cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seasonality and disturbance recovery of the epibenthic community on a warm-temperate hard bottom

Abstract Hard bottom communities are variable systems controlled by physical environmental factors, and can be altered by disturbances. Biological factors such as competition, predation, and recruitment can also exert control on the structure of hard bottom communities. Community composition and recovery were measured at three sites on a nearshore hard bottom community in Onslow Bay, North Carolina. Seasonality and recovery of macroalgae and sessile invertebrates were evaluated at a frequency that would allow for an effective assessment of temporal change over a consecutive 16 months (24 May 2016 to 15 Sep 2017). Temporal communities were designated by grouping consecutive sampling days that did not differ (p ≥ .05). Community composition was significantly different between established temporal communities and sites (p
Functional dissection of prenatal drug effects on baby brain and behavioral development

Prenatal drug exposure (PDE) is known to affect fetal brain development with documented long-term consequences. Most studies of PDE effects on the brain are based on animal models. In this study, based on a large sample of 133 human neonates and leveraging a novel linear mixed-effect model designed for intersubject variability analyses, we studied the effects of six prenatally exposed drugs (i.e., nicotine, alcohol, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, marijuana, cocaine, and opioids) on neonatal whole-brain functional organization and compared them with five other critical nondrug variables (i.e., gestational age at birth/scan, sex, birth weight, and maternal depression). The behavioral implications were also examined. Magnitude-wise, through summing across individual drug effects, our results highlighted ~5% of whole-brain functional connections (FCs) affected by PDE, which was highly comparable with the combined effects of the five nond rug variables. Spatially, the detected PDE effects featured drug-specific patterns with a common bias in higher-order brain regions/networks. Regarding brain-behavioral relationships, the detected connections showing significant drug effects also demonstrated significant correlations with 3-month behavioral outcomes. Further mediation analyses supported a mediation role of the detected brain FCs between PDE status and cognitive/language outcomes. Our findings of widespread, and spatially biased PDE effect patterns coupled with significant behavioral implications may hopefully stimulate more human-based studies into effects of PDE on long-term developmental outcomes.
Spatially restricted inhibition of cholinergic interneurons in the dorsolateral striatum encourages behavioral exploration

When pursuing desirable outcomes, one must make the decision between exploring possible actions to obtain those outcomes and exploiting known strategies to maximize efficiency. The dorsolateral striatum (DLS) has been extensively studied with respect to how actions can develop into habits and has also been implicated as an area involved in governing exploitative behavior. Surprisingly, prior work has shown that DLS cholinergic interneurons (ChIs) are not involved in the canonical habit formation function ascribed to the DLS but are instead modulators of behavioral flexibility after initial learning. To further probe this, we evaluated the role of DLS ChIs in behavioral exploration during a brief instrumental training experiment. Through designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) in ChAT-Cre rats, ChIs in the DLS were inhibited during specific phases of the experiment: instrumental training, free-reward delivery, at both times, or never. Without ChI activity during instrumental training, animals biased their responding toward an "optimal" strategy while continuing to work efficiently. This effect was observed again when contingencies were removed as animals with ChIs offline during that phase, regardless of ChI inhibition previously, decreased responding more than animals with ChIs intact. These findings build upon a growing body of literature implicating ChIs in the striatum as gate-keepers of behavioral flexibility and exploration.
A novel, adaptive hierarchical clustering approach for independent component sorting for block-wise ICA filtering

Non-contrast ultrasound blood flow imaging is difficult at slow blood flow rates. Singular value decomposition (SVD) and independent component analysis (ICA) are useful for separating tissue, blood, and noise sources for Doppler filtering. In addition, it has been shown that applying SVD and ICA in a block-wise manner further improves source separation; noise within a small block is theoretically more stationary, and thus easier to separate. Yet, there is much discussion on how to select independent components; several methods have been introduced with some success. We present a novel, adaptive hierarchical clustering approach for selecting appropriate independent components for blood flow image filtering that utilizes Kurtosis and Normalized Cross Correlation. Components are clustered based on the Kurtosis and NCC of each component; an optimal number of clusters is chosen using the Silhouette Method. Appropriate clusters are selected based on the Autocorrelation Function of each cluster. Our method was tested on 1 mm/s and 5 mm/s flowrate phantoms containing a 0.6 mm vessel and resulted in average SNR and CNR increases of 6.2 dB and 3.7 dB, respectively, for 1 mm/s blood flow velocities. We demonstrate that our method improves tissue and noise suppression throughout the field of view while maintaining blood flow information.
PolyA: a tool for adjudicating competing annotations of biological sequences

Abstract Annotation of a biological sequence is usually performed by aligning that sequence to a database of known sequence elements. When that database contains elements that are highly similar to each other, the proper annotation may be ambiguous, because several entries in the database produce high-scoring alignments. Typical annotation methods work by assigning a label based on the candidate annotation with the highest alignment score; this can overstate annotation certainty, mislabel boundaries, and fails to identify large scale rearrangements or insertions within the annotated sequence. Here, we present a new software tool, PolyA, that adjudicates between competing alignment-based annotations by computing estimates of annotation confidence, identifying a trace with maximal confidence, and recursively splicing/stitching inserted elements. PolyA communicates annotation certainty, identifies large scale rearrangements, and detects boundaries between neighboring elements.
Keeping an eye on pink eye: a global conjunctivitis outbreak expert survey.

Background Recurrent conjunctivitis epidemics are prevalent worldwide. Aetiologies are often undetermined. Methods We surveyed conjunctivitis researchers about perceived trends in prevalence, incidence and aetiologies of conjunctivitis epidemics. Results Of the 155 participants, 7% endorsed globally variable and dynamic microbial aetiologies of conjunctivitis epidemics. Increased incidence of conjunctivitis epidemics over the last decade were reported by 21% of respondents. Peak seasons differed between the northern and southern hemispheres. Conclusions There is regional equipoise regarding the increasing incidence and emerging underlying aetiologies of epidemic conjunctivitis. Further investigation of global surveillance and microbial characterization of conjunctivitis outbreaks could improve prevention and outcomes.
Biomarkers of Allostatic Load as Correlates of Impairment in Youth with Chronic Pain: An Initial Investigation.

Pediatric chronic pain is common and responsible for significant healthcare burden. However, the mechanisms underlying the development and/or maintenance of pediatric chronic pain remain poorly understood. Allostatic load (AL), or wear and tear on the nervous system following significant or prolonged stress, has been proposed to play a role in the maintenance of chronic pain, but minimal research has examined this possibility. This gap in research is particularly notable given the high exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; abuse/neglect, etc.) and psychological stress in this population. Accordingly, the current study aimed to preliminarily examine the measurement of AL in a treatment-seeking pediatric pain population. Biomarkers were collected during an already scheduled new patient pain evaluation and included salivary cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and C-reactive protein, in addition to waist–hip ratio, body-mass index, and blood pressure. A total of 61 children and adolescents with chronic pain (Mage = 14.47 years; 88.5% female and white/Caucasian) completed study procedures and were included in analyses. Preliminary results indicated that a multifactorial AL composite is feasible to assess for in a tertiary pain treatment setting and that over 50% of youth with chronic pain were classified as high risk for AL (two or more risk factors). Further, it was found that individual AL risk factors were significantly associated with functional disability and that AL may moderate the association between psychosocial and functional outcomes. Given the pilot nature of this study, results should be used to inform future investigations with larger and more diverse pediatric pain samples.
Association of telemedicine use with disparities in cancer distress screening for patients with limited English proficiency.

147Background: Distress has a significant impact on the quality of life for patients with cancer, however, implementation of such screening is variable. There is limited data in this area for patie...
Adoptive cell therapy with tumor-specific Th9 cells induces viral mimicry to eliminate antigen-loss-variant tumor cells.

Summary Resistance can occur in patients receiving adoptive cell therapy (ACT) due to antigen-loss-variant (ALV) cancer cell outgrowth. Here we demonstrate that murine and human T helper (Th) 9 cells, but not Th1/Tc1 or Th17 cells, expressing tumor-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), eradicate advanced tumors that contain ALVs. This unprecedented antitumor capacity of Th9 cells is attributed to both enhanced direct tumor cell killing and bystander antitumor effects promoted by intratumor release of interferon (IFN) α/β. Mechanistically, tumor-specific Th9 cells increase the intratumor accumulation of extracellular ATP (eATP; released from dying tumor cells), because of a unique feature of Th9 cells that lack the expression of ATP degrading ectoenzyme cluster of differentiation (CD) 39. Intratumor enrichment of eATP promotes the monocyte infiltration and stimulates their production of IFNα/β by inducing eATP-endogenous retrovirus-Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3)/mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS) pathway activation. These results identify tumor-specific Th9 cells as a unique T cell subset endowed with the unprecedented capacity to eliminate ALVs for curative responses.
The Role of Angular Momentum and Isobaric Spin in Tests of the Independence Hypothesis

This paper will be concerned with compound-nucleus reactions that lead to residual nuclei excited into the continuum. Thus, not only will direct processes be ignored, but scant attention will be given to compound-nucleus reactions leading directly to discrete states of residual nuclei.
Nonlinear Behavior Analysis Caused by Blade Tip Rubbing in a Rotor-Disk-Blade System

A revised blade-casing rubbing model is developed and verified by experiment, and then a finite element model of rotor-disk-blade system with blade tip rubbing between the blade and casing is established in ANSYS. Complicated vibration responses are studied by analyzing spectrum cascade, displacement waveforms, bending stress waveforms, rotor orbits and normal rubbing forces under different rotating speeds. The results show that with the increase of the rotating speed, period-two motion caused by blade-casing rubbing may appear at higher rotating speeds due to larger normal rubbing forces. Amplitude enlargement phenomena may occur when the multiple frequency of rotating frequency is close to the bending natural frequency of the blade. In addition, impact resonance phenomenon can also be observed due to the effect of blade-casing gap.
When daddy was a shanty boy: The role of gender in the organization of the logging industry in highland West Virginia

Literature and oral history of late 19th- and early 20th-century logging camps are replete with stories about lusty loggers who lived rigorous lives in the woods. Photo documentation in many of the logging histories supports the idea that logging was a single-gender, masculine activity. However, it is clear from recent work at the Monongahela National Forest and elsewhere in the East that women and children were present in some logging contexts. This article looks at the historic logging industry in West Virginia using gender as an organizing principle.
Investigation of the current collected by a positively biased satellite with application to electrodynamic tethers

The interaction between a positively biased body traveling through an ionospheric space plasma has direct application to electrodynamic tether (EDT) systems. A 2-D3v particle-in-cell model has been developed to study the plasma dynamics near a positively charged EDT system end-body and their impact on the current collected. The results show that the azimuthal current structures observed during the reflight of the tethered satellite system (TSS-1R) mission develop in the simulations and are found to enhance the current collected by the satellite by 67% when the magnetic field is ∼15° off of perpendicular to the orbital velocity. As the component of the magnetic field in the simulation's plane increases, the electrons are not able to easily cross the field lines causing plasma lobes to form in the +y and −y regions around the satellite. The lobes limit the current arriving at the satellite and also cause an enhanced wake to develop. A high satellite bias causes a stable bow shock structure to form in the ram region of the satellite, which limits the number of electrons entering the sheath region and thus limits the current collected. Electron-neutral collisions are found to destabilize the bow shock structure, and its current limiting effects were negated. Analytical curve fits based on the simulations are presented in order to characterize the dependence of the current collected on the magnetic field's orientation, space plasma magnetization, and satellite potential. The variations in the collected current induced by space plasma environmental changes may introduce new instabilities in an EDT system's dynamics.
Electrocardiogram and clinical characteristics of patients referred for cardiac transplantation: Implications for pacing in heart failure

Background: Permanent pacing for the treatment of heart failure (HF) has been the subject of intense research over the past decade. Those with conduction abnormalities may benefit most from pacing. The incidence of these conduction abnormalities in patients referred for cardiac transplantation and its relationship to outcome has not been well described. Hypothesis: This study sought to determine the incidence of these abnormalities and to correlate these findings to outcome in this patient population. Methods: A review of 100 patients referred for transplantation was performed. Data were analyzed in two groups: those with QRS duration 120 ms. Times to transplantation or death were analyzed in these two groups. Results: Of these patients, 34% had QRS duration ≥ 120 ms and survival was inversely associated with QRS duration. Of those with QRS duration < 120 ms, 24% (16) went on to cardiac transplantation or died. Of those with a QRS duration ≥ 120 ms, 55% (17) went on to transplantation or died (p = 0.0134). Conclusions: This suggests that in addition to a multi-drug regimen for heart failure, 34% of patients referred for transplantation may benefit from additional therapy with biventricular pacing.
The Quasar Family — An Introduction and Taxonomy

This lecture offers a definition of the quasar phenomenon and gives a description of the taxonomy of the quasar family and an explanation of some of the common terminology. The basic unity of all kinds of quasar activity is emphasised. Some differences between various family members are given and some interrelationships pointed out. Finally, it is emphasised that quasar activity at low levels is extremely common.
In vitro chemotheraphy testing of gynecologic tumors: Basis for planning therapy?

Abstract The human tumor stem cell assay (HTSCA) has broad research applications in the field of cell biology as well as in clinical chemotherapy. This report examines the applicability of the HTSCA to patient treatment planning, asking: (1) How often will gynecologic tumors grow in the assay? (2) What kinds of therapeutically useful information can be gained from the assay? (3) What are the correlations between in vitro results and patient treatment responses? Tumor specimens from 207 patients having ovarian, cervical, or endometrial carcinomas have been studied with the HTSCA, 183 of which have grown in vitro. Of 103 ovarian cancer specimens which grew in culture, 564 separate drug assays have been done, looking for patterns of sensitivity among “first line” drugs as well as drugs used for relapsing patients. More than half of the patients studied had one or more drugs which showed in vitro activity. Nineteen patients have had single-agent chemotherapy prospectively selected on the basis of the HTSCA results with a “sensitive” predictive accuracy of 90% and a “resistant” predictive accuracy of 100%.
Social Workers as Senior Executives: Does Academic Training Dictate Leadership Style?

The range and patterns of leadership styles in human service organizations are important for social work educators and their students to understand if social work administrators are to compete successfully in the marketplace for executive director and other top management roles. Using a sample of executive directors of human service organizations located in a state in the Northeast section of the U.S., the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) was used to explore their leadership style. The authors compare various elements of leadership style (charisma, inter-personal transactions, reactions to work issues, etc.) as well as perceptions of effectiveness and satisfaction with leadership style across academic backgrounds of executive directors. These results highlight the competencies required of successful leaders and can assist educators in identifying curricular gaps developing courses preparing social workers for leadership positions in the field. This study provides critical information on the core leadership skills and knowledge relevant for effective social work administration. Implications for social work training and education are discussed as well as possible avenues for curriculum revision.
Designing closer to the edge [deep submicron processes]

Summary form only given. Modern deep submicron CMOS processes cost /spl Theta/ or more to develop, qualify and deploy. Yet the incremental impact of each technology generation has been steadily decreasing due to a variety of phenomena such as increasing wire delay, power dissipation and reliability limits, and increasing process tolerances. We need to make better use of existing and future manufacturing processes in order to recoup our investment. It is often possible to obtain more performance out of an existing technology by better understanding of the process tolerances and trading off functional yield vs. performance. Given the above, it is clear that we need to understand and model design tolerances arising from processing variations. Until recently, it was sufficient to model such process-induced variations as intra-die shifts in device performance. However, in the deep submicron regime, within-die wire and device variations are comparable to die-to-die variations. This results in the need for new characterization, modeling and analysis techniques to handle these variations. In this work we expand on the ideas above, review the important trends in design uncertainty which directly drives design tolerance and hence performance. We review a number of research and applied approaches to design for manufacturability. The need to track process tolerances as a technology matures is stressed. This tracking is important since it acts as an information conduit between design and fabrication groups and enables designers to adapt the design to lower tolerances where possible.
Patterns of genetic connectivity among anchialine habitats: a case study of the endemic Hawaiian shrimp Halocaridina rubra on the island of Hawaii.

Anchialine habitats, landlocked bodies of mixohaline water that fluctuate with the tides but have no surface connection to the sea, are known from around the world. Many anchialine organisms have widespread distributions and it has been hypothesized that high levels of gene flow and low levels of genetic differentiation are characteristic of populations from these habitats. However, the generality of this hypothesis requires further assessment, particularly in light of the significant negative impact these habitats and their biota have experienced from anthropogenic causes. This study investigated the population structure and demography of an endemic Hawaiian anchialine species, the atyid shrimp Halocaridina rubra, using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences. A survey of 305 individuals from 16 populations collected on the island of Hawaii revealed 135 haplotypes. These haplotypes belonged to one of two divergent (2.7–4.9%) lineages; notably, no haplotypes were shared between the two coasts of the island. Along each coast, strong subdivision and little to no gene flow occurs between populations separated by > 30 km. The population structure and demography of H. rubra on Hawaii are influenced by regional hydrology, geology, volcanism and two distinct colonization events of the island. Thus, H. rubra on Hawaii demonstrates that populations of endemic anchialine organisms may exhibit significant levels of genetic structure and restricted levels of gene flow over limited geographic scales. This report brings novel insight into the biology of anchialine organisms and has important implications for the future management of these habitats and their biota.
Decomposition of total factor productivity growth in U.S. states

Abstract This paper applies the stochastic frontier production model to the lower 48 U.S. states over the period 1977–2000 to decompose the sources of total factor productivity (TFP) growth into technological progress, changes in technical efficiency, and changes in economies of scale. We find that technological progress comprises the majority of TFP growth but that differences in efficiency change explain cross-state differences in TFP growth. TFP growth was greater towards the end of the time period.
Delivering health care to the elderly. The development and validation testing of a typology of problems.

This article reports on a project to identify and describe systematically problems encountered in providing health care to elderly veterans. A modified Delphi approach was used to survey a wide range of health professionals. A typology of problems was developed in Stage 1 of the Delphi. Problems represented by the typology were then rated by importance in Stage 2. Analysis of Stage 2 data indicates that the typology is conceptually sound. As such, it is a useful tool for describing problems and guiding future research.
90 nm Self-aligned Enhancement-mode InGaAs HEMT for Logic Applications

We have demonstrated 90 nm self-aligned enhancement mode InGaAs HEMTs with outstanding logic figures of merit. The gate-source ohmic separation was reduced to 60 nm, a 20times reduction over conventional designs. Devices in which the barrier was thinned to 5 nm by means of a dry etch had a VT of 60 mV, gm of 1.3 mS/mum, DIBL of 55 mV/V and a SS of 70 m V/dec.
An Animated Introduction to Relational Databases for Many Majors

Database technology affects many disciplines beyond computer science and business. This paper describes two animations developed with images and color that visually and dynamically introduce fundamental relational database concepts and querying to students of many majors. The goal is for educators in diverse academic disciplines to incorporate the animations in their existing courses in order to meet their pedagogical needs. The introduction of the animations was assessed and evaluated within several contexts, including non-majors courses offered by computer scientists as well as a course on computational molecular biology. The evaluation indicated that student knowledge of fundamental database concepts improved significantly with the use of the courseware. The animations provide visual learners with an engaging method to learn the topics presented with the ability to replay the dynamic presentation. Overall, the evaluation indicates the accessibility of database topics across the disciplines as well as the specific concepts that need further elaboration.
Fabrication and characterization of GaAs-based space-variant inhomogeneous media for polarization control at 10.6 μm

Approaches to create radially and azimuthally polarized light beams usually suffer from issues of integration difficulty and system complexity. In this research, we apply a compact design of space-variant inhomogeneous media (SVIM), providing an even more compact solution with relatively higher conversion efficiency. The device we utilize to convert linear polarization at the wavelength of 10.6 μm to radial/azimuthal polarization is fabricated on a single GaAs substrate, using space-variant subwavelength periodic structure with locally varying form birefringence. Unlike previous approach, this subwavelength periodic structure is designed to be relatively deep in order to introduce a pi phase shift between the TE and the TM components of the input light, and therefore to locally rotate the incident linearly polarized light to the radial/azimuthal direction. To realize the deep space-variant form birefringent structure, we utilize standard photolithography on a GaAs substrate, followed by chemically assisted ion beam etching (CAIBE), rendering an etch profile with high aspect-ratio (6:1) as required by the original design. An optical characterization at 10.6 μm shows a close match between the measured and the theoretical polarization distribution. With proper control of the etch profile it shows that the subwavelength structure also serves as an anti-reflection coating at the sample surface.
Crystal Accelerators: Generation of Focused Electron Beams, X-Rays and Neutrons

Pyroelectric and photogalvanic contribution to ferroelectric crystals charging is considered. Crystal electrostatic accelerators, based on crystal's charging by pyroelectric and photogalvanic effects are discussed in relation to generation of self-focused electron beam, X-rays and neutrons.
Prevalence of symptomatic pelvic floor disorders in US women

Results The weighted prevalence of at least 1 pelvic floor disorder was 23.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.2%-26.2%), with 15.7% of women (95% CI, 13.2%18.2%) experiencing urinary incontinence, 9.0% of women (95% CI, 7.3%-10.7%) experiencing fecal incontinence, and 2.9% of women (95% CI, 2.1%-3.7%) experiencing pelvic organ prolapse. The proportion of women reporting at least 1 disorder increased incrementally with age, ranging from 9.7% (95% CI, 7.8%-11.7%) in women between ages 20 and 39 years to 49.7% (95% CI, 40.3%-59.1%) in those aged 80 years or older (P.001), and parity (12.8% [95% CI, 9.0%-16.6%], 18.4% [95% CI, 12.9%-23.9%], 24.6% [95% CI, 19.5%-29.8%], and 32.4% [95% CI, 27.8%37.1%] for 0, 1, 2, and 3 or more deliveries, respectively; P.001). Overweight and obese women were more likely to report at least 1 pelvic floor disorder than normal weight women (26.3% [95% CI, 21.7%-30.9%], 30.4% [95% CI, 25.8%-35.0%], and 15.1% [95% CI, 11.6%-18.7%], respectively; P.001). We detected no differences in prevalence by racial/ethnic group.
Effect of an Automated Dispensing System on Errors in Two Pharmacies

Dispensing errors occur frequently in community pharmacies, according to recent evidence.1,2 Two approaches to the prevention of dispensing errors are the use of automation and inspection enhancement tools (e.g., bar code verification). A recent review did not find any controlled studies with a measure of the effect of bar code technology on prescription dispensing errors.3 Since that review, a study of a highly automated mail service pharmacy that incorporates bar code checks reported a dispensing error rate of 0.075%.4
PUBLIC HEALTH ETHICS: TRADITION, PROFESSION, AND VALUES

This article asks the difficult questions- what is public health? and what is public health ethics? The article also recognizes that even though public health and biomedical ethics overlap, they have distinct aspects. The article examines the unique population-based perspective of public health and how it can be distinguished from patientcentered biomedical ethics. Additionally, public health scholars and practitioners often use ethical analyses with other forms of reasoning, particularly law and human rights. The article, therefore, explores the relationship among public health ethics, public health law and human rights. The various meanings of each form of reasoning are discussed, as well as the similarities and differences among them. The article concludes with a proposal for reconciling the inherent tradeoffs between public health and civil liberties. Prior to exercising compulsory powers, public health officials should examine the risk to the public; the likelihood that the intervention will be effective; the opportunity costs; the burdens on human rights and the policy's fairness.
The effect of parents' presence on children's social interactions in preschool

Preschool children's social behavior was observed in the presence and absence of their parents in parent-cooperative preschools. When their parents were working in the preschool, children engaged in less high-level peer play and more low-level peer play than in their parent's absence. They also initiated play with peers less often in their parent's presence than in their parent's absence. In addition, children expressed more negative emotion and spent much less time in proximity to adults when their parents were at school than when they were not. These findings are discussed in relation to attachment theory and their implications for practitioners.
WITHDRAWN: Eggs from embryonic stem cells: an emerging tool to identify female reproductive risks?

Fertility and Sterility regrets a production error that caused the accidental duplicate publication of this article. The original article was published in Fertility and Sterility, Volume 89, Issue 2, Supplement 1, February 2008, Page e95, ( doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.12.037 ). The duplicate article has been withdrawn consistent with Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal. ( http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy ). The Journal apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused the author and readers.
Preparation and characterization of polymer-coated nanoparticles

We report the photodeposition of polymeric layers of nanometer scale thickness onto two nanoparticle substrates. This was accomplished by ultraviolet irradiation of a solution of functionalized diacetylene monomers in which the nanoparticles were suspended. Following photodeposition, the coated nanoparticles were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and UV-visible spectroscopy. Highly regular polydiacetylene films with thicknesses from 2.5 - 25 nm were produced. The thickness measurements were facilitated by the attachment of small gold nanoparticles onto the surface of silica nanoparticle substrates prior to photodeposition, to provide contrast in the final TEM image. Deposition onto gold nanoshells was also demonstrated. Photodeposition onto these particles resulted in more individual coated particles. Furthermore, short irradiation times (approximately 5 minutes) yielded coated particles without the extra oligomeric contaminants usually found. This substantiates the idea that photodeposition occurs preferentially on a substrate material. UV-visible spectroscopy of the deposited films indicate that approximately 40% less conjugation is present relative to macroscopic polydiacetylene thin films grown with the same approach. This process yields a unique `nanolaminate' coating which may be useful in the modification of the physical, chemical, or optical properties of nanoparticles.
Temperature jump and fast photochemical oxidation probe submillisecond protein folding.

We report a new mass-spectrometry-based approach for studying protein-folding dynamics on the submillisecond time scale. The strategy couples a temperature jump with fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP), whereby folding/unfolding is followed by changes in oxidative modifications by OH radical reactions. Using a flow system containing the protein barstar as a model, we altered the protein’s equilibrium conformation by applying the temperature jump and demonstrated that its reactivity with OH free radicals serves as a reporter of the conformational change. Furthermore, we found that the time-dependent increase in mass resulting from free-radical oxidation is a measure of the rate constant for the transition from the unfolded to the first intermediate state. This advance offers the promise that, when extended with mass-spectrometry-based proteomic analysis, the sites and kinetics of folding/unfolding can also be followed on the submillisecond time scale.
Analysis of Coaxially Fed Microstrip Antennas of Arbitrary Shape with Thick Substrates

Arbitrarily shaped, coax-fed microstrip patch antennas with substrates that may be electrically thick are studied using a mixed-potential integral equation approach. Vector basis functions defined over triangular elements are used to approximate the current distribution on the conducting patch. Rigorous and simplified models of the probe-to-patch junction, compatible with the triangular element model of the microstrip patch, are implemented and their relative merits are discussed. Two models of the coaxial probe, differing in accuracy and complexity, are also implemented and their ranges of validity are examined. Input impedance data for several microstrip patch antennas of different shapes, computed using different coax feed models, are presented and compared with measured results.
Matrix metalloproteinases in thoracic aortic aneurysm disease

The proteolytic enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases, or MMPs, and their inhabitors, the tissue inhabitors of matrix metalloproteinases, or TIMPs, have recently been implicated in the pathophysiology of both abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms. There are over thirty different MMPs identifies. MMP-1 and MMP-9 appear to play a pivotal role in thoracic aortic aneurysms. It appears that MMPs are synthesized locally in the diseased aortic wall. The sites of synthesis appear focally concentrated in the aneurysmal aortic segments only. Tissue levels of MMPs appear indeed to be reflected in serum levels, opening the door for serial clinical monitoring. Pharmacologic therapy directed against MMPs promises to provide an alternative for discouraging growth and rupture of aortic aneurysms.
Applying information-retrieval methods to software reuse: a case study

Reuse of existing software for new purposes is a key aspect of efficient software engineering. But finding opportunities for reuse can be difficult when building a large software system with pieces of a large previous system. Our approach is to match formal written "requirements" used to define the new software against requirements used to define the old software; requirement pairs with words in common suggest software-reuse opportunities. We explored two matching methodologies that use information-retrieval techniques. We tested our methods by comparing two US military systems, the Aviation Mission Planning System and the Joint Mission Planning System. Our second tool reduced the time to find 50% of the matching requirements by 99.4% compared to manual matching.
The Relationship of Negative Self-Reinforcement to Frustration and Intropunitiveness

(1966). The Relationship of Negative Self-Reinforcement to Frustration and Intropunitiveness. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 74, No. 2, pp. 237-243.
Plantwide control of chemical looping combustion

Passive systems theory is used to develop a general procedure to design the control structure of chemical process networks. A natural storage function, derived from the second law of thermodynamics, is the basis for passivity-based control design. The inventory control laws are implemented locally and individual units become passive. With all units in a chemical processing plant designed to be locally passive, the entire network will be passive and retain desirable properties such as L 2 input-output stability and Lyapunov stability. The procedure presented allows for the decomposition of large flowsheets and the design of passivity-based control laws with little process information. The minimum number of controlled inventories to assure passivity of the entire network is identified. Additional degrees of freedom are available for constraint handling, flow control and determining the process load. The chemical looping combustion process is used as an illustrative example for the procedure.
New encoding/decoding methods for designing fault-tolerant matrix operations

The algorithm-based fault tolerance (ABFT) provides low-cost error protection for VLSI processor arrays used in real-time digital signal processing. Several ABFT techniques (weighted check-sum) have be proposed to design fault-tolerant LU decomposition, QR decomposition, and matrix inversion. In these schemes, encoding/decoding uses either multiplication or division so that overhead is high. In this paper, we propose new encoding/decoding methods for designing fault-tolerant matrix operations. Since the new encoding/decoding methods use only additions and subtractions, the overhead of a fault-tolerant processor array can be drastically reduced.
Temperature Field Correlation With Surface Integrity in Hard Milling

Experimental and FEA study is conducted to get an insight into critical mechanisms of temperature, deformation, stress generation and variations with cutting speed and tool wear in hard milling AISI H13 steel (50±1 HRC). The critical issues like energy consumption during milling and the resulting surface integrity of the machined component depend on the tool and workpiece interaction. An insight into tool and workpiece interaction is needed in order to design a better milling process for required surface integrity. 2D finite element simulation of orthogonal cutting model is performed to investigate the variations of temperatures and residual stresses at different cutting speeds and tool wears. Hard milling experiments are conducted to correlate with the simulation results. The fact that in hard milling, the temperature does not penetrate deep into the workpiece and there is no clear evidence of heat affected zone such as white layer is demonstrated. With the finite element simulations and experiments, the capability of hard milling process to achieve better surface integrity on the machined surface is explored.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
A hybrid grid/particle filter for Lagrangian data assimilation. II: Application to a model vortex flow

We apply our hybrid filter to a regularised vortex model of a co-rotating vortex pair. To illustrate the main advantages of our formulation over existing filters, we compare our method to the perturbed observation Ensemble Kalman filter and a particle filter with Gaussian resampling. Our numerical simulations show that both the hybrid and particle filters can track the true vortex positions even when tracer position data is assimilated infrequently into our model. In contrast, the Ensemble Kalman filter diverges in this parameter range as was recently observed in the more realistic shallow-water model simulations of Salman et al. We have found that our hybrid method can track the true system with as few as 20 members for the vortex model flow. The particle filter on the other hand requires an ensemble comprising in excess of 160 members. The hybrid filter, therefore, provides one solution to the filter divergence problem that has been identified in recent work on Lagrangian data assimilation. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Regional differences in MRI detection of amyloid plaques in AD transgenic mouse brain

Our laboratory and others have reported the ability to detect individual Alzheimer's disease (AD) amyloid plaques in transgenic mouse brain in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Since amyloid plaques contain iron, most MRI studies attempting to detect plaques in AD transgenic mouse brain have employed techniques that exploit the paramagnetic effect of iron and have had mixed results. In the present study, using five-way anatomic spatial coregistration of MR images with three different histological techniques, properties of amyloid plaques in AD transgenic mouse brain were revealed that may explain their variable visibility in gradient- and spin-echo MR images. The results demonstrate differences in the visibility of plaques in the cortex and hippocampus, compared to plaques in the thalamus, by the different MRI sequences. All plaques were equally detectable by T(2)SE, while only thalamic plaques were reliably detectable by T(2)*GE pulse sequences. Histology revealed that cortical/hippocampal plaques have low levels of iron while thalamic plaques have very high levels. However, the paramagnetic effect of iron does not appear to be the sole factor leading to the rapid decay of transverse magnetization (short T(2)) in cortical/hippocampal plaques. Accordingly, MRI methods that rely less on iron magnetic susceptibility effect may be more successful for eventual human AD plaque MR imaging, particularly since human AD plaques more closely resemble the cortical and hippocampal plaques of AD transgenic mice than thalamic plaques.
Comparison of a weather-adjustment method with end-use load data for residential electricity use☆

Abstract Because weather has a substantial effect on energy use, it is important to adjust (normalize) for variations in weather, both across space and time. The Princeton Scorekeeping Method (PRISM) is probably the most widely used method to adjust residential energy use data for differences in winter severity. This paper compares PRISM results with submetered data obtained from homes in Hood River, Oregon. The data were collected as part of the Hood River Conservation Project (HRCP), a major residential retrofit demonstration project. HRCP data include whole-house and space-heating electricity uses, recorded at 15-minute intervals, NOAA weather data, and results of a detailed on-site home interview with these households. We compared PRISM estimates of total and space-heating electricity uses with annual aggregates of the load data. These comparisons were conducted for the subset of 71 homes that used more than 4000 kWh year for space heating. PRISM estimates of total electricity use are in almost perfect agreement with the annual totals of the whole-house load channel. PRISM estimates of space-heating electricity use are generally higher than the annual totals of the space-heating load channel, by an average of 600 kWh year (6%).
Cell Signalling Through Guanine-Nucleotide-Binding Regulatory Proteins (G Proteins) and Phospholipases

Phospholipases are important enzymes in cell signal transduction since they hydrolyze membrane phospholipids to generate signalling molecules. Heterotrimeric guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) play a major role in their regulation by a variety of agonists that activate receptors with seven membrane-spanning domains. Phospholipases of the C type, which hydrolyze inositol phospholipids to yield inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, are regulated by the α and βγ subunits of certain heterotrimeric G proteins as well as by receptor-associated and non-receptor-associated tyrosine kinases. Phospholipases of the D type, which hydrolyze phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidic acid, are regulated by members of the ADP-ribosylation factor and Rho subfamilies of small G proteins, and by protein kinase C and other factors. This review presents recent information concerning the molecular details of G protein regulation of these phospholipases.
Glass surfaces then and now

Abstract A reservoir of efficient instrumentation capable of detailed and quantitative exploration of glass surface features is now available in the face of the recognition of their crucial importance for both surface and bulk properties as well as performance. Yet it may be instructive to glance at what had been learned about glass surfaces by investigators before the advent of these intricate tools. Among such earlier findings are the recognition of the altered composition and structure of the surface layer, the extension of this disturbance to considerable depth, the effect of surface structure on adsorption, adhesion, wetting, finishing, etc. and on bulk properties. It was recognized that not only bulk composition, but the processing of the glass decisively influenced the composition, structure and behavior of the surface. And, in turn, certain compositional constituents, even in small concentrations, were found to be able to alter the composition and structure of the surface, thus affecting its function.
An ecological genomic approach challenging the paradigm of differential plant responses to specialist versus generalist insect herbivores

A general prediction of the specialist/generalist paradigm indicates that plant responses to insect herbivores may depend on the degree of ecological specialization of the insect attacker. However, results from a single greenhouse experiment evaluating the responses of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to three specialist (Plutella xylostella, Pieris rapae, and Brevicoryne brassicae) and three generalist (Trichoplusia ni, Spodoptera exigua, and Myzus persicae) insect species did not support the previous prediction. Using an ecological genomic approach, we assessed plant responses in terms of herbivore-induced changes in genome-wide gene expression, defense-related pathways, and concentrations of glucosinolates (i.e., secondary metabolites that are ubiquitously present in cruciferous plants). Our results showed that plant responses were not influenced by the degree of specialization of insect herbivores. In contrast, responses were more strongly shaped by insect taxa (i.e., aphid vs. lepidopteran species), likely due to their different feeding modes. Interestingly, similar patterns of plant responses were induced by the same insect herbivore species in terms of defense signaling (jasmonic acid pathway), aliphatic glucosinolate metabolism (at both the gene expression and phenotypic levels) and genome-wide responses. Furthermore, plant responses to insect herbivores belonging to the same taxon (i.e., four lepidopteran species) were not explained by herbivore specialization or phylogenetic history. Overall, this study suggests that different feeding modes of insect taxa as well as herbivore-specific plant responses, which may result from distinct ecological/evolutionary interactions between A. thaliana (or a close relative) and each of the lepidopteran species, may explain why observed responses deviate from those predicted by the specialist/generalist paradigm.