cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A global compositional complexity measure for biological sequences: AT-rich and GC-rich genomes encode less complex proteins

Different local regions of natural amino acid or nucleotide sequences show remarkable heterogeneity in residue composition, reflecting diversity in evolutionary history and physiochemical constraints. Compositional complexity measures are helpful for describing and understanding this variegation. Motivated by some open problems in comparative genomics and protein folding, we have developed a new 'global' compositional complexity measure, G1, which overcomes a crucial limitation of earlier methods. The 'local' measures used in previous research resemble entropy functions and are inherently dependent on an underlying probability distribution. Local measures cannot rigorously compare complexity across sequences of substantially different size, because real sequences show very irregular heterogeneity and do not have the necessary ergodicity in scaling and asymptotic properties. G1 is a member of a new class of scale-independent, distribution-independent complexity functions. For a sequence S of length L on an N-letter alphabet, G1 is derived from ratios in the integer partition lattice, P?L,N? of L with N parts, where the elements of P?L,N? are the state vectors of S, (n1, n2,..., nN), ranked by an order principle. We present theorems and proofs relating to the metric properties of G1 and its relationship to other state-vector-dependent compositional complexity functions, together with a fully-efficient O(L) algorithm to compute G1. The distributions of G1 were calculated for the entire sets of translated proteins encoded by extensively sequenced genomes. The results establish the existence of a clear evolutionary principle, common to bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes, that the proteins encoded by more extreme AT-rich and GC-rich genomes have generally lower compositional complexity than those of more typical organisms.
Scratch behavior of nano-alumina/polyurethane coatings

Incorporating metal-oxide nanoparticles such as nano-alumina and nano-silica into polymer coatings to enhance mechanical durability is widely utilized in the current antiscratch and mar technologies. In this article, a quantitative study of the effect of a nano-alumina additive on the surface mechanical properties and scratch behavior of a two-part polyurethane coating is reported. An instrumented indenter with a conical diamond tip is used to measure surface mechanical properties (modulus and hardness) and to perform scratch tests, over a wide range of scratch loads. The scratch behavior in terms of the onset of elastic–plastic transition and scratch morphology were characterized by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The scratch results were correlated to the surface mechanical properties and relevant bulk material properties to understand the overall scratch behavior of the coatings. The results show that the scratch behavior of the coatings depends strongly on the concentration of nano-alumina.
Subgroups of uterine leiomyomas based on cytogenetic analysis

Chromosomes from 39 cases of benign uterine leiomyomas were studied. Consistent chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 15 cases (38.5%). Abnormalities involving chromosomes 12 and 14 with or without additional chromosomal changes were found in five cases (12.8%). Deletion of chromosome 7 was detected in five cases; in three cases (7.6%), this was the only abnormality present. Complex translocations involving X, 5, and 14 as well as X, 3, and 14 were observed in one case each. Insertion of a portion of chromosome 4 to chromosome 1, deletion involving chromosome 3, and nonreciprocal translocation between chromosomes 14 and 15 were observed in one case each. Monosomy 22, with a derived chromosome 14, was observed in one case. Trisomy 7 was also identified in one case. The structural and numeric abnormalities involved chromosomes X, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 22. A normal 46,XX stem line with one or two abnormal cells was observed in 20 cases. Only normal karyotypes were obtained in the remaining four cases. A review of the literature and the results of our study indicate that uterine leiomyomas may be divided into eight groups based on cytogenetic analysis.
High Resolution Laser Spectroscopy of the Na3 B-X System

The B-X system of Na3 has been investigated at rotational resolution by using cw resonant two photon ionization spectroscopy. Model calculations of the spectra were performed with bond angles and distances as adjustable parameters. In this way, information on the geometry of the ground state and the B state of the sodium trimer was derived.
Lack of hippocampal volume change in long-term heavy cannabis users.

The effects of cannabis smoking on the morphology of the hippocampus are still unclear, especially because previous human studies have examined primarily younger, shorter-term users. We used magnetic resonance imaging to investigate these effects in a group of 22 older, long-term cannabis users (reporting a mean [SD] of 20,100 [13,900] lifetime episodes of smoking) and 26 comparison subjects with no history of cannabis abuse or dependence. When compared to control subjects, smokers displayed no significant adjusted differences in volumes of gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, or left and right hippocampus. Moreover, hippocampal volume in cannabis users was not associated with age of onset of use nor total lifetime episodes of use. These findings are consistent with recent literature suggesting that cannabis use is not associated with structural changes within the brain as a whole or the hippocampus in particular.
Frameshift Suppression in SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE. V. Isolation and Genetic Properties of Nongroup-Specific Suppressors

Two classes of frameshift suppressors distributed at 22 different loci were identified in previous studies in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisioe. These suppressors exhibited allele-specific suppression of +1 G:C insertion mutations in either glycine or proline codons, designated as group I1 and group I11 frameshift mutations, respectively. Genes corresponding to representative suppressors of each group have been shown to encode altered glycine or proline tRNAs containing four base anticodons.-This communication reports the existence of a third class of frameshift suppressor that exhibits a wider range in specificity of suppression. The suppressors map at three loci, sufl2, sufl3, and sufl4, which are located on chromosomes IV, XV, and XIV, respectively. The phenotypes of these suppressors suggest that suppression may be mediated by genes other than those encoding the primary structure of glycine or proline tRNAs.
Immune responses and safety after dart or booster vaccination of bison with Brucella abortus strain RB51.

One alternative for management of brucellosis in Yellowstone National Park bison (Bison bison) is vaccination of calves and yearlings. Although Brucella abortus strain RB51 vaccination protects bison against experimental challenge, the effect of booster vaccinations was unknown. This study characterized immunologic responses after dart or booster vaccination of bison with Brucella abortus strain RB51. In two studies, 8- to 10-month-old female bison were inoculated with saline (n = 14), hand vaccinated with 1.1 × 1010 to 2.0 × 1010 CFU of RB51 (n = 21), or dart vaccinated with 1.8 × 1010 CFU of RB51 (n = 7). A subgroup of hand vaccinates in study 1 was randomly selected for booster vaccination 15 months later with 2.2 × 1010 CFU of RB51. Compared to single vaccinates, booster-vaccinated bison had greater serologic responses to RB51. However, there was a trend for antigen-specific proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from booster vaccinates to be reduced compared to responses of PBMC from single vaccinates. PBMC from booster vaccinates tended to have greater gamma interferon (IFN-γ) production than those from single vaccinates. In general, dart vaccination with RB51 induced immunologic responses similar to those of hand vaccination. All vaccinates (single hand, dart, or booster) demonstrated greater (P < 0.05) immunologic responses at various times after vaccination than nonvaccinated bison. Booster vaccination with RB51 in early gestation did not induce abortion or fetal infection. Our data suggest that booster vaccination does not induce strong anamnestic responses. However, phenotypic data on resistance to experimental challenge are required to fully assess the effect of booster vaccination on protective immunity.
A CMOS-MEMS piezoresistive accelerometer with large proof mass

This paper reports a low-cost, high-sensitivity CMOS-MEMS piezoresistive accelerometer with large proof mass. Inherent CMOS polysilicon thin film was utilized as piezoresistive material and full Wheatstone bridge was constructed through easy wiring allowed by three metal layers in CMOS thin films. The device fabrication process consists of a standard CMOS process for sensor configuration and a deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) based post-CMOS microfabrication for MEMS structure release. Bulk single-crystal silicon (SCS) substrate was included in the proof mass to increase sensor sensitivity. With a low operating power of 1.5 mW, the sensitivity was measured as 0.077 mV/g prior to amplification. The sensor was characterized on a magnetic shaker based dynamic test system with a high-end commercial calibrating accelerometer as reference.
Serving Underserved Communities with Instructional Technologies Giving Them What They Need, Not What You Want

The goal of this exploratory research study was to use the self-directed learning framework in a nonformal learning environment to determine how an underserved community would use technology. The factors that support self-directed learning in a nonformal learning environment were the ability to communicate, access information, and acquire knowledge. The primary focus was on the needs of the residents as learners; looking at why, when, what, and how community members wanted to involve technology in their learning and living. Residents identified needs that included issues related to housing, health care, child care, finances, education, and community unity.
Analysis of the sintering pressure

When the sintering of a polycrystalline body is analyzed by coupling the change in interface energies and the change in total volume of the polycrystal, it is discovered that the sintering pressure is a sum of two terms, one deriving from the surface curvature of the pores and the other depending on the size of the grains. When pores are present at two-grain, three-grain, or four-grain junctions, and when the number of pores of each type per particle remains constant, the sintering pressure is expressed by a simple equation. This result may suggest new approaches to the problem of grain growth during the sintering process. The result also highlights a fundamental difference between the sintering of ceramics and the sintering of glasses.
Vascular Corrosion Casting: Review of Advantages and Limitations in the Application of Some Simple Quantitative Methods

Vascular corrosion casting has been used for about 40 years to produce replicas of normal and abnormal vasculature and microvasculature of various tissues and organs that could be viewed at the ultrastructural level. In combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the primary application of corrosion casting has been to describe the morphology and anatomical distribution of blood vessels in these tissues. However, such replicas should also contain quantitative information about that vasculature. This report summarizes some simple quantitative applications of vascular corrosion casting. Casts were prepared by infusing Mercox resin or diluted Mercox resin into the vasculature. Surrounding tissues were removed with KOH, hot water, and formic acid, and the resulting dried casts were observed with routine SEM. The orientation, size, and frequency of vascular endothelial cells were determined from endothelial nuclear imprints on various cast surfaces. Vascular volumes of heart, lung, and avian salt gland were calculated using tissue and resin densities, and weights. Changes in vascular volume and functional capillary density in an experimentally induced emphysema model were estimated from confocal images of casts. Clearly, corrosion casts lend themselves to quantitative analysis. However, because blood vessels differ in their compliances, in their responses to the toxicity of casting resins, and in their response to varying conditions of corrosion casting procedures, it is prudent to use care in interpreting this quantitative data. Some of the applications and limitations of quantitative methodology with corrosion casts are reviewed here.
ZD1839: targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor in cancer therapy

The erbB family of receptors, which includes the epidermal growth factor receptor, has been widely implicated in promoting proliferation of malignant cells. The critical role played by epidermal growth factor receptor in cancer has resulted in extensive research for selective inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor signalling pathway. Selective small molecule epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as ZD1839 (Iressa™), block signal transduction pathways implicated in proliferation and survival of cancer cells and other host-dependent processes promoting cancer cell growth. In preclinical studies, ZD1839, alone and in combination with other agents, has demonstrated antitumour activity in a range of tumour types. Results from Phase I trials, in healthy volunteers and in patients with advanced disease, have shown that ZD1839 has excellent bioavailability and an acceptable tolerability profile. In these studies, ZD1839 has also shown promising clinical activity in patients...
Research advisory board members' contributions and expectations in the USA

SUMMARY This study focuses on the Implementation Community Collaborative Board (I-CCB) to identify members’ anticipated contributions to and returns from the I-CCB; examine whether or not members achieved these contributions and returns over time; and explore barriers and facilitators that influenced accomplishments. Longitudinal study with repeated semi-structured in-depth interviews; baseline captured anticipated contributions and returns; 6- and 18month follow-ups short- and longer-term achievements. We used content analysis to code/reduce text into variables, describe, count and compare categories. Participants anticipated involvement in I-CCB dynamics/governance and in research tasks/procedures. Anticipated returns included social support. Participants exerting influence on I-CCB’s research agenda stayed the same over time. Participants conducting research doubled between followups; those writing grant proposals increased by 50%. Participants receiving emotional support remained the same. Challenges: meetings steered by researchers; lack of time; use of jargon. Facilitators: outreaching to community; being affected by HIV; having overlapping identities/roles as researcher, service consumer and/or practitioner. Research partners can maximize facilitators, redress barriers and improve advisory board members’ retention. Findings may help optimize the functioning of advisory boards worldwide.
The Dick and Carey Model: Will It Survive the Decade?.

Many instructional designers and numerous organizations have adapted the Dick and Carey model for use in their training functions. This article reviews the changes that have occurred to the model in the 20 years since its original publication, and identifies various influences that may determine whether it will continue to be useful in the years ahead. Consideration is given to alternative instructional design textbooks and the potential decline in interest in instructional design within academic programs. The influence of constructivist theory on the 1996 version of the Dick and Carey model is described, and the long term impact of constructivist and objectivist models on public education and business and industry is assessed.
Polar jet stream could reveal Saturn's rotational period

A hexagon-shaped atmospheric phenomenon first spotted on Saturn by Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 has intrigued scientists since the 1980s. More recently, NASA's Cassini mission has periodically observed the hexagon and its embedded strong eastward jet that rotates at 120 meters per second. Scientists believe that the persistence of the hexagon could put to rest the oft-debated question of the length of Saturn's rotational period.
The Impact of a Multifaceted Approach to Teaching Research Methods on Students’ Attitudes:

A multifaceted approach to teaching five experimental designs in a research methodology course was tested. Participants included 70 students enrolled in an experimental research methods course in t...
Restriction of Virus Infection but Not Catalytic dNTPase Activity Is Regulated by Phosphorylation of SAMHD1

SAMHD1 is a host protein responsible, at least in part, for the inefficient infection of dendritic, myeloid, and resting T cells by HIV-1. Interestingly, HIV-2 and SIVsm viruses are able to counteract SAMHD1 by targeting it for proteasomal degradation using their Vpx proteins. It has been proposed that SAMHD1 is a dGTP-dependent deoxynucleoside triphosphohydrolase (dNTPase) that restricts HIV-1 by reducing cellular dNTP levels to below that required for reverse transcription. However, nothing is known about SAMHD1 posttranslational modifications and their potential role in regulating SAMHD1 function. We used (32)P labeling and immunoblotting with phospho-specific antibodies to identify SAMHD1 as a phosphoprotein. Several amino acids in SAMHD1 were identified to be sites of phosphorylation using direct mass spectrometry. Mutation of these residues to alanine to prevent phosphorylation or to glutamic acid to mimic phosphorylation had no effect on the nuclear localization of SAMHD1 or its sensitivity to Vpx-mediated degradation. Furthermore, neither alanine nor glutamic acid substitutions had a significant effect on SAMHD1 dNTPase activity in an in vitro assay. Interestingly, however, we found that a T592E mutation, mimicking constitutive phosphorylation at a main phosphorylation site, severely affected the ability of SAMHD1 to restrict HIV-1 in a U937 cell-based restriction assay. In contrast, a T592A mutant was still capable of restricting HIV-1. These results indicate that SAMHD1 phosphorylation may be a negative regulator of SAMHD1 restriction activity. This conclusion is supported by our finding that SAMHD1 is hyperphosphorylated in monocytoid THP-1 cells under nonrestrictive conditions.
Vibration Suppression Via Smart Structures Across a Temperature Range

Many vibration suppression systems are required to function across a variety of different temperatures, yet most literature ignores the effects of temperature changes on the structure and on the closed loop response. This paper presents an experimental implementation of a vibration suppression system based on a piezoceramic actuator that effectively controls vibration of a clamped panel as it undergoes a variation in ambient temperature. The desire to reduce fatigue in aircraft panels motivates this experimental investigation and implementation.
SELF-SIMILARITY AND THE GEOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS FOR FREQUENCY INDEPENDENCE IN ANTENNAE

Self-similarity and origin symmetry are shown to be the key geometric constraints in the determination of frequency independent properties of antennae. Fractal antennae with origin symmetry meet these criteria of the extended version of Rumsey's principle. Frequency independence is not achieved by self-similarity alone. Self-complementarity plays no role in frequency independence, but does aid in smoothing out impedance variations for coarsely iterated frequency independent antennae. New families of practical designs arise from these geometric insights, which need not follow the usual constraints of angle-defined structure of the original Rumsey's principle.
Generalization of Bergman’s Method to Diabatic Flow

In this part the author jointly with Dr. H. A. Hassan presents the generalization of Bergman’s method to diabatic flow. This part originated from a chapter of the dissertation, done by Dr. H. A. Hassan under the direction of the senior author, as a partial fulfillment of the requirements toward the Ph. D. degree at the University of Illinois. The example refers to a very limited case.
A Comment on Language and Norms in Complex Business Contracting

Complex contracts, such as those governing loans and acquisitions, create a state of the world - parties entering into a contract thereby become bound. The contract expressly summons up legal consequences for every promise it contains. But the relationship between the promises and the law's force is attenuated. Very often, contract provisions set the stage rather than provide the script: accommodation seems more the rule than the exception. Indeed, for most contracting parties, the law's specter is one of many reasons to do what they promised to do, and often, not the most important reason. Parties also feel constrained by reputational and other extralegal forces within the complex contracting community. Moreover, the process of contracting itself can serve to elicit information and compliance. The combination of legal and extralegal forces permits parties to craft a constrained, yet flexible, relationship - probably the best the parties can do given the limits of language, knowledge and imagination.
Noise reduction via factor analysis in FT-IR spectra

The application of factor analysis to reduce random noise in FT-IR spectra is described. By utilizing the total information content of all the spectra, it is possible to reduce the amount of random noise present in individual spectrum.
Combinations of Lysostaphin with β-Lactams Are Synergistic against Oxacillin-Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis

Oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is rapidly killed by the endopeptidase lysostaphin, and the addition of beta-lactam antibiotics provides synergistic killing. We investigated the possibility that beta-lactams given in combination with lysostaphin would improve the activity of lysostaphin against oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (ORSE), which is normally less susceptible to lysostaphin. Checkerboard synergy testing was performed for lysostaphin given in combination with oxacillin against 10 ORSE isolates for which the lysostaphin MICs were > o r= 8 microg/ml. The fractional inhibitory concentration index ranged from 0.0234 to 0.2656, indicating synergy, which was confirmed in growth curve experiments. In the rabbit model of experimental aortic valve endocarditis using an ORSE strain, the combination of lysostaphin and nafcillin was as effective as vancomycin alone and significantly better than lysostaphin or nafcillin alone. We conclude that beta-lactam antibiotics given in combination with lysostaphin are synergistic against many strains of ORSE.
Traceable calibration of a critical dimension atomic force microscope

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a multifaceted program in atomic force microscope (AFM) dimensional metrology. One component of this program, and the focus of this paper, is the use of critical dimension atomic force microscopy (CD-AFM). CD-AFM is a commercially available AFM technology that uses flared tips and two-dimensional surface sensing to scan the sidewalls of near-vertical or even reentrant features. Features of this sort are commonly encountered in semiconductor manufacturing and other nanotechnology industries. NIST has experience in the calibration and characterization of CD-AFM instruments and in the development of uncertainty budgets for typical measurements in semiconductor manufacturing metrology. A third generation CD-AFM was recently installed at NIST. The current performance of this instrument for pitch and height measurements generally supports our relative expanded uncertainty (k = 2) goals in the range of 2.0×10−3 and lower. Additionally, a new generation of the NIST single crystal critical dimension reference material (SCCDRM) project is pushing toward feature widths below 10 nm, with the prospect of CD-AFM tip width calibration having expanded uncertainty (k = 2) below 1 nm.
eFloras: New directions for online floras exemplified by the Flora of China Project

Online floras provide research botanists with the opportunity to work on floristic treatments dynamically, and enable users to browse and search these treatments. A web-based program called eFloras (URL: http://www.efloras.org/) was developed to enable access to online “electronic” floras. Through a web interface to the data, users can browse online floristic treatments by volume, family, and genus, and can search by name, distributional data, and text. With the use of web forms, editors and authors with permissions can correct and update the data.
An improved version of the RBode plot

This paper presents an improved version of the Robust Bode (RBode) plot, in which a robust performance criterion is explicitly translated into allowable and forbidden regions on the open-loop Bode plot of a compensated SISO system. With the RBode plot robust controllers can be directly synthesized with classical loop shaping. The design concept is to shape the open-loop response to avoid entering the forbidden regions on magnitude and phase subplots defined by the boundary functions. The paper provides a clearer derivation of the RBode plot and emphasizes the fact that the weighting functions of the robust performance criterion need not be transfer functions. The improved RBode plot is applied to the design of the controller for an Lateral Tape Motion compensation system.
The novel 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor ABT-761 attenuates cerebral vasospasm in a rabbit model of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Eicosanoids have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Leukotrienes, 5-hydroxyperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid, and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid are part of this group of substances, resulting from the 5-lipoxygenase activity on arachidonic acid metabolism. This study examined the effects of ABT-761, a new 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, on cerebral vasospasm in an in vivo rabbit model of SAH. METHODS: A total of 48 rabbits were assigned to one of six groups: SAH placebo (n 8), SAH ABT-761 20 mg/kg (n 8), SAH ABT-761 30 mg/kg (n 8), control placebo (n 8), control ABT-761 20 mg/kg (n 8), and control ABT-761 30 mg/kg (n 8). Drug administration was initiated 30 minutes after induction of SAH and repeated 24 hours later. The animals were killed 48 hours after SAH, using the perfusion-fixation method. The cross sectional areas of basilar artery histological sections were measured by an investigator blinded to the treatment groups of the individual samples. RESULTS: In placebo-treated animals, the average luminal cross sectional area of the basilar artery was reduced by 68% after SAH as compared with controls (P < 0.0001). After SAH, the vasospastic response was attenuated in animals treated with 20 or 30 mg/kg representing a 28 or 35% reduction, respectively (P 0.0011 and P 0.0038). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that ABT-761 is effective in attenuating experimental cerebral vasospasm, indicating that this new drug represents a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of vasospasm after SAH. (Neurosurgery 49:1205–1213, 2001)
Anthrax: A Disease and a Weapon

Anthrax infection was described in ancient literature and religious writings. Some biblical scholars have interpreted descriptions of two of the plagues that struck Egypt around 1500 B.C. as anthrax epidemics. The 5th plague, as described in the book of Exodus, is a plague of grievous murrain (an infectious and fast-spreading disease) that affected livestock (Witkowski, 2002). The description of the 6th plague, or the Plague of Boils, is very similar to the symptoms of cutaneous anthrax (raised inflammatory swelling and blisters also suggest anthrax) (CNN.com, 2001).
Integration of MEMS Actuators with Magnetic Tunnel Junction Sensors

We are developing techniques to integrate magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensors with MEMS actuators for magnetic scanning-probe microscopy applications. In this application, the MTJ sensor is raster-scanned over a specimen and spatial variations in the magnetic field are recorded. We have developed a fabrication process where the MTJ sensor is fabricated first on the surface of an SOI wafer. Subsequently, MEMS actuators are fabricated in a two step deep reactive ion etching process. We have carried out electromechanical testing of the actuator voltage-to-position and frequency response. MEMS actuators are uniquely suited to achieve both precise, micron-scale control of the average sample-to-sensor separation and to AC modulate the separation and MTJ signal at a very high frequency (>10 kHz).
Evaluating ion exchange resin efficiency and oxidative capacity for the separation of uranium(IV) and uranium(VI)

Previously described methods to separate dissolved U(IV) from dissolved U(VI) under acidic anoxic conditions prior to laboratory analysis were ineffective with materials currently available commercially. Three strong anion exchange resins were examined for their efficiency in separating, recovering, and preserving both redox states during separation. Under oxic conditions, recovery of U(VI) from three exchange resins (Bio-Rad AG® 1x8 Poly-Prep® prefilled columns, Bio-Rad AG® 1x8 powder, and Dowex® 1x8 powder) ranged from 72% to 100% depending on the dosed mass, eluent volume, and resin selected. Dowex® 1x8 resin was the only resin found to provide 100% recovery of U(VI) with fewer than 5 bed volumes of eluent. Under anoxic conditions, all three resins oxidized U(IV) in aqueous solutions with relatively low U(IV) concentrations (<3x10-6 M). Resin-induced oxidation was observed visually using a leuco dye, safranin-o. Oxidants associated with the resin were irreversibly reduced by the addition of Ti(III). After anoxic resin pre-treatment, a series of U(IV)/U(VI) mixtures at micro-molar levels were prepared and separated using the Dowex® 1x8 resin with 100% recovery of both U(IV) and U(VI) with no resin-induced changes in oxidation state. Currently available anion exchange resins with apparently identical physical properties were found to have significantly different recoveries for hexavalent uranium at micro-molar concentrations. A novel qualitative technique was developed to visually assess oxidative capacities of anion exchange resins under acidic anoxic conditions. A protocol was developed for pre-treatment and use of currently available anion exchange resins to achieve quantitative separation of U(IV) and U(VI) in aqueous solutions with low U(IV) concentrations. This method can be applied to future work to quantitatively assess dissolved U(IV) and U(VI) concentrations in both laboratory and field samples.
Separations of Cycloinulooligosaccharides via Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography (HILIC) and Ligand-Exchange Chromatography

A homologous series of three cycloinulooligosaccharides were separated on the β-cyclodextrin and on the silica based strong cation exchange columns using high organic content aqueous solvents. The elution order on the cyclodextrin column was from a low degree of polymerization (DP) to high DP of oligosaccharides, whereas the elution order on the cation exchange column was mixed and determined by both the metal cations on the stationary phases and the organic solvent in the mobile phases. In comparison, α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin were also separated using the same or similar mobile phases on these columns. With no exception, the elution order was from α- to γ-cyclodextrins.
Employment and the pregnant adolescent: A health risk?

Background Prior studies suggest that youth who are employed ≥ 15 hours per week are at increased risk for substance use and decreased school involvement. Research examining the effects of employment on adolescent pregnancy are absent from the literature. The purpose of this study was to compare pregnant teens who worked ≥ 15 hours per week with nonworking pregnant teens on substance use, pregnancy complications (preterm labor delivery, maternal anemia, or chorioamnionitis), birth outcomes (miscarriage, birth weight, SGA, and head circumference), and related prenatal factors (number of clinic visils and gestational age at firsl visit). Methods We conducted a prospective study of 533 tri-ethnic adolescents, aged 12–17 years, who completed a structured questionnaire at their first obstetric visit between January 1992 and December 1994. Elicited information included demographic and reproductive characteristics; recent substance use and high-risk sexual behaviors. Medical charts were reviewed to obtain information on pregnancy complications and birth outcomes. Results Comparisons were made between the 61 teens who reported being employed ≥ 15 hours and the 450 teens who denied current employment uSing chi-square, student's t-tests, and logistic regression analyses. Working, as compared to nonworking teens were significantly older at their first prenatal visit (16.5 vs. 15.8 yr), were of higher financial status (31% vs. 14%), entered into care at an earlier gestational age (12.1 Vs. 15.4 wk), had more prenatal visits (10.1 vs. 8.5), were more likely to be enrolled in school (83% vs. 68%), and were less likely to have a positive chlamdia culture at first visit (7% vs. 20%). Cigarette, alcohol, or marijuana use since last menstrual period and use in the last 30 days; ethnicity; gravidity; and parity did not significantly differ between groups. Although a trend for miscarriage was found (13.5 vs. 6.7, P=.08), no otner differences in other birth outcomes or pregnancy complications were detected. Logistic regression analyses revealed that pregnant adolescents working ≥ 15 hours were more likely to be enrolled in school (OR 3.4), enter into care at Conclusions These data suggest that employment does not increase pregnant adolescents risk of substance use, prenatal complications, or poor birth outcomes. In fact, employment was strongly associated with earlier entry into prenatal care and school involvement.
Fine particles, genetic pathways, and markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction: Analysis on particulate species and sources.

Studies have found associations between PM2.5 and cardiovascular events. The role of different components of PM2.5 is not well understood. We used linear mixed-effects models with the adaptive LASSO penalty to select PM2.5 species and source(s), separately, that may be associated with markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, with adjustment for age, obesity, smoking, statin use, diabetes mellitus, temperature, and season as fixed effects in a large longitudinal cohort of elderly men. We also analyzed these associations with source apportionment models and examined genetic pathway–air pollution interactions within three relevant pathways (oxidative stress, metal processing, and endothelial function). We found that independent of PM2.5 mass vanadium (V) was associated with intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). An IQR increase (3.2 ng/m3) in 2-day moving average V was associated with a 2.5% (95% CI: 1.2–3.8%) change in ICAM-1 and a 3.9% (95% CI: 2.2–5.7%) change in VCAM-1, respectively. In addition, an oil combustion source rich in V was linked to these adhesion molecules. People with higher allelic risk profiles related to oxidative stress may have greater associations (P-value of interaction=0.11). Our findings suggest that particles derived from oil combustion may be associated with inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, and it is likely that oxidative stress plays a role in the associations.
Community Engaged Leadership to Advance Health Equity and Build Healthier Communities

Health is a human right. Equity in health implies that ideally everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential and, more pragmatically, that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential. Addressing the multi-faceted health needs of ethnically and culturally diverse individuals in the United States is a complex issue that requires inventive strategies to reduce risk factors and buttress protective factors to promote greater well-being among individuals, families, and communities. With growing diversity concerning various ethnicities and nationalities; and with significant changes in the constellation of multiple of risk factors that can influence health outcomes, it is imperative that we delineate strategic efforts that encourage better access to primary care, focused community-based programs, multi-disciplinary clinical and translational research methodologies, and health policy advocacy initiatives that may improve individuals' longevity and quality of life.
Supervised Within-Document Event Coreference using Information Propagation

Event coreference is an important task for full text analysis. However, previous work uses a variety of approaches, sources and evaluation, making the literature confusing and the results incommensurate. We provide a description of the differences to facilitate future research. Second, we present a supervised method for event coreference resolution that uses a rich feature set and propagates information alternatively between events and their arguments, adapting appropriately for each type of argument.
The President's Proposed Dividend Exemption and Closely Held Companies

Professors Merle M. Erickson of the University of Chicago and James K. Smith of the University of San Diego discuss strategies small business owners are likely to use to lower their taxes if the president's dividend exemption is enacted.
Antioxidants Modulate Molecular Mobility, Oxygen Permeability, and Microstructure in Zein Films

The effect of octyl gallate and propyl gallate on the molecular mobility, oxygen permeability, and microstructure of zein/glycerol films was studied. Films were cast from 70% ethanol/water containing 20% (w/w) glycerol and different amounts of the antioxidants propyl gallate or octyl gallate. The oxygen permeability and local mobility of these films were measured using phosphorescence from the dispersed triplet probe erythrosin B. Although both antioxidants increased the local mobility of the zein matrix to about the same extent, octyl gallate and to a lesser extent propyl gallate dramatically increased the permeability of the film to oxygen. Atomic force microscopy imaging indicated that propyl gallate induced aggregation of zein complexes, which could lead to a more condensed film. These results indicate that the addition of specific functional ingredients, such as antioxidants, to edible films may significantly affect the physical properties and structure and, thus, functional properties in ways that i...
DNA Gold Nanoparticle Nanocomposite Films for Chemiresistive Vapor Sensing

Chemiresistive vapor sensors combining functionalized gold nanoparticles and single-stranded DNA oligomers are investigated to enhance specificity in chemical sensing. Sensors are made by depositing DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles onto microfabricated electrodes using four distinct sequences. Sensor performance is evaluated for response to relative humidity and exposure to vapor analytes including ethanol, methanol, hexane, dimethyl methylphosphonate, and toluene under different relative humidity. It is found that sensors display a nonmonotonic resistance change toward increasing humidity due to the combined effects of hydration induced swelling and ionic conduction. Responses to vapor analytes show sequence-dependent patterns as well as a strong influence of humidity. Overall, the findings are encouraging for using DNA oligomers to enhance specificity in chemical sensing.
Effect of Sintering Temperature on Density and Tensile Properties of Titanium Compacts by Matal Injection Molding

The preparation of pure-Ti compacts by metal injection molding (MIM) process was described in this paper. To reduce contamination at sintering process, the sintering was performed at low temperature range from 1198K to 1348K. On this sintering condition, the properties of sintered compacts were investigated.When HDH powder (average particle size is 23μm) was used as the material, the compacts sintered at more than 1298K had high tensile strength (630MPa<) in spite of low density (92.5-94.5%). When gas-atomized powder (average particle size is 15μm) was used, the sintered compact had high density (-95%) and high elongation (15-20%) at low sintering temperature range (1248K-1298K).
Writing Their Way into Talk: Emergent Bilinguals' Emergent Literacy Practices as Pathways to Peer Interaction and Oral Language Growth.

This paper explores the idea that young children’s emergent literacy practices can be tools for mediating peer interaction, and that, therefore, literacy, even in its earliest stages, can support o...
Research about CO2 Protection Welding Implement in Vehicle Body Welding

According to sorts of defects happened when CO2 protective welding technology is used,with our company research and experience of body welding,this essay introduced some issuse which need to be paid attention to while CO2 welding technology is used which will play an instruction role in CO2 peotective welding process and operation.
Manipulating the Phonon Bottleneck in Graphene Quantum Dots: Phonon-Induced Carrier Relaxation within the Linear Response Theory

Slow phonon-induced relaxation of excited carriers in quantum dots is crucial for next-generation photovoltaics; however, the phenomenon has been difficult to realize experimentally due to defects and ligands that introduce strongly coupled states. Graphene quantum dots are an intriguing system to avoid these problems due to chemical synthesis methods that minimize defects. Modeling electron–phonon interactions using a state-of-the-art method combining the reduced density matrix formalism with linear response theory, we find that 100 ps lifetimes are possible for electron–hole pairs in graphene quantum dots due to large transition energies and weak coupling to excited states near the band edge. By calculating carrier relaxation rates in dots with and without ligands, with armchair or zigzag edges, and of increasing size, we show how excited state lifetimes are sensitive to structural changes. In contrast to other types of quantum dots in which ligands can increase phonon-induced relaxation, carbon ligands...
“The Forestial Interior”: The Dislocation of Language in Walter Benjamin's Early Writings

This essay places Walter Benjamin's early work at the center of a linguistic turn that differs fundamentally from the one commonly associated with the term. Rather than a theory of language, Benjamin makes the dislocation of language in human thought the central concern of a new topology of critique. Tracing this topology through the canonical early texts as well as their accompanying fragments and notes, especially Benjamin's unconventional solution to the Liar's Paradox, the essay argues that Origin of the German Mourning Play, culminating in the critical terms of allegory and symbol, is as significant an intervention in the theory of logic and language as the Tractatus and Being and Time. The concluding part of the essay, as a demonstration, attempts to reconstruct Benjamin's central insight into the theory of the symbol, seizing on the topological image, also from the Mourning Play book, of the symbol's “forestial interior” (waldiges Innere).
Interactions Between Mechanosensory Hair Cells and Support Cells of the Zebrafish Lateral Line During Development, Death, and Regeneration: Is Taking Your Sox(es) Off a Key to Mechanosensory Hair Cell Regeneration?

Half or more of individuals over age 60 years will experience some form of hearing impairment stemming from loss of mechanosensory hair cells of the inner ear cochlea. The zebrafish lateral line is a sensory organ along the midline of the fish that uses mechanosensory hair cells analogous to those of the cochlea to detect currents and predator/prey movements. Whereas …
Measuring radiation damage dynamics by pulsed ion beam irradiation. 2015 Annual Progress Report for DOE/NE/NEET

The major goal of this project is to develop and demonstrate a novel experimental approach to access the dynamic regime of radiation damage formation processes in nuclear materials. In particular, the project exploits a pulsed-ion-beam method in order to gain insight into defect interaction dynamics by measuring effective defect interaction time constants and defect diffusion lengths. For Year 2, this project had the following two major milestones: (i) measurement of the temperature dependence of defect dynamics in SiC and (ii) the evaluation of the robustness of the pulsed beam method from studies of the defect generation rate. As we describe below, both of these milestones have been met.
CD30 and CD30-Targeted Therapies in Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other B cell Lymphomas

Evolution of cancer therapeutics has resulted in the development of agents with varying mechanisms of selective target inhibition. One such therapeutic approach is utilizing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), the combination of a cytotoxic agent linked with a monoclonal antibody, to achieve localization of the target and internalization of the cytotoxic agent in order to maximize efficacy with fewer toxicities. This review focuses on CD30 as a therapeutic target and the development and clinical activity of the ADC brentuximab vedotin in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and other B cell lymphomas.
Chinese Immigrants in the United States: New Issues and Challenges

This chapter aims at an overall portrait of Chinese immigrants in the U.S. using the most update data and information, identifying relevant literature and research sources, filling in the issues of China-born immigrants in the U.S. that the previous literature hasn’t mentioned, as well as pointing out relatively new phenomenon and discussing the emerging challenges.
Pharmacist involvement on a rapid response team.

Purpose The effect of a pharmacist on a rapid response team (RRT) was investigated. Methods This study evaluated 234 patients before and 157 patients after pharmacist involvement on an RRT. The primary outcome was time to medication administration, with a goal turnaround time of less than 30 minutes. Secondary outcomes included most frequently used medications, readmissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) within 48 hours, number of rapid responses that resulted in ICU admission, length of hospital stay, and survival to hospital discharge. Additionally, pharmacist interventions were tracked in the postinterventional group. Results The preinterventional group screened 326 rapid response events, of which 234 were included for analysis; during the postinterventional phase, 256 rapid response events were evaluated, of which 157 were included. The primary outcome, median time to medication administration from central pharmacy, was lower in the postinterventional group compared with the preinterventional group (32.0 minutes versus 64.5 minutes, p = 0.004). ICU admission rates following rapid response were not significantly different between the two groups. Additionally, there were no significant differences between rates of medical emergency and survival to hospital discharge. The most common medications administered were metoprolol and naloxone. Pharmacists provided documentation for 90 of 157 (57%) patient cases. In the 90 cases with documentation, 18 (20% of patients) had documented pharmacist interventions, including dosing assistance for 8 cases (44% of interventions). Conclusion The addition of a pharmacist to an RRT reduced time to medication administration, helped improve medication accessibility, and helped optimize medication selection and dosing.
Neurosensory Deficits Vary as a Function of Point of Care in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Neurosensory abnormalities are frequently observed following pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (pmTBI) and may underlie the expression of several common concussion symptoms and delay r...