cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the scaling of stress-driven entrainment experiments

The entrainment experiments of Kato & Phillips (1969) and Kantha, Phillips & Azad (1977) (hereafter KP and KPA) are analysed to demonstrate a more general and effective scaling of the entrainment observations. The preferred scaling is \[ V^{-1} dh/dt = E(R_v), \] where h is the mixed-layer depth, V is the mean velocity of the mixed layer, Rv = B/V2 and B is the total mixed-layer buoyancy. This scaling effectively collapses entrainment data taken at various h/L, where L is the tank width, and in cases in which the interior is density stratified (KP) or homogeneous (KPA). The entrainment law E(Rv) is computed from the KP and KPA observations using the conservation equations for mean momentum and buoyancy. A side-wall drag term is included in the momentum conservation equation. In the range 0·5 < Rv < 1·0, which includes nearly all of the KP, KPA data, E ≃ 5 × 10−4 R−4v. This is very similar to the entrainment law followed by a surface half-jet (Ellison & Turner 1959) and by the wind-driven ocean surface mixed layer (Price, Mooers & Van Leer 1978).The analysis shows that, when forcing is steady, Rv is quasi-steady and, provided that side-wall drag is not large, Rv ≃ 0·6 over a wide range of RT = B/U2*, where U* is the friction velocity of the imposed stress. In the absence of side-wall drag (vanishing h/L) the conservation of momentum then leads to U−1*dh/dt = n(0·6)½ R−½T, where n = ½ or 1 if the interior is linearly stratified or homogeneous. The KP, KPA data show this dependence throughout the range 17 < RT < 160 where the effect of side-wall drag is negligible or can be removed by a linear extrapolation. This result, together with the form and magnitude of the observed side-wall effect, suggests that mean momentum conservation is a key constraint upon the entrainment rate in the KP, KPA experiments.
Application of the discontinuous spectral Galerkin method to groundwater flow

The discontinuous spectral Galerkin method uses a finite-element discretization of the groundwater flow domain with basis functions of arbitrary order in each element. The independent choice of the basis functions in each element permits discontinuities in transmissivity in the flow domain. This formulation is shown to be of high order accuracy and particularly suitable for accurately calculating the flow field in porous media. Simulations are presented in terms of streamlines in a bidimensional aquifer, and compared with the solution calculated with a standard finite-element method and a mixed finite-element method. Numerical simulations show that the discontinuous spectral Galerkin approximation is more efficient than the standard finite-element method (in computing fluxes and streamlines/pathlines) for a given accuracy, and it is more accurate on a given grid. On the other hand the mixed finite-element method ensures the continuity of the fluxes at the cell boundaries and it is particular efficient in representing complicated flow fields with few mesh points. Simulations show that the mixed finite-element method is superior to the discontinuous spectral Galerkin method producing accurate streamlines even if few computational nodes are used. The application of the discontinuous Galerkin method is thus of interest in groundwater problems only when high order and extremely accurate solutions are needed.
Control of cracking with shrinkage-reducing admixtures

Shrinkage cracking can be a critical problem in concrete construction, especially for flat structures such as highway pavements, slabs for parking garages, and bridge decks. One way to reduce the shrinkage cracking is to provide reinforcement in the form of wire mesh to resist tensile forces. In recent years, short, randomly distributed fibers have been used to control shrinkage cracking. The efficiency of shrinkage-reducing admixtures (SRAs) in controlling restrained shrinkage cracking of concrete is reviewed. A ring-type specimen was used for restrained shrinkage cracking tests. The SRA selected for this investigation was a propylene glycol derivative, which was used at 1 and 2 percent by weight of cement. Free (unrestrained) shrinkage, weight loss, compressive strength, and fracture toughness were also investigated. The results of SRA concretes were compared with that of plain concrete with the same water-to-cement ratio. A theoretical model based on nonlinear fracture mechanics was developed for predi...
Tobacco Control Policy Advocacy Attitudes and Self-Efficacy Among Ethnically Diverse High School Students

This study applied self-efficacy theory to assess empowerment to advocate on behalf of tobacco control policies. The Youth Tobacco Survey with added policy advocacy self-efficacy, attitudes, and outcome expectations scales was given to 9,177 high school students in Texas. Asians showed the lowest prevalence of experimentation and current smoking, followed by African Americans. Anglo-Europeans had higher rates of current smoking. Latino male students had the highest experimentation and current smoking rates. Policy advocacy self-efficacy was higher among African Americans. Latinos scored lowest. Asians had the highest level of approval for tobacco control policies. African Americans had the highest scores in policy advocacy outcome expectations, followed by Asians and Latinos. Anglo-Europeans scored lowest. Students who had never tried smoking had the highest scores in all three scales, with a decreasing trend as the frequency of smoking increased. Associations with smoking status remained significant when controlling by gender and ethnicity.
The globalisation of China's financial capital: How China's growing financial clout is affecting the global political economy

This paper aims to critically evaluate the significance of the unfolding globalisation of Chinese financial capital, for both China and the world. Specifically, it will juxtapose a general assessment of Chinese motivations and objectives to preconceptions of and reactions to China's financial globalisation. To date, efforts to understand the dynamics behind and implications of China's financial globalisation remain significantly burdened by misperceptions and misrepresentations. This paper argues that while China's economic and financial globalisation is seen as ushering in a new global dynamic, it need not (and should not) necessarily come at the expense of possible cooperation and coordination.
Using Simulations to Teach Middle Grades U.S. History in an Age of Accountability.

AbstractIn this year-long qualitative study we explore the case of two eighth grade U.S. History teachers who use simulations on a regular basis to teach heterogeneously-grouped students in a high-stakes testing environment. We describe the purposes the teachers espoused for implementing simulations and provide detailed portraits of three types of simulations used: role-play, game, and trial. We argue that because the ambitious teachers know their discipline well, see the potential of all their students, and feel that learning rather than testing should drive instructional decision-making, they are able to engage and challenge their students with historical simulations. This study adds to the sparse field of simulation research and to the emerging literature on ambitious history teaching. It also shows educators what is pedagogically possible in teaching history.
Effects of canopy gaps and flooding on homopterans in a bottomland hardwood forest

Canopy disturbance is a major factor affecting forest structure and composition and, as a result of habitat alterations, can influence insect communities. We initiated a field study to quantify the effects of canopy disturbance on aerial insect abundance and distribution within a bottomland hardwood forest along the Cache River, Arkansas, USA. We used passive flight-intercept traps to sample insects in canopy gap and forest interior habitats from May to July in 1996, 1997, and 1998. The hydrologic conditions of our study site varied among years: 1996 was relatively dry, 1997 incurred a long-duration flood, and 1998 was moderately wet. Of the 34,000+ Homopterans collected, many groups were distributed in a non-uniform manner among years and between habitats. Total Homopterans, two families of Homopterans, and six morphospecies were more abundant in canopy gaps than interior forest. Many Homopteran taxa were least abundant in 1997 following almost six months of flooding. Alternatively, relatively large Homopteran abundances were associated with the dry conditions of 1996 and the moderately wet conditions of 1998. Differences in Homopteran abundance among years and habitats may be related to differences in vegetation density. Canopy gaps supported more vegetation cover than the interior forest in all but the first sampling interval. In addition, similar to Homopteran abundance, vegetation density was lower in 1997 than in 1998. These results demonstrate that natural disturbance and flooding contribute to Homopteran abundance and distribution patterns in bottomland hardwood forests of the south central United States.
The surface charge of cells producing hCG.

The cell surface is the interface between the cell and its environment. The surface acts to regulate cell function through antigens, receptors, cell-cell interaction, and other factors. One important and measurable property of the cell surface is charge. Surface charge results from the accumulation of exposed charge groups at the external surface of the cell membrane, and is peripheral to the region of transmembrane ion separation which defines transmembrane potential. The surface of normal human cells is negatively charged due to the presence of acidic oligosaccharide groups at the terminal regions of membrane glycoproteins (1).
The Values of Federalism

Since 1937, the Supreme Court's approach to federalism has been paradoxical. The Court has used federalism as a limit on federal judicial power, but has been very reluctant to use federalism as a limit on Congressional power. Cases from Erie Railroad v. Tompkins to Younger v. Harris have relied on federalism to circumscribe federal judicial power. In contrast, with a few notable exceptions, the Court has not used federalism to invalidate federal laws or to restrict the scope of Congressional authority. None of the traditional values of federalism--limiting the chance of tyranny by the national government, enhancing democracy because states are closer to the people, and providing laboratories for experimentation -- explain this paradox.In fact, generally, the Court's decisions in the area of federalism have little relationship to the underlying values that federalism is supposed to serve. In the last few years, the Court seems to be moving to end the paradox. In New York v. United States (1992), the Court invalidated a federal law based on principles of federalism. This case may well portend the use of federalism as a limit on Congressional powers. Yet, this decision, too, seems to have little relationship to the underlying values of federalism. A reorientation of federalism decisions requires a careful consideration of the values that federalism serves. The Supreme Court should decide federalism issues based on the goals to be attained, not simply based on slogans about "Our Federalism" and "states as laboratories."
Effect of Circulating Blood or Plasma Urea Nitrogen Concentrations on Reproductive Efficiency in Beef Heifers and Cows

The objective was to examine the relationship between circulating blood or plasma urea nitrogen concentrations (BPUNC) and reproductive efficiency in beef heifers and suckled beef cows. Data from nulliparous heifers (n = 284) as well as primiparous (n = 241) and multiparous (n = 806) beef cows were compiled across 15 experiments. A single blood sample collected from each female during estrous or ovulation synchronization was analyzed for BPUNC. Only females that were maintained on the same nutritional management scheme (pasture or coproduct-based drylot ration) for at least 1 week prior to synchronization though the first 21 days of the breeding season were included in the analysis. Based on the data, when cattle are allowed to adapt to a nutritional management scheme prior to breeding and maintained on that diet through the first 21 days of the breeding season, BPUNC is not negatively associated with first-service pregnancy rates. Instead, a positive relationship was observed
Tiered High-Throughput Screening Approach to Identify Thyroperoxidase Inhibitors Within the ToxCast Phase I and II Chemical Libraries

High-throughput screening for potential thyroid-disrupting chemicals requires a system of assays to capture multiple molecular-initiating events (MIEs) that converge on perturbed thyroid hormone (TH) homeostasis. Screening for MIEs specific to TH-disrupting pathways is limited in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ToxCast screening assay portfolio. To fill 1 critical screening gap, the Amplex UltraRed-thyroperoxidase (AUR-TPO) assay was developed to identify chemicals that inhibit TPO, as decreased TPO activity reduces TH synthesis. The ToxCast phase I and II chemical libraries, comprised of 1074 unique chemicals, were initially screened using a single, high concentration to identify potential TPO inhibitors. Chemicals positive in the single-concentration screen were retested in concentration-response. Due to high false-positive rates typically observed with loss-of-signal assays such as AUR-TPO, we also employed 2 additional assays in parallel to identify possible sources of nonspecific assay signal loss, enabling stratification of roughly 300 putative TPO inhibitors based upon selective AUR-TPO activity. A cell-free luciferase inhibition assay was used to identify nonspecific enzyme inhibition among the putative TPO inhibitors, and a cytotoxicity assay using a human cell line was used to estimate the cellular tolerance limit. Additionally, the TPO inhibition activities of 150 chemicals were compared between the AUR-TPO and an orthogonal peroxidase oxidation assay using guaiacol as a substrate to confirm the activity profiles of putative TPO inhibitors. This effort represents the most extensive TPO inhibition screening campaign to date and illustrates a tiered screening approach that focuses resources, maximizes assay throughput, and reduces animal use.
An MQW-based 128-element linear modulator for optical computing applications

We describe the design, fabrication, and preliminary performance evaluation of a 128-element linear array modulator based on multiple quantum well structures for use in a programmable incoherent matrix optical processor (PRIMO1).
Hierarchy: the imbalance of risk.

M Y reactions to Simon's article, "Revisiting the Notion of Hierarchy" (1993; this issue), are similar to the reactions I had after reading another recent article of his, "Having a SecondOrder Mind While Doing First-Order Therapy" (1992): both of them draw upon a common set of assumptions in addressing issues of hierarchy and control in therapy. Since I have had the opportunity to publish my reactions to Simon's assumptions previously (1992), I will refrain from repeating myself here, and instead will use this opportunity to lay out my own assumptions on the issue of hierarchy. In this commentary, I offer five assumptions that guide the way I participate in therapy situations to which the term "hierarchy" has been applied. These assumptions have evolved from my clinical practice and my experience as a human being in general. It seems to me that the central issue in discussions of hierarchy concerns the balance of risks to individuals involved in relationships. If the balance of risk in a relationship is equal for both individuals, I assume that the relationship can be best described as "heterarchical." In heterarchical relationships, both persons feel equally
Risk and Reward: The Differential Impact of Authoritarian Elections on Regime Decay and Breakdown

Authoritarian elections have been linked to both regime longevity and implicated in regime change, raising the question as to whether or not such elections are beneficial. This paper distinguishes between the forces leading to long term decay and those hastening immediate breakdown, arguing that while elections can prevent decay they also provide a potential spark for breakdown. To test this theory, we use a regime-month measure of elections and regime failure. The results show that while multi-party elections are linked to regime longevity they also dramatically increase the risk of democratic transition immediately following an election. These findings are an important advance on our understanding of the impact of elections under authoritarianism. They provide an explanation for seemingly divergent findings that elections cause regime failure and generate regime stability. In short, elections seem destabilizing because they are proximal to a large number of democratic transitions. However, viewed over the long-term they seem healthy for regimes.
Effects of academic and non-academic instructional approaches on preschool English language learners’ classroom engagement and English language development:

This research compared the relative impact of different preschool activities on the development of bilingual students’ English-language skills. The study investigated whether bilingual preschool children would engage more, and use more of their second language (English), during free-play (non-academic) versus teacher-structured (academic) activities. The researcher utilized both quantitative and qualitative research approaches; data sources included 285 preschool observations made in three classrooms in Northern California. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics (e.g. frequencies/percentages, mean values, and standard deviations). In addition, children’s observed scores were also analyzed by normative scales using standardized z-scores. The findings of this study indicated that bilingual children engaged and interacted significantly more during free-play (non-academic) preschool classroom activities than during teacher-structured (academic) activities. Specific free-play activities enabling opt...
Measurement Reactivity and Fatigue Effects in Daily Diary Research with Families.

Methodological challenges associated with measurement reactivity and fatigue were addressed using diary data collected from mothers (n = 47), fathers (n = 39), and children (n = 47; 8-13 years) across 56 consecutive days. Demonstrating the feasibility of extended diary studies with families, on-time compliance rates were upward of 90% for all family members, with only minor within-person declines in weekday compliance over time. Multilevel models revealed slight decreases in mother and father daily reports of parent-child conflict and warmth across days, suggesting possible measurement reactivity. Global perceptions of parent-child involvement, measured via a 1-time survey at baseline, moderated change in parent, but not child, diary reports of conflict and warmth. Finally, weakening agreement between mother and child diary reports of conflict and strengthening of positive within-person associations between child-reported negative mood and same-diary ratings of parent-child conflict indicate potential fatigue-related declines in response accuracy. Although generally minimal, observed measurement effects highlight the need for additional methodological research in the study of everyday family life.
Lexical blends and lexical patterns in English and in American Sign Language

Lexical blending has long been recognized as a creative and productive strategy for coining new words. English brunch, for example, is an established lexical blend of breakfast and lunch, and cronut is a more recent blend of croissant and donut. Lexical blending has also traditionally been viewed as a largely unpredictable process. However, recent studies have demonstrated that, though blending is probabilistic rather than categorical, blend structure is indeed constrained by phonological and semantic considerations. This paper examines some consequences of lexical blending for morphology and for morphological theory, particularly issues stemming from the fact that parts of existing words seem to develop new or specialized meanings as a result of the blending process. Here I examine smaller, less-established blending patterns in two languages, English and American Sign Language. I argue that, though many individual blends are unlikely to become established, conventional lexical items, the general mechanism that allows speakers to produce and interpret blends is clearly part of morphology: Lexical blending forges and reinforces connections between whole words. Accordingly, blending is most appropriately viewed as a step between compounding and derivation, an analogical process that typically creates and exploits paradigmatic lexical relationships. These findings are situated in the framework of Construction Morphology, which allows for the straightforward description of morphological patterns as structural alignments of form and meaning and as templates for the creation of new words.
On the Maximum True Burst-Correcting Capability of Fire Codes

Fire codes are cyclic codes generated by the product of two polynomials: a binomial that characterizes the code’s guaranteed burst-correcting capability and an irreducible polynomial that characterizes the code length. However, the true burst-correcting capability of a Fire code may exceed its guaranteed burst-correcting capability, which can be thought of as the designed burst-correcting capability of the Fire code. The true burst-correcting capability of a Fire code depends on the irreducible polynomial used in code construction. In this paper, the maximum true burst-correcting capabilities of Fire codes are considered. Fire codes are classified based on three parameters: their designed burst-correcting capabilities, the least common multiple of the periods of the binomials, and the irreducible polynomials used in their constructions, and the ratios of the periods of primitive polynomials of the same degrees as the irreducible polynomials to the periods of the irreducible polynomials. It is shown that the maximum true burst-correcting capability of each class, which pertains to an infinite number of codes, can be determined by checking whether or not a finite number of incongruences have a solution. It is also shown that in each class, there is an infinite number of Fire codes, with increasing code lengths, that attain this maximum. The maximum true burst-correcting capabilities of several classes of Fire codes are determined. It is also shown that there are infinite sequences of irreducible polynomials that generate cyclic codes of rates approaching one and with burst-correcting capabilities that exceed any given number.
Macrophage molecular signaling and inflammatory responses during ingestion of atherogenic lipoproteins are modulated by complement protein C1q

Abstract Background and aims This study investigated the effect of innate immune protein C1q on macrophage programmed responses during the ingestion of atherogenic lipoproteins. C1q plays a dual role in atherosclerosis where activation of complement by C1q is known to drive inflammation and promote disease progression. However, C1q is atheroprotective in early disease using mouse models. Our previous studies have highlighted a non-complement associated role for C1q in polarizing macrophages towards an M2-like anti-inflammatory phenotype during ingestion of targets such as atherogenic lipoproteins. This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved. Methods We investigated the molecular signaling mechanisms involved in macrophage polarization using an unbiased examination of gene expression profiles in human monocyte derived macrophages ingesting oxidized or acetylated low density lipoproteins in the presence or absence of C1q. Results Expression of genes involved in Janus kinase and signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling, peroxisome proliferator activating receptor (PPAR) signaling and toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling were modulated by C1q in this screen. C1q was also shown to significantly suppress JAK-STAT pathway activation (a maximum 55% ± 13% reduction, p = 0.044) and increase transcriptional activation of PPARs (a maximum 229% ± 54% increase, p = 0.0002), consistent with an M2-like polarized response. These pathways were regulated in macrophages by C1q bound to different types of modified atherogenic lipoprotein and led to a reduction in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Conclusions This study identifies potential molecular mechanisms for the beneficial role C1q plays in early atherosclerosis.
Nanocolloids for cancer

P work by our team has demonstrated that calcium phosphosilicate nanoparticles (CPSNPs) are nontoxic candidates for bioimaging and therapeutic drug delivery applications. The pH-dependent solubility profiles of CPSNPs make this class of nanoparticles especially useful for in vitro and in vivo delivery of fluoroprobes as well as chemotherapeutics. CPSNPs that encapsulate the near infra-red fluoroprobe, indocyanine green, have both diagnostic imaging and therapeutic efficacy. These “theranostic” attributes can be exploited to enhance photodynamic therapy (PDT), an alternative modality for cancer treatment. ICG-CPSNPs have enhanced optical imaging properties andfunction as stable photosensitizers for PDT. Data will be presented to demonstrate the theranostic potential of ICG-CPSNPs in multiple models of solid and non-solid tumors. In addition to fluoroprobes and chemotherapeutics, CPSNPs can be formulated to encapsulate molecular-based therapies, such as siRNA. Data will also be presented demonstrating the utility of these non-cationic formulations in in vivo models of cancer.
The ‘Space’ at the Intersection of Physics, Metaphysics, and Mathematics

As developed in Chap. 5, the attempts to fcapture the ontology of space and spacetime using the conceptual apparatus of substantivalism and relationism—that space is, respectively, either an independently existing entity or a relation among material substances—have proved to be quite problematic since the sophisticated versions of both substantivalism and relationism seem to be identical in the context of general relativity (GR), our best theory on the large scale structure of space. But, whether space is a substance or a relation is just one of the many conceptual distinctions that have entered the modern debate on the nature of space. In addition to substantivalism and relationism, one also finds references to realism versus anti-realism, platonism versus nominalism, and background independence versus background dependence. In this chapter, we will begin the examination of these new dichotomies, their impact on the traditional substantival/relational distinction, and their relationship to one of the least discussed, but quite central, components of the spatial ontology debate, namely, how the philosophy of mathematics factors into the philosophy of space and time.
“As If Augustine Had Said”: Textual Interpretation and Augustinian Ambiguity in a Medieval Debate on Predestination

In ninth century Francia, a rebellious monk named Gottschalk of Orbais (808-868) ardently defended his theory of divine predestination, much to the vexation of the Frankish Church, whose leaders eventually denounced him as heretical and imprisoned him for the remainder of his life. In an effort to disprove Gottschalk, his perhaps most prominent opponent, Hincmar, Archbishop of Reims (806-882), frequently cited elements of ecclesiastical tradition in an attempt to show that western Catholic orthodoxy opposed the theory of predestination that Gottschalk espoused. While most scholars have analyzed Hincmar’s writings by focusing on his citation of the patristic church father Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430), such an approach ignores the problematic nature of Augustine’s stance on predestination, which was largely ambiguous, hence the ability of both Gottschalk and Hincmar to reference his writings as proof of their argument. While Augustine at times limited his stance to merely suggesting that God had bestowed eternal life on some individuals, at other times he was more explicit, defining predestination in terms of a twofold decree of salvation for some and damnation for others. Such ambiguity created a nebulous definition of predestination by the time of the ninth century controversy and allowed Gottschalk to weaken Hincmar’s arguments by likewise citing Augustine to support his own assertions. This in turn forced Hincmar to extend his arsenal of ecclesiastical tradition beyond citation of Augustine in order to refute Gottschalk. This paper reevaluates a sample of Hincmar’s writings in the 840s and 850s to argue that he sought to make explicit what Augustine had left unclear regarding predestination by appealing to common standards of orthodoxy in the forms of additional patristic authors, conciliar judgments, and liturgical practices. This analysis reveals both the prominence of ambiguity in ninth-century predestination thought as well as the role of ecclesiastical tradition in forming medieval views on orthodoxy, however fluid such a label remained.
Factors Associated With Hospital Admission for Older Adults Receiving Care in U.S. Emergency Departments

Background Emergency departments (EDs) play a growing role in hospital admissions for older adults, yet nationally representative data on predictors of admission from the EDs are limited. Methods We examined sociodemographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics associated with non-ICU admissions, using National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data and multivariate Poisson regression models. Results There were an estimated 175 million ED visits by adults older than 65 years from 2001 to 2010. Overall, 32.5% were admitted to non-ICU beds. In multivariate analysis, non-ICU admission was associated with increasing age (16% higher per 10-year increase in age), white versus black race (35% vs 31%), and EDs in the Northeast (40%) or Midwest (38%) versus South (31%) or West (30%). Conclusion Non-ICU admission rates for older adults receiving care in U.S. EDs vary by age, race, and region. Understanding the reasons for these disparities in hospitalization rates may guide interventions to reduce hospitalizations in older adults.
Eliminating Whisker Growth by Indium Addition in Electroplated Sn on Copper Substrate

Whisker growth from Sn coatings is a reliability concern in electronic packages, until recently mitigated by Pb addition. Recently, it was demonstrated that doping with In dramatically reduces whisker growth in 1 μm thick Sn. Here, we present the results of In-doping on whisker growth from 3 μm and 6 μm thick Sn-films and explore the reasons behind this mitigation, and compare the results with a baseline sample of pure Sn and a control sample of tri-layer Sn-In-Sn, all subjected to identical thermal treatments. It is shown that In addition completely stops whisker growth from electroplated Sn. The impact of In addition on the film microstructure and the role of the surface oxide coating are investigated. Previous work had shown that while In addition reduces grain boundary diffusivity, it does not fully account for the observed dramatic reduction of whisker growth. In this work, it is shown by Auger electron spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy that In is incorporated in the surface-oxide. Since whisker-growth is contingent on the presence of a tenacious surface-oxide, this suggests that the alteration of the oxide properties may be responsible for the observed reduction in whisker growth. Finite element modeling is utilized to demonstrate that a reduction of the elastic modulus of the surface oxide would reduce the driving force of Sn whisker growth, thus proffering a rationale for the effect of In incorporation.
Financial price dynamics and agent-based models as inspired by Benoit Mandelbrot

This short note draws some connections between Mandelbrot‗s empirical legacy, and the interdisciplinary work that followed in finance. Much of this work is now labeled econophysics, but some has always been more in the realm of economics than physics. In a few areas the overlap is even becoming quite complete as in market microstructure. I will also give some ideas about the various successes and failures in this area, and some directions for the future of agent- based modeling in particular.
Improved detection of mineral oil toxicity using an extended mouse embryo assay

Purpose Successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) relies on sound laboratory methods and culture conditions which depend on sensitive quality control (QC) testing. This study aimed to improve the sensitivity of mouse embryo assays (MEA) for detection of mineral oil toxicity.
Bridging immunogenicity assays for IgG4 therapeutics: mitigating interference from Fc-Fc interactions.

Aim: A bridging immunogenicity assay for a human IgG4 mAb therapeutic was transferred to an automation system to increase throughput. However, background signal increased five- to six-fold during the 6- to 8-h run. Results: Noncovalent Fc contacts formed between labeled IgG4 drugs in reagent solutions stored during the automation run. This generated substantial background signal, reducing assay sensitivity by approximately sixfold. Fc interactions also significantly impacted the confirmation assay. Fc contacts formed between labeled and unlabeled drug, significantly increasing signal inhibition (∼7–70%) in the 6-h run. Conclusion: Storing labeled antibody solutions separately and combining them immediately before adding to samples reduced interference from Fc interactions. Preincubation time for reagent solutions should be strictly controlled for anti-drug antibody assays with IgG4 drugs to avoid false-positive results.
Flight Crew Survey Responses from the Interval Management (IM) Avionics Phase 2 Flight Test

The Interval Management (IM) Avionics Phase 2 flight test used three aircraft over a nineteen day period to operationally evaluate a prototype IM avionics. Quantitative data were collected on aircraft state data and IM spacing algorithm performance, and qualitative data were collected through end-of-scenario and end-of-day flight crew surveys. The majority of the IM operations met the performance goals established for spacing accuracy at the Achieve-by Point and the Planned Termination Point, however there were operations that did not meet goals for a variety of reasons. While the positive spacing accuracy results demonstrate the prototype IM avionics can contribute to the overall air traffic goal, critical issues were also identified that need to be addressed to enhance IM performance. The first category was those issues that impacted the conduct and results of the flight test, but are not part of the IM concept or procedures. These included the design of arrival and approach procedures was not ideal to support speed as the primary control mechanism, the ground-side of the Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) integrated concept of operations was not part of the flight test, and the high workload to manually enter the information required to conduct an IM operation. The second category was issues associated with the IM spacing algorithm or flight crew procedures. These issues include the high frequency of IM speed changes and reversals (accelerations), a mismatch between the deceleration rate used by the spacing algorithm and the actual aircraft performance, and some spacing error calculations were sensitive to normal operational variations in aircraft airspeed or altitude which triggered additional IM speed changes. Once the issues in these two categories are addressed, the future IM avionics should have considerable promise supporting the goals of improving system throughput and aircraft efficiency.
Efficient Production of Picosecond 9-11 μm Pulses by Parametric Three Wave Mixing in GaSe

Generation of picosecond, 5 µJ, 10 μm pulses by parametric three wave mixing in GaSe is demonstrated. Two new methods are explored in which the nonlinear interaction is seeded by either the signal or idler waves.
Defining the Vacuolar Targeting Signal of Phytohemagglutinin

Correct targeting of vacuolar proteins depends on two targeting domains: the signal sequence that allows polypeptides to enter the secretory system and a vacuolar sorting signal that directs proteins to the vacuole. Absence of a vacuolar sorting signal results in secretion by a bulk-flow pathway. The plant vacuolar protein phytohemagglutinin (PHA) is targeted to the vacuoles of yeast cells when the gene for PHA is expressed in yeast. This system was used to demonstrate that a short domain between amino acids 14 and 43 is sufficient to target a passenger protein (invertase) to yeast vacuoles. However, the information in this domain is not necessary to target full length PHA to yeast vacuoles. Experiments with plant cells show that the same domain allows secretion of yeast invertase by Arabidopsis protoplasts indicating that in plants the sorting domain is of greater complexity than in yeast and may be a patch rather than a short linear sequence.
Pedestrian safety in patients with Parkinson's disease: A case-control study.

Background Patients with Parkinson's disease experience debilitating motor symptoms as well as nonmotor symptoms, such as cognitive dysfunction and sleep disorders. This constellation of symptoms has the potential to negatively influence pedestrian safety. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of motor symptoms, daytime sleepiness, impaired vigilance, and cognitive dysfunction with pedestrian behavior in patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy older adults. Methods Fifty Parkinson's disease and 25 control participants were evaluated within a virtual reality pedestrian environment and completed assessments of motor performance, daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale), vigilance (psychomotor vigilance task), and visual processing speed (Useful Field of View) outside the virtual reality environment. The primary outcome measure was time to contact, defined as the time remaining until a participant would have been hit by an approaching vehicle while crossing the virtual street. Results The virtual reality pedestrian environment was feasible in all participants. Patients with Parkinson's disease demonstrated riskier pedestrian behavior compared with controls. Among Parkinson's disease participants, walking speed, objective measures of vigilance, and visual processing speed were correlated with pedestrian behavior, with walking speed the strongest predictor of time to contact, explaining 48% of the variance. Vigilance explained an additional 8% of the variance. In controls, vigilance was also important for street-crossing safety, but older age was the most robust predictor of pedestrian safety. Conclusions Walking speed is associated with unsafe pedestrian behavior in patients with Parkinson's disease. In contrast, age was the strongest predictor of pedestrian safety in healthy older adults. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Estimating relative risks in multicenter studies with a small number of centers — which methods to use? A simulation study

Analyses of multicenter studies often need to account for center clustering to ensure valid inference. For binary outcomes, it is particularly challenging to properly adjust for center when the number of centers or total sample size is small, or when there are few events per center. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of generalized estimating equation (GEE) log-binomial and Poisson models, generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) assuming binomial and Poisson distributions, and a Bayesian binomial GLMM to account for center effect in these scenarios. We conducted a simulation study with few centers (≤30) and 50 or fewer subjects per center, using both a randomized controlled trial and an observational study design to estimate relative risk. We compared the GEE and GLMM models with a log-binomial model without adjustment for clustering in terms of bias, root mean square error (RMSE), and coverage. For the Bayesian GLMM, we used informative neutral priors that are skeptical of large treatment effects that are almost never observed in studies of medical interventions. All frequentist methods exhibited little bias, and the RMSE was very similar across the models. The binomial GLMM had poor convergence rates, ranging from 27% to 85%, but performed well otherwise. The results show that both GEE models need to use small sample corrections for robust SEs to achieve proper coverage of 95% CIs. The Bayesian GLMM had similar convergence rates but resulted in slightly more biased estimates for the smallest sample sizes. However, it had the smallest RMSE and good coverage across all scenarios. These results were very similar for both study designs. For the analyses of multicenter studies with a binary outcome and few centers, we recommend adjustment for center with either a GEE log-binomial or Poisson model with appropriate small sample corrections or a Bayesian binomial GLMM with informative priors.
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of Prostaglandins

The purpose of this chapter is to review the contributions mass spectrometry has made to the field of prostaglandin research and show how mass spectrometry can be used in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and their metabolites. The rapid advancement of technology in the field of instrument design and electronics has greatly facilitated the application of mass spectrometry to biological problems. From the initial application of stable isotopes as tracers in biological systems (Hevesy, 1923), the application of mass spectrometry (Rittenberg et al., 1939) has proven to be a dramatic advance since it can provide a very sensitive and accurate method for measurement of isotope ratios. Measurement of isotope ratios was utilized to trace the fate of 15N-labeled animo acids (Schoenheimer et al, 1939), 13C-labeled CO2 (Wood et al., 1940), and 18O-labeled sodium sulfate (Aten and Hevesy, 1938). As early as 1939 it was recognized that mass spectrometry was “highly sensitive and accurate and most impurities are without effect on the analysis. The procedure is rapid and applicable to routine” (Rittenberg et al, 1939). Even though it took about 25 years for mass spectrometric analysis to become truly routine, the most important content of this quote—namely the ability of the mass spectrometer to provide specificity of analysis—indicates the major asset of this method. Initially, mass spectrometers were built by the investigators.
Online Resources for Dermatologic Laser Therapies

The Internet has revolutionized the way in which both lay-people and health care professionals seek out and research information regarding health care topics and specific disease conditions.1 A recent report states that approximately 80% of adult Internet users have conducted searches online for health or medical information.2 With increasing accessibility to the internet and rising familiarity with search engines, this percentage continues to grow. Aside from accessibility and convenience, the Internet is superior to most paper-based medical resources due to the ease of updating information to reflect the most timely and current data.
POSTMORTEM NEUROCHEMICAL STUDIES IN CHRONIC SCHIZOPHRENIA

ABSTRACT Catecholamines and some of their metabolites were measured in brain regions from autopsied chronic schizophrenics and controls. No significant changes in dopamine or its metabolites were found. Norepinephrine concentrations were increased in the nucleus accumbens of chronic paranoid schizophrenics relative to chronic undifferentiated schizophrenics, other psychiatric patients and normals. Conjugated 3-methoxy, 4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) was also increased in paranoid schizophrenics in the nucleus accumbens relative to normals. Increased norepinephrine and free MHPG in the hypothalamus of schizophrenics were found in comparison with normals. Increased tritiated (3H) neuroleptic binding was found in schizophrenic caudate nuclei relative to normals. No other differences between patients and controls in other binding sites or between schizophrenic sub-types were demonstrated. Endogenous peptides (methionine-enkephalin, substance P, and neurotensin) were measured in several brain regions. In a small number of chronic undifferentiated schizophrenic patients, methionine-enkephalin and substance P concentrations in caudate nuclei were increased relative to chronic paranoid schizophrenics and normals. The number of subjects and pre-and postmortem variables, such as neuroleptic treatment and the difficulties inherent in sub-typing deceased patients, warrant cautious interpretations of the significance of these findings. Nevertheless, sub-typing chronic schizophrenia by phenomenology may yield more homogenous groups while providing a means for controlling treatment variables.
Investigating the effect of anti-CTLA-4 on tumor-infiltrating effector T cells

Despite the relative success of checkpoint inhibitors, a majority of patients fail to respond to these therapies. Thus it is necessary to understand mechanisms of resistance in order to extend the benefits of immunotherapy to more patients. Checkpoint inhibitors are designed to prevent the interaction of immune checkpoints with their ligands, thereby allowing the body’s anti-tumor immune response to be reactivated. Recently, it has been appreciated that anti-CTLA4 therapies, including Ipilimumab, have a second mode of action. They can mediate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). This leads to death of cells bound by anti-CTLA4. While CTLA4 is largely intracellular, it is expressed on the surface of tumor-infiltrating T regulatory cells (Tregs). Thus anti-CTLA4-mediated ADCC can deplete tumor-infiltrating Tregs. In mice, ADCC of tumor-infiltrating Tregs is required for anti-CTLA4 efficacy. Likewise, Ipilimumab can mediate Fc-receptor dependent depletion of human Tregs. We have found that a portion of effector T cells infiltrating mouse and human tumors express surface CTLA-4 at levels similar to tumor-infiltrating Tregs. We further find that this portion of tumor-infiltrating effector T cells is likely to include tumor-reactive T cells. We will discuss the possibility that anti-CTLA4 can lead to Fc-receptor-dependent depletion of effector T cells and the implications for therapy resistance.
Acoustic microstreaming due to an oscillating contrast microbubbles near a substrate: Velocity, vorticity and closed streamlines

Intravenously injected microbubbles used as ultrasound contrast enhancing as well as drug delivery agents are encapsulated by a nanometer-thick layer of lipids, proteins, or polymers to stabilize them against premature dissolution. Here, acoustic microstreaming due to an oscillating microbubble, either coated or free, responsible for sonoporation and other bioeffects is analytically investigated. The detailed flow field is obtained, and the closed streamlines due to the ring vortex are plotted in both Eulerian and Lagrangian descriptions. Analytical expressions are found for the ring vortex showing that its length depends only on the separation of the microbubble from the wall and the dependence is linear. The circulation as a scalar measure of the vortex is computed quantitatively identifying its spatial location. The functional dependence of circulation on bubble separation and coating parameters was shown to be similar to that of the shear stress. [Work supported partially by NSF CBET 1602884 and GWU.]