cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bistatic Radar Experiments with UAV: Qualification and Performance of a Miniaturized Instrument

Spacecraft-to-ground bistatic radar is an established technique that has enabled the study of the planetary surfaces and near sub-surfaces properties by using the telecommunication signals amplitude, phase, and polarization. The Planetary Radar and Radio Science group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has been involved in many planetary bistatic radar experiments since the 1970's using orbiters and Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas. The recent advances in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) technologies are making the UAVs more popular in scientific surveying applications. One such application is the use of UAVs in bistatic radar measurements to explore surfaces on Earth. Our analyses show that UAV-based bistatic radar measurements will improve our understanding of the finer-scale characteristic variations of the surface by acquiring the higher resolution data for a specific region of interest compared to data obtained from a spacecraft. The Mars helicopter, a technology demonstration to test the first powered flight on Mars, will be the beginning of a new era of exploration with UAVs on Mars. This leap in planetary UAV technology has renewed the importance of developing a miniaturized bistatic radar instrument (under 1 kg) compatible with a UAV platform able to meet the science requirements for studying surfaces on Earth, Mars, and other planetary bodies. As part of a task at JPL, we have been working on a technology demonstration using a compact bistatic radar instrument designed to be the payload of a UAV employing signals of opportunity from Earth's orbiters, i.e. Global Positioning System (GPS). In this paper, we present our design and development of the instrument, our evaluation of different L-band antennas, the performance of compact open-loop receivers in support of Earth and planetary bistatic radar observations, and the instrument fit test on an UAV platform. As part of this publication, we also highlight the results of a field experiment dedicated to test the sensitivity of the miniaturized bistatic radar instrument to different electrical properties of the surface.
Utilizing a Multidisciplinary Approach to Improve Successful Pediatric Lung Procurement in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Background: Organ procurement and transplant is an integral part of a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). As of March 2019, 33 children are waiting to receive a lifesaving lung transplant in the United States1. The longer these children remain on waitlists, the less likely they are to have good survival rates after transplant2. From 2015-2017 our lung procurement rate for consenting pediatric donors (n = 18) was 0%. We aimed to increase the lung procurement rate in our PICU using a continuous improvement model. Methods: A multi-disciplinary team was developed and led by the PICU medical director. The team included physicians, nurses, donation agency staff, social work, and respiratory therapists. The team met quarterly to review all possible organ donation cases and assess them utilizing a continuous improvement model. Learnings from this meeting were then disseminated to bedside caregivers on an ongoing basis. Based on these learnings, the PICU team was able to implement changes to aid in improving lung procurement success. Early identification of lung donor candidates was integral to program success. The screening was done via bedside chest x-ray and bronchoscopy. A bronchial alveolar lavage and sputum culture were obtained. An oxygen challenge was considered every 4 hours. Candidates then received airway clearance every 2 to 4 hours until procurement. Results: By utilizing an interdisciplinary team approach and a model of continuous improvement, we were able to increase lung procurement rates by 16% (n = 6). We also increased the number of organs transplanted per donor from 3.62 to 4.0 organs per donor. Conclusions: By utilizing an interdisciplinary team and continuous improvement approach, our PICU was able to increase lung procurement rates for our pediatric donors. In our analysis, we also determined that an overall increase in organs donated occurred after we completed our continuous improvement process. A standard protocol for assessment and treatment until procurement is vital in maintaining organ viability for procurement. Increasing the number of successful organs procured per donor means the gift of donation potentially saves more lives. We recommend that all cases of possible organ donation be reviewed in order to be better stewards of organs procured after death. References: 1. UNOS optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data 2. Lauerer M et al. Organ transplant in the face of donor shortage. Visc Med 2016;32(4):278-285.
Understanding Rules in Live Streaming Micro Communities on Twitch

Rules and norms are critical to community governance. Live streaming communities like Twitch consist of thousands of micro-communities called channels. We conducted two studies to understand the micro-community rules. Study one suggests that Twitch users perceive that both rules transparency and communication frequency matter to channel vibe and frequency of harassment. Study two finds that the most popular channels have no channel or chat rules; among these having rules, rules encouraged by streamers are prominent. We explain why this may happen and how this contributes to community moderation and future research.
Novel Piezoelectric Polymer Composites for Flexible Electronic Device

Advances in virtual health monitoring, robotics, internet of things (IoT), and other emerging applications drive the technological improvements in flexible electronics and smart materials capable of sensing and energy harvesting. Lead-free piezoelectric polymer composites will be the materials of choice in these emerging applications due to their improved performance, non-toxic components, mechanical flexibility, light weight, processibility, and ease of integration into devices. Additionally these materials provide the potential to be self-powered, which might reduce or eliminate the need for batteries in certain devices.In this article, researchers from SABIC, a leading global chemical company and material solution provider, present an overview of their novel, high performing piezoelectric polymer composites developed using elastomeric polymers in combination with lead-free piezo ceramic additives. These novel composites show improved force sensitivity and temperature stability when compared to commercially available piezoelectric polymers. These property improvements open up new application spaces for flexible piezoelectric devices such as smart gloves, shoes, health monitoring patch, key pads, and haptic feedback.
U.S. Climate Litigation in the Age of Trump: Full Term

In response to a presidential administration uniquely committed to climate deregulation, hundreds of litigants turned to the judiciary. At least 378 cases filed in courts across the United States responded to or interacted with the Trump administration’s agenda of climate deregulation. Of those, 89% aimed at climate protection or weakening climate deregulation and 11% aimed at furthering climate deregulation or undermining those seeking climate protection. Pro-climate protection plaintiffs filed the greatest number of cases aiming to integrate climate change into environmental review and permitting, but also filed cases in significant numbers to defend climate policies, demand transparency, and advance climate protections. The most common plaintiffs/petitioners in “pro” cases were NGOs, followed next by government entities, and the most common filing parties in “con” cases were industry actors. The federal government was by far the most common defendant in all cases, with the Department of Interior the most sued agency. In terms of the sectors implicated in the cases, the highest number raised claims based on the climate impacts on the environment, and the second highest number involved fossil fuel development. Litigants based their suits on federal environmental statutes and administrative law in high numbers, and cited the National Environmental Policy Act most often in their suits. Many of these trends reflect high numbers of cases filed by NGOs against the federal government alleging unlawful failure to consider climate change in their permitting of fossil fuel projects, or in their decisions regarding endangered species.
José María Heredia in New York, 1823–1825. An exiled Cuban poet in the Age of Revolution: selected poems and verse: edited, translated, and introduction by Frederick Luciani, Albany: SUNY Press, 2020, 286 pp. (9781438479835)

In late winter, 2018, I took one of the last cruises to Cuba. After a leisurely day at sea on 1 January 2019, a day that marked both the start of a new decade and the sixtieth anniversary of the re...
Rationalizing energy level alignment by characterizing Lewis acid/base and ionic interactions at printable semiconductor/ionic liquid interfaces.

Charge transfer and energy conversion processes at semiconductor/electrolyte interfaces are controlled by local electric field distributions, which can be especially challenging to measure. Herein we leverage the low vapor pressure and vacuum compatibility of ionic liquid electrolytes to undertake a layer-by-layer, ultra-high vacuum deposition of a prototypical ionic liquid EMIM+ (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium) and TFSI- (bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-imide) on the surfaces of different electronic materials. We consider a case-by-case study between a standard metal (Au) and four printed electronic materials, where interfaces are characterized by a combination of X-ray and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopies (XPS/UPS). For template-stripped gold surfaces, we observe through XPS a preferential orientation of the TFSI anion at the gold surface, enabling large electric fields (∼108 eV m-1) within the first two monolayers detected by a large surface vacuum level shift (0.7 eV) in UPS. Conversely, we observe a much more random orientation on four printable semiconductor surfaces: methyl ammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3), regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl (P3HT)), sol-gel nickel oxide (NiOx), and PbIx-capped PbS quantum dots. For the semiconductors considered, the ionization energy (IE) of the ionic liquid at 3 ML coverage is highly substrate dependent, indicating that underlying chemical reactions are dominating interface level alignment (electronic equilibration) prior to reaching bulk electronic structure. This indicates there is no universal rule for energy level alignment, but that relative strengths of Lewis acid/base sites and ion-molecular interactions should be considered. Specifically, for P3HT, interactions are found to be relatively weak and occurring through the π-bonding structure in the thiophene ring. Alternatively, for NiOx, PbS/PbIx quantum dots, and MAPbI3, our XPS data suggest a combination of ionic bonding and Lewis acid/base reactions between the semiconductor and IL, with MAPbI3 being the most reactive surface. Collectively, our results point towards new directions in interface engineering, where strategically chosen ionic liquid-based anions and cations can be used to preferentially passivate and/or titrate surface defects of heterogeneous surfaces while simultaneously providing highly localized electric fields. These opportunities are expected to be translatable to opto-electronic and electrochemical devices, including energy conversion and storage and biosensing applications.
Microwave Mediated Synthesis of 2-Aminooxazoles

Abstract A microwave mediated synthesis of 2-aminooxazoles at 150 °C was developed, providing products with a variety of functional groups. The reaction takes 5 minutes and provides product with a simple precipitation at moderate to good yields without the need for recrystallization or flash chromatography.
The role of grants-in-aid in a federalist system of governments

This chapter presents a discussion on the role of grants-in-aid in a federalist system of governments. Grants-in-aid are unnecessary in any model as long as the policy environment is truly first-best, and a perfect correspondence of jurisdictions exists for all allocation problems. The national government satisfies its interpersonal equity conditions with lump-sum taxes and transfers among individuals (and firms, with decreasing cost production) exactly as in the single-government model of the public sector. Similarly, all governments—whether national or “local”—interact only with the individual consumers and firms within their jurisdictions while correcting for resource misallocations. That actual grants-in-aid bear little relationship to theoretical design criteria is hardly surprising, because the theory is so difficult to apply in this instance. In terms of the alternative model, distributional norms based on social welfare functions can never be more than suggestive to the policymaker. In terms of imperfect correspondences for externality-generating public services, varying matching formulas across “local” governments on the basis of marginal external benefit or harm may be unconstitutional. Faced with these realities, economists have resorted to developing practical design criteria that are at least roughly consistent with the underlying theory.
Involvement of a Heterotrimeric G Protein α Subunit in Tight Junction Biogenesis

The tight junction (TJ) of polarized epithelial cells is critical for maintaining an impermeant barrier and epithelial cell polarity. The signaling events important for TJ assembly require regulated calcium stores and protein kinase C (PKC), but the earliest signaling events in the cascade have not been well defined. We now show that Galphai2 in Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells localizes to a region overlapping with the TJ. To further analyze the localization of Galpha subunits in epithelial cells, rat Galphao, Q205Lalphao (Galphao "activated" by point mutation) and plasmid without insert (PC) were transfected into MDCK cells and localized by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. Similar to endogenous Galphai2, Galphao-MDCK cells localize Galphao, (84% similar to Galphai2) in the subapical region overlapping with ZO-1 (zona occludens-I), a key component of the TJ. PC-MDCK cells have no detectable Galphao. In Galphao-MDCK cells, a physical association of Galphao with components of the TJ was detectable by immunoprecipitation of ZO-1. Immunoprecipitates of ZO-1 from Galphao-MDCK cells consistently coprecipitated Galphao. Constitutively active Q205LGalphao localized to the subapical lateral membrane similar to wild-type Galphao. To determine if constitutively activated Galpha subunits can affect TJ biogenesis, the formation of tight junctions in PC, Galphao, and Q205Lalphao-MDCK cells was followed by measurement of transepithelial resistance (TER) during the Ca2+ switch, a model widely used to study mechanisms of junctional assembly. Baseline and post Ca2+ switch TER values did not differ among the cell lines. However, constitutively activated Q205Lalphao-MDCK cells developed TER significantly faster than PC and Galphao cells in the early phase (0-4 h) (54 +/- 4 versus 23 +/- 3 (PC); 12 +/- 1 (Galphao) Omega.m2/h) and late phase (4-h peak) (117 +/- 10 versus 45 +/- 5 (PC); 66 +/- 7 (Galphao) Omega.m2/h) after Ca2+ switch. Peak TER values were significantly higher in Q205Lalphao-MDCK cells (1168 +/- 107 versus 437 +/- 37 (PC); 548 +/- 54 (Galphao) Omega.cm2). These results indicate that Galphao and Q205Lalphao expressed in MDCK cells are localized near the junctional complex, associate with at least one TJ protein, and that activated Galphao accelerates TJ biogenesis without significantly affecting the maintenance of the TJ. Together, these results suggest an important role for heterotrimeric G proteins in TJ assembly.
Membrane potential and impedance changes in hippocampal pyramidal cells during theta rhythm.

Intracellular recordings were made from hippocampal pyramidal cells identified by their depths and their responses to commissural stimulation. Recordings were made during spontaneous bouts of hippocampal theta rhythm in urethane anesthetized rats. Membrane potentials (V m) of pyramidal cells varied with the phase of the theta rhythm, that is, there was an “intracellular theta rhythm”. The changes in V m averaged about 2 mV peak to peak. Averaged intracellular theta waves showed that CA1 pyramids were most depolarized at the time of the positive peak of the extracellular theta rhythm recorded in (and superficial to) the CA1 pyramidal cell layer (CA1 theta). Peak depolarizations for CA3/4 pyramids were more broadly distributed, but occurred mainly in the interval just before the positive peak to just before the negative peak of the CA1 theta. Input impedance minima that were measurable at frequencies as high as 100 Hz occurred at about the same phases of the extracellular theta rhythm as the peak depolarizations (positive-going zero crossing to negative-going zero crossing of the CA1 theta). Such impedance changes imply conductance changes on the soma. The magnitude and localization of the conductance changes suggests that somatic IPSPs make major contributions to the intracellular theta rhythm. The phase relation between the intracellular and extracellular theta rhythms could be reversed by long duration current pulses that depolarized the cells slightly. This implies that either the intracellular theta-related IPSPs are depolarizing potential changes, or that they occur simultaneously with EPSPs. The phase of the intracellular theta rhythm was generally unaffected by long duration hyperpolarizing current pulses. Chloride leakage that reversed the evoked IPSPs usually had no effect on the phase of the intracellular theta rhythm, although in one case it appeared to cause its amplitude to increase.
Effect of pressure and magnetic field on the electrical resistivity of UBe13.

The electrical resistivity of the heavy-electron superconductor UBe13 has been measured at temperatures T between 0.1 and 300 K for pressures P to 16 kbar and in magnetic fields H up to 9 T. The temperature Tmax at which shows a maximum increases linearly with P at H=0 and with H2 for P=14.8 kbar. The resistivity, when normalized to its value at Tmax(P), scales as a function of reduced temperature T/Tmax(P) from 1 K to 1/41.4Tmax. At P=14.8 kbar, the magnetoresistance -[R(H)-R(0)]/R(0) behaves as a universal function of H/T for 1T6 K and 0<H<8 T. For pressures greater than 1/49 kbar, the resistivity increases quadratically with temperature. The T2 coefficient of resistivity decreases monotonically with increasing P at H=0 but shows a nonmonotonic variation with H, passing through a maximum near 3 T. © 1987 The American Physical Society.
Calretinin expression in the chick cochlear nucleus after deafferentation

The expression of the calcium-binding protein calretinin (CR) in the chick cochlear nucleus, nucleus magnocellularis (NM), was examined after unilateral cochlea removal in hatchlings and 3-week-old birds. Following survival times of 3, 6 or 12 h or 1, 3 or 7 days, CR mRNA was localized by in situ hybridization using a radiolabeled chick CR probe. Levels of CR protein were assessed by CR-immunoreactivity (CR-I) using a calcium-independent CR antiserum and immunohistochemistry. At survival times of 1 day or less, cochlea removal did not change relative levels of CR mRNA or CR-I in NM between the deafferented and the unoperated sides of the brain. Decreases in CR expression on the cochlea removal side were observed, however, at times that coincide with deafferentation-induced cell loss (3 and 7 days). Additionally, bilateral cochlea removal had no apparent effect on CR-I in NM neurons when compared to those in normal animals. Thus, CR mRNA and protein appear to be constitutively expressed in NM neurons and are not affected by sensory deprivation.
Improving the angular resolution of existing air shower arrays by adding a thin layer of lead

Abstract Calculations show that placing a thin sheet of lead above conventional extensive air shower counters yields an additional signal which is earlier in time. This will improve the array's angular resolution.
Empirical Bayesian analysis of the Poisson intervention and incidence parameters

Abstract In some population the AIDS/HIV incidence rate θ∈(0,∞) is altered in the middle of a data collection period due to preventive treatments imposed by the health service agencies. The intervened Poisson (IP) model in [Comput. Programs Biomed. 17 (1983) 89; Biometrics 48 (1985) 559] was introduced which is appropriate to analyze data of this type. However, the classical approach leading to the maximum likelihood (ML), moment (M) or minimum variance unbiased (MVU) estimator of θ is mathematically formidable and practically inconvenient as far as sequentially updating the estimate when new data arrive. Previous subjective Bayesian work has been done to overcome these issues. Hence, there is a need to devise a more practical empirical Bayesian technique to estimate θ, and it is done in this article. The results are illustrated using a data on AIDS/HIV incidence in the state of Alabama. Advantages in the Bayesian intervened approach are cited.
Aspect angle estimation in FLIR images: a model-based vision approach

We develop a model-based vision approach to estimate the `aspect angle' of a target in a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) image. A set of 3-D models of military vehicles is created using a CAD/CAM package. From this set, a database of 2-D images is created by rotating the models and then projecting onto a given plane. A matching algorithm is then applied to match a signature of the given target with the images in the database. We use an algebraic approach to represent images which has the advantage that a big speedup is possible if the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is applied to compute the polynomial multiplications involved in the algebraic approach.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Transmission of tobacco stunt virus by Olpidium brassicae

Abstract When tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. var. Bright Yellow) was seeded in stunt-in-fested soil which had dried for 9–12 years, the plants became infected with stunt. Stunt resulted when zoospores or resting sporangia of Olpidium brassicae (Wor.) Dang. were transferred from stunt-infected to healthy tobacco, but not when tobacco stunt virus (TSV) alone was added to roots of tobacco seedlings. Stunt did not result if viruliferous zoospores were killed by 10 minutes at 55°C, 24 hours at −10°, 1-phenylthiosemicarbazide, sodium dithiosemicarbazide, oxine, or salicylaldoxime. None of these treatments inactivated virus used as inoculum. A TSV-free strain of Olpidium from tobacco became viruliferous when added to roots of tobacco mechanically inoculated with TSV on the leaves. Drainage water from tobacco plants with TSV and Olpidium contained Olpidium and virus and was infective to healthy tobacco, but the drainage water from plants with TSV without Olpidium was not.
Stability conditions for coupled lasers: series coupling versus parallel coupling

Abstract The equations for N coupled semiconductor lasers in a ring geometry are considered. The lasers are coupled either in series or parallel. Parallel coupling is known as a strong synchronization mechanism but has never been studied analytically. In this paper, we analyze the stability of the in-phase solutions for a system of N lasers coupled in parallel. We obtain a condition for its stability in terms of the laser parameters, the coupling strength η and the number of lasers N . This condition is compared to the stability condition for N lasers coupled in series. Of particular interest is the effect of N . As N is increased, the stability condition is η > η s ( N )= O ( N 2 ) for series coupling and is η > η p ( N ) = O ( N -1 ) ≪ η s ( N ) for parallel coupling.
Incorporation of Hydrocyanic Acid labelled with Carbon-14 into Asparagine in Seedlings

IN the course of work on the biosynthesis of cyano-glucosides in plants, it was observed in feeding experiments that young seedlings of a number of plant species incorporate radioactivity from H14CN into asparagine to a considerable extent.
Precision Marangoni-driven patterning

A Marangoni flow is shown to occur when a polymer film possessing a spatially-defined surface energy pattern is heated above its glass transition to the liquid state. This can be harnessed to rapidly manufacture polymer films possessing prescribed height profiles. To quantify and verify this phenomenon, a model is described here which accurately predicts the formation, growth, and eventual dissipation of topographical features. The model predictions, based on numerical solutions of equations governing thin film dynamics with a Marangoni stress, are quantitatively compared to experimental measurements of thin polystyrene films containing photochemically patterned surface energy gradients. Good agreement between the model and the data is achieved at temperatures between 120 and 140 °C for a comprehensive range of heating times using reasonable physical properties as parameter inputs. For example, thickness variations that measure 102% of the starting film thickness are achieved in only 12 minutes of heating at 140 °C, values that are predicted by the model are within 6% and 3 min, respectively. The photochemical pattern that directed this flow possessed only a 0.2 dyne cm−1 variation in surface tension between exposed and unexposed regions. The physical insights from the validated model suggest promising strategies to maximize the aspect ratio of the topographical features and minimize the processing time necessary to develop them.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy as anin SituReal-Time Probe of Catalytic Mechanisms at High Gas Pressures:: The CO–NO Reaction on Platinum and Palladium

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), combined with simultaneous mass spectrometric measurements, has been utilized to probe the reactive nature of surface species present during the reduction of NO by CO on Pt and Pd. As in our earlier studies, the SERS-active transition-metal surfaces are prepared by electrodepositing ultrathin films onto electrochemically roughened gold. These surfaces display remarkably robust SERS activity, enabling intense Raman spectra to be obtained over a range of reactant pressures (here up to 1 atm) and at temperatures up to at least 400°C. During nitric oxide adsorption at 1 atm on Pt, both terminal (240 and 470 cm−1) and bridged (325 cm−1) states of molecular NO were detected at lower temperatures (25–200°C), with some dissociation occurring at higher (ca 250°C) temperatures as evidenced by the presence of atomic nitrogen (295 cm−1). Similarly, a bridged NO species (310 cm−1) was observed on Pd under similar conditions, with dissociation detected in the form of atomic nitrogen (285 cm−1) and surface oxide (450 and 665 cm−1). Co-dosing of reactants on platinum produced a surface dominated by NO and CO (470 and 2080 cm−1), whereas the former was adsorbed preferentially on Pd. Simultaneous SERS/MS measurements were performed during reaction of an equimolar reactant mixture at 1 atm of total pressure over both metals. Both CO2and N2O were formed during reaction on Pt, with onset of detectable product formation correlating with depletion of adsorbed CO and NO, respectively. In contrast, CO2was the only product detected over Pd, with the depletion of surface oxygen suggesting that NO dissociation may be rate limiting at higher temperatures (ca 300°C). The extent of dissociation on these surfaces is compared and contrasted, with particular emphasis placed on its role in determining reaction selectivity. Furthermore, the overall behavior of these catalysts is compared with our former observations regarding this reduction process on rhodium.
MOLECULAR CLONING OF A SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI PROTEIN EXPRESSED IN THE GYNECOPHORAL CANAL OF MALE WORMS

Female members of the species Schistosoma mansoni require continual interaction with males to achieve sexual maturity [1,2]. The nature of the developmental stimuli provided by the adult male parasite are unknown. Aronstein and Strand have reported that the surface expression of an 86-kDa gynecophoral canal protein, SmGCP, is gender-specific in adult S. mansoni [3]. The antigen shows wide distribution on the surface of adult female worms, but in males surface expression is limited to the gynecophoral canal, the site of direct interaction between the mating pair. Expression of the antigen is undetectable or severely diminished in unmated male worms, suggesting a role for this glycoprotein in schistosome mating and/or egg production. We report here the molecular cloning and sequencing of a cDNA clone, SmGCP, which contains a deduced amino acid sequence of 688 residues with a predicted molecular mass of 79 kDa. SmGCP is encoded by a single RNA transcript of 2.4 kb. Enzymatic removal of N-linked glycans from native SmGCP results in a 7-kDa shift in molecular mass as observed by SDS-PAGE. SmGCP contains multiple short, conserved repeat regions with sequence similarity to the developmentally-regulated neural cell adhesion molecule fasciclin I. Although localized to the schistosome surface, SmGCP lacks a convincing transmembrane region. The identification of a gynecophoral canal-specific antigen may have implications for the reproductive development of schistosomes and may provide a novel target for anti-parasite therapeutics.
Effect of Composition, Microstructure, and Service Conditions on the Wear of Cemented Carbides

A number of different mechanisms account for the wear of cemented carbides. These mechanisms vary with service conditions and with composition and microstructure of the alloy. The main mechanisms are brittle fracture, fatigue, and plastic deformation, possibly assisted to various degrees by corrosion and diffusion. Each of the major mechanisms may act at different levels: (1) the macroscopic level, affecting a major part of the component by the wear event; (2) the microscopic level, affecting a section of material which incorporates a substantial number of grains; and (3) a finer level, where only individual carbide grains or binder areas are affected. These events are discussed, along with effects of microstructure, binder phase metal, carbide type, and binder-carbide bond.
Fluctuations of precipitated electron intensity in flickering auroral arcs

Electron spectra associated with two aurorae observed by ground-based television are reported. One auroral arc was observed to flicker, large variations in the precipitated electron energy occurring on a time scale of 114 ms. The major variations occur at the higher energies of the 0.5-20 keV range covered by the detectors. Changes in the particle flux occur primarily in the pitch angle range 0 to 60 deg. Analysis of the video data shows a larger variation in intensity along the lower border of the arc in keeping with the results of the electron spectra. The second arc was not observed to flicker, and the associated electron spectra and video data show no large variations in precipitated electron energy or video intensity modulation. While pitch-angle distributions tend to be field-aligned in the first arc, the distributions in the second arc are nearly isotropic or peaked from 60 to 90 deg in the downward hemisphere.
A general method of correction for age misreporting in census populations.

The paper provides a general method for estimating age-reporting errors from two consecutive census populations along the lines suggested by Demeny and Shorter (1968). When the true age structures in the two censusses are the same, the general method and the Demeny-Shorter method give identical results. However, the latter method faces increasingly the problem of inconsistency of the results with the underlying assumptions as the disparity between the age structures becomes more and more significant. The present method is more general in the sense that it always gives consistent results irrespective of the populations under consideration.
Stem Cell Review Series: Aging of the skeletal muscle stem cell niche

Declining stem cell function during aging contributes to impaired tissue function. Muscle-specific stem cells ('satellite cells') are responsible for generating new muscle in response to injury in the adult. However, aged muscle displays a significant reduction in regenerative abilities and an increased susceptibility to age-related pathologies. This review describes components of the satellite cell niche and addresses how age-related changes in these components impinge on satellite cell function. In particular, we review changes in the key niche elements, the myofiber and the basal lamina that are in intimate contact with satellite cells. We address how these elements are influenced by factors secreted by interstitial cells, cells of the immune system, and cells associated with the vasculature, all of which change with age. In addition, we consider more distant sources of influence on the satellite cell niche that change with age, such as neural-mediated trophic factors and electrical activity and systemic factors present in the circulation. A better understanding of the niche elements and their influence on the satellite cell will facilitate the development of therapeutic interventions aimed at improving satellite cell activity and ultimately tissue response to injury in aged individuals.
Mutant IDH1-driven cellular transformation increases RAD51-mediated homologous recombination and temozolomide resistance

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutations occur in most lower grade glioma and not only drive gliomagenesis but are also associated with longer patient survival and improved response to temozolomide. To investigate the possible causative relationship between these events, we introduced wild-type (WT) or mutant IDH1 into immortalized, untransformed human astrocytes, then monitored transformation status and temozolomide response. Temozolomide-sensitive parental cells exhibited DNA damage (γ-H2AX foci) and a prolonged G2 cell-cycle arrest beginning three days after temozolomide (100 μmol/L, 3 hours) exposure and persisting for more than four days. The same cells transformed by expression of mutant IDH1 exhibited a comparable degree of DNA damage and cell-cycle arrest, but both events resolved significantly faster in association with increased, rather than decreased, clonogenic survival. The increases in DNA damage processing, cell-cycle progression, and clonogenicity were unique to cells transformed by mutant IDH1, and were not noted in cells transformed by WT IDH1 or an oncogenic form (V12H) of Ras. Similarly, these effects were not noted following introduction of mutant IDH1 into Ras-transformed cells or established glioma cells. They were, however, associated with increased homologous recombination (HR) and could be reversed by the genetic or pharmacologic suppression of the HR DNA repair protein RAD51. These results show that mutant IDH1 drives a unique set of transformative events that indirectly enhance HR and facilitate repair of temozolomide-induced DNA damage and temozolomide resistance. The results also suggest that inhibitors of HR may be a viable means to enhance temozolomide response in IDH1-mutant glioma.
Combinatorially symmetric matrices

Abstract This paper presents a brief survey of some of the recent results on combinatorially symmetric matrices. Some examples of current interest are given. We present a simple proof of a theorem of Parker and Youngs. We also prove a theorem on skew—symmetrization of combinatorially symmetric matrices and present some applications to stability problems.
Differences in open versus laparoscopic gastric bypass mortality risk using the Obesity Surgery Mortality Risk Score (OS-MRS)

Abstract Background The Obesity Surgery Mortality Risk Score (OS-MRS) was developed to ascertain preoperative mortality risk of patients having bariatric surgery. To date there has not been a comparison between open and laparoscopic operations using the OS-MRS. Objective To determine whether there are differences in mortality risk between open and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) using the OS-MRS. Setting Three university-affiliated hospitals. Methods The 90-day mortality of 2467 consecutive patients who had primary open (1574) or laparoscopic (893) RYGB performed by one surgeon was determined. Univariate and multivariate analysis using 5 OS-MRS risk factors including body mass index (BMI) gender, age>45, presence of hypertension and preoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) risk was performed in each group. Each patient was placed in 1 of 3 OS-MRS risk classes based on the number of risks: A (0–1), B (2–3), and C (4–5). Results Preoperative BMI and DVT risk factors were significantly greater in the open group (OG). Preoperative age was significantly greater in the laparoscopic group (LG). There were significantly more class B and C patients in LG. Ninety-day mortality rates for OG and LG patients were 1.0% and .9%, respectively. Pulmonary embolism was the most common cause of death. All deaths in LG occurred during first 4 years of that experience. Mortality rate by class was A=.1%; B=1.5%; C=2.3%. The difference in mortality between class B and C patients was not significant. Univariate analysis in the OG indicated that BMI, age, gender, and DVT risk were significant predictors of mortality. In the LG only BMI and DVT were significant predictors of death. Presence of hypertension was not a significant predictor in either group. Multivariate analysis excluding hypertension found that age was predictive of mortality in the OG while BMI ( P = .057) and gender ( P = .065) approached statistical significance. Conversely, only BMI was predictive of mortality in the LG with age approaching significance ( P = .058). In multivariate analysis DVT risk was not predictive of mortality in either group. Conclusions There are significant differences in the predictive value of the OS-MRS between open and laparoscopic RYGB. Although laparoscopic patients were significantly older versus the open patients, age was not predictive of mortality after laparoscopic RYGB. BMI trended toward increased mortality risk in both groups. Changes in technique and protocol likely contributed toward no mortality during the last 6 years of our laparoscopic experience.
Mescaline-like activity of 2-amino-7-hydroxytetralin.

Abstract 2-Amino-7-hydroxytetralin has sleep effects in rats like mescaline and D-LSD, and it showed cross-tolerance with mescaline, as did D-LSD. These properties had been predicted by total valence electron calculations.
Risk and Agricultural Intensification During the Formative Period in the Northern Basin of Mexico

The relationship between the development of hydraulic agriculture and the formation of sociopolitical hierarchies is a major issue in studies of the evolution of early civilizations in the Basin of Mexico and elsewhere. Previous explanations ofagricultural intensification have emphasizedpopulation pressure and the effects of settlement nucleation and distance to markets. Neither factor, however, adequately explains the shift to hydraulic farming at relatively low population levels in arid and semi-arid environments. This paper attempts to demonstrate that risk ofcrop failure was significant in promoting land-use intensification and the development ofhydraulic agriculture during the Formative period in the northern Basin of Mexico. T HE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION and the development of centralized political systems is a major issue in studies of the evolution of complex societies. The so-called hydraulic hypothesis (Wittfogel 1957) is one of the prime movers or socioenvironmental stressors in Flannery's (1972) systemic model of the cultural evolution of civilizations. Identifying the factors and processes that influence agricultural intensification thus is central to an understanding of both the economies of early agrarian civilizations and the interrelationships between agricultural and sociopolitical changes. This paper develops a model of risk to examine the role of unpredictability in agricultural intensification with specific reference to the development of hydraulic agriculture during the Formative Period (1150-100 B.C.) in the northern Basin of Mexico. The Basin of Mexico was a nuclear area for the evolution of complex societies and urban centers (Palerm and Wolf 1960). It provided the setting for the emergence of one
Economic and biological aspects of genetic diversity

Abstract This article examines some of the characteristics of biological diversity and the appropriateness of the standard economic model in developing policies to protect genetic resources. It is argued that the assumptions of the standard model of perfect competition, including perfect information, reversibility, the emphasis on marginal analysis, and the appropriateness of discounting the future, place severe limitations on the usefulness of this approach in formulating reasonable policies to protect biodiversity. I discuss how biological resources are treated in a market economy, the importance of context in valuing species, and the problem of within‐species genetic variability. I argue that the sustainability of biological resources should be a binding constraint overriding traditional market considerations.
G6PD activity is essential for definite erythropoiesis

Comment on Paglialunga et al, page [3148][1] Discovery of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency has provided a foundation for modern hematology, and it has been a shining example of how discovery of the molecular basis of human diseases revolutionizes our understanding of biology and
Scleredema and smoldering myeloma.

A 46-year-old white man had classic findings of scleredema; subsequently, a monoclonal immunoglobulin G λ light chain was detected in his serum. Findings of a bone marrow biopsy specimen revealed that he had an increased percentage of plasma cells, some of which were atypical, A diagnosis of scleredema and smoldering myeloma was made.
Mass Flow Measurements of Gases in Deep-RIE Microchannels

We present mass flow measurements and pressure distributions in near unity aspect ratio microchannels using Deep Reactive Ion Etching (RIE). Almost all of the previous papers have dealt with only wide channels for gas flow measurements. We also adopt Spin-On-Glass (SOG) to bond Pyrex glass to silicon. Using the first order slip flow formula and experimental data, we extracted the tangential momentum accommodation coefficient (TMAC) of 0.425 for the case of SOG and Si microchannels and air, and the effective diameter of 57.67μm. Increased mass flow from the incompressible flow case is mostly due to compressibility rather than rarefaction, which is expected from the fact that the Knudsen number is 0.00115, the borderline of slip flows. The deviations from the linear incompressible pressure distributions get larger with increasing inlet pressures, and the dimensionless streamwise locations of maximum deviations are between 0.5 and 0.6, which is slightly downstream from the middle of the channels. It is notable that these experimental data are much closer to simulation results than the previous experiments in microchannels. The inlet pressure drops are almost linear with respect to pressure ratio of inlet to outlet. This type of near unity aspect ratio microchannel is more effective for heat exchangers than previous thin, wide channels.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Magnetic properties and Hall effect of amorphous Gd‐Au films

Amorphous alloys of GdxAu1−x have been studied in the range x = 0.26 to 0.72, T = 4.2 to 300 K and fields up to 80 kG. The Hall conductivity ρH/ρ2 is found to be linear in Tc suggesting that conduction electron spin polarization determines the magnitude of the spontaneous Hall effect.
Uremic mixed bone disease : a case report

Renal osteodystrophy (ROD) is a complex disease of bone caused by renal failure. A case of uremic mixed bone disease with severe maxillofacial involvement is reported. The pathogenesis and various pathologic features of ROD are discussed.
Modeling transport in the kidney: investigating function and dysfunction

Mathematical models of water and solute transport in the kidney have significantly expanded our understanding of renal function in both health and disease. This review describes recent theoretical developments and emphasizes the relevance of model findings to major unresolved questions and controversies. These include the fundamental processes by which urine is concentrated in the inner medulla, the ultrastructural basis of proteinuria, irregular flow oscillation patterns in spontaneously hypertensive rats, and the mechanisms underlying the hypotensive effects of thiazides. Macroscopic models of water, NaCl, and urea transport in populations of nephrons have served to test, confirm, or refute a number of hypotheses related to the urine concentrating mechanism. Other macroscopic models focus on the mechanisms, role, and irregularities of renal hemodynamic control and on the regulation of renal oxygenation. At the mesoscale, models of glomerular filtration have yielded significant insight into the ultrastructural basis underlying a number of disorders. At the cellular scale, models of epithelial solute transport and pericyte Ca2+ signaling are being used to elucidate transport pathways and the effects of hormones and drugs. Areas where further theoretical progress is conditional on experimental advances are also identified.
Baclofen and Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate Withdrawal

Introduction Benzodiazepine treatment of life-threatening gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal is frequently unsatisfactory. Animal studies suggest strongly that treatment with GABAB agonists, such as baclofen, will be a more effective strategy.
Immunophenotypic and gene expression analysis of monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis shows biologic characteristics associated with good prognosis CLL

Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) is a hematologic condition wherein small B-cell clones can be detected in the blood of asymptomatic individuals. Most MBL have an immunophenotype similar to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and 'CLL-like' MBL is a precursor to CLL. We used flow cytometry to identify MBL from unaffected members of CLL kindreds. We identified 101 MBL cases from 622 study subjects; of these, 82 individuals with MBL were further characterized. In all, 91 unique MBL clones were detected: 73 CLL-like MBL (CD5(+)CD20(dim)sIg(dim)), 11 atypical MBL (CD5(+)CD20(+)sIg(+)) and 7 CD5(neg) MBL (CD5(neg)CD20(+)sIg(neg)). Extended immunophenotypic characterization of these MBL subtypes was performed, and significant differences in cell surface expression of CD23, CD49d, CD79b and FMC-7 were observed among the groups. Markers of risk in CLL such as CD38, ZAP70 and CD49d were infrequently expressed in CLL-like MBL, but were expressed in the majority of atypical MBL. Interphase cytogenetics was performed in 35 MBL cases, and del 13q14 was most common (22/30 CLL-like MBL cases). Gene expression analysis using oligonucleotide arrays was performed on seven CLL-like MBL, and showed activation of B-cell receptor associated pathways. Our findings underscore the diversity of MBL subtypes and further clarify the relationship between MBL and other lymphoproliferative disorders.
Particle coarsening kinetics during thermal decompositions : CdO from CdCO3

In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction determination of product particle size during the thermal decomposition of CdCO3 powders is evaluated for sintering kinetics. The rate-determining step for particle growth is not the same during the reaction as after, the data suggesting surface diffusion during decomposition but evaporation-condensation after. Reasons for the difference are discussed, including the parent-phase matrix and CO2 from the decomposition. When compared with loss of crystal imperfections, four stages of growth are seen, each affecting the reactivity of the product.