cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiative recombination at donor-acceptor pairs and at higher associates☆

Abstract Donor-acceptor pairs have become well established as important defect systems for radiative electron-hole recombination in semiconductors. The statistical distribution of pairs characterized by different donor-acceptor distances R is reviewed. We then consider the electronic states of each pair in the usual first order, effective mass approximation and determine the dependences of radiative transition energy and transition probability on R. The limitations of the analysis are emphasized. The oft-neglected effect of overlap of the effective mass functions of the electron and positive hole is included and some improvements is thus obtained in the agreement between the experimental and theoretical pair spectra of III–V semiconductors. We next make a variational analysis of configuration interaction and find that the effective mass functions are delocalized and attenuated in the region between the donor and acceptor cores. Substantial improvement in the agreement between the experimental and theoretical spectra for GaP is thus obtained. The effect of configuration interaction on radiative lifetime is also evaluated. Possible origin of the remaining small discrepancy between theory and experiment for the spectrum of transition energies are considered. The effect of electron-hole correlation is estimated. Higher associates such as dipairs are reviewed. Then, a recently proposed three-center associate consisting of a doubly-ionizable acceptor coupled to two singly-ionizable donors is considered theoretically and its recombination spectrum compared with that of the A-center. Examples for II–VI and IV–IV semiconductors are described. Finally, donor-acceptor pairs consisting of isoelectronic dopants of opposite type are considered, noting the anomalous characteristics of their predicted radiative recombination spectra.
Using Characteristics of Computational Science Schemas for Workflow Metadata Management

Computational science workflows are generating an ever-increasing volume of data products. Metadata for these workflows is communicated using one or more discipline-specific schemas and is not static but instead is subject to frequent updates and additions. In contrast to general XML data, the unique uses for scientific metadata allow further optimization.We propose a general metadata catalog for storing scientific metadata that is optimized for community science use and communicates metadata as XML using the schemas of scientific domains. In this paper we show that our hybrid approach outperforms the well-known inlining approach to storing XML when applied to scientific metadata.
RUTA-100: a dynamic route planner

RUTA-100 is an AI-based route planner that uses the Dempster-Shafer theory of belief to combine partial and inexact information, received from a number of unreliable sources, to find an optimal route, by means of the A* algorithm, in a changing environment. The current version of RUTA-100 plans optimized routes for various kinds of helicopters. The Dempster-Shafer theory of belief, which is an extension of probability theory, provides the mechanism for combining partial information transmitted by the knowledge sources (sensors, observers, etc.). With an extension of the Dempster-Shafer theory, one can infer inexact information on one variable (e.g. danger level or weather) based on partial information on some other (closely related) variable. RUTA-100 is implemented on a Symbolics 3620 workstation running Lisp. >
INTERACTION OF VITAMIN C AND VITAMIN E DURING FREE RADICAL STRESS IN PLASMA: AN ESR STUDY

Abstract To study the interaction of the antioxidant vitamins C and E in a biological system, we used electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy to make serial measurement of ascorbate tocopheroxyl free radicals in plasma subjected to continuous free radical-mediated oxidative stress. Upon initiation of a continuous oxidative stress, we observed an immediate increase in the concentration of ascorbate radical, which reached a peak, and then steadily declined. Only after the virtual disappearance of the ascorbate radical did we observe the appearance of the tocopheroxyl radical. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that ascorbate is the terminal small-molecule antioxidant in biological systems. This is the first experimental demonstration that the predicted thermodynamic hierarchy of ascorbate, α-tocopherol, and their free radicals holds in a biological system containing endogenous levels of these antioxidant vitamins.
Effect of Preoperative Use of Propranolol on Postoperative Outcome in Patients With Tetralogy of Fallot

The aim of this study was to determine if preoperative propranolol therapy has a deleterious effect on postoperative variables in patients with tetralogy of Fallot. Data from 97 patients who underwent complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot were reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: those receiving preoperative propranolol therapy (n = 32) and those not receiving therapy (n = 65). Preoperative and intraoperative variables did not differ between groups. There were no differences in postoperative inotrope scores on arrival to the intensive care unit and through the first 12 hours postoperatively. There was a trend toward increased inotrope scores at 24 hours (median 8 vs 5, p = 0.05) and 48 hours (median 8 vs 3, p = 0.05) postoperatively in the patients treated with propranolol. Temporary pacing in the early postoperative period occurred more often in the propranolol group (16% vs 3%, p = 0.04). There was no difference between groups in length of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay, or total hospital postoperative stay. In conclusion, propranolol therapy can be used in patients with tetralogy of Fallot until the time of surgery, without important effects on their postoperative courses. Any blunting of inotropic or chronotropic activity in propranolol-treated patients appears to be easily overcome with increased inotropic medications or temporary pacing, without increased morbidity or mortality.
Factors Affecting Longevity of Homograft Valves Used in Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Reconstruction for Congenital Heart Disease

Background—Few studies have explored the long-term function of cryopreserved homograft valves used for reconstruction of the right ventricular tract (RVOT) in patients with congenital heart disease. Methods and Results—Among 205 patients receiving cryopreserved homografts for reconstruction of the RVOT between November 1985 and April 1999, the outcome of 220 homografts in 183 operative survivors was analyzed. There were 150 pulmonary and 70 aortic homografts used. Median age at implantation was 4.4 years (mean 6.9±7.6 years, range 3 days to 48 years). End points included (1) patient survival, (2) homograft failure (valve explant or late death), and (3) homograft dysfunction (homograft insufficiency or homograft stenosis). Survival was 88% at 10 years. Freedom from homograft failure was 74±4% at 5 years and 54±7% at 10 years. Univariable analysis identified younger age, longer donor warm ischemic time, valve Z value <2, and previous procedure as risk factors for homograft failure and dysfunction. Aortic ho...
Reducing surgical site infections in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery.

Abstract Objectives Patients undergoing complex hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) operations are at high risk for surgical site infection (SSI). Factors such as biliary obstruction, operative time and pancreatic or biliary fistulae contribute to the high SSI rate. The purpose of this study was to analyse whether a multifactorial approach would reduce the incidence and cost of SSI after HPB surgery. Methods From January 2007 to December 2009, 895 complex HPB operations were monitored for SSI through the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS‐NSQIP). In 2008, surgeon‐specific SSI rates were provided to HPB surgeons, and guidelines for the management of perioperative factors were established. Observed SSI rates were monitored before and after these interventions. Hospital cost data were analysed and cost savings were calculated. Results Observed SSI for hepatic, pancreatic and complex biliary operations decreased by 9.6% over a 2‐year period ( P Conclusions High SSI rates following complex HPB operations can be improved by a multifactorial approach that features process improvements, individual surgeon feedback and reduced variation in patient management.
Long-term survival in patients with synchronous, solitary brain metastasis from non-small-cell lung cancer treated with radiosurgery.

Purpose To report the outcome of patients with synchronous, solitary brain metastasis from non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKSRS). Patients and Methods Forty-two patients diagnosed with synchronous, solitary brain metastasis from NSCLC were treated with GKSRS between 1993 and 2006. The median Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was 90. Patients had thoracic Stage I-III disease (American Joint Committee on Cancer 2002 guidelines). Definitive thoracic therapy was delivered to 26/42 (62%) patients; 9 patients underwent chemotherapy and radiation, 12 patients had surgical resection, and 5 patients underwent preoperative chemoradiation and surgical resection. Results The median overall survival (OS) was 18 months. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year actuarial OS rates were 71.3%, 34.1%, and 21%, respectively. For patients who underwent definitive thoracic therapy, the median OS was 26.4 months compared with 13.1 months for those who had nondefinitive therapy, and the 5-year actuarial OS was 34.6% vs. 0% ( p p p = 0.020) and KPS ( p = 0.001). Conclusions This is one of the largest series of patients diagnosed with synchronous, solitary brain metastasis from NSCLC treated with GKSRS. Definitive thoracic therapy and KPS significantly impacted OS. The 5-year OS of 21% demonstrates the potential for long-term survival in patients treated with GKSRS; therefore, patients with good KPS should be considered for definitive thoracic therapy.
Ion exchange resin catalyst stability in in-situ epoxidation

The highly oxidizing conditions of expoxidation cause decross-linking of the ion exchange resin catalyst, resulting in swelling of the resin with its eventual dissolution if uncontrolled.
Integrins in Ocular Angiogenesis

The integrin family of membrane proteins are ubiquitously expressed cell surface receptors that not only mediate cell anchorage to the surrounding extracellular matrix, but are also critically important in transducing environmental cues to subcellular signaling pathways. Integrins play important roles in cell differentiation and survival and have generated interest in diverse fields ranging from structural biology and immunology to tumor biology and ophthalmology. Much of the interest has centered on the roles of integrins during cell-cell adhesion, such as that which occurs between endothelial cells and leukocytes during arrest and extravasation from blood vessels during inflammation. Another major area of interest has been the function of integrins and their interaction with the extracellular matrix (ECM). Integrins specifically bind components of the ECM such as fibronectin and vitronectin, but also non-ECM molecules such as von Willebrand factor and thrombospondin. The specificity of interaction with various ligands is a result of the noncovalently linked α/β chains that form the functional integrin heterodimer. The α-subunit is comprised of approx 1000 amino acids and contains calcium-binding motifs that are critical to integrin function (1). Integrin β-subunits are made up of approx 750 amino acids and introduce additional variability through alternative splicing of the cytoplasmic regions. Different pairings of α- and β-subunits produce at least 20 different integrin heterodimers with distinct but overlapping binding specificities (2). In turn, each ECM component may be recognized by several integrins. In general, integrins recognize amino acid sequences that contain a key acidic residue that is critical for binding (3). A common example of an integrin ligand sequence is the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) sequence, which is found in a number of integrin-binding proteins (4). Integrin-binding sequences that are unrelated to the RGD motif show structural and topological similarities to the RGD sequence, suggesting that specific spatial elements are required for recognition (5). Some integrins are known to require activation in order to bind their corresponding ligands, a mechanism referred to as “inside-out” signaling. For example, the αIIbβ3 integrin is a constitutively expressed receptor on platelets but is able to bind its primary ligand, fibrinogen, only after a conformational change induced by platelet activation (6).
Improving prostate-specific antigen screening.

in the ERSPC, Vickers and colleagues 3 validated the use of a fourkallikrein panel as an adjunct to standard PSA testing. They argue that by improving the performance characteristics of PSA testing, the overall benefits ofscreening with PSA testing could improve. We consider the impact of this panel on three problems known to be associated with PSA-based screening: false positives leading to relatively high biopsy rates and many negative biopsies, overdetection, and overtreatment. Screening for prostate cancer is an individual decision in the United States. The PSA test is used to determine which men are at sufficient risk for prostate cancer to warrant a biopsy. Most men wouldliketoavoidhavingaprostatebiopsyunlessitistrulynecessary, since it is invasive, uncomfortable, and can occasionally have complications including bleeding and sepsis. The kallikrein panel described by Vickers and colleagues appears to help many men avoid prostate biopsies:prostatebiopsiesweredecreasedbyapproximatelyhalfcom
Quality Characteristics of Cake-type Doughnuts Containing Peanut, Cowpea, and Soybean Flours

Abstract Ten percent of the wheat flour in cake-type buttermilk doughnuts was replaced with flours processed from prepress, solvent-extracted peanuts; partially defatted, untoasted peanuts; partially defatted, toasted peanuts; and dry cowpeas. The legume-supplemented doughnuts were prepared with and without soybean flour, which is frequently added to doughnut formulations to control fat absorption during frying. The quality of test doughnuts was assessed by comparison to wheat flour reference doughnuts. Good machinability and frying characteristics were observed in reference and test batters. Legume-supplemented doughnuts scored favorably in sensory comparisons with reference doughnuts and were similar in moisture content. Oil levels of legume flour-supplemented doughnuts were the same or less than that of reference doughnuts and were more acceptable than levels reported in an earlier study which utilized the legumes in the form of meal.
Socializing Surveillance: An interdisciplinary educational model

Surveillance systems are becoming ubiquitous nowadays. Their use is sometimes followed by misuse which often raises ethical questions that have implications for all involved in the design, control, and implementation of surveillance schemes. Spanning across the disciplines of interior design/architecture and camera networks present conceptions of surveillance systems often disregard the social dimension, or those ‘being watched.’ Debates raise concerns as people associate cameras with feelings of fear and control, loss of privacy, discrimination, inequality, and cultural/gender insensitivity. Began as an interdisciplinary collaboration between the University of Minnesota's Interior Design program and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the ‘Socializing Surveillance’ project matured into a joint endeavor undertaken by four faculty advisors and five electrical and computer engineering students through the “ECE 4951: Senior Design” Project in Fall 2009 and Spring 2010. This paper outlines the pertinent issues starting from an optimization approach to place cameras and in-depth interviews with design practitioners that led to a re-thinking of what surveillance and camera networks can entail; the challenges and opportunities afforded through interdisciplinary educational efforts; and the attempts of the team to develop a prototype for an interactive surveillance system that foregrounds the social dimensions of a security scheme. The goal is to ignite interest in surveillance and to set in place considerations for interdisciplinary educational models.
Pathogen Screening of Naturally Produced Yakima River Spring Chinook Smolts; Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project Monitoring and Evaluation Report 6 of 7, 2003-2004 Annual Report.

In 1999 the Cle Elem Hatchery began releasing spring chinook smolts into the upper Yakima River for restoration and supplementation. This project was designed to evaluate whether introduction of intensively reared hatchery produced smolts would impact the prevalence of specific pathogens in the naturally produced spring chinook smolts. Increases in prevalence of any of these pathogens could negatively impact the survival of these fish. Approximately 200 smolts were collected at the Chandler smolt collection facility on the lower Yakima River during 1998, 2000 and 2001 and 130 smolts were collected in 2002 for monitoring for specific pathogens. The pathogens monitored were infectious hematopoeitic necrosis virus, infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia, Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Flavobacterium columnare, Aeromonas salmonicida, Yersinia ruckeri, Edwardsiella ictaluri, Renibacterium salmoninarum and Myxobolus cerebralis. In addition the fish were tested for Ceratomyxa shasta spores in 2000 and 2001 (a correction from the 2001 report). To date, the only changes have been in the levels the bacterial pathogens in the naturally produced smolts and they have been minimal. These changes are attributed to normal fluctuation of prevalence.
Self-Learning Disk Scheduling

Performance of disk I/O schedulers is affected by many factors, such as workloads, file systems, and disk systems. Disk scheduling performance can be improved by tuning scheduler parameters, such as the length of read timers. Scheduler performance tuning is mostly done manually. To automate this process, we propose four self-learning disk scheduling schemes: change-sensing Round-Robin, feedback learning, per-request learning, and two-layer learning. experiments show that the novel two-layer learning scheme performs best. It integrates the workload-level and request-level learning algorithms. It employs feedback learning techniques to analyze workloads, change scheduling policy, and tune scheduling parameters automatically. We discuss schemes to choose features for workload learning, divide and recognize workloads, generate training data, and integrate machine learning algorithms into the two-layer learning scheme. We conducted experiments to compare the accuracy, performance, and overhead of five machine learning algorithms: decision tree, logistic regression, naive Bayes, neural network, and support vector machine algorithms. Experiments with real-world and synthetic workloads show that self-learning disk scheduling can adapt to a wide variety of workloads, file systems, disk systems, and user preferences. It outperforms existing disk schedulers by as much as 15.8% while consuming less than 3%-5% of CPU time.
Harnessing glycal-epoxide rearrangements: the generation of the AB, EF, and IJ rings of adriatoxin

The marine ladder toxin class of natural products has generated considerable interest from the synthetic and biomedical communities because of their fascinating structures and biological activities.1,2 This group includes a target that has recently become of interest to us, adriatoxin (Scheme 1), a polyether toxin isolated by Fattorusso and coworkers from the digestive gland of the Adriatic mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.3-5 Synthetically, our fascination with adriatoxin came out of an interest in determining whether our recently described coupling protocol, which leads to the pairing of two subunits and the generation of two additional rings, would enable us to carry out a convergent synthesis of the ten-ring system from three bicyclic precursors representing the AB ring (1), the EF ring (2), and the IJ ring (3).6 Biologically, that adriatoxin had been implicated in diarrhetic shellfish poisoning would allow us to continue our collaborative studies which have been focused on the ability of natural and non-natural polyethers to bind to ion channels.7 In addition to this, that Shimizu has identified structurally related yessotoxin analogues as having exceptional cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines was also intriguing.8
Elevated placental estradiol: a possible etiological factor of human cryptorchidism.

Purpose: It has been convincingly argued that the increasing incidence of reproductive abnormalities in human males may be associated with increased estrogen exposure during gestation. We documented the expression of estradiol in the syncytiotrophoblast and placenta of males born with cryptorchidism and normal genitalia, respectively.Materials and Methods: Tissue from newborn placentas was fixed in glutaraldehyde and embedded in ePON for immunohistological procedures. Cryptorchidism was unilateral in 6 males and bilateral in 1. Semithin histological sections of placental biopsies of these 7 males and 7 randomly selected, normal male placentas were analyzed immunohistochemically with a polyclonal anti-estradiol-17 β, 6-keto antibody.Results: The weak expression of estradiol in the placentas of normal males was localized predominantly at the basal part of the syncytiotrophoblast in the terminal placental villi. In contrast, all placentas of cryptorchid males had strong expression of estradiol at the basal p...
Cloning and genetic analyses of two highly polymorphic, moderately repetitive nuclear DNAs from Phytophthora infestans

Randomly selected clones from a Phytophthora infestans partial genomic library were characterized by hybridizing individual clones to Southern blots of total genomic DNA digested with the restriction enzyme EcoRI. Among 59 clones that were screened on seven different central-Mexican isolates, five revealed a unique banding pattern for each isolate tested. Two of these clones were tested further; the banding patterns produced by both were somatically stable when probed to DNA from 63 single-zoospore (asexual) progeny from five different "parent" isolates. For one probe, RG57, each band appeared to represent a unique genetic locus in three different crosses, and each locus segregated for the presence or absence of a band. No bands were found to be allelic, but two pairs of cosegregating loci were identified. Genetic analyses of the other probe (RG7) revealed many more pairs of cosegregating bands and some bands which were allelic. When these probes were hybridized to DNA from the other five species in Phytophthora group IV, probe RG57 hybridized strongly to DNA from P. colocasiae, P. phaseoli and P. mirabilis, but weakly or not at all to that of P. hibernalis and P. ilicis. Probe RG7 hybridized fairly strongly to DNA from all six species. Because the sequence recognized by probe RG57 appears to be evolutionarily conserved, and is dispersed, moderately repetitive and highly polymorphic, it could be very useful in additional studies on the genetics and population biology of P. infestans.
Computer calculation of electronic platelet counts.

The raw platelet counts obtained with a Coulter counter can be converted into whole blood platelet counts by use of a desk-top computer. The computer will reject raw counts that are outside preset upper and lower limits. Either a single or dual threshold Coulter Counter may be used. The computer provides, in addition to a printed record, a great increase in convenience, speed, and accuracy.
Electronic Device Fabricated From Polyaniline / Single walled Carbon Nanotubes Composite

Composites of high molecular weight polyaniline and single walled carbon nanotubes are investigated for applications to electronic devices. Electrical characteristics of devices fabricated using this composite show an order magnitude higher current level than those measured in the neat polyaniline devices. Composite materials and devices with various weight percentages of single walled carbon nanotubes were also fabricated. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of these devices indicate a significant increase in current with an increase in carbon nanotube concentration in the composite. Analysis of the forward I-V characteristics of these composite devices on a log-log scale shows two power law regions. In the lower voltage range, the exponent is 1, which is consistent with ohmic conduction, while in the higher voltage range, the exponent is between 1.1 and 1.5, which is consistent with space-charge-limited conduction.
Control the dispersive focus properties of plasmonic lenses

We propose a novel plasmonic lens, which consists of plasmonic waveguides and a phase zone plate, with designable dispersive properties. One chosen wavelength can be designed to have the longest or shortest focal length.
Sammy Snacks (C)

Appropriate for entrepreneurship, operations management, and managing small businesses courses. This case presents management challenge of how to grow a business with limited resources and options. It examines the task of managing a potential sixfold increase in revenue and the management risks and costs associated with that opportunity. This D case follows OM-1177, OM-1350, and OM-1398.
Model parameters for simulation of physiological lipids

Coarse grain simulation of proteins in their physiological membrane environment can offer insight across timescales, but requires a comprehensive force field. Parameters are explored for multicomponent bilayers composed of unsaturated lipids DOPC and DOPE, mixed-chain saturation POPC and POPE, and anionic lipids found in bacteria: POPG and cardiolipin. A nonbond representation obtained from multiscale force matching is adapted for these lipids and combined with an improved bonding description of cholesterol. Equilibrating the area per lipid yields robust bilayer simulations and properties for common lipid mixtures with the exception of pure DOPE, which has a known tendency to form nonlamellar phase. The models maintain consistency with an existing lipid-protein interaction model, making the force field of general utility for studying membrane proteins in physiologically representative bilayers.
The Mechanics of Sexual Reproduction in Neurospora

(1935). The Mechanics of Sexual Reproduction in Neurospora. Mycologia: Vol. 27, No. 4, pp. 418-438.
Control Processes, Priority Management, and Affective Dynamics

Affective dynamics are discussed from the perspective of a view of origin and functions of affective valence based in control processes. This view posits that affect reflects the error signal of a ...
Hydraulic bearing structure of rodless drilling rig

In order to ensure the hydraulic bearing structure to press stably against the hole wall,the method to design the bearing structure and installing parameters of its hydraulic cylinders were studied.Influences of installing parameters of the rodless drilling rig's hydraulic cylinders on the efficiency of bearing and the earth stability were analyzed with methods of geometric analysis and force state analysis.The calculation of structural strength and earth stability proves that installing parameters of the hydraulic cylinder given in this paper are right.The bearing structure can press stably against the hole wall without shear failure when the hydraulic cylinders are installed according to the parameters given.
Fault Section Identification Protection Algorithm for Modular Multilevel Converter-Based High Voltage DC With a Hybrid Transmission Corridor

This paper addresses the protection of a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system, utilizing the modular multilevel converter (MMC) topology in addition to incorporating a hybrid transmission corridor (transmission line including overhead line and cable sections). A solution is proposed for identifying the section within which a dc fault is located for the purpose of maintaining power delivery. A detailed model of the MMC-HVDC system is simulated using PSCAD and an in depth fault analysis is performed. A characteristic signal is discovered and then implemented into a novel solution. The end result is a fault section identification protection algorithm, implementing protective relay coordination to protect the system from false circuit breaker reclose as well as enabling fast system restart for nonpermanent faults. This restart protection algorithm is implemented without the use of a communications channel between converter stations, introducing novelty and quick restart response.
Unified Approach to Modeling and Control of Rigid Multibody Systems

A unified approach is developed to model complex multibody mechanical systems and design controls for them. The characterization of such complex systems often requires the use of more coordinates than the minimum number to describe their configurations and/or the use of modeling constraints to capture their proper physical descriptions. When required to satisfy prescribed control requirements, it becomes necessary that the generalized control forces they are subjected to exactly satisfy these modeling constraints so that their physical descriptions are correctly preserved. The control requirements imposed can always be interpreted as a set of additional control constraints, and they may or may not be consistent with the modeling constraints that describe the physical system. This paper considers both the cases when the control constraints are consistent with the modeling constraints and when they are inconsistent. Such inconsistencies can arise when dealing with underactuated systems. A user-prescribed co...
Ellipsometry of single-layer antireflection coatings on transparent substrates

Abstract The complex reflection coefficients of p- and s-polarized light and ellipsometric parameters of a transparent substrate of refractive index n2, which is coated by a transparent thin film whose refractive index n 1 = n 2 satisfies the anti-reflection condition at normal incidence, are considered as functions of film thickness d and angle of incidence ϕ. A unique coated surface, with n 1 = n 2 and film thickness d equal to half of the film-thickness period D ϕ at angle ϕ and wavelength λ, reflects light of the same wavelength without change of polarization for all incident polarization states. (The reflection Jones matrix of such coated surface is the 2 × 2 identity matrix pre-multiplied by a scalar, hence tanΨ = 1,Δ = 0.) To monitor the deposition of an antireflection coating, the normalized Stokes parameters of obliquely reflected light (e.g. at ϕ = 70 ∘ ) are measured until predetermined target values of those parameters are detected. This provides a more accurate means of film thickness control than is possible using a micro-balance technique or an intensity reflectance method.
Ovarian Response and in Vitro Fertilization Outcomes After Salpingectomy: Does Salpingectomy Indication Matter?

Abstract Study Objective To investigate whether the ovarian response and pregnancy outcomes of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) after salpingectomy are affected by the underlying indication for salpingectomy. Design Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). Setting University-affiliated fertility center. Patients All patients age Interventions IVF and embryo transfer (ET). Measurements and Main Results Surgical characteristics, demographics, ovarian stimulation parameters, total oocytes retrieved, fertilization rates, implantation rates, and clinical pregnancy rates were compared among the salpingectomy groups. Age- and time-matched patients undergoing their first IVF-ET cycle for male factor infertility, with no previous history of laparoscopy, served as controls. Results Of the 996 patients who underwent a laparoscopic procedure during the study period, 136 patients underwent unilateral salpingectomy for the following indications: 39 for ectopic pregnancy, 81 for unilateral hydrosalpinx, and 16 for other indications. Among these 136 patients, 29 in the ectopic pregnancy group, 75 in the unilateral hydrosalpinx group, and 10 in the “other” group underwent subsequent IVF-ET. Thirty-one patients underwent both bilateral salpingectomy and subsequent IVF-ET. There was no difference in the antral follicle counts before and after salpingectomy in all groups. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean duration of ovarian stimulation in the salpingectomy groups: ectopic pregnancy, 10.9 ± 2.15 days; unilateral hydrosalpinx, 9.56 ± 1.95 days; bilateral hydrosalpinx, 9.51 ± 2.01 days; “other”, 9.89 ± 2.20 days; control, 9.76 ± 1.99 days. Similar trends were noted for total gonadotropins administered when comparing the ectopic pregnancy group (3375.9 ± 931.0 IU) with the remaining groups (unilateral hydrosalpinx, 2841.3 ± 1160.9 IU; bilateral hydrosalpinx, 2519.3 ± 1004.7 IU; “other”, 2808.6 ± 990.1 IU; control, 2726.1 ± 1129.8 IU). There were no significant differences in the total number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, implantation rate, or clinical pregnancy rate in the salpingectomy groups compared with controls. Conclusion Although our findings indicate that patients undergoing IVF after salpingectomy for an ectopic pregnancy have a statistically significantly longer duration of stimulation and require higher gonadotropin doses compared with patients undergoing IVF after salpingectomy for other indications, these differences are of limited clinical significance, given that the total number of oocytes retrieved, implantation rate, and clinical pregnancy rate among the different salpingectomy groups are comparable to those in controls.
Study of small oligomers based on Ru2(DMBA)4 and meta-phenylene diethynylene

Abstract The reactions between Ru2 (DMBA)4(NO3)2 (DMBA = N,N’-dimethylbenzamidinate) and meta-phenylene diethynylenes bearing 5-ester substituents (-CO2iPr, L1; -CO2Bn, L2) in the presence of Et2NH afforded a series of oligomeric compounds with meta-phenylene diethynylene bridge, namely L-[Ru2 (DMBA)4L]m with m as integers. With L1, the compounds with m = 1–3 (1a, 2a and 3a) were separated and fully characterized. With L2, only the compound with m = 1 (1b) was successfully isolated. In addition to routine spectroscopic characterizations, the structures of both compounds 1b and 2a were determined using single crystal X-ray diffraction. For the series of 1a, 2a and 3a, both the voltammetric and absorption spectroscopic characteristics bear close resemblance to those of simple Ru2 (DMBA)4(C2R)2 compounds, indicating the absence of significant inter-unit electronic couplings in the oligomers.
What Do the Markets Say? Shareholder Wealth Effects of the XBRL Mandate

ABSTRACT We investigate the market reaction to legislative events pertaining to the eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) mandate. The SEC contends that requiring issuers to adopt XBRL for ...
Estimation of peripheral artery radius using non-invasive sensors and Kalman filtering of local dynamics

Changes in peripheral arterial radius are tracked using non-invasive sensors and a simple local model for artery and tissue behavior. Sensing is performed using a conventional pulse plethysmograph and a custom-built piezoelectric pressure sensor. A simple mechanical model is used to relate sensor outputs to peripheral artery pressure and radius, using only radial tissue deformation under an assumption of close proximity of the two sensors. Applying an extended Kalman filter to the model to track arterial radius as an augmented state results in estimates of local vascular resistance that track well with systemic vascular resistance (SVR) measured invasively for a swine test subject.
Communication, Culture and Conservation in Orangutans

Several fragmented tropical forests within Southeast Asia, namely on northern Sumatra and across Borneo, are home to remnant and declining populations of wild orangutans (Pongo spp), the only extant nonhuman great ape found in Asia. These populations and other sympatric fauna are increasingly threatened by the alteration and destruction of their habitats. The latest available assessments from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognize Bornean orangutans as an endangered species, whereas their Sumatran counterparts, found at precipitously falling population numbers (Wich et al. 2003; Singleton et al. 2004; Wich et al., 2008b), are identified as critically endangered (IUCN 2008). While the value of preserving species such as orangutans has previously been touted as serving important biological functions, particularly from a community ecology perspective, a more recent emphasis has been on strengthening ties between the goals of biological conservation and socioeconomic development among the impoverished communities that are most likely to face direct human-wildlife conflicts related to local land use practices.
You've got mail: hospital postcards as a reflection of health care in the early twentieth century

Purpose: The author shows that not only can the illustrations on the front of postcards reveal a considerable amount of information about hospitals in the early twentieth century, but that the messages, addresses, captions, postmarks, and stamps on the back of postcards also offer a valuable glimpse into the lives of ordinary citizens and their interactions with the health care system. Method: In addition to a literature review on postcards and their history and use, particularly in the depiction of health care, the author reviews the postcards in her own collection, which includes a variety of hospital postcards from this time period. Conclusions: Early hospital postcards provide a framework for examining individual elements of postcards and show how postcards can be used as key sources in historical research on health care in the early 1900s.
Citrus spp.: In Vitro Culture and the Production of Naringin and Limonin

Citrus is cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Those areas with the highest level of production include parts of the United States (Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona), Asia (Japan, China, India, and other areas), Central America (Mexico), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Trinidad, and Tobago), the Mediterranean (Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and other areas), South Africa, and Australia. These regions help define a “citrus belt” which is contained between 35°N and 35°S (Ziegler and Wolfe 1975). Some of these areas produce citrus on a large scale and export fruit, while others produce fruit mainly for local consumption.
Incompatibility and Incongruity: Two Mechanisms Preventing Gene Transfer Between Taxa

Pollen-pistil incompatibility generally refers to the ubiquitous self-incompatibility (SI) phenomenon characteristic of angiosperms. Interpopulation pollen-pistil interactions resulting in malfunction also occur and often have been ascribed to the genetic system controlling SI (Lewis and Crowe, 1958; Pandey, 1969). A generally held concept unifying theoretical treatments of SI and intertaxa incompatibility is that pollen-pistil incompatibility is an active process, evolving as the result of selection. In 1973, Hoganboom proposed that failure in pollen-pistil interactions can be passive and termed this phenomenon incongruity.
Retrospective comparison of outcomes and associated complications between large bore radiologically inserted gastrostomy tube types

Multiple approaches to radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) exist. The goal of this study was to compare 30-day outcomes and associated complications between large bore balloon-retained (BR), loop-retained (LR), and pull-type (PT) RIG devices. Data on 1477 patients who underwent RIG between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2016 were collected retrospectively using a dedicated interventional radiology database and electronic medical record. Statistical analysis was performed to compare complication rates between BR, LR, and PT devices. Ninety-eight percent (1477/1507) of the procedures were successfully performed. A total of 752 BR, 323 LR, and 402 PT gastrostomy tubes were placed. The overall complication rate for BR catheters was 5.7% (25 major [3.3%] and 18 minor [2.4%]). The overall complication rate for PT catheters was 3.7% (8 major [2.0%] and 7 minor [1.7%]). The overall complication rate for LR catheters was 1.6% (4 major [1.4%] and 1 minor [0.8%]). Compared to BR catheters, LR catheters had significantly fewer total complications (P = 0.01) but not minor complications (P = 0.052). There were no significant differences in the number of complications between LR and PT catheters or between BR and PT catheters. Use of BR, LR, and PT devices for RIG is safe with a low incidence of complications. Compared to BR catheters, primary insertion of a LR gastrostomy was associated with significantly fewer overall complications within the first 30 days. Therefore, for initial tube placement, large bore LR catheters may be preferred over BR devices.
Biasing for Zero Distortion: Using the EKV\/BSIM6 Expressions

The EKV/BSIM6 model is well suited to find the optimum biasing point of a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor (MOST) for zero third-order intermodulation IM 3 distortion. This article provides a derivation of a simple expression for this biasing point, for all possible regions of operation, i.e., the weak inversion (wi), the strong inversion (si), the velocity saturation (vsat), and all their crossover regions. Because the expressions are relatively simple, this overview provides, at the same time, a set of EKV/BSIM6 model expressions to be used for design and educational purposes.
Synergy or Additivity—The Importance of Defining the Primary Endpoint and the Approach to Its Statistical Analysis—A Case Study

The objective of this chapter is to demonstrate that the ability to characterize, and to claim the existence of, a synergistic relationship between two therapeutic agents depends to a critical degree on how “synergy” is defined and how the data are analyzed. To illustrate these points, a hypothetical example based on an actual case is discussed. In the example, a common set of clinical trials was analyzed by two different organizations with two different objectives and for two different audiences. One company’s analyses were intended to support a new drug application submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration; their analyses concluded additivity with no suggestion of synergy. The intent of the second company’s analyses was to convince the US Patent and Trademark Office to issue a patent that would support a statement of synergy between the two therapeutic agents; their analyses resulted in such a patent being issued. The example presented in this chapter demonstrates the importance of defining the anticipated outcome variable as an integral component of the objective of a clinical development plan (or protocol). Different definitions of outcome variables (endpoints) that are intended to evaluate the same objective can result in different analyses and conflicting conclusions.
An approximation algorithm for vehicle routing with compatibility constraints

Abstract We study a multiple-vehicle routing problem with a minimum makespan objective and compatibility constraints. We provide an approximation algorithm and a nearly-matching hardness of approximation result. We also provide computational results on benchmark instances with diverse sizes showing that the proposed algorithm (i) has a good empirical approximation factor, (ii) runs in a short amount of time and (iii) produces solutions comparable to the best feasible solutions found by a direct integer program formulation.
Nuwaite (Ni6GeS2) and butianite (Ni6SnS2), two new minerals from the Allende meteorite: Alteration products in the early solar system

Nuwaite (Ni_6GeS_2, IMA 2013-018) and butianite (Ni_6SnS_2, IMA 2016-028) are two new chalcogenide minerals, occurring as micrometer-sized crystals with grossular, Na-bearing melilite, heazlewoodite, and Ge-bearing Ni-Fe alloys in veins and as mono-mineralic crack-filling material in igneous diopside in the Type B1 Ca-Al-rich inclusion (CAI) ACM-2 from the Allende CV3 carbonaceous chondrite. The chemical composition of type nuwaite is (wt%) Ni 65.3, S 10.3, Ge 8.2, Te 7.9, Sn 5.1, and Fe 1.7, with a sum of 98.5 and an empirical formula of (Ni_(5.95)Fe_(0.16))(Ge_(0.60)Sn_(0.23))(S_(1.72)Te_(0.33)). The simplified formula is Ni6(Ge,Sn)(S,Te)2, leading to an end-member of Ni6GeS2. The chemical composition of type butianite is (wt%) Ni 62.1, Sn 8.9, Te 10.3, S 8.9, Ge 5.3, Fe 1.3, sum 99.1, giving rise to an empirical formula of (Ni_(5.93)Fe_(0.13))(Sn_(0.52)Ge_(0.41))(S_(1.56)Te_(0.45)). Butianite's simplified formula is Ni6(Sn,Ge) (S,Te)2 and the end-member formula is Ni6SnS2. Both nuwaite and butianite have an I4/mmm inter-growth structure with a = 3.65 A, c = 18.14 A, V = 241.7 A^3, and Z = 2. Their calculated densities are 7.24 and 7.62 g/cm^3, respectively. Nuwaite and butianite are the first known meteoritic minerals with high Ge and Sn concentrations. Nuwaite and butianite are very late-stage, vapor-deposited, alteration products, filling in pores within preexisting grossular-rich alteration veins and cracks in igneous Al,Ti-diopside. These phases and associated heazlewoodite and Ge-bearing alloys are observed only within the Ca-,Al-rich inclusion (CAI) and not outside it or at the inclusion-matrix interface. As only sections in one half of ACM-2 contain nuwaite/butianite, they were probably derived through a relatively low f_(O2)-f_(S2) sulfidation process, in which a highly localized, low-temperature Ge-, Sn-bearing fluid interacted with a portion of the host CAI. It is likely that the fluid became relatively more Sn- and Te-enriched with time and that crack fillings post-date vein fillings, possibly due to a late remobilization of vein sulfides.
Individual and combined effects of low dissolved oxygen and low pH on survival of early stage larval blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus.

A large number of coastal ecosystems globally are subjected to concurrent hypoxic and acidified conditions that will likely intensify and expand with continued climate change. In temperate regions, the spawning of many important organisms including the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus occurs during the summer months when the severity of coastal hypoxia and acidification is the greatest. While the blue crab earliest larval stage can be exposed to co-occurring hypoxia and acidification observed in many coastal ecosystems, the effects of these concurrent stressors on larval blue crab survival is unknown. This study investigated the individual and combined consequences of low dissolved oxygen (DO) and low pH on blue crab larvae survival through a series of short-term experiments. During 14-day experiments with moderately hypoxic conditions (117–127 μM O2 or 3.74–4.06 mg L-1) and acidified conditions (pH on total scale of 7.16–7.33), low DO and low pH individually and significantly reduced larval survival by 60% and 49%, respectively, with the combination of stressors reducing survival by 87% compared to the control treatment (210–269 μM O2 or 6.72–8.61 mg L-1, 7.91–7.94 DO and pH, respectively). During 4-day experiments with lower DO levels (68–83 μM O2 or 2.18–2.62 mg L-1) and comparable pH levels of 7.29–7.39, low DO individually reduced survival by >90% compared to the control (261–267 μM O2 or 8.35–8.54 mg L-1, 7.92–7.97 DO and pH, respectively), whereas low pH had no effect and there was no interaction between stressors. Over a 4-day period, the DO threshold at which 50% of the larval blue crab population died (LC50) was 121 μM O2 (3.86 mgL-1). In 14-day experiments, the DO and pH effects were additive, yielding survival rates lower than the individual treatments, and significantly correlated with DO and pH concentrations. Collectively, these findings indicate that blue crab sensitivity to both low DO and low pH are acute within the larval stage, depend on the intensity and duration of exposure, and leads to mortality, thereby potentially contributing to the interannual variability and possible regional declines of this fishery.