cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-time in vivo uric acid biosensor system for biophysical monitoring of birds

Research on birds has long played an important role in ecological investigations, as birds are relatively easily observed, and their high metabolic rates and diurnal habits make them quite evidently responsive to changes in their environments. A mechanistic understanding of such avian responses requires a better understanding of how variation in physiological state conditions avian behavior and integrates the effects of recent environmental changes. There is a great need for sensor systems that will allow free-flying birds to interact with their environment and make unconstrained decisions about their spatial location at the same time that their physiological state is being monitored in real time. We have developed a miniature needle-based enzymatic sensor system suitable for continuous real-time amperometric monitoring of uric acid levels in unconstrained live birds. The sensor system was constructed with Pt/Ir wire and Ag/AgCl paste. Uricase enzyme was immobilized on a 0.7 mm sensing cavity of Nafion/cellulose inner membrane to minimize the influences of background interferents. The sensor response was linear from 0.05 to 0.6 mM uric acid, which spans the normal physiological range for most avian species. We developed a two-electrode potentiostat system that drives the biosensor, reads the output current, and wirelessly transmits the data. In addition to extensive characterization of the sensor and system, we also demonstrate autonomous operation of the system by collecting in vivo extracellular uric acid measurements on a domestic chicken. The results confirm our needle-type sensor system's potential for real-time monitoring of birds' physiological state. Successful application of the sensor in migratory birds could open up a new era of studying both the physiological preparation for migration and the consequences of sustained avian flight.
Damping: An Introduction to Viscoelastic Models

This chapter provides an examination of viscoelastic damping normally characterized by hysteresis, a complex modulus or frequency dependent damping. Viscoelastic damping exhibited in polymeric and glassy materials as well as in some enamels. Such materials are often added to structures and devices to increase the amount of damping. Examples are rubber mounts and constrained layer damping treatments. Typically in modal analysis the simplest form of modeling damping is used. This form assumes that the damping is a linear, time invariant phenomena chosen to be viscous, or proportional to velocity, motivated by the ability to solve the equations of motion. With this as a first model, one is lead to conclude that viscoelastic behavior causes frequency dependent damping coefficients resulting in the concept of complex modulus. Thus it is not clear how to perform modal analysis of structures with viscoelastic components. Here an alternative formulation is discussed and presented for multiple degree of freedom systems that allows the treatment of hysteretic damping in dynamic finite element formulations, and hence provides a connection to modal analysis and testing.
A Scaled Model Describing the Rate-Dependent Compressive Failure of Brittle Materials

A universal relationship is developed that describes the rate-dependent compressive strength of brittle solids based on the micromechanics of the growth of brittle cracks from populations of initial flaws. Real-time observations of crack growth provide insight to the model which captures the dynamics of interacting and rapidly growing cracks. Fundamental time and length scales involved in the problem are used to develop expressions for a characteristic stress and a characteristic strain rate in terms of material and microstructural properties. Scaling simulation results by the characteristic stress and strain rate collapses the data to a single curve in failure stress–strain rate space. This curve represents the universal response, which captures both the relatively constant failure stress at low rates as well as the dramatic increase in strength observed in experiments as the applied strain rate increases above the transition rate. The resulting model for the universal response compares well with experimental data for ceramics and geologic materials, indicating that the model has adequately captured the physics of compressive failure for a wide range of materials.
A Critique of Knowledge-based Arts Education: Ars Gratia Artis Through Rancière’s Aesthetics

We are interested in contrasts between ‘art for art’s sake’ and instrumental justifications for art in education. Surprisingly, it seems that current mainstream discourses of arts education tend to inflect the term ‘art for art’s sake’ with instrumental qualities. This paper examines the scene of Discipline-Based Arts Education (DBAE) in contemporary United States and critiques the instrumental setup of ‘art for art’s sake’ endorsed by DBAE. It also suggests an alternative framework to think about ‘art for art’s sake’ in the education of art from Ranciere’s political and aesthetic theory.
IN DEFENSE OF A “THIN” SECOND AMENDMENT: CULTURE, THE CONSTITUTION, AND THE GUN CONTROL DEBATE

This article, written for a symposium on the Second Amendment at the Albany Law School, uses Mark Tushnet's concept of the thin Constitution and populist constitutional law to consider the Heller case, in which the Supreme Court will decide whether the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. In it, I argue that such an individual right is part of many Americans' thin Constitution, and that the Court's decision should respect, and reflect, that fact. However, I also urge caution in crafting the scope of the right, at least initially, because reasonable regulation of the individual right is apparently a part of the populist constitutional law of the Second Amendment as well.
Coming to America: International Students Face a Labyrinth of Income Tax Issues

Complying with U.S. immigration laws is a challenge for international students who wish to study at U.S. institutions. Once in the United States, however, students face complex tax issues too. This article provides systematic guidance for international students and their advisers through a labyrinth of income tax issues. Educational institutions also should be aware of these issues since colleges and universities have come under increasingly-close I.R.S. scrutiny in recent years for, inter alia, their tax treatment of international students. Failure to withhold income tax when required leaves the educational institution liable for any uncollected taxes, interest, and penalties. For example, the I.R.S. recently assessed $50 million in taxes against the University of Wisconsin for its alleged failure to report taxable scholarship payments. On the other hand, withholding income tax when not required may diminish much-needed cash flow and impose unnecessary administrative burdens on international students. After a review of U.S. immigration law, this article analyzes the U.S. tax law's impact on international students. The federal income tax that international students must pay is a function of several factors. Important determinants include immigration status, duration of U.S. presence, type of income received, and the impact of relevant treaties.
Failures of Originalism: The Uncertain Meaning of 'Citizen of the United States'

Originalist interpretation seeks a definite “public understanding” of Constitutional language at the time of its adoption. The method fails when applied to language that cannot be understood in this way. In 1789, the word “citizen” as used in the Constitution, to take an important example, was a recent American coinage. English dictionaries of the time defined a citizen as a “townsman” or “tradesman;” the Constitution itself helped to give the word its new American sense, a person who had political rights, but this meaning was not well established until years later. At the time of ratification, “citizen” appears to have been understood by many of the Constitution’s draftsmen as signifying a narrow class of property-owning, white men, but the term was left to be further defined in each state, and understandings varied between town and country, slave state and free. Congress in its early years debated the nature and existence of national citizenship, without producing an authoritative definition. Taney’s originalist opinion in Dred Scott confirmed the narrow view of national citizenship originally held by some of the Framers. The Fourteenth Amendment reversed Dred Scott and created a new national citizenship, but the Supreme Court sharply limited the effect of the new language. The core of the Constitution, defining the class of persons who have rights and the rights that they hold, has been constructed piecemeal and continues to change. Originalism in this sphere died with Dred Scott.
Tracer experiment and model evidence for macrofaunal shaping of microbial nitrogen functions along rocky shores

Abstract. Seawater microbes as well as those associated with macrobiota are increasingly recognized as a key feature affecting nutrient cycling. Tidepools are ideal natural mesocosms to test macrofauna and microbe interactions, and we quantified rates of microbial nitrogen processing using tracer enrichment of ammonium (15NNH4) or nitrate (15NNO3) when tidepools were isolated from the ocean during low intertidal periods. Experiments were conducted during both day and night as well as in control tidepools and those from which mussels had been removed, allowing us to determine the role of both mussels and daylight in microbial nitrogen processing. We paired time series observations of 15N enrichment in NH4+, NO2− and NO3− with a differential equation model to quantify multiple, simultaneous nitrogen transformations. Mussel presence and daylight increased remineralization and photosynthetic nitrogen uptake. When we compared ammonium gain or loss that was attributed to any tidepool microbes vs. photosynthetic uptake, microbes accounted for 32 % of this ammonium flux on average. Microbial transformations averaged 61 % of total nitrate use; thus, microbial activity was almost 3 times that of photosynthetic nitrate uptake. Because it accounted for processes that diluted our tracer, our differential equation model assigned higher rates of nitrogen processing compared to prior source–product models. Our in situ experiments showed that animals alone elevate microbial nitrogen transformations by 2 orders of magnitude, suggesting that coastal macrobiota are key players in complex microbial nitrogen transformations.
Mass transfer in forward osmosis with hollow fiber membranes

Abstract The recent development of high performance thin film composite membrane has been a major technological thrust in the research of forward osmosis (FO). While most of the recently developed FO membranes are of flat sheet (FS) geometry, hollow fiber (HF) FO membranes have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their promising prospect in full-scale applications. Existing studies on HF FO membrane fabrication and characterization exclusively apply the mass transfer equations developed for FS membranes. Whether or not these mass transfer equations for FS membranes are applicable for membranes with HF geometry remains theoretically unclear. In this paper, accurate analytical equations are derived to describe mass transfer of water and solute across an HF membrane. These equations take into account the curvature effect of the HF membranes and thus have very different mathematical forms from those for FS membranes. A systematic comparison of the mass transfer equations between HF and FS membranes was also conducted using both simulated and experimentally measured flux data. The results from such a comparison suggest that the mass transfer equations for FS membranes are in general applicable for an HF geometry, which provides the theoretical basis for the application of the well-established FS mass transfer equations in characterizing HF membranes.
Fatty Acid Modulation of Cancer Cell Spreading and Cytoskeleton Rearrangement

Tumor cell — extracellular matrix interactions consist of attachment, spreading, migration and digestion of matrix ligands. These interactions are critical determinants during metastasis (1,2) and are mediated by receptors consisting of integrins, cell adhesion molecules (CAM) and proteoglycans (3,4). The first step in matrix interaction is a passive phase characterized by initial ligand/receptor interactions, while the second step, the spreading process, is more complex and includes redistribution of matrix receptors, activation of the signal transduction pathways and rearrangement of the cytoskeleton (5). These events are prerequisites for subsequent tumor cell migration and matrix lysis. The regulatory mechanism(s) of cell spreading is not known. However, those mechanisms which control matrix receptor expression, e.g., TGFβ and other cytokines (i.g., IL-I, TNF) may be involved (6). Previous studies indicated that a 12-LOX metabolite of arachidonic acid (AA), 12-(S)-HETE, serves as a positive regulator of integrin αllbβ3 expression and function in murine tumor cells (7,8). However, it was not clear in these studies which phase (i.e., attachment or spreading) of tumor cell matrix interaction was affected by 12-(S)- HETE. Therefore we have analyzed the effects of 12-(S)-HETE on the spreading of tumor cells on a defined matrix protein, fibronectin (FN).
Potential Operators on Morrey Spaces

One of the key results in the theory of Morrey Spaces is the action of the potential operator I α .
Supramolecular Membrane Chemistry

The most basic function of a biological membrane is to compartmentalize a cell and differentiate it from another. However, without this barrier, life simply would not exist. Within the area enclosed by the membrane, including the membrane itself, the basic processes of life happen. Supramolecular chemistry has been invaluable in elucidating some of the principles underlying the structure and function of the membrane. The basic structure of a biological membrane, which is that of a lipid bilayer, is essentially a structure driven to self-assemble by the well-known hydrophobic effect. The main actors in membrane function, membrane proteins, employ molecular recognition to such a high level that they are able to transport material across the membrane with a high degree of specificity and efficiency. Despite their size, these proteins are able to change conformation to assemble a structure that can perform a designated activity. Due to these factors, supramolecular research into membranes is very active and numerous structures that mimic membrane functions have been synthesized. Basic components have been made to self-assemble in order to form channels that can transport materials ranging from ions to sugars. Vesicle aggregation has been induced via supramolecular means to mimic cell adhesion and fusion. Receptor mimics have also been made that can transduce a signal from the exterior of a membrane toward the interior. However, there is still a lot more to the diversity of the biological membrane and more research is necessary to help elucidate the multitude of processes occurring in the cell membrane.
Sanctions as a nonproliferation tool: Lessons from Libya

Libya's nuclear program provides a relatively straightforward “closed case” that allows us to analyze the contribution of economic and diplomatic sanctions to nonproliferation efforts. While Libya ...
EFFECT OF PARTIAL PROTEIN REMOVAL FROM MUSCLE CUBES ON PROPERTIES OF POULTRY MEAT LOAVES

Pectoral muscle cubes from 10-week old broilers were “water-washed” or “salt-washed” ( 0.6 M NaCl) to provide tissue with various quantities of water-soluble and salt-soluble proteins. Approximately 30% of the water-soluble protein was removed when cubes were water-washed. Salt-washed cubes had decreases of 42% and 54% in salt-soluble and water-soluble protein concentrations, respectively. Loaves prepared with meat from the two washing treatments and control cubes showed significant (P<0.01) differences in both cooking loss and binding strength of meat slices. The quantity of salt-soluble proteins available for solubilization to reduce cooking loss and increase binding strength among meat particles appeared more important to poultry loaf processing than the quantity of extractable water-soluble proteins.
Tissue-Derived Extracellular Matrix Bioscaffolds: Emerging Applications in Cartilage and Meniscus Repair.

Musculoskeletal injuries are a common problem in orthopedic practice. Given the long-term consequences of unaddressed cartilage and meniscal pathology, a number of treatments have been attempted to stimulate repair or to replace the injured tissue. Despite advances in orthopedic surgery, effective treatments for cartilage and meniscus injuries remain a significant clinical challenge. Tissue engineering is a developing field that aims to regenerate injured tissues with a combination of cells, scaffolds, and signals. Many natural and synthetic scaffold materials have been developed and tested for the repair and restoration of a number of musculoskeletal tissues. Among these, biological scaffolds derived from cell and tissue-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) have shown great promise in tissue engineering given the critical role of the ECM for maintaining the biological and biomechanical properties, structure, and function of native tissues. This review article presents emerging applications for tissue-deriv...
Medical University of South Carolina Telestroke: A Telemedicine Facilitated Network for Stroke Treatment in South Carolina—A Progress Report

Abstract Background: Patients in rural communities lack access to acute stroke therapies. Rapid administration of lytic therapy increases the likelihood of favorable functional outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). At the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), we implemented a Web-based telestroke program that allows patients presenting with AIS at a rural hospital to receive expert stroke consultation within minutes. This increases their chances of receiving lytic therapy, and therefore increases the likelihood of good functional outcome. Objectives: Our study aims to provide an update on how our telestroke program had developed and the rate and safety of intravenous (IV) alteplase administration through telestroke. Methods: Data were collected on all patients evaluated through the MUSC Telestroke program from May 2008 through April 2014. Collected data included National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) on presentation, number of IV alteplase administrations, number of patients transferr...
Purification and Characterization of Antioxidative Peptides Prepared from Pea Protein with Strong Inhibitory Activity on Lipid Oxidation

This study was to evaluate the potential for developing superior antioxidative peptides derived from pea protein isolates that could be used to prevent meat lipid oxidation and improve its shelf-life. Pea protein isolate was hydrolyzed with individual microbial proteases and further fractionated by sequential ultrafiltration (molecular weight cut-off of 3 and 10 kDa) to a total of 12 hydrolysate fractions. Their antioxidant activities were evaluated and compared. The hydrolysate fractions exerted significant oxygen radical absorbance capacity ranging from 24.5 to 81.6 µmol Trolox equivalents /g dry weight and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation (ABTS + ˙ ) scavenging activity ranging between 22.4 and 50.2 µmol TE/g dry weight. Three hydrolysate fractions with superior antioxidant activities were selected for further evaluation on the inhibition of lipid peroxidation using a food model (ground beef) during a 15-day storage period. At the end of the treatment, NP-F4 produced by neutral protease from Bacillus subtilis at both doses (250 and 500 µg/g beef) exerted significant inhibitory activities against lipid oxidization which were comparable to butylated hydroxyanisole (200 µg/g beef), a commonly used synthetic antioxidant with the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances reduced by 31.9%, 38.8%, and 45.7%, respectively, as compared to the negative control. Our results suggest that the specific antioxidative hydrolysates produced from pea protein with commercial proteases and ultrafiltration separation could be used to replace synthetic ones to inhibit lipid oxidation and improve shelf-life of lipid-rich food products.
“Switching On” Creativity: Task Switching Increases Creativity by Reducing Cognitive Fixation

The contemporary workplace increasingly demands individuals to switch among cognitive tasks. Whereas past research has focused on the downsides of task switching, the present research is among the ...
Estimation of the energy consumption of digital devices represented by a composition of a control FSM and an arithmetic and logic unit

It is proposed to estimate the energy consumption of logic circuits implementing digital devices using the results of rapid modeling of both the structure descriptions of logic circuits and the original algorithmic descriptions of the devices by which the logic circuits are designed. The energy consumption estimation is reduced to finding power-hungry test suites that cause increased energy consumption. Two methods for the algorithmic description of digital devices are proposed. The algorithmic descriptions are used to design logic circuits that differ in energy consumption, area, and speed. The experiments show that the proper description of the device operation at the algorithmic level helps significantly reduce its energy consumption.
Fault isolation on the wafer with lithography hotspot signature

As the development of semiconductor process, more and more advanced technologies were applied in the IC manufacturing. The device becomes more precise, and more sensitive to the minor process variation. Failure analysis challenge comes along with these advanced processes. Lithography process is one of the most critical semiconductor processes. The issue with this process has its own property. Based on these properties the preliminary suspect can be made. This preliminary suspect will be helpful in the subsequent analysis. In this paper a failure mode with the hotspot wafer map pattern was submitted for analysis. The initial suspect is BEOL lithography process. Subsequently, EFA and PFA confirm the lithography related problem, but it is FEOL issue instead of BEOL. Combined with the process analysis, the mechanism was plotted.
Case Study: Documenting grass growth and productivity in a grass-based organic dairy in Oregon

ABSTRACT Managing pastures on grazing dairies is a continuous challenge because pasture quality, quantity, and growth rate are changing daily. The objectives of this study were to document weekly pasture growth, forage quality, and performance to understand how to use this information to make management decisions on US dairies. One organic grazing dairy was studied for 3 consecutive years. Pastures were measured and mapped, and total standing DM was estimated weekly in all 22 pastures using a calibrated rising plate meter. Weekly grazing wedges were developed and were used to make grazing decisions that week. Paddocks grazed and residual pasture covers were recorded daily. Paddock grazing and residual heights were also included in the electronic recordkeeping. Dry matter yields ranged from 11,277 to 22,346 kg/ha per year and averaged 15,887 ± 1,919, 17,848 ± 1,966 and 17,956 ± 2,014 for each consecutive year. Daily growth rates ranged from 18 to 100 kg/ha per day throughout the season and averaged as high as 56 ± 20.3 kg/ha per day in yr 3. Pasture quality and productivity in Oregon is comparable to some of the most productive dairy pasture systems reported from around the world.
Basic Hypergeometric Series and Applications. By Nathan J. Fine

(1990). Basic Hypergeometric Series and Applications. By Nathan J. Fine. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 97, No. 1, pp. 82-88.
Supplementary Private Insurance in National Systems and the USA

Supplemental insurance serves to provide financial protection against limitations in publicly provided insurance. It is common in many nations, although the precise benefits covered depend on both the nature of the public coverage and the country-specific supplemental insurance regulations. In the USA, supplemental insurance is most commonly purchased to supplement the publicly funded Medicare program. This insurance can be either provided by former employers or purchased individually. Individually purchased insurance, often termed ‘Medigap’ plans, is the most common type of plan and are regulated and standardized. Medigap plans lead to increased Medicare spending.
Barry Bonds vs. the Media

The Journal of Mass Media Ethics publishes case studies in which scholars and media professionals outline how they would address a particular ethical problem. Cases are drawn from actual experience...
Finding a Place for Marginal Migrants in the International Human Rights System

This chapter examines how international human rights law is shaping the politics of immigration. It argues that migrant human rights are neither conceptually nor practically incompatible with an international order premised upon state territorial sovereignty, and that the specific aesthetics of the contemporary international human rights system, namely its formalistic and legalistic tendencies, has facilitated its integration with a realm of policymaking traditionally reserved to state discretion. An exploration of two areas in the emerging field of migrant human rights traces the multi-scalar transnational legal processes through which these norms are formulated and internalized.
Avian Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress: Highlights from Studies of Food, Physiology, and Feathers

As generally fast-moving animals with high metabolic rates, birds have been the subject of many studies of oxidative balance. For a given lifespan and body size, birds tend to experience less oxidative stress than other comparable endothermic animals such as mammals, due at least in part to superior antioxidant machinery. Here, recent research is reviewed, with emphases on avian oxidative stress and antioxidants in the context of life-history evolution, paying special attention to oxidant balance as it relates to growth, reproduction, and aging. Dietary antioxidants such as carotenoids can enhance these life-history features in both free-ranging and domesticated species, but patterns are not as clear for tocopherol intake. Studies of endogenous antioxidants such as hormones (e.g., melatonin) and enzymes (e.g., superoxide dismutase) are much more limited, with fewer in wild birds, but for some systems (e.g., sperm, aorta) and domesticated species these molecules offer a strong defense from oxidative damage in the context of reproduction, nutritional state, and toxin exposure. Uric acid and glutathione have also emerged as focal avian antioxidants to track, alongside more general assays of “total antioxidant capacity”. More studies are encouraged that comanipulate oxidative stress and antioxidant supplies/actions, to better understand the interactions and coevolution of these biological molecules and processes.
Two 1%s Don’t Make a Whole: Comparing Simultaneous Samples from Twitter’s Streaming API

We compare samples of tweets from the Twitter Streaming API constructed from different connections that tracked the same popular keywords at the same time. We find that on average, over 96% of the tweets seen in one sample are seen in all others. Those tweets found only in a subset of samples do not significantly differ from tweets found in all samples in terms of user popularity or tweet structure. We conclude they are likely the result of a technical artifact rather than any systematic bias.
Online peer support groups for family caregivers: are they reaching the caregivers with the greatest needs?

Background Online peer support groups are an increasingly common venue for caregivers supporting disabled family members to exchange informational, emotional, and instrumental support. We know very little, however, about who uses these groups and whether they are reaching those with the greatest needs. Objective To examine whether caregiving factors (ie, caregiving demands and strain, competing demands, access to support and services, and other caregiving characteristics) are related to online community support use and intensity of use. Method This study used data from a new survey of family caregivers who provide care to disabled military veterans. We used logistic regression models to examine the likelihood of online community support group usage and intensity of use as a function of a variety of caregiving factors. Results Those with greater caregiving demands were more likely to use online peer support. Specifically, helping the care recipient with more activities was associated with a statistically significantly greater likelihood of visiting an online community support group. Caring for a veteran with a neurological or psychological condition, which, in prior work, suggests more complex care needs, was also positively and significantly related to visiting an online community support group. Hours of care and several other caregiving factors were related to intensity of use. Conclusions We show that family caregivers with the most caregiving demands are most engaged with online support communities. This suggests that online communities could be used to support the most vulnerable family caregivers. The implications of this work for online support systems are discussed.
Risk factors, clinical outcomes, and natural history of uveal melanoma: A single institution analysis.

e21631Background: Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults with an incidence of 6 cases per million in the US. We sought to describe the characteristics of ou...
Population versus Customized Growth Curves: Prediction of Composite Neonatal Morbidity.

Objective To assess the ability of customized and population growth nomograms in identifying newborns with composite neonatal morbidity (CNM). Study Design This study included women who participated in the 10 Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) trials and delivered a nonanomalous singleton with a known gestational age (GA) of 24 weeks or more and documented birthweight. Population nomograms were based on Alexander's nomogram, whereas customized nomograms used publicly available softwares. Random-effect logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR). Positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs) were calculated to assess nomogram performance. Results Of 92,225 women, 85% met the inclusion criteria. Using the population nomogram, 12% were small for gestational age (SGA) and 10% were large for gestational age (LGA), and using customized nomograms, 15% were SGA and 16% LGA. SGA newborns had a higher likelihood of CNM (aOR: 2.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.48–2.76) for population nomograms and 3.22 (95% CI: 3.07–3.39) for customized nomograms. LGA newborns had a similar CNM with population nomogram but significantly higher with customized nomogram (aOR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.34–1.50). For the adverse outcomes among SGA and LGA, the positive LRs for the two nomograms were similar with overlapping 95% CI. Conclusion Though both SGA and LGA are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, the detection using both nomograms was similar.
Rational design protocols for size-based particle sorting microdevices using symmetry-induced cyclical dynamics.

In this paper, we describe the unification and extension of multiple kinematic theories on the advection of colloidal particles through periodic obstacle lattices of arbitrary geometry and infinitesimally small obstacle size. We focus specifically on the particle displacement lateral to the flow direction (termed ``deterministic lateral displacement'') and the particle-obstacle interaction frequency, and develop methods for describing these as a function of particle size and lattice parameters for arbitrary lattice geometries. We then demonstrate design algorithms for microfluidic devices consisting of chained obstacle lattices of this type that approximate any lateral displacement function of size to arbitrary accuracy with respect to multiple optimization metrics, prove their validity mathematically, and compare the generated results favorably to designs in the literature with respect to metrics such as accuracy, device size, and complexity.
Life stress and background anxiety are not associated with resting metabolic rate in healthy adults.

This study examined associations between anxiety, stress, and resting metabolic rate (RMR). Thirty women and 23 men had RMR measured at two visits. Participants also had body composition assessed a...
Redetermination of the crystal structure of [Na4(H2O)14]SnS4: a compound containing a novel chain of aquated sodium ions

[Na4(H2O)14]SnS4 is obtained by the reaction of Na2S·9H2O with SnCl4·5H2O in aqueous solution at 21°C. It crystallizes in the space group Cc with a = 8.621(2) A, b = 23.543(5) A, c = 11.358(2) A, β = 110.58(3)° and V = 2158.2 A3 with Z = 2. Refinement of 3826 unique reflections from a racemically twinned crystal yielded a final value of R1 = 0.0464 (|F| > 4σ) and wR2 = 0.104 and a goodness of fit of 1.125. The structure consists of a Na+/H2O network supporting the tetrahedral SnS44− anions. Water molecules or sulfide ions octahedrally coordinate each of the four crystallographically independent Na+ ions. The dominant feature of the structure is the existence of zigzag chains of edgeshared Na octahedra. These chains are tied together into a three-dimensional network by bridging Na(H2O)6 octahedra and individual H2O molecules.
A cell-penetrant lactam-stapled peptide for targeting eIF4E protein-protein interactions

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) has emerged as a promising cancer therapeutic target due to its role in the initiation of cap-dependent translation, a process that is accelerated during tumorigenesis. To regulate the initiation of cap-dependent translation, eIF4E participates in protein-protein interactions (PPI) with binding partners, 4E-BP1 and eIF4G, which act as an inhibitor and stimulator of translation, respectively. As both of these proteins interact with eIF4E by utilizing a short, α-helical stretch of amino acids, our laboratory has been working to develop helical mimetics of these proteins, in particular 4E-BP1, to inhibit eIF4E PPIs. Herein, we describe our continued efforts in this area and report the development and characterization of a cell-penetrant lactam stapled peptide for targeting cellular eIF4E.
Improving Short-Term Travel Speed Prediction with High-Resolution Spatial and Temporal Rainfall Data

AbstractHeavy rainfall events are becoming more common in many areas with escalating climate change, and these events can considerably affect travel speed and road safety. It is critical to underst...
Why has the United States not bombed Iran? The domestic politics of America's response to Iran's nuclear programme

Why has the United States (US), under both the Bush and Obama administrations, refrained from attacking Iran even though US officials have depicted the Iranian threat in all but apocalyptic terms and even though a loud chorus in Washington has been persistently calling for a preventive strike against Iran? I present an analysis—informed by Graham Allison's famous bureaucratic politics model—of the main political and bureaucratic forces in Washington acting to promote or impede a preventive attack on Iran's nuclear sites. I argue that America's abstention from attacking Iran should be understood not as a coherent national response to Iran's nuclear programme but rather as (in Allison's terms) an ‘intra-national political outcome’ resulting from the ‘pulling’ of ‘Iran Threat’ interests—primarily Vice President Cheney's camp in the Bush White House, members of Congress, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)—and the countervailing ‘hauling’ of the Pentagon, the military's top brass, the int...
Diversity, equity and inclusion in acute care surgery: a multifaceted approach

Racial and gender-based diversity in medical student applicants, matriculants and graduates has increased over time.1 Underrepresented minority groups, however, continue on the basis of race in medical schools and especially in general surgery residency training programs which lag behind other clinical fields.2 Efforts to increase matriculant diversity require an understanding of the interests, perceptions and experiences of those in minority groups much earlier in the process. The conversation of addressing the underrepresented minority applicant pool cannot be had without facing the systemic racism within our educational system that disproportionately disadvantages minority groups. From public school funding and resources to college preparation, students’ educational experiences vary widely based on race.3 Supplemental pipeline programs exist throughout the country focused on underrepresented minorities to provide science education, career exposure and mentoring. While these programs cannot completely overcome the inequities, there are limited data that shows success in professional development and applying to surgical subspecialities.4 5 Creating a primer for acute care surgery–specific pipeline programs for a variety of educational levels to be implemented locally could be beneficial in increasing diversity in surgical workforce. General surgery residency without question is a tough road with overall attrition at approximately 18% nationwide.6 7 Concerningly, a higher ethnicity-based attrition rate has been shown among Hispanic compared with non-Hispanic residents.7 In a survey of general surgery residents, …
Every Square Inch

Kuyperian social theory really begins with John Calvin’s strong view of the sovereignty of God. The best—known consequence of that view is the doctrine of divine election and reprobation. Calvin really could not conceive of a world in which God’s control was not so complete that the only way people could be saved was for God to have chosen them for salvation before time began. Calvinism sees a society in which humans have rebelled against God, so the task of bringing in the Kingdom of God is a task of bringing all social relations once again into conformity with the ideals envisioned in Scripture. This task is not only to take place within the confines of the believing community, but it must also extend to all society, so those who are unbelievers can benefit from a well—ordered society. Nor is it to be put off to some post—Parousial millennium. The task must begin now. In terms of the famous taxonomy of H. Richard Niebuhr (1951), Calvinism takes the view that Christ is the transformer of culture and works through the church on earth now to begin that work of transformation. In the stirring words attributed to Abraham Kuyper (but for which nobody knows the source, except for Calvin College oral tradition), “there is not a single inch on the whole terrain of our human existence over which Christ does not exclaim, ‘Mine!’”
Keeping the Government's Religion Pure: Pleasant Grove City v. Summum

This short essay reviews the Supreme Court's recent decision in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum. The case addressed whether Summum, a religious group, had a right under the Free Speech Clause to put up a permanent monument of its Seven Aphorisms - its version of the Ten Commandments - in a local city park, given that the park already contained a number of other objects donated by various groups, including a more orthodox Ten Commandments display donated by the Fraternal Order of Eagles. The Supreme Court unanimously rejected Summum’s claim. This essay explains the background of the case, addresses the legal claims asserted by the parties, and discusses the Court’s opinion and its ramifications. It pays particular attention to the religious dimensions of the case, ones largely not explored by the Court.
How Good Is Sink Insertion

Generating high quality meshes is one of the most important steps in many applications such as scientific computing. Sink insertion method is one of the mesh quality improvement methods that had been proposed recently. However, it is unknown whether this method is competitive to generate meshes with small number of elements. In this paper, we show that, given a two-dimensional polygonal domain with no small angles, the sink insertion method generates a well-shaped mesh with O(n) triangles, where n is the minimum number of triangles generated by any method with the same quality guarantee. We also show that the sink insertion method more likely can not guarantee the same result for a three-dimensional domain, while the other methods such as Delaunay refinement can achieve.
Discussion on the boundary of risk assessment and risk management

The current question on the relation of “risk assessment” and “risk management” may exist at the level of who should be responsible for what. Here, the argument will be made upon “Risk Analysis”. The problem here is whether a same person can or should perform both risk assessment and risk management or not. The risk assessors and risk managers are to be sharing the task to perform the risk analysis under close cooperation. The practical endpoint of the risk analysis is the “round table meeting” where the risk assessors and risk managers become aware of their own accurate role and relation with the other stake holders inclding those who are managed or regulated. Credentials needed for a toxicologist to be a risk assessor are not only an ability to qualify and analyze the data, but an ability to understand the ‘plausibility’ that can be extrapolated from them. Different from the “weight of evidence” approach, plausibility is to extrapolate the data by scientifically referring to the wider range of knowledge. Even as a perfect risk assessor, a tragedy waits for those who unknowingly mixes up the position of risk assessor and risk manager. Potentially it happens when a personal belief was reflected to risk management and went wrong with the risk communication processes. In the round table, risk assessors and managers should talk to each other with plausibility in science and sharing the task towards the goal of the meeting. A cascade of events initiated by the March 11, 2011 devastating earthquake has affected toxicology researchers in various ways. A generalized conclusion here is that the risk assessors and risk managers should discuss, before and during the round table meeting, “how far can we pollute our living space?” based on a realization that Toxicology is covering both “Hygiene” of public population and “Clinical aspects” of individuals who consult a doctor.
The sulfhydryl groups of rabbit muscle adenosine triphosphate-adenosine monophosphate phosphotransferase. Activity of enzyme treated with mercurials.

Abstract The reaction of rabbit muscle myokinase (adenosine triphosphate-adenosine monophosphate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.3) with p-hydroxymercuribenzoate and p-mercuribenzenesulfonate in the presence of 0.5 m NaCl results in the stoichiometric blocking of both sulfhydryl groups on the enzyme molecule and the formation of myokinase-mercurial complexes possessing about 45% of their initial activity. Kinetic studies show that the Km of the myokinase-p-hydroxymercuribenzoate complex does not differ significantly from that of intact myokinase, indicating that the sulfhydryl groups are not involved in substrate binding. Reaction of myokinase with structural analogues of p-hydroxymercuribenzoate results in the formation of myokinase-mercurial complexes that possess varying amounts of initial enzymatic activity. Inhibition increases with increasing size of the mercurial substituted. The role which the sulfhydryl groups might have in processes other than substrate binding or enzyme catalysis is discussed, along with possible steric effects brought about by the mercurial substituents. An improved method for the purification of myokinase is also described.
Human Airway Eosinophils Respond to Chemoattractants with Greater Eosinophil-Derived Neurotoxin Release, Adherence to Fibronectin, and Activation of the Ras–ERK Pathway When Compared with Blood Eosinophils

Human blood eosinophils exposed ex vivo to hematopoietic cytokines (e.g., IL-5 or GM-CSF) subsequently display enhanced responsiveness to numerous chemoattractants, such as chemokines, platelet-activating factor, or FMLP, through a process known as priming. Airway eosinophils, obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage after segmental Ag challenge, also exhibit enhanced responsiveness to selected chemoattractants, suggesting that they are primed during cell trafficking from the blood to the airway. Earlier work has shown that chemoattractants stimulate greater activation of ERK1 and ERK2 following IL-5 priming in vitro, thus revealing that ERK1/ERK2 activity can be a molecular readout of priming under these circumstances. Because few studies have examined the intracellular mechanisms regulating priming as it relates to human airway eosinophils, we evaluated the responsiveness of blood and airway eosinophils to chemoattractants (FMLP, platelet-activating factor, CCL11, CCL5, CXCL8) with respect to degranulation, adherence to fibronectin, or Ras-ERK signaling cascade activation. When compared with blood eosinophils, airway eosinophils exhibited greater FMLP-stimulated eosinophil-derived neurotoxin release as well as augmented FMLP- and CCL11-stimulated adherence to fibronectin. In airway eosinophils, FMLP, CCL11, and CCL5 stimulated greater activation of Ras or ERK1/ERK2 when compared with baseline. Ras activation by FMLP in blood eosinophils was also enhanced following IL-5 priming. These studies are consistent with a model of in vivo priming of eosinophils by IL-5 or related cytokines following allergen challenge, and further demonstrate the key role of priming in the chemoattractant-stimulated responses of eosinophils. These data also demonstrate the importance of the Ras-ERK signaling pathway in the regulation of eosinophil responses to chemoattractants in the airway. Human airway eosinophils respond to several chemoattractants with increased activation of the Ras-ERK cascade, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin release, and adherence to fibronectin relative to blood eosinophils.
Acoustic wave sensors

Acoustic waves excited in a piezoelectric medium provide an attractive technology for realizing a variety of sensor that exhibit high sensitivity, small size and portability, fast responses, ruggedness and robustness, high accuracy, compatibility with integrated circuit (IC) technology, excellent aging characteristics and the capability to measure multiple quantities in one sensor package. Sensors based on this technology can be produced using standard photolithography and hence are inexpensive. In this paper acoustic sensing mechanisms and a wide range of bulk and surface acoustic waves used in the sensor development are described. Applications of acoustic sensors in the chemical, environmental, medical, automotive and aeronautic industries are also given.