cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The evolution of the neural crest: new perspectives from lamprey and invertebrate neural crest-like cells

The neural crest is an embryonic cell population that gives rise to an array of tissues and structures in adult vertebrates including most of the head skeleton. Because neural crest cells (NCCs), and many of their derivatives, are unique to vertebrates, the evolution of the neural crest is thought to have potentiated vertebrate origins and diversification. However, the lack of clear NCC homologs in invertebrate chordates has made it difficult to reconstruct the evolutionary history of modern NCCs. In this review, the development of NCCs in the basal jawless vertebrate, lamprey, is compared with the development of neural crest-like cells in a range of invertebrates to deduce features of the first NCCs and their evolutionary precursors. These comparisons demonstrate that most of the defining attributes of NCCs are widespread features of invertebrate embryonic ectoderm. In addition, they suggest ancient origins for the neural border domain and chondroid skeletal tissue in the first bilaterian, and show that NCCs must have evolved in a chordate with an unduplicated invertebrate-type genome. On the basis of these observations, a stepwise model for the evolution of NCCs involving heterotopic and heterochronic activation of ancient ectodermal gene programs and new responsiveness to preexisting inducing signals is proposed. In light of the phylogenetic distribution of neural crest-like cells, the deep homology of developmental gene networks, and the central role of evolutionary loss in deuterostome evolution, this article concludes with suggestions for future studies in a broad range of bilaterians to test key aspects of this model. WIREs Dev Biol 2013, 2:1-15. doi: 10.1002/wdev.85 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Resistance of Titanium Diboride to High-Temperature Plastic Yielding

Polycrystalline TiB2 specimens of 3 μm average grain size but free of lamellar precipitates were compression-tested to 1900°C and 500 MPa. No plastic yielding was detected. Under such conditions, most other structural ceramics do exhibit yield behavior. The results suggest the existence of a high Peierls stress, presumably related to Ti—B bonding. This finding contrasts with a report on ZrB2 in which resistance to yielding was attributed to lamellar precipitates.
Gilbert Tennent, Established “Dissenter”

Gilbert Tennent (1703–1764), an “Ulster Scot” born the same year as John Wesley, is usually remembered as a leader of revivals during the “Great Awakening” in the middle-colonies. John Witherspoon (1723–1794), a “champion of orthodoxy” from Edinburgh called to be the President of the College of New Jersey, is usually treated as a “founding father” of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. However, many events leading up to the first General Assembly in 1788 reflect the influence of Gilbert Tennet, the moderator of the newly re-united Synods of Philadelphia and New York in 1758.
Field efficacy and seasonal expression profiles for terminal leaves of single and double Bacillus thuringiensis toxin cotton genotypes.

Examination of commercial Cry1Ac transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) cotton varieties (Bollgard, Monsanto, St. Louis, MO) and an experimental Cry1Ac + Cry2Ab transgenic Bt cotton variety (Bollgard II, Monsanto) for lepidopteran field efficacy was conducted during the 2000 growing season. In addition, a commercially available (Envirologix, Portland, ME) quantification assay (ELISA) was used to measure and profile the expression levels of Cry proteins in two of these varieties ['DP50B, Bollgard'; 'DP50BII, Bollgard II' (Delta & Pine Land, Scott, MS)]. Populations of beet army worms, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), and soybean loopers, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), were significantly lower (P 0.05). Single and dual-toxin genotypes remained superior (P 0.05) impact on Cry1Ac expression in Bollgard II compared with Cry1Ac expression in Bollgard. Furthermore, throughout the season Cry2Ab was present at much higher levels in the plant compared with Cry1Ac for Bollgard II plants. Possible species-specific reasons for increased efficacy of Bollgard II over Bollgard are discussed.
Metabolic adaptations to low zinc intakes in premenarcheal girls

BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency is increasingly recognized as an important cause of mortality and morbidity. Children in developing countries are at especially high risk because of relatively low zinc intakes and poor bioavailability. OBJECTIVE We assessed the effect of 2-wk adaptation to low zinc intake (4 mg/d) on fractional zinc absorption, endogenous fecal zinc excretion, and urinary zinc excretion. DESIGN Sixteen healthy 9-14-y-old girls were studied twice in random order after 2-wk adaptation to diets providing either 12 mg/d (high) or 4 mg/d (low) zinc. Fractional zinc absorption and endogenous fecal zinc excretion were measured with use of established stable isotope techniques. RESULTS Plasma zinc was not significantly lower during the low dietary intake period (1.06 +/- 0.18 mg/L) than during the high dietary intake period (1.14 +/- 0.23 mg/L, P = 0.30). Endogenous fecal zinc excretion was significantly lower during the low intake period (1.08 +/- 0.62 mg/d) than during the high intake period (1.82 +/- 0.95 mg/d, P < 0.026), but there was no significant change in fractional zinc absorption (30.6% +/- 12.4% compared with 26.6% +/- 9.0%, P = 0.32) or urinary zinc excretion (0.68 +/- 0.35 mg/d compared with 0.59 +/- 0.24 mg/d, P = 0.30). Approximate zinc balance was significantly lower during the low-intake period than during the high-intake period (P = 0.007) and significantly (P < 0.0001) less than zero. CONCLUSION Short-term zinc restriction in premenarcheal girls leads to a significant decrease in endogenous fecal zinc excretion, which was inadequate to restore normal zinc balance.
In Focus: Supreme Court Review: New Opinions Defer to State Law, Courts; The Court Upholds State Court Class Action Settlements and Laws Limiting Jury Awards

Commentary and analysis of major procedure decisions issued by the Supreme Court in the 1995-96 Term. The article discusses the Court’s decisions in Matshushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. v. Epstein and Gasperini v. Center for Humanities Inc. In Matshushita, the Court required federal courts to uphold and give preclusive effect to state class action settlements. The Court determined three major issues. First, it held that full faith and credit required a federal district court to honor a valid state judgment, or in this instance, a state settlement. Second, the Court implicitly held that settlements, like final judgments, are encompassed by preclusion doctrine. Third, the Court held that federal courts must honor a state class action settlement even if that settlement includes a release of claims within the federal court’s exclusive jurisdiction. The article reviews the practical effects of the Matshushita decision and criticisms of the Court’s holdings. In Gasperini, the Court generally held that federal courts must apply state law on damage limitations, rather than any other federal principles. However, the Court split 5-4 in an array of opinions; the Justices could not even agree on what constituted the central issue in the appeal. The majority’s opinion affirms the ability of states to limit damages legislatively, setting statutory caps that may not then be reviewed, second-guessed, or superseded by federal appellate courts in diversity cases. The article surveys the problems raised by Gasperini’s array of decisions.
The Ethics of Emergency Lawyering

The fast pace of modern law practice increasingly presents clients in situations that demand immediate attention and solution. Unlike medicine, however, the legal profession does not yet consider itself as having an emergency specialty. Yet, observation of today's law practice readily reveals that the analogy is accurate. The pressure of today's rapidly changing business climate, the complexity of legal regulations and relationships and the widening application of law to address a host of problems, all contribute to an increasing need for an immediate, available legal response: "emergency lawyering." Situations in which attorneys respond to emergencies provide a window on priorities and standards for competence, candor, fairness and service. The emergency perspective affords insight into those areas of a practice that an attorney may not have satisfactorily cultivated and suggests means of improving legal services for clients in crisis. This model of legal services challenges and illuminates the legal profession's attitude toward the overall delivery of legal services.This article constructs a general theory of emergency legal practice, defining emergency law practice and addressing the ethical, professional, and legal implications of this "emergency" perspective on the lawyering process. This article suggests that the prevalence of legal emergencies in the day-to-day practice of many attorneys requires attention to this aspect of legal practice as a specialized form of lawyering. By doing so, attorneys can develop this aspect of their practice and serve a significant need of clients in an efficient and effective manner rather than shunning emergencies.Perhaps the most fundamental concern in developing adequate emergency response has been the assumption that legal representation in an emergency places an attorney at an increased risk of sanction or liability. In particular, the standards for adequate preparation in emergencies are addressed. The article suggests means for attorneys to structure their practices to prepare in advance to provide quality emergency lawyering. The article concludes with some of the "triage" issues in emergency representation by the profession as a whole. The need for emergency representation reaches its zenith when crisis, limited resources and high risks combine with the need for free or reduced fee representation. This class of cases highlights issues of the attorney's and the profession's duty to make legal services available.
A novel single-chain antibody redirects adenovirus to IL13Rα2-expressing brain tumors.

The generation of a targeting agent that strictly binds to IL13Rα2 will significantly expand the therapeutic potential for the treatment of IL13Rα2-expressing cancers. In order to fulfill this goal, we generated a single-chain antibody (scFv47) from our parental IL13Rα2 monoclonal antibody and tested its binding properties. Furthermore, to demonstrate the potential therapeutic applicability of scFv47, we engineered an adenovirus by incorporating scFv47 as the targeting moiety in the viral fiber and characterized its properties in vitro and in vivo. The scFv47 binds to human recombinant IL13Rα2, but not to IL13Rα1 with a high affinity of 0.9 · 10−9 M, similar to that of the parental antibody. Moreover, the scFv47 successfully redirects adenovirus to IL13Rα2 expressing glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our data validate scFv47 as a highly selective IL13Rα2 targeting agent and justify further development of scFv47-modified oncolytic adenovirus and other therapeutics for the treatment of IL13Rα2-expressing glioma and other malignancies.
Light-Colored Resupinate Polypores—III

48. PORIA EUPORA (P. Karst.) Cooke, Grevillea 14: IIO. I886 Polyporus euporus P. Karst. Not. Sallsk. Faun. Fl. Fenn. 9: 360. I868. Polyporus attenuatus Peck, Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. I: 6I. 1873; Ann. Rep. N. Y. State Mus. 26: 70. I874. Polyporus Blyttii.Fries, Hymen. Eur. 57I. I874. Poria Blyttii P. Karst. Bidr. Finl. Nat. Folk 37: 83. I882. Poria attenuata Cooke, Grevillea I4: IIO. I886. Originally described as follows from specimens collected on dead willow wood in Finland by Karsten, who notes that it is not
Rapid analysis of ethanol and water in commercial products using ionic liquid capillary gas chromatography with thermal conductivity detection and/or barrier discharge ionization detection

Analysis of ethanol and water in consumer products is important in a variety of processes and often is mandated by regulating agencies. A method for the simultaneous quantitation of ethanol and water that is simple, accurate, precise, rapid, and cost-effective is demonstrated. This approach requires no internal standard for the quantitation of both ethanol and water at any/all levels in commercial products. Ionic liquid based gas chromatography (GC) capillary columns are used to obtain a fast analysis with high selectivity and resolution of water and ethanol. Typical run times are just over 3 min. Examination of the response range of water and ethanol with GC, thermal conductivity detection (TCD), and barrier ionization detection (BID) is performed. Quantitation of both ethanol and water in consumer products is accomplished with both TCD and BID GC detectors using a nonlinear calibration. Validation of method accuracy is accomplished by using standard reference materials.
Protection in 2013,Jianye District,Nanjing Asian Youth drinking water test results will be analyzed

Objective To protect August 2013 2nd Asian Youth Council successfully held in the city, on the main venue Jianye major hotels, restaurants and high-end residential water tank for testing. Methods According to "drinking water health standard"(GB/T5750-2006) the method for sampling, preservation and transported to the laboratory for testing, health assessment in accordance with the "drinking water health standards"(GB/T5749-2006) Executive. Results 2013 January-July seized water tank 306 copies, of which all of the seized items are 175 qualified samples, with a pass rate of 57.2%, free chlorine lower pass rate of only 57.5%. Conclusion The overall water quality in the region is better, but the use of disinfectants to master well lead to a lower pass rate of free chlorine to protect water security AYO will need to strengthen monitoring efforts.
Power of consumers using social media

This study examined the influences of positive brand-related user-generated content (UGC)1 shared via Facebook on consumer response. The model tested was derived from the S-O-R consumer response model (Mehrabian & Russell, 1974) that depicts the effects of environmental/informational stimuli on consumer response. Specific research objectives were to investigate whether brand-related UGC acts as a stimulus to activate consumer behavior in relation to brand and examine the processes by which brand-related UGC influences consumer behavior. Using the S-O-R model, brand-related UGC was treated as stimulus, pleasure and arousal as emotional responses, and perceived information quality as cognitive response. Information pass-along, impulse buying, future-purchase intention, and brand engagement were treated as behavioral responses. Participants (n?=?533) resided in the U.S. and had a Facebook account. Mock Facebook fan pages including brand-related UGC were developed as visual stimuli and presented via an online self-administered questionnaire. SEM was used to analyze the data. Brand-related UGC activated consumers' emotional and cognitive responses. Emotional and cognitive responses significantly influenced behavioral responses. Positive brand-related UGC exerts a significant influence on brand as it provokes consumers' eWOM behavior, brand engagement, and potential brand sales. A model examining the influence of brand-related UGC on consumer was proposed.The process by which brand-related UGC influences consumer was examined.Brand-related UGC activated pleasure as emotional response.Brand-related UGC influenced perceived information quality as cognitive response.Brand-related UGC influences eWOM, brand engagement, and potential brand sales.
A Comprehensive and Economical System of Quality Control for Blood Gas Analyzers

The system of quality control described provides a daily comprehensive evaluation of blood gas analyzer performance, around-the-clock checks on accuracy of calibration and significant savings as compared with use of commercially prepared materials. The system incorporates both blood and buffer in the preparation of tonometered controls covering a pH range of 7.20-7.58, a PC02 range of 18-64 mmHg, and a P2 range of 49-250 mmHg. Typical CVs are <3% for PC02 and P2, and <0.12% for pH. The buffer controls cost approximately $0.32/ml to prepare, compared with commercially available buffer controls which cost approximately $0.78/ml. A previously used system of quality control, although equally comprehensive, added $0.98 to the cost of each blood gas sample analyzed, whereas the system described added $0.42 to the cost of each sample. This system of quality control for blood gas analyzers is based on the DynexTM Gas/Liquid Equilibration System, a relatively new instrument in the field.
Phosphatidylserine Exposure Controls Viral Innate Immune Responses by Microglia

Microglia are the intrinsic immune sentinels of the central nervous system. Their activation restricts tissue injury and pathogen spread, but in some settings, including viral infection, this response can contribute to cell death and disease. Identifying mechanisms that control microglial responses is therefore an important objective. Using replication-incompetent adenovirus 5 (Ad5)-based vectors as a model, we investigated the mechanisms through which microglia recognize and respond to viral uptake. Transgenic, immunohistochemical, molecular-genetic, and fluorescence imaging approaches revealed that phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) exposure on the outer leaflet of transduced cells triggers their engulfment by microglia through TAM receptor-dependent mechanisms. We show that inhibition of phospholipid scramblase 1 (PLSCR1) activity reduces intracellular calcium dysregulation, prevents PtdSer externalization, and enables months-long protection of vector-transduced, transgene-expressing cells from microglial phagocytosis. Our study identifies PLSCR1 as a potent target through which the innate immune response to viral vectors, and potentially other stimuli, may be controlled.
Implications of tidally-varying bed stress and intermittent estuarine stratification on fine-sediment dynamics through the Mekong’s tidal river to estuarine reach

Abstract River gauging stations are often located upriver of tidal propagation where sediment transport processes and storage are impacted by widely varying ratios of marine to freshwater influence. These impacts are not yet thoroughly understood. Therefore, sediment fluxes measured at these stations may not be suitable for predicting changes to coastal morphology. To characterize sediment transport dynamics in this understudied zone, flow velocity, salinity, and suspended-sediment properties (concentration, size, and settling velocity) were measured within the tidal Song Hậu distributary of the lower Mekong River, Vietnam. Fine-sediment aggregation, settling, and trapping rates were promoted by seasonal and tidal fluctuations in near-bed shear stress as well as the intermittent presence of a salt wedge and estuary turbidity maximum. Beginning in the tidal river, fine-grained particles were aggregated in freshwater. Then, in the interface zone between the tidal river and estuary, impeded near-bed shear stress and particle flux convergence promoted settling and trapping. Finally, in the estuary, sediment retention was further encouraged by stratification and estuarine circulation which protected the bed against particle resuspension and enhanced particle aggregation. These patterns promote mud export (~1.7 t s−1) from the entire study area in the high-discharge season when fluvial processes dominate and mud import (~0.25 t s−1) into the estuary and interface zone in the low-discharge season when estuarine processes dominate. Within the lower region of the distributaries, morphological change in the form of channel abandonment was found to be promoted within minor distributaries by feedbacks between channel depth, vertical mixing, and aggregate trapping. In effect, this field study sheds light on the sediment trapping capabilities of the tidal river – estuary interface zone, a relatively understudied region upstream of where traditional concepts place sites of deposition, and predicts how fine-sediment dynamics and morphology of large tropical deltas such as the Mekong will respond to changing fluvial and marine influences in the future.
Dynamic stretching is effective as static stretching at increasing flexibility

This study examined the effect of dynamic and static (standard) stretching on hamstring flexibility. Twenty-five female volleyball players were randomly assigned to dynamic ( n = 12) and standard ( n = 13) stretching groups. The experimental group trained with repetitive dynamic stretching exercises, while the standard modality group trained with static stretching exercises. The stretching interventions were equivalent in the time at stretch and were performed three days a week for four weeks. Both stretching groups showed significant improvements ( P < .001) in range of motion (ROM) during the intervention. However, no difference in gains in the range of motion between stretching groups was observed. It was concluded that both dynamic stretching and standard stretching are effective at increasing ROM.
I Found It on Pinterest: An Exploration of Pinterest Content for Followers of the National Association of School Psychologists.

School psychologists are tasked with the job to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs) in the schools and are increasingly using the internet and social media applications, such as Pinterest, to find intervention resources. Unfortunately, little is known about the typical patterns of use or of shared content gleaned from social media. A random sample of the National Association of School Psychologist’s (NASP) followers on Pinterest was examined to better understand school psychologists’ Pinterest use. Results show that NASP’s followers are most often sharing content related to behavioral, social-emotional concerns (specifically coping skills) and general professional issues. The implications of disseminating web content through existing social media platforms are examined.
The Roles of Patterning and Spatial Skills in Early Mathematics Development.

Abstract Because math knowledge begins to develop at a young age to varying degrees, it is important to identify foundational cognitive and academic skills that might contribute to its development. The current study focused on two important, but often overlooked skills that recent evidence suggests are important contributors to early math development: patterning and spatial skills. We assessed preschool children’s repeating patterning skills, spatial skills, general cognitive skills and math knowledge at the beginning of the pre-kindergarten year. We re-assessed their math knowledge near the end of the school year, with complete data for 73 children. Children’s repeating patterning and spatial skills were related and were each unique predictors of children’s math knowledge at the same time point and seven months later. Further, repeating patterning skills predicted later math knowledge even after controlling for prior math knowledge. Thus, although repeating patterning and spatial skills are related, repeating patterning skills are a unique predictor of math knowledge and growth. Both theories of early math development and early math standards should be expanded to incorporate a role for repeating patterning and spatial skills.
Strong-field laser initiated H 2 roaming chemistry and the formation of H 3 + from organic molecules

H2 roaming has been recently implicated in H3+ production when certain organic molecules interact with a strong-field laser. Mechanistic details and femtosecond time-resolved dynamics of H3+ formation were obtained on a series of alcohols.
Monoprotic Acid—Base Diagrams

In this chapter we introduce a variety of graphical displays of monoprotic acid—base equilibria. Although a number of diagrammatic methods for solving pH problems has been proposed, none is as fast as numerical approximation using equations (3-2)−(3-5), for those who are experienced in chemistry. For the student, however, these diagrams can help develop the experience needed to make correct approximations suitable under various conditions. First, we present a complete ratio diagram since it is the simplest to use and the most foolproof to interpret. The log α and log C diagrams shown next are either more complicated (log α) or less foolproof, requiring estimations as to the approximate equalities or intersections to look for (log C).
Fatty acid chemical mediator provides insights into the pathology and treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) ranks as the second-most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder that afflicts the aging population (1). Hallmark neuropathological features of PD consist of dopaminergic cell loss in the substantia nigra, striatal dopamine deficiency, and formation of intracellular inclusions, called Lewy bodies, marked by α-synuclein aggregates (2). Although the primary brain deficiency of PD involves nigrostriatal dopaminergic depletion, various cell types undergo degeneration in the brain, as well as in the periphery during disease onset and progression (3). The clinical symptoms of PD have been routinely defined as cardinal motor abnormalities, which include bradykinesia, tremors, muscle rigidity, and freezing of gait (1). However, PD is also associated with many nonmotor symptoms, such as cognitive deficits, that contribute to overall morbidity of the disease (1, 4). In addition to α-synuclein accumulation, several mechanisms postulated to mediate dopaminergic depletion comprise mitochondrial dysfunction, aberrant oxidative stress, calcium imbalance, impaired axonal transport, and neuroinflammation (1). The advent of disease biomarkers may facilitate early diagnosis and treatment initiation for PD. Unfortunately, despite these scientific advances in our knowledge of the disease pathology, there is no cure for PD, only relief from its symptoms. While dopaminergic cells are selectively destroyed in PD patients, what triggers this brain cell death remains poorly understood, thereby relegating treatment intervention to … [↵][1]1Email: cborlong{at}health.usf.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Sedation of the Agitated, Critically Ill Patient Without an Artificial Airway

Sedation of the critically ill patient without an artificial airway is a difficult and challenging clinical problem. Careful attention to preparations, selection of appropriate techniques, and monitoring of patient responses during sedation will reduce problems in this patient population. Preparation to provide airway support is essential in the sedation of these patients, and the appropriate training of the clinician is important.
Hormonal Modulation of Baroreceptor Reflexes

Mechanisms involved in the regulation of the cardiovascular system include fluid homeostasis, central neural mechanisms and local vasoregulatory processes. The relative importance of each mechanism is still controversial. This is due, in part, to the view that the regulation of the cardiovascular system involves both short- and long-term regulatory systems and that long-term mechanisms may be more important in maintaining homeostasis. However, as we learn more about the interaction between the various regulatory mechanisms, the distinction between short- and long-term regulatory mechanisms appears to be arbitrary. For example, fluid and local vascular regulatory mechanisms, which are effective regulators over the long term, are influenced by sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) to the specific organs. On the other hand, the arterial baroreflexes which are considered to be involved only in the short-term regulation respond rapidly to perturbations and have a high gain. Thus in many instances, regulation is initiated by neural mechanisms before the so called long-term mechanisms come into play. However, changes in neurohormonal drive are likely to elicit alterations in fluid and vascular regulatory processes. Accordingly, it is difficult to distinguish between the relative importance of these three regulatory systems.
The Pharmacogenomics of Addiction

This is a review of the pharmacogenomics of addiction and multiple addiction-related phenotypes that are diagnosis independent. The discussion spans pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors in vulnerability, variation in treatment response, and negative outcomes of drug exposure, including carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and suicidality. Functional loci recently have been implicated in inter-individual variation in intermediate pathways for addiction, including stress resiliency, reward, and impulsivity. Addiction vulnerability is modified profoundly by stress, leading to the insight that some genes modulating risk do so via this pathway of vulnerability. Here, a comprehensive review of genes associated with addictions and these addiction-related phenotypes is not attempted, but several examples are given.
Stem Cells for Diseases of the Retina

Abstract Despite substantial progress in the diagnosis and treatment of retinal disease, there remains a significant societal burden of untreatable blindness resulting from disorders of the retina. This includes relatively common diseases such as atrophic or dry age-related macular degeneration and less common ones such as retinitis pigmentosa and Stargardt disease. Stem cell–based strategies represent a potential therapeutic modality and promising catalyst for research. Stem cell–derived retinal pigment epithelium has already been transplanted into humans with conditions causing central macular atrophy, and human photoreceptor transplantation is likely on the horizon. In addition, a variety of stem cell types have shown promise as neuroprotective agents when transplanted into the eye. Finally, our understanding of retinal pathophysiology has increased dramatically, fueled in part by the ability to create induced pluripotent stem cells from diseased patients and then differentiate them into specific retinal cell types or three-dimensional retinal organoids.
Primary liquefaction behavior of KY #9 and KY #11 washed coal

The conversion of moisture and ash free (maf) coal to pyridine solubles and gas was investigated in a microautoclave batch reactor. Two washed Kentucky coal samples (KY #9 and KY #11) were studied in liquefaction solvents of various donor strength. The liquefaction solvent hydrogen donor strength was varied by changing the tetralin content of a mixed 1-methylnaphthalene-tetralin mixture. Primary liquefaction conversions in excess of 90 wt% in 10 minutes of reaction time @ 700° K (427° C or 800° F) were achieved with liquefaction solvents of moderate donor strength, i. e. 40% tetralin. A modified irreversible first order rate expression (eq. 1) described the experimental data: (1) $$x\, = \,\alpha - (\alpha - \beta )\,e{\,^{ - {x_1}\,\theta }}$$ where: α is the intrinsic reactive fraction of the maf coal, β is the pyridine solubles of the starting maf coal, κ is a specific reaction velocity constant, Θ is reaction time, and x is the primary liquefaction fractional coal conversion. Primary liquefaction rates as measured by κ1 were found to be quite temperature sensitive and independant of coal when liquefaction solvents containing ≥ 40 wt% tetralin were used. Both α and κ1 appear to depend on solvent donor strength when the liquefaction solvent contained less than 40 wt% tetralin. The intrinsic reactives fraction a appears to be about equal to the reactive macerals content for the two coals studied in liquefaction solvents with a tetralin content ≥ 40 wt%.
Impact of Cardiovascular Embryology Animations on Short-Term Learning.

An understanding of human embryology is essential for students to better understand the subjects of human anatomy and physiology. However, human embryology is a challenging subject for many, since ...
Ultra-High Efficiency and Broad Band Operation of Infrared Metasurface Anomalous Reflector based on Graphene Plasmonics

Infrared metasurface anomalous reflector with ultra-high efficiency and broad band operation is designed via multi-sheet graphene layer with triangular holes. The anomalous reflection angle covers the range of 10° to 90° with the efficiency higher than 80%, over a broad spectral range from 7 μm–40 μm of infrared spectrum. It reaches above 92% at the center wavelength in the spectral response. By increasing the periodicity of phase gradient, we can expand this frequency band even further without losing efficiency. The compact design of metasurface affords the adjustability of the electrochemical potential level of graphene by means of gating. Additionally, the impact of the number of graphene sheets for the optimum efficiency of the proposed structure is investigated. By adding the secondary graphene metasurface with opposite direction of phase gradient, we demonstrated the tunability of the reflection angle from θr to −θr with bias voltage.
The Miracle of Microfinance Revisited: Evidence from Propensity Score Matching

We provide new evidence on the effectiveness of microfinance intervention for poverty alleviation. We apply the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method to data collected in a recent randomized control trial (RCT) in India by Banerjee et al. (2014). The PSM method allows us to answer an additional set of questions not answered by the original study. First, we explore the characteristics of MFI borrowers relative to two comparison groups: those without any loans and those with other types of loans, predominantly from family and friends and money lenders. Second, we compare the impact on expenditures of MFI borrowers relative to these two comparison groups. We find that microfinance borrowers have higher expenditures in a number of categories, notably durables, house repairs, health, festivals and temptation goods. The differences are stronger relative to those without any loans. Our results suggest that microfinance can make a larger difference for households previously excluded from other credit sources. However, some of the increased expenditures are unlikely to lead to long-term benefits and there is no significant difference in total expenditures. We also present suggestive evidence of negative spillovers, i.e. non-participants reducing some categories of expenditures, while MFI participants âpick up the tab.â
Effects of Precipitation, Air Temperature, and Land Use on Organic Carbon Discharges from Rhode River Watersheds

We studied discharges of organic carbon from eight contiguous small watersheds on the Atlantic Coastal Plain in Maryland for up to 24 yr. Six of these watersheds were second or third orderwith mixed-land-use, while two were first order (one completely forested and one highly dominated by cropland). These watershedshave perched aquifers, so all groundwater discharges as well assurface runoff were measured at V-notch weirs and flumes, whichincluded volume-integrating flow-proportional samplers. Interannual variations in annual and seasonal precipitation during this study spanned approximately the range of 160 yr weather records in the region. Annual total organic carbon (TOC)area yields from the overall Rhode River watershed varied 8-fold, correlations with precipitation were highly significant,and a power function regression explained 54% of the variance in annual TOC fluxes. TOC fluxes were higher from upland forestthan mixed land use, and highest from the cropland-dominated watershed. The fluxes from first order watersheds were more variable with precipitation. In the spring, TOC fluxes were highest and most correlated with precipitation, compared to other seasons. Precipitation volume also explained much of thevariance in annual and spring TOC concentrations from upland forest and cropland, with concentrations three to five times higher in very wet years than in very dry years. Variation in winter and summer air temperature was correlated with TOC concentrations from forested watersheds, and linear regressionsexplained 19 to 42% of the variance in TOC. A regression modelwas used to construct graphical and tabular summaries. Particulate organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)concentrations and the ratio of DOC to TOC were highly correlated with water discharge for a second order, mixed land use watershed, and power function regressions explained 21 to 43% of the variance. For the first order, single-land-use watersheds the ratio of DOC to TOC was also highly correlatedwith discharge.
A Better Financing System? The Death – and Possible Rebirth – of the Presidential Nomination Public Financing Program

In 1974 Congress authorized public funding for presidential nomination campaigns. Public funding was crucial to Jimmy Carter’s nomination in 1976 and to Ronald Reagan’s nearly successful campaign the same year, and continued to be an important factor in presidential nomination contests for more than two decades after that. But no major candidate has used the program since 2004. Due the program’s built-in limitations, changes in the nomination process, and campaign finance developments, the program is completely irrelevant today. It has been argued that the program isn’t really needed. Although one argument for public funding is that promotes electoral competition the 2008 races in both parties and the 2016 Democratic nomination were hotly contested, and the races for the 2012 and 2016 Republican nominations and the current 2020 Democratic campaign have had record numbers of candidates. A second goal of public funding is to reduce the clout of large donors, but the last several elections have been marked by a sharply increased role for small-dollar donors. Nonetheless, the current private-funding system continues to pose major barriers to entry. Although small donations have grown, the volume of very large donations has grown as well, and big donors, big-donor-funded Super PACs, and wealthy self-funded candidates have a disproportionate role in nomination campaign finance. This chapter reviews the history of the presidential nomination public funding program, its initial impact and the reasons for its subsequent collapse. It then examines the state and local public funding systems that have drawn the participation of viable candidates, and increased both competitiveness and the role of small donors. Based on the lessons of the failed federal system and the successful state and local ones, it sketches out the reasons for and the elements of a re-born presidential nomination public funding program.
Confessions: The consolations of literature

This ‘confession’ begins with my journey as an early modern, Shakespearean scholar, from India to the Anglo-American academy. The Anglo-centric world that I entered was not particularly welcoming. However, my personal ‘otherness’ prompted my early critical interventions as I (among other scholars of color) began to view Shakespeare within the context of the emerging colonial and globalizing imaginary as well as the racial typologies of early modern England. Today, a more diverse (albeit still small) cohort of scholars is a broadening the contexts and contents, including topics covering productions of difference via a wide range of intersectional theoretical lenses. However, even as early modern studies are becoming more inclusive, liberal politics are stifling the rich Renaissance literature within identity politics and agendas, often not even historically grounded. An unintended consequence of this liberal agenda is that it encourages students to study literatures closely aligned to their own ethnic/racial group. And as we teach literature to nurture students’ identities, the danger lies in approaching literary works as sites for therapeutic effects. Instead, we should turn to literary works to imaginatively understand the productions of difference. In early modern studies, for instance, plays like Othello and The Tempest historicize and make visible anti-black racism, misogyny, patriarchy, and colonial servitude and exploitation.
Lollard Book Production and Richard Rolle’s English Psalter and Canticles

This chapter explores the inclusion of several lollard canticles at the end of six manuscripts that contain the original, unrevised English Psalter and Canticles by the English mystic Richard Rolle. From what is known so far of Rolle’s English Psalter (c.1340), he concluded the 150 Psalms with a series of six OT canticles and the Magnificat. When the lollards interpolated the Rolle original to create the revised versions, they added an additional five NT canticles to Rolle’s seven. All of the manuscripts of the Rolle original include all or some of Rolle’s original seven canticles; however, six of these manuscripts add the five lollard NT ones. This chapter argues that the canticles were clearly seen as part of the complete text of Rolle’s English Psalter, and that the lollards were responsible for bringing this text into circulation and making it popular, especially in the south of England at the end of the fourteenth century. The lollards, through their interpolated version of the Rolle text, revitalized interest in Rolle’s English Psalter. This instance has implications for our knowledge about the influence of the lollards on the production and dissemination of orthodox vernacular manuscripts.
Splitting the Difference: Using Synthetic and Biologic Mesh to Decrease Cost in Prepectoral Immediate Implant Breast Reconstruction.

Summary Prepectoral breast reconstruction has minimized morbidity and dynamic deformities associated with submuscular implant-based breast reconstruction. However, reliance on implant coverage with acellular dermal matrix in immediate implant reconstruction remains limited by high material costs. The authors describe a technique in which anterior implant coverage in prepectoral reconstruction is split into acellular dermal matrix inferolaterally and synthetic, absorbable mesh superiorly. Use of acellular dermal matrix inferiorly provides coverage and reinforces the inframammary fold, whereas the absorbable mesh is trimmed and sutured to the acellular dermal matrix at the appropriate tension to support the implant and relieve pressure on mastectomy flaps. A retrospective review was performed on all consecutive prepectoral one-stage breast reconstructions using this technique at a single institution. Patient demographics, mastectomy and reconstruction characteristics, reconstructive outcomes, and cost of support materials were queried and analyzed. Eleven patients (21 breasts) underwent prepectoral immediate implant reconstruction with Vicryl and acellular dermal matrix anterior coverage. Average mastectomy weight was 775.8 g. Smooth, round cohesive implants were used in all cases and average implant size was 514.5 ml. Overall complication rates were low and included one minor infection (4.8 percent) and one case of minor mastectomy flap and partial nipple necrosis each (4.8 percent). Calculated cost savings of Vicryl and acellular dermal matrix anterior coverage was up to $3415 in unilateral and $6830 in bilateral cases. Prepectoral breast reconstruction using acellular dermal matrix inferiorly and Vicryl mesh superiorly is a safe technique that decreases material costs associated with support materials and allows the surgeon to precisely control the implant pocket and position. Clinical question/level of evidence Therapeutic, IV.
Frustrated Lewis Pair Stabilized Phosphoryl Nitride (NPO), a Mono Phosphorus Analogue of Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Phosphoryl nitride (NPO) is a highly reactive intermediate, and its chemistry has only been explored under matrix isolation conditions so far. Here we report the synthesis of an anthracene (A) and phosphoryl azide-based molecule (N3P(O)A) that acts as a molecular synthon of NPO. Experimentally, N3P(O)A dissociates thermally with a first order kinetic half-life that is associated with an activation enthalpy of ΔH⧧ = 27.5 ± 0.3 kcal mol–1 and an activation entropy of ΔS⧧ = 10.6 ± 0.3 cal mol–1 K–1 that are in good agreement with calculated DLPNO-CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//PBE0-D3(BJ)/cc-pVTZ energies. In solution N3P(O)A undergoes Staudinger reactivity with tricyclohexylphosphine (PCy3) and subsequent complexation with tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (B(C6F5)3, BCF) to form Cy3P-NP(A)O-B(C6F5)3. Anthracene is cleaved off photochemically to form the frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) stabilized NPO complex Cy3P⊕-N=P-O-B⊖(C6F5)3. Intrinsic Bond Orbital (IBO) analysis suggests that the adduct is zwitterionic, with a positive and negative charge localized on the complexing Cy3P and BCF, respectively.
Efficient free exciton emission at room temperature in Zn0.5Cd0.5Se/MgxZnyCd1−x−ySe quantum wells

Abstract We use temperature and power-dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy to demonstrate efficient free exciton emission at room temperature in high quality, strongly confining Zn0.5Cd0.5Se/MgxZnyCd1−x−ySe quantum wells. Our measurements indicate that at low temperatures (T 100 K) and persists up to room temperature with an intensity that is ∼40% that at cryogenic temperatures. We attribute these observations to the deep confinement potential that stabilizes excitons and prevents their thermal escape.
Dynamic and structural implications of polarized fluorescence spectroscopy in oriented uniaxial photosynthetic antennae: Application to C-phycocyanin from Mastigocladus laminosus

Abstract Isotropic and polarized time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of randomly oriented photosynthetic antennae can yield considerable information about their electronic excitation transport (EET) dynamics. However, the assignment of observed lifetime components to specific EET steps is often ambiguous, even when detailed theoretical predictions are available for the EET transition rates (e.g. in antennae with minimal exciton coupling). We demonstrate in this paper that more conclusive assignments can be made using time-dependent polarized fluorescence profiles in oriented samples of photosynthetic antennae, provided that the chromophore architecture in the chromoprotein exhibits a rotational axis of symmetry. This procedure is illustrated using the example of the extensively studied C-phycocyanin trimer from the blue-green photosynthetic bacterium Mastigocladus laminosus .
Interval Subset Sum and Uniform-Price Auction Clearing

We study the interval subset sum problem (ISSP), a generalization of the classic subset-sum problem, where given a set of intervals, the goal is to choose a set of integers, at most one from each interval, whose sum best approximates a target integer T. For the cardinality constrained interval subset-sum problem (kISSP), at least kmin and at most kmax integers must be selected. Our main result is a fully polynomial time approximation scheme for ISSP, with time and space both O(n . 1/e). For kISSP, we present a 2-approximation with time O(n), and a FPTAS with time O( n . kmax . 1/e ). Our work is motivated by auction clearing for uniform-price multi-unit auctions, which are increasingly used by security firms to allocate IPO shares, by governments to sell treasury bills, and by corporations to procure a large quantity of goods. These auctions use the uniform price rule – the bids are used to determine who wins, but all winning bidders receive the same price. For procurement auctions, a firm may even limit the number of winning suppliers to the range [kmin, kmax]. We reduce the auction clearing problem to ISSP, and use approximation schemes for ISSP to solve the original problem. The cardinality constrained auction clearing problem is reduced to kISSP and solved accordingly.
Intelligent Sensor Analysis and Actuator Control

This paper describes a tool called Isaac (intelligent sensor analysis and actuator controller) that autonomously explores the behavior of a dynamical system and uses the resulting knowledge to help build and test mathematical models of that system. ISAAC is a unified knowledge representation and reasoning framework for input/output modeling that can be incorporated into any automated tool that reasons about dynamical models. It is based on two modeling paradigms, intelligent sensor data analysis and qualitative bifurcation analysis, which capture essential parts of an engineer's reasoning about modeling problems. We demonstrate ISSAC's power and adaptability by incorporating it into the Pret automated system identification tool and showing how input/ output modeling expands PRET's repertoire.