cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of stimulus context on the buildup to stream segregation

Stream segregation is the process by which the auditory system disentangles the mixture of sound inputs into discrete sources that cohere across time. The length of time required for this to occur is termed the ‘buildup’ period. In the current study, we used the buildup period as an index of how quickly sounds are segregated into constituent parts. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that stimulus context impacts the timing of the buildup and, therefore, affects when stream segregation is detected. To measure the timing of the buildup we recorded the Mismatch Negativity component (MMN) of event-related brain potentials (ERPs), during passive listening, to determine when the streams were neurophysiologically segregated. In each condition, a pattern of repeating low (L) and high (H) tones (L-L-H) was presented in trains of stimuli separated by silence, with the H tones forming a simple intensity oddball paradigm and the L tones serving as distractors. To determine the timing of the buildup, probe tones occurred in two positions of the trains, early (within the buildup period) and late (past the buildup period). The context was manipulated by presenting roving versus non-roving frequencies across trains in two conditions. MMNs were elicited by intensity probe tones in the Non-Roving condition (early and late positions) and the Roving condition (late position only) indicating that neurophysiologic segregation occurred faster in the Non-Roving condition. This suggests a shorter buildup period when frequency was repeated from train to train. Overall, our results demonstrate that the dynamics of the environment influence the way in which the auditory system extracts regularities from the input. The results support the hypothesis that the buildup to segregation is highly dependent upon stimulus context and that the auditory system works to maintain a consistent representation of the environment when no new information suggests that reanalyzing the scene is necessary.
Craniofacial anomalies in the amniotic band disruption complex

We describe a newborn with multiple congenital anomalies due to the Amniotic Band Disruption Complex. Cerebral computerized tomography and plain films of the extremities corroborated the clinical diagnosis. The purpose of this case report is to alert the radiologist to the varied radiographic appearance of this little known entity and to provide a historical and embryologic background.
The dynamic exchange of dissolved organic matter percolating through six diverse soils

Abstract The movement of dissolved organic matter (DOM) through forest soils is regulated by a suite of physicochemical and biological processes that retain, transform, and release DOM. While sorptive processes are known to limit DOM losses, there are still uncertainties about what regulates DOM composition. This study examined DOM dynamics in waters percolating through ex-situ soil cores from six diverse forest soils to determine if DOM leaching losses reflected dynamic exchange processes between fresh DOM inputs and soil surfaces or the continual stripping of surface-reactive compounds from recent DOM inputs. There was a net desorption of hydrophilic compounds into soil solutions after 10 cm soil depth that coincided with an increase in DOM biodegradability as solutions percolated to depth. There was also a limited net retention of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in surface soils. Taken together, these results support a dynamic exchange model of DOM dynamics where highly sorptive, hydrophobic compounds displace previously sorbed, N-rich hydrophilic compounds from soil surfaces. These soils also demonstrated fairly consistent leaching losses of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and DON despite their variation in texture, hydraulic conductivity, and Fe and Al mineralogy, removing 72–85% of the DOC added by 50 cm depth. The strong sorption capacity of these soils may be one reason for the fairly uniform DOM chemistry leaching from these soil cores.
A class of universal relations in isotropic elasticity theory

A class of universal relations for isotropic elastic materials is described by the tensor equationTB = BT. This simple rule yields at most three component relations which are the generators of many known universal relations for isotropic elasticity theory, including the well-known universal rule for a simple shear. Universal relations for four families of nonhomogeneous deformations known to be controllable in every incompressible, homogeneous and isotropic elastic material are exhibited. These same universal relations may hold for special compressible materials. New universal relations for a homogeneous controllable shear, a nonhomogeneous shear, and a variable extension are derived. The general universal relation for an arbitrary isotropic tensor function of a symmetric tensor also is noted.
Laser Deposition of Gold

Metallic gold was deposited on several different substrates by laser pyrolysis of a goldcontaining ink. The gold was deposited in the form of lines by translating the substrate during laser pyrolysis; linewidths ranged from 10 Am to 1.5 mm. This process was performed in open air. Prior to annealing, the films contain 40 to 50 % carbon impurity and the resistivity is extremely high. After a 1 hour anneal in air, the carbon content is reduced to
Passive smoking: the medical and economic issues.

Abstract Since the late 1970s, the dangers associated with passive (involuntary) smoking have been widely debated. While research throughout the world has produced findings showing sidestream smoke to be harmful and possibly deadly to nonsmokers, an equal number of studies have indicated that the harms have been overstated or misclassified or that they are nonexistent. Those debates have culminated in a report sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies. The report concludes that second-hand cigarette smoke kills 53,000 nonsmokers a year and is a major cause of indoor air pollution. This article identifies the major medical and economic issues in the debate on sidestream smoke. It affirms the federal government's position on the need to create more smoke-free environments and impose stronger smoking restrictions nationwide.
Incidence of diapause varies among populations of Daphnia pulicaria.

Dormancy is a common way in which organisms survive environmental conditions that would be lethal to the active individual. However, while dormant, individuals forgo reproduction. Hence theory suggests an optimal time in which to enter dormancy, depending on risks associated with both remaining active and entering dormancy. When these relative risks differ among habitats, dormancy strategies are predicted to vary as well. For freshwater zooplankton, it has been suggested that sensitivity to the cues that initiate dormancy should be selected against when females have the opportunity to remain in the water column year round. We tested this prediction with 12 populations of lake-dwelling Daphnia pulicaria (Crustacea: Cladocera). Differences among lakes in basin morphometry, predators and resources create a gradient of risk for Daphnia in the water column. Some populations persist in high numbers year round while others are abundant only in spring. We used this difference in persistence ability as an estimate of risk in the water-column. For 3 years of field sampling we found consistent differences among the lake populations in the incidence of dormancy. In some populations, only a small fraction of females switched to producing dormant eggs each year whereas in others the majority of eggs produced in the late spring were dormant. In general, populations that experienced predictably low abundances in the active form exhibited higher incidence of dormancy than did populations that persisted in high abundance year round, but there were exceptions. Our results confirm that the incidence of dormancy varies considerably among populations in a fashion consistent with general theory, but suggest that persistence in the water column is not the sole predictor of the diapause strategy found in any particular lake.
Plumbophyllite, a new species from the Blue Bell claims near Baker, San Bernardino County, California

The new mineral plumbophyllite, Pb2Si4O10·H2O, orthorhombic with space group Pbcn and cell parameters a = 13.2083(4), b = 9.7832(3), c = 8.6545(2) A, V = 1118.33(5) A^3, and Z = 4. It occurs as colorless to pale blue prismatic crystals to 3 mm, with wedge-shaped terminations at the Blue Bell claims, about 11 km west of Baker, San Bernardino County, California. It is found in narrow veins in a highly siliceous hornfels in association with cerussite, chrysocolla, fluorite, goethite, gypsum, mimetite, opal, plumbotsumite, quartz, sepiolite, and wulfenite. The streak is white, the luster is vitreous, the Mohs hardness is about 5, and there is one perfect cleavage, {100}. The measured density is 3.96(5) g/cm^3 and the calculated density is 3.940 g/cm^3. Optical properties (589 nm): biaxial (+), {alpha} = 1.674(2), β = 1.684(2), {gamma} = 1.708(2), 2V = 66(2)°, dispersion r > v (strong); X = b, Y = c, Z = a. Electron microprobe analysis provided PbO 60.25, CuO 0.23, SiO_2 36.22 wt%, and CHN analysis provided H_2O 3.29 wt% for a total of 99.99 wt%. Powder IR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of H_2O and single-crystal IR spectroscopy indicated the H_2O to be oriented perpendicular to the b axis. Raman spectra were also obtained. The strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines are [d (hkl) I]: 7.88(110)97, 6.63(200)35, 4.90(020)38, 3.623(202)100, 3.166(130)45, 2.938(312/411/222)57, 2.555(132/213)51, and 2.243(521/332)50. The atomic structure (R1 = 2.04%) consists of undulating sheets of silicate tetrahedra between which are located Pb atoms and channels containing H_2O (and Pb^(2+) lone-pair electrons). The silicate sheets can be described as consisting of zigzag pyroxene-like (SiO_3)_n chains joined laterally into sheets with the unshared tetrahedral apices in successive chains pointed alternately up and down, a configuration also found in pentagonite.
Whither solar fuels

Solar fuels are a long-term permanent solution to renewable fuel technologies to reduce foreign oil imports and carbon dioxide emissions. Although promising in laboratory and pilot scale, they possess inherent technical and economic challenges that hinder large-scale implementation. This work examines critical issues for four solar fuel technologies: solar-powered electrolysis, photoelectrochemical (PEC) systems, solar biomass gasification, and solar thermochemical cycles. Also identified are areas of chemical and materials engineering research that are essential to cost-competitive solar fuels production.
Line shifts in electron channeling radiation from lattice vibrations.

A density matrix formulation of the dynamical theory of spectral shifts from correlated lattice vibrations in electron channeled radiation is presented. For lower-energy channeling, in which two bound levels exist in the channeling potential, positive shifts can be demonstrated. In the case of higher-energy channeling, where the number of bound levels increases, reduced positive shifts and negative shifts are shown. The theory suggests a novel method for experimentally determining a transverse, vibration correlation length in crystals.
A probabilistic formulation for Hausdorff matching

Matching images based on a Hausdorff measure has become popular for computer vision applications. However, no probabilistic model has been used in these applications. This limits the formal treatment of several issues, such as feature uncertainties and prior knowledge. In this paper, we develop a probabilistic formulation of image matching in terms of maximum likelihood estimation that generalizes a version of Hausdorff matching. This formulation yields several benefits with respect to previous Hausdorff matching formulations. In addition, we show that the optimal model position in a discretized pose space can be located efficiently in this formation and we apply these techniques to a mobile robot self-localization problem.
Age, phylogeography and population structure of the microendemic banded spring snail, Mexipyrgus churinceanus.

Recent theoretical and empirical studies of phylogeography and population structure indicate that many processes influence intraspecific evolutionary history. The present study represents the first examination of various forces influencing the spatial and temporal patterns of sequence variation in the freshwater Mexican banded spring snail, Mexipyrgus churinceanus . This snail occurs in one of the most critically endangered centres of freshwater endemism, the desert ecosystem of Cuatro Cienegas. From cytochrome b mtDNA sequence variation, there is strong evidence of long-term isolation of three regions, suggesting that these regions represent evolutionarily distinct lineages. Molecular clock estimates of clade age indicate a time to most recent common ancestor of approximately 2.5 million years ago (Ma). The three regions differ considerably in the historical and demographic forces affecting population structure. The western populations have extremely low mtDNA diversity consistent with a severe bottleneck dating to 50 000 years before present ( BP ). The nearby Rio Mesquites drainage is characterized by fragmentation events, restricted gene flow with isolation by distance, and higher levels of mtDNA polymorphism. These patterns are consistent with the long-term stability of this drainage along with habitat heterogeneity and brooding contributing to population isolation and restricted gene flow. Southeastern populations show evidence of range expansion and a strong influence of genetic drift. Migration rates between drainages indicate very little gene flow between drainages except for asymmetric migration from the Rio Mesquites into both western and southeastern drainages.
A reconstruction algorithm using singular value decomposition of a discrete representation of the exponential radon transform using natural pixels

An algorithm to correct for constant attenuation in SPECT is derived from the singular value decomposition (SVD) of a discrete representation of the exponential Radon transform using natural pixels. The algorithm is based on the assumption that a continuous image can be obtained by backprojecting the discrete array q, which is the least squares solution to Mq=p, where p is the array of discrete measurements, and the matrix M represents the composite operator of the backprojection operator A/sub /spl mu//* followed by the projection operator A/sub /spl mu//. A singular value decomposition of M is used to solve the equation Mq=p, and the final image is obtained by sampling the backprojection of the solution q at a discrete array of points. Analytical expressions are given to calculate the matrix elements of M that are integrals of exponential factors over the overlapped area of two projection strip functions (natural pixels). A spectral analysis of the exponential Radon transform is compared with that of the Radon transform. The condition number of the spectrum increases with increased attenuation coefficient, which correlates with the increase in statistical error propagation seen in clinical images obtained with low-energy radionuclides. Computer simulations using 32 projections sampled over 360 degrees show an improvement in the SVD reconstruction over the convolution backprojection reconstruction, especially when the projection data is corrupted with noise. >
Persistence of neurotropic JC virus DNA in hamster tissues six months after intracerebral inoculation

Immunostaining and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods were used to examine tissues from 18 6-month-old hamsters intracerebrally inoculated with JC virus (JCV) as newborns. JCV DNA was detected in all hamster brains and urinary bladders, as well as in most kidney, adrenal gland and pancreas samples. While results from reverse transcription PCR (RNA PCR) and immunostaining suggest that T antigen transcription and protein expression were restricted to the brain, the DNA suggests that intracerebrally inoculated JCV enters the systemic circulation and latently infects organs in a tissue specific manner.
Synaptic AMPA Receptor Exchange Maintains Bidirectional Plasticity

Summary Activity-dependent synaptic delivery of GluR1-, GluR2L-, and GluR4-containing AMPA receptors (-Rs) and removal of GluR2-containing AMPA-Rs mediate synaptic potentiation and depression, respectively. The obvious puzzle is how synapses maintain the capacity for bidirectional plasticity if different AMPA-Rs are utilized for potentiation and depression. Here, we show that synaptic AMPA-R exchange is essential for maintaining the capacity for bidirectional plasticity. The exchange process consists of activity-independent synaptic removal of GluR1-, GluR2L-, or GluR4-containing AMPA-Rs and refilling with GluR2-containing AMPA-Rs at hippocampal and cortical synapses in vitro and in intact brains. In GluR1 and GluR2 knockout mice, initiation or completion of synaptic AMPA-R exchange is compromised, respectively. The complementary AMPA-R removal and refilling events in the exchange process ultimately maintain synaptic strength unchanged, but their long rate time constants (∼15–18 hr) render transmission temporarily depressed in the middle of the exchange. These results suggest that the previously hypothesized "slot" proteins, rather than AMPA-Rs, code and maintain transmission efficacy at central synapses.
A skew Laplace distribution on integers

We propose a discrete version of the skew Laplace distribution. In contrast with the discrete normal distribution, here closed form expressions are available for the probability density function, the distribution function, the characteristic function, the mean, and the variance. We show that this distribution on integers shares many properties of the skew Laplace distribution on the real line, including unimodality, infinite divisibility, closure properties with respect to geometric compounding, and a maximum entropy property. We also discuss statistical issues of estimation under this model.
The Circuit Theory Behind Coupled-Mode Magnetic Resonance-Based Wireless Power Transmission

Inductive coupling is a viable scheme to wirelessly energize devices with a wide range of power requirements from nanowatts in radio frequency identification tags to milliwatts in implantable microelectronic devices, watts in mobile electronics, and kilowatts in electric cars. Several analytical methods for estimating the power transfer efficiency (PTE) across inductive power transmission links have been devised based on circuit and electromagnetic theories by electrical engineers and physicists, respectively. However, a direct side-by-side comparison between these two approaches is lacking. Here, we have analyzed the PTE of a pair of capacitively loaded inductors via reflected load theory (RLT) and compared it with a method known as coupled-mode theory (CMT). We have also derived PTE equations for multiple capacitively loaded inductors based on both RLT and CMT. We have proven that both methods basically result in the same set of equations in steady state and either method can be applied for short- or midrange coupling conditions. We have verified the accuracy of both methods through measurements, and also analyzed the transient response of a pair of capacitively loaded inductors. Our analysis shows that the CMT is only applicable to coils with high quality factor (Q) and large coupling distance. It simplifies the analysis by reducing the order of the differential equations by half compared to the circuit theory.
Small Interventions for Large Problems: Reshaping Urban Leadership Networks:

This article reports a longitudinal study of the Urban Leadership Program, which sought to reshape community leadership networks in a large metropolitan area Program classes of approximately50 pers...
CruzDB: software for annotation of genomic intervals with UCSC genome-browser database.

Motivation: The biological significance of genomic features is often context dependent. Annotating a particular dataset with existing external data can provide insight into function. Results: We present CruzDB, a fast and intuitive programmatic interface to the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) genome browser that facilitates integrative analyses of diverse local and remotely hosted datasets. We showcase the syntax of CruzDB using microRNA binding sites as examples, and further demonstrate its utility with three biological discoveries. First, DNA replication timing is stratified in gene regions—exons tend to replicate early and introns late during S phase. Second, several non-coding variants associated with cognitive functions map to lincRNA transcripts of relevant function, suggesting potential function of these regulatory RNAs in neuronal diseases. Third, lamina-associated genomic regions are highly enriched in olfaction-related genes, indicating a role of nuclear organization in their regulation. Availability: CruzDB is available at https://github.com/brentp/cruzdb under the MIT open-source license.
Cranial capacity/cranial base relationships and prediction of vault form: a canonical correlation analysis.

Canonical correlation analysis was used to test an hypothesized morphological relationship between vault form and cranial capacity relative to length of the chondrocranium. Ninety-five adult male Czech skulls were measured for vault form expressed as length, width and height of the brain case; the chondrocranium was represented by nasion-basion and basion-opisthion lengths. In terms of explained variation, the first and most important dimension of covariation between vault and chondrocranial variables was size. The second most significant dimension of covariation expressed the hypothesized shape relationships--i.e., overall size being equal, the shorter the chondrocranial base relative to cranial capacity, the shorter and wider the vault. Furthermore, the competing hypothesis that vault form is determined by facial length proved untenable since facial length was predictive of vault shape only when measured as prosthion-basion, a measure that incorporates basal length. When corrected for basal length, facial length is unrelated to vault form. The results are consistent with the assumption that phylogenetic and microevolutionary trends toward brachycephaly in man stem from changes in the relationship between two components of skull growth, the chondrocranial base and the brain.
Depolarization and Backscatter Lidar for Unattended Operation

A depolarization and backscatter lidar for unattended, stand-alone eye safe operation has been developed and is undergoing tests at NOAA ETL. The system operates with a frequency doubled Nd:YLF micro-Joule pulse laser transmitter and employs a narrow field-of-view and narrow bandpass photon counting receiver. Monitoring, control, display, and data archiving are achieved through a network connection to a remote computer.
Allograft Reconstruction of the Anterior and Posterior Cruciate Ligaments After Traumatic Knee Dislocation

Seven patients (average age, 26.3 years) with traumatic knee dislocations were retrospectively evaluated more than 2 years (average, 51 months) after having fresh-frozen allograft anterior and posterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. All patients were treated consecutively at an average of 9.6 days after injury. Two patients had arterial injuries and three patients had or developed common peroneal nerve palsy. Five patients had 20 additional injuries. All patients were enlisted in an early, aggressive physical therapy regimen with early protected weightbearing. Four patients required a manipulation under anesthesia for arthrofibrosis at an average of 16.8 weeks postoperatively (range, 6 to 33 weeks). At followup, only one patient had significant pain, three patients had rare or occasional giving way, and all seven were able to return to school or to the workplace. The functional grading was excellent in three patients, good in three patients, and fair in one patient. No patient had a significant flexion contracture; the average flexion arc was 118 degrees (range, 105 degrees to 135 degrees). Knee dislocation is a very traumatic injury, often resulting in a painful, dysfunctional knee. Anterior and posterior cruciate ligament reconstructions in young, active patients can minimize pain and optimize functional outcome. Arthrofibrosis is a common occurrence in these patients, and manipulation under anesthesia is frequently required.
Peroxidase Antimicrobial System of Human Saliva: Requirements for Accumulation of Hypothiocyanite

Human saliva was fractionated to determine the components required for production and accumulation of the antimicrobial oxidizing agent, hypothiocyanite ion (OSCN-). The required components were: 1) peroxidase activity and thiocyanate ion (SCN -), 2) the saliva sediment, which produced hydrogen peroxide (H 2O2) in the presence of oxygen and a divalent cation, and 3) heatstable factors of the saliva supernatant. The supernatant factors were separated into high- and low-mol wt fractions. The high-mol wt fraction contained both peptide and carbohydrate, and its activity was partially inhibited by proteolytic treatment. The low-mol wt fraction contained carbohydrate and could be replaced by a number of mono- and di-saccharides. Glucosamine and N-acetyl glucosamine were the most effective, whereas neutral sugars such as sucrose were less effective. Sucrose competed with glucosamine, so that lower levels of OSCN- were obtained with increasing amounts of sucrose. The sugars stimulated production of H202 by the s...
Differential effects of retinoic acid and N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

Both retinoic acid (RA) and the synthetic retinoid N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4HPR) have shown efficacy in head and neck cancer chemoprevention trials. To compare their activity and mechanism of action, the 1483 oral head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell line was grown in organotypic culture, an in vitro system that allows cellular stratification and simulates carcinoma in situ, and was exposed to 10 μmol/L of either RA or 4HPR. Extensive apoptosis, as evidenced by in situ deoxyribonucleic acid end-labeling, occurred in 4HPR-treated cultures after 9 days, with >80% cell loss (P<.001). In contrast, the growth of cultures treated with RA was inhibited by only 32%, with no evidence of apoptosis. Because 4HPR has low systemic toxicity and is a potent inducer of apoptosis in HNSCC cells, its role in chemoprevention of head and neck cancers, including cancers that are resistant to RA-induction therapy, warrants further investigation.
Measuring host rock volume changes during magma emplacement

We use a technique to evaluate volume strains in contact aureoles during magma emplacement based on geochemical mass balance calculations. Dynamothermal contact metamorphism adjacent to the Emigrant Gap composite pluton, Sierra Nevada, California, produced an 01 km wide thermal/structural aureole consisting of an outer andalusite2cordierite zone and an inner potassium feldspar2sillimanite zone. Mass balance calculations using Al as an immobile reference frame element in metapelites inside and outside of the aureole indicate that the percentage change in total rock mass between chlorite-grade rocks outside of the thermal eAects of the pluton and the aureole isˇ11.1%21.4%. Mass balance calculations indicate that Si was the major rock forming element depleted (0ˇ16%) from the aureole during contact metamorphism. Mass balance calculations and density measurements yield volume strains associated with mass transfer during contact metamorphism of ˇ12.4%. These data, in conjunction with field relationships, are interpreted to suggest that (a) element mobility during contact metamorphism is not restricted to volatiles, and (b) volume losses within the contact aureole occur during magma emplacement and may contribute to the ‘space-making’ process during magma emplacement if intrusion spans the period necessary to engage hydrothermal circulation in the host rocks. # 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Snapshot PK: a rapid rodent in vivo preclinical screening approach

Described in this article are strategies implemented to increase the throughput of in vivo rodent pharmacokinetic (PK) studies using the snapshot PK study design and automated methods for compound submission, sample processing, data analysis and reporting. Applying snapshot PK studies to categorize the oral exposure of >1300 discovery compounds as low, moderate or high resulted in an attrition rate of 86%. The follow up full PK studies on the remaining compounds found that 98% of the compounds were predicted in the correct (69%) or adjacent (29%) oral exposure category by the snapshot PK studies. These results demonstrate that the snapshot PK screen in rodents can serve as an effective and efficient in vivo tool in the compound selection process in drug discovery.
Commentary: Guiding a Public Health Approach to Bullying

Tragic events have served to focus the nation on possible profound and damaging effects of bullying on victims, on bystanders and on the school and community environments. Although a reliance on self-report and issues of definition and survey structure are concerns (Sawyer, Bradshaw & O’Brennan, 2008), recent analyses of national representative samples estimate about 30% of adolescents are involved in bullying with about half as victims (Wang, Ianotti & Nansel, 2009). The report by Wang et al. (2010) uses latent class analyses of a nationally representative sample of youth who completed the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study to identify a group of adolescents (All Types) who appear likely to be victimized by all types of bullying, including cyberbullying. The strong support for the relation between this type of victimization and a variety of psychological and physical sequelae suggest that intervening carefully at an individual level may be a useful strategy; however, such a strategy needs to be applied cautiously to avoid possible negative consequences and represents only one component of a comprehensive approach to this underestimated public health crisis.
Not asleep, not quite awake.

Narcoleptic individuals experience episodes of cataplexy, in which they retain consciousness but have no muscle tone. Consciousness and muscle tone are controlled by distinct brain regions, now delineated by research on narcoleptic dogs.
Design and characterization of a gain-enhanced floating gate-body tied photodetector in Silicon on Sapphire CMOS

In this work, we report on the design, fabrication and testing of a photoreceptor in silicon on sapphire CMOS with an unprecedented responsivity of 250,000 A/W operating with a bias of only a few hundred millivolts at room temperature. The device consists of a floating gate-body tied MOS transistor with a low-threshold channel doping, but with a modified body structure that amplifies the gain of the device by as much as a factor often.
Monitoring the analytic surface.

How do we listen during an analytic hour? Systematic analysis of the speech patterns of one patient (Mrs. C.) strongly suggests that the clustering of shared pronouns (e.g., you/me) represents an i...
Recovering Exponential Accuracy in Fourier Spectral Methods Involving Piecewise Smooth Functions with Unbounded Derivative Singularities

Fourier spectral methods achieve exponential accuracy both on the approximation level and for solving partial differential equations, if the solution is analytic. If the solution is discontinuous but piecewise analytic up to the discontinuities, Fourier spectral methods produce poor pointwise accuracy, but still maintain exponential accuracy after post-processing (Gottlieb and Shu in SIAM Rev 30:644---668, 1997) . In Chen and Shu (J Comput Appl Math 265:83---95, 2014), an extended technique is provided to recover exponential accuracy for functions which have end-point singularities, from the knowledge of point values on standard collocation points. In this paper, we develop a technique to recover exponential accuracy from the first $$N$$N Fourier coefficients of functions which are analytic in the open interval but have unbounded derivative singularities at end points. With this post-processing method, we are able to obtain exponential accuracy of spectral methods applied to linear transport equations involving such functions.
Avoidance at School: Further Specifying the Influence of Disorder, Victimization, and Fear

Using data collected in 2007 from a national sample of nearly 3,500 students this study explores the utility of a more integrated approach to understanding student avoidance behavior. More specific...
Space Data Integrator: FAA's Innovative Platform for Launch and Reentry Operations

In response to the predicted increase in frequency and complexity of commercial launch and reentry operations, the FAA must continue its effort to develop integrated capabilities to meet the Administration’s objectives and realize the anticipated operational benefits of the integration of these operations into the National Airspace System (NAS). The Space Data Integrator (SDI) platform is such a capability that automates the FAA’s currently manual, time-consuming and resource-intensive procedures to support commercial launch and reentry operations. The objectives of the SDI are to allow for extending the operations’ planning to include filing a flight plan, to provide situational awareness to the Joint Space Operations Group (JSpOG) at the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) on the launch and reentry vehicle position and mission parameters during the full operations, and to support the detection and response to abnormal events. The SDI is the result of a non-traditional approach for FAA that is flexible, with high-implementation readiness, directly tailored to the end-user needs, and both low-cost/low impact on existing NAS automation systems. The SDI can be used as a shadow system while continuing to mature, a training tool for the JSpOG personnel, and a familiarization tool for commercial space vehicle operators, spaceport representatives and air traffic control personnel.
When do we need pan-global freeze to explain 18O-depleted zircons and rocks?

Rocks with δ^(18)O values of less than 5‰ SMOW (Standard Mean Ocean Water) contain oxygen derived from ∼0‰ seawater or meteoric (rain or melted snow, <0‰) waters. As δ^(18)O_(precipitation) values decrease with increasing latitude, altitude, and toward the interior of continents, the low δ^(18)O values (<5‰) of hydrothermally altered rocks can potentially serve as a proxy for the δ^(18)O values of the altering water and as a proxy for climates (Fig. 1). Hydrothermal exchange of rocks with large quantities of meteoric waters presents the most viable opportunity to imprint low-δ^(18)O water values on the protolith (Fig. 2). Such processes typically require shallow depths of a few kilometers (where water circulates through open cracks and porous rocks), a heat source to drive meteoric-hydrothermal systems, and appropriate hydrogeologic conditions for water refill. These conditions are most commonly found in caldera and rift settings, such as in Yellowstone (Wyoming, United States) and Iceland. Oxygen—as the major element—is not significantly affected by subsequent metamorphism and melting (by more than ~1 ‰), and metamorphism often creates large, refractory metamorphic minerals (garnets, omphacites, zircons) that lock the protolith's oxygen isotopic values permanently in the geologic record.
An evaluation of the bromelin method by means of comparison with the indirect Coombs test in detection of erythrocyte antibodies.

Bromelin, a proteolytic enzyme recently derived from the stem of pineapples, seemed to provide considerable promise as an efficient and economical agent for crossmatching of blood.' The bromelin used in the original work was not a commercially available preparation. For this reason, it was decided to compare the efficiency of the bromelin method with the indirect Coombs test, which is the standard procedure at this blood bank. A commercial lyophilized, buffered preparation of bromelin* was used.
Binomial Sequential Sampling Plans for Adult Female Twospotted Spider Mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) on Hops

Binomial sequential sampling plans, based on Wald’s sequential probability ratio test, were developed for adult female twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on main stem hop leaves at the 2 m elevation for early season sampling and at the 2 + 4 m heights combined for mid- to late season sampling. The 2 + 4 m sampling plan was tested by sampling data sets, which were generated by the Monte Carlo method. Increasing the tally threshold improved the operating characteristic curves and sampling plan robustness and caused the average sample number and percent of maximum sample termination curves to be more peaked around the critical density. Increasing the tally threshold generally reduced the magnitude of sequential sampling errors. Sequential decision errors made at means above the critical density were more serious than errors made below it. When the maximum of 100 samples was taken, the data set mean was generally above the critical density. Therefore, when 100 samples have been taken and no decision has been reached, the sampler should be aware that the field mean is near, and likely greater than, the critical density. The sampling plans were based on a nominal threshold of 5 adult female spider mites per leaf. The plans could be modified using data in this article to develop sampling plans based on an economic threshold when one is determined.
Cloning and prokaryotic expression of gallus thymosin β_4 in Gallus gallus

To find aim is to use a more economical way of obtaining such peptides,the recombinant thymosin β4 was gotten by genetic engineering methods with prokaryotic expression.The tandem repeat gene was cloned into expression vector pET-32a(+),then recombinant plasmid was transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3) and induced its expression with IPTG.The expressed recombinant protein was purified by salting-out,hydrophobic chromatography and ion exchange chromatography and identified by Western-blot.The results showed that a purified recombinant 2Tβ4 was obtained with biological activity.It concludes that the 2Tβ4 is successful construction,purification and expressed,it establishes a foundation for its function research.
Sonographic signs of early pregnancy.

The early embryo (blastocyst) is implanted about 6 to 7 days after fertilization and becomes completely imbedded within the decidua at 9.5 days. As the exocoelomic cavity (or early gestational sac) enlarges, it becomes visible by ultrasonography. The gestational sac, however, remains within markedly thickened ipsilateral decidua. The uterine cavity remains relatively undistorted (i.e., straight) and can be delineated by ultrasonography. The gestational sac, therefore, can be seen adjacent to a straight uterine cavity within a thickened decidua. This is called an intradecidual sign. Before the appearance of a visible gestational sac, an echogenic area within the thickened decidua may be seen. This is the earliest sign of intrauterine gestation, and it can be seen as early as 25-days menstrual age. The earliest evidence of an embryo is seen about 2 weeks later, when two small bubbles (amniotic and yolk sacs) attach to the wall of the gestational sac. The embryonic disc is located between the two bubbles. This is called the double-bleb sign. The intradecidual and double-bleb signs represent the most important signs of early intrauterine pregnancy.
Bill Freund and Vishnu Padayachee, eds. (D)urban Vortex: South African City in Transition. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa: University of Natal Press, 2002. Distributed by International Specialized Book Services, Inc., Portland, Ore. x + 345 pp. Maps. Notes. References. Index. $34.50. Paper.

Bill Freund and Vishnu Padayachee, eds. (D)urban Vortex: South African City in Transition. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa: University of Natal Press, 2002. Distributed by International Specialized Book Services, Inc., Portland, Ore. x + 345 pp. Maps. Notes. References. Index. $34.50. Paper. Social scientists tend to accept data as they are conventionally offered, and hence to analyze developing and transitional societies at a national level. The exceptions are usually short studies of particular aspects of a region, and of course the myriad studies that use micro-data sets from a particular region but without any true sense of a region's uniqueness. (D)urbtm Vortex, in contrast, stands out as a comprehensive effort to place a single metropolitan area in a global setting. The volume provides a political history of the city, an examination of regional government planning efforts, discussions of the economy and financial setting, analysis of political change and labor markets, and a section on meeting basic needs and the provision of urban services. It consists of an introductory overview followed by eleven thematic chapters and represents the updated product of a 1998 conference on Durban's urban development. The book is striking for its breadth of coverage, and the editors are to be commended for successfully welding together a diverse set of papers. They and the authors also merit recognition for even-handedness: This is not a story of saints and devils, nor does it veer toward either unvarnished optimism or gloomy pessimism. Rather, what emerges is a picture of a major metropolitan area struggling to cope with the end of apartheid, both in terms of political control, and perhaps more critically, of social control by government over the region's population. The challenges include regional government consolidation, profound economic changes, and complex relations between regional and national government, with plans for the port's development forming the central issue. In short, Durban is undergoing epochal change rather than a simple transition. (D)urban Vortex ably captures the nuances of this change. Three chapters on politics give an excellent sense of the tensions underlying the racial shift in power, in union and community-based initiatives, and in the region's growing awareness of environmental issues. These are followed by a section on public services and on the emergence of informal sector activities, especially in trading and food distribution. …
Distributed optimization of strongly convex functions on directed time-varying graphs

We investigate the convergence rate of the recently proposed subgadient-push method for distributed separable optimization over time-varying directed graphs. The algorithm requires no knowledge of either the number of agents or the graph sequence to implement, nor the use of doubly stochastic weights. We show that the algorithm converges at a rate of O(ln t/t) for strongly convex functions. The proportionality constant in the rate estimate depends on some problem parameters, the initial values at the nodes, the speed of the network information diffusion, and the imbalances of influence among the nodes.
The Great Recession of 2007–2008

This chapter reviews a range of macroeconomic and financial sector developments leading to the Great Recession and discusses how risk perceptions affect the financial markets. It describes how several European countries went through a similar seesaw of boom and recession, largely driven by the same macroeconomic forces that caused the recession in the USA. It examines the role played by policies, regulation (or lack of it, and poor enforcement), rating agency behavior and executive remuneration incentives. It also describes how various important financial institutions were impacted by the crisis. Finally, it summarizes the timely warnings of a few prominent economists about the dangers facing the economy, which were ignored.
INFLUENCE OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES ON THE GROWTH OF MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON: DINOFLAGELLATES1

Humic substances, in small amounts, exert a stimulatory effect on marine dinoflagellates that is reflected in increased yield, growth rate, and uptake. Humic acid was found to be more active than fulvic acid; in both cases the growth responses were dependent on concentration. Of the various fractions isolated, the low molecular weight fractions of humic acid produced the greatest growth response in unialgal cultures of dinoflagellates. The positive effect of humic substances on phytoplankton growth is, for the most part, independent of nutrient concentration and cannot be attributed entirely to chelation processes. It appears that growth enhancement in the presence of humic substances is linked with stimulation of algal cell metabolism. Because of their high concentrations in coastal waters, humic substances may thus be regarded as an ecologically significant entity influencing phytoplanktonic production.
Season of conception is associated with future survival, fertility, and milk yield of Holstein cows.

ABSTRACT Environmental influences during different stages of pregnancy can induce lifelong changes in the structure, physiology, and metabolism of the offspring. Our hypothesis was that season of conception (when the offspring was conceived), associated with heat stress conditions at conception and during the initial stages of embryonic development, affects the lifetime performance and survival of the female offspring after birth. The objective was to analyze the association between month of conception and subsequent survival, fertility, and milk yield in cows maintained on dairy farms in Florida, where the climate during the summer is hot and humid but winters are mild. Initial data consisted of 667,104 Dairy Herd Improvement lactation records from cows calving between 2000 and 2012 in 152 herds. Dates of conception were estimated as birth date minus 280 d. The magnitude of heat stress in each herd was quantified by comparing milk yield during summer and winter. Wood's lactation curves were fitted to adjust milk yields for effects of days in milk, and residuals were obtained for each calendar month. A sine function was fitted on the 12 residuals per farm. The difference between the highest and lowest points on the sine function was termed the seasonality index, a measure of the direct effect of heat stress on milk production. Herds were categorized in 3 levels of seasonality [low (seasonality index values less than the 25th percentile value; 5.22)]. Cows were grouped by their month of conception: summer (July–September) and winter (December–February), and comparisons were performed by parity using logistic regression, ANOVA, and survival analysis. Two models were developed. Model A included the complete population of cows (n = 337,529 lactation records) conceived in winter or summer. Model B included cows (n = 228,257 lactation records) that had parent-average genetic information available to be able to correct for farmer's use of lower genetic merit of sires in summer. Other variables included in the models were month and year of calving, age at first calving, and herd. Models were run per parity group (1, 2, and ≥3). In both models, age at first calving was lower for cows conceived during winter versus summer. The odds (95% confidence interval) of survival to a second calving for cows conceived in winter were 1.21 and 1.15 times the odds of survival for cows conceived in summer for models A and B, respectively. Numbers of days from calving to first breeding and from calving to conception were consistently smaller for winter versus summer months of conception across all parity categories. Milk yields (305 d and by 70 d in milk) were greater for cows conceived in winter versus summer. In conclusion, cows that were conceived in the winter had better subsequent survival and performance than cows that were conceived in the summer. There is evidence that season of conception may have lifelong consequences for the offspring.