cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Practical use of an in-line vacuum metrology cluster in a minifactory environment

A single wafer metrology module capable of performing a variety of wafer property measurements under vacuum is presented. This metrology module was built by Texas Instruments for use in the Microelectronics Manufacturing Science and Technology program's 0.35 micrometers , single wafer processing factory. The primary measurement tools incorporated in our metrology module are a phase modulated spectral ellipsometer and a critical dimension sensor based on laser diffraction. The spectral ellipsometer was originally developed for real-time in situ film thickness measurements for process control. Using the speed of phase modulation, multichannel detection, and digital signal processing techniques, this ellipsometer is capable of measuring the thicknesses of dielectric films in multilayer stacks with a typical solution time of a few seconds. The critical dimension sensor is an in situ diffraction pattern measurement and analysis system capable of measuring sub-micron device dimensions down to 0.15 micrometers . Other sensors included on the machine are a microbalance, a scatter sensor for measuring surface roughness, and an optical microscope.
A micromechanical analysis to predict the cord-rubber composite properties

Both three- and two-dimensional generalized plane strain finite element analyses based on a micromechanics approach were carried out to investigate the linear and nonlinear effective composite properties as well as the stress fields. A unit cell model of cord-rubber composite subjected to different loadings was studied to predict the effective composite properties. The numerical results of effective composite properties obtained from 2D and 3D finite element analyses were compared with experimental data and other finite element results available in the literature. The effects of rubber material nonlinearity and large deformation on the effective composite properties and interface stress distributions are presented and discussed.
What Is Wrong with Economics? And What Will Make It Right?

Academic economics has become a barrier to movements for social reform because it is devoted to the study of individual behavior and motivations.
The Fast Auroral Snapshot Explorer

The auroral zone provides a natural laboratory for studies of plasma phenomena. In this laboratory, waves and nonlinear electrostatic and electromagnetic structures are produced and ions and electrons are accelerated and heated. The primary scientific objective of the Fast Auroral SnapshoT (FAST) Explorer is to study the microphysics of the low-altitude auroral acceleration region with extremely high time-resolution. A wide variety of auroral plasma phenomena have been discovered by recent experiments, but are not yet understood in detail. These include electrostatic shocks, small-scale double layers, electrostatic and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, the fine structure of auroral kilometric radiation, counterstreaming field-aligned electron beams, and upward-flowing field-aligned ion beams. In most of these experiments, temporal resolution was limited to the spin period of the spacecraft and ultimately constrained by the capacity of the data systems. Recent sounding-rocket investigations have found that the plasma of the auroral zone possesses much finer temporal and spatial structures than have been resolved by satellites.
A coccolithophorid algal dermatitis of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias L.

. Skin diseases of sharks and algal diseases of animals are reviewed. A specific progressive skin disease of wild, laboratory-maintained and display-aquaria populations of spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias L., observed during a 2.5-year period at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, is described. Skin lesions, from 1mm to over 1cm in diameter, developed in the following sequence: petechial and ecchymotic haemorrhages; dome-shaped vesicles; larger lesions with central ulceration; and hyperpigmented granulations in the final repair stage. A coccolithophorid algal agent could be demonstrated in skin lesions and is described. Since both sharks and coccolithophorid algae are primitive organisms, the possible evolutionary implications of algal symbionts modified to become pathogens are discussed.
Cartilage T1rho quantification in acl-reconstructed knees: a 2-year follow-up

s / Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 20 (2012) S10–S53 S20 considered severely degenerated. Two independent readers performed histological scoring of the PCLs (Inter-observer class coefficient 1⁄4 0.87). PCL scores were compared to ACL scores from same knees. Results: All knees had an intact, non-ruptured PCL. PCL grade: 76% of the knees showed a mild PCL degeneration; 12%, moderate; and 9%, severe. Fiber disorientation was the most prevalent and severe change (1.2 0.66) followed by mucoid denegation (0.84 0.77), chondroid metaplasia (0.81 0.73), cystic changes (0.54 0.87), and inflammation (0.46 0.66). All criteria showed strong correlations to the total PCL score (range r1⁄40.5-0.76), the highest being mucoid degeneration. Comparison of histological grades of PCL and ACL showed a close relationship with the exception that significantly fewer PCL than ACL were in the “severe” group (Figure 1). There was lower correlation between total histological PCL scores and aging (R1⁄40.29) compared to ACL scores and aging (r1⁄40.45). ACL scores correlated well with total cartilage scores (r1⁄40.56) while PCL scores increased with severity of OA from grades 0 to III but not between OA grades III to IV (r1⁄40.31, Figure 2). In knees with ruptured ACL, the PCL scores correlated with the cartilage score of the lateral compartment (femur r1⁄4 0.65, tibia r1⁄4 0.57). Conclusions: Significant percentages (w 25%) of patients with OA have a deficient ACL, while all PCL were macroscopically intact with weak correlations between PCL degeneration and aging. PCL histological scores were lower in knees with grade IV compared to grade III cartilage suggesting that the PCL is at lower risk for acute or chronic injury than the ACL. The PCL has a significantly different pattern of degeneration. The lack of correlation with age or OA grade indicates independent pathways for PCL versus ACL degeneration.
Empirically Supported Treatments for Feeding Difficulties in Young Children

Pediatric feeding problems are common among children and present severe issues for families. Unfortunately, treatment outcome studies with this population are sparse. The current study reviews the literature regarding treatment studies of children with severe feeding issues, provides an overview of empirically supported treatments for children who do eat orally, and finally summarizes interventions that attempt to reintroduce oral feeding to children who have been fed by gastrostomy tube or other non-oral feeding route.
A Typology for Visualizing Uncertainty

Information analysts must rapidly assess information to determine its usefulness in supporting and informing decision makers. In addition to assessing the content, the analyst must be confident about the quality and veracity of the information. Visualizations can concisely represent vast quantities of information, thus aiding the analyst to examine larger quantities of material; however, visualization programs are challenged to incorporate a notion of confidence or certainty because the factors that influence the certainty or uncertainty of information vary with the type of information and the type of decisions being made. For example, the assessment of potentially subjective human-reported data leads to a large set of uncertainty concerns in fields such as national security, law enforcement (witness reports), and even scientific analysis where data is collected from a variety of individual observers. What’s needed is a formal model or framework for describing uncertainty as it relates to information analysis, to provide a consistent basis for constructing visualizations of uncertainty. This paper proposes an expanded typology for uncertainty, drawing from past frameworks targeted at scientific computing. The typology provides general categories for analytic uncertainty, a framework for creating task-specific refinements to those categories, and examples drawn from the national security field.
A Mutation in the Essential Gene gmk (Encoding Guanlyate Kinase) Generates a Requirement for Adenine at Low Temperature in Salmonella enterica

In Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, gmk encodes guanylate kinase, an essential enzyme involved in the synthesis and salvage of guanine nucleotides. Here we report the isolation of a mutation in gmk that results in a nutritional requirement for adenine at low temperature. Comparisons of kinetic parameters from the wild-type and mutant Gmk enzymes revealed that the mutant enzyme had a more than 20-fold-higher Km for ATP than the wild-type enzyme. The growth dependence of the mutant on temperature and/or adenine could not be explained as a direct result of this kinetic difference. We propose a model in which previously described regulatory effects of GMP are responsible for these phenotypes.
Effects of chlorpromazine and d-amphetamine on escape and avoidance behavior under a temporally defined schedule of negative reinforcement.

Chlorpromazine hydrochloride and d-amphetamine sulphate were administered to two rats responding on a baseline temporally defined schedule of negative reinforcement which produced both “escape-like” and “avoidance-like” behavior. The effects of these drugs appeared similar to those expected on the more customary sort of non-cued avoidance schedule.
Theism and the philosophy of nature

In this paper I argue that traditional theism, in its theory, history, and practice has implications for the philosophy of nature. Namely, nature should be designed around aesthetic or meaningful principles and nature should be engineered in order to fulfil a fairly well defined set of purposes. If theism is true, we should be able to study nature objectively as a teleological system. After all, the teleological structure of nature is more important to us as spiritual beings than its mechanisms. Since a teleological philosophy of nature is no longer viable, traditional theism is untenable.
The adult neural stem and progenitor cell niche is altered in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mouse brain.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal adult human disease caused by motor neuron degeneration. Stem cell therapy might be a treatment for ALS. The adult mammalian forebrain has neural stem cells (NSCs) and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the anterior subventricular zone (SVZa), rostral migratory stream (RMS), olfactory bulb (OB) core, and dentate gyrus (DG). These cells could be used to rescue or replace degenerating upper and lower motor neurons through endogenous recruitment or autologous/allogenic transplantation. We evaluated the competency of forebrain NSCs and NPCs in transgenic (tg) mice harboring human mutant superoxide dismutase-1 (mSOD1), a model of ALS. Tg human wild-type SOD1 (wtSOD1) mice and non-tg mice were controls. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling of cells, a marker for cell proliferation and other events, was reduced in a niche-specific pattern in presymptomatic and symptomatic mice, with the SVZa having greater reductions than the RMS, OB, and DG. Different NSC and NPC complements were evaluated by localizing nestin, neural cell adhesion molecule, distalless-2 transcription factor, vimentin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein. In symptomatic mice, NSC markers were reduced, whereas NPC markers were unchanged or elevated. Neurogenesis was preserved in symptomatic mSOD1 mice. NSC/NPC competence assessment in vitro revealed that mSOD1 SVZa cells had the ability to proliferate and form neurospheres but had an impaired response to mitogen stimulation. We conclude that adult mSOD1 ALS mice have abnormalities in forebrain NSCs, but the essential features of NSC/NPCs remained in presymptomatic and symptomatic mice. J. Comp. Neurol. 497:468–488, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Toward a holistic view of transcriptional regulation.

The first response to the flood of transcriptomic information obtained from microarray technology was reductionist, identifying individual transcripts that are regulated during an experimental perturbation. This approach continues to identify many previously unsuspected actors in physiological and pathophysiological processes. Coordinate regulation, illustrated by previously ubiquitous heat maps and self-organizing maps, provided some further summary evaluation and suggested associations between genes that had not been previously recognized. Additional connections between regulated transcripts were obtained by mapping them onto known functional pathways, which began to provide mechanistic understanding directly from transcriptional regulation. Over the past few years, a further evaluation of the network of interacting gene regulation has emerged that can, in at least some circumstances, provide a further level of refinement of our understanding of the molecular changes that contribute to disease.1 Article see p 26 One application of network analysis is the statistical evaluation of large amounts of genomic data to derive new insights into previously unsuspected aspects of molecular coordination. The study of Dewey et al2 in this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics performs such an analysis on cardiac transcriptional data from a large number of mouse experiments. These investigators use both meta-analysis, the statistical combination of multiple studies, with network analysis, which in this case is applied to the relations of …
A scalable system for real-time control of dexterous surgical robots

The requisite cabling and control processing for surgical robots can become unwieldy as dexterity is increased, due to the additional degrees of freedom. Motivated by dexterous snake-like robots for minimally invasive surgery, this paper details the development of a low-level control system that uses IEEE 1394 (FireWire), linking the computer to low-latency field-programmable gate arrays, to distribute I/O while centralizing all control computations. A standard programming interface is defined as part of the control system to enhance its scalability. These features increase the viability of complex surgical robots and ease their development by reducing cables and enabling the processing of many axes of control on a single computer.
Ion Mobility Measurements and their Applications to Clusters and Biomolecules

Ion mobility measurements can be used to obtain structural information for large polyatomic ions in the gas phase. The methods are flexible and can be applied to a wide range of chemical systems. This article reviews the development of these methods and discusses recent applications to complex ions such as atomic clusters and large biomolecules. © John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comfort Level of Pediatricians and Family Medicine Physicians Diagnosing and Treating Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders

Context:Twelve to twenty-one percent of children and adolescents have psychiatric disorders with at least mild functional impairment. Pediatricians and family medicine physicians prescribe 85% of psychotropic medications taken by children. However, little is known about the comfort level of these physicians with the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in children.Objective:To determine the comfort level of physicians in diagnosing and treating psychiatric disorders in children.Method:An anonymous survey was sent to pediatricians and family medicine physicians in upstate New York. Of 483 surveys, 200 surveys were returned.Outcome Measures:To compare differences between pediatricians and family medicine physicians in comfort in diagnosing and prescribing medications for psychiatric disorders.Results:After controlling for age, race, and years since residency, pediatricians were more comfortable in diagnosing (O.R. = 3.05, C.I. = 1.40–6.63) and prescribing stimulants for (O.R. = 4.16, C.I. = 1.96...
Transaction adaption in system on mobile devices (SyD): techniques and languages

Resource constraints in wireless environment pose a great challenge to conventional transaction processing techniques. Current transaction processing schemes have limited flexibility, and cannot easily respond and adapt to the changes of runtime environment. In previous work, we proposed a QoS-aware transaction processing framework which supports graceful adaptation to resource changes in mobile devices. In this paper, we explore transaction adaptation techniques in more detail and address the following questions. How does QoS specification support adaptiveness in the transaction model? How can QoS specification specify and associate relaxed ACID properties? We design an XML-based transaction QoS specification language called TQDL to support transaction adaptation and use a distributed calendar application to show the transaction adaptation process. This work is done in the context of an ongoing research project called SyD, System on Mobile devices.
Extending Micromorphic Theory to Atomic Scale

Micromorphic theory envisions a material body as a continuous collection of deformable particles; each possesses finite size and inner structure. It may be considered as the most successful top-down formulation of a two-level continuum model, in which the deformation is expressed as a sum of macroscopic continuous deformation and microscopic deformation of the inner structure. To enlarge the domain of applicability of the micromorphic theory, starting from many-body dynamics, we took a bottom-up approach to formulate a generalized continuum field theory in which a crystalline material is viewed as a continuous collection of lattice points while embedded within each lattice point is a group of discrete atoms. In this work, atomistic definitions and the corresponding field representations of fundamental physical quantities are introduced. The balance laws and the constitutive relations are obtained through the atomistic formulation, which naturally leads to a generalized continuum field theory. It is identical to molecular dynamics at atomic scale and can be reduced to classical continuum field theory at macroscopic scale.
A Passive Application Watering System for Rangeland Plots

Abstract Soil water is generally the most limiting factor for plant growth in arid and semiarid rangeland ecosystems. Interactions between precipitation regimes and optimum air temperatures for growth of different species often have measurable effects on peak standing herbage and species composition. Simulating multiple precipitation regimes in a single year will enhance our ability to quantify plant–environment interactions. Evaluating the seasonal effects of variation in timing and quantity of precipitation will require controlled water applications with little or no runoff. A diversity of plot watering systems has been developed for different kinds of agronomic and rangeland research. However, most of these systems were designed to simulate heavy precipitation events and features of all previously described systems limit the number of plots and/or variation in site characteristics that can be included in rangeland field studies. Therefore, we developed the Passive Application Watering System (PAWS), wh...
Recent Developments in the Quantum Nonlinear Dimer: Hopf Bifurcations, Time Evolution, and Thermal Stability

A simple but rich nonlinear structure that has received a great deal of attention in the last few years is the quantum nonlinear dimer [1] in which a quasiparticle, such as an electron or an excitation, shuttles back and forth between two sites while interacting so strongly with a boson field, e. g. the vibrations of the system, that the quasiparticle evolution becomes nonlinear. The discrete nonlinear Schroedinger equation in various forms has served as the evolution equation for this structure [2]. The advantage of studying this small system lies in the fact that insights into many issues of interest on extended systems can be gained without having to grapple with the considerable additional complexities which extended systems introduce into the problem. Much work has been done on the nonlinear dimer [3–6]. Here we report on a few developments that have occurred recently in our investigation of the system. They are (i) exact solutions for the quantum nonlinear dimer in the absence of dissipation, (ii) a new approach we have constructed to analyze the thermal stability of nonlinear structures, and (iii) bifurcation behaviour we have encountered in the interaction of the dimer with a heat reservoir. The first two will be mentioned in the rest of this section and the third in section 2.
PROCESSOR TEMPERATURE AND RELIABILITY ESTIMATION USING ACTIVITY COUNTERS

PROCESSOR TEMPERATURE AND RELIABILITY ESTIMATION USING ACTIVITY COUNTERS FEBRUARY 2016 MAYANK CHHABLANI B.E.E.C.E., UNIVERSITY OF RAJASTHAN, JAIPUR, INDIA M.S.E.C.E., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Professor Israel Koren and Professor C.M. Krishna With the advent of technology scaling lifetime reliability is an emerging threat in highperformance and deadline-critical systems. High on-chip thermal gradients accelerates localised thermal elevations (hotspots) which increases the aging rate of the semiconductor devices. As a result, reliable operation of the processors has become a challenging task. Therefore, cost effective schemes for estimating temperature and reliability are crucial. In this work we present a reliability estimation scheme that is based on a light-weight temperature estimation technique that monitors hardware events. Unlike previously proposed hardware counter-based approaches, our approach involves a linear-temporal-feedback estimator, taking into account the effects of thermal inertia. The proposed approach shows an average absolute error of <2.5 ◦C with standard deviation of <2 ◦C. Furthermore, if an on-chip temperature sensor is available, our modified technique can better tolerate ambient temperature variability.
Influence of Host Plant and Insecticide Resistance on Greenbug (Homoptera: Aphididae) Biotype Variation Measured by Fluorescent Microscopy

Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), biotypes were studied by comparing biological data to total esterase activity levels measured by fluorescent microscopy. Also, total esterase activity was evaluated in relation to host plants and insecticide resistance. The intensity of fluorescence was measured from tarsi of large embryos after staining with fluorescein diacetate. Biotypes on susceptible ‘Wheatland’ sorghum produced significantly more and larger progeny than those on resistant KS 30 or PI 264453. Furthermore, there was a carryover effect of the previous host plant on progeny production. Greenbugs reared on resistant plants had a higher level of fluorescence compared with those on susceptible plants. Increased fluorescence was also found in separate insecticide-resistant colonies of greenbugs. However, no significant differences in esterase activity as measured by fluorescence were found among biotypes reared on the same cultivar.
A Rapid and Accurate Method for the Determination of Oxygen Consumption in the Developing Embryo

Abstract A procedure for the measurement of oxygen consumption in the developing embryo in the intact egg, using a Warburg apparatus, has been developed. The method allows the investigator to make several daily measurements of oxygen consumption in individual eggs after 10 days of incubation with equipment found in any well equipped laboratory. Basically this procedure utilized an Aminco Warburg water bath and manometer and a standard 250 ml. freeze-dry flask with a ground glass flange and a 9/38 standard taper sleeve. A 50 ml. beaker was placed small end down, in the 50 ml. beak-21.6 by 8.2 cm. strip of Whatman 3 filter paper arranged around the beaker. Ten ml. of a 10% solution of KOH was pippetted into the bottom of the flask and the egg placed small, end down, in the 50 ml. beaker. The ground glass flange of the flask was greased with high vacuum grease and …
Recombination Processes of the Broadband And 1.681 Ev Optical Centers in Diamond Films

Micro- and Macro-photoluminescence techniques were employed in this research to investigate the role of nitrogen-doping on the optical spectra of chemical vapor deposited diamond films and to determine whether the origin of the broadband luminescence is due to vibronic interaction of the nitrogen centers. The temperature behavior of the broadband PL and of the 1.681 eV silicon related optical center were analyzed. The intensity of the broadband was found to exhibit a temperature dependence characteristic of optical emission from a continuous distribution of gap states while the temperature dependence of the 1.681 eV band followed the Boltzmann quenching process.
The Political Cure: Gender Quotas and Women's Health

Political gender quotas have become the institutional solution for most governments hoping to increase women's descriptive and substantive representation in national and local government, despite the lack of consensus over whether quotas have a consistent positive effect on the lives of women. We argue that the different forms in which quotas are implemented result in diverse effects in the substantive representation of women's issues. Using women's health to illustrate the substantive effect of women's political participation through quotas, we utilize multilevel models to find that quotas are effective at placing women into legislative office and that this descriptive representation is associated with positive conditions for women's health. However, the strength of the relationship depends on the type of quota implemented. Countries implementing candidate quotas exhibit more consistent but weaker relationships between representation and women's health outcomes than in countries with reserved seat quotas. These results affirm the quota's objective to place women in political office but suggest that the policy effectiveness of the individual female legislators may depend on the quota system in place.
Synthesis of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Microspheres by Ultrasonic Spray Polymerization (USPo)

P PEDOT, is a conjugated polymer that can be tailored to exhibit different electronic properties (i.e., insulating, semiconducting, metallic, semimetallic) and has found a variety of applications including energy storage, photovoltaics, and LEDs. The use of PEDOT as a supercapacitor material for energy storage originates in its ability to store charge both in the electrical double layer and throughout the body of the polymer by rapid faradaic charge transfer (pseudocapacitance). PEDOT is generally considered a superior supercapacitor within the field of conjugated polymers (e.g., vs polyaniline and polypyrrole) due to its chemical and thermal stability. Because the charging and discharging of PEDOT involves mass transport of counterions into and out of the polymer structure, slow ion diffusion is often the limiting factor in the efficiency of PEDOT-based supercapacitors (especially at high charge/discharge rates). One solution to this problem is to fabricate PEDOT electrodes with high surface areas via template-assisted approaches. Using templates such as surfactant micelles, mesoporous silica, silica microspheres, or polystyrene, a number of research groups have prepared PEDOT with nano/micrometer-sized structures. PEDOT nanotubes have also been prepared by sacrificial growth within anodized alumina pores and extensively investigated as supercapacitor materials; the thinness of nanowires permits rapid ion diffusion, resulting in both high energy and power density. Sacrificial templates, however, are cumbersome and expensive. The ability to synthesize PEDOT micro/nanostructures in a template-free fashion could reduce synthetic steps and cost; so far, however, there are only a few reports on template-free morphologically control of PEDOT with only limited supercapacitive properties. Ultrasonic-spray-assisted materials synthesis is a one-step and continuous synthetic process. Ultrasonic nebulization produces micrometer-sized droplets that function as isolated microreactors. To date, ultrasonic spray synthesis has been used to synthesize a diverse range of materials including metals, ceramics, metal oxides, metal sulfides, semiconductors, and high-surface-area carbons with control over various particle morphologies. Ultrasonic nebulization has had very limited use, however, for the synthesis of polymeric microspheres from monomers. In this paper, we report an ultrasonic spray polymerization (USPo) for PEDOT microspheres. These microspheres were formed by polymerization of nebulized microdroplets of solutions containing monomer 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and oxidant (Fe salts or sodium persulfate) that were then passed through a heated tube (150−170 °C, Figure 1). This process is free of template or added surfactant. Three
Study of the Interaction Between Nanoclay and Fly Ash and Its Impact on the Enhancement of the Rheological Properties of Geopolymer Binders

Naturally occurring nanoclays, such as halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are relatively cheap and abundant materials with interesting applications in the construction industry. Recently, an electrostatic interaction was discovered between halloysite and fly ash particles, which has the potential to beneficially alter the properties of some hardened products of fly ash, such as geopolymer binders. Additionally, layer-by-layer deposition can be used to enhance even further the benefits of the fly ash-nanoclay interaction. This paper describes the nature of the interaction of the nanoclay particles with fly ash and the results of mechanical and rheological testing conducted on geopolymer produced from such nanocomposites, and the implications of this discovery for construction materials.
The role of interpersonal feedback in group psychotherapy.

Interpersonal feedback is a major communication process between patients in interactional group psychotherapy which has a substantial contribution to make toward personality and behavioral change. ...
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa efflux pump MexGHI-OpmD transports a natural phenazine that controls gene expression and biofilm development

Redox-cycling compounds, including endogenously produced phenazine antibiotics, induce expression of the efflux pump MexGHI-OpmD in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Previous studies of P. aeruginosa virulence, physiology, and biofilm development have focused on the blue phenazine pyocyanin and the yellow phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA). In P. aeruginosa phenazine biosynthesis, conversion of PCA to pyocyanin is presumed to proceed through the intermediate 5-methylphenazine-1-carboxylate (5-Me-PCA), a reactive compound that has eluded detection in most laboratory samples. Here, we apply electrochemical methods to directly detect 5-Me-PCA and find that it is transported by MexGHI-OpmD in P. aeruginosa strain PA14 planktonic and biofilm cells. We also show that 5-Me-PCA is sufficient to fully induce MexGHI-OpmD expression and that it is required for wild-type colony biofilm morphogenesis. These physiological effects are consistent with the high redox potential of 5-Me-PCA, which distinguishes it from other well-studied P. aeruginosa phenazines. Our observations highlight the importance of this compound, which was previously overlooked due to the challenges associated with its detection, in the context of P. aeruginosa gene expression and multicellular behavior. This study constitutes a unique demonstration of efflux-based self-resistance, controlled by a simple circuit, in a Gram-negative pathogen.
Value of 67Gallium Scintigraphy in the Diagnosis of Localized Renal and Perirenal Inflammation

AbstractEight patients with renal or perirenal abscesses were evaluated by 67gallium scintigraphy. The correlation of localized 67gallium uptake to the inflammatory lesion was proved by tissue diagnoses in 7 patients and by response to treatment and repeated studies in the remaining case. 67Gallium scanning was found to be an accurate, non-invasive technique. It should be applied early in diagnosing inflammatory lesions of the retroperitoneum and for examining fever of unknown origin.
Black-box modeling of connected vehicle networks

In this paper, we propose a black-box modeling framework for connected vehicle networks comprised of conventional vehicles and vehicles equipped with wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. First, we identify the link length that is the number of vehicles between the broadcasting and the host vehicle. Based on the estimated link length, a linear model is used to approximate the dynamics of the vehicle network. The proposed framework does not require priori information about the dynamics of the vehicle network, and hence can be implemented in real traffic. Numerical simulations are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the estimators in capturing the link length and predicting the time evolution of the vehicle network. The estimated model can be used when designing connected cruise control (CCC) algorithms.
Lithium-Ion Batteries and Materials

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are now widely implemented as the power or energy source for everything from portable electronics to electric vehicles. The electrochemical charge storage in the batteries is intimately related to their material properties. This chapter gives an overview of the methods for characterizing battery materials, both ex situ and in situ in practical cells. An important consideration is the interphase between the active charge storage materials and the electrolyte, often called the secondary electrolyte interphase (SEI ) layer. Different methodologies unlock different aspects of the battery materials and interphases. Standard test methods are summarized as well as emerging methodologies. Next generation Li-ion batteries, such as Li-sulfur and Li-air are also described.
Repurposing ArchivesSpace Metadata for Original MARC Cataloging

ABSTRACTThe University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) University Libraries recently completed a pilot project exploring the repurposing of descriptive metadata for archival collections stored in ArchivesSpace for the creation of original MAchine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) records contributed to OCLC WorldCat. The libraries’ past and present processes for generating finding aids and cataloging records are discussed, and specific edits to the MARC records generated by this new workflow are detailed.
Impacts of Hurricanes on Forest Hydrology and Biogeochemistry

Hurricanes, typhoons, tropical cyclones, and other tropical storms affect many areas of the globe. Although the names used vary regionally, here I will refer to hurricanes to describe the impacts of these tropical storms globally. The intensity and frequency of hurricanes vary dramatically in different areas of the globe, but their origins are always in warm tropical waters such as the North Atlantic off the African coast, or the central Pacific Ocean. Hurricanes result from the interaction of heated sea water with global wind circulation patterns to create a contained meteorological system with persistent cyclonic circulation rotating around a low-pressure center (Fig. 32.1). Hurricanes initially arise from tropical storms with incomplete circulation, and as they grow in strength the circulation (counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, clockwise in the Southern) closes with an “eye” in the center. Once the circulation is complete, the system is referred to as a hurricane if wind speeds exceed 119 km h−1. Each hurricane has both a speed (the rate at which the storm is moving across the face of the earth) and a strength (the velocity of the cyclonic circulation). The strength of the hurricane changes over time, and usually declines after initial landfall. Damage to forests is typically a function of the hurricane strength, which determines the likelihood of both damage to trees and the storm surges that can occur in low-lying coastal areas. Hurricanes are often associated with high rains, with totals of 25 cm or more.
Detection of Weakly Expressed Trypanosoma cruzi Membrane Proteins Using High-Performance Probes

Membrane proteins in trypanosomatids are, in general, weakly expressed and confirmation of their subcellular localization frequently requires their overexpression with epitope tags. However, overexpression can lead to mislocalization of the probes. Viswanathan et al. (Nat. Methods, 2015, 12:568) described high performance tags for localization of weakly expressed proteins. We report here the use of these protein tags, named "spaghetti monster," for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated C-terminal endogenous tagging of Trypanosoma cruzi to localize two weakly expressed transient receptor potential channels to acidic compartments. The results indicate that this method will improve the detection of membrane proteins in T. cruzi.
Studies of Tolerance, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity in Transgenic Mice

Publisher Summary During the life-span of a mouse, T cells are generated that are specific for antigens uniquely expressed in the periphery. These potentially autoreactive cells circulate in the periphery but normally remain silent. Recruitment of these cells to the tissue can occur under the influence of cytokines but normally this event does not lead to tissue destruction. If circumstances favoring the activation and clonal expansion of the autoreactive T cells exist in the tissue, it results in autoimmunity. In the case of SV-40 T antigen transgenic mice, autoimmunity is the consequence of local antigen presentation mediated by hyperplasia, accompanying necrosis, and concomitant tissue remodeling. On expression of the B7/BB1 molecule, islets become effective antigen presenting cells (APCs) and can stimulate autoreactive T cells to destroy these islets. Although expression of a co-stimulator appears to be required for the activation of islet-specific T cells in the experimental system, it does not seem to be sufficient because none of the RIP-B7 mice develop diabetes.
Coupling in Certain Classes of Weakly Nonlinear Vibrating Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses coupling in certain classes of weakly nonlinear vibrating systems. The differential equations describing the motion are in general linear with constant coefficients and because of the relative simplicity of these equations, a considerable amount of information is available for different types of motions. For motion in the neighborhood of static equilibrium, the classical theory of linear vibrations is obtained by expanding each term in a Taylor series and by retaining in the analyses only the linear terms in the coordinates and their derivatives. The resulting equations are linear with constant coefficients. The accuracy of the method of analysis used has been checked in many instances by comparing the results with those from an analog type computer. In general, it is observed that the accuracy obtained from the first approximation is good if the solutions obtained from the second approximation do not introduce a qualitative change in the nature of the solution. The error introduced by taking only a few terms of the Taylor series expansion of the differential equation is greater than that introduced by the method of averaging employed to solve them.
Science During Crisis: The Application of Interdisciplinary and Strategic Science During Major Environmental Crises

Historical and contemporary experience suggests that science plays an increasingly critical role in governmental and institutional responses to major environmental crises. Recent examples include major western wildfires (2009), the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010), the Fukushima nuclear accident (2011), and Hurricane Sandy (2012).
Distributing cognition or how they don't: an investigation of student collaborative learning

In recent years, collaborative activity has become more prevalent in both the worlds of work and schooling. In the workplace, its function is generally to ensure that complex problems are solved through the combined application of various types of expertise. Industrial design teams exemplify such a process. In the development of new products, teams composed of engineers, marketers, industrial designers, and financial managers work together to bring a design concept to market. Individuals in such teams apply their particularized expertise to parts of a problem and rely largely on the project manager to make sure that the parts are pulled together in a seamless unified way. This might be thought of as the "divide and conquer" model whereby varied domains of knowledge are brought together for the purpose of complex problem-solving which culminates in the optimization and realization of a new product. This variety of collaboration is appropriate and desirable because when it works it results in the desired goal of innovative product design.
Estrogen Metabolism Pathways in Preeclampsia and Normal Pregnancy

Abstract Background Experimental studies suggest that shallow uterine cytotrophoblastic invasion in preeclampsia may be associated with alterations in estrogen metabolism. The objective of this study was to examine the association of parent estrogens and their metabolites between preeclamptics and normotensive controls at three time points during pregnancy. Methods Parent estrogens and their metabolites were measured in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in 66 singleton preeclampsia cases and 137 matched controls. Percent change in geometric means were estimated by general linear models adjusted for gestational age at sampling, maternal age, parity, race, body mass index, and use of assisted reproductive technologies. Results Urinary estradiol concentrations were approximately 50% higher in early pregnancy in preeclampsia cases than controls, but similar late in pregnancy. There was an approximate 20% reduction in total 2-pathway metabolites and 4-pathway metabolites in cases compared with controls in mid- and later pregnancy that was slightly attenuated with adjustment for BMI, and a reduction in 16-pathways in mid-pregnancy but not later. Conclusion(s) Our findings show that estradiol concentrations were elevated in preeclampsia versus controls in early pregnancy. In mid-pregnancy, all three estrogen metabolism (2-, 4-, and 16-) pathways showed some reduction in preeclampsia that appeared to continue for the 2- and 4-pathways in late pregnancy. We hypothesize that this may indicate that there is a generalized reduction in estrogen metabolism in preeclampsia rather than a deficit of specific enzymes, such as those involved in the 2-hydroxylation pathway.
Diagnostic Stewardship: A Clinical Decision Rule for Blood Cultures in Community-Onset Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

The emergence, spread and persistence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a causative pathogen in community-onset (CO) skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) have resulted in substantial changes in the management of these infections. The indications for obtaining blood cultures in patients with CO-MRSA SSTIs remain poorly defined. The objectives of this study were to derive and validate a clinical decision rule that predicts the probability of MRSA bacteremia in CO-MRSA SSTIs and to identify a low-risk population for whom blood cultures may be safely omitted. This was a retrospective, case-control study with an internal temporal validation cohort conducted at two large urban academic medical centers. Hospitalized adults with CO-MRSA SSTI between 2010 and 2018 were included. Independent predictors of MRSA bacteremia were identified through multivariable logistic regression. A decision rule was derived using weighted coefficient-based scoring. The decision rule was validated in an internal temporal validation cohort. A total of 307 patients (155 cases and 152 controls) were included in the derivation cohort. A decision rule was created with a “major criterion” defined as purulent cellulitis and “minor criteria” defined as abnormal temperature, intravenous drug use, leukocytosis, tachycardia, body mass index < 25 kg/m2 and non-upper extremity infection site. A blood culture is indicated by this rule for patients with one major or at least two minor criteria. Otherwise patients are classified as low risk, and blood cultures may be omitted. The sensitivity of the decision rule in the derivation and validation cohorts was 98.71% (95% CI 95.42%, 99.84%) and 95.65% (78.05%, 99.89%), respectively. The specificity was 23.03% (95% CI 16.59%, 30.54%) and 30.77% (95% CI 24.15%, 38.02%), respectively. The decision rule developed and validated in this study provides a standardized, evidenced-based approach to determine the need for blood cultures based on bacteremia risk.
Tumors of the spine and spinal cord.

This special issue of Annals of Translational Medicine focuses on tumors in and around the spine. The field of spine tumor surgery is undergoing a transition period, as multidisciplinary care of the patient with the spinal tumor has become the standard of care.
An Emerging Technology Report on Computational Toys in Early Childhood

This emerging technology report describes computational toys as tools for learning and building computational thinking (CT) skills in young children. We present both a framework to categorize computational toys as well as a separate framework to evaluate the toys’ effectiveness for teaching CT skills. We then apply our frameworks to thirty computational toys targeting children ages 5 and 6 years old. By identifying physical and ideational features of computational toys, educators and researchers will be able to apply our findings to practice and expand upon CT pedagogical research in young learners. Our future research goals include to investigate how CT skills can be observed and measured in early childhood education.
Silent Students in the Active Learning Classroom

This chapter presents research which addresses several questions about implementing immersive active learning approaches in General Chemistry. First, we discuss the content needed to support active learning classes, built on the concept of constructivism. Second, we compare two different immersive active learning approaches in terms of the performance of students in each. Third, we discuss performance gaps of students who remain silent during class discussions relative to their vocal peers. Finally, we discuss our research on the motivations and challenges for these silent students as a means to address the performance gaps.