cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide on niobium nitride thin films

Functionality of superconducting thin-film devices such as superconducting nanowire single photon detectors stems from the geometric effects that take place at the nanoscale. The engineering of these technologies requires high-resolution patterning, often achieved with electron beam lithography. Common lithography processes using hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) as the electron beam resist rely on tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) as both a developer and a resist adhesion promoter. Despite the strong role played by TMAH in the fabrication of superconducting devices, its potential influence on the superconducting films themselves has not yet been reported. In this work, the authors demonstrate that a 25% TMAH developer damages niobium nitride (NbN) thin films by modifying the surface chemistry and creating an etch contaminant that slows reactive ion etching in CF4. They also show how the identity of the contaminant may be revealed through characterization including measurement of the superconducting film properties and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Although workarounds may be available, the results reveal that processes using 25% TMAH as an adhesion promoter are not preferred for NbN films and that changes to the typical HSQ fabrication procedure will need to be made in order to prevent damage of NbN nanoscale devices.Functionality of superconducting thin-film devices such as superconducting nanowire single photon detectors stems from the geometric effects that take place at the nanoscale. The engineering of these technologies requires high-resolution patterning, often achieved with electron beam lithography. Common lithography processes using hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) as the electron beam resist rely on tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) as both a developer and a resist adhesion promoter. Despite the strong role played by TMAH in the fabrication of superconducting devices, its potential influence on the superconducting films themselves has not yet been reported. In this work, the authors demonstrate that a 25% TMAH developer damages niobium nitride (NbN) thin films by modifying the surface chemistry and creating an etch contaminant that slows reactive ion etching in CF4. They also show how the identity of the contaminant may be revealed through characterization including measurement of the superconducting film p...
Communication Predictors of Patient and Companion Satisfaction with Alzheimer's Genetic Risk Disclosure

The objective of this study was to identify how features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) genetic risk disclosure communication relate to patient and visit companion satisfaction. We conducted secondary analyses of 79 session recordings from the fourth REVEAL Study, a randomized-controlled trial of AD genetic risk disclosure among patients with mild cognitive impairment. Patient and companion satisfaction were ascertained from postdisclosure surveys. The Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) was used to code triadic communication between the counselor, patient, and companion. High satisfaction was evident for 24% of patients (N = 19) and 48% of companions (N = 38). Multivariate logistic regressions showed that high patient satisfaction was associated with patients’ expression of emotions (OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.0–1.1) and companions’ questions about psychosocial and lifestyle topics (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1–2.8). High companion satisfaction was positively related to the RIAS overall patient-centeredness score fo...
Logic, Counterexamples, and Translation

In “Is Logic Empirical” (Putnam 1968), Putnam formulates an empirical argument against classical logic—in particular, an apparent counterexample to the distributivity laws. He argues further that this argument is also an argument in favor of quantum logic. Here we challenge this second conclusion, arguing instead that counterexamples in logic are counterexamples not to particular inferences, but to logics as a whole. The key insight underlying this argument is that what counts as a legitimate translation from natural language to formal language is dependent on the background logic being assumed. Hence, in the face of a counterexample, one can move to a logic that fails to validate the inference seemingly counter-instanced, or one can move to a logic where the best translation of the natural language claims involved in the counterexample are no longer best translated as an instance of the inference in question.
Progressive supranuclear palsy and pawpaw

Consider consumption of annonacin-containing plant products, including pawpaw, as a possible environmental risk factor for atypical parkinsonism.
Simultaneous Mapping of T1 and T2 Using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting in a Cohort of Healthy Subjects at 1.5T

Background Cardiac MR fingerprinting (cMRF) is a novel technique for simultaneous T1 and T2 mapping. Purpose To compare T1 /T2 measurements, repeatability, and map quality between cMRF and standard mapping techniques in healthy subjects. Study type Prospective. Population In all, 58 subjects (ages 18-60). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: cMRF, modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI), and T2 -prepared balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) at 1.5T. Assessment T1 /T2 values were measured in 16 myocardial segments at apical, medial, and basal slice positions. Test-retest and intrareader repeatability were assessed for the medial slice. cMRF and conventional mapping sequences were compared using ordinal and two alternative forced choice (2AFC) ratings. Statistical tests Paired t-tests, Bland-Altman analyses, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), linear regression, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and binomial tests. Results Average T1 measurements were: basal 1007.4±96.5 msec (cMRF), 990.0±45.3 msec (MOLLI); medial 995.0±101.7 msec (cMRF), 995.6±59.7 msec (MOLLI); apical 1006.6±111.2 msec (cMRF); and 981.6±87.6 msec (MOLLI). Average T2 measurements were: basal 40.9±7.0 msec (cMRF), 46.1±3.5 msec (bSSFP); medial 41.0±6.4 msec (cMRF), 47.4±4.1 msec (bSSFP); apical 43.5±6.7 msec (cMRF), 48.0±4.0 msec (bSSFP). A statistically significant bias (cMRF T1 larger than MOLLI T1 ) was observed in basal (17.4 msec) and apical (25.0 msec) slices. For T2 , a statistically significant bias (cMRF lower than bSSFP) was observed for basal (-5.2 msec), medial (-6.3 msec), and apical (-4.5 msec) slices. Precision was lower for cMRF-the average of the standard deviation measured within each slice was 102 msec for cMRF vs. 61 msec for MOLLI T1 , and 6.4 msec for cMRF vs. 4.0 msec for bSSFP T2 . cMRF and conventional techniques had similar test-retest repeatability as quantified by ICC (0.87 cMRF vs. 0.84 MOLLI for T1 ; 0.85 cMRF vs. 0.85 bSSFP for T2 ). In the ordinal image quality comparison, cMRF maps scored higher than conventional sequences for both T1 (all five features) and T2 (four features). Data conclusion This work reports on myocardial T1 /T2 measurements in healthy subjects using cMRF and standard mapping sequences. cMRF had slightly lower precision, similar test-retest and intrareader repeatability, and higher scores for map quality. Evidence level 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;52:1044-1052.
The dynamics of changes in the physical and mechanical characteristics of the base soil

This article discusses the change in the physical and mechanical characteristics of the foundation soil during the operation of construction projects and the possibility of taking these changes into account when designing shallow foundations. Methods Based on the assumption that the weight of the engineering and geological elements of the base remains constant regardless of the level of existing additional vertical stresses, an expression is obtained for determining the coefficient k γ, taking into account changes in the density and specific gravity of the soil during the operation of buildings and structures. Moreover, based on the assumption that the plot of the additional vertical stresses is triangular, an equation for calculating the coefficient k c is determined, which allows determining the change in soil adhesion during the operation of construction projects. Using the coefficients k γ and k c , an expression is obtained to determine the change in the calculated resistance of the soil of the base during the operation of construction projects. Taking into account the coefficient k γ with the width of the projected foundation more than two meters with a ratio of settlement of the base to the depth of the compressible thickness equal to 0.3 leads to an increase in the design resistance of the operated base by 5%; by 3% and 1% with S/H c = 0.2 and with S/H c =0.1, respectively. In this case, depending on the width of the designed foundation, taking into account the coefficient k c allows you to exceed R by 25%. Joint accounting of the considered coefficients leads to an increase in the calculated resistance of the soil of the base by an average of 27%. Conclusion The obtained coefficients, taking into account changes in the specific gravity and soil adhesion during the operation of the base, make it easy to estimate the growth of the design resistance during the compression process, which in turn makes it possible to save an average of 10% of the material when designing shallow foundations.
Evaluating HIV Viral Rebound Among Persons on Suppressive Antiretroviral Treatment in the Era of "Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U = U)".

Background Studies have demonstrated that persons with HIV (PWH) maintaining viral suppression do not transmit HIV to HIV-negative partners through condomless sex, leading to the "Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U)" prevention campaign. However, few studies have examined the durability of suppression in the era of U = U. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted in Providence, Rhode Island. PWH aged ≥18 years with documented viral suppression (defined as at least 1 viral load [VL] <200 copies/mL and no VL ≥200 copies/mL) in 2015 were included in the baseline cohort. Primary outcomes were viral suppression, viral rebound (at least 1 VL ≥200 copies/mL), or gap in VL monitoring assessed annually from 2016 to 2019. Those with viral rebound were assessed for resuppression within 6 months. Demographic and clinical characteristics associated with viral rebound or gaps in VL monitoring were investigated by bivariate analysis and logistic regression. Results A total of 1242 patients with viral suppression were included in the baseline cohort. In each follow-up year, 85%-90% maintained viral suppression, 2%-5% experienced viral rebound, and 8%-10% had a gap in VL monitoring. Among those with viral rebound, approximately one-half were suppressed again within 6 months. In the logistic regression models, retention in care was significantly associated with viral suppression, while younger age, black race, high school or equivalent education, non-men who have sex with men, and history of incarceration were significantly associated with viral rebound. Conclusions In the U = U era, most patients with viral suppression who are retained in care are likely to maintain viral suppression over time. Some patients require additional support for regular VL monitoring.
On Dyadic Fairness: Exploring and Mitigating Bias in Graph Connections

Disparate impact has raised serious concerns in machine learning applications and its societal impacts. In response to the need of mitigating discrimination, fairness has been regarded as a crucial property in algorithmic design. In this work, we study the problem of disparate impact on graph-structured data. Specifically, we focus on dyadic fairness, which articulates a fairness concept that a predictive relationship between two instances should be independent of the sensitive attributes. Based on this, we theoretically relate the graph connections to dyadic fairness on link predictive scores in learning graph neural networks, and reveal that regulating weights on existing edges in a graph contributes to dyadic fairness conditionally. Subsequently, we propose our algorithm, \textbf{FairAdj}, to empirically learn a fair adjacency matrix with proper graph structural constraints for fair link prediction, and in the meanwhile preserve predictive accuracy as much as possible. Empirical validation demonstrates that our method delivers effective dyadic fairness in terms of various statistics, and at the same time enjoys a favorable fairness-utility tradeoff.
Magneto-thermal reconnection: Concept substance and analytic proof

Abstract An oscillatory mode propagating along and across a confining magnetic field is identified that involves magnetic reconnection in the presence of a significant electron temperature gradient within the reconnection region where the ratio of the longitudinal ( ∝ D ∥ e ) to transverse electron thermal conductivity ( ∝ D ⊥ e ) is relatively large. A periodic exchange of reconnected magnetic field energy with electron thermal energy is sustained within a region that remains significant even when the magnetic field configuration from which the mode can emerge involves large scale distances. The mode growth rate depends on the particle density gradient (aligned with the electron temperature gradient) and the relevant particle diffusion coefficient.
Capacity and phase stability of metal-substituted α-Ni(OH) 2 nanosheets in aqueous Ni–Zn batteries

Batteries that offer high specific energy and energy density coupled with improved safety and lower cost will affect applications ranging from electric vehicles, portable electronic devices, and grid-level energy storage. Alkaline nickel–zinc (Ni–Zn) batteries use nonflammable aqueous electrolyte and nonstrategic, low-cost electrode materials; however with a two-electron anode, a cathode that stores more than one electron per Ni atom would increase energy density. Herein, we report the effect of substituting metal ions (aluminium, cobalt, manganese, or zinc) into α-Ni(OH)2, a phase that can accommodate more than one-electron charge storage, but which typically converts to lower-capacity β-Ni(OH)2 upon cycling in alkaline electrolytes. We adapt a microwave-assisted process that expresses α-Ni(OH)2 as a high surface-area nanosheet morphology and find that we retain this morphology with all metal-ion substituents. The series is characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Metal-ion substitution influences aggregate growth, interlayer distance, and vibrational frequencies. We test powder-composite cathodes prepared using the substituted α-Ni(OH)2 series versus zinc sponge anodes in alkaline electrolyte under device-relevant mass loadings and using an intentionally aggressive charging protocol to determine onset voltage for oxygen evolution. The electrochemical charge-storage behaviour is established using galvanostatic cycling and differential capacity analysis. The substituents significantly influence both Ni-centred redox and oxygen-evolution voltages (vs. Zn/Zn2+). The incorporation of Al3+ within α-Ni(OH)2 nanosheets provides higher capacity and phase stability compared to the divalent substituents and unsubstituted α-Ni(OH)2. The presence of ordered free nitrates in the interlayer of Al3+-substituted α-Ni(OH)2, not seen with Co2+ or Mn2+ substituents, correlates with the improved electrochemical performance.
Engineering Toolbox for Systematic Design of PolyHIPE Architecture.

Polymerization of high internal phase emulsions (polyHIPEs) is a well-established method for the production of high porosity foams. Researchers are often regulated to using a time-intensive trial and error approach to achieve target pore architectures. In this work, we performed a systematic study to identify the relative effects of common emulsion parameters on pore architecture (mixing speed, surfactant concentration, organic phase viscosity, molecular hydrophobicity). Across different macromer chemistries, the largest magnitude of change in pore size was observed across surfactant concentration (~6 fold, 5–20 wt%), whereas changing mixing speeds (~4 fold, 500–2000 RPM) displayed a reduced effect. Furthermore, it was observed that organic phase viscosity had a marked effect on pore size (~4 fold, 6–170 cP) with no clear trend observed with molecular hydrophobicity in this range (logP = 1.9–4.4). The efficacy of 1,4-butanedithiol as a reactive diluent was demonstrated and provides a means to reduce organic phase viscosity and increase pore size without affecting polymer fraction of the resulting foam. Overall, this systematic study of the microarchitectural effects of these macromers and processing variables provides a framework for the rational design of polyHIPE architectures that can be used to accelerate design and meet application needs across many sectors.
Questioning Common Ground

The common ground of journalists and media organizations from different nations is not always what it seems at first. As this chapter illustrates, the outcomes of international journalist exchanges were sometimes unpredictable. As examples from East Germany’s media relationship with the Soviet Union reveal, shifts in one society’s media system can strain transnational connections with another. And the hopes for the global satellite television forum discussed in the preceding chapter encountered a harsh reality in the late 1960s as ideological rifts within the Western world grew deeper. This chapter shines a critical light on overly idealistic visions for journalistic common ground and emphasizes the limitations of journalism and media in fostering closer understanding among different peoples.
Failure Analysis Of A Cracked Cylinder Block Assembly Of An Aircraft Brake System

Abstract This study contains the analysis of a cylinder block assembly of an aircraft brake system that failed due to the formation of cracks. The failure analysis was performed using a two-prong strategy (i) experimental, which included the analysis of the fracture surfaces along with microstructure and composition, and (ii) numerical (finite element analysis, FEA), to find the stress state. Visual inspection revealed relatively long cracks emanating from a sharp corner (junction) which traversed 87 mm in one direction and 52 mm in another. At a mirror-symmetric location, another smaller crack (∼16 mm) revealed the initial growth stage. During detailed fractography of the region containing long cracks, clear beach marks indicating progressive failure were observed pointing towards the same sharp corner. Microstructure and compositional analysis revealed the cylinder block assembly material to be heat treated Al 2024 having no inherent nonconformities. The hardness was also found to be conformant to the typical of the Al 2024. The stresses are produced as a consequence of (a range of) hydraulic pressures acting on its pistons which were estimated using FEA. The stress was confirmed to be concentrated (having Kt∼2.25) at the same junction(s) as identified during fractography. Due to the cyclic nature of the applied loads, the resulting stresses initiated the fatigue crack(s) at the stress concentration locations (junctions). Fatigue life calculation using unnotched SN diagrams (Kt=1, R∼0)) showed that failures could potentially occur between 283-112 (x103) load cycles, depending on the value of stress amplitude, and it matched with the estimated values in our case. Thus, a combination of cyclic brake applications and the presence of stress concentration locations resulted in fatigue crack initiation and propagation leading to the ultimate rejection of the cylinder block.
Adsorption, Protein, Batch

Introduction Principles Governing Protein Batch Adsorption Models for Protein Adsorption: Capacity and Competition Dynamics of Protein Adsorption Batch Adsorption as a Primary Separation Step Classical Batch Adsorption Processes Antibiotic Purification Blood Plasma Fractionation Hepatitis B Purification Novel Configurations of Batch Adsorption Fluidized Bed Contactors Whole Broth Adsorptive Extraction Continuous Affinity Recycle Extraction Ultrafiltration-Coupled Adsorption Systems Outlook for Protein Batch Adsorption Bibliography Keywords: adsorption; batch; modeling; on-off chromatography; protein; separation
Rationing Revisited: Federal Court Reform in the Post-Crisis Era

Rapidly growing caseload volume has been a thorn in the side of the federal appellate system for decades. The federal caseload crisis has been managed by internal procedural reforms such as reduction of oral argument, increased reliance on court staff, and limitations on the publication of opinions. These changes, while efficient, have altered the nature of appellate justice. We have diminished or even abandoned some traditional appellate values to obtain a more efficient appellate procedure. This Article examines the many federal court reform proposals of the last half-century, ranging from small internal reforms to major structural reforms to fundamental jurisdictional reforms. While the reforms actually adopted could be categorized as “internal” or “minor,” they have, in fact, had a significant effect on both caseload pressures and appellate values. The twenty-first century discussion of federal court reform should focus on restoring and preserving traditional appellate values in the face of the existing federal caseload. Perhaps a sober second look, freed from the atmosphere of crisis, will result in reform that restores some of the traditional appellate process while still managing present, and anticipated future, caseload volume.
Digital signal processing with the TMS320C25

A Digital Signal Processing Development System The TMS320C25 Digital Signal Processor Input/Output Introduction to the Z-Transform and Difference Equations Finite Impulse Response Filters Infinite Impulse Response Filters Fast Fourier Transform Adaptive Filters Digital Signal Processing Applications: Student Projects and Laboratory Exercises Appendices Index.
Improving the global health workforce crisis: an evaluation of Global Health Corps.

Stanford University, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Center for Innovation in Global Health, Stanford, CA, USA (RG); Global Health Corps, New York, NY, USA (BPB, EM); The Aspen Institute, Impact Careers Initiative, Aspen, CO, USA (JD); Partners In Health, Cambridge, MA, USA (CvdhH, PEF); Harvard Medical School, Global Health Delivery Partnership, Boston, MA, USA (CvdhH); Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Division of Global Health Equity, Boston, MA, USA (PEF); and Harvard Medical School, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Boston, MA, USA (PEF)
Systematics of Otarrha, a new Neotropical subgenus of Chimarra (Trichoptera: Philopotamidae)

. Subgenus Otarrha is established in genus Chimarra to include eighteen described species formerly placed either in subgenus Chimarra or unplaced to subgenus, and thirteen new species. All species are Neotropical, with collective distributions primarily in the Antilles (Greater and Lesser) and northern South America. One species occurs in southeastern Brazil and another species in Costa Rica and Panama. New species are described, recognized species redescribed (except for C. diannae and C. koki), and a key to the identification of males in the subgenus is provided. Additionally, characters supporting monophyly of the subgenus and a phylogeny of its species are proposed. Described species transferred to this subgenus include Chimarra cubanorum Botosaneanu, C. diakis Flint, C. diannae Flint & Sykora, C. dominicana Flint, C. garciai Botosaneanu, C. guapa Botosaneanu, C. jamaicensis Flint, C. koki Botosaneanu, C. machaerophora Flint, C. patosa Ross, C. puertoricensis Flint, C. quadrifurcata Botosaneanu, C. retrorsa Flint, C. rossi Bueno-Soria, C. sensillata Flint, C. septemlobata Flint, C. septifera Flint and C. spinulifera Flint. Chimarra patosa is designated the type species of the subgenus. New species described in Otarrha include Chimarra amazonia (Peru), C. barinas (Venezuela), C. darlingtoni (Cuba), C. diaphora (Venezuela), C. incipiens (Venezuela), C. odonta (Brazil), C. parene (Peru), C. parilis (Peru), C. particeps (Peru), C. peruana (Peru), C. phthanorossi (Colombia), C. redonda (Dominican Republic) and C. tachuela (Venezuela). Two additional species are described and left incertae sedis to subgenus, Chimarra usitatissima Flint and C. angularis, sp.n. (Venezuela, Guyana).
CFD Analysis of a Bioreactor for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering is a promising, innovative approach to repair or replace injured cartilage in the joints. Bioreactors used in tissue engineering serve to maintain controlled environments that provide many of the conditions necessary for cells to produce functional cartilaginous tissues (Darling et al, 2003, Freed et al, 2000). The use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can accelerate the development of optimal bioreactor configurations and provide insight into underlying fluid characteristics within the bioreactor (Williams et al, 2002). This study utilizes Fluent CFD analysis software to optimize the design of a microfluidic bioreactor device. Interstitial pressure and flow-induced shear stress are two factors that have been shown to enhance chondrocyte matrix molecule biosynthesis. Characterization of these and other hydrodynamic properties within the bioreactor provides insight into optimal design configurations as well a predictive mechanism for understanding biophysical phenomena and fluid forces affecting chondrogenesis.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Spontaneous conversion of ventricular fibrillation in cardiogenic shock from acute myocardial infarction.

Abstract Spontaneous termination of sustained periods of ventricular fibrillation (VF) are rare, particularly in persons in low cardiac output states. Many reports of paroxysmal VF likely represent examples of polymorphic, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) or torsades de pointes. We recently observed a patient receiving high-dose dopamine for hemodynamic support in whom VF developed in the absence of prior QT prolongation, which spontaneously reverted to sinus rhythm without pharmacologic or electrical intervention.
Recombinant Prion Protein Refolded with Lipid and RNA Has the Biochemical Hallmarks of a Prion but Lacks In Vivo Infectivity

During prion infection, the normal, protease-sensitive conformation of prion protein (PrPC) is converted via seeded polymerization to an abnormal, infectious conformation with greatly increased protease-resistance (PrPSc). In vitro, protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) uses PrPSc in prion-infected brain homogenates as an initiating seed to convert PrPC and trigger the self-propagation of PrPSc over many cycles of amplification. While PMCA reactions produce high levels of protease-resistant PrP, the infectious titer is often lower than that of brain-derived PrPSc. More recently, PMCA techniques using bacterially derived recombinant PrP (rPrP) in the presence of lipid and RNA but in the absence of any starting PrPSc seed have been used to generate infectious prions that cause disease in wild-type mice with relatively short incubation times. These data suggest that lipid and/or RNA act as cofactors to facilitate the de novo formation of high levels of prion infectivity. Using rPrP purified by two different techniques, we generated a self-propagating protease-resistant rPrP molecule that, regardless of the amount of RNA and lipid used, had a molecular mass, protease resistance and insolubility similar to that of PrPSc. However, we were unable to detect prion infectivity in any of our reactions using either cell-culture or animal bioassays. These results demonstrate that the ability to self-propagate into a protease-resistant insoluble conformer is not unique to infectious PrP molecules. They suggest that the presence of RNA and lipid cofactors may facilitate the spontaneous refolding of PrP into an infectious form while also allowing the de novo formation of self-propagating, but non-infectious, rPrP-res.
Quantification of Phytophthora capsici Oospores in Soil by Sieving-Centrifugation and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

ABSTRACT A procedure was developed to quantify Phytophthora capsici oospores in soil by combining a sieving-centrifugation method and a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) assay. Five soil samples representing three different soil textures were infested with oospores of P. capsici to produce 101, 102, 103, 104, or 105 spores per 10 g of air-dried soil. Each 10-g sample of infested soil was suspended in 400 ml of water and then passed through 106-, 63-, and 38-μm metal sieves. The filtrate was then passed through a 20-μm mesh filter. Materials caught on the filter were washed with water into two 50-ml centrifuge tubes and spun for 4 min (900 × g). The pellet was suspended in 30 ml of 1.6 M sucrose solution and centrifuged for 45 s (190 × g). The supernatant was passed through the 20-μm mesh filter. The sucrose extraction process of oospores was repeated five times to maximize oospore extraction. Materials caught on the 20-μm mesh filter were washed with water into a 50-ml tube and spun ...
Hilbert transform techniques for measurement of transient gear speeds

Abstract An efficient approach to recovering transient shaft speed using a Fourier analyser is presented. A common and easily instrumented approach to monitoring shaft speed is with magnetic transducers mounted near the teeth of a shaft-mounted gear. This work demonstrates that transient or higher frequency shaft vibrations can be recovered from this type of data. An example using Hilbert transform for FM demodulation is presented and is compared to a time domain approach for measuring transient speed variations.
Living systems: structure and process.

An article in the previous issue of this journal outlined the basic principles of the author's general systems behavior theory as it will be set forth in his Living Systems, to be published in a few months. This article and the following one continue the exposition of this viewpoint. Salient characteristics of the subsystem and system-wide structures and processes which generally occur at all levels of living systems are considered here. The scientific literature of the mathematical, biological, and social behavioral sciences that investigate each of these levels can be integrated and interpreted in terms of these concepts. The empirical findings of that literature will be submitted to detailed analysis in the forthcoming book in terms of the schema outlined here. The approach used is designed to emphasize the unity of the phenomena of life, from cells to supranational systems.
Red Cell Metabolic Alterations in Postnatal Life in Term Infants: Glycolytic Intermediates and Adenosine Triphosphate

Summary: Red cell glycolytic intermediates and adenosine triphosphate were evaluated in term infants from birth to one year of age and compared to values obtained from normal adults and subjects with a population of a similar mean cell age. The concentration of glycolytic intermediates, with the exception of phosphoenolpyruvate were elevated at birth when compared to normal subjects, consistent with a young mean red cell population. The mean levels of red cell glucoses-phosphate, fnictose-6-phosphate, and “total triose phosphate” were elevated on days 1 and 4 of life when compared to both red cells from normal adults and subjects with a similar young mean red cell age. Glucose-6-phosphate steadily increased in concentration, peaked at 3 to 4 wk of age, and then progressively decreased in value. Total triose phosphate declined to a mildly elevated concentration by 3 to 4 wk of age. The mean concentrations of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and adenosine triphosphate were normal on day 1, increased on day 4, and then declined by 3 to 4 wk to normal values, until 5 to 6 months when both increased. The mean phosphoenolpyruvate concentration was decreased on day 1 of age when compared to red cells of a similar mean age, but this decrease was not significant (P > 0.05).
Bruce Lee's Fictional Models of Masculinity

As the body of research on masculinities continues to develop, the glaring lack of a theoretical framework to address the construction of Asian American masculinities is magnified. Although scholars have consistently acknowledged that men of color are marginalized from dominant models of masculinity, it is clear that the complexity of Asian American masculinities has not been recognized or questioned. This article seeks to articulate a critique of the construction of masculinities based on Bruce Lee and the characters he portrays. By analyzing Bruce Lee's films, the author intends to explore the ambivalent relationship between homosexuality and heterosexuality, the ironic role of the working-class hero, and the possibilities and limitations of rejuvenating a Chinese American manhood.
Terpolymers. III. Isochronal viscoelastic parameters for terpolymers of vinyl stearate, vinyl acetate, and vinyl chloride

Isochronal viscoelastic parameters were collected for many of the copolymers, terpolymers, and diluent mixtures whose mechanical properties at ambient temperatures were reported in the preceding paper. In the polymeric systems, vinyl stearate, acting as the primary internal plasticizer, was introduced into terpolymers by displacing vinyl acetate from base copolymers of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride, across the range of composition. In the diluent mixtures, poly(vinyl chloride) was plasticized by di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate across the range of compositions. For direct comparison with the mixtures, vinyl chloride was plasticized by copolymerization with vinyl stearate across the same range of compositions. Moduli for the co- and terpolymers reached the low values characteristic of soft materials at room temperature only through a short range of vinyl stearate composition. At higher internal plasticizer compositions, side-chain crystallization stiffened the samples and raised their moduli. In contrast, moduli for the mixtures decreased steadily with increase in diluent at ambient temperature. The effective use temperature ranges were narrow for the co- and terpolymers but broad for the mixtures. Curve broadening was similar for both types of systems, but reached a maximum at about 40 weight-% plasticizer for the diluent mixtures. The slopes of the glassy modulus with decreasing temperature at 50°C below Tg for the vinyl stearate copolymers were relatively large. However, moduli close to that of poly(vinyl chloride) were reached only near the temperature range associated with the γ-transition. Consequently, this behavior was attributed to motions of the side chains in the glassy matrix. Room temperature moduli, which could be obtained before the onset of melting, were correlated with the fractional side-chain crystallinity for polymers having a high vinyl stearate content. From this relation, the modulus for the hexagonal crystal form of the side-chain crystallites of poly(vinyl stearate) was estimated to be 1.2×1010 dynes/cm2. Moduli for the glassy amorphous phase of this same polymer appeared to have one sixth of this value at 40°C below the glass transition. The glass transition temperature occurred about 10° below the inflection temperature at 109 dynes/cm2, as an average for all of the systems studied.
The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture in Developing Countries

Abstract The largest known economic impact of climate change is upon agriculture because of the size and sensitivity of the sector. Warming causes the greatest harm to agriculture in developing countries primarily because many farms in the low latitudes already endure climates that are too hot. This paper reviews several studies that measure the size of the impact of warming on farms in developing countries. Even though adaptation will blunt some of the worst predicted outcomes, warming is expected to cause large damages to agriculture in developing countries over the next century.
Development of thermodynamic models for simulating probe dissociation profiles in fluorescence in situ hybridization

Stringency in ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-targeted fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is typically adjusted with formamide, and the optimum formamide concentration at which the probe can hybridize with the target rRNA, but not with rRNAs with mismatches, is to be found experimentally. This is a difficult task when target or closest non-target organisms are not available in pure culture, or when there are numerous non-targets of concern. The objective of this work was to formulate mechanistic models capable of simulating the effect of formamide on probe dissociation. Using a previously described equilibrium model of FISH [Yilmaz and Noguera (2004) Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70(12):7126-7139] as the basis, the effect of formamide on free energy changes of probe-target duplex formation (DeltaG(1)(0)) and folding of target region (DeltaG(3)(0)) was simulated to be linear, and models differing in the definitions of the slopes of these relationships (m(1) and m(3)) were calibrated using experimental dissociation profiles for 27 probes targeting the 16S rRNA of Escherichia coli (E. coli). A good level of predictive power was obtained when m(1) was linearly related to probe length and when m(3) was made proportional to DeltaG(3)(0). The effect of single mismatches on probe dissociation with formamide was also studied, although at a preliminary level. The expected changes in DeltaG(1)(0) with the introduction of mismatches were not sufficient to capture the overall trends of mismatched dissociation profiles. In conclusion, this study offers the first theoretical method to calculate dissociation profiles for perfectly matched probes, and suggests a direction to systematically evaluate the effect of formamide on mismatched probes.
Mechanical properties of in‐situ composites based on partially miscible blends of glass‐filled polyetherimide and liquid crystalline polymers

The use of inorganic (glass) fiber reinforcement to enhance the mechanical properties and reduce the anisotropy of in situ composites based on blends of liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) with polyetherimide (PEI) is discussed. It was found that the tensile and flexural moduli are increased and the anisotropy is reduced with increasing grass content (when compared at equivalent LCP weight fractions). The creep compliance of the PEI/LCP composites is reduced upon the addition of glass fibers. However, the disadvantage is that the processability worsens upon addition of glass fibers to the PEI/LCP in situ composites. The effect of adding glass reinforcement on the ultimate tensile strength is less clear, because the data do not show any consistent trend. Similarly, the elongation at break and toughness do not show any consistent improvement upon addition of glass reinforcement. Morphological studies show that there is considerable difference between the size and texture of the reinforcing glass fibers and LCP microfibrils.
Voltage-clamp experiments on oxidized cholesterol membranes modified with excitability-inducing material and comparison with a model

The conductance of oxidized cholesterol membranes modified with excitability-inducing material was observed in membranes containing either single conductance channels or 100–1000 channels. Membranes containing single channels have several conductance states for each voltage polarity, and the current through membranes containing many channels decays with at least two, and probably three, time constants following a step change in voltage (voltage-clamp). The time constants differ by about an order of magnitude. The multi-state behavior seems more pronounced in membranes made from highly oxidized cholesterol. Although a given conductance state could occur at either positive or negative voltages, each state was much more frequent at one polarity or the other. The most frequently observed single-channel conductance states in 0.1 M NaCl are about 0.3, 0.1, 0.03, 0.0 nΩ-1 for negative voltages and 0.25, 0.05, 0.03, and 0.0 nΩ-1 for positive voltages. The current following a voltage clamp decays to a quasi-steady state within 1 min for positive voltages and 1–15 min for negative voltages. When the holding voltage is −20 mV, the decay constants and quasi-steady state conductances as functions of clamping voltage are reasonably well described by either a three-state model of the conductance or a two-state model applied independently at negative and positive voltages. However, for high voltages, the quasi-steady state does not appear to approach a state in which all the channels are in a low conductance state.
SHEAR STRENGTH AND STABILITY OF MAN-MADE SLOPES

A new method of graphically expressing slope stability analysis in which equal Factor of Safety contours are drawn for a given slope for all values of angle of internal friction and cohesion intercept of the slope material is presented herein. This greatly facilitates the study of the effect of soil strength variation on the stability of such slopes. Recognizing the variability in the values of shear strength parameters due to testing techniques, moisture content changes and the heterogeneity of the soil, it is shown that the choice of strength parameters overrides the choice of the method of slope stability computation. Procedures are outlined for optimum economical design of a slope and also for bedding plane failure analysis in multilayered system. Stability charts for balanced factor of safety for manmade slope with b horizontal to 1 vertical for b = 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 are included for all practical value of shear strength parameters. The same charts can be used for cases when a relatively higher margin of safety is required in cohesion or in friction.
Development of a bleomycin hamster model of subchronic lung fibrosis

The existing bleomycin (BLM)-rodent model of lung fibrosis requires large doses and is often associated with morbidity and high mortality. We have developed an intratracheal multiple-dose BLM-hamster model of lung fibrosis. In this model, 3 consecutive doses of BLM (2.5 U, 2.0 U and 1.5 U/5mL/kg) were instilled intratracheally, one dose per week. The hamsters were killed at 10, 20, 30, 60 and 90 days after the last IT instillation and the lungs were lavaged or perfused with saline. This regimen of BLM administration was devoid of morbidity and caused only 6% overall mortality. Lung prolyl hydroxylase activity at 10 days and hydroxyproline content at 20, 30, 60 and 90 days were significantly higher than noted for the controls. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid-supernatant protein and the total number of recovered cells of all types were significantly higher than observed for the controls at all times, except at 90 days. Lungs showed a multifocal mixed mononuclear infiltrate at 10 and 20 days and septal fibrosis, which was most severe and organized at 30 days and less severe at 60 and 90 days. The parenchymal lesions were significantly greater than those of the controls at all times, except at 10 days. This model, which required only 6 U BLM/kg, induced a moderate level of lung fibrosis. It has been concluded, therefore, that this model, inasmuch as it is not associated with an overwhelmingly acute inflammation, would be more applicable for screening potential antifibrotic agents than existing models of lung fibrosis.
Modeling multiscale effects on transients during chemical vapor deposition

Several important manufacturing processes for integrated circuits (ICs) involve the flow of gaseous reactants over the wafer(s) on which the ICs are being made. We discuss a model in which reactive components of the gas phase do not collide; either because there is a dominant carrier species, or the pressure is low enough. The kinetic transport and reaction model consists of a system of transient linear Boltzmann equations for the reactive species in the flow. This model applies to a wide range of transport regimes, characterized by a wide range of Knudsen numbers as a function of pressure and length scale of interest. A numerical simulator based on a spectral Galerkin method in velocity space approximates each linear Boltzmann equation by a system of transient conservation laws in space and time with diagonal coefficient matrices, which are solved using the discontinuous Galerkin method. This deterministic solver gives direct access to the kinetic density that is the solution to the Boltzmann equation, as a function of position, velocity, and time. The availability of the kinetic density as a function of velocity is useful to analyze the underlying kinetic causes of macroscopic observables. Using chemical vapor deposition as an important application example, the influence of process parameters is studied in transient two-dimensional and three-dimensional features that represent structures seen during integrated circuit fabrication for a wide range of Knudsen numbers. The results highlight the capabilities of the KTRM and its implementation, and indicate that kinetic solvers may be needed for models characterized by Knudsen numbers on the order of unity. This regime applies both to feature scale simulators at certain operating conditions and to intermediate scale models used as part of multiscale simulators.
The effect of ischemia on the peripheral nerve action potential in man and its relation to somatosensory magnitude coding

The amplitude and latency fluctuations of the compound action potential of the ulnar nerve were recorded percutane­ ously as a function of the length of time the arm was kept ischemic by means of an innated sphygmomanometer cuff. Changes in latency and the amplitude action potential were measured for cuff positions above and below the recording electrode. The amplitude nuctuations were shown to be related to corresponding changes in the sensory threshold which has beendetermined in an earlier study. By manipula­ ting the position of the cuff it was possible to determine that the amplitude nuctuations were caused by a reduced number of nerve action potentials rather than a change in the individual axonal action potential amplitude. One of the major problems in psychophysics has been the determination of the code of the neural message which conveys information about sensory magnitude from the periphery to the central nervous system. In two earlier studies (Uttal , 1959, 1960), Dawson and Scott's (1949) method for recording nerve actionpoten­ tials through the human skin had been developed and used simultaneously with magnitude estimates to demon­ strate the relationship between these psychophysical and neurophysiological measures. Some clues were thus provided to the nature of the code. Prior to this work, the results of a study (Uttal, 1958) had been reported on the fluctuations of the psychophysical threshold as a function of time under ischemic con­ ditions created by an inflated sphygmomanometer cuff. It is the purpose of this present study to com­ bine the techniques of percutaneous nerve action potential recording and ischemic analysis (a tech­ nique first reported by Magladery, McDougall, & stoll (1950)) and to compare the time course of the nerve action potentials to the psychophysical results. It is also necessary to distinguish between two alternative explanations for the variation in nerve action potential amplitude which resulted from the ischemia. This was accomplished by performing the experiment with the sphygmomanometer cuff in two different positions. The results of this study add further support to the conclusion that sensory mag­ nitudes in the somatosensory system appear to be encoded in the periphery by a simple count of the number of axonal responses.