cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generalized Models with Exponential Interactions:. the Triangle Model

Generalized models are considered with exponential interactions and in the presence of a background charge vector. In order for the action to be renormalizable, the vectors involved in the exponential interactions should form a geometrical figure. Along renormalization-group flows, the shape of the figure changes, but not its topology. The β functions describing the figure distortion are obtained in general. When the corresponding geometrical figure is a triangle, the model is investigated in detail. This “triangle model” has nine running coupling parameters, among which three parameters describe the shape of the triangle. From the nine β functions of the model, the fixed points are found and their stability is determined. By using the exact results for the fixed points and their stability, the general structure of the renormalization-group flows is discussed.
Thin Airfoil in Fields of Nonuniform Density, Part 2: Low-Density Strip

An analysis thatallowsthecalculation of the loading, lift coefe cient, and moment coefe cient response of a lightly loaded airfoil as it passes through a strip of gas whose density differs strongly from that of the main stream is developed. Although it builds on the treatment of a lightly loaded airfoil passing through a single plain density interface, it necessitates a quite different analysis and produces some novel results related to the comparative breadth of the strip and thechord of the airfoil and to its inclination with respect to the undisturbed e owdirection. The unique characteristics that differentiate the effects of the strip from those of a single interface are examined in detail. The image principle is not applicable when the e eld contains two or more density interfaces. Instead and not surprisingly, the solution can be represented as an ine nite set of images making the result less transparent than those for the single interface. But the image principleproves to offer a considerable advantage in the physical interpretation of the effects of normal and inclined strips. Detailed results of the encounter of a e at-plate airfoil with a strip having a density half that of the freestream are presented for thestrips having breadths of 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 times the airfoil chord and oriented normal to the undisturbed e ow direction and at an angle of 60 deg to the undisturbed e ow direction. Impulsive loads accompany the passage of each of the two density interfaces over the leading edgeand over the trailing edge of the airfoil, and consequently theloading “ signature” varies substantially with both breadth and orientation of the strip. For examples where the breadth of the strip is 1.2 times the airfoil chord so that the strip completely covers the airfoil for a portion of its encounter, the results resemble the passage of two independent single interfaces.
Reflection Model and High-Energy π − p Backward Peaks

We propose a classical optical model for high-energy elastic scattering. The model predicts that the logarithmic slopes for forward differential cross sections should be either the same or twice as large as the backward ones. The backward peak is due to the contribution from the discontinuity in the boundary of the optical medium. The model has the property that the mechanisms responsible for the forward and backward scatterings are not independent of each other. This is contrasted with conventional models which view the forward and backward scatterings as arising from independent mechanisms. For example, in absorptive and Regge-pole models the main contribution to the forward scattering comes from $t$-channel exchange, while backward scattering arises from $u$-channel exchange. A fit is made to the high-energy ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p$ data in both forward and backward directions, and good results are obtained.
Existence of solutions and existence of optimal solutions. The quasi linear case

By properties of operators of the Brezis type (m), monotone operator theory, and fixed point theorems, the authors prove existence theorems for solutions, and existence theorems for optimal solutions, in problems monitored by nonlinear abstract parabolic type equations. Applications are made to Cauchy-Dirichlet and to Cauchy-Neumann problems, in a cylinder. It is shown that seminormality requirements of previous papers can be dropped. In an alternative approach, controllability results are obtained by a direct application of Kakutani type fixed point theorems.
Overcoming loading challenges in a mask etcher for 45 nm and beyond

Increasingly complex RET techniques need to be used in the sub wavelength regime which will drive up the mask costs, as well as the design costs. Some of the RET techniques used involves the use of OPC, PSM and hard mask. In order to reduce the costs it is desirable to have uniform performance on shuttle masks, which can help to reduce manufacturing costs. The micro loading and macro loading are of concern to mask makers because of the varying loads being etched within the mask. It is critical to have a mask etcher that provides excellent CD uniformity, CD bias, CD linearity and etch profile in order to have image fidelity of the OPC structures as well as sustainable yields. This paper discusses micro and macro loading challenges on BIM and APSM masks and the advantages of using the Applied Materials' next generation mask etcher.
Semiquantitative scattering theory of amorphous materials

It is argued that topological disorder in amorphous solids can be described by local strains related to local reference crystals and local rotations. An intuitive localization criterion is formulated from this point of view. The Inverse Participation Ratio and the location of mobility edges in band tails is directly related to the character of the disorder potential in amorphous solid, the coordination number, the transition integral and the nodes of wave functions of the corresponding reference crystal. The dependence of the decay rate of band tails on temperature and static disorder are derived. \textit{Ab initio} simulations on a-Si and experiments on a-Si:H are compared to these predictions.
Combining forecasting procedures: Some theoretical results

We study some methods of combining procedures for forecasting a continuous random variable. Statistical risk bounds under the square error loss are obtained under distributional assumptions on the future given the current outside information and the past observations. The risk bounds show that the combined forecast automatically achieves the best performance among the candidate procedures up to a constant factor and an additive penalty term. In terms of the rate of convergence, the combined forecast performs as well as if the best candidate forecasting procedure were known in advance.Empirical studies suggest that combining procedures can sometimes improve forecasting accuracy over the original procedures. Risk bounds are derived to theoretically quantify the potential gain and price of linearly combining forecasts for improvement. The result supports the empirical finding that it is not automatically a good idea to combine forecasts. Indiscriminate combining can degrade performance dramatically as a result of the large variability in estimating the best combining weights. An automated combining method is shown in theory to achieve a balance between the potential gain and the complexity penalty (the price of combining), to take advantage (if any) of sparse combining, and to maintain the best performance (in rate) among the candidate forecasting procedures if linear or sparse combining does not help.This research was supported by U.S. National Security Agency Grant MDA9049910060 and U.S. National Science Foundation CAREER Grant DMS0094323. The author sincerely thanks three reviewers and Poti Giannakouros for their very valuable comments, which led to a substantial improvement of the paper.
Ruthenium Tetroxide Oxidation of Simple Ethers: A Systematic Study

Since first introduced into organic chemistry by Djerassi1 in 1953, ruthenium tetroxide has been exploited widely as an effective multipurpose oxidant.3 Unusual in this regard is its apparent abili...
Informed Consent, Big Data, and the Oxymoron of Research That Is Not Research

Informed consent has been the cornerstone of conducting ethical research involving humans. However, it is increasingly argued that consent bias distorts results; that consent is prohibitively burde...
The theory of Boolean ultrapowers

The definition of the ultrapowers operation can be so phrased as to use an arbitrary complete Boolean algebra in place of the usual 2 I. This more general rotion of ultrapower shall be called Boolean ultrapower while the world "ul;rapower" by itself will have only the usual meaning. I do not know of a single proof about ultrapowers which cannot be translated directly to a corresponding proof about Boolean ultrapowers. At the same time the extra flexibility of the more general notion pays great dividends; we will be able to construct isomorphic Boolean ultrapowers for elementarily equivalent models, good ultrafilters, and saturated ultrapowers. This can all be done without recourse to any false axioms for set theory (e.g. the G.C.H.). The concept of Boolean ultrapower is implicit in the work of Scott and Solovay on Boolean valued set theory and is explicit in Vop~nka's treatment of the same subject. What we do ;,s to develop Boolean ultrapowers as a serious and useful tool in Model Theory.
Keynes, Cocoa, and Copper: In Search of Commodity Currencies

This paper examines whether the real exchange rates of commodity-exporting countries and the real prices of their commodity exports move together over time. Using IMF data on the world prices of 44 commodities and national commodity export shares, we construct new monthly indices of national commodity export prices for 58 countries over 1980-2002. A long-run relationship between real exchange rates and real commodity prices is found for about two-fifths of the commodity-exporting countries. Also, the behavior of the real exchange rate of commodity currencies is found to be independent of the nominal exchange rate regime. The average half-life of adjustment of real exchange rates to commodity-price-augmented purchasing power parity is found to be about eight months, which is much shorter than Rogoff's (1996) consensus estimate of three to five years, and provides an important missing piece of the PPP puzzle.
Addendum to “Unstable crack motion is predictable” [2005. JMPS 53, 1071]

Abstract Using a scaling relationship discussed in an earlier paper [Abraham, F. F., 2005. Unstable crack motion is predictable. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 53, 1071–1075], we find that the steady-state speed of a unidirectional crack moving in a hyperelastic solid equals the crack speed in a linear solid with our “effective spring constant”.
Shear-opposed mixed-convection flow and heat transfer in a narrow, vertical cavity

Abstract A combined experimental and theoretical study has been carried out to investigate mixed-convection heat transfer in a narrow, vertical cavity. The shear force is produced at the left side of a cavity by a belt moving upward that constitutes the sixth wall of the cavity. The left wall of the cavity was cooled and the opposite (right wall) was heated. Hence, the buoyancy force tries to bring the fluid down, and the shear force tends to induce upward fluid flow. The test cell was equipped with two heat exchangers and three thermocouple racks for measuring the temperature distributions at 12 different positions. The temperature field was scanned in the cavity for various flow and temperature boundary conditions. Three-and-two-dimensional laminar models were used to analyze the problem theoretically. The experimental measurements were found to be in good agreement with the numerical predictions.
Microstructural evolution and thermal stability in rapidly solidified high-chromium-containing copper alloys

Abstract Rapidly solidified samples of CuCr alloys containing 2 wt.% Ag were prepared by high pressure gas atomization and by melt spinning. Both quenching techniques yielded microstructures which showed evidence of the formation of two immiscible liquids prior to solidification. To evaluate the effect of high temperatures on the stability of the as-solidified microstructures, samples prepared by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) consolidation of the atomized powder and by heat treatment of the melt-spun ribbons were examined in the scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Results showed that the shape of the chromium phase in all cases was spheroidal and the spheroid size depended upon the solidification rate and alloy composition. The chromium spheroids in the melt-spun ribbon readily coarsened at higher temperatures, but the coarser chromium spheroids in the atomized powders ripened less quickly when hot isostatically pressed at comparable temperatures. Although capillary-driven diffusional coarsening predominated, diffusion-controlled growth from supersaturation also played a part in increasing the spheroid size. Coarsening in the annealed melt-spun ribbons resulted in a loss of microhardness, while HIP consolidation had little effect on the microhardness of the atomized powder.
Electron-positron collisions and the C-invariance question☆

Abstract The implications of charge conjugation invariance are reviewed for hadronic processes induced by e + −e − collisions. Attention is called to certain features which follow from one photon exchange and which afford the possibility of refining C -invariance tests in a statistically economical way.
Uptake and cellular localization of 3H-1-methyladenine and 3H-adenine in the starfish gonad and oocytes☆

Abstract Incorporation and distribution in vitro of radioactive purines ( 3 H-1-methyladenine and 3 H-adenine) into the various components of the starfish ovary were studied in relation to spawning induced by the hormone 1-methyladenine. Uptake of radio-active hormone from the medium was proportional to its concentration in the medium and the quantity of ovarian tissue present in the incubation mixture, but was in great excess of that needed for physiological effects. More than 95% of the incorporated isotope was localized in the ovarian wall, with only a small proportion accumulating in the oocytes. Isolated oocytes incorporated 3 H-1-methyladenine independent of ovarian tissue. Disruption of the cellular structure of the ovarian tissue resulted in rapid loss of the radioactivity retained in the ovary. Most of the incorporated radioactivity released from ovarian tissue was dialyzable and not precipitated by TCA. This suggests that 1-methyladenine remains as a small molecular weight compound during its incorporation into the ovary. The distribution of 3 H-adenine and 3 H-1-methyladenine in the gonad was compared autoradiographically. 3 H-1-Methyladenine was primarily localized in the outer ovarian epithelium and in the nucleoli of a few immature oocytes in the peripheral region of the ovary. Follicle cells were unlabeled, as were the oocytes which had undergone germinal vesicle breakdown. 3 H-Adenine in contrast was localized in the ovarian wall, follicle cells, and the nucleoli of all the oocytes following a 4-hr incubation. These concentrations of isotope were observed in the absence of oocyte maturation. Follicle cells and possibly the oocytes, therefore, appear to exhibit a high degree of selectivity with regard to the structure of the purine incorporated. Specificity of purine retention was not correlated with physiological activity.
Building test collections: an interactive tutorial for students and others without their own evaluation conference series

While existing test collections and evaluation conference efforts may sufficiently support one's research, one can easily find oneself wanting to solve problems no one else is solving yet. But how can research in IR be done (or be published!) without solid data and experiments? Not everyone can talk TREC, CLEF, INEX, or NTCIR into running a track to build a collection. This tutorial aims to teach how to build a test collection using resources at hand, how to measure the quality of that collection, how to understand its limitations, and how to communicate them. The intended audience is advanced students who find themselves in need of a test collection, or actually in the process of building a test collection, to support their own research. The goal of this tutorial is to lay out issues, procedures, pitfalls, and practical advice.
Real-Time Update of Two Well-Known Models of the Maximum Usable Frequency

For years, models of the high frequency (HF) radiowave propagation environment have been used to provide system design and strategic planning information for various military and civilian systems. However, since most models are based upon averages of a large data base, they are of little value to the user who requires highly accurate tactical HF propagation information in real-time. The lack of this highly accurate real-time tactical capability is an important remaining problem. This paper discusses a simple technique that draws upon currently available models of the MUF which might be made to perform more accurately in real-time after being updated by MOFs from an oblique sounder network. The models discussed are the well known and widely used codes MINIMUF 3.5, resident in the NOSC PROPHET System, and IONCAP. In the limited data shown, both models show reasonable improvement in their estimates of MUF after receiving an update using the MOF obtained from a reference oblique sounder circuit. The verification of this real-time update technique has important implications to many users of the HF band.
Pseudohyperphosphorylation has differential effects on polymerization and function of tau isoforms

The microtubule-associated protein tau exists as six isoforms created through the splicing of the second, third, and tenth exons. The isoforms are classified by their number of N-terminal exons (0N, 1N or 2N) and by their number of microtubule-binding repeat regions (3R or 4R). Hyperphosphorylated isoforms accumulate in insoluble aggregates in Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies. These neurodegenerative diseases can be categorized based on the isoform content of the aggregates they contain. Hyperphosphorylated tau has the general characteristics of an upward electrophoretic shift, decreased microtubule binding, and an association with aggregation. Previously we have shown that a combination of seven pseudophosphorylation mutations at sites phosphorylated by GSK-3β, referred to as 7-Phos, induced several of these characteristics in full-length 2N4R tau and led to the formation of fewer but longer filaments. We sought to determine whether the same phosphorylation pattern could cause differential effects in the other tau isoforms, possibly through varied conformational effects. Using in vitro techniques, we examined the electrophoretic mobility, aggregation properties and microtubule stabilization of all isoforms and their pseudophosphorylated counterparts. We found that pseudophosphorylation affected each isoform, but in several cases certain isoforms were affected more than others. These results suggest that hyperphosphorylation of tau isoforms could play a major role in determining the isoform composition of tau aggregates in disease.
Chronic corticosterone treatment impairs spontaneous alternation behavior in rats

The present study used behavioral and morphological measures to assess hippocampal integrity in adult male rats after 8 weeks of daily corticosterone (10 mg/kg) injections. Behavioral testing during the final week of treatment revealed that spontaneous alternation behavior, a behavioral marker of hippocampal damage, was reduced in experimental animals without influencing exploration. Physiological assessment indicated that steroid exposure produced functional changes characteristic of prolonged exposure to stress or elevated plasma corticosterone, i.e., lower body weight and thymic involution. However, hippocampal cell loss was not observed in experimental rats. The data suggest that prolonged elevation of plasma corticosterone may significantly disrupt a hippocampal-sensitive behavior without producing gross morphological changes.
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists for Diabetes Mellitus A Role in Cardiovascular Disease

Diabetes mellitus, defined as a fasting plasma glucose of ≥126 mg/dL or a glycosylated hemoglobin A1c level (HbA1c) of ≥6.5%, afflicts ≈12.9% of adults in the United States and nearly 285 million adults worldwide.1,2 Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, independently conferring a 2-fold excess risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.3 Macrovascular events in diabetes mellitus remain the leading cause of mortality, and the burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to diabetes mellitus has increased over the past decade.4 An increase in the prevalence of obesity has contributed to the rise in diabetes mellitus. Additionally, obesity independently increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes mellitus.5 Although strict glycemic control unequivocally reduces the microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus, the macrovascular benefits of intensive therapy have been difficult to establish, with conflicting results from large clinical trials.6–9 Multifactorial strategies are recommended to reduce cardiovascular risk in diabetes mellitus through enhanced glycemic control, blood pressure reduction, lipid management, weight loss, and physical activity.10 Unfortunately, despite aggressive interventions for hyperglycemia, <50% of patients achieve standard HbA1c targets with conventional therapy.11 Polypharmacy is required to achieve glycemic control in the majority of patients within 3 years of diagnosis.12 Although combinations of drug classes can synergistically target multiple pathophysiological defects, novel therapies are required to manage diabetes mellitus and mitigate cardiovascular risks. Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist incretin therapies were developed to complement conventional treatment options for diabetes mellitus. Despite promising initial reports of cardioprotective effects, DPP-IV inhibitors have failed to demonstrate improved cardiovascular outcomes in large clinical trials.13–15 Randomized studies to evaluate cardiovascular outcomes associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists are currently underway. This review presents …
Habitat corridors alter relative trophic position of fire ants

Habitat fragmentation disrupts species movement, leading to local extinctions and altered community structure. Habitat corridors, which connect isolated patches of habitat and facilitate movement between patches, provide a potential solution to these negative impacts. However, most studies to date have examined the movement of species alone without considering emergent effects on the community (e.g., altered trophic structure). We use large-scale, experimental landscapes and nitrogen stable isotopes ratios (δ15N) of a common generalist consumer (the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta) to determine how corridors affect trophic structure. Thus, because the fire ant is a species whose trophic position is flexible and whose diet typically reflects local prey availability, we assume that shifts in fire ants' trophic position between connected and isolated patches are likely to reflect shifts in patch trophic structure. We found that colonies in isolated patches had lower means and ranges of δ15N than colonies in otherwise similar connected patches, suggesting that corridors may increase fire ants' trophic position and breadth, respectively. Previous work in our landscapes documented higher species richness of plants in connected than unconnected patches. Patch means of ant δ15N were positively correlated with plant richness, suggesting that increased plant richness may influence the observed responses in fire ant δ15N. Together these results suggest that fragmentation may reduce trophic position and narrow trophic breadth of dietary generalists such as the fire ant. These shifts likely reflect an alteration of food webs in isolated patches. Our results suggest that corridors may be effective in preventing or reducing such alterations.
Free-Classification of Perceptually Similar Speakers With Dysarthria

Purpose In this investigation, the construct of perceptual similarity was explored in the dysarthrias. Specifically, we employed an auditory free-classification task to determine whether listeners could cluster speakers by perceptual similarity, whether the clusters mapped to acoustic metrics, and whether the clusters were constrained by dysarthria subtype diagnosis. Method Twenty-three listeners blinded to speakers' medical and dysarthria subtype diagnoses participated. The task was to group together (drag and drop) the icons corresponding to 33 speakers with dysarthria on the basis of how similar they sounded. Cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling (MDS) modeled the perceptual dimensions underlying similarity. Acoustic metrics and perceptual judgments were used in correlation analyses to facilitate interpretation of the derived dimensions. Results Six clusters of similar-sounding speakers and 3 perceptual dimensions underlying similarity were revealed. The clusters of similar-sounding speakers we...
An Iberian lowland/highland model for Latin American cattle ranching

Extremadura and Andalucia are typically cited as the source region for a monolithic cattle herding system that diffused to colonial Latin America. It is here instead proposed that two quite distinct Spanish range cattle complexes existed by 1500, one based in the Atlantic estuarine marshes of Andalucia, the other in the Extremaduran Meseta . The former, lowland system, in which cattle provided a focus of specialization, was likely implanted in the areas of seasonally wet grasslands in Latin America, while the Extremaduran system, far less specialized, took root in certain highland areas of the New World, most notably the Mexican altiplano .
Temporal response patterns of auditory nerve fibers to electrical stimulation in deafened squirrel monkeys

Abstract Electroneural response patterns of single auditory-nerve neurons were studied in aminoglycoside-deafened squirrel monkeys. The electrical stimuli were delivered through bipolar electrodes implanted in the scala tympani. The effects of pulse width, shape, frequency, and intensity on neural adaptation, phase locking, and spectral content were evaluated. Our results did not demonstrate the characteristic adaptation seen in auditory-nerve neurons in response to acoustic stimulation. Phase locking to a broad stimulus pulse (3200 μs/phase) was found to a very restricted phase angle of the electrical stimulus which was broader for square wave than for sine wave stimulation. The latency of the phase locked response varied inversely with stimulus intensity with greater variation for square wave stimulation than for sine wave stimulation. Auditory neurons were capable of a very high degree of phase locking to a 200-μs/phase pulse presented at 156 pulses per second (PPS) and to the first pulse of a 2500-Hz pulse burst. Phase locking was much poorer for the subsequent 200-μs/phase pulses comprising the 2500-Hz pulse burst where the neuron's response was determined by its relative recovery status. These findings can be explained by an interaction between the neuron's relative refractory status and its integration of charge over the stimulatory half cycle of the electrical stimulus. These two factors also appear to determine the interspike interval of the neural response. This interval decreased monotonically with increasing stimulus intensity. The neural spike rate (150–500 Hz) producing this interval increased with intensity and may be a source of periodicity information which the central auditory nervous system could interpret as pitch. This may account for the proportional relationship between pitch and stimulus intensity seen in some cochlear implant patients. Our study demonstrates that auditory-nerve neurons comply with basic neurophysiological principles in their responses to electrical stimulation. These principles should be incorporated into the cochlear prosthesis stimulator if more normal neural response patterns are desired in the cochlear prosthesis patient.
Efficacy and Economics of Hormonal Therapies for Advanced Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among postmenopausal women in the US, and the economic burden of breast cancer care comprises a large percentage of the healthcare budget. Hormonal therapies have a proven place in the management of advanced breast cancer. This type of therapy is more likely to be used in older, compared with younger, women, because tumours in older women are more likely to express estrogen and progesterone receptors. While it is difficult to measure the costs of cancer care because of variation in extent and duration of treatment, treatment-related costs including costs of hormonal agents used for advanced disease account for a relatively small component of the overall costs. Newer hormonal regimens such as the new third generation nonsteroidal (letrozole, anastrozole) and steroidal (exemestane) aromatase inhibitors have shown improved clinical efficacy compared with standard regimens such as megestrol and tamoxifen in the metastatic setting in terms of objective responses or time to tumour progression. In addition the newer agents have improved toxicity profiles. Cost analyses of the newer aromatase inhibitors (anastrozole and letrozole), compared with megestrol, show an optimistic outlook for these agents. Additional work needs to be done looking at a comparison of the efficacy and costs of the aromatase inhibitors relative to the currently recommended hormonal treatments used for women with metastatic breast cancer.
Canopy vegetation influences ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) communities in headwater stream riparian zones of central Appalachia.

In the eastern United States, eastern hemlock Tusga canadensis (L.) Carriere forests are threatened by the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae, a pest that is causing widespread hemlock mortality. Eastern hemlock is an essential component of forested communities. Adelgid-induced hemlock mortality is causing a shift in forest composition and structure, altering ecosystem function and thereby influencing the arthropod community. Using pitfall traps at three sites, we monitored ground-dwelling arthropods at 30-d intervals in hemlock-dominated and deciduous-dominated forests in central Appalachia over 2 yr. Here, we focus on the ant community (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) collected in the summer months. Ants form a ubiquitous and integral component of the invertebrate community, functioning at various trophic levels as predators, herbivores, and omnivores, and fulfilling important roles in forest ecosystems. We found no difference in overall ant abundance between hemlock-dominated and deciduous-dominated forests but did detect significant differences in the genera Prenolepis between forest types ( P < 0.01) and Aphaenogaster across study locations ( P = 0.02). Three genera were unique to deciduous forests; one was unique to hemlock forests. Not surprisingly, total formicids and several genera demonstrated temporal differences in abundance, with greater numbers captured in July than in August. As hemlock woolly adelgid-induced mortality of eastern hemlock becomes more pervasive, changes in forest composition and structure are imminent, accompanied by shifts in hemlock associates.
Impaired Mitochondrial Dynamics and Nrf2 Signaling Contribute to Compromised Responses to Oxidative Stress in Striatal Cells Expressing Full-Length Mutant Huntingtin

Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease resulting from an abnormal expansion of polyglutamine in huntingtin (Htt). Compromised oxidative stress defense systems have emerged as a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of HD. Indeed activation of the Nrf2 pathway, which plays a prominent role in mediating antioxidant responses, has been considered as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HD. Given the fact that there is an interrelationship between impairments in mitochondrial dynamics and increased oxidative stress, in this present study we examined the effect of mutant Htt (mHtt) on these two parameters. STHdhQ111/Q111 cells, striatal cells expressing mHtt, display more fragmented mitochondria compared to STHdhQ7/Q7 cells, striatal cells expressing wild type Htt, concurrent with alterations in the expression levels of Drp1 and Opa1, key regulators of mitochondrial fission and fusion, respectively. Studies of mitochondrial dynamics using cell fusion and mitochondrial targeted photo-switchable Dendra revealed that mitochondrial fusion is significantly decreased in STHdhQ111/Q111 cells. Oxidative stress leads to dramatic increases in the number of STHdhQ111/Q111 cells containing swollen mitochondria, while STHdhQ7/Q7 cells just show increases in the number of fragmented mitochondria. mHtt expression results in reduced activity of Nrf2, and activation of the Nrf2 pathway by the oxidant tBHQ is significantly impaired in STHdhQ111/Q111 cells. Nrf2 expression does not differ between the two cell types, but STHdhQ111/Q111 cells show reduced expression of Keap1 and p62, key modulators of Nrf2 signaling. In addition, STHdhQ111/Q111 cells exhibit increases in autophagy, whereas the basal level of autophagy activation is low in STHdhQ7/Q7 cells. These results suggest that mHtt disrupts Nrf2 signaling which contributes to impaired mitochondrial dynamics and may enhance susceptibility to oxidative stress in STHdhQ111/Q111 cells.
Low temperature specific heats of some PLZT ceramics

The zero-field and field-dependent (E ≈ 40 kV/cm) specific heats of PZT 65/35, PLZT 9/65/35, PLZT 11/65/35, and PLZT 8/40/60 were measured in a vacuum calorimeter in the range 2-25 K. The Debye temperatures range from 119 K (11/65/35) to 132 K (9/65/35), and low-lying modes describable by an Einstein term (vE ≈ 30 cm-1) dominate the specific heats of all the ceramics between §3-15 K. The specific heats of PLZT 11/65/35 and 8/40/60 are field dependent, and this field dependence arises from a change in the number of Einstein oscillators rather than a change in the frequency. The field-dependent oscillator in PLZT 8/40/60 at 32.5 cm-1 is believed due to a combination of the E(TO) soft phonon and zone-boundary TA phonons which are degenerate at these temperatures. This picture is consistent with powder Raman data. The field-independent oscillators in PZT 65/35 (32 cm-1) and PLZT 9/65/35 (30 cm-1) are believed due to zone-boundary TA phonons. A T3/2 domain-wall contribution is observed at the lowest temperatur...
Older African American Women and Barriers to Reporting Domestic Violence to Law Enforcement in the Rural Deep South

Victims of domestic violence are legally entitled to police protection, but multiple barriers exist in contacting law enforcement. In this study, we used Federal Bureau of Investigation data, key informant interviews, and focus groups to examine barriers to reporting domestic violence among older African American women in the rural Deep South. Three primary barriers were identified: gender roles, age dependency, and mistrust of law enforcement. The main finding was that reports of domestic violence were deterred by fears of being stigmatized by church, family, and community. The one compelling and feasible resolution is for law enforcement to take a leadership role in educating clergy and other community leaders about domestic violence as a crime against older women.
Compound-nucleus contributions to the T20 analyzing power in (d, p) reactions

Abstract The inclusion of compound nucleus contributions in the calculation of the energy averaged tensor analyzing power T 20 in (d, p) - reactions has been investigated. The sign of the compound effect at θ = 0° is shown to be dependent on the spin of the final nucleus. For T 20 at forward angles sign and order of magnitude of the discrepancies between measurements and DWBA calculations including the deuteron D-state can be explained by compound effects.
One hundred differential equations execute directly on the IBM PC

Inexpensive personal computers (IBM PC/XT/AT and com patibles) can do very respectable dynamic-system simula tions at remarkable speed, as shown in this brief technical note. The direct-executing ENHANCED DESIRE system solves up to one hundred ordinary differential equations typed and edited on the CRT screen, without noticeable delay for program translation. Monochrome or color graph ics are produced.
Yolk sac angiogenic defect and intra-embryonic apoptosis in mice lacking the Ets-related factor TEL.

The TEL gene, which is frequently rearranged in human leukemias of both myeloid and lymphoid origin, encodes a member of the Ets family of transcription factors. The TEL gene is widely expressed throughout embryonic development and in the adult. To determine the requirement for the TEL gene product in development we generated TEL knockout mice ( TEL −/− ) by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. TEL −/− mice are embryonic lethal and die between E10.5–11.5 with defective yolk sac angiogenesis and intra‐embryonic apoptosis of mesenchymal and neural cells. Two‐thirds of TEL‐deficient yolk sacs at E9.5 lack vitelline vessels, yet possess capillaries, indicative of normal vasculogenesis. Vitelline vessels regress by E10.5 in the remaining TEL −/− yolk sacs. Hematopoiesis at the yolk sac stage, however, appears unaffected in TEL −/− embryos. Our findings demonstrate that TEL is required for maintenance of the developing vascular network in the yolk sac and for survival of selected cell types within the embryo proper.
Polypropylene-elastomer (TPO) nanocomposites: 2. Room temperature Izod impact strength and tensile properties

Abstract Room temperature Izod impact strength was determined for polypropylene (PP)/ethylene-co-octene elastomer (EOR) blends and nanocomposites, containing organoclays based on montmorillonite (MMT), at fixed elastomer content of 30 wt% and 0–7 wt% MMT. A ratio of maleated polypropylene, PP-g-MA to organoclay of unity was used as a compatibilizer in the nanocomposites. The organoclay serves to reduce the size of the EOR dispersed phase particles and facilitates toughening. The Izod impact strength is also influenced by the molecular weight of PP, elastomer octene content, elastomer MFI in addition to MMT content. Nanocomposites based on a low molecular weight polypropylene (L-PP) containing a higher octene content elastomer showed higher impact strength at lower MMT contents compared to those based on a low octene content elastomer. The effect of elastomer octene content on impact strength of high molecular weight polypropylene (H-PP) nanocomposites is not so significant. Elastomers having a melt flow index (MFI) in the range of 0.5–1.0 showed significant improvement in the impact strength of L-PP based nanocomposites. Most H-PP/EOR blends gave ‘super-tough’ materials without MMT and maintain this toughness in the presence of MMT. The critical elastomer particle size below which the toughness is observed is reduced by decreasing the octene content of the elastomer. For the similar elastomer particle sizes in nanocomposites, the impact strength varies as H-PP > M-PP > L-PP. The tensile modulus and yield strength improved with increasing MMT content; however, elongation at break was reduced. The extruder-made TPO showed a good-balance of properties in the presence of MMT compared to reactor-made TPO having similar modulus and elastomer content.
An interview strategy was critical for obtaining valid information on the use of hormone replacement therapy

Abstract Objective We compared telephone reports of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use to claims for drugs dispensed. Study design and setting The study subjects included 106 women who were dispensed HRT and 107 who were not dispensed HRT. Results Recall of drug use overall was relatively good (65/79 = 82.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 73.9–90.7). Agreement between recall of drug name and the claims for dispensed drugs was lower (61/79 = 77.2%, 95% CI 68.0–86.5). Of 65 women reporting use of HRT in response to the indication prompt, nine (13.8%) could not identify the drug name using the drug list prompt, but all 65 women identified a drug using the photo prompt. Recall of start date of drug use was poor (29.2% agreement on month/year; 45.8% agreement within 1 month), and recall of end date of drug use was poorer yet (7.7% agreement on month/year; 21.5% agreement within 1 month). Conclusion Recall of drug use and drug names is far better than recall of dates of use. Recall can be enhanced with lists of drug names and color photos, but even with memory prompts, recall remains imperfect. If drug use is the primary exposure of interest in a study, considerable effort is needed to collect it correctly. If not, then perhaps drug histories should be omitted.
Semen collection, characterization, and cryopreservation in a Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)

A cooperative method was developed for collecting semen from a Magellanic penguin. Ejaculate parameters and semen production during a breeding season were characterized. Experiments were performed to study the effect on penguin spermatozoa of two temperatures (4°C and 21°C) for short-term storage, and two cryoprotectants (dimethylsulfoxide [DMSO] and ethylene glycol [EG]) for long-term storage (cryopreservation). All dilutions were made using modified Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender. Sperm quality was assessed by evaluating motility and forward progression (sperm motility index [SMI]), viability, and morphology. A total of 39 ejaculates was collected over the 40-day study period. Thirty-eight ejaculates contained spermatozoa, but semen quality decreased toward the end of the study period. Varying levels of urate contamination were present in all ejaculates. Sperm quality parameters were similar for diluted samples held at 4°C and 21°C, and samples maintained high numbers of viable (77.8 ± 5.4%) and morphologically normal (67.9 ± 2.5%) spermatozoa at 3 hr. SMI and percentage of viable sperm decreased (P 0.05). Both SMI and viability of frozen-thawed spermatozoa were higher (P < 0.05) for clean than for contaminated ejaculates. This is the first report on penguin ejaculate parameters, semen production, and preliminary methods for short- and long-term semen storage. Zoo Biol 18:199–214, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The order dimension of two levels of the Boolean lattice

LetBn(s, t) denote the partially ordered set consisting of alls-subsets andt-subsets of ann-element underlying set where these sets are ordered by inclusion. Answering a question of Trotter we prove that dim(Bn(k, n−k))=n−2 for 3⩽k<(1/7)n1/3. The proof uses extremal hypergraph theory.
New observations in the metabolism of morphine. The formation of codeine from morphine in man.

Nach Morphium-oder Heroingaben wurden im Urin normaler und heroinsuchtiger Versuchspersonen freies und gebundenes Codein als neues Morphiumstoffwechselprodukt mit Dunnschichtchromatographie und Massenspektroskopie nachgewiesen.
Work In Progress: Building an Evaluative Research Foundation for Just-in-Time Teaching

Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) involves problem-solving assignments completed by students shortly before class. Responses to thought-provoking questions are used to organize discussions around student understanding. Like many innovations, JiTT's implementation has rapidly outpaced a) theoretical specification of the strategy; b) systematic evaluation of its efficacy; and c) efforts to validate principles for optimal use. An approach was taken that may serve as an exemplar for other innovations that are growing faster than their theory base. Initially, a web-based survey and literature review were performed to organize available evidence on JiTT's effectiveness. Two virtual conferences were held to identify important research questions. Then, educational research mentors advised JiTT practitioners on establishing research agendas at an assessment workshop. This effort demonstrates a valuable example of how an emerging community can mobilize itself to treat questions of that innovation's theory, validation and design with the same rigor that it brings to the scientific disciplines that the community represents.
TU-E-141-11: Respiratory-Correlated Dose Rate Modulated Therapy as An Alternative to Gated Radiotherapy

Purpose: To investigate the potential of respiratory‐correlated dose rate modulation (DRM) as a motion management strategy. Methods: Like to conventional gating, a DRM plan targets a specific phase of the respiratory cycle. Unlike conventional gating, the binary modes of a DRM plan are high dose and low dose rate. The low dose rate mode facilitates cine‐EPID imaging of the irradiated volume. When the target moves within the beam's eye view (BEV), high dose rate mode is enabled to delver the therapeutic dose. This approach is only possible with the ability of the linear accelerator to precisely changes dose rates that has accompanied commercial rotational IMRT deliveries. The dosimetric performance of DRM was investigated using a four‐dimensional simulation of dynamic respiratory phantom. Conventional and gated plans were constructed to target all phases and exhale phase of motion, respectively. The DRM plan was constructed as the sum of 2 plans: 1 targeting the exhale phase and 1 targeting all phases of motion, with the weighting determined by the minimum and maximum dose rate values. Results: Dose coverage and homogeneity in the target was similar over all plans. In the lung, V40Gy, V20Gy, and V10Gy were nearly identical for the gated and DRM plans, and 40% lower than the conventional plan. The value of V5Gy in the gated plan was 30% lower than the conventional plan and 15% lower than the DRM plan (500 MU/min maximum dose rate). If the maximum dose rate was increased (1500 MU/min), the advantage in V5Gy in the gated plan over the DRM plan was reduced to 2%. Conclusion: DRM plans produce dose distributions comparable to conventional gating, with the advantage of being able to localize the tumor within the BEV of the treatment fields.
Comparing residence hall and independent living settings

The social environments of residence halls and independent off-campus living settings (such as apartments and houses) were compared. The off-campus settings had as much emphasis on cohesion and emotional support, and had more emphasis on independence, academic achievement, and the enhancement of intellectual and cultural pursuits. Despite these differences, students who stayed in residence halls throughout their four years of college, as compared to those who moved into independent housing, had higher educational aspirations and performed better academically, although they were somewhat more conservative and traditional (higher religious concern, more participation in campus activities, less alcohol consumption and impulse expression). Additional analyses indicated that college living settings influence differential student change and that some of their “effects” occur because students tend to select and create settings which help them to maintain their preferred personal characteristics.
Tree-Ring Dating of An Arkansas Antebellum Plantation House

Abstract As part of the Lakeport Plantation Restoration Project conducted by Arkansas State University, we examined tree-ring samples of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum L. Rich.) timbers from the Lakeport Plantation house in Chicot County, Arkansas. Our objectives for the study were to: (1) determine cutting dates of timbers used in the construction of the plantation house and an ancillary log shed in order to support or refute available historical and archaeological evidence for the construction date of the structures, and (2) provide tree-ring data to improve the spatial and temporal tree-ring record for the region. We determined that virtually all the cutting dates for the plantation house were confined to the dormant season of 1858–1859 suggesting that cutting and construction occurred at approximately the same time. We positively dated a total of 25 samples against the exactly-dated master chronology based on living baldcypress trees at Black Swamp, Arkansas, and compiled a 346-year chronology extend...