cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The interplay between dose and immune system activation determines fungal infection outcome in the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae.

Abstract The Toll pathway is a central regulator of antifungal immunity in insects. In mosquitoes, the Toll pathway affects infections with the fungal entomopathogen, Beauveria bassiana, which is considered a potential mosquito biopesticide. We report here the use of B. bassiana strain I93-825 in Anopheles gambiae to analyze the impact of Toll pathway modulation on mosquito survival. Exposure to a narrow dose range of conidia by direct contact decreased mosquito longevity and median survival. In addition, fungal exposure dose correlated positively and linearly with hazard ratio. Increased Toll signaling by knockdown of its inhibitor, cactus, decreased survivorship of uninfected females, increased mosquito survival after low dose B. bassiana exposure, but had little effect following exposure to higher doses. This observed trade-off could have implications for development of B. bassiana as a prospective vector control tool. On the one hand, selection for small increases in mosquito immune signaling across a narrow dose range could impair efficacy of B. bassiana. On the other hand, costs of immunity and the capacity for higher doses of fungus to overwhelm immune responses could limit evolution of resistance.
New Paradigm in Geotechnical Performance Monitoring Using Remote Sensing

The geotechnical engineer designs with a wide variety of naturally occurring heterogeneous materials where the exact numerical values of their engineering properties cannot be assigned. Therefore, performance monitoring during and after construction is critical to evaluate the design judgments and, if necessary, update them. Moreover, the urbanization has led to the development of areas that were previously considered geologically unstable, and this in light of the changes in weather patterns mandates improved monitoring. Traditionally, geotechnical performance monitoring is done by lateral ground displacement and vertical settlement measurements using instrumentation. However, the reliability of the monitoring is influenced by the extent to which measurements vary locally within the instrument zone. In highly variable geologic conditions, a large number of measurement points may be required for reliable monitoring. The advancements in the spatial and temporal resolution of satellite-based remote sensing using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical provide a new paradigm for geotechnical performance monitoring in highly variable geologic conditions. Also, manned and unmanned aerial platforms offer an opportunity to acquire remote sensing data as the user requires. These remote sensing techniques provide an excellent opportunity for engineers to monitor the performance of geotechnical structures in complex geologic conditions.
C-Reactive Protein Monitoring Predicts Neutropenic Fever Following Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma.

Background Neutropenic fever (NF) is a known and common complication of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Early risk assessment may help direct treatment. We retrospectively analyzed the role of serial serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in predicting NF and assessed the clinical value of CRP within 14 days after transplantation. Methods One hundred twenty-one multiple myeloma (MM) patients received 170 first and/or second ASCT between January 2014 and March 2017. A Cox regression model was applied to assess the prognostic value of CRP as a time-dependent covariate at the onset of NF within 14 days post-transplant. Results Forty-seven of 170 patients developed NF. High CRP levels (4.0-43.2 mg/dL) were associated with a 5.45-fold increased risk of NF (P = 0.02). Patients had a nearly three-fold increased risk of NF after the second transplant (P < 0.01), but this was not associated with increased mortality. Those with NF had higher maximum values of CRP (P < 0.01) which tended to occur at or after the onset of NF. Conclusion CRP monitoring provides important information about the risk for NF immediately after first MM ASCT, and even more so after the second.
Fuzzy Digital Topology

Digital picture processing deals with image compression or enhancement and image analysis. In image compression or enhancement, the output desired is a picture which is an approximation or improvement of the input picture. In image analysis, the desired output is a description of the input picture. In digital pictures, geometric considerations of parts of the picture are important in analysis and description processes.
Attitudes, social relationships, and behaviors of Black and Biracial adolescents

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 CHAPTER 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2.1 Ethnicity and Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2.1.1 Ethnic and Racial Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2.1.2 Historical Perspective on Colorism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.2 Friendships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.2.1 Social Development and the Function of Friendships . . . . . . . . 5 2.2.2 Patterns of Social Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2.2.3 Multiracial Adolescents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2.2.4 Gender Differences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2.2.5 Popularity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2.2.6 Exclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2.2.7 Tension with Black Female Peers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.2.8 Male Aggression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.3 Contemporary Colorism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 2.3.1 Standards of Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 2.3.2 Gender Differences in the Effects of Colorism . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2.3.3 Marriage Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
When is experiential avoidance harmful in the moment? Examining global experiential avoidance as a moderator.

Abstract Background and Objectives Although experiential avoidance has been shown to predict a wide range of mental health problems, there has been minimal research to-date on the more immediate effects of engaging in experiential avoidance in the moment or the moderators that predict when it is more or less harmful. Methods An ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study was conducted with 70 undergraduate students who completed assessments three times a day, over 7 day as well as a baseline assessment of global questionnaires. Results Both greater global experiential avoidance and momentary experiential avoidance independently predicted greater momentary negative affect, lower positive affect, and lower valued action. Global experiential avoidance was also a significant moderator of momentary experiential avoidance such that experiential avoidance in the moment was more strongly related to negative effects among those high in global experiential avoidance. Limitations Study limitations include a non-clinical student sample and use of unvalidated EMA items. Conclusions Overall, these results suggest engaging in experiential avoidance in the moment has more negative, immediate effects particularly among those who engage in global, inflexible patterns of experiential avoidance.
Feasibility of medication coordination with lay navigators in outpatient oncology clinics.

81Background: Significant obstacles exist with approval and payment of oncology medications for both the patient and pharmacy team. Our medication assistance program is supported by the clinical pharmacist (CP) and clinic staff. Many tasks are time consuming, interrupt patient care and may create medication access delays. Patients also need assistance with health insurance literacy and have minimal understanding of medication assistance resources. Lay navigators (LN) are volunteers who assist cancer patients overcome barriers to care. They are trained to work in tandem with clinical staff while linking patients to financial resources. A pilot was developed to determine the feasibility and value of integrating LN support within the pharmacy team. Methods: Four LN were integrated into oncology clinics. Tasks were assigned to the LN under the supervision of the CP. The LN documented tasks executed, entities and patients they communicated with and time spent on each encounter. Results: From April to June 2018...
Intellectual Property in the Makerspace

In library makerspaces, there is a potential for users to infringe on other’s intellectual property rights through illegal reproduction. There is also the opportunity for makerspace users to create...
The Effect of Public Health Insurance on Criminal Recidivism

Mental health and substance use disorders are highly prevalent among incarcerated individuals. Many prisoners reenter the community without receiving any specialized treatment and return to prison with existing behavioral health problems. We consider a Beckerian law enforcement theory to identify different channels through which access to health care may impact ex-offenders' propensities to recidivate, and empirically estimate the effect of access to public health insurance on criminal recidivism. By exploiting variation in state Medicaid expansion decisions, we find that increased access to health care through Medicaid coverage reduces recidivism among offenders convicted of violent and public order crimes. The decomposition of recidivism rates shows that this reduction is driven by marginal recidivists who, but for Medicaid expansions, would be reconvicted for the type of crime for which they were previously convicted. Analyses of potential mechanisms show an increase in criminal justice referrals to addiction treatment, which may reduce impulsive behavior. Back-of-the-envelope calculations also indicate that there are substantial cost reductions from providing Medicaid coverage to former inmates.
Exposing Hidden High-Affinity RNA Conformational States

RNA recognition frequently results in conformational changes that optimize intermolecular binding. As a consequence, the overall binding affinity of RNA to its binding partners depends not only on the intermolecular interactions formed in the bound state but also on the energy cost associated with changing the RNA conformational distribution. Measuring these "conformational penalties" is, however, challenging because bound RNA conformations tend to have equilibrium populations in the absence of the binding partner that fall outside detection by conventional biophysical methods. In this study we employ as a model system HIV-1 TAR RNA and its interaction with the ligand argininamide (ARG), a mimic of TAR's cognate protein binding partner, the transactivator Tat. We use NMR chemical shift perturbations and relaxation dispersion in combination with Bayesian inference to develop a detailed thermodynamic model of coupled conformational change and ligand binding. Starting from a comprehensive 12-state model of the equilibrium, we estimate the energies of six distinct detectable thermodynamic states that are not accessible by currently available methods. Our approach identifies a minimum of four RNA intermediates that differ in terms of the TAR conformation and ARG occupancy. The dominant bound TAR conformation features two bound ARG ligands and has an equilibrium population in the absence of ARG that is below detection limit. Consequently, even though ARG binds to TAR with an apparent overall weak affinity (Kdapp ≈ 0.2 mM), it binds the prefolded conformation with a Kd in the nM range. Our results show that conformational penalties can be major determinants of RNA-ligand binding affinity as well as a source of binding cooperativity, with important implications for a predictive understanding of how RNA is recognized and for RNA-targeted drug discovery.
Automatic Material Classification Using Thermal Finger Impression

Natural surfaces offer the opportunity to provide augmented reality interactions in everyday environments without the use of cumbersome body-mounted equipment. One of the key techniques of detecting user interactions with natural surfaces is the use of thermal imaging that captures the transmitted body heat onto the surface. A major challenge of these systems is detecting user swipe pressure on different material surfaces with high accuracy. This is because the amount of transferred heat from the user body to a natural surface depends on the thermal property of the material. If the surface material type is known, these systems can use a material-specific pressure classifier to improve the detection accuracy. In this work, we address to solve this problem as we propose a novel approach that can detect material type from a user’s thermal finger impression on a surface. Our technique requires the user to touch a surface with a finger for 2 s. The recorded heat dissipation time series of the thermal finger impression is then analyzed in a classification framework for material identification. We studied the interaction of 15 users on 7 different material types, and our algorithm is able to achieve 74.65% material classification accuracy on the test data in a user-independent manner.
Oxycodone self-administration and withdrawal behaviors in male and female Wistar rats

Over the last decade, oxycodone has become one of the most widely abused drugs in the USA. Oxycodone use disorder (OUD) is a serious health problem that has prompted a need to develop animal models of OUD that have both face and predictive validity. Oxycodone use in humans is more prevalent in women and leads to pronounced hyperalgesia and irritability during withdrawal. However, unclear is whether current animal models of oxycodone self-administration recapitulate these characteristics in humans. We assessed the face validity of a model of extended-access oxycodone self-administration in rats by examining the escalation of oxycodone intake and behavioral symptoms of withdrawal, including irritability-like behavior and mechanical nociception, in male and female Wistar rats. Both male and female rats escalated their oxycodone intake over fourteen 12-h self-administration sessions. After escalation, female rats administered more drug than male rats. No differences in plasma oxycodone levels were identified, but males had a significantly higher level of oxycodone in the brain at 30 min. Extended access to oxycodone significantly decreased aggressive-like behavior and increased defensive-like behaviors when tested immediately after a 12-h self-administration session, followed by a rebound increase in aggressive-like behavior 12 h into withdrawal. Tests of mechanical nociception thresholds during withdrawal indicated pronounced hyperalgesia. No sex differences in irritability-like behavior or pain sensitivity were observed. The present study demonstrated the face validity of the extended access model of oxycodone self-administration by identifying sex differences in the escalation of oxycodone intake and pronounced changes in pain and affective states.
Alveolar Extracellular Matrix Hydrogels Facilitate Proliferation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Alveolar Epithelial Spheroids

Background & Aim Type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (AEC2s) are adult cells in the human lung that have a critical role in lung homeostasis. In addition to secreting surfactant that is necessary to prevent alveolar collapse, AEC2s are the facultative progenitors of the alveolus. Specifically, in response to injury AEC2s proliferate to replenish AEC2s and type 1 alveolar epithelial cells (AEC1s). However, despite the critical role of AEC2s in lung physiology and injury response, an inability to isolate an expandable culture of AEC2 in vitro has impeded a full understanding of AEC2 biology. Recently, a pure and expandable culture of induced-AEC2s (iAEC2s) spheroids (i.e. alveolospheres) has been derived using a directed differentiation method from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These iAEC2s spheroids are amenable to prolonged culture periods, possess mature markers and functionality (e.g. surfactant secretion) of in vivo AEC2s, and can recapitulate AEC2 dysfunction. However, initial studies of iAEC2s were performed in Matrigel, an extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from a tumorigenic mouse cell line, and it is unknown how iAEC2s respond to a physiologically relevant lung matrix. Methods, Results & Conclusion Here, we employ a novel and innovative culture method to determine how iAEC2s respond to human alveolar ECM. Decellularized lungs from adult patients with a healthy lung history were used to produce 3-dimensional hydrogels from alveolar enriched ECM (aECM) for the culture of iAEC2s. Our preliminary results provide evidence that iAEC2s maintain alveolosphere formation and efficiently proliferate in aECM hydrogels in an aECM protein concentration dependent manner. Furthermore, gene expression analysis suggests that aECM promotes lamellar body associated AEC2 maturation markers (i.e. SFTPC, LAMP3, ABCA3) in iAEC2s. Importantly, the ability to culture iAEC2s in a physiologically relevant lung matrix could provide a unique model to determine the effects of normal and diseased lung ECM (e.g. idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) on AEC2 behavior.
Help!!! Theory for H 3 + Recombination Badly Needed

A spectrum is haunting the field of dissociative recombination—the spectrum of H 3 + in the diffuse interstellar medium. This spectrum, discussed in detail in a separate paper of this volume,1 has revealed the surprisingly high abundance of H 3 + in the diffuse interstellar medium. The intensities of the infrared absorption lines observed toward some 10 reddened visible stars correspond to H 3 + column densities of 1−4×1014cm−2, which is one to two orders of magnitude higher than the value estimated from canonical laboratory and observational astrophysical parameters. The understanding of dissociative recombination is crucial in this estimate since it is the major destruction process of H 3 + in the diffuse interstellar medium.
Commentary on: "Does COVID19 Infect the Brain? If So, Smokers Might Be at a Higher Risk".

While it is of critical importance to rapidly publish the latest findings on COVID-19, recent high profile retractions of COVID-19 reports ([Mehra et al. , 2020][1], [2020a][2] [retracted]), reminds us that it is important to be vigilant for the accuracy of this literature. A recent paper published
Development and demonstration of CO2 flow numerical calibration system – part II

This project takes the flue at the tail of Fujian Kemen Power Generation Company as the research object. Calibration factor, precise flow value, etc. Through the above analysis, it is concluded that the ultrasonic flowmeter has high requirements on the location selection, and the measurement result is closer to the true value. The matrix type flowmeter is easy to arrange, and the location selection sensitivity is low; the single point pitot tube flowmeter has poor accuracy and is not recommended.
Sport-tech diplomacy: exploring the intersections between the sport-tech ecosystem, innovation, and diplomacy in Israel

The purpose of this article is to explore and discuss the role of the growing sport-tech ecosystem and the branding of Israel as a start-up nation in the country’s sports diplomacy. When analysing Israel’s deteriorating image, scholars and practitioners recommended to focus the country’s branding and diplomatic efforts on micro-marketing and in creating bypassing messages to the Israeli–Arab dispute. While other countries manage to use sports for such purposes, international politics often limited Israel’s possibilities. Being the number one country in the world in start-ups per capita, and having a growing sport-tech ecosystem used by some of the biggest international sport-related organizations, embody new opportunities especially in the context of “sport-tech diplomacy”. The article is significant as it contributes to existing literature on the branding of Israel as a “start-up nation”, on Israel’s sports diplomacy, and on public diplomacy and soft power through exploring the intersections of technology, innovation, sports, and diplomacy, using the term “sport-tech diplomacy”.
One Instanton Predictions of a Seiberg-Witten curve from M-theory: the Symmetric Representation of SU(N)

We consider N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories in four dimensions with gauge group SU(N) for N larger than two. Using the cubic curve for a matter hypermultiplet transforming in the symmetric representation, obtained from M-theory by Landsteiner and Lopez, we calculate the prepotential up to the one instanton correction. We treat the curve to be approximately hyperelliptic and perform a perturbation expansion for the Seiberg-Witten differential to get the one instanton contribution. We find that it reproduces the correct result for one-loop, and we obtain the prediction for that curve for the one instanton correction term.
Mechanisms of Self-Inflicted Injuries at an Urban City Hospital.

BackgroundSuicide is a major public health issue with root causes including psychological, economical, and societal factors.MethodsRetrospective review identified self-inflicted traumatic injuries ...
Estimation of the Influence of Hydrogen on the Mechanical Characteristics of 40KH Steel

We propose a theoretical and experimental approach to the quantitative evaluation of the influence of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of 40Kh steel. We experimentally determine the characteristics of strength and plasticity and construct analytic dependences of the yield strength, true fracture stresses, and relative narrowing of 40Kh steel on the concentration of hydrogen in steel.
Power-controlled wireless links for media streaming applications

We investigate a power-controlled transmission scheme for streaming media traffic over wireless links. The server (source) transmits encoded media packets to a client (user) over a fluctuating wireless channel. The client stores received packets into a fixed-size buffer and plays them out at a constant rate. Due to random channel interference, the source needs to adapt its transmission power and rate according to the channel conditions to guarantee a certain level of received media quality of service (QoS). The latter is primarily measured by the distortion due to packets missing their playtime deadlines at the receiver. The goal is to find an efficient power/rate control policy to minimize the average power (energy) consumption for a required quality level of media reception. We formulate a simple, yet powerful, model for media streaming over wireless links, allowing identification and characterization of optimal power/rate control policies, using dynamic programming methodologies. Furthermore, having observed the structural properties of optimal policies, we propose two practical heuristic algorithms for power and rate control. The proposed algorithms are extensively simulated and significant performance improvements are observed when compared to standard benchmarks.
Teaching Balance Training to Improve Stability and Cognition for Children

This article describes how to use balance boards to improve children's balance, coordination, leg strength, upper-body strength, and core development.
A method for tight clustering: with application to microarray

In this paper we propose a method for clustering that produces tight and stable clusters without forcing all points into clusters. Many existing clustering algorithms have been applied in microarray data to search for gene clusters with similar expression patterns. However, none has provided a way to deal with an essential feature of array data: many genes are expressed sporadically and do not belong to any of the significant biological functions (clusters) of interest. In fact, most current algorithms aim to assign all genes into clusters. For many biological studies, however, we are mainly interested in the most informative, tight and stable clusters with sizes of, say, 20-60 genes for farther investigation. Tight Clustering has been developed specifically to address this problem. The tightest and most stable clusters are identified in a sequential manner through an analysis of the tendency of genes to be grouped together under repeated resampling. We validated this method in the expression profiles of the Drosophila life cycle. The result is shown to better serve biological needs in microarray analysis.
Freedom, Growth and Development: Evidence from West Africa

Everywhere, economists and policy makers, as well as almost everyone involved in development, are calling for more growth as the best recipe to world’s problems of poverty, famine and many other social and economic malaises. In the case of West Africa, growth is even more alluring, now that authorities of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the World Bank, among others, have pronounced Africa as the new growth pole of the world [NewsfromAfrica (Africa: Finance Ministers to discuss turning continent into the New Growth Pole of the World. 2012), ECA (Africa is new global growth pole, but continent must not rest on its laurels, says Janneh. 2011)]. Everywhere, also, governments and civil society groups are redoubling their efforts and the resources devoted to economic growth.
5-(1,1-Dimethylethyl)-5,6-dihydro-2-phenyl-(5S)-oxazolo[2,3-c]-1,2,4-triazolium tetrafluoroborate

[464171-86-6] C16H24BF4N3O (MW 361.1) InChI = 1S/C14H18N3O.BF4/c1-14(2,3)12-9-18-13-15-17(10-16(12)13)11-7-5-4-6-8-11;2-1(3,4)5/h4-8,10,12H,9H2,1-3H3;/q+1;-1/t12-;/m1./s1 InChIKey = VVFLRDDTMDDDGK-UTONKHPSSA-N (catalyst for enantioselective benzoin reactions) Physical Data: ochre solid. Solubility: organic solvents such as THF, methanol. Form Supplied in: not commercially available. Purification: recrystallization from methanol. Analysis of Reagent Purity: not reported. Preparative Methods: synthesized in three steps from the oxazolidin-2-one derived from l-tert-leucine.1-3 Step 1: A dry, argon-flushed Schlenk tube was charged with trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate (1.2 equiv) suspended in absolute dichloromethane (3 mL mmol −1).A solution of the oxazolidin-2-one 2 (1 equiv) in absolute dichloromethane (3 mL mmol−1) was added and the mixture was stirred for 15 h at 23°C.The mixture was then diluted with dichloromethane and washed with ice-cold saturated aqueous sodium hydrogen carbonate (3 × 3 mL per mmol−1 of oxazolidinone).The solution was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to afford iminoether 3 as a colorless liquid in quantitative yield (eq 1). The product was used in the next step without further purification. (1) Step 2: A dry, argon-flushed Schlenk tube equipped with a reflux condenser was charged with the iminoether 3 in absolute THF (1.5 mL mmol−1) and phenylhydrazine (1 equiv). Triethylamine (1 equiv) was then added and the reaction mixture was heated to 80 °C for 1 day. The solution was cooled to 23 °C and concentrated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by washing it several times with petroleum ether/diethyl ether (4:1 mL mmol−1). After drying under high vacuum, the phenylhydrazone 4 was isolated as a pink solid in 77% yield (eq 2). (2) Step 3: A dry, argon-flushed Schlenk tube was charged with the phenylhydrazone 4 (1 equiv) in absolute dichloromethane (10 mL mmol−1) and tetrafluoroboronic acid (1 equiv) in absolute diethyl ether (54 wt %). The solution was stirred for 30 min at 23 °C and then evaporated under reduced pressure. The highly hygroscopic salt was dissolved in orthoformate:methanol (2:1, 20 equiv) and transferred under argon into a pyrex tube; the sealed tube was then heated in a sand bath at 80 °C for 12 h. The mixture was cooled to 23 °C and concentrated in vacuo. The crude product was dried under high vacuum for 2 h. The residue was recrystallized from methanol to give the triazolium salt 1 as an ochre crystalline solid in 65% yield (eq 3). (3) Handling, Storage and Precaution: not reported.
Aircraft Safety Certification

The first heavier-than-air flight occurred in December 1903 and began aviation as we know it today. For more than 20 years after the Wright brothers flight access to aviation was unencumbered by the need for licenses. There were no national standards for aircraft design, maintenance, or operation, nor standards for pilot qualifications. It was not until passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926, which created the Aeronautic Branch within the Department of Commerce, that civil aviation was regulated. Today, in the United States the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the statutory responsibility to promote aviation safety. This is done by prescribing and administering compliance with safety standards governing the design, production quality, and airworthiness of civil aeronautical products. The FAA has developed an infrastructure of procedural and technical Federal Aviation Regulations, Advisory Circulars, and Directives to support their safety certification program. The certification program includes the aviation products type design, production and quality control system, and the airworthiness of each individual aircraft. The FAA monitors the aviation product throughout its life cycle under the auspices of its continued operational safety program. Keywords: aviation safety; certification; aviation; civil aviation; aviation regulation; federal aviation administration
Space-Variant Birefringent Components

This presentation will review space-variant birefringent components. We present recent advancements in creating these components using Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP) and sub-wavelength structures. We also discuss how these advancements are enabling design of space-variant components.
Two-electron transitions in high energy ion-helium collisions

Recent calculations and experiments on two-electron transitions in helium are reviewed. For double ionization and excitation ionization there is a large difference (about a factor of two) between the cross sections produced by protons and antiprotons. This difference is due to interference between first and second Born amplitudes, and correlation is required for first Born to be nonzero. The double ionization to single ionization ratio and the proton/antiproton difference is much larger for probabilities at small impact parameter than for the cross sections. The situation is qualitatively different for double excitation, where experimental and theoretical evidence points to a very small interference term and hence little positive projectile/negative projectile difference.
Fiction: Small wonder

Paul McEuen savours a technothriller from the late Michael Crichton that makes the tiny terrifying.
AMINO ACIDS 16-275 OF MINUTE VIRUS OF MICE NS1 INCLUDE A DOMAIN THAT SPECIFICALLY BINDS (ACCA)2-3-CONTAINING DNA

GST-NS1 purified from Escherichia coli and insect cells binds double-strand DNA in an (ACCA)2-3-dependent fashion under similar ionic conditions, independent of the presence of anti-NS1 antisera or exogenously supplied ATP and interacts with single-strand DNA and RNA in a sequence-independent manner. An amino-terminal domain (amino acids 1-275) of NS1 [GST-NS1(1-275)], representing 41% of the full-length NS1 molecule, includes a domain that binds double-strand DNA in a sequence-specific manner at levels comparable to full-length GST-NS1, as well as single-strand DNA and RNA in a sequence-independent manner. The deletion of 15 additional amino-terminal amino acids yielded a molecule [GST-NS1(1-275)] that maintained (ACCA)2-3-specific double-strand DNA binding; however, this molecule was more sensitive to increasing ionic conditions than full-length GST-NS1 and GST-NS1(1-275) and could not be demonstrated to bind single-strand nucleic acids. A quantitative filter binding assay showed that E. coli- and baculovirus-expressed GST-NS1 and E. coli GST-NS1(1-275) specifically bound double-strand DNA with similar equilibrium kinetics [as measured by their apparent equilibrium DNA binding constants (KD)], whereas GST-NS1(16-275) bound 4- to 8-fold less well.
The Association of Maternal Mental Health with Prenatal Smoking Cessation and Postpartum Relapse in a Population-Based Sample

To examine the association between mental health factors with smoking cessation during pregnancy and postpartum relapse. We used data from 1,416 women who participated in the Minnesota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey in 2004–2006 and reported smoking immediately prior to pregnancy. Maternal mood during pregnancy, stressful life events and postpartum depression were the mental health variables. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine the association between these variables and two outcomes, smoking cessation during pregnancy and postpartum relapse. Stressful life events was associated with smoking cessation in multivariate regression models, however maternal mood was not. Smoking cessation was also associated with pre-conception smoking intensity, maternal education, and income. Maternal mood, stressful life events and postpartum depression were not associated with relapse in multivariate regression models. Breastfeeding at the time of the survey was the strongest correlate of relapse, with women who breast fed 60% less likely to resume smoking during the postpartum. Post-hoc analysis suggests that mental health variables may interact with other mitigating factors to influence smoking behavior during pregnancy. Mental health variables may be important to successful prenatal smoking cessation. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to explore the possibility of interactive relationships between mental health variables and other co-factors on prenatal smoking cessation and postpartum relapse.
Florida's weakened motorcycle helmet law: effects on death rates in motorcycle crashes.

Objectives: Effective July 1, 2000, Florida's universal helmet law was amended to exclude riders ages 21 and older with insurance coverage providing at least $10,000 in medical benefits for injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash. Observed helmet use in Florida was reported to have declined from nearly 100% in 1998, before the law change, to 53% after. This study examined the effects of the law change on the likelihood of death, given involvement in a motorcycle crash. Methods: Rates of motorcyclist deaths per crash involvement in Florida for 2001–2002 (after the law change) were compared with those for 1998–1999 (before the law change). Before/after death rate ratios (95% CIs) were examined, and logistic regression models estimated the effect of the helmet law change on the odds of death in a crash, while controlling for rider gender, age, and seating position, and number of vehicles. Results: The motorcyclist death rate increased significantly after the law change, from 30.8 to 38.8 deaths per 1,000 cr...
Numerical study of low pressure nuclear thermal rockets

The flowfields and performance of low pressure nuclear thermal rockets, which use hydrogen as a propellant, are studied by solving the Navier-Stokes equations and the species equations. A finite-rate chemistry model is used in the species equations, and the turbulence is simulated by the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model with a modified van Driest's damping constant. The calculated results for the chamber temperatures of 3200 K and 4000 K with a chamber pressure range of 0.1 atm to 6 atm are presented as contours, centerline variations, and exit profiles. The performance values from the present calculations, such as the vacuum specific impulse and thrust, are compared with those from the 1D, inviscid equilibrium and frozen flow code.
Uncovering Extremely Metal-Poor Stars in the Milky Way’s Ultrafaint Dwarf Spheroidal Satellite Galaxies*

We present new metallicity measurements for 298 individual red giant branch stars in eight of the least luminous dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) in the Milky Way (MW) system. Our technique is based on medium-resolution Keck DEIMOS spectroscopy coupled with spectral synthesis. We present the first spectroscopic metallicities at [ Fe/H ] < − 3.0 of stars in a dwarf galaxy, with individual stellar metallicities as low as [ Fe/H ] = − 3.3. Because our [Fe/H] measurements are not tied to empirical metallicity calibrators and are sensitive to arbitrarily low metallicities, we are able to probe this extremely metal-poor regime accurately. The metallicity distribution of stars in these dSphs is similar to the MW halo at the metal-poor end. We also demonstrate that the luminosity-metallicity relation previously seen in more luminous dSph galaxies (MV = − 13.4 to –8.8) extends smoothly down to an absolute magnitude of MV = − 3.7. The discovery of extremely metal-poor stars in dSphs lends support to the ΛCDM galaxy assembly paradigm wherein dwarf galaxies dissolve to form the stellar halo of the MW.
The File Drawer Problem in Reliability Generalization : A Strategy to Compute a Fail-Safe N With Reliability Coefficients

Meta-analytic reliability generalizations (RGs) are limited by the scarcity of reliability reporting in primary articles, and currently, RG investigators lack a method to quantify the impact of such nonreporting. This article introduces a stepwise procedure to address this challenge. First, the authors introduce a formula that allows researchers to estimate the lower bound population average reliability for a desired instrument. Second, they present an equation to determine the Fail-Safe N for RG. This equation estimates the number of ``file drawer'' studies required to drop the aggregate score reliability of an instrument below a specified criterion value. Finally, the authors demonstrate the utility of these equations using published RG studies. Comments on the conclusions drawn from each RG application are provided.
Workshop held to expand the horizons of heterogeneity research

Intermediate-Scale Experiments (ISEs)—controlled experiments on porous media that contain physical and/or chemical heterogeneities—are valuable research tools for addressing transport and coupled processes hypotheses. ISEs' unique capabilities stand to benefit research in the scaling of measurements, the study of subsurface microbial populations, and the characterization of coupled processes. But although these experiments have been used for over a decade, applying them presents a number of challenges. Much work lies ahead in making ISEs more applicable to field problems; increasing their interaction with theoretical, field, numerical, and batch-scale efforts; scaling the knowledge gained from ISEs to interpret field-scale mechanisms; and in developing nonintrusive and nondestructive sampling techniques. The biggest challenge is integrating ISEs into programs that incorporate a number of research techniques as well as several scales of measurement.
Preferential positron heating and acceleration by synchrotron maser instabilities in relativistic positron--electron--proton plasmas

A new process of the preferential strong heating of positrons through the ion synchrotron maser instability in positron-electron-proton magnetized plasmas is investigated using particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that the positrons form a nonthermal power-law-like energy distribution via their gyroresonant interaction with the extraordinary modes emitted by the ions. It is noted that this process may be of significance in connection with the shock excitation of nonthermal synchrotron radiation from astrophysical systems powered by relativistic outflows from compact central objects, e.g., supernova remnants powered by pulsars and jets from active galactic nuclei.
A uniquely modified RNA: Introduction of a single RNA cleavage agent into the M1 ribozyme

Abstract We describe an efficient, four-step synthesis of an N 4 -modified cytidine phosphoramidite reagent ( 1 ) that permits nonnative functionality to be introduced into a synthetic oligoribonucleotide. This reagent was used to prepare a 377-nt E. coli M1 ribozyme equipped with a single RNA cleavage agent at nucleotide 11. We describe an efficient, four-step synthesis of an N 4 -modified cytidine phosphoramidite reagent ( 1 ) that permits nonnative functionality to be introduced into a synthetic oligoribonucleotide. This reagent was used to prepare a 377-nt E. coli M1 ribozyme equipped with a single RNA cleavage agent at nucleotide 11.
Effect of Grass Silage on Milk Flavors and Blood and Milk Acetone Bodies

Summary Acetone bodies were measured in the blood and milk of ten Holstein cows at intervals over a 5-mo. winter feeding period. Acetone body concentrations also were measured in the grass-legume silage which was fed as a part of the cows' ration. Milk produced by the cows was scored for type and intensity of flavor present. An interrelationship existed between the levels of acetone bodies in the silage, blood, and milk. Silage acetone bodies increased considerably in January and February, in relation to the other sampling periods, which extended from December to April. There was no apparent relationship between the levels of acetone bodies in the individual cows' milk and the flavors of the milk, as measured in this study. The most prominent off-flavors in the milk resulted from feeding the grass silage 2 hr. prior to milking.
Aging Reduces the Numbers of Hepatocytes Synthesizing DNA in Response to EGF and Epinephrine

Primary cultures of hepatocytes were prepared from young (6 month) and old (24 month) Wistar rats and exposed to epinephrine or epidermal growth factor. Incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA was determined both radiochemically and autoradiographically. The numbers of responding cells and degree of response per cell were determined and the results confirmed by FACScan analysis. Such analyses clearly demonstrate a reduced number of hepatocytes capable of responding to the above stimuli in cultures obtained from old rats. Thus, changes in numbers of responding cells may be an important mechanism involved in reduced responsiveness of the aged liver to agents which stimulate DNA synthesis and cell division.
Transnational human trafficking: a case study for educators

In this paper, the authors provide a case study of transnational human trafficking (THT) so as to construct lessons for social work educators and educators in allied professions, such as psychology and sociology. First, the context of THT, including types of trafficking, characteristics of trafficked victims, and trafficking origination and destination points is provided. Next, the authors develop a theoretical/conceptual framework in a matrix format in order to categorise the contributing factors of this dehumanising transnational phenomenon. This is followed by a conceptual analysis of THT contributing factors within an ecosystems matrix that emphasises the relationships between oppressed and oppressor, privileged and victims, supply and demand, and the global south and north. From this THT conceptual analysis, five broad lessons are drawn from the case study for educators that include classroom conversation starters for increasing student’s knowledge of THT as a means to develop their international perspectives in preparation for global practice.
Heat capacity and thermodynamic functions of MnCl2·2H2O and MnCl2·2D2O

Abstract The heat capacities of MnCl2·2H2O and MnCl2·2D2O have been experimentally determined from 1.4 to 300 K. The smooth heat capacity and the thermodynamic functions (H°T − H°0) and S°T are reported for the two compounds over the 10 and 300 K temperature range. The error in the thermodynamic functions at 10 K is estimated at 3%. Additional error in the tabulated values arising from the heat capacity data above 10 K is thought to be less than 1%. Lambda-shaped heat capacity features associated with antiferromagnetic ordering were observed at 6.67 ± 0.08 and 6.61 ± 0.08 K for the dihydrate and dideuterate, respectively. In addition, compound heat capacity anomalies consisting of a small lambda-shaped feature at 57.7 ± 0.5 K with a comparably large high-temperature shoulder extending to approximately 70 K were observed in both the dihydrate and dideuterate. The entropies associated with these anomalies are 0.42 ± 0.04 and 1.04 ± 0.04 J/mole-K, respectively.
Fast source independent estimation of lithographic difficulty supporting large scale source optimization

Many chip design and manufacturing applications including design rules development, optical proximity correction tuning, and source optimization can benefit from rapid estimation of relative difficulty or printability. Simultaneous source optimization of thousands of clips has been demonstrated recently, but presents performance challenges. We describe a fast, source independent method to identify patterns which are likely to dominate the solution. In the context of source optimization the estimator may be used as a filter after clustering, or to influence the selection of representative cluster elements. A weighted heuristic formula identifies spectral signatures of several factors contributing to difficulty. Validation methods are described showing improved process window and reduced error counts on 22 nm layout compared with programmable illuminator sources derived from hand picked patterns, when the formula is used to influence training clip selection in source optimization. We also show good correlation with fail prediction on a source produced with hand picked training clips with some level of optical proximity correction tuning.
Nutritional rickets due to food fadism.

We report the clinical and biochemical diagnosis of nutritional rickets in two children in Detroit. The etiologic factor in both cases was food fadism by the parents.
Microfluidic device (ExoChip) for on-chip isolation, quantification and characterization of circulating exosomes

Membrane bound vesicles, including microvesicles and exosomes, are secreted by both normal and cancerous cells into the extracellular space and in blood circulation. These circulating extracellular vesicles (cirEVs) and exosomes in particular are recognized as a potential source of disease biomarkers. However, to exploit the use of circulatory exosomes as a biomarker, a rapid, high-throughput and reproducible method is required for their isolation and molecular analysis. We have developed a simple, low cost microfluidic-based platform to isolate cirEVs enriched in exosomes directly from blood serum allowing simultaneous capture and quantification of exosomes in a single device. To capture specific exosomes, we employed “ExoChip”, a microfluidic device fabricated in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and functionalized with antibodies against CD63, an antigen commonly overexpressed in exosomes. Subsequent staining with a fluorescent carbocyanine dye (DiO) that specifically labels the exosomes, we quantitated exosomes using a standard plate-reader. Ten independent ExoChip experiments performed using serum obtained from five pancreatic cancer patients and five healthy individuals revealed a statistically significant increase (2.34 ± 0.31 fold, p < 0.001) in exosomes captured in cancer patients when compared to healthy individuals. Exosomal origins of ExoChip immobilized vesicles were further confirmed using immuno-electron-microscopy and Western blotting. In addition, we demonstrate the ability of ExoChip to recover exosomes with intact RNA enabling profiling of exosomal-microRNAs through openarray analysis, which has potential applications in biomarker discovery. Based on our findings, ExoChip is a well suited platform to be used as an exosome-based diagnostic and research tool for molecular screening of human cancers.