cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fire season precipitation variability influences fire extent and severity in a large southwestern wilderness area, United States

[1] Despite a widely noted increase in the severity of recent western wildfires, this trend has never been quantified. A twenty-year series of Landsat TM satellite imagery for all forest fires on the 1.4 million ha Gila National Forest suggests that an increases in area burned and area burned severely from 1984–2004 are well correlated with timing and intensity of rain events during the fire season. Winter precipitation was marginally correlated with burn severity, but only in high-elevation forest types. These results suggest the importance of within-season precipitation over snow pack in modulating recent wildfire size and severity in mid-elevation southwestern forests.
Phosphorylation of the PTEN Tail Regulates Protein Stability and Function

The PTEN gene is a tumor suppressor localized in the frequently altered chromosomal region 10q23. The tumor suppressor function of the PTEN protein (PTEN) has been linked to its ability to dephosphorylate the lipid second-messenger phosphatidylinositol 3,4, 5-trisphosphate and phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate and, by doing so, to antagonize the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway. The PTEN protein consists of an amino-terminal phosphatase domain, a lipid binding C2 domain, and a 50-amino-acid C-terminal domain (the "tail") of unknown function. A number of studies have shown that the tail is dispensable for both phosphatase activity and blocking cell growth. Here, we show that the PTEN tail is necessary for maintaining protein stability and that it also acts to inhibit PTEN function. Thus, removing the tail results in a loss of stability but does not result in a loss of function because the resultant protein is more active. Furthermore, tail-dependent regulation of stability and activity is linked to the phosphorylation of three residues (S380, T382, and T383) within the tail. Therefore, the tail is likely to mediate the regulation of PTEN function through phosphorylation.
Infectious Bronchitis and Mixed Infections of Mycoplasma synoviae and Escherichia coli in Gnotobiotic Chickens I. Synergistic Role in the Airsacculitis Syndrome

The synergistic role of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and mixed infections of Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) and Escherichia coli (EC) in the airsacculitis syndrome was evaluated in gnotobiotic chickens. Relative air sac lesion score indexes, in descending order of severity, from various combinations of organisms were: 9.5—IBV, MS, EC; 6.8—IBV, EC; 4.5—IBV, MS; 2.7—IBV; and 0.5—MS, EC. Infectious bronchitis virus caused a mild fibrinous inflammation. M. synoviae combined with IBV increased heterophilic and follicular lymphoid infiltration and mortality. E. coli combined with IBV increased exudation and prolonged airsacculitis. Concentrations of fibrinogen, gamma globulin, and total plasma proteins were elevated significantly by combined infections of IBV, MS, and EC (P Images
Manual wargaming as a method for training: an analysis of the commercial wargame "Battle for Baghdad"

Wargames have a history as long as war itself. Although used by militaries throughout history to train, the relatively recent development of computers and operational analysis have redefined the wargame significantly for professional use. A new, commercial, manual wargame, "Battle for Baghdad", attempts to model the political, civil, and military dimensions of the war in Baghdad from 2004--2009. Through several play sessions, we analyzed the game as a potential training tool for commands and staffs seeking to improve decision making during stability operations.
Discrete Complexes of 3d Metals with Monodentate Bulky Alkoxide Ligands and Their Reactivity in Bond Activation and Bond Formation Reactions

This review focuses on the design, synthesis, and reactivity of low-coordinate base transition metal complexes supported by bulky alkoxide ligands. The unique electronic features of alkoxide ligands result in strongly electrophilic character at the metal centers, which enhances reactivity of metal-bound substrates and facilitates their transformation. However, insufficiently bulky alkoxide ligands tend to form oligomeric and polymeric aggregates, thus circumventing well-defined reactivity at isolated metal centers. This review examines first the requirements for the attainment of mononuclear complexes in alkoxide ligand environments. Coordination chemistry of the most prominent alkoxide ligands [OCR3] is discussed, with particular emphasis on the impact of the R group on the nuclearity of the resulting complex and the number of alkoxide ligands bound to it. Next, the behavior of such complexes in group transfer chemistry and ensuing reactivity is examined. While several previously synthesized alkoxide lig...
Growth of InGaN Films by MBE at the Growth Temperature of GaN

We report the growth of InGaN alloys over practically the entire composition range at the growth temperature of GaN (700–800 °C) by MBE. We found that when the grown films are thick (> 0.3 μm), incorporation of more than about 30% indium results in phase separation of InN, which is consistent with spinodal decomposition. On the other hand we discovered that such phase separation is absent in thin InGaN films ( < 600A) grown as GaN/InGaN/GaN heterostructures. In such configurations we were able to incorporate up to 81% In, which is the highest yet reported.
Effect of hemorrhagic shock on viability of invading bacteria.

Summary and ConclusionsGram-positive bacteria can be grown from the mesenteric nodes and liver of the normal rabbit and dog. Gram-negative bacteria can be grown from these tissues of the normal dog, but not of the normal rabbit. Gram-negative bacteria are found in the nodes and liver of the rabbit some hours after exposure of the rabbit to 2 hours of hemorrhagic shock. The incidence is higher 8 hours afterward than it is 4 hours afterward. These data confirm the view that bacteria are continuously invading from the intestine. Exposure for 2 hours to hemorrhagic shock so weakens the antibacterial defense that gram-negative as well as gram-positive bacteria can be grown out more readily than in the normal animal. However, the number of bacteria that can be recovered is judged too small to be a significant contribution to the endotoxemia of advanced hemorrhagic shock. Reasons are given for also excluding the bacteria normally found in the groin wound, made for cannulating the femoral vessels, from any signif...
Influence of GABA in the nucleus of the solitary tract on blood pressure in baroreceptor-denervated rats.

We have previously reported that inhibition of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in chronically sinoaortic baroreceptor-denervated (SAD) rats has no effect on blood pressure in contrast to th...
Reactive power optimization strategy in distribution network with wind farm

Considering the traditional methods of voltage adjusting in distribution network reactive power optimization is discretized, and difficult to realize the continuous voltage adjustment, this paper studies the reactive power optimization model and algorithm in distribution network with wind farm. The limitation of reactive power capacity of doubly-fed induction generator is considered and the wind farm is taken as a continuous reactive power adjustment means to participate in the optimization. Scenario power is used to describe the random power of wind farm in respect to the random characteristic of wind power. The network loss, deviation of voltage and stability of voltage are included in the multi-objective reactive power optimization model. Reactive power optimization based on quantum particle swarm optimization(QPSO) is proposed. The algorithm describes particle state by wave function, which not only increases the diversity of population, but also avoids premature of population. The comparison of results between QPSO with PSO on the modified IEEE 33-bus system demonstrates the effectiveness and advantage of quantum particle swarm optimization model, which can achieve a better global optimal solution and shows a faster convergence speed.
Laboratory managers' views on attrition and retention of laboratory personnel.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to provide information on the current shortage of clinical laboratory employees and to identify strategies for retaining laboratory employees. DESIGN: A paper survey was distributed to 800 clinical laboratory managers. SETTING: The survey was sent to laboratory managers at their work sites. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: 190 usable surveys were returned for a response rate of 24%. INTERVENTIONS: Surveys were mailed in March 2003. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The number of CLTs and CLSs considered fully staffed at the laboratory managers9 institutions, the numbers of CLTs and CLSs who left the institutions in a five-year period, and the reasons employees left were tabulated. The managers9 responses to questions on the factors that they considered most important in retaining laboratory employees were tabulated and categorized. RESULTS: In this five-year period (1998-2002), 5% of employees left their jobs annually. Over 60% of laboratory employees who left did so in the first five years of practice. The top five reasons that employees left their jobs were: 1) new laboratory job, 2) moved/family obligations, 3) retirement, 4) left the field entirely, and 5) employee was fired. In the first year of practice, 15% of the employees who left were fired. Between one and five years of practice, 7.3% left because of the hours or shift, 6.7% left to pursue further education for a non-laboratory career, and 6.7% left the field entirely. In the group of employees who left between five and ten years, 13.5 % left the field entirely and 5.2% left for sales or clinical trials positions. Over 40% of the employees with more than ten years of experience who left did so because of retirement. CONCLUSION: Most laboratory employees who left did so to take another laboratory position; however, reasons for leaving vary with years of experience. The number of laboratory employees leaving the profession exceeds the number of new graduates entering the profession making the retention of employees essential. Laboratory managers identified salary as the most important retention factor. ABBREVIATIONS:ASCLS = American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science; ASCP = American Society for Clinical Pathology; BLS = Bureau of Labor Statistics; CLMA = Clinical Laboratory Managers Association; CLS = clinical laboratory science; CLSs = clinical laboratory scientists; CLTs = clinical laboratory technicians.
Divisas E Imperialismo En Las Crisis Económicas Argentinas (Foreign Exchange and Imperialism in the Argentine Economic Crises)

Spanish Abstract: Este articulo trata sobre la naturaleza de las crisis economicas en la Argentina. La opinion usual las vincula con la escasez de divisas. En este ensayo se polemiza con esta tesis. El punto de partida del analisis es la teoria del imperialismo. A principios del siglo xx, la economia mundial adquiere ciertos rasgos que condicionan las relaciones economicas entre paises. El analisis busca asociar el movimiento de entrada y salida de divisas de la Argentina y el fenomeno de las crisis economicas con estos condicionantes historicos.English Abstract: This article discusses the nature of economic crises in Argentina. The usual view relates them to a juncture of foreign exchange shortages. This essay argues a different point of view. The starting point of the analysis is the theory of imperialism. Certain features that emerged in the early twentieth century strongly affected economic relations between countries in the world economy. The analysis seeks to associate inward and outward foreign exchange to and from Argentina, and its economic crisis, with these historical conditions.
Toxic Mushroom Contamination of Wild Mushrooms in Commercial Distribution

Poisonings caused by ingestion of toxic, wild-picked morel mushrooms have been reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Problems occur when collectors of wild mushrooms inadvertently include toxic look-alike species with the edible wild species offered for sale. A 2-year survey conducted by the FDA showed 21% of the morel and 15% of the wild mixed mushrooms were contaminated with toxic look-alike species. These contaminants contain toxins that produce symptoms ranging from dizziness and gastrointestinal distress to liver and heart damage. Present regulatory controls include FDA Import Alerts for morels contaminated with Gyromitra esculenta and Verpa bohemica , a Michigan state regulation requiring licensing of harvesters of wild mushrooms, and an Illinois state regulation prohibiting the sale of wild-picked mushrooms through retail outlets. American consumers, unable to distinguish between edible and toxic look-alike wild mushrooms, may face illness and possibly death from products purchased on the normally well-regulated U.S. consumer market.
A tale of two futures: Techno-eschatology in the US and India

Different religions have strikingly different views of history; but the emergence of modern technology offers promises of salvation that can draw equally on Christian views of time in the US and Hi...
Let Students Derive, by Themselves, Two-Dimensional Atomic and Molecular Quantum Chemistry from Scratch

Hands-on exercises are designed for undergraduate physical chemistry students to derive two-dimensional quantum chemistry from scratch for the H atom and H2 molecule, both in the ground state and excited states. By reducing the mathematical complexity of the traditional quantum chemistry teaching, these exercises can be completed independently by students who have basic calculus skills. Students are expected to convert the Laplacian into the polar coordinates; solve the Schrodinger equations for the two-dimensional H atom; write out the electron configurations and atomic terms for many-electron atoms; solve the Schrodinger equations for the H2 molecule; obtain its potential energy surfaces in the ground state and excited states; examine the individual kinetic, attractive, and repulsive energy components; and plot and visualize the bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals of the two-dimensional H2. In summary, various exercises are designed for students to derive quantum chemistry for atoms and molecules...
Abstract 3005: Investigating the impact of hypoxia-induced changes in splicing on tumor microenvironment

Hypoxia is a cellular stress that influences both normal and tumor development. For many types of cancer, including head and neck carcinomas, tumor hypoxia shows a strong positive correlation with poor patient outcome. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the biology of the tumor microenvironment, we are investigating how transcription is differentially regulated in hypoxic compared to normoxic regions of tumors. Previously, we reported that the expression of over 500 genes differs between hypoxic and normoxic tumors. However, there has not yet been a global sequencing analysis of tumors to characterize hypoxia-induced differences in transcriptional regulation at base-pair resolution. To achieve this, we developed a method to isolate RNA from hypoxic regions of tumors in vivo and used this method to carry out deep RNA-sequencing of normoxic and hypoxic regions of human head and neck tumors grown in mice. Corresponding in vitro samples from cells cultured in 0.5% oxygen conditions (in which the only stress was hypoxia) were also sequenced. We used these data to examine which genes showed changes in isoform-level expression and to define hypoxia-mediated changes in splicing. The data revealed more than 1,000 hypoxia-responsive mRNA isoforms. Using a combined informatics approach to analyze both differential expression of alternatively spliced exons and entire isoforms, we observed that many hypoxia-induced isoforms showed changes in alternate last exons, retained introns and 3′ untranslated regions compared to the isoforms expressed in normoxic cells. Moreover, we observed global repression of genes involved in RNA processing and splicing, which may represent one mechanism to shift patterns in splicing and lead to expression of stress-induced isoforms. Differentially expressed isoforms include genes that play critical roles in fundamental processes involved in hypoxic adaptation, such as the translation, glycolysis and cell cycle. Therefore, we propose that alternative splicing plays a role in mediating tumor growth and survival in hypoxic conditions by regulating stress-responsive pathways. Citation Format: Lauren Brady, Vladimir Popov, Mircea Ivan, MIlan Radovich, Constantinos Koumenis. Investigating the impact of hypoxia-induced changes in splicing on tumor microenvironment. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3005. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3005
Abstract 4256: High programmed cell death ligand 1 expression and low immune infiltrate score correlate with worse outcome in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Background: Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a major immune checkpoint protein that mediates anti-tumor immune suppression and response. Indeed, the importance of PD-L1 based immune suppression is highlighted by the advent of anti-PD-L1 immunotherapies that have moved to the forefront of lung cancer treatment. A better understanding of the “profile” of PD-L1 expression and its interplay with immune cells will provide important insights into lung cancer pathogenesis, and thus, improve immunotherapeutic strategies targeting this important immune checkpoint protein. The goal of this study was to investigate the correlation between immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of PD-L1 and the density and nature of tumor infiltrating immune cells in surgically resected lung adenocarcinomas, and correlate those profiles with clinical and pathological variables including patient outcome. Methods: We examined 146 stages I-III lung adenocarcinomas using whole tissue sections obtained from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues. PDL-1 expression on tumor cells and density of inflammatory cells expressing PD-1, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RO, CD57, CD68, Granzyme B and FOXP3 were evaluated by automated IHC and quantified using image analysis in intra-tumoral (IT) and peri-tumoral (PT) compartments. PD-L1 expression was scored as positive if at least 5% of tumor cells showed membranous staining, and an immune-score (IMS) using CD8/CD4/CD68 was devised. KRAS and EGFR mutation status were available. Results: Thirty-four (23%) of 146 tumors had positive levels of PD-L1 IHC expression in malignant cells. Higher levels of PD-L1 expression were detected in tumors with solid histology pattern compared with other histologies (P = 0.034), and in lifetime smokers compared with non-smokers (P Conclusions: In lung adenocarcinoma, PD-L1 expression correlates with less differentiated tumors and higher level of tumoral immune infiltrate. We developed a lung adenocarcinoma IMS which when combined with PD-L1 expression significantly correlates with patient outcome when analyzed in surgically resected tumors specimens. (Supported by grants UT-Lung SPORE P50CA70907 and CPRIT RP120713). Citation Format: Edwin R. Parra, Carmen Behrens, Jaime Rodriguez-Canales, Heather Lin, Barbara Mino, Jorge Blando, Yanyan Lou, Don L. Gibbons, John V. Heymach, Stephen G. Swisher, Annikka Weissferdt, Neda Kahlor, Julie Izzo, J. Jack Lee, Humam Kadara, Cesar Moran, Ignacio Wistuba. High programmed cell death ligand 1 expression and low immune infiltrate score correlate with worse outcome in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4256. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4256
Induced lateral electric field (ILEF) DC digital microfluidics

This paper reports a low voltage DC digital microfluidics device working in air filler by inducing lateral electric field (ILEF), which enables manipulation of various positively charged and negatively charged polar solutions for biomedical applications in an oil-free digital microfluidic platform while using cheap DC electric power source. Sensitivity of threshold voltage (minimum required voltage for droplet motion) to the polarity of actuation potential and the polarity of droplet solution is also reported for the first time in this paper, by actuating droplets of positive and negative polarity with initial contact angle 85° ° < 110°.
A computational study on the microstructural evolution in near-surface copper grain boundary structures due to femtosecond laser processing

A multiscale simulation method is established to study the microstructural responses of near-surface grain boundary structures of copper subjected to ultrashort femtosecond laser pulse. By integrating a two-temperature model with molecular dynamics, the presented approach allows for incorporation of both laser processing parameters and microstructures, enabling systematic simulation studies on the process-properties link. Following a brief introduction of the simulation methodology, a detailed modeling study on the ultrashort laser-material interaction is presented. In particular, we highlight the effects of laser process parameters on the near-surface response and corresponding phase change, formation of voids and their growth, and mechanism of dislocation nucleating and propagating from grain boundary.
Predictors of Back Pain in Firefighters.

The purpose of this study was to identify variables—that is, demographic factors (age, history of back pain, body mass index [BMI], and waist circumference), occupational stress, job satisfaction, ...
Stopped Dead in Their Tracks: The Impact of Railways on Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Movement and Behavior

Habitat fragmentation is one of the leading causes of biodiversity decline and most commonly results from urbanization and construction of transportation infrastructure. Roads are known to negatively impact species, but railways can often cause similar effects. Certain taxa, such as turtles and tortoises, are more vulnerable to railways than others due to limitations in mobility. We studied the impact of rails on the movement and behavior of Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus), a threatened, highly terrestrial species likely in frequent contact with railways. First, we used radio-telemetry to determine the frequency of railway crossings and compared this to correlated random walk (CRW) simulations to assess if tortoises were crossing the rails less frequently than is expected by unconstrained movement. Second, we placed tortoises into the railway and measured behavior for one hour to assess crossing ability. Lastly, we tested whether trenches dug underneath the rails could allow safe passage for tortoi...
The fundamental principles of the law of civil procedure

This article contributes to comparative research on the principles of the law of civil procedure with reference to Swiss law. Research has revealed that the burning questions relating to the subject of this article do not present themselves in the same way and with the same importance in every country. Moreover, the perspective of each national legal system is different and, naturally, the scientific interests of each reporter are not identical. For these reasons and to ensure a manageable volume the author chose two major groups of problems common to the national laws studied: I) Substantive law, civil procedure and the constitutional system; II) The principle of procedural justice: a fair trial (" Veifahrensgerechtigkeit") as guarantee of a just and equitable judgment. These two major subjects are in keeping with the theme: the humanisation of the law of civil procedure - which has been the aim, in the context of their times, of all the legal systems in our history worthy of the name of Hammurabi onwards, and which is therefore no modern innovation.
Revising ‘Bloody foreigners!’: REVISING ‘BLOODY FOREIGNERS!’

Leslie Hannah argues, among other things, that the series on par value of UK‐listed equities that I presented in an article published in the Economic History Review in 2015 is deeply flawed. Although I would quibble with some of Hannah's points, his main conclusion is correct: many of the series in ‘Bloody foreigners!’ are, in fact, flawed and require substantial revision. In this note, I explain the source of the errors and the steps I have taken to correct them in the preparation of subsequent work.
Predictors of Employment for Youths with Visual Impairments: Findings from the Second National Longitudinal Transition Study:

The study reported here identified factors that predict employment for transition-age youths with visual impairments. Logistic regression was used to predict employment at two levels. Significant v...
Fathers of Young Children with Disabilities

While mothers of young children with disabilities have often been targeted in family research, less is known about the experiences and involvement of fathers of these children. This chapter reviews the extant literature from 1995 to 2008 related to the experiences, involvement, and support needs of fathers of young children with disabilities. The review identified three themes around which the literature is discussed, fathers’: (a) experiences, stress, and coping; (b) involvement with their young children with disabilities and their early education programs; and (c) identified needs. Implications and recommendations for future research and practice are provided.
Role of Noninsulin Therapies in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes

Individuals with type 1 diabetes represent only ∼6% of all patients with diabetes in the United States and require characteristically complex treatment modalities (1). Autoimmune pancreatic β-cell destruction ultimately results in an absolute insulin deficiency, the presence of autoimmune markers, and little to no residual C-peptide (2,3). Additionally, pancreatic α-cell dysfunction is present, resulting in excess glucagon in both the fasting and postprandial states, and the gastric emptying rate is altered in many patients. Exogenous insulin serves as the foundation of therapy for type 1 diabetes and is commonly delivered via a multiple-dose regimen or an insulin pump. The two most common adverse effects associated with insulin use are hypoglycemia and weight gain. Recent data suggest that 68% of people with type 1 diabetes are overweight or obese and that severe hypoglycemia occurs at a rate of 9–20% (4). The latter complication is considered a limiting factor to achieving glycemic targets in the type 1 diabetes population. Indeed, the average A1C for adults ≥18 years of age with type 1 diabetes in the United States was 7.9% in 2015, a value well above the target of 7% recommended by the American Diabetes Association for most adult patients. Further complicating matters, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurs at a rate of 10% per year in some age-groups (4). Overall, these data suggest a need for adjunctive therapies for type 1 diabetes that reduce the risk for hypoglycemia and weight gain. While β-cell dysfunction is clearly a therapeutic focus for all types of diabetes, multiple other pathways of hyperglycemia present opportunities for alternate treatment modalities that may assist in achieving glycemic targets (5). The ideal pharmacotherapy regimen for a patient with type 1 diabetes would not only target the β-cell dysfunction, but also decrease blood glucose through hyperglycemic pathways independent of β-cell …
Autophagy defect increases chromosome instability under metabolic stress

4916 Autophagy, a process responsible for bulk protein and organelle degradation is implicated in tumor suppression. In humans, monoallelic deletion of beclin 1 is prevalent in tumors, and mice with targeted allelic deletion of beclin 1 have increased cancer rates. However, exactly how autophagy suppresses cancer development is not clear. On the other hand, a fundamental and conserved function of autophagy is alleviating metabolic stress. Autophagy is found to be activated at the center of a tumor to mitigate the metabolic stress caused by inefficient oxygen and nutrient diffusion, and support cell survival. It is also not clear how the loss of a survival mechanism paradoxically increases tumorigenicity. Here we show that autophagy deficiency promotes chromosome instability by increasing abnormal centrosome duplication and mitosis under metabolic stress. Time-lapse microscopy showed that under amino acid deprivation the T-antigen immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts (iMEFs) derived from mice with a targeted deletion of an essential autophagy gene, atg5, exhibited an increased frequency of aberrant mitosis that included tripolar division and endomitosis as compared to their wild type counterparts. Metabolic stress significantly increased the percentage of the atg5-/- cells containing 3 or more centrosomes, while it had little effect on the atg5+/+ cells. Similarly, knocking down the expression of another essential autophagy gene beclin 1 with siRNA in the atg5+/+ iMEFs led to a similar phenotype as observed in the atg5-/- cells. Furthermore, the atg5-/- cells exhibited higher chromosome instability than the atg5+/+ cells under metabolic stress as determined by the rate of gene amplification. Together, our results suggest that autophagy may suppress tumor development through reducing chromosome instability by mitigating metabolic stress, thereby preventing tumor progression.
Understanding Instabilities and Degradation Due to Moisture Ingress in Cu(In, Ga)Se 2 Solar Cells

In order to understand the role of moisture ingress in the degradation of Cu(In, Ga)Se 2 solar cells, different samples were soaked in water at different stages during the fabrication of the device. The samples along with reference devices were characterized by current density-voltage (J - V) and external quantum efficiency (QE) measurements to obtain an outline of the deteriorating effect. The device performance was observed to be the worst for the water soaked CIGS thin film. Raman and Secondary ion mass spectroscopy analysis were done on the same sample. More chemical analysis will be done in the near future.
Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility Restart Heat Balance Calibration and Rod Worth Measurements

The Transient Reactor Test Facility has been restarted after more than 20 years in a safe standby condition. The plan to bring the reactor back into operation included a typical core characterizati...
An interview with Marie-José Mondzain: what is an image?

Marie-Jose Mondzain is one of the major philosophers writing about image, iconography, and representation today. In this interview, she discusses a few of the central ideas in her approach to and t...
A Mixed Methods Approach to Exploring the Relationship between Beginning Readers’ Dialog About their Thinking and Ability to Self-correct Oral Reading

This mixed methods study explored the relationship between what beginning readers say about their thought processes for self-monitoring their reading and their ability to self-correct. Using Episte...
G431(P) Close-contact care for unwell babies

Aims In the neonatal period close-contact care takes place during kangaroo-care or skin-to-skin contact. While the benefits to neonates are known, studies in older babies are sparse. Close-contact care of older babies in hospital (facilitated by a baby-carrier) may also have physiological and emotional benefits. Views on close-contact care from patient groups and professionals were sought, in order to inform future research design. Methods Three groups provided data for this study. Group A comprised ten caregivers completing an overnight stay in hospital. Using semi-structured interviews they were asked to consider how a baby-carrier could have affected their stay. Group B were caregivers who have used baby-carriers when their child was unwell and provided anecdotal experience through an online questionnaire. Group C were healthcare professionals who were asked their views through a second online questionnaire. A combination of quantitative and qualitative theme-based analyses were used. Results Group A: 90% of caregivers said they would have been keen to hold their baby in close-contact during their stay and were supportive of research. Group B: 1476 caregivers completed the survey, 96% said they would definitely or probably use their baby-carrier in the future for illness and 97% felt that it had made their hospital stay much or somewhat easier. Most common descriptors were ‘comforting’ (458 replies) and ‘reassuring’ (176). 1230 answered the question about safety concerns and despite a cumulative 29,533 months experience of carrying, no serious safety incidents were reported. The most common concerns regarded temperature regulation and external medical apparatus (e.g. cannulas). Group C: Of 33 healthcare professionals, most were supportive, nine respondents expressed concerns which mainly related to parent training, medical examination and performing observations. Conclusion There were no reported safety incidents from caregivers who have carried unwell babies; although existing carrier-users may exhibit reporting bias, it is encouraging that caregivers in hospital would be willing to undertake future research. Research should focus on temperature regulation with fever in baby-carriers and medical apparatus logistics, in addition to establishing potential physiological and emotional benefits of close-contact care for unwell babies in hospital.
Coherent-states dynamics of the H+ + C2H2 reaction at ELab = 30 eV: A complete electron nuclear dynamics investigation

Abstract Preliminary results of an exhaustive study of H + + HC CH at E Lab = 30 eV within the electron nuclear dynamics (END) and coherent state dynamics (CSD) theories are herein presented. Current END–CSD method employs frozen Gaussian wave packets in the semiclassical limit of ℏ → 0 for the nuclei and a single-determinantal Thouless coherent state (CS) for the electrons. The simulated 6800 trajectories from 68 independent HC CH target orientations provide a definite description of all the reactive processes, including H 2 formation and charge transfers. Differential and integral cross-sections are evaluated via a novel CS S-matrix formulation in conjunction with semiclassical techniques. Calculated cross-sections show a good agreement with both experimental and previous END results.
Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V-Si-Hydroxyapatite composites for articulating surfaces of load-bearing implants.

Abstract Directed-energy deposition (DED)-based additive manufacturing (AM) was explored for composite development using silicon (Si) and hydroxyapatite (HA) in Ti-6Al-4 V (Ti64) matrix for articulating surfaces of load-bearing implants. Specifically, laser engineered net shaping (LENSTM) – a commercially available DED-based AM technique – was used to fabricate composites from premixed-feedstock powders. The AM’d composites proved to not only improve upon Ti64’s mechanical properties but also produced an in-situ Si-based tribofilm during tribological testing that minimized wear induced damage. Additionally, it was found that with the introduction of Si, titanium silicides and vanadium silicides were formed; allowing for 114% increased hardness, decreased coefficient of friction (COF) and a reduction of wear rate of 38.1% and 70.8%, respectively, for a 10 wt.% Si presence. The produced composites also displayed a positive shift in open-circuit potential (OCP) during linear wear, along with a reduction in the change of OCP from idle to linear wear conditions. Additionally, contact resistance (CR) values increased with a maximum value of 1500 ohms due to the formation of Si-based tribofilm on the wear surface. Such composite development approach using DED-based AM can open up the possibilities of innovating next-generation implants that are designed and manufactured via multi-material AM.
A Tale of Two Suggestions: Action and Diagnosis Recommendations for Responding to Robot Failure

Robots operating without close human supervision might need to rely on a remote call center of operators for assistance in the event of a failure. In this work, we investigate the effects of providing decision support through diagnosis suggestions, as feedback, and action recommendations, as feedforward, to the human operators. We conduct a 10-condition user study involving 200 participants on Amazon Mechanical Turk to evaluate the effects of providing noisy and noise-free diagnosis suggestions and/or action recommendations to operators. We find that although action recommendations (feedforward) have a greater effect on successful error resolution than diagnosis information (feedback), the feedback likely helps ameliorate the deleterious effects of noise. Therefore, we find that error recovery interfaces should display both diagnosis and action recommendations for maximum effectiveness.
Botched Statistics on Botched Executions: Refuting Austin Sarat’s Claims

Austin Sarat’s statistics on execution method botch rates have been cited by law review articles promoting various policies including the use of firing squads over lethal injections. They have also been cited by the United States Supreme Court. The conclusion of Sarat’s statistics is that there exists a 0% botch rate for firing squads and a 7.12% botch rate for lethal injection. These frequently cited statistics are — at best — highly misleading. The claimed firing squad botch rate leaves out blatant examples of botched firing squad executions. Conversely, the lethal injection statistic arbitrarily implements a definition of “botched” execution so expansive as to render the ultimate result completely meaningless. Examples of what Sarat considers a “botched” lethal injection include inmates who resist, difficulties inserting the IV, the passage of fourteen minutes before official death is declared, and prison officials opening the curtain too early. This essay documents the various problems with Sarat’s execution botch rate statistics and considers potential motivations for promoting the resulting misinformation.
Noninvasive thyroid histotripsy treatment: proof of concept study in a porcine model.

INTRODUCTION This study was performed to determine the feasibility and safety of creating superficial histotripsy treatment in a live porcine thyroid model. METHODS The porcine thymus comparable in size, shape and location to the human thyroid was used for this study. This model has been used for thyroid surgery studies due to the diminutive size of the porcine thyroid. Four female swine underwent a total of eight histotripsy treatments performed with a prototype therapy system (HistoSonics, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI). Two treatments were performed in each animal: a spherical 1.0 × 1.0 × 1.0 cm and ovoid 1.0 × 1.0 × 2.0 cm treatment zones. MRI immediately post-procedure was evaluated for histotripsy treatment zone size and imaging appearance, followed immediately by sacrifice. Tissue was then reviewed for percent cellular destruction and precision. RESULTS Treatment zones measured on post treatment MRI were similar to prescribed volumes (spherical = 0.60 (+/- 0.11) cm3, ovoid = 1.23 (+/- 0.40) cm3, p > 0.05 vs. prescribed). MRI demonstrated well demarcated treatment zones and imaging findings consistent with cellular destruction. Histology demonstrated sharp transitions to normal tissue (mean 0.33 (+/- 0.13) cm), and high degrees of cellular destruction (mean 76% (+/- 12.5), range of 50-100%) in the treated tissue. Edema within the overlying muscle was seen in 2/8 treatments. CONCLUSION Histotripsy is capable of safely creating precise histotripsy treatments within the superficial neck of a porcine thyroid model without evidence of considerable complications.
The Time to Act Is Now: The Rationale to Start Colorectal Cancer Screening at Age 45

Colorectal cancer (CRC) in adults <50 years is referred to as early onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC). Despite a significant reduction in CRC incidence among older adults, the incidence of CRC in adults aged 20–49 years old has increased by almost 50%. Currently, nearly half of EOCRCs occur between the ages of 45 and 49 years. Recent data show that the prevalence of advanced colorectal neoplasia in patient’s aged 45–49 is equivalent to that of patient’s aged 50–54. EOCRC tumors are more often late stage, compared to CRCs in older adults. Models estimating the benefits versus risks of screening support average-risk CRC screening at 45 years. Screening at this age can be cost effective, safe, and there is a capacity within the US health system. There is an opportunity to curtail the alarming rise in EOCRC and associated burden by implementing CRC screening beginning at age 45 years.
Electrically tunable phase-change metasurfaces using transparent conductive oxide microheaters

An electrically-tunable all-dielectric metasurface employing a phase-change material, GST, and transparent conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) is designed and experimentally demonstrated for controlling light absorption to enable multi-level electro-optic modulation with unprecedented sensitivity.
Free Logic and Infinite Constraint Networks

Conventional constraint systems are suitable for finding assignments to a finite set of parameters such that a set of constraints are satisfied. However, in generalized problem-solving, the set of parameters for which values must be found is only a subset of a much larger (possibly infinite) set of parameters, and the membership of this subset is dependent on conditions whose truth or falsity can only be determined dynamically. Conventional constraint systems are not suitable for such problems because conventional constraint processing requires that the set of parameters for which values are to be found should be fixed a priori. In this paper, we show how the conventional notion of constraint processing can be generalized to address the broader class of problem mentioned above.
Exploring topics in the field of data science by analyzing wikipedia documents: A preliminary result

In this poster, topics in the field of Data Science were explored from Wikipedia documents based on clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), and topic modeling. As a pilot study, we analyzed part of the dataset of Wikipedia documents to initially identify topics discussed in Data Science. Hierarchical clustering resulted in six clusters of topics while PCA identified eleven dimensions in the Data Science field. In addition, topic modeling based on latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) produced fifty topics related to Data Science. The researchers plan to further examine hierarchical, structural relationships between topics using structural equation modeling and social network analysis. The findings from this study will be useful to understand what topics are currently discussed in the area of Data Science.
Kerr lens effects on transverse mode stability and active versus passive modelocking in solid state lasers

Summary form only given. The effects of the nonlinear refractive index as a discriminant between the lowest order transverse mode stability in the passively mode locked and cw operating modes of tunable, solid state laser crystals, have received much recent attention. This attention has focused primarily on the intensity dependent focal power in the laser crystal due to the (mostly) nonresonant refractive index and the peak intensity of the oscillating resonator mode. In this report we extend these studies to include resonant and nonresonant refractive index effects due to a synchronous pump laser, and to examine the possibility that the magnitudes, signs, and time dependences of the pump and oscillating wavelength effects could be manipulated to discriminate between active versus passive modelocking of the tunable laser output, as well as between cw and passive modelocked operation. >
Nanowire and nanotube syntheses through self-assembled nanoporous AAO templates

Nanowires and nanotubes have attracted significant interest during recent years due to their novel electrical, magnetic, and photonic properties. Quantum confinement, proximity interaction, and surface plasmon enhancement effects are among a few unique phenomena associated with these materials. A convenient procedure to prepare these materials is through anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) template synthesis. Nanoporous AAO membranes with pore diameters ranging from 10 to 200 nm can be prepared with anodization in oxalic, sulfuric and phosphoric acids under various reaction conditions. With repeated anodization-etching cycles, highly ordered straight channels can be prepared through self-organization. With electro- and electroless deposition, a variety of nanowires and nanotubes such as Ni, Co, Au, Pb, Bi, etc. have been prepared. The synthesis, characterization, and physical properties of these materials are presented.
Price-related promotions for tobacco products on Twitter

Objectives This cross-sectional study examined price-related promotions for tobacco products on Twitter. Methods Through the Twitter Firehose, we obtained access to all public tweets posted between 6 December 2012 and 20 June 2013 that contained a keyword suggesting a tobacco-related product or behaviour (eg, cigarette, vaping) in addition to a keyword suggesting a price promotion (eg, coupon, discount). From this data set of 155 249 tweets, we constructed a stratified sampling frame based on the price-related keywords and randomly sampled 5000 tweets (3.2%). Tweets were coded for product type and promotion type. Non-English tweets and tweets unrelated to a tobacco or cessation price promotion were excluded, leaving an analytic sample of 2847 tweets. Results The majority of tweets (97.0%) mentioned tobacco products while 3% mentioned tobacco cessation products. E-cigarettes were the most frequently mentioned product (90.1%), followed by cigarettes (5.4%). The most common type of price promotion mentioned across all products was a discount. About a third of all e-cigarette-related tweets included a discount code. Banned or restricted price promotions comprised about 3% of cigarette-related tweets. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the vast majority of tweets offering price promotions focus on e-cigarettes. Future studies should examine the extent to which Twitter users, particularly youth, notice or engage with these price promotion tweets.
Juvenile crab spiders (Mecaphesa asperata) use indirect cues to choose foraging sites

Direct assessment of food resources may be unreliable if those resources fluctuate or are not easily detected. Foragers under such conditions may instead use indirect cues to assess the quality of potential foraging sites. Young individuals may be particularly likely to use indirect cues to compensate for their inexperience and to reduce assessment costs. We investigated the cues juvenile crab spiders (Mecaphesa asperata) use when selecting foraging sites. First, we examined whether spiderlings' site preference was influenced by prey abundance, a direct cue of site quality. We next investigated whether juvenile crab spiders assessed potential sites using indirect cues, including flower quality, cues left by conspecifics, or conspecifics themselves. We found spiderlings did not use prey abundance to assess foraging sites, but instead used indirect cues when choosing where to forage. Spiderlings preferred sites that would attract larger numbers of their arthropod prey, choosing blooming inflorescences over ...