cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Castor canadensis and urban wetland governance Fairfax County, VA case study

Abstract Nonhuman power is evident in urban ecologies, from droughts to tree diseases to everyday encounters with wildlife. Some urban environmental governance literature takes up questions of nonhuman agency, generally focusing on human-environment relations and their influence on decision-makers involved in planning, politics, and management. However, results from current research on a wetland restoration project suggest that there is more to nonhuman agency in environmental governance than its effects on human actors. This restoration project, located in a Washington D.C. Metro Area park, involved the installation of a berm and a water control system for the management of a hemi-marsh habitat. Resident beavers ( Castor canadensis ) emerged from the planning and proposal process as major players influencing the project design and implementation. The research traces the development of this urban wetland, drawing on assemblage theories of power to analyze how the elements of the managing apparatus ( dispositif )⿿including animal ethology, technological expertise, environmental ethics, and the concept of biodiversity⿿function to govern the space. Nonhuman agency in the network compelled park managers to incorporate beaver behavior and perception into the governing apparatus. Both humans and nonhumans emerge from this dispositif as coproducers of place and as political subjects playing a part in urban ecology governance decisions. The research shows that beavers not only exert their agency on the ecological network in the wetland, but also that their perceptual worlds ( umwelt ) form part of the logic of governance that guides management decisions. Ultimately, this research suggests that critical social theory frameworks coupled with nonhuman ontologies will help us to better understand the lively and productive human-environment relationships that are at the core of urban ecosystems.
The Partisan Media

Shortly into George Washington’s presidency, a fundamental debate over the proper role of the federal government divided political leaders of the day. One faction led by Thomas Jefferson was dubious about the need for a strong central authority, which smacked too much of the monarchy Americans had just bested in the Revolutionary War. The Jeffersonians were agrarians, who preferred a decentralized government based on grassroots authority, local banks, and state militas. They were suspicious of concentrated power in any form.
Potential Genetic Risk Factors for Chronic ITP of Childhood.

Abstract While well recognized as an autoantibody mediated disease, the pathophysiology of childhood ITP remains poorly understood. Approximately 20% of children diagnosed with acute ITP will have persistent thrombocytopenia for more than 6 months after the original diagnosis. One hypothesis is that the autoantibody coated platelets are bound by surface Fcγ receptors in the reticuloendothelium system, which then target these platelets for destruction. Although the FcγRIIIA receptor usually shows weak binding, the phenylalanine (F) to valine (V) mutation in the FcγRIIIA receptor results in a higher affinity for IgG1 and IgG3. To test the possibility that the FcγRIIIA receptor genotype is associated with increased autoantibody mediated platelet destruction in ITP, we screened more than 80 ITP patients for this single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) using an amplicon-down format for a custom Nanochip molecular biology workstation microarray assay. We observed a large shift in the allele frequencies of the FcγRIIIA receptor SNP (F158V) in ITP patients compared to controls (F =.36, V =.64 vs F =.70, V =.30; P FcγRIIIA SNP Genotype FF FV VV significance ITP patients 12.3 46.5 41 Controls 50.2 39.2 10.4 P IL-1 α SNP Genotype CC CT TT significance ITP patients 51.4 33.3 15.2 Controls 71 26.3 2.6 P=0.005 Additionally, we have shown that the VV genotype of FcγRIIIA receptor is associated with 100% response to IVIg treatment in childhood ITP (Tarantino et al J. Thromb. Haemost. 2005). Thus, we propose that the FcγRIIIA receptor and IL-1α-889 genotypes may be useful as potential risk factors for ITP and its response to therapy. Understanding the mechanism whereby these polymorphisms alter the incidence and course of ITP in children will provide critical information in the prevention and treatment of this syndrome.
Electrolyte Disorders Associated with Cancer

Cancer patients frequently suffer electrolyte abnormalities that complicate the management of their condition. The most commonly occurring derangement is hyponatremia, while hypercalcemia, hypokale...
Akt Activation Regulates Macrophage Survival and Differentiation: Role of M-CSF and Endogenous ROS.

Previous reports from our laboratory showed M-CSF promotes PI 3-kinase activation resulting in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and PI 3-kinase inhibitors, and the antioxidants diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) and n-acetyl cysteine (NAC) suppressed M-CSF-stimulated Erk activation. In this study, we hypothesized that M-CSF-induced generation of ROS affected Akt1 activation and sought to define the role of Akt1 in monocyte/macrophage survival and differentiation. We found that the production of ROS following M-CSF-treatment was inhibited by the antioxidant DPI. The addition of either DPI or NAC to the monocytes in the presence of M-CSF resulted in decrease cell survival as measured by Annexin V/PI and DNA fragmentation. In the cells treated with the antioxidants, there was a reduction in pAKT protein levels compared to M-CSF alone treatment suggesting that ROS contributed to Akt activity and cell survival. Macrophages from p47 phox −/− mice, lacking a key component of the NADPH oxidase complex required for ROS generation were examined for M-CSF-induced survival and Akt1 activation. Bone marrow macrophages from p47 phox −/ − mice and wild type (WT) littermates were isolated and differentiated in RPMI-1640 medium in the presence of 20 ng/ml of M-CSF for 5 days. We observed a reduction in Akt1 phosphorylation, cellular survival and increase in apoptosis measured by Annexin V/PI staining in p47 phox −/ − macrophages compared to WT controls. Since macrophages from the p47 phox −/− mice had reduced Akt1 activity and cell survival to M-CSF stimulation, we next wanted to independently evaluate the role of Akt in macrophage survival and differentiation. We therefore examined macrophages from mice that had targeted expression of activated Akt1 (Myr-Akt1) in mononuclear phagocytes. Bone marrow from Myr-Akt1 mice and (WT) littermates was isolated and cultured in the presence of 20 ng/ml of M-CSF for 5 days. We found that Myr-Akt1 cells had enhanced survival and reduced apoptosis versus WT cells. Interestingly, Myr-Akt1 mice had normal circulating numbers of monocytes, but had splenomegaly and increased numbers of mature macrophages in their spleens by CD68 staining. Since the expression of Myr-Akt1 in BMM enhanced cell survival, we were interested in the effect in human monocytes. Peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) were transiently transfected with Myr-Akt1 constructs. We observed a decrease in Annexin V/PI staining indicating promotion of cell survival in PBM expressing Myr-Akt compared to untransfected PBM. Since Akt1 appeared to be important for macrophage survival/differentiation, we examined its contribution in human alveolar macrophage homeostasis and found that freshly isolated macrophages had constitutive Akt1 activity and had increased levels of Akt1 protein. This data support a critical role for Akt1 in macrophage differentiation in mice. Together, our findings may provide insight in the pathogenesis of monocyte/macrophage homeostasis.
Stereospecific Formation of E- and Z-Disubstituted Double Bonds by Dehydratase Domains from Modules 1 and 2 of the Fostriecin Polyketide Synthase

The dehydratase domain FosDH1 from module 1 of the fostriecin polyketide synthase (PKS) catalyzed the stereospecific interconversion of (3R)-3-hydroxybutyryl-FosACP1 (5) and (E)-2-butenoyl-FosACP1 (11), as established by a combination of direct LC–MS/MS and chiral GC–MS. FosDH1 did not act on either (3S)-3-hydroxybutyryl-FosACP1 (6) or (Z)-2-butenoyl-FosACP1 (12). FosKR2, the ketoreductase from module 2 of the fostriecin PKS that normally provides the natural substrate for FosDH2, was shown to catalyze the NADPH-dependent stereospecific reduction of 3-ketobutyryl-FosACP2 (23) to (3S)-3-hydroxybutyryl-FosACP2 (8). Consistent with this finding, FosDH2 catalyzed the interconversion of the corresponding triketide substrates (3R,4E)-3-hydroxy-4-hexenoyl-FosACP2 (18) and (2Z,4E)-2,4-hexadienoyl-FosACP2 (21). FosDH2 also catalyzed the stereospecific hydration of (Z)-2-butenoyl-FosACP2 (14) to (3S)-3-hydroxybutyryl-FosACP2 (8). Although incubation of FosDH2 with (3S)-3-hydroxybutyryl-FosACP2 (8) did not result in...
Autonomous Microsystems for Downhole Applications: Design Challenges, Current State, and Initial Test Results.

This paper describes two platforms for autonomous sensing microsystems that are intended for deployment in chemically corrosive environments at elevated temperatures and pressures. Following the deployment period, the microsystems are retrieved, recharged, and interrogated wirelessly at close proximity. The first platform is the Michigan Micro Mote for High Temperature (M3HT), a chip stack 2.9 × 1.1 × 1.5 mm3 in size. It uses RF communications to support pre-deployment and post-retrieval functions, and it uses customized electronics to achieve ultralow power consumption, permitting the use of a chip-scale battery. The second platform is the Environmental Logging Microsystem (ELM). This system, which is 6.5 × 6.3 × 4.5 mm3 in size, uses the smallest suitable off-the-shelf electronic and battery components that are compatible with assembly on a flexible printed circuit board. Data are stored in non-volatile memory, permitting retrieval even after total power loss. Pre-deployment and post-retrieval functions are supported by optical communication. Two types of encapsulation methods are used to withstand high pressure and corrosive environments: an epoxy filled volume is used for the M3HT, and a hollow stainless-steel shell with a sapphire lid is used for both the M3HT and ELM. The encapsulated systems were successfully tested at temperature and pressure reaching 150 °C and 10,000 psi, in environments of concentrated brine, oil, and cement slurry. At elevated temperatures, the limited lifetimes of available batteries constrain the active deployment period to several hours.
On the prescribing σ2 curvature equation on {\mathbb S^4}

Prescribing σk curvature equations are fully nonlinear generalizations of the prescribing Gaussian or scalar curvature equations. For a given a positive function K to be prescribed on the 4-dimensional round sphere, we obtain asymptotic profile analysis for potentially blowing up solutions to the σ2 curvature equation with the given K; and rule out the possibility of blowing up solutions when K satisfies a non-degeneracy condition. Under the same non-degeneracy condition on K, we also prove uniform a priori estimates for solutions to a family of σ2 curvature equations deforming K to a positive constant; and under an additional, natural degree condition on a finite dimensional map associated with K, we prove the existence of a solution to the σ2 curvature equation with the given K using a degree argument involving fully nonlinear elliptic operators to the above deformation.
Carbon Sequestration, Terrestrial

Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) has increased drastically since the industrial revolution and is still increasing with attendant risks of increase in global temperature. Thus, the need to identify options for mitigating atmospheric concentration of CO 2 is widely recognized. In addition to identifying low-C or no-C sources, enhancing C sink capacity of terrestrial ecosystems (e.g., soils, trees) and promoting adoption of recommended land use and soil/crop/animal management practices are important options of feeding the growing population while improving the environment. The choice of specific options depends on the economic conditions, industrial infrastructure, land and water resources, agricultural conditions, and the like.
Pharmacologic Treatment of Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Abstract This chapter will cover the pharmacological treatment of Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) and impulsive aggression. It will primarily focus on the treatment of impulsive aggression in adults. The first section will review the theoretical and clinical framework of pharmacological treatment. The second section will review data from randomized, placebo-controlled trials of pharmacological approaches. The third and final section will review ethical, regulatory, and safety issues.
Smart Home Devices: Promoting User Trust and Protecting User Data:

As smart technology is introduced into our homes, new dangers emerge that threaten our safety. New technology is usually subjected to much scrutiny, but smart home devices face even more because th...
Amine-Grafted Silica Gels for CO2 Capture Including Direct Air Capture

A series of commercially available (and low-cost) silica gels were amine-grafted under dry conditions using N1-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)diethylenetriamine (i.e., “triamine”). CO2 capture performanc...
Cross-sectional anatomy of the male pelvis

The visceral organs of the male pelvis have complex anatomic relationships with the surrounding extraperitoneal spaces, supplying arteries and adjacent pelvic musculature. Since various neoplastic, vascular, and traumatic pathologies can often involve multiple organs and spread into adjacent pelvic spaces, a keen understanding of this intricate anatomy can help radiologists to accurately characterize findings and improve recognition of the routes in which these conditions can spread. The purpose of this review is to examine the relationships between the anatomic compartments of the pelvic extraperitoneal space, summarize the pelvic arterial anatomy, and identify the pelvic muscles that support normal genitourinary function.
3He-rich solar energetic particles: Solar sources.

3He-rich solar energetic particles (SEPs), showing up to a 10,000-fold abundance enhancement of rare elements like 3He or ultra-heavy nuclei, have been a puzzle for more than 50 years. One reason for the current lack of understanding of 3He-rich SEPs is the difficulty resolving the source regions of these commonly occurring events. Since their discovery, there has been strong evidence that 3He-rich SEP production is associated with flares on the Sun. Anomalous abundances of 3He-rich SEPs have been attributed to a unique acceleration mechanism that must routinely operate at flare sites. Flares associated with 3He-rich SEPs have been often observed in jet-like forms indicating an acceleration in magnetic reconnection involving field lines open to interplanetary space. Owing to a fleet of spacecraft around the Sun, providing a greatly improved resolution of solar imaging observations, 3He-rich SEP sources are now explored in unprecedented detail. This paper outlines the current understanding of 3He-rich SEPs, mainly focusing on their solar sources.
Vapor-Liquid-Solid Growth and Optoelectronics of Gallium Sulfide van der Waals Nanowires.

Nanowires of layered van der Waals (vdW) crystals are of interest due to structural characteristics and emerging properties that have no equivalent in conventional 3D crystalline nanostructures. He...
Reliability Analysis for Unreliable FSM Computations

Finite State Machines (FSMs) are fundamental in both hardware design and software development. However, the reliability of FSM computations remains poorly understood. Existing reliability analyses are mainly designed for generic computations and are unaware of the special error tolerance characteristics in FSM computations. This work introduces RelyFSM -- a state-level reliability analysis framework for FSM computations. By modeling the behaviors of unreliable FSM executions and qualitatively reasoning about the transition structures, RelyFSM can precisely capture the inherent error tolerance in FSM computations. Our evaluation with real-world FSM benchmarks confirms both the accuracy and efficiency of RelyFSM.
Acceptor dopant mediated electrical property modification in Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-based piezoceramic

The effect of Mn and Fe dopants on the electromechanical and electrochemical properties of 0.88[Bi0.5Na0.5]TiO3–0.08[Bi0.5K0.5]TiO3–0.04[Bi0.5Li0.5]TiO3 piezoceramic is investigated with particular emphasis on complex impedance in the temperature range from 450 to 600 °C. The impedance spectra have been simulated with equivalent circuits in order to extract bulk and grain boundary characteristics and to determine activation energies of conduction. Mn and Fe dopants considerably enhance the mechanical quality factor and decrease the dielectric loss compared to the undoped composition. Mn doping leads to dramatically higher resistivity in the bulk and a modest increase in the bulk activation energy. On the other hand, conductivity increases dramatically via Fe doping with a significant lowering of activation energy in the bulk and corresponding raising of the activation energy at grain boundaries in comparison to Mn-doped and undoped ceramic. The bulk conductivity of Fe-doped piezoceramic reaches as high as 0.01 S cm−1 at 600 °C.
Quantification of low-affinity kinetics between cancer immunity relevant ligands and natural killer cell receptors with a self-induced back-action actuated nanopore electrophoresis (SANE) sensor

A plasmonic nanopore sensor enabling detection of bimodal optical and electrical molecular signatures was fabricated and tested for its ability to characterize low affinity ligand-receptor interactions. This plasmonic nanosensor uses a Self- Induced Back-Action (SIBA) mechanism for optical trapping to enable SIBA-Actuated Nanopore Electrophoresis (SANE) sensing through a nanopore located immediately below the optical trap volume. The ligand-receptor model consisted of a Natural Killer (NK) cell inhibitory receptor heterodimer molecule CD94/NKG2A that was synthesized to target a specific peptide-presenting Qa-1b Qdm ligand. The latter interaction pair was used as a simplified model of lowaffinity interactions between immune cells and peptide-presenting cancer cells that occur during cancer immunotherapy. A cancer-irrelevant GroEL ligand was also targeted by the same receptor in control experiments to test for non-specific interactions. Although the analysis of different pairs of bimodal SANE sensor signatures enabled some level of discrimination between specific and non-specific interactions the separation was not complete, which suggested the need for multi-dimensional data analyses in future work. Nevertheless, the SANE sensor showed ability to quantify the fast dissociation rate (koff) in this low-affinity model system that was previously shown to be challenging to quantify with commercial technologies. The koff value of targeted peptide-presenting ligands is known to correlate with the subsequent activation of immune cells in vivo, suggesting the potential utility of the SANE sensor as a screening tool in cancer immunotherapy.
The Afrotropical Beridinae (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

The Afrotropical Beridinae, consisting of only members of the genus Allognosta Osten Sacken, are reviewed. One species, A. bwamba (Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda and ZaA¯re), is descriptionbed as new. A key to the three known Afrotropical species is presented as well as illustrations to facilitate identification.
SexX matters when it comes to pain

The neurobiology of sex differences in pain remain poorly understood. Yu et al. (2021) provide new insight by demonstrating that activation of dopaminergic projections from PAG to BNST provides substantial pain relief in male mice but virtually none in females.
Catatonia as a presenting symptom of isolated neurosarcoidosis in a woman with schizophrenia

Abstract: Background Catatonia is a presenting sign for many primary psychiatric disorders but it can also herald medical and neurological conditions. Increasing research has highlighted co-occurrence catatonia and delirium and how this combination warrants a thorough medical workup. Case presentation We present a case of a middle-aged woman with catatonia and delirium secondary to neurosarcoidosis only involving the brain; we document her 30-day hospitalization and intensive medical work-up that eventually revealed isolated neurosarcoidosis. This is the first reported case to our knowledge in the literature of catatonia occurring due to isolated neurosarcoidosis. Conclusion For this patient, albeit with a history of schizophrenia, the presence of delirium pushed the medical team to pursue a comprehensive work up instead of relying on a psychiatric diagnosis as the explanation for her puzzling clinical presentation. This case report supports a paradigm shift for physicians to think of catatonia similar to delirium: A syndrome that results from an underlying condition that must be treated in order to resolve the catatonia.
Regulatory role of mammalian target of rapamycin signaling in exosome secretion and osteogenic changes in smooth muscle cells lacking acid ceramidase gene.

Acid ceramidase (murine gene code: Asah1) (50 kDa) belongs to N-terminal nucleophile hydrolase family. This enzyme is located in the lysosome, which mediates conversion of ceramide (CER) into sphingosine and free fatty acids at acidic pH. CER plays an important role in intracellular sphingolipid metabolism and its increase causes inflammation. The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling on late endosomes (LEs)/lysosomes may control cargo selection, membrane biogenesis, and exosome secretion, which may be fine controlled by lysosomal sphingolipids such as CER. This lysosomal-CER-mTOR signaling may be a crucial molecular mechanism responsible for development of arterial medial calcification (AMC). Torin-1 (5 mg/kg/day), an mTOR inhibitor, significantly decreased aortic medial calcification accompanied with decreased expression of osteogenic markers like osteopontin (OSP) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) and upregulation of smooth muscle 22α (SM22-α) in mice receiving high dose of Vitamin D (500 000 IU/kg/day). Asah1fl/fl /SMCre mice had markedly increased co-localization of mTORC1 with lysosome-associated membrane protein-1 (Lamp-1) (lysosome marker) and decreased co-localization of vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 16 (VPS16) (a multivesicular bodies [MVBs] marker) with Lamp-1, suggesting mTOR activation caused reduced MVBs interaction with lysosomes. Torin-1 significantly reduced the co-localization of mTOR vs Lamp-1, increased lysosome-MVB interaction which was associated with reduced accumulation of CD63 and annexin 2 (exosome markers) in the coronary arterial wall of mice. Using coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs), Pi -stimulation significantly increased p-mTOR expression in Asah1fl/fl /SMCre CASMCs as compared to WT/WT cells associated with increased calcium deposition and mineralization. Torin-1 blocked Pi -induced calcium deposition and mineralization. siRNA mTOR and Torin-1 significantly reduce co-localization of mTORC1 with Lamp-1, increased VPS16 vs Lamp-1 co-localization in Pi -stimulated CASMCs, associated with decreased exosome release. Functionally, Torin-1 significantly reduces arterial stiffening as shown by restoration from increased pulse wave velocity and decreased elastin breaks. These results suggest that lysosomal CER-mTOR signaling may play a critical role for the control of lysosome-MVB interaction, exosome secretion and arterial stiffening during AMC.
2016 IAJB/CJBE 100&Change Application - Submitted October 3, 2016

[enter Abstract BodyThis document is a copy, with a few corrections, of an application submitted in 2016 to the first MacArthur Foundation 100&Change competition. A second document on the SSRN site is an early, evolving, draft of a possible submission to the 2019 100&Change competition. Both documents are cited in “Innovation in educational and societal transformation: The MacArthur Foundation, Jesuit business schools, and the world,” Journal of Management for Global Sustainability, volume 6, #2, 2018, in press. Briefly, the applications and the JMGS article suggest how the commitment of a group of business schools to transform their teaching and research can create a global conversation that will, in turn, transform the global producing-distributing-consuming systems currently destroying the capacity of the planet to support our own and all other species. These two documents are posted here as part of an on-going action-research project seeking to contribute to those transformations.
Joy: The Capacity for Joy and En joy ment as Manifested in Humor, Laughter, and Playfulness

The original source of joy is playful mutuality practiced in a loving relational context. Because of this primal sustenance of love, the capacity for joy withstands the test of time’s tribulations. The embracing of joy needs to be balanced with a surrender to sorrow, a delicately balanced expressiveness that is to be shared with essential others. Just as there is a joyful or weary acceptance of the contingencies of life on one side of the dialectical pole, there also is reparative or weary (melancholic or depressive) surrender to the vicissitudes of life on the other side of the dialectical pole. We can only realistically hope for being pleasurably surprised by amusement, humor, and laughter, again and again, upon leading a relatively balanced relational life of joyful acceptance and reparative surrender.
Apparel Manufacturers’ Path to World Class Corporate Social Responsibility: Perspectives of CSR Professionals

This study examined world class corporate social responsibility (CSR) as it is practiced by apparel manufacturers to provide an understanding of what world class practices in CSR include and who the manufacturers are that are performing them, and to provide guidance to encourage and support a broader range of manufacturers to embrace greater CSR. Interviews with CSR professionals with extensive experience in the practices of apparel manufacturers’ world class CSR programs were described, with dominant practices involving a focus on workers, incorporation of management systems, and taking ownership for conditions in their factories. The interviews also provided information about the benefits that accrue to manufacturers pursuing world class CSR and how buying companies can support these efforts. The research is valuable because it provides buying companies criteria by which to assess their manufacturers’ CSR programs and guidance for how they can support improved CSR.
Pressure phase relationships between carotid arterial pressure and intracranial pressure: the 'violin' analogy of intracranial pulsations

Address: 1Department of Neurosurgery, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Health Science Center, T-12 Room 080, Stony Brook, New York 11794-8122, USA, 2Department of Radiology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Health Science Center, Level 4, Room 109, Stony Brook, New York 11794-8460, USA, 3Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St. Antoine, Suite UHC-6E, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA, 4Department of Neurosurgery, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA and 5Department Mechanical Engineering, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, USA
Polyhalo-organometallic and -organometalloidal compounds : XIX. Some reactions of pentachloropyridine with organometallic compounds

Abstract Some reactions of pentachloropyridine with organometallic compounds have been described. n-Butyl-, methyl-, phenyl- and triphenylsilyllithium are found to react, mainly by metathesis. The Grignard reagents, like benzylmagnesium chloride and ethylmagnesium bromide give coupling products with pentachloropyridine, at the 4-position. Phenylmagnesium bromide, methylmagnesium iodide and pentafluorophenyllithium did not react with pentachloropyridine. 4,4′-Octachlorobipyridine has been synthesized by three different methods. In the reaction of 4-(trimethylsilyl) tetrachloropyridine with n-butyllithium, the existence of the short-lived 2,3-pyridyne seems probable.
Haptic Devices and Interfaces

The sense of touch (somatic or haptic) involving force-reflecting devices acting on, or in conjunction with, human movement, provides a powerful paradigm to assist individuals in shaping their biodynamic actions in specific tasks or scenarios. Haptics can behave as both a sensor (force display) or an actuator (controller) with much research accomplished in both areas. First a survey on current biomedical and rehabilitation applications is provided. A specific biomedical example is then presented that deals with modulating control motions made by physically challenged individuals that enabled more voluntary control. Finally, the future applicability of haptics or force reflecting technology is given. Keywords: haptic interfaces; rehabilitation engineering
Preparation of biopolymer film from chitosan modified with lipid fraction

Summary Films formed from polysaccharides, as chitosan, present a high permeability in water vapour. In order to increase resistance to water vapour for chitosan-based films, different lipid fractions were incorporated into a filmogenic matrix: fish and vegetable oils, stearic and oleic acids. The chitosan showed a molecular weight of 150 kDa and a deacetylation degree of 86 ± 1%. Results showed that incorporation of different lipid fractions decreased the water vapour permeability (WVP) (1.3–1.8 g mm m−2 day−1 kPa−1) as compared with pure chitosan film (3.8 g mm m−2 day−1 kPa−1). A higher reduction in WVP (65%) was found with the addition of refined fish oil to the continuous matrix of the films than with the addition of refined rice oil, oleic or stearic acid (50–60%). However, pure chitosan films showed better tensile strength (TS = 33 MPa) and elongation percentage (E = 18%) than lipids fraction–chitosan films (7–19 MPa and 7–13%, respectively).
Effects of altered water regimes on forest root systems

How ecosystems adapt to climate changes depends in part on how individual trees allocate resources to their components. A review of research using tree seedlings provides some support for the hypothesis that some tree species respond to exposure to drought with increases in root[ratio ]shoot ratios but little change in total root biomass. Limited research on mature trees over moderately long time periods (2–10 yr), has given mixed results with some studies also providing evidence for increases in root: shoot ratios. The Throughfall Displacement Experiment (TDE) was designed to simulate both an increase and a decrease of 33% in water inputs to a mature deciduous forest over a number of years. Belowground research on TDE was designed to examine four hypothesized responses to long-term decreases in water availability; (1) increases in fine-root biomass, (2) increases in fine root[ratio ]foliage ratio, (3) altered rates of fine-root turnover (FRT), and (4) depth of rooting. Minirhizotron root elongation data from 1994 to 1998 were examined to evaluate the first three hypotheses. Differences across treatments in net fine-root production (using minirhizotron root elongation observations as indices of biomass production) were small and not significant. Periods of lower root production in the dry treatment were compensated for by higher growth during favorable periods. Although not statistically significant, both the highest production (20 to 60% higher) and mortality (18 to 34% higher) rates were found in the wet treatment, resulting in the highest index of FRT. After 5 yr, a clear picture of stand fine-root-system response to drought exposure has yet to emerge in this forest ecosystem. Our results provide little support for either an increase in net fine-root production or a shift towards an increasing root[ratio ]shoot ratio with long-term drought exposure. One possible explanation for higher FRT rates in the wet treatment could be a positive relationship between FRT and nitrogen and other nutrient availability, as treatments have apparently resulted in increased immobilization of nutrients in the forest floor litter under drier conditions. Such hypotheses point to the continued need to study the interactions of water stress, nutrient availability and carbon-fixation efficiency in future long-term studies.
The Middle Intellectual Property Powers

Commissioned by a project funded by the Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law, this chapter examines a group of middle-income countries that have played or will play important roles in the international intellectual property regime. It begins by noting the challenges in identifying intellectual property developments in middle-income countries, due in large part to their divergent needs, interests, conditions and priorities. The chapter then contends that a smaller subset of this group will play important roles in the international intellectual property regime. Termed the "middle intellectual property powers," this subset includes Brazil, China, India, the uncontested leaders of the developing world. It could also cover other countries such as Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa and Thailand. Focusing on these emerging powers and drawing on statistics provided by the World Bank, the World Intellectual Property Organization and other organizations, this chapter identifies six common characteristics that are found within the group. It also examines the policy positions this group will take in the international intellectual property regime as well as the interactions they will have with other countries. The chapter concludes with four different lessons policymakers and commentators can draw from the experiences of the middle intellectual property powers.
An in situ calorimetric study of the synthesis of FAU zeolite

Abstract Synthesis of FAU zeolite from a mixture of silicate and aluminate solutions (5.15Na 2 O–1.00Al 2 O 3 –3.28SiO 2 –165H 2 O) was studied using an in situ calorimetric method at a heating rate of 0.1°C/min. The scanning calorimetric curve provides a coherent and consistent recording of the synthesis process. At low temperature (25–66°C), the calorimetric curve drifts slightly in the endothermic direction. Chemical analysis shows a slight increase in the dissolution of the amorphous gel/solid phase with increasing temperature in this period. The onset of the exothermic peak at 66.7°C is suggested to signal the beginning of the nucleation/crystallization process. Formation of the FAU structure is an exothermic event and the associated heat effect was directly measured, −2.38±0.06 kJ/mol based on TO 2 (T=Si or Al) or −457±12 kJ/mol based on the unit cell formula of the FAU product, Na 91 · Si 105 Al 91 O 384 · 277H 2 O. The integral heat for the crystallization by calorimetry agrees well with the X-ray diffraction (XRD) or NMR crystallinity of the solid phase. At the early stages of crystallization (integral heat
Effect of Aerosol on Cloud–Environment Interactions in Trade Cumulus

AbstractThis study examines the role of aerosol in mediating interactions between a warm trade cumulus cloud system and the environment that spawns it. Numerical simulations of the observed and well-studied Rain in Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) field experiment are performed. The results draw on simulations of 34-h duration so as to avoid conclusions based on transients. Simulations show that, on average, aerosol-perturbed clouds are initially deeper and more vigorous but that after about 14 h there is a reversal in this trend, and unperturbed clouds deepen relative to the perturbed clouds. Differences in cloud depth are about 100 m, and differences in vertical velocity variance are about 30%. After about 20 h, most cloud fields are statistically similar with the exception of rain rate and optical depth, which are lower and higher, respectively, in the high-aerosol conditions. By sampling the model output at various points in the cloud system evolution, the mechanisms responsible for the initial differenc...
Extraction of line structures from photographs of curved objects

This paper is concerned with the extraction of two-dimensional line structures from real photographs of both flat-faced and curved objects. Initially, the photograph is subjected to a nonlinear transformation that produces a two-dimensional stroke array. The strokes, which are weighted short vectors, are assembled into structures called streaks using graph searching techniques. Streaks are digital curves which exhibit polygonal as well as cellular properties. They are classified into prime, parasitic, and blurred streaks. The prime streaks are extended along second-order curves to form junctions, and are built into a line structure. The procedure was successfully tested on a variety of real photographs of dull- and shiny-surfaced objects. It can easily be optimized for a given class of images.
Scalar dilepton production at TeV e+e- colliders.

The production of scalar dileptons, both singly and in pairs, at TeV {ital e}{sup +}{ital e{minus}} colliders is examined and compared. We show that, over a wide range of masses and Yukawa couplings, single production of dileptons dominates over that for pairs. With striking decay signatures, the discovery limit for such particles can be close to the collider center-of-mass energy.
Optimal Distribution of Gases in Integrated Iron and Steel Works

This paper analyzes the optimizing distribution problems between the by-product gas in gas tank and self-contained boiler in electric power plant in the iron and steel plant. We discuss factors which have effect on operating costs, such as the control of gas tank position, the change of fuel load of self-contained boiler in electric power plant, price change of outsourcing fuels and so on. We set corresponding penalty function in iron and steel company as well as establish the optimizing mathematical model in gas supply system according to these questions. It can be known through solving the model that the gap of gas supply and consumption can be solved by optimizing distribution between gas tank and self-contained boiler in electric power plant. After that, reducing the consumption of purchased fuels amount and the frequent changes of fuels load in boiler, improving the efficiency of power generation, achieving zero-emission, making the gas supply system operates securely, economically and stably can realize.
Hormone binding alters the conformation of the insulin receptor

Fat cells or fat cell membranes were briefly subjected to mild proteolysis under conditions where insulin receptors were either free or bound to (125)I-labeled insulin. When receptors were then affinity-labeled to visualize the effects of this treatment, it was observed that receptors that had been occupied by ligand during proteolysis exhibited greater rates of degradation than unoccupied receptors. These results demonstrate that insulin-receptor interaction induces a change in receptor structure that may be related to signal transmission.
Gal transduction by phage lambda: on the origin and nature of LFT transducing genomes.

There are at least two classes of transducing particles made on the induction of normal λ lysogens: the first is capable of transducing by the insertion of the whole transducing genome into the host chromosome, so its genome must be capable of circularizing; the second transduces less well by insertion—perhaps not at all; if it does not transduce by insertion then its genome need not be linear. The formation of a transducing genome can be accomplished in three steps: (a) breaking the lysogenic bacterial chromosomes in two places, (b) joining the fragment ends together to form a circular structure, (c) opening the circle (by ter) to form a linear genome. If the resultant structure meets the requirements for λ packaging, it may be formed into a transducing phage, like a bougus λ. Any meaningful rearrangement of these steps in which step (b) is omitted or delayed leads to the formation of genomes, which are (1) unable to transduce by insertion (because both of its mature ends are unexposed) and (2) are on the average smaller than genomes which are capable of transducing by insertion (so the resultant transducing phage is less dense). Consequence (2) has been confirmed. We assume that the red function of λ catalyzes the joining of broken DNA molecules to each other. So red is responsible for rehealing the product of (a) back into a lysogenic chromosome and for catalyzing step (b), the healing of fragment ends into a circular structure. The much elevated level of stable transductants on induction of red − lysogens hereby is explained.
Photoinduced electron transfer in a symmetrical diporphyrin–fullerene triad

Two triad molecules consisting of either two zinc, or two free-base porphyrins symmetrically joined to a fullerene via phenyleneethynylene-containing linkages have been synthesized, and their photochemistry investigated. In the zinc form of the triad, PZn–C60–PZn, excitation of a zinc porphyrin in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran solution is followed by photoinduced electron transfer to the fullerene with a time constant of 20 ps. The resulting PZn˙+–C60˙−–PZn charge-separated state is formed with a quantum yield of 98% and has a lifetime of 820 ps. The first excited singlet state of the free-base analog gives the P2H˙+–C60˙−–P2H charge-separated state with a time constant of 200 ps and a yield of 98%. The charge-separated state decays with a lifetime of 2.8 ns. The difference in the rates of photoinduced electron transfer is consistent with reaction in the normal region of the Marcus–Hush relationship of transfer rate and driving force, and charge recombination is consistent with Marcus–Hush inverted behavior. The presence of the two porphyrin electron donors in these triads enhances the absorption cross section for light collection, and the molecular framework employed could be used to prepare molecules with enhanced energy conversion or optoelectronic properties.
Enhanced spontaneous emission from the inside of a multilayer hyperbolic metamaterial (presentation video)

We study the spontaneous emission enhancement inside a hyperbolic metamaterial, composed of a periodic stack of silver and silicon layers. After showing that the decay rate outside the multilayer can be spectrally altered via the metallic filling ratio, we embed the source within the individual silicon layers, and predict a 3-fold increase of the Purcell factor with respect to its outer value. Then we include the emitter in a polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) layer, and extract the plasmonic modes by means of a triangular and a rectangular grating, obtaining respectively a 10-fold and 6-fold enhancement in the power emitted into the far-field.
African American Family Homicide: Patterns in Partner, Parent, and Child Victimization, 1985-1987

The high incidence of violence between family members has become increasingly well documented in the last decade so that it is now generally recognized that a large number of individuals in the United States will experience some sort of violence at the hands of family members at some time in their lives (see, for example, Straus & Gelles, 1986; Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 1980). At the most extreme end of the continuum of this violence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that 14% of the 20,045 homicide victims in the United States in 1990 were murdered by members of their own families (FBI, 1990). As is the case with all types of homicide, African Americans are victimized by lethal violence at the hands of family members at rates that are many times higher than those for other racial groups in the United States (Mercy & Salzman, 1989; Plass & Straus, 1987). This article will present a descriptive analysis of this special subset of family murders, namely, those that occurred among African Americans. There are a number of reasons for an examination of family homicides occurring specifically among African Americans. First, although the inordinately high rate of homicide among African Americans has been observed and documented for many decades (Hackney, 1969; Hawkins, 1986a; Lottier, 1938; Shannon, 1954; Silberman, 1978), there has been what criminologist Darnell Hawkins (1986b) calls "a lack of systematic detailed analysis of the phenomena, including attention to intra-group distribution and patterning
Single-feed triple-frequency rectangular microstrip patch antenna with pairs of spur-lines

A rectangular microstrip patch antenna with triple resonant frequencies is presented. Two pairs of spur-lines are embedded in the non-radiating edges of the patch antenna to excite extra resonant frequencies. The placement of spur-lines is made to achieve good radiation efficiency and impedance matching at all three resonant frequencies. Good agreement between the simulations and measurements is obtained.
Laminar wave train structure of collisionless magnetic slow shocks

The laminar wave-train structure of collisionless magnetic slow shocks is investigated using two-fluid hydromagnetics with ion-cyclotron-radius dispersion. For shock strengths less than the maximally strong switch-off shock, in the shock-leading edge, dispersive steepening forms a magnetic-field gradient, while in the downstream flow dispersive propagation forms a trailing wave train; dispersion scale lengths are the ion inerrial length if β > 1 and the ion cyclotron radius if β > 1. In the switch-off slow-shock leading edge, dispersion only produces rotations of the magnetic-field direction; the gradient of the magnetic-field magnitude, and hence the shock-steepening length, is determined solely by resistive diffusion. The switch-off shock structure consists of a long trailing train of magnetic rotations which are gradually damped by resistivity. The low-6 parallel fast switch-on shock has a similar wave-train structure with the magnitude of the field rotations gradually increasing toward the downstream flow.
ERK1/2 phosphorylation, induced by electromagnetic fields, diminishes during neoplastic transformation.

It has been suggested that electromagnetic (EM) fields can act as co-promoters during neoplastic transformation. To examine this possibility, we studied the effects of 0.8-, 8-, 80-, and 300-μT 60-Hz electromagnetic (EM) fields in INITC3H/10T1/2 mouse fibroblast cells. These cells are transformed carcinogenically by methylcholanthrene, but the neoplastic phenotype can be suppressed indefinitely by the presence of retinyl acetate (RAC) in the culture medium. The effects of EM field exposures were examined at three stages: (1) before initiation of transformation (i.e., RAC in the culture media); (2) early in the transformation process (4 days after withdrawal of RAC); and (3) at full of neoplastic transformation (10 days after withdrawal of RAC). EM field exposures induced significant increases in protein levels for hsp70 and c-Fos and in AP-1 binding activity. EM fields induced phosphorylation of MAPK/ERK1/2 before the onset of transformation, but these increases diminished during the transformation process. No phosphorylation in the other major extracellular stress pathway, SAPK/JNK, was detected in cells exposed to EM fields at any time before, during, or after neoplastic transformation. Human cells HL60, MCF7, and HTB124, exposed to EM fields, also showed MAPK/ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Cells treated with the phorbol ester, TPA, served as positive controls for AP-1 activation, c-Fos protein synthesis, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. There was no indication that EM fields affected the rate of cell transformation or acted as a co-promoter, under the conditions of this study. J. Cell. Biochem. 78:371–379, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.