cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Behavior of a chemically dispersed oil in a wetland environment.

Abstract An experiment was conducted at a wetland research facility, investigating the behavior and effects of chemically dispersed oil (CDO) using an oil-spill dispersant. The research site is located on the San Jacinto River near Houston, TX. The replicated treatments included oiled control, “high-dose” CDO (1:10 dispersant-to-oil ratio (DOR)), “low-dose” CDO (1:20 DOR), as well as an unoiled control. Known amounts of oil or dispersed oil were added to the respective plots. Sediment samples were taken over a 99-day period using a 5-cm-diameter coring device. The GC/MS results for both “total target saturate hydrocarbons” and “total target aromatic hydrocarbons” were plotted over time and data were modeled using nonlinear regression. The overall (including abiotic and biotic) petroleum loss rates for the dispersed-oil treatments were not statistically different when compared to the oiled control. However, the initial concentrations for the dispersed-oil treatments were statically lower (95% confidence) than for the oiled control. From this, it can be inferred that the dispersed oil was more prone to flush off the sediments, as was visually observed. Biodegradation rates were also determined for all treatments; it was concluded that there were no differences when comparing each dispersed-oil treatment to the oiled control. The sediments from each plot were also analyzed for microbial population numbers (most-probable-number) and acute toxicity (Microtox ® 100% Test). Statistical analyses for both sets of data found no significant differences for the dispersed-oil treatments when compared to the oiled control.
Alternative splicing of murine T-cell receptor β-chain transcripts

Variable processing of heteronuclear RNA into multiple, defined species of messenger RNA is a well-established phenomenon in a number of systems, including myelin basic protein, calcitonin, troponin T4 and immunoglobulins. Within a single B cell, immunoglobulin heavy-chain peptides often exist as two related but distinct species, a membrane-bound form and a secreted form, both of which originate from the same germline constant(C)-region gene via alternative RNA processing pathways. Furthermore, at certain stages of B-cell development, a single variable(V)-region element can be concurrently expressed in immunoglobulins of both the IgM and IgD isotypes, presumably resulting from the alternative splicing of one variable-region exon to different constant-region genes. We report here the existence of an alternative RNA splicing pathway available to murine T-cell receptor (TCR) beta-chain transcripts. Sequence analysis of beta-chain complementary DNA clones reveals a C beta 1 species containing a 72-base pair (bp) insertion between the joining (J beta) and C beta elements. This sequence is inserted via an alternative splicing pathway available to C beta 1 transcripts. The optional exon is located between the J beta 1 cluster and the first exon of C beta 1. Interestingly, this element can be spliced to C beta 2 in the New Zealand White mouse, in which the C beta 1 gene is deleted. Use of the alternative splicing pathway varies between 1% and 18% of total C beta clones, depending on the source of isolation.
Incidental atypical pheochromocytoma in sporadic type IIb von Hippel-Lindau disease.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the features of an incidentally discovered atypical pheochromocytoma in an asymptomatic patient with normal blood pressure and the de novo appearance of sporadic type IIB von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. Methods We review the clinical manifestations, radiographic findings, and unusual features of a large, atypical pheochromocytoma diagnosed in a patient with the rare type IIB phenotype of VHL disease. Results A 46-year-old man, who sought medical assistance in the emergency department after a motorcycle accident, had an abdominal roentgenogram that revealed extensive left suprarenal calcification. Computed tomography of the abdomen demonstrated a densely calcified left adrenal mass, bilateral renal cysts, and pancreatic calcifications. The patient was normotensive and asymptomatic and had no history of hypertension. He had undergone resection of a cerebellar hemangioblastoma at age 36 years and a partial left nephrectomy for a renal cyst at age 7 years. Routine biochemical screening demonstrated increased urinary vanillylmandelic acid and normetanephrine levels as well as an elevated plasma norepinephrine level. The adrenal mass was notable for the absence of increased signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images. The patient was diagnosed with the type IIB phenotype of VHL disease and underwent resection of a 10.5-cm, 124-g benign pheochromocytoma. Conclusion Our case emphasizes the importance of recognizing that pheochromocytoma may occur in association with sporadic VHL disease, that not all pheochromocytomas have an increased signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images, and that routine biochemical testing for pheochromocytoma is important in all patients with an adrenal “incidentaloma.” (Endocr Pract. 1998;4:268-271)
A volatile liquid chromatography system for nucleotides

Abstract A liquid chromatography system useful for the rapid purification of radioactively labeled and nonradioactive ribonucleoside mono-, di-, and triphosphates has been developed. The system employs the strong anion-exchange resin AG MP-1 and low concentrations of the volatile eluting agent trifluoroacetic acid, and is suitable for use with high-performance liquid chromatography systems in either isocratic or gradient elution modes. Most common nucleotides can be completely resolved and nearly quantitatively recovered following solvent volatilization.
Electromagnetic wave propagation in periodic structures: Bloch wave solution of Maxwell's equations

We examine the propagation of electromagnetic waves in periodic dielectric structures by solving the vector Maxwell equations with the plane-wave method. Contrary to experimental reports, as well as results of scalar-wave calculations, we do not find a true gap extending throughout the Brillouin zone in the fcc structure. However, there is a depletion in the photon density of states, seemingly a remnant of the Mie resonance, giving rise to a pseudogap in the spectrum that is quite strong for dielectric-sphere packing fraction \ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\sim}0.3--0.4. An effect analogous to the Borrmann effect in x-ray diffraction is predicted, where certain photon modes will propagate an anomalously long distance before getting absorbed.
Subsurface Geology of Chester Series in Illinois

The Chester series underlies most of the southern half of Illinois east of East St. Louis. Except where they have been removed by post-Chester erosion, all of the formations in the standard Chester section can be identified in the area. Producing formations are the Cypress and Bethel sandstones, both of which are in the lower part of the Chester series. The maximum known thickness is 1,450 feet at a point in the most southerly part of the area. Because of northward thinning of individual formations, the original thickness of the entire section in the northern part of the area was probably half of this. Uplift, warping, and peneplanation previous to the deposition of Pennsylvanian sediments caused truncation of the series throughout the basin and scalping of local structur s. The isopach map indicates two major pre-Pennsylvanian anticlinal areas in which are located a large proportion of the Illinois oil fields, one the LaSalle anticline, and the other an uplift extending southeast from the region of Sorento.
Low-temperature phase transitions in (C5H5NH)Ag5I6

Abstract The solid electrolyte (C5H5NH)Ag5I6 undergoes two low-temperature transitions, probably associated with the ordering of the pyridinium ions. The two phases are monoclinic and have structures closely related to that of the hexagonal phase at 240°K. The transition to the γ-phase at 230°K is second order, and that from the γ- to the δ-phase at 180°K, first order. In the γ-phase, the monoclinic a and b axes correspond to the orthohexagonal B and A axes, respectively; in the δ-phase, the correspondence is reversed. If the pyridinium ions order in the γ-phase, its space group is most probably Cc. If the pyridinium ions are ordered in the δ-phase, the N atoms must lie on twofold axes in C2 c , but the space group Cc is also possible for this phase.
Inverted Factor Access and Slow Reversion Characterize SWI/SNF-altered Nucleosome Dimers

Human SWI/SNF (hSWI/SNF) is an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex with important functions in activation and repression of cellular genes. Previously, we showed that hSWI/SNF creates structurally altered dimers from mononucleosome cores. More recently we found that hSWI/SNF also generates abundant structurally altered dinucleosomes, called altosomes, on polynucleosomal templates. Here, we find that dimers revert to normal nucleosomes at a similar rate as altosomes and can also be cleaved to yield nucleosomal particles with mobilities similar to mononucleosomes. Using these and other shared properties we propose a single model for both types of hSWI/SNF product. In addition, we further characterize the accessibility of altered dimers to transcription factors, and find that the DNA in dimers is most accessible in the middle and least accessible at the ends, directly opposite the profile of normal mononucleosomes. We also find that transcription factor binding can influence the ratio of normal nucleosomes and dimers as hSWI/SNF products. Implications for the interplay between hSWI/SNF products and transcription factors are discussed.
Geochemistry of tertiary alkaline rocks of the Eastern Trans-Pecos Magmatic Province, Texas

The Trans-Pecos Magmatic Province (TPMP) is an alkalic field that was active between 48-17 Ma. Rocks of two subprovinces in the eastern alkalic belt of the TPMP, the Big Bend region and the Davis Mountains, have been analyzed for major and trace element concentrations in order to determine what magmatic processes operated to influence the compositional evolution of the magmas, and to explore what relationship existed between the silica-oversaturated evolved rocks and the silica-undersaturated mafic rocks. Similar compositional trends exist in both subprovinces, implying that the evolved rocks are genetically related to the mafic rocks, and that the differentiation processes were broadly reproducible spatially and temporally.
Subsurface dopant-induced features on the Si(100)2/spl times/1:H surface: fundamental study and applications

The lack of surface states within the bandgap of the perfect Si(100)2/spl times/1:H surface opens the way to scanning tunneling microscopy studies of dopant atom sites in Si(100). Both n- and p-type dopant-induced features were observed in filled- and empty-states images. The donor (arsenic)-induced feature looks as a protrusion in both the filled and empty states images, while the acceptor (boron)-induced feature appears as a hillock in the filled states image and a depression in the empty states image. The bias dependence, depth dependence, and dopant concentration dependence of the dopant-induced features were investigated in detail. Based on scattering theory, a numerical calculation was performed to achieve a fundamental understanding of these issues. The potential application of this study for three-dimensional dopant profiling with scanning tunneling microscopy on both p- and n-type samples is discussed, and the optimal scanning condition is also suggested. This technique may be a useful metric for characterizing dopant profiles in ultra-small electronic device structures.
The Maximizer: Clarifying Merton's theories of anomie and strain:

Robert Merton's (1957) theories of anomie and strain are among the most widely examined theories of criminality. Messner and Rosenfeld's (1994) theory of institutional anomie built on Merton's conception of anomie, delineating how specific institutions lead to conditions of anomie and criminality. Cloward and Ohlin's (1961) theory of differential opportunity built upon Merton's strain theory, underscoring the fact that those involved in illegitimate means of opportunity require a set of learned skills as do those involved in legitimate means. In this tradition, the present paper further expands Merton's theories of anomie and strain, suggesting that Merton's categories of conformist and innovator are not mutually exclusive. In fact, some individuals combine both legitimate and illegitimate means of opportunity in pursuit of the American Dream. The Maximizer, the authors suggest, merges elements of both the conformist and the innovator (i.e. legitimate and illegitimate means). The present paper explores the justification for merging legitimate and illegitimate means of opportunity in pursuit of the American Dream
High frequency transformation of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii by Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are the caus-ative agents of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis and are amenable to genetic manipulations, making them important models of pathogenic fungi. To improve the efficiency of Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation (ATMT) in C. neoformans, we optimized various co-cultivation conditions including incubation time and temperature, and bacteria to yeast ratio. ATMT was also applied to both serotypes (B and C) of C. gattii. Transformation efficiency by ATMT in C. neoformans was comparable to either electroporation or biolistic transformation and gave superior efficiencies in serotypes B and C, but unlike Saccharomyces cerevisiae, adenine auxotrophy did not increase ATMT efficiency in C. neoformans or C. gattii. All transformants tested were stable, with a majority containing only a single T-DNA insertion; however, homologous recombination was not observed. Additionally, we isolated adenine auxotrophs containing a single T-DNA insertion in the ADE2 gene for representative serotype B and C strains.
Outcome of endovascular repair of popliteal artery aneurysm using the Viabahn endoprosthesis

Objective This study reviews a single-center experience of endovascular popliteal aneurysm (PAA) repair. Methods A retrospective review was performed to identify all endovascular PAA repairs performed between September 2004 and January 2011. Results We identified 21 patients (mean age, 74 ± 9 years, 91% men) with PAAs (mean size, 2.89 ± 1.0 cm) in 26 limbs, of which 38% were symptomatic. All patients underwent endovascular repair with a Viabahn covered stent graft (W. L. Gore & Assoc, Inc, Flagstaff, Ariz). Postoperatively, all patients were maintained on antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel or aspirin, or both. Mean follow-up was 22 ± 17 months (range, 1-57 months). One patient with one aneurysm was lost to follow-up. Primary and secondary patencies were both 91.2% at 1 year and were 85.5% and 91.2%, respectively, at 2 years. The limb salvage rate was 100%. Four stent graft failures occurred at a mean of 12.3 ± 11 months. One technical failure due to stent graft infolding required conversion to an open femoral-popliteal bypass. Three additional graft failures occurred in patients with poor (single-vessel) runoff. Compared with patients with two- or three-vessel runoff, the graft failure rate in patients with single-vessel runoff was statistically significant (P = .02). Two of the graft failures were successfully treated with open thrombectomy, and one required a tibial artery bypass for limb salvage. Conclusions Endovascular repair of PAAs is feasible and has acceptable midterm patency rates. Poor distal runoff predicted graft failure.
Transitional Identity as a Facilitator of Organizational Identity Change during a Merger

We adopted an interpretive, grounded theory approach to study the processes by which organizational identities changed during the initial phases of a merger between two formerly rival healthcare organizations. Our investigation of two top management teams attempting to instigate this major change effort and lead their organizations toward completion of the merger revealed that the emergence of a transitional identity—an interim sense held by members about what their organizations were becoming—was critical to moving the change process forward. The transitional identity allowed executives in the two organizations to suspend their preexisting organizational identities and work toward creating a shared, new identity. The transitional identity appears to have been effective because it was ambiguous enough to allow multiple interpretations of what the merged organization would become to eventually coalesce into a common understanding, but not so ambiguous as to be threateningly unfamiliar. Overall, we present ...
Endotoxemia and the host systemic response during experimental gingivitis

Aim To assess endotoxemia episodes and subsequent changes in serum inflammatory biomarkers using the experimental gingivitis model
KINETICS OF THROMBIN INACTIVATION AS INFLUENCED BY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS, TRYPSIN, AND SERUM.

1. A new technique for studying the progressive inactivation of thrombin is described. 2. Thrombin inactivation follows the kinetics of a first order reaction. 3. The rate constant of the inactivation reaction increases with temperature and pH (5.0 → 10.0), and also with the presence of crystalline trypsin, or serum. The rate varies for different thrombin preparations, even under the same experimental conditions. 4. The temperature characteristics of the reaction indicate that thrombin is associated with protein. 5. Thrombin preparations are most stable at pH 4 to 5, even when trypsin or serum is added. 6. The progressive inactivation is believed to be due to two mechanisms: (1) a major effect, thought to be the action of a "serum-tryptase," which is usually present in the thrombin preparations, and (2) a minor effect, probably attributable to denaturation of thrombin-protein. 7. Sources of the thrombinolytic factor (serum-tryptase) and its implications in the general theory and practical problems of blood coagulation and antithrombic action are briefly discussed.
Investigation of influence factors in electron beam curing of epoxy resins using a calorimetry technique

Because of the complexity of the electron beam (EB) curing process, current understanding of EB curing of polymer resins and composites is limited. This article describes an investigation of different factors affecting EB curing of epoxy resin such as dose rate, time interval between irradiation doses, moisture, and photoinitiator concentration using a calorimetry technique. Results show that higher dose rate resulted in a higher and faster temperature increment in the uncured resin samples, and thus a higher degree of cure. In the multiple-step EB irradiation, a shorter time interval between irradiation doses resulted in higher temperature in the resin samples and therefore higher degree of cure. Results indicate that moisture could delay crosslinking reaction in the early stages of the cure reaction, but accelerates it later in the curing process. Given a reasonable percentage of photoinitiator, experiments confirmed that samples with higher photoinitiator concentration reach higher degree of cure under same EB irradiation conditions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
An information-theoretic meta-theorem on edge-cut bounds

We consider the problem of multiple unicast in wireline networks. Edge-cut based bounds which are simple bounds on the rates achievable by routing flow are not in general, fundamental, i.e. they are not outer bounds on the capacity region. It has been observed that when the problem has some kind of symmetry involved, then flows and edge-cut based bounds are ‘close’, i.e. within a constant or poly-logarithmic factor of each other. In this paper, we make the observation that in these very cases, such edge-cut based bounds are actually ‘close’ to fundamental yielding an approximate characterization of the capacity region for these problems. We demonstrate this in the case of k-unicast in undirected networks, k-pair unicast in directed networks with symmetric demands i.e. for every source communicating to a destination at a certain rate, the destination communicates an independent message back to the source at the same rate, and sum-rate of k-groupcast in directed networks, i.e. a group of nodes, each of which has an independent message for every other node in the group. We place our work in context of existing results to suggest a meta-theorem: if there is inherent symmetry either in the network connectivity or in the traffic pattern, then edge-cut bounds are near-fundamental and flows approximately achieve capacity.
Interference by prostaglandin E2 with the phosphaturic effects of nonhormonal agents.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the ability of prostaglandin (PG) E2 to alter phosphate excretory patterns induced by the nonhormonally mediated phosphaturic maneuvers, bicarbonate loading (BIC), volume expansion (VE) and acetazolamide administration (Az). Acute clearance studies were performed in chronically thyroparathyroid-ectomized dogs. The dosage of PGE2 utilized was free of excretory or hemodynamic effects. After BIC, percentage of phosphate excretion (%EP) increased from 4.8 to 14.0%, (P less than .05). In contrast, BIC preceded by PGE2 infusion produced no phosphaturia. Additionally, PGE2 blunted the increases in Na and HCO3 excretion associated with BIC. VE (5-6% b.wt.) increased %EP from 6.0 to 14.2%, (P less than .01). However, VE after PGE2 treatment did not result in a phosphaturia. Az increased %EP from 4.7 to 28.5%, (P less than .02). When PGE2 was infused before Az, %EP rose from 1.9 to 7.1%, (P less than .02) in response to Az. However, the increment in %EP over base line was reduced from 23.8 to 3.6% by PGE2 pretreatment (P less than .005). PGE2 did not alter the effects of VE or Az on sodium or bicarbonate excretion. Thus, PGE2 blunts or abolishes the phosphaturic effect of each of these maneuvers independent of its action on sodium or bicarbonate transport. We conclude that PGs have a specific action on phosphate transport events induced by certain nonhormonal factors, revealing a hitherto unappreciated role for these agents in modulating tubular reabsorptive processes.
Status of the production electropolishing system at JLAB

Jefferson Lab has installed, and is in the process of commissioning, a production electropolish system, sized for 805 MHz SNS cavities. This paper describes the basic system design, plans for studying the effectiveness of polishing SNS high-/spl beta/ cavities and early results from cavity tests.
Divided Difference Methods for Galois Switching Functions

An alternative is provided to a recently published method of Benjauthrit and Reed for calculating the coefficients of the polynomial expansion of a given function. The method is exhibited for functions of one and two variables. The relative advantages and disadvantages of the two methods are discussed. Some empirical results are given for GF(9) and GF(16). It is shown that functions with DON'T CARE states are represented by a polynomial of minimal degree by this method.
Principles of Multidimensional NMR

Multidimensional NMR has become a key tool in chemistry and structural biology. One of the reasons for this interest is that the method can be used to solve structures of small proteins or nucleic acids in solution. Thus, NMR has evolved from an esoteric technique to a major analytical tool. NMR experiments are built from a combination of various radio frequency pulses separated by delays, and the oscillation of the radiofrequency of the pulses may have different phases with respect to a spectrometer reference phase. This allows for an essentially unlimited number of different pulse sequences, many of which can provide interesting information about molecular structure and mobility. The advent of the operator product formalism (Sorensen et al., 1983) and a general familiarity with this formalism makes the design of new and interesting pulse sequences rather simple and has lead to an avalanche of new NMR techniques. In this article, the basic principles of 1D and nD NMR experiments are introduced on a basic and pictorial level. No explanation of the concept of coherence and net magnetization, or the operator product formalism is given since these are treated in a different chapter of this book.
Synthesis and properties of a double translocation heterozygote involving a stable ring-of-six interchange in the German cockroach

The synthesis and properties of a new double translocation heterozygote in B germanica, combining T (8;9) with the progressive interchange T (4;5;10), are described. Competitiveness and sterility data indicate that males are promising candidates for a "field" experiment in genetic control of a cockroach. Sterility from genetic load and embryonic trapping is complete. Disjunction properties of the parental interchanges are similar to those found in cells of the double males, but chiasma frequency of the interchanged chromosomes is increased. Evidence of a possible relationship between chiasma formation and disjunction type is discussed.
Resonantly Diode-Pumped Er:YAG Cryo-Laser at 1618 nm

Efficient resonantly diode-pumped Er:YAG cryo-laser is demonstrated for the first time. Slope efficiency of 71.5% per absorbed power was achieved at 78°K in these initial experiments. Maximum quasi-CW power of over 63W is reported.
Overwintering Aggregation of Boisea rubrolineatus (Heteroptera: Rhopalidae) in Western Oregon

Overwintering behavior of Boisea rubrolineatus (Barber) was studied during 1984–85. Large numbers of this insect aggregated on a single, large Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, tree, with deep bark fissures, at the edge of a stand ca. 1 km from a grove of maples, Acer macrophyllum Pursh, the feeding host. Other trees near the overwintering site were smaller and lacked deep bark fissures, or were shaded by trees along the edge of the stand. Density measurement was used to estimate number of overwintering insects at ca. 8,000. These results demonstrate the degree of aggregative behavior in this insect and suggest that aspects of stand structure influence the availability of suitable overwintering sites.
Scaling Parameters for Dynamic Diffusion-Reaction over Porous Catalysts

The effect of diffusion resistance in porous solid catalysts on reaction rate during periodic cycling of CO concentration is shown for CO oxidation over Pt/Al2O3 by numerical simulation. At some cycling frequencies, the average reaction rate during cycling is higher than the steady-state rate at the mean CO concentration, as expected for this nonlinear, reactant-inhibited reaction. In order to identify major aspects of dynamic diffusion-reaction behavior, a simple kinetic mechanism that shows the main features of CO oxidation and other reactions with significant inhibition by reactants is investigated. A single dimensionless parameter group, the dynamic diffusion coefficient, is added when going from steady-state to unsteady-state diffusion-reaction equations. In the dynamic diffusion coefficient, the rate at which the gas-phase reactant diffuses is reduced by the surface adsorption capacity of the catalyst. The frequency at which the peak average rate occurs is controlled by the dynamic diffusion coeffic...
Unilateral Renal Agenesis May Result From in Utero Regression of Multicystic Renal Dysplasia

AbstractRenal agenesis is generally thought to result from a lack of induction of the metanephric blastema by the ureteral bud, which may be secondary to ureteral bud maldevelopment and/or to a problem with the formation of the mesonephric duct. Multicystic dysplasia is thought to result from early ureteral obstruction as evidenced by the high frequency of associated proximal ureteral atresia. The recent obstetrical practice of large scale screening of large numbers of fetuses with sonography has resulted in a significant increase in the detection of this and other genitourinary anomalies. These findings have contributed to our understanding of the natural history of many of these malformations, resulting in ongoing reassessment and refinement of current management modalities. Thus, it is now well established that a significant number of multicystic dysplastic kidneys, initially detected in utero and followed postnatally, involute and disappear with time.We report the unequivocal presence of unilateral mu...
Character Transformation in the Friendship of Readers and Writers

Contemporary business gurus call for a new understanding of the manager. Gary Hamel has challenged managers to become wise stewards. This chapter focuses on the process of transformation, especially the way that narratives shared in a reader-author friendship can bring about a transformation in the character of the reader. Drawing insights from literary criticism regarding narrative and the friendship between reader and author, the focus turns to the implied narrative, a story of moral transformation intended to occur in the character of the reader. A community of readers can develop a conversation in response to a text, treating authors such as Plato and Aristotle as friends with whom we might engage in an ongoing conversation in order to cultivate the virtue of practical wisdom.
Metal-Organic chemical vapor deposition of BN on sapphire and its heterostructures with 2D and 3D materials

We studied MOCVD processing for direct growth of BN on 2” sapphire substrates as a template for heterostructures with two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) materials. The combined experimental evidence points to three growth modes for BN: self-terminating, 3D random, and layer-by-layer, all of which are dependent on V/III ratio, temperature, pressure, and substrate surface modification via nitridation. At moderate temperature (950-1050°C), BN growth using high V/III ratio is self-terminating, resulting in c-oriented films aligned in-plane with respect to the orientation of the sapphire substrate. BN films grown under low V/III ratios are 3D, randomly oriented, and nano-crystalline. At higher temperature (1100°C), self-terminating growth transitions to a continuous layer-by-layer growth mode. When BN growth is self-terminating, films exhibit atomically smooth surface morphology and highly uniform thickness over a 2” sapphire wafer. Using these BN/sapphire templates we studied the growth of 2D and 2D/3D heterostructures. To study direct growth of 2D on 2D layered material we deposited graphene on BN in a continued process within the same MOCVD system. Furthermore, we explore the growth and nucleation of 3D materials (GaN and AlN) on BN. AlGaN/GaN based high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures grown on BN/sapphire exhibited two-dimensional electron gas characteristics at the AlGaN/GaN heterointerface, with room-temperature electron mobility and sheet electron density about 1900cm 2 /Vs and 1x10 13 cm -2 , respectively.
The Vanishing Messiah: The Life and Resurrections of Francis Schlatter. By David N. Wetzel

The Vanishing Messiah: The Life and Resurrections of Francis Schlatter . By David N. Wetzel. (Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2016. ix + 279 pp. Illustrations, map, appendix, notes, bibliographic essay, index. $19.95 paper.) Francis Schlatter was a faith healer who vanished at the height of his fame in November of 1895. Or he was a faith healer turned womanizer, wife-beater, and drunken scoundrel who died in 1922. Or he was one of a handful of others who claimed to be the final incarnation of Jesus Christ. Whoever the true Francis Schlatter was, we can thank David Wetzel for performing a truly messianic task—he has raised Schlatter from the dead by telling his fascinating story. The German-speaking, Alsatian born Schlattler came to the United States … sutton{at}wsu.edu
A 0.18µm CMOS narrow-band LNA linearization using digital base-band post-distortion

In this paper, a novel digital base-band post-distorter is proposed to compensate for nonlinearities in low noise amplifiers. Though high gain, good input matching and low noise (low noise figure) are important factors, linearity and low power combined with these factors is most desirable. The proposed post-distorter achieves these factors by an indirect learning architecture at base-band to compensate for nonlinearities. The low noise amplifier was designed in the standard 0.18µm CMOS technology. It achieved a 8dB improvement in linearity with respect to the input power.
Review: Kinshasa: Architecture et paysage urbains by Bernard Toulier, Johan Lagae, and Marc Gemoets

Bernard Toulier, Johan Lagae, and Marc Gemoets Kinshasa: Architecture et paysage urbains Paris: Somogy Editions d’Art, 2010, 128 pp., 203 color and 40 b/w illus. and 7 maps. $34.00, ISBN 2757203622 Over the past couple of decades a burgeoning literature has focused on architecture and urbanism in African cities, ranging from straightforward descriptions of colonial styles to analyses that show how the built environment shapes lived experience. For example, a recent volume, Colonial Architecture and Urbanism in Africa: Intertwined and Contested Histories, edited by Fassil Demissie, covers this broad range, attempting to tease out how architecture and urbanism controlled and negotiated complicated relationships between colonizer and colonized.1 Kinshasa falls neatly into the set of concerns articulated in the Demissie anthology (to which Johan Lagae contributed an essay); it aims to detail the city’s architectural and urban history for general readers. Given that Kinshasa, a city of nine million people, is the third largest on the African continent and, with the exception of Paris, has the largest Francophone metropolitan area in the world, this book is a welcome addition to the study of not only African architecture and urbanism but also architecture’s intersection with francophonie . Kinshasa includes an introduction by Pierre Jacquemont, the French ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an overview by the architectural historian Lagae, …
Ambient-Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (APXPS)

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is a powerful technique for studying surfaces, including those of heterogeneous catalysts, through its ability to quantitatively analyze the elemental and chemical composition with high surface sensitivity. The understanding of heterogeneous catalytic processes under realistic conditions requires measurements at elevated pressures, far from the high-vacuum conditions under which the majority of XPS measurements are conducted. The investigation of surfaces using XPS at or near relevant pressures poses challenges due to scattering of electrons by gas molecules, which have been overcome through the development of ambient-pressure XPS (APXPS). In this chapter, we will review technical approaches for conducting XPS at higher pressures and discuss other experimental challenges that need to be addressed in APXPS investigations. At the end of the chapter, examples of APXPS experiments of CO oxidation over Ru and Pd, as well as the oxidation of other small hydrocarbons are shown.
Framing Class, Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption

The media tends to trivialize issues of class and to downplay the existential problems poverty entails. Diana Kendall’s chapter from her 2005 monograph Framing Class: Media Representations of Wealth and Poverty in America explains how media consumption leads viewers to identify with the way other people, usually those belonging to a superior class, live. This occurs through a set of frames. These frames, in turn, affect how we think about class divisions and economic inequality, how we relate to the affluent and the poor. Each frame, Kendall proposes, is organized through a set of stereotypes and metaphors. Class representations are filtered through a number of frames, which are organized hierarchically: from top to bottom.
Abstract 79: Troponin T, NT-proBNP, and Incidence of Stroke: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Increased levels of plasma troponins and natriuretic peptides in the general population are associated with increased future risk of cardiovascular disease, but only limited information exists on these biomarkers and stroke occurrence. In a prospective epidemiological study, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, we tested the hypothesis that high-sensitivity troponin T (TnT) and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are associated positively with incidence of stroke. We measured plasma high-sensitivity TnT and NT-proBNP in 10,902 men or women initially free of stroke and followed them for a mean of 11.3 years for stroke occurrence (n=507). Analyses were performed using proportional hazards modeling. Both biomarkers were associated positively with total stroke, nonlacunar ischemic, and especially, cardioembolic stroke, but not with lacunar or hemorrhagic stroke. After adjustment for other stroke risk factors, the hazard ratio (95% CI) per one SD greater increment of natural log-transformed TnT was 1.23 (1.13, 1.35) for total stroke, 1.27 (1.15, 1.40) for total ischemic stroke, and 1.36 (1.14, 1.62) for cardioembolic stroke. Likewise, the hazard ratio per one SD greater natural log-transformed NT-proBNP, was 1.37 (1.26, 1.49) for total stroke, 1.39 (1.27, 1.53) for total ischemic stroke, and 1.95 (1.67, 2.28) for cardioembolic stroke. The hazard ratios for jointly high values of TnT (≥0.013 ug/L) and NT-proBNP (≥155.2 pg/mL), versus neither biomarker high, were 2.70 (1.92, 3.79) for total stroke and 6.26 (3.40, 11.5) for cardioembolic stroke, and somewhat stronger for NT-proBNP than TnT. Strikingly, approximately 58% of cardioembolic strokes occurred in the highest quintile of pre-stroke NT-proBNP (versus 3% occurring in the lowest quintile), and 32% of cardioembolic strokes occurred in participants who had both NT-proBNP in the highest quintile and were known by ARIC to have atrial fibrillation sometime before their cardioembolic stroke occurrence. In conclusion, in the general population, elevated plasma TnT and NT-proBNP concentrations are associated with increased risk of cardioembolic and other nonlacunar ischemic strokes.
How do prosthetic stiffness, height and running speed affect the biomechanics of athletes with bilateral transtibial amputations?

Limited available information describes how running-specific prostheses and running speed affect the biomechanics of athletes with bilateral transtibial amputations. Accordingly, we quantified the ...
Cultural snapshots: Theory and method

Causal influences of culture on cognition are challenging to examine scientifically. We here introduce a method to address this challenge. Cultural snapshots enable scientists to (a) characterize the cultural information commonly and frequently encountered by a collective, (b) examine how such cultural information influences the cognitions of individuals, and (c) draw conclusions about the emergence of shared cognition. Specifically, cultural snapshots are recorded samples of public environments commonly encountered by many people. Television scenes, photographs of public spaces, magazine pages, and social media conversations are all examples of cultural snapshots. Representative sets of cultural snapshots can be coded to index the systematic patterns of information encountered by a collective (i.e., cultural patterns). These same materials can be used to experimentally manipulate those cultural patterns, allowing scientists to examine cultural influences on cognition and behavior. We here review and provide guidelines for cultural snapshots research, trace cultural snapshots to classic theories of culture, and describe how cultural snapshots balance the constraints of representative design (Brunswik, 1956) with those of causal inference. We then illustrate how this approach is used to address (a) questions of causality in cultural psychology and (b) questions of applicability in social cognition research. We conclude by evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the approach.
Real time trajectory optimization for nonlinear robotic systems: Relaxation and convexification

Abstract Real time trajectory optimization is critical for robotic systems. Due to nonlinear system dynamics and obstacles in the environment, the trajectory optimization problems are highly nonlinear and non convex, hence hard to be computed online. Liu, Lin and Tomizuka proposed the convex feasible set algorithm (CFS) to handle the non convex optimization in real time by convexification. However, one limitation of CFS is that it will not converge to local optima when there are nonlinear equality constraints. In this paper, the slack convex feasible set algorithm (SCFS) is proposed to handle the nonlinear equality constraints, e.g. nonlinear system dynamics, by introducing slack variables to relax the constraints. The geometric interpretation of the method is discussed. The feasibility and convergence of the SCFS algorithm is proved. It is demonstrated that SCFS performs better than existing non convex optimization methods such as interior-point, active set and sequential quadratic programming, as it requires less computation time and converges faster.
The presence and nature of ellipticity in Appalachian hardwood logs

The ellipticity of hardwood logs is most often observed and measured from either end of a log. However, due to the nature of hardwood tree growth and bucking practices, the assessment of ellipticity in this manner may not be accurate. Trees grown on hillsides often develop supporting wood that gives the first few feet of the log butt a significant degree of ellipticity, while the rest of the log may be more circular. Good log bucking methods dictate that a log be bucked near a fork or a large knot, creating a higher-valued lower log and a jump cut or a lower-valued upper log. This practice and the additional supporting (buttress) wood below the knot can make the upper end of a log exhibit ellipticity. In this study, 703 hardwood logs from Appalachian forests were scanned using a high-resolution laser scanner, and the ellipticity and the angle of the greater axis was recorded for every foot along each log. Approximately one-third of the logs exhibited moderate to severe eccentricity on the small end. However, most logs (99%) did not exhibit significant ellipticity along the entire length. Furthermore, the mean length of the elliptical zone for all species was 3.3 feet.
Alistair G.S. Philip, MD: Mentor, Teacher, Colleague, Friend

Alistair G.S. Philip, MD, has retired as editor-in-chief of NeoReviews . From my perspective, Alistair has retired twice, once in 2004 when he was awarded emeritus status at Stanford University, and recently in 2017, when he made the decision to leave his editorial role at the journal. However, I suspect that this time, his family and golf may have finally taken the Scot from us—although not his legacy. Nonetheless, I also trust that we will still see him occasionally at our professional gatherings or hear from him from time to time through an editorial or commentary, if he thinks we need some further tutoring in some manner of our practice, which I am sure he will decide is necessary. Alistair has never deviated from a career trajectory of continuing education. He was an early immigrant from the United Kingdom, more specifically Scotland, and has maintained a bit of the manner and brogue of the Scot to this day—besides being a decent golfer. He received his medical education at the University of Edinburgh Medical School, achieving his MB, Ch.B in 1961. His Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) was also awarded in Edinburgh, in 1983, after completion of a thesis based on original research. He was an intern at Belfast City Hospital in Northern Ireland, and he served as a resident between 1962 and 1963 at the American Hospital of Paris, Neuilly-sur-Siene, France. The latter experience was evidence of the first expression of his “gene for adventure,” which ultimately would lead him to us at Stanford. Indeed, he was allured by the West early in his career, beginning in 1963 to 1964 when he was a pediatric resident at the Kauikeolani Children’s Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. Between 1964 and 1969, he moved between various medical training experiences in Edinburgh, Boston, and Paris, …
A Paradigm to Link Clinical Research to Clinical Practice: The Challenge in Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

At the outset we would like to present several generalizations. For the most part these generalizations are supported by a strong body of scientific data, but we will not attempt to rigorously document each point. Instead, we will consider this document a framework for discussion. Further, this discussion is derived from the work of many investigators and appropriate and deserved attribution will not always be given.
First-Class Labels: Using Information Flow to Debug Security Holes

We present a system of first-class labels that assists web authors in assessing and diagnosing vulnerabilities in web applications, focusing their attention on flows of information specific to their application. Using first-class labels, web developers can directly manipulate labels and express security policies within JavaScript itself, leveraging their existing knowledge to improve the quality of their applications. Introducing first-class labels incurs no additional overhead over the implementation of information flow in a JavaScript Virtual Machine, making it suitable for use in a security testing environment even for applications that execute large amounts of JavaScript code.
Evolution of Chemical Signals as a Premating Isolating Mechanism in a Complex of Terrestrial Salamanders

Salamanders in the family Plethodontidae are an important component of forest ecosystems in North America (Burton and Likens, 1975). Species of Plethodon are completely terrestrial amphibians; all aspects of their life history, including courtship and egg deposition, occur on land. Both sexes are believed to be solitary, spending most of their time in cool, moist retreat sites and are active on the surface only when atmospheric conditions are suitably cool and moist (Feder, 1983). My research on chemical communication with pairs of closely related species within this genus has shown that salamanders can identify sex and species through odors. Because Plethodon species are nocturnal, and because sexes and sympatric species are nearly indistinguishable morphologically, it is likely that chemoreception is the most important sensory mode. I suggest that chemical communication functions as a premating isolating mechanism between sympatrically occurring sibling species.
Creativity and the Design of Music-Mathematics Activities in a Virtual Simulation Learning Environment

Defined by digital age learning, the current education landscape offers unparalleled opportunities for creative and transformative experiences for students of all ages. Navigating the complexity of this new landscape means that students must be equipped with skills that foster creativity, and are poised to develop unique and innovative solutions. This requires educators to rethink what instructional design should look like and how students should be engaged. Mathematics classrooms, in particular, are fertile places for activities that integrate creativity. This chapter explores the role of creativity in mathematics learning and examines the intersection of mathematics, music, and virtual spaces. Built on Koestler (The concept of creativity in science and art. Springer, The Netherlands, pp. 1–17, 1981) work on creation and creativity, the chapter suggests how environmental (technology) and conceptual (music) frameworks can be juxtaposed to mathematics teaching to create more engaged and productive learning. It is in these unique collisions that new knowledge and new ways of knowing come to pass. A classroom simulation example involving practice teaching experiences in a virtual setting exhibits how technology and music can be incorporated into preservice teacher education. Implications of this work include an expanded idea of what contributes to feelings of efficacy and student success in the mathematics classroom as well as how music may help with challenging mathematical concepts like fractions and patterns.