cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High temperature stability of larger aromatic compounds

Abstract This paper considers the rate constants for the following processes: where M is the collision partner and aromatic CH3 is toluene, 1-methylnaphthalene or 1-methylphenanthrene. Rate constants are derived over a range of temperatures and pressures. Primary interest is focused on the effect of molecular size on temperature as well as pressure dependent rate constants. Results are based on the toluene system where comparisons can be made with experimental data and ab initio and RRKM calculations from the literature. A general strategy for deriving rate constants for chemical activated as well as thermal reactions, which is readily extendable to larger molecules, has been validated. The special feature of these reactions is the formation of resonance stabilized aromatic molecules. The results demonstrate the necessity of considering chemical activation processes in most of the cases where excited adducts are formed. These include oxygen addition to radicals as well as soot formation processes involved in ring growth. Chemical activation processes are intimately related to thermal process and their inclusion in current databases where thermal processes are properly represented is mandatory.
Effects of cell division, cell density, and cyclic nucleotides on choline acetyltransferase activity in a cholinergic neuroblastoma cell line (S-20Y).

Abstract: We investigated the effects of a number of experimental perturbations on choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in a cholinergic mouse neuroblastoma cell line (S-20Y). ChAT specific activity increased by 4.5-fold during growth, suggesting that enzyme activity is dependent on increased cell density. This was confirmed by assessing enzyme activity at differential initial seeding densities. ChAT activity was also markedly enhanced by 1 mM di-butyryl cyclic-3′,5′-AMP (dBcAMP), an effect that was blocked by cycloheximide. Confirmation of the dBcAMP effect was achieved with forskolin, a compound known to enhance intracellular cyclic AMP; forskolin (100 μM) caused a significant increase in ChAT activity. After a 20-h latent interval ChAT activity was also enhanced significantly by cytosine arabinoside. The common element in these diverse effects on ChAT activity may be cessation of cell division, although cell-cell interactions at the level of the cell membrane may also be important in the control of ChAT in S-20Y.
Professional networks, science ability, and gender determinants of three types of leadership in academic science and engineering

Abstract This paper examines the factors associated with holding leadership positions among men and women academic scientists. We develop hypotheses for three determinants of leadership: professional networks, science ability, and gender. We test the resulting model on the likelihood of holding three different types of academic science leadership—research center leadership, university administrative leadership, and discipline leadership. Findings show that while science productivity and reputation are strongly associated with having either a center or discipline leadership position, they are less strongly associated with administrative leadership. Also, larger and more dense collaboration networks predict having a center leadership position, but the opposite is true for holding an administrative leadership position. Women are more likely to be in discipline leadership positions and less likely to be a leader of a research center or have an administrative university leadership position. Finally, having more women in the network reduces the likelihood of holding discipline or center leadership positions. Interpretations of findings and conclusions explore the potential implications for theory, practice and policy.
Data reuse driven energy-aware MPSoC co-synthesis of memory and communication architecture for streaming applications

The memory subsystem of a complex multiprocessor systems-on-chip (MPSoC) is an important contributor to the chip power consumption. The selection of memory architecture, as well as of communication architecture, both affect the power efficiency of the design. In this paper we propose a novel approach that enables energy-aware co-synthesis of both memory and communication architecture for streaming applications. As opposed to earlier techniques, we employ a powerful compile-time analysis of memory access behavior that adds flexibility in selecting memory architectures. Additionally, we target TDMA bus-based communication architectures, which not only guarantee performance, but also greatly reduce the design time and allow us to find the energy optimal system configuration. We propose and compare three techniques: an optimal mixed ILP-based co-synthesis technique, a mixed ILP-based traditional two-step synthesis approach where memory and communication synthesis is performed sequentially, and a co-synthesis heuristic that synthesizes energy-efficient hierarchical bus-based communication architectures with guaranteed throughput. Our experimental results on a number of streaming applications show that both the traditional two-step synthesis approach and heuristic result in up to 50% worse power consumption in comparison with proposed co-synthesis approach. However, on some of the streaming benchmarks, our co-synthesis heuristic approach was able to find optimal or near-optimal results in a much shorter time than the MILP co-synthesis approach.
Brain-behavior biomarkers of illness and illness risk in bipolar disorder: present findings and next steps.

Identifying biomarkers denoting risk for future psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar I disorder (BD-I) is a critically important goal for psychiatric research. The huge advances in neuroimaging techniques have facilitated increasingly more sophisticated examination of the complex abnormalities in neural circuitry relevant to these illnesses and have provided the field with potential neural biomarkers of illnesses such as BD-I. Yet despite the increasing number of neuroimaging studies in BD-I, the extent to which these abnormalities represent markers of risk for, versus consequences of, the illness remains unclear.
The Role of Maternal Factors in the Adaptation of Children with Craniofacial Disfigurement

Abstract This study hypothesized that maternal adjustment, perceptions, and social support would better predict child adaptation to craniofacial disfigurement than medical severity. Mothers of 77 children (ages 6–12) completed the Child Behavior Checklist, Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberger Trait Anxiety Scale, Social Support Questionnaire Revised, and Parenting Stress index. Medical severity was assessed by the number of operations (craniofacial and other), comorbid medical conditions, and the Hay Attractiveness Scale. The children and mothers in our sample resembled a normal population in terms of their psychological functioning and quality of the mother-child relationships. Maternal adjustment and maternal perceptions of the mother-child relationship were more potent predictors of children's emotional adjustment than either medical severity or maternal social support.
A mm-wave transformer based transmit/receive switch in 90nm CMOS technology

A new lumped-element switch topology has been proposed. The switch only incorporates shunt transistors, which makes it more realizable at mm-wave frequencies. Parasitic capacitances are in shunt with the signal path and are resonated out with the effective inductance of a transformer. A 50 GHz transformer based single pole double throw (SPDT) shunt switch was designed and fabricated in 90nm digital CMOS process. It has a minimum insertion loss of 3.4dB at 50GHz from the single pole to the ON-thru port and a leakage of 19dB from the single pole to the OFF-thru port. The isolation is 13.7dB between the two thru ports. Return loss for the single pole and ON-thru ports is better than −10dB. Large signal measurements verify that the switch is capable of handling +14dBm of input power at its 1dB compression point. The fabricated SPDT switch has a small active area of 60µm×60µm.
The use of soil parameters as indicators of quality in forested depressional wetlands

Current methods of wetland assessment rely on the use of ecological indicators such as vegetation and amphibians, but often lack an in-depth analysis of soil parameters. The objective of this study was to determine whether the Ohio Rapid Assessment Method (ORAM) can be used to predict soil quality in forested wetlands. Soil cores were taken from six wetlands ranging in ORAM scores. The soil samples were analyzed for key soil parameters (aggregate stability, bulk density, organic matter, C, N, S, P, microbial biomass, and enzyme activity). Some of these soil parameters (i.e., microbial biomass, soil C, N and S, bulk density, soil moisture) were correlated with the ORAM scores, while others (i.e., P, pH, aggregate stability) showed no correlation. Enzyme activity was correlated with the ORAM score for one of the four sampling events. When analyzed together by a principal component analysis, the soil parameters did not separate the wetland sites along a gradient of ORAM scores. Our results indicate that the ORAM reflects some of the key soil quality conditions, but not all. We further discuss whether some of the soil parameters we selected are appropriate indicators of the quality of wetland soils.
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as diagnostic and prognostic tool for cardiovascular disease and heart failure.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been a burden on the healthcare system for decades and has increased the need for earlier diagnosis, better risk stratification and cost- effective treatment to reduce the rates of hospitalization. Biomarker research has broadened our knowledge base, shedding more light on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms associated with the development of heart disorders. Recent technological advances have made it possible to use noninvasive and cost-effective biomarkers for identifying patients who are at risk of developing coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. Areas covered: In this paper the authors review the development of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a cardiac biomarker, highlighting studies that validate its use in predicting acute changes in patients with an array of cardiac disorders, and stake a case for the use of NGAL as a clinical diagnostic tool to predict outcomes in patients with CVD. Expert opinion: The authors belie...
Biology of progression of chronic renal diseases.

A clinically important characteristic of chronic renal disease, regardless of the underlying cause, is its frequently relentless progression to end-stage renal failure. Functional deterioration is often inevitable even after the initial pathological mechanism has apparently subsided. The possibility has therefore been raised for some time that, after a certain degree of renal damage by the initial disease processes, a common pathway leads to the final progressive functional and structural deterioration. Intensive clinical and experimental animal studies, both in vivo and in vitro, carried out during the last decade have identified several potentially important pathophysiologic mechanisms contributing to this progressive destruction of renal architecture. In this article we will review these recent findings and outline the current directions of research in this field.
Teaching discrete event simulation to business students: the alpha and omega

Managers of businesses worldwide are only beginning to realize the economic and improved decision-making value of discrete-event simulation. In order to accelerate the rate at which business managers employ simulation, such a course needs to be taught to more business students than is currently being done. This, in turn, implies the need for an improvement in the teaching of simulation to beginners, so that these fledglings will encourage fellow students to take a course in simulation because it provides business value, practicality, and promotes the idea that simulation is fun. The manner in which simulation is introduced during the first week of class as well as how the course is summed up during the last week of class are, perhaps, the most critical points in student learning. Therefore, we focus on activities that the author uses during the first and last weeks of his simulation courses for business students.
The oil cycle and the tax-spend hypothesis: the case of Angola

The intertemporal relationship between oil revenues, real government spending and real output over the oil cycle is investigated for the case of Angola, the second largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. The results of a trivariate VAR, impulse response functions and variance decomposition analysis provide empirical support for the tax-spend hypothesis. In addition, the Angolan economy is found victim of the resource curse, as real output does not respond to aggregate demand shocks such as changes in real government spending. The policy implications for Angola are 2-fold. First, to alleviate the constraints associated with the resource curse, Angola needs to find ways to diversify its economy. Second, given the direction of causality found between government expenditures and oil revenues, in order to avoid fiscal disequilibria, efficient management of oil revenues is as important as controlling public spending.
A novel leaky-wave retrodirective reflector using short/matched terminations

A novel leaky-wave retrodirective reflector using short and matched terminations is presented. The principle of this reflector consists of terminating a backfire-to-endfire leaky-wave antenna by a short load at one end and by and matched load at the other end. In this manner, the incident field excites the antenna, is reflected by the short, and is reradiated toward the source, while it is absorbed by the matched load at the other end, avoiding a spurious beam a the "wrong" side of the normal to the antenna. While using a conventional antenna would lead a reflector working only in a 90 degrees space, using the recently developed backfire-to-endfire leaky wave antenna allows 180 degrees reflector operation.
Management of Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Medications in Adults Undergoing Percutaneous Interventions

OBJECTIVE. Many radiologists are unfamiliar with the new antithrombogenic medications and how to modify patient management before nonvascular percutaneous procedures performed in a radiology department. In this article, we review the indications for use, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, dosing, and recommendations for periprocedural management of patients using these medications. CONCLUSION. To improve patient safety, radiologists involved in percutaneous procedures should have knowledge of the antithrombotics that will be encountered routinely in clinical practice.
Acute Interstitial Nephritis

Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) may be the result of indirect injury by drugs, reaction to systemic infections, direct renal infection (viral and selected bacteria), humoral immune responses (anti-tubular basement membrane disease), hereditary and metabolic disorders, and obstruction and reflux in the acute stages. Similar changes can also be observed in the kidney in systemic diseases such as lupus erythematosus and in transplant rejection. Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis also occurs to varying degrees in association with glomerulonephritides. This section is largely confined to the drug-induced, reactive, idiopathic, and immunologic disorders inducing AIN. Acute interstitial nephritis usually presents with acute renal failure, often oliguric; it is sometimes associated with systemic manifestations, such as arthralgia, fever, eosinophilia, and rash, typically as a consequence of drug hypersensitivity [1–3].
The Distribution of Diffracting Power in Sodium Chloride.

of the momentum hv/v without the use of any other postulate. As to the extent that the mechanism of radiation is determined by this assumption the authors have reached no definite conclusion. They believe, however, that a study of the consequences of this assumption niay yield inlformation on the nature of the quantum itself. 1 The substance of this paper was presented before the American Physical Society, April 25, 1925. Abstract, Phys. Rev., 25, p. 896, June, 1925.
Perinatal alcohol exposure leads to prolonged upregulation of hypothalamic GABAA receptors and increases behavioral sensitivity to gaboxadol

Prenatal alcohol exposure (AE) is associated with lasting abnormalities of sleep and motor development, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesized that AE alters development of GABAergic signaling in the hypothalamic regions important for the control of sleep and motor activity. Alcohol (5.25 g/(kg day)) was administered intragastrically to male rats on postnatal days (PD) 4-9, a period of brain development equivalent to the human third trimester (AE group). Control pups were sham-intubated (S group). Motor activity was monitored on PD27 and 28. On PD29 and 30, GABA A receptor subunit mRNA levels and alpha4 and delta subunit proteins were quantified by RT-PCR and immunoblotting, respectively, in the wake- and motor activity-promoting perifornical (PF) region of the posterior hypothalamus and the sleep-promoting ventrolateral preoptic (VLPO) region of the anterior hypothalamus. Then, in 47-52-day-old rats, motor activity was quantified following administration of GABA A receptor agonist, gaboxadol (5 mg/kg s.c.). In the PF region, mRNA and protein levels for the alpha4 and delta subunits were significantly higher and beta3 and gamma2 subunit mRNAs were also increased in the AE group. In the VLPO region, only the delta subunit mRNA was increased. Spontaneous motor activity was lower and suppressed more by gaboxadol in the AE than S group, and the latency to a transient total loss of activity after gaboxadol was shorter in the AE group. Thus, perinatal AE leads to GABA A receptor overexpression in the vigilance- and motor activity-promoting hypothalamic PF region, with the neurochemical and functional outcomes lasting long beyond the period of the insult.
Antigen Choice Determines Vaccine-Induced Generation of Immunogenic versus Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells That Are Marked by Differential Expression of Pancreatic Enzymes

Dendritic cells (DC) elicit immunity to pathogens and tumors while simultaneously preserving tolerance to self. Efficacious cancer vaccines have been a challenge because they are based on tumor Ags, some of which are self-Ags and thus subject to self-tolerance. One such Ag is the tumor-associated mucin MUC1. Preclinical testing of MUC1 vaccines revealed existence of peripheral tolerance to MUC1 that compromises their efficacy. To identify mechanisms that act early postvaccination and might predict vaccine outcome, we immunized human MUC1 transgenic mice (MUC1.Tg) i.v. with a MUC1 peptide vaccine against which they generate weak immunity and wild-type (WT) mice that respond strongly to the same peptide. We analyzed differences in splenic DC phenotype and function between the two mouse strains at 24 and 72 h postvaccination and also performed unbiased total gene expression analysis of the spleen. Compared to WT, MUC1.Tg spleens had significantly fewer DC, and they exhibited significantly lower expression of costimulatory molecules, decreased motility, and preferential priming of Ag-specific Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. This tolerogenic DC phenotype and function was marked by a new putative biomarker revealed by the microarray: a cohort of pancreatic enzymes (trypsin, carboxypeptidase, elastase, and others) not previously reported in DC. These enzymes were strongly upregulated in the splenic DC from vaccinated WT mice and suppressed in the splenic DC of vaccinated MUC1.Tg mice. Suppression of the enzymes was dependent on regulatory T cells and on signaling through the IL-10R and correlated with global downregulation of DC immunostimulatory phenotype and function.
Long-Term Clinical Follow-Up After Directional Coronary Atherectomy

Abstract Although several studies have been done to assess the safety, efficacy, and angiographic restenosis rates of directional coronary atherectomy (DCA), there have been no studies to document the need for repeat revascularization of the target vessel based purely on recurrence of symptoms. To answer this question, clinical and angiographic data were obtained for 187 consecutive patients undergoing this procedure on a native coronary artery utilizing a lesion specific approach in a referral hospital. Most of the patients had anginal symptoms that were not well controlled with medical therapy. The decision to perform DCA was based on the lesion characteristics (i.e., eccentric, ulcerated, or irregular discrete lesions in a large epicardial vessel). The procedure was successful in 96% of patients. In-hospital major complications were seen in 6 patients (3%) including acute myocardial infarction in 3 (1.5%) and emergency coronary artery bypass surgery in the other 3 (1.5%). There were no deaths. Among 141 consecutive successful patients on whom the procedure was performed between January 1992 and June 1994, 128 (91%) were contacted. At 6 months, revascularization was required in 20 patients for recurrent anginal symptoms, and there were no deaths or myocardial infarctions. The clinical restenosis rate, therefore, was 15.6%. At long-term follow-up (25 ± 9 months), revascularization was performed in 3 more patients. One patient had a myocardial infarction and 3 patients died of noncardiac causes. Among those without clinical restenosis, 83% patients were asymptomatic and the rest had infrequent chest pains effectively managed with medications. The patients in the study group were using an average of 1.2 cardiac medications. Quality of life improved in 74% of the patients. Thus, in this study utilizing a lesion specific approach, the success rate for DCA was comparable to the published trials and in-hospital complications were few. The long-term clinical outcome was favorable with a low rate of clinical restenosis requiring repeat revascularization. To document the need for repeat revascularization of the target vessel after successful directional coronary atherectomy based purely on recurrence of symptoms, we reviewed our experience with 187 consecutive patients. It was found that it is a safe procedure with a high success rate and a low rate of repeat revascularization (15.6%).
Interband Optical Properties of the Microcrystalline Component within the Damage Layer of Be+ - Implanted GaAs

The damage layer in unannealed Be+ -implanted GaAs samples (45-keV Be ions, 10 to 5 x 10 ions/cm ) consists of a fine-grain mixture of amorphous GaAs and GaAs microcrystals, vith the characteristic microcrystal size L of the microcrystalline component decreasing with increasing fluence. We have carried out reflectivity measurements on these samples for photon energies from 2.0 to 5.6 eV, in the electronic interband regime. Using Lorentz oscillator analysis and the effective medium approximation, we have extracted the dielectric function of the microcrystalline component (µ-GaAs) within the damage layer. The optical properties of µ-GaAs deviate appreciably from those of the bulk crystal near the interband absorption peaks. The linewidths of these peaks are found to increase over the bulk-crystal value by an amount proportional to (1/L), the increase being about O.2 eV when L - 100 A. These finite-size effects can be understood in terms of a lifetime reduction caused by the short time it takes for electrons to reach the microcrystal boundaries.
SPSB1 Promotes Breast Cancer Recurrence by Potentiating c-MET Signaling

Breast cancer mortality is principally due to tumor recurrence; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. We now demonstrate that the suppressor of cytokine signaling protein SPSB1 is spontaneously upregulated during mammary tumor recurrence and is both necessary and sufficient to promote tumor recurrence in genetically engineered mouse models. The recurrence-promoting effects of SPSB1 result from its ability to protect cells from apoptosis induced by HER2/neu pathway inhibition or chemotherapy. This, in turn, is attributable to SPSB1 potentiation of c-MET signaling, such that preexisting SPSB1-overexpressing tumor cells are selected for following HER2/neu downregulation. Consistent with this, SPSB1 expression is positively correlated with c-MET activity in human breast cancers and with an increased risk of relapse in patients with breast cancer in a manner that is dependent upon c-MET activity. Our findings define a novel pathway that contributes to breast cancer recurrence and provide the first evidence implicating SPSB proteins in cancer. Significance: The principal cause of death from breast cancer is recurrence. This study identifies SPSB1 as a critical mediator of breast cancer recurrence, suggests activation of the SPSB1–c-MET pathway as an important mechanism of therapeutic resistance in breast cancers, and emphasizes that pharmacologic targets for recurrence may be unique to this stage of tumor progression. Cancer Discov; 4(7); 790–803. ©2014 AACR . See related commentary by Qin and McAllister, [p. 760][1] This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, [p. 745][2] [1]: /lookup/volpage/4/760?iss=7 [2]: /lookup/volpage/4/745?iss=7
Supporting mobility in MosquitoNet

The goal of the MosquitoNet project is to provide continuous Internet connectivity to mobile hosts. Mobile hosts must be able to take advantage of the best network connectivity available in any location, whether wired or wireless. We have implemented a mobile IP system that supports seamless switching between different networks and communication devices. In contrast to previous approaches to mobile IP, we believe mobile hosts should not assume any explicit mobility support from the networks they visit, aside from basic Internet connectivity. This decision places extra responsibilities on the mobile hosts themselves. In this paper, we describe the design and implications of such a system. Measurements of our implementation show that the inherent overhead to switch networks (below 10ms) is insignificant compared to the time required to bring up a new communication device.
Local 3D matrix microenvironment regulates cell migration through spatiotemporal dynamics of contractility-dependent adhesions

The physical properties of two-dimensional (2D) extracellular matrices (ECMs) modulate cell adhesion dynamics and motility, but little is known about the roles of local microenvironmental differences in three-dimensional (3D) ECMs. Here we generate 3D collagen gels of varying matrix microarchitectures to characterize their regulation of 3D adhesion dynamics and cell migration. ECMs containing bundled fibrils demonstrate enhanced local adhesion-scale stiffness and increased adhesion stability through balanced ECM/adhesion coupling, whereas highly pliable reticular matrices promote adhesion retraction. 3D adhesion dynamics are locally regulated by ECM rigidity together with integrin/ECM association and myosin II contractility. Unlike 2D migration, abrogating contractility stalls 3D migration regardless of ECM pore size. We find force is not required for clustering of activated integrins on 3D native collagen fibrils. We propose that efficient 3D migration requires local balancing of contractility with ECM stiffness to stabilize adhesions, which facilitates the detachment of activated integrins from ECM fibrils.
Theological Librarianship from a Distance

This essay examines distance theological librarianship and the field’s suitability for remote librarians. A brief introduction to the landscape of online programs in theological education is followed by an overview of virtual librarianship and how theological librarians may serve students while working from a distance themselves. The essay then describes a method for initiating a remote librarian position in a theological library context, and then reviews the steps of determining whether remote work is feasible and desirable at an institution, approaching leadership with a plan, setting up a trial remote work period, and assessing its success.Particular emphasis is given to communication expectations, modes of virtual reference and instruction, campus committee service and meaningful ways of remaining part of the campus community.
Electrostatically Enhanced Thioureas

A new class of readily prepared thiourea catalysts with one or more positively charged centers and no new hydrogen-bonding sites are exploited in several bond-forming reactions and are orders of magnitude more reactive than Schreiner's thiourea. These findings provide the basis for a new strategy for activating hydrogen-bond catalysts.
In the Public Eye: A History of Reading in Modern France, 1800–1940.: By James Smith Allen., Princeton University Press, 1991, 325 pp., $39.50, Cloth

(1993). In the Public Eye: A History of Reading in Modern France, 1800–1940. American Journalism: Vol. 10, No. 1-2, pp. 140-141.
Toxin Production and Proteolytic Activity of Clostridium Botulinum in Peptone and Peptone Egg White Medium

The chemical nature of the formation of toxin by C1. botulinum remains unknown, beyond that it is associated with the nitrogen metabolism of the organism. Numerous studies on this subject have been cited in a previous paper.' The medium of peptone and egg white used in the present experiments was chosen as especially suitable for the quantitative study of some of the proteolytic changes which occur during the growth of the organism.
Multi-Scale Modeling of Plasma-Assisted Ignition and Combustion

The effect of temperature on fuel-air ignition and combustion (thermal effects) have been widely studied and well understood. However, a comprehensive understanding of nonequilibrium plasma effects (in situ generation of reactive species and radicals combined with gas heating) on the combustion process is still lacking. Over the past decade, research efforts have advanced our knowledge of electron impact kinetics and low temperature chain branching in fuel-air mixtures considerably. In contrast to numerous experimental investigations, research on modeling and simulation of plasma assisted combustion has received less attention. There is a dire need for development of self-consistent numerical models for construction and validation of plasma chemistry mechanisms. High-fidelity numerical models can be invaluable in exploring the plasma effects on ignition and combustion in turbulent and high-speed flow environments, owing to the difficulty in performing spatially resolved quantitative measurements. In this work, we establish a multi-scale modeling framework to simulate the physical and chemical effects of nonequilibrium, nanosecond plasma discharges on reacting flows. The model is capable of resolving electric field transients and electron impact dynamics in sub-ns timescales, as well as calculating the cumulative effects of multiple discharge pulses over ms timescales. Detailed chemistry mechanisms are incorporated to provide deep insight into the plasma kinetic pathways. The modeling framework is utilized to study ignition of H2-air mixtures subjected to pulsed, nanosecond dielectric barrier discharges in a plane-to-plane geometry. The key kinetic pathways responsible for radicals such as O, H and OH generation from nanosecond discharges over multiple voltage pulses (ns-ms timescales) are quantified. The relative contributions of plasma thermal and kinetic effects in the ignition process are presented. The plasma generated radicals trigger partial fuel oxidation and heat release when the temperature rises above 700 K, after which the process becomes self-sustaining leading to igntion. The ignition kernel growth is primarily due to local plasma chemistry effects rather than flame propagation, and heat transport does not play a significant role. The nanosecond pulse discharge plasma excitation resulted in nearly simultaneous ignition over a large volume, in sharp contrast to hot-spot igniters. Next, the effect of nanosecond pulsed plasma discharges on the ignition characteristics of nC7H16 and air in a plane-to-plane geometry is studied at a reduced pressure of 20.3 kPa. The plasma generated radicals initiate and significantly accelerate the H abstraction reaction from fuel molecules and trigger a “self-accelerating” feedback loop via low-temperature kinetic pathways. Application of only a few discharge pulses at the beginning reduces the initiation time of the first-stage temperature rise by a factor of 10. The plasma effect after the first stage is shown to be predominantly thermal.
An Adaptation of the European Corn Borer in the Gulf South

Tests were made in environmental chambers with the progeny of Ostrinia tuibilalis (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Pyraustidae), acquired from an area in Alabama near the 1967 southern-most distribution line (north Georgia westward) and from a locality in Georgia which appears to mark a new distribution line. With photophases and temperatures simulating a late June or mid-August at the 2 locations, 23 and 69% of the Georgia and Alabama populations, respectively, went into diapause. When borers of the 2 populations were exposed to conditions typical of August 15 in southern Georgia, the Georgia borer, but not necessarily the Alabama borer, proved to have adapted to the photophase and temperature range prevalent in midsummer along the upper Gulf Coast; however, host source and time of year of collection of borers may also affect the diapause response of borers to photophase and temperatures. Although diapause usually contributes to the abundance and dispersal of a species, it appears that during summer, until recently, the response has been working against abundance and dispersal of the European corn borer in the Gulf Coast area.
Spectral analysis of finite convolution operators with matrix kernels

Let N be a finite dimensional complex Hilbert space. A finite convolution operator on the vector function space L N 2 (0,1) is an operator T of the form (Tf) (x) = ∫ 0 x k (x−t)f(t)dt, where k(t) is a norm integrableB(N)-valued function on [0,1]. A symbol for T is any function A(z) of the form A(z) = ∫ 0 1 k(t)eitzdt + eizG(z), where G(z) is aB(N)-valued function which is bounded and analytic in a half plane y > η. It is shown that under suitable restrictions two finite convolution operators are similar if their symbols are asymptotically close as z → ∞ in a half plane y > η .
Advances in understanding – genetic basis of intellectual disability

Intellectual disability is the most common developmental disorder characterized by a congenital limitation in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. It often co-occurs with other mental conditions like attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, and can be part of a malformation syndrome that affects other organs. Considering the heterogeneity of its causes (environmental and genetic), its frequency worldwide varies greatly. This review focuses on known genes underlying (syndromic and non-syndromic) intellectual disability, it provides a succinct analysis of their Gene Ontology, and it suggests the use of transcriptional profiling for the prioritization of candidate genes.
Comparative Activity of Various Penicillins Against Penicillinase-Producing and Nonpenicillinase-Producing Staphylococci.

SummarySeveral penicillins were tested in vitro for their activity against penicillinase-producing and nonpenicillinase-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus, with particular reference to the effect of the size of the inoculum. Marked differences were demonstrated, depending on the type of penicillin, the strain of staphylococcus and the size of the inoculum.
Why Organizations Fail at Sustainability: An Integrative Sensemaking View

Despite thirty years of efforts toward sustainability, organizations collectively fail to address environmental challenges. A sensemaking framework linking organizational interpretive schemes to co...
Benchmarking historical CMIP5 plant functional types across the Upper Midwest and Northeastern United States

Centennial-scale climate-ecosystem feedbacks are a major source of predictive uncertainty for land-atmosphere fluxes of energy, carbon, and water. Accurate representations of plant functional type (PFT) distributions through time and space are required for modeling centennial-scale feedbacks within Earth system models (ESMs). We tested the ability of ESMs from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) to capture historical PFT distributions at the time of Euro-American settlement in the Northeastern United States against a new subcontinental-scale data set of historical tree abundances derived from forest composition surveys. To identify and diagnose errors in ESM-simulated PFT distributions and quantify impacts on modeled albedo, net primary productivity, and transpiration, we analyzed actual and modeled PFT distributions with respect to historical mean annual climate and modeled elasticity among PFTs, climate, and vegetation-atmosphere fluxes. Historical PFT distributions were poorly matched between ESMs and the settlement-era data, often due to inaccurate PFT-climate relationships within ESMs, particularly for evergreen trees. Some models exhibited large local, but regionally compensating, errors in simulated albedo, net primary productivity, and transpiration due to inaccurate PFT distributions, while others had systematic regional biases in vegetation-atmosphere fluxes. Internal variable elasticity varied among ESMs, and these differences closely corresponded to model skill in predicting PFT distributions. New historical benchmarks like the settlement-era vegetation data provide opportunities to confront ESMs, parse sources of error, and improve simulations of historical and future vegetation-atmosphere feedbacks.
Tandem mass spectrometry in newborn screening for inherited metabolic diseases

Inherited metabolic disease(IMD)is a wide variety of diseases,clinical symptom complex,nervous system and other organs often involves,once the onset of serious harm. Early detection through newborn screening and early treatment technology is an effective way to prevent genetic metabolic disease hazards. This paper provides an overview of the technical principles of tandem mass spectrometry in newborn screening for inherited metabolic disease applications,experimental processes,application status and the challenges and problems faced for review.
Radiation Sources and Dosimeters

Radiation sources and dosimetric methods were developed by radiation ecologists interested in the effects of ionizing radiation on species, communities and ecosystems. Radiation may be considered as a form of stress that can be applied with safety and precision to natural ecosystems. Community responses to radiation stress reveal many basic aspects of ecosystem structure and function, and for this reason, radiation may be considered as a technique to develop fundamental ecological knowledge. The general subject of radiation sources and dosimeters has been discussed in symposia and in journals (e.g., International Atomic Energy Agency, 1960, 1973c; Attix, 1967; Spurny and Sulcova, 1973). Sparrow (1960) discussed the uses of large sources in botanical research and cited many references on sources utilized by investigators.
Knowledge Discovery in Biomedical Data: Theory and Methods

As increasing amounts and types of biomedical data are collected, there is a corresponding need to identify patterns in these data to assist researchers, to monitor the health of individuals and populations, and for administrative purposes. The identification of these patterns is often referred to as “data mining,” or more broadly, “knowledge discovery in databases,” or KDD. KDD is an evolutionary process, with its own lifecycle and is a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. Numerous tools exist for this endeavor, many coming from statistics and machine learning. Statistical methods include descriptive statistics as well as multivariable models and statistical classifiers. Machine learning methods include decision tree induction, rule discovery algorithms, and naturally-inspired methods such as those used in the field of evolutionary computation. In addition, the importance of domain experts in the KDD process cannot be overestimated.
A Collaborative Process Model for Promoting Successful Referrals in College Counseling

The need to refer students to off-campus mental health providers is common in college counseling. Such referrals can be challenging for college counselors who strive to meet students' counseling needs while adhering to ethical and center policy guidelines. In this article, the authors explore the nature and challenges of referral in college counseling settings and introduce a collaborative process model to enhance the likelihood of successful referrals. A case study is provided to illustrate the model.
Ground-Based Sense and Avoid: Enabling Local Area Integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the National Airspace System

As unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) become more important to the US military and other users, the pressure to allow them to fly in the national airspace increases. The greatest impediment to this is...
How well do EO measures and entrepreneurial behavior match

The Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) research stream is quite popular in investigating how companies act entrepreneurially and how EO relates to issues such as financial performance, innovation, and founder satisfaction. Part of EO’s popularity may be that it is measured using simple, widely-accepted items. Yet the idea of how to best measure EO has become a recent topic of debate. Part of that debate is that the items measure dispositions as much as behaviors and are self-reported, which means they are somewhat subjective. This paper investigates the relationship between subjectively-measured EO and actual entrepreneurial behavior as measured through objective data. To do so, the paper examines the relationship between EO dimensions and realized risk-taking behavior. Using a sample of 156 community banks headquartered in the southwestern United States, the paper uses banks’ risk-weighted asset ratio, which captures the riskiness of the bank’s portfolio, as a measure of sustained entrepreneurial behavior. The analysis finds that subjectively-measured EO risk-taking is strongly related to objectively-measured realized bank risk-taking. There was not a significant direct relationship with the other EO dimensions, though there was some evidence of a moderated relationship. The paper lends some credibility to current EO measures and suggests how additional research is needed to improve upon EO’s measurement.
Investigations of an aperture coupled circular polarized via walls backed microstrip patch linear array antenna for beam steering performance

A circularly polarized 1×16 linear array antenna with beam scan range of +/−50° is investigated. The single antenna element is an aperture coupled microstrip patch with via walls backing and is fed using a sequentially rotated feedline. This radiating element helps in reduction of the inter-element spacing and overall array size miniaturization in addition to the acceptable axial ratio performance with beam scan for the array.
Predictive Biomarkers for Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Although multiple actionable mutations and translocations have been identified for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), these have been almost exclusively found in adenocarcinoma. The search for molecular targets and their corresponding predictive biomarkers continues for squamous cell lung cancer, but clinical trials have been disappointing. Immune therapy with PD-L1 expression as a predictive biomarker has demonstrated greater promise for squamous cell carcinoma than actionable mutations and translocations.
Risk Management in Early Discovery Medicinal Chemistry

Abstract Drug discovery is inherently very risky. The management of these risks can enable the effective use of limited human and monetary resources. A careful attention to risk management in early discovery is especially important given that what happens in the early phases of a project may dictate the course of a research program for months or years. Risk management in early discovery starts with high-level managerial concerns: careful project selection, sufficient staffing and funding, and access to the appropriate instrumentation and tools. Herein we describe the operational elements of risk management that range from the very broad to the extremely specific. These elements have as their base an embedded culture of risk management that extends down to the experiment level, and project ownership in which all researchers anticipate risk, but are not paralyzed by it. In our model, on this base of culture stand the four pillars of early discovery risk management: right libraries, right assays, right series, and right structure–activity relationships. Appropriate attention to these considerations can decrease the risks inherent in early discovery medicinal chemistry, thereby potentially increasing the return on the investment of necessarily finite resources.
Co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory pathways in cancer immunotherapy

Cancer remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Traditional treatments such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy have had limited efficacy, especially with late stage cancers. Cancer immunotherapy and targeted therapy have revolutionized how cancer is treated, especially in patients with late stage disease. In 2013 cancer immunotherapy was named the breakthrough of the year, partially due to the established efficacy of blockade of CTLA-4 and PD-1, both T cell co-inhibitory molecules involved in tumor-induced immunosuppression. Though early trials promised success, toxicity and tolerance to immunotherapy have hindered long-term successes. Optimizing the use of co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory pathways has the potential to increase the effectiveness of T cell-mediated antitumor immune response, leading to increased efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. This review will address major T cell co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory pathways and the role they play in regulating immune responses during cancer development and treatment.
Thinking in Water : The Process of Collaborative Craft as Social Practice

This chapter discusses the intersections of each author’s relationships with social practice, process, collaborative craft, and water access. Many groups of individuals working together in collaboratives respond to social, health, and basic human rights needs. A critical need in many parts of the world is the lack of adequate access to water. The technology and ethos of the filters have been adopted by organizations such as Potters for Peace, Potters Water Action Group, Potters Without Borders, and university-community partnerships like PureMadi, and Reservoir Studio. Speaking with US American youth about the water crisis in the context of the African diaspora evoked memories of the author older siblings fetching water from a well in the Dominican Republic. Makers process of thinking literally, symbolically, and theoretically in and through water to craft the collaborative assemblage speaks to the power of arts-based social practices.