cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of aqueous formulations of tetra- and pentavalent forms of vanadium in support of test article selection in toxicology studies

Tetravalent (VIV) and pentavalent (VV) forms of vanadium were selected for testing by the National Toxicology Program via drinking water exposure due to potential human exposure. To aid in the test article selection, drinking water formulations (125–2000 mg/L) of vanadyl sulfate (VIV), sodium orthovanadate, and sodium metavanadate (VV) were characterized by ultraviolet/visible (UV/VIS) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS), or 51V nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Aqueous formulations of orthovanadate, metavanadate, and vanadyl sulfate in general were basic, neutral, and acidic, respectively. Changes in vanadium speciation were investigated by adjusting formulation pH to acidic, neutral, or basic. There was no visible difference in UV/VIS spectra of pentavalent forms. NMR and MS analyses showed that the predominant oxidovanadate species in both ortho- and metavanadate formulations at basic and acidic pH, respectively, were the monomer and decamer, while, a mixture of oxidovanadates were present at neutral pH. Oxidovanadate species were not observed in vanadyl sulfate formulations at acidic pH but were observed at basic pH suggesting conversion of VIV to VV. These data suggest that formulations of both ortho- and metavanadate form similar oxidovanadate species in acidic, neutral and basic pH and exist mainly in the VV form while vanadyl sulfate exists mainly as VIV in acidic pH. Therefore, the formulation stability overtime was investigated only for sodium metavanadate and vanadyl sulfate. Drinking water formulations (50 and 2000 mg/L) of metavanadate (~pH 7) and vanadyl sulfate (~pH 3.5) were ≥92 % of target concentration up to 42 days at ~5 °C and ambient temperature demonstrating the utility in toxicology studies.
The phonetic specificity of competition: Contrastive hyperarticulation of voice onset time in conversational English

Abstract Competition between words in the lexicon is associated with hyperarticulation of phonetic properties in production. This correlation has been reported for metrics of competition varying in the phonetic specificity of the relationship between target and competitor (e.g., neighborhood density, onset competition, cue-specific minimal pairs). Sampling a systematic array of competition metrics, we tested their ability to predict voice onset times in both voiced and voiceless word-initial stops of conversational English. Linear mixed effects models were compared according to their corrected Akaike’s Information Criterion (AICc) values. High-performing models were evaluated using evidence ratios, with the competition metrics of top-performing models tested for significance using nested model comparisons. Words with a minimal pair defined for initial stop voicing were contrastively hyperarticulated, with shorter voice onset times for voiced stops and longer voice onset times for voiceless stops. No other competition metric reliably predicted hyperarticulation for both stop types. These results suggest that contrastive hyperarticulation is phonetically specific, increasing the perceptual distance between target and competitor.
Design and fabrication of high-Q chalcogenide glass micro-disk resonators (Conference Presentation)

Chalcogenide glass (ChG) which contain one or more chalcogen elements is one of the most interesting material for infrared (IR) photonics owing to its unique optical properties, such as high refractive index, strong optical nonlinearity, and wide infrared transparency. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate high-quality ChG micro-disk resonators on oxidized silicon wafers fabricated by the standard UV photolithography and lift-off. Quality factor of micro-disk resonators are often limited by optical scattering loss induced by lithographically defined edge roughness. Thermal reflow of chalcogenide itself may significantly reduce edge roughness, but thermal shrinkage and deformation of the material during the reflow make it hard to precisely control the overall size and shape of the fabricated device. Instead, we reduce the sidewall roughness using thermal reflow of photoresist and modified bi-layer lift-off process. Typically, the thermal reflow of resist destroys the undercut or vertical sidewall profile of developed resist layer, making it extremely difficult or impossible to subsequently use lift-off or etching for patterning. We address this issue by first wet etching the silica substrate to undercut the reflowed photoresist, creating an overhang required for lift-off. ChG film is then deposited to produce a micro-disk resonator with much improved edge roughness. To finally create a micro-disk resonator on a silica pillar, we adopt vapor etching of the silica substrate. With optimized conditions of reflow and undercut, we obtained high quality ChG disk-resonators with extremely smooth edge profile, operating in the infrared region. Complete characterization results will be presented at the conference. The new method is compatible with traditional CMOS process and thus expected to have great potentials for fabricating high quality photonic integrated devices.
Study Behaviors and USMLE Step 1 Performance: Implications of a Student Self-Directed Parallel Curriculum

PurposeTo determine medical students’ study behaviors when preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, and how these behaviors are associated with Step 1 scores when controlling for likely covariates.MethodThe authors distributed a study-behaviors survey in 2014 and
Studies on the terminal electron transport system. V. Extraction of a soluble DPNH-cytochrome c reductase from the electron transport particle.

1. 1. A soluble DPNH-cytochrome-c-reductase has been isolated in high yield from the electron particle of beef heart mitochondria. 2. 2. The enzyme shows a modified flavoprotein spectrum with maxima at 270, 360, and 450 mμ. The presence of a heme component was also found which appears to be firmly attached to the flavoprotein. 3. 3. The enzyme has 2 iron atoms for each mole of flavin. The flavin prosthetic group appears not to be flavinadeninedinucleotide on the basis of enzymic and chromatographic tests. 4. 4. The properties of the enzyme extracted from the electron transport particle closely resemble those of the soluble DPNH-cytochrome-c-reductase described by Mahleret al.
A method for the isolation of retinal pigment epithelial cells from adult rats.

Purpose. Isolating retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells from adult rat was the goal of this study. Method. A modification of the procedure of Mayerson et al was the method employed. After the cornea and lens were removed, the eyecup was treated with hyaluronidase plus collagenase. The neural retina was carefully removed with little RPE attached. The eyecup, free of retina, was treated with the same enzyme cocktail that loosens any attached rod outer segments as well as the attachment of the RPE to Bruch's membrane. RPE cells were isolated in calcium-free medium as sheets of cells. Results. Light and electron microscopy revealed good cell morphology. Purity of the RPE preparation was established by microscopy, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and lipid analysis. The viability of the isolated RPE was about 74% by trypan blue exclusion test. Conclusions. This technique enables RPE to be isolated from adult rat in quantities sufficient for biochemical analysis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1993;34:101-107.
Facts and Myths about Assessment in Student Affairs.

Conducting good assessment studies and using them to influence policy and practice may well determine the future of student affairs. But many student affairs professionals are stalled in their effo...
Reproductive Development in Populus

Flowering is a multistage process that includes acquiring the competency to flower, the transition to flowering in response to environmental and endogenous signals, and the development of floral organs. A non-flowering juvenile phase of several years is typical for Populus and most trees, and in adult Populus, the seasonally recurrent transition to flowering and flower development take nearly a year to complete. This chapter reviews the biology of Populus flowering and discuss the regulation of Populus flowering in a comparative context to Arabidopsis thaliana and other angiosperms.
Distribution of Crime

This chapter describes the volume and distribution of crime in the United States. The information related to geographical, temporal, and social characteristics of crime is important to both the criminologists and criminal justice policy makers. The three dominant sources of crime data, the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), the National Crime Victimization Surveys (NCVS), and Self-Report Data (SRD), provide somewhat different pictures about the nature of crime. The Uniform Crime Reports portray the United States as experiencing a skyrocketing increase in crime throughout the 1960s and 1970s, peaking in 1980, and declining through 1984, before rising again from 1985 through 1991 and declining again since 1992. In contrast, the NCVS data show a relatively stable crime rate through the 1970s and 1980s. There is greater agreement with respect to specific characteristics of the distribution of crime and of offenders. The crime is concentrated in urban areas, overall crime rates are highest in the West, and most crimes are committed between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Criminals are likely to be males under the age of 25. Additionally, African-Americans, according to UCR and NCVS data, are overrepresented in the population of offenders. Self-report data provide contradictory evidence on this matter.
On Learning 3D Face Morphable Model from In-the-Wild Images

As a classic statistical model of 3D facial shape and albedo, 3D Morphable Model (3DMM) is widely used in facial analysis, e.g., model fitting, image synthesis. Conventional 3DMM is learned from a set of 3D face scans with associated well-controlled 2D face images, and represented by two sets of PCA basis functions. Due to the type and amount of training data, as well as, the linear bases, the representation power of 3DMM can be limited. To address these problems, this paper proposes an innovative framework to learn a nonlinear 3DMM model from a large set of in-the-wild face images, without collecting 3D face scans. Specifically, given a face image as input, a network encoder estimates the projection, lighting, shape and albedo parameters. Two decoders serve as the nonlinear 3DMM to map from the shape and albedo parameters to the 3D shape and albedo, respectively. With the projection parameter, lighting, 3D shape, and albedo, a novel analytically-differentiable rendering layer is designed to reconstruct the original input face. The entire network is end-to-end trainable with only weak supervision. We demonstrate the superior representation power of our nonlinear 3DMM over its linear counterpart, and its contribution to face alignment, 3D reconstruction, and face editing. Source code and additional results can be found at our project page: http://cvlab.cse.msu.edu/project-nonlinear-3dmm.html .
A missense variant in SLC39A8 is associated with severe idiopathic scoliosis

Genetic factors predictive of severe adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) are largely unknown. To identify genetic variation associated with severe AIS, we performed an exome-wide association study of 457 severe AIS cases and 987 controls. We find a missense SNP in SLC39A8 (p.Ala391Thr, rs13107325) associated with severe AIS (P = 1.60 × 10−7, OR = 2.01, CI = 1.54–2.62). This pleiotropic SNP was previously associated with BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood manganese level. We replicate the association in a second cohort (841 cases and 1095 controls) resulting in a combined P = 7.02 × 10−14, OR = 1.94, CI = 1.63–2.34. Clinically, the minor allele of rs13107325 is associated with greater spinal curvature, decreased height, increased BMI and lower plasma manganese in our AIS cohort. Functional studies demonstrate reduced manganese influx mediated by the SLC39A8 p.Ala391Thr variant and vertebral abnormalities, impaired growth, and decreased motor activity in slc39a8 mutant zebrafish. Our results suggest the possibility that scoliosis may be amenable to dietary intervention.
Unlocking the science of success

Want to master your professional and social networks to maximize recognition? Want to learn how to build productive teams that create lasting impact? In his new book, The Formula: The Universal Laws of Success, Albert-Laszlo Barabasi translates almost a decade of scholarly research on the science of success into a lively and compelling narrative woven together with captivating stories and his own deeply personal experiences.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Prostate

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides the best inherent soft tissue contrast of any imaging modality and has provided unprecedented details of prostate anatomy in vivo. The normal prostate has an intermediate intensity, homogeneous signal on T1-weighted images which provides no information about internal prostatic architecture. However, prostatic zonal anatomy is well-delineated with T2 weighting. The relatively low signal anterior fibromuscular zone, the intermediate signal central zone (CZ), and the high signal peripheral zone (PZ) are consistently identified (Hricak et al. 1987a; Phillips et al. 1987a; Gevenois et al. 1990) (Fig. 13.1). With T2 weighting the urethra and the periurethral glands are often inseparable, appearing as a bright linear band (Koslin et al. 1987); occasionally details of urethral anatomy such as the verumontanum can be visualized (Hricak et al. 1987a).
Use of intraoperative sodium fluorescein for diagnostic tissue biopsy of spinal cord lesions

Abstract Background Recent evidence suggests that fluorescein-guided microsurgery facilitates resection of intrinsic and metastatic lesions in the brain. Use of sodium fluorescein for angiography has previously been reported without non-specific diffusion into the adjacent spinal parenchyma. Diagnostic biopsy of spinal cord lesion is often challenging and the localization of such lesions intraoperatively is paramount. We present the first known report of use of sodium fluorescein for localization and diagnostic biopsy of intrinsic spinal cord lesions. Methods Three patients with spinal cord lesions received fluorescein sodium 10% (Alcon Laboratories INC, Fort Worth, TX, USA) at 3 mg/kg prior to surgical resection. Intraoperative visualization of fluorescence was performed using a Zeiss Pentero (Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen, Germany) microscope equipped with a Yellow560 filter or a Leica OH6 (Leice Microsystems, Wetzlar, Germany) equipped with a FL560 filter. Results Administration of sodium fluorescein resulted in lesional fluorescent contrast extravasation and facilitated surgical resection. The addition of sodium fluorescein allowed for identification and facilitated biopsy in three patients. In patients undergoing biopsy, tissue samples were positive for a diagnostic pathology. Conclusion Fluorescein may be a helpful microsurgical tool in guiding resection and localization for tissue biopsy of intramedullary spinal lesions. Further research is necessary to explore fluorescein sodium applications in the resection of spinal cord lesions.
The metabolic effects of angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPLT8) are differentially regulated by insulin and glucose in adipose tissue and liver and are controlled by AMPK signaling

Abstract Objective The angiopoietin-like protein (ANGPTL) family represents a promising therapeutic target for dyslipidemia, which is a feature of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The aim of the present study was to determine the metabolic role of ANGPTL8 and to investigate its nutritional, hormonal and molecular regulation in key metabolic tissues. Methods The metabolism of ANGPTL8 knockout mice (ANGPTL8−/−) was examined in mice following chow and high-fat diets (HFD). The regulation of ANGPTL8 expression by insulin and glucose was quantified using a combination of in vivo insulin clamp experiments in mice and in vitro experiments in hepatocytes and adipocytes. The role of AMPK signaling was examined, and the transcriptional control of ANGPTL8 was determined using bioinformatic and luciferase reporter approaches. Results The ANGPTL8−/−mice had improved glucose tolerance and displayed reduced fed and fasted plasma triglycerides. However, there was no reduction in steatosis in ANGPTL8−/−mice after the HFD. Insulin acutely activated ANGPTL8 expression in liver and adipose tissue, which was mediated by C/EBPβ. Using insulin clamp experiments we observed that glucose further enhanced ANGPTL8 expression in the presence of insulin in adipocytes only. The activation of AMPK signaling potently suppressed the effect of insulin on ANGPTL8 expression in hepatocytes. Conclusion These data show that ANGPTL8 plays an important metabolic role in mice that may extend beyond triglyceride metabolism. The finding that insulin and glucose have distinct roles in regulating ANGPTL8 expression in liver and adipose tissue may provide important clues about the function of ANGPTL8 in these tissues.
Abstract 331: Restless Leg Syndrome and Its Association with Iliofemoral Venous Disease

Background: Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is one of the most common sleep disorders, affecting between 5% and 10% of the U.S. population.1 However, it has an unclear etiology, and is often over-medic...
Interaction of genetics and separation in canine hyperkinesis and in differential responses to amphetamine.

A model of childhood hyperkinesis, using the Telomian-beagle hybrid dog, is described, demonstrating the interactions of genetics and separation in the development of this syndrome and in the favorable responses of some of these dogs to amphetamine. This work represents the collaboration of three laboratories, utilizing chiefly methods of inhibitory training. Inducing separation distress enhanced the resistance to inhibitory training and the favorable responses to amphetamine.
The Validity of the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory with Sexual and Gender Minority Women

The present study utilized confirmatory factor analysis to determine the appropriateness of fit of the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory – 45 (CFNI-45) with sexual minority women. Group differ...
Engineered peptide modified hydrogel platform for propagation of human pluripotent stem cells

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have enormous potential to alleviate cell needs for regenerative medicine, however these cells require expansion in cell colonies to maintain cell-cell contact, thus limiting the scalability needed to meet the demands of cell therapy. While the use of a Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor will allow for culture of single cell hPSCs, typically only 50% of cells are recovered after dissociation. When hPSCs lose cell-cell contact through E-cadherin, dissociation induced apoptosis occurs. In this study, we hypothesized that the extracellular E-cadherin domain of hPSCs will bind to synthetic E-cadherin peptides presented on a hydrogel substrate, mimicking the required cell-cell contact and thereby retaining single-cell viability and clonogenicity. Hence, the objective of this study was to functionalize alginate hydrogels with synthetic peptides mimicking E-cadherin and evaluate peptide performance in promoting cell attachment, viability, maintaining pluripotency, and differentiation potential. We observed that alginate conjugated with synthetic E-cadherin peptides not only supported initial cell attachment with high viability, but also supported hPSC propagation and high fold expansion. hPSCs propagated on the peptide modified substrates maintained the hPSC characteristic pluripotency and differentiation potential, characterized by both spontaneous and directed differentiation. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have enormous potential to alleviate cell needs for regenerative medicine and cell therapy. However, scalable culture of hPSCs is challenged by its need for maintenance of cell-cell contact, dissociation of which triggers the apoptotic pathway. Hence hPSCs are commonly maintained as colonies over Matrigel coated culture plates. Furthermore, use of xenogenic and undefined Matrigel compromises the translational potential of hPSCs. In this work we have developed a completely defined substrate to enable adherent culture of hPSCs as single cells. This substrate prevents apoptosis of the single cells and allows significant fold expansion of hPSCs while maintaining pluripotency and differentiation potential. The developed substrate is expected to be a cost-effective and translatable alternative to Matrigel.
Two New Species of Gymnotus (Gymnotiformes: Gymnotidae) from Brazil and Historical Biogeography of the Subgenus Lamontianus

Gymnotus is the most species-rich and geographically widespread genus of gymnotiform electric fishes and has been widely explored to understand mechanisms of diversification in Neotropical freshwater fishes at a continental scale. Within Gymnotus, the subgenus Lamontianus is a phenotypically distinctive clade with an elongate, cylindrical body shape currently known from four valid species (G. anguillaris, G. cataniapo, G. pedanopterus, and G. tiquie) restricted to rivers draining the Guiana Shield. Here we use aspects of body-surface coloration, meristic, morphological, and osteological data, including cranial, laterosensory pore, and postcranial characters, to diagnose two new species of Lamontianus that inhabit the Aripuana and Arapiuns rivers that drain the Brazilian Shield. We also use geometric morphometric analyses of head shape to separate the new species from one another and other species of Lamontianus. We report biogeographic distributions for all species of Lamontianus and estimate ancestral geographic ranges and range evolution using the parametric biogeographic program BioGeoBEARS. We use the phylogeny of Lamontianus to test alternative hypotheses regarding lineage divergence times, before or after the formation of the modern East-draining Amazon at c. 10 Ma. Our analysis suggests that diversification in Lamontianus occurred primarily by geographic range fragmentation (vicariance) from an ancestral species distributed across the Western Guiana Shield. These results are similar to those of other Gymnotus and gymnotiform clades, where allopatric speciation and secondary contact due to geographic range expansion are commonly observed. This study brings to 46 the number of valid species of the genus Gymnotus, and to six the number of valid species of the subgenus Lamontianus.
California oil: Bridging the gaps between local decision-making and state-level climate action.

California has set ambitious climate policies, including economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2045. Yet levels of oil production and consumption remain high in the state. This gap between California's oil politics and its climate ambitions is deepened by decentralized decision-making processes. County officials are tasked with extractive planning decisions that have wide-ranging implications. In this Viewpoint article, we analyze proposals for enhanced extraction at the Cat Canyon oilfield in Santa Barbara County. After two of three proposals were withdrawn in recent months, we highlight how it has been oil industry volatility and public opposition - rather than state regulations - that have brought county development plans into closer alignment with state climate goals. As California pursues a goal of 'managing the decline' of domestic oil production, we identify strategies for bridging such gaps between local decision-making and state-level climate action, including: a comprehensive state-wide ban on new enhanced oil extraction projects; a 2,500 ft buffer zone around extraction sites; and revenue generation schemes that support a just transition. As Covid-19 forces an oil surplus and lowered production, there are opportunities to enact such changes - particularly by redirecting oil industry labor toward the growing problem of well decommissioning.
VISHNU hybrid model for viscous QCD matter at RHIC and LHC energies

In this proceeding, we briefly describe the viscous hydrodynamics + hadron cascade hybrid model VISHNU for relativistic heavy ion collisions and report the current status on extracting the QGP viscosity from elliptic flow data.
Opioids are not a major cause of death of patients with sickle cell disease

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) database, the total number of deaths due to opioid overdose from 1999 through 2018 was 840,629. Given the alarming nature of these statistics, patients who requested prescription for opioids became targets of suspicion and possible accusation of maladaptive behavior. Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) were often not exempt from such accusations and became guilty by association. In order to clarify the effect of opioids on the mortality of patients with SCD, the mortality rates for children and adults with SCD were investigated using the CDC Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) Multiple Cause of Death database which is based on all the death certificates issued in the USA from 1999 to 2018. The data showed that 15,765 patients with SCD died from 1999 to 2018. Only 348 patients with SCD died due to opioids. The CDC database contains 27 categories of death based on ICD-10 codes in patients with SCD, and opioids were the 19th ranking cause of death. Surprisingly the most common causes of death of patients with SCD included circulatory, infection, respiratory, genitourinary, and vaso-occlusive crises/acute chest syndrome disorders in decreasing frequency. The mean age of death of females was 41.9 years and of males 39.3 years (p < 0.0001). Death due to SCD and death due to SCD and opioids were highest in the Southern Region of the USA.
The Intersection of Purine and Mitochondrial Metabolism in Cancer

Nucleotides are essential to cell growth and survival, providing cells with building blocks for DNA and RNA, energy carriers, and cofactors. Mitochondria have a critical role in the production of intracellular ATP and participate in the generation of intermediates necessary for biosynthesis of macromolecules such as purines and pyrimidines. In this review, we highlight the role of purine and mitochondrial metabolism in cancer and how their intersection influences cancer progression, especially in ovarian cancer. Additionally, we address the importance of metabolic rewiring in cancer and how the evolving landscape of purine synthesis and mitochondria inhibitors can be potentially exploited for cancer treatment.
21 Bacillus subtilis Sporulation and Other Multicellular Behaviors

This chapter focuses on Bacillus subtilis multicellularity, emphasizing the two-cell differentiation process of endospore formation and attempting to note similarities to Myxococcus xanthus. While cell growth, division, motility, and chemotaxis clearly play roles in forming bioconvection patterns, complex colonies, and macrofibers, these multicellular phenomena have not yet been subjected to systematic genetic analysis. In contrast, recently discovered multicellular behaviors of biofilm formation and swarming motility are rapidly being elucidated by genetic and genomic approaches. The most studied and best understood multicellular behaviors of B. subtilis are the development of genetic competence (the ability to take up exogenous DNA) and sporulation. The chapter summarizes the understanding of how morphogenesis and intercellular signaling control the activity of cell-specific s factors, focusing on recent progress and attempting to identify questions that remain. It also reviews the results of genomic approaches to characterize the regulon of each cell-specific s factor and the functions of some of the gene products. The best-characterized multicellular behaviors of B. subtilis, sporulation and the development of competence to take up exogenous DNA, are regulated by extracellular peptide signaling, analogous to M. xanthus A-signaling. Proteolysis is already known to play roles in A-, B-, and C-signaling during M. xanthus development, and it seems likely that many more roles will be uncovered, based on studies of B. subtilis. Just as these studies have provided a host of paradigms, so too will continued investigation of the myxobacteria and their neighbors continue to yield novel insights of medical, economic, and environmental benefit.
The sand rat (psammomys obesus) as an experimental animal in studies of diabetes mellitus

The sand rat has some unique attributes, which make it a valuable experimental animal. The occurrence of increased plasma insulin levels and of hyperglycemia is linked to an increased food intake. As in the human maturity-onset type diabetes, there seems to be an element of insulin resistance, and this can be demonstratedin vitro by the relative unresponsiveness of sand rat adipose tissue to increasing doses of pork insulin. Prophylactic treatment with acetohexamide seems to have some protective effect against the diabetogenic results of a high calory diet. — It is expected that the diabetic syndrome in sand rats, which can be so easily induced by dietary manipulation, will be a valuable tool in helping to clarify some of the possible mechanisms in the syndrome of diabetes mellitus.
The Rhetorics of Race and Racism: Teaching Writing in an Age of Colorblindness

Article for LiCS special issue The New Activism: Composition, Literacy Studies, and Politics.
100 GHZ integrated CMOS passive imager with >100 MV/W responsivity, 23fW/ √HZ NEP

Presented is a 100 GHz fully differential CMOS passive imager for system-on-chip integration, which features high gain, high sensitivity and high resilience to flicker noise and gain variation. It integrates a low-noise amplifier, a Dicke switch, a detector and a baseband programmable gain amplifier in a single chip, and achieves the best noise equivalent power (NEP) (23fW / √Hz/26fW / √Hz for without/with Dicke switch) in CMOS, the highest responsivity (>100 MV/W) in silicon. It also demonstrates 1.96 K noise-equivalent temperature difference in 30 ms integration time.
Unbalanced Bounty from America's Farms

American Agriculture in the Twentieth Century . How It Flourished and What It Cost. Bruce L. Gardner. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2002. 400 pp. $49.95, £33.50, €49.95. ISBN 0-674-00748-4. Gardner surveys the challenges faced by U.S. farmers and the technological and economic transformations they have experienced over the past century. He finds that government actions have played a particularly important role.
Application of sequence comparison techniques to multisensor data fusion and target recognition

A new class of techniques for multisensor fusion and target recognition is proposed using sequence comparison by dynamic programming, and multiple model estimation. The objective is to fuse information on the kinematic state and "nonkinematic" signature of unclassified targets, assessing the joint likelihood of all observed events for recognition. Relationships are shown to previous efforts in pattern recognition and state estimation. This research applies "classical" speech processing-related and other sequence comparison methods to moving target recognition, extends the efforts of previous researchers through improved fusion with kinematic information, relates the proposed techniques to Bayesian theory, and applies parameter identification methods to target recognition for improved understanding of the subject in general. The proposed techniques are evaluated and compared to existing approaches using the method of generalized ambiguity functions, which leads to a form of Cramer-Rao lower bound for target recognition. >
Social Psychology, Calamities, and Sports Law

This article will ponder the role of situational pressures, fundamental attribution errors, and legal frameworks in how professional sports actors respond to the threat and occurrence of calamities. Both natural and manmade threats to American health are likely to rise over the next decade. Such threats may include catastrophic weather, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and communicable disease pandemics. In response to these threats, professional sports leagues (“leagues”), professional athletes (“pro athletes” or “players”), fans, and media might engage in unprecedented behavior. Consider, for instance, increasingly devastating weather patterns, and how they might animate leagues to relocate franchises to cities with more favorable forecasts. The same outcome might arise in the wake of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. Similarly worrisome, a contagious-disease outbreak abroad might lead to scouting and signing restrictions on foreign players. Closer to home, a disease pandemic or a terrorist attack on a pro sporting event might trigger an in
A Laterally Accreting Grainstone Margin from the Albian of Northern Mexico: Outcrop Model for Cretaceous Carbonate Reservoirs

Exceptional exposures of progradational platform margin slopes of Albian age were mapped along a 5-km, near-continuous, dip-oriented transect in northern Mexico with the goal of producing an outcrop model for analogous Cretaceous reservoirs. The study area at the El Cedral is located along the western margin of the Devils River grainstone belt flanking the muddy, intrashelf Maverick Basin. Four relatively complete clinothems and portions of two adjacent clinothems are recognized in the Las Pilas Formation in the study area. The Las Pilas clinothems exhibit complex sigmoid-oblique geometries and have dimensions of 40–60 m of vertical relief, depositional dip angles of foreset beds ranging from 8 to 15, and dip-oriented lengths of 1–2 km. Internally, in foresets of clinothems, thick- to massively bedded, sigmoid- to oblique-shaped lenses exhibit overlapping, seaward-stepping patterns toward the southeast. The primary sediment fabrics of topset, foreset, and bottomset beds of the Las Pilas clinothems are grainstones and grain-rich packstones. Coated grains are the predominant grain type, with subordinate amounts of micritized mollusk fragments and intraclasts. Porosity is predominantly moldic, but primary interparticle porosity is common. These lime sands were winnowed, coated, and micritized along the high-energy topsets of clinoforms before being exported seaward toward the breakpoint, where they cascaded onto the steep frontal slopes as sporadic grain flows or mass flows. The master bounding surfaces that define the clinothems likely represent episodes of nondeposition and abandonment of the surface, perhaps occurring during shifts in the locus of deposition laterally along the shoal margin. The architecture and composition of the Las Pilas clinoforms provide observable data for comparison with analogous subsurface reservoirs in the Aptian Shuaiba Formation (Bu Hasa field) and Cenomanian Mishrif Formation (e.g., Umm Adalkh field) of the Arabian Gulf.
A structural optimization approach in process synthesis. III: Total processing systems

Abstract A strategy based on mixed-integer programming is proposed for the optimal synthesis of total processing systems that consist of a chemical plant, with its heat recovery network and utility system. A mixed-integer programming model for the chemical plant is presented which is shown to be compatible with the models developed in previous papers for the utility system and heat recovery network. The strategy accounts explicitly for the interactions among the three components, and its application is illustrated with a large example problem.
Flow through the Straits of the Philippine Archipelago Simulated by Global HYCOM and EAS NCOM

Abstract : We are collaborating with other DRI participants to better evaluate and understand the dynamics seen in observations and model results within the Philippine Archipelago, a strategic region with numerous straits. The model results come from the .08 deg and .04 deg global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) and .088 deg East Asian Seas (EAS) Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) nested in global NCOM, the .04 deg global HYCOM and some finer nests starting in FY09, the others from the outset. Objectives of our DRI participation are (1) high resolution simulations (with and without tides; with and without data assimilation) that provide a larger scale context for the observations, (2) model-data comparisons with the measurements, (3) studies of observational representativeness in measuring transports through straits, (4) investigation of non-tidal and tidal (barotropic and internal) influences on specific sub-regions of interest, especially where measurements are available, and (5) to provide boundary conditions for nested models.
Adapting Collaborative Software Development Techniques to Structural Engineering

Software engineering has been fundamentally transformed by a collaborative development model. Facilitated by powerful tools, even a modest software project can benefit from a global virtual community of developers. The authors of this article propose that the collaborative techniques used in modern software development can also be applied to other fields, such as structural engineering. This requires the creation of editors, compilers, evaluators, and other tools that are analogous but not identical to those used in software. To demonstrate this, the authors created a prototype virtual wind tunnel (VWT) that implements the ideas of collaborative design in the context of structural engineering. The VWT allows users to edit structural designs, compile designs into usable models for simulation, perform wind simulations, evaluate the results, and then share and discuss their work with other users. The VWT has been used as a platform for projects ranging from small classroom activities to large-scale crowdsourcing studies.
An acceleration approach for rendering 3D FDTD grids - automatically generated from faceted models of complex geometries

As the raw power of and access to high performance computers (HPC) continues to grow, finite-difference methods are becoming more widely used in several areas of research. A particular favorite method for studying electromagnetic phenomena is the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Common to all research areas is the requirement to work with regular grids. While these grids are simple to work with, there do not appear to be good tools available to manipulate structured grids. The vast majority of geometry libraries are formatted for codes that require unstructured faceted grids. Automatic grid generation tools have been developed to convert files from faceted formats into structured grids. Thus, all the power and resources available to the finite element community can now be shared and exploited by the finite-difference community. The time required to render a FDTD grid can now be accelerated so that it is comparable to that for a faceted grid of the same size. As HPC resources continue to mature, the efficiency and simplicity of the FDTD method will cause it to continue to become a more widely implemented analytical tool of choice.
NEUTRON STARS: GENERAL REVIEW

A review is presented of those properties of neutron stars upon which there is general agreement and of those areas which currently remain in doubt. Developments in theoretical physics of neutron star interiors are summarized with particular attention devoted to hyperon interactions and the structure of interior layers. Determination of energy states and the composition of matter is described for successive layers, beginning with the surface and proceeding through the central region into the core. Problems encountered in determining the behavior of matter in the ultra-high density regime are discussed, and the effects of the magnetic field of a neutron star are evaluated along with the behavior of atomic structures in the field. The evolution of a neutron star is outlined with discussion centering on carbon detonation, cooling, vibrational damping, rotation, and pulsar glitches. The role of neutron stars in cosmic-ray propagation is considered.
Creep in macromolecular solutions according to rigid dumbbell kinetic theory

A macromolecular solution is represented by the simple model of rigid dumbbells suspended in a Newtonian fluid with Brownian motion included. Hydrodynamic interaction is not taken into account. It is found that for this model there will be recoil after the cessation of steady shearing flow. The ultimate shear recovery S∞ is developed as a power series in κ−, the shear rate prior to the cessation of the steady shear flow: $$S_\infty = (\theta _0 /2\eta _0 ) \kappa ^\user1{ - } + O(\kappa ^\user1{ - } )^3$$ where η0 and θ0 values of the viscosity and primary normal stress functions respectively at zero-shear rate. The coefficient of the term in (κ−)3 is calculated. In addition, the behavior of the normal stresses during the recoil process is found; during recoil τ22−τ33 has the opposite sign from τ11−τ22.
Management of Nephrotic Syndrome in Children

The nephrotic syndrome is a clinical term and describes the finding of heavy and selective proteinuria leading to hypoproteinaemia and hypalbuminaemia. It is not a disease entity, but can be caused by various renal and systemic diseases. In children the most frequent renal type is the idiopathic nephrotic syndrome associated with minimal glomerular changes (minimal change nephrotic syndrome; MCNS). Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis are less frequent. Systemic diseases associated with nephrotic syndrome may be infectious, metabolic, toxic, malignant or autoimmune processes. The aetiology in most cases remains unknown. Managing children with nephrotic syndrome aims to diminish and abolish the massive proteinuria in order to eliminate the permanent risks associated with the nephrotic state, and to cure the renal process. This can be achieved best by identifying and eliminating the causative antigen, which however is only rarely possible. In the majority of cases, the physician should attempt to suppress the immunopathological processes by immunosuppressive agents. If these interventions fail, supportive treatment is important to decrease the pathological consequences of the disease. Most children with nephrotic syndrome suffer from MCNS and respond very well to corticosteroid treatment. The initial treatment with prednisone should be intensive and prolonged, which reduces the subsequent rate of relapses. A relapse should be treated with a standardised prednisone regimen in order to estimate the future course of the disease. If corticosteroid toxicity occurs, treatment with alkylating drugs (cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil) is indicated, which in the majority of cases is followed by a prolonged remission. If there are frequent relapses despite cytotoxic drug therapy, cyclosporin is the third immunosuppressive drug of choice, and is effective in corticosteroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome for as long as it is administered. All immunosuppressants have adverse effects, which should be recognised early by regular monitoring. In corticosteroid-unresponsive nephrotic syndrome, the type of disease determines the further immunosuppressive approach. Supportive treatment includes: diuretics to decrease massive oedema, prophylaxis and control of infections, control of hyperlipidaemia and replacement of metabolites lost in the urine.
Fatigue and sleep quality before and after liver transplantation.

Context—Recent publications suggest that fatigue and sleep disturbance are problems in patients with chronic liver disease and in liver transplant recipients.Objectives—To characterize the severity and nature of fatigue and sleep quality before and after liver transplantation, to examine the relationship between fatigue/sleep quality and quality of life, and to identify their multivariate correlates.Design, Settings, and Participants—Cross-sectional survey administered to 110 patients before and 95 patients after liver transplantation at 2 transplant centers.Main Outcome Measures—Fatigue and sleep quality.Results—Most pretransplant (86%) and posttransplant (76%) patients experienced high fatigue severity. Correlates of pretransplant fatigue severity were being female (odds ratio [OR] = 0.22, P = .04), higher body mass index (OR = 1.07, P = .04), higher mood disturbance (OR = 1.05, P = .02), and poor sleep quality (OR = 0.26, P = .02). Correlates of posttransplant fatigue severity were use of sleep medicat...
Three-dimensional true color topographical analysis of the pulmonary airways

The development of pulmonary airway disease is characterized by mucosal color and topographical changes. Traditionally subjective visual interpretation of a bronchoscope procedure defines the identification of pulmonary airway disease however we have developed an optical imaging system used in conjunction with CT images to potentially quantify and classify these subtle variations. This paper presents a method for the construction of true color 3D images of the pulmonary airways from both optical and CT image data. Shape from Shading methods in the past decade have continually strived to achieve this goal by extracting 3D information from captured 2D images however these attempts have been severely limited in their application to bronchoscope images. Conversely the utilization of CT scans provides a sound tool for determining the gross structural anatomy of the airways however the accuracy of the rendered topographical surface maps is limited due to the resolution of the CT image data. Through integration of both the optical and CT imaging modalities we hope to create high resolution true color 3D images providing the necessary color and texture information to aid in future detection and classification of possible pulmonary airway disease. Preliminary combined color and texture results associated with various pulmonary airway diseases are presented highlighting the usefulness of this analysis technique.
TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRESERVAATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE IN PREPARING SPECIMENS FOR THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE†

Before examination of biological specimens can take place all volatiles must be removed. This presented paper details a method of sample preparation that reduces distortion and maintains 3-dimensional structure. Freeze drying disrupts cell structures as phase boundaries move through the specimen twice, first a solid boundary in the freezing process then a solid-vapor boundary during sublimation. To eliminate this the temperature of the ambient liquid is raised above its critical point. When it reaches the region where two phases cannot exist surface tension vanishes and fluid can escape without disrupting structures. Specimen preparation is given. Place droplet on a formvar-coated screen and fix with osmic acid vapor. Replace water with alcohol and alcohol with amyl acetate. Place specimen in a bomb and flood this with liquid carbon dioxide to replace the amyl acetate. Raise the temperature in the bomb to 35 Centigrade. Previous determinations show this to be above the critical point for carbon dioxide. Stereoscopic views of electron micrographs show three prepared specimens. There remains some minor distortion and flattening against the formvar screen. Outlines a method to retain cell structure in samples destined for the scanning electron microscope.