cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ohmic contacts formed by ion mixing in the Si-diamond system

Graded-bandgap contacts to natural type-IIb diamond formed by ion-beam mixing of Si (500 AA/diamond samples) are discussed. Ion mixing was carried out using 240-keV Kr/sup +/ ionsat a dose of 2*10/sup 16//cm/sup 2/ at a temperature of 700 degrees C. Si-C bonds were observed by IR absorption measurements, indicating the formation of a Si/SiC/diamond graded structure. Transmission line model measurements show that well behaved ohmic contacts can be formed on n-type channels by ion mixing with a subsequent thermal anneal. Samples without ion mixing showed higher specific contact resistivity than ion-mixed samples ( approximately 5*10/sup -3/ Omega -cm/sup 2/ versus approximately 1*10/sup -3/ Omega -cm/sup 2/). For comparison purposes. Au-Ta-based contacts were also prepared. >
STUDIES ON THE TOTAL BILE : VII. CONDITIONS INFLUENCING THE CALCIUM CONTENT OF THE BILE.

A day to day study has been made of the calcium content of the total liver bile of dogs intubated under sterile conditions. The concentration of this element in the bile is fairly constant under physiological conditions which do not involve wide fluctuations in the secretory output. It follows that the calcium yield for each 24 hour period in general varies directly with the amount of the bile. But when this amount becomes greatly lessened, as the result of fasting, the concentration of calcium becomes markedly increased, though not sufficiently so to compensate for the lessened volume. When the bile amount rises much above the average after the ingestion of food in quantity, the calcium content, unlike that of pigment, does not become correspondingly diminished, but tends to remain the same as ordinarily. Hence when great amounts of bile are put out, so too are relatively great amounts of calcium. This is not because of the increased ingestion of the element. For neither feedings with bone meal, nor the administration of large quantities of calcium salts intravenously or by mouth has any effect to alter the biliary output of calcium. The normal gall bladder, far from secreting calcium into the bile, as some have supposed, acts to remove this element from the secretion, and removes carbon dioxide as well. The "white bile," which is a specific secretion of the bile ducts, contains but little calcium, like the mucous secretions from elsewhere in the body. The concentration is only slightly greater than that in the blood plasma, and contrasts significantly with the high concentration to be noted in true bile of the fasting animal. Evidently the greater portion of the bile calcium must be secreted, not by the duct walls, but by the liver itself. The findings have an evident bearing on the problem of cholelithiasis.
Translocation of Carbon in Powdery Mildewed Barley

This paper compares translocation in healthy and powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei, race CR3) infected barley (Hordeum vulgare, variety Manchuria). The sink-like properties of the powdery mildew infection were used to determine what effect imposing a sink in the midst of normal source tissue (mature primary leaf) had on the translocation process. The pattern of translocation was determined by monitoring the movement of (14)C which was photosynthetically incorporated from (14)C either by the primary or second leaf. In the healthy primary leaf of barley, (14)C fixed in the tip section of the blade was preferentially translocated to the root, whereas (14)C fixed in the basal section was primarily translocated to the shoot. When a sporulating powdery mildew infection was present in the mid-section of the primary leaf, (14)C fixed in that section or in the acropetal healthy tip section readily accumulated in the infection area. Labeled carbon fixed in the healthy basal section was translocated into the other parts of the plant with only a small fraction moving acropetally into the infected mid-section. The (14)C fixed by the second leaf was translocated to the root and younger shoot with very little entering the primary leaf. The presence of the mildew infection did not alter this pattern.
Comparison of radiosurgery treatment modalities based on physical dose distributions

Purpose: As a means of selecting the optimal stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment modality, a comparison of physical dose distributions to defined targets and nontarget brain tissue has been made for a group of test cases selected to represent a range of treatment-planning situations from small, nearly spherical volumes to large irregular volumes. Methods and Materials: Plans were developed for each case using photon beams from the Leksell Gamma Unit (LGU), multiarc bremsstrahlung photon beams from a linear accelerator (linac) and proton beams, with the objective of encompassing the target as closely as possible with the prescription isodose line, and minimizing dosage to normal tissue within the bounds of standard clinical practice. Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) were calculated for target and for nontarget brain tissue and compared for the various modalities. Results: In general, protons delivered less dosage to normal brain than other modalities for large and peripheral lesions and LGU plans were more successful at conforming to highly irregular shapes than conventional linac plans. Conclusions: Differences were observed to depend on treatment modality, target characteristics (shape, size and location), and the amount of effort expended on treatment planning and the time allotted for treatment implementation.
Predictive internal neural dynamics for delay compensation

Neural transmission delay may cause serious problems unless a compensation mechanism exists in the neural system. We showed previously that facilitating neural dynamics is a key mechanism to compensate for delay in the neural transmission. We also investigated a role of internal neural dynamics in an evolutionary context: Internal neural dynamics that are predictable was found to give an evolutionary advantage. Here we suggest that predictable internal neural dynamics modulated by neural facilitation helps neural networks in coping with longer delay in neural signal transmission while giving the agents an evolutionary edge. The results are profound since they show a road to prediction that is an important prerequisite to cognitive abilities such as goal-directed behavior in intelligent systems. We expect our results to help better understand the role of predictive internal neural dynamics in both natural and artificial agents.
InP-based mixed device (HEMT/HBT) technology on planar substrate for high performance mixed-signal and optoelectronic circuits

The authors report the first successful demonstration of an integrated circuit process on planar InP substrates that incorporates a stacked single layer MBE growth of HEMTs and HBTs. In this process, the HBT layers are patterned and selectively wet etched to expose the HEMT layers after the MBE growth is completed. The authors report functional HEMTs and HBTs on the same wafer, with pertinent DC and microwave measurements.
Scaling and crossovers in activated escape near a bifurcation point

Near a bifurcation point a system experiences a critical slowdown. This leads to scaling behavior of fluctuations. We find that a periodically driven system may display three scaling regimes and scaling crossovers near a saddle-node bifurcation where a metastable state disappears. The rate of activated escape W scales with the driving field amplitude A as ln W proportional, variant ( A(c) -A)(xi), where A(c) is the bifurcational value of A. With increasing field frequency the critical exponent xi changes from xi=3/2 for stationary systems to a dynamical value xi=2 and then again to xi=3/2. The analytical results are in agreement with the results of asymptotic calculations in the scaling region. Numerical calculations and simulations for a model system support the theory.
Phase noise considerations in coherent optical FMCW reflectometry

An analysis of coherent optical FMCW is presented. It shows the limitations imposed on measurements of discrete reflections and of Rayleigh backscattering due to phase noise originating in the finite coherence length of the optical source. The dependence of the range for accurate measurements on particular parameters of the optical system is discussed in the general case and for three specific laser sources. >
Methylation of Alcohols with Diazomethane

Alcoholic hydroxyl groups were methylated by diazomethane in the presence of catalytic amounts of fluoboric acid (FBA). Primary aliphatic and unhindered secondary alcohols gave 84–98% yields of methyl ethers, while tertiary and moderately hindered secondary alcohols afforded lower yields. The order of reactivity in the methylation of the isomeric butyl alcohols, as determined in competition experiments, was n > s > t, and of the epimeric cholestanols, 3β (e) > 3 α(a). The highly hindered alcoholic hydroxyl groups of isoborneol was not methylated by the new reagent. The methylation of weakly acidic phenols was catalyzed by FBA. The new methylation reaction was used to prepare directly methyl ethers of desoxycorticosterone and of testosterone, and to convert ascorbic acid selectively to its 2:3:6-trimethyl ether.
On the specification and implementation of X.25 using CSP and OCCAM

Abstract The need for formal specification of data communications protocols plays an important role in modern protocol development. The use of parallel-processing technology promises significant performance gains in support of modern bandwidth-intensive applications. The paper concerns the implementation of a formally specified data communications protocol. The paper describes the CSP specification and occam implementation of the X.25 LAPB (ISO layer two) protocol. The development process, the software architecture, and the parallel computing environment are presented in the paper.
Addressing the need for independence in the CSE model

Information system security risk, defined as the product of the monetary losses associated with security incidents and the probability that they occur, is a suitable decision criterion when considering different information system architectures. Risk assessment is the widely accepted process used to understand, quantify, and document the effects of undesirable events on organizational objectives so that risk management, continuity of operations planning, and contingency planning can be performed. One technique, the Cyberspace Security Econometrics System (CSES), is a methodology for estimating security costs to stakeholders as a function of possible risk postures. In earlier works, we presented a computational infrastructure that allows an analyst to estimate the security of a system in terms of the loss that each stakeholder stands to sustain, as a result of security breakdowns. Additional work has applied CSES to specific business cases. The current state-of-the-art of CSES addresses independent events. In typical usage, analysts create matrices that capture their expert opinion, and then use those matrices to quantify costs to stakeholders. This expansion generalizes CSES to the common real-world case where events may be dependent.
Feature binding of a continuously changing object.

Consider a feature of a stimulus (such as color, luminance, or spatial frequency) that changes over time along a continuum. When a second stimulus is briefly pulsed with the same feature value as the first stimulus, the two stimuli are not perceived to match. Instead, the continuously changing stimulus is perceived to be further ahead on the feature continuum than the pulsed stimulus [Nat. Neurosci.3, 489 (2000)]. This shift is quantified by the amount of time ahead on the changing continuum, which is different for various types of features. A basic question is how our percepts are affected when an object has two continuously changing features (such as color and orientation) with different magnitudes of time ahead. This was addressed using a bar continuously changing in both color and orientation. Even though the two features were part of the same object, each feature maintained a distinctly different time ahead. This implies that observers perceived at each moment a combination of color and orientation that never was presented to the eye.
Heterogeneity of the aggregation response of human platelets to arginine vasopressin

Previous reports have alluded to variability in the aggregation response of normal human platelets to the neuropeptide arginine vasopressin (AVP). Since it has not been well documented, the current studies were undertaken to characterize this response. AVP (1-100 nM) produced a concentration-dependent aggregation response. Although the aggregation response to 100 nM AVP did not correlate with age or sex, there was a bimodal response distribution based on the presence or absence of a second wave of aggregation. In kinetic studies, the apparent km of AVP was 18.3 ± 5.4 nM. There was a significant inverse relationship between the maximal aggregation response to 100 nM AVP and the km (r = −0.82). One hundred nanomolar AVP increased the intracellular calcium concentration of platelets by 406 ± 120 nM in calcium free buffer and by 658 ± 233 nM in the presence of 1.0 nM CaCl2. The aggregation response to 100 nM AVP correlated most strongly with the transmembrane influx of calcium (r = 0.84). In individuals whom 100 nM AVP was able to generate a second wave of aggregation, the selective protein kinase C inhibitor bis-indolylmaleimide significantly decreased the platelet aggregation response. Thus, there is significant heterogeneity in the aggregation response of normal human platelets to AVP. Based on our kinetic studies and the effects of PKC inhibition on the aggregation response to AVP, we would hypothesize that the variability of the aggregation response of normal human platelets to AVP is related to a polymorphism of the platelet AVP V1 receptor. © 1995 Wlley-Liss, Inc.
When men break the gender rules: Status incongruity and backlash against modest men.

Adherence to masculine norms and stereotypes has been linked to negative consequences for men, suggesting that liberating men from the bonds of traditional masculinity would be beneficial (Courtenay, 2000; Pollack, 1998). However, when people deviate from stereotypic expectations, they encounter backlash (i.e., social and economic penalties; Rudman & Phelan, 2008). The current research demonstrated backlash in the form of prejudice against modest (i.e., atypical) men and supported predictions derived from the status-incongruity hypothesis (SIH) to account for backlash (Rudman, Phelan, Moss-Racusin, & Nauts, 2009). Modest men were perceived as violating men’s proscriptions linked to low status (e.g., weakness and uncertainty), as well as agentic men’s prescriptions linked to high status (e.g., confidence and ambition). By contrast, status-neutral communal traits were not an explanatory factor in backlash. These findings suggest that perceived status violations underscore backlash, pressuring men to conform to masculine norms and stereotypes that limit their human potential.
Further characterization of the F1-histone phosphokinase of metaphase-arrested animal cells.

Exponentially growing Chinese hamster cells are found to contain two major phosphokinase activities with specificity for the phosphorylation of F1 (lysine-rich) histone. These two activities, designated KI and KII, were extracted with 0.35 M NaCl and fractionated in 0.2 M NaCl by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. KI, which is similar to the ubiquitous cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent phosphokinase, differs from KII by several criteria. KII is mol wt 90,000, cAMP independent, rapidly turned over in vivo, low Km for ATP, and phosphorylates F1 histone at several unique sites. Comparative examination of metaphase-arrested (M) and counterpart interphase (I) cells for these two activities reveals that KII is responsible for the overall high activity in M-arrested cells. Pulse labeling of cells with 32P during traverse of the G2-M phase of the cell cycle reveals an in vivo tryptic-phosphopeptide pattern in whole unfractionated F1 which is unique to M cells. Seven major phosphopeptides derived by in vitro phosphorylation of F1 with the KII enzyme correspond to these M cell-specific phosphorylation sites observed in vivo. It is suggested that KII activity predominates during the G2-M transition and that F1 is its natural in vivo substrate.
Hedgehog Signaling in Palatal and Facial Development

The Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway has shown to be crucial in modulating mammalian skeletal and craniofacial development, mutations in which can lead to craniofacial malformations such as cleft lip/palate. With three known homologues, including Desert Hedgehog (DHH), Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), and Indian Hedgehog (IHH), only the latter two are expressed in the craniofacial complex. The focus of this review pertains to the role of SHH and IHH signaling in palatal and facial bone development, and the underlying differences between the two. While expression of both SHH and IHH is required for calvarial ossification and craniofacial development, they differ in where they are expressed and how they elicit their effects. SHH is not expressed in the facial mesenchyme, but rather in the frontonasal and maxillary cranial suture mesenchyme. IHH expression by contrast occurs on developing palatine bone and in most studies pertains to endochondral ossification, playing a key role in inducing cell proliferation and differentiation.
Comparison of elevation derived from INSAR data with DEM over large relief terrain

Abstract Surface elevation of terrain can be estimated from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (INSAR) observations from satellites. In this paper, we compare a satellite SAR estimate of surface elevation with a digital elevation map (DEM) compiled by the USGS from survey data. To compare the elevation obtained from SAR with a DEM, a new registration method is developed to register the SAR images with the DEM. To convert the DEM into the same format as the SAR data, a phase difference image is generated from the DEM according to SAR imaging geometry. The mean squared error between the simulated phase difference and the measured phase difference is minimised using a downhill simplex minimization algorithm. Registration parameters such as orientation, range and azimuth offsets are obtained in the minimization process. Elevation data generated from the Seasat SAR over an area west of Yellowstone National Park are compared with a DEM using the proposed registration algorithm. The root mean squared (rms)...
Who Forgot? The Challenges of Family Responsibility for Adherence in Vulnerable Pediatric Populations

* Abbreviations: ART — : antiretroviral therapy Buchanan et al1 have provided important data and a thoughtful report on barriers to medication adherence in HIV-infected children and youth. These investigators wisely assessed both child and caregiver perceptions about barriers to adherence with a questionnaire containing 19 different barriers to medication adherence asking each respondent how often each barrier occurred in the last month. They did this to assess the congruence between child and caregiver perception of barriers to adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). They also used an adaptation1 of the Diabetes Family Responsibility Questionnaire ,3 a self-report measure I developed with Wendy Auslander at Washington University in 1990. Identical versions of this questionnaire ask the parent and child if the primary responsibility for a series of tasks involved in adhering to the prescribed treatment plan (originally type 1 diabetes) is carried out by the parent or the child, or if the responsibility is shared between the parent and child. We originally developed this questionnaire about family–responsibility-sharing to understand more about how the transition of responsibility for adherence tasks between parents and children relates to health outcomes. … Address correspondence to Barbara J. Anderson, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates St, Suite #730, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: bja{at}bcm.edu
Cautionary Notes on Navigating the Neurocognitive Turn

The approach sociologists should take toward the biological sciences, particularly in light of the neurocognitive turn that is taking place in many other disciplines, is not as straightforward as some have suggested. Advocates of bridging neurocognitive and sociological frameworks have argued that we should learn and utilize neurocognitive science in order to refresh sociological concepts, as well as to contribute positively to the development of bio/psycho/social knowledge. However, I argue that the onto-epistemological question of how we should approach neuroscientific knowledge, which has yet to be resolved, should be foregrounded rather than forgotten in these efforts. Without a willingness to criticize as well as learn from neurocognitive science, and wade into its internal debates, sociologists risk reifying neurocognitive knowledge and diminishing awareness and appreciation of its complexities and contradictions.
Relationships between Speech and Reading among Second Language Learners.

This paper describes the results of a short-term memory, reaction time study with students of English as a second language. Thirty-five foreign students at the University of New Mexico did a series of short-term memory tasks designed to determine if phonological encoding of visually presented verbal material occurred during reading. The memory tasks were done in two conditions: simple visual presentation of material (nonshadowing condition) and visual presentation of material accompanied by an oral repetition task (shadowing condition). A similar study done by Kleiman (1975) with native speakers of English showed that reaction times increased (slowed down) in the shadowing condition. In the present study the second language students' reaction times decreased (speeded up) in the shadowing condition. The explanation offered for this result is that the second language students in the nonshadowing condition show phonological interference from their native language which slows reaction times; however, the shadowing task which involves the oral production of English curtails the interference, thereby improving the reaction times. In addition to the short-term memory tasks, the students in the study took a reading proficiency test (the Nelson-Denny Reading Test). Correlations between the results of the memory task reaction times and reading proficiency scores showed few significant results.
Environmental influences on the recruitment of Newfoundland/Labrador Cod*

This paper investigates possible linkages between the environment and year-class success of Newfoundland/ Labrador cod. Aspects of the physical environment relevant to recruitment are reviewed and the current knowledge of the patterns of spawning and larval occurrence is summarized. A critical review of investigations aimed at correlating recruitment with climactic fluctuations is made and concludes that these studies have been largely fruitless. A series of numerical simulations of particle drift are presented to investigate the potential importance of storms and to try to identify nursery grounds. These simulations suggest that Labrador Shelf eggs and larvae are segregated from Grand Banks eggs and larvae. Favorable storm tracks appear to be required for significant numbers of eggs and larvae to reach the bays of Northeast Newfoundland.
Limited thermal stability of imidazolium and pyrrolidinium ionic liquids

Ionic liquids, with their vast applications, have been touted as being thermally stable to very high temperatures. However, decomposition not detected by standard TGA and NMR techniques are observed with spectroscopic techniques sensitive enough to see small amounts of impurities. Decomposition temperatures of common ionic liquids appear to occur at hundreds of degrees below those temperatures previously reported.
Microencapsulation of pesticides and their improved handling safety

The purpose of pesticide formulations and recent requirements of pesticide industry are discussed, and the importance of research work on pesticide delivery systems, is pointed out. For this purpose, the microcapsules, as one of the typical controlled release formulations, play an important role. Handling safety of the pesticides is improved considerably by microencapsulation due to hazard and exposure reduction.
3D QSAR of Flexible Molecules Using Tensor Representation

The process by which a biologically active compound in an in vitro or an in vivo system is transported and binds to its receptor is poorly understood. This process is an example of molecular recognition [1], and understanding it is a major goal of drug discovery and development research. Computer-aided efforts to understand the process have their beginnings in the early work of Hansch [2], who extended the principles of physical organic chemistry to the study of biological structure‐activity relationships. Hansch’s work evolved into the field of quantitative structure‐activity relationships, or QSAR, which treated drug‐receptor interactions as an equilibrium or pseudo-equilibrium process in the same way that substituent effects on the ionization of weak organic acids and bases were treated. The active compounds were quantitatively described by features determined from a consideration of their 2-dimensional structures and these features were correlated with changes in activity. As the appreciation of the role of 3-dimensional structure in biological activity became more acute in the early 1980s, methods of 3-dimensional QSAR, or 3D QSAR, began to emerge. As a note, QSAR studies are a special case of quantitative structure‐property relationships, QSPR studies. In an effort to provide the discussion of 3D QSAR methods with more focus, Hopfinger and Tokarski [3] have recently reviewed this topic and divided the methods into (a) receptor independent and (b) receptor dependent. Receptor-independent methods are developed with little or no prior knowledge of the receptor geometry, while receptor-dependent methods use knowledge of receptor geometry in their derivation. The tensor treatment of structure‐activity data to derive 3D QSAR models is a receptorindependent method and is designed to provide information indirectly about the receptor geometry. By way of introduction to our work, the more important receptor-independent 3D QSAR methods are briefly mentioned here. The reader is referred to the work of Hopfinger and Tokarski [3] for a more in-depth and timely discussion of this topic, and other relevant chapters in this volume. Tensor analysis has only recently been applied to problems in chemistry. Before its discussion, some definitions and conventions are introduced in order to avoid confusion with terminology. Initially, it is important to distinguish between structural dimensionality and the spatial dimensionality in which the data analysis is carried out. When discussing structural dimensionality, upper-case notation will be used (e.g. 2-Dimensional descriptors or 3D QSAR). Structural Dimensionality is not limited to 3-Dimensions. As
A coloring approach to the structural diagnosis of interconnects

This paper presents a new approach for diagnosing stuck-at and short faults in interconnects whose layouts are known. This structural approach exploits different graph coloring and coding techniques to generate a test set with no aliasing and confounding. The conditions for aliasing and confounding are analyzed with respect to the size and number of the shorts in the fault set. The characteristics of unbalanced/balanced codes for encoding the colors in the vector generation process for interconnect diagnosis are discussed and proved using a novel algebra. An algorithm for diagnosis is then presented.
PPPS-2013: Accommodating large temporal, spatial, and particle weighting demands for simulating vacuum ARC discharge

Summary form only given. We have developed novel modeling approaches for simulation breakdown of vacuum arcs. Initiating an arc in vacuum spans many orders of magnitude in temporal and spatial scales, and number densities. We have developed specific approaches for each of these challenges-some more tested than others. These approaches are implemented in Aleph, a massively parallel 3D unstructured mesh electrostatic PIC-DSMC code. Aleph includes dynamic load balancing, volume chemistry (elastic collisions, charge exchange, ionization, etc.), and a variety of surface mechanisms. Our tool chain allows us to use conformal meshes to CAD geometry, a requirement for production use.
The mouse muscle creatine kinase promoter faithfully drives reporter gene expression in transgenic Xenopus laevis

Developing Xenopus laevis experience two periods of muscle differentiation, once during embryogenesis and again at metamorphosis. During metamorphosis, thyroid hormone induces both muscle growth in...
Melperone and clozapine: neuroendocrine effects of atypical neuroleptic drugs

The effects of atypical neuroleptics within the neuroendocrine axis of rodents can be distinguished from those of typical neuroleptics by the production of: 1) a shortlived increase in serum PRL concentrations, 2) an acute increase in the activity of TIDA neurons, and 3) a marked increase in serum corticosterone concentrations. It is of interest to specculate that the pharmacological properties of atypical neuroleptics which mediate the unique neuroendocrine responses are of relevance to an understanding of the mechanisms which underlie the clinical profile of these antipsychotic agents.
Sacrificing America On The Altar Of Mediocrity

TYPES OF LEARNING William Glasser said we learn: 10% of what we Read 20% of what we Hear 30% of what we See 50% of what we See and Hear 70% of what we Discuss with Others 80% of what we Experience Personally 95% of what we Teach to Someone Else.
Viscoelastic effects in cutting and tearing rubber

Abstract Measurements of cutting resistance have been made for a crosslinked styrene—butadiene copolymer over a wide range of cutting speeds and temperatures. A characteristic fracture energy was determined using the procedure of Lake and Yeoh. A lower limit, about 150 J/m2, was obtained at low cutting speeds. This value is significantly higher than the threshold tear strength, about 30 J/m2, due to roughness of the blade tip. The tear resistance increased dramatically as the test temperature was lowered, by a factor of over 1000X, whereas the cutting resistance remained largely unchanged over a considerable temperature range. Much of the enhanced tear resistance at low temperatures is therefore attributed to increasing roughness of the tear tip, the intrinsic strength remaining approximately constant. As the tear strength followed a WLF temperature dependence closely, roughening of the tear tip is associated with viscoelastic effects. Higher cutting resistance was shown by a sulfur vulcanizate, but carbo...
Inter-societal security trilemma in Turkey: understanding the failure of the 2009 Kurdish Opening

ABSTRACTThis article examines the inter-societal security trilemma among political Islamists, Kurdish actors, and the state in Turkey with a special reference to the failures in the Kurdish Opening that was initiated in 2009. While the Kurdish question is undoubtedly a long-standing multi-state and multi-causal ethno-political phenomenon, this study is primarily concerned with the identity–security-politics nexus. It addresses the question of how the politics of identity and dynamics of contra-identity claims produce a persistent security dilemma among different political blocs in contemporary Turkey. Addressing this question helps to explain why the Turkish state has consistently failed to successfully tackle the Kurdish question, as was the case of the Kurdish Opening in 2009.
Retinal Prosthetic Devices

Inherited retinal degenerations (RDs) are a leading cause of severe vision loss and blindness throughout the world. In most cases, the vision loss is irreversible and untreatable. This leads to many problems for the affected person and for society. For the individual, difficulty in performing everyday functions increases dramatically. Also, job-related duties suffer or must be abandoned. Similarly, quality of life is degraded as face recognition and reading ability become difficult or impossible. Loss of independence, especially in elderly but otherwise healthy individuals, is a significant factor that, along with the actual loss of vision, can lead to severe depression. For society, the cost is more impersonal but no less significant. Costs of care of the visually impaired are significant and often are for an extended period of time. Loss of productivity of the individual must also be calculated into the equation. In the case of early-onset RD (e.g., Leber Congenital Amaurosis) this can be an entire lifetime.
The No-Scalpel Vasectomy

AbstractA refined method of delivering the vas deferens for vasectomy has been developed and used in China since 1974. This method eliminates the scalpel, results in fewer hematomas and infections, and leaves a smaller wound than conventional techniques. An extracutaneous fixation ring clamp encircles and firmly secures the vas without penetrating the skin. A sharp curved hemostat punctures and dilates the scrotal skin and vas sheath. The vas is delivered, cleaned and occluded by the surgeon’s preferred technique. The contralateral vas is delivered through the same opening. The puncture wound contracts to about 2mm., is not visible to the man and requires no sutures for closure. The reported incidence of hematoma in 179,741 men followed in China was 0.09%. No hematomas or infections were identified in the first 273 procedures performed by a surgeon in the United States. The operating time in China and for the last 50 United States procedures has ranged from 5 to 11 minutes. The disadvantage of the techniq...
Informed MIMO implementation of distributed transmit beamforming for range extension

Radios are ubiquitous today as embedded air interfaces to smartphones, electronic wearables, sensors, and autonomous systems. In many instances these radios are in close proximity to one another and share a common goal of relaying a message to a distant terminal. Examples include sensor networks, a swarm of UAVs, search and rescue teams, emergency response teams, police and military squads, a group of people beyond cell coverage attempting to send text messages, etc. Currently, the radio resources of the group offer no help when a single member attempts to contact the base. In this paper, we describe the implementation of a new approach to leverage group radio resources to gain a square-law growth in receive power at the base — while simultaneously suppressing a moderate amount of incidental interference at the base radio.
Integrated Electo-opto-mechanical Resonators on Silicon Chips

We present our recent efforts on developing integrated electro-opto-mechanical resonators on silicon chips. Strong electrical forces overcome the low actuation efficiency of optical force and meanwhile complement the high displacement sensitivity of optomechanical systems.
Defects in transcription coupled repair interfere with expression of p90(MDM2) in response to ultraviolet light.

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation transiently stabilizes p53 through a mechanism that may require a decrease in the activity of the ubiquitin ligase, p90MDM2. Conversely, the recovery of low levels of p53 following UV exposure may depend on an increase in p90MDM2. The level of p90MDM2 is increased by UV light following the p53-dependent induction of an internal mdm2 promoter, P2. If this induction of mdm2 were critical for the recovery of low levels of p53 following UV exposure, defects in mdm2's transcription would result in a prolonged increase in p53. Cells defective in transcription coupled repair (TCR) maintain high levels of p53 for a prolonged period following UV exposure. Such cells also have defects in general transcription after UV irradiation. We investigated whether TCR-deficient cells express diminished levels of mdm2 mRNA and p90MDM2 following UV exposure. We found that transcription of mdm2 was reduced in TCR-deficient cells. The uninducible mdm2 promoter, P1, was more sensitive to the inhibitory effects of UV irradiation than the P2 promoter. The decrease in transcription from the P1 promoter was sufficient to reduce the level of p90MDM2 and correlated with a prolonged increase in p53. Thus, p53-independent transcription of mdm2 appears critical to p53's regulation.
Heterogeneous Photochemistry of Trace Atmospheric Gases with Components of Mineral Dust Aerosol

Mineral dust aerosol is known to provide a reactive surface in the troposphere for heterogeneous chemistry to occur. Certain components of mineral dust aerosol, such as semiconductor metal oxides, can act as chromophores that initiate chemical reactions, while adsorbed organic and inorganic species may also be photoactive. However, relatively little is known about the impact of heterogeneous photochemistry of mineral dust aerosol in the atmosphere. In this study, we investigate the heterogeneous photochemistry of trace atmospheric gases including HNO(3) and O(3) with components of mineral dust aerosol using an environmental aerosol chamber that incorporates a solar simulator. For reaction of HNO(3) with aluminum oxide, broadband irradiation initiates photoreactions to form gaseous NO and NO(2). A complex dynamic balance between surface adsorbed nitrate and gaseous nitrogen oxide products including NO and NO(2) is observed. For heterogeneous photoreactions of O(3), iron oxide shows catalytic decompositions toward O(3) while aluminum oxide is deactivated by ozone exposure. Furthermore, the role of relative humidity, and, thus, adsorbed water, on heterogeneous photochemistry has been explored. The atmospheric implications of these results are discussed.
Trabectome-Mediated Ab Interno Trabeculectomy for Secondary Glaucoma or as a Secondary Procedure

Ab interno trabeculectomy with the trabectome (Neomedix, Tustin, CA) is an established minimally invasive glaucoma surgery with surgical results first reported in 2005. This plasma surgery ablates the trabecular meshwork to increase conventional outflow via its physiological route. We discuss the surgical technique, indications, results, and complications of trabectome as a primary surgery in secondary glaucomas, as a surgery in glaucomas with narrow angles, as a secondary surgery after failed trabeculectomy and tube shunt, and as an adjunctive surgery at the time of tube shunt implantation. Trabectome can be expected to decrease the intraocular pressure (IOP) to a postoperative mean IOP of 16 mmHg without a direct relationship to preoperative pressures. Among secondary glaucomas, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma stands out as achieving even lower IOPs than in primary open angle glaucoma. Preliminary evidence suggests that comparable results can also be achieved with other secondary forms of glaucoma, including inactive neovascular, uveitic, traumatic, and postsurgical glaucoma, as well as following a failed trabeculectomy. Trabectome as an adjunctive step in tube shunt implantation with a tube that is completely tied off and not fenestrated can safely achieve lower IOPs than each surgery on its own but avoids the hypertensive phase. Vision-threatening complications are limited to case reports at the current time. Trabectome offers an effective and safe option for a wide range of glaucomas.
Application of improved ant colony algorithm in load distribution optimization of hot finishing mills

We employ the improved ant colony algorithm(IACA) to investigate the load distribution optimization problem of hot finishing mills. Firstly, objective functions and constraints of load distribution are established. In order to avoid the stagnation of ant colony system(ACS) in accelerating convergence process, IACA makes improvement on the calculation of state transition rule by updating the local and the global pheromone concentration and introducing constrained ant-visual heuristic function as well the intelligence heuristic function based on the rolling theory. In addition, to ensure the algorithm for converging in the last stage of iteration, the volatile coefficient of local pheromone concentration and the threshold constant in the state transition rule are all dynamically adjusted by IACA. Experimental results based on practical production data indicate that solutions given by IACA are able to make load distribution reasonable in accordance with requirements of objective functions, and to perform better than the empirical load distribution solution. In addition, IACA provides faster and more accurate solution than the other optimization methods.
Preliminary evaluation of 18F-DCFBC PSMA PET for detection of primary prostate cancer

286 Objectives 18F-DCFBC (DCFBC) is a novel low-molecular weight PET agent targeted to prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). We have previously reported DCFBC uptake at sites of metastatic prostate cancer (PC). We present our preliminary findings evaluating DCFBC for the detection of primary PC. Methods Seven patients (pts) with biopsy-proven PC with Gleason score (GS) > 6 were imaged on the same day with DCFBC PET and pelvic MRI (T2 and DWI) prior to prostatectomy. PET imaging with 35 min pelvic imaging (30 min 2D and 5 min 3D) and whole body (WB) imaging was started at 2 h after injection of ∼370 MBq (10 mCi) of DCFBC. A fasting folate level was obtained. PET and MRI were visually correlated and co-registered for analysis. PET ROI analysis within prostate lesion or prostate, blood pool and muscle SUVmax was obtained for all PET images. PET and MRI findings were correlated with post-surgical prostatectomy pathology results. Results Three pts showed positive (pos) intraprostatic DCFBC PET signal which correlated with signal on MRI and prostatectomy pathology with dominant GS of 4+5=9 tumor. A fourth patient had discernible subtle uptake (SUVmax 2.9) seen only on later WB images that also correlated with signal on MRI and pathology with dominant GS 4+3=7 PC. Three pts were definitely negative (neg) by DCFBC PET with low-grade disease (GS 6, 4+3=7, 3+4=7). No abnormal DCFBC uptake was detected at sites of post-biopsy hemorrhage or benign-prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) seen on MRI. Pts with pos DCFBC PET had SUVmax (2D PET SUVmax 5.0) greater than adjacent pelvic blood pool SUVmax (SUVmax 3.0), but pts with neg DCFBC PET had prostate uptake (SUVmax 2.6) less than blood pool. Conclusions PSMA imaging with DCFBC PET detected sites of high-grade GS 9 PC with lower level uptake in GS 3+4=7 PC. There was no DCFBC uptake at sites of post-biopsy hemorrhage or BPH seen on MRI. These findings will need further confirmation in our ongoing clinical trial. Research Support Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF)
Cultivating resilience in families who foster: understanding how families cope and adapt over time

Families who foster offer essential care for children and youth when their own parents are unable to provide for their safety and well-being. Foster caregivers face many challenges including increased workload, emotional distress, and the difficulties associated with health and mental health problems that are more common in children in foster care. Despite these stressors, many families are able to sustain fostering while maintaining or enhancing functioning of their unit. This qualitative study applied an adaptational process model of family resilience that emerged in previous studies to examine narratives of persistent, long-term, and multiple fostering experiences. Data corroborated previous research in two ways. Family resilience was again described as a transactional process of coping and adaptation that evolves over time. This process was cultivated through the activation of 10 family strengths that are important in different ways, during varied phases.
Energy Demand and the Environmental Effects of CSF

In Greece the demand for energy is a substantial element in the analysis of both environmental effects and economic perspectives for the following reasons: • energy is a crucial determinant of production costs. Thus, energy prices play a key role in assessing productivity trends of the various sectors. • a substantial part of energy consumption in Greece is imported and so the pattern of future demand can be used to assess the course of trade balance and the energy dependence of the country. • energy consumption in Greece is subject to various taxes. A scheme for energy taxation is discussed in order to reduce CO2 emissions and improve environmental standards. Thus, energy forecasting can help to assess the expected impact of energy taxation on state revenues and the environment.
Double- and Triple-Flash Steam Power Plants

The double-flash steam plant is an improvement on the single-flash design that can produce 15–20% more power output for the same geothermal fluid conditions. The plant is more complex, more costly, and requires more maintenance, but the extra power output often justifies the installation of such plants. Double-flash plants are fairly numerous and are in operation in 10 countries. As of December 2014, there are 54 units of this kind in operation, about 9.4% of all geothermal plants, and the average unit power is 35 MW per unit.
Finding Work-Life Balance in a Digital Age: An Exploratory Study of Boundary Flexibility and Permeability

Mobile computing has changed when and where one works, necessitating an examination of the boundaries one maintains between work and home. Flexible boundaries allow for the shifting of work to alternate times and/or locations. Permeable boundaries allow for the integration of one role while present in the other role, such as scheduling dinner reservations on an app while at work or taking a work call while on vacation. This exploratory research examines the characteristics of employees who have different boundary types and whether these individuals experience different levels of work-family conflict as well as job and life satisfaction.
The Intersection of Civil and Religious Family Law in the U.S. Constitutional Order: A Mild Legal Pluralism

This chapter considers how civil and religious family law intersect in the U.S. legal system and how U.S. constitutional law shapes and constrains the accommodation of religious pluralism as it pertains to family law. To the question, “Is there too much or too little pluralism in U.S. family law?,” I answer that family law appropriately embraces a mild legal pluralism, while clearly distinguishing between civil and religious marriage. After illustrating this distinction in the context of the recent controversy over same-sex marriage, I consider two categories of cases: (1) cases in which courts consider whether to enforce terms of Jewish and Islamic religious marriage contracts, divorce agreements, or arbitration agreements, and (2) cases in which courts decide whether the principle of comity requires them to recognize foreign marriages and judgments of divorce. These cases highlight that U.S. family law generally accommodates religious pluralism, subject to constitutional norms and public policy. However, the recent enactment of state bans on the application of foreign law (so-called “anti-sharia laws”) reflects a misunderstanding – if not rejection – of this mild pluralism. Concerns over the equality of women in matters of religious family law feature in calls for such ban, particularly in a third category of cases involving religion: highly-publicized attempts to assert religious beliefs about family roles as a defense against public laws prohibiting domestic violence and sexual assault (i.e., “my religion made me do it”). Case law shows such appeals to religion do not trump the protective policies of civil and criminal law.