cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theory and experimental evidence of phonon domains and their roles in pre-martensitic phenomena

Pre-martensitic phenomena, also called martensite precursor effects, have been known for decades while yet remain outstanding issues. This paper addresses pre-martensitic phenomena from new theoretical and experimental perspectives. A statistical mechanics-based Gruneisen-type phonon theory is developed. On the basis of deformation-dependent incompletely softened low-energy phonons, the theory predicts a lattice instability and pre-martensitic transition into elastic-phonon domains via ‘phonon spinodal decomposition.’ The phase transition lifts phonon degeneracy in cubic crystal and has a nature of phonon pseudo-Jahn–Teller lattice instability. The theory and notion of phonon domains consistently explain the ubiquitous pre-martensitic anomalies as natural consequences of incomplete phonon softening. The phonon domains are characterised by broken dynamic symmetry of lattice vibrations and deform through internal phonon relaxation in response to stress (a particular case of Le Chatelier’s principle), leading to previously unexplored new domain phenomenon. Experimental evidence of phonon domains is obtained by in situ three-dimensional phonon diffuse scattering and Bragg reflection using high-energy synchrotron X-ray single-crystal diffraction, which observes exotic domain phenomenon fundamentally different from usual ferroelastic domain switching phenomenon. In light of the theory and experimental evidence of phonon domains and their roles in pre-martensitic phenomena, currently existing alternative opinions on martensitic precursor phenomena are revisited.
Modeling the impacts of the Loop Current on circulation and water properties over the Pulley Ridge region on the Southwest Florida shelf

Abstract A high-resolution (∼1.5 km) regional ocean model was developed for the southern Florida Shelf and Florida Straits. A two-year (2011–12) simulation was conducted and the model results were generally in good agreement with available satellite and in situ data. Model results show that the meandering of the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current (LC) exerts strong impacts on the dynamics over Pulley Ridge on the southwest Florida shelf, where the LC turns into the Florida Straits to become the Florida Current (FC). In particular, the northward migration of the LC/FC front often drives strong on-shelf (eastward) transport of the slope water onto the shelf of southern Pulley Ridge, an important mesophotic coral reef at depths between 60 and 90 m. Frequent remotely or locally generated eddies over the western slope of Pulley Ridge may be blocked by the northern LC/FC front when it is closely in contact with the shelf break, a phenomenon documented in previous studies. These eddies drive strong upwelling of slope water toward the shelf break, which sometimes can extend 20–30 km onto the shelf, strongly affecting the Pulley Ridge region. A narrow return flow, largely along the shelf edge from Florida Keys to Pulley Ridge, may be produced when the FC impinges upon the continental slope during late fall to early spring. The results from an experiment without the surface winds suggest that wind forcing contributes to the westward flow but is not the determining factor for its generation.
Selections From the ABC 2016 Annual Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico: Teaching Innovations Soaring Like a Flight of Balloons Over Albuquerque:

This article, the second of a two-part series, presents 12 assignments designed to help students increase their online communication skills, conduct professional conferences, use advanced presentat...
Patient Acuity and Operative Technique Associated with Post-Colectomy Mortality Across New York State: an Analysis of 160,792 Patients over 20 years

This study sought to characterize in-hospital post-colectomy mortality in New York State. One hundred sixty thousand seven hundred ninety-two patients who underwent colectomy from 1995 to 2014 were analyzed from the all-payer New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database. Linear trends of in-hospital mortality rate over 20 years were calculated using log-linear regression models. Chi-square tests were used to compare categorical variables between patients. Multivariable regression models were further used to calculate risk of in-hospital mortality associated with specific demographics, co-morbidities, and perioperative complications. From 1995 to 2014, 7308 (4.5%) in-hospital mortalities occurred within 30 days of surgery. Over this time period, the rate of overall in-hospital post-colectomy mortality decreased by 3.3% (6.3 to 3%, p < 0.0001). The risk of in-hospital mortality for patients receiving emergent and elective surgery decreased by 1% (RR 0.99 [0.98–1.00], p = 0.0005) and 5% (RR 0.95 [0.94–0.96], p < 0.0001) each year, respectively. Patients who underwent open surgeries were more likely to experience in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 3.65 [3.16–4.21], p < 0.0001), with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality each year (RR 1.01 [1.00–1.03], p = 0.0387). Numerous other risk factors were identified. In-hospital post-colectomy mortality decreased at a slower rate in emergent versus elective surgeries. The risk of in-hospital mortality has increased in open colectomies.
In situ transmission electron microscopy of transistor operation and failure

Microscopy is typically used as a post-mortem analytical tool in performance and reliability studies on nanoscale materials and devices. In this study, we demonstrate real time microscopy of the operation and failure of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors inside the transmission electron microscope. Loading until failure was performed on the electron transparent transistors to visualize the failure mechanisms caused by self-heating. At lower drain voltages, thermo-mechanical stresses induce irreversible microstructural deformation, mostly along the AlGaN/GaN interface, to initiate the damage process. At higher biasing, the self-heating deteriorates the gate and catastrophic failure takes place through metal/semiconductor inter-diffusion and/or buffer layer breakdown. This study indicates that the current trend of recreating the events, from damage nucleation to catastrophic failure, can be replaced by in situ microscopy for a quick and accurate account of the failure mechanisms.
Forage Ratio Analysis of the Southern House Mosquito in College Station, Texas.

Abstract Culex quinquefasciatus is the principal vector of West Nile virus (WNV) in the South Central United States, yet limited data on host utilization are available. We evaluated host utilization over a 3-month period in 2013 in a residential landscape in College Station, Texas. PCR sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene permitted molecular identification of vertebrate bloodmeals to the species level. Forage ratio analysis identified bird species that were overutilized and underutilized by comparing community feeding index values to expected relative abundance values of bird species, derived from eBird data. Community feeding index values were also used in conjunction with reservoir competence data from the literature to generate reservoir capacity index values, a means of identifying relative importance of vertebrate reservoir hosts. Of 498 blood-engorged Cx. quinquefasciatus, 313 (62.9%) were identified to vertebrate species. The majority (95.5%) of bloodmeals originated from avian...
Operating experience and procedures at the tritium systems test assembly

Operating procedures are important for the safe and efficient operation of the Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA). TSTA has been operating for four years with tritium in a safe and efficient manner. The inventory of tritium in the process loop is 100 grams and several milestone runs have been completed. This paper describes the methods used to operate TSTA. 3 refs., 1 fig.
Effects of postmortem aging time, animal age, and sex on degradation of titin and nebulin in bovine longissimus muscle.

This study was conducted to determine degradation of the giant myofibrillar proteins titin and nebulin in postmortem aged beef, with known tenderness values, from animals differing in sex (steers vs bulls) and age (cows vs steers and bulls). Ten bulls and 10 steers (both groups were approximately 14 mo old) and 10 cows (44 to 108 mo old) were slaughtered. Longissimus muscle samples were removed for determination of Warner-Bratzler shear force, sensory panel tenderness evaluation, and SDS-PAGE analysis at 3, 7, 14, and 28 d postmortem. The SDS-PAGE analysis of titin and nebulin revealed that titin often migrated as three closely-spaced bands (T 1 , T 1-2 , T 2 , in increasing order of migration) in 3-d postmortem samples. With increasing time postmortem, intact titin (T 1 ) decreased and degraded titin (T 2 ) increased in all samples. Within a class (i.e., steers, bulls, or cows) the rate of conversion of T 1 to T 2 was slower in the less-tender samples. The T 1 to T 2 conversion postmortem was slower in the intact males (bulls) than in the castrated males (steers). The T 1 to T 2 conversion postmortem also was slower in the older animals (cows) in comparison to the younger steers, but not in comparison to the younger bulls. Nebulin was degraded by 3 d postmortem in tender samples from steers, but some nebulin remained in the less-tender 3-d samples from steers and in all of the 3-d samples from bulls and older animals (cows). Intact nebulin was absent in all 7-d samples, regardless of the class of animal. Our results suggest that titin and nebulin are degraded at faster rates in more tender beef samples within each of the three classes of animals examined. The rate of degradation seems to differ when sex and age classifications are compared
One-Hand Clapping: Japanese Nationalism in the Abe Era

There are numerous signs of a recrudescent nationalism in contemporary Japan, a trend that is elite driven and vigorously promoted by the nation’s political leadership. This is manifested in patriotic education initiatives ranging from textbooks and mandatory flag and anthem veneration, to narratives of denial in the media, manga, and film. Japan’s hardball diplomacy targeting United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) over the comfort women issue is emblematic of just how counterproductive reactionary identity politics is on the world stage. It is striking that such efforts, and the more assertive Abe Doctrine on security, have not gained strong domestic support and are provoking a nationalist backlash in China and South Korea inimical to Japan’s interests.
Concestor kinase activation mechanism uncovers the cyclin dependence of CDK family kinases

Evolution has altered the free energy landscapes of protein kinases to introduce different regulatory switches and alters their catalytic functions. An understanding of evolutionary pathways behind these changes at atomistic resolution is of great importance for drug design. In this work, we demonstrate how cyclin dependency has emerged in cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) by reconstructing their closest experimentally characterized cyclin-independent ancestor. Using available crystal structures of CDK2, regulatory switches are identified and four possible hypotheses describing why CDK2 requires an extra intra-domain regulatory switch compared to the ancestor are formulated. Each hypothesis is tested using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Both systems show similar stability in the K33-E51 hydrogen bond and in the alignment of residues in the regulatory-spine, two key protein kinase regulatory elements, while auto-inhibition due to a helical turn in the a-loop is less favorable in the ancestor. The aspartate of the DFG motif does not form a bidentate bond with Mg in CDK2, unlike the ancestor. Using the results of hypothesizes testing, a set of mutations responsible for the changes in CDK2 are identified. Our findings provide a mechanistic rationale for how evolution has added a new regulatory switch to CDK proteins. Moreover, our approach is directly applicable to other proteins.
Genetic control of pod dehiscence in domesticated common bean: Associations with range expansion and local aridity conditions

Author(s): Parker, Travis; Berny Mier y Teran, Jorge; Palkovic, Antonia; Jernstedt, Judy; Gepts, Paul | Abstract: Significance: Plant domestication has radically modified crop morphology and development. Nevertheless, many crops continue to display some atavistic characteristics that were advantageous to their wild ancestors, such as pod dehiscence (PD). Domesticated common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), a nutritional staple for millions of people globally, shows considerable variation in PD. Here, we identified multiple genetic regions controlling PD in common bean grown throughout geographically distributed lineages. For example, on chromosome Pv03, PvPdh1 shows a single base-pair substitution that is strongly associated with decreased PD and expansion of the crop into northern Mexico, where the arid conditions promote PD. The environmental dependency and genetic redundancy explain the maintenance of atavistic traits under domestication. Knowledge of PD genetics will assist in developing aridity-adapted varieties. A reduction in pod dehiscence (PD) is an important part of the domestication syndrome in legumes, including common bean. Despite this, many modern dry bean varieties continue to suffer yield reductions due to dehiscence, an atavistic trait, which is particularly problematic in hot, dry environments. To date, the genetic control of this important trait has been only partially resolved. Using QTL mapping and GWAS, we identified major PD QTLs in dry beans on chromosomes Pv03, Pv05, Pv08, and Pv09, three of which had not been described previously. We further determined that the QTL on chromosome Pv03, which is strongly associated with PD in Middle American beans, includes a dirigent-like candidate gene orthologous to Pod dehiscence 1 (Pdh1) of soybean. In this gene, we identified a substitution in a highly conserved amino acid that is unique to PD-resistant varieties. This allele is associated with the expansion of Middle American domesticated common beans into the arid environments of northern Mexico, resulting in a high allelic frequency in the domesticated ecogeographic race Durango. The polygenic redundancy and environmental dependency of PD resistance may explain the maintenance of this atavistic characteristic after domestication. Use of these alleles in breeding will reduce yield losses in arid growing conditions, which are predicted to become more widespread in coming decades.
The Gibeonite Gambit: Ḥarrānians, Karaites, and Khaybarī Jews on the Margins of Medieval Islamic Society

Embedded in the literature of Muslims, Christians, and Jews are historicized narratives that purport to rationalize and contextualize the place of minority and sectarian groups in medieval Islamic society. Among these are those that, at first reading, tell the story of an intentional fictionalizing of history on the part of a minority group with the intent to deceive Muslim authorities and thereby gain advantage. A prototype for this narrative strategy is observed in the Book of Joshua, wherein the “pagan” Gibeonites employ a ruse to secure recognition and protection from the conquering monotheistic Israelites, who had been commanded by God to exterminate pagans. Three case studies (on the Sabians of Ḥarrān, Karaite Jews, and Khaybarī Jews) reveal that similar stories in medieval Islam are often the result of co-production, a phenomenon which constitutes a kind of cultural negotiation between the dominant culture and a sub-culture; between rulers and subject peoples, between Muslims and non-Muslims, and even between competing subaltern groups. Reshaped narratives about the caliph al-Ma‘mūn, the Prophet Muḥammad, or other key figures offered narrativized permission for the dominant Muslim religion and culture to tolerate the existence of groups whose theologies or practices challenged Muslim assumptions of collectivity, and correspondingly, might or might not be otherwise deemed unacceptable. These narratives also provided subalterns a kind of myth of origin for their place in Islamic society. What is at stake in these complex interweavings of memory, history, and literary construction are the rights and duties of the subordinate groups.
Broader Impacts of Science on Society

How do scientists impact society in the twenty-first century? Many scientists are increasingly interested in the impact that their research will have on the public. Scientists likewise must answer the question above when applying for funding from government agencies, particularly as part of the 'Broader Impacts' criterion of proposals to the US National Science Foundation. This book equips scientists in all disciplines to do just that, by providing an overview of the origins, history, rationale, examples, and case studies of broader impacts, primarily drawn from the author's experiences over the past five decades. Beyond including theory and evidence, it serves as a 'how to' guide for best practices for scientists. Although this book primarily uses examples from the NSF, the themes and best practices are applicable to scientists and applications around the world where funding also requires impacts and activities that benefit society.
Prethermal quasiconserved observables in Floquet quantum systems

Prethermalization, by introducing emergent quasiconserved observables, plays a crucial role in protecting periodically driven (Floquet) many-body phases over an exponentially long time, while the ultimate fate of such quasiconserved operators can signal thermalization to infinite temperature. To elucidate the properties of prethermal quasiconservation in many-body Floquet systems, here we systematically analyze infinite-temperature correlations between observables. We numerically show that the late-time behavior of the autocorrelations unambiguously distinguishes quasiconserved observables from nonconserved ones, allowing one to single out a set of linearly independent quasiconserved observables. By investigating two Floquet spin models, we identify two different mechanisms underlying the quasiconservation law. First, we numerically verify energy quasiconservation when the driving frequency is large, so that the system dynamics is approximately described by a static prethermal Hamiltonian. More interestingly, under moderate driving frequency, another quasiconserved observable can still persist if the Floquet driving contains a large global rotation. We show theoretically how to calculate this conserved observable and provide numerical verification. Having systematically identified all quasiconserved observables, we can finally investigate their behavior in the infinite-time limit and thermodynamic limit, using autocorrelations obtained from both numerical simulation and experiments in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance systems.
Let Us Make Men: The Twentieth-Century Black Press and a Manly Vision for Racial Advancement

Review of: Let Us Make Men: The Twentieth-Century Black Press and a Manly Vision for Racial Advancement, by D’Weston Haywood.
Tolerance of three fungal species to lithium and cobalt: Implications for bioleaching of spent rechargeable Li-ion batteries

Aims This paper aims to quantify the growth and organic acid production of Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium simplicissimum when these fungi are exposed to varying levels of lithium (Li) and cobalt (Co). The study also tests whether pre-exposing the fungi to these metals enables the fungi to develop tolerance to Li or Co. Methods and results When cultures of A. niger, P. chrysogenum or P. simplicissimum were exposed to 250 mg l-1 of Li or Co, biomass production and excretion of organic acids were significantly inhibited after 5 days of growth compared to cultures grown in the absence of these metals. Pre-exposing cultures of A. niger to 250 mg l-1 of Li or Co for 20 days significantly increased biomass production when the fungus was subsequently sub-cultured into 250 or 500 mg l-1 of Li or Co. However, pre-exposure of P. chrysogenum or P. simplicissimum to 250 mg l-1 of Li or Co for 20 days did not increase biomass production. Conclusions Aspergillus niger, but not the Penicillium species, developed tolerance to Li and to Co during the 20-day pre-exposure period. Therefore, processes that utilize fungal bioleaching with A. niger to mobilize and recover valuable metals such as Li or Co should consider a pre-exposure step for fungi to improve their tolerance to metal toxicity. Significance and impact of the study Fungi may have the ability to extract valuable metals such as Li and Co from spent rechargeable batteries. However, the toxicity of the extracted metals can inhibit fungal growth and organic acid production. Pre-exposure to metals may alleviate toxicity for some fungal species. This knowledge can be used to improve the design of bioleaching protocols, increasing the potential for fungal bioleaching to become an economical and environmentally friendly method of recovering Li and Co from spent batteries.
Design, Simulation, Fabrication, and Characterization of an Electrothermal Tip-Tilt-Piston Large Angle Micromirror for High Fill Factor Segmented Optical Arrays.

Micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) micromirrors have been in development for many years, but the ability to steer beams to angles larger than 20° remains a challenging endeavor. This paper details a MEMS micromirror device capable of achieving large motion for both tip/tilt angles and piston motion. The device consists of an electrothermal actuation assembly fabricated from a carefully patterned multilayer thin-film stack (SiO2/Al/SiO2) that is epoxy bonded to a 1 mm2 Au coated micromirror fabricated from an SOI wafer. The actuation assembly consists of four identical actuators, each comprised of a series of beams that use the inherent residual stresses and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatches of the selected thin films to enable the large, upward, out-of-plane deflections necessary for large-angle beamsteering. Finite element simulations were performed (COMSOL v5.5) to capture initial elevations and tip/tilt motion displacements and achieved 85%, making it suitable for optical phased array beam control applications.
Essential Facilities, Essential Patents, and the Essential Oversight of Qualcomm

This Note analyzes the decisions in FTC v. Qualcomm and argues that the essential facilities doctrine should be applied to standard essential patents.
Dynamic Cushioning: Obesity and Trauma Patients Undergoing Exploratory Laparotomy

ABSTRACT Background Traumatic injuries account for 10% of all mortalities in the United States. Annually the global estimated population of overweight and obese individuals rises in number. It is well established in the literature that obesity is associated with worse outcomes in trauma patients. While body mass index, or BMI is not an independent predictor of increased morbidity or mortality after trauma laparotomy, we hypothesized that it may place patients at increased risk of postoperative complications and have lasting significant negative effects on quality of life in a manner disproportionate to normal-weight patients. Methods The trauma registry of an academic level 1 trauma hospital was queried for laparotomies following either blunt or penetrating traumatic injury from 2015 to 2019. Individual patient charts were reviewed. Patients were divided into three groups, according to Body Mass Index (BMI) cut-offs as normal weight (BMI Results Records of 197 trauma patients who underwent exploratory laparotomies were analyzed. There was no significant difference in demographics or injury severity score (ISS) between groups. BMI had a direct positive association with intensive care unit length of stay (r = 0.239 [0.103, 0.367]), P Conclusions Our findings show that with increasing BMI, postoperative complications increase following laparotomy for trauma. As rates of obesity increase, trauma surgeons must be prepared to anticipate plans of care from patient presentation to well beyond discharge to cope with more complex postoperative and post-hospital clinical courses.
Supporting Evidence-Based Endocrine Practice

The increasing prevalence and complications of endocrine and metabolic disorders such as diabetes (1) places a tremendous burden on affected individuals and will continue to strain the resources of health care systems and effective national health policy planning unless there are significant changes in health care delivery strategies. As such, diabetes serves as the quintessential model for demonstrating the value of evidence-based clinical practice. Large, well-designed clinical trials have provided convincing evidence that the risks of diabetes can be altered by appropriate treatment (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), and based on these trials the goals of treatment have been expanded from glycemic control to include lipid and blood pressure outcomes. At the same time that professional societies are calling for lower and lower targets (10, 11, 12), the complexity of medical decision making has increased for both the patient and health care team. Informed treatment decision making will require that the physician, health care team, and patients are fully informed (13).
The Hemisphere Radiosity Method: A Tale of Two Algorithms

The most important and most computationally-intensive operation within the radiosity illumination model is the calculation of form-factors, the geometric measure of the fraction of the radiant energy leaving one surface and received by another surface. This form-factor calculation must account for potential obstructions between the target surfaces yet be computationally efficient and accurate.
A novel electrodiagnostic assessment of the laryngeal closure reflex.

Introduction: We describe a novel, clinically applicable conduction study of the laryngeal nerves. Methods: Seventeen normal volunteer subjects were included. Activation of the sensory territory of the superior laryngeal nerve was performed by administration of low level brief electrical stimuli. The laryngeal closure reflex (LCR) evoked by this stimulus was recorded by needle electrodes. Mean minimal latencies were calculated for each response, and proposed values for the upper limit of normal were determined. Results: Uniform, consistent early ipsilateral responses and late bilateral responses, which exhibit greater variation in latency and morphology, were recorded. Significant side-to-side differences in latencies were observed, consistent with the length discrepancy between right and left recurrent laryngeal nerves. Conclusions: This technique yields clear, quantifiable data regarding neurologic integrity of laryngeal function, heretofore unobtainable in the clinical setting. This study may yield clinically relevant information regarding severity and prognosis in patients with laryngeal neuropathic injury. Muscle Nerve 47:432-436, 2013
CONSTRAINTS FROM PRIMORDIAL NUCLEOSYNTHESIS ON NEUTRINO DEGENERACY

We present the permissible ranges of, and most stringent constraints on, the lepton asymmetry(degeneracy), particulary the electron-neutrino asymmetry, for different baryon asymmetries by comparing calculated primordial abundances of the light elements(D, 3 He, 4 He, 7 Li) in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis(BBN) with those abundances inferred from current observational data. Furthermore, we show that the Universe can be closed by baryons only (Ωb = 1) if neutrinos are sufficiently degenerate. Finally, we study the behaviour of the abundances of the light elements for different baryon and lepton asymmetries.
The Cauchy Horizon In Black Hole-de Sitter Spacetimes

The last seven years has produced a growing body of evidence which concludes that the Cauchy horizon in black hole-de Sitter spacetimes is classically stable when the surface gravity at the cosmological event horizon is greater than that at the Cauchy horizon. That stability persists for a finite, but non-zero, region of the black hole's parameter space, $(M,Q,J,\Lambda)$, suggests that black holes immersed in de Sitter space are counter-examples to the strong cosmic censorship hypothesis. In this review we chronicle that body of evidence and describe the first steps of a program of numerical work aimed at better understanding the interior of black hole-de Sitter spacetimes. The review ends with a speculative account of the role that future work will take.
A Glimpse of Biology's First Enzyme

The structure of an RNA enzyme that catalyzes the joining of RNA has been solved, providing insight into what may have been the most ancient enzyme of biology.
Teaching Students to Perform Assessments.

In recent years, assessment methods and skills have been increasingly emphasized in the social work literature. Little information, however, has been provided about how to teach students assessment skills in a classroom setting. This article addresses that gap in the literature and presents an integrative skills assessment approach for teaching students to perform assessments. This approach is based on technical eclecticism and combines assessment methods and skills from three practice models: (1) psychosocial, (2) cognitive—behavioral, and (3) systems. Knowledge and skills about measurement, computerized assessment models and expert systems also are included in this approach to teaching assessment skills. The authors provide suggestions and tools for teaching assessment skills in a classroom, including an integrative skills assessment protocol and several techniques that may be used to teach students to gather assessment data. In teaching assessment skills, possible links may be developed with the field ...
Latent Semantic Analysis

Latent semantic analysis (LSA) is a technique for comparing texts using a vector-based representation that is learned from a corpus. This article begins with a description of the history of LSA and its basic functionality. LSA enjoys both theoretical support and empirical results that show how it matches human behavior. A number of the experiments that compare LSA with humans are described here. The article also describes a few of the many successful applications of LSA to text-processing problems and finishes by presenting a number of current research directions.
Effect of structural parameters on InGaAs/InAlAs 2DEG characteristics

It is shown that superlattices or very thick buffer layers are not necessary to achieve high mobility in InGaAs/InAlAs 2DEG structures. However, an InAlAs buffer is required to prevent the formation of a sheet charge at the back interface of the InGaAs channel when it is grown directly on InP heated in an As flux. It is found that bulk InAlAs is not characterized by persistent photoconductivity (PPC) or carrier freezeout and that the transport properties of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) structures are must less affected by cooling and illumination than comparable AlGaAs/GaAs structures. >
3‐aminopicolinic aid as a matrix for laser desorption mass spectrometry of biopolymers

3-Aminopicolinic acid (3-APA) was tested and found to be a useful matrix for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization of DNA and protein. Single-stranded DNA segments of 150-mer and double-stranded DNA of 246 base pairs were successfully detected by using 3-APA as an ultraviolet-absorbing matrix in a linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer. In the case of the double-stranded DNA, only parent ions corresponding to single-stranded DNA were observed. The comparison with 3-hydroxypicolinic acid and picolinic acid matrices is discussed.
Peirce inner ideals in general position

Abstract Three elements U, V, and W in the complete lattice I ( A ) of weak⁎-closed inner ideals in a JBW⁎-triple A are said to be in general position when ( U , V ) form a rigidly collinear pair, and ( U , W ) and ( V , W ) form orthogonal pairs. A complete description of the supremum U ∨ V ∨ W in I ( A ) in terms of the Peirce spaces corresponding to U, V, and W is given for the case in which all three inner ideals are Peirce and three other conditions are satisfied. By considering an example in the Albert JBW⁎-triple H 3 ( O ) it is shown that none of these is redundant and, therefore, that the result obtained is the best possible.
Magnetotransport properties of BaRuO 3: Observation of two scattering rates

We report results of low-temperature magnetotransport and Hall measurements on single crystals of four-layered hexagonal (4H) and nine-layered rhombohedral (9R) BaRuO${}_{3}$ that provide insight into the structure-property relationships of BaRuO${}_{3}$ polymorphs. We found that 4H BaRuO${}_{3}$ possesses Fermi-liquid behavior down to the lowest temperature ($T$) of our measurements, 1.8 K. On the other hand, 9R BaRuO${}_{3}$ was found to show a crossover in the temperature dependence of resistivity around 150 K and the existence of two separate scattering rates at low temperatures. The magnetoresistance in the 9R BaRuO${}_{3}$ was found to be negative while that in the 4H BaRuO${}_{3}$ is positive. We propose that local moments may be present in 9R but not in 4H BaRuO${}_{3}$, which leads to distinctly different behavior in the two forms.
Altered functional connectivity between medial prefrontal cortex and the inferior brainstem in major depression during appraisal of subjective emotional responses: A preliminary study.

Abstract Objective We tested the hypothesis that reduced rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC)-subcortical functional connectivity in depressed subjects might account for depression-related autonomic dysregulation. Methods Ten healthy and ten depressed subjects categorized their immediate subjective emotional responses to picture sets while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging and electrocardiography. Using an rACC cluster commonly activated in both groups by emotion categorization as a seed region, we then performed voxel-wise functional connectivity analyses to examine rACC connectivity across the brain in depressed and control subjects. Results rACC had significantly stronger connectivity with a region of the inferior pons in controls than in depressed subjects. Within-subjects differences in rACC-pons connectivity also significantly correlated with measures of both heart rate variability and depression severity. Conclusions These findings support the hypothesis that autonomic dysregulation in depression may be associated with a functional disconnection between rACC and autonomic brainstem nuclei.
Prostate-specific antigen kinetics as a measure of the biologic effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in patients with serologic progression of prostate cancer.

Purpose: To determine the biologic effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (sangramostim, GM-CSF; Immunex Corporation, Seattle, WA) as measured by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics in patients with serologic progression of prostate cancer after definitive local therapy. Patients and Methods: Patients with prostate cancer who had undergone previous definitive surgical or radiation therapy with nonmetastatic, recurrent disease as manifested by a rising PSA between 0.4 ng/mL and 6.0 ng/mL were enrolled on this phase II trial. Patients received 250 μg/m2/day of subcutaneous GM-CSF on days 1 through 14 of a 28-day cycle. PSA was measured at day 1 of each cycle. Results: Thirty patients with serologic progression of prostate cancer were treated. The median pretreatment PSA was 2.9 ng/mL. Of the 29 evaluable patients, three patients (10%; 95% confidence interval, 2% to 27%) achieved a 50% reduction in PSA. For the patients (n = 26) in whom the on-treatment PSA doubling time could be cal...
Dynamic relaxation characteristics of polymer nanocomposites based on poly(ether imide) and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Abstract The dynamic relaxation characteristics of poly(ether imide) and poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites based on native and surface-modified (i.e., hydrophobic) fumed silicas were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis and dielectric spectroscopy. The nanocomposites displayed a dual glass transition behavior in the dynamic mechanical studies encompassing a bulk polymer glass transition (close to T g for the unfilled polymer), and a second, higher-temperature transition reflecting relaxation of polymer chain segments constrained owing to their proximity to the particle surface. The position and intensity of the higher-temperature transition varied with particle loading and surface chemistry, and reflected the relative populations of segments constrained or immobilized at the particle-polymer interface. Dielectric measurements, which were used to probe the time–temperature response across the local sub-glass relaxations, indicated no variation in relaxation characteristics with particle loading.
The introgression of 2× 1EBN Solanum species into the cultivated potato using Solanum verrucosum as a bridge

Wild diploid Solanum species with an endosperm balance number (EBN) of one are a rich source of disease resistance, pest resistance, and tuber quality traits. They are not sexually compatible with 4× 4EBN or 2× 2EBN forms of the cultivated potato. In this study, the wild 2× 2EBN Mexican species S. verrucosum (ver) was used as a bridge species to access 2× 1EBN germplasm. Hybrids (V1) were created between ver as a female parent and the 1EBN species S. cardiophyllum, S. chancayense, S. commersonii, and S. trifidum. Most of the V1 hybrids were successfully crossed as females to cultivated 2× 2EBN clones. However, due to stylar barriers, reciprocal crosses were unsuccessful. Additional studies are underway to determine the effectiveness of ver as a bridge to introgress specific traits from 2× 1EBN germplasm into the cultivated potato.
NATURE OF THE 131-I-COMPOUNDS RELEASED INTO THE THYROID VEINS OF RABBITS, DOGS AND CATS, BEFORE AND AFTER TSH ADMINISTRATION.

Thyroid venous blood was collected from an inferior thyroid vein of anesthetized rabbits, cats and dogs previously injected with 131I. The 131I was usually given as a single injection 36–48 hr before the cannulation, although in some experiments it was administered daily for 8–13 days to approach isotopic equilibrium. Samples of thyroid venous plasma were collected before, and at intervals after, administration of TSH, and whole plasma and concentrated butanol extracts of plasma were chromatographed on filter paper. 131I peaks on the chromatograms were located by scanning and identified by reference to known carriers. 131I-T4 was always the major organic 131Icompound in thyroid venous plasma. 131I-T3 was present in much lower concentration, and 131I-T3′ and 131I-T2 were not detectable. 131IMIT and 131I-DIT also were generally below the limit of detection of the method, even though the thyroid glands themselves contained most of their 131I in the form of iodotyrosines. Chromatography of whole plasma freque...
Epidemiology and pathology of coronary artery disease. I. Method of study.

Abstract This is the first of a series of reports regarding an epidemiologic and pathologic study of coronary artery atherosclerosis. The reasons for inaugurating the study are described, together with the design and procedures found appropriate for its operation. Among consecutively autopsied patients who died of any cause, a quantitative estimate of coronary artery atherosclerosis has been made, and, by interviewing a close relative of each patient, information has been obtained about certain of his patterns of behavior or exposure during life. Relationships between degree of atherosclerosis and frequency or intensity of these activities or exposures during life are being examined within this population. During a 4-year period, 1,296 individuals examined post mortem have been so studied. Preliminary analysis of the relationship between thickening of the wall of the coronary arteries and the occurrence of myocardial infarction indicates a close association between these two, thus justifying the use of atherosclerosis as a crucial measure of coronary heart disease.
Numerical Models of Binary Neutron Star System Mergers. II. Coalescing Models with Post-Newtonian Radiation Reaction Forces

Using a grid-based staggered-mesh hydrodynamics code, we present the evolution of initially Newtonian equilibrium configurations of symmetric binary neutron star systems under the influence of a post-Newtonian gravitational radiation reaction potential. These simulations indicate that the time to merger for binaries with separations on the order of a few stellar radii is between and 1 Keplerian period of the initial configuration. These results are in contrast to the larger timescales calculated from earlier smoothed particle hydrodynamics calculations that include quadrupolar-type radiation reaction forces. The implications of our studies are discussed in the context of observable effects on the gravitational waveforms expected to be observed by ground-based gravity-wave detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and the restrictions placed on the choice of initial data for fully relativistic calculations.
NEUTRINO EMISSION, MASS LOSS, AND THE FREQUENCY OF SUPERNOVAE

Correlation of frequency of occurence of super- novae with theories of mass loss and neutrino emission from red giants
Consistency of Response by Event-Recall Intervals and Characteristics of Respondents

(1968). Consistency of Response by Event-Recall Intervals and Characteristics of Respondents. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 73-84.
Optimization of energy window and evaluation of scatter compensation methods in MPS using the ideal observer with model mismatch

In this work, we used the ideal observer (IO) and IO with model mismatch (IO-MM) applied in the projection domain and an anthropomorphic Channelized Hotelling Observer (CHO) applied to reconstructed images to optimize the acquisition energy window width and evaluate various scatter compensation methods in the context of a myocardial perfusion SPECT defect detection task. The IO has perfect knowledge of the image formation process and thus reflects performance with perfect compensation for image-degrading factors. Thus, using the IO to optimize imaging systems could lead to suboptimal parameters compared to those optimized for humans interpreting SPECT images reconstructed with imperfect or no compensation. The IO-MM allows incorporating imperfect system models into the IO optimization process. We found that with near-perfect scatter compensation, the optimal energy window for the IO and CHO were similar; in its absence the IO-MM gave a better prediction of the optimal energy window for the CHO using different scatter compensation methods. These data suggest that the IO-MM may be useful for projection-domain optimization when model mismatch is significant, and that the IO is useful when followed by reconstruction with good models of the image formation process.
Analysis/synthesis approaches for creatively processing video signals

This paper explores methods for the creative manipulation of video signals and the generation of animations through a process of analysis and synthesis. Our approach involves four distinct steps, and different creative outputs based on video inputs can be obtained by choosing different alternatives at each of the steps. First, we decide which features to extract from an input video sequence. Next, we choose a matching strategy to associate the features between a pair of video frames. Then, we choose a way to interpolate between corresponding features within these frames. Finally, we decide how to render these elements when resynthesizing the signal. We illustrate our approach with a range of different examples, including video manipulation experiments, animations, and real-time multimedia installations.
Percutaneous transfemoral renal artery occlusion in patients with renal carcinoma. Preliminary report.

Abstract Twenty-four patients have undergone percutaneous transfemoral selective renal artery occlusion as part of their management for renal carcinoma. Preoperative infarction was performed in 7 cases. This facilitated surgery by eliminating the major blood supply to the tumor and resulted in collapse of the large collateral veins and created edema within the perirenal tissue. In 17 patients with visceral metastases, tumor infarction was performed in lieu of nephrectomy for control of the primary lesion and in hopes of stimulating an autoimmune response. The current status of this procedure is discussed in light of its indications, complications, and preliminary results.
Personal Narratives of Students With and Without Learning Disabilities

This study investigated personal narratives produced by children with and without learning disabilities in the context of naturalistic conversation. The high-point analysis was applied to compare the referential and evaluative aspects of children's personal narratives. Participants were 60 students in Grades 4 and 5 in public suburban schools, with an almost equal number of boys and girls. The participants with learning disabilities were matched individually with typically achieving peers for chronological age, grade, ethnicity, and gender. Despite significant differences in expressive semantic and syntactic skills, both groups produced narratives that were equivalent in terms of length, structural organization, and global coherence. Group differences centered around the decreased inclusion of high points in narratives produced by girls with learning disabilities, indicating that these girls may struggle with generating coherent personal narratives and communicating their own perspective on the recounted personal experiences. This specific narrative performance is accounted for by the unique profile of cognitive and academic characteristics demonstrated by girls with learning disabilities. Practical implications for the multifaceted assessment of referential and evaluative narrative functions are discussed, and interventions for enhancing narrative skills are suggested. The study's findings are also discussed in the context of previous research and directions for future inquiries.
Taste responses to deuterium oxide

Substitution of deuterium oxide (D2O) as the solvent in taste stimuli elicits neural responses which differ from ordinary water (H2O). Previous reports have shown that D2O is toxic to many animals and rats avoid drinking it when offered H2O simultaneously. In the current study, summated responses were recorded from the chorda tympani nerves of rats after NaCl, KCl, sucrose and quinine were applied to the tongue in solutions of either D2O or H2O. Both solvents were used as the adapting or rinse solution in separate series. On tongues adapted to H2O, D2O elicited mean responses which were equivalent to 29% of the response to 0.1 M NaCl. The threshold concentration of D2O in H2O was between 25% and 50%. Solutes in D2O yielded responses which were greater than corresponding solutions of H2O when adapting rinse was H2O. Adaptation to D2O diminished the responses to D2O solutions of NaCl, KCl and sucrose but not quinine. This observation suggests that some portion of the augmented response to stimuli in D2O is due to the solvent itself. The taste of water has been examined by both electrophysiological methods and by behavior, but none of the mechanisms espoused for its effect seem adequate to explain the response to D2O. Water structure at the interface between molecular components of the cell membrane and the bulk phase of the surrounding medium is considered as a locus for disparity in the taste responses to D2O and H2O in the rat.
Incorporating prior expert knowledge in learning Bayesian networks from genetic epidemiological data

We consider the applicability of Bayesian networks (BNs) for discovering relations between genes, environment, and disease. Most state-of-the-art BN structure learning algorithms are not capable of learning structures from data containing missing values, which is a norm in genetic epidemiological data. In addition, there exists a wealth of existing prior knowledge which could be incorporated to improve computational efficiency in BN structure learning. To address these challenges, we applied a Markov chain Monte Carlo based BN structure learning algorithm to data from a population-based study of bladder cancer in New Hampshire, USA. A large improvement in computational efficiency is achieved under this approach.