cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A combined computational and experimental study of ion-beam modification of carbon nanotube bundles

The modification of bundled single-walled and multiwalled carbon nanotubes is examined using a combination of computational and experimental methods. The computational approach is classical molecular dynamics simulations using the many-body reactive empirical bond-order potential parametrized by Brenner. The simulations consider the deposition of CH3+ at incident energies of 10, 45, and 80 eV. They predict the chemical functionalization of the nanotubes, the formation of defects on the nanotube walls, and the formation of cross-links between neighboring nanotubes or between the walls of a single nanotube. They also illustrate the manner in which the number of walls in the nanotube and incident energy affect the results. In the experiments, multiwalled nanotubes with about 40 shells (average diameter of 25 nm) are synthesized by chemical vapor deposition. CF3+ ions are deposited at incident energies of 10 and 45 eV, and then the nanotubes are examined with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning elec...
Preautopsy imaging in cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome.

The 23-week pregnancy of a gravida 2 para 1 mother was terminated after a prenatal US revealed fetal hydrops and congenital anomalies. Because of external anomalies, preautopsy radiographs were performed (Fig. 1). Pathognomic right rib gaps (arrowheads) (Fig. 1) allowed a diagnosis of cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome [1], which was immediately discussed with the pathologist, including the likelihood of intracranial abnormality. The autopsy confirmed fibrovascular replacement of portions of the right posterior ribs (Fig. 2), as well as extensive, predominantly perivascular, brain calcifications. The preautopsy identification of rib gaps allowed the diagnosis of cerebro-costal-mandibular syndrome, a hereditary condition. This identification helped facilitate the autopsy. Because they are seldom seen, rib gaps could have easily passed unnoticed on a routine autopsy. Bone fails to form, but the pathogenesis is unknown. Moreover, the need for intracranial imaging or an autopsy examination becomes evident [2]. We emphasize the value of preautopsy radiological imaging with immediate interpretation.
Quantitative changes in lipid composition of tissues infected with fowlpox virus.

Summary1) The normal lipid composition of chick skin and of chorioallantoic membrane is reported. Evidence is presented which indicates that there is an alteration in lipid metabolism of these tissues when infected with fowlpox virus. 2) This evidence consists of: (1) On dry weight basis, infection of the chick resulted in decreased amount of total skin lipids, the greater part referable to total fatty acid fraction. The level of esterified cholesterol became elevated. (2) Partition studies of chick skin lipid revealed that concentration of total cholesterol, esterified cholesterol and free fatty acids increased in contrast to lowered total fatty acid values. (3) Dry weight analyses of infected chorioallantoic membrane demonstrated a general increase in lipid components with the exception of free cholesterol and phospholipid, which decreased and were unchanged, respectively. (4) Partition of CAM lipid disclosed that free cholesterol and phospholipid decreased in percentage while esterified cholesterol exh...
Comments on “Tropical Convection and the Energy Balance at the Top of the Atmosphere”

Analyses of the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) data show that the effects of clouds on the solar and thermal infrared radiation in the tropical deep convective regions have a similar magnitude but opposite signs. This small difference in the effects of clouds on radiation led Hartmann et al. (2001) to conclude that the contrast in the net radiation at the top of the atmosphere between the convective and non-convective regions must also be small. However, we have found that the ERBE data do not generally show a small contrast in the radiation between the convective and non-convective regions, and the model used by Hartmann et al., therefore, seems unlikely to represent the real physical processes involving convection, radiation, and climate in an appropriate way.
A comparison of the prescriptions received by the elderly in long-term care in New York and London

A comparison of medication prescribed for elderly residents in long-term care institutions in London and New York shows that New York residents are prescribed more drugs. The contrast is sharpest for those suffering from dementia who are much more likely to receive neuroleptic medication than their counterparts in London. Analysis indicates that the differences may reflect the greater emphasis in New York on the nursing-medical model of care, rather than any differences between the residents themselves.
An evolutionary approach to gait learning for four-legged robots

Developing fast gaits for legged robots is a difficult task that requires optimizing parameters in a highly irregular, multidimensional space. In the past, walk optimization for quadruped robots, namely the Sony AIBO robot, was done by handtuning the parameterized gaits. In addition to requiring a lot of time and human expertise, this process produced sub-optimal results. Several recent projects have focused on using machine learning to automate the parameter search. Algorithms utilizing Powell's minimization method and policy gradient reinforcement learning have shown significant improvement over previous walk optimization results. In this paper we present a new algorithm for walk optimization based on an evolutionary approach. Unlike previous methods, our algorithm does not attempt to approximate the gradient of the multidimensional space. This makes it more robust to noise in parameter evaluations and avoids prematurely converging to local optima, a problem encountered by both of the previously suggested algorithms. Our evolutionary algorithm matches the best previous learning method, achieving several different walks of high quality. Furthermore, the best learned walks represent an impressive 20% improvement over our own best hand-tuned walks.
Humoral immunity in the prepatent primary infection of dogs with Echinococcus granulosus

Twenty-one parasite-naive dogs were infected with 60,000 protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus. Transformation of peripheral lymphocytes was investigated before and 29 days after the infection, immunoglobulin concentration and anti-hydatid fluid protein (HFP) titers in serum and feces before and at 35 days of infection, skin reactivity to HFP at 36 days, and characteristics of the parasites at 40 days. The infection caused a significant depression of the spontaneous, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated, and purified protein derivative-stimulated blastogenesis. Responses to phytohemagglutinin were unchanged and reactivity to concanavalin A was enhanced with the infection. Only the concentrations of IgG and IgA in the serum and IgA in the feces increased significantly after infection. Fifteen (71%) dogs produced significant serum titers of anti-HFP hemagglutinins but copro-antibodies were detectable in only 3 dogs at minimum titers. Titers were abolished by treatment with 2-mercaptoethanol. The serum of 11 (52%) dogs transferred passive cutaneous anaphylaxis to guinea pigs but none transferred skin reactivity to pups or rabbits. Five and 1 (but not 0.2) micrograms of HFP caused skin reactivity in 4 parasite-naive dogs. Nineteen (90.5%) infected dogs reacted significantly to skin inoculation of 0.2 microgram of HFP at 0.5 hours and 13 (62%) at 6 hours. The 7 dogs with the highest anti-HFP serum titers or the greatest skin reactivity at 6 hours had significantly less mature or fewer tissue parasites, respectively, than the 7 dogs with the smallest responses. Since there was evidence that the specific immunity was still developing at the time of the study, these results indicate that immunological diagnosis of, and artificial immunization against, canine echinococcosis are feasible.
Revascularization decisions in coronary artery disease: hitting a moving target.

The subspecialty of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can be considered in 3 eras of technological evolution, from balloon angioplasty (BA) to bare-metal stents (BMS) to drug-eluting stents (DES), with patient outcomes improving with each advance. At the same time, surgical outcomes have been
A model-based dynamic toll pricing strategy for controlling highway traffic

A model-based approach to dynamic toll pricing has been developed to provide a systematic method for determining optimal freeway pricing schemes. A novel approach is suggested for alleviating congestion, which utilizes identified models of driver behavior and traffic flow, as well as optimization of the target density to maximize throughput. Real-time traffic information from on-road sensors is integrated with historical information to provide feedback and preview for the dynamic toll price controller. The algorithm developed here provides an opportunity to improve on existing toll policy by guaranteeing minimum speeds for toll lane drivers, maintaining consistent traffic flow for the other drivers, and optimizing the overall traffic throughput.
COX‐2 inhibitor NS‐398 suppresses doxorubicin‐induced p53 accumulation through inhibition of ROS‐mediated Jnk activation

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is one of the isoforms of cyclooxygenase, a rate-limiting enzyme in the arachidonic acid cascade. COX-2 protein expression is highly induced by numerous factors and it has been reportedly overexpressed in various human malignancies. Although anti-tumorigenic effects of COX-2 inhibitors have been shown, several lines of evidence suggest that COX-2 inhibitors antagonize the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we investigated the effect of NS-398, a COX-2 inhibitor, on modulation of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced p53 accumulation. Non-selective and selective COX-2 inhibitors attenuated DOX-induced accumulation of wild type (WT) but not mutant p53. Nutlin-3α or MG132 abolished the suppressive effect of a COX-2 inhibitor on DOX-induced p53 increase. Moreover, the DOX-induced increase in p53 protein levels was reduced in COX-2 knockout (KO) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) compared to those in WT or COX-1 KO MEFs. DOX-induced accumulation of p53 was attenuated by a specific inhibitor or knockdown of Jun-N-terminal kinase (Jnk). In addition, DOX-induced Jnk activation was decreased in COX-2 KO MEFs or by COX-2 inhibition, suggesting that Jnk stabilizes p53 by a mechanism that involves COX-2. Pre-treatment with a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, N-acetylcysteine, attenuated DOX-induced Jnk activation and subsequent p53 accumulation. Furthermore, the absence or inhibition of COX-2 resulted in suppression of DOX-induced increase in ROS levels. These results suggest that COX-2 activates Jnk through modulation of ROS levels, leading to accumulation of p53. Our study identifies a putative novel cross-talk between COX-2 and p53. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Petro-Aggression: Libya and the Arab Jamahiriyya

There is no state with a democracy except Libya on the whole planet. – Muammar Qaddafi Libya’s short history since its independence in 1951 is a turbulent one. The former Italian colony was initially ruled by a monarch, King Idris, until he was overthrown by a young pan-Arab nationalist named Muammar Qaddafi in 1969. Qaddafi became the de facto ruler of Libya for over four decades, during which he transformed the country with a socialist revolution from above. Geopolitically, Libya moved away from the West and allied itself with the Soviet Union, then switched its orientation to reach a rapprochement with the West, only to become a pariah state once more in 2011. Libya is a fascinating, complex country. This chapter focuses on its history prior to Qaddafi’s fall in 2011, both to test my argument and to provide background for understanding contemporary events. Libya was remarkably aggressive in its foreign policy. At the height of its revolutionary period, 1969–1991, Libya engaged in a multitude of international conflicts and violent struggles, while at the same time seeking pan-Arab unification and solidarity. It engaged in a series of overlapping and violent conflicts with Chad. It also had militarized disputes with Egypt and the United States, and deployed troops to fight against Tanzania in the war in Uganda. Libya supported a wide range of foreign insurgencies and rebel groups, from Abu Nidal to the Irish Republican Army to the Black Panthers. It sustained a nuclear weapons program for more than three decades before reversing course in 2003 as part of its reconciliation with the West. Perhaps most famously, it sponsored several acts of international terrorism in the 1980s, including the Lockerbie airline bombing. Few countries of Libya’s size have a history of such intense and violent international affairs.
Quantification of tumor morphology via 3D histology: application to oral cavity cancers

Traditional histopathology quantifies disease through the study of glass slides, i.e. two-dimensional samples that are representative of the overall process. We hypothesize that 3D reconstruction can enhance our understanding of histopathologic interpretations. To test this hypothesis, we perform a pilot study of the risk model for oral cavity cancer (OCC), which stratifies patients into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk for locoregional disease-free survival. Classification is based on study of hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stained tissues sampled from the resection specimens. In this model, the Worst Pattern of Invasion (WPOI) is assessed, representing specific architectural features at the interface between cancer and non-cancer tissue. Currently, assessment of WPOI is based on 2D sections of tissue, representing complex 3D structures of tumor growth. We believe that by reconstructing a 3D model of tumor growth and quantifying the tumor-host interface, we can obtain important diagnostic information that is difficult to assess in 2D. Therefore, we introduce a pilot study framework for visualizing tissue architecture and morphology in 3D from serial sections of histopathology. This framework can be used to enhance predictive models for diseases where severity is determined by 3D biological structure. In this work we utilize serial H and E-stained OCC resections obtained from 7 patients exhibiting WPOI-3 (low risk of recurrence) through WPOI-5 (high risk of recurrence). A supervised classifier automatically generates a map of tumor regions on each slide, which are then co-registered using an elastic deformation algorithm. A smooth 3D model of the tumor region is generated from the registered maps, which is suitable for quantitative tumor interface morphology feature extraction. We report our preliminary models created with this system and suggest further enhancements to traditional histology scoring mechanisms that take spatial architecture into consideration.
FETAL SVT AND POSTNATAL OUTCOMES: A COLLABORATIVE MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL STUDY

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common arrhythmia in the fetus and can be difficult to manage in utero. Recognizing that preterm birth before 37 weeks gestation is the most common catastrophic complication of pregnancy, we sought to better understand the pre and postnatal clinical
Community Pharmacy–Based Adherence Programs and the Role of Pharmacy Technicians: A Review

Objective: To increase pharmacy technician awareness of medication nonadherence enabling them to identify opportunities to participate in the provision of community pharmacy–based adherence program...
Electronic Resources for Developing Data Management Skills and Data Management Plans

ABSTRACTDeveloping a data management plan is an important part of planning any research endeavor, and increasingly, grant institutions require these kinds of formal, written documents. Medical and academic libraries have begun reaching out and offering help to researchers developing plans for managing research data. Several tools are available to aid researchers and librarians alike in both building the skills needed to make well-informed choices when it comes to managing research data and to walk users step-by-step through the process of creating a formal data management plan. Data Research MANTRA is an online course for those who manage, or plan to manage, research data. DMPTool and DMPonline are step-by-step guides to creating data management plan documents that adhere to DMP best practices, as well as to the requirements of specific grantors and institutions. These tools can help librarians and the researchers with whom they work to both meet institutional requirements and to make informed decisions a...
Australian place names—a neglected study

(1964). Australian place names—a neglected study. Australian Geographer: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 218-222.
New Type SERapid Traction Power DC Switchgear

For the current demand of rail transit construction,the new type SERapid traction power DC switchgear was launched in line with the Chinese market. According to the different type of DC switchgears,the technical features and performances of incoming cubicle,feeder cubicle,shunt-trip cubicle and return cubicle were respec-tively introduced,such as function implementation of various protection,measurement,control,communications, latch-tripping and operation. Also,the performance characteristics of the key components used in various types of cubicle were described as well as the structural characteristics of various types of cubicle. Finally,the interface problems between the DC switchgear and peripheral devices of substation such as integrated communication management unit and rail voltage limited equipment were introduced.
Cor triatriatum: Masked by complex congenital cardiac anomalies

The radiographic, angiographic, hemodynamic, and surgical features of 2 cases of cor triatriatum complicated by other cardiac anomalies are presented. In the first case, the patient had tetralogy of Fallot, the scimitar syndrome, and left ventricular obstruction. In the second case the patient had truncus arteriosus. The first case was revealed only after augmentation of pulmonary flow by an aorta-pulmonary artery anastomosis. In the second case, the diagnosis was retrospectively suggested by certain angiographic and hemodynamic clues. The prospective diagnosis was made only after a modified Rastelli procedure for truncus arteriosus. The difficulties encountered in making the diagnosis in both cases are discussed. It is stressed that a high index of suspicion, thorough accumulation and examination of hemodynamic data, and excellent angiograms and plain film radiography are all necessary to an early diagnosis of cor triatriatum when the latter is complicated by other congenital heart anomalies.
The measurement of patient attitudes regarding prenatal and preconception genetic carrier screening and translational behavioral medicine: an integrative review

Measurement of recessive carrier screening attitudes related to conception and pregnancy is necessary to determine current acceptance, and whether behavioral intervention strategies are needed in clinical practice. To evaluate quantitative survey instruments to measure patient attitudes regarding genetic carrier testing prior to conception and pregnancy databases examining patient attitudes regarding genetic screening prior to conception and pregnancy from 2003–2013 were searched yielding 344 articles; eight studies with eight instruments met criteria for inclusion. Data abstraction on theoretical framework, subjects, instrument description, scoring, method of measurement, reliability, validity, feasibility, level of evidence, and outcomes was completed. Reliability information was provided in five studies with an internal consistency of Cronbach’s α >0.70. Information pertaining to validity was presented in three studies and included construct validity via factor analysis. Despite limited psychometric information, these questionnaires are self-administered and can be briefly completed, making them a feasible method of evaluation.
Pregnancy Ambivalence and Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) Use Among Young Adult Women: A Qualitative Study.

CONTEXT Many young adults are unclear about how much they want to have, or prevent having, a baby. However, pregnancy ambivalence is an underexamined factor in the uptake of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods—IUDs and implants—the most effective methods available. METHODS In 2014, investigators conducted six focus groups and 12 interviews with 50 women aged 18–29 in Dane County, Wisconsin; participants were either university students or community residents receiving public assistance. A modified grounded theory approach was used to analyze the data. RESULTS Four themes emerged. First, participants described a pregnancy desire spectrum: Those strongly motivated to avoid pregnancy were most receptive to LARC methods, while those with less clear or mixed desires worried that these methods would prevent “accidental” pregnancies that might not be unwelcome. Second, women within a few years of wanting children perceived LARC methods as too “permanent,” despite awareness of their reversibility. Third, age and life stage were important factors: Younger women and those attending school or beginning careers were more likely than others to consider these methods because they had clearer motivations to avoid pregnancy. Finally, relationship stage influenced receptiveness to LARC methods: Women in newer relationships were more receptive than were those in longer term relationships who imagined having a baby with their partner someday. CONCLUSION Effectiveness is not the only factor in women's selection and use of contraceptive methods. Individual preferences will lead some women to choose non-LARC methods even when fully informed of their options.
Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control for String Stable Mixed Traffic: Benchmark and Human-Centered Design

With the emergence of vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology, cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) cars can be expected in the near future. In this paper, novel criteria for string stability are proposed for mixed traffic platoons that consist of both automated and manual driving cars. A mixed traffic string stability definition is proposed to guarantee the boundedness of the motion states fluctuation upstream as well as the safety of the entire platoon. With proper arrangements of the platoon sequence as well as mild restrictions on the leading car’s velocity overshoot, the proposed mixed traffic string stability can be realized via some suitable controller design for the automated cars. The benchmark controller with feedback and feedforward path is first used to verify the above results with rigorous proof. Furthermore, a human-centered CACC system is designed to improve both physical and psychological comfort of a driver under the guarantee of mixed traffic string stability. The action-point car-following model is adapted to quantify the driver’s psychological comfort in combination with the quantification of physical comfort based on jerk. A model predictive control-like blending ratio controller is developed to obtain the optimal time headway in the feedback controller for tradeoffs among driver comfort, fuel efficiency, and traffic throughput under string stability constraints. Finally, a seven-car CACC mixed traffic platoon scenario is simulated. Compared with the benchmark CACC controller design, the human-centered CACC design is shown to largely improve the driving comfort.
Right ventricular involution: What can we learn from nature's model of compensated hypertrophy?

Abstract Background Right ventricular (RV) failure (RVF) is a vexing problem facing patients with various disease processes and carries a high mortality. RVF is a poorly understood phenomenon with limited treatment options. In mammalian fetal circulation, the right ventricle is the systemic ventricle. In neonates, however, the left ventricle assumes that role and gradually thickens compared with the right ventricle. This process, known as right ventricular involution (RVI), is poorly understood. We sought to define the time course and identify mechanisms involved in RVI. Methods Wild-type mice were bred and sacrificed on day of life (DOL) 1, 4, 8, 16, and 30 to evaluate left ventricular (LV) and RV wall thickness and apoptosis. A terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick-end labeling assay and RNA sequencing were performed to measure changes during RVI. Results Morphometric analysis demonstrated the changes in RV and LV wall thickness occurring between DOL 1 and DOL 16 (RV:LV, 0.53:0.44; P = .03). In addition, apoptosis was most active early, with the highest percentage of apoptotic cells on DOL 1 (1.0%) and a significant decrease by DOL 30 (0.23%) ( P = .02). Similarly, expression of the proapoptotic genes BCL2l11 and Pawr were increased at DOL 1, and the antiapoptotic genes Nol3 and Naip2 were significantly increased at DOL 30. Conclusions RVI is a misnomer, but significant changes occur early (by DOL 16) in neonatal mouse hearts. Apoptosis plays a role in RVI, but whether manipulation of apoptotic pathways can prevent or reverse RVI is unknown and warrants further investigation.
Restriction fragment length polymorphism in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench): characterization of genetic diversity and quantitative trait loci

9 Introduction 10 Materials and Methods 12 Results 16 Discussion 19 References 26 IDENTIFICATION OF PLANT HEIGHT QTL IN SORGHUM ACROSS GENERATIONS AND COMPARATIVE MAPPING WITH MAIZE 39 Abstract 39 Introduction 40 Materials and Methods 43 Results 48 Discussion 54 References 6339 Introduction 40 Materials and Methods 43 Results 48 Discussion 54 References 63 GENETIC MAPPING OF MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS IN SORGHUM ACROSS GENERATIONS Abstract Introduction Materials and Methods Results and Discussion ReferencesIntroduction Materials and Methods Results and Discussion References
Energy spectrum in the dissipation range

Numerical simulations of isotropic turbulence find that the energy spectrum in the dissipation range cannot be described by a single exponential for R${}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$g20, and that this effect is associated with intermittent energy transfer.
Mission and the book of Acts in a pluralist society

A critical aspect of understanding the “missiology” of Acts is discerning the proper relationship between christology and mission practice. By analyzing the narrative construal of mission in Acts, ...
Tissue-Specific Split sfGFP System for Streamlined Expression of GFP Tagged Proteins in the Caenorhabditis elegans Germline

Identifying protein localization is a useful tool in analyzing protein function. Using GFP-fusion tags, researchers can study the function of endogenous proteins in living tissue. However, these tags are considerably large, making them difficult to insert, and they can potentially affect the normal function of these proteins. To improve on these drawbacks, we have adopted the split sfGFP system for studying the localization of proteins in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline. This system divides the "super folder" GFP into 2 fragments, allowing researchers to use CRISPR/Cas9 to tag proteins more easily with the smaller subunit, while constitutively expressing the larger subunit from another locus. These two parts are able to stably interact, producing a functional GFP when both fragments are in the same cellular compartment. Our data demonstrate that the split sfGFP system can be adapted for use in C. elegans to tag endogenous proteins with relative ease. Strains containing the tags are homozygous viable and fertile. These small subunit tags produce fluorescent signals that matched the localization patterns of the wild-type protein in the gonad. Thus, our study shows that this approach could be used for tissue-specific GFP expression from an endogenous locus.
Introduction: The Russian Gothic

Abstract This paper is the introduction to a cluster of articles on the Gothic in Russian and Soviet culture and literature. It offers a general definition of the term “Gothic” in cultural history and a brief overview of the history of the Gothic mode in Russian and Soviet culture, as well as of treatments of the Russian and Soviet Gothic in scholarship. The authors note that the Gothic was late to take root in Russian cultural traditions, and speculate concerning the relationship between Gothic, as a mode that is concerned with the threatening resurgence in modern experience of archaic experience, with revolutionary social transformations and associated political discourses and social structures. The introduction concludes with preliminary remarks about each of the articles included in the cluster.
Modification of the Anterior Perineal Transanorectal Approach for Complicated Prostatic Urethrorectal Fistula Repair

AbstractRectoprostatic fistulas can pose challenging problems for surgical reconstruction. We describe and illustrate the successful repair of a difficult, post-traumatic prostatic urethrorectal fistula by combining use of a vascularized scrotal dartos flap interposition with a modified anterior rectal wall flap fistula repair (Park’s technique). An anterior perineal transanorectal, transsphincteric approach provided excellent operative exposure as well as a direct path for the perineal pedicled dartos island flap en route to the fistula repair site. (J. Urol., 142: 381-384, 1989)
Research on performance of vanadium redox flow battery stack

The vanadium redox flow battery is a power storage technology suitable for large-scale energy storage. The stack is the core component of the vanadium redox flow battery, and its performance directly determines the battery performance. The paper explored the engineering application route of the vanadium redox flow battery and the way to improve its energy efficiency, and studied high-power vanadium redox flow battery stack. 10 single cells, half-stack and full stack were assembled and tested for constant current and constant power charge and discharge respectively. The results showed that bipolar plate's conductive filler was increased, besides, reasonable control of the thickness of the graphite felt could reduce the contact resistance between the materials inside the stack. The internal seal was added in the liquid flow frame to reduce the electrolyte permeability and improve the coulombic efficiency; Increasing the exchange capacity of the ion exchange membrane enhanced the choice of permeability and conductivity. All of the above factors could improve the energy efficiency of the battery. The energy efficiency of the 25kW stack could reach 78.6%, and the 31.5kW stack could reach 76.7%.
Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscopy

This chapter outlines the basic design modifications and operational considerations of variable-pressure SEM's relative to their high-vacuum counterparts. As the physics of electron–solid interactions are central to understanding the operation of these instruments and optimal selection of operating parameters, an introduction to that topic is provided. That section is divided into high-energy interactions, covering scattering of electrons from the primary beam, and low-energy interactions, regarding the interactions of secondary electrons with gas molecules. The latter topic leads into the discussion of the gas ionization cascade, which is the process by which secondary electron emissions can be amplified for detection. The background in this section forms the basis for a discussion of the wide variety of secondary electron signal detection strategies that have been developed. The operational principles and signal composition of several detector classes are discussed.
NAFLD in Children: Implication for the Future

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of liver pathology, ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to more advanced forms of liver damage, up to cirrhosis. It has been described an important increase in the prevalence of NAFLD, likely related to the dramatic rise in the incidence of obesity during the past three decades. Despite an increase in public awareness, overweight/obesity and related conditions, such as NAFLD, remain underdiagnosed and underestimated.
Coarse-grained modeling of mitochondrial metabolism enables subcellular flux inference from fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Mitochondria are central to metabolism and their dysfunctions are associated with many diseases. Metabolic flux, the rate of turnover of molecules through a metabolic pathway, is one of the most important quantities in metabolism, but it remains a challenge to measure spatiotemporal variations in mitochondrial metabolic fluxes in living cells. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) of NADH is a label-free technique that is widely used to characterize the metabolic state of mitochondria in vivo. However, the utility of this technique has been limited by the inability to relate FLIM measurement to the underlying metabolic activities in mitochondria. Here we show that, if properly interpreted, FLIM of NADH can be used to quantitatively measure the flux through a major mitochondrial metabolic pathway, the electron transport chain (ETC), in vivo with subcellular resolution. This result is based on the use of a coarse-grained NADH redox model, which we test in mouse oocytes subject to a wide variety of perturbations by comparing predicted fluxes to direct biochemical measurements and by self-consistency criterion. Using this method, we discovered a subcellular spatial gradient of mitochondrial metabolic flux in mouse oocytes. We showed that this subcellular variation in mitochondrial flux correlates with a corresponding subcellular variation in mitochondrial membrane potential. The developed model, and the resulting procedure for analyzing FLIM of NADH, are valid under nearly all circumstances of biological interest. Thus, this approach is a general procedure to measure metabolic fluxes dynamically in living cells, with subcellular resolution.
Construction of congested Csp3–Csp3 bonds by a formal Ni-catalyzed alkylboration

Through the combination of a Ni-catalyzed alkene alkenylboration followed by hydrogenation, the synthesis of congested Csp3–Csp3-bonds can be achieved. Conditions have been identified that allow for the use of both alkenyl-bromides and -triflates. In addition, the hydrogenation creates another opportunity for stereocontrol, thus allowing access to multiple stereoisomers of the product. Finally, the method is demonstrated in the streamlined synthesis of a biologically relevant molecule.
Glacier

This essay views glaciers as networks of non/human things that constantly, and slowly, collaborate. Early modern Arctic travel narratives challenge ontological separations between the human and the icescape, demonstrating how glaciers compose bodies and passages, fears and desires, stories and dreams – and how they continue to do so today, even if we think the Ice Age is over.
Characterizing internet search patterns for neurologic and neurosurgical conditions following celebrity diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Social media and internet platforms have become significant drivers of massinformation. Highly publicized events, such as John McCain's announcement of his glioblastoma diagnosis, often drive national public interest in medical topics. Improved understanding of the temporality of interest spikes as well as the nature of the information that garners attention from outside the medical community can help inform ways in which the medical community can boost awareness of (and interest in) the field of neurosurgery. METHODS We utilized the "Explore Topics" feature on Google Trends to obtain web, news, and YouTube search data from May 1, 2015 to May 1, 2019 for the terms "Glioblastoma," "Brain Tumor," "Stroke," and "Multiple Sclerosis" to identify periods of visibly increased search interest. RESULTS Search results for "Glioblastoma" showed significantly elevated average interest during the period of July 3-23, 2017 as compared to that generated since this specific time period (42.6 vs 8.73, p<0.001). This increased search activity therefore directly correlated with John McCain's public announcement of his glioblastoma diagnosis, and a similar search interest spike was evident using the search term "Brain Tumor" (87.3 vs 64.2, p<0.001). Search results for "Multiple Sclerosis" showed - as a result of the online buzz created by Selma Blair's battle with the disease - significantly elevated average interest from October 8, 2018 to October 28, 2018 and February 11, 2019 to March 3, 2019 when compared to the average interest of the remaining time (59 vs 40.16, p<0.001 and 69 vs 40.16, p<0.001). Finally, there were no corresponding elevations in YouTube search interest for any of the terms associated with increased interest on Google Trends. CONCLUSIONS Following major events related to the neurological disease of public figures there is an expected rise in Google search interest relevant to these topics. Our findings suggest that there is an optimal window of approximately 2 weeks following each of these events for activist and clinical groups to publicize their desired message, and for the field of neurosurgery and neurological science to increase public awareness regarding specific diseases, with a regression to baseline interest by 4-months following the event.
Carbamate nerve agent prophylatics exhibit distinct toxicological effects in the zebrafish embryo model

Pyridostigmine bromide (PB) is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of myasthenia gravis and a prophylactic pre-treatment for organophosphate nerve agent poisoning. Current methods for evaluating nerve agent treatments include enzymatic studies and mammalian models. Rapid whole animal screening tools for assessing the effects of nerve agent pre-treatment and post-exposure drugs represent an underdeveloped area of research. We used zebrafish as a model for acute and chronic developmental exposure to PB and two related carbamate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, neostigmine bromide (NB) and physostigmine (PS). Lethal doses and gross morphological phenotypes resulting from exposure to sub-lethal doses of these compounds were determined. Quantitative analyses of motility impairment and AChE enzyme inhibition were used to determine optimal dosing conditions for evaluation of the effects of carbamate exposures on neuronal development; ~50% impairment of response to startle stimuli and >50% inhibition of AChE activity were observed at 80 mMPB, 20 mM NB and 0.1 mM PS. PB induced stunted somite length, but no other phenotypic effects were observed. In contrast, NB and PS induced more severe phenotypic morphological defects than PB as well as neurite outgrowth mislocalization. Additionally, NB induced mislocalization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, resulting in impaired synapse formation. Taken together, these data suggest that altered patterns of neuronal connectivity contribute to the developmental neurotoxicity of carbamates and demonstrate the utility of the zebrafish model for distinguishing subtle structure-based differential effects of AChE inhibitors, which include nerve agents, pesticides and drugs.
Gender Discrimination in the Band World: A Case Study of Three Female Band Directors

This qualitative case study seeks to determine how gender has influenced the careers and experiences of three female high school band directors. The participants were at varying stages in their career: one early career, one mid-career, and one retired. Triangulation was obtained by collecting data from a questionnaire, personal interviews, and a focus group discussion. The questionnaire was used to obtain background information about the experiences of the participants. Information obtained in the questionnaire informed the design of the interview questions to probe participants to further discuss their experiences. Finally, the participants joined a focus group discussion and shared their experiences and views of being a female in a male dominated profession. Transcriptions of the questionnaire, interview, and focus group discussion were used to code data, and develop themes. Identified themes are presented as they pertain to the individual experiences of the participants and to compare their experiences. Findings of the study revealed the participants experienced negative personal and professional issues that stem from being a female high school band director. The participants felt they needed to work harder to prove themselves in a male dominated profession. They also noted confidence and toughness were personal qualities that enabled them to be successful and remain in the profession. It was determined that the masculine history, struggle to balance work and family, working harder to succeed, and respect, may be factors that influence females in instrumental music education.
Water films and scaling of soil characteristic curves at low water contents

[1] Individual contributions of capillarity and adsorptive surface forces to the matric potential are seldom differentiated in determination of soil water characteristic (SWC) curves. Typically, capillary forces dominate at the wet end, whereas adsorptive surface forces dominate at the dry end of a SWC where water is held as thin liquid films. The amount of adsorbed soil water is intimately linked to soil specific surface area (SA) and plays an important role in various biological and transport processes in arid environments. Dominated by van der Waals adsorptive forces, surface-water interactions give rise to a nearly universal scaling relationship for SWC curves at low water contents. We demonstrate that scaling measured water content at the dry end by soil specific surface area yields remarkable similarity across a range of soil textures and is in good agreement with theoretical predictions based on van der Waals interactions. These scaling relationships are important for accurate description of SWC curves in dry soils and may provide rapid and reliable estimates of soil specific surface area from SWC measurements for matric potentials below ‒10 MPa conveniently measured with the chilled-mirror dew point technique. Surface area estimates acquired by fitting the scaling relationship to measured SWC data were in good agreement with SA data measured by standard methods. Preliminary results suggest that the proposed method could provide reliable SA estimates for natural soils with hydratable surface areas smaller than 200 m2/g.
HYPERVITAMINOSIS A Report of an Unusual Case with Marked Craniotabes

An unusual case of hypervitaminosis A with severe craniotabes in a 6½ month old infant is presented. This is the youngest infant reported with this condition and the first to present craniotabes. Symptoms of hypervitaminosis A are compared with those of hypervitaminosis D and with those of infantile cortical hyperostosis. In the case presented prompt and complete disappearance of craniotabes and other symptoms followed withdrawal of administration of vitamin A.
Banking and Financial Regulation

This chapter provides a basic overview of banking and financial regulation for the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Law and Economics (Francesco Parisi, ed.). Among other things, the chapter compares traditional and shadow banking and their regulation, differentiating “microprudential” regulation (which focuses on protecting individual components of the financial system, such as banks) and “macroprudential” regulation (which focuses on protecting against systemic risk). The chapter also examines how regulation can help to correct market failures that undermine financial efficiency. In that context, it discusses, among other things, capital requirements, ring-fencing, and stress testing. Finally, the chapter examines how regulation can help to protect against systemic risk, including by addressing potential triggers of systemic risk (such as maturity transformation — the asset-liability mismatch that results from the short-term funding of long-term projects — and limited liability).
HyperLexicon, a Hypermedia-based Lexicon for Vocabulary Acquisition

In this report Hypermedia, an emergent technology in search of applications, finds yet another home in Computer Assisted Language Learning, or CALL. Within CALL we focus on the subject of foreign vocabulary acquisition and promote the use of Hypermedia's hallmark, computer-based links among multi-media data, to support instructionally significant semantic links. The resulting instructional tool, which we term a HyperLexicon, appears as a natural extension of the classic vocabulary acquisition tools, the dictionary and thesaurus. This paper presents a conceptual design for the tool along with examples of coupled semantic / hypermedia links and illustrations of their use. We have implemented an interesting proof-of-concept demonstration system on a micro-computer which provides several HyperLexicon lessons incorporating many of the link-pairs discussed in this report.
International Tourism Marketing in Africa: An Assessment of Price Competitiveness Using the Purchasing Power Parities of the ICP

Abstract Price of tourism is one of the major determinants of demand for international tourism. This paper assessed the relative price competitiveness of African countries in the international tourism market. It used a measure of price assessment that is based on the purchasing power parities of the ICP to ensure adequate comparability. Ethiopia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe were found to be the most price competitive; while the least price competitive countries proved to be Botswana, Tanzania, and Egypt. Changes in price competitiveness between 1985 and 2000 were analyzed according to sources of such changes. Policy and managerial implications of findings are discussed, and directions for future research are given.
Chromatic and polarization mode dispersion compensation using spectral holography

A new adaptive method for accomplishing both chromatic and polarization mode dispersion compensation on parallel DWDM fibers is proposed based on the third order nonlinear technique of coherent transient spectral holography.
Review of Bayesian Item Response Modeling: Theory and Applications, by Jean-Paul Fox

The last two decades have seen an explosion in the popularity and use of Bayesian methods with item response theory (IRT) models (see, e.g., Levy, 2009), largely as a result of the advances in samp...
Clinical refresher: Canine sebaceous adenitis

CLINICAL SIGNS Signs typically vary according to coat type. Shortcoated dogs such as Vizslas and Dachshunds exhibit circular areas of scaling and alopecia which enlarge and eventually coalesce. Surface scale is fine, white and non-adherent and follicular casts (accumulations of keratin and follicular material around the hair shaft) are prominent. Standard Poodles often have marked hyperkeratosis, followed by alopecia (Figs. 1 and 2). They may present with tightly adherent whitish scale initially affecting the face and pinnae and later the neck, dorsal trunk and limbs (Fig. 3). Hairs may be dull and brittle with prominent follicular casts (Figs. 4 and 5).The typical curl of the breed may be lost as the hair straightens out. Hair colour may also change. Longer-coated dogs such as Springer Spaniels often have extensive scaling over
Acquisition of Speech Production: The Achievement of Segmental Independence

As a primate communicative event, the repetitive, rhythmic, open-close alternation of the mandible, accompanied by phonation, is observable in three forms; some variants of the lipsmack, which is widespread in other primates, the initial babbling of human infants, and the production of the syllables of adult speech. In the first two of these, successive cycles tend to be uniform but in the third there is a highly variegated pattern in successive cycles. Adult segmental serial ordering errors, (e.g. spoonerisms) the effects of which are strongly constrained in terms of syllable structure, suggest that variegation is achieved by placement of independently controlled “Content” elements in syllable “Frames”. This paper considers implications of the view that development of infant communicative vocalizations from initial reduplicated babbling to variegated babbling and then to speech, primarily involves a gradual functional differentiation of segmental and subsegmental content elements from a phylogenetically prior basis consisting of ‘pure’ syllable frames; that is, mandibular oscillations without internal articulatory modulation.