cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Zwitterionische Polymere mit antimikrobiellen und Nonfouling-Eigenschaften

Zwitterionische Polymere werden im Allgemeinen als eine neue Klasse von abweisenden “Nonfouling”-Materialien angesehen. Sie verfugen uber eine breitere chemische Diversitat als entsprechende Polyethylenglycole (PEG) und eine grosere Freiheit hinsichtlich des Molekuldesigns. Dieser Kurzaufsatz stellt neueste mikrobiologische Anwendungen zwitterionischer Polymere und ihrer Derivate in den Mittelpunkt, wobei verschiedene molekulare Strategien hervorgehoben werden, die antimikrobielle und Nonfouling-Eigenschaften integrieren. Ferner werden Erkenntnisse uber die Bakterienbewuchshemmung durch zwitterionische Polymere sowie ein Beispiel fur die technische Verwendung zwitterionischer Polymerderivate als antimikrobielle Wundauflagen diskutiert.
Changes in cognition following mild stroke

The objective of the study was to determine how performance on cognitive assessments administered in the subacute phase of mild stroke change or remain stable over time. A prospective longitudinal cohort pilot study was used to assess the cognitive status of participants with mild stroke (n = 20) at two time points: (1) within 3 weeks post-discharge from the acute care setting following mild stroke, and (2) approximately 6 months post-mild stroke. Participants were given a battery of cognitive assessments at both time points that included the following measures: (1) Short Blessed Test, (2) California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), (3) Connor's Continuous Performance Task (CPT), and (4) The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS) Trail Making subtest. The only significant differences between the test administrations was on the CVLT Short Delay Free Recall (p = .027) and Long Delay Free Recall (p = .002) which was likely due to practice effects associated with this measure. The results of the study sho...
Advances in wide-bandgap semiconductor based photocathode devices for low light level applications

The basic requirement for an imaging low-light level system (one capable of single photon counting) is that the device has low dark current. Photocathode based devices have the advantage over solid state devices in this regard as the dark current is inherently low. A further requirement for UV detectors is the necessity to suppress the sensitivity in the red, and wide-band gap semi-conductors fill this role well. For nitride based semi-conductors, there is still the issue of making p-type material and making alloys with Al or In to move the red cutoff to the blue (Al) or red (In). Regardless of the material (e.g. another choice is diamond) coupling the resulting photocathode to a device such as a micro-channel plate (MCP) is necessary to produce imaging. Based on advances we have made both in the production of p- type GaN photocathodes, diamond photocathodes, and read-outs of Si MCPs, we are on the verge of making high quality UV imaging systems for astronomy and other low-light level applications. In this paper we will review the progress that has been made over the past few years and provide an update with recent results.
Longitudinal relaxographic imaging of white matter hyperintensities in the elderly

Incidental white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are common findings on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images of the aged brain and have been associated with cognitive decline. While a variety of pathogenic mechanisms have been proposed, the origin of WMHs and the extent to which lesions in the deep and periventricular white matter reflect distinct etiologies remains unclear. Our aim was to quantify the fractional blood volume (vb) of small WMHs in vivo using a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approach and examine the contribution of blood–brain barrier disturbances to WMH formation in the deep and periventricular white matter. Twenty-three elderly volunteers (aged 59–82 years) underwent 7 Tesla relaxographic imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI. Maps of longitudinal relaxation rate constant (R1) were prepared before contrast reagent (CR) injection and throughout CR washout. Voxelwise estimates of vb were determined by fitting temporal changes in R1 values to a two-site model that incorporates the effects of transendothelial water exchange. Average vb values in deep and periventricular WMHs were determined after semi-automated segmentation of FLAIR images. Ventricular permeability was estimated from the change in CSF R1 values during CR washout. In the absence of CR, the total water fraction in both deep and periventricular WMHs was increased compared to normal appearing white matter (NAWM). The vb of deep WMHs was 1.8 ± 0.6 mL/100 g and was significantly reduced compared to NAWM (2.4 ± 0.8 mL/100 g). In contrast, the vb of periventricular WMHs was unchanged compared to NAWM, decreased with ventricular volume and showed a positive association with ventricular permeability. Hyperintensities in the deep WM appear to be driven by vascular compromise, while those in the periventricular WM are most likely the result of a compromised ependyma in which the small vessels remain relatively intact. These findings support varying contributions of blood–brain barrier and brain-CSF interface disturbances in the pathophysiology of deep and periventricular WMHs in the aged human brain.
Molecular and cellular genetics of fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome (FraX) is one of the most prevalent genetic causes of developmental disability, representing the most frequent form of inherited severe cognitive deficit, second only to Down syndrome as a genetic cause of mental retardation. It is estimated that the FraX affects approximately 1 in 2,500 individuals [Gustavson et al., 1986; Webb et al., 1986; Neri et al., 1988; Rousseau et al., 1991; Warren and Ashley, 1995]. FraX was originally described by Martin and Bell [1943], who reported the first pedigree of a sex-linked form of mental retardation. Later, Lubs [1969] demonstrated its cosegregation with a cytogenetic abnormality of the X chromosome. The latter was characterized as a constriction, or isochromatid gap, close to the distal end of the long arm of the X chromosome of male affected individuals as well as of female carriers. Studies by Sutherland [1977] and Harrison et al. [1983] finally helped to establish the nature of this anomaly as a fragile site, that can be induced under certain culture conditions. Since the early descriptions by Turner et al. [1975] of the association of X-linked mental retardation and macroorchidism, considerable advances have been made in further defining the phenotypic spectrum of FraX. This information, in conjunction with the identification of a single mutated gene (FMR1) as the cause of FraX, has made this syndrome probably the best understood form of mental retardation. Furthermore, recent data on the neurobiology of the FraX gene product (FMRP) [Feng et al., 1997] have provided new directions for research on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cognitive processes. This review intends to provide an update on both the molecular genetics of FraX and on the possible role of FMRP at the cellular level, particularly in the central nervous system (CNS). DEFINITION OF THE FRAGILE X PHENOTYPE
Heat and Concentration Effects on the Small Heat Shock Protein, α-Crystallin

α-Crystallin, a major protein of the mammalian lens, plays a vital role in maintaining the structural stability and transparency of the lens. It performs this function through chaperone-like activity; it has recently been reported that heating α-crystallin enhances this ability. The present studies, using both time-resolved and steady-state fluorescence methods, were carried out to compare the conformational changes that result from heating with those that result from increasing protein concentration (up to 70 mg/mL). The relative fluorescence quantum yield from tryptophan (Trp) present in α-crystallin increases and then decreases with a concomitant shift of the emission maximum to longer wavelengths when either heating times or protein concentrations are increased. The time profile of fluorescence decay was resolved into three components with lifetimes of ca 0.5, 3 and 7 ns and emission maxima of ca 340, 342 and 350 nm, respectively. With longer heating time or increasing concentrations the contribution from the longer-lived component increases at the expense of the shorter-lived species. These data indicate that with heating or at higher concentrations the internal Trp residues move to the surface of the protein giving a more hydrophobic exterior and possibly explain the reported increased chaperone activity upon heating. As a result of the concentration studies, α-crystallin may be more efficient in its chaperone activity in vivo than has been determined by in vitro experiments.
Towards individual-owned and owner-operated fleets in the Alaska Halibut and Sablefish IFQ program

Although numerous IFQ programs include active participation measures intended to retain or transition fishing privileges to active fishermen, there has been limited research on the efficacy of these measures. This study addresses this gap by examining the impacts of active participation measures in the Alaska halibut and sablefish IFQ program, which were intended to provide for an ultimate transition of the catcher vessel fleets in these fisheries to becoming fully individual-owned and owner-operated. This paper shows that the effectiveness of these measures has been mixed and constrained by apparently strong incentives for many initial recipients of quota shares to effectively lease their annual IFQ allocations (through the use of hired skippers) rather than to sell their quota shares. Perhaps most problematic is the emergence of a class of wholly absentee quota shareholders, who hold only nominal interest in the vessel upon which their IFQ is fished, do not share in the risk of fishing, and continue to profit from the fishery while residing far away from the actual fishing grounds. There is also anecdotal evidence of differing cultural contexts for hired skipper use and second-generation entry between the Seattle and Alaska-based fleets in the Alaska halibut and sablefish fisheries. Wherein acting as a hired skipper may be analogous to an apprenticeship that facilitates quota share acquisition in the Seattle fleet, Alaskan hired skippers may be more analogous to strict lessees, who ultimately compete for quota shares in a market that includes initial recipients and second-generation shareholders both of whom were gifted quota shares.
A Novel Method to Create Intelligent Sensors with Learning Capabilities to Improve Modern Production Systems

A formal theory for the development of a generic model of an autonomous sensor is proposed and implemented. An autonomous sensor is defined as an intelligent sensor that has machine learning capabilities. It not only interprets the acquired data in accordance with an embedded expert system knowledge base, but is also capable of using this data to modify and enhance this knowledge base. Hence, the system is capable of learning and thereby improving its performance over time. The main objective of the model is to combine the capabilities of the physical sensor and an expert operator monitoring the sensor in real-time. The system has been successfully tested using various simulated data sets as well as a real thermistor that has been developed as an autonomous sensor. This work has significant impact on modem production systems since sensors form an integral part of all closed loop control systems, and modem manufacturing processes rely heavily on sensor based control systems. The long range aim of this work is to develop highly autonomous production systems that have self diagnostic, maintenance, self correction, and learning capabilities embedded at the local and global levels. This work builds upon work on a formalized theory for autonomous sensing called Dynamic Across Time Autonomous-Sensing, Interpretation, Model learning and Maintenance Theory (DATA-SEIALAMT) that has been supported by the NSF and the SME Education Foundation.
Music/voice separation using the similarity matrix

Repetition is a fundamental element in generating and perceiving structure in music. Recent work has applied this principle to separate the musical background from the vocal foreground in a mixture, by simply extracting the underlying repeating structure. While existing methods are effective, they depend on an assumption of periodically repeating patterns. In this work, we generalize the repetitionbased source separation approach to handle cases where repetitions also happen intermittently or without a fixed period, thus allowing the processing of music pieces with fast-varying repeating structures and isolated repeating elements. Instead of looking for periodicities, the proposed method uses a similarity matrix to identify the repeating elements. It then calculates a repeating spectrogram model using the median and extracts the repeating patterns using a time-frequency masking. Evaluation on a data set of 14 full-track real-world pop songs showed that use of a similarity matrix can overall improve on the separation performance compared with a previous repetition-based source separation method, and a recent competitive music/voice separation method, while still being computationally efficient.
Effects of Surface Sterilization and Automatic Collection on Cabbage Looper Eggs

Sodium hypochlorite, formalin, and water washes were used in an automatic collection procedure to surface sterilize eggs of Trichoplusia ni (Hubner). Treatments damaged the eggshells but only formalin significantly reduced the percentage of egg hatch or larval survival. Sodium hypochlorite was the most suitable chemical for use with a liquid egg-collecting and dispensing system.
Do Protective Behavioral Strategies Mediate the Effect of Preparty Motives on Event-Level Preparty Alcohol Use?

ABSTRACTBackground: Research suggests that protective behavioral strategies (PBS) serve as one mechanism through which drinking motives can influence alcohol use. Whether these findings generalize to preparty drinking has yet to be examined. Objectives: The current study attempts to fill this gap in the literature by examining three types of PBS (Limiting/Stopping Drinking, Manner of Drinking, and Serious Harm Reduction) as mediators of the relationship between preparty-specific drinking motives (e.g., Interpersonal Enhancement, Intimate Pursuit, Situational Control, and Barriers to Consumption) and event-level preparty drinking. Method: Participants were 986 college students from two universities taking part in a larger alcohol intervention study who reported on the amount of alcohol they consumed during a recent preparty occasion. Results: After controlling for general drinking motives, campus affiliation, and gender, Manner of Drinking PBS (e.g., avoiding drinking games and consuming shots of liquor) w...
Fluorescence microscopy for measuring fibril angles in pine tracheids.

Observation and measurement of fibril angles in increment cores or similar small samples from living pine trees was facilitated by the use of fluorescence microscopy. Although some autofluorescence was present, brighter images could be obtained by staining the specimens with a 0.1% aqueous solution of a fluoro-chrome (Calcozine Ha vine TG extra concentrated, Calcozine red 6G extra, rhodamine 6G, rhodamine 6GD extra, or a succession of flavine and rhodamine). Staining for 2—5 min followed by a 5-10 sec washing in distilled water and drying 15 min at 190-195°C prepared radially split surfaces of specimens for microscopic observation with ultraviolet light. Measurement of fibril angles, important for the determination of wood strength and the properties of its pulp, was made with a protractor eyepiece. Photomicrography was feasible also, and the need of preparing microtome sections was obviated.
The study on process evaluation of health literacy in Jiangsu Province in 2012

Objective In order to develop the process evaluation of health literacy work among different cities in Jiangsu Province. Methods Field observation evaluation,questionnaire survey and telephone return were adopted to collect data,comprehensive index method and correlation analysis were used to evaluate the process of health literacy work in different cities. Results The coverage rate of health literacy intervention is more over 7. 8% in 2012. The payout ratio of health literacy materials is 20. 38%. About 785 health promotion demonstration sites were built. There is statistically significant differences between comprehensive index and intervention index,but no difference in health literacy and the two indexes. Conclusion The health literacy intervention could be assess from different aspects by the process evaluation,to reflect the intervention implementation capacity comprehensively. Then it could be more conductive to carry out the health literacy work in Jiangsu Province.
One case of disulfiram-like reaction with mental disorder result from drinking after intravenous drip cefmetazole

Double sulfur shimron sample reaction also known asdisulfiram-like reaction.As a result of the accumulation of acetaldehyde poisoning reaction in the body,it is due to drinking alcoholic beverages(or alcohol) after application of drugs(cephalosporins).A case of encounter in clinical was drinking after intravenous dripcefmetazole sodium and resulted in disulfiram-like reaction with mental disorder was analyzed.The pathogenesis,on-site aid and prevention measures were understood by observation the clinical manifestation after occurred,treatment process and combined with relative literature data.Suggested that clinical medical staff to improve the cognition to thedisulfiram-like reaction at work,especially in the application of cephalosporin drugs.It needs to strictly grasp the indications and the matters needing attention and pay more attention to the publicity and education of patients,to decrease the incidence rate and misdiagnosis rate of this reaction.
Neutron Polarization and Analyzing Power in the 15N(p, n0)15O Reaction

Although the (p, n) reaction between mirror nuclei has long been used to explore the effective neutron-proton interactionl,2), special attention has recently been given to differences between the polarization P and analyzing power A3,4). Following Conzett4), we consider a measurement of P in the reaction \( B\left( {p,\vec n} \right)B' \), for which invariance under time reversal I gives $$ B\left( {p,\vec n} \right)B' = B'\left( {\vec n,p} \right)B\left( {P = {A_I}} \right). $$
Theoretical Analysis on the Private Provision of Public Goods

Since Samuelson's two seminal papers on public goods, it generally is accepted that private provision of public goods under competitive conditions is Pareto inefficient. This is due to free riding behavior. However, there have been many public goods provided by private sectors during recent years around the world. The facts should be explained theoretically. Based on the analysis of the reason of people voluntary distribution for the provision of public goods, the paper presents the theoretical basis, as well as the forms of private provision.
An Improved Helical Stone Basket

AbstractModern technological methods and materials have been used to redesign and improve upon the retractable, spiral stone basket. The result has been the development of a reasonably inexpensive, safe and more successful instrument.
Conformational Mobility of Immobilized α3β2, α3β4, α4β2, and α4β4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Four affinity chromatography stationary phases have been developed based upon immobilized nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes, the α3β2, α3β4, α4β2, and α4β4 nAChRs. The stationary phases were created using membranes from cell lines expressing the subtypes and an immobilized artificial membrane stationary phase. The immobilized nAChRs were characterized using frontal chromatography with the agonist epibatidine as the marker. The observed binding affinities for the agonists epibatidine, nicotine, and cytisine were consistent with reported values, indicating that the nAChRs retained their ability to bind agonists. The noncompetitive inhibitors (NCIs) of the nAChR (R)- and (S)-mecamylamine, phencylcidine, dextromethoprphan, and levomethorphan were also chromatographed on the columns using nonlinear chromatography techniques. The studies were carried out before and after exposure of the columns to epibatidine. The NCI retention times increased after exposure to epibtatidine as did the enantiosel...
Recent advances in surgery of the fallopian tubes.

The “new pathology” seen in fertility clinics is the blocked fallopian tube without palpable disease. The cornu is a common site of occlusion, and bilateral tubal implantation can be highly successful. A less common site of occlusion is the fimbrial end of the tube. Here the surgical technics includes temporary use of a hood to protect the newly opened oviduct. Corrective technics for both types of occlusion are described.
Preparing Early Childhood Professionals to Meet the Changing Demography of the United States

Changing family structures, such as children living with grandparents or older siblings caring for children, gay and lesbian parents, families who are newly immigrated or undocumented, single head of house hold due to incarceration, divorce, and military deployment have become common place in the last two decades. Therefore, teachers must prepare themselves for meeting the needs of young children and their families through social justice considerations. Building off these considerations and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Position Statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children Birth Through Age 8, this chapter offers recommendations for integrating a social justice perspective into Early Childhood Care and Education.
Density and the growth of even-aged stands

This study develops a density-driven module and combines it with conventional growth equations, making the resulting model applicable to managed stands. The relationship between the diameter increment of an average tree and density evolves from the analysis of amount of light coming to the unshaded (upper) part of the crown, distribution of foliage along the stem, proportion of light transmitted through the crown, probability of shading the lower part of the crown, and other processes. The density module contains seven parameters, all of which can be assessed from existing knowledge. One of the parameters quantifies phenotypic adaptation, which mitigates competition stress. The entire model starts and ends with basic measurable variables: number of trees per unit area and their average diameter. The growth processes are evoked only to connect the current and future values of stand variables.
Emotions of the weak: violence and ethnic boundaries among Coptic Christians in Egypt

ABSTRACTThis article offers a theoretical framework to understand Muslim–Christian relations in contemporary Egypt. I argue that the interdependence of power relations, emotions, and symbolic boundaries are the key to understanding minority emotions as a political product and a boundary marker. Particular emotions of Christian minorities invoked during interactions and non-interactions with Muslim neighbours reveal the distance between the two groups, while cultivating cohesion among Christians. Data collected from participant observation in public spaces of a religiously tolerant neighbourhood in Cairo and in-depth interviews with 27 Coptic Christians show that indirect violence and daily microaggressions, triggered by the power disparity, unfold internalized fear and ‘righteous indignation’, negative feelings including anger and irritation against unjust treatment. Findings also discuss Coptic strategies to dismiss negative emotions. The interdependent framework, which has been largely understudied, exp...
Studies on Histomonas meleagridis: IV. A continuous automatic potentiometric method of measuring the Eh of protozoan cultures

Abstract For the first time the E h of a protozoan, Histomonas meleagridis , has been recorded continuously throughout an experimental period of 7 days. The E h at which best growth occurs under the experimental conditions observed was found to be in the vicinity of −150 millivolts.
Global Climate Change Impacts on Pacific Islands Terrestrial Biodiversity: A Review:

The islands of the Pacific region hold three of the 35 global biodiversity hotspots with large numbers of endemic species. Global climate change will exacerbate the challenges faced by the biodiversity of this region. In this review, we identify trends in characteristics for 305 terrestrial species threatened by climate change and severe weather according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). We then review the literature on observed and potential impacts of climate change on terrestrial biodiversity, focusing on the species' characteristics that were identified. High-elevation ecosystems such as cloud montane forests are projected to disappear entirely by the year 2100, with corresponding global losses of their endemic biodiversity. Sea level rise threatens restricted range species on small low-lying atolls. Shifts in distribution may be possible for generalist species, but range shifts will be difficult for species with small distributions, specialized habit...
Highly Accurate Pseudospectral Approximations of the Prolate Spheroidal Wave Equation for Any Bandwidth Parameter and Zonal Wavenumber

The prolate spheroidal wave equation (PSWE) is transformed, using suitable mappings, into three different canonical forms which resemble the Jacobi, Laguerre and the Hermite differential equations. The eigenpairs of the PSWE are approximated with the corresponding classical orthogonal polynomial as a basis set. It is observed that for any zonal wavenumber m the Jacobi type pseudospectral methods are well suited for small bandwidth parameters c whereas the Hermite and Laguerre pseudospectral methods are appropriate for very large c values. Moreover, Jacobi pseudospectral methods work well for any parameter values such that $$m\ge c$$mźc. Our numerical results confirm that for any values of m, the Jacobi $$\left[ (\alpha ,\beta )=(\pm 1/2,m)\right] $$(ź,β)=(±1/2,m) and the Laguerre $$({\upgamma }=\pm 1/2)$$(ź=±1/2) pseudospectral methods formulated in this article for the numerical solution of the PSWE with small and very large bandwidth parameters, respectively, are highly efficient both from the accuracy and fastness point of view.
Membrane Permeation and Aggregation of Toxins via Enhanced Free Energy Sampling

Mycolactone, the exotoxin produced by Mycobacterium ulcerans and key virulence factor behind Buruli ulcer disease, is thought to passively permeate through host membranes. Yet it has also been shown to be carried in outer membrane vesicles in the extracellular matrix of M. ulcerans, and to have increased cytotoxicity when delivered in such vesicles. Moreover, the toxin is clearly amphiphilic. Thus, the role of toxin-membrane interactions during host infection are unclear. In this work we demonstrate how transition-tempered metadynamics can be used to characterize membrane permeation and aggregation of a large toxin in atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the exotoxin has a strong affinity for the lipid bilayer, even greater than that of a cholesterol molecule. Although the permeation mechanisms differ for the two dominant isomers, both show complete submersion in the bilayer environment. These findings suggest that lipids play an integral role in the transport and delivery of mycolactone to host cells.
Mechanisms of Neutrophil Activation: Phosphoinositides, Protein Kinase C and Calcium Movements

Activation of the neutrophil by interaction of a ligand such as f-Met-Leu-Phe with its specific receptor elicits a prompt breakdown of phosphatidyl inositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and the generation of phosphatidic acid (PA) via diacyl glycerol. There is a rapid elevation of cytosolic calcium and activation of protein kinase C. Calcium and protein kinase C act synergistically to elicit the physiological responses of superoxide anion generation, cell-cell aggregation and degranulation. Although PIP2 breakdown and PA generation are prompt responses of neutrophils to receptor occupancy by chemoattractants such as f-Met-Leu-Phe, these steps can be bypassed by stimuli which directly activate protein kinase C (PMA) or increase cytosolic calcium (ionomycin). Elevation of cytosolic Ca and activation of protein kinase C did not elicit breakdown of PIP2, indicating that phosphoinositide remodelling is not caused by activating protein kinase C or by elevating cytosolic calcium. Nor is such a breakdown or the generation of phosphatidic acid required for the subsequent responses. The evidence indicates that PIP2 breakdown is an early event in stimulus response coupling and is correlated with receptor initiated generation of the signals.
Zirconium diboride thin films for use in high temperature sensors and MEMS devices

Sensors and MEMS devices operating in high temperature environments require stable thin films with high electrical conductivity for use as electrodes, bond pads, and other components. Metal films are unreliable because of thermodynamically driven morphological instability and agglomeration over long times. Zirconium diboride (ZrB2) is an ultra-high temperature conducting ceramic with a melting point of 3245°C, with low atomic diffusion rates compared to other materials. To evaluate ZrB2 as a high temperature film, 200 nm thick ZrB2 films were synthesized on r-sapphire substrates using e-beam co-evaporation of elemental Zr and B sources. Film stability was characterized after post-deposition thermal treatments from 600-1000°C in both reducing (vacuum) and oxidizing (air) environments. ZrB2 films deposited at room temperature are amorphous, but have short-range order characteristic of ZrB2 bonding. ZrB2 films grown at 600°C are polycrystalline with preferred <0001< texture, whereas at 850°C grains with preferred <10-10< and <10-11< texture become dominant. Negligible grain growth or morphology changes occur after annealing at 850°C for 55 hours in vacuum, and film electrical conductivity remains <105 S/m. Annealing in air, however, leads to ZrB2 film decomposition into ZrO2 and B2O3 phases, the latter of which is volatile. X-ray diffraction indicates that a 50 nm thick hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) capping layer grown on top of ZrB2 via magnetron sputtering hinders oxidation, but the ZrB2 eventually transforms to ZrO2. These results indicate that ZrB2 films are attractive for potential use in sensors and MEMS devices in high temperature reducing environments, and for short times in oxidizing environments when covered with a h-BN capping layer.
Nonlinear Systems Identification using the Lyapunov Method

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present a technique of parameter identification for nonlinear stationary systems. The unknown coefficients of plants are determined via Lyapunov’s method using the model reference concept. The identified process parameters are calculated as a solution of nonlinear differential equations. The aim of this paper is to show how to solve a problem of determining parameter values and prove convergence of the proposed scheme. The use of the Lyapunov method makes the solution of the identification problem for nonlinear stationary systems straightforward.
Simplified Methods for Combining Natural and Mechanical Ventilation

Author(s): Hurel, Nolwenn; Sherman, Max H.; Walker, Iain S. | Abstract: In determining ventilation rates, it is often necessary to combine naturally-driven ventilation, such as infiltration, with mechanical systems. Modern calculation methods are sufficiently powerful that this can be done from first principles with time varying flows, but for some purposes simplified methods of combining the mechanical and natural ventilation are required—we call this “superposition”. An example of superposition would be ventilation standards that may pre-calculate some quantities within the body of the standard. When there are balanced mechanical systems, the solution is simple additivity, because a balanced system does not impact the internal pressure of the space. Unbalanced systems, however, change internal pressures and therefore can impact natural ventilation in such a way as to make it sub-additive. Several sub-additive superposition models are found in the literature. This paper presents the results of millions of hours of simulations of the physically correct solution, which span a broad range of climates, air leakage and structural conditions. This wide range of data allows for the comparison of three superposition models from the literature and eight new ones. The results show that by using the appropriate model(s) superposition errors can be reduced significantly, from the 20% over-prediction of simple linear addition to 1% or less.
Citizen Krueger: An Examination of Cultural Province and Community Preservation

This study describes the efforts of an educator to both engage and enlighten his local community regarding the importance of preserving primary resources, and a brief community history highlighting its origin. Finally, this study offers a narrative regarding a community’s collaborative effort to re-discover and reclaim its identity.
Two subunits of the exocyst, Sec3p and Exo70p, can function exclusively on the plasma membrane

The exocyst is an octameric complex that tethers secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane in preparation for fusion. We anchored each subunit with a transmembrane (TM) domain at its N- or C-terminus. Only N-terminally anchored TM-Sec3p and C-terminally anchored Exo70p-TM proved functional. These findings orient the complex with respect to the membrane and establish that Sec3p and Exo70p can function exclusively on the membrane. The functions of TM-Sec3p and Exo70p-TM were largely unaffected by blocks in endocytic recycling, suggesting that they act on the plasma membrane rather than on secretory vesicles. Cytosolic pools of the other exocyst subunits were unaffected in TM-sec3 cells, while they were partially depleted in exo70-TM cells. Blocking actin-dependent delivery of secretory vesicles in act1-3 cells results in loss of Sec3p from the purified complex. Our results are consistent with a model in which Sec3p and Exo70p can function exclusively on the plasma membrane while the other subunits are brought to them on secretory vesicles.
Till Death Do Us Part: The Marriage of Autophagy and Apoptosis

Autophagy is a widely conserved catabolic process that is necessary for maintaining cellular homeostasis under normal physiological conditions and driving the cell to switch back to this status quo under times of starvation, hypoxia, and oxidative stress. The potential similarities and differences between basal autophagy and stimulus-induced autophagy are still largely unknown. Both act by clearing aberrant or unnecessary cytoplasmic material, such as misfolded proteins, supernumerary and defective organelles. The relationship between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and autophagy is complex. Cellular ROS is predominantly derived from mitochondria. Autophagy is triggered by this event, and by clearing the defective organelles effectively, it lowers cellular ROS thereby restoring cellular homeostasis. However, if cellular homeostasis cannot be reached, the cells can switch back and choose a regulated cell death response. Intriguingly, the autophagic and cell death machines both respond to the same stresses and share key regulatory proteins, suggesting that the pathways are intricately connected. Here, the intersection between autophagy and apoptosis is discussed with a particular focus on the role ROS plays.
The Congenital Bilateral Peri-Sylvian Syndrome

Advances in diagnostic imaging techniques, particularly magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, have permitted the recognition of developmental malformations of the central nervous system with a high degree of accuracy (Barth, 1987; Friede, 1989; Byrd et al., 1989; Barkovich and Kjos, 1992). Recent clinico-radiological correlative studies have demonstrated the broad spectrum of these malformations and have contributed to the recognition that some of these disorders have common pathogenic mechanisms (Graff-Radford et al., 1986; Kuzniecky et al., 1988; Palmini et al, 1991; Barkovich and Kjos, 1992a,b).
Statistics in Archaeological Geology

Waltham (1994) considers statistics the most intensively used branch of mathematics in the earth sciences. His textbook, along with that of Robert Drennan, Statistics for Archaeologists (1996), are excellent introductions to statistics appropriate for archaeological geology. Following Waltham, the definition of a statistic is simply an estimate of a parameter — mass, velocity, dimension, etc. — based upon a sample from a population. Unless that population is composed of a relatively small number of items or objects then it almost certain that estimates must be made of the populations using independently drawn samples. As archaeology is largely a study of a population of “things”, reliable estimates of these collections are best made using statistical techniques. These techniques include parametric measures of central tendency and dispersion such as the mean, the standard deviation and the variance.
Factors Influencing a Mother’s Decision to Breastfeed

Any mother delivering at an inner city, University hospital on postpartum days 1-4 during 2 periods (June-August 1996 & June-August 1997) was eligible for enrollment into the study. Based on observed/self-reported behavior, women were classified either as (1) initiators of breastfeeding only or as (2) initiators of formula feeding only. Combination breast/formula feeders were excluded from the study (n = 16). A structured interview and a 264-question Revised NEO Personality Inventory were used to objectively determine attitudinal, cultural and personality traits. A Hollingshead score was calculated for each subject based on occupation and educational level. Following the interview, the subjects were asked to complete the personality inventory.
Naturalizing Tomasello’s history of morality

Building on different sources of theory, from paleontology to psychology, Michael Tomasello offers a plausible, even compelling, story about how our ancestors developed distinctive forms of collabo...
U.S. Naval Strategy in the 1990s: Selected Documents

Abstract : The eight documents in this collection are the key published statements that the Navy's leadership created during the 1990s to explain itself to the men and women of the Navy and, in several instances, to Congress, and to the general public. This collection of documents, reflecting the evolution of official thinking within the United States Navy and Marine Corps during the post Cold War era concerning the fundamental missions and strategy of the sea services, is part of a larger project designed to bring greater transparency to an important dimension of our recent naval history. In the present volume, Newport Paper 27, covering the decade of the 1990s, Professor Hattendorf assembles for the first time in a single publication all the major naval strategy and policy statements of this period. Though all are public documents, most of these statements remain very little known and relatively inaccessible, at any rate outside the Navy itself. They are also not always easy to interpret, reflecting as they often do subtle shifts in emphasis or the nuances of internal bureaucratic argument rather than broadly understandable major changes in strategic thought or practice. Accordingly, the documents are accompanied by an introductory essay that attempts to put them in the proper historical and institutional perspective, as well as by a brief commentary for each that provides additional pertinent information and attempts to assess wider significance.
Retail margins in illegal drug markets

Abstract This paper analyzes a retail margin for four common street drugs using the US Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) System to Retrieve Information on Drug Enforcement (STRIDE). The retail margin is defined as the difference between the midlevel price and street level price of the drug. We regress various supply and demand side determinants to see which has the greatest effect on retail margin using Zellner’s (1962) Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR). Law enforcement agencies can use the results to help squeeze retail margins and decrease profits. The results indicate that an increase in arrests does not decrease margins, and an increase in the DEA budget only has an effect on the retail margin for methamphetamines. We also find a decrease in marijuana prices decreases the methamphetamine retail margin but increases the cocaine retail margin.
Extracting individual neural activity recorded through splayed optical microfibers

Previously introduced bundles of hundreds or thousands of microfibers have the potential to extend optical access to deep brain regions, sampling fluorescence activity throughout a three-dimensional volume. Each fiber has a small diameter (8 μm) and follows a path of least resistance, splaying during insertion. By superimposing the fiber sensitivity profile for each fiber, we model the interface properties for a simulated neural population. Our modeling results suggest that for small (<200) bundles of fibers, each fiber will collect fluorescence from a small number of nonoverlapping neurons near the fiber apertures. As the number of fibers increases, the bundle delivers more uniform excitation power to the region, moving to a regime where fibers collect fluorescence from more neurons and there is greater overlap between neighboring fibers. Under these conditions, it becomes feasible to apply source separation to extract individual neural contributions. In addition, we demonstrate a source separation technique particularly suited to the interface. Our modeling helps establish performance expectations for this interface and provides a framework for estimating neural contributions under a range of conditions.
Regioselective differentiation of vicinal methylene C–H bonds enabled by silver-catalysed nitrene transfer

Silver-catalyzed nitrene insertion enables the formation of benzosultams in good yield and with regioselectivity complementary to other transition metal nitrene-transfer catalysts. Preferential formation of six-membered benzosultam rings predominates for alkyl-substituted benzenesulphonamide precursors. Ligand-controlled tunability is also achieved for benzenesulphonamides with γ-branched alkyl substituents. Mechanistic probes suggest that the reaction pathway differs depending on whether a α (benzylic) or β (homobenzylic) C–H bond undergoes amidation, as well as the catalyst identity.
Mild to moderate chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a major public health problem in the USA and worldwide. A large majority of patients with CKD have mild to moderate disease and microalbuminuria. It has increasingly been noted that patients with CKD have a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular outcomes compared to patients with normal kidney function. Many studies have shown increased risk beginning at stage 3 CKD but risk has been elevated in patients with milder degrees of kidney dysfunction in some studies. This risk may be better predicted by the degree of albuminuria in the earlier stages of CKD. Data addressing interventions to improve outcomes in patients with mild to moderate CKD are scarce. In this paper, we examined data and post hoc analyses from the ORIGIN and ACCORD trials. Data indicate that intensive treatment of diabetes in patients with CKD actually may result in adverse outcomes. The mechanism by which CKD results in increased cardiovascular risk is not clear. Patients with CKD frequently have the traditional risk factors that cause cardiovascular disease and there are mechanisms that are unique to CKD that promote the development of cardiovascular disease. In this article, we describe in some detail traditional, newer and novel risk factors that play a role in the development of CKD and heart disease.
A complete set of spintronic hardware building blocks for low power, small footprint, high performance neuromorphic architectures

The end of Moore’s Law and the rise of “smart” consumer electronics has wide opened the gate for creative hardware design for the next few decades. While linear algebra accelerators and emulated hardware on FPGA has made some advances in this direction, a fundamentally diﬀerent approach is required for reaching the eﬃciency and performance that will be necessary to embed cognitive computing in-situ in these next generation devices. To address this problem, in this work, we present a collection of spintronic hardware building blocks, fabricable with present day technology, that can be used to build biologically inspired neuromorphic hardware. These hardware units provide neuromorphic behavior derived from their physics and manifested in their electrical characteristics, therefore opening the pathway for compact, low power and VLSI grade scalability using these units. The collection contains two types of stochastic neuron (SN) devices: Analog (ASN) and Binary (BSN) as well as multi-level programmable synaptic connections that can be used for implementing compact dendrites. We discuss the area and power savings brought on by these building blocks and compared with an example design using FPGAs. This functionally complete but minimal set of neuromorphic building blocks can be used to implement a variety of neuromorphic architectures, as demonstrated in this work. We end the discussion with design ideas for neuromorphic architectures, which do not merely implement fast linear algebra but go beyond to elevate compact, physics-based field programmable neuromorphic arrays as first class citizens in every designers toolkit.
Media literacy as liberator: Black audiences’ adoption of media literacy, news media consumption, and perceptions of self and group members

Robust literature identifies news media’s sordid history of presenting disparaging depictions of Black identity and its subsequent influence on non-Black audiences. However, research addressing Bla...
Etiology of Hypertension and its Association with Obesity in the Pediatric Population

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is considered to be the gold standard for evaluation of hypertension in children. Given the poor health outcomes and increased financial burden of those with HTN and those with obesity, early identification & intervention in preventing obesity and HTN is beneficial. We hypothesize that obesity contributes to HTN In obese children, while hypertension in children with normal BMI is likely to be due to a secondary cause. These children should therefore undergo further investigation, in …
Computing Images from Weak Optical Signals

Conventional imaging systems give poor results unless there is a sharp optical image with high signal-to-noise ratio. Contemporary computational methods enable the recovery of images from very weak signals, such as small numbers of photons in single-photon lidar and diffusely reflected light for non-line-of-sight imaging.