cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low melting inorganic salts of alkyl-, fluoroalkyl-, alkyl ether-, and fluoroalkyl ether-substituted oxazolidine and morpholine.

N-Alkyl- and N-fluoroalkyl-substituted oxazolidinium- and morpholinium-based quaternary salts and ionic liquids have been synthesized and characterized. Reactions of N-methyloxazolidine (1) or N-methylmorpholine (2) with 3-fluoropropyl bromide or iodopropane in THF at 25 °C gave the quaternary salts (3a,b, 4a,b). These salts were metathesized with various metal salts to yield the corresponding ionic liquids (5a−h, 6a−i). N-Alkoxyethyl- and N-(fluoroalkoxy)ethyl-substituted morpholines (8−11) were prepared and quaternized with methyl iodide (8a−11a). Their corresponding ionic liquids (12−18) were obtained by anion exchange and characterized. For both series of compounds, nitrate, hexafluorophosphate, perchlorate, triflate, and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide were utilized. Most of the final products are liquids at 25 °C and are thermally stable with long liquid ranges as determined by thermal gravimetric analyses. For compounds 12, 16, and 18, thermal stabilities of ≥400 °C were observed. All the new co...
Polycation inhibition of chloroplast Photosystem I

Abstract A variety of large polycations are able to inhibit the Photosystem I activity of chloroplasts which have been exposed to a low salt environment. These swollen chloroplast membranes shrink in response to large polycations and the extent of volume contraction parallels the inhibitory response. Inhibition is prevented by low concentrations of salts and di- and trivalent ions are superior to monovalent ions in protecting the chloroplasts from polycation inhibition. The effect of various ions in preventing inhibition is roughly paralleled by the ability of these ions to induce shrinkage of the swollen chloroplasts. Photosynthetic lamellae which are not stacked in grana in vivo are protected from polycation inhibition by salts. Chloroplast membranes pretreated with polyanions are less sensitive to polycation inhibition. Light-driven Photosystem I activity causes insensitivity to polycation inhibition. Inhibition by histone or polylysine can be reversed by protease digestion of the membrane bound polycation. Polycation inhibition can be reversed by the detergent Triton X-100 under circumstances which suggest that the detergent creates a bypass of the polycation inhibited site.
Mechanism of DNA release from cationic liposome/DNA complexes used in cell transfection.

To understand how DNA is released from cationic liposome/DNA complexes in cells, we investigated which biomolecules mediate release of DNA from a complex with cationic liposomes. Release from monovalent[1,2-dioleoyl-3(1)-1(trimethylammonio)propane] or multivalent (dioctadecylamidoglycylspermine) lipids was quantified by an increase of ethidium bromide (EtBr) fluorescence. Plasmid sensitivity to DNAse I degradation was examined using changes in plasmid migration on agarose gel electrophoresis. Physical separation of the DNA from the cationic lipid was confirmed and quantified on sucrose density gradients. Anionic liposomes containing compositions that mimic the cytoplasmic-facing monolayer of the plasma membrane (e.g. phosphatidylserine) rapidly released DNA from the complex. Release occurred near a 1/1 charge ratio (-/+) and was unaffected by ionic strength or ion type. Water soluble molecules with a high negative linear charge density such as dextran sulfate or heparin also released DNA. However, ionic water soluble molecules such as ATP, tRNA, DNA, poly(glutamic acid), spermidine, spermine, or histone did not, even at 100-fold charge excess (-/+). On the basis of these results, we propose that after the cationic lipid/DNA complex is internalized into cells by endocytosis it destabilizes the endosomal membrane. Destabilization induces flip-flop of anionic lipids from the cytoplasmic-facing monolayer, which laterally diffuse into the complex and form a charge neutral ion pair with the cationic lipids. This results in displacement of the DNA from the cationic lipid and release of the DNA into cytoplasm. This mechanism accounts for a variety of observations on cationic lipid/DNA complex-cell interactions.
Designing an Instructional Package: The Use of Probabilities in Farm Decision Making

Developments over the last few years have focused increased interest on the risk inherent in farm decision making. In part this is a renewal of emphasis from the 1950s (Thair, Johnson, Schichele), but it also reflects contemporary phenomena such as increased variation in foreign demand for U.S. grain, changes in governmental agricultural programs, and drought in some of the major agricultural areas of the nation. The "teachable moment" for farm decision making under risk has arrived. The need for educational programs in this area includes both existing farm producers participating in extension programs and potential farm managers studying in the classroom. A review of the literature (Walker and Nelson), contrasted with a survey of farm management instructors and extension specialists (Walker), indicates the existence of a large gap between theory and practice in risky-farm decision making. The emphasis of this paper is on the estimation and use of personal probabilities in the decision-making process. The purpose is to describe the rationale and process followed in developing an instructional package dealing with this topic.1 This paper first reviews the theory and methodology for incorporating probabilities into the decision-making process, i.e., the existing body of knowledge. This is followed by an analysis of the audience and the specification of the instructional objectives which, together with the existing body of knowledge, determine the content for the teaching module. The alternative teaching methods are then discussed, followed by a description of the characteristics of the final package and some preliminary observations regarding evaluation.
Phase-Locking Of A Millimeter-Wave Orotron Oscillator

AbstractSuccess in phase -locking a millimeter -wave pulsed oscillator is reported. The phase -lockcircuit is described and phase -noise results are given.IntroductionBrief Description of the OrotronThe orotron is a linear -beam oscillator specifically designed for operation at millimeterand submillimeter wavelengths. Its operation is based on the Smith -Purcell effect [1], in which radiation is generated when a sheet electron beam skims the surface of a metallic diffraction grafting. The orotron is capable of CW and pulse power outputs in the severalwatt range, and has full waveguide band mechanical tunability, although the electronic tuning range is confined to that corresponding to the width of one of the resonator modes. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the orotron as used at Harry Diamond Laboratories (HDL) [2,3,4,5,6]. In this device, which operates in the pulsed mode, a sheet electron beam passes over a metallic diffraction grating imbedded in a mirror which, together with a spherical mirror, forms an open resonator. This resonator reflects the electron beamradiation back onto the beam, causing it to bunch and giving rise to coherent radiationwhich passes into the output waveguide through a hole in the curved mirror. Since theorotron components are generally large, this device avoids the mechanical fabricationproblems inherent in extending microwave devices into the millimeter and submillimeter
Evaluation of water vapor distribution in general circulation models using satellite observations

This paper presents a comparison of the water vapor distribution obtained from two general circulation models, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model (CCM), with satellite observations of total precipitable water (TPW) from Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and upper tropospheric relative humidity (UTH) from GOES. Overall, both models are successful in capturing the primary features of the observed water vapor distribution and its seasonal variation. For the ECMWF model, however, a systematic moist bias in TPW is noted over well-known stratocumulus regions in the eastern subtropical oceans. Comparison with radiosonde profiles suggests that this problem is attributable to difficulties in modeling the shallowness of the boundary layer and large vertical water vapor gradients which characterize these regions. In comparison, the CCM is more successful in capturing the low values of TPW in the stratocumulus regions, although it tends to exhibit a dry bias over the eastern half of the subtropical oceans and a corresponding moist bias in the western half. The CCM also significantly overestimates the daily variability of the moisture fields in convective regions, suggesting a problem in simulating the temporal nature of moisture transport by deep convection. Comparison of the monthly mean UTH distribution indicates generally larger discrepancies than were noted for TPW owing to the greater influence of large-scale dynamical processes in determining the distribution of UTH. In particular, the ECMWF model exhibits a distinct dry bias along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and a moist bias over the subtropical descending branches of the Hadley cell, suggesting an underprediction in the strength of the Hadley circulation. The CCM, on the other hand, demonstrates greater discrepancies in UTH than are observed for the ECMWF model, but none that are as clearly correlated with well-known features of the large-scale circulation.
Computer-based interventions: Development, implementation and outcomes

Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are not one-size-fits-all. Rather, EBPs operate differently depending upon context. Within organizations, collaborative learning environments allow innovations implementation flexibility. Through examining data collected as part of the JSTEPS study, we found that problem solving courts (PSC) possess unique team dynamics and roles that affected implementation. For instance, probation officers (POs) working within PSCs are crucial within the adoption and implementation processes and often lead courtroom workgroups' decision-making processes. Likewise, judges often rely on POs and treatment provider expertise backstage, while in the front-stage courtroom they lead the sessions, through more informal and less adversarial roles. Lastly, prosecutors and public defenders often work to achieve the collaborative PSC goals through covert adversaralism. Examining how the roles of the courtroom workgroup actors shift and adapt under the PSC model is a crucial step to effectively implement newly designed EBP processes like CM within justice environments.
Behavioral vigilance in rats: task validation and effects of age, amphetamine, and benzodiazepine receptor ligands.

An operant task for the measurement of sustained attention or vigilance in rats was characterized. The task requires the animals to respond to the presentation of visual signals (presented for 25, 50, or 500 ms) by operating one lever (“hits”) and to the absence of a signal by operating the opposite lever (“correct rejection”). Incorrect responses (“misses” and “false alarms”, respectively) were not rewarded. Performance in this task is a function of signal length, i.e., the shorter the signals the higher the number of misses. An increase in “background noise” by flashing the chamber houselight (at 0.5 Hz) impaired the animals' ability to discriminate between signal and nonsignal events. Also, flashing the houselight augmented the vigilance decrement observed for shortest signals. An increase in the event-rate also resulted in a vigilance decrement. Finally, the inability of the animals to time signals was examined by testing the effects of an increase in event asynchrony. In a second experiment, the performance of differently aged rats (6- and 20 month-old male BNNia/F344 rats) was studied. Compared to young animals, 20-month-old rats showed a decrease in their ability to discriminate between shortest signals (25 ms) and non-signal events but did not differ in their ability to correctly reject nonsignal trials. Administration of the benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) agonist chlordiazepoxide (CDP; 3, 5, 8 mg/kg) resulted in an impairment of the animals' ability to discriminate between signal and non-signal events and, similar to the effects of age, this effect was exclusively due to an increase in the number of misses. CDP generally produced potent effects while affecting the aged animals to a greater degree. BZR-ligands with weak or “selective” inverse agonist properties (ZK 93426;β-CCtB) did not affect vigilance performance. The BZR partial inverse agonist RU 33965 (0.1, 0.5 mg/kg) dose-dependently impaired vigilance performance. The administration of amphetamine (0.4, 0.8 mg/kg) also impaired performance, but these impairments were possibly based on effects unrelated to attentional mechanisms. The finding that performance in this task revealed the interactions between the effects of age and BZR agonists on attentional abilities further supports the validity of measures of performance generated by this task.
Analysis of Blocking Probability for First-Fit Wavelength Assignment in Transmission-Impaired Optical Networks

The quality of an optical signal degrades due to physical layer impairments as it propagates from a transmitter to a receiver. As a result, the signal quality at the receiver of a lightpath may not be sufficiently high, leading to increased call blocking. Consequently, an all-optical network's routing and wavelength assignment algorithm must verify the quality of the lightpath before accepting it. In this paper, analytical expressions for the total blocking probability are derived for first-fit wavelength assignment for networks suffering from transmission impairments. The new technique effectively predicts the performance of wavelength selection techniques that consider either a single candidate channel or all channels for quality of transmission compliance. The analysis is also applicable to first-fit algorithms with different static channel orderings.
Assembly and Patterning of Vertebrate Blood Vessels

The mechanisms that regulate blood vessel assembly at appropriate sites in the organism are poorly understood, yet understanding this regulation is critical to the ability to design therapeutics around vessel production in vivo. Classic embryologic studies have yielded descriptive analyses of vascular pattern formation, and they show that angioblasts and endothelial cells respond to environmental cues to assemble at precise embryologic sites. The present study incorporated a genetic model, the mouse, into these studies to obtain mechanistic information regarding vessel assembly and patterning. The data show that both embryo-derived and stem-cell-derived mouse angioblasts respond to host cues in the avian embryo and pattern properly, and also highlight a critical role for the vascular endothelial cell growth factor signaling pathway in these patterning events.
A Handwritten Digit Recognition Algorithm using Two-Dimensional Hidden Markov Models for Feature Extraction

We propose a handwritten digit recognition algorithm that uses 4×4 2D hidden Markov models to extract basic features from an unclassified image. The novel idea given here is that we use powerful techniques from the emerging mathematical fields of tropical geometry and algebraic statistics to determine parameters for the model. The distance between the unclassified images and prototypes is calculated in stages, where estimates of the distance become finer as obviously distant prototypes are discarded from the pool of possible K-nearest neighbors. Our algorithm achieves a 95.51 percent recognition rate with zero rejection on the MNIST database of handwritten digits.
Very low cost gyroscopes

This paper was invited as part of discussion on the extent to which gyroscope cost and performance are influenced by micromachining. The contribution here addresses a very low cost segment enabled by integrating mechanisms and electronics. The resulting IC's are also packaged and tested with standard technology. The paper outlines some of the corresponding design challenges and the methods used to overcome them in a commercial process
Selective Attention to Semantic and Syntactic Features Modulates Sentence Processing Networks in Anterior Temporal Cortex

Numerous studies have identified an anterior temporal lobe (ATL) region that responds preferentially to sentence-level stimuli. It is unclear, however, whether this activity reflects a response to syntactic computations or some form of semantic integration. This distinction is difficult to investigate with the stimulus manipulations and anomaly detection paradigms traditionally implemented. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging study addresses this question via a selective attention paradigm. Subjects monitored for occasional semantic anomalies or occasional syntactic errors, thus directing their attention to semantic integration, or syntactic properties of the sentences. The hemodynamic response in the sentence-selective ATL region (defined with a localizer scan) was examined during anomaly/error-free sentences only, to avoid confounds due to error detection. The majority of the sentence-specific region of interest was equally modulated by attention to syntactic or compositional semantic features, whereas a smaller subregion was only modulated by the semantic task. We suggest that the sentence-specific ATL region is sensitive to both syntactic and integrative semantic functions during sentence processing, with a smaller portion of this area preferentially involved in the later. This study also suggests that selective attention paradigms may be effective tools to investigate the functional diversity of networks involved in sentence processing.
Emerging Nanoscale Memory and Logic Devices: A Critical Assessment

This article presents the ERD Working Group's collective judgment with respect to the long-term potential of nanoscale memory and logic devices to replace silicon-based CMOS logic or baseline memory technology. It does not judge their potential to supplement or complement CMOS. The intent is thus prescriptive, not prescriptive: to provide a technically grounded, objective benchmark for emerging research memory and logic devices.
Unethical Prescriptions: Alternative Therapies for Children With Cerebral Palsy

The US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) defines CAM as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.” The problem with said therapies is that, for the most part, their effectiveness is questionable and their side effect profile is essentially unknown. Furthermore, as stated by Rosenbaum, many CAM treatments are based on “at best, anecdotal evidence and at times rather unusual ideas about the biology of the conditions to which they are being applied.” In spite of the data shortage,Americans are forecasted to spend more than $42 billion on CAM during 2009. Using a patient for illustration purposes, the author presents 3 CAM treatments that have been advocated for children with cerebral palsy. The current scientific literature on these remedies and their purported benefit is reviewed. The article ends with a discussion on the reasons why prescribing said therapies is contrary ...
The Role Of Technology In The Cost Of Health Care: A New Parameter In Research And Clinical Applications

In 1993 the National Science Foundation (NSF) and The Whitaker Foundation (WF) jointly supported an experimental initiative entitled "Cost Effective Health Care Technologies". The broad goal of the 1993 program was to "promote innovative multidisciplinary research that can contribute to the containment or reduction of health costs without compromising the quality, effectiveness or accessibility of the health care system".1 Proposals were required to contain a section which "describes as quantitatively as possible" the expected impact of the research results on the cost-effectiveness goal of the program - a new parameter for research methodologies. Twelve projects in the categories of Information and Systems, Medical Devices, and Bioniaterials were funded. A modified program, "Cost Reducing Health Care Technologies", is planned for Fiscal Year 1995. Insights gained in the planning, conduct, and follow-up review of the 1993 experimental biomedical engineering research grant program provide useful background information on "The Role of Technology in the Cost of Health Care". The desirability is indicated for engineers to participate in the development of a credible and robust technology assessment process at the basic and applied research stages of health care technology development.
InGaN based light emitting diodes with Ga doped ZnO as transparent conducting oxide

We report on the electrical and optical properties of InGaN based light emitting diodes (LEDs) utilizing Ga doped ZnO (GZO) grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) as a highly transparent contact p-electrode (GZO-LEDs). For comparison, the LEDs with semi-transparent thin Ni/Au (5/5 nm) current spreading layers were also fabricated on the same wafer (Ni/Au-LEDs). Unpackaged GZO-LEDs with 200 μm diameter showed negligible light output degradation for up to 30 min under CW current of 100 mA (corresponding to a 318 A/cm 2 current density), while the light output for Ni/Au-LEDs was reduced by 85% after only 5 min of operation due to the severe current crowding effect (or current filamentation). Pulsed electroluminescence (EL) measurements revealed that the GZO-LEDs exhibit 50% higher EL intensity for the same current levels.
Effects of anesthetic technique on side effects associated with fentanyl oralet premedication

Abstract Study Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of 5 to 10 μg/kg of oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) as an anesthetic premedication, and to determine whether propofol induction reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in pediatric patients premedicated with OTFC undergoing outpatient surgery. Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. Settings: University of Michigan Health Care Systems and University of Arizona. Participants: 62 ASA physical status I and II children aged 4 to 14 years (8.9 ± 0.5 years). Interventions: Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) OTFC premedication and halothane induction; (2) OTFC premedication and propofol induction; (3) placebo premedication and halothane induction; and (4) placebo premedication and propofol induction. OTFC or placebo was administered 30 minutes prior to induction, and activity (sedation), apprehension, and cooperation scores were recorded before, at 15 and 30 minutes after study drug, and on induction. All perioperative adverse events were recorded. Measurements and Main Results: Children who received OTFC became drowsier and had a significant change from baseline in combined activity, apprehension, and cooperation scores, whereas those who received placebo became less cooperative at induction. Patients who received OTFC experienced more adverse events overall ( p p p = 0.049) than controls. The incidence of PONV in patients who received OTFC and halothane induction was 50%, compared to 30% in patients receiving OTFC and a propofol induction ( p = NS). Conclusions: OTFC in doses of 5 to 10 μg/kg was effective in producing sedation and facilitating cooperation with induction; however, it was associated with significant PONV in our study. Although propofol induction did not significantly reduce PONV in our study, further study with a larger sample, and with propofol as the sole anesthetic, may be warranted.
Linkages between Orographic Forcing and the Scaling Properties of Convective Rainfall in Mountainous Regions

Abstract Heavy rainfall over mountainous terrain often results in catastrophic flooding and presents a great challenge for forecasters. Statistical downscaling methods provide a way to bridge across the scale gap between rainfall forecasts from numerical weather prediction models and the high-resolution needs of hydrologic models for flash flood prediction. In this study, multiscale statistical analysis was used to analyze several heavy convective rainfall events that produced catastrophic flooding in the Appalachian Mountains and Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with the motivation of developing predictive relationships for a priori parameter estimation needed in downscaling applications. The multiscale behavior of the rainfall was analyzed over time and linked to underlying topographic elevation and predominate orographic forcing. It was found that in storms located on the leeward side (i.e., the side of the mountain facing away from the upper-level winds), one of the parameters increased with increas...
Sonority and Syllable Structure in Chicano English.

Three analyses of /-t,d/ deletion are undertaken to investigate whether convergence with the matrix regional dialect has taken place in Los Angeles Chicano English. Two superficial analyses mistakenly find convergence. A third emic multivariate analysis finds no phonological convergence. It is argued that sonority of adjacent consonants accounts for most of the variation. In order to give an account of the degree and direction of the /-t,d/ deletion processses in Chicano English, Clement's (1988) model of nonaffixal syllabification, which is also based on sonority, is extended to this affix-affecting delection process.
A Correction to the Baroclinic Pressure Gradient Term in the Princeton Ocean Model

Abstract An error in the calculation of the baroclinic pressure gradient term in the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) was identified while modeling the M2 tidal current near its critical latitude in the southern Weddell Sea. The error arises from the present calculation of density, which involves the subtraction of a background density profile from the density field calculated at each internal time step. The small displacement of sigma surface depths relative to the surface, as surface elevation changes, causes a slight error in the calculation of the vertical and horizontal gradients of potential density. The error is largest at the seabed over rapidly changing bathymetry such as the continental slope. The baroclinic pressure gradient error is typically much smaller than the Coriolis term in the momentum equations and, therefore, usually unimportant. Close to the critical latitude, however, near-resonance between the error and Coriolis terms can cause an energetic and spatially complex spurious inertial mode ...
COLONY AND POPULATION DYNAMICS OF BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES IN A HETEROGENEOUS ENVIRONMENT

Abstract Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) nest at 25 distinct colonies located throughout Prince William Sound that range in size from 7,000 pairs. Dramatic changes have occurred in the distribution of breeding birds among those colonies during the past few decades (1972–1997). Reproductive success data collected since 1985 confirm that individual colonies are habitat patches of varying quality in space and time. Even with such variation, predictability of habitat quality did occur in short- and long-term (≥3 year) intervals as indicated by significant (P < 0.05) relationships between current (t) and previous year's (t−1, t−2, etc.) reproductive success. Those circumstances provided suitable conditions for testing hypotheses concerning dispersal and recruitment strategies of a long-lived species. Breeding birds responded to both short- and long-term cues and, in general, recruited to the most successful colonies. An apparently lower dispersal propensity and the importance of long-term cu...
Profile of Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich, and Aziz Sancar, 2015 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry

In 1994, Science magazine heralded “the DNA repair enzyme” as the molecule of the year, on the basis of several significant advances made in mismatch repair and nucleotide excision repair, both recognized by this year’s Chemistry Nobel awards, that heralds an even better year for the field. This year’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry recognizes the importance of DNA repair as a major player in maintenance of our genomes and its recognition as a significant contribution to the biochemistry of DNA. Although the structure of DNA provided a failsafe mechanism by which a damaged strand could be mended using the sequence information on the complementary strand, Frances Crick famously admitted, “We totally missed the possible role of enzymes in repair…” (1). By a remarkable coincidence, the 2015 Lasker awards to Stephen J. Elledge and Evelyn Witkin, both members of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), also recognized DNA repair, now often called the DNA damage response to encompass its increased breadth.
Lymphocyte development in mice deficient for MHC class I expression.

The role of MHC Class I molecules in recognition of antigens by CD8+ T cells is well established, as is their role in the development of CD8+ T cells. The study of animals unable to normally express class I molecules provides an approach to learn about the role of class I molecules not only in CD8+ T cell development, but possibly in other cell types as well. This can be accomplished by analysis of mice mutant for the light chain of class I MHC, β2-microglobulin, which is necessary for normal functional cell surface expression of class I molecules. Such mice were produced in two laboratories by substitution of the normal β2-microglobulin gene for a mutant one, by homologous recombination embryonic stem cells, which were allowed to repopulate the germ line in chimeric mice 1, 2, 3, 4. In previous studies, we and others reported that mice homozygous for the mutant β2-m gene have severely diminished cell surface expression of MHC-I molecules, and are severely deficient in the production of functional, mature CD8+CD4- T cells 2,4. In this article, we summarize our recent work on the role of MHC-I molecules in development of CD8+ T cells, CD4-CD8-∝β+ T cells, and γδ+ T cells. In addition the role of MHC-I molecules in the development of natural killer (NK) cells is discussed.
/sup 176/Yb(t,p)/sup 178/Yb reaction

Fourteen levels up to 3.1 MeV in $^{178}\mathrm{Yb}$ have been identified using the $^{176}\mathrm{Yb}(t, p)$ reaction. Measured angular distributions were compared with the results of distorted-wave Born approximation calculations. For six levels we make ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ assignments based on $L$ values and the systematics of the lighter even Yb isotopes. The first three members of the ground-state band, the first two members of the excited ${K}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}={0}^{+}$ band, and the ${2}^{+}$ $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-vibrational state are suggested by the systematics. Based only on $L$ values, ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ assignments are made for two states and tentative assignments are suggested for four other states. The $Q$ value for the $^{176}\mathrm{Yb}(t, p)^{178}\mathrm{Yb}$ reaction is also reported.
Applying Constrained Optimization to Computer Graphics

For many years, objects in computer-generated animation moved only as an animator moved them. In the last few years, physically-based modeling techniques have demonstrated that more attractive and realistic-seeming motion can be created by subjecting objects to forces and constraints and making the objects move as they would in a physical environment. Sometimes the environment is under- or over-constrained. In these cases, numerical optimization is used to find the best movement path the objects, where “best” is evaluated according to user-specified criteria. This article discusses some of the previous results using this technique, identifies some future uses, including some that are likely to become commonplace in a few years, and describes numerical methods to solve these problems.
Extreme carrier shocking of intense long-wavelength pulses

We predict a paradigm shift in the nonlinear physics associated with ultrashort long-wavelength pulse propagation in gaseous and condensed media. Optical carrier shock formation, which profoundly modifies the underlying optical wave form, emerges prior to the onset of the well-known self-focusing collapse singularity. The canonical description of pulse propagation in this regime, where all nonlinear envelope descriptions fail, is identified as the full field carrier resolved modified Kadomtsev-Petviashili (MKP) equation.
Investigation of Borrelia burgdorferi in Glires in Huzhu, Zekog,and Qilian county, Qinghai

ObjectiveTo identify the Borrelia burgdorferi in Glires in Huzhu, Zekog, and Qilian county, Qinghai province.MethodsA total of 202 Glires were collected from forest in the counties, Qinghai province. All the collected samples wereexamined for B. burgdorferi by nested PCR.ResultsIn total of 202 samples, 49 samples were tested positive by 24.26%. Positiverate was 17.91%(12/67) in Huzhu county, 34.62%(27/78) in Zekog county and 17.54%(10/57) in Qilian county. There wassignificant difference with positive rate of B. burgdorferi in Glires among these three counties(χ2=7.40, P0.05).Conclusion Our research confirmed the existence of B. burgdorferi in Glires in three counties in Qinghai province. We suggested thatthe further investigation on local vectors and human infections be conducted for prevention and control of Lyme disease.
Activation of factor VIII by factor IXa

Thrombin causes an increase in factor VIII coagulant (VIII:C) activity, which is followed by a decay of VIII:C activity to below baseline levels. It has been suggested that a similar interaction of trace amounts of thrombin and factor VIII is a necessary prerequisite before factor VIII can participate in the coagulation cascade. In the current study, factor IXa, a serine protease with structural similarities to thrombin, is shown to cause an increase and subsequent fall in VIII:C in a manner qualitatively similar to the reaction with thrombin. The reaction is inhibited by a human inhibitor to factor IX and the interaction appears to involve only VIII:C, since factor-VIII-related protein (VIII:RP) is not changed on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) or radioimmunoassay during the reaction. Phospholipid increases the activation of factor VIII by factor IXa, and high concentrations of diisopropylfluorophosphate and hirudin inhibit the reaction. The physiologic significance of the interaction of factor IXa with factor VIII is not entirely clear since the concentration of factor IXa needed for activation is much greater than the concentration of thrombin required for similar activation of factor VIII. Factor IXa is most likely to play a role in the intrinsic cascade acting as an initial activator of factor VIII, since factor IXa precedes thrombin in this clotting sequence. In addition, factor IXa may be important wherever relatively high local concentrations of factor IXa and factor VIII occur, particularly in the presence of phospholipid, which may serve to localize the coagulation factors.
Endogenous bradykinin in the thoracic spinal cord contributes to the exercise pressor reflex.

This investigation tested the hypothesis that bradykinin causes excitatory effects in the thoracic spinal cord that augment the exercise pressor reflex. Thus we performed 30 s of electrically stimulated static contraction of the hindlimb in the anesthetized cat (alpha-chloralose) to provoke reflex-induced increases in mean arterial pressure, maximal rate of rise of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt), and heart rate (i.e., the exercise pressor reflex). These three responses were compared before and 15 min after intrathecal injection of 2 micrograms (n = 3), 10 micrograms (n = 6), or 50 micrograms (n = 3) of the selective bradykinin B2- receptor antagonist HOE-140 into the thoracic spinal cord or 10 micrograms of this antagonist into the lumbar (n = 3) spinal cord. In three of the six cats in which 10 micrograms of HOE-140 were injected into the thoracic spinal cord, an additional contraction was performed 60-90 min after treatment. The 2-microgram dose of HOE-140 had no effect on the exercise pressor reflex. Injection of 10 micrograms of this antagonist into the thoracic spinal cord reduced the contraction-evoked pressor, maximal dP/dt, and heart rate responses by 49 +/-7, 58 +/- 4, and 64 +/- 13%, respectively (P < 0.05). Fifty micrograms of HOE-140 failed to attenuate these responses further. In the three cats in which an additional contraction was performed 60-90 min after treatment with 10 micrograms of the antagonist, blood pressure and dP/dt responses had returned, in part, toward initial values. Neither intravenous (n = 3) nor intrathecal injection of 10 micrograms of HOE-140 into the lumbar spinal cord had any effect on the contraction-induced cardiovascular responses. Thoracic injection of 50-200 ng of bradykinin provoked a pressor response of 26 +/- 5 mmHg that was abolished by a similar injection of 10 micrograms of HOE-140. These data suggest that endogenous bradykinin contributes to the exercise pressor reflex by an excitatory action in the thoracic spinal cord.
A Model MP?: Ellen Wilkinson, Gender, Politics and Celebrity Culture in Interwar Britain

In the interwar period, women formed an ever-growing share of the press market. They were an increasingly important target for advertisers, and newspapers were intent on securing the maximum number...
Developing a Pharmacy Curriculum in Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is gaining in popularity, with one in three Americans reporting some use. The government has taken an interest in CAM research, establishing the Nationa...
Quality Control Procedure for Pipetting Systems

Our laboratory has developed a simple and rapid radionuclide procedure to make evaluations of the reproducibility of pipettes. Five semiautomatic and one automatic pipette were evaluated by delivering diluted 125I-human serum albumin aqueous or pooled serum samples. Each sample was counted in an autogamma counter. The results were statistically analyzed by calculating means, standard deviations, and coefficients of variation. The automatic pipette and one semiautomatic pipette demonstrated low coefficients of variation. All other pipettes evaluated showed inconsistency in the delivered volumes. The radionuclide method, as outlined in this study, can easily be incorporated as a quality control procedure for pipetting systems in any nuclear medicine laboratory.
The hidden faces of automation

As we dream of automation, we always need people to calibrate and train what we automate. Automation has hidden human faces.
The Value of Diagnostic Bilateral Intracranial Electroencephalography in Treatment-Resistant Focal Epilepsy

Objectives We assessed the efficacy and risks of diagnostic bilateral intracranial electroencephalography (bICEEG) in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy (TRE) with poorly lateralized epileptogenic zone on noninvasive studies as reflected by progress to resection, Engel outcome, and complication rate. Methods This is a retrospective chart review of 199 patients with TRE who had diagnostic bICEEG at New York University Medical Center between 1994 and 2013. Study end points were progress to resection, surgical outcome, and perioperative complications. Univariate analysis was performed with analysis of variance, t test, or Fisher exact test; multivariable analysis was performed using discriminant function analysis. Results bICEEG lateralized the epileptogenic zone and the patient had resection in 60.3% of cases. The number of depth electrodes used was positively correlated with resection, and surgical complications during bICEEG negatively correlated. Vagal nerve stimulators were implanted in 58.2% of patients who did not undergo resection and 20.7% of those who did. Among the 87 patients who progressed to resection and had more than 1-year follow-up, 47.1% were seizure free compared with 12.7% of the 55 who did not. Male sex correlated with good postoperative seizure control. The most common complication was infection requiring debridement, occurring in 3.1% of admissions (9 of 290). Conclusions At our center, 60% of patients undergoing bICEEG progress to resection and 57% of these had more than 90% reduction in seizures. We conclude that bICEEG allows the benefits of epilepsy surgery to be extended to patients with poorly lateralized and localized TRE.
Integrated computational materials design for high-performance alloys

Major advances have been made over the past 30 years in the development of an integrated computational materials design (ICMD) technology. The hierarchical structure of its methods, tools, and supporting fundamental materials databases is reviewed here, with an emphasis on successful applications of CALPHAD (calculation of phase diagrams)-based tools as an example of ICMD, expressing mechanistic understanding in quantitative form to support science-based materials engineering. Opportunities are identified for rapid expansion of CALPHAD databases, as well as a major restructuring of materials education.
Swelling and Tensile Properties of Tetra‐Polyethylene glycol via Coarse‐Grained Molecular Models

Coarse-grained (CG) implicit-solvent potentials are developed for tetra-polyethylene glycol (PEG) at different water concentrations using the iterative Boltzmann inversion (IBI) technique. The resulting potentials are used to study the swelling and tensile properties of tetra-PEG gels at various swelling degrees φm. Two types of network topologies are considered, one “ideal” with a defect-free diamond connectivity and the other “realistic” as simulated from an experimentally based cross-linking process. Equilibrium swelling results for the realistic Tetra-PEG networks are consistent with available experimental data, while those for the ideal tetra-PEG networks exhibit much larger swelling. The realistic networks have higher Young's modulus Em at the same φm than ideal networks due to the presence of trapped entanglements. Uniaxial deformation results of realistic networks show that Em increases with degree of swelling, in accord with experimental results. The Young's moduli of gels at different φm confirm that the CG potentials developed by IBI are most suited to predict swelling states commensurate with the φm values at which the potentials were calibrated. A more generic, coarser potential, based on matching the persistence length of atomistic PEG chains in water, is able to produce a similar swelling behavior of an ideal diamond network.
In a Montpellier Classroom

Not surprisingly, historians’ perceptions of the medical faculty of Montpellier c. 1300 have been shaped by the accomplishments of the two great figures active there at that time, Arnau de Vilanova and Bernard de Gordon. Both wrote a considerable number of long works on the theory and practice of medicine, works whose character and scope are virtually unparalleled in Western Europe at that moment, and in the ensuing half-century several other Montpellier masters—Stephen Arlandi, Jordan de Turre, Gerard de Solo—produced similar writings. Arnau and Bernard, it would seem, launched a self-conscious intellectual and literary tradition at Montpellier at the beginning of the fourteenth century, one that set the school well apart from its northern counterpart, Paris.
Tung Oil Wood Finishes with Improved Weathering, Durability, and Scratch Performance by Addition of Cellulose Nanocrystals

The main aim of this study is to verify whether cellulose nanocrystal (CNCs)-reinforced tung oil (TO) composites are effective for wood finishes and offer enhanced mechanical and weathering performance owing to the high strength, stiffness, and barrier properties of CNCs. To achieve even dispersion of CNC particles in a polymeric coating film, surface hydrophobization of the CNCs was carried out by grafting poly(lactic acid) oligomers and oleic acid. These new TO coating formulations contain 0 (controlled sample) to 10 wt % of hydrophobized cellulose nanocrystals (hCNCs). The coating performance (degree of wrinkle, leveling, and instantaneous filling) of the hCNC–TO finishes as well as their coating properties (topography, optical properties, mechanical properties, and gas permeability) were investigated in this study. The influence of the hCNC content in the tung oil composite coatings was examined using scratch/impact resistance tests and oxygen transmission rate (OTR) measurements. An increase in the h...
On a Class of Implicit–Explicit Runge–Kutta Schemes for Stiff Kinetic Equations Preserving the Navier–Stokes Limit

Implicit–explicit (IMEX) Runge–Kutta (RK) schemes are popular high order time discretization methods for solving stiff kinetic equations. As opposed to the compressible Euler limit (leading order asymptotics of the Boltzmann equation as the Knudsen number $$\varepsilon $$ goes to zero), their asymptotic behavior at the Navier–Stokes (NS) level (next order asymptotics) was rarely studied. In this paper, we analyze a class of existing IMEX RK schemes and show that, under suitable initial conditions, they can capture the NS limit without resolving the small parameter $$\varepsilon $$ , i.e., $$\varepsilon =o(\Delta t)$$ , $$\Delta t^m=o(\varepsilon )$$ , where m is the order of the explicit RK part in the IMEX scheme. Extensive numerical tests for BGK and ES-BGK models are performed to verify our theoretical results.
Spaser quenching by off-resonant plasmon modes

We study the effect of off-resonant plasmon modes on spaser threshold in nanoparticle-based spasers. We develop an analytical semiclassical model and derive spaser threshold condition accounting for gain coupling to higher-order plasmons. We show that such a coupling originates from inhomogeneity of gain distribution near the metal surface and leads to an upward shift of spaser frequency and population inversion threshold. This effect is similar, albeit significantly weaker, to quenching of plasmon-enhanced fluorescence near metal nanostructures due to excitation of off-resonant modes with wide spectral band. We also show that spaser quenching is suppressed for high gain concentrations and establish a simple criterion for quenching onset, which we support by numerical calculations for spherical geometry.
Biocultural creatures: toward a new theory of the human

Samantha Frost’s Biocultural Creatures: Toward a New Theory of the Human infuses feminist and political theory with insights from biology to reimagine the category of the human. Cultural in this de...
Control of Translation in Adenovirus-Infected Cells

The initiation of protein synthesis in adenovirus-infected cells is regulated during the late phase in two ways, which may be related. The overall translation rate is maintained by a small viral RNA, VA RNAI, which prevents the phosphorylation of initiation factor eIF-2 by a double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase, DAI. In addition, the relative efficiency of translation of host cell and viral mRNA populations is regulated in the infected cell during the late phase such that viral mRNAs are selectively utilized. Three viral elements have been implicated in this process: the 5' leader present on most late viral mRNAs; the late protein, 100K; and VA RNA. This article reviews the mechanisms underlying these translational control phenomena.
Risk Sensitive Credit

Credit theorists claim to explain the incompatibility of luck and knowledge and also what makes knowledge valuable. If the theory works as well as they think, it accomplishes a lot. Unsurprisingly, however, some epistemologists remain unsure. Jennifer Lackey, for instance, proposes a dilemma that suggests credit theories are either too strong or too weak. Her criticism has been hard to overcome. This paper suggests a modified account of knowledge as credit for true belief that allows credit theorists to better counter Lackey’s criticism. I call my version of credit theory Risk Sensitive Credit. Under my account, an agent deserves credit just in case she believes truly on account of her reasonably accurate epistemic risk assessment. This assessment need not include higher order beliefs or even enter into conscious thought. Recent work in cognitive science, for instance, suggests that our visual faculties, in the absence of our direct awareness, work in accordance with a risk sensitive framework. This research will be referenced to help explain the dynamics of barn facade Gettier cases.