cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Channel Leadership Behavior on Intrachannel Conflict

This study examines the impact of different types of channel leadership behavior on channel members' perceptions of intrachannel conflict in a franchise distribution channel. Factor analysis and ca...
Research on Military Application of Navy Unmanned Combat Platform

The military applications of the Navy Military Unmanned Combat Platform in five aspects such as battlefield awareness, command and control, precision strike, information operations and integrated support are described in detail in this paper. Its application areas and the development trend of Combat Formats are analyzed.
Contact Erosion Characteristics in Making Process of SF_6 Circuit Breakers

For a SF6 circuit breaker in closing operation, closing surge can cause serious erosion to its arcing contacts. In order to study the characteristics of this erosion, we designed a simulative interrupter of SF6 circuit breaker to conduct erosion experiments of CuW80 arcing contacts under closing condition. The arcing duration and current peaks of every test were measured, and the mass loss ratio of the contact after 100 times of operations was calculated. Moreover, after every 20 operations, we photographed surfaces of the arcing contact and measured its electrical properties including contact resistance and power-frequency withstanding voltage. The characteristics and mechanism of erosion of arcing contact in SF6 circuit breaker in closing process were then analyzed. It is found that two major sources can induce the arcing contact erosion, namely, the pre-breakdown arc before closing and the mechanical wear of arc heated contact due to friction, and the wear caused by mechanical friction occupies a relatively large proportion and can't be ignored. Under the conditions that the mechanism velocity is 7 m/s, current peak is 18 kA, and arcing duration is less than 2ms, the mechanical wear mass loss rate is greater than 1.0 mg/C.This is the main reason why an arcing contact wears faster during closing than during opening.
Cloud storage for endosomes

Coordinated regulation of vesicle trafficking is critical for the proper functioning of a cell. The bulk of cellular transport vesicles are sequestered in a “perinuclear cloud”, with only a small fraction released to the cell periphery. Jongsma et al (2016) found that the ER‐associated E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF26 is responsible for establishing and maintaining the architecture of the perinuclear cloud and that this spatiotemporal positioning is critical for effective regulation of the endocytic and exocytic systems.
Integrating conversation analysis and issue framing to illuminate collaborative decision-making activities

A shift from top-down, hierarchical decision-making toward collaborative, consensus-oriented decision-making is taking place across many settings, leading to meetings in which diverse participants ...
The diagnosis and surgical management of vasculogenic impotence.

Abstract Thirty-two patients have been treated for organic impotence at our institution during a 16-month period. Of these patients 5 were found to have penile vascular insufficiency and underwent a femorocavernosal bypass with an autogenous saphenous vein graft. Initial results were excellent but late failures occurred. At 28 months all shunts were occluded. Microscopic examination of the cavernous tissue revealed fibrous thickening of the septa and loss of cavernous spaces. These findings suggested that late failure in direct revascularization may be associated with fibrotic changes that occur under high pressure inflow to the corpora cavernosa.
What Should Cardiologists Tell Their Patients About a Healthy Dietary Pattern

A healthy diet is a powerful tool for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although much can be learned by studying single nutrients or specific foods, dietary pattern analysis offers a complementary approach to describe the overall quality of the diet by summarizing the
Radii of neutron drops probed via the neutron skin thickness of nuclei

Multineutron systems are crucial to understanding the physics of neutron-rich nuclei and neutron stars. Neutron drops, neutrons confined in an external field, are investigated systematically in both nonrelativistic and relativistic density functional theories and with ab initio calculations. We demonstrate a new strong linear correlation, which is universal in the realm of mean-field models, between the rms radii of neutron drops and the neutron skin thickness of $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$, i.e., the difference between the neutron and proton rms radii of a nucleus. Due to its high quality, this correlation can be used to deduce the radii of neutron drops from the measured neutron skin thickness in a model-independent way, and the radii obtained for neutron drops can provide a useful constraint for realistic three-neutron forces. We also present a new correlation between the slope $L$ of the symmetry energy and the radii of neutron drops, and provide the first validation of such a correlation by using density-functional models and ab initio calculations. These newly established correlations, together with more precise measurements of the neutron skin thicknesses of $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ and $^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ and/or accurate determinations of $L$, will have an enduring impact on the understanding of multineutron interactions, neutron-rich nuclei, neutron stars, etc.
Feedback control of an 8/6 SRM under multiphase excitation mode with short flux paths

A switched reluctance motor (SRM) operating under multiphase excitation mode with short flux paths can achieve higher torque density. This has been indicated in the literature by numerical analysis, simulation and measurement of static torque. However, the design of controllers for real-time operation of such a SRM is quite difficult due to the nonlinearity and mutual coupling arising from multiphase excitation. On the other hand, most of previous investigations regarding control of a SRM are only for single-phase excitation. In this paper, a simple but effective design approach for the current and speed controllers of an 8/6 SRM under multiphase excitation mode with short flux paths is proposed in the low and intermediate speed ranges based on some reasonable assumptions and simplifications. Using a fixed-point DSP, the real-time operation and control of the SRM are implemented by means of linearized controllers. Our experimental results verify the effectiveness of this method.
Interdisciplinary dissemination and implementation research to advance translational science: Challenges and opportunities.

Author(s): Guerrero, EG; Hahn, EE; Khachikian, T; Chuang, E; Brown, AF | Abstract: IntroductionInterdisciplinary collaboration is a critical component of translation, dissemination, implementation, and improvement (TDII) science. Yet, little is known about effective frameworks and practices regarding interdisciplinary research in TDII.MethodsThis study drew on data collected from an expert panel during a regional symposium.ResultsFindings highlight facilitators and barriers to stimulating interdisciplinary TDII research in different domains: intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, power and hierarchy, physical environment, and communication and language.ConclusionsFindings have significant implications for TDII of clinical practices.
Stromal Reactivity Differentially Drives Tumor Cell Evolution and Prostate Cancer Progression

We implemented a hybrid multiscale model of carcinogenesis that merges data from biology and pathology on the microenvironmental regulation of prostate cancer (PCa) cell behavior. It recapitulates the biology of stromal influence in prostate cancer progression. Our data indicate that the interactions between the tumor cells and reactive stroma shape the evolutionary dynamics of PCa cells and explain overall tumor aggressiveness. We show that the degree of stromal reactivity, when coupled with the current clinical biomarkers, significantly improves PCa prognostication, both for death and recurrence, that may alter treatment decisions. We also show that stromal reactivity correlates directly with tumor growth but inversely modulates tumor evolution. This suggests that the aggressive stromal independent PCa may be an inevitable evolutionary result of poor stromal reactivity. It also suggests that purely tumor centric metrics of aggressiveness may be misleading in terms on clinical outcome.
Quantification of cotinine in dried blood spots as a biomarker of exposure to tobacco smoke.

OBJECTIVE We present an ultra-sensitive, minimally-invasive method for quantifying cotinine in dried blood spot (DBS) samples as a biomarker of exposure to tobacco smoke that can be collected using a simple heel or finger prick to obtain blood samples. METHODS Cotinine levels were measured in matched plasma and reconstituted DBS samples from smokers and nonsmokers to evaluate assay parameters. In addition, we applied this new method to finger-prick DBS samples that were collected from infants, children and young adults ages 1-21 to estimate exposure to tobacco smoke. Partitioning of cotinine across red blood cells and haematocrit effects were investigated. RESULTS Cotinine levels measured in matched plasma and reconstituted DBS samples from smokers and nonsmokers were found to be highly correlated (R2=0.94), with 100% sensitivity and 94% specificity to differentiate reported smokers from nonsmokers. With this method, the LOQ is <0.25 ng/mL using a single 3.2 mm punch of a DBS, and haematocrit effects are negligible. CONCLUSIONS This sensitive, high-throughput and minimally-invasive method for quantifying cotinine in DBS samples provides a simple and cost effective means for estimating exposure to tobacco smoke in population based studies, and has particular advantages in studies involving infants and children.
Capability matters: Relating student achievement on the comprehensive business exam to skill and effort

This study is the first to explore how skill and effort drive student achievement using a framework developed by Duckworth, Eichstaedt, and Unger (2015). A statistically significant achievement dif...
Why Don't We Enforce Existing Drug Price Controls? The Unrecognized and Unenforced Reasonable Pricing Requirements Imposed Upon Patents Deriving in Whole or in Part from Federally-Funded Research

Rising prescription drug prices have become a pressing national issue. Hidden from most public discussions is the nature of the public/private relationship when government funds part or all of the research costs. This relationship is inherently problematic, as it introduces conflicts of interest and tends to violate underlying beliefs about private enterprise, government industrial policies, and the market economy. A major part of all new drug development-and an even larger portion of those "blockbuster" developments which are truly innovative-is due to government, usually federal, subsidization. In part this relates to favorable tax treatment, but an even larger amount is the product of direct federal investment in research. Sometimes this research reaches patentable levels, and federal patents are made available to private industry through exclusive licenses.This defies the underlying basis for patent law that the resulting monopoly is a means of returning R & D costs, which in the case of federal patents, have not been borne by the licensee and therefore do not exist to be returned. Other times, federally-funded research enables recipients, including universities but also private enterprises, to obtain patents on their own. The Patent Law, through its "Bayh-Dole" provisions, 35 U.S.C. Section 209, requires such recipients to include in the patent itself, a legend that the invention was obtained with government funds. Such patents are subject to "march-in" rights, the most important of which is the right of the government to license the patent to others if the patentee does not make the invention available to the public on "reasonable terms." The language of the statute and its legislative history clearly indicate this means reasonable prices. Thus, present federal law includes a powerful price control provision. Since it was enacted in 1980, however, it has not been used by any administration, Republican or Democratic. Congressional reviews reveal massive noncompliance of Bayh-Dole by industry, and a willing ignorance by administrative agencies. Each administration has refused to enforce Bayh-Dole, and several have announced that, despite the clear dictates of the law, they do not intend to enforce it. Recognizing the conflicts underlying such federal/private relationships, and the failure of their regulating provisions, it is surely in the public interest to revisit such relationships and enforce this law.
Strider typo-patrol: discovery and analysis of systematic typo-squatting

Typo-squatting refers to the practice of registering domain names that are typo variations of popular websites. We propose a new approach, called Strider Typo-Patrol, to discover large-scale, systematic typo-squatters. We show that a large number of typo-squatting domains are active and a large percentage of them are parked with a handful of major domain parking services, which serve syndicated advertisements on these domains. We also describe the Strider URL Tracer, a tool that we have released to allow website owners to systematically monitor typo-squatting domains of their sites.
Organizational structure and the delivery of primary care to older Americans.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To explore how internal factors, such as organizational size, mission, ownership, and managerial communication and control structures, affect the delivery of primary care to older Americans across a wide variety of practice settings: ambulatory practices, hospitals, nursing homes, and home healthcare agencies. DESIGN: Use of the structure/process/outcome paradigm and contingency theory to examine the empirical research linking structural factors to outcomes. CONCLUSION: Using these studies as a background, we consider the implications for the provision of primary care to older Americans including the impact of evolving intraorganizational structure in healthcare organization.
Water Intake, Water Balance, and the Elusive Daily Water Requirement

Water is essential for metabolism, substrate transport across membranes, cellular homeostasis, temperature regulation, and circulatory function. Although nutritional and physiological research teams and professional organizations have described the daily total water intakes (TWI, L/24h) and Adequate Intakes (AI) of children, women, and men, there is no widespread consensus regarding the human water requirements of different demographic groups. These requirements remain undefined because of the dynamic complexity inherent in the human water regulatory network, which involves the central nervous system and several organ systems, as well as large inter-individual differences. The present review analyzes published evidence that is relevant to these issues and presents a novel approach to assessing the daily water requirements of individuals in all sex and life-stage groups, as an alternative to AI values based on survey data. This empirical method focuses on the intensity of a specific neuroendocrine response (e.g., plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentration) employed by the brain to regulate total body water volume and concentration. We consider this autonomically-controlled neuroendocrine response to be an inherent hydration biomarker and one means by which the brain maintains good health and optimal function. We also propose that this individualized method defines the elusive state of euhydration (i.e., water balance) and distinguishes it from hypohydration. Using plasma AVP concentration to analyze multiple published data sets that included both men and women, we determined that a mild neuroendocrine defense of body water commences when TWI is ˂1.8 L/24h, that 19–71% of adults in various countries consume less than this TWI each day, and consuming less than the 24-h water AI may influence the risk of dysfunctional metabolism and chronic diseases.
Using patient aligned care team marketing to identify cognitive impairment in primary care.

INTRODUCTION Cognitive impairment is a growing concern that is costly for individuals and health care systems and is often undiagnosed. Early recognition of cognitive impairment allows patients and families the opportunity to discuss long-term care planning and to arrange financial and legal affairs. Identification of cognitive impairment allows for better evaluation and accommodation of functional deficits. Most individuals with cognitive impairment receive care exclusively through primary care. Primary care providers are typically overburdened, and subsequently cognitive impairment may be unrecognized and untreated. Efficient methods of detecting cognitive impairment are needed in primary care. METHOD The present investigation examined the effect of a simple marketing strategy on the frequency of referral for cognitive screening in primary care. The frequency of referral for cognitive screening was measured for the 12 months prior to and following the marketing effort. Data for the period 2 years after the marketing effort were examined to determine if increases in referral for cognitive screening were maintained. RESULTS Results demonstrate that this modest marketing effort significantly increased the number of individuals who were referred for cognitive impairment screening, and this increase was maintained over time. Also, the majority of those who were evaluated screened positive for cognitive impairment. DISCUSSION This brief marketing effort increased the frequency of referral for cognitive screening and identified individuals with cognitive impairment in primary care. Implications for future research and for management of cognitive impairment in primary care are detailed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Tilt-Wing eVTOL Takeoff Trajectory Optimization

Technological advances in areas such as battery technology, autonomous control, and ride-hailing services, combined with the scale-free nature of electric motors, have sparked significant interest ...
Therapeutic doses of paracetamol with co-administration of cysteine and mannitol during early development result in long term behavioral changes in laboratory rats.

Based on several lines of evidence, numerous investigators have suggested that paracetamol exposure during early development can induce neurological disorders. We had previously postulated that paracetamol exposure early in life, if combined with antioxidants that prevent accumulation of NAPQI, the toxic metabolite of paracetamol, might be innocuous. In this study, we administered paracetamol at or below the currently recommended therapeutic dose to male laboratory rat pups aged 4-10 days. The antioxidants cysteine and mannitol were included to prevent accumulation of NAPQI. In addition, animals were exposed to a cassette of common stress factors: an inflammatory diet, psychological stress, antibiotics, and mock infections using killed bacteria. At age 37-49 days, observation during introduction to a novel conspecific revealed increased rearing behavior, an asocial behavior, in animals treated with paracetamol plus antioxidants, regardless of their exposure to oxidative stress factors (2-way ANOVA; P < 0.0001). This observation would suggest that the initial hypothesis is incorrect, and that oxidative stress mediators do not entirely eliminate the effects of paracetamol on neurodevelopment. This study provides additional cause for caution when considering the use of paracetamol in the pediatric population, and provides evidence that the effects of paracetamol on neurodevelopment need to be considered both in the presence and in the absence of oxidative stress.
Data-Driven Design Strategies to Address Crowding and Boarding in an Emergency Department: A Discrete-Event Simulation Study.

Objective:To address prolonged lengths of stay (LOS) in a Level 1 trauma center, we examined the impact of implementing two data-driven strategies with a focus on the physical environment.Backgroun...
Self-efficacy in caregivers of adults diagnosed with cancer: An integrative review.

Abstract Purpose Cancer caregivers experience health challenges related to their caregiving role, and self-efficacy can contribute to health outcomes through behavioral, environmental, and personal factors. The purpose of this integrative review was to examine self-efficacy in caregivers of adults diagnosed with cancer, including its association with health factors. Method A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL , and PsychInfo yielded 560 articles. Following duplicate removal, 232 articles were screened for inclusion criteria with 71 articles remaining for final review. Results Studies were generally quantitative (n = 67), with predominantly female (n = 55), White (n = 36) caregivers, between the ages of 45–60 (n = 48). Self-efficacy was significantly associated with quality of life, caregiver function, social support, hope, depression, anxiety, and burden as a predictor, mediator, and outcome. Physical health and social determinants of health (social support and financial well-being) were addressed among fewer studies than mental and emotional health outcomes. Conclusions Addressing self-efficacy in diverse populations and within physical, mental, and social health contexts will enhance understanding of how self-efficacy impacts caregivers of adults diagnosed with cancer. Nurses and other health care professionals can then effectively address supportive needs of caregivers in the personal, behavioral, and environmental domains.
Algebraic realization for projective special linear actions

Suppose $$q=p^r$$ , where p is a prime congruent to 3 or 5 modulo 8 and r is odd or $$q = 2^r$$ for any r. Then every closed smooth $${\text {PSL}}(2,q)$$ manifold has a strongly algebraic model.
Prévenir l’hémorragie du postpartum primaire au cours des accouchements qui ont lieu chez les sages-femmes traditionnelles : editorial

L'evidence dont on dispose montre que l'Afrique est responsable du plus grand fardeau de la mortallte maternelle du monde.L' hemorragie du postpartum primaire (HPP) est responsable d´environ 25% de la mortalite maternelle et elle est une cause principale de l'incapacite du postpartum dans l'Afrique sub-saharienne.
Prostate cancer in the elderly

Men over age 75 years represent less than 10% of the male population in the limited studies, but about 25% of all men diagnosed with prostate cancer. This group of patients has unique challenges for prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. Life expectancy calculations should be performed before embarking on diagnostic testing. Based on many studies it is likely this age group is actually being undertreated for high-risk prostate cancer. Geriatric assessments, life expectancy calculations, as well as consideration for personal and family preferences should be incorporated into the decisions making in elderly men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Genomic organization of collagenous domains and chromosomal assignment of human 180-kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen-2, a novel collagen of stratified squamous epithelium.

Abstract We have recently isolated a 1.0-kilobase (kb) cDNA encoding 180-kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen (BPAG2), an autoantigen in blistering skin disease, bullous pemphigoid (Giudice, G. J., Squiquera, H. L., Elias, P. M., and Diaz, L. (1991) J. Clin. Invest. 87, 734-738). The deduced amino acid sequence identified two collagenous domains characterized by Gly-X-Y repeats. In this study we have elucidated the genomic organization of the corresponding segment in the human BPAG2 gene. Screening of a genomic lambda-phage DNA library yielded six overlapping clones, and the sequences corresponding to the 1.0-kb cDNA spanned approximately 12 kb of genomic DNA. The coding segment consisted of 19 separate exons varying in size from 27 to 222 base pairs. The organization of these exons and the splice sites at the intron-exon junctions were clearly different from other fibrillar and nonfibrillar collagen genes described to date. The BPAG2 gene was mapped by chromosomal in situ hybridization to the long arm of human chromosome 10, at locus 10q24.3; this location is distinct from any previously mapped collagens, and it also distinguishes BPAG2 from BPAG1, a 230-kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen, which has been mapped to chromosome 6p (Sawamura, D., Nomura, K., Sugita, Y., Mattei, M.-G., Chu, M.-L., Knowlton, R.G., and Uitto, J. (1990) Genomics 8, 722-726). These data suggest that BPAG2 is a novel collagen present in stratified squamous epithelia.
Influence of Coupled Processes on Contaminant Fate and Transport in Subsurface Environments

Abstract The following chapter emphasizes subsurface environmental research investigations over the past 10 to 15 years that couple hydrological, geochemical, and biological processes as related to contaminant fate and transport. An attempt is made to focus on field‐scale studies with possible reference to laboratory‐scale endeavors. Much of the research discussed reflects investigations of the influence of coupled processes on the fate and transport of inorganic, radionuclide, and organic contaminants in subsurface environments as a result of natural processes or energy and weapons production endeavors that required waste disposal. The chapter provides on overview of the interaction between hydro‐bio‐geochemical processes in structured, heterogeneous subsurface environments and how these interactions control contaminant fate and transport, followed by experimental and numerical subsurface science research and case studies involving specific classes of inorganic and organic contaminants. Lastly, thought provoking insights are highlighted on why the study of subsurface coupled processes is paramount to understanding potential future contaminant fate and transport issues of global concern.
Hydrological Connectivity of Headwaters to Downstream Waters: Introduction to the Featured Collection

In January 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case of Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 531 U.S. 159 (2001) (SWANCC). The SWANCC case presented the Court with two issues: (1) whether an isolated water could be considered part of the ‘‘waters of the United States,’’ protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA) – and thus subject to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) regulatory authority under Section 404 of the CWA – solely based on its use by migratory birds; and, if so, (2) whether Congress had the constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause to include these as waters of the United States. In particular, the Court considered the Corps’ Migratory Bird Rule – which deemed waters of the United States to include isolated intrastate waters that provide habitat for migratory birds. In a 5-4 decision, the Court found that the Migratory Bird Rule exceeded the Corps’ authority under the CWA [531 U.S., 159 (2001)], and held that the CWA is not intended to protect isolated, intrastate, non-navigable waters based solely on their use by migratory birds. While the Court’s decision did not create a bright line test for what Congress intended to regulate under the CWA, the Court’s reasoning implies that the CWA intended some ‘‘connection’’ to navigability, and that isolated waters need a ‘‘significant nexus’’ to navigable waters to be jurisdictional. The SWANCC decision has had profound implications on the legal status of so-called isolated waters – those lacking a surface water connection to other bodies of water. Furthermore, that decision affects all CWA programs – including Section 303 water quality standards, Section 311 oil spill prevention and cleanup, Section 401 water quality certification, and Section 402 pollution discharge permits – not just Section 404, which regulates the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S, including wetlands. Initially following the SWANCC decision, much of the regulatory debate was focused on so-called isolated wetlands, while the debate in the courts focused on the jurisdictional status of tributaries, including headwater, intermittent and ephemeral streams. These case law and regulatory debates made apparent that the emerging issue is ‘‘what is the extent of the tributary system,’’ with a focus on headwater, intermittent and ephemeral streams and the connectivity, or ‘‘significant nexus,’’ of these waters to navigable waters. The Corps and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued guidance in January 2003 indicating that field staff were to continue to assert jurisdiction over tributaries and their adjacent wetlands, and that formal headquarters approval should be obtained prior to asserting jurisdiction over isolated waters based solely on links to interstate commerce [68 Fed. Reg. 1995, 1998 (January 15, 2003)]. During that same time period, a significant majority of courts, including 17 appellate court decisions, concluded that SWANCC was narrowly focused
Electron paramagnetic resonance of triplet phenanthrene-d10 and naphthalene-d8 in single-crystal biphenyl from 5–80 K and characteriz

Abstract Previously reported single discontinuities in the zero-field splittings of triplet phenanthrene- d 10 and naphthalene- d 8 in biphenyl near 40 K are further characterized. The transition leading to these discontinuities in the mixed crystals is shown to set in at 42.0 ± 0.4 K upon lowering the temperature, and to occur over a temperature range of a few degree. Cooling and warming curves of pure and mixed-crystal biphenyl near the paramagnetic resonance transition temperature were measured, and a first order phase transition in pure fiphenyl at 42.4 ± 0.3 K is reported, for which Δ H ≈ 70 cal mole −1 . A second prominent feature in the temperature dependences of the zero-field splittings in these mixed crystals, which was not previously reported, has been shown to occur near 15 K. Although this second feature is only partially characterized by the present data, it is tentatively assigned as due to a transition intrinsic to pure biphenyl.
Effect of duration of pitch-shifted feedback on vocal responses in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Study of the pitch-shift reflex is useful for the investigation of how auditory feedback is used in the control of voice fundamental frequency. The present study was an attempt to learn if the basa...
Differential effects of cyclosporins A and G on functional activation of a T-helper-lymphocyte line mediating experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis.

Abstract The effect and relative efficiency of cyclosporin A (CsA) and cyclosporin G (CsG) on suppressing the activation of primed autoimmune rat T-helper lymphocytes were assayed. The autoimmune T-helper cells (ThS) are a long-term line specific to the retinal soluble antigen (SAg) and can adoptively transfer experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU), after in vitro reactivation with antigen or mitogen, to naive syngeneic hosts. Antigen-driven production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and antigen-driven proliferation were inhibited in a dose-dependent manner and to a similar extent at each of the respective cyclosporin concentrations. CsA was 8–10 times more potent than CsG, with ID50-CsA occurring at 0.5 to 2 ng/ml, and ID50-CsG at 5 to 20 ng/ml, depending on the experiment and the cyclosporin batch. Addition of exogenous lymphokines in the form of rat spleen concanavalin A (Con A)-conditioned medium (SCM) or recombinant IL-2 (but not recombinant IL-1) was able to reverse only about half of the inhibition, as measured along the linear part of the dose-response curve. Inhibition of IL-2 production was lost if a maximally inhibitory dose of cyclosporin was added to the cultures later than 8 hr after antigen stimulation, while proliferation was still suppressed to 50% by cyclosporin added as late as 12 hr and could not be restored by addition of SCM. Both cyclosporins at concentrations that blocked proliferation and IL-2 production significantly suppressed the generation of high-affinity and low-affinity IL-2 receptors by ThS in response to antigen (as assayed by direct binding of 125 I-IL-2). These results suggest that CsA and CsG inhibit antigen-induced expansion of ThS by interfering with more than one activation step. In contrast, the in vitro activation of the uveitogenic potential of ThS cells, incubated with antigen in the presence of CsA or CsG and adoptively transferred into untreated recipients, was not affected by the cyclosporins. Thus, triggering of the pathogenic potential of primed autoimmune T-helper lymphocytes can take place in the presence of cyclosporin and in the absence of cellular proliferation.
On the use of internal mass transfer coefficients in modeling of diffusion and reaction in catalytic monoliths

Abstract We utilize the recently developed concept of internal or intraphase mass transfer coefficient to simplify the problem of diffusion and reaction in more than one spatial dimension for a washcoated monolith of arbitrary shape. We determine the dependence of the dimensionless internal mass transfer coefficient ( Sh i ) on washcoat and channel geometric shapes, reaction kinetics, catalyst loading and activity profile. It is also reasoned that the concept of intraphase transfer coefficient is more useful and fundamental than the classical effectiveness factor concept. The intraphase transfer coefficient can be combined with the traditional external mass transfer coefficient ( Sh e ) to obtain an overall mass transfer coefficient ( Sh app ) which is an experimentally measurable quantity depending on various geometric and transport properties as well as kinetics. We present examples demonstrating the use of Sh app in obtaining accurate macro-scale low-dimensional models of catalytic reactors by solving the full 3-D convection–diffusion–reaction problem for a washcoated monolith and comparing the solution with that of the simplified model using the internal mass transfer coefficient concept.
Additive and multiplicative functions from Nottingham to Urbana-Champaign

The author remembers Heini Halberstam and views their early joint work through the lens of additive and multiplicative arithmetic functions.
The Profile and Structure Design on Trochoidal Vacuum Pump

Vacuum pump plays an important role in vacuum applications. The rotor and stator profile is one of the key factors for improving pump performance. In this paper, the traditional trochoidal vacuum pump that the rotor and stator profile both are trochoidal equation was introduced. The profile of trochoidal vacuum pump with two angle rotor was studied. In order to simply the design and manufacture, the rotor profile was substituted by the arc curve. The design parameter and performance was deducted on slenderness ratio. The slenderness ratio should larger than 4, otherwise the down part of the stator profile would be dent to upper. When slenderness ratio is 4, the utilization ratio of volume would be getting the maximum value, 0.5851942. The utilization ratio of volume was decreased with the slenderness ratio increased.
All-optical switching and wavelength conversion using passive nonlinearities in semiconductor quantum wells

A silica capped impurity-free vacancy induced disordering has been used in the fabrication of an all-optical integrated Mach-Zehnder switch incorporating a linear waveguide directional coupler with nonlinear multiple quantum well (MQW) sections. Using the switch we have been able to demonstrate all-optical wavelength conversions at a rate of 1GHz that was limited by our laser source, a modelocked erbium doped fiber laser. In principle the device performance is expected to be undiminished up to repetition rates of 10Gb/s and higher.
Effect of chemisorbed carbon monoxide on the rate of hydrogen dissolution in palladium electrodes at potentials of the α phase

Abstract Cathodic current-potential curves were measured on a smooth palladium wire electrode, covered to different degrees with chemisorbed carbon monoxide, in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 at sweep rates between 0.01 and 30 V s −1 in the potential range between 0.6 and 0.08 V. In the absence of CO ad the net reaction of hydrogen dissolution at potentials of the α phase was diffusion-controlled at sweep rates −1 . The dissolution rate was reduced to about half at small sweep rates with increasing coverage of CO ad up to about 0.6. A further increase of the coverage led to a considerable decrease of the dissolution rate. However, the dissolution rate did not become negligibly small at saturation coverage with CO ad .
Effect of stoichiometry on the structural properties and the electronic structure of intermetallics: anti-phase boundary energies in FeAl and NiAl

As a possible means of alleviating the severe brittleness in the B2 compounds FeAl and NiAl, the all-electron self-consistent total energy linear muffin-tin orbital (LMTO) method was employed to investigate the possibility of lowering the ⟨111⟩ anti-phase boundary (APB) energies by changing compositions in FeAl and NiAl. For APB’s created in the regions with excess Fe (or Ni) atoms, APB energies for the model systems, Fe0.6Al0.4 and Ni0.6Al0.4, were found to be one order of magnitude smaller than those for stoichiometric B2 FeAl and NiAl, respectively. Apparently, the activation of ⟨111⟩ slip became possible in these cases. On the other hand, the APB energies remained at about the same as those in stoichiometric FeAl and NiAl for APB’s occurring in regions with equal numbers of Fe (Ni) and Al atoms, implying that the activation of ⟨111⟩ slip in these regions was not eased.
Warfarin therapy initiated during pregnancy and phenotypic chondrodysplasia punctata.

An infant is described who has-clinical manifestations and roentgenographic features consistent with the diagnosis of chondrodysplasia punctata. The mother of this infant received warfarin during pregnancy. Eight cases demonstrating an association between warfarin therapy during pregnancy and chondrodysplasia punctata in the child have been reported; in the present case therapy was initiated following conception (see following case report). Warfarin may be teratogenic, producing a phenocopy of the heritable forms of chondrodysplasia punctata. Because of the evident association we suggest (1) warfarin is contraindicated in pregnancy and alternative anticoagulants should be used; (2) products of at-risk pregnancies should be screened for the characteristic radiologic findings; and (3) preconceptual counselling and antenatal diagnosis of the disease may be beneficial.
Minimal inversion, command matching and disturbance decoupling in multivariable systems

The present treatment of the related problems of minimal inversion and perfect output control in linear multivariable systems uses a simple analytical expression for the inverse of a square multivariate system's transfer-function matrix to construct a minimal-order inverse of the system. Because the poles of the minimal-order inverse are the transmission zeros of the system, necessary and sufficient conditions for the inverse system's stability are simply stated in terms of the zero polynomial of the original system. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of the required controllers is that the plant zero polynomial be neither identical to zero nor unstable.
Optimal Robust Beamforming for Interference and Multipath Mitigation in GNSS Arrays

In this paper, we introduce an optimal robust beamformer for detecting a desired signal in presence of noise, strong interferers of unknown directions-of-arrival (DOA), and multipath. The proposed approach achieves the highest possible signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR) by optimally estimating the interference DOA, followed by a triply constrained robust Capon beamformer. More specifically, we maximize the SINR subject to nulling strong interferers and offer robustness against multipath and steering vector uncertainty. Unlike existing techniques, we examine explicitly the use of robust beamforming for multipath mitigation to enhance acquisition and tracking performance of GPS receivers.
Long-term multiple color imaging of live cells using quantum dot bioconjugates

Luminescent quantum dots (QDs)—semiconductor nanocrystals—are a promising alternative to organic dyes for fluorescence-based applications. We have developed procedures for using QDs to label live cells and have demonstrated their use for long-term multicolor imaging of live cells. The two approaches presented are (i) endocytic uptake of QDs and (ii) selective labeling of cell surface proteins with QDs conjugated to antibodies. Live cells labeled using these approaches were used for long-term multicolor imaging. The cells remained stably labeled for over a week as they grew and developed. These approaches should permit the simultaneous study of multiple cells over long periods of time as they proceed through growth and development.
Global transcriptional response of porcine mesenteric lymph nodes to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

To elucidate the host transcriptional response to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Affymetrix porcine GeneChip analysis of pig mesenteric lymph nodes was used to identify 848 genes showing differential expression across different times after inoculation or when compared to non-inoculated controls. Annotation analyses showed that a high proportion of these differentially expressed (DE) genes are involved in immune and inflammatory responses. T helper 1, innate/inflammatory, and antigen-processing pathways were induced at 24 h post-inoculation (hpi) and/or 48 hpi, while apoptosis and antigen presentation/dendritic cell function pathways were downregulated at 8 hpi. Cluster analyses revealed that most DE genes annotated as NFκB targets were grouped into a specific induced subcluster, while many translation-related DE genes were found in a repressed subcluster. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses confirmed the Affymetrix results, revealing transcriptional induction o fN FκB target genes at 24 hpi and suppression of the NFκB pathway from 24 to 48 hpi. We propose that such NFκB suppression in antigen-presenting cells may be the mechanism by which S. Typhimurium eludes a strong inflammatory response to establish a carrier status in pigs.
The myths and realities of the “information age”: A conceptual framework for theory and policy

Abstract Development in communication technologies during the last two decades has far exceeded the ability of both policy makers and the academic community to effectively deal with such innovations. If the “communications revolution” is undeniable, their nature, causes and consequences are much less certain.
Electromagnetic Analysis of Transient Forces Due to Disrupted Plasma Currents on the ITER Shield Modules

This paper describes the electromagnetic analysis that has been completed using the OPERA-3d product to characterize the forces on the ITER shield modules as part of the conceptual design. These forces exist due to the interaction of the eddy currents induced in the shield modules and the large magnetic fields present in the tokamak.
Assessing Climate Change Impact on the U.S. East Coast Hurricane Hazard: Temperature, Frequency, and Track

AbstractThis paper presents a study to assess the impact of possible future climate change on the hurricane wind hazard along the eastern coastline of the United States. Initially, climate change scenarios were coupled with state-of-the-art hurricane genesis, wind field, and tracking models to examine possible changes in hurricane intensity (maximum wind speed) and hurricane size (radius to maximum winds). A number of different postulated climate change models (IPCC scenarios) were considered. Each scenario suggested changes in sea surface temperature (SST), which is the driving parameter in most modern hurricane models. The evolution of hurricane genesis frequency was then considered both independently and jointly with hurricane intensification. State-of-the-art probabilistic event modeling and simulation techniques were used to generate 10,000 years of hurricane events under the 2005 and future climate conditions. The annual maximum wind speed distribution and the joint distribution of maximum wind spee...
A novel technique in analyzing non-linear wave-wave interaction

Abstract During wave growth non-linear wave–wave interactions cause transfer of some wave energy from lower to higher wave periods as the spectrum grows. Wavelet bicoherence, which is a new technique in the analysis of wind–wave and wave–wave interactions, is used to analyze non-linear wave–wave interactions. A selected record of wind wave that contains the maximum wave height observed during 6 h of wave generation is divided into five segments and wavelet bicoherence is computed for the whole record, and for all divided segments. The study shows that the non-linear wave–wave interaction occurs at different bicoherence levels and these levels are different from one segment to another due to the non-stationarity feature of the examined data set.
Nanoscale Phase Separation and High Photovoltaic Efficiency in Solution-Processed, Small-Molecule Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

Research relating to organic solar cells based on solution-processed, bulk heterojunction (BHJ) films has been dominated by polymeric donor materials, as they typically have better film-forming characteristics and film morphology than their small-molecule counterparts. Despite these morphological advantages, semiconducting polymers suffer from synthetic reproducibility and difficult purification procedures, which hinder their commercial viability. Here, a non-polymeric, diketopyrrolopyrrole-based donor material that can be solution processed with a fullerene acceptor to produce good quality films is reported. Thermal annealing leads to suitable phase separation and material distribution so that highly effective BHJ morphologies are obtained. The frontier orbitals of the material are well aligned with those of the fullerene acceptor, allowing efficient electron transfer and suitable open-circuit voltages, leading to power conversion efficiencies of 4.4 ± 0.4% under AM1.5G illumination (100 mW cm−2). Small molecules can therefore be solution processed to form high-quality BHJ films, which may be used for low-cost, flexible organic solar cells.
Precise Measurement of the Activity/Composition Relations of H2O-N2 and H2O-CO2 Fluids at 500°C, 500 Bars

Abstract The activity/composition relations of H2O-N2 and H2O-CO2 fluids have been measured at 500°C, 500 bars. The results are more accurate, and much more precise, than any currently available, especially for H2O-poor compositions. Samples were reacted at fixed water activities (0.062 ≤ aH2O ≤ 0.777), using Cu3N as the source of N2, and Ag-oxalate as the source of CO2. After each experiment the masses of water and gas in the samples were analyzed manometrically. Results depend on the value used for the hydrogen fugacity for pure H2O in equilibrium with the oxide buffer, but using a newly measured value for Ni-NiO and fitting the data to a two-parameter Margules equation yields: for H2O-N2 fluids: WG,H2O = 3455.0 J/mol, WG,N2 = 1990.1 J/mol; and for H2O-CO2 fluids: WG,H2O = 3882.5 J/mol, WG,CO2 = 4902.6 J/mol. As uncertainties are not orthogonal, standard errors cannot be given. The data suggest that H2O-CO2 fluids exhibit large positive deviations from ideality at 500°C, 500 bars, in marked contrast to values predicted by available equations of state. These results indicate that more accurate models for both H2O-N2 and H2O-CO2 fluids are needed.