cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can the direct cardiac effects of the electric pulses generated by the TASER X26 cause immediate or delayed sudden cardiac arrest in normal adults

Abstract:There is only a small amount of experimental data about whether the TASER X26, a nonlethal weapon that delivers a series of brief electrical pulses to cause involuntary muscular contraction to temporarily incapacitate an individual, can initiate ventricular fibrillation to cause sudden card
CPEB proteins control two key steps in spermatogenesis in C. elegans

Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding (CPEB) proteins bind to and regulate the translation of specific mRNAs. CPEBs from Xenopus, Drosophila, and Spisula participate in oogenesis. In this report, we examine the biological roles of all identifiable CPEB homologs in a single organism, Caenorhabditis elegans. We find four homologs in the C. elegans genome: cbp-1, cpb-2, cpb-3, and fog-1. Surprisingly, two homologs, CPB-1 and FOG-1, have key functions in spermatogenesis and are dispensable for oogenesis. CPB-2 and CPB-3 also appear not to be required for oogenesis. CPB-1 is essential for progression through meiosis: cpb-1(RNAi) spermatocytes fail to undergo the meiotic cell divisions. CPB-1 protein is present in the germ line just prior to overt spermatogenesis; once sperm differentiation begins, CPB-1 disappears. CPB-1 physically interacts with FBF, another RNA-binding protein and 3 UTR regulator. In addition to its role in controlling the sperm/oocyte switch, we find that FBF also appears to be required for spermatogenesis, consistent with its interaction with CPEB. A second CPEB homolog, FOG-1, is required for specification of the sperm fate. The fog-1 gene produces fog-1(L) and fog-1(S) transcripts. The fog-1(L) RNA is enriched in animals making sperm and is predicted to encode a larger protein; fog-1(S) RNA is enriched in animals making oocytes and is predicted to encode a smaller protein. The relative abundance of the two mRNAs is controlled temporally during germ-line development and by the sex determination pathway in a fashion that suggests that the fog-1(L) species encodes the active form. In sum, our results demonstrate that, in C. elegans, two CPEB proteins have distinct functions in the germ line, both in spermatogenesis: FOG-1 specifies the sperm cell fate and CPB-1 executes that decision.
Motor innervation of intrafusal fibers in rat muscle spindles: Incomplete separation of dynamic and static systems

Distributions of 53 motor axons to different types of intrafusal fibers were reconstructed from serial 1-micron-thick transverse sections of 13 poles of spindles in the rat soleus muscle. The mean number of motor axons that innervated a spindle pole was 4.1. Approximately 60% of motor axons lost their myelination prior to or shortly after entry into the periaxial fluid space of spindles. Motor innervation to the juxtaequatorial portion of nuclear bag fibers (particularly the bag1) consisted of groups of short, synaptic contacts that were terminations of thin, unmyelinated axons. In contrast, motor endings on both the bag1 and bag2 fibers were platelike in the polar intracapsular region. Chain fibers had a single midpolar platelike ending. The ratio of motor axons that innervated the bag1 fiber exclusively to axons that innervated bag2 and/or chain fibers was 1:1. However, one-fourth of motor axons coinnervated the dynamic bag1 fiber in conjunction with static bag2 and/or chain fibers. Thus the complete separation of motor control of the dynamic bag1 and static bag2 intrafusal systems observed in cat tenuissimus spindles is neither representative of the pattern of motor innervation in all other species of mammals nor essential to normal spindle function.
Multiple point source location via infrared array processing methods

The detection and location of multiple targets in a noisy environment are considered. High-resolution direction-finding techniques have proved to be effective in radar and sonar multiple-target-location applications. In these problem domains, the data being modeled can be represented as a linear combination of fundamental signals whose behavior is parametrically dependent on the location parameters identifying the targets (e.g. azimuth and elevation angles). It is shown that these high-resolution concepts can be adapted to detect point targets using the signals generated from irradiated energy on infrared detectors. >
Sociodemographic determinants in the hospitalization decision: evaluation of an emergency department interhospital transfer policy.

Study objectives: To evaluate an emergency department's "treat and transfer" policy during a two-month period of reduced inpatient capacity by determining the number and characteristics of transferred patients not admitted as planned to the receiving hospital. Design: Matched case-control analysis. Setting: Public hospital adult ED. Type of participants: Patients transferred to other hospitals for admission. Interventions: None. Measurements and main results: Twelve percent of patients (16 of 135) were not admitted after transfer during the first month, and 8% during the two-month period. Only IV drug use was found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of discharge without admission (odds ratio=9.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.9 to 47.8). Conclusion: Patients transferred from the public hospital ED resulted in admission to the receiving hospital in 92% of transfers. A history of IV drug use was the only characteristic found to be associated with discharge without admission to the accepting hospital.
Plasma-mediated ablation of biofilm contamination

Ultra-short pulsed laser removal of thin biofilm contamination on different substrates has been conducted via the use of plasma-mediated ablation. The biofilms were formed using sheep whole blood. The ablation was generated using a 1.2 ps ultra-short pulsed laser with wavelength centered at 1552 nm. The blood contamination was transformed into plasma and collected with a vacuum system. The single line ablation features have been measured. The ablation thresholds of blood contamination and bare substrates were determined. It is found that the ablation threshold of the blood contamination is lower than those of the beneath substrates including the glass slide, PDMS, and human dermal tissues. The ablation effects of different laser parameters (pulse overlap rate and pulse energy) were studied and ablation efficiency was measured. Proper ablation parameters were found to efficiently remove contamination with maximum efficiency and without damage to the substrate surface for the current laser system. Complete removal of blood contaminant from the glass substrate surface and freeze-dried dermis tissue surface was demonstrated by the USP laser ablation with repeated area scanning. No obvious thermal damage was found in the decontaminated glass and tissue samples.
On the Speed of the Eddy-Driven Jet and the Width of the Hadley Cell in the Southern Hemisphere

A strong correlation between the speed of the eddy-driven jet and the width of the Hadley cell is found to exist in the Southern Hemisphere, both in reanalysis data and in twenty-first-century integrations from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report multimodel archive. Analysis of the space‐time spectra of eddy momentum flux reveals that variations in eddy-driven jet speed are related to changes in the mean phase speed of midlatitude eddies. An increase in eddy phase speeds induces a poleward shift of the critical latitudes and a poleward expansion of the region of subtropical wave breaking. The associated changes in eddy momentum flux convergence are balanced by anomalous meridional winds consistent with a wider Hadley cell. At the same time, faster eddies are also associated with a strengthened polewardeddymomentumflux,sustainingastronger westerlyjet in midlatitudes. The proposedmechanismis consistent with the seasonal dependence of the interannual variability of the Hadley cell width and appears to explain at least part of the projected twenty-first-century trends. One of the most salient features of Earth’s general circulation is the presence of Hadley cells (HCs) in the tropical belts of both hemispheres. Associated with their large-scale motions are some of the main characteristics of tropical and subtropical climates: the intertropical convergence zone in the rising branch and the subtropical dry zones in the descending branches (e.g., Hartmann 1994). Studying the factors determining the meridional extent of these overturning circulations is therefore essential to understand the spatial distribution of tropical and subtropical climates and its changes. The role of the HCs is particularly crucial in the context of climate change and the observed widening of the atmospheric circulation. Observations show a poleward shift of the eddy-driven jets and an expansion of the HCs in recent decades, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere (Hu and Fu 2007; Johanson and Fu 2009; Lu et al. 2009), and the role of radiative forcings induced by greenhouse gases and stratospheric ozone has been shown to be crucial in this context (Polvani et al. 2011b;
Ukrainian and U.S. American Females Differences in Individualism/Collectivism and Gender Attitudes

Individualism/collectivism, gender attitudes, and the relationship between these constructs were measured among Ukrainian and U.S. American women. Contrary to expectation, Ukrainians were more individualistic than U.S. Americans. As predicted, Ukrainians held more traditional gender attitudes than U.S. Americans. Although correlations between individualism/collectivism and gender attitudes were not statistically significant, there was a tendency for individualism to be associated with liberal gender attitudes among U.S. women. Findings were discussed in light of sociopolitical and economic changes in Ukraine.
Particle drift induced by a bubble in a liquid-solid fluidized bed with low-density particles

The objective of the note is to examine the effect of solid density on the particle drift in gas-liquid-solid fluidization. Two types of particles are used: 774-μm glass beads as high-density particles and 1.2-mm calcium alginate particles which simulate low-density bioparticles. The effective drift is evaluated by measuring the amount of drifted particles above the free surface of the liquid-solid fluidized bed
Construction and application of a zebrafish array comparative genomic hybridization platform

The zebrafish is emerging as a prominent model system for studying the genetics of human development and disease. Genetic alterations that underlie each mutant model can exist in the form of single base changes, balanced chromosomal rearrangements, or genetic imbalances. To detect genetic imbalances in an unbiased genome-wide fashion, array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) can be used. We have developed a 5-Mb resolution array CGH platform specifically for the zebrafish. This platform contains 286 bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones, enriched for orthologous sequences of human oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Each BAC clone has been end-sequenced and cytogenetically assigned to a specific location within the zebrafish genome, allowing for ease of integration of array CGH data with the current version of the genome assembly. This platform has been applied to three zebrafish cancer models. Significant genomic imbalances were detected in each model, identifying different regions that may potentially play a role in tumorigenesis. Hence, this platform should be a useful resource for genetic dissection of additional zebrafish developmental and disease models as well as a benchmark for future array CGH platform development.
Spatial and temporal controls of soil respiration rate in a high-elevation, subalpine forest

Abstract We examined soil respiration to determine what measurable environmental variables can be used to predict variation in soil respiration rates, spatially and temporally, at a high-elevation, mixed conifer, subalpine forest site at the Niwot Ridge Ameriflux Site in Colorado. For three summers, soil respiration rates were measured using soil collars and a portable gas-exchange system. Transects of the collars were established to ensure spatial characterization of the litter-repleted areas beneath tree crowns and the litter-depleted open spaces between tree crowns. Soil temperature and soil moisture were both identified as important drivers of soil respiration rate, but were found to confound each other and to function as primary controls at different scales. Soil temperature represents a primary control seasonally, and soil moisture represents a primary control interannually. Spatially, organic layer thickness, ammonium concentration, water content, and the microbial and soil soluble carbon pools were found to predict variation from point to point. Soil microbial biomass strongly correlated to soil respiration rate, whereas root biomass was identified as a weak predictor of respiration rate and only when controlling for other variables. Spatial variation in soil respiration rate is highly determined by the depth of the soil organic horizon, which in this ecosystem varies predictably according to distance from trees. The conclusions that can be drawn from the study provide the foundation for the development of future models of soil respiration driven by fundamental variables of the climate and soil microenvironment.
Ferroelectric Thin Films from Metallo-organics: The Influence of Different Atmospheres during RTA Processing

Barium Titanate (BaTiO3) films have been deposited on platinum via spin-casting metallo-organic compounds and rapid thermal annealing (RTA). This method, called metallo-organic decomposition (MOD), produces tetragonal BaTiO3 films with easily controllable stoichiometry as determined by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The precursors used were barium neodecanoate and titanium dimethoxy dineodecanoate. The film precursor is obtained by mixing the individual precursors in a nearly 1∶1 molar ratio before processing. Variable thickness (0.1–3 µm) is achieved by spin-casting multiple layers of the films. The films were RTA processed to 650° for 30s or to 950° for 15s under controlled atmosphere (O2, Ar, and partial vacuum). The films processed under O2 showed better stoichiometry and purity than the ones processed under partial vacuum (10−3 Torr) as evidenced by XRD and AES. The carbon contamination from pyrolysis residues, prevalent in the partial vacuum processed films, fell below the instrument detection limit for the O2 and Ar processed films. All the films are uniform and crack-free as shown in the scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Average grain size determined by SEM ranged from 0.01 µm to 0.5 µm, depending on the annealing condition.
CFTR upregulates the expression of the basolateral Na+-K+-2Cl−cotransporter in cultured pancreatic duct cells

The purpose of the current experiments was 1) to assess basolateral Na+-K+-2Cl−cotransporter (NKCC1) expression and2) to ascertain the role of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (C...
Calcified Pipes: You Better Call the Electrician Too.

Despite the high prevalence and morbidity of atrial fibrillation (AF), the mechanisms of the disease are multifactorial and remain poorly understood. The initiation of AF requires a trigger, and abnormal atrial substrate is necessary to sustain the arrhythmia. Although there are genetic predispositions to AF,1 more traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome are also associated with AF.2 Among AF patients, weight loss has been associated with lower AF burden and improved maintenance of sinus rhythm.3 Reducing weight and blood pressure along with better glycemic and lipid management have been shown to improve arrhythmia-free survival after AF ablation.4 See Article by O’Neal et al Nearly two thirds of patients with AF have concomitant coronary heart disease,5 which can contribute to the initiation and maintenance of AF through myocardial fibrosis, atrial dilation, inflammation, and ischemia.6–9 Animal models of atrial ischemia have shown increased spontaneous atrial ectopic activity and slowing of atrial conduction, leading to initiation and sustained re-entry of AF. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores can identify vascular aging and patients at risk for acute coronary events.10 The CAC score was independently associated with the development of AF in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study.11 In the MESA study, patients with higher CAC scores at baseline had a greater incidence of AF in follow-up. Relative to patients with a baseline CAC score of 0, the hazard ratios (HRs) for developing AF were 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0–2.0), 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1–2.4), and 2.1 (95% CI, 1.4–2.9) for CAC scores of 1 to 100, 101 to 300, and >300, respectively. In addition, CAC score improved the discrimination of AF risk scores.11 Questions remained about whether cardiac computed tomography and CAC could identify …
Towards Productive Disagreement: Deliberative, Democratic Processes in Community Engagement and Service-Learning

This article argues that recognizing and addressing disagreements and differences among students, instructors, and community members is essential for building more collaborative, reciprocal partnerships in service-learning and community engagement (SL-CE) courses. While current SL-CE pedagogies recognize that disagreements and differences arise in SL-CE partnerships, little attention has been paid to how SL-CE participants can address such issues productively. This article draws from theories of democratic deliberation to suggest that engaging students in more direct and purposeful deliberation with SL-CE partners can help students to develop key civic skills and to ensure that projects reflect more collaborative efforts for all participants. The article concludes with practical pedagogical strategies for how students, partners, and instructors can disagree productively and negotiate difference and expertise.
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's Friends

This article examines the citations of amicus briefs by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in cases in which she authored the opinion for the Supreme Court to learn how amicus briefs might influence judicial behavior. Consistent with theories proposed in the political science literature, O'Connor was most likely to cite amicus briefs for specialized facts. She was also likely to cite briefs filed by the Solicitor General, prestigious professional associations and the states. Surprisingly, she was more likely to cite amicus briefs when she disagreed than agreed with their legal position. Contrary to hypotheses found in the political science literature, O'Connor never cited briefs authored by the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or other organizations associated with highly liberal or conservative political perspectives. These findings might cause some public interest groups to re-think their amicus brief strategy in the Supreme Court if O'Connor is reflective of Supreme Court Justices, generally. Nonetheless, O'Connor's failure to cite certain kinds of amicus briefs does not necessarily mean that she did not take their views seriously, because she frequently adopted the position of the Solicitor General despite rarely citing him with approval. Justice O'Connor portrayed herself in her opinions as only being friends of moderate organizations but, privately, one can only speculate as to what views truly influenced her judicial behavior.
A Low-Cost DOI Block Detector for PET

605 Objectives To develop a new DOI PET detector that costs less than that of current non-DOI design and significantly reduces the number of SiPM and electronic channels. Methods A Dichotomous Orthogonal Symmetric (DOS) dual-end readout method is proposed for measuring X/Y and DOI. Conventionally, a dual-end DOI block readout requires two 2D SiPM arrays (one on top and one at the bottom to define the XYZ positions); since both the top and bottom SiPM arrays are reading the same pixel, there is information redundancy. We propose a design that removes this redundancy to reduce the number of SiPM. We use reflecting films to channel photons going to the top of the block to go only in the X-direction, while the photons going to the bottom are channeled along Y. Despite the unidirectional channeling on each end, the top readout provides both X/Y information using two 1-D SiPM arrays instead of a 2D SiPM array, and similarly, the bottom readout also provides X/Y information with just two 1-D SiPM arrays. Thus four 1-D SiPM arrays (4N SiPMs) are used to decode the XYZ positions of the firing pixel, instead of two 2D SiPM array (2N*N SiPMs). Thus the number of SiPM per block is reduced from 2N*N to 4N. Moreover, the SiPMs on one end can be replaced by 2 regular PMTs, so a block only needs 2N SiPMs + 2 half-PMTs; this hybrid block can be used in PET/CT. Monte Carlo simulations were carried out to study the performances of the design (XY-decoding quality, energy resolution, DOI resolution). Results BGO/LSO blocks were studied. Blocks with 4-mm pixels can be well decoded for 5x5 BGO and 9x9 LSO arrays with 4-5 mm DOI resolution, 16-20% energy resolution and 15-21% decoding errors; blocks with 2.4-mm pixel can be decoded for 8x8 BGO and 16x16 LSO arrays with 5-7 mm DOI resolution, 20-24% energy resolution and 25-49% decoding error. Conclusions Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate the feasibility of the new DOS-DOI detector design. Good performance can be achieved while using much less SiPMs and supporting electronic channels comparing to current non-DOI PET detectors, which can significantly reduce the cost of the DOI PET/MR/CT systems.
Plasmonic Quantum Dots for Nonlinear Optical Applications

This presentation describes the design of novel plasmonic quantum dots for nonlinear applications, including labels for TPAF-based biomedical imaging, with projected fluorescence intensities >1000X higher than currently-used fluorescent labels.
Dynamic Behavior of Spectral Hole Burning in EDFA

The dynamic behavior of spectral hole burning effect is investigated both experimentally and numerically for a transient controlled EDFA. The effect introduces a gain offset and impacts transient behavior of the surviving channel.
Query processing in heterogeneous distributed database management systems

The goal of this work is to present an advanced query processing algorithm formulated and developed in support of heterogeneous distributed database management systems. Heterogeneous distributed database management systems view the integrated data through a uniform global schema. The query processing algorithm described here produces an inexpensive strategy for a query expressed over the global schema. The research addresses the following aspects of query processing: (1) Formulation of a low level query language to express the fundamental heterogeneous database operations; (2) Translation of the query expressed over the global schema to an equivalent query expressed over a conceptual schema; (3) An estimation methodology to derive the intermediate result sizes of the database operations; (4) A query decomposition algorithm to generate an efficient sequence of the basic database operations to answer the query. This research addressed the first issue by developing an algebraic query language called cluster algebra. The cluster algebra consists of the following operations: (a) Selection, union, intersection and difference, which are extensions of their relational algebraic counterparts to heterogeneous databases; (b) Normal-join and normal-projection which replace their counterparts, join and projection, in the relational algebra; (c) Two new operators embed and unembed to restructure the database schema. The second issue of the query translation was addressed by development of an algorithm that translates a cluster algebra query expressed over the virtual views to an equivalent cluster algebra query expressed over the conceptual databases. A non-parametric estimation methodology to estimate the result size of a cluster algebra operation was developed to address the third issue described above. Finally, this research developed a query decomposition algorithm, applicable to the relational and non-relational databases, that decomposes a query by computing all profitable semi-join operations, followed by the determination of the best sequence of join operations per processing site. The join optimization is performed by formulating a zero-one integer linear program that uses the non-parametric estimation technique to compute the sizes of intermediate results. The query processing algorithm was implemented in the context of DAVID, a heterogeneous distributed database management system.
The Making and Unmaking of Whiteness

Bringing together new articles and essays from the controversial Berkeley conference of the same name, The Making and Unmaking of Whiteness presents a fascinating range of inquiry into the nature of whiteness. Representing academics, independent scholars, community organizers, and antiracist activists, the contributors are all leaders in the “second wave” of whiteness studies who collectively aim to combat the historical legacies of white supremacy and to inform those who seek to understand the changing nature of white identity, both in the United States and abroad. With essays devoted to theories of racial domination, comparative global racisms, and transnational white identity, the geographical reach of the volume is significant and broad. Dalton Conley writes on “How I Learned to Be White.” Allan Berube discusses the intersection of gay identity and whiteness, and Mab Segrest describes the spiritual price white people pay for living in a system of white supremacy. Other pieces examine the utility of whiteness as a critical term for social analysis and contextualize different attempts at antiracist activism. In a razor-sharp introduction, the editors not only raise provocative questions about the intellectual, social, and political goals of those interested in the study of whiteness but assess several of the topic’s major recurrent themes: the visibility of whiteness (or the lack thereof); the “emptiness” of whiteness as a category of identification; and conceptions of whiteness as a structural privilege, a harbinger of violence, or an institutionalization of European imperialism. Contributors. William Aal, Allan Berube, Birgit Brander Rasmussen, Dalton Conley, Troy Duster, Ruth Frankenberg, John Hartigan Jr., Eric Klinenberg, Eric Lott, Irene J. Nexica, Michael Omi, Jasbir Kaur Puar, Mab Segrest, Vron Ware, Howard Winant, Matt Wray
Molecular dynamics simulations and generalized Lenard-Balescu calculations of electron-ion temperature equilibration in plasmas.

We study the problem of electron-ion temperature equilibration in plasmas. We consider pure H at various densities and temperatures and Ar-doped H at temperatures high enough so that the Ar is fully ionized. Two theoretical approaches are used: classical molecular dynamics (MD) with statistical two-body potentials and a generalized Lenard-Balescu (GLB) theory capable of treating multicomponent weakly coupled plasmas. The GLB is used in two modes: (1) with the quantum dielectric response in the random-phase approximation (RPA) together with the pure Coulomb interaction and (2) with the classical ($\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$) dielectric response (both with and without local-field corrections) together with the statistical potentials. We find that the MD results are described very well by classical GLB including the statistical potentials and without local-field corrections (RPA only); worse agreement is found when static local-field effects are included, in contradiction to the classical pure-Coulomb case with like charges. The results of the various approaches are all in excellent agreement with pure-Coulomb quantum GLB when the temperature is high enough. In addition, we show that classical calculations with statistical potentials derived from the exact quantum two-body density matrix produce results in far better agreement with pure-Coulomb quantum GLB than classical calculations performed with older existing statistical potentials.
Optical Development of a Multi-pulse Dielectric Barrier Glow Discharge in Atmospheric-pressure Helium

In order to study the mode transition and the mechanism of multi-pulse dielectric barrier glow discharge,three-pulse glow discharge in 6mm helium was obtained.The electrical signals were measured,and short exposure time images were taken using an intensified charge-coupled device(ICCD).The gray value of the images was extracted and the corresponding light distribution was drawn to make the images more visualized.According to the features of discharge images,the optical development was analyzed by dividing the current pulses into different stages.Moreover,the discharge modes and the transition law of all stages were studied systematically,and the mechanism of discharge was investigated.The results show that,in the initial stage,the discharge has an anode luminous structure of Townsend discharge.Then the discharge transits to glow mode with a structure of positive column,Faraday dark space and negative glow space.The weak luminescence between adjacent pulses still has a glow discharge structure,which strongly suggests that the discharge does not extinguish but maintains a weak glow discharge during these stages.
Surfactant Binding to Polymer-Water Interfaces in Atomistic Simulations.

Attractive interactions between additive molecules and particle surfaces are key parameters in the design of waterborne suspensions and coatings. We use atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to determine the potential of mean force for a commonly used industrial surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) interacting with acrylate latex particles. We investigate how the potential of mean force and binding free energy depend on the amount of SDS adsorbed, solution ionic strength, and presence of other charged groups on the particle surface. We show that the potential of mean force for SDS is a sum of two independent terms, from the hydrophobic surfactant tail and charged headgroup: dragging the surfactant tail into solution contributes a linear potential of about kT per CH2 group, while the headgroup is repelled by like charges on the surface with a potential of about the zeta potential. Commercial acrylate latex particles also bear multivalent charged “hairs” as a remnant of their synthesis. These cha...
The Life-span of Complement-sensitive and -insensitive Red Cells in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

The survival of the complement-sensitive and complement-insensitive red cells in four patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) have been determined using either a cohort or a random label. The complement-sensitive cells have a very short survival (T ½) of less than 6 days by either technique). The complement-insensitive cells have a longer survival, with a large component of random destruction. The complement-sensitive cells are not changed into complement-insensitive cells. The proportion of complement-sensitive cells produced per day is very much greater than the proportion of these cells in the circulating blood.
Enhanced wide-spectrum vibration suppression based on adaptive loop shaping

In linear feedback control, the attenuation of disturbances at the designer-selected frequencies is subjected to the fundamental limitation of undesired error amplifications at other frequencies, due to the “waterbed” effect that is induced from Bode's Integral Theorem. In the presence of unknown disturbances with high-frequency wide-spectrum peaks, such undesired error amplifications severely degrades the closed-loop servo performance, and are extremely difficult to control using traditional loop shaping techniques. In this paper, a direct adaptive control approach is proposed based on adaptive loop shaping and disturbance observer (DOB). The proposed algorithm offers more flexibilities in controlling the “waterbed” effect, to achieve enhanced attenuation of the unknown wide-spectrum disturbances. Verification of the proposed algorithm is provided by simulations of hard disk drives (HDDs) for audio vibration suppression.
Perceptions and Consequences of Social Change Among Elderly Japanese-American Workers in a Hawaii Plantation Community: A Case Example of Industrial Withdrawal

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions and consequences associated with the closing of a sugar plantation company for a group of Japanese American plantation workers who were born and raised on the plantation. These workers were the children of Japanese immigrants who had come to Hawaii at the turn of century to plant and harvest sugar. The participants were thirty nisei (second generation) Japanese-American male residents of a rural plantation community in Hawaii. Using the techniques of participant observation, interviewing, and record research, the study explored the worker's (1) perceptions of change, (2) evaluations of perceived change, (3) stresses resulting from change, (4) coping strategies, and (5) future expectations. These subjective dimensions of change were examined across eight major areas of community life (i.e., employment, housing, community relations, community services, family life, education, physical environment, and crime). The data were analyzed to determine perceptions, evaluations, and stresses resulting from community change and to identify strategies used to cope with community change. The impact of change on resident attitudes and lifestyle patterns are discussed and summarized under three major themes: (1) communal versus individualistic lifestyles, (2) association versus dissociation of employment and the community, and (3) continuity versus discontinuity of life in the plantation.Personal comments of workers are presented to demonstrate the utility and significance of the present research approach in assessing individual experiences in response to social changes. An understanding of the impact of change on resident attitudes, beliefs, and lifestyle patterns provides the basis for devising change programs that are sensitive to the social and psychological needs of individuals affected by the changes.
Post-diagnosis weight change, body mass index, and breast cancer survival

B95 Weight change and body mass index following a breast cancer diagnosis have potential to impact survival. To explore this relation, we analyzed data from a cohort of 4,021 women who previously participated in consecutive population-based case-control studies of incident breast cancer in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Initially, women age 20-79 with a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer during 1988-2001 were ascertained through the respective state registries. Case-control study participation involved completion of a structured telephone interview with information on height and weight, reproductive and menstrual factors, lifestyle characteristics, family and personal history of breast cancer, and demographics. In 1998-2001, all surviving cases of the original case-control studies were mailed a follow-up questionnaire that addressed post-diagnosis weight, weight gain, physical activity, diet, medication history, alternative therapies, and quality of life. Vital status information was obtained by linkage with the National Death Index through 2005. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated from multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. All final statistical models were adjusted for age, state of enrollment, time from breast cancer diagnosis to completion of the follow-up questionnaire, family history of breast cancer, menopausal status, and stage of disease. To avoid the influence of disease on post-diagnosis body weight, women with metastatic disease at diagnosis were excluded from the analysis. After an average 5.8 years of follow-up, we identified 121 breast cancer deaths and 428 non-breast cancer deaths among the 4,021 breast cancer cases. For every 5 kg weight gain since breast cancer diagnosis, risk of death from breast cancer increased by 14% (HR=1.14; 95% CI: 1.04-1.26). We did not observe effect modification of the weight gain and breast cancer survival association according to age (P-interaction=0.4), menopausal status (P-interaction=0.4), or cigarette smoking (P-interaction=0.3). Risk of breast cancer death was more than twice as high among women classified as obese compared to those classified with normal body mass index (BMI) (HR=2.36; 95% 1.50-3.73 for post-diagnosis BMI >30 kg/m2 versus 18.5-24.9 kg/m2). These findings suggest that efforts towards preventing post-diagnosis weight gain may positively affect breast cancer survival.
Calcific Pancreatitis Associated with Alcohol Use

A 50-year-old man with alcohol dependence presented with acute symptoms of hematemesis. Imaging revealed extensive calcification of the pancreas.
Practical Reason, Sympathy and Reactive Attitudes

This paper has three aims. First, I defend, in its most radical form, Hume's scepticism about practical reason, as it applies to purely self-regarding matters. It's not always irrational to discount the future, to be inconstant in one's preferences, to have incompatible desires, to not pursue the means to one's ends, or to fail to maximize one's own good. Second, I explain how our response to the “irrational” agent should be understood as an expression of frustrated sympathy, in Adam Smith's sense of sympathy, rather than a genuine judgement about Reason. We judge these people because we cannot imaginatively identify with their desires and attitudes, and this is frustrating. Third, compared to the standard cognitive view, my account better explains the nature of our criticism of the “irrational,” and, by portraying “irrationality” as a cause of upset to other people, provides a better normative basis for being “rational.”
Photoacoustic imaging of intestinal strictures: microscopic and macroscopic assessment in vivo (Conference Presentation)

The pathology of Crohn’s disease (CD) is characterized by obstructing intestinal strictures because of inflammation (with high levels of hemoglobin), fibrosis (high levels of collagen), or a combination of both. Inflammatory strictures are medically treated. Fibrotic strictures have to be removed surgically. The accurate characterization of the strictures is therefore critical for the management of CD. Currently the comprehensive assessment of a stricture is difficult, as the standard diagnostic procedure, endoscopic biopsy, is superficial and with limited locations as well as depth. In our previous studies, photoacoustic imaging (PAI) has recovered the layered architectures and the relative content of the molecular components in human and animal tissues ex vivo. This study will investigate the capability of multispectral PAI in resolving the architecture and the molecular components of intestinal strictures in rats in vivo. PA images at 532, 1210 and 1310 nm targeting the strong optical absorption of hemoglobin, lipid and collagen were acquired using two approaches. A compact linear array, CL15-7, was used to transcutaneously acquire PA signals generated by the a fiber optics diffuser positioned within the inner lumen of the strictures. Another approach was to use an endoscopic capsule probe for acoustic resolution PA microscopy. The capsule probe is designed for human and therefore cannot fit into rat colon. The inner surface of the intestinal stricture was exposed and the probe was attached to the diseased location for imaging. The findings in PA images were confirmed by histology results.
Of Horse-Caterpillars and Homologies: Evolution of the Hippocampus and Its Name.

The hippocampus was first named in mammals based on the appearance of its gross morphological features, one end of it being fancied to resemble the head of a horse and the rest of it a silkworm, or ca
Multidimensional Intergenerational Instrumental Support and Self-Rated Health Among Older Adults in Rural China: Trajectories and Correlated Change Over 11 Years:

Objectives:This study investigated the dynamic relationship between multidimensional intergenerational instrumental support and health over time. This approach is of theoretical, methodological, an...
Collaborative Visual Analysis of Sentiment in Twitter Events

Researchers across many fields are increasingly using data from social media sites to address questions about individual and group social behaviors. However, the size and complexity of these data sets challenge traditional research methods; many new tools and techniques have been developed to support research in this area. In this paper, we present our experience designing and evaluating Agave, a collaborative visual analysis system for exploring events and sentiment over time in large tweet data sets. We offer findings from evaluating Agave with researchers experienced with social media data, focusing on how users interpreted sentiment labels shown in the interface and on the value of collaboration for stimulating exploratory analysis.
Palynological and Geochemical Records of Environmental Changes in a Taxodium Swamp near Lake Pontchartrain in Southern Louisiana (USA) during the Last 150 Years

Ryu, J.; Bianchette, T.A.; Liu, K.-B.; Yao, Q., and Maiti, K.D., 2018. Palynological and Geochemical Records of Environmental Changes in a Taxodium Swamp near Lake Pontchartrain in Southern Louisiana (USA) during the Last 150 Years. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 381–385. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.The hydrological and environmental histories of estuarine wetlands in southern Louisiana are not well-documented. To better understand their local developmental processes, a 59 cm sediment core (WMA-1) was extracted from a bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) swamp located approximately 800 m west of Lake Pontchartrain. This area has been heavily influenced by human activities, and is susceptible to inundation from storm surges from Lake Pontchartrain as well as fluvial and lacustrine processes. 210Pb analysis indicates that WMA-1 has a sedimentation rate of 0.39 cm/year, consistent with the detection of a 137Cs peak at 18 cm depth. Sedimentological and geochemical analyses reveal two distinct sedimentological facies: an organic-rich dark brown peat unit from 0 to 29 cm containing low concentrations of terrestrial elements (e.g., Ti, and Fe), and a clay unit from 29 to 59 cm with elevated concentrations of most elements (e.g., Sr, Cl, Ti, Mn, and Fe). The pollen assemblage in the clay section is dominated by TCT (mainly Taxodium), but it is replaced by Salix and wetland herbaceous taxa in the overlying peat. The Taxodium swamp was present at the site at least 150 years ago, and was replaced by Salix and other bottomland hardwood trees and wetland herbs due to a decrease in water level around AD 1940. While climate may have played a role, this hydrological change was most likely caused by the significant regional human activities during the last 100 years. Two thin clay layers (at 3–5 cm, 14–19 cm) embedded in the upper peat section were likely deposited from hurricanes Isaac (2012) and Betsy (1969): two events responsible for heavy rain and significant storm-surge flooding. Our findings suggest that human activities are capable of altering local wetland hydrology and ecology, while the clay layers represent hurricane-induced floods at the site during the past century.
2- Transistor Schmitt Trigger based on 2D Electrostrictive Field Effect Transistors

The 2D Electrostrictive FET (2D EFET) is a steep switching device that operates on the principle of dynamic bandgap (Eo) modulation of 2D channel enabled by voltage induced strain transduction [1]. However, the steep switching comes with its own overheads such as increased capacitance. Further, 2D-EFETs offer distinct features, such as a back terminal with unique control of device characteristics. To overcome the limitations of 2D EFETs, their unique behavior needs to be judiciously capitalized. In this work, we propose a 2-Transistor Schmitt Trigger (ST) based on 2D-EFETs utilizing the dynamic $E_{G}$ reduction and the resultant drive strength modulation driven by $V_{B}$ . (Fig. 1). We show the significance of circuit-driven device optimization to enable 2D-EFET based ST employing just two transistors.
Changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters following intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Introduction: Gait impairment is a common presenting symptom in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). However, gait parameters have not previously been evaluated in detail as potential independent outcome measures. Methods: We prospectively measured changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters in 20 patients with CIDP, at baseline and following treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), using GAITRite, a computerized walkway system with embedded sensors. Results: Overall, study patients showed significant improvements in gait velocity, cadence, stride length, double support time, stance phase, and swing phase following IVIG treatment. Mean changes in velocity, stance phase, and swing phase, exhibited the greatest statistical significance among the subgroup that exhibited clinically meaningful improvement in INCAT disability score, MRC sum score, and grip strength. Conclusion: Assessment of gait parameters, in particular velocity, step phase and swing phase, is a potentially sensitive outcome measure for evaluating treatment response in CIDP. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Institutionalization of Anti-Business Protest, 1960–1995

ABSTRACTThe target a social movement selects is important for the type of tactic employed. Research suggests the state can use both a carrot (access) and stick (repression) to encourage conventiona...
The reactivity of the thioalkyne, MeSC[triple bond]CSMe, with ruthenium and tungsten complexes

The allcyne, MeSC-CSMe, initially displaces CI" in Cp(PMe3) 2RUCI at room temperature in MeOH to form a sulfurbound alkyne complex (Cp(PMe3)2Ru[S(Me)C-CSMe])PFg (1). Upon warming, 1 rearranges to the vinylidene complex [Cp(PMeg)2Ru=C=C(SMe)2]PFg (2). Complex 2 is reduced by Na[HBEt3] or Na/Hg to give the thioacetylide, Cp(PMe3)2RuC-C-SMe (5), and MeSSMe. The vinylidene complexes [Cp(PHe3)2Ru»C«C(R) (SMe) ]*** (6, R = H; 7, R • Me) are formed by electrophilic addition to the /9-carbon of the thioacetylide (5). Addition of CuCl to 5 forms Cp(PMe3) 2RU(CuCl) (C-C-SMe) (8) in which the copper is tr-bound through the C-C group. Reaction of 6 with methanol and ethanol yields the methoxycarbene complexes [Cp(PMe3)2Ru=C(OR)(CH2SMe)]BF4 (11a, R = Me; lib, R = Et). Deprotonation of 11a with NaOMe yields the vinyl complex Cp(PMe3)2Ru[C(0Me)=C(H)SMe] (12). Further addition of [Me30]BF4 to complexes 6 and 7 yields the first examples of sulfonium vinylidene dicationic complexes [Cp(PMe3)2Ru=C=C(R)(SMe2)](BF4)2 (9, R = H; 10, R = Me). An X-ray diffraction investigation shows that 9 crystallizes in space group P2i/n with a = 16.641 (2) Â, b = 8.861 (1) Â, c = 18.168 (2) A, = 114.80 (1)*, and Z = 4. Complexes 7 and 10 undergo one and two-electron reductions, respectively, to