cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Route Optimization For Waste Collection Using Genetic Algorithm

This study shows how the process of allocating dynamic routes to vehicles in waste collection companies results in wastage of resources and time. The purpose of the study is to find suitable algorithm that can be used to generate optimized dynamic routes for the vehicle routing problem (VRP). The study is based on Alawali District in Mecca City where there are a total of 52 waste collection points including a depot and a delivery point. The coordinates of all these waste collection points were collected and their distances from each other determined to find out the shortest route that can be used by a vehicle to collect wastes in the whole district at a reduced cost. The algorithm used in this study is the Genetic Algorithm (GA). GA was chosen because of its reliability in when compared with the rest of the metaheuristic algorithms that could be used to optimize a VRP for any dynamic route setup. The study focused on utilizing the dynamic route optimization with the VRP, which was solved through the incorporation of the Hamiltonian path and the GA. The study was carried out on two vehicles (A and B), and the total cost of fuel, time taken, and the total distance covered by the two vehicles at the end of every route recorded. The results obtained from GA showed that the total fuel cost for vehicle A and B was $7.3, total time taken by the two vehicles was 2 hours and 45 minutes, and the total distance covered by the two vehicles was 68.57 miles. These results were the most reliable of all metaheuristic algorithms. Therefore, GA was chosen as the best algorithm to optimize a VRP for any route setup because it gave the least fuel consumption, the shortest time, and the shortest distance when compared to the rest of the algorithms as depicted by the results.
Ultrafast optical manipulation of magnetic order in ferromagnetic materials

The interaction between ultrafast lasers and magnetic materials is an appealing topic. It not only involves interesting fundamental questions that remain inconclusive and hence need further investigation, but also has the potential to revolutionize data storage technologies because such an opto-magnetic interaction provides an ultrafast and energy-efficient means to control magnetization. Fruitful progress has been made in this area over the past quarter century. In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical studies on magnetization dynamics and switching in ferromagnetic materials that are induced by ultrafast lasers. We start by describing the physical mechanisms of ultrafast demagnetization based on different experimental observations and theoretical methods. Both the spin-flip scattering theory and the superdiffusive spin transport model will be discussed in detail. Then, we will discuss laser-induced torques and resultant magnetization dynamics in ferromagnetic materials. Recent developments of all-optical switching (AOS) of ferromagnetic materials towards ultrafast magnetic storage and memory will also be reviewed, followed by the perspectives on the challenges and future directions in this emerging area.
The Roles of Post-Translational Modifications on mTOR Signaling

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a master regulator of cell growth, proliferation, and metabolism by integrating various environmental inputs including growth factors, nutrients, and energy, among others. mTOR signaling has been demonstrated to control almost all fundamental cellular processes, such as nucleotide, protein and lipid synthesis, autophagy, and apoptosis. Over the past fifteen years, mapping the network of the mTOR pathway has dramatically advanced our understanding of its upstream and downstream signaling. Dysregulation of the mTOR pathway is frequently associated with a variety of human diseases, such as cancers, metabolic diseases, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. Besides genetic alterations, aberrancies in post-translational modifications (PTMs) of the mTOR components are the major causes of the aberrant mTOR signaling in a number of pathologies. In this review, we summarize current understanding of PTMs-mediated regulation of mTOR signaling, and also update the progress on targeting the mTOR pathway and PTM-related enzymes for treatment of human diseases.
Iron oxide nanoparticles for immune cell labeling and cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy is a novel approach to cancer treatment that leverages components of the immune system as opposed to chemotherapeutics or radiation. Cell migration is an integral process in a therapeutic immune response, and the ability to track and image the migration of immune cells in vivo allows for better characterization of the disease and monitoring of the therapeutic outcomes. Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are promising candidates for use in immunotherapy as they are biocompatible, have flexible surface chemistry, and display magnetic properties that may be used in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this review, advances in application of IONPs in cell tracking and cancer immunotherapy are presented. Following a brief overview of the cancer immunity cycle, developments in labeling and tracking various immune cells using IONPs are highlighted. We also discuss factors that influence the effectiveness of IONPs as MRI contrast agents. Finally, we outline different approaches for cancer immunotherapy and highlight current efforts that utilize IONPs to stimulate immune cells to enhance their activity and response to cancer.
CO 2 Surface Variability, from the Stratosphere or Not?

Abstract. Fluctuations in atmospheric CO2 can be measured with great precision and are used to identify human-driven sources as well as natural cycles of ocean and land carbon. One source of variability is the stratosphere, where the influx of aged CO2-depleted air can produce fluctuations at the surface. This process has been speculated a potential source of interannual variability (IAV) in CO2 that might obscure the quantification of other sources of IAV. Given the recent success in demonstrating that the stratospheric influx of N2O- and chlorofluorocarbon-depleted air is a dominant source of their surface IAV in the southern hemisphere, we here apply the same model and measurement analysis to CO2. Using chemistry-transport modeling or scaling of the observed N2O variability, we find that the stratosphere-driven surface variability in CO2 is at most 10 % of the observed IAV and is not an important source. The southern hemisphere stations with multi-decadal CO2 records can provide clues to sources through the phase shifts of the IAV relative to the northern hemisphere.
Clay Chemistry and Slope Stability

The East Bay hills of Contra Costa County, California, east of Berkeley and Oakland, are well known for unstable soil conditions and numerous slope failures are observed each year during the rainy season. The susceptibilty of specific areas of failure often is not predictable based on usual soil engineering considerations. An investigation has been made, therefore, to determine whether the soil chemistry of several samples from failure areas is such as to indicate a high susceptibility to dispersion. Samples from five of the 16 sites where unstable slopes exist had unfavorable pore solution chemistry relative to their susceptibility to dispersion. The data are insufficient to establish conclusively that slope failures in these areas were caused as a result of strength loss due to clay dispersion. Further study of the possibility appears warranted.
Simulation of Mechanical Deformation via Nonequilibrium Molecular Dynamics

We are developing two- and three-dimensional pair-force and embedded-atom simulations of mechanical deformation processes-indentation, machining, and inelastic ballistic-impact collisions-related to current nanometer machining practice. Here we describe these problems and their implementation using both mainframe and parallel-processor computers.
Health insurance theory: the case of the missing welfare gain.

An important source of value is missing from the conventional welfare analysis of moral hazard, namely, the effect of income transfers (from those who purchase insurance and remain healthy to those who become ill) on purchases of medical care. Income transfers are contained within the price reduction that is associated with standard health insurance. However, in contrast to the income effects contained within an exogenous price decrease, these income transfers act to shift out the demand for medical care. As a result, the consumer’s willingness to pay for medical care increases and the resulting additional consumption is welfare increasing.
Diet and Childhood Cancer: Preliminary Evidence

The relationship of mother’s, father’s, and child’s diet with risk of childhood cancer is not well studied and not well understood. High intake of cured meats during pregnancy has been consistently associated with increased risk of brain tumors in children. However, other explanations of the observations, such as dietary or other confounders, have not been ruled out. Vitamin supplement use may decrease the risk of several childhood cancers; however due to the unidentified critical time period of exposure and specific nutrient(s), these findings must be considered inconclusive.
ECONOMICS AND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN VOLUNTARY AND COERCIVE ACTION1

In economics, considerations of liberty are generally regarded as a secondary question of ‘policy implications’ and a matter of mere opinion. This essay rejects the relegation of liberty to such a status. It argues that the distinction between voluntary and coercive action, rooted in concepts of private ownership and consent, and forming the basis of liberty, should play a fundamental role in the way economic issues and arguments are formulated.
Fast calculation of the response of multicomponent induction logging tool for hydraulic fracture and its mapping

Hydraulic fracturing is commonly employed in the wells of tight oil and tight gas to increase exposure to the producing formation, boosting the flow rate of hydrocarbon into the wellbore, therefore, enhancing the productivity of gas or petroleum. Knowledge of the information of hydraulic fracture, such as dimensions, location, orientation and conductivity of filled proppant, will facilitate selecting locations for casing perforation and predicting production.
Rates of vascular access use in transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A look into the next generation.

Objective/Background As smaller TAVR delivery systems emerge we sought to identify differences in vascular access use. Methods We analyzed all patients who had undergone TAVR in a single-center from March 2012 to May 2014. We identified all patients who had undergone nonfemoral TAVR and reviewed their femoral dimensions using CT imaging taking into vascular pathology and minimal lumen diameter (MLD). We then identified those patients in whom a smaller delivery system could have been used if such technology was available at that time. Results In total 208 consecutive TAVRs were performed, 129 cases using femoral arterial access and 75 cases using non-femoral access; 28 transapical, 27 transcaval, 12 transaortic, and 8 via an antegrade transseptal venous approach. Of the 75 nonfemoral access cases, 63 were completed using commercially available first-generation valves (Sapien Valve) and 12 using second-generation valves under research protocols (Sapien XT Valve). Of the 63 cases performed via a non-femoral route using a first generation valve, 31 cases could have been approached via a transfemoral (TF) route using second-generation delivery systems; and 48 cases could have been approached via a TF route using third generation delivery systems (S3 Valve). Of the 12 cases performed via a nonfemoral route using a second-generation valve, 4 cases could have been approached via a TF route using a third-generation delivery system. In total, only 11% of patients undergoing TAVR could not accommodate smaller second and third generation devices. Conclusions As second and third generation devices become commercially available, we anticipate that 89% of cases will be preformed using a TF approach. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
WHY FIRMS SEEK ISO 9000 CERTIFICATION: REGULATORY COMPLIANCE OR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE?

Proponents of iso 9000 certification claim that it is a low-cost signal of a firm's commitment to quality and a meaningful component of total quality management (TQM). Critics claim that it has little relation to TQM and is a tariff on international trade. We test the hypothesis that firms obtain ISO 9000 certification to comply with government and customer demands by estimating a probit model of the certification decision. The results support the view of proponents of ISO 9000. After controlling for regulatory and customer pressures to obtain ISO 9000, other factors related to quality management and quality-based competition explain the adoption decision.
Laser ablation of skull tissue using transverse excited 9.6-μm CO2 lasers with pulse durations of 1-100 μs

Craniotomy using a drill and saw frequently results in fragmentation of the skull plate. Lasers have the potential to remove the skull plate intact. TE CO 2 lasers operating at the peak absorption wavelength of bone ((lambda) equals 9.6 micrometer) and with pulse durations of 5 - 10 microseconds, approximately the thermal relaxation time in hard tissue, produced high ablation rates and minimal peripheral thermal damage. Both thick (2 mm) and thin (250 micrometer) bovine skull samples were perforated and the ablation rates calculated. Results were compared with Q-switched and free- running Er:YAG lasers ((lambda) equals 2.94 micrometer, (tau) p equals 150 ns and 150 microseconds). The CO 2 laser perforated thick sections at ablation rates of 10 - 15 micrometer per pulse and fluences of approximately 6 J/cm 2 . There was no discernible thermal damage and no need for water irrigation during ablation. Pulse durations >= 20 microseconds resulted in significant tissue charring which increased with the pulse duration. Although the Er:YAG laser produced ablation rates of approximately 100 micrometer per pulse, fluences > 30 J/cm 2 were required to perforate thick samples, and thermal damage measured 25 - 40 micrometer. In summary, the novel 5 - 10 microsecond pulse length of the TE CO 2 laser is long enough to avoid a marked reduction in the ablation rate due to plasma formation and short enough to avoid peripheral thermal damage through thermal diffusion during the laser pulse. Further studies with the TE CO 2 laser are warranted for potential clinical application craniotomy procedures.
Optimal Algorithms for All-to-All Personalized Communication on Rings and Two Dimensional Tori

All-to-all personalized communication is a basic communication operation in a parallel computing environment. In this operation, each processor sends a distinct message to every other processor. It is used in several parallel algorithms, such as for the fast Fourier transform. This paper presents new algorithms to perform all-to-all personalized communication on ring- and torus-structured networks ofpprocessors, wherep= 4kandp? 8 for rings, andp= 4k× 4kandp? 64 for two-dimensional tori. The algorithms optimally utilize all communication links and complete the operation inp2/8 andpp/8 communication steps for rings and two-dimensional tori, respectively.
Normally-off AlGaN/GaN MOSHFET using ALD SiO2 tunnel dielectric and ALD HfO2 charge storage layer for power device application

In this work, we have demonstrated a normally-off AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide semiconductor heterojunction field effect transistor (MOSHFET) wherein the enhancement mode operation is enabled by charge storage characteristics within a high-k layer. By combining ALD SiO2 tunnel dielectric and HfO2 charge trapping layer, up to 7 V of threshold voltage (VT) shift depending on the applied gate pulse amplitude (corresponding ∼ 1.2 × 1013 charges/cm2 stored within the charge storage layer) is obtained. Electrical characteristics such as gate leakage current, transconductance, and off-state breakdown after programming are similar to the initial device. Retention characteristics show about 20% of charge loss after 20000 s. (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A dialogue system for accessing drug reviews

In this paper, we present a framework which harvests grassroots-generated data from the Web (e.g., reviews, blogs), extracts latent information from these data, and provides a multimodal interface for review browsing and inquiring. A prescription-drug domain system is implemented under this framework. Patient-provided drug reviews were collected from various health-related forums, from which significant side effects correlated to each drug type were identified with association algorithms. A multimodal web-based spoken dialogue system was implemented to allow users to inquire about drugs and correlated side effects as well as browsing the reviews obtained from the Web. We report evaluation results on speech recognition, parse coverage and system response.
TV Viewing Compared to Book Reading and Toy Playing Reduces Responsive Maternal Communication with Toddlers and Preschoolers

This study compared the amount and style of maternal communication with toddlers and preschoolers while mother–child pairs watched TV, read books, and played with toys. We found that mother–child communication was less frequent and less verbally responsive when dyads viewed TV compared with when they read books, and in many cases, when they played with toys. In addition, some forms of maternal responsiveness were positively associated with indicators of youngsters' emergent literacy. Mothers' use of directive language was negatively related to emergent literacy. These findings suggest that TV co-viewing produces a relatively detrimental communication environment for young children, while shared book reading encourages effective mother–child exchanges.
The effect of various carbonate sources on the survival of Escherichia coli in dairy cattle manure.

Manure slurries (n = 3) prepared from the feces and urine of lactating dairy cattle (1 part urine, 2.2 parts feces, and 6.8 parts distilled water) had an initial pH of 8.6 ± 0.1; dissolved carbonate concentrations of 48 ± 4 mm, and Escherichia coli counts of 5.9 ± 0.7 logs per ml slurry. The pH of untreated slurries declined to pH 7.0 ± 0.1 by the 10th day of incubation, and the E. coli count increased approximately 10-fold (P 0.05). Calculations based on the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation (pH and dissolved carbonates) indicated that little E. coli killing was noted until the dissolved carbonate anion concentrations (CO3 −2) were greater than 1 mm, but bicarbonate anion (HCO3 −) concentrations as high as 180 mm did not affect E. coli viability. These results are consistent with the idea that carbonate anion has antimicrobial properties and can kill E. coli in dairy cattle manure.
Fascism and the New Russian Nationalism

Abstract This article provides a broad comparison between Italian Fascism and the new nationalism that has arisen in post-Soviet Russia. The focus is on that nationalism which has, in the immediate past, merged with what used to be the Marxism-Leninism of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. The ideas of Gennadii Ziuganov, leader of the CPRF, are traced to Sergei Kurginian and Alexander Prokhanov-and compared to those of the ideologues of historic Fascism.
Two large-insert soybean genomic libraries constructed in a binary vector: applications in chromosome walking and genome wide physical mapping

Large DNA insert libraries in binary T-DNA vectors can assist in the isolation of the gene(s) underlying a quantitative trait locus (QTL). Binary vectors facilitate the transfer of large-insert DNA fragments containing a QTL from E. coli to Agrobacterium sp. and then to plants. We constructed two soybean large-insert libraries from cv. Forrest in the pCLD04541 (V41) binary vector after partial digestion of genomic high-molecular-weight DNA with BamHI or HindIII. The libraries contain 76,800 clones with an average insert size of 125 kb, and therefore represent 9.5-fold haploid genome equivalents. Colony hybridization using a chloroplast-specific probe infers that the libraries contain less than 0.5% clones of chloroplast DNA origin. These two libraries have provided clones for physical mapping of the soybean genome and for isolation of a number of disease resistance genes. One microsatellite marker was identified from the clone that hybridized to the Bng122 RFLP probe. The sequence-tagged site was used for genetic mapping and marker-assisted selection for genes underlying resistance to the soybean cyst nematode and sudden death syndrome.
Gemcitabine added to doxorubicin, bleomycin, and vinblastine for the treatment of de novo Hodgkin disease: unacceptable acute pulmonary toxicity.

BACKGROUND Gemcitabine is an effective treatment for recurrent Hodgkin disease (HD), with relatively minimal associated toxicity. The authors conducted a trial substituting this drug for dacarbazine in the standard regimen to form ABVG (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, gemcitabine) for patients with newly diagnosed, high-risk HD. METHODS Twelve patients (median age, 34 years) with advanced-stage de novo HD were enrolled. Standard doses of doxorubicin, bleomycin, and vinblastine were given for six cycles. Cohorts of three patients were enrolled and the dose of gemcitabine was escalated to identify the maximally tolerated dose in this combination. RESULTS The maximally tolerated dose of gemcitabine was determined to be 800 mg/m2 in this combination. Five patients developed clinically significant pulmonary toxicity. Three required hospitalization during the final two cycles of treatment. Pneumonitis could not be predicted with serial diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DECO) evaluations, and reversed after discontinuation of bleomycin in three patients and steroid therapy in two patients. All 12 patients are alive to date, and 4 patients have experienced disease progression. CONCLUSIONS The bleomycin/gemcitabine combination should not be pursued for de novo HD due to significant pulmonary toxicity. Cancer 2003;98:978–82. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11582
Effect of Molting White Leghorn Hens on Egg Shell Pimpling and Shell Quality

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect on eggshell pimpling of molting 85-wk-old White Leghorn hens. Experiment 1 used 120 hens. In Experiment 2, 25 hens consistently laying pimpled shell eggs (PS group) and 25 laying smooth shelled eggs (SS group) were selected. Both groups of hens were molted and observed for seven periods of 28 days and egg production and feed consumption determined pre and postmolt. Shell quality was evaluated for degree of shell pimpling [by scoring eggs from 1 (smooth) to 5 (very pimpled)] and for specific gravity, shell deformation, percentage shell, percentage shell membrane, and egg weight. In Experiment 1, pimple score declined from 3.7 premolt to 2.3 postmolt period one. By period seven, pimple score increased to 3.3. No clear trend was found for specific gravity, shell deformation, percentage shell, or percentage shell membrane. In Experiment 2, pimple scores for the PS group remained significantly higher than SS group scores and were at an unacceptable level (4.8 premolt and 3.6 postmolt). Samples of eggshell membranes from Experiment 2 were obtained either pre or postmolt and lyophilized for analysis of nitrogen and amino acids. Average percentage protein values were 82.8 and 84.1% for premolt and postmolt samples and 81.3 and 85.7% for PS and SS groups, respectively. No significant differences were found in protein percentages. No large differences were shown between amino acid compositions of shell membranes from pre and postmolt or PS and SS groups. The PS group membranes had significantly higher phenylalanine values than those of the SS group. Lysine values were higher postmolt than premolt.
Movement of weed seeds in reclamation areas.

The presence or absence of obstructions can affect seed dispersal. Reclamation activities often cause changes in the type and amount of such obstructions. The consequences of removing obstructions on the dispersal of undesirable species are unknown. In western North America, reclamation may often proceed in areas surrounded by the invasive Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass). The importance of preventing cheatgrass seed dispersal from surrounding landscapes is an unknown factor in reducing cheatgrass competition in these areas. I quantified cheatgrass seed dispersal in the early stages of reclamation, when soils were bare. Four groups of 100 sterilized, fluorescently marked cheatgrass seeds were released in each of three areas in NW Colorado, USA. Seeds were located at night using blacklights four times over 14 days, and the distance between each seed and the point of release was measured. Across sites, dispersal distance averaged 2.4 m, 5% of seeds traveled further than 7.6 m, and maximum recorded distance was 20.8 m. Maximum distances reported in this study are 50-fold higher than previously reported for intact sagebrush ecosystems. I suggest that the difference is due to a lack of impediments to secondary dispersal on bare soil. When reclamation areas are surrounded by weeds such as cheatgrass, seeds dispersing from the perimeter may influence restoration outcome.
THE PHYSICS OF DUAL VORTICES AND STATIC BARYONS IN 2 + 1 DIMENSIONS

Abstract The dual to Mandelstam's SU( N ) models of magnetic confinement, which explicitly realize the superconducting phase of the SU( N ) gauge theory, are constructed and shown to explicitly realize 't Hooft's physical picture of the confining phase in 2 + 1 dimensions, in which electric vortices are Bloch walls between Z N ∗ magnetic domains. These models generalize Polyakov's SU(2) → U(1) compact QED model to SU( N ) → U(1) N −1 . These models have also been considered by Wadia and Das. Static baryons in SU(3) are studied. A Hamiltonian analysis of the physics of confinement in these models is used to ellucidate the beautiful correspondence of Hosotani, that the electric vortex in the Polyakov model is related to the naive dual of a magnetic vortex in the insulating layer of a Josephson junction.
Statistical Error Propagation

The simple but often neglected equation for the propagation of statistical errors in functions of correlated variables is tested on a number of linear and nonlinear functions of parameters from lin...
Harmonically matched grating-based full-field quantitative high-resolution phase microscope for observing dynamics of transparent biological samples

We have developed a full-field high resolution quantitative phase imaging technique for observing dynamics of transparent biological samples. By using a harmonically matched diffraction grating pair (600 and 1200 lines/mm), we were able to obtain non-trivial phase difference (other than 0° or 180°) between the output ports of the gratings. Improving upon our previous design, our current system mitigates astigmatism artifacts and is capable of high resolution imaging. This system also employs an improved phase extraction algorithm. The system has a lateral resolution of 1.6 μm and a phase sensitivity of 62 mrad. We employed the system to acquire high resolution phase images of onion skin cells and a phase movie of amoeba proteus in motion.
Efficient gene transfer to human epidermal keratinocytes on fibronectin: in vitro evidence for transduction of epidermal stem cells.

The epidermis is an attractive target for gene therapy because it is easily accessible and has great potential as an ectopic site for protein delivery in vivo. Genetically modified keratinocytes can be expanded in culture and used to generate three-dimensional skin equivalents, which can deliver therapeutic proteins either locally or systemically for the treatment of wounds or systemic diseases. Here we present an optimum protocol that yields consistently high retroviral gene transfer on a substrate of recombinant fibronectin (rFN). Gene transfer on rFN depends strongly on virus concentration and the density of target cells. Interestingly, the kinetics of gene transfer varies depending upon the origin—mouse or human—of virus-producer cells. Most notably, long-term growth and clonogenic assays show that transduction on rFN promotes gene transfer to epidermal stem cells and prevents loss of clonogenic potential due to exposure of cells to retroviral supernatant. In contrast, the traditional protocol transduces mostly differentiated keratinocytes. We also show that skin equivalents prepared from genetically modified keratinocytes display high levels of transgene expression, mainly in the suprabasal layers. Our results are important for cutaneous gene therapy and for biological studies that require efficient and permanent genetic modification.
COASTmed: software architectures for delivering customizable, policy-based differential web services

Inter-organizational exchange of personal information raises significant challenges in domains such as healthcare. First, trust among parties is not homogenous; data is shared according to complex relations. Second, personal data is used for unexpected, often divergent purposes. This tension between information need and provision calls for custom services whose access depends on specific trust and legal ties. Current Web services are "one-size-fits-all" solutions that do not capture nuanced relations nor meet all users' needs. Our goal is providing computation-enabled services which: (a) are accessible based on providers' policies, and; (b) allow user-controlled customization within the authority granted. We present our proposed solutions in COASTmed, a prototype for electronic health record (EHR) management which leverages novel architectural principles and formal policies.
Prospects of a-Sige:H Alloys for Solar Cell Application

The transport properties of intrinsic a-SiGe films are found to be limited by poor electron mobility. The relationship between electronic transport and composition (Si, Ge and H content) is established. The electron mobility decreases with increasing hydrogen content for a given Ge content. The relation between growth conditions and film composition is developed. Growth conditions that reduce the extent of gas phase polymerization as well as the flux of hydrogen radical to the growth surface yield the best electronic transport. The best a-SiGe:H alloys of 1.3 eV band gap are used to study the effects of band gap grading on solar cell performance. Solar cells analysis is used to determine both hole and electron transport. Cell designs that minimize performance loss due to poor electron mobility are considered.
Can you marry me?: conceptualizing in-game marriage as intimacy-mediated collaboration

This study conceptualizes in-game marriage as intimacy-mediated collaboration in Multiplayer Online Games (MOGs). Using Audition, a non-violent, non-fantasy dance battle MOG that mediates and facilitates couple-related collaborative behaviors, this paper investigates how collaboration and intimacy are intertwined in the game environment; it also explores three expressions of in-game marriage--marriage as partnership, marriage as play, and marriage as commitment.
Charge transport and lattice defects in CoO

Abstract Measurements of the conductivity and the thermoelectric power of CoO at elevated temperatures suggest that the charge carriers (holes) in this material are itinerant carriers and that the nonstoichiometric defects are complex. Both results are in disagreement with conclusions of past studies but in agreement with recent theoretical calculations of the defect structure of the 3d transition metal monoxides.
The pyrolysis of octafluorocyclobutane—Revisited

A high-pressure, high-temperature reactor unit was developed to test batch-wise inter-conversions of hydrocarbons. A major ambiguity characterizes this reactor, as it does all similar units that have been described, determination of the time-temperature profile for the reacting mixture. Here we report on a solution to this problem—use of a “chemical thermometer,” based on the kinetics of dissociation of C4F8. We propose a revised set of rate constants that permit calibration of the reactor operation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 171–177, 1998.
Autoradiographic studies of oral lichen planus

3H cytidine autoradiographic labeling patterns have been categorized into those characteristic for neoplastic, preneoplastic, and normal cell types. Specific differences in the patterns of transcription (RNA synthesis) revealed that the histology of a particular lesion generally correlated with (1) the percentage of cells labeled with the isotope, (2) the number of grains per cell, and (3) their intracellular distribution. When these three criteria of labeling were applied to lesions of the oral mucosa, very interesting data were collected on cases of lichen planus. The benign histologic appearance of the oral lichen planus epithelium exhibited a preneoplastic-appearing autoradiogram, an observation which is of particular interest in view of the fact that a small number of patients with this disease develop intraoral squamous cell carcinoma.
Phenomenological aspects of the deformation of elastomeric networks

Abstract The application of finite linear viscoelastic theory to elastomeric networks is discussed. It is shown that the time dependent behaviour of rubber-like materials in moderately large deformations can be described successfully by introducing a suitable chosen non-linear strain measure into the Boltzmann superposition integral. A new two-term elastic potential is proposed. The first term is the neo-Hookean potential predicted by the statistical theory of rubber elasticity for a ‘perfect’ network. The second accounts for contributions arising from the topological constraints which are generally present in real networks. The resulting two-network theory is verified on hand of published data.
Improvements for the Thresh X2 shortest path algorithm

The Thresh X2 algorithm has been shown to dominate other shortest path algorithms over a wide variety of conditions. When used on random networks which have exponentially or normally distributed edge weights the performance of X2 degrades. We develop techniques which improve X2's performance up to 33% in these cases.
Obesity Increases the Severity of Acute Pancreatitis: Performance of APACHE-O Score and Correlation with the Inflammatory Response

Background: Obese patients appear to be at risk for complications of acute pancreatitis (AP). APACHE-O score has been suggested to improve APACHE-II accuracy in predicting severe ou
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Understanding the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Supporting Students

Background: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) affect a significant number of children in this country. This article addresses diagnostic issues related to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and other alcohol-related disabilities, discusses associated features and behaviors of FASD, and introduces interventions to support children with FASD in school settings. Methods: A comprehensive review of FAS and FASD literature as it relates to school functioning was conducted. Results: Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in a broad range of negative developmental consequences, including deficits in cognitive and academic functioning, psychological disorders, behavioral problems, and difficulties with independent living. Children with prenatal alcohol exposure are at risk for a spectrum of difficulties at school. Conclusions: This topic is of considerable relevance to all professionals in a school setting, including teachers, administrators, school psychologists, special education providers, special service providers, and school nurses who interact with children who may be prenatally exposed to alcohol. Successful interventions will need to balance the use of environmental modifications, immediate and meaningful positive and negative consequences for behaviors, and opportunities to teach children skills to monitor and modify their behavior.
Improvement of chemical durability of high expansion glasses by ion exchange

In order to prepare a high expansion glass with good chemical durability, Na2O · 2SiO2 glass was ion-exchanged in molten LiNO3 at 460 to 520° C. A Li2O rich layer, of 100 to 200 μm thickness, was produced on the glass surface. Corrosion rate in hot water (98° C) and thermal expansion coefficient were measured. The thin layer on the surface had a much lower corrosion rate in hot water and a lower expansion coefficient than the bulk glass. Because the ion-exchanged layer was thin with respect to the bulk glass, an overall high expansion was maintained. However, it acted as a protective layer giving rise to improved chemical durability.
Surfaces, films, and multilayers for compact nonlinear plasmonics

We present a step-by-step analysis of four-wave mixing (FWM) in one-dimensional stacks of metallo-dielectric structures, pointing out various channels of plasmonic and Fabry–Perot enhancement. We start from the derivation of oblique incidence FWM at a single interface and then extend these expressions into a transfer-matrix-based formalism to quantitatively study films and multilayer geometries. Throughout our analysis, we consider typical examples, such as a single silver interface, a thin silver film, and Fabry–Perot multilayers. In this way, we offer an intuitive view of the surprisingly rich dynamics supported by even the simplest of nonlinear plasmonic systems.
Effect of enhanced preload with head-out water immersion on exercise response in men with healed myocardial infarction

Head-out water immersion shifts venous blood to the central vasculature and heart and subsequently increases cardiac preload. In healthy men, cardiac output and stroke volume are greater during upright leg cycle exercise in water than on land. Heart rate is similar during work loads < 50% of peak oxygen consumption but is decreased in water at higher work intensities. To determine if men with myocardial infarction (MI) show a similar response, 15 men with a documented MI exercised upright on a leg cycle ergometer on land and immersed in water (31 +/- 1 degree C) to the level of the shoulders. Heart rate, cardiac output (carbon dioxide rebreathing procedure) and oxygen consumption were measured at rest and at work loads corresponding to approximately 40, 60 and 75% of peak oxygen consumption in both environments. At rest, cardiac output and stroke volume were elevated (p < 0.05) in water. During exercise, heart rate, cardiac output and stroke volume did not differ between water and land. When subjects were given beta-blocking medications (n = 8) and subjects with exercise-induced ST-segment depression (n = 5) were separately excluded from the analysis, water immersion still did not significantly change exercise responses. These results suggest that MI alters the normal cardiac response to increased preload during exercise. The alteration may involve reduced myocardial compliance or near-complete use of the Frank-Starling reserve, or both, during land exercise.
Field assessment of a Vacuum Microtunneling (VMT) system for on-grade pipeline installations

Abstract Utility owners and engineers are being tasked with finding methods for the installation of on-grade pipelines in an economical and minimally disruptive manner, while also providing environmental benefits. This paper demonstrates the advantages of trenchless technology through the results of a field evaluation of an on-grade sewer project in Glenview, Illinois employing the AXIS™ Vacuum Microtunneling (VMT) system. Three separate installations of 250 mm (10″) diameter PVC pipes at grades of 0.55% in sections of 55 m (176 ft), 85 m (278 ft), and 100 m (331 ft) in soft clay soil conditions were analyzed. The project was conducted in a pristine residential neighborhood thus necessitating the use of a trenchless method. Field analysis examined productivity, costs, and environmental impacts for comparison to traditional open-cut in an attempt to quantify the benefits of adopting trenchless technology. The VMT system was found to have inherent benefits compared to traditional open-cut construction. A cost comparison found the depth at which VMT begins to be more cost-effective compared to traditional open-cut to be 3 m (10 ft). Productivity averaged 7.92 m/h (25.89 ft/h) for the three VMT installations compared to approximately 5.5 m/h (18 ft/h) estimated for a similar open-cut option. The average emissions emitted from the VMT installations were 35% of the open-cut option.
Baptism in rural Russia: Village women speak of their children and their way of life

The disintegration of the Soviet Union made possible the collection of oral history testimony from Russian villagers, with the objective of recording firsthand the experiences of the women who participated in (and, indeed, themselves carried through) the demographic transition in Russia. Informants understood christening as an important aspect of child care and took pride in having held to these practices despite the efforts of the Communist Party/State to eradicate institutionalized religion in the Soviet Union. Baptism as the basic ritual of incorporation was common in Russian villages right through the Soviet era. Despite the assaults of the 1930s and beyond that caused the loss of 90 percent of their places of worship and clergy and despite the risks to their own livelihood and safety, peasants contrived to provide their children, through baptism, with protection againts the spiritual and temporal dangers of this life and to offer them the hope of salvation in the next. Women found ways in these commu...
A system for quantitative analysis of associative learning. Part 1. Hardware interfaces with cross-species applications.

Abstract This paper describes a reliable, durable, and readily calibrated hardware interface system designed to present sensory stimuli at precise time intervals and to transduce and digitize behavioral data in classical conditioning experiments. It has been extensively tested in a ‘model’-associative learning task, conditioning of eyeblink or nictitating membrane responses, but is readily adapted to other behavioral paradigms. Each system can run a pair of conditioned experimental or pseudoconditioned control subjects simultaneously, or collect data from a single subject carrying out two tasks simultaneously. The requirements of the system are defined, based around an inexpensive AT-class MS-DOS microcomputer. The interface hardware needed to present auditory tone conditioned stimuli and corneal airpuff-unconditioned stimuli to training subjects are detailed, with timing signals provided by TTL pulses generated at the digital output ports of an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. An electronic circuit is described that provides stable inputs to the A/D converter, transducing eyeblink responses to voltage signals opto-electronically, without requiring any invasive attachment of the subject to the measuring device. The 1-piece eyeblink sensor used (selected for ease of alignment and maintenance) is also discussed. Examples of applications for classical conditioning of rabbits, rats, and human subjects are described. A companion paper describes data-acquisition and control software written as a user-friendly interface for this hardware system.
THE EFFECT OF TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE ON THE URINARY EXCRETION OF ANDROGENS AND ESTROGENS IN EUNUCHOIDISM1,2,3

WHILE THE normal pattern of androgen and estrogen excretion by the human kidney is gradually becoming clearer, the sources of the various constituents are still in part obscure and the amounts of testis secretion required to produce normal amounts of biologically active excretion products are not well known. A few studies on recovery of injected androgens in man are available. Kochakian (1) administered urinary extracts to one normal and to one castrate man. In the normal, injections of 11 to 17 capon units (his own unit) on two occasions caused no apparent increase in androgen excretion in the urine. In the castrate the injection of 30 to 40 capon units per day for 10 days was followed by a recovery of 3% of the injected activity from the urine passed during this period.
Lateral flow in loamy to sandy Kandiudults of the Upper Coastal Plain of Georgia (USA)

Abstract Interest in site-specific agronomic management in intensively cropped regions necessitates characterization of subsurface water movement for efficient water management (irrigation timing) and control of off-site agrichemical movement. Soils formed in fluvial sediments in portions of the Upper Coastal Plain of Georgia (USA) are extensively used for peanut, cotton, and corn production. Certain proximate soils in this region possess contrasting subsoil properties, and it was hypothesized that these differences would have major effects on water redistribution across the landscape. This could be important in irrigation management, where soils possessing increased impedance to vertical flow could require decreased irrigation as opposed to soils without vertical flow restrictions. At a site near Plains, GA. (USA), hydraulic properties of soils with differences in overlying sand thickness and contrasting argillic horizon textures (sandy vs. loamy) were evaluated. The soils were predominantly in loamy and sandy families of Typic, Arenic, and Grossarenic Kandiudults. Laboratory measurements, field monitoring of matric potentials under simulated and natural rainfall, and modeling (VS2DT) were utilized to evaluate soil hydraulic properties. Reduction in vertical K s occurred in horizons containing higher clay (argillic horizon). Changes in tension and build ups in hydraulic gradients associated with infiltration and redistribution events existed above and within horizons with low K s . Evidence suggested there was less groundwater recharge occurring in the loamy than in the sandy pedons, suggesting more pronounced lateral flow occurred in the loamier soils. Model simulations of water movement across a slightly sloping (1%) simulated landscape indicated lateral gradients of flow existed within the solum of these soils. Analyses of tracer (Br) movement suggested a very slight lateral redistribution occurred within a relatively short monitoring period within the sandy pedon's Bt1 horizon, and the Bt2 and Bt3 horizons of the loamy pedon. Evidence suggested both loamy and sandy argillic horizons slightly, but not overwhelmingly, induced lateral flow on these landscapes.
Control of Pink Bollworms by Male Annihilation

Traps, about 6 per acre, baited with sex lure extracted from female pink bollworm moths, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), failed to reduce a field infestation though 24,666 males were collected in a 6-month period. Lack of field isolation and use of too few traps were probably responsible for the failure. The study posed several questions to be answered by future research.
High-accuracy pipelined iterative-tree optical multiplication.

A high-accuracy optical multiplier that uses an optical correlator is described. A symbolic substitution adder that uses the modified signed-digit number representation is used as the basic module. Emphasis is placed on the multiplication of many long words in parallel with minimum latency. The encoding method we employ in the adders permits the use of a new optical algorithm and architecture to generate partial products in symbolic form in parallel. Our multiplication algorithm and architecture are shown to be preferable to other optical techniques and to be competitive with digital technology; they are also shown to be particularly attractive for matrix–vector multiplication applications.
Virtual cityscapes: recent advances in crowd modeling and traffic simulation

We survey our recent work on interactive modeling, generation, and control of large-scale crowds and traffic for simulating digital cities. These include multi-agent navigation, simulating large crowds with emerging behaviors as well as interactive simulation of traffic on large road networks. We also highlight their performance on different scenarios.