cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Chemical Growth Retardants on Growth and Development of Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) in Vitro

Plant growth retardants were evaluated for their ability to reduce the growth rate of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) in vitro. Nodal sections of cv. Jewel were cultured for 30 days on medium containing NDA, ancymidol, phosfon, TIBA, difenzoquat, chlormequat, ACC, mepiquat chloride, or daminozide at 0, 10−4, 10−5, 10−6, 10−7, or 10−8m. Difenzoquat, NDA, phosfon, and TIBA, at 10−4m, were lethal to axillary bud explants. A low concentration (10−8m) of chlorflurenol or NDA stimulated shoot elongation. The effective concentration range for most growth retardants was 10−5 to 10−6m. Small (2- to 4-mm diameter) storage root-like swellings were observed on roots in cultures containing TIBA or ancymidol. The growth-inhibiting effects of ancymidol and NDA were transitory and did not persist through a 180-day culture period. Shoots cultured on medium containing 10−5m phosfon, TIBA, or difenzoquat were significantly shorter than control plants after a 180-day culture period. Culture on medium containing TIBA, NDA, ancymidol, or ACC resulted in abnormal leaf and stem development. Plants derived from nodal explants cultured on medium containing either phosfon or chlormequat were near normal in appearance but with some plants exhibiting interveinal chlorosis and reduced root system development.
Reactive infiltration of hydrous melt above the mantle transition zone

[1] Seismic studies repeatedly image a low-velocity layer overlying the mantle transition zone in tectonic settings ranging from subduction zones to continental cratons. This layer has been hypothesized to result from the presence of a dense partial melt formed by dehydration melting as relatively wet transition zone material is advected by convection currents into the low-water-solubility upper mantle. Here we examine this hypothesis by considering the dynamic infiltration of a low-viscosity reactive hydrous melt into a high-viscosity ambient solid. The thickness of the melt layer is strongly controlled by return flow induced in the surrounding viscous solid, and in steady state a dynamic equilibrium is achieved where the melt lens is restrained from collapse by the exterior mantle. Melt layers with thicknesses in excess of 10 km develop for a wide range of mantle parameters and develop on timescales equivalent to the lifespan of an ocean basin.
Impacts of Extension Practice: Lessons From Small Farm-Based Aquaculture of Nile Tilapia in Northeastern Thailand

This study compared the effectiveness of different extension techniques at communicating high-input inorganic fertilization (HIG) technology to small-scale, northeast Thai fish farmers. HIG adoption rates and associated fish production during 1997/1998 varied according to extension intensity across three farmer groups. Short training sessions were found to be equally effective at communicating HIG technology to farmers as longer on-farm trials. Both forms of extension were more effective than farmer-to-farmer communication at producing higher fish yields. Yields across all groups, however, were significantly lower than HIG-projected yields, suggesting that extension methodology did not exclusively affect production in this system. Farmer income, land holdings, attitudes, predisposition to risk, and fertilizer price all may have affected production. Improving production will involve a multifaceted approach, possibly including development of less capital-intense technologies, focus on short training session...
Reduction of mitochondrial components by durohydroquinone.

1. Durohydroquinone (H2DQ) has been used to provide pulses of reducing equivalents to suspensions of pigeon heart mitochondria and submitochondrial particles. 2. H2DQ oxidation in the presence of pentachlorophenol was 95% sensitive to antimycin A and 99% sensitive to cyanide. 3. Pulses of 150 μM H2DQ produced reduction of cytochromes b (60–90% of total absorption), fluorescent flavoprotein (25% of total fluorescence) and pyridine nucleotide (60% of total fluorescence). Reduction of the latter two components was mediated through reversed electron transfer and was energy dependent. 4. Pulses of 10–30 μM H2DQ brought about redox cycles of ubiquinone, cytochrome(s) b and absorbing flavoprotein (succinate dehydrogenase). Addition of antimycin A altered the kinetics of electron equilibration between ubiquinone and cytochrome(s) b. Antimycin A enhanced the efficiency of reduction of cytochrome(s) b and flavoprotein by 3–20 μM H2DQ, but diminished the efficiency of ubiquinone reduction under the same experimental conditions. In the absence of inhibitor, ubiquinone was quantitatively the most important acceptor for the electrons arising from H2DQ. In the presence of antimycin A, cytochrome(s) b was the most important acceptor for H2DQ. 5. In the presence of antimycin A, ubiquinone did not show redox cycle changes synchronous with the redox cycles of flavoprotein and cytochromes b, and thus seem not to be an obligatory member for electron transfer in the main pathway from succinate dehydrogenase-cytochrome(s) b to oxygen. This antimycin A effect is interpreted as the result of a conformational change of cytochrome(s) b or an alteration of the hydrocarbon core of the membrane that ubiquinone occupies. 6. 1.2–15 μM additions of H2DQ to cyanide-blocked mitochondria or submitochondrial particles brought about pulses of reducing equivalents which were distributed among the oxidized carriers according to the redox potential of these components. Cytochromes a + a3 and c, absorbing flavorprotein and ubiquinone titrated in the presence or absence of uncoupler, as homogeneous pools in a sequence according to their reported potential values. Cytochrome(s) b titrated in the absence of uncoupler as a heterogeneous pool and in the presence of uncoupler as a homogeneous pool in the latter case the absorbance reaching 50% of the total. 7. In the aerobic steady state (plus or minus ATP) a pulse of 250 μM H2DQ reduces cytochromes b absorbing at 562 and 557 nm. The form absorbing at 557 nm is postulated to be cytochrome b555.
Is aggressive management of perianal ulcers in homosexual Hiv-seropositive men justified?

A study was undertaken to assess the etiology, optimal diagnostic method, and incidence of healing of perianal ulcers in HIV-seropositive men. Between March 1990 and December 1991, 26 HIV-seropositive homosexual or bisexual males were referred with perianal ulcerations. According to CDC criteria, three (12 percent) were Class II, six (23 percent) were Class III, and 17 (65 percent) were Class IV. Eighteen patients had one ulcer, five had two ulcers, and two had three ulcers. In one patient the ulcer was circumanal. Patients with superficial erosions were not included. Biopsies were obtained in 23 patients for routine microscopy, HIV, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, and acid-fast bacilli. Biopsy revealed an immunoblastic lymphoma in one patient. A comparison of microscopy and culture results revealed culture to be more helpful in determining the etiology of these ulcers. Medical treatment included reverse transcriptase inhibitors (zidovudine, dideoxyinosine, and dideoxycytosine), oral and topical Zovirax® (Burroughs Wellcome, Research Triangle Park, NC), ganciclovir, and oral broad-spectrum antibiotics. Surgical treatment included lateral internal sphincterotomy in three patients and seton placement in one patient. Follow-up for at least four weeks was obtained in 22 patients. Overall, healing occurred in 15 patients (68 percent): three (20 percent) were Class II, four (27 percent) were Class III, and eight (53 percent) were Class IV. Healing occurred in all four patients who underwent surgical treatment. In conclusion, aggressive diagnostic maneuvers allow the use of both medical and conservative surgical measures to successfully treat the majority of perianal ulcers in this patient population.
Effect of nanotextured back reflectors on light trapping in flexible silicon thin-film solar cells

Abstract Nanotextured Ag back reflectors were used to enhance the short-circuit current of flexible silicon thin-film solar cells with an n-i-p configuration by means of optical confinement. A nanotextured topography with a root-mean-square ( σ rms ) surface roughness of 88.0 nm was successfully induced by abnormal grain growth of Ag films, which was controlled by varying the deposition temperature and film thickness in a direct current (dc) magnetron sputtering process. Effective light scattering of the long wavelengths over 600 nm was achieved on the nano-textured Ag back reflectors, resulting in enhanced absorption of weakly absorbing, long-wavelength light in the hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) thin-film solar cells. Compared with similar reference cells on flat back reflectors, a 34.4% increase in the short-circuit current density ( J sc ) for an a-Si:H solar cell and an 11.9% for μc-Si:H were observed in the solar cells on the nanotextured back reflectors, with little reduction in fill factor (FF) and open circuit voltage ( V oc ). Due to the increase of the J sc by the improved light absorption at the long wavelengths, the conversion efficiency ( η ) of the a-Si:H and μc-Si:H solar cells increased from 5.59% to 7.60% and from 4.31% to 4.64%, respectively.
Danazol distribution in plasma and cell membranes as related to altered cell properties: Implications for mechanism

Concentrations of danazol in patient plasma and red blood cells (RBC) were assayed over a 6-month period in 75 patients on danazol therapy using a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method more reliable than previous radioimmunoassay (RIA) methods. It was found that plasma danazol rose regularly for 15 days after the beginning of treatment, reaching a steady state plateau of 175 +/- 76 ng/ml in 20 patients on normal dose, and less for lower dose schedules. After stopping danazol, concentrations declined to near zero in a similar time frame. RBC concentrations on a packed volume basis were similar to plasma levels. However, the membrane ghosts of RBC contained about 50% of the total RBC danazol, implying about 100-fold higher concentration in membranes than in plasma. Similar distributions were obtained in vitro with both RBC and platelets, and were confirmed by 14-C-labeled danazol. These findings tend to support the hypothesis that the benefits of danazol in immune disorders may be attributable in part to its intercalation in the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane, altering antigen/receptor expression to modulate immune reactions. This hypothesis was first suggested when it was observed that the RBC of patients on danazol therapy showed morphological changes and increased resistance to osmotic lysis. It was later shown that danazol in vitro reduces binding of autoantibodies, and protects against complement-mediated lysis, suggesting direct action of danazol on the membranes. This hypothesis is discussed, and danazol's effect in protecting against complement-mediated lysis is described.
Catalyst impregnation: Reactions of noble metal complexes with alumina

The rates of uptake of noble metal complexes over the surfaces of porous alumina are controlled partially by pore diffusion and partially by the rate of the chemical process between the metal complex and the alumina, resulting in impregnation profiles of different shapes. The rate of removal of metal complexes by alumina from solution is inversely related to the depth to which the noble metal penetrates into the alumina pellet. For those complexes that are rapidly removed from solution, the noble metal profile resembles a sharp shallow band, located at the pellet's outer edge. On the other hand, for those complexes that are slowly removed from solution, the noble metal profiles in the pellets are essentially uniform along the radius of the catalyst pellets. Anionic chloride complexes, e.g., MCl6n− and MCl4n−, appear to react with alumina surfaces by a ligand displacement reaction. For a series of (NH4)aMCl6 complexes, the relative reactivities toward γ-alumina are Pd > Rh > Ru ≫ Pt ∼- Ir.
Design and Analysis of Rhesus Cytomegalovirus IL-10 Mutants as a Model for Novel Vaccines against Human Cytomegalovirus

Author(s): Logsdon, Naomi J; Eberhardt, Meghan K; Allen, Christopher E; Barry, Peter A; Walter, Mark R | Abstract: BackgroundHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) expresses a viral ortholog (CMVIL-10) of human cellular interleukin-10 (cIL-10). Despite only ∼26% amino acid sequence identity, CMVIL-10 exhibits comparable immunosuppressive activity with cIL-10, attenuates HCMV antiviral immune responses, and contributes to lifelong persistence within infected hosts. The low sequence identity between CMVIL-10 and cIL-10 suggests vaccination with CMVIL-10 may generate antibodies that specifically neutralize CMVIL-10 biological activity, but not the cellular cytokine, cIL-10. However, immunization with functional CMVIL-10 might be detrimental to the host because of its immunosuppressive properties.Methods and findingsStructural biology was used to engineer biologically inactive mutants of CMVIL-10 that would, upon vaccination, elicit a potent immune response to the wild-type viral cytokine. To test the designed proteins, the mutations were incorporated into the rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV) ortholog of CMVIL-10 (RhCMVIL-10) and used to vaccinate RhCMV-infected rhesus macaques. Immunization with the inactive RhCMVIL-10 mutants stimulated antibodies against wild-type RhCMVIL-10 that neutralized its biological activity, but did not cross-react with rhesus cellular IL-10.ConclusionThis study demonstrates an immunization strategy to neutralize RhCMVIL-10 biological activity using non-functional RhCMVIL-10 antigens. The results provide the methodology for targeting CMVIL-10 in vaccine, and therapeutic strategies, to nullify HCMV's ability to (1) skew innate and adaptive immunity, (2) disseminate from the site of primary mucosal infection, and (3) establish a lifelong persistent infection.
Lake Erie Central Basin Oxygen Depletion Changes from 1929–1980

The hypolimnetic oxygen depletion rates of the Lake Erie central basin have been reassessed using a new approach. In the past, the central basin rates have been calculated using the available data, excluding some areas based on either temperatures and/or depth definition. The high spatial variability in the data caused uncertainties in the mean value which were sufficiently large to prevent a statistically meaningful interval oxygen depletion rate time-trend analysis. The new approach reduces the effect of spatial variability (80%) on the calculation of the interval oxygen depletion rates and hence permits the identification of a time-trend with more precision, particularly when the data are corrected for the effects of vertical mixing, temperature effects on metabolic rates by using Q10 coefficient, variable hypolimnion thicknesses, and seasonal variability. A linear regression analysis of the final corrected depletion rates with time shows a significant increase in the yearly average hypolimnetic oxygen depletion rate of 0.030 gm·m·−3mo·−1 yr·−1 between 1929 and 1980. This increase in the rate accounts for a loss of 4 to 5 gm·m−3 of oxygen from the central basin hypolimnion since the earliest oxygen records in 1929. This increase may be directly related to an increase in the trophic level of the central basin, since most of the major limnological variables which affect the depletion rate have been accounted for.
Optimal placement of damped struts using simulated annealing

Presented is the optimization of the placement of damped structural elements in a two-dimensional truss network. This work presents a modification of a heuristic optimization technique called simulated annealing, to improve the speed of convergence. Rather than setting the annealing temperature schedule a priori, it is modified according to the change in cost functional. For a single mode of vibration, a comparison is made between the simulated-annealing results and the true optimal locations, as determined by the modal strain locations. As expected, simulated annealing returns a near-optimal solution from a variety of initial configurations. Modal weighting factors are utilized to examine multiple modes, and again the modal strain locations are used for comparison.
The Periodic Schrödinger Operators with Potentials in the Morrey Class

We consider the periodic Schrodinger operator −Δ+V(x) in Rd, d⩾3 with potential V in the Morrey class. Let Ω be a periodic cell for V. We show that, for p∈((d−1)/2,d/2], there exists a positive constant e depending only on the shape of Ω, p and d such that, iflim supr→0supx∈Ωr21∣B(x,r)∣∫B(x,r)∣V(y)∣pdy1/p<e, then the spectrum of −Δ+V is purely absolutely continuous. We obtain this result as a consequence of certain weighted L2 Sobolev inequalities on the d-torus. It improves an early result by the author for potentials in Ld/2 or weak-Ld/2 space.
Cervical spine intervertebral kinematics with respect to the head are different during flexion and extension motions.

Previous dynamic imaging studies of the cervical spine have focused entirely on intervertebral kinematics while neglecting to investigate the relationship between head motion and intervertebral motion. Specifically, it is unknown if the relationship between head and intervertebral kinematics is affected by movement direction. We tested the hypothesis that there would be no difference in sagittal plane intervertebral angles at identical head orientations during the flexion and extension movements. Nineteen asymptomatic subjects performed continuous head flexion-extension movements while biplane radiographs were collected at 30 images per second. A previously validated model-based volumetric tracking process determined three-dimensional vertebral position with sub-millimeter accuracy throughout the flexion–extension motion. Head movement was recorded at 60 Hz using conventional motion analysis and reflective markers. Intervertebral angles were determined at identical head orientations during the flexion and extension movements. Cervical motion segments were in a more extended orientation during flexion and in a more flexed orientation during extension for any given head orientation. The results suggest that static radiographs cannot accurately represent vertebral orientation during dynamic motion. Further, data should be collected during both flexion and extension movements when investigating intervertebral kinematics with respect to global head orientation. Also, in vitro protocols that use intervertebral total range of motion as validation criteria may be improved by assessing model fidelity using continuous intervertebral kinematics in flexion and in extension. Finally, musculoskeletal models of the head and cervical spine should account for the direction of head motion when determining muscle moment arms because vertebral orientations (and therefore muscle attachment sites) are dependent on the direction of head motion.
A waveguide array for solar noise studies

A description is given of a 150-foot slotted waveguide array which was built for solar noise studies at wavelengths near 10.3 centimeters. Some of the problems associated with the design of such an array are discussed.
Spatial Planning for Sustainable Development: An Action Planning Approach for Jakarta

Abstrak: Penataan ruang di kota-kota Indonesia telah menjadi suatu proses politis sejak diberlakukannya otonomi tahun 2001. Hal ini telah membangkitkan ekspektasi masyarakat untuk menuntut pemerintah agar perencanaan dan implementasinya lebih memperhatikan kepentingan mereka. Proses perencanaan dari bawah tidaklah cukup untuk menghadapi tantangan-tantangan suatu proses yang terpolitisasi, terlebih apabila perencanaan tersebut lebih difokuskan pada proyek-proyek raksasa yang berdampak kecil pada kehidupan sehari-hari. Sebagaimana ditunjukkan oleh sektor pengelolaan air di Jakarta, suatu proses perencanaan tindak yang menyatukan intervensi jangka pendek dan jangka panjang kemungkinan besar akan mendapat dukungan politis bila dapat membuat proses di pemerintah lebih tahan terhadap permasalahan yang terus ada, dan apabila mengambil langkah nyata untuk mewujudkan lingkungan yang lebih berkelanjutan. Kata Kunci: Perencanaan spasial, pembangunan berkelanjutan, Jakarta Abstract: Spatial planning in Indonesian cities has become an increasingly political process since the implementation of decentralization after 2001. This has elevated the expectation of public groups to demand the government-led planning and implementation to specifically address their concerns. The bottom-up plan making process is in itself insufficient to address the challenges of a politicized process, especially when the focus of the planning is largely on mega-projects that have little impact on everyday life. As demonstrated in the area of water management in Jakarta, an action planning process that melds short term and long term interventions is more likely to gain political backing, especially if its enables the government processes to become more resilient in the face of continuous problems, and if it takes concrete steps to realize a more sustainable environment. Keywords: Spatial planning, sustainable development, Jakarta
Health and Social Change in International Perspective

Health and Social Change in International Perspective. Lincoln C. Chen, Arthur Kleinman, and Norma C. Ware, eds. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press, 1994 (paper). xv+ 508 pp.
Transient Thermal Stresses in Cylinders with a Square Cross Section Under Conditions of Convective Heat Transfer

The transient thermal stresses in a long cylinder with a square cross section resulting from convective heating or cooling by a sudden change in ambient temperature were calculated by the finite element method. On heating, the maximum tensile stresses occur in the center of the rod, whereas the maximum principal stresses occur along the diagonal of the cross section. On cooling, the maximum tensile stresses occur at the center of the faces. The results obtained are discussed in terms of experimental measurement of the thermal stress resistance of brittle ceramics. Possible failure modes during heating and cooling are discussed. Comparison with literature data shows that for a given value of the Biot number the magnitude of the maximum tensile stresses on cooling, in a rod with a square cross section, exceeds those in a rod with a circular cross section.
Drafting New York Civil-Litigation Documents: Part XXIV - Summary-Judgment Motions Continued

This article, the 24th in a continuing series on drafting litigation documents in New York, concludes the discussion of summary judgment motions.
Submicrosecond pulses from a hydrogen-fluorine laser with high energy density and quantum efficiency

Submicrosecond pulses have been obtained from a photochemical H 2 -F 2 laser with a chemical efficiency of 0.5 percent. Energy densities of 6 J l-1were obtained from 60 torr (at 213 K) of a stoichiometric H 2 -F 2 mixture stabilized with 5 mole-percent O 2 . Laser output energy and the reciprocal of the pulsewidth were both proportional to the gas pressure. Actinometry showed that the laser energy output was 16.6 times the energy necessary to provide F atoms for initiation. Time-resolved spectra revealed excitation up to \upsilon' = 6 .
The Future of Audit: A Modified Delphi Approach

The purpose of this study is to discuss the future of the audit profession. If the future of the profession can be predicted, then professionals will have the opportunity to prepare in advance. Expert consensus is used as a basis to generate modifications in the audit profession. A modified Delphi method is used to obtain this expert consensus based on participant predictions of audit methodologies, standards, and skill sets that will be in place in the future. This study contributes to the literature by using the modified Delphi method to develop predictions as to the direction of the audit industry. This is a timely study as the profession is adopting International Financial Reporting Standards. IFRS will bring a shift from rule-based to principles-based accounting standards and require a greater degree of auditor judgment. The Delphi Method has been proven useful in other industries and has yet to be applied to the overall audit industry.
Maximizing the discriminating power of a multiple-score test.

Maximizing the discriminating power of a multiple-score test involves maximizing the homogeneity of each subtest and minimizing the correlations between subtests. A method is presented for constructing such tests from items whose intercorrelations are not too high. Under certain restrictions the saturation, defined as the proportion of inter-item covariance to total variance, is maximized for each subtest. The nucleus of each subtest is three items with high covariancesinter se. All items which will lower the saturation are discarded; the one item is added which will maximize the saturation of the resultant test. This process is repeated until all the items are included or discarded for that subtest. If the correlation between any such subtests approaches the geometric mean of their saturations, their items form a new pool for one or more subtests. Formulas are presented for deciding which items to eliminate in order to reduce further the correlations between subtests.
Armed and Dangerous: Explaining Arms Embargo Target Variation

Arms embargoes are typically intended to prevent and punish “bad behavior” by taking away states’ access to weapons. Yet not all states that engage in bad behavior are sanctioned. Using a new arms embargo dataset, I analyze arms embargoes and the characteristics of their targets from 1981 to 2010. I argue that two key sets of target state characteristics explain arms embargo variation. First, states that violate international rules and norms are vulnerable to arms embargoes: Severe human rights violations, interstate conflict, nuclear weapons development, and support for terrorist organizations are positively associated with arms embargoes. Second, target-sender relations protect states from sanctions: Alliances, arms transfers, oil production, democracy, and wealth are negatively associated with arms embargoes. These results suggest that the necessary ingredients to impose meaningful arms embargoes – existing valued relationships between senders and targets – are also, for complex political and economic reasons, often roadblocks to embargo imposition.
A Pure Life: The Microbial Ecology of High Purity Industrial Waters

The microbial ecology of various natural environments has been an active area of research since the earlier part of the twentieth century. Remote and sometimes extreme environments such as the deep ocean and the deep terrestrial subsurface have revealed a remarkable array of microorganisms. The majority of these environments are nutrient limited, and microorganisms—principally, bacteria—have developed a number of survival strategies that enable their survival and, in some cases, replication. While planktonic microorganisms exist in oligotrophic environments, the predominant mode of survival and growth is associated with biofilms. There are a number of similarities between the physicochemistry of industrial water systems and some natural aquatic ecosystems, and these similarities extend to the microbial populations and the survival mechanisms that are employed. The “starvation-survival” mechanisms, including biofilm formation, may be associated with deleterious effects on industrial water systems. These effects include heat transfer inhibition, microbially influenced corrosion, and contamination of various products manufactured in a wide array of industries. Biological fouling of industrial water systems has significant direct and indirect (through antimicrobial chemical applications) impacts on engineered materials and on the etiology of some waterborne diseases. This review provides an overview of the microbial ecology of purified waters and discusses the impacts of biological activity on industrial systems.
Venezuelan Macronyssidae. IV. A new genus and species of rodent-parasitizing Ornithonyssinae (Acarina, Macronyssidae).

Lepidodorsum tiptoni , n. gen., n. sp., is described from Oryzomys albigularis in Merida, Venezuela. Additional specimens were seen from the same host in Trujillo and Tachira and from Zygodontomys brevicauda in Miranda.
Pre-assessment of Public Health Risks during EXPO 2010 in Huangpu District of Shanghai by Delphi method

[Objective]To evaluate the related public health risks,and ensure the public health safety in Huangpu district during EXPO 2010. [Methods]A total of10 experts of public health in Huangpu CDC were selected to proceed 2 rounds of consultation and the results were then analyzed by Delphi method. [Results]The ranking of most important 10 public health risks were identified. [Conclusion]The results of assessment can help to prevent and control the public health risks during EXPO 2010.
Millimeter-scale gate-tunable graphene nanoribbon devices as a platform for mid-infrared and bio sensing applications

Abstract The experimental observation of graphene plasmon resonance has generated tremendous interest due to numerous potential applications such as photosensors, detectors, biosensors, and switches from THz to mid-infrared regime. However, practical applications require much larger dimensions (mm to cm scale) than that demonstrated in the proof-of-concept devices. Moreover, such devices also require a detailed understanding of ribbon-to-ribbon interaction, which has not been investigated so far. Here we demonstrate gate tunable plasmon resonance in the mid-infrared spectral region on millimeter-scale graphene nanoribbon (GNR) array devices fabricated using graphene monolayer. Gate dependent Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) transmission measurements on GNR of various widths were investigated experimentally. The shift in plasmon resonance peaks of wave number 100 cm−1 at applied external gate voltage −100 V was observed. This shift is attributed to strong gate modulation. Our investigation of ribbon-to-ribbon interaction by tuning the aspect ratio reveals strong modulation of surface plasmon resonance peaks in GNR. This suggests that plasmon resonances are coupled as evidenced by blue-shifted plasmon resonance. These studies demonstrate that large-area GNR devices can serve as an ideal platform for ultrasensitive sensing and detector applications.
A contextualist semantics for aesthetic judgments

AbstractIn this paper, we present and defend a modest anti-realist conception of aesthetic properties – e.g. being unified, moving, delicate, tragic, etc – in order to motivate a contextualist semantic view about aesthetic judgments. We argue that aesthetic properties are plausibly seen as viewpoint-dependent even though our epistemic access to the presence of aesthetic properties is decidedly more complicated than other, less controversial instances of viewpoint-dependent properties (e.g. personal taste properties). On the basis of our anti-realist conception, we argue, utilizing the Kaplanian distinction between character and content within a possible worlds semantic theory, that the contents expressed in aesthetic thought and language are sensitive to certain contextual features of a particular thinker’s or speaker’s situation. Finally, we address a number of formidable objections to our view, objections concerning certain context-sensitivity diagnostics (about disagreement data in particular), and sho...
Speeding Food Relief in International Disasters: The Potential Contribution of Technology

We return to the problem of food, and again to the tension between the mentalities of those who espouse relief and those who advocate development. The immunity of the major grain shippers from public scrutiny is only equalled by the splendid obscurity that the oil companies enjoyed before the 1973 crisis. For this reason among others, Mitchel Wallerstein concludes that the cost of setting up a food surveillance system to parallel the “safety net” created for oil after the 1973 energy crisis would be prohibitive. Even for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) — the largest and best-equipped relief organization in history — food, with its relatively inelastic demand curve, largely escaped international controls. Thus, Wallerstein concludes as does Michael Doyle, that ultimately the only satisfactory solution to the problem of providing food in disaster-prone countries is local reserves, preferably supplied by local agriculture, though an intermediate stage may well be required during which governments of major grain-producing states and regions would set aside food for international reserves.
A 700 μW 1GS/s 4-bit folding-flash ADC in 65nm CMOS for wideband wireless communications

We present the design of a low-power 4-bit 1GS/s folding-flash ADC with a folding factor of two in standard 65nm CMOS technology. The design of a new unbalanced double-tail dynamic comparator affords an ultra-low power operation and a high dynamic range. Unlike the conventional approaches, this design uses a fully matched input stage, an unbalanced latch stage, and a two-clock operation scheme. A combination of these features yields significant reduction of the kick-back noise, while allowing the design flexibility for adjusting the trip points of the comparators. As a result, the ADC achieves SNDR of 22.3 dB at 100MHz and 21.8 dB at 500MHz (i.e. the Nyquist frequency). The maximum INL and DNL are about 0.2 LSB. The converter consumes about 700μW from a 1-V supply yielding a figure of merit of 65fJ/conversion step. These attributes make the proposed folding-flash ADC attractive for the next-generation wireless applications.
Principled Autonomous Decision Making for Markets

A quintessential problem at the intersection of economics and computer science is that of resource allocation. Broadly construed, this problem involves a set of resources that must be distributed to a set of agents without violating a set of constraints. Abstractly, a resource could be thought of as any input that an agent needs to fulfill its goal as it acts on a given environment. A constraint could be thought of as any limit imposed by the environment or other agents, each of which tries to fulfill their independent, and often conflicting, goals.
Adaptive robust optimization with minimax regret criterion: Multiobjective optimization framework and computational algorithm for planning and scheduling under uncertainty

Abstract Regret is defined as the deviation of objective value from the perfect information solution, and serves as an important evaluation metric for decision-making under uncertainty. This paper proposes a novel framework that effectively incorporates the minimax regret criterion into two-stage adaptive robust optimization (ARO). In addition to the conventional robustness criterion, this ARO framework also simultaneously optimizes the worst-case regret to push the performance of the resulting solution towards the utopia one under perfect information. By using a data-driven uncertainty set, we formulate a multiobjective ARO problem that generates a set of Pareto-optimal solutions to reveal the systematic trade-offs between the conventional robustness and minimax regret criteria. The resulting multi-level mixed-integer programming problem cannot be solved directly by any off-the-shelf optimization solvers, so we further propose tailored column-and-constraint generation algorithms to address the computational challenge. Two applications on process network planning and batch process scheduling are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed framework and the efficiency of the proposed solution algorithms.
Integrated, Continuous Emulsion Creamer.

Automated and reproducible sample handling is a key requirement for high-throughput compound screening and currently demands heavy reliance on expensive robotics in screening centers. Integrated droplet microfluidic screening processors are poised to replace robotic automation by miniaturizing biochemical reactions to the droplet scale. These processors must generate, incubate, and sort droplets for continuous droplet screening, passively handling millions of droplets with complete uniformity, especially during the key step of sample incubation. Here, we disclose an integrated microfluidic emulsion creamer that packs (“creams”) assay droplets by draining away excess oil through microfabricated drain channels. The drained oil coflows with creamed emulsion and then reintroduces the oil to disperse the droplets at the circuit terminus for analysis. Creamed emulsion assay incubation time dispersion was 1.7%, 3-fold less than other reported incubators. The integrated, continuous emulsion creamer (ICEcreamer) w...
Radicals, Democratic and Technocratic

What kinds of radicalism, if any, turn out to be appealing? Do radicals from former eras speak to us – perhaps as cautionary tales, perhaps as models? Jeremy McCarter has written a magnificent book about five young radicals, who did their most important early work about a century ago, when the United States experienced an outpouring of left-wing thought. McCarter’s radicals were idealists, revolutionaries; they thought that society should and could be remade in fundamental ways. They were exploding with energy, humor, and wit. They loved drama, satire, and sex. Some of the largest and most intriguing lessons involve the tensions among the drama-chasing, principle-free, where-the-action-is radicalism of John Reed, who loved the Russian Revolution; the democratic radicalism of Alice Paul, who fought for women’s suffrage and objected to the subordination of women; and the technocratic radicalism of Walter Lippmann, who emphasized the role of “fake news” and the inevitability of epistemic gaps on the part of the citizenry, and who prized knowledge and expertise. Paul and Lippmann emerge as very different heroes of the period.
Teleneurology and mobile technologies: the future of neurological care

Neurological disorders are the leading cause of global disability. However, for most people around the world, current neurological care is poor. In low-income countries, most individuals lack access to proper neurological care, and in high-income countries, distance and disability limit access. With the global proliferation of smartphones, teleneurology - the use of technology to provide neurological care and education remotely - has the potential to improve and increase access to care for billions of people. Telestroke has already fulfilled this promise, but teleneurology applications for chronic conditions are still in their infancy. Similarly, few studies have explored the capabilities of mobile technologies such as smartphones and wearable sensors, which can guide care by providing objective, frequent, real-world assessments of patients. In low-income settings, teleneurology can increase the capacity of local care systems through professional development, diagnostic support and consultative services. In high-income settings, teleneurology is likely to promote the expansion and migration of neurological care away from institutions, incorporate systems of asynchronous communication (such as e-mail), integrate clinicians with diverse skill sets and reach new populations. Inertia, outdated policies and social barriers - especially the digital divide - will slow this progress at considerable cost. However, a future increasingly will be possible in which neurological care can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. Here, we examine the emerging evidence regarding the benefits of teleneurology for chronic conditions, its role and risks in low-income countries and the promise of mobile technologies to measure disease status and deliver care. We conclude by discussing the future trends, barriers and timing for the adoption of teleneurology.
Alzheimer’s Dementia Drug Discovery: Targeting Synaptic Glutamate Uptake

Abstract According to the hypothesis, amyloid Alzheimer's dementia (AD) begins in the brain with Aβ peptides accumulation and amyloid formation. However, all clinical trials targeting Aβ peptides and brain amyloid have failed to help anybody living with AD. Instead of repeating similar trial failures, we need to discover new drug targets if we want to prevent, delay, and cure dementia. In the brain, glutamate is the synaptic signaling molecule of neurons. As soon as the glutamate signaling starts it is stopped in 0.1–2 ms by astrocytes, which take up and clear glutamate from synapses. This prevents glutamate neurotoxicity causing synapse loss and neuron cell death. Astrocytes express excitatory amino acid transporter-2 (EAAT2), the major glutamate transporter, and 1% of brain protein. In AD, astrocytes are impaired in synaptic glutamate uptake. In experimental mouse models of AD, increasing EAAT2 expression slows dementia progression. Here, I describe a simple assay to discover drugs that activate EAAT2. The assay directly targets the EAAT2 protein reconstituted in liposomes and measures glutamate uptake with Oxonol VI red fluorescent dye. Importantly, the assay should limit “off-targeting” of drugs and adverse events, which remain the main problems in AD drug discovery and clinical development. For efficacy, specificity, and safety, EAAT2-activating drugs are studied in experimental Caenorhabditis elegans models of AD and neurodegenerative diseases.
Exploring Biculturality and Beauty Standards through Breast Discourse and Breasted Experience of Sexual Minority Women

Body satisfaction and embodied experience are fundamental components of women’s mental health. This is especially true for sexual minority women (SMW) who experience the complex demands of biculturality, as they must attend to the appearance ideals of both mainstream and SMW subculture. The current study aimed to investigate SMW’s bicultural experiences of body satisfaction and beauty pressures through a focused exploration of SMW’s breast discourse and breasted experience. Specifically, we hoped to discern more conclusive findings on whether the SMW subculture acts to protect SMW from the negative effects of mainstream, heteronormative beauty standards as proposed by previous research findings. We conducted a qualitative study of 11 SMW with questions focused on a variety of experiential areas including breast development, gender identity, romantic relationships, mainstream culture and media, and SMW subculture. Data analysis resulted in 13 primary themes and 26 subthemes. From the thematic aggregate, a preliminary theoretical model emerged detailing the relationships and interactions among various social and personal-based factors and influences. Results determined that breasts as a gender marker, gender identity, the breast/chest-gender identity relationship, and internalized sexism and beauty codes are the principal factors involved in SMW’s bicultural breasted experience and beauty standard negotiation. These factors, emergent themes, and the preliminary theoretical model are discussed, along with clinical implications, study limitations, and future research directions.
The Constitution in the Supreme Court: Civil Rights and Liberties, 1930-1941

This is the latest in Professor Currie's continuing series on the historical development of constitutional doctrine. In this article Professor Currie surveys the major decisions of the Supreme Court between 1930 and 1941 in the area of criminal procedure, civil rights and civil liberties. In the area of criminal procedure, Professor Currie concludes that in deciding what procedures were required or forbidden by due process, historical inquiry was displaced by a fundamental-rights test. In the area of civil liberties, Professor Currie concludes that the Court made modest progress. Finally, Professor Currie concludes that the Court's most important civil liberties work during the period was in the area offreedom of expression, assembly and religion.
The Basic Rest — Activity Cycle

The basic rest-activity cycle (BRAC) is a physiological periodicity in the functioning of the nervous system of homoiotheraml animals. First detected as a variation in the concomitants of sleep in infants, it involves an alternation of EEG patterns, with a high-voltage slow activity (HVSA) during the rest phase and a low-voltage fast activity (LCFA) during the activity phase. The latter is accompanied by certain somatic and visceral manifestations-changes in heart rate and in respiration movements (REMs), and relaxation of other muscle groups. In human infants, the BRAC is completed in 55–60 minutes, progressively increasing to 85–90 minutes in adult man.
Medical information commons

In this paper, we develop the concept of a medical information commons, laying out its central features and exploring connections to several strands of commons theory. We then hone in on normative questions raised by efforts to create widely-shared informational resources in the biomedical research space. Addressing these questions involves examination of the claims of key stakeholders and excavation of the moral foundations of governance mechanisms. We believe this analysis yields several important lessons for leaders of current efforts. First, they should consider investing resources in empirical studies to inform evaluation of the trade-offs associated with alternative strategies for involving participants. Second, there is intrinsic as well as instrumental value to the engagement of all stakeholders on terms that approximate as closely as possible norms of mutual regard and equal respect, a standard that is demanding but also flexible. Third (and related), consistent with principles of adaptive governance, nesting, and institutional variety, differences of approach across efforts should be expected and are indeed desirable. Finally, while it is possible to combine insights from the public domain and common-pool resource strands of commons theory, there are tensions between the two approaches. The rhetoric of “broad sharing” and “openness” may obscure the need to make difficult decisions about the boundaries of a commons, allocation of resultant benefits and burdens, and enforcement of rules.