cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface-Energy-Anisotropy-Induced Orientation Effects on Rayleigh Instabilities in Sapphire

Arrays of controlled-geometry, semi-infinite pore channels of systematically varied crystallographic orientation were introduced into undoped m-plane (10{bar 1}0) sapphire substrates using microfabrication techniques and ion-beam etching and subsequently internalized by solid-state diffusion bonding. A series of anneals at 1700 C caused the breakup of these channels into discrete pores via Rayleigh instabilities. In all cases, channels broke up with a characteristic wavelength larger than that expected for a material with isotropic surface energy, reflecting stabilization effects due to surface-energy anisotropy. The breakup wavelength and the time required for complete breakup varied significantly with channel orientation. For most orientations, the instability wavelength for channels of radius R was in the range of 13.2R-25R, and complete breakup occurred within 2-10 h. To first order, the anneal times for complete breakup scale with the square of the breakup wavelength. Channels oriented along a direction had a wavelength of {approx} 139R, and required 468 h for complete breakup. Cross-sectional analysis of channels oriented along a direction showed the channel to be completely bounded by stable c(0001), r{l_brace}{bar 1}012{r_brace}, and s{l_brace}10{bar 1}1{r_brace} facets.
Photon emission from hot hadronic matter described by an effective chiral Lagrangian

The emission rates for photons from hadronic matter are calculated for the elementary processes \ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\gamma}, \ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\gamma}, and \ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\gamma} at T=100, 150, 200 MeV. Hadronic matter is described by an effective chiral Lagrangian with pions, \ensuremath{\rho} mesons, and ${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ mesons. The vector and axial-vector mesons are included as massive Yang-Mills fields of chiral U(${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{f}}$${)}_{\mathit{L}}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{f}}$${)}_{\mathit{R}}$ symmetry. The emission rates are compared with those obtained without the ${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ meson. For \ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\gamma} and \ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\gamma} reactions the photon emission rates are increased with the inclusion of the ${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ meson in intermediate states. There is a small increase of the emission rate from \ensuremath{\rho}-meson decay.
The Effects of Social Support on Work–Family Enhancement and Work–Family Conflict in the Public Sector

This study examines the impact of social support on work–family conflict and work–family enhancement. Data from 341 employees of public organizations showed that social support, especially from work sources, reduced the level of work interference with family, one direction of work–family conflict. In addition, all nonfamily sources of social support related positively to work enhancement of family, and all sources of social support, except that received from a supervisor, positively correlated with family enhancement of work. The strengths, limitations, and implications of the study are discussed, and areas for future research are recommended.
Effect of traffic self-similarity on network performance

Recent measurements of network traffic have shown that self- similarity is an ubiquitous phenomenon present in both local area and wide area traffic traces. In previous work, we have shown a simple, robust application layer causal mechanism of traffic self-similarity, namely, the transfer of files in a network system where the file size distributions are heavy- tailed. In this paper, we study the effect of scale- invariant burstiness on network performance when the functionality of the transport layer and the interaction of traffic sources sharing bounded network resources is incorporated. First, we show that transport layer mechanisms are important factors in translating the application layer causality into link traffic self-similarity. Network performance as captured by throughput, packet loss rate, and packet retransmission rate degrades gradually with increased heavy-tailedness while queueing delay, response time, and fairness deteriorate more drastically. The degree to which heavy-tailedness affects self-similarity is determined by how well congestion control is able to shape a source traffic into an on-average constant output stream while conserving information. Second, we show that increasing network resources such as link bandwidth and buffer capacity results in a superlinear improvement in performance. When large file transfers occur with nonnegligible probability, the incremental improvement in throughput achieved for large buffer sizes is accompanied by long queueing delays vis-a- vis the case when the file size distribution is not heavy- tailed. Buffer utilization continues to remain at a high level implying that further improvement in throughput is only achieved at the expense of a disproportionate increase in queueing delay. A similar trade-off relationship exists between queueing delay and packet loss rate, the curvature of the performance curve being highly sensitive to the degree of self-similarity. Third, we investigate the effect of congestion control on network performance when subject to highly self-similar traffic conditions. We implement an open-loop congestion control using unreliable transport on top of UDP where the data stream is throttled at the source to achieve a fixed arrival rate. Decreasing the arrival rate results in a decline in packet loss rate whereas link utilization increases. In the context of reliable communication, we compare the performance of three versions of TCP--Reno, Tahoe, and Vegas--and we find that sophistication of control leads to improved performance that is preserved even under highly self-similar traffic conditions. The performance gain from Tahoe to Reno is relatively minor while the performance jump from TCP Reno to Vegas is more pronounced consistent with quantitative results reported elsewhere.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Characterization and clinical association of antibody inhibitory to HIV reverse transcriptase activity

Reverse transcriptase activity of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was blocked in vitro by immunoglobulin G (IgG) derived from certain individuals infected with this retrovirus. A heterogeneous immune response for inhibition of enzyme function was noted. Catalytic activity was depressed by 50% or more with the use of 10 micrograms of IgG from 11 of 16 HIV-seropositive asymptomatic carriers, but from 0 of 8 seronegative controls and 2 of 12 patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or the AIDS-related complex (ARC). The inhibitor was confined to the F(ab')2 fragment. It was not directed against the poly(rA) X oligo(dT) template, nor against major envelope or structural viral antigens, and did not cross-react with bacterial, avian, or other mammalian DNA polymerases. It did not correlate with recognition of polymerase antigens by radioimmunoprecipitation. Loss of this inhibitor may be associated with development of clinical disease. Ten asymptomatic HIV-seropositive carriers with high titers of IgG antibodies to reverse transcriptase were followed for a mean of 3 years. All of four lost inhibitory capability prior to development of AIDS or ARC, while titers persist in the six who remain clinically healthy.
Reinforcing cultural competency concepts during introductory pharmacy practice experiences.

Objectives. To incorporate cultural competency concepts into various introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE) at the University of Missouri — Kansas City, School of Pharmacy. Design. A 6-w...
Size Distributions of 0.5 to 20 μm Aerodynamic Diameter Lead-Containing Particles from Aerosol Sampler Walls and Filters

The study presented here investigates the number weighted particle size distributions of aerosols generated in the laboratory from lead oxide and lead sulfide dusts and sampled by Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) and closed face cassette (CFC) samplers as determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The wall deposits and filter deposits from each sampler were characterized separately. A Mann-Whitney statistical analysis revealed that differences in the number weighted distributions of particles captured by the filter and the wall were not significant over the size range (up to 20 μm aerodynamic equivalent diameter) present in these laboratory-generated aerosols. Furthermore, for these samples it was not possible to distinguish an absolute difference between the IOM and CFC filter catches. By comparing direct measurements of aerodynamic equivalent diameter (AED) made by an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) to AEDs calculated from SEM images, empirical shape factors for lead oxide and lead sulfi...
Capillary flow behavior of bicomponent polymer blends

The flow behavior of bicomponent polymer blends of four types of polymers (polypropylene, polystyrene, high-density polyethylene and polymethyl-methacrylate) was examined using a capillary extrusion rheometer. The viscosity of the blend was generally less than the value calculated by the theoretical or empirical additivity rules proposed in previous reports, whereas the entrance pressure loss, which is considered to be an effect of elasticity, was larger than the estimated value. Thus the variation of the viscosity with blending ratio was inversely proportional to the variation in the elastic property. The cross-section of the material extruded in a roughly dispersed state showed an annularly stratified flow pattern in which the lower viscosity component polymer appeared to form the outer skin layer. However, the observation that the viscosity of the properly blended material at certain blending ratios was sometimes lower than that of either homopolymer could not be explained.
Impact of manikin motion on particle transport in the breathing zone

The current experimental investigation is focused on particle measurements using phase Doppler anemometry (PDA) in the breathing zone of a seated, breathing, thermal manikin under stationary and rotational conditions. Particle size, concentration, flux, and velocity data were collected both at the chamber inlet and in the manikin's breathing zone throughout the breathing cycle. In addition, simple oscillatory motion was added through manikin rotation to determine the impact on particle transport. The application of such experimental equipment to aerosols in the indoor environment provides the opportunity to assess the capacity of the human thermal plume to act as a transport mechanism to carry particulate matter (PM) into the breathing zone.
Neuromorphic models on a GPGPU cluster

There is currently a strong push in the research community to develop biological scale implementations of neuron based vision models. Systems at this scale are computationally demanding and have generally utilized more accurate neuron models, such as the Izhikevich and Hodgkin- Huxley models, in favor of the integrate and fire model. This paper examines the feasibility of using a cluster of NVIDIA General Purpose Graphics Processing Units (GPGPUs) for accelerating a spiking neural network based character recognition network based on the Izhikevich and Hodgkin-Huxley models to enable such large scale systems. We utilized a 32 node cluster at NCSA containing an NVIDIA Tesla S1070 GPGPU on each node. Based on a thorough review of the literature, this is the first study examining the use of a cluster of GPGPUs for accelerating neuromorphic models. Our results show that the GPGPU can provide speedups of 24.6 and 177.0 times over a dual core 2.4 GHz AMD Opteron processor for the Izhikevich and Hodgkin-Huxley models respectively. Additionally, the MPI implementations of the models scaled almost linearly, with 16 GPGPUs providing throughputs of 14.1 and 15.9 times that of a single GPGPU for the Izhikevich and Hodgkin-Huxley models respectively. This indicates that clusters of GPGPUs are well suited for this application domain.
Confronting Moral Pluralism in Posttraditional Western Societies: Bioethics Critically Reassessed

In the face of the moral pluralism that results from the death of God and the abandonment of a God's eye perspective in secular philosophy, bioethics arose in a context that renders it essentially incapable of giving answers to substantive moral questions, such as concerning the permissibility of abortion, human embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, etc. Indeed, it is only when bioethics understands its own limitations and those of secular moral philosophy in general can it better appreciate those tasks that it can actually usefully perform in both the clinical and academic setting. It is the task of this paper to understand and reevaluate bioethics by understanding these limits. Academic bioethicists can analyze ideas, concepts, and claims necessary to understanding the moral questions raised in health care, assessing the arguments related to these issues, and provide an understanding of the different moral perspectives on bioethical issues. In the clinical setting, bioethicists can provide legal advice, serve as experts on IRBs, mediating disputes, facilitating decision-making and risk management, and clarifying normative issues. However, understanding this is only possible when one understands the history, genesis, and foundations of bioethics and its inability to provide a resolution to postmodern moral pluralism.
Enhanced Emission from In x Ga 1- x N-based LED Structures Using III-Nitride based Distributed Bragg Reflector

In x Ga1-x N-based LED structures were grown on digital Al x Ga1-x N/GaN DBR substrate to enhance emission extraction. Same LED structure was grown on sapphire substrate as a comparison. LEDs grown on DBR substrate exhibited similar IV characteristics to that grown on sapphire substrate but emission-angle-dependent EL spectra were observed. Also, the resonant vertical cavity modes were observed in EL spectra of LEDs with DBR structure and compared to simulated results. Image processing analysis results show that light extraction of LEDs is enhanced with use of DBR substrate.
The Politics of Greed? Political Preferences among the Elderly

This paper considers the role of age in structuring the political behavior of elderly Americans. Although the elderly seem to share group-specific interests that could promote agreement about the policies and candidates group members should support, recent conflicts over Social Security and Medicare have shown that age does not consistently structure political preferences. Using National Election Study data from the 1972-1988 period, this paper examines the relationship between age and opinion on age-related issues as well as generational differences in the relationship between opinion and candidate preference. Although not everyone aged 65 or older expresses policy preferences consistent with the interests of this age group, some of the variation can be explained by economic and partisan differences, and the variation has significant effects on the elderly's evaluations of presidential and congressional candidates.
Imaging through a random phase screen by enhanced backscatter: a physical interpretation.

It has been shown recently that enhanced backscatter processes can be exploited in imaging diffuser-obscured objects. Through the use of an interferometric measurement system it is possible to determine the modulus of the Fresnel transform of a planar reflective object that is obscured by a thin moving diffuser. In a physical interpretation of that operation presented in this paper, we think of the object as being made up of a superposition of lens-like components, each with focal power appropriate to image the diffuser back onto itself and each with an associated attenuation and phase shift. This interpretation leads to the conclusion, which is verified analytically, that the same information about the object can be obtained without making interferometric measurements, i.e., without exploiting enhanced backscatter.
Psychiatric Symptoms in Black Patients

Dissatisfaction with psychiatric diagnosis dates back to the finding of Masserman and Carmichael (1938) that 40% of in-patients from a university hospital required a major revision in their diagnosis one year later. That report ushered in four decades of research into the reliability of various assessment procedures (Ash, 1949; Beck, 1962; Feighner, Robins, Guze, Woodruff, Winokur, & Munoz, 1972; Woodruff, Goodwin, & Guze, 1974), culminating in the third edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (1980). The major novelty of this manual, (that is, the specification of defined criteria for each diagnostic category) is an attempt to minimize differences in the perceptual and conceptual habits of clinicians, and reflects the preoccupation of the antecedent research with this aspect of the general problem of diagnostic errors. This approach assumes that there is a relatively high degree of homogeneity among patients with regard to symptoms and the diagnostic criteria for any psychiatric illness or that such variations as might exist will be clinically insignificant and will not lead to misdiagnosis.
Sucrose requirements and lipid utilization during germination of interior spruce (Picea glauca engelmannii complex) somatic embryos

Both somatic and excised zygotic embryos of interior spruce (Picea glauca engelmannii complex) required exogenous sucrose in the medium for germination in vitro. Over a period of 29 days on sucrose-containing medium germinants with roots and epicotyls developed from both kinds of embryo, and their content of linolenic acid (9,12,15-18:3) increased about six- to eightfold. Without added sucrose, embryos showed retarded growth or were necrotic, and the content of linolenic acid was barely detectable in their fatty acid profiles. Through14C-sucrose uptake studies, it was determined that germinants consumed only 25% of the sucrose available in a 1% (wt/vol) sucrose-containing medium. Since no radiolabelled fatty acids were detected, it appears that externally supplied sucrose was not used in the synthesis of lipids. Although sucrose was present during plantlet development, 72% of the initial lipids were consumed. To some extent, the plantlets appeared to be obligate storage lipid utilizers.
Ten Ways to Incorporate Technology into a TESOL Teacher Preparation Program.

A comprehensive approach for integrating technology into a TESOL teacher preparation program is described. Ten specific ways to assure constructivist technology use in teacher education are highlighted. These techniques have been synthesized into a compact model with three pillars: (a) electronic assessment system (e-portfolios for individual assessment and program evaluation), (b) teacher candidates’ technology-based course assignments and performances, and (c) Web-based instruction and communication. The authors claim that within this three-pronged model flexibility of implementation is key to success for preservice and in-service teachers.
Climate Variations and Changes in Mass of Three Glaciers in Western North America

Abstract Time series of net and seasonal mass balances for three glaciers in western North America, one in the Pacific Northwest and two in Alaska, show various relationships to Pacific hemisphere climate indexes. During the winter season the two coastal, maritime-regime glaciers, over 2000 km apart, are affected almost identically, albeit inversely, by atmospheric and oceanic conditions in both the tropical and North Pacific. The two Alaska glaciers, only 350 km apart, have almost no coherence. Lag correlations show that in winter the maritime glaciers are influenced by concurrent conditions in the North Pacific, but by conditions in the tropical Pacific in August–September of the prior northern summer. The winter balance variations contain interannual El Nino–Southern Oscillation variability superimposed on North Pacific interdecadal variability; the interdecadal 1976–77 climate regime shift is clearly evident. The summer balances and the continental-regime glacier have a general lack of correlations, w...
Pyrogenic carbon emission from a large wildfire in Oregon, United States

[1] We used a ground-based approach to compute the pyrogenic carbon emissions from the Biscuit Fire, an exceptionally large wildfire, which in 2002 burned over 200,000 ha of mixed conifer forest in southwestern Oregon. A combination of federal inventory data and supplementary ground measurements afforded the estimation of preburn densities for 25 separate carbon pools at 180 independent locations in the burn area. Average combustion factors for each of these pools were then compiled from the postburn assessment of thousands of individual trees, shrubs, and parcels of surface and ground fuel. Combustion factors were highest for litter, duff, and foliage, lowest for live woody pools. Combustion factors also increased with burn severity as independently assessed from remote imagery, endorsing the use of such imagery in scaling emissions to fire area. We estimate the total pyrogenic carbon emissions from the Biscuit Fire to be between 3.5 and 4.4 Tg C (17 and 22 Mg C ha−1) depending on uncertainty in our ability to estimate preburn litter pools and mineral soil combustion with a central estimate of 3.8 Tg C (19 Mg C ha−1). We estimate that this flux is approximately 16 times the annual net ecosystem production of this landscape prior to the wildfire and may have reduced mean net biome production across the state of Oregon by nearly half in the year 2002.
Bur Seeding Rate Effects on Turf-type Buffalograss Establishment

) cultivars, like ‘Bowie’. This research was conducted to determine the effect of bur seed-ing rate on turfgrass establishment of ‘Bowie’ buffalograss. Two experi-ments were initiated on 21 July 2002 on diverse sites at the John Seaton Anderson Turfgrass Research Facility located near Mead, Nebr. Bur seed-ing rate effects on turfgrass quality, shoot density and cover, and seedling density were evaluated during the 2002 and 2003 growing seasons. Burs were seeded at 2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 40 g·m
Algal growth response to particle‐bound orthophosphate and zinc

Dissolved nutrient concentrations in natural waters may at times be controlled by interactions between particulate and solution phases. Effects of Zn [O-l PM total Zn(II)] and orthophosphate (8-12 PM total P) additions on growth indices for the chlorophyte Selenastrum capricornutum Printz were examined in a synthetic growth medium containing 50 mg liter-l colloidal titania. Over the Zn(H) concentration range used, detrimental growth and yield effects were observed. Addition of P to a synthetic growth medium (S-3) increased stationary phase cell density, but had minimal effect on growth rate and duration of lag phase. Presence of TiO, particles in culture media significantly reduced Zn and P dissolved fractions. Although adsorbed Zn and P were less available to Selenastrum, desorption of both solutes increased their availability. Rapid desorption of Zn(I1) from TiO, particles served in effect to buffer Zn2+ free ion concentration, until Zn became partitioned primarily with the algal fraction as cell concentration approached stationary phase density. Although phosphate desorption from TiO, in nonbiological systems was negligible, Sefenastrum was able to scavenge some P initially adsorbed onto TiO,. Accurate primary productivity predictions in nature may therefore require an understanding of equilibrium and reaction rates involved in the partitioning of nutrients and toxic substances between dissolved and particulate phases.
Colorectal cancer screening practices of primary care physicians in Washington State

Background: Colorectal cancer screening reduces death from colorectal cancer, but screening rates are low. While research has identified barriers to screening from the patient perspective, less research has addressed screening from the physician perspective. Methods: The Washington Comprehensive Cancer Control Partnership conducted a survey of primary care physicians in Washington State to measure their knowledge, attitudes, and practices for colorectal cancer screening of average-risk patients. The survey was mailed to a simple random sample of 700 primary care physicians in Washington State. Sixty-nine percent of the eligible physicians in the sample participated. Results: Most respondents (76%) recommended one or more colorectal cancer screening tests in agreement with American Cancer Society guidelines, and 93% perceived patient anxiety about colorectal cancer screening tests to be a significant barrier to screening. Ninety percent of physicians reported using the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) as a screening test, but most did not report performing any tracking or using any mechanism to encourage their patients to complete and return FOBT kits. Conclusions: These findings suggest three intervention approaches to increase colorectal cancer screening in primary care settings: improve physicians’ knowledge about current screening guidelines (especially appropriate age and screening intervals), encourage physicians to strongly recommend screening to patients, and help physicians adopt tracking systems to follow screening to completion.
Bridging Gaps for Spoken Dialog System Frameworks in Instructional Settings

Spoken dialog systems frameworks fill a crucial role in the spoken dialog systems community by providing resources to lower barriers to entry. However, different user groups have different requirements and expectations for such systems. Here, we consider the particular needs for spoken dialog systems toolkits within an instructional setting. We discuss the challenges for existing systems in meeting these needs and propose strategies to overcome them.
Expression of Proteins on the Cell Surface Using Mammalian Vectors

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the expression of proteins on the cell surface using mammalian vectors. The surface of the mammalian cell is populated by a large number of protein molecules that display a great diversity of physical properties, carry out a large number of different functions, and collectively endow upon the cell many of its more specialized and interesting properties. The membrane of the rough endoplasmic reticulum is impervious to cytosolic proteins; only those proteins synthesized as precursors with signal sequences are able to pass through and reach the luminal side. Thus, segregation of secretory and surface proteins from the cytoplasmic proteins of the cell occurs at a very early stage during their synthesis and is independent of the final size and shape of the mature proteins. As the nascent polypeptide appears on the luminal side of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, preformed oligosaccharides composed of N-acetyl-glucosamine, mannose, and glucose are transferred to certain asparagine residues—those occurring in the sequences Asn-X-Ser or Asn-X-Thr.
Removal of brain using a triple-notch calvarial lock.

An improved method for removal of the brain at autopsy, adequate to the needs and obligations of the pathologist, has long been needed. Two vexing circum­ stances associated with the removal of the brain at autopsy confront the pa­ thologist. All too often the brain upon removal is torn and distorted. Artifactual damage of this sort can often be attributed to the autopsy technic used; the opening in the skull permitted by most methods frequently proves too small for the removal intact of a soft swollen brain. A second problem concerns the distortion of the head, which may develop after reconstruction of the body, particularly if the skull plate is removed in a "saucer" pattern. This may cause a complaint from the mortician because of furrow a half inch or more deep across the forehead as a result of the skull cap slipping backward. An effort was made in the present work to devise a cranial autopsy technic that would (1) permit adequate exposure of the brain and (2) insure means for proper reconstruction of the skull. Technics devised in the past may'satisfy one of these needs to the neglect of the other. Handbooks of autopsy procedure present 2 basic methods for removing the brain at autopsy. (1) In the "saucer" or "circular" technic the skull plate is removed by a circumferential saw cut in the transverse plane.1 •2 Although this provides excellent exposure for the prosector, proper reconstruction of the skull is difficult; the calvarial plate, difficult to anchor, tends to slip backward. The furrow across the forehead that results may not be evident as the body leaves the autopsy room, but after the remains are transported, the distortion may be­ come distressingly noticeable at the funeral. In an effort to avoid this predicament a broad angular occipital segment point­ ing toward the vertex may be left attached to the base of the skull at the occiput.4 This modification is immediately objectionable because it seriously compro­ mises the opening in the skull. The second basic pattern of opening the skull, a method widely used in the United States, is the "wedge" technic.2,3i 5 Two semicircular saw cuts are made at an obtuse angle in the temporal region above the ears. The anterior cut passes through the midfrontal area, the posterior cut through the occipital region. With this procedure, if the angle in the temporal regions is acute, distortion of the calvarium will not occur; however, by so fashioning the wedge with an acute angle, the space through which the brain must be delivered in many cases proves inadequate. Should a lesion be present deeply in the posterior fossa, a blind dis­ section becomes necessary. The experienced prosector may surmount these handicaps. However, if the brain, swollen and friable, bearing a massive infarct,
Cryopreservation of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) semen using soybean-, liposome-, and egg yolk-based extenders

The objectives of the present study were to compare the use of soybean-based (Andromed), liposome-based (Optixcell), and egg yolk-based (Ovine Red, Triladyl, and Biladyl) extenders for cryopreservation of white-tailed deer semen. In experiment 1, ejaculates obtained from six bucks were aliquoted into the following extenders: Andromed, Ovine Red, Triladyl, and Biladyl (containing 4%, 6%, or 8% of glycerol). In experiment 2, ejaculates obtained from eight bucks were divided amongst Andromed, Ovine Red, and Optixcell extenders. Total and progressive sperm motility were assessed for each sample before and after cryopreservation using a computer-automated semen analyzer. In experiment 2, flow cytometry was used for post-thaw assessment of sperm viability (SYBR-14/PI), acrosome integrity (FITC-PNA/PI), and chromatin stability (acridine orange). In experiment 1, both Andromed and Ovine Red extenders exhibited higher post-thaw total motility than Biladyl containing 4% or 6% of glycerol (p<0.05). Andromed also produced higher progressive motility than all other extenders (p<0.01) before and after cryopreservation with no differences amongst the other extenders (p≥0.11). In experiment 2, there were no differences in total and progressive motility between Andromed, Ovine Red, or Optixcell extenders (p≥0.39). Additionally, there were no differences in sperm viability (p=0.18), acrosome integrity in viable sperm (p≥0.10), or DNA fragmentation index (p=0.15). These results demonstrated that soybean (Andromed) and liposome-based (Optixcell) extenders are equally as effective at cryopreserving white-tailed semen as egg yolk-based Ovine Red extender, but are superior to egg yolk-based Biladyl or Triladyl extenders.
Event Stratigraphy near SinianCambrian Boundary in Central Yangzi Area

There is a white clay layer of several centimeters and tens of centimeters in thick near SinianCambrian boundary both in Yangjiaping district of northwestern Hunan and the east Yangzi Gorge of western Hubei,central Yangzi areaA good lot of smallshell fossils are discovered below the clay layer and few of themabove it The geochemical analysis indicates that carbonisotope and rare elements such as iridium, osmium and gold vary obviously in content in the clay layerIt is believed that this phenomenon is caused by extraterrestrial impacts resulting immediately in extinction of smallshell fossilsThe SinianCambrian boundary is discussed based on the event stratigraphy
Functional coupling of Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport and Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels in vascular endothelial cells

To determine whether the activation of Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport by Ca(2+)-mobilizing agonists is a direct effect of Ca2+ or is secondary to activation of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels [via cell shrinkage or decreased intracellular Cl- concentration ([Cl-]), we measured K+ fluxes in aortic endothelial cells in response to ATP and bradykinin. With either agonist there was an immediate bumetanide-insensitive efflux inhibitable by the K+ channel blockers tetrabutylammonium (TBA, 23 mM) and quinidine (1 mM), followed several minutes later by increased bumetanide-sensitive efflux or influx (Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport). ATP induced a loss of cell K+ that was prevented by TBA and augmented by bumetanide. Both TBA and quinidine prevented the stimulation of cotransport by agonists but not by hypertonic shrinkage. Raising medium [K+] to prevent K+ loss also blocked activation of cotransport by agonists. The results indicate that the stimulation of Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport by Ca2+ is not direct but instead is indirect via activation of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels and a resulting decrease in cell volume and intracellular [Cl-]. This suggests that at least one role of Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransport in endothelial cells is to maintain cell volume and intracellular [Cl-] during agonist stimulation.
Improved efficiency of second-harmonic generation in BBO using the 511-nm line of an injection-seeded copper laser

Efficient wavelength conversion of the high average power of a copper laser can provide a new source of ultraviolet (UV) for applications such as microlithography. Frequency-doubling of copper lasers using BBO has been demonstrated by several groups.1-3 Although BBO has several attractive features—high damage threshold, low absorption, and relatively large nonlinear coefficient—its small acceptance angle limits the doubling efficiency because of the large divergence of the copper laser. Here, we report frequency-doubling of an injection-seeded copper laser. By injection seeding, divergence of only a few times the diffraction limit can be obtained for the entire pulse duration at powers >30 W (total power). We have used this laser to achieve a conversion efficiency of 18%.
Social network analysis and modeling of cellphone-based syndromic surveillance data for Ebola in Sierra Leone

Abstract Objective To explore and visualize the connectivity of suspected Ebola cases and surveillance callers who used cellphone technology in Moyamba District in Sierra Leone for Ebola surveillance, and to examine the demographic differences and characteristics of Ebola surveillance callers who make more calls as well as those callers who are more likely to make at least one positive Ebola call. Methods Surveillance data for 393 suspected Ebola cases (192 males, 201 females) were collected from October 23, 2014 to June 28, 2015 using cellphone technology. UCINET and NetDraw software were used to explore and visualize the social connectivity between callers and suspected Ebola cases. Poisson and logistic regression analyses were used to do multivariable analysis. Results The entire social network was comprised of 393 ties and 745 nodes. Women ( AOR = 0.33, 95% CI [0.14, 0.81]) were associated with decreased odds of making at least one positive Ebola surveillance call compared to men. Women ( IR = 0.63, 95% CI [0.49, 0.82]) were also associated with making fewer Ebola surveillance calls compared to men. Conclusion Social network visualization can analyze syndromic surveillance data for Ebola collected by cellphone technology with unique insights.
A monopole antenna for dual-band ISM applications

A monopole antenna is proposed for dual-band ISM applications. The 900 MHz band spans from 902 to 928 MHz centered at 915 MHz, and the 2.4 GHz band spans from 2.4 to 2.5 GHz centered at 2.45 GHz. With proper design this antenna will outperform previously proposed antennas.
Clinical Challenges Associated with Universal Screening for Lynch Syndrome–Associated Endometrial Cancer

Universal testing for Lynch syndrome is now a routine component of the diagnostic work-up of endometrial cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to identify prospectively the barriers to universal screening based on a tissue testing approach [microsatellite instability (MSI) analysis, IHC for DNA mismatch repair proteins, and MLH1 methylation analysis]. Endometrial carcinoma patients (n = 213) prospectively underwent microsatellite instability and IHC testing for expression of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins. Patients with low (MSI-L) or high (MSI-H) levels of tumor MSI or immunohistochemical loss of MLH1 (and absent MLH1 methylation), MSH2, MSH6, or PMS2 were referred to a genetic counselor for consideration of germline testing. Six discordances (3.1% of tested cases) between IHC and MSI were identified. Half of these exhibited heterogeneous immunohistochemical loss of MLH1/PMS2 and were microsatellite stable (MSS). Of the remaining cases, one was MSS with immunohistochemical loss of MSH6, one was MSS with immunohistochemical loss of MLH1/PMS2 and absent MLH1 promoter methylation, and one was MSI-H with intact expression of DNA MMR proteins. Four patients had MSI-L tumors with intact immunohistochemical protein expression; the clinical significance of MSI-L in endometrial cancer is unclear. Eight patients did not have germline mutations despite tissue testing suggesting Lynch syndrome. Including cases with insufficient tissue for testing and patients declining tissue or germline testing, we encountered significant barriers to universal screening in 13.6% of screened patients (29/213) that preclude designation of a tumor as sporadic or hereditary. Cancer Prev Res; 10(2); 108–15. ©2016 AACR.
Gaussian Processes for Object Detection in High Resolution Remote Sensing Images

Object detection in high resolution remote sensing images is a crucial yet challenging problem for many applications. With the development of satellite and sensor technologies, remote sensing images attain very high spatial resolution, giving rise to the employment of many computer vision algorithms. Therefore, the object detection is usually formalized as a supervised classification task. In this paper, we propose to apply the Gaussian process (GP) classification algorithm for our detection problem. Among different classifiers, the GP classifier is a Bayesian classification method that is able to make estimations in a probabilistic way. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach, we experiment the proposed framework with different feature extraction schemes and classification methods. We carry out a cross-validation experiment over an image dataset that consists of objects and non-objects to train an object detector, and apply the trained detector in an unobserved image scene to search for the objects of interest. Our results show that the GP classifier is competitive to support vector machines (SVM), which is considered state-of-the-art.
A biomimetic robotic platform to study flight specializations of bats

Bats have long captured the imaginations of scientists and engineers with their unrivaled agility and maneuvering characteristics, achieved by functionally versatile dynamic wing conformations as well as more than 40 active and passive joints on the wings. Wing flexibility and complex wing kinematics not only bring a unique perspective to research in biology and aerial robotics but also pose substantial technological challenges for robot modeling, design, and control. We have created a fully self-contained, autonomous flying robot that weighs 93 grams, called Bat Bot (B2), to mimic such morphological properties of bat wings. Instead of using a large number of distributed control actuators, we implement highly stretchable silicone-based membrane wings that are controlled at a reduced number of dominant wing joints to best match the morphological characteristics of bat flight. First, the dominant degrees of freedom (DOFs) in the bat flight mechanism are identified and incorporated in B2’s design by means of a series of mechanical constraints. These biologically meaningful DOFs include asynchronous and mediolateral movements of the armwings and dorsoventral movements of the legs. Second, the continuous surface and elastic properties of bat skin under wing morphing are realized by an ultrathin (56 micrometers) membranous skin that covers the skeleton of the morphing wings. We have successfully achieved autonomous flight of B2 using a series of virtual constraints to control the articulated, morphing wings.
2.14 Moisture Diffusion in PMCs

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are finding increasing applications as primary structural components in aerospace and automotive applications, bridges, building repair, wind energy, and the oil and gas pipeline industry. These composites are typically exposed to a variety of aggressive environments, such as, extreme temperature cycles, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, moisture, alkaline/salt environments, etc. However, no capability currently exists for reliably projecting the future state and conditions of composites used in various harsh environments. The accurate determination of diffusivity and moisture uptake in a polymer composite is a key step in the accurate prediction of moisture induced degradation. With this in mind, the chapter is subdivided into two sections: (a) modeling the combined influence of damage and stress on moisture diffusion within the (bulk) polymer matrix in a polymer composite, and (b) development of a simple mechanism-based model to predict strength degradation in a composite due to moisture ingress under elevated temperature and applied stress. The discussions presented in this chapter are primarily directed toward thermoset resins, such as, epoxy. References for the more recent use of nanoparticles as barriers to moisture diffusion in PMCs are included under “Further Reading.”
International Transfer Pricing Issues and Strategies for the Global Firm

Internal auditors play key roles in multinational corporations, including assessing effectiveness of business operations. Internal auditors can help evaluate effectiveness of corporate policies regarding international transfer pricing. International transfer pricing is a major issue for multinational corporations, as transfer pricing is a key element in corporate taxation strategies. This article explains basic issues of transfer pricing, illustrates how multinational corporations can benefit from effective transfer pricing policies and, and describes the importance of proper documentation. The arm's length approach to transfer pricing is presented. Transfer pricing, if done correctly, can improve the overall success and value of an international company.
Automatic knowledge extraction from documents

Access to a large amount of knowledge is critical for success at answering open-domain questions for DeepQA systems such as IBM Watson™. Formal representation of knowledge has the advantage of being easy to reason with, but acquisition of structured knowledge in open domains from unstructured data is often difficult and expensive. Our central hypothesis is that shallow syntactic knowledge and its implied semantics can be easily acquired and can be used in many areas of a question-answering system. We take a two-stage approach to extract the syntactic knowledge and implied semantics. First, shallow knowledge from large collections of documents is automatically extracted. Second, additional semantics are inferred from aggregate statistics of the automatically extracted shallow knowledge. In this paper, we describe in detail what kind of shallow knowledge is extracted, how it is automatically done from a large corpus, and how additional semantics are inferred from aggregate statistics. We also briefly discuss the various ways extracted knowledge is used throughout the IBM DeepQA system.
Messenger Function of Serotonin in the Enteric Nervous System

Serotonin is localized in myenteric neurons which have Dogiel I morphology in the small intestine of the guinea-pig. When applied to the small intestine, it activates intramural neurons to increase acetylcholine release, enhance contractile activity and to stimulate secretion of chloride ions and water from the intestinal crypts. Microapplication of serotonin to enteric ganglion cells evokes one of three responses. One response is a long-lasting depolarization associated with decreased potassium conductance and enhanced excitability that persists for several seconds after the pulse of serotonin. This response mimics slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials that are evoked by electrical stimulation of axons in the enteric nervous system. The second response is a transient depolarization and spike discharge associated with an increased membrane conductance for sodium ions. The third response to serotonin is presynaptic inhibition at nicotinic synapses on the cell bodies of enteric neurons.
Labor and Delivery

There are multiple options for pain control during labor. The labor epidural is very safe and efficient technique. It is indicated upon request in women who are in established labor and do not have contraindications like coagulation disorders, infection, CNS space-occupying diseases or inability to cooperate. The complications of labor epidural include uneven block, multiple attempts, and failed epidural necessitating replacement, accidental intrathecal or intravascular placement, extensive or prolonged block, neurological injury, epidural abscess, and epidural hematoma. Common side effects of the labor epidural are: pruritus, nausea and vomiting, urinary retention, maternal hypotension and fever. In addition to epidural, other techniques for neuraxial anesthesia include combined spinal epidural (CSE), dural puncture epidural (DPE), and continuous spinal analgesia. The alternatives to epidural include pharmacologic medications like opioids, ketamine, dexmedetomidine and nitrous oxide, and non-pharmacologic methods like emotional support by spouse or friend, massage, hypnotherapy, hydrotherapy, and doulas. The obstetric anesthesiologist needs to have various skills not only in epidural placement and troubleshooting, but also knowledge about the fetal heart monitoring and experience in teamwork.