cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rational Design of a Multifunctional Binder for High-Capacity Silicon-Based Anodes

Although several principles have been recognized to fabricate a nominal “better” binder, there continues to be a lack of a rational design and synthesis approach that would meet the robust criteria required for silicon (Si) anodes. Herein, we report a synthetic polymer binder, i.e., catechol-functionalized chitosan cross-linked by glutaraldehyde (CS-CG+GA), that serves dual functionalities: (a) wetness-resistant adhesion capability via catechol grafting and (b) mechanical robustness via in situ formation of a three-dimensional (3D) network. A SiNP-based anode with a designed functional polymer network (CS-CG10%+6%GA) exhibits a capacity retention of 91.5% after 100 cycles (2144 ± 14 mAh/g). Properties that are traditionally considered to be advantageous, including stronger adhesion strength and higher mechanical robustness, do not always improve the binder performance. A clear relationship between these properties and ultimate electrochemical performance is established by assessing the rheological behavio...
Nociceptive pulmonary-cardiac reflexes are altered in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

Key points We investigated the cardiovascular and respiratory responses of the normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat and the spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rat to inhalation and intravenous injection of the noxious stimuli allyl isothiocyanate (AITC). AITC inhalation evoked atropine-sensitive bradycardia in conscious WKY rats, and evoked atropine-sensitive bradycardia and atenolol-sensitive tachycardia with premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in conscious SH rats. Intravenous injection of AITC evoked bradycardia but no tachycardia/PVCs in conscious SHs, while inhalation and injection of AITC caused similar bradypnoea in conscious SH and WKY rats. Anaesthesia (inhaled isoflurane) inhibited the cardiac reflexes evoked by inhaled AITC but not injected AITC. Data indicate the presence of a de novo nociceptive pulmonary-cardiac reflex triggering sympathoexcitation in SH rats, and this reflex is dependent on vagal afferents but is not due to steady state blood pressure or due to remodelling of vagal efferent function. Abstract Inhalation of noxious irritants/pollutants activates airway nociceptive afferents resulting in reflex bradycardia in healthy animals. Nevertheless, noxious pollutants evoke sympathoexcitation (tachycardia, hypertension) in cardiovascular disease patients. We hypothesize that cardiovascular disease alters nociceptive pulmonary-cardiac reflexes. Here, we studied reflex responses to irritants in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats. Inhaled allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) evoked atropine-sensitive bradycardia with atrial-ventricular (AV) block in conscious WKY rats, thus indicating a parasympathetic reflex. Conversely, inhaled AITC in conscious SH rats evoked complex brady-tachycardia with both AV block and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). Atropine abolished the bradycardia and AV block, but the atropine-insensitive tachycardia and PVCs were abolished by the β1 -adrenoceptor antagonist atenolol. The aberrant AITC-evoked reflex in SH rats was not reduced by acute blood pressure reduction by captopril. Surprisingly, intravenous AITC only evoked bradycardia in conscious SH and WKY rats. Furthermore, anaesthesia reduced the cardiac reflexes evoked by inhaled but not injected AITC. Nevertheless, anaesthesia had little effect on AITC-evoked respiratory reflexes. Such data suggest distinct differences in nociceptive reflex pathways dependent on cardiovascular disease, administration route and downstream effector. AITC-evoked tachycardia in decerebrate SH rats was abolished by vagotomy. Finally, there was no difference in the cardiac responses of WKY and SH rats to vagal efferent electrical stimulation. Our data suggest that AITC inhalation in SH rats evokes de novo adrenergic reflexes following vagal afferent activation. This aberrant reflex is independent of steady state hypertension and is not evoked by intravenous AITC. We conclude that pre-existing hypertension aberrantly shifts nociceptive pulmonary-cardiac reflexes towards sympathoexcitation.
Re-evaluating pressure chamber methods of water status determination in field-grown grapevine (Vitis spp.)

Abstract Despite the fact that the pressure chamber has been used as a tool to assess vine water status and assist in scheduling vineyard irrigation for more than 30 years, there remains some disagreement in sampling protocol with respect to midday leaf water potential (Ψleaf) and midday stem water potential (Ψstem) determination. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to test various sampling protocols associated with the measurement of these two variables. Specifically, experiments were conducted to test the effects of (1) re-cutting the petiole prior to placing the leaf in the chamber, (2) time span between sample excision and pressurization, (3) sample equilibration time on Ψstem values, and (4) the effect of operator. Results showed that there was no significant effect of re-cutting the petiole on Ψleaf values. Furthermore, up to 30 s of time span between sample excision and pressurization was acceptable for accurate Ψleaf determinations, as long as the sample was kept shaded during that time. Finally, only 10 min of equilibration time was necessary for accurate Ψstem determination. In most cases, the effect of operator on all Ψ determinations was greater than any of the sample preparation methods tested. This reinforces the need to properly train vineyard technicians in using the pressure chamber. However, improved flexibility in sampling protocol for either Ψleaf or Ψstem determinations may improve efficiency of vine water status monitoring in vineyards, thus reducing labor costs associated with pressure chamber-based irrigation scheduling.
Liquid condensation drives telomere clustering during ALT

Abstract Telomerase-free cancer cells employ a recombination-based alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway that depends on ALT-associated promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies (APBs), whose function is unclear. We find that APBs behave as liquid condensates, suggesting two potential mechanisms to promote telomere elongation: condensation to enrich DNA repair factors for telomere synthesis and coalescence to cluster telomeres to provide repair templates. Using chemically-induced dimerization, we show that telomere sumoylation nucleates APB condensation via SUMO-SIM (SUMO interaction motif) interactions and clusters telomeres. The induced APBs lack DNA repair factors, indicating that these factors are clients recruited to the APB scaffold rather than components that drive condensation. Telomere clustering, however, relies only on liquid properties of the condensate, as an alternative condensation chemistry also induces clustering. Our results demonstrate how the material properties and chemical composition of APBs independently contribute to ALT, suggesting a general framework for how liquid condensates promote cellular functions.
Simulation of Layer-by-Layer Selective Laser Melting Process with an Efficient Remeshing Technique

Abstract Quality and reliability of additively manufacturing (AM) parts using the selective laser melting (SLM) process are greatly influenced by the thermal history of the printing process. Prediction of parts thermal history using numerical methods, e.g. finite element (FE) method, can help reducing manufacturing defects, increasing process stability, improving design, and reducing cost and time required for the trial-and-error experimental approach. For the SLM process, finite element models are usually associated with simplifications (e.g., uniform heat flux and coarse mesh) that make the models computationally feasible but sacrifice model accuracy. This paper proposes a remeshing technique for the layer-by-layer SLM process simulation to reduce the computational expensiveness while maintaining high model accuracy. Transient thermal finite element models for small cubes are developed to predict the temperature history, melt pool size, and its variation throughout the building process for Ti-6Al-4V. Furthermore, temperature history at any location of the part can be easily obtained for detailed examination, if needed.
Abstract P2045: Genetic Disruption of Npr1 Depletes T Regulatory Cells and Provokes High Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines and Fibrosis in the Kidneys of Female Mutant Mice

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of gene-knockout of guanylyl cyclase/natriuretic peptide receptor-A (GC-A/NPRA) on immunogenic responses affecting kidney function and bloo...
Probabilistic solution to two-dimensional stochastic solute transport model by the Fokker-Planck equation approach

Abstract The study of solute transport in rivers is of environmental significance, since solute transported in river flows may affect the river water quality conditions. Solute transport in natural flows is a challenging process to be investigated, given natural flows usually indicate uncertainty in space and time. Two-dimensional models are more preferable to one-dimensional models, especially when the underlying flow field is complex. In this study, a stochastic horizontally two-dimensional solute transport model is developed. The proposed model can account for the effect of uncertain two-dimensional flow field and solute loading conditions on the uncertainty of the solute transport. The governing equation of the proposed model is in the form of Fokker-Planck equation, which characterizes the spatiotemporal evolution of the probability density function of the state variables of the solute transport process. Consequently, the mean and standard deviation behavior of the ensemble solute transport under uncertain conditions can be quantified. The numerical solutions of the proposed model are validated with the Monte Carlo simulations under uncertain flow fields. The comparison of the results by the two methods indicate the developed two-dimensional stochastic solute transport model can sufficiently express the spatial variability of the solute transport process and adequately capture the ensemble solute transport behavior by the complete probabilistic description of the solute transport process under uncertain conditions.
Supporting the needs of college students with autism spectrum disorder.

Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are enrolling in colleges at increasing rates. This case highlights the need for college mental health clinicians to be aware of features of ASD in ...
A prospective cohort study of condensed low-dose total skin electron beam therapy for mycosis fungoides: Reduction of disease burden and improvement in quality of life

Background Low-dose total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) for mycosis fungoides is popular because of reduced toxicity with effective palliation. We condensed TSEBT, reducing visits by half and overall treatment length by one third. Objective To determine the efficacy and safety of a novel condensed low-dose TSEBT for mycosis fungoides. Methods We conducted a cohort study (2014-2018) with a median follow-up of 22.8 months. We delivered 12 Gy per 6 fractions with the modified Stanford technique, 3 fractions per week, with boosts to shadowed sites at risk between treatments, completing in 2 weeks. Primary outcomes included clinical response, duration of and time to response, and toxicity. Secondary outcomes included patient-reported quality of life (pain, pruritus, and Dermatology Life Quality Index) and physician-scored disease burden (body surface area involvement and Modified Skin Weighted Assessment Tool). Results Of 25 patients, stage IB was most common at the time of TSEBT (36%). The overall response rate was 88%. Most common was a near complete response (36%), and complete response was achieved in 6 (24%) patients. The median duration of response was 17.5 months (3.5-44.2), and the median time to response was 2 months (range, 0.9-4.1). No patients had toxicity of grade 3 or greater. QOL and disease burden showed significant benefit after TSEBT (P Limitations Cohort study with limited sample size. Conclusions Condensed, low-dose TSEBT has favorable outcomes and toxicity with logistical convenience.
How to pick a peak: Pitch and peak shifting in temporal models of pitch perception.

The standard autocorrelation model of pitch perception posits that the pitch of a stimulus can be predicted from the first major peak of a summary autocorrelation function (SACF) after the zero-delay peak. Models based on this theory are capable of predicting a wide range of pitch phenomena. There are, however, a number of cases where the approach fails. Two examples are noise edge pitch (NEP) and the pitch induced by the mistuning of a single component of an otherwise harmonic stimulus. Hartmann, Cariani, and Colburn [(2019). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 145, 1993–2008] recently proposed the use of multiple SACF peaks in the estimation process. This enables prediction of the NEP but suppresses the shift associated with a mistuned harmonic. A functional model is developed that can predict both of these pitch phenomena. The multiple-peak framework is extended with a non-standard peak-selection method that associates a delay time to a given peak in a manner that takes into account the entire shape of the bump surrounding the peak. This effectively shifts the peak location slightly for non-harmonic stimuli. A possible physiological mechanism that could induce such peak shifting is discussed, and the model is tested against existing psychophysical data.
"Bad Law" equals "Bad Public Policy": Why Three Missouri Medical Marijuana Ballots Issues Need to Be Voted Down

Cynthia A. Walsh, MA, JD, is certified in Health Care Ethics by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Department and is an accredited veteran’s attorney through the Veterans Administration. Since 2014 she has been working to address the growing crisis of state legalization of marijuana. moc.esiotrotgnipeels@kcitder Open in a separate window Disclosure This is not intended as legal advice. If you need legal advice contact an attorney who is licensed in the state of Missouri.
Introduction to a special issue of India Review: the consequences of the 2019 Indian general election for politics and policy in India

This essay introduces a special issue of India Review on the consequences of the 2019 Indian general election for politics and public policy. The special issue assesses how four key policy and poli...
WAKE: a behind-the-ear wearable system for microsleep detection

Microsleep, caused by sleep deprivation, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy, costs the U.S.'s economy more than $411 billion/year because of work performance reduction, injuries, and traffic accidents. Mitigating microsleep's consequences require an unobtrusive, reliable, and socially acceptable microsleep detection solution throughout the day, every day. Unfortunately, existing solutions do not meet these requirements. In this paper, we propose a novel behind-the-ear wearable device for microsleep detection, called WAKE. WAKE detects microsleep by monitoring biosignals from the brain, eye movements, facial muscle contractions, and sweat gland activities from behind the user's ears. In particular, we introduce a Three-fold Cascaded Amplifying (3CA) technique to tame the motion artifacts and environmental noises for capturing high fidelity signals. The behind-the-ear form factor is motivated by the fact that bone-conductance headphones, which are worn around the ear, are becoming widely used. This technology trend gives us an opportunity to enable a wide range of cognitive monitoring and improvement applications by integrating more sensing and actuating functionality into the ear-phone, making it a smarter one. Through our prototyping, we show that WAKE can suppress motion and environmental noise in real-time by 9.74-19.47 dB while walking, driving, or staying in different environments ensuring that the biosignals are captured reliably. We evaluated WAKE against gold-standard devices on 19 sleep-deprived and narcoleptic subjects. The Leave-One-Subject-Out Cross-Validation results show the feasibility of WAKE in microsleep detection on an unseen subject with average precision and recall of 76% and 85%, respectively.
An Exceptionally Preserved Specimen From the Green River Formation Elucidates Complex Phenotypic Evolution in Gruiformes and Charadriiformes

The stem lineage relationships and early phenotypic evolution of Charadriiformes (shorebirds) and Gruiformes (rails, cranes and allies) remain unresolved. It is still debated whether these clades are sister-taxa. New phylogenetic analyses incorporating Paleogene fossils have the potential to reveal the evolutionary connections of these two speciose and evolutionarily critical neoavian subclades. Although Gruiformes have a rich Paleogene fossil record, most of these fossils have not been robustly placed. The Paleogene fossil record of Charadriiformes is scarce and largely consists of fragmentary single elements. Only one proposed Eocene charadriiform-like taxon, Scandiavis mikkelseni of Denmark, is represented by a partial skeleton. Here, we describe a new species from the early Eocene Green River Formation of North America comprising a partial skeleton and feather remains. Because the skeleton lacks the pectoral girdle and forelimbs as in S. mikkelseni, only features of the skull, axial skeleton, and hind limb are available to resolve the phylogenetic placement of this taxon. These anatomical subregions initially showed features seen in Charadriiformes and Gruiformes. To assess placement of this taxon, we use a matrix consisting of 693 morphological characters and 60 taxa, including S. mikkelseni and the oldest known charadriiform taxa represented by single elements. These more fragmentary records comprise two distal humeri from the earliest Eocene Naranbulag Formation of Mongolia and the early Eocene Nanjemoy Formation of Virginia. Our phylogenetic analyses recover the new taxon and S. mikkelseni alternatively as a charadriiform or as a stem-gruiform; placement is contingent upon enforced relationships for major neoavian subclades recovered by recent molecular-based phylogenies. Specifically, when constraint trees based on results that do not recover Charadriiformes and Gruiformes as sister-taxa are used, the new taxon and S. mikkelseni are recovered within stem Gruiformes. Both Paleogene fossil humeri are consistently recovered within crown Charadriiformes. If placement of these humeri or the new taxon as charadriiforms are correct, this may indicate that recent divergence time analyses have underestimated the crown age of another major crown avian subclade; however, more complete sampling of these taxa is necessary, especially of more complete specimens with pectoral elements.
PENDIDIKAN BERBASIS KELUARGA DALAM KITAB RUT BAGI PELAYANAN S2C DI GBI KELIR SAMARINDA

Abstract: Theoretical basis: The family is a community that Allah has determined and defined for human needs. Research Objectives: (1) What is meant by family based education? (2) Why are some congregations lazy to follow Serving, and Confidant of God? (3) Why have some Serving, and Confidant of God congregations become discouraged? (4) What is the reason why some congregations refuse to follow Serving, and Confidant of God? (5) How is Family-Based Education and its application for Serving and Confidant of God services at GBI Kelir Samarinda? Method: Qualitative-Observative. Results of the study: (1) This education takes place in the family which is carried out by parents who are given to educate children in the family environment, (2) the congregation thinks the shepherd does not pay attention to it, the shepherd prefers the congregation, the congregation cannot keep secrets, the shepherd cannot be a good example. (3) Not comfortable attending worship, Thinking that this community is not important, Feeling just a waste of time, Worshiping too long. (4) Busy working, no desire to worship, rainy weather conditions, far distance to places of worship, do not have vehicles, do not have offerings for worship, there are conflicts among congregation members that have not been resolved. (5) through the communities of Salvation, Serving, and Confidant of God, we can reach out to every congregation in the church and through the communities of Salvation, Serving, and Confidant of God. Keywords: Education, Family, Service Abstrak: Landasan teori: Keluarga adalah komunitas yang Allah telah tentukan dan tetapkan bagi kebutuhan manusia. Tujuan Penelitian: (1) Apakah yang dimaksud dengan Pendidikan Berbasis Keluarga? (2) Mengapakah beberapa jemaat malas mengikuti Serving , dan Confidant of God ? (3) Mengapa beberapa jemaat Serving, dan Confidant of God menjadi tawar hati? (4) Apakah penyebab beberapa jemaat yang tidak mau mengikuti Serving , dan Confidant of God ? (5) Bagaimanakah Pendidikan Berbasis Keluarga dan penerapannya bagi pelayanan Servin g, dan Confidant of God di GBI Kelir Samarinda? Metode: Kualitatif-Observatif. Hasil Penelitian: (1) Pendidikan ini berlangsung dalam keluarga yang dilaksanakan oleh orang tua yang diberikan untuk mendidik anak dalam lingkungan keluarga, (2) jemaat menilai gembala tidak memerhatikannya, gembala pilih kasih kepada jemaat, jemaat tidak bisa menyimpan rahasia, gembala tidak bisa menjadi teladan yang baik. (3) Kurang nyaman mengikuti ibadah, Menganggap bahwa komunitas ini tidak penting, Merasa hanya membuang waktu saja, Ibadahnya terlalu lama. (4) Sibuk bekerja, Tidak ada kerinduan beribadah, Keadaan cuaca hujan, Jarak tempat beribadah jauh, Tidak mempunyai kendaraan, Tidak mempunyai persembahan untuk beribadah, Ada konflik sesama anggota jemaat yang belum diselesaikan. (5) melalui komunitas Salvation, Serving, dan Confidant of God dapat menjaungkau setiap jemaat-jemaat yang ada di gereja dan melaluin komunitas Salvation, Serving, dan Confidant of God. Kata Kunci: Pendidikan, Keluarga, Pelayanan
Evolutionary Altruism and Psychological Egoism

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on evolutionary altruism and the thesis of psychological egoism. Evolutionary altruism is a historical concept. If a trait is an example of evolutionary altruism, this implies something about how it could have come into existence. When groups compete against groups, psychological altruism can evolve as a group adaptation. The trait exists because it is advantageous to the group, even though it is disadvantageous to the individuals possessing it. The chapter examines the ways in which evolutionary altruism and psychological altruism are related. Altruism can evolve by group selection. It is essential that groups vary with respect to their local frequencies of altruism. The chapter also analyzes the difference between psychological egoism and psychological altruism. It assumes a distinction between self-directed and other-directed preferences. The self-directed involves preferences about what happens to one's self; the other-directed concerns preferences about what happens to others. This distinction is not entirely unproblematic because many preferences appear to be inherently relational.
Administrative Discretion as a Form of Prosecutorial Discretion: A Doctrine for Rational Airport Security

We live in an era of an intrusive, comprehensive regulatory state. In this world, it is increasingly easy to break the letter of the law without the intention of wrongdoing, and a proliferation of government agencies has led to a proliferation of codified rules regulating not only our commerce, but large swaths of our civic life. We retain, theoretically, the option to remain outside the ambit of much federal and state regulation -- but this is a false hope.This Comment reacts to this proliferation of regulations by proposing a humane and rational attitude, to be consciously adopted by representatives of the regulatory state, both at headquarters and on the front lines. That attitude is one of guided discretion, that is to say, the conscious allocation aforehand of authority between an agency’s central office and its front-line employees, combined with principles and guidelines for line staff to use in making exceptions from their standard operating procedures in the course of enforcing their legal mandates.In particular, I show how administrative agents are similar to prosecutors in the criminal justice system, who already exercise effectively a healthy dose of the sorts of programs that I recommend. And I demonstrate the aptness of this comparison by showing how similar are prosecutorial activity and administrative enforcement and rulemaking activities.As a touchstone for my argument, I will juxtapose two agencies, one an example of the non-use and misuse of discretion, and the other an example of pragmatic and visionary government charting a better way. The former is the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The latter is U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), also part of the Department of Homeland Security, which guards our nation’s borders and enforces our immigration laws. While the TSA has adopted a take-no-prisoners attitude against snow globes, cupcakes, toothpaste, and bottled water, ICE has wisely recognized its limits, and decided to deploy limited resources in a more constructive manner, by focusing on dangerous aliens rather than illegal immigrants of a more benign kind.
Cyanogen bromide cleavage and partial amino acid sequence of porcine growth hormone.

Abstract Porcine growth hormone has been cleaved with cyanogen bromide and the resulting fragments separated by gel filtration. The amino acid sequences of the amino-terminal tetrapeptide (Fragment D), the carboxy-terminal dodecapeptide (Fragment C), and another polypeptide of 55 residues (Fragment B) are reported. Preliminary chemical evidence and comparison with the primary structure of human growth hormone indicate that Fragment B is adjacent to Fragment C in native porcine growth hormone. There is at least 67% homology between pig and human growth hormones in the carboxy-terminal third of the molecules.
Xerostomia (Sjögren's syndrome) associated with unusual dental caries: Report of a case

Abstract A case of Sjogren's syndrome exhibiting aptyalism with a marked dental caries pattern has been presented. Attention is drawn to the absence of salivary calculus in those areas exhibiting the most extensive earious attack. Treatment by means of full coronal coverage is suggested.
The Dependence of Atmospheric Temperature on the Concentration of Carbon Dioxide

Numerical computations using a radiative, convective equilibrium model of the atmosphere predict an increase of 0.8 °C in temperature of the earth’s surface by the end of this century, based on the anticipated increase in CO2.
Reduced glucose uptake precedes insulin signaling defects in adipocytes from heterozygous GLUT4 knockout mice.

Decreased GLUT4 expression, impaired insulin receptor (IR), IRS-1, and pp60/IRS-3 tyrosine phosphorylation are characteristics of adipocytes from insulin-resistant animal models and obese NIDDM humans. However, the sequence of events leading to the development of insulin signaling defects and the significance of decreased GLUT4 expression in causing adipocyte insulin resistance are unknown. The present study used male heterozygous GLUT4 knockout mice (GLUT4(+/−)) as a novel model of diabetes to study the development of insulin signaling defects in adipocytes with the progression of whole body insulin resistance and diabetes. Male GLUT4(+/−) mice with normal fed glycemia and insulinemia (N/N), normal fed glycemia and hyperinsulinemia (N/H), and fed hyperglycemia with hyperinsulinemia (H/H) exist at all ages. The expression of GLUT4 protein and the maximal insulin-stimulated glucose transport was 50% decreased in adipocytes from all three groups. Insulin signaling was normal in N/N adipose cells. From 35 to...
Automatic speaker recognition system using the discrete Hartley transform and an artificial neural network

A system is presented which will identify speakers that it was trained to recognize with 100% accuracy. This system will also classify inputs that it has not been trained to recognize as unknown. The high degree of confidence offered by this system is attributed to careful processing of the input data sets. Only easily distinguishable segments of the speech samples are passed as inputs to the artificial neural network (ANN). Additionally, sufficient input information is provided with the training inputs to enable the ANN to rapidly train and subsequently classify speakers. This system may be readily implemented in hardware using existing technology. Hardware implementation will render near real-time performance. Applications that would be enhanced by the use of this system include electronic surveillance and computer security. The speaker identification system was successfully tested. >
The mass function of black holes 1<z<4.5: comparison of models with observations

In this paper, we compare the observationally derived black hole mass function (BHMF) of luminous (>10 45 –10 46 erg s −1 ) broad-line quasars (BLQSOs) at 1 < z < 4.5 drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) presented by Kelly et al., with models of merger-driven black hole (BH) growth in the context of standard hierarchical structure formation models. In these models, we explore two distinct black hole seeding prescriptions at the highest redshifts: ‘light seeds’ – remnants of Population III stars and ‘massive seeds’ that form from the direct collapse of pre-galactic discs. The subsequent merger triggered mass build-up of the black hole population is tracked over cosmic time under the assumption of a fixed accretion rate as well as rates drawn from the distribution derived by Merloni & Heinz. Four model snapshots at z = 1.25, 2, 3.25 and 4.25 are compared with the SDSS-derived BHMFs of BLQSOs. We find that the light seed models fall short of reproducing the observationally derived mass function of ⎡ �
Managing Self-Uncertainty Through Group Identification

Hogg's uncertainty-identity theory (UIT) is briefly described to identify similarities and differences to Van den Bos's uncertainty management model (UMM). Against a background of significant overlap in scope, mission and concepts, four differences are identified: First, UMM is primarily a theory of motivation for ideological conviction; UIT is a theory of motivation for group identification. Second, UMM talks about personal uncertainty; UIT talks about self-uncertainty—the implications of this difference in terminology are discussed. Third, both theories focus on uncertainty about self; but UIT also focuses on an array of moderating variables that affect the experience of uncertainty and the way in which self-uncertainty is reduced. Finally, and most significantly, UMM does not detail the process of uncertainty reduction; UIT does—it specifies social cognitive processes that reduce self-uncertainty and contexts that direct these processes toward “normal” group phenomena or toward more extreme group pheno...
Congenital Anophthalmia Associated with Intracranial Germinoma

SUMMARY A 14-year-old boy with anophthalmia presented evidence of hypothalamic dysfunction. He was found to have a third-ventricular germinoma, probably pineal. This case is interesting in view of a previous case report of the association of anophthalmia and a germ-cell tumor (teratoma), and suggests a possible causal relationship between this malformation and germ-cell neoplasms, both of which probably arise early in development. RESUME Anophtalmie congenitale et seminome intracrânien Un garcon de 14 ans porteur d'une anophtalmie congenitale presentait des signes de troubles hypothalamiques. On trouva chez lui un seminome du troisieme ventricule, probablement pineal. Le cas est interessant du fait que l'association d'anophtalmie et de tumeur aepithelium germinal (teratome) avait dejaete rapportee dans un cas anterieur et cela suggere l'existence d'une relation causale entre la malformation d'anophtalmie et les neoplasmes aepithelium germinal, tout deux apparaissant probablement tot au cours de developpement. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Congenitale Anophthalmie in Verbindung mil einem intracraniellen Germinom Ein 14 jahriger Junge mit einer Anophthalmie bot die Zeichen einer hypothalmischen Dysfunktion. Es wurde ein Germinom im Bereich des dritten Ventrikels, wahrscheinlich ein Pinealom diagnostiziert. Dieser Fall ist interessant im Zusammenhang mit einem fruheren Fallbericht uber eine Anophthalmie und einen Keimzelltumor (Teratom) und last vermuten, das zwischen dieser Misbildung und einem Keimzellneoplasma moglicherweise eine kausale Beziehung besteht, wobei beides wahrscheinlich in der fruhen Entwicklung auftritt. RESUMEN Anoftalmia congenita asociada con germinoma intracraneano Un nino de 14 anos con anoftalmia presentaba evidencias de una disfuncion hipotalamica. Se encontro que tenia un germinoma del tercer ventriculo, probablemente pineal. Este caso es interesante en relation con la aportacion de otro caso anterior de asociacion de anoftalmia con un tumor de celulas germinales (teratoma), y sugiere una posible relation causal entre esta malformation y las neoplasias de celulas germinales. Ambos probablemente aparecen precozmente en el desarrollo.
Asymmetric Interleaving in Low-Voltage CMOS Power Management With Multiple Supply Rails

This paper presents a technique for reducing the input current ripple on multiphase power converters that provide multiple heterogeneous power supply rails, such as those present in portable electronics and computers. Through asymmetric interleaving of individual phases, the input current ripple can be reduced compared to conventional interleaving. The technique is derived based on an analytic description of the relevant current waveforms. Practical requirements of a digital control implementation of the proposed technique are analyzed, and its possible performance improvement is quantified through simulations and experimental results. With the proposed technique, close to a 3x reduction in input current ripple, compared to conventional methods, is demonstrated using an experimental prototype comprising a microcontroller that controls a multiphase 180 nm CMOS power management IC.
Comment on Particle Mixing and Delta-I= 3/2 Terms in Non-Leptonic Weak Decays

A recent paper by Gusbin concludes that $\ensuremath{\Delta}I=\frac{3}{2}$ terms in $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\eta}$ can substantially modify particle-mixing contributions to ${K}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$. Using techniques which can successfully reproduce the experimental features of the $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ decays, we argue that this seems unlikely.
Synthesis, spectroscopic, and in vitro investigations of 2,6-diiodo-BODIPYs with PDT and bioimaging applications.

Abstract A series of five mono-styryl and their corresponding symmetric di-styryl-2,6-diiodo-BODIPYs containing indolyl, pyrrolyl, thienyl or tri(ethylene glycol)phenyl groups were synthesized using Knoevenagel condensations. The yields for the condensation reactions were improved up to 40% using microwave irradiation (90 °C for 1 h at 400 W) due to lower decomposition of BODIPYs upon prolonged heating. The spectroscopic, structural (including the X-ray of a di-styryl-2,6-diiodo-BODIPY) and in vitro properties of the BODIPYs were investigated. The extension of π-conjugation through the 3,5-dimethyls of the known phototoxic 2,6-diiodo-BODIPY 1 produced bathochromic shifts in the absorption and emission spectra, in the order of 63–125 nm for the mono-styryl- and 128–220 nm for the di-styryl-BODIPYs in DMSO. The largest red-shifts were observed for the indolyl-containing BODIPYs while the largest fluorescence quantum yields were observed for the tri(ethyleneglycol)phenylstyryl-BODIPYs. Among this series, only the mono-styryl-BODIPYs were phototoxic (IC50 = 2–15 μM at 1.5 J/cm2), and were observed to localize preferentially in the cell ER and mitochondria. On the other hand, the di-styryl-BODIPYs were found to have low or no phototoxicity (IC50 > 100 μM at 1.5 J/cm2). Among this series of compounds BODIPY 2a shows the most promise for application as photosensitizer in PDT.
ESR studies of free radicals in photo‐initiated graft polymerization reactions with cotton cellulose

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of free-radical intermediates formed during photo-initiated graft polymerization reactions of acrylamide, methacrylamide, and diacetone acrylamide onto purified cotton cellulose were recorded. Purified cellulose was saturated with aqueous solutions of the vinyl monomers (0.5M) and then photolyzed under nitrogen by near-ultraviolet light (3100–4100 A, peak near 3500 A) at −196° and 40°C. Other samples of cellulose were saturated with aqueous solutions of the monomers, dried, and then photolyzed at 40°C. In the absence of cellulose, either poorly resolved or no free-radical spectra were generated on photolysis of the monomers. Photolysis of dried cellulose at 40°C and wet cellulose at −196°C initiated formation of a cellulosic radical that generated a singlet spectrum. Photolysis of wet cellulose at 40°C generated no ESR detectable radical; however, photolysis of wet cellulose that contained monomer at 40°C generated poorly resolved spectra. The ESR spectra of the propagating copolymer radicals recorded were poly(acrylamide), three lines; poly(methacrylamide), five lines; and poly(diacetone acrylamide), two lines (doublet).
Using three-dimensional imaging of proteins: Examples of class activities and subsequent assessments

This paper discusses the development of a new biochemistry course, “Biochemistry of Cellular Regulation,” which is taught at the 300 level at Tuskegee University. The chemistry of cellular signaling and the subsequent cell regulation are discussed from a molecular viewpoint with emphasis on chemical structure, reactivity, and thermodynamics. Classroom lectures are composed almost entirely of PowerPoint lectures whereby figures from the textbook and figures from current research articles are incorporated directly into the lecture notes. The incorporation of supplemental materials from the textbook, i.e. the CD-ROM and websites from the CD-ROM was especially important. Three-dimensional images of proteins can be viewed and manipulated at these websites, which is critical for understanding the structural basis of protein function. Specific examples of class activities and subsequent assessments will be presented.
Computational aspects of a non-cubic equation of state for phase-equilibrium calculations. Effect of density-dependent mixing rules

An efficient procedure is presented for solving a non-cubic equation of state for density. In phase-equilibrium calculations, the costly computing step is not the density calculation but the calculation of the equation-of-state constants for the mixture. Illustrative calculations are given for high-pressure phase equilibria for hydrogen/ethane and methane/water. These calculations show the superiority of non-cubic equations with density-dependent mixing rules.
Variations in the boundary-drag coefficient in the tidal entrance to Chesapeake Bay, Virginia

Abstract Use of the quadratic shear-stress law for estimating boundary drag requires specific knowledge of the magnitude of a drag coefficient, CD, and sectional mean velocity, u . In previous attempts to adapt the relationship for use in studies of marine-sediment transport, the flow measurement has been standardized at a level 100 cm above the bed. The particularized value of the drag coefficient has been designated as C100. In the entrance area to Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, C100 has been found to range through unacceptably wide limits. Two-thirds of the values obtained are between 3.5 · 10−3 and 5.4 · 10−2. Mean C100 for the area is 1.3 · 10−2 as compared to 3 · 10−3 for tidal channels within Puget Sound, Washington. Present data suggest that, given a moveable bed, a size hierarchy of mobile bed forms, time-varying flow, and a lack of equilibrium between flow and bed, C100 changes continuously with boundary shear stress. Accurate evaluation of boundary shear stress in tidal entrances with high flow rates and mobile beds presently requires measurement of velocity profiles.
REMARKS ON THE UNITARITY CONDITION IN THE IMPACT-PARAMETER REPRESENTATION.

The kernel needed in the application of the unitarity condition in the Blankenbecler-Goldberger impact-parameter representation is reduced to a simple sum suitable for numerical work. We also comment briefly on a modified version of the representation.
Probability of Causation and the Attributable Proportion Risk

A uranium miner who smokes develops lung cancer: what is the probability that radiation, rather than tobacco, caused it? This paper briefly explains the principles and limits of probability models for which this question makes sense, and then shows how principles of risk accounting can be applied to obtain a solution to the general problem of attributing risk in the presence of joint, possibly interacting, causes. A procedure for calculating each factor's “share” in a jointly caused risk is proposed, and shown to be a generalization of the “probability of causation” concept. Problems of implementation and interpretation for the proposed attribution procedure are discussed, and illustrative error bounds are derived for a simple decision rule, in which probability of causation or attributable risk share calculations are made using aggregate data as a proxy for unknown individual data.
Therapy with and assessment of class III antiarrhythmic agents in different patient populations.

The present article reviews the therapeutic efficacy of class III antiarrhythmic agents, particularly amiodarone, in patients with atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in the setting of different cardiac disorders. Both Holter monitoring and electrophysiologic studies appear to constitute reliable methods for evaluating the effects of class 111 agents and the long-term outcome in patients with a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. The efficacy and tolerance of amiodarone in different patient populations is discussed
Mitochondrial Fission, Fusion, and Stress

Mitochondrial fission and fusion play critical roles in maintaining functional mitochondria when cells experience metabolic or environmental stresses. Fusion helps mitigate stress by mixing the contents of partially damaged mitochondria as a form of complementation. Fission is needed to create new mitochondria, but it also contributes to quality control by enabling the removal of damaged mitochondria and can facilitate apoptosis during high levels of cellular stress. Disruptions in these processes affect normal development, and they have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s.
The heterogeneity of obesity: Fitting treatments to individuals.

Body weight is regulated by a complex interaction of biological, behavioral, and cultural factors. The population as a whole is at risk for obesity because of increased intake of dietary fat, the consumption of calories in fewer meals per day, striking accessibility to palatable foods, and decreased physical activity. This risk may become a reality in individuals with certain biological predispositions (genetic tendency, low metabolic rate, increased fat cell number), specific eating patterns, and susceptibility to the extreme cultural pressure to be lean. These factors must be considered in establishing goals for treatment, which fall into medical and psychosocial categories. This includes defining a “reasonable” as opposed to “ideal” weight. A three-stage process is proposed for identifying the best treatment for an individual. This involves a classification decision, a stepped care decision, and then a matching decision. Criteria are provided for a comprehensive assessment of the overweight individual, and treatment options are reviewed for programs of varying intensity, cost, and risk.
Probing electronic excitations in molecular conduction

We identify experimental signatures in the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of weakly contacted molecules directly arising from excitations in their many electron spectrum. The current is calculated using a multielectron master equation in the Fock space of an exact diagonalized model many-body Hamiltonian for a prototypical molecule. Using this approach, we explain several nontrivial features in frequently observed I-Vs in terms of a rich spectrum of excitations that may be hard to describe adequately with standard one-electron self-consistent field theories.
Indentation recovery of soda-lime silicate glasses containing titania, zirconia and hafnia at low temperatures

Abstract From thermal treatment of indentations made on glass, the densification contribution to the total indentation deformation can be estimated. In this work, we studied the physico-mechanical properties and low-temperature indentation recovery of soda-lime silicate glasses with the composition of (in wt%) 73SiO2–12CaO–15Na2O–xTiO2 (ZrO2 or HfO2), where x is 0, 1, 2, 4 and 8. The obtained results demonstrated that the addition of group IV B metal oxides (TiO2, ZrO2 and HfO2) into soda-lime silicate glass increased density, elastic moduli, Vickers hardness and brittleness due to the higher atomic weight of additives, increased network connectivity, higher strength of individual bonds formed and lower molar volume, respectively. Indentation recovery of glass samples containing 8 wt% TiO2 (G5), 8 wt% ZrO2 (G9) and 8 wt% HfO2 (G13) was comparatively estimated with that of a pure soda-lime silicate glass (G1), as a reference, on the basis of the depth change of indentation impressions at low temperatures, 25 °C and 100 °C, for different periods with a maximum of 48 h. It was found that the higher indentation recovery for all four samples was observed at both temperatures within the first 6 h due to stored strain energy in deformation zone but equilibrium was not reached even after 48 h because of low thermal treatment temperatures, which generally provide a thermodynamic driving force to recover. According to the glass composition, the indentation recovery rate follows the order: G13
Exact iterative reconstruction for the interior problem

There is a trend in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) that small and dedicated imaging systems are becoming popular. For example, many companies are developing small dedicated cardiac SPECT systems with different designs. These dedicated systems have a smaller field of view (FOV) than a full-size clinical system. Thus data truncation has become the norm rather than the exception in these systems. Therefore, it is important to develop region of interest (ROI) reconstruction algorithms using truncated data. This paper is a stepping stone toward this direction. This paper shows that the common generic iterative image reconstruction algorithms are able to exactly reconstruct the ROI under the conditions that the convex ROI is fully sampled and the image value in a sub-region within the ROI is known. If the ROI includes a sub-region that is outside the patient body, then the conditions can be easily satisfied.