cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Local resting state functional connectivity in autism: site and cohort variability and the effect of eye status

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with prominent impairments in sociocommunicative abilities, which have been linked to anomalous brain network organization. Despite ample evidence of atypical long-distance connectivity, the literature on local connectivity remains small and divergent. We used resting-state functional MRI regional homogeneity (ReHo) as a local connectivity measure in comparative analyses across several well-matched low-motion subsamples from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange and in-house data, with a grand total of 147 ASD and 184 typically developing (TD) participants, ages 7–18 years. We tested for group differences in each subsample, with additional focus on the difference between eyes-open and eyes-closed resting states. Despite selection of highest quality data and tight demographic and motion matching between groups and across samples, few effects in exactly identical loci (voxels) were found across samples. However, there was gross consistency across all eyes-open samples of local overconnectivity (ASD > TD) in posterior, visual regions. There was also gross consistency of local underconnectivity (ASD < TD) in cingulate gyrus, although exact loci varied between mid/posterior and anterior sections. While all eyes-open datasets showed the described gross similarities, the pattern of group differences for participants scanned with eyes closed was different, with local overconnectivity in ASD in posterior cingulate gyrus, but underconnectivity in some visual regions. Our findings suggest that fMRI local connectivity measures may be relatively susceptible to site and cohort variability and that some previous inconsistencies in the ASD ReHo literature may be reconciled by more careful consideration of eye status.
#iamafeminist as the “mother tag”: feminist identification and activism against misogyny on Twitter in South Korea

AbstractThis article explores feminist activism via the hashtag #iamafeminist on Twitter in South Korea. This hashtag became an important platform for feminist identification and activism against misogyny following its start in 2015 as a way to resist prevailing anti-feminist sentiment in Korea. In addition to opposing stigmas regarding identifying as a feminist, #iamafeminist affords an inclusive frame that can promote feminist identification by sharing personal motives for and stories about being a feminist. Although critics dismiss the potential of hashtag activism due to its ephemeral nature, I argue that #iamafeminist—which I call the “mother tag”—was able to persist for three months by continuing to connect with real-time gender issues and by initiating activism against misogyny both online and offline.
Free Expression and Democracy: A Comparative Analysis

Free Expression and Democracy takes on the assumption that limits on free expression will lead to authoritarianism or at least a weakening of democracy. That hypothesis is tested by an examination of issues involving expression and their treatment in countries included on The Economist's list of fully functioning democracies. Generally speaking, other countries allow prohibitions on hate speech, limits on third-party spending on elections, and the protection of children from media influences seen as harmful. Many ban Holocaust denial and the desecration of national symbols. Yet, these other countries all remain democratic, and most of those considered rank more highly than the United States on the democracy index. This book argues that while there may be other cultural values that call for more expansive protection of expression, that protection need not reach the level present in the United States in order to protect the democratic nature of a country.
Recent advances in high-gain photorefractive polymers

This talk focuses on the development and characterization of new high-gain photorefractive polymers, with emphasis on a particular stable composite composed of the photoconductor poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK), the charge generator C/sub 60/, the nonlinear optical chromophore 4-piperidinobenzylidene malononitrile (PDCST), and the liquid plasticizer butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP). The optical properties of this material, denoted PVK:PDCST:BBP:C/sub 60/, have been reported recently, and the material has been shown to exhibit a high two-beam coupling gain coefficient, fast response time, over-modulation of diffraction efficiency, high sensitivity, and high stability. Using such high-gain coefficients, we believe we have recently observed amplified scattering (beam fanning) in a photorefractive polymer for the first time.
Reading the spirits in Julia Alvarez’s A Wedding in Haiti

AbstractDominican writer Julia Alvarez’s 2012 memoir, A Wedding in Haiti: The Story of a Friendship, documents her first-time travel from the Dominican Republic to Haiti over land in order to attend the wedding of Piti, a young Haitian man who had worked for her and her husband for a number of years. She deploys the literary non-fiction genre of memoir, a genre that is relatively new to her, to explore both the Dominican (collective) relationship with Haiti and her individual relationship with both Haiti and its people centering on her connection to Piti and his family. Drawing on Vodou, a nature religion that strives for balance, this article explores Alvarez’s memoir through several lwa. I argue that the lwa are deployed and manifest as mechanisms from within Vodou epistemology to restore balance to a world relationship between Haiti and the DR that reverberates in the metaphysical world. Examinations of this unequal relationship between the two nations are even more prescient contemporarily considering...
NMR investigation of the structure of NiZrF6·.6H2O at low temperatures☆

Previous studies have shown that NiZrF6.6H2O can be described by an axial spin Hamiltonian with parameters g = 2.33 and Dk = −3.14K, and exhibits ferromagnetic ordering at Tc = 164mK. Our room temperature X-ray measurements confirm that NiZrF6·.6H2O is isomorphous with NiSnCl6·.6H2O and give lattice parameters of a = 6.55 A and α = 96°09′. Proton NMR measurements show that there exist important molecular motions at room temperature and that the space group remains R3 down to liquid helium temperatures. The positions of all twelve protons have been determined and are found to lie on a sphere of radius 2.9 A centered on the nickel ion.
A biomarker-guided approach to combining PARP inhibitors with radiotherapy in pediatric solid tumors.

10556Background: Ewing sarcoma (EWS) expresses high levels of Schlafen-11 (SLFN11). SLFN11 disrupts checkpoint maintenance and may serve as a biomarker to assess sensitivity to Poly (ADP-ribose) po...
Controlling Noncooperative Herds with Robotic Herders

We present control strategies for robotic herders to drive noncooperative herds. Our key insight enforces geometrical relationships that map the combined dynamics to simple two-dimensional or three-dimensional nonholonomic vehicle models. We prove convergence of single-agent herds to a goal and propose strategies for multi-agent herds, verified in simulations and experiments.
Enemies and Heroes of the Faith: Women and the Devil in the Poema de Fernán González

Mientras es necesario que Castilla se una contra un enemigo comun, el enemigo musulman no es suficiente. El poeta anade el enemigo sobrenatural, el Diablo, tanto como la intriga de la corte provocada por una reina, para asegurar que hay una llamada adecuada a las armas mientras a la vez demuestra que hay una mujer digna de establecer una nueva Espana cristiana con el heroe del poema y para vengar a las mujeres que fueron sacrificadas cuando Espana cayo ante los moros.
Pellet-Injector Technology—Brief History and Key Developments in the Last 25 Years

AbstractHigh-speed injection of solid fuel was first proposed in 1954 as a possible solution to the problem of transporting fresh fuel across the confining magnetic fields into the plasma of a fusion reactor. While it took a few decades, the use of cryogenic pellets (typically H2 and D2) on fusion experiments became common place; most tokamaks and stellarators are now equipped with a pellet injector(s). These devices operate at low temperatures (~10 to 20 K) and most often use a simple light gas gun to accelerate macroscopic-size pellets (~0.4- to 6-mm diameter) to speeds of ~100 to 1000 m/s. Before the advantages of pellet injection from the magnetic high-field side (HFS) of a tokamak were recognized in 1997, development focused on increasing the pellet speed to achieve deeper plasma penetration and higher fueling efficiency. The HFS injection technique typically dictates slower pellets (~100 to 300 m/s) to survive transport through the curved guide tubes that route the pellets to the plasma from the ins...
Evaluation of Cadmium Exposure from Contaminated Soil

Surface soils in the village of Shipham, UK, (population 1092) contained 2.0–336 (GM 75.2) ppm cadmium whereas soils in a control village contained 0.1–7.6 (GM 0.74) ppm. The health of 548 members of the exposed population was assessed by means of a detailed health inventory, clinical measurements, laboratory studies on blood and urine specimens, and dietary evaluation. The data were compared with a control population matched for age and sex. When corrected for associated variables, the data suggest that the increased cadmium intakes from contaminated soil were not associated with significant health effects.
Current Understanding of Pathology and Therapeutic Status for CADASIL

Recently, it has been drawn an increased attention on a hereditary form of stroke and vascular dementia named cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). Because of poor understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease, the treatment that specifically delay or stop the pathological progression of CADASIL has not yet been developed. This chapter provides an update on CADASIL research. The pathological features and possible molecular mechanisms of CADASIL are outlined, the involvement of vascular endothelial cells in pathological progression of CADASIL is introduced, and emerging studies in treatment research for CADASIL is reviewed and discussed.
The Baroque Formulation of Consciousness In The Domain Of Phenomenological Clarification

Both the Classical and Baroque formulations of consciousness, as well as their criticism in the eighteenth century, presuppose and take for granted, the fourfold, ungrounded ontic conviction of daily life as positing the “metaphysically real,” the indicational appresentation of which is extrapolated from ordinary, common-sensical experience founded on the ungrounded ontic conviction (in Husserl’s lingo, the general positing of the “natural attitude”). As long as the presupposition is in full force, the result of these formulations entails the distinction between the non-simply connected space of the gap rather than the “simply” connected space of daily life. Their confusion, or the attempt to substitute the former for the latter, lead to death, madness, prison.
Diastereodivergent Reductive Cross Coupling of Alkynes through Tandem Catalysis: Z- and E-Selective Hydroarylation of Terminal Alkynes

A diastereodivergent hydroarylation of terminal alkynes is accomplished using tandem catalysis. The hydroarylation allows highly selective synthesis of both E and Z diastereoisomers of aryl alkenes, from the same set of starting materials, using the same combination of palladium and copper catalysts. The selectivity is controlled by simple changes in the stoichiometry of the alcohol additive. The hydroarylation has excellent substrate scope and can be accomplished in the presence of various classes of compounds, including esters, nitriles, alkyl halides, epoxides, carbamates, acetals, ethers, silyl ethers, and thioethers. The Z-selective hydroarylation is accomplished using a new approach based on tandem Sonogashira coupling and catalytic semireduction. The E-selective hydroarylation involves an additional catalytic isomerization of the Z-alkene. Our explorations of the reaction mechanism explain the role of individual reaction components and how the subtle changes in the reaction conditions influence the rates of specific steps of the hydroarylation. Our studies also show that, although the Z- and E-selective hydroarylation reactions are mechanistically closely related, the roles of the palladium and copper catalysts in the two reactions are different.
Three-body abrasive wear of hard coatings: Effects of hardness and roughness

Abstract Industrial applications suffer from abrasive wear in lubricated contacts. Three-body abrasive experiments were conducted on three hard coatings with application in oil and gas industry. Slurry of silica sand in hydraulic oil was used to model the abrasive medium. Normal load of 178 N and sliding velocity of 1.92 m/s were applied at the contact for test duration of 30 min. In-situ normal and friction forces were obtained using a specialized tribometer. Comparing the friction coefficient and the wear rate reveals the combined effect of surface topography and hardness on the tribological performance of the coatings. XRD,SEM and EDS analyses of the surfaces were implemented to better understand the tribological mechanisms. The obtained data revealed the importance of the crystalline phase formation on the wear rate of the coatings under the tested condition. A simplified analysis of the contact at three-body abrasive conditions was proposed and the results were compared against the experimentally obtained data. Recommendations were made to improve the coatings performance under similar operational conditions.
Symptom Resolution and Volumetric Reduction of Abdominal Lymphatic Malformations With Sclerotherapy.

Abstract Background Lymphatic malformations (LMs) are congenital and arise from errors in vascular embryogenesis. LMs are categorized by cyst size as microcystic, macrocystic, or combined. Abdominal LMs are rare. Surgical resection of abdominal LMs has been the mainstay of therapy, but recurrence and morbidity are high. We sought to determine the effectiveness of sclerotherapy treatment for abdominal LM. Methods A single-center, retrospective review from 2014 to 2018 was conducted evaluating pediatric patients with abdominal LM. Results Ten patients were included, n = 9 had macrocystic LM and one patient had combined disease. The average age at first treatment was 6.8 y. The most common presenting symptoms were abdominal distention, pain, infection, and anemia. Preprocedural imaging was performed for all patients; median pretreatment volume was 1572.9 cm3 (range, 67.2-13,226.4). LMs were accessed using ultrasound guidance and injected with opacified doxycycline. Patients received a mean of 7.1 sclerotherapy injections. Complications included intraperitoneal doxycycline extravasation (n = 1), managed conservatively, and LM infection (n = 1), treated with intravenous antibiotics and drainage. One patient went on to surgical resection due to inability gain stable intracystic access; follow-up ultrasonography showed no recurrence. Postprocedural imaging was available in n = 8. Volume decreased by 96.7% after sclerotherapy. The median remaining volume was 0 cm3 (range, 0-599.7) (P = 0.016). Postsclerotherapy magnetic resonance imaging was obtained in n = 6, with complete resolution in 83.3%. All patients had resolution of presenting symptoms. Follow-up duration was 12.3 mo. Conclusions Initial results demonstrate that sclerotherapy is an effective and durable treatment for symptom resolution and volume reduction of abdominal LM.
Tumescent contravenom: murine model for prehospital treatment of Naja naja neurotoxic snake envenomation

BACKGROUND Snake envenomation is a neglected global health problem. There is a need for a prehospital treatment of neurotoxic snakebite that prolongs survival and allows time for a victim to reach a hospital for antivenom therapy. Tumescent epinephrine consists of a large volume of dilute epinephrine (2 mg/l) injected subcutaneously. It functions as "contravenom" by causing capillary vasoconstriction and delaying venom absorption. METHODS A murine model of neurotoxic envenomation using lidocaine as a surrogate for neurotoxic snake venom was first developed in a pilot study. A lethal dose of lidocaine was injected subcutaneously into control and treatment groups. Mice in the treatment group were then treated with a tumescent infiltration of dilute epinephrine in saline, while control mice either received no treatment or tumescent infiltration with saline alone. The experiment was repeated using lethal doses of neurotoxic Naja naja cobra venom. The main end-points were survival rate and survival time. RESULTS None of the control mice survived a lethal (LD100 ) dosage of subcutaneous lidocaine. Mice given an LD100 of subcutaneous lidocaine and treated immediately with tumescent epinephrine had 80% survival. Following LD50 doses of Naja naja venom, 50% of control mice survived, while 94% survived when treated immediately with tumescent epinephrine (P < 0.01). All animals died following LD100 doses of Naja naja venom, but survival was significantly prolonged (P < 0.0001) by immediate tumescent epinephrine. CONCLUSIONS Tumescent epinephrine, when given immediately after toxin injection, improves survival rates in mice following neurotoxic doses of lidocaine or Naja naja cobra venom.
Seasonal Patterns of Root Production with Water and Nitrogen Additions Across Three Dryland Ecosystems

Root production is known to contribute at least 50% of total net primary production in dryland ecosystems, yet few studies have addressed seasonal dynamics of root production or the belowground response to altered resource availability. We aimed to identify how root production varies across three dryland ecosystems dominated by different plant functional types: the shortgrass steppe, dominated by C4 perennial bunchgrasses, the northern mixed-grass prairie, co-dominated by perennial C3 and C4 grasses, and the sagebrush steppe, dominated by a perennial shrub with an understory of C3 and C4 grasses and forbs. We also sought to determine how root production changes throughout a growing season for these three systems, and how it responds to increased water and nitrogen availability. We used root ingrowth cores to monitor root production in 6-week intervals between June 1 and October 5, 2017, and with water and nitrogen additions in shortgrass steppe, mixed-grass prairie, and sagebrush steppe in the western Great Plains of the United States. We found that the northern mixed-grass prairie had the highest total root production during our sampling period, and that seasonal patterns of root growth varied significantly across the dryland types, with root growth greatest during the middle of the growing season at the sagebrush steppe and greatest during the end of the growing season at the northern mixed-grass prairie. As expected, belowground root production was about half aboveground production in all sites. Root production responded less to water and nitrogen addition than did aboveground production.
Stereo image segmentation with application in underwater fish detection and tracking

Most often, background subtraction and image segmentation methods use images or video captured using a single camera. However, segmentation can be improved using stereo images by reducing errors caused due to illumination fluctuations and object occlusion. This work proposes a background subtraction and image segmentation method for images obtained using a two camera stereo system. Stereo imaging is often employed in order to obtain depth information. On the other hand, the objective of this work is mainly to extract accurate boundaries of objects from stereo images, which are otherwise difficult to obtain. Improving the outline detection accuracy is vital for object recognition applications. An application of the proposed technique is presented for the detection and tracking of fish in underwater image sequences. Outline fish detection is a challenging task since fish are not rigid objects. Moreover, color is not necessarily a reliable means to segment underwater images, therefore, grayscale images are used. Due to these two reasons, and due to the fact that underwater images captured in non-controlled environments are often blurry and poorly illuminated, commonly used local correlation methods are not sufficient for stereo image matching. The proposed algorithm improves segmentation in several scenarios including cases where fish are occluded by other fish regions. Although the work concentrates on segmenting fish images, it can be employed in other underwater image segmentation applications where visible-light cameras are used.
Biclustering via sparse clustering

In identifying subgroups of a heterogeneous disease or condition, it is often desirable to identify both the observations and the features which differ between subgroups. For instance, it may be that there is a subgroup of individuals with a certain disease who differ from the rest of the population based on the expression profile for only a subset of genes. Identifying the subgroup of patients and subset of genes could lead to better-targeted therapy. We can represent the subgroup of individuals and genes as a bicluster, a submatrix, U , of a larger data matrix, X , such that the features and observations in U differ from those not contained in U . We present a novel two-step method, SC-Biclust, for identifying U . In the first step, the observations in the bicluster are identified to maximize the sum of the weighted between-cluster feature differences. In the second step, features in the bicluster are identified based on their contribution to the clustering of the observations. This versatile method can be used to identify biclusters that differ on the basis of feature means, feature variances, or more general differences. The bicluster identification accuracy of SC-Biclust is illustrated through several simulated studies. Application of SC-Biclust to pain research illustrates its ability to identify biologically meaningful subgroups.
Study on the Influence of Distance Protection in Power Grid with New Energy Sources

The reliability of the protection for the tie line of wind farm is of great significance for the safety of the power grid and wind farm. Nevertheless, the complicated fault current characteristics of wind turbine generators deteriorate the performance of traditional protection schemes (like distance protection), or even result in fail-to-trip of traditional protection schemes. The fault characteristics of the new energy source under the crowbar action and no action are analyzed firstly. Then, the influence of the doubly-fed wind farm on the distance protection under different operating modes is analyzed. The correctness of the analysis conclusion is verified by simulation. The research results have important guiding significance for the grid relay protection configuration after the new energy.
Emergency Obstetric Ultrasound

This chapter illustrates many different scenarios of emergencies in pediatric Emergency Obstetric Ultrasound in question and answer format. It contains a variety of cases designed to stimulate thought and further reading in this rapidly evolving specialty.
Quantitative Spectroscopy of Photospheric-Phase Type II Supernovae

We present first results on the quantitative spectroscopic analysis of the photospheric-phase of Type II supernovae (SN). The analyses are based on the non-LTE model atmosphere code, CMFGEN, of Hillier & Miller (1998). A key asset of CMFGEN is its thorough treatment of line-blanketing due to metal species. From its applicability to hot star environments, the main modifications to the source code were to allow a linear velocity law, a power-law density distribution, an adaptive grid to handle the steep H recombination/ionization front occurring in cooler SN models, and a routine to compute the gray temperature structure in the presence of large velocities. In this first paper we demonstrate the ability of CMFGEN to reproduce, with a high level of accuracy, the UV and optical observations of a sample of well observed Type II SN, i.e. SN1987A and SN1999em, at representative stages of their photospheric evolution. Two principal stages of SN are modeled - that where hydrogen is fully ionized, and that in which H is only partially ionized. We provide detailed and accurate line identifications for our sample of epochs. We discuss the impact on the SED of varying the density exponent, the spatial scale of the SN, the value of Rmax and the metallicity; we illustrate the formation sites for selected lines. Both Hydrogen Balmer and Helium lines (when present) are very well reproduced, even for our adopted CNO-equilibrium abundance values adequate for a massive supergiant progenitor star. NII lines are also predicted in the blue-wing of both Hbeta and HeI 5875A, and thus not associated with peculiar absorption/emission far above the photosphere. We finally present a pedagogical discussion of P-Cygni profile formation and explain, e.g., the noticeable blue-shift of Halpha in early time spectra (much abridged abstract).
G 2 -Monopoles with Singularities (Examples)

G2-Monopoles are solutions to gauge theoretical equations on G2-manifolds. If the G2-manifolds under consideration are compact, then any irreducible G2-monopole must have singularities. It is then important to understand which kind of singularities G2-monopoles can have. We give examples (in the noncompact case) of non-Abelian monopoles with Dirac type singularities, and examples of monopoles whose singularities are not of that type. We also give an existence result for Abelian monopoles with Dirac type singularities on compact manifolds. This should be one of the building blocks in a gluing construction aimed at constructing non-Abelian ones.
The Dueling Duo: IL10 and TNF Face Off in Microglial Recovery from Endotoxin Challenge.

Summary The molecular mechanisms that restore microglial quiescence after acute stimulation remain largely unexplored, unlike those that drive microglial activation. In this issue of Immunity, Shemer et al. discover that the microglial IL-10 receptor counteracts the pro-inflammatory effects of TNF to allow restoration of microglial quiescence after peripheral endotoxin challenge.
Distances to Galaxies from the Correlation Between Luminosities and Linewidths. III. Cluster Template and Global Measurements of H0

The correlation between the luminosities and rotation velocities of galaxies can be used to estimate distances to late-type galaxies. It is an appropriate moment to re-evaluate this method given the great deal of new information available. The major improvements described here include: (a) the template relations can now be defined by large, complete samples, (b) the samples are drawn from a wide range of environments, (c) the relations are defined by photometric information at B,R,I and K' bands, (d) the multi-band information clarifies problems associated with internal reddening, (e) the template zero-points are defined by 24 galaxies with accurately known distances, and (f) the relations are applied to 12 clusters scattered across the sky and out to velocities of 8,000 km/s. The biggest change from earlier calibrations are associated with point (e). Roughly a 15% increase in the distance scale has come about with the five-fold increase in the number of zero-point calibrators. The overall increase in the distance scale from the luminosity--linewidth methodology is about 10% after consideration of all factors. Modulo an assumed distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud of 50 kpc and no metallicity corrections to the Cepheid calibration, the resulting value of the Hubble Constant is H0 = 77 +- 8 km/s/Mpc where the error is the 95% probable statistical error. Cummulative systematic errors internal to this analysis should not exceed 10%. Uncertainties in the distance scale ladder external to this analysis are estimated at 10%. If the Cepheid calibration is shifted from the LMC to NGC 4258 with a distance established by observations of circum-nuclear masers then H0 is larger by 12%.
Inflammation Regulates the Multi-Step Process of Retinal Regeneration in Zebrafish.

The ability to regenerate tissues varies between species and between tissues within a species. Mammals have a limited ability to regenerate tissues, whereas zebrafish possess the ability to regenerate almost all tissues and organs, including fin, heart, kidney, brain, and retina. In the zebrafish brain, injury and cell death activate complex signaling networks that stimulate radial glia to reprogram into neural stem-like cells that repair the injury. In the retina, a popular model for investigating neuronal regeneration, Muller glia, radial glia unique to the retina, reprogram into stem-like cells and undergo a single asymmetric division to generate multi-potent retinal progenitors. Muller glia-derived progenitors then divide rapidly, numerically matching the magnitude of the cell death, and differentiate into the ablated neurons. Emerging evidence reveals that inflammation plays an essential role in this multi-step process of retinal regeneration. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the inflammatory events during retinal regeneration and highlights the mechanisms whereby inflammatory molecules regulate the quiescence and division of Muller glia, the proliferation of Muller glia-derived progenitors and the survival of regenerated neurons.
Challenges in Post-transplant Immunologic Monitoring

Kidney transplantation is the preferred modality for renal replacement therapy in children, though long-term allograft survival remains suboptimal and is limited by ongoing and silent immunologic and non-immunologic injury processes. This is especially important in children, who have longer expected life span than adults and are at higher risk of rejection due to greater immunologic response in early ages and to a higher rate of non-adherence during adolescence and young adulthood. There is a significant need for validated approaches for post-transplant monitoring in children that can predict early rejection in order to facilitate safe and effective individualization of immunosuppressive therapy to decrease risk of infection, drug toxicity, and graft injury and ultimately improve long-term graft survival. In this chapter, we review the literature on conventional clinical, immunological, and histological markers used for post-kidney transplant monitoring in children. We also consider various emerging molecular biomarkers that appear to have a promising role in the immunologic monitoring and risk stratification of graft loss post-transplant.
ZnO/graphene heterostructure nanohybrids for optoelectronics and sensors

The discovery of graphene has prompted an intensive exploration and research of heterostructure nanohybrids that integrate functionalities of semiconductor nanostructures with graphene's high charge carrier mobility, extraordinary mechanical strength, and flexibility for various applications. Among others, zinc oxide (ZnO) presents a promising candidate due to its unique physical properties including direct bandgap in ultraviolet spectrum, ferroelectricity, and hence piezoelectricity, moderate Debye length for electron depletion effect in ZnO nanostructures (quantum dots, nanowire, nanoparticles), etc. For ZnO/graphene heterostructure nanohybrids, the low thermal budget for growth of crystalline ZnO makes it possible for direct deposition of ZnO on graphene with controlled morphology and interface, enabling a large spectrum of devices including photodetectors, gas sensors, strain sensors, and self-power devices. In this Perspective, we discuss the recent progress made in ZnO/graphene heterostructure nanohybrids through understanding and engineering the ZnO/graphene interface to realize high performance. An overview of the remaining issues and future perspectives toward commercialization of the ZnO/graphene heterostructure nanohybrids will also be provided.
Prospective 16-year Longitudinal Study of Dominant Intermediate CMT Type C Neuropathy (P3.4-041)

Objective: To investigate the natural history of dominant intermediate Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy subtype C (DI-CMTC) over 16 years. Background: DI-CMTC is associated with mutations in the YARS gene, encoding tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. We were the first to report the phenotype and genotype of DI-CMTC from a U.S. and a Bulgarian family. As per the original study design in 2000 to investigate the disease across the lifespan, we repeated assessments in original DI-CMTC participants from the U.S. family. Design/Methods: Thirteen of 21 original participants in a longitudinal study of a 5–generation DI-CMTC family were re-evaluated. Data obtained in 2000 and 2016 including neurological symptoms and signs, CMT Neuropathy Score (CMTNSv2), Modified Rankin Score (MRS), quality of life (QOL), and electrodiagnostic studies (EDX) were compared. Results: Five women and 8 men were examined at ages 8–77 in 2000 and 24–93 in 2016. While most symptoms and signs progressed, this only reached statistical significance for gait (p=0.016). The median CMTNSv2 was 6.08 in 2000 and 11 in 2016 (p=0.001). MRS did not change significantly. QOL deteriorated in mobility (p=0.008), pain/discomfort (p=0.011), and anxiety/depression (p=0.014). The median nerve compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitudes decreased from 9.35±2.90 mV to 6.0±2.9 mV (p=0.002), whereas motor nerve conduction velocities (MNCV) were largely unchanged at 36–37 m/s (p=0.236). The ulnar CMAP amplitudes decreased from 9.24±2.10 mV to 6.06±1.81 mV (p=0.004), while MNCV remained unchanged at 39 m/s (p=0.914). In 2000 and 2016 all adults had absent peroneal motor responses. In the interval, all sensory nerve amplitudes and conduction velocities further diminished. Scatter graphs showed a trend for progressive reduction in median and ulnar CMAP amplitudes with age. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that DI-CMTC is a slowly progressive disease with lower greater than upper limb involvement, deteriorating mobility and QOL. EDX confirms previously reported morphological findings indicative of axonal degeneration. Disclosure: Dr. Pan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kafaie has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thomas has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Acorda Therapeutics, Biogen, Genzyme, Novartis and Teva Neuroscience. Dr. Thomas has received research support from Biogen and Teva Neuroscience.
An estimation of Ekman and geostrophic current over the Texas-Louisiana shelf

An estimation of wind driven Ekman current and geostrophic current over the Texas-Louisiana (TX-LA) continental shelf is demonstrated in this paper. One should expect the current field is a combination of two parts (G and E). Part G is the near surface part of the geostrophic current generated by the broad-scale wind over the shelf, plus possible influence from the offshore eddies. Part E is the near surface current produced by local Ekman dynamics. One should also expect that the direction and magnitude of part E is controlled by the local wind vector, while part G will tend to be constrained heavily by the local bathymetry of the shelf, which contributes the largest variance of the total near surface current. In order to indirectly obtain geostrophic current, the Ekman current can be determined using a direct calculation from the local wind stress vector. Since the local wind can be in any direction relative to the local shelf topography, a complex linear regression analysis statistical method to get the Ekman flow correctly over the shelf is used. The data set analyzed to obtain regression coefficient and correlation is simulated surface current time series at selected locations over the TX-LA shelf from September 10 to November 3, 2001, total 65 days in this "long" time series. The complex regression coefficient can also be expressed in polar form as a modulus and phase, where the phase gives the angle between the wind vector and the Ekman current vector. Negative angle representing clockwise rotation of the current vector from wind stress vector should be expected in the northern hemisphere. The observations from Texas Automated Buoy System (TABS) moorings R, B, F, D and J for this 55-day window are also used for comparison.
Autolytic enzyme associated with cell walls of Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract Autolysis of cell walls of the highly transformable strain 168 of Bacillus subtilis is accompanied by the release of N-terminal L-alanine without a concomitant release of C-terminal amino acids, reducing groups, or phosphomonoester groups. These observations show that the enzyme is an N-acylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase. Autolysis follows first order kinetics, requires an energy of activation of 9.2 kcal per mole, and results in the hydrolysis of 87% of the amide bonds between muramic acid and L-alanine. Since the enzyme is most active during logarithmic growth of the population, it is suggested that its action coupled with a transpeptidase is involved in the expansion of the cell wall.
Initial results from a multi-institutional collaboration to monitor harmful algal blooms in South Carolina.

The rapid rate of development in the South Carolina (SC) coastal zone has heightened public concern for the condition of the state’s estuaries, and alerted scientists to the potential that novel and adverse effects on estuarine ecosystems may result. Although well-developed databases from long-term monitoring programs exist for many variables valuable in predicting and following system responses, information on phytoplankton distributions in SC estuaries has lagged. Knowledge of the dynamical relationship between environmental (e.g., nutrient quantity and quality) and biological (e.g., grazing) regulation, and phytoplankton biomass and composition is critical to understanding estuarine susceptibility to eutrophication or harmful algal blooms (HABs). Recently, SC scientists from federal, state, and academic institutions established a collaborative monitoring program to assess HAB distribution and ecology statewide. The South Carolina Harmful Algal Bloom Program includes: a) intensive temporal monitoring at areas of known HAB occurrence or those exhibiting symptoms potentially related to HABs (e.g., prevalent fish lesions), b) extensive spatial monitoring in coordination with existing statewide efforts, c) a citizen volunteer monitoring network, d) nutrient response bioassays, and e) laboratory-based physiological experiments on HAB isolates. By combining “trip-wire” surveillance and rapid response systems, routine monitoring of environmental parameters and HAB distribution, and process-oriented studies examining the physiological functioning of HAB species, an enhanced understanding of the impact and environmental control of HABs in SC estuaries will be achieved. The application of this approach to studies on the distribution and physiological ecology of a new widespread SC red tide, and to the discovery of several potentially toxic blooms (including Pfiesteria) in SC holding ponds, are described.
Self-association and allosteric properties of glutamine-dependent carbamyl phosphate synthetase. Reversible dissociation to monomeric species.

Abstract Glutamine-dependent carbamyl phosphate synthetase from Escherichia coli can exist in two different conformations which exhibit, respectively, monomer sedimentation coefficients (s020,w) of 7.3 S and 8.7 S. Both conformations undergo rapid reversible self-association upon addition of potassium ions or ornithine. Formation of the 8.7 S conformation is promoted by the addition of phosphate ions. Low concentrations of urea (0.2 to 2.0 m) or guanidine hydrochloride (0.05 to 0.5 m), both of which inhibit the enzymatic activity, favor dissociation in potassium phosphate buffer, which is reversible. Ammonia has been found to be a potent allosteric activator of the enzyme. The presence of ammonia or ornithine (also an allosteric activator) promotes oligomer formation; the maximum sedimentation coefficient observed (in potassium phosphate buffer containing ornithine) is 14.8 S. Sedimentation equilibrium studies indicate the existence of tetramer or higher species in potassium phosphate buffer containing ornithine. Models are presented which explain the apparent relationship between allosteric regulation of the enzyme and its state of association.
Plasma amino acid kinetics during acute states of glucagon deficiency and excess in healthy adults.

The effects of glucagon deficiency and excess on plasma leucine, lysine, and alanine were examined in six healthy young adult men, with primed continuous infusions of L-[1-13C]- or L-[5,5,5-2H3]leucine, L-[alpha-15N]-lysine, and L-[3-13C]alanine for 150 min before and during 210 min of either a glucagon-deficient euglycemic state (experiment 1), a basal glucagon state (experiment 2), or a glucagon-excess state (experiment 3). Steady-state plasma hormone levels were achieved by infusion of somatostatin (250 micrograms/h) and insulin (0.07 mU.kg-1.min-1), without (experiment 1) or with an infusion of glucagon at 0.7 ng.kg-1.min-1 (experiment 2) or 2.5 ng.kg-1.min-1 (experiment 3). Plasma branched-chain amino acid (AA) concentrations did not change with altered glucagon status, whereas significant differences were observed for plasma lysine, alanine, glycine, serine, threonine, proline, tyrosine, citrulline, and ornithine levels (0.05 greater than P greater than 0.001). Plasma leucine, lysine, and alanine fluxes and the rate of de novo alanine synthesis showed no significant changes with either glucagon deficiency or excess. These findings lead to the conclusion that glucagon-induced alterations in plasma AA profiles are not due to changes in the rate of appearance of AA from peripheral tissues but rather a consequence of changes in the fate of AA within the splanchnic region.
Land surface skin temperature captures thermal environments of C3 and C4 grasses

Aim Numerous studies have documented ecological sorting of C3 and C4 grasses along air temperature gradients. However, phylogenetically structured analyses suggest that closely related C3 and C4 grasses (in the same PACMAD clade: Panicoideae, Arundinoideae, Chloridoideae, Micrairoideae, Aristidoideae and Danthonioideae) occur in environments with similar air temperature, challenging our understanding of how the photosynthetic pathway influences grass biogeography. To better understand thermal differences between C3 and C4 grass lineages, we analysed the surface radiative temperature as an alternative measure that is more closely aligned with plant microclimate. Location Hawaiian Islands, USA. Methods We used the MODIS land surface temperature (LST) product, a satellite-based measurement of radiative temperature. We compared LST with mean annual air temperature (MAT) for locations where C3 and C4 grass species were collected. We also utilized other satellite products, like MODIS tree cover, as a proxy for relative habitat openness where these grasses occur. Results Comparisons of C3 lineages [in BEP (Bambusoideae, Ehrhartoideae and Pooideae) and PACMAD clades] and C4 lineages (PACMAD clade only) illustrate the differing thermal environments for each group. C4 taxa are found in the environments with the highest MAT, followed by C3 PACMAD species. By contrast, C3 PACMAD species are found in the environments with the coolest LST, and the LST values for C3 BEP species are substantially higher than their MAT values. The difference in LST between C3 and C4 PACMADs is larger than the difference in MAT between these groups. Main conclusions Though LST has been used infrequently in ecology and biogeography, it is intimately related to water and energy balance and ecosystem structure, and should more accurately capture plant temperatures and microclimates than MAT. Our results provide support for a pronounced thermal difference in the environments of closely related C3 and C4 grass taxa, and show that C3 PACMADs occur in the coolest and least variable thermal environments, probably due to the greater tree cover of these habitats.
The Values of the Research University Should be Maximized to Strengthen Social Work Education

THE HIGHER EDUCATION SETTING for professional social work education has changed tremen dously since its establishment in American universities in the early 20th century. Until relatively recently, social work education was almost exclusively lodged in research univer sities.1 However, the substantial growth of programs over the last 30 years has occurred outside research university settings, and the research university is no longer the pri mary host for professional social work edu cation. Concomitantly the schools of social work lodged in research universities now have considerably less influence and play a much smaller role in social work professional education. The future of social work education in
Mathematical Models of Membrane Transport Processes

The burgeoning interest in membrane research reflects the central role played by membranes in physiological processes, together with the fact that most of the important membrane transport problems remain unsolved. These unsolved problems are frequently based on complex molecular interactions which are poorly understood. One of the first tasks confronting an investigator is to separate out those portions of transport processes that can be adequately described in elementary terms, e.g., in terms of diffusion and osmosis.
Automated Product Identification Using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

Product identification is a crucial success factor for any business that involves tangible assets. The success or failure of a business depends on accurately tracking these assets through their life cycle, from manufacturing to sale and post-sale activities. Barcodes have been the technology of choice since their first use on Wrigley's gum in 1974. The introduction of inexpensive yet effective electronic identification through the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) in the mid-1990s initiated a major transition in the product identification arena. As RFID technology has stabilized and its cost/scan has decreased, many businesses have adopted RFID and now realize a good return on investment (ROI) for the technology. In this article, we provide a summary of the technology and explore some of the major success factors in the proper adoption of the RFID technology for automated product identification. Keywords: RFID; supply chain; product identification; inventory optimization; return on investment
The THz magnetoconductivity tensor in a high mobility two-dimensional electron gas

Using THz-time-domain magneto-spectroscopy, we have studied the dynamics of a 2DEG (3.4×106 cm2 V−1 s−1) as a function of temperature (0.4 K–100 K). The decoherence lifetimes increase monotonically as temperature decreases below 1 K. We will discuss the mechanisms that contribute to the lifetimes.
Electrical instability as a function of myocardial infarction size

The predisposing factors for post-infarction ventricular arrhythmias are ill-defined, and although indirect evidence supports the possibility that size of acute myocardial infarction is an important determining factor, no direct evidence exists. We therefore studied 13 conscious dogs 3 to 4 days after acute myocardial infarction was produced by closed chest coronary artery occlusion. The right ventricle was stimulated by a series of single, followed by double extrastimuli, scanning from end-diastole toward the T wave during right ventricle pacing. Abnormal responses included: repetitive ventricular responses (RVR), short runs of ventricular tachycardia (VT), sustained VT (SVT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). An index of electrical instability was determined for each dog by the type of responses produced (score for VF>SVT>VT>RVR), the nature of the stimuli required to produce the responses (score for single>double) and the time in diastole at which they could be elicited (score for late>early diastole). Myocardial infarction size was measured by postmortem tetrazolium staining. Electrical instability correlated strongly with myocardial infarction size (r=.93). This is the first study utilizing direct measurement of myocardial infarction size to demonstrate that electrical instability several days post-AMI, as determined by electrical stimulation, is a function of myocardial infarction size.