cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of surfactant-modified zeolites to environmental remediation

Abstract This paper summarizes recent work on environmental applications of surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ), particularly for the removal of contaminants from water. SMZ was tested as a sorbent, and as a component of combined sorption/degradation media. Use of SMZ as a sorbent in a sub-surface permeable barrier was evaluated. A 15-week pilot test showed barrier retardation factors of 44 and 39 for chromate and PCE, respectively, similar to the values predicted from laboratory experiments. SMZ was also tested as a sorbent for organics present in oilfield wastewaters. Laboratory column experiments showed that major fuel components were effectively removed by SMZ and that the SMZ could be regenerated by air sparging. Finally, laboratory and field experiments showed that SMZ removed 99–100% of bacteria and viruses present in sewage effluent. The effectiveness of SMZ in combined sorption/degradation media was also evaluated. A permeable barrier pilot test with SMZ/zero-valent-iron pellets showed that chromate was totally removed from contaminated groundwater while PCE concentrations were reduced by two orders of magnitude. Finally, laboratory microcosm experiments showed that toluene-degrading organisms could be effectively cultured on SMZ.
A systems approach to mapping transcriptional networks controlling surfactant homeostasis.

Pulmonary surfactant is required for lung function at birth and throughout life. Lung lipid and surfactant homeostasis requires regulation among multi-tiered processes, coordinating the synthesis of surfactant proteins and lipids, their assembly, trafficking, and storage in type II cells of the lung. The mechanisms regulating these interrelated processes are largely unknown. We integrated mRNA microarray data with array independent knowledge using Gene Ontology (GO) similarity analysis, promoter motif searching, protein interaction and literature mining to elucidate genetic networks regulating lipid related biological processes in lung. A Transcription factor (TF) - target gene (TG) similarity matrix was generated by integrating data from different analytic methods. A scoring function was built to rank the likely TF-TG pairs. Using this strategy, we identified and verified critical components of a transcriptional network directing lipogenesis, lipid trafficking and surfactant homeostasis in the mouse lung. Within the transcriptional network, SREBP, CEBPA, FOXA2, ETSF, GATA6 and IRF1 were identified as regulatory hubs displaying high connectivity. SREBP, FOXA2 and CEBPA together form a common core regulatory module that controls surfactant lipid homeostasis. The core module cooperates with other factors to regulate lipid metabolism and transport, cell growth and development, cell death and cell mediated immune response. Coordinated interactions of the TFs influence surfactant homeostasis and regulate lung function at birth.
Field soil aggregate stability kit for soil quality and rangeland health evaluations

Abstract Soil aggregate stability is widely recognized as a key indicator of soil quality and rangeland health. However, few standard methods exist for quantifying soil stability in the field. A stability kit is described which can be inexpensively and easily assembled with minimal tools. It permits up to 18 samples to be evaluated in less than 10 min and eliminates the need for transportation, minimizing damage to soil structure. The kit consists of two 21×10.5×3.5 cm plastic boxes divided into eighteen 3.5×3.5 cm sections, eighteen 2.5-cm diameter sieves with 1.5-mm distance openings and a small spatula used for soil sampling. Soil samples are rated on a scale from one to six based on a combination of ocular observations of slaking during the first 5 min following immersion in distilled water, and the percent remaining on a 1.5-mm sieve after five dipping cycles at the end of the 5-min period. A laboratory comparison yielded a correlation between the stability class and percent aggregate stability based on oven dry weight remaining after treatment using a mechanical sieve. We have applied the method in a wide variety of agricultural and natural ecosystems throughout western North America, including northern Mexico, and have found that it is highly sensitive to differences in management and plant community composition. Although the field kit cannot replace the careful laboratory-based measurements of soil aggregate stability, it can clearly provide valuable information when these more intensive procedures are not possible.
Cell formation using multiple process plans

Cell formation (CF) consists of identifying machine groups and part families. Many CF procedures use a part machine matrix as an input and attempt to obtain a block diagonal form. But perfect block diagonalization of parts and machines is not possible is many cases. In this paper we consider a generalized cellular manufacturing (CM) problem, in which each part can have alternate process plans and each operation can be performed on alternate machines. Under these conditions the CF problem of assigning parts and machines to each manufacturing cell can be considered as a two stage process. The first stage deals with the problem of determining a unique process plan for each part. The second stage determines the part families and machine cells. In this research a model for forming part families and machine cells is presented considering alternate process plans. The objective is to analyze how alternate process plans influence and enhance the CM process giving better flexibility to the designer while designing cells for CM.
Helicobacter pylori Factors Associated With Disease Development

Although certain factors appear to predispose the host to infection by Helicobacter pylori, clearly the bacterium possesses a well-defined battery of virulence factors that allow the organism to: (1) colonize the gastric mucosa (urease, flagella, adhesins, acid-inhibitory protein, iron acquisition proteins, and heat shock proteins); (2) evade host defense (shedding of surface proteins, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and poorly reactive lipopolysaccharide); and (3) damage host tissue (vacuolating cytotoxin, protease, CagA-related factors, inducers of cytokines, and chemotaxins). Together these factors allow H. pylori to persist in the host, establishing a chronic infection. Although many of these virulence factors are produced by all strains of H. pylori, there are also well-defined pathogenicity islands (contiguous stretches of chromosomal DNA) present in some strains that encode additional proteins including CagA that potentiate virulence. Strains possessing these "virulence cassettes" are isolated more frequently from patients with the more serious clinical manifestations associated with duodenal ulcer than from patients with gastritis alone or nonulcer dyspepsia.
Seasonal variation in populations of flower thrips in Georgia, Maryland, and New York.

The seasonal abundance of Frankliniella tritici (Fitch) was determined from records in sticky-card traps for the years 1966, 1967, and 1968 at Fort Valley, Ga., and Beltsville, Md., and for the years 1967 and 1968 at Farmingdale, N. y, In the years studied, peak periods of flight occurred during mid-May at Fort Valley, during the 1st week of July at Beltsville, and during the middle of July at Farmingdale. Since catches of thrips were much greater in Georgia than farther north, the insect is apparently more abundant in the southern part of its range.
Predictors of early mortality after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation for the treatment of refractory ascites

PURPOSE Currently there is no consensus regarding a target portosystemic gradient (PSG) after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation for the treatment of refractory ascites. The goal of this study was to examine whether the PSG after TIPS creation is predictive of subsequent mortality risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective review of 99 patients who underwent successful TIPS creation for refractory ascites between January 1997 and December 2004 was performed. Follow-up consisted of clinic and emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and radiology studies (mean, 7 months). Comparison of baseline patient characteristics was performed between survivors and patients who died. Survival rates were calculated with use of the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test based on Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores and PSGs before and after TIPS creation. Univariate and multivariate analysis of potential predictors of mortality was performed with Cox proportional-hazards analysis. RESULTS Sixteen patients died during follow-up (mean, 1.9 months after TIPS creation). The patients who died had significantly higher MELD scores before TIPS creation than did survivors ( P = .04 ) and significantly lower PSGs before and after TIPS creation ( P = .02 and P = .03 , respectively). Survival rates were significantly lower for patients with higher MELD scores ( P = .01 ) and lower PSGs before TIPS creation ( P = .01 ) and after TIPS creation ( P = .01 ). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that Child class C cirrhosis, MELD score greater than 25, and PSG less than 8 mm Hg after TIPS creation were the most significant predictors of mortality (increased likelihood by factors of 4, 5, and 3, respectively). CONCLUSION Excessive reduction of the PSG along with severe liver dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of mortality after TIPS creation in patients presenting with refractory ascites.
Presurgical multimodality neuroimaging analysis for complex partial seizures

Surgical treatment of patients suffering from complex partial seizures requires the localization of the epileptogenic zone for surgical resection. Currently, clinicians utilize electroencephalography (EEG), psychological tests, and various neuroimaging modalities together to determine the location of this zone. We investigate the use of positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the presurgical workup and analysis of patients with complex partial seizures. The results of imaging studies of 25 patients are compared for lateralization accuracy and relative concordance.
When the Levee Breaks: The Impact of the Sino-Soviet Split and the Invasion of Czechoslovakia on Romanian-Soviet Relations, 1967–1970

Romania's position regarding the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 was the culmination of almost a decade of increasingly autonomous moves vis-a-vis Moscow. Based on new evidence from the Romanian archives, this article paints a more complete picture of Nicolae Ceausescu's reaction to the invasion of Czechoslovakia, placing it in the context of the international system and especially the Sino-Soviet split. Following the invasion, Romania remained just as committed as before to the goal of ensuring its maneuverability on the world scene, especially with regard to sovereignty and independence. Although Romanian leaders tried not to provoke the Soviet Union outright, they did not back down on important issues concerning Sino-Romanian relations and did not embrace Moscow's call for a common Warsaw Pact foreign policy. Romania did agree to certain compromises, but only because Ceausescu believed that Romania would remain largely unaffected by them.
Fundamentals of gas-liquid-solid fluidization

The successful design and operation of a gas-liquid-solid fluidized-bed system depend on the ability to accurately predict the fundamental properties of the system, specifically, the hydrodynamics, the mixing of individual phases, and the heat and mass transfer properties. Identification of the flow regimes under which the system operates is crucial to an understanding of both the variations of these properties and overall system performance. This timely, comprehensive review describes in a systematic manner the status of fundamental gas-liquid-solid fluidization behavior. This review also discusses the areas in which current knowledge is deficient and further research is needed.
Impacts of a Coparenting-Focused Intervention on Links Between Pre-birth Intimate Partner Violence and Observed Parenting

Our understanding of the role of preventive interventions in buffering the effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) on mothers’ and fathers’ earliest parenting is limited. Couples (N = 167) in a community sample reported on past-year IPV prenatally and were observed interacting with their 1 year-old children; couples were randomly assigned to an 8-session prevention program designed to improve coparenting or a control condition. Links between mothers’ and fathers’ violence and parenting were largely significant, but only for control group couples. Coparenting did not significantly mediate associations between IPV and parenting among control group couples. This study adds to our understanding of the associations between IPV and early parenting, and has important implications for prevention.
A Controlled Endoscopic Study Comparing the Toxic Effects of Sulindac, Naproxen, Aspirin, and Placebo on the Gastric Mucosa of Healthy Volunteers

Abstract: Sixty volunteers were endoscopically evaluated to compare gastric mucosal injury following oral administration of sulindac, naproxen, aspirin, or placebo for two consecutive seven-day periods. A single-blind technique was utilized wherein the endoscopist was unaware which drug each volunteer had received. The following dosages were employed for the two study periods: sulindac, 150 and 200 mg, b.i.d., naproxen, 250 and 375 mg, b.i.d., and aspirin, 650 and 975 mg, q.i.d. The only subject who developed a frank ulcer with mucosal bleeding was in the sulindac group, however volunteers taking sulindac demonstrated statistically less significant mucosal injury on endoscopic examination than those receiving naproxen or aspirin.
Extracellular glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchored mannoproteins and proteases of Cryptococcus neoformans

Extracellular proteins of Cryptococcus neoformans are involved in the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis, and some are immunoreactive antigens that may potentially serve as candidates for vaccine development. To further study the extracellular proteome of the human fungal pathogen Cry. neoformans , we conducted a proteomic analysis of secreted and cell wall-bound proteins with an acapsular strain of Cry. neoformans . Proteins were identified from both intact cells and cell walls. In both cases, extracellular proteins were removed with trypsin or β-glucanase, and then all proteins/peptides were purified by solid-phase extraction, spin dialysis, and HPLC, and identified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. This study identified 29 extracellular proteins with a predicted N-terminal signal sequence and also a predicted glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor motif in more than half. Among the novel proteins identified were five glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins with extensive Ser/Thr-rich regions but no apparent functional domains, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored aspartic protease, and a metalloprotease with structural similarity to an elastinolytic metalloprotease of Aspergillus fumigatus . This study suggests that Cry. neoformans has the machinery required to target glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins to the cell wall, and it confirms the extracellular proteolytic ability of Cry. neoformans .
iaglu, a gene from Zea mays involved in conjugation of growth hormone indole-3-acetic acid

Plants contain most of the growth hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in conjugated forms believed to be inactive in promoting growth. The iaglu gene, which controls the first step in the biosynthesis of the IAA conjugates of Zea mays, encodes (uridine 5'-diphosphate-glucose:indol-3-ylacetyl)-beta-D-glucosyl transferase. Protein synthesized by Escherichia coli that contained cloned 1-O-beta-D-indol-3-ylacetyl-glucose complementary DNA (cDNA) was catalytically active. The predicted amino acid sequence of the cDNA was confirmed by amino-terminal sequencing of the purified enzyme. Homologous nucleotide sequences were found in all plants tested. The blockage or enhancement of iaglu expression may permit regulation of plant growth.
Identification of a ten-amino acid proline-rich SH3 binding site

The Src homology 3 (SH3) region is a small protein domain present in a very large group of proteins, including cytoskeletal elements and signaling proteins. It is believed that SH3 domains serve as modules that mediate protein-protein associations and, along with Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, regulate cytoplasmic signaling. The SH3 binding sites of two SH3 binding proteins were localized to a nine- or ten-amino acid stretch very rich in proline residues. Similar SH3 binding motifs exist in the formins, proteins that function in pattern formation in embryonic limbs of the mouse, and one subtype of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor. Identification of the SH3 binding site provides a basis for understanding the interaction between the SH3 domains and their targets.
Proteinuria: an enzymatic disease of the podocyte?

Proteinuria is a major health-care problem that affects several hundred million people worldwide. Proteinuria is a cardinal sign and a prognostic marker of kidney disease, and also an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Microalbuminuria is the earliest cue of renal complications of diabetes, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome. It can often progress to overt proteinuria that in 10–50% of patients is associated with the development of chronic kidney disease, ultimately requiring dialysis or transplantation. Therefore, reduction or prevention of proteinuria is highly desirable. Here we review recent novel insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of proteinuria, with a special emphasis on the emerging concept that proteinuria can result from enzymatic cleavage of essential regulators of podocyte actin dynamics by cytosolic cathepsin L (CatL), resulting in a motile podocyte phenotype. Finally, we describe signaling pathways controlling the podocyte actin cytoskeleton and motility and how these pathways can be manipulated for therapeutic benefit.
Kinetics of Arsenite Oxidation by Chemoautotrophic Thiomonas arsenivorans Strain b6 in a Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor

As(III) oxidation by a chemoautotrophic bacterium, Thiomonas arsenivorans strain b6, was evaluated in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) under a range of influent As(III) concentrations (2,000–4,000 mg/L) and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) (21.7–74.9 h). Five steady states were obtained after the CSTR was continuously operated for 115 days with over 99% As(III) oxidized under the optimal growth conditions for strain b6 at pH 6 and 30°C . The culture exhibited strong resilience by recovering from an As(III) overloading of 4,847.4±290.9 mg/day/L operated at a HRT of 21.7 h. Arsenic mass balance analysis revealed that As(III) was mainly oxidized to As(V), with unaccounted arsenic well within the analytical error of measurement. The best estimates of biokinetic parameters for As(III) oxidation were obtained using the steady-state data and the Monod expression based model [ k=5 mg As(III)/mg dry cell weight/h; Ks =20.1 mg/L ; kd =0.008 h−1 ; and Y=0.011 mg cell dry weight/mg As(III)]. The Monod model ...
Characteristics of the Hydrogen Electrode in High Temperature Steam Electrolysis Process

YSZ-electrolyte supported solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOECs) using LSM-YSZ oxygen electrode but with three types of hydrogen electrode, Ni–SDC, Ni–YSZ and LSCM–YSZ have been fabricated and characterized under different steam contents in the feeding gas at 850 C. Electrochemical impedance spectra results show that cell resistances increase with the increase in steam concentrations under both open circuit voltage and electrolysis conditions, suggesting that electrolysis reaction becomes more difficult in high steam content. Pt reference electrode was applied to evaluate the contributions of the hydrogen electrode and oxygen electrode in the electrolysis process. Electrochemical impedance spectra and over potential of both electrodes were measured under the same testing conditions. Experimental results show that steam contents mainly affect the behavior of the hydrogen electrode but have little influence on the oxygen electrode. Further, contribution from the hydrogen electrode is dominant in the electrolysis process for Ni–based SOECs, but this contribution decreases for LSCM–based SOECs. VC 2011 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3615992] All rights reserved.
The deteriorating cardiovascular health in China in the past decade.

Whereas China in recent years is prospering rapidly economically to become the second-largest economy in the world after the United States [1], the cardiovascular health of the Chinese people has deteriorated significantly over the past decade (1992–2002) [2]. The alarming statistics published recently in the Chinese Journal of Cardiology are worth noticing. Because this journal is seldom read outside of China and because the article is written in Chinese, I would like to call attention to some of the significant statistics reported in the article. Although the study cohort is from Beijing, the statistics can be applied equally to the entire China:
Discovery of indolotryptoline antiproliferative agents by homology-guided metagenomic screening

Natural product discovery by random screening of broth extracts derived from cultured bacteria often suffers from high rates of redundant isolation, making it ever more challenging to identify novel biologically interesting natural products. Here we show that homology-based screening of soil metagenomes can be used to specifically target the discovery of new members of traditionally rare, biomedically relevant natural product families. Phylogenetic analysis of oxy-tryptophan dimerization gene homologs found within a large soil DNA library enabled the identification and recovery of a unique tryptophan dimerization biosynthetic gene cluster, which we have termed the bor cluster. When heterologously expressed in Streptomyces albus, this cluster produced an indolotryptoline antiproliferative agent with CaMKIIδ kinase inhibitory activity (borregomycin A), along with several dihydroxyindolocarbazole anticancer/antibiotics (borregomycins B–D). Similar homology-based screening of large environmental DNA libraries is likely to permit the directed discovery of new members within other previously rare families of bioactive natural products.
Cyclic, disulfide- and dithioether-containing opioid tetrapeptides: Development of a ligard with high delta opioid receptor selectivity and affinity

Tetrapeptides of primary sequence Tyr-X-Phe-YNH2, where X is D-Cys or D-Pen (penicillamine) and where Y is D-Pen or L-Pen, were prepared and were cyclized via the side chain sulfurs of residues 2 and 4 to disulfide or dithioether-containing analogs. These peptides are related to previously reported penicillamine-containing pentapeptide enkephalin analogs but lack the central glycine residue of the latter and were designed to assess the effect of decreased ring size on opioid activity. Binding affinities of the tetrapeptides were determined to both mu and delta opioid receptors. Binding affinity and selectivity in the tetrapeptide series were observed to be highly dependent on primary sequence. For example, L-Pen4 analogs displayed low affinity and were nonselective, while the corresponding D-Pen4 diastereomers were of variable affinity and higher selectivity. Among the latter compounds were examples of potent analogs in which selectivity shifted from delta selective to mu selective as the ring size was increased. The relatively high binding affinity and delta receptor selectivity observed with one of the carboxamide terminal disulfide analogs led to the synthesis of the corresponding carboxylic acid terminal, Tyr-D-Cys-Phe-D-PenOH. This analog displayed delta receptor binding selectivity similar to that of the standard delta ligand, [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE), and was found to have a 3.5-fold higher binding affinity than DPDPE. All the tetrapeptides were further evaluated in the isolated mouse vas deferens (mvd) assay and all displayed opioid agonist activity. In general, tetrapeptide potencies in the mouse vas deferens correlated well with binding affinities but were somewhat lower. Receptor selectivity in the mvd, assessed by examining the effect of opioid antagonists on the tetrapeptide concentration-effect curves, was similar to that determined in the binding studies.
The Changing World of Early Care and Education: Retrofitting Practice and Policy

In order to accommodate the changing needs of today's children and families, early care and education policy and practice will need to be changed dramatically. This essay delineates philosophical, structural and pedagogical challenges that must be retrofitted as a new and effective social strategy is crafted.
Systematic errors in indirect estimates of basilar membrane travel times.

There exist in the literature three attempts to derive basilar membrane travel times from the phase versus frequency characteristics of responses to tones in the auditory nerve [Anderson et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 49, 1131–1139 (1971)], cochlear nucleus [Gibson et al., in Psychophysics and Physiology of Hearing, edited by Evans and Wilson (Academic, New York, 1977), pp. 57–68], and basilar membrane [Robles et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 59, 926–939 (1976)]. It is argued in this paper that these derivations probably have overestimated the actual mechanical travel times. Travel time was originally defined by von Bekesy as the latency between the onset of a click stimulus and the onset of basilar membrane vibration. For a linear bandpass system, the frequency‐domain equivalent of this latency is the high‐frequency asymptotic slope of the phase lag versus frequency characteristic, which is not generally a linear function. In the neural studies (auditory nerve and cochlear nucleus) it was assumed that the phase ...
A neural network job-shop scheduler

This paper focuses on the development of a neural network (NN) scheduler for scheduling job-shops. In this hybrid intelligent system, genetic algorithms (GA) are used to generate optimal schedules to a known benchmark problem. In each optimal solution, every individually scheduled operation of a job is treated as a decision which contains knowledge. Each decision is modeled as a function of a set of job characteristics (e.g., processing time), which are divided into classes using domain knowledge from common dispatching rules (e.g., shortest processing time). A NN is used to capture the predictive knowledge regarding the assignment of operation’s position in a sequence. The trained NN could successfully replicate the performance of the GA on the benchmark problem. The developed NN scheduler was then tested against the GA, Attribute-Oriented Induction data mining methodology and common dispatching rules on a test set of randomly generated problems. The better performance of the NN scheduler on the test problem set compared to other methods proves the feasibility of NN-based scheduling. The scalability of the NN scheduler on larger problem sizes was also found to be satisfactory in replicating the performance of the GA.
Insect resistance in traditional and heirloom sweetpotato varieties.

ABSTRACT Fifty-nine sweetpotato cultivars, including 16 heirlooms, 11 near-heirlooms (developed in the 1960s and 1970s), 19 cultivars from the 1980s, and 13 modern varieties (since 1990), were evaluated for resistance to soil insects in field experiments during 2010–2011 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory (USDA-ARS, USVL), Charleston, SC. These experiments included two insect-susceptible control cultivars (‘Beauregard’ and ‘SC1149-19’) and four insect-resistant control cultivars (‘Charleston Scarlet,’ ‘Regal,’ ‘Ruddy,’ and ‘Sumor’) that were developed by the USDA-ARS, USVL sweetpotato breeding program. Sweetpotato genotypes differed significantly in resistance measured by the overall percentage of injured roots, WDS ( Wireworm, Diabrotica, and Systena) index, the percentage of roots damaged by the sweetpotato weevil (Cylas formicarius F.), the percentage of roots damaged by the sweetpotato flea beetle (Chaetocnema confinis Crotch), and the percent...
Cultural Diversity at Work: The Effects of Diversity Perspectives on Work Group Processes and Outcomes

This paper develops theory about the conditions under which cultural diversity enhances or detracts from work group functioning. From qualitative research in three culturally diverse organizations, we identified three different perspectives on workforce diversity: the integration-and-learning perspective, the access-and-legitimacy perspective, and the discrimination-and-fairness perspective. The perspective on diversity a work group held influenced how people expressed and managed tensions related to diversity, whether those who had been traditionally underrepresented in the organization felt respected and valued by their colleagues, and how people interpreted the meaning of their racial identity at work. These, in turn, had implications for how well the work group and its members functioned. All three perspectives on diversity had been successful in motivating managers to diversify their staffs, but only the integration-and-learning perspective provided the rationale and guidance needed to achieve sustai...
Flow Energy Harvesting Using Piezoelectric Cantilevers With Cylindrical Extension

We present a new piezoelectric flow energy harvester (PFEH) based on a piezoelectric cantilever (PEC) with a cylindrical extension. The flow-induced vibration of the cylindrical extension causes the PEC to vibrate at the natural frequency of the PFEH. The PFEH provides a low-cost, compact, and scalable power source for small electronics by harvesting energy from ambient flows such as wind and water streams. Prototypes were tested in both laminar and turbulent air flows, demonstrating the feasibility of the design. Turbulence excitation was found to be the dominant driving mechanism of the PFEH with additional vortex shedding excitation contribution in the lock-in region.
Hadley Circulation as a Modulator of the Extratropical Climate

Abstract Studies based on GCM ensemble forecasts have shown that an intensification of the cross-equatorial Hadley circulation associated with a latitudinal displacement of the zonally averaged convective heating in the Tropics can lead to remote warming in the winter high latitudes. This work further investigates this tropical–extratropical connection in a perpetual winter experiment using an idealized GCM without orography to focus on the role of transient eddies, and tests against observations using a multiyear reanalysis produced by the Goddard Earth Observing System-Version 1 (GEOS-1) Data Assimilation System. The GCM results show that the intensification and poleward expansion of the cross-equatorial Hadley cell induced by a tropical heating shift can lead to westerly acceleration in the winter subtropics and enhanced vertical shear of the zonal wind in the subtropics and midlatitudes. The increased baroclinicity outside the Tropics is accompanied by reduced meridional temperature and potential vort...
Community-based Planning and Poverty Alleviation in Oaxaca, Mexico:

In response to the growing critique of decentralized and participatory approaches to development, the article develops a theoretical framework for analyzing the relationship between community-based planning and poverty. Building on contributions from research on collective action, social capital, and social movements, the framework identifies a series of variables that are theorized to affect a community's capacity to alleviate poverty. Using this framework, three community-level case studies in Oaxaca, Mexico are analyzed. All three communities are characterized by a decline in subsistence agriculture, increasing out-migration, and the use of remittances to finance community-based planning projects. The article documents each community's capacity to alleviate the material manifestations of poverty. It concludes that only the community with the strongest capacity for community-level collective action was capable of planning independent of the state, and thus in a position to take incipient steps toward ad...
Temporal order of RNA-processing reactions in trypanosomes: rapid trans splicing precedes polyadenylation of newly synthesized tubulin transcripts.

Abstract Many trypanosome genes are expressed as part of large polycistronic transcription units. This finding suggests that regulation of mRNA biogenesis may emphasize RNA-processing reactions more so than in other organisms. This study was undertaken to understand the temporal order of two RNA-processing reactions, trans splicing and polyadenylation, in the maturation of trypanosome mRNAs in vivo. Kinetic studies revealed rapid trans splicing of alpha-tubulin, beta-tubulin, and actin pre-mRNAs within 1 to 2 min after synthesis of the 3' splice site. Furthermore, following blockage of pre-mRNA synthesis, newly synthesized spliced leader RNA cannot be used for trans splicing, suggesting that trypanosomes do not accumulate substantial amounts of pre-mRNA which can provide splice acceptor sites. Thus, trans splicing is cotranscriptional. In addition, we show that trans splicing precedes polyadenylation in the processing of trypanosome tubulin pre-mRNAs.
Predicting therapeutic response in patients with heart failure: the story of C-reactive protein

Heart failure continues to be a major public health burden in the USA. With markedly high rates of morbidity and mortality upon diagnosis, effective treatment and prognosis are critical in the management of chronic heart failure. Growing evidence now supports the hypothesis that inflammation plays a key role in the progression and worsening of heart failure. Of the various inflammatory mediators identified, C-reactive protein, an acute phase inflammatory marker, has been associated with poor prognosis in patients with heart failure. Several interventional studies have been investigated to explore C-reactive protein modulation and potential treatment options and health outcomes; however, further studies are warranted before C-reactive protein–targeted therapy may be recommended in the management of heart failure.
First Order Phase Transition in the SU(3) Gauge Theory at Finite Temperature

We argue that the phase transition which separates the low-temperature confining phase from the high-temperature nonconfining phase in the SU(3) gauge theory (without quarks) is first order.
Influence of enhancer sequences on thymotropism and leukemogenicity of mink cell focus-forming viruses.

Abstract Oncogenic mink cell focus-forming (MCF) viruses, such as MCF 247, show a positive correlation between the ability to replicate efficiently in the thymus and a leukemogenic phenotype. Other MCF viruses, such as MCF 30-2, replicate to high titers in thymocytes and do not accelerate the onset of leukemia. We used these two MCF viruses with different biological phenotypes to distinguish the effect of specific viral genes and genetic determinants on thymotropism and leukemogenicity. Our goal was to identify the viral sequences that distinguish thymotropic, nonleukemogenic viruses such as MCF 30-2 from thymotropic, leukemogenic viruses such as MCF 247. We cloned MCF 30-2, compared the genetic hallmarks of MCF 30-2 with those of MCF 247, constructed a series of recombinants, and tested the ability of recombinant viruses to replicate in the thymus and to induce leukemia. The results established that (i) MCF 30-2 and MCF 247 differ in the numbers of copies of the enhancer sequences in the long terminal repeats. (ii) The thymotropic phenotype of both viruses is independent of the number of copies of the enhancer sequences. (iii) The oncogenic phenotype of MCF 247 is correlated with the presence in the virus of duplicated enhancer sequences or with the presence of an enhancer with a specific sequence. These results show that the pathogenic phenotypes of MCF viruses are dissociable from the thymotropic phenotype and depend, at least in part, upon the enhancer sequences. On the basis of these results, we suggest that the molecular mechanisms by which the enhancer sequences determine thymotropism are different from those that determine oncogenicity.
Use of Dilute, Aqueous HF for Selective Etching

Hot, dilute aqueous solutions of hydrofluoric acid (HF) are used to etch silicon nitride films selectively relative to thermally grown silicon dioxide films. Etching is performed in a batch, immersion reactor. The wafers are then rinsed in deionized water and dried with isopropanol vapor. A maximum selectivity of 10.9 to 1 for a 1000:1 HF:H2O dilution at 70 °C is observed. Wafers are etched in hot, dilute HF and cleaned using standard techniques [1]. A thin (12 nm) oxide is then grown and dielectric properties are measured to determine optimum process conditions. For very dilute solutions at lower temperatures, relatively low dielectric strengths (5-6 MV/cm) for the grown oxide are observed, which indicates roughening of the silicon surface. Although the parameter space for exploiting the selective etch process is constrained, a significant range of process conditions exist where selectivity is present and no electrical properties are degraded.
Anisotropy in rocks under simple compression

Compressional velocities through samples of several types of rocks have been measured while the samples were subjected to simple compression in a hydraulic press. Velocity measurements were made in directions parallel to and perpendicular to the direction of the compression, with the amount of compression varying from zero up to the rupture point. All measurements were made at room temperature and with no confining pressure other than that of the atmosphere. Velocities in a direction parallel to the compression increased with compression in a manner somewhat similar to the increase found by other workers in samples subjected to hydrostatic pressures. Velocities in a direction perpendicular to the compression also increased, but at a much lower rate. The differences in the two velocities amounted to over ten per cent in some cases. The differences in velocities are large enough to suggest the possibility of making a rough determination of the state of strain in the neighborhood of a recognized active fault which is known or suspected to be near vertical. Possible applications toward the prediction of rockbursts are also suggested.
Computational design of orthogonal ribosomes

Orthogonal ribosomes (o-ribosomes), also known as specialized ribosomes, are able to selectively translate mRNA not recognized by host ribosomes. As a result, they are powerful tools for investigating translational regulation and probing ribosome structure. To date, efforts directed towards engineering o-ribosomes have involved random mutagenesis-based approaches. As an alternative, we present here a computational method for rationally designing o-ribosomes in bacteria. Working under the assumption that base-pair interactions between the 16S rRNA and mRNA serve as the primary mode for ribosome binding and translational initiation, the algorithm enumerates all possible extended recognition sequences for 16S rRNA and then chooses those candidates that: (i) have a similar binding strength to their target mRNA as the canonical, wild-type ribosome/mRNA pair; (ii) do not bind mRNA with the wild-type, canonical Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence and (iii) minimally interact with host mRNA irrespective of whether a recognizable SD sequence is present. In order to test the algorithm, we experimentally characterized a number of computationally designed o-ribosomes in Escherichia coli.
Anthropoid origins: a possible solution to the adapidae-Omomyidae paradox

Evidence from the comparative anatomy and biochemstry of living primates indicates that tarsiers are more closely related to anthropoids than are tooth-combed prosimians, suggesting an omomyid ancestry for anthropoids. On the other hand, paleontological evidence indicates that adapids are more suitable as anthropoid ancestors than are omomyids. These conclusions and the data from which they were derived have been viewed as mutually incompatible. However, these data sets are incompatible only in light of certain assumptions. The neontological argument in favor of an omomyid ancestry depends on the assumption that tooth-combed prosimians are descended from or are the sister group of adapids. This phylogenetic link has never been established by either the identification of shared derived characteristics or by the discovery of fossils intermediate in morphology. Instead, it is possible that adapids form a clade with omomyids, tarsiers and anthropoids, and that this clade shares a common ancestor with tooth-combed prosimians ( Gingerich & Schoeninger, 1977 ). Consideration of this hypothesis leads to the conclusions that the comparative study of soft anatomy and biochemistry cannot be used to refute an adapid ancestry of anthropoids, that the haplorhine-strepsirhine dichotomy is of extremely limited value when applied to fossil taxa, and that tooth-combed prosimians, rather than tarsiers, may provide the best behavioral and ecological model of an anthropoid ancestor despite their cladistic relationships.
Unsteady Force Measurement for a Beam Using Small Piezoelectric End Sensors

A new method to measure the total unsteady lift force across a propeller blade is presented in this paper. Unsteady forces across propeller blades are generated from the interaction of the blade boundary with a rotating pressure field associated with the propeller. The oscillating nature of the unsteady forces, particularly at higher harmonics, suggests that the unsteady lift fluctuations nearly cancel out over the blade span, and that it is possible to find the total unsteady force across the propeller from parameters at the root and tip. These parameters were determined from an approximation provided by the Method of the Stationary Phase. A newly designed apparatus for the measurement of total unsteady force across a propeller blade based on this theory is described in detail. For future experimental validation of the newly designed sensors, a propeller blade is modeled as a uniform beam, and a known unsteady force is generated across the beam surface.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
A COMPARISON OF WATER QUALITY IN CHAUTAUQUA LAKE, NEW YORK: 1937–1983

ABSTRACT Limnological studies undertaken on Chautauqua Lake, N.Y., between 1974 and 1983 indicated that lake water quality can be assessed by monitoring Secchi disk transparency and phytoplankton chlorophyll a. These measurements of phytoplankton abundance were observed to vary from year to year depending on the amount of precipitation; high chlorophyll a and poor transparency correlated with high precipitation, presumably due to increased loading of nutrients to the lake. Comparison of the data collected between 1974 and 1983 with comparable measurements made in the 1930s revealed that Chautauqua Lake water quality has not been substantially altered over the last 50 years. Transparency and the occurrence of blue-green algae were similar, although diatoms may have been more abundant in the 1930s. The results of these limnological studies reinforce the concept that long-term monitoring of algal abundance and species composition can be an appropriate means of detecting changes in lake water quality.
Conservative treatment of functional disorders of the feet in the adolescent and adult.

Pronation in childhood is an expression of deficiency in the function of the intrinsic osteo-articular structures of the foot. By application of the principles of Wolff's law. pronation may be greatly improved or entirely eliminated by the time the child is sixteen. In both children and adults, the preservation of function of the intrinsic and extrinsic structures essential to normal stance and locomotion is required for maximum efficiency and greatest freedom from discomfort. The shoes in which feet must work constitute the major cause of these problems common to successive generations. Excellence in quality of footwear cannot assure that the feet will be free from functional impairment. The structural and functional relationship between foot and shoe is determined by the last over which the shoe is made. The design of lasts has been determined by a combination of empirical influences, without benefit of measurements necessary for the preservation of function of the intrinsic and extrinsic structures essential to efficiency and comfort in stance and locomotion. Full understanding of the needs of the human foot in action awaits the further application of measurement to the study of foot dynamics. Proved principles can then replace opinion in the design of shoe lasts and in the application of therapeutic measures.
Comparison of the surface ion density of silica gel evaluated via spectral induced polarization versus acid–base titration

Abstract Surface complexation models are widely used with batch adsorption experiments to characterize and predict surface geochemical processes in porous media. In contrast, the spectral induced polarization (SIP) method has recently been used to non-invasively monitor in situ subsurface chemical reactions in porous media, such as ion adsorption processes on mineral surfaces. Here we compare these tools for investigating surface site density changes during pH-dependent sodium adsorption on a silica gel. Continuous SIP measurements were conducted using a lab scale column packed with silica gel. A constant inflow of 0.05 M NaCl solution was introduced to the column while the influent pH was changed from 7.0 to 10.0 over the course of the experiment. The SIP measurements indicate that the pH change caused a 38.49 ± 0.30 μS cm− 1 increase in the imaginary conductivity of the silica gel. This increase is thought to result from deprotonation of silanol groups on the silica gel surface caused by the rise in pH, followed by sorption of Na+ cations. Fitting the SIP data using the mechanistic model of Leroy et al. (Leroyet al., 2008), which is based on the triple layer model of a mineral surface, we estimated an increase in the silica gel surface site density of 26.9 × 1016 sites m− 2. We independently used a potentiometric acid–base titration data for the silica gel to calibrate the triple layer model using the software FITEQL and observed a total increase in the surface site density for sodium sorption of 11.2 × 1016 sites m− 2, which is approximately 2.4 times smaller than the value estimated using the SIP model. By simulating the SIP response based on the calibrated surface complexation model, we found a moderate association between the measured and estimated imaginary conductivity (R2 = 0.65). These results suggest that the surface complexation model used here does not capture all mechanisms contributing to polarization of the silica gel captured by the SIP data.