cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“There’s Nothing for Us Here”: Black Families Navigating the School/Prison Nexus 60 Years After Brown

In this study, the authors examine the narratives of two African American mothers and grandmothers and two youth who migrated from under-resourced neighborhoods in a large urban city to a smaller Midwestern college town in hopes of gaining access to safe neighborhoods, employment opportunities, and better educational experiences. Using phenomenological case study methodology, the authors were participant observers in two community groups that included a coalition of African American working class mothers and grandmothers and a network for Black male youth ages 14–18. The findings in this study ultimately demonstrate how these youth and their families discovered even more racial disparities in their new residence. This was especially true in the areas of education and juvenile justice. Ultimately, the authors argue that the “new migration” has yet to yield the opportunities these families hoped to gain.
Pregnancy in Women With Solid-Organ Transplants: A Review.

ImportanceAdvances in solid-organ transplantation have allowed many women to reach reproductive potential, and pregnancy is no longer a rarity for these women.ObjectiveTo identify (1) potential complications to allograft function posed by pregnancy, (2) expected perinatal outcomes in women with soli
Cuicuilco in Retrospect

ABSTRACTCuicuilco, a monumental truncated cone, is situated about 20 km (12 miles) south of Mexico City. It was constructed a few centuries before the time of Christ during the Late Preclassic archaeological horizon. Partial excavation and removal from the base of the structure of the Pedregal lava flow by Professor Byron Cummings in 1922 to 1925 has raised certain persistent questions of procedure. Alleged damage to Cuicuilco by the use of dynamite, irresponsible restoration of the structure, questions of its fully artificial nature, its age, and the attribution of a recovered copper artifact to Aztec times rather than to the Preclassic horizon, are discussed. Finally, Cummings' loss of all field and excavation data is noted.
Finite element based modeling of a parametrically excited peizo driven ultrasonic micro motor

Ultrasonic micro motors, driven parametrically by the base vibration were previously demonstrated by Kaajakari et al. [1–2]. These motors consist of a polysilicon stator and rotor, fabricated using surface micromachining technology [1]. The rotor is actuated using a PZT plate at 3.78 MHz., producing speeds up to 500 cycles/s in air. Mechanism of actuation for these motors was conjectured to be due to generation of circumferential travelling waves in the stator, which couples to the rotor, causing its motion. Due to limitation of computational resources, this wasn't verified explicitly using numerical simulations. In this work we present a Finite Element analysis of this system which captures the detailed nonlinear response such as contact and sub harmonic resonant modes and can be used for parametric study.
Simulation of Constrained Variables in Engineering Risk Analyses

ABSTRACTThe problem of sampling random variables with overlapping pdfs subject to inequality constraints is addressed. Often, the values of physical variables in an engineering model are inter-related. This mutual dependence imposes inequality constraints on the random variables representing these parameters. Ignoring the interdependencies and sampling the variables independently can lead to inconsistency/bias. We propose an algorithm to generate samples of constrained random variables which are characterized by typical continuous probability distributions and are subject to different kinds of inequality constraints. The sampling procedure is illustrated for various representative cases and one realistic application to simulation of structural natural frequencies.
Evaluation of Yoga and Meditation Trainings with Adolescent Sex Offenders

This project was a program evaluation of an innovative approach to working with adolescent sex offenders at a human service agency in the Intermountain West. A literature review shows little content on the use of yoga and meditation instruction in general, and no content on the use of such methods with adolescent sex offenders. There is evidence, however, that such techniques can contribute to the improved physical and mental health of adults. Adolescent participants, their parents, and their trainers in the program were interviewed. Results of the interviews are summarized, and recommendations are forwarded.
Life-shortening Wolbachia infection reduces population growth of Aedes aegypti

Wolbachia bacteria are being introduced into natural populations of vector mosquitoes, with the goal of reducing the transmission of human diseases such as Zika and dengue fever. The successful establishment of Wolbachia infection is largely dependent on the effects of Wolbachia infection to host fitness, but the effects of Wolbachia infection on the individual life-history traits of immature mosquitoes can vary. Here, the effects of life-shortening Wolbachia (wMelPop) on population growth of infected individuals were evaluated by measuring larval survival, developmental time and adult size of Aedes aegypti in intra- (infected or uninfected only) and inter-group (mixed with infected and uninfected) larval competition assays. At low larval density conditions, the population growth of wMelPop infected and uninfected individuals was similar. At high larval densities, wMelPop infected individuals had a significantly reduced population growth rate relative to uninfected individuals, regardless of competition type. We discuss the results in relation to the invasion of the wMelPop Wolbachia infection into naturally uninfected populations.
Social Capital and Acquisition Premium

What determines the level of acquisition premium? Past research has indicated that the acquiring firms tend to overestimate the value of the target firms, which potentially have a negative effect o...
Investments, incentives, and innovation: geographical clustering dynamics as drivers of sustainable entrepreneurship

This study attempts to fill the literature gap regarding sustainable entrepreneurship viewed through geographical clustering lenses by examining how institutional factors such as local entrepreneurship and innovation climates, knowledge networks, policies, resource availability, and awareness affect entrepreneurial firm formation in the USA. Drawing from various theoretical views within the interdisciplinary literature on the topic, we develop cross-cluster hypotheses regarding firm formation and geographic clustering of clean-technology companies. We test them using a negative binomial random effects model in a panel sample of US clean-technology startup firms and find general support.
Transmutation of Radioactive Wastes: An Assessment

The increasing use of nuclear reactors and consequent production of radioactive fission products make necessary an early decision on a reliable, ultimate method for disposal of radioactive wastes. At a cost of about 10% of total energy output it is possible to transmute the actinide component in the wastes using fission reactors but the available neutron fluxes are still too small to transmute the dangerous 90Sr and 137Cs isotopes. The best option at present is burial of the wastes in deep, stable geological formations; this concept has been very thoroughly investigated in many countries. Fusion reactors may in the future attain sufficiently high neutron fluxes to be useful transmutation devices but the waste-disposal problem is too immediate and pressing to await such developments.
Ostwald ripening of spheroidal particles in multicomponent alloys

Abstract We propose a general theory of Ostwald ripening for prolate spheroidal particles in a nonideal nondilute multicomponent alloy. The diffusion problem of a growing or shrinking particle is solved using prolate spheroidal coordinates under the assumption that the spheroidal particle has a constant Wulff shape. The result shows that the diffusional growth rate increases with an increasing particle aspect ratio due to the increased surface area per volume. The anisotropic interfacial energy necessary to guarantee that the particles are always prolate spheroids with a given aspect ratio is also determined. We find that the chemical potential decreases with an increasing particle aspect ratio under a constant volume-equivalent radius. Based on the two correction factors, asymptotic analysis reveals that the temporal exponents for the coarsening laws for spheroid particles are identical to that for spherical particles. However, as the aspect ratio increases the amplitudes of the temporal power laws of the average equivalent radius, the matrix supersaturations, and the particle composition decrease, whereas the amplitude of the number of particles per volume increases. It is also shown that the particle shape anisotropy affects the amplitudes, but not the direction of the vector representing the matrix supersaturation and particle composition.
Rediscovery of the type series of the Acadian Masked Shrew, Sorex acadicus Gilpin, 1865 (Mammalia: Soricidae), with the designation of a neotype and a reevaluation of its taxonomic status

Abstract The name Sorex acadicus Gilpin, 1865 is currently recognized as the valid name for the Nova Scotian subspecies of the masked shrew, S. cinereus Kerr, 1792 (Mammalia: Soricidae), but a holotype for the taxon was never designated, and the location of the type series has been a mystery. The authority for this species, John Bernard Gilpin, was associated with the Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax, NS, but that institution has no Gilpin specimens in its possession, and I could find no record of Gilpin shrews in any other Canadian Museum. I recently discovered a series of Gilpin specimens in the Mammal Collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC (USNM), some of which may have been part of the original type series of S. acadicus, and I show that these specimens best represent Gilpin's concept of the taxon. From this series, I designate a neotype for S. acadicus. I also evaluate the distinctiveness of Nova Scotian S. c. acadicus compared with S. c. cinereus from Maine, New Brunswick, a...
Biomass productivity of snow algae and model production algae under low temperature and low light conditions

Abstract This study was designed to determine biomass productivities of specific algal species under low temperature and low light conditions. The algal species examined in this study included two psychrophilic algal species (Chlamydomonas yellowstonensis and Chlamydomonas augustae). These species are commonly known as “snow algae” due to their ability to grow in low temperature water bodies including ice and snow deposits. Additionally, two model production algal species used in high biomass productivity pilot studies (Scenedesmus bijuga and Chlorella sorokiniana) were evaluated. Currently, temperature dependent growth data within known optimal limits exists for these model production species but there is no detailed information about their biomass productivity under low temperatures. In addition, little information can be found about the potential for productivity of these species under limited light exposure. This study examined biomass productivity of these four species at four relatively low temperatures (5, 10, 15, and 20 °C) with three relatively low light exposures (50, 100, and 300 μmol/m2 s). It was hypothesized that the two psychrophilic algae species would produce more biomass per day than model production algal species under these limiting conditions. This study found that both snow algae species performed better than model production species at the lowest temperature (5 °C) and two lower light intensities (50 and100 μmol/m2/s). C. augustae growth rate was shown to have a positive correlation with temperature and a negative correlation with light intensity for the values observed in this study. This finding has significant implications for the use of C. augustae as a cool-season algal crop and a source of valuable genetic material for future engineering of algae. This could lead to the development of cool-season algal crops for sustainable, year-round, industrial production of algae in temperate climates. Furthermore, both of the snow algae species studied here showed inhibited growth at the highest light intensity studied here.
Pulse optimization for multi-user data communications

One component is the wireless link between the user and a base station; another component is the wired network which links one base station to another. We shall be primarily concerned with the first component, that is, the communication from many users to a base station; see Figure 11.2. This situation arises in a wireless network, where the users transmit data by a mobile cellular phone, or by pocket phone on a floor in a building.
Iodine: Physiology, Dietary Sources, and Requirements

Iodine is essential for the human body because it is a key component of thyroid hormones, thyroxin ( T 4 ), and triiodotyrosine ( T 3 ). Thyroid hormones are critical for normal growth and mental and physical development. Regulatory mechanisms allow the thyroid to adapt to iodine deficiency and iodine excess unless these conditions are severe or prolonged. The most vulnerable population groups for iodine deficiency are young children and pregnant women due to their increased physiological needs.
Current context on chocolate flavor development — a review

Currently several factors/trends contribute to the approaches focused on flavor development in chocolate. In the current restructuring of the global cacao source chain, where more focus is on direct and transparent trade, sustainability, single origin and high quality cacao beans, more attention has been directed to activities performed at the country of origin. Thus, there is increasing understanding of the effect of genetics and growing conditions and post-harvest processes, performed at the country of origin, on flavor development of cacao beans and the potential application of the terroir concept on the chocolate industry. More attention has thus been paid to optimization of crop genetics, agricultural practices, and post-harvest processes. Once the cacao beans are ready for processing, other factors related to optimization of chocolate formulation and processing become important. The use of novel processing techniques in chocolate formulation and production requires optimization of processing to develop desired chocolate characteristics and potential industrial scale. The use of cocoa butter equivalents (CBE) to contrast the high price of cocoa butter, or to develop chocolate with desired melting characteristics, has increased utilization of several types of CBE with increased interest in flavor development or textural changes. Lastly, the increase in health conscious consumers, related to food behaviors, has increased the interest in sugar reduction in chocolate, requiring modification of the chocolate matrix with potential changes in flavor development.
“Flakka” use among high school seniors in the United States

Abstract Background Use of synthetic cathinones, commonly referred to as “bath salts”, has been associated with tens of thousands of emergency department visits in the US; however, few national studies have estimated prevalence of use and we know very little about use among adolescents. In this study we estimate prevalence and correlates of use of “Flakka” (alpha-PVP), a highly-potent “bath salt” associated with at least 80 deaths in the US. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2016/2017 Monitoring the Future study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of high school seniors in the US (n = 3786). Bivariable and multivariable models were used to determine demographic and drug-related correlates of use. Results Overall, 0.8% (95% CI: 0.5–1.2) of high school seniors in 2016/2017 is estimated to have used Flakka in the past year. Students whose parents have less than a high school education were at higher odds for use (aOR = 4.12, 95% CI: 1.00–16.94). Flakka users reported high prevalence of use of other drugs, particularly synthetic cannabinoids (85.6%), ketamine (72.3%), marijuana (59.1%), and GHB (47.5%). Flakka use was also associated with use of a higher number of other drugs and higher frequency of use of other drugs, with 51.7% using 4–12 other drugs and 22.4% using 4–12 other drugs >6 times. Conclusions Students who use multiple drugs are elevated risk for Flakka use, suggesting synthetic cathinone use alone is rare and the use of multiple substances may compound adverse effects of these drugs. Socio-economic disparities are concerning given reduced access to prevention and intervention.
Parallel implementation of WRF double moment 5-class cloud microphysics scheme on multiple GPUs

The Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) Double Moment 5-class (WDM5) mixed ice microphysics scheme predicts the mixing ratio of hydrometeors and their number concentrations for warm rain species including clouds and rain. WDM5 can be computed in parallel in the horizontal domain using multi-core GPUs. In order to obtain a better GPU performance, we manually rewrite the original WDM5 Fortran module into a highly parallel CUDA C program. We explore the usage of coalesced memory access and asynchronous data transfer. Our GPU-based WDM5 module is scalable to run on multiple GPUs. By employing one NVIDIA Tesla K40 GPU, our GPU optimization effort on this scheme achieves a speedup of 252x with respect to its CPU counterpart Fortran code running on one CPU core of Intel Xeon E5-2603, whereas the speedup for one CPU socket (4 cores) with respect to one CPU core is only 4.2x. We can even boost the speedup of this scheme to 468x with respect to one CPU core when two NVIDIA Tesla K40 GPUs are applied.
Behavioral economic demand and delay discounting are differentially associated with cigarette dependence and use in adolescents.

Abstract Introduction The Reinforcer Pathology Model describes how two behavioral economic processes, increased sensitivity to immediate rewards (delay discounting) and excessive reward derived from a substance (demand), both contribute to problematic patterns of substance use. In a novel application of this model, the current cross-sectional study examined how these distinct processes relate to different facets of cigarette use in adolescents. Methods Adolescent daily cigarette smokers ages 15 to 19 (Mean age 17.7, N = 50) completed a laboratory assessment of demand using a Cigarette Purchase Task for their usual brand cigarettes and an adjusting-amount delay discounting task. Demand was conceptualized as two factors (Amplitude and Persistence) and delay discounting was calculated as Area Under the Curve (log AUC). The two factors of demand and discounting AUC were included as statistical predictors of level of cigarette dependence and average number of cigarettes smoked per day in linear regression models. Results Amplitude of demand was marginally significant predictor (p = .06) of cigarettes smoked per day whereas neither Persistence of demand nor delay discounting significantly predicted this outcome. Both Amplitude of demand and delay discounting, but not Persistence, were associated with level of cigarette dependence. The effects of amplitude of demand and delay discounting on cigarette dependence or use did not significantly interact. Conclusions Results of this study suggest that amplitude of cigarette demand may be a risk factor for both cigarette consumption and dependence, while discounting – a known risk factor for cigarette initiation – may relate specifically to level of dependence.
Making Others Laugh is the Best Medicine: Humor Orientation, Health Outcomes, and the Moderating Role of Cognitive Flexibility

Humor orientation is related to numerous prosocial outcomes. This study examined the relationships between humor orientation and mental well-being, loneliness, headaches, and sleep disturbances. We...
Vanderbilt's ASPIRE program: Building on a strong career development foundation to change the Ph.D.-training culture

Abstract The Vanderbilt School of Medicine's ASPIRE program expanded the reach, vision, and staff dedicated to comprehensively preparing our biomedical Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows for a wide variety of possible careers in the biomedical enterprise. Multiple mechanisms were designed to achieve this goal, and the range of ASPIRE activities fall into six interlinked categories: career exploration and decision-making, professional skill development, enhancing employer relations, enhancing alumni relations and performing outcomes research, establishing partnerships with faculty and other campus resources, and participating in national career development and best practice research. Initial feedback from trainees served by ASPIRE suggests that the program has succeeded in its core mission, and ASPIRE has earned name-brand recognition among our faculty, staff, and trainees. The ASPIRE program offers a new paradigm for biomedical Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University and integrates career and professional development into the training experience.
The sexual brain

Abstract The human brain is sexually dimorphic and is the basis for sex-specific behavior. It is not, however, fixed in stone either anatomically or functionally. In fact, it responds to experience with epigenetic changes that create memory, develop expertise, and modulate emotional response. The early effort to relate brain anatomic structure to biological sex has been replaced by more sophisticated concepts, including that of the overview of connectivity in the brain called the connectome. Other experts espouse the notion of the 3G brain, which describes an “intersex” brain in which the differences between male and female brains become comingled in a mosaic impacted significantly by environment and experience. The roles of genes, hormones, and epigenetic changes are all important elements in the genesis and modification throughout the life of brain structure and function.
Efficient MCMC Sampling for Bayesian Matrix Factorization by Breaking Posterior Symmetries.

Bayesian low-rank matrix factorization techniques have become an essential tool for relational data analysis and matrix completion. A standard approach is to assign zero-mean Gaussian priors on the columns or rows of factor matrices to create a conjugate system. This choice of prior leads to simple implementations; however it also causes symmetries in the posterior distribution that can severely reduce the efficiency of Markov-chain Monte-Carlo (MCMC) sampling approaches. In this paper, we propose a simple modification to the prior choice that provably breaks these symmetries and maintains/improves accuracy. Specifically, we provide conditions that the Gaussian prior mean and covariance must satisfy so the posterior does not exhibit invariances that yield sampling difficulties. For example, we show that using non-zero linearly independent prior means significantly lowers the autocorrelation of MCMC samples, and can also lead to lower reconstruction errors.
Stimulation of B Cell Immunity in Flavivirus-Naive Individuals by the Tetravalent Live Attenuated Dengue Vaccine TV003.

Summary The tetravalent live attenuated dengue vaccine candidate TV003 induces neutralizing antibodies against all four dengue virus serotypes (DENV1–DENV4) and protects against experimental challenge with DENV2 in humans. Here, we track vaccine viremia and B and T cell responses to this vaccination/challenge model to understand how vaccine viremia links adaptive immunity and development of protective antibody responses. TV003 viremia triggers an acute plasmablast response that, in combination with DENV-specific CD4+ T cells, correlates with serum neutralizing antibodies. TV003 vaccinees develop DENV2-reactive memory B cells, including serotype-specific and multivalent specificities in line with the composition of serum antibodies. There is no post-challenge plasmablast response in vaccinees, although stronger and earlier post-TV003 plasmablast responses associate with sterile humoral protection from DENV2 challenge. TV003 vaccine triggers plasmablasts and memory B cells, which, with support from CD4+ T cells, functionally link early vaccine viremia and the serum antibody responses.
Computer-tailored intervention increases colorectal cancer screening among low-income African Americans in primary care: Results of a randomized trial

Abstract Introduction Although African Americans have the highest colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates of any racial group, their screening rates remain low. Study design/purpose This randomized controlled trial compared efficacy of two clinic-based interventions for increasing CRC screening among African American primary care patients. Methods African American patients from 11 clinics who were not current with CRC screening were randomized to receive a computer-tailored intervention (n = 335) or a non-tailored brochure (n = 358) designed to promote adherence to CRC screening. Interventions were delivered in clinic immediately prior to a provider visit. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models analyzed predictors of screening test completion. Moderators and mediators were determined using multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses. Results Significant effects of the computer-tailored intervention were observed for completion of a stool blood test (SBT) and completion of any CRC screening test (SBT or colonoscopy). The colonoscopy screening rate was higher among those receiving the computer-tailored intervention group compared to the nontailored brochure but the difference was not significant. Predictors of SBT completion were: receipt of the computer-tailored intervention; being seen at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center clinic; baseline stage of adoption; and reason for visit. Mediators of intervention effects were changes in perceived SBT barriers, changes in perceived colonoscopy benefits, changes in CRC knowledge, and patient-provider discussion. Moderators of intervention effects were age, employment, and family/friend recommendation of screening. Conclusion This one-time computer-tailored intervention significantly improved CRC screening rates among low-income African American patients. This finding was largely driven by increasing SBT but the impact of the intervention on colonoscopy screening was strong. Implementation of a CRC screening quality improvement program in the VA site that included provision of stool blood test kits and follow-up likely contributed to the strong intervention effect observed at that site. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00672828 .
Circular orbit transfer employing recursive nonlinear state transformations and nonlinear feedback

A recursive application of approximate feedback linearization is applied to low-Earth circular orbit rendezvous utilizing continuous low thrust propulsion. A family of solutions is established up to the $$\rho $$ -th degree utilizing the null space that appears at each step in the computations. A convergence analysis is presented to guarantee that the recursive process converges as $$\rho \rightarrow \infty $$ . During the recursive computations, patterns were detected as part of the solution process that illuminated a family of exact nonlinear control solutions obtained by judiciously selecting the null space coefficients. Examples of various analytic solutions are presented. The relationship between the $$\rho $$ -th degree exact solution obtained through the recursive approximations and a known exact solution is illustrated where it is shown that different exact solutions can have different performance in terms of fuel usage leading to the possibility of optimization considerations in selecting the desired exact solution.
Fundamentals of Public Health - A New Perspective Series.

Fundamentals of Public Health The Covid-19 pandemic has awakened many physicians to the value of viewing wellness and disease through the lens of public health as well as that of clinical medicine....
Increasing the spatial and temporal impact of ecological research: A roadmap for integrating a novel terrestrial process into an Earth system model

Terrestrial ecosystems regulate Earth's climate through water, energy, and biogeochemical transformations. Despite a key role in regulating the Earth system, terrestrial ecology has historically been underrepresented in the Earth system models (ESMs) that are used to understand and project global environmental change. Ecology and Earth system modeling must be integrated for scientists to fully comprehend the role of ecological systems in driving and responding to global change. Ecological insights can improve ESM realism and reduce process uncertainty, while ESMs offer ecologists an opportunity to broadly test ecological theory and increase the impact of their work by scaling concepts through time and space. Despite this mutualism, meaningfully integrating the two remains a persistent challenge, in part because of logistical obstacles in translating processes into mathematical formulas and identifying ways to integrate new theories and code into large, complex model structures. To help overcome this interdisciplinary challenge, we present a framework consisting of a series of interconnected stages for integrating a new ecological process or insight into an ESM. First, we highlight the multiple ways that ecological observations and modeling iteratively strengthen one another, dispelling the illusion that the ecologist's role ends with initial provision of data. Second, we show that many valuable insights, products, and theoretical developments are produced through sustained interdisciplinary collaborations between empiricists and modelers, regardless of eventual inclusion of a process in an ESM. Finally, we provide concrete actions and resources to facilitate learning and collaboration at every stage of data-model integration. This framework will create synergies that will transform our understanding of ecology within the Earth system, ultimately improving our understanding of global environmental change, and broadening the impact of ecological research.
Body contouring after massive weight loss.

The increase in the number of bariatric surgery procedures over the last decade has led to a large number of massive-weight-loss patients seeking improvement in their resultant body contour deformities caused by the process of weight gain and subsequent loss. In this chapter, the reader will become familiar with the typical presentation of the massive-weight-loss patient to the plastic surgeon and the most common body-contouring procedures utilized to improve their deformities.
Remarkable alkaline stability of an engineered protein A as immunoglobulin affinity ligand: C domain having only one amino acid substitution

Protein A affinity chromatography is the standard purification process for the capture of therapeutic antibodies. The individual IgG-binding domains of protein A (E, D, A, B, C) have highly homologous amino acid sequences. From a previous report, it has been assumed that the C domain has superior resistance to alkaline conditions compared to the other domains. We investigated several properties of the C domain as an IgG-Fc capture ligand. Based on cleavage site analysis of a recombinant protein A using a protein sequencer, the C domain was found to be the only domain to have neither of the potential alkaline cleavage sites. Circular dichroism (CD) analysis also indicated that the C domain has good physicochemical stability. Additionally, we evaluated the amino acid substitutions at the Gly-29 position of the C domain, as the Z domain (an artificial B domain) acquired alkaline resistance through a G29A mutation. The G29A mutation proved to increase the alkaline resistance of the C domain, based on BIACORE analysis, although the improvement was significantly smaller than that observed for the B domain. Interestingly, a number of other amino acid mutations at the same position increased alkaline resistance more than did the G29A mutation. This result supports the notion that even a single mutation on the originally alkali-stable C domain would improve its alkaline stability. An engineered protein A based on this C domain is expected to show remarkable performance as an affinity ligand for immunoglobulin.
Sapling richness and composition in canopy gaps of a southern Appalachian mixed Quercus forest1

Abstract Canopy gaps create distinct microenvironments within the broader forest environment and provide a mechanism for regeneration and recruitment. In this study, we investigated patterns of sapling richness and composition in 40 canopy gaps in a secondary, mixed Quercus forest on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. We found that sapling richness was high, with 34 species represented in canopy gaps. A species-gap area curve revealed that sapling richness increased steadily with gap sizes up to ca. 200 m2, but then tended to level off. While minor components in the main forest canopy, Acer saccharum, Fagus grandifolia, and Acer rubrum were the most widespread and abundant species in gaps. Our analyses of floristic composition using ordination (NMS) and randomization techniques (MRPP) clarified the mechanisms responsible for structuring patterns of gap composition and species-environment relationships, including the effects of individual factors (gap formation mechanism, gap size, aspect, and soils) and...
Os-coated cathode for very high emission-density applications

Emission densities of 35 to 100 A/cm2, demanded by free-electron lasers (FEL's), have set far more stringent requirements on thermionic cathodes than what is considered state of the art with current technology. The purpose of the work described here is to evaluate Os-coated cathodes for these ultra-high-current-density applications. Organometallic CVD techniques were used to coat "B" type tungsten dispenser cathodes. The coatings were found to show good adhesion and rapid activation. The activation process involves not only the standard formation of a BaO layer on the surface but also the formation of an optimum surface alloy composition of near 50-percent Os and 50-percent W. These cathodes showed excellent emission capabilities, and at 1085°C B , a zero-field emission density near 50 A/cm2was obtained. Subsequent life studies at 1085° C B indicated that at an emission level of 40-50 A/cm2over 800 h of life is obtainable with this type of cathode. During life, the pulsed emission density and surface composition were monitored. Surface Ba/BaO coverage as well as surface Os content were observed to decrease with life, but an S impurity was found to increase with life. However, the surface alloy composition change was identified as being the major cause for the emission degradation.
Photophysics of Cy3-Encapsulated Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles

Progress toward clinical application of biodegradable fluorescent calcium phosphate (CP) nanoparticles as a bioimaging agent requires detailed knowledge of chromophore interaction with CP. As readouts of this cargo-matrix interaction, we determined the principle photophysical properties of Cy3 encapsulated in CP nanparticles (CPNPs) using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS)-determined diffusion coefficients and associated hydrodynamic radii confirmed the presence of highly monodisperse CPNPs with radii ranging from 7 to 10 nm. Single CP nanoparticles were 20 times brighter than free dye molecules because of a CP-induced 5-fold increase in quantum efficiency and encapsulation of four dye molecules per particle. Solvatochromic shifts resulting from hydrogen bonding between free dye and solvent or restricted intramolecular mobility by solvent viscosity were absent when Cy3 was encapsulated in CP. Encapsulation-mediated increases in radiative decay rates and decreases in nonradiative decay rates resulting in longer fluorescence lifetimes of Cy3 were attributed to solvent and CP-related local refractive indices and restricted flexibility of dye by rigid CP. Enhanced brightness of CPNPs enabled imaging of single nanoparticles under epifluorescence using both standard and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) modes with camera exposure times on the order of tens of milliseconds. These enhanced photophysical properties together with excellent biocompatibility make CPNPs ideal for bioimaging applications ranging from single-molecule tracking to in vivo tumor detection and offer the possibility of timed codelivery of drugs to control cell function.
Pulmonary Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma in a Patient with Crohn’s Disease

Pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH) is a rare neoplasm, largely unresponsive to chemotherapeutic medications, and with varied prognosis. Imaging on computerized tomography may demonstrate perivascular nodules, but diagnosis is ultimately made on biopsy with immunohistochemical analysis. Here we describe a case of PEH in a 14-year-old male with Crohn's disease, which, to our knowledge, has not previously been described in the literature.
The hissing arc and radio-frequency self-generated oscillations in the D-C carbon arc

The radio-frequency oscillations found to be generated by the carbon arc were studied together with the hissing arc and a possible explanation of the latter is presented
Effects of a power plant on zooplankton distribution and abundance near plant's effluent

Abstract Blount Street Power Station on Lake Monona, Wisconsin, draws cooling water at 3–4 m from two intakes 110 m offshore and discharges the water at two shoreline outfalls 200 m apart. The density of zooplankton near these outfalls was 2–7 times greater than at littoral reference stations because zooplankton density at the limnetic intakes was consistently higher than in littoral reference areas. Thus, the circulation of cooling water transported zooplankton-rich water to the littoral zone.
Famine, social disruption, and involuntary fetal loss: evidence from Chinese survey data.

Relying on half a million pregnancy histories collected from Chinese women in the late 1980s, we studied nearly a quarter century of self-reported miscarriages and stillbirths in China. Our results suggest that these two forms of involuntary fetal loss are affected not only by biological and demographic factors, such as the mother’s age, pregnancy order, and pregnancy history, but also by the mother’s social characteristics and the larger social environment. In this article, we focus on how two social and economic crises—the Great Leap Forward famine and the Cultural Revolution— resulted in elevated risks of miscarriage and stillbirth in the Chinese population.
Minimax Detection Station Placement

A model for the placement of n detection stations for optimum coverage of an arbitrary plane area is described. The stations are assumed to be identical and to have a probability of detection that is a function only of the distance between the station and the event to be detected. Furthermore, the stations are assumed to operate independently of each other. It is also assumed that the enemy has complete knowledge of the station locations and effectiveness and is interested only in eluding detection by the detection stations. Thus, the situation is reduced to the minimax problem of placing the stations so that the maximum probability of not detecting an enemy event is minimized. A hill climbing iterative technique for finding the optimum locations is described in some detail. This technique is illustrated for the problem of locating detection stations within the United States and Soviet Union. The results of these applications are presented and discussed. The paper concludes with some remarks on how this model can be made more descriptive of the real world situations being modeled.
Computational methods in Lagrangian and Eulerian hydrocodes

Abstract Explicit finite element and finite difference methods are used to solve a wide variety of transient problems in industry and academia. Unfortunately, explicit methods are rarely discussed in detail in finite element text books. This paper reviews the basic explicit finite element and finite difference methods that are currently used to solve transient, large deformation problems in solid mechanics. A special emphasis has been placed on documenting methods that have not been previously published in journals.
Bioassay for evaluating the potency of airborne sensory irritants and predicting acceptable levels of exposure in man.

Abstract An animal bioassay has been used to evaluate the potency of a wide variety of airborne sensory irritants. Concentration-response relationships were obtained for each chemical tested and the potencies of these sensory irritants were compared. An attempt was made to predict from the data obtained in the animal bioassay what the response would be in humans. A good correlation was found between the Threshold Limit Values for these chemicals and the level that, on the basis of the potency of each chemical, would be predicted to be acceptable in humans.
The Impact of Perceived Entitivity on Inconsistency Resolution for Groups and Individuals

Previous research has indicated that differences in perceived target entitivity influence the degree to which information about a group or individual is processed online. The current set of studies examines whether perceptions of entitivity are also associated with differences in the content of impressions formed of groups and individuals. Specifically, if perceptions of high entitivity motivate perceivers to seek coherence in a target, impressions of individual (high-entitivity) targets should be characterized by greater resolution of behavioral inconsistencies than impressions of group (low-entitivity) targets. Study 1 provided evidence for this hypothesis by demonstrating that perceivers were more likely to apply restrictive diagnosticity schemas to resolve inconsistent behaviors in a predicted direction when the target was an individual than when the target was a group. Two additional studies were conducted to determine the specific aspect of target entitivity that produced these results: perceiver expectations about the similarity and consistency of a target's behaviors (Study 2) and perceiver expectations about the unity of a target's intentions and goals (Study 3) were manipulated and the resulting impressions were examined. The results suggest that perceptions of unity in a target's intentions and goals underlie the assumptions of entitivity and the obtained impression effects.
SIHG Testing and Analysis

This paper describes the Sailboat Integrated Hydroelectric Generator (SIHG). This turbine is intended to be fixed to the transom of a 30–40 foot sailing vessel to produce green power for the vessel’s electrical systems. The design goal for the SIHG was the generation of a minimum of 225 watts at 6 knots and an ideal output of 400 watts at 6 knots. Power is generated by the SIHG when water moving over five turbine blades creates rotational motion, which is transferred through a gear box to a three-phase electrical generator. The three-phase electrical output is then rectified and used to recharge the boat’s battery. Presently, most sailboats of this size run their engines in order to recharge their batteries. The SIHG produces no emissions and has no operating costs. Extensive testing in the Thames River at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London Connecticut produced data that was then used to determine the power output and efficiency of the SIHG at various speeds through the water. The turbine was fixed to the transom of a dinghy which was then towed behind a rigid hulled inflatable vessel to simulate a sailboat under wind power. Novel data collection methods and instrumentation were then used to gather power and drag data for the turbine at various speeds. Power output plots and efficiency curves were calculated from this data and are represented in this paper. Actual performance shows that the SIHG is capable of producing 275 watts at 6 knots and 400 watts at 8 knots. The maximum efficiency of the SIHG is calculated to be 37% and occurs when traveling through the water at a speed of 5 knots. Due to the substantial power generation at relatively low speeds, tidal applications are discussed.© 2010 ASME
Startup transient simulation for natural circulation boiling water reactors in PUMA facility

In view of the importance of instabilities that may occur at low-pressure and -flow conditions during the startup of natural circulation boiling water reactors, startup simulation experiments were performed in the Purdue University Multi-Dimensional Integral Test Assembly (PUMA) facility. The simulations used pressure scaling and followed the startup procedure of a typical natural circulation boiling water reactor. Two simulation experiments were performed for the reactor dome pressures ranging from 55 kPa to 1 MPa, where the instabilities may occur. The experimental results show the signature of condensation-induced oscillations during the single-phase-to-two-phase natural circulation transition. The results also suggest that a rational startup procedure is needed to overcome the startup instabilities in natural circulation boiling water reactor designs.
A fault simulation method: parallel pattern critical path tracing

We present a fast fault simulation algorithm for combinational circuits which combines parallel pattern evaluation and critical path tracing. When the number of faults is large, our algorithm exploits the full advantages of critical path tracing. As fault dropping progresses, the overhead for critical path tracing surpasses its advantages. On the other hand, the efficiency of Parallel Pattern Single Fault Propagation (PPSFP) increases rapidly since relatively few undetected faults remain, and they tend to be inactive. To avoid the overhead of critical path tracing and achieve the advantages of PPSFP, dynamic update of node classes is used to produce a smooth transition from critical path tracing to PPSFP. By using this approach, we get high performance for both small and large numbers of test patterns. Also, preprocessing related to structure analysis is avoided while achieving almost all of its advantages.
Forensic Diagnosis and Transformation of an Organizational Culture

AbstractSince the relatively recent unethical behaviour of some employees in various organizations has been publicized, organizational scientists and management practitioners have correctly attributed this behaviour to an organization's culture. However, based on our analysis of the case we describe in this manuscript and the existing ethics literature, we argue that there is a need to begin investigating factors here-to-fore that have been omitted in past research on why people behave unethically. We apply Schein's (2004) framework of organizational culture (i.e. artefacts, espoused beliefs and values, and underlying assumptions) and the stakeholder theory of management (i.e. the satisfaction of legal, economic, moral, and philanthropic responsibilities) in describing the evolution and transformation of the HealthSouth (HS) Corporation (a Birmingham, AL-based healthcare company) organizational culture from its founding in 1984 to 2011. In 2003, a former chief financial officer of HS turned whistleblower ...