cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of endochronic theory in multi-dimensional stress states

Abstract The general endochronic theory and its specific constitutive equations for different stress states are studied. The determination of the material parameters, the stability and uniqueness of solution to an endochronic model are also examined. The endochronic material parameters can not be obtained by explicit means from simple tension test data. An approximate formula for these parameters is proposed. It is used to study the transverse behavior of a rod subjected to a uniaxial stress state and the behavior of a plate subjected to an in-plane biaxial stress state under static condition. Results for applications to dynamic problems are also reported. It is found that the endochronic model with simple relaxation function can be applied successfully to certain problems, although it may exhibit undesirable behavior for other problems. The flexibility in describing various material phenomena can be improved by using more realistic relaxation function and intrinsic time definition. This theory has great potential in practical applications.
A new model for sea clutter

First-order (small roughness amplitude) scattering theory is applied to obtain sea clutter cross sections in terms of mean-squared height spectrum of the sea surface. The results are in remarkably good agreement with observations for vertical polarization at P-, L-, C- , and X -bands. Modification of the calculation to take into account the larger scale structure of the sea surface yields reasonable agreement for horizontal polarization at P - and L -bands but is less successful for the cross-polarized and horizontal cross sections at C - and X -bands.
Physical activity, fitness and psychosocial functioning of obese adolescents

Abstract Obesity is associated with an array of negative physical and psychosocial symptoms in adolescents. Numerous interventions have emerged to address this significant public health concern. However, few have focused on African American females, a group at particularly high risk for negative health behaviors and associated complications. Moreover, although investigations with adults have yielded promising findings regarding psychosocial changes associated with increased physical activity and fitness, much less research has examined this relationship in adolescents. The current study addressed these gaps in the research and examined psychological outcomes of adolescent participants in TEENS, a culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary weight loss pilot intervention. From baseline to post-testing, participants demonstrated significant improvements in physical, emotional, and social functioning, as well as significant reductions in body dissatisfaction. Moreover, increases in physical activity and fitness were associated with significant enhancements in psychological well-being. Outcomes provide evidence for the psychological benefits of physical activity and highlight the importance of detailed cardiorespiratory fitness assessment to evaluate the complex relationship between physical and mental health in future obesity interventions.
The Effect of Exercise on the Plasma Volume of Patients with Heart Failure

Exercise performed in the supine position by patients with congestive failure was found to cause not only a greater elevation of the peripheral venous pressure than it causes in normal persons, but also a proportionately greater fall of the plasma volume.
Insights into properties and energetics of iron-sulfur proteins from simple clusters to nitrogenase.

Abstract Some of the principal physical features of iron–sulfur clusters in proteins are analyzed, including metal–ligand covalency, spin polarization, spin coupling, valence delocalization, valence interchange and small reorganization energies, with emphasis on recent spectroscopic and theoretical work. The current state of structural, spectroscopic, and computational knowledge for the iron–sulfur clusters in the nitrogenase iron and iron–molybdenum proteins is examined by comparison and contrast to ‘simpler’ ironclusters. The differing interactions of the nitrogenase iron and iron–molybdenum clusters compared with those of other iron–sulfur clusters with the protein and solvent environment are also explored.
Formation of surface reaction products on bioactive glass and their effects on the expression of the osteoblastic phenotype and the deposition of mineralized extracellular matrix.

The objective of the study was to examine the effect of alkali ion release, pH control and buffer capacity on the expression of the osteoblastic phenotype. In addition, we determined the importance of modifications of the surface of porous bioactive glass (BG) on the activity of rat calvaria osteoblasts in vitro. We found that at a low tissue culture medium (TCM) volume to BG surface area (Vol/SA) ratio, the products of glass corrosion elevated the pH of the TCM to a value that adversely affected cellular activity; thus, the matrix synthesized by the cells was non-mineralized. On the other hand, when the Vol/SA was high and the buffer capacity of the medium was not exceeded, the cells generated a mineralized extracellular matrix. Addressing the second issue, we observed that modification of the composition of the BG surface markedly influenced osteoblast activity. BG that was coated with either a calcium phosphate-rich layer only or a serum protein layer changed the phenotypic characteristics of the osteoblasts. The presence of either of these surfaces lowered the alkaline phosphatase activity of the attached cells; this finding indicated that the osteoblast phenotype was not conserved. However, when the BG was coated with a bilayer of calcium phosphate and serum proteins, the alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity was elevated and the extracellular matrix contained characteristic bone markers. Our findings indicate that the calcium phosphate-rich layer promotes adsorption and concentration of proteins from the TCM, and it is utilized by the osteoblasts to form the mineralized extracellular matrix.
Examining the differences between United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) and International Accounting Standards (IAS): implications for the harmonization of accounting standards

AbstractCurrent trends indicate continued movement towards the harmonization of accounting standards, but not without difficulty and concern. At times, the political and financial market pressure, ...
Listening and Musical Engagement: An Exploration of the Effects of Different Listening Strategies on Attention, Emotion, and Peak Affective Experiences.

Music educators often use guided listening strategies as a means of enhancing engagement during music listening activities. Although previous research suggests that these strategies are indeed help...
High-Bandwidth Pulsed Microactuators for High-Speed Flow Control

A systematic study on the design, development, and characterization of high-momentum, high-bandwidth microactuators for high-speed flow control is described in this paper. Beginning with building-block experiments, multiple resonant flow phenomena are used in the actuator design to arrive at an actuator configuration that provides the desired flow properties. The first-generation actuator design consists of an underexpanded source jet incident upon a cavity. The lower surface of this cavity contains micronozzles through which the unsteady microjets (400 μm) issue. Results show that microjets produced by this actuator have a high mean momentum (300―400 m/s) and a significant unsteady component (20―30% of the mean). Experiments were conducted over a large range of parameters in terms of cavity length, source jet nozzle pressure ratio, and impingement distance. The results unequivocally demonstrate the ability to vary the frequency and the amplitude of the mean and unsteady momentum of microjets issuing from this actuator. By varying the dimensions of the actuator by few hundred microns and/or source jet pressure by roughly 1 atm, one is able to vary the frequency rather precisely over a range of 5―20 kHz. A correlation based on Strouhal number and jet column length is suggested for the design of actuators. Actuators in the frequency range of a few to well over 50 kHz have been designed and characterized. It is believed that the frequency range may be extended down to O(100 Hz) and up to O(100 kHz) using this actuator approach.
Paul Trap Mass Analyzer Consisting of Opposing Microfabricated Electrode Plates

We report the design and performance of a novel radio-frequency (RF) ion-trap mass analyzer, the planar Paul trap, in which a quadrupolar potential distribution is made between two electrode plates. Each plate consists of a series of concentric, lithographically deposited 100-μm-wide metal rings, overlaid with a thin resistive layer. A different RF amplitude is applied to each ring, such that the trapping field produced is similar to that of the conventional Paul trap. The accuracy and shape of the electric fields in this trap are not limited by electrode geometry nor machining precision, as is the case in traps made with metal electrodes. The use of two microfabricated plates for ion trap construction presents a lower-cost alternative to conventional ion traps, with additional advantages in electrode alignment, electric field optimization, and ion-trap miniaturization. Experiments demonstrate the effects of ion ejection mode and scan rate on mass resolution for several small organic compounds. The curren...
Does gender matter

The suggestion that women are not advancing in science because of innate inability is being taken seriously by some high-profile academics. Ben A. Barres explains what is wrong with the hypothesis. Harvard University president Larry Summers was heavily criticized last year when he claimed that differences in innate aptitude, rather than discrimination, were behind the failure of women to advance in scientific careers. Some other academics agreed with Summers' analysis: “rubbish”, to paraphrase the views of female-to-male transgendered scientist Ben A. Barres.
Influence of Isolation Method on Recovery of Pythium Species from Forest Nursery Soils in Oregon and Washington

Pythium species are common damping-off pathogens that can cause stunting, chlorosis, and death of conifer seedlings in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the United States. Despite the prevalence and importance of these pathogens in forest nurseries, relatively little is known about the identity of Pythium species associated with forest nursery soils in Washington and Oregon. A limited number of studies have reported P. aphanidermatum, P. irregulare, P. mamillatum, and P. ultimum as the predominant species in the PNW, but most studies of this genus in forest nurseries have not reported Pythium species identity. In an attempt to identify Pythium species associated with forest nursery soils, field surveys were conducted at three forest nurseries (two in Oregon and one in Washington) in 2008 using three isolation methods. Pythium species were isolated by plating soil onto a semiselective medium or by baiting soil with rhododendron leaf disks and Douglas-fir needle segments. One hundred isolates were randomly selected from each isolation method at each nursery (900 isolates total) and identified on the basis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence. Nineteen Pythium species were identified during the survey. Species richness and abundance were strongly influenced by both nursery and isolation method. Of the 300 isolates obtained from each nursery, P. irregulare was the most commonly isolated species from nursery A in Washington (65% incidence). P. 'vipa' and P. dissotocum were the most commonly isolated species from nurseries B and C in Oregon, respectively (53 and 47% incidence, respectively).
Sexual dimorphism in trauma? A retrospective evaluation of outcome

Abstract Purpose : Multiple studies have demonstrated a heightened immune response in female animals subjected to trauma–hemorrhage models and have implied a subsequent survival advantage. Procedures : A retrospective review of outcome in 15,170 trauma admissions over a 5-year-period (1993–1997) at a level 1-trauma center was performed. A comparison of outcome by gender, age, injury severity score (ISS), mechanism of injury, location of injury (AIS), and length of hospitalization (intensive care unit and total hospitalization) was performed. Findings : There were 12,456 male and 2714 female patients included in the study. Overall survival rates (male=90.2%, female=90.8%) and survival of serious (ISS≥15) trauma (male=63.5%, female=60.5%) were not statistically different. Logistic regression analysis identified age, mechanism and ISS as factors associated with survival. Conclusion : Retrospective evaluation of our trauma population failed to show a difference in outcome between male and female trauma patients. Age, mechanism and severity of injury—but not gender—were identified as factors influencing survival.
Sack and sugar, and the aetiology of gout in England between 1650 and 1900

A marked increase in gout was observed in England during the 17th to 20th centuries. Many have ascribed this rapid increase in gout to the introduction of wines that were laced with lead. In this article, we suggest another likely contributor, which is the marked increase in sugar intake that occurred in England during this period. Sugar contains fructose, which raises uric acid and increases the risk for gout. Sugar intake increased markedly during this period due to its introduction in liquors, tea, coffee and desserts. We suggest that the introduction of sugar explains why gout was originally a disease of the wealthy and educated, but gradually became common throughout society.
Modeling Students' Natural Language Explanations

Intelligent tutoring systems have achieved demonstrable success in supporting formal problem solving. More recently such systems have begun incorporating student explanations of problem solutions. Typically, these natural language explanations are entered with menus, but some ITSs accept open-ended typed inputs. Typed inputs require more work by both developers and students and evaluations of the added value for learning outcomes has been mixed. This paper examines whether typed input can yield more accurate student modeling than menu-based input. This paper examines the application of Knowledge Tracing student modeling to natural language inputs and examines the standard Knowledge Tracing definition of errors. The analyses indicate that typed explanations can yield more predictive models of student test performance than menu-based explanations and that focusing on semantic errors can further improve predictive accuracy.
Nonrigid Intraoperative Cortical Surface Tracking Using Game Theory

During neurosurgery, nonrigid brain deformation prevents preoperatively acquired images from accurately depicting the intraoperative brain. Stereo vision systems can be used to track cortical surface deformation and update preoperative brain images in conjunction with a biomechanical model. However, these stereo systems are often plagued with calibration error, which can corrupt the deformation estimation. In order to decouple the effects of camera calibration and surface deformation, a framework is needed which can solve for disparate and often competing variables. Game theory, which was developed specifically to handle decision making in this type of competitive environment, has been applied to various fields from economics to biology. In this paper, we apply game theory to cortical surface tracking and use it to infer information about the physical processes of brain deformation and image acquisition.
Force display performs better than visual display in a simple 6-D docking task

A simplified docking problem is studied. The user attempts to find the potential-energy minimum in a 6-D space defined by six Hooke's-law springs attached to a manipulable object. This space has no other local minima. A pilot-controlled experiment with seven subjects, twelve trials each, showed that performance with a force display is better (p >
CAM-SE: A scalable spectral element dynamical core for the Community Atmosphere Model

The Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) version 5 includes a spectral element dynamical core option from NCAR's High-Order Method Modeling Environment. It is a continuous Galerkin spectral finite-element method designed for fully unstructured quadrilateral meshes. The current configurations in CAM are based on the cubed-sphere grid. The main motivation for including a spectral element dynamical core is to improve the scalability of CAM by allowing quasi-uniform grids for the sphere that do not require polar filters. In addition, the approach provides other state-of-the-art capabilities such as improved conservation properties. Spectral elements are used for the horizontal discretization, while most other aspects of the dynamical core are a hybrid of well-tested techniques from CAM's finite volume and global spectral dynamical core options. Here we first give an overview of the spectral element dynamical core as used in CAM. We then give scalability and performance results from CAM running with three different dynamical core options within the Community Earth System Model, using a pre-industrial time-slice configuration. We focus on high-resolution simulations, using 1/4 degree, 1/8 degree, and T341 spectral truncation horizontal grids.
Hydrological Connectivity of the Landscape of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) of Antarctica are composed of nearly 2000 km 2 of ice-free terrain, supporting a vibrant cold desert ecosystem despite harsh conditions. The ecosystem is largely regulated by the hydrologic cycle within the MDV, which is controlled by climate dynamics. The strength and timing of connections among the hydrologic reservoirs of the MDV (atmosphere, glaciers, soils and permafrost, streams and their hyporheic zones, and lakes) are dependent upon daily, seasonal, and annual surface energy balance. For example, glacier melt occurs during short periods in the summer, providing stream flow to closed-basin lakes. Similarly, the magnitude of sublimation of snow on valley floors and perennial ice covers on lakes is a function of wind, temperature, radiation, and atmospheric water content (humidity). Here, we describe these reservoirs and connections across the landscape to provide an overview of our current understanding of the system, as it is poised to change in response to changing climate in the coming decades. Measurement of hydrologic fluxes and states of hydrologic reservoirs in the MDV provides both a context for quantifying responses to climate change and a careful characterization of the potential direct drivers of ecosystem response. The MDV also provide a unique real-world laboratory in which to study fundamental hydrologic processes (with the exception of rainfall).
A fuzzy logic system for expert systems

Using the theory of fuzzy sets, this paper develops a fuzzy logic reasoning system as an augmentation to a rule-based expert system to deal with fuzzy information. First, fuzzy set theorems and fuzzy logic principles are briefly reviewed and organized to form a basis for the proposed fuzzy logic system. These theorems and principles are then extended for reasoning based on knowledge base with fuzzy production rules. When an expert system is augmented with the fuzzy logic system, the inference capability of the expert system is greatly expanded; and the establishment of a rule-based knowledge base becomes much easier and more economical. Interpretations of the system’s power and possible future research directions conclude the paper.
Endocrinopathies in Children Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Endocrine changes (including adrenal insufficiency, disorders of growth and puberty, thyroid dysfunction, metabolic abnormalities and osteopenia) accompany human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in pediatric patients. The cause of these changes is multifactorial and includes direct viral effects of HIV, and effects of antiretroviral therapy. These effects may be of particular importance in childhood given the critical developmental processes that occur during this time period and the likelihood of prolonged exposure to the virus and medications.
A spectral-element discontinuous Galerkin lattice Boltzmann method for nearly incompressible flows

We present a spectral-element discontinuous Galerkin lattice Boltzmann method for solving nearly incompressible flows. Decoupling the collision step from the streaming step offers numerical stability at high Reynolds numbers. In the streaming step, we employ high-order spectral-element discontinuous Galerkin discretizations using a tensor product basis of one-dimensional Lagrange interpolation polynomials based on Gauss-Lobatto-Legendre grids. Our scheme is cost-effective with a fully diagonal mass matrix, advancing time integration with the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. We present a consistent treatment for imposing boundary conditions with a numerical flux in the discontinuous Galerkin approach. We show convergence studies for Couette flows and demonstrate two benchmark cases with lid-driven cavity flows for Re=400-5000 and flows around an impulsively started cylinder for Re=550-9500. Computational results are compared with those of other theoretical and computational work that used a multigrid method, a vortex method, and a spectral element model.
Optimal Control of a Cancer Cell Model with Delay

In this paper, we look at a model depicting the relationship of cancer cells in different development stages with immune cells and a cell cycle specific chemotherapy drug. The model includes a constant delay in the mitotic phase. By applying optimal control theory, we seek to min- imize the cost associated with the chemotherapy drug and to minimize the number of tumor cells. Global existence of a solution has been shown for this model and existence of an optimal control has also been proven. Optimality conditions and characterization of the control are discussed.
Learning Styles and Instructional Preferences in Continuing Education for Health Professionals: A Validity Study of the LSI.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the construct validity of the Learning Styles Inventory (LSI). Learning styles of participants in a continuing professional education program were associated with both the evaluative statements learners make about the design of the program and their attitudes toward lecture and small group sections of the program. Fifty-four responses were analyzed using analysis of variance procedures. Learning style as indicated by LSI score was the independent variable. Scores on learning style based evaluative statements index and extent of preference for lecture and small group formats were dependent variables. No significant relationship between learning style of respondent as indicated by the LSI scores and either scores on evaluative statements or preferences for lecture or small group methods was evident. The failure of this study to support the hypotheses was discussed in terms of its implications both for future research using the LSI as well as for basing continuing ed...
Environmental Contaminants and Low-Level Cancer Risks: Perceptions and Scientific Strategies

Scientific and public perceptions concerning low-level lung cancer risks may vary. Recently the public has been more convinced of causal links between low-level risk agents and cancer, and more interested in prevention of environmental exposures, especially those induced by others. Thus, scientific strategy is partly driven by the public need to resolve issues concerning the importance of low-level exposures and risks. Further, investigators have been challenged intellectually to create methodologies in order to study some of these relationships further, and scientific curiosity has been stimulated by the difficulties of pursuing such investigations. The importance of host characteristics, including the genetic bases of susceptibility, has become a major theme. Likewise, host behaviour has become a potential positive factor (e.g. diet) as well as a negative factor in the risk model for low-level agents. This paper discusses some of the information available on low-level agents and some of the methodological issues involved in studying them. The importance of measuring exposure as well as response is stressed, especially multi-pollutant exposures and interactions with host behaviour.
The apoE isoform binding properties of the VLDL receptor reveal marked differences from LRP and the LDL receptor

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) associates with lipoproteins and mediates their interaction with members of the LDL receptor family. ApoE exists as three common isoforms that have important distinct functional and biological properties. Two apoE isoforms, apoE3 and apoE4, are recognized by the LDL receptor, whereas apoE2 binds poorly to this receptor and is associated with type III hyperlipidemia. In addition, the apoE4 isoform is associated with the common late-onset familial and sporadic forms of Alzheimer's disease. Although the interaction of apoE with the LDL receptor is well characterized, the specificity of other members of this receptor family for apoE is poorly understood. In the current investigation, we have characterized the binding of apoE to the VLDL receptor and the LDL receptor-related protein (LRP). Our results indicate that like the LDL receptor, LRP prefers lipid-bound forms of apoE, but in contrast to the LDL receptor, both LRP and the VLDL receptor recognize all apoE isoforms. Interestingly, the VLDL receptor does not require the association of apoE with lipid for optimal recognition and avidly binds lipid-free apoE. It is likely that this receptor-dependent specificity for various apoE isoforms and for lipid-free versus lipid-bound forms of apoE is physiologically significant and is connected to distinct functions for these receptors.
Insect-damaged fossil leaves record food web response to ancient climate change and extinction.

Summary Plants and herbivorous insects have dominated terrestrial ecosystems for over 300 million years. Uniquely in the fossil record, foliage with well-preserved insect damage offers abundant and diverse information both about producers and about ecological and sometimes taxonomic groups of consumers. These data are ideally suited to investigate food web response to environmental perturbations, and they represent an invaluable deep-time complement to neoecological studies of global change. Correlations between feeding diversity and temperature, between herbivory and leaf traits that are modulated by climate, and between insect diversity and plant diversity can all be investigated in deep time. To illustrate, I emphasize recent work on the time interval from the latest Cretaceous through the middle Eocene (67-47 million years ago (Ma)), including two significant events that affected life: the end-Cretaceous mass extinction (65.5 Ma) and its ensuing recovery; and globally warming temper- atures across the Paleocene-Eocene boundary (55.8 Ma). Climatic effects predicted from neoecology generally hold true in these deep-time settings. Rising temperature is associated with increased herbivory in multiple studies, a result with major predictive importance for current global warming. Diverse floras are usually associated with diverse insect damage; however, recovery from the end-Cretaceous extinction reveals uncorrelated plant and insect diversity as food webs rebuilt chaotically from a drastically simplified state. Calibration studies from living forests are needed to improve interpretation of the fossil data.
Factors affecting willingness to receive a kidney transplant among minority patients at an urban safety-net hospital: a cross-sectional survey

In the US, African Americans (AAs) are four times more likely to develop end stage renal disease (ESRD) but half as likely to receive a kidney transplant as whites. Patient interest in kidney transplantation is a fundamental step in the kidney transplant referral process. Our aim was to determine the factors associated with the willingness to receive a kidney transplant among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in a predominantly minority population. CKD patients from an outpatient nephrology clinic at a safety-net hospital (n = 213) participated in a cross-sectional survey from April to June, 2013 to examine the factors associated with willingness to receive a kidney transplant among a predominantly minority population. The study questionnaire was developed from previously published literature. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with willingness to undergo a kidney transplant. Respondents were primarily AAs (91.0 %), mostly female (57.6 %) and middle aged (51.6 %). Overall, 53.9 % of participants were willing to undergo a kidney transplant. Willingness to undergo a kidney transplant was associated with a positive perception towards living kidney donation (OR 7.31, 95 % CI: 1.31–40.88), willingness to attend a class about kidney transplant (OR = 7.15, CI: 1.76–29.05), perception that a kidney transplant will improve quality of life compared to dialysis (OR = 5.40, 95 % CI: 1.97–14.81), and obtaining information on kidney transplant from other sources vs. participant’s physician (OR =3.30, 95 % CI: 1.13–9.67), when compared with their reference groups. It is essential that the quality of life benefits of kidney transplantation be known to individuals with CKD to increase their willingness to undergo kidney transplantation. Availability of multiple sources of information and classes on kidney transplantation may also contribute to willingness to undergo kidney transplantation, especially among AAs.
News is News, No Matter the Method

Journalists have always stressed the importance of timeliness, proximity, prominence, conflict, novelty and human interest as the key news values. Reporters quickly gathered information about wrecks, murders, government meetings and events in their hometown and returned to their newspaper or television offices to file their reports for either the next day's edition or the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. However, in the past decade, reporters have increasingly turned to live blogging and social media to supplement their traditional newsgathering tools. These tools simply are the new toys at the disposal of reporters to more quickly disseminate their stories. Live blogging and social media have not changed the traditional news values. If anything, these two new sets of tools have enhanced the ability of reporters to meet the news values of timeliness and proximity in directing the messages to an intended audience. This literature review will examine the usage of and implementation of social media and live blogging tools on the traditional news values.
Abstract 11661: A Family History of Premature Coronary Artery Disease is Associated With Location and Severity of Angiographically Defined Coronary Artery Stenosis

Introduction: A family history (FH) of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) is an important prognostic risk factor. Emerging evidence suggests that CAD location as well as severity may be heritable. We sought to investigate the association between a FH of premature CAD with the location and severity of angiographically phenotyped CAD. Methods: 2854 patients undergoing coronary angiography were enrolled from the Emory Cardiovascular Biobank. A FH of CAD was defined as having any male or female relative with history of CAD at age ≤55 or ≤65 year old respectively. Coronary angiograms were phenotyped using a 17 segment AHA model. Proximal disease was defined as having ≥70% lesion in the left main or proximal portion of any of the three major epicardial arteries, while CAD severity was assessed by counting the number of vessels with ≥70% stenosis. Results: Among this population (mean age 63±12, male 67%, diabetes 33%), 21% reported a positive FH of premature CAD. After adjustment for age, gender, and tradit...
The effects of surface treatments for low temperature silicon dioxide deposition on cadmium telluride

We have successfully deposited thin films of SiO2 on a cadmium telluride substrate at low temperature (Ts =100°C–300°C) by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (Remote PECVD). The native oxide on the CdTe substrate has been removed, prior to deposition by either chemical etching in methanol and 1% bromine, or by dissolution in deionized water. After removal of the native oxide, the CdTe was inserted into a UHV-compatible deposition chamber and a He+ plasma treatment was performed prior to deposition of an SiO2 film. This treatment promotes strong adhesion between the deposited SiO2 film and the CdTe surface. We find that the initial oxide removal process does not influence SiO2 adhesion. The effect of the He+ plasma treatment on the CdTe surface has been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy(AES), and Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED).
Weathering the seasons of cancer survivorship: mind-body therapy use and reported reasons and outcomes by stages of cancer survivorship.

Mind-body therapies (MBTs), a subset of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), are used by cancer survivors to manage symptoms related to their cancer experience. MBT use may differ by cancer survivorship stage (i.e., acute, short-term, long-term) because each stage presents varying intensities of medical activities, associated emotions, and treatment effects. We examined the relationship between MBT use and survivorship stage (acute 5 years since diagnosis) using the CAM supplement of the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. We also examined reported reasons for and outcomes of MBT use and frequency of MBT types. The sample included cancer survivors (N = 3076) and non-cancer controls (N = 31,387). Logistic regression tested the relationship of MBT use and survivorship stage. Weighted percentages were calculated by survivorship stage for reported reasons and outcomes of use and frequency of MBT types. MBT use varied by cancer survivorship stage (p = 0.02): acute (8.3 %), short-term (15.4 %), long-term (11.7 %) survivorship and non-cancer controls (13.2 %). In the adjusted model, short-term survivors had 35 % greater odds of MBT use than did controls (95 % CI 1.00, 1.83). Reasons for and outcomes of MBT use varied among the survivorship stages, with more acute survivors reporting medical-related reasons and more short-term survivors reporting to manage symptoms. MBT may fulfill different symptom management needs at varying stages of survivorship. These findings can help inform supportive care services of survivors’ use of MBT for symptom burden at each stage and the allocation of these services.
A previously unrecognized southern species of Boletus.

Species concepts currently accepted by investigators in the Boletaceae vary from exceedingly broad to very concise and restricted. In the Boletus edulis group for instance, we find in Singer's (1967) classification that B. edulis is maintained as a collective species even to the inclusion of B. separans Peck. At the same time Singer maintains Xerocomus coniferarum Singer as a species distinct from X. subtomentosus on very slight differences, they are keyed out on the fleeting color change caused by ammonia vapors on X. spadiceus. We find no logical explanation for this dual type of species concept in a single group such as the boletes. In contrast, Smith and Thiers (1970) have found that in this family there is a consistent level at which species can be readily recognized, and that such concepts do much to clarify the phytogeography of the group as well as associations with specific forest trees. The purpose of this article is to place on record a species hitherto unrecognized because of having been included in a broad concept of B. separans by Coker and Beers (1943). The species described in the following account is amply distinct from B. separans (Peck's type) in that the caulocystidia acquire a bluegreen color of the wall in KOH, and in that the cells of the pileus
Epilepsy Twin Studies by Lennox Compared to Modern Series and Syndrome Classification

Lennox’s original files of twins with seizures from 1934 through 1958 were reviewed, and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classifications of seizures and epileptic syndromes were applied to 143 (71 monozygous [MZ], 72 dizygous [72]) twin pairs, in a study at the University of Melbourne, Australia; the Montreal Neurological Institute, Canada; Harvard Medical School, and Beth Israel Medical Center, Boston, USA.
Association between Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain with Size, Tempo, and Velocity of Infant Growth: Analysis of the Newborn Epigenetic Study Cohort

Abstract Background: The first 1000 days of life is a critical period of infant growth that has been linked to future adult health. Understanding prenatal factors that contribute to variation in growth during this period could inform successful prevention strategies. Methods: Prenatal and maternal characteristics, including prepregnancy obesity and gestational weight gain were evaluated in relation to weight growth trajectories during the first 24 months of life using the SuperImposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR) method, which provides estimates of infant size, timing to peak velocity, and growth velocity. The study sample included 704 mother-infant dyads from a multiethnic prebirth cohort from the Southeastern United States. The total number of weight measures was 8670 (median number per child = 14). Results: Several prenatal and maternal characteristics were linked with infant growth parameters. The primary findings show that compared to women with a prepregnancy BMI between 18 and 24.9, women...
Effect of Straw Return Back to Paddy Field on Occurrence of Rice Major Diseases

The effect of rice straw returned to field in many years on the occurrence of major diseases of 15 rice varieties was studied through field plots experiment.The results indicated that the disease indexes of rice blast(Magnaporthe grisea),sheath blight(Rhizoctonia solani) and sheath rot disease(Sarocladium oryzae) of 15 rice varieties in field with rice straw returned were higher than those of control field.Disease of rice leaf blast,neck blast,rice sheath blight and rice sheath rot disease of Kongyu 131,the main planted rice variety in Jiansanjiang Land Reclamation Bureau,were increased by 2.3%,2.6%,2.2% and 0.4%.
Vibration Characteristics and Diagnosis for Tilting-Pad Bearing Failure

The reason of the vibration failure was diagnosed by testing low frequency vibration accident occurred in the tilting-pad bearing of an unit,and it was indicated that the tilting-pad failure was the main reason to cause the vibration.Then,the vibration was eliminated through the relative measures taken.
Neural network models for lexical addressee detection.

Addressee detection for dialog systems aims to detect which utterances are directed at the system, as opposed to someone else. An important means for classification is the lexical content of the utterance, and N-gram models have been shown to be effective for this task. In this paper we investigate whether neural networks can enhance lexical addressee detection, using data from a human-human-computer dialog system. Even though we find no improvement from simply replacing the standard Ngram LM with a neural-network LM as class likelihood estimators, improved classification accuracy can be obtained from a modified neural net model that learns distributed word representations in a first training phase, and is trained on the utterance classification task in a second phase. We obtain additional gains by combining the class likelihood estimation and classification training criteria in the second phase, and by combining multiple model architectures at the score level. Overall, we achieve over 2% absolute reduction in equal error rate over the N-gram model baseline of 27%.
Surgical management of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection. Thirty-year trends.

Background Reports of surgical correction of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) over the past 30 years indicate a general improvement in operative survival. However, prevention of late pulmonary venous obstruction continues to be a cornerstone of successful repair. The purpose of the study was to identify factors associated with improvement in perioperative mortality and to determine risk factors for death and reoperation due to pulmonary vein stenosis after repair of TAPVC. Methods and Results Using univariate and multiple regression analysis, we analyzed risk of early and late mortality and need for reoperation in 105 patients operated on between April 1966 and June 1995. Despite increased frequency of neonatal repair in the most recent time period (29% in 1966 through 1985 ; 55% in 1991 through 1995, P<.05), operative mortality declined (13% in 1966 through 1985 ; 0% in 1991 through 1995). The incidence of postoperative pulmonary hypertensive episodes and death related to pulmonary hypertension decreased significantly over the study period (P<.001). Aggressive preoperative elective medical stabilization and prophylaxis of postoperative pulmonary hypertensive episodes may have contributed to this improvement. By univariate analysis, preoperative pulmonary hypertension (P<.02) and preoperative pulmonary vein obstruction (P<.01) correlated with early mortality up to 1990 but not in the past 5 years. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only a small pulmonary confluence associated with diffuse pulmonary vein stenosis was an independent risk factor for early (P<.001) and late (P=.01) death as well as need for reoperation (P=.007). Type of TAPVC was not a significant risk factor throughout the three decades of our experience. At a median follow-up of 87 months, late survival was 98% (93 of 95 operative survivors), and all are NYHA class I. Conclusions Improvements in surgical technique as well as preoperative and postoperative management account for the reduction in mortality and need for reoperation for most types of TAPVC. However, the presence of a small venous confluence and diffuse pulmonary vein stenosis remains a risk factor for adverse outcome.
Uncertainties in Projecting Future Changes in Atmospheric Rivers and Their Impacts on Heavy Precipitation over Europe

AbstractThis study investigates the North Atlantic atmospheric rivers (ARs) making landfall over western Europe in the present and future climate from the multimodel ensemble of phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Overall, CMIP5 captures the seasonal and spatial variations of historical landfalling AR days, with the large intermodel variability strongly correlated with the intermodel spread of historical near-surface westerly jet position. Under representative concentration pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5), AR frequency is projected to increase significantly by the end of this century, with 127%–275% increase at peak AR frequency regions (45°–55°N). While thermodynamics plays a dominant role in the future increase of ARs, wind changes associated with the midlatitude jet shifts also significantly contribute to AR changes, resulting in dipole change patterns in all seasons. In the North Atlantic, the model-projected jet shifts are strongly correlated with the simulated historical jet position....
Faces of Autism

In 2009, two photographers met with the co-chair for the Southwest Missouri Walk for Autism, Jason Holcomb, and the woman who generated the Springfield, Missouri Faces of Autism project, Linda Barger. These photographers, Matt and Heidi Giles, work for an independent company known as Freedom Photography in southwest Missouri.
The effects of district magnitude and social diversity on party system fragmentation in majoritarian systems

Cross-national models of party system fragmentation hold that social diversity and district magnitude interact: higher levels of district magnitude allow for greater expression of social diversity that leads to higher levels of party system fragmentation. Most models, however, ignore differences between majoritarian and proportional electoral rules, which may significantly alter the impact of district magnitude, as well as the way in which district magnitude impacts the translation of social cleavages into party system fragmentation. Examining the case of Singapore suggests majoritarian multimember districts limit party system fragmentation, particularly by reducing the degree to which ethnic and religious diversity are translated into political parties. Applying these insights to a standard cross-national model of party system fragmentation, the results suggest that majoritarian multimember districts produce lower levels of party system fragmentation than proportional multimember districts.
Sub-lithographic Patterning via Tilted Ion Implantation for Scaling Beyond the 7-nm Technology Node

Tilted ion implantation (TII) can be used in conjunction with pre-existing masking features on the surface of a substrate to form features with smaller dimensions and smaller pitch. In this paper, the resolution limit of this sub-lithographic patterning approach is examined via experiments as well as Monte Carlo process simulations. TII is shown to be capable of defining features with size below 10 nm, in a self-aligned manner, reproducing with high fidelity the line-edge roughness of the pre-existing masking features. Since it has relatively low associated process cost, TII-enhanced patterning is a promising approach to advance high-volume manufacture of integrated circuits beyond the 7-nm technology node.
Stable Isotopes Reveal Nitrogen Loading to Lake Tanganyika from Remote Shoreline Villages

Access to safe water is an ongoing challenge in rural areas in Tanzania where communities often lack access to improved sanitation. Methods to detect contamination of surface water bodies, such as monitoring nutrient concentrations and bacterial counts, are time consuming and results can be highly variable in space and time. On the northeast shore of Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania, the low population density coupled with the high potential for dilution in the lake necessitates the development of a sensitive method for detecting contamination in order to avoid human health concerns. We investigated the potential use of nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes of snail tissues to detect anthropogenic nutrient loading along the northeast shore of Lake Tanganyika. δ15N of snails was positively related to human population size in the nearest village, but only for villages with >4000 inhabitants. The areal footprint of villages within their watershed was also significantly correlated with snail δ15N, while agricultural land use and natural vegetation were not. Dissolved nutrient concentrations were not significantly different between village and reference sites. Our results indicate that nitrogen isotopes provide a sensitive index of local nutrient loading that can be used to monitor contamination of oligotrophic aquatic environments with low surrounding population densities.