cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An ERP investigation into the strategic regulation of the fluency heuristic during recognition memory.

Abstract The goal of the present study was to determine whether masked repetition priming affects ERP s differently depending on whether or not participants are biased by task conditions to interpret enhanced perceptual fluency as evidence of prior study. Participants studied a list of words either in the visual modality or in the auditory modality and then performed a visual recognition memory test while ERP s were recorded. During the test, half the stimuli were preceded by a briefly presented matching prime word and half were preceded by a briefly presented non-matching prime word. Unlike in previous behavioral studies, masked repetition priming led to a reduction in positive recognition responses following auditory study, and had no effect following visual study, although post hoc analyses suggest that participants who received the visual study list may have relied on fluency to make some of their recognition decisions. Masked repetition priming also led to positive ERP s during two time windows—an early 300–500 ms window and a later 500–700 ms window. During the later time window, masked repetition priming exhibited a frontal scalp distribution that was most pronounced for participants who received the auditory study list. We suggest that this late frontal effect reflects participants' tendency to reject enhanced perceptual fluency as evidence of prior study.
Cardinal series interpolation to nonuniform grids

Abstract We consider Whittaker′s cardinal series interpolation from a uniform grid to a nonuniform grid. It is shown that the interpolation is a bounded linear map if and only if a constraint on the clustering of the nonuniform grid is satisfied. An error estimate showing the spectral accuracy of the cardinal series interpolation is also presented.
Network Programming Models for Production Scheduling in Multi-Stage, Multi-Item Capacitated Systems

This paper investigates a multi-item, multi-level production scheduling problem with linear costs and production and inventory constraints at one key facility. Two multi-item problems-one in which the constraint was on shipping capability and one in which there was a final stage bottleneck machine-motivated the paper. A multi-item facilities-in-series problem is formulated, in standard fashion, as a linear program. Then we show that in certain important cases the 3-period problem is a network problem. This 3-period result is used as the basis for a rolling heuristic for T-period problems. The conditions under which this heuristic fails to find optimal solutions are discussed and computational comparisons to standard linear programming are given. Finally, we discuss ways of dealing with two constrained facilities and with setup costs.
XAFS Characterization of Copper in Model Aqueous Systems of Humic Acid and Illite

Adsorption of heavy metals at mineral surfaces and complexation with reactive organic-matter functional groups are important processes regulating the solubility and fate of soil contaminants. To determine the nature of Cu(II) bonding in complex clay-organic systems, XAFS analyses were conducted on aqueous suspensions containing Cu(II) in various forms: (i) complexed with soil humic acid (HA) at various HA:Cu ratios, (ii) bound to illite, or (iii) bound in a mixture of illite and HA. Spectral features for Cu bound to HA did not depend significantly on the HA:Cu ratio, and average first-shell Cu-O bond lengths were consistently shorter than for the Cu-illite systems. In the mixed clay-organic suspension, Cu bonding was more characteristic to that of Cu bound with HA.
Analysis of quantal response data from bacterial destruction studies in sterilization: the Stumbo estimate is biased

J. HACHIGIAN AND R.J. SCHLESINGER. 1991. Real and simulated experimental data and theoretical data from quantal response experiments were used to make a comparison between the analysis of data from a quantal response experiment and data from a direct enumeration experiment. The method of analysis for each is differentiated, thereby enhancing the utility of the quantal response experiment in sterilization studies. From this comparison it appears that the Stumbo estimate of the D value is biased. Furthermore, the Stumbo estimate depends upon the spore load per replicate in quantal response type experiments, which makes experimental comparisons difficult. Another estimate of D is demonstrated which overcomes some of these shortcomings.
Optical Corridor Routing Protocols

The scalability of routing and resource advertisement protocols is a key issue in large optical networks. A commonly used solution is based on the hierarchical approach adopted in IP/MPLS-TE networks, i.e., multiple areas or autonomous systems are pre-established to contain the geographical scope of the resource advertisement protocols and the related routing information. With arbitrarily pre-established areas, routing decision might be sub-optimal. Thus, special care must be paid by the network designer to subdivide effectively the network into areas. This paper presents and discusses an alternative routing technique that attempts to improve both optimality and scalability of routing and resource advertisement protocols without requiring the use of manually pre-established areas.
Squeezing xenon into phenylether bis-urea nanochannels

One-dimensional nanochannels, hundreds of microns in persistence length but with elliptical cross-sectional dimensions of only ∼3.7 A × 4.8 A, are formed by the columnar assembly of phenylether bis...
Supersymmetric three-form flux perturbations on AdS 5

We consider warped type IIB supergravity solutions with three-form flux and $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetry, which arise as the supergravity duals of confining gauge theories. We first work in a perturbation expansion around ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{5}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{\mathrm{S}}^{5}$, as in the work of Polchinski and Strassler, and from the $\mathcal{N}=1$ conditions and the Bianchi identities recover their first-order solution generalized to an arbitrary $\mathcal{N}=1$ superpotential. We find the second order dilaton and axion by the same means. We also find a simple family of exact solutions, which can be obtained from solutions found by Becker and Becker, and which includes the recent Klebanov-Strassler solution.
Designing and Implementing a Successful Gender-Neutral Housing Community

AbstractGender-neutral housing (GNH) offers a safe and inclusive environment for students who have need and desire for a space that is gender inclusive and does not limit placement to sex as assigned at birth. In predominant gender-based housing models, students who are gender nonconforming find limited options. The request for, and implementation of, GNH on college campuses is rising to fulfill the needs of students. This article describes the development, implementation, and strategies of the successful GNH community at Ohio University. The author offers a path to follow for implementation of GNH on other campuses.
Target detection and identification using a stepped-frequency ultrawideband radar

Ultra-wideband radar systems provide great potential for radar target detection, identification and imaging through their inherent high-resolution capabilities. This paper considers two applications of a stepped-frequency ultra- wideband radar--detection of targets close to a disturbed sea surface, and imaging of airborne targets. A new technique for target detection is presented, based on the E- pulse concept and designed to eradicate the sea clutter signal while enhancing the target response. A simulation of a missile travelling above an evolving sea-water model is considered, and results are compared to measurements made in an anechoic chamber. Finally, the effects of signal bandwidth and bistatic angle on image resolution are explored, using a time-domain imaging identity with measured, band-limited signals.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Protecting an eroding shoreline: the evolution of management response

Abstract Sandy Hook. New Jersey, was used by the US Army until 1970 for coastal defence installations at the entrance to New York harbour and as an ordnance proving ground. Since 1970, Sandy Hook has been managed by the US National Park Service as a part of Gateway National Recreation Area. An important problem which managers of both institutions have had to face is the instability of the narrow neck of the spit. The high rates of erosion which have predominated at the neck have jeopardized the overland access route to the facilities at the northern end of the spit, and both Army and Park Service managers have taken steps to alleviate the problem. A breach in the neck in 1896 led the Army engineers to construct a seawall to close the breach and to protect the access road. Over the next 30 years, several projects were undertaken to extend the length of the seawall and to reinforce the structure. The Park Service managers are currently facing the same problem, although the focus of erosion has been transferred northward. The National Park Service has chosen a more dynamic solution to the problem in accordance with their objectives for this eroding area. This study demonstrates that the protection approaches selected for use by the managers of both institutions were a function of differing objectives. In addition, the study provides an example of how management decisions made in the past influence present management actions.
Fusion PCR and gene targeting in Aspergillus nidulans

We describe a rapid method for the production of fusion PCR products that can be used, generally without band purification, to transform Aspergillus nidulans. This technique can be used to replace genes; tag genes with fluorescent moeties or epitope tags; or replace endogenous promoters with regulatable promoters, by introducing an appropriate selective cassette (e.g., fluorescent protein + selectable marker). The relevant genomic fragments and cassette are first amplified separately by PCR using primers that produce overlapping ends. A second PCR using 'nested' primers fuses the fragments into a single molecule with all sequences in the desired order. This procedure allows a cassette to be amplified once, frozen and used subsequently in many fusion PCRs. Transformation of nonhomologous recombination deficient (nkuADelta) strains of A. nidulans with fusion PCR products results in high frequencies of accurate gene targeting. Fusion PCR takes less than 2 d. Protoplast formation and transformation takes less than 1 d.
Experimental exposure of plankton suspensions to polychromatic ultraviolet radiation for determination of spectral weighting functions

The design and optical characteristics of a polychromatic ultraviolet radiation exposure system are described. The system uses a Xe lamp and long-pass cutoff filters to provide exposures to plankton suspensions in quartz cuvettes. Up to 80 simultaneous exposures can be made for eight spectral regimes with ten irradiance levels for each regime. Treatment spectra are presented for a system configured for the study of UV responses of biological and chemical processes in the Chesapeake Bay. Experimental exposures bracket full solar spectral irradiance for the site.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Limnological Factors Influencing Bird Abundance and Species Richness on Florida Lakes

ABSTRACT Forty-six bird species were observed on 33 Florida lakes with some species occurring on only one lake and others on as many as 26 lakes. Average annual bird abundance ranged from seven to 750 bird/km2 and total species richness ranged from two to 30 species per lake. Regression analyses were used to examine the effects of lake trophic status, aquatic macrophyte abundance, and lake morphology on average annual bird abundance and total species richness. All trophic state parameters (total phosphorus, total chlorophyll a, etc.) accounted for significant portions of the variance in average annual bird abundance, but total chlorophyll a concentrations (μg/L) accounted for the highest percentage (47 percent) of the variance. The best fit regression equation was: Log Bird Abundance = 1.35 + 0.56 Log Total Chlorophyll a . Lake area, shoreline length, and all trophic state parameters accounted for significant portions of the variance in total species richness. Multiple regression analyses indicated that l...
Fragrance material review on 4-methylbenzyl acetate.

Abstract A toxicologic and dermatologic review of 4-methylbenzyl acetate when used as a fragrance ingredient is presented. 4-Methylbenzyl acetate is a member of the fragrance structural group Aryl Alkyl Alcohol Simple Acid Esters (AAASAE). The AAASAE fragrance ingredients are prepared by reacting an aryl alkyl alcohol with a simple carboxylic acid (a chain of 1–4 carbons) to generate formate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate and carbonate esters. This review contains a detailed summary of all available toxicology and dermatology papers that are related to this individual fragrance ingredient and is not intended as a stand-alone document. Available data for 4-methylbenzyl acetate were evaluated, then summarized, and includes: physical properties, skin irritation, skin sensitization, and elicitation data. A safety assessment of the entire AAASAE will be published simultaneously with this document. Please refer to Belsito et al. (2012) for an overall assessment of the safe use of this material and all AAASAE in fragrances. Belsito, D., Bickers, D., Bruze, M., Calow, P., Dagli, M., Fryer, A.D., Greim, H., Hanifin, J.H., Miyachi, Y., Saurat, J.H., Sipes, I.G., submitted for publication. A Toxicologic and Dermatologic Assessment of Aryl Alkyl Alcohol Simple Acid Esters When Used as Fragrance Ingredients.
Studies of hypersensitivity to low molecular weight substances. II. Reactions of some allergenic substituted dinitrobenzenes with cysteine or cystine of skin proteins.

2,4-dinitrophenylsulfenyl chloride (DSCl) and 2,4-dinitrophenylthiocyanate (DSCN) elicited allergic reactions of the delayed type when applied to the skin of guinea pigs and of human beings who had been sensitized by prior exposure to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DF). DSCl and DSCN, together with 2,4-dinitrobenzene sulfonate (DSO3), constitute a clearly defined group of allergenic dinitrophenyl compounds in that they all combined with skin protein in vivo through reaction with cysteine or cystine. In vitro, these compounds combine with free SH groups, and with —S—S— groups of hair and epidermis, but not with —S—S— groups of oxidized glutathione or of bovine gamma globulins. DSO3, DSCl, and DSCN did not react with amino groups in vivo, but did react with protein amino groups in vitro at pH values of about 10. Another group of dinitrophenyl compounds (DF, DCl, and DBr) previously had been shown to combine with lysine e-NH2 groups of epidermal proteins. In the present work it was found that these compounds do not react with the disulfide groups of these proteins, either in vivo or in vitro. Moreover, they did not seem to react with SH groups of viable skin, although they are highly reactive with sulfhydryl in vitro. This apparent discrepancy between reactivity with SH groups in vitro and in vivo may be due to the fact that the chromatographic technique employed was relatively insensitive for the sulfhydryl derivative. When a compound of either group was applied to the skin surface, dinitrophenyl-amino acids were recovered from the epidermis but not from the dermis. The results are discussed from the viewpoint of the epidermal localization of dinitrophenyl-protein conjugates.
A Case Study of Race Consciousness Among Haitian Immigrants

This article examines the manifestation of race consciousness among Haitian immigrants, part of the growing black immigrant population in the United States. It is based on 1978-1980 data on Haitians in a suburban Midwestern setting. Most black immigrants are physically similar to black Americans and face discrimination on the basis of their racial designation (Bryce-Laporte, 1972; Buchanan, 1979; Laguerre, 1984; Reid, 1939; Schiller, 1977). Yet, there is hardly any study of the development of race consciousness among black immigrants. In this case study, it was found that most Haitian immigrants lack race consciousness. Possible reasons for this are (a) the social organization of the Haitian community that mediates between new migrants and American institutions so that the direct effects of racial discrimination are muted; (b) the segmentation of the job market and consequent segregated occupational position of most Haitians; and (c) most Haitian immigrants' ideology for migration to the United States. This article has five parts: (1) the definition of the concept of race consciousness, (2) methods and research site, (3) race consciousness among the Haitian immigrants studied, (4) reasons for their limited race consciousness, and (5) conclusions and implications for further research.
The direct partial oxidation of methane to liquid hydrocarbons over HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst

Abstract The direct partial oxidation (DPO) of CH 4 with O 2 in the presence of a C 3 additive over HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst at 960 psig produced C 5 + liquid hydrocarbons at the expense of the initially formed CH 3 0H. Previous experiments with pure CH4 and Oz feed and with a sand-packed reactor conclusively showed the need for both the C 3 additive and the zeolite in the system to produce C 5 + liquids. Evidence of CH 4 incorporation into the liquid products was given by selectivity calculations which indicated the C 3 alone could not account for the CS hydrocarbons. CH4 incorporation has been conclusively confirmed by mass spectral analyses of tetramethylbenzene produced in a run with 13 CH 4 under identical conditions which show significant 13 C enrichment in the C 9 H 11 + and C 6 H 5 + fragments. While CH 4 undergoes DPO to CH 3 0H in the system, two possible reaction mechanisms can explain the role of C 3 ; one involves initiation of methanol conversion to gasoline (MTG) by alkenes and the second involves C 3 aromatization followed by aromatics alkylation with CH 3 0H. Studies on this system with HZSM-5 catalysts having varying Al contents indicate a sensitivity to zeolite acidity except at high Al concentrations.
Duloxetine for the treatment of recurrent major depressive disorder in elderly patients: treatment outcomes in patients with comorbid arthritis.

Background Evaluation and treatment of major depression (MDD) in elderly patients is frequently complicated by the presence of comorbid medical conditions, which can reduce the effect of depression treatment, leading to lower rates of depressive-symptom improvement and higher rates of relapse. Objective The authors investigated results of antidepressant concurrent with arthritis pain treatment in elderly patients. Method Patients age 65 and over with recurrent MDD were stratified by arthritis status and randomized to duloxetine (a dual reuptake-inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine) or placebo treatment for 8 weeks (duloxetine, N=117; placebo, N=55). Results Duloxetine significantly reduced MDD symptom severity in elderly patients with and without arthritis, and produced significant reduction in several pain measures in those patients with comorbid arthritis. Discussion The magnitude and time-course of depressive symptom improvement did not differ significantly between patients with and without arthritis. Some studies have suggested that the severity of pain in arthritis patients may be linked to depression severity.
The effects of mild ethanol intoxication on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in nonalcoholic men.

Historically, ethanol exposure has been thought to stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. However, recent studies have demonstrated decreased responsiveness to metyrapone and insulin-induced hypoglycemia in alcoholic subjects. The present study investigated in more detail the effect of acute ethanol ingestion (0.75 g/kg) on the HPA axis in healthy nonalcoholic men (n = 14). In study 1, plasma ACTH/cortisol levels were determined basally and every 30 min over a 180-min period after the ingestion of placebo or ethanol (n = 8). When the subjects were analyzed as a group, ethanol did not alter ACTH or cortisol levels. However, in two of eight subjects, ethanol ingestion was accompanied by a rise in plasma ACTH. In study 2, ethanol or placebo was ingested over 15 min, and 1 microgram/kg ovine (o) CRH was administered (n = 9). Hormone levels were determined at 20 min before and 0, 15, 30, 60, and 90 min after iv oCRH. Compared to responses to placebo, plasma ACTH responses to oCRH were blunted...
Honey bee sociogenomics: a genome-scale perspective on bee social behavior and health

The biology of honey bees involves a host of developmental, behavioral, and physiological components that allow thousands of individual bees to form complex social units. Fueled by a wealth of information from new genomic technologies, a new approach, sociogenomics, uses a focus on the genome to integrate the molecular underpinnings and ultimate explanations of social life. This approach has resulted in a massive influx of data from the honey bee genome and transcriptome, a flurry of research activity, and new insights into honey bee biology. Here, we provide an up-to-date review describing how the honey bee has been successfully studied using this approach, highlighting how the integration of genomic information into honey bee research has provided insights into worker division of labor, communication, caste differences and development, evolution, and honey bee health. We also highlight how genomic studies in other eusocial insect species have provided insights into social evolution via comparative analyses. These data have led to several important new insights about how social behavior is organized on a genomic level, including (1) the fact that gene expression is highly dynamic and responsive to the social environment, (2) that large-scale changes in gene expression can contribute to caste and behavioral differences, (3) that transcriptional networks regulating these behaviors can be related to previously established hormonal mechanisms, and (4) that some genes and pathways retain conserved roles in behavior across contexts and social insect taxa.
Fast non-contact dielectric characterization for SiC MOS processing

Non-contact corona-voltage metrology is utilized to characterize as-grown thermal oxide films on 4H SiC substrates. Contact potential difference mapping is coupled with incremental application of corona charge to provide whole-wafer images of process related effects and multiplepoint capacitance-voltage characteristics respectively. Correspondence between wafer VCPD images and process details is suggested along with examples of fast electrical dielectric thickness determination and non-contact C-V characteristic acquisition.
Phospholipase A2 and arachidonic acid in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Essential fatty acids (EFA) play a critical role in the brain and regulate many of the processes altered in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Technical advances are allowing for the dissection of complex lipid pathways in normal and diseased states. Arachidonic acid (AA) and specific isoforms of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) appear to be critical mediators in amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced pathogenesis, leading to learning, memory, and behavioral impairments in mouse models of AD. These findings and ongoing research into lipid biology in AD and related disorders promise to reveal new pharmacological targets that may lead to better treatments for these devastating conditions.
PREDICTION OF DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES IN SOLID FOODS OF HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT AT ULTRAHIGH AND MICROWAVE FREQUENCIES

Recent studies have shown that dielectric properties of raw potato can be predicted over the range of 300–3000 Mhz and 5–65°C by a noninteractive Distributive model derived from lumped circuit analysis by a two-phase approximation which treats the potato as a binary system consisting of an inert solid phase and an active liquid phase. Dielectric behavior was seen to result primarily from water and ion activities of aqueous regions but subject to appreciable modification by a mechanism of volume exclusion due to effects of colloidal solids. Cell-free and whole potato extract measurements showed cation binding and complexing effects, resulting in considerably lower effective salts concentrations than implied by ash content. In addition, intracellular cation and biochemical constituent levels, were significantly higher than extracellular levels. However, dielectric behavior of aqueous regions of the potato appeared to be based on bulk average fluid properties subject to displacement by colloidal solids. Low-frequency measurements of raw potato showed other regions of relaxation and conductivity effects rather than free water and bulk conductivity at low frequencies. But these appeared not to contribute to high-frequency dielectric response of the potato since observed relaxations were of small magnitude or occurred at frequencies well below the ultrahigh and microwave regions, suggesting that surface properties of solid foods may not be of much significance at high frequencies. Preliminary analysis of solid food measurements by other workers suggests the feasibility of modelling solid food behavior by two-phase approximations of Distributive, Maxwell or Rayleigh model behavior based on physical-chemical properties. For example, raw beef measurements were predicted closely by a two-phase model in Rayleigh form, suggesting modelling characteristics similar to the potato but with specific model behavior due to differencesin biological structure of beef and potato. A general physical-chemical model is proposed for high-frequency dielectric behavior of solid foods based on observed mechanisms of interaction between water and the biochemical constituents of foods.
Novel approach for in situ biohazard detection utilizing surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

A novel structural architecture of the substrate for Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy utilizes the effect of light localization in macroporous material and results in significant improvement of low-concentrated detection of contaminants in solution.
Flexibility in DNA Recombination: Structure of the Lambda Integrase Catalytic Core

Lambda integrase is archetypic of site-specific recombinases that catalyze intermolecular DNA rearrangements without energetic input. DNA cleavage, strand exchange, and religation steps are linked by a covalent phosphotyrosine intermediate in which Tyr342 is attached to the 3-phosphate of the DNA cut site. The 1.9 angstrom crystal structure of the integrase catalytic domain reveals a protein fold that is conserved in organisms ranging from archaebacteria to yeast and that suggests a model for interaction with target DNA. The attacking Tyr342 nucleophile is located on a flexible loop about 20 angstroms from a basic groove that contains all the other catalytically essential residues. This bipartite active site can account for several apparently paradoxical features of integrase family recombinases, including the capacity for both cis and trans cleavage of DNA.
A study on the sensitivity of Drucker-Prager Cap model parameters during the decompression phase of powder compaction simulations

Abstract The compaction of pharmaceutical powders can be simulated using phenomenological elasto-plastic continuum models adopted from soil mechanics. These models are typically implemented in finite element codes and have been used recently to investigate the macroscopic property distributions in powders during compaction. The present study demonstrates the importance of obtaining accurate yield surface parameters for use in such models. A commercial finite element code implementing the Drucker–Prager Cap (DPC) model was used to model the compression and decompression stages of powder compaction in a tabletting operation. The parameters used in the DPC model were obtained from the literature. Although the compression stage of the process gave expected behavior, the decompression response was unrealistic for at least one set of published data. Small values for the friction and cohesion parameters resulted in a significant elastic recovery during decompression. This study demonstrates the need to obtain accurate parameter data in order to model the decompression stage of powder compaction.
Effective permittivities for second-order accurate FDTD equations at dielectric interfaces

In Yee's finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) scheme, effective permittivities are often used to account for offsets of dielectric interfaces from grid nodes. The specific values of these effective permittivities must be chosen in such a way that the second-order accuracy of the scheme is preserved. It is shown in this work that, contrary to more elaborate techniques proposed recently for the development of these effective permittivities, a rigorous application of the integral forms of Maxwell's curl equations on the Yee's lattice leads to the desired values in a straightforward fashion. Numerical experiments in a two-dimensional (2-D) cavity are used to verify that the calculated effective permittivities preserve the second-order accuracy of the FDTD scheme.
Oxidation Resistance of Fully Dense ZrB2 with SiC, TaB2, and TaSi2 Additives

Specimens of ZrB 2 containing various concentrations of B 4 C, SiC, TaB 2 , and TaSi 2 were pressureless-sintered and post-hot isostatic pressed to their theoretical densities. Oxidation resistances were studied by scanning thermogravimetry over the range 1150°-1550°C. SiC additions improved oxidation resistance over a broadening range of temperatures with increasing SiC content. Tantalum additions to ZrB 2 -B 4 C-SiC in the form of TaB 2 and/or TaSi 2 increased oxidation resistance over the entire evaluated spectrum of temperatures. TaSi 2 proved to be a more effective additive than TaB 2 . Silicon-containing compositions formed a glassy surface layer, covering an interior oxide layer. This interior layer was less porous in tantalum-containing compositions.
Two-photon excited fluorescence enhancement with broadband versus tunable femtosecond laser pulse excitation

The inverse relationship between two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and laser pulse duration suggests that two-photon microscopy (TPM) performance may be improved by decreasing pulse duration. However, for ultrashort pulses of sub-10 femtosecond (fs) in duration, its spectrum contains the effective gain bandwidth of Ti:Sapphire and its central wavelength is no longer tunable. An experimental study was performed to explore this apparent tradeoff between untuned sub-10 fs transform-limited pulse (TLP) and tunable 140 fs pulse for TPEF. Enhancement factors of 1.6, 6.7, and 5.2 are measured for Indo-1, FITC, and TRITC excited by sub-10 fs TLP compared with 140 fs pulse tuned to the two-photon excitation (TPE) maxima at 730 nm, 800 nm, and 840 nm, respectively. Both degenerate (v(1) = v(2)) and nondegenerate (v(1) ≠ v(2)) mixing of sub-10 fs TLP spectral components result in its broad second-harmonic (SH) power spectrum and high spectral density, which can effectively compensate for the lack of central wavelength tuning and lead to large overlap with dye TPE spectra for TPEF enhancements. These pulse properties were also exploited for demonstrating its potential applications in multicolor imaging with TPM.
Realization of Significant Absorption Enhancement in Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells with Textured Photonic Crystal Backside Reflector

The major factor limiting the efficiencies of thin film Si solar cells is their weak absorption of red and near-infrared photons due to short optical path length and indirect bandgap. Powerful light trapping is essential to confine light inside the cell for sufficient absorption. Here we report the first experimental application of a new light trapping scheme, the textured photonic crystal (TPC) backside reflector, to monocrystalline thin film Si solar cells. TPC combines a one-dimensional photonic crystal, i.e., a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), with a reflection grating. The near unity reflectivity of DBR in a wide omnidirectional bandgap and the large angle diffraction by the grating ensures a strong enhancement in the absorption of red and near-infrared photons, leading to significant improvements in cell efficiencies. Measured short circuit current density Jsc was increased by 19% for 5 µm thick cells, and 11% for 20 µm thick cells, compared to theoretical predictions of 28% and 14%, respectively.
Trajectory Control of MEMS Lateral Comb Resonators Under Faulty Conditions

Electrostatic force generation in MEMS Lateral Comb Resonators is not a function of the distance of the stationary and the moving plate (shuttle) in the direction of the movement. However, manufacturing imperfections and sometimes faulty conditions make the device operate asymmetrically which cause the rotational movement, orthogonal to the conventional direction of movement and put the device in unstable region of operation. In this case, the rotated lateral moving plate experiences an extra force generated which pulls the device into the region of instability. This paper illustrates the application of variable structure controllers to correct such behavior and to compensate the uncertainties exist in the microsystem parameters. The controller is composed of a self-tuning parameter estimation block and is designed to control Lateral Comb Resonators under healthy and faulty conditions. The controller utilizes through wafer optical monitoring techniques to provide position feedback signal. The controller is implemented in the real-time control board and is experimentally tested to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control under different operating conditions.
EVOLUTIONARY TECHNIQUES IN MEMS SYNTHESIS

Initial results have been obtained for automatic synthesis of MEMS mask-layouts using a genetic algorithm. An initial random population of geometrically valid mask-layouts (non-self intersecting 2D polygons) is produced. The fabrication of each layout is simulated using a 3-D simulation of etching. The 3-D results of the fabrication simulation are compared to a desired 3-D shape specified by users. A genetic algorithm is applied to this initial population to iteratively search for a global optimum mask-layout whose fabricated 3-D shape is sufficiently close to the desired shape. During each iteration of the genetic algorithm, the mask-layouts with fabricated 3-D shapes close to the desired shape are more likely to survive. Random shape variations with ensured geometrical validity are applied to the surviving masklayouts to produce the mask-layouts for the next iteration. The procedure is then repeated until one or more simulated shape is sufficiently close to the desired shape to stop the iteration. Initial results demonstrate the feasibility of this approach to masklayout synthesis.
A Causal Model of Civil Strife: A Comparative Analysis Using New Indices

This article describes some results of a successful attempt to assess and refine a causal model of the general conditions of several forms of civil strife, using cross-sectional analyses of data collected for 114 polities. The theoretical argument, which is discussed in detail elsewhere, stipulates a set of variables said to determine the likelihood and magnitude of civil strife. Considerable effort was given here to devising indices that represent the theoretical variables more closely than the readily-available aggregate indices often used in quantitative cross-national research. One consequence is an unusually high degree of statistical explanation: measures of five independent variables jointly account for two-thirds of the variance among nations in magnitude of civil strife (R = .80, R2 = .64).It should be noted at the outset that this study does not attempt to isolate the set of conditions that leads specifically to “revolution,” nor to assess the social or political impact of any given act of strife except as that impact is reflected in measures of “magnitude” of strife. The relevance of this kind of research to the classic concern of political scholarship with revolution is its attempt at identification and systematic analysis of conditions that dispose men to strife generally, revolution included.
A Gastric Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Expressing Somatostatin in a Bearded Dragon (Pogona Vitticeps)

A metastatic gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma in a 2.5-year-old inland bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) with a chronic history of anorexia, weight loss, depression, and acute melena is described. Histologic examination of the gastric mass revealed a densely cellular tumor arranged in nests and occasional rosettes of hyperchromatic cells with oval to spindle-shaped nuclei and minimal cytoplasm; the tumor was supported by a moderate fibrovascular stroma. Similar cells invaded through the gastric mucosa, and there were multiple hepatic metastases. The neoplastic cells were weakly immunopositive for neuron-specific enolase and moderately positive for somatostatin but were negative for chromogranin AB and gastrin. Ultrastructural studies revealed scattered neurosecretory granules in the neoplastic cells, confirming the diagnosis of a neuroendocrine carcinoma.
Modeling the polymerization process-the gel-effect function

System modeling is of prime importance in understanding the process of solution polymerization. Proper system modeling permits the examination of the algorithms for process behavior by process simulation, and the study of optimal control of the process. One of the parameters of importance in the model of the solution polymerization process is the gel-effect. The gel-effect for the batch solution polymerization of styrene initiated by AIBN with toluene as the solvent is investigated. The study uses a central composite experimental design in two variables: temperature, and initial initiator concentration. The gel-effect correlates very well with the solution viscosity and reaction temperature. The resulting process model was found to simulate well these experiments and the experiments of other researchers. >
Justice Ginsburg's Umbrella

This Essay relies on an analogy pressed in the dissenting opinion in Shelby County v. Holder to describe an increasingly prominent conception of federal anti-discrimination law. It is a conception that sees the existing regime to be a source of unjust enrichment to its beneficiaries, one that does not simply make victims of undeniable discrimination whole, but instead places a host of interested parties, victims included, in a decidedly better position than they would have been had the discrimination never occurred. Notably, this conception of federal anti-discrimination law does not deny the persistence of discrimination, including discrimination that is unconstitutional or otherwise invidious. The more pressing worry, however, is that the regime today does more harm than the discrimination it presently addresses.
Incidence of Constitutive and Inducible Clindamycin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci in a Community and a Tertiary Care Hospital

The incidences of inducible clindamycin resistance at two hospitals (an inner-city hospital and a suburban community hospital) were 7 and 12% for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 20 and 19% for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, and 14 and 35% for coagulase-negative staphylococci, respectively. Given the variability of inducible resistance to clindamycin found in our two hospitals, we conclude that susceptibility testing of staphylococci should include the disk diffusion induction test (D-test).
Measuring Factors that Influence the Success of E-Government Initiatives

Understanding how citizens value e-government services is critical to the success of these initiatives. This paper describes the development of a model to identify factors that influence value judgments of citizens, utilizing two concepts from the field of decision analysis: means-ends chains and value-focused thinking. Based on the data of 210 responses, two instruments were developed to measure perceived e-government value. They were means objectives and fundamental objectives. What is important to e-government users are the fundamental objectives. Means objectives help to achieve the fundamental objectives. The study results suggested a 4-factor 20-item instrument that measures means objectives in terms of public trust, information access, public accessibility, and quality of services. The results also suggested a 4-factor 18-item instrument that measures fundamental objectives in terms of time savings, efficiency of service, service to citizen, and social awareness. The study also showed evidence of content validity, construct validity, and reliability.
Estimating the radiative forcing of carbonaceous aerosols over California based on satellite and ground observations

Carbonaceous aerosols have the potential to impact climate both through directly absorbing incoming solar radiation, and by indirectly affecting the cloud layer. To quantify this impact recent modeling studies have made great efforts to simulate both the spatial and temporal distribution of carbonaceous aerosols and their associated radiative forcing. This study makes the first observationally constrained assessment of the direct radiative forcing of carbonaceous aerosols at a regional scale over California. By exploiting multiple observations (including ground sites and satellites), we constructed the distribution of aerosol optical depths and aerosol absorption optical depths over California for a ten-year period (2000-2010). The total solar absorption was then partitioned into contributions from elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC) and dust aerosols using a newly developed scheme. Aerosol absorption optical depth due to carbonaceous aerosols (EC and OC) at 440 nm is 50%-200% larger than natural dust, with EC contributing the bulk (70%-90%). Observationally constrained EC absorption agrees reasonably well with estimates from regional transport models, but the model underestimates the OC AAOD by at least 50%. We estimate that the TOA warming from carbonaceous aerosols is 0.7 W/m2 and the TOA forcing due to OC is close to zero. The atmospheric heatingmore » of carbonaceous aerosols is 2.2-2.9 W/m2, of which EC contributed about 80-90%. The atmospheric heating due to OC is estimated to be 0.1 to 0.4 W/m2, larger than model simulations. The surface brightening due to EC reduction over the last two decades is estimated to be 1.5-3.5 W/m2.« less
A Novel Broadband Photonic RF Phase Shifter

A novel broadband photonic RF phase shifter is proposed that employs single-sideband modulation of the broadband RF signal onto an optical carrier. The phase of the carrier is shifted relative to the modulated signal using an optical allpass filter. Ring-resonator-based optical allpass filters are tuned across the carrier frequency to yield an RF phase shift of over 360 degrees. Results from a proof-of-concept experimental demonstration are presented for modulation frequencies in the range of 2-4 GHz.
Regulation of Voltage-Gated Ca2+ Channels by Calmodulin

Calmodulin, a highly versatile and ubiquitously expressed Ca2+ sensor, regulates the function of many enzymes and ion channels. Both Ca2+-dependent inactivation and Ca2+-dependent facilitation of the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels Cav1.2 and Cav2.1 are regulated through an interaction with Ca2+-bound calmodulin. This review addresses the functional regulation of Cav1.2 and Cav2.1 by calmodulin and discusses how Ca2+ binding to a single calmodulin molecule can regulate opposing functions of the voltage-gated Ca2+ channels.
P Transposable Elements and Their Use as Vectors for Gene Transfer in Drosophila

Transposable elements are segments of DNA that move as discrete units from place to place in the genome. They have been found in bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. The frequency at which these elements move depends on a variety of poorly understood factors including element structure, genetic background, and environmental influences. Transposable elements can comprise a substantial fraction of an organism’s genome. For example, approximately 5% of the Drosophila melanogaster genome consists of transposable elements. More than 20 different transposable element families have been identified in D. melanogaster, and these fall into four structural classes (Rubin, 1983).
Effects of Prepartum Whole Fuzzy Cottonseed or Whole Raw Soybean Supplementation on Response to Timed Artificial Insemination by Suckled Mature Beef Cows Following Ovulation Synchronization1

Cows (n = 188; average initial BW = 579±54 kg) were stratified by BCS and BW and assigned to 3 supplementation treatments: whole raw soybeans (21.6% fat), whole fuzzy cottonseed (21.7% fat), or a 50:50 mixture of ground corn and soybean meal (2.6% fat; i.e., the control supplement). Supplements were fed daily at 1.8 kg/cow for 45 d before the first projected calving date. Supplementation was continued until calving. Ovulation was synchronized using the Cosynch + controlled internal drug release (CIDR) protocol (injection of GnRH 7 d before and 64 h after a 7-d intravaginal CIDR insert containing 1.38 g of progesterone) and a 25-mg injection of PGF2α. Cows were inseminated artificially at 60 to 64 h after CIDR removal. Eleven days after AI, cows were exposed to fertile bulls for natural-service breeding for 50 d. Conception to AI was assessed 33 d after AI; overall pregnancy rate was assessed 126 d after AI. Body weight of cows fed control or oilseed supplements was similar (P > 0.3) at calving, at initiation of ovulation synchronization, and at the end of the breeding season. Cottonseed-supplemented cows lost more BW and more BCS (P < 0.03) from the onset of supplementation until calving than those fed soybeans. Proportion of cows with estrus cycles was similar (P = 0.57) among treatments. Pregnancies per fixed-time AI and final pregnancy rate were similar (P ≥0.75) between control and oilseed-supplemented cows. Conversely, supplementation with cottonseed tended (P = 0.08) to increase pregnancies per timed AI (54 and 39% for cottonseed and soybeans, respectively) and increased (P = 0.03) final pregnancy rate compared with soybean-fed cows (100 and 93% for cottonseed and soybeans, respectively). In conclusion, cows supplemented with whole, fuzzy cottonseed tended to have a greater timed AI pregnancy rate and had a greater final pregnancy rate than cows supplemented with whole, raw soybeans. Effects of cottonseed and soybean supplementation on response to ovulation synchronization and fixed-time AI by beef cows warrant further study.
Evolving cardiovascular care for women: a decade of progress

10.2217/FCA.15.24 © 2015 Future Medicine Ltd Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality for women in the USA despite admirable progress over the past decade and a continued decline in the number of deaths attributable to heart disease [1]. There remains a gender gap in outcomes as ischemic heart disease in women remains underdiagnosed and inadequately treated. It is important to appreciate that this gap exists as women constitute the majority of people both living with and dying from heart disease [2]. Heart disease is different in women compared with men in ways ranging from the basic biology and biomechanics of their coronary blood vessels to psychosocial factors that influence how they experience symptoms and seek medical care. For example, women are more likely to present with atypical symptoms or anginal equivalents, are less likely to have obstructive coronary disease, and are often older at presentation with more comorbidities present compared with men [3].