cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asian Americans and Latinos in San Gabriel Valley, California: Ethnic Political Cooperation and Redistricting 1990–92

(1993). Asian Americans and Latinos in San Gabriel Valley, California: Ethnic Political Cooperation and Redistricting 1990–92. Amerasia Journal: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 55-68.
Cardiovascular effects of electronic cigarettes

Cardiovascular safety is an important consideration in the debate on the benefits versus the risks of electronic cigarette (EC) use. EC emissions that might have adverse effects on cardiovascular health include nicotine, oxidants, aldehydes, particulates, and flavourants. To date, most of the cardiovascular effects of ECs demonstrated in humans are consistent with the known effects of nicotine. Pharmacological and toxicological studies support the biological plausibility that nicotine contributes to acute cardiovascular events and accelerated atherogenesis. However, epidemiological studies assessing Swedish smokeless tobacco, which exposes users to nicotine without combustion products, generally have not found an increased risk of myocardial infarction or stroke among users, but suggest that nicotine might contribute to acute cardiovascular events, especially in those with underlying coronary heart disease. The effects of aldehydes, particulates, and flavourants derived from ECs on cardiovascular health have not been determined. Although ECs might pose some cardiovascular risk to users, particularly those with existing cardiovascular disease, the risk is thought to be less than that of cigarette smoking based on qualitative and quantitative comparisons of EC aerosol versus cigarette smoke constituents. The adoption of ECs rather than cigarette smoking might, therefore, result in an overall benefit for public health.
Indentation Schmid factor and incipient plasticity by nanoindentation pop-in tests in hexagonal close-packed single crystals

Abstract For hexagonal close-packed (HCP) Hf, Mg and Ti single crystals, indentation Schmid factors, defined as the ratio of maximum resolved shear stress to the maximum contact pressure, were calculated for three typical families of slip systems, including basal 〈 a 〉 , prismatic 〈 a 〉 , and second pyramidal 〈 c + a 〉 slip systems. The dependence of indentation Schmid factors on the crystallographic orientation shows the same hard/soft directions as in the uniaxial tests, but with much reduced variations of magnitudes. The axial ratio, c / a , leads to noticeable effects on the indentation Schmid factors only when the indentation direction deviates from the c -axis by more than about 30°, as shown by the comparison among these three crystals. These predictions are compared to nanoindentation pop-in tests on Mg single crystals in literature and Hf single crystals conducted in this work. The elastic-plastic transition under spherical nanoindentation can be quantitatively measured by a sudden displacement burst (or pop-in) in the load-displacement curve. For defect-free single crystals, the first pop-in results from homogeneous dislocation nucleation, and correspondingly the maximum resolved shear stress (as calculated from pop-in load and indentation Schmid factor) reaches the theoretical strength of the material. Pop-in loads were found to be low for 〈 10 1 ¯ 2 〉 indentation and high for orientations close to the c -axis. While previous experiments in NiAl showed excellent agreement between indentation Schmid factor and pop-in measurements, Mg and Hf works here do not have such an agreement. It is suggested that each of the three sets of slip systems may govern a different range of indentation directions, or stress components other than resolved shear stress dictate the incipient plasticity.
Unlocking High-Salinity Desalination with Cascading Osmotically Mediated Reverse Osmosis: Energy and Operating Pressure Analysis.

Current practice of using thermally driven methods to treat hypersaline brines is highly energy-intensive and costly. While conventional reverse osmosis (RO) is the most efficient desalination technique, it is confined to purifying seawater and lower salinity sources. Hydraulic pressure restrictions and elevated energy demand render RO unsuitable for high-salinity streams. Here, we propose an innovative cascading osmotically mediated reverse osmosis (COMRO) technology to overcome the limitations of conventional RO. The innovation utilizes the novel design of bilateral countercurrent reverse osmosis stages to depress the hydraulic pressure needed by lessening the osmotic pressure difference across the membrane, and simultaneously achieve energy savings. Instead of the 137 bar required by conventional RO to desalinate 70 000 ppm TDS hypersaline feed, the highest operating pressure in COMRO is only 68.3 bar (−50%). Furthermore, up to ≈17% energy saving is attained by COMRO (3.16 kWh/m3, compared to 3.79 kWh/...
On the variation in maternal birth canal in vivo viscoelastic properties and their effect on the predicted length of active second stage and levator ani tears.

The pubovisceral muscles (PVM) help form the distal maternal birth canal. It is not known why 13% of vaginal deliveries end in PVM tears, so insights are needed to better prevent them because their sequelae can lead to pelvic organ prolapse later in life. In this paper we provide the first quantification of the variation in in vivo viscoelastic properties of the intact distal birth canal in healthy nulliparous women using Fung's Quasilinear Viscoelastic Theory and a secondary analysis of data from a clinical trial of constant force birth canal dilation to 8 cm diameter in the first stage of labor in 26 nullipara. We hypothesized that no significant inter-individual variation would be found in the long time constant, τ2, which characterizes how long it takes the birth canal to be dilated by the fetal head. That hypothesis was rejected because τ2 values ranged 20-fold above and below the median value. These data were input to a biomechanical model to calculate how such variations affect the predicted length of the active second stage of labor as well as PVM tear risk. The results show there was a 100-fold change in the predicted length of active second stage for the shortest and longest τ2 values, with a noticeable increase for τ2 values over 1000 s. The correlation coefficent between predicted and observed second stage durations was 0.51. We conclude that τ2 is a strong theoretical contributor to the time a mother has to push in order to deliver a fetal head larger than her birth canal, and a weak predictor of PVM tear risk.
Reflections on a Theorem of Henkin

The λδ-calculus is the λ-calculus augmented with a discriminator which distinguishes terms. We consider the simply typed λδ-calculus over one atomic type variable augmented additionally with an existential quantifier and a description operator, all of lowest type. First we provide a proof of a folklore result which states that a function in the full type structure of [n] is λδ-definable from the description operator and existential quantifier if and only if it is symmetric, that is, fixed under the group action of the symmetric group of n elements. This proof uses only elementary facts from algebra and a way to reduce arbitrary functions to functions of lowest type via a theorem of Henkin. Then we prove a necessary and sufficient condition for a function on [n] to be λδ-definable without the description operator or existential quantifier, which requires a stronger notion of symmetry.
Robert W. Kates (1929-2018): Grappled with problems of the human environment.

Robert W. Kates died April 21, 2018, at age 89, a geographer who studied the relationship between society and environment and whose commitment to collaborative science kept his colleagues busy with big questions, big projects, and the challenge of fixing problems imbricated in the human use and transformation of the Earth. Robert W. Kates, independent scholar, at his home in Maine. Image courtesy of Dennis Chinoy (photographer). Schooled in Brooklyn, but doubting an academic life, Bob eschewed college and moved with wife Eleanor (Hackman) Kates in 1949 to Gary, Indiana, where he worked in the steel mills for over a decade and where Bob and Eleanor started a family. Thinking of becoming a teacher, Bob took time out from union organizing to take night classes at the Gary Campus of the University of Indiana in 1958. Martha Church, a doctorate student in geography at the University of Chicago—later to become president of Hood College—taught one of those classes, recognized Bob’s scientific talents, and introduced him to Gilbert White, chair of the University of Chicago’s Department of Geography. This encounter started a lifelong collaboration and friendship, and the longest-running of Bob’s life’s many projects: to understand the human response to natural extremes. As with other big questions, Bob pursued this as a group endeavor, with Gilbert, fellow doctorate student Ian Burton, and a host of others still occupied in the effort today. The challenge for the field of natural hazards, codified in their 1978 book The Environment … [↵][1]1Email: william.travis{at}colorado.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Experimental Insights into the Growth of Single Truncated Anatase Bipyramids

Fluorine has been recognized to selectively stabilize anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) crystal facets; however, resolving its physical location at the nanometer scale remains empirically elusive. Here, we provide direct experimental evidence to reveal the spatial distribution of fluorine on single truncated anatase bipyramids (TABs) using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). Fluorine was found to preferentially adsorb on the (001) facet compared to the (101) facet of TABs. Moreover, NanoSIMS depth profiling exhibited a significantly different fluorine distribution between these two facets in the near-surface region, illustrating the essential role of lattice-doped fluorine in the anisotropic crystal growth of TABs.
Contemporary Livestock–Predator Themes Identified Through a Wyoming, USA Rancher Survey

On the Ground • Livestock-predator interactions structure ranchers' perceptions of predators. • We surveyed 274 ranchers in Wyoming using open-answer questions about contemporary livestock-predator themes. • Four themes emerged: 1) difficulty mitigating losses from protected large carnivores; 2) escalating impacts of predatory birds on livestock and wildlife; 3) sustainability of predator management funding; and 4) continual bureaucratic complexities of predator management. • Themes had an underlying thread regarding the tension between state control versus federal control including concern about growing predator populations that may affect both livestock and native wildlife such as greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus).
USP6 Gene Rearrangement by FISH Analysis in Cranial Fasciitis: A Report of Three Cases

Cranial fasciitis (CF) is an uncommon benign myofibroblastic proliferation involving the soft and hard tissues of the cranium. It typically occurs in the pediatric population with a male predilection (male-to-female ratio 1.5:1). The clinical presentation is usually a rapidly expanding, painless nodule. Bone erosion may be appreciated radiographically. Histopathologic sections of CF show plump, fibroblast-like cells with pale, oval shaped nuclei and prominent nucleoli in a fibrous or myxoid background. Growth is self-limited and surgical excision is considered curative. Due to these features, CF is thought to be a variant of nodular fasciitis (NF). As with NF, CF may mimic a sarcomatous process and pose a diagnostic challenge to clinicians and pathologists alike. Erickson-Johnson et al. identified rearrangements of the ubiquitin-specific protease 6 (USP6) gene in 44 of 48 cases of NF. MYH9 was the fusion partner in 12 of these cases. To date, the molecular profile of CF has not been studied. Here we present the molecular findings in three cases of CF identified at our institution. Each case was subjected to fluorescence in-situ hybridization with appropriate negative controls. Two of three cases were positive for the USP6 gene rearrangement. The third case failed to hybridize, likely related to nucleic acid damage secondary to decalcification. Negative controls did not demonstrate the genetic rearrangement. These findings warrant further investigation of the USP6 gene rearrangement in CF, as it may prove helpful as a diagnostic adjunct in challenging cases.
Cross-Domain Complementary Learning Using Pose for Multi-Person Part Segmentation

Supervised deep learning with pixel-wise training labels has great successes on multi-person part segmentation. However, data labeling at pixel-level is very expensive. To solve the problem, people have been exploring to use synthetic data to avoid the data labeling. Although it is easy to generate labels for synthetic data, the results are much worse compared to those using real data and manual labeling. The degradation of the performance is mainly due to the domain gap, i.e., the discrepancy of the pixel value statistics between real and synthetic data. In this paper, we observe that real and synthetic humans both have a skeleton (pose) representation. We found that the skeletons can effectively bridge the synthetic and real domains during the training. Our proposed approach takes advantage of the rich and realistic variations of the real data and the easily obtainable labels of the synthetic data to learn multi-person part segmentation on real images without any human-annotated labels. Through experiments, we show that without any human labeling, our method performs comparably to several state-of-the-art approaches which require human labeling on Pascal-Person-Parts and COCO-DensePose datasets. On the other hand, if part labels are also available in the real-images during training, our method outperforms the supervised state-of-the-art methods by a large margin. We further demonstrate the generalizability of our method on predicting novel keypoints in real images where no real data labels are available for the novel keypoints detection. Code and pre-trained models are available at https://github.com/kevinlin311tw/CDCL-human-part-segmentation .
An Analysis of Proteochemometric and Conformal Prediction Machine Learning Protein-Ligand Binding Affinity Models.

Protein-ligand binding affinity is a key pharmacodynamic endpoint in drug discovery. Sole reliance on experimental design, make, and test cycles is costly and time consuming, providing an opportunity for computational methods to assist. Herein, we present results comparing random forest and feed-forward neural network proteochemometric models for their ability to predict pIC50 measurements for held out generic Bemis-Murcko scaffolds. In addition, we assess the ability of conformal prediction to provide calibrated prediction intervals in both a retrospective and semi-prospective test using the recently released Grand Challenge 4 data set as an external test set. In total, random forest and deep neural network proteochemometric models show quality retrospective performance but suffer in the semi-prospective setting. However, the conformal predictor prediction intervals prove to be well calibrated both retrospectively and semi-prospectively showing that they can be used to guide hit discovery and lead optimization campaigns.
Q4 – A CubeSat Mission to Demonstrate Omnidirectional Optical Communications

We are proposing a technology demonstration mission for JPL's Inter-Satellite Optical Communicator (ISOC). The ISOC has the potential to enable up to 1 Gbps data rates over a distance up to 200 km in free space. Key features of the ISOC include full sky coverage and the ability to maintain multiple links simultaneously. The Q4 mission consists of (4) 6U CubeSats furnished with ISOCs to demonstrate high data rate communications among the spacecraft. More specifically, we seek to demonstrate the omnidirectionality of the ISOC by providing simultaneous optical links between one spacecraft and the other three. Q4 will be a demonstrator for small spacecraft swarm capabilities. Following a proposed deployment from the ISS, the CubeSats will utilize their onboard thrusters to enter their desired orbit. The orbit consists of one “leader” spacecraft in a circular orbit with a 400 km LEO altitude and three “follower” spacecraft in slightly elliptical orbits rotating azimuthally about the leader. The main mission will consist of three consecutive phases: First, the spacecraft will demonstrate pointing, acquisition, and tracking using newly developed protocols. Next, link establishment and different channel access methods (CDMA and TDMA) will be tested. Finally, Delay Tolerant Network protocols will be implemented to allow fast data sharing among the spacecraft. The distance between the communicating spacecraft will be increased as the mission progresses to characterize the link quality as a function of distance. All communications over the course of the mission will be recorded and analyzed on the ground using bit error rate as a metric for success. The current design for each the four Q4 CubeSats contains an XACT advanced ADCS system for precision beam pointing. Other components currently under consideration include MiPS cold gas thrusters for orbital maneuvering and gimbaled eHaWK 84W solar arrays. In this paper we present design considerations for the Q4 CubeSats, link budget calculations, results from preliminary mission analysis, and expected results.
Distributed Robust Formation Flying and Attitude Synchronization of Spacecraft

AbstractThis paper considers the spacecraft formation flying (SFF) with a desired attitude. Two control problems are studied. One is the formation control of multiple spacecraft and the other is th...
Assembly of a dsRNA synthesizing complex: RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE 2 contacts the largest subunit of NUCLEAR RNA POLYMERASE IV.

In plants, transcription of selfish genetic elements such as transposons and DNA viruses is suppressed by RNA-directed DNA methylation. This process is guided by 24-nt short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) whose double-stranded precursors are synthesized by DNA-dependent NUCLEAR RNA POLYMERASE IV (Pol IV) and RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE 2 (RDR2). Pol IV and RDR2 coimmunoprecipitate, and their activities are tightly coupled, yet the basis for their association is unknown. Here, we show that an interval near the RDR2 active site contacts the Pol IV catalytic subunit, NRPD1, the largest of Pol IV’s 12 subunits. Contacts between the catalytic regions of the two enzymes suggests that RDR2 is positioned to rapidly engage the free 3′ ends of Pol IV transcripts and convert these single-stranded transcripts into double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs).
A Survey Evaluating the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Horseweed (Conyza canadensis) Late Season in Ohio Soybean Fields from 2013 to 2017

On-site surveys of weed populations provide information on the relative occurrence and density of weeds that can be useful to growers in that region. Data generated by weed surveys can aid in the management of weed issues by monitoring the movement of problem weeds and forecasting areas susceptible to infestations. Currently, on-site surveys are often performed on a small scale, within single fields or counties. Questionnaire surveys are helpful for assessing relative abundance but do not always provide detailed information on weed distribution in time or space. A survey was conducted annually in Ohio from 2013 through 2017 in 49 counties with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production to assess the late-season occurrence of horseweed [Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist]. The objectives of this research were to: (1) determine the frequency, level of infestation, and distribution of C. canadensis in soybean fields in the primary soybean-producing Ohio counties over 5 yr; and (2) identify significant spatial clusters or movement trends over time. Conyza canadensis was encountered in each county from 2013 through 2017. Spatial cores of interest, or counties identified as having significant levels of C. canadensis infestations or a lack thereof relative to surrounding counties, were identified in all years except 2017. The lowest frequency of C. canadensis encountered at all rating levels occurred in 2017, which coincided with second-highest frequency of infestations (highest density level) among years. There was no distinct distribution or pattern of C. canadensis movement within the state from year to year, but there was an increase in counties with infestations over time compared with the early years of the survey when many counties had few to no infestations. These results suggest that C. canadensis persists as a common and troublesome threat to Ohio soybean producers and that growers should continue making C. canadensis management a priority when developing weed control programs.
The Immune System: Pathogen Sensing and Detection

When the immune system is functioning optimally, it is responsible for detecting and eliminating pathogens that enter the body, and for maintaining homeostasis with our microbiome. The immune system consists primarily of two branches, each specialized in the types of responses that will be mounted, but working cooperatively to detect and eliminate pathogens. These branches are known as innate and adaptive branches. Macromolecules associated with pathogens on cell surfaces, or secreted by pathogens within the host are known as antigens. In response to the antigens, the infected host mounts an immune response aimed at eliminating the pathogen by the use of cellular attack by phagocytosis or by the use of antimicrobial molecules present in the blood. The host can also mount a specific response that involves the secretion of antibodies or the activation of cytotoxic T cells (killer) cells. The first branch of the immune system concerned with surveillance and surveying the “landscape” of our tissues for breaches, aberrant receptor topology on host cells, and rapid response to defend the host is known as the innate system. The second branch of the immune system specialized to recognize specific molecules from pathogens and deliver selective attack to destroy and eliminate pathogens is known as the adaptive (acquired or induced) immune response. In the first branch, cells of the innate immune system bearing receptors on their surfaces act as sentinels to raise the alarm regarding the breach of the host’s defenses. These receptors are collectively called pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and are found on cell surfaces as well as within the cytoplasm and in endosome-lysosomes. The ligands for the receptors are various molecules on the surface of pathogens, including molecules secreted by the pathogens known as pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Viral genomes (RNA and DNA) are also recognized by PRRs located within the host cell cytoplasm and within the endosomal system within cells. Other danger signals; damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), resulting from damaged tissue due to the invading pathogens are detected by the sentinels and signals conveyed to effector cells of the innate immune system resulting in the production of molecules that help to protect tissues from further damage and contribute to the destruction of the pathogens. Ligation of PAMPs with PRRs activates cell signaling cascades that lead to the production of transcription factors that will influence the transcription of genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines. A combination of molecules, cells, tissues, organs, blood and lymphatic vessels form the framework that is organized to form the immune system. A brief description of the characteristics of cells of the innate system are provided below. Effector functions of each cell will be addressed in later chapters. A more detailed discussion of dendritic cells and macrophages is given in this chapter to facilitate later discussions about T lymphocytes.
Allegories of Union in Irish and English Writing, 1790-1870: Politics, History, and the Family from Edgeworth to Arnold

In this book, Mary Jean Corbett explores fictional and non-fictional representations of Ireland's relationship with England throughout the nineteenth century. Through postcolonial and feminist theory, she considers how cross-cultural contact is negotiated through tropes of marriage and family, and demonstrates how familial rhetoric sometimes works to sustain, sometimes to contest the structures of colonial inequality. Analyzing novels by Edgeworth, Owenson, Gaskell, Kingsley, and Trollope, as well as writings by Burke, Carlyle, Engels, Arnold, and Mill, Corbett argues that the colonizing imperative for 'reforming' the Irish in an age of imperial expansion constitutes a largely unrecognized but crucial element in the rhetorical project of English nation-formation. By situating her readings within the varying historical and rhetorical contexts that shape them, she revises the critical orthodoxies surrounding colonial discourse that currently prevail in Irish and English studies, and offers a fresh perspective on important aspects of Victorian culture.
Equilibrium point mechanisms in the spinal frog

The frog spinal cord has been shown to be capable of precise positioning and complex multi-joint trajectory generation (Fukson et al. 1980, Giszter et al. 1989, Schotland et al. 1989). It is well known, for example, that the spinal frog is capable of generating a coordinated sequence of multi-joint hindlimb movements directed to the removal of a noxious stimulus from the skin. This “wiping reflex” requires complex information-processing. Thus, the spinal cord must contain circuitry that coordinates the motion of multiple limb segments (see figure 1A). While this ability has been revealed utilizing wiping behaviors, we hypothesize that these and other behaviors may use a general limb positioning mechanism residing in the spinal cord. Such a mechanism might be expected to combine information from several sources: spinal pattern generators, higher centers in the central nervous system, and peripheral feedback. Computation in the positioning mechanism must depend on the form of final output pattern utilized. An ongoing framework for both theoretical and experimental investigation in motor control has been the concept that the viscoelastic properties of the muscles determine the type of computations needed within the central nervous system in order to plan and execute movements. This has led in particular to the equilibrium point hypothesis (Feldman, 1974, Bizzi, 1976, Bizzi et al., 1984, Hogan, 1984, Flash, 1987). We will examine the idea that general positioning by the spinal cord utilizes such a mechanism.
Photolysis of allene-ozone mixtures in cryogenic matrices: Part 2. Formation of propadienol

Abstract Allene/ozone/Ar matrices were irradiated at wavelengths extending to 240 nm with a medium pressure mercury lamp. The primary photoproducts include all of those obtained from photolysis at 647 nm; carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, ketene, cyclopropanone, acrolein, and allene oxide. In addition, the short wavelength photolysis gives a major new product with absorptions at 3626, 1970.7, 1450.6, 1165.6, 889.3, 858.4, and 607.2 nm. Isotopic substitutions (18O and C3D4) identify this new product as propadienol (hydroxyallene), undoubtedly formed through O(1D) insertion into one of the allene C-H bonds. This is the first preparation of propadienol through a photolysis process.
Virus Associated Immune and Pharmacologic Mechanisms in Disorders of Respiratory and Cutaneous Atopy

This chapter describes some immune and pharmacologic mechanisms associated with viral infections in certain immunologic diseases that belong into the group of the so-called immediate hypersensitivities. The term immediate hypersensitivity denotes an immunologic sensitivity to antigens that manifests itself by tissue reactions occurring within minutes after the antigen combines with its appropriate antibody. Such a reaction may occur in any member of a species (nonatopic immediate hypersensitivity) or only in certain predisposed or hyperreactive members (atopic immediate hypersensitivity).
A Gliding Bacterium Strain Inhibits Adhesion and Motility of Another Gliding Bacterium Strain in a Marine Biofilm

Two species of gliding bacteria were isolated from a marine biofilm. They were described and identified as members of the genus Cytophaga. One of them (RB1057) produced an extracellular inhibitor of colony expansion of the other (RB1058). The inhibitor was characterized as a glycoprotein with an apparent molecular mass of 60 kDa. It inhibited RB1058 adhesion to and gliding on substrata. Motility and adhesion of several other aquatic gliding bacteria were not measurably affected by this agent.
Load-balancing in Clos-like packet switches with distributed cross-point queues

Packet switches may be scaled by spreading the traffic across packet switch elements that effectively operate in parallel. This can introduce mis-sequencing of packets within a flow, which is undesirable and degrades network performance. Most solutions require impractical complex central schedulers. We have conceived an architecture and method for load-balancing without mis-sequencing that builds on earlier research of Clos-like packet switches that are suitable for implementation in hybrid electronic/photonic technology. The architecture involves no central schedulers and is implemented by distributing cross-point queues over all elements of the switch and deploying pollers to select the queues to be served.
RF system integration and miniaturization using advanced polymers

This paper presents the design of filters and antennas in advanced polymers based on a new material called RXP. Integration capability of the RXP and the performance of WLAN filter design have been verified through the measurement data presented in this paper. Simulated results of 60GHz filters and antennas are also included in this paper. RXP provides low cost and promising high performance advanced polymer solution for wireless applications operating around microwave and millimeter frequencies.
Across the chessboard of life

The Secular Ark: Studies in the History of Biogeography. By Janet Browne. Yale University Press: 1983. Pp.265. $27.50, £21.
Emulsion terpolymerization of dimethyl meta‐isopropenyl benzyl isocyanate (TMI®) with acrylic monomers: Process development and kinetics

Dimethyl meta-isopropenyl benzyl isocyanate (TMI®) is a bifunctional monomer possessing a double bond and an isocyanate group. Emulsion terpolymerization of TMI with the acrylic monomers, methyl methacrylate and n-butyl acrylate, was studied. Polymerizations were carried out at 40°C using a redox initiator system in order to minimize the extent of hydrolysis of the isocyanate in the aqueous emulsion environment. The kinetics of the polymerization reaction were investigated. The polymerization rate was found to decrease with increasing TMI concentration. The effects of several preparative variables such as the monomer, surfactant, and initiator concentration on the polymerization kinetics was studied. Several semicontinuous polymerization processes were developed in order to enhance the incorporation of TMI at appreciable rates. These processes also allow us to control the polymer composition, latex particle size, and the locus of isocyanate groups in the latex particle. Process variables such as the mode of initiator addition (batch versus semicontinuous) were found to greatly influence the polymerization behavior. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Long-term evaluation of the ventricular defibrillation energy requirement.

Defibriiiation Energy Requirements. Introduction: Defibrillation energy requirements in patients with nonthoracotomy defibrillators may increase within several months alter implantation. However, the stability of the defibrillation energy requirement beyond I year has not heen reported. The purpose of this study was to characterize the defihrillation energy requirement during 2 years of clinical follow-up. Methods and Results: Thirty-one consecutive patients with u biphasic nonthoracotomy defihrillation system underwent defibrillation energy requirement testing using a step-down technique (20, 15, 12. 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and I J) during defibrillator implantation, and then 24 hours, 2 months, 1 year, and 2 years after implantation. The mean defihrillation energy requirement during these evaluations was 10.9 ± 5.5 J, 12.3 ± 7.3 J, 11.7 ± 5.6 J, 10.2 ± 4.0 ,|, and 11.7 ± 7.4 J, respectively (P = 0.4). The defibrillation energy requirement was noted to have increased hy 10 J or more after 2 years of follow-up in five patients. In one of these patients, the defihrillation energy requirement was no longer associated with an adequate safety margin, necessitating revision of the defihrillation system. There were no identifiahle clinical characteristics that distinguished patients who did and did not develop a 10-J or more increase in the defihrillation energy requirement. Conclusion: The mean defibrillation energy requirement does not change significantly after 2 years of hiphasic nonthoracotomy detihrillator system implantation. However, approximately 15% of patients develop a 1((-J or greater elevation in the defihrillation energy requirement, and 3% may require a defihrillation system revision. Therefore, a yearly evaluation of the defibrillation euergy requirement may he appropriate. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 9, pp. 916-920. Septemtwr 1998)
Converging evidence for information-processing stages: A comparative-influence stage-analysis method

Abstract The isolation and identification of stages of information processing has been a goal of experimental psychologists for over 100 years. Several methodological procedures for pursuing this goal have been developed, but few attempts have been made to compare the results from the different methods. A new comparative-influence stage-analysis technique based on a combination of two earlier methods is proposed, and several experiments utilizing the new technique are reported. The overall results from the new stage-analysis method are quite consistent with those obtained from earlier methods and provide important converging evidence for the concept of stages of information processing. The new stage-analysis technique also provides a theoretical statement of the relationship between tachistoscopic and reaction time tasks, and illustrates the translatability of accuracy and speed as measures of human performance.
Inhibition of cellular events during early algal gametophyte development: effects of select metals and an aqueous petroleum waste

Abstract The effects of produced water (PW), an aqueous waste from oil production, and two metal constituents — arsenate (As) and copper (Cu), on development of gametophytes from a brown alga (the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera ) were investigated. Early gametophyte development involves zoospore germination, germ tube growth, and nuclear migration, all of which occur within 42 h of culture. Nuclear migration includes replication and division of nuclear material to form two nuclei followed by translocation of one of the daughter nuclei. Nuclear migration was found to be highly susceptible to toxicants; exposure of gametophytes to concentrations of 80 μg/L As, 20 μg/L Cu, and 4% PW resulted in significant inhibition of nuclear migration. PW inhibition of nuclear migration was found to be reversible, while inhibition by As was not; this suggests different cellular target sites or modes of action for these two toxicants. It has previously been shown that nuclear division and translocation are dependent on the integrity of specific cytoskeletal elements, microtubules. As such, inhibition of microtubule dynamics and/or inhibition of DNA replication are potential modes of action for the toxicants studied.
A simple method for the preparation of quiescent, long-term repopulating stem cells

Abstract Adult murine hematopoietic stem cells are obtained from the bone marrow of normal mice or alternatively following treatment with a single injection of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). These sources contain many developmentally diverse progenitor cells that are often problematic in having characteristics and behavior similar to stem cells. Current methods for removing these cells are time consuming, have low yields and the populations of primitive cells obtained are still heterogeneous. We have developed a simple, inexpensive method for preparing an ideal population of quiescent stem cells, in which virtually all of the non-stem cell progenitors have been removed. This population of cells does not contain any CFU-S 8 , CFU-S 12 or CFC that proliferate in response to individual growth factors such as IL-3 and GM-CSF. However, a combination of growth factors used with a new lympho-myeloid CFC, stem cell assay reveals that >80% of the in vitro colony forming cells are lympho-myeloid stem cells. When FACS sorted, these cells have a Sca-1 + Lin − Thy-1 lo c-kit − phenotype, just one of them being capable of generating as many as 2×10 8 progeny. Furthermore, the cells are able to fully repopulate the hematopoietic system and maintain the long-term survival of irradiated mice, but only when co-injected with other cells that have short-term repopulating, radio-protective ability. The preparation of this cell population is based on the principle that stem cells proliferate less frequently than other progenitors. While the traditional single injection of 5-FU removes some of the non-stem cell progenitors, not all are in cycle during this short period of exposure. However, multiple i.p. injections of 5-FU (200 mg/kg), each separated by 24 hr results in a cell population virtually completely ablated of non-stem cell progenitors, yet still containing many of the quiescent lympho-myeloid stem cells.
Outcomes of phacoemulsification in patients with chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of phacoemulsification in patients with ocular graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Using C. elegans for aging research

Over a century ago, the zoologist Emile Maupas first identified the nematode, Rhabditis elegans, in the soil in Algiers. Subsequent work and phylogenic studies renamed the species Caenorhabditis elegans or more commonly referred to as C. elegans; (Caeno meaning recent; rhabditis meaning rod; elegans meaning nice). However, it was not until 1963, when Sydney Brenner, already successful from his work on DNA, RNA, and the genetic code, suggested the future of biological research lay in model organisms. Brenner believed that biological research required a model system that could grow in vast quantities in the lab, were cheap to maintain and had a simple body plan, and he chose the nematode C. elegans to fulfill such a role. Since that time, C. elegans has emerged as one of the premiere model systems for aging research. This paper reviews some initial identification of mutants with altered lifespan with a focus on genetics and then discusses advantages and disadvantages for using C. elegans as a model system to understand human aging. This review focuses on molecular genetics aspects of this model organism.
Beur/Maghribi musical interventions in France: rai and rap

The article examines three songs from the rai and rap domains which have all, to varying degrees, been hits in France: ‘Partir Loin' by 113 with Reda Taliani, ‘Don't Panik' by Medine, and ‘Meme Pas Fatigue' by Khaled with Magic System. The songs raise a number of critical concerns for young North Africans and Muslims living in France and the Maghreb, including: Islamophobic and racist media representations, migration, police violence and social discrimination against banlieue youth, intolerant French secularism, and multi-culturalism. It is through creative interventions such as these that Maghrebis in France are bringing their culture and their socio-political issues to a wider French public.
A shrinking-aggregate two-environment mixing model

Abstract A two-environment mixing model is proposed to predict the conversion of a homogeneous reaction in a continuous stirred-tank reactor with premixed feed. The entering fluid is assumed to consist of spherical aggregates segregated from the fluid in the reactor. The aggregates shrink and fluid from the aggregates enter a maximum-mixedness, or nonsegregated, flow region. The aggregate shrinking rate is a function of the aggregate age. The model parameters—the fluid residence time and the entering and exiting flow rates in each environment—are determined a priori using a shrinking-aggregate model and the residence time distribution of the system. Model predictions are compared to experimental results.
COLLABORATIVE REFERENCING IN ELDERLY WOMEN

This preliminary work compared the process of collaborative referencing in younger and elderly women, a process which requires joint effort from both the speaker and the listener. Four women in their thirties and four women in their seventies were paired with an unacquainted partner within the same age group. Each pair completed six trials of a barrier task in which they had to converse about abstract figures to arrange them in the same order. With repetition of the task, both pairs of younger women reduced the number of words and turns used to complete the task while only one of the pairs of elderly women did so and, even then, used many more words than younger women to complete the task. Also, in comparison with elderly women, younger women were more likely to use strategies which facilitated least effort in completion of the task. In a task designed to ensure accuracy, elderly women made errors while younger women did not. These findings suggest that elderly women may not benefit from the collaborative nature of a conversational interaction as do younger women.
The Effect of Reductant Levels on the Formation of Damage Lesions Derived from a 2-Deoxyribose Radical in ssDNA

Thiols play a major role in the outcome of oxidative damage to DNA when it is initiated through cellular exposure to ionizing radiation. DNA radicals formed under aerobic conditions are converted to peroxyl radicals through trapping by oxygen at a diffusion-controlled rate. As a primary source of cellular reductant, thiols are responsible for the conversion of these DNA-derived peroxyl radicals to their corresponding hydrogen peroxides and subsequent strand breaks. Through the use of modified nucleotides, which act as precursors to nucleic acid radicals, we have investigated the effect of varying amounts of the cellular thiol glutathione (GSH) on the distribution of damage products produced from a 2-deoxyribose radical in DNA: the C3′-thymidinyl radical. The C3′-thymidinyl radical results from the abstraction of a hydrogen atom from the C3′-position of DNA oligomers at a thymidine residue, and is known to deliver several DNA damage lesions including the 3′-phosphoglycolaldehyde, 3′-phosphoglycolate and a ...
A novel demonstration of enhanced memory associated with emotional arousal.

Abstract The relationship between emotional arousal and long-term memory is addressed in two experiments in which subjects viewed either a relatively emotionally neutral short story (presented as a brief slide show) or a closely matched but more emotionally arousing story and were tested for retention of the story 2 weeks later. Experiment 1 provides essential replication of the results of Heuer and Reisberg (1990) and illustrates the common interpretive problem posed by the use of different stimuli (slides) in the neutral versus emotional stories. In Experiment 2, identical slides (and sequence) were used in both the neutral and arousal stores. Two different stories were created by varying the narration that accompanied each slide. In both experiments, subjects who viewed the arousal story both experienced a greater emotional reaction to the story than did the subjects who viewed the neutral story, and subsequently exhibited enhanced memory for the story. Subjects in Experiment 2 who viewed the arousal story also recalled more slides than did the subjects who viewed the neutral story. This effect was greatest for story phase 2, the phase in which the emotional slide narration occurred. Because this enhanced retention of the story slides cannot be explained by any differences in the slides themselves, the results provide new evidence to support the contention that emotional arousal influences long-term memory in normal human subjects.
Studies in nonlinear stochastic processes. IV. A comparison of statistical linearization, diagrammatic expansion, and projection operator methods

We compare the methods of statistical linearization, perturbation expansions, and projection operators for the approximate solution of nonlinear multimode stochastic equations. The model equations we choose for this comparison are coupled, nonlinear, first-order, one-dimensional complex mode rate equations. We show that the method of statistical linearization is completely equivalent to the neglect of certain well-defined diagrams in the perturbation expansion resulting in the first Kraichnan-Wyld approximation, and to the retention of only Markovian terms in the projection operator method, i.e., those terms that are local in time.
Comparison of supercritical CO2 and hexane extraction of lipids from sorghum distillers grains

Total yields and compositions of sorghum dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) lipids obtained by supercritical CO 2 (SC-CO 2 ) extraction were compared with those obtained by recirculated solvent extraction (RSE) with hexane. The total yield of lipids obtained by SC-CO 2 extraction at 27.5 MPa and 70 °C was 150 g lipids/kg DDGS, while the yield obtained by RSE with hexane at 69 °C was only 85 g lipids/kg DDGS. The contents of four high-value compounds, i.e., policosanols, phytosterols, free fatty acids (FFA) and tocols, in the lipids obtained by SC-CO 2 extraction were 31.2, 15.6, 155.3 and 0.50 mg/g at 27.5 MPa and 70 °C, compared to 26.6, 9.6, 57.3 and 0.03 mg/ g for RSE with hexane at 69 °C. The profiles of phytosterols and FFA in the sorghum DDGS lipids were relatively independent of the extraction methods and operating conditions.
Detecting Temporal Change in Watershed Nutrient Yields

Meta-analyses reveal that nutrient yields tend to be higher for watersheds dominated by anthropogenic uses (e.g., urban, agriculture) and lower for watersheds dominated by natural vegetation. One implication of this pattern is that loss of natural vegetation will produce increases in watershed nutrient yields. Yet, the same meta-analyses also reveal that, absent land-cover change, watershed nutrient yields vary from one year to the next due to many exogenous factors. The interacting effects of land cover and exogenous factors suggest nutrient yields should be treated as distributions, and the effect of land-cover change should be examined by looking for significant changes in the distributions. We compiled nutrient yield distributions from published data. The published data included watersheds with homogeneous land cover that typically reported two or more years of annual nutrient yields for the same watershed. These data were used to construct statistical models, and the models were used to estimate changes in the nutrient yield distributions as a result of land-cover change. Land-cover changes were derived from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). Total nitrogen (TN) yield distributions increased significantly for 35 of 1550 watersheds and decreased significantly for 51. Total phosphorus (TP) yield distributions increased significantly for 142 watersheds and decreased significantly for 17. The amount of land-cover change required to produce significant shifts in nutrient yield distributions was not constant. Small land-cover changes led to significant shifts in nutrient yield distributions when watersheds were dominated by natural vegetation, whereas much larger land-cover changes were needed to produce significant shifts when watersheds were dominated by urban or agriculture. We discuss our results in the context of the Clean Water Act.