cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of molybdenum(IV) aryloxides

Abstract The reaction of the molybdenum(IV) dimethylamido complex Mo(NMe2)4 with a series of alkylated phenols has been examined. Only mononuclear, paramagnetic products were obtained from the reaction in contrast to the di-and polynuclear products obtained with aliphatic alcohols. The stoichiometry of the final products is dependent on the size of the phenol, 4-methylphenol (HOAr-4Me) leading to the octahedral Mo(OAr-4Me)4(HNMe2)2 while 2,6-di-isopropylphenol (HOAr-2,6Pri2) will only substitute three of the amido ligands to give Mo(OAr-2,6Pri2)3(NMe2)HNMe2). Treatment of the hydride MoH4(PMe2Ph)4 wit 4-methylphenol also leads to a mononuclear molybdenum(IV) aryloxide, Mo(OAr-4Me)4(PMe2Ph)2 with the evolution of H2.
Seasonal Variation in Sampling Indices for Shovelnose Sturgeon, River Carpsucker, and Shorthead Redhorse Collected from the Missouri River below Fort Randall Dam, South Dakota

ABSTRACT Gill nets and electrofishing were utilized in the Missouri River below Fort Randall Dam, South Dakota to sample river carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio), shorthead redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum), and shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus). Shorthead redhorse, shovelnose sturgeon, and river carpsucker all exhibited significant monthly variation in mean relative weight (Wr) during at least one sample year (P < 0.05). In general, Wr values for all species tended to be highest early in the year followed by a steady decline to a seasonal low during the later sample months. Shorthead redhorse and river carpsucker catch per unit effort (CPUE) followed a similar bimodal pattern of spring and fall peaks with lower CPUE during summer. Catch per unit effort of shovelnose sturgeon was highest in the fall at the lower site (P < 0.001, October 1998; P = 0.006 and P = 0.009, September and October 1999) with no differences found at the upper site. Within-site variations in size generally were not sign...
White Female Victims and Death Penalty Disparity Research

Empirical studies of the death penalty continue to find that the race and gender of homicide victims are associated with the severity of legal responses in homicide cases even after controlling for legally relevant factors. A limitation of this research, however, is that victim race and gender are examined as distinct and independent factors in statistical models. In this study, we explore whether the independent examination of victim race and gender masks important differences in legal responses to homicides. In particular, we empirically test the hypothesis that defendants convicted of killing white females are significantly more likely to receive death sentences than killers of victims with other race-gender characteristics. Findings indicate that homicides with white female victims were more likely to result in death sentences than other victim race-gender dyads. We posit that this response may be unique and result in differential sentencing outcomes.
Isolation, assay, biosynthesis, metabolism, uptake and translocation, and function of proline in plant cells and tissues

The amino acid L-proline has been the subject of intensive research during the past ten to fifteen years. This stems from the observations that it incorporates into peptide linkage thereby serving as a precursor to peptidyl-bound L-hydroxyproline, a constituent of “extensin,” and that it accumulates when some plants are exposed to diverse biological and environmental stresses. The contents of selected papers which have been published during the last quarter of a century regarding the isolation, assay, biosynthesis, metabolism, transport and function of L-proline within various plant tissues and their cells are both interpreted and summarized in this review. Occasionally, relevant information from animal and bacterial systems concerning these topics is included. Hydroxyproline-containing proteins are not considered.
Effects of stream topology on ecological community results from neutral models

Abstract While neutral theory and models have stimulated considerable literature, less well investigated is the effect of topology on neutral metacommunity model simulations. We implemented a neutral metacommunity model using two different stream network topologies, a widely branched network (wide tree) and a narrowly branched network (high tree), both represented as binary trees. The wide tree had fewer exceedances of carrying capacity, higher final number of individuals per community, and greater community (α) diversity than the high tree. The difference in diversity increased with increasing dispersal rate. We infer that the greater connectivity of the wide tree facilitated more even spatial dispersal, which limited carrying capacity exceedances and associated random deletions, which, in turn, resulted in higher diversity. Effects specifically due to topology should be considered in analyses of community patterns for mobile aquatic species.
Determination of acetone in breath

Abstract A light emitting diode (LED)-based photometric method for the measurement of gaseous acetone in human breath is presented. The detection chemistry is based on the reaction of acetone with alkaline salicylaldehyde to form a colored product, which absorbs in the blue and can be monitored with GaN-based LEDs with emission centered at 465 nm. Gaseous acetone in breath is sampled with a porous membrane based diffusion scrubber (DS). The collected sample in the continuously flowing water carrier reacts with the reagent solution. We have used two approaches to collect breath acetone: the use of a face mask and a Mylar balloon as a collection bag. With the face mask approach, the expired air can be measured over long periods without major subject discomfort, balloon collection (5 l) permits four measurements from a single fill. The LED-based liquid core waveguide (LCW) absorbance detector utilized sapphire ball lenses to prevent exposure of other optical components to a hot alkaline reagent solution. The high refractive index of the final mixture permitted the use of an inexpensive fluorinated ethylene copolymer (FEP Teflon®) tube as a 10 cm long LCW. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) is 14 ppbv gaseous acetone, and the linear range extends to 1.21 ppmv. The concentration range in 11 volunteer subjects ranged from 176 to 518 ppbv.
Synthesis of poly-O-tert-butyl-L-serine and poly-L-serine.

The synthesis of polymers containing O-tert-butyl-L-serine, O-tert-butyl-DL-serine, L-serine, and DL-serine is reported. The N-benzyloxycarbonyl-(L or DL)-serine benzyl ester was used to synthesize the corresponding N-benzyloxycarbonyl-O-tert-butyl-(Lor DL)-serine benzyl ester. Catalytic hydrogenation of this material gave O-tert-butyl-(Lor DL)-serine. The reaction of O-tert-butyl-(Lor DL)-serine with phosgene produced the corresponding N-carboxyanhydrides. The kinetics of polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides were investigated to facilitate, the preparation of block copolymers. The O-tert-butyl blocking group was removed from polymers by treatment with HCl and HBr in benzene. Both high molecular weight (water-insoluble) and low molecular weight (water-soluble) homopolymers have been prepared, as well as water-soluble block copolymers of the type (DL-serine)x (L-serine)y, (DL-serine)z.
Emerging earth science research opportunities at U.S. National Science Foundation

“The Earth sciences will become increasingly prominent in the 21st century as humanity confronts daunting challenges,” states a new report that identifies seven overarching and emerging research opportunities in the Earth sciences for the U.S. National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences (NSF EAR). These challenges “are particularly poised for rapid progress during the next decade,” according to the report. New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences, issued by a committee of the U.S. National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies on 13 December, recommends broad areas of research “involving major dynamic geosystems that can only be fully quantified by interdisciplinary approaches” and that address evolving science requirements for programs supporting investigator-driven disciplinary research, problem-focused programs involving multidisciplinary research, and equipment-oriented programs for new instrumentation and facilities.
Parkinsonian signs in older people: Prevalence and associations with smoking and coffee

Background: Cigarette smoking and coffee consumption may reduce the risk of PD. Parkinsonian signs (tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia) occur in 30 to 40% of the elderly. Objective: To determine whether there was an association between cigarette smoking, coffee consumption, and parkinsonian signs in a community population of older people. Methods: Data on smoking were collected and a neurologic examination performed on 1,339 residents ≥65 years of age in the Washington Heights–Inwood community in northern Manhattan, NY. Parkinsonian signs were rated with an abbreviated Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, resulting in a parkinsonian sign score. Coffee consumption was assessed with a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire, and caffeine consumption was determined. Analyses were cross-sectional. Results: Mean age was 76.6 years. Parkinsonian signs were present in 537 (40.1%). The odds for presence of parkinsonian signs was lower in smokers than nonsmokers (odds ratio [OR] = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.47 to 0.73). Smokers had a lower mean parkinsonian sign score than nonsmokers ( p Conclusion: The reduced risk of parkinsonian signs in cigarette smokers could reflect a protective effect of smoking on age-related parkinsonian signs in the elderly or an aversion to smoking in elderly persons with mild parkinsonism.
On the effect of large-scale deployment of parallel downloading

In the presence of multiple mirror servers that can serve the same information, clients can improve their performance when downloading large files by concurrently retrieving different parts of the file from different servers. In previous work, experiments with a single client have shown the potential for parallel downloading schemes to improve the performance perceived by this single client. We consider the question of what happens when parallel downloading is widely adopted within the Internet. To that end we start with an experimental evaluation of various parallel downloading schemes and their performance from the perspective of a single client. We use these results as a benchmark for a set of simulations in which we investigate the performance of parallel downloading when performed by multiple clients. We find that, because parallel downloading incurs additional overhead as a result of its use of more network connections, large-scale use of this technique can actually lead to overall degradation of the performance experienced by clients. Further, we uncover a "fairness" tradeoff in that any performance improvement experienced by clients performing parallel downloading comes at the expense of clients who simply go to a single server to retrieve files.
Motor program of an intersegmental reflex in crayfish

Flexion of a merocarpal joint of a single leg initiates a discharge of the efferent neurons that produces postural abdominal extension in the crayfish. This intersegmental reflex is characterized by the excitation of those efferents whose effects are synergistic to extension, and the incomplete suppression of those efferents that are extensor antagonists. Comparison of the latencies and discharge patterns that are generated in response to leg flexion with those produced during “command fiber” stimulation suggests that this intersegmental reflex is mediated by the activation of more than one “command fiber” interneuron.
A Review of Literature on Teacher Efficacy and Classroom Management.

The purpose of this paper was to review the literature on teacher efficacy and classroom management. The conceptual framework of this paper was based on the theories of Rotter (1966) and Bandura (1977). The review of literature indicated that teacher efficacy helps teachers plan effective instructional strategies, increases performance, and enhances teacher effectiveness and productively. On the other hand classroom management helps teachers to control students who have behavioral problems. Teacher efficacy researchers used and modified instruments to measure teacher efficacy construct. In conclusion, culture was identified as a variable that impacts upon teacher efficacy.
An algorithm for finding the global maximum of a multimodal, multivariate function

This algorithm for global optimization uses an arbitrary starting point, requires no derivatives, uses comparatively few function evaluations and is not side-tracked by nearby relative optima. The algorithm builds a gradually closer piecewise-differentiable approximation to the objective function. The computer program exhibits a (theoretically expected) strong tendency to cluster around relative optima close to the global. Results of testing with several standard functions are given.
Improved mode-search strategy in the application of transverse resonance to 3-D discontinuities

This paper discusses a reliable mode-search strategy required for the application of mode-matching to the analysis of 3-dimensional discontinuities. The strategy has been developed by studying practical problems encountered in applying generalized transverse resonance to ridged waveguide. Application of the strategy will enable the design of more reliable and efficient algorithms for the analysis and optimisation of passive waveguide structures such as filters and transitions. >
Polymerization of tetrahydrofuran: A radiochemical study of the initiation mechanism

14C-tagged triphenylmethyl hexachloroantimonate was used to initiate the polymerization of THF. An activity count on the polymers indicated no incorporation of initiator fragments into the macromolecule. On ascertaining the fate of the tagged trityl fragment it was found that the activity resided in the triphenylmethane isolated from the methanol supernatant. This indicates that at least one sequence of the initiation reaction in this polymerization involves hydride ion abstraction.
Klein and Loftus's model of trait self-knowledge: The importance of familiarizing oneself with the foundational research prior to reading about its neuropsychological applications

This article has two goals. First, I want to respond to concerns voiced by Ruby (2013). Since these concerns are not limited to Ruby, they provide an opportunity to address the issues she raises for a broad audience of neuroscientists. Second, and related to my first goal, I want to alert investigators who are familiar only with our neuropsychological investigations of self-knowledge to our earlier work on model construction. A familiarity with this foundational research can help avert concerns and issues likely to arise if one is aware only of neuropsychological extensions of our work.
1,2-propanediol-induced premature centromere separation in mouse oocytes and aneuploidy in one-cell zygotes.

Aneuploidy in germ cells results in reproductive failure and mental and physical disorders in humans. Unfortunately, little is known about the causes and mechanisms of aneuploidy induction. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol; PG) induces cytogenetic aberrations in mouse metaphase II (MII) oocytes that predispose zygotes to aneuploidy. Female ICR mice received 7.5 IU eCG and 5.0 IU hCG 48 h later. PG doses of 1300, 2600, and 5200 mg/kg body weight were given 3 h post-hCG; controls received the solvent deionized water. Ovulated oocytes were collected 16 h after administration of PG and processed for cytogenetic analysis. For the one-cell zygote cytogenetic study, females were given PG and paired (1 :1) with ICR males for 16 h. Females that mated were given 2 x 10 -3 M colchicine 22 h post-PG, and zygotes were collected 18 h later. PG significantly (p < 0.05) increased both the proportion of MII oocytes with premature centromere separation (PCS) and the proportion of aneuploid one-cell zygotes. These results support the hypothesis that PG-induced PCS in MII oocytes predisposes zygotes to aneuploidy.
Selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with hydrogen on supported Pd: Enhancement by hydrogen spillover

Abstract Two high-activity supported-Pd catalysts (Pd/V 2 O 5 /TiO 2 /SBA-15 and Pd/V 2 O 5 /TiO 2 /MCM-41) for selective catalytic reduction of NO with H 2 were studied. They differ only by the mesoporous-silica support: SBA-15 vs. MCM-41. Although the SBA-15 supported catalyst had a lower surface area, it showed a higher NO conversion (95% vs. 84%, at a high space velocity of 4.6 × 10 4 1/h). Two pieces of direct and related evidence are shown for the role of hydrogen spillover in enhancing the catalytic activities of these two catalysts. A comparison of hydrogen adsorption isotherms (via the Benson-Boudart method) show more spillover on the SBA-15 supported catalyst. The results from the transient kinetics experiments also showed that the amount of spiltover hydrogen stored on the Pd/V 2 O 5 /TiO 2 /SBA-15 under dynamic reaction conditions was significantly higher than that on Pd/V 2 O 5 /TiO 2 /MCM-41 (7.3 μmol/g vs. 2.1 μmol/g). Catalytic performance of the two catalysts for practical applications is reported. The favorable effect of hydrogen spillover on H 2 -SCR could be used as a new strategy for improving the performance of noble-metal H 2 -SCR catalysts.
Space-Based SAR for Remote Sensing

Space, as with land, sea, and air, is now a well-established operating environment for radars. As in other environments, radars operating in space assume a wide variety of forms and span a wide range of applications. This chapter will focus on satellite-borne synthetic aperture radars (SARs) for remote sensing applications. This is an important and growing field with numerous applications in the areas of oceanography; land use; seismology; volcanology; disaster assessment; and the monitoring of sea ice, maritime economic zones, environmental conditions, etc.
Ferumoxytol-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Late-Stage CKD.

Ferumoxytol is a superparamagnetic iron oxide particle encapsulated by a semisynthetic carbohydrate with properties that can be used by the nephrologist for diagnosis and therapy. Ferumoxytol is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating iron deficiency anemia in the setting of chronic kidney disease, but not for clinical diagnostic imaging. It has gained appeal as a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rates 14 hours) of ferumoxytol allows for longer image acquisition and repeat imaging, if necessary. In patients with contraindications for gadolinium contrast agents, ferumoxytol is an alternative agent for vascular assessment, including patency and course.
Extensor Tendon Repair Zones 3 and 4

Anatomical structures potentially involved: Triangular ligament, lateral bands, central slip, and extensor hood.
Revealing the TCR bias for MHC molecules

Adaptive immunity has long been considered the hallmark trait associated with jawed vertebrates. Although unconventional forms of adaptive immunity, such as variable lymphocyte receptors in lampreys (1) and CRISPR/Cas in bacteria (2), have recently gained recognition, somatic recombination generating unique antigen receptors provides diversity unparalleled by other forms of immunity. On T cells, the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) is one such receptor comprising α- and β-polypeptide chains (each of which is produced via DNA recombination), which together provide a combinatorial diversity estimated to exceed potentially 1015 different receptors (3). As T cells develop and mature in the thymus, they undergo a process called selection, which grooms them for mounting appropriate immune responses upon future antigen exposures in peripheral tissues. Intriguingly, the vast majority of TCRs recognize linear peptides bound to MHC molecules during both development and immune responses (4, 5). Upon first identifying this phenomenon of MHC-restriction, investigators were immediately prompted to study and understand the molecular basis underlying this bias (4⇓–6). Do TCRs bear regions in their protein structures to bias their interaction with MHC and make the selection process more efficient? Or are TCRs inherently polyspecific and it is the process of selection that forces their specificity for MHC? Despite years of work exploring reasons for this predisposition, a clear consensus remains elusive. In PNAS, Parrish et al., using a sensitive in vitro system, provide new evidence to suggest that TCRs possess an inherent bias to recognize MHC molecules (7). Forty-five years have passed since Niels Jerne proposed the hypothesis that TCR molecules might have undergone coevolution with histocompatibility molecules (8). Since then, a number of studies have supported this idea. Recently, when the Bendelac group decided to pair unselected TCRα chains with random TCRβ chains in vivo, they observed that 15% … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: Laurent.Gapin{at}ucdenver.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Elastomeric Seals for the Army's Lance Missile

Abstract The LANCE propulsion system requires dynamic and static seals which must operate under extremely severe conditions for short periods. By analysis and tests it has been found that resin-cured chlorobutyl rubber meets the requirements for low and high temperature operation and retains its properties when exposed to the LANCE propellants for short periods. The chlorobutyl rubber, however, is not a panacea. Its properties become increasingly poorer as exposure time increases. Since the need for high performance, versatile systems should continue indefinitely, it is hoped that research can produce elastomers to meet the growing need for unusual environments such as are described here. For successful accomplishment of this task, the rubber and chemical industry will have to meet the challenge to reach this goal.
Spontaneous Hepatocellular Carcinoma after the Combined Deletion of Akt Isoforms

Akt is frequently hyperactivated in human cancers and is targeted for cancer therapy. However, the physiological consequences of systemic Akt isoform inhibition were not fully explored. We showed that while combined Akt1 and Akt3 deletion in adult mice is tolerated, combined Akt1 and Akt2 deletion induced rapid mortality. Akt2(-/-) mice survived hepatic Akt1 deletion but all developed spontaneous hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is associated with FoxO-dependent liver injury and inflammation. The gene expression signature of HCC-bearing livers is similar to aggressive human HCC. Consistently, neither Akt1(-/-) nor Akt2(-/-) mice are resistant to diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, and Akt2(-/-) mice display a high incidence of lung metastasis. Thus, in contrast to other cancers, hepatic Akt inhibition induces liver injury that could promote HCC.
Effect of Cortisol on Liver Phosphorylase Activity.

SummaryThe effects of single and multiple doses of Cortisol on liver phosphorylase activity have been determined and correlated with alterations in blood glucose and liver glycogen. Phosphorylase activity was increased 12 hours after a single injection of Cortisol and continued to rise for 48 hours. Multiple injections of the hormone produced a much greater increase in enzyme activity than did a single dose. Elevation of blood sugar and liver glycogen which followed Cortisol occurred several hours before a change in phosphorylase activity could be demonstrated.
Note on Myxotheca Hypocreoides and its Synonymy

In a letter received from Dr. Farlow during a stay of some months in the island of Trinidad, B. W. L, during the winter of 1912-13, he asked me to be on the lookout for a very curious fungus reported by Ferdinandsen and Winge to have been found by H. Lassen, a member of Professor Warming's Expedition to Venezuela, etc, in 1891-92, growing in the Maraval Valley, near Port of Spain, on the fronds of Trichomanes pinnatum, and named by them Myxotheca hypocreoides nov. gen. et sp. On a first visit to this valley, which is traversed by a partly shaded brook, and, though unduly civilized, proved a rich locality for fungi, the form in question was readily found in abundance not only on Trichomanes, but on the fronds of various other ferns, as well as the leaves and even stems of a variety of flowering plants, both woody and herbaceous. Further investigation also showed that it was by no means confined to this locality, but occurred abundantly in various other parts of the island. As may be seen from the accompanying photograph, very kindly made for me by Professor Weston from dried material, it is conspicuous from its contrasting white color, and occurs in the form of discrete, cushion-like masses, associated in variable numbers on a thin whitish subiculum, which may often have a very distinctiy yellowish green tint, that persists, even after prolonged desiccation, in herbarium material. Such a subiculum or thallus is clearly indicated in Figure 1, which represents a specimen found on the leaves of a huge sedge, growing in woods about the Aripo Savanna, near Cumuto. The cushion-like masses, which suggest in appearance the egg-masses of some minute spider, are flattened and somewhat
Memoranda and index of cultures of Uredineae, 1899-1917

The cultures of the rusts, which were conducted under the auspices of the Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, and extended over a period of nineteen years, had a small beginning. For the first three years only such time was given to the work as the writer could spare from his duties as head of the Botanical Department of the Station and as Professor of Vegetable Physiology and Pathology in Purdue University. In most of the following years an assistant was especially employed during two or so months each spring, who had entire charge of the testing of spore viability, sowing of the spores, and care of the inoculated plants, the chief part of the culture work being done during May and June. The position was held by fourteen individuals, selected with the needs of the work especially in view, and ranging from a junior high school student to university instructors, who without exception showed superior ability in conducting the work. Financial support was provided by a grant from the Botanical Society of America in I903, 1906 and I907, and by cooperation with the Bureau of Plant Industry of the U. S. Department of Agriculture in I904 and I905. In the other years it was supplied by the Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, and from I9o8 onward the work was made a part of the rust project under the Adams fund. During the progress of the work the writer, usually accompanied by an associate, made many shorter or longer excursions for securing data and material. These field observations were directed toward detecting the juxtaposition of spore-forms that might be supposed to have genetic connection, as well as toward securing suitable culture material. The fruitfulness of this method is apparent from the fact that during the extended study
Effect of Processing Conditions on the Surface Morphology of thin Polysilicon Films Used for Dram Cell Capacitors

The surface texture of polysilicon films, used for capacitor storage nodes, have been investigated for various deposition conditions. An increase in capacitance of approx. 70% has been observed in this work. The reproducibility of the surface texture and the resulting capacitance can be improved by optimizing the deposition pressure. The gain in capacitance was also observed to be affected by the thickness of the film. In the mass flow controlled regime the increase in capacitance was 12%. The increase in surface roughness and the gain in capacitance for the hot wall process provides a simple alternative for satisfying the charge capacity requirements in high density dynamic random access memories.
Control of Transposon-mediated Activation of the glpFK Operon of Escherichia coli by two DNA binding Proteins

Escherichia coli cells deleted for the cyclic AMP (cAMP) receptor protein (Crp) gene (Δcrp) cannot utilize glycerol because cAMP-Crp is a required positive activator of glycerol utilization operon glpFK . We have previously shown that a transposon, Insertion Sequence 5 (IS5), can reversibly insert into the upstream regulatory region of the operon so as to activate glpFK and enable glycerol utilization. GlpR, which represses glpFK transcription, binds to the glpFK upstream region near the site of IS5 insertion, and prevents insertion. We here show that the cAMP-Crp complex, which also binds to the glpFK upstream regulatory region, also inhibits IS5 hopping into the activating site. This finding allowed us to identify conditions under which wild type cells can acquire glpFK -activating IS5 insertions. Maximal rates of IS5 insertion into the activating site require the presence of glycerol as well as a non-metabolizable sugar analogue that lowers cytoplasmic cAMP concentrations. Under these conditions, IS5 insertional mutants accumulate and outcompete the wild type cells. Because of the widespread distribution of glucose analogues in nature, this mechanism of gene activation could have evolved by natural selection.
Partial cystectomy in the treatment of bladder cancer.

AbstractA retrospective study was made on 57 partial cystectomies for bladder cancer performed during a 25-year period. Operative mortality was zero and morbidity was low. The 5-year survival rate was 59.5 per cent. The procedure is believed to be a good choice in certain cases. These criteria are discussed.
Electrowetting-based microoptics

This Chapter discussed the following: brief history of electrowetting; surface tension; contact angle; liquid lens focal length; tunable liquid microlens; electrowetting-based microlens on a flexible curvilinear surface; arrayed electrowetting prism and switchable microlens; electrowetting-controlled liquid mirror; electrowetting-driven optical switch and aperture; electrowetting display.
Internet Ethics, American Law, and Jewish Law: A Comparative Overview

Societies are governed by codes of ethics. In developed societies, parts of these codes form a set of laws, enforceable by legal authorities, with or without assistance from the populace. At times, laws are crafted for the benefit of the powerful members of the society, ensuring preservation of their positions and property, while other constituents may ignore, actively disobey, or challenge laws they believe do not support their ethics. Developing and maintaining appropriate social norms is thus particularly critical for sustaining rapidly changing heterogeneous populaces.The Internet, devised for the purpose of interconnecting diverse computer networks of research and educational communities, has become a global communication system that joins together widely disparate populaces with different ethical codes. The World Wide Web (WWW), hosted by the Internet, serves both to propagate existing ethos and to undermine them. Communities of the WWW, as well as their governments, are striving to establish fundamental guidelines. This Essay suggests that Jewish law contains principles that may be relevant to this endeavor.Specifically, a comparative overview of elements of the ethics and regulation of speech in American law and Jewish law may help us understand ethical guidelines of online communities. We investigate the posting and retrieval of content containing libel (slander), gossip (scandal), unauthorized personal information (privacy violation), pornography, obscenity, and other objectionable material.We first briefly review the history of the Internet in order to identify ways in which its development influenced and was influenced by pre-existing technologies. We then examine American and Jewish law in terms of speech (output and input of content) and privacy (in this Essay, restricted to output and input of personal content), and compare these to content guidelines on some prominent social networks. We claim that Jewish law and ethics, which place broader restrictions on speech than those in American law, have the potential to positively influence the norms of both traditional and social media.Incorporating social norms can be particularly beneficial in the context of Internet-based ethics. First, to the extent that formal laws are unfair and/or ineffective, they can be supplemented by informal rules that better reflect the shared values of the community. Second, because they have not been decreed by the government, informal rules are generally not subject to constitutional protections. Therefore, ethical restrictions that are accepted by the community potentially provide a means for placing broader limits on speech than would be permissible under governmental laws. In both respects, social norms share characteristics of Jewish ethics, which often rely on a consensus of communal obligation as a primary motivation for adherence, and which include a range of obligations and prohibitions beyond those enacted in most legal systems.
Human erythrocyte protein 4.2 deficiency associated with hemolytic anemia and a homozygous 40glutamic acid-->lysine substitution in the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (band 3Montefiore)

Red blood cell (RBC) protein 4.2 deficiency is often associated with a moderate nonimmune hemolytic anemia, splenomegaly, and osmotically fragile RBCs resembling, but not identical to, hereditary spherocytosis (HS). In the Japanese type of protein 4.2 deficiency (protein 4.2Nippon), the anemia is associated with a point mutation in the protein 4.2 cDNA. In this report, we describe a patient with moderate and apparently episodic nonimmune hemolytic anemia with splenomegaly, spherocytosis, osmotically fragile RBCs, reduced whole cell deformability, and abnormally dense cells. Sodium dodecyl sulfate- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the proposita's RBC membrane proteins showed an 88% deficiency of protein 4.2 and a 30% deficiency of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (band 6). Structural and molecular analyses of the proposita's protein 4.2 were normal. In contrast, limited tryptic digestion of the proposita's band 3 showed a homozygous abnormality in the cytoplasmic domain. Analysis of the pedigree disclosed six members who were heterozygotes for the band 3 structural abnormality and one member who was a normal homozygote. Direct sequence analysis of the abnormal band 3 tryptic peptide suggested that the structural abnormality resided at or near residue 40. Sequence analysis of the proposita's band 3 cDNA showed a 232G-->A mutation resulting in a 40glutamic acid-->lysine substitution (band 3Montefiore). Allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization was used to probe for the mutation in the pedigree, showing that the proposita was homozygous, and the pedigree members who were heterozygous for the band 3 structural abnormality were also heterozygous for the band 3Montefiore mutation. The band 3Montefiore mutation was absent in 26 chromosomes from race-matched controls and in one pedigree member who did not express the band 3 structural abnormality. In coincidence with splenectomy, the proposita's anemia was largely corrected along with the disappearance of most spherocytes and considerable improvements of RBC osmotic fragility, whole cell deformability, and cell density. We conclude that this hereditary hemolytic anemia is associated with the homozygous state for band 3Montefiore (40glutamic acid-->lysine) and a decreased RBC membrane content of protein 4.2. We speculate that band 3 structural abnormalities can result in defective interactions with protein 4.2 and band 6, and in particular, that the region of band 3 containing 40glutamic acid is involved directly or indirectly in interactions with these proteins.
Nucleation of urea from aqueous solution: Structure, critical size, and rate

Using fully atomistic simulations, we find that the structure of the critical urea crystal nucleus (monoclinic, four molecules per unit cell) in an aqueous solution differs from the known crystal structure of bulk urea (orthorhombic, two molecules per unit cell). Following a frequently used "seeding technique" combined with the classical nucleation theory, we also find that at room temperature the critical nucleus is very large (containing ∼530 molecules) and the nucleation rate is very slow (∼5×10-24cm-3s-1), suggesting that the homogeneous nucleation of urea is improbable at room temperature.
Offline first-fit decreasing height scheduling of power loads

In this paper, we consider the problem of scheduling energy consumption loads in the setting of smart electric grids. Each load is characterized as a “job” by a start (arrival) time and a deadline by which a certain amount of electric energy must be delivered to the load. A job may be preemptable, i. e. it can be interrupted or non-preemptable. Specifically, we focus on scheduling a mixture of preemptable and non-preemptable jobs with the same arrival time and deadline with the goal of minimizing the peak power. We study and modify the first-fit decreasing height algorithm of the strip packing problem for this purpose. We prove its asymptotic performance bound: $$1.7 OPT + 1$$ and its tightness. The heuristic results in at most one preemption per job, and it can be implemented with $$O(n \log n + nq)$$ time complexity where q is the number of $$non-preemptable$$ jobs.
The Medical and Economic Burden of Narcolepsy: Implications for Managed Care.

BACKGROUND The neurologic disorder narcolepsy results from dysregulation of the sleep-wake cycle and is primarily characterized by chronic, severely excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, an emotionally induced muscle weakness. The prevalence of narcolepsy is approximately 0.05%, and onset generally occurs during the first 2 decades of life. Narcolepsy is believed to be an autoimmune disorder with destruction of hypocretin-producing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. OBJECTIVES To provide an enhanced understanding of narcolepsy and establish the need for early diagnosis and rapid initiation of effective treatment for patients with narcolepsy. DISCUSSION Narcolepsy reduces daily functioning and is associated with a substantial medical and economic burden, with many patients being on full disability. The annual direct medical costs are approximately 2-fold higher in patients with narcolepsy than in matched controls without this condition ($11,702 vs $5261, respectively; P <.0001). Further contributing to the overall burden is a lack of recognition of the signs and symptoms of narcolepsy and an absence of easily measurable biomarkers, resulting in a diagnostic delay that often exceeds 10 years and may be associated with misdiagnosis and inappropriate resource utilization. Because narcolepsy generally has an onset in childhood or in adolescence, is often misdiagnosed, has no known cure, and requires lifelong treatment, it is an important disease from a managed care perspective. Clinical features, as well as objective testing, should be used to ensure the timely diagnosis and treatment of patients with narcolepsy. CONCLUSION Policies for the diagnosis and treatment of narcolepsy should be based on the current treatment guidelines, but they should also encourage shared decisions between clinicians and patients to allow for individualized diagnostic and treatment choices, as suggested in best practice recommendations.
Hyperbolic advection-diffusion schemes for high-Reynolds-number boundary-layer problems

Abstract This paper discusses issues in hyperbolic advection–diffusion schemes for high-Reynolds-number boundary-layer problems. Implicit hyperbolic advection–diffusion solvers have been found to encounter significant convergence deterioration for high-Reynolds-number problems with boundary layers. The problems are examined in details for a one-dimensional advection–diffusion model, and resolutions are discussed. One of the major findings is that the relaxation length scale needs to be inversely proportional to the Reynolds number to minimize the truncation error and retain the dissipation of the hyperbolic diffusion scheme. Accurate, robust, and efficient boundary-layer calculations by hyperbolic schemes are demonstrated for advection–diffusion equations in one and two dimensions.
A model-based design approach for simulation and virtual prototyping of automotive control systems using port-Hamiltonian systems

Cyber–physical systems (CPS) such as automotive control systems consist of various interacting cyber and physical components. Heterogeneous domains, composition of multiple components, complex dynamics, and nonlinearities result in significant challenges for design, modeling, and simulation of CPS. Model-based design can be used to address such challenges, but it is very important to use physically accurate heterogeneous models that can be composed to represent the overall system behavior. Further, it is important to preserve the properties derived from analyses based on the mathematical models in the control system implementation in order to reduce costly testing and design changes late in the development cycle. This paper proposes a model-based design methodology for automotive control software using port-Hamiltonian systems (PHS). PHS are used to model the vehicle dynamics, speed and steering control systems, and the interactions between physical and cyber components. Passivity analysis is used to design the controllers and ensure system stability. More importantly, the proposed approach guarantees that passivity is preserved after time-discretization and quantization of the controllers. The models are then used for code generation and compilation, scheduling, and software deployment, ensuring that passivity is preserved by the control system implementation. We evaluate the methodology using an automotive control design case study implemented on a hardware-in-the-loop simulation platform and present simulation results to demonstrate its effectiveness.
Demographically diverse crowds are typically not much wiser than homogeneous crowds

Averaging independent numerical judgments can be more accurate than the average individual judgment. This “wisdom of crowds” effect has been shown with large, diverse samples, but the layperson wishing to take advantage of this may only have access to the opinions of a small, more demographically homogeneous “convenience sample.” How wise are homogeneous crowds relative to diverse crowds? In simulations and survey studies, we demonstrate three necessary conditions under which small socially diverse crowds can outperform socially homogeneous crowds: Social identity must predict judgment, the effect of social identity on judgment must be at least moderate in size, and the average estimates of the social groups in question must “bracket” the truth being judged. Seven survey studies suggest that these conditions are rarely met in real judgment tasks. Comparisons between the performances of diverse and homogeneous crowds further confirm that social diversity can make crowds wiser but typically by a very small margin.
Special Groups: Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer is a unique cause of dysphagia. Altered swallow function can be secondary to the mechanical effects of a tumor invading normal anatomy needed for deglutition, or as a direct sequela of cancer treatment (surgery and/or radiation ± chemotherapy). This article outlines the incidence of head and neck cancer, effects of anatomic changes associated with common surgical intervention, and the consequences of treatment-induced dysphagia. Assessment and rehabilitation techniques applicable for this population are discussed.
Share Price Reactions to Announcements of Females Entering the C-suite

This study will examine share price reactions to announcements of females joining the c-suite of a Fortune 500 firm from 1996-2010. More specifically, we analyze announcements of female Chief Execu...
Toward a New Typology of Sunni Jihad

One recurring theme of the immediate post-9/11 environment was that of regional political organizations and violent lone-wolf actors pledging allegiance to Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda group (AQ). Fo...
Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics of WalkIT Arizona: A factorial randomized trial testing adaptive goals and financial reinforcement to increase walking across higher and lower walkable neighborhoods

Abstract Little change over the decades has been seen in adults meeting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) guidelines. Numerous individual-level interventions to increase MVPA have been designed, mostly static interventions without consideration for neighborhood context. Recent technologies make adaptive interventions for MVPA feasible. Unlike static interventions, adaptive intervention components (e.g., goal setting) adjust frequently to an individual's performance. Such technologies also allow for more precise delivery of “smaller, sooner incentives” that may result in greater MVPA than “larger, later incentives”. Combined, these factors could enhance MVPA adoption. Additionally, a central tenet of ecological models is that MVPA is sensitive to neighborhood environment design; lower-walkable neighborhoods constrain MVPA adoption and maintenance, limiting the effects of individual-level interventions. Higher-walkable neighborhoods are hypothesized to enhance MVPA interventions. Few prospective studies have addressed this premise. This report describes the rationale, design, intervention components, and baseline sample of a study testing individual-level adaptive goal-setting and incentive interventions for MVPA adoption and maintenance over 2 years among adults from neighborhoods known to vary in neighborhood walkability. We scaled these evidenced-based interventions and tested them against static-goal-setting and delayed-incentive comparisons in a 2 × 2 factorial randomized trial to increase MVPA among 512 healthy insufficiently-active adults. Participants (64.3% female, M age = 45.5 ± 9.1 years, M BMI = 33.9 ± 7.3 kg/m2, 18.8% Hispanic, 84.0% White) were recruited from May 2016 to May 2018 from block groups ranked on GIS-measured neighborhood walkability and socioeconomic status (SES) and classified into four neighborhood types: “high walkable/high SES,” “high walkable/low SES,” “low walkable/high SES,” and “low walkable/low SES.” Results from this ongoing study will provide evidence for some of the central research questions of ecological models.
E-cigarettes and smoking cessation: a prospective study of a national sample of pregnant smokers.

Smoking during pregnancy has adverse health consequences for the mother and fetus. E-cigarettes could aid with smoking cessation but there is limited research on the prevalence and patterns of e-cigarette use, and their association with smoking cessation among pregnant smokers. We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of a text-messaging program for smoking cessation among a U.S. national cohort of pregnant smokers (n = 428). Outcomes assessed were trajectories of e-cigarettes use from baseline to one-month follow-up, and longitudinal association between e-cigarette use at baseline and smoking cessation at one-month follow-up. At baseline, 74 (17.29%) pregnant smokers used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days and 36 (8.41%) used e-cigarettes in the past 7 days. The primary reason stated for using e-cigarettes during pregnancy was for quitting. E-cigarette use between baseline and 1-month was inconsistent. Of 36 dual-users at baseline, 20 (55.56%) stopped using e-cigarettes by the 1-month follow-up and 14 initiated e-cigarette use. There was no evidence of an association between e-cigarette use at baseline and the primary smoking cessation outcome, 7-day point prevalence abstinence [adjusted odds ratio = 0.79, 95% confidence intervals = 0.33–1.92]. A secondary analysis of a national sample of pregnant smokers indicates that use of e-cigarettes is inconsistent and is not associated with improved smoking cessation outcomes. There is an urgent need to further examine the risk and benefits of e-cigarette use, especially during pregnancy.