cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding the optics to aid microscopy image segmentation

Image segmentation is essential for many automated microscopy image analysis systems. Rather than treating microscopy images as general natural images and rushing into the image processing warehouse for solutions, we propose to study a microscope's optical properties to model its image formation process first using phase contrast microscopy as an exemplar. It turns out that the phase contrast imaging system can be relatively well explained by a linear imaging model. Using this model, we formulate a quadratic optimization function with sparseness and smoothness regularizations to restore the "authentic" phase contrast images that directly correspond to specimen's optical path length without phase contrast artifacts such as halo and shade-off. With artifacts removed, high quality segmentation can be achieved by simply thresholding the restored images. The imaging model and restoration method are quantitatively evaluated on two sequences with thousands of cells captured over several days.
A statistical approach to noise response measurements in thin Al-Cu 1.9% films

The authors present a statistically designed experiment to test a previously proposed 1/f/sup 2/ noise generation model (see T.M Chen and J.G Cottle, 1988). The experiment is designed to provide data on a possible current-density-dependent noise activation energy as well as to test the validity of the model over a wide range of measurement parameters of Al-Cu(1.9%) films. The proposed experiment is based on a single-measurement-per-film methodology. This approach assures that the data are not corrupted by errors associated with multiple measurements on the same thin film. Preliminary results indicate the need to transform the noise data before statistical analysis may be performed. >
Daring to be Powerful: Remembering Sari Knopp Biklen

When we celebrated her retirement in May, 2014 there was no way to understand the meaning of our good-byes. Professor Emerita Sari Knopp Biklen, Laura and Douglas Meredith Professor in Teaching Exc...
Evidence for unbenignant nature of glucose as a replacement for water in purple membranes

The net angle (θα) between the seven helical segments of the bacteriorhodopsin (bR) polypeptide and the normal to the membrane plane of the purple membrane (PM) is ∼0° when determined by oriented far-ultraviolet (UV) circular dichroism (OCD) and midinfrared linear dichroism (IRLD). However, θα is ∼11° when determined by high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy and electron diffraction (EMD). The spectral studies are made with fresh hydrated PM films at ambient temperature, whereas diffraction studies are made with aged glucose-embedded PM at -120 to -268°. The current study presents oriented far-UV OCD results of hydrated PM films embedded with glucose, which can best be interpreted as a change in the magnitude of θα (Δθα) from 0 to 23° as a consequence of glucose embedment. Possible alternative explanations contrary to this conclusion are discussed and ruled out. Therefore, it is suggested that a θα of ∼11° as determined by the EMD method may not be an intrinsic structural characteristic of the native PM but an induced one. The differences in the Δθα value due to glucose embedment as determined by the two different approaches (23 vs. 11°) may be attributed to the drastic differences in the experimental conditions used, especially temperature. It is expected that at extremely low temperatures protein dynamics would be highly restricted and Δθα relatively curtailed. It is concluded that glucose may not be as benign to biological structures as has been assumed in the past.
Hippocampal dysfunction effects on context memory: possible etiology for posttraumatic stress disorder.

Hippocampal volume reductions and functional impairments are reliable findings in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) imaging studies. However, it is not clear if and how hippocampal dysfunction contributes to the etiology and maintenance of PTSD. Individuals with PTSD are often described as showing fear responses to trauma reminders outside of contexts in which these cues would reasonably predict danger. Animal studies suggest that the hippocampus is required to form and recall associations between contextual stimuli and aversive events. For example, the hippocampus is critical for encoding memories in which a complex configuration of multiple cues is associated with the aversive event. Conversely, the hippocampus is not required for associations with discrete cues. In animal studies, if configural memory is disrupted, learning strategies using discrete cue associations predominate. These data suggest poor hippocampal function could bias the organism towards forming multiple simple cue associations during trauma, thus increasing the chances of fear responses in multiple environments (or contexts) in which these cues may be present. Here we will examine clinical and animal literature to support a theory of hippocampal dysfunction as a primary contributory factor to the etiology of PTSD, and discuss future research required to test these hypotheses.
Interpreting Conductivity Microstructure: Estimating the Temperature Variance Dissipation Rate

Abstract A simple model of the conductivity gradient spectrum is developed and used to interpret oceanic conductivity microstructure observations. A principal goal is to estimate the correction factor E for inferring the temperature variance dissipation rate χr′, over a wide range of temperature and salinity gradients. The correction factor is defined as E≡χc′/χr′, where χc′, is the temperature variance dissipation rate inferred directly by integrating the measured conductivity spectrum. Three spectral forms of temperature and salinity fluctuations are used to model E: the Batchelor spectrum, a white dissipation spectrum, and a growing salt finger spectrum. Model results show that E depends on 1) the local temperature-salinity (T−S) relation m=ds/dT, 2) the spatial response function of the conductivity probe, 3) the degree of T−S correlation at high wavenumbers, 4) the forms of temperature and salinity spectra, and 5) the kinetic energy dissipation rate ϵ. Results also indicate that E can diverge signific...
Performance analysis of power output of photovoltaic systems in San Diego County

Performance of photovoltaic (PV) systems installed in Southern California is analyzed. Measured power output of 400 PV sites, measured irradiation at 5 stations, and satellite-derived irradiation data are applied. Performance of the PV systems is estimated by using the satellite-derived irradiation data. Also, clear sky indices (kt) are obtained and compared for all these datasets. Over one year the largest hourly ramp was a 61% decrease based on the STC rating. The measured and satellite derived irradiation data are applied to evaluate the predictability of ramps. The effects of specific meteorological conditions, such as coastal marine layer clouds and frontal system effects, on occurrence of large ramps are investigated over the area. Satellite images are utilized to detect the weather condition for the days in which the ramps occurred.
Pattern Inspection of EUV Masks Using DUV Light

Inspection of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography masks requires reflected light and this poses special challenges for inspection tool suppliers as well as for mask makers. Inspection must detect all the printable defects in the absorber pattern as well as printable process-related defects. Progress has been made under the NIST ATP project on "Intelligent Mask Inspection Systems for Next Generation Lithography" in assessing the factors that impact the inspection tool sensitivity. We report in this paper the inspection of EUV masks with programmed absorber defects using 257nm light. All the materials of interests for masks are highly absorptive to EUV light as compared to deep ultraviolet (DUV) light. Residues and contamination from mask fabrication process and handling are prone to be printable. Therefore, it is critical to understand their EUV printability and optical inspectability. Process related defects may include residual buffer layer such as oxide, organic contaminants and possible over-etch to the multilayer surface. Both simulation and experimental results will be presented in this paper.
The sea-surface microlayer of puget sound: Part II. Concentrations of contaminants and relation to toxicity

Abstract Many aquatic contaminants, because of low water solubility (hydrophobicity) or association with floatable particles, concentrate at the sea surface. Thirty-six samples of the sea-surface microlayer (SMIC), the upper 50 μm, were collected from sites in Puget Sound, Washington State. Sites included three urban bays, central Puget Sound, and a rural reference site. Exposure of floating fish eggs to approximately half of these samples resulted in sublethal and lethal toxic effects (Hardy et al., 1987c). Chemical analyses revealed high concentrations of contaminants in many of the samples. Major temporal and spatial differences in sea-surface chemistry occurred, but maximum (for all) and mean (for 1985) concentrations were aromatic hydrocarbons, 8030 (mean 132) μg liter−1: saturate hydrocarbons, 2060 μg liter−1: pesticides, 43·8 (mean 0·46) ng liter−1; PCBs, 3890 (mean 631) ng liter−1; and total metals, 4750 (mean 626) μg liter−1. Stepwise multivariate regression indicated that the percentage of fish eggs developing to normal live larvae decreased with increasing concentrations of a complex mixture of contaminants. Principal component analysis demonstrated that the major types of contaminants did not differ greatly in their statistical contribution to the toxicity, i.e. no single chemical was responsible for the observed toxicity. The chemical composition of the SMIC samples suggested that contamination originated from a variety of sources including atmospheric deposition, terrestrial runoff of fossil fuel combustion products, and sewage disposal.
Ablation of ‘Incisional’ Reentrant Atrial Tachycardia Complicating Surgery for Congenital Heart Disease Use of Entrainment to Define a Critical Isthmus of Conduction

Background Intra-atrial reentrant tachycardia occurs frequently after surgery for congenital heart disease and is difficult to treat. We tested the hypotheses that intra-atrial reentrant tachycardia in patients who had undergone prior reparative surgery for congenital heart disease could be successfully ablated by targeting a protected isthmus of conduction bounded by natural and surgically created barriers and that entrainment techniques could be used to identify these zones. Methods and Results Eighteen consecutive patients with 26 intra-atrial reentrant tachycardias complicating surgery for congenital heart disease (9 atrial septal defect repair, 4 Fontan, 2 Mustard, 2 Senning, and 1 Rastelli procedure) underwent electrophysiological study and ablation attempts. Mapping of activation was facilitated by the deployment of catheters with multiple electrodes. Sites for ablation were sought that demonstrated entrainment with concealed fusion and at which the postpacing interval minus the tachycardia cycle l...
Codes with simple automorphism groups, II

For primesl≧ 11 of the form 2m+1,m an odd prime, the automorphism group of the extended (l+1, (l+1)/2) quadratic residue code overGF(q) is simple. If the automorphism group properly containsPSL 2 (l), then for all primes of the above form the stability group of a point is simple. Application is made to the casesl=7, 11 and 23.
CONDENSED MATTER EFFECTS ON FUSION NEUTRINO PRODUCTION RATES

Condensed matter effects (CME) influence nuclear fusion rates in astrophysical settings. As potential energy is a significant component of the total energy in dense plasmas or condensed matter, the mean kinetic energy (and hence effective flux velocity) is reduced. Additional CME are due to a high density interference effect. Both CME reduce the flux in elastic scattering with a significantly larger reduction in fusion rates for the higher Z nuclei. Our CME predictions are consistent with neutrino experiments including the recent GALLEX measurements. CME have broad ranging astrophysical implications, and may be testable in laboratory beam fusion experiments with solid targets.
On the wave equation asymptotics of a compact negatively curved surface

It is well-known [3], 1-7] that the singular support of Tr(e) is contained in the set { +L] L is the length of a closed geodesic on M}. The manifold M is said to be generic of the geodesics of M are isolated and the Poincar6 map for each geodesic is non-degenerate. If M is generic, then the singular support of Tr(e) is precisely equal to the set of lengths of closed geodesics along with the additive inverses of those lengths. Suppose that M is generic and L > 0 is the length of a closed geodesic of M. Let (o(t)~C~(R) be identically one near t=L and suppose that the support of a) is contained in a sufficiently small neighborhood of L. Then there is an asymptotic expansion as --, ~ of the Fourier transform:
Synthesis of superheavy elements in the r-process.

Contrary to previous opinion, super-heavy elements can be produced in the r-process in explosive stellar events. Calculations are based on estimates of the fissionability of very neutron-rich superheavy nuclei using currently accepted mass-law parameters. Certain consequences for empirical cosmic ray abundance and galactic chronology are discussed.
Feedback controllers for a wind tunnel model involving a delay: A numerical simulation

This paper summarizes the results of a numerical simulation of a closed loop performance of four alternative controllers for a wind tunnel model with delay described in a previous (1982) CDC paper [10]. The proposed feedback controllers involve a linear combination of state variables and weighted integrals of some of the state variables over a period equal to the time delay. An extensive numerical simulation of the closed loop performance showed that the proposed feedback gives a substantial reduction of the settling time as compared to previous designs and also is very easy to adjust to parameter changes. Several other nice features of the feedback law have been demonstrated. In particular, it was shown that without significant loss of accuracy the integral term in the feedback can be replaced by a linear combination of the present and delayed state variables. The design was based on the finite spectrum assignment method for time delay systems.
Modification of acoustic and nociceptive reflexes in the rat by visual stimulation

Three experiments demonstrated in the rat that the flexor reaction to a nociceptive cutaneous stimulus (a .5-msec, .5-mA electric shock to the feet) was inhibited by a preceding light flash. In the first, the optimal lead time was at 50 or 100 msec compared to separations of 5 or 400 msec. In the second, the inhibitory effect was shown in ambient noise approximating threshold, indicating that the response decrement was not caused because the light may have blocked a facilitating effect of a moderate background noise level. In the third experiment, the light flash inhibited both the flexor reaction to the cutaneous stimulus and to an acoustic startle stimulus with which it was randomly intermixed. These findings reveal that inhibition is not specific to a particular modality of eliciting stimulus input, though it may be restricted to a particular class of motor events, that is, to flexor reactions.
From Trash To Treasure And Beyond: The Meaning Of Voluntary Disposition

Extant consumer research literature focuses on the subtleties, multiplicity of meanings, and values consumers attach to acquisition of personal possessions. Researchers have devoted less attention to consumers' disposition behaviors, including factors that influence disposition decisions. This paper explores voluntary disposition using data gathered through participant observations and in-depth interviews with a range of consumers, including those involved in clothing exchange (CE) events. The findings provide support for the a priori themes of values and consumption patterns, extending the life of self and goods, and consumers' self-concept. Additionally, the findings yield emergent themes of role transitions, role models and family patterns, and shared community. Utilizing our findings, and extant literature, we propose a conceptual Framework of Voluntary Disposition that can be utilized to analyze further meanings of consumer disposition patterns in different contexts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High temperature electrical conductivity of nano-structured ZnO

Both ac and dc conductivities of nominally pure nanocrystalline ZnO ceramics with grain size of ~ 40 nm were measured as a function of oxygen partial pressure and temperature, and compared with coarsened microcrystalline samples (grain size of ~ 5 μm). Nanocrystalline ceramics showed intrinsic bulk properties which turned into extrinsic behavior on coarsening. This is attributed to extreme impurity segregation into grain boundary core in nanocrystalline ceramics owing to the markedly enhanced interface-to-volume ratio. Nonetheless the blocking effect (Schottky barriers) of the grain boundaries in the nanocrystalline sample was negligible compared to that in the coarsened material due to the extreme dilution of the interfacial traps. Investigations on dopant behavior in ZnO nanowire bridges based on high temperature electrical measurements are currently under progress.
Direct methanol fuel cells with streamline graded structure under ultra-low fuel stoichiometry condition

Abstract Operating a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with ultra-low fuel stoichiometry is desirable to build a compact portable power system. Through 3D computational modeling with statistical analysis, severe non-uniformity of fuel concentration leading to high methanol crossover in the inlet region and poor fuel supply in the outlet region is predicted under ultra-low fuel stoichiometry condition, which causes large voltage loss or even cell shut-down. After identifying controlling parameters of methanol transport, this paper proposes streamline-graded structures (SGS) of the anode channel to mitigate anode fuel distribution non-uniformity and to boost cell performance and fuel efficiency together. Computational results show that streamline-graded structures achieve about 10% of voltage gain and 3% of fuel efficiency improvement compared to the conventional DMFC design by mitigating anode non-uniformity.
The “voice of justice” vs. the “voice of care” in the assignment of criminal sanctions

According to Gilligan's model of moral reasoning, some people approach difficult decisions situationally and in response to needs and relationships of the people involved, often including themselves. People who think this way operate with a “care voice” and tend to be girls and women. Others do so with concerns about rights, obligations, and rules, employing conventional standards uniformly to be fair. These people operate with a “justice voice.” A study was conducted to assess the usefulness of the model for understanding student opinions of penalty for two hypothetical criminal offenders. Based upon data obtained from a self-administered written questionnaire and a quantitative index of “voice,” three themes emerged. First, most students exhibited concerns reflective of the two internal moral structures, the “care voice” and the “justice voice,” when they responded to queries about the proper function of criminal sanctions. This indicates that at least two equally legitimate yet competitive definitions of criminal justice exist. Second, gender and “voice” are associated, but not invariably. Third, “voice” is more helpful than gender for explaining penalty choices. The care model is associated with penalty choices that are responsive to needs of people involved in the situation, and the custodial nature of sanctions lends insight into these choices. The justice model is associated with the assignment of normative sanctions. Moreover, many students expressed a “model of voice,” or a view of fairness, that conflicts with the dominant model of the criminal justice system.
The High Incidence of Pulmonary Functional Abnormalities in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Ventilatory function was studied in 51 subjects undergoing coronary arteriography because of known or suspected coronary artery disease. All subjects were free of systemic hypertension or other forms of heart disease and none was in congestive heart failure. Sixty percent of those with objective evidence of coronary artery disease and/or left ventricular dysfunction had at least one abnormality of ventilatory function. Pulmonary functional abnormalities were not clearly related to the number of objective abnormalities, but the number of subjects was small. There was no relationship between the severity of left ventricular diastolic elevation and ventilatory abnormalities. On the other hand, the five subjects who did not smoke cigarettes had no pulmonary abnormalities and this incidence is statistically significantly different from the remaining 46 subjects. This emphasizes that any study attempting to relate the ventilatory effects of coronary heart disease must consider the common factor in both—cigarette smoking. Abnormal pulmonary function and heart disease have cigarette smoking as a common etiologic base rather than pulmonary abnormalities occurring as a consequence of heart disease.
15B. The Seven Questions for Symptomatic Vegans and Vegetarians

Focus Area: Experiential Workshop Not all who adhere to vegetarian, vegan, or other special diets have nutritionally sound eating habits. The clinical consequences of an insufficiently mindful vegetarian or vegan diet include many common symptoms such as anxiety, brain fog, depression, fatigue, insomnia, neuropathies, and other neurologic dysfunction. Patients with such symptoms who report having a vegetarian or vegan diet or a diet that severely restricts meat consumption require a slightly expanded differential diagnosis. The clinical challenge is to identify which patients require closer attention. This workshop introduces 7 questions for all clinicians for rapid assessment of potential dietary drivers of clinical symptoms. This approach supports patient insights on mindful eating practices including optimal food choices for optimal health.
Singular integral operators with PC symbols on the spaces with general weights

We prove a Fredholm criterion for singular integral operators with piecewise continuous coefficients on Lp spaces with the weight ϱ satisfying the Hunt-Muckenhoupt-Wheeden condition. The proof is based on the case of power weight ϱ(t) = Π ¦t − tj¦βj that was investigated by Gohberg and Krupnik more than 20 years ago.
Algorithms for Power Converter Design Optimization

A practical optimization approach for power converters is established which allows conception of a design to meet all powercircuit performance requirements and concurrently to optimize a defined quantity such as weight or losses. In addition to facilitating a cost effective design, the computer-aided approach provides a means to readily assess a) the weight-efficiency tradeoff, b) impacts of converter requirements and component characteristics on a given design, and c) optimum power-system configurations. The following two popular algorithms for nonlinearly constrained optimization are utilized to design the power converter: 1) the sequential unconstrained minimization technique, SUMT Version 4; 2) the ALAG penalty function technique, ALAG5. These algorithms are compared, and suggestions are made for improving the efficiency of the optimization algorithms for power converter design.
Age and Origin of Plutonic Intrusions in the Piedmont of the Southeastern Appalachians

Samples from 25 plutonic intrusions in the Piedmont, primarily of North and South Carolina, were analyzed to determine Rb-Sr whole-rock ages and initial Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios. The 50-b.y. half-life for Rb 87 is used, and initial ratios are given relative to a Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratio of 0.7077 for the E and A SrCO 3 . The 14 whole-rock isochron ages occur in three groups: (1) 595 to 520 m.y., (2) 415 to 385 m.y., and (3) approximately 300 m.y. The initial Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios for 14 granitic plutons range from 0.7023 to 0.7050; one granitic pluton has an initial ratio of 0.7062. Seven gabbrodiorite plutons have initial ratios of 0.7035 to 0.7042. The very low initial Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios and their limited range indicate that the granitic magmas were derived from the lower crust; these magmas were not contaminated by or produced from older upper crustal rocks of sialic composition. The initial ratios suggest that the lower crust beneath the Piedmont 600 to 300 m.y. ago had a lower Rb/Sr ratio than did the lower crust beneath other continental areas during the same period of time. Whole-rock ages and petrographic studies indicate that the most recent significant metamorphic episode to affect the Piedmont occurred prior to 300 m.y. ago. The thermal peak of this last significant metamorphic event may have occurred between 380 to 420m.y. ago. The intensity and time of the metamorphic peak varied from place to place within the Piedmont. Many of the Piedmont mica ages probably have been affected by uplift and cooling of deep-seated rocks and thus have limited geologic significance.
Torsional fracture of fatigue pre-cracked ceramic rods

This paper describes the results of an experimental investigation of the room temperature fracture toughness of polycrystalline aluminium oxide (average grain size ≈ 3 μm) in pure torsion (Mode III). Circumferentially notched cylindrical rods were stressed in uniaxial cyclic compression to introduce a fatigue pre-crack, following a technique proposed earlier; subsequently, the rods were fractured in quasi-static torsion. The critical stress intensity factor for fracture initiation in Mode III is about 2.3 times higher than that measured for Mode I. The mechanisms of quasi-static torsional fracture are contrasted with those observed in the tensile failure of ceramics. The Mode III failure mechanisms in ceramics are also compared with the relatively more familiar cases of torsional fracture in metallic materials. The effects of crack face rubbing and interference between fracture surface asperities on torsional fracture behaviour are highlighted.
Active myocyte shortening during the 'isovolumetric relaxation' phase of diastole is responsible for ventricular suction; 'systolic ventricular filling'.

Objective: To study the ‘isovolumetric relaxation’ phase of rapid ventricular filling by analysis of the shortening of cardiac muscle in the endocardial and epicardial segments of the left ventricle in the dual helical model of the ventricular band, described by Torrent-Guasp. Methods: In 10 pigs (27–82 kg), temporal shortening by sonomicrometer crystals was recorded while recording ECG, and measuring intraventricular pressure and dP/dt with Millar pressure transducers. Results: The following sequence was observed; shortening began in descending or endocardial segment, and 82 ± 23 ms later it was initiated in the epicardial or ascending segment of the band. The descending segment stops shortening during the rapid filling phase of fast descent of ventricular pressure, but the ascending segment shortening continues for 92 ± 33 ms, so that active shortening continues during the period of isovolumetric relaxation. During the rapid filling phase, dopamine decreased the interval between completion of endocardial and termination of epicardial contraction from 92 ± 20 to 33 ± 8 ms. Conversely propranolol delayed the start of epicardial shortening from 82 ± 23 to 121 ± 20 ms, and prolonged the duration of endocardial contraction, causing a closer (21 ± 5 ms vs 92 ± 20 ms) interval between termination of contraction of endocardial and epicardial fibers. The resultant slope of the rapid descent of the left ventricular pressure curve became prolonged. Conclusions: These time sequences show that ongoing unopposed ascending segment shortening occurs during the phase of rapid fall of ventricular pressure. These active shortening phases respond to positive and negative inotropic stimulation, and indicate the classic concept of ‘isovolumetric relaxation’, IVR, must be reconsidered, and the new term ‘isovolumetric contraction’, IVC, or systolic ventricular filing may be used.
A third-pass genome scan in panic disorder: evidence for multiple susceptibility loci.

Background Panic disorder (PD) is a common illness with a definite but “complex” genetic contribution and estimated heritability of 30–46%. Methods We report a genome scan in 120 multiplex PD pedigrees consisting of 1591 individuals of whom 992 were genotyped with 371 markers at an average spacing of 9cM. Parametric two-point, multipoint, and nonparametric analyses were performed using three PD models (Broad, Intermediate, Narrow) and allowing for homogeneity or heterogeneity. The two-point analyses were also performed allowing for independent male and female recombination fractions (θ). Genome-wide significance was empirically evaluated using simulations of this dataset. Results Evidence for linkage reached genome-wide significance in one region on chromosome 15q (near GABA-A receptor subunit genes) and was suggestive at loci on 2p, 2q and 9p using an averaged θ. Analyses allowing for sex-specific θ’s were consistent except that support at one locus on 2q increased to genome-wide significance and an additional region of suggestive linkage on 12q was identified. However, differences in male and female recombination fractions predicted by the sex-specific approach were not consistent with current physical maps. Conclusions These data provide evidence for chromosomal regions on 15q and 2q that may be important in genetic susceptibility to panic disorder. Although we are encouraged by the findings of analyses using sex-specific recombination fractions, we also note that further understanding of this analytic strategy will be important.
High-performance interferometer for site flatness inspection

The semiconductor industry is continually moving towards more complex processor designs. The new chips occupy bigger areas and surface properties of silicon wafers used in manufacturing, such as PV and RMS, become critical. One of most important characteristics of wafers is their site flatness, defined as height parameters over area occupied by the projected semiconductor chip. Smaller critical dimensions, shorter wavelength, and higher numerical aperture steppers impose more stringent requirements on PV and RMS of the site's profile. As the wafer goes through the manufacturing process, its value increases, so detecting defective sites is essential to lowering the production costs. To resolve this problem Veeco Process Metrology has designed the RTI 4100--a high performance laser Fizeau interferometer especially suited for inspection of site wafer flatness. High accuracy data taken y the instrument is analyzed by automated software package that performs evaluation of the user selectable sites and qualifies them using various user defined rejection criteria. In this paper, we present some aspects of the instruments' design and its measurement capabilities with interest to the semiconductor industry.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Linking quality citizenship to process design: a quality management perspective

As organisations emphasise their role in society, there is a need to determine the effect of socially responsible practices on organisational processes and firm performance. Although the effect of corporate social responsibility on firm performance has been addressed from different perspectives, little is known about the influence of corporate social responsibility on organisational processes and internal operations of firms. The paper aims to make a link between corporate social responsibility, quality management practices and quality outcomes through emphasising quality citizenship as one of the practices associated with quality management. This paper provides a new perspective on the link between quality citizenship and product/process design within the quality management framework. The stakeholder theory of the firm is used to explain the formation and development of new management practices within a firm. Data were collected from managers in the petroleum industry to examine the role of quality citiz...
Morphogenetic factors influencing the shape of the sperm head.

Abstract There is abundant evidence based upon study of both protozoa and metazoa that microtubules are involved in the establishment and maintenance of cell shape. It has also been suggested that microtubules may play a role in the development of the specific shapes of sperm heads. The present investigation has explored spermatid differentiation in mammals, birds, insects, and annelids. It is concluded from these comparative observations that the form of the sperm head is probably not a consequence of external modeling by pressures applied to the condensing spermatid nucleus by microtubules in the surrounding cytoplasm or by filaments in the ectoplasm of the supporting cell. It is suggested instead that the shape may be largely determined from within by a specific genetically controlled pattern of aggregation of DNA and protein during condensation of the chromatin.
Steric factors in lymphocyte stimulation by organomercurials.

Abstract Resting human lymphocytes were stimulated to initiate DNA synthesis by divalent mercury ions or by the divalent organomercurial, 1,4-bismercury-3, 4-dihydroxybutane. Monovalent methylmercury was ineffective, as was mercury-substituted dextran which is a polyvalent compound where the mercury atoms are farther apart than in the divalent butane derivative. These findings suggest that for organomercurials to stimulate lymphocyte DNA synthesis, they must crosslink protein sulfhydryl groups and bring these groups into close proximity.
Reaction of O(1D) with N2O

O(1D), produced from the photolysis of N2O at 2139 A, reacts with N2O in accord with: We have used the method of chemical difference to obtain an accurate measure of k2/k3 = 0.59 ± 0.01. Furthermore, the quantum yield of production of O(3P), either on direct photolysis or on deactivation of O(1D) by N2O, is less than 0.02 and probably zero.
Continuum and Molecular Theories of Biaxial Nematics: Calculation of the 2-Director Viscosity Coefficients

Abstract We show the equivalence of the 2-director and the 3-director continuum theories of biaxial nematics, thereby extending the 2-director theory to the compressible case. We calculate the viscosity coefficients in terms of order parameters within the framework of the 2-director continuum theory. Finally, we extend the Doi molecular approach to the biaxial case and calculate the 2-director viscosity coefficients in terms of the order parameters, diffusion coefficients and temperature.
Conductance properties of GABA-activated chloride currents recorded from cultured hippocampal neurons

The conductance characteristics of γ-aminobutyric acid-activated single channel currents from cultured hippocampal neurons were examined using patch clamp techniques. GABA-activated currents had amplitudes which were linearly correlated to the membrane potentials over a range of −80 to +70 mV and an open time and burst time of 2.2 and 4.3 ms, respectively. The conductance of the γ-aminobutyric acid-activated channels was 19 pS. These data demonstrate that cultured hippocampal neurons have channel conductances which have characteristics different from those of adult neurons.
Threshold voltage models of short, narrow and small geometry MOSFET's: A review

Abstract As MOS devices are shrunk to near and submicrometer dimensions, short channel, narrow width and small geometry effects cause variations in the threshold voltage. It is critical for circuit and device designers to be able to predict these variations. This paper reviews and compares the various modeling techniques developed to determine the threshold voltage as a function of device geometry. It is hoped this review will provide insights for the development of new models for today's small devices.
Control of Superficial Scald On ‘?Anjou’ Pears by Ethoxyquin: Oxidation of α‐Farnesene and its Inhibition

α-Farnesene in the skin tissue of ‘?Anjou’ pears (Pyrus communis, L.) increased to a maximum after 3 months of storage in air at - 1°C and then declined. α-Farnesene was oxidized to conjugated trienes and its oxidation was inhibited by ethoxyquin. The split application by drenching fruit with 1,000 ppm ethoxyquin at harvest and then line-spraying 1,700 ppm after 1, 2 or 3 months of storage inhibited the oxidative activity of α-farnesene similar to the single application with 2,700 ppm ethoxyquin by drenching fruit at harvest. Incidence of superficial scald was highly correlated with the level of conjugated trienes. The control of scald by ethoxyquin was due to its antioxidant action and/or its inhibition of conjugated trienes biosynthesis.
Mass distributions for the spontaneous fission of 248Cm and 250Cf

Abstract The distribution of mass in spontaneous fission of 248Cm and 250Cf has been investigated radiochemically and with γ-ray spectrometry. Both distributions are asymmetric with peak-to-valley ratios of > 1000 for 248Cm and > 300 for 250Cf. The average light and heavy masses ( A L , A H ) are respectively 104.6, 139.9 and 105.2, 141.5. Values for the average number of neutrons emitted per fission obtained by subtracting A L + A H from the mass of the fissioning nucleus are respectively 3.5±0.5 and 3.3±0.5.
Cholecystokinin-induced satiety in weanling rats

Abstract Intraperitoneal injections fo the synthetic C-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin (CCK) into fasted 21-day-old weanling rats produced a significant suppression of intake of solid and liquid diets. Similar injections had no effect on water consumption of thirsty weanlings. The early appearance of CCK-induced satiety is consistent with the idea that this mechanism is responsible for the effectiveness of gastrointestinal factors in determining intake of very young rats.
Torsional dynamics and orientation of DNA-DAPI complexes

The flexibility of calf thymus DNA and several polynucleotides was measured using the anisotropy decay of DAPI bound to DNA, a minor groove probe. DNA torsional dynamics were analyzed using the Schurr model [Allison, S. A., & Schurr, J. M. (1979) Chem. Phys. 41, 35-44] in the infinite polymer length approximation. Time-resolved fluorescence depolarization was measured using a frequency-double mode-locked dye laser and frequency-domain acquisition methods. At very high P/D ratios, the anisotropy decay is dominated by DNA torsional dynamics. The recovered values of the torsional elastic constant were in good agreement with literature values obtained using other DNA probes. The exact knowledge of the angle between the probe emission dipole transition moment and the helix axis is critical for the determination of the polymer elastic constant. At low P/D ratios, energy transfer between dye molecules strongly contributes to the anisotropy decay. We have developed a statistical model that describes the anisotropy decay, when the correct geometrical factors are included. At low P/D ratios the anisotropy decay is dominated by fluorescence homotransfer. In this regime, it is possible to determine the orientation of the dye molecule with respect to the polymer with accuracy. The values obtained for the distance and orientation of the DAPI molecules in solution using the fluorescence measurements are in excellent agreement with those from the crystal structure of the oligonucleotides-DAPI complex by Dickerson's group [Larsen T.A., Goodsell, D. S., Cascio, D., Grzeskowiak, K., & Dickerson, R. E. (1989) J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn. 7, 477-491].
Capacitance Voltage Characteristics of Polysilicon–Polysilicon Oxide–Polysilicon Structures for Three-Dimensional Memory

Three-dimensional integration offers a dramatic reduction in chip area required per bit and has long been a research objective. Three-dimensional integration with thin film transistors (TFTs) requires detailed parametric analysis with techniques such as Capacitance-Voltage (CV) Characterization. CV analysis of polysilicon TFTs uses polysilicon-oxide-polysilicon thin film structures. Most of the CV analysis involving polysilicon available to date, however, is with polysilicon-oxide-bulk silicon structures. In this paper, we report the results of modeling andmeasurement of the CV characteristics of polysilicon-polysilicon oxide-polysilicon for doped and undoped polysilicon. To increase the conductivity of the polysilicon, elevated temperatures were used for measurement. CV measurements matching the theoretical curves were made for these polysilicon thin films. Oxide thickness, series and shunt resistance were extracted and correlated to process problems and splits.
Cytokine dysregulation in autism spectrum disorders (ASD): Possible role of the environment

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental diseases that affect an alarming number of individuals. The etiological basis of ASD is unclear, and evidence suggests it involves both genetic and environmental factors. There are many reports of cytokine imbalances in ASD. These imbalances could have a pathogenic role, or they may be markers of underlying genetic and environmental influences. Cytokines act primarily as mediators of immunological activity but they also have significant interactions with the nervous system. They participate in normal neural development and function, and inappropriate activity can have a variety of neurological implications. It is therefore possible that cytokine dysregulation contributes directly to neural dysfunction in ASD. Further, cytokine profiles change dramatically in the face of infection, disease, and toxic exposures. Imbalances in cytokines may represent an immune response to environmental contributors to ASD. The following review is presented in two main parts. First, we discuss select cytokines implicated in ASD, including IL-1Β, IL-6, IL-4, IFN-γ, and TGF-Β, and focus on their role in the nervous system. Second, we explore several neurotoxic environmental factors that may be involved in the disorders, and focus on their immunological impacts. This review represents an emerging model that recognizes the importance of both genetic and environmental factors in ASD etiology. We propose that the immune system provides critical clues regarding the nature of the gene by environment interactions that underlie ASD pathophysiology.
Filling the gap between American and Russian options: adjustable regret

We study several infinite-horizon optimal multiple-stopping problems for (geometric) Brownian motion. In finance, they naturally span between the American and Russian option formulations in terms of price and reduced regret. In statistics, they are continuous-time examples of best-choice problems with multiple rights. We find explicit formulas for the value functions and describe completely optimal exercise strategies whenever one exists. We also conjecture a new characterization of the value function for the open problem of the Russian option for arithmetic Brownian motion with drift.
Analysis of glucocorticoid and androgen receptor gene fusions delineates domains required for transcriptional specificity

Androgen receptor (AR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) influence distinct physiologic responses in steroid-responsive cells despite their shared ability to selectively bind in vitro to the same canonical DNA sequence (TGTTCT). While the DNA-binding domains (DBDs) of these receptors are highly conserved, the amino N-terminal domain (NTD) and hormone-binding domain (HBD) are evolutionarily divergent. To determine the relative contribution of these functional domains to steroid-specific effects in vivo, we constructed a panel of AR/GR gene fusions by interchanging the NTD, DBD, and HBD regions of each receptor and measured transcriptional regulatory activities in transfected kidney and prostate cell lines. We found that GR was approximately 10-fold more active than AR when tested with the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter, and that this difference in activity was primarily owing to sequence divergence in the NTDs. We also tested transcriptional activation of the androgen-dependent rat probasin promoter, and in this case, AR was at least twofold more active than GR. Analysis of the chimeric receptors revealed that this difference mapped to the DBD region of the two receptors. Transcriptional repression functions of the wild-type and chimeric receptors were measured using an activator protein 1 (AP-1) transrepression assay and identified the GR HBD as a more potent transrepressor of AP-1 transcriptional activation than the AR HBD. Taken together, our analyses reveal that evolutionary sequence divergence between AR and GR functional domains results in unique promoter-specific activities within biologic systems in which both AR and GR are normally expressed.
P300-like potentials in the normal monkey using classical conditioning and an auditory 'oddball' paradigm.

Endogenous components of evoked potentials resembling P300 in humans were sequentially studied in 3 cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) using an auditory ‘oddball’ paradigm. The two different auditory stimuli were 500 Hz and 4000 Hz tones, designated as the ‘frequent’ and ‘rare’ stimuli, respectively. The probability of ‘rare’ tone presentation was initially 0.2. We further used probabilities of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5. The ‘rare’ stimulus was reinforced by electrical stimulation, which followed the onset of the high tone by 700 msec. After 3–5 training sessions, a late positive wave was observed following the ‘rare’ tone. The latency of this P300-like signal was 314±16.2 msec, and teh amplitude 23.6±3.14 μV. The amplitude of this potential was modified by changes in stimulus presentation probability and by withholding reinforcement.
The phylogenetic relationships of the Central American snake Tretanorhinus: data from morphology and karyology

In spite of numerous references to Tretanorhinus as a natricine or natricid snake, significant characters of the dentition, vertebrae, hemipenis, and scutellation agree with previous immunological data which indicated that Tretanorhinus is a member of the Central American Dipsadidae. The karyotype of Tretanorhinus variabilis supports the view that this genus is not a natrid.
Diet partitioning, habitat preferences and behavioral interactions between juvenile yellow perch and round goby in nearshore areas of Lake Erie

Abstract Ecological interactions between native and non-indigeneous species depend on interspecies dietary and habitat overlap and species-specific behavior. In the Great Lakes, the exotic round goby ( Apollonia melanostoma ) is very abundant in littoral areas used by the native yellow perch ( Perca flavencens ). We examined yellow perch-round goby interactions using multiple approaches. Field surveys analyzing dietary overlap among three size classes of yellow perch and round goby detected significant overlap only between juvenile perch (