cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spinel-layered Li1.1[Mn0.6Co0.8Ni0.6]O4-σ nanocrystals: Synthesis and electrochemistry at high potentials

Abstract Multinary transition metal compounds are important cathode materials in Li-ion batteries. The most representative compounds can be catalogued under two main structural families: layered and spinel, with the former having high capacity, but the latter showing greater stability. Synergies are frequently sought by integrate both structures into a composite. The combination of Co, Mn and Ni in these structures leads to the large capacity and operation at high voltage. However, these mixed compounds are mainly synthesized at high temperature and relatively long times. The resulting thermodynamic control makes it difficult to tailor structure, morphology and surface chemistry through metastability. In this context, hydrothermal methods emerge as an attractive pathway of synthesis that could open new up new material permutations, but their versatility toward complex oxide cathodes has not been fully exploited. As a step in this direction, we demonstrate the synthesis of Li1.1[Mn0.6Co0.8Ni0.6]O4-σ with a spinel-layer structure and investigated its electrochemistry and redox mechanisms at high potentials. This strategy expands the current library of cathode materials and brings new opportunities for materials design.
Stronger right hemisphere functional connectivity supports executive aspects of language in older adults

Healthy older adults commonly report increased difficulties with language production. This could reflect decline in the language network, or age-related declines in other cognitive abilities that support language production, such as executive function. To examine this possibility, we conducted a whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis in older and younger adults using two seed regions-the left posterior superior temporal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus. Whole-brain connectivities were then correlated with Stroop task performance to investigate the relationship between RSFC and executive function. We found that overall, younger adults had stronger RSFC than older adults. Moreover, in older, but not younger, adults stronger RSFC between left IFG and right hemisphere executive function regions correlated with better Stroop performance. This suggests that stronger RSFC among older adults between left IFG and right hemisphere regions may serve a compensatory function.
Constructive Visualization to Inform the Design and Exploration of Tactile Data Representations

As data visualization has become increasingly important in our society, many challenges prevent people who are blind and visually impaired (BVI) from fully engaging with data and data graphics. For example, tactile data representations are commonly used by BVI people to explore spatial graphics, but it is difficult for BVI people to construct and understand tactile representations without prior training or expert assistance. In this work, we adopt a constructive visualization framework of using simple and versatile tokens to engage non-experts in the construction of tactile data representations. We present preliminary results of how participants chose to interpret and create tactile data representations and the preferred haptic exploratory procedures used for retrieving information. All participants used similar construction strategies and converged upon 3D compact spatial forms to retrieve and display analytical information. These insights can inform future data visualization authoring and consumption tools that users of more diverse skill backgrounds can effectively navigate.
Characterization of time-variant and time-invariant assessment of suicidality on Reddit using C-SSRS

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S (1999-2019). However, predicting when someone will attempt suicide has been nearly impossible. In the modern world, many individuals suffering from mental illness seek emotional support and advice on well-known and easily-accessible social media platforms such as Reddit. While prior artificial intelligence research has demonstrated the ability to extract valuable information from social media on suicidal thoughts and behaviors, these efforts have not considered both severity and temporality of risk. The insights made possible by access to such data have enormous clinical potential-most dramatically envisioned as a trigger to employ timely and targeted interventions (i.e., voluntary and involuntary psychiatric hospitalization) to save lives. In this work, we address this knowledge gap by developing deep learning algorithms to assess suicide risk in terms of severity and temporality from Reddit data based on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). In particular, we employ two deep learning approaches: time-variant and time-invariant modeling, for user-level suicide risk assessment, and evaluate their performance against a clinician-adjudicated gold standard Reddit corpus annotated based on the C-SSRS. Our results suggest that the time-variant approach outperforms the time-invariant method in the assessment of suicide-related ideations and supportive behaviors (AUC:0.78), while the time-invariant model performed better in predicting suicide-related behaviors and suicide attempt (AUC:0.64). The proposed approach can be integrated with clinical diagnostic interviews for improving suicide risk assessments.
Impact of Explanation on Trust of a Novel Mobile Robot.

One challenge with introducing robots into novel environments is misalignment between supervisor expectations and reality, which can greatly affect a user's trust and continued use of the robot. We performed an experiment to test whether the presence of an explanation of expected robot behavior affected a supervisor's trust in an autonomous robot. We measured trust both subjectively through surveys and objectively through a dual-task experiment design to capture supervisors' neglect tolerance (i.e., their willingness to perform their own task while the robot is acting autonomously). Our objective results show that explanations can help counteract the novelty effect of seeing a new robot perform in an unknown environment. Participants who received an explanation of the robot's behavior were more likely to focus on their own task at the risk of neglecting their robot supervision task during the first trials of the robot's behavior compared to those who did not receive an explanation. However, this effect diminished after seeing multiple trials, and participants who received explanations were equally trusting of the robot's behavior as those who did not receive explanations. Interestingly, participants were not able to identify their own changes in trust through their survey responses, demonstrating that the dual-task design measured subtler changes in a supervisor's trust.
Factors Contributing to Spinal Cord Stimulation Outcomes for Chronic Pain.

OBJECTIVE Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been shown to be a safe and effective therapy for patients with chronic pain. However, some patients do not obtain or maintain adequate pain relief after SCS. The goal of this study was to identify factors that affect patient outcome with regard to SCS. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis of electronic medical records at a single site was performed. Records for 181 patients who received SCS implants from 2014 through 2016 were collected with follow-up data captured up to August 2019. Patient outcome was measured by device explantation and patient benefit from the SCS. Study parameters included demographic characteristics, history of pain, SCS implant characteristics, and postimplantation events. RESULTS An earlier diagnosis of radiculopathy was associated with an increased risk of poor benefit (relative risk [RR], 1.81; 95% CI, 1.19-2.74; p = 0.008). Postimplantation falls were associated with an increased risk of poor benefit (RR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.48-3.17; p = 0.009). Device manufacturer was associated with both patient benefit and explantation. Device 2 was associated with a reduced risk of poor benefit (RR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32-0.85; p = 0.009). Device 4 was associated with an increased risk of poor benefit (RR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.14-2.55; p = 0.02) and increased risk of device explantation (RR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.2-6.02; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Patient outcome was associated with diagnosis, postimplantation falls, and device manufacturer. Further investigation is recommended to confirm associations through prospective studies that can more accurately quantify patient outcome over longer periods.
Between World War and Cold War

In 1930 two Soviet students funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, Israel Agol and Solomon Levit, joined H.J. Muller at his lab in Austin. Their descriptions of rational economic planning in the USSR contrasted sharply with the observable consequences of the free-market crash in the United States. Agol and Levit further inspired Muller’s enthusiasm for Russian science. However they also let him know that Soviet Lamarckists were challenging genetics, with resentment deepening on both sides.
East African Hip Hop: Youth Culture and Globalization

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Mwenda Ntarangwi Year: 2009 Pages: 176 Publisher: University of Illinois Press ISBN: 978-0-252-03457-2 (hard cover). Prices: $60.00 USD(hard cover).
Compton reflection and iron fluorescence in AGN and GBHCs

Any cold, optically-thick matter in the vicinity of an accreting black hole, such as the accretion disk, can intercept and reprocess some fraction of the hard X-ray continuum emission, thereby imprinting atomic features into the observed spectrum. This process of `X-ray reflection' primarily gives rise to a broad reflection `hump' peaking at 30keV and an iron emission line at 6.4keV. In this review, I briefly describe the physics of this process before reviewing the observations of these features in active galactic nuclei (AGN) and Galactic black hole candidates (GBHCs). In some AGN, Seyfert galaxies in particular, the iron line is found to be very broad and asymmetric. It is believed that such lines arise from the innermost regions of the accretion disk, with mildly-relativistic Doppler shifts and gravitational redshifts combining to produce the line profile. Hence, such lines give us a direct observational probe of the region within several gravitational radii of the black hole. The complications that plague similar studies of GBHCs, such as disk ionization and the possibly of inner disk disruption, are also addressed. I conclude with a discussion of iron line reverberation, i.e. temporal changes of the iron line as `echos' of large X-ray flares sweep across the accretion disk. It is shown that interesting reverberation effects, such as a definitive signature of extremal Kerr geometry, is within reach of high throughput spectrometers such as Constellation-X.
Identification of ECG Arrhythmias Using Phase Space Reconstruction

Changes in the normal rhythmicity of a human heart may result in different cardiac arrhythmias, which may be immediately fatal or cause irreparable damage to the heart when sustained over long periods of time. The ability to automatically identify arrhythmias from ECG recordings is important for clinical diagnosis and treatment, as well as, for understanding the electrophysiological mechanisms of the arrhythmias. This paper proposes a novel approach to efficiently and accurately identify normal sinus rhythm and various ventricular arrhythmias through a combination of phase space reconstruction and machine learning techniques. Data was recorded from patients experiencing spontaneous arrhythmia, as well as, induced arrhythmia. The phase space attractors of the different rhythms were learned from both inter- and intra-patient arrhythmic episodes. Out-of-sample ECG rhythm recordings were classified using the learned attractor probability distributions with an overall accuracy of 83.0%.
Renaturation of RibonucleaseA (RNaseA): Walking in the Footsteps of a Nobel Prize Winner

The importance of 3-dimensional structure in the biologic activity of macromolecules can hardly be overstated. Understanding the principles that underlie this phenomenon is accordingly recognized a...
Nature of the Saltating Population in Wind Tunnel Experiments with Heterogeneous Size-Density Sands

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the nature of the saltating population in wind tunnel experiments with heterogeneous size-density sands. The ultimate goal of aeolian sediment transport studies is to predict the size distributions and densities of sand grains that will be entrained together, transported together, and deposited together in atmospheric flows of varying strengths. The size distributions and mass fluxes of three different density sands traveling together in saltation at varying heights above a mobile sand bed are determined in the chapter. The population of grains of all densities must be approximately lognormally distributed to simulate natural conditions. The bed must be mobile and rough, well-mixed, and the sand must be fed into the tunnel during transport measurements to ensure continued availability of all the size-density sub-populations present in the stock sand. The trend in grain size with increasing friction velocity varies with elevation above the bed, and this trait is similar for quartz and garnet. Sizes of both minerals traveling at 1 cm above the bed increase with each increment of the variable U* over the whole experimental range.
Modeling of vapor compression cycles for advanced controls in HVAC systems

This paper presents a new lumped-parameter model for describing the dynamics of vapor compression cycles. In particular, the dynamics associated with the two heat exchangers, i.e. the evaporator and the condenser, are modeled based on a moving-interface approach by which the position of the two-phase/single-phase interface inside the one-dimensional heat exchanger can be properly predicted. This model relates critical performance outputs, such as evaporating pressure, condensing pressure, and superheat, to actuating inputs including compressor speed, fan speed, and expansion valve opening. In view of regulating multiple performance outputs in modern heat pumps and air conditioning systems, this model is highly useful for the design of multivariable feedback control.
Single vs. multiple introduction in biological control: the roles of parasitoid efficiency, antagonism and niche overlap

Summary 1 Theoretical studies have presented conflicting conclusions about the value of introducing multiple parasitoid species to control insect pests, depending on the presence and form of niche separation in the model. We investigated the impacts of multiple species introduction on control using a modelling approach. 2 We started with a discrete-time model of a pest, a primary parasitoid and a parasitoid that can interact antagonistically with the primary parasitoid as well as the pest. Implicit niche separation between parasitoids occurs via aggregated encounters with pests. We subsequently modified the simple model to include explicit niche separation and a refuge from parasitism, allowing the assumption of implicit niche separation to be relaxed. Multiple introduction is deemed beneficial if equilibrium pest densities are lower after the release of the interactive parasitoid. 3 The outcome of biological control under the simple model depends largely on the search efficiency of the primary parasitoid. The primary parasitoid can co-exist with an antagonistic interactive parasitoid, and multiple introduction is beneficial provided that the level of antagonism by the interactive parasitoid is not too high. 4 In the more complex model with explicit niche separation, the ratio of primary search efficiencies of the two parasitoids, niche occupancy and degree of aggregation are shown to be important predictors of the outcome of multiple introduction. We demonstrate the importance of refuge breaking by an additional parasitoid as a compelling reason for multiple introduction. In addition, antagonistic interactions between parasitoids can be mediated by overall efficiency and explicit niche separation. 5 For both implicit and explicit niche separation scenarios, the interactive parasitoid was excluded at high levels of niche overlap. Minimum pest densities with a three-species equilibrium were similar between the two scenarios. 6 Synthesis and applications. After consideration of explicit niche separation in a two parasitoid–one pest system, we conclude that multiple introduction is often a sound strategy in biological control, despite potential antagonistic interactions from competition, cleptoparasitism or facultative hyperparasitism. In selecting parasitoids for introduction, practitioners should evaluate the potential for niche separation between parasitoids and the overall efficiency of each parasitoid (primary search efficiency and aggregation of search) rather than dismiss a biological control candidate because of moderate antagonistic interactions.
Room temperature incubation of dipslide urine cultures

Abstract Two hundred and fifty urine specimens selected at random were cultured simultaneously by routine methods and on dipslides containing MacConkey agar and cystine-lactoseelectrolyte deficient agar with colistin (CLED-colistin agar) at room temperature incubation. There were six major and five minor differences between the two methods in interpretation of results. Many of these differences were due to the fact that CLED-colistin agar fails to support the growth of many gram-positive species, and that the dipslide tended to overestimate the colony count. Nevertheless there was sufficient agreement between the two methods to suggest that dipslides can be used effectively in office or clinic without the need for an incubator.
Adaptive QoS in 802.11e Wireless Networks for Lunar Communications

Lunar surface communications present specific problems that can be solved with well established terrestrial networking standards such as 802.11. Unfortunately, 802.11 has limitations regarding high priority traffic such as voice and command data which are sensitive to jitter, delay, and loss. The IEEE 802.11e standard provides enhancements that allow traffic with specific needs to be differentiated from normal traffic. While these enhancements have been shown to effectively improve latency and throughput for high priority traffic, they do not offer precise nor consistent control of performance levels. In this paper capacity and priority are explored in the context of lunar communications using 802.11g with 802.11e. We present a method to dynamically optimize 802.11e contention parameters to provide more granular control over the network's quality of service (QoS) for the various flow types. A distributed adaptive algorithm that extends 802.11e's enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) is presented. We show that the enhancement provides more granular and consistent performance than that provided by the static algorithm used in standard 802.11e.
Localized heating during serrated plastic flow in bulk metallic glasses

We have studied the serrated plastic flow observed in Zr40Ti14Ni10Cu12Be24 and Pd40Ni40P20 bulk metallic glass alloys tested in uniaxial compression. Quantitative measurements with sufficient temporal resolution to record the fine-scale structure of the data are reported. These data are used to predict temperature increases in single shear bands due to local adiabatic heating caused by the work done on the sample during plastic deformation. Since the predicted temperature increases are on the order of only a few degrees Kelvin, it seems unlikely that localized heating is the primary cause of flow localization. Instead, changes in viscosity associated with increased free volume in the shear band seem more consistent with experiment. Substantial shear band heating is, however, predicted for final failure, as corroborated by evidence of melting on the fracture surface.
Hormonal regulation of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases during follicular development in the rat ovary.

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are membres of a multigene family of proteinase inhibitors that regulate the activity of metalloproteinases. To test the hypothesis that TIMPs regulate connective tissue remodeling during follicular development, rats were injected with PMSG (20 IU, sc), and ovaries and serum were collected at the time of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin at the time of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) administration (0 h) and at 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h later for analysis of TIMP expression, metalloproteinase inhibitor activity, and steroidogenesis. Serum estradiol levels increased from 20.9 pg/mL at 0 h to 461 pg/mL at 48 h. Northern analysis was performed for analysis of TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and TIMP-3 expression (N = 4). For TIMP-1, PMSG stimulated a 2.4- to 2.5-fold increase in TIMP-1 mRNA at 6 and 12 h compared to ovaries collected at the time of PMSG administration (i.e., 0 h control). TIMP-1 mRNA returned to control levels within 24 h and remained unchanged through 48 h. In contrast to TIMP-1, TIMP-3 mRNA decreased by approx 2.5-fold at 6 h following PMSG administration, and expression remained decreased through 48 h. For TIMP-2, the expression of the 3.5-kb transcript decreased at 24 h after PMSG, whereas expression of the 1 kb transcript was unchanged. There was no change in metalloproteinase inhibitor activity in whole ovarian extracts between 0 and 36 h. However, there was an increase in inhibitor activity at 48 h. These findings are the first demonstration of hormonal regulation of TIMPs during the follicular phase. The differential regulation of the TIMPs by gonadotropins, for example, an increase in TIMP-1 and a concomitant decrease in TIMP-3 expression, may reflect different roles, sites of action, or enzyme specificity for the inhibitors as the follicle grows.
Prenatal and postnatal chronic exposure to low levels of inorganic lead attenuates long-term potentiation in the adult rat hippocampus in vivo

Dams were exposed to 0, 100, 500, or 1000 ppm lead acetate in their drinking water for 1 week and mated. Offspring were exposed via lactation and in their drinking water after weaning. At 13 weeks, a male and a female pup from each litter were anesthetized with urethane and prepared for recording of CA3-evoked field potentials in the hippocampal CA1 region. In control and 100 ppm lead-treated animals, high-frequency stimulation (50 Hz) induced long-term potentiation (LTP) throughout a 4 h recording period. In contrast, 1000 ppm lead-treated pups showed little LTP, while those exposed to 500 ppm exhibited LTP initially but then failed to maintain it. Chronic developmental lead exposure prevented the full expression of LTP in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus.
Israel's God: Mother and Midwife

The social institution of midwifery in the ancient world can be reconstructed by using not only the Bible, but social sciences like archaeology, anthropology and health care research as well. Then, with this reconstruction in mind, some selections of ancient Near Eastern and Biblical literature—like Psalm 29 and Genesis 2—4—can be re-read to appreciate how much the communities who developed these texts drew on the work of the midwife to describe the work of God as creator!
Mesoporous benzene silica functionalized with various amine groups

Functionalized mesoporous benzene silica (MBS) hybrids containing propylamine, propylethylenediamine, and propyldihydroimidazole were synthesized by the direct co-condensation of 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)benzene with (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane, [3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl]trimethoxysilane, or n-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)4,5-dihydroimidazole using octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride as the structure directing agent. Well-ordered functionalized mesoporous MBS was produced with functional group loading of 10 mol%. Higher functional group loadings yielded larger mesopores and amines embedded in the pore walls. TEM results suggest individual MBS single pore structures may be observed.
Landlords and the Devil: Class, Ethnic, and Gender Dimensions of Central American Peasant Narratives

Since the publication in 1980 of Michael Taussig's The Devil and Commodity Fetishism in South America, Satan has been haunting anthropologists in rural Latin America. Reports that associate capital accumulation with diabolical evil or that refer to contracts with the devil have come not only from Colombia and Bolivia, the settings Taussig discussed, but from throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as from the Mediterranean and Africa. Ethnographic and literary descriptions of devil pacts and propitiation rituals are hardly new, of course.' Folklorists and, in Latin America, costumbrista writers have dealt with such themes since at least the early 20th century.2 Even such a renowned personage as Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa-nicknamed el demoniowas commonly thought to have achieved military prowess and physical strength through a pact with the devil, made in a cave with gold walls.3 More recently, several suggestive works by June Nash (1972, 1979) preceded Taussig's provocative book (and served as some of the raw material for its second section), as did a number of other studies that mentioned the diabolical realm in the context of broader discussions of belief systems. By placing the devil squarely in the sights of anthropological field researchers, however, Taussig helped to recast both our notions about appropriate objects of study and the terms of debate about such critical issues as popular representations of social conflicts, the clash between household and capitalist economic principles, and the ideological concomitants of peasant proletarianization. While it would perhaps be an exaggeration to suggest that analysis of devil contracts is coming to constitute a new genre of ethnographic writing, it is increasingly clear that such beliefs are extremely widespread and durable and that they often demonstrate striking parallels in widely separated times and places.
Comparison of the rat microsomal Mg-ATPase of various tissues.

Abstract The microsomal Mg-ATPase from various rat tissues was compared. After fractionating the microsomal vesicles by sucrose gradient centrifugation, the highest specific activity of the Mg-ATPase was found in the low-density vesicles which contained plasma membrane. A large fraction (25–90%) of the microsomal Ca-independent Mg-ATPase found in each tissue had the following properties: (1) the K m for ATP was 0.2 mM; (2) the rate of ATP hydrolysis by the Mg-ATPase was nonlinear due to an ATP-stimulated inactivation of the enzyme; (3) wheat germ agglutinin, concanavalin A, glutaraldehyde, and antiserum prevented inactivation induced by ATP or AdoPP[NH]P; (4) detergents at relatively low detergent:protein ratios increased the rate of inactivation with little change in the initial rate of ATP hydrolysis; (5) the Mg-ATPase was inactivated by irradiation in the presence of 8-azido ATP. (6) in addition to ATP, the Mg-ATPase was able to hydrolyze CTP, GTP, UTP, ITP, and GTP but was unable to hydrolyze any of the 10 nonnucleotide phosphocompounds which were tested; (7) the bivalent cation requirement of the Mg-ATPase could be provided by Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Mn 2+ , Zn 2+ , or Co 2+ but the enzyme was inactive in the presence of Cu 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ba 2+ , or Be 2+ ; (8) the Mg-ATPase activity was not altered by ionophores or inhibitors of the Na,K-ATPase, the Ca,Mg-ATPase or the mitochondrial F 1 ATPase. These data suggest that a major portion of the microsomal, basal Mg-ATPase activity is due to one unique enzyme found in most if not all tissues.
A collocation solver for systems of boundary-value differential/algebraic equations

Abstract A spline collocation procedure has been implemented to solve systems of multi-point boundary-value problems for mixed order differential/algebraic equations (BVP-DAEs). This implementation is based on the modification of an existing code “COLSYS”, which solves boundary-value ordinary differential equations (BVP-ODEs) alone. With minor changes to the original COLSYS code, the resulting procedure offers robust solutions to systems of DAEs, in addition to ODEs. A numerical example with application in chemical engineering is shown to demonstrate the superior ability of this procedure over other software.
Carotid artery injuries caused by blunt trauma

Carotid artery injuries caused by blunt trauma often cause thrombosis and delayed neurologic deficits, and are associated with mortality rates of up to 40%. In this series of 17 patients with blunt trauma of the carotid, three had no symptoms, ten patients had limb paresis and four had severe neuroligic deficits. The wounds were identified by arteriography; repair was attempted in 15 patients, and successful in eight. All eight patients with successful repair were improved or normal after surgery, but only two out of nine patients without repair improved, and four died. The mortality rate for the series was 23%, but only 14% in the patients who had carotid surgery. This experience suggests that repair is safe and effective in patients with carotid injuries in whom prograde flow continues and only mild neurologic deficits are present. In contrast, patients with complete occlusion, severe neurologic problems, and altered consciousness are not likely to be helped by attempts at revascularization.
Delayed Diagnosis of Biopsy-Negative Giant Cell Arteritis Presenting as Fever of Unknown Origin

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) presents a diagnostic challenge. Giant cell arteritis (GCA) may present with FUO and this entity should be included in the differential of elderly patients who present with constitutional symptoms. While a temporal artery biopsy is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of GCA, a subset of patients with large vessel involvement by GCA may have a negative temporal artery biopsy and no cranial symptoms. We present a 79 year-old woman with FUO and negative temporal artery biopsies in whom diagnosis of GCA was delayed. Further imaging with CT-angiogram and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan showed diffuse extensive active vasculitis. The above case underscores the value of imaging studies in the evaluation of patients with FUO from occult large vessel vasculitis.
Apparatus and method for measuring regional distribution of therapeutic aerosols and comparing delivery systems

Abstract An apparatus has been designed to estimate the respiratory tract distribution of therapeutic aerosols. It consists of an accurate life size model of the human oral passage extending from lips to mid-trachea, a Y branch for flow adjustment and a cascade impactor. Aerosol delivery devices are positioned to introduce the generated aerosol into the oral entrance, simulating their in vivo delivery. The aerosol which penetrates the oral airway model cast passes to the cascade impactor for aerodynamic size classification to estimate regional delivery to the bronchial and pulmonary zones. The apparatus has been tested using a metered dose inhaler (MDI) at a range of inspiratory flow rates.
Low-energy collisions of methane ions at a fluoroalkyl monolayer surface

Reactive scattering of low-energy (<100 eV) CH n + (n = 0-4) ions with a fluorinated self-assembled monolayer (F-SAM) surface produces fluorine-containing scattered ions, including CF + , C 2 HF 2 + and C 3 F 3 + . Evidence is provided that these ion-surface reactions occur by surface-induced dissociation (SID) prior to new bond formation. Chemical sputtering of the ion-beam modified surface is consistent with the modification of the fluorinated SAM surface by the methane derived ions occurring at the terminal CF 3 group. Studies with 13 C-labeled ions show the formation of 12 CF + and 13 CF + in nearly equal abundance. The participation of carbon atoms arising from both the surface and the projectile suggests the intermediacy of a symmetrical fluoronium collision complex, such as [F 13 CF 12 CF] + , involving the SID fragments of the projectile and the terminal CF 3 group of the surface. A 20% translational to vibrational (T → V) energy conversion is estimated from the inelastic collisions which lead to SID, a result which is consistent with previous studies using other ions on the same surface
Heat transfer and friction coefficients in smooth and rough tubes with dilute polymer solutions

Abstract A series of experiments were performed for the purpose of determining the heat transfer, and friction coefficients in smooth and rough tubes for dilute solutions of Polyethelyne oxide (“Polyox”) in water. Tests were conducted with solutions containing 10ppm and 50ppm of the polymer respectively. Typical results for the smooth tube showed that the friction coefficient was reduced by a factor of 3 and the heat transfer coefficient by a factor of 5. For the rough tube the coefficients were reduced even more drastically. The effectiveness of the polymer decreased in the range of high Reynolds numbers and this decrease was ascribed to the deterioration of the polymer.
Relative cyanide cation (+CN) affinities of pyridines determined by the kinetic method using multiple‐stage (MS3) mass spectrometry

Ion-molecule reactions occurring in a pentaquadrupole mass spectrometer are used to generate and characterize ions in which one or two pyridine molecules are bound by a + CN cation. Cyanide cation binds strongly to the nitrogen atom of pyridine to generate a mono-adduct, which undergoes pyridine exchange reactions and from which one can generate the dipyridine adduct in low abundance. The dimeric ions have two structures, loosely bound and covalently bound, and both fragment to yield the constituent cyanide-bound monomers. In the case of dimers comprised of meta-substituted alkylpyridines, there is a quantitative correlation between relative cyanide cation affinity, as measured using the kinetic method, and literature values of relative proton affinities. These dimers fragment analogously to the corresponding H + - and Cl - - bound dimers, and on this basis are assigned analogous structures, viz. the loosely bound form Py 1 - + CN-Py 2 . Semi-empirical molecular orbital calcolations show that both pyridines are bound to the carbon atom of the cyanide cation. Making the assumption that the effective temperatures of the activated cyanide-bound dimers are similar to those of the corresponding Cl + - and H + -bound dimers, relative + CN cation affinities are estimated to be 1.5 kcal mol -1 (3-MePy), 1.7 kcal mol -1 (4-MePy), 2.6 kcal mol -1 (3-EtPy), 3.5 kcal mol -1 (3-n-BuPy) and 3.6 kcal mol -1 (3,5-diMePy), all expressed relative to pyridine (1 kcal=4.184 kJ). A linear relationship between the relative + CN affinity and relative proton affinity (PA) is derived as Δ + CN affinity (kcal mol -1 )=0.78 (ΔPA), with the assumption that the + CN dimer effective temperature is 600 K. The estimated uncertainty is 0.5 kcal mol -1 . Relative + CN affinities of pairs of pyridines are smaller by ca. 1 kcal mol -1 than the corresponding Cl + affinities. Dimers in which one of the pyridines is meta-chlorine- or para-alkyl-substituted have the covalently bound, ring-carbon-substituted structure, in which the + CN group is attached to the pyridine nitrogen and the second pyridine molecule is bound to a ring carbon. The fragmentation of these isomeric dimers yields the corresponding monomers, in addition to other minor ions, but the distribution of the cyanide cation between the two pyridines does not correlate with Cl + affinity or proton affinity. In the special cases of the 3-methylpyridine-3-n-butylpyridine and the 4-methylpyridine-pyridine cyanide cation adducts, both the loosely bound dimer and the covalently bound adduct are generated and distinguished by their fragmentation behavior. Evidence for the formation of the covalently bound, ring-carbon-substituted structure was also obtained in semi empirical AMI calculations
Leg autotomy in a spider has minimal costs in competitive ability and development.

Abstract A number of species have the ability to autotomize limbs voluntarily, but animals that have lost limbs often face substantial costs. We examined the frequency of leg loss and its effects on competitive ability and development in the spider Holocnemus pluchei (Araneae: Pholcidae), a family of spiders known for its readiness to autotomize legs. Leg loss was common in field populations, with 7.5% of all surveyed spiders missing at least one leg, most commonly one of the anterior pair. More spiders were missing multiple legs than expected by chance, suggesting that leg loss events are not independent. Large adult spiders were missing legs more frequently than were small spiders. The competitive ability of injured males was tested in three contexts. In the field, no effect of leg loss was found on the ability of spiders to remain in webs into which they were introduced. In the laboratory, no effect of leg loss was found on the ability to fight with a single opponent over a prey, except that injured spiders were more likely to lose high-intensity fights. There was no difference between intact and injured males in their ability to compete with three females for limited prey. Leg loss significantly affected development time. The moult interval during the instar in which the injury occurred increased by approximately 15%. However, the growth rate for injured spiders was slightly but not significantly faster in the instar following leg loss, and total development time of the two instars together did not differ significantly between treatments. No spider showed any signs of regeneration. We conclude that, although there were some statistically significant differences between intact and injured males, these are unlikely to have major impacts on fitness, in contrast to findings in other species.
Antiestrogens: effects of tamoxifen, nafoxidine, and CI-628 on sexual behavior, cytoplasmic receptors, and nuclear binding of estrogen.

Abstract These experiments utilized the estrogen antagonists CI-628, nafoxidine, and tamoxifen as tools to investigate potential molecular mechanisms of estrogen activation of female rat sexual behavior. Adult female rats, ovariectomized 4–7 days previously and matched for body weight, were administered single sc injections of one of the three antiestrogens, and the ability of the antagonists to block estrogen-induced sexual behavior, to deplete and replenish hypothalamic estrogen receptors, and to inhibit the binding of estradiol by hypothalamic nuclei 2 hr, or 1, 2, 4, or 7 days later was assessed. All three compounds produced a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of estrogen-activated lordosis, with tamoxifen being the most potent inhibitor. The three antiestrogens also caused prolonged depletion of hypothalamic estrogen receptors, but there was no correlation between receptor levels and the degree of inhibition of lordosis behavior at any time point following antiestrogen treatment. Rats showed high levels of sexual receptivity when antiestrogens were injected 2, 4, or 7 days before estrogen; however, hypothalamic estrogen receptors were still markedly (up to 70%) reduced at some of these time points. In contrast, there was a large (r = 0.67), significant correlation between the ability of all three agents to reduce [3H]estradiol binding by brain cell nuclei and their ability to reduce the display of estrogen-induced female sexual behavior. Antiestrogen injections which inhibited lordosis always decreased the level of specific estradiol binding by hypothalamic nuclei. These data indicate that delayed receptor replenishment does not adequately explain the antagonism of lordosis behavior by antiestrogens. The results presented here strongly point to the cell nucleus as the critical locus of receptor-mediated interactions which underlie estrogen and antiestrogen regulation of female sexual behavior.
Influence of electronic—nuclear coupling on dynamics

Abstract Electronic nuclear dynamics (END), a recently developed explicitly time-dependent theory treats fully the electronic—nuclear coupling. The END theory at the level of a model that employs a single complex spin-unrestricted determinantal wavefunction for the electrons and classical nuclei has been implemented in the computer code ENDyne. It permits comparisons of the full dynamics at this level of treatment with one where the electronic—nuclear coupling is neglected. The neglect of coupling terms is shown to have quite drastic influence on the detailed dynamics of ion—atom and ion—molecule collisions.
Exploring Soy-Derived Alternatives to Fish Meal: Using Soy Protein Concentrate and Soy Protein Isolate in Hybrid Striped Bass Feeds

Abstract Many protein sources, including soybean meal (SBM), have been investigated as alternatives to fish meal (FM) in aquaculture feeds. However, FM replacement in feeds for carnivorous fishes is limited by problems with feed intake, growth rate, and overall health associated with the reduced digestibility of SBM and the antinutritional factors (ANFs) it contains. Processing strategies can reduce the effects of ANFs and can improve protein utilization. We conducted two trials to examine the possibility of further FM replacement in SBM-maximized feeds for hybrid striped bass (white bass Morone chrysops × striped bass M. saxatilis) by using two refined soy products: soy protein concentrate (SPC) and soy protein isolate (SPI). Diets were formulated to maximize FM replacement, beginning with a basal diet containing 10% FM and 65% SBM. Further reductions in FM were made by using SPC or SPI to spare FM-derived protein. Refined soy protein-based feeds were evaluated in feeding trials with juvenile hybrid stri...
Publication of negative research findings: pros and cons.

As research scientists, we have been taught, and generally believe, that the most convincing data are those that show a positive effect and thus can be used to support or refute our hypotheses. This belief has been reinforced by some journal editors, who, in general, look at papers that present negative data—that is to say, data that do not show an effect as predicted by the original hypothesis or the researcher’s “gut feeling”—with a great deal of skepticism. In this issue of Alcohol, one of the published articles (“Failure of a ScheduleInduction Procedure To Increase Ethanol Intake in an Established Limited-Access Self-Administration Condition”; Samson and Chappell) presents negative study results. I am writing this editorial basically to provide support for my decision to publish this article—with negative study findings—in Alcohol. With that brief introduction in mind, let’s consider why negative study results are rarely published, and rightly so. Unless the researchers have gone to exhaustive lengths to rule out all possible artifacts and to include all possible controls, the results can always be criticized on the basis that the researchers have not considered “this” or “that” possible alternative for the study. One way of thinking about negative study results is to consider the philosophical discussions that have gone on for a very long time as to whether hypotheses can or cannot be proved, as well as disproved. One would consider the criticisms of data submitted for consideration that definitively fail to support a given hypothesis. It could always be stated, “Well, doctor, you obviously haven’t done the right experiment and should go back to the lab and try again!” There are innumerable reasons why a given experiment fails to provide positive study results, from simple (but perhaps undetectable) technical error to variables that have not been considered that should have been included in the evaluation of the data, poor study design, and other factors. These scenarios are the foremost reason why negative study results rarely see the light of day. One consideration, which was discussed in Part I, The CBE Surveys, “Scenario K: Bias Against Publication of Negative Results” [Editorial
Psychometric properties of the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory with rural middle school and high school children

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory (SESBI) in a rural sample of children and adolescents. Thirty-eight 5th- through 12th-grade teachers completed the SESBI on 726 children in their classrooms. High Cronbach's alphas supported the reliability of the SESBI scales in this population. Higher SESBI scores were obtained by boys than girls and by African American students than Caucasian students, more so at lower grades. Teacher's race did not affect SESBI scores. In contrast to children with developmental delay, children with learning disabilities obtained higher scores than others on the SESBI Intensity scale but not on the Problem scale. This suggests that teachers of children with learning disabilities recognize the higher frequency of problem behaviors in their students but do not consider these behaviors to be problems for themselves. On both SESBI scales, children with developmental delay were not distinguishable from peers without developmental delays.
Evidence for a Functional Link between Uncoating of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Core and Nuclear Import of the Viral Preintegration Complex

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particles begin their replication upon fusion with the plasma membrane of target cells and release of the viral core into the host cell cytoplasm. Soon thereafter, the viral capsid, which is composed of a polymer of the CA protein, disassociates from the internal ribonucleoprotein complex. While this disassembly process remains poorly understood, the available evidence indicates that proper uncoating of the core is a key step in infection. Defects in uncoating most often lead to a failure of the virus to undergo reverse transcription, resulting in an inability to form a functional viral preintegration complex (PIC). In a previous study, we reported that an HIV-1 mutant containing two substitutions in CA (Q63A/67A) was unusual in that it was poorly infectious yet synthesized normal levels of viral DNA. Here we report that this mutant is impaired for nuclear entry. Quantitative analysis of viral DNA synthesis from infected cells by Southern blotting and real-time PCR revealed that the Q63A/Q67A mutant is impaired in the synthesis of one-long terminal repeat (1-LTR) and 2-LTR circles. Isolation of PICs from acutely infected cells revealed that the Q63A/Q67A mutant produces protein-DNA complexes similar to wild-type in yield and overall composition, but these PICs contained elevated levels of CA and were impaired for integration in vitro. These results demonstrate that mutations in CA can have deleterious effects on both nuclear targeting and integration, suggesting that these steps in the HIV-1 life cycle are dependent on proper uncoating of the viral core.
The CAPA Integrative Online System for College Major Exploration

Career assessment has advanced on several fronts, enabling a CAPA integrative online system for exploring college majors with unprecedented precision and utility. The key inventories in the system are the CAPA Confidence Inventory (CCI), with its 6 general and 27 specific scales, and the CAPA Interest Inventory, with its 6 general and 35 specific scales. Results for these inventories are displayed online when they are completed, enhanced with extensive interpretive materials. With regression models, college major clusters with best fit are displayed based on high scores on the specific confidence and interest scores. Several studies of the inventories and the CAPA assessment system with several thousand college students have demonstrated their validity and utility.
Non-invasive Brain Stimulation in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

The non-invasive brain stimulation techniques of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have developed considerably over the last 25 years. Recent studies have used these techniques to enhance motor and cognitive function, modulate psychiatric symptoms, and reduce pain. Here, we briefly present TMS and tDCS techniques, discuss their safety, and provide examples of studies applying these interventions to enhance movement function following stroke. Though further studies are required, investigations so far provide important first steps in the use of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to aid routine rehabilitation therapy. We discuss future directions for the field in terms of study development, choice of motor task, and target sites for stimulation.