cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparative study of enhanced electrochemical stability of tin–nickel alloy anode for high-performance lithium ion battery

Abstract Sn and Sn–Ni alloy nanoparticles are synthesized readily by co-precipitation method for their applications in Li-ion batteries. It is found that nickel not only affects the phase structure and morphology of the alloy, but also impacts Li–Sn alloying and dealloying behaviors. In Li-ion batteries, the alloy electrodes deliver stronger cycling stability than the pure Sn anode. In tests the former exhibits a final capacity of 228.5 mA h g−1 over 50 cycles, while the latter displays 14.3 mA h g−1. Smaller current for battery cycles increases capacities of the alloys beyond 408.4 mA h g−1. The mechanism of enhanced stability of Sn–Ni alloys is examined. Redox reaction characteristics and Li-ion transfer kinetics at these anodes after different cycles are investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which are considered to associate with buffering effects of nickel and structural integrity of electrodes. Li–Sn alloying and dealloying reactions cause volume changes and induce stress that releases in the formation of tiny cracks within the particles. The cracks accelerate side reactions and decelerate charge transport, detrimental to the electrode stability. Nickel cushions the volume variations and reduces the stress and cracks at Sn–Ni alloy anodes to allow them to maintain better electrode integrity and smaller charge resistance, thus yielding their improved Li-ion intercalation stability during long-term cycling.
The disordered C-terminus of the RNA Polymerase II phosphatase FCP1 is partially helical in the unbound state

Abstract Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) lack unique 3D structures under native conditions and yet retain critical functions. Recycling of RNA Polymerase II after transcription is promoted by an interaction between the winged helix domain of RAP74, a component of the general transcription factor IIF (TFIIF), and the C-terminus of the TFIIF-associating CTD phosphatase (FCP1). Sixteen residues from the C-terminus of FCP1 form an α-helix in the complex, but the protein is otherwise agreed in the literature to be intrinsically disordered. Here we show through CD and recently developed carbon-detected NMR that, although FCP1 is intrinsically disordered, the above 16 residues composing the RAP74 binding surface form nascent α-helical structure in the unbound state. We further show retention of general FCP1 disorder and the nascent helical content in HeLa extract, establishing cellular relevance. The conformational bias observed leads to a mechanistic proposal for FCP1’s transition from a disordered ensemble to an ordered conformation upon binding.
Cosmic-ray-produced 21Ne in terrestrial quartz: the neon inventory of Sierra Nevada quartz separates

The study of cosmic-ray-produced radioactive and stable nuclides on the surface of the Earth can provide relevant geomorphological and glaciological information. At present, the cosmic ray production rates of stable 21Ne are not well known. This study attempts to remedy the situation by determining the production rate ratio of 21Ne and 26Al, P21P26, in quartz. 26Al concentrations and P26 rates have previously been investigated for quartz separates of Sierra Nevada rocks which were brought to the surface by glacial scouring during the Tioga period at the end of the last ice age [1]. We used splits of the same samples for our studies and found that Ne in these rocks represents a mixture of several components: trapped Ne, nucleogenic 21Ne and 22Ne produced by (α,n) reactions in oxygen and fluorine, respectively, as well as cosmic-ray-produced Ne, which is the component of interest in this study. The trapped component was substantially lost in one sample (W86-12) by crushing and by a density separation of the grain sizes 38–90 μm and 90–125 μm, permitting the resolution of the in situ produced 21Ne into cosmic-ray spallation and (α,n) produced components and the determination of a lower limit to P21P26. In a second sample (W86-8) one split contained small enough amounts of nucleogenic 21Ne to permit the determination of a reasonable upper limit to P21P26. The two ratio determinations are consistent within error limits and the value adopted, 0.65 ± 0.11 (2σ), agrees with ratios observed in extraterrestrial matter. Apparently, P21P26 is thus not very sensitive to the neutron spectrum. However, the observed production rate ratio is substantially larger than theoretical estimates for Si targets, reflecting poorly known neutron excitation functions. The above P21P26 value, coupled to the observed 26Al production rate [1], corresponds to a 21Ne production rate of P21 = 21 atoms g−1 a−1 in quartz or to P21 = 45 atoms (g Si)−1 a−1 (at sea level and high latitudes). This rate is based on an adopted exposure age of 11,000 yr for our quartz samples.
An Instance-Based Learning Approach for Available-Memory Non-minimal Cost-Bounded Search

Iterative-deepening cost-bounded tree search algorithms that either require memory on the order of the search tree depth (e. g., IDA*, DFS*, etc.) or that use the entire available memory (e. g., MREC) have been proposed as viable means to solve discrete optimization problems (DOP) on which best-first branch-and-bound (BFBB) may potentially run out of memory. But, such limited-memory cost-bounded search algorithms can bear a huge overhead relative to BFBB due to re-expanding nodes with cost less than C* (essential nodes), equal to C* (boundary nodes) and/or exceeding C* (non-essential nodes) where C* denotes the cost of an optimal solution. Our contributions in this paper are two fold. First, we propose a novel available-memory non-minimal cost-bounded search method (AM-NCBS KBEST) that tries to minimize the search overhead on a single problem instance by striking a trade-off between essential node re-expansion and non-essential node expansion depending upon the value of a cost bound choice parameter ’ K’. We show that this new strategy reduces the search overhead of the previous best available-memory costbounded search strategy by at least half even for the most conservative values of ’ K’. Next, we present a learning-based approach (AM-NCBS KLEARN) to intelligently predict nonminimal cost-bounds for solving a new problem instance by analyzing various cost bound choices that when used over the course of the search, on a number of previously solved instances, result in the least cumulative overhead on an average. We demonstrate on a set of 100 problem instances that the learning based approach further reduces AM-NCBS KBEST’s overhead that may ensue due to bad choices of 'K'.
Effect of dietary restriction on carcass composition and adipocyte cellularity of swine with different propensities for obesity.

Experiments were conducted to determine whether dietary restriction altered body composition and adipocyte cellularity similarly in growing lean (Yorkshire) and obese (Ossabaw) swine. Yorkshire (YR) and Ossabaw (OR) swine were fed 65% of the weekly intake of ad libitum-fed Yorkshire (YA) and Ossabaw (OA) swine for 20 weeks. At 200 days of age, adipose tissue mass was 7-fold lower and muscle mass was 50% lower in YR than YA. However, adipose tissue mass of OR was only 2.6-fold less than OA. Furthermore, muscle mass did not differ between OR and OA. Adipocyte number per carcass was 6-fold higher in YA than YR. No differences in carcass adipocyte number were observed between OA and OR. Dietary restriction resulted in a reduced adipocyte size in both breeds of swine. However, adipocyte size for both dietary treat ments was greater for obese than lean swine. When carcass adipocyte number was expressed per kilogram of muscle, there were no differences among YA, OA, and OR; however, this ratio was lower in YR. These results demonstrate: 1) that alterations in nutrient partitioning as measured by accretion of these tissues are different in lean and obese swine when intake is restricted, 2) that differences in adipose tissue mass of YA and OA are due to differences in cell size, and 3) that muscle growth and adipocyte hyperplasia in swine may have a physiological relationship. J. Nutr. 112: 2314-2323,
Neuropeptide interactions and REM sleep : A role for Urotensin II?

Urotensin II (UII) is a peptide with structural similarity to the somatostatin family with potent vasoconstrictor activity. UII receptor is expressed broadly in the periphery, and most notably in the heart and microvessels. In the brain, the UII receptor can be detected in the spinal cord and in cholinergic nuclei in the brainstem known to be involved in REM sleep regulation. Recent data suggest that, in addition to their vasoactive properties, UII receptor ligands may have excitatory activity on a selective group of neurons that modulate REM sleep. This review focuses on the implications of these findings for the neurobiology of REM sleep regulation and discusses the possible impact of UII and other neuropeptides on the balance of the alternation between sleep states.
Poster abstract: anchor-free distributed localization in sensor networks

Physical location is an important attribute of a sensor’s data stream in a large number of sensor network applications. In addition, geographic information, for instance in the form of node coordinates in some common coordinate system, is a useful primitive in routing protocols such as geographic routing, information dissemination protocols such as directed diffusion using location attributes, and sensor query processing systems. We present a method to facilitate large-scale deployment of location-aware sensor networks. We show that large networks of location-aware sensors can be made cooperatively self-configuring, that is, that each sensor can run an algorithm locally, interacting only with neighboring nodes, such that after a number of iterations all sensors will have reached a consensus about their coordinates in some coordinate system. By doing this in an automated manner, large-scale sensor networks can eliminate the cumbersome and unscalable process of manually configuring sensor nodes with their location. In non-urban outdoor settings, nodes may obtain location information using an existing infrastructure such as GPS. However, GPS receivers may be too expensive, too large, too power-intensive for the desired application, or simply unavailable. One solution to this problem is an alternative location infrastructure such as Cricket that works in places that GPS does not. Another solution to these problems is to equip sensors with hardware capable of estimating distances to nearby nodes, and to have the sensors themselves selfconfigure into a consistent coordinate system.
Solid-state gas sensors for high temperature applications – a review

The development of high temperature gas sensors for industrial applications such as combustion processes is essential to improve energy efficiency and reduce toxic emissions. However, gas sensors operating at high temperatures up to 1000 °C typically encounter many challenging issues, such as thermal and long-term stability, sensitivity, reproducibility and selectivity. This feature article discusses a variety of solid-state gas sensors that can be operated at high temperatures above 600 °C. The basic working principles for each type of solid-state gas sensor are briefly introduced, including potentiometric, amperometric, resistive and impedancemetric sensors. The key results and discussions of previous studies on high temperature O2, CO, HCs and NOx sensors are also presented with emphasis on the development of suitable electrolytes and sensing materials with good thermal stability and sensing performance for such high temperature gas sensing applications. Finally, the challenges and scope for future development are discussed.
The Language of Acceptance: Spanish Proficiency and Perceived Intragroup Rejection Among Latinos

The present study examines perceived acceptance from one’s ingroup (i.e., intragroup acceptance) and collective self-esteem among Latinos as a function of Spanish proficiency. Using a correlational design, Study 1 demonstrates that Latinos’ (n = 53) Spanish-speaking inability is associated with lower private regard, membership, and less felt similarity to other Latinos, which was explained in part by greater perceptions of intragroup rejection. Moreover, Study 1 results were not moderated by overall Latino identification. Utilizing an experimental design, Study 2 demonstrates that non-Spanish-speaking Latinos (n = 40) put in a situation wherein they must disclose their inability to speak Spanish to another Latino were less likely to categorize themselves as Latinos, reported lower collective self-esteem, and reported less connectedness to other Latinos. These findings are discussed within a broader model of intragroup acceptance and identification, whereby cultural practices serve as markers of credibilit...
Deformational history and regional tectonic significance of the Redwood Creek schist, northwestern California

Structural, petrologic, and geochemical data support the correlation of the Redwood Creek schist of northwesternmost California with the South Fork Mountain Schist of northern California and the Colebrooke Schist of southwestern Oregon. Metamorphism to lawsonite-albite-chlorite facies and development of secondary structures recording two penetrative deformations are shared by all three units. A later deformational event recorded by the Redwood Creek schist, but absent in the South Fork Mountain Schist, consists of differential rotation of domains several kilometres in size within the schist belt. This deformation is significant, because it records an event that occurred after the separation of the schist bodies. The rotation most probably occurred in conjunction with northward strike-slip movement of the Redwood Creek schist.
Explicit motor memory activates the striatal dopamine system

We studied the pattern of striatal dopamine release during performance of an explicit motor memory task in healthy volunteers. The release was estimated by dynamically measuring concentration of a dopamine ligand using a positron emission tomography camera. An increased release of endogenous dopamine in the dorsomedial aspect of posterior putamen and in the anterior part of the caudate bilaterally was observed, during task performance. As we have earlier observed dopamine release in all of these areas, except the right putamen, in an implicit motor memory task, it seems that the striatal dopaminergic network for implicit and explicit motor memories are essentially similar.
Physiological interpretations based on lumped element models fit to respiratory impedance data: use of forward-inverse modeling

Respiratory impedance (Z/sub rs/) data at lower ( 32 Hz) frequencies require more complicated inverse models than the standard series combination of a respiratory resistance, inertance, and compliance. A forward-inverse modeling approach was used to provide insight on how the parameters in these more complicated inverse models reflect the true physiological system. Forward models are set up to incorporate explicit physiological and anatomical detail. Simulated forward data are then fit with identifiable inverse models and the parameter estimates related to the known detail in the forward model. It is shown that inverse fitting of low-frequency data alone will not allow a distinction between frequency dependence due to airway inhomogeneities and frequency dependence due to tissue viscoelasticity. With higher frequency data, a forward model based on an asymmetric branching airways network was used to simulate Z/sub rs/ from 0.1-128 Hz with increasing amounts of nonuniform peripheral airway obstruction. Hence, inverse modeling is more amenable to sensibly separating estimates of airway and tissue properties. >
Symmetry analysis of extreme areal Poisson’s ratio in anisotropic crystals

Poisson’s ratio is defined as the negative of the ratio of the transverse strain to the longitudinal strain in response to a longitudinal uniaxial stress. In the presence of anisotropy, this means that the ratio depends on two directions. With a view to assessing crystals that exhibit directions for which the ratio is negative, we resort to a transverse average to eliminate one directional variable and at the same time to arrive at a measure that poses a challenge to achieving significant negative values. The areal Poisson ratio coincides with the Poisson ratio for an isotropic material. We determine the stationary directions of the areal Poisson ratio for all crystal symmetry classes. The directions represented by invariant stationary points—those that hold independently of the material—we identify and explain class-by-class in terms of the axes of symmetry for the class. It is shown that for cubic crystals, positive definiteness of the strain energy requires that the areal Poisson ratio lie between 1 and 1/2, as it does for isotropy. We conclude that the areal Poisson ratio for the classes of lower symmetry are not restricted.
ACM/IEEE-CS computer science curriculum 2013: reviewing the ironman report

For over 40 years, the ACM and IEEE-Computer Society have sponsored the creation of international curricular guidelines for undergraduate programs in computing. These Computing Curricula volumes are updated approximately every 10-year cycle, with the aim of keeping curricula modern and relevant. The next volume in the series, Computer Science 2013 (CS2013), is currently in progress. This panel seeks to update and engage the SIGCSE community in providing feedback on a complete draft of the CS2013 report (called the Ironman report), which will be released shortly before SIGCSE. Since the Ironman report is the penultimate draft of the CS2013 report, this panel is an especially important venue for starting the last round of feedback that will impact the final CS2013 curricular guidelines.
Suppression of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling by nuclear plakoglobin recapitulates phenotype of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a genetic disease caused by mutations in desmosomal proteins. The phenotypic hallmark of ARVC is fibroadipocytic replacement of cardiac myocytes, which is a unique phenotype with a yet-to-be-defined molecular mechanism. We established atrial myocyte cell lines expressing siRNA against desmoplakin (DP), responsible for human ARVC. We show suppression of DP expression leads to nuclear localization of the desmosomal protein plakoglobin and a 2-fold reduction in canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling through Tcf/Lef1 transcription factors. The ensuing phenotype is increased expression of adipogenic and fibrogenic genes and accumulation of fat droplets. We further show that cardiac-restricted deletion of Dsp, encoding DP, impairs cardiac morphogenesis and leads to high embryonic lethality in the homozygous state. Heterozygous DP-deficient mice exhibited excess adipocytes and fibrosis in the myocardium, increased myocyte apoptosis, cardiac dysfunction, and ventricular arrhythmias, thus recapitulating the phenotype of human ARVC. We believe our results provide for a novel molecular mechanism for the pathogenesis of ARVC and establish cardiac-restricted DP-deficient mice as a model for human ARVC. These findings could provide for the opportunity to identify new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in patients with ARVC.
Ensuring Quality Science From “R” to “D”: An Optimal Adoption Strategy for In-Licensing of Pharmaceutical Innovation

In today's competitive business environment, pharmaceutical companies intensively explore contract R&D opportunities with small biotechnology companies and in-license externally discovered compounds to replenish their product pipelines. In order to maintain and increase external collaboration productivity, pharmaceutical companies must find the most promising outside compounds generated in the research stage as the inputs for later in-house development stages. Thus, the “R”-to-“D” transition is significant in ensuring the scientific quality of in-licensed compounds. In this paper, an optimal adoption strategy is proposed to evaluate the in-licensing opportunities for a pharmaceutical company as it finances several biotech partners who focus on the same therapeutic area. This strategy is fundamentally an outsourcing decision process for the pharmaceutical company, and it is modeled as a Poisson process during which small biotechs submit their outcomes to the pharmaceutical company. We give the formulation for the process, whose simulation results, here, indicate that under the high uncertainty of both time value and market payoff, the pharmaceutical company should make its decision by trading off research time for gradually emerging information on the compound's quality. Specific characteristics that emerged in this process are discussed. We also carried out interviews with pharmaceutical R&D managers to explore the “practical applicability” of the model.
Telomere staining of human chromosomes and the mechanism of radiation-induced dicentric formation

The majority of models of radiation action developed over the past half century hold that the curvilinear dose responses exhibited by eukaryotic cells to sparsely ionizing radiations result from the interaction of pairs of lesions produced in sensitive targets of the cell. Within this conceptual framework, chromosomal exchange aberrations (e.g., interchanges) are believed to occur through the interaction of damaged sites on both chromosomes participating in the exchange. In contrast, the model proposed by Chadwick and Leenhouts (as well as some other models) suggests that such exchanges arise from initial radiation damage to only one chromosome, which then becomes associated with an undamaged chromosome. A particular aspect of this theory is that asymmetrical exchanges, such as dicentrics, may be formed from the rejoining of a broken end of one chromosome to the telomere of another. By using a DNA probe that specifically hybridizes to the telomeric region of human chromosomes, we were able to test this assertion directly. After scanning more than 200 dicentrics produced in normal human fibroblasts by 6 Gy of 60Co gamma rays, virtually none were found that contained telomeres located between the centromeres of this aberration type. Therefore, since the proposed telomere-break rejoining process, per se, is not necessarily a central element of the Chadwick-Leenhouts model, we suggest the theory be modified to exclude this mechanism.
Cloning, overexpression, purification, and characterization of a polyextremophilic β-galactosidase from the Antarctic haloarchaeon Halorubrum lacusprofundi

Halorubrum lacusprofundi is a cold-adapted halophilic archaeon isolated from Deep Lake, a perennially cold and hypersaline lake in Antarctica. Its genome sequencing project was recently completed, providing access to many genes predicted to encode polyextremophilic enzymes active in both extremely high salinity and cold temperatures. Analysis of the genome sequence of H. lacusprofundi showed a gene cluster for carbohydrate utilization containing a glycoside hydrolase family 42 β-galactosidase gene, named bga. In order to study the biochemical properties of the β-galactosidase enzyme, the bga gene was PCR amplified, cloned, and expressed in the genetically tractable haloarchaeon Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 under the control of a cold shock protein (cspD2) gene promoter. The recombinant β-galactosidase protein was produced at 20-fold higher levels compared to H. lacusprofundi, purified using gel filtration and hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and identified by SDS-PAGE, LC-MS/MS, and ONPG hydrolysis activity. The purified enzyme was found to be active over a wide temperature range (−5 to 60°C) with an optimum of 50°C, and 10% of its maximum activity at 4°C. The enzyme also exhibited extremely halophilic character, with maximal activity in either 4 M NaCl or KCl. The polyextremophilic β-galactosidase was also stable and active in 10–20% alcohol-aqueous solutions, containing methanol, ethanol, n-butanol, or isoamyl alcohol. The H. lacusprofundi β-galactosidase is a polyextremophilic enzyme active in high salt concentrations and low and high temperature. The enzyme is also active in aqueous-organic mixed solvents, with potential applications in synthetic chemistry. H. lacuprofundi proteins represent a significant biotechnology resource and for developing insights into enzyme catalysis under water limiting conditions. This study provides a system for better understanding how H. lacusprofundi is successful in a perennially cold, hypersaline environment, with relevance to astrobiology.
Factors Associated with U.S. Public Companies' Investment in Internal Auditing

Internal auditing has been the focus of much attention in recent years. This study examines factors associated with U.S. public companies' investment in internal auditing. Data from a survey administered to Chief Audit Executives of midsized U.S. public companies were supplemented with publicly available data. Based on data from 217 companies, the results indicate that total internal audit budgets (inhouse plus outsourced portions) are related to several factors associated with company risk, ability to pay for monitoring, and auditing characteristics. Specifically, we find evidence that internal audit budgets are positively related to company size, leverage, financial, service, and utility industries, relative amount of inventory, operating cash flows, and audit committee review of the internal audit budget. Total internal audit budgets are negatively related to the percentage of internal auditing that is outsourced. This study contributes to our understanding of internal audit services, and it allows com...
Angiotensin receptor blockers in diabetic nephropathy

Where shall we place angiotensin receptor blockers in the scheme of the prevention of diabetic nephropathy? Only the results of a large, randomized double-blind trial with a comparable and appropriate alternative would prove therapeutic efficacy. The results of several trials with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have proven them to be the standard of care for diabetics and their kidneys. As reviewed in this article, the results of three large such clinical trials have recently been completed with angiotensin receptor blockers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Initial results appear favorable. However, whether angiotensin blockers have more to offer than ACE inhibitors is still speculative. The renin-angiotensin system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Since alternative pathways to ACE have been uncovered in the formation of angiotensin II, inhibition at the final end point would provide favored blockade. Because angiotensin receptor blockers do provide this specific blockade, they offer far more promise than ACE inhibitors.
High-level synthesis of gracefully degradable ASICs

We propose a novel graceful degradation scheme, L/U reconfiguration, which can tolerate a single permanent fault in each hardware class of ASIC data paths. In the proposed scheme, dynamic hardware rebinding and operation rescheduling are performed by a systematic perturbation of the original configuration. A high-level synthesis procedure, which automatically generates such fault-tolerant systems, is also presented. Experiments show that our reconfigurable AISC designs, as compared to optimal nonfault-tolerant designs, achieve optimal pre-reconfiguration and near-optimal post-reconfiguration speed performance.
The Potential Utility of High-Resolution Ensemble Sensitivity Analysis for Observation Placement during Weak Flow in Complex Terrain

AbstractExpansion in the availability of relocatable near-surface atmospheric observing sensors introduces the question of where placement maximizes gain in forecast accuracy. As one possible method of addressing observation placement, the performance of ensemble sensitivity analysis (ESA) is examined for high-resolution (Δx = 4 km) predictions in complex terrain and during weak flow. ESA can be inaccurate when the underlying assumptions of linear dynamics (and Gaussian statistics) are violated, or when the sensitivity cannot be robustly sampled. A case study of a fog event at Salt Lake City International Airport (KSLC) in Utah provides a useful basis for examining these issues, with the additional influence of complex terrain. A realistic upper-air observing network is used in perfect-model ensemble data assimilation experiments, providing the statistics for ESA. Results show that water vapor mixing ratios over KSLC are sensitive to potential temperature on the first model layer tens of kilometers away, ...
Macrophage activation syndrome complicating adult onset Still’s disease: A single center case series and comparison with literature

Abstract Objectives Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening condition that can complicate adult onset Still's disease (AOSD). Due to its rarity, there is no clear consensus concerning treatment recommendations and outcomes. We studied the clinical manifestations and outcomes of a relatively large cohort of patients with MAS and AOSD, and compared the data with the literature reports. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 7 adult patients with MAS complicating AOSD at the Cleveland Clinic (CCF) over 7 years. All patients underwent bone marrow biopsies. Through MEDLINE and PubMed literature searches, we identified 48 cases of MAS/AOSD. We compared the data of the CCF and literature cohorts. Results We identified 7 patients with MAS complicating AOSD (6 females and 1 males) for our CCF cohort, with 4 cases simultaneously presenting with MAS and AOSD. The mean age at diagnosis of MAS was 41.9 ± 20.2 years and mean follow-up time was 18.6 ± 16.0 months. All patients had fever, arthralgias, and typical rash; 6 had leukocytosis, 4 had sore throat, and 3 had lymphadenopathy. These patients with AOSD also had MAS, with renal insufficiency and disseminated intravascular coagulation in 4, lung involvement in 3, and serositis and shock in 2. There was significant hepatic dysfunction in all patients and 6 had bi-cytopenias. At onset of MAS, all 7 patients had active AOSD. In addition to systemic glucocorticoids, 5 patients received anakinra, with 3 patients receiving combination therapy with cyclosporine. We also identified 48 cases (35 females and 13 males) for the literature cohort with the mean age at diagnosis of MAS of 40.2 ± 16.0 years and mean follow-up time of 17.5 ± 32.3 months. While the 2 cohorts were similar clinically, in the CCF cohort, more patients had renal insufficiency ( p p = 0.01), and lower ESR ( p = 0.02) as compared with the literature cohort. All of our patients survived with a better outcome than the literature cohort. Conclusion MAS can be a serious complication of active AOSD. Our study of a relatively large cohort in conjunction with literature suggests that prompt recognition and treatment with early addition of anakinra, systemic glucocorticoids, and cyclosporine as a triple regimen may improve clinical outcomes.
Trans women and Michfest: An ethnophenomenology of attendees' experiences

The rise of queer and transgender studies has greatly contributed to feminist and lesbian understandings of sex, gender, and sexuality and also has resulted in rifts, tensions, and border wars. One such tension is around the inclusion of trans women in women-only space, such as the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival (Michfest). In this ethnophenomenological study, we interviewed and surveyed 43 cisgender women who attended Michfest in 2013. Participants had a variety of perspectives on trans inclusion and on the dialogue surrounding it, and these paralleled intersections, frictions, and tensions between feminism, queer theory, and transgender studies.
Commentary on the primary stability of three different iliosacral screw fixation techniques in osteoporotic cadaver specimens—a biomechanical investigation

Commentary on Oberkircher L, Masaeli A, Bliemel C, Debus F, Ruchholtz S, Kruger A. Primary stability of three different iliosacral screw fixation techniques in osteoporotic cadaver specimens—a biomechanical investigation. Spine J 2016:16:225–31 ( in this issue ).
P2.095 Origins of Repeat Infections with Mycoplasma Genitalium (Mg) Among Heterosexual Men in Two Southern U.S. Cities

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the origins of repeat infections with Mg among men. High repeat infection rates have been consistently reported and treatment failure secondary to macrolide resistance is thought to be the primary cause. This study adds to the growing literature by describing the possible origins of repeat Mg infections in among men, primarily African American, attending two public STD clinics in southern cities in the U.S. Methods Men diagnosed with NGU at an STD clinic in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Jackson, Mississippi, were tested for Mg using the GenProbe research-use-only assay Mg+ men underwent a 4–10 week test of cure visit (TOC) following treatment with 1 g azithromycin. Detailed sexual behaviour data were collected at baseline and follow-up via ACASI and genotyping was performed. Results Of 205 men with MG, 135 returned for TOC visit and of those, 34.3% were positive. Of the 46 who were positive at TOC, 19.6% reported sexual re-exposure to a baseline partner, 6.5% reported sexual exposure to a new partner, 6.5% reported sexual exposure to both, and 67.4% denied sexual re-exposure. Men who re-tested positive for Mg at TOC (n = 46) were no more likely that those who tested negative (n = 88) to have had sexual exposure to a baseline partner (31.8% vs. 26.1%, P = 0.55) or exposure to a new partner (21.4% vs. 11.3%, P = 0.22). Genotyping on baseline/TOC positive pairs is being performed and will be used in conjunction with behavioural data to more precisely estimate the treatment failure rate. Conclusion The TOC repeat infection rate among men with Mg is high. Our data are consistent with the published literature corroborating that repeat infections in men treated with azithromycin is usually due to treatment failure rather than re-infection. Research is needed to optimise treatment of Mg infections in men.
Consumerism: Its Goals, Organizations and Future:

What are the causes of the current wave of consumer unrest? What are the goals of consumer protest groups? How are they organized? Who supports them? In this article, the consumer movement of the 1...
The establishment of rapid method for detection of cholerae's pathogens by nested polymerase chain reaction

Objective] To establish a rapid technique for detection of pathogenic vibio cholerae. [Method] Amplification of the vibio cholerae's CTX sequence with nested polymerase chain reaction (Nested-PCR). [Result] It's specific and the lowest limit of detection is approximately 4cfu/mL (10 0cfu/mL) by using this molecular biological technique for rapid detecion of cholerae's pathogens. [Conclusion] This molecular biological technique of Nested-PCR is proved to be a rapid,simplified,specific and accurate method for the detection of cholerae's pathogens.
American Communists’ Tangled Responses to Antisemitism and Nazism, 1920–1939

Communists during the interwar period elaborated the fierce anti-Zionism laced with antisemitism that the far left embraced in the late 1960s. The Soviets suppressed Zionism and the Hebrew language in Russia. Bolshevik overtures to radical Islamists in Central Asia anticipated those of the American far left in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The Communists failed to appreciate the central role of antisemitism in Nazi ideology and opposed Jewish emigration to Palestine, which might have saved many from annihilation. During the Moscow trials of 1936 to 1938, the Soviets invoked antisemitism to mobilize the public against the accused. For American Communists and their fellow travelers, the Moscow trials legitimated the use of anti-Jewish conspiracy theories, leading them to justify their use in subsequent Communist bloc show trials and in Arab propaganda. The American CP’s support for the anti-Jewish pogroms Arab mobs unleashed in Palestine during late August 1929 set a precedent for the far left’s backing for, or excusing, Palestinian terrorist attacks against Jews during the 1960s and after. Much of the CP propaganda on behalf of what it alleged was a “revolutionary Arab uprising” was as viciously antisemitic as that issued by the Black Panthers or SDS during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Low-noise heterodyne receiver for electron cyclotron emission imaging and microwave imaging reflectometry.

The critical component enabling electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) and microwave imaging reflectometry (MIR) to resolve 2D and 3D electron temperature and density perturbations is the heterodyne imaging array that collects and downconverts radiated emission and/or reflected signals (50–150 GHz) to an intermediate frequency (IF) band (e.g. 0.1–18 GHz) that can be transmitted by a shielded coaxial cable for further filtering and detection. New circuitry has been developed for this task, integrating gallium arsenide (GaAs) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) mounted on a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate. The improved topology significantly increases electromagnetic shielding from out-of-band interference, leads to 10× improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio, and dramatic cost savings through integration. The current design, optimized for reflectometry and edge radiometry on mid-sized tokamaks, has demonstrated >20 dB conversion gain in upper V-band (60-75 GHz). Implementation of the circuit in a multi-channel electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) array will improve the diagnosis of edge-localized modes and fluctuations of the high-confinement, or H-mode, pedestal.
vTrack: virtual trackpad interface using mm-level sound source localization for mobile interaction

Touchscreens on mobile devices allow intuitive interactions through haptic communication, but their limited workspace confines user experiences. In this extended abstract, we introduce vTrack, a virtual trackpad interface that tracks user input on any surface near the mobile device and extends the range of interaction over the touchscreen. The system adopts the acoustic signal as the main medium used for the interaction, which can be handled without expensive sensors or additional resources on mobile devices. By leveraging a multi-channel microphone array on the receiving device, we build a fingerprint-based localization model using various cues, such as time difference of arrival, angle of arrival, and spectral power level of the audio signal. The technique integrates the frequency difference of arrival incurred by the Doppler shift to track the sound source in motion. Our experiments show that vTrack achieves millimeter-level granularity: 1.5mm of localization error on average in moving sound source scenario.
Evolution of dynamical neural network arrays to correct arrhythmias in a simulated human heart

The study of evolutionary approaches to create electrical circuits is becoming increasingly widespread. This paper will present early results in evolving electrically implementable dynamical neural networks that correct several classes of arrhythmia in a simulated human heart. In addition to assessing the quality of the evolved circuits, we will examine how the evolved circuits differ from traditional pacemakers and consider what implications these differences may hold. We will also propose some objective function improvements that should increase the number of effective evolved controllers
Planning Beyond the Next Trial in Adaptive Experiments: A Dynamic Programming Approach

Experimentation is at the heart of scientific inquiry. In the behavioral and neural sciences, where only a limited number of observations can often be made, it is ideal to design an experiment that leads to the rapid accumulation of information about the phenomenon under study. Adaptive experimentation has the potential to accelerate scientific progress by maximizing inferential gain in such research settings. To date, most adaptive experiments have relied on myopic, one-step-ahead strategies in which the stimulus on each trial is selected to maximize inference on the next trial only. A lingering question in the field has been how much additional benefit would be gained by optimizing beyond the next trial. A range of technical challenges has prevented this important question from being addressed adequately. The present study applies dynamic programming (DP), a technique applicable for such full-horizon, “global” optimization, to model-based perceptual threshold estimation, a domain that has been a major beneficiary of adaptive methods. The results provide insight into conditions that will benefit from optimizing beyond the next trial. Implications for the use of adaptive methods in cognitive science are discussed.
Of Space and Smell: The Strange Evolution of the Human Nose

We humans are the Cyrano de Bergerac's of the primate world, with conspicuously large external noses compared to other great apes. To understand why our nose evolved we must first understand the function of olfaction. To do this requires traveling back in time to the evolution of the first brain. I will describe the hypothesis that the sense of smell evolved as a sense of direction, playing a critical role in navigation and that this function explains why olfactory systems are so plastic and variable in size across animals. The navigation function of olfaction in humans has been largely neglected and I will describe studies showing that humans can orient accurately to odors in real world and virtual reality environments. But why such a nose? To understand this, I return to an evolutionary framework to describe how the first nose, a structure used both for respiration and olfaction, appeared in air-breathing fish. I describe a new hypothesis (PROUST: perceiving and representing odor utility in space and time) to explain how the evolution of air-breathing could have forced vertebrates to segregate olfactory mapping of space to the main olfactory system and the mapping of odors across time to the newly evolved second (vomeronasal) olfactory system. This dichotomy of function and the subsequent conflict between mapping time versus space using odors, could have led to a number of novel vertebrate solutions to sample odors, including the forked tongue of the snake and the human external nose. I will end by proposing that this perspective on the evolution and function of human olfaction could enhance current paradigms in human-robot communication and decision making.
Inhibition of Cell Protein Degradation by Microtubular Inhibitors

That the degradation of cell protein in eukaryotic cells involves more than simple hydrolysis of peptide bonds is now well-established. Simpson(22), using rat liver slices, first demonstrated an energy requirement for the degradation of cell protein, while later studies with this same system by Steinberg and Vaughan(23) showed that protein synthesis also appeared to be a necessary condition for the degradation of cell proteins. Although most workers(2),(9),(11),(27), using other experimental systems, have corroborated these requirements for energy and protein synthesis in degradation of cell proteins, other studies(1),(8),(20),(26) have suggested that the requirement for protein synthesis appears to be less than absolute.
Analysis of peristaltic waves and their role in migrating Physarum plasmodia

The true slime mold Physarum polycephalum exhibits a vast array of sophisticated manipulations of its intracellular cytoplasm. Growing microplasmodia of Physarum have been observed to adopt an elongated tadpole shape, then contract in a rhythmic, traveling wave pattern that resembles peristaltic pumping. This contraction drives a fast flow of non-gelated cytoplasm along the cell longitudinal axis. It has been hypothesized that this flow of cytoplasm is a driving factor in generating motility of the plasmodium. In this work, we use two different mathematical models to investigate how peristaltic pumping within Physarum may be used to drive cellular motility. We compare the relative phase of flow and deformation waves predicted by both models to similar phase data collected from in vivo experiments using Physarum plasmodia. The first is a PDE model based on a dimensional reduction of peristaltic pumping within a finite length chamber. The second is a more sophisticated computational model which accounts for more general shape changes, more complex cellular mechanics, and dynamically modulated adhesion to the underlying substrate. This model allows us to directly compute cell crawling speed. Both models suggest that a mechanical asymmetry in the cell is required to reproduce the experimental observations. Such a mechanical asymmetry is also shown to increase the potential for cellular migration, as measured by both stress generation and migration velocity.
Bi-objective optimization models for network interdiction

This paper designs models for the network interdiction problem. The interdiction problem under study has two contradicting goals: disrupting the network to minimize the profit of one set of agents, while as much as possible preserve the profit of another set of agents. Three bi-objective optimization methods are employed to form the optimal objectives. Also, we develop two formulations (MILP and multi-stage LP) used to deal with congestion cost which is a piecewise cost function. A numerical instance is also presented to better illustrate those models.
Entwurf und Berechnung von Verzahnwerkzeugen

Das Entwerfen von Verzahnwerkzeugen fallt nicht unbedingt in den Aufgabenbereich des Getriebekonstrukteurs und -berechners; im allgemeinen ist dies die Aufgabe der Firmen, die sich auf die Herstellung derartiger Werkzeuge spezialisiert haben. Viele Normalausfuhrungen von Verzahnwerkzeugen sind auserdem von nationalen Normverbanden und uberbetrieblichen Vereinigungen genormt worden.