cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Skyrmion Crystal from RKKY Interaction Mediated by 2D Electron Gas.

We consider a C_{6} invariant lattice of magnetic moments coupled via a Kondo exchange J with a 2D electron gas (2DEG). The effective Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction between the moments stabilizes a magnetic skyrmion crystal in the presence of magnetic field and easy-axis anisotropy. An attractive aspect of this mechanism is that the magnitude of the magnetic ordering wave vectors, Q_{ν} (ν=1, 2, 3), is dictated by the Fermi wave number k_{F}: |Q_{ν}|=2k_{F}. Consequently, the topological contribution to the Hall conductivity of the 2DEG becomes of the order of the quantized value, e^{2}/h, when J is comparable to the Fermi energy e_{F}.
Running a computer security course: challenges, tools, and projects: poster session

Challenges and effective ways of instruction in computer security classes (security tools, technology overviews, research projects, virtual labs, and Web resources) are discussed with examples of lecture notes, OPNET™ lab assignments, homework study cases, and projects available on the instructors' Websites. The project-based approach motivates students in exploring computer-security techniques, writing technology overviews, and conducting research, and provides them with knowledge, instructions, and hands-on experience.
Genetic Analyses of Non-invasively Collected Samples Aids in the Conservation of Elephants

Elephants, which are among the most high-profile of the charismatic megafauna, are increasingly found in the human-dominated landscapes outside protected areas, creating the potential for serious economic impacts and tragic consequences for both humans and elephants. Managing elephants and other wide-ranging species requires information about population and group sizes, demography, distribution and habitat connectivity. Although we can view African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) from the air and estimate population sizes and movements through direct observations, these data are especially difficult to obtain for African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), as aerial surveys cannot detect animals under the closed canopy and ground surveys cannot be performed due to the dense vegetation. The case studies presented here illustrate the power of genetic studies using DNA obtained from non-invasively collected samples to provide biologists with important insights at the individual and population levels. In the Rift Valley of southern Kenya, the use of these methods allowed researchers to infer the movement patterns, demography and stress levels of a recently reestablished population of African savannah elephants on Maasai community land. Although behavioral studies of African forest elephants have suggested that social groups are predominately made up of a single female and her offspring, genetic analyses revealed evidence of weak, but significant, kin-based social structure comparable to the family groups observed in African savannah elephants. For the Asian elephant population of the Nakai Plateau, Lao PDR, genetic analyses allowed researchers to infer population size and demographic structure, and to estimate the level of genetic diversity. Despite having a considerably smaller population size than those found in India and Sri Lanka, the genetic diversity of the Nakai elephants continues to be among the highest reported in Asian elephants, highlighting the conservation value of this and other small, isolated populations in southeast Asia. These studies illustrate the breadth of information that can be obtained and highlight the use of genetic data in the conservation of these keystone species.
Association of Black Race With Early Recurrence After Minor Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack: Secondary Analysis of the POINT Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Stroke incidence is higher among black than white individuals in the United States. It is unclear whether black individuals have a higher risk of stroke recurrence after a minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), a high-risk setting in which focused preventive efforts can be effective. Objective To examine the association between black race and early ischemic stroke recurrence. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study analyzed data from the Platelet Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and Minor Ischemic Stroke (POINT) trial conducted at 269 sites from May 28, 2010, to December 19, 2017. The trial enrolled 4881 adults within 12 hours of onset of a minor ischemic stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, 0-3) or high-risk TIA (ABCD2score, ≥4). For this analysis, we excluded 598 patients enrolled outside the United States and 239 US patients with missing race/ethnicity data. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome for this analysis was ischemic stroke within 90 days after randomization. Covariates included age, sex, Hispanic ethnicity, study assignment to take clopidogrel vs placebo, index stroke vs TIA, vascular risk factors, statin use, study drug adherence, and index event etiological subtype. Results Among 4044 patients included in the analysis, 918 (22.7%) were black. In an adjusted Cox model, black race was associated with a higher risk of recurrence compared with white race (hazard ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.3). Findings were similar in subgroup analyses and in analyses limited to sites that enrolled black patients. Conclusions and Relevance Among US participants in the POINT trial, black individuals faced a higher risk of early stroke recurrence after a minor ischemic stroke or TIA. Our findings support research into black-white racial differences in the underlying mechanisms of recurrent stroke. In the meantime, extra effort should be made to ensure that black patients have access to proven secondary prevention measures. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00991029
3.25 – Structural Genomics

The structural genomics projects underway around the world have as their goal the provision of three-dimensional atomic-level structural information for as many proteins as possible. Since the number of protein families is far smaller than the number of proteins, focusing the structure determination efforts on a few members of each family will provide structure templates appropriate for accurate modeling of most family members. The task is being primarily accomplished by integrated centers in the US and worldwide; each center has the capabilities for bioinformatics target selection, cloning of expression vectors, high-throughput protein purification, and structure determination, either by crystallography at synchrotron sources or using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods. As part of the Protein Structure Initiative (PSI) in the US, a 5-year pilot phase for the project has just been completed with over 1000 structures determined. The production phase (PSI-2) started in 2005. In this phase several centers will focus on the production of 200 structures per year while others will tackle more difficult problems relating to the determination of the structure of eukaryotic multi-domain proteins and membrane proteins. Since it is likely that 10 000 novel structures will need to be solved to provide significant coverage of all genome sequences, a number of years of work remain for the project to complete its initial aims. However, based on progress to date, the prospects appear excellent for a significant expansion of genome coverage, as well as making progress on more difficult structural problems.
Abstract 376: Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Cardiovascular Risks Multi-disciplinary Awareness Project

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one cause of death amongst women. There has been much effort put forth over the past decade in reducing both the incidence and prevalence...
Intrapartum risk factors for postpartum urinary retention: a case-control study.

Urinary voiding dysfunction is a common postpartum condition. Increased knowledge of risk factors for postpartum urinary retention could improve early identification of women at risk and lead to enhanced postpartum surveillance. We sought to identify intrapartum factors that contribute to postpartum urinary retention. This retrospective case-control study compared subjects who developed postpartum urinary retention requiring indwelling catheterization after vaginal delivery to a control group who did not require catheterization. The control group was randomly selected in a 1:4 ratio. Continuous data were analyzed using a two-sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Categorical data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test and two proportions test. Logistic regression was performed to identify variables independently associated with increased risk for development of postpartum urinary retention. A total of 5802 women who delivered vaginally met eligibility criteria with 38 women (0.65%) experiencing postpartum urinary retention. Logistic regression revealed that nulliparity, ≥ 2nd-degree obstetrical laceration, and intermittent catheterization during labor were independently associated with increased risk for postpartum urinary retention. No single factor predicted development of postpartum urinary retention; however, a higher index of suspicion after vaginal delivery is warranted for nulliparous women, ≥ 2nd-degree obstetrical laceration, and if intermittent catheterization during labor was required.
Optimizing Transmitter Amplifier Load Impedance for Tuning Performance in a Metacognition-Guided, Spectrum Sharing Radar

Transmitter power amplifier load impedance impacts the transmitted power of the radar, which affects the maximum detection range. In spectrum sharing radars, the operating frequency is expected to change on the order of a few milliseconds coherent processing interval (CPI), which can be in the low milliseconds. While a high-power impedance tuner has been developed for radar applications, its reconfiguration time requires at least several hundreds of milliseconds, thus significantly exceeding the CPI time scale and preventing configuration adjustments within the CPI. We demonstrate an algorithm that assesses and improves the amplifier impedance tuning during a spectrum sharing metacognition process in a cognitive radar. Measurement results show success in achieving maximum average power over test intervals using the control of an adaptive software-defined radio platform.
Transitioning hospitalized patients from rivaroxaban or apixaban to a continuous unfractionated heparin infusion: A retrospective review

Purpose To determine a patient's clinical course based on the use of an activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) or heparin anti-Xa assay when transitioning from rivaroxaban or apixaban to an unfractionated heparin infusion. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted to investigate how unfractionated heparin infusions were managed at a tertiary care hospital in the setting of recent apixaban or rivaroxaban administration. Patients were separated into 2 cohorts based on the chosen heparin infusion monitoring assay: heparin anti-Xa or aPTT. The primary composite outcome was total number of bleeding and thrombotic events; the secondary composite outcome was average incidence of heparin infusion holds and rate changes per patient. Results Data were collected from 76 patients (heparin anti-Xa = 69, aPTT = 7). Due to the limited number of patients within the aPTT cohort, this data was excluded from the analysis, and heparin anti-Xa descriptive statistics were reported without statistical comparisons. In the heparin anti-Xa group, a total of 10 bleeds and 1 thrombus were discovered. Additionally, the average number of infusion holds and rate changes was 0.841 and 2.65 times per patient, respectively, for those patients monitored via heparin anti-Xa assay. Conclusion In the presence of a recently administered oral anti-Xa anticoagulant, more down-titrations occurred in the initial 6 hours of the heparin infusion when measuring anti-Xa activity, and most up-titrations occurred after 36 hours. Baseline heparin anti-Xa activity may be a useful tool to identify patients with residual plasma concentrations of apixaban and rivaroxaban to help better individualize heparin therapy.
Equilibrium properties of penetrable soft spheres

Using the Weeks-Chandler-Andersen separation scheme, we explored equilibrium properties of fully penetrable soft spheres with an attractive tail. When the radial distribution function of the refere...
Competing for impact and prestige: Deciphering the “alphabet soup” of academic publications and faculty productivity metrics

Accurate quantification of scholarly productivity continues to pose a significant challenge to academic medical institutions seeking to standardize faculty performance metrics. Numerous approaches have been described in this domain, from subjective measures employed in the past to rapidly evolving objective assessments of today. Metrics based on publication characteristics include a variety of easily categorized, normalized, referenced, and quantifiable data points. In general, such measures can be broadly grouped as being author-, manuscript-, and publication/journal-specific. Commonly employed units of measurement are derived from the number of publications and/or citations, in various combinations and derivations. In aggregate, these metrics are utilized to more objectively assess academic productivity, mainly for the purpose of determining faculty promotion and tenure potential; evaluating grant application/renewal competitiveness; journal/publication, and institutional benchmarking; faculty recruitment, retention, and placement; as well as various departmental and institutional performance assessments. This article provides an overview of different measures of academic productivity and scientific impact, focusing on bibliometric data utilization, including advantages and disadvantages of each respective methodological approach. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Interpersonal skills and communication, practice-based learning and improvement, systems-based practice.
Catastrophic Health Expenditures Across Insurance Types and Incomes Before and After the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

This cohort study analyzes changes in financial risk protection associated with implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) across income strata and insurance types.
The Difference between Good Enough and Great: Bringing Interpretive Best Practices to Life

The purpose of this paper is to illuminate in both a quantitative and qualitative sense the practices that distinguish great interpretive programs from those that may merely be adequate to satisfy ...
Recurrent ascites in systemic lupus erythematosus treated with rituximab - a case report and review of pseudo-pseudo Meigs’ syndrome

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disease with multisystem consequences. Pseudo-pseudo Meigs’ syndrome (PPMS), or Tjalma syndrome, is a newly recognized manifestation of SLE that is characterized by increased CA-125 level, pleural effusion, and ascites without evidence of tumor. PPMS is relatively rare and likely under-recognized. To our knowledge, there are 11 published case reports about PPMS. In nearly half of the PPMS cases, ascites is the initial symptom of SLE. The pathophysiology of this syndrome is not completely understood but thought to be in part due to chronic inflammation, which is supported by symptoms abating with immunosuppression. We report a case of a 20-year-old woman with known SLE who developed recurrent large volume ascites, subsequently leading to the diagnosis of PPMS, requiring rituximab for additional immunosuppression. To our knowledge, this is the first case of using rituximab as a successful treatment for PPMS.
Multirate Signal Processing

A frequent task in digital signal processing is to adjust the sampling rate according to the signal of interest. Systems with different sampling rates are referred to as multirate systems. In this chapter, two typical examples will illustrate decimation and interpolation in multirate DSP systems. We will then introduce polyphase notation, and will discuss some efficient decimator designs. At the end of the chapter we will discuss filter banks and a quite new, highly celebrated addition to the DSP toolbox: wavelet analysis.
Peak loads on teeth from a generic mouthpiece of a vibration device for accelerating tooth movement

Introduction The effect of vibrational force (VF) on accelerating orthodontic tooth movement depends on the ability to control the level of stimulation in terms of its peak load (PL) on the tooth. The objective of this study was to investigate the PL distribution on the teeth when a commercial VF device is used. Methods Finite element models of a human dentition from cone-beam computed tomography images of an anonymous subject and a commonly used commercial VF device were created. The device consists of a mouthpiece and a VF source. The maxilla and mandible bites on the mouthpiece with the VF applied to it. Interface elements were used between the teeth and the mouthpiece, allowing relative motion at the interfaces. The finite element model was validated experimentally. Static load and VF with 2 frequencies were used, and the PL distributions were calculated. The effects of mouthpiece materials and orthodontic appliances on the PL distribution were also investigated. Results The PL distribution of this kind of analyzed device is uneven under either static force or VF. Between the anterior and posterior segments, the anterior segment receives the most stimulations. The mouthpiece material affects the PL distribution. The appliance makes the PL more concentrated on the incisors. The VF frequencies tested have a negligible influence on both PL magnitude and distribution. Conclusions The device analyzed delivers different levels of stimulation to the teeth in both maxilla and mandible. Changing the material property of the mouthpiece alters the PL distribution.
Risk and fragility assessment of residential wooden buildings subject to hurricane winds

Abstract Hurricanes are one of the major causes of damage and loss to residential wooden buildings in the United States. The study of hurricane-imposed risks to residential wooden buildings is, therefore, a fundamental step to mitigate these damages and losses. Within this context, a probabilistic methodology is provided for the fragility analysis of residential wooden buildings. Two damage mechanisms are considered in this methodology, excessive dynamic wind pressure and impact from windborne debris. Unlike existing frameworks, the methodology defines the geometric configuration as well as the required extension of the neighboring buildings to estimate the damage from both mechanisms. A case study illustrates the methodology on residential communities composed of archetype gable-roof buildings. Ten construction cases are defined to cover a range of resistances of building components for both considered damage mechanisms. Three floor-area ratios ( F A R ) are also considered. The resulting fragility curves highlight: (1) the effect of the F A R on enhancing the performance of residential buildings due to the effect of shielding; and (2) the significance of windborne debris in increasing the estimated hurricane risk. The estimated fragility curves can be used to directly model residential buildings in community resilience frameworks.
A Fractional Brownian Motion Approach to Psychological and Team Diffusion Problems

In this chapter we discuss drift diffusion and extensions to fractional Brownian motion. We include some Artificial Intelligence (AI) motivated issues in fractional Brownian motion. We also discuss how fractional Brownian motion may be used as a metric for interdependence in Team science.
The implementation limitations of and alternative policy solutions for Indonesia's REDD+ program concerning peatland restoration

Recent increases in global demand for palm oil have resulted in rapid, widespread deforestation in Indonesia, making Indonesia the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. Although the Indonesian government has sought to pursue progressive environmental policies to curb deforestation, such as through REDD+, implementation has been hampered by legal loopholes, corruption and weak rule of law. This paper will examine two alternative carbon sequestration policies to REDD+: a drying up of the palm oil market and a buy-out of palm oil plantations.
Advances in Economics and Econometrics: Wage Equations and Education Policy

INTRODUCTION One of the most widely estimated regression equations in economics is that of the earnings or wage function, which relates a measure of market remuneration (e.g., hourly wage rates or annual earnings) to measures of human capital stocks such as completed schooling and market work experience. In the first half of this paper, I address two related questions: (1) What interpretation should be given to the wage equation? and (2) Why should we care about estimating it? Twenty-five years ago, Zvi Griliches, in his 1975 Presidential Address to the World Congress of the Econometric Society, raised the first question of interpretation, together with several others that were concerned with the appropriate specification and estimation of the wage function. In that address, Griliches chose to adopt the competitive market–human capital production interpretation of Ben-Porath (1967), in which the wage an individual is offered is the product of the competitively determined skill rental price and the amount of human capital or skill units cumulatively produced by and thus embodied in the individual. About a decade later, Heckman and Sedlacek (1985) and Willis (1986) extended the competitive market–human capital production interpretation of the wage function to a multidimensional skill setting, formally incorporating the self-selection model of Roy (1951) to the choice of employment sector in the former case and to the choice of occupation cum schooling in the latter. More recently, Keane and Wolpin (1997) extended and generalized the Heckman and Sedlacek and Willis papers to a dynamic setting of schooling, employment, and occupational choice, adopting as well the competitive market–human capital production paradigm.
Race-ing Prosecutors' Ethics Codes

This Essay examines prosecutorial discretion, using the decisions made in the Jena Six incident as its example for change. Two crucial considerations, omitted in this decision-making process, are offered here. First is the importance of examining cases globally as opposed to making prosecutorial decisions using a one-dimensional process. Looking only at whether specific facts support a particular charge fails to account for promoting justice in situations that might be threaded to a particular theme. Merely matching facts to elements of a statute fails to provide a thoughtful recognition of what is in fact a "just" resolution. Second is the need to be vocal when an injustice warrants correction. The affirmative duty of a prosecutor to promote justice has both symbolic and practical implications. This Essay examines the discretionary decision-making process from the perspective of legal and ethical mandates that are intended to guide prosecutors in their choices. In looking at the hortatory guidance provided to prosecutors, it considers the role of compassion and how compassion can be used to ensure fairness in the process. While personalities can clearly influence a charging decision, it is important to make certain that the decisions are not made as a one-dimensional process. Rather, it is necessary that the decision-making process examines all factors and circumstances in order to make certain that the prosecutor acts as a true "minister of justice."
Simulation of Construction Project Duration

MUD (model for uncertainty determination) will simulate the progress under uncertainty of the typical construction project on which the activity durations are not independent of each other. Monte Carlo simulation models the effects of uncertainties that are independent of calendar date. Daily progress under uncertain weather is simulated using historical weather data. Activity criticalities are computed for the simulated activity times. The samples from multiple simulations of a project are combined by MUD to calculate a range estimate (mean and standard duration) for activity and project durations, times, and criticality. A small example project illustrates some of the capabilities of MUD.
Use of the estrogen/creatinine ratio and the “estrogen index” for screening of normal and “high-risk” pregnancy

Abstract The estrogen/creatinine ratio and the “estrogen index” were determined in random voided urines from 483 normal pregnancies and 80 high-risk pregnancies. When both ratios were used, they predicted 70.5 per cent of low-birth-weight infants in apparently normal pregnancies. Estrogen levels detected 84.6 per cent of low-birth-weight infants when determined prior to the twenty-eighth week of gestation and 60.6, 59.1, and 56.3 per cent, respectively, at the twenty-eighth to thirty-second weeks, thirty-second to thirty-sixth weeks, and thirty-sixth week to term. Values below the tenth percentile at any time in pregnancy were followed by delivery of low-birth-weight babies in 43.6 per cent of patients with a low estrogen/creatinine ratio and 41.3 per cent of those with a low estrogen index. Estrogen ratios could not predict the future occurrence of prematurity, toxemia, or abruptio placentae. However, the perinatal mortality rate was 13.5 times greater (2.2/1,000 vs. 29.7/1,000) in patients with estrogen values below the tenth percentile.
Tokyo’s Dainikoro Underwater Tube-Tunnel

The Tokyokou Dainikoro Tube-Tunnel is a four-lane highway tunnel which, when completed in 1980, will provide direct access to manmade islands in the Bay. The estimated cost is about 30 billion yen ($130,000,000). The overall project length is 1,782 m (5,847 ft), of which 744 m (2,441 ft) between two ventilation buildings is the submerged tube-tunnel, consisting of six section each 124m (407 ft) long. Approaches and ventilation buildings are contructed on deep-pile foundations, while the tube sections are placed in a dredged trench that is later backfilled. Interesting methods described include: (1)Construction of tubes from reinforced concrete rather than fabricated steel. (2)construction in a dry dock that was subsequently flooded: (3)a two-point temporary landing on adjustable jacks rather than on a precisely leveld bedding: and (4)subsequent pumped backfill with bentonite mortar grout under the tubes.
An energy storage assessment: Using optimal control strategies to capture multiple services

This paper presents a methodology for evaluating benefits of battery storage for multiple grid applications, including energy arbitrage, balancing service, capacity value, distribution system equipment deferral, and outage mitigation. In the proposed method, at each hour, a look-ahead optimization is first formulated and solved to determine battery base operating point. The minute by minute simulation is then performed to simulate the actual battery operation. This methodology is used to assess energy storage alternatives in Puget Sound Energy System. Different battery storage candidates are simulated for a period of one year to assess different value streams and overall benefits, as part of a financial feasibility evaluation of battery storage projects.
Mass Loss in the Greenland and Antarctica Ice Sheets: 2002-2014

Data from the NASA GRACE satellite program show that the ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica have undergone a steady decline in mass during 2002-2014, the entire period for which GRACE data are available as of this writing. Although the reasons for the decline are unclear, it is generally assumed that surface temperature is a factor in the observed mass loss in both ice sheets. Using detrended correlation analysis we find that mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet shows a statistically significant positive correlation consistent with the surface temperature hypothesis. No such correlation exists for ice sheet mass loss in Antarctica. We conclude that the two polar ice sheet mass loss trends are symptoms of very different underlying phenomena and they are therefore not directly comparable in terms of global warming and climate change.
Chemistry of the Glycosidic Bond

Because of the importance and the role the carbohydrates play in living organisms, the formation and hydrolysis of glycosidic bond are probably the two most important reactions in carbohydrate chemistry. Just as the amino acids are the building blocks for the synthesis of peptides and proteins in living organisms, the monosaccharides are the building blocks for the synthesis of oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, and glycoconjugates (glycoproteins, glycosaminoglycans, glycolipids, and proteoglycans to name a few). The synthesis of oligo- and polysaccharides as well as glycoconjugates requires the formation of glycosidic bonds, i.e., the formation of a chemical bond between the C1 carbon of a monosaccharide and any hydroxyl oxygen of another monosaccharide or a hydroxyl oxygen of any molecule that bears hydroxyl group, such as a hydroxyamino acid (serine, threonine), a lipid (sphingosine), and phosphatidyl inositol. The glycosidic bond can also be formed between the anomeric C1 carbon of a monosaccharide and the amido nitrogen of asparagine (as, for example, in N-linked glycoproteins) or the nitrogen of a purine or a pyrimidine base (as, for example, in ribo- and deoxyribonucleosides).
A thermo-mechanically coupled theory for fluid permeation in elastomeric materials: Application to thermally responsive gels

Abstract An elastomeric gel is a cross-linked polymer network swollen with a solvent, and certain gels can undergo large reversible volume changes as they are cycled about a critical temperature. We have developed a continuum-level theory to describe the coupled mechanical deformation, fluid permeation, and heat transfer of such thermally responsive gels. In discussing special constitutive equations we limit our attention to isotropic materials, and consider a model based on a Flory–Huggins model for the free energy change due to mixing of the fluid with the polymer network, coupled with a non-Gaussian statistical–mechanical model for the change in configurational entropy—a model which accounts for the limited extensibility of polymer chains. We have numerically implemented our theory in a finite element program. We show that our theory is capable of simulating swelling, squeezing of fluid by applied mechanical forces, and thermally responsive swelling/de-swelling of such materials.
A COMPARATIVE HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF FISH (CHANNA MARULEUS) AND AMPHIBIAN (BUFO STOMATICUS) OOGENESIS.

Comparative histochemical studies on the fish (Channa maruleus) and amphibian (Bufo stomaticus) oogenesis demonstrate a great similarity in the growth and differentiation of their egg follicle. The ooplasm, germinal vesicle and egg-membranes show distinct morphological and cytochemical changes during previtellogenesis and vitellogenesis.
Wideband optical storage

This paper has five purposes. First, to focus upon the key relationships that bound the technology choices for large, archival, digital storage devices; second, to identify the motivations for selecting the optical technology for a petabit-exabit level storage system (10 to the 15th to 10 to the 18th bits); third, to present a generic example and a specific implementation of a terabit-level optical storage device; fourth, to characterize the global design space constraints that will allow one to build a technology-limited optical store; and fifth, to sketch the outline of the BYTERON concept, a wideband 10 to the 16th to 10 to the 17th bit optical store concept and contrast its performance to that of an optical store that is in operation today
Numerical methods for the mean exit time and escape probability of two-dimensional stochastic dynamical systems with non-Gaussian noises

The mean exit time and escape probability are deterministic quantities that can quantify dynamical behaviors of stochastic differential equations with non-Gaussian α -stable type Levy motions. Both deterministic quantities are characterized by differential-integral equations (i.e., differential equations with nonlocal terms) but with different exterior conditions. A convergent numerical scheme is developed and validated for computing the mean exit time and escape probability for two-dimensional stochastic systems with rotationally symmetric α -stable type Levy motions. The effects of drift, Gaussian noises, intensity of jump measure and domain sizes on the mean exit time are discussed. The difference between the one-dimensional and two-dimensional cases is also presented.
Creative Personality and Identity

Assuming that particular personality configurations would encounter particular situations and problems which affect their approach to and resolution of the identity task, this article considers the relationship of the concept of identity proposed by Erikson to those characteristics that distinguish highly creative individuals. Several hypotheses are advanced regarding the conditions encountered by these individuals in the process of identity formation as a function of their characteristics. On the basis of these conditions, it is suggested that their sense of identity is tentative and tenuous, involving a series of configurations, each more complex and comprehensive and reflecting a deeper penetration of their constituent elements. It is also suggested that this is a functional state compatible with their creative orientation.
Use of size and a copolymer design feature to improve the biodistribution and the enhanced permeability and retention effect of doxorubicin-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles in a murine xenograft tumor model.

A key challenge for improving the efficacy of passive drug delivery to tumor sites by a nanocarrier is to limit reticuloendothelial system uptake and to maximize the enhanced permeability and retention effect. We demonstrate that size reduction and surface functionalization of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNP) with a polyethyleneimine–polyethylene glycol copolymer reduces particle opsonization while enhancing the passive delivery of monodispersed, 50 nm doxorubicin-laden MSNP to a human squamous carcinoma xenograft in nude mice after intravenous injection. Using near-infrared fluorescence imaging and elemental Si analysis, we demonstrate passive accumulation of ∼12% of the tail vein-injected particle load at the tumor site, where there is effective cellular uptake and the delivery of doxorubicin to KB-31 cells. This was accompanied by the induction of apoptosis and an enhanced rate of tumor shrinking compared to free doxorubicin. The improved drug delivery was accompanied by a significant reduction i...
Microstructural effects on high-cycle fatigue-crack initiation in A356.2 casting alloy

The effects of various microconstituents on crack initiation and propagation in high-cycle fatigue (HCF) were investigated in an aluminum casting alloy (A356.2). Fatigue cracking was induced in both axial and bending loading conditions at strain/stress ratios of −1, 0.1, and 0.2. The secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) and porosity (maximum size and density distribution) were quantified in the directionally solidified casting alloy. Using scanning electron microscopy, we observed that cracks initiate at near-surface porosity, at oxides, and within the eutectic microconstituents, depending on the SDAS. When the SDAS is greater than ∼ 25 to 28 µm, the fatigue cracks initiate from surface and subsurface porosity. When the SDAS is less than ∼ 25 to 28 µm, the fatigue cracks initiate from the interdendritic eutectic constituents, where the silicon particles are segregated. Fatigue cracks initiated at oxide inclusions whenever they were near the surface, regardless of the SDAS. The fatigue life of a specimen whose crack initiated at a large eutectic constituent was about equal to that when the crack initiated at a pore or oxide of comparable size.
Thermally measured magnetic field induced dissipation in polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7−x

Abstract Using a temperature measurement, the field induced dissipation in polycrystalline YBa 2 Cu 3 O x at T ⪡ T c has been measured for magnetic fields up to 2970 Oe applied at constant ramp rates, in the absence of a transport current. At 4.85 K results show that for H > 500 Oe the dissipated energy was rate independent in the magnetization run, rate dependent in the hysteretic run, and proportional to the cube of the applied field for both the magnetization and hysteretic runs. A more complex rate and field dependence was observed at lower fields. We also find the surprising result that the dissipation is equal for both increasing ( H ↑) and decreasing ( H ↓) H in magnetization runs for all applied fields, but in hysteretic runs the dissipation is less for H ↑ than H ↓, but only at low fields. B has been simultaneously measured and found to be rate dependent up to 100 Oe and then to increase nearly linearly with H , independent of the rate, up to 2000 Oe for both magnetization and hysteretic runs. The dissipation and magnetization results have been modelled using a classical eddy current mechanism and a Rayleigh - Bean model. Although the Rayleigh - Bean model was inconsistent with the experimental data at lower fields, the classical model was roughly consistent with the experimental observations for ramp rates ≥2880 Oe s −1 in hysteretic runs below 500 Oe. The dissipation was found to be an appreciable fraction of the magnetization energy at 3000 Oe and typically three to four orders of magnitude larger than that expected from eddy current loss in the normal state.
Surface Atom Motion to Move Iron Nanocrystals through Constrictions in Carbon Nanotubes under the Action of an Electric Current

Under the application of electrical currents, metal nanocrystals inside carbon nanotubes can be bodily transported. We examine experimentally and theoretically how an iron nanocrystal can pass through a constriction in the carbon nanotube with a smaller cross-sectional area than the nanocrystal itself. Remarkably, through in situ transmission electron imaging and diffraction, we find that, while passing through a constriction, the nanocrystal remains largely solid and crystalline and the carbon nanotube is unaffected. We account for this behavior by a pattern of iron atom motion and rearrangement on the surface of the nanocrystal. The nanocrystal motion can be described with a model whose parameters are nearly independent of the nanocrystal length, area, temperature, and electromigration force magnitude. We predict that metal nanocrystals can move through complex geometries and constrictions, with implications for both nanomechanics and tunable synthesis of metal nanoparticles.
A QUANTUM-MECHANICAL ANOMALY RE-EXAMINED

We explore some aspects of a quantum-mechanical anomaly. The formal steps mimic properties usually found in the description of self-dual fields in two dimensions. In particular, we introduce some comments on a recently suggested route to describe chiral bosons.
Low Energy Gamma Scintillation Spectrometry

Techniques are reviewed which are used to: obtain good resolution with Scintillation Spectrometers; minimize pulses which fall outside of photo peaks; measure absolute gamma efficiencies of NaI crystals as a function of energy; and measure K/L capture ratios and gamma conversion coefficients. Some factors affecting energy resolution including associated electronic circuits are discussed.
Cooperation with a robotic assistant

Robotic assistants soon will serve many assistive roles in our everyday lives. It is important to understand how these robots can interact with users, not just as tools, but also as social agents. In a controlled laboratory experiment, we examined cooperation in an effortful task with a robot that displayed one of two personalities. We found that a serious, caring robot induced more compliance than a playful, ejoybale robot on this task. We propose possible explanations and further research.
Huge electric fields in Ge/GaAs (001) and (111) superlattices and their effect on interfacial stability.

Self-consistent relativistic pseudopotential calculations of ${\mathrm{Ge}}_{6}$/(GaAs${)}_{3}$ (001) and (111) superlattices yield a sawtooth potential resulting in electric fields of magnitude ${10}^{9}$ V/m. This has little effect on the (111) energy bands but localized states on the two (001) interfaces are shifted in opposite directions, resulting in a negative energy gap. Formation-enthalpy calculations indicate the (111) interface is probably stable against reconstruction while the (001) interface is probably unstable.
Counterexamples to the Connectivity Conjecture of the Mixed Cells

In [4] a conjecture concerning the connectivity of mixed cells of subdivisions for Minkowski sums of polytopes was formulated. This conjecture was, in fact, originally proposed by Pedersen [3]. It turns out that a positive confirmation of this conjecture can substantially speed up the algorithm for the ``dynamical lifting'' developed in [4]. In the mean time, when the polyhedral method is used for solving polynomial systems by homotopy continuation methods [2], the positiveness of this conjecture also plays an important role in the efficiency of the algorithm. Very unfortunately, we found that this conjecture is inaccurate in general. In Section 1 a counterexample is presented for a general subdivision. In Section 2 another counterexample shows that even restricted to ``regular'' subdivisions induced by liftings, this conjecture still fails to be true.
In vitro apparatus for controlled release studies and intrinsic rate of permeation

Abstract The hydrodynamic characteristics of an in vitro apparatus for membrane moderated controlled drug release studies were investigated by measuring a dissolution rate from benzoic acid disk. An empirical correlation was developed for estimating the mass transfer coefficient. A simple method for correcting the effect of diffusion boundary layer on the rate of drug permeation was also described. The intrinsic rates of progesterone, testosterone and hydrocortisone through the silicone membrane were then evaluated by the correction method described.
Bifurcation analysis of higher m:n resonance spectroscopic Hamiltonian

The classical phase space structure of a spectroscopic Hamiltonian for two coupled vibrational modes is analyzed using bifurcation theory, classified on catastrophe maps, for a variety of higher order resonances (3:2, 4:2, 5:2, 6:2 and 4:4, 5:4, 6:4), cases not considered in previous work. A type of bifurcation not encountered for lower resonance orders, based on overlap of separatrices rather than change in behavior of fixed points, is analyzed, and a procedure is developed to augment the catastrophe map. Energy level patterns are associated with the new resonances, in analogy with the patterns of adjacent level spacings considered earlier for the 2:1 resonance.
Glucocorticoid receptor-mediated transcriptional regulation of N-acetyltransferase 1 gene through distal promoter.

Human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1, (HUMAN)NAT1, is a phase II xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme that plays an important role in drug and carcinogen biotransformation and cancer development. Its gene expression has been shown to be regulated by environmental factors. The purpose of the current study is to determine the involvement of nuclear receptors in transcriptional regulation of (HUMAN)NAT1 gene. We show that among the nuclear receptors examined, including the glucocorticoid receptor, retinoid acid receptor-related orphan receptor alpha, constitutive androstane receptor, pregnane X receptor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor, and retinoic acid receptor, the glucocorticoid receptor plays a dominant role in regulating (HUMAN)NAT1 gene expression through distal promoter (P3). The involvement of the glucocorticoid receptor in transcription regulation of (HUMAN)NAT1 gene expression was demonstrated by dexamethasone treatment, reporter assay using plasmid-containing 3 kbp of 5′-end region of promoter 3, and treatment of anti-glucocorticoid RU486 in primary culture of human hepatocytes and transfected HepG2 cells. In addition, translation inhibition did not affect dexamethasone-induced gene expression through P3, suggesting that dexamethasone effect is directly mediated by glucocorticoid receptor activation. Furthermore, deletion analysis revealed the presence of multiple responsive elements within the 3 kbp fragment of P3. Transfection assays in mice using hydrodynamics-based procedure and reporter gene assay in a mouse cell line revealed that glucocorticoid-induced NAT gene expression is species dependent. Dexamethasone treatment of transfected mice and mouse cell line decreased (MOUSE)Nat2 gene expression, (HUMAN)NAT1 homologue. These results suggest that glucocorticoids serve as a modulator for (HUMAN)NAT1 gene expression via the P3-containing 5′-flanking region.
Corporate Image and the Establishment of Euro Disney: Mickey Mouse and the French Press.

Drawing upon publications in the French press, this article considers three interweaving themes that characterized the construction of the Euro Disney park. It then offers an analysis of the historical context for and the implications of the park's construction, using the literature of French cultural studies and cross‐cultural studies for support. It concludes with a discussion of the possible consequences to the company of Disney's negative image in the French press.
Continuity of care in general surgery resident education

Abstract Background Lack of continuity of care for patients managed by general surgery residents is a commonly recognized problem but objective data evaluating its incidence are limited. The goal of this pilot study was to determine the extent to which senior residents at a large American urban academic center participate in the full course of care for patients on whom they operate. Methods Two hundred twenty-eight total cases performed between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012 were reviewed and the operative senior resident was noted: laparoscopic cholecystectomy (n = 50), breast lumpectomy (n = 33), thyroidectomy (n = 50), laparoscopic appendectomy (n = 50), and open partial colectomy (n = 45). Frequency of operative resident involvement in the initial preoperative clinic visit, initial postoperative visit, or both (the entire course of care) was recorded. Results Overall rate of operative resident involvement was 9.2% for the initial preoperative consultation, 9.0% for the initial follow-up visit, and 0% for the entire course of a patient’s care. Residents were on service for greater than 40 days, whereas the average total duration of care for an individual patient was 26 days. Conclusions The results of this pilot study suggest that continuity of care among general surgery residents is lacking and cannot be entirely accounted for by rotation-specific time constraints. Further research is needed to identify and validate effective curricular strategies for improving opportunities to participate in this essential experience.
Slope water intrusions onto Georges Bank

[1] Data from moored instruments and hydrographic cruises of the U.S. GLOBEC NW Atlantic/Georges Bank program reveal a series of intrusions of high-salinity water extending onto the southern flank of Georges Bank during the spring and summer of 1995. On the basis of the layer of maximum salinity, these intrusions may be divided into three different types: near surface, near bottom, and pycnocline. The water mass and flow structure of all intrusions are highly variable, owing partly to wind-driven motions and partly to meanders and eddies formed along the front of the intruding water. The mooring data of May clearly show the passage of two cyclonic features, each with a core of intruding water. While the intrusions are shown to dominate the flux of high-salinity water onto the southern flank, the data examined offer no evidence that intrusions enhance nutrient concentrations over the southern flank.