cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation of Silicon Nanowire Bio-sensors

To summarize the results, we find that (a) the sensitivity of a NW-sensor depends on device parameters in unexpected ways, (b) sensitivity is greatly affected by the presence of water, and (c) for bio-molecule detection, for maximum sensitivity, the pH should be so chosen that the NW is in depletion. Our simulation results demonstrates, for the first time, that it is possible to interpret the conductance modulation of nano-bio sensors in terms of specific molecule conjugations and to systematically optimize sensor response as a function of sensor geometry and fluidic conditions.
Tertiary-treated municipal wastewater is a significant point source of antibiotic resistance genes into Duluth-Superior Harbor.

In this study, the impact of tertiary-treated municipal wastewater on the quantity of several antibiotic resistance determinants in Duluth-Superior Harbor was investigated by collecting surface water and sediment samples from 13 locations in Duluth-Superior Harbor, the St. Louis River, and Lake Superior. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to target three different genes encoding resistance to tetracycline (tet(A), tet(X), and tet(W)), the gene encoding the integrase of class 1 integrons (intI1), and total bacterial abundance (16S rRNA genes) as well as total and human fecal contamination levels (16S rRNA genes specific to the genus Bacteroides). The quantities of tet(A), tet(X), tet(W), intI1, total Bacteroides, and human-specific Bacteroides were typically 20-fold higher in the tertiary-treated wastewater than in nearby surface water samples. In contrast, the quantities of these genes in the St. Louis River and Lake Superior were typically below detection. Analysis of sequences of tet(W) gene fragments fro...
The quantum event of oceanic crustal accretion: impacts of diking at mid-ocean ridges.

Seafloor diking-eruptive events represent the irreducible, quantum events of upper oceanic crustal accretion. They record events by which a large portion of the oceanic crust has formed through geological history. Since 1993, the U.S. Navy's real-time Sound Surveillance System has allowed location of ongoing acoustic signatures of dike emplacement and basalt eruptions at ridge crests in the northeast Pacific. These diking-eruptive events trigger a sequence of related, rapidly evolving physical, chemical, and biological processes. Magmatic volatiles released during these events may provide nutrients for communities of subseafloor microorganisms, some of which thrive in high-temperature anaerobic environments. Many of the organisms identified from these systems are Archaea. If microorganisms can thrive in the water-saturated pores and cracks within deep, volcanically active portions of our planet, other hydrothermally active planets may harbor similar life forms.
Deconstructing Categories: The Exposure of Silent Racism

Although racism remains an enduring social problem in the United States, few white people see themselves as racist. In an effort to study this paradox, the research discussed here explores racism among those in the “ not racist” category. Eight focus groups were conducted in which twenty-e ve well-meaning white women talked openly about racism; subsequently, the women kept journals to record their thoughts on racism. Findings indicate that silent racism pervades the “ not racist” category. “ Silent racism” refers to negative thoughts and attitudes regarding African Americans and other people of color on the part of white people, including those who see themselves and are generally seen by others as not racist. An apparent implication of silent racism inhabiting the “ not racist” category is that the historical construction racist/not racist is no longer meaningful. Moreover, data show that the “ not racist” category itself produces latent effects that serve to maintain the racial status quo. I propose replacing the oppositional either/ or categories with a continuum that accurately ree ects racism in the United States today.
Reversal of chaperone activity loss of glycated αA-crystallin by a crosslink breaker

The chaperone function of α-crystallin is significantly affected in diabetes. Increased formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is the likely cause. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of AGE crosslinks on the chaperone activity of α-crystallin and to show the effect of an AGEs crosslink breaker, phenacyl-4,5-dimethylthiazolium bromide (DMPTB). Recombinant αA-crystallin was prepared by expressing it in Escherichia coli and purified by size exclusion chromatography. Glycation of αA-crystallin was performed with 1–100 mM glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) as the glycating agent for a period of 1–15 days. To break AGE crosslinks, pre-glycated αA-crystallin was treated with 0.1–20 mM DMPTB for 3 days. Excess G6P and DMPTB were removed by gel filtration before performing additional experiments. AGEs and crosslinked proteins were estimated by measuring non-tryptophan fluorescence and by SDS-PAGE. Chaperone activity was determined with alcohol dehydrogenase as the target protein. With increasing duration of glycation and G6P concentration, chaperone activity of α-crystallin decreased. When pre-glycated αA-crystallin was treated with 5–20 mM DMPTB, a DMPTB concentration-dependent recovery of chaperone activity was seen. Lower concentrations, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mM, of DMPTB also showed significant recovery of the chaperone activity. SDS-PAGE analysis after DMPTB treatment showed 40% decrease in crosslinked proteins and fluorescence scan indicated 30% decrease in AGEs. DMPTB is expected to regain α-crystallin chaperone activity and provide structural stability to other eye lens proteins that are in aggregation mode which emphasizes the clinical importance of the present finding.
R-shell: a UNIX-based development environment for robotics

R-shell is an application-oriented extension of the regular UNIX shell that provides robotics-related data-manipulation and world-modeling capabilities. Its main purpose is to assist in the preparation of input data for the testing and evaluation of algorithms in the area of robotics. R-shell maintains a set of variables which can be defined and modified through a set of UNIX-like commands, and later accessed from independent user programs. R-shell commands generally fall into three groups: general commands, object commands and manipulator commands. General commands manipulate R-shell variables through various robotic-related and algebraic transformations. Object commands provide for the creation of a kinematic model of the robot environment. Manipulator commands define manipulator types, create manipulators, and perform various kinematic computations. >
Micro projection lithography inside deep trenches using microlens on a mask

This paper presents a micro projection lithography process which enables the patterning of photoresist at the bottom surface of deep cavities, using microlenses formed directly on the mask. Arrays of cylindrical plano-convex microlenses on conventional photomasks have been fabricated by a photoresist melting and reflow technique, thereby augmenting the proximity lithography performance of these masks. Patterning results inside deep trenches have been analyzed. A maximum pattern width reduction of 64% for a 60µm rectangular pattern at the bottom of a 216µm-deep trench has been achieved with a microlens with a focal length of 267µm. The effect of the focal length variation on the pattern size variation has been analyzed.
Spatial confinement is a major determinant of the folding landscape of human chromosomes

The global architecture of the cell nucleus and the spatial organization of chromatin play important roles in gene expression and nuclear function. Single-cell imaging and chromosome conformation capture-based techniques provide a wealth of information on the spatial organization of chromosomes. However, a mechanistic model that can account for all observed scaling behaviors governing long-range chromatin interactions is missing. Here we describe a model called constrained self-avoiding chromatin (C-SAC) for studying spatial structures of chromosomes, as the available space is a key determinant of chromosome folding. We studied large ensembles of model chromatin chains with appropriate fiber diameter, persistence length and excluded volume under spatial confinement. We show that the equilibrium ensemble of randomly folded chromosomes in the confined nuclear volume gives rise to the experimentally observed higher-order architecture of human chromosomes, including average scaling properties of mean-square spatial distance, end-to-end distance, contact probability and their chromosome-to-chromosome variabilities. Our results indicate that the overall structure of a human chromosome is dictated by the spatial confinement of the nuclear space, which may undergo significant tissue- and developmental stage-specific size changes.
Scholarly Innovation for Difficult Times

Our current global situation is characterized by multiple crises, implying a need to think outside traditional disciplines and boundaries. Problem-based, international teams of collaborative workers, scholars, and researchers are needed to bring new knowledge and perspective to our situation. This congress is a good beginning point for this process.
Host Modulation as a Therapeutic Strategy in the Treatment of Periodontal Disease

Specific microorganisms initiate the immunoinflammatory processes that destroy tissue in periodontitis. Recent work has demonstrated, in addition to bacterial control, that modulation of the host immunoinflammatory response is also capable of controlling periodontitis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) destroy collagen and other matrix components, and the osteoclastic bone remodeling determines the periodontal bone response to a bacterial challenge. Other components of the biology, including cytokines and prostanoids, regulate MMPs and bone remodeling and are also involved in regulating the production of defensive elements, such as antibody. Agents directed at blocking MMPs or osteoclastic activity are effective in reducing periodontitis. Agents that inhibit prostaglandin E 2 and selective blockage of specific cytokines have also been effective. Improved knowledge of bacterium-host interactions and of the processes leading to tissue destruction will help to identify targets for host modulation to reduce periodontitis in selected situations.
Gender differences in sleep and sleep-disordered breathing

Sleep and sleep disorders are different in several important ways between men and women. Because of pregnancy and menopause, women experience changes in sleep that may present as clinical problems. In clinical populations, women are more likely to present with insomnia than are men, although their sleep may be better preserved. The presentation of sleep apnea in women is distinct from that of men and is less likely to include a "classic" history of witnessed ap-nea or heavy snoring. More likely it presents with nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue or mood disturbance. There are little data on the effects of different treatments for OSA between men and women. OHS is a syndrome that may be as common in women as in men. The role of hormones in its pathophysiology is not well-defined.
Physician Perspectives on Fall Prevention and Monitoring in Assisted Living: A Pilot Study

Objective To investigate physician perspectives on their own role and the role of residential care/assisted living (RC/AL) staff in fall prevention and monitoring among RC/AL residents. Design Exploratory cross-sectional study. Mailed questionnaire. Setting RC/AL communities. Participants Primary physicians (N = 36) for residents of 4 RC/AL communities in North Carolina. Measurements Theory of Planned Behavior constructs were used to measure physician attitudes, perceived expectations, and perceived barriers to conducting fall risk assessments, medication reviews for potential side effects related to falls, and working with RC/AL staff to reduce falls and fall risks among RC/AL residents. Results Physicians expressed strong support for conducting fall risk assessment of patients in RC/AL communities, believing that these assessments were likely to uncover risks that might be preventable; however, they reported conducting such assessments for only 47% of their RC/AL patients. They believed RC/AL staff had greater responsibility than they did for conducting these assessments, although they believed the staff had less expertise to do so. Further, they believed they were significantly (P Conclusion This study provides the first data on physician perspectives on an important issue of quality care and quality of life in RC/AL communities—fall prevention and monitoring among RC/AL residents. Findings point to the need for greatly improved communications between primary physicians and RC/AL staff about residents at high risk for falls and responsibility for conducting fall risk assessments.
Byte Code Transformations using XSL Stylesheets

Virtual machines (VMs) facilitate the deployment of applications in heterogeneous environments. Popular VMs such as Sun Microsystempsilas Java VM or Microsoftpsilas common language runtime (CLR) are based on stack-based machines to execute byte code instructions. Implementations of VMs are available for devices like cell phones, personal computers, or chip-cards. It is of obvious economic benefit to be able to map byte code instructions from one VM to the other. By doing so, developers for one VM can deploy their applications on the other VM. The CLR offers several features not found in the JVM. The focus of this paper is to map CLR byte code instructions to appropriate JVM instructions using a declarative approach by making extensive use of XML technologies. More specifically, we will show how to use XSL stylesheets to achieve the cross-compilation of CLR byte code instructions to the JVM.
3‐Methyl‐2‐butenylmagnesium Chloride

(X = Cl) [32916-51-1] C5H9ClMg (MW 128.90) InChI = 1S/C5H9.ClH.Mg/c1-4-5(2)3;;/h4H,1H2,2-3H3;1H;/q;;+1/p-1 InChIKey = LICPNZOGRCGBTL-UHFFFAOYSA-M (X = Br) [63847-45-0] C5H9BrMg (MW 173.35) InChI = 1S/C5H9.BrH.Mg/c1-4-5(2)3;;/h4H,1H2,2-3H3;1H;/q;;+1/p-1 InChIKey = LPZLSASBWHZOMX-UHFFFAOYSA-M (terpene synthesis) Alternate Names: chloro(3-methyl-2-butenyl)magnesium; prenylmagnesium chloride. Physical Data: 13C NMR solution data have been reported.2 Solubility: sol ether, THF. Purification: solutions should be titrated before use by one of the standard methods. Preparative Methods: prepared in situ under an inert atmosphere from prenyl chloride and an excess of magnesium in ether3 or in THF.4 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: is air- and moisture-sensitive and is best stored at −20 °C under argon.
A Note on Global Hicksian Stability Conditions

Abstract The following paper demonstrates that in a Walrasian economy if the Jacobian of excess demands is Hicksian over the entire price domain, then there exists a sign preserving function of excess demands such that the dynamic tâtonnement process is globally stable.
The moments of the area under reflected Brownian bridgeconditional on its local time at zero

This paper develops a recursion formula for the conditional moments of the area under the absolute value of Brownian bridge given the local time at 0. The method of power series leads to a Hermite equation for the generating function of the coefficients which is solved in terms of the parabolic cylinder functions. By integrating out the local time variable, this leads to an integral expression for the joint moments of the areas under the positive and negative parts of the Brownian bridge.
Endogenous Stimulators and Inhibitors of Angiogenesis in Gastrointestinal Cancers: Basic Science to Clinical Application

Progression of cancer is dependent on acquisition of vascular networks within the tumor. Tumor angiogenesis is dependent on up-regulation of angiogenesis stimulators to overcome the endogenous anti-angiogenic barrier. Such disruption of angiogenesis balance to favor neovascularization is a key step for progression of tumor growth and metastasis. In this regard, the vascular basement membrane and the extracellular matrix have been found to be rich sources of angiogenesis stimulators and inhibitors that become bioavailable on proteolysis of the matrix by tumor microenvironment–related enzymes. In this review the subgroup of endogenous angiogenesis stimulators and inhibitors is discussed, and their mechanism of action during tumor angiogenesis is evaluated. The role in regulating tumor growth and the possibility of using them as prognostic markers for human gastrointestinal cancers is discussed. Furthermore, we specifically address the role of vascular endothelial growth factor in human gastrointestinal cancers and discuss the development and use of bevacizumab (Avastin; anti–vascular endothelial growth factor antibody [Genentech, CA]) in the treatment of colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers.
Expanded Tropism and Altered Activation of a Retroviral Glycoprotein Resistant to an Entry Inhibitor Peptide

The envelope of class I viruses can be a target for potent viral inhibitors, such as the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) inhibitor enfuvirtide, which are derived from the C-terminal heptad repeat (HR2) of the transmembrane (TM) subunit. Resistance to an HR2-based peptide inhibitor of a model retrovirus, subgroup A of the Avian Sarcoma and Leukosis Virus genus (ASLV-A), was studied by examining mutants derived by viral passage in the presence of inhibitor. Variants with reduced sensitivity to inhibitor were readily selected in vitro. Sensitivity determinants were identified for 13 different isolates, all of which mapped to the TM subunit. These determinants were identified in two regions: (i) the N-terminal heptad repeat (HR1) and (ii) the N-terminal segment of TM, between the subunit cleavage site and the fusion peptide. The latter class of mutants identified a region outside of the predicted HR2-binding site that can significantly alter sensitivity to inhibitor. A subset of the HR1 mutants displayed the unanticipated ability to infect nonavian cells. This expanded tropism was associated with increased efficiency of envelope triggering by soluble receptor at low temperatures, as measured by protease sensitivity of the surface subunit (SU) of envelope. In addition, expanded tropism was linked for the most readily triggered mutants with increased sensitivity to neutralization by SU-specific antiserum. These observations depict a class of HR2 peptide-selected mutations with a reduced activation threshold, thereby allowing the utilization of alternative receptors for viral entry.
Fourier analysis and the kinetic theory of gases

In the so-called Bernoulli model of the kinetic theory of gases, where (1) the particles are dimensionless points, (2) they are contained in a cube container, (3) no attractive or exterior force is acting on them, (4) there is no collision between the particles, (5) the collisions against the walls of the container are according to the law of elastic collision, we deduce from Newtonian mechanics two basic probabilistic limit laws about particle-counting. The first one is a global central limit theorem, and the second one is a local Poisson law. The key fact is that we can prove the “realistic limit”: first the time interval is fixed and the number of particles tends to infinity (where the density particle/volume remains a fixed constant), and then, in the second step, the time tends to infinity.
Whole-mantle convection and plate tectonics

Summary. It seems unlikely that the lower mantle is not involved in motions related to plate tectonics. The evidence relating to several alleged obstacles to lower-mantle convection is reviewed. The evidence for a chemical composition difference between the upper and lower mantle is not compelling. There now seems to be good evidence that the viscosity of the mantle is fairly uniform, contrary to a widely-held view, except possibly in the oceanic upper mantle. Phase changes may locally enhance or retard thermal convection, but are unlikely to prevent it. It is not necessary to assume that descending lithospheric slabs cannot penetrate below 700 km depth in order to explain the distribution and source mechanisms of deep earthquakes. Other recent seismic evidence suggests deep-mantle heterogeneities which may be related to large-scale flow. The behaviour of some simple layered-fluid models is analysed to show the effect of viscosity contrasts. The results indicate that the lower mantle would have to be 10000 times more viscous than the upper mantle in order to confine thermal convection to the upper mantle. The lower mantle would have to be at least 1000 times more viscous than the upper mantle in order to exclude viscous flow entrained by the moving plates. Alternatively, a shallow low-viscosity hyer would have to be about 10 000 times less viscous than the underlying mantle for the 'return' flow to be confined to it. These and other results indicate that only extreme viscosity contrasts (arising from non-linear or temperature-dependent rheology, for instance, as well as from different physical states) significantly affect large-scale flow patterns, and that flow patterns are strongly affected by moving boundaries. A version of whole-mantle thermal convection is proposed which seems to be capable of explaining the main features of plate tectonics: the buoyancy forces are concentrated in, but not confined to, the descending lithospheric slabs. Descending slabs would then cause their attached plates to move rapidly, as in the Elsasser model. The flow entrained by the fast plates would dominate the flow pattern in the mantle: convection cells under fast plates would be amplified; those under other plates would have smaller amplitudes and would fit between the fast cells. This model can qualitatively account for
Phylogenetic relationships of Rhododendroideae (Ericaceae).

The Rhododendroideae are usually recognized as a subfamily within Ericaceae. This group has been considered primitive (i.e., occupying the ancestral or basal position relative to all other Ericaceae) due to the occurrence of separate petals in several taxa, deciduous corollas, and septicidally dehiscent capsules. Previous molecular studies using rbcL and nr18s sequences have indicated that Rhododendroideae may be paraphyletic and cladistically derived (i.e., the relative position in the geneology of Ericaceae is not basal). The matK sequences of 42 taxa from traditional Rhododendroideae and potentially related clades were obtained via standard gene amplication and double-stranded dideoxy sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses of these sequences using Actinidia chinensis as the outgroup indicate that the Rhododendroideae are paraphyletic. Trees obtained in the analyses indicate an expanded rhododendroid clade that includes four major subclades - empetroid, rhodo, ericoid, and phyllodocoid. The ericoid clade is sister to the phyllodocoid clade and the empetroid clade is sister to the rhodo clade. Relationships within the clades are generally well resolved except within the rhodo clade where matK data indicate that Rhododendron is probably paraphyletic. Daboecia and Calluna are included within the ericoid clade; Erica is paraphyletic. Cassiope lies outside the rhododendroid clade. The relationships indicated by the matK data suggest that sympetalous flowers are likely plesiomorphic within rhododendroids.
An Analysis of Nonreciprocal Microstrip

Some progress has been reported in the development of nonreciprocal and magnetically variable devices in the microstrip transmission medium. Further investigation and analysis remain in order for optimum performance to be characterized theoretically and achieved in practice. The objectives are to achieve favorable performance in insertion loss and bandwidth of phase shifters and other components, an acceptable combination of microwave characteristics and switching properties in variable devices, and freedom from spurious interactions between these components and the circuits in which they are imbedded.
25 kV trackside vacuum and SF/sub 6/ switchgear on Britain's railways

This paper examines the development and use of 25 kV single phase vacuum and SF6 trackside switchgear on Britain's Railways. 25 kV switchgear has been in use on the railway electrification system for more than 35 years. Initially this took the form of bulk oil switchgear but in the late 1960s there was significant interest in the potential use of new switchgear technology on the railway system. The author discusses the progression to vacuum switchgear, and then to SF6 switchgear in the 1990s. (3 pages)
A New Species of Stream Frog of the Genus Hylarana from the Mountains of Southern Mindanao Island, Philippines

Abstract: I describe a new species of frog of the Hylarana signata species complex from Mt. Busa, Sarangani and South Cotobato provinces, southern Mindanao Island, Philippines. The new species is distinguished from all other members of the H. signata complex by a unique combination of characters of external morphology, biochemical allelic variation, and the species’ position in phylogeny, estimated by analysis of multilocus DNA sequence data. Justification for recognition of the new species is further supported by marked sequence divergence in mitochondrial and nuclear genes. The new species has been collected only once in >20 yr despite targeted survey efforts on Mindanao, and multiple possible explanations are available to explain its extreme rarity. The recognition of this species, on the basis of a single previously misidentified specimen, accentuates the importance of collecting large sample sizes of specimens during faunistic surveys. Recognition of a new species from a locality that has now been h...
Statistical Portrait of Suffering in America

Suffering is multifaceted and encompasses pain, depression, anxiety, grief, existential suffering, and social suffering. These types of suffering were operationalized in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) of non-institutionalized adults in the USA. Over 6,000 were interviewed in 2010 on pain-related topics. Estimates were derived for 14 types of suffering, many of which tend to occur together. About 52 million people, or one in four of Americans 18 or older, reported having a recent, significant case of pain, depression, or anxiety. Even if we limit our count of the suffering to extreme suffering–those who describe their experience with pain to be “excruciating and unbearable” or their depression so bad that they sometimes “cannot get out of bed,” we find that 13 % Americans (25 million adults) struggle nearly every day. Most types of suffering, except existential suffering, are more common among women, those over age 55, and those with a relative low income. One of the important findings was that suffering plays a greater role in predicting quality of life (QOL) than does health, income, and social support. Finding so much suffering in a contemporary, affluent society raises the possibility that affluence itself through lifestyles and beliefs produces suffering not typically found in poverty stricken nations.
Telemicrobiology: Focusing on Quality in an Era of Laboratory Consolidation

The misinterpretation of or delay in reporting Gram stains or other microscopic examinations negatively impacts patient safety and can lead to inappropriate treatment, including unnecessary test procedures, ineffective antimicrobial therapy, and increased length of stay. Conversely, when a positive blood culture or spinal fluid Gram stain is reported appropriately and quickly, deployment of appropriate treatment regimens is expedited and is directly associated with decreased patient morbidity and mortality, decreased hospital stay, and overall improvement in patient outcomes. The misreading of microbiological specimens is a major concern in an era of laboratory consolidation and is only amplified by a shortage of well-qualified laboratory personnel who specialize in microbiology. Thus, the placement of telemicroscopy within the clinical microbiology laboratory is a real-world solution that will provide support for the interpretation of difficult specimens requiring microscopy and provide an additional layer of support for laboratory personnel who lack microbiology expertise.
Biology of Winter Stoneflies in a Central Indiana Stream (Plecoptera)

The winter stonefly fauna of Little Pine Creek, Warren County, Indiana, was sampled during the winters of 1967–68 and 1968–69. Weekly collections were taken from 6 sampling sites, each site provided with 4 sampling stations. Five species, Allocapnia recta (Claassen), A. granulata (Claassen), A. vivipara (Claassen), A. rickeri Frison, and Taeniopteryx burksi Ricker and Ross, occurred in the stream. Factors which account for species coexistence include differential seasonal development, preference for different stream-bottom types, and differing response to current-bottom interaction.
Influence mechanism of clustered firm's local network on knowledge acquisition performance

Aiming at the problem whether clustered firms could share knowledge resources equally,the influence mechanism of clustered firm's local network on knowledge acquisition performance was investigated by using the "structure-relationship" analysis method of ego-centric network theory.A model of clustered firm's local network was put forward,from which characteristic variables describing clustered firm's local network were determined.Network size and network scope was used to represent the structural characteristics,while network relationship intensity and network relationship durability were used to represent the relational characteristics.By expatiating the influence of these variables on clustered firm's knowledge acquisition performance and analyzing the mediating effects of knowledge acquisition's key factors on the influence,a conceptual model illustrating the influence mechanism was established,which provided theoretical foundation for promotion of knowledge management in clustered firms.
High density of (pseudo) periodic twin-grain boundaries in molecular beam epitaxy-grown van der Waals heterostructure: MoTe2/MoS2

Growth of transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) promises synthesis of artificial van der Waals materials with controllable layer compositions and separations. Here, we show that MBE growth of 2H-MoTe2 monolayers on MoS2 substrates results in a high density of mirror-twins within the films. The grain boundaries are tellurium deficient, suggesting that Te-deficiency during growth causes their formation. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy reveal that the grain boundaries arrange in a pseudo periodic “wagon wheel” pattern with only ∼2.6 nm repetition length. Defect states from these domain boundaries fill the band gap and thus give the monolayer an almost metallic property. The band gap states pin the Fermi-level in MoTe2 and thus determine the band-alignment in the MoTe2/MoS2 interface.
Evaluation Parameters and Criterion for Waterflooded Formation Logging of High-freezing Reservoir

Aimed at waterflooded condition and property of high-freezing reservoir at high water cut stage in the lower Sha-3 Segment(S 4_3 ), Block Shen-84,Liaohe Oilfield,and based on gray system oilfield development analysis ways and principles,the reservoir lithologic characteriistics,physical property and waterflooded condition at high cut stage are counted according to different representative parameters,and the evaluation parameters,criterion and weight coefficients for fine evaluation of waterflooded formation in high-freezing reservoir are advanced and established, through well logging, core analysis,production test and correlative geologic data to match,imitate and pick up parameters. By the fine evaluation and processing of waterflooded formation of 174 wells in this area, the waterflooded condition and vertical distribution regularity of remaining oil of Sha-3 Segment high-freezing reservoir in Block Shen-84 are clarfied.
Nitrous Oxide Production and Reduction in Seasonally-Flooded Cultivated Peatland Soils

Biogeochemical controls of N₂O production and reduction during denitrification in cultivated and intermittently flooded peatland soils are poorly understood. Soils from sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), vegetable, turfgrass, and uncultivated subtropical peatlands in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) were studied to elucidate influence of land use on N₂O production and reduction. Under ambient soil conditions, intensively managed, tilled soils (sugarcane and vegetable) had 1.5 to 4 times lower N₂O production and reduction than turfgrass soils. Uncultivated soils had 130 to 270% higher N₂O production than tilled soils but had similar N₂O reduction compared with tilled soils. A lower ratio of N₂O reduction to production was observed for uncultivated soils compared to other land uses. Net N₂O production was highest for uncultivated soils and decreased in the order of turfgrass, vegetable, and sugarcane soils. For all land uses, N₂O production was limited by electron donors (labile organic C) but not by electron acceptors (NO₃⁻). Depletion of labile organic C through long-term soil oxidation after drainage resulted in limited availability of this energy source for denitrifying microorganisms. In addition, high residual NO₃⁻ resulting from organic N mineralization and inorganic fertilizer additions inhibited N₂O reduction. Our results suggest that sugarcane production is likely to reduce N₂O emissions from the EAA compared with other current land uses. Management practices with addition of labile organic C to the EAA soils may possibly result in N₂O emission pulses because of the greater stimulation of labile organic C on N₂O production than on N₂O reduction.
Fruit development and ripening: A molecular perspective

Publisher Summary Fruits developed from one flower are divisible into two broad categories referred to as simple or aggregate, whereas the inflorescence-derived fruit are considered multiple fruit. Fruit development involves three basic phases. The first phase is the development of the ovary and the initiation of the cell division, together called a fruit set. In the second phase, cell division is the predominant feature. During the third phase, fruit increases in size mainly by cell expansion. Each phase of fruit development and ripening involves specific gene activity as revealed by transcriptomic analyses. Fruit ripening is a complex process regulated by both genetic and epigenetic factors. It includes changes occurring in physiologically mature green fruit through the early stages of senescence and is responsible for characteristic aesthetic and/ or food quality attributes of fruit. During ripening, a fruit undergoes a dramatic shift in gene expression that results in many desirable changes including texture and firmness, sugar accumulation, reduction in organic acids, alterations in pigments leading to development of characteristic color, and production of volatiles responsible for flavor and aroma. Ethylene is known to play a central role in fruit ripening, and only recently the recognition has also dawned that other molecules and/or processes likely interact and impact the fruit physiology and desirable attributes of edible fruits.
Distribution of Landholdings in Rural India: A Comparative Study of Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Non-Scheduled Caste and Tribes

The study, based on Nss data, reveals thal the per cent of Total land Owned by the Households Belonging to Non-scheduled Caste and Tribe Declined by varying Degree during the 1980s practically in all the Major States of India. It, Pari Passu Implies an Increase in the Share of Land Owned by the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Households. Nonetheless, the per Cent of total Land, accounted for by Scheduled Caste Households was much less Compared to their Share in Total Population and also Compared to the Land Owned by the remaining Two Social Groups. Likewise, notwithstanding Decline in the Incidence of landlessness among all the Three Social groups in a Majority of the States, the Proportion of Landless Households among Scheduled Castes in about Half the States, was Higher Compared to both Scheduled Tribes and Non-scheduled Castes, and Tribes. The Amount of Total Land accounted for by Scheduled Caste Households was also Highly Unequally Distributed. Tne Extent of Inequaiities in the Distribution of Land, Measured by Gini Coefficient, mthe Proportion of Total Land Accounted for by the Households at the Top 1 Per Cent, 5 per Cent, 10 per Cent and 20 per Cent and the area Owned by Large Holdings, increased further between 1982 and 1992 in a majorily of the States Pointing towards an acceleration in the Process of Polarisation of Landholdings among Scheduled Castes.
Exosite Interactions Contribute to the Activated Protein C-Catalyzed Inactivation of Factor VIIIa.

Activated Protein C (APC) is an anticoagulant serine protease that proteolytically inactivates cofactors Va and VIIIa. Cleavage of human factor VIIIa occurs at Arg336 and Arg562 located within the A1 and A2 subunits, respectively. While cleavages are not ordered, the former site appears to represent a preferred cleavage site. Efficient catalysis requires binding of APC to a phospholipid surface and to the A3-C1-C2 subunit of factor VIIIa. The latter observation suggests that APC likely binds substrate via an exosite(s) thereby contributing to substrate specificity. A study was undertaken to evaluate contributions of substrate docking at the active site and exosite tethering to the APC catalytic mechanism. Recombinant, human factor VIII mutants where P1 Arg residues at 336 and 562 were substituted with Ala or Gln were constructed and stably expressed. Purified factor VIII was converted to factor VIIIa by thrombin and used as substrate to elucidate the mechanism of cleavages. Proteins mutated at Arg336 were also mutated at Lys338 because the latter residue may serve as an alternative APC cleavage site when residue 336 is mutated. Rates of inactivation of wild type and mutant factor VIIIa molecules and rates of cleavage at Arg336 and Arg562 by APC were monitored in the presence and absence of protein S. The R336A/K338A mutant was inactivated and cleaved at the 336 site approximately 20-fold slower than the wild type, whereas the R336Q/K338Q mutant was completely resistant to cleavage at the 336 site. These results indicate that residues other than Arg may be tolerated at the P1 site, whereas Gln yields a cleavage-resistant substrate. Indeed, the R336Q/K338Q/R562Q (triple Q) mutant was resistant to cleavage at both P1 sites. Furthermore, mutations retarding cleavage at residue 336 showed a dramatic decrease in rates of inactivation suggesting that cleavage at this site correlated with the inactivation of factor VIIIa. The importance of exosite interactions was explored by inhibition experiments examining the inactivation of wild type factor VIIIa in the presence of triple Q mutant factor VIIIa. Wild type factor VIIIa inactivation rates decreased as the proportion of triple Q factor VIIIa increased, indicating that the P1 mutant factor VIIIa effectively sequestered APC from the native substrate. Evaluation of inactivation rates suggested that APC possessed an ~8-fold greater affinity for the triple Q FVIIIa than the wild type factor VIIIa. Consistent with that observation, the Ki for triple Q factor VIIIa (29.5 ± 3.6 nM) was ~5-fold less than the Km for wild type factor VIIIa (133 ± 27 nM). Taken together, these results indicate that mutations in the P1 site that prevent cleavage may also retard dissociation of the enzyme-substrate complex. Overall, results from this study suggest that exosite interactions make a primary contribution to substrate affinity during APC-catalyzed inactivation of factor VIIIa.
Anaphylaxis after zoster vaccine: Implicating alpha-gal allergy as a possible mechanism.

A patient with alpha-gal allergy presented with anaphylaxis after receiving zoster vaccine. Subsequent testing of selected vaccines revealed the presence of alpha-gal allergen in MMR and zoster vaccines, which have in common a higher content of gelatin and content of bovine calf serum.
The Impact of Rating Recalibration on Municipal Bond Yield Spreads

In this paper, we examine the effects of the global rating recalibration conducted by Moody's and Fitch credit rating agencies in early 2010. We test the hypothesis forwarded by the rating agencies that the recalibration was “yield neutral.” Using time series methods, we find that the rating recalibration brought a structural change to the municipal bond market and increased the spread of municipal bonds in the Aaa, Aa, and A rating categories over their risk-free comparison group by approximately 15 basis points. The impact of the rating recalibration on the spread of Baa-rated bonds was not statistically significant.
A blood-based biomarker panel to risk-stratify mild traumatic brain injury.

Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) accounts for the vast majority of the nearly two million brain injuries suffered in the United States each year. Mild TBI is commonly classified as complicated (radiographic evidence of intracranial injury) or uncomplicated (radiographically negative). Such a distinction is important because it helps to determine the need for further neuroimaging, potential admission, or neurosurgical intervention. Unfortunately, imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are costly and not without some risk. The purpose of this study was to screen 87 serum biomarkers to identify a select panel of biomarkers that would predict the presence of intracranial injury as determined by initial brain CT. Serum was collected from 110 patients who sustained a mild TBI within 24 hours of blood draw. Two models were created. In the broad inclusive model, 72kDa type IV collagenase (MMP-2), C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine kinase B type (CKBB), fatty acid binding protein—heart (hFABP), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and malondialdehyde modified low density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) significantly predicted injury visualized on CT, yielding an overall c-statistic of 0.975 and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98.6. In the parsimonious model, MMP-2, CRP, and CKBB type significantly predicted injury visualized on CT, yielding an overall c-statistic of 0.964 and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.2. These results suggest that a serum based biomarker panel can accurately differentiate patients with complicated mild TBI from those with uncomplicated mild TBI. Such a panel could be useful to guide early triage decisions, including the need for further evaluation or admission, especially in those environments in which resources are limited.
Another Face of the Archimedean Property

We show that the Archimedean property for an abstract ordered field is equivalent to several convergence conditions from calculus, most notably the validity of the geometric series test.
Catecholamide Iron Chelators: Antiproliferative Activity on Human Pathogens and Neoplasm

A ubiquitous element, iron constitutes five percent of the earth’s crust. Iron flavoproteins, hydroperoxidases, cytochrome P450, oxygenases and ribonucleotide reductase are among numerous iron-dependent enzymes.1 Accessibility of iron by procaryotic and eucaryotic unicellular and multicellular organisms is limited by the poor aqueous solubility of iron. Soluble ferric iron cerncentrations are only 10-18M in neutral aqueous solutions.2,3 Bacteria, on the other hand, require iron concentrations of 1 × 10-6 to 5 × 10-8M for efficient growth.4 Bacteria and fungi secrete into their environment low molecular weight (500 – 1000 dalton) non-peptide ferric iron specific chelators known as siderophores to accomplish iron assimilation.5–8 In contrast, most mammalian cells utilize the protein transferrin as their iron transport chelators.9 One transferrin molecule contains two sites capable of binding one ferric iron atom each. Iron binding is pH sensitive with best activity at pH values above 6.5.9 SV40-transformed BALB/3T3 cells grown in α-picolinic acid do not have a transferrin requirement.10
Irritability and aggression in persistent youth concussions

Objective To assess whether irritability and aggression are viable indicators of persistent post-concussive symptoms in adolescents. Design Group differences between those diagnosed with concussions were analysed using ANOVAs (p Setting Outpatient clinic. Participants 46 concussed adolescents age 12–17 with persisting concussion symptoms were assessed. Athletes were split into two groups: those endorsing irritability/aggression (AGG, n=24) and a control group of those denying irritability/aggression (CON, n=22). Those with baseline psychiatric history and/or special education were excluded. Assessment of risk factors Post-concussive symptom variable relationships were assessed. Outcome measures group differences were analysed using ANOVAs. Results Adolescents endorsing irritability/aggression reported more fatigue (p=0.002), disordered sleep (p=0.001), anxiety (p=0.028), depression (p=0.003), and mood lability (p Conclusions Results indicate that adolescents with self-reported irritability and aggression post-concussion were more likely to display more affective symptoms than those who did not endorse irritability and aggression following concussions. They were also more likely to complain of fatigue and disordered sleep. These findings suggest that change in level of irritability/aggression could potentially serve as an identifiable indicator for parents and coaches to recognise when an adolescent is not recovering well post-concussion. Competing interests None.
The role of confianza in ethnic social communication among Mexican immigrants making lives in the United States

ABSTRACTThis research investigates how the cultural construct of confianza shapes Mexican ethnic social communication, or coethnic interaction, during adaptation. Using the ethnography of communication, this paper illustrates how confianza makes available the communicative means of revealing oneself, speaking directively, and asking questions, but makes unavailable the means of violating confidences, judging, and expressing superiority. This research argues that the complexity of these coethnic interactions warrants additional research and suggests that scholars begin their studies by considering if and to what extent immigrants feel able to engage with one another prior to investigating adaptive outcomes of their interactions.
Multilateral surgical pattern cutting in 2D orthotropic gauze with deep reinforcement learning policies for tensioning

In the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) standard medical training regimen, the Pattern Cutting task requires residents to demonstrate proficiency by maneuvering two tools, surgical scissors and tissue gripper, to accurately cut a circular pattern on surgical gauze suspended at the corners. Accuracy of cutting depends on tensioning, wherein the gripper pinches a point on the gauze in R3 and pulls to induce and maintain tension in the material as cutting proceeds. An automated tensioning policy maps the current state of the gauze to output a direction of pulling as an action. The optimal tensioning policy depends on both the choice of pinch point and cutting trajectory. We explore the problem of learning a tensioning policy conditioned on specific cutting trajectories. Every timestep, we allow the gripper to react to the deformation of the gauze and progress of the cutting trajectory with a translation unit vector along an allowable set of directions. As deformation is difficult to analytically model and explicitly observe, we leverage deep reinforcement learning with direct policy search methods to learn tensioning policies using a finite-element simulator and then transfer them to a physical system. We compare the Deep RL tensioning policies with fixed and analytic (opposing the error vector with a fixed pinch point) policies on a set of 17 open and closed curved contours in simulation and 4 patterns in physical experiments with the da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK). Our simulation results suggest that learning to tension with Deep RL can significantly improve performance and robustness to noise and external forces.