cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plastic Flow Instabilities at Crack Tips

Instabilities of plastic flow can occur near crack tips for several reasons. In some cases they can be due to inherent features of the macroscopic phenomenological plasticity behavior and the unstable region spreads over distances large compared to the microstructure. For example, localization of flow in shear bands can occur in large scale yielding. In other cases, microscopic activity can set up geometric or material features which induce the instability on an initally small scale. An example of the latter circumstance is the nucleation of large voids from hard particles in the alloy near a blunt tip leaving an unstable highly strained ligament. These examples are but two of many possibilities that can operate at different size scales. In addition, the presence of an embrittling agent may play an important role in the nature of plasticity and so complicate the picture of crack tip instability. In this chapter, the continuum viewpoint of small scale failure processes involving plasticity near a monotonically loaded crack tip will be outlined. To be able to do this, we must first review recent developments in crack tip plasticity solutions. This will lead naturally to the work that has been done on modelling the ductile failure processes at crack tips. Most of these models involve a plastic instability of one kind or another.
Multimodal Perception of Histological Images for Persons Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Lack of suitable substitute assistive technology is a roadblock for students and scientists who are blind or visually impaired (BVI) from advancing in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. It is challenging for persons who are BVI to interpret real-time visual scientific data which is commonly generated during lab experimentation, such as performing light microscopy, spectrometry, and observing chemical reactions. To address this problem, a real-time multimodal image perception system was developed to allow standard laboratory blood smear images to be perceived by BVI individuals by employing a combination of auditory, haptic, and vibrotactile feedback. These sensory feedback modalities were used to convey visual information through alternative perceptual channels, thus creating a palette of multimodal, sensory information. Two sets of image features of interest (primary and peripheral features) were applied to characterize images. A Bayesian network was applied to construct causal relations between these two groups of features. In order to match primary features with sensor modalities, two methods were conceived. Experimental results confirmed that this real-time approach produced higher accuracy in recognizing and analyzing objects within images compared to conventional tactile images.
Birds and Dogs: Toward a Comparative Perspective on Odor Use and Detection

While canines are generally considered the gold standard for olfactory detection in many situations other animals provide alternatives and offer a unique opportunity to compare biological detection capabilities. Critical components in successfully studying biological detectors is not only understanding their anatomical evidence for olfaction, but also, understanding the life history of the species to better direct the potential of an olfactory task. Here, a brief overview is provided presenting a comparative viewpoint on the use of odors by birds and canines over a range of unique detection scenarios. Similar to canines, birds use olfactory information in various natural oriented contexts where odors are dispersed over a widespread spatial range. Comparing these two distinctive animal models, and current trends in physiological and behavioral assessments may open the door for novel uses of birds as biological sensors in forensic applications.
Development and Testing of a Decision Aid for Unaffected Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 Mutation.

For women who are unaffected carriers of a pathogenic BRCA mutation, cancer risk management requires ongoing education, counseling, and support from an interdisciplinary team of medical specialists, genetic counselors, and nurses specializing in genomics. The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot test an educational, patient-focused decision aid to facilitate shared decision making. A steering committee developed the prototype aid after an extensive review of the literature. The aid was designed at the ninth-grade reading level, to be consistent with internationally accepted clinical guidelines and inclusive of all risk management options and psychosocial issues important to cancer risk management decision making. The aid was tested with 23 participants: eight experts and 15 end users. Eleven survey items were asked related to organization, clarity, usefulness, comprehensiveness, ease of understanding, and relevance to the cancer risk management decision-making process. Mean scores were 3 or higher on Likert scales of 1–4 (high) for each of the 11 items. Two open-ended questions elicited general comments and suggestions for additions, deletions, or revisions to the decision aid. The steering committee made final revisions to the aid based on participant feedback and committee consensus.
Electron presheaths: the outsized influence of positive boundaries on plasmas

Electron sheaths form near the surface of objects biased more positive than the plasma potential, such as a Langmuir probe collecting electron saturation current. Generally, the formation of electron sheaths requires that the electron-collecting area be sufficiently smaller ( times) than the ion-collecting area. They are commonly thought to be local phenomena that collect the random thermal electron current, but do not otherwise perturb a plasma. Here, using experiments on an electrode embedded in a wall in a helium discharge, particle-in-cell simulations, and theory it is shown that under low temperature plasma conditions () electron sheaths are far from local. Instead, a long presheath region (27 mm, approximately an electron's mean free path) extends into the plasma where electrons are accelerated via a pressure gradient to a flow speed exceeding the electron thermal speed at the sheath edge. This fast flow is found to excite instabilities, causing strong fluctuations near the sheath edge.
Shell egg pasteurization using radio frequency in combination with hot air or hot water.

Abstract This study investigated the effectiveness of three thermal treatments; hot air (HA), hot water immersion (HWI), and hot water spraying (HWS); alone and in combination with radio frequency (RF) on the inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium in shell eggs. In addition, the physical quality of the treated eggs and their functional capability to produce angel food cakes were determined. The results showed that HWI and HWS were significantly (P
Convective heat transfer analysis of a laminated flux focusing magnetic gearbox

Abstract Magnetic machine designers must consider a variety of mechanical and thermal aspects, particularly as the size increases and the air-gaps between rotors and stators decrease. In these instances, increased losses due to eddy currents can create elevated temperatures, which in turn create significant thermal deformation of components that compromises component positioning or magnetic material degradation. Lump capacitance and conduction methods are traditionally used in magnetic machines, but the fluid behavior is ignored. A coupled (conduction/convection) approach, where both convection and conduction heat transfers are considered in the domain, in a 3D flow and conjugate heat transfer analysis, is developed for the fully laminated magnetic gearbox, (1:4.25 gear ratio) to numerically investigate the effect of fluid properties on the thermal results. The numerical results are validated using experimental measurement data. The comparison between the coupled and conduction methods with experimental results shows higher accuracy for the coupled method compared to the conduction method, as the air trapped in the gaps is modeled as a fluid, which is more realistic way compared to the approximation of it with a solid part. This results in the coupled conduction/convection method over-predict the outer rotor temperature by only 2.5 K on average (over 29–123 rpm rotational velocity range), compared to the 5.5 K average over-prediction for the simple conduction method. The eddy current losses created by the travel of magnetic field in the conductive materials inside the active region of a magnetic gear corresponds for the main source of losses in these systems. A detailed loss analysis on the components, followed by the analysis of the structural deformation caused by temperature rise provides the designers with an insight into the material selection and structural design criteria to avoid off-the-range thermal stresses, temperatures and corresponding deformations in such systems.
Assessment of the results of an investigation on eliminating iodine deficiency disorders in Ya'an city of Sichuan province in 2009

Objective To evaluate the investigation outcome of eliminating iodine deficiency disorders(IDD)in Ya'an city of Sichuan province,and to master the current situation of IDD in the whole city.Methods In 2009,according to"Counties'Assessment Guideline in Sichuan for Implementing the Measure to Eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorders",assessments were conducted.At county level,composite score was given to collected data of the eight counties(districts)and monitoring data of household iodized salt were statistically analyzed.A township (town)was randomly selected by east,west,south,north and center locations,respectively.One primary school was randomly selected in each selected township(town),eighty children aged 8 to 10 in each selected school were checked of their thyroid by palpation(WS 276-2007)and urinary iodine level of20 children among them was measured by As3+_Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry(WS/T 107-2006).Thirty fifth-grade students and 10 housewives lived around school were asked to take a questionnaire survey.Results Average score of the 8 counties(districts)was 89.96,ranged from 85.42 to 92.90.The coverage rate of iodized salt of household was 100.00%(2328/2328),rate of qualified iodized salt was 97.98%(2281/2328).and consumption rate of qualified iodized salt reached 97.98%(2281/2328).The goiter rate of children aged 8-10 was 0.91%(33/3620),median urinary iodine was 235.85μg/L,and 1.50%(12/800)of child's urinary iodine was less than 50μg/L.The rate of passing a knowledge questionnaire survey of the fifth-grade students and women was 92.33%(1 131/1225)and 9413%(397/421),respectively.Conclusions Ya'an city in Sichuan province has reached the goal of eliminating iodine deficiency.disorders,but there is a coexist trend of IDD and iodine excess.They should pay attention to the daily consumption of iodized salt in the future;sustained elimination of IDD can be reached only by iodine supplementation scientifically. Key words: Iodine; Deficiency diseases; Outcome assessment
Elsewhere and otherwise: Indigeneity and the politics of exclusion in Labrador's extractive resource governance

Abstract Indigenous peoples have fought for recognition and inclusion in state-driven resource governance in Labrador for generations. At the same time, the settler state has tried to limit their inclusion by restricting the boundaries of indigeneity. By arguing that Indigenous peoples are not present in the project area or are not doing "traditional" activities, it aims to exclude some groups from the decision-making, monitoring, and benefits of extractivist projects. In rendering indigeneity as spatially and economically contained, government and industry pursue settler colonial fantasies of Indigenous erasure and absence. This paper uses a recent public inquiry into the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project as a mechanism to trace how indigeneity has been mobilized in resource conflicts between the state, industry, and numerous Indigenous peoples of the Labrador peninsula since the 18th century. Linking hydroelectric developments with examples of mining, logging, and commercial fishing, the paper explores the dynamic between government efforts to facilitate extractive industry by containing indigeneity and Indigenous assertions of a more flexible and dynamic reality. Instead of abiding to the state's limiting version of indigeneity, the Indigenous peoples of the Labrador peninsula are challenging and reforming environmental governance by demonstrating that they are, in fact, elsewhere and otherwise.
Suppressing Circulating Currents of Battery Management Systems in Droop based Microgrids

Droop control method is frequently utilized in DC microgrids. However, it shows high sensitivity to unknown line resistances. As a consequence, the converters’ currents do not follow expected amounts and load sharing which is the primary objective in a DC microgrid has lack of accuracy. Hence, parallel-connected Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) have mismatched output voltages and circulating currents arise. This paper proposes an adaptive droop control method for a DC microgrid. The proposed method estimates line resistances through mathematical calculations and adjusts droop parameters to eliminate the effect of unknown line resistances. Each participating BESS follows its predefined current and circulating current is suppressed. The proposed method results in an accurate load current sharing. The success of the adaptive proposed method is verified through simulation and Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) setup.
Do eligibility criteria restrict access to clinical trials

94Background: Stringent eligibility criteria may be a barrier to oncology clinical trial enrollment. We examined patients meeting basic trial eligibility criteria defined in a clinical pathway wher...
Obstructive sleep apnea in patients with head and neck cancer: a systematic review

Study Objectives:Head and neck cancers (HNCs) may modify the upper airway anatomy and thereby increase the risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If untreated, OSA is associated with adverse outco...
Aptardi predicts polyadenylation sites in sample-specific transcriptomes using high-throughput RNA sequencing and DNA sequence.

Annotation of polyadenylation sites from short-read RNA sequencing alone is a challenging computational task. Other algorithms rooted in DNA sequence predict potential polyadenylation sites; however, in vivo expression of a particular site varies based on a myriad of conditions. Here, we introduce aptardi (alternative polyadenylation transcriptome analysis from RNA-Seq data and DNA sequence information), which leverages both DNA sequence and RNA sequencing in a machine learning paradigm to predict expressed polyadenylation sites. Specifically, as input aptardi takes DNA nucleotide sequence, genome-aligned RNA-Seq data, and an initial transcriptome. The program evaluates these initial transcripts to identify expressed polyadenylation sites in the biological sample and refines transcript 3′-ends accordingly. The average precision of the aptardi model is twice that of a standard transcriptome assembler. In particular, the recall of the aptardi model (the proportion of true polyadenylation sites detected by the algorithm) is improved by over three-fold. Also, the model—trained using the Human Brain Reference RNA commercial standard—performs well when applied to RNA-sequencing samples from different tissues and different mammalian species. Finally, aptardi’s input is simple to compile and its output is easily amenable to downstream analyses such as quantitation and differential expression. Short read RNA sequencing and DNA sequence contain useful information for profiling polyadenylation sites, but each also possesses inherent limitations when examined independently. Aptardi combines these data and significantly improves annotation of polyadenylation sites in the expressed transcriptome.
One-shot identification of SARS-CoV-2 S RBD escape mutants using yeast screening

ABSTRACT The potential emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) escape mutants is a threat to reduce the efficacy of existing vaccines and neutralizing antibody (nAb) therapies. An understanding of the antibody/S escape mutations landscape is urgently needed to preemptively address this threat. Here we describe a rapid method to identify escape mutants for nAbs targeting the S receptor binding site. We identified escape mutants for five nAbs, including three from the public germline class VH3-53 elicited by natural COVID-19 infection. Escape mutations predominantly mapped to the periphery of the ACE2 recognition site on the RBD with K417, D420, Y421, F486, and Q493 as notable hotspots. We provide libraries, methods, and software as an openly available community resource to accelerate new therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV-2. One Sentence Summary We present a facile method to identify antibody escape mutants on SARS-CoV-2 S RBD.
Comprehensive evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage from patients with severe COVID-19 and correlation with clinical outcomes.

Information on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in patients with COVID-19 is limited, and clinical correlation has not been reported. This study investigated the key features of BAL fluids from COVID-19 patients and assessed their clinical significance. A total of 320 BAL samples from 83 COVID-19 patients and 70 non-COVID-19 patients (27 patients with other respiratory viral infections) were evaluated, including cell count/differential, morphology, flow cytometric immunophenotyping, and immunohistochemistry. The findings were correlated with clinical outcomes. Compared to non-COVID-19 patients, BAL from COVID-19 patients was characterized by significant lymphocytosis (p < 0.001), in contrast to peripheral blood lymphopenia commonly observed in COVID-19 patients and the presence of atypical lymphocytes with plasmacytoid/plasmablastic features (p < 0.001). Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that BAL lymphocytes, including plasmacytoid and plasmablastic cells, were composed predominantly of T cells with a mixture of CD4+ and CD8+ cells. Both populations had increased expression of T-cell activation markers, suggesting important roles of helper and cytotoxic T-cells in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in the lung. More importantly, BAL lymphocytosis was significantly associated with longer hospital stay (p < 0.05) and longer requirement for mechanical ventilation (p < 0.05), whereas the median atypical (activated) lymphocyte count was associated with shorter hospital stay (p < 0.05), shorter time on mechanical ventilation (p < 0.05) and improved survival. Our results indicate that BAL cellular analysis and morphologic findings provide additional important information for diagnostic and prognostic work-up, and potential new therapeutic strategies for patients with severe COVID-19.
Light-guided sectioning for precise in situ localization and tissue interface analysis for brain-implanted optical fibers and GRIN lenses

Summary Optical implants to control and monitor neuronal activity in vivo have become foundational tools of neuroscience. Standard two-dimensional histology of the implant location, however, often suffers from distortion and loss during tissue processing. To address that, we developed a three-dimensional post hoc histology method called "light-guided sectioning" (LiGS), which preserves the tissue with its optical implant in place and allows staining and clearing of a volume up to 500 μm in depth. We demonstrate the use of LiGS to determine the precise location of an optical fiber relative to a deep brain target and to investigate the implant-tissue interface. We show accurate cell registration of ex vivo histology with single-cell, two-photon calcium imaging, obtained through gradient refractive index (GRIN) lenses, and identify subpopulations based on immunohistochemistry. LiGS provides spatial information in experimental paradigms that use optical fibers and GRIN lenses and could help increase reproducibility through identification of fiber-to-target localization and molecular profiling.
Review of Michael Bonnett: Environmental consciousness, nature and the philosophy of education

At this critical juncture when our anthropocentric relationship to nature foreshadows imminent planetary destruction, Michael Bonnett’s eloquently written and exhaustively researched book is requir...
Effects of seismic and aerodynamic load interaction on structural dynamic response of multi-megawatt utility scale horizontal axis wind turbines

Abstract Horizontal axis wind turbines can experience significant time varying aerodynamic loads that has the potential to cause adverse effects on structural, mechanical, and power production. The progress in the wind industry has caused the construction of wind farms in areas prone to high seismic activity. With the advances in computational tools, a more realistic representation of the behavior of wind turbines should be performed. One of the simulation platforms was developed using the 5 MW NREL utility scale reference turbine model. The performed simulations will be used to evaluate the effects of aerodynamic and seismic load coupling on the power generation and structural dynamics behavior of this structure. Different turbine operational scenarios such as (i) normal operational condition with no earthquake, (ii) idling condition with the presence of seismic loads, (iii) normal operational condition with earthquake, and (iv) earthquake-induced emergency shutdown will be simulated with various loading conditions to show the differences in generated power and dynamic response. The results of this paper provide formulations for calculating generated power and design deriving parameters by considering different intensity measures. Moreover, the effects of aerodynamic damping and pitch control system are presented to shows reduction in the resulting design demand loads.
Glycera dibranchiata hemoglobin. X-ray structure of carbonmonoxide hemoglobin at 1.5 A resolution.

Abstract The structure of carbonmonoxide Glycera hemoglobin has been determined to 1·5 A resolution by X-ray diffraction. The model, including ordered solvent, has been refined by the method of restrained least-squares to an R -value of 0·146. The positions of 1104 protein atoms and the oxygens of 155 water molecules have been determined with an estimated r.m.s. error of 0·10 to 0·13 A. The r.m.s. errors in protein geometry are 0·027 A for bond distances, 0·038 A for angle distances and 0·012 A for deviations of planar groups from their least-squares planes. The iron lies exactly in the plane of the heme nitrogens and the heme is very slightly domed toward the proximal side. The carbon-oxygen bond in the carbon monoxide ligand is bent 7·9° away from the normal to the plane of the heme nitrogens. The ligand is in close contact with, and slightly removed from the heme normal by distal residues Leu 58(E7) and Val62(E11). Comparison of the CO structure with the 1·5 A deoxy structure shows that the majority of the rather small structural changes occurring upon ligation are mediated by movement of the heme due to shortening of the five iron to nitrogen bonds. There is very little empty space inside the molecule, and no direct channel from the solvent into the heme pocket; however, rotation of the side-chain of the distal leucine residue Leu58(E6) could provide a ligand pathway.
Mobile Application for Healthcare System - Location Based

Advancements in Information Technology are frequently adapted in the field of health-care services for better performance. Rapid evolution in positioning technologies lead the growth of mobile services to value-added, localized, personalized and time critical services offering connectivity at anytime, in anywhere. This paper proposes a Location Based Mobile Healthcare System Architecture and Mobile User Application integrated with latest technology in wireless communication; Personalization and customization of such services based on the Location Based Services and the profiles of mobile users. The proposed architecture and application allow the health-care providers and patients to connect across the globe. The movement of services provided to the patient from desktop platform to mobile technology can bring significant impact on health care services.
Are practitioners writing contracts

For decades now, modular design methodologies have helped software engineers cope with the size and complexity of modern-day industrial applications. To be truly effective though, it is essential that module interfaces be rigorously specified. Design by Contract (DBC) is an increasingly popular method of interface specification for object-oriented systems. Many researchers are actively adding support for DBC to various languages such as Ada, Java and C#. Are these research efforts justified? Does having support for DBC mean that developers will make use of it? We present the results of an empirical study measuring the proportion of assertion statements used in Eiffel contracts. The study results indicate that programmers using Eiffel (the only active language with built-in support for DBC) tend to write assertions in a proportion that is higher than for other languages.
Climate governance and development

This volume, Berlin workshop series 2010, contains a selection of papers presented at the 11th International Policy Workshop, held in Berlin, September 28-30, 2008. The workshop was jointly organized by Inwent-Capacity Building International, Germany, and the World Bank in preparation for the World Bank's World Development Report 2010. It provided a forum for an exchange of ideas and viewpoints that contributed to the development of the report. The report will accordingly have six parts, each describing, explaining, or drawing lessons from the climate change that have been observed in both developed and developing countries. Part one looks at climate change as a challenge to development policy. Part two highlights the role of technological innovation and alternative energy sources in promoting sustainable development. Part three examines natural resource governance for adaptation, mitigation, and development. Part four examines the role of the private sector and nongovernmental organizations in addressing climate change. Part five explores financing mechanisms for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Part six and last addresses the capacity and governance of developing countries in mitigating climate change.
Effect of Finishing Techniques on the Marginal Integrity of Resin-Based Composite and Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Restoration.

UNLABELLED The purpose of this study was to evaluate the marginal integrity of resin-based composite (RBC and resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) restorations as a function of finishing technique and location of the tooth. Forty extracted third molars were assigned to four groups (N = 10) according to finishing instruments (aluminum oxide discs, fluted carbides, fine diamonds, and coarse diamond). Each specimen received standardized Class V preparations on the facial and lingual surfaces with occlusal margins on enamel and gingival margins on dentin. Each preparation was randomly assigned to be restored with either RBC or RMGIC. Specimens were finished with standardized pressure at approximately 0.16 N and evaluated at a magnification of 600× using an environmental scanning electron microscope. Occlusal and gingival margins were analyzed using an imaging software, and means for all measured gaps were calculated. Data were analyzed with a factorial analysis of variance. All possible two-way interactions were included, and the level of significance was set at 0.05. There were no statistically significant differences among the four types of finishing instruments used in the study. RBC-restored specimens exhibited significantly smaller mean marginal gaps (1.70-7.56 μm) than RMGI-restored specimens (5.24-14.24 μm) in enamel and dentin margins, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between enamel and dentin with regard to marginal gap formation. Under the conditions of this study, marginal gap formation was not affected by finishing technique. RBC margins exhibited significantly less marginal gap than RMGI margins, whereas enamel margins resulted in significantly less marginal gap than did dentin margins. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Multiple factors can affect the marginal integrity and the longevity of direct restorations. From these, the finishing and polishing techniques are critical steps that are under the clinician's control, and proper finishing and polishing techniques should be applied for avoiding introduction of stress to the margin of the restoration. It seems that instrumentation do not play a significant role, as much as the restorative material and the substrate to bond.
A scalability study of web-native information visualization

Several web-native information visualization methods (SVG, HTML5's Canvas, native HTML) are studied to contrast their performances at different data scales. Using Java implementations of parallel coordinates and squarified treemaps for comparison, we explore the design space of these web-based technologies in order to determine what design trade-offs are required.
Microelectrode Applications of Pulsed Electrochemical Detection

Pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) has been applied to the direct (i.e., requires no derivatization), sensitive and reproducible detection of numerous polar aliphatic compounds (e.g., carbohydrates, amines, and thiols). These compounds, many of which have biological significance, typically have been classified as non-electroactive for detection under constant applied potentials and have poor optical detection properties. PED exploits the electrocatalytic activity of noble metal (e.g., Au and Pt) electrode surfaces to oxidize various polar functional groups using multi-step potential-time waveforms to realize amperometric/coulometric detection while maintaining uniform and reproducible electrode activity. The response mechanisms in PED are dominated by the surface properties of the electrode, and as a consequence, members of each chemical class of compounds produce virtually identical voltammetric responses. Thus, the full analytical potential is achieved when combined with an a priori separation. Although popularized in combination with high performance liquid chromatography, the combination of PED with highly efficient microseparation techniques offer the analyst unique advantages. This paper reviews the fundamental aspects of PED especially at microelectrodes, and its application in microchromatographic and electrophoretic separation techniques, including microchip devices.
Sex and Aggression: The Relationship Between Gender and Abuse Experience in Youngsters Referred to Residential Treatment

We examined the relationship of gender and different forms of abuse experience on internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and IQ in a sample of 397 youngsters who were admitted to a residential treatment program. Three types of abuse experience were examined in this study: sexual abuse only, physical abuse only, and both sexual and physical abuse. Results indicate that girls exhibited higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms even though abuse experience was accounted for in the analyses. Moreover, youngsters who had experienced sexual abuse (but not physical abuse) exhibited higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms than youngsters who had not been abused. Implications for developing individualized interventions based on gender and abuse experience in residential treatment programs is discussed.
Stroke awareness among low literacy Latinos living in the South Carolina low country.

Background Little is known about stroke awareness in Latinos with low literacy and living in regions with high stroke rates. Methods We surveyed a convenience sample of 60 adult Latinos living in Charleston South Carolina to examine recognition of 4 common warning signs of stroke and appropriate first action to call 9-1-1. Results Forty-six percent of the participants recognized sudden facial, arm, or leg weakness; 39% recognized sudden vision loss; 43% recognized sudden trouble walking; 45% recognized sudden headache; 17% recognized all four warning signs. Twenty-seven percent of the participants incorrectly identified chest pain as a warning sign of stroke. Participants at the lowest literacy levels recognized three of the four warning signs more frequently than the participants at higher literacy levels. Discussion Overall, awareness of stroke warning signs was considerably low in this high-risk population. The relationship between low-literacy and stroke awareness was unclear in this sample.
Electrical transport properties of Co-based skutterudites filled with Ag and Au

This work presents theoretical calculations of the electrical transport properties of the Ag, Au, and La fractionally filled bulk skutterudites: CoSb${}_{3}$, CoAs${}_{3}$, and CoP${}_{3}$. Density functional theory, along with projector augmented wave potentials, was used to calculate bulk band structures and partial density of states. The Seebeck coefficient ($S$), electrical conductivity ($\ensuremath{\sigma}$), and power factor (${S}^{2}\ensuremath{\sigma}$) were calculated as a function of temperature and filling fraction using the momentum matrix method along the entire first Brillouin zone. Calculated trends in the electrical transport properties agree with previously published experimental measurements for $p$-type unfilled and La-filled CoSb${}_{3}$. The calculated $S$ and $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ values for the Ag- and Au-filled compounds indicate that the most promising electronic properties are exhibited by $p$-type Au${}_{0.125}$(CoSb${}_{3}$)${}_{4}$, Au${}_{0.25}$(CoSb${}_{3}$)${}_{4}$, and Au(CoSb${}_{3}$)${}_{4}$. Au is therefore recommended as a promising filler for improved thermoelectric properties in cobalt antimonides. Ag is also a good filler for cobalt phosphides; the creation of a negative indirect band gap is observed in Ag(CoP${}_{3}$)${}_{4}$, which indicates semimetallic behavior, so this compound may possibly exhibit lower thermal conductivity than metallic CoP${}_{3}$. Finally, we recommend future directions for improving the thermoelectric figure of merit of these materials.
Mixing numbers and letters: Collaboration between engineering and English to improve graduate student work

This paper will describe the issues and process of developing an introductory course in graduate writing and communication skills in conjunction with the industry of professional consulting engineering. The course was developed through a collaboration of English and engineering faculty and the collaboration is maintained in the teaching of the course. Innovative techniques incorporated into the course development include a four-pronged approach: 1) use of best practices for Writing in the Disciplines; 2) development of and focus on a multi-faceted collaborative model (Engineering and English, university and industry, students and faculty, industry and students); 3) team-teaching by engineering and English faculty members for the initial graduate research course; and 4) emphasis on the quality of the thesis project content in terms of the research itself, analysis and synthesis of that research, and effective communication of the results. Accountability and assessment of students' work includes development of the thesis project statement and presentation of their work to a body of their peers; presentations and evaluations by departmental faculty; and round table talks with industry. This system of accountability and assessment have shown marked improvement in the communication skill set often minimized in both undergraduate and graduate engineering education.
Parasitism of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) by Ascogregarina spp. (Apicomplexa: Lecudinidae) in Florida

Aedes aegypti (L.) and Ae. albopictus (Skuse) from 40 sites in 17 counties of Florida were surveyed for gregarine parasites during the spring and autumn of 1993 and in July 1994. Larvae collected from containers (mainly tires) were dissected to determine the number of gregarine trophozoites present. Ascogregarina spp. were found at 70% of the sites and occurred as frequently in Ae. aegypti populations as in Ae. albopictus. Within sites, parasite distributions were highly variable and aggregated in host populations. Parasite loads ranged from 1 to 486 trophozoites per host. Mean parasite load was significantly higher in Ae. aegypti larvae (52.5 per host) than in Ae. albopictus (33.5 per host). Parasite prevalence was significantly higher in Ae. aegypti populations that were not sympatric with Ae. albopictus compared with allopatric Ae. albopictus or sympatric populations of either species. In sympatric populations, Ae. aegypti tended to have equal or higher parasite prevalence than the cohabiting Ae. albopictus. Ascogregarina taiwanensis (Lien & Levine) prevalence in Ae. albopictus was significantly higher in areas where these hosts have been present for at least 3 yr. These data contribute to the hypothesis that parasite-mediated competition may be a factor in the apparent displacement of Ae. aegypti by Ae. albopictus in Florida.
On factors controlling activity of submonolayer bimetallic catalysts: nitrogen desorption.

We model N2 desorption on submonolayer bimetallic surfaces consisting of Co clusters on Pt(111) via first-principles density functional theory-based kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. We find that submonolayer structures are essential to rationalize the high activity of these bimetallics in ammonia decomposition. We show that the N2 desorption temperature on Co/Pt(111) is about 100 K higher than that on Ni/Pt(111), despite Co/Pt(111) binding N weaker at low N coverages. Co/Pt(111) has substantially different lateral interactions than single metals and Ni/Pt. The lateral interactions are rationalized with the d-band center theory. The activity of bimetallic catalysts is the result of heterogeneity of binding energies and reaction barriers among sites, and the most active site can differ on various bimetallics. Our results are in excellent agreement with experimental data and demonstrate for the first time that the zero-coverage descriptor, used until now, for catalyst activity is inadequate due not only to lacking lateral interactions but importantly to presence of multiple sites and a complex interplay of thermodynamics (binding energies, occupation) and kinetics (association barriers) on those sites.
Can elemental bismuth be a liquid crystal

Abstract A number of anomalies have been reported in molten Bi, including a first-order liquid–liquid transition at 1010 K and ambient pressure, which is irreversible at cooling rates of several degrees per minute. An interpretation of these effects as due to long-range bond-orientational order is suggested. Significant evidence for directionality in liquid Bi, albeit only at temperatures close to melting, is available in experiments made circa 1930. Further experimentation is called for.
Temperature compensation in the hepatic mixed-function oxidase system of bluegill.

Abstract 1. Bluegill ( Lepomis macrochirus R.) were acclimated to 12, 22 or 32°C for 5 or 14 days. 2. Liver weight to body weight ratio and the rate of metabolism of benzo[ a ]pyrene by liver microsomes varied inversely with the acclimation temperature of the fish. 3. Concentration of microsomal cytochrome P-450, as determined by CO-difference binding spectra, was not significantly affected by acclimation temperature. 4. There were no qualitative or quantitative differences in the electrophoretic patterns of proteins with molecular weights similar to those reported for cytochrome P-450. 5. There were no shifts in the temperature optima of the microsomal benzo[ a ]pyrene hydroxylase activity.
Hidden in plain sight: discovery of sheath-forming, iron-oxidizing Zetaproteobacteria at Loihi Seamount, Hawaii, USA

Lithotrophic iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) form microbial mats at focused flow or diffuse flow vents in deep-sea hydrothermal systems where Fe(II) is a dominant electron donor. These mats composed of biogenically formed Fe(III)-oxyhydroxides include twisted stalks and tubular sheaths, with sheaths typically composing a minor component of bulk mats. The micron diameter Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide-containing tubular sheaths bear a strong resemblance to sheaths formed by the freshwater FeOB, Leptothrix ochracea . We discovered that veil-like surface layers present in iron-mats at the Loihi Seamount were dominated by sheaths (40–60% of total morphotypes present) compared with deeper (> 1 cm) mat samples (0–16% sheath). By light microscopy, these sheaths appeared nearly identical to those of L. ochracea . Clone libraries of the SSU rRNA gene from this top layer were dominated by Zetaproteobacteria , and lacked phylotypes related to L . ochracea . In mats with similar morphologies, terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) data along with quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) analyses using a Zetaproteobacteria -specific primer confirmed the presence and abundance of Zetaproteobacteria . A Zetaproteobacteria fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probe hybridized to ensheathed cells (4% of total cells), while a L . ochracea -specific probe and a Betaproteobacteria probe did not. Together, these results constitute the discovery of a novel group of marine sheath-forming FeOB bearing a striking morphological similarity to L . ochracea , but belonging to an entirely different class of Proteobacteria .
Pionic contributions to deep inelastic nuclear structure functions

A nucleon plus pion model for deep inelastic lepton-nucleus scattering is studied in a field theoretic framework. Pionic effects are emphasized and different pion excess models are derived in our formalism, depending on whether the pion fields are quantized on the light cone or at equal time.
Template supercoiling during ATP-dependent DNA helix tracking: studies with simian virus 40 large tumor antigen

Incubation of topologically relaxed plasmid DNA with simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor antigen (T antigen), ATP, and eubacterial DNA topoisomerase I resulted in the formation of highly positively supercoiled DNA. Eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase I could not substitute for eubacterial DNA topoisomerase 1 in this reaction. Furthermore, the addition of eukaryotic topoisomerase I to a preincubated reaction mixture containing both T antigen and eubacterial topoisomerase I caused rapid relaxation of the positively supercoiled DNA. These results suggest that SV40 T antigen can introduce topoisomerase-relaxable supercoils into DNA in a reaction coupled to ATP hydrolysis. We interpret the observed T antigen supercoiling reaction in terms of a recently proposed twin-supercoiled-domain model that describes the mechanics of DNA helix-tracking processes. According to this model positive and negative supercoils are generated ahead of and behind the moving SV40 T antigen, respectively. The preferential relaxation of negative supercoils by eubacterial DNA topoisomerase I explains the accumulation of positive supercoils in the DNA template. The supercoiling assay using DNA conformation-specific eubacterial DNA topoisomerase I may be of general use for the detection of ATP-dependent DNA helix-tracking proteins.
Single-crystal cubic silicon carbide: An in vivo biocompatible semiconductor for brain machine interface devices

Single crystal silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide band-gap semiconductor which has shown both bio- and hemo-compatibility [1–5]. Although single crystalline SiC has appealing bio-sensing potential, the material has not been extensively characterized. Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) has superior in vitro biocompatibility compared to its hexagonal counterparts [3, 5]. Brain machine interface (BMI) systems using implantable neuronal prosthetics offer the possibility of bi-directional signaling, which allow sensory feedback and closed loop control. Existing implantable neural interfaces have limited long-term reliability, and 3C-SiC may be a material that may improve that reliability. In the present study, we investigated in vivo 3C-SiC biocompatibility in the CNS of C56BL/6 mice. 3C-SiC was compared against the known immunoreactive response of silicon (Si) at 5, 10, and 35 days. The material was examined to detect CD45, a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) expressed by activated microglia and macrophages. The 3C-SiC surface revealed limited immunoresponse and significantly reduced microglia compared to Si substrate.
CD22 Is Both a Positive and Negative Regulator of B Lymphocyte Antigen Receptor Signal Transduction: Altered Signaling in CD22-Deficient Mice

B cell activation following antigen receptor cross-linking can be augmented in vitro by ligation of cell surface CD22, which associates with the SHP1 protein tyrosine phosphatase. The targeted deletion of CD22 in mice demonstrated that CD22 differentially regulates antigen receptor signaling in resting and antigen-stimulated B lymphocytes. B cells from CD22-deficient mice exhibited the cell surface phenotype and augmented intracellular calcium responses characteristic of chronically stimulated B cells, as occurs in SHP1-defective mice. Thus, CD22 negatively regulates antigen receptor signaling in the absence of antigen. However, activation of CD22-deficient B lymphocytes by prolonged IgM cross-linking resulted in modest B cell proliferation, demonstrating that CD22 positively regulates antigen receptor signaling in the presence of antigen.
Reoperation, emergency and urgent open cardiac surgery in Jehovah's Witnesses.

Progressive advances in perfusion technology and perioperative supportive management have made it possible for members of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious group to undergo open cardiac operations with remarkable safety. However, hospital mortality remains high in (1) patients requiring reoperation (in whom both technical and bleeding problems tend to be more frequent) and (2) patients with significantly compromised cardiac performance requiring urgent or emergency operation. Employing a number of perioperative measures designed to minimize blood loss and maintain hematocrit levels (including use of the recently available recombinant human erythropoetin in two patients whose cases are reported herein), 13 reoperations and five urgent or emergency operations were performed. The one death in the entire series occurred in a patient (reoperation group) who died of a cerebrovascular accident of presumed embolic etiology, having undergone combined debridement of a stenotic heavily calcified aortic valve and a second coronary artery revascularization procedure. None of the patients required surgical exploration for bleeding. We suggest that currently available methodology permits Jehovah's Witnesses to undergo reoperation, emergency surgery, or urgent open cardiac operation at a level of risk not dissimilar to that seen in patients who permit use of homologous blood and products in their treatment. (Chest 1992; 102:50–53)
Recent insights into the mechanism of glucocorticosteroid-induced apoptosis

Glucocorticosteroid hormones induce apoptosis in lymphocytes. Therefore, glucocorticoids are commonly used as immunosuppressive and chemotherapeutic agents. This review examines many facets of the process by which glucocorticoids induce apoptosis. This process is divided into three stages, an initiation stage that involves glucocorticoid receptor-mediated gene regulation, a decision stage that involves the counterbalancing influence of prosurvival and proapoptotic factors, and the execution stage which involves caspase and endonuclease activation. Many aspects of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis, such as mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase activation, are important steps in virtually all forms of apoptosis. But the process glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis differs from other forms of apoptosis in terms of initiation at the transcriptional level and involvement of the multicatalytic proteasome and calcium. Moreover, the abundant opportunity for crosstalk between the glucocorticoid receptor and other signaling pathways increases the complexity of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis and its regulation.