cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Progress in the Development of a Lightweight Nickel Electrode

The nickel-hydrogen (Ni-H2) cell is rapidly replacing nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) cell as the system of choice for aerospace applications where weight is crucial. The heavy-sintered nickel electrode used in this cell accounts for about 38% of the cell weight. The use of small diameter fiber nickel electrodes will reduce the weight and improve the specific energy of the state-of-the-art Ni-H2 cell by about 50%. One advantage of this small diameter nickel fiber material is the increase in the surface area available for the deposition of active material. Initial testing of this type of electrode is very promising. This electrode is also applicable to other nickel-based batteries, such as nickel-zinc, nickel-iron, and nickel-metalhydride, both for space and commercial applications.
PACT-mediated enhancement of reporter gene expression at the translational level.

The cellular protein, PACT, can directly activate protein kinase (PKR) in vitro by the interaction of PACT domain 3 with PKR. In contrast, in vivo, PACT-mediated PKR activation and concomitant inhibition of protein synthesis require additional cellular stresses. We observed that without such stresses, cotransfection of a PACT expression vector with various reporter genes enhances their levels of expression. This effect was promoter and inducer-independent and PACT specific and mediated by PACT domains 1 and 2. PACT did not increase the level of the reporter mRNA but enhanced its translation by suppressing phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) caused by the transfection process. To further examine the phenomenon, we generated cell lines expressing a PACT mutant containing only domains 1 and 2. Reporter gene expression was higher and eIF2α phosphorylation was lower in such cell lines compared with the corresponding control cells. Thus, different domains of PACT can either promote or inh...
Valsartan in Chronic Heart Failure

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the evidence for valsartan in the treatment of heart failure and determine its need for formulary inclusion.DATA SOURCES:OVID and PubMed databases were searched (1983–June 2004) using the key words angiotensin-receptor blocker, heart failure, valsartan, Diovan, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Only English-language literature was selected.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Pharmacology and pharmacokinetic evaluations for valsartan were selected. Prospective, randomized clinical trials investigating the use of valsartan and other angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) in chronic heart failure were evaluated.DATA SYNTHESIS:Valsartan, a selective antagonist for angiotensin receptor subtype 1, is the first ARB to be approved for use in chronic heart failure. Clinical trial data support valsartan as an alternative to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in ACE inhibitor—intolerant patients with chronic heart failure. Valsartan is generally well tolerated, with renal i...
Selecting embryos with optimal cleavage kinetics improves ongoing pregnancy rate following blastocyst transfer in a mouse model

OBJECTIVE: To develop a model predicting blastocyst (blast) formation based on early cleavage parameters in the mouse and to determine if the model predicts pregnancy outcome following blast transfer. Microarray analysis was performed to identify genes associated with early embryo development. DESIGN: Laboratory research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 313 2-pronuclear (PN) embryos were collected from superovulated (SO) female mice and were cultured to blast in 5% (n1⁄4180) and 20% (n1⁄4133) oxygen (O2). Time-lapse videos were collected in the Eeva System (Progyny). Classification and regression tree analysis (CART) was used to predict blast formation based on 4 cleavage parameters: 1st cytokinesis duration, and time from 2-3 cell, 3-4 cell, and 4-5 cell stages. Themodel was built in the 20%O2 cohort and validated in the 5% O2 cohort. For the transfer experiments, 2PN embryos were collected following mating of SO females to transgenic male mice heterozygous for green-fluorescent protein (GFP) and cultured in the Eeva system. Blasts were rated as having ‘‘optimal’’ (Opt) or ‘‘suboptimal’’ (Subopt) timing based on the CART model. 10 blasts were transferred into each of 10 pseudo-pregnant recipients, using GFP status to tag the embryos as Opt or Subopt. Pregnancy outcomes were assessed at mid-gestation (E10.5). Differences in outcomes were assessed using Fisher’s exact test. Single-embryo microarray analysis was performed using the Affymetrix GeneChip Mouse Gene ST 1.0 Array on Opt and Subopt blasts. RESULTS: The final model utilized 2 parameters, cleavage times from 2-3 cell and 3-4 cell. The model predicted blast formation with a 97.5% sensitivity and 62.5% specificity in 5% O2. Following transfers, 8 mice became pregnant and were included for analysis. The overall implantation rate per embryo transferred did not differ significantly between groups (86% Opt vs. 77% Subopt, p1⁄40.3). However, the ongoing pregnancy rate was higher for the Opt compared to Subopt embryos [60% (35/58) vs. 32% (7/22) (p1⁄40.03)]. The resorption rate (implantation sites with placental tissue only) among implanted embryos was significantly higher in the Subopt compared to Opt group [59% (10/17) vs. 30% (15/50)(p1⁄40.04)]. Gene expression differences were seen in 74 genes between the Opt and Subopt groups (FD<25%). Pathway analysis revealed enrichment for genes encoding membrane-bound proteins including amino acid and ion transporters. CONCLUSIONS: We have validated a mouse model of time-lapse microscopy with morphokinetic parameters that predicts blast formation and improved ongoing pregnancy rates following blast transfer. We have also shown that cleavage kinetics are correlated with gene expression changes. The data from this model suggest that time-lapse may allow selection of blasts with the highest probability of live birth. Supported by: U54-HD068157 (MM, CC) T32-HD-040135 (RW).
Summary Report of a Workshop on Photon Migration

This workshop was held in Philadelphia on April 17th, 1988 was a unique meeting, and perhaps the first meeting of many to follow focusing on a new aspect of spectroscopy in tissues, namely, the migration of photons in tissues, which are poorly resolved under conditions of continuous illumination, but clearly resolved with “time slicing” techniques in the picosecond region. The implications of these techniques for quantitative tissue spectroscopy of absorbing substances in tissue, particularly deoxy-hemoglobin, and for the imaging of hypoxic tissue volumes or tumors is predicted by the theoretical and experimental presentations at the meeting.
Increased Lateral Tibial Slope Is a Risk Factor for Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: An MRI-Based Case-Control Study of 152 Patients.

Background:Increased posterior tibial slope is associated with increased risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in adults. A similar association has not been rigorously examined in children and adolescents.Purpose:To determine whether alterations in posterior tibial slope are associated with ACL tears in pediatric and adolescent patients and to quantify changes in tibial slope by age.Study Design:Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the knee were reviewed by 3 raters blinded to each other in a 1:1 sample of cases and age- and sex-matched controls. A total of 76 skeletally immature ACL-injured knees were compared with 76 knees without ACL injury; the mean age of the study population was 14.8 ± 1.3 years. The posterior slope of the articular surface of the medial tibial plateau and lateral tibial plateau was measured by use of a method similar to that used in previous studies in adult populations. The current study technique differed in that t...
COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF WATER-UPTAKE AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC GAS-EXCHANGE BETWEEN SCRUB AND FRINGE RED MANGROVES, RHIZOPHORA-MANGLE L

The red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle L.) occurs frequently in both scrub and fringe mangrove forests. Our previous study demonstrated that individuals of this mangrove species growing in scrub and fringe forests differ significantly in both morphological and physiological characteristics. To further characterize physiological differences between scrub and fringe mangroves, we compared their differences in water uptake and photosynthetic gas exchange during different seasons. In the wet season (June–October, 1990), scrub mangroves showed lower δD and δ18O values of stem water than fringe mangroves, indicating more usage of rain-derived freshwater. In the dry season (Jan–April, 1991), however, scrub mangroves utilized the same water source as fringe mangroves, reflected by their similar δD and δ18O values of stem water. Consistently, there were significant differences in predawn water potentials between scrub and fringe mangroves in the wet season (October 1990) with higher values for scrub mangroves, but no significant differences in the dry season (January 1991). Higher elevation in the scrub forest seems to be the major factor responsible for the shift of water sources in scrub mangroves. On Apr. 27 and Aug. 8, 1990, scrub mangroves showed lower CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO2 concentration than fringe mangroves. There were no differences in these gas exchange characteristics on the other two measuring dates: Oct. 17, 1990 and Jan. 11, 1991. Instantaneous water use efficiency was significantly higher for scrub mangroves than for fringe mangroves on three of the four sampling dates. Similarly, leaf carbon isotope discrimination of scrub mangroves was always significantly lower than that of fringe mangroves, indicating higher long-term water use efficiency. Higher water use efficiency in scrub mangroves is a result of stomatal limitation on photosynthesis, which may entail considerable carbon cost to the plants.
Defect-Minimized SiGe Layer Using Ion Beam Synthesis

Ion Beam Synthesis for SiGe layers was performed to study the end-of-range(EOR) defects and strain-induced dislocations. High Ge doses of 5×1016/cm2, 3×1016/cm2 and 2×1016/cm2 at 120 keV were implanted to obtain 12 at%, 7 at% and 5 at% of Ge peak concentrations respectively. RBS spectra show a projected range(Rp) at a depth of 65nm and an amorphous thickness of 170nm on a wafer with 12 at% of Ge peak concentration. Ge ion implantation was performed both at room temperature(RT) and at liquid nitrogen temperature(LNT), in order to investigate the effect of implantation temperature on reducing EOR defect density. Solid phase epitaxial(SPE) annealing for all SiGe layers was done in nitrogen ambient at 800°C. The EOR defect density is considerably reduced by LNT implantation and the strain-induced dislocations have a threshold Ge peak concentration(about 6 at%) for their abrupt generation. For SiGe layer with 12 at% Ge peak concentration, the amorphous-crystalline(a/c) interfacial morphology changes from a planar interface into a faceted interface during SPE growth at 550°C.
Single-mode Polariton Laser in a Designable Microcavity

We demonstrate strong coupling and a coherent polariton laser in a microcavity consisting of a sub-wavelength grating in the top mirror. The designable grating mirror allows 3D confinement, polarization selectivity, and dispersion engineering by design.
Note on Modules

It is well known and not too difficult to show (see [3 ]) that for a left (right) vector space over a division ring, there exists a basis, and all bases have the same cardinality. The same fact about bases is no longer true in a general module over an arbitrary ring. Even if it has bases, in case these bases are finite they do not necessarily have the same cardinality. Everett in [1] and Leavitt in [4] have constructed examples. Consider the following "simpler" example. Let V be a left vector space over a division ring D, with a countable infinite basis { as }. Let R be the ring of endomorphisms of V into V, where addition is the obvious one and product is defined as composition of mappings. R is a left module over itself, and has a basis of a single element namely the identity endomorphism. But {u1, u2} also form a basis, where we define for all n = 1, 2,
Wildfire and the Evolution of Dorsal Melanism in Fox Squirrels, Sciurus niger

Populations of fox squirrels ( Sciurus niger ) of the southeastern United States often include melanistic individuals. The genetic determinants of melanism in fox squirrels of the lower Mississippi River drainage (Louisiana and Mississippi) appear to differ from those for melanism in fox squirrels of the rest of the southeastern U.S. coastal plain, but functional causes of the melanism could be the same in both regions. I examine the hypothesis that melanistic polymorphism may have resulted from alternating cryptic superiority of light and dark individuals as a result of intermittent blackening of substrates by wildfires. I show that frequencies of all wildfires and of lightning-caused wildfires (both normalized per unit area) over the total range of the squirrels are correlated positively with the incidence of melanistic individuals. However, when just the southeastern coastal-plain states are considered, only frequency of lightning-caused fires shows significant correlation with melanism; in the lower Mississippi River drainage region, neither measure of fire frequency shows significant positive correlations. Other climatic variables have little potential for explaining maintenance of the polymorphism. Weak sex and size correlations with melanism may be pleiotropic side-effects of genetic systems determining coloration rather than clues to the functional significance of the trait.
Friction in carborane-based molecular rotors driven by gas flow or electric field: classical molecular dynamics.

Friction in molecular rotors is examined by classical molecular dynamics simulations for grid-mounted azimuthal dipolar molecular rotors, whose rotation is either allowed to decay freely or is driven at GHz frequencies by a flow of rare gas or by a rotating electric field. The rotating parts (rotators) are propeller-shaped. Their two to six blades consist of condensed aromatic rings and are attached to a deltahedral carborane hub, whose antipodal carbons carry [n]staffane axles mounted on a square molecular grid. The dynamic friction constant η has been derived in several independent ways with similar results. Analysis of free rotation decay yields η as a continuous exponentially decreasing function of rotor frequency. The calculated dependence of friction torque on frequency resembles the classical macroscopic Stribeck curve. Its relation to rotational potential energy barriers and the key role of the rate of intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) of energy and angular momentum from rotator rota...
Winter trunk injections of gibberellic acid altered the fate of `Hass' avocado buds: Effects on inflorescence type, number and rate of development

SummaryThe objective of this study was to quantify the effects of high GA3 concentrations applied through trunk injection on the developmental fate of buds of young (glasshouse study) and mature (field study) `Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) trees. The goal of this research was to determine whether a high dose of GA3 could be used to promote vegetative growth, reduce flowering intensity and fruit set and to even out alternate bearing. In both studies, GA3 injections were made at bud swell, prior to bud break. For young trees, injections of 25 or 50 mg GA3 per tree caused precocious inflorescence development and anthesis three weeks earlier than in control trees. GA3 injections did not affect the number of vegetative shoots produced but increased the number of indeterminate inflorescences, at the expense of determinate ones. Increased bud abscission resulting from the GA3 treatments reduced total inflorescence number. Mature trees in a commercial orchard injected with GA3 at 1.0 or 2.5.g per tree on...
AMPA Receptor Structure, Function, and Dynamics

AMPA receptors (GluAs) are essential neuronal ligand-gated ion channels involved in learning and memory. The dimeric conformation of the GluA ligand-binding domain is involved in the coupling of agonist binding to channel gating. We have used NMR, crystallography, ITC, and single channel recording to study the mechanism of action of antagonists and partial agonists on the GluA2 receptor. Antagonists form stable but open cleft binding sites with little dynamics, with binding driven largely by enthalpy. On the other hand, considerable dynamics are observed in the binding site in the presence of partial agonists, whose binding, in most cases, has a large entropic component. Allosteric modulators bind to a large surface that is formed by the dimer interface of two ligand-binding domains in the resting and channel activated states. This binding prevents the dissociation of the dimer interface and inhibits desensitization of the receptor. The desensitized conformation is disrupted along the dimer interface; however, little is known about the dynamic equilibrium between the bound/dimerized form and the unbound/monomer forms. Using small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), crystallography, and NMR spectroscopy, we developed an equilibrium model for modulator dependent dimerization. This model demonstrates that a second modulator-binding site produces both an increase in positive cooperativity and a higher apparent affinity. A combination of the crystal structures of the bound modulators and the binding model developed using SAXS data provide new clues for the development of more effective allosteric modulators that may have cognitive enhancing effects.
Study of Polymer Electrolyte Dynamics by Impulsive Stimulated Light Scattering

The polymer electrolyte PEO:LiBF4 at concentrations 2:1, 4:1, 8:1, 16:1 and pure PEO (in methanol as solvent) was studied in the temperature range 220–340 K using impulsive stimulated light scattering, a time-delayed four-wave mixing (‘transient grating’) technique. We observed longitudinal acoustic waves (the transient density response) and thermal diffusion (leading to the decay of the steady-state density response). The speed of sound and acoustic attenuation rate were determined in the frequency range 57 MHz - 1.4 GHz. From the decay of the steady state response the thermal diffusivities were detremined.
On the Distribution of the Maximal Clique Size for the Vertices in Real-World Network Graphs and Correlation Studies

The high-level contributions of this paper are as follows: We modify an existing branch-andbound based exact algorithm (for maximum clique size of an entire graph) to determine the maximal clique size that the individual vertices in the graph are part of. We then run this algorithm on six real-world network graphs (ranging from random networks to scale-free networks) and analyze the distribution of the maximal clique size of the vertices in these graphs. We observe five of the six real-world network graphs to exhibit a Poisson-style distribution for the maximal clique size of the vertices. We analyze the correlation between the maximal clique size and the clustering coefficient of the vertices, and find these two metrics to be poorly correlated for the real-world network graphs. Finally, we analyze the Assortativity index of the vertices of the real-world network graphs and observe the graphs to exhibit positive assortativity with respect to maximal clique size and negative assortativity with respect to node degree; nevertheless, we observe the Assortativity index of the real-world network graphs with respect to both the maximal clique size and node degree to increase with decrease in the spectral radius ratio for node degree, indicating a positive correlation between the maximal clique size and node degree.
Altered Distribution of Lesions After Repeated Passive Transfers of Allergic Encephalomyelitis.

SummaryRepeated attacks of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) were induced in rats by 2, 3 or 4 consecutive biweekly passive transfers of living, encephalitogenic, lymphoid cells. The incidence and severity of clinical signs of EAE decreased progressively during successive attacks. A decrease in spinal cord lesions was found histologically only after the fourth transfer. Unexpectedly, the cerebellum revealed a marked increase of EAE lesions after the second, third or fourth transfers. This redistribution of lesions may be due to local blockade at the sites of original attack in the spinal cord.
Evaluation of the Impact of Corticosteroid Dose on the Incidence of Hyperglycemia in Hospitalized Patients with an Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Purpose: Guidelines recommend systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) albeit in lower doses than studies that cemented corticosteroids' place in therapy. Corticosteroids potentiate hyperglycemia, however it is undetermined how corticosteroid dose impacts hyperglycemia incidence. Objectives: To establish whether a greater incidence of steroid-induced hyperglycemia (SIHGLY) exists for high- versus low-dose corticosteroids. Methods: Patients with primary discharge diagnosis 491.21/491.22 in a community hospital were retrospectively reviewed and divided into tertiles based on corticosteroid dosage. Baseline characteristics and primary endpoint were statistically assessed between tertiles using logistic regression analysis. A Cox proportional hazards (CPH) model adjusted for potential covariates. Post hoc analysis for primary outcome and CPH model was run removing non-insulin dependent diabetics because of disproportionate event count. A secondary endpo...
Laparoscopic versus Open Appendectomy: Is the Postoperative Infectious Complication Rate Different?:

Despite the reported advantages of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA), there is debate about the postoperative infectious complication rate. Our study attempts to determine if the infectious complication rate between LA and open appendectomy (OA) is different. A retrospective review was conducted of all patients who underwent appendectomy at Kern Medical Center between 1999 and 2003. Age, sex, white blood cell count, temperature, pathology, and postoperative complications were identified. Fifty-seven patients underwent LA, and 159 patients underwent OA. The groups were well matched for demographics, white blood cell count, temperature, and percent perforated appendicitis. There was an overall 9.3 per cent complication rate. The infectious complication rate in OA versus LA group was statistically different (6.3% vs 17.6%, P = 0.04). The infectious complication rate in the LA group was significantly higher than in the OA group. Further large randomized trials are necessary to confirm our findings and to identify if LA is appropriate for a subset of appendicitis patients.
Evaluation of two forms of N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl p-aminobenzoic acid in pancreatic function testing of dogs.

Plasma para-aminobenzoic acid ( paba ) concentrations were compared in 12 dogs after oral administration of either a powdered suspension or a solution of n -benzoyl- l -tyrosyl- paba. Peak paba plasma concentrations were significantly higher at 30, 60 and 90 minutes after administration of the solution (P
Virtualisation: Virtualisation as a blackhat tool

Virtualisation has been touted as a security tool. If you virtualise a server operating system and only run one application in it, then any application that suffers from a security flaw in that operating system can't theoretically be used to infect other applications running in other operating systems. That sounds reasonable, but what happens if attackers use virtualisation as an attack tool? Researchers have already posited the idea of using hardware assisted virtualisation to insert malware underneath an operating system that doesn't realise it has been compromised. How likely is this to happen, and what can be done to detect or prevent it? Kevin Skapinetz of IBM Internet Security Systems explores the issue. Virtualisation is quickly becoming a favourite component of modern computing environments. With a proven ability to reduce costs and improve resource efficiency, it's no wonder that IT professionals have rapidly embraced this technology with open arms. Unfortunately, the same characteristics that allow virtualisation to solve many complex IT problems also makes it a potential tool for building potent new malware.
Core Dynamics: An Introduction and Overview

This is an account of the dynamics at the heart of the Earth, a comprehensive survey of the physical and chemical processes that have shaped our planet's partly liquid, partly solid, metallic core. In emphasizing the dynamics of the core, this volume is unique in geophysics. There has been more than a century of investigations into the structure and composition of the core, whereas the dynamics of the core has received widespread scientific attention only in the past few decades. Fueled by advances in related disciplines, including seismic and magnetic imaging of the core and high-pressure experiments on core materials, the past two decades have witnessed an explosion of core dynamics research. Progress includes self-consistent numerical dynamo models, innovative fluid dynamics experiments, new concepts about the core composition and its evolution, and the manner in which the core interacts with other parts of the Earth. The improved observational constraints, in conjunction with the more powerful modeling tools, have shed new light on how the core has evolved, what drives the geodynamo, and other long-standing Earth science problems. These advances, along with the new questions they have raised, are the subjects of this volume. Nineteen experts review our current understanding of the energetics and structure of the core; the global circulation within the molten outer core; the dynamics of the solid inner core; the convection, turbulence, and rotational instabilities in the outer core; geodynamo theory; numerical geodynamo models; geomagnetic polarity reversals; laboratory experiments on the core; and the interactions between the core and the mantle.
1982–90: Political Manoeuvres and Ethnic Violence

This chapter examines the impact of selected domestic events on Indo—Bangladesh relations during Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s regime, as part of the overall evaluation of the domestic and external determinants of Bangladesh’s foreign relations. Aspects of three issues have been selected as appropriate examples for analysis: Ershad’s assumption of power; the Farakka Barrage dispute; and the hill-people insurgency occurring in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of southeast Bangladesh. The chapter does not aim to explore these issues comprehensively. The intention is to use specific examples to illustrate the way in which each issue has been shaped, in part, by Bangladesh’s domestic arena.
Characterization of electrons and x-rays produced using chirped laser pulses in a laser wakefield accelerator

The electron injection process into a plasma-based laser wakefield accelerator can be influenced by modifying the parameters of the driver pulse. We present an experimental study on the combined effect of the laser pulse duration, pulse shape, and frequency chirp on the electron injection and acceleration process and the associated radiation emission for two different gas types-a 97.5% He and 2.5% N-2 mixture and pure He. In general, the shortest pulse duration with minimal frequency chirp produced the highest energy electrons and the most charge. Pulses on the positive chirp side sustained electron injection and produced higher charge, but lower peak energy electrons, compared with negatively chirped pulses. A similar trend was observed for the radiant energy. The relationship between the radiant energy and the electron charge remained linear over a threefold change in the electron density and was independent of the drive pulse characteristics. X-ray spectra showed that ionization injection of electrons into the wakefield generally produced more photons than self-injection for all pulse durations/frequency chirp and had less of a spread in the number of photons around the peak x-ray energy.
Is the Presence of the Father of the Baby during First Prenatal Ultrasound Study Visit Associated with Improved Pregnancy Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults

This study examined whether the presence of the father of the baby (FOB) at the first prenatal ultrasound study (US) visit of pregnant adolescents and young adults (AYA) is a marker for improved pregnancy outcomes. Charts of 400 pregnant AYA aged 14–22 years seen at an academic maternity hospital were assessed retrospectively for support persons brought to prenatal US visits. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between FOB presence and gestational age and birth weight. Of 400 charts with support person recorded, 298 charts with first US visit data, singleton birth, and complete gestational data available were analyzed. FOB was present at 30.2% of visits, while the parent of the mother was present at 34.2% of visits. With FOB present, 3.3% of infants were born preterm (gestational age ). Patients with FOB present also had significantly earlier gestational age at the first US visit (15 weeks) than those who did not (19 weeks; ). For AYA, the presence of FOB at initial prenatal US visits is a predictor of improved pregnancy outcome and likely represents increased support during the pregnancy.
Methodological Advances in Crime Prevention Research

The past few decades have seen considerable advances in building an evidence base for the effectiveness and cost-benefit of early intervention aimed at crime prevention. While work in building an evidence base for early crime prevention continues, there is a parallel movement toward understanding how to best translate this evidence to the field. This chapter surveys the methods that have been used in early prevention studies, considers some strengths and weaknesses, and identifies areas where further innovation might be most fruitful in generating insight around crime prevention efforts. The first section comprises a brief review of methods that have been most prominent in early prevention studies to date. In that process, we identify examples of particularly innovative studies or programs of research that have affected the knowledge base in prevention as a means of continually tying the methodological approach with the associated substantive conclusions. Following that review, we “look forward” and consider where there are limitations in the evidence base around early intervention and identify ways in which further methodological innovation might help in filling remaining gaps.
Human noncoding RNA 886 (nc886) adopts two structurally distinct conformers that are functionally opposing regulators of PKR

The double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated protein kinase (PKR) senses dsRNA produced during viral infection and halts cellular protein synthesis to block viral replication. How basal PKR activity is controlled in the absence of infection was unclear until the recent identification of a potential endogenous regulator, the cellular noncoding RNA 886 (nc886). However, nc886 adopts two distinct conformations for which the structural details and potential functional differences remain unclear. Here, we isolated and separately dissected the function of each form of nc886 to more clearly define the molecular mechanism of nc886-mediated PKR inhibition. We show that nc886 adopts two stable, noninterconverting RNA conformers that are functionally nonequivalent using complementary RNA structure probing and mutational analyses combined with PKR binding and activity assays. One conformer acts as a potent inhibitor, while the other is a pseudoinhibitor capable of weakly activating the kinase. We mapped the nc886 region necessary for high affinity binding and potent inhibition of PKR to an apical stem-loop structure present in only one conformer of the RNA. This structural feature is not only critical for inhibiting PKR autophosphorylation, but also the phosphorylation of its cellular substrate, the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α subunit. The identification of different activities of the nc886 conformers suggests a potential mechanism for producing a gradient of PKR regulation within the cell and reveals a way by which a cellular noncoding RNA can mask or present a structural feature to PKR for inhibition.
A two-layer turbulence model for simulating indoor airflow: Part II. Applications

Abstract Energy efficient buildings should provide a thermally comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Most indoor airflows involve combined forced and natural convection (mixed convection). This paper used a two-layer model to predict such flows. This model used a one-equation model for near-wall region and the standard k – e model for the outer-wall region. Its validation in six cases shows good agreements between the computed results and measured data. In addition, the computing cost required by the model has been reduced significantly.
Bakri balloon placement in the successful management of postpartum hemorrhage in a bicornuate uterus: A case report.

Abstract Introduction Postpartum hemorrhage is an obstetric emergency that accounts for 25% of maternal deaths worldwide. Initial management consists of uterotonic administration but in cases in which there is a failure of response to medication, uterine cavity tamponade can be effective. This is the first reported case of successful Bakri balloon placement in the management of postpartum hemorrhage at the time of cesarean delivery in a patient with a bicornuate uterus. Presentation of case The patient was a primigravid female who presented at 40 weeks and 1 day gestation with known bicornuate uterus and findings suggestive of placental abruption. Labor was subsequently induced and magnesium was administered after a diagnosis of preeclampsia with severe features was made. Cesarean delivery was then performed for category II fetal heart rate tracing remote from delivery. Intraoperative course was significant for uterine atony unresponsive to oxytocin, carboprost, methylergonovine and misoprostol administration. The right uterine horn was noted to be markedly atonic compared to the left. A Bakri balloon was then placed transvaginally and inflated with 600 mL of saline in this location. Atony then resolved. Discussion Although uterine malformation is not a documented contraindication to Bakri balloon placement, there is no literature on its efficacy in the treatment of hemorrhage in the presence of this anomaly. Conclusion In the management of postpartum hemorrhage, Bakri balloon placement is associated with success in the presence of a bicornuate uterus. Care should be taken to direct insertion of the balloon in the appropriate location.
Emotion Blends and Mixed Emotions in the Hierarchical Structure of Affect

We explore the implications of a hierarchical structure, consisting of (a) the higher order dimensions of nonspecific Positive Activation and Negative Activation and (b) multiple specific negative ...
Dominique Youx, intrepid warrior

This tale of a seven-year-old stowaway, who became a cabin boy because the ship on which he sailed had traveled too far from port, explains how Donominique Youx got his nickname. Whether it is a true account or the product of an imaginative writer's mind is unknown. Several documents that he signed or that concerned him show his name as Frederic Youx, while some histories give his Christian name as Alexandre Frederic, identifying him as the eldest brother of Jean and Pierre Laffite.
2.5D visual servo control in the presence of time-varying state and input delays

State and input delays are ubiquitous in networked visual servo control systems due to image acquisition, transmission, and processing latencies. In addition, the delays can be time-varying due to network uncertainties and the complexity of the images to be processed. This paper revisits the popular 2.5D visual servo control problem but considers the presence of state and input delays. Specifically, the objective is to regulate a monocular camera to a desired position and orientation in the presence of time-varying state and input delays. A partial differential equation based robust controller is developed that uses a linear transformation to map the time dependent control input to a new control input of two variables. This transformation facilitates development of a robust controller that compensates for the uncertain time-varying state delays and the known time-varying input delays. A Lyapunov-based stability analysis is presented that guarantees uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB) regulation error.
Two functionally distinct E2/E3 pairs coordinate sequential ubiquitination of a common substrate in Caenorhabditis elegans development.

Ubiquitination, the crucial posttranslational modification that regulates the eukaryotic proteome, is carried out by a trio of enzymes, known as E1 [ubiquitin (Ub)-activating enzyme], E2 (Ub-conjugating enzyme), and E3 (Ub ligase). Although most E2s can work with any of the three mechanistically distinct classes of E3s, the E2 UBCH7 is unable to function with really interesting new gene (RING)-type E3s, thereby restricting it to homologous to E6AP C-terminus (HECT) and RING-in-between-RING (RBR) E3s. The Caenorhabditis elegans UBCH7 homolog, UBC-18, plays a critical role in developmental processes through its cooperation with the RBR E3 ARI-1 (HHARI in humans). We discovered that another E2, ubc-3, interacts genetically with ubc-18 in an unbiased genome-wide RNAi screen in C. elegans. These two E2s have nonoverlapping biochemical activities, and each is dedicated to distinct classes of E3s. UBC-3 is the ortholog of CDC34 that functions specifically with Cullin-RING E3 ligases, such as SCF (Skp1-Cullin-F-box). Our genetic and biochemical studies show that UBCH7 (UBC-18) and the RBR E3 HHARI (ARI-1) coordinate with CDC34 (UBC-3) and an SCF E3 complex to ubiquitinate a common substrate, a SKP1-related protein. We show that UBCH7/HHARI primes the substrate with a single Ub in the presence of CUL-1, and that CDC34 is required to build chains onto the Ub-primed substrate. Our study reveals that the association and coordination of two distinct E2/E3 pairs play essential roles in a developmental pathway and suggests that cooperative action among E3s is a conserved feature from worms to humans.
Optimal decoupling strategy to suppress radio frequency interference (RFI) from double data-rate (DDR) memory power-plane radiation

This paper presents an effective decoupling strategy to reduce radio frequency interference (RFI) noise from power plane of double data-rate (DDR) memory. Dual-referencing routing with both power and ground plane is widely used in DDR memory but prone to RFI radiation. Simulations are conducted to show a) self-resonance of capacitor significantly enhances effectiveness of decoupling, b) impedance of decoupling capacitor needs to be less than 1 Ō, and c) decoupling capacitors need to be 4-mm away from the trace ends. The effectiveness of this decoupling approach is validated with experiments. These recommendations may be used to reduce RFI risk from dual-referencing and relax the design constraints for mobile devices.
Faces of Horror, Dances of Death: Female Revenants and Suburban Hauntings in New Millennial Japanese Horror Films

In this chapter, Dumas considers the monstrous-feminine in new millennial horror cinema as a vehicle for exploring the transformation of Japanese domestic life in a period marked by extended economic malaise. She explores this theme in two titles: Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-On franchise and Kōji Shiraishi’s The Slit-Mouthed Woman. Dumas considers the antagonists of these films as portraits of female precarity that both reflect and resist the constraining discourses of femininity that have arisen in post-bubble Japan. Drawing on the Deleuze-Guattarian concepts of the BwO and faciality, she examines how these titles both reproduce patriarchal fears centered on the breakdown of traditional gender roles and reveal the feminist pleasure of postmodern horror cinema as a genre that models radical paradigms of identity and embodiment.
Cytokines and Cytokine Receptors: Principles of Action

Cytokines have become recognized as important mediators of the several aspects of inflammation. This introductory chapter will provide some basic aspects of cytokine biology including the functions of cytokines and their receptors. Given the brief nature of the chapter it is not possible to exhaustively review all of the cytokines and their biological activities. The major purpose of this short, introductory chapter is to provide a reader with the basic underpinnings of what are cytokines and how they work.
Recruitment and enrollment for Project Heartbeat! Achieving the goals of minority inclusion

Objective The inclusion of women and minorities in health research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has received increasing attention since the adoption of related guidelines by NIH in 1990. Investigators in population-based and clinical research may need to identify and recruit research participants from community settings in which little is known by investigators of the dynamics and day-to-day needs of the community. This was the case at the start of Project HeartBeat!, an intensive longitudinal study of the development of cardiovascular risk factors against the background of growth and maturation. This paper identifies those elements found essential when recruiting and enrolling minority participants for Project HeartBeat! Methods No prior experience had existed in the community from which the majority of Black participants were recruited to the Project. Therefore, recruitment methods were based on previous experience of the investigators as well as on the published reports of others. Results Immediate costs were substantially greater than projected, and the recruitment period was two years rather than one-a circumstance with longer-term implications as well. However, with the support of a community-based advisory committee, the school district, and a local recruitment staff, the recruitment goal was obtained. Conclusions Recruitment and enrollment of minority participants can be especially challenging; however, many of those challenges are common to any target population. Elements that need to be adequately addressed include the researchers' involvement with the community in which the participants live, a tracking system to assess recruitment efforts, flexibility in the methods of recruitment, and adequate resources in time, money and personnel.
A CLASS OF ADAPTIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS WITH SINUSOIDAL PARAMETER PERTURBATION

Abstract : Research concerns the development of analysis methods and their application to a class of adaptive control systems. The analysis of the slow system, it is observed, is relatively easy to perform, because of the nature of the system and because of the resulting simplifications which can be made. In the analysis of the fast system, however, these assumptions were not applicable, and, a new analysis method had to be devised. The analysis methods presented are adequately suited to this class of adaptive control systems with respect to specifying the nature of the error signal (the performance criterion). Once this error signal is specified, conventional techniques may be used to evaluate system stability and performance. (Author)
Normal Colorectal Anatomy and Benign Colon Lesions

Transrectal ultrasound is a useful method for evaluating anorectal disease. Low-cost probes that plug into standard ultrasound consoles are available and provide an excellent starting point for learning endoscopic ultrasonography. The evaluation of benign colorectal disorders with this technique has recently been highlighted by the investigation of perineal disease in patients with Crohn‘s disease. Additional applications and future trends in colorectal ultrasonography are discussed.
Characterization of hard X-ray sources produced via the interaction of relativistic femtosecond laser pulses with metallic targets

X-ray emission resulting from interactions of intense laser pulses with solid metal targets (Ni, Cu, Mo, Ag, and Sn) at 0.5 kHz repetition rate is measured using pulse energies of up to 12 mJ. A comparison of the conversion of laser pulse energy to total X-ray emission energy is made with respect to the previous measurements at lower energy (< 3 mJ). In the present experiments, the total bremsstrahlung conversion efficiency is found to increase by an order of magnitude for all targets as the energy in increased. The Kα line emission conversion efficiency also increases with incident pulse energy for all targets. In addition, the ratio between line and bremsstrahlung emission in the X-ray spectral region was significantly reduced at higher energies because of the large increase in bremsstrahlung. In general, the X-ray source size increases as the laser energy increased and the ellipticity of the X-ray source also increased in the laser polarization direction, with the effect becoming very pronounced at higher energies. Phase-contrast imaging of a nanospray emitter and a 3D printed plastic target was also performed using Cu and Mo targets.
Conclusion and Notes on Comparative and Policy Perspectives on Party Proliferation in Africa

The book’s conclusion provides overarching insights on the relationship between parties and democratization in Senegal, reviewing the conclusions drawn in each preceding chapter. The conclusion places these insights from Senegal into comparative perspective, discussing where beyond Senegal it would be productive to explore the book’s hypotheses about party formation, opposition trajectories, ruling party loyalty, and presidential turnover. It also summarizes the policy implications of the research, describing how the book’s findings have the potential to enhance the approaches taken by domestic policymakers, foreign diplomats, and international development practitioners concerned with democracy, rule of law, and governance issues in countries like Senegal. Tying together various parts of the research, the conclusion then explains why party proliferation in Senegal has neither definitively fostered nor structurally impeded democratization. Policy measures aimed at helping Senegalese citizens use parties to get good governance outcomes will have to be not only politically smart and technically sound; they will also need to yield tangible progress on programmatic issues, as well as visible changes to the party system’s structure to win the “hearts and minds” of citizens disillusioned with the role of parties in personalistic, patronage-based politics.
The value of serum and urinary n-Telopeptide in the diagnosis of osteoporosis

In a prospective study, the serum and urinary N-Telopeptide (NTx) levels, Bone Mineral Densitometry (BMD), serum concentrations of total and ionic calcium, phosphorus, and total alkaline phosphatase in a group of 70 patients diagnosed to have osteoporosis were studied and were compared with 50 healthy subjects. The urinary and the serum NTx values were compared with BMD, which showed remarkable correlation. In the study group the urinary NTx value of 123 ± 10.2 nm per L Bone Collagen Equivalence (BCE)/millimoles per L creatinine was seen, as against the control group, who showed levels of 14.4 ± 5.2 nm per L BCE /millimoles per L creatinine. Similarly serum NTx in the study group was 24.31 ± 4, while the control group had a value of 12.2 ± 6.4. The BMD value in the study group was 2.8 ±1.2 SD below the mean value for young adults as compared to the control values, 1.6 ± 1 SD. The correlation coefficient of the urinary NTx and BMD was 0.98 and the correlation between serum NTx and BMD was 0.76, which is highly significant. The levels of serum total and ionic calcium, serum phosphorus and serum total alkaline phosphatase showed no statistical significance in two groups.