But the aggressive acceleration of the roadmaps, both for device technology as well as for equipment, brings some new and challenging questions into maskmaking, one of the key segments of today's IC manufacturing. Long having been in the discussion as one of the potential roadblocks, we are rapidly approaching the limits of manufacturability, and new ways to write, process, inspect and qualify a mask need to be developed. Although a lot of different efforts are under way, the area that still leaves the most doubts in the end user is mask qualification: does the mask meet the CD requirements, and is it free of any printable (CD) defects? This paper will give an insight on new tools that will be needed to help fully characterizing a mask, and will also try to investigate some of the printability concerns.
The dual-task SRT procedure: Fine-tuning the timing

In the standard sequential reaction time study, subjects are presented with a repeating sequence of targets to which they must respond as rapidly as possible. With practice reaction times decrease, suggesting a learned ability to exploit the repeating patterns in the display. In a common variation, a second task is interposed, typically a tone-counting task in which subjects must keep track of the frequency with which particular tones occur. In the canonical experiment, these tones appear at varying times in the interval between the subjects’ response to a target and the next target. Data are presented that show that this latter variable (the RSOA, response-secondary stimulus onset asynchrony) actually plays an important but previously hidden role in these experiments. A model based on an extension of the notion of the psychological refractory period is introduced to explain these findings.
Suicidality among gay, lesbian and bisexual youth: the role of protective factors.

Abstract Purpose Many reports have indicated that gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) youth are particularly vulnerable to poor outcomes, including suicide. Certain protective factors are likely to reduce this risk. The present study examines four protective factors (family connectedness, teacher caring, other adult caring, and school safety) and their association with suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescents with same-gender experience. Methods Data come from the 2004 Minnesota Student Survey of 9th and 12th grade students; 21,927 sexually active youth were grouped according to the gender of their sex partner(s) into GLB and non-GLB groups. Four protective factors and suicidal ideation and attempts were compared across groups. Logistic regression was used to examine the influence of protective factors on suicide, and predicted probabilities of suicidal ideation and attempts were estimated using general linear modeling. Results There were 2,255 respondents who reported same-gender experience. Over half of GLB students had thought about suicide and 37.4% reported a suicide attempt. GLB youth reported significantly lower levels of each protective factor than their non-GLB peers. Family connectedness, adult caring, and school safety were significantly protective against suicidal ideation and attempts. Risk associated with a GLB sexual orientation is largely mediated through protective factors. Conclusions Sexual orientation alone accounts for only a small portion of variability in suicidal ideation and attempts. If protective factors were enhanced among GLB youth, suicide in this population is expected to be considerably lower. Protective factors examined here are amenable to change and should be targeted in interventions.
Metabolism of cholesteryl ester lipid droplets in a J774 macrophage foam cell model.

Abstract J774 macrophages rapidly incorporated [3H]cholesteryl oleate droplets by a non-saturable phagocytic process. In less than 2 h, foam cell morphology was acquired. The extent of loading obtained after 2 h was a linear function of the mass of cholesteryl oleate provided to the cells. The cholesteryl oleate incorporated was hydrolyzed in the cells at a linear rate over 24 h and the fractional hydrolysis was constant over a wide range of cellular esterified cholesterol contents. The rate of hydrolysis was influenced by the physical state of the cholesteryl ester; cholesteryl oleate in isotropic droplets was hydrolyzed 2–3-fold more rapidly than cholesteryl oleate in anisotropic droplets. The hydrolysis of both types of droplets was inhibited by lysosomotropic agents, indicating that hydrolysis occurred in the lysosomes. Only a small fraction (less than 10% after 24 h) of the free [3H]cholesterol generated in the lysosomes was esterified by ACAT resulting in a doubling of the cell free cholesterol content. Electron microscopy of cells treated with digitonin revealed the accumulation of free cholesterol in lipid-laden lysosomes. ACAT was active as endogenous free [14C]cholesterol was esterified in a linear manner over 24 h and was responsive to the presence of lysosomally-derived cholesterol, as the extent of esterification of the endogenous pool was directly proportional to the mass of [3H]cholesterol generated in the lysosomes.
Regulation of Progranulin Expression in Human Microglia and Proteolysis of Progranulin by Matrix Metalloproteinase-12 (MMP-12)

Background The essential role of progranulin (PGRN) as a neurotrophic factor has been demonstrated by the discovery that haploinsufficiency due to GRN gene mutations causes frontotemporal lobar dementia. In addition to neurons, microglia in vivo express PGRN, but little is known about the regulation of PGRN expression by microglia. Goal In the current study, we examined the regulation of expression and function of PGRN, its proteolytic enzyme macrophage elastase (MMP-12), as well as the inhibitor of PGRN proteolysis, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), in human CNS cells. Methods Cultures of primary human microglia and astrocytes were stimulated with the TLR ligands (LPS or poly IC), Th1 cytokines (IL-1/IFNγ), or Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-13). Results were analyzed by Q-PCR, immunoblotting or ELISA. The roles of MMP-12 and SLPI in PGRN cleavage were also examined. Results Unstimulated microglia produced nanogram levels of PGRN, and PGRN release from microglia was suppressed by the TLR ligands or IL-1/IFNγ, but increased by IL-4 or IL-13. Unexpectedly, while astrocytes stimulated with proinflammatory factors released large amounts of SLPI, none were detected in microglial cultures. We also identified MMP-12 as a PGRN proteolytic enzyme, and SLPI as an inhibitor of MMP-12-induced PGRN proteolysis. Experiments employing PGRN siRNA demonstrated that microglial PGRN was involved in the cytokine and chemokine production following TLR3/4 activation, with its effect on TNFα being the most conspicuous. Conclusions Our study is the first detailed examination of PGRN in human microglia. Our results establish microglia as a significant source of PGRN, and MMP-12 and SLPI as modulators of PGRN proteolysis. Negative and positive regulation of microglial PGRN release by the proinflammatory/Th1 and the Th2 stimuli, respectively, suggests a fundamentally different aspect of PGRN regulation compared to other known microglial activation products. Microglial PGRN appears to function as an endogenous modulator of innate immune responses.
PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF A SMALL-PARTICLE AEROSOL OF COXSACKIE A21.

SummaryA method of generation and a description of the aerobiologic properties of small-particle aerosols containing the picorna-virus, Coxsackie A21, have been described. The size of particles in the aerosol ranged from 0.2 to 3.0 μ in diameter. Particles 1–2 μ in diameter comprised 54% of the total particle volume and contained 68% of recoverable virus. The SD among aerosol virus concentrations during periods of administration was 0.25 log10 TCID50. The log concentration of virus in the aerosol expressed as a function of the log concentration of virus in the suspension used to generate the aerosol was a straight line with a slope of 0.87. Virus concentration in the liquid suspensions tested ranged from 6.4 to 11.0 log10 TCID50/liter, and in aerosols from 0.3 to 4.3 log10 TCID50/liter. The mean difference in concentration between liquid and aerosol through the range of values tested was 106.3 log10 TCID50/liter.
Addition of corn gluten meal and zein to ground pork of various fat percentages

Corn gluten meal and zein at levels of 0, 2.5 and 5% were added to ground pork of three fat percentages. Raw patties were analyzed for fat, moisture, protein contents and color. Selected patties, broiled to 77°C, were evaluated for proximate composition, total cooking loss, color and Instron compression. Five percent zein added to ground pork reduced cooking loss 4.2% when compared with ground pork without zein. Addition of corn gluten meal to pork did not influence yield. Instron compression values increased with the addition of zein and corn gluten meal. Increased fat altered the hue (increased hue angle due to increased b) of the interior of the cooked pork patties. Zein addition also increased the lightness of cooked pork patties. The addition of zein to ground pork patties decreased sensory tenderness and pork flavor intensity and increased off-flavor intensity.
A relativistic multiregion bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck code for mirror plasmas

We have developed a unique Fokker--Planck code to study the physics of plasmas that are trapped in magnetic and potential wells of general shape on a collisional time scale. The code was designed primarily to apply to mirror machines, either a simple mirror or a tandem mirror. A plasma confined in a mirror machine generally consists of various groups of particles trapped magnetically and/or electrostatically depending on their energy, magnetic moment, and axial position. Characteristic features of such a plasma are: first, that the bounce times of trapped particles are much shorter than the collision times; and second, that particles trapped in different axial locations can have the same energy and magnetic moment. The former feature allows us to perform bounce-orbit averaging of the kinetic equation, and the latter feature indicates that the distribution function can be multivalued. The code solves a relativistic Fokker--Planck equation averaged over bounce orbits for all the trapped-particle groups. In addition to the Coulomb collision operator, the code includes a synchrotron radiation term, a quasilinear rf diffusion operator, and source and loss terms. The numerical method consists of a mapping technique and a Galerkin finite-element method. Example results using the code for electron-cyclotron resonant heatingmore » and neutral beam injection in a tandem mirror are also presented.« less
The heart of consequentialism

My goal in this paper was to argue that consequentialism should be construed as the view that the better a state of affairs the better the action that produces it and the more moral reason there is to perform that action. I call this view ‘BETTER’. I tried to show that treating this rather than a claim about the right as crucial to consequentialism had significant advantages. Finally, I demonstrated the relevance of my account to the issue of whether consequentialism is correct. It doesn't provide a conclusive answer to that question (we should be suspicious if it did) but allows us to see it in a new light and hopefully, suggests new and fruitful ways to tackle it.
A Classroom of Bunnies, Blimps, and Werewolves: Teaching Asian Religions Online in Second Life

Virtual environments promise a myriad of exciting opportunities for college and university online teaching, but how much do they actually deliver? This evaluation of the use of Second Life in an Asian religions course contributes to the small but growing body of literature addressing the incorporation of online virtual worlds into higher education. It discusses benefits and drawback of teaching in Second Life and suggests Asian-inspired Second Life locations that can be useful in the classroom. Given instructor commitment to making use of the unique possibilities Second Life offers, including synchronous communication, virtual world fieldtrips, animations, and the potential for guest lectures and international participation, Second Life can provide a lively and interesting alternative for online Asian-content courses.
Time course of membrane microarchitecture-driven neovascularization

The host response to a microporous material that induces neovascularization at the material-tissue interface was studied in terms of the number and types of cells invading the membrane, the degree of vascularization at the material-tissue interface, and the characteristics of the surrounding connective tissue as a function of time following implantation. Millipore-MF mixed esters of cellulose membranes with a nominal pore diameter of 8.0 μm were implanted subcutaneously into male Sprague-Dawley rats and explanted at 3, 5, 7, 10, 21 and 329 days post-implantation. Two samples from each of two devices at each implantation time were embedded in paraffin, sectioned to a thickness of 5 μm, and stained with haematoxylin and eosin for light microscopic observation. The density of cells in the membrane increased up to 7 days following implantation, then remained roughly constant through 21 days and decreased at the 329 day time point. The vascularity of the material-tissue interface increased up to 10 days and remained at this level even at 329 days post-implantation. The connective tissue was disorganized, loose and avascular at 3 days, resembled granulation tissue at 5 days, and underwent fibrous capsule formation and maturation starting at 7 days following implantation.
Eye tracking within the packaging design workflow: interaction with physical and virtual shelves

Measuring consumers' overt visual attention through eye tracking is a useful method of assessing a package design's impact on likely buyer purchase patterns. To preserve ecological validity, subjects should remain immersed in a shopping context throughout the entire study. Immersion can be achieved through proper priming, environmental cues, and visual stimuli. While a complete physical store offers the most realistic environment, the use of projectors in creating a virtual environment is desirable for efficiency, cost, and flexibility reasons. Results are presented from a study comparing consumers' visual behavior in the presence of either virtual or physical shelving through eye movement performance and process metrics and their subjective impressions. Analysis suggests a difference in visual search performance between environments even though the perceived difference is negligible.
Effects of vision and friction on haptic perception.

Objective: Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of vision and masking friction on contact perception and compliance differentiation thresholds in a simulated tissue-probing task. B...
THE PVT Properties of Water I. Liquid Water in the Temperature Range 0 to 150 degrees C and at Pressures up to 1 kb

An apparatus for measuring the PVT properties of water with high accuracy up to 1 kb over a wide temperature range is described. A 57 ft. mercury column has been built primarily to calibrate free-piston pressure balances used in this work. The compression of water relative to mercury has been measured at intervals of 10 dcgC from 0 to 150 degrees C and at pressures from 5 to 1026 b, to a reproducibility of 4 to 7 p.p.m. of the volume, and a maximum uncertainty of about 40 p.p.m. at 1000 b. The specific volumes are given in tabular form, and in terms of interpolation equations. The isothermal compressibilities at atmospheric pressure have been obtained with a standard error of about 0$\cdot $03 $\times $ 10$^{-6}$ b$^{-1}$. The thermal expansion of water relative to mercury at 5$\cdot $30 b has been measured in the range 80 to 150 degrees C with an error not more than 5 p.p.m. at 80 degrees C, 10 p.p.m. at 100 degrees C, and 20 p.p.m. at 150 degrees C. The specific volumes, densities, and thermal expansivities have been adjusted to atmospheric pressure and to saturation pressure using the compressions reported here, and are tabulated. A kink reported by Antonoff and Conan in the density of water as a function of temperature near 50$\cdot $5 degrees C has been looked for; the density is smooth to 1 p.p.m. over the range 47$\cdot $5 to 52$\cdot $0 degrees C, and the reported kink does not exist.
Optimizing cross-sectional prediction of social functioning in youth referred for neuropsychological testing

The current study aimed to establish a fine-grained, efficient characterization of the concurrent neuropsychological contributions to social functioning in neuropsychologically-referred youth. A secondary aim was to demonstrate a useful statistic approach for such investigations (Partial Least Squares Regression; PLSR), which is underutilized in this field. Forty-five participants (70 – 164 months; Mage = 110.89; 34 male) were recruited from a large neuropsychological assessment clinic. Participants completed subtests from the NEPSY-II focusing on neuropsychological constructs that have been linked to social functioning (affect decoding, social memory, motor skills, visuomotor skills, response inhibition, attention and set-shifting, and verbal comprehension). Mothers completed the BASC-2, from which Atypicality and Social Skills scales were analyzed. PLSR revealed that difficulty with social memory, sensorimotor integration, and the ability to attend to and accurately discriminate auditory stimuli combine to best predict atypical or “odd” behavior. In terms of social skills, two factors emerged. The first factor indicated that, counterintuitively, greater emotional perception, visuospatial perception, ability to attend to and accurately discriminate auditory stimuli, and understand instructions was related to poorer social skills. The second factor indicated that a pattern of better facial memory, and sensorimotor ability (execution & integration) characterized a distinct profile of greater social ability. PLSR results were compared to traditional OLS and Backwards Stepwise regression approaches to demonstrate utility. Results also suggested that these findings were consistent across age, gender, and diagnostic group, indicating common neuropsychological substrates of social functioning in this sample of referred youth. Overall, this study provides the first characterization of optimized combinations of neuropsychological variables in predicting social functioning in assessment clinic-referred youth, and introduces to this literature a valuable statistical approach for obtaining such characterizations.
The web is smaller than it seems

The Web has grown beyond anybody's imagination. While significant research has been devoted to understanding aspects of the Web from the perspective of the documents that comprise it, we have little data on the relationship among servers that comprise the Web. In this paper, we explore the extent to which Web servers are co-located with other Web servers in the Internet. In terms of the location of servers, we find that the Web is surprisingly smaller than it seems. Our work has important implications for the availability of Web servers in case of DoS attacks and blocklisting.
Endoscopically Directed Middle Meatal Cultures Versus Maxillary Sinus Taps in Acute Bacterial Maxillary Rhinosinusitis: A Meta-Analysis

Objective The aim of this study was to verify the correlation of endoscopically directed middle meatal (EDMM) cultures with maxillary sinus tap and culture (MST) in acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS). Study design and methods Meta-analysis of the previous literature, unpublished data, and a prospective trial supported by the Sinus & Allergy Health Partnership. EDMM and MST cultures were obtained and their results compared. Inclusion for both the unpublished and prospective trial as well as prior published literature in the meta-analysis required the studies to compare EDMM versus MST in the acute setting of bacterial rhinosinusitis with both symptomatic and radiologic evidence of ABRS. Results Three articles and 1 national presentation were identified for inclusion. Additional data from unpublished studies and the prospective trial were combined. The pooled data consisted of 126 patients with 131 culture pairs. For known pathogenic bacteria for ABRS and in comparison to MST, EDMM had a sensitivity of 80.9%, a specificity of 90.5%, a positive predictive value of 82.6%, a negative predictive value of 89.4%, and an overall accuracy of 87.0% (95% confidence interval, 81.3%-92.8%); 70.5% (12/17) of false positive culture pairs were of known pathogens for ABRS that would not be expected to be contaminants. Conclusions and significance This meta-analysis shows that EDMM is a highly sensitive and accurate culture method for acute ABRS and may be more sensitive than MST given the presence of pathogenic bacteria not found on antral lavage. EDMM is a viable, and possibly preferred, culture method for determining antimicrobial efficacy and bacterial resistance patterns. EBM rating: A-1a
Carbon materials for structural self-sensing, electromagnetic shielding and thermal interfacing

Abstract This paper reviews carbon materials for significant emerging applications that relate to structural self-sensing (a structural material sensing its own condition), electromagnetic interference shielding (blocking radio wave) and thermal interfacing (improving thermal contacts by using thermal interface materials). These applications pertain to electronics, lighting (light emitting diodes), communication, security, aircraft, spacecraft and civil infrastructure. High-performance and cost-effective materials in various forms of carbon have been developed for these applications. The forms of carbon materials include carbon fiber, carbon nanofiber, exfoliated graphite, carbon black and composite materials. Short carbon fiber cement-matrix composites and continuous carbon fiber polymer-matrix composites are particularly effective for structural self-sensing, with the attributes sensed including strain, stress, damage and temperature. Flexible graphite as a monolithic material and nickel-coated carbon nanofiber as a filler are particularly effective for electromagnetic shielding. Carbon black paste, graphite nanoplatelet paste and flexible graphite (filled with carbon black paste) are particularly effective for thermal interfacing; carbon nanotube arrays are less effective than these pastes. The associated science pertains to the relationship among processing, structure and properties in relation to the abovementioned applications. The criteria behind the design of materials for these applications and the mechanisms of the associated phenomena are also addressed.
Antimycobacterial and cytotoxicity activity of microcystins.

The present work aimed to evaluate the antimycobacterial activity and cytotoxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa toxins, the MC-LR variant and purified extract of [D-Leu1] microcystin-LR. The antimicrobial activity of M. aeruginosa extract and microcystin was evaluated by resazurin microtiter assay against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. terrae, M. chelonae and M. kansasii. The cytotoxicity assay was performed by trypan blue exclusion against the HTC cell line. Antimicrobial activity was observed in the hexanic extract of M. aeruginosa (RST 9501 strain) against M. tuberculosis, including sensitive and resistant strains with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) between 1.93 μM and 0.06 μM. The high activity of M. aeruginosa hexanic extract could be attributed to the major presence of the toxins MC-LR and [D-Leu1] MC-LR that showed activity at MIC between 53 and 0.42 μM against tested mycobacterial strains. Even at the highest concentration tested, no toxicity of M. aeruginosa extracts was identified against HTC cells. These preliminary results suggest that [D-Leu1] MC-LR is a promising candidate for the development of a new antimycobacterial agent.
Validation of the MODIS bidirectional reflectance distribution function and albedo retrievals using combined observations from the aqua and terra platforms

We evaluate the performance of the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)/Albedo algorithm using observations from MODIS instruments aboard NASA's Terra (EOS AM-1) and Aqua (EOS PM-1) platforms. This "combined" albedo product is evaluated against continuous field measurements from SURFace RADiation Budget Network (SURFRAD) and Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains (ARM/SGP) stations, and through an internal analysis of the product's quality assurance (QA) fields. The combined product is compared to the initial MODIS albedo product, which used observations from the Terra satellite only. During the spring and summer months, the combined product showed a slight improvement over the original Terra-only albedo product, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0130 and a bias of about -0.02. As with the Terra-only product, accuracy drops during the fall and winter months at some sites. Jin et al. found that increased heterogeneity of validation sites during the fall and winter months is partially responsible for this drop in accuracy. The additional data provided by the Aqua platform changes high-quality albedo estimations only slightly, which underscores the stability of the MODIS algorithm. The most significant benefit of the combined product is a near 50% decrease in lower quality backup algorithm retrievals for the entire globe. A decrease in backup algorithm retrievals improves the overall accuracy of the MODIS albedo product, as it reduces algorithm reliance upon an a priori determination of the underlying surface anisotropy that is not entirely data derived.
Preparation and characterization of space durable polymer nanocomposite films

Low color, flexible, space durable polyimide films with inherent, robust electrical conductivity have been under investigation as part of a continuing materials development activity for future NASA space missions involving Gossamer structures. Electrical conductivity is needed in these films to mitigate electrostatic charge build-up caused by charged species present in the orbital environment. One method of imparting conductivity is through the use of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). SWNTs were dispersed in space durable polyimide films in the bulk using a solution technique and on the surface using a spray coating technique. The resultant nanocomposite films were evaluated for electrical conductivity, mechanical, and optical properties. The results of this study will be presented.
Shear and Baroclinic Energy Flux on the Summer New England Shelf

Abstract Observations are presented of internal wave properties and energy fluxes through a site near the 70-m isobath on the New England shelf in late summer. Data collected from a shipboard ADCP and microstructure profiler over a three-week period and projected onto dynamic vertical modes reveals large variations in the magnitude and vertical structure of internal waves. Baroclinic energy and shear were primarily associated with low-mode near-inertial and semidiurnal waves and, at times, high-frequency solibores. The energies in each mode varied by factors from 2 to 10 over several days and were not significantly correlated with one another. The associated shear variance was concentrated in the thermocline. However, the strength and vertical range of shear varied significantly throughout the research period and depended sensitively on both the magnitude and evolving vertical mode content of the wave field. Shear during the quasi-two-layer solibores was strong enough to temporarily lower the 4-m Richards...
Reflections on the relations between development and urbanization: past trajectories and future challenges

ABSTRACTThis article examines the inter-relationship between economic prosperity and the growth of cities, tracing the field from its original preoccupation with over-urbanization and under-development in the 1950s and 1960s to its current fixation on dynamic global cities with redeveloped property markets that showcase new forms of wealth creation. The historical change in emphasis chronicled here is understood to be a combined product of three different causalities. The first is the shift from industrialization to financial and other services as the principal source of wealth creation in the post-1980s era. The second is the changing territorial scale of accumulation, reflected in the shifting importance of global markets vis-a-vis national markets and in the increasingly key mediating role that cities play in facilitating this transition. The third is the rescaling of state power, seen not just in terms of decentralization but also in the declining capacities of national states to discipline global inv...
Trapping of argon in ion beam deposited thin films of CNx Hy

Unbalanced magnetron sputtering deposition of CNx Hy films has been performed with various levels of negative substrate bias and with different flow rates of nitrogen and hydrogen. Argon was used as a sputtering gas and formed the majority of the gas in the plasma. The elemental concentrations of the films were measured in samples deposited on glassy carbon with a 2.2 MeV of He beam used to perform simultaneous RBS and ERS. Argon was found to be trapped in the non-hydrogenated films to a level of up to ∼ 4.6 %. The concentration of argon increased for the films deposited under higher negative bias. With the introduction of hydrogen, argon trapping was first minimized and later completely eliminated, even at higher bias conditions, suggesting that the softness of the films brought on by hydrogenation also caused the films to be unable to trap argon during growth and thus showing that argon stability is dependent on burial below a surface of particular structural properties.
Macromolecular Crowding and Protein Stability

An understanding of cellular chemistry requires knowledge of how crowded environments affect proteins. The influence of crowding on protein stability arises from two phenomena, hard-core repulsions and soft (i.e., chemical) interactions. Most efforts to understand crowding effects on protein stability, however, focus on hard-core repulsions, which are inherently entropic and stabilizing. We assessed these phenomena by measuring the temperature dependence of NMR-detected amide proton exchange and used these data to extract the entropic and enthalpic contributions of crowding to the stability of ubiquitin. Contrary to expectations, the contribution of chemical interactions is large and in many cases dominates the contribution from hardcore repulsions. Our results show that both chemical interactions and hard-core repulsions must be considered when assessing the effects of crowding and help explain previous observations about protein stability and dynamics in cells.
Waveforms for Optimal Enhancement of High-order Harmonics by Synthesizing Two- or three-color Laser Fields

High-order harmonics reaching keV energies can be generated with optimized waveform by synthesizing a 2-micron mid-infrared laser with a small fraction of its third harmonic, resulting in a ten-fold increase of harmonic yields.
Study of types,resources and their influential factors of perceived risks in purchase online

It is very important for us to further study the types and their relative intensity of the perceived risks for purchase online from their resources,which can help the company's purchase online to reduce and manage the risks from the headstream efficiently.In this paper the authors find that the resources of risks in purchase online mainly come from the products,the distant trade,the mode of trade for purchase online and website.Results indicate that the product performance risk from product itself,service risk from distant trade and resources risk from website are the three strongest risks when consumers purchase online.This paper also finds that consumers' perceived risks are positively related to their age and purchasing frequency.The older the consumer is,the more perceived risks he meets will be;the higher the purchasing frequency is,the less perceived risks he meets will be.
Quantitative Assessment Method for Interactive Impact of Flexible Load

Flexible loads are one of the most important resources for balancing the new energy fluctuation.In consideration of the increasing uncertainty in power grid operation caused by the randomness,autonomy and disorder of flexible loads response,an assessment framework is proposed to tackle the effect and impact of flexible load interaction;aprice-based and an incentivebased interactive response model is developed,respectively;an index assessment system involving the interaction degree,interaction effect and security impact of power grid is built;and a quantitative assessment method considering the interaction process is designed.The effectiveness of the proposed model,the indicators and assessment method are verified by the simulation results on an IEEE 39-bus system.
FEMSIM + HRMC: Simulation of and structural refinement using fluctuation electron microscopy for amorphous materials

Abstract FEMSIM, a Fortran code, is used to simulate the fluctuation electron microscopy signal, the variance, V ( k ) , from a model atomic structure. FEMSIM has been incorporated into a hybrid-reverse Monte Carlo code that combines an embedded atom or Finnis–Sinclair potential with the deviation between simulated and experimental V ( k ) data to refine an atomic model with structure constrained by both the potential and experimental data. The resulting models have experimentally-derived medium-range order. Program summary Program Title : FEMSIM + HRMC Program Files doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/8dt6jvtjpf.1 Licensing provisions : MIT Open Source Programming language: Intel FORTRAN 2000 Nature of problem: Simulation of fluctuation microscopy experimental data; atomic modeling using empirical potentials and experimental data Solution method: Monte Carlo and Simulated Annealing Additional comments: An Intel Fortran compiler mpif90 (OpenMPI) is recommended
The Functions of Fullerenes in Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

There is increasing interest in the application of fullerene-based carbon materials in perovskite solar cells for increased efficiency, reduced hysteresis, and improved stability. This Perspective summarizes the progress in the understanding of the function of fullerenes in perovskite solar cells in blocking leakage through pin-holes, passivating the defects at the perovskite film surfaces and grain boundaries, and modulating the open-circuit voltage of the devices. We also critically reviewed several open questions on the functions of fullerenes in perovskite solar cells based mainly on recent progress: How do fullerenes reduce current hysteresis? What is the function of double-fullerene layers? Does the doping of the fullerene by perovskite contribute to eliminating the photocurrent hysteresis at room temperature? Why do some perovskite/fullerene solar cells still have hysteresis at low temperature? Are perovskite solar cells with fullerenes in the intergranular boundaries bulk heterojunction solar cell...
The Evolution of International Criminal Tribunals

International criminal justice is a relatively new and uniquely distinct system of criminal justice. It combines international law and criminal law from various legal systems. Historically, international law applied only to States; however, it is now applied to individuals through its merging with criminal law. The majority of States have been genuinely unwilling or unable to prosecute those most responsible for the planning and commission of international crimes. This lack of genuine willingness to prosecute perpetrators of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity has resulted in the recent creation of multiple international criminal tribunals. The emergence of international and quasi-international criminal tribunals should not reflect the assumption that the idea of such courts is new. On the contrary, the idea and discussions for creating international criminal tribunals have been with us for well over a century. This article traces the evolution of international criminal tribunals starting from 1864. Each major debate to establish an international criminal tribunal is closely analyzed. The article concludes with analysis of the International Criminal Court.
Chromatin-enriched lncRNAs: a novel class of enhancer RNAs.

Long noncoding (lnc)RNAs are postulated to control diverse biological processes by modulating transcription, yet for most lncRNAs evidence supporting this function has been lacking. A new report describes the role of a novel class of lncRNAs—chromatin-associated enhancer RNAs or cheRNAs—in the regulation of proximal gene expression.
Studies on cobalt myoglobins and hemoglobins. I. Preparation and optical properties of myoglobins and hemoglobins containing cobalt proto-, meso-, and deuteroporphyrins and thermodynamic characterization of their reversible oxygenation.

Abstract Artificial myoglobins and hemoglobins containing cobaltous proto-, meso-, and deuteroporphyrins (proto-, meso-, and deutero-CoMb and -CoHb) have been prepared reproducibly by an anaerobic recombination of apomyoglobin from sperm whale and apohemoglobin from human blood with cobaltous porphyrins in the presence of pyridine. These CoMb and CoHb contain one cobalt porphyrin per heme binding site and are capable of reversible oxygenation, confirming the original observation of Hoffman and Petering ((1970) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 67, 637–643). Their optical absorption characteristics and extinction coefficients have been established. By means of the automatic oxygenation measurements of Imai et al. ((1970) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 200, 189–196), the following values have been obtained for the partial pressure of oxygen in torr at half-saturation (p0.5) and Hill's coefficient (n) at half-saturation. The p0.5 values of CoMb are 50 to 100 times larger than those of the corresponding iron-containing myoglobins (FeMb) and are constant in a range from pH 6.5 to 8.0 in both the presence and absence of inositol hexaphosphate. The p0.5 values of CoHb are 10 to 25 times larger than the corresponding iron-containing hemoglobins (FeHb). The alkaline Bohr effects (∂ log p0.5/∂ pH) for proto-, meso-, and deutero-CoHb are 0.5, 0.3, and 0.3, respectively. The p0.5 value of CoHb increases 3-fold upon addition of 500 µm inositol hexaphosphate in 0.1 m phosphate buffer, pH 7.0. The effect of chemical modifications of porphyrin side chains on the oxygen affinity of iron- and cobalt-containing oxygen carriers has been found to vary considerably depending on the nature of apoprotein and temperature. The observed sequence of p0.5 is: proto- g meso- g deuteroporphyrins for CoMb and FeMb above 25°, meso- g proto- g deuteroporphyrins for cobaltous porphyrin dimethylesters, CoMb, and FeMb below 20°, and proto- g deutero- g mesoporphyrins for CoHb and FeHb at 3–30°. These variations of the p0.5 sequence suggest that the effect of side chain modifications on the oxygen affinity is stereochemical rather than electronic. Protoporphyrin IX is required for a minimal oxygen affinity and a maximal cooperativity in CoHb. Thermochemical comparison of oxygenation parameters of iron- and cobalt-containing oxygen carriers indicates that the effect of the metal substitution on the oxygen affinity is primarily enthalpic, whereas the effect of the apoprotein binding on the oxygen affinity of cobaltous porphyrins is essentially entropic.
Researching Grief: Cultural, Relational, and Individual Possibilities

ABSTRACTThis review of the author’s writings on grief focuses on cross-cultural research, research with 19th-century diaries, and qualitative interview studies of couples and families. The cross-cu...
Chapter 2 – Discovery of the Vitamins

The vitamins were discovered in the span of only five decades commencing at the end of the 19th century. This was the result of observations by many people of relationships between diet and health in ways that were not explained by germ theory. Early studies of the physiological responses to and physical characteristics of bioactive component of foods became progressively refinements through the development of experimental animal models and increasing definition of diet composition. This produced a zigzag course of discovery that ultimately moved nutrition research to an activity reliant on hypothesis testing through experimentation. By the mid-20th century, 13 groups of vitamins had been recognized and compositional information was available for use in the formulation of healthful diets for humans and animals.
Biomedical Science Undergraduate Major: A New Pathway to Advance Research and the Health Professions.

ABSTRACTProblem: Many students entering professional degree programs, particularly M.D., Ph.D., and M.D./Ph.D., are not well prepared regarding the breadth of scientific knowledge required, communication skills, research experience, reading and understanding the scientific literature, and significant shadowing (for M.D.-related professions). In addition, physician scientists are a needed and necessary part of the academic research environment but are dwindling in numbers. Intervention: In response to predictions of critical shortages of clinician investigators and the lack of proper preparation as undergraduates for these professions, the Biomedical Science (BMS) undergraduate major was created at The Ohio State University to attract incoming college freshmen with interests in scientific research and the healthcare professions. The intent of this major was to graduate an elite cohort of highly talented individuals who would pursue careers in the healthcare professions, biomedical research, or both. Contex...
Assessing effectiveness of long-term forestry best management practices on stream water quality at a basin scale—a case study in Southern USA

Forestry best management practices (BMPs) have proven to be very effective in protecting adjacent stream water quality at the plot scale. However, our knowledge is incomplete about the effectiveness of forestry BMPs in large watersheds where industrial forests are intensively managed. In this study, we compared long-term concentrations and loadings of total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate/nitrite nitrogen (NO3NO2–N), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and total phosphorus (TP) before (1978–1988) and after extensive implementation of forestry BMPs (1994–2008) at the outlet of a 5000-km2 river basin that is predominately covered by intensively managed pine forests in Central Louisiana, USA. Our study shows that after extensive BMP implementation, both concentrations and loads of TSS in the basin outlet decreased significantly from 34 to 25 mg L−1 and from 55,000 to 36,700 t year−1, respectively. However, no significant difference was found in NO3NO2–N, TKN, and TP concentrations between the two periods. The results of nutrient loadings varied, whereby the annual nitrogen loading declined without significant differences (from 1790 to 1600 t year−1 for TKN and from 176 to 158 t year−1 for NO3NO2–N, respectively) but the annual TP loading increased significantly (from 152 to 192 t year−1) after BMP implementation. The increase in TP loading is likely due to an increased application of phosphorus fertilizer, which offset BMPs’ effects especially during high-flow conditions. These results strongly suggest that current forestry BMPs in this region are effective in reducing sediment loading, but current BMP guidelines for fertilization and nutrient management need to be reviewed and improved.
Influence of Diabetes on Trends in Perioperative Cardiovascular Events

OBJECTIVE Patients undergoing noncardiac surgery frequently have diabetes mellitus (DM) and an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. It is unknown whether temporal declines in the frequency of perioperative major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) apply to patients with DM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Patients ≥45 years of age who underwent noncardiac surgery from January 2004 to December 2013 were identified using the U.S. National Inpatient Sample. DM was identified using ICD-9 diagnosis codes. Perioperative MACCEs (in-hospital all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction, or acute ischemic stroke) by DM status were evaluated over time. RESULTS The final study sample consisted of 10,581,621 hospitalizations for major noncardiac surgery; DM was present in ∼23% of surgeries and increased over time ( P for trend P P for interaction CONCLUSIONS In an analysis of >10.5 million noncardiac surgeries from a large U.S. hospital admission database, perioperative MACCEs were more common among patients with DM versus without DM. Perioperative MACCEs increased over time and individual end points were all less favorable for patients with DM. Our findings suggest that a substantial unmet need exists for strategies to reduce the risk of perioperative cardiovascular events among patients with DM.
THE EFFECTS OF LOW LEVEL D.C. STIMULATION ON MICROORGANISM GROWTH

ABSTRACT Specific micro-organisms were grown in petri dishes, using standard soy broth and agar culture mediums. S. Albus, S. Aureus, and Pseudomonas Aeroginosa were separately cultured. Metallic electrode wires, such as copper, silver, and stainless steel, and non-metallic electrodes of conductive plastic were utilized. Various levels of constant current were studied, and the inhibition of micro-organism growth was determined by measuring the clear zones. These experiments have shown that different bacteria are sensitive to different metal ions, and that the threshold response level is also dependent on the specific micro-organism.