cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical systems for high-density storage

Optical super-resolution is one of many techniques being explored to increase the storage density of optical disks. With optical super-resolution, the optical system is modified to reduce the diameter of the central lobe of the spot on the disk. This generally involves increasing the energy in the sidelobes of the spot. We will discuss the trade-offs of this approach.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On the stability of operating points in two-transistor circuits

Several new terms are defined regarding the stability of operating points of circuits, and they are applied to circuits with two transistors. It is shown that if such a circuit has three operating points, one of them must always be unstable, regardless of the junction capacitor values across the junctions, while the other two can always be made stable by an appropriate choice of capacitor values. Similar results have been shown for two-transistor circuits processing fewer than three operating points. >
Phase Only Antenna Pattern Notching Via a Semidefinite Programming Relaxation

A phase-only method of generating notches in the beam pattern of a phased array antenna is described. It is shown how the problem can be formulated as a semidefinite programming problem, and solved with readily available solvers. Numerical results simulating the performance of a 32 element uniform linear array are presented.
Improving Risk Communication in Government: Research Priorities

Despite the increased interest in risk communication among government agencies, there is evidence that agencies’risk communication practices lag. We conducted a study to explore which risk communication research would be most important to improve government agencies’risk communication practices. Qualitative interviews and a survey of 145 risk communication experts based in academic institutions and government agencies explored how important research on each of 48 topics would be to improving agencies’risk communication efforts. Respondents identified topics within three areas as priorities for further research: 1) involving communities in agency decisionmaking; 2) communicating with communities of different races, ethnic backgrounds, and incomes; and 3) evaluating risk communication. Both practitioners and researchers responded to additional statements about agencies’risk communication practices with reservations about staff and managers’commitment to effective communication about environmental issues. We discuss the implications of these findings.
Control of inward rectifier K channel activity by lipid tethering of cytoplasmic domains.

Interactions between nontransmembrane domains and the lipid membrane are proposed to modulate activity of many ion channels. In Kir channels, the so-called “slide-helix” is proposed to interact with the lipid headgroups and control channel gating. We examined this possibility directly in a cell-free system consisting of KirBac1.1 reconstituted into pure lipid vesicles. Cysteine substitution of positively charged slide-helix residues (R49C and K57C) leads to loss of channel activity that is rescued by in situ restoration of charge following modification by MTSET+ or MTSEA+, but not MTSES− or neutral MMTS. Strikingly, activity is also rescued by modification with long-chain alkyl-MTS reagents. Such reagents are expected to partition into, and hence tether the side chain to, the membrane. Systematic scanning reveals additional slide-helix residues that are activated or inhibited following alkyl-MTS modification. A pattern emerges whereby lipid tethering of the N terminus, or C terminus, of the slide-helix, respectively inhibits, or activates, channel activity. This study establishes a critical role of the slide-helix in Kir channel gating, and directly demonstrates that physical interaction of soluble domains with the membrane can control ion channel activity.
Regulation of Endothelial CD73 by Adenosine: Paracrine Pathway for Enhanced Endothelial Barrier Function

During episodes of inflammation, multiple cell types release adenine nucleotides in the form of ATP, ADP, 5′-AMP, and adenosine. In particular, following activation, polymorphonuclear leukocytes release larger quantities of 5′-AMP. Extracellular 5′-AMP is metabolized to adenosine by surface-expressed 5′-ectonucleotidase (CD73). Adenosine liberated by this process activates surface adenosine A2B receptors, results in endothelial junctional reorganization, and promotes barrier function. We hypothesized that adenosine signaling to endothelia provides a paracrine loop for regulated expression of CD73 and enhanced endothelial barrier function. Using an in vitro microvascular endothelial model, we investigated the influence of 5′-AMP; adenosine; and adenosine analogues on CD73 transcription, surface expression, and function. Initial experiments revealed that adenosine and adenosine analogues induce CD73 mRNA (RT-PCR), surface expression (immunoprecipitation of surface biotinylated CD73), and function (HPLC analysis of etheno-AMP conversion to ethenoadenosine) in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion. Subsequent studies revealed that similar exposure conditions increase surface protein through transcriptional induction of CD73. Analysis of DNA-binding activity by EMSA identified a functional role for CD73 cAMP response element and, moreover, indicated that multiple cAMP agonists induce transcriptional activation of functional CD73. Induced CD73 functioned to enhance 5′-AMP-mediated promotion of endothelial barrier (measured as a paracellular flux of 70-kDa FITC-labeled tracer). These results provide an example of transcriptional induction of enzyme (CD73) by enzymatic product (adenosine) and define a paracrine pathway for the regulated expression of vascular endothelial CD73 and barrier function.
Spatially correlated MIMO channel-generation via virtual channel representation

This paper presents a new spatially correlated Rayleigh fading channel generation technique for multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems via recently proposed virtual channel representation (VCR). In contrast to the traditional production correlated channel generation, the new VCR approach generates correlated channel via two dimensional discrete Fourier transform (DFT). This work extends the theoretical correlation coefficient results from single-input-multiple-output (SIMO) to MIMO channels. In addition, theoretically we show that the currently used production method is a special case of the new VCR technique, since the former considers only local scatterers, but the latter considers non-local scatterers as well. Hence, this work leads to the conclusion that VCR is a more general channel model compared with 2-D production-form.
Intravenous injection of Candida-derived mannan results in elevated tumor necrosis factor alpha levels in serum

Intravenous injection of Candida albicans into mice produced elevated serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels. We hypothesized that immunostimulants released in vivo from C. albicans during fungal sepsis might contribute to the elevated levels of TNF-alpha in serum. We tested this hypothesis in mice with C. albicans mannan (CAM). Increased serum TNF-alpha levels were observed following intravenous and intraperitoneal injections of CAM. Injection of CAM into mice resulted in increased serum TNF-alpha concentrations that reached 1,200 pg/ml of blood, compared with 2,400 microg/ml of blood following injection of 10 microg of endotoxin. The response to CAM was concentration dependent, requiring a minimum dose of 20 microg of CAM per g of body weight. Sera from mice were tested 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after intravenous injections with CAM. TNF-alpha concentrations were minimal 30 and 120 min after intravenous injection and maximal 60 and 90 min after CAM injection. The relative distribution of CAM in vivo in decreasing order was determined to be as follows: blood > liver > lung > spleen, 90 min following injection of a single 5-mg dose of CAM. CAM was confirmed as the stimulating substance by utilizing anti-CAM antibodies in vivo to block the response. Rabbit anti-mannan antibodies administered by intraperitoneal injection 24 h before CAM injection significantly suppressed (P < 0.05) the accumulation of TNF-alpha in the sera. Dexamethasone administered to mice before intravenous injection of mannan significantly reduced (40 to 90% reduction; P < 0.05) the concentrations of TNF-alpha in the sera of treated mice. Thus, when in vivo CAM clearance mechanisms are exceeded, sufficient CAM may become available to stimulate TNF-alpha production, making CAM an important part of pathogenesis in Candida sepsis.
IV. Russia's New Policy in the near East after the Peace of Adrianople; Including the Text of the Protocol of 16 September 1829

General Diebitsch's victory at Kulevcha on 11 June precipitated a series of events which brought the Russian army to the gates of Constantinople and Turkey to the verge of dissolution early in September. The maintenance or the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in Europe suddenly became the issue in St Petersburg. Was the maintenance of that empire more advantageous to Russia than its dissolution?
Transcriptional Analysis of Rickettsia prowazekii Invasion Gene Homolog (invA) during Host Cell Infection

An invasion gene homolog, invA, of Rickettsia prowazekii has recently been identified to encode a member of the Nudix hydrolase subfamily which acts specifically on dinucleoside oligophosphates (NpnN; n ≥ 5), a group of cellular signaling molecules known as alarmones. InvA is thought to enhance intracellular survival by regulating stress-induced toxic nucleotide levels during rickettsial infection. To further characterize the physiological function of InvA, the gene expression pattern during various stages of rickettsial intracellular growth was investigated. Using semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and real-time fluorescent probe-based quantitative RT-PCR, a differential expression profile of invA during rickettsial host cell infection was examined. The invA transcript temporarily increased during the early period of infection. Expression of rickettsial groEL, a molecular indicator of cellular stresses, was also shown to be upregulated during the early period of infection. Furthermore, invA was cotranscribed in a polycistronic message with rrp, a gene encoding the response regulator protein homolog, which is a part of a two-component signal transduction system. These results support our earlier findings that under such stress conditions dinucleoside oligophosphate pyrophosphatase may function as a buffer, enhancing rickettsial survival within the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell. The expression of rickettsial dinucleoside oligophosphate pyrophosphatase may be regulated by a part of the two-component signal transduction system similar to that described for response regulators in other bacterial systems.
Multimedia Content Coding and Analysis: Unraveling the Content of Jihadi Extremist Groups' Videos

This article presents an exploratory study of jihadi extremist groups’ videos using content analysis and a multimedia coding tool to explore the types of video, groups’ modus operandi, and production features that lend support to extremist groups. The videos convey messages powerful enough to mobilize members, sympathizers, and even new recruits to launch attacks that are captured (on video) and disseminated globally through the Internet. They communicate the effectiveness of the campaigns and have a much wider impact because the messages are media rich with nonverbal cues and have vivid images of events that can evoke not only a multitude of psychological and emotional responses but also violent reactions. The videos are important for jihadi extremist groups’ learning, training, and recruitment. In addition, the content collection and analysis of extremist groups’ videos can help policymakers, intelligence analysts, and researchers better understand the extremist groups’ terror campaigns and modus operan...
THE PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE TESTES IN EPIDEMIC PNEUMONIA

The testicular changes in pneumonia are without clinical manifestations, are non-specific, focal in character, independent of the infecting organisms or the antecedent disease, and vary in severity directly with the total length of the illness. The process is a continuous one, divisible into stages in which the following features are recognizable: (1) cessation of spermatogenesis; (2) degeneration of preformed spermatocytes, spermatids, and spermatozoa; (3) desquamation of altered cells and fragments of the same; (4) formation of giant cells in the tubule walls with subsequent liberation into the lumen; (5) disappearance of all desquamated cells and all those derived from the spermatogonia by mitosis; (6) in some instances thickening of the hyaline layer of the basement membrane. Older lesions are frequently found which continue the structural alteration of the tubules by hyalinosis and destruction of cells until they ultimately disappear. These lesions are not believed to be connected with the present illness. Edema may represent the acute injury in another form, and round cell infiltration suggests that possibly other factors than toxins may have a part in the tissue alterations. In the absence of definite evidence to the contrary, the cause is assumed to be circulating toxins, as Wolbach (12) claims for influenzal cases. The hemolytic streptococcus produced more extensive changes, both epithelial and interstitial, in primary pneumonia occurring during the measles epidemic than when pneumonia followed as a secondary infection; in the latter cases the pulmonary complications covered a relatively shorter period. Measles and epidemic influenza had little apparent effect upon the testes, except that the former caused mild inhibition of spermatogenesis; evidence regarding the latter is inconclusive. The Pfeiffer bacillus was always associated with other organisms, in primary infections and in those following measles. It occurred alone in a few cases after epidemic influenza, but the testicular lesion was not distinctive. The pneumococcus when alone in primary infections or after an epidemic disease produced a uniformly mild picture which was not intensified when associated with the influenza bacillus. Giant cells were much more frequent after influenzal pneumonia regardless of its cause and were associated with large numbers of other desquamated cells. They are formed in the walls of tubules by futile mitotic effort and incomplete protoplasmic separation, the abnormality of the process being further suggested by the early severing of cytoplasmic attachments and rapid desquamation. The series is unique in its uniformity, in the care exercised in the bacteriological examinations, and in the relative freedom from complicating factors.
One telescope per pixel

This paper presents ultra-efficient transmissive display technology based on telescopic pixel design. The backlight transmission efficiency was measured to be 36% compared to 5–10% achieved by LCD.
An Interpersonal Communication Inventory

Patterns, characteristics and styles of interpersonal communication in 316 adult men and women were investigated by use of an Interpersonal Communication Inventoy. Development of the Inventory was based upon previous research in related areas of marital communication, parent-child communication, group therapy and intragroup communication. Item analysis yielded 50 items which discriminated between good and poor communicators. Factors of good and poor communication are identified and discussed. Uses of the Inteversonul Communication Inventory in counseling, teaching and research are proposed.
Estrogens and Breast Cancer

The past 20 years of research have identified several risk and protective factors for breast cancer. All these factors can be understood as measures of the cumulative exposure of the breast to estrogen and, perhaps, progesterone. These ovarian hormones affect the rate of cell division and thus manifest their effect on the risk of breast cancer by causing proliferation of breast epithelial cells (1). Proliferating cells are susceptible to genetic errors during DNA replication, which, if uncorrected, can ultimately lead to a malignant phenotype.
Dating Dispersal and Radiation in the Gymnosperm Gnetum (Gnetales)--clock Calibration When Outgroup Relationships Are Uncertain

Most implementations of molecular clocks require resolved topologies. However, one of the Bayesian relaxed clock approaches accepts input topologies that include polytomies. We explored the effects of resolved and polytomous input topologies in a rate-heterogeneous sequence data set for Gnetum, a member of the seed plant lineage Gnetales. Gnetum has 10 species in South America, 1 in tropical West Africa, and 20 to 25 in tropical Asia, and explanations for the ages of these disjunctions involve long-distance dispersal and/or the breakup of Gondwana. To resolve relationships within Gnetum, we sequenced most of its species for six loci from the chloroplast (rbcL, matK, and the trnT-trnF region), the nucleus (rITS/5.8S and the LEAFY gene second intron), and the mitochondrion (nad1 gene second intron). Because Gnetum has no fossil record, we relied on fossils from other Gnetales and from the seed plant lineages conifers, Ginkgo, cycads, and angiosperms to constrain a molecular clock and obtain absolute times for within-Gnetum divergence events. Relationships among Gnetales and the other seed plant lineages are still unresolved, and we therefore used differently resolved topologies, including one that contained a basal polytomy among gymnosperms. For a small set of Gnetales exemplars (n = 13) in which rbcL and matK satisfied the clock assumption, we also obtained time estimates from a strict clock, calibrated with one outgroup fossil. The changing hierarchical relationships among seed plants (and accordingly changing placements of distant fossils) resulted in small changes of within-Gnetum estimates because topologically closest constraints overrode more distant constraints. Regardless of the seed plant topology assumed, relaxed clock estimates suggest that the extant clades of Gnetum began diverging from each other during the Upper Oligocene. Strict clock estimates imply a mid-Miocene divergence. These estimates, together with the phylogeny for Gnetum from the six combined data sets, imply that the single African species of Gnetum is not a remnant of a once Gondwanan distribution. Miocene and Pliocene range expansions are inferred for the Asian subclades of Gnetum, which stem from an ancestor that arrived from Africa. These findings fit with seed dispersal by water in several species of Gnetum, morphological similarities among apparently young species, and incomplete concerted evolution in the nuclear ITS region.
Sleep Deprivation and the Vigilance of Anesthesiologists During Simulated Surgery

The effects of sleep deprivation on performance of anesthesiologists was studied using a simulation of surgical patient monitoring functions and the analytic procedures of signal detection theory. The multi-channel simulation was first tested on 36 undergraduate volunteers. The resulting receiver-operating characteristics were highly asymmetric. Observer sensitivity varied significantly as a function of the processing parameter, observation time. In a second experiment, the simulation was used to assess monitoring efficiency of anesthesiologists under rested conditions and after mild sleep deprivation. The monitoring performance of four of six anesthesiologists tested was degraded by sleep deprivation. No differences in monitoring efficiency for short periods under alerted conditions were observed. However, systematic deficits in complex cognitive processing were present. The role of simulation in studying factors affecting performance in highly specialized, professional occupational groups is discussed.
Sleep and adolescent suicidal behavior.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Suicide risk begins to increase during adolescence. Adolescents do not get enough sleep and are also at risk for many sleep disturbances. This study examined the association between sleep patterns and sleep problems and adolescent suicidal behavior. DESIGN AND SETTING: A questionnaire survey of adolescents attending school was conducted in one prefecture of Shandong Province, People's Republic of China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,362 adolescents attending school (mean age 14.6 years, 60% males) participated in the survey. MEASUREMENTS: Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire that asked about sleep patterns, sleep problems, suicidal behavior, depressive symptoms, and demographic characteristics of the family and adolescent. RESULTS: Overall, 19.3% of the sample reported having suicidal ideation, 10.5% having suicide attempts in the past 6 months, 16.9% having insomnia symptoms, 2.3% having taken hypnotic medication, and 48.9% having experience of nightmares in the past month. Mean night sleep duration was 7.6 hours (SD = 0.8). Logistic regression analyses showed that sleeping less than 8 hours at night (OR = 2.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07-7.81) and frequent nightmares (OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.76-3.35) were significantly associated with increased risk for suicide attempts after adjustment for age, sex, father's occupation, and depressive symptoms and that nightmares (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.20-2.38) were also significantly related to suicidal ideation. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the association between short sleep duration and nightmares and suicidal behavior and highlight the potential role of sleep intervention in the prevention of adolescent suicide.
The NO Pathway in Cardiovascular Regulation: Constitutive and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Cardiac Myocytes and Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Nitric oxide (NO) is a ubiquitous autocrine- and paracrine-acting signalling autacoid that, among other functions, has been shown to regulate cardiac contractile responsiveness to β-adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic agonists. Cellular constituents of cardiac muscle, including ventricular myocytes as well as microvascular endothelial cells, have been shown to express the “endothelial constitutive” isoform of NO synthase (ecNOS or NOS III) in vivo, and both cell types also express the NO synthase isoform induced by specific inflammatory cytokines (iNOS or NOS II) in vivo and in vitro. While NO-dependent intracellular signalling in cardiac myocytes clearly involves the activation of guanylate cyclase and downstream signalling by cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), there is accumulating evidence that non-cGMP-dependent regulatory signalling events are also initiated by NO. In addition, decreased contractile responsiveness of cardiac myocytes to β-adrenergic agonists, following induction of NOS II by inflammatory cytokines, requires the presence of insulin and the coinduction of enzymes responsible for production of tetrahydrobiopterin, a NOS cofactor. Inappropriate or excessive production of NO by cardiac myocytes and by microvascular endothelial cells probably contributes to the cardiac contractile dysfunction characteristic of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and cardiac allograft rejection.
Large Eddy Simulation of Reacting Centerbody Stabilized Swirled Flow in a Gas Turbine Combustor

This study is focused on understanding the changes in the flowfield when the operating conditions of a gas turbine combustor shift closer to the flashback regime. Flow visualization techniques and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technologies are used to analyze the complex flow-flame interactions that develop in the combustor. It is concluded in this study that when the combustor is operating in a stable condition, there is a bubble type recirculation zone anchored at the centerbody of the swirler. However, when the operating conditions shift closer to the flashback point, the bubble type vortex breakdown transforms into a spiral type vortex, which is characterized by a rapid deceleration of the flow, followed by a corkscrew-shaped twisting of the flow.
Prehistoric Cultural Development in the Southern Californian Deserts

Archaeological remains from the southern Californian desert region, spanning a period from 7000 B.C. to historic times, are segregated into four broad cultural horizons. The earliest certain evidences of human occupation consist of stone tools and weapons from the shore line of ancient Lake Mohave. The Lake Mohave artifacts comprise types designed primarily for hunting and related activities. Next in sequence are the lithic materials from Pinto Basin and other localities that demonstrate a mixed hunting-gathering economy. The third or Amargosa period is inadequately known. Triangular arrowpoints, pottery, and numerous seed-grinding implements distinguish the closing aboriginal phase. The major research needs are indicated.
Role analysis of health education in women's health care

Objective To analyze the role of health education in the health care of women in order to provide effective recommendations for women's health care work. Methods One hundred women who received gynecological examination in our hospital before 2012 were selected as the subjects and provided with a series of health education.Questionnaire survey was conducted before and after the health education, and the survey results were analyzed.The implementation effect of health education was evaluated. Results After health education, the women's health care related knowledge, behavior and awareness of the 100 women improved significantly compared with those before heath education, with significant difference(P 0.05). Conclusion Strengthening health education is conducive to improving the women's knowledge of health care, facilitating women's active participation in various women's health care work and promoting women's health care work.
Framework to Assess City-scale Sustainability

Abstract This paper establishes the need to act at a city scale to reduce energy use and improve sustainability in general. The paper evaluates the plans that the City of Fargo (Climate zone 6), North Dakota has established to grow in a sustainable manner. As part of this effort, the City of Fargo is participating in the Georgetown University Energy Prize Competition to reduce the energy use of residential and municipal buildings. As such, the City is engaged in assessing, defining, designing and implementing the Go 2030 plan (2012) as the basis for a sustainable future. This paper reviews and evaluates several methods of city-scale assessments and identifies distinguishing characteristics of these tools and assessments and creates a categorization to make the methods ordered and understandable. The two broad categories developed are (1) category- and (2) indicator-based models of urban sustainability. Further, this paper reviews the tools through a literature search and compares the City of Fargo's Go 2030 plan against these categorizations. Based on this evaluation this paper proposes a framework that has the potential to fill the gaps in the current Go2030 plan.
Unravelling the life history of Amazonian fishes through otolith microchemistry.

Amazonian fishes employ diverse migratory strategies, but the details of these behaviours remain poorly studied despite numerous environmental threats and heavy commercial exploitation of many spec...
Retail cut yields of Rambouillet wether lambs fed the beta-adrenergic agonist L644,969.

Twenty Rambouillet wether lambs were given ad libitum access to a diet with (BAA, n = 10) or without (control, n = 10) 1 ppm of the beta-adrenergic agonist L644,969. Lambs were fed to a constant slaughter weight end point of 54.5 kg. Carcasses were fabricated to yield bone-in and boneless cuts that were trimmed progressively to 1.27, .64, .32, and .00 cm of s.c. fat remaining. Addition of BAA did not affect growth traits. Actual and adjusted fat thickness, body wall thickness, and percentage of kidney-pelvic fat did not differ between control and BAA lambs. However, BAA increased longissimus muscle area, longissimus muscle depth, and leg score while decreasing USDA yield grade. The BAA increased carcass conformation scores and decreased flank lean color scores. No other carcass quality measurements were affected by BAA. Addition of BAA did not affect overall carcass yields of bone-in retail cuts. However, BAA increased overall carcass yields of boneless retail cuts regardless of fat trim level. The BAA increased bone-in leg yield. Yield of boneless sirloin, bone-in loin and boneless loin were not affected by BAA. For these cuts, the percentage change from the control was highly dependent on fat trim level. There was no difference in short-cut, shank-off, semiboneless leg yield between control and BAA. Addition of BAA did not affect yield of bone-in rack regardless of fat trim level. However, BAA greatly increased yield of boneless ribeye. The BAA did not affect yield of bone-in or boneless shoulder.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
SVM Modeling of "SNERF-Grams" for Speaker Recognition

We describe a new approach to modeling idiosyncratic prosodic behavior for automatic speaker recognition . The approach computes prosodic features by syllable (sy llablebased nonuniform extraction region features, or “SN ERFs”), and models the syllable-feature sequences (“SNERF-grams”) using support vector machines (SVMs). We evaluate performance on development data for a system submitted to the NIST 2004 Speaker Recognition Evaluation. Results show that SNERF-grams provide significant performance gains when combined with a state-of-the-art baseline syst em, as well as with both prosodic and word-based noncepstral systems.
Effect of Febrile Seizures on Oxidant Status

Erythrocyte malondialdehyde (EMA), glutathione peroxidase (GPO), and superoxide dismutase (SDM) levels were assessed in 31 children with a febrile seizure and 30 without, in a study at Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.
Control of CO2 Adsorption and Desorption Using Polyethylene Glycol in a Tetraethylenepentamine Thin Film: An In Situ ATR and Theoretical Study

The reversible adsorption of CO2 on tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) and the polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified amine sites were investigated using attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS), and density functional theory (DFT). The presence of PEG at the amine site increased the rate of formation of adsorbed CO2, enhanced the formation of weakly adsorbed CO2 which can be removed from flowing inert gas at room temperature, and decreased CO2 desorption peak (i.e., sorbent regeneration) temperature. The calculated CO2 binding energy (BE) and optimized structures suggest CO2 adsorbed on TEPA primarily in the form of ammonium carbamate. The presence of PEG promoted the formation of a species which exhibited an experimental IR spectrum resembling the simulated spectrum of a low BE zwitterion species. The observation suggests PEG controlled the formation of the adsorbed intermediate species. Modeling of the transient CO2 adsorption profiles further showed PEG accelerated the...
An efficient transport solver for tokamak plasmas

Abstract A simple approach to efficiently solve a coupled set of 1-D diffusion-type transport equations with a stiff transport model for tokamak plasmas is presented based on the 4th order accurate Interpolated Differential Operator scheme along with a nonlinear iteration method derived from a root-finding algorithm. Numerical tests using the Trapped Gyro-Landau-Fluid model show that the presented high order method provides an accurate transport solution using a small number of grid points with robust nonlinear convergence.
Why being dialogical must come before being logical: the need for a hermeneutical–dialogical approach to robotic activities

Currently, our official rationality is still of a Cartesian kind; we are still embedded in a mechanistic order that takes it that separate, countable entities (spatial forms), related logically to each other, are the only ‘things’ that matter to us—an order clearly suited to advances in robotics. Unfortunately, it is an order that renders invisible ‘relational things’, non-objective things that exist in time, in the transitions from one state of affairs to another, things that ‘point’ toward possibilities in the future, which mean something to us. I have called such things, hermeneutical–dialogical ‘things’ as they gradually emerge in our back-and-forth, step-by-step relations to the others and otherneses in our surroundings; they consist in the ‘promissory’ things sustaining our trust in each other and in our authorities, in our social organizations and social institutions, and in our culture. Clearly, we need to understand better, not only what robots can, and cannot do, but also the long-term ethical and political implications of inserting robotic activities into our everyday ways of relating ourselves to our surroundings if we are to avoid the dystopian futures envisaged by some. Descartes’ aim of “making ourselves, as it were, masters and possessors of nature,” forgets our larger task of our making ourselves into human beings—of doing together in dialog what we cannot do apart.
Periodic self-lensing from accreting massive black hole binaries

Nearly 150 massive black hole binary (MBHB) candidates at sub-pc orbital separations have been reported in recent literature. Nevertheless, the definitive detection of even a single such object remains elusive. If at least one of the black holes is accreting, the light emitted from its accretion disc will be lensed by the other black hole for binary orbital inclinations near to the line of sight. This binary self-lensing could provide a unique signature of compact MBHB systems. We show that, for MBHBs with masses in the range 10^6 - 10^10 solar masses and with orbital periods less than ~10 yr, strong lensing events should occur in one to 10s of percent of MBHB systems that are monitored for an entire orbit. Lensing events will last from days for the less massive, shorter period MBHBs up to a year for the most massive ~10 year orbital period MBHBs. At small inclinations of the binary orbit to the line of sight, lensing must occur and will be accompanied by periodicity due to the relativistic Doppler boost. Flares at the same phase as the otherwise average flux of the Doppler modulation would be a smoking gun signature of self-lensing and can be used to constrain binary parameters. For MBHBs with separation >100 Schwarzschild radii, we show that finite-sized source effects could serve as a probe of MBH accretion disc structure. Finally, we stress that our lensing probability estimate implies that ~10 of the known MBHB candidates identified through quasar periodicity should exhibit strong lensing flares.
Structural relaxation, viscosity, and network connectivity in a hydrogen bonding liquid

In liquids, the ability of neighboring molecules to rearrange and jostle past each other is directly related to viscosity, the property which describes the propensity to flow. The presence of hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) complicates the molecular scale picture of viscosity. H-Bonds are attractive, directional interactions between molecules which, in some cases, result in transient network structures. In this work, we use experimental and computational methods to demonstrate that the timescale of H-bond network reorganization is the dominant dynamical timescale associated with viscosity for the case of the model H-bonding liquid n-methylacetamide (NMA). This molecule is a peptide analog which forms a transient linear H-bond network. Individual H-bond lifetimes and dynamical fluctuations were observed on the timescale of 1.5 ps, while collective motions and the longest lived population of H-bond partner lifetimes were observed on the order of 20 ps, in agreement with the Maxwell relaxation time. This identifies a mechanism which may aid in understanding the emergence of various complex phenomena arising from transient molecular structures, with implications ranging from the internal dynamics of proteins, to the glass transition, to better understanding the origins of the unique properties of H-bonding liquids.
Love It, Like It, or Leave It — Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Field-Based Perspectives toward the Integration of Literature in Mathematics

Integrating literature in mathematics is a powerful strategy used by many teachers to meet the reformative goals outlined by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. This article reports a ...
The Impact of Family History on the Clinical Features of Huntington's Disease.

Background Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder. In most cases the disease is inherited from a parent, although a considerable number of affected persons have no reported family history of the disease. While CAG repeat length is negatively correlated with age of symptom onset, variability exists suggesting that other variables may influence symptom onset. Objectives The objective of this study is to determine whether awareness of a family history of HD has an impact on symptom onset and disease manifestations. Methods Data were obtained from Enroll-HD to compare subjects with a family history of HD to subjects without on various key clinical outcomes. In addition, multiple regressions were performed to investigate the impact of family history on the age at onset of depression and motor symptoms. Results 4,285 mutation positive subjects were included in the analysis, of which 4.81% had a negative family history. Controlling for CAG repeat length, a positive family history predicted an onset of depression 11.438 years earlier and an onset of motor symptoms 6.681 years earlier when compared to having a negative family history. Subjects with a positive family history were more likely to report behavioral manifestations as the initial major symptom of HD (38.6% vs. 29.6%, p = 0.023), and were more likely to report previous suicidal ideation/attempts (26.2% vs. 20.3%, p = 0.046). Conclusions A positive family history of HD appears to be associated with an earlier onset of depression and overall disease manifestations. Implications regarding the role of genetic versus environmental contributions to symptom onset in HD are discussed.
Group-based treatment of opioid use disorder with buprenorphine: A systematic review

Abstract Background Opioid use disorder (OUD) has become a public health crisis in the U.S., and there is a need to develop effective clinical treatment strategies. Coupling buprenorphine/naloxone (B/N) maintenance with counseling is encouraged as a best practice, yet the efficacy research on individual counseling in B/N-based Office-Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) has been equivocal to date. In contrast, models for integrating B/N prescribing through group-based counseling could potentially have a differential impact, yet no systematic reviews have focused on examining the extent of the literature on group-based models of B/N delivery. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review to identify existing studies characterizing the different formats of Group-Based Opioid Treatment (GBOT), which we defined as the coupling of B/N prescribing with required office-based group counseling. Using this definition of GBOT, B/N prescribing could occur either concurrently during a medical visit with group counseling (i.e., Shared Medical Appointment) or asynchronously (i.e., Group Psychotherapy). We assessed for all available scientific literature reporting on the feasibility, acceptability and/or efficacy of these different forms of GBOT. The systematic review protocol used PRISMA standards. Results We included 10 peer-reviewed, full-text articles and 5 conference abstracts of office-based opioid use disorder treatment that reported data on the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of Group-Based Opioid Treatment with B/N. Of the ten full-text articles we included 4 studies describing a shared medical appointment (SMA) model and 6 studies describing a group psychotherapy model. Of these studies, all were low in quality due to study design and only three were randomized controlled trials. No studies were appropriately designed to rigorously compare the efficacy of a GBOT approach (i.e., B/N prescribing with required group-based counseling) versus B/N prescribing with required individual counseling; nor were they designed for rigorous comparison with medication management alone. Nevertheless, most studies reported on the feasibility and acceptability of various models representative of a GBOT approach. Conclusion The small number of studies and study design limited the conclusions that could be drawn about the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of group-based B/N treatment. More research is needed to determine whether benefits exist of GBOT with B/N.
CDKN2A/B T2D GWAS Risk-SNPs Impact Locus Gene Expression and Proliferation in Human Islets

Genome-wide association studies link the CDKN2A/B locus with type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk, but mechanisms increasing risk remain unknown. The CDKN2A/B locus encodes cell cycle inhibitors p14, p15, and p16; MTAP; and ANRIL, a long noncoding RNA. The goal of this study was to determine whether CDKN2A/B T2D risk SNPs impact locus gene expression, insulin secretion, or β-cell proliferation in human islets. Islets from donors without diabetes (n = 95) were tested for SNP genotype (rs10811661, rs2383208, rs564398, and rs10757283), gene expression (p14, p15, p16, MTAP, ANRIL, PCNA, KI67, and CCND2), insulin secretion (n = 61), and β-cell proliferation (n = 47). Intriguingly, locus genes were coregulated in islets in two physically overlapping cassettes: p14-p16-ANRIL, which increased with age, and MTAP-p15, which did not. Risk alleles at rs10811661 and rs2383208 were differentially associated with expression of ANRIL, but not p14, p15, p16, or MTAP, in age-dependent fashion, such that younger homozygous risk donors had higher ANRIL expression, equivalent to older donor levels. We identified several risk SNP combinations that may impact locus gene expression, suggesting possible mechanisms by which SNPs impact locus biology. Risk allele carriers at ANRIL coding SNP rs564398 had reduced β-cell proliferation index. In conclusion, CDKN2A/B locus SNPs may impact T2D risk by modulating islet gene expression and β-cell proliferation.
The Hospitalist’s Perspective on Healthcare Transition

This chapter focuses on this emerging topic, highlighting the hospitalist’s perspective on transitioning AYASHCN into adult models of inpatient care. Using a variety of clinical scenarios, common issues facing inpatient providers and delineation of critical elements of transition planning for these youth, their families, and healthcare teams are addressed. An argument is made for the imperative of integrating hospital care into a comprehensive approach to transition planning, particularly for children with more complex medical needs and anticipated ongoing hospitalizations. Both pediatric and adult hospitalists, as well as other inpatient providers, could adopt strategies to effectively plan and carry out this element of the transition process. Long-term proactive strategies and short-term fixes are proposed.
Inflammatory Eye Disease

The eye is frequently the target of immune-mediated inflammation, either as the sole organ involved or as part of a multiorgan system disease. Systemic inflammatory disorders tend to involve the eye in characteristic manners. As examples, disorders associated with HLA-B27 often cause a highly symptomatic anterior uveitis; Behcet's disease can cause a subclinical but ultimately vision-threatening posterior uveitis; and Wegener's granulomatosis is associated with scleritis, peripheral ulcerative keratitis, and orbital pseudotumor. The diagnosis of systemic disease can therefore be inferred from the specific types of ocular involvement. The uveal tract is divided into anterior, intermediate, and posterior segments. “Anterior uveitis” and “iritis” are synonyms.
Health Information Exchange: Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE)

The effective and accurate exchange of information within and between healthcare organizations is dependent on the use of health information standards by all participants in the collection, use, and exchange of information. Numerous Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) create and maintain a variety of health information standards, all of which are intended to support interoperability. Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) supports interoperability though the inclusion of key health information standards in profiles that are developed through a collaborative process directed toward priority health information needs.
Strength of Steel-Encased Concrete Beam Columns

Short, composite columns made from steel tubes filled with concrete were subjected to axial load plus bending moment to indicate the form of ultimate load interaction diagrams. Observations of axial load capacity and ultimate flexural capacity are discussed, together with data from laboratory tests on 30 round columns and 22 square columns.
Small- and large-sized iron(II, III) oxide nanoparticles for surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of small biomolecules.

Rationale Common surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) surfaces are functionalized to improve mass spectrometric detection. Such surfaces are selective to certain group(s) of compounds. The application of universal and sensitive SALDI surfaces with appropriate size/surface area is paramount. In this study, two different sizes/surface areas of Fe3 O4 are compared as SALDI surfaces. Methods For accurate surface area comparisons, the physical properties of the Fe3 O4 nanoparticles used as SALDI surfaces were determined using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and N2 Brunauer-Emmet-Teller adsorption techniques. SALDI mass spectrometry (MS) data were acquired using a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer operated in the linear mode and equipped with a 50-Hz pulsed nitrogen laser (at 337 nm). Small biomolecules (adenosine, glucose, sucrose, tryptophan, and tripeptide) and a real sample (human serum) were analyzed. Results The average sizes/specific surface areas of the SALDI surfaces of the small- and large-sized Fe3 O4 nanoparticles were ~21 nm/~82 m2 /g and ~39 nm/~38 m2 /g, respectively. An overall ~2.0-fold enhancement in signal-to-noise ratios was observed for the ionic species of the analyzed biomolecules in SALDI-MS using small-sized Fe3 O4 in comparison to large-sized Fe3 O4 nanoparticles. MS sensitivity from adenosine calibration curves (concentration between 0.05 and 10.0 mM) was ~2.0-fold higher for small-sized than large-sized Fe3 O4 nanoparticles as SALDI surfaces. Conclusions We have shown that transition-metal oxides such as Fe3 O4 nanoparticles are suitable and efficient surfaces for SALDI-TOF-MS analysis of small biomolecules. We observed improvement in signal-to-noise ratios and detection sensitivity for the analyzed samples from SALDI surfaces using small-sized (possessing larger surface area) than large-sized Fe3 O4 nanoparticles.
A longitudinal brain fMRI study of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in 50 breast cancer patients.

10095Background: Over half of patients receiving taxane, platinum, and vinca alkaloid chemotherapy experience chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which involves numbness and neuropat...