cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing Closed Loop Control Models and Mass-Spring-Damper Models for Human Structure Interaction Problems

The interaction between human and structure can produce significant dynamic effects. This has been demonstrated in several occasions including the closing of the Millennium bridge in London shortly after being open to traffic. Models based on springs, dampers and lumped masses have been widely accepted by the scientific community to model the human in human-structure interaction (HSI) problems. Recently, models of the human body based on control theory have been proposed. This paper provides a comparison between two traditional models using spring, dampers and lumped masses and those using control theory. The models are updated in a probabilistic sense using Bayesian inference. The experimental data used for the comparison is obtained from a laboratory test structure specially designed for HSI studies.
Establishing Preschool Environments in Rural West Africa

Many developing countries in West Africa do not offer preschool in their government elementary schools. A small NGO (a non-governmental or nonprofit organization), World Children’s Relief, offered preschool teacher training in rural areas of Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone. School officials in those countries approved of the project and the work began in 2004. By 2010, hundreds of teachers had participated in the training at least once, and many more than once. The chapter describes the nature of the existing schools in Senegal and how preschools evolved. The training is also described, as well as case studies of four educators in Senegal who have engaged in the program and are implementing the training in their classrooms.
Thermally and electrically induced antiferroelectric ↔ ferroelectric transition in perovskite ceramics for use in high energy density capacitors

Dielectric capacitors traditionally have very high power and short response time but low energy storage capability compared to batteries and electrochemical capacitors. For efficient and reliable energy storage of intermittent sources such as wind and solar, energy storage devices would ideally have both high power and energy densities. The studies of high energy density capacitor dielectrics presented in this thesis are part of the effort to move toward this paradigm. Ceramic antiferroelectric compositions such as Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.57Sn0.43)1-yTiy]0.98O3 (PNZST 43/100y/2) show promise as dielectrics in high energy density capacitors due to a sharp and highly tunable phase transition from antiferroelectric (AFE) to ferroelectric (FE). This transition results in a significant increase in polarization at a critical electric field, storing a large amount of electrical energy that can be released during unloading if the material undergoes the reverse transition at a relatively high electric field. These compositions also display thermally induced phase transitions, which must be understood in order to more fully understand how antiferroelectric properties develop. Several thermal characterization methods (dielectric constant and loss tangent, storage modulus and mechanical loss tangent, thermal expansion, and calorimetry) have been utilized to uncover the nature of complex phase transitions in lead-free pseudo-antiferroelectric composition (Bi1/2Na1/2)0.93Ba0.07TiO3 (BNT-7BT) and the lead-containing PNZST 43/8/2 composition. These experiments reveal the first order nature of the ferroelectric to antiferroelectric and the antiferroelectric to multi-cell cubic transitions, and the second order nature for the multi-cell
Depot leuprolide acetate versus danazol for treatment of pelvic endometriosis: changes in vertebral bone mass and serum estradiol and calcitonin.

Objective To determine changes in trabecular vertebral bone mass, serum E 2 , and serum calcitonin during and after therapy of pelvic endometriosis with depot leuprolide acetate (LA) or danazol. Design Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Setting Academic university hospital and department of obstetrics and gynecology. Patients Twelve women with symptomatic pelvic endometriosis diagnosed and staged by laparoscopy. Interventions All patients received blinded treatment with either 3.75mg IM depot LA given every month and daily placebo tablets (n=6) or 800mg oral danazol daily with a monthly placebo injection (n=6) for 24 weeks. Main Outcome Measures Quantitated computerized tomography of bone density of thoracic 12 to lumbar 4 vertebral bodies were determined before, at the end of 24 weeks of treatment, and 6 and 12 months after completing treatment. Gain or loss of bone mass was based against pretreatment levels. Serial serum levels of E 2 and calcitonin before, throughout, and after therapy were compared with changes in bone mass. Results Bone loss with LA was 14.0%±0.5% (mean±SEM), recovering to a deficit of 4.2%±3.8% and 3.3%, 6 and 12 months after stopping therapy. Danazol increased bone by 5.4%±2.2%, with a further gain to 8.2%±3.5% and 7.5%, 6 and 12 months after stopping treatment. Serum E 2 levels usually were 47.3pg/mL with danazol. Calcitonin levels did not change significantly with either treatment. Conclusion Depot LA produced marked sustained hypoestrogenemia and significant bone loss with incomplete recovery 1 year after stopping treatment. Danazol maintained normoestrogenemia and increased bone mass with the gain maintained even 1 year after stopping therapy.
Computer-Assisted Polysomnography

The computer can serve as an important tool in polysomnography. Contemporary polysomnography is made possible by recent technological advances; polysomnographic studies can be further facilitated and expanded by the judicious application of computers. Computers can collect, store, and manage data, generate reports, serve as labor-saving devices, provide a means of standardization, and automatically generate quantitative and objective data. The “judicious application” implies that if sufficient thought does not go into how the computer is utilized the application may not help, but can instead lead to erroneous data.
Nitrous Oxide Compared With Intravenous Sedation for Second-Trimester Abortion: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE:To assess whether inhaled nitrous oxide is noninferior to intravenous (IV) sedation for pain control during outpatient surgical abortion between 12 and 16 weeks of gestation.METHODS:We enrolled women undergoing surgical abortion at 12–16 weeks of gestation into a multisite, double-blind cl
Perception of upper lip augmentation utilizing simulated photography.

Background No head to head comparison is available between surgical lip lifting and upper lip filler injections to decide which technique yields the best results in patients. Despite the growing popularity of upper lip augmentation, its effect on societal perceptions of attractiveness, successfulness and overall health in woman is unknown. Methods Blinded casual observers viewed three versions of independent images of 15 unique patient lower faces for a total of 45 images. Observers rated the attractiveness, perceived success, and perceived overall health for each patient image. Facial perception questions were answered on a visual analog scale from 0 to 100, where higher scores corresponded to more positive responses. Results Two hundred and seventeen random observers with an average age of 47 years (standard deviation, 15.9) rated the images. The majority of observers were females (n=183, 84%) of white race (n=174, 80%) and had at least some college education (n=202, 93%). The marginal mean score for perceived attractiveness from the natural condition was 1.5 points (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9-2.18) higher than perceived attractiveness from the simulated upper lip filler injection condition, and 2.6 points higher (95% CI, 1.95-3.24) than the simulated upper lip lift condition. There was a moderate to strong correlation between the scores of the same observer. Conclusions Simulated upper lip augmentation is amenable to social perception analysis. Scores of the same observer for attractiveness, successfulness, and overall health are strongly correlated. Overall, the natural condition had the highest scores in all categories, followed by simulated upper lip filler, and lastly simulated upper lip lift.
Physiological and pathological effects of feeding high levels of magnesium to steers

The effects of feeding high levels of Mg were evaluated in a 130-d study with 24 steers. Six steers were allotted to each of four diets supplemented with MgO to attain .3, 1.4, 2.5 or 4.7% Mg, DM basis. Chromic oxide was used as digesta marker; fecal grab samples were collected once daily during nine consecutive 10-d periods. Steers fed 2.5 and 4.7% Mg refused some feed during the study, so their respective dietary Mg intakes were 2.4 and 3.7% (DM basis). Severe diarrhea and a lethargic appearance were observed in steers fed the two higher Mg levels. Fecal DM and apparent DM digestibility decreased linearly (P less than .01) with increased dietary Mg. Apparent Mg absorption (g/d) increased linearly (P les than .01) and apparent Ca and P absorption (g/d) decreased linearly (P less than .01) with addition of Mg to the diet. Increasing dietary Mg linearly elevated blood serum and erythrocyte Mg (P less than .01; P less than .05, respectively) and serum inorganic P (P less than .05) and linearly decreased serum Ca (P less than .01). Magnesium concentration in liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and rib-bone and P in skeletal muscle all increased linearly (P less than .05) with dietary Mg. Increasing dietary Mg in the steers caused a progressive degeneration of the stratified squamous epithelium of rumen papillae. A progressively more serious Mg toxicosis condition developed over time in steers fed diets containing 2.4 and 4.7% Mg.
Respecting Black Lives Matter as Political Action

This chapter theorizes Black Lives Matter in the vein of Hannah Arendt’s vision of political action and James Baldwin’s political philosophy on love. Drawing from Keeanga-Yahmhatta Taylor’s and Patrisse Khan-Cullor’s accounts of BLM, Luttrell claims that, like Arendtian political action, BLM is unprecedented, revelatory, and a meaning, freedom, and knowledge-creating activity, and the white public should respect it as such. Because social movements like BLM are essentially different from science or policy measurement, white people’s predictive claims about the movement’s efficacy are erroneous. The chapter concludes by addressing Arendt’s own failure to see the Civil Rights movement as political action and theorizing Baldwin’s discussion of morality and community in service of white self-love.
Convection–diffusion molecular transport in a microfluidic bilayer device with a porous membrane

The field of human cell research is rapidly changing due to the introduction of microphysiological systems, which commonly feature two stacked microchannels separated by a porous membrane for in vitro barrier modeling. An essential component to adequately representing a subset of human organ or tissue functions in these microfluidic systems is the concentration distribution of the biospecies involved. In particular, when different cell types are cultured, a delicate balance between media mixing and cellular signaling is required for long-term maintenance of the cellular co-culture. In this work, we experimentally measured the effects of various control parameters on the transient and steady average molecular concentration at the bilayer device outlet. Using these experimental results for validation, we then numerically investigated the concentration distributions due to the convection–diffusion mass transport in both microchannels. The effects of media flow rate, separation membrane porosity, molecular size, microchannel dimensions and flow direction have been systematically characterized. The transient response is found to be negligible for cell co-cultures lasting several days, while the steady-state concentration distribution is dominated by the media flow rate and separation membrane porosity. Numerically computed concentration profiles reveal self-similarity characteristics featuring a diffusive boundary layer, which can be manipulated for successful maintenance of cell co-culture with limited media mixing and enhanced cell signaling.
Academic advising in the community college

Community colleges have served as open-door institutions – as the Ellis Islands of America’s higher education system – for decades, providing access for all to a better quality of life. This manife...
A 2D Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) Array with Through-Glass-Via Interconnects Fabricated Using Sacrificial Etching Process

A two-dimensional (2D) transducer array is an integral part of a three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound imaging system as well as a compact ultrasound system for neurostimulation to steer and focus the beam in a volume. In this paper, a sacrificial etching-based fabrication process for implementing a 16x16-element 2D CMUT array on a glass substrate with through-glass-interconnects is described in detail. Across the fabricated 256 elements of the 2D CMUT array, the mean resonant frequency is measured as 4.76 MHz with a standard deviation of 46.6 kHz. The fabricated 2D CMUT array shows a 100% element yield in fabrication and excellent uniformity in device performance. The process offers the advantages of developing 2D CMUT arrays on glass substrates that do not need to be compatible with anodic bonding.
Physiological and genomic insight into neuroendocrine regulation of puberty in gilts

The timing of pubertal attainment in gilts is a critical factor for pork production and is an early indicator of future reproductive potential. Puberty, defined as age at first standing estrus in the presence of a boar, is brought about by an escape from estrogen inhibition of the GnRH pulse generator, which allows for increasing LH pulses leading to the onset of cyclicity. The biological mechanisms that control the timing of these events is related to decreasing inhibitory signals with a concomitant increase in stimulatory signals within the hypothalamus. The roles of gamma-aminobutyric acid, endogenous opioid peptides, and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone in negatively regulating gonadotropin secretion in gilts is explored. Developmental changes in stimulatory mechanisms of glutamatergic and kisspeptin neurons are important for increased LH pulsatility required for the occurrence of puberty in pigs. Age at first estrus of gilts is metabolically gated, and numerous metabolites, metabolic hormones, and appetite-regulating neurotransmitters have been implicated in the nutritional regulation of gonadotropin secretion. Leptin is an important metabolic signal linking body energy reserves with age at puberty in gilts. Leptin acting through neuropeptide Y and proopiomelanocortin neurons in the hypothalamus has important impacts on the function of the reproductive neurosecretory axis of gilts. Age at puberty in swine is heritable, and genomic analyses reveal it to be a polygenic trait. Genome-wide association studies for pubertal age in gilts have revealed several genomic regions in common with those identified for age at menarche in humans. Candidate genes have been identified that have important functions in growth and adiposity. Numerous genes regulating hypothalamic neuronal function, gonadotropes in the adenohypophysis, and ovarian follicular development have been identified and illustrate the complex maturational changes occurring in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis during puberty in gilts.
Multifocal visual evoked potential and automated perimetry abnormalities in strabismic amblyopes.

Purpose To compare visual field abnormalities obtained with standard automated perimetry (SAP) to those obtained with the multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) technique in strabismic amblyopes. Methods Humphrey 24-2 visual fields (HVF) and mfVEPs were obtained from each eye of 12 strabismic amblyopes. For the mfVEP, amplitudes and latencies were analyzed and probability plots were derived. Multifocal VEP and HVF hemifields were abnormal if they had clusters of two or more contiguous points at p p p Results On SAP, amblyopic eyes had significantly higher foveal thresholds ( p = 0.003) and lower mean deviation values ( p = 0.005) than fellow eyes. For the mfVEP, 11 amblyopic and 6 fellow eyes were abnormal. Of the 11 amblyopic eyes, 6 were abnormal on SAP. The deficits extended from the center to mid periphery. Monocular mfVEP latencies were significantly decreased for amblyopic eyes compared with control eyes ( p Conclusions Both techniques revealed deficits in visual function across the visual field in strabismic amblyopes, but the mfVEP revealed deficits in fellow eyes and in more amblyopic eyes. In addition, mfVEP response latencies for amblyopic eyes were shorter than normal.
Is Synchronic Self-Control Possible?

An agent exercises instrumental rationality to the degree that she adopts appropriate means to achieving her ends. Adopting appropriate means to achieving one’s ends can, in turn, involve overcoming one’s strongest desires, that is, it can involve exercising synchronic self-control. However, contra prominent approaches, I deny that synchronic self-control is possible. Specifically, I draw on computational models and empirical evidence from cognitive neuroscience to describe a naturalistic, multi-system model of the mind. On this model, synchronic self-control is impossible. Must we, then, give up on a meaningful conception of instrumental rationality? No. A multi-system view still permits something like synchronic self-control: an agent can control her very strong desires. Adopting a multi-system model of the mind thus places limitations on our conceptions of instrumental rationality, without requiring that we abandon the notion altogether.
Review of Goblirsch (2018): Gemination, Lenition, and Vowel Lengthening. On the History of Quantity in Germanic

This article reviews Gemination, Lenition, and Vowel Lengthening. On the History of Quantity in Germanic
High rates of persistent and recurrent chlamydia in pregnant women after treatment with azithromycin.

Background Chlamydia trachomatis is a common bacterial sexually transmitted infection that can persist or recur after antibiotic treatment. Universal screening for chlamydia in pregnancy is recommended to prevent adverse birth outcomes. Single-dose oral azithromycin has been the first-line therapy for chlamydia in pregnancy since 2006. Objective In the setting of limited data and rising sexually transmitted infection rates in the United States, our goal was to document rates and risk factors for persistent or recurrent chlamydia after azithromycin treatment in pregnancy. Study Design This retrospective cohort study included pregnancies with urogenital chlamydia and follow-up testing in women who delivered at an Alabama facility between November 2012 and December 2017. Pregnancies with prescribed azithromycin therapy and repeat chlamydia testing ≥21 days later were included. Chlamydia trachomatis nucleic acid amplification testing was performed on genital swab or urine samples. Descriptive characteristics and birth outcomes were compared for categories stratified by repeat test results: persistence (+ +), recurrence (+ − +), or clearance (+ −). Logistic regression models were used to identify demographic and clinical risk factors for persistent or recurrent chlamydia in pregnancy. Results Among 810 women with 840 pregnancies with repeat chlamydia testing after azithromycin treatment, 114 (14%) had persistence and an additional 72 (9%) had recurrence later in pregnancy. The median time to repeat testing was 30 days (interquartile range, 24–49 days). Concomitant gonorrhea or syphilis in pregnancy was independently associated with persistent or recurrent chlamydia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–2.4). Conclusion Persistent or recurrent chlamydia after azithromycin treatment was detected in nearly 1 in 4 pregnancies with repeat testing in our urban center, highlighting the importance of performing a test of cure and ensuring partner therapy to reduce recurrent chlamydia risk.
Methadone induced hypoglycemia, improved on dose adjustment

Abstract There exists reports in the literature that connects opioids with hypoglycemia, primarily methadone. We present a case of new onset hypoglycemia in a patient with end stage renal disease who was chronically on methadone. After other causes have been ruled out including insulinoma, methadone induced hypoglycemia was diagnosed. Making adjustments in doses of methadone showed improvement in hypoglycemia episodes. A brief review of literature about Methadone induced hypoglycemia which can probably be a drug class effect will be discussed here. Dose adjustments should be considered in such cases, especially in patients with comorbidities like renal disease.
Flat sticker as a mobile airway foreign body: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract Diagnosis of an airway foreign body in the setting of an unwitnessed aspiration event remains a challenge for physicians in the emergency setting. We describe a case of a 2-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with atypical symptoms resulting from ingestion and aspiration of a large, flat sticker. The airway foreign body remained in place for over 24 hours despite obtaining appropriate airway imaging, and the object was later removed without complication via rigid bronchoscopy in the operating room. Further review of this case and the current literature highlighted multiple lessons. Initial evaluations should combine a rigorous history and physical with strict guidelines on usage of multiple imaging modalities (eg, plain radiographs and CT). Imaging should be obtained with the patient devoid of all obstructive materials in multiple positions (eg, upright, supine, lateral) in order to maximize the physician's ability to positively diagnose airway foreign bodies prior to definitive treatment with rigid bronchoscopy.
Perinatal determinants of growth trajectories in children born preterm.

Background A growing amount of evidence indicates in utero and early life growth has profound, long-term consequences for an individual’s health throughout the life course; however, there is limited data in preterm infants, a vulnerable population at risk for growth abnormalities. Objective To address the gap in knowledge concerning early growth and its determinants in preterm infants. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed using a population of preterm (< 37 weeks gestation) infants obtained from an electronic medical record database. Weight z-scores were acquired from discharge until roughly two years corrected age. Linear mixed effects modeling, with random slopes and intercepts, was employed to estimate growth trajectories. Results Thirteen variables, including maternal race, hypertension during pregnancy, preeclampsia, first trimester body mass index, multiple status, gestational age, birth weight, birth length, head circumference, year of birth, length of birth hospitalization stay, total parenteral nutrition, and dextrose treatment, were significantly associated with growth rates of preterm infants in univariate analyses. A small percentage (1.32% - 2.07%) of the variation in the growth of preterm infants can be explained in a joint model of these perinatal factors. In extremely preterm infants, additional variation in growth trajectories can be explained by conditions whose risk differs by degree of prematurity. Specifically, infants with periventricular leukomalacia or retinopathy of prematurity experienced decelerated rates of growth compared to infants without such conditions. Conclusions Factors found to influence growth over time in children born at term also affect growth of preterm infants. The strength of association and the magnitude of the effect varied by gestational age, revealing that significant heterogeneity in growth and its determinants exists within the preterm population.
Meditation on the Occasion of Tragic Loss: Friendship and Incompleteness

In thinking about the death and loss of a professional colleague the authors identify with the “tumult of feelings” that Simone Beauvoir notes in speaking of death. They occasion the void of unders...
MULTICOM2 open-source protein structure prediction system powered by deep learning and distance prediction.

Protein structure prediction is an important problem in bioinformatics and has been studied for decades. However, there are still few open-source comprehensive protein structure prediction packages publicly available in the field. In this paper, we present our latest open-source protein tertiary structure prediction system—MULTICOM2, an integration of template-based modeling (TBM) and template-free modeling (FM) methods. The template-based modeling uses sequence alignment tools with deep multiple sequence alignments to search for structural templates, which are much faster and more accurate than MULTICOM1. The template-free (ab initio or de novo) modeling uses the inter-residue distances predicted by DeepDist to reconstruct tertiary structure models without using any known structure as template. In the blind CASP14 experiment, the average TM-score of the models predicted by our server predictor based on the MULTICOM2 system is 0.720 for 58 TBM (regular) domains and 0.514 for 38 FM and FM/TBM (hard) domains, indicating that MULTICOM2 is capable of predicting good tertiary structures across the board. It can predict the correct fold for 76 CASP14 domains (95% regular domains and 55% hard domains) if only one prediction is made for a domain. The success rate is increased to 3% for both regular and hard domains if five predictions are made per domain. Moreover, the prediction accuracy of the pure template-free structure modeling method on both TBM and FM targets is very close to the combination of template-based and template-free modeling methods. This demonstrates that the distance-based template-free modeling method powered by deep learning can largely replace the traditional template-based modeling method even on TBM targets that TBM methods used to dominate and therefore provides a uniform structure modeling approach to any protein. Finally, on the 38 CASP14 FM and FM/TBM hard domains, MULTICOM2 server predictors (MULTICOM-HYBRID, MULTICOM-DEEP, MULTICOM-DIST) were ranked among the top 20 automated server predictors in the CASP14 experiment. After combining multiple predictors from the same research group as one entry, MULTICOM-HYBRID was ranked no. 5. The source code of MULTICOM2 is freely available at https://github.com/multicom-toolbox/multicom/tree/multicom_v2.0 .
3D-NAND cell challenges to enable high density and high-Performance devices

3D-NAND array density has been increasing by 8-10X in the past 5 year, hitting 10Gb/mm2 [1], thanks to CMOS under the array and WLs stacking. Cell scaling in vertical direction has been a key enabler, especially for charge trap cell, due to easier process integration, but it impacts both intrinsic cell functionality and process variations, challenging NAND array reliability and performances. Maintaining or improving products specifications over technology nodes while scaling the cell requires a joined effort of process integration, design and system.
Reserve Scheduling in the Congested Transmission Network Considering Wind Energy Forecast Errors

An increasing penetration of renewable energy has brought unprecedented uncertainty to today's grid, and properly scheduled reserve is a key to accommodate the intermittency and volatility of renewable energy. Although renewable energy forecast has been a popular area, there is limited study on forecast errors, and there lacks a study on how error distributions from different forecast models influence the scheduling of reserves, especially in congested networks. This study aims to propose a stochastic reserve optimization model that ensures the delivery of reserve in case of transmission congestion and ramping constraints and study the impact of wind forecast errors on reserve scheduling. The model was implemented on a modified RTS-96 test system and results show that the errors from different forecast models significantly influence the amount of scheduled reserves in a stochastic reserve optimization problem.
Introduction: "Frontiers and Frameworks in African Diaspora Teaching and Scholarship"

I am honored to represent the intellectual contributions of Spelman College’s faculty in this special issue. This publication is the first formal collection of scholarly and pedagogical articles on African Diaspora and the World (ADW) courses at Spelman College. We recently celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of our ADW Program, so the issue marks both a trajectory in a specific historically Black college as well as the intentional move towards internationalizing the educational enterprise in the United States. The contributors are faculty and program directors (past and present), writing on teaching and scholarship in ADW. I believe this issue is a timely intervention, especially when we read headlines like: “Americans Need to Learn More about World Outside America” (Gibbons) and “Why Many Americans Are Simply Clueless About Global Events” (Nelson). Eschewing neoliberal trends, the ADW story is a deliberative journey that dismantles false narratives of frontiers by embracing critical and analytical pedagogical frameworks and scholarship.
Recent advances in IR liquid crystal spatial light modulators

Liquid crystal (LC) is an amazing class of electro-optic media; its applications span from visible to infrared, millimeter wave, and terahertz regions. In the visible and short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) regions, most LCs are highly transparent. However, to extend the electro-optic application of LCs into MWIR and LWIR, several key technical challenges have to be overcome: (1) low absorption loss, (2) high birefringence, (3) low operation voltage, and (4) fast response time. In the MWIR and LWIR regions, several fundamental molecular vibration bands and overtones exist, which contribute to high absorption loss. The absorbed light turns to heat and then alters the birefringence locally, which in turns causes spatially non-uniform phase modulation. To suppress the optical loss, several approaches have been investigated: (1) Employing thin cell gap by choosing a high birefringence LC mixture; (2) Shifting the absorption bands outside the spectral region of interest by deuteration, fluorination, or chlorination; (3) Reducing the overtone absorption by using a short alkyl chain. In this paper, we report some recently developed chlorinated LC compounds and mixtures with low absorption loss in the SWIR and MWIR regions. To achieve fast response time, we demonstrated a polymer network liquid crystal with 2π phase change at MWIR and response time less than 5 ms. Approaches to extend such a liquid crystal spatial light modulator to long-wavelength infrared will be discussed.
Delayed prenatal care and the risk of low birth weight delivery.

To determine if the timing of prenatal care is associated with low birth weight delivery after adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors, we performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of singleton births to white (2,945,595) or African-American (552,068) women in the United States in 1996. When adjusted for race, maternal age, educational level attained, and the use of alcohol and tobacco during pregnancy, women beginning care in the 2nd (adjusted RR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.83–0.86) and 3rd trimesters (RR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.84–0.91) had a reduced risk of low birth weight compared to women beginning care in the 1st trimester. Our findings suggest that no benefit exists for early initiation of prenatal care for reducing the risk of low birth weight. Findings related to differences in low birth weight among women who start prenatal care later are likely due to sociodemographic differences that may influence access to early care.
How to Do Things with Prayer Utterances

While the social scientific study of prayer is growing, little work has investigated prayer utterances—or statements where social actors say the term “prayer” or various cognates—in everyday talk. Drawing on insights from ordinary language philosophy, I argue that prayer utterances are performative utterances that help social actors accomplish a variety of actions in social interactions. To illustrate the performative nature of prayer utterances, I describe three types of actions that prayer utterances can accomplish: (1) aligning potentially problematic or questionable conduct with cultural expectations, (2) signaling to others an intense yearning for an object or occurrence on the behalf of oneself or others, and (3) signaling to others authentic feelings of care for another person or group of people. I conclude with a discussion of the implications of the analysis.
Alloimmune Cytotoxic T Cells: Evidence that They Recognize Serologically Defined Antigens and Bear Clonally Restricted Receptors

Murine T cells immunized with allogeneic cells exert a cytotoxic effect on appropriate target cells, as measured by 51Cr release. Lysis of the 51Cr-labeled target can be inhibited by addition to the assay of unlabeled cells which bear target antigens. With variants of lymphoid tumors which express different amounts of serologically defined H-2 antigens as competitors in the assay, a positive correlation is shown to exist between the amount of serologically defined antigen and the degree of inhibition of T cell-mediated lysis. The immunizing small lymphocytes are shown to be very poor inhibitors of 51Cr release from target cells which are more susceptible to T cell-mediated lysis. This is interpreted as showing that small lymphocytes are bound very poorly by cytotoxic T cells. With H-2 cross-over strains which carry only the H-2K or H-2D antigens which a cytotoxic population is directed against, it is shown that, 1) approximately equal amounts of cytotoxicity are directed against the K and D antigens, and 2) separate cytotoxic T cells recognize the K and D antigens. Thus, by this criterion, cytotoxic T cells are monospecific and therefore do not acquire their antigen-specific receptors cytophilically.
Abstract 13350: Cardiac-specific Deletion of GSK-3α and GSK-3β Leads to Fatal Dilated Cardiomyopathy With Mitotic Catastrophe

In mammals, glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) exists as two homologs, GSK-3α and GSK-3β, encoded by independent genes which share similar kinase domains but differ substantially in their N and C termini. Previously we have shown that cardiomyocyte specific deletion of 2 functional GSK-3α or 2 functional GSK-3β alleles has a negligible role in normal homeostasis of myocardial biology. In contrast, herein we describe the creation of mice that are specifically targeted to lack 3 or 4 GSK-3 alleles. Mice lacking any 3 of the alleles live longer than 120 days but develop cardiac hypertrophy and display impaired cardiac function assessed by hemodynamics. Mice lacking all four alleles (double knockout, DKO) develop profound dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure, leading to death. Pathologically, the hearts of DKOs show giant myocardial nuclei, multi-nucleation, metabolic abnormalities including excess glycogen deposition, degeneration and cell death; and fibrotic remodeling. Microarray and functional pathway analysis demonstrate that these disturbances arise from marked disorders of the cell cycle. Western blot and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy show dysregulated expression of major cell cycle/checkpoint markers, apoptotic proteins and DNA damage markers. These findings indicate that the cardiomyocyte undergoes cell cycle initiation, but this is followed by mitotic catastrophy, DNA damage and apoptosis. This study confirms that GSK-3 is a central regulator of the cell cycle in the heart.
TUP1 , CPH1 and EFG1 Make Independent Contributions to Filamentation in Candida albicans

The common fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, can grow either as single cells or as filaments (hyphae), depending on environmental conditions. Several transcriptional regulators have been identified as having key roles in controlling filamentous growth, including the products of the TUP1, CPH1, and EFG1 genes. We show, through a set of single, double, and triple mutants, that these genes act in an additive fashion to control filamentous growth, suggesting that each gene represents a separate pathway of control. We also show that environmentally induced filamentous growth can occur even in the absence of all three of these genes, providing evidence for a fourth regulatory pathway. Expression of a collection of structural genes associated with filamentous growth, including HYR1, ECE1, HWP1, ALS1, and CHS2, was monitored in strains lacking each combination of TUP1, EFG1, and CPH1. Different patterns of expression were observed among these target genes, supporting the hypothesis that these three regulatory proteins engage in a network of individual connections to downstream genes and arguing against a model whereby the target genes are regulated through a central filamentous growth pathway. The results suggest the existence of several distinct types of filamentous forms of C. albicans, each dependent on a particular set of environmental conditions and each expressing a unique set of surface proteins.
Low-Profile Tri-band Inverted-F Antenna for Vehicular Applications in HF and VHF Bands

A low-profile tri-band inverted-F antenna (TIFA) is proposed for narrowband vehicle-based applications in upper HF and lower VHF ranges. A driven element, engineered as an inverted-F antenna, operates at the lowest frequency of 27 MHz, while two parasitic elements, built as inverted-L monopoles, enable resonances at 49 and 53 MHz. The standalone antenna height over a ground plane is ${\lambda }/{2}$ 5 at the lowest band. When mounted on a vehicle and bent to follow its profile, TIFA maintains similar performance with only ${\lambda }/{44}$ height above the vehicle’s roof. To eliminate the need for external matching network, the driven element is offset fed. The ${\bf VSWR} \leq {2}:{1}$ bandwidth of the first band is greater than 1%, whereas the bandwidths of the two VHF bands are narrower and do not exceed 0.4%. To mitigate possible detuning and enable full utilization of the FCC approved bandwidths, a simple approach for tuning the resonance is outlined. Scaled models of TIFA and vehicle are built and impedance and pattern measurements are conducted. Obtained results confirm the proposed antenna is a viable candidate for (among other applications) communication with remotely controlled ground and flying vehicles/toys.
Crystallographic and Receptor Binding Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Complexed to Two Potent Inhibitors.

We report the crystal structures of two inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum macrophage migration inhibitory factor (PfMIF) with nanomolar Ki’s, analyze their interactions with the active site of PfMIF, and provide explanations regarding their selectivity of PfMIF versus human MIF. These inhibitors were also found to selectively inhibit interactions between PfMIF and the human MIF receptor CD74. The results of this study provide the framework for the development of new therapeutics that target PfMIF.
A water–water preheater and a steam–water heater network: Temperature dynamics

Abstract The dynamic simulation of an integrated, double pipe heat exchanger network was validated through experimentation. A steam–water, concentric tube, heat exchanger was coupled to a water–water preheater. When the preheater was configured for cocurrent flow with equal fluid velocities in its annulus and core, Lagrangian-based derivations yielded analytical solutions that accurately predicted observed temperature dynamics. When the preheater was configured for countercurrent flow with distinct fluid velocities in its annulus and core, analytical solutions for the heater and connecting tubing were coupled with Eulerian based numerical solutions for the preheater. Programming used Mathcad. Nonlinear regression analysis of steady state data was used to determine system parameters. The significance of time delays through the integration of unit operations is illustrated.
A note on cycle Ramsey numbers

For m,n>=3, the cycle Ramsey number c(m,n) is the least integer p such that for any graph G of order p, either G contains an m-cycle, or its complement G contains an n-cycle. Lower bounds are established for c(m,n) and these bounds lead the authors to conjecture a formula for the precise values of all c(m,n). Also, for m odd and m@?n, the lower bound for c(m,n) is coupled with a result of Bondy to determine that c(m,m)=2m- 1 for all odd m>=5.
Development of a sandwich hybridization assay for the identification and quantification of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) eggs: a novel tool for fishery research and management

Egg identification and quantification are crucial to understanding the spawning and recruitment dynamics of economically important fish species. This study describes the development of a novel mole...
Association of AGTR1 With 18-Month Treatment Outcome in Late-Life Depression

Objective Converging lines of evidence implicate vascular factors in late-life depression, and argue that late-life depression is a distinct entity among the mood disorders. The A1166C polymorphism in the angiotensin II receptor, vascular type 1 (AGTR1) gene has been associated with a range of vascular diseases. This study investigated the association of AGTR1 genotype on 18-month treatment outcome in late-life depression. Methods In a large, prospective cohort study, patients with late-life depression received individualized treatment using a standardized algorithm. The authors genotyped participants at the AGTR1 A1166C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) using standardized methodology, then used survival analysis to estimate the impact of A1166C and demographic variables on time to remission during 18 months of follow-up. Results The hazard ratio for AGTR1 homozygous C/C status was 0.37. The A1166C SNP showed evidence for genotypic and allelic association in a comparison of remitted and unremitted/censored subjects. Conclusion Consistent with its association with numerous vascular disorders, AGTR1 is associated with treatment outcome in late-life depression. Further studies are needed to replicate this finding, and to investigate the impact of other genetic markers of vascular disease on late-life depression outcome.
Phytoestrogens and cardiovascular health

Coronary artery disease is the leading overall cause of mortality for women and increases dramatically after menopause. Estrogen has many beneficial cardiovascular actions although concerns have been raised about its effects on the progression of breast and uterine neoplasms and its tendency to increase coagulability. Selective estrogen agonists may be superior to conventional estrogens. A dietary source of a partial estrogen agonist is the plant-based group of phytoestrogens, which include isoflavones, lignans and coumestans. Phytoestrogens have a similar structure to estradiol and have weak affinity for the estrogen receptor. Epidemiologic data indicate that women ingesting high amounts of phytoestrogens, particularly as isoflavones in soy products, have less cardiovascular disease, breast and uterine cancer and menopausal symptoms than those eating Western diets. Preclinical and clinical studies have found that isoflavones have lipid-lowering effects as well as the ability to inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation. They have been shown to normalize vascular reactivity in estrogen-deprived primates. Furthermore, phytoestrogens have antineoplastic effects with inhibition of cellular proliferation as well as angiogenesis, properties that could be protective against cancer development. Finally, menopausal symptoms and bone density may be favorably influenced by phytoestrogens. In summary, phytoestrogens, in the form of dietary isoflavones, represent a new area to explore in pursuit of nutritional approaches to cardiovascular protection.
The electrostatic sheath in a dusty plasma

The electrostatic sheath in a conventional dc discharge involving dusty plasmas is revisited. Assuming Boltzmann responses for electrons and dust particles and taking into account the effect of ion flows, it is shown that the sheath around an electrically floated cylindrical wire contains electrons and ions but no dust particles. The dust particle density rises sharply at the plasma-sheath interface, as seen in a recent experiment [C. O. Thompson, N. D’Angelo, and R. L. Merlino, Phys. Plasmas 6, 1421 (1999)].
Hydraulic Control of Flows with Nonuniform Potential Vorticity

Abstract The hydraulics of flow contained in a channel and having nonuniform potential vorticity is considered from a general standpoint. The channel cross section is rectangular and the potential vorticity is assumed to be prescribed in terms of the streamfunction. We show that the general computational problem can be expressed in two traditional forms, the first of which consists of an algebraic relation between the channel geometry and a single dependent flow variable and the second of which consists of a pair of quasi-linear differential equations relating the geometry to two dependent flow variables. From these forms we derive a general “branch condition” indicating a merger of different solutions having the same flow rate and energy and show that this condition implies that the flow is critical with respect to a certain long wave. It is shown that critical flow can occur only at the sill in a channel of constant width (with one exception) at a point of width extremum in a flat bottom channel. We als...
Using Chem-Wiki To Increase Student Collaboration through Online Lab Reporting

The nature of laboratory work has changed in the past decade. One example is a shift from working individually or in pairs on single traditional verification experiments to working collaboratively in larger groups in inquiry and research-based laboratories, over extended periods in and outside of the lab. In this increased era of collaboration, we have implemented a Web site, Chem-Wiki, to extend and facilitate students’ collaboration outside of the lab. Using new Web technologies, students are able to interact with each other regardless of time or location. The Chem-Wiki model of Web-based lab reporting has proved well suited to increased team size and extended laboratory discussions. Now, each team in the organic chemistry laboratory at Northeastern Illinois University works collaboratively in writing a single Web-based lab report while still allowing their individual contributions to be tracked and reproduced. These Web-based lab reports are more dynamic than hard copy lab reports because they can be c...
Small Diameter Remote Field Eddy Current Inspection for Unpiggable Pipelines

In-line inspection tools cannot inspect most of the natural gas transmission pipelines and distribution mains due to restrictions in the pipelines that will not allow a tool equipped with current inspection technologies to pass. Remote field eddy current (RFEC) inspection is an excellent candidate for inspecting a pipeline with multiple diameters, valve and bore restrictions and tight or miter bends. The results of this paper show that the RFEC technique can inspect pipeline materials, and that all of the components needed for RFEC inspection can be made much smaller that the pipe diameter. RFEC inspection is commercially available for inspecting small diameter piping without restrictions, several hundred feet at a time. The prototype design described in this paper shows this technology will work in a free-swimming tool that can inspect miles of pipeline at time and bypass restrictions.