cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interlevel Dielectric Processes Using PECVD Silicon Nitride, Polyimide, and Polybenzoxazole for GaAs HBT Technology

Multiple factors need to be considered when selecting an interlevel dielectric material for GaAs semiconductor device fabrication including what the electrical, mechanical, chemical, thermal, and cost requirements are and whether the material and the process are compatible with GaAs processing. In this study, we evaluated several interlevel dielectric materials for GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology. This technology requires the material to have good gapfill and planarizing characteristics, as the various device and interconnect structures can have significant topography. Additionally, the process typically can only have a maximum temperature of <300°C, as device degradation can occur at higher temperatures. The dielectric materials evaluated are plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), polyimide, and photodefinable polybenzoxazole (PBO). The PECVD Si 3 N 4 is mostly conformal when deposited. However, it has a high dielectric constant, cannot be used as gapfill material, and does not planarize the underlying topography, which makes multilevel metallization challenging. Polyimide and PBO, both of which need to be thermally cured, have a lower dielectric constant than PECVD Si 3 N 4 . However, the polyimide in this study has to be dry-etched, unlike the photosensitive PBO. Furthermore, the PBO has better gapfill and planarization capabilities than polyimide.
Quantification of rare allelic variants from pooled genomic DNA

We report a targeted, cost-effective method to quantify rare single-nucleotide polymorphisms from pooled human genomic DNA using second-generation sequencing. We pooled DNA from 1,111 individuals and targeted four genes to identify rare germline variants. Our base-calling algorithm, SNPSeeker, derived from large deviation theory, detected single-nucleotide polymorphisms present at frequencies below the raw error rate of the sequencing platform.
A mixed-signal approach for tuning continuous-time low-pass filters

A mixed-signal approach for tuning the bandwidth of continuous-time low-pass filters is presented. The tuning loop uses common circuit blocks (a data converter and digital filters). Simulation results are presented for a number of filters, and measured results are presented for tuning second-order and fourth-order filters.
Modular VLSI architectures for computing the arithmetic Fourier transform

Modular, area-efficient VLSI architectures for computing the arithmetic Fourier transform (AFT) are proposed. By suitable design of PEs and I/O sequencing, nonuniform data dependencies in the AFT computation which require nonequidistant inputs and assignment of Mobius function values are resolved. The proposed design employs 2N+1 PEs to compute 2N+1 Fourier coefficients. Each PE has an adder and a fixed amount of local storage, and one PE has a multiplier. I/O with the host is performed using a fixed number of channels. This results in simple PE organization, compared with those needed in known DFT/FFT architectures. The design achieves O(N) speedup. It uses significantly fewer PEs than designs in the literature and supports real-time applications by allowing continuous sequential input. It can be extended to achieve linear speedup in a fixed size array with 2p+1 PEs, 1 >
The use and impact of visual electromagnetics software in the classroom

Tutorials in the form of HyperCard Stacks have been prepared for electrostatics, electrodynamics, AC circuits, and radiation. These tutorials provide a basic visual introduction to the topics by using static maps of the fields and potentials, as well as animated sequences of field maps, and tie the visual maps of the fields to the mathematics and the basic physical laws by using animated equations in which the individual components of the equation are identified on the picture and moved into place in a specified equation. This animation of the derivations helps the student to understand that an equation is not just a formula that gives the answer, but is a description of a physical process, and its parts are intimately linked to that process. The purpose of a tutorial is to provide a simple model that will allow the student to interpret more complicated processes. The software is described, and attention is given to student use of the software and the impact of the software on student performance. >
Investigating latent trait and life course theories as predictors of recidivism among an offender sample

This research used data from a drug treatment follow-up study to investigate the predictive utility of factors associated with latent trait and life-course models of criminal offending among a sample of serious drug users. A sample of 577 incarcerated drug offenders was interviewed prior to release from prison and again at six and eighteen months after release. Structural equation models were used to investigate to what extent sensation seeking and aggression scales predicted marriage, employment, or enrollment in an educational program and, in turn, how both sets of variables predicted drug use and arrest. Results indicated that while aggression was negatively associated with social bonds and positively related to drug use and arrest, sensation seeking was nonsignificant in predicting bonds and negatively associated with drug use. Employment and school were negatively associated with drug use and arrest, while marriage was nonsignificant.
Historic perspectives and recent advances in major animal models of hypertension

Hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in many countries. The etiology of human essential hypertension is largely unknown. It is highly likely that hypertension is a complex and multifactorial disease resulting from the interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors. Animal models of hypertension have been proved to be useful to study the pathogenesis of, and to find a new therapy for, hypertension. The aim of this article is to briefly review the most widely used rodent models of experimental hypertension, including history and recent advances. These models are classified as genetically- induced, environmentally-induced, pharmacologically-induced, and renalinduced hypertension according to the way of induction; the typical representatives of each of these major types of experimental hypertension are spontaneous hypertension, cold-induced hypertension, DOCA-salt-induced hypertension, and renal-induced hypertension, respectively. The processes of induction of hypertension, possible pathogenesis, characteristics, advantages, and limitations of these animal models are reviewed. In addition, the clinical implications of the above experimental models of hypertension are addressed.
Fixed-priority sensitivity analysis for linear compute time models

Several formal results exist that allow an analytic determination of whether a particular scheduling discipline can feasibly schedule a given set of hard real-time periodic tasks. In most cases, these results provide little more than a 'yes' or 'no' answer. In practice, it is also useful to know how sensitive scheduling feasibility is to changes in the characteristics of the task set. This paper presents algorithms that allow a system developer to determine, for fixed-priority preemptive scheduling of hard real-time periodic tasks on a uniprocessor, how sensitive schedule feasibility is to changes in the computation times of various software components. The algorithms allow a system developer to determine what changes in task computation times can be made while preserving schedule feasibility (or what changes are needed to achieve feasibility). Both changes to the computation time of a single task and changes to the computation times of a specified subset of the tasks are analyzable. The algorithms also allow a decomposition of tasks into modules, where a module may be a component of multiple tasks. >
Mycophenolic acid analogs with a modified metabolic profile.

Abstract Mycophenolic acid (MPA), a clinically used immunosuppressant, is extensively metabolized into an inactive C7-glucuronide and removed from circulation. To circumvent the metabolic liability imposed by the C7-hydroxyl group, we have designed a series of hybrid MPA analogs based on the pharmacophores present in MPA and new generations of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) inhibitors. The synthesis of MPA analogs has been accomplished by an allylic substitution of a common lactone. Biological evaluations of these analogs and a preliminary structure–activity relationship (SAR) are presented.
AUTOMATIC SOLUTION OF SORITES

A classical theory of syllogisms is shown that reduces to three‐set theoretical inference rules, which have been used as the basis to produce a sorites (chain argument) solving programs.
Strategies for Enhancing Project Performance

AbstractProjects are routinely conceived and executed to operationalize strategic objectives of organizations. Consequently, global spending on projects is increasing exponentially and the project management profession is experiencing rapid growth. However, many projects fail to meet expectations and there is no easy solution for enhancing project performance. In this research study, several factors that enhance project performance are identified through a literature review. Then structured personal interviews were used to gather data to understand relations among these factors in order to develop a project performance enhancement model. The model was developed using the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) methodology and was used to determine relations among these factors that influence project performance. This study helped analyze underlying interactions among these factors. Further, it also provided a systemic view of project management to make strategic decisions for enhancing project performance.
Modeling mobile robot motion with polar representations

This article compares several parameterizations and motion models for improving the estimation of the nonlinear uncertainty distribution produced by robot motion. In previous work, we have shown that the use of a modified polar parameterization provides a way to represent nonlinear measurements distributions in the Cartesian space as linear distributions in polar space. Following the same reasoning, we present a motion model extension that utilizes the same polar parameterization to achieve improved modeling of mobile robot motion in between measurements, gaining robustness with no additional overhead. We present both simulated and experimental results to validate the effectiveness of our approach.
Towards quantitative electron holography of magnetic thin films using in situ magnetization reversal

An approach based on off-axis electron holography has been developed for quantifying the magnetization in a sample of unknown local thickness with lateral variations in composition. The magnetic field of the objective lens is used to reverse the magnetization direction in the sample without altering its magnitude, thereby enabling phase changes due to magnetization to be separated from those due to thickness and compositional variations. The technique is demonstrated in applications to a lithographically patterned magnetic film on a silicon nitride membrane and a cross-sectional sample containing a magnetic tunnel junction. The importance of dynamical diffraction effects and fringing fields is discussed.
Depression and Diabetes Treatment Nonadherence: A Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE —Depression is common in patients with diabetes and is associated with worse treatment outcomes. Its relationship to treatment adherence, however, has not been systematically reviewed. We used meta-analysis to examine the relationship between depression and treatment nonadherence in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —We searched MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases for all studies published by June 2007 and reviewed references of published articles. Meta-analytic procedures were used to estimate the effect size r in a random effects model. Significance values, weighted effect sizes, 95% CIs, and tests of homogeneity of variance were calculated. RESULTS —Results from 47 independent samples showed that depression was significantly associated with nonadherence to the diabetes treatment regimen ( z = 9.97, P < 0.0001). The weighted effect size was near the medium range ( r = 0.21, 95% CI 0.17–0.25). Moderator analyses showed that the effect was significantly larger in studies that measured self-care as a continuous versus categorical variable ( P = 0.001). Effect sizes were largest for missed medical appointments and composite measures of self-care ( r values = 0.31, 0.29). Moderation analyses suggest that effects for most other types of self-care are also near the medium range, especially in studies with stronger methodologies. CONCLUSIONS —These findings demonstrate a significant association between depression and treatment nonadherence in patients with diabetes. Studies that used stronger methodologies had larger effects. Treatment nonadherence may represent an important pathway between depression and worse diabetes clinical outcomes.
The Effects of Military Affiliation, Gender, and Political Ideology on Attitudes toward the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq:

The United States armed-forces-and-society intersection is explored comparing attitudes toward the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan among West Point, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), and civilian undergraduates. A survey was administered in January and February 2003 to determine if military affiliation is associated with attitudes toward sending troops into Afghanistan after the war started and Iraq before sending troops. Majorities of all students supported both war efforts, though United States Military Academy at West Point and ROTC cadets are somewhat more supportive of both wars compared to civilian students. However, most differences are explained by students’ gender and political affiliation, suggesting that differences between groups result from selection effects rather than cultural differences. The authors contend a fourth wave in civil-military affairs potentially has emerged in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 through a civil-military attitude fusion complicated by a gender-politics gap.
Determination of Oxycodone and a Major Metabolite in Urine by Electron-Capture GLC

An electron-capture gas chromatographic procedure has been developed for the analysis of oxycodone In human urine, using naloxone as Internal standard. A major metabollte, tentatively identified as oxymorphone, was found to be excreted in conjugated form. From 33-61% of a single oxycodone dose was excreted in the 2n-hour urine of two subjects as free (13-19%) and conjugated oxycodone (7-29%) and conjugated oxymorphone (13-14%). A second metabolite was observed by thin-layer chromatography, but was not identified.
The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR) A Reliability Generalization Study

The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR) is one of the most widely used social desirability scales. The authors conducted a reliability generalization study to examine the typical reliability coefficients of BIDR scores and explored factors that explained the variability of reliability estimates across studies. The results indicated that the overall BIDR scale produced scores that were adequately reliable. The mean score reliability estimates for the two subscales, Self-Deception Enhancement and Impression Management, were not satisfactory. In addition, although a number of study characteristics were statistically significantly related to reliability estimates, they accounted for only a small portion of the overall variability in reliability estimates. The results of these findings and their implications are also discussed.
Vegetation-Environment Relationships Among Woody Species in Four Canopy-Layers in an Old-Growth Mixed Mesophytic Forest

We examined vegetation-environment relationships among woody species in four canopy-strata within an old-growth mixed mesophytic forest. We hypothesized that 1) the most important environmental variables determining vegetation composition would differ among canopy-layers and 2) the maximum abundance of Quercus spp. would occur under different environmental conditions than those of Acer spp. Overstory and mid-story vegetation were arrayed along gradients of soil fertility and elevation. The shrublayer and the ground-layer were most strongly correlated with soil fertility and pH. Across strata, Quercus spp. were consistently located in ordination space on well-lit upper slopes with low soil pH. Acer rubrum was found across a wide array of environmental conditions and Acer saccharum was found in mesic areas.
Where are they looking

Humans have the remarkable ability to follow the gaze of other people to identify what they are looking at. Following eye gaze, or gaze-following, is an important ability that allows us to understand what other people are thinking, the actions they are performing, and even predict what they might do next. Despite the importance of this topic, this problem has only been studied in limited scenarios within the computer vision community. In this paper, we propose a deep neural network-based approach for gaze-following and a new benchmark dataset, GazeFollow, for thorough evaluation. Given an image and the location of a head, our approach follows the gaze of the person and identifies the object being looked at. Our deep network is able to discover how to extract head pose and gaze orientation, and to select objects in the scene that are in the predicted line of sight and likely to be looked at (such as televisions, balls and food). The quantitative evaluation shows that our approach produces reliable results, even when viewing only the back of the head. While our method outperforms several baseline approaches, we are still far from reaching human performance on this task. Overall, we believe that gaze-following is a challenging and important problem that deserves more attention from the community.
High Throughput Screening of Materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

State of the art commercial cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) include LaMnO3 with a zirconia-based electrolyte. However, the vacancy concentration in A site doped LaMnO3 is low, thus ionic conductivity is also very low (10−7–10−8 S/cm at 800 °C). The surface path dominates the reaction rate of the LaMnO3 cathode; therefore the optimized electrode is a porous composite material of both the cathode material and electrolyte and relies on triple-point boundaries for performance. The electrical conductivity and thermal expansion properties of this cathode material and other A3+B3+O3 perovskites can be tuned by substitution at the A and/or B site. The numerous combinations of composition, processing and microstructure needed for improved cathode performance is well suited for a high throughput screening (HTS) approach towards optimization and discovery. We present here a high throughput discovery process that includes, synthesis, performance testing and characterization techniques directed towards new low temperature SOFC cathode materials.
Comparison of high-risk histopathological features in eyes with primary or secondary enucleation for retinoblastoma

Aims To compare high-risk histopathology of eyes with primary versus secondary enucleation from patients with retinoblastoma. Patients and methods A retrospective histopathology review identified 207 eyes enucleated from 202 patients between March 1997 and August 2013. Our review considered high-risk histopathological features to include extraocular disease or invasion of the anterior chamber, iris, ciliary body, choroid (massive), postlaminar optic nerve or sclera. Results Most eyes (144, 70%) were primarily enucleated; 63 (30%) were secondarily enucleated after neoadjuvant therapy. The primary enucleation group had more advanced disease (Reese-Ellsworth group V: 95% vs 59%; International Classification Group D/E: 97% vs 59%; p Conclusions Despite the more favourable classification of eyes treated with neoadjuvant therapy, the risk of high-risk histopathology features at enucleation was comparable with eyes undergoing primary enucleation. Delayed enucleation was associated with these features, and the majority of patients required further adjuvant therapy. Caution must be exercised in treating recalcitrant intraocular retinoblastoma to promptly pursue definitive enucleation in an effort to minimise further treatment exposures and metastases.
Cold hardiness estimates of Acer L. taxa

Abstract The cold hardiness of eleven Acer taxa was determined by laboratory techniques. The red leaf cultivars of A. platanoides were less cold hardy than the green leaf ‘Emerald Queen.’ ‘Crimson Sentry,’ a branch sport of ‘Crimson King,’ exhibited similar cold hardiness to that of its parent. Among A. saccharum cultivars, ‘Legacy’ was the most cold hardy followed by ‘Green Mountain,’ ‘Commemoration’ and ‘Bonfire.’ ‘Green Column,’ a selection of black maple from a native Iowa population, developed −30°C (−22°F) midwinter cold hardiness but lost all cold hardiness [killed at −3°C (27°F)] by March. All sugar maple cultivars survived at least −9°C (16°F) on the March date. Of the hybrids of Acer platanoides and A. truncatum, Pacific Sunset™ was significantly more cold hardy than Norwegian Sunset™ and should be rated USDA Zone 4 and 5, respectively.
Hugo Grotius - A Case of Dubious Paternity

Is Hugo Grotius the father of international law? There are two schools of thought on this issue. The first asserts Hugo Grotius' supremacy as the father of international law. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the Virginia Supreme Court, and numerous scholars of international law all share in this sentiment. The second school of thought while acknowledging the importance and impact of Grotius' work in the international law arena, has found that paternity must lie elsewhere. Richard Tuck (editor of the Liberty Fund reprint of the 1738 English-language translation of Grotius' De Jure Belli ac Pacis) sees this work by Grotius as the central foundational work of modern moral and political theory. Tuck stresses that Grotius should be seen as the creator of a new science of morality -- a science which would find its most important application in the moral analysis of warfare. It is more appropriate, I contend, to see Grotius as an heir to a juristic tradition that was already several hundred years old. His ability to draw from these classical sources and his unconscious adoption of distinctively medieval ways of viewing the world is evident in his use of rights language, his treatment of marriage and his debt to older ways of viewing relations among states. Is this a case of dubious paternity? Absolutely, Grotius was a father, but he was no Adam. Clearly, he was not the first person to think important thoughts about politics or morality or even the relations among states. He retains his paternity, but he has become the father not of international law or the law of nations, but of an entirely new way of viewing everything from political obligations to natural rights. He remains an important figure who speaks to us today but his theories are not always original and when they are, they do not necessarily lead us to a better life.
Electromechanical coupling and the conducted vasomotor response

Conducted vasomotor responses are viewed as one mechanism that functionally integrates the microvasculature. It is hypothesized that the conducted vasomotor response is the result of an electrical current and its passive electrotonic spread along the length of a microvessel. We tested this hypothesis in isolated, unpressurized arterioles from the hamster cheek pouch using conventional intracellular membrane potential recording techniques. The mean resting membrane potential (RMP) was -67 mV. KCl and phenylephrine (PE) pulse-stimulation applied through micropipettes could both induce transient depolarizations and vasoconstrictions at the site of stimulation (local) and at conducted (560 microns) sites. It was noted, however, that the conducted vasomotor response could not be induced until the conducted electrical response exceeded a threshold of -45 mV for a minimum amount of time. The relationship between the amplitude of constriction and the amplitude-time area of depolarization above -45 mV was the same for local and conducted KCl and for conducted PE but was significantly different from that for local PE. Nifedipine greatly reduced the local and conducted mechanical but not electrical responses. Our results indicate that the conducted vasomotor responses are the result of the generation and subsequent conduction of electrical signals along the vessel but that the corresponding mechanical response occurs only when the electrical response exceeds a threshold level.
Interleukin-6 in experimental endometriosis

Objective To measure the concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in peripheral serum and conditioned media (CM) of macrophages collected from the peritoneal cavity in rats before and after surgically inducing endometriosis. Design Adult female rats (n=50) underwent autotransplantation of adipose tissue or uterine squares. Peritoneal cavity macrophages were collected at the initial laparotomy. Rats were killed 4 or 8 weeks later, and peripheral serum and peritoneal cavity macrophages were collected. Macrophages were cultured for 48 hours, and the IL-6 concentrations in CM and serum were measured using the B9 hybridoma cell line bioassay. Results Serum IL-6 levels were significantly increased at 4 weeks but not at 8 weeks in rats receiving endometrial implants. Interleukin-6 production by macrophages from rats with endometrial implants at 4 or 8 weeks was not significantly different from baseline or from rats receiving adipose tissue implants. Conclusion The increased serum IL-6 levels at 4 but not 8 weeks after surgical induction of endometriosis suggest that IL-6 may be involved in the initial development of endometriosis in this experimental model.
The Role of Collagen and Phosphoproteins in the Calcification of Bone and Other Collagenous Tissues

The mineralization of any tissue includes the potential calcification of a number of independent, spatially distinct, intra- and extracellular tissue components (Fig. 1) [11] each of which represents an independent series of physical-chemical events beginning with the nucleation of a solid phase of calcium-phosphate from solution. In this presentation, I will attempt to review some of the evidence which supports the role of collagen and the phosphoproteins in the calcification of bone, dentine, and other collagenous mineralized tissues.
Light Scattering For Biomedical Analysis And Disease Diagnosis

Optical spectroscopy is a potentially powerful diagnostic tool. Biological tissue is spectroscopically rich. The information is carried in light signals. Biopsy is not required. Processing can be done in real time, and the ability to create spectroscopic images of functional indicators of disease has been demonstrated.
Development of 3D Printed Devices to Extract DNA Molecules for Genome Analysis

The high-throughput analysis of individual DNA is altering the pace and scope of biomedical investigation. Personal genomics will require large ensembles of individual genomes to develop a database of genomic variations. Within the human genome, more base pairs are altered as a result of structural variation than point mutations (Eichler et al., Nature Rev. Gen., 2011, 12, 363). In order to ascertain larger variations or large complex variations in human cancer genome, longer molecules (average molecule size > 700 kb) are necessary. In this regard, the Optical Mapping System (Teague et al., PNAS, 2010, 107, 10848) and Nanocoding (Jo et al., PNAS, 2007, 104, 2673; Kounovsky-Shafer, et al., Macromolecules, 2013, 46, 8356) were developed as a single molecule platform for construction of physical maps that span entire genomes. However, even these platforms find it difficult to span across large (>400 kb) complex genomic regions. The main goal of our research is to develop devices to elute DNA molecules from a gel matrix—prevents shearing of DNA molecules during cell lysis—and concentrate extremely long DNA molecules (>700 kb). Therefore, we are leveraging 3D printing to fabricate meso-fluidic devices to elute lambda DNA from gel using an electric field. For these devices, dimensions of the devices are varied in channel width; whereas, height and length of the device remains constant. In order to ascertain the device that elutes the highest concentration of lambda DNA, we are using a multi-prong approach: measuring fluorescence intensity of YOYO-1 stained DNA that are eluted into solution, as well as the fluorescence intensity of YOYO-1 stained DNA that are within gel matrix during the experiment, and measuring the concentration of DNA that remains in the gel matrix after the conclusion of the experiment using gel electrophoresis.
Putting words to the experience: An Italian group intervention for children of separated parents

This article presents an Italian group intervention for children of separated parents and describes preliminary findings about its efficacy. After briefly discussing the state of art for interventi...
Genetic Evidence That an 11 Amino Acid β-Hairpin Loop in the Cytoplasmic Domain of Band 3 Is Responsible for at Least 50% of Ankyrin Binding in Mouse Erythrocytes.

The anion exchange protein (band 3) is an integral erythrocyte membrane protein that is associated with the spectrin-actin cytoskeleton through ankyrin, which binds to both band 3 and spectrin. Improper band 3/ankyrin interactions result in erythrocyte instability leading to spherocytosis and hemolytic anemia. The crystal structures of ankyrin and band 3 predict that the ankyrin amino-terminus, containing comb-like ANKYRIN repeat subdomains, binds to a β-hairpin loop (residues 175-185) in the band 3 cytoplasmic domain. We have previously shown that replacement of human band 3 residues 175–185 with a di-glycine bridge eliminates the binding of an ankyrin fragment containing domains 3 and 4 to the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 in vitro. To test this model for ankyrin/band 3 interactions in vivo, we used homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells to replace the corresponding mouse band 3 sequences, residues 189–199 in exon 7, with a di-glycine bridge to create a knock-in transgenic mouse. Analysis of mRNA expression in transgenic mice carrying the targeted locus demonstrated that the level of mRNA from the mutant allele (which contains the neomycin resistance gene used for positive selection of embryonic stem cells) was 50-70 fold lower than the level of mRNA from the wild type allele. Heterozygous transgenic mice were mated to mice expressing the Cre recombinase protein in the germ line to remove the neomycin resistance gene. After removal of the neomycin resistance gene from the band 3 locus, mice homozygous for the 189–199 deletion/di-glycine insertion were born in a normal Mendelian ratio and had normal numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the level of band 3 mRNA from the wild type and mutant alleles were identical. SDS poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western Blot analysis demonstrated normal levels of band 3 and other red cell membrane proteins in wild type, heterozygous and homozygous mutant erythrocytes. Homozygous mutant mice showed a modest but significant increase in osmotic fragility (p 125 I labeled peptide containing domains 3 and 4 of mouse ankyrin. Ankyrin binding to homozygous mutant IOVs was 50% or less than the level of ankyrin binding to WT IOVs. We conclude from these studies that the 11 amino acid β-hairpin loop encoded by residues 189–199 of the band 3 gene is responsible for at least 50% of the ankyrin binding in mouse erythrocytes. We predict that mutations in this region of human band 3 would lead to a phenotype of Hereditary Spherocytosis similar to that seen with ankyrin deficiency. Space filling models of the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 have identified a second homologous β-hairpin loop encoded by residues 63-75, which is the target of our future investigation.
Estimating School Effects with a State Testing Program Using Transition Matrices.

ABSTRACTFor the past decade, the accountability model associated with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) emphasized proficiency on end of year tests; with Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) the emphasis on proficiency within statewide testing programs, though now integrated with other measures of student learning, nevertheless remains a primary metric for reporting achievement. We examine transition over categories across two years for three cohorts of middle school students as one means for evaluating change. We document school effects for seven models by analyzing relations among them and comparing them to the actual change in movement across categories. We report moderate to high correlations across the transition models though they differed vastly in the (a) assumptions behind them, and (b) ranking of schools with actual transitions. The findings, therefore, need to be considered in the context of assumptions embodied in each transition model to adequately understand their worth in reporting school effects.
Measuring the Efficiency of Common Household Products as Repellents for Solenopsis invicta

Red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta , are known to be household pests and a potential danger to small children and animals. Fire ants are particularly a problem in the state of Texas because of the $1.2 billion cost in damages associated with fire ant activity. Wildlife, agricultural, and urban areas are prone to fire ant infestation, and the fire ants can cause several problems to plants and animals in that area. The purpose of our study was to find effective, common household products that can function as a repellent of the insect. Using baby powder, cinnamon, and petroleum jelly as individual barriers between the fire ants and honeydew melon, it was found that petroleum jelly and baby powder were the best repellents. Lastly, the cinnamon powder, while effective, was the worst of the three repellents tested. In the future, other common household items should be tested for their efficacy at repelling Solenopsis invicta , but based on our results, it has been found that both petroleum jelly and baby powder are effective repellents of red imported fire ants.
Influence of secondary stretching on diameter and morphology of bicomponent polymer nanofibers produced by gas jet fiber process

Abstract This paper focuses on the effect of addition of a secondary gas jet on diameter and morphology of bi-component nanofibers produced using the gas jet fibers (GJF) process. In GJF process, a primary turbulent gas jet is used for liquid jet initiation, liquid jet stretching, and drying of the liquid jet into nanofibers. The secondary gas jet is added to provide additional stretching of the liquid jet so that fibers of even smaller diameter can be obtained. The location of the secondary jet in relation to the liquid delivery nozzle is varied to determine an area of influence of the secondary gas jet on fiber diameter and fiber morphology. The radius of the copper loop used to deliver the secondary gas jet is also varied to assess its effect on fiber diameter. The results show almost 100% reduction in nanofiber diameter of bi-lobal and interpenetrating network type nanofibers with appropriate placement of the secondary gas jet. The additional stretching also creates gradient morphology promoted by incomplete phase separation of the polymers as a consequence of much faster solvent loss.
High reflectivity Ohmic contacts to n-GaN utilizing vacuum annealed aluminum

Ohmic contacts to both c-plane and n-GaN are demonstrated using a pure aluminum layer which was vacuum annealed to prevent oxidation. Specific contact resistivities of 4.4 × 10−7 and 2.3 × 10−5 Ωcm2 were obtained without annealing for c-plane and samples respectively. A reflectivity of over 85% at 450 nm was measured for both samples. After a 300 °C anneal specific contact resistivities of 1.5 × 10−7 and 1.8 × 10−7 Ωcm2 were obtained for c-plane and samples respectively and the reflectivities remained higher than 80%.
Fuel Cell Technology: Policy, Features, and Applications – A Mini-review

When Dwight D. Eisenhower became the 34th president of the United States, he was the first incumbent of the office that did not hold any political office within state government or within the US Congress, excluding military service, since Ulysses Grant. No president prior to or since has crafted and influenced energy policy to the degree of President Eisenhower. As the first officeholder without a past “congressional” career, he was viewed as pro-business and pro-military, and the expectations of his government were that nuclear energy would provide cheaper electricity. The challenges during his administration enabled him to adopt a more orthodox policy stance, and the nuclear energy policies did not proceed as anticipated or planned. The 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, is the only individual since Eisenhower without a prior congressional-type political career. Since he has a foundation in real estate business, like Eisenhower, he is perceived as “pro-business,” and it is pertinent to compare similar energy policies under the current administration. Although the current administration is only 100 days old, statements during the primaries, general election, and first 100 days in office and first proposed federal budget suggest that tax credits for electric vehicles and other tax assistance credits will be discontinued and that certain brackets of taxes will be eliminated or greatly reduced. And many federal policies enacted under the Obama administration related to environment and energy will be rolled back, favoring coal, drilling, and Keystone XL and the Dakota Access Pipelines. Whether these policies will promote domestic energy production, reduce the import-to-export gap, or lower the “energy deficiency” is too early to gauge. The introduction of potential import fees or border taxes may promote coal extraction at the expense of natural gas exploration. This may also impact gasoline prices at the pump since crude oil imported from other countries would have taxes or fees levied on it. Coupled with limiting environmental regulations and capping liabilities, lower corporate tax rates for oil exploration companies may promote domestic energy production, because of lower operating costs and liabilities, and may increase corporate profits, although these trends may not be observable within the lifetime of the first term of President Trump. In addition, the projected 3% growth in employment over the current 1.7% is again too early to discern, although most economist’s opinions are that these targets will not be met since these currently are proposals and not implemented policy.
Evaluating gender representativeness of location-based social media: a case study of Weibo

Researchers have utilized location-based social media (LBSM) as potential resources to characterize daily mobility patterns and social perceptions of place. Similar to other types of big data, LBSM...
The Role of a PDGF-Activated Nonselective Cation Channel in the Proliferative Response

Murine fibroblasts have a 28 pS calcium- and voltage-insensitive NSC that becomes quiescent at G0 arrest and is rapidly and specifically activated by PDGF. Activation is produced by the discrete loss of long channel closures. The NSC can be rapidly and reversibly blocked with the NSAID flufenamic acid, through a prostaglandin-independent mechanism. The cell cycle (not viability) is blocked concomitantly with NSC block. A somatic cell mutant with altered NSC conductance has been isolated and used to clone the genomic locus of the channel. The mutant growth phenotype adds further support to the participation of NSC conductance in cell cycle control.
Many-valued modal logics

Two families of many-valued modal logics are investigated. Semantically, one family is characterized using Kripke models that allow formulas to take values in a finite many-valued logic, at each possible world. The second family generalizes this to allow the accessibility relation between worlds also to be many-valued. Gentzen sequent calculi are given for both versions, and soundness and completeness are established.
Sleep deprivation and cellular responses to oxidative stress.

Study objectives It has been hypothesized that sleep deprivation represents an oxidative challenge for the brain and that sleep may have a protective role against oxidative damage. This study was designed to test this hypothesis by measuring in rats the effects of sleep loss on markers of oxidative stress (oxidant production and antioxidant enzyme activities) as well as on markers of cellular oxidative damage (lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation). Design The analyses were performed in the brain and in peripheral tissues (liver and skeletal muscle), after short-term sleep deprivation (8 hours), after long-term sleep deprivation (3-14 days), and during recovery sleep after 1 week of sleep loss. Short-term sleep deprivation was performed by gentle handling; long-term sleep deprivation was performed using the disk-over-water method. Setting Sleep research laboratory at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Participants and interventions Adult male Wistar Kyoto rats (n = 69) implanted for polygraphic (electroencephalogram, electromyogram) recording. Measurements and results Aliquots of brain, liver, or skeletal muscle homogenate were used to assess oxidant production, superoxide dismutase activity, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation. No evidence of oxidative damage was observed at the lipid and/or at the protein level in long-term sleep-deprived animals relative to their yoked controls, nor in the cerebral cortex or in peripheral tissues. Also, no consistent change in antioxidant enzymatic activities was found after prolonged sleep deprivation, nor was any evidence of increased oxidant production in the brain or in peripheral tissues. Conclusion The available data do not support the assumption that prolonged wakefulness may cause oxidative damage, nor that it can represent an oxidative stress for the brain or for peripheral tissue such as liver and skeletal muscle.
Adaptations of the evidence-based Transitional Care Model in the U.S.

Abstract Despite a growing body of evidence that adaptations of evidence-based interventions (EBI) are ubiquitous, few studies have examined the nature and rationale for modifications to the components of these interventions. The primary aim of this study was to describe and classify common local adaptations of the Transitional Care Model (TCM), an EBI comprised of 10 components that has been proven in multiple clinical trials to improve the care and outcomes of chronically ill older adults transitioning from hospitals to home. Guided by Stirman's System of Classifying Adaptations, 582 transitional care clinicians in health systems and community-based organizations throughout the U.S. completed a survey between September 2014 and January 2015; interviews were then conducted with a subset of survey respondents (N = 24) between April and December 2015. A total of 342 survey respondents (59%) reported implementation of the TCM in distinct organizations. Of this group, 96% reported a mean of 4.4 adaptations to the 10 TCM components (40%, one to three; 43%, four to six; and 17%, seven to nine). Nine of ten respondents (94%) reported contextual adaptations while content adaptations were less frequently reported (58%). The top three reported adaptations all related to context (i.e., delivering services from hospital to home, relying on advance practice nurses, and fostering care continuity); interviews clarified a diverse set of reasons for such modifications. Findings reinforce the need for investment in adaptation science and suggest hypotheses to guide rigorous examination of the association between adaptations of TCM components and desired outcomes.
Museums, heritage and international development

Museums, Heritage and International Development presents diverse perspectives on the relationship between the cultural sector and development interventions. The first chapter outlines the overall p...
Childhood adversity and sleep are associated with symptom severity in perinatal women presenting for psychiatric care

This study leverages psychiatric intake data from treatment-seeking perinatal women aiming to explore the understudied associations between childhood adversity, sleep quality, and severity of perinatal mental illness in this population. The sample is 578 perinatal women presenting for initial evaluation to a university-based perinatal psychiatry clinic. At intake, we collected demographics, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), sleep quality, and diagnosis and symptom severity of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Clinician-rated diagnoses showed that 65% of women met criteria for major depression, 23% for generalized anxiety disorder and 4% for PTSD; almost 30% of women had childhood adversity and 98.2% reported poor perinatal sleep quality. Regression analyses revealed differential associations between ACEs and sleep quality and perinatal mood symptoms; ACEs were significantly associated with pregnancy and postpartum PTSD, whereas sleep quality was associated with perinatal depression and generalized anxiety. Screening for ACEs and sleep quality during perinatal intake has high clinical utility, as these two factors significantly contribute to symptom severity across peripartum.
Cannabinoid exposure during pregnancy and its impact on immune function

Cannabinoids are the most commonly abused illicit drugs worldwide. While cannabis can be beneficial for certain heath conditions, abuse of potent synthetic cannabinoids has been on the rise. Exposure to cannabinoids is also prevalent in women of child-bearing age and pregnant women. These compounds can cross the placental barrier and directly affect the fetus. They mediate their effects primarily through G-protein coupled cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. In addition to significant neurological effects, cannabinoids can trigger robust immunomodulation by altering cytokine levels, causing apoptosis of lymphoid cells and inducing suppressor cells of the immune system. Profound effects of cannabinoids on the immune system as discussed in this review, suggest that maternal exposure during pregnancy could lead to dysregulation of innate and adaptive immune system of developing fetus and offspring potentially leading to weakening of immune defenses against infections and cancer later in life. Emerging evidence also indicates the underlying role of epigenetic mechanisms causing long-lasting impact following cannabinoid exposure in utero.
Comparison Between Discontinuous Galerkin Method and Cohesive Element Method: On the Convergence and Dynamic Wave Propagation Issue

The zero-thickness cohesive element method (CEM) is a powerful way to simulate crack propagation. However, it suffers from artificial compliance issue and alters the wave speed in dynamic analyses....
Descriptions and evaluations of methods for determining surface curvature in volumetric data

Abstract Three methods developed for determining surface curvature in volumetric data are described, including one convolution-based method, one fitting-based method, and one method that uses normal estimates to directly determine curvature. Additionally, a study of the accuracy and computational performance of these methods and prior methods is presented. The study considers synthetic data, noise-added synthetic data, and real data. Sample volume renderings using curvature-based transfer functions, where curvatures were determined with the methods, are also exhibited.