cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Apparent first-order behavior under second-order kinetic conditions: A general concept illustrated by the reversible binding of hydrogen peroxide to cytochrome c oxidase

The theory of the second-order reversible reaction, A + B A.B, has been extensively discussed. Apparent first-order behavior is observed when, for example, [B] >> [A]. If the reaction exhibits second-order behavior then it is presumed that the concentrations of A and B were initially equal and that they remain equal during the reaction. However, in the case of hydrogen peroxide binding to cytochrome c oxidase, Weng & Baker (1991, Biochemistry 30, 5727-5733) showed that the observed rate was rigorously first order over a broad concentration range of ligand, including the stoichiometric case. It was further shown that kobs increased linearly with [H2O2], precluding the possibility of a rate-limiting, unimolecular pre-step. The current work examines the theoretical rate equation for the bimolecular, reversible reaction when [A] = [B]. Simulations show that this equimolar condition resulted in rigorous exponential binding as kd, the equilibrium dissociation constant for the A.B complex, approached the initial concentration of A (or B). In particular, the second-order simulation was rigorously exponential when [A]o/Kd = 0.5, and showed only minor deviations when the ratio was increased to 25. These results demonstrate that a reversible, bimolecular reaction can appear first order even under second order conditions, without the need for more complicated mechanisms.
Emerging Therapies in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Despite improvements to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation over the past several decades, further advances are necessary to achieve: improved control of toxicities like graft-versus-host disease; enhanced immunologic reconstitution posttransplantation; and reduction in relapse risk via enhancement of graft-versus-tumor responses. Achieving these disparate hematopoietic stem cell transplantation goals will likely require the introduction of novel therapeutic agents to the current armamentarium. In this article, we outline preclinical and early-phase clinical data indicating the potential of proteasome-inhibitor therapy (bortezomib), hypomethylating agent therapy (azacytidine), and histone deacetylase-inhibitor therapy (vorinostat) to help improve hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcomes.
Outcomes of Percutaneous Cholecystostomy in the Presence of Ascites

Abstract Purpose To evaluate whether the presence of ascites increases complications following placement of percutaneous cholecystostomy tubes (PCTs). Materials and Methods Retrospective review of all transhepatic PCTs placed between January 2005 and June 2014 was performed: 255 patients were included (median age of 65 y; range, 20–95 y). Of these patients, 97 had ascites and 158 had no ascites or only pelvic fluid. In all, 115 patients had calculous cholecystitis (45%), 127 had acalculous cholecystitis (50%), and 13 had common bile duct obstruction (5%). The primary outcome of interest was all complications, including bile peritonitis, pericatheter leakage requiring PCT change, pericholecystic abscess formation, drain dislodgment, or death from biliary sepsis within 14 days of initial PCT insertion. Results The overall complication rate was 11% among patients with ascites (n = 11), compared with 10% in those without (n = 16; P = .834). No difference was found between the two groups in any one complication. The overall outcome of PCT drainage differed between groups, with significantly shorter survival times in patients with ascites. Patients with ascites underwent cholecystectomy less often than patients without ascites (21% vs 39%; P = .002). Likewise, patients with ascites were more likely than those without ascites to die with the PCT in place (49% vs 25%; P = .001). Conclusions Frequencies of complications following PCT insertion were similar in patients with and without ascites. Additionally, the overall complication rate was low and not significantly different between the two groups. These observations support the use of PCT placement in patients with ascites.
National Hazardous Material Commercial Vehicle Tracking System Design Study: Enhancing Security on Our Nation's Roadways

The Accelerated Masters Program (AMP) in Systems Engineering at the University of Virginia concludes with a capstone systems integration course designed to enable students in the Program to demonstrate mastery of systems engineering skills and methods and to apply them to a large scale problem of national significance. This paper summarizes the work statement provided to the 2005-06 AMP cohort. Four teams of 10-11 students each will address the problem of developing a preliminary system design for a national hazardous material (HAZMAT) truck tracking system and present their recommendations to the Transportation Security Administration.
Oropharyngeal carcinoma arising after methotrexate and etanercept therapy for rheumatoid arthritis

Etanercept is an anti–tumor necrosis factor α receptor agent used to treat inflammatory conditions. Previous reports described rapid development of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) after etanercept use. This report describes a novel case of oropharyngeal SCC associated with the use of etanercept. A 45-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis developed oropharyngeal pain within 2 months after the start of etanercept therapy and was diagnosed with tonsillar carcinoma. This patient had other exposures that increase the risk of oropharyngeal cancer, such as tobacco and alcohol use. However, owing to the timing of onset of his initial symptoms, etanercept should be considered as a possible factor in the etiology or progression of his tumor, especially in the context of reported skin SCC after etanercept therapy in patients at risk for SCC. Clinicians should be alert to signs of malignancy in patients on etanercept, particularly those at high risk for skin or head and neck cancers.
Abnormal SDS-PAGE migration of cytosolic proteins can identify domains and mechanisms that control surfactant binding

The amino acid substitution or post-translational modification of a cytosolic protein can cause unpredictable changes to its electrophoretic mobility during SDS-PAGE. This type of “gel shifting” has perplexed biochemists and biologists for decades. We identify a mechanism for “gel shifting” that predominates among a set of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) mutant hSOD1 (superoxide dismutase) proteins, post-translationally modified hSOD1 proteins, and homologous SOD1 proteins from different organisms. By first comparing how 39 amino acid substitutions throughout hSOD1 affected SDS-PAGE migration, we found that substitutions that caused gel shifting occurred within a single polyacidic domain (residues ∼80–101), and were nonisoelectric. Substitutions that decreased the net negative charge of domain 80–101 increased migration; only one substitution increased net negative charge and slowed migration. Capillary electrophoresis, circular dichroism, and size exclusion chromatography demonstrated that amino acid substitutions increase migration during SDS-PAGE by promoting the binding of three to four additional SDS molecules, without significantly altering the secondary structure or Stokes radius of hSOD1-SDS complexes. The high negative charge of domain 80–101 is required for SOD1 gel shifting: neutralizing the polyacidic domain (via chimeric mouse-human SOD1 fusion proteins) inhibited amino acid substitutions from causing gel shifting. These results demonstrate that the pattern of gel shifting for mutant cytosolic proteins can be used to: (i) identify domains in the primary structure that control interactions between denatured cytosolic proteins and SDS and (ii) identify a predominant chemical mechanism for the interaction (e.g., hydrophobic vs. electrostatic).
A nested logit model of travel mode to work and auto ownership

Estimating the demand for urban passenger travel is very useful in transport planning. This study estimates a joint model of choice for both auto ownership and travel mode to work in Karachi, Pakistan. The model used for analysis is based on stochastic utility maximization and is estimated utilizing nested logit techniques. The purpose of the study is to measure the impact of various policy changes on welfare. The model reveals that the decision to own a car is made simultaneously with the decision regarding mode of travel to work. However, the study shows that had this simultaneity been ignored, the loss in terms of bias in the estimated coefficients would not have been large. The model has several advantages over conventional transport demand models. It is estimated using a small household sample; it is behavioral and responsive to more important policy instruments available to a planner; it allows one to make welfare comparisons between various policy regimes; and it enables one to calculate the effect of a policy change or change in the attributes of various modes on the demand for each mode and auto ownership.
The Political Economy of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West African Countries

Abstract: The Ebola virus disease (EVD) was first reported to have been identified in Africa in 1976 when it occurred in south Sudan and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo). Its first occurrence in West Africa was in a 1994 lone infection of an ethnologist in Cote d’Ivoire but in 2014, there was an outbreak in West Africa stemming from an index case in Guinea. The outbreak is still ongoing. The EVD is one of the filoviral hemorrhagic fevers. This paper examined the political economies in West African nations in relation to the management of their natural resources and to the resultant susceptibility to an infectious disease outbreak. It reviewed the African Development Bank Reports from 2007 to 2011 and also searched Google Scholar database using conflict and natural resource as search terms. The findings from this study showed that abundant natural resources did not translate to improved economic opportunities but usually a downturn in economic resources and poor governance riddled by civil conflicts over the regions of natural resources. The foundational issues in the current outbreak lie in the political economies of the West African countries. The numerous conflicts have left the West African nations susceptible to preventable diseases like EVD. The findings also suggest that changes in climatic conditions around the West African country of Guinea enabled the Ebola virus to come in contact with humans. Further, the author suggests that governments of West African nations should develop a transborder framework for regions around natural resources and those governments should be more transparent with the people they rule. In addition, individuals and communities should take ownership in the prevention and control of EVD. Key words : Ebola Virus Disease (EVD); filoviral hemorrhagic fevers; outbreak; West Africa; natural resource, Political Economy; civil conflicts; ownership; Governance; Guinea;
Generalized analysis of thermally activated domain-wall motion in Co/Pt multilayers

Abstract Thermally activated domain-wall (DW) motion driven by magnetic field and electric current is investigated experimentally in out-of-plane magnetized Pt(Co/Pt) 3 multilayers. We directly extract the thermal activation energy barrier for DW motion and observe the dynamic regimes of creep, depinning, and viscous flow. Further analysis reveals that the activation energy must be corrected with a factor dependent on the Curie temperature, and we derive a generalized Arrhenius-like equation governing thermally activated motion. By using this generalized equation, we quantify the efficiency of current-induced spin torque in assisting DW motion. Current produces no effect aside from Joule heating in the multilayer with 7-A thick Co layers, whereas it generates a finite spin torque on DWs in the multilayer with atomically thin 3-A Co layers. These findings suggest that conventional spin-transfer torques from in-plane spin-polarized current do not drive DWs in ultrathin Co/Pt multilayers.
Medical outcomes for adults hospitalized with severe anorexia nervosa: An analysis by age group

Objective Relatively little has been written about the outcomes of medical stabilization, analyzed specifically across the age spectrum, in adults with severe anorexia nervosa (AN). Method We retrospectively evaluated clinical parameters relevant to acuity of illness and outcomes of early refeeding in 142 adults with severe AN, admitted for definitive inpatient medical stabilization from October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012. Patients were categorized into three age groups: 17 to 29, 30 to 40, and 41+ years. Results The study included 142 patients with median age of 28 years old (range 17–65 years). Fifty-four percent (n = 78) were under 30 years old, 23% (n = 32) between 30 and 40 years old, and 23% (n = 32) were over 40 years old. Average admission BMI did not differ among age groups, ranging from 12.7 to 13.2 kg/m2. Of the admission parameters, only low serum albumin levels (more prevalent in older patients), high international normalized ratio (INR) levels (more prevalent in younger patients), and neutropenia (more prevalent in the <30 age group) varied with age. During hospitalization, rates of bradycardia, hypoglycemia, liver dysfunction, very low %IBW, refeeding hypophosphatemia, refeeding edema, length of stay, and discharge BMI did not differ with age. Age group was associated with rate of weekly weight gain only in patients with AN-binge purge subtype. Discussion Results demonstrate medical abnormalities and response to medical stabilization in severely ill AN patients during hospitalization were mostly similar across the age span. This information should allay fears that the effect of age will make medical stabilization more difficult. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:378–385).
Computational-Physical State Co-regulation in Cyber-Physical Systems

From the perspective of physical system feedback control, the cyber or computer system's role has been to sample and compute control inputs sufficiently fast to maintain acceptable reference command tracking and disturbance rejection in the physical system. This strategy has been successful given the relatively low computational overhead for most control laws compared to computational resource availability. However, in many emerging applications this requirement may be insufficient, not because the computer is incapable of high-speed computations but instead because either more complex computations are required or because processor or network speed must be minimized to conserve energy. We propose the augmentation of traditional physical state models with a computational model to enable a cyber-physical system to co-regulate physical and computational actuation. Ultimately, our goal is to balance resources of the cyber system with quality of control of the physical system to provide a more energy-conscious CPS. As a first step, we propose a continuous-time representation of computational state and derive a continuous "dynamics" model approximation. Next, we propose the addition of a computational state into the closed-loop control law for the physical system states. Finally, we augment the derived cyber model with a second-order oscillator and demonstrate control via a LQR controller. In our simulation results, computational state and loop execution rate and oscillator "force" are regulated closed-loop at each control cycle based both on physical and computational state reference commands and errors. Results show that both physical and cyber state can be successfully regulated with the expected degradation in tracking performance as reference computational state (control loop rate) is slowed to values near the stability threshold.
Higher ${\rm J}_{\rm c}$ Obtained by Reduction of Pinning Potential

In type II superconductor, pinning centers are essential to obtain high current density, Jc. Conventional wisdom holds that highest Jc is obtained by using continuous columnar pinning centers, which in turn maximize pinning potential. We find this conclusion to be in severe error. Using heavy high-energy ions to insert pinning centers into the YBCO high temperature superconductor, we find peak Jc where pinning centers have 66% discontinuity. Furthermore, this provides record Jc, and peak irreversibility field, Hirr. The values of Jc achieved using discontinuous pinning centers is 5 to 60 times that achieved using continuous columnar pinning centers. We review a phenomenological theory, in its early stages, which matches this experimental result. It indicates that Jc is highest not where pinning potential is largest, but where the combined effects of percolation paths, critical temperature, and pinning potential, are optimized.
Voltage- and Current-Clamp Simulation of Hermissenda Type B Cell Responses

Repeated pairings of light and rotation result in a pronounced and persistent suppression of the nudibranch mollusc Hermissenda’s positive phototactic response. Primary candidates for sites of information storage are Type B and Type A photoreceptors (see Farley 1988a for a review). Type B cells show altered light responses and decreased resting membrane conductance as a result of training. The altered light response includes an increased depolarizing generator potential, frequency of action potentials, and long lasting depolarization following light offset.
Ladesysteme für Plug-in-Elektrofahrzeuge

Der Beitrag befasst sich mit Ladesystemen fuer Hybridfahrzeuge und rein elektrisch betriebene Fahrzeuge; beide Fahrzeugtypen werden hier unter dem Begriff Plug-in-Elektrofahrzeuge zusammengefasst. Es werden vornehmlich die Ladestationen (EVSE - Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) und Batterieladesysteme behandelt. Zum einen wird die Typologie von Fahrzeugladesystemen beschrieben; hierzu werden die EVSE in drei Kategorien unterteilt und diese anhand ihrer jeweiligen Leistungsstufe, des erforderlichen Stromanschlusses und anhand von Bildmaterial beschrieben. Im Anschluss daran wird kurz auf Anforderungen, die die Ladegeraete beeinflussen und ausfuehrlicher auf die Funktionsbeschreibung von Ladegeraeten eingegangen. Festgehalten werden kann, dass den Ladegeraeten zwar gemeinsame Technologien zugrunde liegen, jedoch die Ausfuehrungen in Abhaengigkeit der Vorgaben unterschiedlicher Normungsinstitute variieren. Der Beitrag schliesst mit einem Ausblick auf die weitere Entwicklung der Ladegeraete und zeigt in diesem Zusammenhang zukuenftige Herausforderungen auf, die sich an die Entwickler stellen.
The Art of Nursing: A Concept Analysis

That nursing is a science and an art is commonly accepted. While much emphasis has been placed on the science in nursing, the art of nursing is less well-understood. A concept analysis using Rodgers' evolutionary perspective was conducted to examine the meaning of the art of nursing. Through the analysis, a definition emerged suggesting that the art of nursing is the intentional creative use of oneself, based upon skill and expertise, to transmit emotion and meaning to another. It is a process that is subjective and requires interpretation, sensitivity, imagination, and active participation.
The Role of a Pollen-Expressed Cullin1 Protein in Gametophytic Self-Incompatibility in Solanum

We previously isolated a pollen factor, ui6.1, which encodes a Cullin1 protein (CUL1) that functions in unilateral interspecific incompatibility (UI) in Solanum. Here we show that CUL1 is also required for pollen function in self-incompatibility (SI). We used RNA interference (RNAi) to reduce CUL1 expression in pollen of Solanum arcanum, a wild SI tomato relative. Hemizygous T0 plants showed little or no transmission of the transfer DNA (T-DNA) through pollen when crossed onto nontransgenic SI plants, indicating that CUL1-deficient pollen are selectively eliminated. When crossed onto a related self-compatible (SC) accession lacking active S-RNase, pollen transmission of the T-DNA followed Mendelian ratios. These results provide further evidence for functional overlap between SI and UI on the pollen side and suggest that CUL1 mutations will reinforce SI-to-SC transitions in natural populations only if preceded by loss of pistil S-RNase expression.
WOODRAT (NEOTOMA) DEPREDATION OF A YELLOW-EYED JUNCO (JUNCO PHAEONOTUS) NEST

Abstract While monitoring songbird nests using video cameras in May 2005, we documented a woodrat (Neotoma) depredating an adult female and nestling yellow-eyed junco (Junco phaeonotus) in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona. Based on elevation (2,750 m) and the forest type surrounding the depredated nest, we believe that the woodrat was probably N. mexicana (although we cannot exclude N. albigula). Woodrats are considered herbivorous and have never been observed depredating vertebrate prey. This observation demonstrates that woodrats have greater dietary plasticity than previously thought.
Automated detection of tracé alternant during sleep in healthy full-term neonates using discrete wavelet transform.

Abstract Objective : To develop an automated procedure for scoring neonatal sleep states using signal processing which are based on visual pattern recognition techniques. Methods : We are developing an automated computer system to study relationships among multiple non-cerebral physiologic measures and brain activity in newborn infants, and are evaluating the usefulness of a number of different time–frequency domain transforms as potential diagnostic tools. Results : Wavelet transforms yield excellent results in the detection of all twenty trace alternant quiet sleep segments for 6 full-term healthy infants. Conclusions : We suggest that this method will be useful for the automated detection of neonatal sleep states, and may help delineate when sleep cycle disturbances occur on either an environmental or disease basis. More accurate physiologic descriptions of neonatal state may improve the clinician's ability to assess functional brain organization for a given post-conceptional age as well as document functional brain maturation at progressively older corrected ages.
Focal reduction of αE-catenin causes premature differentiation and reduction of β-catenin signaling during cortical development

Cerebral cortical precursor cells reside in a neuroepithelial cell layer that regulates their proliferation and differentiation. Global disruptions in epithelial architecture induced by loss of the adherens junction component αE-catenin lead to hyperproliferation. Here we show that cell autonomous reduction of αE-catenin in the background of normal precursors in vivo causes cells to prematurely exit the cell cycle, differentiate into neurons, and migrate to the cortical plate, while normal neighboring precursors are unaffected. Mechanistically, αE-catenin likely regulates cortical precursor differentiation by maintaining β-catenin signaling, as reduction of αE-catenin leads to reduction of β-catenin signaling in vivo. These results demonstrate that, at the cellular level, αE-catenin serves to maintain precursors in the proliferative ventricular zone, and suggest an unexpected function for αE-catenin in preserving β-catenin signaling during cortical development.
Verite, abstraction, and ordinateur systems in the evolution of complex process control

A schema that describe some aspects of the evolution of complex process control from the operators' perspective is given. Descriptions of the stages of evolution are provided along with a characterization of the way that constraints on system designers are relaxed with each shift to a new stage. The schema is used to advance an explanation for the apparent resistance of anesthesia practitioners to adopt advanced technology.
Spread spectrum: Principles and possible application to spectrum utilization and allocation

Because of the continuing demand for more telecommunication capacity, to serve the world's need for commerce and public safety, there is a continuing need for more efficient ways of sharing the radio spectrum. The conventional way of allocating the spectrum is by frequency division; however, for many kinds of services this is inefficient. Hence, it seems desirable to reexamine whether alternative procedures might not be necessary if the benefits of telecommunications are to be assured in the face of increased demand. Spreadspectrum techniques, which are based on principles antithetic to those currently used in spectrum allocation for reducing necessary bandwidth, seem to offer benefits for spectrum sharing, for some applications, superior to those of frequency division. This paper provides a tutorial summary of some of the principles upon which spread-spectrum systems have developed. It is hoped the reader might consider what role such techniques may play in future spectrum sharing and allocation opportunities.
New Lorentz-violating nonlocal field theory from string theory

A four-dimensional field theory with a qualitatively new type of nonlocality is constructed from a setting where Kaluza-Klein particles probe toroidally compactified string theory with twisted boundary conditions. In this theory fundamental particles are not pointlike and occupy a volume proportional to their R-charge. The theory breaks Lorentz invariance but appears to preserve spatial rotations. At low energies, it is approximately N=4 Super Yang-Mills theory, deformed by an operator of dimension seven. The dispersion relation of massless modes in vacuum is unchanged, but under certain conditions in this theory, particles can travel at superluminal velocities.
Effects of 28 days of resistance exercise while consuming commercially available pre- and post-workout supplements, NO-Shotgun® and NO-Synthesize® on body composition, muscle strength and mass, markers of protein synthesis, and clinical safety markers in males

The effects of 28 days of heavy resistance training while ingesting the pre- and post-workout supplements, NO-Shotgun® and NO-Synthesize® were determined on body composition, muscle strength and mass, markers of protein synthesis, and clinical safety markers. Nineteen non-resistance-trained males participated in a resistance training program 4 times/week for 28 days while either ingesting 27 g/day of carbohydrate (CARB) or NO-Shotgun® 30 min pre-exercise and 27 g/day of carbohydrate or NO- Synthesize® 30 min post-exercise (NOSS). Data were analyzed with separate 2 × 2 ANOVA (p < 0.05). Total body mass was increased in both groups (p = 0.001), but not different between groups. Fat mass was unchanged with CARB, but NOSS decreased fat mass (p = 0.026). Both groups increased fat-free mass (p = 0.001); however, the increases were greater with NOSS (p = 0.023). NOSS underwent greater increases in upper-body (p = 0.023) and lower-body (p = 0.035) strength than CARB. Myofibrillar protein significantly increased in both groups (p = 0.041), with NOSS being greater than CARB (p = 0.049). All of the MHC isoforms were significantly increased in both groups; however, NOSS was greater than CARB for MHC 1 (p = 0.013) and MHC 2A (p = 0.046). All of the myogenic regulatory factors were significantly increased in both groups; however, NOSS was greater than CARB for Myo-D (p = 0.038) and MRF-4 (p = 0.001). For the whole blood and serum clinical chemistry markers, all variables remained within normal clinical ranges. Heavy resistance training for 28 days, with NO-Shotgun® and NO-Synthesize® ingested before and after exercise, respectively, significantly improved body composition and increased muscle mass and performance without abnormally impacting any of the clinical chemistry markers.
Maximum size matching is unstable for any packet switch

Input-queued packet switches use a matching algorithm to configure a nonblocking switch fabric (e.g., a crossbar). Ideally, the matching algorithm will guarantee 100% throughput for a broad class of traffic, so long as the switch is not oversubscribed. An intuitive choice is the maximum size matching (MSM) algorithm, which maximizes the instantaneous throughput. It was shown (McKeown et al. (1999)) that with MSM the throughput can be less than 100% when N /spl ges/ 3, even with Terms-Instability,benign Bernoulli i.i.d. arrivals. In this letter, we extend this result to N /spl ges/ 2, and hence show it to be true for switches of any size.
SocialImpact: Systematic Analysis of Underground Social Dynamics

Existing research on net-centric attacks has focused on the detection of attack events on network side and the removal of rogue programs from client side. However, such approaches largely overlook the way on how attack tools and unwanted programs are developed and distributed. Recent studies in underground economy reveal that suspicious attackers heavily utilize online social networks to form special interest groups and distribute malicious code. Consequently, examining social dynamics, as a novel way to complement existing research efforts, is imperative to systematically identify attackers and tactically cope with net-centric threats. In this paper, we seek a way to understand and analyze social dynamics relevant to net-centric attacks and propose a suite of measures called SocialImpact for systematically discovering and mining adversarial evidence. We also demonstrate the feasibility and applicability of our approach by implementing a proof-of-concept prototype Cassandra with a case study on real-world data archived from the Internet.
The history of orthodontic education: A century of development and debate

The history of orthodontic education in the United States spans more than 100 years. A number of exhortations have been repeated over the years by some of the best minds in orthodontics. First, our standards of excellence must be maintained. Angle set a standard for the specialty by demanding that students in his proprietary school achieve a high level of knowledge in growth and development, biomechanics, and mechanical skills; that standard is no less important today in postgraduate orthodontic departments. Second, orthodontics is not just moving teeth. Throughout our history, authors have stressed that teeth are "incidental" to orthodontics, and we need to be concerned with bone and the dentofacial complex. To be sure, much has changed about our specialty and its biologic foundations; we must adapt along with the discoveries in biology and the innovations in technology. But we should always strive for excellence--in ourselves and our specialty.
Experimental Investigation of Geometrical Parameters for Gas-Liquid Droplet Generation in Flow-Focusing Configurations

Over the last few years considerable research attention has been directed towards droplet-based microfluidic devices because of their numerous applications in chemical and biological fields, to name a few. Specifically, gas-liquid droplet systems are of great importance for applications in which a gaseous phase is required instead of a second liquid phase. In this paper we experimentally investigate the manipulation of water droplets in flow-focusing configurations using a high inertial air stream. Compared to a T-junction geometry, the flow-focusing geometry provides the injection of highly inertial air on both sides of the droplet generation region, producing a more consistent droplet generation process in this type of gas-liquid microfluidic system. For this study, we changed the width of the liquid channel, the air flow rate, and the liquid flow rate in order to experimentally investigate their effects on the flow regime and generation frequency. The interactions of different geometrical and physical parameters produce three distinct flow regimes in the gas-liquid flow rate space (co-flow, jetting, and dripping). The controlled size and generation rate of droplets in this scheme provide the capability for precise and oil-free delivery of discrete microliter volumes of fluid.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Finite-Element Analysis of Waspaloy Using Sinh Creep-Damage Constitutive Model Under Triaxial Stress State

The creep deformation and damage evolution of nickel base superalloy (Waspaloy) at 700 °C are studied using the classic Kachanov–Rabotnov (KR) and a recently developed Sin-hyperbolic (Sinh) model. Uniaxial creep deformation and Bridgman rupture data collected from literature are used to determine the model constants and to compare the KR and the Sinh solutions. Finite-element (FE) simulations on a single eight-node element are conducted to validate the accuracy of the FE code. It is observed that KR cannot predict the creep deformation, damage, and rupture life of nickel base superalloys accurately using one set of constants for all the stress levels. The Sinh model exhibits a superior ability to predict the creep behavior using one set of constants for all the stress levels. Finite-element analysis (FEA) on 3D Bridgman notched Waspaloy specimen using the Sinh model is conducted. The results show that the Sinh model when combined with a representative stress equation and calibrated with experimental data can accurately predict the “notch effect” observed in the rupture life of notched specimen. Contour plots of damage evolution and stress redistribution are presented. It is demonstrated that the Sinh model is less stress sensitive, produces unconditional critical damage equal to unity at rupture, exhibits a more realistic damage distribution around the crack tip, and offers better crack growth analysis than KR.
Casework with the Nonattendant School Child

which all people have had some experience. It is authoritative and compulsory in its very nature, requiring not only regular at tendance but also reasonable academic and social achievement. School standards and controls are formulated for the welfare of the individual as well as the group. The requirement of compulsory attendance at school of all youngsters between certain ages is but one of the limits set down by society in the interest of the individual child and
Rubin v. Islamic Republic of Iran: Legal Threats to Cultural Property

The case of Rubin v. Islamic Republic of Iran reads like a blockbuster movie with an all-star cast. A terrorist organization blows up a crowded shopping mall in Jerusalem, killing and injuring Americans in the process. Some of those severely injured sue the nation of Iran for their part in supporting Hamas, who carried out the bombing. Iran never makes a court appearance, so the plaintiffs win a default judgment for hundreds of millions of dollars. However, in trying to get some money out of Iran, the plaintiffs try to attach property in the United States, which may or may not be owned by Iran. Among the items of attached property are Persian antiquities that are suspected of being stolen, or at least improperly exported, from Persia in the 1930s by an American archaeologist, who later sold his findings to the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. The plaintiffs want this cultural property sold to the highest bidder to pay for their default judgment, but not everyone is happy with the idea. Not everyone believes that cultural property can be treated in this way - bought and sold like a regular commodity. Certainly, Iran, who finally entered the litigation, is not happy, but neither are the museums that currently hold the antiquities. What to do in this unhappy dilemma? The plaintiffs deserve the money they have been awarded to pay for their injuries. Terrorism must be stopped and its victims allowed recourse for their suffering. But not all would agree that the attachment of cultural property is a viable way to give terrorism victims relief. In the Rubin case, an important precedent is about to be set.
Influenza Vaccination for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease.

Influenza vaccination may reduce cardiovascular mortality in patients with established cardiovascular disease. The effect of vaccination is unclear among patients in the general population without known cardiovascular disease.
An Inexpensive Method for the Rapid Production of 35-mm Transparencies

We describe an inexpensive and relatively easy method for the rapid production of 35-mm transparencies for use in slide presentations. The method uses Eastman Kodak MP 5360 film, which is readily available and inexpensive. The cost and turnaround time of this method are compared with other available types of photographic processing.
Determining the Oxidation State of Small, Hydroxylated Metal-Oxide Nanoparticles with Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy

Metal-oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) are of broad interest as catalysts and catalyst supports in automotive, industrial, and biomedical applications. In water-containing environments, MONPs adsorb hydroxyl groups at nanoparticle corners, edges, and faces. While adsorbed surface groups will influence MONP properties, including oxidation state and the availability and accessibility of catalytically active sites, determination of the density, distribution, and effects of such groups is experimentally challenging. Here, focusing on CeO2 nanoparticles (CNPs) as a representative MONP system, we report computational and experimental results showing that, for small, hydroxylated CNPs, the presence or absence of strongly infrared (IR) absorbing O–H stretching modes associated with O–H–OH complexes present on fully oxidized CNPs can be used to probe the configuration of surface-adsorbed hydroxyl groups and the CNP net oxidation state. As the vibrational modes of O–H–OH complexes are distinct from those of molecular wa...
Study on the Effect of Magnetic Impurity Particles by Magnetic Force

The magnetic force was imposed on magnetism particles in magnetic field. magnetic force of altering magnetic field and steady magnetic field was analyzed by comparing in this article, it was shown that the two kinds of magnetic force could be united and the similitude moving rules of magnetism particles. The magnetic suscepbility of MnFe Al_6 and MnFeSiAl_4 were measured by magnetic balance, it was proved that they were paramagnetic and could be separated by magnetic force. Experiments had been done using the self-designed equipments of altering magnetic field and steady magnetic field, the results showed that magnetism impurity particles in aluminum melt could be separated by magnetic force.
Constructing pairing-friendly genus 2 curves over prime fields with ordinary Jacobians.

We provide the first explicit construction of genus 2 curves over finite fields whose Jacobians are ordinary, have large prime-order subgroups, and have small embedding degree. Our algorithm works for arbitrary embedding degrees k and prime subgroup orders r. The resulting abelian surfaces are defined over prime fields Fq with q ≈ r. We also provide an algorithm for constructing genus 2 curves over prime fields Fq with ordinary Jacobians J having the property that J [r] ⊂ J(Fq) or J [r] ⊂ J(Fqk ) for any even k.
Recurrent neural network and LSTM models for lexical utterance classification.

Utterance classification is a critical pre-processing step for many speech understanding and dialog systems. In multi-user settings, one needs to first identify if an utterance is even directed at the system, followed by another level of classification to determine the intent of the user’s input. In this work, we propose RNN and LSTM models for both these tasks. We show how both models outperform baselines based on ngram-based language models (LMs), feedforward neural network LMs, and boosting classifiers. To deal with the high rate of singleton and out-of-vocabulary words in the data, we also investigate a word input encoding based on character ngrams, and show how this representation beats the standard one-hot vector word encoding. Overall, these proposed approaches achieve over 30% relative reduction in equal error rate compared to boosting classifier baseline on an ATIS utterance intent classification task, and over 3.9% absolute reduction in equal error rate compared to a the maximum entropy LM baseline of 27.0% on an addressee detection task. We find that RNNs work best when utterances are short, while LSTMs are best when utterances are longer.
Microstructure in Nanocrystalline Zirconia Powders and Sintered Compacts

Microstructural investigation of nanocrystalline ZrO2 - 3 mol% Y2O3 has shown that chemically precipitated particles may be fabricated with little agglomeration and fairly uniform size distribution. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrates that surface films are absent, but well-defined crystallographic facets are seen on the particle surfaces. These result in polyhedral shapes that may have advantages for increased surface area applications, but which may also promote detrimental grain alignment and accelerated growth during sintering. Compacts made from the powders exhibit equiaxed microstructures and do not contain amorphous intergranular films. The alignment of prominent crystallographic planes with the grain boundaries suggests an influence of initial powder microstructure on the compacted body.
Nuclear Analysis of the FIRE Ignition Device

Neutronics and activation calculations have been performed for the FIRE design with different first wall design options. Modest values of nuclear heating occur in the machine components. Magnet insulators that have radiation tolerance to 150 MGy should be used. The operational schedule allows for decay of short-lived radionuclides between pulses resulting in low levels of activity and decay heat at shutdown. Additional shielding is provided in midplane ports and at the top of the machine to allow for hands-oh maintenance of ex-vessel components.
Targeting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress for Malignant Glioma Therapy

The endoplasmic reticulum stress response (ESR) is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis in response to noxious internal and external stimuli. In malignant gliomas, ESR is induced by a low nutrient, hypoxic microenvironment, compounded by external chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Powerful protective mechanisms, including induction of the ER chaperone glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), protect the glioma cells from undergoing apoptosis. This chapter reviews the ESR and how it may be modulated to induce apoptosis in malignant gliomas. Downregulation of protective mechanisms such as GRP78 may be obtained with drugs such as the green tea extract epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), leading to increased apoptosis when glioma cells are treated with the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide (TMZ). Conversely, glioma apoptosis may also be induced by increasing ER stress to overwhelming levels with inhibitors of sarcoplasmic/ER calcium ATPase (SERCA) such as celecoxib and dimethyl-celecoxib. Protease inhibitors such as nelfinavir also inhibit proteasome activity, leading to accumulation of misfolded proteins, triggering ER stress. These modulations of the ESR may thus lead to chemotherapy or radiation sensitization of malignant gliomas. Further understanding of the ESR in glioma cells may lead to new treatments for this currently incurable cancer.
Criteria for Evaluating Research Projects and Portfolios

The ultimate social test of the information chartered by any investor in research or information production is its third party utility-the difference having the information makes in the behavior or decisions of users. This chapter describes some prototype “strategies” and criteria for evaluating the utility of individual research projects and “portfolios” of projects. Portfolio impacts should be the most significant factor in guiding an investor’s resource allocation, ex ante, and in demonstrating prudent expenditures, ex post. Consequently, the chapter discusses how to go about judging whether existing portfolios are the best that can be obtained.
Genetic and psychosocial predictors of alcohol use trajectories among disaster-exposed adolescents.

Background and Objectives Adolescent alcohol misuse is associated with numerous long-term adverse outcomes, so we examined predictors of alcohol use among disaster-exposed adolescents, a group at-risk for alcohol misuse. Methods The current study (n = 332) examined severity of tornado-related exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, emotional support, and a genetic risk sum score (GRSS) as predictors of alcohol use trajectories. Results Severity of exposure interacted with the GRSS to predict both intercept (12-month follow up quantity of alcohol use) and growth rate. Emotional support also interacted with adolescent PTSD symptoms to predict intercept and growth rate. Discussion and Conclusions Adolescents with greater severity of disaster exposure and high genetic risk comprise a high risk group, on which efforts to prevent alcohol use should be focused. Additionally, emotional support is essential in buffering the effects of PTSD symptoms on alcohol use outcomes among adolescents. Scientific Significance Toward the aim of reducing adolescent alcohol misuse following disaster exposure, there is utility in inserting immediate supports (e.g., basic resources) into communities/families that have experienced significant disaster-related severity, particularly among adolescents at high levels of genetic risk for alcohol use/misuse. Additionally, prevention efforts aimed at improving emotional supports for adolescents with more PTSD symptoms may reduce propensity for alcohol misuse following disaster. This information can be easily incorporated into existing web-based interventions. (Am J Addict 2017;XX:1–9)
Integrated sudomotor axon reflex sweat stimulation for continuous sweat analyte analysis with individuals at rest

Eccrine sweat has rapidly emerged as a non-invasive, ergonomic, and rich source of chemical analytes with numerous technological demonstrations now showing the ability for continuous electrochemical sensing. However, beyond active perspirers (athletes, workers, etc.), continuous sweat access in individuals at rest has hindered the advancement of both sweat sensing science and technology. Reported here is integration of sudomotor axon reflex sweat stimulation for continuous wearable sweat analyte analysis, including the ability for side-by-side integration of chemical stimulants & sensors without cross-contamination. This integration approach is uniquely compatible with sensors which consume the analyte (enzymatic) or sensors which equilibrate with analyte concentrations. In vivo validation is performed using iontophoretic delivery of carbachol with ion-selective and impedance sensors for sweat analysis. Carbachol has shown prolonged sweat stimulation in directly stimulated regions for five hours or longer. This work represents a significant leap forward in sweat sensing technology, and may be of broader interest to those interested in on-skin sensing integrated with drug-delivery.
Single-Cycle Optical Pulses Produced by Coherent Molecular Oscillations

We have demonstrated that coherent molecular motion can result in a collinear generation of equidistant mutually-coherent spectral sidebands, extending in frequency from infrared to far ultraviolet. Our technique is based on adiabatic preparation of a highly coherent molecular superposition-state, which is achieved by using two narrow-linewidth lasers slightly detuned from a Raman resonance. The phases of the resultant Stokes and anti-Stokes sidebands are then adjusted in order to synthesize desired single-cycle waveforms at the target [A.V. Sokolov and S. E. Harris, J. Opt. B 5, RI (2003)]. By the very nature of the generation process, this light source produces trains of pulses, which are perfectly synchronized with the molecular motion in the given molecular system and provide a unique tool for studying molecular and electronic dynamics. We envision producing a coherent molecular oscillation, applying a tightly focused train of perfectly timed pulses, adjusting the delay, and studying electronic properties as functions of molecular coordinates. In the future, this Raman source may also produce sub-cycle optical pulses, and allow synthesis of waveforms where the electric field is a predetermined function of time, not limited to quasi-sinusoidal oscillations. As a result, a direct and precise control of electron trajectories in photoionization and high-order harmonic generation will become possible.