cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A time-resolved millimeter wave conductivity (TR-mmWC) apparatus for charge dynamical properties of semiconductors

This article demonstrates a contactless, time-resolved, millimeter wave conductivity apparatus capable of measuring photoconductivity of a diverse range of materials. This cavity-less system determines the time-dependent magnitude of a sample’s charge carrier density-mobility product by monitoring the response of a continuous, millimeter-wave probe beam following excitation of the sample by an ultrafast laser pulse. The probe beam is tunable from 110 GHz to 170 GHz and the sample response data can be obtained over the sub-nanosecond to millisecond time interval. This system has been tested on silicon wafers, S-I GaAs, perovskite thin films, SiO2-Ge(nc), and CdSxSe1−x nanowire samples. We demonstrate a minimum detectable photoconductance change of ∼1 µS, an estimated time resolution for conductance decay of ∼100 ps, and a dynamic range greater than 57 dB. The calibration constant of the system, needed for quantitative calculation of photoconductivity from experimental data, has been determined using silicon wafers. This system has several advantages over currently used microwave and terahertz techniques, such as facile tunability of probe frequency and substantially wider time range for study of decay kinetics, while maintaining an open sample environment that enables characterization of a wide range of sample sizes under controlled environmental conditions.
Urinary Tract Infections

Recognize the common signs and symptoms of urinary tract infections. Understand the differences in risk for developing urinary tract infections in males and females. Review the techniques for optimal collection of specimens for urinalysis and culture. Gain familiarity with interpreting the results of a urinalysis and a urine culture. Recognize typical uropathogens. List antibiotics typically used to treat urinary tract infections. Describe when follow-up, imaging, or referral to a specialist is indicated.
Wayfinding re/dicto

Alvan Lucier’s score, I Am Sitting in a Room (1969), provokes the architectural surround into a Janus-faced prosthesis, de dicto/de re (about the said and the sensed), as well as in locus sin quo (but if there is, where?). In order to arrive at the creative work made possible by the edited collection, this chapter uses Lucier’s score and acts as a locus sin quo to consider three ongoing laboratory projects, each using off-the-shelf hardware to reengineer the poetic imaginaries of surveillance, control, spatial practice, and speculative design. My first case is DIY’s laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) into covertly sensing human signature and event detection by operationalizing the resonant/sonorous surround. My second case directly exploits the same sensorium to instead hunt untapped perceptual modalities for feeling and navigating invisible space. My third case is the “Transborder Immigrant Tool” (TBT), a global positioning satellite (GPS) hack by “artivist” collective Electronic Disturbance Theater (EDT)/b.a.n.g. lab for assisting immigrants navigating and crossing the Mexico/US border. Rather than suggesting a solution therein, the chapter appropriates the challenge as a creative bead both on Foucault’s idea of counter-conduct and back to Lucier(’s) sitting in a room.
Inverse Analysis of a Supported Excavation in Chicago

AbstractAdaptive management is a design approach which allows one to change support and/or construction procedures during excavation based on observed responses to meet specific design objectives. ...
Fuel-shell interface instability growth effects on the performance of room temperature direct-drive implosions

Performance degradation in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion implosions is caused by several effects, one of which is Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instability growth during the deceleration phase. In room-temperature plastic target implosions, deceleration-phase RT growth is enhanced by the density discontinuity and finite Atwood number at the fuel–shell interface. In this paper, the Atwood number of the interface is systematically varied by altering the ratio of deuterium to tritium (D:T) within the DT gas fill. It is shown that the stability of the interface is best characterized by the effective Atwood number, which is primarily determined by radiation heating of the shell and not by the composition of the fuel. Both simulation and experimental data show that yield performance scales with the fraction of D and T present in the fuel and that the observed inferred ion temperature asymmetry ( Δ T i = T i max − T i min ), which indicates the presence of long-wavelength modes, has a small sensitivity to the different D:T ratios.
Association of Age with Efficacy of Immunotherapy in Metastatic Melanoma.

Management of melanoma has been revolutionized by the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Immune system changes associated with aging may affect the efficacy of immune-based therapies. Using the National Cancer Database, we evaluated the impact of age on the receipt and efficacy of modern immunotherapies in patients with metastatic melanoma. We identified 11,944 patients from 2011-2015, of whom 25% received immunotherapy. Older (≥60 years), compared with younger, patients were less likely to receive immunotherapy (odds ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.78; p < .001). Immunotherapy was associated with a survival benefit in both younger and older patients (<60 years: hazard ratio [HR], 0.64; 95% CI, 0.57-0.72; p < .001; ≥60 years: HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.50-0.60; p < .001). Importantly, there was a statistically significant interaction between age and survival with immunotherapy, where a greater benefit was observed for older patients (pinteraction = 0.013). Further work studying the age-related response to immunotherapy is warranted.
Introducing the Analysis of Journal Articles

The ability to critically read peer-reviewed journal articles is a skill that is developed with practice. And while this skill is essential for graduate students who are budding members of the community, it appears overlooked at the undergraduate level and especially in the community college setting. By not introducing the analysis of journal articles to this student population, we may be limiting their future success. Therefore, how can we introduce the analysis of journal articles to community college students and what effect does this have on their skills and interests? Utilizing a pre-test/post-test research design across five political science courses in a single semester at a community college, I examine how a Journal Article Analysis module, which is a collection of assignments and assessments, effects students’ ability to analyze political science journal articles and their interest in the discipline.
The Timurid Empire

The author discusses in detail the genesis and make-up of the gigantic empire founded by Timur (Temur) or Tamerlane at Samarqand in 1370. Despite the period of disorder following Timur’s death the empire faced a second period of reconsolidation under Shahrukh. However, it was not able to survive the vicious succession struggles that followed Shahrukh’s death and to overcome the hostile neighboring confederations which were eager to enlarge their holdings.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy Studies of Crossed Aldol Reactions: A Reactive Nile Red Dye Reveals Catalyst-Dependent Product Formation

The synthesis of a new Nile red derivative incorporating a reactive aldehyde moiety (NR-CHO) is reported and its use in spectroscopic studies of heterogeneous catalyst activity in crossed aldol reactions is demonstrated. 1H and 13C NMR, and high-resolution mass spectrometry confirmed the desired NR-CHO was obtained. Mg-Zr-Cs doped silica (Cs(Zr,Mg)-SiO2) was employed as the catalyst and its performance was compared to that of commercially available MgO. Fumed silica was used as a control. Aldol reactions with acetone and acetophenone were run in 4 : 1 (v/v) DMSO : ketone solutions in the presence of both dilute (1 μM) and concentrated (1 mM) NR-CHO. NR-CHO fluorescence spectra were acquired as the reactions progressed. Shifts in its emission spectrum are used to distinguish the products formed and to characterize the reaction rate. The dye exhibits different behavior that defines whether the reaction stops at the addition (alcohol) product, or forms both addition and condensation (olefin) products, providing valuable initial information on catalyst activity. The assignment of addition and condensation products is supported by thin layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and HPLC-mass spectrometry data. Product formation is shown to depend upon the catalyst employed, with the Cs(Zr,Mg)-SiO2 yielding both addition and condensation products, while MgO yields primarily addition products. The advantages of NR-CHO in spectroscopic studies of aldol reactions are also demonstrated relative to commercially available 3-perylenecarboxaldehyde. The NR-CHO reported here and the results obtained will facilitate a broad range of both ensemble and single molecule spectroscopic investigations of heterogeneous catalysis in crossed aldol reactions in the future.
Ethical Dilemmas in Human Rights Field Education: A Case Study on Macro Practice in a Reproductive-Rights Policy Setting

In the article that follows, the two authors, a professor/field supervisor and a social work student intern in a conservative western state in the USA, discuss a values-based ethical dilemma in field-based social work education. While having to choose between particular values or perspectives in social work practice is relatively common—perhaps even part of the unique expertise we bring as social workers—the dilemmas faced by social work students in their field placements present particular challenges for the students, their field supervisors, and their instructors. The authors present a case study regarding birth control legislation that highlights those challenges—where an ideal solution for helping a particular population must be weighed with a marginally better but incomplete solution. Ultimately, this case and the authors’ reflection on it suggest the need for ethical training articulated by Gray and Gibbons (2007) that recognizes the limitations of ethical frameworks and the “Kantian and utilitarian ethics that [have] been taken to extremes” and dogmatized in some corners of the social work field (p. 234). Instead, the authors argue in favor of a broader, more flexible ethical training that includes virtue ethics and a focus on human rights. Further, case studies in courses need to include policy practice dilemmas, as these often challenge the dogmatic ethical frameworks that are often ill equipped to inform effective decision making under stressful circumstances.
On the #BeirutBlast: Organized Abandonment and the Environmental Violence of Capital

Despite the particular political and geopolitical context in which it occurred, the explosion that rocked Beirut on August 4 is another instance of the environmental violence immanent in the circul...
The Role of Adjuvant Chemotherapy Following Right Hemicolectomy for Non-metastatic Mucinous and Nonmucinous Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma.

Appendiceal adenocarcinoma (AA) represents a heterogenous group of neoplasms with distinct histologic features. The role and efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) in non-metastatic disease remain controversial. The aim of this study was to ascertain the role of AC in non-metastatic AA in a national cohort of patients. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried to identify patients diagnosed with stage I–III mucinous and nonmucinous AA who underwent right hemicolectomy between 2006 and 2016. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the impact of AC on overall survival (OS) stratified by each pathologic stage. A total of 1433 mucinous and 1954 nonmucinous AA were identified; 578 (40%) and 722 (40%) received AC respectively. In both AC groups, there was a higher proportion of T4 disease, lymph node metastasis, pathologic stage III, and poorly/undifferentiated grade (all P<0.05). On unadjusted analysis, there was no significant association between AC and OS for stage I–III mucinous AA. For nonmucinous AA, AC significantly improved OS only for stage II and III disease. On adjusted analysis, AC was independently associated with an improved OS for stage III nonmucinous AA (HR: 0.61, 95%CI 0.45–0.84, P=0.002), while for mucinous AA, AC was associated with worse outcomes for stage I/II disease (HR: 1.4, 95%CI 1.02–1.91, P=0.038) and had no significant association with OS for stage III disease. This current analysis of a national cohort of patients suggests a beneficial role for AC in stage III nonmucinous AA and demonstrates no identifiable benefit for stage I–III mucinous AA.
Sensitive periods during the development and expression of vertebrate sexual signals: A systematic review.

Many sexually selected traits exhibit phenotypic plasticity. Despite a growing appreciation for the ecological context in which sexual selection occurs, and for the role of plasticity in shaping traits associated with local adaptation and divergence, there is an important gap in knowledge about the onset and duration of plasticity in sexual trait expression. Integrating this temporal dimension of plasticity into models of sexual selection informs our understanding of the information conveyed by sexual traits and our predictions related to trait evolution, and is critical in this time of unprecedented and rapid environmental change. We conducted a systematic review of 869 studies to ask how trait modalities (e.g., visual and chemical) relate to the onset and duration of plasticity in vertebrate sexual signals. We show that this literature is dominated by studies of coloration in birds and fish, and most studies take place during the breeding season. Where possible, we integrate results across studies to link physiology of specific trait modalities with the life stage (e.g., juvenile, breeding, or nonbreeding) during which plasticity occurs in well-studied traits. Limitations of our review included a lack of replication in our dataset, which precluded formal analysis. We argue that the timing of trait plasticity, in addition to environmental context, is critical for determining whether and how various communication signals are associated with ecological context, because plasticity may be ongoing or occur at only one point in an individual's lifetime, and determining a fixed trajectory of trait expression. We advocate for careful consideration of the onset and duration of plasticity when analyzing how environmental variation affects sexual trait expression and associated evolutionary outcomes.
EDP system development methodology: Auditability and control

This study is both a replication and an extension of prior work on system development. By expanding on the previous information with more updated information, a better description of the system development process is obtained.
Improved speaker recognition using DCT coefficients as features

We recently proposed the use of coefficients extracted from the 2D discrete cosine transform (DCT) of log Mel filter bank energies to improve speaker recognition over the traditional Mel frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) with appended deltas and double deltas (MFCC/deltas). Selection of relevant coefficients was shown to be crucial, resulting in the proposal of a zig-zag parsing strategy. While 2D-DCT coefficients provided significant gains over MFCC/deltas, the parsing strategy remains sensitive to the number of filter bank outputs and the analysis window size. In this work, we analyze this sensitivity and propose two new data-driven methods of utilizing DCT coefficients for speaker recognition: rankDCT and pcaDCT. The first, rankDCT, is an automated coefficient selection strategy based on the highest average intra-frame energy rank. The alternate method, pcaDCT, avoids the need for selection and instead projects DCT coefficients to the desired dimensionality via principal component analysis (PCA). All features including MFCC/deltas are tuned on a subset of the PRISM database to subsequently highlight any parameter sensitivities of each feature. Evaluated on the recent NIST SRE'12 corpus, pcaDCT consistently outperforms both rankDCT and zzDCT features and offers an average 20% relative improvement over MFCC/deltas across conditions.
Molecular Structural Dynamics of Photoactive Transition Metal Complexes in Solar Energy Conversion Studied by Ultrafast Optical Spectroscopy and LITR‐XAS

Transition metal complexes play important roles in solar energy conversion due to their intense absorption within the solar spectrum, their capability of transferring electron and energy through the metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) or ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT) excited state, and their capability of binding substrates through coordination geometry changes. Hence, structural dynamics of these complexes in their excited states need to be understood in order to gain knowledge of controlling solar energy conversion processes. We will present our recent studies on structural dynamics of two metal complexes using both ultrafast optical Spectroscopy and laser initiated time‐resolved x‐ray absorption Spectroscopy (LITR‐XAS). In order to fully understand the roles of transition metal complexes in solar energy conversion, structural dynamics of these molecules in their excited states on ultrafast time scales are needed. We will discuss mainly two different transition metal complex systems, 1) ultrafast structural dynamics in the MLCT state of [Cu(I)(dmp)2]+ in different solvents, and 2) excited state structural dynamics of metalloporphyrins in solution. In the first system, a structural dynamics study using ultrafast up‐conversion revealed time scale of the internal structural changes in the MLCT state, which provides guidance in future ultrafast structural determination using fs x‐ray sources, such as LCLS. In the second system, a few examples of excited state metalloporphyrin structures obtained by LITR‐XAS will be discussed with potential applications in photocatalysis and solar energy conversion.
Editorial: Reimagining schools: The potential of virtual education

The article summarizes a presentation on virtual education given by the director of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology, Karen Cator, during the National Technology Leadership Summit, held in Washington, D.C. on September 30 and October 1, 2010, and recommendations from the Summit for action by the U.S. federal government. Topics include an overview of kindergarten (K)-12 virtual education, the impact on advances in virtual education from lack of an informed research base and proactive thinking, and the importance of teacher training in advancing quality virtual education.
Academic Library Services for Users with Developmental Disabilities

Students with developmental disabilities are being increasingly included in college life. As this occurs, academic libraries will be providing more services to this population. This discussion of services to users with developmental disabilities attempts to help fill a gap in the literature and provide information that can be useful for libraries to build on as they develop services. Furthermore, by focusing on students with developmental disabilities, there are opportunities to improve services for all students.
How does social integration influence breast cancer control among urban African-American women? Results from a cross-sectional survey.

Although social integration is a well-established influence on health, less is known about how the specific types of social connection (social roles, social networks, and social support) influence knowledge, attitudes, and practices for specific prevention goals, and how to utilize these influences in interventions with priority populations. This research examined the prevalence of social roles, networks and support among 576 urban African-American women age 45–93 in East Baltimore, Maryland, and the association of these social factors with breast cancer related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Using data from 1997–1998 in-home interviews, we developed indices of six possible social roles, social networks of family, neighborhood and church, and instrumental and emotional social support. In multivariate models adjusting for age, education, and medical care, we examined the association of each social influence on breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, screening recency and intention, and treatment preferences. We found substantial variation in social integration among these women, with social integration positively associated with overall health and well-being. Social roles and networks were positively associated with screening knowledge, and emotional support and church networks were positively associated with attitudes conducive to early detection and treatment. In regard to screening behaviors, family networks were associated with both screening recency and intention. Women with greater church networks and emotional support held more conservative attitudes towards lumpectomy, reconstruction, and clinical trials. Overall, social integration is a positive influence on breast cancer control and should be utilized where possible in interventions, including identifying surrogate mechanisms for support for subgroups without existing social resources.
Glenn Ligon: Re-Visioning Change

ABSTRACT Glenn Ligon's artworks and career explores his handling of the interrelated issues of race, gender, sexuality, politics, economics, ethnicity, age, and power relation produced through visual culture, and how such artworks could be used to introduce sexual subjects in school.
Transport of penetrants in the macromolecular structure of coals. V. Anomalous transport in pretreated coal particles

Dynamic swelling studies were performed on well-characterized coal particles treated in various ways. Pyridine was the penetrant and all studies were performed at 35°C. The transport behavior was compared for untreated, pyridine-extracted, oxidized and alkylated samples. Data analysis using an exponential equation of the penetrant uptake as a function of time and a relaxation-controlled analysis showed that the pyridine transport mechanism was non-Fickian or Case-II transport, and that it was only slightly affected by the pretreatment of the coal samples.
MOSFET 1/f noise under switched bias conditions

Klumperink et al., have recently had a number of publications on the low frequency noise of MOSFET’s under switched gate bias conditions. Since this is an important consideration in the low frequency noise in analog circuits with switching we have investigated the experimental technique used in some detail. No consideration was given to phase noise, a mixing with and modulation of the switched bias drain current by l/f noise in the analysis of the data. This can result in a response on the spectrum analyzer which corresponds very closely to the experimental data where the switched bias off gate voltage is near the threshold voltage. If the switched bias off gate voltage is near zero however we have also found a reduction in the l/f noise at low frequencies with switched bias. Here we have also investigated the time dependence of switched bias l/f noise and have found long term transients in the time domain.
Daily versus single-day offering of influenza vaccine in community pharmacies

Objective To assess the cumulative number of influenza vaccinations delivered per pharmacy in relation to number of days of offering vaccination per season. Methods Automated records of pharmacies involved in a cohort study were queried for number of influenza vaccinations delivered in each of three influenza vaccination seasons between 1996 and 1998. Eleven pharmacies in Washington State were compared with 13 pharmacies in Oregon, contrasting years when nurses offered influenza vaccine 1day per season with years when pharmacists offered influenza vaccine daily for several months. Results Pharmacies in which pharmacists offered influenza vaccination daily averaged 528 to 807 doses per pharmacy per season compared with 91 to 233 doses per pharmacy in seasons when nurses offered vaccination on a single day. Conclusion Professionals dedicated to providing adult vaccination on any given day outperformed professionals who attended to both vaccination and other clinical duties, but the cumulative effect of offering vaccinations on multiple days can achieve a greater number of vaccinations over a several-month interval.
Temporomandibular joint replacement for ankylosis correction in Nager syndrome: case report and review of the literature

p o l i a Nager acrofacial dysostosis is a mandibulofacial abnormality characterized by downward slanting of the palpebral fissures, malar hypoplasia, bilateral conductive hearing loss, cleft palate, micrognathia, absent or hypoplastic thumbs, and radial limb hypoplasia. The syndrome shares many phenotypic features with Treacher-Collins syndrome; however, it is recognized as a separate clinical entity. A comprehensive review of the published data regarding Nager syndrome was completed to better understand the syndrome itself and the multiple treatment modalities historically used for correction of the variety of clinical manifestations, including mandibular retrognathism. In addition, we present the 94th reported case of Nager syndrome and the correction of bilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis, resulting from multiple failed previous mandibular surgeries, with bilateral custom total TMJ prosthetic replacement. Nager syndrome, also known as Nager acrofacial dysostosis, was first described and distinguished from other acrofacial disorders in 1948 by Nager and Derenier. It is a genetic craniofacial disorder with varying opinions regarding its etiology, thereby suggesting a possible heterogeneous pathogenesis. An
Effectiveness of Multi-Hop Negotiation on the Internet

Inter-domain routing has been long considered as an ongoing negotiation on end-to-end paths between service providers. Such negotiations were often believed to be effective in their form of bilateral and single-hop interactions between neighboring ISPs in a rather hierarchical market structure. Traffic engineering policies, multi-homing schemes and peering mechanisms have been often employed as only service performance improvement methods within this localized approach. However, several measurement studies on inter-domain routing have revealed that these methods are not effective at capturing diversity in performance levels and alternative paths offered by the Internet. Recently, several clean-slate Internet architecture proposals have introduced multi-hop negotiation mechanisms in an effort to revitalize inter-domain routing on the Internet. In this work, we quantify how effective these local policy exceptions can be in providing better quality paths. We also analyze the increasing benefits ripened by broadening wide-area route control capabilities of an ISP. Our analysis on traces captured from the Internet quantitatively shows that currently adopted local and single-hop policies are effective only to a certain extent, and multi-hop negotiation mechanisms can significantly increase the quality and performance of end-to-end paths.
Lack of Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Interaction between Rizatriptan and Paroxetine

Rizatriptan is a potent, oral 5-HT(1B/1D) agonist with a rapid onset of action being investigated for the acute treatment of migraine. This study examined the clinical and pharmacolinetic interaction between rizatriptan and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, paroxetine. In this two-period crossover study, 12 healthy young subjects (6 males and 6 females) received 1 mg rizatriptan following 14 days of treatment with placebo or paroxetine (20 mg once daily). Plasma was sampled for rizatriptan and N-monodesmethyl rizatriptan, a minor but active metabolite of rizatriptan. Safety evaluations included monitoring for adverse events, vital signs, and visual analog scale assessment of mood. Plasma levels of rizatriptan and N-monodesmethyl rizatriptan were not altered when rizatriptan was administered with paroxetine compared to the placebo. Clinically, coadministration of rizatriptan with paroxetine was well tolerated. Blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature changes during the observation period did not differ to a clinically significant degree when rizatriptan was administered with paroxetine compared to the placebo. No effects on mood occurred following treatment with the combination compared to rizatriptan alone. Adverse events following rizatriptan administration with paroxetine were similar to those reported when rizatriptan was given with the placebo.
Ionic Conductance through Fibrin Networks

One of the body's primary mechanisms to curtail excess blood loss in the event of injury is the formation of a thrombus. This hemostatic clot is the direct result of fibrinogen's conversion to fibrin in the presences of thrombin. Fibrin network formation is strongly dependent on the amount of thrombin present during its development. In our study, we address the effect of thrombin on the distribution of the network opening sizes. Fibrin networks are grown over micron-sized pores in polymer membranes, varying attributes such as enzyme concentration, pH, etc. The networks are then characterized using optical techniques such as confocal and differential interference contrast microscopies. We present experiments that measure the ionic flow through a fibrin network grown over a pore. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules suspended in solution are used to attenuate the ionic current as they pass through the fibrin network. The growth characteristics and correlated current blockade distributions will be presented.
A sociocultural perspective on mediated activity in third grade science

This ethnographic study of a third grade classroom examined elementary school science learning as a sociocultural accomplishment. The research focused on how a teacher helped his students acquire psychological tools for learning to think and engage in scientific practices as locally defined. Analyses of classroom discourse examined both how the teacher used mediational strategies to frame disciplinary knowledge in science as well as how students internalized and appropriated ways of knowing in science. The study documented and analyzed how students came to appropriate scientific knowledge as their own in an ongoing manner tied to their identities as student scientists. Implications for sociocultural theory in science education research are discussed.
The effects of attitudinal ambivalence and exploratory switching behavior on the use of two decision aids

Abstract Decision aids are commonly designed to provide users with more task domain knowledge than that possessed by the users. Also, decision support systems often provide users with two or more decision aids for performing similar tasks, which can lead to switching between the aids. These aspects of decision aid use can combine to cause users to experience attitudinal ambivalence (i.e., simultaneously holding conflicting feelings or beliefs) toward the presence of the multiple decision aids. This study investigates the relationships among ambivalence, switching, and task performance in a behavioral experiment involving two decision aids. Based on attitudinal ambivalence research, we hypothesize that: (1) ambivalence toward two decision aids leads to switching between them; (2) switching is exploratory behavior that improves performance; and (3) switching occurs more when using decision aids with high-interactivity than when using those with low-interactivity. In this study, business students acting as bank loan officers process commercial loan applications using two decision aids (a regression prediction and a database list), between which they could freely switch. From a cognitive perspective, most participants (91%) viewed their decision aid environment as highly ambivalent. Switching occurred 23% of the time and in 89% of the participants. As expected, as switching increased, performance improved, and switching and performance improvements occurred with the high-interactivity database aid more than with the low-interactivity regression aid. The results provide weak support for the predicted relationship between cognitive ambivalence and switching, and none for emotional ambivalence and switching. Also, as switching increased, time to complete tasks (as a proxy for effort) increased.
Black hole multiplets and spontaneous breaking of local supersymmetry

We classify states saturating a double or a single supersymmetric positivity bound of a four-dimensional N=4 supersymmetry. The massive four-dimensional double-bound states (Bogomolny states) are shown to form a lightlike representation of ten-dimensional supersymmetry. The single-bound states form a massive representation (centrino multiplet) of a four-dimensional supersymmetry. The first component of the centrino multiplet is identified with extreme black holes with a regular horizon which have one-quarter of the unbroken supersymmetry. The centrino multiplet includes a massive spin-3/2 state, the centrino, as the highest spin state. The existence of massive black hole supermultiplets may affect the massless sector of the theory. Assuming that a gluino condensate is formed one can study its properties. The bilinear combination of covariantly constant Killing spinors supplies the possible form for a gluino condensate. The condensate has null properties, does not introduce a cosmological constant, and may lead to a spontaneous breaking of local supersymmetry. This suggests that the centrino may provide a consistent super-Higgs mechanism.
Synthesis of a chain of nine-atom germanium clusters accompanied with dimerization of the sequestering agent

Abstract [Rb2(4,2,1,1-crypt)]Ge9·en was synthesized from a precursor of nominal composition Li2RbGe17 that was dissolved in ethylenediamine. Red crystals of the compound were obtained after addition of 2,1,1-crypt and layering with THF. The structure (triclinic, P 1 _ , a = 11.1927(5), b = 15.0516(7), and c = 15.7847(7) A, α = 57.671(1), β = 83.594(1), and γ = 80.217(1)°, Z = 2) features infinite chains of (–Ge92––)∞, where each cluster of Ge92– is bonded to two other clusters via single Ge–Ge bonds. Most interestingly, the 2,1,1-crypt molecules form dimers by opening C–N bonds within the molecules and restoring them to another molecule. Each dimer sequesters two rubidium cations forming a complex dication that coordinates to the chain of clusters. To cite this article: A. Ugrinov, S.C. Sevov, C. R. Chimie 8 (2005).
Thyro-pituitary relationships in children with cretinism and hypothyroidism.

THE relationship which exists between the thyroid and pituitary has been known for a long time. Thyrotropin (TSH) production is activated in states of decreased thyroid hormone production, and anterior pituitary production of thyrotropin is inhibited by the thyroid hormone secreted. Exogenous thyroid hormone, likewise, inhibits the production of thyrotropin, resulting in decreased synthesis of endogenous thyroid hormone (1). Thus, a reciprocal relationship exists between the anterior pituitary and the thyroid gland. However, most concepts of this interaction are based on morphologic studies or, at best, on indirect physiologic evidence. There have been relatively few measurements of the levels of circulating thyrotropic hormone in humans. In 1951, D'Angelo, Paschkis, Gordon and Cantarow (2) reported observations on the thyroid-thyrotropic hormone balance of normal and endocrinopathic individuals. Data were presented on 9 adults and 1 child with hypothyroidism. The titers of thyrotropin varied widely from ...
Analysis of neutral lipids and glycerolysis products from olive oil by liquid chromatography

A simple method was developed to separate model triglycerides, 1,3-diglycerides, 1,2-diglycerides, monoglycerides and free fatty acids and products generated in enzymatic glycerolysis of olive oil by high-performance liquid chromatography with a laser light-scattering detector. The separation was carried out with a silica column at 30°C. A gradient elution with mobile phase A (hex-ane/chloroform/formic acid) and mobile phase B (hex-ane/acetone/chloroform) can separate the compounds into distinct peaks in less than 20 min.
Analysis of a SiC three-phase voltage source inverter under various current and power factor operations

Due to the superior physical properties of Silicon Carbide (SiC) material, SiC MOSFETs and Schottky diodes are becoming available for voltages higher than 600 V, which has been dominated by conventional silicon (Si) IGBTs and P-N diodes. Compared to the Si devices, SiC devices excel in many areas such as faster switching speed, lower conduction and switching losses, and higher temperature capability. This paper thoroughly investigates the performance of a 12 kVA SiC-based three-phase voltage source inverter in simulation. The proposed inverter is first compared with a conventional Si inverter of the same rating under given loading conditions. In addition, high frequency operations up to 100 kHz are investigated. Finally, the SiC inverter is evaluated for different load currents and power factor angles. Loss and efficiency values for each case are calculated and reported.
Effectiveness factor for spatial gradient sensing in living cells

We consider the steady-state pattern of messenger molecules produced in the membrane of a cell perceiving and responding to an extracellular gradient of chemoattractant, which directs cell movement towards the chemoattractant source. Specifically, we analyze the undesirable effect of lateral diffusion in blurring the intracellular messenger profile. The concept of an effectiveness factor, akin to the analysis of reactions in porous catalysts, is applied to the spatial gradient sensing problem, with the distinction that slow, not fast, diffusion is required for effective gradient sensing. Analytical effectiveness factor expressions are derived for ideal geometries and then generalized to arbitrary cell shapes. In the case of mouse fibroblasts responding to gradients of platelet-derived growth factor, we conclude that the cell morphology and orientation with respect to the gradient can dictate whether messenger diffusion obliterates gradient sensing or has very little effect. The analysis outlined here allows the effect of intracellular messenger diffusion on spatial gradient sensing to be quantified for individual cells.
Prospective analysis of office-based hysteroscopic sterilization.

Abstract Study Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of performing the Essure hysteroscopic sterilization in an office-based setting. Design Prospective, longitudinal analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). Setting University out-patient office. Patients All patients undergoing permanent sterilization in our outpatient office who opted for hysteroscopic sterilization were included. Interventions Hysteroscopic placement of the Essure device in an office-based setting with only non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and paracervical block. Measurements and main results Multiple data points were collected on each patient including demographic data, specific procedural information, and 12-week hysterosalpingogram data. Most of our patients were Hispanic and had an average body mass index of 30.3. Average time to perform the procedure was 12.4 minutes, with the steepest improvement in the first 13 cases. Bilateral placement of the device was successful in 98 (96%) of 102 patients. Of these patients 92 have 12-week hysterosalpingography results (6 patients were lost to follow-up), with 90 (98%) showing bilateral tubal occlusion. There were no intraprocedural or postprocedural complications. Conclusion In our institution and in our experience, office-hysteroscopic placement of the Essure device is a feasible and effective approach for permanent sterilization.
Eating Patterns and Obesity in Children The Bogalusa Heart Study

Abstract Background Childhood obesity is a growing public health problem. This study examined the association between eating patterns and overweight status in children who participated in the Bogalusa Heart Study. Methods A single 24-hour dietary recall was collected on a cross-sectional sample of 1562 children aged 10 years (65% Euro-American [EA], 35% African American [AA]) over a 21-year period. Overweight was defined as body mass index greater than the 85th percentile using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference standards. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the association between eating patterns and overweight. Results Consumption of sweetened beverages (58% soft drinks, 20% fruit flavor drinks, 19% tea, and 3% coffee) ( p p p p p p Conclusions These results demonstrate that numerous eating patterns were associated with overweight status, yet the odds of being overweight were very small. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings in a longitudinal sample having multiple days of assessment.
Effects of electronegative substitution on the optical and electronic properties of acenes and diazaacenes

Large acene molecules are common components of organic electronics. Appleton et al. show that embedding pyrazine units in acenes results in unexpected red-shifted optical transitions upon electronegative substitution, which may aid the design of acene-type materials for organic electronics applications.
Compact Multi-core Fiber Fan-out with GRIN-lens and Micro-lens Array

A multi-core fiber fan-out composed of a GRIN-lens and a micro-lens array has been proposed. A seven-core fan-out was fabricated and confirmed the coupling loss between the fan-out and SM-fiber agreed with the optical design.
XML-based 3D model visualization and simulation framework for dynamic models

Relatively recent advances in computer technology enable us to create three-dimensional (3D) dynamic models and simulate them within a 3D web environment. The use of such models is especially valuable when teaching simulation, and the concepts behind dynamic models, since the models are made more accessible to the students. Students tend to enjoy a construction process in which they are able to employ their own cultural and aesthetic forms. The challenge is to create a language that allows for a grammar for modeling, while simultaneously permitting arbitrary presentation styles. For further flexibility, we need an effective way to represent and simulate dynamic models that can be shared by modelers over the Internet. We present an Extensible Markup Language (XML)-based framework that will guide a modeler in creating personalized 3D models, visualizing its dynamic behaviors, and simulating the created models. A model author will use XML files to represent geometries and topology of a dynamic model. Model Fusion Engine, written in Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT), expedites the modeling process by automating the creation of dynamic models with the user-defined XML files. Modelers can also link simulation programs with a created model to analyze the characteristics of the model. The advantages of this system lie in the education of modeling and simulating dynamic models, and in the exploitation of visualizing the dynamic model behaviors.
Explanation and description in computational neuroscience

The central aim of this paper is to shed light on the nature of explanation in computational neuroscience. I argue that computational models in this domain possess explanatory force to the extent that they describe the mechanisms responsible for producing a given phenomenon—paralleling how other mechanistic models explain. Conceiving computational explanation as a species of mechanistic explanation affords an important distinction between computational models that play genuine explanatory roles and those that merely provide accurate descriptions or predictions of phenomena. It also serves to clarify the pattern of model refinement and elaboration undertaken by computational neuroscientists.
Experimental evidence that keeping eggs dry is a mechanism for the antimicrobial effects of avian incubation

Avian incubation dramatically reduces the abundance and diversity of microbial assemblages on eggshells, and this effect has been hypothesized as an adaptive explanation for partial incubation, the bouts of incubation that some birds perform during the egg-laying period. However, the mechanisms for these antimicrobial effects are largely unknown. In this study, we hypothesized that microbial inhibition is partly achieved through removal of liquid water, which generally enhances microbial growth, from eggshells, and experimentally tested this hypothesis in two ways. First, we placed the first- and second-laid eggs of tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) clutches in unincubated holding nests with either ambient or increased water on eggshells. Second, we added water to eggshells in naturally partially incubated nests. We compared microbial growth on shells during a 5-day experimental period and found that, as predicted, both unincubated groups had higher microbial growth than naturally partially incubated controls, and that only in the absence of incubation did wetted eggs have higher microbial growth than unwetted eggs. Thus, we have shown that water increases microbial growth on eggshells and that incubation nullifies these effects, suggesting that removal of water from egg surfaces is one proximate mechanism for the antimicrobial effects of incubation.
Octatetraene in n-hexane : the local phonon

Abstract At liquid helium temperatures the 1 1 A g to 2 1 A g 0-0 band for octatetraene in n-hexane consists of a 2−4 cm -1 zero-phonon line and a phonon sideband with a prominent 32 cm -1 progression. Intensities in the phonon sideband are well fit by Franck-Condon factors calculated for a harmonic mode with a displacement of 0.13 A (reduced mass =106 amu). The phonon sideband profiles can be reproduced by the convolution of the site distribution function (zero-phonon line profile) with a Lorentzian. The homogeneous widths determined in this way agree with those measured by hole burning.
Morphological effects on optical and electrical properties of ZnO nanostructures

Morphology control of semiconductor nanostructures is of great interest in recent years owing to their unique capabilities in achieving desired chemical and physical properties as well as enabling great potential in electronic and optoelectronic applications. In this paper, we review our recent study on morphological control of ZnO nanocones and how the optical and electrical properties of such nanostructure-based photovoltaic solar cells are affected. The nanocone shape is obtained by altering the ratio of oxygen to argon gas during thermal chemical vapor deposition. The nanocones grown on Si substrates show antireflective properties in a broad spectral range. We further found that incident light was confined in the nanocones, which enhances the antireflective properties through multi-reflection/absorption. The performance dependency of a ZnO-CdTe solar cell on the morphology of ZnO was explored by introducing the nanocones. Small junction area and strong electric field at the tip of nanocones contribute to effective charge transport across the heterojunction, resulting in improved the conversion efficiency of solar cells.
Statistical thermodynamics of liquid hydrocarbons Part I—Pure components

Abstract A corresponding states theory for polysegmented molecules is developed in a manner similar to Prigogine's theory of r -mers; in the present work, however, the segments of a molecular chain are not necessarily identical. The theory is applied to liquid hydrocarbons and parameters are evaluated for the various molecular segments which appear in n -paraffins, branched paraffins, olefins, naphthenes and aromatics. The parameters were obtained from volumetric data, vapor pressures, polarizabilities, ionization potentials and van der Waals radii. The theory gives a good fit of the configurational properties of 35 liquid hydrocarbons (ranging from C 1 to C 20 ) from the triple point to slightly above the normal boiling point provided a semi-empirical correction is included for the effect of lattice imperfections on the configurational energy.