cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The evaluation of photo/e-beam complementary grayscale lithography for high topography 3D structure

This article demonstrates and evaluates the feasibility of photo/e-beam grayscale complementary lithography processes for the fabrication of large area, high topography grayscale structure. The combination of these two techniques capitalizes on the capability of photolithography to generate large three-dimensional structures and the ability of e-beam lithography to add fine structure while maintaining high vertical resolution. The litho-etching-litho-etching process reduces the challenges associated with the etching process when transferring fine features simultaneously with deep substrate etching. As a result, this approach enables the fabrication of large-scale high topography features with fine detail. In the first lithography step, a large staircase is fabricated by direct write photolithography. After the photolithography pattern has been transferred into the substrate, e-beam resist is deposited on the patterned substrate using spray coating to obtain conformal coverage on the deep stepped structure. In the second exposure step, an e-beam system further patterns the steps with finer features. Only a small number of grayscale levels are exposed which simplifies the required proximity correction in the design. A vertical resolution of 25 ± 5 nm in a 600 nm horizontal dimension and 45 ± 6 nm in a 300 nm horizontal feature are achieved over a 2 μm to 30 μm vertical depth range. The alignment strategy of complementary lithography, overlay error, and process optimization of integrating high topography and grayscale structure are discussed.
Terahertz optical properties of the high explosive β-HMX

Abstract We have calculated the full dielectric function in the far-infrared for the high explosive β -HMX using density functional perturbation theory. Complementary time-domain terahertz spectroscopy measurements were performed on military-grade samples of HMX. The calculated absorption coefficient in the range 0.1–3.6 THz is in excellent quantitative agreement with our experimentally determined absorption coefficient in terms of both peak positions and magnitude. Our calculated refractive index below 1 THz is 1.68, very close to our measured value of 1.71. This computational method appears well suited for first-principles calculation of the terahertz optical properties of molecular crystals.
Identification of novel hexapeptide agonists at the Xenopus laevis melanophore melanocortin receptor

We used a combinatorial chemical approach to identify novel agonists for the endogenous melanocortin receptor expressed in Xenopus laevis melanophores. A random one-bead one-compound hexapeptide library was screened to detect new molecules able to induce pigment dispersion in melanophores. Our approach led to the discovery of seven related novel peptides able to stimulate pigment dispersion with EC50 in the range of 0.1-10 microM. Their action was inhibited by the amphibian melanocortin receptor antagonist dWRL. These novel peptides share no significant sequence homology with known melanocortins. This study may aid in the understanding of the chemical interaction between the melanocortin receptors and their ligands.
Holocene faunal stratigraphy and paleoclimatic implications of deep-sea sediments in Cascadia Basin

Abstract Hemipelagic sediments in Cascadia Basin were characterized by an abundance of planktonic foraminifers during glacial periods and by an abundance of radiolarians during interglacial periods. The relative abundances of these organisms are used to construct a paleoclimatic curve which includes several intervals indicative of cooling periods within the Holocene. These periods, from 5,000 to 4,000 and at 2,000 years B.P. appear to correlate with those reported in other paleoclimatic studies in widely separated localities.
On the use of boundary conditions for variational formulations arising in financial mathematics

The general intractability of derivative security valuation models to present techniques, both analytic and numerical, arguably remains one of the preeminant problem of mathematical finance. It is the focus of this paper to examine the applicability of a promising recent development, namely Radial Basis Functions (RBF), to the problem of option valuation. A Black-Scholes framework is considered for American and European options written on a one and two risky assets. The performance of RBF and Finite-Differencing algorithms are examined with respect to artificial boundary conditions, computational domain, domain decomposition, and mesh scaling.
Iatrogenic posterior interosseous nerve injury: is transosseous static locked nailing of the radius feasible?

To assess the risk of injury to the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) in transosseous locked nailing of the radius, the relationship of the PIN to the surgical zone was studied in five pairs of fresh frozen adult cadaver arms. A static locked intramedullary nail was inserted in each radius using the recommended surgical technique. A formal dissection of the radial nerve and its branches was then performed to document the relationship of the PIN to the locking screw insertion site. The distance from the PIN to the radial head in neutral, pronation, and supination also was measured. In no specimen was the PIN injured by the screw insertion. However, in two specimens (right and left arm of the same donor) the PIN was 1 mm and 2 mm, respectively, from the screw insertion site. The average shortest distance from the PIN to the screw was 11.3 mm. As measured along the mid-shaft of the radius, the average distance from the radial head to the PIN was 36.2 mm in 90° supination, 46.7 mm in neutral, and 56.9 mm in 90° pronation. Transosseous static locked nailing of the radius is feasible, but the surgeon and patient must be aware of the risk of possible injury to the PIN. To minimize this risk, we suggest that the proximal locking screw should be inserted from a direct lateral entry at <30 mm from the radial head with the forearm in neutral rotation.
Electromagnetic acceleration of electron transfer reactions.

The Moving Charge Interaction (MCI) model proposes that low frequency electromagnetic (EM) fields affect biochemical reactions through interaction with moving electrons. Thus, EM field activation of genes, and the synthesis of stress proteins, are initiated through EM field interaction with moving electrons in DNA. This idea is supported by studies showing that EM fields increase electron transfer rates in cytochrome oxidase. Also, in studies of the Na,K-ATPase reaction, estimates of the speed of the charges accelerated by EM fields suggest that they too are electrons. To demonstrate EM field effects on electron transfer in a simpler system, we have studied the classic oscillating Belousov--Zhabotinski (BZ) reaction. Under conditions where the BZ reaction oscillates at about 0.03 cycles/sec, a 60 Hz, 28 microT (280 mG) field accelerates the overall reaction. As observed in earlier studies, an increase in temperature accelerates the reaction and decreases the effect of EM fields on electron transfer. In all three reactions studied, EM fields accelerate electron transfer, and appear to compete with the intrinsic chemical forces driving the reactions. The MCI model provides a reasonable explanation of these observations.
Functional and dynamic response characteristics of a custom composite ankle foot orthosis for Charcot-Marie-Tooth patients.

Abstract Background Custom carbon-fiber composite ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) have been anecdotally reported to improve gait of Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) patients. The purpose of the study was to characterize the spatio-temporal, joint kinetic and mechanical responses of a custom carbon fiber AFO during locomotion for persons diagnosed with CMT. Methods Eight volunteers were fitted with custom AFOs. Three of the devices were instrumented with eight strain gauges to measure surface deformation of the shell during dynamic function. Following a minimum 10 weeks accommodation period, plantar- and dorsiflexor strength was measured bilaterally. Volunteers then walked unbraced and braced, at their preferred pace over a force platform and instrumented walkway while being tracked with a 12-camera motion capture system. Strength, spatio-temporal and lower extremity joint kinetic parameters were evaluated between conditions (single subject) using the model statistic procedure. Mechanical loads were presented descriptively. Results All participants walked faster (89.4 ± 13.3 vs 115.6 ± 18.0 cm/s) in the braced condition with ankle strength negatively correlated to speed increase. As Δvelocity increased, maximum joint moments during loading response shifted from the hip joint to the ankle and knee joints. During propulsion, the hip joint moment dominated. Subjects exhibiting the greatest and least Δvelocity imposed an average load of 54.6% and 16.6% of body weight on the braces, respectively. Energy storage in the brace averaged 9.6 ± 6.6 J/kg. Conclusion Subject-specific effects of a custom AFO on gait for CMT patients were documented. The force-deflection properties of carbon-fiber composite braces may be important considerations in their design.
Oral health status in relation to socioeconomic and ethnic characteristics of urban adults in the U.S.A.

Nearly 1,300 adult members of a prepaid medical group plan in New York City were screened through automated multiphasic health testing in a series of test stations including a dental station, during 1971-1973. Oral status indicators were developed including a number of missing teeth, scores to measure levels of gingival and periodontal disease, Simplified Oral Hygiene Index scores, and ratios of decayed teeth. Ratios of filled teeth were calculated to measure levels of restorative care. The present paper examines the interrelationships of economic status, education and ethnic origin with each of the above oral status measures. It was found that variations in ratios of decayed and of filled teeth were primarily due to economic status while variations in a number of missing teeth, oral hygiene levels and levels of gingival and periodontal diseases were primarily due to screenees' educational level. Ethnic group differences could be explained in part by differences among these groups in economic and and educational levels. There were no consistent ethnic patterns, however, and while some differences could be explained by controlling for education and economic status, others persisted.
Hospital and long-term survival of patients with acute pulmonary edema associated with coronary artery disease

Cardiogenic acute pulmonary edema (APE) associated with coronary artery disease was diagnosed in 44 patients admitted over a 1-year period to a general university hospital. The patients' clinical characteristics at presentation were variable. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was present in 26 patients (59%). The hospital mortality rate was 46% (12 of 26 patients) in the presence of AMI and 6% (1 of 18) in its absence (p = 0.006). Long-term follow-up of all hospital survivors revealed that 8 of 30 (27%) had died at 1 year and that 21 of 30 patients (70%) had died at 6 years. However, there was no significant difference in subsequent survival between the AMI and non-AMI groups. A history of congestive heart failure was selected as the most important predictor of increased mortality risk by univariate analysis of the clinical characteristics of the hospital survivors (p = 0.02). The mortality rate at 6 years of follow-up was 85% (17 of 20 patients) in the presence of a history of congestive heart failure and 40% (6 of 10) in its absence.
The antiviral protein viperin is a radical SAM enzyme

Viperin, an interferon-inducible antiviral protein, is shown to bind an iron-sulfur cluster, based on iron analysis as well as UV–Vis and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic data. The reduced protein contains a [4Fe-4S]1+ cluster whose g-values are altered upon addition of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), consistent with SAM coordination to the cluster. Incubation of reduced viperin with SAM results in reductive cleavage of SAM to produce 5′-deoxyadenosine (5′-dAdo), a reaction characteristic of the radical SAM superfamily. The 5′-dAdo cleavage product was identified by a combination of HPLC and mass spectrometry analysis.
Meditations on Manufactured Consent and Historical Agency

The article is a study of historical agency and the issues surrounding the Downing Street memo. It compares the understanding of historical agency held by Bush administration officials with the concept as understood by professional historians. It also discusses historical parallels between the Iraq War and the Vietnam War.
Exact space invariant illumination for partially coherent imaging systems

What we believe to be a new illumination scheme that achieves space invariance and permits analytical determination of the image intensity distribution is proposed for partially coherent imaging systems. No additional lenses are needed for phase correction in front of the object and no restriction on illumination coherence is required. Conditions on the axial placement of the condenser with respect to the source and the object are specifically derived in terms of the condenser focal length and the distance from the object to the objective lens. By attaining space invariance, this new illumination scheme permits the use of transfer functions without approximation on illumination coherence. In addition, this illumination method establishes an exact Fourier transform relationship between the illumination and source mutual intensities, and thus significantly simplifies the analysis. Comparison with Kohler illumination is also presented. This apparatus is especially favorable for x-ray microscopy where lenses in this spectral region typically have a low efficiency.
The brain is not single-minded about inflectional morphology: A response to the commentaries

Abstract Jaeger is supportive of our experiment and the claims we make, arguing that the weight of current evidence shows the brain making a distinction between regular and irregular inflectional morphology. Seidenberg & Arnoldussen are unsupportive, criticizing our work on theoretical and methodological grounds. Seidenberg & Arnoldussen’s major worries—that we have misunderstood connectionist theory’s predictions and have committed a “Difficulty Matching Error” in testing them—are important to consider but turn out to be groundless. At bottom, Seidenberg & Arnoldussen fail to recognize the consequences of our choice of German words, rather than English, as stimuli. Once the concept of “difficulty” is given substance in this context, it appears that in German, the brain activates more extensively when dealing with what in the connectionist universe should be, if anything, the easier stimuli, not the harder ones as suggested by Seidenberg & Arnoldussen. Thus regularity cannot be reduced to difficulty.
An Artificial Photosynthetic Antenna-Reaction Center Complex

A model photosynthetic antenna consisting of four covalently linked zinc tetraarylporphyrins, (PZP)3−PZC, has been joined to a free base porphyrin-fullerene artificial photosynthetic reaction center, P−C60, to form a (PZP)3−PZC−PC60 hexad. As revealed by time-resolved absorption and emission studies, excitation of any peripheral zinc porphyrin moiety (PZP) in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran solution is followed by singlet−singlet energy transfer to the central zinc porphyrin to give (PZP)3−1PZC−P−C60 with a time constant of ∼50 ps. The excitation is passed on to the free base porphyrin in 240 ps to produce (PZP)3−PZC−1P−C60, which decays by electron transfer to the fullerene with a time constant of 3 ps. The (PZP)3−PZC−P•+−C60•- charge-separated state thus formed has a lifetime of 1330 ps, and is generated with a quantum yield of 0.70 based on light absorbed by the zinc porphyrin antenna. The complex thus mimics the basic functions of natural photosynthetic antenna systems and reaction center complexes.
Algal photosensory apparatus probably represent multiple parallel evolutions.

Abstract We postulate that algal photoresponse mechanisms are of relatively recent origin and represent numerous parallel evolutions. Functional differences among them are evident, and it is unlikely that any one can be taken as a “model system” representing all. It is probable that the light antenna is the only truly novel part of the apparatus in most cases, with the signal-processing and motile elements being borrowed from some other, more ancient, sensory system. It is thus anticipated that the light-antennae will show the greatest phylogenetic variation, whereas the signal-processors and motile elements will resemble those of other sensory systems in the same groups of organisms.
Flux pinning in superconducting niobium thin films

The effect of flux pinning on the resistive behavior of superconducting niobium thin films was investigated. No resistive voltage, longitudinal or transverse, was observed below the upper critical field, Hc2, determined by a two coil technique.
Ending on a High Note: Adding a Better End to Effortful Study

Remembered utility is the retrospective evaluation about the pleasure and pain associated with a past experience. It has been shown to influence prospective choices about whether to repeat or to avoid similar situations in the future (D. Kahneman 2000; D. Kahneman, D. L. Fredrickson, C. A. Schreiber, & D. A. Redelmeier, 1993). Evaluations about our hedonic past often disregard the duration of the experience and are influenced more by the peak and the final levels of discomfort (B. L. Fredrickson & D. Kahneman, 1993). Two experiments explored the remembered discomfort of an effortful learning experience and the influence of this evaluation on prospective study choices. The design of the studies mimicked D. Kahneman et al.'s (1993) cold-pressor study, but used an exceptionally challenging learning experience in place of the painful experience of submerging one's hand in ice water. An extremely effortful study episode extended by a more moderate interval was preferred to a shorter, unextended interval, despite better test performance following the shorter interval. Future study choices reflected this preference. These findings suggest that the act of acquiring knowledge has value in the learning process.
“Get it off my stack”: Teachers’ tools for grading papers

Abstract Using activity theory to contextualize paper responding and grading processes, this qualitative case study uses interviews and artifacts of three first-year composition instructors to identify ways they cope with the tedious and copious work. Data reveal that teachers practice previously—discovered writing habits of successful writers. Those habits, among others, include creating self-imposed goals, dividing work into manageable chunks, using physical and psychological tools such as information charts and rewards, managing criticism from their paper-grading communities, and sharing work. In light of the results, the researcher calls for administrators’ increased attention to recognition and rewards and decreased criticism in the writing assessment world. Results also indicate a need for greater contextual analyses of teachers’ behavior, tool use, and community interactions. Attention to the social and cultural construction of the paper-grading process will help teachers with the real jobs they have before them that may not conform to the snapshots of isolated actions sometimes presented in writing assessment research.
Electrochemical analysis of dye adsorption on aligned carbon nanofiber arrays coated with TiO 2 nanoneedles for dye-sensitized solar cell

An electrochemical method has been developed to analyze dye absorption on the aligned carbon nanofiber arrays coated with TiO2 nanoneedles for dye-sensitized solar cell. The unique nanostructure with the roughness factor of 90.6 provides a large effective surface area for dye adsorption. The experimental results showed that the dye molecules cover 39.7% of the TiO2 surface area which influences the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell. The electrochemical method provides the information of the coverage of dye molecules which is a key issue to optimize solar cell performance.
Gompertz Survival Kinetics: Fall in Number Alive or Growth in Number Dead?

Abstract The classical Gompertz assumption that the number of individuals surviving in a population decreases with age at an exponentially increasing rate often fits actual data poorly. In particular, observed mortality rates of the older individuals may be lower than predicted. However, such data can be very well fit by the alternative assumption that the number dying increases at an exponentially decreasing rate. Thus, when the appropriate form of the Gompertz kinetics is used, the older individuals die according to the same rule as the younger.
Effectiveness of porcelain repair systems

The study indicates that the repair system using a bonding agent with acrylic resin is significantly stronger than the repair system using a specific composite resin. On the basis of this study, the acrylic resin repair system has the best potential for clinical success in porcelain-to-porcelain repairs.
A bafri, un pafri Bilinguals’ Pseudoword Identifications Support Language-Specific Phonetic Systems

Bilinguals perceptually accommodate speech variation across languages, but to what extent this flexibility depends on bilingual experience is uncertain. One account suggests that bilingual experience promotes language-specific processing modes, implying that bilinguals can switch as appropriate between the different phonetic systems of the languages they speak. Another account suggests that bilinguals rapidly recalibrate to the unique acoustic properties of each language following language-general processes common to monolinguals. Challenging this latter account, the present results show that Spanish-English bilinguals with exposure to both languages from early childhood, but not English monolinguals, shift perception as appropriate across acoustically controlled English and Spanish contexts. Early bilingual experience appears to promote language-specific phonetic systems.
Temperature compensated single-device electromechanical oscillators

This work presents temperature compensated single-device fully micromechanical (circuit-less) oscillators. Thermal-piezoresistive interactions in certain micromechanical resonant structures can lead to self-sustained mechanical vibrations. Self-sustained single crystalline silicon oscillators with frequencies in the few MHz range have been fabricated and their temperature drift behavior is characterized. Temperature drifts as high as - 38ppm/°C measured for the fabricated devices were sharply reduced to less than ±1.5ppm/°C by high concentration phosphorous doping of the structures. TCF as small as 0.4ppm/°C has been demonstrated for a 2.4MHz MEMS oscillator. Furthermore, the TCF of the oscillators has been found to be dependent on the resonator bias current making very close to zero TCF achievable for such devices.
Frequency reconfigurable planar inverted F antenna (PIFA) with software-defined match control

In the present work, a frequency-agile antenna is obtained by integrating a simple planar inverted F antenna (PIFA) with a programmable impedance tuner. The tuner, the software-defined match control (SDMC) circuit, uses a microstrip loaded line structure with three stubs that are each terminated by a varactor diode. The spectral response of the input match is obtained by varying the voltage bias and thus the capacitance of the varactor diodes. The tuner only controls the impedance match between the PIFA and the 50-ohm design impedance of the internal RF circuits.
Production and loss of high‐density batholithic root, southern Sierra Nevada, California

Received 20 February 2002; revised 21 March 2003; accepted 1 July 2003; published 18 November 2003. [1] Eclogites are commonly believed to be highly susceptible to delamination and sinking into the mantle from lower crustal metamorphic environments. We discuss the production of a specific class of eclogitic rocks that formed in conjunction with the production of the Sierra Nevada batholith. These high-density eclogitic rocks, however, formed by crystal-liquid equilibria and thus contrast sharply in their petrogenesis and environment of formation from eclogite facies metamorphic rocks. Experimental studies show that when hydrous mafic to intermediate composition assemblages are melted in excess of 1 GPa, the derivative liquids are typical of Cordilleran-type batholith granitoids, and garnet + clinopyroxene, which is an eclogitic mineralogy, dominate the residue assemblage. Upper mantlelower crustal xenolith suites that were entrained in mid-Miocene volcanic centers erupted through the central Sierra Nevada batholith are dominated by such garnet clinopyroxenites, which are shown further by geochemical data to be petrogenetically related to the overlying batholith as its residue assemblage. Petrogenetic data on garnet pyroxenite and associated peridotite and granulite xenoliths, in conjunction with a southward deepening oblique crustal section and seismic data, form the basis for the synthesis of a primary lithospheric column for the Sierra Nevada batholith. Critical aspects of this column are the dominance of felsic batholithic rocks to between 35 and 40 km depths, a thick (� 35 km) underlying garnet clinopyroxenite residue sequence, and interlayered spinel and underlying garnet peridotite extending to � 125 km depths. The peridotites appear to be the remnants of the mantle wedge from beneath the Sierran arc. The principal source for the batholith was a polygenetic hydrous mafic to intermediate composition lower crust dominated by mantle wedge-derived mafic intrusions. Genesis of the composite batholith over an � 50 m.y. time interval entailed the complete reconstitution of the Sierran lithosphere. Sierra Nevada batholith magmatism ended by � 80 Ma in conjunction with the onset of the Laramide orogeny, and subsequently, its underlying mantle lithosphere cooled conductively. In the southernmost Sierranorthern Mojave Desert region the subbatholith mantle lithosphere was mechanically delaminated by a shallow segment of the Laramide slab and was replaced by underthrust subduction accretion assemblages. Despite these Laramide events, the mantle lithosphere of the greater Sierra Nevada for the most part remained intact throughout much of Cenozoic time. A pronounced change in xenolith suites sampled by Pliocene-Quaternary lavas to
Two Spanish brothers revisited: recent research surrounding the life and instrumental music of Juan Bautista Pla and José Pla

This article constructs a more complete and up-to-date picture of the lives and instrumental compositions of the oboist-composers Juan and Jose Pla than has hitherto been available. It traces their wanderings from Spain to royal courts and public performance venues throughout Europe—including Lisbon, Paris, London, Stuttgart, Padua and possibly the Netherlands. Such a broad itinerary suggests that the brothers' virtuoso abilities on the oboe (as well as their compositions) not only reached, but also influenced the ideas and works of contemporary and later composers perhaps more than had been suspected. There is a brief discussion of the only catalogue of the Plas' works, the paucity of pieces that have been analysed to date, and issues surrounding the manuscript sources of their known instrumental compositions. The concluding remarks provide several points of departure for further research on the Plas.
Nonlinear analysis of pressure vessels: some examples

Nonlinear FEA requires careful engineering judgement, experience and powerful analysis software. This paper presents two pressure vessel problems, where the large displacement and plastic straining response of the structure is simulated by geometrically and materially nonlinear finite element analysis. The first application case involves the limit load prediction of imperfect tubes (with ovalized cross-sectional shape) under external pressure and discusses the accuracy of the pressure vessel code formula. The second case simulates the large-strain cold-deforming process of a pressure vessel made from a strain-hardening steel. In each case, special aspects and pitfalls of a nonlinear analysis have been discussed and some recommendations are given to the stress analyst.
Dynamic multi-robot task allocation for intruder detection

In this paper, we propose an autonomous system consisting of cooperative mobile robots and Fiber Optic Sensors (FSs) for intruder detection in perimeter defense tasks. The system concept is that FSs will sense perimeter intrusions and act as a cueing sensor to an ensemble of robots. These robots in turn engage the potential intruder, performing surveillance and/or neutralization of the intrusion. To minimize the intruder missing rate and response time, some robots have to perform tracking of the intruders while others have to deploy themselves dynamically to cover the protected area. Therefore, a shame-level based dynamic task allocation algorithm is proposed for intruder tracking and allocation, and a gap-based algorithm is proposed for self-deployment of the remaining robots. Both algorithms are developed in a decentralized manner, which means each robot can only communicate with its local neighbors without any global controller unit. Extensive simulation results demonstrate the efficiency and flexibility of the proposed algorithm in a dynamic intruder detection task.
A higher order polynomial reproducing radial basis function neural network (HOPR-RBFN) for real-time interactive simulations of nonlinear deformable bodies with haptic feedback

Interactive simulation of nonlinear deformable bodies with haptic feedback is particularly challenging as the corresponding coupled nonlinear equations must be solved at a high rate of 1 kHz. With increasing demand on the complexity of the models and scenarios that must be simulated to develop interactive applications such as surgical simulators, and given the current state of hardware, a naive solution strategy based on iterative finite element algorithms is not feasible. However, much advantage may be gained if the deformation response of the computational models may be characterized a priori and a radial basis function neural network (RBFN) is trained based upon this data. Once trained, the RBFN may be used during real time computations to calculate deformation fields and reaction forces with minimal computational cost. However, traditional RBFNs have zeroth order polynomial accuracy, implying that they cannot recreate polynomial fields. Since the error in the RBFN approximation is governed by the highest order of the polynomial that the approximant can reproduce, we have developed and successfully tested a higher order polynomial reproducing RBFN (HOPR-RBFN) which, compared to traditional RBFN, reduces the approximation error significantly and allows much fewer neurons to be used for comparable accuracy. Results are provided for realistic surgical scenarios with hyperelastic (neo-Hookean) material models within a fully nonlinear large deformation simulation framework.
German Foreign Policy Since Unification: Theories and Case Studies. Edited by Volker Rittberger. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2001. 385p. $74.95 cloth, $24.95 paper

The demise of Cold War bipolarity has led to dramatic changes in the geopolitical position of Germany, as it has gone from being divided between two blocs to a reunified economic powerhouse in the space of only a few years. Germany might therefore be expected to display dramatic changes in its foreign policy behavior, and thus makes an excellent test case for putting scholarly speculations to the test. This volume presents the results of a research project designed to evaluate the explanatory power of three theoretical approaches—neorealism, utilitarian liberalism, and constructivism—as they pertain to the case of German foreign policy after reunification.
Neotropical Kitchen Gardens as a Potential Research Landscape for Conservation Biologists

Several studies indicate that agroecosystems such as coffee or cacao plantations with an overstory of shade trees can rival the biodiversity of natural forests in terms of Neotropical avifauna diversity (Erwin & Scott 1980; Estrada et al. 1993). Vandermeer and Perfecto (1997) state that these diverse, human-created ecosystems are becoming as rare as their natural counterparts due to the introduction of coffee and cacao varieties that do not require shade trees; therefore, more research should focus on agroecosystems. Shaded coffee plantations are often singled out as the most important agricultural habitat in terms of their biodiversity (Perfecto et al. 1996). I argue that kitchen gardens, another anthropogenically created agroecosystem, also provide important habitat for biodiversity, including Neotropical avifauna. Kitchen gardens are important agroecological systems in many cultural landscapes in the tropics and subtropics. According to Gomez-Pompa and Kaus (1990), kitchen gardens (also known as home gardens, dooryard gardens, or huertos familiares) are the second most important agroecological feature among traditional tropical societies after swidden cultivation. They provide subsistence and cash income and offer a repository and domestication experimentation site for many plant varieties (Kimber 1973; Landauer & Brazil 1990). Yet, compared to other forms of tropical agriculture, the research conducted on kitchen gardens is scant, especially regarding their ecological importance (Gomez-Pompa & Kaus 1990). The Mopan Maya of southern Belize have kitchen gardens that are multi-storied and contain a mixture of minor crops, fruits, ornamentals, and medicinal plants. Like a coffee plantation with an overstory canopy, kitchen gardens mimic a natural forest’s ground, shrub, and canopy layers.
Extrahepatic Exoerythrocytic Forms of Rodent Malaria Parasites at the Site of Inoculation: Clearance after Immunization, Susceptibility to Primaquine, and Contribution to Blood-Stage Infection

Plasmodium sporozoites are inoculated into the skin of the mammalian host as infected mosquitoes probe for blood. A proportion of the inoculum enters the bloodstream and goes to the liver, where the sporozoites invade hepatocytes and develop into the next life cycle stage, the exoerythrocytic, or liver, stage. Here, we show that a small fraction of the inoculum remains in the skin and begins to develop into exoerythrocytic forms that can persist for days. Skin exoerythrocytic forms were observed for both Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium yoelii, two different rodent malaria parasites, suggesting that development in the skin of the mammalian host may be a common property of plasmodia. Our studies demonstrate that skin exoerythrocytic stages are susceptible to destruction in immunized mice, suggesting that their aberrant location does not protect them from the host's adaptive immune response. However, in contrast to their hepatic counterparts, they are not susceptible to primaquine. We took advantage of their resistance to primaquine to test whether they could initiate a blood-stage infection directly from the inoculation site, and our data indicate that these stages are not able to initiate malaria infection.
Weighted Back-Projection Methods

Traditionally, three-dimensional reconstruction methods have been classified into two major groups, Fourier reconstruction methods and direct methods (e.g., Crowther et al., 1970; Gilbert, 1972). Fourier methods are defined as algorithms that restore the Fourier transform of the object from the Fourier transforms of the projections and then obtain the real-space distribution of the object by inverse Fourier transformation. Included in this group are also equivalent reconstruction schemes that use expansions of object and projections into orthogonal function systems (e.g., Cormack, 1963, 1964; Smith et al., 1973; Zeitler, Chapter 4). In contrast, direct methods are defined as those that carry out all calculations in real space. These include the convolution back-projection algorithms (Bracewell and Riddle, 1967; Ramachandran and Lakshminarayanan, 1971; Gilbert, 1972) and iterative algorithms (Gordon et al., 1970; Colsher, 1977). Weighted back-projection methods are difficult to classify in this scheme, since they are equivalent to convolution back-projection algorithms, but work on the real-space data as well as the Fourier transform data of either the object or the projections. Both convolution back-projection and weighted back-projection algorithms are based on the same theory as Fourier reconstruction methods, whereas iterative methods normally do not take into account the Fourier relations between object transform and projection transforms. Thus, it seems justified to classify the reconstruction algorithms into three groups: Fourier reconstruction methods, modified back-projection methods, and iterative direct space methods, where the second group includes convolution backprojection as well as weighted back-projection methods.
New Combination Vaccines: DTaP-IPV (Kinrix) and DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel)

Objective:To evaluate the clinical utility of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed and inactivated poliovirus vaccine ([DTaP-IPV]; Kinrix) and diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed, Inactivated poliovirus and Haemophilus b conjugate (tetanus toxoid conjugate) vaccine ([DTaP-IPV/Hib]; Pentacel) in the schedule for pediatric immunizations.Data Sources:PubMed was searched (1966–April 2009) using the key words Kinrix and Pentacel. Subject headings included vaccines, combined; diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine; diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccines; poliovirus vaccine, inactivated; and Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide vaccinetetanus toxin conjugate. The search was limited to English-language publications involving humans. Product labeling was obtained from GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site was searched for relevant recommendations published June 2008–October 2009.Study S...
Patient preferences in diabetes care: overcoming barriers using new strategies.

The care of patients with Type 2 diabetes is complex, involving many treatment options and decisions. The choice of particular clinical goals (for glucose, blood pressure, lipids, weight and others) and selection of lifestyle and pharmacologic treatments to reach those goals is a multifaceted process that requires artfully and efficiently eliciting patient preferences and values and integrating these with evidence of treatment effectiveness as well as provider preferences and biases [1–3]. Barriers to systematic consideration of patient preferences Shared decision-making comprises several components, each with potential barriers to incorporating patient preferences into treatment decisions in outpatient settings. ■ An uninformed patient There is no systematic approach to provision of unbiased and evidence-based information for the patient to consider. Patients often receive incomplete information about differences in safety, side effects, benefits, and the cost of alternative phar macologic and lifestyle treatments whether from direct patient advertising, social media, unregulated websites, or providers. As an example, even for newly prescribed medications (not considering other treatments not selected) patients were told the name of the medication, purpose of the medication, the dosing frequency, duration of treatment and principal adverse effects less than 20% of the time [4]. Absence of a well-informed patient is a major barrier to incorporating patient preferences for care. ■ Provider unawareness of relative benefits, risks & costs of treatment options for a particular patient The benefits and risks of a given evidence-based treatment differ for individual patients at particular points in time. Benefits are especially hard to assess because they must be considered relative to competing therapies. However, clinical decision support (CDS) tools that are linked to electronic health records and include treatment algorithms and recommendations can address some of these issues (see below).
Quantum control of electron dynamics

We present computational examples of the quantum control of electron dynamics in the time-domain. We use a general Liouville-space, density matrix formalism to predict the electric field that best drives a system to a chosen outcome, at a chosen time. The method is applicable, in principle, to atoms and molecules, and to gases, clusters, surfaces and condensed phases. In this work, we specialize to the control of radial electron wave packets in the hydrogen atom. We illustrate the method with two examples, a reflectron and a transient quantum nanostructure. In the reflection, we focus an electronic wave packet to have maximum overlap at a specified time with a Gaussian target localized in position and momentum, with the momentum directed towards the nucleus. In the nanostructure, we focus the wave packet onto a target that is double-peaked in position, with momentum directed away from the nucleus.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Spontaneous and deliberate dissociative states in military personnel: relationships to objective performance under stress.

ABSTRACT We recently distinguished between spontaneous and deliberate dissociative states in military personnel exposed to stressful survival training, demonstrating not only that a substantial subset of participants (13%) deliberately dissociate under intense stress but also that most deliberate dissociators (76%) find it helpful (facilitative) to coping. In this brief report, we examine the relationship between spontaneous and deliberate subtypes of dissociation, and objective military performance in Special Forces and non–Special Forces personnel enrolled in survival school. Inverse relationships between dissociation and military performance were observed in both Special Forces and general soldier subgroups. Military performance did not differ between spontaneous and deliberate dissociators, nor did it differ between those who appraised dissociative states as facilitative versus debilitative to stress coping. This study evolves our understanding of factors influencing human performance in the high-stak...
Spectral Properties of Selected UV‐blocking and UV‐transmitting Covering Materials with Application for Production of High‐value Crops in High Tunnels†

The spectral properties of selected UV-blocking and UV-transmitting covering materials were characterized by means of a UV–VIS spectroradiometer or a UV–VIS spectrometer to provide researchers and growers with guidelines for selecting suitable materials for use in studying the effects of ambient solar UV radiation on the production of tomatoes and other high-value crops in high tunnels. A survey was made of a wide range of plastic covering materials to identify commercially available products that had the desired characteristics of transmitting high levels of photosynthetically active radiation and of being stable under ambient solar UV radiation. The study was focused on evaluating films that either blocked or transmitted UV wavelengths below 380 nm to determine comparative growth, yield and market quality and to provide a tool for integrated pest management. Based on this survey, two contrasting covering materials of similar thickness (0.152 mm) and durability (4-year polyethylene), one a UV-blocking film and the other a UV-transmitting film, were selected and used to cover two high tunnels at Beltsville, MD. Spectroradiometric measurements were made to determine comparative spectral irradiance in these two high tunnels covered with these materials and under ambient solar UV radiation. Comparative measurements were also made of selected glass and plastic materials that have been used in UV exclusion studies.
Some Special Functions

Our aim in this chapter is to illustrate the power of complex analysis by proving a deep theorem in number theory, the prime number theorem, which does not appear at first glance to be related to complex analysis. Along the way we introduce various functions that play an important role in complex analysis. In Section 1 we introduce the gamma function Γ(z), which provides a meromorphic extension of the factorial function. We derive the asymptotic properties of the gamma function in Section 2 by viewing it as a Laplace transform. This yields Stirling’s asymptotic formula for n!. In Section 3 we study the zeta function, which is a meromorphic function whose zeros are related to the asymptotic distribution of prime numbers. In Section 4 we study Dirichlet series associated with various number-theoretic functions, thereby giving a strong hint of the fecund relationship between complex analysis and number theory. The proof of the prime number theorem is given in Section 5.
Student Perception of Peer Review for Written and Oral Undergraduate Plant Science Assignments

Three different styles of peer review were implemented in three undergraduate plant science courses representing freshman, sophomore, and junior levels of students at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Student perception of the benefits from peer review instructional practices were assessed over a 2-year (2012–2014) period. Students (n = 168) completed a written survey evaluating the level of agreement or disagreement with statements related to their peer review experience of written and oral assignments for the three plant science courses. Overall, students agreed with statements that peer review was valuable, helped them better understand the assignment guidelines, and generated ideas to improve their assignment and grade. Peer review alleviated student anxiety in some instances, and the effectiveness of peer review may differ depending on course assignment and student level. Suggestions are offered for instructional challenges and considerations that may help students better participate and understand the peer review process and thus be able to benefit more from its use.
Two-photon spectral coherency matrix and multi-parameter optical entanglement

We introduce the concept of two-photon spectral coherency matrix and the spectral two-photon Stokes parameters as a counterpart to the classical coherency matrix of broadband polarized light. We discuss its use for characterizing frequency-polarization optical entanglement.
The Lebesgue Integral

Let {X,A,μ} be a measure space and E ∈ A. For a function \(f:E \to {{\mathbb{R}}^{*}}\) and c∈ℝ, set $$\left[ {f > c} \right] = \left\{ {x \in E\left| {f\left( x \right) > c} \right.} \right\}.$$ (1.1)