cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data‐driven Modeling of Metal‐oxide Sensors with Dynamic Bayesian Networks

We present a data‐driven probabilistic framework to model the transient response of MOX sensors modulated with a sequence of voltage steps. Analytical models of MOX sensors are usually built based on the physico‐chemical properties of the sensing materials. Although building these models provides an insight into the sensor behavior, they also require a thorough understanding of the underlying operating principles. Here we propose a data‐driven approach to characterize the dynamical relationship between sensor inputs and outputs. Namely, we use dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs), probabilistic models that represent temporal relations between a set of random variables. We identify a set of control variables that influence the sensor responses, create a graphical representation that captures the causal relations between these variables, and finally train the model with experimental data. We validated the approach on experimental data in terms of predictive accuracy and classification performance. Our results s...
Mechanical properties of SWNT X-Junctions through molecular dynamics simulation

The mechanical behavior of seven different carbon nanotube (CNT) X-junctions with a varying number of bonds was investigated through molecular dynamics simulations. The X-junctions are composed of two (6,0) single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) created via vibration-assisted heat welding. The junctions, containing anywhere between one and seven bonds, are subject to uniaxial tensile, shear and torsional strain, and then the stiffness values are determined for each case. When subjected to tensile and shear strain, both the arrangement and orientation of bonds are found to affect the stiffness of junctions more substantially than the number of bonds, bond length or bond order. Surprisingly, anisotropic shear behavior is observed in the X-junctions, which can be attributed to the junction's bond orientation. Also, the stiffness of X-junctions tested under an applied torque (torsion) differs from the stiffness under tensile and shear strain, however, in that it is more substantially affected by the number of...
A study of thermo‐mechanical reliability of lead‐free PTH solder joints

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider PTH solder joint reliability, particularly on the PTH solder joints with partial hole‐fill and without pin protrusion. Also, the impact of voiding on the solder joint reliability is discussed.Design/methodology/approach – Thermal cycling tests for samples of different hole‐fill percentages and voiding were conducted, and cross‐sections of the PTH solder joints were performed to evaluate the solder microstructure, intermetallic formation, via hole‐fill, and the condition of the PTH metallization and PCB dielectric prior to thermal cycling and at different times during thermal cycling.Findings – Different failure mechanisms were observed for solder joints with and without pin protrusion. PTH components with pin protrusion had better through hole‐fill and less voids than PTH components without pin protrusion.Originality/value – The paper discusses in detail the effect of hole‐fill percentage and voiding on PTH solder joint reliability.
A web-based tool to engage stakeholders in informing research planning for future decisions on emerging materials

Prioritizing and assessing risks associated with chemicals, industrial materials, or emerging technologies is a complex problem that benefits from the involvement of multiple stakeholder groups. For example, in the case of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), scientific uncertainties exist that hamper environmental, health, and safety (EHS) assessments. Therefore, alternative approaches to standard EHS assessment methods have gained increased attention. The objective of this paper is to describe the application of a web-based, interactive decision support tool developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in a pilot study on ENMs. The piloted tool implements U.S. EPA's comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA) approach to prioritize research gaps. When pursued, such research priorities can result in data that subsequently improve the scientific robustness of risk assessments and inform future risk management decisions. Pilot results suggest that the tool was useful in facilitating multi-stakeholder prioritization of research gaps. Results also provide potential improvements for subsequent applications. The outcomes of future CEAWeb applications with larger stakeholder groups may inform the development of funding opportunities for emerging materials across the scientific community (e.g., National Science Foundation Science to Achieve Results [STAR] grants, National Institutes of Health Requests for Proposals).
Evaluating concordance to American Diabetes Association standards of care for type 2 diabetes through group visits in an uninsured or inadequately insured patient population.

OBJECTIVE —To evaluate the effectiveness of a managed care approach to health care delivery, group visits, in the management of uninsured or inadequately insured patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —A total of 120 patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to receive their care in group visits or usual care for 6 months. After 6 months, concordance with 10 process-of-care indicators recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards of care was evaluated through chart abstraction. The 10 items evaluated were up-to-date HbA 1c levels and lipid profiles, urine for microalbumin, appropriate use of ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blockers, use of lipid-lowering agents where indicated, daily aspirin use, annual foot examinations, annual referrals for retinal examinations, and immunizations against streptococcal pneumonia and influenza. RESULTS —Patients who received care in group visits showed statistically significant improvement in concordance with these 10 process-of-care indicators ( P CONCLUSIONS —Group visits proved more effective in promoting concordance with ADA standards of care than usual care in the treatment of uninsured or inadequately insured patients with type 2 diabetes.
Facile synthesis of carbon-11-labeled cholesterol-based cationic lipids as new potential PET probes for imaging of gene delivery in cancer

Abstract Gene therapy based on gene delivery is a promising strategy for the treatment of various human diseases such as cancer. Cationic lipids represent one of the important synthetic gene delivery systems. There is a great interest in imaging of gene therapy using the biomedical imaging technique positron emission tomography (PET). Carbon-11-labeled cholesterol-based cationic lipids were first designed and synthesized as new potential PET probes for imaging of gene delivery in cancer. The [ 11 C-methyl]quaternary amine target tracers, N -[ 11 C]methyl- N -[4-(cholest-5-en-3β-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]pyrrolidinium iodide ([ 11 C] 4a ), N -[ 11 C]methyl- N ′-[4-(cholest-5-en-3β-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]imidazolium iodide ([ 11 C] 4b ), N -[ 11 C]methyl- N -[4-(cholest-5-en-3β-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]piperidinium iodide ([ 11 C] 4c ), N -[ 11 C]methyl- N -[4-(cholest-5-en-3β-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]-4-methylpiperidinium iodide ([ 11 C] 4d ), and N -[ 11 C]methyl- N -[4-(cholest-5-en-3β-yloxycarbonyl)butyl]morpholinium iodide ([ 11 C] 4e ), were prepared from their corresponding tertiary amine precursors with [ 11 C]methyl iodide ([ 11 C]CH 3 I) through N -[ 11 C]methylation and isolated by a simplified solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using a Silica Sep-Pak cartridge in 50–60% radiochemical yields decay corrected to end-of-bombardment (EOB), based on [ 11 C]CO 2 , and 111–185 GBq/μmol specific activity at the end of synthesis (EOS).
Measurement of electron concentrations by hydrogen line-broadening using a photodiode array spectrometer

Abstract A novel apparatus for measuring hydrogen line broadening in plasmas using a linear photodiode array spectrometer is described and applied to the measurement of spatially resolved electron concentrations in two- and three-electrode direct current plasmas. The sources and magnitudes of the errors associated with those line width measurements are also discussed.
Evidence for chaotic fault interactions in the seismicity of the San Andreas fault and Nankai trough

The dynamical behavior introduced by fault interactions is examined here using a simple spring-loaded, slider-block model with velocity-weakening friction. The model consists of two slider blocks coupled to each other and to a constant-velocity driver by elastic springs. For an asymmetric system in which the frictional forces on the two blocks are not equal, the solutions exhibit chaotic behavior. The system's behavior over a range of parameter values seems to be generally analogous to that of weakly coupled segments of an active fault. Similarities between the model simulations and observed patterns of seismicity on the south central San Andreas fault in California and in the Nankai trough along the coast of southwestern Japan.
Vision-Based Landing of Light Weight Unmanned Helicopters on a Smart Landing Platform

This paper presents a simple and efficient solution to vision guided autonomous landing of a light-weight (<150 Kg) unmanned helicopter on a smart landing platform, called ISLANDS--Intelligent Self-Leveling and Nodal Docking System. The advantage of ISLANDS is that it may allow the helicopter upon docking to recharge its batteries or refuel, thus, indirectly increasing endurance and flight range. In order for the helicopter to dock with ISLANDS, an on-board `vision module' coupled with the helicopter attitude controller is developed. This `vision module' detects the location and orientation of ISLANDS and feeds back information to the helicopter attitude controller, which commands the helicopter to descent onto the landing platform at a desired orientation and speed. The Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is used for automatic detection of the landing platform based on images captured by a single camera mounted on the helicopter. The detected SIFT features are used to estimate the 3-D orientation of the platform relative to the helicopter using Homography and RANSAC techniques. The focus of this paper is on the vision-guided landing technique in a predefined orientation and not on controller details, which may be found in Shim et al. (1998).
Bounds for the Third Membrane Eigenvalue

in fact with a rotation we can have SD yur u2 = 0 and then with a translation (which does not change Jsa yuru, = 0) the first two equalities in (8) can be satisfied. As in [4] for i = 1, 2 we introduce the trial functions & = xui - t a,pj , where aij = s xuiuj .
On the fault coverage of delay fault detecting tests

Existing methodologies for determining gate delay fault coverages are shown to have certain deficiencies. A new and more realistic delay model is presented with the ultimate goal of ensuring error-free circuit operation through obtaining true fault coverages that extend upto the actual slacks. Methods are given that achieve such coverages when possible. Results of experiments performed to evaluate the practical benefits of the proposed methods over previous approaches are given. The proposed method over previous approaches are given. The proposed method based on varying the sampling time of the circuit outputs during testing is seen to produce very high delay fault coverages upto the actual circuit slacks, as opposed to methods based on fixed output sampling times.
“No People Can Be Expected to Be Loyal under Such Difficulties”: Ambiguities and Identities of Early African National Congress Leaders in South Africa

Abstract This paper examines the identities of early leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) at a time when British influences still prevailed in South Africa. African attitudes to the “British World” reveal complex identities that also reflected political and cultural variations according to race, class and region. Relations between ANC leaders and the African “elite” and between the elite and subaltern strata were not straightforward. A careful reading of the discourses in and around Congress points to contradictory attitudes to things British and to ambiguous identities that lingered and contributed to the mix of social and national ideas and identities that influence contemporary South Africa.
An American Sufism The Naqshbandi-Haqqani Order as a Public Religion

The Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi order is a transnational religious organization. Founded by Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani (b. 1922), the order spread throughout the Middle East in the 1950s and 1960s, and th...
Quantitative analysis of propagation characteristics for Mobile WiMAX

In wireless networks, careful planning and link budget analysis is required for delivering maximum throughput reliably with minimum overhead. The efficiency of planning and eventual network performance is totally dependent upon the accuracy and quality of data used for analysis. In most studies, computer simulations and analytical models are used for generating such data. However these simulations are limited to many assumptions which are different from the actual implemented hardware, therefore, the data generated are not accurate. In this paper, we analyze the performance of Mobile WiMAX utilizing the empirical data measured from leading WiMAX equipment. We believe this data can be used to predict an accurate and reliable throughput and link budget in WiMAX networks.
Poultry meat color: heme-complex-forming ligands and color of cooked turkey breast meat.

Abstract Heme-complex-forming ligands and their effects on color were studied in cooked turkey breast meat. Twenty-four ground meat samples were prepared with combinations of two levels of pigments [0 or .4 mg of myoglobin (Mb) and .4 mg of hemoglobin (Hb) per gram meat weight], two levels of NaCl (0 or 2.5%), and six ligands. Each combination of ingredients was dissolved in distilled water (15%, meat weight) prior to mixing with the meat samples. Each meat sample was hand mixed in a 250-mL beaker, covered with aluminum foil, and cooked to an internal temperature of 75 C in a water bath. Among the ligands, pyridine, nicotinamide, and histidine formed heme complexes with added pigments. Pyridine produced the highest a values (redness), followed by nicotinamide, histidine, and the control, respectively. Although the added BSA was expected to produce a pink color, it did not have any effect on the redness of the meat. The effect of the added salt appeared as great as that of the added pigments by apparently providing solubilized proteins to form heme complexes in the meat. The b and L values of the meat were usually decreased because of added nicotinamide or histidine. The added pigments and salt also generally decreased the b and L values of the turkey breast meat. Total pigment and extractable pigment increased when heme pigments were added. No relationships were observed between the redness and the total pigment or between the a value and the extractable pigment.
Transient Ischemic Attack Overview: Defining the Challenges for Improving Outcomes

Transient ischemic attacks are reversible neurologic events that herald potentially catastrophic strokes. Well designed studies have documented that approximately 10% of patients who have a transient ischemic attack will have a stroke within the succeeding 90 days; half of these strokes occur within 48 hours of the transient ischemic attack. Improved outcomes from transient ischemic attacks require a heightened awareness of the clinical features of transient ischemic attacks on the part of both patients and physicians. The significant potential for stroke in the immediate days after the transient ischemic attack imposes an urgency in the diagnostic evaluation of these patients. A review of the literature suggests that there is a need for pathways to promote facilitated evaluations of transient ischemic attack patients in order to identify underlying correctable pathologies, and to direct medical and surgical management strategies.
Reduced aeration affects the expression of the NorB efflux pump of Staphylococcus aureus by posttranslational modification of MgrA

We previously showed that at acid pH, the transcription of norB, encoding the NorB efflux pump, increases due to a reduction in the phosphorylation level of MgrA, which in turn leads to a reduction in bacterial killing by moxifloxacin, a substrate of the NorB efflux pump. In this study, we demonstrated that reduced oxygen levels did not affect the transcript levels of mgrA but modified the dimerization of the MgrA protein, which remained mostly in its monomeric form. Under reduced aeration, we also observed a 21.7-fold increase in the norB transcript levels after 60 min of growth that contributed to a 4-fold increase in the MICs of moxifloxacin and sparfloxacin for Staphylococcus aureus RN6390. The relative proportions of MgrA in monomeric and dimeric forms were altered by treatment with H2O2, but incubation of purified MgrA with extracts of cells grown under reduced but not normal aeration prevented MgrA from being converted to its dimeric DNA-binding form. This modification was associated with cleavage of a fragment of the dimerization domain of MgrA without change in MgrA phosphorylation and an increase in transcript levels of genes encoding serine proteases in cells incubated at reduced aeration. Taken together, these data suggest that modification of MgrA by proteases underlies the reversal of its repression of norB and increased resistance to NorB substrates in response to reduced-aeration conditions, illustrating a third mechanism of posttranslational modification, in addition to oxidation and phosphorylation, that modulates the regulatory activities of MgrA.
Removing Esoteric Contaminants from Drinking Waters: Impacts of Treatment Implementation

At first blush, the production and distribution of drinking water seems to be a very straightforward process. There is a need to remove microbial agents and any anthropogenic or autochthonous contaminants that may be a health concern. A disinfectant is often added to maintain a microbiologically-safe water throughout the distribution system. However, for those that design or operate drinking water facilities or conduct drinking water research, there are many subtle issues that arise in both individual processes and in the combined treatment train. To elucidate these issues, evaluation of the removal of a specific contaminant in a controlled setting can shed a great deal of light on treatment and what the implementation of treatment entails for residual and distribution system plans. A valuable contaminant to investigate in this light would be one that has chemical properties that differ from those of other contaminants for which treatments are already in place. In recent years, due to more sensitive analytics, the contaminant perchlorate has been found in a number of natural waters USEPA 2004a,b . Regardless of how perchlorate ended up in the environment or its regulatory status, the unique chemistry of perchlorate offers an opportunity to look at the holistic approach to drinking water treatment for a class of contaminants generally not studied. In natural water, under typical pH conditions, perchlorate ClO4 exists as a monovalent anion dissociated from perchloric acid HClO4 . It has a unique molecular structure: a chloride atom in the center of a tetrahedral grouping of four oxygen atoms; the negative charge is evenly dispersed over the four oxygen atoms. This structure is similar to that of the methane molecule. In addition, perchlorate molecular weight of 99.46 is larger than a chloride molecule, but smaller than sulfate. The perchlorate ion is unreactive as a ligand and its salts are extremely soluble, even in organic solvents. Due to these properties, it does not adsorb well on most surfaces. Despite its strength as an oxidizing agent, perchlorate is very slow to react in dilute solutions because of the high activation energy necessary for perchlorate reduction. Likewise, common reducing agents do not react with perchlorate. Perchlorate also has a relatively low charge density; consequently, it does not generally form complexes with metals the way other anions do. Therefore, common cations do not precipitate it. Perchlorate is so nonreactive that it has often been used in thermodynamic, kinetic, and other solution chemical studies as an inert supporting electrolyte Espenson 2000 . Because of its fully oxidized status, perchlorate would not be subject to aerobic biological treatment. These chemical characteristics suggest unique solutions to treatments that then have unusual implications upon implementation.
A Randomized Trial of Prenatal versus Postnatal Repair of Myelomeningocele

The trial was stopped for efficacy of prenatal surgery after the recruitment of 183 of a planned 200 patients. This report is based on results in 158 patients whose children were evaluated at 12 months. The first primary outcome occurred in 68% of the infants in the prenatal-surgery group and in 98% of those in the postnatalsurgery group (relative risk, 0.70; 97.7% confidence interval [CI], 0.58 to 0.84; P<0.001). Actual rates of shunt placement were 40% in the prenatal-surgery group and 82% in the postnatal-surgery group (relative risk, 0.48; 97.7% CI, 0.36 to 0.64; P<0.001). Prenatal surgery also resulted in improvement in the composite score for mental development and motor function at 30 months (P = 0.007) and in improvement in several secondary outcomes, including hindbrain herniation by 12 months and ambulation by 30 months. However, prenatal surgery was associated with an increased risk of preterm delivery and uterine dehiscence at delivery. Conclusions Prenatal surgery for myelomeningocele reduced the need for shunting and improved motor outcomes at 30 months but was associated with maternal and fetal risks. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00060606.)
Modelling the assembly of nanoporous silica materials

We present a perspective on the molecular modelling of nanoporous silica material synthesis. We focus on two classes of materials: microporous zeolite materials in their all-silica forms, and ordered mesoporous silica materials. Several approaches have provided insight into the synthesis processes. These approaches range from quantum chemistry modelling of silica polymerisation to molecular simulations of ordered mesoporous silica assembly, and consider physical and chemical phenomena over several lengths and time scales. Our article focuses on models of porous silica material formation based on the assembly of corner-sharing tetrahedra, which we illustrate with applications to silica polymerisation, the formation of microporous crystals and the formation of ordered mesoporous materials. This is a research area where theoretical developments must closely align with experimentation. For this reason, we also devote a significant component of the present review to a survey of key developments in the experime...
Use of some novel alternative electron sinks to inhibit ruminal methanogenesis

Several compounds were evaluated in vitro as alternative electron sinks to ruminal methanogenesis. They were incubated with ruminal fluid, buffer mixture, and finely ground alfalfa hay for 24 h, at 0, 6, 12, and 18 mM initial concentrations. The propionate enhancer oxaloacetic acid, the butyrate enhancer β-hydroxybutyrate, and the butyrate unsaturated analog 3-butenoic acid were ineffective in decreasing methanogenesis. Nevertheless, β-hydroxybutyrate increased apparent fer- mentation of the alfalfa hay substrate from 58.0 to 63.4%, and 3-butenoic acid seemed to increase it from 62.0 to 73.7%. Almost all of added oxaloacetic acid disappeared during the incubation, while only between 30.3 and 53.4% of s-hydroxybutyrate disappeared. The butyrate enhancers acetoacetate and crotonic acid, and the butyrate unsaturated analog 2-butynoic acid, decreased methanogenesis by a maximum of 18,9 and 9%, respectively. Crotonic acid at 18 mM initial concen- tration seemed to increase the substrate apparent fermentation from 57.0 to 68.2%. Between 78.6 and 100% of acetoacetate disappeared during the incubation. The propionate unsaturated analog propynoic acid, and the unsaturated ester ethyl 2-butynoate, decreased methanogenesis by a maxi- mum of 76 and 79%, respectively. Less than 5% of propynoic acid disappeared. The substrate ap- parent fermentation was decreased by propynoic acid from 62.0 to 57.4%, and seemed to have been decreased by ethyl 2-butynoate from 62.0 to 29.3%. More accurate measurements of the disappear- ance of some of the compounds studied are needed to better understand how they are metabolized and how they affect fermentation. rumen / methane / inhibition / in vitro
Analog VLSI neuromorphic network with programmable membrane channel kinetics

We demonstrate neuron spiking dynamics in a small network of analog silicon neurons with dynamical conductance-based synapses. The analog VLSI chip (NeuroDyn) emulates analog continuous-time dynamics in a fully digitally programmable network of 4 biophysical neurons. Each neuron in NeuroDyn implements Hodgkin-Huxley dynamics in 4 variables, with 28 parameters defining the conductances, reversal potentials, and voltage-dependence of the channel kinetics. All 12 chemical synapses interconnecting the neurons also have individually programmable parameters defining conductance, reversal potential, and pre/post-synaptic voltage dependence of the channel kinetics. All configurable parameters in the implemented model have a biophysical origin, thus supporting direct interpretation of the results of adapting/tuning the parameters in terms of neurobiology. Uniform temporal scaling of the dynamics of membrane and gating variables is demonstrated by tuning a single current parameter, yielding variable speed output exceeding real time. The 0.5µm CMOS chip measures 3mm × 3mm, and consumes 1.29 mW.
Towards a 3g crawling robot through the integration of microrobot technologies

This paper discusses the biomimetic design and assembly of a 3g self-contained crawling robot fabricated through the integrated use of various microrobot technologies. The hexapod structure is designed to move in an alternating tripod gait driven by two piezoelectric actuators connected by sliding plates to two sets of three legs. We present results of both the kinematic and static analyses of the driving mechanism that essentially consists of three slider cranks in series. This analysis confirmed the force differential needed to propel the device. We then review various other microrobot technologies that have been developed including actuator design and fabrication, power and control electronics design, programming via a finite state machine, and the development of bioinspired fiber arrays. These technologies were then successfully integrated into the device. The robot is now functioning and we have already fabricated three iterations of the proposed device. We hope with further design iterations to produce a fully operational model in the near future
Design of robust aperiodic antenna array formations for micro-UAV swarms

In recent years there has a been a great interest in micro-UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) swarms due to their remote sensing and intelligence gathering capabilities. There are also numerous civilian applications for these swarms such as environmental monitoring and pollution control. For the micro-UAV swarms considered here, each aircraft in the swarm is assumed to host a single antenna element such that collectively they form an array. One of the major challenges in the design of micro-UAV swarm arrays lies in the fact that, due to safety reasons and to avoid possible collision between the micro-UAVs, the minimum separation distance between the elements of the swarm is usually required to be several wavelengths. Thus typical periodic planar arrays will not be very useful, since for periodic arrays, increasing the minimum separation distance beyond one wavelength will lead to undesirable grating lobes in the radiation pattern. In this paper, a new design methodology is suggested to create robust antenna array configurations for application in micro-UAV swarms. The method is based on aperiodic tiling of the plane and, as part of the design process, employs a modified version of the perturbation method first introduced in [1]. These modifications add more degrees of freedom to the design process, thereby making the optimization of such arrays slightly more complex; however they were also found to vastly improve the performance results. Once these arrays have been designed, the positional error of the elements associated with turbulence effects or other factors are studied. Compensation algorithms are then developed by applying the phase correction method proposed in [2]. We show that the phase correction algorithm can be applied very effectively to these aperiodic arrays to eliminate the errors around the main beam while still maintaining their grating lobe suppression and low sidelobe properties. It is also demonstrated that when applied to periodic arrays, the phase correction algorithm is not effective in eliminating grating lobes.
CcrR, a TetR Family Transcriptional Regulator, Activates the Transcription of a Gene of the Ethylmalonyl Coenzyme A Pathway in Methylobacterium extorquens AM1

The ethylmalonyl coenzyme A (ethylmalonyl-CoA) pathway is one of the central methylotrophy pathways in Methylobacterium extorquens involved in glyoxylate generation and acetyl-CoA assimilation. Previous studies have elucidated the operation of the ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway in C(1) and C(2) assimilation, but the regulatory mechanisms for the ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway have not been reported. In this study, a TetR-type activator, CcrR, was shown to regulate the expression of crotonyl-CoA reductase/carboxylase, an enzyme of the ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway involved in the assimilation of C(1) and C(2) compounds in Methylobacterium extorquens AM1. A ccrR null mutant strain was impaired in its ability to grow on C(1) and C(2) compounds, correlating with the reduced activity of crotonyl-CoA reductase/carboxylase. Promoter fusion assays demonstrated that the activity of the promoter required for ccr expression (the katA-ccr promoter) decreased as much as 50% in the absence of ccrR compared to wild-type M. extorquens AM1. Gel mobility shift assays confirmed that CcrR directly binds to the region upstream of the katA-ccr promoter. A palindromic sequence upstream of katA at positions -334 to -321 with respect to the predicted translational start site was identified, and mutations in this region eliminated the gel retardation of the katA-ccr promoter region by CcrR. CcrR does not appear to regulate the expression of other ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway genes, suggesting the existence of additional regulators.
A cross-linguistic examination of assimilation context effects

Abstract Language-specific phonological processes routinely affect the pronunciation of words spoken in context, but do not appear to interfere with spoken word recognition. Five experiments are presented in which native and non-speakers of Hungarian and Korean monitored for segments in assimilated and non-assimilated control contexts related to language-specific assimilation phenomena in those languages. Native and non-speakers of Hungarian showed similar context effects related to Hungarian voicing assimilation in Experiments 1 and 2. In Experiments 3–5 native and non-speakers of Korean showed no context effects related to Korean labial-to-velar place assimilation. These results contrast with significant context effects related to Korean coronal place assimilation shown in Experiment 5. The results suggest that these context effects rely on perceptual mechanisms that interact with the acoustic characteristics of phonological modification rather than mechanisms driven by language-specific knowledge operating at an abstract phonological level.
Geology and structural evolution of Old Dad Mountain, Mojave Desert, California

Rock units representative of most pre-Cenozoic formations in the southern Cordilleran geosyncline, as well as major structures developed during multiple periods of Mesozoic and Neogene deformation, are exposed at Old Dad Mountain, Mojave Desert, California. Precambrian metamorphic basement is overlain by upper Precambrian through Permain miogeosynclinal strata; intruding and (or) resting upon these strata are predominantly igneous rocks, which are interpreted as parts of the eastern margin of a Mesozoic Andean-type volcanic-plutonic arc. Structures formed during three phases of deformation of probable Mesozoic age are exposed at Old Dad Mountain. An important unconformity gives evidence of Late Triassic and (or) Early Jurassic unrest, and a thrust fault of this age may underlie Old Dad Mountain. A younger northwest-trending shear zone appears to have accommodated a significant component of left slip during Mesozoic time; it may be an analog of longitudinal faults within and behind modern volcanic-plutonic arcs. Remnants of the Playground thrust plate that moved eastward or southeastward at least 2.5 km during late(?) Mesozoic time overlie this shear zone. Superimposed on these older features are steeply dipping faults, gentle folds, and landslide masses related to movements on the Old Dad normal fault, a Basin and Range fault of Neogene age. Recognition of early Mesozoic and probable late Mesozoic structures of compressional origin at Old Dad Mountain lends support to the hypothesis that the eastern Mojave Desert is the site of widespread overlap of early Mesozoic and late Mesozoic orogenic belts.
Enhanced Ca2+ binding of cardiac troponin reduces sarcomere length dependence of contractile activation independently of strong crossbridges

Calcium sensitivity of the force-pCa relationship depends strongly on sarcomere length (SL) in cardiac muscle and is considered to be the cellular basis of the Frank-Starling law of the heart. SL d...
Microsite differentiation among conifer species during seedling establishment at alpine treeline

Tree establishment is a potentially important factor affecting tree populations in alpine-treeline ecotones. Patterns of seedling establishment of Abies lasiocarpa, Pinus albicaulis, and Picea engelmannii were evaluated relative to neighbouring trees and herbs over two years and three treelines of the Rocky Mountains, USA. The greatest mortality rates were observed in seedlings that had just emerged from seed and were in their first year of growth and in seedlings that had the least amount of cover provided by trees or other landscape features that block exposure to the sky. Although herb cover promoted survivorship in microsites that were not near trees, no seedlings were detected at or above the upper limit of the treeline ecotone. Microsite tree cover was greatest for A. lasiocarpa and least for P. albicaulis seedlings, which matches predictions based on their relative photosynthetic tolerances to the bright sunlight and frequent frost that occur in exposed microsites. Interspecific differences in seedling requirements for neighbouring plant cover likely contribute to the apparent coexistence and possible interdependency of these conifers along a continuum of colonization and succession within treelines.
Development of porous defects in plasma membranes of adenosine triphosphate-depleted Madin-Darby canine kidney cells and its inhibition by glycine.

Abstract Studies during the past decade have led to the recognition of a fundamental, widely expressed mechanism of structural damage in energy-deprived cells, which is suppressed by physiologic levels of glycine and is independent of Ca2+ availability or alterations of cytosolic free Ca2+. To gain insight into this process, Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells were depleted of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by a mitochondrial uncoupler in glucose-free medium, and intracellular free Ca2+ was clamped at 100 nM to avoid calcium cytotoxicity. Although the ATP-depleted cells swelled and blebbed and their plasma membranes appeared to be under tension, they nevertheless became permeable to macromolecules. The plasma membranes of these cells retained structural continuity, as determined by morphologic observations, and confocal microscopy of a plasma membrane protein label (Biotin: Ultra Avidin-Texas Red) and a lipid label (NBD-sphingomyelin). Using fluoresceinated dextrans of graded molecular size, membrane permselectivity was examined noninvasively by confocal microscopy. Measured as inside/outside ratios of fluorescence intensity, the permeability indices showed progressively greater restriction to diffusion of increasingly larger dextran molecules across plasma membranes, with sharp break-points between 70,000 and 145,000 daltons (d). The results indicated that the membranes behaved as if they were perforated by water-filled channels or "pores," with size-exclusion limits of molecular dimensions. The membrane defects evolved from small pores permeable only to propidium iodide (668 d) and the smallest dextran (4,000 d), before enlarging with time to become permeable to larger dextrans. Inclusion of glycine during ATP depletion did not affect cell swelling or blebbing but completely prevented the development of permeability defects. Treatment of cells before ATP depletion with a membrane-impermeant homobifunctional "nearest neighbor" cross-linking agent, 3,3' dithiobis(sulfosuccinimidylpropionate), suppressed the development of permeability defects, even in the absence of glycine. These observations suggest that the cellular abnormality that is suppressed by glycine involves rearrangement of plasma membrane proteins to form water-filled pores large enough to leak macromolecules.
Gender and Children as the Moderators of the Relationship between Social Support and Quality of Life: An Empirical Study of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana

Although gender differences persist in the receipt of social support and the report of quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, the knowledge base on this topic is scant. For those living with HIV/AIDS, women tend to participate more than men in support group activities, but their gender predisposes them to lower quality of life. Therefore, this study seeks to determine what demographic factors moderate the relationship between social support and quality of life among those living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana. A convenience sample of 300 HIV/AIDS support group members who have experience participating in research studies and was obtained for use via cross-sectional design survey in September and October 2013. The Medical Outcome Studies (MOS) HIV Health Survey, the MOS Social Support Survey, and demographic questionnaire instruments were used to assess quality of life, social support, and demographic information respectively. Gender (male) F(3, 296) = 66.04, t = 2.26, p = .024) and having children (have children) (F(5, 294) = 40.34, t = 2.50, p = .013) moderated the relationship between social support and quality of life. Implications of the findings for practice, policy, and research in Ghana and the rest of the developing world were discussed.
The Urban Crisis: Made in Washington

supra note 4, at 471-72. Moreover, poverty statistics understate the severity of urban poverty, because five of these cities are more expensive to live in than the rest of America. See UNITED STATES DEP'T OF COMMERCE, BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, 1990 CENSUS OF THE POPULATION AND HOUSING SUMMARY POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS: UNITED STATES 276-96 (1992) (indicating that of six "low poverty" cities, only Indianapolis had a lower median rent than the national average). ' See, e.g., Ron Walters, Why Barry Happened. For Many Black Voters, A Declaration of Independence, WASH. POST, Sept. 18, 1994, at C1 (complaining about "systematic defunding of cities that occurred under the Reagan and Bush [A]dministrations"). 9 Robert L. Borosage, Disinvesting in America, THE NATION, Oct. 4, 1993, at 346. '0 See Robert D. Reischauer, Federal Aid Would Not Improve Cities, in AMERICA'S CITIES: OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS, supra note 3, at 201-02 (describing growth of aid to cities). " "Suburbanization" refers to the movement of people and businesses from cities to suburbs. JACKSON, supra note 2 (using "suburbanization" in the title); Karen DeWitt, Suburban Expansion Fed by an Influx of Minorities, N.Y. TIMES, Aug. 15, 1994, at A l (quoting Vincent Lane, chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority). 12 JOEL GARREAU, EDGE CITY: LIFE ON THE NEW FRONTIER 222 (1991). A more intelligent, conservative position argues that urban decay is the result of 516
In Our Own Black Images: Afro-American Literature in the 1980s

and 1970s. I While both eras were steps in the evolution of Afro-American literature towards liberation from the constraints of a European-oriented perspective, the New Black Renaissance heralded the third stage of postcolonial literature defined by Haberly in "The Literature of an Invisible Nation."2 My essay is concerned with the "storm center" of the New Black Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, and its effects on the Generation of 1970, that group of writers whose works are representative of the phenomenon. The influence of the Black Arts Movement is my point of departure for speculating on the direction of Afro-American literature in the 1980s.
Are There Coincidences in Mathematics

(1981). Are There Coincidences in Mathematics? The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 88, No. 5, pp. 311-320.
DIGGING DEEPER: Bringing a Systems Approach to Food Systems: Another Argument for Adaptability

First paragraph: I thought of some of the systems concepts I've been writing about here when I saw the paper by Marty Heller and Greg Keoleian in the Journal of Industrial Ecology last fall (2014). In it they reported that a shift from the present-day average American diet to a diet based on the current USDA dietary recommendations results in an 11% increase in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE). On the other hand, a shift to a 2,000 calorie diet (Americans now "consume" an average of about 2500 calories according to the USDA's retail-level food availability data [Heller & Keoleian, 2014]) results in only a 2% overall decrease in GHGE. Most people would expect larger decreases in GHGE given the 20% decrease in calories and considerable decreases in recommended meat consumption. But the shifts to food patterns needed to move to a healthier diet include the substitution of dairy products for meat proteins, and solid fats and added sugars represent relatively low emissions per calorie. The authors state that this may be a surprising result—but it shouldn't be if one has been following the research on foodprints for a while. What I find of most interest, however, is how the new science in the article again calls forth a need to understand the complexity in dynamic food systems, including feedback and how it is heard and treated, and heterogeneity—many actors who have different goals and decision-making procedures. What follows from this reality is the need for adaptability, clear thinking, and overcoming innate biases. . ..
Momentary negative moods and being with friends precede cigarette use among Korean American emerging adults.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to determine contextual antecedents to smoking among Korean American emerging adult (KAEA) smokers using ecological momentary assessment. Based on extant theory and data documenting the importance of negative affect (NA) and social context, we examined the extent to which being with friends and NA independently and concomitantly were associated with the likelihood of subsequent smoking, over and beyond other known situational correlates of smoking. METHODS: Twenty-two KAEA daily smokers recorded their smoking events in real time and participated in short surveys implemented on mobile phones for 7 days. Individual, interpersonal, and situational contexts immediately preceding and during smoking events were examined in comparison to nonsmoking events using a within-subject modeling approach. RESULTS: Both NA and being with friends independently were correlated with increased likelihood of smoking. We also found an interaction showing that the effects of NA on smoking were significant only in presence of friends. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike more established smokers, these younger smokers may be strongly influenced by peer contexts as well as unpleasant affect. The interaction between social contexts and NA highlights a potential window for intervention for the population of KAEA smokers.
Counternarratives of Shared Unruly Politics

Despite their image, young urban troublemakers who display disruptive behavior, escape discipline and punishment, sabotage policies aimed at participation and engage in urban violence are not only rebels without a cause. Their subversive interventions in public space uncover persisting injustices within the political order and signal a lack of equal access to citizenship as a social practice. Their agency can make political sense in an unruly way. By sometimes deliberately breaking the monopoly on violence of the police, young urban troublemakers demonstrate a political inoperativeness. Their actions are testimonies of precisely those aspects of the political system that do not work, at least not for them. It is a lack within the system of political representation which becomes painfully clear in their actions of public disturbance, uncivil interaction or street violence, without an immediate proposal to fill this void. Such unruly agency can be seen as an enraged and frustrated reaction to the painful distance between an officially recognized political discourse and the complicated social reality in which people living in precarious circumstances find themselves. This is a fundamentally different mode of expression than that of a traditional political insurrection, organized in a structured and programmatic way. It makes political sense in a very different way, precisely in its inoperativeness, pointing out the flaws in the political system.
Demographic Transition in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for Demographic Dividend

The study aims to understand projected changes in the population age structure, a critical condition for realizing demographic dividend, through 2100 in sub-Saharan Africa. Specific aims are: to estimate windows for advance investment and windows for benefiting from the economically favorable age structure, to compare the patterns of age structure changes to those in other less-developed regions, and to assess sensitivity of results across different assumptions in fertility decline projections, using the World Population Prospects, 2012 Revision data. Three patterns emerged: a pattern close to that in other less-developed regions, another pattern suggesting much slower demographic transition in majority countries, and a final pattern where fertility decline is too slow to have substantial impact on the age structure. Even in the second pattern, the absolute population size increase may challenge realizing demographic dividend. Finally, about a half-child differences in TFR projection assumptions indicated significant variation in age structure changes.
Enzyme-Free Scalable DNA Digital Design Techniques: A Review

With the recent developments in DNA nanotechnology, DNA has been used as the basic building block for the design of nanostructures, autonomous molecular motors, various devices, and circuits. DNA is considered as a possible candidate for replacing silicon for designing digital circuits in a near future, especially in implantable medical devices, because of its parallelism, computational powers, small size, light weight, and compatibility with bio-signals. The research in DNA digital design is in early stages of development, and electrical and computer engineers are not much attracted towards this field. In this paper, we give a brief review of the existing enzyme-free scalable DNA digital design techniques which are recently developed. With the developments in DNA circuits, it would be possible to design synthetic molecular systems, therapeutic molecular devices, and other molecular scale devices and instruments. The ultimate aim will be to build complex digital designs using DNA strands which may even be placed inside a human body.