cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of Nickel-Cobalt-Ruthenium multi-principal element alloys

Abstract The possibility of designing multi-principal element alloys in the Ni-Co-Ru system is investigated by first-principles and experimental means. A high-throughput first-principles approach is employed to probe the effect of composition on planar fault energies. Of most interest, a FCC alloy, Ni40Co40Ru20, exhibits a high room temperature strength compared to existing nickel-containing solid solution FCC high entropy alloys. The presence of Ru imparts the alloy with unique properties. First, the low stacking fault energy provides a low critical resolved shear stress for twinning, allowing a TWIP effect. Second, the high lattice friction and the associated high yield strength enables the critical resolved shear stress for twinning to be reached at low strains at room temperature, resulting in the formation of a dense network of planar defects for increased work hardening. A TRIP effect is also observed at higher strains at room temperature.
Antimicrobial proanthocyanidin-chitosan composite nanoparticles loaded with gentamicin.

Abstract Cranberry proanthocyanidin-chitosan nanoparticles (PAC-CHT NPs) loaded with antibiotic gentamicin (GEN) (PAC-CHT-GEN NPs) were formulated and characterized according to size, polydispersity (PDI), surface charge, morphology, and encapsulation efficiency (EE). PAC-CHT-GEN NPs were evaluated for their ability to agglutinate E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa and their bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity. Results indicate that the PAC-CHT-GEN NPs at 0.5:1.0, 1.0:1.0, and 2.0:1.0 weight ratios formed stable nanoparticles with sizes from 242.9 to 277.4 nm, a PDI from 0.344 to 0.391, and a zeta potential from 34.5 to 38.5 mV, and up to 94% EE. Results indicate that PAC-CHT-GEN NPs have the ability to agglutinate E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, PAC-CHT-GEN NPs exhibited greater bactericidal activity than GEN alone. Results suggested PAC-CHT-GEN NPs form stable, round-shaped, and bioactive nanoparticles with the potential to be use in the treatment of bacterial infections.
Coexistence in Kr 72

I have applied a simple two-state mixing model to $E2$ strengths among low-lying states in $^{72}\mathrm{Kr}$. Solutions are found with basis states in $^{72}\mathrm{Kr}$ similar to those in $^{74}\mathrm{Kr}$. As expected, the amount of the more collective basis state in the yrast states increases with $J$ for $J=0$, 2, and 4.
Defense Mechanism Vulnerability Analysis of Ring Oscillator PUFs Against Neural Network Modeling Attacks using the Dragonfly Algorithm

Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) are used to provide security and authentication in assured and trusted integrated circuits by producing unclonable cryptographic keys. However, machine learning algorithm attacks have proven to be effective against PUFs. By using machine learning attacks the Challenge-Response Pairs (CRPs) can be predicted using a relatively small subset of training samples. In this work, Feed-Forward Neural Network (FNN) based model using the Dragonfly Optimization (DFO) is used to predict the accuracy of the response. The vulnerability analysis is performed on two well-known Ring oscillator PUFs; namely, the Configurable Ring Oscillator PUF and the XOR-Inverter Ring Oscillator PUF to analyze their defense mechanisms. From the study, it is found that the FNN-based model can predict the responses of the two PUFs with prediction accuracies of 85.2% and 71.3% respectively, thus making them vulnerable to this kind of attacks.
Management of Common Tendinopathies in Basketball

Up to 12% of all basketball athletes are afflicted with lower extremity tendinopathies that can impact their performance and predispose to potential tendon rupture. Patellar tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy constitute the most common pathologies in basketball, likely as a consequence of repetitive jumping and pivoting maneuvers. A comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology can help to guide management of these athletes. The mainstay of tendinopathy management is conservative and benefits from a timely and accurate diagnosis. This chapter addresses the role of nonoperative modalities in the management of tendinopathy and also delves into operative management for patients who are refractory to conservative management. Ultimately, a thoughtful and patient-centered approach to clinical management of tendinopathy can yield successful recovery and return to sport.
Cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccination for adults through age 45 years in the United States: Estimates from a simplified transmission model.

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to assess incremental costs and benefits of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program expanded to include "mid-adults" (adults aged 27 through 45 years) in the United States. METHODS We adapted a previously published, dynamic mathematical model of HPV transmission and HPV-associated disease to estimate the incremental costs and benefits of a 9-valent HPV vaccine (9vHPV) program for people aged 12 through 45 years compared to a 9vHPV program for females aged 12 through 26 years and males aged 12 through 21 years. RESULTS A 9vHPV program for females aged 12 through 26 years and males aged 12 through 21 years was estimated to cost < $10,000 quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained, compared to no vaccination. Expanding the 9vHPV program to include mid-adults was estimated to cost $587,600 per additional QALY gained when including adults through age 30 years, and $653,300 per additional QALY gained when including adults through age 45 years. Results were most sensitive to assumptions about HPV incidence among mid-adults, current and historical vaccination coverage, vaccine price, and the impact of HPV diseases on quality of life. CONCLUSIONS Mid-adult vaccination is much less cost-effective than the comparison strategy of routine vaccination for all adolescents at ages 11 to 12 years and catch-up vaccination for women through age 26 years and men through age 21 years.
Modeling watershed nutrient concentrations with AutoML

Water quality impairments in coastal and estuarine waters around the world have been linked to human activities on land. Excess nitrogen inputs from rivers result in low dissolved oxygen bottom waters, or hypoxia, which has negative ecological and economic impacts. Additionally, warming surface water temperatures increase stratification, further preventing oxygenation of bottom waters. Land use management policies have been implemented to improve water quality, but the solution must be regionally appropriate, accounting for the uniqueness and complexity of each watershed. In this study, we implement an AutoML pipeline to find the best model and associated parameters for predicting total nitrogen concentrations in the Chesapeake Bay, USA watershed from geographic and climate predictors. The highest performing model was a stacked ensemble model, H2O AutoML Regression GLM, with an R2 of 0.91 and RMSE of 0.48 on the test data. This model outperformed deep learning models, which were included in the 60+ models evaluated in the AutoML pipeline. Since feature importance cannot be deciphered from ensemble models, we looked to the best performing non-ensemble model for the most important predictors. The three most important features in the H2O AutoML XGBoost model (R2 = 0.84, RMSE = 0.69) were geographic indicators (i.e. longitude, latitude and watershed code) while climate variables were poor predictors. Our results point to the importance of location and land use within a subwatershed for modeling watershed nitrogen concentrations. While these findings provide insight into watershed dynamics for our region of study, we hypothesize that the best performing model, model performance and/or feature importance may be different for other geographies.
Extracting meaningful circuit-based calcium dynamics in astrocytes and neurons from adult mouse brain slices using single-photon GCaMP imaging.

Summary Confocal, multiphoton, or other advanced microscopy techniques produce high-quality datasets of calcium activity in live tissue. However, researchers without access to such expensive equipment can still produce meaningful observations from single-photon datasets. Here, we describe a protocol to extract meaningful features of both somatic neuronal and membranous astrocytic calcium dynamics obtained from charge-coupled device (CCD)-based camera setups, typical of electrophysiology rigs and highly relevant for investigating neuronal and astrocytic involvement in brain circuitry. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Asrican et al. (2020) .
KRAS G12C-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Biology, Developmental Therapeutics, and Molecular Testing.

Mutation in the gene that encodes Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is the most common oncogenic driver in advanced non–small cell lung cancer, occurring in approximately 30% of lung adenocarcinomas. Over 80% of oncogenic KRAS mutations occur at codon 12, where the glycine residue is substituted by different amino acids, leading to genomic heterogeneity of KRas-mutant tumors. The KRAS glycine-to-cysteine mutation (G12C) composes approximately 44% of KRAS mutations in non–small cell lung cancer, with mutant KRasG12C present in approximately 13% of all patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Mutant KRas has been an oncogenic target for decades, but no viable therapeutic agents were developed until recently. However, advances in KRas molecular modeling have led to the development and clinical testing of agents that directly inhibit mutant KRasG12C. These agents include sotorasib (AMG-510), adagrasib (MRTX-849), and JNJ-74699157. In addition to testing for known actionable oncogenic driver alterations in EGFR, ALK, ROS1, BRAF, MET exon 14 skipping, RET, and NTRK and for the expression of programmed cell-death protein ligand 1, pathologists, medical oncologists, and community practitioners will need to incorporate routine testing for emerging biomarkers such as MET amplification, ERBB2 (alias HER2), and KRAS mutations, particularly KRAS G12C, considering the promising development of direct inhibitors of KRasG12C protein.
Design of Purely Mechanical Device to Aid in the Suppression of Parkinsonian Hand Tremors

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by a decrease and lack of dopamine production in the brain. Patients experience inhibited mobility—particularly in their hands, which is where the tremors occur most often. There is a need for a tremor suppressor to improve patients’ quality of life. The research conducted to develop a purely mechanical device to aid in the suppression of the hand tremors, as well as the details regarding the theory, prototyping, and testing will be presented. Other solutions such as electronic devices, brain stimulation and weights are invasive, cumbersome, and can be expensive. The mechanical device offers a noninvasive, affordable solution to the tremors. While other devices are designed to react to the tremors, the current device in development suppresses the tremors, thereby allowing the patient to have full control of movement. It is designed to be adjustable, giving it the ability to suppress over a range of patient tremors, which vary from 4 Hz to 7 Hz.
Some Probable Interactions of the Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Hypersensitivity

We spent one whole introductory session, just looking at the cover of the puzzle box. In doing so, we attempted to draw attention to the need for balance in the immune response, in dealing with bovine respiratory stress factors, and in prevention of clinical bovine respiratory disease (BRD). We barely peaked inside the box, but did examine several puzzle pieces of general significance which we identified as some of these stresses. One of the big ones was people (us). As an example of one of the smaller, individual pieces of the BRD puzzle, we gave passing attention to Pasteurella haemolytica. We attempted to show that health was balance, and that imbalance resulted in disease. Infection was almost incidental. And finally, the main point of that introductory discussion was an attempt to argue that imbalance upward, overreaction or hypersensitivity could be as harmful as imbalance downward, which we can call immunosuppression. As we now draw a few more individual pieces from the puzzle box, let us also make an attempt to demonstrate how these other pieces, the common respiratory virus infections, relate back to that bigger puzzle picture. If they are of significance as opportunistic pathogens, they create imbalance. Traditionally, we have restricted our thinking almost exclusively to downward, and have been guilty of concentrating only on immunosuppression. But today, let's go onward, and upward!
Semantic ambiguity and memory

Abstract The emotional ambiguity hypothesis posits that as items are encoded, people process the ambiguity as well as the intensity of their valence. The hypothesis predicts three signature effects, all of which have been reported: ambiguity-driven declines in valence-arousal correlations, a quadratic law relating perceived valence to valence ambiguity, and improvements in episodic memory as a function of increases in valence ambiguity. After reviewing evidence on these effects, we evaluated fuzzy-trace theory’s proposal that the ambiguity hypothesis should apply to a broad range of semantic attributes other than valence (e.g., categorization, concreteness, meaningfulness). According to that proposal, all three effects should be observed for other attributes. They are. In Experiment 1, ambiguity-driven reductions in attribute correlations were identified for seven other attributes. In Experiment 2, 16 other attributes obeyed the quadratic law. In Experiments 3–5, three other attributes displayed ambiguity-driven improvements in recall. It appears that people process the ambiguity as well as the intensity of many semantic attributes, and hence, the memory effects of such attributes can be due to either or both.
Arbeitsbedingungen im Erwerbsverlauf

Die im vorangegangenen Kapitel 4 prasentierten Analysen belegen eine stark ausgepragte Ungleichheit in der Verteilung der Erwerbsbeteiligung alterer Arbeitnehmer/-innen, welche in den vergangenen Jahren noch deutlich zugenommen hat. Die Befunde legen nahe, dass es vor dem Hintergrund der Schliesung von Fruhverrentungsmoglichkeiten nicht allen Beschaftigten in gleichem Mase moglich ist, auch entsprechend langer erwerbstatig zu bleiben. Als eine Hauptursache kann in Anlehnung an Kapitel 1.2.2 die eingeschrankten Beschaftigungsmoglichkeiten alterer Arbeitnehmer/-innen angenommen werden, wonach insbesondere die Nachfrage nach geringqualifizierten alteren Arbeitnehmer/-innen nach wie vor niedrig ist. Hinweise darauf ergeben sich beispielsweise auch durch die hohe Arbeitslosigkeit im Altersubergang bei Geringqualifizierten.
Selective Hyaluronan–CD44 Signaling Promotes miRNA-21 Expression and Interacts with Vitamin D Function during Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas Progression Following UV Irradiation

Hyaluronan (HA), the major extracellular matrix component, is often anchored to CD44 isoforms, a family of structurally/functionally important cell surface receptors. Our recent results indicate that UV irradiation (UVR)-induced cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) overexpress a variety of CD44 variant isoforms (CD44v), with different CD44v isoforms appear to confer malignant SCC properties. UVR also stimulates HA degradation in epidermal keratinocytes. Both large HA polymers and their UVR-induced catabolic products (small HA) selectively activate CD44 isoform-mediated cellular signaling in normal keratinocytes and SCC cells, with all of the downstream processes being mediated by RhoGTPases (e.g., RhoA and Rac1). Importantly, we found that the hormonally active form of vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3) not only prevents the UVR-induced small HA activation of abnormal keratinocyte behavior and SCC progression, but also enhances large HA stimulation of normal keratinocyte activities and epidermal function(s). Furthermore, we found that HA and its UVR-induced catabolic products (e.g., large and small HA) selectively activate CD44-mediated Rac and RhoA signaling. Specifically, large HA-CD44 interaction promotes Rac/PKNγ-dependent normal keratinocyte differentiation, DNA repair and keratinocyte survival. Conversely, small HA-CD44v isoform interaction stimulates RhoA/ROK-dependent NFκB signaling and microRNA-21 (miR-21) production, leading to inflammation, proliferation (following acute UVR response) and SCC progression (following chronic UVR exposure). Active vitamin D inhibits small HA-CD44v-mediated RhoA/ROK signaling and SCC progression; and it also enhances large HA-CD44-mediated differentiation, DNA repair and normal epidermal function. Selective applications of large HA and vitamin D will be used to improve the UVR-induced HA (small vs. large HA)-CD44 isoform interaction with RhoGTPase signaling and skin inflammation as a potential therapeutic treatment for skin cancer.
Quality of Life in Adults with Gliomas: Literature Review (P4.212)

AIM: Patients with malignant gliomas are subject to multiple medical problems that can significantly impact their overall survival and quality of life, including cognitive and psychiatric disorders, seizures, headaches, and side effects of chemotherapy. Optimal management requires a multidisciplinary approach and knowledge of potential complications of both the disease and its treatment. METHODS: Literature search was conducted to identify studies reporting original data on baseline quality of life. Two electronic databases were searched from inception to June 2014. 38 full-text articles were selected for critical reading. The authors performed a systematic literature review that included 1660 patients. RESULTS: The most commonly reported complication among patients with glioma is cognitive changes. Of the 1660 patients in this review, 348 (21[percnt]) were found to have changes in cognition. These changes are believed to be due to either the tumor itself, neurosurgical intervention, postoperative medications or psychological effects. Motor deficits, fatigue, headache and depression are also among the top 5 commonly reported complications. 192 (12[percnt]) patients reported motor deficits, 158 (10[percnt]) patients reported fatigue, 190 (11.4[percnt]) patients suffered from headaches, and 136 (8[percnt]) patients suffered from depression during the course of their illness. It was also shown that among glioma patients, those with depression were significantly more likely to experience complications and had significantly shorter survival times when compared to non-depressed glioma patients. Other reported complications include language and communication deficits in 119 (7[percnt]) patients, emotional distress in 83 (5[percnt]) patients, seizures in 80 (4.7[percnt]) patients, pain in 71 (4[percnt]) patients, adverse drug and chemotherapy reactions in 76 (5[percnt]) patients. CONCLUSIONS: High grade gliomas are extremely aggressive tumors that require intensive treatment. The findings of this review highlight the many contributory factors that significantly reduce the overall quality of life in patients with high-grade glioma. Disclosure: Dr. Kurako has nothing to disclose. Dr. Salgado has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity from Belvoir Media Group.
Odontogenic adenomatoid tumor (adenoameloblastoma). Survey of 3 cases.

Abstract As other studies have suggested, the odontogenic adenomatoid tumor is predominately a tumor of young persons under the age of 20 years. There is a marked female preference (7:4), as well as a marked maxillary preference (4.5:2.5). Fully 76 per cent of these lesions occur in the anterior regions of the jaws, and 74 per cent are associated with an unerupted tooth—most commonly a cuspid (68 per cent). It has been shown that the odontogenic adenomatoid tumor has, on occasion, an inductive effect upon the connective tissue and cannot continue to be considered a pure epithelial tumor. A significant number of cases with long-term follow-up has been presented which, in our opinion, offers sufficient support for the widely held concept that the odontogenic adenomatoid tumor is a benign lesion that does not recur after conservative removal.
Roles of parents in fostering technological fluency

In this poster we share results from a study focusing on parent roles in learning, part of a larger research project describing conditions that support the continued engagement of middle school students in projects that use new media technologies. We identify ways in which parents can support their children's pursuit of digital media skills, and analyze roles that vary as a function of the child's gender and experience level with activities that build technological fluency.
New York Water Law

This chapter of the Lexis Treatise, Waters & Water Rights provides an overview of the statutes and cases governing water law in New York State. The state's water law is primarily codified in Article 15 of New York Environmental Conservation Law, with residual issues defined by common law. New York is considered a reasonable use riparian jurisdiction, although its comprehensive legal framework could also fit under the rubric of "regulated riparianism." This chapter surveys water law in the state - from interstate compact down to municipal flood control ordinance and attempts to contextualize them within the overall state legal framework.
X-band monolithic GaAs PIN diode variable attenuation limiter

Monolithic GaAs PIN diode attenuator/limiter circuits have demonstrated 26 dB of variable attenuation at X-band, while maintaining under 1.5 to 1 input and output voltage standing wave ratios (VSWRs). Insertion loss is 0.8 dB at 10 GHz in the zero bias condition. Passive limiting provides 15 dB of isolation at RF input power of 2.0 W CW (continuous wave). These results are obtained using a vertical pin diode process on metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) material. >
REDUCED FECUNDABILITY IN WOMEN WITH PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO CIGARETTE SMOKING

Animal studies have suggested that fertility may be impaired by transplacental exposures, but little is known about human prenatal exposures and subsequent adult reproduction. A possible relation between prenatal exposure to cigarette smoking and adult fecundability in women was explored, with the use of data from a prospective study of 221 North Carolina couples. These couples were recruited during 1983-1985, at the time they stopped using birth control in order to become pregnant. The relative fecundability of exposed compared with unexposed women was estimated by applying a discrete-time proportional probabilities model to the cycle-by-cycle conception rates. Women with prenatal exposure to their mother's cigarette smoking had reduced fecundability. The fecundability ratio associated with prenatal exposure to mother's smoking, adjusted for age, frequency of intercourse, current smoking status, age at menarche, and childhood exposure to cigarette smoking, was 0.5 (95% confidence interval 0.4-0.8). This association was not changed by further adjustment for other possible confounding variables, including educational level, reproductive history, body weight, and consumption of alcohol and caffeine. Thus, women whose mothers smoked while pregnant with them may be on average substantially less fecund than women whose mothers did not smoke during pregnancy.
Molecular genetic analysis of the dilute-short ear (d-se) region of the mouse.

ABSTRACT Genes of the dilute-short ear ( d-se ) region of mouse chromosome 9 comprise an array of loci important to the normal development of the animal. Over 200 spontaneous, chemically induced and radiation-induced mutations at these loci have been identified, making it one of the most genetically well-characterized regions of the mouse. Molecular analysis of this region has recently become feasible by the identification of a dilute mutation that was induced by integration of an ecotropic murine leukemia virus genome. Several unique sequence cellular DNA probes flanking this provirus have now been identified and used to investigate the organization of wild-type chromosomes and chromosomes with radiation-induced d-se region mutations. As expected, several of these mutations are associated with deletions, and, in general, the molecular and genetic complementation maps of these mutants are concordant. Furthermore, a deletion break-point fusion fragment has been identified and has been used to orient the physical map of the d-se region with respect to the genetic complementation map. These experiments provide important initial steps for analyzing this developmentally important region at the molecular level, as well as for studying in detail how a diverse group of mutagens acts on the mammalian germline.
Program monitoring in higher education

Despite consensus that higher-education programs should be evaluated, assessed, or monitored closely, the many, inherent problems and issues are intensified by the difficulties of specifying precisely what is to be monitored.
Process variation monitoring (PVM) by wafer inspection tool as a complementary method to CD-SEM for mapping LER and defect density on production wafers

As design rules shrink, Critical Dimension Uniformity (CDU) and Line Edge Roughness (LER) constitute a higher percentage of the line-width and hence the need to control these parameters increases. Sources of CDU and LER variations include: scanner auto-focus accuracy and stability, lithography stack thickness and composition variations, exposure variations, etc. These process variations in advanced VLSI manufacturing processes, specifically in memory devices where CDU and LER affect cell-to-cell parametric variations, are well known to significantly impact device performance and die yield. Traditionally, measurements of LER are performed by CD-SEM or Optical Critical Dimension (OCD) metrology tools. Typically, these measurements require a relatively long time and cover only a small fraction of the wafer area. In this paper we present the results of a collaborative work of the Process Diagnostic & Control Business Unit of Applied Materials® and Nikon Corporation®, on the implementation of a complementary method to the CD-SEM and OCD tools, to monitor post litho develop CDU and LER on production wafers. The method, referred to as Process Variation Monitoring (PVM), is based on measuring variations in the light reflected from periodic structures, under optimized illumination and collection conditions, and is demonstrated using Applied Materials DUV brightfield (BF) wafer inspection tool. It will be shown that full polarization control in illumination and collection paths of the wafer inspection tool is critical to enable to set an optimized Process Variation Monitoring recipe.
Outer hair cell electromotility: The sensitivity and vulnerability of the DC component

Abstract A technique was devised in order to study the fast electromechanical length changes of outer hair cells at low stimulus levels. Solitary outer hair cells were drawn into a glass microchamber. Length changes were evoked by the application of transcellular potentials and were detected with a photodiode. The method is non-invasive to the cell and offers superior sensitivity and stability for the recording of cell length changes. The function relating command voltage and cell length (V-δL) change was determined. A nonlinearity, consisting of a DC component superimposed on the AC response, was shown to be present at the lowest stimulus levels measured. The nonlinearity was sensitive to imposed electrical bias as well as vulnerable to overstimulation. The observations are interpreted in reference to the V-δL function. A parallel is suggested between the nonlinearity seen in the mechanical response and that observed in the responses of the intact cochlea.
The Effect of Cardiac Cycle Phase on Reaction Time Among Individuals at Varying Risk for Hypertension

Abstract: Existing evidence suggests that baroreceptor stimulation may impair sensorimotor functioning. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the adverse effect of baroreceptor stimula...
Unsedated transnasal laryngo-esophagogastroduodenoscopy: an alternative to conventional endoscopy

The introduction, refinement, and subsequent widespread use of flexible fiberoptic endoscopes have revolutionized the diagnosis and management of upper gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. There has been a simultaneous increase in the cost of managing upper GI disorders, which is in part attributed to the high price of endoscopy. Unfortunately, in the current cost-conscious health-care environment, the high cost of endoscopy has resulted in the underuse of this valuable clinical tool. Unsedated transnasal laryngo-esophagogastroduodenoscopy (T-EGD) is a new technique for upper endoscopy that uses an ultrathin endoscope and has a comparable yield to conventional upper endoscopy but obviates the need for conscious sedation because it is better tolerated. Studies have found that T-EGD is a feasible alternative to conventional endoscopy in terms of safety, efficacy, and cost containment. This article reviews these factors, the technique of T-EGD, patient and endoscopist considerations, tissue sampling, and the characteristics of ultrathin endoscopes used for T-EGD.
Evapotranspiration in Tidal Marshes

Field experiments were completed to determine patterns of evapotranspirative water loss from salt and tidal freshwater marshes in Virginia. Water losses from “Mariotte systems” attached to open-water lysimeters and lysimeters vegetated by dominant marsh macrophytes were used to calculate hourly rates of open-water evaporation (Eo) and evapotranspiration (ET), respectively, during low tide. In the tidal freshwater marsh, ET was significantly greater than Eo (p=0.002, n=6); in the salt marsh, there were no differences between mean rates of ET and Eo (p=0.200, n=3). The ratio ET:Eo was highly correlated with leaf area index (LAI) (r2=0.82). In the tidal freshwater marsh, the amount of water loss due to plant transpiration was partitioned from total evapotranspiration by covering the water surface of the lysimeters with styrofoam beads. Measured transpiration rates in the tidal freshwater marsh were strongly correlated with leaf area index according to the following linear regression equation: T=0.355(LAI)−0.084 (r2=0.797, n=10). Because LAI was shown to be a good predictor of the relative increase in ET over Eo, it is likely that in vegetated tidal freshwater marshes with high leaf densities most atmospheric water loss comes from plants, not from the surface of the marsh. In salt marshes, low plant densities do not contribute substantially to atmospheric water loss, suggesting that paths of water transport and patterns of solute concentration in the subsurface environment are different compard to the tidal freshwater marsh.
Coupling-aware Dummy Metal Insertion for Lithography

As integrated circuits manufacturing technology is advancing into 65nm and 45nm nodes, extensive resolution enhancement techniques (RETs) are needed to correctly manufacture a chip design. The widely used RET called off-axis illumination (OAI) introduces forbidden pitches which lead to very complex design rules. It has been observed that imposing uniformity on layout designs can substantially improve printability under OAI. For metal layers, uniformity can be achieved simply by inserting dummy metal wire segments at all free spaces. Simulation results indeed show significant improvement in printability with such a dummy metal insertion approach. To minimize mask cost, it is advantageous to use dummy metal segments that are of the same size as regular metal wires due to their simple geometry. But these dummy wires are printable and hence increase coupling capacitances and potentially affect yield. The alternative is to use a set of parallel sub-resolution thin wires (which is not printed) to replace a printable dummy wire segment. These invisible dummy metal segments do not increase coupling capacitances but bring a higher lithography cost, which includes mask cost and RET/process expense. This paper presents a strategy for dummy metal insertion that can optimally trade off lithography cost and coupling capacitance. In particular, we present an optimal algorithm that can minimize lithography cost subject to any given coupling capacitance bound. Moreover, this dummy metal insertion achieves a highly uniform density because of the locality of coupling capacitance, which automatically ameliorates chemical mechanical polish (CMP) problem.
Determinants of Cliff Edge and Escape Responses in Herring Gull Chicks in Nature1)2)

Herring gull chicks from nests on a) cliff ledges and b) vegetated plateaus showed different types of escape and edge response when tested on an elevated platform. The birds from cliff sites, though bolder at the platform edge, were more reluctant to jump. Those from the plateau nests leapt to the ground with relatively little hesitation. Chicks from cliff eggs, hatched and reared in the plateau by foster parents, resembled native plateau chicks in their escape responses while chicks of plateau origin reciprocally transplanted to and reared on cliff sites showed the reluctance typical of cliff chicks. The posssibility of two genetic types reproductively isolated on the two breeding situations is thus essentially eliminated. The likelihood of a stable genetic polymorphism is considered and tentatively discarded as less plausible than an explanation based on learning. Although conditions favorable for simple instrumental conditioning along divergent lines are present in the two rearing situations, a theory is favored which attributes the divergence to major differences in the amount and variety of experience afforded by the two environments. Modest support for this theory is provided by experiments in which plateau chicks confined by fencing to the immediate nest vicinity tended to resemble the naturally deprived cliff chicks in their reluctance to jump. In conclusion the concept of species-characteristic responses is considered inapplicable to the cliff edge and escape patterns of herring gull chicks except as it incorporates recognition of a determining role in factors of the rearing environment.
The effects of principals’ humor on teachers’ job satisfaction

Traditionally, education has been perceived as a most serious and disciplined undertaking. Schools have become so obsessed with discipline, standardized test scores, proper objectives, competence, and proficiency that they have turned into rather grim places. All too often teachers and students will say that school and learning are not enjoyable. This study was designed to investigate school principals’ overall frequency of humor use as perceived by teachers, and the relationship of principals’ humor use to teachers’ job satisfaction. This study also analyzed how teacher job satisfaction was influenced by principals’ frequency of humor use in different groups. Results of this study support the idea that principals who share humor in the workplace have teachers with higher job satisfaction than those principals who share very little or no humor in the workplace.
Slope of the forward peak: an s-channel analysis

Starting from the exact multiparticle unitarity relation, we derive the derivative extension of the optical theorem. The slope of the forward peak is then related in a model-independent way to the rotational properties of production amplitudes. A sequential representation is developed for treating an $n$-particle state. The formalism is then applied to the multiperipheral and diffractive models. The analysis makes clear the mechanisms in which the forward slope is built up in those models. In the case of the multiperipheral model the slope is proportional to the number of links in the multiperipheral chain. Quantitatively, the slope of the Pomeranchuk trajectory at $t=0$ is too large. In an oversimplified version of the diffractive model, the predicted slope of the elastic forward peak is one-half the mean slope, the average being taken over all two-cluster production processes; consequently, it is too small. The realistic high-energy model is somewhere between the two extremes considered.
Interactive computations and display of characteristics of the radiation scattered by a sphere: a demonstration for PS/2 model 80

The Personal System/2® (PS/2®) Model 80 with its math coprocessor provides a considerable amount of computing power which can be used with advantage to solve technical problems interactively at a stand-alone workstation. To demonstrate this capability, a scientific program routinely used in diverse disciplines requiring significant computing power was modified to run on the PS/2 Model 80. It computes and displays variations of the specific intensity and degree of polarization of the electromagnetic radiation scattered by a sphere of given refractive index. For a sphere of size parameter of 100, about 475 000 double-precision floating-point calculations are performed and the results displayed in graphic format in less than ten seconds. The selected algorithm is routinely used in several different disciplines such as astronomy, atmospheric optics, chemical engineering, colloidal chemistry, and remote sensing. Because it requires the evaluation of spherical Bessel functions with complex arguments, and derivatives of the Legendre polynomials, it was selected as a representative problem of numerically intensive computing.
Federal laboratories: Economic development and intellectual property constraints

The United States is increasingly looking at ways to link public-sector investments in science and technology with national economic-development goals. The federal laboratories are a reflection of this trend and much has been done to make them a more attractive source for innovative ideas in the private sector. One significant change that has resulted in making the laboratories more interactive with US industry has been the easing of government patent policy for both government-and contractor-operated national laboratories. However, there still are intellectual-property constraints, especially in the areas of technical data and software, that need immediate attention if the full intent of technology-transfer legislation is to be met.
Transport in the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation

We prove a dispersive estimate for the Schrodinger equation on the real line, mapping between weighted L P spaces with stronger time-decay (|t|-3 2 versus |t|-½ ) than is possible on unweighted spaces. To satisfy this bound, the long-term behavior of solutions must include transport away from the origin. Our primary requirements are that 3 V be integrable and -Δ+V not have a resonance at zero energy. If a resonance is present (for example, in the free case), similar estimates are valid after projecting away from a rank-one subspace corresponding to the resonance.
Taste and Odor Changes During Fat Rancidity Development in Wheat

Abstract Many Americans are interested in eating foods which are natural and do not contain additives. Storing wheat in the refrigerator/freezer or properly drying wheat help prolong the shelf life. Home processed wheat may become rancid before it is consumed because the commercial methods for preserving wheat may not be available in the home. The development of fat rancidity in wheat stored at room temperature (23°C and 70% relative humidity) was measured by testing fat acidity development in the whole grain and flour forms of ‘Guard' and ‘2371' cultivars of wheat. To examine the sensory acceptability of bread made from this wheat, bread was baked from the two types of flour for 11 weeks. The bread was evaluated for taste and odor acceptance using a 5-point hedonic rating scale. According to the literature rancidity standard, the flour was rancid within 10 days of harvest but the taste and odor of the bread were acceptable for 32–66 days post-harvest or until the fat acidity level was six times the literature standard. Large amounts of freshly harvested wheat should be dried and stored in the whole grain form to slow rancidity development. When stored at room temperature, high quality whole grain will not become rancid for about 44 days. Wheat should be milled in small batches that will be used within a month. The consumer taste panel was able to consume bread in which the rancidity level was six times the literature standard.
Poly(ADP-ribose) makes a date with death

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzymes catalyze the conversion of NAD(+) to polymers of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR). Although its role in the DNA-damage response has long been recognized, recent work indicates that PAR itself acts at the mitochondria to directly induce cell death through stimulation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) release. This review discusses PAR synthesis and degradation, and the role of PAR misregulation in various disease states. Attention is given to opportunities for therapeutic intervention with small molecules that are involved in PAR signaling, with specific focus on poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) and AIF.
A Bayesian approach to an interlaboratory comparison.

Abstract Interlaboratory comparisons are an important check of the quality of a measurement technique. In this paper we examine the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurement of 41 Ca, an unstable isotope of calcium that has emerged as a valuable tracer for a variety of studies. We use a Bayesian framework to explore the quality and consistency of the AMS measurements made by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Purdue Rare Isotope Measurement Laboratory (PRIME Lab). This framework should be generalizable to other interlaboratory comparisons. The laboratories measured 47 samples, with each lab measuring an aliquot of each sample. The Bayesian approach allowed us to derive a probability distribution for four parameters reflecting the quality of the data, and to then address the following questions: (1) Are the results from the two labs consistent? (2) Are the uncertainties quoted by the two labs reasonable? We find that any consistent offset between the two labs is negligible, and that the uncertainties may be slightly underestimated.
Taxation and educational development: Evidence from British India

Abstract This paper measures the effects of public expenditures on literacy in early 20th century British India. Using a new dataset and an instrumental variables strategy, I find that public investments in primary education had positive and statistically significant effects on literacy. A 10 percent increase in 1911 per-capita spending or 44 additional primary schools would have translated into a 2.6 percentage point increase in 1921 literacy in the population aged 15–20. The findings, however, differ by gender: the IV estimates on spending are statistically significant only for male literacy. India’s historical experience thus suggests that building more schools would not have solved the problem of female illiteracy that continues to persist even today.
More on spatial oligopoly as a noncooperative game

This paper presents and solves another case of a problem posed byBeckmann [1973]. It considers a duopoly game of c.i.f. pricers selling to a population distributed on an interval. While Beckmann assumed equal transportation costs to sellers and consumers, we assume prohibitive ones to consumers. We also arrive at a mixed strategy solution, one that is somewhat more complicated. A brief extension ton-players oligopoly is carried out at the end.
Tolerance to nicotine-induced sympathoadrenal stimulation and cross-tolerance to stress: Differential central and peripheral mechanisms in rats

Abstract Nicotine stimulates the secretion of catecholamines from sympathetic nerve endings and adrenal medulla by acting on peripheral nicotinic cholinergic receptors. Nicotine is also a potent stimulant in the central nervous system but the significance of nicotinic receptors in brain in mediating cardiovascular and sympathoadrenal responses to nicotine is unclear. The responses of resting plasma catecholamines, blood pressure and heart rate were compared in rats receiving nicotine, administered either systemically or intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.). Sympathoadrenal stress responses were also studied in rats rendered tolerant to nicotine from repeated systemic or intraventricular injections. Nicotine, given either intraventrieularly or systemically, produced dose-related increases in the concentration of epinephrine in plasma. Little effect on norepinephrine in plasma was observed with nicotine given intraventricularly, indicating predominant stimulation of adrenomedullary pathways. In contrast, nicotine, given systemically, produced comparable increases in both epinephrine and norepinephrine. Blood pressure increased and heart rate fell in response to either intraventricular or systemic administration of nicotine. Rats exhibited tolerance to nicotine 24 hr after a single intraventricular injection; however, tolerance was not detected with systemically injected nicotine unless the injections were given at least every 30 min. Whereas rats rendered tolerant to systemic administration of nicotine were cross-tolerant to stress, with respect to sympathoadrenal stimulation, cross-tolerance with stress was not detected in rats treated with nicotine repeatedly by the intraventricular route. These results indicate that nicotinic receptors in brain modulate the central sympathetic outflow and adapt readily to nicotine stimulation with prolonged tolerance, but are probably not involved in sympathoadrenal stress responses. Peripheral nicotinic receptors, regulating sympathoadrenal secretion of catecholamines, displayed much shorter-lasting tolerance.
Some improved methods for real-time integration of state variable derivatives with discontinuities

In this paper we consider an analytic averaging technique for integration of discontinuous nonlinear functions. Functions with both displacement and slope discontinuities are treated. The analytic averaging method is shown to provide much better accuracy than conventional integration algorithms. This is especially true when fixed integration step sizes are used, as in real-time simulation. A simple but practical example of a bangbang control systems is used to verify the superior performance of the analytic averaging method. It is also shown how averaging formulas for unit step and unit ramp nonlinear functions can by superposition be used to construct analytic averaging formulas for any nonlinear function which has displacement and slope discontinuities. A modified form of Euler integration is shown to be especially compatible with the analytic averaging method. In real-time simulation of dynamic systems the time derivatives of state variables sometimes have discontinuities. For example, this is clearly the case when simulating a spacecraft attitude control system which uses on-off reaction control thrusters. It is also true in the simulation of continuous controllers with effort limiting, controllers with dead-zone, etc. In general the discontinuities occur at times which are asynchronous with respect to integration step times. Because of this the use of conventional integration methods can result in substantial dynamic errors. Methods have been proposed using variable integration step size to improve the accuracy when discontinuities are present(1.2.3). However, in real-time simulation the integration step size must be fixed and the errors introduced by discontinuous derivatives can become very serious unless the step size is made inordinately small. A technique compatible with real time simulation which utilizes an intermediate step to the discontinuity has been described and shown to exhibit high accuracy(4). However, this method can require considerable computation time when many discontinuous functions are present in a simulation. A less accurate but faster method for handling discontinuous nonlinear functions in fixed step integrations has also been' described(5). The method, which uses an analytic averaging technique, is introduced in the next section. A general formula for the analytic averaging function for any nonlinearity consisting of straight line segments and displacement discontinuities is developed in Section